Cancer to Become Leading Cause of Death World Wide by 2010

Cancer is projected to be the leading cause of death by 2010 according to a report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The comprehensive report was analysed at an event in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, called Conquering Cancer: A Global Effort.

Cases of cancer doubled globally between 1975 and 2000, apparently will double again by 2020, and will nearly triple by 2030 claims the report. There were an estimated 12 million new cancer diagnoses and more than 7 million deaths worldwide this year. The projected numbers for 2030 are 20 to 26 million new diagnoses and 13 to 17 million deaths.

"There is a clear message of hope: Although cancer is a devastating disease, it is largely preventable. We know that preventive measures, such as tobacco control, reduction in alcohol consumption, increased physical activity.... and screening and awareness, could have a great impact on reducing the global cancer burden," said Peter Boyle, PhD, DSc, director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer in a statement entitled, Conquering Cancer: A Global Effort.

The report comes at a time when CJS Fitness has formed alliances with some of the UK's leading authorities on exercise and cancer recovery, such as Cancer Rehabilitation UK. In conjunction with the Lynden Tree Project, CJS Fitness aims is to establish the first ever exercise and cancer recovery program in London, due to be launched 0ctober 2009.

The full article by Nick Mulcahy, on the report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer can be found on Medscape.

IKFF Kettlebell Certification London 2008

First Thoughts...

Thirty participants. Two world class Kettlebell Coaches. Two days. One venue. One purpose. This was the weekend of September 6th, the venue was The Generating Company in the docklands. The space was usually inhabited by circus performers and acrobats, but that day Gireveks from all over Europe lay siege to the venue, eagerly awaiting the IKFF's first ever UK course.

Each time I train with Steve Cotter I take away a nugget of information that penetrates my understanding a little more deeply, despite the high level information throughout the rest of the workshop. This time it was going back to basics with the Kettlebell swing and its effect on my snatch technique. As anyone who has done a 10 minute snatch set can testify, one of the first things to give out is your grip. Now while strengthening your grip can only have a positive affect on your endurance in the snatch, sometimes the weakest link can be found a little further down the chain.

For me it was the lower phase of the snatch (that is the swing part). While I was aware of the involvement of the posterior chain, especially the hamstrings and glutes in the elevation of the bell through their elastic recoil(the stretch- shortening cycle) I hadn't previously taken full advantage of that fact. Steve mad a point of emphasising the back swing; that is actually accelerating in what would typically be considered the deceleration portion of the swing.

This had the effect of consciously activating the stretch shortening cycle and enabled the bell to be elevated with far more considerable ease than heaving the bell overhead by forceful contraction of the glutes and quadriceps while extending the spine. This reduced fatigue in the lower limbs and the subsequent tendency to then apply upper body mechanics to 'muscle up' the snatch, thus smoking your grip.


I had a bit of an 'aha!' moment. You probably can't appreciate the dramatic effect this simple adjustment had on my technique by just reading about it. It will make sense when you actually do it, and when you get it you know its right, because it feels right - your body instinctively knows. So for the past month I have been breaking down the snatch to its constituent parts, and working on extended timed pieces on the swing (double handed and single arm) and the clean, laying down a new foundation to a far more effective snatch.

If you're truly into Kettlebells and haven't trained with Steve Cotter or Ken Blackburn, I urge you to do so. I don't care if you are a complete beginner or a qualified Kettlebell Coach, your time and money will be well spent. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from such accomplished Kettlebell Coaches and authentic people. I know that by putting into practice what I have learned not only will those that train with CJS Fitness gain from it, but on a personal level, I too can only be better off for it.

Now is the time to invest

Maybe the credit crunch hasn't hit you yet, perhaps your bobbing and weaving off the ropes, patiently waiting for your chance to hit back. Believe it or not, now is the time to invest.

"Where is a mans wealth? his wealth is in his knowledge. For if its in the bank and not in his knowledge then he doesn't posses it. Why? because its in the bank."
Muhammad Ali

I would go one step further and say that your wealth is in your health. A physically fit and emotionally centered person will be more effective in life and a lot more joyful than one who is sick from stress, worry and physical inactivity. So considering the state of the financial markets, now more so than ever is the right time to invest in your health.

Do whatever is necessary to claim back your mental calm, emotional and physical wellbeing. Take time to invest in you.

Steve Cotter IKFF Kettlebell Course

IKFF and CJS Fitness Team





I've had the opportunity of Kettlebell training with steve cotter on a number of occasions over the years. This was the first time that he had held a UK IKFF (International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation) Certification course in the UK. This was also the first time the legendary Ken Blackburn had crossed the pond to bless the us with his presence and Kettelbell teaching skills. We were not disappointed.

It was a very demanding and amazing course, with an amazing bunch of people and Kettlebell trainers that attended - from all corners of the earth. Steve Aish of London Kettlebells summed it up perfectly in their recent newsletter so I'm not going to try and top it. The news letter is available in full below. I'll be writing more about my experience of the Kettlebell course, and the strong man competitions on the course that I got stuck into!

London Kettlebell Newsletter September 2008

The London IKFF Certification report by Stephen Aish

I recently had the pleasure of a weekend's kettlebell training with the IKFF. This was a certification course run by Steve Cotter and Ken Blackburn. While being no stranger to kettlebells, I certainly took away a lot of learning points and training methods. I also thought the joint mobility section that Ken delivered was fantastic and extremely functional.

Now to the trainers themselves - Steve is without doubt one of the worlds leading kettlebell experts in both knowledge and ability. He trains like the Duracell bunny and you know he isn't even out of his warm up phase by the smile. His knowledge as a trainer is first class and extremely in depth. The points he has picked up through the contacts he has had in the professional kettlebell world can add to every ability from novice to experienced lifter.
Ken is also a fantastic coach and his level of conditioning has to be seen to be believed. There are not many guys out there at 240lb that can squat thrust, tuck jump and even ground flip with a gymnast's agility and then lift 32k kettlebells without breaking a sweat. Kens knowledge of bodyweight mechanics was demonstrated by a fantastic joint mobility session and his kettlebell ability needs no introduction. When you can chair press a pair of 32ks once you are strong. When you hold the world record with 52 reps you are in a league of your own.

One of the things that really makes the IKFF stand apart from most kettlebell businesses and most businesses in general is that it is a passion first and foremost and a business second. This is easily demonstrated by the fact that the IKFF is focussed as much on what happens to you after a seminar as during. Their aim is to help you promote your kettlebell business and any events you do and to strengthen that long term relationship with you.

If you are serious about learning kettlebells properly or have been using them for weeks, months, or years and think you know what they are all about, drop the ego, book a seminar space and get some serious knowledge under your belt on how to really use kettlebells from true professionals.

If Steve Cotter is humble enough to state that he has been using kettlebells for many years but only using them "properly" for the past couple of years then just maybe more people will realise that the same could be true for them.

One big reason you're not achieving your goals

The bottom line is, how important is that goal to you? I read an article by Strength and Conditioning Coach Charles Staley, while simplistic in nature, it rang true. If you hear yourself repeatedly telling yourself (or others for that matter) about the weight you want to lose, the marathon you want to run, the weight you wish to lift, the competition you want to win, and you've been saying this for some time (and it still hasn't happened), I urge you to read his article, it will have a profound effect and may just make all the difference between you achieving what you truly want or not.

Here is an extract from the article by Strength Coach Charles Staley, creator of Escalating Density Training.

"Look: You are exactly where you want to be right now. If you REALLY wanted to be somewhere else, you'd have taken the steps necessary to be there now! Now you might say "Well, that’s not true - I know someone who is 100 pounds overweight and he’s miserable!"

To which I say, no, he’s satisfied. Clearly, the benefit he’s deriving from his behaviors still outweighs the drawbacks, or else he’d change those behaviors!

OK, let’s use me as an example. I’m reasonably lean and my goals revolve around...." For full article click here.

Omega -3 Fats cut your chance of death (or hospitalisation)

Omega-3 fatty-acid supplementation improved life expectancy and decreased incidence of death in symptomatic heart-failure patients according to a study released on medscape. Now what was interesting to note statins (a commonly prescribed drug) failed to have any beneficial effect in the same group of patients. Check out the report here

So if you didn't know already fat is good for you. The right type of fat that is. Saturated fats and monounsaturated fats are not nutrients, you do not need them (although you can use them to make energy), but polyunsaturated fats or oils are essential. Essential fats not only reduce risk of death and readmission to hospital from heart disease, but they can reduce the risk of cancer, allergies, eczema, depression, fatigue and even PMS. The two essential fats being omega 6 and omega 3.

The key is to get them in balance. Most diets however will be deficient in Omega 3 as it is properties are more prone to damage in cooking and food processing. Probably the best natural sources of Omega 3 include Hemp seed oil and Flax seed oil (cold pressed), flax seeds and pumpkin seeds. The right amount of omega 3 varies depending on which source you read (and your body requirements!). The optimum nutrition site has some sound nutritional advice.

Epilepsy Increases Drowning Risk

A recent article on Medscape reported that people with epilepsy have a high risk of drowning when compared to the general population. The article goes on to say,

"Researchers have quantified the risk and report that epilepsy raises the likelihood of drowning 15- to 19-fold — most probably as a result of seizures that occur during swimming or bathing [italics added]. The findings appear in the August 19, 2008 issue of Neurology. And so the article rolls painfully on stating that,

"People with epilepsy should still be encouraged to swim, but supervision is especially important," Dr. Sander said. "Patients need to be careful and should never enter the water without someone who knows about their condition and who can intervene, if necessary."

Now surely this is a no brainer. Its said that there is nothing common about sense, but surely by the very nature of the condition, developing a study that concludes that Epilepsy increases drowning risk is just plain stating the obvious. Its a bit like saying,

"people who are physically active are more likely to get fit then those who are not".

I'm not playing down the seriousness of the condition and that attention should be brought light about epilepsy and drowning, but come on people did you really need to invest time and money to do a study to come to this conclusion? I don't know, maybe its just me.

I guess I see a difference between research for the sake of research, and developing a study that will increase understanding and pushes forward for a solution. Its a thin line, but one that should be questioned rather than simply lapping up what researchers and scientists spew out.

You can check out the full medscape article on their website.

The secret behind effective training (hint it's a virtue)

I receive a lot of newsletters in my inbox. Some I actually take the time to read, others get demoted to the trash with one swift click. One blog that delivers 95% of the time sent through a gem the other day.

Seth Godin wrote a piece entitled The secret of the web. I've included an extract below,

"I discovered a lucky secret the hard way about thirty years ago: you can outlast the other guys if you try. If you stick at stuff that bores them, it accrues. Drip, drip, drip you win.

It still takes ten years to become a success, web or no web. The frustrating part is that you see your tactics fail right away. The good news is that over time, you get the satisfaction of watching those tactics succeed right away."

Can you see where I'm going with this? So whats the secret? put simply it's patience. Training is alot like this. Doing the little things, or what we hate because we know that it will benefit us in the long run. Consistent concerted effort. But it takes time. It takes patience. The quick way is not always the right way, anymore than the cheapest is not always the best.

What do Michael Johnson, Nelson Mandela, Paula Radcliffe, Muhammad Ali, Joe Calzache, Asafa Powell and Lance Armstrong all have in common? They were all ten years or more in the making. At some point they all had a vision and stayed with it until it became a reality. One second at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time.

I shared Seth Godin's Post with Jonathan Lewis of Industrial Strength London who took it to another level. I'll leave you with his thoughts on the matter,

"Anyway thanks, this email [Blog post] is more useful than perhaps its author intended or suspected it might be........

Every pursuit in/of the universe seems to demand that we have patience if we want sustainable results. There are no exceptions to the rule depending what your time perspective is.

If I become a millionaire in 2 years, continue to make money that I can spend and enjoy over a life time but then on my death it all comes to an end was I a success?

I think perhaps we should be trying to influence as many people as possible within relationships that lasts as long a duration as possible.

Maybe if we can influence beyond the generation we are a part of then we are starting to be successful?"


Patience.

Boxing Secrets 101

If you take care of your tools, your tools will take care of you. One of the most important pieces of kit in a boxers tool box are his hands. You can be doing all the boxing fitness training or technique work you like, but if you break or injure your hands then you've lost before you've even entered the ring.

Wrapping your hands is as an important skill for a boxer as is learning to fight, but its often overlooked. My friend Martin Snow over at Trinity Boxing in the USA has posted a useful clip on youtube, showing you one way of how its done. Check it out below




And just in case you were wondering....



Thanks for this Martin.

10 New Kettlebell Video Clips

Well, actually a few more - but who's counting? New explosive Kettlebell clips have just been added to the CJS Fitness Channel on youtube. If you wanted tips to help perfect your Kettlebell technique, or a starting point if you're new to kettlebells then this is for you. The playlist features some of the finest Kettlebell Coaches internationally.

Let me know if there are any kettlbell exercises that you would like to see added and I'll track them down.

Enjoy.

Form or Function? You decide

I was recently sent a video of the US Olympic Wrestling team at training camp by the guys over at Diesel Crew. To be honest I was quite shocked by what I saw. Have a look at the clip below and see if you can tell what got my jaw dropping. Don't forget to pop back once you've checked it out. Go on, see you in a bit.

Time to Get JACKED!

In regard to the above video I wrote the following response on the Diesel Crew site.

"Jordan Vezina was spot on in his post on the 20th July. Sports specific training should prepare your body for sport and minimalise injury risk. By its nature sport is chaotic (many variables, more difficult to manage risk of injury). Your form (technique) should determine your function, not the other way around. Granted they need to prepare themselves for the chaotic environment, but less exercises with correct technique would be the way forward (then expand), otherwise you’re just doing more stuff - badly!"

Working harder is not always the answer. But working better almost always is.
Michael Johnson
400m Olympic Gold Medalist

So, the clip got me thinking. While training for the chaotic environment of sport, do we have to sacrifice intensity for the sake of form? No. I don't think so. However your intensity should not outstrip your capacity. To illustrate this, the clip below features Dustin Carter. He is an amazing athlete REGARDLESS of his physical 'disability' and I use the word 'disability' in the looses sense of the term. Glenn Cumiskey at the All Well Centre first showed me about Dustin Carter.

Form or Function? Both. I say you can have your cake and eat it. That's what cake is for. Thus enter Dustin Carter....