Kettlebells & Yoga?

A few years ago I was researching stretching on the internet and came across some books on stretching by Pavel Tsatsouline, a Russian emigre who had been a trainer to the Spetsnatz, the Soviet-era military special forces. The Russians had done research on stretching to support their athletic teams in Olympic sports, so it was interesting to read about the discoveries, much of which we know and practice in yoga, but sometimes without knowing how or why it works.

In addition to being an expert on stretching (part of the graduation requirement in the Spetsnaz is the ability to do a full splits), Pavel was also a master of sport, a kettlebell trainer. I became curious about kettlebells and saw on Pavel's website that an introductory course was offered here in Louisville by a certified trainer, Dave Randolph. So I contacted Dave and took his introductory course. After just a few minutes of swinging around an 18 lb kettlebell I saw and felt the benefits kettlebells could give to yoga practitioners.

Kettlebells build strong but not bulky muscles, improve core strength and stability and endurance. I could see an immediate effect on my yoga postures. Poses that had challenged my strength like standing poses, arm balances and caturanga dandasana, became easier. My own experience with kettlebells is that they reduce shoulder strain by making the shoulders stronger and more stable, improve hip flexibility and strength, and stabilize and strengthen the knees.

Research shows that in spite of all our efforts, we lose muscle mass and bone mass as we age. An article in the NY Times on Sunday Nov. 28, shows that the loss can be as much as 50% after age 67. Weight training at any age helps maintain muscle and bone mass, can improve balance, and burns more calories than aerobic exercise alone.

I like kettlebells because they are fun and only a few minutes of kettlebell lifting are needed to make improvements in strength. I teach kettlebells as an adjunct to yoga and only teach those exercises that I think are complimentary to yoga practice. Students who would like to learn kettlebells can take my introductory workshops which are held on the first Saturday of each month (see our Kettlebell Page) or can attend the Tuesday 5:00 pm kettlebell class at Kentucky Street. Kettlebells can be used in the afternoon Mysore classes at Holiday Manor between 3:30-4:30 pm, if you have been trained how to use kettlebells.

Students who would like to practice full blast kettlebells can go to some of our excellent local kettlebell trainers, like my teacher Dave Randolph or Katie Hawbaker.

For kettlebells classes: bring your own kettlebell, a water bottle and towel. For recommended kettlebell sizes and where to buy, see our Kettlebell Page.

What We Say Matters

I'm glad I just read Judith and Ike Lasater's book, What We Say Matters: Practicing Nonviolent Communication. I was struck by a passage in the book that recounts a conversation the authors had with a meditation teacher. They asked the teacher how to choose between non-harming and truthfulness... whether it would be better to choose to tell someone the truth that might be hurtful or tell the person something kind that might not be truthful. The teacher replied, "Something cannot be true and unkind at the same time." In life's situations it can be difficult to find words that are truthful, beneficial and uplifting, all at the same time. Several years ago I read a book about the discipline of speaking to prepare for a ten day silent retreat. I was more aware of my speech than usual, and I noticed that I often say things I don't mean, don't believe, regret having said, or wish I had said another way.

What We Say Matters gives us the fundamentals of the practice of NVC, nonviolent communication, developed by Marshall Rosenberg, the authors' teacher. NVC is a powerful method that uses speech to connect with our innermost feelings and needs and aligns with the yoga practices of non-harming, truthfulness, awareness and remembering to remain present. This book gives clear examples from "real life" and step-by-step directions on how to connect with your own inner truths in order to connect with others in a forthright way.

This book explains why we have difficulty connecting with our feelings and how this makes it hard to talk to others about what we feel and need in any given situation. When we can be clear about our own feelings and needs, we can connect more openly and honestly with others.

I recommend this book for anyone who believes that what we say matters. The book has chapters on how to connect with children, teens, employees, partners, and examples from Ike's law practice and mediation work in the Middle East and Judith's work with her yoga students.

The book is published by Rodmell Press and available at Yoga East Holiday Manor, $14.95.