Kinetic Edge Performance

My Blog has moved

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:54:00 +0000

I have permanently moved my blog to:
www.bradrants.com

I have a lot of ideas lined up to help you Get Sexy in '09.

Go there right now! www.bradrants.com

Africa Mission Trip 2008 | Starkey Hearing Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:42:00 +0000

My beautiful wife is now into making videos as well so you are going to get a double dose...here is some pics from the mission portion of our trip to Africa this year fitting deaf children with hearing aids.

Kick ass video J!

Diesel Update

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:39:00 +0000

I am back at Kinetic Edge tomorrow afternoon after investing 48 hours in Toronto at a mastermind group called Entourage Marketing put on by Craig Ballantyne. I was blown away by the content that I will be able to implement immediately.

For now, Diesel ("the D-man" as we like to call him) is starting to develop his own entourage...

Here he is a week ago...

and today December 2nd at 7 months old and 105lbs...wondering why he's so popular

B-rad

Gluttony | Thanksgiving | Lean in 13 Cheat Day

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:20:00 +0000

Here is a couple of pics featuring some class members who are utilizing their "Free Day" on the Lean in 13 program. One of them has lost 7 pounds in 13 days. Thanksgiving Day we had a workout at 8:00am. At 10:00 am I had this first pic in my inbox:

Caption: "Within seconds of our triumphant return home..."

Caption: "...here's the one from tonight! Unfortunately, after this was taken (3rd or 4th dessert of the day!) I was outvoted and we're going to be recuperating Fri so we'll be ready for Sat's class"

The interesting thing about implementing a scheduled "Cheat Day" into your eating schedule or PhD (Pie-hole Diary) is that once you eat something nasty (which at the time you 'think' you want) you start to feel slightly queasy. Not always, but often.

The word from the street was that these ladies PAID the "PIE-d Piper" after massive indulging. And by their AWOL class attendance this morning, I would have to say the Piper collected + tax :)

Thanksgiving 2008 | Shot of Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:41:00 +0000

Today is the day before Thanksgiving 2008. What are you thankful for? Take 5 or 10 minutes and write down what you are grateful/thankful to have/be/do in your life. Check out this kid who has maximized his thankfulness. Check your pulse!

Eat some turkey and mashed potatoes for me!

Brad

Kinetic Edge Video Tour | I'mmmm baaaaack!

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:25:00 +0000

I've been busy since returning from Africa. No excuses though for you my loyal readers (and now viewers). I am committed to stepping up my blog posts. You are going to be seeing A LOT from me starting right now. Less typing / more talking and doing. VIDEO BLOGGING is here! I just bought a "Flip Cam" and it is the EASIEST thing I've ever seen for getting video up on the internet in short order. Also my lovely wife Jordan (J-dawg for those in the know :) already used my new toy right out of the package here:

She will be adding some of her favorite recipes for quick, easy, healthy meals. She is a killer cook and even though she cooks healthy I still need to watch MY portion control.

So for the kids at home this is a Video that requires SOUND so if you are at work...you have been warned! Break the rules anyway, I am WAY more interesting than anything going on at work anyway ;)

P.S. I will be doing some vlogging (check out the cool word) on my Africa Trip as we get pictures back. They are coming soon!

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting...

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:49:00 +0000

I have a confession. Most of you think I am some sort of Fitness Nazi. I might be, but that doesn't mean that I don't like to eat just like you. My confession is I have a sweet tooth like some of you. If it is in my line of sight, I will usually eat it. We're talking ice cream (especially Edy's Sundae Cone Premium), O'Henry bars which are a recipe passed on from mom, and my favorite yellow cake with chocolate frosting.

You see this last weekend, my lovely wife baked a cake because she cannot avoid not using our newly remodeled kitchen...she has an addiction to baking. And when it is in the house...I WILL EAT IT.

Now here's my secret...
I don't let these things in the house very often.

I get upset, well lately "pissed" if she goes and buys me ice cream or bakes me something without my permission. Why? Because I KNOW my tendency will be to consume it in the least amount of sittings possible. By the way, I ate an entire cake by myself in 72 hours. Yeah, not so good no matter how great of shape I'm in.

Now here's something I received today from one of my loyal newsletter readers who has followed my advice...

-----------------------
Brad,

I just wanted to thank you for the newsletter especially the "Pie Hole Diary".
I started my PHD on July 8th 2008, I weighed in at 230 lbs. I do Kettlebells and Body Weight Excercises 5 days per week.
Today I weighed in at 200 lbs and my goal is 195 by 10-31-08. I have a daily PHD log and I've completely changed my nutrition
to healthy foods and under 1900 calories per day (for my weight). I plan on resetting my goal to 185 after 10-31-08.
I know the PHD changed my life, because I was exercising just as hard before July 8th 2008. The plateau breaking changes I made were Kettlebells, starting the PHD, trying not to exceed my calorie intake, increasing my protein and eliminating drinking alcholic beverages. I started my life change in 2004, when I stepped on the scale and weighed 285 lbs., 4 years later I've lost a total of 85 lbs.. I feel so great, empowered, ton's of energy and just happy to know I'm healthy again and running circles around guys half my age. I was wearing 38 waist blue jeans, yesterday I bought 32 waist blue jeans, I'm 55 going on 25.

Thank You for the "Pie Hole Diary"
Joe Tebbe

------------------------------
Down 30lbs in 3 months because he RECORDED everything he ate to increase his awareness of what he was putting in his pie-hole (in my case "cake-hole")

Are you getting the results you want?

Are you practicing 'table push-ups' ...pushing yourself away from the table?

2 action items:
1 Keep a Pie Hole Journal
2 Avoid eating an entire cake in 72 hours :)

By the way, here is a 'friend of the program' update. He eats at the rate of about 1 entire yellow cake both morning and night.

From this: 13 pounds at 7 weeks old

To this: 70 pounds at 23 weeks old

Hawaii Honeymoon | Jordan & Brad's Excellent Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:04:00 +0000

Married 7:15pm Saturday September 6, 2008.
In Flight by 11:42am on Sunday morning September 7.

Night 1 Big Island
Initial thoughts: Flying into Hawaii is beautiful! This is the first time I had been to any tropical island. Pictures in magazines don't do justice the the crystal clear aqua water hitting the beaches. It was amazing!

By the time we got our rental car and found Jordan's luggage it was about 7pm and DARK already. My pre-conceived thought process was we are going to be on islands where it is warm and sunny most of the day. My awakening was there is max only 13 hours of daylight at the peak of the seasons there. Crazy. Driving to the resort at dusk was still pretty cool. To think that the entire island was formed by lava is unreal. There was hardly any vegetation on the big island to the South of the airport. Everything was lava rock. Once we found the resort (NOTHING is marked in Hawaii...tourist central and signage is almost non-existent) we decided that we had nothing planned for the next day and are afraid of being bored. We booked a helicopter ride immediately. Then we ended up having dinner at a restaurant right next to the ocean which was very relaxing.

Monday Day 1 Big Island
Let the non-stop action begin!
Sunshine Helicoptor Tours on the Black Beauty. You meet some interesting people in life, especially on vacation. 10 minutes into flight and the lady in front was re-visiting breakfast again and again. Jordan then became a little nauseaus for the remainder of the 3 hour flight. What a great way to start the morning! We got to see the 4 rare main animals of the island: wild donkeys, wild pigs, cattle, and cats! Anyway...highlights were the lava tubes (which you obviously can't walk out to due

to volcanic activity) out in the lava fields and also the HUGE waterfalls on the back side of the island.

After returning from the Heli Tour, we attempted to hang out at the pool which lasted about 30 minutes before we both got bored. So off to check out the rest of the resort.

Tuesday Day 2 Big Island AM
7am Captain Zodiac's Adventure
We had barely checked in, when Jordan asked me "what do you want to do this afternoon?" I mean it's already 7:45am, we just signed up for a 4 hour tour, and we already worried about what were doing at 12:30pm? I guess I opted in to this whole thing so here we go. She asked the guides about Deep Sea Fishing. They called the people across the parking lot and we booked a boat immediately (more about this later).

Chad and Leslie were our guides for this excellent adventure. You meet some cool people when you are doing these outfitter tours. Behind Jordan you can see Spinner Dolphins which were so dang fast jumping out of the water we couldn't get a clean shot of them!

We also saw Pilot Whales on the way out to snorkel...they are about 1/10 of the size of Humpback Whales which start to migrate in November.

Here we are messing around snorkeling using the coolest digital camera by Olympus...it is awesome underwater!

Tuesday Day 2 Big Island PM
Bite Me Fishing Charter

Kevin and Chad were our lucky captain/fisherman for the 4 hour trip. The first 90 minutes might have been the most boring of the entire trip. Then we had a this little 4 pound wussy Tuna hit the line and ended up using it as live bait. Little did I know that I was about to experience one of the best adrenaline rushes of my life: 225lb Marlin!

Catching this marlin was one of the HARDEST things I have ever done...the forearm pump was unbelievable from the endurance that it takes to reel!

20 minutes later (after my wife calls me a Sissy)...here it is up close a personal.

Definitely one of THE major highlights of my life thus far!

Wednesday Day 3 Travel to Kauai
Outdoor Airports. Traveling island to island. Super Ferry.
Arrival on Kauai. Chickens and a lot of Roosters EVERYWHERE (more on this later).

Thursday Day 4 Kauai Am
Wailua River Kayak Tours. Had trouble finding this place cuz it had moved and we had an old brochure. Upon arrival we were greeted by Cole (Bob Marley's son for sure). Cole told us there would be "organic" snacks offered at the waterfall. He did come through though with fresh papaya, mango and ginger!

Graham (from Kansas) as our Tour Guide...he told us 'feel free to call me Graham Cracker' I gained a new appreciation of "Rain Forest" where it drizzled A LOT even though the sun was shining. Am I a lucky guy or what?

This is the waterfall. I definitely have a fall back career in modeling :)

Jordan decided that we needed to workout at least one day while we were in Hawaii to we 'raced' back to the boat launch. About 2 miles of kayaking up stream will do a back reeeeaaaal good

Friday Day 5 Kauai AM
Kipu Ranch ATV Tours
Tom and Mark were our guides.

Jordan continually attempted to spin mud all over me but as you can see in the picture only succeeded into mudding herself.

This tour included areas where scenes from Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones were filmed. The rope swing was in the first Indiana Jones.

...of course I had to indulge!

Friday Day 5 Kauai PM
Zipline Tour with Nate (from the great state of Minnesota!) and his hyper-active assistant (whose name I can't remember)

Check out our cool gear!

This me rising to a dare to trust fall backwards...

Of course the guides challenge the newlyweds to a contest (which we couldn't pass up)...who could stay upside down the longest

This zipline tour was the closest real-life thing I have seen to the Swiss Family Robinson house out back in the woods!

The zip tour ended with a stop at this 'secret' waterfalls where the rope got a little larger than the last one. Of course, once again I couldn't resist descending from the largest/highest rock possible and attempting a cannonball proceeded to bruise my entire left ass cheek!

Saturday Day 6 Hanging at the hotel and back to MN
We had a late breakfast, each grabbed a book and sat back and relaxed before the flight home.

We had a blast!

Married | Brad Nelson | Jordan Hansen

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:50:00 +0000

I am now officially hitched. I know a lot of you questioned if this day would ever come (I did myself :). It was quite the event. Here are some pics of my bride and I taken in the photo booth at our wedding.

Over the next few days I will also document our honeymoon day by day with some cool pics of our quite eventful week.

Michael Phelps | Calorie Consumption & Your Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:51:00 +0000

Michael Phelps and you're eating habits...

As you know by now, Michael Phelps has won a record-breaking 8 gold medals. The significance of this feat is unparalleled in any sport. Let's face it...

Michael Phelps intensity freak!

How many coincidences can there be with the number 8? In China, the number 8 is a lucky number.

The Olympics started on 8/8/08 at 8:08pm. Michael Phelps went 8 for 8 in both gold medals and records...one of the records was 'only' an Olympic record while the other 7 were World Records.

He also eats 10,000-12,000 calories per day to fuel his body. Here's an example of
breakfast:
3 fried-egg and cheese sandwiches garnished with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.
1 5-egg omelet
1 bowl of oatmeal or grits
3 slices of French Toast
3 Choclate-chip pancakes.

That's just for breakfast! This is an insane amount of calories that very few elite athletes could sustain without gaining weight.

Now think about what you consume. Are you even eating breakfast? He balances his massive carb loading with protein (with 8 eggs). He eats A TON of carbs. He needs it for fuel (5.8 miles per day swimming on average). You probably don't. Take note of how many carbs to protein you are eating. For healthy fat loss it should be a 1:1 ratio. If you are overeating carbs and not burning them off, then they are converting to fat. Carbs just sit there waiting to do something: either be burned off by activity (swimming in Phelps case) or going up and down the stairs at work. Either way, they are meant to be consumed and then burned.

How much are you eating the rest of the day? Are you over-eating? I would venture to say that you aren't training as hard or long as Michael Phelps. Therefore, he is the only guy to have the "Brad Nelson pass Go on the Buffet" Card. Everyone else must pass through the gatekeeper :)

If nothing else, hopefully his performance inspired YOU to get off your butt and go do something even if it's in your back yard!

By the way, someone I am very close to is a young Michael Phelps in the calorie consumption department...
Stats:
15 weeks old
38.5 pounds
eating around 5 cups of food per day.
Goes by the name 'Diesel'

Accountability & Discipline...

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:31:00 +0000

Meet Diesel. The new face of Kinetic Edge.

Diesel is a African Boerboel Mastiff.

He is 10 weeks old today. He is a handful and then some.
He is has grown from 14 lbs last week to 19lbs today. 5lbs in one week. He will be a big boy fully grown (165-180lbs) as you can see by his dad below...

This little guy is into everything. We have to be accountable to picking up all things "chewable" which is EVERYTHING. He also still has accidents inside and this is right after we have let him out! This is very frustrating at times, but he is making great progress.

Discipline. It requires A LOT of discipline on our part to watch him like a hawk. We also cannot be away from the house as long as we used to. D is also learning the meaning of discipline...here are some recent outtakes.

1 biting is not appropriate especially in the Achilles Tendon
2 pooping on the carpet and then stepping in it leaves a small present for Brad to clean up upon discovery...and all of this is improving my agility :)
3 'playing' with Penelope does not mean pouncing on her and then taking a bite out of her hip...she will learn to fight back sooner or later.
4 facing off with Trigg (our cat fully-equipped with claws) is not one of his better decisions
5 Climbing stairs is easy. Descending stairs requires eliminating the sissy inside.

What does Accountability and Discipline with Diesel have to do with your fitness results? EVERYTHING. Are you getting the results you want? Are you accountable to someone...a training partner or trainer? A friend usually does not work in this situation. Why? Because they won't get in your face and tell you the truth. They would rather 'be nice' and stay your friend by telling you what you want to hear. No. Not on my planet.

Discipline. Are you disciplined about doing what you need to do around exercise and diet in order to get the results you want? This includes some pie-hole shrinking. A small "bite" of chocolate cake after dinner turns into a whole piece.

When you are in slim down mode, for all practical purposes, that cake just went straight to your ass. In fact you might as well duct tape it to your thigh.

Get disciplined away from the gym. I am not saying you can't have sweets or splurge once in a while. Keep it to 1 to 2 meals per WEEK. Any more than that and your habit creeps into every day and then all day every day.

Take home is this...
Accountability and discipline are your receipt to smaller jeans. If Diesel is gaining 4-5 lbs per week, you can surely lose 1-2 lbs per week.

Know you need more help? Kinetic Edge kettlebell/cross-training classes are perfect for accountability. KE is an ever-growing family of people discovering the anti-gym foofoo machines and hamster-wheel cardio. Come get some.

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:14:00 +0000

A huge props is in order for Clara James of www.minneapolis.about.com who braved my class last Monday with 16 other virgin Kettlebellers. Little did I know she would leverage her time into a classic piece of prose. Read on...

Kettlebell Classes and Instructors in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the Twin Cities
By Clara James, About.com
Filed In: Health, Sports & Recreation

Kettlebell Class at Kinetic Edge Performance in Woodbury, Minnesota
Brad Nelson

Kettlebells? You'll either be thinking that yes, a cup of tea would be nice, or recalling the pain in your thigh muscles caused from the first time you tried the latest workout that gyms across the Twin Cities are adding to their schedules, and in one case, devoting themselves to.

A kettlebell is a cast iron weight that resembles a cannonball with a handle. The smallest kettlebells weigh around 10 pounds, and the experienced can use kettlebells of 100 pounds or more. A kettlebell class involves fluid yet powerful momentum-based movements holding one or two kettlebells. The workout improves strength, flexibility, and balance together with cardio-vascular fitness, all in one session.

The CIA, octogenarians, horse riders, moms and professional wrestlers use kettlebells to help them beat the bad guys, improve balance and flexibility, and fit into skinny jeans.

Someone who believes passionately in the benefits of kettlebells is Brad Nelson, who opened his own self-described "torture chamber" of kettlebells in Woodbury, east of St. Paul. You'll find Brad at Kinetic Edge Performance. He's the one wearing a "Cast Iron Balls" shirt.

Brad discovered kettlebells in 2003 from an obscure advert run by a Russian kettlebell master in a fitness magazine. Kettlebells turned out to be salvation from his previous run-of-the-treadmill exercise routine, and intense but physically ruinous weight-lifting. He completed a grueling certification course and is a certified Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor.

Dripping with scorn for those as-seen-on-TV fitness machines and believing that anything that involves resting your behind in a padded chair while you lift weights is a pathetic excuse for exercise, Brad's attitude is sure to antagonize many weight lifters. But there's certainly something appealing and more rewarding about doing it all by yourself, rather than having a machine kindly lining it up and catching the weight if you let go.

Complete an introduction class at Kinetic Edge Performance, and then move on to hardcore workouts with names like Inferno and Incinerator that have more than a touch of boot camp to them. In the winter you'll burn up such a sweat you'll be able to defrost your own car post-workout just by sitting in it.

Kettlebell beginners will need to be prepared to endure two or three sessions to get comfortable with the weights, especially if you are used to pumping iron with a machine. But if testimonials from kettlebell fanatics are anything to go by, it's worth the investment.

Kinetic Edge Performance
683 Bielenberg Drive Suite 203
Woodbury, MN 55125
Telephone 651-330-9319
More Kettlebell Classes in the Twin Cities

----------

The following is Clara's blog about her own experience with kettlebells...EXACTLY what is accomplished in a REAL kettlebell class... ANTI-Kettlenetics.

Clara's Minneapolis / St. Paul Blog
By Clara James, About.com Guide to Minneapolis / St. Paul
More Kettlebell! At Kinetic Edge Performance
Sunday July 6, 2008

There's a lot of people across the metro who have a fever for kettlebell classes. The workout, which involves you, a cannonball with a handle, and a fearsome instructor, is gathering devotees at a startling pace.

A session with a kettlebell - an cast iron weight - is aerobics, strength, and flexibility training, all in one. People who exercise and train with kettlebells are as diverse as moms, the FBI, octogenarians, and professional wrestlers.
I tried out a sample class last week at Kinetic Edge Performance in Woodbury, and thanks to instructor Brad Nelson, I hurt the day after. That's the good kind of hurt - the kind that your muscles feel like they did you proud. I'd go back for more.

Kinetic Edge Performance is devoted exclusively to training with kettlebells. Gyms across the Metro area are also adding kettlebell classes to their schedules.

Bastardization of Kettlebells is here...what took them so long?

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:09:00 +0000

I'm back in blog mode. Caution: this may stir up anxiety.

It's here. 4.5 years of the 'underground-in-the-know' trenches for me. It happened this past Monday. The grossly anticipated bastardization of kettlebells that has already spawned (at least in my world) the much dreaded red-headed-stepchild phenomenon. What am I talking about? Kettlenetics and Kbells with some supposed expert who doesn't have the first clue about kettlebells and real kettlebell training actually makes you sweat. I have had 6 people ask me about Kettlenetics and Kbells in the last 72 hours. Apparently the infomercial started airing this past weekend on local cable. So it's time to PAY ATTENTION!

A 5-pound weight moved through motions duplicating a bad Richard-Simmons aerobics class. I thought I'd seen it all. But it was bound to happen. As with all great things there has to be some moron who goes and creates this 'FLUFFY' version of a hard-core workout so everyone can feel all warm and fuzzy inside about their 'fitness' program which is really a figment of their imagination.

When I put a clock to what the general public calls working out, they would die in exactly 10 minutes...or 5. Absolutely pathetic. And Kettlenetics are contributing to reducing the fat population? NNNNNRRRRRTTTTT. Wrong answer.

What's next? A support group for people who can't shut their pie-hole, sitting around singing Kum-ba-ya 'attracting' their way to thinness? Nope. Nada. Don't think so.

When you're ready to get off your lazy ass, shut your pie hole and get in the best shape of your life, come to one of my classes. Looking the way you want takes W-O-R-K. Anyone who tells you any different is telling you a bold-faced lie so detrimental that I fear for your future fitness.

You come to my class, one of two things will happen:
1 You'll never come back because you're not disgusted enough with the way you look in the mirror to work hard on a regular basis...face it, you're lazy and you don't want it bad enough.

2 you'll be a RAVING FAN of this type of ass-kicking and add it to your regular masochistic routine.

Kinetic Edge Performance
Delivering Beatdowns Without Apology.
Woodbury, MN

Back to leaving rants without apology.

Out.
Brad

P.S. My mistake, it's a 4 pound weight. Are you kiddin' me?

Twin Cities Live interviews Brad of Kinetic Edge

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:33:00 +0000

Twin Cities Live hosts John and Rebecca taste a morsel of the kettlebell beatdown regularly delivered at Kinetic Edge Fitness in Woodbury Minnesota.

RESULTS from the First ever Kettlebell Meltodown...

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:43:00 +0000

These are the local results from Kinetic Edge:

Weight Inches 300 time decrease Snatch Reps increase
Burger, Lucy -6.5 - :47
Gunderson, Sue -2 -19 -2:35
Olson, Jill +2.4 -2.75 + :27
Simon, Mark -2:02 + 27
Kunz, Ryan -3:32
Stark, Troy -1 -9.75 -3:49
Little, Marilyn +4.2 -5.25 + :33
Hansen, Jordan +1.8 -2.75 -1:32 +0 reps
Fillbrandt, Steve + .4 -2.25 -6:11
Fitzloff-Meyer, Nedra -4.6 -8.25
Rondeau, JP + .8 -7.5 -3:37 +26 reps
Tulgren, Tom +3.8 -3.25
Mickschl, Ron -6.4 -10.75
Rehnberg, Steve -4.8 -5.00
Burger, Kathy -4.2 -4.75 -3:32 -10 reps
Smith, Dena -3.6 -6.75 -3:01 +20 reps
Hanson Michelle -2.2 -10.00 -4:30 +12 reps
Zitarelli, Nicole -3.4 -7.75 -2:31 +33 reps

Winners:
Body Re-composition
1st Place: Sue Gunderson (-19)
2nd Place: Ron Mickschl (-17.15)

Performance Competition
1st Place: Nicole Zitarelli (35:31)
2nd Place: JP Rondeau (29:37)

Woodbury, MN Tactical Strength Challenge Results 4-5-08

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:00:00 +0000

Here's the results:
Name BW DL Place P-Us Place Snatch Place Total Pts Overall
Women's Divison
Fawn Friday 125.2 275 1 12 1 120 1 3 1
Maura Shuttleworth115.8 250 2 11 2 60 3 7 2
Dena Smith 131 215 4 4 4 105 2 10 3

Men's Division
Aaron Friday 156.8 415 3 18 1 114 6 9 1
Alex Vanos 188 445 1 11 4 120 4 9 2
Sean Schneiderjan 219.5 425 2 3 7 139 1 10 3
Nick Jasken 183.4 325 7 17 2 124 3 11 4
Greg Merth 175.2 285 8 13 3 133 2 12 5
Mike Nelson 209.6 405 4 6 5 120 5 13 6
Albert Suckow 218.6 390 5 1 8 107 7 18 7
Matthew Finlay 214.8 330 6 4 6 83 8 19 8

Men's Elite
Brad Nelson 193.6 475 1 12 1 87 1 3 1
Joe Pavel 204.8 405 2 11 2 74 2 6 2

Great turn out and great job by all who participated!!

Squat & Lunge Power via a Lesson from Mom...

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:43:00 +0000

Back in December, my mom finally agreed to attend a beginner kettlebell class and also learn some Z drills specific to her. I learned a couple of powerful lessons watching her at the young age of 53 and the way she moves and many others at this age move. Here goes:

1 AGE is NOT a factor in movement contrary to what most people will try to give you as an excuse. When you maintain mobility, you should be able to move and do anything you want to age 100 and beyond.

2 Squat power is deficient at this age bracket, but also in every other age bracket. People seem to dislike squats. Why? Because they hurt. Not hurt as in 'pain' but as in discomfort and being 'sore'. This soreness will be short-lived as the body will adapt as in the SAID principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands). Squatting is important because it is a gross motor movement and one of the Primal Movements (Chek). Squatting also works some of the largest muscles in the body, thus providing more bang for the buck.

3 Lunging power. Also grossly deficient in the general public. Again, because it is 'hard' (or whatever excuse you would like to insert here). I see it every day: people have a very difficult time starting from a dead stop lunge (knee on the floor) to returning to a standing position WITHOUT using their hands as a brace on their knee. This can be from numerous things: No unilateral work on the legs...mobility issues...muscles not firing appropriately. Every time you think that lunges are important think of this scenario regardless of your age:

Johnny: "Grandma/pa will you play with my train set on the floor?"
Grandma/pa: "I might be able to get down there, but I won't be able to get up."

How important is it to you to play with your grandkids on their level?

So lunging is another Primal movement from Chek.

Squats and Lunges. Do 'em. Different ways. Different levels. Bodyweight. Weighted. Jumping. Whatever. Do them. Do them often.

Learn to Teach...Teach to Learn

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:30:00 +0000

Here's some philosophy that I want you to explore the deeper meaning behind:

Learn to Teach...Teach to Learn
Learn different methods so you can teach them. Then teach them so you can better learn the ins and outs of that particular method. Learning truly starts when you teach. When you are always the student, you are always looking to someone else for the answer instead of looking within yourself. Once you begin to teach, you develop a complete understanding of that which you are learning, and you begin to teach better (using more concise cues) and learning how effective of a teacher you really are.

Less is more. The more you are able to teach with less talking, the better teacher you truly are. A great teacher is someone who takes complex subjects and simplifies them down to the lowest common denominator...regardless of the field or subject.

Last Saturday I taught a seminar combining Kettlebells and Z Health. First ever of its kind. When I first put it out there for people to register, I was unsure that I would be able to fill 5 complete hours with quality information. As I began the outline for the workshop, I quickly realized I had 10-12+ hours of information just on this topic alone. Made me realize that I know a lot of stuff and it's time to start passing it on so I continue to improve as a teacher AND more importantly as a student.

"When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." Most of the time when someone comes to me to be taught something, it is that very person that becomes the teacher and sharpens my skills as a teacher.

Take away: The quicker you start teaching and the more you teach, the better teacher you will be...as long as you debrief your sessions/workshops to understand what you can do better next time.

Learn in order to teach. Teach in order to learn.

First of it's kind...

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 19:21:00 +0000

Kettlebells and Z Health. The first of it's kind. 19 folks of all ages and levels. Kettlebell basics. Z Health basics. Saw some major improvements in movement by the end of the day.

Finished them off with about 26 total minutes of what I like to call "Exercise Snacks." This year's motto: Unplug in 08. That means get off that damn treadmill and do some real conditioning.

Here is how it went down:
Gymboss Timer 20 seconds on / 10 seconds off

Snatch L
Snatch R
Bodyweight Squats
3 rounds

Rest 1 minute
Clean & Press L
Clean & Press R
High Pull L
High Pull R
3 Rounds

Rest 1 minute

Mountain Climbers
Windmills L
Mountain Climbers
Windmills R
3 rounds

Rest 3 minutes

"Mini Sissy Test"
Swings Burpees
12 1
11 2
10 3
9 4
8 5
7 6
6 7
5 8
4 9
3 10
2 11
1 12

Everyone did great 12 of the 19 drove a minimum of 2 hours to attend. All in all a great day!

Here are some pics

You missed it? Be there next time!

Reflection on 'The Sissy Test'

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:20:00 +0000

Yesterday I completed 'The Sissy Test.' Here it is again for those not familiar.

Burpees / Swings
1 / 25
2 / 24
3 / 23
4 / 22
5 / 21
6 / 20
7 / 19
8 / 18
9 / 17
10 / 16
11 / 15
12 / 14
13 / 13
14 / 12
15 / 11
16 / 10
17 / 9
18 / 8
19 / 7
20 / 6
21 / 5
22 / 4
23 / 3
24 / 2
25 / 1

*Done for TIME with as little rest as possible.

I completed it in 45:39 which was a two-headed dragon for me(Swings done with the 28kg). One head is that this is pathetic as an instructor at the standard I want to be held to. The other head is that anything over 10 reps is reaching max cardio/anaerobic threshhold for me. I dislike (rather 'hate') anything other than lifting heavy objects or punching/kicking things or choking things. That is the way I roll now. 13 years ago was a different story when I ran 6-8 miles daily and was very competive in track 1600m and 3200m and 5K cross country. No more.

2 Lessons in this:
#1 I must do what I don't like to do once in a while because I know it is relatively good for me as I evolve as a person

#2 Mental Toughness. These types of sessions test your mettle more than the physical. It brings everything together and to see what you're made of.

Amazing what putting a CLOCK to it will do. Add in a couple of friends--preferrably next to you competing & also some friendly competition nationwide--and you now have a great recipe for some Humble Pie.

By the way, my heart rate 2 minutes after completion was still 144 BPM. And one more thing, I had one of my clients try this right after me with a 12kg and she BEAT me by 9 seconds. Her only goal was to beat me (that goes back to the friendly competition thing and having something to reach for). Good for you Jill! We will revisit this one again.

This particular 'Test' spurred some sadistic dreams of coming up with more 'tests.'

Stay tuned for "The Baker's Dozen" ;)

NEW! Kinetic Edge Tees

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:21:00 +0000

Cast Iron Balls
100% Cotton Long Sleeve American Apparel T
*These will shrink slightly in the dryer
Sizes available = M, L, XL men's
$31 including S&H

Cast Iron Balls (front)

Cast Iron Balls (side)

Primal
55% Cotton/45% Polyester Long Sleeve American Apparel Baby Thermal T
*These will shrink slightly in the dryer
Sizes available = M, L, XL men's
$31 including S&H

Primal (front)

Primal (back)

These will be up on my website soon: www.kineticedgeperformance.com

Order NOW by emailing me at info@keperformance.com

2700 ft of Prime Beatdown Space

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:16:00 +0000

Everyone's been asking for these. Sorry for the delinquency!

This is THE place to train if you are in the Twin Cities metro. The ULTIMATE indoor playground!

The Sissy Test

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:49:00 +0000

Kinetic Edge welcomed the New Year with a special branding today. 8 willing subjects participated in a new style of 'fun.' This was so great I think we'll make it a staple!

Here's how it went:
Burpees / Swings
1 / 25
2 / 24
3 / 23
4 / 22
5 / 21
6 / 20
7 / 19
8 / 18
9 / 17
10 / 16
11 / 15
12 / 14
13 / 13
14 / 12
15 / 11
16 / 10
17 / 9
18 / 8
19 / 7
20 / 6
21 / 5
22 / 4
23 / 3
24 / 2
25 / 1

*Done for TIME with as little rest as possible.

Here are the results:
Name / Time / KB in kg
1 Dena / 34:44 / 14kg
2 Scott B. / 37:29 / 32kg/28kg
3 Nicole 38:39 / 16kg
4 Kathi B. / 43:40 / 16kg
5 Paula / 43:42 / 12kg
6 John B. / 45:26 / 16kg
7 Steve F. / 49:32 / 20kg
8 Steve R. / DNF

Great showing by everyone!

Zep Reunion Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 23:51:00 +0000

The ULTIMATE band plays again. Let's pray to the gods of rock they decide to tour in the U.S!

They pick up right where they left off. Here's the set list:
Good Times Bad Times
Ramble On
Black Dog
In My Time Of Dying
For Your Life
Trampled Under Foot
Nobody's Fault But Mine
No Quarter
Since I've Been Loving You
Dazed And Confused
Stairway To Heaven
The Song Remains The Same
Misty Mountain Hop
Kashmir
Encore:
Whole Lotta Love
Rock And Roll

Good Times Bad Times (What a way to open the reunion!)

Stairway

Kashmir

Black Dog

They made and re-made history with this concert.

Research Studies...

noreply@blogger.com (Kinetic Edge Fitness & Performance) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:52:00 +0000

The following article appeared in my inbox this morning. I'm not going to lie, this is a slight rant. There might be touches of sarcasm throughout the article. I still have yet to decide why we, as a society, feel the need to spend money on 'research studies' to tell us some logical conclusions that most 5th graders are able to discern. You'll see what I mean when you read this current study based on organic vs. non-organic food. I'll post my own conclusions at the bottom. I also added the bold & italicized comments below throughout the article.
--------
The Proof is In: Organic is More Nutritious

By Deirdre Dolan Updated: 11/15/2007 2:36:02 PM

Ask an Organic Mom

It seems like every day someone emails me another news story about the hidden dangers of plastic.

I usually stop whatever I'm doing to read it, more convinced with every each new study and infertile rat that we're doomed to extinction by plastic. When I'm done I usually look up to find my one year-old daughter trying to stuff something plastic into her mouth, despite the variety of brightly colored non-toxic wood toys lying around her on the floor.

So I was happy to read something good this morning about something that plays a big part in my life —they've proven that organic milk is better for you! All the money I've been spending on the stuff — and it's up to $15 dollars a day because I'm pregnant and it really helps my heartburn — is worth it. The same goes for organic food.

For the past seven years, the organic food lobby in England has been trying to get the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to change their claim that organic food isn't safer or healthier. And now, after a 4-year, 12million pound, European Union-funded investigation led by Newcastle University that shows organic foods have far more nutritional value, they may soon get their way. The study isn't over yet and the results will be published over the next year, but the hope is that the FSA will change its claim that "the balance of current scientific evidence does not support" the idea that organic food is more nutritious than conventional.

The Quality Low Input Food project, the biggest of its kind, took a 725-acre farm in north-east England, grew conventional produce (like cabbage, lettuce, potatoes and what) next to organic produce, and compared the results.

The biggest contrast was found for milk. The study found that levels of antioxidants in milk from organic cattle were between 50% and 80% higher than conventional milk (60% to 80% more nutrients in the summer than conventional milk, and 50% to 60% more in the winter). Organic milk also has higher levels of vitamin E, and 60 percent more antioxidants and desirable fatty acids. Antioxidants help with a healthy circulatory system and help keep cancer and heart disease away.

Other highlights:

1 Fruit and vegetables contain up to 40% more nutrients if they are grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. (what a concept!)

2 Up to 40% more antioxidants could be found in organic fruit and vegetables than in those conventionally farmed. (that warms my heart.)

3 Potatoes, kiwi fruit and carrots were among the organic produce found to be higher in vitamin C.

4 Higher levels of minerals and antioxidants were found in organically- farmed lettuce, spinach and cabbage. Organic spinach and cabbage have more minerals. (you mean I don't get adequate levels of antioxidants from DDT? thanks for telling me 20 years later!)

5 Organic produce also had higher levels of iron and zinc, vital nutrients lacking in many people's diets.

6 Organic cheese can have up to twice as many nutrients than conventional varieties. (And all along I thought steriods and growth hormone given to little cows to grow into big cows were laced with Calcium)

7 Organic tomatoes, wheat, potatoes, cabbage, onions and wheat have 20 to 40 per cent more antioxidants than conventional fruit and vegetables. (where have I been the last 25 years of my coherent life?)

Deirdre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu are the authors of The Complete Organic Pregnancy. They write the Ask an Organic Mom blog for The Daily Green.com, where they answer your questions about how to raise a toxin-free baby.

www.thedailygreen.com is the new consumer's guide to the green revolution. From saving money to saving the planet, you'll find ideas, recipes, news and more every single day.

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
--------

I guess the powers that be in other nations have managed to model the U.S. government when it comes to wasting money doing studies that provide useless conclusions...unless they are 'providing jobs' which is an entirely different rant (which will becoming soon :)

My conclusion: The only thing that is left in our progressive world is 'uncommon' sense. Now go consume some high-vitamin/mineral-potent-organic-food! It may just help you gain some 'uncommon' sense :)