Iron Tamer Clan - The Instructors Who Got Us Where We Are Now

Hello again everyone! It has been a terrific September as an offical RKC instructor. I have to say I have been able to apply all that I have learned at the RKC Instructor Certification Course everyday with my clients as well as my physical therapy patients.
As I promised, I am writing a 2nd installment to the Iron Tamer Clan Post from last week. This week I am giving props to the instructors and others who helped us to prepare for our success at the RKC.

David Whitley, Senior RKC
It all began when I returned from a Functional Movement Screen Seminar where one of the presenters (Gray Cook, PT, RKC) introduced me to some kettlebell exercises. I was very interested and ended up finding out that David (aka the IRONTAMER) held classes in Nashville and is also FMS certified (CK-FMS). For the next month I was blown away by how much he knew about movements and how the kettlebell itself can be used as a tool to work on mobility and stability at the same time. On my first day of Nashville Kettlebell Bootcamp I performed turkish get ups and could not believe how much I was working on mobility of my joints as well as stability of my joints with one exercise! I decided to give 4 weeks of my bootcamp workouts and retest my FMS score. Note I did not do any other corrective exercises other than bootcamp. My FMS score went from a 15 to an 18! My wife went from a 14 to an 18 in the same time and can now do a very good push up.

After 3 months of bootcamp and about 20 pounds of fat loss later I was hooked. Nikki and I proceeded to let the Irontamer know that Iwe were interested in training for the RKC Instructor Certification Course. He told me that he would be happy to train Nikki and I and that we should continue to come to bootcamp to prepare. And boy did we prepare! David was tough on us but in a very good way. He knew what the RKC cert was like and was preparing us for the grueling days that would be the RKC. He did not sugar coat things. We heard things like "quit your whining and swing!" and "if your clean is like that at the end of RKC you WILL fail the course". It was exactly what we needed to hear. He motivated us very well.
I owe David everything. He introduced me to kettlebell training and what the RKC is about. He reiterated that the RKC is not just about the kettlebell, the kettlebell is only a tool. Its the movements and the concept behind the RKC that makes it so successful. Thanks to his knowledge and teaching, I am a much better Certified Athletic Trainer and FMS specialist at correcting movement imbalances. Thanks David! I will always introduce myself as being a decendent of the Iron Tamer Clan and you as my mentor.


Matt McBryde
Matt just received his RKC instructor certification last year (2008). We met Matt as he was one of David's instructors that covers his class when David is out of town. Matt is a terrific instructor from the very first day we met him. He put his own spin on class but the RKC techniques were always the foundation. Matt was gracious enough to come to our RKC prep days at 6am to help us with technique and also gave us some killer workouts, including the VO2 Max protocol from the Viking Warrior Conditioning. The VO2 practice we had with him very much helped us at RKC to improve on our snatch technique but also to prepare us for the grueling workouts. Matt now currently owns and runs Tennessee Kettlebell Bootcamp along with his cool wife, Kristen (the Hardstyle Diva part of the Irontamer Clan!) in Franklin, TN. Thank you for all your wisdom, Matt. Not only did I learn so much from you but I also gained 2 friends. I know that Kristen and yourself did not have to drive 20 minutes every Saturday to come train with us, but you did for the sake of helping us become as prepared as we could be. I will never forget your generosity.

Dennis Breckey
Dennis is the first RKC that we met in Nashville after working with the IronTamer and he also subbed for David from time to time. He teaches a very structured class and gave a different point of view with corrections and cues on our technique. Dennis was also showed up to almost every Saturday morning RKC prep class. He had nothing to gain from coming. He did not have anyone close to him prepping like Matt did. He just came to help us out. I was truly blown away that he would come so early in the am to come help us out. Dennis is currently working on his Z Health certification and when Nikki spoke to him about her tricep issues, he made the time to research and ask other Z health professionals about what drills would work best to alleviate her problems. Dennis is just a whole lot of awesome in my book.
I would also like to give a quick shout out to some other important people who played a role in our RKC certification. Mandy (with a Y not an I) Whitley is a wonderful friend of ours who let us borrow her husband on many accounts to have him work with us. She was the first person I saw when I passed my snatch test and she was jumping up and down in excitement. She put up with our Vibram Stank in the hotel room for 3 days. And was there to give me updates on who all passed since I was the last one. She made the whole process fun and well worth it.
I would like to thank Gray Cook for steering me in the correct direction of the RKC. Also to Brett Jones for all of his articles and information who has helped me out. Brett and Gray have a terrific DVD series "the secrets" and "Kalos Sthenos" which provides important corrective exercises to help improve on asymmetries in your body. I would like to say that thanks to them I am a better informed and prepared RKC and athletic trainer.

Know Your Limitations

Everyone has something that they need to address when it comes to imbalances within their body. The important thing to know is that you have to except the fact that you have a limitation and that you address that limitation on a daily basis. Some days might take more time than others to workout those limitations, some days you might only work on cleaning up that limitation and nothing else.

This is fine, actually I believe that Brett Jones, Master RKC and Gray Cook, RKC would agree with me on the fact that if you don't improve on your limitations then you should not be working out. "If you don't have time to perform your prep work, then you don't have time to workout" (Brett Jones)

This means taking 5-15 minutes in the beginning of your workout and addressing this issue that you need to fix. For example, if you ever check out Brett Jones' Applied Strength blog (he posts his workouts on there) he ALWAYS has some type of prep work to address his limitations. Whether it be Z health work, ASLR work, brettzels, you name it he is working on addressing any limitations he may have before he even picks up a heavy kettlebell. This means not only a safer workout, but a more productive workout as well.

As for another example I will use myself. On the FMS my lowest score has been on the shoulder mobility test. Through time and the discovery of the RKC system I have improved on this imbalance. But, I continually must make an effort to address my thoracic and shoulder mobility to make sure that I am in balance before I workout or there is a good chance that I will fall back into my old patterns and return to a lower score on the shoulder mobility.

I have two very strong ladies in my Injury Prevention & Human Performance program who begin every workout that they perform addressing these limitations. One has a knee mobility issue from a previous injury/surgery and the other addresses her shoulder/thoracic mobility on a daily basis. They always make time to address these corrections first and foremost.

Not sure what your limitation is? Find a FMS specialist or a CK-FMS specialist and get screened, then let them work with your on addressing your limitations.

My Proud Little Soldier Alex

Alex came to VOI in September of 2008 referred by her MD for physical therapy for tendonitis on both Achilles tendons. She is a Level 7 gymnast and had not participated in gymnastics since July of 2008. Before she stopped due to pain, Alex was practicing an average of 4 hours per day 5-6 days per week.

She was seen by Shane, a licensed physical therapist in VOI and she spent the next 7 weeks working with Shane on getting her inflammation eliminated and was then passed onto myself for a Functional Movement Screen to determine her readiness to return to gymnastics.

I met with Alex and her mother and took her through the functional movement screen. Here were her results: (0=pain, 1=unable to perform, 2=movement performed but with asymmetry, 3=movement performed with required technique)

Test
-Overhead Squat=2

Total Score=0

Pain in R hip

-Hurdle Step L leg over=2
-Hurdle Step R leg over=2

Total score=2

-Inline Lunge L foot forward=0

-Inline Lunge R foot forward=0

Total Score=0

Pain in both knees with movement

-Shoulder mobility, L arm behind
head, R arm behind back=2
-Shoulder mobility R arm up, L
arm behind=3

Total Score=0

due to L Sh pain with clearing test

-Active Straight Leg Raise L=3
-Active Straight Leg Raise R=3

Total Score=3

-Trunk Stability Push Up=3

-Rotary Stability Test L=2
-Rotary Stability Test R=2

Total Score=2

Total Overall Score 7/21

Alex had pain with the squat, lunge, and shoulder mobility. The funny thing was that she had no present pain in either of her Achilles but had hip, knee and shoulder pain during the screen. What was found during the screen was Alex demonstrated that she needed to improve on her thoracic spine mobility as well as her dynamic stability of all her joints.

In plain English, Alex just lost the ability to fire her stabilizing muscles at the correct times when she performed dynamic movements. Thus the load was taken in other areas including her joints and tendons. A rule with the functional movement screen is to work on mobility before stability. So the scores were reviewed with her mother and they both decided to meet with me one time per week for 4-5 weeks and then rescreen. She was asked not to return to gymnastics until she can perform the screen pain free and with no scores of 0 or 1.

Then we performed 4 total 60 minute workout sessions with exercises designed for her to improve on thoracic mobility and then practice using the stabilizers of her hips, trunk and shoulders to work in unison to perform the movement properly and pain free. Every week she was given new “homework” which meant stretches and exercises that would help her to progress to the next level.

Every session came with a quick assessment of her mobility followed by a chat on how her exercises were going and if she had any questions. Her first “aha!” moment came in the second session when she tried to perform a lunge and felt pain in her knees. Then we practiced with a band that required core activation which was pain free. After that set, I asked her to perform the lunge again but to pretend that she was still pulling on the band. Guess what! She had no pain with the movement and her lunge looked much better.

He continued with this aspect over the next few weeks and then had her come in for her follow up FMS in January after the holidays were all done and finished. This is how she scored.

Test

-Overhead Squat=2

Total Score=2 (pain free)

-Hurdle Step L leg over =2
-Hurdle Step R leg over =2

Total Score=2

-Inline Lunge L foot forward =2

-Inline Lunge R foot forward =2

Total score=2 (pain free)

-Shoulder mobility, L arm behind
head, R arm behind back =3
-Shoulder mobility R arm up, L
arm behind =3

Total Score=3

-Active Straight Leg Raise L 3
-Active Straight Leg Raise R 3

Total Score=3

-Trunk Stability Push Up=3

-Rotary Stability Test L =2
-Rotary Stability Test R =2

Total score=2
Total Score 17/21
Not only was she able to move pain free with all tests, but she moved so much better than she did 6 weeks prior. She was now allowed to work back into gymnastics as tolerated and given a final worksheet of things to continually work on to keep her healthy.

I was just recently informed by Alex’s mother that she performed her first meet on 2/28 after 6 months of no gymnastics and finished 4th in the all around, the next two meets in March she finished first in the all around. And finally, at the state meet she won 1st place on floor and vault, third place on bar, ninth place on bean and fifth all around for level 7 in the state of Tennessee! Way to go Alex!

The Functional Movement Screen

In August of this year I attended the Core Training Systems, Functional Movement Screen seminar in Boston, MA. The city was beautiful and I ended up learning so much in a small amount of time. I now am a Certified Specialist of the Functional Movement Screen and use it as the very foundation of my Injury Prevention and Human Performance Program.

The Functional Movement Screen (or FMS) was developed by Gray Cook. Gray is a licensed Physical Therapist, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, a level 1 coach with the US Weightlifting Federation, and is also a Level 1 Russian Kettlebell Instructor.

The FMS basically is 7 individual movement exercises that represent the foundational movements that exist since we were just babies. The tests include the Deep Squat, Hurdle Step, In Line Lunge, Shoulder Mobility, Active Straight Leg Raise, Trunk Stability Push Up, and Rotational Stability. Each movement is graded on a scale of 0-3: You get a 3 if you can perform the movement without cheating, 2 if you perform the movement but cheat, 1 if you cannot perform the movement at all, and 0 if you have pain with the movement. Highest score you can achieve is a 21. Some of the tests include you performing a test on the L side and a test on the R side.

Once the test has been completed this gives the FMS specialist a detailed map of the individual. What "the Map" will indicate if there are any asymmetries or imbalances present within that particular individuals body. Asymmetries are the second leading factors that can lead to injury (#1 is previous injury). It also tells the specialist if the movement issue is a stability problem or a mobility problem.

With this information we can determine what movement needs to be improved on to provide better balance to the individual.

So who could benefit from this? Everyone. Whether you have suffered a previous injury or had surgery, you are planning on training for that first 1/2 marathon, you want to begin an exercise program for one of your goals. This movement screen should be done first and foremost. If you test out and you have a good score with no imbalances, then train away. If you have a poor score with pain or imbalances then you need to work with a specialist who knows how to correct those movement imbalances.

NFL teams' Athletic Trainers & Strength Coaches use the FMS, why shouldn't you? I will try and get some video up on my first FMS that I performed for myself.

For more information on the FMS, and to find an FMS specialist near you. Check out http://www.functionalmovement.com/

Kettlebell Bootcamp #12 (I got a weak Left cheek)

Very good class today. Not only in a performance aspect, but I always love it when I learn something in a workout.

As many of you already know (just ask my wife Nikki) I always preach a lot at about muscle imbalances and how they can wreck your body with activities. The beautiful thing about kettlebell training is that it helps you to work on those muscle imbalances, like my Left butt cheek (sort of speaking).

Today (after warm up) David had us get into a half kneeling position and move our feet in line like we were kneeling on a tight rope (I call it half kneeling tightrope position). Then had us rack the kettlebell and press it overhead. We have done this before but before we would have the left leg forward and press up with the right arm, which was hard enough. Today we had to have the left leg forward and press with the left leg. Talk about hard & unsteady. Then Dave showed what we were doing and then showed what it looks like if you engage your stabilizers (some people say "core" I like to say pillar) this means David engaged his hip stabilizers by squeezing his butt, engaged his core by how he likes to call it "pull your sternum and your pubic bone together" and engaged his scapular stabilizers in his shoulder by pulling back and down with the shoulder blade and squeezing the handle with his hand. This made the movement much more "efficient" lets say with way less "energy leaks". It is those leaks that occur during movement within our training or everyday activities that can lead us to injury.

As it turns out when I was pressing with my right arm, I was having a significant amount of trouble! Does that mean my right side is weaker, maybe. But more than likely it means that I am having trouble stabilizing with my left hip (my weak left cheek). I also notice this with my turkish get ups as well. Here is our workout today:

• We did 1x5 tightrope half kneeling same side presses each side, then received more instruction then repeated with 1x5 each side with much more efficient presses

• Then of course we did KB swings 30 seconds on, 20 seconds off for 6 rounds.

40-45 minutes later and 500 calories later we where winded and finished. Great workout! I will try and get us some video up of the tightrope press when David and I have time. I am also going to introduce everyone to the Functional Movement Screen and how I tested on the FMS before I began kettlebell bootcamp. Have a terrific day everyone!