Learning from Iron: Kettlebell and Barbell Training

Iron teaches me so much. I pull, press, squat, and swing to interfere with iron’s strict loyalty to gravity. Under the load of kettlebells and barbells I organize my bones and gather my breathing. My grip begins with my bare feet grabbing the floor. I marshal each joint along the kinetic chain to either lever power or brace against force. If my internal pressure conquers the external load, the weight moves. But it’s only a momentary victory. I monitor the � Continue reading →

Sensory Motor Amnesia: What Have We Forgotten?

Soap operas invoke “amnesia” as a clichéd plot twist that leaves the character vulnerable to old adversaries. Hours of sitting in front of screens generates a less dramatic but possibly more insidious forgetting: sensory motor amnesia. Thomas Hanna coined this term for the neuromuscular atrophy that results from a lack of movement. Increasing stiffness limits our ability to consciously contract and relax our muscles. Hanna questioned the inevitably of aging and suggested that SMA causes our decline. When teaching, I � Continue reading →

Yogis: Let’s Get Loaded

After over a decade of yoga and traditional fitness training, the kettlebell rocked me. It literally threw me off balance. I immediately realized how this training could improve my core and endurance. If you have never heard of kettlebells, they look like a cannonball with a handle and range from 4 to over 100lbs. The rigorous Russian Kettlebell Challenge offered an experience as profound as my yoga trainings. The advanced techniques of the RKC have reshaped my practice, my teaching, and � Continue reading →

(Re)Defining Functional Fitness

What does the nebulous buzzword “functional fitness” mean? It’s volleyed around in debates about what exercises have real-life application and what is completely frivolous. Many fitness professionals assert that fitness functions to achieve “results.” Sometime in the future, you could achieve weight loss, lower your blood pressure, or build strong muscles. I propose reverse engineering instead. Start by asking, what do those results represent? If you lost weight, would you feel hot? If your blood pressure decreased would you feel � Continue reading →

Livin’ la Vida Paleo

In March, I’m off to caveman boot camp in Thailand. I’ll climb up trees, crawl through the jungle, sprint across the beach, and eat the Paleo diet to reclaim hunter/gather fitness. The organization, MovNat, that conducts these trainings intrigues me with their return-to-your-roots philosophy. This course could shift my training, the arch of my book, and my concept of movement. As I prepare for my trip, I have so many questions. Do we want to recreate the past? Personally, I’m very � Continue reading →

Fueling the Flames of Your Practice

Has the new year sparked more workouts or quality time on your yoga mat? Now how do you stay inspired? To accomplish change we need the crucial ingredient of consistency. When the flames of motivation burn low, try adding one of these elements to stoke your fire: Progression- The same routine may work for years but new challenges offer the satisfaction of self-efficacy. A marathon training program or a 30-day yoga intensive outlines steps toward improvement. Accomplishment propels accomplishment. Leadership- � Continue reading →

Mental Barriers to Getting Physical

As the new year opens, many of us resolve to get off the couch and get our bodies in shape. If we don’t examine our underlying attitudes towards exercise then we may face mental barriers to getting physical. Changing your mind might be the first step to training your body. Here are a few common notions that I have witnessed as a personal trainer: Grueling Conditioning vs. Pleasurable Movement In television shows like the “Biggest Loser”, the popular media often � Continue reading →

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