Japan Kettlebell Club

New members info coming soon !

They’re here! Pro-Series Kettlebells now available.

Finally, the waiting, the shipping, dealing with customs and then finally having them delivered to my door…….

I have four different sizes to choose from, and if the response from the last few days is anything to go by, they will disappear rather quickly!

After getting home from work today, I grabbed a couple of 20kg bells and took them out for a test drive. The balance that you experience using the pro-type kettlebells is awesome and inspires confidence when lifting, encouraging you to really concentrate on good form.

Pro-series kettlebells are the ‘bells of choice for the Girevoy sport and well known kettlebell celebrities like Steve Cotter, John Wild Buckley, Ken Blackburn etc

Since this is my initial order, I have four sizes available:

8kgs , 12kgs , 16kgs and 20kgs.

Q. What are the advantages of pro-series bells?

A. In a nutshell, due to the casing being one regular size, the progression from weight to weight is much easier, causing the body to not have to “re-learn” each time when moving up in weight and encountering a different size bell.

Also, the design of the handle is specifically factored to allow the user to do high repetitions, with the least amount of stress on the body, wrists, forearms etc. This is a key element if doing longer sets or more competition type activities.

If you are interested in learning more about the pro-series bells, or would like to purchase one, contact me at:

mark.jersey@gmail.com or

japankettlebellclub@gmail.com

Cheers,

Markeu

Technorati Tags: kettlebells,pro-series,sales,questions and answers,IKFF Japan

Where does the year go?

Fall is finally upon us here in Japan, bringing with it my favorite cooler weather and a greater motivation in me to exercise.
I love the feeling of cool air- it invigorates me to want to get out and do something, rather than the usual lackadaisical influence of high level humidity…

Got to make the most of it while we can! I am about to receive my first order of pro-series kettlebells as well, and look forward to spreading these around Japan to the serious kb practitioners out there. I expect a phone call from customs within the next week or so….

Will be having another group meeting here in Tokyo on the 25th, and will be happy to check in with everybody and their own routines.

Its a great motivator for me to pursue my own physical path sincerely.

So, break out that track suit and get ready to use the Winter for what its meant for- exercise!

Cheers,

Markeu

How To Breathe Properly During Kettlebell Jerks

IKFF CKT2 EDINBURGH

Planes, trains and kettlebells

Been a very busy last six weeks or so that has seen me up and down the length of Japan and keeping very busy.
Last weekend went up three hours north of Tokyo to train an American couple living up there, and enjoyed being outside the city for the best part of the day.

I have my mobile kettlebell assault unit down by now- a small luggage type hand trolley with my ‘bell in a box containing all I need, chalk, stretch bands etc and a 16 kg bell to take with me.
The trains don’t present a problem at all now, and I get a workout on the way carrying my luggage up and down flights of steps.

So, anyone out there in need of an introduction to, or more advanced lessons with the kettlebells, regardless of your location- let me know.

I am very happy to inform that I will be receiving a consignment of top quality pro-series kettlebells within the next three weeks or so. These will be powder coated and beautifully finished, and packaged with transport in mind. I will add some photos here later this week to show you what we are dealing with.

There will be:
10 12kg pro-series kettlebells
10 16kg pro-series kettlebells
These rare items for Japan will literally fly out the door, so if you are interested in purchasing one or more, please contact me as soon as possible at japankettlebellclub@gmail.com for more information. I am taking pre-orders and numbers are already dropping fast!

More soon,
Cheers,

Mark

John Wild Buckley: heart, muscle and soul.

John Wild Buckley is a physical force of nature. On meeting this giant of a man ( I admit, I am of pretty average height, but believe me, hes a giant) you receive a potentially bone crushing grip, wonderfully welcoming smile and a friendly arm around the shoulder faster than you can say long cycle. With the Orange Kettlebell Club, founded with co-founder Nazo now establishing branches all over the world, his infectious charm and enthusiasm for the sport names him as yet another major personality of the kettlebell scene.

We met recently on his teaching trip to Japan and although time was short, we managed to fit in a two hour chat at a Japanese izakaya restaurant, with the other attendees of the seminar sitting around listening in.

GKJ- Hi John, it was great meeting you today and watching you in action. Perhaps we can start off with you tell us all a little bit about yourself and your background, and how you got involved in the kettlebell sport.

Hi Mark, It was a pleasure meeting you and I would like to thank you for all of your help with the Tokyo workshops and your support of the OKC and the IKFF.

I first started working with Kettlebells in 2003 with my friend Gavin Van Vlack in New York City. Mostly it was playing around with a new modality but it was fun and refreshing, I knew right away that there was something special about them. I wanted to learn as much as I could and when I got to the Bay Area in 2004 my education really began. I was introduced to Kettlebell Concepts by Victoria Grey and then to the RKC by Jason C. Brown.

I was working every day to get better using books, DVD’s, workshops and certifications. I had gone through a few certifications when before I met Steve Cotter. After meeting Steve my professional life would change forever. Shortly after our meeting I went to San Diego to work with Steve and the AKC. After that I had my audition to assist Steve at the first IKFF certification in Chicago. Since then I have been lucky enough to travel around the world with Steve and the IKFF as well as taking my own Kettlebell Club, the OKC, international. Traveling around the world to teach has presented me with the greatest side effect I could imagine, I got to learn from some of the best international lifters in the world.

I had always enjoyed lifting but once I learned how technical the core lifts (snatch, jerk, long-cycle) could be I became committed to mastering them. It has become clear to me that this endeavor may take the rest of my life, so be it.

GKJ-Today, after your workshop, we talked a little bit about fluctuating strength, and the need to sometimes drop down to a lower weight and check form and technique in order to make personal gains. Can you elaborate on this for me and why this is important to do? Many people get caught up using a heavy weight, and then fear going back down again, thinking that in some way, this is a loss. What is the right attitude?

I am always wary of saying something is “the right” attitude, method, or way. I have been sure in the past about many things and have been proven wrong in absolute and ego crushing ways. I had to drop weight because my weakness is my endurance, not my strength. It is easy for me to lift heavy. Sometimes I find myself indulging in showing off or fooling around with feats of strength and I don’t see the harm in it. I enjoy it and most of the time people find it entertaining but that is fun time, not work. When I go to work it is my weakness I need to address so it may be the 16’s or the 24’s but I am not allowed to touch the 32’s, 36’s, 40’s or 48’s. I have to admit, it really is work. I train alone because my ego can’t stand people watching me work with 16’s. I understand where people are coming from when it comes to training light, but I do the work, and my numbers will show the results.
The way I look at it is a lifter is always coming from two directions. A lifter will have a strength and a weakness. The weaker side will have the biggest opportunity to improve. Improvement on your stronger end will come more slowly. The objective should be to connect the dots. Correcting your weaknesses is the fastest way.

GKJ- We also talked a little about hand care. People that decide to take their kettlebell work beyond the basics and in to long cycle and the Girevoy Sport style of training, find that their hands often take a beating, experiencing skin tears, blisters etc. What can you tell by looking at someone’s hands, and what can be done to improve their technique?

Hand care is the key to great lifting.  The funny thing for me is after a real big tear I was forced to work on my jerks because I couldn’t snatch or clean. It was lemonade! However, not tearing is better then living by bad clichés.  The only way not to tear your hands is to master your technique. Even then you may tear due to fatigue or a mistake while lifting. As someone makes a transition from a harder-style snatch to a more technical snatch they may experience hand damage in different places then they are used to but eventually it will subside and the overall damage to your hands will decrease over time. I hardly tear at all any more. I have developed new calluses on my fingers and at the base of my index finger. I have learned how to let the bell slide past my calluses as I transition from my open grip to my hook grip. It has required a lot of practice and patience, but it has been worth the work.

GKJ- What personal challenges do you face in your own practice? How are you going about remedying them?

As for my own training the biggest challenges I face are my lockout, rack position, endurance, power sequence…shall I go on? The list is endless. I feel like an old car, every time I fix something, something else needs to be replaced. At least with all of the work my numbers keep going up. I hope that doesn’t sound too negative. I really do enjoy the challenge. When I say “old car” I mean it in the restoring a classic sense. I have to rip out all of the old parts and replace them with newer, cleaner, stronger parts. The more I work on my shortcomings the better I get as a lifter and a coach. I have to learn new techniques to correct all of the mistakes I make.  The process has been very fulfilling. I really get excited about training as well as teaching and sharing what I have learned.

GKJ- Lastly, we started talking about the “mind training” element of kettlebells, and the concept of a strong mind. Obviously we are not talking about muscle strength here, but the element of the will to go beyond personal limits. Can you talk a little bit more about this, and what advice do you have for the kb’ers out there?

For sure, kettlebell training for sport trains your mind. When you are working on a ten minute set you are not going to be comfortable the whole time. You will be required to stay focused under extreme duress and that in itself is a skill. You will be required to stay cool under pressure and stick to your technique. You must be patient. Some words that come to mind are toughness, empty, willing, gritty, and peaceful.

GKJ-Nazo did a great job today with the translations, and she is a real asset to your presence here in Japan. Have you been working together for a long time?

Nazo is a co-founder of he OKC and she is a key element in all things OKC. Her presence here in Japan is ten times mine and her reputation is well deserved. She has also taught Kettlebell in Japan, the US and Europe. She is a talented lifter and teacher as well as a GS Champion. I am thrilled that you enjoyed her translation. She gets stronger everyday, just like the OKC.

Many thanks for the interview John!
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Kettlebell basics with Steve Cotter

Interview with IKFFs Steve Cotter

Body mechanics- understanding your machine

There is no simpler way to say it: body mechanics affects the way that you perform an exercise, and makes you unique.

Yes, we have the same skeletal structure, yes, we have the same muscles and nerves, but that is where the similiarity ends.

Even the performance of a simple exercise will show particular characteristics that are only available to you due to your own personal body make up. Watch a group of people run, or walk down the street. How more unique can you get- even two brothers will move differently due to their own mechanical physiologic makeup. For sure, posture and injury play their part, but taken as a base, even the simplest of movements displays you in all your glory.

Watch another group perform the basic kettlebell swings and exercises, and again, the individuality arises again.

In amongst all of this, finding yourself, in your own training, and your own “sweet spot” in the performance of these exercises, is part of the challenge of learning the kettlebell.That sweet spot of each movement is dependent on

• your flexibility and mobility
• length of arms and limbs
• body proportions, trunk to leg

Steve Cotter, Denis Kanygin and any kettlebell expert will tell you, you are unique and the way you move is particular to you. Of course, copy the fundamentals and understand what and why you are doing it- then find yourself in the middle of all this. And go for it!

Its a great feeling.

Cheers,
Markeu