I got this DVD as soon as Scott released it F.R.E.E to everyone in the U.S. as part of his "Make America Stronger" campaign and I must say this is a great DVD, a great introduction to the concept of refining and perfecting your movement and only then approaching it a a workout.

 Scott starts off by talking about the reasons for perfecting movement and proceeding based on your perceptions as to exertion level, technical skills and difficulty level. Pay close attention to what he says for maximum benefit from the DVD.

Coach Sonnon then demonstrates each movement at each of the four levels of difficulty, explaining the movements and pointing out the little details that are so important in mastering them.

Next, he puts the movements together to form four levels of "circuits" ranging from using a prop to support oneself to the all out ,extremely dynamic Level 4 routine.

You can also craft your own routine using whatever level of skill and difficulty you need for correct movement. That is, if one of the exercises is easy at level 1 or 2,  do level 3. If another exercise is really hard for you, then back off and do the easier version. The variations are endless. The workouts can be as hard or as easy as you want them to be. Remember that the primary focus is working on perfecting your movement!

I highly recommend you get this DVD!! It's free except for shipping ($6.95 ), and with the holidays almost here it is a great gift for anyone, regardless of fitness level.

Due to a workshop at Yoga East Holiday Manor on  Sunday December 2 the KB class & private sessions will be held at my facility off Bluegrass Pkwy

 We WILL be open on Thanksgiving morning for one class at 9:30a. Come on out whether you are a beginner or not, have some fun and burn some calories!

Christmas Day - Tuesday 12/25/07

New Year's Day - Tuesday 1/1/2008

Dave

You want to get in "shape", loose weight or get stronger and you have been training for a few months. At first it was new and exciting and you looked forward to the "fun". Now though perhaps you are getting bored or maybe you feel the workouts are too hard, what can you do?

First you have to remember what your goals were when you started and how important they were to you. Remember stay focused on the end result and Kentuckiana CrossFit will help you get there.

If you think the workouts are too hard, then simply scale back the amount of weight or the speed at which you do a lift or movement. For instance when doing swing/flip squat pause every 10 to 15 reps, or on snatches, switch hands more often or take a longer rest overhead.

If you are bored is it because the circuit is too easy or do just want to do something different. If it is too easy simply go faster or go heavier. If you want variety talk to the instructor, I'm sure they can come up with something to keep you entertained .

 We recognize the fact that you are going to have good days, where you feel really strong, and some days where you wonder why you got out of bed. On the good days push yourself, on the bad days just getting through it should make you feel somewhat better.

 As Kentuckiana Crossfit grows and evolves we look for ways of improving our classes and incorporating more tools into our classes. Beyond just lifting a weight for the sake of lifting, there should be purpose behind everything you do.To that end we have started incorporating more stretching, some rehab work and more importantly PRE-hab work to make you stronger and more resilient to life's aches and pains.

Our training should not always be about pushing ourselves to the limit (unless we have a specific reason to do so) but to become HEALTHIER, more resilient, and stronger, the side effects typically include weight loss and improved cardio-vascular function.

Stick with it, remember your goals, have fun & improve your health & well-being!

Dave

Here's a nice clip of a turkish getup using a shin roll rather than a lunge or squat to stand. Note the emphasis on punching the bell off the floor as opposed to he traditional press with tension. For fighters we want to be fast & explosive, not slow and tight. Different goals, different methods.

And here's the link to Scott's full article:

The Best kb exercise for Groundfighters

......get bigger, get smaller, get stronger, get faster...

Part of my presentation during workshops covers some basic ideas on program design and the document I handout has some information in it but I felt I should discuss it further so you can get a better idea of how to create workout programs using kettlebells and integrating kettlebells into any other activities, such as martial arts, you may be involved in.

In order to create a program you need to examine your goals (there's that pesky term again). Are you exercising to lose weight, get stronger, increase General Physical Preparedness (GPP) or training for Martial arts. Are you a police office or SWAT team member? A firefighter? Special Forces? Each of these area will have a some overlap in program design but there are also areas that need to be addressed to meet the unique requirements of those specialties. You also need to look at how much time you can devote to your training.

A very late in coming review. I got this DVD when it first came out and watched and thought it was good but I wasn't overly impressed (Sorry Tom).

However after working with Tom at our Cincy workshop in August & seeing Tom in action I decided to re-watch it, especially after I started having some shoulder issues. Tom told me to try the stick work to help with the shoulder.

I just finished re-watching it and I must say that after the 2nd viewing I am MUCH more impressed than the 1st time around. I have a much greater appreciation of the material he covered: Some good & unique ways of training with kbs & sticks for both strength, power & rehab. In addition the applications he shows for some of these exercises is great. It really brings home the WHY of doing the work from an MA point of view instead of just doing it to be doing it.

Tom also made that point in Cincy. I opened it with my standard JM routine ala Scott S & Steve M and afterwards he showed some of the practical MA applications to what I had shown. It was cool.

In the conditioing section,Tom covers some basic stick drills: stick walking, fanning, pronation & supination of the wrist & shoulder, and some shoulder stretches. He then moves into some kettlebell work and shows many unique drills such as the one inch clean, the hip flexor lift, kneeling cleans and the X-press to name a few.

 In the Concrete Conflict section he shows some basic self defense techniques and the various ranges of compliance and shows how some of the exercises in the strength section apply to these techniques.

  Tom has an extensive background in the martial arts of South East Asia and has studied under many top notch instructors such as Dr. Harold Konig, Dan Inosanto, The DeThouar's Family and many others.

  This is well worth adding to your libraray for its unique look at strength & conditioning and its practical application in martial arts. Even if you don't study a martial art this is well worth owning.

Great DVD Tom. Anxiously awaiting the next (several).

A new workout for you to try. It's more fun if you have sandbags & clubbells too.

Grin & Bear (pun intended) it 

Here's a different approach to the thruster workout. It is a tough one designed to really hit the lower body and cardio. After the KB work we will add in some sandbag & clubbell work as well as pushups and pullups.

The Exercises: 

 Bear combo - take 2 bells, clean them, immediately squat and come back up. As you are rising drive the bells straight over-head. Do NOT stand and then press! Now bring the bells down re-clean and repeat.

 Sumo dead lift to a two hand high pull - With 1 kb (moderately heavy) on the floor, take a wide stance and grip the bell with both hands. Keep your chest up spine straight especially through the neck. Explosively stand as you stand raise your arms and try to pull the handle apart so your elbows go to the sides at about shoulder height, bell at solar plexus or a little higher. Lower the bell and sink back down touching the bell to the floor each time.

The Workout Part 1: 

15 reps of the bear followed immediately by the sumo DL to high-pull. As soon as possible repeat for 12 reps, then with 9. It should take about 7 to 9 minutes with small rest. Time yourself and keep track so the next time youwill have the goal of besting yourself. Time is the entire circuit not round by round, although you can track that as well if you want.

That concludes the timed section. 

The Workout - Part II: 

Next up some pushups. Standard pushups in a descending ladder starting at 10. So 10 reps, pause, 9 reps pause, 8 reps pause etc. until you get down to 1. Written out as 10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1. That is a total of 55 pushups. If you are a pushup pro do an ascending ladder instead. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

 After a brief rest we will work the lats & shoulders to counteract the pushups. 10 pullups (hands facing away from you). If you have to cheat that's ok but go down slowly and really work the negative portion.

The Workout Part III: 

If you have sandbags and clubbells you can keep on going or do 5 minutes of snatches with a kettlebell.

Sandbags: clean to shoulder alternating sides for 10 total reps. Then do deadlifts holding the bags diagaonally between the legs, one hand in front of the body, the other behind. Do 10 reps putting the bag on the floor each time, then switch the grip & do 10 more the other way. Move quickly.

 Clubbells: Clean to order 10 each arm, swipes 10 each arm, Outward pendulum, 10 each arm. Inward pendulum 10 ea arm and finally pary cast 10 each arm & reverse parry 10 each arm. The Clubbell work will open up the shoulders and get the blood flowing through. The weight used should be light to moderate.

I will add some pics or video later. 

 Enjoy!!!

From Diesel Crew, a 7day shoulder rehab protocol

I started on it yesterday and will give a shot for a few weeks to see how things work out. I will add other things in as well. And of course I still have to teach overhead stuff too so I can't eliminate other shoulder work. 

Weekly Protocol
Day 1: Circuit 1
Day 2: Circuit 2
Day 3: Circuit 3
Day 4: REST
Day 5: Circuit 4
Day 6: Circuit 5
Day 7: REST

Each exercise in the circuit is completed for 12-15 reps and each circuit is done 1-3 times (runs).

Circuit 1:
DB Retractions
DB Protractions
Posterior Capsule Stretch

Circuit 2:
DB Cuban Rotations
Band External Rotations
Band Pull Aparts
Band Dislocates
Band Presses

Circuit 3:
Pull-up Retraction
Barbell Overhead Shrugs
Push-up Plus
Posterior Capsule Stretch

Circuit 4:
Incline DB Retraction
Prone "Y's"
Prone Internal Rotations

Circuit 5:
EQI Push-ups
Prone "T's"
Plate Halos

Extra Exercises that can be substituted in the circuits:
DB Internal / External Rotations
EZ Curl Cuban Rotations
EZ Curl Cuban Presses
Band Abduction / External Rotations   

I've started giving out the Cravers and so far everyone loves them!!

I gave one to JB this monring and she called me 15 minutes later to tell me how great it was and where she can buy them!! 

They come in 3 flavors: Spirulina, Peanut Butter and Almond.  

"Taste Great. And they fill me up, just enough"

"Very good, great taste, a great snack with only 180 claories!"

 Are just a few of the comments I've gotten so far.

To get a free sample, come to a class, while supplies last! 

To order your own supply: