Halloween Promo: Lucky 13

For the next 13 Strength by Sara: How to Perfect Hardstyle Kettlebell Principles using Z-Health Concepts DVD orders, I'll thrown in the accompanying mini-book for FREE (a value of $19.99)!

Offer Good 28 Oct 2010-4 Nov 2010

"I was looking for a good version of the get up on you tube, couldn't really find it, so I watched your DVD again this morning for some tips and got them ++, much beyond just the TGU. There are so many things to forget and you did such a great job of covering the basics. Really helps my teaching a lot and it's nice to be coached so easily and effectively." -Dan

"I met Sara Cheatham during a Kettlebell workshop. In addition to attending the workshop, we both made appts for a Z-health session to work on issues with had with joint pain. I was immediately with her knowledge, experience and most of all personality. She did Z-health joint exercises through out the workshop which made a huge difference in my performance throughout the weekend.

After meeting her and spending time with her during that workshop, I knew that whatever product she put out, I would order. Her DVD, Strength by Sara did not disappoint. Again, she mixed movement and joint mobility work into the workouts. I believe this makes a huge difference in my overall strength and flexibility. I now use a lot of her warm up with my own clients and they love it!

Thanks Sara for a great product. I look forward to many more."
Laurel Blackburn NASM CPT, RKC, FMS
Owner of Boot Camp Fitness and Training and Tallahassee Kettlebells
Tallahassee, FL.

Losing the baby weight

I got a facebook question about how to lose weight after back-to-back babies. Which, holy cow! if one isn't tough enough to recover from!

We get warned about the baby blues and postpartum depression... but until you experience it, there are no words to help prepare you for the emotional baggage of being a new mom. Firstly, your body has been in the equivalent of a major car wreck, but you have to pull yourself together physically and emotionally to care for this helpless human...of which you don't know where to begin! Instinct shminstinct. And do all the reading you'd like, no book has EVER been written about YOUR baby. You're jumping into the deep end with only a fun noodle to keep you afloat. There is no time out or downtime. It's all baby, all the time. Sorry dads, you get the back seat for awhile. Something else few are warned about or can understand until the baby arrives. I could go on, but I'm writing my next book on recovering and post-baby training...on with the question at hand. Let's keep it real simple and easy:

#1. Goal setting is crucial.

• Make large goals, and set a time line of completing smaller goals to get there.
• Write them down and read them at least once a week, even say them out loud. Our brains believe more of what we say than what others say, so there is power and intention to saying your goals out loud and keeping them handy.

#2. Journaling.

• Keep a journal of everything you do: workouts and dates.
• Also keep a food journal starting right now. Write down everything you put in your mouth and the times you do it. You don't have to be super detailed about it, just start with the foods and times, then you can record the total calories, fat, carbs, protein, fiber and perhaps how you felt before and after you ate. I have kept both a food and training journal since 1998. It's interesting and inspiring to look back and see my personal record of peaks and valleys. It gives you drive too, when you start wandering off track.

Food journaling and goal setting are two very underestimated components of lifetime health....and are why people yo-yo back and forth. They have no record of personal accountability. Goal setting & journaling seem too simplistic to be taken seriously. Too many folks get wrapped up in the bells and whistles and then realize they can't keep up with it all. They set themselves up for failure because they've put too much on themselves. They forget about the rest of their lifestyle components: work, family, friends, unexpected stresses and time-sucks.

Keep it simple. Keep it doable. And keep it fun.

...Consulted for Experience Life Magazine

I was recently contacted by Jen Sinkler at Experience Life Magazine to give my two cents on this question: "I keep hearing that I need to challenge myself and ‘find my edge’ during fitness activities, but I really don’t like being uncomfortable, so I tend to quit long before I find that ‘edge,’ and I never lift to failure, or even anywhere close. I get that makes me a sissy. But can I still make progress this way?" Check it out in their November issue! Or check them out on the web at www.experiencelifemag.com

Here's my full response:
Firstly, I'd have to ask why you feel the need to train to your edge, for what reason? Is it a part of your short or long-term goals? And what are you training for? Most true top athletes don't train to their edge time and again. They go through waves and cycles according to when they need to peak for their event. If you want to train to your edge, which to my coaching ears sounds like burnout, which translates to failure, I'd say your headed down the wrong path. Neurologically, you are setting yourself up for failure every time you step up to the bar, bell, track, or whatever you're training. Unless you're an elite athlete that needs to learn to train through fatigue and failure, there's no need in beating yourself up and giving yourself a complex.

Secondly, do you know what your edge is? Most people train for the sake of training. I mentioned goals earlier. Everyone should have progressive, attainable goals. If you don't know where your edge is, and you want to train to that as your goal, you may need to get outside help. Even top athletes have coaches. Invest a little money in a good, educated, experienced coach so that you can safely, effectively, and efficiently move toward finding your individual edge. Trying to go at it alone may set you up for injury, which will only end up setting you back time and again.

If you don't train to your edge with every session, you may be doing yourself a favor in the long run! You won't establish a mental or physical pattern of failure, you'll avoid injury, you'll keep moving, and keep feeling great! The psychological connection to your physical abilities is incredibly under-rated. Train smart, set reasonable time-based goals, know your limits so you don't injure yourself, and invest in a good coach to help you on your journey.