Barefoot Training
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Why barefoot training?
Basically because shoes destroy your body. I know that’s a harsh statement, however If you don’t believe me just walk around barefoot for a while and tell me what you discover. The key word here is “discover”, so I’m not asking you to be mindless about being barefoot, I’m suggesting that you heighten your awareness of how your body feels. I know for me it changed the way I move and healed all sorts of pain.
Raw food guru, David Wolfe says that “Shoes are the most dangerous invention in the history of the world” – watch this in depth video where he explains this comment here
I remember many times over the past 30 years of lifting weights in the gym with running shoes and not understanding why my back, knees, hips, and neck were always in pain. For example, one day while on vacation in Ocean City, MD in 2005 I was doing barbell squats with heavy weights and hurt my right knee (which still bothers me sometimes). What had happened was my posture was out of alignment because I was wearing a brand new pair of high end running shoes with a thick cushion on the heal. The elevation threw off my posture, which put pressure on the bottom of my knee cap and obviously strained something.
This is just one example of so many I can provide for myself and my clients. The bottom line is that I feel the body functions much better without shoes. When I began Tae Kwon Do in 1984 we did not wear shoes. It felt great to feel the earth connection while moving the body through the various kicks, stances, and strikes.
At my studio Supreme Ultimate Fitness in Boca Raton where I teach kettlebells and also train clients using TRX, sandbags, battling ropes, and body weight we do not wear shoes for any of the training unless we go outside.
“Rooting” or “grounding” are a big part of martial arts and Kettlebell Training. Pavel addresses training barefoot throughout the RKC and in all of his books and DVD’s. The latest being the new TRX Kettlebell DVD where he says that wearing shoes while training with kettlebells will destroy your body.
What if the kettlebell falls on your foot?
Unless you have steel shoes it does not matter. Besides I have never seen anybody drop a kettlebell on their foot. This is why the safety, awareness, and mindfulness come into the equation. Seriously, not only is is a bad idea to wear any shoes that have a thick cushion for kettlebell training, you also don’t want to be training with a kettlebell instructor who does not educate you on how to use them properly. RKC’s are highly trained kettlebell instructors and are fully capable of guiding you on how to train safely while barefoot. Besides if all you think about is the kettlebell falling on your foot is probably will. Thoughts should be on lifting the weight.
Benefits of barefoot TRX and Kettlebell Training:
- Grounding or Rooting of your energy - watch this video.
- Heightened Awareness of the body
- Posture Alignment to prevent injury to all joints
- Agility and being able to move more freely
- Mobility and expansion of the hips
- Decrease of joint pain
- Enhanced movement patterns
- More flexibility
- Increase of energy
- Increase of strength and power
- Able to leap tall building in a single bound – I actually do have this dream quit often.
- Here is a more in depth article Kettlebells and Barefoot Training
Below is a video of me doing a Turkish Get up with 80 lbs. It would be rather difficult to do this movement effectively with running or athletic shoes, with a few exceptions such as Vibram 5 Fingers or Converse All Stars.
Other movement systems that train barefoot:
- Bodybuilders and powerlifters- Take a look at the pictures from the bodybuilders on 60’s and 70’s and they train barefoot. Watch the movie Pumping Iron and you see it there as well
- Martial Arts
- Yoga, Pilates, Gymnastics, swimming…
- I’m sure there are many more – please list others in the comments section below
Running Barefoot
I am not a runner so I am going to leave this section to the experts. Below are several links I found that you may find useful for barefoot running. Be sure to share others with your comments
Baring it all: The Barefoot Running Trend
Barefoot Running May Be Better for You
Transitioning to Minimalist Running Shoes
Enter the world of Vibram 5 Fingers!
There has been so much publicity on the V5F these days I am not going to get fully into it here. Let’s just say that all I wear now are V5F, flip flops, and sandals with a very thin sole. V5F are the closest you will get to actually being barefoot and it seems to be a much safer way for many people because you have protection for your feet if you train or run outdoors. I know these may appear as funny looking shoes and not look fashionable at first, however we are not focusing on fashion in this article, rather health and longevity so try to let go of the superficial and become open minded.
Buy your Vibram 5 Fingers on Amazon!
Please leave you comments below!
What does it take to be an RKC?
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With the popularity of the new TRX Kettlebell DVD, I have been getting a lot of inquires from local trainers and group exercise instructors wanting to learn kettlebells. They are interested in attending my Kettlebell Basics Workshop thinking they will have the tools to teach in their boot camps, classes, or private sessions. Little do they know, it takes a lot of hard work and instruction to understand Russian Kettlebell Training and to be able to teach it.
As the demand for kettlebells and kettlebell training grows, many unqualified trainers have begun to advertise their services as kettlebell instructors. RKC (Russian Kettlebell Challenge) Instructor is the top of the industry, leading the way for all fitness professionals who want to add cutting edge training methods for their clients. Go here to find out more.
But beware, kettlebell instruction requires an extensive background and training to be truly safe and effective. Don’t risk injury or waste time with subpar instruction when you can take advantage of Pavel and Dragon Door’s growing, worldwide network of highly qualified RKC certified kettlebell instructors.
RKC kettlebell instructors have undergone the world’s most rigorous of kettlebell instructor certification courses and are fully qualified to help you meet and surpass your goals, be they fat loss, strength and power development or athletic success.
The RKC Instructor has demonstrated a high proficiency in the most essential kettlebell drills and shown an ability to effectively teach kettlebell use to others. The course is not cheap, but I always say you get what you pay for. Spend less money on another kettlebell certification and you will not get the equivalent, I know because I also have other kettlebell certs from other organizations.
Here are the stats: 35-40% of the people attending the RKC Instructor Certification DO NOT PASS! That means that in my class of 50 people, 18 did not pass the course. They went home without a certification (they have 3 months to send in a video with corrections or meet with a Senior or Master RKC). So be prepared when going to the RKC and take it VERY seriously. That’s a lot of money to spend without passing the course.
YES, I did pass!
Anybody interested in being RKC certified should take to following steps:
- Give yourself a minimum of 1 year to prepare, 18-24 month is better.
- Purchase, read, and learn from the book and DVD Enter the Kettlebell!
- Find an coach – an RKC in your area and get evaluated on your skills – you will be amazed at what you learn.
- Take a basic ketlebell skills workshop from an RKC in your area.
- Take the HKC – Hardstyle Kettlebell Certified course – There will be one Dec 4 in Boca Raton, FL.
- Practice “exactly” what you have been taught in the HKC course and by your RKC coach.
- Practice the basics: swings, get ups, squat, clean, press, and snatch and follow this program from Master RKC Brett Jones- RKC Pass prep guidelines (pdf file)
- Practice snatch test every Friday morning and do 100 reps no matter what. Trim down the time each week by conditioning yourself with the prep workouts on Sat, Sunday, and maybe light workout Tuesday and Wed if needed.
- Work on learning the skills of the basics: swings, get ups, squat, clean, press, and snatch.
- Take 12-16 weeks to get your snatch test of 100 reps under 4:15 – this way you can be assured that you will easily make the required 5:00 mark for your weight class.
- The final 8 weeks of RKC prep should be dedicated to the 6 basic kettlebell exercises – I suggest that you do not rely on other forms of conditioning for final 8 weeks, just use the kettlebells and follow the outline. I have seen people who do other types workouts in prep for RKC and they have not done as well as people who have relied on kettlebells only. That’s just my observation and opinion.
- Go to the RKC, be ready to learn, and pass – there are no egos and show offs at the RKC – remember you are there to “learn”!
Check out my personal blog outlining my own journey to the RKC at dalebuchanan.info, there is a ton of great info and videos there.
In case you are wondering…YES I did pass the RKC in April 2010. Below is a picture of my group of 50 students and the 14 instructors from the course in St Paul on April 23-25, 2010. I am standing up in the center in the red shirt.
Please leave your comments and feedback below and if this post helped you in any way.
TRX Kettlebell DVD
By · CommentsNEW! TRX Kettlebell: Iron Circuit Conditioning
With its unique blend of Suspension Training exercises and kettlebell conditioning intervals, TRX Kettlebell: Iron Circuit Conditioning will improve your strength, mobility and balance. You can sculpt muscles and blast fat, all with one workout. This intense program features 10 rounds and three levels of exercise difficulty, so you can continually challenge yourself.
“Russian Kettlebell Training is not just a workout, it’s a practice, very much like an internal martial art or Yoga, so spend your time to master the basics.” Pavel
Check out this video!
I have been teaching classes, personal training sessions, and workshops using both kettlebells and the TRX for about 18 months. The 2 tools compliment each other well. The tag line of the TRX is “all core all the time” which is also very similar to Hardstlye kettlebell training. I have several videos of my classes on youtube teaching TRX Kettlebell classes, here is one from August 21, 2009. Here is another from November where I also include sandbags.
Here is what I find:
- With TRX training you have to keep the core tight just like in kettlebell training. I have my students squeeze the glutes and extend the hips with every TRX exercise. This is NOT taught in the TRX course, It’s what I add to it from hardstyle training
- The TRX will work on isolate specific muscles which will help your kettlebell training
- The TRX will always make you balance and stabilize the body, especially the ankles, which seems to be a huge issue with most people.
- The TRX is controlled movements similar to the kettlebell military press and by adding kettlebell ballistic movements with the TRX movements I think the combination is awesome.
- Doing combination exercises like the one leg squat on the TRX with a kettlebell overhead is likely one of the most challenging exercises anybody will do. There are a lot of combos like this and I find that the workout or class becomes very advanced when doing TRX kettlebell at same time
Finally, from my own training I have used the TRX to assist me in getting much better at kettlebell lifting. I have also gotten injured twice in my shoulder using the TRX so be very careful of deep chest presses on the TRX.
TRX Kettlebell DVD from Dragon Door
This is a wonderful DVD and I recommend it to anybody who is serious about learning TRX Kettlebell training and workouts from the ground up.
TRX Kettlebell DVD from Fitness Anywhere
