Condition Kettlebell Gym

Jordan Vezina.

This is a guest post by strength trainer Jordan Vezina - From Running to Kettlebell Swings. Enjoy.

One thing we are always interested in regarding functional training is how it carries over into daily life, and other athletic events. A perfect example of this is running. Whenever a new client mentions that he or she runs I give them one piece of advice- “Don’t.”Interval sprints and the like can be healthy, but the general public labors under the delusion that running is the king of exercises, and since we all know that more must be better, running for hours on end must be great for you, right? You are correct, if your destination is to get to your coffin as quickly as possible, or become a functional cripple by your forties.

If you engage in strength training and have proper running mechanics, you can avoid many of the negative effects associated with long slow distance running. However, most people do not have these things. Therefore they would be better off doing something with no impact on the joints, which combines resistance and cardio. I have just described a kettlebell swing.

To be an efficient runner three of the primary things I need are strong lung capacity, good cardio, and strong legs. Again, I get all of these from kettlebell swings. If you were to engage in a progressive program of kettlebell training (heavy on the swings and snatches) with minimal running performed primarily for specificity you would find that you are a stronger runner than if you had only run.

We know from weight training that the surest way to cease progress is to just keep lifting the weights and always trying to add more on. Yet this is how many (probably most) train for running. Come to think of it, this is how many people also train with weights.

While I was with the California National Guard I had to take part in two of the Army Physical Fitness Tests, each of which required a two-mile run. I ran both tests in about 12:30-13:00 minutes. Not super fast, but I’m a poor runner. I finished ahead of about ninety percent of the battalion, most of whom were a decade younger than myself. I had not run a single mile on my own in about six months. What I had been doing was a boatload of swings. That’s when I stopped running completely.

Something else important to consider is the postural element of running. These same elements apply to biking, to an even greater degree. The big rage in the gyms is the spin class. Now, these do work you hard I agree, but is it worth the negative effects? Next time the spin class ends at your local gym watch everyone who walks out. Most of them will have slumped posture, forward heads, posterior pelvic tilts. Your body will adopt the posture that it perceives to be the norm. If you’re hunched over your desk all day, hunched over the steering wheel in your car while commuting, hunched over a bike in a spin class, or hunched over as you run, why would your body suddenly adopt proper posture? It will adopt the posture that you are most consistently in.

Now we come back to the kettlebell swing. What is my most common admonishment to clients learning the swing?

“At the top of the swing you should be two straight lines. Straight up and down, and straight out to the bell.”

There is no room for slouching in the kettlebell swing. Doing this will only earn you bad form as well as back, shoulder, and elbow pain. Swings performed properly will continue to whack you back into shape, and along with properly performed Turkish Get Ups they will restore your shoulder and front panel flexibility.

I understand that I can’t stop you from running. Well I can, but I don’t have enough duct tape and rope for all of you. So what I instead encourage you to do is swing your kettlebells and minimize the running to what you need in order to remain efficient at it.

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Jordan Vezina is a strength trainer in Palo Alto, CA and maintains a blog at http://averagetoelite.blogspot.com.

As most athletes who first meet Delaine and I at Condition Kettlebell Gym have noticed, we wear some pretty funky shoes – that is if we are actually wearing shoes. Well, here is the information you’ve all been asking us for about shoes.

      First, we must start with the basics. In today’s age, shoes are a materialistic accessory that more often than not matches the color of clothing. Thousands of years ago, before the invention of air conditioning, cars, and the light bulb Neanderthals walked the earth BAREFOOT. And so should you! The Neanderthal barefoot approach is significant, because this is actually the most efficient and healthy method of walking and movement for your body. Anatomically, there are 26 bones in the foot and ALL of them should be mobile. When taking a step, the force from the ground starts at the heel and is distributed throughout the rest of the foot and body. If one of the bones in the foot doesn’t move efficiently or is jammed, the force from the ground is altered and the distribution throughout the rest of the body changes. What does this change in force mean for you? Put simply, changes in joint and postural alignment and PAIN! The pain can occur in the knees, hips, and/or lower back, etc.

      So, you can’t walk the streets barefoot and you don’t want immobile and painful joints. Here are some shoe suggestions that will help minimize pain and postural changes and facilitate healthy and mobile joints: 

Nike Free

Puma Alsten

Converse – Chuck Taylor’s

Puma Speedcats

Vibram Five Fingers

Adidas Samba

New Balance 790s

Adidas Chiba

Reebok Driving Shoes 

      These are all athletic shoes that are great options for athletic performance, everyday activities, and even work! If you don’t have any of these shoes in your closet, you should check your current shoes to see if they fit the profile. An easy test is to pick up one shoe and bend the sole. If the sole doesn’t bend with ease, or only in the toe area, you should strongly consider purchasing any of the shoes listed above. Basic things to look for are flat shoes with a flexible sole throughout the entire length of the shoe, which will allow for all the bones and joints in your feet to move freely and efficiently. Also, if you’re puzzled about where to look or all the shoe stores you’ve checked don’t carry the above shoes, trying some of the following websites: 

www.nike.com

www.ebay.com

www.zappos.com

www.eastbay.com

www.vibramfivefingers.com 

      With a fresh pair of flat and mobile shoes you are well on your way to better performance with a more efficient and mobile body! 
 
 

Keep moving, 

Katie Bigelow

RKC Instructor

Z Health Level 4 Trainer

The following is an exerpt from a posting from Eating Well’s Dr Rachel Jackson.  When I started the fitness competition diet, I learned a few of these “traps” - such as how bad energy bars and processed yogurts can be.  My yogurt advice is get lowfat organic - that way you dont get the processed junk and fake sugars.  And I dont know if I buy what she says about sushi completely.  I think that there are healthy sushi rolls that DON’T contain tofu, but she is right about the ones that have aoli (AKA mayonnaise) in them and tempura (AKA fried!)

6 Healthy Sounding Foods That Aren’t Healthy 

Although most foods can fit into a healthy diet if you know your limits, do a reality check and read labels first. Here are some of the worst offenders:

1. Energy bars

Energy bars usually contain protein and fiber—nutrients that help you feel full—but also may be loaded with calories. That’s fine if you occasionally make one a meal, but most of us eat them as snacks. You might as well enjoy a Snickers, which at 280 calories is in the same range as many energy bars.

2. Granola

Granola sounds healthy. But it’s often high in fat, sugar and calories. Don’t be fooled by a seemingly reasonable calorie count; portion sizes are usually a skimpy 1/4 or 1/2 cup. Low-fat versions often just swap sugar for fat and pack as many calories as regular versions.

3. Salads

Most of us could use more vegetables—so what’s not to love? Toppings. The pecans and Gorgonzola cheese on Panera Bread’s Fuji Apple Chicken Salad (580 calories, 30 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat) propel it into double-cheeseburger territory. A McDonald’s double cheeseburger has 440 calories, 23 grams fat, 11 grams saturated fat.

Lesson learned: Before ordering a salad, check its nutrition information.

4. Smoothies

Smoothies may seem like a tasty way to get your recommended fruit servings—but studies show that beverages are less filling per calorie than solid foods. Added sugars can make some the equivalent of drinking fruit pie filling: the smallest (16-ounce) serving of Jamba Juice’s Orange Dream Machine weighs in at 340 calories, with 69 grams of sugars that don’t all come from juice.

5. Sushi rolls

There is a wide variety of sushi rolls and the fried tidbits and mayonnaise in some can really tuck in calories. Some 12-piece Dragon Rolls (eel, crunchy cucumbers, avocado and “special eel sauce”) have almost 500 calories and 16 grams of fat (4 grams saturated).

Lesson learned: Order something simple like a California roll (imitation crabmeat, avocado and cucumber) or a vegetarian roll which supplies around 350 calories and 6 or 7 grams of fat (mostly heart-healthy mono­unsaturated.)

6. Yogurts

Some premium whole-milk yogurts can give you a hefty dose of saturated fat. Many low-fat versions are every bit as creamy. Enjoy a fruit-flavored low-fat yogurt, but understand that the “fruit” is really jam (i.e., mostly sugar). Or opt for low-fat plain and stir in fresh fruit or other sweetener to taste. My favorite, a tablespoon of Vermont maple syrup (52 calories), provides all the sweetness I need.

Lesson learned: Although they are still good sources of calcium, fat and added sugars make some yogurts closer to dessert than to a healthy snack.

For some reason the modern fitness world has taught us silly little rules such as “Don’t squat below 90 degrees” and “Don’t let your knee go over your toe when you are stretching.” Well, as my clients are told, you squat below 90 when you go to the bathroom every day so you better learn how to do it. The most important rule in fitness is “Don’t do something that hurts.”

Your body needs to be trained to do the things that your body does in life so that your Central Nervous System is comfortable with all ranges of motion and doesn’t “freak out” and contract the muscles when in a “dangerous” position and cause injury. When you sprain your ankle, for example, the sprain is likey to be caused by your body going into startle and contracting the muscles around the ankle because it is in an unfamiliar range of motion than the actual motion of rolling your ankle.

With that said, many sports related injuries can be prevented if the athlete would train for all possible ranges of motion, ranges of motion-in-mothion, etc… The following is written by Dr Eric Cobb, founder of Z-Health, after watching last weekend’s football games. Your body gets good at doing what you make it do. My Chargers had a few injuries that may have been prevented if they had trained their bodies to be ready for certain movements in the game.

Injury Lessons by Dr Eric Cobb:

“I, like many of you, spent a few hours this weekend watching football. In addition to enjoying the game and watching some excellent athletes in motion, I also watch football to see what happens when things go wrong…

“If you watched the San Diego/Indy game Sunday, you know it was very physical. A large number of injuries occurred and it was very interesting to try to keep track of them. I would say that at least half of the injuries sustained were “self-inflicted” non-contact injuries. In virtually every case, it was an athlete moving from unloaded (jumping, pivoting, turning, etc) to loaded while trying to change direction. These “instinctual” movements that form the basis of most “great plays” in every sport, are absolutely CRITICAL to train!

“In S-Phase, we cover an extensive plyometric progression for these exact events. Just like everything else in our life as athletes, we must design, implement and enforce practice of ALL POSSIBLE BIOMECHANICAL TRANSITIONS if we want to maximize player safety and performance.

“Nothing will make us bulletproof, but with a bit of imagination and diligence, we can prep our nervous systems far more effectively than much of what is being done in today’s training field.”