ScorpyStell's blog

Kettlebell training is an incredible way to burn fat, build lean muscle, and increase your overall strength and fitness levels. Studies have shown that 20 minutes of kettlebell training will burn more fat and calories than 1 hour of steady cardio. Through personal experience and that of others I’ve worked with, it is a proven way to help you get you the body you want, and fast!

But what do you do when you stop seeing results? I’m sure we’ve all had a point where the dreaded plateau strikes. I have received numerous emails asking for advice on this, so here goes:

Workout plateaus often occur when your body has gotten used to the workouts and is ready for something more challenging and engaging. The key is to make sure you are not doing the same thing every time you’re working out. What got you to your current state will not necessarily work to progress you further. When you first began kettlebell training, your body was thinking: ‘ok, how can we make this easier?’ Once it adapts and becomes efficient at performing all the moves and workouts, it no longer has a need to work as hard. Having said that, if your body is constantly being challenged, it will be forced to adapt, and therefore bring you to new levels of fitness. Here are my top 5 tips on breaking out of it:

1. Take an active break – Not seeing results can also be a sign that you’ve been working out too much for your body to take in the benefits of your workouts. By taking a week off working out, this will allow your body to rejuvenate and come back stronger once you’re back at it.

2. Switch it up – Try varying your kettlebell workouts by doings things like adding more reps, decreasing the rest time between sets, different moves, and/or adding a new activity/sport to your workout schedule. If you haven’t noticed already, you’ll be surprised at how well the benefits of kettlebell training transfers over to sports, martial arts, and everyday life activities.

3. Vary the intensity – This is a good way of challenging yourself. Try varying the intensity of your workouts each day, whether it be low, medium, or high intensity. Interval training within a workout session is also beneficial. For example if you’re cycling, try alternating between high intensity for 8 seconds and moderate intensity for 12 seconds for 20 minutes. I find this works well if you really want to work up a sweat but are short on time.

4. Food is fuel – Make sure you are eating enough to power yourself through your workouts. Eat 5 small healthy meals a day, every 3 hours along with 1-2L of water/day. This will help rev your metabolism and keep energy levels up. Each meal should consist of a healthy carb (ie: oatmeal, sweet potato, fruits, vegetables) and lean protein (ie: yogourt, cottage cheese, chicken, eggs, turkey, tofu, whey protein).

5. Get your sleep – Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, as this will allow your body to rest and muscles to recover from your last workout and recharge/energize for the next.

Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to progress your training further.

For kettlebell workout ebooks, check out:
www.kettlebellpros.com

Keep on training,
Estella

Week 5, day 3 post op…

The clavicle’s feeling good. I’ve upped my physio to 2x/wk and as a result, my ROM improved slightly (meaning i can go a bit beyond 90degrees) and there’s evidence of some hard callous bone formation happening! FINALLY!!! I’m doing a bunch of isometric exercises on the floor to help it along. Funny part is, I sometimes fall asleep doing them. Could be ’cause I’m really tired or they’re just not too stimulating…however, it’s really important to stick to them as they will help strengthen the post deltoids, biceps, triceps, and the upper trap, which i’ll need to work extra hard on since I have 4 screws in it :S

I gained about 8lbs during these past 5 months so now it’s time to lose it and get back in fab shape! It’s GO TIME! I’m back on a super healthy diet, upped my cycling intensity, am doing ab moves on the mat, and just today I reintroduced some light kettlebell training back into my workouts – for the right (uninjured) arm. Oh how i miss them…

This was my WOD:

10 mins isometric exercises
bicycles
leg raises
knee in/outs

30sec front kicks (l/r)
30sec side kicks (l/r)
30sec back kicks (l/r)

50 squats
100kb swings
50 cleans
50 windmills
50 side presses

20mins cycling (high resistance)

I’m currently 5 weeks post op and things are going well as I kickstart the whole recovery process once again. Though, this time around, the recovery is much faster and actually happening since the bone has been reunited. I’m currently doing isometric exercises and working on increasing my range. Standard bone healing time is 6-8 weeks so I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store. This is how the first 4 weeks went:

Multitasking with 1 hand.

Week 1
I felt pretty good after the surgery and was just really thankful to have survived it. The best part about the ride home was that I no longer felt my bones shifting around with every bump in the road like they did when it was initially broken. Definitely a good sign. However, getting surgery also meant that I had to start all over again to regain my range of motion. Bummer! My main restrictions were to stay in a sling for 4 weeks and to keep the arm immobilized for the first 10 days, meaning no movements at all. No weight training for the next 4-6 weeks The incision site was covered with steri strips to prevent the scar from widening and a big gauze bandage over top that needed to be kept dry, which meant no showers for the first few days.

Sleeping on my back made waking up a bit of a pain, mainly due to the sharp pain and constant numbness in my shoulder. My neck and upper back felt really stiff and I tried to avoid any form of yawning, coughing, or laughing, as it would aggravate the ‘spot.’ No more comedies or late nights! However the pain did fade during the day since I was popping painkillers like candy The only real side effect I had was drowsiness. I worked from home. By the end of the week, I got very proficient at typing and designing with one hand.

The new hardware.

Week 2
I was off the painkillers, doing pendular movements, and went in for a follow up session with my orthopedic surgeon. I finally got to see my xrays and had my sutures taken out. I thought it’d hurt but as it turned out I didn’t feel a thing. The whole procedure took less than 30 seconds. The xray was pretty crazy though – I have a 9cm plate and 9 screws in my left clavicle…or as I like to call it: a 9cm – low profile – pre contoured – titanium – smith&nephew – clavicular plate + 9 screws

Xmas shopping with the new ‘hardware’ was an interesting experience. I think I may have set off a few detectors at the mall. At one store, the security guy checked all my bags then when I walked through, the detector went off…so I’m pretty sure it was the plate and screws that set it off.

I began cycling on the stationary trainer this week.

Week 3
I was able to move my arm about 70 to 80 degrees. Pretty good considering it took me 4 weeks just to move it 45degrees after the initial break. I began physio again at Striation Six with athletic therapist Ian Murray. I lost some muscle definition in my left arm (nooooo!!!) and was leaning to the left. I was told that having a fractured clavicle for the past 4 months had altered the biomechanics of my muscles. Nothing that can’t be corrected though. He worked on stabilizing the muscles, helped correct my body alignment and released tension in my back and neck through MAT (Muscle Activation Techniques). Amazing stuff! The pain that I had when I yawned was totally gone and I felt less tense.

I threw a Clavicle Clash to ring in the new year and celebrate my newly repaired clavicle with all my friends and family. (see post below)

Week 4
I went for a follow up appointment with my ortho. The scar and bone were both healing up nicely. The scar is actually not so visible unless you look up close…just a thin red line which follows the contour of the clavicle. I was up to 90 degrees in movement and told to slowly increase my range and to do isometric exercises, no weights yet as that may hinder the healing process.  I also began driving again, which felt really good! Clear the roads and sidewalks, Stell’s back behind the wheel!

With a new year comes new beginnings. I’ve always believed in focusing on the positive and to celebrate the triumphs the come along the way.

I, for one try to make the most of an adverse situation and maybe even laugh about it a bit. On January 3, 2009 (3 weeks, 5 days post op), I had a Clavicle party to celebrate the reunion of my collarbone.

Stell’s Clavicle Clash was a reunion for the union!

Friends and family came to celebrate with me as I started the new year off with a perfect clavicle.

There was lots of food, music, sangrias & free autographed xrays for all! What a blast!

I created a branded event where I designed posters, invites, thank you cards, ‘chocolate clavicles’, a themed menu etc. I even went through the trouble of getting all my xrays on cd etc so I’d have good high res artwork to use. Fun stuff indeed!

The Invite

I designed thank you cards and chocolate clavicles to give to guests.

life is like a box of chocolate clavicles....u never know when you'll break one.

Chocolate Clavicle - Front

The Back: it says - DO NOT BREAK. If broken, immediately immobilize and apply ice. A titanium plate and screws may be required if severely displaced.

I printed up a 24x11" xray for all my guests to sign, which will probably go in my room afterwards.

Here’s a recent logo design I did for Viva Souvenirs, a new up and coming brand of wholesale products positioned on the higher side of quality. As a cut above the rest, they offer Canadian and international souvenirs backed by a friendly and flexible business model. With the potential to be sold by then hundreds and thousands, the design played an important role in establishing a professional, quality product that customers will identify with and come to trust. The word Viva means life. This logo design is bright, vibrant, and emphasizes the ideas of pride, joy, vitality and the celebration of life.