12/18 training

Double Military Press

8kg x 7 reps x 2 sets
12kg x 7 reps x 2 sets
16kg x 5 reps x 2 sets

Single Military Press
18kg x 3 reps x 1 set
18kg  3 reps with chain + 3 reps w/o chain x 2 sets
24kg x 3 reps with chain + 3 reps w/o chain x 3 sets

2 Hand Swings
24kg, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44kg swings x 7 reps each low to high  3 rounds, 18 total sets

1-hand swings
24kg x 10 sets 5/5 reps

Swiss ball pushups
5 sets 5 reps

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

12/16 training

Back-off week.  Every 4th week I reduce volume/intensity and practice some different stuff.  Today it was chains on the Military Presses and Pushups on the Swiss Ball.

Double Military Press   
8kg x 5 x 2 sets
12kg x 5 x 2 sets
16kg x 5 x 2 sets

Single Military Press
18kg x 3 reps with 8 lbs of chain followed immediately 3 w/o chain x 2 sets each side
24kg x 3 reps with 8 lbs of chain followed immediately by 3 reps w/o chain - 3 sets each side

2-hand swings
20 casual sets of 7 reps with no time constraints, using mostly the 32, 36, 40 and 5 sets with the new 44kg bell.

Swiss Ball pushups
5,5,5,4,3 reps

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

12/10 and 12/13 training

12/10

Double Military Press
8kg x 7 reps x 2 sets
12kg x 7 reps x 2 sets
16kg x 5 reps x 2 sets

Single Military Press
18kg x 3/3 x 2 sets
24kg x 3/3 x 2 sets
28kg/24 x  3/3 x 2 sets
2 failed attempts at right side 32kg
28kg x 2 right side, 24 x 3 left side x 2 serts
24kg x 3/3 x 2 sets

2-hand Swings
10 minutes on the minute 36kg x 7 reps
5 minutes on the minute 32kg x 12 reps

12/13

Getups
12kg x 2/2
16 x 2/2
24 x 1/1
28 x 1/1
32 x 1/1
36 x 1 right side /32kg x 1 left side
40kg x 5 right side/32kg x 4 left side

2-hand Swings
10 minutes on the minute 40kg x 7 reps
5 minutes on the minute 36kg x 12 reps

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

4 week sugar detox diet

The sugar detox diet will help you get off carbohydrates as a primary energy source and teach your body how to burn fat for energy.  We are all born fat-burners, mothers milk is 50-65% fat!  We only become addicted to carbohydrates because that is what society feeds us the moment we are off of mothers milk.    The  easiest explanation as to why we are turned away from naturally occurring higher-quality foods very young in life is that carbohydrates are cheaper to make and easier to store and transport.  Carbohydrates helped us expand the population of the planet but they also decreased our overall health and cause many of us to hold excess bodyfat and struggle with insulin related (diabetes!) health issues.   

The first 10-14 days of this diet can be unbearable for some people.  The withdrawal symptoms will be very strong and you may feel extremely hungry.  Every time you feel hungry you are allowed to eat unlimited portions of the allowed foods.  In the early stages you will not want to eat these foods, they will not seem palatable to you.  This is when you will realize the truth, that you are not really hungry, you are fighting the effects of a non-stop rollercoastering  blood sugar.  Once you let your body get through the 2 (possibly 3) week detox period vegetables, eggs, meat and fullfat yogurt, rice and potatoes will suddenly seem incredibly tasty and fulfilling.  These are the foods that will keep you lean and healthy for life with no cravings or suffering,   What you previously thought of as hunger was not actually hunger, it was your blood sugar going up and down all day.  By focusing on high-fat proteins and , low glycemic load carbohydrates your blood sugar will stabilize and you will no longer suffer the side effects that come along with being overweight. 


Low-glycemic load vegetables - Almost all above-ground vegetables have a low glycemic load.    Carrots and beets are technically below-ground but you can still eat them because they have a good carbohydrate to fiber ratio (low glycemic load).  You are temporarily avoiding rice and potatoes although these will be the backbone of your carbohydrate intake when the detox is compete.
Specific food list here http://runyoncanyonbootcamp.blogspot.com/2014/03/default-diet-foods.html

Eggs -  Lightly cooked or raw, preferably organic and pastured. Raw is better because it keeps the probiotics, vitamins and minerals alive.  Probiotics are an extremely important part of this diet as they strengthen your digestive system and allow you to comfortably digest nutrient-dense foods.  If you need to cook your eggs try to cook them as little as you can to make them palatable.

Meat - grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild-caught fish (you are basically avoiding all factory farmed animal products.  I personally only eat grass-fed beef and eat very little chicken or fish.  I like beef because you can eat it in a very rare state.  Rare or medium rare meat has a tremendous amount of enzymes, vitamins and minerals (as well as good fats and protein).  Overcooked/charred meat is proven to be carcinogenic and something to avoid. 

Other than the noted limitations eat as much of these foods as you want. This is not a calorie restrictive or weight-loss diet.  You will most likely lose weight on this plan but a good deal of the weight will be water weight and systemic inflammation.  The goal of this kind of diet is to get your body used to burning fats for energy as opposed to carbohydrates.  For people struggling to lose weight carbohydrates are a poor fuel source as they mess with your insulin sensitivity (ability to use food as fuel instead of turning to fat) and teach the body to store food as bodyfat.  Once a person restricts carbs for a couple of weeks the body switches to burning nutritional fats and bodyfat for energy.  Since we can only eat so much in the form of nutritional fats (almost nobody overeats steak, fullfat yogurt or bacon) the body will quickly burn the fat we eat and then start consuming bodyfat for energy.   This equals fast and easy weight-loss for people willing to stick to these protocols.  This will go much further for weight-loss than calorie restriction which has proven to be useless as a long-term weight-loss tool.

No processed meats.  You can eat beef, chicken, fish, pork, pretty much any form of meat so long as it is not processed.  Exception to this is uncured bacon.  Eat as much uncured bacon as you like but no more than 1x a day. 

No coffee, unsweetened  tea (no milk) is fine.

No alcohol.  Period.

No rice or potatoes.  Yet.  After 2 weeks pass we will start adding back safe starches to your diet.

Eat 2-4x a day, try to avoid small snacks, make every meal a full meal.

Have a cheat meal of whatever you want at the end of the 14th day.

On the 15th day resume above diet but add in any form of potato or rice in one of the last 2 meals of the day.  Start with either a medium to large sized potato or 1/2 cup of rice (this is dry weight).  If you do not exercise regularly eat this starch at the end of your day, with your last meal.  If you train regularly eat this starch in the meal just after your training session.  As an athlete we will eventually add in a 2nd starch meal to your diet but not until you reach your body composition goals.

Re-evaluate at the end of 4 week #4.    If you are at your body composition goals you can consider eating fruit instead of starch for your carbohydrates.  This is a slippery slope for most because fruit is still a simple sugar and can easily cause the body to crave more sugars in all forms.  If you decide to eat fruit at this stage,  eat it as a stand-alone meal.  Fruit interferes with the digestion of most other foods.  Honestly, if staying lean for lifetime is something you desire you will be 100% fine never eating any fruit. 

12/5 and 12/6 training

12/5

Heavy Getup Day

12kg x 2/2, 16 x 2/2, 18  x 2/2,  24 x 1/1,  28 x 1/1, 32 x 1/1, 36 x 1 right/32 x 1 left, 40kg x 4 reps right side, 32kg x 4 reps left side.

This may seem like too many Getups but I consider all of the sets with the 24kg bell and lower to be warmup sets and my working sets 28kg and higher.  I currently practice heavy presses/light Getups early in the week  and heavy getups/light presses at the end of the week.  This enables me to work Getups and presses but not overwork my shoulders and upper back.

12/6
Double Cleans
Finally squeezing Cleans into my training.  

12kg x 2 sets - 7 reps
16kg x 2 sets - 7 reps
24 kg x 5 sets - 5 reps with a Military Press at the end of each set.  If I feel up to it, next time I train double 24kg bells I will do a MP on the last 2 reps of every set.  Will see how my shoulder feels as I don't want to rush anything but this feels like a reasonable progression.  Goal is do go 5 cleans followed by a press on each rep for 5 sets with the 24kg bells. 

2-Hand Swings

I guess I am starting to call this the 7 & 12 swing routine.  I am using this progression for myself and any of my students who have their swing dialed in.  We pick a weight for the 7-rep sets and a bell one notch lower for the 12-rep sets.  Once we can complete the entire 15 minutes with good form we jump each bell up a level.  I started this progression today myself like this:

32kg x 10 sets on-the-minute of 7 reps
28kg x 5 sets on-the-minute of 12 reps

Felt moderately easy so the next time I do this exercise I will use the 36kg bell for the 7-rep sets and the 32kg bell for the 12-rep sets.  Long term goal is simply to keep adding weight, using bigger and bigger bells with consistent form.

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

12/2 training

Military Press

Double 8kg x 7 reps x 2 sets
Double 12kg x 7 reps x 2 sets
Double 16kg x 5 reps x 2 sets
Single 18kg x 5/5 reps x 2 sets
all remaning sets on left side done with 18 kg bell
Right side 24kg x 3 reps x 2 sets
Right side 28kg x 3 reps x 2 sets
Right side 32kg x 2 failed singles!
Right side 28kg x 2 reps x 2 sets

Swings
5 minutes 112 reps with 24 kg bell

1-arm swings
5 minutes 117 reps with 16 kg bell equal reps both sides

Cleans
Double 24kg x 5 reps x 5 sets

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

11/28 training

Still using rehab weights for my left shoulder but otherwise things are moving along nicely.  Today is heavy getups/light presses/10-rep swings

Getups
12kg x 2, 16 x 2, 18 x 2, 24 x 1, 28 x 1, 28 left/32 right x 1, 28 left/36 right x 1, 28 left/40 right x 3 - PR!

Military Presses -  one side at a time
16kg x 7/7 reps and 5 sets

Swings
20 minutes, 10 reps  on-the-minute going up and down the 24, 28, 32, 36 and 40 kg bells

Hammergrip Pullups w/L-Sit

5,5,4,4,3 reps

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

 

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

Back to the Presses

Military Presses that is.  I experimented going w/o pressing for a few months, relying on getups as my only pressing movement.  Looks like the experiment worked because I was able to press the 28kg bell for 3 sets of 3 which is a big PR for me.  I expect to have an even bigger jump in pressing strength over the next few weeks.  Whenever I put down a movement for a period of time and then pick it up again big gains usually follow.  I got cocky and thought I could press the 32kg for a single rep but failed after 2 attempts.  I bet I get it within the next couple of weeks.  My plan for the next few weeks is to alternate heavy and light getups and presses 2x/week so I don't overtrain my pressing muscles.  Day #1 of the week (today) I did heavy presses, mostly sets of 3,  followed by 3 light Getup sets.  Day #2 I will start with heavy getups and do light presses.

Military Presses

Started with double-bell presses.  I cant do these with heavy weights because I am rehabbing my left shoulder.  I seriously fucked it up practicing handstand pushups early last week and I need to take the left side easy for a while.


8 kg bells x 2 sets of 7
12 kg bells x 2 sets of 5
16 kg bells x 2 sets of 3
18 kg bells x 2 sets of 3

Switched to single bell presses

All sets on left side from here are done with the 18 kg bell - all 3 rep sets.  I don't want to push any more than that until the pain diminishes to a very large degree. 

Right side
24kg x 2 sets of 3 reps
28 kg x 2 sets of 3 reps with 2-hand cheat clean
28 kg x 2 sets of 3 reps with traditional clean
28kg x 2 sets of 2 reps with traditional clean
2 attempts at 32kg press - failed!
24kg x 3 sets of 3

2-Hand Swings
20 rounds done on the minute

24kg x 7 reps x 2 sets
28kg x 7 reps x 2 sets
32kg x 7 reps x 3 sets
36 kg x 7 reps x 3 sets
40kg x 7 reps x 3 sets
36kg x 12 reps x 3 sets
32kg x 12 reps x 4 sets

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

Proof of Progress - 7 weeks of work

I wanted to share some of my notes so you could see the progressions I use to get clients strong in the Swing and the Getup.   I set very specific goals for both men and women to accomplish before moving forward in their training.  No exercises are rushed and solid technique is our goal.  Most of my clients are doing some sort of sugar-detox diet during the first 2 weeks so it works out well that we are not training with much intensity during these first couple of weeks. We are emphasizing form over everything else.   

First goal is to be able to do the Between the Heel Deadlift with the 40 kg bells for 5 sets of 5 reps.  This is the one exercise where men and women have the same goal.  A 40 kg deadlift is not very heavy for most people but doing it with proper form can be a challenge at first.  I use this exercise  as a method to teach how to hinge the hips properly as well as to strengthen the body for the swing practice that we will be doing.  If a person can DL the 40 kg bell easily they will be able to swing the lighter bells (12, 16 18kg ) with ease.  I also ask clients to become competent in the Pendulum Swing and Power Swing before attempting regular consecutive swings for reps.

Women are shooting for 5 rounds of Getups with the 16 kg bells and men are going for 5 rounds with the 24 kg bells. Women are asked to swing the 32kg bell and men the 40 kg bell with good technique before we start practicing the 1-arm variations.  Every time I used this protocol the client tells me that the 8 and 12 kg bells feel very light when learning 1-arm variations and that is the goal! 

We may do some Military Pressing, pullups and variations on the getups but until the above goals are achieved 90% of our energy goes into getting strong at swings and getups.

This client is female approx. 30 years of age.  She has a very rigorous job, a full time + Registered Nurse.  I am purposely avoid Military Pressing and Pullups because a client like this only has so much energy for training and recovery. I feel that this kind of training is perfectly designed for a busy person who only has a couple of hours a week available to train. 

Once she can fulfill the above stated goals we will add military presses and pullups - these exercises will be much easier to do once we get her base strength levels up via Getups/Swings.


After 7 weeks of private training client accomplished the following:

Getups  -Starting with bodyweight and  4 kg bells graduated to  16 kg bells with good form
2-Hand Swings - started with 12kg bells and  can now competently swing 32kg bells!

Technique in both exercises has drastically improved in this very short time period. 
Here are her actual training numbers from the training log I keep as we train.

10/4
Between the Heel Deadlift
5 rep sets
12kg x 2 sets
16kg x 2
40kg x 3


10/7
BTW DL
12kg x 3
16 x 2
18 x 2
24 x 1
28 x 2

10/12
BTH DL
16kg x 1
18 x 1
24 x 1
28 x 1
32 x 2


10/17
Getups
BW x 1
Shoe x 1
4kg x 1
8 x 2

BTH DL
16 x 1
24 x 1
28 x 1
32 x 1
36 x 1
40 x 3

10/19
TGU
Shoe x 1
BW x 1
8 x 3

BTH DL
16 x 1
18 x 1
24 x 1
32 x 1
36 x 1
40 x 5

Pendulum Swings
12kg x 7 reps x 4 serts

Pendulum Swing to full swing
12kg x 7 reps and 2 sets

10/22
Completed the BTH DL protocols, switch to Swing protocols

TGU
BW x 1
8 x 2
12 x 3 (all with spot)

Pendulum Swings 12kg x 7 reps x 5 sets
Pendulum Swing to Full swing 12kg x 7 reps x 3 serts

10/24
TGU
BW x 1
8 x 2
12 x 3 (2 with spot, 1 with no spot)

PowerSwings
12kg x 7 reps x 3 serts
16kg x 7 reps x 5 sets
18 kg x 7 reps  x 3 sets

10/27
TGU
BW x 1
8 x 1
12 x 4 (first 2 no spot, second 2 with spot)

First time full swing ladders (3 reps, rest, 4 reps, rest, 5 reps, rest etc)
Taking long rests, still emphasizing learning not "working out"
12kg bell 3-7 rep ladder
16kg bell 3-7 rep ladder

10/30
TGU
BW x 1
12kg x 5 sets (all but last 2 no spot)

Swings
12kg x 7 reps x 3 sets
16 x 7 x 3
24 x 7 x 3 sets

Roundabout practice (variation of 1-arm swings) - a couple of easy rounds with the 8kg bell

11/5

TGU
BW x 1
12 x 1
16 x 1 (first time!)
12 x 1
8kg x 2 sets, full press on each move

11/11
TGU
8 x 1
12 x 2
16 x 2 (all with spot)
12 x 1

First time "training" swings
7 swings on-the-minute for 15 minutes alternating the 24 and 28 kg bells

11/14
TGU
8 x 1
12 x 1
16 x 3 (all with spot)

20 minutes total swings
10 minutes 7 reps on-the-minute using  24 and 28 kg bells
10 minutes 12 reps on the minute using 16, 18 and 24 kg bells

11/17
TGU
BW x 1
8 x 1
12 x 1
16 x 3 (with spot)
Repeating moves #1 and #2 for 7 reps each side using the 8 kg bell for 2 sets
Repeating the lunge move for 7 reps each side using the 8 kg bell for 2 sets
Roundabout swing practice for 3 sets using the 8 and 12kg bells

11/19
First time skill practice only day
These are all new moves for client - has enough of a base using the roundabout swings to understand the 1-arm movements.
1-arm swings from dead start
Transfers every 3 swings
Transfer on every swing
Alternating 1 arm swings to cleans


11/22
TGU
8 x 1
12 x 1
16 x 3, first time unassisted!  left side still needs spot, hoping to get a left side unsassisted getup next session.

Swings
10 minutes on the minute - 7 reps using 24, 28 and first time with 32kg bells
10 minutes on the minute 12 reps using 12, 16, 18 and 24 kg bells

11/20 foods and training

11/20 foods

Meal #1 5 raw eggs + usual supplements
Meal #2 grass fed steak with rice and 2 carrots
Meal #3 Grass-fed steak/vege/rice bowl with baby broccoli, carrots, onions, bell peppers
Meal #4 5 strips uncured bacon

Training

Looks like I will be putting down the handstand pushups and variations.  My left shoulder has been doing well the past couple of years doing only getups and kettlebell presses for my shoulders but 2 sessions after practicing HSPU's and I am in a good deal of pain.  I am going to let it heal up and then possibly give it another shot.  At the moment I figure the double kettlebell press is safer since it allows me to adjust the range of motion and weight used on the left side. 

Did a very long warmup prior to getups since my neck and upper back are still tight.  Made it through the session with no problems, very little pain.
Getups - 12kg x 2, 16 x 2, 18 x 2, 24 x 1, 28 x 1, 32right/28left x 1, 36 right/28left x 1, 40right/28/left x 1, 36right/28/left x 1, 32right/28left x 1, 28 x 1

2 hand swings - 32kg x 7 reps x 15 sets on the minute

Neutral grip pullups  6,5,4,3,2, reps


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151955784217626&l=8823046433951346211

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

11/19 foods and training

Meal #1 grass-fed steak and cucumber
Meal #2 5 strips uncured bacon, rice, 2 carrots
Meal #3 grass-fed steak, rice and vegetable bowl with baby broccoli, carrots, onions
Meal #4 same as #3
Meal #5 handful raw mixed nuts and dried apricots

Glad I took the day off from training, upper back and neck feeling better.  Did a couple of 20 minute walks with Ripley but otherwise rested.  Looking forward to Weds training, hope I am feeling strong enough to move around the 40kg bell for swings and getups.

11/18 foods and training update

Meal #1 5 raw eggs + usual supplements
Meal #2 Grass-fed steak, white rice, cucumber
Meal #3 Bacon and carrots

Ate light today because I ate so poorly this past weekend.   I'm having a lot of problems with my body this past week so I took Mon and Tues off from training. My neck and upper back are locked up and my left shoulder has been bothering me ever since I started different variations of handstand pushups.  I am  not training again until Weds so I feel that I don't need much food, particulary starch.  As much as I want to get strong at the HSPU I am going to put this exercise down and just stick with kettlebell training and pullups.   I took a couple of 20 minute walks with Ripley but am otherwise resting.   Tomorrow I will get back to the usual getups and swings.  I feel that I am still on track to use the 36 and 40kg bells this week as planned.   Will continue to evaluate on a daily basis to avoid actually injuring myself.

11/11 & 11/12 training

Getups - 12kg x 2, 16 x 2, 24 x 1, 32 x 5 (last 2 sets w/28kg on left side, shoulder bothering me a bit)
Swings 5 2-hand powerswings followed by 5 consecutive swings on the minute for 15 minutes alternating between 32 and 36 kg bells.

Throughout Monday and Tuesday I am greasing the groove with the following exercise and rep scheme:

Handstand pushups - 5,4,4,3,2 reps
Neutral grip pullups 5,5,5,4,3, reps
Pike Pushups 5,4,3,2,2, reps

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

11/7 and 11/8 training

Getups 12kg x 2, 16 x 2, 24 x 1, 28 x 5
2 rounds with 16kg bell doing a press on each step

Swings 32kg X 15 sets of 5 power swings, 5 consecutive swings on the minute

Handstand pushup progression - 6 mats deep - 5,3,3,2,1, reps
Hammergrip pullups 5,4,4,3,3 reps

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

11/3 training Getups, swings, pullups, handstand pushups

Trying to keep the intensity and total work around 70% on this first week of a 4 week cycle. 
After a long break from pullups I am re-starting the fighter pullup program with the easier undergrip variation.  I love pullups but my left elbow has been bothering me for months and I put down exercises that force the arm bent under a heavy load, basicaslly pullups and farmer walks.  The elbow has been feeling decent recently so I figured I would experiment doing pullups without a full lockout.  I typically recommend full lockout on pullups but I feel like I could be pushing my luck.  I will just take it a day at a time, if it starts bothering me I can always put the exercise down.


Getups - 12kg x 2, l6 x 2, 24 x 5, 16 x 2 with press on each rep
Swings - 15 rounds on the minute, 4 power swings + 4 consecutive swings - all 32kg
Handstand pushups - 6 mats from head to floor - 5, 3,3,2,2, reps
Undergrip pullups 5,4,3,2,2, reps

10/31 training

Pretty shitty session today, I am not sure if I am not recovered from this past Mondays session or I am just having a shitty training week in general.  Was hoping to do some 36 and possibly 40 kg getups today but the 32 felt so heavy, even on my usually strong right side, that I decided to keep the max TGU weight at 32kg. I am going to start programming my training 3 weeks increasing intensity 1 week backing off like I did for a long time.  I think I got carried away with training instinctively and have been pushing 90%+ for too many sessions in a row.  I'm also gonna split my training like this:

Monday Getups and Swings
Tuesday - Bodyweight work - Handstand pushups against wall, Narrow grip palms in pullups, bodyweight squats, pushups

Thursday Getups and Swings
Friday - Bodyweight work - Handstand pushups against wall, Narrow grip palms in pullups, bodyweight squats, pushups

Today:

Getups - 12kg x 2, 16 x 2, 24 x 1, 28 x 1, 32 x 1, 32 x 1-right, 28 x 1 left
2-hand Swings 20 rounds of 7 reps with 40kg bell
1-arm swings - 15 seconds on 15 seconds off for 10 minutes alternating 16 and 18 kg bell.

The 1-arn swings felt brutally awkward since I haven't practiced them in months.  Sometimes we have bad training days and this was one of them!  I'm not too worried because every valley is usually followed by a peak!

10/24, 10/28 training and food journal

Instead of posting my food all day on fb I figure it is better to post it here in my blog.

10/28 food

8am - 2 raw eggs post training

11am - steak

10/24 training

Did 6 rounds of 24kg right side get up followed by 10 24kg swings, same on left side for 6 total rounds.  Just an easy workout before this weekends HKC.
Couple of minutes of static-crow holds.

10/28

Still surprisingly sore from this weekends HKC, showing my age as we did not really train that much, it was mostly learning.  Getups felt heavy and I realized I should hold back the intensity after even the 28kg felt heavy.  Left side felt very bad.  Swings felt decent.  Threw in some new stuff

TGU - 12kg, 16kg x 2, 24kg x 2, 28 kg x 2, 32 kg x 2, 36kg right side x 2 - 28kg left side x 2.
Swings on the :50 mark, 15 rounds with the 36kg bell after a few warmups with the 24kg.
Partial handstand pushups - used some cut up mats, 8 mats deep for some partials.  Was unsure of my strength levels.  Was going to do 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps but found that too easy and did, 5, 4,4, 3, 5 reps.  I can probably deepen the exercise and do 5,4,3,2, 1 next time.

Hands up pushups - 4 sets of 10 reps

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

20 minute walk with the pup.

Post by Yogi Steve Hkc.

10/21 training

Getups 12kg, 16x2, 24, 28, 32, 36 right/32 left, 40 right/32 left, 40 right, 32 left, 24 x2
Swings on the :50 mark - 25 sets 32-40kb bells, going up and down the bells for all 25 sets
Military Press - 16kg x 3 sets of 7 reps

10/14 and 10/17 training

10/14

Trained in a very carb-depleted state today and everything felt heavy!

Double Kettlebell Military Press, goal was as many sets of 5-7 as I could do.  Totally failed do hit the 24kgx2 for 5 reps, stuck at 2 sets of 4.

12kg bells x 2 sets of 7
16 kg bells  2 sets of 7
24 kg bells x 2 sets of 4
16 kg bells x 2 sets of 7

2 Hand Kettlebell Swings
15 seconds on  - 15 seconds off for 15 minutes with 24kg bell

10/17 - Heavy pressing, light getup day

Double Kettlebell Military Press
12kg bells x 2 sets of 3
16kg x 2 sets of 3
24kg x 6 sets of 3
16kg x 3 sets of 3

Getups
12kg, 16, 18, 24, 28kg

Swings
15 seconds on  - 15 seconds off for 15 minutes with 24kg bell

10/7, 10/8, 10/9 and 10/11 training log

I've been busy lately which is why I am not keeping up with my blog as often as I usually do.

My upper back started feeling funky early in the week so I decided to take a few days easy and throw in a heavy day at the end of the week if I felt better.  Worked pretty well as I banged out a sweet 36kg getup on my right side and a 32kg getup on my left side, both PR's :)

10/7 - 30 minutes of yoga including 5 Sun A and 5 Sun B, some standing poses and 5 sets of 7 breath holds of wheel.

10/8 15 seconds on 15 seconds off 2-hand 24 kg swings

10/9 -  Same as 10/7

10/11 Getups - 16, 18, 24, 28, 32, 32/36, 24/32 kg bells - 5 Sun Salute A + 5 SSB, 20 sets of 2-hand swings with 32, 36 and 40 kg bells, 2 rounds of backbends, 15 and 20 breaths.

10/3 and 10/4 training

10/3 - Thursday  - 2 hand kettlebell Swings

6 rounds, 6 sets of 7 reps each round using the 36, 32, 28, 24, 18, 16 kg bells





10/4 Friday - Getups

8 sets total:  3 warmup sets with 12, 16 and 18 kg bells
                  6 working sets with 24,28,32 right/28 left, 32 right/28 left, 32 right/28 left, 32 right/28 left

9/26 and 9/30 training

9/26

Nursing something with my elbow, hence the split in the later rounds.

Getups 12, 16, 18, 24, 28, 32 right/24 left, 32 right/24 left - PR for 2 reps with 32kg right side :)
2-hand swings - 10 rounds using 24, 28, 32 kg bells for 21 rep sets, 7 reps each bell

9/30

Heavy Military Press Day

12kg x 3/3 - bell only,  12kg+ Chain X 3+3/3+3 (this means 3 with chain, strip chain and do another 3 with chain)
16kg x 3/3 - bell only, 16kg+ Chain X 3+3/3+3
18kg x 3/3 - bell only, 18kg+ Chain X 3+3/3+3
24 kg  x 3/3 - bell only
28 kg x 1 right side/24 kg x 3 left side - bell only
28 kg x 2 right side/24 kg x 3 left - bell only
28 kg x 1, 24 kg x 2 right side, 24 kg x 3 left side
28 kg x 1, 24 kg x 2 right side, 24 kg x 3 left side
28 kg x 1, 24 kg x 2 right side, 24 kg x 3 left side
18kg+ Chain X 3+3/3+3
16kg+ Chain X 3+3/3+3
12kg+ Chain X 3+3/3+3

2-hand swings

10 sets using 24, 28 and 32 kg bells in ascending order, 7 reps each bell

A simple fat-loss diet.

There are no calorie restrictions (except for the starches) on this plan.  Eat as much as you want of each food.  Please PM me any questions about substitutions. 

Meal #1   3-6 eggs, cooked or raw.  Add as many vegetables as you can handle, the more the better! 

Meal #2- Big Salad - mix any 5-6 raw vegetables + raw nuts/seeds. The  nuts/seeds are important as there is not much in the way of  macronutrients in the vegetables. Use a high-fat low carb dressing.  Olive oil + balsamic vinaigrette is my preferred dressing.

Meal #3 Fullfat plain yogurt  up to 32 ounces in a sitting.  No fruit or sweetner.  If you are detoxed off of sugar full fat yogurt should taste sweet to you.

Meal #4 Grass-fed beef + large serving of any vegetables you prefer, raw or lightly cooked.  If the veges are not crunchy you over-cooked them! 

If you are in training you need to add starches to your diet, either potatoes or rice in any form.   You can eat your starches with your last meal of the day (when insulin sensitivity is lowest = better absorbed by muscles for tmrws training ) or  chose to eat your starches immediately after training.  There is some research that shows that carbs are more readily absorbed in the muscles (as opposed to be poured into the blood stream) immediately after training.

If you are in-training and  trying to lose bodyfat most people will do well on about 200 calories a day of starch.  If you are lean and not trying to lose bodyfat you can eat up to 400 calories a day of starch.

Remember that we are trying to get at least 200 calories a day from above-ground vegetables.  400 calories of starch + 200 calories of vegetables is close to the limit for almost any person.  We are trying to get 25% or less of our calories from carbohydrates.  Most people fit in the 1800-2400 daily total calorie required range.  25% of 1800 = 450 calories, 25% of 2400 = 600 calories.

You can easily see how fruit can sabotage your fat-loss efforts as they relate to the amount of carbohydrate I recommend.   If you are at the maximum 600 calories of carbohydrates (assuming 2400 total daily calories) and add 2-3 pieces of fruit you are all of a sudden at 900/2400 calories from carbs and that is 37.5% of total calories from carbohydrates, way too much for fat-loss.  In addition it is my opinion that eating fruit leads to cravings to eat more fruit!  There is absolutely no need for fruit on a fat-loss diet.  I'm waiting for somebody to prove to me that fruit is an essential food group but I am not holding my breath.  Save your sugars for cheat meals.   

You can have bacon or raw nuts at any time during the day so long as you don't think it will hurt your appetite for the next scheduled meal.  .   I don't typically put limits on portions but try not to go too crazy with the nuts because they do have some carbohydrate in them.  2-3 ounces  a day of raw nuts/seeds is plenty.

Crossfits Dirty Little Secret

Here's an article replying to the recent article going around bashing Crossfit because they overtrain their students.  "Crossfits Dirty Little Secret"

http://www.sweetlifeericka.com/2013/09/crossfit-doesnt-have-dirty-little.html

I think the reply pretty much sums up the attitude at a Crossfit school which is, "keep your hands up and protect yourself at all times chump!"


"Rhabdomyolysis -- an extreme condition thwarted upon oneself -- is not the fault of CrossFit. It's not the sport, the organization or even the coaches. It's your own fault."

No, it is your coaches job to protect you, that is what a coach does. You have a coach to teach you stuff that you dont know and one thing you definitely do not know is how hard you can push yourself safely.  This is  why even the strongest and most successful athletes in the world listen to their coaches.  Fucking ridiculous.

"But use your common sense! Don't do something that will hurt yourself. Listen to your body. Go slowly when you start. Learn correct form. Don't lift too heavy. Scale down if you need to. Take it seriously -- weightlifting isn't a joke."

How does a beginner know what too heavy is?  How do I learn correct form on an exercise like,  lets say, the barbell clean and snatch in the 5-10 minutes you show it to me before class?  Do you know how long Olympic weightlifters spend becoming proficient at this exercise?  Years, they spend years before they do what you see them doing on the platform.

"Another part of this article that irritated me, he talks about women peeing during double unders and says, "No, peeing during a workout is not alright. Ever." First of all, marathoners and triathletes do this regularly"

Marathoners and triathletes may pee their pants DURING AN EVENT, but I do not think they would pee their pants while training for this event!    Crossfit treats every class as if it is a competition EVERY TIME.  And for most students it is a competition that is never coming. 

If you are doing well at CF congrats, you are in a very small percentage of the population, you have the right motivation,  genetics and lifestyle for this training.  For the rest of us there are many other modalities that  will give you the same or better results  in a safer manner,  in a fraction of the time you will spend at a CF school.

First day new cycle, pressing the chains and bands/heavy swings.

Making a few changes to my training routine for the next month at least.  I feel like I should be doing some pressing and not just relying on Getups to increase my pressing strength.  I still want to work Getups but I'm going to cycle the intensity and amount I do so I can do some Military Pressing and not become overtrained.    I picked up some heavy chains and resistance bands and want to use them!

New routine

Monday -  Military Press with the chains and 2-hand Swings 7 reps/set for about 30 sets with as much rest as I want.   If I want to make these swings a little  more on the  conditioning side I throw in a few sets of 3x7 reps. That's about all the conditioning work I am interested in atm as my main goal is increasing my strength base.
Tuesday - Wide-grip palms out pullups + Getups @70-80% max for 7-10 sets

Thursdays Military Press with the resistance bands and 2 hand swings, same programming as above. 
Friday - Palms facing in, narrow-grip pullups and Getups - heavy  day, going for 5 80-90% max effort sets and maybe a PR when I feel ready for it.

Today

Military Press w/chains - I did sets of 3/3 - 3 reps with the chain, 3 reps without.  This would be much easier to do with a partner but since I refuse to train with anybody I rigged a system that I can easily clip on and off the chains.  I used the following weights: 8kg x 2 sets, 12 kg x 2 sets,  16 kg x 2 sets, 18 kg x 2 sets, 24 kg x 2 sets (last set I skipped the left side since it was pretty much maxed out)  I also threw in a set of 5 each side with the 24 kg after all this work and was happy I could do it.

2-hand Swings - I did 30 sets of 7 reps, the last 9 sets I did in sets of 3 which was tough.
16kg x 3, 18 kg x 3, 24 kg x 3, 28 kg x 3, 32 kg x 3, 36 kg x 3, 40 kg x 3, (40,36,32kg) x 7 reps each for 3 sets





 

Bigger bells, higher swings, long rest periods

First variety week workout!

2-hand kettlebell swing
30  sets of 7 reps with unlimited rest periods, usually no more than 2 minutes
10 lb x 2 sets
8 kg x 2
12 kg x 2
16 kg x 2
18 kg x 2
24 kg x 4
28 kg x 4
32 kg x 4
36 kg x 4
40 kg x 4

First time swinging the 32kg and bigger bells.  Felt pretty good.

Experimenting with a higher swing level than usual.   I generally practice waist-level swings.  Ultimately I do not think it matters what height you swing the bell.  So long as the bell is following the appropriate arc and the bell is floating/being pulled at the appropriate time I figure it is a good swing.   It is important to keep a neutral spine at the lockout and be ready for the extra load that is going to hit your body in the backswing.    Now that I've swung my bigger bells I understand why people who swing very big bells tend to swing waist height and no higher.   The higher one of these 40 kg bells the heavier they were in the backswing.  The 40's were heavy enough to give me that feeling that I was going to lose my grip a bit. 

Swing day

I've been so busy that I decided to do my swings on one day and my getups/farmer walks on another.  Today was swing day.  I did 11 sets of 20 reps.  5 reps each using the 12, 16, 24 and 28 kg bells.

How much fruit/starch should I eat to lose bodyfat?

I have simple protocols for people to follow when it comes to fruit and starches.   I use the phrase "unlimited vegetables" interchangeable with "200 calories from vegetables" because I believe 200 calories is about the most people will eat in a day when consuming raw above-ground vegetables.  You need to eat a couple of big bowls of green vegetables to get 200 calories and I rarely see a person eating this way.

If you are sedentary and  trying to lose bodyfat, no fruit and no starch!  If you get all of your carbohydrates from above-ground vegetables you will lose bodyfat quickly.  This is how a person who does not exercise can still lose bodyfat.  It is definitely a skill getting all of your carbohydrates from vegetables alone but it can be done!   

A person trying to lose bodyfat who strength trains regularly will do well on 200 calories a day of starch.  If you add the carbs you are eating from vegetables this will put you at about 400 calories a day of carbohydrate, about the maximum a person could eat and still expect to lose bodyfat.   You are trying to lose bodyfat so no fruit yet again!

A person who strength trains and  is not trying to lose bodyfat (or fix insulin related health issues)  , can eat up to 400 calories of starch/fruit.  400 calories from starch/fruit + 200 calories from above-ground vegetables is plenty of carbohydrate intake for anybody who is not an endurance athlete.

An endurance athlete can get away with eating a little more carbs but most of them get carried away with their starches and sugars.  An endurance athlete who is trying to lose bodyfat can eat up to 400 calories of starch  + 200 calories above-ground vegetables.  Still no fruit if you are trying to lose bodyfat but you get a little more starchy carbs that your body will use to replace the glycogen you burned while training.    You will notice there is no difference between either type of athletes (strength vs. endurance) fruit intake if they are trying to lose bodyfat, still no fruit!

An endurance athlete who is not trying to lose bodyfat  can eat up to 600 calories a day in starch/fruit +200 calories a day from above-ground vegetables and not gain bodyfat or cause insulin related health issues.  You can chose the source of carbs (fruit or starch) but be aware that fruit causes more sugar cravings than starch so chose wisely or you may find yourself needing to lose bodyfat one day.
 
Eat your starches/sugars in the evening when insulin sensitivity is lowest.    Low insulin sensitivity means the body will more readily store the sugars in the muscles instead of pouring into the bloodstream.  Excess sugar in the blood = bad = diabetic health issues = headaches, poor sleep, low energy.   The food you eat today is fuel for tomorrows training.

All of this is predicated on controlling your fruit intake based on the total number of carb-calories allowed!  If you are eating just a few hundred calories of  starch in the proper form and add 2-3-4 pieces of fruit all of a sudden you could be  eating 800-1000 calories a day in carbohydrate a day.  Just a small amount of extra carbohydrate eaten each day can easily cause a person to gain bodyfat, even if they are very active. 

Fruit is all sugar with some fiber and a small amount of vitamins and minerals.    If we are eating the proper amount of fresh vegetables we will have all of our micronutrients covered, there is nothing in fruit that can not be found in vegetables.

Summary

Sedentary person trying to lose bodyfat = no fruit, , no starch, all carbs from unlimited amounts of above-ground vegetables.
Sedentary person not trying to lose bodyfat (or fix insulin related health issues) up to 600 calories a day in fruit/starch, whatever combination they prefer.
A person who strength trains trying to lose bodyfat = no fruit, 200 calories a day in starch, unlimited above-ground vegetables.
A person who strength trains but is not trying to lose bodyfat (or fix insulin related health issues) up to 600 calories a day in fruit/starch, whatever combination they prefer.
An endurance athlete trying to lose bodyfat (or fix health issues) can eat up to 400 calories of starch a day + 200 from above-ground vegetables.
An endurance athlete not trying to lose bodyfat (or fix insulin related health issues) can eat up to 800 calories a day in carbohydrate from either form, fruit or starch. 

No bread!  There is simply no bread (or any other refined/processed food) on these nutritional programs.  There are some  people who eat bread (and pasta/crackers/bagels etc) and do well on them but if you are trying to lose bodyfat or fix health issues you are not one of these people.

Getups and Farmers Walk

Kettlebell Getups - warmup with 8, 12 and 16kg bells.  24 x 1, 28kg x 4
Farmer Walks - 24 kg  hand, 28 kg right, 300 paces, stopping at pace #225

more training

Getups - 24 kg x 4, 28 kg x 1
Farmer Walks - 24 kg left hand, 28 kg right for 300 paces with 1 stop
5 rounds of Swings - wave loading 12, 16, 24 and 28 kg bells - 100 total swings.

Getup PR and some wave-loading swings

Kettlebell Getups - warmups - 8 kg x 1, 12 kg x 2, 16 kg x 1
                                working sets - 24kg x 2, 28 kg x 1, 32 kg right + 28 kg left, 28 kg, 24 kg
Swings - 7 sets of 12, 16, 24, 12, 16, 24 kg for 5 reps each - 210 total swings.  Unlimited rest in between sets, usually about 60-90 seconds
Farmers Walk 24 kg left hand, 28 kg right hand - 300 paces, stopped at 200th pace

Day 1 of 3 week training cycle

Kettlebell Getups - 2 x 12 kg bell, 16  x 1, 24 x  4
Swing Practice - 20 sets of 7-8 reps, no limit on rests between sets using 12 kg bell x 5 sets, 16 x 5, 18 x 5, 24 x 5
Farmers Walk - 24 kg x 2 - 300 paces, 1 stop halfway. 

more variety week

20 sets 5/5 Military Press, 10 2-hand swings.  1st 5 rounds with 12 kg bell, last 15 rounds with 16 kg bell.

Intermittent Fasting (IF)

Finishing up 2 weeks of Intermittent Fasting (IF).  IF is a method of eating where you eat during a fixed 8-hour time period and fast the other 16 hours of the day.  You can chose any 8-hour stretch, I chose 11am-7pm since it was close to the way I was naturally eating.  

Benefits of IF (Dr. Mercola) are:

Normalizing your insulin and leptin sensitivity -  an important factor in creating optimal health

Increased Human Growth Hormone (HGH) production. " HGH plays an important role in maintaining health, fitness and longevity, including promotion of muscle growth, and boosting fat loss by revving up your metabolism."

Normalizing ghrelin levels -  also known as "the hunger hormone"  - this helps to reduce sugar cravings.

Lowering triglyceride levels -  Preserving memory functioning and learning

My personal experience pretty much validates everything written above.  By the 3rd day of IF my appetite was severely diminished, almost non-existent.   I didn't even realize it but as the days flew by I was eating less and less.  After 2 weeks of IF I had to tell myself what I tell a lot of people who contact me about their diet, I was under-eating!  I knew I was under-eating because by the 10th day of IF I started waking up in the middle of the night with moderate to severe hunger!  One thing is for sure, if I am hungry in the middle of the night it means I am not eating enough during the day.  I believe it is a good thing to feel hunger on a regular basis but not if it disrupts my sleep.  I've always had a good appetite and never had to worry about under-eating, it was over-eating that I struggled with.  I was surprised to find myself having to force down food just so I could get at least 2000 calories a day of nutrient dense foods.  I think my daily intake got as low as 1500-1800 calories which is way too low for my lean bodyweight and is counter to my main training goal which is to constantly get stronger. 

Interesting thing is that I think I actually gained muscle and lost fat while practicing IF with a reduced calorie load!  I don't weigh myself very regularly but I am currently 160 lbs and I believe leaner than I have been in my entire life.  I was hovering around 152-155 in the weeks following the 2 weeks of IF but am not totally sure of my weight from that time period.  I do remember weighing myself about a month ago and I was worried that I would drop below 155.    If I am 160 after 2 weeks of IF something very interesting must of happened within my body.   I do think there is something to the idea that IF improves HGH production, I can think of no other reason why I didn't lose weight and strength while unintentionally eating a reduced calorie load.

If you are going to practice IF as a method of weight loss it is very important to know when you are going to eat and stick to that schedule.  If you are eating 11am -7pm like I did it is important to get that first meal in at 11am sharp and eat that last meal at 7pm sharp as well.  You should try to get at least 2 more meals in during the 8-hour eating period even if they are just moderately sized snacks although a full sized meal is best.   I think it is a bad idea to eat only at 11am and 7pm, this can easily lead to over-eating when it comes time to eat which is what we are trying to conquer when practicing IF.  You don't need to perfectly schedule your meals but a good schedule looks like this:

11am - Meal #1 - make this a full-sized meal, with a fatty/protein source as the base of the meal
1-2pm Meal #2 - full meal or snack.
4-5pm Meal #3 - full meal or snack
7pm Meal #4 full-sized meal, the bigger the better.  Again focusing on nutrient dense foods.

I am going to continue practicing IF, it seems like a natural way to eat for me.  I am going to go off of the 50/50 meat and vegetable diet.  My health has improved greatly after doing a month of 50/50 but such a low carbohydrate intake is killing my appetite and the last thing I want to do is find myself eating any less than I was during the end period of IF.  I am going to  start adding in safe-starches to my diet, about 300-400 calories a day of rice or potatoes. 

Summarizing, I recommend IF for people who are

1) overweight
2) dealing with insulin/leptin related health isses
3) overcoming sugar addiction

I can not recommend IF for anybody who has under-eating issues.  IF severely affects your appetite and if an under-eater finds themselves hungry in the middle of the night they should wake up and eat!    The last thing I want is an under-eater to find themselves eating even less.  If you are as lean as you want and have your sugar-cravings under control it is probably best to stick with a traditional eating schedule, simply eating when hungry works great. 
  

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/06/28/intermittent-fasting-health-benefits.aspx

Variety week

Every 4th week of my training I like to mix it up and back off on the intensity a little bit.  This minimizes the chance of injuries and allows the body to fully recover from all the work done during weeks 1-3.

200 kettlebell snatches, 20 sets of 5/5 reps with the following bells: 12kg x 4 sets, 16kg x 4, 18 kg x 4, 24 kg x 4, finishing with 1 set each of 12kg, 16, 18 and 24.

Military Press - 10 sets of 5/5 using 12kg x 1, 16kg x 3, 18 kg x 4 + 2 sets with the 24 kg, 3/3 reps + 2/1 reps

Farmers Walk - 24 kg left hand , 28 kg right hand - 300 paces, stopping 2x.

A macro breakdown of ZenKahunas lunch. A superior Vegan!

ZenKahuna shares his typical lunch in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96MOHKpxwHQ


Greens - 25 calories - 15 calories complex carbs, 10 calories protein, 0 calories fat

Water-sautéed vegetables - 75 calories - 50 calories complex carbs, 25 cals protein

Green/white beans 100 calories - complex carbs 75 calories complex carbs, 25 calories protein

1.5 ounce raw nuts - 200 calories - 140 calories fats, 30 calories complex carbs, 30 calories protein

ZenKahuna recommends adding nuts to every salad to help increase micronutrient absorption.  I think this is a solid recommendation as the fats will cause the body to release more digestive enzymes when compared to eating the salad by itself. 

400 total calories

140 calories from fats
170 calories from complex carbs
90 calories from protein

35% fats
42.5 complex carbs (low glycemic index!)
22.5% protein

I prefer to get closer to 50% of my daily energy needs from fats but if a person is going to eat lower fat than this they must derive their carbohydrates from true complex carbs like ZenKahuna does!  This minimizes the blood-sugar roller-coaster caused by a high-starch/sugar diet. 

It should be noted that there is a big difference between green/white beans and the typical beans people are attracted to such as black/lentil/kidney beans.    An ounce of raw green beans can be as low as 10 calories, an ounce of white beans,  20 calories/ounce.  An ounce of black beans can have as much as 100 calories per ounce.   This is what makes the difference between a complex and simple carbohydrate, the ratio of carbohydrate to fiber. 

Getups, swing practice and awkward Farmer Walks

Kettlebell Getups - 9 rounds each side - 12kg, 16kg, 18kg, 24kg, 28kg , 12kg, 16kg, 24kg, 28kg
2-hand Swing drill - 3 deadlifts, 2 pendulum swings + 1 full swing, 5 power-swing, 5 consecutive swings  6 rounds with - 12 kg, 16kg, 24kg, 12kg, 16kg, 24kg
Awkward Farmer Walk (uneven weight)  300 paces with 24 kg left hand, 28 kg right side, stopping to rest 3 times.

Wave-loading getups, swing practice and Farmer Walks

Feeling good! 

Getups 12 kg, 16, 18, 24, 12, 16, 24, 28 (right side only), 24, 28 (right side only)
Swing practice - 3 deadlifts, 3 pendulum swings + 1 full swing x 3, 5 power swings, 5 consecutive swings for 6 rounds with 12kg, 16, 18, 24, 24, 24kg bell
Farmer Walks  300 consecutive paces with 24kgx2, 100 paces with 24-left/28-right.

How sugar, fructose and carbs in general speed up the aging process.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/06/cutting-carbohydrates-from-your-diet-can-make-you-live-longer.aspx
"New research on aging suggests that carbohydrates influence two key genes that directly affect longevity and youthfulness"

http://www.lewrockwell.com/2011/05/joseph-mercola/to-switch-on-your-youth-gene-avoid-carbs/
"Carbohydrates (glucose) directly affect the genes that govern youthfulness and longevity! So, you may actually be able to extend your life and stay fit throughout your old age with a simple dietary change that switches on your “youth” gene."

http://www.ergo-log.com/lowcarbhealth.html
"Animal studies have shown a relationship between carbohydrate intake and aging, or more precisely, a relationship between the hormones that are activated by carbohydrates and aging."

http://www.rajeun.net/aadiet.html
"How Carbohydrates (Sugar), Proteins, Fat, Fiber, and Water in Your Food affect Growth Hormone, Insulin, Cortisol, Cholesterol, and Oxygen in Your Blood and Determine Your State of Health, How Fast You Will Age, and When You Will Die"

http://holdthetoast.com/content/the_unsung_benefit_of_avoiding_carbs
"A low carb diet is likely to be very, very good for you if:
* You carry your fat disproportionately on your abdomen
* You are hungry within 60 - 90 minutes of eating carbs
* You have serious energy slumps -- especially slumps that happen at a predictable time every day"

http://saludify.com/ketogenic-diet-aging/
"Over the years, studies have found that restricting calories slows aging and increases longevity—however the mechanism of this effect has remained elusive,” Verdin said in a statement. “Here, we find that βOHB—the body’s major source of energy during exercise or fasting—blocks a class of enzymes that would otherwise promote oxidative stress, thus protecting cells from aging.”

http://www.lowcarbdietitian.com/1/post/2013/05/aging-gracefully-with-carbohydrate-restriction-and-mind-body-exercise.html
"Menopause and perimenopause, the 5-10 year period preceding it, often result in decreased insulin sensitivity, particularly in those predisposed to endocrine imbalances. Recent research indicates that decreasing levels of estrogen lead to insulin resistance and impaired carbohydrate tolerance even among nonobese menopausal women. Weight gain during perimenopause and menopause is  an obvious result; it's difficult to ignore your pants getting tighter even if you're not weighing yourself regularly. What many  women are less aware of (unless they're testing with a glucometer) are elevated blood sugar levels after eating."
http://voices.yahoo.com/nutrition-foods-anti-aging-health-benefits-8590947.html
"First, to get any anti-aging properties from our diet, we must know what food to avoid. The single biggest culprit that causes aging and the appearance of aging is sugar. This doesn't mean just the white granulated stuff in your canister on the counter either. High fructose corn syrup is even worse for the body than sugar, because it has the same negative effect on insulin in the body as well as having the negative effects that corn itself can cause for aging the body."

http://jerrymondo.tripod.com/lgev/id15.html
"Fructose has been hypothesized to cause obesity ^[2], elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, leading to metabolic syndrome. Unlike animal experiments, some human experiments have failed to show a correlation between  fructose consumption and obesity. Short term tests, lack of dietary control, and lack of a non-fructose consuming control group are all confounding factors in human experiments. However, there are now a number of reports showing correlation of fructose consumption to obesity, especially central obesity which is generally regarded as the most dangerous type."

http://www.alternative-doctor.com/anti-ageing/carbocontrol.html
"Carbohydrate is the main killer in the average Western diet, not fat. Eskimos and other aboriginal people with very high fat levels in their diet do not suffer degenerative artery disease in the way we do in the civilized world. However misinformation and ignorance abounds. Whatever science you read extolling the supposed benefits of carbohydrates, this will always refer to complex carbohydrates (meaning whole grains). This also overlooks the fact that many people are intolerant to grains. Despite all the propaganda, even whole grains are not “natural” foods at all. Man evolved as a hunter gatherer and grains have only been in our diet for the last 10,000 years or so. Many people cannot digest grains but get unpleasant reactions."

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/86/4/1210.abstract

Cross-sectional studies indicate that diets that provide a higher dietary glycemic index (dGI) are associated with a greater risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

1-minute swing progression

What hatha yoga is and is not.

What I am going to say here about hatha Yoga goes against what most yoga teachers teach.  You will not meet many people who know the sheer volume of  yoga teachers and students that I have met.   I think my opinion is valid and based on experience. 

Hatha Yoga should not be used as a massage or a method of self-stimulation.  Your yoga class should not be your hiding place.  A yoga class is a place to practice yoga, connect with friends and then move on with your day.   You should practice your yoga and then put it down until the next class.  If you are showing up to yoga class an hour early, practicing for 90 minutes and then floating around the yoga school for another hour you have a problem that is of an addictive nature.

When you practice yoga you should not be attempting to reach some sort of altered state, you should be reaching for your natural state.  The natural state is a combination of tension and relaxation, not just relaxation!  A hatha yoga practice is a strong practice, it turns weak people into strong people.  It takes discipline and effort!

The benefits of a dedicated yoga practice lie in its progressive nature.  If you are coming to class day after day and not seeing improvements in technique or body you need to take a serious look at your practice and make some changes. You could argue that you are making powerful changes to your mind but I have yet to meet a yogi who uses yoga as therapeutic tool that does not still need to see a therapist!   Yoga is therapeutic but should not be used as a substitute for therapy with a professional. 

If there is any therapeutic value in a yoga class it lies in the relationships you make with other students.  There is nothing more powerful than realizing that your problems are almost always shared and universal.

Raw Milk

The one food I eat regularly but am still somewhat on the fence about is raw milk.  About 80% of the experts I follow recommend drinking raw, unpasteurized milk but the other 20% are insistent that it should be avoided.  The argument is that no other animal in nature drinks another animals milk!  Almost  all carnivores will eat another animals eggs if they get lucky enough to find them but these same animals only drink their mothers milk, not the milk of another animal.  This is a solid argument against raw milk but I have decided to continue drinking it.    If I had any pro-raw-milk arguments it would lie in the fact that as the worlds top predator we get certain benefits that other animals do not get.   Yes, I am against almost all man-made agricultural products but I consider raw milk to be a product of nature. 

Benefits of raw milk

Digests easily
High amounts of fats and protein
Great source of probiotics.

If you have been following what I write you will know I put much more value into eating probiotic foods than most people.  I consider raw milk and raw eggs to be my main source of probiotics.  I guess I am attracted to foods you can just gulp down easily and get a giant dose of macro and micronutrients. 

If I did decide to transition off of raw milk I would start eating more fermented dairy products, particularly  organic full-fat plain yogurt.  The same experts that are against drinking raw milk tend to be very pro-fermented dairy.  Yogurt is great but it takes some effort to eat what I consider a serving, about 16 ounces. (less than 300 calories) Nothing compares to the ease of drinking a few glasses of raw milk!

Intermittent fasting (IF) experiment day #2.

Feeling good overall, not as hungry as I would of thought during the evening and morning fasting hours.  I'm sure a person on the standard American diet, with plenty of the typical night-time eating, would find themselves very hungry these first few nights w/o food.   Lucky for me I stopped night-time eating a few months ago so the transition was easy.

I'm going to schedule my meals today to make sure I get enough energy (calories).  I don't think I ate enough volume yesterday and I am definitely not experimenting with IF to lose weight.  Basing most of my diet on big green salads,  grass-fed beef and organic raw eggs.  The eggs are quite important on this plan because they are so easy to consume and have a good amount of healthy fats and protein. 

Diet looks pretty much like this on both days.  The Sat/Sun yoga classes I teach conflict with my 11am break-fast so that is why I started with eggs a little earlier than planned. 

10am 4 raw eggs, green tea
12am  4 raw eggs
2:30pm Big green salad + 6 ounces grass-fed carne asada
430pm 4 strips uncured bacon
6pm Big green salad + 6 ounces grass fed carne asada
6:30pm small handful of raw nuts/seeds with a few raisins and a couple dried apricots.
7pm + 3 glasses raw milk on Day #2.

Yesterday morning , after just 1 16-hour fasting period and a very low sugar intake I went into  a state of  100% ketosis according to the keto-stix.  I drank about 3 glasses of raw milk last night, mostly as a method to get more fat and protein into my body before the 7pm fasting period started.  This morning there was just a little color on the keto-stix which I am sure is from the sugar in the milk.  The one thing I miss the most when following the 50/50 meat-vegetable diet is raw milk!  How crazy is that?   A lifetime of Ben & Jerrys consumption has been replaced by a low-grade milk addiction.

 

Whatever systemic inflammation I had by following  a sugar-based diet my entire life is gone.    You know that burst of energy and lightness you get on the 3rd of 4th day of dieting?  I feel that way pretty much all the time!  Strong, light and energized. :)

14th day 50/50 meat and vegetable diet

Time is just flying by for me recently.  My mother was right, the older you get the faster time passes.  I'm trying to keep my head in the moment as much as possible.  Hard to believe it is already 14 days on the meat and vegetable diet.   Other than that one big cheat day last week I've had 2 cups of coffee with honey, 1 peach and about 1 ounce of raw nuts as minor cheats on the plan.

The most powerful feeling I have since cleaning up my diet is that I am no longer dreaming about the next meal, the next sugar fix.   I'm not hungry until I'm actually hungry if that makes any sense. Once I am hungry I simply eat as much as I want with no restrictions.  I'm not trying to lose bodyfat but I have a feeling there is no way to stop bodyfat loss while eating like this.   Still avoiding the scale, guessing I am in the low 150's. 

If I miss anything it's coffee.  I've been making this delicious espresso for the past year and I think I miss this more than junk food.  Hopefully I am not messing with my insulin response too much by drinking 4-5 cups of unsweetened green tea every day. 

I plan on sticking to the 50/50 meat and vegetable diet until the end of the week.  Next Monday I am going to start experimenting with some intermittent fasting (IF).  IF is not actually a fast since I will eat plenty of food while experimenting with it.  The foundation of my IF plan is to eat between the hours of 11am-7pm and fast from 7pm until 11am.  This would of been an impossible task while under the influence of my old eating habits, I can be a terrible night-time eater!  Since I no longer go to bed with any feelings of hunger and stop eating at about 9pm recently I think the shift to IF will be easy.

Getups, swing practice and Farmer Walks

Getups - did some wave-loading - 12 kg, 16, kg, 18kg, 12 kg, 16 kg 18 kg, 12 kg, 16 kg, 18 kg, 24 kg

Swing practice - practicing off the clock, no rushing:
7- 8 swings followed by 15 seconds in the hard style plank using the 12 kg x 3,  16 kg x 3, 18 kg x 3, 24 kg x 3

Farmer Walks - 300 paces (3x around courtyard) with pair of 24 kg bells, stopping twice. 

feeling strong today!

How to transition off the 14-day sugar detox diet.

Now that I have a few clients finishing the sugar-detox diet I figure I better explain how to add back "safe" starches to the diet.

First off you should understand my thoughts on this are basically the thoughts of an enthusiastic hobbyist.  I know everything I am writing is not 100% right-on but I believe the general principles will work for the average citizen coming off the standard American  diet. 

What is a safe starch?  A safe starch is a carbohydrate based food that has very low toxicity levels after cooking.  Plants develop toxicity as a defense mechanism.  When attacked (grazed on) the plant can not run away or fist-fight so it had to develop another defense, namely low-level toxicity.  When you eat modern bread or flours you are eating starches loaded with toxicity.  Pretty much all modern grains (including whole grains) have high levels of toxicity because they were frequently grazed on by all different kind of animals.  Wheat is grass, a totally unnatural food for humans.   Any food produced by modern agriculture is going to be toxic to a certain degree.  This was a trade-off humans unknowingly made when we created modern agriculture.  We increased our ability to feed a larger volume of people but at the same time decreased the nutritional value of our food.  

Animals did not readily graze on below-ground vegetables like potatoes.  Potatoes have very low toxicity for this reason alone.  Rice is a little different because it does have some toxicity in the bran. Rice bran, the  outer layer of whole grain rice, is a source of phytochemicals.  Phytochemicals are natural plant-based compounds and the verdict is still out as to whether or not they are good or bad for human health.  Some studies show that moderate amounts of phytochemicals are beneficial for health and other studies say the opposite.  I recommend people eat white rice over brown rice because the white rice is "washed" of its bran, the place where phytochemicals are stored.    We are eating rice and potatoes as a source of starch/sugar, not a source of  fiber/vitamins/minerals.  If you are eating a solid omnivores diet of meat, eggs, vegetables, raw nuts and possibly some raw dairy you will be getting way more micronutrients than you could ever need. 

Since potatoes and rice are sugar based it is important that we limit the amount we eat if we are trying to lose bodyfat or deal with diabetic symptoms.  It is very easy to figure out how much of these foods to eat because almost everybody will fall into the same range, 400-600 calories of starch a day.  You will want to spread these foods throughout the day but the best time to eat them is the later meals of the day.  This will decrease their effect on blood sugar because our insulin sensitivity is lower in the evening.  This means the muscles are more readily available to absorb the sugars as opposed to the sugar pouring into the blood stream which is what causes diabetic symptoms. 

If your lean body mass is 150 lbs or less you will want to eat the lower end of the range, 400 calories.  If you are a more muscular person, over 150 lbs of lean bodyweight,  you can eat up to 600 calories of starch.  Do not try to eat these starches all at once!  It is best to eat them in at least 3 different portions with your regular meals which should be based on fats and protein. 

You should also add some sort of fat source to your rice and potatoes.  Grass-fed butter is my favorite choice but you can also use coconut or olive oil.  The fat will slow down the simple sugars found in these starches, minimizing the effects on blood sugar. 

A serious cheat-day

 

Manly Burger from Umami with beef, bacon lardons and fried onion strings.  I also at all the fries and onion rings!

After 8 days no fruit this peach tasted like caramel candy.

The fruit set off instant cravings for more sugar.  I ate about half this container of dried apples, apricots, raisins  and a nice selection of  raw nuts and seeds.

Waiting for my chicken at the Farmers Market in Hollywood.

I never ate all of the potatoes that this guy give me but on this day I could not get enough!  I ate every potato and ate every piece of meat on the chicken.

OK, so maybe this is a little caveman-ish.

Left over carne asada with some forbidden rosemary bread and white rice.  The white rice is a staple in my diet when I am not restricting sugars.



 

Went nuts at Coldstone Creamery.  2 out of thee 3 items are mine, just sampling the coffee ice cream float which was amazing.

Even after all of this food I still had sugar cravings at night!  I ate a big bunch of grapes and more dried fruit.  Being hungry after eating all of this food only confirms my thoughts on sugar and cravings.  Most people are confusing sugar withdrawal with actual hunger.  How else could I feel "hungry" after all of this food?  It is a trick of our blood sugar.

 

The one cheat-food I avoided was diet soda!  All of my life diet soda is a staple drink but I've learned too much about artificial sweeteners to continue eating this stuff.  I can get a great buzz off of coffee if I need it!