90 days until RKC 2!

Wow, 3 months away. I remember sitting in my hotel room in Hawai'i last August a few days after the RKC (I know tough life). I looked at the Dragon Door schedule and saw the dates. I signed up without a second thought. Still high off the experience of Level 1 I made the purchase. Dave Clancy has been doing a countdown on Facebook. The countdown started about 6 months ago. Complete with days, hours, minutes and seconds remaining. With the date fast approaching, my palms just started sweating.

My training has been good to date. Going to the CK-FMS in October got me to address some issues I had with my body. No not the "does this kettlebell make me look fat?" kind of issues. But the issues of a 40 year old that has been lifting, running, jumping and throwing things since high school.  Doing correctives isn't meant to be fun, it's meant to keep you doing the "fun" things. Thanks to my coach Mark Snow I have correctives built in to my programming. Even better is I've started to include them in my Small Group classes (shhh don't tell them it's good for them, I've been sneaking them in!).

Still the plan is to be in St. Paul in April with my fellow RKC's. It will be nice to put a face and voice to several of the people I only communicate with through some form of Social Media. It will be good to share ideas with fellow RKC's on programming, class structure and running a facility. I can't wait to learn from passionate and knowledgeable RKC's. It will be good to fire up the group, not that I know anything about firing up groups of people.

Do I have doubts? Hell yeah I do. The half body weight press, with my shoulder history worries the heck out of me. A solid pistol with my crappy ankles worries the heck out of me. But that is the beauty of it. If I don't try, then I'll constantly say, what if? If I don't get the press or pistol in April, I have 90 days to complete the tasks. 90 days and more knowledge and tools in the arsenal. Plus if I truly don't think I'm ready for April, the next RKC 2 is in July in Italy.  Can you say extended vacation?

So what does this mean for the next 3 months? Smart training, no distractions, a grumpy Pharaoh (of course I'm never grumpy), nervousness, excitement and learning.

Pharaoh out!

What's going on?

Been a while since I've posted anything, apologies. The past few weeks I've been following my program in prep for the RKC 2. I've also been looking forward to new workshops and certifications coming up. Things I'm looking forward to in 2012 are

1. Z-Health 3 Essentials of Elite Performance in Austin, TX
2. Training with my coach Mark Snow of sghumanperformance 
3. FMS level 2 workshop in Nebraska
4. Easy Strength Seminar in Nevada
5. RKC level 1 and level 2 in Minnesota
6. VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!! Location TBD
7. Art of Strength Development Course in Rhode Island
8. TRX Sports Medicine Suspension Training Course Level 2

All of these workshops/certifications are going to add to my tool box and help me become a better coach. There's always a possibility of attending more workshops/certifications. 2 of the certifications I attended last year (CK-FMS, Combine 360) were spur of the moment decisions (so happy I made them). What are you looking forward to in 2012?

Pharaoh out

Everybody needs a coach, especially me!

Many of you know I've signed up for the RKC 2 in April of next year. I did all of my technique stuff for level 1 on my own. As a result there were some hitches in my swing and TGU. The RKC weekend is more of a conditioning focus in my opinion. Level 2 is a different story.

There are lifts which I've never done and more importantly my technique in some of the level 1 skills and level 2 skills need some cleaning up. Most importantly I need to remain injury free (well as injury free as my broken old body can be). So for the next 3 months my training is being programmed by Mark & Nikki Snow over at SG Human Performance .

Me and my Coaches!

Biggest thing for me is to be coachable. What does that mean? The coach made the program, the athlete (in my case old athlete) needs to follow the program. The program is going to balance me out. Most of us, myself included avoid our weaknesses. Add to that my FMS screen (a 5 in October now a 12) my own training had me doing things that constantly hindered my movement. Based on my current screen my programming will allow me to improve my technique and my screen.

When I mentioned getting a coach someone in class commented ,"why do you need a coach?" Manny Pacquiao has a coach, Muhammad Ali had a coach, Magic Johnson had a coach, why wouldn't I have a coach. I don't need a workout partner saying "atta boy" or "all you" or "looks great". I need someone to evaluate my progress, check my form, correct my mistakes. Lastly I got a coach to be an example. If I tell my students something in class, I need to do the same. If I say to a student take 3 weeks off to reset it's because I've done so myself by listening to the coach. I'm very excited for the next 3 months of training and hopefully take a trip to Nebraska in February to work out with my coaches at their facility.

Pharaoh Out 

Get Better for December

Ok quick and simple the title says it all. Get Better for December. Pick 1 thing and see if you can improve on it for the month. You have 31 days. I don't care what you pick. It can be pushups, pullups, run a faster mile, eat better, hell you might pick doing a better job at work. Only you can pick and only you will know if you got better.

And please spare me the "holidays are coming" crap. Stop! No one said you have to eat everything in sight. Get Better at 1 thing. The challenge starts tomorrow.

Pharaoh Out!

5 months until the RKC 2

The Kettlebell Gauntlet

150 days until the RKC 2. I saw one of the RKC's posted today on Facebook counting down the days until the cert. Whoa! Things just got serious. I had to give myself a timeout after taking the CK-FMS in October. I took 2.5 weeks off and just worked correctives focusing on ASLR, T-spine and shoulder mobility. Was it tough to take that brief time off? No, because the GOAL remains RKC 2. Taking time off to reset was needed after the grind to get to the RKC.

I started working out again 4 weeks ago. This is the program I followed.
Mobility prep - ASLR, arm bar, t-spine, ankle, open 1/2 kneeling
5-7 minutes naked TGU
2x5 tactical pullup (chest to bar)
2x5 double kb deadlift 24kg & 32kg
2x5 Goblet Squats 24kg

I started off doing 2x5 double kb deadlifts at 24 & 32kg's. I don't have a pair of 28's so that was the reason for the jump. 5-7 minutes of naked TGU. Get your minds out the gutter not "nekkid". My focus on those TGU's was doing every step 3 times per side before proceeding to the next step. 2x5 Goblet squats with 24kg and 2x5 tactical pullups. Those 4 movements were to re-establish my base and keep me from doing damage to myself. And when I say damage I don't mean injury. I mean undoing the 3 weeks of correctives. I followed this base program for 2 weeks training 4 days per week.

The past 2 weeks I've added weight to the TGU and added a few more exercises. My training sessions now are generally 45-50 minutes long. 15 minutes is mobility prep and working on my lowest scores from my FMS screen. The latest program is as follows

Mobility prep - ASLR, arm bar, t-spine, ankle, open 1/2 kneeling
6-8 bells 12-36kg
Goblet squat - 5 reps at each bell focused on hip and ankle mobility
TGU - 1 rep each side alternating heavy and light kbs (12-36,16-32 etc). This was inspired by Brett Jones.
2 hand swing - 5 reps each bell (16-36kg)
1 hand swing - 5 reps per hand each bell (16-36kg)
Clean - 3 reps per hand each bell (16-32kg) (2 times in 2 weeks)
Snatch - 3 reps per hand (16-28kg) (done 1 time in 2 weeks)
Tactical pullup/chinups

The pullups/chinups were done in between each exercise. Example TGU right/left 1 TPU/1 CH. When I can I throw some box pistols in the mix. So far feeling good. Pretty soon it will be time to include more of the level 2 movements into the mix. Right now still trying to clean some things up. 5 months is plenty of time to get ready with smart programing. Which means I'm going to let someone else "drive the car". Everyone needs a coach and I need someone else to navigate this course so I address my weakness, address my mobility issues and make sure I stop trying to drive a 1971 Buick like its a 2011 Ferrari.

Pharaoh out

Thank you

Today is my last 12:15pm Sports Conditioning class in Midtown. It's been a great run. From 43 participants in that small studio. To having the floor boards wrecked from water damage and still getting it done. To the class that carried heavy bags up the stairs (girls too!!!). Thanks for making me bring my best each and every Tuesday afternoon.

A few shout outs to some vets of the class
Andra - DALLAS!!!!!! T-Veins!!!!! Thanks for calling your nanny in class (and yes it was her first class too). Thanks for always being a good sport and always working hard.
Wendy - B.A. Thank you for improving! You've come a long way and I'm glad to have shared in it.
Arlene and Kelley - I had to put you 2 girls together. The work you 2 girls did when we trained together!! Best part of my week was knowing I was going to train you 2 on Monday.  I'll never forget that last "sprint".
Adam - Yo Big Man!!! Thanks for always keeping me on my playlist game. Thanks for the t-shirts. It forced me to get back on my grind and get back in shape to wear them!
Tyshon - Put it down every week. Had the toughest job since I knew you were the strongest in class I had to challenge you even more. It also helps when the entire class depends on your success!!! Hahaha
David - I always knew if I gave the WTF option you were going to try to do it. And give me the finger after.
Amy - I appreciate the energy! The hard work! And most important you always look like you're having fun. I could be killing the class and you're in the zone. QUICK FEET!!!!!!
Marcela - Always a hard worker.
Petey and Dan - the Queens crew. Thanks for coming through and reppin' the borough each week.
Glen - Thanks for the best endorsement ever. The vid of your boys saying ,"Ari is Mean" is one of the greatest moments I've ever had as a trainer.
Ryan - Thanks for making T step his sprint game up! The competition between you 2 always got me amped up!
Merissa - Lil sis the Original Sprint Champ! Go Team! 

Lastly thanks to the smack talkers. It makes me go that much harder every week. Nuff Said!

Now I gotta find that Boys II Men song so I can officially close the show.

Pharaoh Out!

Pharaohs Zumba Fitness - Stay in your lane

Announcement, I will now be teaching Zumba instead of my regular classes. I see that Zumba is new and hot and energetic and I want to be part of the craze. Of course I haven't danced (well except for the 2 step I do occasionally in class) in over 20 years, but I did dance in a few music videos, so this must mean I'm qualified. I'm going to start teaching and make videos and make a ton of money. Why? Because it's the new thing to do, everyone is doing it and I have to be cutting edge. Also I'm going to start giving Muay Thai instruction. I figure the 3 months I trained with my boy Joe is good enough to classify me as an expert. Show me the money!!

Ok, lets be real, we know I won't be teaching Zumba, and if I taught a Muay Thai class it would be, "How to get your butt kicked by a real Muay Thai practitioner. What's my point? Kettlebell training is "new" and "hot" and yes my gym has them. But as a trainer take pride in learning your craft. Get an objective view of your technique and teaching abilities. Don't be satisfied with coaching poor form, sipping your frappuccino, texting away while the client goes off and wildly swings away. And if you really don't know how to teach a skill, don't. Choose things that you are good at teaching. The client will benefit in the long run.

Don't be afraid to say I don't know how to teach that effectively. There are so many tools in the fitness tool box, trainers have a multitude of things to choose from. Don't get fascinated by the hot item or technique. And if you do invest some time and effort in truly learning and understanding before you pass yourself off as an expert. If you're looking up kettlebell training, take the RKC if you want to learn Hardstyle. If you want to learn Girevoy Sport (GS) then look for an AKC or an IKFF trainer. If you want to learn Suspension Training then look for a TRX Suspension Training Course. Again take the time and invest in your professional career.

Now enough ranting I've got to get my DVD out so I can make some of this Zumba money. Just kidding,  I know my lane and I'm perfectly fine with that.

Pharaoh Out!!!!