Lazy article.....Top 15 things I have notice about Kerala, India...

I am going to take a page out of Rick Reilly's book, and just be a lazy writer. As many of you know, I have been in India since Christmas, and here are some things that I have noticed, in five minutes or less:

* We have driven around here a lot, and I have only seen 1 commercial gym.

* There are less 300lb people here. I am not talking about the actual weight as much as there are less people who seem to have said "fuck it" as far as their health goes.

* That being said, there are less really buff people here as well. Almost like a State of Mediocre.

* These people here eat sugar and rice like they are in a contract year. Their tea tastes like candy. And they eat all the time. They find excuses to eat.

* Driving in India is crazy. This could be a blog post in and of itself. I don't even like walking around the streets. If you like personal space, you won't have it here.

* Women spend a lot of money on jewelry here.

* Women's saris can be pretty ornate, they are like a status symbol.

* The exchange rate is really attractive here. About 45 rupees to 1 USD. Here are the cost of some item. Junk food is really cheap. Almonds are really expensive. Gold is very expensive. Electronics are expensive. Clothing is really cheap. Cable TV and BB Internet and ridiculously cheap.

* Working out without equipment is really interesting. Looking forward to my weight in when I get home.

* I haven't had good quail ever till I came on this trip. Here is how you do it: Fry it crispy.

* Forgot my fish capsules, eating a lot of fish.

* There seems to be no breakfast food. All meals look about the same.

* There are no diet sodas in India. Even though it is not Paleo, the first thing I am getting when I get back is a Diet Coke.

* Not as many cows running around as I remember.

* The kids nowadays learn English early. What does that mean. Probably more outsourcing. Earlier English skills combined with Satellite TV means any barriers to outsourcing are much less.

* There are 20 Million Indians that live in other countries. What they do is go to other countries where they can make more money like the UAE, Saudia Arabia, US, and the UK and send some money back to India. Big influx of cash and India is thriving.

* Indians are eating a lot less rice. My dad's family were big rice farmers and they are making less of it.

* They are, however, driving more cars, scooters, motorcycles, and trucks. More rubber. My dad's family is making more rubber. The real stuff from trees. Good thing, if you have a flat tire on a Kerala road, you can probably kiss your ass goodbye.

Kettlebell Workshops

I will be hosting two Introductory Kettlebell Workshops in the month of January;

* Saturday, Jan 8th @ 10:30 AM (To register)
* Saturday, Jan 15th @ 10:30 AM (To register)
* Saturday, Jan 29th @ Core and Joint Mobility Workshop

==> All workshops will be at Xtreme Athletix, 1505 W Cypress St., Tampa, FL 33606

Trip to India....

I will be out of the country for 13 days. I am not bringing any kettlebells with me, it is just not worth the hassle to bring them. Here is how I am going to manage while I am gone.

1) First and foremost is managing diet. I will be trying to stay Paleo, which to me is leading every meal with meats and proteins. This staves off hunger.

2) Walk about 2 miles a day. This should be easy.

3) Fish oil supplements. This should help cravings for fats.

4) Need to research any customs regulations on spices. We import a lot of spices from India. Wonder how good the 'Real McCoy' is going to be. I have a feeling just like oranges, the best stuff is exported.

5) The Turkish Get Up is not limited to kettlebells. I will be doing the TGU with a lot of random objects.

6) Will try to limit naan bread and biryani rice.

7) I am bringing a Yoga DVD. Side note: I wonder if people that do Bikram in India are as annoying and anal retentive as the ones in the US.

8) I am hoping to find a barbell.

9) Mobility drills with a broom stick.

10) Pistols and One-legged planks.

I weigh about 176, hoping to come home at no higher than 172.

Then I will kick everyone's ass in my classes on 1/6.

Not sure how often I am going to be able to track progress. But I have a new video camera and will post updates as soon as I am able.

Enjoy your holidays and your new year!

January Double Snatch Challenge

Here was today's workout. Enter The Kettlebell-Variety Day 1 (aka, do whatever you feel like doing).

Barbell Cleans:
65, 85, 105, 125 x 2 x 1
145, 165, 185 (PR) x 1
==> Hey boys and girls, I can finally clean more than my bodyweight.

Overhead Squats (Snatch Start):
85 x 5; 105 x 4 x 5 (intended to go heavier, but not feeling it)

Double Snatches:
AMAP for 10:00 - I did top of the minute for 2x10+8x8 plus another 3 in the last 9 seconds for a total of 87. Not too bad, not great. A "never tried before" PR.

Dimel Deadlifts: 205 x 2 x 20 (I love these)


****************** Challenge Update *******************


Last year around this time, Jack Reape offered up the Jack Reape Deadlift Challenge.

The rules of the challenge were simple:
* Load up a bar to 315 lbs and
* Do as many deadlifts as you can in 30 minutes.

I got 154, and it was probably one of the workouts that I remember most for a long time. I was sweating bullets for a long time after and my T-levels were sky high for a couple of days. The double snatches had a similar feel.

Well, I am offering up a similar challenge:

The Faizal S. Enu Double Snatch Challenge

* Find two equally sized kettlebells,
* Snatch them as many times as you can in 15 minutes,
* Send your name/alias, bell sized used, and number of reps completed.
* The challenge must be completed during the month of January.

==> I want to make this event more inclusive, so I am not forcing a bell size. You want to snatch two 16s because you are a smaller guy or just not comfortable with 2 24kg bells. You feel two 24s are too light, snatch heavier. Lady comrades, I would like to see you compete as well. 8kg, 12kg, etc. Doesn't matter. Grab the bells by the horns and put up a number.

The challenge is not about how you do against everyone else. It is about how you do against your previous best and the effort you put in. Also, you will self-discovery a snatch tip or two.

WHO'S WITH ME?

KFC Outrage about Gift Cerificate...

Supposedly health experts in Australia are mad because KFC is offering gift certificates.

As far as I am concerned, this is absurd. Not that KFC is offering gift certificates, but that fact that health "experts" are outraged.

First off, it is a gift certificate. It is not like they are giving a discount for stuff that is bad for you. Or that the goverment is giving subsidies to make it cheaper. It is a gift certificate. It is no different than giving cash.

Also, KFC has one responsibility when it comes down to it. And it is not to the long term health of the general public They have a fiduciary responsibility to increase shareholder equity, they seem to be doing it. Health experts have a responsibility to make us healthier. They are failing miserably. Just look at the obesity numbers. I am not relying on health experts (not good at it) or KFC (why do they care?) to be healthier.

I guess personal accountability is dead.

By the way, if you think the gift certificates you receive are bad for you, send them to this address in protest.

Faizal S. Enu
2109 Bayshore Blvd., Unit 210
Tampa, FL 33606

Top 10 non-paleo foods.

I have been doing really well with this Paleo diet.

In the book is says that you can get 95% of the results with being 80% compliant. Sounds good to me. Here are my top 10 non-paleo foods.

1. Beer - Sorry, not giving this one up. And a NorCal margarite does not do it for me. The Hellfire Margarita at Tampa Bay Brewing Company is close.

2. Fried Chicken of all kinds: Especially chicken wings. I used to be able to eat 50 in one sitting. This is not so far on the scale, so I have wings once a week. Tampa Bay Brewing Company has a wing special every Tuesday night. (Are you starting to see a pattern).

3. Chicken Parmasean sandwich: Unfortunately, I have to avoid this one. I love sandwiches. Just the chicken, sauce, and cheese will not suffice. Which brings us to...

4. Classic Chicken Sandwich: Simply the best fast food EVER. Now they are on sale BOGO. Now for the bad part, here is the nutritional information.

5. Bagels: With peanut butter, or flavored cream cheese, or even just butter. Unfortunately, there are not high enough on the "Orgasmic Scale" (phrase from my Paleo Guru Charlie @ Xtreme Athletix) to even be considered.

6. Peanuts and Peanut Butter: Still eat them, but more cashews and almonds. Peanuts are much cheaper, but about a factor of 4 to 6.

7. Scones: My favorite thing to have with coffee.

8. Hot Dogs: Used to have one once a week at the Ybor City Saturday Market. Now strictly off limits. If you say "Just don't have them with the bun." you don't know what a hot dog is about.

9. Protein Shakes: Still have one when I don't have access to good animal protein, but it is not ideal.

10. Protein Bars: These are pretty much a waste of money. They are usually made from the cheapest protein available. Good Eats did a good episode about the kind of protein in them.

Some Random Sports Thoughts....

I decided to write about the first 10 topics that came to mind. Football coaches and sports etiquette seem to be hot topics of the day.


1. Tashard Choice asking Michael Vick to autograph a glove after the game

My only comment to this: Who cares! The game is over. Eagles won, Cowboys lost. Shake hands and go home. Just because some fans can't get over it doesn't mean Choice can't. Ridiculous. Also, they know each other, Choice was at Georgia Tech when Vick was playing for the Falcons.


2. On Derek Anderson smiling during losing effort on Monday Night football

What do you expect him to do? He is on the sideline, there is nothing that he can do to help the team. It wasn't like he was ROTFLHAO. It was a smile.

As anyone who has every coached a sport knows, sometime you need to get the athlete to RELAX. Sometimes telling them to smile helps. I have used that in coaching soccer, bowling, and even with the kettlebells.

Anderson's rant at the reporter was deserved. I mean, do you remember every facial express that you have on the field. I bet I know what Duece Lutui said to him: "I wonder what would happen if we put Matt Leinart in there?" or "Hey, why don't you smile right now, and some jock-sniffing reporter is going to make a big deal out of it in the post game press conference."


3. The New England Patriots killing the NY Jets and Chicago Bears.

Impressive, but they are only one game. For some reason, it seems that when you destroy a team in the regular season, it can come back to haunt you in the post-season. We will see. By the way, this is not a very talented Patriots team. Belicheck's best coaching job EVER!


4. Why is no one giving any props to the 11-2 Atlanta Falcons. They are a complete team, well-coached, and have a great QB in Matt Ryan. They are just completely under the radar, and I don't get it.


5. Jason Garrett's job with the Dallas Cowboys.

I will say that Dallas (my team) is playing much better. When I watched them play under Wade Phillips, they didn't look like they were slacking as much as they were unprepared. They also seemed to make a lot of mental mistakes. When that happens, the coach HAS TO GO. Jason Garrett, who I think sucked as offensive coordinator, is now 3-2, with the two losses coming to quality teams with a back up QB Jon Kitna. I think if he goes at least 5-3 he will be Head Coach, if not they will look for someone else, and they will probably go the "Deserving Coordinator" route (like Mike Smith, Raheem Morris, Mike Tomlin, Tony Sparano, Rex Ryan) rather than the "Recycled Head Coach" one (Cowher, Gruden, etc.).

6. Jon Gruden needs to stay on Monday Night Football.

Enough said.

7. Al Golden selected as University of Miami Head Coach

Good choice. If you can win and recruit at Temple, you can do it anywhere. Golden was successful because they were starting to keep players from Eastern PA and New Jersey. Miami has a much bigger recruiting haul. If they can recruit there, they will win. There are a couple of things that he will have to fight against:

A) Some players from Miami want to get out of there. Miami was hit very hard by the recession.

B) With Florida Atlantic and Florida International in the mix, those that want to stay in Miami now have more options. Normally you can say that Miami should get whomever they want. But the reality is that all schools get on TV and all schools are looked at by the NFL, so there is more parity in programs nowadays. A player will choose a school based on playing prospects and the system and not just the school.


8. Will Muschamp being named Head Coach at Florida.

Good for him, but he wouldn't have been my first choice, or second,.....or third. More like seventh. I guess Urban Meyer couldn't handle the stress of losing. He should smile more like Derek Anderson.


9. Josh McDaniels fired as Head Coach of the Denver Broncos.

Saw it coming. A head coach needs to be an "Alpha Male", but also needs to work with other Alpha Males (Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall). He couldn't. When you demand to be THE Alpha, you make everyone else a Beta - and a whole teams of Betas is going to lose. He is young, and will get another chance. I do wonder what this means for Tim Tebow however, as a new coach's system may not suit his skill set.


10. Why I love the BCS!

A. The two best teams have a chance to play each other.
B. The regular season matters.
C. New Year's Day is my favorite sports day ever.
D. By playing one playoff game instead of three, future NFL star don't risk getting injury and losing MILLIONS OF DOLLARS to play a game that they don't have a financial stake in.
E. It has forced teams to bump up their non-league schedules a tad.
F. The Conference Championships matter.
G. The other bowl games matter more. We get to see "bigger picture" of which conferences are better.
H. Probably doesn't belong here, but I think it is bullshit that Temple (8-4) was not invited to a bowl game.


You are probably wondering why I didn't write about Sal Alosi, the NY Jets Strength and Conditioning Coach who tripped a Dolphin Nolan Carroll on the sideline. That is because:
* I have no idea what he was thinking (must have held his breath on too many squats), and
* I don't know what a suitable punishment is.

$1 Fitness Game Changer

Today's AM Workout was a very simple one:

13 Rounds of:
* Dance Dance Revolution (Expert Speed)
* KB Swings: 32kg x 20 (in this case the 20 swings were the active recovery for DDR)

Pretty pedestrian workout under normal conditions. The game changer: Something I picked up from the Dollar General kid section for only a dollar.



Thats right kids, a snorkel. Not sure if you can see it in the picture, but I stuffed part of a paper towel in the bottom section. Just to make it that much harder.

I can tell you this, not only is the workout harder, but the fat burning effects are increased dramatically. The heart rate goes up because you are increase the lactic acid being made in the absence of oxygen, similar to training at altitude. This is similar to the Tabatas, but instead of compressing the rest, you are restricting the airflow. I can definitely feeling the EPOC effects hours after the workout.

Is this something you should do all the time? No. Is it something you can use? Most likely, especially in the following two circumstances:

* You don't have a heavy enough bell, now you will get similar effects from a lighter bell.

* You have an injury. May you can't do snatches, but you can do swings and make them harder.

Again, it costs $1, and I have always said no unitaskers (Bosu's, PVC pipe, treadmills, etc.) in a home gym. If you ever need to keep your head slightly underwater while swimming, there you go. So essentially, this game changer is free. You may even already have it.

Check it out and tell me what you think.

Sports stuff....just opinions....

1) The Dallas Cowboys are playing harder, with more heart, and are better prepared since the coaching change. They gave one away against the Saints, and I feel bad for Roy Williams.

2) If anyone else but Payton Manning threw a pick when his team:
* Needs a field goal to tie and
* The team is already in field goal range
==> That QB would have been absolutely skewered in the media. Just saying!

3) The Miami Heat are nowhere near the team that the Showtime Lakers were.

4) Boise State and TCU are more deserving of a national title game than one-loss Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and LSU. If Auburn loses to South Carolina in the SEC championship. Either Boise St. or TCU should be in the title game EVEN THOUGH I think Auburn is better than both teams. Non-BCS teams have come up big in the past (Boise St. over Oklahoma, Utah over Alabama, Utah over Pitt).

5) Boise St. would beat Wisconsin by 3 touchdowns if they play. I agree with Pat Hill. Boise St. also has more NFL ready players on their roster.

Running Paleo Thanksgiving blog...

I am attempting to be Paleo for Thanksgiving, with the expectation of not being 100% successful. To document this effort, I am going to keep a running blog.

Tuesday morning, Novemeber 23:
4:00 AM: Wake up and call cab to make 6:20 AM flight
* Ate some leftover chicken and green beans

5:45 AM: After making it through security (no pat down, and I even used baby powder down there), I got a cappuccino.

6:50 AM: Had a diet coke and almonds on the plain (slight fail, artificial sweetener)

10:00 AM: Got some broccoli slaw from Cafe Intermezzo/ATL airport to go, at it on the flight, perfect. Got water to go with it.

1:00 PM: Lunch with Jennifer at the All-American Pub in Narberth. I got the Oyster Caesar salad and part of my girlfriends chicken and cranberry compote sandwich/no bread. Two pints of beers.

2:00-4:30 PM: Play with my nephews. Threw them around for a little bit, then tossed the football with them. Physical activity win. My nephew is nine, and has a spiral and body part accuracy from 30 yards. Impressive.

5:25 PM: Had some almonds and water

7:45 PM: Mom brought some Indian food from Edison, NJ (Little India). Had some curried goat, chicken tikka, and some different style of Indian bread (more veggies in it, but still some bread).

9:45 PM: Had some almonds, in fact a lot of them.

10:15 PM: Bed

Grade: B+ - Not feeling hungry at all.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wednesday, November 24:

8:45 AM: Wake up. Wow, slept great. Considering I had 45 minutes of sleep then night before, not surprised. Not even hungry, that is surprising. Started the day with a cup of coffee.

10:15 AM: 4 egg omelette with chicken tikka, jalapenos, and onions. Awesome. The one thing about Paleo is that since you will be cooking more, keep the recipes simple. Eggs with leftovers - does not get much better than that.

10:30-11:15 AM: Played outside with the nephews.

11:30 AM: My sister got two GoFit kettlebells about 11 months ago. She said this weekend she wanted me to teach her some exercises. It was in her office and found the bell. It was still in the box . I watched the DVD that came with it and did some of the exercise in the DVD.

1:30 PM: Fruit chew bar and an apple. Fruit chews are not fruits, don't even go there.

2:30-3:30 PM: Helped my nephew, 4, with his speech therapy. The therapist was tough. Different learning environment in the Philly suburbs.

3:30-4:30 PM: Played football and wresting with my nephew.

7:15 PM: Dinner with the entire family. Shrimp curry, chicken tikka, butter chicken, and a small poratta, and peas.

10:15 PM: About 1 bag of microwave popcorn and more almonds.

Grade: B-

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thanksgiving Day, November 25: Thanksgiving must have mean "Cheat like you wouldn't believe on your diet" in Native American

8:15 AM: Woke up, not hungry at all. Slept great.

9:15 AM: Did last minute Thanksgiving shopping, including the bird. Picked up the following cheat items:
* Cranberry scone
* Peppermint Mocha
* Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffin
* Sesame bagel with scallion cream cheese.

10:30 AM: Started eating, but still not hungry. Only ate about 1/4 of the scone and 1/2 of the bagel. Amazing how little you eat when your hormones are somewhat adjusted. Remember my words on cheating: Cheat on quality or quantity, but not both. I am cheating on quality during the day, quantity during the main meal.

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Playing wresting with my nephew. I even took some "bumps" for him. He really liked that. He felt like he was giving me an armdrag.

1:15 PM: Taught my dad how to deadlift with a 25lb bell. He is a natural.

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Has two glasses of red wine, some cheese with a little bread, and some veggies and Buffalo hummus. Awesome. Tuesday I went to a cheese shop and asked "What is the stinkiest cheese you got?" and got 1/4 lb of it. I gave some to my four y/o nephew, and after he just said "eeeeeeeeeeew" and spit it out.

4:15 PM: Thanksgiving dinner: Turkey (white and dark meat) and Gravy, Green Beans, Acorn Squash, Carrots, Peas, Red Cabbage. Heaping plateful. Strangely, not hungry at all afterwards. No mashed potatoes or stuffing, or corn. Very Paleo. Quantity or Quality, you pick.

7:00 PM: Small slice of apple pie and 1T of vanilla ice cream

8:00 PM: Some Wasabi almonds. Gave one to my 4 year old nephew. He immediate ran to the sink, doused mouth with water and said "Too hot, almond!"

10:15 PM: Was a little hungry. Jumped off the paleo bandwagon with some more hummus, some fancy cheese, and 1/2 a scone.

Grade: B-

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Friday, November 26:

8:15 AM: Woke up, felt great. Not hungry at all. For the most part, felt lean even though I think I am holding a little water. This may be TMI, but I took a world-class dump this morning.

8:45 AM: Coffee and some green peppers.

11:00 AM: Some porotta (Indian bread), hummus and some grapes.

1:00 PM: Some homemade turkey soup (thanks Mom), awesome as usual.

3:00 - 4:45 PM: We went to the Boyd's department store to do some clothes shopping for my dad. Too rich for my wallet. Next door to there is DiBruno market, which has all types of high-end food. We picked up some cheese and got bread. At this place I again asked for the stinkiest cheese. This one smelled like ammonia, but tasted damn good.

After that we went to Tony Jr's for a cheesesteak. My nephew Pierce really wanted to go. I got the Steak and Greens (broccoli rabe), and my nephew got the Pizza Steak. Mine was awesome, and way better than Pat's or Geno's. Only at 1/4 of it. Not hungry.

5:15-5:45 PM: I decided to get a workout in, and my sister only has a 25lb and 10lb kettlebell. Here is the workout that I did:
Kettlebell 100s
* 100 swings: 25lb x 20L/20R/15L/15R/15L/15R
* 100 squats: 25lb x 20/15/15/15/18/17
* 100 snatches: 25lb x 20L/20R/15L/15R/15L/15R
* 100 MPs: 35lb x 20L/20R/15L/15R/15L/15R
* 100 Renegade Lunges: 25lb x 5 x 10L/10R
* 100 Cleans: 25lb x 20L/20R/10L/10R/10L/10R/10L/10R
* 100 Pushups: 10 x 10
* 100 Single Leg Rows: 35lb x 20L/20R//10L/10R/10L/10R/10L/10R
* 100 Single Leg Deadlifts: 25lb x 20L/20R/10L/10R/10L/10R/10L/10R

==> Great workout? No. To be honest, this is a little girl's workout. But it was a workout. I did improvise. Tried to work as fast as possible. I am going to enjoy dinner.

7:15 PM: Eating some Thai food, I am getting seafood, gotta increase those Omega 3s. Really killed it. Thai food is really expensive here, so I made sure that nothing went to waste. No rice though.

8:30 PM: I did have 1/2 a cupcake, since it was my niece's 2nd birthday.

Grade: A-, really stayed with it and made good choices while still "fitting in." The amazing thing is how hungry you DON'T FEEL. Managing hormones is a good thing.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Saturday, November 27:

8:00 AM: Woke up after a solid eight hours.

8:30 AM: Coffee only....

9:45 AM: Great breakfast at Little Bills diner. Scrapple and eggs, and had a little of my girlfriend's omelet.

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM: Walked the streets of Philadelphia. Went to Reading Terminal Market. Crazily, not even the littlest bit hungry. Did pick up some Amish pretzels. I did not eat any, but we did take some home.

1:00 - 3:00 PM: Had some of my mom's Turkey soup. It is more awesome the second day. Also put some laundry in while we were waiting to go to the airport. I don't know why some people make a big deal about laundry. 15 minutes of effort, TOPS. This is what laundry places do: Everything in cold, whatever happens happens. It is not hard guys. And glad the laundry is done.

2:30 PM: Did some more flips with my nephew. I also let him flip me. I have some FB pics of this. Really a lot of fun.

5:30 PM: Picked up some Chick-Fil-A at the airport food court. I got the nuggets/12pack.

7:30 PM: Finally hungry enough to eat the nuggets. Also had a diet coke. Not Paleo, but still a good choice.

9:00 PM: Got luggage and getting a cab home. What are the odds of this. We had the same cab driver at 4:30 AM on Tuesday morning as we did at 9:00 PM Saturday night. What are the odds of that.

10:00 PM - 12:30 AM: We went out for some drinks. Had about 4 beers, and resisted the urge to eat anything. On a traditional diet, it is not the alcohol that kills you, it is the stuff you eat when you are drunk and starving that kills you. Things that I have eating while drunk:
* 13 Dunkin Donuts
* 8 Pieces of fried chicken
* 14 slices of pizza
* 50 chicken wings (OK, so I have done that sober too, I love chicken wings)
* 3 slices of pizza, 2 tamales, and a brisket sandwich
* Tuna Suprise at Hot Truck

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sunday, November 28:

9:15 AM: Woke up. Weigh in 178. Ohhhh, I gained a whole lb. Will lose it by tomorrow.

11:10 AM: I think I am going to do an ETK style program, with a special focus on coniditioning and thoracic mobility for variety days.

11:30 AM: Brunch at Gaspar's. Strict Paleo starts today! Stayed Paleo, except there is way too much food here at the buffet. Next time going ala carte.

Spent the rest of the day studying for my CompTIA/A+ certification. Aced it!

10 rules for keeping on track over Thanksgiving....

I am taking this week to visit my family at my sister's house in Philadelphia. I am really looking forward to it. I haven't seen my parents since February, and my sisters, nephews, and nieces in a year. It is going to be fun. But my family likes to eat and Philadelphia is one of the best places for good food.


1. Get 15 minutes of physical activity per day.

2. Stay Paleo, the Pilgrims probably did (Meat, Nuts, Seeds, Vegetables, and Fruits). My parents are picking up Indian food from Edison, so the first couple of days should be easy. Just need to avoid the desserts.

3. Mashed potatoes are not a vegetable, even if they are sweet potatoes.

4. Play some Dance Dance Revolution (my blog, my rules) or do some other form of "exergaming."

5. If you are traveling, see if you can find a friend that needs a workout partner. These workouts are always fun.

6. If you fall of the wagon for one meal, or one day -- get back on.

7. If you are going to indulge, enjoy it. My nephew wants to go to Tony Luke's. I hope it is better than Pat's or Geno's. Also, make it about more than the food. If someone takes me to Morimoto's, that would be devine.

8. Even if it is cold, get outside. The Sun is good for you.

9. Do not use alcohol to either stay warm or because you are thirsty.

10. If you gain some weight, don't sweat it. Most of it is water.

Training Update, and what are people thinking....

1) I have one workout left of my 12 week foray with RtK. Gained 6lbs after week 10, but after doing Paleo I lost 3 lbs in a week and a half. I am still hitting PRs in the workouts, so all it good. Here are some things about RtK
- If you are not getting a "conditioning effect" you are not working heavy or fast enough
- You should feel like your metabolism is on fire.
- If you goal is not MASS, pick another program
- Learn how to do Jerks correctly. I have seen some really shitty jerk technique from people that should know better. The grip, the hips, the ankles, the clean, the dip. Get it right.

2) Variety work on RtK. You can do some, but I would keep the intense workouts to a minimum. I pretty much stayed with:
* DDR/Swings - intense, but not in a strength way
* MaxVO2 snatches - 20kg bell/8 reps per set 20-30 minutes
* Pullups/DDR
* TGU - 24kg
* Barbell squats and good mornings (these are weak)

3) One thing I have noticed, the reason there are so many shitty fitness products out there is because the general public has so many shitty misconceptions about diet and exercise. It is the public's fault, industry is just meeting a need.

4) Most women tend to lift too light. I have picked up a few female clients that have kettlebells, but they are in the 10 and 15lb varieties. For most of these women, what a waste. Most of these women can work with a 26lb bells, which means they will burn almost 70% more calories with an appropriate bell. Not that I am pressured to make someone work with a heavier bell, but you don't use a light bell to learn technique, sorry Jillian, Ryan, and Kate.

5) Having been doing Paleo for a week and a half and talking about it, I have found people don't understand certain things:
* We are the only animal that drinks milk after weaning.
* Fruits and vegetables have a lot of fiber, but relative to whole grains have a LOT more trace minerals and vitamins.
* You can create glucose (blood sugar) from non-carbohydrate sources, i.e., proteins and fats.
* If you have gained 10lbs in the last year, you are not "all set" on diet.
* If you have gained over 15lb in the last year, you HAVE distorted eating patterns (i.e., you are eating for other reasons other than fueling the body)
* If your diet is not working for you, why are you loyal to it. People are more loyal to their dysfunctional diets than their religion or spouses.

6) A lot of people say "they will do whatever it takes to get results" but then they don't do anything. You know what gets results: ANYTHING. ANYTHING you do will result in SOMETHING. NOTHING will always yield nothing. What the fly are you waiting for. The results ALWAYS comes AFTER the efforts.

7) There are no perfect programs. If there were, we wouldn't have magazines, just 1 book about fitness. Also, gym teachers might actually be in shape. Even if there was a perfect program for you, you wouldn't know what it is (Principle of Individual Differences). Also, after you do it for a while, it is not perfect anymore (Overload Principle). Most people would be better off picking a program and doing it, rather than trying to modify programs to FIT them.

Here is what I have noticed. Experienced trainers PICK programs and execute them. Noobs waste effort bouncing between and/or optimizing programs. Think about it.




5) I need to do more movement training, esp hamstring and thoracic mobility.

Introductory Kettlebell Seminars -- South Tampa

I am hosting Introductory Kettlebell Workshops on Dec 4th and Jan 8th. Enjoy your holidays, then get a head start on your New Year's Resolution.

One week on Paleo....insight

This last week I took a 3 hour course on Paleo at Xtreme Athletix in South Tampa. I am not really looking for a diet per se, but a lot of my clients are. The Paleo/Primal/Caveman diet is becoming more popular and I wanted to get some first hand experience with it.

After 8 days here is what I have found:
* I am rarely hungry at all

* I fall asleep better at night (not "Tired and Wired")

* I see longer w/out waking up. In fact, I wake up before my alarm clock, and it feels like I have overslept. It is awesome.

* I have done more writing and my mind seems clearer.

* I am as strong. I have hitting all numbers in my RtK workouts.

* I am down one notch on my belt loop, and five lbs total. I really don't feel like buying clothes again.

* If you value your time, a seminar is more than worth the time it takes to really learn not just the HOW, but also the WHY. The WHY is important because if you don't understand, it is just this "unconventional" diet. If you have tried everything, but nothing works - the reason Paleo works where others don't is the WHY. Learn it.

===> Not everything can be hunky dory...
* Really hard to eat out on this diet. Really hard --- learn to cook and get some knife skills.


* Impossible to eat at the gas station. Plan ahead. I work out of my car, so this is critical for me.

* I crave a sandwich, not so much for the bread, but the "sandwich" is just a great idea. No silverwear or plates.

* All my pantry (dry goods) items are non-Paleo. Basically, Paleo food is stuff that rots.

* I am not giving up my weekend beer(s). Sorry. Non-Negotiable. I count that as part of my 15% non-compliance.


Again -- don't want to pass judgement too early. Every diet works initially. I don't want to be the douchebag that goes on diet for week and feel compelled to brag to his friends about it. Also, I don't want to act like there is only one diet in the world that work. If that was true, I wouldn't have a job and there wouldn't be so many fat people around.

One word of advice to those that are frustrated with diets and have tried everything:
TRY THIS - what do you have to lose.. If you have Type II Diabetes or any other auto-immune disease and nothing else works --- TRY IT.

If think Paleo is just low carb, read the book!

I will have an update on this soon.

Found this gem on YouTube....Bud Jeffries....

Bud Jeffries is a performing strongman that has recently lost over 100lbs. He has a bunch of free tips on YouTube, just wanted to point you to them:



I met Bud at one of his seminars and he is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. Also, he is a great speaker if you get to hear him live or in his "strongerman.com" series.

Some Random Thoughts....

1. Dallas Cowboys: Not sure what is up with them. They look like they are a college team. Funny thing is that is not that they are not trying, it just looks like they are unprepared in all three facets of the game. If that is the case, the coach has to go. And I am a Wade Phillips fan, only one losing season in 12 years of coaching.

2. Cam Newton/Auburn: Curious timing of the revelation of the allegations. But when you do a crime, you have to expect that. I have to believe if this info was leaked that Miss. State has to be sure of this.

3. Paleo Diet: I took a Paleo fundamentals class at Xtreme Athletix (CampTampa.com) and I will be following this diet for 21 days. Now a lot of you may be wondering why I am doing this, since I am already in decent shape:
a) This is a relative new diet that is very popular, but people don't understand it.
b) The logic behind it is for the most part fundamentally sound and evidence based.
c) There are a lot of my clients that would benefit from it, and I want to go through it so I am giving a first hand rather than a third hand perspective.
d) It looks at how you feel, how you perform, and how you look. It doesn't "chase weight loss" like some other boot camps, diets, and fitness shows.
==> I have lost weight in the past on low fat, low carb, Zone, and JEL diets. Most diets work. The quality of the diet is how it fits in with the rest of your life. I would be a jackass if I recommended it w/out testing it.

Stuff I have noticed so far:
a) I am not as hungry or as thirsty.
b) Most pantry/dry food items are NOT PALEO.
c) Thinking more clearly.

4. Circuits: Personal trainers - not everything needs to be a freakin' circuit. Circuits are great, I use them myself. They are great for conditioning. Not so great for strength and size. That is why Westside does not have a circuit training manual.

5. Dragon Door Kettlebells: I picked up over 750lbs of kettlebells for friends and clients about 3 weeks ago. These new bells rock. They improved the coating so it stays on better. A great bell. Even though it would have been worth a higher price, probably saved about $600 on shipping alone.

6. BCS: If Auburn and Oregon will out, they deserve to be in the title game. If one falters (both have rivalry games), the Boise State should get the nod. I know that TCU has the better body of work, but Boise State won last year's bowl game...head to head trumps all that other stuff.

7. Have gained about 7 lbs on this cycle of Return of the Kettlebell (RtK). I am on week 7 right now. All times are coming down (no sissy circuits of burpees, walking lunges, and pink band bicep curls). Work hard and eat aggressively if you have earned it with the following:
a) 100 snatches in 5 minutes with a 24kg bell
b) Clean and Press the kettlebell closest to 1/2 your bodyweight.
==> If you haven't done this, Enter the Kettlebell (EtK) IS your mass plan.

8. Bowling: After a very rough start after not bowling in the summer, I have finally got my timing down. 694 and 645 the last two weeks. I have found that kettlebells help with the physical part of bowling (explosive strength, joint mobility, and balance) but don't have anything to do with the skill of bowling.

9. Program Design: Some people are just negligent about program design. I got 3 e-mails this week about people wanting new programs. I asked what they were doing, and they said their training programs were given to them by certified trainers. I WAS SHOCKED BY THE LAZYNESS and NEGLIGENCE that these trainers showed. Unreal.

10. Product Reviews: If you are reviewing a DragonDoor publication, hold off on the review till you actually have put it into practice for 4-6 weeks. That way, otherwise your review is just an educated guess. You can use knowledge and research to make a bad recommendation (see all the fitness related stuff on Yahoo), so unless you have put it into practice, your review is useless at best.

Return of the Kettlebell Success

Just complete week 6 of RtK. I love this program. After losing 1 lb in the first three weeks, I have gained 6 lbs in the last week. Even better than that, my performance has gone up significantly, especially in the Long Cycle. The biggest difference was really aggressive eating. When in doubt, eat. Pre- and post-workout are critical. If you do RtK right, your metabolism should be ON FIRE.

I have decreased my time in the medium day: 2 24kg x 5 x 2,4,6,8,10 from 28 minutes to ~24:30

I have decreased my time in the heavy day: 2 32kg x 5 x 2,4,6,8 from about 52 minutes to 41:15

I have already talked about some tips for the long cycle, but here are a couple more:
* Watch your breathing, you want to be full of air at the bottom of the clean and at the bottom of the jerk. I am guessing this won't be the same as GS, but you are doing sets from 2-10 instead of 40-70. Big difference.

* Don't fully externally rotate your shoulders at the top of the jerk. Harder to pack the shoulder and more strain on the back. I believe I got this tip indirectly from (Fireman) Tom Corrigan.

* Eye position: Look down on the horizon.

* When you are done with the heavy rung, get the light run on the next ladder at the point where you can finish it. This imcomplete recovery will help with density, and in turn, muscle size.

* The "second" dip should be crisp, and try to keep the heels down.

* Feel the catch at the bottom of the second dip.

* Get thoracic extension at the bottom of the clean. This helps with taming the clean and protects the back.

* Fire your hands into the corner of the handle. This improves your leverage and comfort.

As great as this long-cycle is, I would never do GS. Too hard. But the RtK program is awesome - simple and effective!

Intermediate Workshop

Xtreme Athletix is hosting an Intermediate Kettlebell Workshop. If you want to take your kettlebell skills and conditioning to the next level, this workshop is for you!

See you there!



To register: http://www.meetup.com/BayshoreKettlebells/calendar/15350465/

Southern Florida HKC Certification

My friend Dale Buchanan at Supreme Ultimate Fitness (Boca Raton, FL) is hosting an HKC (Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification) on Dec 4. If you are looking to get certified in Kettlebells, this is the place to go. Also, if your goal is to be an RKC, all funds used for this are applicable to the RKC ==> two certifications for the price of one.

Click the image below to get signed up!

NFL's crackdown on hits to the head and neck!

I want to take the time to address a controversal topic that doesn't have anything direction to do with personal training. It is the increased enforcement of penalties and fines in the NFL on hits to the head and neck. Here are two basic tenets:

1) The NFL HAD to do something, you simply CANNOT have a sport where you have over five people per week being left with concussions or neck injuries. You just can't.

2) Just because a sport is phyiscal does not mean that you can take liberties with your opponent. Having rules that prevent you from taking cheap shots does not make the game any less manly, it makes it more of a sport. Take a cue from other sports, in boxing, can't hit someone in back of the head. Also, if someone is knocked down, the opponent goes to a neutral corner for a standing eight count. In soccer, you can't tackle someone from behind, the risk of career-ending achilles tendon and PCL injuries is too great. In baseball, you can't just throw at somebody's of head. These rules do not make their respective sport less manly in any way.


Now one thing that I do understand is the idea of having to "protect your turf", and these rules might change that. I was a soccer goalie is high school, college, and after college. As a goalie, the bigger part of the penalty box that you can control, the better off your team is. When you have a fifty-fifty ball with an opponent in the air, your opponent has a running start, you don't. You have to protect yourself. If I was in the air, I was going in with an both elbow and one knee up. I was protecting myself. That is OK. I was not taking a swing at someones head or trying to spear them in the face. What the NFL has to do tread that fine line between "not lighting up a defenseless player" and "giving receivers amnesty". I believe that it is not hard, as long as you protect heads and necks while still letting receivers get hit. It is not different than the penalties for rouging the passer/kicker, late hits, clipping, facemasks. These rules make football more of a sport, not less.

Now here are some suggestions that I have.
1) Not only should a violent hit to the head on a defenseless receiver be a fine and a penalty, the player should be ejected. This would stop it more than anything.

2) If a hit to the head is avoidable but not violent, the player should receive a penalty and a warning. After a second warning the player is ejected. If a player is reckless or careless, that is just as bad and being malicious.

I think a lot of headhunting has actually led to some bad tackling technique wise. Maybe if they learn to wrap up better and keep the head up, a lot of this will go away.

Look, it is a physical game, and players will get hurt even on a clean hit (see Romo, Tony). But any head and neck injuries that can be avoided, HAVE TO BE.

Half Off One Hour Fitness Consultation

Looking for a personal training client or kettlebell club client that wants to take their fitness to the next level. 50% off 1 hour fitness consultation. I have never had anyone go through my consultation and not made significant changes in two week (5+ lbs of BF lost of 3+ lbs of muscle mass gained in two weeks).

If you are serious, reply here or send me a message!

Some recent workouts/New influences....

Currently I am focusing on putting on some mass via Return of the Kettlebell (RtK), and it is going pretty well. I have an article pending on that, but I have also been assisting running the group class at Xtreme Athletix. It has been a lot of fun and a real learning experience. Always good to learn different styles of training. This has been more of "boot camp"/Met Con style of training with a lot of influences from gymnastics, Olympic lifting, and yoga - which are three areas where I have very little experience.

Here are some of the variety workouts that I have done - feel free to steal them:

Workout 1: I did this on a day that I did not have time to do my normal RtK Ballistics workout, so I did this instead and did the Ballistics workout the following day:
100 Swings
90 Squats
80 Snatches (40L/40R in any combination)
70 Windshield Wipers
60 Cleans
50 Walking Lunges steps
40 Military Presses (20L/20R any combination)
30 Pushups
20 V-ups
10 Deck Squats
==> I finished this workout with a 24kg in about 23:45. After the workout, I really didn't feel much, but I knew I was going to be sore (no in a good way). Good variety of movement and a good change of pace. Good sweat, but no EPOC. I wonder what would have happened if I used a 32kg.

Workout 2: Various High Octane Cardio intervals with DDR and kettlebell swings.
- 10 rounds of (DDR + Swings: 32kg x 30)
- 12 rounds of (DDR + snatches: 24kg x 10L/10R)
I really liked both of these. Agility, strength endurance, endurance, responding to visual stimuli, and grip training all in one. When you play the Expert songs, the snatches and swings are the recovery for DDR.

Workout 3: 2 1/2 minute workout: 100 32kg KB swings
==> I liked these, didn't love them. Quick and Boring! Felt like I could have gone all day.

Workout 4: Tabata swings: 40kg x 8 x 13 (:20 on/:10 off)
==> Great 4 minute workout, felt and elevated metabolism afterwards

Workout 5:
10 rounds of 10 snatches left/10 snatches right/10 goblet squats
Crush Pushups: 3 x 30 (ribs to forearms)
Front snatches: 10L/10R

Workout 6:
Press Ladders: 3 x 3,5,7 (3,5,7 gets you volume quicker, I like using it)
Metcon: On the 2:00
10 rounds of (10 2ft box jumps, 10 snatches left, 10 snatches right, 10 swings)
==> These are a lot of fun, really teaches glycolytic recovery.

Workout 7:
30-20-10 reps for time
Overhead Barbell Squats (got to work on Barbell Cleans)
Dips
Burpees
==> My Barbell cleans have gotten better, still only using 65 to 95 lbs. Overhead squats with a barbell really help my shoulders. Burpees, as an exercise, are overrated. Finished in 15:45 with 65lbs, then practiced cleans and OH squats with 95lbs.

Workout 8:
For N = 4 to 1 (for time)
200m run; 10*N swings; 10*N Goblet Squats; 10*N Crush Pushups
Next N
==> 21:11 with 32kg bell. The swings I did straight through, the squats in sets of 10, and the crush pushups were done in sets of 10-15. Good systemic response to this workout and hit the legs and upper body pretty good.

Kettlebell Run....Tampa Bay area

The DragondDoor Russian Kettlebell Challenge certification (RKC cert) is coming to Orlando next weekend. I am making a kettlebell run down there from Tampa, and if there are any interested in getting some quality kettlebells, with no shipping charges, contact me faizalenu ( at } yahoo.com.

I prices for the bells can be found here:

http://www.dragondoor.com/kettlebellkettlebells/

Back on the RTK wagon....

Hey everyone, I am back on the RTK bandwagon. For all those who are considering it, here are some helpful tips:
* If you are going to go in this direction, a "I don't want to gain any weight" attitude is not right for this program. Do something else that will better get you to those goals.

* Respect the systemic overload in this program. If you have other intense stuff you have to do, this program is not for you. If that is your decision, you won't hurt Pavel's feeling, I'm sure.

* Learn how to Jerk correctly.
1) On your cleans, get your hands through the bell. Grip the inside part of the hand, and drive the hands through on the clean.

2) Laterally rotate the shoulders in the rack. The actual Jerk will be more like a barbell and easier on the shoulders (thanks Matt S.)

3) Drop the hips fast, it is not a push press. Try to dip to a catch. Practice feeling the catch with light weight.

4) Get the hands back and head through (eyes facing down on horizon). If you miss on either of these, you will have a hard time locking out. If the hand go straight up, , your front delts take too much of the load. If you look up, the lower back does.

* After the top of your ladder, try to go right into the beginning of the next, even if you are tired. This will compress the workload.

* Some people on the forums seem to be TOO concerned with compressing the workout and use too light a weight. Don't do that.

To register, contact Faizal at 813-951-7470 or faizalenu (_@_) yahoo.com

Kettlebell Workshops

INTRODUCTORY KETTLEBELL WORKSHOP/Saturday Oct. 2 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

INTERMEDIATE KETTLEBELL WORKSHOP/Saturday Oct. 2 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Sacrifice.....or short term gratification....

I just want to clarify something really quickly, I am not really big about thinking about fitness and wellness a sacrifice. I looked up the word, and it means:

Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning "to make sacred", from Old French, from Latin sacrificium: sacr, "sacred" + facere, "to make") is commonly known as the practice of offering food, objects (typically valuables), or the lives of animals or people to the gods as an act of propitiation (i.e., appeasement of the Gods)...

I am not sure why this is, but the term sacrifice came up about 5 times this regarding either training and/or nutrition. I hear it occasionally in my practice, but more this week than ever.

A lot of times people will say something like "Is it worth the sacrifices I have to make in my diet and exercise to get skinny?". Also, a lot of people also ask, "How long is this going to take?....Really that long? Is it worth it?"

Well here is the problem with this thinking:
1) Diet and exercise is not really a sacrifice. Why? Because you are not appeasing anybody but yourself. No one else benefits from your health and fitness but you. Diet and exercise are something that you are SUPPOSED to do.

2) Generally when you are talking about sacrifice, you are giving up something that is good for you for the betterment of others. Being a couch potato and eating pizza are not going to appease whatever God you believe in. Also, no one (with the exception of your cardiologist or endocrinologist) benefits from this.

Now getting back to something more practical. When you are thinking about whether it is "worth it", you really can't think about today because:
1) You haven't put the work in yet, and more importantly,
2) You haven't experienced the benefits of your work yet and may not for some time.

But when we are talking about sacrifice, what we are really talking about is gratification:
* Junk food provides immediate gratification, but will harm you long term. In the short term, it may be amazing.
* Exercise and good nutritution bring very delayed gratification, which is realized gradually over the course of months if not years. It may even hurt short term.

So if you are asking the question about sacrifice, you are really asking about short-term vs. long-term gratification. Forward thinking vs. myopic thinking. NOW vs. LATER.

I will leave you with these thoughts:
* I have never, EVER met someone who is in shape, especially after being overweight for some time, say "You know, if I knew I was going to work this hard or it was going to take this long, I wouldn't have done it." Never heard that sentiment expressed.

==> I don't think Ronnie is wondering whether it was worth it or not.

* I have never met someone who was fat say "I am really glad I eat the majority of my meals at McDonald's, in hindsight that was a really bright decision."

I have run projects for many years, and after the successful completion, no one ever regrets the effort it takes. In fact, a year down the road they don't even remember. But boy a the beginning do we argue about "why does it take so long?" and "It is
going to cost how much?"

Really, giving this up is sacrifice?

Sacrifice!.....Give a me a break!




*

New Reviews....

My clients are really killing these days. They are just really seeing the results. Whether they are looking to lose weight, put on size, get stronger, or just feel better ==> everyone is stepping up.

Here is a review from Peter Baker, who is someone I have been working with for a while. Peter was one of the first people to reach out to me about Kettlebell Instruction, and he killed it back then. Now Peter is juggling the bells that he used to snatch. He is double pressing bells he used to cheat press. Peter is a lot more muscular now, as noted by his over 100lb deadlift improvement. Here was Peter's original review:

Faizal's method of instruction was clear cut and very lucid. I have been kettlebelling for about two years now, and still learned a great deal from him. People in the Tampa area would do well to hire Mr. Enu (especially the yuppies living in his area--Bayshore). With his lucid style, clear explanations he earned his ten.

And here is the updated one:

Years ago when I met Faizal I didn't know that I could or that I would be doing the things I am doing now. I never thought that I would deadlift over 400lbs. I never thought I could strictly press 96lbs over my head, with an awkward leverage due to holding two kettlebells. I never thought I would be snatching, for reps, a 32kg kettlebell. I never thought I could snatch a kettlebell, with 15 seconds of rest between sets, for around 25 minutes. I also never thought I would be doing clean and jerks for reps with a pair of 32kg bells.

Back then, I couldn't press a 32kg bell for more than three reps. Forget a double press. Back then my deadlift was a hundred pounds less. Back then I was terrified to snatch a 32kg kettlebell. Differences between then and now are astounding. You readers, do the math.

And the ladies are into it also, here is a workshop review, from Stacey:

"Faizal, thanks so much. The Core and Joint Mobility Workshop was awesome and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in strengthening their core and improving flexibility and posture. I love working with kettlebells and I especially appreciate the detailed way you go about teaching each and every movement. As a personal trainer fairly new to the field I feel it's important to learn from the best instructors! I look forward to more workshops and classes!"

Here is another one from Brittany:

Since taking Faizals beginners kettlebell workshop my fitness has gone
nowhere but up. I've since taken his intermediate level workshop in
addition to private training sessions. Unlike traditional personal
training, Faizal just doesn't simply tell you to do something, he
explains the reasoning behind every correction and movement. This
gives you the tools to truly learn about kettlebells, rather than just
paying someone to walk you through a workout. As a member of the
military, the carryover from using kettlebells has been substantial.
It takes me a lot longer to feel fatigue while running, I am much
stronger and I have had positive changes in my physique. This will
help me do much better on my fitness exams. Kettlebell training with
Faizal has been the most productive training I have ever done! (and she has done a lot)

Brittany and her husband have both taken my workshops, became clients and recently cancelled their gym membership. Why? The only reason that matters....RESULTS, tangible, visible results.

If you are on the fence about kettlebell training, it works. There is no question, if you put in the work.

Contact me to schedule an initial consultation! faizalenu (at) yahoo.com or 813-951-7470.

Tampa-area kettlebell workshops

10/02 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Introductory Kettlebell Workshop

10/09 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Intermediate Kettlebell Workshop

10/23 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Introductory Kettlebell Workshop






All workshops will be held at XtremeAthletix (1505 W Cypress St., Tampa, FL 33606) on Saturdays from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

To register, go to http://www.xtremeathletix.com, then click on "Workshops & Events"

Bring a towel and water and flat-soled shoes!

Best way to program the Turkish get up....

1) Teach someone how to do it correctly, without weight or with a shoe. This is critical. If this is not don't the Turkish Get Up becomes and American Roll Over.

2) Tell the to do Turkish Get Up 2x/week for 8 minutes at a time

3) Let them move up in weight when they are ready (they will know when they are ready)

==> I got someone who was barely able to do one unweighted to doing them with a 16 kg FLAWLESSLY with a 16kg) in about 1 month.

The TGU is self correcting, don't overcoach it.

Also, if they don't have kettlebells they can still practice at home.

South Tampa Kettlebell workshops!

Upcoming Kettlebell Workshops in South Tampa:

09/18 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Core & Mobility Kettlebell Workshop

10/02 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Introductory Kettlebell Workshop

10/09 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Intermediate Kettlebell Workshop


10/23 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Introductory Kettlebell Workshop
10/30 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Core & Mobility Kettlebell Workshop
11/13 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Intermediate Kettlebell Workshop
12/04 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Introductory Kettlebell Workshop

All workshops will be held at XtremeAthletix (1505 W Cypress St., Tampa, FL 33606) on Saturdays from 9:30 - 11:30 AM.

Bring a towel and water and flat-soled shoes!

10 RKC certification tips....

1) In the snatch test, keep the bell up in the air.

2) For men, if you are within 5 lbs of making weight to snatch a lower bell, make weight.

3) For one day you will be expected to carry your bell around with you. Don't look like an amateur and farmers walk it or rack walk it. Clean it, then roll it to your shoulder.

4) Come in in shape. If you consider 20 swings a hard work out, you are not in shape.

5) If you are already an HKC, don't be arrogant when you come to the RKC (I have seen this).

6) Learn the teaching drills during the weekend. Don't expect to teach people the snatch by saying "watch me". Learn the corrective drills. I would have failed another 3 people in my group because their corrective skills were not up to par. Also, learn to recognize for errors.

7) Come to the social events. It was embarrassing in San Jose to only have 16 people show up for dinner when it should have been over 50. This is part of your education too.

8) Know proper hand care prior to the cert. If you don't know, ask someone.

9) Don't sacrifice everything else you do for the snatch test. By doing this you demonstrate that you don't understand the certification and you don't understand balanced training.

10) Show up rested. That means go low volume, low intensity the week prior to the cert. That does not mean that rest for 10 days prior.

James Meerbot Snatch Test

"I recently started Russian Kettlebell training with Faizal Enu and have seen UNREAL results. After 4 MONTHS of training three times a week I have LOST 47 POUNDS. I have seen dramatic changes in more than just my weight and ability to work with kettlebells, but I have also seen tremendous gains in fitness and athleticism. This comes most in handy with my Judo training. I am no longer completely spent after each Judo training session because my conditioning has shot up drastically from doing tons swings (no exageration - sometimes as many as 28 TONS of weight moved). Any one seriously training martial arts NEEDS to train this way. I simply DON'T GET TIRED anymore.

Heck, I even got my girlfriend, who has never done any physical training in her entire life, to come and see what's its all about. So far she is loving every minute of it. No matter what you fitness level is, you will love it. If you have tried other forms of training, and haven't found something that works for you, give this a shot - YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID.

If you are interested in getting better at sports or lopping off some fat (or both, like me) I HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking Bayshore Kettlebell's classes. You will not be disappointed and you will be learning from the best. I learn something new EVERY session. This is not some mindless boot camp, this is STRENGTH and CONDITIONING at it finest.

I recently passed the RKC Snatch Test (100 24kg snatches in under 5 minutes) in 4:40 on my first attempt. This is after only four months of training. If you have a goal, Faizal WILL get you there. Now I am actually looking to gain weight using double kettlebell drills. You will NEVER OUTGROW this style of training, and it can be suited to your needs and goals.

I now cannot imagine life without kettlebells!"

James Meerbot

Upcoming Kettlebell Workshops.....

09/11 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Introductory Kettlebell Workshop
09/18 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Core & Mobility Kettlebell Workshop
10/02 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Introductory Kettlebell Workshop
10/09 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Intermediate Kettlebell Workshop
10/23 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Introductory Kettlebell Workshop
10/30 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Core & Mobility Kettlebell Workshop
11/13 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Intermediate Kettlebell Workshop
12/04 -- Kettlebell Excellence Series: Introductory Kettlebell Workshop

All Workshops run from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM

Questions: Call Faizal @ 813-951-7470

10 Fallacies of Logic when it Comes to Training Programs

Read any fitness-related forum, and you will see the following fallacies of logic when it comes to program design. It won't be hard to find them either.


1) "I did my current program for 1 month and lost 6 lbs. Now I am not getting results, why do I suck so bad".

The fact of the matter is that the body changes to adapt to the changing demands placed upon it. In the first month, you made a change. Now you lost weight (or gained weight, whatever) to adapt. If you do the same thing, nothing needs to change. That is why your program HAS TO change. You are essentially a new person. You need to create that "overload." More weight, longer duration, less rest, more advanced exercises ==> something has to "overloaded" to force the change. If you are doing the same stuff in your boot camp, don't be surprised when nothing changes. A good boot camp has progression that keep you challenged. If you are still doing the same mind-numbing program on the treadmill....get real?


2) If I want to pass a test, I should train by taking the test over and over. That is the SAID Principle.

The SAID Principle is Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. This principle is probably the most misunderstood in training. Lets take for example the RKC snatch test. There are a lot of ways to prepare for it, but what SAID is saying is that you get better at what you practice. For example, lets say you get good at swings (hip dominant movement), do you think you will get better at snatches (hip dominant movement)? Of course The mistake a lot of people make is that they practice the 100 snatches before they are ready to do 100 snatches. A lot of the snatches have poor form and they get into bad habits. Or they tear up their hands, and develop bad habits. And for every bad snatch, you have to do 10 good ones to correct the bad one.

Also, with kettlebell presses, a lot of people use different leverage presses and overload presses to develop different parts of the press. How come no one does that with swings. Let's say your goal was to press the 40kg bell. Let's say now you are pressing the 24kg. Would you just pick up the 40kg bell and try to press it?

THEN WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU DO THE SNATCH TEST ALL THE TIME IF YOU CAN'T DO IT. Why not CORRECT your weaknesses instead of INGRAINING them? No hip pop, how about double swings or dead snatches. Casting the bell? How about hang snatches? Jumping your snatches? How about some double snatches. Cutting off your snatches prior to vertical? How about some overhead walks. Building volume without technique is like building a house without a foundation.

I had two people schedule sessions with me to get them to their snatch test numbers. They wanted workout. First thing I did is what them snatch. I gave them corrective exercises. Both passed with flying colors in two weeks.


3) If I combine these programs, I will get the results for both.

This one is partly right, you will usually get the results of the program, but the bad ones. For example if you combine GtG deadlifts, and RoP, and VWC, you will probably get the CNS frying of deadlift, the overtraining of RoP and, the torn hands of VWC. Usually the people that ask this type of assanine question, will ask a similar question after after being on their program/deathmarch for 9 days.

Or you also get this. I am doing this crappy program, and I am not getting results. Can I add Crossfit to this. Now I am not hating on CrossFit, but most people would benefit more by fixing the crap in their programs rather than adding stuff to it.


4) What is the goal of your training?

I will be honest with you, if you have under 18 months of training under your belt, you probably don't need to ask this question. In most cases, a generic program like ETK/RoP or Westside Barbell will work best for you. The reason I am not all type-A on goal setting for newbies is that most newbies have general, rather than specific, conditioning needs. Because of this, a generic program will usually serve the needs very well and put the trainee in balance. Usually any attempts to get specific usually throw them out of balance.

Also, with most new trainees, they don't know what is possible and what isn't. They really only know their own bodies. How can they select a goal when they don't know what is possible. Since their "goals" are not going to affect how I train them, I don't ask.


5) I saw this program on TV, I want results like that.

I will keep this one real simple. Before you invest in the results that you see on TV all the time, ask yourself how many people you know that have gotten results from that program. If you have seen the commercial more times than people you have known that have completed the program, the financial success of the program is more due to marketing success than actually getting people in shape. If you see photoshop being used during the commercials, that is another red flag.

On Biggest Loser and the like, remember these are TV shows that entertain first, and education falls by the wayside.


6) I did the first day of the program, and I felt great - should I do more.

When you are looking at a program, you are looking for the results of the program, you are not looking for "tough workouts." you not only have to take into account intensity and volume, you also have to take into account frequency, or the amount of time you have to recover. In other words, in a program, there is a logic behind each workout. Especially in higher-frequency programs like PttP and RoP, you can't go balls out everytime. This is simply GAS Principle stuff. If the program calls from frequent (3-5x/week), you can't go hard all the time.




7) If I want the results of this program, but don't like/can't do this exercise, I will just substitute this one.

I see this a lot with mass-building or strength building programs. Usually the exercises asked for in this program are heavy, full-body like like deadlifts or squats. And the fact of the matter is that some people just don't have the stones to do those lifts. Well listen guys, when you are evaluating a program, you can't separate the exercise from the protocol. So if I *double face palm* when someone asks "I want wiry mass, I will do PttP. I don't like deadlifts and side presses, can I do leg extensions and tricep kickbacks instead?" you know why.


8) Being surprised that an increase in one lift does not lead to an increase in the main lift.

For example, a lot of people are surprised that a increase in the leg press does not lead to an increase in the squat. Or that an increased bottoms up press may not lead to an increase in pressing. In a leg press, the hip extension is at a different angle than the squat. Also, your hips are supported. Very different than a squat. Totally different exercise. Also, when you do special presses like the bottoms up press or push presses, it only helps if the special press corrects what is the weak link in your normal presses. Follow what the Westsiders do. Do the main lifts, and select corrective exercises based on your weak points.

Also, don't try to say, I can stack press the 24kg and 16kg 6 times, that must be the equivalent of pressing the Beast. Maybe, maybe not. If your have hard time "anchoring" the Beast, stacked presses are not going to help.


9) If a program calls for this exercise, and I pick a harder variation for this exercise, the program will be better right?

Wrong Kimosabe. I hear this a lot with stuff like RoP and VWC. In right of passage, I hear "I am going to do ladders, but I am going to do them bottoms up because it is harder." You are going to fry your CNS doing that. Just lift a heavier bell. Or for VWC/MaxVO2, can't I do Jerks instead, they are harder. Well smart guy, that program with long cycle is that the exercise takes longer, not a great fit if you are working in :15 intervals. Again, the creator of the program is not holding out on you, don't try to "enhance" programs in this way. When you develop a PROGRAM the exercise is as much as part of the the program of the protocol.


10) Asking "Which program is better?"

Here is another one I see on the forum. It is really annoying. Look people, any program that has any type of long-term clout works for something, IF you do it. There is something hidden when poeple ask this question. What they are really doing is taking the accountability away from them and putting it on the program. The better way to evaluate a program is:
* What are my objectives?
1) Does the program sastisfy my objective?
2) Is it doable/feasible?
==> If the answer to these two questions is "YES". Do the program. Commit to it.

Usually people that ask this question also play program roulette.

Getting Results....

This is going to be a very short blog post because the subject is really not that difficult. Many people ask me about how to get results from their training. A lot of them seem legitimately frustrated when they ask me.

Here is my answer: Did you do the work? If the answer is anything other than "Yes", then reason is simple. You didn't do the work!

It is really that simple. When it comes to your body, it adapting to the work that you get it to do. It is not adapting to your excuses. Or your self-justifications.

Just like simple project management, when you are looking to get results:
1) Determine your goal attainable goal
2) Pick a plan that will get you to the goal
3) Execute the plan
4) Periodically assess progress and replan if necessary

Picking goals and plans are talked about all the time. The fact of the matter is that it is all about execution:


* This is actually the easiest, but most ignore, part of the process. The results come from what you do, not what you plan.

* What's in your training log? Do you even have one? How do you know you are getting better? If you don't keep a training log, you have pretty much sealed your failure. You did not document your execution.

* How many workouts have you missed in the last month? MOST PEOPLE DON'T FAIL BECAUSE THEY ARE ON THE WRONG PROGRAM. MOST PEOPLE FAIL BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING THE RIGHT PROGRAM with poor execution. Again, it is not the program that gets results, it is the work.

* No one else can do the work for you.

* On the Dragon Door forum, you get a lot of people asking "Can I mix {program A} with {program B}, I tell them if you do that you are not doing either program. Without fail, in two weeks they ask if they can combine program C, but can I substitute lunges for squats or something dumbass like that. I indoubtably say, if you substitute the exercises, it is no longer program C. The author of the program did not hold out on you. My point is this: Select a program and DO IT. Can't do one exercise in the program? Don't have the equipment or space to do it? Don't have time? PICK ANOTHER PROGRAM! THEN DO IT - for as long as it says to do it! Don't worry about picking the program if you ADD or SAE prevent you from sticking with one.

Don't even think about replanning until you have done one cycle on the program. I have a guy that lost 44lb in four months. Simple, he stayed with ETK/RoP for four months. I have a guy that gained 13lb in 9 weeks. Simple, he stayed with RTK for 9 weeks. If you haven't stayed with a program for 2 weeks, don't bellyache about a lack of results. You haven't put enough time in. If you have watched every episode of Big Brother, but don't have time to workout, you don't have your priorities straight. Simple, these guys got great results in a short amount of time by STAYING WITH HIGHLY PROVEN PROGRAM.

Now that they have gotten the results, we will look to replan. The guy who lost weight may be looking to put on some muscle. Maybe learn the long cycle and do some RTK. He is taking the snatch test to see if he "qualifies." The other is looking to lean out a little. How about some Max VO2? New bodies, new goals ==> new plans.

To summarize: Set Goal ==> Select A Plan ==> Do the Work!

Kettlebell Group Training/South Tampa

I am starting a Kettlebell Group Training Class in South Tampa (Xtreme Athletix/1505 W Cypress St.) on Mon, Wed, and Thu.

If you are looking to get in shape, and are tired of the run around from the box gyms, kettlebell training is where its at.



Only $300/month, discounts available for long-term commitments.

To learn more, contact Faizal at 813-951-7470.

In home Personal Training (South Tampa/Weekends Only)

In-home Personal Training only $100/hr (or $75/hr for 10 sessions).


ISSA- and RKC-certified fitness instructor with a knack for getting people in shape. Whether your goal is weight loss, strength, injury recovery, or athletic development - I will get you there. I have all the equipment you need an nothing you don't (e.g., no BOSU balls).

Check out my blog: http://faizalenu.blogspot.com/
Check out my instructor reviews: http://www.dragondoor.com/instructor/1010

Recent review:

Since taking Faizal's beginner kettlbell workshop my fitness has gone nowhere but up. I've since taken his intermediate level workshop in addition to private training sessions. Unlike traditional personal training, Faizal just doesn't simply tell you to do something, he explains the reasoning behind every correction and movement. This gives you the tools to truly learn about kettlebells, rather than just paying someone to walk you through a workout (not just a clipboard holder). As a member of the military, the carryover from using kettlebells has been substantial. It takes me a lot longer to feel fatigue while running, I am much stronger and I have had positive changes in my physique (can you say understatement). This will help me do much better on my fitness exams. Kettlebell training with Faizal has been the most productive training I have ever done (and she has done a lot)!

B.N., Largo, FL

Ladies and Gentlemen, what are you waiting for? Call Faizal at 813-951-7470 for a free consultation.

Intermediate Kettlebell Workshop....

Kettlebell Excellence Series: Intermediate Kettlebell Workshop (Level 2) with RKC Instructor Faizal

Top 20 Professional Wrestlers list....

...granted, this is based on my biases and age, but here goes....

1) Bob Backlund - ultimate baby face and technician.
2) Shawn Michaels - made all his opponents look good.
3) Ric Flair - best promo guy and could easily go 60 min.
4) Bret Hart - excellent technician, best there is...
5) Jimmy Snuka - probably inspired more people to become wrestlers (Tommy Dreamer, Cactus Jack) than any other wrestler. Responsible for the high flyers of today.
6) Kurt Angle - Puts on a great match
7) The Undertaker - Undefeated at Wrestlemania (or at least was...)
8) Chris Daniels/Curry Man -- Best of the current crop of today's wrestlers.
9) Steve Austin - Cuz Faizal Enu said so.
10) Rick Steamboat - Had the best all time match with Randy "Macho Man" Savage
11) Edge - TLC
12) Greg Valentine - Great heel
13) Iron Sheik - Better Heel
14) Mick Foley/Cactus Jack - Did more for extreme wrestling than any body...
15) Terry Funk - except Terry Funk
16) Kane - Been at the game a long time. Great at playing the monster heel.
17) Scott Hall/Razor Ramon - Ladder match with Shawn Michaels a legend. Could have been better.
18) Ivan Koloff - Underrated heel from the 70's and 80's
19) Rick Martel - Great technician and personality...
20) Sargeant Slaughter - Really great at working stiff.

Just a random top 10 list.....

1) I have had a lot of good results teaching the snatch lately, esp. to females. Here are keys to success:
* Master the swing first....
* Teach the snatch to and open hand. It mitigates the "cast" and "overgripping"
* Don't rush to teach the snatch. I know when I have someone from my workshop that is learning from a teach-along video or a video that comes with a bell, they try the snatch waayyyy to early.
* If you focus on the hands during the snatch, the snatch tends to be "mechanical" and not "fluid/smooth". Teach the snatch from the swing and high pull. If they can't swing, they can't snatch. If they can't high pull, they can't snatch.
* I teach to the high pull from the swing. I then teach the punch through to an open hand to a dead stop, then I put humpty dumpty together.


2) There has been a lot of talk on the DragonDoor forum about the beautiful swing. All I care about are two things: 1) Is it safe? 2) Is it effective? The swing should look powerful, smooth, and athletic. It should not be jerky and it should definitely not look dangerous.


3) I had the following conversation with a client -- we were talking about how you get overweight. In a sense, it is simple as "Don't eat so much!". In another sense it is so much more complicated than that. People who get emotional over food have stuff they are dealing with. It is not always easy to deal with, but it is not OK to use food to satisfy emotional issues for one reason: It doesn't work!


4) I looked at the new TRX/kettlebell video "Iron Circuit Conditioning". Very professional video and Chris Frankel is as engaging as Pavel. Chris Gaines really looked impressive in the video. They also did a good job with the beginner, intermediate and advanced TRX and kettlebell variations.


5) I had a client that gained 13 lbs of mass on Return of the Kettlebell (RTK). Kettlebell and Barbell lifts are all going up. I am writing on article about this. Here is the key to succeeding with RTK: PUSH THE "PLAY" BUTTON.


6) Just to switch gears. With all the medications being doled out (I remember doing a client intake for someone who was on 86 medications), I think we will catch up with France and have cirrhosis of the liver being the second leading killer in the US.


7) Kettlebell are not being sold in more places. They are not cheap either, about $1.75 to $2.00/lb for "eh" bells. Get bells that have 100%/1 year money back guarantee.




8) Just a question, if you are doing movement screens and don't have an FMS, are you working outside your scope of practice? I don't just say no, I say "HELL NO!" as long as you can interpret what you are seeing and your tests make sense.


9) If you are looking at getting certified to teach kettlebells (and more than using them for curls and upright rows), click one of the following:






10) Favorite Tampa Restaurants:
* Tampa Bay Brewing Company
* Shrimp and Company (underrated too)
* Capital Grille
* The Tropicana
* Sukothai (Thai is getting like "NY style" Chinese in Tampa)
* Ceviche, South Tampa
* Yoko's Sushi (there is way too much sushi in Tampa)
* Pane Rustica
* Miguel's (this place is awesome)
* Iavoroni's
==> I know this list is South Tampa/Ybor bias. Anybody have any other suggestions.

11) Just a thought -- double swings are easier than a two-handed swing with the same weight. The reason: in double swings the wrists are slightly ulnar deviated. This is why a lot of people can swing heavier with a T-bar or other wide-handled apprati.

12) I have just gotten off 12 weeks of RKT, and one thing the Long Cycle Clean and Jerks have gotten me better at is DDR. The reason, better body control, especially in the hips. And stability in the hips has improved even though not specifically practicing it in the LC C&J.

==> Hey, the Big 10 is going to have 12 teams next year and the Big 12 is going to have 10 teams. Think about that one....

That's it!

Kettlebell Workshop

Long Cycle Carryover to Dance Dance Revolution, and sports in general.....

I recently took a self-imposed three week hiatus from Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). I had been doing RTK for about the last 10 weeks. Since starting DDR again, I have set about 9 new records, even though I had not played in 3 weeks. I broke the 40,000,000 barrier on a lot of new songs, and even added FULL COMBO status to two songs. This is ridiculous improvement.


This, my friends, is what they call carryover, the the improvement of one skill when getting better at another.

Over the last two weeks I had been really hitting the Long Cycle Clean and Jerk. For those of you who are not kettlebell educated, the long cycle is cleaning the bells to the shoulder position, then jerking them to locked out elbows overhead. For those of you who don't know what a JERK is, is a ballistic exercise that start with bells in the rack position, then you bump them up using your legs, and to finish the movement, you simultaneously extend your elbows and dip your hips, then stand up. The great think about the long cycle is that it allows you to do a lot of work in a short amount of time, the increasing the systemic training overload.


My best effort with the LC is 2x32kg x 5 x (2,4,6,8). I like using ladders for this because it allow you more sets than if you just did straight sets. This gives you more opportunities to practice the movement as extends your volume. I have done 2 24kg x 5 x (2,4,6,8,10) in under 30 minutes and 103 reps in 15:00 with the same bells. This is pretty darn good work capacity. In a pure work capacity calculation, this would be the equivalent of a pedestrian 206 snatches in 15 minutes, but given each reps is double the weight and is broken movement, it is much harder.

Here are the reasons that I think the Long Cycle carried over to DDR.
1) Better Conditioning: This is especially true for Lactic Acid Tolerance (or LaT). This increases your ability to withstand oxygen debt, which is what you are in when you are on a boss song of DDR. Also, when you are winded, skilled movement goes out the window. Your ability with withstand oxygen debt will improved performance in skilled activities like DDR.

2) Better hip mobility: The Long Cycle teaches you to "free" up your hips under load. When a lot of people first learn the long cycle, it is more like a push press, where they start the movement with the legs and continue wit the arms. As the user gets better at the movement, they learn to dip their hips while extending the arms. This improves hip mobility. This is very important for athletes that need to change direction frequently. DDR is that in a nutshell. The long cycle really teaches how to move the hips under a load. If you have stiff hips, long cycle becomes a push press. In DDR, what this does is help you keep your feet closer to the dance pad, increasing foot speed and accuracy, and of course your scores and your combos. What I have noticed is that I can keep my hips lower while moving my feet. For soccer players and running back, have you heard of "keeping a low center of gravity" or being able to move your hip a lot in a small space. The long cycle will help with both essential qualities.

3) Better ankle mobility: I had never really thought about this one, and it is a fitness concept that gets absolutely no press, but your elite athletes tend to possess this. Never really though about this one, but in the long cycle, if your ankles come up off of the ground you leak power. You stay more connected when you can keep your feet flat (dorsiflexed) in the jerk portion. One side effect of DDR, and a lot of other activities, is shortened (plantar flexed) calves. If you can maintain ankle mobility, you can keep the foot flatter, which increased your footprint, and also accuracy and "foot rate". THIS IS AN ATHLETIC QUALITY THAT ANY ATHLETE WOULD BENEFIT FROM.

Now here is the kicker. Before doing long cycles, I could not do a pistol. I can squat over 400lbs, but I can't do a pistol. Well guess what, that's right baby -- a 16kg pistol. I know it is not much for some of you, but I think I am on my way to bigger things. If you think about why this would happen. Think about this.

What muscle dorsiflexes the ankle joint: Extersor digitorum longus (among others)
What is the other action of that muscle: Eversion of the foot. Its primary function is to extend the four lesser toes, and I find that I am still "dumb" in that are.

What that means is that if you have inverted feet. (Here is a test, look at your shoes, if they wear on the outside more than the inside, you have inverted ankle joints). The will also flatten your feet from inside to outside, increasing your connectivity to the ground. PRETTY COOL, anybody into balance sports (golf, bowling, etc.) should get in on the long cycle.

Long cycle also teaches you, in the "second dip", to keep your feet flat while dipping your hips. This translates well into the DDR quality of moving your feet WITHOUT having to jump up in the air. This keeps you closer to the pad and improves your score. In any sport, "jukability" comes from being able to more your feet while not having to raise your hips.

4) Panic reflex: Supporting two bells on your chest is not natural. In my group training, we do a lot of rack walks. A lot of people hate them because it is not natural to have something on your chest. They get into a state of "panic", and they tend to do two things:
* They start holding the bells with their arms, they get tired real fast
* They start "mouth breathing", and get tired real fast.

The long cycle teaches you to keep your breathing while under load. DDR games last about 90s, and the song does not slow down to match your heart rate to the "fat burning zone". You have to learn correct breathing under oxygen debt. long cycle helps teach this

Running Workout Post Blog....

Wednesday, July 14th:
Evening
For x = 10 to 1, step -1
DDR, 1 song, EXPERT (about the equivalent of running a 400yd dash)
KB snatches: 24kg x 2*x Left/2*x Right
Next x

Did 220 snatches and 10 songs of DDR. What slowed me down was having to wipe down the dance pad and bells.

Workout Rating: 7.5 (on a toughness scale of 1-10, 10 being the toughest.

Thursday:
Some squatting practice, and that was it
Goblet Squats: 32kg x 5 x 5 (showing the students how to get deep)
Overhead squats: 16kg, 24kg x 1 x 5
Double overhead squats: 2 26kg x 2 x 5

Difficulty rating: 2


Friday:
12 rounds: 1 song of DDR and Swings: 48kg x 15

Difficulty rating: 6.5