Journal

HELLS BELLS? NAH, DON'T BE AFRAID OF KETTLEBELLS.

jeremy.a.hovan — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:03:43 +0000

From the August-September 2010 issue of Personal Fitness Professional

Pick up some Kettlebells people.

They can seem intimidating at first, but you'll get used to them and probably love them by the time all is said and done.

Have a strong day.

Keeping Up with Kettlebells

Having the right tool can make all the difference when it comes to getting results for your clients. But with all that's out there, how do you know what the right tools are and when to use them?

To answer this question entirely, we'd have to break down a lot that goes on inside the training world in regard to programming. Rather than sift through all of that complexity, we will turn our focus to one simple tool and how it's used alone as well as with other tools within your training toolbox. A kettlebell is a unique free weight that looks like a cannon ball with a handle. It differs from a traditional dumbbell in that the center of gravity of the kettlebell is extended from the user's grip, rather than remaining within the user's grip as in dumbbell or barbell training. The unique design of the kettlebell allows for easy transition from one exercise to another without needing to switch weights or even put the weight down.

Kettlebells have been in existence since the early 1700s but have recently exploded in the fitness industry as one of the hot new training tools and workouts. Everyone wants to know what a kettlebell is and how to use them. Unlike some other training tools out there, kettlebell training requires more thorough instruction, but with that instruction, the results you can produce for your clients are significant.

Kettlebell training is unique in several ways. One is its ability to combine both strength training and cardiovascular training into one short workout with just one tool. Additionally, when using a kettlebell, the center of mass is outside of the user's grip, simulating day-to-day activities such as carrying a bag or briefcase.

When shopping for kettlebells, you will have to take into consideration the population you are working with. Most men and tough women will opt for the traditional looking kettlebell, made of cast iron with a black or silver finish. You may work with people that aren't all that concerned with the hardcore image. They may prefer the colorful rubber-coated kettlebells that appear less daunting. The different weights are more easily identifiable with this type of kettlebell, since they are color-coded.

Lastly, you may work with some folks who are interested in competitive kettlebell lifting, in which case the competitive style kettlebells will be more suited for your population. This type of kettlebell is unique as the handle is more square than rounded and regardless of the weight of the kettlebell each one is uniform in physical size.

The biggest consideration in choosing equipment is what will work best for your clientele, not you personally. Investing in kettlebells with a smooth handle that won't rough up your client's hands and cause them unnecessary irritation while you'Re working with them to reach their fitness goals should be your highest high priority.

So you've got the tools, you know how they work, what's next? How do you use them? The three best kettlebell exercises that you can start to incorporate into your client workout programs to see significant results are the Kettlebell Swing, the Turkish Get Up, and the Clean and Press.

Check out the digital magazine for illustrated, step-by-step instructions for these exercises!

Pamela MacElree is currently completing a Masters of Science in exercise science from California University of Pennsylvania. She is co-owner of Urban Athlete in Philadelphia. Pamela has also collaborated on developing and delivering the only peer-reviewed kettlebell training certification through Kettlebell Athletics in the United States and Germany.

MUSCLE MEMORY

jeremy.a.hovan — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:25:33 +0000

Today, we will discuss Muscle Memory.

And no, I’m not asking if you remember the muscles you USED to have, I mean the ability of muscles to remember precise and repetitive movements as well as muscles’ ability to return to the shape they were in previously if you have indeed taken time off from exercise due to not exercising for a while.

What’s that you say? You have muscle amnesia? No. Muscle amnesia is for the weak, untrained and uninformed. Muscle memory is for the strong and the conquerors.

I’ve taken time off from the gym before. GASP. I know. Even me.

Sometimes, you just need a mental break.

Sometimes, your body needs a break.

Sometimes, you just need a change in your routine – such as running stairs and doing bodyweight exercise outside for example.

And when done right, this break can help you refocus and return to your resistance training with a new found inspiration.

When the day comes that I return to the gym, not only am I recharged mentally to focus properly on my workout, but it also doesn’t take very long for my muscles to remember where they were prior to the break in weight training because, like elephants, they never forget and they bounce back to their previous state pretty quickly.

Now, specifically for the women.

You all curse supermodels whose bodies bounce back almost “immediately” after giving birth.

Remember two things:

1) They still put in plenty of HARD work after birth to regain their figure.

2) They EXERCISED WITH WEIGHTS (or at LEAST did some kind of resistance training) BEFORE PREGNANCY (something that many of you are scared of because you think it’s going to make you look like a man, which is disproven in every instance) thus, after pregnancy, when they were again free to buckle back down on their resistance training routines, their muscles REMEMBERED where they had been before thus making it easy for them to return to their previous glory. Not to mention, being in shape before and during pregnancy helps with carrying the added baby weight for 9 months, and helps ease the process on the actual child-birth “game-day.”

Women, you don’t have to be power squatting 300 pounds, but you DO need to lift something heavier than 3 or 5 pounds.

Muscle memory is the trump card in your post-partum return-to-svelteness hand of cards.

You CAN bounce back. Don’t blame it on muscle amnesia. Give your body more credit than that!

Have a strong day.

KETCHUM-DOWNTOWN YMCA : 2010 STAIR CLIMB TO THE TOP : US BANK TOWER : LOS ANGELES, CA

jeremy.a.hovan — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:56:45 +0000

Jeremy Hovan completes the 75th Floor of the Ketchum-Downtown YMCA's "Stair Climb to the Top" in the US Bank Tower, Los Angeles, CA

Are you registered? No??!

Are you bored on your backside? Yes??!

THEN WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?????

How will you ever know what you're really made of, if you never challenge yourself?

What's that, you say you won't really know?

EXACTLY.

Then get up, and get moving, and DON'T MAKE EXCUSES.

Because excuses, and elevators, are for wimps.

Register here now: http://www.YMCAStairClimb.org

2010 Promo Video:

2009 Promo / Training Video:

HYDROXY-CUT FROM THE TEAM.

jeremy.a.hovan — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:28:37 +0000

Well friends, I don't need Hydroxycut.

Who knew??!

I knew.

But I still went to an interview by a production company casting individuals for some sort of upcoming Hydroxycut and Whey Protein campaigns.

I was dismissed from the interview for being "too lean" for their purposes.

A couple of things:

I knew I didn't need to use Hydroxycut when I went, but I do have just a tad bit more body fat I'd like to dump. I know I could get a bit more defined for a campaign and possibly use that to springboard my career a bit. They would definitely have good "Before and After" pics from me. But is it really worth it with everything you hear about Hydroxycut not being good for you? No. Not really.

I've gotten to the place where I am with proper FUNCTIONAL exercises and proper diet.

I know I can help you achieve the same.

You DON'T need expensive fat burners.

You DO need to take one step at a time and DO THE WORK to figure out what your body responds best to in terms of both diet and exercise.

I KNOW that I can't eat junk for my body type without it turning out poorly in terms of my body fat percentage.

The bigger story here is that I just need a new challenge to get me out of my rut and this just might have done it. Though, a new challenge without Hydroxycut will definitely allow me to be much more true to my goals and beliefs.

And I'll be better for it.

Have a strong day.

STRENGTH TRAINING MYTH: STRENGTH TRAINING MAKES WOMEN BULK UP.

jeremy.a.hovan — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 04:36:53 +0000

Will strength training make women too bulky?

NO.

But you don't have to take my word for it.

Please see the following:

http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/ss/strengthmyths_5.htm

http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/womensfitnesstopics/a/womenmyths.htm

http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/6-strength-training-myths-for-women-debunked/article15088.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/story?id=6797940&page=11

http://xgym.com/women-and-the-myth-of-bulking-up/

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/3576/1/Some-Common-Myths-That-Keep-Women-From-Weight-Training.html

http://health.learninginfo.org/fitness/weight-lifting-myth.htm

http://strengthtraining.suite101.com/article.cfm/weight_training_for_women

http://sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_experts.asp?q=54

Still not convinced?

Google it yourself: "weight training myth women bulk up when weight training"

Ladies, please, Have a strong day.

Bravo out.

HAVE A STRONG CLEAN-UP, NASHVILLE.

jeremy.a.hovan — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:45:05 +0000

Nashville, Tennessee: 2010 Flood

We Are Nashville

Patten Fuqua

– May 4, 2010

Allow me a moment to step away from the usual voice of this website.

What I am about to write has absolutely nothing to do with hockey.

If you live outside of Nashville, you may not be aware, but our city was hit by a 500-year flood over the last few days. The national news coverage gave us 15 minutes, but went back to focusing on a failed car bomb and an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. While both are clearly important stories, was that any reason to ignore our story? It may not be as terror-sexy as a failed car bomb or as eco-sexy as an oil spill, but that’s no reason to be ignored.

The Cumberland River crested at its highest level in over 80 years. Nashville had its highest rainfall totals since records began. People drowned. Billions of dollars in damage occurred. It is the single largest disaster to hit Middle Tennessee since the Civil War. And yet…no one knows about it.

Does it really matter? Eventually, it will…as I mentioned, there are billions of dollars in damage. It seems bizarre that no one seems to be aware that we just experienced what is quite possibly the costliest non-hurricane disaster in American history. The funds to rebuild will have to come from somewhere, which is why people need to know. It’s hard to believe that we will receive much relief if there isn’t a perception that we need it.

But let’s look at the other side of the coin for a moment. A large part of the reason that we are being ignored is because of who we are. Think about that for just a second. Did you hear about looting? Did you hear about crime sprees? No…you didn’t...

< Article continued here >

A great example of people locking arms, supporting each other and NOT waiting on a government organization to save them.

Have a strong day, Nashville, Tennessee.

Have a strong day, indeed.

Bravo out.

TEAM HOYT: YES YOU CAN.

jeremy.a.hovan — Tue, 25 May 2010 06:52:26 +0000

"While some fathers murder their kids, abuse them, or simply neglect them every way they can, here is one dad who never gave up on his son. And one son who, notwithstanding his physical condition, remained steadfast for his dad." - YouTube comment

The world would tell you to cast aside the lesser ones.

If God can indeed use all things for good, this is yet another example proving that to be true.

Sorry, world. You lose again.

Rick's condition saved Dick's life - literally - by resurrecting his health through all of the challenges brought on by the physical exertion required of him to get into better shape when racing with his son.

"Our message is, yes you can. You can do anything you want to do, as long as you make up your mind, you can do it." -Dick Hoyt

"If you have ever searched for the meaning of life, stop. The answer lies right here."

"As long as we're still having fun, we're enjoying it and we're healthy we're going to continue doing it." -Dick Hoyt

Together they run.
Together they compete in marathons.
Together they compete in triathlons.
Together they trekked 3,770 miles across America.

Rick couldn't compete without his dad.
Dick wouldn't compete without his son.

Together they run.
Together has power.

Don't run alone.

Have a strong day, Dick and Rick.

Have a strong day, indeed.

Bravo out.

MYFOXDC.COM: NINE-YEAR OLD CHAMPION WRESTLER TO BREAK WORLD RECORD.

jeremy.a.hovan — Tue, 25 May 2010 06:07:16 +0000

Aaron Brooks to challenge Bench Press record.

Have a strong day, Aaron.

Have a strong day, indeed.

Bravo out.

NICK VUJICIC: NO ARMS, NO LEGS, NO WORRIES.

jeremy.a.hovan — Mon, 17 May 2010 05:27:12 +0000

Watch the video below and then look at yourself.

At a MINIMUM, most of us start each day with more physical assets than Nick does.

Heck, even if they don't work well or even if they don't work at all (para or quadraplegic), you probably have...

Two arms.

Check.

Two legs.

Check.

Whew. I'm already ahead of the game.

At least physically.

But, emotionally, spiritually, motivationally, where do you stack up against Nick?

It's probably time for us to have a tune-up or at least a check-up in these areas.

You'll rarely hear me say this, but I'm not sure that "STRONG" is even a strong enough word for Nick and his efforts.

Regardless, this site is about strength - of heart, mind, soul and body.

To that end, I dedicate this post to Nick.

Have a strong day, Nick.

Have a strong day, indeed.

Bravo out.

YEARBOOK PROPHECY.

jeremy.a.hovan — Sat, 15 May 2010 05:53:59 +0000

A long time ago, in a high school far, far away, some of my peers wrote in my yearbook, during the obligatory end-of-the-school-year yearly yearbook signing.

You know, those often cheesy, often shallow blurbs scrawled inside the front and back covers that usually ended (at least they did back in the day) with some sort of “K.I.T.” or “B.F.F.” meaning “Keep In Touch” and “Best Friends Forever” and sometimes included a phone number so you could maybe hang out over the summer.

They wrote things about me that were just as true then as they are still today. The only difference is, it has taken a lot of years and a lot of growth to accept and embrace my gifts.

I was told, I think aptly so, that I was a good writer and that I was funny. I’ll let you be the judge about the latter, or both for that matter, but I do believe both of those to be true because I still get third-party confirmation of both even to this day.

The thing about the adolescent years is, many of us are so terrified to be different that we just want to fit in and not be made fun of thus we repress the things that make us unique and different. Or we purposely don’t excel in grades so that people won’t call us a “nerd” or a “geek.” We repress the things that ultimately really will draw people to us, not make people run away from us screaming in terror like we think might happen.

Ever heard the old saying, “there’s nothing new under the sun”? It’s true – to a certain degree. There is a lot of recycled junk that goes around because people don’t tap into their creativity to do anything different. The thing that IS new, is you. You are the only you that has ever existed or ever will exist again and you owe it to our humanity to find what makes you unique and then DO THAT THING over and over and over.

People are so sick and tired of being fed the same repackaged crap over and over and they are sick of stupid (false) reality TV crap that they are STARVING for what you have to offer in the uniquely individual package that God has put together.

“Reality” television only exists because we have come so far from embracing our OWN real reality and living our own lives that we are willing to suck down this type of garbage to avoid having to live our own lives. The more time we spend in this routine the more time we are taking away from ourselves and the process of becoming who we are supposed to be.

You know, I don’t even remember what I would have written back in high school. Much less, know which of my classmates would have even read what I don’t even remember that I wrote??? But for whatever reason, and however it came about, they did read something, and it resonated with them even then at our ripe young age of 15.

I remember being a bit of a class clown. There’s one in every class I suppose. I guess to a great degree it was me. Not in a disruptive or disrespectful way though… I don’t think.

Stop what you’re doing, and go dust off your high school yearbooks and truly allow yourself to see what others saw. And be honest with yourself.

If it brings up something that you had forgotten about yourself, or never knew or never embraced or never realized that that was what made you tick or it reminds you of your true passion, then you need to do what it takes to make it a reality.

It will be a long road.

It will not be easy.

But the things that are most worthwhile, usually aren’t.

This is too important to blow off and I’m on your side.

Even when your parents and friends tell you you’re crazy.

You only get one chance at this life.

At the end of the day, the only person you have to please is yourself.

Have a strong day.