December Seminar

The Coaches: 

OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING / HORMONAL OPTIMISATION/ GORILLA GRIP STRENGTH & CALLISTENICS / STRENGTH TRAINING - PROGRAMMING AND FIXING IMBALANCES 

The Venue: 

Commando Temple, 

Resolution Way, London SE8 4NT,

0208 127 4545

web: www.bestronger.co.uk 

The Commando Temple is the obvious choice for holding this weekend of strength education. In the words of Steve Maxwell, “you’ll struggle to find a gym in the world that is better equipped!” The Temple is a multi-disciplined strength space with a team of top coaches, specialising in all areas ranging from weightlifting, powerlifting, Strongman, Calisthenics and a number of different martial arts. Rob’s vision is for The Commando Temple to house elements from the very best training systems known to man; all under one roof

Michaela Breeze (MBE) is a British Olympic Weightlifter. She retired in 2010 after an outstanding 18 years career on the international weightlifting stage, only to come out of retirement to compete in this summers 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she won Bronze and set a new Commonwealth Games Snatch Record.

Michaela’s career highlights include:

• representing Team GB at 2 Olympic Games 
• medalling at 4 Commonwealth Games for Wales including Gold & Silver in Manchester, Gold in Melbourne, Silver in Dehli in 2010, where she was also the Captain of Team Wales. 
• Michaela was awarded MBE for her Services to Weightlifting’ in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. 

In addition to focusing on her own weightlifting career, Michaela invests a great deal of time in coaching an inspiring youngsters to engage in sport.

From 2003 to 2014, she has produced 19 international weightlifters who previously had no weightlifting experience. Michaela has 11 years’ teaching experience as well as strength and conditioning experience in coaching athletes across a range of sports, developing their strength, power and overall sporting performances. She has worked with Tom Daley in his build up to winning a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympic Games and Tonia Couch, one of Britain’s most successful 10m platform divers.

What you will learn from Michaela:

Michaela Day 2:

Snatch and all the assistance exercises including:

• overhead squats
• snatch balance
• hang snatch
• snatch from blocks
• squat snatch and power snatch.

Clean and jerk – lifts and derivatives including:

• hang cleans
• clean from blocks
• power cleans
• squat cleans
• power jerks
• split jerks 
• push press

Michaela will not only run through all of the above names exercises, she will break down the technique and explain coaching points. Participants will be expected to take part where possible practically as well as work with others to identify common errors and methods of correction.

Sabina Skala 

Sabina is originally from Poland, her sports background is kayaking where she competed on national and international level. Sabina has trained under numerous world’s top coaches and is still investing her time in constant research and improvement. She has featured in Men’s Fitness, The Guradian, she also appeared on Super Human Radio and has written for various websites on the topic on s&c for Combat sports. She has taught at seminars and Expos in UK and worldwide (including Ireland, South Africa, Australia and Holland) alongside the likes of Mike Mahler, Brooks Kubik, Andy Bolton and Dan John.  

Sabina’s spends most of her time working with pro MMA as well as top BJJ and Judo athletes, however her stable of clients also includes triathletes, polo players, climbers, dancers and military personnel. She has also successfully trained top male models. On a day to day basis she works closely as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with Balance Physiotherapy Clinic that specialises in Sports Injuries. 

As a former competitive athlete Sabina believes that each is truly responsible for the performance potential and that we all are capable of limitless possibilities when we put our mind and hard work to it.  

Sabina Day 1

The role of the correct pelvis position in designing an effective strength training

In many cases the lack of progress in strength and power training is a result of postural and structural problems, which when solved result in rapid increase of strength and power. 

The pelvis is the major link between the spinal column and the legs. If this link is poor the power output is lost and we won’t be able to perform at our best.  Whilst performing the multi joint, compound movements like squats, deadlifts, strict presses or any athletic whole body movement like jumping, kicking etc the forces travel through the whole body. If the pelvis is not in the right position the signal gets lost and it may result not only in the inability to generate the amount of force the body is capable of but also in inability to perform the lift safely. 

Making sure the pelvis is in the correct position through the lift (the position will change depending on the phase of the lift) is paramount for every athlete and trainer. Before loading the bar, you have to make sure that your client’s structure enables them to position the pelvis correctly.  

We will look at 

• Looking at 2 different cases of pelvis positioning in reference to any postural problems
• Excessive anterior pelvic tilt (APT) – how to recognise it and going through mobility drills to fix it
• Excessive posterior pelvic tilt (PPT) – how to recognise it and going through mobility drills to fix it
• Addressing APT and PPT in designing effective warm ups for strength sessions
• Addressing APT and PPT when performing big compound lifts – squats, deadlifts, presses etc
• Having the tools to train your clients to move fast, explosive and lift heavy safely & effectively 

Sabina Day 2

Strength continuum – considerations for s&c coach when designing training plan for athletes / clients

It’s often not what we do in the gym but what we do outside the weight room that determines the outcome of the training. This is especially the case when we train athletes, but also applies to regular office workers who train for “fun” or to simply “keep fit”.  Knowing where your clients are in the Strength Continuum concept is essential in designing effective training program, ignoring it -  is a straight way to fail. 

• Continuing from Day 1 
• Looking at strength continuum and the place of your client in it (theory) 
• Sample strength and conditioning programming for an explosive/endurance athlete (MMA) and for an endurance (pro triathlete) – differences, considerations in programming (theory)
• Considerations for female athletes 

Rob Blair is the Founder and Owner of The Commando Temple  

Having spent 8 formative years as a Royal Marines Commando, and spending time on the front line, Rob soon learned the importance of keeping both body and mind not only strong but also healthy, and since leaving the military has invested heavily in both time and money in educating himself extensively as a strength coach, athlete and therapist. 

Over the last decade, Rob has competed in numerous super-endurance races, ranging from triple marathons and mountain challenges, to a 69 mile stint along Hadrian’s Wall. He is a strong advocate of using kettlebells (having trained alongside some of the best kettlebell coaches and athletes in the world) and other forms of strength training including Strongman and Calisthenics, to armour-plate the body in preparation for such challenges. 

In recent years, he’s set his mind on conquering a number of feats of strength in the grip world, and at the time of writing, Rob is a current British and World Record holder in grip sport for his weight division. He aims to have closed the Captains of Crush 3 Gripper and to have bent the Iron Mind Red Nail before the year is out.

What you will learn from Rob:

Rob Day 1:

DEVELOP A GORILLA GRIP!

Rob competes regularly in the world of grip sport and will be showing you how to develop a coconut cracking pair of mitts! 

We use our hands for complex tasks every day and as an athlete or coach wanting to improve yours, you may have already found that during large compound exercises (deadlifts, pulling movements, farmers walks, and various calisthenic movements) the weakest component is often the grip.

You are only as strong as your weakest link.

The old time strongmen knew all too well the importance of developing both hand health and strength! 

You will learn...

-Wrist, hand and elbow warm ups for optimal performance.

-Body weight ‘Strength Stretching’ for the wrist and hands. 

-Sledgehammer and Mace (Gada) work to build iron wrists! Your own personal wrist straps.

-Thick bar exercises and Circus Bell drills for thumb domination!

-Pinch grip...build your tendon and ligament strength to build resilience through the phalanges and create ‘iron clad’ fingers!

Rob Day 2

MYOFACIAL RELEASE, PRIMAL MOVEMENT AND JOINT MANIPULATION FOR STRONG MOVEMENT!

(ROB TEACHING AND ASSISTED BY FITSZ)

There are many, many forms of stretch therapy, trigger point release, tool assisted massage, paleo movement ninja monkey activation therapies around

Rob Blair assisted by The Commando Temple’s Head Calisthenics Coach, Fitsz Dubova will be manoeuvring through this movement vortex.

We will show you soft tissue release, joint manipulations and three dimensional stretches to grease movement patterns like a boss!

Stop working against your own soft tissue and start activating your CNS for strong, fluid movement...the way nature intended.

You will learn...

-Joint manipulation and soft tissue release to remove the brake on your foot and ankle complex...squatting, running, jumping and playing without the pain.

-Crawling, rolling and playing to keep you on the right side of niggles and pain! Do these to bullet proof your rehab/prehab protocol.

-Passive Tool-assisted Psoas release to De-load the Lumbo-Pelvic Hip Complex. Save hundreds of £££ every year by not visiting soft tissue workers and massage therapists again (Rob originally trained as a Sports and Remedial Massage Therapist)

-All of the above involves as little bull###t as possible, loads of results driven content and stuff that works real time!

WPU Strength Club: October Session

After a summer break we are back for the first time for the next Wild Physique Unleashed - WPU Strength Club.  October the 13th at Crossfit Bold HQ will feature a special guest strength & Conditioning coach who will be running an Olympic Weight Lifting clinic.


Now it doesn't matter if you have previous experience or not, he will cater for both, and it will be a fantastic opportunity for you to get to grips with the essential lifts, or fine tune your technique. Believe me, it will be worth the price of admission alone.


Plus we will have all the usual strongman kit to play with from atlas stones, to farmers walks to barbells and odd objects.

There are special early bird tickets available, so grab yours now.

http://wildphysiqueunleashed.eventbrite.com


**EARLY BIRD ENDS SEPTEMBER 15th**

See you in October.

Yours in strength


Cj

WPU Strength Club: Video Highlights

Bj Cj M Swaby



Ok, so it took me a week, but finally I got it done!  Here are the video highlights from the WPU Strength Club session.

Check it out. Looks like great fun right?






If you want to find out more about the next WPU Strength Club Session in May go to http://wildphysiqueunleashed.eventbrite.com

Yours in strength


Cj

Dealing with shoulder bursitis

DEALING WITH SHOULDER BURSITIS 

By Richard Aitchison

Everyone that trains seriously, competitively or otherwise at some point will realize they’re not indestructible machines and from time to time suffer injuries.

It happens to the best of us and I’m no different having had a plethora of different injuries over the years.

I could blame them on a number of things, bad form, hard sparring, wear and tear etc etc, but in the tradition of competitive pride that annoying niggle is ignored, “worked through” and inevitably becomes a fully blown “I’m going to have to take a month off” setback.

With that in mind I thought I’d tell you about my most recent endeavor in to the world setbacks.

So yes, the niggle was ignored and I quickly became aware that something was drastically wrong when I had to keep changing my training regime to fit around the increasing pain I felt in my shoulder. To the point, all pressing movements were out, any kind of pull ups were out, any bicep isolation exercises were out and I had virtually no external rotation.   

I always find seeking help with these kinds of issues a bit hit and miss. Below par therapists usually far outweigh the good and knowledgeable ones, luckily however, I had been introduced to Micheal Bordignon of Northern myotherapy previously and was very pleased when, after describing the symptoms and the inevitable “worst case scenario” talk which involved musings of a labral tear, he actually identified the problem to be bursitis.

Shoulder bursitis is inflammation of the bursa sac, a small cushion of fluid between the acromion and a number of tendons including subscapularis, supraspinatus, and bicep. It helps reduce friction as the tendons 

move back and forth.

With bursitis there is almost certainly going to be tendonitis . For me, this was definitely the case. I had increasingly aggravated the bicep and subscapularis tendons to a point they were so swollen they had started to push on the bursa which then caused it to become irritated.

The pain is quite acute especially at the front of the shoulder and is easily pinpointed which is good in terms of diagnosis. The pain, although sharp and annoying is bearable, and I found in the early stages of the injury that, although painful initially it subsided during training as I began to warm up. Obviously, at this point I should have been listening to my body as it began to get worse and restrictions in my range of motion were becoming more apparent especially regarding external rotation, which at its worst was less than half of what it should be and very painful under load.

Contributing factors

After diagnosing the bursitis and tendonitis we found with a little more investigating that the fundamental reason for the occurrence was an unstable shoulder. Due to lack of development, the shoulder had dropped down and forward effectively decreasing the gap between the acromion and top of the humerus, especially when raising the arm laterally and anteriorly. It’s fair to say i had been aware of this to some degree for some time prior to the injury, however, despite my best efforts to employ good form and muscle recruitment it was a case of too little too late and I believe without the right corrective procedures it was a lost cause. 

Specifically, the muscles around my scapular, mainly subscapularis and infraspinatus were the culprits, to a lesser extent teres minor, supraspinatus and the superior portion of my trapezius were involved also. Underdevelopment due to wrong muscle recruitment in this instance can really highlight how important initial programming is. We know it only takes a few repetitions to properly program a correct procedure but can take hundreds to re-program a bad one which, essentially, I’m having to do now. ‘Start as you mean to go on’, I believe the saying goes.

Proprioception

Proprioception - the ability to sense the position and location and orientation and movement of the body and its parts.

For rehabilitation to be successful I had to employ the use of a series of proprioceptive exercises. Contrary to what seems like popular belief amongst some therapists (I say this from experience), rotator cuff exercises involving internal/external rotation on several different planes was not an option .Because of the position of my shoulder the very movements involved in said exercises would have only served to aggravate the tendons further.

I see proprioceptive exercises as a way of isolating the specific muscles or groups of muscles affected, obviously to increase strength in the area but also to get good mental connection and therefore efficient motor unit recruitment, so when you’ve reprogrammed how a certain muscle should contract through a certain range, recruiting those muscles through more advanced movements becomes second nature.

The exercises prescribed for rehabilitation, a combination of isometric contractions and movements under contraction, target the muscles of the shoulder girdle to strengthen and reposition it in such a way that it effectively increases the gap between the acromion and humerus relieving pressure on the bursa and tendons and allowing the inflammation to settle.

So, a few things to highlight, obviously being aware of imbalances in muscular recruitment and development, and any other issues with anatomical positioning could help in self assessing potential problems. Admittedly, this injury probably could have been avoided altogether and as it is I’m now in my fifth month of dealing with it.  Also, I feel I should mention again the importance of seeking a good therapist to work with, a lot of the time I have spent dealing with this issue was because of bad advice that was detrimental to the healing process and its fair to say that since working with Michael I have made more progress in the last month than at any other time.

Richard

WPU Strength Club May Session

The W.P.U Strength Club had a great inaugural session.  If you want to get involved in strongman style training in london, the booking for the May session is now live.


Sunday May 26th down at the W.P.U Strength Club HQ, Crossfit Bold will be another day for strongman style strength training and challenges for the brave hearts.

Guys and girls, all levels welcome.  Spaces are limited to ensure quality training and access to all the kit.  You can book your spot by clicking the link below now

http://wildphysiqueunleashed.eventbrite.com

See you in May, any questions please do get in contact via the link above.

    Yours in strength


   Cj

Darren grafting on the Olypmic Platform

Hannah mastering the Zercher Squat.

DeadLift Dynamite

Deadlift Dynamite? That's what I'll be needing if I am to win the deadlift in the southern area qualifiers for Britains Natural Strongest Man (BNSM). Last year, my friend and strongman athlete Richard Senewald knocked out 12 reps at 230 to take joint first. Impressive right?


7 Weeks out and here is where I am at the moment.

Got some work to do. As I'm sure you know, There are only certain products I recommend, they have to be of quality, and have to add value. The same goes for the other Strength Coaches I work with.  Luckily I've worked with some of the best, including world record holder Andy Bolton.Think I might give this a go to fine tune my technique, strength and endurance.  Lets see what happens...

Click Here

Andy Bolton in action......

Some of my training toys have arrived at Crossfit Bold where I am currently training, so piece by piece everything is falling into place.

8 Weeks Out

Cj M Swaby

I thought I'd set myself a challenge. I was becoming comfortable being comfortable and I thought that with the start of the WPU Strength Club, I had better lead by example. So I did.

I'm 8 weeks out. On June 1st 2013 I will be competing in the Southern area qualifiers for  Britain's Natural Strongest Man in the U105kg  category in Oxford.  This will be my second competition.  I've got that nervous excited energy in the pit of my stomach, and looking forward to getting into the arena.

I am currently 96/97kg and my strength is currently off the mark. But come 1st June I am sure it will be.

Do you want to know what the event involves?  Well here it is?

105kg Log lift for reps

230kg Deadlift for reps

110kg & 130kg Farmers Walk

Olympic Bar to overhead. Maximum weight wins (no continental cleans)

Plus medley to finish.

Too easy right?  Each week I will be blogging about my training down at Crossfit Bold and Energie Gym in Fulham leading up to the competition.  I'll certainly be reviewing what I learned from the legendary Andy Bolton.

Bricking it? Yes.

Excited? Sure bloody.

 

W.P.U Strength Club In London

April 21st at Crossfit Bold, London see's the launch of W.P.U Strength Club.  The W.P.U Strength Club is all about drug free strength training for men and women who want to train with all the strongman style kit, with like minded individuals who are just plain awesome.

 Whether you want to actively compete or just train and get freakishly strong, you are welcome to attend. Spaces up for grabs are limited.

You can find out more and book your spot by going to

http://wildphysiqueunleashed.eventbrite.com

Why Strength and Fundamentals come FIRST?

After publishing my articles and Richie J Edwards strength phase training sessions on breakingmuscle.com I received tons of emails with questions about strength training. As I am not able to respond to all of them individually, here is a first of the short posts on strength training. In the Strength training series, I hope I will answer all the questions asked. 

So why is it so important for a COMBAT ATHLETE  to be strong? In the end, he/she moves or reacts only a weight which is closed to their own, etc. Why and how we have come up with the standards like 2x bw (body weight) Deadlift, 1.5x bw Front Squat, 0,9 bw strict press etc (for full list of strength standards go HERE:)

I strongly believe in fundamentals, not only from the standpoint that the stronger you are the more damage you can cause in your opponent. I believe in strength training because it is an extremely effective in injury prevention, especially for such a contact sport as MMA. It does not matter that much how many times you can hit the tire with a sledge hammer or how long you can go full out on an airdyne whilst wearing a gas mask. It may look cool but it is not necessarily effective. In my opinion -  Front squatting 1.5 x your body weight looks much cooler. 

What is important and what you always come back to are the pillars of strength, the basic movements.

Press movement

Pull movement

Squat movement

Hinge / lift movement

Rotation

Loaded carry

The basics of learning tension, applying the correct body structure and absorbing the load through both muscular and skeletal systems, understanding the use and activation of the mid section and also the importance of the tension through the whole body can never be overestimated. The effort of the BODY and the MIND and the feeling of lifting big load is what aids the confidence when in the cage, ring or matt, providing technical skills are in place.

Make your athletes strong before adding any plyometrics, balance, ballistic or speed training. I still see so many trainers and video posts, where fighters are jumping over, on top and off boxes etc and it is clear that they are not strong enough to provide stability for the knees to absorb the shock. If they cannot front squat at least their body weight with correct from -  don't make them jump, it is asking for a blown knee or Achilles tendon injury. Find the weaknesses and deal with them before progressing.

Training strength - stick to basics, certainly providing you have enough time in your hands you can add some fillers, make the sessions more interesting, however fundamentals come first. If I have an athlete for 30 mins, I will better make sure these 30 mins have been used to the best of his/her ability and advantage. 

Strong comes first, once Strong is in place, you can play with your training more without risking injuries and getting more speed, power and endurance benefits out of it. 

As to the strength standards - they are based on experience, consultation with top s&c coaches and still, they serve us only as a basis for true athletic development. As to the next questions that pops up - how strong is strong enough for a combat athlete,  I will answer it in the next weeks post. 

Keep strong

Sabina

Ps. Check out breakingmuscle.com (HERE). Its a top website with tons of information from various fields of fitness and athletics. 

New Years Resolutions, 6 Steps To Make Them Stick.

By Coach Cj Swaby


New Years resolutions, it's that time of the year again. January 1st is typically the day when dreams are filled with hope, and your will is fortified.

You are ready to take action. But slowly as the year progresses, your hope fades and your will erodes. Your dreams lay shattered, broken on the rocks of despair. Ok, ok that might be a bit much, but you get the picture right? Can you relate?  If so, you certainly want to check out the blog entry over at innertruth coaching on New Years resolutions. How to make them stick. A useful read.

Kettlebells Workshop in London 2013

By Coach Cj Swaby

Kettlebells courses and Kettlebells seminars in London are as common as pigeons in Trafalgar Square.  The hard part is being able to figure out which Kettlebells Training providers are worth your time and money.

I'm sure you'd agree that getting quality Kettlebell Coaching is important if you want to learn how to train with Kettlebells effectively, and the key coaching points of each Kettlebells exercise.

CJS Kettlebells was established in 2004 and has delivered quality Kettlebell courses in London and through out the UK. They have featured in  magazines such asMen's Fitness, Fighters Only,  and Women's Fitness  among others.


On January 27th in Crossfit Performance 360 in London, Coach Cj Swaby will be running his last ever Kettlebells workshop in London. He will be covering the Kettlebells Odd Lifts in great detail. The Kettlebells workshop is suitable for those with some Kettlebell experience who can perform the basic lifts with confidence.

Kettlebells Odd Lifts are  a fun and  great way to build functional strength,  and drastically improve your cardiovascular fitness, There is  even a special early bird price for those booking  the Kettlebells Odd Lift Workshop before 15th January. Do you want to know exactly  the content  of Kettlebells workshop? Go to www.cjskettlebells.com

The Real Reason I Train

By Coach Cj Swaby

I made a post on facebook earlier in the week, and was surprised by the passionate response it generated.


Below is the unaltered post from facebook. It seems that we all have our reasons for training. Aside from the obvious, mine are quite specific, can you relate?


"A lot of people meditate by sitting with their legs crossed, spine straight, eyes closed.

Me? I train.

Why? Each time it provides me with the opportunity to overcome aspects of myself that I need to learn and grow from, and reinforce others.  

To master my mind, to master my body and infuse them with my spirit.

Mind
Body
Spirit

In alignment.

Each time I train I learn that little bit more.

I do not train to attain enlightenment. I train to shatter illusions and elevate my consciousness (and its damn fun!)

Why do you train?"

Tim Ferris: The 4 hour Ethos

By Coach Cj Swaby

His best selling book, The 4 Hour Work Week changed the game. It's arrival caught the wave of a jilted generation that was caught up in a collapsing economy, job cuts, downsizing, industries disappearing, worthless education,  while it appeared we worked harder and seemed to get little in return. Least of all self fulfilment and a compelling future.

Tim Ferris gave us life style design for a modern age. He showed how to adapt to our evolving times, and utilise the tools at your disposal so that you can create with certainty, the future you want.  His unique concepts means that it could all be possible on a 4 hour work week.  

So successful with his consistent application, he then went on to  author the 4 Hour Body, applying the same principles to health and fitness. He cut through all the garbage perpetuating the industry, and distilled it to the most effective methods that work. He used his body as the testing ground, and documented it in detail in his book, The 4 hour Body.

On January 14th 2013 Tim Ferris will be delivering his 4 Hour Ethos in London. The event is hosted by  Alternatives.org.uk This will be the only time Tim will be in the UK in 2013 so don't miss this fantastic opportunity. You can find out more and book for this exciting event here.

When A Teacher Appears

By Coach Cj Swaby

"It is in self limitation that a master first shows himself." - Confucius

The picture above is of the new CFC Champion Richie Edwards, and David Campbell.  Two outstanding gentlemen, but for very different reasons. Today you will learn about my teacher, David Campbell (David is the once sitting down).

David is a client of mine. I've been training him for 3 years or more now.  He always has a smile on his face, even when he's had a bad day.  He comes ready to train and gives it 100%  every time, without fail.

At times he has a wicked sense of humour (which can be quite dark), and greets everyone he meets with warm welcome, and takes an interest in how they are, lighting them up with his enthusiasm. To David his way of being comes naturally.

So you may thinking, "So what? I know a lot of people like that." But there is something special about David. He has a rare condition which is all too familiar in his family, these are his words,

" I was diagnosed with Cerebellar Ataxia, a rare neurological disorder in 2002. I'm wheelchair dependent as my limbs are uncoordinated which makes me unable to walk. My eyes also see double vision at all times. Eventually this condition will take my life earlier.


Even though I suffer from progressive illness, I feel like with the help of Cj he has helped me to slow down the progression of the condition."


The Cerebellum is the part of the brain responsible for motor function. Symptoms of Cerebellar Ataxia include loss of muscle control, bladder control, neuropathic pain, cardiomyopathy (dysfunction of the heart muscle), depression, slurred speech, problems chewing and swallowing food. These are just some of the reported symptoms.  You can find out more about Cerebellar Ataxia here.

To be able to choose your attitude, and your way of being despite your circumstances or situation is the sign of  true mastership. David is a living embodiment of this and still has compassion for others.  He does not got go about preaching, yet by simply being in his presence, and how he conducts himself, you get it. Sometimes, when I allow myself to slip, simply knowing that I am about to train him, or thinking, "Who would David be in this situation?" causes me to raise my game.

This is why I consider it a privilege to train David. That is why I consider him my teacher.

Our Last Kettlebell Workshop Ever

By Coach Cj Swaby






January 27th 2013 sees the end of an era. Over the last  eight years we  have established ourselves as one of the leading front runners in commercial Kettlebell training in the UK, and throughout Europe.

We have thoroughly enjoyed it, but things change.  You can find out more here

A Truly Inspiring Story

"Although your journey may be unique to you. Never forget that you may be lighting the path for others  to follow. So remember to shine on (especially when it gets dark)."

                                                                                                                                          - C. Swaby


Its the fact that we are all flawed, and our ability to embrace our imperfections that make us human. There are few people who are willing to put their imperfections on display so that others can grow from their lessons, even if it means exposing a past that could be perceived as ugly.


This week I was humbled and privileged to read about Ed Brown's amazing story.  If you are looking for inspiration look no further. A coach who walks the walk, talks the talk and has a phenomenal story to tell.

Take a few moments to read it. Inspiring stuff.

JU JITSU SAVED MY LIFE - COACH ED BROWN

Exclusive Steve Cotter Workshop Sept 9th

Steve Cotter, Kettlebell Expert

We are proud to announce that our mentor, coach and friend Steve Cotter will be delivering an exclusive  3 hours workshop on Sunday 9th September.

This exclusive workshop will take place in Clapham, South London and spaces are limited.  Steve Cotter is to Kettlebells what Sampras is to tennis, what Jordan is to basketball, or what Usain Bolt is to athletics.

If you want to get stronger, more lean, fitter and become more athletic than most, then you need to train with Steve Cotter. We have been training with Steve since 2004 and we are forever learning, because he is forever evolving as a coach and eager to give you the best quality training and information.

Contact us HERE  now for details and to secure your spot.

REGISTRATION CLOSES FRIDAY 7th SEPTEMBER 2PM

So Ladies, Weight Training Will Make You Manly?

By Coach Cj Swaby


Its  something that I often hear, "If I lift weights, will I get big muscles. I don't want to look like a man."   If its not these exact words, its something not that far off. As if all women had to do was just look at a weight, and the muscles would suddenly pack on. Get over it.

So where am I going with this?   Its not lifting weights, but the training protocol, nutrition and what ever else you put into your body will determine whether  or not you look  like Arnie.  Enter mind &  body transformation expert, good friend and Ms Figure competitor, Karolina Kaczor.

As far from manly as it gets, with a great figure and intelligence to match (and yes, she lifts heavy weights.).

Last week, I went down to support Karolina Kaczor at the UKBFF Kent Classic, where she took first place in the Ms Figure category.  Check out the clip below.



Having won the regional heat, Karolina will now be in the UKBFF British Championships in October. If you are interested in how this outstanding coach can help you transform your own body today, and if you want to follow her journey jump over to her website www.karolinakaczor.co.uk

Why I Don't Give FREE Training Advice

By Coach Cj Swaby


It had been a long night. It went down like this,

Him: So you are a Coach?

Me: Yep.

Him: So I bought this detox pack from.. [ a well known health store]  is it worth it?

Me: I wouldn't know. I haven't seen the product, or the research behind it, and I don't know your training and health goals.

Him: Ok, well its just that I'm trying to lose weight and get healthy and....

[Please note we are in a pub and I've just witnessed him down 7 pints in less than an hour,  light up a cigarette or two, and describe his eating habits]

Me: The thing is until you get the basics right, all that other stuff is a waste of time. There are no quick fix solutions.

Him:  Yeah, I know, its just that I've been trying to get healthy over the last six months and....

Me: What specifically have you done to get healthy? And What are you currently doing?

Him: [SILENCE]

STAGE DIRECTIONS:  [Exit Cj]


So why don't I give free training advice? because its free, therefore you often do not value it, as you did not have to invest anything in the first place to get it.

If I gave you a golden nugget for free, which had the power to totally transform your health,  it would probably lay scattered on the floor with all the other  fitness magazines, or stashed at the back of your cupboard, with all those other supplements you were planning on taking.  Perhaps even resting along side your neatly folded, top of the range gym kit which has yet to see a workout.

Now if I gave you that same golden nugget, and charged you through the nose for it, chances are you would probably listen, and even take action. The sad truth is, people often value money more than  their  health.

Believe it or not  my knowledge cost me.  I had to invest in courses and books to further my knowledge,  it cost me my time and experience to find out what works and what doesn't.  I travelled the globe to train with some of the best in the industry. I put in effort, sweat and blood  (literally in some cases).

How often have you thought about that when you ask a professional in any industry? Do you recognise this when you stop me for some "quick tips". Why would I give you this for free when you do not respect or appreciate it? More importantly, why would I give you this for free when you chose not to take action on it?

If you are sincere, I am more than accommodating in pointing you in the right direction,  but  before I do, I will ask you this one thing,

 "If I answer,  are you prepared to take action and do whatever it takes to get what you want?"

Be true. Don't waste my time or yours. As Bruce Lee said,  " Always something for something. Never something for nothing."

Wild Physique Unleashed: Bigger Faster Stronger 2012 Review

By Coach Cj Swaby


Its been an outstanding couple of days. My body is officially broken, every muscle is cursing my name. My ligaments no longer like me. My tendons have turned their back in disgust.

Bigger Faster Stronger was my first Strongman Competition, and will not be my last. I did it to raise funds for the UK based charity, The African Village School Fund.  We asked you to help raise £1.5k. We smashed that target and were only just shy of £2,000.00. Thanks to your generosity the children now have a brighter future. We really appreciate that.

I met some outstanding athletes at the competition. The women were duly represented, with some remarkable performances from Katarina Helcmanovska, and Joslyn Thompson.

My "Brother in Arms" Bj Rule of Optimal Life Fitness, and Stephen Aish of The Strength Academy were alongside me competing (in different weight categories) and lending their support along the way, for which I am grateful.


Want to know how I got on? Want to see the highlights? Then check out the clip below



It was inspiring to be around world class athletes such as Jack Lovett, who recently came second in the 2012 World's Natural Strongest Man (fortunately for me he was just judging that day).  I learned a lot, and got bitten by the competition bug. Looking forward to competing in more Strongman events, and stepping on to the platform in my first powerlifting competition later this year. Every step of the way I will be supporting the African Village School Fund any way I can.

Jack Lovett & Cj Swaby

My nutrition on the day was key, for not only sustaining energy, but aiding recovery.  A big thank you to Sol Fernandez the founder of UP RAW who supplied my nutrition of the day (I used 5 of their Paleo style nutrition snacks, and not much else) and Elete Electrolyte who ensured I was thoroughly hydrated. I couldn't have put in a sterling performance without them.

One thing is for sure, in the immortal words of Arnie, "I'll be back!"  Please do feel free to continue to support the African Village School if you think their work is valid. You can donate by clicking the link below now.

The African Village School Fund.


Yours in strength

Coach Cj Swaby