I would like to start the second part of this blog series by stepping back and looking at a simple training model. The model is shaped as a pyramid where each level builds the foundation for one above it. The base level is referred to as, “General Physical Preparedness” (GPP) and is the base for all physical culture. The most time is should be dedicated to this layer or phase of training. The second layer is “Specific Physical Preparedness” (SPP) and is where an athlete develops general physical attributes specific to his or her specific sport. The next level is the “Physical Skills” (PS) level. Here an athlete develops very specific sport skills. In martial arts the PS phase is where technique practiced and refined. On top of the pyramid is the phase where an athlete trains his or her mental and emotional skills for competition. You can see that for each layer function properly the layer below it has to be fully developed and maintained. (Sonnon, 2004)

When training for a serious hunt one should spend most of his or her time working on their GPP. There are technical definitions for GPP but for the sake of this article lets keep the terminology simply. Your GPP phase for hunting fitness should consist of general balanced conditioning in areas of joint mobility, general flexibility, strength and endurance. I base this on the fact that most hunters booking serious hunts for elk and sheep are between the ages of 35 and 55 and require a base program that is initially rehabilitative and pre-habilitative when maintaining GPP levels. The single most effective component of the GPP level is maximal strength development.

Developing ones maximal strength is a concentrated effort to coordinate the different muscles within muscle groups and to biomechanically coordinate the muscle groups throughout the body. This is referred to as “neurological efficiency”. (Tsatsouline, 1999) Maximal strength lifts such as deadlifts, squats and presses work to develop very solid base motor patterns in which all other skills can be based off of and that increase ones general performance. We examine maximal strength from the standpoint of performance by taking the percentage of maximal strength any activity requires. For instance, each step up the mountain is a certain percentage of your maximal strength. By increasing your maximal strength you decrease the percentage of your maximal strength each step requires. By developing your maximal strength you make instant gains in performance because each activity requires less of your maximal strength. Most athletic trainers will also agree that the premise, “Strengthen to Lengthen” is very true and suggests that developing your maximal strength also aids in developing your base level flexibility. (Find videos of Olympic lifters and look at their flexibility) With the development maximal strength, one can address multiple components of their GPP and this development should be a focus when formulating your fitness plan.

I recommend reading “Power to the People” by Pavel Tsatsouline for in depth information and a solid program for developing your maximal strength. http://www.dragondoor.com/b10/?apid=DCronkRKC&abid=de6d693a

(For more on Joint Mobility please review my previous blog, “Hunting Fitness- Where to Begin”.)

“Always consult your physician before entering into a new fitness program.”

References:

Sonnon, Scott. 2004. Three Dimensional Physical Preparedness for the Combat Athlete. RMAX.tv Productions.

Tsatsouline, Pavel. 1999. Power to the People. Dragondoor Publications Inc.

Most American men between the ages of 35 and 55 have very similar issues with knees, shoulders and their lower back.  This is mainly to do with the fact Americans as a culture are chronic sitters and  suffer from being overweight, have short tight hip flexors, long weak back muscles and very weak abdominal muscles.  When left uncorrected it leads to almost immediate injury when one tries to do anything that requires proper body mechanics.  This physical state is just an adaptation to over-sitting and can be corrected.  How do we correct this?

Looking at the basic model for physical therapy we find the first step is establish  range of motion in the body.  By simply increasing your range of motion throughout your body you gain strength and endurance.  Your body has protective mechanisms called “stretch receptors” in your muscles, ligaments and tendons that send messages to the brain as part of a feed back loop.  When in “danger” mode the receptors tell the brain to shut down muscle groups that could possibly injure the area in which they live.  When your muscles are shut down your body does not work properly.  By increasing the range of motion in the body we are actually decreasing the effect of the protective mechanisms and increasing efficiency of function in the body.  Simple.

The most effective way to increase mobility is enter into a proper “joint mobility” program.  You can use the program as a warmup to your workouts ensuring you get the exposure for physical adaptation and to properly warm up your body for exercise.  Establishing a program resulting in mobile “well oiled” joints should be the first step in developing your fitness plan.  I recommend a program like “Super Joints” from Pavel Tsatsouline. http://www.dragondoor.com/shop-by-department/books/b16/

Remember, always consult your physician before entering into any exercise regime.

Cheers,

David Cronk, RKC

5x6 Bull Elk- 2009 Matt Arkins

This past summer I was producing a training video for hunters and I was practicing the joint mobility and strength training routine I put together for the video in preparation for the upcoming hunting season.  I am a traditional archer and had my heart set on hunting elk in the mountains here in Montana.  If any of you hunt elk during archery season you know that you put some serious miles on your boots during the season.  I was having a great season chasing elk.  I was in great shape and felt very comfortable moving through dense timber and over rough high mountain terrain.  Then during the middle of the season on the journey home from a great weekend of elk hunting the horse I was riding fell at a trot and landed on my the lower section of my left leg.  At first I thought I had broken my leg as it was very painful but after the examination of the x-rays it was determined that I had sprained my ankle and my MCL and strained my calf muscle.  This was great news!  I knew then that because I was already in great shape that my recovery time would not be that long.  I took a week off to rest up and then began my rehab using the same joint mobility and kettlebell exercises  I used to get into shape for the hunting season.  Two weeks later I was back in the woods going after the elk again hiking up to 12 miles a day and 4 weeks later I helped a buddy pack out an elk where I had  50-100 lbs on my back for miles over steep mountain terrain.  This story for me is an excellent testament to the RKC system of training and the benefits you gain from keeping your body mobile and strong.  To all you hunters out there I hope you all had and are having a great season.  Look for the exercise video for hunters coming out this winter.

Best,

Dave

Hello everyone!  My name is David Cronk, RKC and welcome to the new site for Heavy Metal Kettlebell Fitness.  Through this site you can find and link to RKC kettlebell training, products and information that will help you begin or advance your path toward self mastery.  In this blog I will be commenting on training tips I have found to help myself and my clients and also posting links to articles that I find to be pertinent to helping us all move toward our training goals.  If you are new to kettlebells, I encourage you to read through the HMKF page “About Kettlebells” and to contact me with any questions you may have about training.  I offer personal instruction in Bozeman, MT through private sessions, classes and seminars.  To find dates and times of my classes and seminars please click on the “Classes” link on the HMKF home page.  Thank you for visiting my site and please stay tuned to my blog for kettlebell training tips and information from myself and other kettlebell training experts from around the RKC community.  Cheers!