I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all the mothers' today. Today is a day where you get special treatment if you are a mother, but they should get that everyday. One day out of 365 is not enough to truly appreciate what it means to be a mother.
I hope everyone enjoyed the day today no matter where you where and what you did.
Happy Mother's Day to all!
Strength be with you,
Nelson
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
To eat, or Not to eat…..
Good question huh? Depends on who’s asking. If it’s somebody who’s trying to put on some weight and pack on a little extra muscle mass, the answer is YES. It it’s somebody who’s trying to lose some weight, or better put, reduce body fat, than the answer is still YES! Yup, you have to eat to gain and lose weight! I’ll give you a couple of reasons why, Thermic Effect of Food and increased metabolism.
Did you know that about 10% of your daily caloric expenditure comes from the Thermic Effect of Food? In other words, every time you eat, you are burning calories. Yes, your body burns calories when it is breaking down the food you eat, one of the reasons why you should chew your food thoroughly before swallowing it. So wouldn’t you want to take advantage of this more often? By eating 4-6 meals a day, you are actually burning more calories than if you only ate once or twice. It’s not an oxy-moron, it’s actually true. Now a days the majority of people (mainly Americans) tend to think they have to starve themselves in order to see that six pack that’s hidden behind that wall of fat. I blame society for all the confusion that’s out there.
When you eat more frequently (meaning more often), you increase your metabolism. On the other hand, if you only eat once or twice a day, you decrease, or slow down your metabolism. Let me use this analogy to help you visualize this better. Close your eyes…actually don’t close your eyes because then you won’t be able to finish reading this. ; ) Pretend you’re sitting at a camp fire that was just lit and it’s a pretty good size fire. In about 2 hours that fire will dwindle down, in about 3 hours it will be almost gone and in 4 hours it will be completely gone. But…if you throw some fire wood on it what will happen? Eeeeeexactly….it will spark up again!
If you haven’t figured it out by now, the fire is your metabolism and the fire wood is the food you eat (your calories). Your body works the same way. If you wait more than 3-4 hours between meals, your metabolism (the flame) slows down or decreases, but if you eat every 2-3 or 3-4 hours you are actually sparking your metabolism and increasing it.
I have another analogy for you. If you were to take a long drive somewhere and your tank was on empty, would you risk it and drive anyway? You probably wouldn’t right? Well that’s exactly what you are doing to yourself when you don’t eat frequently. If you did that to your car it would physically stop running if there wasn’t any gas to fuel it. If you don’t believe me just ask my sister! ; ) On the other hand, God designed our bodies so that we wouldn’t just stop functioning just because “we didn’t have time to eat”.
So then what happens? Well, your body will not let it starve and die so it will feed itself. How? It will go to your muscle for its nutrients. Yes, say goodbye to your hard earned muscle . See, your body stores its nutrients in the muscle, so if you don’t feed it, that’s where it’s going to go first. Another thing, if your body senses a pattern of you not eating frequently enough, when you do eat, it won’t use all of it as fuel. Instead, it will use a portion of it for fuel and store the rest as..…drumroll please…….FAT. Just think about it, would you rather have a lean piece of steak or a nice glob of fat??? Hmmmm… So If you don’t eat frequently enough your body stores what you do eat as fat and breaks down muscle tissue for fuel. So you eat less, thinking you are smarter than your body, and store MORE fat and break down MORE muscle. It’s a viscous, viscous cycle!
Now do you understand why it is so important to eat about 4-6 meals a day? WHAT and HOW MUCH you’re eating is important also but that’s a monster to tackle at another time. If you would just focus on this concept first you will definitely see improvements in how you look and feel. I recommend keeping a food log to help keep you on track.
So that’s a very brief explanation on why it is so important to be eating frequently throughout the day. I think I should mention that a “meal” doesn’t necessarily mean a 3 course meal. It can be something as small as a handfull of nuts and some fruit that you eat as a snack. So generally speaking, 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and a snack in between will help your cause. This applies for you guys that are looking to put on slabs of muscle as well, you simply just have to take in a lot more calories.
I hope this was of some help. Feel free to leave a comment.
Strength be with you,
Nelson
Did you know that about 10% of your daily caloric expenditure comes from the Thermic Effect of Food? In other words, every time you eat, you are burning calories. Yes, your body burns calories when it is breaking down the food you eat, one of the reasons why you should chew your food thoroughly before swallowing it. So wouldn’t you want to take advantage of this more often? By eating 4-6 meals a day, you are actually burning more calories than if you only ate once or twice. It’s not an oxy-moron, it’s actually true. Now a days the majority of people (mainly Americans) tend to think they have to starve themselves in order to see that six pack that’s hidden behind that wall of fat. I blame society for all the confusion that’s out there.
When you eat more frequently (meaning more often), you increase your metabolism. On the other hand, if you only eat once or twice a day, you decrease, or slow down your metabolism. Let me use this analogy to help you visualize this better. Close your eyes…actually don’t close your eyes because then you won’t be able to finish reading this. ; ) Pretend you’re sitting at a camp fire that was just lit and it’s a pretty good size fire. In about 2 hours that fire will dwindle down, in about 3 hours it will be almost gone and in 4 hours it will be completely gone. But…if you throw some fire wood on it what will happen? Eeeeeexactly….it will spark up again!
If you haven’t figured it out by now, the fire is your metabolism and the fire wood is the food you eat (your calories). Your body works the same way. If you wait more than 3-4 hours between meals, your metabolism (the flame) slows down or decreases, but if you eat every 2-3 or 3-4 hours you are actually sparking your metabolism and increasing it.
I have another analogy for you. If you were to take a long drive somewhere and your tank was on empty, would you risk it and drive anyway? You probably wouldn’t right? Well that’s exactly what you are doing to yourself when you don’t eat frequently. If you did that to your car it would physically stop running if there wasn’t any gas to fuel it. If you don’t believe me just ask my sister! ; ) On the other hand, God designed our bodies so that we wouldn’t just stop functioning just because “we didn’t have time to eat”.
So then what happens? Well, your body will not let it starve and die so it will feed itself. How? It will go to your muscle for its nutrients. Yes, say goodbye to your hard earned muscle . See, your body stores its nutrients in the muscle, so if you don’t feed it, that’s where it’s going to go first. Another thing, if your body senses a pattern of you not eating frequently enough, when you do eat, it won’t use all of it as fuel. Instead, it will use a portion of it for fuel and store the rest as..…drumroll please…….FAT. Just think about it, would you rather have a lean piece of steak or a nice glob of fat??? Hmmmm… So If you don’t eat frequently enough your body stores what you do eat as fat and breaks down muscle tissue for fuel. So you eat less, thinking you are smarter than your body, and store MORE fat and break down MORE muscle. It’s a viscous, viscous cycle!
Now do you understand why it is so important to eat about 4-6 meals a day? WHAT and HOW MUCH you’re eating is important also but that’s a monster to tackle at another time. If you would just focus on this concept first you will definitely see improvements in how you look and feel. I recommend keeping a food log to help keep you on track.
So that’s a very brief explanation on why it is so important to be eating frequently throughout the day. I think I should mention that a “meal” doesn’t necessarily mean a 3 course meal. It can be something as small as a handfull of nuts and some fruit that you eat as a snack. So generally speaking, 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and a snack in between will help your cause. This applies for you guys that are looking to put on slabs of muscle as well, you simply just have to take in a lot more calories.
I hope this was of some help. Feel free to leave a comment.
Strength be with you,
Nelson
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
What a Tease!
Working out at the park, driving around with the top off, and going to the beach for a little walk.
That's what I did last weekend, but now, I'm inside the house wishing it was sunny again!
I know...what a tease!
But were you READY for that type of weather? Is your training bringing you the results you've been waiting for? Make sure you stay on that straight and narrow path so when summer does FINALLY come, you'll have something to look forward to.
Last weekend was a reminder that sunny skies are just around the corner so we better stay focused on our goal(s) or else we won't be reaching the promised land this year. Don't let another year of regret and frustration pass you by because you are "too busy"!
If you are pressed for time, not seeing the results you want with your normal routine, or are just flat out intimidated by going to the traditional gym setting, pick up a kettlebell and start working towards a level of strength and conditioning that you previously may have thought was impossible.
Take last weekend as a boost to give you that extra motivation you may need. Just remember, this is a life-long battle, and not just a seasonal fad.
Train hard - but most importantly, train safe. Good luck!
Strength be with you,
Nelson
That's what I did last weekend, but now, I'm inside the house wishing it was sunny again!
I know...what a tease!
But were you READY for that type of weather? Is your training bringing you the results you've been waiting for? Make sure you stay on that straight and narrow path so when summer does FINALLY come, you'll have something to look forward to.
Last weekend was a reminder that sunny skies are just around the corner so we better stay focused on our goal(s) or else we won't be reaching the promised land this year. Don't let another year of regret and frustration pass you by because you are "too busy"!
If you are pressed for time, not seeing the results you want with your normal routine, or are just flat out intimidated by going to the traditional gym setting, pick up a kettlebell and start working towards a level of strength and conditioning that you previously may have thought was impossible.
Take last weekend as a boost to give you that extra motivation you may need. Just remember, this is a life-long battle, and not just a seasonal fad.
Train hard - but most importantly, train safe. Good luck!
Strength be with you,
Nelson
Friday, March 12, 2010
What is the RKC and why all the hype???
The Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC) by Pavel Tsatsouline, Master of Sports, is the gold standard when it comes to kettlebell training and certifications. Pavel is considered to be the father of the modern day kettlebell movement in the west. The Russians have been using kettlebells for over 300 years. Comrades from teenage boys to elite athletes and military personel have been using them to build superhuman strength and endurance.
Pavel and Dragon Door conducted their first RKC certification in 2001 with only a few candidates and has now spread to cities coast to coast in the U.S. as well as internationally. A typical certification will usually host anywhere from 60 – 100+ victims.
There is a ranking structure, or levels, within the RKC community. RKC, RKC II, RKC Team Leader, Sr. RKC, Master RKC and there is the CK-FMS (Certified Functional Movement Specialist) certification by Brett Jones and Gray Cook which is rapidly growing in popularity among the community. Team Leaders and above are by promotions only and Pavel himself has his hand in the decision making process.
Ok, so I know what RKC stands for, but why exactly is it the gold standard? I’m glad you asked! It is the gold standard because everything done at an RKC workshop is hands on. Yup, no pencil and paper, no sitting at a CPU trying to memorize enough material in order to pass. This certification is earned through (in most cases) blood, sweat, and tears. It is most commonly known for its snatch test requirement which entails having to snatch a 24kg (53lbs) kettlebell for males and a 16kg (35lbs) kettlebell for female comrades for 100 reps in 5 min. In addition to that, we are vigorously tested on technique (It is typical for 20-30% failure rate a RKC workshop).
Just because we have to snatch that many times and we sweat a lot doesn’t make the RKC what it is. Nope, it’s the knowledge that Pavel and other RKC’s pass down to us in terms of strength and conditioning, and movement. The RKC is continuously evolving and working towards getting better rather than just going with the flow. The RKC is a system about precision and fine tuning, and can be tailored to your personal goal…whatever it may be.
Pavel calls the kettlebell “A gym in your pocket”, and it truly is. The versatility of the kettlebell lets you work out virtually anywhere! In your living room, your garage, backyard, open field, and beach just to give you an idea. It breaks up the monotony of going to the gym for 1-2 hrs and seeing the SAME results year after year. The kettlebell is also beneficial for people of all walks of life. Teens, athletes, weekend warriors, recreational fitness enthusiasts, high level athletes like martial artists and fighters. Oh…and the military and law enforcement have been making leaps and bounds as well.
The kettlebell isn’t the end all be all, it’s just our tool of choice because it gives you the best bang for your buck. The kettlebell is a great tool and can literally transform you physique, but alone, doesn’t necessarily work the way it should. Why take a chance of getting seriously hurt by using poor technique when you can have the proven and battle tested methodologies of the RKC system?
So that’s it! You can now forge your physique for show AND for go with the help of the kettlebell and RKC philosophies that go along with it. Enjoy the Pain!
When we say ‘strength’ we mean ‘kettlebell.’
When we say ‘kettlebell’ we mean ‘strength.’
Here's a video of my RKC experience...the April 09 RKC in St. Paul, MN
Strength be with you,
Nelson
Pavel and Dragon Door conducted their first RKC certification in 2001 with only a few candidates and has now spread to cities coast to coast in the U.S. as well as internationally. A typical certification will usually host anywhere from 60 – 100+ victims.
There is a ranking structure, or levels, within the RKC community. RKC, RKC II, RKC Team Leader, Sr. RKC, Master RKC and there is the CK-FMS (Certified Functional Movement Specialist) certification by Brett Jones and Gray Cook which is rapidly growing in popularity among the community. Team Leaders and above are by promotions only and Pavel himself has his hand in the decision making process.
Ok, so I know what RKC stands for, but why exactly is it the gold standard? I’m glad you asked! It is the gold standard because everything done at an RKC workshop is hands on. Yup, no pencil and paper, no sitting at a CPU trying to memorize enough material in order to pass. This certification is earned through (in most cases) blood, sweat, and tears. It is most commonly known for its snatch test requirement which entails having to snatch a 24kg (53lbs) kettlebell for males and a 16kg (35lbs) kettlebell for female comrades for 100 reps in 5 min. In addition to that, we are vigorously tested on technique (It is typical for 20-30% failure rate a RKC workshop).
Just because we have to snatch that many times and we sweat a lot doesn’t make the RKC what it is. Nope, it’s the knowledge that Pavel and other RKC’s pass down to us in terms of strength and conditioning, and movement. The RKC is continuously evolving and working towards getting better rather than just going with the flow. The RKC is a system about precision and fine tuning, and can be tailored to your personal goal…whatever it may be.
Pavel calls the kettlebell “A gym in your pocket”, and it truly is. The versatility of the kettlebell lets you work out virtually anywhere! In your living room, your garage, backyard, open field, and beach just to give you an idea. It breaks up the monotony of going to the gym for 1-2 hrs and seeing the SAME results year after year. The kettlebell is also beneficial for people of all walks of life. Teens, athletes, weekend warriors, recreational fitness enthusiasts, high level athletes like martial artists and fighters. Oh…and the military and law enforcement have been making leaps and bounds as well.
The kettlebell isn’t the end all be all, it’s just our tool of choice because it gives you the best bang for your buck. The kettlebell is a great tool and can literally transform you physique, but alone, doesn’t necessarily work the way it should. Why take a chance of getting seriously hurt by using poor technique when you can have the proven and battle tested methodologies of the RKC system?
So that’s it! You can now forge your physique for show AND for go with the help of the kettlebell and RKC philosophies that go along with it. Enjoy the Pain!
When we say ‘strength’ we mean ‘kettlebell.’
When we say ‘kettlebell’ we mean ‘strength.’
Here's a video of my RKC experience...the April 09 RKC in St. Paul, MN
Strength be with you,
Nelson
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Welcome!
Finally....I got this up and running! It's still under construction but I hope to work on it a little bit at a time each day. I'll be posting articles and helpful advice frequently so be sure to check back every once in a while.
Strength be with you,
Nelson
Strength be with you,
Nelson
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