I'll be doing a demo at the Arnold and also teaching a workshop on Sunday at Westside Barbell Club. Steve steve@fullkontact.com

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I'll be meeting with Dave Redding, Strength coach of SD Chargers, later this month. He's old school and knows what he's doing and what he's looking at. From my angle, what I will offer is the combination of hand-hand/infighting skills with ROM and ballistics via KBs (and a few other simple tools-focus mitts, swords,etc). From his angle, they only have a limited time with the players each week. He has 40 players, for 2 hours, 4 days per week. Not a lot of time when you have to factor in dynamic flexibility, medicince ball work, plyos, running, upright lifting, mass lifting, etc. Each 'station' has to be precisely timed and then move to the next phase. With all that you have to factor in rehab, etc. So, for an NFL team S&C coach, the issue is how to budget a limited amount of time while still allowing to get all the bases covered. And often times, the people upstairs do not have the same vision as the people in the trenches, so that's another issue. It's hard to get expert consulting for things like kettlebell training (or MA or any other specialized learning) if the people upstairs won't budget for it. Each team/city is different in this way. On the other side of the coin, there is not much glory for a trainer to work for or with an NFL team. For a trainer that has things going on already, it can be more work than it is worth just to say that you 'trained' an NFL team. All said, it has to be presented just right, in the specific context of the given team, in a way that is both very efficient (NFL is corporate America) and yet won't trample on the egos of those who know everything already. So, it is really hard to convince an NFL team to drop their program in favor of a 'new better' program. Everybody knows that certain MA training helps football players, especially linemen. So, why isn't every team brining in MA to their curriculums? Well, from what Dave Redding told me, he's brought in guys before to work with the team, and these guys want to have the players doing kata! Ridiculous. The S&C coaches in the NFL see and hear about every gimic there is. If there is a juice, berry, pill, or gadget that will make the players jump higher or hit harder, these guys are going to get a phone call from a salesman. So, I think it will be a long time, if ever, before something like KB training, or any other system or tool will take over the weight room of the NFL. There is just too much involved. That said, I have a feeling the SD Chargers might! Steve

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The thing to keep in mind is that as someone with specialized information you are providing the service to the team. The idea that a pro team is doing a trainer a favor by letting him work there is a joke. If they aren't willing to pay attention, it isn't worth putting in any time with them. The best time to get the athletes is just before they go into the highest professional leagues, when they are at their hungriest. Your approach of just putting it at them works well. In my experience, the average football player is good to work with. Some of them whine, but for the most part, they are all very tough to some degree. In the NFL, you have to get the players individually away from the team. It is easier to get to know them. All highly competitive athletes are very fickle and very few can tolerate being humiliated, and never publicly. So a trainer has to quickly earn their attention, without losing them by doing something that they cannot do, or would look bad trying to dublicate. I always tell these guys, after I rep out some 40kg snatches, that if I can do that, THEY are going to be unstoppable once they dial in the technique. The ones I think are the real softies are the basketball kids. At least in the US, by the time they get to college, most of them have gotten by on skill and never get the pop in the mouth they need. I enjoy working with football guys,because even the best football athlete gets humbled on any given play, but most of the basketball kids have fragile egos. 

maybe Tiki wouldn't have to pass the blame and the Giants wouldn't choke come playoff time. But then, what fun would that be? Just some friendly football banter on Super Bowl day. Go Steelers! There is a big difference between individual players and a whole team adopting a training methodology. It's no coincidence that Tiki has had by far his most productive years as a player the past few years since incorporating a serious S&C protocal outside of the team's direction. 

Hi Jim, Thanks for your comments and I am glad to hear that the Encyclopedia DVDs are having a positive influence in your life. I will be out in Victor again in a few months. The filming for the Encyclopedia was actually done in Rochester, but Victor is where my producer's company is, and where I stay when I am in town. If you wish to keep in contact, please send me an email and I will follow up with you before I'm out your way again: steve@fullkontact.com Steve

http://www.fullkontact.com 

Thanks for braving the weather Michael. It was great to see you. Glad that your knee is fully healed and you are at full strength. I had a blast working with you and the others. I think I have learned my lesson not to schedule any NE coast workshops in the dead of winter any more! Luckily, I was able to catch a flight home this morning and am now enjoying the 78 degree weather! Good seeing you and I'll see you again in a few months. Steve

http://www.fullkontact.com 

Regina, I think you made the right choice. It was a great workshop but not worth the risk involved in making the trip. I had quite an education practicing driving in the snow. Hope you can make it next time around. Steve 

Yes, there is news. I'll be going up for 3 days in a few weeks to lay the foundation. While the specific nature of the training I will be doing with the 49ers is private, I can tell you the general approach that we will be taking while integrating KB training. When working with a large group, particulary when as well-organized as an NFL team, the training has to be presented in the context of the team philosophy and schedule. Here are the major areas that will be covered Primary Kettlebell Techniques; Complexes: putting the basics together in various 2-4 movement combos; Power Lifts: Double KB lifts; high-tension leverage lifts, grip-specific training; KB and Bands for acceleration training and eccentric loading; Warm-ups and continuous circuits; Program Design: off season, pre-season, competition; integrating KB lifting with BB/DB lifting; specific application of KB for specific positions; Joint Mobility and Flexibility; Infighting and Reflex training Aside from KBs, simple tools such as focus mitts and shinai are used along with the hands to reinforce the overall theme, which is S&C for impact/fighting sports. The specific program in store is actually quite comprehensive and unique to this situation, and is not something I will be presenting publicly at this time. Thanks for your interest. KB training can offer lots of value to full contact athletes Steve Cotter

http://www.fullkontact.com 

Hi Steel, Lots of questions here. The first things is, please post the Big 3 program you are referring to so that I can see exactly what is involved. I am not someone who memorizes programs so I don't know off the top of my head the Starr program. Their is most assuredly a specific reason for choosing one program over another. If that reason is mass, or maximal strength in the Big 3 lifts, then you want to be careful trying to add things above and beyond what is prescribed. I don't know the specific progam you are referring to, but I do know that Bill Starr knows his way around strength training, so more likely your questions are a case of trying to reinvent the wheel. If somethin has proven results, stick with it. Only try to improve upon it if it stops working. Again you didn't state your goal, so any attempts at answering your questions in a specific way would be speculation on my part. Start a new thread with the entire program posted and what your goal is, and I'll take a stab at answering your questions in that context. Thanks, Steve 

Hi Steel, That's a fine line. It could do either more good or more harm, and that depends on your level of experience and your rate of recovery. The only way to know is to follow the program as RXed for a few weeks, and then try adding a 4th day of KB conditioning and see how you feel. If you look at any of the WSB training, there has been a movement toward more GPP, at least in that approach. So yes, you do need to have a good base of conditioning to get stronger beyond a certain point. Figuring out the precise amount of additional training will take some experimentation. If you are going to add in a day of KB work to that program, it should consist of just a few of the primary movements---swings, press, snatch, maybe windmills. I need to head out of town within the hour, so why don't you send me the program via email, and include your current BW, lifting #s, training schedule, and how long you've been on the program (your current #s vs. what your starting #s were). I will look at what you are doing and send you a response with my suggestions. Send to: steve@fullkontact.com Steve

http://www.fullkontact.com 

Yang Jwing-Ming puts out good resources. I suggest his book, the Root of Chinese Qigong as a good resource for the theory of the various qigong systems. As for follow along books, there are better resources, but his are good for theory. Steve