Even if you enjoy throwing iron around on a regular basis, or spend your days advising others on health and wellbeing, the reality of modern living means even the best of us can feel the effects of inactivity. It might be time to hold a mirror up to ourselves and see whether we are really …
There’s a lot more to getting stronger than the actions of simply, and progressively, lifting more. Much of it has to do with caring about setting a proper foundation of solid skills and a successful approach that guides training decisions. For kettlebell beginners particularly, that means starting out by knowing and addressing limitations that could …
Get Started: Foundational Principles of Results-driven Kettlebell Training Read More »
“Your appearance now is what we call residual self-image. It is the mental projection of your digital self.” Morpheus from the Matrix The Matrix trilogy provided not only groundbreaking special effects but also quite a few insights into “self” as Neo navigated his journey. Questioning reality in some ways, but also what it means to be “you.” …
Are You Training in Your Now or in Your Then: Residual Self-Image Read More »
I first came across the term courage corner when reading StrongFirst CEO Pavel Tsatsouline’s book The Russian Kettlebell Challenge. During his military service, Pavel saw a lot of starkly different places, from the frozen expanse of Siberia to sleek submarines under the Baltic Sea to the peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. But one thing remained …
Where to Go to Get Strong: Creating Your Courage Corner Read More »
Regardless of their sport, high-level athletes have an astonishing ‘gift’ of making the most complex moves look easy. How? With years of practice. Learning how to balance and coordinate internal forces to deliver, or access, the power, strength, agility, and quickness they need at the exact right moment for ultimate performance. And that comes from …
“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” Hal Borland As we reflect on the past year and look towards 2019, the truth of this quote hits home. Even as companies (and individuals) “close out” a year’s worth of business …
Building on Strength: Year-end Review and 2019 Preview Read More »
Goals are some of the most powerful fuels for progress in life, business, and training. But recognizing when a temporary pull-back may improve longevity or deliver better long-term results while minimizing potential negative side-effects is a skill that comes through practice and experience. Being a student of strength is a long game. “Warts and All” …
Being a student of strength means having the courage to challenge habits and biases. Because of its complexity, the get-up offers many opportunities to explore, practice, and improve how we move and express our strength. Director of Education, Brett Jones, offers two get-up refinements: one that improves your body connection and another to avoid a …
Something Old is New Again: Refining Your Get-up Read More »
Becoming the best version of yourself—either coach or student—usually means exploring the other side of your tendencies and preferences. But being stuck in either a creative or structured approach to training (or coaching) keeps you from the resources the other ‘side’ has to offer. Here Brett Jones, Director of Education, explains the pros and cons of …
Kettlebell ballistics have very little to do with the kettlebell—and everything to do with how you move your body. When it comes to rhythmically repetitive power work like swings, snatches, and cleans, your best performance comes when you’ve synced your breath to the movement pattern. Better, more athletic swings mean you get more out of your …
How to Sync Your Breathing for More Kettlebell Power Read More »