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Coming next week is Episode #33 which features an interview with Philippe Til about his role and backstory in translating Georges Hébert’s Natural Method books, natural movement practices, and the origins of Parkour. However this will need to wait for next week as I wanted to take some extra time in preparing this episode and the regular features around it too. I’m helping to open a gym today and the preparations and new website for it took more time than I had allotted to it these past two weeks. So, I did not want to rush this episode out because of that – I think you’ll discover next week that it was worth the wait! In the mean time, visit http://GiryaGirl.com to check out a new interview I conducted for Dragon Door – I highly recommend anyone who works with fat loss clients especially to read it, and really anyone who wants to be inspired by a kettlebell and mindset fueled transformation! Thanks again for listening and stay subscribed to hear the new episode next week!

This week’s episode features a conversation with Rob Langdon, Author of The Seventh Circle: a Former Australian Soldier’s Extraordinary Story of Surviving Seven Years in Afghanistan’s Most Notorious Prison. I interviewed him for Dragon Door and this episode features a conversion that expands on the interview and explores some interesting ideas that may surprise you (Kettlebells, Convict Conditioning, Context, and Empathy?!) This episode also includes upcoming events, the question of the week, workout tip of the week, a book of the week, and of course some extra surprises. Upcoming Events: Be sure to sign up for the November 16th and 17th Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification happening in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Master RKC and good friend of many years Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC, and I’ll be teaching the SCC the next day. Level up your skills as a fitness professional or exercise enthusiast on one special weekend. Two Upcoming Events this weekend—and there’s still time to sign up for them: On Saturday August 17th at noon, be sure to check out the Vintage Strength Training Games happening at The Shop Gym in Manassas, Virginia. This first of it’s kind event will feature competitions with the mace and club. People of all experience levels are invited to participate, complete and/or learn! Find out more about the event by searching for “Vintage Strength Training Games” on Facebook or visiting the Maceworx.com website. I hear there’s also going to be a livestream available so be sure to find out all about that before this weekend if you are not able to attend in person! Also on this Saturday August 17th Systema Instructor Glenn Murphy is leading seminar entitled Against Tension this weekend at NC Systema in Durham, NC. This 4-hour seminar is focused on positioning, biomechanics, and the development of internal power in order to work against strong, tough, powerful opponents. Visit NCSystema.com or the link in the show notes to learn more and sign up. http://www.ncsystema.com/events You can also visit NCSystema.com for more information about local classes in Strength and conditioning with me on Tuesdays and Fridays, or Systema, self defense, and other specialized topics with Systema HQ certified instructors here in Durham, NC. They’re always adding awesome workshops and events to their calendar so check it out now. Question of the Week! How do I add Get-Ups to my workouts? This past weekend I led a four hour intensive and I mean INTENSIVE seminar on the kettlebell get-up and one of the many ideas we discussed was how to add get-ups to our workouts and programming. I’ll add some of the ideas here, but if you would like a copy of the PDF handout from the workshop, please email info@giryagirl.com In the mean time, here’s how I like to add get-ups to my workouts and for my clients: Timed Practice a. 3 minutes, 5 minutes “practice” time alternating get-ups with light kettlebell or no weight for workout warmup b. Making a light w eight HEAVY – one side with kettlebell going for 2-5 minutes goal without putting it down. c. Fast Full-Body Workout: 10 Minutes practice time get-ups with moderate kettlebell (or in hotel, a dumbbell!) Working Parts of the Get-Up as individual exercises for reps a. “Get-Up Sit-Up” = start from ground, roll to elbow, push to tall sit b. Half Kneeling Windmill/hinge from the ground to upright and back to ground c. Lunges with Kettlebell Overhead Adding Presses or Small Mobility Moves to upright moments a. Add short sets (1-5) of presses – floor press, tall sit, kneeling windmill, while standing. b. Perform get-up, but pause and make sure you can turn your head at safe intervals. Short set of light get-up (1/1, 2/2) at the beginning of a warm-up circuit Series of Get-Ups with three progressively heavier kettlebells… (12kg, 16kg, 18-20kg) As the first or last part of a main workout circuit Used in pieces as part of a sequence on a variation of the old pretty darn advanced “Furnace” workout: http://giryagirl.com/Orlando-HKC-Helping-Teach-Part-2 and a very advanced version: http://giryagirl.com/Combustion-Chamber-Kettlebell-Workout-Advanced-Level When all else fails, set a “rep goal” for the session or for the entire day (20 get-ups light or no weight for a session, or x number of get-ups with a 16kg for the day) Call for Questions: Call our question line at: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous. Support GiryaGirl.com HEY! Want to support this and other projects and continue to get free workouts and more? Then visit GiryaGirl.com and the new URL (it all goes to the same place) that points to the same site,KettlebellsOfficial.com to keep up with all the new upcoming events, etc. Support this podcast, the website when you use any of the affiliate links to purchase items like kettlebells, workshop registrations, books, and more. This is how you can support the site and the continued production of more podcasts, workouts, blog posts, videos and more. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and let’s talk! Very limited placements available. Conversation Segment: And now for a chat with Rob Langdon, Author of The Seventh Circle: a Former Australian Soldier’s Extraordinary Story of Surviving Seven Years in Afghanistan’s Most Notorious Prison. Be sure to check the show notes for the interview I conducted with him for Dragon Door. The interview is titled Kettlebells and Convict Conditioning in an Afghan Prison: https://www.dragondoor.com/kettlebells_and_convict_conditioning_in_an_afghan_prison_interview_rob_langdon/?apid=Giryagirl Rob’s book: https://amzn.to/2KszApc Training Tip of the Week: Something I really wanted to get across at the kettlebell get-up intensive seminar was the importance of building good habits. One of those habits that can translate into long term safety and strength is lifting even light kettlebells with the same technique as though they’re heavy. Unfortunately it’s pretty common for extremely strong, even record setting lifters to get injured in an every day activity picking up something relatively light. I do my best to always use correct lifting technique no matter if I am picking up a kettlebell that might be pretty light for me. I also feel like this is an important example to set as an instructor – people will do what I do and I need to make sure I’m doing the right things – it’s a big responsibility. Book of the Week! It’s an audio book this week, though the link I’ve included will lead you to all available formats. It’s Go Wild: Eat Fat, Run Free, Be Social, and Follow Evolution’s Other Rules for Total Health and Well-being by John J. Ratley and Richard Manning. https://amzn.to/2KsLRKg This book was recommended to me by John Du Cane, the CEO of Dragon Door, who has more than a few dietary and exercise habits in common with me. I’m sure this book is also effective in written form, but these past few weeks have been so chock full that I’ve taken to listening to audio books between tasks while driving, etc. to keep up. Go Wild presents some very compelling arguments against the current mainstream lifestyle ideas… and also full disclosure it gives me some scientific justification for a few of my own lifestyle quirks. Find out how you might be able to enhance your own well being by making a few simple lifestyle and eating changes. While the description of the book on Amazon sounds pretty dry, the presentation is compelling and will hold your interest. Good stuff. If you’re consuming books and ideas faster than I can toss them out every two weeks, you may wish to sign up for John Du Cane’s new Sunday Share newsletter. Visit JohnDuCane.com for details and get me some brownie points by telling him the GiryaGirl podcast sent you! That reminds me – speaking of cool things that John has recommended, this coming week will be the sixth week that I’ve had 8 meals delivered from Factor 75. I’ve been incredibly impressed with the quality, flavor and of course nutrition with this ready-to-eat meal delivery program. If you’d like to give it a try for a $40 discount, see the link the show notes. Factor 75 meals are always grass-fed, pasture-raised, preservative free, antibiotic & hormone free, soy free, gluten free, and non-GMO. Give it a try here for $40 off: https://www.factor75.com/get-started?referral=YBY3T Wrapping it up: Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the GiryaGirl.com official podcast. Be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss the next episode next week. If you like this podcast please leave a review on iTunes, I know it’s a pain but it will really help the show out! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/official-giryagirl-com-podcast/id862731884 You can also support the show by visiting giryagirl.com or kettlebellsofficial.com. Any purchases you might make through the links on those sites help this show with no additional cost to you. Hope you enjoyed this episode, and I’ll see you in two weeks!

Hello and welcome to the GiryaGirl.com Official Podcast Episode # 31 Coconuts, Goblet Squats, and Strength and Conditioning for Soccer! This week’s episode features a conversation with new North Carolina resident Shawn Spencer of Resolute Fitness Challenge. He specializes in strength and conditioning for soccer, and of course in general. We discuss some of the most important aspects of training for soccer, and the differences between European and American approaches to strength and conditioning for soccer players. This episode also includes upcoming events, the question of the week, workout tip of the week, a book of the week, and of course some extra surprises. Upcoming Events: Be sure to sign up for the November 16th and 17th Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification happening in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Master RKC and good friend of many years Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC, and I’ll be teaching the SCC the next day. Level up your skills as a fitness professional or exercise enthusiast on one special weekend. Fresh on the calendar at NCSystema.com! I’m leading an intensive and focused seminar on the kettlebell get-up here in Durham North Carolina on August the 10th! Taught by Adrienne Harvey… ME… RKC Team Leader, Senior PCC Instructor, CK-FMS Spend a full afternoon focused on this incredible exercise. Beginners will learn great habits from the start. Intermediate and advanced kettlebell enthusiasts will dial in their form making every rep that much more effective.

Nearly every sport and human activity can be improved when we practice properly performed get-ups — with and without weight! This coordination, core, strength, shoulder stability, flexibility, and mobility powerhouse is useful for nearly everyone… but there’s a fairly steep learning curve. If you’ve tried to learn this powerful but oddly complex move from a book, video, or even in a group class and still feel lost, then this workshop is absolutely for you. Even “the experts” on social media are regularly sharing sub-par get-ups… and leaking strength! I’ll show you how to avoid many common mistakes so that you can get the most out of your get-ups. We’re going to break it down so that you can practice this exercise safely and effectively in your own workouts and in the group sessions you might already be attending. You will also learn how the get-up and its component parts can be programmed as nearly infinite variations within workouts. The last hour will be dedicated to Q&A, practice, and of course individual problem solving. Bring a water bottle and hand towel. Kettlebells will be provided. I will have new, in box Dragon Door kettlebells in various useful sizes available for purchase at the event (contact me if you would like to purchase one ahead of time and I will reserve it for you. Dragon Door 8kg, 12kg, 16kg, and 20kg kettlebells will be available: info@giryagirl.com ) Event Tuition: $50 Visit NCSystema.com click the schedule tab then the seminars and special events section on the drop down. Or visit the show notes from this episode for the direct link: http://www.ncsystema.com/events/2019/8/10/kettlebell-get-up-intensive-seminar Also visit NCSystema.com for local classes in Strength and conditioning with me, or Systema, self defense, and other specialized topics with Systema HQ certified instructors here in Durham, NC. They’re always adding awesome workshops and events to their calendar so check it out now. Be sure to check out the Vintage Strength Training Games happening at The Shop Gym in Manassas, Virgina on Saturday August 17th starting at noon. This first of it’s kind event will feature competitions with the mace and club. People of all experience levels are invited to participate, complete and/or learn! Find out more about the event by searching for “Vintage Strength Training Games” on Facebook or visiting the Maceworx.com website. Question of the Week! What’s the difference between coconut milk and coconut cream? First off, both are delicious in my opinion. In rare cases they can be used interchangeably but usually not. I will talk about one such case later in this answer. Both Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream are fully non-dairy products, both are high in fat, both are popular in paleo and keto diets. Both are also safe for vegetarians and vegans. For the sake of this question, I grabbed two examples of each – coconut milk and coconut cream from both Trader Joe’s and Sprouts Market. They’re very similar products. A couple things are different. The cans from Sprouts Market need to be opened with a can opener, while the Trader Joe’s cans have a pop top. The Sprouts Market coconut milk and coconut cream are both products of Thailand, while the Trader Joe’s coconut milk and cream are both products of Sri Lanka. Both countries are well acquainted with coconut milk and cream and I definitely trust both with this product! The last difference between the Sprouts and TJs coconut milk and cream products is that the Sprouts versions both have the addition of guar gum. Guar gum is a stabilizer and keeps the coconut milk and coconut cream products from separating. Guar gum is no biggie and I don’t slight Sprouts for including it. But, I do try to avoid coconut milk with sulfites in it. That’s usually found in cans of conventional coconut milk as a preservative, and unfortunately you will find it in brands selling coconut milk at competitive prices. So if you see what looks like an awesome deal on coconut milk, be sure to check the ingredient label for common sulfites like sodium metabisulfite or potassium metabisulfite before you go bonkers and buy a whole case of it – especially if you have an allergy or sensitivity to it. I don’t, but I consume such a quantity of coconut milk, that I make sure to avoid it out of an abundance of caution. So, I love to make really healthy-fat dense treats with both coconut milk and coconut cream. Coconut milk makes an excellent “pudding” if you stir in 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds and then let it set in the fridge. I usually add a tiny bit of honey or stevia right before stirring again and serving. Coconut cream is already so dense you may not wish to use it in that way. Coconut cream is a treat in it’s own right and with a little pinch of stevia sweetness can be used as a sort of paleo/keto frosting. I love to make coconut based curries – and if I want to make a super rich one, sometimes I’ll use half coconut milk, and half coconut cream. Years ago, I made an incredibly over-the-top rich Thai style Tom Ka Gai soup when I accidentally used coconut cream instead of coconut milk. Now I’ll only do that for special occasions or if I’m sharing the soup with at least two other people. I can’t be trusted not to eat the whole batch sometimes and I’m sure I’d have some issues digesting that much coconut cream on my own in one sitting! In the winter I love to make a coconut milk based hot chocolate -and if you want to get extra fancy, you can always top that with a bit of coconut cream whipped up. Whipped up coconut cream is also delicious on top of any sort of paleo or keto baked goods. You’ll notice that I don’t have any cans of “light” coconut milk… simply put this is just coconut milk with water added… and we don’t want any of that! If you’re counting calories I’d advise you to just use less regular coconut milk, or watch the portion sizes when eating a coconut milk based recipe. You may also wish to avoid coconut cream or recipes which call for it. If you’re keto, then coconut cream might become your favorite base for intensely luxurious coconut-fat filled treats. Something to be extra careful of is a product called “Cream of Coconut” it’s sweetened (usually with cane sugar) and is not appropriate for keto or paleo foods. It’s usually used in desserts, tropical cocktails and the like. It’s definitely a special occasion ingredient—it has a very sweet, syrupy texture and is essentially the “sweetened condensed milk” of the coconut world. I hope that clears up the confusion about canned coconut products and that you’re ready to choose the right one for your next recipe! Call for Questions: Call our question line at: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous. Support GiryaGirl.com: HEY! Want to support this and other projects and continue to get free workouts and more? Then visit GiryaGirl.com and the new URL (it all goes to the same place) that points to the same site, KettlebellsOfficial.com to keep up with all the new upcoming events, etc. Support this podcast, the website when you use any of the affiliate links to purchase items like kettlebells, workshop registrations, books, and more. This is how you can support the site and the continued production of more podcasts, workouts, blog posts, videos and more. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and let’s talk! Very limited placements available. Conversation Segment: And now for a chat with Shawn Spencer of Resolute Fitness Challenge. Subscribe to his YouTube channel, while it’s still a very new channel, he’s growing fast and always posting some pretty interesting CrossFit workouts and competition vlogs: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL4xZWDWsMMlJFJ0fih6JUQ I plan to challenge him here soon… but he won’t know that until he listens to this episode HAHAHA. Training Tip of the Week: It might not sound important, but the way that we pick the kettlebell up and set it back down before and after goblet squats is really important. You start by standing with your feet shoulder to hip width apart. The kettlebell is between your feet with the handle lined up with you

This week’s episode features a conversation with fan favorite and all around awesome instructor, author, and popular YouTuber, Matt Schifferle of the Red Delta Project. We discuss training for and around your martial arts practice, balance in training, and of course his training strategies and upcoming books. This episode also includes upcoming events, the question of the week, workout tip of the week, a book of the week, and of course some extra surprises. Upcoming Events: Be sure to sign up for the November 16th and 17th Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification happening in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Master RKC and good friend of many years Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC, and I’ll be teaching the SCC the next day. Level up your skills as a fitness professional or exercise enthusiast on one special weekend. Fresh on the calendar at NCSystema.com! I’m leading an intensive and focused seminar on the kettlebell get-up here in Durham North Carolina on August the 10th! Taught by Adrienne Harvey… ME… RKC Team Leader, Senior PCC Instructor, CK-FMS Spend a full afternoon focused on this incredible exercise. Beginners will learn great habits from the start. Intermediate and advanced kettlebell enthusiasts will dial in their form making every rep that much more effective.

Nearly every sport and human activity can be improved when we practice properly performed get-ups — with and without weight! This coordination, core, strength, shoulder stability, flexibility, and mobility powerhouse is useful for nearly everyone… but there’s a fairly steep learning curve. If you’ve tried to learn this powerful but oddly complex move from a book, video, or even in a group class and still feel lost, then this workshop is absolutely for you. Even “the experts” on social media are regularly sharing sub-par get-ups… and leaking strength! I’ll show you how to avoid many common mistakes so that you can get the most out of your get-ups. We’re going to break it down so that you can practice this exercise safely and effectively in your own workouts and in the group sessions you might already be attending. You will also learn how the get-up and its component parts can be programmed as nearly infinite variations within workouts. The last hour will be dedicated to Q&A, practice, and of course individual problem solving. Bring a water bottle and hand towel. Kettlebells will be provided. I will have new, in box Dragon Door kettlebells in various useful sizes available for purchase at the event (contact me if you would like to purchase one ahead of time and I will reserve it for you. Dragon Door 8kg, 12kg, 16kg, and 20kg kettlebells will be available: info@giryagirl.com ) Event Tuition: $50 Visit NCSystema.com click the schedule tab then the seminars and special events section on the drop down. Or visit the show nows from this episode for the direct link: http://www.ncsystema.com/events/2019/8/10/kettlebell-get-up-intensive-seminar Also visit NCSystema.com for local classes in Strength and conditioning with me, or Systema, self defense, and other specialized topics with Systema HQ certified instructors here in Durham, NC. They’re always adding awesome workshops and events to their calendar so check it out now. Be sure to check out the Vintage Strength Training Games happening at The Shop Gym in Manassas, Virgina on Saturday August 17th starting at noon. This first of it’s kind event will feature competitions with the mace and club. People of all experience levels are invited to participate, complete and/or learn! Find out more about the event by searching for “Vintage Strength Training Games” on Facebook or visiting the Maceworx.com website. Question of the Week! Do I keep looking at the kettlebell during the whole get-up or not? If I don’t look the kettlebell the whole time, then, when/where do I look? Here’s an important one from a recent local open gym and challenge workout session. We had a new person who has a good amount of exercise experience show up to work on handstands but who ended up trying out our challenge workout for the week as well (very brave). As is often the case the first half of the challenge workout was an extended warmup before things got completely crazy and involved a few short sets of get-ups with various weights starting light and then going to moderately heavy – no PR weights since again this was an extended warm up. Anyway, she had been instructed in the past to look up at the kettlebell during the entire get-up, and asked about that since another well respected local trainer had said to move the eyes to the horizon during some parts of it. So here’s the answer I gave as well as some cues which might help you find the spot to move your eyes as well. No, you definitely don’t want to be looking at the kettlebell the whole time – especially when you’re standing! When it’s overhead, and you’re standing up into or back down into a lunge, you need to have your eyes on the horizon for safety, and to not crink the heck out of your neck! I mean, what if we had to stare at the kettlebell during presses? Yikes! So, an easy way to remember this is eyes on the horizon whenever the torso is upright. When you’re coming up from the ground and about to take your hand off the floor right after “Kneeling windmill” your torso moves to an upright position – while your torso is moving you’ll notice it’s very natural for your eyes to then focus straight ahead instead of on the kettlebell. Again when coming back down from the lunge, as soon as you start hinging your way to that kneeling windmill again, you’ll notice that it’s also a convenient time to look up at the kettlebell again and for the rest of your way back down. Be safe and when in doubt ask an RKC or HKC instructor – and get them to spot you too! A good spotter can really help when you may be trying to retrain habits as well as keep you lifting safely. Call for Questions: Call our question line at: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous. Support GiryaGirl.com: HEY! Want to support this and other projects and continue to get free workouts and more? Then visit GiryaGirl.com and the new URL (it all goes to the same place) that points to the same site, KettlebellsOfficial.com to keep up with all the new upcoming events, etc. Support this podcast, the website when you use any of the affiliate links to purchase items like kettlebells, workshop registrations, books, and more. This is how you can support the site and the continued production of more podcasts, workouts, blog posts, videos and more. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and let’s talk! Very limited placements available. Conversation Segment: And now for a chat with Matt Schifferle, PCC Team Leader, author of several popular bodyweight training books, popular podcaster and YouTuber with an impressive following. We recorded this a while back, but the info is definitely still relevant. Be sure to check out Matt’s books, especially the one we’re discussing here, Bodyweight Training for Martial Arts: Traditional Calisthenics Technique for the Modern Martial Artist: https://amzn.to/2jVg0Y7 Also, look forward to a future YouTube collaboration we recorded last month – I need to edit it, but it will be up on YouTube soon and outlines his cool “Grind-Style Calisthenics” approach. Training Tip of the Week: So, this one isn’t specific to kettlebells or bodyweight training, but I’ve been reminded of it several times in these past two weeks and have used this myself in ways both in and out of the gym as well as with clients. It’s called making excellence the new normal – and frankly if you find yourself not being challenged, make sure to find an environment where you are – maybe finding a gym where people are safely and skillfully putting up heavy weight, or finding a workout partner who’s farther along in their fitness journey, or a new instructor who pushes you to be your best. Find someone who is doing what you want to do and who does it as if it’s completely normal. As I like to say about our training… this is what we do here, and you’re going to be doing it soon too. Book of the Week! There’s actually TWO books of the week this week. First and foremost for those of you who are looking to increase your flexibility – but in a way that enhances your strength and power instead of weakens it, check out the Dragon Door Classic exhumed from the vaults (the recently moved to a new office and CEO John Du Cane found a few pristine boxes of their first ever book from 1998). This is Pavel Tsatsouline’s Beyond Stretching: Russian Flexibility Breakthroughs. And there’s only a few left – Dragon Door has put them up on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2lpIHwL You’ve never seen Pavel with this much hair on his head, and there’s a few photos of John in there too and darned if he doesn’t look like one of my friends from college. Historical and collectable value aside, the info in this book stands the test of time, and Pavel’s writing style at this stage is a riot – I find myself learning and laughing on most pages and that’s always a win in my world. The other book is not a training book, but one I like to use in an unusual way. It’s The Chess Tactics Workbook by Al Woolum. And while this book is rather on the simple side—and has doubtless found its way into many school classrooms, I find that reviewing chess tactics is a great way to get better at chess, or in my case, get back into the game a little. This book features small chess problems like mate in one or two moves, decoys, double checks, and more. But each

Just a quick note today, the GiryaGirl.com Official Podcast is moving to a once every two weeks format to ensure that I can continue to deliver the highest quality content every episode. Also… I’ve just really really gotta get that new website ready for you – it’s almost there and a few extra hours ever other week would allow me to make that final push so that it’s truly an epic launch. In the mean time, you may have noticed that the GiryaGirlTV youtube channel has sprung back to life as well. I’ll leave a link in the show notes for the most recent video – it’s a collaboration with Glenn Murphy, the Chief Instructor at NC Systema. It’s a cool tutorial about Systema Breath and Movement with Basic Push-Ups and Squats. https://youtu.be/ya837tMLfVw Look forward to a full episode (with one of your all time favorite podcast guests) next Monday!

This week’s episode features a conversation with Frank DiMeo. Frank owns the Cave Gym http://CaveStrong.net near Sarasota, Florida. He is an Underground Strength Coach level 2, Vintage Strength Coach, and MaceFit.com Coordinator. Frank explains why you might want to add extremely old school strength and conditioning implements like maces and clubs to your toolkit and how to get started. This episode also includes upcoming events, the question of the week, workout tip of the week, a book of the week, and of course some extra surprises. Upcoming Events: Be sure to sign up for the November 16th and 17th Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification happening in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Master RKC and good friend of many years Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC, and I’ll be teaching the SCC the next day. Level up your skills as a fitness professional or exercise enthusiast on one special weekend. Fresh on the calendar at NCSystema.com: I’m leading an intensive and focused seminar on the kettlebell get-up here in Durham North Carolina on August the 10th! Taught by Adrienne Harvey, RKC Team Leader, Senior PCC Instructor, CK-FMS. Spend a full afternoon focused on this incredible exercise. Beginners will learn great habits from the start. Intermediate and advanced kettlebell enthusiasts will dial in their form making every rep that much more effective.

Nearly every sport and human activity can be improved when we practice properly performed get-ups — with and without weight! This coordination, core, strength, shoulder stability, flexibility, and mobility powerhouse is useful for nearly everyone… but there’s a fairly steep learning curve. If you’ve tried to learn this powerful but oddly complex move from a book, video, or even in a group class and still feel lost, then this workshop is absolutely for you. Even “the experts” on social media are regularly sharing sub-par get-ups… and leaking strength! I’ll show you how to avoid many common mistakes so that you can get the most out of your get-ups. We’re going to break it down so that you can practice this exercise safely and effectively in your own workouts and in the group sessions you might already be attending. You will also learn how the get-up and its component parts can be programmed as nearly infinite variations within workouts. The last hour will be dedicated to Q&A, practice, and of course individual problem solving. Bring a water bottle and hand towel. Kettlebells will be provided. I will have new, in box Dragon Door kettlebells in various useful sizes available for purchase at the event (contact me if you would like to purchase one ahead of time and I will reserve it for you. Dragon Door 8kg, 12kg, 16kg, and 20kg kettlebells will be available: info@giryagirl.com ) Event Tuition: $50 Visit NCSystema.com click the schedule tab then the seminars and special events section on the drop down. Or visit the show nows from this episode for the direct link: http://www.ncsystema.com/events/2019/8/10/kettlebell-get-up-intensive-seminar Also visit NCSystema.com for local classes in Strength and conditioning with me, or Systema, self defense, and other specialized topics with Systema HQ certified instructors here in Durham, NC. They’re always adding awesome workshops and events to their calendar so check it out now. Question of the Week! Question of the week – is Convict Conditioning ok for women? Absolutely! It’s mindboggling how often this question comes up, but I guess with all of the masculine words and marketing it may be confusing… especially compared to what normally is marketed to women in terms of fitness. Don’t get me started, I just can’t be bothered with that stuff. Anyway, the real power of Convict Conditioning and by extension the Progressive Calisthenics Workshops like the PCC and SCC which are based on Convict Conditioning and also designed by the legendarily mysterious Paul “Coach” Wade, is that they literally will work for anyone—at any starting point. The very first steps are extremely approachable and valuable for absolutely beginners as well as those looking to fortify their joints. A lot of us use the early steps during our warmups, and continue to include them in our traing long after we may have attained a master step in the program. A word of advice – while the plan and progressions in the book are presented as “do this!” they are not as carved in stone as they may appear. As in PCC and SCC, creativity and problem solving are encouraged on our path to greater calisthenics strength and skill. So, ladies while the photos in the book might be of dudes, and there’s a fair amount manly-man hub-bub in there, the ideas and progressions in this book are fantastic for us. And since a lot of women seem short on time, the workouts are ideal for doing at home in a spare half hour or in minutes scattered around the day. If you’re tired of being lied to by mainstream women’s fitness books with pretty pictures and few real solutions, then it may be time to give this rough and tough looking book a fair shake. The progression for pull-ups alone is well worth the price of admission. By the way, Dragon Door just restocked the book and there’s a $10 discount on it until Friday July 5th! I have answered this before: https://giryagirl.com/Ask-GiryaGirl-Is-Convict-Conditioning-OK-For-Women-HKC-For-Non-Trainers-Special-Agent-Interview and https://giryagirl.com/Ask-GiryaGirl-Convict-Conditioning-For-Women-1000-Swings Call for Questions: Call our question line at: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous. Support GiryaGirl.com HEY! Want to support this and other projects and continue to get free workouts and more? Then visit GiryaGirl.com and the new URL (it all goes to the same place) that points to the same site, KettlebellsOfficial.com to keep up with all the new upcoming events, etc. Support this podcast, the website when you use any of the affiliate links to purchase items like kettlebells, workshop registrations, books, and more. This is how you can support the site and the continued production of more podcasts, workouts, blog posts, videos and more. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and let’s talk! Very limited placements available. Conversation Segment: Chat with Frank DiMeo owner of The Cave gym http://CaveStrong.net near Sarasota, Florida. Frank is an Underground Strength Coach level 2, Vintage Strength Coach, and MaceFit.com Coordinator. Frank explains why you might want to add mace training to your toolkit and how to get started. I met Frank several years ago and we have both attended some of the legendary seminars from Zach Even-Esh, the author of the Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning, one of my favorite go-to books for solid training templates for unconventional strength training. Here’s an interview I did with Zach for Dragon Door shortly after his book came out. Frank and I share a lot of the same training philosophies and no-nonsense approaches, so I just had to hear more about MaceFit training. Be sure to check out the Vintage Strength Training Games happening at The Shop Gym in Manassas, Virginia on Saturday August 17th starting at noon. This first of it’s kind event will feature competitions with the mace and club. People of all experience levels are invited to participate, complete and/or learn! Find out more about the event by searching for “Vintage Strength Training Games” on Facebook or visiting the Maceworx.com website. Training Tip of the Week: There was a fair amount of smack talk about the kettlebell get-up online this past week so I figured it might be a good time to have a get-up tip of the week! I don’t have time for arguments online or clickbait but I do love to share helpful hints. There’s a quote from George Bernard Shaw that sums up my feelings about online arguments: “Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.” So, back to productive things. Did you know that the hip hinge is not just important for deadlifts and kettlebell swings? It also plays a role in the get-up. When I first learned the get-up and for many years afterwards this was not something which was specifically emphasized. However I did notice I tended to naturally it more when going for a heavier get-up, or when mildly fatigued. Here’s where the hinge fits into the get-up. Starting from the ground, you roll up and over to the elbow, then extend the arm and come up to the hand. Press through the hand and the foot of the bent leg to raise the body just enough off the ground for the “low sweep”. When the straight leg sweeps under the body, you may notice that you’re in a slight hinge before shifting your weight so that the kettlebell held overhead is now lined up exactly above the hand on the ground for the kneeling windmill. Oddly enough you may actually notice the hinge more at first during the “get-down” phase. For example… From standing, you step back with the foot opposite the side that’s holding the kettlebell overhead, descending into a lunge. When the back foot is “windshield wipered” toward the body, then the hips are free to push back into a hinge as you trace down the side of the body with your non-kettlebell-holding hand. Trace down to the knee then place the hand a fair distance from the body (for me this is about half a foot, but everyone is different…arm length etc.) before shifting towards that hand and this coming out of the hinge. This all sounds a lot more difficult and confusing in pure audio form unless you’re extremely familiar with the get-up, so if you’re feeling a bit lost right now, don’t blame yourself! I’ve planned a small vide

This week’s episode features a conversation with Stephen Reiners, who recently earned his HKC and SCC certifications at the workshop I led in Durham, NC. Stephen is an avid GORUCK enthusiast, kettlebell and bodyweight exercise and natural leader. He recently traveled to Normandy to be part of the GORUCK D-Day 75th Anniversary Challenges, specifically the Omaha Beach Challenge. Stephen shares his experience at the event and what inspires him to participate in GORUCK. We also talk a little about some of the specific training we do to keep him able to enthusiastically complete multiple challenges a year. This episode of course also includes upcoming events, the question of the week, workout tip of the week, a thing of the week, and of course some extra surprises. Upcoming Events: Be sure to sign up for the November 16th and 17th Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification happening in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Master RKC and good friend of many years Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC, and I’ll be teaching the SCC the next day. Level up your skills as a fitness professional or exercise enthusiast on one special weekend. Fresh on the calendar at NCSystema.com: I’m leading an intensive and focused seminar on the kettlebell get-up here in Durham North Carolina on August the 10th! Taught by Adrienne Harvey, RKC Team Leader, Senior PCC Instructor, CK-FMS. Spend a full afternoon focused on this incredible exercise. Beginners will learn great habits from the start. Intermediate and advanced kettlebell enthusiasts will dial in their form making every rep that much more effective.

Nearly every sport and human activity can be improved when we practice properly performed get-ups — with and without weight! This coordination, core, strength, shoulder stability, flexibility, and mobility powerhouse is useful for nearly everyone… but there’s a fairly steep learning curve. If you’ve tried to learn this powerful but oddly complex move from a book, video, or even in a group class and still feel lost, then this workshop is absolutely for you. Even “the experts” on social media are regularly sharing sub-par get-ups… and leaking strength! I’ll show you how to avoid many common mistakes so that you can get the most out of your get-ups. We’re going to break it down so that you can practice this exercise safely and effectively in your own workouts and in the group sessions you might already be attending. You will also learn how the get-up and its component parts can be programmed as nearly infinite variations within workouts. The last hour will be dedicated to Q&A, practice, and of course individual problem solving. Bring a water bottle and hand towel. Kettlebells will be provided. I will have new, in box Dragon Door kettlebells in various useful sizes available for purchase at the event (contact me if you would like to purchase one ahead of time and I will reserve it for you. Dragon Door 8kg, 12kg, 16kg, and 20kg kettlebells will be available: info@giryagirl.com) Event Tuition: $50 Visit NCSystema.com click the schedule tab then the seminars and special events section on the drop down. Or visit the show nows from this episode for the direct link: http://www.ncsystema.com/events/2019/8/10/kettlebell-get-up-intensive-seminar Also visit NCSystema.com for local classes in Strength and conditioning with me, or Systema, self defense, and other specialized topics with Systema HQ certified instructors here in Durham, NC. They’re always adding awesome workshops and events to their calendar so check it out now. Question of the Week! Q: I’m a beginner, which kettlebell should I start with? What kettlebell did YOU start with? A: This is actually one that comes up in conversation out in the real world fairly often. Especially right now since I’ve ordered quite a lot of kettlebells to have for upcoming events and a few special training packages I’ll be offering soon in Durham. Oddly enough, I still think that the old Dragon Door party line from way back still holds true here. I’ll include a little chart I made a few years ago in the show notes for you: First off – if you have the opportunity to work with an HKC or RKC before even buying a kettlebell I would recommend doing that. Actually I’m going to have that as the top recommendation… that way they can make a recommendation that’s specific to you and you can also try the kettlebells that they have so you can know what to expect when your kettlebell arrives. That being said here’s the old and I think still relevant recommendations from Dragon Door: An average woman may wish to start with an 8kg which is 18lbs and while that sounds like to me, sometimes this number will sound really heavy if someone is coming to kettlebells from mainstream fitness classes or cardio-based approaches. It’s important to realize that you’ll be using your whole body with this weight – and this is true for all the recommendations I’m about to give. A strong woman will likely want to start with a 12kg. This is what I started with back in the day and was surprised to see exactly how much this seemingly small little thing really wore me out. While someone who is really dedicated, motivated, and consistent will move past this size quickly for two hand swings and squats, it’s a size that will always remain useful. An average guy will want to start with a 16kg kettlebell, and while it may take some coaxing to get him to try this size, it’s important to learn to form correctly. At first I think kettlebell training is much less about the kettlebell and much more about learning to move correctly—especially now as the general population becomes more and more sedentary. Something to note is that average height to tall guys who are working on their hip and hamstring mobility may need to raise the kettlebell up a little (a 16kg is relatively short) on a block (we use a foot long chunk of a 4×6 wooden fence post here) so that they don’t have to compromise their form to reach down to the kettlebell. A stronger guy who has been pretty serious about his strength training or who has been training in other systems with kettlebells, but who wants to learn our Hardstyle Technique is likely good to go with a 20kg kettlebell. Again, everyone is different, and it’s best to err on the side of light when beginning – we don’t want to compromise our movement patterns to compensate for the load. And while 20kg and even 24kg may not sound heavy at all to someone who’s been serious about barbell training in any capacity, they’ll soon discover that this is an entirely different animal. Very strong and/or large guys who have lifting experience are likely good to go with the 24kg. Again, it really is helpful to start out with a certified instructor. Until I found a local RKC to work with, I thought I’d been doing things correctly from books, videos, and online articles. This was back in about 2008-2009 and I had somehow lucked into finding great resources that I still stand by today—but even with those guides, by the time I found an instructor to train with I had a LOT to unlearn and relearn. Do yourself a favor and get with an instructor ASAP! Find an RKC or HKC Instructor near you Call for Questions: Call our question line at: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous. Support GiryaGirl.com HEY! Want to support this and other projects and continue to get free workouts and more? Then visit GiryaGirl.com and the new URL (it all goes to the same place) that points to the same site, KettlebellsOfficial.com to keep up with all the new upcoming events, etc. Support this podcast, the website when you use any of the affiliate links to purchase items like kettlebells, workshop registrations, books, and more. This is how you can support the site and the continued production of more podcasts, workouts, blog posts, videos and more. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and let’s talk! Very limited placements available. Chat/Interview Segment: Chat with Stephen Reiners, GORUCK and kettlebell enthusiast about his experience at the GORUCK Normandy Omaha Beach event. Special Links: Goruck Blog Recap WWII Vets Show up! Training Tip of the Week: The goblet squat… the old standby, 1/3 of the HKC workshop… and really one of the best ways to get nearly anyone to start doing great squats. But there’s another way to think about it – and I’ve found that this is surprisingly helpful. Past a certain point, I started feeling the challenge of this lift more in the core/abs than legs. As we pull ourselves down into the squat, it takes quite a lot of abdominal engagement to maintain the straight spine in the bottom position, and this can be new for a lot of people, their impulse is often to let the tailbone tuck under in order to get lower than maybe they need to be. That’s the whole “buttwink” phenomenon – you know when someone’s rear tucks under at the lowest point of the squat only to pop back up as they start back up to standing. If you start to feel strain in the lower back instead of the legs, butt, abs, then there’s a big chance that the buttwink is happening. So…what to do? First, if you have the proprioception for it (or even better, a trusted workout partner), try to determine how far you are into the squat before you sense the “buttwink” about to happen. Then, for the next few reps – or weeks really, only squat to the depth JUST before the tailbone starts to tuck under. Using your abs, fight to keep the spine long and straight… this will be surprisingly difficult if you’ve got the habit to just let it tuck under. I find that often people who are habitually doing bo

This week’s episode features a conversation with Master RKC Michael Krivka of Crossfit Koncepts up in Gaithersburg, MD. We describe in detail the Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification workshops and who should take the workshops. We also discuss the importance of learning kettlebell and calisthenics technique in person, and how to avoid setting a foundation for injury in training. Mike has some interesting numbers regarding all the online how-to videos related to kettlebell training to share as well. It’s a bit staggering to say the least. This episode of course also includes upcoming events, the question of the week, workout tip of the week, a thing of the week, and of course some extra surprises. Upcoming Events: Be sure to sign up for the November 16th and 17th Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification happening in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Master RKC and good friend of many years Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC, and I’ll be teaching the SCC the next day. Level up your skills as a fitness professional or exercise enthusiast on one special weekend. Fresh on the calendar at NCSystema.com! I’m leading an intensive and focused seminar on the kettlebell get-up here in Durham North Carolina on August the 10th! Taught by Adrienne Harvey… ME… RKC Team Leader, Senior PCC Instructor, CK-FMS Spend a full afternoon focused on this incredible exercise. Beginners will learn great habits from the start. Intermediate and advanced kettlebell enthusiasts will dial in their form making every rep that much more effective.

Nearly every sport and human activity can be improved when we practice properly performed get-ups — with and without weight! This coordination, core, strength, shoulder stability, flexibility, and mobility powerhouse is useful for nearly everyone… but there’s a fairly steep learning curve. If you’ve tried to learn this powerful but oddly complex move from a book, video, or even in a group class and still feel lost, then this workshop is absolutely for you. Even “the experts” on social media are regularly sharing sub-par get-ups… and leaking strength! I’ll show you how to avoid many common mistakes so that you can get the most out of your get-ups. We’re going to break it down so that you can practice this exercise safely and effectively in your own workouts and in the group sessions you might already be attending. You will also learn how the get-up and its component parts can be programmed as nearly infinite variations within workouts. The last hour will be dedicated to Q&A, practice, and of course individual problem solving. Bring a water bottle and hand towel. Kettlebells will be provided. I will have new, in box Dragon Door kettlebells in various useful sizes available for purchase at the event (contact me if you would like to purchase one ahead of time and I will reserve it for you. Dragon Door 8kg, 12kg, 16kg, and 20kg kettlebells will be available: info@giryagirl.com ) Event Tuition: $50 Visit NCSystema.com click the schedule tab then the seminars and special events section on the drop down. Or visit the show nows from this episode for the direct link: http://www.ncsystema.com/events/2019/8/10/kettlebell-get-up-intensive-seminar Also visit NCSystema.com for local classes in Strength and conditioning with me, or Systema, self defense, and other specialized topics with Systema HQ certified instructors here in Durham, NC. They’re always adding awesome workshops and events to their calendar so check it out now. Question of the Week! Eric from Facebook: I was reading Pavel’s Russian Kettlebell challenge book. And in it he gives pretty broad brush strokes on how to train and offers quite a few lifts. This book is pretty old. Then by the time he gets to Simple and Sinister there are just two lifts. Do you know the philosophy behind this minimalist progression? I’m just curious how he went from pretty everything but the kitchen sink to this is it and this is how it’s going to get done. So, swings and getups absolutely work, and they were regarded as the “program minimum” very early on. From my understanding as early as a few years after that original book came out. As I’ve been working with Dragon Door for quite a while (and am always poking around for bits of lore) I found out that at the second-ever RKC workshop they were tested on oodles of exercises, not just the RKC 6 that we are tested on these days. In every respect, the systems have moved away from great complexity to more tightly honed approaches with fewer overall exercises. Most people, and even athletes will benefit from GPP “general physical preparedness” since most mainstream fitness programs are very specialized. For instance, people in search of general fitness who have been working out by following intricate bodybuilding programs which were designed for people who compete in the sport of bodybuilding rather than optimal health or general performance. The swing and get-up can really get GPP done, but there’s no harm in practicing a few other exercises too. I’m a big fan of Max Shank’s approach in Master the Kettlebell where he outlines a very simple template of upper body push, upper body pull, lower body push, lower body pull, finisher. And you’d be hard pressed to find any of my workouts that don’t include Dan John’s 5 basic movements: push, pull, hinge, squat, and loaded carry every time. I’m glad you brought up Simple and Sinister, while a lot of people are getting benefit from that program, I problem I’ve seen pop up here and there is that it’s so simple that people get stuck in a loop and are not sure how to progress forward or even from the program. One very intelligent, fit guy asked me about how to move forward with it had been stuck with one weight for over a year. I was able to help him un-stall his progress by finding more than a few form improvements for him to work on, but the reason I bring this this up is that while simple is always good, don’t simple yourself into a corner. Another person had literally spent years on the program and ended up coming away with reasonable results but a total loss of his former knowledge of program design and progression. When in doubt on any of these programs—especially really stripped down ones like Simple and Sinister if you get stuck, definitely get some coaching from a qualified RKC or PCC—in the case of Convict Conditioning. You may even want to get help with your programming for a few months as well. Call for Questions: Call our question line at: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous. Support GiryaGirl.com HEY! Want to support this and other projects and continue to get free workouts and more? Then visit GiryaGirl.com and the new URL (it all goes to the same place) that points to the same site, KettlebellsOfficial.com to keep up with all the new upcoming events, etc. Support this podcast, the website when you use any of the affiliate links to purchase items like kettlebells, workshop registrations, books, and more. This is how you can support the site and the continued production of more podcasts, workouts, blog posts, videos and more. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and let’s talk! Very limited placements available. Discussion Segment: Chat with Master RKC Michael Krivka about the upcoming Gaithersburg, Maryland HKC and SCC workshops coming up in November, and of course the importance of the basics. Training Tip of the Week: Many of you already know my love for the often ignored kettlebell clean. And I’ve even begun to see a whole lot of cleans these days from folks just ripping it off the ground without a backswing. While that’s not a “wrong” or “dangerous” exercise when performed correctly, I have to wonder what’s driving it’s recent popularity. But regardless, in the RKC the standard kettlebell clean with a backswing is taught, practiced and tested. And frankly, this surprisingly challenging exercise can be a real thorn in people’s sides. But it’s really worth learning, because it allows you to seamlessly string standard kettlebell exercises together into what can really become some serious metabolic and strength endurance challenges. RKC cleans also teach you timing, deceleration, and grip management. But grip timing and timing of the movement aside, one of the biggest issues people have when learning and practicing their cleans is “casting” as in, they’re “casting” the kettlebell out and away from themselves. The arc that the kettlebell travels up to you is the same as the swing only from the backswing to about just below belt height, at that point pull the elbow back so that the direction of the kettlebell’s momentum begins to move up instead of out (as if in a swing). Then as you slow the kettlebell with a fast but tight application of grip, the kettlebell gently lands in the rack position without much drama at all. Drama is for reality shows and we’re much to dignified for that noise, right? Now that we have the kettlebell in the rack position, it’s time to conquer the namesake of the “casting out” error. For whatever reason (I chalk it up to human nature) most people when learning to clean will want to throw the kettlebell out in front of themselves “casting it away” instead of just giving a gently flick of the wrist while the arm remains close to the body. As the kettlebell comes down, still close to the body, sit the hips back FAST (as in get out of your own way, you don’t want to bonk yourself in the privates with that kettlebell, do you). When you push the hips back aka “stick your butt back!” the kettlebe

This week’s episode features a big chunk of a never before released recording of the presentation I gave at Dragon Door’s second ever Strength and Health Conference. As many of you already know one of my absolute favorite skills to hone is problem solving, and this presentation outlined some of my approaches systems for restarting stalled strength gains. When I have a few moments, the video from it will be reedited in with the whole slide deck I created to go with it. Since the schedule here has been absolutely out of control, it only seemed fitting to let you hear it before anyone else. This episode of course also includes upcoming events, the question of the week, workout tip of the week, a nifty find of the week, and of course some extra surprises. Upcoming Events: Be sure to sign up for the November 16th and 17th Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification happening in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Master RKC and good friend of many years Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC, and I’ll be teaching the SCC the next day. Level up your skills as a fitness professional or exercise enthusiast on one special weekend. Fresh on the calendar at NCSystema.com: I’m leading an intensive and focused seminar on the kettlebell get-up here in Durham North Carolina on August the 10th! Taught by Adrienne Harvey, RKC Team Leader, Senior PCC Instructor, CK-FMS. Spend a full afternoon focused on this incredible exercise. Beginners will learn great habits from the start. Intermediate and advanced kettlebell enthusiasts will dial in their form making every rep that much more effective.

Nearly every sport and human activity can be improved when we practice properly performed get-ups — with and without weight! This coordination, core, strength, shoulder stability, flexibility, and mobility powerhouse is useful for nearly everyone… but there’s a fairly steep learning curve. If you’ve tried to learn this powerful but oddly complex move from a book, video, or even in a group class and still feel lost, then this workshop is absolutely for you. Even “the experts” on social media are regularly sharing sub-par get-ups… and leaking strength! I’ll show you how to avoid many common mistakes so that you can get the most out of your get-ups. We’re going to break it down so that you can practice this exercise safely and effectively in your own workouts and in the group sessions you might already be attending. You will also learn how the get-up and its component parts can be programmed as nearly infinite variations within workouts. The last hour will be dedicated to Q&A, practice, and of course individual problem solving. Bring a water bottle and hand towel. Kettlebells will be provided. I will have new, in box Dragon Door kettlebells in various useful sizes available for purchase at the event (contact me if you would like to purchase one ahead of time and I will reserve it for you. Dragon Door 8kg, 12kg, 16kg, and 20kg kettlebells will be available: info@giryagirl.com) Event Tuition: $50 Visit NCSystema.com click the schedule tab then the seminars and special events section on the drop down. Or visit the show nows from this episode for the direct link: http://www.ncsystema.com/events/2019/8/10/kettlebell-get-up-intensive-seminar Also visit NCSystema.com for local classes in Strength and conditioning with me, or Systema, self defense, and other specialized topics with Systema HQ certified instructors here in Durham, NC. They’re always adding awesome workshops and events to their calendar so check it out now. Question of the Week! What is an 8-Count Bodybuilder? After including these in last week’s example workout in Episode #25, I had a few people ask me what these were. I made a video which will be linked in the show notes: https://youtu.be/OdM-pVNS3eg Answer: Many military folks will already be familiar with this movement. I was introduced to it by my very advanced distance client. They kept coming up in the various Goruck events and I was intrigued to say the least. You could say that an 8-Count Bodybuilder is somewhat of a relative of a burpee in that there’s a pushup and some getting up and down from the floor. But there are some subtle and important differences. First start by standing tall. lean forward from the hips and put your hands on the ground. Jump your feet back so that you’re in a push-up position and do a push-up. Before getting up though jump your feet apart then back together like you’re doing a jumping jack… except you’re in a push-up position. Finally stand back up. There you go that’s one! The reason it’s called an 8-count is that there’s 8 parts: 1 hands on the ground, 2 jump feet back, 3 pushup down 4 pushup back up, 5 jump feet apart, 6 jump feet back together, 7 jump feet towards your hands, 8 stand up. It’s a handy bodyweight conditioning move you can do just about anywhere. Call our question line at: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous. Support GiryaGirl.com HEY! Want to support this and other projects and continue to get free workouts and more? Then visit GiryaGirl.com and the new URL (it all goes to the same place) that points to the same site, KettlebellsOfficial.com to keep up with all the new upcoming events, etc. Support this podcast, the website when you use any of the affiliate links to purchase items like kettlebells, workshop registrations, books, and more. This is how you can support the site and the continued production of more podcasts, workouts, blog posts, videos and more. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and let’s talk! Very limited placements available. Presentation Segment: Annihilating Plateaus for Steady Strength Progress. Training Tip of the Week: This is related to the upcoming intensive get-up seminar in August. If you find that the “straight leg” is flying up at the beginning of your kettlebell get-up, here’s how to fix it. Make sure sure that you’re not just trying to sit up with the kettlebell, but that you’re also rolling a little to the side – you’re rolling up to the elbow of the arm without the kettlebell—otherwise known as the supporting arm or supporting side. After setting up on the ground and making sure that your supporting side’s arm is at a 45 degree—not 90 degree angle relative to your body, drive off of the heel of the loaded side—aka the side with the kettlebell. There’s a push off of the heel and roll up to the elbow. This is much easier to see in video or in person, but it bears mentioning here too. Another tip for keeping that straight leg from flying up is to think of pushing your weight out of the heel and along the floor… You will feel some movement in that leg, but it should be parallel to the floor not the foot flying up. Going for a PR with a heavy weight is not reason for that foot to fly up, it’s a big leak of power, and if you can get that leg under control you’ll find your get-ups looking and feeling a lot more worthwhile and dignified too. The details matter! Book of the Week! The book of the week is a really special one, The Seventh Circle: A Former Australian soldier’s extraordinary story of surviving seven years in Afghanistan’s most notorious prison… which I will not attempt to pronounce correctly here. But it’s THAT one if you know what I mean. The book is by Rob Langdon, who has been following my videos on youtube for quite a while, in fact even watching some of them and adapting some of the workouts on my site to create his own circuits while still in prison. I’ve been in contact now with Rob about his book and am working on a interview with him for Dragon Door that will be coming out very soon. The book itself is an incredibly addictive read and I actually finished reading it a lot sooner than I’d originally planned… as in, I was half through it’s 291 pages while flying out and back to Denver last week. This visceral read is very raw, real, and rich in honest insight. It is absolutely not for the squeamish, but is an important, and oddly compassionate read. Wrapping it up: Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the GiryaGirl.com official podcast. Be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss the next episode next week. If you like this podcast please leave a review on iTunes, I know it’s a pain but it will really help the show out! You can also support the show by visiting giryagirl.com or kettlebellsofficial.com. Any purchases you might make through the links on those sites help this show with no additional cost to you. Hope you enjoyed this episode, and I’ll see you next week!

This week’s episode features an interview segment with Scott Harvey (no relation) about his work counseling men who struggle with addiction, emotional expression, the power of listening. We talk about success in many forms and how we can all work towards it. We also hear about his unique hobby uncovering historical artifacts. The episode of course also includes upcoming events, the question of the week, workout tip of the week (with sample workout), an (audio) Book of the week, and of course some extra surprises. Upcoming Events: Be sure to sign up for the November 16th and 17th Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification happening in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Master RKC and good friend of many years Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC, and I’ll be teaching the SCC the next day. Level up your skills as a fitness professional or exercise enthusiast on one special weekend. Visit NCSystema.com for local classes in Strength and conditioning with me, or Systema, self defense, and other specialized topics with Systema HQ certified instructors here in Durham, NC. They’re always adding awesome workshops and events to their calendar so check it out now. Question of the Week! Question of the week is another one from another friend’s direct message on Instagram. I post a lot of photos of food on there, so this one is not a big surprise. Question: Any advice on letting go of sugar? Answer: These days I barely eat much sugar at all, but it took time to get into this habit. Sometimes it’s helpful to find the hidden sugars in your daily habits and cut those out – it’s kind of low hanging fruit, but can help cut sugar and unnecessary calories without too much difficulty. So if you can stand to do it, track your food incredibly closely with an app like MyFitnessPal, FatSecret, or even just a notebook. After the week look the summaries of what you’ve eaten, and it should quickly become apparent where you can start making the first changes. Some people find it helpful to track their food for longer periods of time, and that can be an incredibly powerful practice, but others may find it more cumbersome than planning meals and snacks ahead for the week instead. For example, I recently met up with a friend who is starting to work on losing weight, and he had no idea that the bottle of iced tea he’d chosen contained 150 calories – all of which were sugar. He decided to start checking the labels of beverages after that – and swapping in things like unsweetened tea, seltzer water, etc. But basically, the first step is to get very honest with what you’re eating and drinking, quantify it a little bit and start making liveble and sustainable adjustments. My tastes are changed so much that a lot of things are too sweet and offputting to me now, which makes it so easy to stay on track. Even with chocolate, anything other than some of the darkest stuff imaginable is too sweet tasting for me! It takes time to build habits, but you will notice that you will begin to feel better somewhat quickly and usually some weight falls right off too. Definitely motivating! Call our question line: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous. Support GiryaGirl.com HEY! Want to support this and other projects and continue to get free workouts and more? Then visit GiryaGirl.com and the new URL (it all goes to the same place) that points to the same site, KettlebellsOfficial.com to keep up with all the new upcoming events, etc. Support this podcast, the website when you use any of the affiliate links to purchase items like kettlebells, workshop registrations, books, and more. This is how you can support the site and the continued production of more podcasts, workouts, blog posts, videos and more. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and let’s talk! Very limited placements available. Kettlebell and Grip Training Tip of the Week: This one might sound obvious once you hear it, but maybe not… anyone I’ve written workouts or programs for will recognize this pattern, as will those who train with me locally either individually or in our group strength and conditioning classes at NC Systema. I love to pair grip intensive moves like heavy kettlebell farmer carries, pullups, and even short sets of very heavy kettlebell swings with “flat hand” exercises like push-ups, sit-outs, 8-count bodybuilders, mountain climbers, crawls, crab walks, etc. It’s important to match the intensity of the two exercises though – while I think of the “flat hand” exercises as kind of a break if you’re doing something that gets the heart rate going very high like those very heavy kettlebell swings, choose an active move like the ones listed above instead of something like a crow stand. Crow stands and other inversions can be useful, but be careful getting the head below the heart when you’re really working at an intense pace. I like to add crow and handstand regressions towards the end of a cool down or sometimes even AFTER a workout since if I’m a bit fatigued it forces me to do things the right way instead of relying on muscling into position. For example here’s a simple circuit from a local workout (we went for 5 rounds): 20 kettlebell swings 10 8-Count Bodybuilders 10 Goblet squats (reasonably heavy) 10 Push-Ups 3-5 Pull-ups (MUST be full range, dead hang, good form – less reps = ok) Interview/Conversation Segment: Fellow Stetson alumni Scott Harvey and I discuss the difference between low hanging fruit and the path of least resistance in a variety of contexts. Scott shares some universal insight about emotional communications and the power of listening. Be sure to find out about Scott’s unique hobby at the end of this short segment. Book of the Week! A small heads up – on the new version of the GiryaGirl.com website the “What I’m reading” section has been expanded, upgraded, and will now feature an archive of past entries from this point forward. Book of the Week (and I must confess I got this one in audio form since I’m doing a fair amount of traveling right now) is Left of Bang: How the Marine Corps’ Combat Hunter Program Can Save Your Life by Patrick Van Horne and Jason A. Riley. This fascinating book has a practical application for just about anyone. As an often solo traveler and student of self defense (my superpower is to avoid conflict and problems from the get-go) this book was of immediate interest. While I’m not one to be afraid much, I do know when I’m somewhere I don’t need to be and when to leave ASAP. This book provides even more tools and ideas to interact with our changing world and a variety of environments safely and effectively. I also love anything about body language and visible psychology—it’s also nice to have some more professional sounding words for some of my more specific hunches… and more tools for detecting anomalies which might be problems about to happen. If you’d like to get this audio book and another one free along with a free trial of Audible go here: https://amzn.to/2EBMgGQ Audible Free Trial benefits: Get two free audiobooks to start — after 30 days, get 1 book each month for $14.95/month Get 30% off the price of additional audiobook purchases Cancel anytime. Your books are yours to keep, even if you cancel. Wrapping it up: Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the GiryaGirl.com official podcast. Be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss the next episode next week. If you like this podcast please leave a review on iTunes, I know it’s a pain but it will really help the show out!  You can also support the show by visiting giryagirl.com or kettlebellsofficial.com . Any purchases you might make through the links on those sites help this show with no additional cost to you. Be strong, stay safe, and I’ll see you next week!

Episode #24 Show Notes Hello and welcome to the GiryaGirl.com Podcast Episode # 24 Back on the Digital Airwaves. I’m your host Adrienne Harvey. Did you know I originally launched this podcast back in 2014? Back then no one barely knew what I was talking about. And since then —especially since putting the podcast on hold in 2016, the podcasting world has grown exponentially. I’ve kept ALL the past episodes up on iTunes and on the podcast website if you care to revisit them. So, let’s get started! This celebratory relaunch episode features a motivating interview segment with Matt Schifferle, the Fit Rebel and creator of the Red Delta Project about DIY calisthenics equipment, and high performance creative and fitness motivation. Other topics in this episode including upcoming events, the question of the week, workout or coaching tip of the week, a nifty find of the week, and of course some extra surprises. Upcoming Events: New Strength Calisthenics Certification SCC workshop on the Dragon Door Calendar for Gaithersburg, Maryland! Master RKC Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC on the previous day, and I’ll teach the SCC on the next day. Mike is an excellent workshop host and friend of many years, so we bring a ton of energy and fun to these workshops. Be sure to sign up now (for BOTH if you can) to receive the maximum discount. The HKC will be held on November 16th, and the SCC on the next day November 17th. I know a lot of you have interests in the Martial Arts, so I’ll also be sure to plug my dear friends here at NC Systema of Durham, NC. Join us for my intense but not terrible strength and conditioning classes on Tuesday and Friday nights before the main Systema classes. Also be sure to visit NCSystema.com to see all the upcoming classes, events, and special workshops with top instructors this coming year. Martin Wheeler’s intensive masterclass is filling up, so if you have interest in that, visit NC Systema NOW and click on the Events tab for all the details. Question Of the Week: Also be sure to see the “Ask GiryaGirl” tab on my website: giryagirl.com Or if that’s too hard to spell or remember (hey I’m not judging here) go to kettlebellsofficial.com and it’ll take you right there! Question from Michael from social media: I want to get RKC certified and start training people, but a big thing that messes with me is my own negative self talk and feeling like I’m not good enough. I follow so many awesome people on social media and think to myself, why should I teach? I could just send clients to these people? Answer: Two things for you right away. First, if you’re following a bunch of people online who have been training and training others for years and years, your perspective is warped—not in a bad way, but when you go out into the world, you’re going to find a lot of people don’t even know who our heroes (the people you and I look up to) even are! Instead, you are going to be who your students and prospective students or clients look up to—you will be the expert for them. Once we get out of our bubble online you’ll see that many times people barely have an idea of what a kettlebell is! They might have seen them on TV, or in a dusty corner of the gym, but that will usually be a rare case. As for calisthenics, a surprising number of the general population have not received instruction on a push-up or air squats since high school PE class… if they even received it then! After you earn your RKC, you will have not only learned how to perform the “big six” kettlebell movements (swing, squat, clean, press, snatch, getup), you will have really learned how to teach and troubleshoot these movements for darn near anyone. You’ll have drilled down on the basics which will come in handy big time with beginners and even people who are outwardly fit but who may have some movement difficulties from sitting too much a work, living in the shape of their sport (see golf) or simply just old habits. As you prepare for your RKC workshop, I really want you to work on that negative self talk. I’m going to give you something that I stole from somebody else—I don’t even remember who it was at this point. But, if you’re saying crappy stuff to yourself, stop for a second and ask if you’d say that to your best friend? That’s a real easy litmus test right there. If you wouldn’t say it to your best friend or really any friend, then don’t say it to yourself. You’ve got to be on your own team, you need to be cheering yourself on—life is challenging enough without us making it harder! Got a Question? Call our question line at: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and leave a message! Be advised that there are very limited placements available. Interview/Conversation with Matt Schiffele: Matt Schifferle, creator of the Red Delta Project is a PCC Team Leader, popular podcaster and youtuber. He’s recently relocated to Colorado, so if you are in the area and want to train with an expert, he’s now training clients at Kinetic Training Club Colorado Progressive Calisthenics Certification (PCC workshop) where Matt will be assisting Learn about Matt’s own powerhouse programs and online materials—many of which are free: Matt’s Channel on YouTube The Red Delta Project Website Matt’s Podcast I interviewed Matt a bajillion years ago for Dragon Door Workout Tip of the Week: In Paul Wade’s Convict Conditioning, we’re introduced to a number of ways to progress and regress exercises. One of which is a term we call “technical tightening”. So, let’s say you get your first…. muscle up or freestanding handstand and it’s super ugly – your next step or challenge is technical tightening. So while we’re usually focused on sets, reps, and regressed versions of exercises, tightening up the technique on a movement that’s right at the edge of our ability is also a progression. Product of the Week: Product of the week is the HardstyleFit Kettlebell Level 1 online training and certification. Dragon Door is stepping up to meet demand for online instruction with this involved, pre-HKC online cert. Once you complete it you’ll earn half off of an in-person HKC or RKC workshop! Currently Dragon Door is getting this brand new offering approved for continuing education hours for top personal training certifications. If you’ve already taken an HKC in person, and want constant on-demand access to videos and demos reminding you of what you’ve learned, I’d also highly recommend getting into this program ASAP. I’ll have a big link on top of my site leading to it for you! Wrapping it up: Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the GiryaGirl.com official podcast. Be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss the next episode next week. If you like this podcast please leave a review on iTunes, I know it’s a pain but it will really help the show out! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/official-giryagirl-com-podcast/id862731884 You can also support the show by visiting giryagirl.com or kettlebellsofficial.com. Any purchases you might make through the links on those sites help this show with no additional cost to you.

Embarrassed that it’s taken me this long to finally get this podcast live, because it’s just such a fun one!  Logan Christopher and I had both presented at the 2nd annual Dragon Door Health and Strength Conference this past summer and had a lot to catch up about.  Topics covered include nootropics, herbal supplements, some very wild adventures that Logan had in the Amazon while visiting and learning from native people, the mental component of training, his presentation at the conference, my presentation at the workshop, and much much more.  Hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did! BTW, Logan’s awesome company (formerly called Super Man Herbs) is now called Lost Empire Herbs. Click here to you’ll see many of the items we discuss there.  Oddly enough I’ve actually gotten more accustomed to the Hercules formula and can offer a useful tip – don’t mix it with too much water (I drink mine from a very small mason jar half full of water). AND do NOT sniff it before trying to drink it.  I even hold my nose!! So much easier… its not for everyone but I like its gentle but intense and long-lasting energy boost and it seems to really help my endurance during a workout. Here’s a video on demand recording of Logan’s presentation and a link to his book, Mental Muscle

More: http://giryagirl.com Check out Andrea Du Cane’s incredible blog post mentioned in the podcast.

Sorry this is so very late, but hopefully you’ll find that it was worth the wait. Annie Vo and I discuss everything from high volume training, kettlebells, barbells, odd objects to Socrates. Full show notes coming soon…

Special guest, Master RKC Mike Krivka and I discuss the upcoming combo workshop weekend for the SCC (Strength Calisthenics Certification) I’m teaching, and the HKC (Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification) that he’s teaching. Both are on the weekend of June 11-12th at CrossFit Koncepts in Gaithersburg, Maryland. We hope you can join us for both workshops. For more info and to register, go here: http://goo.gl/3rmRyf Full Show Notes Here: http://giryagirl.com/Podcast-Mini-Bonus-Episode-One-SCC-HKC-Combo

Subjects range from mace training, specific maces and why you might want to use a full size mace or a short mace, how Ryan got started with mace training and StrongerGrip.com, the Highland Games, and MORE! Special Guest: Podcast with Master Craftsman, Grip Strength Expert–Ryan Pitts of StrongerGrip.com 0:12 How I first found out about Stronger Grip and what they make. 0:40 Super Human Training… 1:15 How Ryan got started with maces because of legendary strongman Dennis Rogers. 1:41 The first maces Ryan ever made… 3:15 The benefits of mace swings 4:00 The hardest thing about swinging any implement is… 4:50 What we used to learn the basic mace movements at Super Human Training when there weren’t enough maces… and why this might be a good way to try it out for the first time. 5:35 The effects of taking that first swing. 6:00 How I help beginners use my crazy huge mace. 6:18 What’s different about the StrongerGrip.com short mace 7:14 Conquering “the fear” to swing a mace correctly 7:50 How mace and kettlebell swings challenge the grip… 8:30 The role of coordination, relaxation for mace swings, sledgehammer swings and slams. 9:00 Awareness, reflexes required for sledgehammer slams 9:45 Everyone can learn this… 9:57 Coming soon from Ryan: SledgehammerCoach.com basic intro to complex drills for sledgehammer. 10:15 What do strongman, armwrestling, martial arts, NFL, college athletes have in common? 10:45 That time actor Michael Clarke Duncan contacted Ryan… 12:08 What happens when you add just a little bit of weight to a loadable mace… 13:20 When to move up in weight or not with maces. 14:11 But you don’t have to make them massively heavy… 14:25 Updated mace loading design! 14:44 How to use a “half-tire“ 15:06 The ideas, feats, and equipment from strongman but for general population for real world strength. 15:50 The special value of outdoor training 16:05 Zach Even-Esh’s Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning… odd objects, sandbags… 16:30 A weird, fun thing to do with sandbags. 16:52 “Fun and strength go hand in hand!” – Ryan Pitts 17:28 Ryan tried Highland Games for the first time way back on a whim when another competition got cancelled… 18:00 How kettlebell training carries over to Highland Games! Ryan placed 2nd in the novice division, first time trying the Games! 18:55 Max Shank, Felicia Baker, and others who are into Highland Games and do so well! 19:30 Flipping the caber… and overcoming fear 20:00 Weight divisions in Highland games… 20:50 The tretcherous taper of the caber and how to flip it, step by step. 22:25 How Ryan got involved with the World Armwrestling League. 23:42 What Ryan is working on next… 24:40 Basic mace programming and favorite exercises for beginner to intermediate 25:25 How to make mace training all new all over again after you’ve gotten comfortable with it. 26:00 We’re recording today at the Factur Makerspace and what will be their dedicated podcast area. 27:00 A cool old video that Ryan has on YouTube of his son (9 years old at the time) swinging the short mace… and he’s still swinging them though he’s now taller than Ryan! 27:57 It’s easy to teach the mace and club movements to kids, Ryan even taught several local classes how to swing clubs using plastic bowling pins! 28:30 We’e both still “playing in the yard” and on monkey bars, making up games and why you should be too! Click here to visit and learn more about Stronger Grip

The Girya Girl Podcast welcomes Kirsty Grosart of GMB (Gold Medal Bodies) as this week’s guest! She shares gamechanging tips about handstands and more. One of the many cool things about Kirsty is that she’s able to do a lot of the REALLY tough calisthenics strength moves, not just the ones that “look” tough, the ones that ARE tough for all people, not just women or men… Extensive show notes coming soon

Hopefully you will enjoy this conversation about the future of personal training, fitness and technology and of course Rolando Garcia III’s great new book, Intrinsic Excellence: Business Development and Leadership Systems for Success in Personal Training For once I even made some show notes for you too: Intrinsic Excellence and the Future of Personal Training Rolando Garcia, author of Intrinsic Excellence — now available from Dragon Door! Rolando is calling in from a cab in NYC… The Future of Personal Training, Apps and the face to face role of personal trainers 1:45 The growth of technology in the fitness sector is symptomatic of these things… 2:25 The real need for experts in the fitness field 4:50 CEO of Under Armour echoes Rolando’s sentiments in Barrons’ Weekly 5:25 Rolando’s Book is actually available now!  6:30 What Intrinsic Excellence is really all about 7:10 What Adrienne thinks is one of the most powerful lessons in Intrinsic Excellence 9:40 The Four Competencies Method 10:10 Fitness going mainstream means the market is more educated 10:40 Dan John’s foreword 11:20 The Future of Personal Training as a Profession.. if you dont know how to do these things, you’re dead! 12:00 4C for who? 13:00 A Client service model… 15:02 Speak a client’s “language” and help them succeed that much faster 17:41 What a client’s trust allows 20:00 The day to day at E by Equinox 22:07 The fourth competency is a brain shift, and is the ultimate measure of how you can succeed as a fitness professional. 23:07 Just 6-7 years ago, fitness professions were almost just seen as side gigs 24:20 What Rolando wants a lot of people to avoid in their careers 27:24 Where do trainers typically fall down in their business development? 31:00 Are you a service or are you a business? 31:50 How to really help people as a personal trainer or fitness professional… 34:36 How I sold out a ton of classes when I visited and taught classes and private sessions at Momentum Fitness NYC:  37:17 Rolando WILL be presenting at this year’s Health and Strength Conference! 38:25 The rapidly changing landscape of the fitness industry… and technology 39:58 The changes in technology are rapid and accellerating here’s why Adrienne is not scared 41:28 Speculated future role of technology in fitness and individual lifestyle decisions 44:34 The only thing that can track the growth and progress of the human spirit 48:07

Matt is a VERY accomplished calisthenics trainer, athlete, and enthusiast. Originally met him when he attended one of our PCC Workshops and he absolutely impressed us all.  Matt has been creating helpful tutorials, how-tos, and workout plans at http://reddeltaproject.com/ While we both had several shout outs to many of our friends and idols in the fitness sphere, we went on and on so much about Zach Even-Esh that I needed to post a link to his awesome Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning right here for you.   More on Matt later and I really really need to get someone to make the show notes for these podcasts….

Totally unscripted, realtime, real talk! Recorded right on the mats at American Eagle MMA and Kettlebells in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey. Topics range from nutrition, training and programming challenges, special techniques and of course some behind the scenes info about the RKC and Phil’s awesome Kettlebell Workout Library DVD and Manual set: http://www.philross.com/product/the-kettlebell-workout-library-video/