New Site Is Up! Xtreme Human Performance!

I've moved!
The new site is up and running, so please click below and check it out.

Http://www.ExtremeHumanPerformance.com

I will have all my updates there from now on, so check it out

Http://www.ExtremeHumanPerformance.com

I have even transferred all the older material here, going back over 2 years to the new site; so you will not miss anything there.

See ya over there!
Rock on
Mike T Nelson

New Blog and Energy Drink Study almost done!

I apologize for the delays here, but I have been working on the new blog like a crazy man and it is almost done! It will be live some time on Monday, so check back here for all the info. I have tons of great stuff lined up too!

Jodie and I are off to a friends cabin up north tomorrow as soon as I complete my last test for the Monster Energy Drink study in the lab that AM.

Wow, I can't wait for that. I started testing subjects in early January and to date I will have completed 50 tests, each one taking about 2.5 hours or so. Lots of data to analyze now and I am over half way through it. I will be sure to update everyone on the results as soon as I can.

Special HUGE thanks to all the volunteers for the study, as I could not have done it without you.

Have a great weekend everyone and here is a hint on the new site coming on Monday

Extreme human performance powered by kettlebells, strength, mobility, and muscle through neurology

I am really excited to get the site up and going and get lots of killer info out to everyone!

Rock on!
Mike T Nelson

Kettlebells Are Great For Women Too!

Kettlebells are perfect for women also. The nice part about the RKC is that it is expected that you lift heavier weights, yes, even for women.

Rant Coming
If I hear one more woman complain that they "don't want to get too big" I am going to scream. That is the EXCEPTION and not the rule. I am sure it has happened to a couple people, but that is far from the norm. Don't let the fear of success stop you from even starting! If it does happen for some odd reason, it is quite easy to loose muscle.

Women are way more capable than most stupid magazines and bad infomercials give them credit for. Stop with the Kettlenetics, Kettleworx and all that other crap that tells you not to lift heavy (again, heavy is always relative to the individual). You MUST give your body a REASON to adapt.

Below is an inside look at the RKC. Watch closely for a cameo from Adam T Glass and a large spiky thing and local RKC Fawn Friday, Ellen Stein and others.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

PS
If you are interested in Kettlebells and taking your performance to a new level, I will have a special announcement coming soon for you! Stay tuned.

RKC Certification St Paul MN: Completed!

Just a super quick note that I did my re-cert for the RKC and passed, so that was good.

I was there Thurs night until Sunday evening and it was a great experience to be able to assisst many new candidates become RKCs. It is a little hard to explain unless you have experienced it first hand, but I will do my best coming up very soon.

My hats off to everyone on Team DuCane and everyone else there this past weekend in sunny St. Paul Minnesota.

More soon!
Rock on
Mike T Nelson

PS
New site is still on track and about a week to go. I am working on a special report for all my newsletter insiders too.

Muscle vs Fat Video

Off to the RKC meet and greet tonight and then I will be there helping assist Fri-Sun, so more updates coming on Monday here. Just finished a great Z Health session with an RKC candidate and he did awesome! We got his right psoas and right glute to fire much much better along with some increased shoulder range of motion and worked out a massive kink in his upper thoracic spine between his shoulder blades. Very cool!

Here is a new video showing the difference between fat and muscle. I think you will find it very interesting.




Iron Maiden DVD/CD
Jodie and I were able to see the Iron Maiden movie Flight 666 a couple month back in the theater and it was AWESOME! I am a huge music fan and Iron Maiden is one of the best live bands EVER.

It shows them taking a custom plane with all their crew and gear around the world to play in front of thousands of fans. Lead singer Bruce actually flew the plane. Using a plane enabled them to play in a new country almost every day.


The best part was watching all the members of the band doing something that they are so passionate about. They didn't do it to try to "cash in" on another tour, they did it because they knew that many fans wanted to see them play songs live for the first time. I love watching people do things that they are passionate about and if you are a music fan at all, you will love this DVD or CD.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Vitamin D Update

New Bog Update
Just wanted to drop everyone a line to say that I am still alive! The cut over of the blog is going well and much of the old info you have come to know and love will all be on the new site, including all the comments. Yep, all 303 entries over 2 years will be on the new blog and special thanks to my web guy for doing that portion.

Still on target for the third week in June to have it up and running.

Vitamin D Testing
In the meantime, here is a very important letter from Dr. John Cannell about Vitamin D testing and reimbursement. The reality is that unless it is covered under insurance, most will never have their levels of Vitamin D tested.

One of the items in the list is hypovitaminosis D (aka low vitamin D levels), but your doc can't do a test as a screen. If he/she knows you are low in Vitamin D, the test is covered.

What sense does that make? If your doc knows you are low already, why would they need another test to tell them that? How do they get the first test to tell them that you are low unless you did it yourself via lab testing paying out of your own pocket! Crazyness.....

See the previous post below
http://miketnelson.blogspot.com/2009/06/vitamin-d-and-athletic-performance.html

From Dr. John Cannell

Dear Readers:

Medicare is up to it again, again trying to put dangerous restrictions on Vitamin D testing. Although the proposed guidelines for reimbursement are not as restrictive as Medicare's recent proposal, this proposal is restrictive none the less and, within a few months, will be adopted by your insurance company and every major insurance company in the country. Here is Medicare's new proposal:

http://www.highmark medicareservices .com/policy/ mac-ab/dl30273. html

Measurement of vitamin D levels would only be indicated for patients with:

* chronic kidney disease stage III or greater
* cancer
* cirrhosis
* diabetes
* fibromyalgia
* granuloma forming diseases
* hypocalcemia
* hypercalcemia
* hypovitaminosis D
* long term use of anticonvulsants or glucocorticoids
* malabsorption states
* obstructive jaundice
* osteoporosis (unresponsive to therapy)
* osteomalacia
* osteosclerosis
* psoriasis
* rickets
* vitamin D deficiency on replacement therapy; to monitor the efficacy of treatment

It would forbid screening, the most important use of the test. That is, hypovitaminosis D is covered but your doctor can't order the test to find out if you suffer from low Vitamin D in the first place.

You can send your comments via the Internet using the link below. For using the link below for your comments, this proposal's LCD number is DL30273. The name of the proposal is "Vitamin D Assay Testing."

http://www.highmark medicareservices .com/policy/ form-comments. html

If you'd rather send a letter, which is better, sent it to:

Ms. Anna Gene Risoldi
Senior Research Analyst
Highmark Medicare Services
1800 Center Street, 1AL3
Camp Hill, PA 17089

May I also ask that you send an email with your comments to Dr. Daniel B. Kimball, Jr., drdankimball@ gmail.com> He's on the AMA board that reviews this policy.

John Cannell, MD
The Vitamin D Council
585 Leff Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

More Mobility Videos

Some cool videos Zzzzz sent to me awhile back.

Yes, you should be able to do these moves as they are not "impossible" (but it may take some work to get there). As always, make sure you are not doing any movement in pain.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Who Uses Kettlebells?

New video from Dragon Door on Kettlebell athletes.

I can say that all types of athletes can use them, just be sure to get some good instruction so that you are using them properly. Even endurance folks can use them to balance out there training and I just did a Z Health/Kettlebell session with a top RAAM cyclist the other night.

Be sure to keep about from that Kettleworx crap though!

Mike T Nelson Ramblings: Kettleworx As Seen on KARE 11 TV Can Kiss ...

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Dynamic Joint Mobility (Z Health) vs Static Stretching: Q and A Time

I had a great question from the wonderful post Smitty from Diesel Crew put up recently about static stretching (thanks again Smitty---you da man). I though I would post it here for those that missed it.

Be sure to check out The Diesel Crew

Hello mike,

I wouldn't want to ask you anything to sell your secret.

I don't understand how it could be any more efficient then foam rolling
with a combination of dynamic and static stretches. Say you have a tight
muscles whats the difference between massaging it, stretching it, or
doing some z health> which lasts the longest? etc.

Ha! No worries. Ask away--no secrets, but some things are just really
hard to explain over the internet at times.

Good question. For long term, permanent change we need to elicit
learning a new pattern/program.

Passive work (somebody doing something to you or you yourself as you lay
their like a dead fish) in general does not "hold" for a long period of
time since the learning effect in the brain is small. This does not
mean it is NOT effective in certain cases, but in general it needs to be
repeated quite frequently to be effective.

Foam rolling kind of falls into that area as you are moving, but not a
ton. Also, people tend to foam roll trying to INDUCE pain, which is a
bad idea as pain will inhibit performance. If you have a right shoulder
problem I can take a cow Massage falls into this category of a more
passive therapy. Want to drive your massage therapist nuts? When they
are done working on an area--get up and walk around the room and see if
there is still any difference. If NOT, what makes you think it will
stay once you even get home, much less tomorrow?

For increased learning, we need to do more active, controlled, precise,
movement. This is probably dynamic drills are better---more movement.
More movement= more motor learning. Z Health is based on dynamic,
ACTIVE mobility work. In my experience, after doing a Z Health drill
to target a muscle, it will stay "on" for about 2-5 hours; so I have
athletes do some high pay off drills for only 3-5 reps, but done 3-4
times during the day. This promotes more motor learning by getting some
overlap of the new patterns (increased reps promote learning too).
After about 3-4 weeks at 90% compliance, this new program is pretty well
wired into your body and we move on to the next issue.

Stretching can work, but be careful of what you are teaching your body.
The definition of static stretch is to put the limb/muscle into an
elongated position and teach it to be WEAKER. Can this help with some
muscles that may be "overactive"---yes, but you will most likely need a
trained eye/hands on work to find them. Dynamic joint mobility work
(like Z Health) can also target this muscles too. Randomly static
stretching is teaching your body to be weaker. DJM (dyn joint mobility)
is teaching STRENGTH, esp at an end range of motion. How many athletes
are weak during a mid range movement? Very few. How many are weak at
an end range of motion? Many (myself included on certain exercises).

Long winded answer, but I believe PRECISE joint mobility work can
actually replace about 90% of foam rolling, massage and static
stretching. Beyond this, think of how the brain gets info--1) eyes 2)
vestibular (inner ear "balance") 3) proprioception--joint information.
A system for extreme human performance, should target all 3 of these
areas---at a high level, this is what Z Health does. You can also add
to this very specific hands on holding of tissue while athletes do
certain drills also, but that is another can o' worms.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Related posts

More Brain Science and BAHG

Neuroplasticity and Human Athletic Performance

Z Health, Proprioception, Neuroplasticity all on Super Human Radio

Super Human Radio: Visual Aspect of Performance

Vitamin D and Athletic Performance

Greetings! ACSM was great and I am working on getting the info out to you soon. I am probably driving my poor web person batty as I am posting in a blog that will be transferred over to a new site soon. I am hoping to have it all up and running by the third week of June, so posting here may be a bit sparse in the cut over period; but fear not as I will have tons of killer new performance enhancement items for you soon.

Athletic Performance and Vitamin D
Something I have been following for some time now is the building research on Vitamin D. Vitamin is technically a hormone that does a myriad of functions in the body.

Vitamin D comes mainly from fatty, wild caught fish (hmmmmmm fresh sockeye salmon with some Cajun spice and a nice glass of Cabernet wine; oops back on track here) or your body can make it from sunlight (UVB) exposure. The downside for those that live in the northern climates like myself in Minnesota and my friends even further north in that tundra they call Canada, is that the amount of UVB during most of the year is not enough for adequate Vitamin D production.

What about muscle?
The cool part is that in research by Birge et al. in 1975 Vit D (in the 25 (OH)D form--the "natural" form in the body) has been shown to to directly increase protein synthesis (e.g. adding new muscle)

Optimal Levels?
The optimal level in this study is quoted at 50 ng*ml-1 for 25 (OH)D levels. Since there is so much literature showing all the issues of Vitamin D deficiency, future trials may become more scarce since it could be argued that to have control or untreated Vit D group may be unethical!

How To Determine Levels?
Keep in mind I am not a medical doctor (although I did stay at a Holiday Inn recently), and I am only providing you the information to make an intelligent decision about your health and athletic performance. An option is to get your Vit D level tested through your local doc. If that is not an option, ZRT labs does Vit D testing by mail, so see the info below.

http://www.zrtlab.com

As a personal experiment of n=1 I will have my levels tested soon and keep you all updated on what I find.

Here is the abstract for you. For my newsletter friends, I will have an exclusive heads up on a video with tons of Vit D info out to you all soon.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Athletic Performance and Vitamin D.

APPLIED SCIENCES
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 41(5):1102-1110, May 2009.
CANNELL, JOHN J. 1; HOLLIS, BRUCE W. 2; SORENSON, MARC B. 3; TAFT, TIMOTHY N. 4; ANDERSON, JOHN J. B. 5


Abstract:
Purpose: Activated vitamin D (calcitriol) is a pluripotent pleiotropic secosteroid hormone. As a steroid hormone, which regulates more than 1000 vitamin D-responsive human genes, calcitriol may influence athletic performance. Recent research indicates that intracellular calcitriol levels in numerous human tissues, including nerve and muscle tissue, are increased when inputs of its substrate, the prehormone vitamin D, are increased.

Methods: We reviewed the world's literature for evidence that vitamin D affects physical and athletic performance.

Results: Numerous studies, particularly in the German literature in the 1950s, show vitamin D- producing ultraviolet light improves athletic performance. Furthermore, a consistent literature indicates physical and athletic performance is seasonal; it peaks when 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels peak, declines as they decline, and reaches its nadir when 25(OH)D levels are at their lowest. Vitamin D also increases the size and number of Type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers. Most cross- sectional studies show that 25(OH)D levels are directly associated with musculoskeletal performance in older individuals. Most randomized controlled trials, again mostly in older individuals, show that vitamin D improves physical performance.

Conclusions: Vitamin D may improve athletic performance in vitamin D-deficient athletes. Peak athletic performance may occur when 25(OH)D levels approach those obtained by natural, full-body, summer sun exposure, which is at least 50 ng[middle dot]mL-1. Such 25(OH)D levels may also protect the athlete from several acute and chronic medical conditions.

Damien Walters Showreel 2009--A Must See

You MUST watch this! Wow! Amazing athletic movement. I can't wait to free up more time in my schedule post graduation to working on my standing back flip goal.




What do you think about this video? Place a comment below.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson
PS
Thanks to MC for this one! Check out her blog at Begin To Dig

Kettlebell Interview Series

My good buddy Geoff Neupert is doing a series of interviews with many KB experts and wanted to pass along the good news to all of you.

See the details below and yes it is FREE!
Go to the link below and sign up or see all the details below
http://kettlebellsecrets.com/aff.php?url=/markr/index.html&aff=kbfitness

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

How would you like to sit down from the comfort of your own home and pick the brains of the best kettlebell instructors on the planet at absolutely no cost to you?

Well, that's EXACTLY what you can do, starting Thursday, May 28th at 8pm EST.

Geoff Neupert, Senior RKC, will be interviewing the Master and Senior RKC Instructors, along with the Chief Instructor, Pavel Tsatsouline, about every conceivable angle and form of kettlebell training--from losing fat, to finding and fixing weak points, to training athletes, to growing muscle, and much, much more.

Just take a look at some of the topics that will be covered:

Master RKC, Brett Jones reveals the 7 key areas that are inhibiting your progress and teaches you how to uncover and fix potentially fatal flaws that will allow your performance to soar to new heights...

Master RKC, Mark "Rif" Reifkind explains the importance of identifying your breaking point—before it finds you—and the 5 things you can do to right now to reverse the results of any accidental discovery...

Master RKC, Andrea "Goddess" Du Cane shares why kettlebells are more than just tools for jocks and the military and are actually one of the BEST tools for training the elderly and de-conditioned...

Senior RKC, Will Williams debunks some of the most common misconceptions about training with a limited number of kettlebells, and why doing so can lead to some of the best results you've experienced so far...

Senior RKC, Jeff O'Connor reveals not only little known techniques for training kids with kettlebells, but also the safest, most effective ways to do so, explaining why kettlebell training for kids can be more beneficial than traditional styles of strength training...

Senior RKC, Brad Nelson reveals the ONE thing you must know about training athletes—especially young athletes—with kettlebells and how "sports-specific" training can actually ruin a young athlete's chances for future success...

Master RKC, "Dane of Pain" Kenneth Jay unveils the ONE most overlooked component in any athletic conditioning program that if violated inhibits recovery and impedes performance, PLUS he'll release a few of his secrets for training Elite and Olympic athletes that you can apply tomorrow morning to your kettlebell training...

Senior RKC, Jon Engum, also a Tae Kwon Do Grandmaster, will show you how to use kettlebells to "amp up" your striking power, regardless of style. Learn his secret "tried and true" field-tested kettlebell techniques to skyrocket your martial power and endurance. Grandmaster Engum promises you'll be laughing at your opponent...

Senior RKC, Doug "I Kilt You" Nepodal uncovers the 3 hallmarks of success to the Gracie Brazillian Ju-Jitsu School and shows you how you can implement them into your kettlebell training along with the 4 reasons kettlebell training is superior to other forms of physical conditioning for BJJ...

Senior RKC, Sara Cheatham divulges the exact kettlebell exercises and programming necessary for Active Duty Military and reveals how traditional exercise programs can actually be detrimental to the lives of our Armed Forces...

Senior RKC, David Whitley teaches you the 3 key ingredients you must include for successful fat loss in any kettlebell training program and troubleshoots the exact reasons you may be actually sabotaging your own fat loss progress...

Senior RKC, Shaun Cairns unlocks the hidden power in just ONE kettlebell and reveals not only which exercises to include in your program for maximum usable functional strength in any endeavor but how to modify them to your current abilities...

Chief Instructor, Pavel Tsatsouline simplifies the process of muscle-building, identifying the only 3 components necessary for building slabs of rock-hard muscle, dispelling the myths of the "musclemags"..

And a whole lot more!

So, no matter how you use a kettlebell, or kettlebells, whether you're an enthusiast who trains alone or in classes, or you're an RKC who teaches those classes, if you want to understand how to accomplish your goals faster, get results quicker, and live life fuller by refining your techniques gleaned from the insights of these Kettlebell Masters, you just cannot afford to miss even one of these interviews.

So how do you get on these exclusive calls that will never be repeated?

Go to: http://kettlebellsecrets.com/aff.php?url=/markr/index.html&aff=kbfitness

and register for this Life-Changing Teleseminar series.

To Your Improved Kettlebell Success,

John Du Cane and Geoff Neupert

P.S. We are so convinced that these interviews will take your kettlebell training to the next level and change your life for the better, we will be running replays of the calls for 24 hours after each call, just in case you have to miss one.

Its coming

More soon!