Busy Weekend for Revolution Fitness!

This last weekend was super busy. On Saturday I gave a one day NSCA sponsored RKC Prep Course to over 50 NSCA personal trainers in Irvine at Koh Physical Therapy Lab in Irvine, CA. This was the part two course after Pavel's level one course he did earlier in the month. Congrat's to all who participated. Thanks to RKC's Yoana Snideman (my lovely wife of course) Robert Budd, Cassie Charlebois, Paul Daniels and Steve Belinger for assisting. They all did very well and represented the RKC with pride and with honor.

There were comments from the first seminar that people wanted fresh and new material for this workshop. The problem was that none of them had even come close to mastering the RKC Drills of: Swing / Get Ups / Clean / Press / Snatch and Front squat. I made it very clear to the students that the RKC is not about seeing how many cool variations of exercises you can do, it is about mastering the basics. If you don't have the basics, you will not pass the RKC, not even close!

On Sunday Yoana and I were at the La Jolla Farmers' Market 10 year anniversary where we got a booth and marketed our business to the locals. It was fun....but I was ready to take a nap by the end of the weekend. Very busy......but all good stuff!!!! Revolution is growing!!!!!


Training Today

Weighted Pull ups
w/16kg KB 4 sets x 6 reps

Double KB Front Lunges
w/16kgs 4 sets x 5/5

Bottoms Up Press
24kg 2/2, 2/2,

Monday Training

Clean and Press
32kg 1 set x 2/2 w/Trainer Gripper in opposite hand

Swings w/32kg
5 sets x 20 reps = 100 reps

Kettlebells........My life has never been the same again!

So here I am listening to Josh Henkin's Interview with Anthony Dilugio from Punch gym and Art of Strength and it brings me back to how my journey started with Kettlebells. I was certified in April of 2003 along with a stellar class of strength coaches and trainers that have all gone on to do huge things in the fitness industry and push the fitness industry to new heights. Who was there at the April RKC 2003?

Josh Henkin
Anthony Dilugio
Jason Brown
Steve Rochet
Josh Everett
Steve Cotter
Mike Burgner
Tim Larkin
Shawn Mozen (Agustu KB's)

Check out Josh's Interview with Anthony here!

and many more. From what I can see everyone on that list has gone on to do huge things in this industry and continues to influence people in a MAJOR way. I am proud to be part of that group.

And since then my life has changed in ways I could have never imagined. I came back from the 2003 cert on FIRE, and told Yoana that we were going to open up a Kettlebell studio and that is jsut what we did. Next month in November will be 4 years that we have been open and it has been a dream come true for both Yoana and myself. And it all started on a friday afternoon in fall of 2002 in Santa Monica. Like a lot of people, my life was forever changed when I met Pavel Tsatsouline. A client of mine and I met up in Santa Monica and hired Pavel for two hours to help us get started using these kettlebells. The bottom line is that the session changed the direction of my life forever. It was also brutally hard and showed me how dysfunctional I had become using corrective exercise for years. From that day on I stopped using the wobble boards, woopie cushion discs for standing on, and all the other "functional" toys and got serious about my training. I had essentially "wasted" so many years on balls and boards and started focusing on my kettlebell skills. But it wasn't until the April 2003 Certification that I was able to really get the technique downs and progress as a kettlebell student and athlete.

And today.....today I am more excited about kettlebells and health than I was back in 2003. Am I where I want to be? No. Am I headed in the right direction with my training? Yes. My body feels better than it ever did when I was doing the "functional training" and I attribute that to Pavel and to kettlebells. Are kettlebells the only tool I use? No, but they certainly make up a fairly huge chunk of my training and I don't see that changing in the near future.

As Anthony Diligio says, Joint mobility and corretive exercise are built into the kettlebell movements, especially the foundational RKC movements:

1) Swing
2) Turkish Get Up
3) Cleans
4) Military Presses
5) Front Squats
6) Snatches

If you can get those movements down, even if they don't look pretty in the beginning, you will look and feel better, period! I know I am preaching to the crowd here but those six movements above are life changing and so is the RKC!

Power to all of us! I thank God every day for the opportunities He has given me and Yoana and I am so glad to be alive at a time like now where their is a Renaissance in the fitness industry like their right now!

Finding the Right Groove

(Our precious little Angel, Marianna!)

Last Tuesday I had the honor of working out with Mike LoBue (track and field coach and strength coach for SDSU). Needless to say, he put me through a tough workout....so tough I had to rest the remainder of the week. But it was tons of fun and it taught me first hand about the SAID principle. He had me use an Axle (thick barbell) for DL's and Clean and Push Presses along with Plyo's on high boxes, pistols, swings, Double KB clean and Presses, and some sledgehammer work. It was tuns of fun...but it smoked me.

Tuesday Training

Today I did what Master RKC Kenneth Jay wrote about in the RKC manual. Grab two different size KB's and press them in one hand. This forces you to keep your forearm vertical and makes you find the perfect pressing Groove. I gotta tell you....this just feels right! I think this will help my pressing woes, big time!

16kg + 12kg Single arm Military Press 1/1 x 10 sets = 20 reps

Single Arm Swings

24kg 20/20 x 3 sets = 120 reps

short and sweet. Felt great to train at home in our garage gym. I need to do this more often.

Re-thinking the PRESS

Last week I finally was able to PR in the press by duck-taping a 10 pound weight plate to the bottom of a 32kg KB. Was able to only 1 rep on my right. PR!!! Left? Not yet :(
But I still feel like I am missing something. Something is still not quite working....especially on my weaker left side. Now I realize this is a common problem, especially for a right hand dominant person like me. Anatomically and functionally something still feels "OFF" on my left side.


After reading Kenneth Jay's article on Training for Maximal Strength with the Russian Kettlebell (in the RKC manual on page 127), I realized that I have been lifting primarily the 28kg and 32kg for low reps. What is Kenneth's advice? To go much HIGHER on the VOLUME. I had been maybe getting around 8 to 25 total reps per training session (and that is with both arms combined). Now I am going to keep the high load day in for sure...but I am just adding in a higher volume day to get my pressing volume up which I cannot do safely with a heavier bell.

In other words my Pressing volume is way to LOW. Therefore I am taking the advice of Kenneth and adding in one super high volume day on pressing with the 16kg with the goal of being able to get around 100 reps per arm per session. I instinctively feel that this is important for me and will help practice my SKILL of pressing as I am using a lighter weight. And that is exactly what I started off today with.....a high volume day(at least for me).

Monday (high volume pressing day)
Barbell Dynamic Lunges 95lbs 3 sets x 5/5

Military Press with 16kg
10 sets x 5/5 = 100 total reps

Double Swings w/ 16kgs
5 sets x 10 reps = 50 total reps


Sunday Training w/ Yoana
10 x 10 100 yards Tempo Runs at 60% effort.
BW exercises after each 100 yard run (jumping lunges, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, shuffles, burpees, fisted push ups)

On another note I was able to assist Pavel (along with some other RKC's) at Pavel's NSCA Kettlebell Seminar up in Irvine. It is always awesome to watch Pavel teach and hang out with him. Pavel is just such a class act and has so much integrity! I will be teaching a Level II Kettlebell Seminar for the NSCA (an RKC prep course) on Saturday October 25th at the same place in Irvine. Should be fun!!!

More Training

Proverbs 3:5-8 ( I love the proverbs. Some of the best passages in the entire Bible)

"5Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. ^[a]

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones."

Last week I felt weaker than usual so didn't hit the training as hard. I'll slowly start to progress into more volume.

Training

Tuesday
TGU w/24 kg 1/1 + 20swings w/ 24kg

200 Rep Challenge w/24kg (see how fast you can complete 200 reps)
10 sets of 20 swings (2 handed)
Time = 7 min 32 sec (PR) Beat my previous PR of 7 min 42 sec

Monday
Bulgarian Split Squats
2x16kgs 6/6 x 3 sets

Clean and Press
Double Clean and Press
24kg 5 x 2 sets

Clean and Press (w. COC Trainer in opposite hand)
32kg 1/1 x 4 sets

Weighted Pull Ups
40kg 2,2,2

Saturday
Yoana and I hiked up Cowles mountain. Highest peak in San Diego.
23 min, 49 sec - Yoana beat me by 20 seconds

Trace Adkins - You're Gonna Miss This

I am NOT a country fan. But this song by Trace Adkins is awesome. How often do we tell ourselves that life will be better when.....we get married.....or when we get that big promotion...........or when you weigh a certain amount...............or when you are old enough to drive a car......or when I get that car and house!

The fact is that life is so fast that we must stop and enjoy every STAGE of life because once it's gone.........IT's GONE!!!

Life is not a dress rehersal! The lyrics in this song are true! Listen to them carefully!

Blessings to all!

Franz

Fall is in the air!

Living in San Diego is awesome. The weather is great year round..........but it does start to cool down a bit in the night and evening and you can start to smell fall in the air. I love it! I miss seeing the trees change colors like it does in Santa Fe, New Mexico where I grew up. As much as I miss the trees and mountains I would not trade the ocean for anything. Living by the ocean it's easy to get spoiled. I guess just seeing the vastness and SIZE of the ocean is just awe inspiring.

Tuesday Training
Bulgarian Split Squats
2 x 16kgs 3 x 10/10

Kneeling Military Press
16kg 3 x 8/8

Weighted Pull Ups
28kg 4,4,4 = 12 reps

Clean and Press w/ Gripper in opposite hand
28kg 4 x 3/3 = 12 reps each arm

Monday Training
Clean and Press
32kg + 5 pound weight taped on - 1 rep right (PR)
32kg + 10 pound weight taped on 1 rep right (PR) 80 lbs C & P - woo hoo

Sunday Training
Swings w/ 24kg = Yoana and I both got 200 swings in 7 minutes and 40 seconds. Blew my previous record out of the water which was a laughable 11 minutes.

Saturday
Pull Ups 12, 10
Hiked Cowles Mountain (the highest peak in San Diego County)

Friday
Did the workout with my KB Class. We performed everything in circuit format for 3 sets
Single Leg DL's 8/8
Kneeling Presses 8/8
Squat Thrusters 5
KB Prone Bridge 4/4
Ribbons 5/5
Swings 32kg x 10
Swings 24kg x 10
Swings 20kg x 10
Run around block

Thursday
Clean and Press
32kg 1/1 x 3 sets

Weighted Pull Ups
32kg 3,3,4
Tuesday
TGU
32kg x 1/1 x 3 sets

Bulgarian Split Squats
16kg x 2 10/10 x 3 sets

Franz's 88 lb. Kettle Bell Snatches

Well, after judging the TSC I was so pumped up I had to try to set a PR in something. My previous best with the BULLDOG was 16 reps on the right arm and 6 reps on the left. My bodyweight 167 pounds.

NEW PR
20 Reps right arm

13 Reps left arm

Man, was that fun! I am definitely a power athlete more than a strength athlete. Pressing the BULLDOG has never happened, Snatching it, YES!!!!!

TSC Results

Another fun and exciting TSC at Revolution. I never get tired of the TSC's because it is so fun to watch people give it their all and set PR's. If you have never been to a TSC or competed in a TSC, you have got to do it!!!!! It's not for sissies that's for sure. And as Mark Rifkeind says, "it's all easy until you start lifting heavy."

Unfortunately we had no women competitors this TSC but the men showed up and represented well.

Mike Baltren BW 224 DL 500 Pull Ups 15 Snatches 116

John Shilling BW 251 DL 500 Pull Ups 6 Snatches 128 (PR in DL)

Alex Wolf BW 231 DL 435 Pull Ups 5 Snatches 125 (PR in snatches)

Murray Birch BW 185 DL 415 Pull Ups 21 Snatches 114 (PR in DL, never did snatches before - yikes. Murray did amazing. Never touches a 24kg KB ever in his life before today)

Os Aponte BW 155 DL 355 Pull Ups 26 Snatches 111 (DL PR - way to go Os!!!!!!)

Mike Pellicio BW 162 DL 406 Pull Ups 17 Snatches 85 (Mike showed up having not trained at all since last TSC- very nice)

Firmen Sowres BW 161 DL 315 Pull Ups 15 Snatches 84 (PR's on everything. Never deadlifted before and never has tested himself like this!

Everyone did awesome! Congratulations to all who competed!

Wednesday Training

I learned some very important things yesterday about my pressing:

1) My pressing technique is better after heavy weighted pull ups for singles or doubles.

Perhaps it is because this facilitated the lats firing more and also gets my grip out of "sleepy ville."

2) Using a gripper (the Trainer from Captain of crush) and crushing it right as I press the KB in the air works. Pavel is right.....so much more power because irradiation.

3) Doing heavy TGU's prior to pressing lights up my core and my pressing ability. I don't do these enough....these felt so good using the new RKC technique

Feel much better now about my pressing. Funny how things can change in one day. Tuesday I'm ready to jump off the Coronado bridge because I feel as weak as a kitten. Wednesday I feel like I am the pressing king of La Jolla.

The overall conclusion is that I have to get better at the "skill" of pressing and whatever other methods or tools are helpful, those I need to use.

Wednesday Training
TGU with 32kg 1/1 x 3 sets

Weighted Pull Ups
24kg 1 rep (warm up)
40kg 2,2,1,1,2,2 - 10 reps = these are coming along nicely

Clean and Press w/ Trainer Gripper in opposite hand
32kg 1/1 x 6 sets = 6 singles per arm

Snatches 2/24kg
10/10 x 2 = 40 reps

32kg snatches

Decided to test myself on the clean and press with the 32kg......and it didn't go to well.

3 reps on the right / 1 rep on the left

Feels as if the Clean and Press ladders with the 28kg have done nothing to build my strength, at least not with the 32kg. Looks I have to keep pressing on as this could take a lot of time. The DAMN press just doesn't come natural to me....sometimes I feel like I'm going backwards...dammit! Frustration is at an all time high....something is just not clicking with my press. I feel as if my lumbar spine in perhaps keeping me from lifting big. I have had my L4-L5 herniated twice (actaully two severe disc bulges). That disc is basically flatened. I'm wondering if my body just doesn't want me to load it and thus is shutting of neurological flow to my muscles. That is the only thing I can think of.

Oh well, I have my PULLS such as snatches and pull ups to keep me going. Even if my clean and press plateaus (which it has for years), I can contine to get stronger with my snatches and weighted pull ups. Let's face it.............

I am a much better PULLER than I am pusher. I will have to earn the press......and looks like it might take me longer than I expected to press that BULLDOG! I will not give up, but I will not beat myself up if I do not get it soon.

Training Today

Clean and Press

32kg 3 reps right / 1 rep left (left side feels pathetically weak)

Strict military press (no clean)

24kg 5/5 x 3 sets

Snatches

32kg 10/10 x 3 sets = 60 snatches - these felt great!!!!

Keeping it simple!

Focusing on the two movements has simplified my training considerably.....and I like that.
The only additional work I am doing is ASLR work and T-spine mobility work which is what came us as priority #1 on my Functional Movement Screen. So in a nutshell, here are my goals:

1) Get my ASLR to at least a score of 2 and fix the asymmetry.
2) Get my T-spine to move better and with better coordination and symmetry to help my achy shoulders.
3) To Press the Bulldog by next June for the RKC II.
4) To Pull up the BEAST to the neck.

Those are my goals. Achievable? Definitely!!! Hard work? For sure!

Training

Thursday August 4
Clean and Press Ladders
28kg 1,2,3 x 5 sets (last 2 sets, rep 3 was difficult)

Weighted Pull Ups
28kg x 4,4,4,3,3,3 = 21 reps

Tuesday
Pick Up basketball game --left me SMOKED!!! Ouch!

Monday
Clean and Press Ladders
28kg 1 rep x 5 sets

Weighted Pull Ups
28kg 3,4,4 = 11 reps

Swings
16kg 25/25 x 2 = 100 reps

Saturday August 30th
24kg Two handed swings 200 reps in 11:07 (brutal). (inspired by reading Doug Nepodal's blog. Although he got 200 done in 8 minutes. On a funny note, Yoana did 200 hardstyle swings with the 24kg yesterday in 7:56 and blew me out the water. But what do you expect- I'm a sprinter- we hate endurance. yikes! YOANA is a MACHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

After the swings I was so tired. It just shows me how horrible my GPP and conditioning is. I don't like high reps. What a wuss I am, huh? I must start doing more swings to get my conditioning up. Is there any thing more important than swings? According the RKC Swings are the center of the universe! Better include them in a lot more!

It is not the critic who counts!

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

"Citizenship in a Republic,"
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

One of my most favorite quotes of all time. In fact I had this engraved onto a beautiful piece of wood that I hung in my hallway in my house. Every time I read it I remember how important it is to take action and forget about people's approval or disapproval of you. In the end all that matters is what and how you act upon the dreams inside of your heart.

There is a saying that the talents and potential we have is a gift from God. Our gift back to God is what we do with those talents!I

Friday Training

Clean and Press Ladders (High Volume day)
28kg 1,2,3,4 x 1 (PR)
28kg 1,2,3 x 4

Weighted Pull ups
28kg 5,3,4,4,4,4 = 24 reps

Love Being a DAD!!!

You gotta love the coconut bra :)


I gotta say that I love being a Dad. Every month gets better with our daughter and each month I like more than the previous one. It just keeps getting more and more exciting and awesome. All you parents out there will relate, the love you feel for a child is beyond comprehension. Rarely would you ever willingly die for anybody on this planet. But for your child, you would die in one second. In fact, the attachment I felt with Marianna when I first got to hold her was so strong, it was as if she had been in my life forever and I couldn't imagine life without her. How unreal? You know this little person for 1 minute and yet you would take a bullet for her without a second thought!

I think God uses children in our lives to teach us about life and about how he must unconditionally love us.

Training -

Monday August 25
Clean and Press Ladders (Easy Day)
28kg 5 sets x1/1

Snatches w/16kg
40 L / 40 R = 80 reps - nice finisher

Tuesday
Basketball (to help me work on explosive power, jumping and multi-directional agility)

Wednesday
Clean and Press Ladders (medium day)
28kg 5 sets x 1,2

Weighted Pull Ups
28kg 6 sets x 3

Goblet Squats
32kg 10,8,6

One Arm swings
16kg 25 L, 25 R x 2 = 100 reps

Blessings to all!

Fighting the good fight!!!

(the above photo is my twin brother Keats with his boys and my daughter Marianna. Bottom photo is Keats and I with Marianna)

This week was tough in the sense that I could feel my body not responding to much of anything.....the reason being the my busy schedule and travel schedule finally caught up with me. I am smoked! Santa Fe 4 day trip followed by 4 days at the UCLA RKC, followed immediately by the CK-FMS. Whooooooooo! Mucho tired!

Very tired......and everything hurts. Need to get some long needed rest. Overall I am still excited with the whole process of improving my physical asymmetries because it is helping me gain victory over other lifestyle issues such as being over worked and lack of sleep. It's forcing me to re-structure my work schedule and take more time off to spend with the family and do things for me such as sleep, reading, track work, and massage. But I must FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!!!!

Especially now since I have to be able to press the 40kg (BULLDOG) if I want to pass the RKC II next summer. I have alot of work to do.............A LOT!!!!!!! But I'm up for the challenge!!!!!

TRAINING (every day - Active Straight Leg Raise Corrective work, T-Spine Mobility work)

Last Thursday
Clean and Press Ladder w/28kg 1,2,3 x 3 sets

Last Friday
Sumo Deadlifts - 225 x 5 x 4 sets (Base conditioning)

Sunday - my first basketball game in over 4 years. Tons of fun as I got to play with former Chicago Bull Steve Kerr. What a nice guy. I had to take off until last Wednesday in order to recover. WOW!

Wednesday-
Clean and Press Ladder w/ 28kg 1,2,3 x 4 sets

Thursday -
Weighted Pull ups w/ 28kg 3,3,3,3,3,3 = 18 reps

Today (Saturday August 23)
Sumo Deadlifts - 225 x 5 x 4 sets
Clean and Press Ladders w/ 28kg - 1,2,3 x 5 (NEW PR!!!!!!!!!)

1 Timothy 6:12-13
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Goals......which path shall I take?

After implementing in the CK-FMS info this week, three things are very clear to me:

1) I need to get much better at addressing asymmetries in my clients right from the start. This is something that I have not addressed enough.

2) As Gray Cook said, "Always be structured and focused on the front end." In other words, let the movement screen set the direction of the training program. Too often do I prescribe exercises to clients that I enjoy rather than giving them movements that address their weaknesses or asymmetries. Also, having everything organized (folders, forms, exercise homework print outs) just makes the process so much easier.

3) I have not earned the right to use heavy KB right now! Gulp! That one hurts! I am strong...although much of that strength was built on a dyfunctional body! Let's just say that the 16kg is plenty heavy right now.

My clients are loving the concept of the FMS and I have allready performed it on two clients. Many more to come this week and the weeks to come! I think they are also excited to see me so excited! Much more posts to come about the results!

TRAINING
Last week I focused on the following areas because I scored low on the:

* Active Straight Leg Raise
* Shoulder Mobility - (T-spine in rotation is really the problem)

My program now is mainly:
*1/2 TGU's with light weights - focusing on slowing down and perfecting the movement.
* Kneeling KB Military Presses - both in lunge and tall kneeling positions -very difficult for me
* Sumo Barbell Deadlifts - focusing on the grip strength, tricep and lat involvement - very good!
*Swings - The center of the RKC UNIVERSE - I have never really focused on swings for any length of time. Now is the time to put the swing into full force.
* Right Hamstring Stretching
*Left Psoas, Rectis Femoris, TFL, IT Band Stretching, mobility and soft tissue work
* T-spine Rotations from CK-FMS Manual
* Some Z-health Mobility work
* Daily Grip work (GTG) for my left hand with te Trainer Captrain of Crush Gripper

So far now this is my focus...to get my body working better and better. The grip work on my left side is really starting to make a difference in full body function. Brett and Gray talked about not having more than a 10% difference between left and right and I for sure have a huge difference. Exciting times for sure!

I promise to update this blog more often! I PROMISE!!!

CK- FMS.........WOW!

WOW!

That is what I have to say about the CK-FMS certification. My hats off to Gray Cook, Brett Jones and Dragon Door for putting on such a high quality certification. If you are an RKC, I highly recommend you take this cert. It beautifully ties together the hardstyle KB system with Gray Cook's Functional Movement Screen.

Seeing Pavel as a student also proved to me why he is such an incredible teacher and mentor, because he is a "student" first. RKC's have a great commander in chief in Pavel. We are lucky to be alive right now and reap the benefits of people like Pavel, Gray Cook and Brett Jones. Right now my head is spinning from the cert, but I am starting to piece everything together that I learned. Below are some of the primary principles (although not an exhaustive list by any means) of the CK-FMS system that stood out to me as being essential and significant.

1) The Functional Movement Screen is a system (not a program) that allows you to SCREEN clients for DURABILITY.

* Performance Vs. Durability = there is a difference. High performance does not always lead to durability.
* The Movement Screen is a DURABILITY DETECTOR

2) Advanced Pattern Detection = You must find the weak link in the chain.

3) Goldman Algorithm = Be consistent and methodical on the front end.
*Basically you have a movement standard and a baseline.
*You must have structure on the front end. This FMS is an algorithm that protects the therapist /trainer / coach against any biases and expertise. If you don't go through the screening you may miss the most important aspect that the clients needs to have addressed.

4) Asymmetries are the #1 indicator that can predict a future injury. Bottom line: fix asymmetries that come up in the screening process.

5)Core Stability is foot position dependent. Train different stance,including kneeling position, lunge position, single leg stance, etc.

6) Most of the space in our brain regarding movement is dedicated to the hands and feet. Bottome line: get strong hands (grip) and you will have stronger shoulders and a stronger body. Wear good shoes (Pavel has been preaching this for years).

7) The body never thinks in terms of individual muscles. Think Movement Patterns. The nervous sytem works by MOVING the body as a whole. I think we all know this but it's nice to hear again from some of the most knowledgeable coaches out there.

and there is so much more to write....I think I will wait to post the rest when I am not so sleepy!

Thanks to Aaron and Fawn Friday for having a get together at their house. The Friday's are the nicest people you will ever meet. So gracious and just so down to earth. Good people!!!!! Tracy and Rif were there at the party.....and let me tell you, Tracy knows how to cook great tasting healthy food!

It was nice to finally meet some blog friends, Franklin (my roomate at the cert), Sean, Gabi, Kate and Maura. It was also cool to see Mike T. Nelson and his girlfriend Jodi. It's alway great to see old friends and RKC TL's, Seniors, and now Masters Instructors. RKC school of strength is the place to be!

UCLA RKC Recap

What a weekend!!!

The RKC never ceases to amaze me....the students....Pavel.....the instructors......and the energy. If you have never been to an RKC it's hard to express in words alone. RKC is a school of strength first, but for me and my family it is a way of life. The community that collectively makes up the RKC transcends anything I have ever experienced. Since my first certification in 2003, the RKC has transformed my life and my business. There is an energy that is absolutely electrifying once you catch hold of it. Perhaps it's because more than 100 people eager to learn and grow and improve are all simultaneously on the same QUEST. All who come to the RKC are humbled by their experience and that is a GOOD thing!

Anyone who comes with too big of an EGO, ready to conquer the the RKC community is quickly put in their place and that too is a good thing. You go in excited and willing to win, and you leave tired, exhuasted, yet totally VICTORIOUS! Becoming an RKC is tough........and it doesn't come easy. You must EARN it with sweat, bloody hands, and a warrior spirit!

Seeing Pavel teach is always a blessing to me as his communication skills and coaching always helps me in more ways than I know. Watching Dan John teach was also amazing. What a great addition to the RKC community. Brett Jones was focused as usual, and Andrea Ducane gave a great explanation on how to learn the Clean and how to teach new students kettlebell exercises.

Team Snideman

I had the absolute privilage to work with 10 amazing people: Ricky, Dominic, Mike, Megan, Celina, Hugo, Jacob, Kingston, Kenneth, and Barrett. Everyone gave it their all and left victorious in many ways. I am proud of all of you! Thank you for your effort and for your willingness to learn!!!!

NEW Master RKC's Rif and Kennth Jay

Yoana and I are so happy for these guys. Talk about two honorable men that walk with total integrity. I got to hand it to Pavel, he has really assembled a fine group of top instructors. These guys are the best out there, period!!!!!

RKC Assistants, Team Leaders, Friends

It is so awesome to be able to see old friends that Yoana and I have made during our years with the RKC, and it's always great to make new friends. Tracy and Rif are always fun to hang out with. In fact Tracy took Yoana shopping in Santa Monica and I nearly lost my fortune. Rumor has it that Tracy loves to shop. Luckily Yoana ended up buying nothing.....Rif cannot say the same about Tracy though :)

We also got to see our good friend Dr. Mark Cheng (phenomenal teacher)and his lovely wife Courtney and his beautiful boy!

I finally got to meet Will Williams.....gotta love that guy's passion and enthusiasm, great teacher. Doug Nepodal....what a cool guy! Zar Horton....he is the man!!!! Chris Holder......good friend...loyal friend.....he is awesome for the RKC! Trisha Dong, Missy Beaver, and my assistants Dave and Laura, they rock!

And it was really cool to finally meet Zachariah Salazar....this guy knows his stuff. He is a great teacher and just such an approachable and likable guy. Seeing Steve Belanger was awesome as was seeing and meeting all the new assistants that I had never met before!

RKC this Weekend!

(pics from the TSC last year)


So Yoana and I are off today to go to UCLA for the RKC. Can't wait. It's always so much fun teaching new students. The week after that I get on a plane and head to St. Paul, Minnesota for the CK-FMS. Now that should be awesome!

Busy times.....but fun times!

Santa Monica Trip, Breakdancing, and now we're off to Santa Fe!

Last weekend went up to Santa Monica to hang out with Yoana's side of the family. Fun times, good times......

Breakdancing:

May be one of the best forms of exercises out there......and one of the best ways to get RIPPED ABS!!!!! Check out the guy in the middle of the picture....totally RIPPED! This one crew in Santa Monica was unreal...talk about athleticism and motor control. The things they could do were jaw dropping. Yoana and I stayed for their entire show on the sidewalk of the Promenade in Santa Monica. Hundreds of other people did the same.

I also went to the rings on Santa Monica Beach next to the peir. Swinging from ring to ring is challenging but super fun. I think my new goal is to become a Ninja Warrior ( for the show in Japan - and I am not kidding.)

We are off on a road trip tomorrow to Santa Fe, New Mexico. We'll do a stop over in Sedona as well! Should be fun!!

Happy 4th of July!

Today we celebrate the birthday of the United Stated of America!

John Adams, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and later our second president, made a prediction about Independence Day in a letter to his wife Abigail: "It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forevermore."

I hope everyone has an awesome 4th of July and great weekend!

Blessings!

Franz, Yoana & Marianna

Kettlebell Prone Bridge | RKC Franz Snideman

This is a great substitution exercise I came up with for the renegade row, especially if you only have one kettlebell. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

The "CAUSE" state VS. The "EFFECT" State

A couple of years ago I took some workshops with Combat Expert Tim Larkin.(go to http://www.targetfocustraining.com) For those of you who do not know who he is, he is undoubtedly one of the BEST experts and teachers on combative fighting tactics than can save your life. More importantly, Tim focuses on teach people the difference between living your life in the "EFFECT" state,or the "CAUSE" State. What's the difference between the two?

When you are living in the EFFECT state you are allowing people, circumstances and external influences to EFFECT you in whatever way they want to. For example, let's say a gang banger walking down the same alley way as you pulls out a knife and walks quickly towards you. The EFFECT state naturally would mean you would run the other way or retreat. Maybe not such a good idea if you are in a dead end alley way. So in essence what is happening is that the action of the man with the knife (CAUSE STATE) is making you retreat (the EFFECT STATE). A person in the CAUSE state might have never been in the alley way to begin with. Or, he would have immediately realized that by retreating he is giving his power away. Thus he would have charged the attacker (something the attacker would never guess would happen) and would have put the gang banger in the EFFECT STATE.

Hopefully you can clearly see the cause / effect relationship here. The problem with living in the EFFECT state is that you lose your personal power and thus are left to the devices of fate, or worse yet, the non-ethical and immoral actions of a sociopath. How many people are walking around the streets, beaten down, emotionally destroyed, victimized, and only because they were never taught to realize that they do have a choice, and that living in the EFFECT state is voluntary.

There are so many areas of our lives where if we are brutally honest with ourselves we will be able to see how we have been living in the EFFECT STATE. For example, let's take food as a potential area of recurring problematic behavior for you. So you decide to go on a diet and clean up your eating habits. One week into the diet you attend a party where there is unlimited amounts of sweets, alcoholic drinks and junk food at your disposal. A person who chooses to live in the CAUSE state would be pro-active and take action as to not give in to these temptations. What might they have done?

Well, for one they might have thought ahead and known that the party would have had bad food options and instead eaten healthy food before the party began. This would have made them resist the temptation because they would have been full while at the party. I have experienced that going to a grocery store or a party while super HUNGRY can spell total disaster. The person living in the CAUSE state would be pro-active and prevent the dietary sin from taking place. The person living in the EFFECT state would have gone to the party hungry and given into his weaknesses and totally derailed himself from his true goals.

Personally, I can think of many areas of my life right now where I intentionally and often unintentionally choose to be a victim and life in the EFFECT STATE. So ask your self, what areas of your life are dominated by the EFFECT STATE? Where have you chosen to live in the CAUSE STATE? One of the things I learned from Tim Larkin is that people living in the CAUSE state prevent bad things from happening in the first place. If you think ahead and are always aware of your surroundings, you will avoid potential attacks from predators, whether they be real people or behavioral problems such as eating poorly and laziness.

Now that I am a parent, I see the wisdom in living in the cause state as opposed to the EFFECT state.

Read the following words by Tim Larkin:

"The sad fact is that teaching a child to physically
fight an adult "predator" is woefully ineffective and
very misguided.

If a hyena were stalking a lion cub none of us would
expect the cub to be able to fend off the hyena. Yet
we somehow wish that our children would be able to do
just that.

Effect State will not only get you killed -- but also
(tragically) those loved ones you are responsible for
like children and elderly relatives. We'd like to
think that there's some special training we can give
our kids that will relieve us from our responsibility
should we falter in our vigilance...

--- THERE ISN'T... it's ours until they are past that
vulnerable stage of life."

9.72: Usain Bolt 100 meters world record

This is unreal! Usain has got to be the favorite in China for the Olympics! I never thought anyone would beat Tyson Gay but I this guy came out of no where!!!

Sprinting is getting more and more EXCITING!!!!

Trip to Mexico with the Familia

We just back last week from a great and super fun trip to Playa Del Carmen, about 1 hour south of Cancun by car. This was a last minute spontaneous trip that I felt we needed to take. I was absolutely cooked from work and frankly I felt like we all just needed a nice Caribbean vacation to relax. Marianna (who will be 5 months old this Thursday) did great and watching her soak in all the stimulation was so cool. Infants learn so much every day that it's hard to imagine what is going on inside their brains. As nice as it was to travel it is always nice to return to San Diego and to Revolution!!!

Got some great reading in, got plenty of rest, got plenty of sun and more importantly I got to spend 24 hours a day with Yoana and the baby! We also got some training in ( of course), archery, jumped off cliffs into rivers, snorkeled, and got plenty of time at the beach and in the Caribbean ocean. Did a lot of contemplating on life as well and how fortunate Yoana and I are at this stage in our lives. We have much to be grateful for and we must give praise and honor to our lord and God Jesus Christ. God is good! Over and over again I still am in awe of our new baby. Talk about a life changing event. I never knew how awesome it would be and the level of emotions one could feel. Truly life changing.

Vacations are always good for me as they allow me to stop, breathe, and climb up the trees to see where I am headed in life and where I am taking my family. It allows to me to re-evaluate my objectives, my motives, and my commitment to living out my deepest held morals, values and ethics. Frankly stated, we all need to time to re-sharpen the saw and contemplate the deeper things of life. The day to day routine sometimes has a way of keeping us from the deeper things of life.



In the words of George Bernard Shaw,

"This is the true joy in life, that being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. That being a force of nature, instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. For the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It's a sort of splendid torch which I've got to hold up for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

I would add the your life is God's gift to you. What you do with your life is your gift back to God!




Training wise: Here is my weekly program design to enhance my sprinting

Monday - Strength day in the gym
SL Deadlifts 5//5 x 5
Double Clean and Press 5 x 5
Bent Over Rows
Stretching

Tuesday - Speed day on the track
120 meters x 4 (95%)
50 meters x 3-4
Stretching

Wed - off

Thursday - Tempo Days
100 yards x 10 (65-70%)

Friday - Power/ Strength day in the Gym
Snatches with KB's / varying weights and Rep ranges
Weighted Pull Ups
Stretching

Saturday - Speed Day on Grass
Cone / Agility Work
20 meters x 3-4
30 meters x 3
40 meters x 2
60 meters x 1 - 2