CAN YOU PICTURE IT???

In your mind I mean...."What am I referring to?" you ask. Your goals for an example. What do you want to achieve? It has been said and proven that if you picture the desired outcome it will happen. So go ahead, picture it in your mind.

For me, it's about lean muscle mass. Gaining it and keeping it, getting to 9% body fat. I'm at 10% now (have been for over a year now with a few 8% and 9% in there for competition days). Another visualization that I have is my ability to get stronger. I literally picture what it looks like for me to do the actual movement, whatever the movement may be. I eluded to this earlier in one of my first blogs when I said I usually visualize the dance choreography before actually performing it. Little did I know how "right on" I was in doing so. Years later and this brain of mine (and body) still responds to this way of training.

I practiced this visual the other day in two scenarios: I was doing the Getup with the 28kg. Before doing it on the left side(my weaker side) I visualized (or imagined if you will) what it would look like doing the whole get up with super duper control with the 28kg. Lo and behold it worked! I did it with the right arm. Sure enough I performed on that side as well. After doing this I thought I would try the clean and press with the 20kg with that whole mind set. I had done it the day before, but without the visualization. So to be honest I was a little intimidated to try it again the next day for fear it wouldn't happen again two days in a row. Not sure if it was the extra Wheaties that day (ok, I don't eat cereal!!!) or what but I was able to knock off three one rep sets left and right with no rest in between. What the heck??!!!!!

Wow! SO all I'm saying is use your "imagination", your positive thinking, your visualization, your brain power to achieve what it is you want to do. IT could be anything.

How about this for a visual? It's springtime right? So I am working on spring cleaning. My house, for starters. My family is tough on our living space. Lots of unnecessary clutter, dirty walls with smudge prints and a few dented sheet rock walls ( I have three boys, I suppose it is only gonna get worse cuz they are just 5, 10, and 12) and they have taken up Lacrosse which isn't so healthy for the walls (sticks and hard rubber balls in the house, not good). I'm thinking how am I going to tackle this cleanup. Where do I start?

When I began to focus on what I wanted it to look like I began to be able to stay focused on the work at hand and yet driving toward the outcome. No it is still not completed yet. But I have made progress. And there is "peace" within me to start again the next day and see it through.

Whatever you want to achieve, don't let your mind go on autopilot. Imagine your goal and let your brain work with your body to make it happen. Get the positive reps in. Guaranteed you'll move closer to your goals.

Too busy exercising I guess.... (big smile!)

How many days just went by????! Ugh! Ok, I'm back now, ready to fill you in on some of the facts I've been thinking about lately.

We have all heard how exercise is good for you. There are many statistics that support this. But I have read a few lately that I think is worth repeating. Of course movement is critical to achieving and maintaining health. Here are some sobering facts: Breast cancer will affect one in eight women, but three hours of exercise per week reduces the incidence by 30%. Add one more hour and reduce the incidence by 60%!!! Boy now that gives you a WHOLE NEW REASON to train your body more frequently (so RRF KBers, I look forward to seeing more of you in class more frequently, the number 4 comes to mind ).

I guess this statistic hit home for me as I know several women battling cancer right now. It is truly a scary disease. I know there is no guarantee in life of what we will or won't have to face. But I do believe in taking responsibility for our own health and controlling what we can through proper nutrition and exercise.

I do not take my good health for granted. I am thankful for the ability to move (without injury or pain) everyday. I find true exhilaration and a natural high in the ability to move,dance, kettlebell train, run with my kids, etc.

I encourage anyone reading this to not waste another minute being sedentary. We must not take our bodies and good health for granted. So what are you waiting for?? Get moving!!!!

Now here is a reason to exercise!!!!!

Ok, It's late! I should be sleeping now....rest and recovery, we call it... I know I NEED it. So here's the deal, I'm gonna leave you with a teaser about tomorrow's blog. The title gives you a hint! Til tomorrow, sweet dreams....

212 degrees

I have added a link below that I strongly encourage you to watch. even if you have seen it before it is well worth watching again and again. Very powerful for each and everyone of us, no matter what the circumstances are. Save this and re-read it daily if need be. It could make all the difference, just one degree....
http://www.nc212movie.com/2/

One Without the Other, I Hope Not!

Something has been bugging me this week... In a good way! Ok let me rephrase that. As I think back to the week's training-- my clients' and members' training as well as my own, two words rang loud and clear to me literally all week (yes I know it's just Thursday night). Those two words are MIND, BODY...Think about this for a moment....

Let me explain what I'm thinking. It has been said (I preach it daily) that in kettlebell training your mind and body work together to produce the overall outcome of the muscle contraction,quality and technique. Here's the thought that has been "bugging" me: Why did we ever think that physical exercise was EVER mindless???? Seriously think about that!

I come from a dance background so I "get it", the mind part....
You have to use your mind in conjunction with your body to get it to perform, look and feel "right" in dance. I would visualize the movment and choreography before I actually performed the sequence or movement. When doing this the results were far better than if I just "winged it".
This mindful movement, if you will, produces body awareness. If you can gain that sense of body awareness you will be able to FEEL what works correctly and safely for your body. You will truly end up self correcting bad movements. This can carry over to everyday life.

You wil not only begin to improve your technique but you will begin to really focus on what your body is feeling when you perform the movement. For example, what muscles are contracting, what body parts are being taxed, what body parts may feel discomfort,etc. When you begin to really pay attention to your own body and what it is doing you will then begin to see the carry over effects of better quality of the exercise, desired results of the exercise will increase, and you will end up with alot less injury in the process because your mind was engaged in everything you did!

I guess this is what I love about the RKC and its philosophy of kettlebell training... Total body, all the time. Mind and Body together. You do not just perform the exercises, you think about the rep you're in and what your body needs to do on each and every rep with the best technique ever. This makes for one power packed, results producing workout, my friends! Some Kettlebellers might not appreciate this comment, but it is meant with the highest regard to both forms of training... Kettlebell training truly is like Formal Dance training. Both require and demand your full attention, MIND and BODY working together! :-)

First of many?

So this is a first for me...Blogging that is... Why is this so difficult for me?? Stepping out of my comfort zone for sure... And what do I have to say anyway that is SO important?? DO I write it for me? Will anyone else read it? And if so, what will they think? Hasn't it all been said before? Could I say it differently and would it make a difference? Will it make a positive impact or a negative one? Well I guess there is only one sure way to know how it feels. And that is to just dive right in... Here goes...

A quote I never tire of: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" I just love this quote, because if you think about it, it applies to everything we do or don't do and covers just about every facet of our lives.

As it relates to training and meeting fitness goals, I ask this question: Are you getting the desired results? After many years of teaching group fitness and personal training I still marvel at the droves of people headed to the gym this time of year to hop on the treadmill, jump into class, or lift a dumbbell in front of the mirror. Do they have a goal and more importantly a plan to meet their goal/s. Or are they simply "checking the box"? They're plodding away on the treadmill thinking about what they didn't get done today...what to eat for dinner...details of the workday, financial woes, BLAH,BLAH,BLAH!

Maybe the goals ARE set, the plan IS in action. But maybe what's missing is the
FUN of it??? Training I mean... It's been said if you are not motivated you won't stick with the routine. That is true for sure. I look at what I love doing... Kettlebell training. Besides the obvious benefits of KB training, (those who train with KBs know what I'm talking about), I do it because I LIKE it. I stick with it, because I LIKE it. And of course it's working... Why is it working because I LIKE IT, I'm MOTIVATED to keep doing it, therefore I'm getting the results I'm looking for. Make training fun and you'll stick with the program. Pick up weird shaped things, run and jump over stuff, play with your kids, whatever. If you associate training as fun and with something you already enjoy doing, you will be successful and stay healthy for the long run. Have fun, spend time with your friends and family, do something good for your brain, your heart, and your body.

Why am I big into the feel good part? Because I truly believe if you're not doing what you're passionate about, you won't be satisfied with the results in the end, good or bad. Life is short, there are no guarantees. We only have one body, one heart, one soul, one mind. Use it lovingly, carefully and wisely. Your whole being will love you for it! :-)