Let us try talking about Clubbells -- again.

[Bill Glasheen]

wieght training and modern gyms have been totally influenced by the body building craze , the old time strongmen are much better examples IMHO , we should go back sometimes to go forward .

Can I hear an Amen, brother?

For years I've had to wade through the morass of books in the bookstore and literature in the periodicals, finding what I was looking for. Marcus is right. The vast majority of books on the bookshelves about weights and strength development were about bodybuilding. I know bodybuilding; I married a bodybuilding champion. What she does and what I do are like the difference between ballet and tap dancing.

Bodybuilding is about the show; weight training is about the go.

The other morass of books I've had to deal with is the tons of literature on weight loss and aerobics. Look - I'm happy if a soccer mom found a reason to go to the gym and now believes she won't look like Arnold. But that's not helping me any. Weight loss is going to happen for a weight trainer, but it's serendipity.

functional strentgh takes a whole lot more consideration .

It is indeed about functional strength.

The plyometrics movement was the first craze in the popular literature to get at what we athletes and martial artists are looking for. It's about functional power development. Maybe you impress the chicks (or the dudes ) on the beach, and maybe you don't., But what you will get is explosive power.

With the club bells and kettle bells, it's all about the movement and how to keep the momentum going from functional posture to functional posture. Yes, that requires strength. Yes, you will build muscle. Yes, Scott can pose with his shirt off and sell a few club bells.

But again, that's serendipity.

It's about taking the muscle and neuromuscular development into the field with you. It's cutting to the chase rather than going around your elbow to get from your thumb to your pinkie.

Just to illustrate...

This is a bodybuilder. (Can you say steroids?)



This is a world class athlete. All five foot seven of him is likely to win the American League Most Valuable Player award in 2008.



Dustin Pedroia is leading Major League Baseball in hits, is second in runs scored, and is third in stolen bases (not bad for a white guy... ). At over 50 doubles, he's set the record at Boston for a second baseman. And this little guy is reknown for his "big swing."



That's bringing it to the playing field

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

If I may pat myself on the back...

Read the article below. See how much what I said (above) agrees with what is written here.

There's some history in this article pointing to a Persian (Iran) origin. Interesting...

- Bill

Originally Published: February 2007
Clubbels
Clubbells may owe their origins to ancient Persia but they are carving out their own unique role in contemporary training and conditioning methods.

When your sport mandates that you grip your opponent and throw him to the ground, a devastating hand injury can be career ending.

Unless you’re the legendary Scott Sonnon, international martial arts champion and Distinguished Master of Sports in Sambo, a form of martial art originating in Russia and widely used by elite military and police units.

In 1993, Sonnon, the former USA National Coach of the United States Sambo Association and USA National Team Coach for the World Police and Firefighters Olympics, lost a match at the World University Games in Montreal. He also broke his arm.

“I didn’t lose the gold at World Games because I broke my arm, but in spite of it. I fought the last two minutes protecting my arm and managed to only lose to technical superiority –my Russian opponent had more points at


the end of the six excruciatingly long minutes…Submitting (‘tapping out’) would have cost the USA Team more team points, rather than losing by technical superiority. I managed to finish the match without injury disqualification—if your opponent breaks your limb in Sambo, you lose, but I hid this from the referee. That silver medal was the most important victory of my career, because it taught me the value of ‘connective tissue strength.’ My concealment of the injury led to avascular necrosis in my scaphoid: a condition that locked my hand in vice-like pain unable to hold anything.”

Sonnon’s agonizing loss, however, was ultimately his gain, compelling him to seek out a conditioning method that would help protect him against injury.

Twelve years later he came out of retirement at 36 and won the International San Shou Championships with only six weeks to train for a fighting sport in which he had never competed.

His victory represented the dramatic climax of a quest conducted over several years in nine different countries—six of those years spent in Russia training with national and Olympic coaches of various combat sports such as sambo, boxing, kickboxing and fencing—which led him to develop a powerful training tool called the clubbell, which resembles a long-necked bottle made not from glass but from steel.

The clubbell, covered in a non-slippery, black urethane rubber coating, comes in five to 80-pound weights and features a displaced center of gravity.

Drawing on experience and knowledge obtained firsthand from his encounter with competitive wrestlers from Tajikistan, Sonnon, who was already researching alternative conditioning methods developed in Russia, India and turn-of-the-century North America, learned about a strength training method called zurkhane.

An ancient Persian tradition, zurkhane features club swinging as part of its methodology.

“With my academic background in physical education—I am completing my doctoral dissertation—I infused modern sport science into this montage of scattered folk movements in order to create a systematic proprietary system to combative physical preparation. Clubbell training evolved from the proven-over-centuries tradition of swinging weight in three dimensions rather than lifting it in two dimensions,” he explains.

The Clubbell is a critical component of Circular Strength Training, (CST) predicated on the idea that the body does not move in isolation and devised by Sonnon to embrace the “archaic techniques of ‘fancy’ traditional club swinging—combined it with an incrementally progressive system of joint mobility and systematized it through modern sport science.”

Different from many things that fall in the category of being good for you—clubbells are also fun.

“Unlike conventional weight-lifting of kettlebells, dumbbells and barbells where you must increase the weight in order to increase the force production, clubbells are swung. Swinging weight increases torque. Increasing torque increases force production…Superior force production means superior strength conditioning in a fraction of the time…” says Sonnon, who describes the kettlebell as a middle ground between conventional training and CST.

The clubbell’s greater displaced center of mass creates an extreme leverage challenge, which creates positive neurological force production and minimizes the risk of injury.

“The kettlebell has a conventional handle which rests on the skeletal structure –pulls against the fingers like a dumbbell or barbell, unlike the clubbell which distracts—pulls through the grip like a rope swung around one’s head,” offers Sonnon, author of several books including The Big Book of Clubbell Training, (available at www.Amazon.com).

“The more that actual weight rests on the skeletal structure, and the greater that actual weight is, the more the soft connective tissue, the joints and the spine itself accumulates trauma.”

Clubbell training is tri-planar and emphasizes unlimited range of motion, which serves to increase soft-tissue elasticity and develops the arms, shoulders, upper back and chest.

All clubbell exercises are full bodily intensive, working the glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves from the leg drive and are designed to benefit every age and fitness level.

“The clubbell is specifically designed to connect the superior force production of torque to one’s core,” says Sonnon who lives in Bellingham, Washington. “The clubbell is truly a mere extension of the body. Every exercise in the CST repertoire is a ‘core activation’ exercise, which is why you see such incredibly powerful abs, obliques and strong lower backs on clubbell users.”

- YOURtime

[Bill Glasheen]

This is what I mean about squinting your eyes and seeing something.

Enjoy these photos.

- Bill

[fivedragons]

Let's not be too hard on Ray. He doesn't actually read and comprehend the posts before his, before he chimes in. You see, he just skims for words at random, and then randomly constructs sentences around these "key" words.

Unfortunately, when someone replies to one of his posts, he skims for random "key" words, and constructs random chains of words around them.

Thus, the cycle continues.

Unfortunately, we have been having conversations with a computer program, designed by MI6. Jumbled Observations Randomly Vectored on Information Corresponding to Knowledge.

J.O.R.V.I.C.K. is the original BLACK SWAN.

[Stryke]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0zCGy48 ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM7ZAAAO ... re=related

[Van Canna]

Rick, Bill_

I and all my students are and have been into weight training
most of our lives.

Now we have developed an interest in Scott's club-bell training program.

What and where from should we buy...and what weight bells do we start with?

Are the exercises in Scott's program on the video that comes with the bells?

Is there a video clip that can be posted here showing the exercises?

Thanks,

[Rick Wilson]

Hi Van:

I of course would love folks to go to Scott site through the link on my main page:

http://wilsonkarate.com/

Because -- yes I get credit for it and then can buy more Sonnon material.

(You can go directly to Scott’s page)

For information on the training there is the DVD Clubbells for Circular Strength Training which is $39.95 and “The Big Book of Clubbells Training” $34.95. And for getting into to it heavy there is the Encyclopaedia of Clubbell Training five DVD set for $147. There are bundles you can get (Click on Scott’s banner then Shop (at the top fof the page) and then Bundles and packages on the left hand side. )

They say a pair of 10 pound is a good place to start and if you have had weight training then a pair of 15 pound clubbells for men. Rarely do people start with a pair of 20’s or 25’s. Although some like to start with a heavier one for double handed work.

I think a pair is better to start with. If you have the bucks a pair of 10s and a single 20 is perfect.

I think to start a average strength man could use the 15s but might be more comfortable getting into this form of training with a pair of 10s.

There is a free E-book on clubbells you can get for signing up to Coach Steer’s newsletter. The newsletter is free too and has good material. The E-book gives some real good basic info:

http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.js ... 07908&p=oi


Here is a basic move although not many would do it one handed with a 45 pound clubbell like Coach:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igK2ScEBdXE


Minis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZyhgd0-fvM

Full-sized:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mUeEjvF ... re=related


Some of coach Steer (the E-book coach):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcVzru2Vnlc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iccdT37- ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQbSHCAGMaw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONRenKBmITs


Long clip and lots of exercises shown:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g0VmrOG ... re=related


Others:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-f7jkRv ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J81RA1en ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUWC0VzE ... re=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGphVJnl ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guohg2VYFrk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64SM4hAq ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp5rvYoQ ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuiRQZ4- ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es1PkoqrMh8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6unjOL0 ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2GlDqjf ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj_O6-Dd ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lGRu57vjmQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjhwGJsq ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXvOcLBe ... re=related


Or go completely wild like Coach Sonnon does here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWe_6Rvb ... re=related

[Bill Glasheen]

Rick, Bill_

I and all my students are and have been into weight training
most of our lives.

Now we have developed an interest in Scott's club-bell training program.

What and where from should we buy...and what weight bells do we start with?

Are the exercises in Scott's program on the video that comes with the bells?

Is there a video clip that can be posted here showing the exercises?

Thanks,

Van

As you know, I'm not in the money flow here. However out of principle, I do support peoples' ability to make a living if they perform a valuable service.

In my unbiased opinion, this is what I think of going with Rick/Scott.

• Rick is family. Nothing wrong with either George or Rick making a buck to help us all support our habits.
• Scott's got the credentials and some get-started-now programs. So some videos from him (and/or the book by him that you can get from Amazon) would be perfect for getting started. I know you're a book guy, so I'd highly recommend that. From what I've seen of Scott's stuff, the videos are often "Book information for dummies." It is however easier to see things like exercises done from a video. Everyone has their own particular optimal mode of learning.
• As you can see from my photos, you can be like a poor Okinawan and make all this stuff. The Okinawans were making weight training sets out of old army vehicle transmission parts. But Scott's stuff is going to have the safety harness around the wrist so you won't accidentally let go and let loose with the clubbell through a sheet rock wall. His clubbells are pricey, but probably worth it. There's a liability issue there as well if you have a professional dojo. You get the idea...
• I'd personally recommend going light with a small set and some videos, and try the stuff out. I'm personally weaving stuff like this in with my Olympic lifts, classic free-weight strength training (bench, bend-over rows, squats, etc.) and some cleanup work (leg extensions/curls, calf work, etc.). The thing is though I do this all the time. I completely revamp my workout quarterly. That keeps the body out of a comfort zone and prevents repetitive motion injuries. You can probably figure out how to weave this stuff in to your own routines.
• There's nothing wrong IMO with converting completely to clubbell and kettlebell work. You will get a little out of balance. You might want some extra work for lats (lat pulldowns), calf/toe work, hamstrings, etc. But I imagine you can get a pretty complete workout without too much extra equipment. It just depends on what exercises you choose to do, and with what weight equipment.

Anyhow, those are my opinions, which are worth what you paid for them.

- Bill

[chef]

Sounds good, Rick. I am going to ask the hubby for this for my birthday. What amounts do you think would be good for a woman to start?

Good stuff!

Regards,
Vicki

[Van Canna]

Thank you, Rick/Bill.

Bill, I agree with your thinking...nothing wrong with earning a living with something done well and useful to people.

I would like to find a way to fit in 'bells work' in my training routine...but i don't think I could ever let go of my gym weight training...it has stood me well all my life.

Question:

Would it work to fit 'bells' in my Gym off days? Finding the time to do it..without taking away from the 'good life' that I am presently leading...is the challenge.

Life is good, plenty of good friends, lots of fun things to do, great places to go

[Rick Wilson]

Hi Vicki:

I would say it depend on what you are after.

If it is to increase strength and you have done strength training before then they recommend women start with the 10 pounders.

To quote:

10 pound Clubbells are one of the most popular and versatile Clubbell® sizes. Available indiviuallly or as a pair (save 10$). This size is recommended for:

Men of average or less strength
Women with some strength training background or of above average strength
Two-handed rehabilitation from injury or inactivity
Active Recovery
International Clubbell® Sport

If not then they recommend the five pound clubbells as the place to start.

To quote:

Pound Clubbells are a great starting weight for those lacking the strength to handle larger Clubbells safely. Available individually or as a pair (save 10$). This size is recommended for:

Women of average or less strength
Youth
Rehabilitation from injury or inactivity
Active Recovery


For increasing mobility the mini-clubbells do a great job and can work grip strength as well. They are also less pricey than the full-sized clubbells but the structure is different.

The difference in structure is that they are shorter and the weight is differently tapered to the end. Full-sized place much more of it at the end so they emphasize the "weight" more.

Minis:



5 pound full-size:



I designed a 20 minute non-stop never put them down program for the minis and by the end you are squeezing pretty tight to hand on to them.

I know for myself I will be gathering my full set of clubbells over time because I am not a wealthy guy. However, they are very well made and I find the design superior to the older versions.

The longer handle also you to use the same clubbell for a move you may not have the strength for yet but simply choking up on the handle. The longer area for gripping on the handle allows this.

[Van Canna]

Rick,

This from the clubbell book is interesting

Efficient Hip Snap and Leg Drive will generate substantial force, but in order to deliver that force to the Clubbell® to execute
an effective Swing, we need it to transfer through several couplings which must be aligned and functional.

The first such point,
which ties the upper and lower body together, is our Core Activation. Using active exhalation as our impetus, we need to
tighten the muscular “belt” around our midsection in order to transfer force up from the ground into the rest of our structure.

[Van Canna]

It seems to make the point for exhale in effort moves.

[Bill Glasheen]

Would it work to fit 'bells' in my Gym off days? Finding the time to do it..without taking away from the 'good life' that I am presently leading...is the challenge.

It does depend a little on what kinds of clubbell exercises you do. If it's light work (like weapon training) and you are using the clubbells to teach your body how to move (because you aren't punching air any more), then you could probably do it on your karate days. If it's heavier work, then do it on your "resistance training days."

I know exactly what you mean about finding time to fit everything in. But here's the deal. IT IS RESISTANCE TRAINING. There is an optimal amount of that to do in whatever form. Ideally you do an hour of INTENSE training via any means (traditional barbell/dumbbell, olympic lifts, clubbells, machines) and call it a day. Get the right balance of training for all the muscle groups of your body.

Yes, putting a hybrid workout together can be a challenge. But this is the art of strength training. Some trial and error is involved, as is a lot of knowledge about what muscles are being used by what exercises. But this is where the boredom can be swept out of your workouts. Put a new combination together every 3 months or so, and you will never get tired of going to the gym or doing your supplemental training.

One way to do this is to split your body and/or training up into parts. You can have a once-a-week clubbell day just like I have a once-a-week Olympic weight training day. Then you use your barbells, dumbbells, and machines on other days. Make sure you have rest days in-between.

You can do upper body one day and lower body the next. But be careful with the clubbells. Like Olympic lifts, you're really using your whole body. So you don't want to have a weight training day on the before or after day. You need a day of rest for your body to respond to your training "insult." Rest days are when your body is actually getting stronger.

Another strategy to consider is have a "heavy" and "light" training days. Both my high school track coach (Exeter) and the UVa varsity strength coach used this principle. You can do a "light" clubbell or traditional weights day on a regular workout day. It just gets the blood flowing in your muscles and teaches you how to use your body. The heavy days are for growth and development. Just a thought...

There's a lot of room to experiment for the advanced student and smart coach. But with all such programs, listen to the body. It will tell you when you are overtraining - if you learn how to pay attention to your aches and pains, your development, how tired you feel, etc.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

It seems to make the point for exhale in effort moves.

Here is where you will bring this breathing thing to the next level, Van.

My biggest pet-peeve about the exhale-with-movement crowd is bringing that to the real world. When continuous movement is involved, you need to learn to work in both inhales and exhales. Otherwise you run out of gas - quite literally in this case.

With some clubbell exercises, the movement will be continuous. So unlike many simple weight training movements or single-act events (shot put for example), you'll need to keep your engine rolling. That will mean a more complex strategy for optimal results.

There's one expression I have stolen from Scott that I use as my mantra when teaching breathing with effort. It is the concept of "being breathed." When doing core movement, there is a natural inhale and exhale that happens with your body going through continuous posture changes. Understanding that, tapping into it, and "enhancing" it then takes the whole concept of breath augmentation to a level that you can use at the moment of truth. I think our "soft inside" strategy taught in Sanchin (open epiglottis) gives us a leg up over many who haven't practiced this.

Yes, it gets complex - including taking advantage of "startle reflexes" in real life self-defense scenarios. But IMO this is where all the fun is.

- Bill