Kettlebell training « Strive Performance Training

Kettlebell training - Strive Performance Training

Published by Kyle Harrell on Jul 10 2010 | Permalink

I have been working with a 14 year old young man for the past several months with no strength training experience or athletic background.  We have been training with kettlebells, bodyweight exercises, heavy ropes, as well as, more traditional strength training implements (dumbbells and barbells). From an early evaluation we began and focused on addressing inflexibility in the hips, balance/body control, and core strength.

Most teens are prone to (especially bigger boys) challenges stemming from tight hips.  We started with bodyweight squats and stopped shy of  1/4 depth without losing balance.  Right away our mission was clear, and a steady dose of  hip mobility drills, stretching, dynamic warm ups, foam rolling, and practice was going to be the prescription.  With patience, reps, and a few weeks the hips began to unlock, he had more balance and control, and we were seeing some strength gains.  I worked with many young men with this body type and age range.  This would be the first opportunity to work with someone this age with kettlebells.   This week he performed a beautiful kettlebell snatch w/ 20kg for the first time.  A month ago I wouldn’t have believed it, but he has come so far and continues to progress.  I am sold on the kettlebell and believe it is truly a tool for everyone.  The kettlebell is unmatched in teaching beginners how to use their body, and teaches transfer of power from feet to hands better than just about anything.

We began with: bodyweight squats, single leg hip sled, kettlebell swing, high pull, one hand kb overhead squat.  Eventually we have been able to clean+jerk, front squat, barbell overhead squat, and even kettlebell snatch. I am really encouraged by this young man’s progress and how he continues to improve his body control, explosiveness, technique, and strength.
Everyone is built a little different, and has varying athletic potential.  I enjoy the challenge and reward of partnering with individuals to unlock that potential and helping them reach their personal goals, improve their performance, fitness level, and quality of life.

Ketogenic diet does not affect strength performance in elite artistic gymnasts

JISSN | Abstract | Ketogenic diet does not affect strength performance in elite artistic gymnasts

Even Elite Gymnasts Do Fine Without Carbs

July 31 21:04 i Exercise

The myth that everybody needs to eat large amounts of carbs to exercise is on the way out. Here’s another nail in the coffin:

A strict ketogenic low carb diet seem to work fine even for elite gymnasts. In a new study they kept their strenght and lost fat mass (even though they were very fit to begin with!) while gaining a non-significant amount of muscle weight.

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 26 July 2012: Ketogenic diet does not affect strength performance in elite artistic gymnasts

Research article

Ketogenic diet does not affect strength performance in elite artistic gymnasts

Antonio Paoli, Keith Grimaldi, Dominic D'Agostino, Lorenzo Cenci, Tatiana Moro, Antonino Bianco and Antonio Palma

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Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2012, 9:34 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-9-34
Published: 26 July 2012

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Despite the increasing use of very low carbohydrate ketogenic diets (VLCKD) in weight control and management of the metabolic syndrome there is a paucity of research about effects of VLCKD on sport performance. Ketogenic diets may be useful in sports that include weight class divisions and the aim of our study was to investigate the influence of VLCKD on explosive strength performance.

Methods

8 athletes, elite artistic gymnasts (age 20.9 +/- 5.5 yrs) were recruited. We analyzed body composition and various performance aspects (hanging straight leg raise, ground push up, parallel bar dips, pull up, squat jump, countermovement jump, 30 sec continuous jumps) before and after 30 days of a modified ketogenic diet. The diet was based on green vegetables, olive oil, fish and meat plus dishes composed of high quality protein and virtually zero carbohydrates, but which mimicked their taste, with the addition of some herbal extracts. During the VLCKD the athletes performed the normal training program. After three months the same protocol, tests were performed before and after 30 days of the athletes' usual diet (a typically western diet, WD). A one-way Anova for repeated measurements was used.

Results

No significant differences were detected between VLCKD and WD in all strength tests. Significant differences were found in body weight and body composition: after VLCKD there was a decrease in body weight (from 69.6 +/- 7.3 Kg to 68.0 +/- 7.5 Kg) and fat mass (from 5.3 +/- 1.3 Kg to 3.4 +/- 0.8 Kg p < 0.001) with a non-significant increase in muscle mass.

Conclusions

Despite concerns of coaches and doctors about the possible detrimental effects of low carbohydrate diets on athletic performance and the well known importance of carbohydrates there are no data about VLCKD and strength performance. The undeniable and sudden effect of VLCKD on fat loss may be useful for those athletes who compete in sports based on weight class. We have demonstrated that using VLCKD for a relatively short time period (i.e. 30 days) can decrease body weight and body fat without negative effects on strength performance in high level athletes.

The complete article is available as a provisional PDF. The fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production.

Many Olympians Suffer From Asthma: Scientific American Podcast

Many Olympians Suffer From Asthma: Scientific American Podcast

60-Second Health | Health

Many Olympians Suffer From Asthma

The most common chronic condition among all Olympic athletes is asthma. But many don't start suffering symptoms until their later years, suggesting that endurance training could be a trigger. Katherine Harmon reports.

August 1, 2012

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Olympic athletes might appear to have the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of superheroes. But a new study reveals that one in 12 Olympic athletes uses asthma treatments. The findings are in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. [Kenneth Fitch, An Overview of Asthma and Airway Hyper-Responsiveness In Olympic Athletes]
That usage has jumped since the mid-‘90s. So the International Olympic Committee now requires athletes to provide medical proof of an asthma diagnosis before allowing them to use an inhaler during the competition.

Both cold and polluted air increase the risk for asthma, affecting winter and summer athletes alike. Dangerous ozone and particulate matter are worse in warm weather, so athletes in the Summer Olympics are slightly more likely to suffer from asthma. Winter events, such as cross-country skiing, can also damage airways with cold air and ice particles.

But athletes with asthma have a better chance of winning—and not because the drugs enhance their performance. Asthma occurs more often in older endurance athletes, suggesting that years of intense training could be to blame for the condition—and to thank for the conditioning.

—Katherine Harmon
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast]     
Interested in science and the Olympics? Check out the new Scientific American ebook, the Science of Sports: Winning at the Olympics. Available in most popular ebook formats including for the Kindle and the Nook. Just $3.99 wherever fine electrons flow or electromagnetic waves pass.

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