Optimal Life Fitness NewsletterIssue #1November 15, 2005.
Hello and welcome to the first ever Blog Issue of the Optimal Life Fitness Newsletter. This Newsletter will be sent out twice monthly to all clients and friends of Optimal Life Fitness. The aim is to provide you with an informative and motivational newsletter which will help you in obtaining an Optimal Life.
Each issue will contain training, nutrition and lifestyle tips. There will be articles discussing all types of topics ranging from Kettlebells and beer kegs (training implements), to prevention of back pain, as well as what and when to eat. There will be news as well as a questions answered section. The newsletters will also include links back to our website with updated photos of yourselves training around the parks. All newsletters will be added to the website in an archives sections.
Here’s what’s in Issue# 1:
1. Motivational Words- Thomas Roosevelt
2. Feature Article- Why Kettlebells?
3. Top Tip- Shoulder Mobility
4. Food, Glorious Food- Organic- why you should
5. Optimal Life News- What’s Happening?6. We Recommend- Other business’
1. Motivational Words
“ The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”
Thomas roosevelt.
2. Feature Article:
Why Kettlebells?
Many of you have now been using Kettlebells for the best part of the year. Some of you have just begun to use them. I am sure you’ll agree they are a fantastic tool. We have achieved a lot of good results in the Outdoor Extreme sessions, a lot of these results can be attributable to the effectiveness of the bells.
A lot of you have had questions about what they are and why they are one of our main tools of choice. The following should help to answer some of your questions.
What are they? Kettlebells are traditional Russian training tools. They were originally a tool of some sort, used as a weighted tool and are called girya in Russian. Russian Strongmen were called Gireviks or kettlebell men. Kettlebells have been used for hundreds of years to train strongman, wrestlers and athletes. Strongmen from the turn of the 20th century from all over Europe trained and used Kettlebells as part of their shows and in their training. The strongman in the current Britain Tour of the Moscow State Circus, Bikram uses them in his show and for his training ( I interviewed and trained with him back in July, article and training info to be posted on site).
Why we use them? They are a fantastic portable tool, that can and has been described as a complete handheld gym. The fundamental kettlebell lift the Swing is possibly the greatest single exercise ever. Steve Maxwell a Brasilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion and Conditioning Specialist claims that doing the perfect swing is alone superior to 99% of the sophisticated strength and conditioning programmes.
The swing is a whole body conditioner, there is not a muscle that isn’t used while you swing. Muscles that due to current lifestyle trends are neglected, primarily glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors and lower backs are used to full range range of movement in the swing. They are also strengthened like nothing else in the Swing. This can lead to prevention as well as rehabilitation of lower back pain. The main causes of which are proven to be weak as well as tight lower back muscles, weak glutes and hamstrings and tight but weak hip flexors. The swing alone strengthens and utilises a full range of motion (stretches) all these muscles making it a fantastic exercise in attacking lower back pain.
As well as the benefits of the kettlebells the exercises we have selected are responsible for increasing strength, giving you a better posture, stronger bones and joints, and increasing stamina by improving your heart and lung function. The kettlebells and the exercises are specifically chosen to prevent and rehabilitate injury, which can be caused from activity (tennis, skiing injuries) and from inactivity- sitting at a desk all day! Kettlebells and the exercises used by them have been found to be effective muscle builders and fat burners.
Over the last few years Ketlebells have had a resurgence and somewhat of an invasion into the west. US military and special forces have begun to use them because of the benefits due to their effectiveness and versatility. They are used by Russian weighlifters as a cross training tool as well the Russian Special Forces. The RKC course I recently attended in the US, had World Champion Powerlifters, Martial Artists and all kinds of Athletes, Trainers, Physio’s, Chiropractors and Medical Practitioners in attendance.
Hopefully this has answered some of your questions about kettlebells, what they are and how they work, your results and the way you feel should be doing that anyway! Keep Swinging!!
3. Top Tip: Shoulder Mobility
Due to current lifestyle trends most of us suffer a lot of postural distortions. Rounded shoulders, arched lower backs, forward head positions are common in many of us and often if left unchecked cause pain, discomfort and immobility.
Prevention of these is addressed in the exercises perfomed during the Outdoor Extreme sessions. However many of us need special attention in certain areas. Shoulder mobility is one of these areas. The following are a couple of stretches and exercises aimed to increase and improve shouder mobility.
Assessment: If you cannot take one hand over behind your head and down your back and meet it with the other hand coming around your side and up behind your back, you need to perform the following:
Towel stretch: take a towel in one hand, aiming to perform the above assessment, grab towel by both hands in the assessment position, lift the towel with the hand that is behind your head, this will create a stretch in the opposite shoulder, hold this position for 20 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Claps behind back: clap your hands in front of you and then clap them behind you, repeat 20 times.
Perform both exercises as often as you deem necessary.
4. Food Glorious Food-
Organic: why you should. Why are more people choosing organic? ·
Food safety: Organic farmers, as far as possible, avoid using unnecessary chemical sprays. Food additives linked to asthma and heart disease are among those banned under organic standards ·
The environment: Organic farming is friendlier to the environment so there is a much greater diversity of birds, butterflies and plants on organic farms. Organic standards ban the use of GM technology·
Animal welfare: Organic farming requires animals to be kept in more natural, free-range conditions with a more natural diet
· Taste: Many people tell us they buy organic food because they believe it tastes better
1 It's healthy On average, organic food contains higher levels of vitamin C and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants.
2 No nasty additives Organic food doesn't contain food additives which can cause health problems such as heart disease, osteoporosis, migraines and hyperactivity. Amongst the additives banned by the Soil Association are hydrogenated fat, aspartame (artificial sweetener) and monosodium glutamate.
3 Avoids pesticides Over 400 chemical pesticides are routinely used in conventional farming and residues are often present in non-organic food. The UK government has recently found high levels of pesticide residues in baby food, spinach, dried fruit, bread, apples, celery, and chips.
4 No GMGenetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards.
5 Reliance on drugs removed There is growing concern about the high use of antibiotics on farm animals and the possible effects on human health. Soil Association standards prohibit the routine use of antibiotics.
6 No hidden costs Compare this with the £120m that tax payers fork out to pay for chemicals to be removed from drinking water, mainly as a result of the pesticides used in farming.
7 High standards Organic food comes from trusted sources. All organic farms and food companies are inspected at least once a year. The standards for organic food are laid down in European law.
8 Care for animals Animal welfare is taken very seriously under organic standards. The benefits of the organic approach are acknowledged by animal welfare organisations such as Compassion in World Farming as well as the UK government.
9 Good for wildlife and the environment The UK government has said that it is better for wildlife, causes lower pollution from sprays, produces less carbon dioxide - the main global warming gas - and less dangerous wastes.
10 Top for taste Many people prefer organic food because they say it tastes better. A number of top chefs choose organic, and every year many are involved in the Soil Association's Organic Food Awards.
Courtesy of Natural Collection www.naturalcollection.com
5. Optimal Life News
A lot is going on at Optimal Life Fitness over the next couple of months. Tommy and myself are both excited as the changes are going to mean more training sessions, at more parks, and easier methods to pay for them by. We have both been working on improvements to the website.
By the new year all payment will be made online. All you will need do is go to our secure payment page and enter your card details there. The website will include a new page featuring lots of useful information, newsletter archives, questions and answers and training photos.
We have finally negotiated delivery of more Ketllebells. We needed these so we could start at new parks. The first of these will be Primrose Hill. We will be trialling days and times up until Christmas and will have a timetable set up for the New Year. If you know of anyone who lives in the area could you please pass on our details.
For those of you interested Kettlebells will also be available for purchase.
Changes are also coming to both Highbury Fields and Wandsworth Common. As of the new year sessions at Highbury will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 7am. That’s right you have the opportunity to train an extra weekday morning! Saturday morning sessions will remain at 9.30am. Post school morning run sessions will also be starting in the coming weeks, these will be at 9.30am 1-2 mornings a week.
The Wansdworth Common sessions will remain the same, new sessions are also being considered here.
Congratulations go out to Pegram Harrison for making 3 sessions a week for six weeks. Pegram I hope you feel the benefits- well done! Congratulations to everyone for getting out and doing the training, the first step is often the most difficult.
A note that we will be continuuing right up until Saturday the 17th of December. More Timetable dates will be given in the next Newsletter.
6. We recommend.
This section includes other business that we would like to refer on. No referral system exists, we don’t receive any payment or commissions. We just feel that if it is worthwhile to mention good service and business when you get it (and you rarely do!) it is worthwhile passing on.
Abel and Cole. An organic food delivery service. Fantastic and you’ll taste the difference. www.abel&cole.com
Metrodental. An inner city dental practice that doesn’t look or feel like a dental practice. http://www.metrodental.co.uk/
Any questions or comments please do not hesitate to inform us.
Yours in Health,
BJ Rule
|
