Whoa! Have you paid attention???

To how your body feels that is. I know I have lately. And what I have discovered is that I have let some things go.... I know what you are thinking, (don't go there :-))

What I mean is in terms of my training, I always knew you must stay engaged, mind and body, to get the desired results and to move your body the way it was intended to move. But what can happen over time, the longer you train, a person can get sloppy, careless. I know I did. What did that look like? Well for starters, my workouts felt harder. But not in a good way... They felt "sloppy hard". Does that make sense to you? I felt like every movement whether it was a clean and press, or even a 2 hand swing felt "off".I even felt some discomfort in my low back! So what did I do? I refocused my mind during the movement on what each body part should be doing during the rep. And more importantly what my body was doing during the rep piece by piece, what muscles were contracting, what weren't firing as they should, etc.

Let's use pistols as an example. I used to love to train with them. Looking back through my logs tonight, I realized I did ALOT of them. But over the last several months I haven't trained pistols at all! Ugh! So I decided I'd play around with them tonight just to see where I was. Let me tell you, it was tough. I can't believe I said that on my blog. But the truth was my form was way off. I was not stabilizing as I should in the hip line and pushing out with my glutes and really forming good range of motion in and out of the pistol. I was more or less sloppily dropping down and coming up caving so to speak. But when I stopped and took the rep slow, controlled,deliberate, (and quit worrying about the number of reps I should be able to do) my old movement patterns came back. And they felt strong on each rep.(Ahh thank goodness for good muscle memory!) Now let me qualify strong. I don't mean I ended up banging out the same number of reps as the last time I trained, what I mean is that the movement pattern of the pistol in it's entirety felt safe, solid, and utilizing the right body parts with good muscle contraction. I finished strong, setting my body up for good muscle memory, left my basement training haven and decided that my next training session I would go back to pistols.

What is the take away from that example? To honestly realize that no matter how good you are, or think you are, no matter how long you have been training, no matter how much of a fitness professional, or whatever you think you are, you must pay attention to your body and how it feels good or bad and fix it through mind and body interaction and controlled movement patterns with deliberate intent.

I'll keep you posted on how the training continues....

Check out this cool quick clip about what Rapid Results Fitness has to offer
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I don't blame you....

For not bothering to read my blog anymore. Geez, It has been over a month since I have written anything. I have been directed, redirected, pushed forward,stepped back, fallen down, jumped up high, spun circles around,and nearly collapsed with all of life's many blessings! And here it is March already!!!! I have just come back from assisting at the RKC Level II certification ( the gold standard in kettlebell training instruction) in San Jose, CA! I am renewed and ready to hit the ground running!!!!!

In the past, I have written more about feelings and emotions of training with intermitten thoughts on training, and health. But these next few blogs I'd like to talk about kettlebells and how you can get the most out of them... If any of you are reading this and would like to know more about training with kbs and have specific training questions to meet your goals,please leave a question in the comments section.

Over the next few days Iwill be checking the blog and then hope to begin posting my own training progress on a daily basis. Stay tuned....

Just Had To Move...

So I did 100 double snatches with 12kgs quick and potent.... Now on with my day....How will you spend yours? Make the most of it! :-)

Success....

There are some things success is not....

Success is not fame or money or power. Success is waking up in the morning so excited about what you have to do that you literally fly out the door. It's getting to work with people you love.

Success is connecting with the world and making people feel.
It's finding a way to bind together people who have nothing in common but a dream.
It's falling asleep at night knowing you did the best job you could.
Success is joy and freedom and friendship... And success is love.

I hope you each find your success today. Happy MLK day!
Betsy

Whadda ya do with a rope????

You may ask.... Well for starters blast fat and get in the best shape of your life!!! Check out the workshop my buddy Tim Anderson and I are doing on Saturday, January 23 from 9am-11am. Tim and I are Level II Battling Ropes coaches. We have trained under the best, John Brookfield! This man knows his stuff. Not sure who he is? Google him and you'll see. Talk about powerful,explosive, and strong!
Anyway we hope you can join us at Rapid Results Fitness for an awesome 2 hour workshop to show you just how effective this tool can be!
We'll be kicking it up a notch for sure! Don't miss out! Register today online at www.rapidresultsfitness.net

Whoa! 2010 is HERE BABY!!!!!!

Where does the time go? And how do we spend it? Wow, that's a good segway into a New Year's Resolution if I ever heard one!!!

Having said that, I must admit, I lost track of time last month! Lots to share just no time to share it. But as I sit and reflect all I can say is it was productive time spent....on the business, Rapid Results Fitness, and with family...Sometimes in that order, sometimes simultaneously, sometimes order reversed but in any case it boiled down to ALOT of multitasking.....

As I reflect on 2009, I can sum up that it has been a life changing year! I have learned alot and know that 2010 will be even more "educational" I feel sure. Reflection of the past brings a gamut of emotions, attitudes, and insight to what just happened, where I am now and the potential of things to come. Like the rest of the world, I make resolutions. For some it seems pointless, useless, unfulfilling. But for me, it is an opportunity to focus on what worked in the past and what didn't, the mistakes I made, and the things I did right.

As I have said before, my favorite quote is this: "Insanity: Doing the Same thing you 've always done and expecting different results"

SO, this reflection/resolution period is a time for me to change behaviors or at least set a course to do so. I like it, it works for me....

So for 2010, awesome stuff happening....
We just expanded our fitness studio. More room to swing the kettlebells, blast fat with rope training, fix stubborn movement patterns with joint mobility work, and zen out with some awesome Yoga.... not to mention shower facilities, a massage room, changing rooms, personal training area, and two group fitness rooms! Wow! Very exciting for us all at RRF! If you are interested and ready for real results and a PARADIGM SHIFT IN FITNESS
then you MUST check us out! I GUARANTEE YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

Go here for the scoop, www.rapidresultsfitness.net and if you are reading this blog before Saturday, January 9 9:30am-12:30pm, come join us as we celebrate our 2nd Anniversary!!!

So what is my 2010 resolution list?
(oh yes there is a list)

Let me leave you with these few:
1. To not take for granted those I come in contact with personal, business, or otherwise. We all impact one another in positive ways or negative ones. I intend to stay on the positive side.

2. To continue to train with purpose. Goal setting brings this. I absolutely love what my training holds for me each time I touch the kb, grip the bar, or pull the rope. As I enter my training sessions this year though, I will be THANKFUL and MINDFUL of the body God gave me and how I treat it. The rest will hopefully fall into place.

God continues to move wonders in my life and I can only imagine what is in store for 2010.

If you are following this blog, I'd love to hear what you think. Your opinions, your questions, anything regarding training specifically kettlebell training, rope training, or general fitness, injury prevention, body mechanics, joint mobility,life perspectives as it pertains to a healthier lifestyle.

Let me know what your New Year's Resolutions are.