Kettlebell Workouts

This report by a successful chiropractor who have discovered tha the very best tool for improving the back strength and overall health of his patients is the use of the Kettlebell! Here’s the report :

After 14 years as a successful chiropractor I have finally discovered what I believe to be the very best tool for improving the back-strength and overall health of my patients. That tool is the kettlebell – something I had never heard of until two years ago. I have to admit that initially they intimidated me… until I needed them for my own injury.

Growing up I was always extremely athletic in high school and college. I lettered in volleyball, softball, and basketball, and I became a Doctor of Chiropractic because I knew firsthand how important a strong and well-aligned body is for physical activity.

As an athlete and a doctor I never experienced any problems with back pain – until about 5 years ago. I was adjusting a very large male patient (6’3” 300lbs), something I never had a problem with in the past because of my use of proper techniques.

Somehow this time was different. When I applied my force into this patient’s body to adjust his hips – nothing moved. I felt like I had just attempted to pass my hands through a pillar of marble. The resulting wave of resistance immediately reverberated through my entire spine. At that moment I knew I was injured.

I did everything I tell my injured patients to do. I stretched, iced, went for massage, received chiropractic care, physical therapy, and acupuncture treatments. Being in the healthcare profession, the treatment I received was the best available. At times I was in the offices of other providers 5-6 times per week.

Frustration with Traditional Methods

The treatments kept my back functioning so that I could do my job but the repair and healing of my body did not progress. If I sneezed it would throw my back into spasms.

If I slept wrong I would have to wear a back support for a week. This was more than pain and inconvenience – my very livelihood was at stake! Nobody wants to put their trust in a chiropractor who clearly has a bad back herself. So I did everything I could to hide and mask my pain from my patients.

Two years into this constant pain I knew I had to try something different. I hired a personal trainer (a former N.F.L. player) who I hoped would whip me into shape. After 6 months, although I gained arm and leg strength, my body did not tone up the way I expected and my back pain did not improve. In fact it got worse. There would be times when I would spend half an hour on the treadmill in the evening and not be able to get out of bed the next morning.

Impressing A Skeptic

About this time I came across a book titled Beyond Stretching, by Pavel Tsatsouline. There was something different here. There were stretches in this book that I had never seen before. Even my physical therapy associates were impressed with this new and cutting-edge material. I had a feeling that Pavel could help me with my back, and hoped this might be the answer to restore my health and the future of my practice.

Fortunately I live close to Seattle because at that time Pavel was visiting the city twice each year. I took his stretching, strengthening and abdominal class. I was impressed – not something easily accomplished because I do body work myself, but also because I had experienced so many disappointments.

After attending Pavel’s classes my stretching improved and my pain was decreasing. In fact, I was so impressed that I encouraged all of my patients and colleagues to attend Pavel’s seminars.

I had patients drive 70-80 miles one-way to attend Pavel’s seminars, and I would bring no fewer than 10 people with me each time. I always made sure to bring my most acute patients – the ones I knew would experience the most benefit by attending.

When Pavel witnessed my third trek to Seattle with patients in tow, he was impressed with my commitment and suggested that I train with kettlebells – round cast-iron weights, like cannonballs with handles. He even implied that I should become certified as a kettlebell trainer to assist my patients.

Well, I was more than slightly intimidated – in my mind there was no way I could throw around this big piece of iron without inflicting further injury. But everything Pavel had showed me so far was helping, and I was intrigued.

I ended up purchasing a kettlebell, but picked it up maybe five times before it began to gather dust at home. I was so out of shape that I would get winded swinging the kettlebell only twenty times. Being an athlete, I think it hurt my ego more than anything else!

One Demonstration Makes All the Difference

Then in October 2004 I was fortunate enough to attend another one of Pavels stretching and strengthening seminars that included a quick kettlebell demonstration. One of the people who spoke was Dave Werner, RKC. He related his experience with severe lower back pain, nerve damage in his leg, and using a cane to walk.

I couldn’t believe it – this man had recovered and looked like an Olympic athlete! Right then I knew I had to give kettlebells another chance. I not only needed to try them for myself, but for the benefit of all my patients that were in the same predicament as me.

I hired Dave to show me what to do, and one month into my training I sneezed — and had NO PAIN!! For almost five years I had been in pain from the slightest movement, and after one month of training with kettlebells I was able to sneeze and not have pain. That may not seem like much to you, but for me it was a miracle.

I started training harder and signed up for the April 2005 RKC. People must have thought I was crazy because I hadn’t exercised in well over a year due to my pain and now I wanted to go and subject myself to three days of Russian boot camp!

The more I trained in preparation for the RKC the more my fitness improved, and my back pain quickly became a thing of the past. I made it to the RKC and survived – believe me, I had lots of sore muscles, but never a twinge in my lower back. I had been given my life back!

Sharing the Secret

When I returned from the training I soon began working with one of my worst back injury patients. The type of patient I see has extreme back pain and most of them have such poor body mechanics and muscle tone that they can’t even do a squat correctly.

They’re afraid to move their body, believing they can prevent spasms by not moving, so I start them out slowly. This particular patient had constant pain and couldn’t do even simple household chores such as vacuuming or cleaning dishes
.
I started her out with the 4 Kg. bell, doing squats and swings in 5 sets of 5 reps each. If you’ve ever lifted the 4 Kg. bell, it weighs almost nothing, but it was heavy enough for her body and started improving her strength. We continued her chiropractic adjustments twice per week to control her pain and prevent spasms. After three weeks I introduced an 8 Kg. bell for one of the five sets, and her spine was starting to hold so I reduced her office visits to once per week.

I have been training her now for five weeks and she has only minimal pain. She recently vacuumed her whole house without assistance – something she had not done in three years. You’ve never seen someone so excited about being able to vacuum the floor!

It’s now been almost two weeks since she needed an adjustment and I’ve added a figure eight with the 8 Kg. bell to expand her range of motion. It’s important for those with chronic back pain to expand their abilities so they don’t give in to the fear of triggering a back spasm. Kettlebells allow this incremental increase, and it builds confidence in patients like nothing I’ve seen before.

Kettlebells – the Missing Ingredient?

I’ve seen the kettlebell workout help one of my associates with his asthma. Another eliminated her wrist and knee pain after 6 weeks of doing kettlebells. Like me, she was very worried about her career as a chiropractor because her wrists kept giving out. Now she is stronger and more confident that she can do her job for years to come.

I’m still amazed at the improvement in back stability that comes with kettlebell training. I feel like a kid again! I can honestly say I am in the best shape of my life – after only 8 months! I now work a full day in my practice and then train people with kettlebells one-on-one and in groups 4-5 nights a week.

I now believe kettlebells to be the single most important tool that can be added to a recovery training schedule. There are too many people out there who cannot enjoy life, who are merely existing because of their back pain. Their abdominals and back muscles are so weak from repeated spasms that they fall apart with any activity. I believe all of them can be helped with kettlebells.

It’s important to start slowly, primarily because of the weakness and lost muscle tone that develops from repeated muscle spasms, but also because of the mental block created by the fear of pain. Kettlebells allow you to do this. I know, because I’ve been there. But at 39 years old I now feel better than I did in my twenty’s, and I can’t wait to see how I will be a year from now. Thank you Pavel for giving me my life back!

Related posts:

1. Feats of strength
2. Acupuncture as a wonderful healing tool!
3. The most amazing concept for breakfast: Energy shot through the roof!

This gift has been given to us to fulfill divine goals.  But it is our ill-fate that we have forgotten our divine nature, God’s gift and the goal/ importance of a human life.

Neither do we know our divine potential, nor the Lord’s goal, wisdom or meditation. We are straying far away in this dark, gloomy world.

This forgetfulness is strange.  People generally forget objects and also what they have read, heard etc. A person whom we had known in the past is now a stranger for us, since we have forgotten him.

But it is rare to find a person who forgets himself.  We think ourselves to be a body with name and form. We desire what our mind desires, we look upon the body’s needs as our own need. The body and mind are the 2 wheels of the chariot of our life.

But we have totally forgotten that we are the soul and not the body.  No doubt we hear time and again that the body is different from the soul.  But it is very rare that someone actually experiences this fact. And even if we experience it, it is in a very hazy manner.

If we understand true reality and the difference between the life-force and peripherals that manifests in our consciousness, we will give prime importance to soul well-being.  We would give only that much importance to material objects as is required.

Today we are walking with feet devoid of shoes and decorate our cars with frills of gold. We are dying of hunger and give clarified butter to vehicles. “We” means the soul and vehicle means body or mind.  The Lord is serving his servants. It is indeed strange that he has forgotten his responsibility.

ATTAINING THE SOUL’S GOAL

The goal of life is to attain self-fulfillment. This self-fulfilled state can only be at the level of divinity. In order to attain God, the mind should get concentrated on him.  Before constructing important buildings, their maps, plans and models are designed.  An engineer, architect etc. will build buildings based on these models.

An image of God with his qualities, activities and nature is carried out for the purpose of meditation. As a result one experiences nearness, oneness and a sense of merging of God.  This is the true nature of meditation.

The goal of true meditation is to regain our lost memory regarding our real nature.  If someone happens to regain it, it is definitely akin to a man coming out of a very scary dream. It is only then that one experiences a condition akin to a child being lost in a massive crowd or like that of a man who has lost the memory of his identity.

Those undergoing such anguish, experience a great loss and they hurt their near and dear ones. Since we have lost our memory (that we are the mighty soul and not the body), our condition is as demeaning as a baby lion being brought up in a family of goats.  As a result we are giving pain to our true nature, which is divinity.

The goal of Yoga of meditation is to overcome loss of memory i.e. to awaken to the fact that we are the soul and not the body. In that one remembers God and one experiences one’s soul nature.

The memory of the union of a living being (Jiva) and God (Brahman) is re-activated and one experiences, that this very Divine Power contact was broken by us, is in reality our Divine Mother and Benefactor.  Not only this but like the proverbial wish-fulfilling cow (Kamadhenu), it is so powerful that by drinking its nectarine milk, we attain divinity.

By sitting in the shade of a wish-fulfilling  tree (Kalpavriksha) one can attain anything. After contacting, coming close to that Divine Centre, one does not lack anything and thus we can overcome all types of poverty.  Thus Yoga of Meditation helps us attain this goal.

CONCENTRATION

It is not something great to attain Divine Powers. It should be protected from any type of wastage and should never be misused. The benefits of attaining Divine Powers are encountered when they are gathered in a safe place and that they are utilized only for sacred tasks.

As a result of heat, a lot of water of the oceans gets converted to steam.  So much steams rises into the atmosphere from cooking gas, fire etc. All this goes in waste.  But in an engine, a little bit of water is converted to steam.

This steam is not allowed to stray in the atmosphere and is in fact collected in a tank. Later its energy flow passes out of a small hole and reaches the piston. As a result of this small process, the engine of a train starts functioning.

Not only does it move but it runs at a great speed. Its movement is so powerful that it tugs alongwith it many other compartments  at a high speed.

If tons of gun powder are spread out on the ground and lit with a match-stick, it will show a little light for a flash of a moment and then get burnt to ashes.  This is a total wastage and is of no use to us.

But if it is enclosed in a small area of a gun and by pressing the trigger a little, sparks of fire touch the gunpowder, this infinitesimal gunpowder gives amazing results. The bullet runs at a mammoth speed to its target.

Wherever it lands, it topples that object. One can thus clearly note the difference between just lighting up tons of gunpowder with a matchstick and on the other hand, lighting up a minute amount of gun powder in a gun.

The rays of sun light are scattered all over the earth.  Daily the sun rises and then sets in the evening.  This sunlight can give only a little heat and light to us. But if a few sunrays are concentrated on paper using a special lens, the paper starts burning. If it is thrown in a huge jungle, a forest fire ensues which destroys that entire area to ashes.

During Draupadi’s Swayamvar (choosing you own groom), the condition for getting married to her was that the prospective bridegroom should pierce the eye of a bird placed at a distance with an arrow. Dronacharya was helping his students to master this art. Before his students aimed an arrow, Dronacharya would ask them as to what they were seeing.

On an average the students would say that are seeing a bird on the tree. As a result Dronacharya would declare that such students would never succeed.  When it was Arjun’s turn, he answered that I can only see the bird’s eye and nothing else.

Thus Dronacharya declared that Arjun would definitely succeed.  Truly at the Swayamvara ceremony of Draupadi, Arjun pierced the eye of the bird with one single arrow and thus got married to Draupadi.

It is said that a flying creature called a buzzing bee catches hold of a caterpillar and continues to buzz in front of it. As a result of continuously hearing the buzz of the bee and visualizing the bee’s form, the mental state of the caterpillar becomes that of a bee.

The caterpillar starts thinking itself to be a buzzing bee.  As a result the body of the caterpillar takes the shape of a buzzing bee instead of a grown up butterfly.  Zoologists may doubt this but it is a definite fact that whenever man concentrates/ focuses his mind on a particular name and form, his mind too takes up the name, form and characteristics of that object. As a result of focusing her mind on beauty and youth, a prostitute regains her beauty to a great extent at an advanced age too.

On the other hand, many young men and women look aged because their minds are all the time thinking of hardships and dire circumstances. All this   is a result of focusing one’s mind on a particular good/ bad thought.  This could be intentional or unintentional.

Spiritual concentration means to stop the mind from straying away from its center and that after focusing one’s Divine Powers at one central focal point, one should utilize the same for sacred endeavors only.

This is called control of mind or focusing of the psyche in spiritual texts. A lot of discussion takes place regarding Yoga of Meditation.  It should be surmised as an art of concentrating one’s mind.  When we hear about it, its success seems mediocre but in reality, it is a great achievement.  When one masters this art, man by focusing his scattered conscious energy in one place, utilizes it for some sacred purpose and thus attains amazing success.

Water is filled in dams. But when it is ejected from a small opening, a stream of it flows at break neck speed because of water pressure generated by the dam. This flow has extraordinary energy. Its influence aids the movement of wheels of many machines and as a result these machines start moving.

The construction of huge electric powerhouses takes place near gigantic dams.  It is very expensive to generate electricity using engines and machines but hydroelectricity is cheaply operated near dams.  Near smaller waterfalls, you have water mills.

The resultant energy is not due to the stream of water but it is due to its concentration. By focusing a widespread area in a smaller area, you generate power.

The aim of Yoga of Meditation is to concentrate mental thought scattering in one small area of thought.  The more an individual succeeds in concentrating his mind, the more his psyche will radiate with power.

Like an arrow of word, it is easy for him to attain his goal.  If spirituality is his aim, he will advance spiritually and his psyche will radiate with Ridhi-Sidhi or what are called Divine Powers.  If the aim is material progress, we will attain this goal too.  In whichever appropriate direction this energy is used, it will reap good dividends.

Concentration/ focusing means overcoming the wasteful scattering of the thought waves of our mind.  By obstructing the water flow of a small stream, a dam is created and thus a small pond, lake is created.  Then artificial streams are created from this lake which give water to far off arid regions.  If this stream were not converted into a dam, it would have lashed at the shores and caused wasteful flooding in surrounding regions.  This would lead to material destruction in that region.

One should not look upon the thought flow in our mind as less important when compared to a hydroelectricity generator. The power of an electricity powerhouse is limited and can transmit electricity to a very limited region in its vicinity.  But this cannot be said about the mind.  Its potential of today can be augmented infinite fold in the future.  Its area of influence which is today limited to the family and friends will in future encompass the entire world.

Generally people of great authority like scientists, philosophers, artists, scholars, sculptors, authors, managers, leaders etc are like ordinary laymen.

Their body is very ordinary and their minds lack a magical wand. Whatever difference one perceives in them alongwith the miracle of their greatness, is a result of their inner special qualities which in turn are related to the focusing capacity of their mind and their steadfastness in reaching the desired goal. Everybody possesses infinite amount of intellectual energy.

To the extent that weak brained individuals too have a lot of radiance.  The difference only is this that some have activated this radiance and the rest have not done so.  Even a very wise person is like a dead corpse when he is in deep sleep.

But on waking up, he manifests his intellectual brilliance.  This holds true for the brain too.  Due to certain circumstances, the intellectual powers of some people remains latent and thus look weak intellectually. But if their intellect is activated with effort, not only will they be as brilliant as other wise people but sometimes they will march ahead of them too.

Everyone knows that many threads unite together to form a strong rope and many broomsticks join together to form a broom.  Many drops of water constitute a jugful of water.  This example is given to accept the fact that by obstructing the wayward scattering of the intellect, one can focus/ concentrate one’s thought waves at a focal point.

One can easily understand that wayward scattering of thoughts in various directions diminishes our mental prowess and that if these thoughts are concentrated at one single point, it will give us miraculous mental strength.

By advancing mental concentration, great scientists, Yogis, philosophers etc. enter the deep ocean called the mind and thus collect priceless jewels.  Those who just float on the surface of the sea, attain nothing but those who dive deep into it, attain priceless materials.

Superficial thinking is like a wayward blade of grass moving aimlessly here and there.  On the other hand focusing one’s thought waves at a single point in the psyche via meditation gives miraculous results.

Related posts:

1. Benefits of properly guided meditation!
2. Look at you!
3. Kettlebell: an amazing tool that could give you life back!

Someone introduced me to the most amazing concept for breakfast. By now I was well entrenched in not taking time over the first meal of the day (and sometimes the second meal), so anything that captured my attention was going to have to be fast, no fuss and delicious to warrant any of my attention.

Instead of cardboard cereal and bland milk, it’s possible to start the day with power packed, nutritious, energizing and best of all, yummy smoothies.

Smoothies have been around for ages, but I had never twigged they make a great start to the day. Imagine the delight of selecting from a range such as Chocolate Strawberry, Hazelnut Coffee, Peach Almond, Banana Bread & Apple Pie Surprise.

Kid you not! You can make an endless variety to suit your own taste. Now this was interesting to me.

Not only did I start regularly eating breakfast, my energy shot through the roof! This changed my whole perspective on being a human. A period where I thought as an executive I was supposed to be tired all the time. Not true.

Here is one of my favorite recipes.

3 tablespoons vanilla flavored soy/whey protein powder
250g (6oz) strawberry flavoured fat free yoghurt
1 cup strawberries
4 ice cubes

Blend in hand-held or benchtop blender. Pour into your favorite glassware and enjoy.

Related posts:

1. Kettlebell: an amazing tool that could give you life back!
2. Look at you!
3. Eating right

Strength

Most folks I know start off the New Year by making resolutions to lose weight and get in shape. often, this mission is often easier said than done. Some last a little longer than others, but for most, impetus starts to fizzle soon into the next buffet engagement.

Have no fear: these are 10 delightful tactics can empower you to motivate your self to a better body.

Whether you are looking to lose a lot or just a few pounds or you want to exercise more to tone your body, you can create an action plan that can help you stay motivated.

Conviction: Conviction is the primal way for you to motivate yourself to exercise more or to stick to a diet. Faith in yourself is also known as self-efficacy and it means that once you believe that you can do something, no matter how hard, you do it.

Those that have a lot of self-esteem believe that they have the power to make changes in themselves. Those without solid self-confidence will find that they will have a much more difficult time sticking to any fitness plan and will not exert much effort.

Support: A staunch support system of friends and family keeps almost anyone motivated to reach their goals. When a person starts a new fitness plan or diet program, many changes need to happen. It is important to surround yourself with others that can support you and understand your personal goals. Let those around you know that you need them to support your new goal and try to include them in your objectives.

Positive Mind-set: Your enthusiasm will soar if you keep a positive attitude towards your new fitness goals. Think about the positive aspects of a healthier lifestyle and exercise plan and keep that in mind you may be tempted to skip a day at the gym. When following any fitness plan, it is also important to remember that you may have setbacks or you may not achieve your goals as fast as you had hoped. Keeping your stance positive even during the rough times will help you stay focused on your goals.

Follow Through: You will find that you have an easier time staying motivated when you make a plan and keep at it. Without understanding each step you need to take to reach your goals, it will be harder to focus on the destination. For example, if you are trying to eat healthier, write down what foods you want to eliminate and foods your want to add to your diet. As you progress, compare your results with your plan and that will help you stay the course.

Keep Organized: Keeping organized will keeps the motivation burning to stay on the new fitness plan. If you plan on going to the gym a few times a week, you can get everything you need ready to go the night before. Have your shoes, gym clothes and membership card by the door. Not only will this make it easier for you find exactly what you need, but it will also serve as a visual reminder of your goal. Keep your days planned out and schedule time in for healthy cooking or burning the asphalt.

Forms of Motivation: Intrinsic and extrinsic are both types of motivation. Understand what they mean and which one helps keep you motivated. Those who are intrinsically motivated do not need outside forces, such as rewards to stay focused. They have the power from within to stay motivated. Other forces, such as rewards or praise from others, motivate those who are motivated extrinsically. Most people feel motivated both ways. Understand what kind of motivation keeps you passionate.

Reward Yourself: Incentives can be a great motivator, especially in a new fitness plan. Give yourself a small reward when you meet each of your goals. This will help you get to your final goal. You may choose to buy yourself a new shirt when you lose ten pounds or maybe go see a movie. Whatever appeals to you would stoke the flames of zeal.

Heroes: When you are trying to get a better body through a fitness plan, look for a hero. That person does not have to be famous, but anybody you look up to. Maybe it is someone you know with zest for healthy living. Use that person to emulate when your spirit wanes.

Knowledge is Power: As soon as you commit yourself to a new fitness plan, arm yourself with piles of information. Compare different diets and exercise plans. Learn the ins and outs of each one and you can make confident informed decision.

Varied Pursuits: Another great way to stay motivated is by diversifying activities. When you start to feel upset, you can set it aside and do something you really love. It might even be possible to include what you love doing to help you achieve your fitness aims.

Want more strength, more fitness, more conditioning, a more gorgeous body that is functinoal at the same time? Try Crossfit!

Check out Crossfit @ CrossfitHub.com, their Crossfit Journal is an interesting read! I heard that the actors from the 300 movie trained with exercises that are adapted from and pretty similar to the Crossfit system!

=> What is Crossfit?
=> Crossfit box jump
=> Crossfit WOD

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Feats of Strength

Last week, my master asked both my female friend and myself to give a demonstration of breaking bricks with our palms again.

My friend did it with the front edge of palm in two attempts; I did it in one attempt with the side of my palm. I did it with just my palm only about 2.5 cm above the brick. In short, we had to break it open without trying to lift up our hands and bringing it down.

I never knew i could do it so fast and smooth.

It was pure FOCUS and CONCENTRATION that did the feat.

A word about strength training.

Along with aerobic training, you also need to consider adding strength training to your workout.  Now, you don’t have to be a body builder here.  You don’t have to have bulging muscles.  But, you do want to develop lean muscles that are strong and therefore healthy.

If you need to lose some weight, strength training is a very essential aspect of making sure that happens.  With strength training, you will be able to move flabby muscles and fat into lean muscles.  Muscle burns through fat faster, allowing you to lose weight faster.

Strength training is essential because it allows you to improve the way that your body works, too.  Muscles that are strong are less likely to become injured.  They are able to be used easier, with less likelihood of being strained or hurt through your daily exercises, movements or even in accidents.

Here are some tips for exercising through strength training.

•    Work with a low amount of weight first.  Never increase the weight you are doing unless you are okayed to do so by your doctor.

•    Consider working with a physical trainer.  This small investment of time and money will allow you to improve your overall muscle mass faster, and more effectively.

•    Change up the exercises that you do so that the process is easy and fun.  You’ll enjoy it and you’ll see improvement in the tone of your body quickly.

With strength training, you should add in ten minutes per day three times per week at least.  Again, you’ll want to increase this number over time to at least 30 minutes per day three times per week.  Remember to include ten minutes before and after your workouts for warm up and cool downs!

Related posts:

1. Strength training benefits for women
2. Aerobic exercises
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