Bodyology Exercise Studio

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, mainly because we’ve finally taken the plunge with a Bodyology page on Facebook as it’s more interactive. However, I’ve had a few requests to update the blog from FB-avoiders & it’s also better than FB for longer content.

So, I’m pleased to say the 40kg stacked press is now hoisted:

One of the lessons hit home at RKC II was how much sub-maximal work is effective for strength. That means instead of trying to increase your maximum lift by trying to lift your maximum, do it by increasing your proficiency at sub-maximal weight. Wherever your limit is, training at that level is stressful & requires a lot of recovery before you can do it again well.

So, to reach 40kg most of my pressing practice has been in the 20-32kg range. The lack of fatigue has allowed me to perform more high quality repetitions than if I was struggling under a heavy load. Practising the movement until it’s efficient means the body knows what to do when faced with the bigger bell. My weekly heavy sessions have comprised very few reps, but the maximum weight has crept up from 34 to 36 to 38 to 40kgs over the last few weeks.

This philosophy of rarely approaching failure seems counter-intuitive to anyone bought up on school PE or the fitness tabloids. It is challenging to suspend those prejudices & assumptions that tell you a workout doesn’t count unless you can’t move for three days after. Remember, possibly the simplest yet most important of the RKC’s guidelines: strength is a skill.

Our personal clients will know the philosophy well from their sessions & in recent weeks we’ve used timed blocks of quality reps in the kettlebell classes too. It’s amazing how much work you can achieve over a period of time by never flirting with failure.

So, press goal pressed – time to set a new goal. I’ll aim to have a video of something heavier going aloft before long.

If you’ve set yourself targets but don’t seem to be getting nearer (or even further away) no matter how much you practise, it’s time to stop & have a think about how you’re going to get there. Questions & comments welcome as always.

Big ol' tyres. Every gym should have them.

The head coach here is also an RKC, so instead of rows of weights machines as you’d find in most gyms, he has a hall full of olympic bars, bells, clubs, sledgehammers, ropes & some giant tyres outside.

Sound familiar to anyone? (more…)

Our RKC II course is now only six weeks away & our training to meet the required standards was scuppered by a lousy December. Having lost several kilos to a stomach bug over new year, we’re thankfully back on the ladder again, trying to make up for lost time.

I posted about the bottoms up press before, having hit 24kg back in November. Finally, I’ve been able to string together a week of practice & now the 28kg has succumbed. Of course, it’s always nice to hit a PB & it’s no coincidence that it follows a period of consistency.

It proves a simple lesson that’s particularly apposite in January amidst all the weight-loss adverts & health club marketing:

consistent persistence = progress

Unlike most gym-goers & all the fitness gimmicks polluting the ad-breaks at the moment, that truism will last all year & beyond.

Onwards & upwards…

It seems the thaw may be starting, so here’s a quick tip for making the most of the snow before it disappears.

You’ll need a narrow strip of pristine powder no more than an inch thick. Walk or (if it’s safe) run along the snow to create a nice impression of your footfall. Generally speaking, the trail you leave gives us a few clues about how efficiently your body moves. (more…)

You’ve probably spotted lots of happy kids playing in the snow this week. Rosy-cheeked & off school, it’s hard to beat their joy at building snowmen & throwing snowballs.

Unless of course, you’re two grown men running through the forest, knee-deep in virgin snow. (more…)

A kettlebell class in sunnier times

A hot mug of steaming kudos to Rich, Adam & David who braved the snow & ice to make the last kettlebell class before Christmas.

At a time when many cars had been abandoned & most folk were more concerned with central heating & last-minute shopping, an hour of bells was not the easy option.

So their efforts were admirably rewarded I gave them a special gift I call ‘The Twelve Exercises of Christmas’. Regulars at my circuit classes in recent years will be familiar with the format & therefore rightly have some sympathy for the victims. (more…)

"Above is J showing some kettlebell exercises. J is a qualified kettlebell instructor!" Their words, not ours...

Time for a quick round of ‘spot the mistake’ using the picture on the left, taken from a nearby personal trainer’s website.

Answers on a lumbar support to the usual address.

Now this isn’t just me being sniffy & superior about another trainer – this is the kind of technique that hurts people. Injuries give kettlebell training a bad name & that gets our blood boiling. Kettlebell training doesn’t hurt your back; bad kettlebell training hurts your back. If you’re incapable of standing up straight your body isn’t ready for kettlebells or any other type of resistance. I’d wager ten minutes with us would fix his swing & turn it into an athletic, strengthening movement instead of an injury waiting to happen.
(more…)

With the RKC II course looming large in February 2010 I’m feeling the pressure to reach the required standard in the overhead press.

The prerequisite is 50% of body weight with strict form, i.e. no jerk or leg drive. For me that means hoisting 44kg – a significant improvement over my current standard of 32kg. Such a specific goal focuses the mind. Time for some hard work. (more…)

Matt & Rog alternating duckwalk presses with barbell leg raises

Enjoyed (ha!) a workout with fellow trainer Matt Gorton on Monday. We both wanted to play outside our comfort zones so Matt bought some moves from his boxing/MMA background & I threw in some kettlebell sequences, RKC-style.

The resulting fun was:

For starters, 4 rounds of

{10L/10R x weight plate circles 20kg
{10x weight plate clean + press 20kg
{10x super plank
{60-90 seconds rest

(more…)

Great circuits class this lunchtime for 3M. This year’s weather has been kind & we were outdoors again today. No shade & lots of overhead work meant rivers of sweat – I was baking just watching the guys…. hey, barking orders can be hard work, y’know!
(more…)