the blog of balance performance physiotherapy » retail

Hybrid Bodyweight Training Equipment. The Total Package?

JonathanLewis — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:43:16 +0000

Chris Chirsalys - professional circus/sideshow performer

This article was written by J.P. Brice. Co-inventor of the War Machine Suspended Pulley Trainer by CrossCore, Inc.

Bodyweight training. It’s been around forever. But as the sports of bodybuilding and powerlifting really started to evolve in the 50’s and 60’s, we became fascinated with big, shiny, “muscle specific” machines and training with massive amounts of weight. Bigger was better, especially in the 80’s when I began lifting. Well, I will always have a deep passion for bodybuilding and heavy weights. It’s just who I am. But, now that I am almost 40 with three bulging discs caused by all the years of heavy squats and shrugs, I now tend to put longevity first when I train. After all, big muscles are really only temporary, but your tendons, joints and skeletal system are forever and you’ve got to take care of them.

Nowadays there is a growing focus on getting back to the basics. By basics I mean bodyweight training, tire flipping, kettlebells etc. I personally think the recession the past few years has had a lot to do with this. Lets face it, lifting your own bodyweight is pretty affordable compared to a rack of dumbbells. But at the same time I also think that we are all realizing after sixty years of huge leaps in fitness equipment technology, that good old fashioned basics can often give you the same desired end result, if not better.

Today some of the most popular bodyweight training routines include suspended straps. Some are made from two separate straps and some are joined together in a Y configuration toward the top near the anchor point. There are many great attributes of these straps such as allowing us to workout at many different locations, giving us a wide range of exercises that can isolate each muscle or combine many in the same movement…including the beloved “core” we all hear about these days. Straps give us a variety of multi-planar, compound exercise movements that tend to be much easier on the joints because they compliment the body’s natural mechanics. I have to be honest, as a heavy weightlifter of over twenty five years, I first laughed at these straps. I thought, “These don’t weigh 500 lbs….what use could I possibly have for them”. After I was able to shove my ego to the side I soon realized the benefit bodyweight training could offer even me. I now incorporate bodyweight training into my workouts and all my shoulder pain has gone away and my back is much better than it used to be.

Now that I have covered why I personally think bodyweight training is making a comeback and what it has done for me, let me put a different “spin” on things. Imagine adding a 3rd dimension to bodyweight training with suspended straps and even gymnastics rings. An improvement of balance through imbalance. The 3rd dimension I speak of is by way of adding a pulley to these straps that now gives your presses, pulls and everything else you did before, “rotational movement”! Because rotational movement now allows you to train one side of the body at a time or both together, any limitations your bodyweight training routine had before are now totally gone. The balance this improvement creates and the mind-muscle awareness you gain in your form and overall functionality is incredible. Rotation is also great for telling your weak side it had better quickly catch up with the dominant side. I know, my fellow weightlifters out there are still skeptical. But hold on, I’m getting to the icing on the cake for you. The implementation of the suspended pulley also allows you to attach counterweights to one side. These counterweights can range from kettlebells to weight plates. I like kettlebells because they balance perfectly when being hoisted on a pulley. The isolation exercise capability via freeweights (curls, tricep extensions, lat rows, etc.) is now just like being at the gym and the single pulley transfers all the actual weight to the handle so not much weight is needed. If that wasn’t enough, resistance bands can be used in place of the counterweights to give the user even more resistance versatility, not to mention a whole slew of different cable attachments that can be used.

This new “hybrid” concept in bodyweight training equipment is sure to please the beginner all the way up to the elite athlete and I’m convinced it is the future of many exciting things to come in our industry. Now get out there and do the “iron cross” on those rings…but this time with rotational movement!

J.P. Brice
“Life’s A Battle…Prepare For War”
www.crosscore-usa.com

The WarMachine is available in the UK and throughout Europe from Balance Performance shop. Click on this link and take a look: WarMachine

elite athletes suffer many of the same sports injury problems

JonathanLewis — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:49:28 +0000

Tight hip flexors and imbalances, weak gluteals – does this sound familiar? It happens to elite ATP pro tennis players as well as the recreational athletes we see from Clapham, Stockwell and Brixton.

Sports physio equipment and kit, from London to Rotterdam

JonathanLewis — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:30:35 +0000

Text and pic from Graham at the AVB AMRO World Tennis Tournament:

The physiotherapy table in Rotterdam. Trigger point therapy products advised to the players – ideal for them to put in their kit bag and travel the world with them.

The worlds elite tennis players are waking up to Trigger Point Performance tools thanks to the presence of Graham on the tour and the initial introduction by Jonathan Lewis who has been able to teach TPT use for recovery, preparation and prevention at Wimbledon and the AEGON events. The hip and lower back kits are what a player needs most: http://bit.lycQE1xW

Great versatility for outdoor training, highly effective strength, conditioning and fitness anywhere:

JonathanLewis — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:29:12 +0000

A few examples of the versatility in bodyweight training that the Pulley suspension system of the WarMachine offers personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, bootcamp providers and anyone else who likes to take their physical training outdoors. Free flowing, fluid strength, conditioning, speed, power and endurance.

interested in future education workshops in pulley suspension training across Europe? go to http://www.warmachine-europe.com

want to buy and your from UK/Ireland? you can go direct to the product page: War Machine http://bit.ly/ijyJKr

Outside of Europe and want to know where you can find the WarMachine near you? go to http://www.crosscore-usa.com

Trigger point therapy results continue to impress and TPT products continue to get great reviews

JonathanLewis — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:15:02 +0000

Not only does the team at Balance deliver trigger point therapy but we also educate our clients about TrP therapy and how they can do it themselves using Trigger Point Performance kits and individual products.

The more we do it the better the results our clients can achieve for themselves and gain independence with the tools we recommend.

Here is just one comment directed at the TPT page on Facebook:

“Your Ultimate 6 kit helped get me through Boston [Marathon]. Sciatic pains for 2 weeks before. Ran pain free. Thank you!”

Having been at the TPT HQ in Austin Texas a couple of weeks back I have been able to pass on some additional teaching points to Kellie and Trevor (the Balance sports massage team) and Jason Progl (movement, strength and conditioning coach) so they can educate even more effectively the benefits to be had by their clients inducing trigger point release on themselves.

Trigger Point Performance HQ, Austin, Texas

To see the Trigger Point Performance Products online CLICK this underlined link TPT Kits.

for more info contact Jonathan Lewis via our contact page, Twitter, or feel free to look me up on facebook.

Exclusive distributors of Steve Cotter products in the UK

JonathanLewis — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:59:21 +0000

Jonathan Lewis and Balance have had a long working relationship with Steve Cotter, one of the worlds best teachers of strength and conditioning, health and fitness concepts, an incredible athlete and an internationally recognised authority on kettlebells. We are therefore very proud to have made our ties even stronger and will now be the UKs exclusive distributor of Steve Cotter products.

Watch this space and the Balance shop as we will soon carry more DVD titles and other information products from Steve and the IKFF.

Steve Cotter – book, DVD and CKT workshops

JonathanLewis — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:02:10 +0000

click here the highlighted link for news and a thought on Steve Cotters guide to Kettlebell Lifting and also details of the UKs upcoming CKT workshops, one of the worlds most highly regarded and recognisable certifications for kettlebell coaches: http://bit.ly/9cyg82

The Complete Guide to Kettlebell Lifting

New York Times article on self-massage products

JonathanLewis — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:56:26 +0000

Just read a well balanced article from the New York Times on self-massage products. The journalist has consulted a number of sources including sports massage consumers, foam roller users, a triathlon coach, an Ironman triathlete and chiropractor, author of “Self-Massage for Athletes” Rich Poley, and the founder and creator of Trigger Point Performance Therapy products Cassidy Phillips.

The article is based around the following: “Devices for self-massage have become more common as more people compete in endurance sports and, more recently, as the recession has made professional rubdowns look prohibitively expensive. Trainers usually recommend a massage every week or every other week for people who are training for a marathon or triathlon, but the costs do add up: according to the American Massage Therapy Association, the average price of a massage is $63 an hour.”

The article’s quote from TPT founder Cassidy Phillips puts self massage and going to see a professional masseur in the context of oral hygiene. “You brush away some plaque yourself,” he said, “but you still go to the dentist for a thorough cleaning.”

Here’s the article: http://bit.ly/8lUYu2
click for the Self-massage and Trigger Point range from Balance.

Ultimate 6 package - part of Balance's range of self-massage products

Gyms and Personal Training in London – what we are and we are not!

JonathanLewis — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:12:41 +0000

Just found a website called Urban Path looking at which London gyms and fitness centres had managed to get themselves in to their listing.

Some of the “top” gyms in Notting Hill, Fitzrovia, Knightsbridge, Covent Garden, Marylebone, Battersea, Fulham and Soho are listed with reviews invited. The comments are insightful and should give us, the Strength and Conditioning team at Balance, things to think about as we expand further into the world of Personal Training! The negative comments reassure us that we are not making the common errors seen at membership gyms, and the positive comments are similar to the ones we have received consistently for over 8 years.

Some of the other comments tell us we should be sure to manage peoples expectations.

What we are and what we are not!

As we tempt new clients by highlighting the results of our clients and the extent of our experience and expertise we should be just as clear about what we dont offer. So to avoid some of the comments and criticisms given to the gyms at Urban Path here are some facts to head them off:

no joing fees to complain about
no Molton Brown shower gel or body lotions
we are open 7.30am -9pm Mon- Thurs (close 5pm Fri), 9am-4pm Saturday and shut on Sunday (at moment mostof our clients are happy with that – things may change of course).
we have no jacuzzi or sauna
we dont have any resistance machines – not even a lat pull down! Consequently you dont have to get annoyed waiting for someone to get off one. We teach our clients who lack confidence in their abilities to gain body awareness and practice movement control so the vast majority of our equipment is free and dynamic (kettlebells and bands) or we simply use our bodyweight. We do have 3 treadmills, a bike or two, a cross trainer, and a concept 2 rower however.
we have no direct debit run or contracts. You like it you stay, you want to train outside in the fresh air or at your sports club no problem.
there is no juice bar…or nail bar.
we sold our bench pressing bench – there are enough in the world and we wanted a bit more space to be creative in.
we do have classes: Kettlebells (5 of them), pilates (3 run by the Pilates Sanctuary), athletic movement, full throttle conditioning – maybe some boxing in the near future, and always looking for a yoga class. We promote Eischens Yoga for home yoga training (especially for those recovering from injury) but have struggled to find a class that resonates with what our clients want.
we dont have gym instructors “walking the floor”, although for about 75% of the week we have at least one of the strength and conditioning coaches around to assist physiotherapists with treatment and rehabilitation needs of clients. The majority of the time those using the Balance facility independently are expected to be independent.

Gym use and personal training.

Its true that we have been doing one to one training with clients since 2001, we have guided individuals to success after success, achieving their unique personal goals. We have seen the widest range of men and women, old and adolescent, with varying goals and aspirations:

elite and professional sporting and performance goals;
peak conditioning for military operations;
recovery from long term illnesses such as chronic fatigue;
rehabilitation following major surgery such as heart and lung transplantation;
a return to healthier lifestyles and a sense of well being following episodes of mental illness, addictions, and periods of counselling.
and of course a speedy return to work and recreational sports, athletics, dance and martial arts following minor and major inuries or orthopaedic reconstructive operations.

however most of the people who have trained with us have by and large come to us based on Balances reputation as being one of the uk and europes top centres for sports injury treatment and back pain rehabilitation. Now we are opening up a little and inviting those seeking more traditional “personal training” results to come to Balance and see why its more about the training and less about the Molton Brown, sauna or eyebrow technician.

RESULTS

By traditional results I mean:

trimming of legs and bums
abdominal toning
fat and weight loss
chiselling chests
sculpting shoulders and buttocks

Our approach to health and fitness clients is no different than that taken with sports and performance, injury and illness – train like an athlete, use dynamic movement not machines, train frequently, with discipline and quality, enjoyment and satisfaction.

We also have the most important professional required for weight loss – a dietician, Rees Colling, who will guide you to the inevitable truth, that a sustainable bodyweight can only be achieved with a sustained approach to eating. To find out which way is going to suit you speak with Rees.

For more information on Personal Training at Balance, using the gym independently (pay as you go), strength and conditioning for sports, dance or martial arts, a consultation with Dietician Rees, or coming to us for treatment and rehabilitation go to our contact page – click here.

Steve Cotter Guide to Kettlebell Lifting now available here at Balance

JonathanLewis — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:26:10 +0000

Its been a busy day here at Balance taking pictures to upload onto our soon to launch (at long last)online shop. We will be making available to the wider world many of the things that clients have had the opportunity of benefiting from here for many years – kettlebells, rehabilitation and fitness bands (from LifeLine and JC Santana), foam rollers, the full range of TPT trigger point self massage tools (including the grid), back care products, joint supplements, wobble cushions, gym balls and many other items.

We only offer products that the Balance Team members are 100% confident to recommend to our clients. As many of you will know Balance clients have been benefitting from kettlebells since 2003 as part of their sports injury treatments, rehab and ongoing health and sports programmes. We also have a long association with the Worlds top coaches. Since 2006 we have been working with Steve Cotter (Full Kontact and International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation) and now we are proud to finally have a book of the highest quality to go along with the high quality personal training on offer from the 5 RKC and IKFF coaches we have.

Kettlebell Guide Book and DVD

Steve Cotters “The Complete Guide to Kettlebell Lifting” can be bought here at Balance or ordered over the phone and shipped. The retail price is £59.99 but in conjunction with Steve in the US we are offering it an introductory price of £39.99 – can’t get it cheaper on Amazon! It comes as a combo set to include a DVD so you can see the drills in motion.

There will be more details and comments about the guide on Jonathan’s Industrial Strength website soon.

attention to detail in this comprehensive guide - good and bad form is highlighted