I’ll give you an example, the average French person consumes well over 100 grams per day of fat from animal sources (the average Aussie consumes about 70 grams). The French eat four-to-five times as much butter and cheese as Americans do and nearly three times as much pork.

However, despite this artery-clogging regime, this population has one of the lowest levels of heart and cardiovascular disease on the planet. What’s their secret?

It’s called wine my friends. And more specifically, the active ingredient in red wine; a compound called resveratrol.

Resveratrol is definitely one of the biggest discoveries is nutritional science. This amazing ingredient is naturally abundant in dark grapes, in particular, the skin of dark grapes. Unfortunately, resveratrol oxidizes quickly, losing its metabolic potency in the process. That’s why fresh grapes are not a great source. However, red wine is a potent source of resveratrol as the fermentation process retains this phytoestrogens’ unique capacities.

As you may know, phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant-derived non-steroidal compounds that are functionally and structurally similar to steroidal estrogens, such as oestradiol produced by women. Aside from emerging as a likely candidate for natural hormone modulation in women, this compound may provide benefits to men. There are animal studies which show that sperm count and plasma testosterone is higher in male animals that consume resveratrol!

Resveratrol has already been shown to have powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.  However, apart from all of these potential benefits, there is one more reason I think resveratrol is extremely interesting.

Resveratrol has also been shown to dramatically increase the rate at which cells metabolize fat. Resveratrol is shown to stimulate the SIRT1 gene to produce a protein called sirtuin-1 which blocks a receptor on fat cells. When this receptor is blocked, lipolysis (the breakdown of fat) is increased and the formation of new fat (adipogenesis) is decreased.  Other studies have shown that the stimulation of this protein by resveratrol also activates the genes that promote a longer, healthier lifespan.

I’ll give you an idea of how much I believe in the health benefits of resveratrol. Years ago I never drank red wine and never really cared for its taste at all. However, based on the steadily accumulating health benefits of resveratrol, I acquired a taste and now try to drink one half-glass of red wine with my evening meal, almost every night. This small amount won’t have any detrimental effect on body fat. In fact, the research available suggests this may well promote better fat metabolism.

Also, small amounts are all that is required to provide some rather powerful health benefits.

Best of all, the wine itself doesn’t have to be the expensive variety. If you shop around a bit, or even join one of those wine clubs, you’ll find a bottle for around 10 bucks that is very drinkable. Dare I say it, enjoyable! However, the higher up the price scale you go the better they get!

No matter what you pay, just be sure to seal the bottle tightly as red wine tends to go acidic.

Now, lets be clear on this, I’m not advocating that consuming alcohol such as large amounts of red wine is going to get you a lean, ripped midsection. Not for a second. Alcohol is alcohol; it is a calorie-dense nutrient that acts a lot like fat in promoting calorie storage.

However, some fitness buffs need to get their head around the idea that science is unveiling previously “hidden” compounds in regular foods that have profound benefits on our metabolism and physiology. Sometimes these compounds are found in foods that are not your typical healthfood fare. Incorporate this new research into your diet in moderation and reap the benefits of resveratrol.

Dr Paul Cribb is a published author, award-winning researcher and the creator of mp-body.com – the first ever science-based, research-proven, nationally accredited body transformation program. Learn more here.

Reference: Potential of resveratrol in anticancer and anti-inflammatory therapy. Udenigwe CC, Ramprasath VR, Aluko RE, Jones PJ. Nutr Rev. Aug;66(8):445-54.

Solving a movement problem like taking a step, changing direction, getting up from the floor etc.

Liberating degrees of freedom. In our exploration of the task, our highest expression is to perform the movement with the greatest ease. This can be done by becoming clear on the task via improved coordination, or loading the task by increasing the demand.

Moving is a series of chain responses that are highly integrated. The functional view of training asks that we load movement, rather than being concerned with strengthening muscles. The muscles involved in the chain of movement will increase their firing through facilitation and this constitutes the adaptation. The body-brain is a global system and needs to be trained as such.

The 3 characteristics of functional movement adaptation using Power Bands are;

1. the body is working against gravity
2. ground reaction forces are present in overload and overspeed form
3. the athlete is dealing with their own momentum

Power Bands are a load enhancer that strengthen the loading phase (overload) and neurologically quicken the unloading phase (overspeed).  What this means for the athlete is;

• they are stronger against gravity
• they become more effective at controlling momentum (deceleration) while increasing foot quickness and decreasing ground reaction time

The key understanding that is taking place in the brain and nervous system is that we are teaching the proprioceptors to activate the chains of movement (muscle chains) in order to create efficient, effective and reflexive movement.

With Power Band training we are able to train the direction and drivers of movement. This means training movement in sagittal, frontal and transverse planes under overload and overspeed conditions to increase power output, increase resistance to fatigue and reduce injury potential.

The hip attachment trains the lumbo-pelvic girdle and facilitates triple extension (hip extension, knee extension and ankle plantar flexion).
The shoulder attachment includes trunk/abdominal activation and promotes the forward lean which enhances acceleration ability.

I have been amazed at how effectively training in the shoulder harness is at educating whole body movement. This is because we are getting vertical adaption via horizontal loading. In other words we are training from the shoulder/neck to the ball of the foot. People who have struggled to activate the lower extremity, or get any increase in gastroc-soleus firing, are increasing their activation and also increasing the cross-section area of this vital link in movement.

Power Band training consists of explosive, short duration training which conditions and enhances anaerobic systems, facilitates neural drive, while training the aerobic system via oxygen debt recovery.

What I am noticing as I use the Power Bands over time is that although the training is intense, it does not create a lot of eccentric damage in the muscle fibres. I think this is because the effect is directly influencing the propriosensory mechanisms, without the need to degrade the contractile apparatus.

Although there is neural fatigue within the session, myself and others are pulling up better than ever, this is also being reported by one of the AFL clubs who are using the Power Bands heavily this pre-season.

Agility Band training

Mark McGrath is an elite coach and bodyworker who has trained athletes to perform successfully at the highest levels over the past 17 years. He has helped people with chronic injury at all age levels to return to full function. His approach combines bodywork, movement control, dynamic neuromuscular stabilization, yoga, and movement overload/sophistication.

To find out more about Mark, please visit his web-site, www.markmcgrath.com.au

• Being ranked Master of Sport with the WKC and RGSF
• Being the only US woman to compete in 24kg snatch alongside the professional women in the IUKL, and winning a silver medal at the IUKL Open Cup of Europe in Russia and a bronze medal at the IUKL World Championships in New York
• Being ranked CMS in 24kg snatch only with the IUKL
• Holding record 20kg one arm jerk numbers

1.      How did you first find out about kettlebell sport?

I learned about kettlebells through the Ice Chamber. Not long after I had joined the IC Steven and Maya had begun to incorporate KB’s into many of the Core fitness classes. After several months training with bells for general conditioning Steve approached me and asked if I would be interested in training with Kettlebells for competition. At that time he and Maya were just forming the Ice Chamber Kettlebell Girls Team and I was very fortunate to be invited to join. We immediately began to train for our first WKC competition in Las Vegas in 2008.

2.       How do you account for your success in the sport (is it natural talent, hard work, good coaching etc)?

Without a doubt hard work and excellent coaching. While I wish I could answer natural talent it simply isn’t true. Out of all the ladies on the team I probably have the least amount of natural talent. I have had to work very hard to learn all aspects of this sport: technique, pace, conditioning, psychological preparation etc.  None of it has come easily to me. Thankfully I have coaches who are incredibly patient and who require the highest standards from their lifters.

Training toward my personal goals in KB sport has required a significant amount of personal time both in terms of sport specific training and also in terms of general physical conditioning. I train with KB’s 5-6 days a week in addition to daily running or spinning.

5.       How do you fit training around work and family?

There is no way I could compete in this sport without the support of both family and friends. My husband, parents, and dear friends have been incredibly generous in providing loving care to my kids while I am training.  KB’s are a hobby and come second to family and my business. That means creative scheduling and having patience in pursuing my dreams. I am sure I am not alone in daydreaming about what I could accomplish if I had the opportunity to train full time.

6.       What is your secret to competing in this sport long term when so many people burn out after a couple of years?

Patience and humility. 

7.       After competing in the IUKL professional division twice, what are your thoughts on women snatching 24kg?

The 24 is a heavy bell to snatch there is no getting around it. Snatching the 24 successfully  requires a high level of technical execution. I do not think that most lifters (outside the IUKL women) are ready to safely snatch the 24kg. Not yet, we still need more time training and competing with the 16kg and 20kg. We still have a lot of work to do in terms of displaying correct technique, having more women rank MS and MSWC with the 20kg, and make record amounts of reps with 20kg before we will be ready to truly compete with the women of the IUKL. 

Competing in the IUKL division has been an important part of my personal journey as a KB athlete. It is important to me to seek out opportunities to challenge myself even if that meant being completely out of my element. Stepping on the platform to snatch the 24kg along with women who are pulling out 2x the amount of reps I was were two of most humbling experiences I have ever had. These women are achieving these phenomenal numbers because they are patient and dedicated to their training and because they understand how critical technique is.  Many of them have been training for 7,8, 9 plus years much of that time with the 16kg perfecting and refining their technique.

Most of us are far too impatient to refine our technique that much. But in order for U.S. women to be able to truly compete against and earn the respect of IUKL greats like Ksenia Dedyukhina, Anastasia Zolotareva and Olga Yaremenka we are going to have to find patience and commit to technique. And of course we are going to have to snatch- which may seem obvious but with so many organizations creating so many varieties of ranking categories fewer and fewer women seem to be willing to take on the hard work of training for true 10 min snatch/biathalon. For me though mastering the snatch is the pinnacle of KB sport.  

8.       Who are your greatest influences in kettlebell sport?

Valery Fedorenko, Ivan Denisov, Cate Imes, Fedor Fuglev,  Ksenia Dedyukhina are those legendary athletes in KB history. They inspire me on a daily basis as do the mere mortal lifters like myself who have been in the game for years and who are still chasing their dreams – lifters such as my team mates, Sara, Maya and Jess, as well as lifters such as Emily Friedel , CDuff (Chris Duffey),  Ivana Goricki Ex Britvec  just to name a few. These are the faces that I saw at my first competitions and while many others have come and gone they still train and compete all while helping to grow the sport.

The Rumble Roller comes in two sizes. The larger model is wide enough so that it will cover the whole of your back in one pass, while the compact model is more portable; ideal for those who need it when travelling to sporting events. There are essentially two grades; blue, which is more of an entry level device, and the black roller, which is 36% firmer.

We are proud to say that day has arrived. Our new vest does away with elasticised parts altogther and adjustment is taken care of by a fully adjustable strap. This ensures that the contours of the vest will conform eactly to your shape, leaving you free to concentrate on the job at hand. We guarantee that this new vest won’t do anything it shouldn’t, regardless of what you’re doing, or the plane you’re doing it in.

In the Harvard study, over 44 000 US men were checked at two year intervals between 1986 and 1998 to assess potential heart disease factors, health status and activity levels. The Harvard scientists found that men who jogged regularly each week showed a 42% reduction in risk for heart disease. However, the men who trained with weights only once a week showed a 23% risk reduction. These results suggest that training with weighs maybe more efficient a providing protection against heart disease.

The research performed by MTI scientists revealed the effectiveness of resistance training to normalize high blood pressure. After eight weeks of weight training, a group of healthy volunteers showed a significant decrease in resting blood pressure (130/69 to 121/61). These results add weight to the growing amount of evidence that suggests weight training “normalizes” a person’s blood pressure.

Australian researchers have recently showed that resistance training is an effective form of rehabilitation for heart failure patients. In patients with congestive heart failure, the Aussie scientists found that weight training exercise was just as beneficial as aerobic exercise for enhancing blood flow and improving heart function.

There is no denying that weight training exercise has many physiological benefits equal to other forms of exercise. However, weight training exercise provides many benefits that other exercise does not, such as improved body composition, higher resting metabolic rate and improved muscle-insulin function.

Dr Paul Cribb  is a published author, award-winning researcher and the creator of mp-body.com – the first ever research-proven, nationally accredited body transformation program. Learn more here

IronEdge has come up with a product which reduces both dangers considerably, making Olympic lifting more accessible to the average gym-goer. Rather than having to spend a fortune on building a lifting platform, you can simply purchase IronEdge’s new 50ml rubber flooring, which allows you to quickly and easily construct your own platform. At fifty millimetres thick and five hundred by five hundred millimetres squared, the flooring is comprised of dual-density foam. The top layer is 10 ml deep and provides a dense surface for supporting the lifter and the weight, while the 40ml beneath is a cushioning layer for both shock and sound absorption.

IronEdge’s new rubber flooring: a safe and sound solution to your Olympic lifting issues.

“Bulgarian shepherds were often forced to carry lambs and weak sheep around their shoulders when they were wandering with their herds, and often performed acts of strength with sheep and goats on street fairs. The design of the Bugarian bag is based on the body of an ovine and its use is considered a modern interpretation of the old tradition.”

By virtue of its highly unusual design, the Wrestler’s bag can be used for a host of exercises to target the core, upper body and
grip. It can also be used to develop coordination as well as increase joint and shoulder mobility. Many of its signature exercises require swinging and spinning, which means that different movement patterns are united as part of the same exercise.

The Wrestler’s bag can also be added to your body weight for push ups, squats, jumps, power crunches, and all kinds of other plyometric exercises. There isn’t a more versatile fitness product on the market, not to mention safe; it has the unique distinction amongst resistance equipment of being soft.

IronEdge’s Wrestler’s bag has a soft vinyl cover which contains individually sealed satchels of sand. These are then wrapped in wool. Nylon straps have been added as grip-saving devices, as well as a safety feature during some of the more heavy-duty swinging that you may wish to indulge in. The bags come in sizing that ranges across increments of 5,8,12,17 and 22 kilograms.

IronEdge’s Wrestler’s bag: as good as your very own goat, but cheaper and easier to catch.

23kg of dead weight will certainly give you a challenge for many exercises.  Just holding onto the 23kg Dead Ball while you walk, lunge or squat can be enough of a challenge (especially if you are holding it overhead) and for slams it is very challenging – great for strong people who really want to build explosive throwing power.

If you’re brave, you can give the Dead Ball Bastards a shot with the 23kgs:

Or if you’re extra keen take up the 100 days slam challenge with the 23kg Dead Ball – 100 slams each day for 100 days.

The 23kg Dead Ball, like all other Dead Balls in the Iron Edge range, has an outer casing of highly durable rubber and is filled with iron sand.  It is designed to take a lot of punishment without splitting or leaking, so you can slam it to your heart’s content.

For more information on the new 23kg Dead Ball or the rest of the Dead Ball range click here.

Did you know most people select less than 20 different foods in their lifetime.

Often, when people decide to “get lean” or get “in shape” they severely limit there food choices. Most make no more than 5 food choices a week!

Chicken, rice, oats, egg whites, a protein supplement and maybe some green beans -sound familiar?

It’s a narrow-minded, lazy approach that knee-caps your ability to achieve optimum health and peak performance, let alone create the metabolism for permanent fat loss.

Increased food variety is one of the most effective ways to get the most from your training.

There is a simple rule you can follow that will dramatically increase the nutrition of your plan: Dine by Colour!

Take a god look at each meal you eat – how colourful is it?

Research shows the more colour, the more nutrition and great fat-burning potential.

When purchasing foods go for bright colours (and I’m not talking about the design on the cereal box either!) For example, when choosing vegetables and fruits, (yes, fruit should be a staple of every transformation plan), instead of the usual bananas and potatoes, chose blueberries, raspberries, kiwi fruit, cantaloupe/melons.

Capsicum, pumpkin, squash and greens such as broccoli, kale and spinach should be your first choices in the produce section.

Follow this simple advice for the next three months. I can virtually guarantee you will double the improvements you’ve experienced in the previous three months.

Dr Paul Cribb is the creator of mp-body.com – the first ever science-based, research-proven, nationally accredited body transformation program. View more here.