An Unusual Handcare Tip

11 11 2010

Get a roomful of kettlebell lifters together and you inevitably seem them showing each other the palms of their hands.
Each one will be checking out everyone else’s calluses and blisters, comparing them to their own.

Blisters are inevitable when you lift kettlebells enough, especially during the time when you are still perfecting your technique, or are chasing a new PR.

One of my regular lads is no stranger to these blisters, he comes in and throws himself into the days workout with almost reckless abandon, as much as I stress good technique, he just wants to work hard.
As a result, he often tears his hands.
Everytime he does this I look at him and say, “That’s going to slow your training down, why will you not just listen!”

But a few days later, he’s back and his hand is almost back to normal again. How does he do this?

Is he Wolverine with accelerated healing abilities?

No, he has young children at home, and so has a plentiful supply of Sudacrem.

That’s right, he rubs nappy rash cream onto his hands. And sure enough, they heal up in about half the normal time!
So if you lift Kettles, but want hands as soft as a babies bum, you know what to do…


Regards

Dave
www.wg-fit.com

Next Kettlebell Workshop:
Will be run by Mr Steve Cotter of www.IKFF.net, please contact me for details asap!

Next Boot Camp commences 15th November – But is FULL!
Bookings are now being taken for the Boot Camp commencing 31st January 2011.
Email for more details (info@wildgeesema.com)


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags:
Categories : Uncategorized

Life saving training

5 11 2010

A few days ago we wrote a post detailing the need to have a proper goal in mind before attempting to design or even follow a workout program.
If you remember, the article featured pictures of a hamster and followed his progress as he started out obese, took the commercial gym and goalless route of endless running on the wheel, before finally finding the pull up station and actually making progress.

He since took part in the intensive bootcamp we run (details) and took up Kenpo as taught by Wild Geese founder, Paul Cox.

And just as well he did too. Because just recently our boy was cornered in an attempted mugging.
Previously, as an obese individual with no strength and low energy levels, our boy would have been completely at the mercy of his assailants. However since shedding a huge amount of fat and building serious strength and muscle through a diet of Deadlifts, Pull ups and kettlebell work, upping his awareness and unarmed combat skills and growing his confidence with the kenpo training you can see how he was able to fight off what could have been a vicious attack.

Please watch this clip and see that if our boy can change his life and in doing so save his life, then so can you:

Regards
Dave
www.wg-fit.com


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: ,
Categories : Uncategorized

Who trains at Wild Geese?

3 11 2010

Answer, anyone is welcome to join up, but fewer tend to stick around.

You see we have expectations. My writing style, as in this blog, has been described as challenging, our studio has been described as “ a no nonsense training facility” and “a real gym” and our workouts are tough.

But we are fair, we don’t try and kill you every session, we try to improve you. But our image and reputation is built around a simple fact. We train hard, and we expect you to do the same.

If you bring in your baggage from a day in the office or family feud and use it as an excuse to slump around and kick your heels, you get limited attention. If you come in with that look in the eye and an attitude of “Lets f*&^king go!” then we’re all over you.

Life gets in the way every now and again, we know this. Just yesterday two of my guys were struggling. Dave had just ran a 3:49 marathon the weekend before and was still shot, and Ray has been up to his tits at the office, while training as often as possible.
However both turned up and had to be told to slow down, take it easy. Ray was even told to take a few days off.

But that doesn’t change the fact that these guys still came in and were chomping at the bit to get moving.

If you start asking if you can go easy, start whining and whingeing or start blaming the equipment for you inadequacies, then just don’t bother. You’ll be more comfortable down the road at Curves or your local Zumba class. Or just stay at home.

We’re not elitist here, we just expect you to turn up and work hard.
For one hour out of your day, we expect you to be a focused and driven athlete.

I have a client who comes I with clinical depression, she’s morbidly obese and recently diagnosed with diabetes. This girl comes to training with fire in her belly, you can tell she’s been looking forward to training all day long.
She has more spirit than most of the muscle heads that have come and gone through our doors.

At Wild Geese there are no excuses.

Regards

Dave

www.wg-fit.com

Next Kettlebell Workshop:
7th November – Level 4, Double Kettlebells, includes the Long Cycle and more.

Next Boot Camp commences 15th November – But is FULL!
Bookings are now being taken for the Boot Camp commencing 31st January 2011.

Email for more details (info@wildgeesema.com)


Comments : Leave a Comment »

Categories : Uncategorized

The Paleo Warrior Zone, and Da Vinci?

2 11 2010

I was just scanning over facebook there and Brad Pilon (author of the excellent Eat-Stop-Eat) had posted a link back to another trainers blog.
He had highlighted Leigh Peele’s piece on the Paleo diet and it’s surrounding hype.
Brad also said that if you don’t read the article, at least scan over the comments, of which there are many, some quite entertaining, others very informative from people both supporting and arguing against Ms Peele’s article.

Check it out for yourself here:
http://www.leighpeele.com/the-paleo-diet-fad-religion-or-solution?ref=nf#

Ok, read it? Good.

The whole thing is timely as I’m about halfway through a paleo style book called the Primal Blueprint, and I’m enjoying it. Leigh’s work hasn’t put me of in the slightest, but I’m no supporter of the whole primal / paleo movement.

Before I get into it, let me just ensure that we are all on the same page, I am NOT a nutritionist, a guru or any of that nonsense. My expertise lies in Exercise, strength & conditioning and martial arts, not food.
But I’m also no idiot (you may disagree with that one…)

All these diet books are written for one thing. They are designed to sell, and sell in big numbers so that the author can sit back and watch the dollars roll in. I know this, I have a training eBook out (yes, I know a shameless plug, but you can buy it here with a load of extras at a ridiculously cheap price……) and another eBook is on the drawing board.
And while I am intent on providing the best info possible in the most usable format possible, I also wish to sit back and watch the dollars roll in.

Hell, it’s business after all.

Now that that’s cleared up, back to the diet books.
The thing that these books have in common (and I’ve read a good few of them this year) is that they spend around 50% of their total wordcount convincing you that they are right before handing out any real info. It’s a bit like a Darren Brown show, at the end of it he explains his trick and you go “Holy crap, I’m an idiot for being so easily fooled!”

All the diet books at the moment say much the same thing:

They tell you what to eat and when to eat it. The styles are different, but the actual content is actually much the same, just like martial arts, Karate is Karate whether you follow this style or that style, it is still Karate. Sensible eating is no different.
The rest of the book is creating an ethos, a legend, a cult that you so want to be part of.
Remember all the fuss over Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and all the church goers got in a tizzy and wanted him strung up. Non of them got the fact that it was a story, and entertaining story (crap film) but just a story.

IT IS NOT TRUE

Same with all the Paleo stuff, it is a few sensible recommendations all dressed up in a cool story.
Ori Hofmekler does much the same in his Warrior Diet book. And I love the Warrior Diet, it suits me down to the ground.

And there we stumble onto the point.

It suits ME.

If it doesn’t suit you, so what?!
The Wild Geese Muay Thai coach, Dave G (aka the Rasta) swears by Barry Sears and his Zone Diet and recommends it to everyone, he argued with me about it for a while when he rejoined us after his training camp in Thailand. After a month or so, he saw that my “Warrior” eating allowed me to work and train like a man possessed (the run up to the Irish Kettlebell lifting Championships) awhile maintaining good body composition and energy levels, on one main meal a day.
He also worked and trained like a man possessed eating his Zone friendly chicken salads 6 times per day.

Two men, two heavy workloads including training, two diet plans.

Who was right?

We both were.

Neither of us have been on the Paleo, but I have found myself recommending it to one very obese person and my sister who is ceoliac.
Is it right for them, only time will tell.

Should we get caught up in all the hype surrounding these books (“Get in the Zone, man!” “Are you a Warrior, a Hunter or are you a Scavenger”, “Live like a caveman, get Paleo”), no.

Read enough of these books and ignore the hype, get to the facts held within. Take a few notes. When you read the next one, do the same. Then compare the notes.
The result will lead you towards the actual truth, without the bull.

But here’s my recommendation:

Eat lots of Fruit
Eat lots of Nuts
Eat lots of Fish
Eat lots of Greens
Eat lots of Meat
Drink lots of Water
Eat untill you are Satiated
Avoid processed food
Learn to cook.

It aint rocket science.

And in case you missed my shameless plug, here it is again:

http://www.wildgeesema.com/ultimate.html

Got it?

Oh, one more thing before I forget,

ENJOY YOUR FOOD

Regards

Dave
www.wg-fit.com


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories : Uncategorized

Where did the week go?

22 01 2010

Do you ever sit and wonder where the time goes?

Today is Friday, it’s almost the weekend and it feels like the last few days never happened!
However I can look at my training log and see that I have completed my scheduled training sessions on Mon and Wed, I can look at my other log books and see that I’ve had a dozen or more clients in and I can see exactly what they’ve done and on which day they did it.

So while the week feels like a blur, I can actually see the amount of work done in simple black and white.

Such is the benefit of keeping a log.

It means you never have to guess. I know that on Monday I performed a total of 21 reps in  the front squat, the time before that I hit 18. I know that today I have to hit 22+ using the same weight.
I can tell you that last friday I missed a workout, I had pain and stiffness that just would not loosen up so instead of the Deadlifts I had planned I did a mobility session.
This was all noted in my log book.

I’m going to ask you, do you keep a note of your training?

I’m guessing most of you don’t, you try to remember what it is you did on any given day. I have to tell you, if you’re looking to make improvements in performance, you’d better start writing down your results.

How else do you know if what you’re doing is working as well as you think it is?

Anyhow, this weeks saturday session:
It’s going to be a little later as I’ve clients in the morning.
So I’ll be in the Phoenix Park, by the old fort (crossing of the Military Road and Khyber Road) for 14.30.

Last week was fun, I’m already looking forward to getting out this weekend.


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , ,
Categories : Personal Training Dublin, Saturday Session, Uncategorized

Every Cause But Our Own

18 01 2010

War battered dogs are we,
Fighters in every clime;
Fillers of trench and of grave,
Mockers bemocked by time,
War-dogs hungry and grey,
Gnawing a naked bone,
Fighters in every clime..
Every cause but our own.

“With the Wild Geese” by Emily Lawless

A long time a go people were leaving Ireland to join the ranks of the Wild Geese.
They were leaving because their homeland was under attack and they were too small to put up a decent resistance, instead they’d travel and join their enemy’s enemy where they could now really make a difference.

In essecne they we’re mercenary warriors, fighting not for money, but for the good of their homeland. in the poem above this is summed up by the last line, “Every cause but our own”

We call ourselves Wild Geese. And we have just found a new cause to fight for.

Please go over to our other blog and have a read of this:

http://wildgeesema.blogspot.com/2010/01/please-help.html

Regards

Dave


Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: , ,
Categories : Uncategorized

Happy New Year

1 01 2010

2010 is here.

What are you going to do about it?

Well………..???

Dave


Comments : Leave a Comment »

Categories : Uncategorized

Balanced Self Defence

8 09 2009

Go to a self defence course and you’ll usually get taught a hundred ways to damage a body.

Go to a self protection and you learn probably fewer ways to hurt people but also get a load of ways to avoid getting into trouble in the first place. Oh, and learn how to not be too upset about the ordeal afterwards.

Go to a martial arts class and you’ll get taught whatever interpretation of whatever some dead, probably Asian, guy used to defeat countless enemies.

But then take a look at the older and more esoteric systems. Particularly the Okinawan, Chinese, the lesser known Thai arts and Indian martial arts. You’ll see a vastly different approach to what is often espoused today.

Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: , ,
Categories : Uncategorized

Hello world!

23 07 2009

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags:
Categories : Uncategorized

How to Do More Pushups

21 07 2009

By Jason Ferruggia

Since I have worked with my fair share of military and armed forces members I am often asked about how to do more pushups. It’s something that I have trained numerous guys to do and something that I can definitely help you with.

The first thing I should point out is that in my gym, pushups must be done with absolute pristine, picture perfect technique or they do not count. That means the abs are braced tightly like you are about to be punched, the back is flat, the hips are in line (no sagging or A-framing), the glutes are squeezed tight, the hands are at your side and the elbows are tucked in at 45 degrees, not flaring out at 90 degrees. Your chest and your hips lower and touch the ground at the same rate. The reverse motion must happen on the way up as well. If you can not do this, the reps do not count.

Believe it or not, most average guys do not posses the upper body or core strength to do a perfect set of just ten pushups. When done properly they are a lot harder to do than most people think. They are also one of the absolute best muscle building exercises around and should be part of every guys mass gaining workout program. Not many other upper body pushing exercises recruit as many muscle groups as the pushup does and thus do not provide as much bang for your buck. With that out of the way lets move on to the question of how to do more pushups.

What I usually recommend is that beginners do pushups as frequently as six days per week. This will work for quite some time (years even) and you will improve your reps. Eventually, however, you will burn out and need to do something different. When you reach a more advanced stage I recommend that you cut your pushups down to two or three times per week. You will alternate between heavy and light days. One day you will go heavy and add resistance to your pushups, via plates on your back, a resistance band or weighted vest, and do an average of 5-8 reps. The other day, which will come 72 hours later will be a rep max day where you will simply do as many reps with bodyweight as possible.

For the heavy day, 2-4 sets will be more than enough and on the rep day you probably won’t need more than two all out sets. If you are really advanced you could cycle three different pushup days wherein you go heavy, light and explosive on day three. For the explosive day you will want to do plyo pushups, depth pushups, clap pushups or medicine ball throws. The reps should be kept at 3-5 on this day for a total of 5-8 sets.

One mistake most people make when trying to improve their pushups is that they do the exact same type of pushups every single time. You need to add some variety to your pushups and incorporate Hindu pushups, dive bomber pushups, Spider Man pushups, medicine ball pushups, clap pushups, elevated pushups, stability ball pushups, TRX pushups, etc. Don’t get stuck doing only the most basic form of pushups or you will burn out sooner than later and be more likely to develop over use injuries.

Hopefully you now have some new ideas on how to do more pushups and will be dominating whatever test you are training for real soon.

Good Luck,
Jason Ferruggia


For more great muscle building information, please visit http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com

 

 


Renegade Strength & Conditioning, LLC
453 Watchung Ave
Watchung, NJ 07069

 

 

 

If Jason says it, it’s probabaly true, he’s one of the most respected strength coaches going and while he’s better known for lifting huge weights he’s also an advocate of bodyweight training.

 

Regards

 

Dave
www.wildgeesema.com/ wildgeesema.blogspot.com

info@wildgeesema.com

+353 87 672 6090

Facebook / Twitter / RSS feed

 

 


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags:
Categories : Uncategorized

« Previous Entries


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 2,579 other followers