Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Do you master your temple?

Does this guy master his??

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Would you want to live to be 1000 years old?

If it were possible to live that long would you choose to? Barring moral implications, environmental implications and personal and religious biases on the topic, would you as an individual, be willing to invest in the fruition of this type of longevity?
Here's a short (too short) lecture by Aubrey de Grey on this topic. Mull it over.

Be Happier!!

An interesting little video about happiness.


Kevin Smith at Cornell

Here's a little video I found this morning of Kevin Smith talking to Cornell university.
He's a bright man. I personally don't really care for most of his movies, but as a person and an artist I think he's brilliant.
Don't be shy, laugh at it.

Friday, January 26, 2007

The Colloidal Silver Controversy.

There is a great amount of controversy surrounding the use of colloidal silver. Some consider it a panacea others consider it a dangerous snake oil. I've personally spoken to at least a dozen different people who have used Colloidal Silver to treat any number of conditions ranging from UTIs to AIDS to cancer. None of these people mentioned anything about digestive upset (supposedly caused by the silver destroying the beneficial intestinal flora) or argyria (a bluish skin coloration resulting from ingesting silver. Its irreversible but purely cosmetic) or finding symptoms of heavy metal toxicity. This doesn't discount the fact that there are reported cases of these conditions being side effects of colloidal silver use, but it leads me to remain on the fence about it. I have personally tried the stuff. I found it worked great to get rid of colds and I haven't turned blue yet but perhaps 10 years from now I might be singing a different tune (maybe the smurf theme song)
So today I decided I'd inform myself a little better. I tried to find some articles that were peer reviewed and unbiased but I honestly couldn't. I did, however, find a bunch of stuff for CS and a bunch of stuff against it. In my opinion the material that supports its use is presented a little better than the material against it, but both sides seem to harbor a little bias.

So here's some of the stuff I found. I'll leave it up to you to decide for yourself.

http://www.silver-colloids.com/Pubs/pubs.html

http://www.canadiancontent.ca/issues/0299health.html

http://www.colloidalsilvermaster.com/colloidal_silver_research.htm

http://dermatology.cdlib.org/111/case_reports/argyria/wadhera.html

http://homepages.together.net/~rjstan/rose2.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloidal_silver

http://curezone.com/foods/silver.asp

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/alerts/silver/silver.pdf

http://www.revivalnook.co.za/Articles/All%20you%20need%20to%20know%20about%20Colloidal%20Silver.pdf

http://www.eco-logic-systems.com/CVS/Colloidal%20Silver.pdf

http://www.perutechnologies.com/pdf_files/csLindeman.pdf

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Yoga

I'm on the bed of brevity bent,
like a thick moss on hollow logs,
lying in wait for the thralls of rapture,
succinct in the swamp of thought.

My First Love Affair.

What is it about strength training?
Why did I fall in love with it? What is it about knowing there's a bar on my back that could crush me if I let it? Knowing that if I slip, or miscalculate, or overestimate, or rush things, I could end up in traction, or dead? Is it sane to push yourself to the limit, to see the face of your borders and smile (after washing the puke off your face)?
There's a meditative quality to it. It demands attention. Strict attention. Not that sort of attention that comes when you're really into a novel and you realize you just read 20 pages without thinking. Its much more primal, instinctive than that. Having a cast iron mass poised above your head, drilling you into the ground forces all those little quibbles and quirks of your conscious mind to shut up and get out. There's no room for thought.
I read some where (can't remember where) that you know you're on your way to being a great dead lifter if it takes 7 seconds for your soul to reenter your body after a heavy lift. That stuck with me. I think of that quite often.
Aleister Crowley describes enlightenment as a state where the observer and the observed are no longer differentiated. They mingle in a great explosive realization that the universe is One. Maybe that's why I love it when I'm lifting and time seems to stand still and there's nothing left in my world but this black mass of trance. I put down the weight and can't tell where I was, there was nothing but pure movement, pure trained response, unmitigated strain. Its meditative.

Denmark RKC

I love the sound effects in this video.

Kettlebell Ribbon

Yet another joint mobility drill.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Lower Back Care

Protecting the lower back

From: Steve Maxwell
Subject: Fitness
Date/Time 2005-06-17 10:31:56
Remote IP: 68.163.18.158
Message

Peter,
The most frequent cause of injuries in strength/endurance exercise is the sudden increase in volume. This has been well documented in many population studies. So the most important thing to keep your back safe is to very gradually increase your volume of high rep work. The kettlebell snatch works the back muscles in a state of constant contraction. The spine remains in a constant tight arch statically while the glutes and hamstrings propell the bell upward. Any type of mobility work for the spine, including forward bending would be good therapy. Holding back bending postures and the shoulder bridge are redundant, unless of course you have tight hip flexors. You are already holding your back in extension for prolonged periods of time while doing high rep snatches. A very therapeutic and protective exercise that I work with my athletes is the 45' back hyper-extension. I use the wave style, where one allows the back to round or flex forward and then performs a slow extension one vertebrae at a time, in a wave like motion. This exercise strengthens the low back through the full range. Snatches tend to shorten the hamstrings, so do some PNF hamstring stretching at the end of each session. Shortened hamstrings are the frequent culprit in back problems. Keeping a strong abdominal structure is also very important as well as the rotational muscles. Exercises like janda situps, Russian twists and hanging leg raises are vital to a complete back program. Excess intra-abdominal fat also stress and puts undo strain on the lumbar spine. Getting rid of the pot belly is also very important. A spare tire is bad for ones health in other ways as well.
Steve Maxwell

Snatch hints

Snatch hints

From: Jared in MT
Subject: Fitness
Date/Time 2005-03-28 22:29:10
Remote IP: 12.150.67.132
Message

Anyone involved in kettlebells knows that snatches tear up the hands. Anyone in GS knows that torn hands = less than optimum training.

Soapy handle snatches and oven mitts come in handy, but I've found that grip goes too fast if you are working on big sets. These two exercises are also rather hazardous indoors.

I've found a solution that forces a little extra grip work, but still allows for 80-90% max rep range. Fingerless cloth gloves! These dandy little buggers allow the Kettlebell handle to rotate and not tear up your palm calluses and allow your fingers to catch the handle for a more secure & safe snatch. They also pad the wrist just a bit. If you want to work your grip some more, but don't like oven mitts or soap, try the GI surplus green wool glove liners with full fingers. Another excellent & inexpensive tool.

Many of the cloth gloves on the market have the little rubber traction dots. No problem as they are generally not r/l specific. I wear mine on the wrong hands so the dots are on the back.

Recovery Article

Could not get link to work so I cut and paste the article. Comments please

From: DonP
Subject: Fitness
Date/Time 2005-03-13 03:54:29
Remote IP: 142.165.232.18
Message

The Recovery Battlefield
Getting aggressive with your recovery
by James Wilson



Let's pretend for a minute that you're a General in charge of planning the key mission that could make or break the war. Your forces have been fighting this war for a few years now and while they initially made some good progress, your troops have lately stopped advancing on the enemy and have actually lost some ground. Realizing that you need a new strategy, you open up your battle plan to see what went wrong and devise the next assault to crush the enemy.

After studying your current plan, you realize that your forces have been investing all of their time and effort focusing on a few battlefronts and only giving token resistance on the others. You seem to have control of the fronts you've been focusing on, so where do you focus your attention now? You would send the reserves to the territories you haven't been focusing on, of course! No self-respecting General would reinforce his strong areas while ignoring his weak ones. That's a sure way to lose the war.

So what does this have to do with pumping iron? Simple, you're fighting the great anabolic/catabolic war right now. Your body is your army and you're calling the shots, General. What do you do when your progress slows down or you start to lose muscle and strength? If you're like most people you might try a new workout, add something to your supplement list or tweak something else in your current plan. These are all good things to consider, but have you ever thought about taking a truly aggressive approach to your recovery program?

This is the forgotten front in the war for the body that you envision. Just like in the scenario I presented above, most people focus their attention on a few things (usually workouts and supplements) and ignore other areas (usually diet, flexibility and other recovery factors). However, when they start to lose ground they simply put more energy into what they're already focused on and continue to ignore the weak link(s) in their program. No wonder so few people ever achieve their ultimate goals!


Why Recovery is so Important

When you take an objective look at how our bodies adapt to training it quickly becomes apparent how important this overlooked aspect is. Your workouts only provide the stimulus for change; the change itself (hopefully a decrease in body fat or an increase in muscle and/or strength) actually takes place during the periods between workouts. How quickly and completely this recovery takes place is a result of many factors, including dietary habits, supplementation, age and personal stress levels, just to name a few.

The quicker and more complete the recovery, the faster you can get back in the gym and the better your performance will be once you get there. Oh yeah, taking an aggressive approach to your recovery program will also lead to less down time from injuries and sickness, just in case you're interested in that sort of thing.

When you consider that most people spend only four to ten hours a week working out (about 2-6% of their total time each week), you see that the time they spend in the gym is only a small part of the big picture. Whether you realize it or not, more time is spent each week on recovery than in the gym. Hopefully you're starting to see why it's vitally important to be familiar with recovery factors to help maximize your performance and gains in the gym.

And for the younger crowd out there, don't think this doesn't apply to you just as much as it does everyone else. I'm here to tell you that using youth as a crutch is a dangerous proposition. (I'm just 25 myself, so don't think I'm being a cantankerous old man here.) Yes, as teenagers and 20-somethings we can sometimes get away with eating junk, working out like idiots and still see descent results. But that doesn't mean that we should.

Like the saying goes, practice doesn't make perfect, it only makes habit. If you never practice good workout, diet and recovery techniques when you're young, then you'll have a hell of a time doing it when you're older. At some point you have to realize that you can't rely on the advantages of youth forever, so develop good work habits early on.

With that said, here are a few factors I'd like you to consider:

Energy System Used ? Workouts usually draw most of the fuel used from either the anaerobic (strength training, intervals, ect.) or aerobic (long, continual endurance workouts) pathway of muscular energetics. Not allowing for full energy system regeneration can lead to overtraining.

Psychological Factors ? Never underestimate the power of the mind. Work, finances, personal relationships and basic everyday life can all cause stress. If left unchecked stress can have very powerful physical manifestations such as headaches, insomnia and an increase in catabolic hormones such as cortisol.

Efficiency of Waste Removal and Structural Repair ? Working out generates metabolic waste like lactic acid and hydroxyproline and wreaks havoc on the structural components of the muscles and tendons. The faster your body can rid itself of these metabolic wastes and fix the damage the faster you'll recover.

Replenishment of Nutrients ? The availability of key micro and macronutrients in your diet will have a large impact on recovery.

While just a partial list of factors, I find these to be the most relevant simply because we can influence each of these factors in some way to tip balance of power in the anabolic/catabolic war in our favor. The more of these factors that you can shore up and get aggressive with, the more likely you'll be able to claim victory in that war.

I'm going to touch on each of these factors, explaining briefly why you should care and then giving you the goods on how to manipulate each one to maximize your time and effort in the gym.


Energy System Used

We're all familiar with the practice of working different muscle groups on different days, commonly referred to as using a training split. Why do we do this? To allow the different muscles to recover before we work them again, of course. But there's an underlying factor that, if missed, could seriously derail your progress.

Let me explain. Most of us are familiar with interval training and its many variants (HIIT, TC's 50-Yard Dash program, etc.). Many of us currently use interval training in place of regular aerobics, and for good reason. It's more fun, extremely time efficient and you always look more impressive to the college girls when you're hauling ass around a track, as opposed to plodding through countless laps (hey, you've got to keep your priorities straight).

A typical training split using strength training and intervals might have someone lifting weights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while doing their intervals on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Seems logical, but is it? Consider what this training split looks like from an energy system standpoint. Both weightlifting and intervals put a large stress on the anaerobic (without oxygen) pathways of muscular energetics. By not paying attention to this detail, this training split taxes the same energy systems for six straight days with only one day of true recovery.

While you might be able to tolerate this program for a short time, using this split for months on end would eventually lead to overtraining. If you're simply doing intervals to speed fat loss, then it's better in the long run to do most of them after strength training. If you're trying to increase your speed then do them first. Either way, to insure recovery don't do more than two days in a row of workouts that tax the anaerobic energy system.

If you're an endurance athlete or still use conventional aerobics, then remember that it takes up to 48 hours to refuel from a strenuous aerobic workout. The take-home message here is the same ? don't do more than two days of hard aerobics in a row, especially when coupled with strength training. Properly timing your anaerobic and aerobic training days (or doing your interval work after lifting weights) will make sure that you aren't unknowingly burning the recovery candle at both ends and setting yourself up for overtraining.

This battlefield is probably the easiest to secure so you should be able to claim victory here rather easily. Unfortunately, this is as easy as it gets. Now the real battle begins.


The Mind Game: Psychological Factors

This is going to stray from the realm of what you normally read in muscle magazines. That right there should tell you that this is most likely an area that you aren't defending from the enemy very well. Your biggest hurdle to securing this area may be your own preconceptions about what a big, buff bodybuilder does to reach peak condition. In other words, get ready to open your mind and think differently.

Just to give you an idea of the power of the mind, studies show that people with chronically high levels of mental stress are fatter, have more health problems and die sooner than those who manage their stress levels better. On the positive side, we've all heard about the mother who lifted a car off her baby or the obscure athlete rising to the challenge and winning Olympic gold, all because they believed that they could.

The human mind is the single most powerful thing in existence, yet when was the last time you thought about your mind's well being, much less how to use its powers to increase your strength and muscle gains? You can have everything else about your program dialed in, but if you don't take steps to at least manage your daily stress levels it can all be for nothing. In some respects the mind is an area that will work for the other side if your forces don't maintain an active presence there. If you really want to achieve peak condition, this is one area you must take back and keep from the enemy.

I could go on for hours about the mind and how it can adversely or positively affect you and your training, but that's going beyond the scope of this article. Hopefully you can see why the mind is an area that you should pay attention to and actively help it recover from both training and daily stress. The most important thing to do is get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Sorry folks, you'll never achieve your goals unless you do. There's just no getting around the importance of sleep for your progress.

You should also meditate, pray or whatever it is you personally call it a few times each week. Simply take some time to go to a quiet place, close your eyes and let the outside world and its distractions slip away. For a simple and basic introduction to meditation techniques try the book Meditation for Dummies.

Lastly, I strongly recommend becoming familiar with Eastern philosophies on stress and life management. The best book I've ever come across for this purpose is the classic The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff. (Yes, this is the part where you have to keep an open mind!) In this very easy read (my clients read this book and all have finished it in three or four days of light reading) Benjamin has managed to capture the essence of Taoism. Anyone who reads it is sure to gain a new perspective on life and how to mange it better.

Sure, you might think it sounds silly to suggest that what stands between you and the body you want may be 30 minutes of quiet time a few times each week and reading a book that explains Eastern philosophy through a stuffed bear, but trust me, this is powerful stuff. In high level athletics it's often said that the mental barrier is what separates the winners from the losers and such is the case with this war.

While it may not add ten pounds of muscle in two weeks or fifty pounds to your bench overnight (it might though, you never know), making sure your mind is working with you and not against you will ensure that you aren't sabotaged from within, just when you think you're ready to claim victory.


Efficiency of Waste Removal and Structural Repairs

Workouts are hell on your muscles. They generate free radicals, produce lactic acid, cause microscopic tears in the muscles and tendons and basically turn your body into a metabolic scene reminiscent of Braveheart after the Scotts got their butts kicked. The faster your body can get rid of the dead (metabolic wastes) and fix the wounded (structural damage), the faster it can be ready for action.

Faster and more complete recovery of this kind will lead to far more progress in the long run because of more quality workouts and less time lost to injuries. Unfortunately, forgetting about your body's recovery immediately after your post-workout shake isn't going to cut it.

To claim victory here you have to form a multi-pronged attack. To speed the removal of the metabolic wastes after working out, simply use a cool-down (10 to 15 minutes of light aerobic activity) and stretch for 10 to 15 minutes after that. Don't scoff; the cool-down is an essential part of recovery. It helps your heart pump fresh blood in and pump waste-ridden blood out of your muscles. Stretching helps to "wring" the muscles of even more of these casualties of war. Stretching after training also helps speed recovery since muscles won't really start to recover until they return to their normal length. (Strength training leaves the muscles in a shortened state.)

As far as speeding the repair of structural damage, my first two recommendations involve supplements that will give your body the raw materials needed for the repairs. Protein is obviously key (preferably with most coming from whey and casein) and the recommendation of 1 to 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight is usually sufficient. I also recommend using a glucosamine/chondroitin combination. Don't wait until you need it to start using this powerful supplement duo. The whole idea is to be aggressive and head off any problems before they arise.

Stretching also helps speed the structural regeneration of your body, so take 15 minutes every day and stretch. I personally use and recommend the routine described in Ian King's article The Lazy Man's Guide to Stretching. Stop making excuses why you can't stretch. Put a towel by your couch so that when you're sitting there watching television you'll be reminded to get on the floor and stretch. Don't worry, you can still watch Tony Soprano whack people and get in a good stretching session.

Lastly, make use of one of the most powerful (and least used) regeneration techniques ? massage. Massage is perhaps the oldest technique known to mankind for speeding recovery and has an almost endless list of therapeutic affects including removal of metabolic waste, restoration of optimum muscle tension and length and circulation of lymph, just to name a few.

You don't even have to shell out the $50+ dollars an hour to put it to work for you. All you need to do is find a massage school near you that has a student clinic. At these student clinics you can get an hour long full-body massage for $20 to $30. Since massage students must log a certain number of hours to receive their certifications, almost all schools have some form of this, so ask around. Get a massage two to four times a month and I'll guarantee that you'll feel and notice the difference.

In battle, every good general knows that staying one step ahead of the enemy is the only way you can really hope to defeat him. Taking these steps will make sure your body can clean up the battlefield and get the reserves in place as quickly as possible to do just that.


Availability of Key Macro and Micronutrients

This is just a fancy way of saying that you should eat right. Only by making sure your body has the raw materials it needs to recover can you ever hope to win the war. We all know diet is the key and I won't keep you going over things that others have already done so well on this site concerning different diets, supplements and their merits.

I put this here so I can remind you one more time that until your diet is under control you will never, ever get where you want to be. If you tend to brush over the nutrition articles and need a refresher, then Chris Shugart's article The Diet Manifesto will get you up to speed.


Monitoring Your Troops' Status

By now you've hopefully decided to get your troops better organized and focus your effort on all fronts in this war. Now you need to know if your plan is working. After all, no plan is perfect and there has to be a better way to tell if you're overreaching your body's recuperative abilities than to wait and see if you get injured or sick. Luckily, there is.

By keeping a daily log that charts a few key indicators of your recovery status, it becomes relatively easy to tell when fatigue is building up and overtraining is on the horizon, allowing for adjustments to be made well before it can set in. Here's a list of bodily functions that can be observed in order to gain some insight as to the completeness of recovery:

Hours of Sleep ? Pretty straightforward here. As mentioned earlier, you must get around eight hours a night for full recovery. If you notice a decrease in sleep for a few nights in a row then plan on lowering your training volume slightly until you get back in the eight hour range.

Bodyweight Fluctuations ? Monitor your bodyweight daily. A decrease of more than two pounds in one day is usually an indicator the training load is too high or you're not eating enough. An increase of more than two or three pounds in one day means your training intensity may be too low or you're eating too much.

Appetite ? A decrease in appetite is another sign of overtraining. Use a five point scale with one being no appetite, three being average and five being ready to eat everything in sight, including the neighbor's annoying poodle.

Sleep Quality ? Use a five point scale with one being very restless, three being average and five being very deep and restful. A sudden decrease in quality of sleep is usually an early indicator of overtraining so you may need to back off a bit if this is detected.

Muscle Soreness ? A sudden increase in muscle soreness, indicated by a decrease in this score, might mean that you should allow for extra rest. Again, use a five point scale with one being extremely sore, three being a little sore and five being no soreness at all. Also, if you find yourself with scores of two or one for weeks on end, then you might not be fully recovering from your workouts, indicating a need for less volume and/or frequency.

Training Willingness ? This is a very simple but often overlooked indicator. Too often, a person's response to a decrease in training motivation is to pop some ephedra tabs and head to the gym anyway. While we obviously have to use discipline and sometimes hit the gym when we don't feel like it, if you find yourself always needing a pick-me-up before training, consider a small break or the need for more complete recovery between training sessions. Use a five point scale where one means dreading your next training session, three being average, and five being ready to rip the freakin' squat rack off the ground.

Along with the individual observations and solutions I just described, you should add up your scores for appetite, sleep quality, muscle soreness and training and divide by four. If you score less than a 3.0 and you're supposed to lift that day, then allow for an extra day's rest. Remember that going back to the gym before your body is ready to do battle again is seriously handicapping your forces. Trust me, the enemy doesn't need any help kicking your ass so don't give it to him. The day off will do far more good than gutting through a workout you're not ready for.

The important thing is to be consistent and log your information daily so you can make observations based on previous records. It only takes about 60 seconds a day to step on a scale and log these things. Only by looking at weeks and months of these readings can you get an idea of how you truly respond to various training programs.


Operation endgame

Before I finish let me say that this doesn't mean that you can let your guard down in the areas you're already focused on. You still have to use an effective workout and supplement plan; you just need to make sure you have every battlefield covered if you ever want to win this war. Only by expanding your current battle plan can you hope to do that.

Now the ball is in your court, General. Are you ready to take it to the next level and plan the offensive that will lead your troops to victory? Deep down, you know I'm right. The areas you're not focused on are the ones that are holding back your advancement. Will you make the mistake so many have before you and ignore this advice, simply sending more troops and supplies to the same battlefields, allowing the enemy to sneak in undetected? Or will you reinforce the territories you've been ignoring?

The fate of the war may very well depend on your next decision.


About the Author

James Wilson is the owner of Extreme Strength Systems ? a personal and athletic training and consulting business in Encinitas, California. You can contact James at 760-815-5193 or visit his web site at ExtremeStrength.com.

Lower Back Pain.

New study on lower back pain (Long)
From: Thomas Andersen
Subject: Fitness
Date/Time 2005-03-19 22:56:05
Remote IP: 194.192.140.242
Message
I found this on: www.tinajuanfitness.info


By Owen Anderson

Lower back pain causes and treatment - these coordination drills ease lower back injuries as effectively as strengthening exercises
About 80 per cent of the world's residents suffer from lower back pain at one time or another, and an athletic lifestyle offers no warranty against the problem. Lower back pain is a common ailment among runners, cyclists, and other athletes, and until now no one has been exactly sure what sports-minded people should do to alleviate - or prevent - the complaint. Now, thanks to research carried out at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, it appears that special coordination exercises can help get athletes' backs 'back on track'

The Copenhagen investigations add some clarity to what has been a muddled picture concerning proper lower back pain treatment. Sports scientists have been pretty certain that inadequate strength and endurance of the back muscles increase the risk of lower back pain, suggesting that back-strengthening exercises would be an ideal preventative. However, it's been impossible to determine which back-muscle strengthening programme is optimal, and recent research has even called into question the validity of traditional back-strengthening therapy. For one thing, scientists have shown that some popular lower back exercises actually magnify 'intradiscal pressure' in the spine, possibly INCREASING the risk of difficulties. In addition, other studies have suggested that back-strengthening exercises are no more effective than short-wave diathermy or ultrasound at ameliorating lower back pain

Developing smoother back movements
So, the Copenhagen investigators decided to take a new tack. Instead of assuming, as almost all other researchers have done, that muscle-strengthening routines are the answer for lower back pain, the Danish researchers reasoned that healthy functioning in the low back does not depend on muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility alone - but also on the COORDINATION of movements involving the lower back. They theorised that individuals who moved clumsily might put inordinate strains on their lower back muscles, connective tissues, and spinal structures, even if their basic muscle strength was pretty decent, leading to the onset of pain. As a result, the Danes hypothesised that training to improve coordination - but not necessarily muscle strength - might help individuals develop smoother movements of the lower back, which would then decrease the risk of harmful stress on the low back and thereby reduce the risk of pain

Forty Copenhagenians aged 18 to 65 with chronic low back pain took part in the study. The subjects had all experienced lower back pain for at least three months in the preceding year, but none of the individuals suffered from serious problems such as osteoporosis, painful osteo-arthritis, inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis, or disc degeneration

The subjects were divided into two groups, each of which trained for one hour two times per week over a three-month period. One group carried out conventional endurance/strength training for the low back, while the other conducted the special coordination training. After a 10-minute warm-up, the endurance/ strength group completed four key exercises:
1) Leg lifts, in which subjects stood by the end of a table, leaned over into a prone position with the hips against the edge of the table and the chest flat on the table, and then lifted both legs behind them to the greatest possible height;
2) Trunk lifts, in which subjects lay prone on a table with their hips at the edge and the upper part of the body extending out over the edge of the table face-down (a strap over the calves kept individuals from toppling off the table). With hands behind their heads, the participants lowered their trunks and then lifted their trunks upward to the greatest possible extent (very much like traditional 'Roman-Chair' exercise);
3) Abdominal contractions (sit-ups), in which individuals lay on their backs with their knees flexed, feet on the floor, and arms behind their heads and then slowly 'sat up' in a straight- forward direction; and
4) Lat pull-downs, in which participants sat on a seat, grasped a weight lever, and then pulled the lever down behind their necks and shoulders, lifting a weight stack which was attached to the lever.
During the strength/endurance workouts, subjects did as many repetitions of each exercise as possible (but no more than 100), with 30-second pauses after each set of 10 repetitions. At the end of the workout, participants completed about 10 total minutes of stretching, using 30-second static stretches of the various muscle groups

Like the strength/endurance people, the coordination-trained subjects started their workouts with 10 minutes of jogging and warm-up activity. They then completed four coordination exercises, including
1) 'Knee-elbow touches'' in which they started in an upright, standing position and then rotated their trunks to the right, lifted their right knees while standing on their left feet only, and touched their right knees with their left elbows. They then returned to the standing position, rotated their trunks to the left, lifted their left knees, and touched their left knees with their right elbows. This alternating pattern - left elbow touching right knee and right elbow touching left knee - continued for up to 40 repetitions;
2) 'Balancers,' in which subjects started out on all fours (hands and knees on the ground) and then extended their left legs straight back and their right arms straight ahead, while remaining in balance on their right knees and left hands. They then went back to the starting position and moved their left arms ahead and right legs back before alternating this pattern for a total of up to 40 reps;
3) Modified sit-ups, like No. 3 from the strength/endurance training except that instead of sitting up straight ahead, subjects moved forward alternately to the left and then to the right as they did their 'crunches'; and
4) Proprioceptive training, in which the participants stood on a wooden disk with a sphere attached to its undersurface. Subjects tried to keep balanced on the sphere without letting the edges of the disk touch the floor - while twisting their bodies and bending at the knees. Participants stood on both feet at the beginning of the study but progressed to one-footed balancing (alternating feet) after several weeks. Post-workout stretching was the same as for the strength/endurance group

And the results?
After three months of training, both groups had less lower back pain, better mobility of the lower back, and less trouble carrying out their daily activities, and the coordination group improved just as much as the strength/endurance group. Consumption of drugs to control lower back pain was reduced by about two-thirds in both groups as well

Notably, back-muscle strength increased in the strength/endurance group but not in the coordination subjects, yet each group made similar improvements in lower back function, demonstrating that an upgrade in strength is not the only thing which can heal a 'bad back'. Supporting this idea is the fact that there was not a strong correlation between improved back strength and reduction in lower back pain in the Copenhagen research

What does the Danish research mean to you? If you suffer from lower back pain or want to minimise the risk of lower back pain in the future, improving your back-muscle strength is a decent idea, but it's not the complete answer. You should also carry out the coordination drills completed by the Danish athletes to 'smooth' and coordinate the functioning of your lower-back muscles and spine, and you should probably also improve the flexibility of your low back by stretching out your lower back muscles AFTER they are thoroughly warmed up. With improved strength, coordination, and flexibility in your low back, you should be able to exercise more efficiently and with less fatigue in your lower back area. In addition, the prevention of lower back pain should allow you to train more consistently, leading to higher-quality performances

(http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/0033-lower-back-pain.htm.)


Thomas

Steve Maxwell's Roman Chair Situps.

I like Roman chair sit-ups, here are some of my favorite techniques

From: Steve Maxwell
Subject: Fitness
Date/Time 2005-02-27 11:33:44
Remote IP: 68.82.80.46
Message

I do them as part of an over all spinal mobility and flexibilty routine. I use a footstool with my feet anchored under the sofa. My foot stool is the perfect height to allow my shoulders to touch the floor flat so that I am in a shoulder bridge position each rep. At the end, I stay there in the supported bridge for a great hip flexor stretch. I also enjoy using a stability ball. The stretch on the ball is more like a yoga back bridge. I take care not to spread my knees to far apart so that I can maximize my flexibility. In fact , I strive to keep my feet and legs close together, which makes the exercise more difficult. I also use a breathing technique Pavel showed me. It's called inverse paradox breathing. It creates much more abdominal tension and makes the exercise more difficult, but allows the spine to release more tension in the extended position. As you lower back, you exhale through the mouth slowly to release the spine and hip flexors. As you sit back up, you inhale through the nose into the lower abdominals (as if inflating a balloon). This creates a lot of abdominal tension and is much harder to sit up. It's a really good exercise for combat athletes and grapplers.

Steve Maxwell

Take care of your callouses

Callous care advice (against the grain)

From: Rob Lawrence
Subject: Fitness
Date/Time 2005-02-25 15:14:40
Remote IP: 12.149.13.1
Message

After 3+ years of Kettlebell lifting, I no longer agree with the conventional advice here about how to care for callouses and protect your hands. I see that advice posted here a lot and although it works in some contexts, it doesn't work when you're doing a lot of reps or coping with humid conditions.

If the conventional advice works for you, keep doing it; but if it doesn't, read on.

- "It's all technique" - Yes, but no technique will save you if keep the factory epoxy on your kettlebell handles and try to do high reps. Sand it off to the bare metal and then cover with clear Rustoleum. Not a knock on Dragondoor; in Russia the bells come with epoxied handles too, and they have to sand them off manually as well.

- "Keep your callouses nice and moist so they don't rip." - Totally disagree. A dry callous is your friend and if kept sanded down, isn't going anywhere. A moist callous will stick to your kettlebell handle and come flying off, especially if it gets humid out. Don't moisturize, instead get isopropyl alcohol, apply it with a cotton ball, and dry those callouses out. This advice applies even more if you are chalking the handle and your hand.

- "Sand your callouses down in the shower." - Again, disagree, moisture is the enemy. Do your sanding on dry land. After you dry out your callouses with the alcohol, get a very fine rasp (or even a metal file) and sand them down with long strokes. If you've dried them out properly, the callouses should come off as a fine white powder. Take special care to smooth down the area at the base of the fingers; this is where rips begin.

- "Use Cornhuskers Lotion." Only piece of conventional advice I agree with. Unlike most moisturizers, this seems to heal your hands but not soften the callouses. It also feels "clean" and not greasy. Use minimally and rinse with cold water (see below) when you're done.

Lastly a comment: I always wash my hands with soap and hot water (especially in the winter to avoid colds), but after your rinse hot, you should rinse very cold. This gets all the soap off and helps toughen your hands further. Any soap left on your hands, like moisturizer, will soften the callouses, which is what you don't want.

It's a very different approach, but like I said, the conventional one doesn't work for me.

Rob

Improve your snatch

Here's a post from Mike Mahler on improving snatch numbers.

When people say kb's can't get you big I show them pictures of you...they stop talking soon after that!

From: SgtCross
Subject: Fitness
Date/Time 2005-02-01 21:05:35
Remote IP: 70.182.111.139

Message
I am definitely buying your DVD as soon as I have the money! The money of a college student is not too long. It means a lot to your potential customers that you tell them you don't leave any information or exercises out of your materials. It tells us we are getting what we expect and are paying for!

On a side note, my goal is to get up to 30 reps per arm with the 24kg in the snatch. My current best is 15 with each arm. I am wanting to go to the RKC in April. I have been training for about 4 months now at 5'10" and 173 lbs. I know you don't want to give away info in your material for free, but any help you can give would be awesome! Thank you for everything!

Semper Fi,
Ethan Cross, Sgt. USMC

Improving snatch #s. {con’t from above.}

Thanks for the praise and here is what I would do to get your snatch numbers up. Try doing 2x10 7 days a week with the 53lb kettlebell. In week two, do 2x11 7 days a week, week three do 2x12 etc. By week five you will be up to 2x15. Take two days off after week five and test your max. I bet you will nail at least 25 reps. Then start another cycle this time at 12 reps and add a rep every week for five weeks and test your max again.

The key is that you have to do 2 sets every day. Not every other day, not twice a week, but every day. Take two minute breaks between each set. Do no more than two sets. Just get in the pattern of doing two sets everyday no matter what.

Mike Mahler

Its all in the Z

Hi all,
I was just going through some of my old files on the old PC and I came across a compilation of wise little tidbits I pulled off the Dragondoor.com forum. I figured since I'm currently in a phase of resurrected zeal for kettlebells I'll do a series of posts with these little bits. The first one is quite long. Its a post by Scott Sonnon on Zdorovye. Hope you enjoy.

Definitely, Warrior Wellness!
From: Coach Sonnon
Subject: Fitness
Date/Time 2002-11-26 23:43:58
Remote IP: 67.250.125.242
Message
Here is the recent Zdorovye newsletter containing some exercises as well feedback by various users and doctors:

Zdorovye Health News (NOV 2002)

-------------------------------------------------------

Zdorovye – Nature’s Legacy

Zdorovye (zdah-ROWV-yeah)

The Slavic Health System, Zdorovye, is a natural health system. It keeps the body agile, strong and functional. But it is also an educational system in that it has a secondary goal of teaching the practitioner about his/her own body, and how his/her body relates to the physical world around him/her (somatic education). How does the Zdorovye Natural Health System do this? By fully integrating movement, posture/alignment and breathing. You learn to breathe in unison with your movements. You learn how to create better posture through breathing and movement. You learn how to manage your level of energy throughout the day so that you do not fall into the stress/relaxation roller coaster ride. You learn how to move with efficiency, power and grace.

Forward this newsletter to your friends and family.

Please take the time to send us your thoughts – what would you like to see in this newsletter?


In this issue:



1. The Value of Boredom, Part I.

2. Boredom Explorations.

3. What Zdorovye can do for you?

4. Exercises

5. Exercise Tips

6. Q & A

7. A word from a specialist

8. Customer's feedback

9. Gift Certificates

10. Media Review



-------------------------------------------------------------------

The Value of Boredom, Part I

One of the most common remarks that you will hear from athletes of every sport, background, training methodology and level of fitness is, “Man, sometimes my training gets so boring!” In some instances, boredom can be so great that the athlete lacks the desire to continue training! Has this ever happened to you? How did you handle it? Did you continue training in spite of the boredom? Did you take a break for a while? Be aware that there is no “right” answer to any of these questions. However, it is important to understand that if you delve into the nature of the psychophysical dynamic of “boredom” you can see that it plays a very unique and vital role in our training: and, in fact, in our very lives! But, we have to understand its messages!

What is boredom?

Boredom is a form of internal communication. It is our three dimensional self (mind, body, spirit) communicating with our conscious/cognitive brain to impart vital information. What does it mean? It can mean many things to many people. However, for the sake of our training and progress in Zdorovye, I would like to briefly examine three vital functions that “boredom” can play in our progress.

Boredom as Barometer

A barometer, as you know, is a precision instrument intended for the sole purpose of tracking the current weather conditions as measured by the local air pressure. Boredom can serve much the same function in our training!

In the initial recovery stages of Zdorovye, our body-mind systems are under very high levels of pressure. Not simply in a physical sense because of the new demands being placed on our muscles, tendons, ligaments, connective tissues, proprioception, and coordination, but also in a psychological sense as we discipline ourselves to the daily requirements of progression.

As we move from recovery into coordination of any movement, our internal pressure lowers. With an increasing sense of fluidity, freedom of movement, strength and coordination, our increasing mastery of the basic biomechanical components of Zdorovye leaves us feeling more balanced, controlled, fit and free. Now, things begin to get interesting!

With the increased recognition and recovery of our natural abilities in the coordination phase of Zdorovye, our good friend “boredom” begins to make an appearance. With daily practice and development of coordinated movement patterns, the novelty of the movements begins to wane and eventually a feeling of mastery sets in quickly followed, in many instances, by boredom! We feel like, “Ok, ok, I’ve done 10,000 arm circles in every plane already! Why should I keep doing these?”

What is our body-mind-spirit trying to tell us with this information? Usually, it boils down to three important things – the three C’s:

1. Congratulations! - Many times, boredom is a celebration of sorts for your body-mind system! It’s a positive statement on how much you’ve done, the work and effort you’ve put forth and the progress you’ve accomplished! Next time you feel bored, take it as a compliment! You’ve earned it!

2. Challenge – Boredom is an inherent form of personal testing. It is a genetically hard-wired developmental tool that can and will push us in the direction of our goals if we have the continuing discipline to pursue them. Boredom is nature’s gut check. How will you respond to it?

3. Compass – When boredom comes calling, trust that it’s time to learn something new! Few people ever embrace the truth that true mastery is nothing more than an ongoing mastery of the ‘basics’. Boredom is our native compass that guides us into a deeper understanding of our natural abilities once we embrace it!



How does all of this apply to Zdorovye? Tune in next month as we explore boredom in our progression from Recovery to Coordination to Refinement!

Have a great month!

Dr. Eric Cobb



-------------------------------------------------------------------

Boredom Explorations.

TRY THESE VARIATIONS TO ENHANCE YOUR PRACTICE!

Pick one of your favorite Zdorovye biomechanical exercises and explore the following:

1. Perform the exercise while standing on the balls of your feet.

2. Try the same movements while standing on your heels with your toes elevated off the ground.

3. Next, make certain that you have lots of room, and perform the same exercises with your eyes closed! Working through biomechanical exercises without visual input can be much more challenging so use all appropriate caution!

Why try these variations? Remember that the primary goal of Zdorovye is incremental progression through the developmental phases of: Recovery, Coordination and Refinement. Adding new challenges to old exercises often creates a powerful training effect on your nervous system, which can boost your neuromuscular efficiency through the roof!

Give these variations a try this month and make sure to drop us an email to tell us what you think!



-------------------------------------------------------------------

My name is Kevin Teagle and I am a Chiropractor. A friend of mine introduced me to the Z-health systems a year ago through the Warrior Wellness series. I experienced so many incredible changes in my own body that I began using some of the exercises in the Warrior Wellness program for my patients. That is when it began. I showed one patient, a long time chronic shoulder strain patient a few exercises. Two weeks later I began getting calls from people I had never seen as patients. These people were getting relief in joints that had not had relief in years. The exercises these people were doing were by word of mouth. No one had yet even seen a tape. This excited me so much that I ordered 10 tapes of the beginning series Warrior Wellness. These sold the first week. I am now seeing results on a higher level of healing. Severe arthritis patients are getting warmth in places they that used to hurt. I am seeing Chronic low back pain disappear, The energy level in those patients have increased. We now gather once a week together and go over these exercises and critique each other. Let me tell you, that is one happy class. My style of practicing has changed dramatically in the type of rehabilitation I recommend. I have now begun to explore other aspects of the Z-health system. I have begun to work with runners, and the preliminary results are looking good already.
The one largest result that I see is in the speed of recovery. If I can convince my patient to perform those crazy circles, I know that patient will recover faster than those with less severe injuries. This system is solid and non-invasive in it's approach. I am comfortable knowing that I will not injure my patients with this system. Do the same thing that I tell my patients. Just try it once and tell me I am wrong. . . so far I haven't been wrong yet. Kevin Teagle DC

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Exercises:



LEG CIRCLES WITH A TWIST



Exercise:
Goal: Circumduction of the hip in different rotated positions. Slow, smooth circles.
-Start standing on one leg, with that leg turned out at 45-degree angle. Keep the supporting knee bent.
-With your free leg start moving your leg in small circles in front of you. Keep the leg straight and your foot aligned vertically and the toes pulled back.
-Do 10 in each direction.
-Switch legs, do the same thing.
-Switch legs again. This time, instead of aligning the foot vertically, turn the foot in at a 45-degree angle by rotating the leg at the hip. Keep the rest of the leg straight and the toes pulled back. Continue with the same circles.
-Do 10 in each direction.
-Switch legs, do the same thing.
-Switch legs again. This time, instead of turning the foot in, turn the foot out at a 45-degree angle by rotating at the hip. Keep the rest of the leg straight and the toes pulled back. Continue with the same circles.
WRIST CIRCLES

Exercise:
Goal: Slow, smooth movement.
-Start with loose fists, palms down.
-Start with 10 circles with one hand both directions. Switch hands.
-Circle with both wrists - circles in unison.
-Do 10 in each direction
-Circle with both wrists - circles mirrored.
-Do 10 in each direction
-Rotate hands - so that if you were to open your loose fists your palm would be facing up. Keep your loose fists.
-Start with 10 circles with one hand both directions. Switch hands.
-Circle with both wrists - circles in unison.
-Do 10 in each direction
-Circle with both wrists - circles mirrored.
-Do 10 in each direction

FINGERS
Doing the same thing with the fingers: turn the hand so that the palm is up. This obviously gives the hand a different orientation - which makes the circle with the finger much more invigorating for the mind.

Exercise:

Goal: Variety of movement and orientation with the fingers: coordination.

-Start by doing simple circles with the fingers - palm down.
-Do 10 circles each finger, one hand at a time.
-Rotate your hands so your palms are facing up.
-Do 10 circles each finger, one hand at a time.
-Try the same thing (palm down and palm up) with both thumbs, index fingers...
-Try the same by picking one finger on one hand and another finger on the other hand. Do it palm down first - then palm up.

- Give yourself a holiday treat: instead of your arms in front of you try doing your fingers circles with your arms behind you. Palm up and palm down.

This exercise is a great way to combat the common hand/finger ailments such as arthritis and carpal tunnel.

As with all exercise programs, consult your physician before engaging in any
physical activity.
If you have any questions about exercises explained above please direct them
to: help@zdorovye.com

Videos detailing the basics of Zdorovye - Nature's Legacy(tm) can be found
at http://www.RMAX.tv/zdorovye/products.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exercise Tips:

Working on the Zdorovye exercises is a great thing for the body and the
mind. You should always try to give yourself more challenges. Try adopting
some of these strategies to your daily program:

1. In working towards full efficiency of the entire body you need to work with both sides of the body – left and right. Alternate sides with every exercise. Also, don’t work standing all the time. Try to adapt your exercises to a seated position, or an inverted position.

2. Work outside when you can. Exercise outside in the elements as often as you can. Sun, rain, snow, wind, morning, afternoon, evening, grass, gravel, sand… Dress appropriately and allow your environment to determine what you do. If it is cold out – do shorter more intense exercises. If it is hot out – do exercises that are less intense to avoid overheating. By working outside your body will become in tune with the seasons, with your local climate and with the weather.

Videos detailing the basics of Zdorovye - Nature's Legacy can be found
at http://www.RMAX.tv/zdorovye/products.html.



-------------------------------------------------------------------

From this issue we start to answer your questions on Zdorovye Natural Health System.

Please email questions to info@RMAX.tv



Q: We are considering to purchase Zdorovye video package. Do exercises on those tapes look like aerobics exercises?

A: Zdorovye Tapes are not "aerobics classes", but are health sessions where the viewer is given insights on how to train themselves. The exercises are done not at the speed of elite athletes and professional fitness instructors, but at every person's individual speed and tempo. The viewer is given the ability to choose how fast/slow to go, how long to train...



--------------------------------------------------------------------

I've been a massage therapist for 18 years now. I've worked in medical clinics and spas in Hawaii,
NewZealand, and Alaska. Lots of people come to me with stiff painful backs and joints. Other people choose
to see a chiropractor, their family doctor, or perhaps a doctor of Chinese medicine, rolfer or any number of
different health practitioners for the same problems. If they are lucky and there health care practitioner
is skilled, they will begin to feel better and perhaps feel that they are cured of their particular problem

(soar shoulder,back, or whatever). Even the practitioner will feel as if he cured the patient. However most
problems, are a result of life style. Only a change in life style will bring about true healing. Ok, here is
an example. Say you went to the dentist and they fixed and cleaned your teeth. Every thing is perfect when u
leave..And after you get home, you never brush or floss your teeth. That's the way people are. They see me
with a soar shoulder, they can't lift their arm. I work my skill and when they leave they can move their arm.
But when they get back home nothing changes. The perpetuating factors for a soar arm are still in
place. I know I will see them again for the same or similar problem. If you have a bad bed, or have to
be in an incorrect ergonomic position all day to make your money, that's not the problem. You need to floss
your joints. And the way to do that is with the Zdorovye system. Tight constricted movement means
pain, poor circulation , poor cellular nutrition, and weakened immune system (poor health). Normal fee joint
movement means health. Some people are very supple but weak, easily injured. Again this Zdorovye system
strengthens join tissue,greatly bringing health and vitality to this body type. I myself use to suffer
from low back pain so bad that at times I couldn't even walk. Sure massage and chiropractic kept me going for
years. It's great stuff. But now I'm pain free. All I do is 15 to 20 min. of the Zdorovye exercises every
morning. Even if you do them wrong it works. I highly recommend this system. Gordon J. Wallis L.M.T.



-------------------------------------------------------------------

We would like to hear from those, who have experienced results from practicing Zdorovye. Please email us (at info@RMAX.tv) testimonials, feedback, comments regarding your experience with Zdorovye training (with permission to publish them). You will share your experience with other people, and will have a chance to win a Zdorovye T-shirt. From all messages we will be drawing one name a month in November, December, and January) for a free Zdorovye T-shirt.



Mike Terebecki from SC - the winner in November, 2002. Congratulations!!!



-------------------------------------------------------------------

Holiday Season is around a corner. Are you looking for new ideas for a good Holiday's present? Gift Certificate from RMAX.tv Productions is the answer. Call us at 770-956-9765, purchase gift certificates for your relatives and friends, and let them to become healthier and wealthier in 2003!


RMAX.tv Athletic Performance Enhancement Solutions

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Loosen up comrades!!

Here's a couple more joint mobility drills from Jason C. Brown.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Oiling hinges makes better ninjas

Joint mobility complexes are one of my favorite tools for getting me out of a funk. They get the blood going, lubricate the joints and when I'm done I always feel like a well oiled machine. It's a really great way to start the day. Plus it can be really effective for managing arthritis.
The first complex I ever came across was Pavel's in his book Super Joints. Its a really good one, it covers every part of the body and it really is effective, but recently I came across a couple of really good alternatives that go beyond Pavel's treatment of the topic. The first one is Qi Gong. It isn't quite the same as joint mobility but it has all of the same effects plus it goes quite a bit further into energy manipulation, something I think is very important. (I want to save the details of Qi Gong for another post)
The second one is from this short little clip I found on Youtube of a Serbian Systema class warming up. Its a lot more focused on functional movements rather than just lubricating the joints. A couple of the exercises might have to be reserved for those with healthy backs but most are pretty safe. It is a little more advanced (I couldn't see my grandma doing this particular complex) but not so hard that anyone with a healthy back couldn't do it. I had a really good time when I first tried it.
To use these exercises all you have to do is repeat each movement a number of times. The idea is to explore your range of motion, your body's articulation, and to repeat it a sufficient number of times to allow the natural healing mechanisms to kick in. Sufficient often means (as Pavel advises) as many repetitions as your age. If you have arthritis or are recovering from an injury you should probably increase the number gradually to around a hundred repetitions. Consult your doctor too before you start.

Give it a whirl and let me know what you think of it. Explore yourself.

Friday, January 12, 2007

I love the Turkish Get Up.

Its my new favorite exercise. Just do this one exercise for five minutes straight two or three times a week and bob's yer uncle!! So simple its ridiculous!
And if you want a more complete workout just add a few swings with em and you're good to go. How much easier could it be?

The Turkish Get Up.

Caffeine can reduce workout soreness.

Science Daily -
Although it's too soon to recommend dropping by Starbucks before hitting the gym, a new study suggests that caffeine can help reduce the post-workout soreness that discourages some people from exercising.

In a study to be published in the February issue of The Journal of Pain, a team of University of Georgia researchers finds that moderate doses of caffeine, roughly equivalent to two cups of coffee, cut post-workout muscle pain by up to 48 percent in a small sample of volunteers.

Lead author Victor Maridakis, a researcher in the department of kinesiology at the UGA College of Education, said the findings may be particularly relevant to people new to exercise, since they tend to experience the most soreness.

"If you can use caffeine to reduce the pain, it may make it easier to transition from that first week into a much longer exercise program," he said.

Maridakis and his colleagues studied nine female college students who were not regular caffeine users and did not engage in regular resistance training. One and two days after an exercise session that caused moderate muscle soreness, the volunteers took either caffeine or a placebo and performed two different quadriceps (thigh) exercises, one designed to produce a maximal force, the other designed to generate a sub-maximal force. Those that consumed caffeine one-hour before the maximum force test had a 48 percent reduction in pain compared to the placebo group, while those that took caffeine before the sub-maximal test reported a 26 percent reduction in pain.

Caffeine has long been known to increase alertness and endurance, and a 2003 study led by UGA professor Patrick O'Connor found that caffeine reduces thigh pain during moderate-intensity cycling. O'Connor, who along with professors Kevin McCully and the late Gary Dudley co-authored the current study, explained that caffeine likely works by blocking the body's receptors for adenosine, a chemical released in response to inflammation.

Despite the positive findings in the study, the researchers say there are some caveats. First, the results may not be applicable to regular caffeine users, since they may be less sensitive to caffeine's effect. The researchers chose to study women to get a definitive answer in at least one sex, but men may respond differently to caffeine. And the small sample size of nine volunteers means that the study will have to be replicated with a larger study.

O'Connor said that despite these limitations, caffeine appears to be more effective in relieving post-workout muscle pain than several commonly used drugs. Previous studies have found that the pain reliever naproxen (the active ingredient in Aleve) produced a 30 percent reduction in soreness. Aspirin produced a 25 percent reduction, and ibuprofen has produced inconsistent results.

"A lot of times what people use for muscle pain is aspirin or ibuprofen, but caffeine seems to work better than those drugs, at least among women whose daily caffeine consumption is low," O'Connor said.

Still, the researchers recommend that people use caution when using caffeine before a workout. For some people, too much caffeine can produce side effects such as jitteriness, heart palpitations and sleep disturbances.

"It can reduce pain," Maridakis said, "but you have to apply some common sense and not go overboard."

Thursday, January 11, 2007

A brief introduction to my kettlebell experiences.

I love Kettlebells, absolutely love them. I think there's probably no other fitness tool in the world as versatile or effective as a single kettlebell. Even just one small one could occupy a stronger than average man for literally years. The sheer number of exercise variations is staggering, it baffles the mind. There are so many variations and combinations and possibilities that one can get overwhelmed really fast. It definitely happened to me. I got "analysis paralysis" and ended up not coming anywhere near my true potential.

I started using the old K-bells about 2 years ago. I got my first one as a birthday present from my girlfriend. I was so excited I was like a kid at Christmas. I could hardly take my eyes off it for the first few days. Its no wonder, I had wanted one for more than 2 years before they were available to me and I had the money.

I started off good. Mostly swings and presses. A good foundation all around. I stuck with this for the first couple months and saw good improvements in my conditioning and muscle tone. But then I started getting greedy. I went ahead and ordered the next biggest bell (the 1.5 pood) and things took a little turn for the worst. I still did mostly swings and presses but I was rushing things way too much. I started getting elbow pain and lower back pain. Then my shoulders starting hurting. All the while I was having to take extra days off to recuperate so my progress was slow and to top it all off my training was entirely inconsistent. I was trying to get everything all at once. I wanted to be better conditioned, stronger, more explosive and agile, gain more muscle mass, have better flexibility and just feel better all around.

My approach wasn't working. Not only was it not working, I knew it wasn't working, and everywhere I looked everyone was talking about the very method I could use to get it to work. It was right in front of my face the whole time, I just needed to open my eyes to see it. Unfortunately I didn't open my eyes until just recently. I've finally stream-lined my training. I'm keeping it simple, keeping sight of one goal at a time, and cherishing my patience. Things are definitely looking up.

Kettlebells

Here's a really good article I found today on Kettlebells.

New-found strength

By BOB MORTENSON
Herald Writer

EVERETT -- Meet a man for whom the kettlebells toll loud and clear.

Everett firefighter Tom Corrigan and his comrades at the Seattle Kettlebell Club have taken a firm grip on a sport that dates back to czarist Russia, a time when every village had its champion strongman.

The Russian kettlebell -- a longtime training tool for the Russian military and Olympic teams -- is a cast-iron weight resembling a cannonball. Flat-bottomed with a thick, rounded handle, kettlebells are measured in Russian poods. A pood equals 16 kilograms, or about 36 pounds for refusenik's who've yet to bow to the decrees of the metric system.

Traditional kettlebells come in weights ranging from one to two poods, but smaller and larger sizes are available. A healthy, average-sized man usually starts with a 36-pounder and gradually increases the weight over time. A novice woman might use a one-half pood kettlebell weighing 18 pounds.

"Technique is utterly important," Corrigan said during an off-duty work out last week at Everett Fire Station No. 3, "because if done incorrectly, this isn't safe. You need to respect it, take your time and work into it."

That means no juggling or one-legged squats, at least not until you become a full-fledged girevik, or kettlebell man, as Corrigan is.

In competition -- the first in the United States took place last November at Harvard University -- athletes perform the clean-and-jerk with two kettlebells and the snatch with one. Both events are scored based on repetitions.

Corrigan's second-place finish in the inaugural Washington State Kettlebell Sport Championship in Seattle on July 26 included snatching 72 pounds from the floor to high above his head 18 times with each hand.

His highlight, however, was attending a seminar featuring Russian fitness and combat expert Pavel Tsatouline, who popularized kettlebell training in this country.

"He's very personable and just a great guy," Corrigan said of the wiry, 175-pound Tsatouline, who has been known to workout with a 97-pound behemoth known as "The Bulldog."

For Corrigan, 37, it is the practical application of his kettlebell workouts that is the attraction. The lack of balance in the swinging kettlebell produces a ballistic-shock effect far more realistic than regular weight training.

"It teaches you to tighten your core and protect the spine with your abs and back, builds grip strength and eye-hand coordination," Corrigan said. "On the job as firefighters, we never lay on a bench and lift in a slow, controlled way. Firefighters lift heavy things, we lift awkward things and we do it in awkward positions."

A former history teacher, Corrigan is fascinated by the tradition of kettlebell training in the Russian military, especially in the special forces, where strength, agility and stamina are requisites.

"For the Russian soldiers in Siberia, you can't go out running with eight feet of snow on the ground," Corrigan said with a laugh.

The long dominance of Soviet Olympic strongmen -- including the great weightlifter Vasily Alexeyev, who was known to warm up by flinging about a 158-pound kettlebell -- was rooted in kettlebell training.

Said Corrigan: "(The Soviets asked) how do you win gold medals? How do you really get strong?"

In recent years the kettlebell has been used by the U.S. military and law-enforcement agencies. Marines undergoing martial arts courses at Quantico, Va., have been exposed to the training and some have taken that knowledge -- and their kettlebells -- to field assignments, according to former Marine Nick Nibler.

Nibler, a police officer and co-owner of a Seattle-based performance training organization, said Corrigan's ringing endorsement of the kettlebell is not surprising.

"It's interesting," Nibler said, "kettlebells seem to generate that in quite a few people."

A former football player and wrestler at Mariner High School, the 6-foot, 210-pound Corrigan was a longtime weight lifter before discovering kettlebells about two years ago. He acknowledged there are benefits to traditional training methods, but asserted many hardcore fitness buffs lack what he calls "Grandpa strength."

"How many times have you seen guys unable to open a jar and then old grandpa comes along and twists it right off?" he asked. "Grandpa strength comes from having done hard, manual labor all of your life."

Corrigan, whose fingers, wrists and elbows are thicker as a direct result of kettlebell training, views the regimen as an alternative for those who don't buck bales or wield wrenches and hammers for a living.

"This builds functional, whole-body strength," Corrigan said as he prepared to do something called a windmill. "It's so much better than those hamster workouts."

Then, leaning sideways, with his left hand nearly touching the ground, he hoisted a 72-pounder aloft with his right. "This builds unbelievable obliques," he said.

Corrigan said a friend dropped his weight from 290 pounds to 215 using kettlebell workouts.

"You can't get a better workout than swinging the kettlebell around," Corrigan said as he demonstrated the crush curl, squeezing the 72-pounder tightly at his waist and curling it to his chest.

If you thought cat juggling was cruel, wait until you see an airborne kettlebell spinning in front of a man's face.

"You catch it, flip it, spin it, catch it, flip it, spin it," Corrigan said. "This is not easy, but it's fun to do."