Tuesday, March 31, 2009

What's "Really" Important?

I'm continually amazed about what people hassle with in life that is not that important. What is important? Here's my spin...
People that have worked their whole lives are now living in tent cities because they have lost their jobs, homes, savings, retirement, and just about everything else except what is left of their fighting spirits and the friggin' tent! THIS IS IMPORTANT! America pushing 2.5 trillion dollars per year on a broken healthcare system that is more of a "sick" care system and fixing this crap NOW is important! Millions of people that despite the absolutely amazing gains in corrective exercise and disease prevention methods available today still don't have a clue about what to do and where to go to get "real" help that won't rip them off is important! My friend that is one of the best fitness healers I've ever known that just lost his gym is important! Keeping my children healthy and educated enough to know that eating junk food and buying into American consumerism BS is NOT important IS IMPORTANT! Me getting away from people that whine about what is NOT important--is important! My God...some common sense and blue collar work ethic to get it on and fix these problems would go a long way!!! Keepin' in REAL, Coach RJ!

Lockouts @ Age 5 & Power Breathing?

The highlight of my day was tonight in my gym. While doing my dynamic warm up exercises prior to throwing down with the KBs, my five year old son Cade started asking me something I could not quite understand. I finally figured out what he was asking, "What about the lockouts Daddy?" I looked over there and he was making himself stiff really fast--he was trying to do the "HARD" style lockout drills! How funny. Then I noticed both he and his twin sister Ronnie were "power breathing" like me when they finished their exercises. Cute. Interesting too. Funny what kids pay attention to--sometimes really small details you don't think they notice. Makes me think of all the people eating junk food in front of their kids! The poor kids grow up thinking it's normal to eat toxic food! A few healthy behaviors with exercise and eating can go a LONG way with kids.
Well...at least in the Jones gym tonight, the kids are thinking and even doing "HARD" style. With healthy kids, there IS a future! Locked down in the South tonight, Coach RJ

KBLA Sunday Morning Line Up with Dr. Mark Cheng

Comrades,
Check out the positive energy of Dr. Mark Cheng’s Kettlebells Los Angeles Sunday Morning Line Up. You’ll see all kinds of people in our group…male, female, younger, older, multiple RKCs, beginners, and ALL are welcome @ The Line Up.

This particular day we worked on a “REBOOT” of the Program Minimum starting with some dead lifts then moving into the essential swings and TGUs…and more swings…and more swings…and more swings…now that’s HAAAARD Style!
If you ever get out to LA, drop by and join us because you will not be disappointed! This group has really changed my life in positive ways. We meet Sundays @ 7AM-Sharp!

In HARD Style, Coach RJ!

Monday, March 30, 2009

800 Club!!!

"Do the DO!" -Steve Ilg
I joined the 800 Club the other week. I'm now over 800 straight days of exercising for at least 30 minutes per day without a day off. Starting in April, I'm rolling on my 28th straight month!

There are not many people that exercise over two years straight without ever missing a single day. Want to know how? I keep it simple. I just do something every day. That's it. I might do walking, yoga, hiking, kettlebells, cycling, running, body weight strength exercise, traditional strength training with Olympic weights, surfing, or something else, but regardless, I do something each and every day. Some days I go easy. Some days I go hard. Some days I go moderate--but I always GO!

Using this simple but consistent method, I've lost weight, increased lean mass, and improved my overall health and fitness the last two years. Is it reckless? No. Is it crazy? No. In my profession, I spend most of my time these days sitting in a car or at a computer or in a meeting with a client or group, so doing some exercise for 30 minutes per day is the LEAST I can do to take care of my vehicle in life--my body!

I don't keep exercise journals. I hate them. Too formal. They stress me out. I don't always know what I'll do that day when I wake up, but I do know one thing, I will do SOMETHING for 30 minutes that day as dedicated exercise.

It's been as simple as 10 minutes of my Dynamic Warm-Up or yoga before heading to the airport, then another "dedicated" 10 minutes of walking around or yoga at the airport before boarding, then another 10 minutes in Atlanta of "dedicated" exercise like walking instead of taking the tram while I wait for my family to arrive. It ALWAYS adds up to 30 minutes of "dedicated" exercise. Every day. Every week. Every month for the last 27 months.

The key is keeping it simple and being consistent. People underestimate the power of a daily discipline when it comes to exercising. Trust me on this one--it works.
Today? I went to the park with my family and we walked and played Frisbee for an hour. That's it. Very simple. We just played for exercise.
Want to learn more, check out The Lean Berets 30X30 Challenge. This is how I got started with DAILY exercise again.

In DAILY sweat, Coach RJ!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

LA 405 Madness & Shiner Bock

Last Tuesday, I was rolling down the 405 freeway in LA heading to the airport. As my airport shuttle van maneuvered for position to get off at the main LAX exit, this guy behind us in a new Range Rover got pissed off. He pulled up next to my driver giving him "the look." My driver made a hand gesture like he was flapping his jaw--but did NOT flip the other guy off. The other guy flew into a friggin' road rage and VIOLENTLY cut right in front of our van forcing the driver to cut HARD STYLE to the right. We pitched the 15 passenger van into a rain gutter causing the van to get a bit tipsy. The driver was able to control the emerging skid and pending rollover and bring us back into the lane before we crashed and burned. The asshole guy sped away.
To say I was not pissed off would be a lie. But much to my credit, I was able to stay pretty calm about it and help the driver deal with it better. Learning point? I'm glad I'm not such a shallow person like the bastard in the Ranger Rover! I mean really--the guy didn't even have the plates on his new ride yet. Was it worth killing a guy like me that had NOTHING to do with the situation--and the other people in the van because he might have been delayed 2.5 seconds? Was this worth going to prison over or knowing that you hurt or killed innocent people? I did not notice my van driver doing anything jerky or erratic prior to the incident with the guy. It's stupid to be screwing around with this kind of crap that doesn't even matter. Oh well...arrived early and had a good flight to Atlanta where I spent the week attending the American College of Sports Medicine Health & Fitness Summit.
The Shiner Bock? My Corporate Wellcoach friend and colleague Blaine Wilson from Texas brought two bottles of the Shiner Bock 100 year commemorator brews to our conference summit! Nice! Special edition Comrades! Enjoying Texas from the South tonight, Coach RJ

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Speed of Sound...KBLA, etc.

Comrades,
Whew! What a dizzying year so far! I'm pretty stoked today. Hitting the road for Paso Robles this week to roll another one of my Intro to Kettlebell workshops and lead a corporate hike @ Pinnacles National Monument along the central coast of California...way cool area for hiking!
Just confirmed with KBLA's RKCs, Dr. Mark Cheng, John Spezzano, AND Nikki Schlosser to roll a corporate workshop for my clients in Cali this June. Doc is rolling his new "REBOOT" corrective exercise and KB workshop for me.
I'm WAY STOKED about Nikki coming! This woman is STRONG! She's got to be the strongest woman I've seen pound for pound. She can kick some SERIOUS ass Comrades! Feeble RJ might have to hide under my Z car which is not an easy task! :o) You know why I really like Nikki though even though I don't know her all that well personally yet?...because of what she represents for America. What's that you ask? STRENGTH. Straight up--NO BS. STRENGTH. This is very important right now and especially for the ladies. Bring it on Nik. It's time to "role" baby!
Seriously though...what a crew and honor! Cheng, Spezzano, and Schlosser bringing it HARD style in the true KBLA way. It just keeps getting better and better. From the Left Coast today, Coach RJ!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Yoga in Malibu with Steve Ilg

My good friend and yoga guru Steve Ilg will be in Malibu soon teaching a couple of outdoor yoga courses as special events at the private home of a friend in Malibu. I've done Steve's HP Yoga on many occasions when he's in LA. It's an awesome opportunity to study with one of the best. Unfortunately, I will be home in Atlanta that weekend or would attend myself. Tell him RJ sent you!
Check it out!

Namaste' Coach RJ