kettlebells
Swimming with sharks and whales…thanks to Kettlebells
Hugh and Family, post swim.
Hugh and son beginning the swim from the island of Lanai, 9.1 miles to the coast of Maui. Wife Lani is in the kayak (photographer)
Dave,
I wanted to update you and your KB following on what my family and I are doing and how KB’s have made all the difference. My son and I are training for the 9.1 mile Lanai to Maui Channel swim. My wife is part of our support team and will kayak the entire distance. This event is a 5-6 hour channel swim and without KB’s I would certainly fail. Our greatest distance to date is 7 miles in prep for the main event that will take place over the Thanksgiving holiday. I am only 1 of 12 others who will attempt this event. It is worth mentioning that the other 11 are all kids (young adults). Several other adults started the process of training but all have fallen by the wayside. Most of their reasons are a lack of cardio endurance or shoulder/upper body fatigue. Thanks to a solid consistent KB regime I have no problems with either of these. My issue is it is a huge mental game after 4 hours in the open ocean environment. (I think about things like, “is my life insurance paid up?”)
I will keep you posted and let you know the outcome……Suffice to say my team will have no problems completing the event…..We will see if the “old retired Marine” can do it!!
Semper Fi,
Hugh
The day after the event (26 November):
Roughly 5 hours……Lanai to Maui… 9 miles. I’ll send pics when we get back home.. Dave, thanks for the support and intro to kb’s. I couldnt have done it without them. We had company……3 whales and 1×10′ Tiger shark. Hugh
While nothing I can write can add to this amazing accomplishment, let me clarify who Hugh is. He and I went to flight school together and flew together in the Marine Corps. Hugh was able to promote through the ranks and retired as a Squadron Commander in March of 2008. In April of 2007 Hugh came to Yuma, Arizona, with his squadron in preparation to go to Iraq for 8 months. I drove out from Tucson to see him (who was stationed in and currently lives in Hawaii) and packed my trusty kettlebell. After catching up on our respective histories, I introduced Hugh to the kettlebell. He had heard of them and some of his young officers had seen them, but they had no formal instruction. In June of 2007 I went to my old base in Kaneohe, Hawaii, to train Hugh, his family, and his squadron with kettlebells. They packed up and left in July and took their kettlebells.
Training Marines with Kettlebells, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii before deployment to Iraq
Hugh & Family, Lanikai Beach, Sunrise kettlebells.
Many of his squadron had joined the crossfit world and had improperly used kettlebells. As Marines deploy, the accommodations of a crossfit gym are rarely found. However, Hugh made sure that kettlebells deployed with his Squadron. Compact and portable, they provided all the gym they would want. With proper instruction, they were being used safely and used quire often. Of course, as Marines, pullup bars are routinely improvised/procured, and some attempts were made to recreate the crossfit experience, but, thanks to Hugh, the kettlebell was always immediately available. If you look back at my blog, you will find workouts that were sent to his squadron, photos that they took with kbs, etc. Many of those who went to Iraq made a personal commitment to improve their health while they were gone. Most who made that commitment were able to do that. Some of the crossfit folk returned home to their crossfit locales and destroyed their old personal records. One of the taskings of the aircrew (in the back of the CH-53) is to wear nearly 70lbs of equipment and move stooped over, a very compromising back situation. By building solid core strength with the kettlebells, those situations proved less painful over the 10-14 hrs of flight per day. A good many Marines came to the conclusion that there really was no other instrument to improve their physical conditioning, and in world of Marines, where time is a precious luxury, there was no better workout than the mighty KB.
Turkish Get Up in Iraq. Kettlebells go anywhere, anytime.
Austere conditions, yet a full gym. One kettlebell goes a long way. Got 5 minutes, gimme 100 swings!
I went back to Hawaii in March of 2008 to see Hugh retire. In the months following, he injured his back while trying to imitate the skills of his son with a board in the surf. He had to lay off of the kettlebell, and practically everything else, to just become a member of the human race and walk vertically. We chatted about his return to the kettlebell. Turkish Get Ups as far as he could go without pain, and Swings, with perfect form as long as no pain was involved, other than his lungs starving for air. Over time, his body continued to heal and strengthen. He was able to perform other exercises without pain. And then word came of the Channel Challenge for him and his family. He then began his amphibious (swimming) training, and found began putting the strength and stamina found in kettlebell training to practical use in the ocean.
The end 23 years of service to his Marines, his Corps and his Country. Thanks, Hugh!
Then came the letter before Thanksgiving this year. Much like Beth’s letter of the fall, Hugh’s letter was monumental in that he was doing something (like Beth) out of the norm, and it was fitness related, and it was not for the timid. A 9 mile open ocean swim. Well, you read the rest of the story.
Hugh’s story is one of personal triumph in a situation where most persons would not even consider. Let us not forget that his wife, also a kettlebell enthusiast, Kayaked 9.1 miles in the open ocean in support of Hugh and his son! There is something unique in the bonding experience for a family, where all are involved in a common goal. Often this is spectating, in this case, it was actively engaged in a demanding fitness endeavor.
The new year is coming upon us. You have choices when it comes to fitness. For Pavel, the man who brought the kettlebell to the United States, sums it up as follows: “… in Russia, when you go to the store, you have two choices. Coffee, or, no coffee. You choose.” I recommend coffee.
For those who have found the kettlebell, it really is as simple as that. If you are new to kettlebell training, contact me and let’s get started!
Learning from one of the best: KB Seminar/Hormone Optimization with Mike Mahler in Las Vegas
Intermediate Kettlebell training seminar with Mike Mahler in Las Vegas.
September 25 I attended Mike Mahler’s intermediate kettlebell seminar and Hormone Optimization Lecture in Las Vegas. Kettlebell training and Las Vegas; what an AWESOME combination! It was a great time and nationally and internationally accessible (from all over the US and we had 4 Canadians!). For whatever reason, the people who gather to train with kettlebells are always a great group of people.
I have been certified as an RKC for four years and have assisted at 3 different RKC events, the last one being in February of this year when I was Pavel’s assistant. I have used Mike’s training videos, and read his research on-line, but I had never met him. Mike’s reputation within the RKC community was a very convincing sell, but I really found meeting him in person to be a very rewarding experience. He is a gifted and talented instructor who really knows multiple aspects of kettlebell training very well.
I have been to two other non-certification, non-dragon door seminars. I enjoy being relieved of my instructor duties so I can absorb as much information as possible. While the other non certification courses did provide a measure of valuable instruction, there really was no comparison in value as to what I learned from Mike. Currently, Mike also happens to be the only RKC credentialed instructor teaching double kettlebell workshops.
Prior to attending the course, I had completed Geoff Neuports 12 week Kettlebell Muscle Program, one of the few double kettlebell programs out there. It prepared me for the demands of Mike’s 6 hour course. While it is possible to attend with very little double KB training, I wanted to make sure I could absorb as much from Mike as possible. I learned an invaluable amount of information that really helped me in my execution of the basic double kettlebell exercises, plus several exercises I have never seen before.
Mike keeps the size of the course down to 15 students, and also does a great job of reinforcing the techniques by examining each student in turn and making corrections. If there were no other aspects to the seminar other than the kettlebell training, I would have walked away from it extremely pleased as a kettlebell user and instructor. However, Mike also gave us a break at lunch and discussed his work on Hormone Optimization.
Speaking clinically as a PhD, I can tell you that Mike’s research in the area is disciplined and thorough, and his presentation demonstrates how deeply he knows the subject matter. However, while it is crystal clear that he knows the science, he breaks it down so it is usable information. While I took 5 pages of notes, and most others did too, he answered every question to satisfaction. I sincerely believe the work he is doing now is leading edge and has dramatic implications for the fitness enthusiast as well as for the person who simply wants to have a better quality of life. I found that value of this lecture interwoven into the fabric of our kettlebell training, to be a fabulous combination that really amplified the value of his seminar.
If you ever get a chance to train with Mike, do it, especially if you can do it in Las Vegas.
If you want to help your clients out with their specific issues, or, have some issues of your own, read his work on Hormone Optimization, as it is extremely valuable and well done. Rest assured, what you will read now will be just the beginning of a new way of thinking and the way forward to better health and fitness. You can find information on his website, www.MikeMahler.com as well as his Facebook page. I highly recommend both.
Finally, myself and my classmates were extremely fortunate as he made a DVD of the entire seminar, which I am enthused to see when it comes out in November. As everyone who has ever grabbed a kettlebell knows, you will only retain a certain percentage of information while “under the bell”. Refreshing the verbal and visual cues from the DVD will certainly help me in my own kettlebell pursuits as well as those of my clients.
Kettlebell secret: Get better at what you do!
David- I completed the 90 mile boat race and successfully portaged that boat 5 miles during the 3 day event, thanks to kettlebell training! – email from Beth (in the canoe)
Rough waters don't slow this woman down!
This past April I had the pleasure of training Beth Burchill with kettlebells. Beth came to Arizona for the month to see Arizona and to see what kettlebells could do for her athletic pursuits. Beth had recently retired after 21 years as New York State Trooper, had become the first woman to dive for the New York State Police (and was involved in the recovery of TWA Flight 800 in July of 1996). She had competed in Duathlons (running and biking) internationally, and was the NY State champion in Duathlon and National Duathlon champion for her age group. In 2003, she took home a bronze medal in world duathlon competition in Switzerland. I first met Beth in 1987 in Quantico, Virginia, where we were both Officer Candidates for the United States Marine Corps; she was a distance runner from Syracuse and held records there until the last few years. She humbled everyone when it came to PT, out running all manner of things Marine (men and women). When she graduated from Syracuse, she turned down her USMC commission and became a New York State Trooper and served the state of New York for 21 years. Let’s just say Beth doesn’t waste her time with half measures.
She found my DVD and website online and we began communicating in the fall of 2009. She told me of her athletic pursuits and wanted to know if kettlebells were worth her time. Of course, my response was that it would help her in ALL of her endeavors, and it was not a huge time commitment to become incredibly strong and fit for whatever goals she had.
In April of this year we went through the basics and she quickly gained the skill and mastery to safely train with kettlebells. I sent her home with a program designed to help her with her speed skating and one that I felt would dramatically reduce the lower back fatigue that often is the end of a speed skating career, as well as develop a more powerful stroke for her strides.
Turns out that Beth learned of a new challenge, the Adirondack 90 mile Canoe Challenge. It is simple, you simply row across 5 lakes (90 miles) and where each lake ends, you pick up your boat and carry it to the next lake, have a seat, and keep on rowing. Day 1, 35 miles rowing, 4 carries for 2.5 miles. Day 2, 30 miles rowing, 1 carry of 1.25 miles, Day 3, 25 miles rowing, 5 carries for .5 miles. By the way, the boats and oars are made of wood and weight about 70 lbs. because those lakes can get rough (see photo above). Simple, yes. Brutal, yes.
How does one train for such an event? Where to start? Beth started with gaining an incredible amount of strength and stamina with the workouts we began in Tucson. Her hands (a major issue for many competitors) were tough and her grip was strong from kettlebell training. Core strength for the hours and miles of rowing built a tremendous amount of strength in her upper and lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and quads, all of which came in handy when carrying the boat from lake to lake. Most importantly, she was able to train for her sport…and work the kettlebells in on the side. Her first journey was being able to row for 15 minutes without stopping…not on some ridiculous machine, but actually in a boat, on a lake. She trained two or three days a week with kettlebells and tried to get as much mileage as she could in the boat, working her way up to longer distances under all kinds of wind and weather conditions. When conditions prevented the rowing, she would substitute a kettlebell workout. Of the kettlebell workouts, we had two basic programs: Snatches and swings with VO2 Max for ballistics, and ladders for the grinds. Sound familiar? Pavel’s own program, right out of Enter the Kettlebell.
Kettlebells are NOT for everyone. They are not entertaining, they are not easy, and they are not glamorous. They are simple, not easy. I recently did a double kettlebell program for size and strength and gained 12 lbs in 12 weeks of lean muscle mass. I stopped because my I don’t want to buy a new wardrobe. I have runners and triathletes, powerlifters, basketball players, volleyball and handball players. I also have doctors and nurses, mothers and daughters, engineers, Federal Marshals, firefighters, all services and schoolteachers. The tool is the same and the goals are identical…to get better in the most efficient and safe way possible. Better health (leaner and fitter), better strength, better endurance. No gimmicks, gyms, studios, or “facilities”; thus, no limits. Simply one piece of equipment mixed with one part commitment to be better today than you were yesterday. What have you got to lose?
Beth Burchill at the BEGINNING of the 3 day, 90 mile row, 5 miles of carry, Adirondack Canoe Race
Showing up
How do you improve your health? You gotta show up. People who show up for training always seem to progress faster to their goals than those who don’t. Funny how that works. Such a simple recipe for success at virtually anything you do. A client of mine and I have had the discussion numerous times. Being that I have two businesses that were launched in the worst economic crisis since the depression, he keeps telling me: “You just gotta keep showing up.”. And, yes, his success comes from following his own advice.
Constant Progression
One of the things that makes this business so enjoyable is to watch clients improve their health and fitness levels. During the early morning hours of darkness, new clients will assist me in unloading kettlebells from the truck and taking them to the training area. Without fail as I pull out a 24KG (53lb), 28KG (62lb) and 32KG(70lb) kettlebells I get the comment “what is that for”? With a smile and sincerity I say “why, it is for you”.
Almost ALL of my clients will begin their training with a harmless looking 8KG kettlebell. Some may even begin with a 4KG or 6KG. If you don’t know, the kettlebells increase by 4KG (approximately 8lbs) from 4-56. It generally does not matter your age, gender, or non-kettlebell experience at this point. How fast one progresses is based on many variables; genetics, current level of strength, and consistency in your training going forward. Of the three, consistency is the main ingredient. Think about it. Have you ever accomplished ANYTHING worth doing by doing it with mediocrity on an inconsistent basis? “You gotta show up.”
Simple, not easy.
As we carry the kettlebells from truck to training area, someone will tell the new person “if you keep training, you will be lifting one of those in a few months.” The return look is incredulous. But, it is true. Ask a client. We just tested out (every 8-10 weeks) and EVERY one who attended broke the PRs from last time. Today, two workouts post test out, while still sore, as part of our strength program, both men and women continued to break records. One of my men snatched 24KG on monday…six months ago he couldn’t hardly carry it from truck to training area. The RKC minimum of 100 snatches in 5 minutes, once inconceivable, is now a very doable proposition. Today a man cleaned 32KG and a woman cleaned the 24KG. Not bodybuilders or powerlifters…an engineer and a PhD. Women who used to think 16KG was only for deadlifting are pressing and snatching it with regularity, and beginning to swing the 20KG (44lbs). Where does it end? Depends on how much you want to train and how healthy you want to be. By the way, these women also started with the 8KG. Even if you train at home, if you remain consistent, you will improve. You don’t have to train with me, but, you have to train; “You gotta show up.”
I have been around the iron game for longer than I care to remember. I love to workout, but I simply don’t have time to waste on ineffective movements or waste repetitions, thus my arrival at the kettlebell has been a very long and fruitful destination. I have done other “trendy” workouts. To be blunt, they are “exercise entertainment”, a shuffling cacophony of exercises that certainly serve to fatigue and “make you sore” but rarely provide any long term health benefit. For my time, I prefer to utilize what the most powerful, graceful, and best conditioned athletes in the world use, the kettlebell. No matter your goal, large, small, or somewhere in between, the kettlebell can get you there. “You just gotta show up.”
2010 off on a roll!
Simple, not easy.
As 2010 begins a new decade, many folks are beginning to see that of all the possessions in their life, none are so valuable as their body. Years of neglect and intransigence need to be remedied. The oft burning question…I need to do SOMETHING, but what? Certainly the Burger King solution of “Have it your way” can be applied to fitness. A consistent fitness program will begin to leave it’s mark on your health and well being. However, once again we return to what is best for your body? At DavidCohnKettlebells (DCK), our programs are centered around one portable, affordable, training device, the kettlebell, and your schedule and ability. Many folks will train up to learn basic kettlebell safety and be on their own, coming back from time to time to refine their movements and upgrade their programs. Some make one class a week (we now do a Saturday Morning Sweetness program) while others enjoy the esprit of group/class settings. You must bring the desire and make the time. With those two components, our program can help you start TODAY in improving your health and wellness.
For those who are looking for an edge in their cycling, running, crossfit, handball, baseball, basketball, you name it, I offer very challenging routines that not only improve your strength and stamina, but agility, mobility, and efficiency in your sport. Angela, one of our featured trainees, did kbs to cut weight for a Fitness Pageant (which she won), then worked out a couple times at a crossfit gym and went to the crossfit games as a member of the Phoenix Fire Department. Her fantastic finishes for her team were phenomenal given her lack of crossfit experience. The difference? She was stronger, in better shape, and had more stamina than her competition, some of whom had been doing crossfit for years.
Gurumeet, another client, was in the top 100 handball players in the world. This past year at the world Championships, our 50 something athlete finished second in the world. There is no doubt in his mind where the difference lies. The kettlebell.
Kettlebells will make you better at virtually anything you do, whether your goal is to improve health, become a better runner, handball player, golfer, or crossfit competitor, there is NOTHING that gets more done in less time than the kettlebell.
I’m off to San Jose this week to be Pavel’s assistant at the RKC certification at San Jose State. No doubt I will learn more from the master to share with my peeps! BE STRONG!
DavidCohnKettlebell NEWS!
Pavel Tsatsouline and David Cohn
Greetings to new and old viewers alike. Time to share the good fortune that hard work and consistency has brought to numerous kettlebell clients:
One female client was told she may have a bone thinning disorder and had her bone density scanned a year ago June. She was scanned this June and had a 14.2% increase in her bone density! The lifestyle change was CONSISTENT Kettlebell training! Congratulations Carole!
Angela Bertholdt won the fitness competition in Phoenix this month. Her floor routine was based on power, strength, flexibility, and endurance. She credits VO2 Max for helping her with her endurance and also helped her with her definition! Way to go Angela!
Another client is a runner who enjoys running in the various races in and around Tucson. Recently she entered a race out near Old Tucson. It was more difficult than normal, because she was no longer in the pack, but out in front! She ended up winning her age division and set a personal record! Way to go Jessica!!!
One client is a swimmer, and after 10 weeks of kettlebell training she bested her personal record in the pool. In the classes, she has now built the stamina and endurance to go 25 minutes (50 rounds) of VO2 Max without stopping. Keep it up Sandy!
A male client took on the kettlebell and also the Warrior Diet (by Ori Hofmekler). In the span of 3 months, training with us every other week, he has lost 17 pounds and is now OFF of blood pressure medication!!!
OUTSTANDING ANDY!
Another male client who has asthma, has been weaned off the bottle. His strength has more than doubled and his definition and overall health is dramatically improved. The “secret” is the Russian Kettlebell, consistent training, and nutritional modification! He is also the creator of this website, but he didn’t write this, I did. Excellent Zvi!!!
There are many more stories…too many some would say. But each person started training with kettlebells with one goal in mind; improved health and fitness. Some have lost a lot of weight, some have improved their other sports, others continually challenge themselves to make each workout better than the last. I have clients from age 73 to 17 and everything in between, some with replaced hips, knees, shoulders, and various injuries. If you can tell me what you can and can’t do, I can build a program that you can work with that will get you results. One thing is for sure. Kettlebells get results. It isn’t easy, and there are times when it most definitely isn’t fun, but there isn’t a better workout for your time. Boot camps, aerobics classes, spinning, all are better than nothing. As Pavel Tsatsouline, the man who brought Kettlebells to the United States nearly 10 years ago likes to say: “In Russia, you go to the store and you have a choice: Coffee, or no coffee. It is the same with training with kettlebells. Nothing else even comes close.”
ANGELA BERTHOLDT: Track & Field Champion, NPC Champion, Collegiate Track and Field Coach, Firefighter
After a recent call
Indoor Competition
Angela is an accomplished athlete, coach, and fitness competitor, and now Phoenix Fire Fighter:
“My training had become stagnant after I completed the Phoenix Fire Department Academy. I had heard about kettlebells and trained with David Cohn. Most of our firehouses had kettlebells and used them as doorstops. After learning how to use them properly, I now get a fantastic work in during a 24 hour shift in 10-30 minutes. Using kettlebells has improved my lean muscle mass and improved my cardio vascular conditioning. I have leaned out far earlier before my competition than ever before using the VO2 MAX program. My joints and body are more resistant to the hazards of being a firefighter, and my strength and endurance are at all time highs. This spring I coached track and field at a local high school and began using kettlebells with my athletes and started seeing improvents in speed, strength, flexibility, and power. I will be using them in my NPC contest prep as well as with my high school athletes’s summer conditioning program. David really focuses on safety, making sure every rep is with perfect technique and that is what I used with my athletes.”
URI Track and Field
On Stage
SUN WARRIOR Rice Protein
DavidCohnKettlebells is now carrying Sun Warrior Rice Whey Protein.
I am carrying this in stock and can save you big $ on shipping. If you live in the Tucson Kettlebell area, you can contact me and try some of this out. On the sun warrior website you can by three and save on shipping and also on cost. Rather you want to try one or ten, let me know and I will be able to fill your order! Three delicious flavors, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Natural. Grab a jug and be ready to grab a bigger KB!
Sun Warrior is a fantastic source of protein for everyone, but especially good for those on the go or who may be issues with Dairy Whey. Quite simply, if dairy products in general give you any problems, dairy whey (the most common kind) will not be as effective as it could be under normal circumstances. Even so, protein powder made from rice has a much greater ability to be absorbed by your body! You can take this as many times a day as you would like, depending on your goals. For the average person, a shake (can be easily blended with juices, soys, almond milk, etc) after a workout and before bedtime is good. For those of you looking to improve your kettlebell or other athletic performance by adding some more muscle to your frame, a shake in the morning, pre workout, post workout, mid afternoon, and late night (bedtime) would be in order. Unlike other dairy protein (whey), this will be absorbed nearly 100% by your body. Some folks think a huge protein shake after training is the way to go, but the reality is that your body can’t handle huge doses of protein (in excess of 30-50 grams, depending on your size) and, unless it is quality protein, it will just pass through your system and be eliminated.
This is kettlebell strongman Mike Mahler’s protein of choice, and I found it on his website. If you go to the link to Sun Warrior, you will see Mike’s recipes in the recipe section. I highly encourage you, whether you have lactose issues or not, to try this protein. I have and I can already tell the difference!
THE WARRIOR DIET
DavidCohnKettlebells has taken on “The Warrior Diet”. It is a fantastic dietary guide written by Ori Hofmekler. I personally have been on the program, now going into week four, and have noticed dramatic changes in my overall health, and more importantly, my training performance. Some of our members that have taken on the plan as I have are seeing similar differences in how they feel, and how they look! I have lost one belt notch in the last three weeks, and am very close to another one. I just don’t like to have to “suck in that gut” to hitch my belt, and I believe this program will get me to my last notch on the belt!
We are going to open up the blog so that our members can participate with recipes, experiences, and supplements. There are some pretty delicious shakes and juices to be had out there, and if we share them, we can keep our nutritional plans fresh and varied, which means we will have greater success staying on the plan. There will be more to follow, so keep checking back!
Introducing RKC Maria Rascon
It is with great pride and pleasure I introduce Maria Rascon, RKC as an instructor with DavidCohnKettlebells.com Maria is gifted in the art of instruction and is one of the few RKC’s in Tucson. Best of all, I know she is a great instructor because I supervised her training and was assisting Pavel at her certification! She has a fitness segment on Univision (channel 40) and is becoming well known in the RKC world. Maria is fantastic with all populations and is bilingual, so she can not only instruct on many levels, but she can understand what I try to say!
