Are You Lazy? Try Meditating...

I've recently been advised to start meditating (yes, I know, its been a long time coming!).

I got the advice from my coach, Mike Mahler, who recommended I try the Holosync Programme. I bought the programme immediately and found that I got immediate benefits in terms of reduced stress, increased energy and an impoved sense of wellbeing. 30 mins listening to the CD feels like a mini vacation!

CDs are a great way to get into meditation, for people (like me) who would struggle to make the time, or spend the full time meditating 'properly'. You also get the benefits that take years to get to with 'traditional' meditation, as the CDs are designed to actually take your brain into an alpha or theta brainwave state, whereas with traditional meditation it can take years of practice to get there.

I have also bought a book on Mindful Meditation (the proper, hard work version!) which I aim to try to practice alongside the CDs. But the CDs are great for making me stay in the meditation for the full 30 or 60 mins, and are also great to listen to while going to sleep at night, to put on if you wake and can't get back to sleep, and also to listen to if you wake 30-60 mins before you actually need to get up (I do that a lot!). The Holosync guys recommend you actually get up an hour earlier if you really can't find (aka make) time in the rest of your day, as the effect of the CD will be even more beneficial than the same amount of sleep!

The best time to listen to the CDs is after your workout - and I love the double endorphin hit this gives you! Not only is it a great way to feel doubly great after your workout, but it is a fantastic boost to your recovery - and its kind of nice not having to go straight into 'real life' after a hard kettlebell workout!

This has an added benefit, though. According to Mike, the typical habit of eating your post workout meal or shake straight after training is flawed logic hormonally, as growth hormone peaks 30 mins after training. Immediately stimulating insulin kills the GH response and we want to make the most of as much GH as we can! Meditation also boosts hormone balance, increasing DHEA and reducing cortisol.

I have the Holosync CDs, these are the ones Mike uses and recommends. My only gripe is that they are big on trying to upsell you to further levels, which is quite annoying! I have already received a few sales letters in the post and the initial level is not cheap, so I don't want to invest any more in it just yet! So long as you can ignore the upsells then they are great though.

I have also just discovered the Immrama Institute which offer similar CDs, these are cheaper and I'm not sure what the difference is, if there is any. I've ordered the Ocean Wave CD, so even if they have the same effect, I can change the sounds each time for a bit of variety (the Holosync is rain water and bell things, blissful to listen to!)

Each programme has a meditation CD as well as other CDs that you can listen to while studying, reading or working out, to get you into a heightened state of concentration, or 'the zone'. I've not actually used any of the other CDs yet, but will start using them - see if my articles and blog posts become better and more consistent to see if they are having a positive effect!

If you want to find out more, check out these links:

HOLOSYNC Programme
IMMRAMA CDs
MIKE MAHLER (loads of articles and resources on hormonal optimisation)

Post a comment below if you have personal experience with either of these, or if you have any questions!

Meditation for Lazy Guys & Girls!

I've recently been advised to start meditating (yes, I know, its been a long time coming!).

I got the advice from my coach, Mike Mahler, who recommended I try the Holosync Programme. I bought the programme immediately and found that I got immediate benefits in terms of reduced stress, increased energy and an impoved sense of wellbeing. 30 mins listening to the CD feels like a mini vacation!

CDs are a great way to get into meditation, for people (like me) who would struggle to make the time, or spend the full time meditating 'properly'. You also get the benefits that take years to get to with 'traditional' meditation, as the CDs are designed to actually take your brain into an alpha or theta brainwave state, whereas with traditional meditation it can take years of practice to get there.

I have also bought a book on Mindful Meditation (the proper, hard work version!) which I aim to try to practice alongside the CDs. But the CDs are great for making me stay in the meditation for the full 30 or 60 mins, and are also great to listen to while going to sleep at night, to put on if you wake and can't get back to sleep, and also to listen to if you wake 30-60 mins before you actually need to get up (I do that a lot!). The Holosync guys recommend you actually get up an hour earlier if you really can't find (aka make) time in the rest of your day, as the effect of the CD will be even more beneficial than the same amount of sleep!

The best time to listen to the CDs is after your workout - and I love the double endorphin hit this gives you! Not only is it a great way to feel doubly great after your workout, but it is a fantastic boost to your recovery - and its kind of nice not having to go straight into 'real life' after a hard kettlebell workout!

This has an added benefit, though. According to Mike, the typical habit of eating your post workout meal or shake straight after training is flawed logic hormonally, as growth hormone peaks 30 mins after training. Immediately stimulating insulin kills the GH response and we want to make the most of as much GH as we can! Meditation also boosts hormone balance, increasing DHEA and reducing cortisol.

I have the Holosync CDs, these are the ones Mike uses and recommends. My only gripe is that they are big on trying to upsell you to further levels, which is quite annoying! I have already received a few sales letters in the post and the initial level is not cheap, so I don't want to invest any more in it just yet! So long as you can ignore the upsells then they are great though.

I have also just discovered the Immrama Institute which offer similar CDs, these are cheaper and I'm not sure what the difference is, if there is any. I've ordered the Ocean Wave CD, so even if they have the same effect, I can change the sounds each time for a bit of variety (the Holosync is rain water and bell things, blissful to listen to!)

Each programme has a meditation CD as well as other CDs that you can listen to while studying, reading or working out, to get you into a heightened state of concentration, or 'the zone'. I've not actually used any of the other CDs yet, but will start using them - see if my articles and blog posts become better and more consistent to see if they are having a positive effect!

If you want to find out more, check out these links:

HOLOSYNC Programme
IMMRAMA CDs
MIKE MAHLER (loads of articles and resources on hormonal optimisation)

Post a comment below if you have personal experience with either of these, or if you have any questions!

Free 30 Minute Coaching Call and a Kettlebell Challenge!

Just to let you all know that I am going to be running a KettleBelleBody Transformation Contest soon, and that I would like you to be a part of it!

It's going to be a 30 day challenge: you have to follow my KettleBelleBody Programme and Nutrition Guide and chart your progress on a blog (you can do this via the member site: http://carolineradway.ning.com).

There will be a winner in both the male and female category (the program is 'not just for girls' despite the title so don't want to exclude the guys, and it will be great if we could get some couples doing this together!)

As a bonus to anyone who doesn't yet have a copy of the programme, I am offering a 30 minute coaching call to the next 20 people who grab a copy!

Crazy, maybe, but a few clients are off on holiday over the next couple of weeks so thought I'd put those few hours to good use! This offer is going to run for 24 hours or until the 20 places have gone (or until I realise what a fool I've been and change my mind!)

So, if you don't have a copy yet, make sure you head on over to: www.kettlebellebody.com now and get in there quick!

If you do already have a copy, you can get a 30 minute call when you sign up for the Transformation Contest (more on that to come soon!), so you get a prize just for signing up!

So, let me know if you are going to join the contest, and send this link on to friends and family that you think would be up for the challenge or in need of some extra motivation!

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below and let me know if you want to schedule in your 30 minute coaching call (best to leave an hour just in case we go over 30 mins...)

Speak soon!

More on Barefoot Training and Running - I love my Vibram Five Fingers!

Some more info on why you should probably ditch your running trainers:

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/barefoot/

Barefoot Training?

I used to encase my feet 90% of the time in running trainers, for training, while training clients and for just general walking around, and I can see that many people do the same.

When I began to train with kettlebells I realised that running trainers were not the way forward - the soft, cushioned nature of the sole, creates unwanted instability and transmits forces to places you don't want them, increasing the risk of injury.

The general advice is, therefore, to train wearing flat soled shoes, such as Pumas - yes, the ones you buy for a fraction of the cost of running shoes, from the 'fashion' sports outlets! I used to think that anyone wearing those in the gym hadn't got a clue (which is often the case in fact) but now I realise the error of my ways!

I actually usually train completely barefoot when I can, as you are allowing the feet to do the work they were created to do! Rather than allowing over-supportive trainers to reduce our feet's need to work, we can strengthen them by training barefoot.

There are loads of nerve endings in the feet - by over-cushioning we desentise these important proprioceptors, so we are missing out of a really important aspect of training.

If you pronate (as in the arch of the foot rolls inwards), then barefoot training should encourage your glutes to work harder, which should reduce the pronation. If you need extra work to fire the glutes properly, then you need to make glute activation part of your warm up routine - most people should be doing this really. Wearing shoes that support you in this position do nothing for helping you to improve the situation - they accomodate the dysfunction, which can lead to further problems down the road, or up the kinetic chain...

To find out how you can test your own glutes and the steps you can take to rectify the situation, check out this article: http://figureathlete.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/most_recent/how_strong_are_your_glutes_really

Of course, when you are training outside or in a gym, barefoot training is not usually advised or allowed. Which is why I decided to invest in a pair of Vibram Five Fingers (see the pic!). They look kinda wierd and I was sure I'd only wear them in the relative privacy of the gym or my garden, but they are so comfortable I want to wear them all the time!

The toe 'fingers' that I thought would feel really wierd, are actually brilliant as they encourage your toes to spread, in the way you may have done at the beginning of a yoga class, but that regular shoes simply do not allow you to do. I can feel each toe becoming independent and controlled and working as they are meant to!

Try to isolate each toe (like drumming your fingers) and most people will really struggle. Some yoga teachers can do it, but most people just won't have the control. In fact, the first few times I put the VFFs on it took me ages to actually get my toes in the 'fingers' and I do go barefoot quite a lot already, as well as windsurfing / surfing barefoot. Today I managed to slide my feet in no probs - was quite exciting!

You can read all about them on their site: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com and they have a Facebook fan page too.

Plenty of runners are using the VFFs too, not just us kettlebellers and resistance training folks. Of course, you can't run as far or as fast to start with, and running in the VFFs will show you where your weaknesses are, as opposed to hiding them, but in the long run your body will be stronger, and surely that is the point of training?

A recent article (I'll hunt it out and post the links in another post) likened it to jumping onto a big, soft, mattress as opposed to hard ground. Although you would think you land with more cushioning on the mattress, the body can experience more shock as the mattress is supposed to absorb it, so the body doesn't. If you jump onto hard floor, the body is forced to absorb the shock effectively itself, by flexing the relevant joints for a softer landing.

Pavel refers to it as the 'extensor reflex' that is turned off by adding cushioning to the soles of the foot (check out his blog post: here)

Would appreciate your comments - have you tried the Vibram Five Fingers? Are you still put off by the freakyness of them? Have I persuaded you to give them a go??

No Kettlebell To Hand? Here's a Workout for the Road - No Excuses!

OK, a fat burning, EPOC inducing (that means it's gonna raise your metabolism all day long!) and heart pumping bodyweight workout for you:

Warm Up: See Joint Mobility exercises: HERE

A1. 15 Bodyweight Squats - arms by your sides, or raise arms in front as you lower, or hold hands to head, prisoner style. If you have a KB to hand, then hold goblet style at your chest or in the racked position, doing 8 with the KB on the left and 8 on the right.

A2. 15 Push Ups - if you can't do full press ups then do kneeling or even better, elevated - using a bench (or a table if you need it a bit easier) for your hands. Make sure the chest, not the head, comes between the hands so you are engaging the chest muscles properly. For more advanced, have one hand on the kettlebell and do 8 each side or swap each rep.

A3. Skipping / Jump Rope or Kettlebell swings 60 seconds.

Repeat the above 3 exercises 3 times, 15-30 s rest (as little as possible) between the exercises and 30 - 60 s between rounds.

B1. Single leg deadlift x 10 each side (see this video of Lauren doing the KB version - do the same just with no KB if you need to - touching the floor in front instead). Lauren has a great KB DVD series - including one for pregnant women (yes, those abs have had babies!)

B2. Dolphin x 12 (clip here - but I would suggest you drop the hips lower at the bottom than she does in this clip)

B3. 10 burpees (my Southampton bootcamp trainees' fave exercise!)



Repeat the above circuit 3 times as for the first circuit!

Finish off with a plank - hold for 30 - 90 s.

Then stretch, shower and hit the rest of your day, basking in your elevated metabolism, knowing you're burning fat all day - yay!

Come visit my community site, too: http://carolineradway.ning.com

Warming Up for Kettlebell (and any) Training

I am often asked how best to warm up before training with kettlebells, and in general.

Sometimes new arrivals to my bootcamps wonder why we are gyrating around before training and not just jogging around the park

Most people are totally misinformed about what constitutes a proper warm up, thinking a quick 5 mins jogging or on the cross trainer will do the job, or perhaps a light set or two on the weights, or a few stretches - or even nothing at all!

But, there is a better way!

A way that will not only get the temperature of the body up, but that will improve mobility, work through every joint and every plane of motion, reducing injury both in the long and short term, as you are fully prepared for the training to come and also improving your mobility in the long term by consistent practice.

This way of warming up also serves as a 'rehearsal' for the training to follow - so you are ensuring you get maximum bang for your buck when it comes to the training you are about to do, which means you get a more effective and more efficient workout. Gotta be worth doing, surely?

It's referred to as a 'dynamic warm up' or 'joint mobility' and there are many variations of movements you can use to achieve the desired effect.

My KettleBelleBody book has an entire section devoted to a dynamic warm up sequence (as well as a Yoga Sun Salutation sequence that can also be used as part of your warm up, but if you don't have access to that then I can highly reccommend Steve Maxwell's 'Daily Dozen'.

This is a series of, you guessed it, 14 movements (ha, got ya there did I? There are 12 'core' movements and 2 optional ones!!) that should be performed daily - before training on training days and ideally in the morning on recovery days.

You can check out Steve's Daily Dozen here: JOINT MOBILITY WARM UP

It is also worth noting, that if you have any especially tight muscles that restrict movement (usually calves, hamstrings and traps) then it is worth stretching these statically before you train. Static stretching is otherwise NOT recommended as part of your warm up, as it actually switches off the muscles you want to work! So remember - only stretch the muscles that are over-active and preventing correct movement.

You may also want to 'fire up' inactive muscles - in most people this will be the core and glutes. Bridging movements are great for getting the glutes going - 1 leg variations if possible (if your glutes are operating as they should a 1 leg bridge / hip extension should not be a problem). A great option for firing up core and glutes is also the bird-dog.

If you have any joint mobility ideas or favourites the please list them in the comments - I like to keep my dynamic warm ups varied so always on the lookout for new inspiration!

Or head over to my new community site and chat to me on the forum there!

How to get not just Hot, but BOILING!

Mindset is the difference between success and disillusionment, and nowhere more so than in fitness.

We set off with all the best intentions, on an exercise or diet plan, but unless we have taken the essential first steps of figuring out WHY we want to be doing it and WHAT we want to achieve, then we often find that we flag a little, and end up veering off course, without really knowing what went wrong...

Make sure you review your goals TODAY! And if you don't have any clear goals, then spend a few minutes right now jotting down your first thoughts. What do you want to achieve? Why do you want to achieve it? We often give ourselves vague goals, but be specific! Give it a timeline - it doesn't matter if you don't quite hit that time, so long as you are heading in the right direction, so don't be afraid to set a really challenging timeframe - if you don't quite get there you will have got a lot further than if you set a less challenging goal, so 'fail forward fast'!

Think of it as a mental / emotional 'warm up', and make sure you review your goals on a daily basis. 'Warming up' in this way will ensure you are reminded of why you are choosing the healthy breakfast, why you are drinking lots of water and why you are excited about your training session. Without focus on these goals, and paying attention to them regularly, it is easy to forget why we're doing it all.

If you do forget, you may start making less good choices and finding that your great habits slip back to not-so-great habits. While it might seem that a little bit here or there won't hurt, it is the accumulation of all the little things that make the difference, and can result in great success or the complete opposite.

Those little things really do matter - watch this video to remind yourself just how much that little extra degree of effort can result in incredible results:



For more inspiring videos, check out Rocky, Randy Pausch, Aimee Mullins and more in my community site (you'll need to enter a few details to log in):
http://carolineradway.ning.com/video

And once you're in there, check out the 'One Burning Question' topic in the forum: http://carolineradway.ning.com/forum/topics/your-one-burning-question where I am answering any questions you may have on fitnes, nutrition, wellbeing, whatever! Windsurfing, surfing, snowboarding, yoga, kettlebells too...

And have a browse - there are loads of resources: nutrition guides, healthy recipes, a foam roller manual and more!