ANNOUNCING:

The Doctor’s Heart Cure—a major new title fromDragon Door Publications

I have never been more excited by a title ofours than the new book by Al Sears, M.D., TheDoctor’s Heart Cure.

Last Wednesday, I brought a box of the brand-new books to my qigong class. One studentimmediately bought four copies. When I askedher why she had a hesitating look on her face, shereplied that she was figuring out who else sheshould get copies for. “I’ll pick up more nextweek,” she finally decided. Another studentbought three copies. Other students bought acopy but started making lists of friends/relativesthey should get a copy for.

It’s that kind of a book. Within pages, youwon’t be able to help yourself… you’ll be makinga list…

As Al Sears points out in his article on the nextpage, over 950,000 Americans are going to die ofheart disease this year. 950,000! That’s obscene!And what’s worse, completely unnecessary!(When you figure that heart disease deaths don’tstart to kick in strongly until after the age offorty, you don’t have to be a math whiz to figureout what a staggering number this really is.)

The beauty of Al’s book is that is based on deepclinical experience PLUS impeccable research. Athis Wellness Clinic Dr. Sears has helped over15,000 patients reverse their heart disease andbuild strong, powerful hearts. Al is not some out-of-shape Ivory Tower researcher, or bumblingamateur with a fad diet to foist on an unwittingpublic. This is a man with iron-clad credentialsand an amazing track record of success in thetrenches. Patients have come to this man, dyingon their feet, and have had their lives turnedaround. I trust him.

Of course, Al’s clinically-proven program goesway beyond just reversing heart disease andbuilding a powerful heart. It is a prescription fortremendous vigor and the highest level of health.

I strongly believe in Al’s recommendationsabout what to eat—and his exerciserecommendations are one of the bestadvertisements for kettlebells I ever encountered.I urge you to check his book out at your earliestconvenience. It may well save your life. It maywell save the lives of your loved ones. And ifnothing else, your health, strength and vitalitywill reach new heights. There is no book DragonDoor has published which has more potential todramatically improve the health of this nation.

More great articles in this issue

Speaking of kettlebells, there’s a great interviewhere with another physician, Kristann Heinz,who is now also a certified kettlebell instructor.Kristann paints a compelling picture of howkettlebells can help combat the obesity epidemicin this country.

Pavel explores unusual and little-knownRussian methods for enhancing speed, flexibilityand stamina in an article (pages 22,23) thatbacks up the release of his much-anticipatedDVD Fast and Loose. Pavel continues toastonish with his treasure trove of “different”but highly practical drills. (Actually, I find aninteresting crossover with some of the qigong Ipractice and teach. Pavel, Steve Maxwell and Iwill be doing a Flexibility Seminar together nextFebruary which will explore all this in moredepth.)

Senior RKC, Mike Mahler is a vegan, but he’sas strong as an ox. Yes, you can be radicallystrong and be a vegetarian, but you better darnwell have your act together! Many vegetariansput themselves at risk by not covering all thebases. Mike does a great job in his article onpages 24, 25 of discussing the most importantbases and how to make sure you’re givingyourself what you need.

Hey, don’t tell anyone, but I’m fifty-five yearsold. As I discuss in my Longevity Secrets articleon page 49, unless you have an appropriate dailypractice in place, your body’s on a slippery slideto ruin, suffering and pain, from your mid-thirties on. You may not notice it until yourforties, or even your fifties, but you’re on theslide…you’re on the slide…

At fifty-five I certainly “feel my body”. Butbelieve me, I’ve never been more grateful forwhat qigong has done to maintain my energy,vigor, flexibility and overall strength. In mostways, I feel in better shape now than I was in mytwenties. For my money, as a comprehensive“self-hygiene” program, qigong can’t be beat.

Check out my reasonswhy.

Best,

John Du CanePublisher

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Dragon Door Publications presents

Vitalicswww.vitalics.comwww.dragondoor.com

Publisher & Editor-in-ChiefJohn Du Cane

EditorialTraining EditorPavel Tsatsouline

Editorial AssistantDennis Armstrong

ContributorsMike Mahler, Al Sears, Stephanie Watson

Art Direction & DesignDerek Brigham

Internet ArchitectJames McConnell,webmaster@dragondoor.com

Dragon Door CorporateCustomer ServiceDennis Armstrong, Tammy Drury, call651-487-2180, support@dragondoor.com

Orders & Customer Service onOrders: call 1-800-899-5111

Dragon Door Publicationscorporate address:Dragon Door Publications5 East County Rd B, #3Little Canada, MN 55117

News From The PublisherOctober 18, 2004 • St. Paul, MN

Use a New Model for Heart HealthYou can reverse serious heart disease and avoid this killer disease at anyage – by following advice directly opposite of the standard recomm-endations. In as little as a few months, the men and women in Dr Sears’sclinic have used an easy-to-follow new strategy to cure their heartdisease. This book will show you the simple steps to real heart health.It is much easier than following the unnatural recommendations of theAmerican Heart Association. It’s time to discard the old assumptionsthat failed us and re-examine the facts.

A Fresh Look Leads to a Startling ConclusionDuring the time when the World War II generation feasted on a breakfastof steak and eggs, obesity was relatively constant in America, hoveringaround 10 percent. Diabetes was relatively uncommon with about onecase of adult diabetes for each case of childhood diabetes. All of this wasabout to change.

In 1957, the American Heart Association linked dietary fat to heartdisease, and recommended that Americans cut the fat in their diets. Weswapped cereals for the protein-based breakfasts of our grandparents’generation. This marked the beginning of our struggling with low-fatdiets.

Food producers developed a wide variety of low-fat foods. Over the nextcouple of decades, we gobbled down these “healthy” foods, expecting tolower our risk of heart disease as we lowered our weight. But we didn’tlose weight. In fact, the rate of obesity tripled. The number of Americanseither obese or overweight has exploded to 2 out of 3 – levels never seenanywhere in history. Also during this time, adult diabetes has risen900%. We now see a ratio of nine patients with diet-induced diabetesfor every case of genetic.

These recommendations only led us further away from our naturalprotein-based diet. And, the low-fat approach failed in its primary goal:Heart disease continues to kill more American’s than any other disease.

Discard Failed Beliefsand Use Strategies That WorkThe widely accepted theory that the amount of fat we American’s atecauses modern heart disease turns out to be false. The effective way tobeat heart disease is to root out the real underlying cause. People of allages have rebuilt youthful hearts and blood vessels. Instead of sacrifice,denial, and unwanted side effects, a natural heart health plan gives youmore energy.

EXPLODING THE MYTHS:REVEALING THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD AND

MAINTAIN A POWERFUL, DISEASE-FREE HEART

For decades, we’ve worked to follow the advice of the AmericanHeart Association for heart health. We’ve sacrificed taste, given upsimple pleasures, pounded out the miles jogging and swallowed millionsof doses of dangerous heart drugs – but to no avail.

Heart disease continues to rank as both the number one disease and thenumber one cause of death1. This is because the heart health advicewe’ve tried to follow for 40 years is just plain wrong.

Cardiovascular disease will kill2 a record 950,000 Americans this year.Why? Because giving up meat and eggs, jogging, eating low-fat foods andtaking cholesterol-lowering drugs will not cure your heart.

The Doctor’s Heart Cure blasts through long-standing myths about heartdisease and shows you how to reach the best physical condition of yourlife.

In The Doctor’s Heart Cure, you’ll learn a completely different model foreating and exercising. You’ll discover special nutrients our hearts needthat are lacking in our modern diets. And, you’ll have an action plan toput it all into place, and use for life.

Myth #1:Fat makes you fat. The American Heart Association linksdietary fat to heart disease and recommends that you eat alow-fat diet. But dietary fat isn’t to blame. In fact, low-fat dietsonly make the problem worse.

Myth #2:You need to exercise an hour every day. The governmentsInstitutes of Medicine tells us we need 60 minutes of exerciseevery day. But this type of prolonged cardiovascular exercisemimics stress and breaks down vital heart muscle. Long cardioworkouts are not only a waste of your time, they actuallycause additional health problems.

Myth #3:You need to keep your cholesterol below 200 points. Thecurrent strategy of monitoring cholesterol to manage hearthealth is ineffective. The drugs are dangerous and only distractus from the real path to heart health.

By Al Sears, M.D.

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For 16 years, patients at the Center for Healthand Wellness are feeling better, aging better,performing better, and living longer. And theydo it without worry or time-consuming dailyregimens. You don’t have to eat food youdon’t like. You don’t have to become avegetarian. No confusing double-talk, nocounting calories or fat and no toxic drugs.

A New Model for Heart HealthThe Doctor’s Heart Cure creates a new para-digm for achieving heart health. This bookprovides a detailed program that flies in theface of conventional guidelines. Extensivescientific research and experience withthousands of patients supports this approach.Patients who have improved their cardiachealth and overall physical condition by usingstrategies that work.

In addition, The Doctor’s Heart Cure Programis much easier to follow than the AmericanHeart Association guidelines. We have aninstinct for foods that are naturally fatty, saltyor sweet. With a few adaptations to ourmodern world, these natural preferences canserve you well. The low-fat diet is unnatural.And, the chronic denial of enjoyable food withits constant guilt is unnecessary. The Doctor’sHeart Cure’s key principles for heart-healthyeating is that you like its taste and it’s part ofour natural diet, unmodified, rather thanprocessed.

Similarly, few people enjoy pounding away ona treadmill for thirty minutes to an hour at atime. For many people trying to build this asa habit, their instincts cry out for them to stop.Many have difficulty finding the time toexercise that long. When they do, theyunwittingly produce unwanted changes intheir bodies such as the loss of muscle, bonedensity, and internal organ weight. They alsooften wind up with overuse injuries. Patientsdon’t complain when they discover that thecore of The Doctor’s Heart Cure exerciseprogram is workouts that last no more than20 minutes and can be completed in as little assix minutes.

Lastly, the popular strategy of monitoringcholesterol is ineffective and the prescribedmedications are unnecessary toxic burdens.Most patients who use cholesterol-loweringdrugs don’t know that the medications aremaking them weak and tired and cause theirmuscles to ache if they try to exercise. Theyare delighted to enjoy increased energy andwell-being with effective natural alternatives.

In addition, compelling evidence indicates thatthe best blood predictor of heart disease risk isnot cholesterol at all but homocysteine. Thisturns out to be great news: It’s much easierand less toxic to your body to lowerhomocysteine levels than to lower cholesterollevels.

How to Build theHeart of a Warrior“The Doctor’s Heart Cure” leads you througha two-Step process to build heart health. In“Step One: “How Medicine Missed the Boat,”you’ll see and come to understand whyresearchers and physicians went astray in theirapproach to heart disease.

Chapter 1: Modern Nutrition and the DietDisaster shows how the ever-increasing adult-eration of our food supply has made theproblems with cardiovascular health progress-ively worse. The problem turned into a crisisin the last generation when the so-called“heart healthy diet” became popular.

Chapter 2: Sidestep the Cardio Exercise Mythexamines how long-duration cardiovascularexercise robs your heart and lungs of capacity,zaps your body of strength and muscle, andaccelerates several unhealthy aspects of aging.

Chapter 3: Cholesterol the Great Red Herringtells why cholesterol testing is all wrong, andwhat markers doctors should be checking.

Chapter 4: America’s Heart Drug Problemgives you the lowdown on how cholesterol-lowering drugs deplete energy reserves, lowersexual vig-or, and interfere with one of yourcardiovascular systems most importantantioxidant systems. You’ll see how bloodpressure medications de-condition your heartand interfere with effective exercise.

Chapter 5: Measure Your Real Heart Healthgive you effective screening tests – which mostdoctors don’t do – to assess heart health. Fiveblood test – levels of coenzyme Q10, homo-cysteine, C-reactive protein, insulin, andessential fats – can reveal an abundance ofuseful information about your heart health.You’ll also find several measures you can doyourself.

Step Two: “Take Action to Build HeartHealth” is your plan to prevent or reverseheart disease.

In Chapter 6: Enjoy Real Food Again, you’lllearn about a surprising plan that deviates inimportant ways from both the AmericanHeart Association’s low-fat recommendationsand the Atkins-like low-carbohydrate group ofdiets. You’ll see how easy it is to look beyondcounting grams of fat or carbs to return to ournatural habits of enjoying quality fat, proteinand carbohydrate again.

In Chapter 7: Build a Strong Heart; Get Morefor Less, you’ll discover a new system forexercising less with much better results! You’lluse a clinically proven program to improveyour cardiac, pulmonary, and blood vesselresponse to exertion. Not only will thisprogram improve your cardiovascular health,you will also transform your body, as youburn fat and build muscle and strength.

One nutrient, coenzyme Q10, is so important;it merits a chapter of its own. Find out how touse it to regain vital heart power and efficiencyin Chapter 8: Energize Your Heart, TheMiracle of CoQ10.

By the time you complete Chapter 9: GiveYour Heart Four Nutrients it Needs, you’llknow how to supplement your diet with theheart fuel every heart needs – which mostpeople are not getting in sufficient quantities.Doctors often ignore this crucial area. Youwill see why these supplements are important,how to get them, and how much to take.

Learn how to reduce inflammation andcontrol oxidation of blood vessels in Chapter10: Control the Fire in Your Heart. This keycomponent of your heart-healthy programtells you how you can use antioxidants toreduce oxidative damage, and how to loweryour homocysteine safely and effectively.

If you suffer from high blood pressure,diabetes, loss of muscle or obesity – problemsthat often accompany cardiovascular disease –you can customize your own program usingChapter 11: Individualize Your Heart Cure toguide you.

The final Chapter 12: Heart Health Now helpsyou put it all together with an action plan ofhow to implement your The Doctor’s HeartCure for life.

1 American Heart Association Journal report, 01/01/04

2 Centers For Disease Control and Prevention

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Dragon Door: Would you talk a little about your background?

Kristann Heinz: I am both a registered dietician and a medical doctor.After seven years of practicing in dietetics and nutrition and working withpeople who have had chronic illness and diabetes, I went back to medicalschool with a focus on prevention. I completed that, and now I’m in themiddle of my residency training program, in Family Practice. I also amstudying a Korean martial art form called Shim Gum Do and am workingtoward my second black belt in Shin Bop, a weaponless system of self-defense.

D.D.: Will you start your own practice after the residency?

K.H.: Once I finish my residency, my goal is to own a practice whichfocuses on obesity and obesity-related disorders such as hypertension,hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. I envision an integrated approach witha focus on nutrition and exercise education.

The current medical model for people with chronic diseases is“polypharmacy.” This approach focuses on each symptom and acorresponding drug prescription. I hope to focus my efforts on decreasingthe use of multiple medications by encouraging and teaching healthfulnutrition and exercise programs.

As people lose weight through proper nutrition and exercise, they see animpact on their blood pressure, blood glucose or cholesterol levels. This inturn safely allows people to reduce or discontinue medications that theymay take. I feel the kettlebell exercise program will be an incredibleaddition to my vision of total health.

D.D.: How would kettlebells fit into the prevention mode that you’retalking about?

K.H.: Well, I think this brings us to an interesting story that was sharedwith me by one of the participants here this weekend at the seminar. Hementioned that he had recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure.He said that after he had gone to the doctor, he was put on twomedications right off the bat, without any kind of discussion about lifestylechange, or any “Let’s sort of slowly try this.” You know, “Let’s start from

the least invasive method and work towards the most invasive,” which issort of how I approach problems.

He started a training program and began working out regularly with hiskettlebells. After his next appointment, his blood pressure was completelycontrolled and he was able to discontinue his medication. This is a reallywonderful success story about how kettlebell exercise can directly affect achronic disease and its progression.

D.D.:Why do you endorse kettlebells over some other form of exercise?

K.H.: The kettlebell program can be modified to a variety of people ofall ages, body types and physical abilities. People can take training withkettlebells at their own pace. They can start with the very basics, like theswing, and adjust or modify to accommodate their exercise goals.

The other thing I like about kettlebells is that after initial training,people can be independent and self-sufficient in their exercise schedule.They are not reliant on a gym; it does not require a lot of equipment andfor that matter, not a lot of space to get a good workout. You can have one

Medical doctor Kristann Heinzsees kettlebells as premier exercise tool to

combat America’s obesity epidemic —and a perfect way for busy mothers to

stay fit by working out at homeKristann Heinz, M.D. of Upper Black Eddy, PA earned herRussian Kettlebell Challenge certification in September of2003. She was interviewed by Stephanie Watson.

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size kettlebell, and you can start with that. I mean,you can even just walk around with it in yourhouse, and you’re going to be burning calories.

You can have just one kettlebell, and begin atotal exercise program. For these reasons, I thinkkettlebells are unique.

D.D.: What about your personal experience?

K.H.: I got interested in kettlebells about a yearago. My husband actually found them on theInternet and ordered some kettlebells and a bookfor me. He said, “Oh, I think you’re really goingto like these, because you get so bored!” I havefound that I don’t get bored and even my Momhas found them and loved them.

D.D.: Bored with what?

K.H.: Just doing repetitive exercises drove mecrazy. I also used to be a runner but knee problemsprohibit that kind of exercise. So, when I foundkettlebells, I was excited that I could get a greatcardiovascular workout and do weight training ina short amount of time.

And having a small child at home and workinglike a maniac, it was the perfect thing. I can do adaily 15-20 minute workout and maintain myphysical conditioning during busy times. I’m notgoing to lose it all if I have to work 100 hours aweek for a couple of weeks. It’s something thatdoes not take a lot of time to feel that you get avery intense workout.

And for the first time since having my child, Ifeel like I’m able to get an intense workoutwithout taking an hour and a half. You don’t havean hour and a half when you’re a mother! You justdon’t. So to be able to do it in 20 minutes and feellike you got a workout, like you’re sweatingprofusely, you’ve got the adrenaline rush, andyou’re ready for more…it’s huge! I mean, you’realways looking for that.

I see women out there trying all of thesedifferent things: the aerobic machines, the stepthing, this thing or that thing. But none of themcan keep you interested. With kettlebells, you cando so many different things and you can get suchan intense workout. It’s great.

Women with small children never have aconsistent schedule. You’re constantly runningbetween things, you’re constantly trying to geteverything done. Juggling the house, juggling yourwork, the baby…but this is something I used to dowhen Astrid would go to sleep at night: I wouldjust take it a kettlebell out and do 20 snatches oneach side. And then I could drop dead. Because

you don’t have a lot of time, and you’re soexhausted, and the last thing you have energy tothink about it going to the gym.

And the nice thing about this is that kettlebellsexhaust you in a way that re-energizes you. Youknow, before I left to come to this seminar, I didn’teven think I wanted to come. I was like, “Aw, I’mso exhausted.” Everything is out—you give, give,give. You’re a mother, you give at home, you give atwork (and the kind of work I do is verydemanding), and there’s nothing for you. I hearwomen say that over and over again. They say it allthe time: “I’m left at the end of the day withnothing for me!”

The nice thing about kettlebells is that you cando them in your home and integrate them into yourpersonal daily schedule. Exercise has been shownto positively impact your psychological well-being.It’s been shown to be as effective as taking Prozac,if you can exercise three to four times a week. Ihave found kettlebell training can restore energylevels and leave one feeling physically andemotionally recharged.

D.D.: From what you said earlier, you’ve alwaysbeen athletic, running and doing various isometricexercise programs. Have kettlebells pushed you in away that those other exercise forms didn’t?

K.H.: It keeps my interest longer because itrequires me to be present in my body and activelypay attention during the workout. I have alsofound it to be synergistic with martial arts training.Kettlebells has helped me to build core strength anddynamic strength, which in turn has helped me withbalance and the ability to perform explosive martialarts techniques.

D.D.: What has been your experience being atthe kettlebell certification so far?

K.H.: I’ve found it invaluable. It’s been great.Going from working with the books and the videoto having someone physically there to instruct andcoach me has been wonderful. I have really gottena sense of how I can maximize my time and becomemore efficient with my exercises.

The other thing that’s interesting about theseminar is that not only does it teach you thepotential of the range of activities you could bedoing with a kettlebell, it also teaches yousomething really important, and that is: what isyour own potential. You know, not only what arethe things you need to work on, but also where canyou go with this. In terms of not only what you canapply to help other people, but what you can applyto yourself. And you don’t get that from a book.

“This training was by far the most superior physicaltraining I have ever had.”—Robert Bersi, Police Officer;Springdale, AR.

“This has been the best training I have ever received.The physical training I received was tougher thenS.W.A.T. school or any other training seminar I haveattended.”—Michael Johnson, Police Officer; EllicottCity, MD

“Outstanding! Nothing that I have ever attendeddownloaded as much info as this seminar. I learnedmore in one weekend about body alignment & bodycontrol than with a 4-year degree in exercise science.Nothing previously that I have attended even comesclose to the depth & breadth of this workshop.”—BradD. Nelson, Personal Trainer; Woodbury, MN.

“Excellent instructions! Most of my fitness training hasbeen law enforcement related, and most of it hassucked! This is the kind of stuff cops should belearning.”—Jim Yankowsky, Police Officer: Tenafly, NJ

“Outstanding! The quality of both the training andinstructors exceeded all of my expectations. This coursefar exceeded my study in preparation for the ACE CPTexam and is only challenged by some of my militarytraining in terms of practical use. In terms of quality,this course is unmatched.”—Christopher R Greene,Systems Analyst; Summerville, SC.

“The quality of training was very good and in depth.”—Steve Pusker, Physician; Greenville, SC.

“Better conditioning in one weekend than six months inPolice Academy.”—Jeff Colon, Deputy Sheriff; CarmelValley, CA.

“Outstanding, this is by far the most challenging yetenjoyable experience of my life.”—Dan Kayser, RKCInstructor; Roswell, GA.

“More valuable, practical, applicable physical exerciseknowledge was provided this weekend than in mydegree and two personal trainer certificationscombined. It will be of great value to my current andfuture clients.”—Garrett Smith, Naturopathic MedicalStudent/Personal Trainer; Tempe, AZ.

“It was the single best seminar I have ever attended inthe fitness industry & I have attended many. Greatinstruction. There is no better way to learn than handson.” —Rob Smith, Personal Trainer; Prior Lake, MN.

“I am certified ISSA and their quality of instructionthrough this certifying body could not compare with theRKC.”—John Wolf, Personal Trainer; Marina, CA.

“Incredible instructors and a brutal workout. I’mhardcore, and RKC pushed me way out of my comfortzone. The trainers will shock you with their talent.They are the best in the world.”—Randy Part, TennisCoach; Santa Monica, CA

“This is the best course I have ever taken for physicalconditioning.”—Omar Hakim, Graduate Student; SiouxFalls, SD

“It was one of the best trainings I have ever attended.NO, I would say it is the very best EVER. There is noother training or organization that has the totalperformance/fitness package in-house. Cardio, strength,flexibility – the RKC training does it all. It truly has tobe experienced to be believed.”—Brian Erickson,Trainer/Exercise Equipment Retail; Loveland, CO.

“The RKC has been the best most thorough course I’veever taken. Everything was extremely functional, andfar surpasses all the other physical training I’ve had.Very well organized with a wealth of information. Wasworth every penny, as this type of info is just not foundanywhere else.”—Christopher M. Giroso, Student/Fitness Trainer; Newark, DE.

“A life changing physical experience, not only did myflexibility increase, but also my endurance and strength.The instructors are among the elite in the world. Secondto none!”—Mitch Jackson, Customs Inspector/LMT;Humble, TX.

“Hands down the best instruction ever for strengthtraining. I learned an incredible amount of informationabout training for strength and power thru kettlebells.And more I importantly I actually experienced it formyself and learned how to teach it.”—Kurt D. Kindred,Correction Officer/SRT Team Leader/Personal Trainer;Hillsboro, OH.

And I Guaranteeto Make You ABetter Man—Or Woman!”

For complete details visit www.dragondoor.com and go to the Workshops Section.

Here’s what participants had to say about my September 2003 RKC Training:

“Come to My April 2005 RussianKettlebell Challenge Certification—

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Where:St. Paul, Minnesota

When:April 15 – 17, 2005

The Event Center, Las Vegas, NV

Announcing:

Kettlebell Convention

• Workshops and Presentations by leading kettlebellauthor/experts in applications for martial arts,sports, strength and conditioning, tactical, rehab,personal training, program design and more:Pavel, Steve Cotter, Andrea Du Cane, Brett Jones,Rob Lawrence, Mike Mahler, Jeff Martone, SteveMaxwell, Nate Morrison

• With Special Guest presentations by:—Tim Larkin on kettlebells and self-defense, —Charles Staley, on kettlebells and EDT.

• Competitions and fun events with prizes:

• Kettlebell walking swing relay, Kettlebell throwingcontest, 40 kg Kettlebell pullup challenge, 40 kgHack Squat challenge, Secret Service Snatch TestChallenge, best paint-your-own-kettlebellcompetition, best kettlebell home video competition,Best Kettlebell personal desissification story.

• Saturday Evening Dinner Buffet included withadmission.

• Bring the family: children under 16, free admissionwhen accompanied by parents

Code # WPKB12Attendance Fee: $300.00

THE FIRST NATIONAL

AT: THE EVENT CENTER

LAS VEGAS, MARCH 19 – MARCH 20, 2005

Visit the Event Center's home page at:www.adventurestudios.com/eventcenterlasvegas/home/ to see more about the KettlebellConvention's venue.

21

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Boost Your Speed,Flexibility, and Stamina with Russian Dynamic Relaxation Techniques by Pavel

Walter Mondale’s brother told a reporter, “Peopleoften ask why Fritz is so stiff. He doesn’t want to be seenas pompous, but how loose can you be when you’reconstantly self-conscious about trying to stay loose?”

This anecdote notwithstanding, you DO have to beconscious about staying loose. Tension and relaxation arethe two sides of the performance coin. Tension is strengthand power. Relaxation is speed, endurance, and flexibility.The martial arts and many sports demand both. An expertpunch stings out like a whip, the fighter’s body loose. Butthe moment the fist connects the puncher’s body tenses likea statue. Speed got backed up with power and mass. Ablink of an eye later the fist is relaxed again as it snapsback to the guard.

“Tension and relaxation are the twosides of the performance coin. Tension is strength and power.

Relaxation is speed, endurance, andflexibility. The martial arts and many

sports demand both.”

Mastery of relaxation is a hallmark of an elite athlete. Dr.Leonid Matveyev observed that the higher is the athlete'slevel, the quicker he can relax his muscles. The Sovietscientist observed an 800% difference between novices andOlympic level sportsmen!

Which is why Russians, from grade schoolers in a phys. ed.class to elite forces and Olympic athletes, practice specialdynamic relaxation exercises in every athletic practice.These exercises featured on the Fast & Loose DVD involvepassive movement in one form or another. Say, you areworking on relaxing your legs. Pretend that you are tryingto shake water off your leg; keep your weight on the other

leg and make the relaxed leg vibrate. You should feel likeyour muscles have turned to fat. Wobbling your muscleswith the help of your hands is another option. Finally, youcould stand on one leg and rhythmically swing the otherback and forth.

“Which is why Russians, from gradeschoolers in a phys. ed. class to eliteforces and Olympic athletes, practicespecial dynamic relaxation exercises in

every athletic practice.”

Jogging with the emphasis on relaxation is also a form ofdynamic relaxation training. Various passive drops arepopular for the upper body. For instance, inhale and raiseyour arms. Let your breath out and let your arms drop asa dead weight. The same thing can be done with theshoulders – watch how boxers loosen up their traps beforea fight. Vibrating your fingertips until your hands feellarge and heavy is excellent for the arms.

Ideally, practice relaxation exercises between sets of yourstrength exercises and throughout your martial arts orathletic practice. You want to learn to go from hightension to complete relaxation and back in an instant.

Russian boxing coaches emphasize the importance ofdeveloping the relaxation skill in boxers. Theyrecommend traditional methods that date way back to thewarriors of the Southern Russia who would stand in waterwaist deep and repeatedly slice it with a blade. As fatigueset in, the Cossack would learn to stay maximally relaxedon the downswing and only tense up when the saberconnected with the surface. The results were gruesomeand awesome: a Cossack could slice a horseman in half,from the shoulder down to the saddle, with a light saber.

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A saber and open water are not exactly practical, soRussian boxing coaches recommend chopping firewoodinstead; cutting a log in half with one strike is ideal. Aneven more accessible setup is a large tire, half dug into theground or attached to a wall. Just beat it up with a lightmetal pipe (not a heavy sledgehammer).

The following unique and simple exercise recommended bythe authoritative Russian Boxing Yearbook operates on adifferent principle and offers many awesome benefits inaddition to the relaxation skill. Namely, improved tensionskill, a more powerful punch, a stronger grip, and a moremuscular forearm. The author promises that this drill willwork your muscles not less intensely then a barbell worksa weightlifter’s.

Get a large eraser that comfortably fits into your fist, e.g.1x1.5x3”. Carry it with you all day and squeeze itexplosively. Initiate each gripping action from your core –compress! Be maximally explosive – imagine that you arepunching. Then relax just as quick as you flex! Anexpression by a famous Soviet expert on autogenictraining, Vladimir Levi, comes to mind: “a mentallyrelaxed fist”. Eventually you will be capable of a rapid-firetight-loose-tight sequence – just like good punching. Justdon’t pick up the pace if you still have residual tensionbetween reps!

Alternate the hands andpractice for a few hours aday, which is not as difficultas it sounds because you cancarry the eraser with youanywhere you go. Theboxing coach reminds youthat this and other relaxationexercises are excellent butthey do not replace ringexperience: fear of getting hitcannot help tighten one up.

One of the first karate masters in the US George Matsonstated, “…the desired result of our learning is tocompletely control the muscles of our body – so that whileperforming a Karate technique we can completely tense thecomplimentary muscles while completely relaxing theantagonistic muscles… Achieving complete control overyour muscles is perfection. Those who have achieved ahigh degree of this control are said to possess “Ki” or”Chi”.”

Russian dynamic relaxation techniques will help you getthere faster.

“Achieving complete control over yourmuscles is perfection. Those who haveachieved a high degree of this control are said to possess “Ki” or ”Chi”.”

Applications Invited For:

Power by PavelOne-on-Six Training Weekend

Join Pavel and five other ‘victims’ for aweekend of semi-private strength and flexibilityinstruction customized to your needs.

Please e-mail the following information to support@dragondoor.com:

• Your full name, address, phone number, and email• Clearly defined goals• Stats: lifting PRs, athletic background, bodyweight, etc. • Medical restrictions• Questions about the training

All applications will be forwarded to Pavel for his personal review and consideration.Special Note: Dragon Door will not be responding to phone inquiries for this training.Submit all applications by email only.

This training is sponsored by Dragon Door Publications, Inc., in conjunction with TacticalStrength, Inc.

Where:San DiegoWhen:

January 8 – 9, 2005

Limited to:6 victims

“There is no way that you can get bigand strong on a vegetarian diet!”

Iused to hear this all the time from my meat-eatingfriends. I say, “used to”, as I never hear it anymore frompeople that know me or from people that have seen myphotos on my website. Yes my friends, you can in fact getbigger and stronger on a vegetarian diet. You can even doit on a vegan diet (no animal products whatsoever).

Just because the pot smoking, rice-cream eating hippievegetarian in Venice Beach, CA looks like he has not eatenin a month, does not mean that every vegan does. I have thestrength and size to back up the fact that you can get strongand have a muscular body on a vegan diet. Let’s go overhow to eat properly as a vegetarian to get stronger andbigger.

How To Get Started

The number one thing that people always ask me iswhere do I get my protein. Many vegans that I havemet make the mistake of thinking that you do not needmuch protein at all. I even had one guy tell me thatonly 5% of one’s diet should come from protein. Ofcourse this guy looked like Don Knots and would beblown off like kite if a strong wind came by. I had

another guy tell me that I can get all of theprotein that I need from a cucumber. Of course,this guy was not in shape either and was in noposition to give me nutrition advice.

We have to be much more sensible than that.Telling people that they can get all of the protein

24

Getting Bigger And StrongerOn A Vegetarian Diet

that they need from eating spinach and leafy greenvegetables is impractical. Just because it works for thegorillas does not mean that it will work for us. Not gettingenough protein and thinking that only 5% of your dietneeds to be comprised of protein are sure fire ways to bespindly and weak for the rest of your life. Now I am not saying that you need two grams of proteinper pound of bodyweight like the bodybuilding magazinesstate. That is way too much protein and a case of overkill.For athletes, 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of leanmuscle is optimal for increasing strength and size. Forexample, if you weigh 180lb and have ten percent bodyfat,then you should shoot for 150-160 grams of protein tobuild more muscle. If you want to maintain your size, then100-120 will probably be sufficient.

Next, vegetarians like anyone else need to load up onhealthy sources of fat. Without enough fat in your diet,your skin will dry up, your energy will plummet, and youwill look like death. Getting 20-30% of your calories fromfat is a good way to go. Load up on healthy fats such as:flaxseed oil, olive oil, almonds, walnuts, almond butter,and avocadoes. Also, many vegetarian diets are free of allsaturated fats, which is great for the most part. However,some saturated fat is required for optimal health, so getsome coconut oil or coconut milk in your diet as well.

Finally, make sure that you eat a variety of food to get afull array of muscle building amino acids. Some examplesof good combinations include: black beans and quinoa,lentils and brown rice, almond butter sandwich, riceprotein/soy milk shake, green peas and almonds. Havesome veggie burgers and other fake meat products fromtime to time, but make sure that the majority of your dietcomes from fresh organic food.

By Mike Mahler. RKC, Sr

Mike Mahler is astrength coach andSenior RKC based inLos Angeles, Ca. Formore info visit Mike’swebsite at www.mikemahler.com

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Sample Diet

Here is a sample of my diet

Breakfast:• 2 tablespoons of Pea Protein isolate

(www.pureadvantage.net brand) with 8ozof almond Milk and 8oz of water. I add ahalf cup of frozen mango or strawberriesto the mix and one tablespoon of coconutoil.

Mid Afternoon Snack: • half cup of almonds and half cup of

raisins and half cup of Pumkin Seeds

Late Afternoon Snack:• Two Veggie burgers with olive oil • Some Sprouted Bread (“Ezekial” or

"Man's Bread")

Post Workout Shake: • 2 scoops of Pea Protein Isolate with 8oz

of oat or rice milk and 8oz of water. • throw in 1 tablespoons of flaxseed oil

and half cup of frozen fruit.

Dinner: • Mixed Green Salad with 1 tablespoon of

olive oil or one avocado. • One cup of lentils steamed with squash,

carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, and sometofu.

• One tablespoon of olive oil is added tothe mix.

• One cup of quinoa • A pear or apple • Some Dark chocolate for dessert or

chocolate almonds

Late Night Snack: • Peanut butter or almond butter sandwich

and a cup of berries

Okay, now that we have the diet taken careof, let me address the most important part ofgetting bigger and stronger which of courseis training. If you do not have a solidtraining regimen, it does not matter whatyour diet looks like, you will not make anyprogress. As many of you know, I do most ofmy training with kettlebells which in

addition to being great tools for cardioand muscular endurance are also great forgetting bigger and stronger. Here is asample Kettlebell program that you canuse from my upcoming book “TheKettlebell Solution For Size AndStrength.”

Monday • A-1: Double Military Press • A-2: Kettlebell Pull-up

Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In otherwords, do one set of A-1, wait a minuteand then do a set of A-2, wait a minuteand then do another set of A-1 and soforth. Keep going back and forth betweenA-1 and A-2 until you have completed allfive sets.

• B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat • B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing Same directions as A-1 and A-2

Wrap up with:Double Windmill 5x5 l,r (left and right)Take two minute breaks in between eachset. One complete set equals five reps oneach side.

Wednesday• A-1: Double Floor Press • A-2: Double Bent-over Row Same directions as above

• B-1: Double Front Squat • B-2: Double Snatch Same Directions as above

Wrap up with:TGU 5x5 l,r (left and right) Take twominute breaks in between each set. Onecomplete set equals five reps on each side.

Friday• A-1: Double Seated Military Press • A-2: Kettlebell Pull-up

Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In otherwords, do one set of A-1, wait a minuteand then do a set of A-2, wait a minuteand then do another set of A-1 and so

forth. Keep going back and forthbetween A-1 and A-2 until you havecompleted all five sets.

• B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat • B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing

Wrap up with:Guard Sit-up 5x5 l,r (left and right) Taketwo minute breaks in between each set.One complete set equals five reps oneach side.

There you have it, If you have alwayswanted to be vegetarian or vegan, butthough that you would melt away, yourworries are over. Follow my guidelinesand I have no doubt that you will getstronger and pack on some size.

Use Kettlebells to: • Accelerate your all-purpose strength—soyou can readily handle the toughest demands

• Hack away your fat—without the dishonor ofdieting and aerobics

• Boost your physical resilience—to repel thehardest hits

• Build your staying power—to endure andconquer, whatever the distance

• Create a potent mix of strength-with-flexibility—to always reach your target

• Forge a fighter’s physique—so form matchesfunction

• Be independent—world’s #1 portable gymmakes you as strong as you want to be,anywhere, anytime

Pavel’s Kettlebell FAQ

Kettlebells Fly Air Force One! “There’s a competitive reason behind theappearance of kettlebells at the back doors andtent flaps of military personnel. When Russianand US Special Forces started competing againsteach other after the Soviet Union broke up, theAmericans made a disturbing discovery. “We’dbe totally exhausted and the Russians wouldn’teven be catching their breath,” says… [a] SecretService agent… “It turned out they were allworking with kettlebells.”

Now, half the Secret Service is snatchingkettlebells and a set sometimes travels with thePresident’s detail on Air Force One.”—ChristianScience Monitor

What is a ‘kettlebell’?A ‘kettlebell’ or girya (Russ.) is a traditional Russian cast iron weight

that looks like a cannonball with a handle. The ultimate tool forextreme all-round fitness.

The kettlebell goes way back – it first appeared in a Russiandictionary in 1704 (Cherkikh, 1994). So popular were kettlebells inTsarist Russia that any strongman or weightlifter was referred to as agirevik, or ‘a kettlebell man'.

“Not a single sport develops our muscular strength and bodies as wellas kettlebell athletics,” reported Russian magazine Hercules in 1913.

“Kettlebells—Hot Weight of the Year”—Rolling Stone

Why train with kettlebells?Because they deliver extreme all-round fitness. And no single other

tool does it better. Here is a short list of hardware the Russian kettlebellreplaces: barbells, dumbbells, belts for weighted pullups and dips, thickbars, lever bars, medicine balls, grip devices, and cardio equipment.Vinogradov & Lukyanov (1986) found a very high correlation

between the results posted in a kettlebell lifting competition and a greatrange of dissimilar tests: strength, measured with the three powerliftsand grip strength; strength endurance, measured with pullups andparallel bar dips; general endurance, determined by a 1000 meter run;work capacity and balance, measured with special tests.Voropayev (1983) tested two groups of subjects in pullups, a standing

broad jump, a 100m sprint, and a 1k run. He put the control group ona program that emphasized the above tests; the experimental grouplifted kettlebells. In spite of the lack of practice on the tested exercises,the kettlebell group scored better in every one of them! This is what wecall “the what the hell effect”.

Kettlebells melt fat without the dishonor of dieting or aerobics. If youare overweight, you will lean out. If you are skinny, you will get builtup. According to Voropayev (1997) who studied top Russian gireviks,21.2% increased their bodyweight since taking up kettlebelling and21.2% (the exact same percentage, not a typo), mostly heavyweights,decreased it. The Russian kettlebell is a powerful tool for fixing yourbody comp, whichever way it needs fixing.

Kettlebells forge doers’ physiques along the lines of antique statues:broad shoulders with just a hint of pecs, back muscles standing out inbold relief, wiry arms, rugged forearms, a cut-up midsection, and stronglegs without a hint of squatter’s chafing.

Liberating and aggressive as medieval swordplay, kettlebell trainingis highly addictive. What other piece of exercise equipment can boastthat its owners name it? Paint it? Get tattoos of it? Our Russiankettlebell is the Harley-Davidson of strength hardware.

“Kettlebells—A Workout with Balls”—Men’s JournalRUSS

IANKETTLEB

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RUSS

IANKETTLEB

ELLS The World’s #1 Handheld

Gym For Extreme Fitness

26

Who trains with kettlebells?Hard comrades of all persuasions.

Soviet weightlifting legends such as Vlasov,Zhabotinskiy, and Alexeyev started their Olympiccareers with old-fashioned kettlebells. Yuri Vlasovonce interrupted an interview he was giving to aWestern journalist and proceeded to press a pair ofkettlebells. “A wonderful exercise,” commented theworld champion. “…It is hard to find an exercisebetter suited for developing strength and flexibilitysimultaneously.”

The Russian Special Forces personnel owe much oftheir wiry strength, explosive agility, and never-quitting stamina to kettlebells. Soldier, Be Strong!, theofficial Soviet armed forces strength training manualpronounced kettlebell drills to be “one of the mosteffective means of strength development” representing“a new era in the development of human strength-potential”.

The elite of the US military and law enforcementinstantly recognized the power of the Russiankettlebell, ruggedly simple and deadly effective as anAK-47. You can find Pavel’s certified RKC instructorsamong Force Recon Marines, Department of Energynuclear security teams, the FBI’s Hostage RescueTeam, the Secret Service Counter Assault Team, etc.

Once the Russian kettlebell became a hit amongthose whose life depends on their strength andconditioning, it took off among hard people from allwalks of life: martial artists, athletes, regular hardcomrades.

“I can’t think of a more practical way of specialoperations training… I was extremely skepticalabout kettlebell training and now wish that I

had known about it fifteen years ago…”

—Name withheld, Special Agent, U.S. Secret ServiceCounter Assault Team

Am I kettlebell material?Kettlebell training is extreme but not elitist. At the

1995 Russian Championship the youngest contestantwas 16, the oldest 53! And we are talking elitecompetition here; the range is even wider if you aretraining for yourself rather than for the gold. Dr.Krayevskiy, the father of the kettlebell sport, took uptraining at the age of forty-one and twenty years laterhe was said to look fresher and healthier than at forty.

Only 8.8% of top Russian gireviks, members of theRussian National Team and regional teams, reportedinjuries in training or competition (Voropayev, 1997).A remarkably low number, especially if you considerthat these are elite athletes who push their bodies overthe edge. Many hard men with high mileage haveovercome debilitating injuries with kettlebell training(get your doctor’s approval). Acrobat Valentin Dikulfell and broke his back at seventeen. Today, in his mid-sixties, he juggles 180-pound balls and breakspowerlifting records!

“… kettlebells are a unique conditioning tooland a powerful one as well that you should addto your arsenal of strength... my experience with

them has been part of what’s led me to amodification in my thoughts on strength and

bodyweight exercises… I’m having a blasttraining with them and I think you will as well.”

—Bud Jeffries, the author of How to Squat 900lbs.without Drugs, Powersuits, or Kneewraps

How do I learn to use the kettlebell?

From Pavel’s books and videos: The RussianKettlebell Challenge or From Russia with Tough Lovefor comrades ladies. From an RKC certified instructor;find one in your area on RussianKettlebell.com.Kettlebell technique can be learned in one or two

sessions and you can start intense training during thesecond or even first week (Dvorkin, 2001).

“…I felt rejuvenated and ready to conquer theworld. I was sold on the kettlebells, as the

exercises were fun and challenging, anddemanded coordination, explosion, balance,

and power… I am now on my way to being abetter, fitter, and more explosive grappler, and

doing things I haven’t done in years!”

—Kid Peligro, Grappling magazine

What is the right kettlebell size for me?

Kettlebells come in ‘poods'. A pood is an oldRussian measure of weight, which equals 16kg, orroughly 35 lbs. An average man should start with a35-pounder. It does not sound like a lot but believe it;it feels a lot heavier than it should! Most men willeventually progress to a 53-pounder, the standardissue size in the Russian military. Although available inmost units, 70-pounders are used only by a fewadvanced guys and in elite competitions. 88-poundersare for mutants.An average woman should start with an 18-pounder.

A strong woman can go for a 26-pounder. Somewomen will advance to a 35-pounder. A few hardwomen will go beyond.

“Kettlebells are like weightlifting times ten.”

“Kettlebells are like weightlifting times ten. …IfI could’ve met Pavel in the early ‘80s, I might’ve

won two gold medals. I’m serious.”

—Dennis Koslowski, D.C., RKC,Olympic Silver Medalist in Greco-Roman Wrestling

STEEL HANDLE & CORE/RUBBER CASING Price MAIN USA AK&HI CAN#P10D 4kg (approx. 9lb) —.25 poods $89.95 S/H $10.00 $52.00 $29.00#P10E 8kg (approx. 18lb) — .50 poods $99.95 S/H $14.00 $70.00 $41.00

CLASSIC KETTLEBELLS (SOLID CAST IRON)#P10G 12kg (approx. 26lb) — .75 poods $82.95 S/H $20.00 $86.00 $53.00#P10A 16kg (approx. 35lb) — 1 pood $89.95 S/H $24.00 $95.00 $65.00#P10H 20kg (approx. 44lb) — 1.25 poods $99.95 S/H $28.00 $118.00 $72.00#P10B 24kg (approx. 53lb) — 1.5 poods $109.95 S/H $32.00 $137.00 $89.00#P10J 28kg (approx. 62lb) — 1.75 poods $129.95 S/H $36.00 $154.00 $102.00#P10C 32kg (approx. 70lb) — 2 poods $139.95 S/H $39.00 $173.00 $115.00#P10F 40kg (approx. 88lb) — 2.5 poods $179.95 S/H $52.00 $210.00 $139.00

SAVE! ORDER A SET OF CLASSIC KETTLEBELLS & SAVE $17.00#SP10 Classic Set (one each of 16, 24 & 32kg) $322.85 S/H $95.00 $405.00 $269.00

ALASKA/HAWAII KETTLEBELL ORDERINGDragon Door now ships to all 50 states, including Alaska andHawaii. We ship Kettlebells to Alaska and Hawaii via UPS 2nd DayAir service.

CANADIAN KETTLEBELL ORDERINGDragon Door now accepts online, phone and mail orders forKettlebells to Canada, using UPS Standard service. UPS Standard toCanada service is guaranteed, fully tracked ground delivery, availableto every address in all of Canada’s ten provinces. Delivery time canvary between 3 to 10 days.

IMPORTANT — International shipping quotes & orders do not

include customs clearance, duties, taxes or other non-routinecustoms brokerage charges, which are the responsibility of thecustomer.

• KETTLEBELLS ARE SHIPPED VIA UPS GROUND SERVICE, UNLESSOTHERWISE REQUESTED.

• KETTLEBELLS RANGING IN SIZE FROM 4KG TO 24KG CAN BESHIPPED TO P.O. BOXES OR MILITARY ADDDRESSES VIA THEU.S. POSTAL SERVICE, BUT WE REQUIRE PHYSICALADDDRESSES FOR UPS DELIVERIES FOR THE 32KG AND 40KGKETTLEBELLS.

• NO RUSH ORDERS ON KETTLEBELLS!

CLASSIC STYLE

RUBBER CASED

27

49

THE LONGEVITY SECRETS OF QIGONG

After thirty years of personal experience andresearch, I have yet to find a practice that morecompletely offers me a way to protect and enhancemy life systems, than qigong.

The old cliché goes that “youth is wasted on theyoung”. Until we reach our thirties, most of us takeour bodies for granted. We party, we blow energy,we burn the candle at both ends, aches and paindisappear as fast as they show up. We feel close toimmortal. We are strong, flexible, energetic andeager to do anything, try anything. We do foolishthings happily and often, without regard for theconsequences. Hey, why not, we think, life is short.

Then life starts to rear up and slap us in the face.Then it starts to punch us in the stomach. Then itstarts to kick us in the kidneys. Then it picks us upand body slams us into the concrete. And starts tostomp on us really hard. Suddenly, in our mid-thirties, mid-forties, or, God, certainly by our mid-fifties, we struggle out of bed, gaze weakly into themirror and ask “What happened?”

If you don’t adopt a daily practice that has thecapability to protect and enhance every aspect ofyour life system, the greased slide of your declinejust goes on getting slipperier and slipperier.

Here’s a partial list of factors that will contribute toyour decline, if you don’t act differently:

• Decline in production of growth hormoneparalleled by hormonal imbalances—leading toslower healing/recovery times.

• Decline in digestive, eliminatory and circulatorysystems— leading to weight gain, constipation,fatigue and cold extremities.

• Emotional imbalances—leading to stagnation,debilitating tensions increasing inability to copewith stress.

• Reliance on stimulants and other drugs toregulate energy—leading to depletion of naturalenergy reserves.

• Addiction to stress-response—leading todepletion of kidneys, libido, vitality, feelings ofdiscomfort and malaise.

• Imbalances in meridian energy flow—compromising immune and other major survivalsystems.

• Shallow breathing—leading to a decline inenergy and strength.

• Deterioration of joints—leading to lack offlexibility and mobility, increase in joint pain.

• Postural irregularities—leading to increasingphysical discomfort.

• Decline in physical strength—leading to injury-vulnerability and task-inadequacy.

• Decline in lymph system—leading to poor skin,edema, cancer and other major diseases.

• Decline in powers of attention—leading to poorperformance and social alienation.

• Decline in sensitivity and responsiveness—leading to decline in ability to experiencepleasure.

• Inability to relax—leading to diminishedcapacity for spiritual growth.

A worthwhile qigong program covers all the bases,when it comes to a daily self-hygiene practice. (Ofcourse, you also need to pay attention toappropriate diet, your environment and otherexternal factors for a complete health program.)

Some qigong teachers have emphasized one aspectof qigong over another, but I consider it unwise notto cover all the bases when the methods are therefor you to access.

A good qigong longevity program will includecultivation of the following skills and habits:

1. Movement. Which should include shaking,pumping, coiling, twisting, squatting, stretching,flexing, joint rotations, walking, andspontaneous, playful dance-like releases.Movement will range from the very vigorous tothe very tranquil.

2. Handwork. One of the distinguishingcharacteristics of qigong is the use of the hands,as off-the-body “magnets” to affect and redirectenergy flow within and around the body. Theseself-carressive hand patterns complement the useof sensing and consciousness to cultivatestronger energy.

3. Breathwork. Qigong returns us to the innatebreathing skills we possessed as small children,correcting the impact of stress-induced shallow

breathing and other breath-related healthchallenges.

4. Posture. Qigong teaches skills for optimizingposture for “stillness” practices, both standingand sitting. These usually involve careful use ofsensing and attention to cultivate energy whilephysically still.

5. Consciousness. Qigong cultivates and refinesthe skill of awareness and attention to bothguide energy and attain deep meditative states.

6. Sensing. Cultivates the skill of “feeling” andaffecting energy flow.

Find a good qigong teacher (or at least startstudying available literature and DVDs) who canhelp you cultivate all of these skills. Develop a dailyprogram for yourself that addresses every aspect ofyour health—and you have every chance ofextending your life, while reducing the impact ofthe aging process.

A thorough qigong program will act to:

• Cleanse you of toxins.

• Elevate and balance hormone levels.

• Accumulate, restore and maintain your energy.

• Build a physically strong, limber, vibrant andresilient body.

• Help you rest and recuperate, to avoidunnecessary depletion.

• Protect you better from disease, whether it bean internal or external threat.

• Restore all your internal organs and systems tooptimal functioning.

• Help you master tension and relaxation.

• Balance your emotions—crucial for long-rangegood health.

• Enhance your ability to meditate and to growspiritually.

• Build presence and the ability to be truly “in thenow”.

On a final note: longevity is not just about livinglonger, it’s about living longer and deeper. Qigongoffers a comprehensive methodology for enrichingthe quality of the life you have succeeded inextending.

How to Protect and Enhance Our Life Systems as We AgeBy John Du Cane

In his strength books Pavel emphasizesthe importance of learning to maximallytense the muscles. Because tension ISstrength. But strength/tension is only halfof the total performance package. Theother half is relaxation. The body of akarate expert will freeze in total tension atthe moment of impact, but will remaintotally loose before and after.

Mastery of relaxation is the hallmark of anelite athlete. Soviet scientists discoveredthat the higher the athlete's level, thequicker he can relax his muscles. TheSoviets observed an 800% differencebetween novices and Olympians. Theirconclusion: total control of tension = eliteperformance.

If you can master your muscular tension, anew dimension of athletic excellence opensto you. New achievements. New heights of

performance. Some genetically-endowedsuperstars seem to possess this ability frombirth. But according to former SovietSpecial Forces trainer, Pavel, a SKILL–SETis available that can transform anyone’scurrent physical limitations.

Now, for the first time, Pavel reveals theselittle known Soviet performance secrets, soyou too can become the master of yourbody — not its victim. From years ofresearch and experience, Pavel has selectedthese Fast & Loose techniques as the best-of-the-best for practical and quick results.

Regular practice of these skills can helpremove the false brakes within your bodyand open you up to a new freedom ofmovement and vitality. Enjoy the pride andpleasure of being on top of your game, dayin, day out — when you’re Fast & Loose!

• Recover sooner after hardtraining

• Kick higher and faster • Hit harder• Minimize muscle pulls• Stay loose to go the distance• Improve your technique inany sport

• Enhance your physicalefficiency

• Remove your hidden brakes— to run faster and further

• Learn Russian commando“instant readiness” drills

• Discover a unique breathingtechnique — for “super-relaxation”

Fast & LooseSecrets of the RussianChampions: DynamicRelaxation Techniques for Elite Performancewith Pavel #DV021 $29.95DVD Running time: 27 minutes

Discover New Keys to Superior Athletic Achievement

Dragon Door PublicationsP.O. Box 1097West Chester, OH 45071

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