Renegade

There is no disputing it but Kettlebell training has become a “cause célèbre” of the modern exercise world. While some praise its values to no end, still others recognize its limitations, thus creating the controversy.

Quite truthfully, the modern exercise “game” is both the vindicator of Kettlebell training and its assassin. Many of those who promote the tool in the media make such outlandish claims that the medium is an open target for those who see beyond the marketing efforts and countless “log-rolling” initiatives.

prepared by John Davies, Founder of Renegade Training™ and Renegade Kettlebell Professional™

to continue reading the balance of this article please visit USP Labs

Kettlebell training is one of the more popular “new” mediums to the iron game in the last decade. Of-course, the term “new” is not appropriate as kettlebells have a long and storied place in the iron game.

The relatively recent rise in popularity of kettlebells is, without question, due to some of the most brilliant marketing this industry has ever seen and few others would be as successful. Wrapping the kettlebells marketing efforts around it 18th-19th century Russian history, the medium has gained a foothold in the U.S. market and expanding worldwide. Though other older mediums have similar benefits, none has captured the interest the public’s eye and once dark imagery of the kettlebell has made its way into the cozy confines of fat loss classes and available in oh-so divine colours to suit your test.

prepared by John Davies, Founder of Renegade Training™ and Renegade Kettlebell Professional™

to continue reading the balance of this article please visit USP Labs

I want to take the time here to dedicate a little post to my students.  To my pupils.  To my warriors.  The group of people that I have been tutoring just over 2 months now in Kettlebell Training has advanced so far and so well that I have created an Advanced Kettlebell Class at the gym and I now have a seperate time to train others that are not on their level just yet.

I have students right now that want me to train them to compete within the next 2 years in kettlebell lifting.  I have students that have given up their time spent on the treadmills and elipticals and have dedicated that time to training with kettlebells.  I have students that left the first class feeling destroyed physically and mentally…and came back the next week desiring more.  THAT is the real reason to teach…to coach…to want to be involved.

If you are not a trainer/teacher/coach/lover of what you do….then you will not understand this last little piece to this post, but it is truly the most important.  The feeling that you get when one of your people “get’s it”…is easily one of the most rewarding feelings you can get in this industry.  My “Team KB” has made me proud to be a trainer/a teacher/a mentor/and a friend.

It’s amazing how you feel….when THEY feel it. For any trainers/coaches that read this article, you’ll be able to understand what I mean right off the bat. Since my Kettlebell classes in Northeast PA have begun to really take off, I have noticed such a drastic and intense change in my pupils that it’s undeniable. I even have some female clients that have begun training kettlebell specific most of the time and want me to prepare them to compete within the next 1.5 years!!

The reason for my writing this, and for you reading…is simply to share the joy that passes through me when I know that my clients are happy, healthy, and have reached a new pinnacle in their training. The fact that I helped them get there and that they are screaming and pleading for more even after they feel they’re going to vomit…Now that is a TRUE “priceless” commercial right there.

As promised, here is my article on the see-saw press. Great trunk exercise that I’ll be incorporating into my own regime again. To do this exercise, you need two kettlebells. Hoist/clean them to shoulder level. We’ll start with the right side to make it easier to describe. Press the kettlebell up as you tilt to the left. Make sure you do not move forward or back but to the left side. As you lower the right kettlebell back to its original position, begin to raise the left kettlebell and tilt to your right side. Make sure to use a manageable weight when starting this exercise. Do this exercise after your focus lifts for 4 sets of 6 reps a piece. Fairly simple and basic exercise to do that will pay dividends in your development. Next time, we will cover the bent press, one of my all time favorite lifts that the old time strongmen used to do as well. Until next time.

I was contacted by a major pharma company here in Cambridge to replace their former yoga instructor. Seems like he turned too “moon-ey” and lost touch with the engineers and scientists of the company. I’ve heard this happening before, somehow yoga instructors think they need to educate their classes on “enlightenment” and “spirituality”. I had different ideas on how to conduct a fitness class when I went in for my interview.

I quickly explained that I did not offer incense and candles or enlightenment, but I did know how to deliver results that would get these folks to think twice about what being fit really means. This resonated very strongly, and I was even able to propose a separate boot camp class for employees. Renegade Training gives trainers a vast array of options, and results are proven! I’m looking forward to growing this into other corporate classes, so stay tuned!

Getting fit requires dedication, discipline and hard work. It is not going to happen overnight and will not happen without exercise and the proper caloric consumption of healthy foods. The more active an individual is and the better one eats, intake of little or no sugars, sodium, manufactured foods, etc., the sooner results will occur. What many individuals fail to understand is consumption of unhealthy foods will only thwart exercise efforts as eating is a huge percentage of the equation when attempting to lose body fat and weight. Hidden sugars, fats, sodium and alcoholic drinks can easily add several pounds to one’s figure even when exercising.

I recommend to clients, whose goals are body fat and weight loss, to consume proper foods and exercise regularly in order to witness results. Obtaining results will aid in continued motivation while an overall feeling of increased energy and vitality will do the same.

We are a society used to immediate gratification. If we do not get immediate results we become frustrated and quickly lose sight of long term goals. However, becoming fit and healthy will take time. Health and wellness is a lifelong journey.

Don’t become frustrated if goals are not immediate, instead be proud you’ve began the journey to health. For continued motivation contact Jennifer Calderone at jcfitnessfirst@gmail.com.

Hordon Health

After performing the same exercises for a period of time the body adapts and the exercises become easy making them less effective. It is pertinent at this point to change the exercises in some way by increasing the weight or by doing different exercises. I witness this everyday as I see the same individuals performing the same machine based exercises or partaking in the same group classes and note they are not experiencing results. While I certainly don’t want to discourage individuals from exercising, in order to get results, exercise should be varied. Not only does this offer more benefit but a lot more fun.

Yet, teaching an old dog new tricks” has proven to be my greatest challenge as of late. It seems some individuals are content with the same routine because of the ease with which they can perform the exercises and the fact they don’t work up a sweat. They simply do not want to work hard or push themselves out of their comfort zone. Why even waste the time slowly grazing on the treadmill reading or putting only minimal effort into an exercise? If there are no physical obstacles holding one back then there is no reason why the effort put fourth is not 100%. Don’t settle for the same old routine, break free, and achieve results.

Contact jcfitnessfirst@gmail.com

Jennifer Calderone
Hordon Health
Nutfit @ Dedham Strength & Fitness

I am ordinary person in extraordinary shape because of Renegade. Less than a year ago, although I was lean and had some muscle tone, I was not strong. I could barely lift a 10 pound dumbbell much less a 45 pound Olympic bar. My balance was poor with relative flexibility. I was also “front loaded,” meaning I had quadricep development but no hamstring, glute, or lower back strength. Lacking total body communication my movement pattern was choppy and awkward and my gait abysmal. In a nutshell, I had attained a slight level of fitness that was not complete and my training was doing nothing to correct my weaknesses.

Fast forward one year, my entire posterior chain is developed and I can now move a weight with speed and power. My endurance, balance and flexibility are by far the best they’ve ever been. My body moves with ease and my gait has significantly improved. This is because Renegade training encompasses all aspects crucial to highly functional development. Most other training programs focus heavily on one element, often hypertrophy, and let all others fall to the wayside.

If your current program is failing you, experience the only comprehensive fitness program out there. Your fitness level will soar to new heights.

Jennifer Calderone
Dedham Strength & Fitness
Hordon Health

Plateau(s).
You hear the term often in the gym, magazines, and just about anything related to fitness. A big plateau for most is transitioning from the “Hang” position of a snatch or clean to performing the exercise through its full range a motion, correctly. While many factors must go into breaking through this plateau, a helpful tool is the kettlebell. Unfortunately most of the power racks in the gyms now days are not conducive to setting various pin heights from the knee joint down to the feet. This leaves you with creating your own blocks on either side of the barbell out of plates, wood blocks, or aerobic steps. We all know about “Murphy’s Law” and you can just imagine what negatives can result from setting a round plate and bar on top of any one these surfaces in a gym atmosphere. True, you can easily design a set of homemade blocks with safety stops so you do not crack those lovely mirrors. This method works great, but I found that most people tend to stack whatever is available and not bother to go through the process of design, construction, and more important safety.
An easier solution is the kettlebell. Its stable bottom allows it to be elevated easily and safely on just about any surface available in the gym. Even a single 2×6 works great, is easily transported in a gym bag, and requires little to no modifications. As an added benefit you have the luxury of doing single arm snatches and cleans to help you break through that plateau.
If you are thinking about buying a kettlebell, shop around. Different manufactures offer varying handle heights. As an example I own several forty pound kettlebells from three different manufactures. All three have different heights from ground to grip. The tallest kettlebell is three inches higher than that of the smallest. Consider your weaknesses, needs, and plateau’s when shopping for a kettlebell.

If you need help busting through your plateau, give me a shout. I am located in Bear, Delaware and still have a very limited number of evening and weekend slots open for your training needs.

Please contact me, J.Johnston aka “JJ”, Delaware’s Renegade Kettlebell Professional at jjcrewguy@aol.com