This weekend is Independence Day weekend. As such, a pause from training and advice giving is in order. I would like to take this moment to appreciate my country, and several free women and men and women who have deeply enriched my life.
Kikuko Zutrau Miyazaki, my first Shiatsu teacher, gave me a diploma from the Boston Shiatsu School in 1998 with the words "Now go and learn Shiatsu!"
Brad Crews, my first Ashtanga Yoga teacher and fellow Shiatsu student. In 1998 he encouraged me to begin teaching what I know, especially when students want to learn.
Abel Villacorta and Jill Miyamoto, my first Ki Aikido instructors, who in 2000 allowed me to trade classes for Shiatsu sessions.
Kashiwaya Koichi sensei, Chief Instructor of Ki Aikido, whom I've had the honor of learning from over the past 11 years. He brings joy and diversity into his teaching, and encourages me by his example.
KC Goldberg, Russian Kettlebell Challenge instructor, introduced me to kettlebells and trained me for my first instructor certification in 2004 and continues to support my practice as a fellow student and teacher.
Annie Pace, senior Ashtanga Yoga teacher, picked me up as a student in 2006 and completely spoiled me on a "pure" form of yoga.
Russell Smith, Derek Nabel, Bill Stanley and Jen Trotter, senior Ki Aikido Instructors, lead me to my first and second black belts (2008 & '11) and lead their own respective dojos in Rocky Mountain Ki Society. I especially thank these folks for their commitment to Ki Aikido and the teachings of Koichi Tohei sensei.
Ken Blackburn, IKFF Chief Instructor, who certified me as a Kettlebell Teacher in 2009, '10 and '11. Ken continually inspires me as a student and teacher.
Matthew Sweigart and Dave Goetz, HeartMind Bodywork school teachers, who have helped me advance my study of Shiatsu and recognize me as a senior practitioner.
Thanks to God that I was born in the United States, allowing me to travel far and wide, learning and exploring over the years.
May we all enjoy and share the many freedoms of our country.
A fun and safe weekend to all!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Confessions of a wounded lifter
Yes, it happened, just like I warned you all not to do. After a class, without re-warming my shoulders, I injured my arm practicing Turkish Get Up.
So what did I learn?
We will leave the NCAR parking area at 10 am.
Please call or email if you want to join but might be late - 303-514-1445 kettlebellfitness@yahoo.com
Bring rock climbing or five finger shoes if you want to boulder along the hike! A chalk bag could be useful.
Best wishes to all for a safe and healthy month!
Christian
www.MindBodyEnergetics@gmail.com
So what did I learn?
- Why many coaches and gym owners fear the kettlebell - That warm-up is key, especially joint mobility. If a coach doesn't have a thorough mobility routine, watch out! With TGU, the shoulders must be well mobilized and warmed to avoid trauma. With Swings and Windmills, the hips must be adequately prepared.
- Why I love living in Boulder - This blog post could be called "The joys of hiking in and around Boulder." As most athletes know, injury is a horrible experience on the mental/emotional level and physically. A body that's conditioned to work wants to continue putting out BTUs regularly. To satiate my body's need to sweat, the local hiking and biking trails have been a Godsend!
- Even if I'm not lifting I can still teach - And thanks to a group of dedicated students, I don't even need to demonstrate!
We will leave the NCAR parking area at 10 am.
Please call or email if you want to join but might be late - 303-514-1445 kettlebellfitness@yahoo.com
Bring rock climbing or five finger shoes if you want to boulder along the hike! A chalk bag could be useful.
Best wishes to all for a safe and healthy month!
Christian
www.MindBodyEnergetics@gmail.com
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Group Hike to Gregory Canyon Loop, Sat. June 11th
We will start at 10:30 AM, meeting at the Baseline Parking area (continue up Baseline from Chautauqua, veer left at Flagstaff turn off, the parking area is on the left) the loop is just over 4 miles.
So far this hike has defeated me due to several unique circumstances at the time of attempt. Please come support me in finishing this local hike! Also, Slava has valiantly bailed-out with me at each failed attempt, so we've got to get him to the summit.
Let me know if you plan to join but may be late. email kettlebellfitness@yahoo.com or call 303-514-1445
So far this hike has defeated me due to several unique circumstances at the time of attempt. Please come support me in finishing this local hike! Also, Slava has valiantly bailed-out with me at each failed attempt, so we've got to get him to the summit.
Let me know if you plan to join but may be late. email kettlebellfitness@yahoo.com or call 303-514-1445
Sunday, May 22, 2011
A note on "Getting over the Hump"
It is a task of every person to specialize in something, be it mental, physical or spiritual. In every arena of specialty there is a point to dig in, to push and work toward greater comprehension, to re-delegate time and energy to making it through the tough spot. This is what separates earnest interest from "just a passing phase." This is "getting over the hump."
If you don't know exactly what you want to specialize in, here is my suggested starting place: What do you take the extra time to learn about? What fascinates you, and has always fascinated you? What will you loose track of time doing? This is where you stand a good chance to excel.
If you've read this far you may be wondering, What does this have to do with kettlebell fitness, Christian?
I'll tell you. Lately I've had the great satisfaction of hearing how extremely difficult kettlebell lifting actually is. Many athletes dabble in the beginning, but few will "get over the hump" as one expert trainer put it.
It's true, there is the awkward beginning of completely re-aligning the lower body posture in the chair squat, add to that the never-easy chest opening experience of wall-squatting, and then there is a weight to pick up. The initial learning curve will either enthrall or disenchant people.
And that's not the end. Next there is the brutal wrist-banging experience of learning to clean the weight. Enter the time and efficiency component. We have a finite amount of physical strength to focus on any one training session, so if "putting on the glove" solves it, great! You have the makings of a true kettlebell athlete! For most of us, bruise-free cleaning is a matter of going back to the beginning, re-learning the leg work of one-arm swings, and humbling ourselves to lesser weights as we embark on building more skills.
If you are at either of these major humps in kettlebell lifting, I offer this thought. Giving a season to kettlebell skills training will improve your focus and coordination for many other athletic pursuits. Great teachers acknowledge that training a form until boredom sets in is the only way to breakthrough. There are seasons to all things, the key is being present with the current.
Finally, consider the story of my kettlebell coaches Ken Blackburn and Steve Cotter. They are currently in Russia at a kettlebell sport training camp, learning from world class coaches and athletes. In one meaningful facebook post, Steve mentioned the humbling experience of having his form efficiently dissected on the first day of camp. This is a guy who rose to fame several years ago with his impressive kettlebell-specific DVD series, including Encyclopedia of Kettlebell Lifting, joined forces with his fellow trainer (Blackburn) to break the RKC mold and sweep the world with International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation in the course of 2 years, all the while hosting and competing in Kettlebell Sport Competitions.
If you really want to get over the hump remember this: It's never too late to learn and build on what you already know.
Best wishes to all for a fantastic season,
Christian Goldberg
www.MindBodyEnergetics.us
kettlebellfitness@yahoo.com
If you don't know exactly what you want to specialize in, here is my suggested starting place: What do you take the extra time to learn about? What fascinates you, and has always fascinated you? What will you loose track of time doing? This is where you stand a good chance to excel.
If you've read this far you may be wondering, What does this have to do with kettlebell fitness, Christian?
I'll tell you. Lately I've had the great satisfaction of hearing how extremely difficult kettlebell lifting actually is. Many athletes dabble in the beginning, but few will "get over the hump" as one expert trainer put it.
It's true, there is the awkward beginning of completely re-aligning the lower body posture in the chair squat, add to that the never-easy chest opening experience of wall-squatting, and then there is a weight to pick up. The initial learning curve will either enthrall or disenchant people.
And that's not the end. Next there is the brutal wrist-banging experience of learning to clean the weight. Enter the time and efficiency component. We have a finite amount of physical strength to focus on any one training session, so if "putting on the glove" solves it, great! You have the makings of a true kettlebell athlete! For most of us, bruise-free cleaning is a matter of going back to the beginning, re-learning the leg work of one-arm swings, and humbling ourselves to lesser weights as we embark on building more skills.
If you are at either of these major humps in kettlebell lifting, I offer this thought. Giving a season to kettlebell skills training will improve your focus and coordination for many other athletic pursuits. Great teachers acknowledge that training a form until boredom sets in is the only way to breakthrough. There are seasons to all things, the key is being present with the current.
Finally, consider the story of my kettlebell coaches Ken Blackburn and Steve Cotter. They are currently in Russia at a kettlebell sport training camp, learning from world class coaches and athletes. In one meaningful facebook post, Steve mentioned the humbling experience of having his form efficiently dissected on the first day of camp. This is a guy who rose to fame several years ago with his impressive kettlebell-specific DVD series, including Encyclopedia of Kettlebell Lifting, joined forces with his fellow trainer (Blackburn) to break the RKC mold and sweep the world with International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation in the course of 2 years, all the while hosting and competing in Kettlebell Sport Competitions.
If you really want to get over the hump remember this: It's never too late to learn and build on what you already know.
Best wishes to all for a fantastic season,
Christian Goldberg
www.MindBodyEnergetics.us
kettlebellfitness@yahoo.com
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Mobility and Auxilliary Exercises for Lifters
It's almost Kettlebell Skills Clinic time again, and by request I'm doing a two-hour session to teach joint mobility and auxiliary exercises to weight lifters. This is a sorely needed clinic in weight lifting circles.
Mobility and range-of-motion is a down played part of physical fitness. Leave it for the yogis, right?
Guess again. It is an actual fact that low-back (particularly sacral) pain is directly related with neck pain. Shoulder, particularly deltoids pain is typically a problem of incorrect alignment within the shoulder joint. If you are an athlete with chronic problems in these key areas, you have not incorporated enough flexibility into your workouts. Much pain and suffering can be alleviated with just a few recovery exercises in between sets.
Okay, so maybe you can boast the ability to squat your hip bones down to the floor. Can you do it with your arms locked out overhead? If so, excellent! Teach me how you did that! If you are like the rest of us, there are some gaps in your conditioning due to a top or bottom heavy lifting program. I mean literally, most lifters focus only on working body parts they want to build up and ignore the rest. A well-rounded athlete will put the extra 10 minutes into strengthening the underused angles before ending a workout.
I don't profess to be a world-class trainer, but I've got some ideas to pass along to gym folk and casual exercisers alike.
Take my Joint Mobility and Auxiliary Exercise Clinic Saturday May 14th at Flatirons Crossfit, 4847 Pearl Street. 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
http://mindbodyenergetics.us/kettlebells.html
For $20, it's the best price you'll get for long-term injury prevention and workout know-how.
Mobility and range-of-motion is a down played part of physical fitness. Leave it for the yogis, right?
Guess again. It is an actual fact that low-back (particularly sacral) pain is directly related with neck pain. Shoulder, particularly deltoids pain is typically a problem of incorrect alignment within the shoulder joint. If you are an athlete with chronic problems in these key areas, you have not incorporated enough flexibility into your workouts. Much pain and suffering can be alleviated with just a few recovery exercises in between sets.
Okay, so maybe you can boast the ability to squat your hip bones down to the floor. Can you do it with your arms locked out overhead? If so, excellent! Teach me how you did that! If you are like the rest of us, there are some gaps in your conditioning due to a top or bottom heavy lifting program. I mean literally, most lifters focus only on working body parts they want to build up and ignore the rest. A well-rounded athlete will put the extra 10 minutes into strengthening the underused angles before ending a workout.
I don't profess to be a world-class trainer, but I've got some ideas to pass along to gym folk and casual exercisers alike.
Take my Joint Mobility and Auxiliary Exercise Clinic Saturday May 14th at Flatirons Crossfit, 4847 Pearl Street. 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
http://mindbodyenergetics.us/kettlebells.html
For $20, it's the best price you'll get for long-term injury prevention and workout know-how.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Kettlebell Safety and Definitions
It's worth doing at least once on my new blog. I welcome comments and discussion on the following opinions.
Build up gradually. No matter your previous training, work gradually when changing exercise formats or increasing work days to allow muscular structure to build naturally.
Practice the new and technical stuff first. If you have recently learned a new technique, put it at the beginning of workouts until it is familiar. Moves you have practiced before, such as Turkish get up and screw press, can be a dangerous challenge if attempted at the wrong time in a workout. If you need a spotter for specific lifts, don't practice without one.
Grinding work (defined as lifts that start with the weight at a stationary position, such as deadlift or squat). Select a weight that will be a challenge by the end of each set. Sometimes body weight is enough!
Super set (defined as practicing exercises that require different primary muscle groups back-to-back, such as shoulder press, followed by squat, followed by bent over rows). For a very efficient workout, make a circuit with 4 to 6 exercises that all require a different muscle action. Work through your circuit 3 to 6 times.
Momentum work (defined as exercises that initiates with the weight in motion and uses of a specific muscle firing sequence to propel the weight through it's entire range, such as kettlebell clean or snatch). Momentum sets work best when isolated away from grinding sets, as the breathing patterns are different.
Finish well. Sustained stretching and physical therapy-type drills are appropriate after a work out. Deck rolling, cobra stretches and neck recovery are excellent habits at the end of a training session. These little things will support total rest and prevent over-use stress from building up over time.
Have plenty of drinking water, a source of quick carbohydrates or protein after your workout.
See my website for more information about Kettlebell Fitness classes available in Boulder:
www.mindbodyenergetics.us
To be on my free event email list:
kettlebellfitness@yahoo.com
Build up gradually. No matter your previous training, work gradually when changing exercise formats or increasing work days to allow muscular structure to build naturally.
- Newbies may start with 1 or 2 kettlebell workouts per week and can build up to 3 workouts/week within the first few months.
- Seasoned athletes can start with 2 or 3 and work up to 5 kettlebell workouts per week for a deep conditioning phase.
- As a peak training phase, 6 kettlebell workouts/week is brutal, intense and will not last as a long-term program.
Practice the new and technical stuff first. If you have recently learned a new technique, put it at the beginning of workouts until it is familiar. Moves you have practiced before, such as Turkish get up and screw press, can be a dangerous challenge if attempted at the wrong time in a workout. If you need a spotter for specific lifts, don't practice without one.
Grinding work (defined as lifts that start with the weight at a stationary position, such as deadlift or squat). Select a weight that will be a challenge by the end of each set. Sometimes body weight is enough!
Super set (defined as practicing exercises that require different primary muscle groups back-to-back, such as shoulder press, followed by squat, followed by bent over rows). For a very efficient workout, make a circuit with 4 to 6 exercises that all require a different muscle action. Work through your circuit 3 to 6 times.
Momentum work (defined as exercises that initiates with the weight in motion and uses of a specific muscle firing sequence to propel the weight through it's entire range, such as kettlebell clean or snatch). Momentum sets work best when isolated away from grinding sets, as the breathing patterns are different.
Finish well. Sustained stretching and physical therapy-type drills are appropriate after a work out. Deck rolling, cobra stretches and neck recovery are excellent habits at the end of a training session. These little things will support total rest and prevent over-use stress from building up over time.
Have plenty of drinking water, a source of quick carbohydrates or protein after your workout.
See my website for more information about Kettlebell Fitness classes available in Boulder:
www.mindbodyenergetics.us
To be on my free event email list:
kettlebellfitness@yahoo.com
Friday, April 22, 2011
Spring Training
Spring Training, the gateway between Winter sports and Summer sports. Most athletes make a change of sport at this time. Weekend-warriors try to reinforce New Year's Resolutions. The Earth is so inspiring, many of us want to improve our skills and establishing new short-term goals in the Spring.
How to make the most of this new annual energy? Here are a few tips:
Decide what you want to focus on and get into it! Not everyone can motivate to do solo exercise, so find your workout group, practice buddy or team mates. Exercising alone can become too serious. All athletes can benefit from having friends around to keep it light. Don't give away your workout time. If it's on your schedule, do it!
Improve your habits at the beginning! If you noticed weaknesses or missing skills last year, make it better this time. Start with the full enchilada and keep all the parts of a complete workout. Warm-up, focus on skills, push your edge during the workout, and stretch out before calling it a day.
Find an advanced trainer or coach! If you are doing a sport year after year, why not take it up a notch. Nothing adds spice like training for competition or certification.
Start at a reasonable pace! Creaky joints and unused muscles will need some time to acclimate to higher levels of activity. Pace yourself and put extra time into cooling down for the first few weeks. Early season injuries put a kink in the joy of Spring, so keep your head, start gently until you hit a good stride.
Sign up for my Kettlebell Fitness email newsletter for updates on Open Park Practices/group hikes (free!), Kettlebell Skills Clinics ($20) and ongoing Kettlebell Fitness classes!
Email me at KettlebellFitness@yahoo.com
Ongoing Kettlebell classes and Registration available on my website: www.MindBodyEnergetics.us
How to make the most of this new annual energy? Here are a few tips:
Decide what you want to focus on and get into it! Not everyone can motivate to do solo exercise, so find your workout group, practice buddy or team mates. Exercising alone can become too serious. All athletes can benefit from having friends around to keep it light. Don't give away your workout time. If it's on your schedule, do it!
Improve your habits at the beginning! If you noticed weaknesses or missing skills last year, make it better this time. Start with the full enchilada and keep all the parts of a complete workout. Warm-up, focus on skills, push your edge during the workout, and stretch out before calling it a day.
Find an advanced trainer or coach! If you are doing a sport year after year, why not take it up a notch. Nothing adds spice like training for competition or certification.
Start at a reasonable pace! Creaky joints and unused muscles will need some time to acclimate to higher levels of activity. Pace yourself and put extra time into cooling down for the first few weeks. Early season injuries put a kink in the joy of Spring, so keep your head, start gently until you hit a good stride.
Sign up for my Kettlebell Fitness email newsletter for updates on Open Park Practices/group hikes (free!), Kettlebell Skills Clinics ($20) and ongoing Kettlebell Fitness classes!
Email me at KettlebellFitness@yahoo.com
Ongoing Kettlebell classes and Registration available on my website: www.MindBodyEnergetics.us
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)