Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Mountain that lies ahead

Sitting at the base of the mountain I look with great excitement at the journey ahead. I am reminded to take it one step at a time, one breathe at a time and to enjoy each and every moment along the path I move. I walk open to the possibility, exploring along the way. Certain points on the journey I stop and take the moment to sip and savor the experience, taking in the views, breathing the fresh air, reminding myself what it is I am doing, I am being right here and now.

At points along the path I run into various challenges, some prove to be obstacles, some prove to be puzzles, others choose to be risks worthy of taking. It is in these and every moment that I take time to be the observer and contemplate the natural flow of what is necessary in that very instance. I look at the present and beyond to see how it will all fit together. I realize I only know my current place and I realize my next step as I move in the direction I take conscious choice action and create my reality.

I am reminded all along the path to be open and free of false realities that my mind create in anticipation of something I 'think' to be there or lie ahead. My mind at times jumps ahead to all the possibilities and starts creating alternate stories/realities which can and often are exciting if not interesting. But again, I am reminded that what is real is what I am living in the moment, all the other things are what they are, stories and alternate or potential realities.

So, I continue on the journey to what I think is the top of the mountain, the peak that I so excitedly took in while sitting peacefully, meditating prior to my journey. And as I continue to move with each step along the path I am aware that my path is a constantly evolving experience. I smile as I reflect and take time to meditate and again come back to my breathe, my movement and all the surrounds me in the moment.

Where, what, when, why, how, who, how much, how often are all questions that are continually being answered and at the same time are unknown. In the moment I am aware, I am conscious of the 'answer' to these questions. However, I am also present and conscious with the reality, that the questions and the answer may indeed change and in every case they have.

The mountain is many and there are many peaks to observe, many mountains to set foot upon. Whether I reach the peak, climb every mountain, answer every question, etc. is not of essence too me. What is of essence is living the moment, taking advantage of this life I live, creating my realities to the best of my abilites and living my life to the fullest extent and enjoying each and every second with unconditional love, gratitude, peace, compassion, happiness, freedom, willing and open, inquistive, adventurous, singing, dancing, laughing, smiling, healthy, gracefully, humbly, and with great honor and humility.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

35 years later

Here I Be, 35 years to the day I was born to this life.
Here I Be as fiscally poor as ever.
Here I Be as peaceful as ever.
Here I Be in Harmony
Here I Be as wise as ever ☺
Here I Be as happy as ever.
Here I Be living the best life.
Here I Be applying to college again for a PhD or MSTCM
Here I Be practicing the Art of Living Daily
Here I Be as free as ever to Be.
Here I Be smiling a Big Smile
Here I Be as relaxed as ever.
Here I Be laughing as deep as ever.
Here I Be Spiritually, emotionally, physically ‘balanced’
Here I Be looking at life as a glorious playground to Be as I see/feel in the every moment
Here I Be enjoying the moment
Here I Be at peace with past, living the present
Here I Be conscious of my great fortune and blessings
Here I Be relationships plentiful and abundant
Here I Be honored to have the wonderful blessing of so many wonderful relationships
Here I Be living in abundance
Here I Be living a life of more with a life of less
Here I Be in gratitude
Here I Be in compassionate
Here I Be unconditionally loving my inner being, essence and authentic self
Here I Be enjoying every breathe I take
Here I Be sitting in contentment with the present
Here I Be taking steps along the path of life, living the journey
Here I Be an explorer, living the present adventure, planning the next adventure
Here I Be many things to many, but always Being me, whatever that is and means
Here I Be a yoga teacher
Here I Be a meditation teacher
Here I Be a student of life, living, laughing, loving, and the journey and beyond
Here I Be laughing at me writing this Here I Be stuff
Here I Be conscious of the fact that life is always in constant motion and change
Here I Be conscious that this is the life, the one, the moment
Here I Be conscious of the fact that I am the one and so are you
Here I Be Here I am
Here I Be knowing that I do not know
Here I Be nothing
Here I Be empty
Here I Be satiated
Here I Be me
Here I Be peace inside me
Here I Be a being on this journey called life
Here I Be another step along the path
Here I Be singing, dancing, playing
Here I Be

Monday, November 16, 2009

Learning to play the edges

An important practice in life is learning to play the edges. The art of playing the edges requires a conscious awareness at all points and times. In living consciously we can choose our actions and therefore play according to what, how, when, where we need to be in the present moment. This will allow one to flow with the currents of life and be aware of where they are in the moment and be prepared for how to act as they continue to move forth in our daily lives. Life is constant movement, the tides, the winds, the light, is all ever changing therefore the edges are constantly shifting. Understanding this empowers conscious choice action and enables playing the edges of every moment according too what is and not what we wish it too be.

Monday, November 09, 2009

Powerlifting Basics and Key Points, by Joe

Powerlifting Movements

Squat

1. Low Bar Position
2. Wide Leg
3. Use Box as aid
4. Increased hip flexion
5. Knees perpendicular to floor

The purpose of this squat is to train the hips. Therefore we use a box, a wide stance, and a low bar position (across the shoulders below the upper traps).

Pull yourself into the box by using your hip flexors. Keep the shins perpendicular to the floor which places the load in the hips and leads to a greater forward bend with the back….your stomach will pretty much rest between your legs. Make sure to keep yours eyes up which will help keep your spine neutral. Also, be sure to pull the bar through your lats down into your body creating a strong back.

Breathe deep and push against the belt as you squat. Make sure your breathe in through the nose. Hold the breath to create internal pressure and stabilize the spine giving you additional strength. Exhale at the top as you come out of the box.

Once you touch the box, relax your hip flexors slightly erecting your body count one one thousand and re-engage your hip flexors exploding up through your hips.


Conventional Deadlift

1. Feet Hip Width (tighter COG)
2. Greater emphasis on hips and back
3. Arms outside legs
4. Shoulders/Arm pits over bar for leverage…different leverage than sumo
5. Great for improving Clean

Start with a legs hip distance apart and hands grab the bar in a double over or mixed grip (over/under) position. Shoulders over the bar, arm pits in line with bar and bar touching the shins. Stay tight and compact and imagine that you are wedging yourself into the ground.

Once you set engage the lats linking your arms to the shoulders and the bar to your body and take a deep breathe through the nose to the belly bracing your core against a belt (imaginary or real), keep your head up and eyes forward to make sure you keep your back in a neutral position.

To begin the lift push your feet into the ground driving through your hips and legs as you explosively lift the bar of the gorund, grazing your shins as it travels beyond your knees and you pull your hips through making sure that your hips, knees and shoulders all finish at the same time.

This is a single movement and all major parts and joints involved should start and finish the move at the same time. Do not be lazy in the hips or back, making sure to keep a strong neutral spine, lats tight, core engaged and hips aggressively extending in an effort to lift the bar off the floor.


Sumo Deadlift

1. Wide Leg Stance, toes out to accommodate
2. Less Hip Flexion
3. More Leg Drive
4. Arms inside hips

Wide stance with toes turned out so the knees and toes can track properly (knee should point in same direction of middle toes). Place hands on bar shoulder width apart and shoulders slightly over the bar for optimal leverage. Sit in your hips as you pull the bar up your body sliding along the shins. Make sure to lock the shoulders into the sockets connection the bar, arms,and shoulders to the upper torso and more importantly making the body and bar all in piece and connected to the ground.




Bench Press

1. Engage your lats and retract your shoulder blades
2. Lift your rib cage and keep lifted throughout movement & do not round your shoulders at all!
3. Push yourself away from bar and into bench
4. Crush the grip and bend the bar as you press
5. Push in a straight line, bar comes to lower part of chest (nipple area)

Bench Press in powerlifting terms is a lat and triceps exercise. Prior to performing the move be sure to set your shoulder blades into the bench creating an arch in your low back. Note: tight your glutes and press your feet in the floor to prevent your low back from compressing and to give you additional pressing power due to the whole body being tight and engaged.

Get help with the lift off bringing the bar over your chest, check that your lats are engaged, shoulders pinned back against the bench and chest/ribcage lifted.

Lower in a controlled manner to the nipple area pulling the bar into your chest, then press explosively from the lats and triceps pushing yourself away from the bar and into the bench…stay arched and make sure not to round the shoulders as you press. Remember the bar travels a straight path up, once locked out either repeat or set the bar back onto the rack.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Speed & Agility Course for Young Athletes

Los Gatos Fitness
Presents
Speed & Agility for Young Athletes
8 week course….only $299
Tuesday & Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m
NOTE: No classes on December 29th and 31st

Essential to athletic success is speed and agility. The difference between being fast and top end speed is in the proper mechanics, core strength and overall body strength and awareness. This 8 week course is designed to teach the athlete proper mechanics of sprinting/running and movement. The course will develop the athlete’s ability to take their strength and conditioning and turn into on field speed and agility.

The Basis of the Program

➢ Learn the proper biomechanics and anatomical application of sprint and running mechanics. This includes drills, games and sprint conditioning
o Top End Speed- it is important that he possess the ability to run straight ahead as fast as possible. Top End Speed will be taught and developed by improving running mechanics and enhancing stride frequency and stride length.
➢ Learn the how to stop, cut, turn, react and accelerate in all directions, straight ahead, laterally, backpedaling, etc. This will include drills, games and conditioning
o Change of Direction- It is essential that an athlete possess the ability to change direction in a smooth and fluid manner with minimal loss of speed, balance, and power.
o Short Area Quickness
o Did you know most lower extremity injuries occur when suddenly stopping? Learn how to properly decelerate being able to suddenly stop or slow down while being in control.
o Acceleration- The ability to generate quick leg turnover.
➢ Maximal strength and acceleration ability are closely related. Spend time developing maximal strength through traditional means like squatting and utilizing derivatives of Olympic lifting movements. This is open to all athletes who enroll in the concurrent strength and conditioning program on Monday and Wednesday.

Joe Sarti, kinesiologist & exercise physiologist, is a highly regarded expert strength and conditioning coach. He has coached athletes such as Frank Shamrock, San Jose Razorclaws of the IFL, college athletes, etc.. His experience is vast and deep with knowledge of kettlebells, power lifting, Olympic lifting, odd strength lifts, yoga and more. Joe is an accomplished athlete having competed in professionally in sports such as Rugby, Baseball, Adventure racing, mountain biking, and events such as the Tactical Strength Challenge, The Beast Challenge and more.

Strength & Conditioning Course for Young Athletes

Los Gatos Fitness
Presents
Strength & Conditioning for Young Athletes
8 week course….only $299
Monday & Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m.
NOTE: No classes on December 28th and 30th

Strength is the foundation for all athletic movement including speed, power, explosiveness, etc. This program is designed to teach the young athlete the foundation building a strong physique, work ethic and mentality toward performance in sport and life.

The Basis of the Program

➢ Learn how to prepare for peak performance. This includes both the mental and physical preparation for peak performance. Simply put it is the combination of both mental and physical preparation and practice that differentiates the great performers. It is one thing to perform in practice, another to perform on the field, platform, etc. You will learn how to make/take your daily practice into the real deal!

➢ Learn how to perform safely and effectively and how to see the physical movements beyond just the basic tenants too the deeper side of what/why each move will help you perform at your peak levels. It is one thing to know proper form and technique it is another to use the bodies systems, its anatomy, physiology and the biomechanics to their full potential. Movements included are the squat, deadlift, clean, bench press, military press, etc.

➢ The course gives you information imperative to the development of the key aspect of peak performance, Internal Strength. For strength is not an external action but an internal state of being. Our true peak performance in life, practice, relationship, sport, etc. depends on our internal strength and state of being.

➢ This course teaches you how to work from the root and inner being to the branches and external being. By implementing these principals you will notice with consistent application and new found state of being and therefore human performance.

Joe Sarti, kinesiologist & exercise physiologist, is a highly regarded expert strength and conditioning coach. He has coached athletes such as Frank Shamrock, San Jose Razorclaws of the IFL, college athletes, etc.. His experience is vast and deep with knowledge of kettlebells, power lifting, Olympic lifting, odd strength lifts, yoga and more. Joe is an accomplished athlete having competed in professionally in sports such as Rugby, Baseball, Adventure racing, mountain biking, and events such as the Tactical Strength Challenge, The Beast Challenge and more.

Kettlebell Seminar of Unique Proportions

Crossfit Unlimited
Presents
The Russian Kettlebell for Enhanced Performance
December 5th, 2009, 10 am to 1 pm…..only $75

Why you need to attend this seminar!
1. You are serious about getting in shape (leaner, stronger, firmer, toner, fitter) and want to learn how to get the most out of your workouts in the least amount of time.
2. You are a beginner and you want to ensure that you learn the proper technique to maximize your progress and avoid unnecessary injuries.
3. You want to learn about the benefits of kettlebells in a fun environment.
4. You want to be lean (decrease body fat and maintain or increase muscle density).
5. You want to be stronger.
6. You want a strong heart (cardiovascular strength and conditioning).
7. You want a strong core, strong and tight hips (glutes), tone and strong legs and arms and a nice set of shoulders with a strong back.

What you will learn about Kettlebell Movements:

Swing
*How to use the hips, maximizing power and performance

Snatch
*How to improve & train VO2 Max and maximize your athletic ability

Military Press
*How to increase your press strength

Squat
*Why the Front Squat is the ultimate ab/core developer

Clean
*How to move the bell with effortless effort

TGU
*Increase strength and stability of the shoulder and core

Joe Sarti
Joe is a highly regarded expert in strength and conditioning. He has coached athletes such as Frank Shamrock, San Jose Razorclaws of the IFL, college athletes, etc.. His experience is vast and deep with knowledge of kettlebells, power lifting, Olympic lifting, odd strength lifts, yoga and more. Joe is an accomplished athlete having competed in professionally in sports such as Rugby, Baseball, Adventure racing, mountain biking, and events such as the Tactical Strength Challenge, The Beast Challenge and more. Learn why he is one of the best in the business.

For more info go to www.fitnessjoe.com or email joe@fitnessjoe.com