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.

Clubbell training with 15 lb clubbells:

Repeat 2X, warmup, no rest:
10 swipes, 10 mills/arm, 10 hammer swings/direction

Clubbell Work Set:
100 double swipes – 6 sets of 15, 1 set of 10
100 single arm mills – 6 sets of 15/arm, 1 set of 10/arm
100 hammer swings per direction – 50, 30, 20 reps

Rating Perceived Technique: 8+
Rating Perceived Effort: swipes = 8, mills = 5, hammer swings = 7
Rating Perceived Discomfort: 0

Bodyweight Training For Leg Strength, 1 set per exercise, went until about 60% exertion, 10 seconds rest between exercises:
Bodyweight squats
Reverse Lunges
Forward Lunges
Lateral Lunges
Forward/Reverse Lunges
Plie Lunges
Dragon Twisting
Pistols

Rating Perceived Technique: 8
Rating Perceived Effort: 5
Rating Perceived Discomfort: 0

Finished with Forest Flow from the Prasara Yoga Instructional DVD. Will do Flock of Pigeons Flow later tonight before bed. I’ll be in the car for about 10 hours tomorrow, so it will be scattered with frequent bouts of joint mobility to decompress my spine throughout the trip.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional

It was such a nice day, that I did all of my training outside in the sunshine. I began with a very thorough session of joint mobility training using the Intu-Flow longevity system. I spent about 40 minutes in total working each joint through mixed levels of sophistication. I spent a lot of time on my shoulders, arms, and legs especially.

Then, after playing with the dog for a little while, I practiced some FlowFit rounds to prepare for the upcoming focus in my training cycle. Here is one of the rounds I filmed for you:

Flowfit – levels 3 and 4 demonstrated

I’m pleased with my performance, although I think my leg swoop was a little off today. I thought it was funny when the sun came out during my upward facing dog – it had been cloudy up until then. I may take the dog for a walk later, and I plan on practicing Forest Flow from Prasara Yoga before the end of today. I am also happy that there is very little muscle soreness after yesterday’s high intensity clubbell training session.

Have a great weekend, and, if you’re with me, enjoy the first day of your 100 Day Challenge!

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional

P.S. you can find more info about the Flowfit conditioning program here:

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

From Men’s Health article:

well, maybe some dogs do... but not for an hour!

But Le Corre’s most important breakthrough might be the way he’s welded purpose and playfulness. When he jumps and tumbles and chucks stuff around, he looks just like a kid mucking in the backyard. Zehr believes that could be the way we’re hardwired to work out. “You never see your dog running nonstop around and around in a circle for an hour,” he points out. “If he did, you’d think there was something wrong with him. Instead, he’ll chase something, roll around, sprint, rest, mix things up. Animal play has a purpose, and it’s not hard to surmise that human play should as well.”

What an awesome perspective for human fitness and movement, Le Corre acting just like a kid playing in the back yard. This is how we should view our own fitness training, like it’s the best part of our day. “I can’t WAIT til I can go out and train! (play)

But what really struck me was the note about how dogs never run around in circles for an hour – they play, which involves all sorts of athletic maneuvering.

There is no doubt that we have forgotten how to play in our culture (myself included – I almost entirely forgot how to play once I entered high school and was bombarded with structure, routine, and expectations.) I am slowly trying to creep out of that and enjoy the benefits that play and fun offer us.

We see this inability to comprehend or practice “play” most obviously in fitness culture. Go to any “health club” and you’ll see what I mean. Take a walk over by the cardio machines where people are literally running or stepping in place. Not only that, but they are trying to block the experience of their own personal transformation. They don’t even want to think about exercising – they just want to “put in the time.” GET IN, GET OUT!

This is why we see people reading books and magazines, listening to their ipod, or watching TV while they trot, row, or pedal. They view exercise as work, instead of play.

Now, hear my heart on this. I’m not saying that exercise machines are bad because they serve a tremendous need in our modern society. I understand the need for convenience, I understand the need to “shut everything out” and to de-stress from a long day. I used treadmills and exercise bikes for entire sports seasons during the wintertime. I get it!

But I’ll tell you one thing. I’ve been on both sides of the fence, and while figuratively running around in circles has it’s health benefits (burning calories, etc.), I prefer the freedom and happiness that comes from being actively involved in my fitness, by being mindful of my movement and health, by accomplishing things that most people wouldn’t dare attempt (and things that I wouldn’t have dared attempt before!).

I’ve tasted the benefits that free expression of fitness provides, and I don’t want to try another flavor. I’m satisfied, and at the same time, dissatisfied because I know there is so much more. The rabbit hole goes so very deep when it comes to exploring the depths of your athletic potential.

Now, I know that most of my readers aren’t the type that exercises on cardio or any machines at all. I’m confident that you know the risk:benefit ratio when it comes to using any type of machine – and that I don’t recommend using them except in the cases of rehabilitation under the guidance of a qualified physical therapist. But just because you’re not using machines, doesn’t mean that you are completely free within your training program.

Some training methods and programs have been around long enough that they have gained the ability to trick us into thinking that they are the “end all, be all” – just out of being the common practice for so long. It’s not the truth. Just this week, I debated with someone over the issue of using barbells vs dumbbells. This guy couldn’t understand that barbells are NOT the best training tool for all goals. Of course, they have value, of course they are useful, and of course they are the best tool for their intended purpose – lifting weights such as in powerlifting and olympic weightlifting. But they aren’t the absolute BEST training tool for ALL strength-related goals. I thought this was common sense, but apparently not. This is a perfect example of being trapped within a dogma, a mentality, the notion that “I’ve got it all figured out.”

We’ve been taught that lifting weights and cardio are the secret to long-term health. Sure, they are valuable, but they are NOT the only path to enlightenment, and they certainly aren’t the END ALL, BE ALL.

I’ll tell ya one thing, I’m more inclined to trust my gut feeling, and my instincts, when it comes to training. Of course, I look to what has already been theorized and proven for guidance, but I don’t set up limits or boundaries based on what I’ve read or heard. I know that paradigm after paradigm has been broken about health and fitness, and it’s going to keep happening – and I’m going to be one of the ones breaking them (and so are you since you’re here challenging your beliefs, saying no to status quo, and committing to positive change).

If you feel trapped in a program, it’s because you ARE trapped – your intuition is spot-on and you should trust yourself. If you aren’t feeling stronger, healthier, and happier because of your training – then your program isn’t serving you well. If you get injured constantly, then your program isn’t serving you well. If you haven’t made consistent, measurable progress in the last month, then your program isn’t serving your well. You could be setting personal records on a weekly basis. You could be shifting your focus away from training and towards playing, away from numbers and towards performance, away from structure/routine and towards your own expression of freedom. There is so much more out there to be had than just lifting weights and cardio.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional

P.S. One practical step that I took to start challenging my beliefs about training was by adopting a daily joint mobility practice, and I began with the Intu-Flow Longevity System. I’ve practiced this everyday for the past 3 years and can’t say enough about the benefits I’ve experienced. I describe this as likened to a key that opens a secret garden of human movement expression, and I now understand why joint mobility training is often referred to as the “Fountain of Youth. Check it out here:

I would definitely go through the beginner level at least once so that you understand the range of motion you are trying to achieve at each joint. Some of the exercises may seem super-easy, but that’s ok. If you’re like me, the beginner level will offer plenty of challenge for you. I suggest that you adopt the mindset of a student and a complete beginner, and don’t treat the program like strength training which can be muscled-through. Instead, think of it as shaving away your movement inhibitors ever so slightly each day.

When I first started mobility training, I was in a straight-jacket of tension, and had quite a bit of trouble even achieving the basic ranges that Scott demonstrates on the DVD. I did not progress to intermediate until I knew that I could not make ANY more progress unless I added an element of increased sophistication – and for me, that didn’t happen for over 120 days of full body sessions. I spent 4 months on the beginner level before moving on from basic ranges to circles at each joint.

No doubt, your progress and results will be unique, and you should use your intuition to guide you, rather than my own template. A good rule of thumb that I have heard from the RMAX coaches is to stick with each level for at least 2 weeks before trying another one. I consider this the bare minimum, and realistically you should wait until you feel the movement “grow.” Milk each level for what they’re worth – there is so much to be explored!

The goal of Intu-Flow is not to advance through the levels, eventually reaching the master status. On the contrary, each level is just a further progression and sophistication of the earlier stage. So, you should still be reaching the basic ranges of motion that you learn about in the beginner level while you are doing the intermediate, advanced, and master levels.

With mobility training, you don’t become “better” or more advanced, so much as you refine the basics everyday through your personal practice.

It took me two years of near-daily practice to honestly be prepared for the master level, and I still fluctuate through all levels now that I have progressed through all of them. With practice, your mobility training will become less routine, and more intuitive. Some days, you’ll feel a need to go a little deeper into a certain range of motion – and other days you may feel like you’re just “going through the motions” because you already feel great – yet you know that you are doing your body a service and delivering nutrition to your tissues.

The ultimate goal is personal mastery, and it is best tackled as progressively and holistically as possible. Take your time with the materials.

If you adopt a lifestyle approach to fitness, incorporating a very progressive joint mobility program will be easy. I didn’t rush to master all the levels because I wanted to MASTER each one, and know that I would be free to move for the rest of my life. In the past, I wouldn’t have dreamed of seeking a goal for 2 years – I wanted 12 week quick-fixes. But by doing so, I ensured that my progress would be natural and permanent, that I would enjoy the greatest benefits from my practice, and that I would OWN my movement.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and Joint Mobility Aficionado

P.S. Find more information about joint mobility on my site by clicking here, or visit the RMAX shop for the most comprehensive resource on mobility training:

I spent some time today practicing with my 15 lb clubbells, doing swipes and mills mostly – not pushing into exertion. My milling is virtually effortless, which I attribute to regular practice and good execution of the 7 Key Components of Structure.

This afternoon, I also did a hammer swing test to see how fast I could perform 100 repetitions – 50 clockwise, and 50 counter-clockwise. Here’s the footage I filmed:

100 Hammer Swings with 15 lb Clubbell


After a dinner of some honey dijon pork chops from the farm down the road, I did a slow joint mobility session for my spine, shoulders, and hips – getting really deep into the range of motion.

I finished the day with some basic BodyFlow to release some tension in my legs.

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and Clubbell Athlete

P.S. If you’d like to learn more about clubbells, then visit the official site here: http://clubbell.tv

Later that afternoon I did a Trial By Fire with the 15 lb clubbells:

100 double clubbell front swipes
100 single clubbell mills per arm
100 hammer swings (50/direction – clockwise, counter-clockwise)

This is how I broke it down:

Repeat 5X – 10 swipes, 10 mills/arm, rest
25 hammer swings/direction
Repeat 5X – 10 swipes, 10 mills/arm, rest
25 hammer swings/direction

Rating Perceived Technique 8+/10
Rating Perceived Effort 7/10 (mostly grip fatigue during swipes)
Rating Perceived Discomfort 1/10

Notes: I wasn’t worried about time, only quality of movement and completion. I would guess I finished in about 30 minutes. Grip fatigue was the main limiting factor. Mills were easy, hammer swings were easy, swipes required a little more effort. Today, the day after, I am not overly fatigued or sore, which is pretty nice for a post high-intensity day. That’s one thing I love about clubbell training, is that it doesn’t leave you severely sore like traditional weight training does. I can tell that my body is fatigued, but it’s not exclusively muscular. The body is used more holistically during clubbell training, if that makes any sense at all. I feel as though the structure of the body takes on the load of the clubbell en masse, so that local muscular groups do not get overly fatigued and I’m able to do much more total work.

Later in the day I practiced several run-throughs of the 4-Corner Balance drill from the Intu-Flow program, and went through Forest Flow one time through right before bed (from Prasara Instructional DVD).

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and Clubbell Athlete

P.S. To learn more about clubbell training, visit the official site here: http://clubbell.tv