Performing and Teaching

There is a HUGE difference on performing and teaching……… Kettlebell specially.

I had the great opportunity to learn how perform Kettlebell and understand the system over a year before I was certified. And to be honest I thought that it wasn’t necessary to get certified. Did I teach some drills to my clients before I went the RKC? Yes I did. Did I have challenges teaching and correcting? Yes I did and I still have.

The human body is an amazing and beautiful machine and even though I work with human bodies all the time, none of the look or function the same…. Wow!!!! They are all different. Going to the RKC and constantly participating in seminars is an amazing opportunity to learn how to apply the principles to a specific individual.

Learning NEVER ends and the RKC system is one of the best, practical and easy ways to learn “practical” skills that you can apply immediately.

Even though I am the youngest of seven Venezuelan athletes, have a degree in Physical Therapy, have the RKC certification, continue to participate in many workshops, seminars, have worked with clients for over 12 years, am being married to a knowledgeable husband and have dedicated my entire life to fitness and health… I still feel that I have a huge way to go.

The truth is that learning never ends. Rather than being goal oriented, Franz and I have made it our lifelong goal to be “GROWTH” oriented. That way we know we will always strive for growth and not just goals. Goals will be met, than what? If you are growth oriented you will never “Arrive at a destination” because life really is a journey of growth (if you choose it to be).

~Yoana

Great Class!!!!.... as always :)

Due to high demand we have opended more classes at Revolution Fitness. It is amazing how the group is getting stronger and stronger. I am very impressed and blessed for the kind of clients we attract.

.... But this morning I had the "honor" of having in class Joe Decker and his very nice and strong girlfriend Nicole.

Joe is recognized as "The World's Fittest Man." He is an ultra-endurance power athlete. He has completed many of the world's toughest endurance events, including the Badwater 135, and the Grand Slam of UltraRunning. In 2000, Joe broke the Guinness World Records® Twenty-four-hour Physical Fitness Challenge to help inspire and motivate people to get fit.

The Class was:

Tactical Lunge 10/10 x 4
One arm Clean + Press 6/6 x 4
Renegade Row 5/5 x 4
Swings 20 x 4

Pull Ups 5 x 3
Medicine Slams 15 x 3
KB Farmer's Walk 30 sec. x 3
Rope Waves 20 x 3


What Joe said about it:

Hey Franz! Missed ya this morning. Yoana did an awesome job! Her class was so much fun, but very challenging. I'm going to have to have her come out and teach Bootcamp with me. She'd hurt all the boys! haha...

Yoana! Thank you so much for the workout this morning! It was a lot of fun and challenging. You've got to let us make it up to ya sometime. I hope you guys have a great weekend!

~ Joe Decker, "World's Fittest Man"

Great Time in Miami!

I recently went to Miami with my husband. We wanted and needed a few days to relax and what a better place then Miami to do that.... at least for me since I am from Venezuela, so I feel that I am in my country every time I go there. :)

...but we didn't have good luck. The weather was really cold but anyway we had a great time. We walk, walk and walk alot!

I ate sooooooooo much but it was worth it :) Wow!!! Venezuelan food is amazing!

We also stopped by Anta's Fitness and Self Defense. It is such a great place. They have every thing you need to get a fantastic workout (Kettlebells, Clubbells, Medicine Balls, Rings, Rope Climbing, etc.)

If you are in Miami and want to train, you better stop by this place. The owner is Julio Anta.

http://miamikettlebell.com

I loved going to Miami but being seated in the plane for some many hours without doing anything.... Killed me, so the first thing I did when I came back was picking up my baby dogs (Rex and Chewbaca) and went to take a Bikram Yoga Class.

It is great to be back in San Diego and to be training once again!

How I Pressed the 24kg Kettlebell

Many women ...... maybe many men too :) would love to Press the 24kg Kettlebell.

I have been asked several times how I built my strength levels to be capable of pressing it. Here are some of my thought and experiences. I hope this helps.


* Tips for learning how to press heavy

Tip # 1 - Learn how to deadlift. The secret for me in learning to press heavy was discovering how to press against the earth and generate force and tension from the ground up. If you do not know how to use the earth to your advantage, it is hard to lift or press anything heavy. The beauty of the deadlift is that it teaches you how to intergrate your body into one harmonious machine and it teaches you how to generate maximum tension. And of course those of you out there who have deadlifted heavy know what I mean. The amount of tension and focus you need to "GRIND" a heavy weight and pull it off the floor is amazing. That is why I say learn how to deadlift correctly and your press can do nothing BUT improve. Once I "got it" and figured out how to tension my body, the 24kg KB went up.

Tip # 2 - Make your clean powerful and crisp. The secret to a great press is a powerful and focused clean. If you clean the KB and allow it to land on a loose, soft and lazy structure, forget it partner. You are not going to press anything respectable. You must clean the weight by loading the hips first, then by "POPPING" the hips. From there you aggresively grip and wrap your hand around the bell and almost "PULL" it into your body. The second you complete the clean, IMMEDIATELY start the press. I think it is a big mistake to wait too long after the clean. Clean the KB and start the press. Don't let your body LEAK any power and tension.

Tip # 3 - Be aggressive and know that the weight will go up. You must see the weight going up in your mind's eye prior to lifting it. Press the weight is your mind several times, know you can get it, and own it. Remember that feeling. Half the battle is in your thoughts and mind. If you are lacking belief and confidence, forget it, you have already lost. You must be CONFIDENT, FOCUSED, and ON PURPOSE.

Tip # 4 - Don't give up on the press. Many people the second they feel struggle give up on their press. Don't do this. Any weight that is heavy will challenge you. Know that it will be a challenge. As soon as the KB starts slowing down or you hit a sticking point, that is where all the prior training of deadlifting and tensioning techniques come into play. If you have done your homework on the other tension exercises, your press will automatically improve.

Tip # 5 - Learn how to press from the lat. I highly recommend that all women (and men) who want to press a heavy KB learn how to do weighted pull ups. Much like how the deadlift teaches you how to "COMPRESS" your body, the pull up teaches you to engage the lats. The strongest pressers I have ever seen all have well developed lats and very strong pull ups. If you can learn how to press from the lat your press will get better, PERIOD!

It sounds like a lot I know, but this is what has worked for me and what works in the real world.

* Sample Routine

Monday
Deadlift 5 x 3 reps
Pull Ups 5 x 1-3 (or whatever you can do. Negatives are a great way to learn how to do a pull up)
Snatches 5 x 5 reps (As heavy as you can safely go)

Wednesday

Clean and Press 5 sets x 3 reps per side
Double KB Front Squats 5 sets x 5 reps
Turkish Get Ups 3 sets x 2 reps/side

Friday

Single leg deadlifts 5 x 5/5 reps per side
See Saw press 4 sets x 5/5
Swings 5 sets x 20 reps (for conditioning)

Of course this is an example program that would work for most people. However keep in mind that following a cookie cutter routine is not optimal. Please contact me if you have any questions. Remember that what makes a program successful are the principles behind it. A great program is only as good as the focus and attention to detail you give it.

Watch this video of me pressing the 24kg. The techinique is alittle off :)

I haven't trained with weights for a few months.

Blessings!

Let me know your results!!!

Best,

Yoana