Diet Fail: Attempting to Subtract by Adding....

I saw this today at the local convenience store:



My first reaction was "Are people really that stupid?" Then 7 out of the next 8 people I see are a heart attack waiting to happen. So I guess then answer is: "YES".

The box has on the front cover "20% Daily Value of Fiber" in big letters. That is awesome. (Well really, it is not that awesome.) Look at what else is on the box:
* 6g of fat. And I will be willing to bet that this isn't the heart healthy oils that come from naturally occurring plants, nuts, and legumes. It is the artery-clogging, zit-forming, poop-floating, ass-forming kind of fat.
* Look at the flavor, Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon. First, Kellogg's is too lazy to make a real flavor. I would love to have been in whatever corporate meeting was responsible for this flavor.
- Product Director: Hey, we got the fiber in there, what flavor should we make it.

- Budget Director: I think we already went over budget getting the fiber in there, lets not get too fancy with the flavors.

- Marketing Intern: I know, we will just market the heck out of the fact that it has fiber in it. Fiber is really popular these days. I read about it all the time in Weight Watchers and The Biggest Loser.

- "Make It Happen" Manager: Well, we got to think of "something" to put in there.

- Project Manager: We really got to fast-track this thing, lets rein in the project scope. We can save resources in schedule if we just put brown sugar in there.

- PR Manager: We can't just take some fiber and put sugar inside it. Why don't we just add some cinnamon and call it a day.

- Project Manager: Does everyone agree with that?

- All: Yes

- Project Manager: OK, we have made a collective decision to make the flavor "Brown Sugar Cinnamon". I will fill out the change request and distribute.

- Product Manager: I have an issue - I don't think that a Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart is going to be sweet enough. What do we do?

- Marketing Intern: Why don't we do the same thing we do with many other Pop Tarts, put frosting on it.

- Manager of Corporate Branding: Well, that sounds good. What do we call it -- I know: Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon.

This is how we get such crap products as "High Fiber Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts". Hopefully, there are some lessons learned here.

1) You fix a bad diet by adding something good. Adding 4.4g of fiber is not going to fix the fact that they Pop Tart will jack up your blood sugar. (Attempting to "Subtract" by "Adding" to your diet).

2) Food manufacturers start with the health concept, then add the feature that are mostly unhealthy to give them appeal. Understand EVERYTHING that you are putting into your body. If you are focused on only one aspect of your diet, chances are you will screw everything else up.

3) Read the small print. Fiber was in big letters. Fat was is slightly smaller letters. Brown Sugar even smaller. Frosted even smaller than that. They all count.

USF KB Club Showreel/Duck Press

Some of my boys kicking it Tampa-style (even if they are girls):



I have added the duck press, where I have a KB between the thumb and index finger, and one between the pinky and ring finger.

New Kettlebell Classes

I have added a new set of Kettlebell class and two new workshops to my Xtreme Athletix location:

* Kettlebell Club at Xtreme Athletix (1505 W Cypress St., Tampa, FL 33606) -- meet M, W, Th at 7:00 PM

* Kettlebell Introductory Workshop (Sat 3/13 9:30 - 11:00 AM) at Xtreme Athletix

* RKC Prep Workshop (Sat 3/20 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM) at Xtreme Athletix


Class descriptions are provided below...
_______________________________________


*** Xtreme Athletix Kettlebell Club ***


This group class, lead by one of Florida's highest rated RKC Certified Kettlebell Instructor, Faizal Enu, will take you though the most effective, educational, and fun kettlebell training you have ever experienced!
Kettlebells help you:
* Get Stronger
* Lose Weight
* Improve Joint Mobility and Stability
* Improve Your Sports Performance, not matter what the sport is
* Help Relieve Back, Shoulder, and Knee Pain
* Lower Your Heart Rate and Blood Pressure

If any of the above pertain to you, keep reading.

What to expect during a workout

* Begin with 2-3 minutes of joint mobility and warming up.
* We will then take between 5-10 minutes to do some basic instruction/work on techniques. Kettlebell training is more technical than your normal "boot camp," so this time is very important to your results as well as your safety.
* Do 15-30 minutes of strength training. Exercises selection and intensity will be individually scaled to the participants of the class.
* Do 4-20 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) - if you are thinking that 30 minutes running on a treadmill (aka hamster wheel) will prepare you for this, you are in for a rude awakening. This is the part of the training that separate the men/women from the boys/girls.
* 3-5 mintues of stretching/cooldown.

The average workout will take about 40-60 minutes, but don't think that 40 minutes is going to be easier than 60. I can smoke anybody in 15 minutes, but it doesn't take a talented trainer to smoke you.

To pre-register, please contact Faizal S. Enu, RKC at faizalenu@yahoo.com/813-951-7470.

________________________________________________________________


*** Kettlebell Introductory Workshop with RKC Instructor Faizal S. Enu ***

Date: Sat 3/13/2010
Time: 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: Xtreme Athletix (1505 W Cypress St, Tampa, FL 33606)

Curious about kettlebells but were afraid to ask?

Come meet Florida's one of Florida's highest rated RKC Certified Kettlebell Instructor, Faizal Enu, and find out his secrets of effective kettlebell training.

Kettlebells help you:
* Get Stronger
* Improve Athleticism
* Lose Weight
* Increase your Joint Mobility

During this one hour workshop, he will be intructing basic and safe techniques for getting the most out of your kettlebell training.

Some of the topics will include:

* Why you should be training with kettlebells.
* How to program a kettlebell workout that makes sense.
* How NOT to hurt your back or rip your hands during kettlebell training.
* How kettlebell training can increase your performance during sports or life.

Before the end of the workshop, you will be put though one of Faizal Enu's best workouts, dripping with sweat but asking for more!


Space is Limited! Since this is my first workshop at this great location, I am offering a significant discount at only $45. Please contact me at faizalenu@yahoo.com/813-951-7470 to register. Spots are limited
_______________________________________

*** Kettlebell Instructors Prep Course for RKC Certification with RKC Instructor Faizal S. Enu ***
Date: Sat 3/20/2010
Time: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Kettlebell Instructors Prep Course for RKC Certification
(1505 W Cypress St, Tampa, FL 33606)

If you are preparing for the RKC workshop, and you want to guarantee that you will pass (and not forfeit at least $1600), you need a workshop that will ensure that you are ready to go. This four hour workshop will do the following:
* Examine your technique to make sure that it is up to snuff with RKC standards.
* Ensure that the safety standards that come with being an RKC are second nature to you.
* Learn what to expect at the RKC certification.
* Learn the techniques and "aha" exercises that will immediately streamline your kettlebell instruction.
* Learn the subtle technques that will enable you to laugh at the RKC snatch test.

I am offering this class for only $197. While that is a bargain, think about this: The RKC certification has about a 30-40% failure rate. The most common reason for failure:
* Being out of shape -- NOPE
* Failing the snatch test -- NOPE, they made it easier
* Poor Preparation -- Ding Ding Ding Ding...YOU ARE CORRECT

Don't leave your preparation to chance. Sign up now (contact faizalenu@yahoo.com/813-951-7470) to get registered.

New PRs for the week...

Week of PRs: Long Cycle: 2 24kg x 22reps (Fri)
==> This was a test week and a natural progression to what I have been doing. Did not test, because it was just the day to do LC.

Front Squats: 2 24kg x 20reps (Sat)
==> First time I have ever done more than 10 of these. This tested well.

Snatch: 32kg x 35L/35R (Sun)
==> Pretty significant. My form was rock solid on these, and I have 3 witnesses to this feat but no video. My timing was great. I had never practiced more than 20L/20R. The funny thing is that these did not (toe touch) test well prior, but they felt damn good.

DDR: Hit 40,000,000 on three different songs today on Expert Mode (Mon)
==> This is really about how fresh the CNS is. Since the volume has been pretty low with the PRs, my CNS is thriving. This is a big deal PR, in the songs I am hitting every note, and about 6/7ths of the notes are "PERFECT" or "MARVELOUS". Hips are moving nice. This did test well.

Dumbbell Incline Presses: 75lb x 23reps (Mon -- sorry, it was the heaviest they had)
==> Just means shoulder is getting better. This did test well.

KB Stacked MP: 24kg+16kg x 5reps (Mon)
==> I had been doing more pressing, found a leak (lack of thoracic extension) and fixed it. Really has to grind out the last rep, and you have to be connected to do that. Pressing did test well

I have been reporting them to #preveryday, but I think they have as much to do with coming off of a back off week as anything....

New PRs....

The USF Kettlebell Club had a number of PRs today:
PB -- 100 24kg snatches in 4:34
JW -- 99 24kg snatches in 5:00
FSE -- 32kg snatches: 35L/35R

New Kettlebell Classes and Workshops in Tampa, FL

I am offering new kettlebell classes at a different location:
Xtreme Athletix (1505 W Cypress St, Tampa, FL 33606): M, W, Th at 7:00 PM
_______________________________________

Kettlebell Introductory Workshop with RKC Instructor Faizal S. Enu

Date: Sat 3/13/2010
Time: 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: Xtreme Athletix (1505 W Cypress St, Tampa, FL 33606)

Curious about kettlebells but were afraid to ask?





Come meet Florida's one of Florida's highest rated RKC Certified Kettlebell Instructor, Faizal Enu, and find out his secrets of effective kettlebell training.

Kettlebells help you:
* Get Stronger
* Improve Athleticism
* Lose Weight
* Increase your Joint Mobility



During this one hour workshop, he will be intructing basic and safe techniques for getting the most out of your kettlebell training.

Some of the topics will include:

* The history of the kettbell.
* Why you should be training with kettlebells.
* How to program a kettlebell workout that makes sense.
* How NOT to hurt your back or rip your hands during kettlebell training.
* How kettlebell training can increase your performance during sports or life.

Before the end of the workshop, you will be put though one of Faizal Enu's best workouts, dripping with sweat but asking for more!


Space is Limited! Since this is my first workshop at this location, I am offering a significant discount at only $45. Please contact me at faizalenu(at)yahoo(dot)com to sign up.
_______________________________________

Kettlebell Instructors Prep Course for RKC Certification with RKC Instructor Faizal S. Enu

Date: Sat 3/20/2010
Time: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Kettlebell Instructors Prep Course for RKC Certification
(1505 W Cypress St, Tampa, FL 33606)



If you are preparing for the RKC workshop, and you want to guarantee that you will pass (and not forfeit at least $1600), you need a workshop that will ensure that you are ready to go. This four hour workshop will do the following:
* Examine your technique to make sure that it is up to snuff with RKC standards.
* Ensure that the safety standards that come with being an RKC are second nature to you.
* Learn what to expect at the RKC certification.
* Learn the techniques and "aha" exercises that will immediately streamline your kettlebell instruction.
* Learn the subtle technques that will enable you to laugh at the "RKC snatch test"

I am offering this class for only $197. While that is a bargain, think about this: The RKC certification has about a 30-40% failure rate. The most common reason for failure:
* Being out of shape -- NOPE
* Failing the snatch test -- NOPE, they made it easier
* Poor Preparation -- Ding Ding Ding Ding...YOU ARE CORRECT

Don't leave your preparation to chance. Sign up (contact faizalenu@yahoo.com) to get started.

Just come back from assisting at the San Jose RKC

I just got back from assisting at the San Jose 2010 RKC. Awesome experience as usual.Here are some very quick thoughts from the experience:

1) The RKC system is ever evolving. As great as the teaching was at my original certification, it was two years SHARPER at this one. I was especially impressed with the how much the teaching of the swing and the turkish get up have been honed. The first day alone was dedicated to mastering these two exercises. As Jeff O'Conner said, if you don't have the get up mastered, you will not be able to RECEIVE the instruction of the other exercises. The teaching of the exercises was predicated on "AHA" exercise that make execution virtually automatic.

2) I said in my review of the last cert that it was amazing that some people were not prepared for the snatch test. I would say that pass/fail stats were similar this year. I believe that the current test (100 snatches in 5:00) is a little bit easier to prepare for and pass then the previous test (x number of consecutive snatches with only one hand swing). Not only that, I think the old test is more forgiving of faults in your snatch (casting, bell resting too high at the top, raising the shoulder, minimal hip action). I expressed this though at the RKC, and it was pointed out to me that the snatch test is really like a "cover charge" at a bar. It is not meant to keep people out, but serve to show that people have a minimum amount of shoulder mobility, conditioning, and time under their belt to be instructors. I am fine with that. That being said, it is still inexcusable to not be prepared for this if you are spending over $1000 for the certification.

3) I was amazed at the number of safety violations that I saw. I don't know how many times that I had to move bells because they posed a danger to those participating. It is this simple, DON'T CONTEND WITH SPACE WITH A KETTLEBELL.

4) As we get more certifications in more parts of the country, they are going to be more localized. There was definitely a California feel to this cert. A VERY HIGH percentage of people drove to this certification (some as far as 14 hours). Again, this is a good thing, but if there was anything that stood out from this certification, this was it. Also, with the effective cost of the certification goes down since many don't have to pay for airlines, hotels, lost work days, and meals. This also means that you are more likely to see more reschedules and the cost of quitting also goes down.

5) One thing that I will say: The RKC community is getting stronger. Not only the people, but also the amount of collateral that there is. There have been so many quality books and DVDs produced since 2007. I was like a kid in the candy store.

6) Marcus Martinez (RKC/Orange County, CA) got some club bells. I got to try them with David Cohn (RKC/Pheonix, AZ). All I have to say is "WOW!" If you want to work on your shoulder and wrist mobility, check these out. You can get them off of the Dragon Door site. Get the video, because the exercises are not in the least self-explanatory.

7) Even though I was an assistant, I learned a lot from the students. Many of them have big training businesses and/or are experts in their discipline. I picked the brains of as many people as I could. That being said, when you are an assistant, you also have more access to the Team Leaders and Pavel, and you can't put a price tag on that.

8) During the instructors' meetings, the Team Leaders are interested in what you have to say. That is really a big deal. Also, you pick up a lot of real interesting things. One instance I really remember is watching the Technique Competition with David Whitley. He really had an eye for what to look for.

9) Basic KB stuff, if you are demonstrating a kettlebell exercise for a client, watch your head position. A lot of times, technique flaws can simply be fixed by correcting the head position. Also, if the head position is not correct, exercise execution is very hard to correct. "Look at" cues are some of the best. Just like dysfunction often flows from the head down, so do improper kettlebell mechanics. Fix the head first.

10) Another basic, use what you learned. There is a reason that it was being taught. During the Instruction portion of the cert, a number of students did not use the drills they were taught, and would tell the person what to fix. Use the "Aha" drills that you were taught. Plus, they make you look smart.

11) Also, a KB that is too light is just as bad as one that is too heavy. If you don't believe me, watch a kettlenetics or KettleWorx video. For those of you that train female clients, don't tell them how much something weighs, it doesn't matter.

Ideal Client/Gym Movement Thoughts

"Great motivator and teacher"

I had never been in a gym until October of '09. I signed on and have been seeing Faizal once a week ever since. He's taught me many things in terms of technique and fitness. He's super easy to get along with and I'd recommend him to anyone looking for a trainer whether it be w/ kettlebells or your standard gym machines and free weights. I learn something new every time we get together."

Name and Address withheld by me (actually name is in official Dragon Door review).

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

He is being very modest. He had never been in the gym before working with me, and he is in his mid-40s, but now he can pass for his twenties. I have been working with him since November, and in that time his BF has gone from about 16% to about 9.5%. Greg has been a model client for the following reasons:

* CONSISTENCY: He shows up every time he makes an appointment. He has not missed one session with me, and more importantly, he brings it between our workouts as well. It is easy to motivate people during a one-on-one session, but the other 167.5 hours of the week is what gets you in shape. He rarely ever misses the prescribe volume, and if he does, it is not because of a lack of effort. Someone who works out four days/week will beat someone who one does one day/week, no matter how optimal that one day is. SHOW UP.

* UNDERSTANDING: He asks questions when he does not understand something. This is the most important reason why he learns something in each and every session. No blissful ignorance here.

* ACCURATE RECORD KEEPING: He writes everything down. I can't even begin to tell you how important this is. When I see him on Monday afternoon, he has written down everything he did that week (exercises prescribe, sets, poundages, how he is feeling). This helps me know EXACTLY what to do for the following week, included what new progressions he is ready for, what protocols, do we need to back off?, etc.

* DESIRE: He wants to make changes. While there are some people who are "in love with the process," he is looking to make changes. He has his EYE ON THE PRIZE. External motivation eventually dies, but internal motivation is very robust.

* INTEGRITY: He isn't full of shi'ite. If I ask him a question, he answers it honestly. He understands that the words that comes out of his mouth are not going to get results, but the actions. I cannot tell you in probably how many intake interview where people said they have a grilled chicken breast and a salad for dinner when I can literally smell the BIG MAC on their breath! Oh yeah, and everyone drinks a gallon of water a day.

* MASTERY OF THE BASICS: One thing that I will say works in his favor is this. He is an accomplish guitarist, and he has been formally trained. One thing that this means is that he has an appreciation for the fundamentals. He has no problem practicing something until it is automatic, even if it is boring. No Bosu, no walking lunges. Even though this our dedication to the fundamentals may have been boring at first, its has given him the foundation to build on new skills. This is one of the reason that his progress is continuing well into his fourth month while others plateau and/or quit (usually with a lame excuse). Many time, esp. in the boot camp mentality, start to early with complicated routines and circuits without building up that foundation of correct, strong movement. Two things usually happen:

1) The client gets hurt because they are stressing quantity before quality.

2) The client never builds a foundation of strength and work capacity, and they can't really do any volume of quality work. I see this when some yahoo sends me a "killer workout", but the heaviest bell used is the 12kg because they aren't strong or skilled enough to use anything heavier.

==> A good example of stressing quality before quantity is MASTERING "ENTER THE KETTLEBELL" (strength and quality movement the TGU/swing/C&P/snatch) before going onto "RETURN OF THE KETTLEBELL" (density training with the double military press, long cycle clean and jerk, double snatches, and double dead clean). If you did RTK first, you would either 1) kill your client, or 2) have the client only working with trivial weights while gaining balloon muscle.

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

GYM MOVEMENT/BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING
There is a lot of talk about the Gym Movement, and whether it is great or not. I have reserved judgment for the following reason: You really can't appreciate it until you have tried it.

When I first got into KBs, ETK had just come out. Just reading the book, I was not overly impressed. The production qualities were not slick, and the workout protocol was not quite familiar to either the bodybuilding (2-5 day/week bodypart splits) or the Westside Barbell conjugate method that I was familiar with. So upon first look at it, I was not wowwed by it, simply because I could not deeply relate to it. You don't learn something by reading about it, you learn by doing it. This is why I hate when (dumpy) people criticize me when I eat a sandwich. "Too many carbs!" Now, if I tell them how to incorporate veggies, whole grains, fruits, and even the occasional candy bar so that they will optimize blood sugar, regulate hormone levels, and improve performance - they will not "get it" until they "feel it" for themselves. Frequent practice, "waving the intensity" even though you are keeping exercises the same, "rolling the dice", back off weeks, never to failure were ideas that you really can't understand until you "feel it" for yourself. Same for RTK, you don't understand long-cycle clean and jerk ladders until you do them. If you ask "can I do Atkins while doing RTK because I am not interested in mass?", I will know damn well that you have not done long cycle. You may understand it logically, but you don't know it until you experience for yourself. In the "sacred cows" video, I understood why the stuff was happening, but I won't pass judgment until I can experience it for myself. Personally, I don't find it at all in conflict with the RKC. In the normal programming world, you design a program so that you can always move forward. In Gym Movement, you use biofeedback to determine what your body wants to/can best do to move forward. Certainly interesting on some level.

Brutal Workout....

Descending ladder of x = {10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1} of
x Double 24kg KB snatches followed by x Double 24kg KB cleans without putting the bells down.
==> x = 10 was not bad, x = 9,8,7,6 really sucked, and x = 3,2,1 were all done without putting the bells down.

Followed by Renegade Rows from {10,8,6,4,2}

Completed in 26 minutes. 55 double snatches, 55 double cleans, and 30 renegade rows.

Learned: How to moves the hips better.