“It Doesn’t Work!”

You hear this statement, or something very similar, often about martial arts or self-defence techniques.

Whether it’s from a competitor in a small ‘first-time’ competition, or someone who has done some self-defence training and had to ‘use’ it in a real situation, this statement must have been heard by training partners and instructors countless times.

I’ve heard this many times over my 40 plus years of instructing, never mind my nearly fifty years involved.

Let’s face it, we all expect our techniques, methods and principles to WORK when we put them to the test. So, what do we REALLY mean when we say “it doesn’t work”?

There are several factors that can influence a supposed ‘failure’ in applying techniques and methods.

I have listed some below with a short explanation on how we can turn what has become a negative into a positive.

• A lot of people would simply say a ‘Lack of Training’ as the main reason for techniques not to work as well as we would like. But I don’t believe that is true. For me the main reason is “Expectations”… We often expect more than we should from a move, and that is the fault of the Instructor and no one else. I have an expression “Minimal Guarantee versus Maximum Expectations”. Let me give you an illustration. Suppose you line up TEN young men aged 25 years of age:  All ten are 6ft tall and 90kgs. You hit each one with the same right cross. Now for the purpose of understanding ‘’Guarantee v Maximum Expectations’ lets assume the following.

1. All TEN men STAGGER back.
2. SIX of the ten then fall over.
3. THREE of the six who fall over are knocked out.

This breaks down as follows:

1. 100% stagger;
2. 60% fall down;
3. only 30% are K’O'd

Yet when we train and practice this Right Cross, our expectation would be 100% K.O.s. In truth our MINIMAL GUARANTEE is only 100% STAGGER. So that is what we EXPECT in reality. Anything else, the 60% fall down and the 30% K.O.s, are BONUSES. All your techniques should be trained this way …. Try and work out what you can GUARANTEE and work to that… NOT what you would like or expect. By being sure you get X RESULTS, you can plan your follow ups better. Then also if you get MORE than you can expect, that’s GREAT … but don’t work to LESS than you can guarantee

• The Opponent … Your opponent is actually more important than YOU in a real situation. By this I mean what he does or doesn’t do. How he responds/reacts or not is the main influence to what you do next. For example, suppose every time you use a power push on your training partner, he staggers back 3 steps. You have  to practise your ‘follow up’ to work with these distances. Then on the street in a real situation, ifyour opponent staggers back 5 steps or NONE … can you make your follow ups work when the initial results are different to those you have experienced in training. So allow for ‘failure’ in your training … It’s more important than you may think.

• Now comes TRAINING …. Or should I say the THREE most important aspects of training.

1. ADAPT … that is make the technique fit YOU – not you fit the techniques. By this I mean if you are 5ft 3 inches and fat, how can you do the moves the same way as your best friend who is 6ft 3 inches and slim? PERSONALISE the techniques in the same way we buy clothes. Make them fit you… If you are well over 6ft tall and your wife is under 5ft and you both drive the same car, what is the first thing you do? YES, adjust the seat … you are making the car fit YOU.
2. APPLY … It’s no good learning a technique, then not knowing how to apply it successfully. Half hearted applications produce half-hearted results. Work hard on applying your moves and techniques.
3. CREATE … In a real situation, you won’t know how your opponent will react to your initial move/s. So ask your training partner/s to vary their responses to your opening moves. This way you are better prepared to CREATE a new or different technique. It’s no good thinking “OOPS” now what do I do?

So often when you hear “It doesn’t work” , it’s other factors than just the technique which caused it to fail.

Plus, what do we consider a ‘failure’?

If you hit a guy and he staggers and falls but isn’t K.O’,d is that a failure or a different kind of success?

There are varying degrees of success. And provided you end up unscathed and home safely, it probably wasn’t a failure; it just didn’t give the degree of success you expected.

Finally though, look at yourself… are you applying yourself diligently to your training?

I remember talking to a former Mr Universe many years ago… The great BILL PEARL from the USA was at a show in Manchester, and I was one of the officials.

The question of training methods working came up, and although this was bodybuilding, not self-defence/martial arts, his comment runs just as true.

He said, “All my training methods work well… sadly many of my pupils don’t work as well”

Keep training.

Oh yeah, if you want to see more articles like this one, leave me your comments. What would you like to see me write about? Let me know and I’ll see what I can do.

Dave Turton 8th Dan SDF Head

P.S. This really is me, Dave Turton, not that wannabe, Rezbi, posing as me.

If you’re a skilled martial artist looking for instructor certification, click here.  Note: This is only for experienced martial artists with relevant backgrounds, and is an instructor ceritification: Not a martial arts grading.

March 2010. Please note: Street Talk will be placed on the SDF Website. ONLY Club Heads, Instructors, and Reps will continue to receive the newsletter through the post.

However, any member requesting a posted ‘hard copy’ will be more than welcome to receive it.

Welcome to this latest issue

This is the FIRST Issue for 2010, and quite a fair bit to write about this time, so here goes!
………..

NEW MEMBERS

I would like to welcome all those who have joined already this year, from the loyal clubs who regularly send in both NEW and RENEWED members year after year .. You are the backbone of the SDF.

Individuals:

Our Individual new members are always welcome, as usually they are martial artists of some experience and skill, thus increasing the ‘skill’ base of the SDF…

• Brad Ritchie (Progressive Conflict Management Systems)
• Jonny Figgis (A very strong member from Southern Ireland)
• Steve Harknett (3rd Dan Kempo Ju-Jitsu from Harlow in Essex)
• Gary Broocks (Shotokan Karate Black Belt from Bournmouth)
• Mickey Tulloch (great C.V. from Washington Tyne & Wear)
• Mike Hulme (Assistant Instructor at the famous Deisel Gym in London)
• Neil Wilson (Tony Blauer SPEAR System Instructor from Rayleigh in Essex)
• Julie Smethurst (Top Fitness & Self-Defence Coach from Bolton in Lancashire)
• Garry Smith (3rd Dan Ju-Jitsu Instructor from Sheffield, SouthYorkshire)
• Aaron St Omer (Via Top SDF Man Tony Gladwell in London)
• Daniel Meade Multi Skilled martial artist from Haringey, London)

As you can see, a vast range of skilled new members bringing more depth to the SDF.

Clubs:

It is always nice to get new clubs in the SDF. It’s more than new members; it’s a new venue and skill base for SDF’ers to visit.

From the end of 2009, we have had the pleasure of the following new clubs, who are very welcome indeed.

• Selby MMA (A mixed martial arts club run by Craig Lawrence .. top club, top instructor … based in Selby North Yorkshire)
• C.E.M.P.A. (A new and exciting venture by an old friend and long term SDF TKD Instructor Mark Richardson. Mark is based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and formulated a NEW Concept in his training skills)
• J.J. Kickboxing (top class Kickboxing and self-defence club run by John Rickaby 4th Dan .. based in Bishop Auckland County Durham. This club has produced regional and national champs)
• Sesku Academy a long time SDF member Adam Redfern runs this highly successful Thai Boxing Club in South Kirby (Nr Pontefract)… The club has recently moved into new premises and I went along to sort out the club joining the SDF and adding self-defence to its Boxing & Thai Boxing

That’s FOUR new clubs in THREE months … welcome all.

Events:

Not a great deal to report from around the SDF world … always the same at the start of a year.

However, Friday 5th march 2010 was a memorable evening. Andy Crittenden of ACMAC Doncaster hosted his second seminar with the legendary Catch Wrestling Coach Johnny Huskey.

I was delighted to attend this event and meet up with many old and new friends in the martial arts. Too many names to mention, but nice to see Neil Anderson and Steve Grey again after about 10 years… They are from Eckington and are top grappling men.

I shared my spectators slot with my old friend and long term SDF man Neil Hall. Neil runs the Caged Steel club in Dewsbury… top man indeed.

Without doubt Johny Huskey is the BEST Catch Wrestler and Coach I have seen in at least 25 years. If you missed it, you missed a great night.
He even stuck a painful arm lock on me… excellent stuff.

Also Andy is hosting a seminar with PHIL GLOVER at his Doncaster club.
Date: Sunday 25th April … 11am to 1.00pm.
Phil is the TOPS in Thai Style Kickboxing tuition, and the seminar fee is a PALTRY £10 !!!.

Grades:

It’s always great to hear of SDF members getting grades from other organisations or through our own network of high graded instructor.

First: Andy Crittenden & Ian Harrison.

I have been teaching both Andy & Ian privately every Tuesday morning for well over 7 years (Andy for 10).

They started with me as 5th Dan TKD for Andy & 3rd Dan Kickboxing for Ian.

Now they have both reached 3rd Dan in the SDF Self-Defence System, and well deserved it is.

Ian had a double as he also gained his 4th Dan in kickboxing as well. Well done you two

Speaking of Andy Crittenden, as most of you know his club in Doncaster (South Yorkshire) is where most of the SDF’s events, such as seminars, courses, gradings etc happen.

Well, after much fundraising etc, Andy has bought new mats for the club, it looks GREAT!

Action for Society:

Our new national charity is now in full swing, and I will be contacting SDF Reps, Heads etc with a view to holding out the old ‘begging bowl’.

This charity is a very worthwhile one indeed. So if any clubs or members want to help out raising funs for us, please contact us with your ideas or requests.

It can be as little as sticking a collection tin on your signing in desks, to organising actually collections through your club members or even for those of you who enjoy taking part in charity events, DO ONE FOR US!

Checkout our charity on its temporary website:
www.actionforsociety.org.uk
Charity Registration Number is: 1131918.

Odds & Sods:

We are now trying to organise the TENTH ANNIVERSARY EVENT for the SDF.

This will be at Andy’s Club in Doncaster over a Saturday & Sunday later this year.

We will be getting a couple of TOP CLASS Instructors, and there will be FOUR 2 hour sessions over the two days.

I will teach one each day and the guests will have one slot each for either the Saturday or the Sunday.

We also hope to book a room with a DJ and some grub (important) for a social get-together on the Saturday night for those who might be staying over or can make it home (sober??)

Tickets will be printed and sold as soon as we get dates and guests organised … we will be looking at costs around £80-£100 for this ONE OFF event.

Costs will include the 2 days training, and the FREE GRUB at the evening … (you pay for your own booze … sorry!)

Reports will be sent to the Martial Arts magazines. This cannot happen again so have a think about coming along.

Start asking and letting me know how many we can expect.

The rules are simple…

NO TICKET NO NOTHING! So watch out for developments, and let’s have your ideas, suggestions and approximate numbers coming.

I am considering adding a new page to the SDF website listing all the various Regional, National & International Champions (Past & Present) we have as SDF members.

We have an amazing collection of champs Juniors & Seniors from every known form of martial art, including boxing & wrestling as well.

People should KNOW the calibre of our members, especially as we are supposed to be a self-defence organisation NOT a competition body.
It will take some time to get the names listed, especially if we include PAST champs as well…

If we DO decide to go ahead with this extra page, I will be sending you a form to fill in listing your champions … anything from 1st to 3rd places will be listed.. (it could take ALL my available web page space Ha ha)

That’s it for this month … please send in your event reports and anything else you want included either on the news pages on the website or in this newsletter.

Dave Turton 8th Dan

If you’re a skilled martial artist looking for instructor certification, click here.  Note: This is only for experienced martial artists with relevant backgrounds, and is only an instructor ceritification: Not a martial arts grading.

Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is the #1 best selling diet and fitness ebook in the history of the Internet. In fact, it’s one of the best selling e-books on ANY subject in the history of the Internet -… And there’s a reason why…

It’s because thousands of women and men of every age are burning off BODY FAT – not muscle or water weight – and they’re doing it naturally, without supplements, pills or “magic potions,” simply by using the proven, scientifically-accurate and common-sense advice found inside this amazing diet and fitness guidebook.

Tom Venuto, a respected fat loss expert, natural bodybuilder, and personal trainer, has not just pumped out yet another “diet program” into an already over-saturated market. Tom’s Burn the Fat can be more accurately described as a “Fat Loss Bible.” It is quite simply one of the most complete, detailed, and precise guides to fat loss you will ever read. What makes it so much different than other weight loss publications on the market?

Well first of all, it’s not a “weight loss” program, it’s a “fat” loss program. This may seem like semantics or wordplay at first, but once you’ve read just the first three chapters, there will be no doubt in your mind that pursuing “weight loss” is not only the wrong goal, it may be the reason that you’ve failed to reach and maintain your ideal body weight. Burn The Fat shows you exactly why it’s fat you must lose, not “weight” (which includes muscle, water and other lean tissue) and then goes on to show you exactly how to do it.

Secondly, what makes Burn The Fat different is the amount of attention that is paid to each and every element of successful, healthy, permanent fat loss. Burn The Fat not only thoroughly dispels the lies, myths and fallacies surrounding a very confusing subject, it is simply the most detailed book about fat loss ever written. By reading Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, (or better yet, “studying it”), you will learn more about fat loss than you could from an entire semester of nutrition classes or from an entire shelf of maintstream diet publications at your local bookstore.

You may be wondering, “Is this a low carb diet? A high protein diet? A high fat diet? what type of program IS it???” The truth is that Burn the Fat is neither a high protein diet, or a low carb diet. That’s because with the information in this book, you will be able to easily determine your own ideal protein, carbs and fats ratio. You will be able to analyze your body type (are you an endomorph, ectomorph, or mesomorph?), you will determine your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate, or the amount of “maintenance” calories your body requires every day), and you will find out whether you are carb tolerant or carb intolerant.

This personalized approach makes perfect sense because each of us is a unique individual and no two people are exactly alike in terms of body physiology and personal goals.

One of the most powerful chapters in the book is the first one called, “How To Set Powerful, Compelling Goals That Will Propel You Forward and Charge You Up with Unstoppable Motivation.” In this chapter, you will learn what is probably the ultimate secret to burning fat and getting in shape… and it has nothing to do with diets, supplements or training programs. There’s also a great quote in this chapter from the legendary Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi…

“The dictionary is the only place success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must all pay for success.” That line does a nice job of expressing the “no quick fix” philosophy behind the entire book. In the rest of the book, you’ll learn the complete and exact mechanics of fat loss – explained on both a scientific and a practical level (which you can easily apply in your own daily life in terms of what to eat and how to exercise to burn fat).

If there is any drawback to the Burn The Fat ebook, it’s that it contains so much information, that some readers may find it a bit overwhelming. Those who are looking for a “cliff’s Note’s” quick start type of fat loss program, might be a bit intimated at first. The good part however, is that even these types of readers can feel confident and assured that it will be worth the effort because this will literally be the last book they ever have to buy on the subject.

Who will benefit most from Burn the Fat?

In the broadest sense, anyone and everyone who needs to lose weight will benefit from Burn The Fat. Men, women, bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts, and especially motivated individuals and avid readers will love this book. Although it was written by a bodybuilder, this book is certainly NOT just for bodybuilders.

You will find no “30 lbs. in 30 days” miracles at work here. It’s all about intelligent eating choices, planning, hard work and lifestyle change. As Burn The Fat author Tom Venuto says,…

“Burn the Fat is simple, but it’s not easy.”

In terms of graphic design, Burn the Fat is a clean and professionally formatted PDF e-book. It’s a little on the plain side, being just text, but that makes it ideal for printing and reading in the comfort of a favorite chair. Because of it’s size, it does require a robust printer and a good stack of paper.

Initially, some people thought that Burn the Fat was priced a little on the high side because $39 might seem like a fair chunk of money for an ebook download. However, after they saw the amount of information contained within Burn The Fat’s 340 pages, along with the special bonus ebooks and reports that come with it, they said it was not only worth the $39, but many times that amount.

As with any how-to publication, you’re not really paying for the materials used to compile the document, but for what the information can do for you, and clearly, this publication has changed many lives and the hundreds of testimonials and success stories found on the Burn The Fat website are proof of that (I recommend you take a look at that “testimonials” page on the Burn The Fat website because some of the before and after transformations are simply incredible – as well as inspiring).

The Bottom line?

Anyone looking for a quick fix solution to fat loss, anyone looking to be told fairy-tales, and anyone looking for a “magic bullet” offered by the likes of body wraps, fat burning pills, diet shakes, or “fat-burning” creams and gels might be best advised to steer clear of Burn the Fat.

On the other hand, anyone tired of “spinning their wheels” going nowhere, who wants the truth about fat loss and who is ready and willing to put in the hard work and discipline and make the lifestyle changes necessary to get a fat free body, will find Burn The fat to be one of the best investments they ever made in their lives. Click here to learn more about Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat program.

Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle has been around a long time, at least in Internet years. It was released in 2003 and was one of the first diet and nutrition e-books ever published. Today there are e-books all over the web, not to mention more supplements, weight loss programs, ab machines, workout videos and “magic” diet pills than you can keep track of.

Even when your gut instincts tell you all these “fast and easy”, “just take a pill” weight loss claims are too good to be true, sometimes the advertisements press your emotional buttons so well that your curiosity gets the best of you.

But after getting burned enough times, you eventually smarten up. You swear off “quick fixes” and you finally figure out the long way (through your own experience), about what really works; a calorie deficit, proper nutrition, intelligent training, changing your lifestyle and replacing your old negative habits with positive new ones.

Through all the Internet diets that have come and gone in the last decade, this e-book is one that has stood the test of time. It has been an Internet best seller every year since 2003. Men and women of all ages in over 141 countries have lost anywhere from a few pounds to 253 pounds using Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. The program consistently gets positive reviews and has earned a reputation for being sensible, science-based, honest and effective.

The author, Tom Venuto, received his degree in exercise science and has held certifications as a strength and conditioning specialist and personal trainer, but more importantly, Tom walks the talk. He is a natural-for-life bodybuilder, which means that he’s never taken steroids or other body-enhancing drugs. Venuto has competed in bodybuilding 28 times and has 6-pack abs you have to see to believe (check out the picture at www.burnthefat.com of Tom at 3.7% body fat).

Although Tom admits that he was never obese, he says he always struggled with stomach fat and never saw his abs until he’d gone through many years of trial and error and a lot of hard work. Many people are encouraged when they hear that Tom is a lot like them and that he was not genetically predisposed to be lean. It gives them the hope that they can do it too.

Now that you know about the history and the author, here’s a quick overview of what you’ll find when you read Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle.

Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle is published in Adobe PDF format so you can download the e-book. It’s on the long side at 300+ pages, so if you’re looking for a Cliff’s Notes type of read, this might not be the book you want. On the other hand, if you’re a detail person or if you want to know not just what to do, but also why you’re doing it, then Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle is exactly what you’re looking for.

For more than 20 years, the author has studied physique athletes (bodybuilders, female figure competitors and fitness models). That’s the whole premise of this book: If you want to get lean as quickly as possible, wouldn’t it make sense to find the leanest people in the world, find out how they did it and do what they do?

When you read more about this on the web page at www.BurnTheFat.com, the idea of a program based on bodybuilder and fitness model techniques makes perfect sense, although it does intimidate some people at first.

In the introduction of the book however, Venuto points out: “Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle was created BY a bodybuilder, but it’s not just FOR bodybuilders.” In fact, the book easily could have been titled, “What every man and woman can learn from bodybuilders about permanent fat loss.”

The nutrition techniques will work for anyone because they progress in stages from beginner to advanced. Unless you plan on competing in a fitness or bodybuilding competition, you’ll only need to use phase one, aka, the “baseline” diet. If you want to get “ripped”, with the six pack abs look – you can use phase two and phase three of the program, where you will find the more advanced techniques that many people have used to prepare for their first bodybuilding or figure competitions.

The main focus of the e-book is nutrition, because nutrition is arguably the most important key to getting lean. You could have the best training program in the world, but if you eat more calories than you burn, you’ll gain fat regardless of your well-designed training plan.

In the chapters on nutrition, you’ll learn how to set up a meal plan you can enjoy by using Tom’s menu “template” system: You just choose the foods you like (pick from the recommended food lists), plug them into the meal plan template, and your menus virtually create themselves. Sample menus are also provided for ideas.

You also learn the truth about six pack abs: Body fat tissue lies on TOP of the abdominal muscles, so you’ll NEVER see your abs unless your body fat gets low enough. You can’t burn fat off your abs with abdominal exercises like crunches or sit ups. You must get the nutrition right to achieve very low body fat levels.

In Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, you learn everything you need to know about calories, protein, carbs and fat to get low levels of body fat. You’ll learn the facts about low carb and high protein diets. You’ll get the inside scoop on fat burning foods – including lists of what to eat and when to eat them.

You also learn how to set up a training program. These are the same workout routines used by top natural bodybuilding and fitness champions. However, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle nutrition works in combination with any training program (so you can use your own workout if you choose).

The 2 components are weight training and cardiovascular training. You’ll need access to basic equipment at home like dumbbells and barbells or you can train in a gym. One caveat: This e-book doesn’t give you photos or detailed instructions on how to perform each exercise. There’s more attention given to nutrition than training in this e-book, and if you use the training programs, it assumes you know how to perform basic weight training exercises.

Customizing your program is a major theme in chapter 5, which explains metabolic individuality and how to figure out your unique body type. The major lesson is: There’s no one-size-fits-all nutrition program. If you have special needs, for example, if you’re lactose intolerant, allergic to gluten or if you’re just a picky eater, you can easily modify the menus to work for you.

In addition to the nutrition and training plan, chapter one contains what is probably the best explanation of goal setting, mental training and the psychology of motivation that you will ever read in any book. If you know what to do but you have a hard time doing it (ie, if old bad habits keep haunting you or if you’re inconsistent with your diet or nutrition), you’ll find the solution in the mental training, not the physical training.

In summary, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is no quick fix. You don’t get six pack abs or a body like a fitness model by training a few minutes a day and eating haphazardly or cheating frequently. This program calls for structure and requires effort. In fact, many Burn The Fat customers have said that the main reason they bought the program was because it openly admits that fat loss is hard work. However, it’s worth it because if you follow the program, there’s no question that you will get very, very lean.

After all these years, Tom Venuto’s Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is a classic in the diet and nutrition e-book genre. There are many imitators and copycats, but if you want the original, this is it. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is literally the “bible of fat loss.”

You can get more information and download the e-book at the official site here: www.burnthefat.com

(Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links that provide compensation to me should you make a purchase.)

Getting rid of fat anywhere on the body is hard work, but many find that the tummy area is the worst. Even when you are thin and toned, you might still struggle with belly fat. The most annoying thing is that no matter what you do it just sticks there. Well, if you want to learn some secrets of how to get rid of belly fat, read on. There are 3 easy steps that you can follow to help you with your task of beating the belly fat.

Belly Girdles: They sound like some sort of medieval torture device, but girdles are actually one of the best ways to lose belly fat. They suck in and tuck in all the fatty layers giving you a flat shape. While they make you look good, they are also designed to increase your metabolism, and improve your circulation. They also boost your calorie burning abilities while exercising. They also provide a motivational factor as you can see the flat stomach you want encouraging you to work harder.

Extra Cardio: Cardio vascular activity is the main exercise that helps your body to burn off fat. Although you might have already burned off a lot of fat, the exercise you might be doing, is not enough anymore. Fat in other areas can be easier to lose, but belly fat will take a while. You might need to up your cardio routines. You can also challenge yourself with other kinds of cardio like dancing, aerobics, spinning, and cycling.

Away with the Sugars: Even though you might have a very good, healthy eating plan, it could be the small amounts of sugar playing havoc with your fat loss. Sugars are very easily stored as fat, so you have to make sure that you burn them off almost straight away. You could have a small bar of chocolate before going jogging, or treat yourself to sugar in your tea if you are going to use the energy during the day.

Eat More Weight Less: While it may sound impossible, you can actually eat more and lose your belly fat in the process. But, I don’t mean eating more calories – I mean eating more times a day. Smaller meals eaten more frequently will help to keep your metabolism revved up and can help you burn more calories. Of course, you do have to watch what you eat and try to make your meals of low fat dairy, whole grains, lean meats, fruits and veggies. Aim for about 300-400 calories in your main meals and 3 snacks of 100-200 calories each.

Belly fat is just like any other fat on your body and all fat will respond to the same techniques. The thing with belly fat is that it is usually more dense and can seem like it is taking more time to burn off – that’s just because there is more of it! With these simple to follow methods you now know how to get rid of belly fat, and you can work to keep it off. You have to have patience though, and you will be rewarded.

Next, find out more about the best way to lose belly fat and learn how you can finally get into those skinny jeans again!

An extrication operation or vehicle extrication refers to the process of removing a victim from a vehicle after a traffic accident. The extrication procedure will take place when the conventional means of exiting a vehicle are damaged and a successful operation will be attributed to the rescuers’ knowledge, skills, equipment and response.

The best way to fully understand and internalize the meaning of extrication operation is by realizing that the procedure is not about a victim being removed from a vehicle, but about a vehicle being removed from around the victim. Indeed, every single stop must be done with extra care and delicate touch, in order to minimize the victim’s movement during the procedure and prevent further injury.

Right after the rescue team removes the physical barriers, allowing access to the victim, the EMS rescuers move in. The rescuers have to make sure that the patient’s head, neck and spine are immobilized and secure them in their normal anatomical position.

This can be done by using a cervical collar and a KED. The Kendrick Extrication Device is an important tool that helps rescuers remove a patient safely from a motor vehicle. The KED stabilizes the victim’s head, back, shoulders and torso while immobilizing the patient’s ability to move the head, neck or spine.

A typical Kendrick Extrication Device has 2 head straps, 3 torso straps and 2 leg straps, Together these straps secure the victim’s body. The rescuers slide the device behind the victim and then say “My Baby Looks Hot Tonight” not in order to make the victim laugh but actually to remember the correct order in which the straps should be secured: Middle, Bottom, Legs, Head and Top.

After the victim’s hands are tied, the rescuers hold the side handles of the KED along with the victim’s legs, lifting the victim and lowering him on a spine board. The LSB, (Long Spine Board) or backboard helps the safe transportation of people with possible spinal injuries.

If the victim is found immobilized on the ground, he must be log rolled onto the spine board. This is a very complicated maneuver which requires training by professionals and it usually takes three or more people in order to perform this maneuver in a safe manner.

When the victim is lying on his back, one person should hold the victim’s head with both hands on each side of the head and make sure it stays stabilized. The other rescuers should position themselves at the abdominal area and near the feet.

While maintaining spinal control, the three rescuers will roll the victim on his side, place the stretcher and lower the victim back onto the stretcher.

If you are interested to know more about KED devices, spine boards or stretchers, check out Dixie EMS Supply. We can answer all your of your diagnostic equipment and emergency medical supply needs, with the lowest prices in the industry and a quick turnaround time. Give our customer service department a call or visit us online at www.dixieems.com.

Dixie EMS carries a full line of quality Emergency Medical Service products for ambulance, industry, and facility care. Our goal is to meet all your medical supply needs and be a reliable source of service, information and support.

A person’s pulse or pulse rate is a measurement of the number of heartbeats per minute. The pulse rate varies from one person to another but the pulse is always an overall view of an individual’s health.

Our pulse rates increase when we are physically active and decrease when we are in the stage of rest. Knowing your pulse rate and how to measure pulse is very important, especially for people who exercise regularly and need to evaluate their overall training program.

A person should also know his normal heart rate in order to correctly assess higher pulse levels in stressful surroundings or medical emergencies, and better understand the severity the higher pulse rate.

Pulse can be easily found on several parts of our body. Common places to check pulse are the wrist, neck or even groin and at the top of the foot. Most people find their pulse on the wrist – this is the radial pulse. All you need in order to check your pulse is a watch. Here’s how to do it:

• Place your hand on a table with the palm facing up.

• Put your index finger and middle finger on your wrist, about 1 inch below the base of the hand.

• Press your fingers on the middle tendon and the outside bone. Feel the throbbing? Congratulations, you just found your pulse.

• Now count the beats for 10 seconds, multiply the number by 6 and calculate your heart rate.

During physical exercise, it is easier to check the pulse on your neck, using two fingers on the carotid artery. By the way, you shouldn’t use your thumb when checking heart rate because sometimes it has a pulse.

If you’re reading this while sitting down and resting, your pulse rate should be anywhere between 60 – 100. This is a normal range for the average adult. But if you notice that your pulse rate is above 90 on a regular basis, it is recommended to speak with your doctor.

People who are more active would sometimes have a lower heart rate, around 40 or 60, depending on their daily exercise routine. But low pulse can also be abnormal and dangerous, especially if there is a general feeling of tiredness and low-energy.

And what about Pulse Oximeter? When a patient is under medical treatment, a pulse oximeter is a special device that automatically checks the patient’s heart rate. A pulse oximeter also measures the oxygen saturation in the blood, and when attached to a special screen it allows the staff to constantly monitor the patient’s condition. The pulse oximeters are non invasive, and usually measure pulse rates through the finger or earlobe.

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There are certain standard exercises that are classics. The push-up, the crunch, the chin-up. Each one has been performed and perfected for years, and is abandoned for the latest fad and then returned to when wisdom prevails. Each requires no piece of fancy equipment, and relies instead on gravity and your body weight. Today let’s take a closer look at the chin-up, and ask a few basic questions. Why do them? What are the benefits? What do you do if you can’t even do one? Is there a way to perfect your form, and what common mistakes should you be looking out for?

A chin-up is where you simply pull your weight off the ground by grabbing onto an elevated bar. If you grip the bar with your palms facing away then you are doing a ‘pull-up’, which focuses less on the arms and more on the shoulders and back. If your palms are facing toward you, then you are indeed doing a ‘chin-up’, and will immediately notice the strain placed on your biceps as they come into action.

They’re simple to do, and the benefits area as varied as they are intense. First and foremost you build muscle. Chin-ups and Pull-ups force you to lift your own bodyweight, and this places stress on your body, from the large muscles of your back to your shoulders to your arms. They also increase your grappling strength which will benefit you in any sport that includes gripping, grappling, and pulling such as rock climbing, rowing, or the like. You’ll also find that the benefits carry over to such exercises as the overhead press and bench press, as they same, improved muscles are able to perform better in those exercise routines. Finally, chin-ups and pull-ups will greatly increase your shoulder health, in that these ‘pull’ exercises will balance out any ‘press’ exercises and thus keep the muscles equilibrated.

But they’re hard. Most people have trouble doing even a couple, and some can’t even do the first. Should you become discouraged, throw your gym towel into a corner and stomp off to chow down on some sweet chocolate cookies, convinced that there is no hope for you? No! Instead, learn to assist yourself till you can manage a pull-up alone. Some common techniques include placing a chair beneath the bar onto which you rest your tip toes and push off as little as you can. Or you can have a buddy your trust implicitly help you raise up. Conversely, you can wrap a resistance band from the bar to your knees, and allow that to raise you, or use momentum to swing yourself up.

So how exactly do you do a perfect pull-up or chin-up? Easy. Start in a dead hang with straight arms. Squeeze the bar tight, with your fingers curled around the bar, not in the palm of your hands. Breath at the bottom, taking a big breath before pulling yourself up. Don’t let your shoulders go forward; rather, rise with your chest arched as if you were going to press your sternum into the bar. Look up! That will help you keep the right posture. Drive your elbows to the floor, and bend your legs and cross your feet. Squeeze those glutes on the way up.

Despite keeping all those factors in mind, it’s still easy to mess up. Here are some of the common mistakes people make when seeking physical perfection. You might, for example, fail to straighten your arms when you hang in a dead lift. Or you might push your shoulders forward instead of your chest. Many, many people will rock and buck their hips up, using their core muscles to build momentum in order to cut their shoulders a break. Don’t do this! If you’re flailing like a salmon trying to get upstream, you’re doing it wrong. And finally, make sure your chin clears the bar. If it doesn’t, it’s a partial pull-up.

There you go. A classic exercise that delivers classic results. Do your chin ups, try to be able to do at least 15, and then start using weights to raise the resistance level. Good luck!

Phillip Tucker is a native of Brazil and a fitness enthusiast who’s excited about using the P90X Chin Up Bar when doing the PX90 Workout with Tony Horton.

When people discuss nutrition they always break food down into certain basic groups. If you’ve taken any interest before, you’ll be familiar with them: protein, carbohydrates, fat, sugars, etc. But what are these, exactly? What does it mean to eat the right amount of ‘protein’, and are certain kinds of protein or carbohydrates better than others? Today we’ll take a closer look at these food groups, break them down to a basic level, and make sure that everybody is on the same page.

Let’s start it off with protein. Proteins play a vital role in our lives—they are the building blocks for most of our body tissues, such as skin, muscle, nails, and tendons among others. Proteins also take part in many metabolic functions such as nutrient absorption, transportation of oxygen, and they even help deactivate toxic substances.

But what are they? Proteins are large molecules that are built by chains of amino acids. There are about 20 different types of amino acids that can be combined in any sequence or number to form different types of protein, which can either come from animal or vegetable sources. Protein that come from animal sources can be found in red meats, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products. On the other hand, vegetable sourced protein can be found in dry fruits, soy, legumes, mushrooms and whole grains. Animal protein contains a larger number and diversity of amino acids. In general their biological value is greater than vegetable protein. However, animal proteins are harder to digest, which is why you may be left with a ‘heavy’ sensation after a big ol’ steak.

When we consume red meats, poultry, and / or fish, we are not only consuming protein, but we also intaking metabolic waste such as uric acid and ammonia. And guess what—these elements are toxic. A smart way to consume animal based proteins and yet avoid these toxic elements is by eating eggs and dairy products. Also, when we consume animal protein, we are very likely also consuming saturated fats that are present in meat. High levels of saturated fat can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and promote obesity.

So now let’s take a look at carbs. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for both the muscles and the brain. They can be divided in two main groups: simple carbs (sugars—boo!) and complex carbs (starch—long term energy, yay!).

Simple carbohydrates can be found in fruits, refined sugars, honey, and sweets in general. Our body is able to absorb them almost immediately and they end up being a great source of instant energy. However, it’s important to keep in mind that simple sugars that come from fruits and natural sources have a great advantage over simple sugars that come from refined sources (candy, etc). Simple carbs from natural sources usually come with other important elements such as minerals, organic acids, vitamins (which play a key role in their absorption) and other metabolic functions.

Complex carbohydrates are found in cereals, breads, pasta, legumes and vegetables. Even fiber is a type of carbohydrate. Complex carbohydrates are built by many molecules of sugars. When we consume these types of carbohydrates, our bodies gradually break these large chains down into simple carbs. The extra step in breaking down these large molecules allows the body to have better control of blood sugar level which at the end translates into having steady levels of energy.

After breaking the carbs down, our bodies metabolizes carbohydrates into glucose and glycogen. During any physical activity our muscles feed off the glucose that is found in our blood, and also off the glycogen that is stored in out liver and muscle tissue. A diet rich in complex and simple carbohydrates will help refuel and replenish the levels of glycogen and glucose which are critical when we undertake any intense fitness activities such as the PX90 or Slim in 6. We can achieve this by eating more fruits, vegetables, brown rice, potatoes, and yams.

Philip Tucker is a native of Brazil and a fitness enthusiast who’s excited about the potential of PX90 and Slim in 6.

What’s the best and safest way to warm up before doing exercise?

Strictly speaking the professional will have developed a specific set of arm up exercises for his profession, whether he or she is an athlete, tennis player, football player etc. I’m writing from the perspective of carrying out a good set of generic warm up exercises, primarily for the jogger but they can be applied to most sports.

Stretches or your warm up routine, needs to be dynamic. Why? Well the clue is in the phrase. ‘Warm up’. Static stretches will NOT warm you up, you need to increase your heart rate and body temperature. Your warm up routine should include a range of exercises that you will perform during your fitness session.

You need to view the warm up session as essential. It’s all too easy to put on some running shoes, close the front door, and start your jog. But if you don’t want to get muscle injury or muscle stiffness, STOP!

So what are the benefits then? Well did you know that haemoglobin (your red blood cells), releases oxygen better when your muscles are warmer, there is an increase in blood flow, warmed muscles are a lot more supple and because your muscles are now warm, there is less viscous resistance and hence a greater economy of movement and less change of a muscle tearing. There’s more….but isn’t that enough to persuade you to warm up first. Your jogging times should improve, which means you could possibly run further, get even fitter and help with your overall weight versus level of fitness you are looking to attain.

One US based study, suggested a static warm up routine (as opposed to a dynamic one) could cause more harm than good. As your muscles will not have warmed up, they will not work as fast so may tear.

So what to do? Start with a very light jog to get your heart going that bit faster and to increase your body temperature. Somewhere between five and ten minutes is great.

Now you need to move on to dynamic stretches, which will reduce your muscle stiffness. There are a number of these that you can do. It’s best to try a number of them out over a period to see which ones you prefer. But this period of stretching should be about 10-15 minutes. As your warm up progresses, the intensity of it should too. Easily said if you had someone blowing at whistle and shouting at you!

If you are a member of a gym already (but stay away from doing dynamic stretches) ask your gym which exercises to do prior to a jog. There are many names and variants of stretches. Youtube is probably a good place to watch a video .

Sumo Squats will warm up your groin, hamstring and lower back. Lunges (small lunge, walking lunge), will warm up the hamstrings and quadriceps. Windmills are good for the shoulders, upper back and neck. A spiderman crawl, the hips arms and hamstrings again. You are looking to warm up all the parts of your body. How many of each stretch should I do? Well about 10 of them, 3 times.

Completed your stretches? Great, finally you are ready for your jog or run? Good luck. If it’s going to be your first run, we’ll talk more about that soon.

As with all exercise though, ensure you have consulted a physician first about your level of health before you start even for doing a warm up routine. You don’t want any nasty surprises.

Lana Soko is passionate about health and writes for http://www.lose-weight-with-us.com