Hardstyle Kettlebell Makes it to WGY!

We all know that Brian advocates using yoga as a comprehensive approach to health and fitness. We also know that Brian has been a fan of kettlebells for years (his private clients know this, too). But did you know that Brian is a certified HKC™ instructor? That’s right; Brian received his HKC™ certification after attending an event lead by world renowned expert and author, Franz Snideman with the help of local kettlebell experts: Tim Shuman and Adrienne Harvey. This is great news for the WGY community because Brian is accepting applications to train clients privately in the art of HKC™

Brian at the Orlando HKC with Franz Snideman, Tim Shuman, and Adrienne Harvey

The benefits of kettlebell training include:

·         Maximizing the development of all-purpose strength

·         Making you resilient

·         Building your cardio and endurance

·         Balancing your strength and flexibility

·         Burning off unwanted fat

·         Forging a lean and toned physique

Who uses kettlebells?

·         Celebrities and movie stars (Sylvester Stallone, Penelope Cruz, Kim Katrell)

·         Athletes (The legendary Bruce Lee, NLF players like Jerome Anderson)

·         Fitness Experts (Steve Maxwell and The Biggest Loser’s Bob Harper)

·         Yogis/Yoginis (Jill Miller and Brian Friedman)

·         US Military Personnel

·         Law Enforcement Agencies

·         Many, many others as well

What is a kettlebell?

A kettlebell is a traditional Russian cast iron weight the looks like a cannon ball with a luggage handle on it. The origins of the Kettlebell go back over 200 years and have been used in Russian culture in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, strength training, conditioning for the Russian military, and circus performance.

Why train with a kettlbell?

According to the HKC™ training manual, “Because they deliver extreme all around fitness and no single other tool does it better.” Kettlebells have been referred to as “a gym that fits in your hand” because no other equipment is required. That is to say, kettlbells are very versatile. You can press them, pull them, swing them, squat with them, and all with a single piece of equipment.

Oh yeah, and it’s a lot of fun!

Brian will teach you the three fundamental movements of the Hardstyle Method: The Swing, The Get Up, and The Goblet Squat.

The Swing is the foundation of Russian kettlebell training. It dramatically improves your performance in almost every athletic application from running, martial arts, yoga, and power lifting because it teaches and reinforces the proper use of the hips. “The swing is a fat burning athlete builder,” said Dan John, Master RKC™.

Tracy Reifkind lost over 100 pounds and totally reshaped her body by using the swing alone.

The Get Up is a versatile training tool. Fitness expert, Steve Maxwell, brought the Get Up to the kettlebell community near the turn of the century. The Get Up can be used to develop the core, the shoulders, the legs, well… pretty much the entire body. It can also be used to bring balance to muscles that are weaker or less coordinated than others.

Brian practicing the Get Up under the supervision of Franz Snideman

Author and creator of The Functional Movement Screen, Gray Cook said, “If I were limited to choosing only one exercise to do, it’d be the [Get Up].”

The Goblet Squat was developed by Master RKC, Dan John to develop the fundamental squatting pattern to safely unlock the hips and develop leg and glute strength.

With these three moves alone, Brian will be able to help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

So if you want…

·         A lean, toned physique

·         To ramp up your cardio

·         To build muscle

·         To burn fat

·         All of the above

Contact us now to schedule a consultation. Don’t wait!  Brian has your transformation covered with Hardstyle Kettlebell!

Activate Your Mobility and Resilience with Tom Furman

     The Activate DVD and its ebook are terrific sources to supplement your yoga, fitness, or stretching routine. Fitness Expert, Tom Furman uses precise language to teach you a very simple and effective way to increase and strengthen your range of motion. By applying Mr. Furman’s method to your existing routine you will become stronger, more mobile, and resistant to injury. Does this sound too good to be true? Please read on…

     We all know that if we stretch a tight muscle that the result will be an even tighter muscle. The technique of Activate calls upon Sherrington’s Law of Reciprocal Innervation which basically states: if you want one muscle to relax, you have to tighten the opposing muscle.  Mr. Furman will teach you the muscles you need to pre-fatigue in order to achieve optimal mobility or flexibility. Do you have low back pain? Check out Mr. Furman’s version of the Sphinx. Do you have tight neck and shoulders? Not anymore once you learn the methods of Activate.

     The DVD contains sequences that were shot indoors and out in the beautiful Florida sunshine. Mr. Furman speaks very clearly as he demonstrates the techniques of Activate. His instruction, demonstration, and the use of animation make it very clear as to what is to be accomplished with more than 20 exercises. Mr. Furman covers virtually every part of the human body to insure that you will be mobile and pain free. Say goodbye to “Mr. Tin Man.”

     The Activate ebook is a condensed version of the DVD. I recommend purchasing both of them as they complement each other nicely.

     These products are professionally filmed, photographed, and packaged. They are a great addition to my library. I love that the techniques of Activate are quick, easy, and most of all effective. I use Mr. Furman’s exercises after my workouts and on my recovery days. I recommend that you do the same.

     Please check out Mr. Furman’s website for more information and more of his great products.

All the best, Brian

What's the Deal with FMS? Part 2

Now on to my findings. The following statistics are based on 100 screens that I have performed from March, 2012 through June, 2012. This is not a clinical study. It is an opportunity to see what the results of the FMS reveal about Winter Garden Yoga's client base. WGY's client base is very diverse as it includes male, female, young, old, athletic, non-athletic, flexible, inflexible, etc. I think you get the idea. The following information is based on averages (grand total of scores divided by number of screens).


Average total score of an FMS: 12. The professionals at FMS suggest that a minimum score of 14 (with no asymmetries) is the threshold for injury prevention. In other words, anything less than a 14 means the participant's likely hood for injury is greater than a participant who scores a 14 or higher.

Average score of the Deep Squat: 2

This is a "2" in the Deep Squat


Average score of the Hurdle Step: 1

This is a "1" in the Hurdle Step


Average score of the Inline Lunge: 2

This is a "2" in the Inline Lunge


Average score of Shoulder Mobility: 2

This is a "2" in Shoulder Mobility


Average score of the Active Straight Leg Raise: 2

This is a "2" in the Active Straight Leg Raise


Average score of the Trunk Stability Push Up: 1

This is a "1" in the Trunk Stability Push Up

Average score of Rotary Stability: 2

This is a "2" in Rotary Stability

Please check out the FMS page at WinterGardenYoga.com to see what "3s" look like for the above movement patterns. 

What's The Deal with FMS?

I became a certified FMS expert in March, 2012. FMS (Functional Movement Screen) was developed by Gray Cook and Dr. Lee Burton as a method to prevent injury by scoring seven movement patterns found in all forms of activity (athletic or otherwise). I have performed over 100 screens since my certification and have made some very interesting discoveries. My hope is to share some of those discoveries with you now. But first, let's take a step a back and review some commonly asked questions about the FMS:

What is FMS? It is a physical screen used to prevent injury. There are seven movements that are graded based on specific criteria. The score ranges from zero to three. Zero indicates that there was pain present during the movement, one indicates that the movement could not be completed, two indicates that the movement could be completed with minor compensations, and three indicates that the movement could be completed without compensations.

Five of the seven movements are unilateral, which is to say that they are performed on the left and right sides of the body. If one side performs better than the other (whether it is weakness, stiffness, or lack of coordination) it is noted an an asymmetry. Asymmetries are an indicator of dysfunction which can lead to injury.

Why use FMS? The ultimate answer is to create a path to wellness. FMS gives the trainer a baseline and a specific course to follow used to strengthen any weakness in the body's kinetic chain. For instance, someone may see me because they have tight hamstrings. After I observe how they move, and based on the FMS score, I may find that their core is not functioning optimally. Once I correct this weak link in the chain, the hamstrings will  function correctly and become less tight. Yes, most of the time it is that simple and powerful. Once the hamstring issue is resolved, we screen again to test and see if the score has remained the same, gotten higher, or gotten lower. Based on those results, we move on to the next weak link or continue working until the current issue is resolved.

According to the professionals at Functionalmovemtent.com,"Top winning teams and organizations that use the FMS system include NFL teams like the Falcons, Packers, Jets, Bears, Colts, Giants, MLB teams like the Rangers, Giants, Devil Rays, the military special forces which has decreased training injuries from 37% to under 10% and Occupational groups like Orange Co.Fire and Midwest Power and light which have significantly reduced worker's compensation costs."




More on FMS in a future blog...