King Sports International

Time, money and training

by Ian King

As a young single person, with minimal financial responsibility and no mortgage, finding time to train was easy. Finding time to do anything else was the challenge!

If you are in this position and training is high on your priority list you can probably relate to this. But you might not relate to the next bit.

If you are married (young or otherwise!), have kids, financial responsibility including a (one or more) mortgage, finding time to train is not as easy. Sometimes you miss training because you either don't have the time or the energy, because of the other life commitments.

If you are in this position, you will really relate to this. Whether you are training to get buffed or for gold at the next Olympics, it's all the same. I have trained athletes at the elite level with and without families and kids, and they are no different than the person who seeks a PB in the gym or on the scales. It takes the edge off your energy, recovery and time.

So how do you manage the balance between training, money and family? I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I have found a reasonable solution, allowing me to train about 20 hrs a week (and yet still frustrate the 'boss' who I suspect feels I spend too much time in the solace of my private training facility).

Even without training, the challenge to balance family and finance is still a challenge. Even some of the greatest people in modern history struggled with this challenge. I read recently where personal development author Napoleon Hill (often described as the father of this industry) regretted the balance he had struck in his life between the two:

Q. What did he regret most about his career in life?
Answer : Being human, Dr. Hill did have regrets about his career in life, but he did not let these regrets deter him from his definite major purpose. Dr. Hill regretted that the research required for the philosophy of personal achievement kept him away from his family for long periods of time. His three sons were often without a father while he was on the road gathering information, presenting lectures, and attempting to share the philosophy with the world.

When you favor work, training and or family can suffer. When you favor training, finance and family can suffer. When you favor family, finance and family can suffer.

I'm proud to say that we not only teach this life balance in our KSI Coach Education programs (CIP, CMP etc) but our advanced coaches have developed an enviable balance in these areas - a balance that means no area suffers - they don't disadvantage their family, their finances or their health/training. I am really proud of these coaches.

One of the many benefits of joining us in August 08 at our 5th Annual International KSI Convention is that you get to interact with these coaches, and there is no better way to gain education and inspiration. If this life balance is not a challenge for you because you are young and have a low cost of living, trust me - it will be an issue one day. Either through gaining family or loosing your ability to generate the income needed to sustain your training.

Observations from Austria

by Andreas Scheicher, KSI CIP Coach, Austria

Since working in a commercial fitness club I have the chance to watch many people training. By doing this I noticed an interesting phenomenon: At a moment in training, a lot of people reach a certain point where the progress stops or even declines and injuries occur. Now, to reach a sticking point and to get injured is not a big surprise when watching them, because it is predictable when you know what to look at. But it's interesting that all this unwanted situations (stop in progress, injuries etc) seem always to occur SIMULTANEOUSLY!

I started working with some of them, analyzed their training and found a concept that I could explain to them in simple words as to what the problem might be. Here I share it with you too:

When building your body, compare it with building a house. The training you do are the bricks and the height of the house is your performance, level of hypertrophy, leanness... (whatever your goal is).

You have two ways of doing it: You either build a house that looks like a pyramid, with a broad base. This takes some time to do, since you put the first bricks side by side to each other and only when one floor is completed start building the next floor.

Or you build all your bricks on top of each other, like a thin, shaky tower. This is what I see most people doing, because it produces visible results faster.

Take as an example the loaded squat: the ‘tower’ would be to start with loaded squatting and instantly increase your load, even if form and squat depth decreases. It's the instant gratification way. Or you use your first bricks to build flexibility, technique and muscle recruitment. You see, there is not even a lot of squatting at this stage. But you build a foundation, and this foundation opens a potential to build a huge pyramid from!

Back to our phenomenon: My theory is that those people build towers. This wobbly building stands as long as everything is normal and as expected. As soon a there is an unforeseen challenging situation in the training career that breaks one brick somewhere, the whole tower comes down at once!

I suggest to build your house on a firm base, and if you already have a not optimal construction go back to rebuild the base NOW, because later might be either too late, or very hard on your ego since the higher you already are, the further you have to go down.

How long should you stay on each floor? I wouldn't orientate on time, but results. If you use the brick’ ’technique’ from the squatting example you work on that until you have it perfected. If you improve fast and/or have high quality coaching this might happen fast. But if you need more time then take your time. Staying healthy will still be less work than getting healthy!

Andreas will be travelling to the US in August 2008 to complete his KSI CIP coach education program.

Recovery in Perspective - How well you pull up or how well you perform?

by Mitchell Kochonda

The concept of recovery is widely known to athletes in all sports. As Ian wrote in Get buffed 1 (1999) “training plus recovery equals the training effect”.

Recovery methods come in many forms including, but not limited to, rest days and weeks, time, massage, stretching, heat, cold, water, salt water, electronic modalities, food, supplementation, escapism, the natural environment, recreation, etc to expedite the various systems in our bodies, including, but not limited to, nervous, metabolic, immune, hormonal, etc and all are of great value to the athlete.

But let’s put this in perspective, as there is no point recovering exceptionally well to an average or poor starting point! Let me explain…

Last week during a tele-conference seminar the question was asked in relation to supplements enhancing recovery. I replied the said supplements would have a very positive effect on recovery from training. But I asked the group the question “what’s more important, supplements after training to replace what’s been used or nutritional supplements consistently everyday to have the body in a permanently higher starting point – from a nervous, metabolic, immune and hormonal perspective - at all times?”

To put it another way, if you eat six times a day (one of these meals being a post training/competition meal) is there more value for your performance in an optimal recovery meal (16.6% of daily eating) okay nutrition the remainder of the day, or optimal daily nutrition for five meals a day (83.3% of daily eating)? I don’t care what you’re consuming post training/competition (high GI, low GI, protein, no protein, whatever) until we address the bigger picture! The Pareto principle at work again!

You can ask yourself the same question in all area’s of training. Let’s look at flexibility. “Is it better to train and compete with optimal tissue length everyday, or only train and compete with less than optimal tissue length - thus missing the injury prevention and performance enhancement benefits! - but spending time after training/competition to get back to an average state after the event?”

The trend of enhanced focus on post training/competition recovery (both physical, manual and nutritional) over the past decade is definitely a trend to support, but the value in heightening the bodies starting point in many areas is poorly exploited and misunderstood, and therefore is a huge opportunity for the committed athlete to take their training and performance to another level with the right guidance!

Mitchell Kochonda
KING Coach

The Training Triangle - a big picture for optimal results

by Miguel Charles

While some athletes focus soley or predominantly on training, great results actually require a careful balance of eating, sleeping and training. In order to achieve this, one must first assess, set goals, and allow for modification along the way. Any additional activity outside of this triangle; eating, sleeping and training- could potentially take away from your results.

Eating

As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. When considering how to maximize your eating, it is important to first understand what your options are. The basic building blocks of food include macro and micro-nutrients. Macro nutrients include; protein, carbohydrates and fat. While micro-nutrients are less thought of such as vitamins. Macro-nutrients are usually recommended to be consumed per unit of body weight or as a percentage of total calorie intake. By carefully monitoring the effect the portions have on your body you will be able to chose the best option for you. Lastly, vitamins are just as important, but are regularly forgotten. They are essential for injury prevention and the basic functions of the body.

Sleeping

Eating and sleeping work together to build our bodies back beyond its deprivation levels. Combined in the right ways you should feel stronger and more effective once you re-enter your workout this is referred to as providing your body with super-compensation because you are now able to outperform your previous self. When examining your sleeping you should look at the optimum amount to help you meet and exceed tour goals. Sleep is made up of both the quantity and quality of your sleep. The quantity of sleep required when in full training is 9-10 hours. The quality of sleep examines your sleep environment inclusive of noise, temperature, light, sleeping surface, pillows and even your bed partners. Ask yourself- did you go to sleep easily? did you sleep well? how did you feel when you woke up?

Inadequate sleeping and eating can fail to bring our bodies up beyond prior levels commencing a down-ward spiral characterized by feeling weaker, smaller and becoming more likely to incur illness and injuries.
Other recovery methods and some of my favorite include stretching, massaging, and meditating.

Training

The basic principles of training include active and conscientious participation in the training process. Most athletes are not involved in the decision making process let alone are allowed to help set their workouts. However, if you are not actively participating with your coach valuable insights could be lost. Each workout is specific to you and you only. By communicating with your coach you are allowing for the coach to develop a better understanding of your progress and needs as well as learning for yourself along the way.

The triangle is always a careful balance that requires constant monitoring. By recognizing that training is not the only activity that affects your performance you will be better prepared to enter the gym to achieve you best.

Miguel Charles
KING Coach

Body shape, posture and strength training

It has become clear to me many times over the impact strength training exercises have on body shape and posture. Not just the exercise, but also the way the exercise is conducted.

Most of us would be familiar with the typical rounded shoulder shape brought by an imbalance between say benching and rowing. (despite the number of 'know' about this, it is still appallingly common).

Injuries to the shoulder and associated connective tissue are too many to mention.

But I want to take it a step further.

Take shape. Even if bench pressing is balanced in volume and sequence by rowing movements (rare), note the shape of the body during the row. If it is anything less than optimal, you will see the same shape in posture - less than optimal. The opportunity to counter the bench has been lost.

The most common flaws in share in rowing are rounded upper back, rounded from shoulder to shoulder (protracted scapula), lower back arched (anterior rotated pelvis) combined with the rounded upper back.

Another example in shape is excessive (over-frequent) use of the arch in the bench.  There is one particular athlete who from a distance appears to stand in the shape an arched bench press. Not good for lower back. I believe an review of his training would support my observations/conclusion that he over-uses the arch in the bench press.

Further to that, and this again is tragically common - either the deadlift and related lifts (e.g. power clean) are inadequately present in his workout, or his shape in them is far from satisfactory.

The role of the deadlift and related double joint/off ground lifts is a critical one, one I have not found any acceptable substitute exercise for. I am going beyond the performance and size benefits of this lift - I am speaking of its role in correcting and maintaining appropriate shape and its contribution to posture.

Note the existence in the program of the deadlift is not sufficient - the relative sequence and volume is critical, relative to the current shape of the body. And the following is non-negotiable - the posture/technique used - this is FAR MORE important than the loading in the first instance. There is no excuse for inadequacies in the shape used in the lift. The most common reason poor shape is used is lack of knowledge/value placed on this lift and shape by the physical preparation coaches advising the athlete.

This is good news for those wanting a competitive advantage. Simply study and implement the recommendations for this lift in my DVDs (see below for options) and you can be ahead of 99% of professional athlete guidance.

Ian King's Guide to the Deadlift;  How To Teach Strength Training Exercises (both are based on same footage, the HTT contains over 100 lifts for the whole body)

Consistant training on solid mehods will deliver great results

A recent comment reinforced this reality, one I see time and time again - if you commit to long term, consistant traniing on solid methods, you will be rewarded.

I just wanted to mention that your strength training programs have literally changed my life. I've done the entire "Book of Muscle" and the Intermediate and Advanced workouts two times each. My body and my mind are now like one.

Your methods are time-tested and true. Thanks for sharing the knowledge that helped me make "me" the best I can be. heers!
--Judah

instead of chopping and changing, running with the latest 'trend', be prepared to be the odd-one out and stay with the simple yet proven methods. I understand that modern media, including 'bodybuilding' media, continually throws up the 101 ways to train 'x', and runs with every sniff of a trend.

I am not interested if its trendy, or the self-promoted 'gurus' are sprouting it - my only focus is does it work better than anything else.

My training methods have been developed over decades of consistant trial and error with a very large sample group of top athletes, and I know what can happen when you apply them.

So avoid being drawn ilke a moth to the flame of the 'latest'. Be cnosistant and understand many things that are considred 'old' or no longer 'fashionable' in traniing are still the best. One of the reasons I like Beverly International - the owners, Sandy and Roger Riedinger, have taken a path I am drawn to - basics, proven, long term provision of the same old great things in their nutritional supplement product line.

Rising above the masses level of commitment to learning...

I received a question in an email recently (that is not uncommon), and the content was probably fairly common. But it doesn't need to be, if one rises above the masses.

The writer, to their credit, was making an effort to learn, but had limited their research of my approach to training to date to free on line articles.

They said I was the person who first exposed them to horizontal/vertical pull/push etc (sure hope so, because it was my original idea, no doubt been plagiarized extensively by keyboard warriors devoid of the ability to create their own material).

He felt he had a handle on the upper body balance (which I doubt, but let's not try to change the world in one) but expressed confusion about the lower body balance.

He wrote: 

"My primary exercises for quads include squats, lunges, and step ups.  My primary exercises for hams include stiff legs and legs curls with a stability ball.  I typically do the leg curls with one leg and a cable strapped to my ankles for added resistance.

Given the hams involvement in moves like the squat and lung and step up, I'm not sure about how to balance my loads between my quads and hams.  Currently to do on average 10 sets of quads and 6 sets for hams."

Well...so here's what I said:

"... it may be time for you to commit beyond free online articles! I would recommend my books

Get Buffed! I or How to Write Strength training Programs (now don't get my book mixed up with some imitators knock-off). I would probably say go with the GB book.

I generally give more time to answering questions from my clients, on our KSI Forum, so I would encourage you (if you were serous about learning my approach) to get to this level.

Here's a tip – any free weight leg exercise where the trunk is above 45 degrees to the ground is a quad dominant exercise. Your three favorites are all quad dominant….your comment about hamstring involvement is wishful thinking regarding balance – like the chicken and the pig. When it comes to bacon and eggs, one is involved, the other is committed….

Then you do 100% more on quad exercises than hamstring exercises. And you probably do the quad ones first…all the time…

Now whilst you are simply copying the masses, if you want to avoid injury, you had best become more educated than the masses. Now its your turn to make an effort – educate yourself, through my books or anyone else’s who you feel attracted to.  But stop being average, researching at an average level, and getting average, injury related results!"

I agree - we need more KING Coaches!

I recieved the following in a feedback email recently:

"I would just say to try and get more KSI coaches around the world as at the moment there are not enough. I have to fly all the way to the Gold Coast from Adelaide when I want to see Mitch which isn’t cheap, when you sum up the cost of air fares, accommodation and the KSI service cost." --Anthony

I couldnt agree with Anthony any more! And we will build them! To date we have assembled a fine list of top operators - only challenge, as Anthony pointed out, the world is a big place and we are relatively to the billions on this planet, a bit thin on the ground.

It's not unusual fro the discerning athlete/client to travel to see myself or my coaches. Mitchell, for example, has in addition to the above, a client who travels from the other side of Australia to see him. Both of these clients fligths are in excess of 3 hrs. This is evidence of a number of things including:

1. MItchell is worth it.
2. These athletes/clients are discerning and value excellence in the guidance they receive.
3. They are getting fantastic results!

I do know many chose not to make this effort, and this is their loss, for they will not recieve the level of service and quality of guidance from any other source - period.

However I know from being on this planet for a few score years - some choose to drive cars such as Hyundais, some belief they deserve the quality and safety of cars such as BMW....

You can get another car....you only get one body...

Learn more about KING Coaches

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How to Teach released on DVD for the first time

I have been converting our extensive video educational range to DVD progressively over the last few years and the most recent one to be done is the KSI How To Teach Strength Training Exercises Series.

With over 100 exercises covered, I had visions for this product in DVD for some time. Having chapters on the DVD allows you to move quickly between body parts to find the footage you want.

I put out the 3 day pre-production offer yesterday and it included a massive $100 off for the three days as well as (for those who responded in the first 24 hrs) a copy of one of my latest developments - checklists in pdf for strength training exercises. Titled 'Ian King's Guides to....', each of these checklists is about 5 pages long so you can see they are fairly comprehensive.

My Training Philosophies

Last week I put together an 8 page PDF titled '25 Training Tips' aimed at giving some clarity to what makes the my training philosophies unique.

You can get your own copy by going to http://www.kingsports.net/default-2.htm and when that 'annoying' pop up window appears (should happen witin 5 seconds) put your details in and you will recieve this document almost instantly.