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Brian Copeland's
Core Fitness Newsletter

Issue #42 - 9/02/2009

1. Announcement: "Denver Area - Beginner Level Classes Start Sept 14th"
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2. Training Tip: "A Double Take on Running"
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3. Nutrition Tip: "Asian Bok Choi"
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4. Hall of Achievements:
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5. Health Tip: "The Importance of Sleep"
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6. More Testimonials: "Keeping in the Top 20!"
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7 . Got Grip: "Seriously Strong Hands ebook"
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8 . Self-Defense / Martial Arts Tip: "Improving Tactile Reaction Speed"
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9. Recommended Products: "Gymboss, Z-Health, Dragon Door, more" .
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10. Denver Metro Area: "Kettlebell & Self-Defense Classes in Aurora"
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11. Personalized Program Design: "Tired of Not Reaching Your Goals?"
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1. Announcement:
"Denver Area - Beginner Level Classes Start Sept 14th"

I just completed another series of beginner-level Self-Defense and Kettlebell classes and the next one starts September 14th.

Self-Defense classes focus on survival skills to fight off an asocial attack like a rape, mugging or physical assault.
Learn to:
• Bite, thumb, pull and tear so that it can't be done back to you!
• Destroy your attacker while on YOUR back
• Make them flinch every time by doing this...
• When to run and when running will get you killed
• Color codes of mental awareness so you will never be surprised
• Make yourself almost attack-proof by carrying this...
• How a 100 lb female can instantly over power a 250 lb man
• Guys if it works for gals it works even better for you
• This is NOT your typical Martial Arts, we do not fight with rules, we fight to go home to our families!

Kettlebell classes walk a rank beginner through the basics of safe effective use of kettlebells including:
• The Swing
• Front Squat
• Military Press
• The Get Up
• The Clean
• Hand to Hand swings
• Basic Primer on Program Design to reach your goals
• Practical philosophy on safe, effective life-long progress in fitness
• How to melt body fat off with this simple exercise you can do daily!
• Learn to take 5-minute fitness breaks
• How in 5-15 minutes you can achieve fitness with kettlebells
• How and What to eat to lose the pounds


Self-Defense classes meet each Monday for 6 weeks at 6:30pm for 1 hour.

Kettlebell classes meet each Monday for 6 weeks at 7:30pm for 1 hour.

Contact Brian for more details Contact Page

2. Training Tip: "A Double Take on Running"

Sure you have heard me say that I don't like people jogging for health. In general I still don't, at least I don't like Americans to jog for health.

Why not Americans? (or Europeans in general either)

Well frankly our bodies are too messed up to jog.

In nations where we walk around in orthopedic shoes with arch supports we are basically creating immobility in our joints. When some joints become immobile then other joints must pick up the slack, and as a result become over worked.

Plantar fasciitis (a severe pain in the instep of the foot) is very common in joggers here in the US, but in native tribes that walk and run all day barefoot or in some type of primitive shoe that resembles being barefoot, they don't get plantar fasciitis.

Knee and low back pain is very common in runners. Shoulder immobility is very common in joggers. But we don't see these types of issues in native tribes that live off of the land and walk, jog and sprint daily in bare feet.

Joints in the Human Foot
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Allow me to introduce you to your foot.

Each human foot contains 26 bones, 30 joints!!! and over 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons.

And I bet you just thought the foot bone was connected to the leg bone!

When all... when ALL of these joints do not move correctly you will have some issues my friends.

Now take one of your shoes. Grab it by the toe and the heel and try to bend it in as many different ways as you can.

A good shoe will flex throughout the entire sole and can be twisted.
A bad shoe will flex only near the toes and can't be twisted at all.

The Nike Free 5.0 shoe. Bend it, twist it, anyway you like it.

Your typical dress shoe, boot, athletic cross trainer, running shoe, etc. has a piece of metal or rigid plastic inserted into the mid sole to keep you from being able to move there.

Now what the hell kind of sense does that make?


Would you put your arm in a cast and walk around all day so that you couldn't bend at the elbow but only at the shoulder and wrist? Of course not!

Then why the heck are you doing it to your feet?!


Here is a list of what to look for in a shoe.


A good shoe should be:

• Light weight - you should literally pick it up and say "WOW that is light"
• Flex through the entire sole - not just at the toes
• Twist through the entire sole
• Have a low profile heel - not a big thick chunk of rubber under your heel
• Have as little material between you and the ground as possible
• Have a large toe box so your toes don't get squished together - ladies if you have hammer toe then you did it to yourselves by jamming your toes into those cute heels! Quit wearing them and in about a year or two of daily Z-Health foot mobility your toes may go back to normal. (Wolff's Law, look it up.)

A good shoe should make you feel light, quick, grounded to the floor but light on your feet. It should make you efficient as you move. You should be able to run or fight in a good shoe... because you never know if you may need to!



Back to jogging...

If you run in a shoe like a Nike Free 5.0, Vibram 5 Fingers, Onitsuka Tiger Tai Chi or actually barefoot for that matter; your feet are going to get a hell of a workout.

Your feet will be sore! You haven't used those muscles and joints for a long time, you have been running in casts.

So go easy and let your feet get stronger. I wouldn't do more than a 1/2 mile your first week in them. Then next week try a full mile. Then do as seems wise from there.


Another notable point on jogging technique...

Run, jog and sprint on your toes. Not heel to toe but just your toes; or ball of foot to be more precise. This is how you were designed to run, quickly or slowly. It was only with the invention of these horrible, heavy, arch supported, thick healed shoes that we began as a species to run heal to toe.

Just try running heal to toe barefoot... It hurts! Now try running on your toes. That is your own built-in shock absorber you are using there.

More could be said about good efficient running technique such as falling forward and pushing yourself rather than pulling yourself, avoiding rotational motion with the upper body and more.

But for now if you would just do your Z-Health mobility exercises to undo all of the joint damage you have acquired your whole life and switch to a barefoot-like running shoe, your body will thank you for it.

Until next time, train like an athlete not a hamster!

PS. If you are watching late-night infomercials and are thinking of buying the "Ab Gizmo 3000" or "Dance Your Way to a Super Six-Pack" don't bother. Save yourself some hard earned doubloons and instead purchase my Personalized Program Design. I'll get you better results with your own body weight and you won't have to make installments on an expensive piece of crap that sits in the corner collecting dust for the next 10 years for crying out loud!

3. Nutrition Tip: "Asian Bok Choi"

I am always trying to eat more vegetables especially cruciferous veggies. They are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. According to Ori Hofmekler, author of the Anti-Estrogen Diet and many other nutrition and weight-loss books, cruciferous vegetables help to clear excess estrogens from your body. This is critical in fat loss, hormone normalization and improving your mood.

I made this last night and couldn't believe how easy and delicious it is.

Asian Bok Choi

Serves 1 - at least if you are Brian Copeland


Ingredients:

• 4 - 6 Heads of Baby Bok Choi
• 1 Tablespoon of Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1 - 3 Cloves of Garlic
  • Based on your love of garlic I mince some cloves and leave some in bigger chunks.
• 2 Tablespoons of Water
• 1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of Organic Raw Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of Chili Sauce as desired
  • I use Chili Garlic Sauce, it comes in a clear container with a green lid. Sriracha brand sauce would work as well. Find both of these in your Asian aisle of your grocery store.
    

Directions:

• Rinse the Bok Choi really well as it tends to be dirty.
  • Immerse fully in a container or sack of water, dump the water and rinse a couple of more times and rinse each leaf.
• Cut diagonally into 1" wide strips
• Heat a pan to medium heat with sesame oil
• Add the garlic and bok choi
• Stir fry about 2 minutes
• Add water, soy sauce, sugar, and chili sauce and cook uncovered so the sauce starts to thicken
• When the bok choi is tender yet still crisp it is done

Serve with a meat dish. If you want leftovers (who wouldn't?) then at least quadruple all of these ingredient amounts.

4. Hall of Achievements:

Our newest updates:..

• Debbie Yenchick - Military Pressed 2 x 26 lb kettlebells
  
  
• Teresa Sauer - Deadlifted 124lbs
  
  

5. Health Tip: "The Importance of Sleep"


Below is an excerpt from the Better Life Institute's 8/27/09 newsletter.

The Importance of Sleep
BLI Experts | August 27, 2009

Recent research has discovered that 1/3 of Americans suffer from sleep-related disorders or insomnia. Sleep deprivation reduces mental sharpness and may contribute to obesity, heart disease and many other chronic health problems. According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health), chronic insomnia can lead to altered metabolism of glucose with an insulin resistance pattern that may contribute to diabetes. Additionally, conclusions from many studies, including those done by the NIH, suggest that sleep deprivation is associated with a higher risk for disease and mortality due, in part, to the elevation of stress hormones, which contribute to strokes and heart attacks.

According to Alexandros N. Vgontzas of Pennsylvania State University, who presented data at a scientific meeting regarding the harmful effects of sleep loss, “Based on our findings, we believe that if you lose sleep that your body needs, then you produce these inflammatory markers that on a chronic basis can create low-grade inflammation and predispose you to cardiovascular events and a shorter life span…” And yet other researchers have discovered that sleep deprivation disrupts hormones that regulate appetite and may lead to over eating and obesity.

Sleep loss also seems to also contribute to memory and cognitive impairment and a whole host of other physiological problems.

We have included a few tips that may help you achieve a few more hours of shut-eye, but if you are suffering from chronic insomnia, seek medical advice.

• Keep sleep time consistent (as you would for a child). Forget about catching up on the weekend
• Establish bed-time routines so that your body and mind can start the slow down process. Brush and floss your teeth, say your prayers and get ready for sleep
• Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, gentle stretching or listening to soothing music
• Take a shower or bath – it helps muscles relax 
• Eliminate caffeinated products 6 hours before sleep (watch out for those energy drinks) 
• Cut out nicotine (cigars, cigarettes, gum, chew) 2 hours before bedtime
• Get rid of the TV. in your bedroom. Even if you habitually use the TV to fall asleep, it can disrupt your sleep patterns through the night

I would like to add to this list the following:

• 1-hour before bed turn all of the lights very low so it is dark. The amount of light entering the eyes tells our brain if it is time to be alert and awake or asleep.
• Don't go to bed angry, especially with your spouse. Apologize, make up, make out, whatever you need to do to reconcile with them.
• Do some very slow relaxing Z-Health while lying in bed with your eyes closed. Ankle tilts, ankle circles/figure 8s, toe pulls are very easy to do. Neck, thoracic glides, jaw, hands, fingers and wrists are great as well, so are small slow hip circles.
• The supplement ZMA can be great 30-60 minutes before bed. It provides magnesium which helps your muscles relax and zinc which most people are deficient in. Zinc helps regulate your hormones such as testosterone to the levels they should be at; most people are lower than they should be.

6. More Testimonials:
"Staying in the Top 20!"

I'm still ranked in the Top 20 Kettlebell Instructors in the world. This is completely based upon client feedback, so thanks to everyone who has helped me get here.


I have someone that I trust to help with kettlebells!

Proper form, how to do things safely, the little things that create more power and strength, these are just a few of the things I learned from Brian.

My eyes have also been opened to Z-Health and I have someone that I trust to ask for help with kettlebells.

I really enjoyed Brian's teaching style. It is well paced, fun, safe, and very informative. He has many of the traits of some of the good trainers I have worked with; such as being patient, insightful, good safety focus, and an ability to distill complicated things into simple steps.

Brian is a fun, energetic, knowledgeable, and safety conscious instructor. I enjoyed the training very much.

Nathan Taylor - Colorado

I noticed I am developing buns of steel and can leap tall buildings in a single bound!

Training with Brian improved my fitness in 5 ways:
1. Able to feel more confident doing kettlebell exercises
2. Gained a 'virtual belt' approach to lifting
3. Breathing techniques decreased strain when lifting
4. Eye exercises increased my strength and range of motion
5. Able to leap tall buildings with a single bound

The training is fun, at the right level of difficulty, is organized, safe and the studio is well ventilated, has plenty of room and is easy to get to.

I noticed that I am developing buns of steel! I plan to do a survey.

Steven - Colorado

7. Got Grip:
"Seriously Strong Hands ebook"


If you are interested in Grip training you owe it to yourself to get Brian Copeland's Seriously Strong Hands - it will guide you through building a Grip you can be proud of - because remember - the stronger your hands are the stronger your body can be!
This is the grip book I should have written a few years ago.

- Brett Jones CSCS, Master RKC, certified Red Nail bender


"In his ebook Seriously Strong Hands, Brian Copeland has put together a no-nonsense guide for the aspiring gripster. Filled with useful tips and no fluff, it is a valuable resource for the beginning grip enthusiast."

- David Whitley, Sr. RKC (tearer & terror of many phone books!)


I purchased your ebook about a month ago. Your ebook very much summarizes all aspects of strength training for bending/tearing. You also give a great plan for improving strength; following this plan leads to success for sure. I just tore a full deck of cards (wrapped in duct tape) in half, so I know what I am talking about... :-)

- Peter Lakatos, RKC Team Leader
Hungary, Budapest



If you are ready to get grip, here is the tool to get you there.

Learn more about it here

8. Self-Defense / Martial Arts Tip:
"Improving Tactile Reaction Speed"

When it comes to trapping or grappling you can react much quicker to touch than to sight.

Think back to playing bloody knuckles as a kid. You could react much quicker when you felt their hand move than by looking. (If you need to, play a game of bloody knuckles with someone.) This is because of the speed at which various nerve signals travel to the brain and how fast the brain can process different types of neural stimuli.

That is why in Wing Chun there are countless tactile drills such as sticky hands and a Wing Chun wooden dummy to practice on.

One way to dramatically improve your reaction timing and sensitivity is blind-folded training.

Now blind folded boxing won't get you anything except a black eye. Boxing is primarily a vision reaction sport. But grappling on the ground and trapping range is done more by tactical feel.

So, put on a blind fold (you can close your eyes but a blind fold is better) and practice rolling your training partner who is in the mount. Practice passing the guard and keeping the guard. Practice rolling them from the butterfly guard. Work various joint locks.

I recommend going slowly at first with your partner so you can learn to "feel" their weight and body positioning. Eventually you should be able to do full randori (ground sparring) with your eyes closed. The only time you will need to open them is if you lose contact with your opponent.

For trapping range you can practice chi sow (sticky hands) or hubad lubad drills or other trapping drills while blindfolded or with eyes closed or while looking at something else in the room.

Clearly this is a specific mode of training, that doesn't mean that if you get into a real fight or tournament that you want to keep your eyes closed the whole time. But the time you took building the sensitivity will pay off big time.

To learn more, visit my Martial Arts/ Self Defense site here:
www.progressivecombatsystems.com