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.

After dinner, I did Intu-Flow Intermediate level, with some other exercises added in where I needed it most.

I followed the joint mobility session with a FlowFit session/test. I did FlowFit level 3 for 14 rounds in 13:45.

One of the requirements for the Circular Strength Training Certification is to be able to do 14 rounds of level 3 in 14 minutes, so I passed my self-test.

Let me tell you, if you want a program that will have you working up a sweat in less than 10 minutes, then give FlowFit a try. I was making it a point to keep my exertion as minimal as possible – I just wanted to pass the test, really – but I started really breathing and I’m drenched. I’ll probably have to drink at least a quart of water before bed just to replace what was lost. This one is ideal for burning fat all over your body and building muscles in places you probably didn’t know you had them!

I haven’t done FlowFit in awhile, and surprised myself with my performance.  I didn’t expect to be able to maintain optimal technique for all 14 rounds, but that’s what happened. I finished each working set in about 45-50 seconds, and then rested for the remaining 10-15 seconds while shaking out my legs and torso.

I will be finishing the evening with some Prasara BodyFlow yoga flows. I’m going to work on Forest flow and Flock of Pigeons Flow to hit these legs.

Later!

Fitness Professional and CST Athlete

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

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

I watched a video tutorial this morning on how to perform the yoga posture, bird of paradise. Here’s my recorded attempt after a few practice tries…

Bird of Paradise via Prasara Yoga

I think the main area I need to work on is lengthening my spine from crown to coccyx. What do you think?

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional and Yoga Student

P.S. I think this pose was possible for me because I have been practicing the Forest Flow from the Prasara Yoga Instructional DVD, which involves a lot of single-leg strength and balance.

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.

15 lb clubbell combination routine:
swipe –> mill –> hammer swing –> change direction with hammer swing –> swipe –> mill –>> hammer swing (repeat for 15 minutes)

Rating Perceived Technique 8
Rating Perceived Exertion 6
Rating Perceived Discomfort 1

Post-clubbell BodyFlow Practice – most of the basic moves for 10 minutes.

Evening Prasara Yoga practice after some brief, impromptu wrestling sessions.

Saturday – high intensity day

It was a beautiful day, and I spent the first 90 minutes outside with my akita, Ronin. He dug holes in the snow, while I did a thorough full body joint mobility session in the sunshine for 45 minutes using the Intu-Flow program at mixed levels – mostly circles and infinities.

Following the mobility training, I performed 45 minutes of 15 lb clubbell training: focused on swipes, mills, hammer swings, arm circles, presses, casts, and others – also included yesterday’s combination routine throughout.

Brief afternoon two-handed clubbell training session with 45 lb clubbell – 15 minutes:
rock-its, swings, cleans to order, clockwork squats, swipes, and arm casts.

I did vibrations throughout, as per the RESET DVD program.

Late afternoon shooting practice – went to a local sandpit with some friends, shot a couple of Ruger .22 long rifles, a .308 remington bolt action rifle, a 9mm Smith and Wesson semi-auto, and a .357 revolver. Two hours of fun times!

Evening high intensity wrestling session with family – 30 minutes. At one point, it was 5 people against me!!! I got some rugburn, almost puked once, and successfully kept my socks on. This is how my family celebrates my brother’s homecoming from college…

We also played some other physical games that would be hard to describe – tests of skill and strength mostly. All in all, it was about 2 hours of physical activity in the evening with the fam.

Sunday – No Intensity Day, or so I thought

Various joint mobility exercises were performed throughout the day, but no scheduled session. Evening came, again with my family, and again everyone decided to gang up on “big brother” John. It was about an hour of on-off wrestling, me against everyone. I got my butt whooped, but it still takes 4 of them to bring me down!!!

I’m the oldest of 5 boys, in case you didn’t know. They are in this order:

1) John

2) The “sneak attacker,” who waits for the best opportunity and then strikes.

3) The guy who “plays it safe, but occasionally goes PSYCHO!” – this is the one who is home from college.

4) The “langler” monkey-boy who attacks from behind and doesn’t let go no matter what position of submission you have him in – the “other” athlete in the family.

5) The “tank” who takes great satisfaction in sitting on the loser while he’s pinned, randomly spanking people while they are helpless and laughing, and often throws dirty socks in their face.

We have a very close-knit family

After the wrestling bouts, we played some more physical games ranging from arm-wrestling, to handstand contests, to balance games, to “mercy” (after 15-20 minutes with fingers interlocked, I lost to the “sneak attacker” for the first time in history – great job, I’ll bring you some more weights to lift soon, lol – and we’ll have to do a rematch sometime sooner than later).

When I finally got home, I did some joint mobility exercises just to decompress the joints and help me sleep better – I knew it would pay off the next day.

Today, the day after all the mayhem, was supposed to be a low intensity day, but I’m taking another no-intensity day as yesterday was not as restful as I had expected. Tomorrow, I will resume with my scheduled low intensity day. Today involves a thorough, full-body joint mobility session and playing with the dog in the snow. Ronin needs some exercise before tonight’s training class.

What did you do over the weekend?

To your health and success,

Fitness Professional, CST Athlete, and Oldest of 5 boys