Freestyle Kettlebells

Here is a quick clip of some of the exercises and movement patterns that you can do with a kettlebell. Enjoy!

Veggies and get-ups

I don't like doing Turkish get-ups and I don't like eating my vegetables. Yes, I am pretty much an 8 year old trapped in a 25 year olds body with a 50 year olds hairline. But, its ok with me, I think farts are funny, still look reasonably fit and I choose to shave my head because it makes me faster.

Ok, back to veggies and get-ups...

Here are five reasons why I don't like vegetables.

1. They don't taste good to me unless I pile them with lots of cheese.

2. I am never full when I eat them.

3. You generally have to wash and cut them, which takes waaaay to long.

4. Ketchup does not count as a vegetable.

5. There's no protein in veggies.

Five Reasons I hate turkish get-ups:

1. I am not sure if they originated from Turkey.

2. They take too long.

3. I am not good at them...yet :).

4. It's like a golf swing, there is always something to fix.

5. There's no protein in get-ups ;)

I am a fitness professional so I pretty much know the reasons why I need to eat my veggies and do my get-ups regardless of the fact that I don't like either. Here are the reasons why you should do both.

Five reasons to eat your veggies:

1. Cancer Prevention- Vegetables are rich in antioxidants, substances shown to provide protection against free-radicals (reactive substances that damage cells and initiate cancer) and other phytochemicals that help to detoxify cancer-causing substances.

2. Keep Trim- Many vegetables contain 50 calories or fewer for a whole cup, while only five potato chips or one small cookie has the same number of calories. If you satisfy your appetite with hearty servings of vegetables and fruits, hunger won’t be a problem and you will eat smaller portions of higher-calorie meats and desserts.

3. Prevent Heart Disease- Eating more vegetables and fruits while cutting back on meat and dairy can help you limit heart-damaging saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet. The antioxidants and certain other phytochemicals in these foods also help prevent fatty deposits from forming in vessels. They also provide fiber, which helps lower blood cholesterol. The B vitamins are also present that help lower blood levels of homocysteine, high levels of which are a risk factor for heart disease.

4. Visual Health- Eating more vegetables and fruits may lower your risk for two of the most common causes of adult blindness: cataracts and macular degeneration. Scientists link this protection for the eyes with antioxidants like vitamin C and certain carotenoids.

5. Avoid Diabetes- Fruits and vegetables help avoid diabetes. Fruit and vegetables seem to raise blood sugar less than other foods that contain carbohydrates, and their fiber content slows the absorption of sugar into the blood.

Five Reasons to do Turkish Get-ups (TGU's):

1. Shoulder Stability-The TGU takes the shoulder through various planes of motion. Simply put, the more positions you train your shoulder in, the stronger and more stable it will be.

2. Total body Lift- The TGU is probably the best bang for your buck lift known to man, even animals. There is so much happening in the TGU that I won't even get into it. If you don't believe me, grab a kettlebell and do 20 minutes straight of get-ups. Call me later once you stop shaking.

3. Posture- Most athletes are anterior dominant, have anterior cervical spine and poor shoulder mobility. Get ups will help them all when done correctly and progressed appropriately.

4. Proprioception- The TGU will help create a more clear neurological map. Since you are familiarizing your body to various planes in a loaded fashion, your brain will get a blast of information and start to recognize the movement. Remember, you can't turn your nervous system off so practice with perfection.

5. Screening tool- The TGU is a great screen tool, helping to tell you where you are are restricted pretty quickly. It reveals weaknesses quicker than a caffeinated puppy. Always attack the weakness, not the strength.

Eat your veggies, do your get-ups!

Stop with the excuses!

Don't tell me that you don't have time to get off your butt and start moving.

There will always be a reason to not get a workout in.

Honestly, suck it up and start taking care of yourself.

Macy McMillin isn't making excuses, so why are you?

This quote sums it all up!!

"And in those simple beautiful movements I remembered what was really important in training; that consistency trumps intensity; all the time. That intensity is born from consistency. That one cannot force it, one has to lay in wait for it, patiently, instinctively, calmly and be ready to grab it when Grace lays it down in front of you."

This is from Master RKC Mark Reifkind's blog. Read this, think about it then read it again and remember it when you train.

Skill of Strength is an LLC!

It's official! We are Skill of Strength, LLC.

We're working on taking our business to the next level. Stay tuned for some other exciting news, including pictures of the Skill of Strength vehicle we're getting and more details about what we are currently offering. If you're in the Greater Boston/Southern New Hampshire region and you or anyone you know is looking for Kettlebell Training or for personal training in your home or locally, please feel free to contact us.

A big huge thank you to all of our friends, family, clients and readers for all of your support to date!
We look forward to continuing to provide you with information, news and videos on strength training, conditioning and nutrition.

God bless our military and their sense of humor!!

Can you write up a program for me?

When I meet people and they know what I do for a living, this is what happens.

New Person- You are a strength coach, can you write me a program? I have been stuck lately and I am not sure what to do. Can you help?

Me- Yes, I can help. I need some background information. First, we should set up a time for an evaluation.

New Person- Well, can't you just write me some exercises to do and maybe some cardio.

Me- No I can't, I have no idea on your medical history, injury history, medications, bad habits, lingering injuries, your current workout routine, your sleeping habits, your diet, your alcohol consumption, whether you smoke or not and how much time you have to dedicate to the gym. We also need to do a functional movement screen to address weak links, imbalances etc.

New Person- Wow, that's a lot, I am not sure I have the time.

Me- That's ok with me, you can go buys Mens Health or search Google for 'Best routine to get jacked '.

This is reality folks, people want the quick fix, the short cut. There are not too many people that actually want to do the necessary things to move better, feel better and look better. It's too much for them. They are lazy, maybe not lazy with their job or family, but lazy when it comes to working out. This is why people always ask trainers if they can write a routine for them.

I don't have a problem writing a routine for them once I evaluate them and teach them the proper way to execute the exercises on their own. Then, for a fee, I will write them a routine. I am a professional and it takes time and knowledge to write a program. If you don't want to pay for it, you want to take the easy way out and don't really want to move better, feel better and look better then, like I said, buy a magazine or go on the internet.

I want you to try this out. Set up an appointment with a brand new Doctor and say this verbatim.

"Doc, I know we just met but I am gonna need some vicodin, oxycontin, flomax, viagra, celebrex, lomotil, accutane and some GHB."

My guess is that he is gonna think you are two sandwiches short of a picnic. He should not prescribe you anything until he gets your medical history and performs a physical. If he does prescribe you the drugs mentioned above, he may not be a legit doctor or he likes breaking the law.

This happens with trainers as well. A good trainer should not just write up a program for you. He/she should evaluate you, look at your goals, perform some type of movement screen and then decide what the best path is for you.

If a trainer/strength coach does not do any of this and the first exercise they do with you is the nautilus leg adduction or rear deltoid machine, please run for the hills!