The Tortoise and the Hare: Speed of Movement

Speed of movement through an exercise is very important. It is easy to rush through a workout and not focus on key points of an exercise, but you won’t be getting out as much as you should for the time and effort you put in. Different types of exercises and training styles will have different goals, and different requirements for each movement. For the purpose of this topic, we are talking about general movements and not a power/speed development movement.

With most movements, there is a starting position, a midway point, and a return to the starting position. For example, with a squat you start in an upright position, squat down to hopefully somewhere near having a parallel femur, and return to the upright position. It is very common to see people drop to the bottom of the squat, abruptly stop and struggle to return to their upright position. I’m going to urge my quick squatters to slow it down, and here is why:

1. Speed of movement is often a compensation for stability. People may have a difficult time finding muscular stability, so the speed of movement is increased to compensate. What on earth is being used for stability you ask? Passive restraints such as ligaments and joint capsules as well as faulty bony alignments. You don’t have to be a doctor to know that doesn’t sound good. This leads to a misconception that you are training the muscle properly and a BIG increase in the risk for injury. THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM!
2. As if that wasn’t enough, you are missing out on the best part of the exercise. Someone may argue that regardless of the manner in which you descend, you are using muscle to stand back up. Although there are great benefits to that portion of the exercise, controlling the decent can be very beneficial. Controlling the downward portion of this exercise is an eccentric movement, and requires eccentric contractions at major muscles groups. Eccentric movements are a major part of how we properly move as humans, but also have been proven to have greater strength gains and demonstrate greater power outputs than their concentric counterparts. SUMMARY: YOU ARE SKIPPING THE MOST BENEFICIAL PART OF THE EXERCISE. Hey, its okay I go to the movies just to watch the previews, too.

This concept applies to many different movements. Not worrying about the speed of movement can lead to increased risk of injury and a lapse in receiving a true training effect. Slow your roll, take control of your movements, and reap the true benefits that you are working for.

-TM

Season's Eatings

We’re heading into that time of year when it’s getting colder, rainier, windier, and well - I’m not going to use the “S” word just yet. It’s also the time of year that we all start adjusting our diets. The farmer’s markets are all but done and gone and the availability of fresh local seasonal fare has once again taken a back seat to supermarket produce. Not only are the ingredients that we use changing, so are the cooking methods we use to prepare our foods. It’s no longer grill and chill season; it’s Crock-Pot and hoodie season.  

As I sit here and write this I’m finding myself veering off of my original plan and topic to slowly get myself into something that I might later begin to regret, but maybe not.  What I am proposing, suggesting, or requesting of those that actually follow/read this blog is let me know some of your go-to foods for the colder months.  You give me a bunch of recommendations for recipes, and I’ll come up with my own version and post it to the blog and other social media platforms.  This will have a two fold effect.  

1.  It will give us all a new way of looking at old possibly boring recipes that we have all have and continue to use. Spruce things up a bit!

2.  It will actually give me an excuse to start getting back into the kitchen; cooking food and meals that I have some what neglected to do in the past couple of months.  

Win win, I think. So go ahead let me know what cold weather standby you have that you’re getting tired of and I’ll revamp it for you.  

- MS

Protein & Carbohydrates

For one of my classes, I had to look up the effects of nutrition timing on muscle hypertrophy (increasing size) so I figured I could share the results of the study I reviewed. We all probably know that our nutrition pre- and post-workout is pretty important for performance, but can this also affect muscle hypertrophy?  

I looked into a study where they analyzed the effects of supplement-timing pre- and post-workout compared to supplementation in the hours not close to a workout. They performed a 10 week resistance exercise program and analyzed the changes in muscle fiber hypertrophy, strength, and body composition. The participants were split into 2 groups; one group had protein and glucose pre- and post-exercise while the other group had a protein and glucose supplement in the morning and late evening.  Both groups had the same exact dosage. They assessed 3 exercises (1 Rep Max), body composition testing through DEXA, and vastus lateralis biopsies.  The results demonstrated that Group 1(Pre/Post) demonstrated a greater increase in lean body mass and strength in 2 out of the 3 exercises.  Group 1 also had a greater increase in the cross sectional area of type 2 muscle fibers and contractile protein content.  Some of that may have been a little confusing to understand but the basics to take away from this is consuming foods consisting of carbohydrates and protein pre- and post-workout can have positive effects on your results in a resistance training program.    

Questions? Come and find me.

- SW

Ironman World Championships 2014 - "Sarah Kelly, YOU are an IRONMAN!"

Flight 1263 is high above the Pacific Ocean taking me home from the Big island of Hawaii to Massachusetts. It has been 5 days since I became an Ironman and realized a dream that I never thought I would ever have the courage to fulfill. It has taken me the last 5 days to wrap my head around what I did. To sum it all up in a post seems impossible. I am not an elegant writer that can craft sentences expressing the array of emotions I went through over the course of 11 hours and 23 minutes. What you will read over the course of the next few pages (sorry, not sorry!) will be directly from the heart as I have done since I starting blogging 20+ weeks ago. 

Grab a coffee, a comfy seat, and maybe some tissues if you're the emotional type because this will might take a while. :)

On May 4th, 2014 I learned I had qualified for the Ironman World Championship in a flurry of tears, hugs, and cheers. After accepting the slot to Kona I knew my life was about to change. I was excited, motivated, and sick to my stomach. I was going to the Ironman World Championships...freaking KONA...and I had YET to do an Ironman! 

The training, the nutrition, the early hours, the lack of fun for the last 20 weeks was done all for one reason, to hear these 6 words, "SARAH KELLY, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!" I have accomplished a lot in my athletic career. I've played a collegiate sport for 4 years. Played in an NCAA Final Four. I tried out for the US Field Hockey National Team. I've run road races. I've completed countless triathlons from sprints, international, and Half Iron distances. I've done Tough Mudders, and GORUCKs, but until 5 days ago I had never done an Ironman. 

Why you might ask? 

The truth is this, I don't do anything that I can't give everything that I have to make sure I finish...and finish strong. As much as I wrote about crossing the finish line any way possible, I was not going to settle for anything other than as hard and as strong as I could. There is just no other way. You can reference past mentions of the Game Face I put on or how I equate myself to a tank to gain further insight into why I am the way I am. Bottom line is this when I commit, I commit. There can be no halfway. Halfway is bullshit. So after countless training sessions I'd made it to Kona ready to take on everything that the Ironman World Championships had to throw at me.

Race morning I woke at 3:30am after a fitful night of sleep. I ate my peanut butter covered toast in silence standing in the kitchen. I was nervous but not to the point where I couldn't eat. Weird. The biggest race of my life and I'm not having a problem getting anything down. I decided to take it as a good sign. After the family stumbled half asleep out the door we were off on the seemingly endless drive from the Waikoloa Beach Resorts to the King K Hotel and pre-race funtivities. The volunteers were amazingly chipper at 445am inside the body marking tent. As I was tattooed with 1707 on both upper arms I learned the volunteer marking me had traveled from Colorado just to GIVE BACK to a race he has participated in several times over. He asked if I was nervous. I stopped to think about it because I wasn't chomping on gum like I do out of nervous habit, nor was my stomach a twisted mess. Out of habit though I said yes. He assured me that today was about enjoying the day, ups and downs, and the magic of what was happening around me. I'd received this same message from many Nauts who had done this race before me. Maybe the magic of the Big Island was sinking in because my nerves were as calm has they had ever been and I wanted nothing more than to just GO!

Lucky for me, and my family, they were able to finagle VIP passes allowing them access to the pier and behind the fences corralling the racers before the start. I was able to laugh and chat with them before heading into the water. More importantly I was able to give them all one last hug before I set out on the race course. I found Elena in the sea of pink swim caps of the women age group racers. She looked relaxed and ready, calming me with words of encouragement all the way to the stairs leading to the water. We parted ways as we headed out to start bouy to await the boom of the cannon. 

This was the moment I'd been dreading the most. The swim. Admittedly it's the weakest part of my race. I'm strong enough to hold my own and give a little nudge if needed but the though of swimming 2.4 miles was more daunting to me than running a marathon. As I bobbed up and down I remembered my good friend Steve Roulier telling me to take a moment and look around. Look at the pier and the sea wall with all of the people 3 to 4 deep. Watch the sun rise over the iconic church along Ali'i Drive as the surf boarders paddle back and forth holding you back. It was an incredible feeling knowing I had made it. I was ready. My plan was in place. All I had to do now was to execute and finish strong.

BOOM! Time to get the show on the road! The first 1/4 mile was rough. I spent most of that time jockeying for open water and the line I wanted to take. The pack thinned out and I made sure I lined myself up so I could see or touch every paddle board marking out the route, there was no way I was going to swim extra mileage. My plan for the swim was to play it very conservatively. I swam with ease and reached the Body Glove boat to start the turn around before I knew it. The water going out was choppy but not terrible. I had anticipated worse. Heading back in the current pushed me slightly off line but with a few extra sights I was on course again and swimming bouy to bouy as planned. The last quarter mile seemed like an eternity. You can see the pier, hear the crowd, but you just can't seem to close the gap fast enough. My stomach was starting to feel a little queazy from the salt water I'd swallowed along the way and my head was pounding from the cap and goggles suctioned cupped to my face. I was never so glad to get out of the water and start my 112 mile ride to Hawi and back.

I can't say enough how great the volunteers were. They slathered me up with sunscreen, helped me with my gear bag, and guided me out of the tent to my bike. Two things struck me in T1. The first, thank god my bike was all the way at the end of the pier and end of the rack so I could easily remember where it was. The second, damn we're my lips salty. My brothers asked me how I was doing as I donned my helmet. The only thing I could come up with was its salty out there. They got a laugh and I was off!

With the swim behind me I was now on my bike with many miles of the wind blown Queen K ahead of me. My stomach was still upset but I stuck to my plan of fueling every 15 minutes with a small piece of Garukabar or Honey Stinger Waffle. I drank when I needed to and even when I didn't. I finished my torpedo and another bottle within the first 30 miles. I didn't want to drink the Perform if I didn't have to but I had finished all of my Skratch and knew I'd need to keep the electrolytes coming because it was HOT! At some point within the first 30 miles a familiar voice came up behind me. "Fancy meeting you here!" It was Elena! She was riding strong as I watched her pull away from me. I'm thankful she caught me. She pulled me out of a conservative trance I had fallen into. I was unsure of how hard would be too hard and had fallen into a rhythm that matched past training rides. I knew if I could keep her insight I'd be okay. Then, the wind came. I'm not talking a breezy New England wind that comes every fall. I'm talking about a blow you off your bike cross wind that changes direction whenever it pleases. From Waikoloa to Hawi at the turn around I was scared to take my hands off of the bike. There were times I had to grit my teeth and pray as I leaned sideways into the wind. The headwind up 207 to the turn around made life suck. I watched the pros and age group leaders whiz by as if there was little to no wind. All I could think about was how great the trip back would be. Oh how foolish of me to think that any part of the bike course would be easy. Madame Pele kept the wind blowing every which way but from behind you. Riders would pull up beside me and ask if last year was this windy. I would reply with, "Hell if I know, but this kinda sucks!" 

The once amazing lava fields had turned into a blast furnace. I was hot and the wind just wouldn't quit. My stomach was still upset and my desire to eat anything was gone. I stopped eating solid food around mile 60. I forced a mushy banana down once or twice and kept the fluids and Endurolytes coming. I was worried I wouldn't have enough for the run but I just couldn't eat anymore. As gross as it sounds I was peeing...A LOT...and wasn't overly worried about my hydration. But, my head was still pounding. It had to be from the lack of caffeine, there could be no other explanation. I avoid coffee on race morning for reasons coffee drinkers can relate to ;). All I wanted was the Excedrin I packed, but it was in my RUN BAG. DAMN IT. As promised the last 30 miles of the Queen K was hell. I already hated driving it in the car but the bike was so much worse. The wind was strong enough to bounce the rental car around the road and road side straw bushes lay flat. I managed to close the gap on Elena after I lost sight of her at the turn around. As I pulled up along aside her she said she wasn't feeling well. I reminded her to just keep on truckin and smile. Lida would want us to smile. As T2 approached I'd never been so ecstatic to get off of my bike. 

Elena and I hit transition together, rounded the pier to my brothers routing us on and giving us high fives. Again, the volunteers were amazing. One lady did almost everything but put my shoes on for me. After a quick pee break (remember, a pee break in T2 makes you run faster...at least it does for me) I was off. Only 26.2 more miles to go. The thought of what that distance represents to most people, myself included before race day, didn't even enter my mind. The first few miles were effortless. My legs knew exactly what to do all I had to do was keep them under control and hold the 8:15/8:30 pace I had planned. At the turn around at Ali'i Drive I had caught up to Elena. I slowed a bit to see how she was and if there was anything could offer her. She graciously said no and to go ahead and have a great run. Steadily I plucked away each mile. On the hill up Pulani Dr I saw the woman I bumped into 3rd place in St. Croix and effectively stole her slot to Kona. She was cheering me on from the road side. I gave her the biggest grin I could muster and kept on pushing to the top and the left hand turn for the long out and back along the Queen K. 

At this point I knew I had it. I knew I was going to finish, but how well was the question. My left hip and IT band were tight with every uphill step and I swear the entire run out to the Energy Lab was uphill. Rather than focus on the grade of the road or the pain in my leg I set my gaze on the tents of each aid station. All I had to do was make it one more mile. My mind would wander between each aid station. I'd replay all of the long training runs I'd done by myself. The track workouts I hammered out in the midday heat this summer with Danielle on my heels. I'd think about all of my friends and family at home tracking me and routing for me at home. 

When I reached the Energy Lab I felt a wash of relief. I had made it. I was over halfway and still feeling great, but this was the point were I'd heard everything can start to fall apart. The turn around is so much further down than expected but the "energy" the volunteers put out at the turn around and special needs station got me to the base of the climb and to the mile 18 aid station before taking the turn on to the Queen K for the final push home to the finish line. At this point my legs are starting to slow down. They weren't seizing. I wasn't hitting a wall. They just weren't turning over like they were earlier in the run. I made the decision to walk through each aid station from there to the end. Take in as much as I could. 

Water. Perform. Ice. Orange slice. More Ice. More Water. Sponge off. Run.

My steps were forced. My pace had slowed to 9 min miles and I was chasing the sunset to the finish line which I so desperately wanted to beat. As I passed Elena on her way out to the Energy Lab I knew my chances were slim of beating the sun as it dropped below the horizon. I made the last long climb up the Queen K to cheers from the partiers at the top who had been going strong since the first few pros hit the run course. I allowed my legs to go as fast as they could down Pulani until I saw Jen El-Seriff. I slowed for a quick hello and wish of luck before finishing the excruciating descent. The last 1.2 miles seemed much longer though my pace was speeding up. I was going to take Ali'i Drive in true SK fashion. Full Steam Ahead! I made sure to keep my eyes up and slap hands as I neared the finish line. The crowd was wild and wanting nothing more than to cheer everybody on. I could hear the famous voice of a Mike Reilly calling out names and saying you are an ironman. 

There's a moment that I am sure everyone has the first time they do an ironman when all of the training and the struggle along the way floods you with emotion. I entered the chute replaying everything that had happened to me good and bad since the start of the year. My response was to pick up the pace even more and choke back the inevitable tears. When I hit the ramp to cross through the finish podium I made sure to slow down put my fists up in the air for a celebratory double pump with an added yell for emphasis. Mike Reilly made the call I'd been waiting for "Sarah Kelly, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!" 

I had crossed the line in 11 hours and 23 minutes. No, it was not as fast as I wanted to go. No, I did not beat the sunset. The wind wasn't in my favor. However, I finished strong. I was upright and walking with ease. I ate the glorious little donuts they had for post race food, along with Coke, pizza, pulled pork, and more coke. Sorry Krystal. 

The VIP passes had never been more valuable than when I saw my family minutes after I finished. Kieran got to me first and picked me up in the biggest bear hug. I cried. I had never been more happy. Then I hugged my parents, and cried a little more. Brendan came up behind them a few a few seconds later, with another bear hug. He squeezed me so tight I'm pretty sure he bruised a few ribs. They are still sore. Worth it!

If you have continued to this point I can assure you I'm wrapping it...

Flight 1263 has landed and in 4 hours I've written about almost everything. Flight 1522 from San Fran to O'Hare is taxiing to the runway bring me closer to home and the people who have supported me every step of the way. I cannot say thank you enough to everyone who trained with me, coached me, motivated and inspired me. Without you none of this would have been possible. I'm sure I would have finished but the joy of racing for someone other than myself wouldn't have been there. When I started writing I wanted to journal as much as I could to look back on if and when I do another Ironman. More importantly, I wanted to share my journey with everyone and provide even a small amount of inspiration to take on your our Kona. There were days I thought I would be too scared to get into the water and start racing, but after weeks of dedicated training and racing it was the complete opposite. When you decide to do something, making a personal and financial commitment, there can be no halfway. You owe it to yourself, and those that support you, to give everything you have in that moment. It don't care whether it's a training day, your nutrition, or race day. Give everything you have. Trust me, it will all be worth it. Some of you have witnessed my journey first hand, while others have read about it. Either way it is my hope that you can take little piece of what I've done and put it into your own life. 

Mahalo,

SK 

Mobility: The Missing Link

With the increased time we all spend working we dedicate fewer hours a week towards taking care of ourselves and our bodies. The little time that we do have is spent doing what we believe or what we have been told is the right thing to do. Whether that is running, lifting, metabolic conditioning, or another form of exercise/physical activity, a key component to any program that is commonly missing is mobility.

Mobility is often overlooked in programs. Mobility could be left out due to lack of time or lack of individuals feeling like they are benefiting from it because they aren’t breaking a sweat. Different people will develop different tight areas largely depending on what they do for work and/or leisure activity. I can confidently say that regardless of what you are neglecting to mobilize, it either negatively impacts your workout or causes discomfort.

Tightness develops in soft tissue when we don’t move through that range of motion. The body adapts to the shortened range of motion and develops fibrotic tissue preventing the body from traveling through the normal range. These are easy corrections to make, but the longer the body neglects the mobility component of their health, the harder it will be to regain that particular joints comfortable range.

Mobility is important to maintain because it can cause compensations that put stress on the incorrect body structures leading to injury. Overtime a lack of mobility will also contribute to aches and pains that accumulate and can develop into serious physical health issues.

Hypermobility is a tissue that has excessive range of motion, and we don’t want to overstretch that joint. Hypomobility is a tissue that lacks range which is an indication for mobility work. Mobility work is also extremely important for maintenance of proper range of motion and health of surrounding tissues. Ask one of your coaches for any clarifications on this. Educate yourself and take control of your body and how it feels and performs!

TM

Kona Bound: Race Week

This is my last blog post before the biggest race of my life. I’ve spent 19 weeks and change training for this one race. Every workout, meal, nap, bedtime, wake up call, time spent with friends had a purpose; getting me to Kona.

Tuesday morning I hop on a plane (several to be exact but you get the point) to take the long trip to the Ironman World Championships. Saturday I will embark on the most challenging race of my life and Sunday, I rest.

Oh, how I wish it were going to be that easy.

Regardless, of what Madame Pele, the Hawaiian Goddess of Volcanoes decides to throw at me and the rest of the competitors I know it will be one of the most amazing and grueling days of my life. It is my goal to enjoy every minute and remember to smile…even when it hurts.

I have many thoughts swirling through my head as I try to recap 20 weeks of training and I keep going back to a few moments that shaped my future and kept me moving forward. The moment I learned I qualified for Kona and dropping to my knees half crying and laughing. The long lonely workouts I had to talk myself through. The weekend I got to spend with my college roommates and their kids and how they cheered for me as I ran by the house. The 70.3 World Championships and feeling like I had finally trained myself to a place were holding back (just a little bit) allowed me to still hold my own with the best in the world.

I’m ready. There’s nothing left to do but race.

I’ve trained long and hard. Hot and humid weather was like a training partner I couldn’t get rid of, but grateful I had.

I’ve leaned on my friends and family to get me through the hardest days and weeks of my training and have been reminded daily just how lucky I am to have these people in my life.

I’ve learned that racing with the best in the world doesn’t mean you race them it means you MUST race within yourself.

To everyone that has taken time out of their days to read my blogs I hope you’ve been entertained, inspired, and have a better appreciation for what it takes to train for an Ironman. To the few that I train, thank you for your patience with my constant eating, compression sock wearing, and racing from a workout.  To everyone that donated to my gofundme.com fundraising website I can’t thank you enough. You allowed me to pay for my stay in Mont Tremblant and airfare to Hawaii which was a huge relief to me.

The biggest race of my life is only a few days away and I can’t wait to toe the line.

If you’re interested in tracking me throughout the race follow the link below, punch in my bib number, and go about the rest of your day. It’s going to be long race just make sure you hit the refresh button every hour to check in.

SK

Bib #1707

Saturday Oct. 11th

7am swim start (That’s Kona time. You’ll be 6 hours ahead!)

Athlete Tracker: Ironman World Championships

http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/coverage/athlete-tracker.aspx?race=&y=-1 - axzz3FOhz84vk

Health is a Continuum

Soooo  … some of you may have picked up on the fact that my schedule has been kind of insane lately. I knew this craziness coming. I’m one of the luckys ones in that I get to do something I love day in and day out so it's all good. This is NOT a complaint. My average workday has been 13.5 hours for the last 3 weeks. No, I don't mean that I'm at work for 13.5 hours doing bullshit or emailing meme's between my friends. I'm out hustling and it's fucking awesome! Of course when that’s done there is the tracking of everything before the day starts, after it ends, making phone calls when driving, and connecting with other CPC staff on the fly. All in all, my life is nuts and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But even when you’re doing something you love there are risks involved. You need to be sure you’re not losing sight of the big picture and that you’re taking care of yourself. The last being the most important.

I promised myself that I was going to be kind to ME this fall and not constantly place ME last. In order to do that, I knew I needed to do a few things differently. First, I'm saying "no" a lot more than I ever have. I like it when people are happy and I love to give so it's really hard for me to say “no” and not help someone out or not be a part of things. However, I am good to no one if I'm tired and worthless. We all need to stay efficient!  

Second, I personally hired my friend and colleague Tim to write an exercise plan for me. When my schedule gets insane I want to do what I am good at. I will stick with the lifts and movement patterns that are comfortable for me and not work too much on imbalances or weakness. When I am this busy, I lose the ability to objectively evaluate myself, so why add one more thing to my plate? Tim wrote me a plan, I will meet with him one-on-one 4 times a month, and I am accountable to him. I mean, I just publicly identified him as my coach, so if I get fat or hurt it looks bad on him. I can't do that to Captain Glutes - he works too hard for that.

The last piece is UP. You’ve all seen the small device I’m wearing on my left wrist. This thing is freaking awesome. Why? Because you can't hide! The device comes with an app for your phone and helps you get a  get a grasp on all aspects of your health - sleep, food, and exercise. Tracking food has been an eye opener. I am a person who tends not to eat when I get busy. This app has a detailed food log which doesn't just count calories it gives you a "food score". On a scale of 1-10 it rates how healthy the foods you are consuming are, gives your day an overall food score, and provides you with relative tips. Let’s take yesterday.  I got a push notification telling me that my average fiber intake over the last three days has been down. And asked “Do I want to commit to bringing my daily average back up to the recommended 38 grams?" Fuck yeah I do! Drink your green smoothie and treat your immune system properly Sullivan! Second, It tracks my daily movement. UP tracks my daily steps and relative intensity of activity for the day. I know what times of the day I am most idle and I can set alarms to go off when I have been sitting for longer than an hour straight. Finally, it tracks my sleep. Yeah … a huge amount of work needed here. I average 6 hours and 3 minutes of sleep each night, I wake up on average twice during that time, and I do NOT sleep as heavy as I once believed! These stats have helped me to curb my eating behavior prior to bed, to not watch TV prior to bed, and adjust to less of a water intake later in the day. Trust me: it's helping.

My message to you: Health is a continuum. Understand the mission now? I value all aspects equally and I know that excelling in one area will not make up for others. I am committed to being strong, lean, agile, rested, fed, hydrated, calm, caring, attentive, and fun - just to name a few. I have never believed that information is power but rather what you do with information is power.

I'm interested to see if any of you will invest a little more and take a deeper look at your wellness.

It's been fascinating from this side of things.

~Sully

What Can Kettlebell Swings Do For You?

Whether you have performed them or have seen another client do them, you all know what a kettlebell swing is . I hear all the time, “Are those safe for me to do?” or “I’m going to hurt my back doing those!”. As with any exercise, if performed with proper mechanics the risk of injury is minimal. The kettlebell swing is done in a functional manner that helps to develop posterior chain strength by activating the spinal musculature, hamstrings, glutes, and core all in one movement. The kettlebell swing is known primarily for its benefits to the hamstrings and glutes, but believe it or not, this exercise can be credited to restoring order and function for clients with lower back issues.

A study published by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning demonstrated the benefits of the kettlebell swing on the spine; more specifically at the L4 and L5 vertebrae of the lumbar spine. Unlike most traditional exercises, the kettlebell swing activates the spinal musculature in a way that allows for a more natural movement of the vertebrae. Compared to a traditional deadlift, the motion of the kettlebell swing cannot overload the lower back. With deadlifts, it is easy to overload the lower back leading to improper form. On the contrary, when doing a kettlebell swing the muscles will typically fatigue before overloading can occur. I’m not saying to stop doing deadlifts and other traditional lifts; but start supplementing kettlebell swings into your weekly routine.  

If you have questions or want me to walk you through some exercises, find me at the facility. You can also refer back to my kettlebell series from the CPC Summer Series.

- SW

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

At CPC we take great pride in always evolving and doing our best to move forward with everything that we do. From the programming of class content to bringing in new equipment to finding new partnerships, it's all at the core of CPC's mission.  Keeping with that theme, we are launching a whole new Season of Giving initiative that starts today. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we are partnering with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to bring education and awareness about this disease to the forefront. We have educational handouts at CPC along with #GoPink bracelets and ribbons for the taking. Grab one to help spread the work and show your support. We'll also be highlighting the latest in research, support, and health on our various social media channels. 

Part of why I wanted to write post is obviously to let everyone know where our heads are at for this month and what we'll be talking about at CPC. The other reason is I wanted to see if our community had any stories to share about dealing with breast cancer; either you, a family member, or a friend?  This is a disease that is becoming more and more prevalent, and sadly there are probably a lot of us that have had to deal with it.  I've had to deal with it a few years ago when we found out that my mother had been diagnosed with it. Fortunately after treatment and several procedures she is now cancer free and has been for some time, but it's always scary having to deal with something that can be potentially fatal.  

For those of you that are comfortable enough to share a little bit of your story I encourage you to do so, post a quick message to the blog, put up a short comment to one of the many social media articles we will be putting up this month.  Know that you're not alone and the best way to tackle this issue is together.

- MS