Over the next few months, I will be setting the stage for an upcoming project. The project is a return to common sense methods of maintaining health, mobility, flexibility, and functional movement. Many fitness “professionals” these days, seem to be frankly, trying to keep up with the latest trends and fads. Why? Why not look to the methods that have lasted for hundreds, and in some cases, literally thousands of years. In a world where the general public seems to be assuming more and more abnormal shapes, question marks, pears, apples, odd fruit indeed. People should not be compared to fruit in their physical appearance. Imagine if someone said you look like a Durian Well? As people grow into these abnormal shapes, they also lose important physical abilities, circulation suffers, range of motion becomes limited, walking becomes a study in bio-mechanical adaptation that would make Darwin pull his teeth out. So, I will be presenting some of the methods that have lasted, and though they have faded from the headlines, the principles are still present and currently used, no matter how the sales guru's and marketing mavens may hide them. We will be discussing breath, posture, strength, speed and stamina. The 5 Rings of Fitness as I present them to my clients and students. I say we as I expect that my readers and clients will participate in the conversation, adding to it when they can, questioning me at every turn and testing the veracity of every claim I make. I exhort you to not believe a damn thing I say, research it, run your findings through the filter of your own experience, then decide for yourself if the information is germane to the task that you are faced with. We will be discussing dietary guidelines, supplementation, exercise, joint mobility, movement as a means of ameliorating the stress of daily life and physical activity, and occasionally why I think something is insane, stupid, or dangerous. So, in the immortal words of Mike D, get ready cause this aint funny......

just finished my am Full body session R-Phase coordinated speed with left rotation at the neck 10 Minutes Kalos Sthenos Get Up with 24kg Bell-focus on t-spine waves and neck rotations 2# indian clubs, Thomas System 20 reps each of all 6 basic movements + all points of the compass and about face in movements 2 and 3 5 Minute Snatch test with 20kg bell = 100 reps (10/10 pattern) in 4:34 A march Arm swing Plyo step to sprint x 10 blocks (back and forth in the alley) with peg board in plyo step position after each sprint to cool down Carenza with 18oz t-ball bats (they are pink, this gets laughs, but I always say, "I question the wisdom of hassling a man with 2 bats" ) Rehab Z drills (all with eyes right and down-Rotating Figure 8's,Scapular camshafts with bent elbow, elbow figure 8's) and FMS correctives (leg lowering progression #3, single hip bridges with tennis ball pinched between flexed leg and stomach, single leg toe touch with out dowel, 5 minutes of crocodile breath) as a cool down I am now ready for the Zombies

A few announcements May 22nd, I will be at the MN River Valley Martial Arts Academy in Apple Valley for a 2 hour Z-health clinic I will be covering the basics of the Z-health system and how you can perform at a higher level using the principles of Z-health and dynamic joint mobility to moderate the threat to your system, and release the parking brakes on your daily abilities for more information or to pre-register for the clinic, call James at 612-220-7587 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it also I recently completed the CICS or Certified Indian Club Specialist Certification held by Dragon Door Dr Ed Thomas and Master RKC Brett Jones instructed a group of about 30 of us in the Thomas System of Club swinging, and I am happy and proud to say that I am now among a small group of individuals (the only group that will ever be certified by Dr Thomas himself)

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Welcome to the new 5 Rings Fitness Blog