Friday, August 15, 2008
The Refined Turkish Getup: Functional as well as Diagnostic
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What is a Turkish Get Up, and why is it such a stable element of Hard Style Kettlebell Training? Is there a "hardstyle" or "RKC" form of the Turkish Get Up, and why should you care - or care to practice this form rather than any other? These questions and more are explored in the following post.
(April 09: update on Position 4, the High Hip Bridge debate here)
(april 09, two: update on TGU as Diagnostic compared with FMS more questions than answers)
and just to be explicit, the following has now been captured in incredible step by step detail, with corrective drills, in the Kalos Sthenos DVD/Manual, touched on in the above two links.
There have been a number of posts of late on the various RKC sites commenting on how the Turkish Get Up has evolved as a move at the RKC.
For folks not familiar with it, the Turkish Get Up is a great full body move that asks a person to go from a supine position to a standing position and back down again with a weight held in a fully extended arm. To achieve this work, just about everything is involved at some point in the move. It's been adopted into a suite of core kettlebell moves. This is why most recently Gray Cook and Brett Jones have been talking about it as a great diagnostic move too for calisthenics or beautiful movement.
There are numerous variations of this form with kettlebells, but over the past year or so, it has settled into a crisp clear execution of form designed to work the full body very well. While there is some debate about who/when this form was evolved, it's the one Hard Style is promoting, and for good reason. The illustrations following are of Dr. Mark Cheng, the person who wrote the latest RKC certification manual section on the Turkish Get Up.
As Brett Jones has said, this version of the TGU is not meant to replace any other TGU version, but it is an excellent diagnostic for showing where weaknesses may be. Combine this with the Functional Movement Screen, and we can see where there are stability or mobility issues and how to address them. If the TGU improves, the methods were effective; if it gets worse, need to check again what's up.
As a general technique, it is also strongly recommended that TGU's are practiced naked to start with (ie nothing in your hands), then work up to balancing a shoe on the flat of the palm to ensure excellent arm positioning and body awareness,THEN think about weight. At the recent Certified Kettlebell Functional Movement Specialist workshop (review here), Brett Jones ended up calling the Naked TGU + Shoe the Extreme TGU. In our group where we decided to go naked + shoe (before it was called "extreme"), Tom Nunn and i personally found that using the shoe gave us a focus for our raised arm without unduly fatiguing us with weight while we were frequently pausing and repeating moves to interrogate what might be happening with form.
Indeed, for those new to this move, get the form perfect first is the message: there's a LOT of neuro-muscular adaptation in this move that will work you out without anything in your hand, fear not.
Here's a review of the complete TGU as illustrated by RKC Team Lead Dr. Mark Cheng at the CK-FMS workshop
(1) start rolled full length on the side to grasp the bell with both hands
(8) With your left foot leg on the ground, bring your right leg back through - work to get this pull through as even as possible - so that you get your knee down behind you and your hip lined up with that hand on the ground. Left knee still up.
update/note April 09: there's been some debate about whether or not or why or why not this hip thrust is the right thing to do in a TGU. There's a discussion/analysis of at least some of that debate in an accompanying post on the high hip bridge, here.
* Added Note: Windmill hinge vs Windshield Wiper Crouch.
At the CK-FMS, this position caused considerable discussion. You'll note Doc is almost in a crouch here and the right leg is doing what came to be called a "wind shield wiper move" with the right foot almost aligning behind the left foot.
Here are comments from Andrea Chang, RKC, based on discussions of this posture with Pavel, Andrea du Cane, Gray Cook and Mark Cheng (quoted with permission):
Back to the sequence: So now you're kneeling on one knee, with one hand on the ground, arm straight and the other arm up with the KB. Note alignment of hand by side
(9) Get your hand off the ground so you're now in a genuflecting position. You are not using the hand on the ground to give you a boost up: this is a controlled movement of the torso into an upright position. If you cannot get to that upright position smoothly, that's another sign of work to do.
(10) put your weight on that forward leg (the left leg with the foot firmly planted on the ground), you can look straight ahead now, and stand up. No hesitancy, just right up. The shoulder with the bell should be sucked down into the socket, the lats fired holding up that kettlebell. If it's difficult to get to that standing position in one step, work to do there, too.
* Now reverse.
back into kneel
leg back through and hip up
lower butt, leg extending out, arm on ground extended and hand by hip
lower to elbow
bring the bell down to the chest (no photo - sorry)
roll to side with bell
The goal in part is to get this to be a crisp sequence of steps that can be broken down into individual units and then flowed into one motion.
1. kb to chest
2. press up bell
3. arm to side
4. roll to side
5. on elbow
6. on hand
7. hips up
8. leg back to kneel prep
9. torso erect in genuflect
10. Stand up
reverse.
Throughout, stay in a straight line all the way up: so the direction you start the TGU in is the direction you end in.
Putting it all together, here is Mark carrying out the "bottom's up" version of the TGU (can you see the small differences? also note the windshield wiper move going from bridge to genuflect to standing, rather than windmill hinge):
The problems we attended were:
- the extended leg leaving the ground
- The bent knee caving in
- inability to lower to do a controlled lower of hand to ground from genuflect or to get up to
-genuflect from hand on ground
- difficulty with hip extension
Each of these issues maps to a corresponding stability and/or mobility issue that comes out in the FMS (pdf overview here). That's pretty cool. It's interesting to see that sometimes simply cleaning up form (position of hand relative to hip) has an major influence on performance. Or sometimes other work needs to be done. Regardless, we all knew the TGU was a powerful as a move in its own right; now we know it's powerful as a diagnostic tool as well.
As always, if moves like this are new to you, find an RKC in your neighborhood and ask them to check your form: a post is no replacement for a skilled set of eyeballs - especially those training up now with the CK-FMS.
Thanks to Andrea Chang for synthesizing the discussion on Position 4/photos 8 & 12
(April 09: update on Position 4, the High Hip Bridge debate here)
(april 09, two: update on TGU as Diagnostic compared with FMS more questions than answers)
and just to be explicit, the following has now been captured in incredible step by step detail, with corrective drills, in the Kalos Sthenos DVD/Manual, touched on in the above two links.
There have been a number of posts of late on the various RKC sites commenting on how the Turkish Get Up has evolved as a move at the RKC.For folks not familiar with it, the Turkish Get Up is a great full body move that asks a person to go from a supine position to a standing position and back down again with a weight held in a fully extended arm. To achieve this work, just about everything is involved at some point in the move. It's been adopted into a suite of core kettlebell moves. This is why most recently Gray Cook and Brett Jones have been talking about it as a great diagnostic move too for calisthenics or beautiful movement.
There are numerous variations of this form with kettlebells, but over the past year or so, it has settled into a crisp clear execution of form designed to work the full body very well. While there is some debate about who/when this form was evolved, it's the one Hard Style is promoting, and for good reason. The illustrations following are of Dr. Mark Cheng, the person who wrote the latest RKC certification manual section on the Turkish Get Up.
As Brett Jones has said, this version of the TGU is not meant to replace any other TGU version, but it is an excellent diagnostic for showing where weaknesses may be. Combine this with the Functional Movement Screen, and we can see where there are stability or mobility issues and how to address them. If the TGU improves, the methods were effective; if it gets worse, need to check again what's up.
As a general technique, it is also strongly recommended that TGU's are practiced naked to start with (ie nothing in your hands), then work up to balancing a shoe on the flat of the palm to ensure excellent arm positioning and body awareness,THEN think about weight. At the recent Certified Kettlebell Functional Movement Specialist workshop (review here), Brett Jones ended up calling the Naked TGU + Shoe the Extreme TGU. In our group where we decided to go naked + shoe (before it was called "extreme"), Tom Nunn and i personally found that using the shoe gave us a focus for our raised arm without unduly fatiguing us with weight while we were frequently pausing and repeating moves to interrogate what might be happening with form.
Indeed, for those new to this move, get the form perfect first is the message: there's a LOT of neuro-muscular adaptation in this move that will work you out without anything in your hand, fear not.
Here's a review of the complete TGU as illustrated by RKC Team Lead Dr. Mark Cheng at the CK-FMS workshop
(1) start rolled full length on the side to grasp the bell with both hands
(2) then you're rolled flat on back with KB to chest (no photo)
(3) press up the bell with both hands straight up
(4) if the bell is going to be held with the left, bring the right arm down at 30-45 degrees to your body so that your hand is in line with your hip - this hip/hand alignment is critical: notice for now where the knee is: it is upright rather than collapsing in. Keep it there. That hand by the hip will help that in the rest of the moves.
(5) Go up on your right elbow from that position (keep the KB left arm straight). Again, notice the knee: upright, rather than collapsing in. Also, that right leg did not leave the ground while getting up onto the elbow. If it does leave the ground, that's another sign of work to do.
(6) then go up on your right hand - note hand position still close by hip
(7) then PRESS UP YOUR HIPS - you're on your side remember, so you have a line through your nice straight body at this point with the kb straight up, and you balanced on the other hand. Lats are fired on both sides. make sure to feel you lats working. If this hip elevation position is an issue, that's another sign of another issue for work.
update/note April 09: there's been some debate about whether or not or why or why not this hip thrust is the right thing to do in a TGU. There's a discussion/analysis of at least some of that debate in an accompanying post on the high hip bridge, here.
At the CK-FMS, this position caused considerable discussion. You'll note Doc is almost in a crouch here and the right leg is doing what came to be called a "wind shield wiper move" with the right foot almost aligning behind the left foot.
Here are comments from Andrea Chang, RKC, based on discussions of this posture with Pavel, Andrea du Cane, Gray Cook and Mark Cheng (quoted with permission):
looking at the pictures in your blog again, photo 8 [above -mc] shows the transition from the hips up bridge to the kneeling position, where mark sweeps his leg back and places his knee near his hand. in photo #8, his knee is further back than usual and he is crouching, showing more flexion in the knee on the ground. what i heard was that this is due to his particular martial art -- which movement's of helped him to develop this move -- however, the consensus was that the crouch was too pronounced. whether or not you need to do a windshield wiper move with your leg to help get in a more stable position is determined by your own body mechanics, it is not manditory as far as i understand.
the knee should be closer to the hand on the ground, allowing for the body to be in a more open hips forward stance, with an elongated spine, packed shoulders and zipped up core (yup i said core).
using the windmill technique to get out of, or back into, position #4 (photo #8 in mc's blog) is preferable to the crouch, and what eventually agreed upon at the ck-fms. note of caution, the hinge at the hips for the windmill technique can be cheated by novices/students by allowing the hand they place on the ground to go down rather quickly with a thump -- this is not desired. a controlled descent is what they're after.
Back to the sequence: So now you're kneeling on one knee, with one hand on the ground, arm straight and the other arm up with the KB. Note alignment of hand by side
(9) Get your hand off the ground so you're now in a genuflecting position. You are not using the hand on the ground to give you a boost up: this is a controlled movement of the torso into an upright position. If you cannot get to that upright position smoothly, that's another sign of work to do.
back into kneel
hand down by hip - maintaining control, not falling over onto the hand but deliberately lowering hand by hip (for those who know the move, think hinge from Windmill).
lower to back
both hands on bell to bring it down to the chestroll to side with bell
The goal in part is to get this to be a crisp sequence of steps that can be broken down into individual units and then flowed into one motion.
1. kb to chest
2. press up bell
3. arm to side
4. roll to side
5. on elbow
6. on hand
7. hips up
8. leg back to kneel prep
9. torso erect in genuflect
10. Stand up
reverse.
Throughout, stay in a straight line all the way up: so the direction you start the TGU in is the direction you end in.
Putting it all together, here is Mark carrying out the "bottom's up" version of the TGU (can you see the small differences? also note the windshield wiper move going from bridge to genuflect to standing, rather than windmill hinge):
The problems we attended were:
- the extended leg leaving the ground
- The bent knee caving in
- inability to lower to do a controlled lower of hand to ground from genuflect or to get up to
-genuflect from hand on ground
- difficulty with hip extension
Each of these issues maps to a corresponding stability and/or mobility issue that comes out in the FMS (pdf overview here). That's pretty cool. It's interesting to see that sometimes simply cleaning up form (position of hand relative to hip) has an major influence on performance. Or sometimes other work needs to be done. Regardless, we all knew the TGU was a powerful as a move in its own right; now we know it's powerful as a diagnostic tool as well.
As always, if moves like this are new to you, find an RKC in your neighborhood and ask them to check your form: a post is no replacement for a skilled set of eyeballs - especially those training up now with the CK-FMS.
Thanks to Andrea Chang for synthesizing the discussion on Position 4/photos 8 & 12
photos © mc, 2008
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Thursday, August 14, 2008
Electronic Auto Meditation, it's good for ya: review centerpointe holosync meditation cds
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I've been asked a few times now about Centerpointe's meditation CD's - what i thought of them, how they seem to work or not and are they worth the cost. So this is a light touch review of Centerpointe Holosync Audio Meditation Series.
The premise of the disks is that a big chunk of meditation is getting the brain into a meditative state - and that when folks measure meditators, what they see in their brain state are slow theta brain waves. Usually, these states take years to learn how to accomplish. The approach used by centerpointe, based on decades of research in this space, can be flipped on automatically. And it can. Really - it's almost like electrical muscle stimulation, but with the brain via audio cues.
So why would an athlete - or anyone working out - care about electronically induced meditative states?
Here's what i wrote about them awhile ago when i first encountered this approach:
That was almost a year ago - i did indeed continue to use this approach. Now this is interesting: the approach is designed to start at one frequency and then keep going with lower frequencies to induce deeper brain waves, so over a several year period you could work through 12 levels.
Here's the thing: when you're doing it - at least when i'm listening to these disks - i don't necessarily feel any different than not. But then, think about it: when we're asleep, do we feel "gee whiz i'm getting some deep rest" - the effect seems to be after the fact: am i feeling more centered, ready to get going.
Interesting to me, i also experienced some of the personally unsettling effects that the producers of this material suggest is possible. I won't go into why that happens, but as with regular mediation, the deeper a person goes into themselves, the more they may have to confront.
Also, as with meditation, or a workout, regular practice is pretty important for most benefit. That said, i use the Level 1 disks sometimes not as designed: that is, rather than just sit up and listen via the headphones (has to be heard on headphones to get the beats), i will sometimes work on my computer while listening - that doesn't let you get as deep, but it feels good. I haven't rigged up an EEG yet to see what that does to the depth of the wave patterns but will be doing that in the coming months.
So, yes, i think these are a super cheap way (cheap as in, i don't need to spend a decade in a monastery to be able to achieve this wave pattern on my own) to get into a deep delta brain state for restoration.
Now, you can generate your own beats tracks: it's simply setting two frequencies, one in each ear that is off by sufficient hz such that the low frequency is the result. The thing is, however, centerpointe does a very good job of making these beat tracks, that are also covered with a decent meditaty sound track.
As you go up the levels, Centerpointe will also add subliminal messages in your own voice - positive affirmations - to these tracks - so you're getting "irradiated" by meditation.
I don't know the research in subliminal audio like i do on the beats side, so i'm reserving judgement about the effectiveness of this part of the program: you don't have to get these tracks made.
Let me reinforce that the first set of disks, the Awakening Prologue is good. If you use it regularly, you'll likely want to move to Level 1 within about 4-6 months.
Since starting with these beats, i don't always use them post a workout, but anytime during a day i can grab 30mins (or an hour). Being in transit, on a crowded train, is a perfect time for this: i'm sitting up - which is the recommended position - i have some great in-ear monitors, and i am zenning while all around is in cell phone turmoil.
Heal Heal Heal your CNS; assist body recovery; auto-meditate.
You can check this stuff out for free: click on this link to centerpointe or the swishy image below, and you can get a free disk that will give you a flavour of the beats experience.
Let me know what you think. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
The premise of the disks is that a big chunk of meditation is getting the brain into a meditative state - and that when folks measure meditators, what they see in their brain state are slow theta brain waves. Usually, these states take years to learn how to accomplish. The approach used by centerpointe, based on decades of research in this space, can be flipped on automatically. And it can. Really - it's almost like electrical muscle stimulation, but with the brain via audio cues.
So why would an athlete - or anyone working out - care about electronically induced meditative states?
Here's what i wrote about them awhile ago when i first encountered this approach:
One of the reasons i like the kettlebell approach to fitness is that it focuses almost as much on recovery as it does on the workouts themselves: don't recover properly, you effectively shoot yourself in the foot. While the P90X program, for instance, strongly encourages the use of its recovery drink after workouts, not much is said about rest/sleep where muscle building and healing takes place.
A tip i've heard repeatedly from strength trainers is the sooner after a workout you can get real rest/sleep, the better.
It's not always possible to catch a nap for 30+ minutes of deep sleep right after a workout. About a month ago, Mike Mahler pointed to Centerpointe's Meditation CD's. Their approach is to induce deeper brainwaves, getting down to deep sleep brainwaves (theta), by using a version on binaural beats. This beat approach to induce altered brainwave states is something colleagues of mine have used for studying knowledge acquisition, so it's not bogus: you can find papers about the approach. I've been trying it for about a month, just to boost the restoration phase because i travel alot and sleep is frequently disrupted.
I leave it for you to explore their site about all the great things this approach does for building new neural pathways.
My main interest is extra time in that optimal rest state for recovery/restoration as soon after a workout as possible. I'm not sure if the technique has been evaluated for muscle restoration, but i'm going to watch this approach for a few more months and see how it goes - that's why this part of the entry is an "aside" - early days yet, but because Mahler recommended it, it's worth a try. Worst case scenario, according to Centerpointe's research on participant effects: i become a better, more adjusted, creative, highly balanced person.
That was almost a year ago - i did indeed continue to use this approach. Now this is interesting: the approach is designed to start at one frequency and then keep going with lower frequencies to induce deeper brain waves, so over a several year period you could work through 12 levels.
Here's the thing: when you're doing it - at least when i'm listening to these disks - i don't necessarily feel any different than not. But then, think about it: when we're asleep, do we feel "gee whiz i'm getting some deep rest" - the effect seems to be after the fact: am i feeling more centered, ready to get going.
Interesting to me, i also experienced some of the personally unsettling effects that the producers of this material suggest is possible. I won't go into why that happens, but as with regular mediation, the deeper a person goes into themselves, the more they may have to confront.
Also, as with meditation, or a workout, regular practice is pretty important for most benefit. That said, i use the Level 1 disks sometimes not as designed: that is, rather than just sit up and listen via the headphones (has to be heard on headphones to get the beats), i will sometimes work on my computer while listening - that doesn't let you get as deep, but it feels good. I haven't rigged up an EEG yet to see what that does to the depth of the wave patterns but will be doing that in the coming months.
So, yes, i think these are a super cheap way (cheap as in, i don't need to spend a decade in a monastery to be able to achieve this wave pattern on my own) to get into a deep delta brain state for restoration.
Now, you can generate your own beats tracks: it's simply setting two frequencies, one in each ear that is off by sufficient hz such that the low frequency is the result. The thing is, however, centerpointe does a very good job of making these beat tracks, that are also covered with a decent meditaty sound track.
As you go up the levels, Centerpointe will also add subliminal messages in your own voice - positive affirmations - to these tracks - so you're getting "irradiated" by meditation.
I don't know the research in subliminal audio like i do on the beats side, so i'm reserving judgement about the effectiveness of this part of the program: you don't have to get these tracks made.
Let me reinforce that the first set of disks, the Awakening Prologue is good. If you use it regularly, you'll likely want to move to Level 1 within about 4-6 months.
Since starting with these beats, i don't always use them post a workout, but anytime during a day i can grab 30mins (or an hour). Being in transit, on a crowded train, is a perfect time for this: i'm sitting up - which is the recommended position - i have some great in-ear monitors, and i am zenning while all around is in cell phone turmoil.
Heal Heal Heal your CNS; assist body recovery; auto-meditate.
You can check this stuff out for free: click on this link to centerpointe or the swishy image below, and you can get a free disk that will give you a flavour of the beats experience.
Let me know what you think. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Exercise doesn't work - without diet - really
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Most of us have said to folks wanting to lose fat that exercise alone doesn't cut it: you need to check your diet, too. In case you said it, but your heart wasn't in it, you now have some pretty solid evidence to support your testimony.
Read the article (and related work) yourself - it's worth it - but the bottom line result is that
There have also been results to show that being sure to take on a post workout drink also improved fat loss via exercise. So eating right combined with health means results. As the above article puts it, "incorporating nutrition isn't a 'nice to have,' it's a 'need to have.'"
If you're looking for suggestions on effective eating, either for yourself or your clients, you can check out the whole precision nutrition approach for free in the following pdf. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Read the article (and related work) yourself - it's worth it - but the bottom line result is that
- over 12 weeks of HARD training of previously sedentary people with no dietary intervention, these folks lost one pound of fat only and gained one pound of lean mass.
- folks who worked out and followed a nutrition plan (in this case precision nutrition) for 16 weeks had a 10 fold improvement in their results compared to this study's population (1.4 pounds of fat loss per week, say, compared with 1 over twelve weeks).
There have also been results to show that being sure to take on a post workout drink also improved fat loss via exercise. So eating right combined with health means results. As the above article puts it, "incorporating nutrition isn't a 'nice to have,' it's a 'need to have.'"
If you're looking for suggestions on effective eating, either for yourself or your clients, you can check out the whole precision nutrition approach for free in the following pdf. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Sunday, August 10, 2008
CK-FMS Review - ck-fms: it's about durability
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Quick Review of the Certified Kettlebell-Functional Movement Screen (CK-FMS) Workshop/Certification Weekend. First, the CK-FMS is a certification for people who are already certified as RKC kettlebell instructors (review of rkc cert here)
if you care about the people you train, the CK-FMS training provides an excellent toolbox for assessing
The core tool provided, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS, pdf overview here), can predict likelihood of injury and help work the person to a safer place. We learned a new finding in the research: if you have asymmetrical levels of performance in a particular movement pattern (your right side is different than your left), this is the place most likely to lead to injury. How do you find out where you may have either a real weakness or an asymmetry? how much of an asymmetry? Is the dysfunction a mobility or a stability problem? what are the corrective measures for either of those cases? If there are both mobility and stability issues, which gets addressed first? and HOW?
The answers to these core questions are addressed by the FMS and the associated corrective strategies. The goal of the process is not to get everyone to have perfect scores, but to get to a level of being able (a) to pass each screen and then (b) address asymmetries. Cook's own research has shown that rates of injuries are reduced phenomenally simply by getting rid of asymmetries.
FMS vs CK-FMS. One of the questions many of us have had is: what's special about the ck-fms vs the regular FMS cert, and why should anyone care, either way? There are three distinctions as far as i could tell: the people presenting; the breadth and depth of strategies for treatment covered; the integration of kettlebell moves for feedback on progress and for corrective training.
On the presentation level, having Gray Cook and Brett Jones in the same venue, same time, is in itself a potent combination. I understand this doesn't happen at the regular FMS. Many RKC's have been privileged to work with Brett and know how effective his communication methods are, and how knowledgeable he is. This was my first time hearing Brett in person. Beyond the knowledge, he is also well, what one might call a gentleman: he was humorous about his own dysfunction and the willing butt of many of Gray's remarks. That's impressive for someone who i'd only seen in various serious presentations on DVD or in Feats of Strength YouTube vids.
For those who haven't encountered Gray Cook before, Rif in a forum post more or less said his encyclopedic knowledge of his area, combined with an awesome ability to communicate those concepts for all puts him up there with Pavel, and that's for sure. Cook has a solid research background, authoring chapters in medical textbooks, but works in the real world, and with very real athletes where real large sums of money are at stake. And yet he, too, is a real person. Very approachable, with an obvious respect for the RKC. This is the guy who got KB's into the NFL.
On the curriculum level, this cert goes beyond the regular FMS in terms of incorporating more work with more corrective strategies, based on Brett Jones's and Gray Cook's Secrets Of DVD series, like their Secrets of the Shoulder. It's also introduced new work no one else has seen yet called "primitive patterns" for yet more help in working on dysfunction and asymmetry. But best of all, within all this, there *is* a focus on how KB's are a great tool for working with to improve not only our fitness, but what Gray and Brett call our "durability"
For instance, we looked at the revised Turkish Get Up as both a confirmation of improvement and as a complementary diagnostic tool. If you're not sure what the Revised TGU is, it's what's being taught at the RKC Certs now. The bottom's up version is shown by Dr. Mark Cheng on this YouTube vid. I've done a brief description of it elsewhere, and an illustrated version of same here. Expect a new Jones/Gray DVD on *just* the TGU to explore *why* this is such a powerful move soon.
We've looked at the deadlift and presses in the same way: both as corrective strategies and to note progress or issues that correlate with the screen.
KB Go/No Go. From the cert, we also now have a tested checklist of, based on where a person is at, what things are NOT good to do - and can you believe it? there are certain things that would mean that the swing we all take to be so basic should not be done - better to go do pistol work till that issue is addressed.
Do you know when a swing is contra indicated? And if so, until when? or how to get it back safely onto the exercise stack?
We're not talking about pain here, where some pain takes us out of action because we can't more our arms or stand up. We're talking about movement patterns, and what asymmetries in those patterns, or dysfunctions in those patterns mean such that a particular kb move needs to be set aside until those patterns are corrected.
Every one of us worked through corrective strategies that had demonstrable appreciable translatable benefits to our core KB work. There was not one person who did not have *something* to address: to correct an asymmetry, improve a weakness or build on a strength. There was likewise no one who, after working through corrective strategies for our particular "weakest link," did not see improved performance. It's because everyone had *something* to address that i can't imagine doing RKC work - or guiding any training activity - without doing this assessment first.
It's basic, isn't it? Before we train someone we want to check out if they can do what we'd like to see them doing; what they'd like to be doing. What's the best tool we usually have at our disposal right now? Did your dr. say you could train? do you have any previous injuries? and then what? The approaches taught in this cert give us a huge, fool-proof leap forward in providing objective assurance both to ourselves and our clients that (a) we're not putting them at risk and (b) we're really helping them move more effectively to perform better.
I will be doing Z health in the fall, and i look forward to learning more about how that is not only a great CNS calming and enhancing tool, but also an assessment measure. But right now, i am profoundly excited about having this screen that is bullet proof to use with the folks with whom i work to be able to help their performance immediately - helping to keep them safe and, based on that, helping to get them strong, more effective, and, the word for the weekend, durable as opposed to just fit.
[Z UPDATE FALL 08] well yes, i did the z health level 1 cert. It was awesome and i've written about it in several places: here's a discussion of z heath in general and r phase in particular (the first z program), a review of that certification, and some notes about why a z workshop that covers all flavours of z would be worthwhile to whom. I'm still exploring the relationship between z and the fms.
symmetry symmetry symmetry you can't chop down a symmetry
line from a jane sibery song "dancing class" on "no borders here"
in the context of the FMS which uses chopping moves to address asymetries that could be a theme tune.
Addenda/Side Thoughts
1. Not Yet a CK-FMS
No one of our group is yet a CK-FMS certified screener. To get to that place, we have to do about 50 screens over the coming weeks and months to prep for an online test on our proficiency with the screen.
after passing the test, we are cleared to submit a video-based case study for review which looks at the screen we do, the corrective strategies we use to address the weakest link issue, the retests we perform, the process to lock in the new pattern.
Only after this material is assessed satisfactory, will we be awarded the ck-fms.
[Update Fall 08] - well one person has so far completed the ck-fms. As for myself, i'm now FMS certified - that means i'm a Certified Functional Movement Specialist, listed on the FMS site in this capacity, UK listings. That's phase one complete. Phase two: the case study for ck-fms clearance
[UPDATE DEC 23 2008] Just learned i've passed all the requirements now for the CK-FMS certification; should be listed on the web site as such shortly. Ya hoo. Really cool getting to interact with Brett Jones on the case study.
2. For the RKC
It's pretty clear that the the folks involved in the RKC cert will be thinking about how to fit in some kind of FMS work into or around the RKC. There's a nice chicken and egg challenge: to do the CK-FMS, you need to be an RKC - which makes sense since you need to know these moves and how to teach them. BUT, since these folks obviously care about ensuring well being in those who use KB's, how integrate the FMS for new RKC's to be able to prescribe the best KB routines for optimal effectiveness, rather than adding fitness to dysfunction, as Cook puts it?
[Update Fall 08] The FMS intro that used to be part of the RKC II cert is now gone. The CK-FMS cert (based on feedback during that cert) is now four days instead of three (good plan, stan). Whether the RKC'ers-to-be at the Level 1 cert will be pointed at the CK-FMS course as an important follow on is not clear at the moment - that's harder to see without access to any revised RKC curriculum material.
[related new article] TGU as diagnostic? Whither the FMS?
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if you care about the people you train, the CK-FMS training provides an excellent toolbox for assessing
- likelihood of injury
- whether the problem is mobility or stability based
- what corrective strategies to use
- what exercises (especially with KB's) are contra-indicated
- what moves are green lighted while working on the issues
- when someone needs to see not you for a particular issue (ie pain) but a specialist for their pain/dysfunction.
The core tool provided, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS, pdf overview here), can predict likelihood of injury and help work the person to a safer place. We learned a new finding in the research: if you have asymmetrical levels of performance in a particular movement pattern (your right side is different than your left), this is the place most likely to lead to injury. How do you find out where you may have either a real weakness or an asymmetry? how much of an asymmetry? Is the dysfunction a mobility or a stability problem? what are the corrective measures for either of those cases? If there are both mobility and stability issues, which gets addressed first? and HOW?
The answers to these core questions are addressed by the FMS and the associated corrective strategies. The goal of the process is not to get everyone to have perfect scores, but to get to a level of being able (a) to pass each screen and then (b) address asymmetries. Cook's own research has shown that rates of injuries are reduced phenomenally simply by getting rid of asymmetries.
FMS vs CK-FMS. One of the questions many of us have had is: what's special about the ck-fms vs the regular FMS cert, and why should anyone care, either way? There are three distinctions as far as i could tell: the people presenting; the breadth and depth of strategies for treatment covered; the integration of kettlebell moves for feedback on progress and for corrective training.
On the presentation level, having Gray Cook and Brett Jones in the same venue, same time, is in itself a potent combination. I understand this doesn't happen at the regular FMS. Many RKC's have been privileged to work with Brett and know how effective his communication methods are, and how knowledgeable he is. This was my first time hearing Brett in person. Beyond the knowledge, he is also well, what one might call a gentleman: he was humorous about his own dysfunction and the willing butt of many of Gray's remarks. That's impressive for someone who i'd only seen in various serious presentations on DVD or in Feats of Strength YouTube vids.
For those who haven't encountered Gray Cook before, Rif in a forum post more or less said his encyclopedic knowledge of his area, combined with an awesome ability to communicate those concepts for all puts him up there with Pavel, and that's for sure. Cook has a solid research background, authoring chapters in medical textbooks, but works in the real world, and with very real athletes where real large sums of money are at stake. And yet he, too, is a real person. Very approachable, with an obvious respect for the RKC. This is the guy who got KB's into the NFL.
On the curriculum level, this cert goes beyond the regular FMS in terms of incorporating more work with more corrective strategies, based on Brett Jones's and Gray Cook's Secrets Of DVD series, like their Secrets of the Shoulder. It's also introduced new work no one else has seen yet called "primitive patterns" for yet more help in working on dysfunction and asymmetry. But best of all, within all this, there *is* a focus on how KB's are a great tool for working with to improve not only our fitness, but what Gray and Brett call our "durability"
For instance, we looked at the revised Turkish Get Up as both a confirmation of improvement and as a complementary diagnostic tool. If you're not sure what the Revised TGU is, it's what's being taught at the RKC Certs now. The bottom's up version is shown by Dr. Mark Cheng on this YouTube vid. I've done a brief description of it elsewhere, and an illustrated version of same here. Expect a new Jones/Gray DVD on *just* the TGU to explore *why* this is such a powerful move soon.
We've looked at the deadlift and presses in the same way: both as corrective strategies and to note progress or issues that correlate with the screen.
KB Go/No Go. From the cert, we also now have a tested checklist of, based on where a person is at, what things are NOT good to do - and can you believe it? there are certain things that would mean that the swing we all take to be so basic should not be done - better to go do pistol work till that issue is addressed.
Do you know when a swing is contra indicated? And if so, until when? or how to get it back safely onto the exercise stack?
We're not talking about pain here, where some pain takes us out of action because we can't more our arms or stand up. We're talking about movement patterns, and what asymmetries in those patterns, or dysfunctions in those patterns mean such that a particular kb move needs to be set aside until those patterns are corrected.
Every one of us worked through corrective strategies that had demonstrable appreciable translatable benefits to our core KB work. There was not one person who did not have *something* to address: to correct an asymmetry, improve a weakness or build on a strength. There was likewise no one who, after working through corrective strategies for our particular "weakest link," did not see improved performance. It's because everyone had *something* to address that i can't imagine doing RKC work - or guiding any training activity - without doing this assessment first.
It's basic, isn't it? Before we train someone we want to check out if they can do what we'd like to see them doing; what they'd like to be doing. What's the best tool we usually have at our disposal right now? Did your dr. say you could train? do you have any previous injuries? and then what? The approaches taught in this cert give us a huge, fool-proof leap forward in providing objective assurance both to ourselves and our clients that (a) we're not putting them at risk and (b) we're really helping them move more effectively to perform better.
I will be doing Z health in the fall, and i look forward to learning more about how that is not only a great CNS calming and enhancing tool, but also an assessment measure. But right now, i am profoundly excited about having this screen that is bullet proof to use with the folks with whom i work to be able to help their performance immediately - helping to keep them safe and, based on that, helping to get them strong, more effective, and, the word for the weekend, durable as opposed to just fit.
[Z UPDATE FALL 08] well yes, i did the z health level 1 cert. It was awesome and i've written about it in several places: here's a discussion of z heath in general and r phase in particular (the first z program), a review of that certification, and some notes about why a z workshop that covers all flavours of z would be worthwhile to whom. I'm still exploring the relationship between z and the fms.
symmetry symmetry symmetry you can't chop down a symmetry
line from a jane sibery song "dancing class" on "no borders here"
in the context of the FMS which uses chopping moves to address asymetries that could be a theme tune.
Addenda/Side Thoughts
1. Not Yet a CK-FMS
No one of our group is yet a CK-FMS certified screener. To get to that place, we have to do about 50 screens over the coming weeks and months to prep for an online test on our proficiency with the screen.
after passing the test, we are cleared to submit a video-based case study for review which looks at the screen we do, the corrective strategies we use to address the weakest link issue, the retests we perform, the process to lock in the new pattern.
Only after this material is assessed satisfactory, will we be awarded the ck-fms.
[Update Fall 08] - well one person has so far completed the ck-fms. As for myself, i'm now FMS certified - that means i'm a Certified Functional Movement Specialist, listed on the FMS site in this capacity, UK listings. That's phase one complete. Phase two: the case study for ck-fms clearance
[UPDATE DEC 23 2008] Just learned i've passed all the requirements now for the CK-FMS certification; should be listed on the web site as such shortly. Ya hoo. Really cool getting to interact with Brett Jones on the case study.
2. For the RKC
It's pretty clear that the the folks involved in the RKC cert will be thinking about how to fit in some kind of FMS work into or around the RKC. There's a nice chicken and egg challenge: to do the CK-FMS, you need to be an RKC - which makes sense since you need to know these moves and how to teach them. BUT, since these folks obviously care about ensuring well being in those who use KB's, how integrate the FMS for new RKC's to be able to prescribe the best KB routines for optimal effectiveness, rather than adding fitness to dysfunction, as Cook puts it?
[Update Fall 08] The FMS intro that used to be part of the RKC II cert is now gone. The CK-FMS cert (based on feedback during that cert) is now four days instead of three (good plan, stan). Whether the RKC'ers-to-be at the Level 1 cert will be pointed at the CK-FMS course as an important follow on is not clear at the moment - that's harder to see without access to any revised RKC curriculum material.
[related new article] TGU as diagnostic? Whither the FMS?
Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
How Evil is a Molecule?
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To come back to the recent discussion on Carbs, recently i've seen more discussions that take it as given that there are good carbs and bad carbs.
This kind of understanding may be Gary Taube's fault for his good/bad dichotomizing of food stuffs.
But let's back up a step here. What do we mean by "bad" or "good" foods. Some folks may say that's obvious - a krispy kream is full of bad carbs - a spinach salad is full of good carbs.
Just to get clear, carbs are sugar molecules which in some combinations are starch (complex) carb molecule formations (more about simple/complex carbs here - with pictures!). So right away the good/bad thesis starts to tremble: what's wrong with a molecule? it's neither innately good or evil if good or evil can be innate, but the carb on the morality scale must be pretty neutral, devoid as we assume it to be of intent.
So what are we likely saying when we talk about 'good carbs' or 'bad carbs' - i don't know, but i'll guess we're actually talking about the foods in which they appear. And that foods that are high in starchy carbs tend to be high in other Bad things like Sugar and / or Salt and/ or processed white flour. Voila the donut or french baguette.
So, why are these things "bad" (and spinach "good"). As per usual, it's about scale, isn't it? about context.
Most of these foods are highly refined, which means most of their nutrients found in their whole product version (whole wheat vs white white) get stripped out. So these food stuffs end up being calorie dense (lots of cals) but very low nutritional value. Hence, eating these means weight gain with low to no nutritional value - they may fill a fast energy need, but may get a lot of the product processed into extra fat we don't want and do nothing for our digestion ( no anti-oxidants, no fiber, few vitamins etc etc)
So, these foods don't do anything for us, really. We indeed often experience them feeling good being ingested and then feel like crap after eating them. So they're "bad"? Bad for us? Will a krispy kream kill?
One? not likely. If we're trying to lose weight, well they cost at least a good half hour of intervals on the bike to get rid of them. Once in awhile? who cares?
It is a pretty good understanding that krispy kreams are not good for us in most circumstances, but that's not the same as saying they're "bad" for us. Context is important. And most reasonable people get that if they eat one once in awhile, they're not going to have horrible consequences.
So is calling something good or bad really a problem?
Perhaps not, but it seems that such terms (a) do nothing to help people understand why something is not good for us; how to make better food choices that are still healthy (have good quality chocolate rather than a krispy kreme) and taste good and (b) just perpetuates a moralizing head space about bad foods, guilt and puritanical punishment or catholic/jewish guilt that is well sinful (little joke there).
Michael Pollan talks about trends in north american diet where one nutrient is demonized and another celebrated. Carbs were good and fat was bad. Now, it seems, fats are in and carbs are out.
Food is more richly wonderful and complex than the recipe of a krispy kreme. Stupid simplifications that lead to these equally stupid and unfounded dietary prescriptions "reduce carbs! ahhhh!" give us nothing with which to understand our health. Heh, as pollan points out, the health press was wrong about the anti-fat prescription; will anti carb be any smarter?
So let's try to talk about food. Eating a rich pageant of it. Whole food. That's a simple prescription too: eat a variety of whole food types at each meal. lots of colour. if you want to lose weight, eat less of it. that's even simpler than thinking about nutrients - "reduce carbs"
But it's perhaps harder to apply because it may mean learning to cook real food meals for oneself. but is taking the simple way out of Dis the Nutrient good? or is it bad? or just stupid. and therefore a kind of evil of good intentions.
We can handle The Truth: that we need to get real about eating and cooking again and make some time for doing so. Anything else seems to be just cheating. The good news is, based on anywhere besides north america or most of the commonwealth, that means eating a great mix of foods, yum, and not some austere sprig of protestant work ethic parsley.
Eat Well rather than good, perhaps? Tweet Follow @begin2dig
This kind of understanding may be Gary Taube's fault for his good/bad dichotomizing of food stuffs.
But let's back up a step here. What do we mean by "bad" or "good" foods. Some folks may say that's obvious - a krispy kream is full of bad carbs - a spinach salad is full of good carbs.
Just to get clear, carbs are sugar molecules which in some combinations are starch (complex) carb molecule formations (more about simple/complex carbs here - with pictures!). So right away the good/bad thesis starts to tremble: what's wrong with a molecule? it's neither innately good or evil if good or evil can be innate, but the carb on the morality scale must be pretty neutral, devoid as we assume it to be of intent.
So what are we likely saying when we talk about 'good carbs' or 'bad carbs' - i don't know, but i'll guess we're actually talking about the foods in which they appear. And that foods that are high in starchy carbs tend to be high in other Bad things like Sugar and / or Salt and/ or processed white flour. Voila the donut or french baguette.
So, why are these things "bad" (and spinach "good"). As per usual, it's about scale, isn't it? about context.
Most of these foods are highly refined, which means most of their nutrients found in their whole product version (whole wheat vs white white) get stripped out. So these food stuffs end up being calorie dense (lots of cals) but very low nutritional value. Hence, eating these means weight gain with low to no nutritional value - they may fill a fast energy need, but may get a lot of the product processed into extra fat we don't want and do nothing for our digestion ( no anti-oxidants, no fiber, few vitamins etc etc)
So, these foods don't do anything for us, really. We indeed often experience them feeling good being ingested and then feel like crap after eating them. So they're "bad"? Bad for us? Will a krispy kream kill?
One? not likely. If we're trying to lose weight, well they cost at least a good half hour of intervals on the bike to get rid of them. Once in awhile? who cares?
It is a pretty good understanding that krispy kreams are not good for us in most circumstances, but that's not the same as saying they're "bad" for us. Context is important. And most reasonable people get that if they eat one once in awhile, they're not going to have horrible consequences.
So is calling something good or bad really a problem?
Perhaps not, but it seems that such terms (a) do nothing to help people understand why something is not good for us; how to make better food choices that are still healthy (have good quality chocolate rather than a krispy kreme) and taste good and (b) just perpetuates a moralizing head space about bad foods, guilt and puritanical punishment or catholic/jewish guilt that is well sinful (little joke there).
Michael Pollan talks about trends in north american diet where one nutrient is demonized and another celebrated. Carbs were good and fat was bad. Now, it seems, fats are in and carbs are out.
Food is more richly wonderful and complex than the recipe of a krispy kreme. Stupid simplifications that lead to these equally stupid and unfounded dietary prescriptions "reduce carbs! ahhhh!" give us nothing with which to understand our health. Heh, as pollan points out, the health press was wrong about the anti-fat prescription; will anti carb be any smarter?
So let's try to talk about food. Eating a rich pageant of it. Whole food. That's a simple prescription too: eat a variety of whole food types at each meal. lots of colour. if you want to lose weight, eat less of it. that's even simpler than thinking about nutrients - "reduce carbs"
But it's perhaps harder to apply because it may mean learning to cook real food meals for oneself. but is taking the simple way out of Dis the Nutrient good? or is it bad? or just stupid. and therefore a kind of evil of good intentions.
We can handle The Truth: that we need to get real about eating and cooking again and make some time for doing so. Anything else seems to be just cheating. The good news is, based on anywhere besides north america or most of the commonwealth, that means eating a great mix of foods, yum, and not some austere sprig of protestant work ethic parsley.
Eat Well rather than good, perhaps? Tweet Follow @begin2dig
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