Paleo is the ulitmate diet.

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Pain in the Ass

Recently I have been working with a few clients who have been suffering from pain through their Glute region often extending down the back of the leg and into the sacrum area (above the tail bone).

This can often be mistaken for Sciatica. I have been working the Piriformis muscle and whilst this is helping it wasn’t until we started working the Gluteus minimus that I had the best results. Almost instant pain relief with no referral into the back of the leg.

The Gluteus Minimus is a rather small muscle located just below the Iliac Crest (Hip Bone) and it connects to the Greater Trochanter (Bony bit at top of thigh). There is quite a hard ridge of muscle there and when you push into it you will know all about it!

To release the Gluteus Minimus find a hard rubber ball and place it under your hip whilst lying on your side. Each time you hit a really tender spot, breathe and try to relax, after a minute or 2 the pain should diminish. Now it’s time to find the next painful spot. Spend up to 5 minutes on each side.

Even if you have no pain to begin with, after you have finished you will be amazed at how relaxed and loose your hips feel.

12 week Kettlebell Program

Learn the Ancient art of Russian Kettlebell Training

Kettlebell training has become more popular over the last few years.  With just this one piece of equipment you will have the ability to build strength, fix muscle imbalance, rehabilitate injury and improve fitness while shedding loads of fat!!

During the 12 week program you will learn how to perform the most common Kettlebell exercises safely with great technique and learn to create awesome workouts with as little as 10 minutes!!

When:
The program will be running on Tuesday nights at 6pm for 1 hour starting from July 17^th.  Strictly limited to 8 people so book now to secure your spot!

Location:
Goodlife Health Club Carousel

Cost:
$295

Swing and Squeeze that bum!!

I never thought an exercise could be so good! The Kettlebell swing has by far got to be one of the most beneficial exercises you can do. Firstly it targets your posterior chain (Bum, Back and Hamstrings). Secondly it is high in intensity so it helps to melt fat and thirdly the Kettlebell is such a simple piece of equipment.

The Kettlebell swing when done properly is a great exercise, unfortunately it is often done with incorrect technique. The first thing one should realise is that the back stays completely straight and all the movement should come from the hip and shoulders. The back muscles just keep the back rigid and supported under the load.

The Kettlebell swing comes from the hips. By squeezing your glutes (bum) as hard as you can and thrusting your hips forward powerfully you create the acceleration needed for your arms to guide the Kettlebell upwards.

Make sure you keep your arms slightly bent, this allows you to keep your shoulder blades retracted. During the thrust your arms will need to be rigid long enough for the Kettlebell to swing around and drive upwards, at this point the Kettlebell should almost be floating and you should be able to lightly guide the Kettlebell in the right direction without out too much stress on your arms.

The Russian Kettlebell swing finishes when the Kettlebell reaches about eye level whereas with the American version the Kettlebell will finish when it is directly above your head. At this point you can guide the Kettlebell down or assist gravity by pulling to make the swing faster and more powerful.

During the downward part of the swing you will need to brace your core by contracting your pelvic floor and Transverse abdominal muscles than take in a deep breath. This will prepare your body for the downward force and will help to stop the Kettlebell. Doing this will protect your lower back by creating intra-abdominal pressure.

It takes plenty of practise to perfect the Kettlebell swing but it is well worth getting it right.

There are a few things you may notice during your swing which may need correcting.

1. Are you getting a sore lower back? Often people forget to brace their core and tend to use the lower back to lift the weight rather than thrusting their hips. Make sure to brace correctly and squeeze your glutes super hard when swinging the Kettlebell.

2. Why are my quads burning? This is because you are using your quads to lift the Kettlebell. Make sure that you are bending forward at the hips with all your weight in your heels and a slight bend in your knees. Squeeze you bum when exploding the weight upwards. Your bum should burn from this exercise!

3. Why are my hands sore? Quite often people tend to grip the Kettlebell too hard during this exercise. Try to relax your grip as often as you can and only use as much grip as needed to perform the exercise. It is also important to take care of your hands and trim down your calluses or you can risk tearing one which isn’t pleasant.

4. Why is the weight pulling me off-balance? You need to learn to control your Kettlebell. After your initial powerful thrust you use your arms to hook the Kettlebell around so the Kettlebell is travelling straight upwards and not pulling you forwards. Also make sure your weight is in your heels so the Kettlebell stays in your centre of gravity.

The Kettlebell Swing is one of the most beneficial and practical exercise you can do. Keep practising and it will pay you back in dividends!!