“M2-K.O.”
BOXING: THE ORIGINAL KNOCKOUT WORKOUT

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6th 8:30AM

M2 Fitness Pros
with Jorge Rodriguez

Imagine your hands are wrapped and gloved. You slide in between the ropes and step cautiously into the ring. A voice suddenly booms across the speakers “In this corner…You! In the opposite corner…your own worst enemy – laziness and fatigue!”

Performance* Power* Undeniable confidence* NO-Excuses workout* Cardio conditioning* Self discipline

You’re momentarily stunned. Ding, ding, ding! “Round One!” Your adrenaline starts flowing and your heart starts pumping. Your eyes grow bigger as your opponent approaches you. You start rocking and shuffling, remembering your mantra “always think two steps ahead.” You realize this isn’t all just about throwing a few punches. It’s about the whole package – your mind, body and soul. You believe in your own ability. You’ve trained vigorously. You know it’s also about the strategy and mental gymnastics of boxing. Thinking quickly on your feet, you rock back and forth shifting your weight from side to side… your opponent throws you a jab … you block and pull your left arm back to prepare for an uppercut…the crowd roars!

“It is more about life than sport”

• SIGN UP NOW  (max. 2 classes per week)
•  Classes will allow a maximum of 8 students
•   Small Group Training CLASS SCHEDULE :  

Please sign up HERE or call the M2 studio directly to confirm your attendance in the class!

(see events schedule for exact dates)

The Knockout Workout
Simply put, boxing is a “knockout workout”. It provides a unique all-body cardiovascular (“cardio”) and strength-training workout. Boxing is a superb all-body approach to developing muscle in the shoulders and forearms, and building muscles in areas such as the legs, hips, abdominals, upper back, triceps, biceps and laterals. Boxing can also be an all-mind workout, enabling you to think more strategically about your moves, breathing and muscles used.

THINK like a champ. TRAIN like a champ.
Boxing is about the “PUNCH” – performance and power training, undeniable confidence, no-excuses workout, cardio conditioning, and healthy habits. With a commitment to the principles of the “PUNCH”, boxing promotes a healthy, safe approach to a whole-body, mind and soul training with unlimited benefits in both the short and long-term.

PERFORMANCE and POWER training
Boxing sessions are focused on developing performance, stamina and power and should stimulate several muscle groups enabling a dual-approach to exercise in both aerobic and anaerobic forms. Boxing training not only improves one’s speed, resistance, and strength, but flexibility and the reflexes of the muscles are also enhanced with a regular program. Additionally, repetitive motion of the arm muscles through sparring and shuffling while punching enables arms and legs to gain strength and power.

Undeniable CONFIDENCE
Boxing undoubtedly boosts one’s confidence. With proper training and guidance, and developing the strength and the proper way to use these new skills, boxing results in an undeniable core of self-confidence. Learning the proper execution of the punch combinations for a more intensive workout enables stronger and more well-defined moves, and helps to build more confidence in one’s abilities.

NO-EXCUSES workout
The commitment made is to “yourself”. By focusing on the goals of training, one is able to build the strength to WIN the match against one’s own worst enemy – laziness and fatigue. There are simply no excuses in boxing training. By maintaining an unwavering commitment to a rigorous boxing training workout, extraordinary results are built. Boxing movements require a development of balance and coordination that enables the body to be stable and maintain good form.

“Fights are won and lost on the scales”

Cardio EXTREME CONDITIONING
Boxing training also vastly improves cardio conditioning. The variations of the sparring jabs and power punches combine all of the aerobic-forms of exercise into a fitness regimen that is guaranteed to encourage a full cardio workout. Boxing workouts can burn up to 350 to 500 calories in an hour. With variations in movements and proper training, one is able to maintain the recommended heart rate at 75 to 85% of the maximum heart rate in order to fully realize results. Cardio-conditioning the whole body through a boxing workout simultaneously builds endurance, agility and coordination.

Healthy habits SELF DISCIPLINE
Boxing also promotes healthy habits. A sense of positive satisfaction arises through the release of endorphins during a productive boxing workout. Staying committed to a regular program also requires committing to a healthy diet and avoiding unnecessary fats and sugars, the types of foods that slow down one’s metabolism and are detrimental to promoting energy.

Through healthy habits in both a regimented boxing program and eating balanced nutritious meals, one will experience relaxation, stress relief and a sense of self-motivation. Boxing training also helps in redirecting negative energy into a more positive format.

Boxing is the original “knockout workout” – promoting an all-body, mind and soul conditioning and promising positive results. Using the principles of the “PUNCH” method and always following safety rules and regulations will enable one to develop not only the physical aspects of being fit, but also train one’s mind to think strategically. Remember to think like a champ…train like a champ…look like a champ!

About Jorge A. Rodriguez

With over 20 years of experience in the boxing world, Jorge A. Rodriguez is a Golden Gloves champion and a Diamond Belt Tournament Champion. As an amateur boxer and veteran of over a dozen professional fights, he boasts an 11 to 1 record. Jorge believes firmly in his mantra of “think like a champ, train like a champ, look like a champ” and using the PUNCH method to enable the development of a commitment to boxing as a sport or exercise.

His philosophy on boxing is to strive for a balance in building strength as well as remaining healthy in nutritional choices and keeping a positive mental attitude. Originally from Mexico, Jorge grew up immersed and surrounded by boxing as a safe and positive form of exercise and fitness. He sees boxing as a way to keep fit and redirect energy towards something that trains not only one’s body but also mental acuity.

Currently retired from competition, with his passion for and love of boxing, Jorge currently trains and teaches individuals of all ages as well as semi-professional preparation.

“What we buy is not simply some “thing”, but some idea that is embodied by that thing”

Experience the benefits of the “M2-KB” kettlebell program first hand, while participating in our FREE demo. If you haven’t been to M2 for a workout or seen the studio’s new, (but not so new) space, here’s a great way to get your bum in gear!!

Come get a GREAT workout… and some fashionable digs that pull, tuck and emphasize all the right spots! Giving you the body that you’d only otherwise get after training with the Pros.

M2 will improve the view and encourage you to GET to the gym so you can get yourself looking good NO MATTER what you wear!!!

“You better get on a first name basis with heavy deadlifts if you are after a hard butt!” –Pavel Tsatsouline

How would we look any better than we look now if we don’t challenge our muscles?

“Deadlifts? No, no. That’s a man’s exercise; we don’t want to hurt ourselves now do we? You better stick to this here butt blaster instead. Don’t go too heavy now; that’ll just make you big and bulky like those female bodybuilders. If you want to ‘tone up,’ you need to go for the ‘burn’ with high reps and just a little bit of weight. Okay, now over to the hip adductor machine this one is great for targeting and toning up those inner thighs.”

And as if the abundance of misinformation spouted out by the average lay person regarding women and weight training isn’t enough, these words actually came from the mouth of a “certified” personal trainer. A man’s exercise? What the heck is that? Are women so incompetent and weak that they can’t manage to conduct exercises with barbells and dumbbells or something? Higher reps to tone up? Big and bulky?–John Berardi

Weightlifting rooms up until a few years back were much different than they are today. It was less likely that you would find women handling the heavy iron alongside the men who have traditionally dominated this aspect of exercise since its inception.

Nowadays you’re just as likely to be waiting in line to grab a set of dumbbells from a woman as you are a man. The secret is out, strength training works for women! It melts the fat, builds the muscle, it aids in reducing anxiety and stress and it significantly improves your physical appearance by shaping your body into a tone, tight and lean physique, unlike any other exercise.

“A desirable female physique is one that can only be achieved by moving some serious iron in the weight room!”

Weight training is by far the most effective way to change the shape of your body.

“I don’t want to get Bulky”…this was one of the concerns brought up by an M2 female newbie this morning. In this article you’ll find the TRUE FACTS about women and weight training. Hear it from the top experts themselves…

How Women Should Train…

1. If you want to be lean, sexy, and hard, you should train with weights.

A desirable female physique is one that can only be achieved by moving some serious iron in the weight room! But what about all the talk about weight training making women big and bulky? First, it is physiologically impossible for you as a woman to put on large amounts of muscle mass; you’re body’s hormonal makeup is not one that will allow you to do so.

God never intended for women to look like men (go figure), so he made the chemistry of each gender’s respective bodies different. Regardless of how you train, how often you train, how much protein you eat, etc, you’re not going to even come close to the big, bulky physique of a female bodybuilder.

It will not happen. That look is only obtainable by one means: steroids. Because their natural hormonal profiles would never allow them to get that “big,” they resort to changing their body’s chemistry through the use of illegal drugs. Secondly, if the right training method is chosen, the hypertrophic (growth) response to resistance training can be even further reduced. This brings us to our next point.

2. If you want to be lean, sexy, and hard, you should train HEAVY.

Yeah, I know what they told you, lighten the load and go for the burn… hogwash. To comprehend why this is indeed nonsense, we have to understand a few things about muscle tone in general. There are two types of muscle tone; myogenic and neurogenic. Don’t get thrown off by the sciency words; the first simply refers to your muscle tone at rest. It is affected by the density of your muscles; the greater the density of your muscles, the harder and firmer you will appear. Heavy training increases your myogenic tone through the hypertrophy (growth) of the contractile proteins myosin and actin (myosin and actin are by far the most dense components of skeletal muscle).

Training in higher rep ranges promotes more sarcoplasmic (fluid) hypertrophy, which in turn yields a “softer” pumped look. If you want to be hard, firm, tight, etc, the latter is certainly not the way to go. The second aspect of a muscles’ tone is neurogenic tone, or the tone that is expressed when movements or contractions occur. Again, lower rep training comes out on top as training with heavy loads will increase the sensitivity of alpha and gamma motor neurons, thus increasing neurogenic tone when conducting even the simplest of movements (i.e. walking, extending your arm to point, etc).

Finally, as alluded to in point number one, training with heavy loads and low volume (sets x reps) is the best way to get hard and strong, but not big. Muscular hypertrophy is generally a response to a high volume work output; therefore, by keeping the sets and reps low with heavy training, you won’t have to fear getting overly big (this really isn’t even an issue due to the physiological reasons mentioned earlier).

Why then is it commonly recommended that women train with lighter loads? Well, there are a couple reasons. First, there is the typical stereotype that women are weak, fragile creatures who can’t handle anything more than pushups on their knees and bicep curls with pink dumbbells. Try telling that to 123 lb Mary Jeffrey who bench presses a world record 275 lbs and you’ll likely get smacked upside the head with a 45 lb plate. Give me a break. Secondly, the belief that high-rep training increases muscle tone is 100% myth.

Strength training guru and Muscle Media contributor Pavel Tsatsouline explains this quite nicely, “Your muscle fibers are like mouse traps… they go off by themselves, but need energy to be reset to contract again. A dead body is out of ATP, the energy compound that relaxes the muscles… A high rep workout exhausts ATP in your muscle and leads to temporary hardness… The only way to make such ‘tone’ last is by killing yourself.” Hmmm, sounds like fun to me. Pavel goes on to note, “You better get on a first name basis with heavy dead[lift]s if you are after a hard butt!” This brings us to our third and final point.

3. If you want to be lean, sexy, and hard, you should train with compound, multi-joint movements.

Forget the butt blaster, forget leg extensions and leg curls, and forget “muscle sculpting” with Susie the hyperactive personal trainer. As stated in point number two, if you want to sport a hard body, you better start training heavy. Big, compound movements such as the deadlift and the squat are superior to machine, isolation-type movements for hardening up your thighs and butt as they allow you to use maximal weight while training a number of muscle groups simultaneously.

Another benefit obtained by performing multi-joint compound movements is increased confidence. With strength comes confidence. Also, there is nothing like claiming your ground in the gym by loading up the squat bar and proceeding to execute a few heavy, crisp repetitions. After all, 90% percent of the guys in your gym probably don’t squat, and those of them that do most likely resort to using the smith machine and/or doing partial repetitions.

Know why? Because free squatting with a full range of motion is hard. It takes will power to get under that bar week after week and squat all the way down. Simply put, most people fear the squat and the deadlift (along with anything else challenging in life). So, after that macho guy gets done barbell curling in the squat rack, throw the bar up on the J-hooks where it belongs and show ‘em what kind of woman you are!

“So, ya want me to lift how much?”

Don’t get the impression that I’m telling you that you need to be able to lift “x” number of lbs to obtain a hard physique. Heavy is a relative term; 600 lbs is considered “light” to some of the guys on the Westside Barbell powerlifting team; however, the average gym goer would deem that same load monsterously heavy. In fact, if I loaded 600 lbs on the squat bar and proceeded to attempt a repetition, I would be rewarded with a few broken legs, but I digress.

It’s not important that you move big weights; what is important is that you are selecting and lifting loads that are heavy for you. Over time, you will get stronger and the poundage you can handle will increase. So, for you as a female trainee, a “heavy” load can be defined as a weight that you can lift in good form for 3-6 repetitions. This is in agreement with the recommendations of Canadian strength coach Christian Thibaudeau as he notes, “Women do not have the capacity to recruit as many motor units as men do.

As such, they’ll need 1-2 more reps to fully stimulate their muscles. So when training for strength, a man should use between 1 and 5 reps while a woman will benefit more from doing 3-6 reps. Also, most women will need to perform 1-2 more sets of an exercise to achieve the same degree of stimulation as a man, once again because of their lower motor unit activation.” –John Berardi

“What does it take to become FIT for a KING… or QUEEN?

“You know that every bead of sweat falling off your head, every weight you’ve pumped — the history of that is all in your eyes,” says Butler of his dedication. “That was a great thing, to put on that cape and put on that helmet, and not have to think, Shit, I should have trained more. Instead, I was standing there feeling like a lion.”

You will not achieve super star status unless you are dedicated to staying committed “show up!” and follow the program.

“3 months, 4 hours, 7 days a week…”

“It’s tough when you have to work 14-15 hours, then have to get up at four thirty-five in the morning then go lifts weights for two hours then go to work all day. So it’s been hard. It’s weird, my body doesn’t feel the same… nothing fits the same way, it’s like strange but you get into it- you love it! In the long run you’re so thankful you had the opportunity to get there.”

“I have a huge appreciation for what these people do… they taken something from our own lives and applied it to this. It’s become a dance”

There’s no magic, short cuts or quick fixes in this business called “life”, just hard work.

“The gap between where you are and where you want to be is called Frustration” 

Unlike most of the other training professionals that are out there, I choose to maintain my health as a priority.  Being a fitness business professional, I have to look like I know what I’m talking about and sound like I know what I’m talking about… “Walk the walk”- “Talk the talk”.

“When do I take time to unwind?”… Personally, during those few moments when I can regroup and maximize my exercise time with a mindful audio from the sharpest of leaders and mentors.

The world is full of critics… give it a break “need to relax” … “need to unwind”… they say, to be fair I can understand where others may be coming from but let me be clear, let me be the judge of that. Truth be told, I lived my retirement on the front end, now it’s time to work… sharpen the saw.

Tell me something I don’t know?

AC: Here’s something you should know. As far as the many popular trainers out there are concerned, let’s just say that I’ve seen behind many curtains. There are a lot of people writing about training who do not train anyone, or at best a few clients. I know a lot of these guys; I know their numbers, their financials, how well they’re doing. I know that they’re not getting by.

Shit, I get email from a lot of them asking me for business advice. The story is always the same: you ran out of money cause you were an unsuccessful trainer, so you had to come up with something else to make cash, like an article or an e-book. For this reason, there are a lot of self-appointed “training experts” talking about training theory who don’t train anyone to speak of. And a lot of their “findings” are based on very little real world work.

One critic of mine says I cherry pick the research that supports what I’m doing. He has that completely backwards. I don’t go to the research to decide what to do; I see what’s going on and then look to science to explain what I’m seeing.
When I started to see steady state cardio not working for people, I went to the library and began searching. I found no data to support steady-state cardio for fat loss. Everything that I write and talk about I see in numerous people over and over again. And everything I write about, I use every day with my clients.

Don’t believe me? Then come to my fucking gym and see me work. I have clients. I have a facility. I didn’t have time to start writing training articles until I got sick because I was way too busy training people. Most of the good coaches are like that. But there are lots out there now who have built a reputation based solely on articles and social media networking and Twitter and shit like that. It’s fucking marketing, not training. If you don’t know that about this industry, then you should.

I also refuse to pick a team. I probably have more kettlebells in my gym than dumbbells but I’ll be fucking damned if you label me a kettlebell trainer. But I know they’re effective.

I can pick up the phone and talk shop with top powerlifters at EFS, Olympic lifters, bodybuilding coaches, collegiate strength and conditioning specialists and MMA coaches. I learn all that I can from them and I’m not scared to use anything useful that I learn.

Different clients have different goals but more importantly, they also have very different needs. Sometimes you have to build guys up, sometimes you need to trim them down, other times you just have to get them strong. All require different methodologies. So what good does it do to pick a team when there are a lot of useful methods and tools out there?

Although I’ll confess that makes it hard sometimes. It’s easier to ignore people than be challenged. So don’t believe everything you read — but even more importantly — don’t just read what you already believe. Open yourself up to different ideas — give them a try before judging them.

But in the end, education is the single biggest difference maker in anything. You cannot get to the next level by just doing MORE of what got you to this level. It requires different knowledge, mindset, thinking, ideas, and actions.

Here’s a final thing you might not know. It’s a basic career/life rule that I live by: The gap between where you are and where you want to be is called Frustration. Frustration is eliminated by Education and Action. Get learning and get doing. –Alwyn Cosgrove

There you have it. This is how we typically unwind at M2… we don’t get comfortable; learning is the one constant similar to change. Stop looking in from behind the sidelines… Get in the game!

“M2-KB” KETTLEBELL FUNDAMENTALS DEMO

M2 Fitness Pros
With IKFF Level 1 Certified Kettlebell Trainer,
Chelsea Pereira

Saturday, January 9th 0800 @ M2 Studio

Why train with kettlebells?
Whether you’re an elite athlete looking for an edge, or you just like to stay involved in your favorite activity, CROSS-TRAINING with an effective kettlebell routine (appropriate to your level) will complement and enhance your strength and conditioning program by achieving MAXIMUM RESULTS with efficiency by training the entire body as a unit.

Fitness spokesperson for Women’s Health magazine agrees, “Kettlebells are one of the most difficult workouts to do because they involve the entire body to do the work, therefore it burns a lot of calories due to the metabolic demand. It mixes stabilization exercises, momentum and just plain strength.”

Benefits of Russian Kettlebell training:

1. CONCENTRATION
2. COORDINATION
3. BALANCE
4. MOVEMENT EFFICIENCY
5. FUNCTIONAL
6. FLEXIBILITY
7. CALORIC EXPENDITURE
8. AEROBIC CONDITIONING
9. POWER
10. MUSCULAR ENDURANCE
11. MUSCULAR STRENGTH
12. INJURY PREVENTION

Stuck in a rut and want to try something different?
“Bust out of it in a big way with a kettlebell workout. This old-school piece of equipment is a throwback to the dawn of strength training; many of you may not be familiar with it. After a brief introduction to its physique-building values, we feel confident you’ll soon give kettlebell-style training a try.”
—– Joe Weider, Editor of Muscle & Fitness Magazine

Do you want to challenge your mind and body?
“It’s challenging,” said Pavel Tsatsouline, a master kettlebell trainer and former instructor for the Russian Special Forces who helped introduce kettlebells to the United States. “It challenges the heart, the muscles, everything. You get a workout quickly. But you have to work. You can’t sit and watch CNN and do kettlebells. It feels very liberating. I think people are tired of sitting around like gerbils on machines. ”
—– New York Times, December 2008

The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s leading authority on fitness, included kettlebells among the top ten fitness trends for 2009:
“The reason for the surge in kettlebell training is that it gets back to basic training that requires functional, whole body fitness… a great way to get a whole body workout in a relatively short period of time.”
—– Press Release, December 9, 2008

Are Kettlebells the only way to train?
Kettlebell training can be a great addition to any program. They can be just as effective as barbells and dumbbells for muscle building. However, nothing takes place of progressive weight training. If you have been weight training and are looking for a new stimulus then kettlebell training will prove to be a great fit. A combination approach is an excellent way to go.

Beginner KETTLEBELL CIRCUIT Training “M2-KB”
M2 Fitness Pros
With IKFF Level 1 Certified Kettlebell Trainer,
Chelsea Pereira

Want to give kettlebells a try?

• SIGN UP NOW for 4 weeks of Intro to KETTLEBELL CIRCUIT
  (max. 2 classes per week)
• Beginner classes will allow a maximum of 4 students
• Small Group Training CLASS SCHEDULE :   TBA
• Classes are subject to change depending on # of students signed up
• MUST sign up or call the M2 studio directly to confirm your spot in the class!

**PLEASE NOTE: Before signing up for any group Kettlebell classes, ALL students are required to complete a workshop and are encouraged to participate in ( 3 ) 60 minute One-on-One Kettlebell private sessions (one time only) with Chelsea Pereira to learn in-depth body alignment and safety techniques needed to correctly execute fundamental Kettlebell lifts and swings.

Kettlebells may pose a risk of injury if an individual is not properly trained. We will emphasize safety first. This class requires individualized attention for any beginner.

FYI:

1. Use Flat –Sole shoes such as “Converse All-stars” when training with Kettlebells instead of running shoes which have a raised heel and cushy sole which can cause instability of the foot/ankle during Kettlebell exercises. You want to be able to “grip” the floor with your feet.

2. I do not recommend the use of weight-lifting gloves while training with Kettlebells. Gloves interfere with your grip and do not allow for a smooth execution of certain Kettlebell movements. Just like with your feet “gripping” the floor, you want your bare hands to be in contact with the Kettlebell.

Beginner ”M2-KB” CIRCUIT Group Class OBJECTIVES:

1. Learn about the origins and uses of kettlebells and why the Russian Kettlebell is an effective training tool available for strength, conditioning, and fat loss.

A Kettlebell is a traditional Russian training tool that has been used since the turn of the century to develop full body conditioning and fitness; the goal being the development of a body that is strong yet lean and athletic.

2. Learn why the Russian Kettlebell is an effective training tool available for strength, conditioning, and fat loss.

• How to train effectively
• What joint mobility exercises to perform prior to a workout
• How to develop hip power to drive kettlebell
• What to do with your swings to protect your lower back
• How to avoid potential injury from improper execution
• Why 30-45 minute workouts are more effective and more…

3. Learn proper breathing for maximum performance, placement of the handle on one’s hand, form and safe KB training techniques to also maximize progressions and prevent injuries.

4. Learn how to incorporate maximum FAT LOSS with quick and effective kettlebell routines combined with basic body weight movements into your busy schedule.

5. Learn fundamental 1-kettlebell movements (in this order):

a. KB Deadlift
b. KB 2-handed swing: develop rapid hip flexors/accelerate fat loss
c. KB One-handed swing: develop rapid hip flexors/accelerate fat loss
d. KB 2-handed high pull
e. KB 1-handed high pull
f. KB Clean
g. KB Press
h. KB Push Press
i. KB Front Squat
j. KB Thruster
k. KB 1-arm bent-over row
l. KB Clean and Press
m. KB Clean/Squat/Press
n. KB Snatch

Fundamental 1-kettlebell movements:

a. KB Deadlift:  once you have mastered the body weight squat (air squat) it is time to progress to the deadlift which will primarily work your back, glutes, and hamstrings.
b. KB 2-handed swing:  this is the foundation of all ballistic Kettlebell movements. This is where we work on the hip snap that is used in all ballistic (explosive) movements. The swing is known for its ability to strengthen the body’s posterior chain (paraspinal muscles, glutes, and hamstrings).
c. KB One-handed swing:  this is not any harder than the two handed version. The one handed swing allows for more motion on the hike-back which will give you more elastic energy in your swing.
d. KB 2-handed high pull: this is a basic but effective movement that uses the same hip snap as the swing while placing extra focus on your upper back muscles (rhomboids and traps)
e. KB 1-handed high pull: this is the same movement performed with one hand. This will lead up to the clean.
f. KB Clean: the clean is a means of getting the Kettlebell safely to the “rack position.”  The rack position is where the Kettlebell is held at the shoulder. This is also an exercise in itself and is commonly difficult for many to master.  Although the clean is a great individual movement, it also sets the stage for many other movements and combinations that will help to super-charge your conditioning levels.
g. KB Press: now that we can get to the rack position, it’s time to press the bell overhead.  The press is a full body movement due to the nature of the tension throughout the entire body.
h. KB Push Press: this uses a dip from the knees to assist in the press and is a ballistic movement more conducive to a conditioning based workout.  The push press will elevate your heart rate due to the increased leg involvement and speed of the movement.
i. KB Front Squat: One of the most challenging movements of all.  It is crucial to learn the clean before the front squat.  The single handed version will compromise the midsection due to the nature of the off-balanced movement with one bell.
j. KB Thruster: Now that the squat and the press have been mastered, we can learn the Kettlebell thruster.  The Kettlebell thruster has several variations but always uses the same principle: squat and press combination.  This movement uses just about every muscle group in the body, elevating your heart rate very quickly.  Great exercise as part of a metabolic conditioning workout.
k. KB 1-arm bent-over row: This exercise is used as an accessory movement to help balance out the shoulder from all of the pressing we do.
l. KB Clean and Press: Great combination movement utilizing both your push and pull muscles.
m. KB Clean/Squat/Press: This combination movement gets your heart rate up quickly while working all your muscle groups.
n. KB Snatch: This movement takes some time to teach. First you will learn it from the dead position and then into the swing variation. The dead position makes it easier to tame the arc of the Kettlebell and does not all the bell to blast the forearm.

**Always master single Kettlebell drills before moving onto double KB drills.

Things to remember:

Progression: gradually increase your weight, volume, and intensity. Failure to do so will lead to overtraining and/or injury.

Master the basics:  Learn and repeatedly train/practice your basic KB exercises before moving to their advanced variations.

Awareness of body alignment and movement mechanics:  For each lift, make sure you are aware of the proper alignment, mechanics and groove (trajectory of the bell).

Hand Care: due to the friction and high repetitions associated with many of the lifts, utilize a nail file to keep calluses smooth and use hand lotion.

Different Kettlebell uses:
1. General fitness
2. KB sport (competitions)
3. KB juggling
4. KB for specific sports/activities

**Ability to participate: You may participate in physical activity that may be at times strenuous.

Ballistic exercises are not the only exercises that you can benefit from, kettlebell exercises such as: the Turkish get-up, Bent Press, and Windmill will develop a rock-hard midsection and increase shoulder flexibility and stability. (Phase II)

A balanced training program combined with a solid worth ethic and healthy nutrition plan is a sure-fire recipe for success.

Dear M2 Family and Friends,

As we begin the holiday season, E & I wanted to take a moment to wish you and your family a safe and warm “Thanksgiving”weekend.

In all the excitement and chaos of everything around us, let’s take a minute to reflect upon the things that have meaningful significance and that we all have to be grateful for even in midst of these trying storms.

“THANK YOU” for your loyalty and support while we continue striving to expand our brand, which could not have been made possible without YOU, our clients and friends.

As entrepreneurs we have to be willing to risk all without being afraid to fail, invest years of burning the midnight oil, sharpen our skills, take massive initiative, determination, persist, struggle, and continue to do all those things that an overwhelming majority aren’t willing to do until we achieve our ultimate success… health, security and wealth.

“Pride is power. Self respect precedes respect. A sense of worth based on your own exceptionally productive contributions (not a sense of entitlement based on nothing) is pre-requisite for prosperity. M2 Fitness Pros members are defiantly, unwaveringly proud of whom they are, what they do, and what they mean to society. This is a license to go out and collect all that they can by their own creation.”

Special thanks to the M2 family, M2 Team… and M2 Affiliates for their efforts & assistance with a successful Opening

Denise, Tricia, JP, Ernie & Shyrl, Chris, Susan & Marshall, Warren, Dahiana, Aries, Traci & Sherri, Jan, Sam, George’s Greek Deli, Handyman Sam, Gerardo and the crew, Dana & the Lulu Gang “LULULEMON ATHLETICA”, Eric & Lazarra “It’s a Grind on Pine”, Staci & Donald “PHOSPHOR”, Melissa & PR “AVIA Hotel”, Alma & family “Omelette Inn”, Angela “Kreme de la Kreme”, Olives Gourmet, Mitch “Big Studio”, Mojee “Mojee Collections”, Sunny & Kimberly “Kimberlys” 2nd Street, Ali “Open Sesame & SWAY” on 2nd Street, David “David Galindo”, Sidney “Spa Sidney”, Scott “DOMA Properties, Greg Ramirez, Hamid “Loyal Craftman”, Jeff “JMN Electric”, Alexandra & Edward

Autum… thanks for sharing the great pics… posted on main site!

To your health…

B & E

How does anybody achieve success with their life and their personal health during a period of undue stress? Where do we begin… at the beginning, or do we start at the end with a small objective in mind, develop a plan and then go backwards?

What if you start where you are, map out a plan and just start making strides towards the direction of your goal? What if an obstacle presents itself, how do you resume if you are forced to stop?  “What if”…

These are valid questions we all want answered as we begin our personal quest for excellence.  When I began my personal quest and developed my fitness professional career did I set out with the intention of excellence… perhaps that may have been the case but “no”, it just evolved as my understanding increased and interests continue to deepen along with my desire to quench my thirst for what would become an endless career goal.

The definition of mind-body connection is simple and complex at the same time but in its simplest form it’s the connection or resulting from the interrelationship between one’s physical health and the state of one’s mind or spirit and overall effect on one’s health.

Historical perspective on mind and body connection

“But what if” …many of you say? And it’s as simple as “I just want to get lean, drop some fat…feel better”. Most however will be trapped by the demons, “excuses” or trolls of emotions residing in your minds that will often act as gatekeepers forbidding your successes until you learn to grab the bull by the horns.

From the worlds shift and mankind’s evolution from old to the new world, the basic “software” of what it means to be human hasn’t changed, but the external world has definitely changed rapidly in comparison. We still feel, think and react in the same manner as we did thousands of years ago to external stressors.

From the Greeks and Romans, through the Renaissance period to early Colonial American, humans are pretty much hard wire the same internally…bones, muscle and brain.

The changes externally going from an extreme need for physical survival skills and abilities have all been in recent times outsourced from the more prosperous in society to the lesser and knowledgeable work that has replaced physical work. With this shift, a less physical body has evolved and an overstressed mind fueled with poorly engineered food has created the beginning of the end.

Is this a possible shift back to the dark ages? Can we rebound? Some will…many will not.

“Mind over Matter” is about developing the mental disciplines to handle life’s challenges while also juggling all the balls in the air. Possibly having to have a life changing situation or event occur usually does it for some…a death, divorce, job loss, war, a violent crime is enough to easily put anyone over the edge and nothing brings them back. Do you have the tools in place to get back up and dust off? 

Managing to eat, sleep, work, exercise and have a fully functioning life with challenging accomplishments to help each of us achieve a level of competency for a strong mind body connection with “Mind over Matter” disciplines can be taught, practiced, refined and learned.

A demon so strong that nothing short of your own death will stop you from achieving this or any goal you set out to do.                      

You know why military sounding product names seem to abound in the M2 Fitness Pros programs?

“Mr. Fat Loss” was conceived by M2 co-partner, a Navy Seals candidate and military veteran of nearly a decade.

From training military muscles shipboard to being a certified fitness professional for the last 31 years, he created programs from the secrets he learned on the job.

Traveling around the world on a floating city helped to forge the beginning philosophies that Mr. Fat Loss incorporates into this very difficult level of conditioning. Bringing together multiple disciplines and combining them into an advanced system that is challenging and more complete than any program anywhere in the world.

Hard you ask? Absolutely! And it’s not for everyone. Except for the rare few that invite challenge and will put the time and dedication needed to become an “Elite” Commando. 

The word Commando is defined an individual soldier, a military unit, and a raid (a type of military operation). Contemporarily, commando identifies élite light infantry and Special Forces units specialized in parachuting, rappelling, and amphibious landings to conduct and affect attacks. In the militaries of some Commonwealth countries, the observed distinction is that commandos specialize in assault and Special Forces specialize in counter-terrorism, reconnaissance, and sabotage. Originally “a commando” was a type of combat unit; in other languages, commando and kommando denote a “command”, in the sense of a military unit.

Sounds pretty intense and it is.

That’s why this isn’t for the faint at heart. The workouts are heavy, aggressive and exhausting. There meant to push the absolute limit of an individual, male or female to a place that will prepare them for extreme physical and mental challenges to come in a “peaking” phase in pre-contest or a competitive season training for athletes.

Why is it part of a fat loss program?

Because there are a few individuals that believe in terms of their fitness goals and fat loss in particular, the need to push the extra mile and beyond is required in order to climb that mountain. Mild mannered effort will not yield superior results, period. A fever must possess you, like a demon (higher power or spirit for my “read into the words a person uses” psychological types).

A demon so strong that nothing short of your own death will stop you from achieving this or any goal you set out to do.

These individuals usually are competitive athletes, business professionals and some common everyday people that are just a cut above the average mortals.

What is Elite Commando then?

While on this journey the benefits of different physical activities became very apparent and having just one of the areas developed short changes the others. You will have strength and the endurance with that strength, which is crucial. Yes, you will build some strength, not huge size, but a strength that will allow you to carry your weight and someone else’s if need be.

Enough muscle to defend or suppress a situation. You will possess a strong heart and lungs with enough endurance from running fast, hard and long.

You will have the flexibility to prevent injuries and also increase recovery for the next assault on your body. Jumping, climbing, crawling, dragging, pushing, pulling a multitude of objects from body weight to free weight or machines day or night, in a hot or cold climate.

It is not easy to get to this level class if you are not mentally and physically prepared. It is a hard grind making your way into this elite school of commandos and few are selected from the regular personnel in the M2 Fitness Pros to undergo the rigorous training. Few pass the grueling test.

If you think you can’t, then you should not opt for it. It is for those who believe in YES, I CAN.

M2 Elite Commando is old school stuff with real high intensity-interval fitness training programs for the elite group of athletes ready to step up their game. If you aren’t up for a challenge, you shouldn’t be enrolling for the Elite Commando training.

Specially designed to take your fitness to the highest level, the training involves a great deal of mental strength to dominate the body and submit it to the grind.

The M2 Elite Commando program is meant to integrate body weight training and external loading along with cardio conditioning for building strength and muscles for those who think they are superhuman. But the qualities will be put to test soon as you join the program and there is no relenting.

If you think you are advanced physical fitness specimen, then you step up and come out a winner. It is a 45 minute grueling workout series, multiple times per day and multiple days per week where you will be tested to the limits. Free weights, body weight and machine training that would target the upper and the lower body muscle groups to develop strong defined muscles and toned bodies to bring out the animal lurking in you. 

It is a concentrated circuit of giant exercises that you would be performing intensely to ramp up your stamina and push yourself to the ultimate limit. If you can endure the highest limits of physical exercises, then you could easily enroll.

It is not how ordinary men/women build up muscles, but the way military men/women and commandos test themselves to perform the hardest of all tasks. You will not only be working out indoors, but doing lots of outdoor training as well.

It is a time tested mixture and follows the same level of training principles that is followed in the armed forces. M2 Fitness Pros has created for you to model the work ethic of an elite commando.

Once again, this is absolutely hard core and not for the weak minded. Even if you are strong and feel physically superior to many others and think you have to prove that you are, you may be beaten already and just don’t know it yet.

As the M2 Fitness team takes you through the paces making you rough it out, they keep your overall training and body in mind while they find the weakness, exploit them and then build them up.

Persistence is the root habit of a true Champion

Warrior Athlete | Heart to courageously live life with purpose

Do you fall under the definition of a warrior athlete?

war•ri•or 
1. One who is engaged in or experienced in warfare
2. One who is engaged aggressively or energetically in an activity, cause or conflict.

ath•lete
n. A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

The Warrior Athlete is forged from flesh and bone, has the spirit of a Warrior. While through the heat of intense unconventional workouts and daily life challenges, the warrior athlete is hardened by a disciplined approach to physical recovery and is targeted like a laser in an unflinching pursuit of self mastery.

The Warrior Athlete views their training not as simply a separate time of day where they work and sweat, but as a necessary component of your entire life that merges body, mind, and spirit.

Training for the Warrior Athlete 

A good training program should be designed with results in mind. While several claim this, the majority of programs are built on specializing in a single area. Obvious flaws with this philosophy exist as most…

    * Bodybuilder, Fitness and Figure athletes don’t use a program built for a runner.
    * Runners don’t use a program of a swimmer.
    * Swimmer’s don’t use a program of yoga Master.
    * Yoga Masters don’t use a program of a wrestler.
 
Which describes you?
You must be all of them, and more.
 
You are a “Warrior Athlete” when you can physically and mentally handle any situation.  

    * Strength to move a heavy object or subdue an attacker.
    * Speed to make the final push at the end of the race.
    * Power and grace like a cheetah.
    * Stamina and endurance to ascend to the top of the mountain.
    * Heart to courageously live life with purpose.

“The only easy day was yesterday.” This statement is confirmed daily at M2 Fitness Pros as people from all walks of life come in to the pride with the thought that they are ready to commit to excellence, which is highly unique by most standards these days- the fitness of the classic warrior athlete has become a model for many clients who have no training experience or little appetite for it.

In a sense, M2 Fitness Pros and The Warrior Athlete™ address this fragility to be sure. We are all vulnerable to disease and disability, whether through daily challenge, sickness, or old age. We need coaching to prepare for this- indeed, hard training and instruction, if we are not to be totally undone by life’s challenges.

How might the Warrior Athlete program help an M2 athlete or team member face the day to day requirements of an aggressive training schedule and full life?

There is a striking paradox about which there has been a stunning silence: a warrior athletes’ body is in many ways a very personal investment specific to our own interests and goals, and yet the sacrifices he or she makes are utilized on a very public stage.

Can Warrior Athlete training help those facing challenges beyond the physical arena?

The philosophy about the warrior athlete program is extreme, intense and insane. Yes, people with ordinary skills and weak temperament will be challenged… some will move forward a bit further, others will break down and a select few “the Elite” will continue to climb on up the mountain.

Where will you be?