3 mile easy run with my dog after lunch, one quarter mile walked, last 100 meters were sprinted – all barefoot – about 30 minutes total, didn’t time it.

Running-specific compensations from the RMAX Powered Running DVD

Mid-afternoon FlowFit level 3 session for 17 rounds in <17 minutes.

Flock of Pigeon flow and Forest Flow from Prasara Yoga Instructional DVD to cooldown and compensate.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST Athlete

Ryan Murdock traveling in Jordan.

If you’ve been following the blog for awhile, I’m sure you know that I’m a big proponent of the Circular Strength Training system. Ryan Murdock is on the Faculty, in charge of bringing CST to the world, and he has a revolutionary way of sharing his health-first fitness viewpoints. I guarantee that you’ll learn something new by listening in on this call. Plus, Ryan is a great story-teller, and he’s gives us a glimpse into some of his travel adventures.  Some of the key points we covered include:

- How martial art will change your worldview and set you on the path of personal mastery, preparing you for all of life’s challenges. (also, why CST jives with most martial artists especially)

- Why joint mobility is Ryan’s “daily minimum,” and how he uses it to stay in tip-top shape year round.

- The best bodyweight training methods for achieving your health-first fitness goals at home or on the road.

- Health and Fitness Insights we can learn from visiting indigenous people from obscure places in the world.

- How to kill giant cockroaches that scurry around your hotel room! (one of Ryan’s stories from traveling in Burma with his girlfriend)

Listen to the interview here:

John Sifferman Interviews Ryan Murdock (54 Minutes in Length)

I want to thank Ryan again for doing this interview. It is an honor to learn from someone who carves out his own path in life and sets a fine example for us all. Be sure to check out his sites:

http://RyanMurdock.com
http://rmaxstaff.com/murdock
http://BodyweightExerciseRevolution.com

Here are some ways you can get started with CST today:

Clubbell Quick-Start Training Packages can be found halfway down this page (you can find more info about clubbells on the official site here http://clubbell.tv.com)

Prasara Yoga Introductory Package – Book here, Instructional DVD here.

Joint Mobility Training Package (more info about mobility training on my site here)

As always, if you have any questions about what was discussed on the call, how to get started, or about the products themselves, please leave a comment below or use the Contact page above.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST Student

P.S. For more information about clubbell training and prasara yoga, I recommend Scott Sonnon’s programs The Encyclopedia of Clubbell Training and his book Prasara Yoga.

The omicron cadre graduating class from earlier this year.

In August, I’ll be flying out to Bellingham, WA to learn from and train with some of the best minds in fitness in the world. I’ll be attending my first Circular Strength Training Certification Seminar. This is really exciting for me not only because I’ve wanted to attend a CST event for the past 3 years, but because I’ll finally get to meet many of the people whom have coached and mentored me into the fitness professional that I am today.

I intend to pursue certification so that I can teach others about the value that I have received through the introduction of CST into my own training. The requirements are rigid, both physically and educationally. I’ll have to demonstrate in-depth understanding of the three wings of CST: Joint Mobility, Clubbell Athletics, and Prasara Bodyflow yoga. Not only that, but I’ll need to display my ability to convey these subjects to others as a coach.

There are a few physical tests as well: the Trial By Fire must be completed with 15 lb clubbells in under 30 minutes. I’ll be required to complete 14 rounds of FlowFit level 3 in 14 minutes or less. I’ll also need to demonstrate excellent technique using the Intu-Flow joint mobility program in breathing, movement, and structure.

The requirements are tough, and for good reason. This is not a “pay for your certification” event. This is a chance to absorb an entire coaching system that is specifically crafted for achieving fitness goals with health as the number one priority – a difficult challenge for sure. Even though I’ll need to work hard to prepare for the event, I’m not worried. I’ve been practicing and experiencing CST over the past three years. I see this event as a way of connecting the dots in my training knowledge and philosophy, giving me the “big picture” perspective of CST. This will help me answer all the questions bouncing around my mind, and solidify the idea of how the 3 wings of CST interact with each other in harmony. I’m sure many more questions will follow.

I’ll be chronicling some of my preparation for the event here on the site.

Today’s Training Session – May 29, 2009

Today, I spent about an hour going through the first two levels of the Intu-Flow Longevity System DVD – beginner and intermediate levels. I did this mostly for a refresher on the materials, but also because I’ve been feeling a little tense lately. I always find that going back to the basics is good because it solidifies good movement qualities, including the subtleties that we sometimes gloss over in more advanced or sophisticated training. I always feel GREAT after a thorough mobility session.

I followed my mobility session with 9 rounds of FlowFit in 9 minutes, 3 rounds each of level 1, 2, and 3 – just broke a sweat. A full body vibration drill followed this.

Then, I spent about 10 minutes on some of the BodyFlow exercises, mostly to relieve some tension that I’ve been chasing around in my legs.

Finished with Forest Flow from the Prasara Yoga DVD.

Did I mention I feel great?

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST Athlete

I climbed a few trees today around noon, just for fun, and continued with some more joint mobility. I’m really trying to “clean the slate,” especially my spine mobility.

After work, I did a 15 lb clubbell training session…

Repeat 3X to warmup, no rest:
10 double clubbell swipes
10 single-arm mills per arm
10 hammer swings per direction

Work Set…
Swipes – 5 sets of 17, 1 set of 15 (30-60 seconds between sets)
Mills – 10X10/arm, (no rest)
Hammer Swings – 2X25/direction (no rest)

Rating Perceived Technique 8+
Rating Perceived Effort 5-9 (9 is for grip during swipes)
Rating Perceived Discomfort 0

3 Run-throughs of the Spider Monkey Flow from the Prasara Yoga Instructional DVD. Also did some full body vibrations afterwards.

Notes: surprisingly, my legs are not sore at all from last night’s session. I did squats, squat jumps (forward, backwards, and laterally), reverse lunges, front lunges, lateral lunges, forward/reverse lunges, and single leg squats. I finished with some basic BodyFlow to relieve some of the tension in my legs and I think this had a major effect on my post day DOMS (which is about 1/10). I just enjoyed another banana berry protein shake (recipe here). Now, it’s time to make the dog some dinner.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST Athlete

Adam Steer - CST Head Coach

There’s a bit of a story behind this interview, so if you just want to listen in, scroll down and click the green play button.

Basically, it’s a technological miracle that I’m even able to bring this to you today. Upon recording this amazing interview with Adam, I logged into my teleconference service to retrieve the audio file for editing, and I was shocked to discover that the file was “corrupted.” I couldn’t download the interview! Panicking, I sent an e-mail to the customer service department for help – I just HAD to get this interview, which was pure gold! Not even the CS department could assist me, it was just a “technological fluke” that the file was not working. I continued to check the file almost daily, and then almost weekly until about 2-3 weeks ago. I decided that I would check on the file, ONE LAST TIME, and then give up for good. It was still “corrupted” and in my mind, hopeless. I gave up.

Until yesterday afternoon, when I received an email from Adam asking about the call. I decided to check the file one last time, so that I could tell him with certainty that we would never obtain the audio interview again. Well, here is where the miracle happened. When I logged into my teleconference service, the file was there and COMPLETE, with excellent audio quality. Now, I’ve been using computers ever since I was a very young child, and I know that things don’t just start working without some intervention, especially when they’ve been broken for months. Computers don’t just fix themselves.

So, needles to say, I’m ecstatic and honored to bring you this interview, which was truly fantastic.

Adam Steer has a revolutionary way of sharing his health-first fitness viewpoints, and I guarantee that you’ll learn something new by listening in on this call. Some of the key points we covered include:

- How to build a foundation of mobility that will increase your health and movement potential, making you able to pick up new skills quickly

- The number one reason why clubbells stand out among other strength training tools and how you can use them to improve your natural, athletic strength in all skills.

- The best strength training tools for achieving your health-first fitness goals at home or at the gym.

- The wisdom in following a program completely, and then transitioning into intuitive training to OWN your movement and LIVE your fitness every moment.

- How to take an active role in balancing your training with recovery and putting that into a comprehensive training program that works in harmony to maximize performance and minimize injury.

Listen to the interview here:

John Sifferman Interviews Adam Steer (62 Minutes in Length)

I want to thank Adam again for doing this interview. It is an honor to learn from someone that walks the talk and sets the bar high for everyone else. Be sure to check out his sites:

http://bettersbetter.com
http://bodyweightexerciserevolution.com

Here are some ways you can get started with CST today:

Clubbell Quick-Start Training Packages can be found halfway down this page (you can find more info about clubbells on the official site here http://clubbell.tv.com)

Prasara Yoga Introductory Package – Book here, Instructional DVD here.

Joint Mobility Training Package (more info about mobility training on my site here)

As always, if you have any questions about what was discussed on the call, how to get started, or about the products themselves, please leave a comment below or use the Contact page above.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST Student

P.S. For more information about clubbell training and prasara yoga, I recommend Scott Sonnon’s programs The Encyclopedia of Clubbell Training and his book Prasara Yoga.

Earlier in the day, I picked up the 45 lb clubbell for some two-handed swipes – it was more practice, not training.

Today, I went for a 2 mile walk with my dog Ronin. We ran about a half mile of that, and sporadically sprinted about 50 meters a couple of times. I don’t like just walking or just running, I’d rather mix it up a bit and challenge myself in new ways. Ronin did much better on the leash today than yesterday. He didn’t pull except when a couple of dogs charged him from a neighbor’s yard.

After my walk, I spent about 45 minutes on a very thorough, and much needed full body joint mobility session using the Intu-Flow Longevity System. I spent extra time on my arms and legs, but each joint got a thorough wash. I feel great by the way!

Then I did some 15 lb clubbell practice – swipes, mills, circles, casts, and cleans mostly. I kept my exertion low, around 3 or less. I need to focus more on recovery today, than trying to stimulate an adaptation. It was purely technique practice.

Notes: my legs are still pretty sore from some bodyweight training yesterday (squats, lunges, jumps, pistols, etc.), so I’m going light on my legs with the clubbell practice. Tonight, I’ll practice Spider Monkey flow from the Prasara Yoga DVD which I just learned this past week. I think Spider Monkey is the hardest of the 5 flows for me. I’m having trouble transitioning from starfish to the single-leg downward facing dog (can’t remember the name). It’s a very strength-challenging yoga flow.

Until next time!

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST athlete

One exercise that I’ve been trying to improve is the reverse mill, which I find much more challenging than the regular clubbell mill. So, I created a little combination routine that allowed me to practice both, along with a hand switch, which I need to master for high rep clubbell swinging. Here’s a demo of the routine:

Opposite Clubbell Mills

There’s a good chance that I’ll be pursuing the CST Instructor certification this August, which means I need to be in tip top shape for the physical exam, which includes a Trial By Fire test with the 15 lb clubbells (100 double swipes, 100 single-arm mills per arm, and 100 hammer swings – completion in less than 30 minutes = pass). I have already passed the TBF requirements in my own training, but I intend to ace it at the seminar!

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and Clubbell Athlete

For more information about clubbells, visit the official site here: http://clubbell.tv

Yesterday, technically a low intensity day, I picked up one of my 15 lb clubbells for some mills practice.  Against my better judgment, I thought I would see how many times I could swing it without stopping – even without performing a proper warmup.  So, I did 10 mills with my right arm, then 10 with my left.  I repeated that 10X for a total of 100 mills for right arm, and 100 mills for left arm.  Hand switches were every 10 reps, and there was no rest – it was a continuous set that took 7 minutes and 30 seconds to complete.

I attribute this oddly timed success with my attention to the 7 key components of structure:

grip confirmation, arm lock, shoulder pack, crown to coccyx alignment, core activation, hip recruitment, and leg drive.

Rating Perceived Technique 8+/10
Rating Perceived Effort 5/10
Rating Perceived Discomfort 1/10

Old video of me practicing Clubbell Mills

Notes: RMAX Head Coach Adam Steer described Clubbell®® mills to me as if they are almost dancelike, and I think I understand what he means now. Compared to past attempts at high rep swinging, my effort today was markedly less (and only my grip felt fatigue). I probably could have nailed 160-180 before my technique began to deteriorate. Perfect Practice DOES make perfect.

That was yesterday. Today, I attempted 100 repetitions of the double 15 lb clubbell swipe. I finished in 8 minutes, 25 seconds – which is a new PR.

sets were: 50, 12, 10, 10, 8, 10 – with 10-60 seconds rest in between each set.

RPTED 8+, 8, 1

Notes: My main weakness here was excessive grip fatigue. Will get this to a straight set of 100 in no time!

Old video of me performing Double Clubbell Swipes

One of my goals is to be able to do 100 continuous mills, swipes, and hammer swings with the 15 lb clubbells in under 20 minutes by August.

For more information about clubbell training, visit the official site here: http://clubbell.tv

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and Clubbell Athlete

Scott Sonnon - the inventor of the Clubbell and the creator of Prasara Yoga

Part 1 of this interview can be found on this page.

Of all the fitness professionals I have drawn my philosophy from, Scott Sonnon, is one of the most influential on my life. I have taken more useful information from this man than probably any other coach – including information meant for more than just physical living. I had the pleasure of interviewing Scott a second time today, and I think this is the single most enjoyable interview I have ever listened in on.

Scott Sonnon has a revolutionary way of sharing his health-first fitness viewpoints, and I guarantee that you’ll learn something new by listening in on this call. Some of the key points we covered include:

- The unique nature of swinging weights (like clubbells) and how it can complement your current weightlifting program

- How the clubbell is a total body strength training tool, essentially becoming an extension of the body that enables its user to train movements holistically, rather than muscles individually.

- The upward spiral of sophisticating movement that directs and advances bodyweight exercise into biomechanical exercise.

- How to find balance throughout your body, prevent common yet needless pain and injuries, and reach movement mastery through the unique approach offered by the Prasara Yoga modality.

- How to integrate the 3 Wings of CST into a comprehensive training program that works in harmony to maximize performance and minimize injury.

- How to get started with CST Today!

John Sifferman Interviews Scott Sonnon (Part 2, 67 Minutes in Length)

I want to thank Scott again for doing this interview.  It is always an honor to learn from him, and I hope you were challenged and pursue some of the things we talked about.

Here are some ways you can get started with CST today:

Prasara Yoga Introductory Package – Book here, Instructional DVD here.

Joint Mobility Training Package (more info about mobility training on my site here)

Clubbell Quick-Start Training Packages can be found halfway down this page (you can find more info about clubbells on Scott’s official site here http://clubbell.tv.com)

As always, if you have any questions about what was discussed on the call, how to get started, or about the products themselves, please leave a comment below or use the Contact page above.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST Student

P.S. For more information about clubbell training and prasara yoga, I recommend Scott Sonnon’s programs The Encyclopedia of Clubbell Training and his book Prasara Yoga.

2-handed clubbell training circuit using the 45 lb clubbell
Perform each exercise without stopping until the end of the circuit; no rest between exercises, 60 seconds of rest at the end.

Repeat 5X total:
2 front swipes
2 arm casts
2 clockwork squats
2 cleans to shoulder park into deck squat
2 cleans to order
2 swings
2 rock-its
Rest 60 seconds, then repeat with opposite grip.

Vibrations and basic joint mobility was performed during rest times, one full body vibration at the end.

Rating Perceived Technique 8/10
Rating Perceived Effort 7-8/10
Rating Perceived Discomfort 0/10

1 Slow Run-Through of Forest Flow from Prasara Instructional DVD. (reviewed the instructions the night before = about 20 minutes on one leg, in-between poses)

Notes: frustrating session today, palms were very sweaty and oily. Three near-miss accidents with the clubbell, one of which it completely slipped out of my hands and fell on the floor. High effort could not be sustained due to the risk of dropping the clubbell. Grip muscles were not excessively fatigued, just had no ability to hold onto it with all the slippage. Forest Flow was good, helped me calm down and really focus on something important. Went for a short walk with the dog later.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and CST Athlete