How else can you describe performing a skill, like pressing a heavy weight over your head, that you never imagined possible? Sine I was 14 years old, I have always included strength training in my conditioning and I considered myself to be pretty strong. However, never would step into a gym and grab anything over 12-15 pounds and press it over my head. Yet, I can pick up two 16 kg (35 pound) kettlebells and press them over my head for multiple repetitions. I’m even working on pressing the 24 kg (53 pound) kettlebell!  Would I ever even pick up a 50 pound dumbbell and press it with one arm? Wouldn’t even think about it.

I am no exception and trust me, there are women in the kettlebell community much stronger than I. However, average women who have attended Rethink’s workshops (yes, some of them even grandmas) easily press the 18 pound kettlebell and are amazed. Again, these are women who have never worked with kettlebells and certainly would not pick up an 18 pound dumbbell and press it.

I am not going to get into the specifics of how and why it works, nor a discussion as to how the kettlebell truly works the entire body, not specific body parts. I know that training with kettlebells makes women (and men too) leaner, stronger, and feel more confident. Kettlebell training allows me to clear my head of all the stressors in life and just focus on controlling that weight. I know my entire body from my toes on the floor, to my abs, lungs, and back (not just the shoulder) is needed to press that weight. I’ve run marathons, triathalons, competed in team sports, lifted weights, etc., but nothing has been as rewarding or felt as empowering as training with kettlebells. As Pavel Tsatsouline famously says as the RKC Certifications, “We’re turning you into better men, even the women.”

I call these “appearance goals.”

There are other goals like running your 1st road race, doing a real push-up, pressing a ____ pound kettlebell, or making it through 3 Boot Camp classes every week.  I call these “performance goals.”

Is it bad to have appearance goals? Absolutely not!

What is important, is to not let these appearance goals dictate your perception of fitness. I’ll admit it, I was guilty of it!  For a year after my daughter was born, my only real fitness goal was to lose 5 more pounds.  I watched what I ate, exercised, blah, blah, blah.  Week after week, I weighed the same amount and couldn’t figure it out. 

In January 2009, we put up a “goal board” at Rethink Fitness.  I wrote down the following goals: 1. Be able to do 5 chin-ups. 2. Run a marathon (it’s been 9 years since my last) and 3. Get my Russian Kettlebell Certification.  Notice my goals did not include losing weight. 

So far, my progress has been great.  I can now do the chin-ups with no problem.  I signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon in October and my long run this week will be 11 miles.  I am improving my kettlebell technique, strength, and even flexibility (which has helped with my running).  Due to a date conflict with the marathon, I probably will have to wait until 2010 for my RKC, but that’s OK because I want to be 100% prepared.

Guess what else has happened while achieving these performance goals?  Yup, I lost those 5 pounds.

I also noticed that one of our other athletes whose 2009 goals included running for 10 minutes straight and performing a perfect kettlebell Turkish get-up has also lost a lot of weight!  (Her video testimonial will be posted soon).  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.

By focusing on achieving these performance goals, my appearance goals were achieved as well.  I know in order to run a good marathon, I have to schedule time for running, eat right, rest, strength train, stretch, and take my vitamins, of course! (http://rethinkfitness.getprograde.com)

If you are struggling with your fitness goals, pick a performance goal and write down everything you will have to do in order to achieve that goal.  A good example of a goal is to be able to make it through three Boot Camp classes per week without having to stop and rest during class.  In order to accomplish this you will have to: 1. schedule time for yourself to take the class! 2. eat well so you have the energy you need to get through the class. 3. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. 4. Get enough sleep to have energy for the class!

For more help on reaching your goals, please see Joe or Melissa at Rethink Fitness.

Melissa Walker, PNP

The answer is simple-anything that’s going to get you closer to your goals.  Whether it’s related to your health, fitness, or life in general, we often forget the greater effects that come from minor tweaks in your routine.  In the following post I’m going to try to convince you to commit to one small change in your routine today that will ultimately lead to greater things. 

Performance Related Tweak

After using kettlebells for about 8 months, I attended a workshop at the legendary Training Room in Avon by the Sea, NJ.  It was presented by Mike and Jim, the owners of the Training Room, and Pam and Jason of Kettlebell Athletics in Philadelphia.  At the time, I was having trouble consistently pressing the 24kg kettlebell on my left side.  It turned out that the way the KB handle was landing in my left palm after my cleans was seriously limiting my pressing power.  Placing the kettlebell ¼ of inch closer to the sweet spot in my palm led to more consistent presses on my left side.  This eventually led to more productive training and better results.  Work on your technique to prevent injury and increase performance.

Dietary Related Tweak

I’m just going to start off by saying if soda and other high calorie drinks are your primary beverages, you need to get a grip.  I’m not going to lie and say I never touch the stuff-I happen to love Coca-Cola-but it makes its way into my belly in very limited quantities.  Let’s run some numbers.  A 12oz can of soda has around 140 calories.  140 X 365(days in a year) = 51,100 calories.  51,100 / 3500(the approximate “magic #” caloric value given to a pound of fat) = 14.6.  This means that if you’re not burning those calories, it could lead to an extra 14.6 pounds on your body.  Your harmless can of soda a day habit could potentially add up to 73 pounds in 5 years.  “But I drink diet soda,” you say.  Trust me you’d be better off replacing it with water. 

Activity Related Tweak

I’m going to let you in on a little secret-there is no such thing as useless activity.  So many people get hung up on numbers.  Whether it’s reps, pounds, or minutes, everyone is looking for the magic number or formula to get them instant results.  When it comes to fitness, people’s heads spin with the huge amount of rules that come with certain programs.  I’ve heard people say “I need to spend this many minutes to get into that zone, so I can get these results.”  The truth is when they don’t have that magical number of minutes, they do nothing at all.  That’s dumb.  I’ll take a dollar a day over nothing at all simply for the fact that I’ll have an extra $365 in my pocket at the end of the year.  Let’s run some numbers again.  If a 150lb person walks 10 minutes a day at 3mph, that person will burn approximately 49 calories.  Do this for a year and you’ll burn 17,885 calories.  That divided by the magic pound of fat number equals about 5lbs of fat lost in a year.  That’s with an easy exercise, too.  Just imagine what the results would be if you did something more intense, but just as convenient like kettlebell swings or snatches!  Do yourself a favor and add any and all of the extra activity you can into your daily routine, and call me when the pounds magically disappear. 

There you have it, three easy changes to your routine that can lead to better results.  I encourage you to make positive changes in your life that will lead you greater things.  These changes shouldn’t be limited to health or fitness related goals either.  After all, we should be complete beings, and improving one area of one’s life will surely improve another.

Joe

Prograde Nutrition

By now, we’ve all read the alarming articles and have seen the statistics.  Obesity affects more than 30% of all children.  Is the solution to enroll your child in a local speed school?  Should you sign your child up with the personal trainer that promises to help your child lose weight?

The answer is to stop training kids like mini adults or the next professional athlete. Yes, there are some (not many) children who are just so talented that they make it to the professional level. However, they are still children and fitness should still be fun. According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 75% of children quit all sports by the age of twelve.  This also correlates to the time when most children become overweight.  Why do they quit? Often they quit because the sport becomes too competitive, and/or they do not get enough playing time.  Most often they quit because it simply stops becoming fun.

What is a parent to do?

1.      Let your child try many different sports and activities.

2.      If you’re child shows an aptitude for a specific sport at an early age, encourage and support them.  However, be sure to encourage your child to try many different sports to allow for full athletic development.

3.      Do physical activity together as a family.  Go for a hike, bike ride, play a game of wiffle ball, just get moving!  It is important for the child to see you engaging in exercise.  You are the role model!

4.      If you’re child is overweight, seek the help of a qualified expert. Be wary of fitness professionals who tell you they can help your child lose a lot of weight. This is not safe. Your fitness professional should be following the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines on pediatric obesity.

If you would like to increase the activity level of your child or have questions related to this topic, please e-mail me at mail@rethinkfitness.net.

Melissa Walker, RN, MSN, PNP

ProGrade Nutrition 

Kettlebell exercises can be done anywhere. If there’s an 8’X8’ spot with 8’ of overhead clearance available, most people can get some training done.  I’m around 6’ tall and I’ve trained in smaller spaces, but I need at least 8’ feet of overhead clearance to feel comfortable doing overhead work with a kettlebell.  Hell, you could probably knock out a workout in your cubicle on your lunch break.  You might get funny looks at first, but when you have the nicest looking butt in your office, others will most likely join you. 

Kettlebells are also great fun when used outdoors.  Take the kids to the playground, and train while they get some exercise, too!  Again, if funny looks come your way, just use this little trick.  When chubby soccer mom or dad chuckles or has some snide comment, walk over and put her/him into a fireman’s carry, spin her/him around, put her/him down, and tell her/him to walk.  Laugh at them as they stumble away.  Most likely they’ll understand that your kettlebell training has given you near supernatural strength and vitality.  They’ll also see that you have the nicest butt on the playground, and they will ask you about kettlebell training.  That’s when you’ll tell them about Joe at Rethink Fitness in Franklin Lakes, NJ.  Plus, your display of strength on the playground will give you tremendous super-hero credibility with your kids, and they’ll never think about messing with you ever again.  Tales of “mom/dad strength” will continue for the rest of your life.

Kettlebells also travel well if you’re driving to your destination.  One kettlebell is all you will need for your trip.  If you want to take more, knock yourself out!  You’ll never be able to use, “There’s no gym where I’m going” as an excuse ever again.  There are other options if you’re flying, but I need to save that for another post. 

Finally, like I mentioned before, kettlebell training is quick and effective.  Four 30 minute workouts a week will get you better results than 5 hours on machines in the gym.  That includes the treadmill and elliptical, too.  What will you do with those extra three hours a week?  Here are some suggestions: spend time with loved ones, shop for new clothes, do yard work comfortably, tell your friends about kettlebell training at Rethink Fitness in Franklin Lakes, go for a hike, spin another wise guy parent on your shoulders, or show people that you have a nicer butt than they do.  With their effectiveness, kettlebells free up your time for other things.  Training will never overwhelm you ever again. 

All kidding aside, though, learning kettlebell exercises from a qualified instructor is extremely important.  Spending a little extra time and money on the right resources will keep you safe and make your training much more effective.  I don’t say this because I am a qualified instructor, I say this so you don’t have to face some of the pain that I incurred when I tried to do this stuff on my own.  The time I spent with RKC Instructors before I became RKC certified myself sped up the learning curve tremendously.  It helped me effectively tune up my technique in ways that helped me achieve faster and safer results.  If you are considering kettlebell training, consider spending time with an RKC certified instructor.  We are the gold standard in teaching folks how to use kettlebells safely and effectively.  Plus, we’re pretty nice folks ourselves.

That’s it.  If you don’t want to use kettlebells to get into the best shape of your life right now, I don’t know what else to tell you.  I guess you could stop by our studio at 834 Franklin Ave., Franklin Lakes, NJ in the lovely Bergen, Passaic, and Rockland County area or call 201-891-0800 to discuss kettlebells further.  I can also demonstrate some exercises for you. You have nothing to lose but fat! 

Have a great and healthy day!

Joe

The second you hold your newborn in your arms, your whole identity changes.  You are now a mom.  With that, your whole world truly becomes 100% better.  Why, though, does becoming a mom mean that we forget about taking care of ourselves?  I know I’m guilty of it. Sure, I would try and fit in time for exercise, but if my son begged me to make a new train track with him instead of running, I usually caved. I joined the local YMCA, but was never able to fit it into my crazy schedule. 

Two kids and 3 ½ years later, I’ve finally realized that exercising consistently makes me a better mom and wife.  I’ve set up some pretty challenging goals for myself, like running the Marine Corps Marathon in October and going for my Russian Kettlebell Certification in 2010.  In order to reach these goals, I know that I need to schedule time for exercise 5 days a week on my “to do” list. Do I sometimes feel a little guilty when I’m heading out the door Sunday morning for a long run and my son wants me to watch “Thomas” with him or my daughter wants me to pick her up?  Sure, I do, but I’m lucky to have an incredible husband who supports me and is quick to step in.

I know that exercise gives me more energy to keep up with my little ones, helps me process my thoughts better, makes me less moody (yes, I get moody) and makes me feel better about myself.

Here are some tips for fitting exercise into your hectic schedule:

1. Schedule time for it.  Put it on your to-do list like everything else. You’ll feel great when you check it off too!

2. Try and arrange for a babysitter for 30-60 minutes a couple of times a week, so you can exercise.  If you can’t find someone to do it for free or can’t afford to pay someone, see if you and a friend can swap time babysitting.  Maybe she can watch your kids for an hour 3 nights a week and you watch hers three nights a week.

3. Invest in a kettlebell. You can get amazing results with 30 minute sessions of kettlebells a few days a week. You can also use kettlebells anywhere.  I’ve been known to do some swings and get-ups while my kids are playing with their toys or we’re outside playing in the yard.  Before starting to train with kettlebells, set up an appointment with an RKC instructor.  Make sure the instructor is certified so that you are using them safely.  (Note, if your trainer has you use a kettlebell to do a bicep curl, he doesn’t know what he’s doing.)  See our website www.rethinkfitness.net or give my husband, Joe, a call for more information.

4. Join a boot camp class.  You will get incredible results in less than three hours per week.  Don’t be intimidated by the name “boot camp.”  We have women in our class who have never even exercised before swinging 35 pound kettlebells, slamming 50 pound ropes, and doing full push-ups, and having fun doing it!  What’s also great about joining our class is you become part of a family that supports each other in achieving fitness goals. You not only get the support of Joe and me, you get support from each other.  Try out a class; we’re positive that you’ll like it.  The class schedule is on our website www.rethinkfitness.net

Yes, your identity changed when you became a mom, but don’t lose yourself in the process. From one mom to another, it’s time to start taking care of yourself and start exercising!

Melissa Walker, PNP

mail@rethinkfitness.net