Category: people

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Let me introduce our Canadian ambassador, Mark Robson, who runs a fitness studio called MeFirstFitness in Toronto. At Mefirstfitness, the instructor crew specializes in group fitness with 45 classes a week, one on one personal training and weight loss challenges. 

Mark has a background in sports such as Hockey, Martial Arts,  Volleyball, and a host of certifications from Personal trainer, kettlebell, steel mace and Heroic Sport level 1 instructor.

Let’s hear about Indian clubs and group classes!

How, why and when did you get started with Indian clubs?

I started training with Indian Clubs about 3 years ago. The past 2 years much more seriously due to reoccurring rotator cuff tears.

What kind of clubs do you prefer to swing?

I swing all styles of clubs. I love to swing heavy for sheer power and strength. I like smaller clubs for injury prevention, warmup and rhythm/dance. I also like clubs in between for endurance and cardio.

What is it you specifically enjoy about club swinging?

It doesn’t feel like exercise to me. I love to put on my favourite music and swing for hours. No two workouts are ever the same.

What do you see as the main advantage of lifting odd unbalanced objects versus conventional weights?

I feel its more functional and practical to real life movements and situations. I also feel like I get a better full body workout.

What are the benefits of club swinging for your clients in your opinion?

I do a lot of club swinging with clients for warm ups and to help increase their range of motion (mostly at the shoulder girdle). Clients are also less familiar with them than dumbbells so they find it to be a little more fun when used for more traditional exercises.

How easy/ hard was it to get your clients sold on the idea of swinging clubs?

It depends on what and how you teach them. Most feel the benefits of the light clubs immediately and often ask me if we can start our workouts with them.

For someone wanting to improve athleticism and well being, is swinging clubs enough? What are some great complementary activities to club swinging?

I never like to limit myself or my clients to just one type of training. The obvious answer to this question would be body weight exercises but I also am adamant about adding cardio as well as some power lifting and kettlebell training to all my clients routines. This provides a good combination of endurance, strength and power to your workouts.

What do you like about the Pahlavandle and XL, compared to other types of clubs on the market?

The biggest benefit for most people getting started is the price. The pahlavandles are the most affordable clubs on the market today. In addition you can take them anywhere you go and they are adjustable in weight based on the size of the bottle you use and the filler. Same could be said for the XL. In addition the shipping costs from Heroic Sport are incredible. You won’t pay cheaper shipping anywhere in the world!

Do you use the Pahlavandle in your classes or workshops? How do people react the first time you show them a plastic handle?

Yes, totally! They react no differently than they would to a regular set of wooden clubs. Most wouldn’t know the difference, plus the Pahlavandle swings virtually the exact same way as a wooden club, so even experienced users wouldn’t notice a difference.

What advice can you give to people just starting up?

Find a coach, take a course or get yourself some online videos to study. You need to start with the very basic circles and moves. Practicing is the only way to get better.

Do you have a favorite template to structure a training session?

I’m not a fan of structure personally as I get bored rather easy. But when teaching clubs I like to start with one move before adding another and building to more complex sequences as we go.

1 thing people wouldn’t know about you?

I’m also a musician, comic book lover and avid gamer.

Anything you wish to add?

I’m very happy Thierry asked to interview me for this Blog and I am a proud Ambassador for Heroic Sport. Reach out to me if you want, as I would love to share my passion for everything Club related with you! Cheers and keep swinging!

You can get in touch with Mark through his facebook and instagram pages, or head to his site.

 

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At the beginning of July 2019, we had  a guest coming to our Heroic Sport retreat. The whole thing took a left and turned out into a wild and creative weekend of brainstorming, leaving us full of excitement and open to new possibilities we never considered.

It’s fantastic to get input from people out there who can look at our Pahlavandle and our teaching methods in a totally new way, and bring their own passion and expertise to make it into something bigger. We are grateful for the way things are moving.

We can’t reveal it all, but you will get some insight by watching the videos below!

I personally enjoyed talking to Ngub so much, I decided to do an interview so that everyone could benefit from his journey and wisdom.

We also converted the video into an mp3, so that you can download and listen to it at your convenience. 

Here are some of the points we went through:

  • What attracted you to Indian clubs in the first place?
  • Steel clubs vs Pahlavandle
  • What made you decide Heroic Sport was the right match for you?
  • How did you come up combining what you do professionally with Indian clubs?
  • What is kinesiology and how can it help us?
  • How can we bring more balance in our lives?
  • What’s the biggest hurdle for people maintaining a physical activity program?
  • What’s the difference between looking ahead, turning the head or following the movement with the eyes?

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Juan Carlos Leidero convinced us at Heroic Sport to send Thierry to join him at Salinas Longboard Festival in Asturias, Northern Spain. We’re going to do some demonstrations, small classes and workshops to promote Heroic Sport and the fantastic combination of Pahlavandle™ and boardsports!

Therefore, here’s a quick little interview to present you Juan Carlos who’s the first person in Spain to run Pahlavandle classes on Stand Up Paddleboards.

What is your background?

I have always been active in sports and was in the special forces during my military service. I started rock climbing when I was 20 and it changed everything for me. This lead me to certifying in Pilates, yoga and other formations such as kettlebells, bosu, trx etc…
I see these modalities as tools for people who want to achieve a better body-mind connection.

In the last 10 years, I have had my own Pilates studio in Avilés, working with all kinds of people, as well as doing some program for TV, and different sports such as surfing and rock climbing. The last 5 years I have been operating out of an organic shop, Dhadhas. I am still very enthusiastic about the whole thing!

How did you start with Indian clubs?

I saw a video of the Pahlavandle on social medias. At first I thought it was a bit of a joke, but I was curious so I researched a bit more, and discovered it was legit. So I took contact with you guys.

What do you enjoy most about Indian clubs?

The freedom and flow of the movements. The spirals feel especially therapeutic and overall great.

Tell us a bit about Salinas International Longboard Festival, 17th edition.

We’re expecting 5000 people this year, with lots of music, competitions, workshops and street food, right on the beach. People from around the world come to participate and gather inspiration to share back with their clubs and schools.
The festival is like a giant experimental ground, and I want to share the benefits of Indian clubs with the surfing and boardsports community. 

What are the benefits of Indian clubs for people?

They help us reconnect the mind to the body, become aware of how we move or tension in neck and shoulders. Better proprioception results in better balance.
I see Indian clubs as a great tool for body mapping (linking emotions and thoughts to physical experiences) and restoring a state of flow and well being.

What are the advantages of the Pahlavandle™ over other types of clubs on the market?

They are great invention! Very practical in the way you can adjust the weight up to 3kg, and I love the fact we are upcycling plastic bottles, giving a second life to trash.
Just pick up 2 bottles, and you can train your whole body just about anywhere!

How do people react the first time you show them the pahlavandle™?

Very surprised at first, but after a few swings they feel the restorative effects for neck and shoulders. They also think it is fun to train.

Do you want to add something else?

Being a passionate person with my work, I define myself as a facilitator of the mind and body.
I am confident that if one learn the right techniques, the results can only be positive.

You can get in touch with Juan Carlos on social medias.

 

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Today we have a guest on our blog! Since we are in touch with a wide variety of people and trainers around the world, we decided to start running regular interviews with interesting people!

Meet Daniel De falco

indian clubs argentinaDaniel De Falco is a Sport Conditioning Coach from La Falda, Cordoba, Argentina. He’s been running small group and personal training at his training facility since 2009. 

He specializes in Neuroscience and Emotional Education (Universidad de Villa María)  as well as Movement Analysis and Applied Functional Science (Gray Institute).

He’s also a Qi Gong and Tai Chi Instructor, and explores other kinds of movement activities, such as Capoeira Angola, Improvisation Art Movement, Pilates and Groundwork.

Daniel, what is it about Indian clubs that is perfect for what you do?

I use Indian Clubs with my students for shoulder health and movement prehab/ rehab and when working towards more complex skills development. Basically, healthy and strong scapulas and shoulders are requiredas the foundation for everything we will introduce later on (Heavy Club Training, Mace Training, Calisthenics, etc…).
I also use club swinging as a form of dynamic meditation, in which music and rhythm are really important. They are perfect for exploring multiplanar movement and improving coordination skills.

Who do you work with?

I work with all kinds of persons, from athletes to older people. My work is to promote health trough movement, and Indian clubs are perfect for that. I teach Indian clubs workshops and also run classes.

What are the advantages of the Pahlavandle™ over other types of clubs on the market?

In my country it is very difficult to find Indian clubs (all my Clubs are at least 50 years old) , so Pahlavandles are a very accessible way to build your own clubs and Bulavas by using recyclable bottles.

I decided to become an affiliate for Heroic Sport because I really like the versatility of the product, being adjustable.  By filling them halfway you can tweak the drills in a proprioceptive way, due to the perturbation of the water. sloshing around.

How did you get started with Indian clubs?

I got started with Indian clubs 10 years ago while researching about vintage strength training, and Indian Physical Culture, as I have a strong interest in Ayurveda, Traditional Indian Medicine.

This ancient way of training really attracted me. Training with these kind of elements has a more holistic approach, and in many cases also a devotional content.

How do you train?

I swing with one and two clubs, also pretty much with everything that can be swung in a circular pattern, as you can see in some of my videos.
I like heavy traditional Gada swings, combined with light Indian clubs movements. Light weight, strong effect!

The Pahlavandle extender is a great way to freestyle and experiment with flowing routines with a light and short mace,  and my shoulders have never felt so great!

Do you have a tip for the readers?

For beginners I always recommend to focus on recovering full function and mastering before moving to complex skills or adding weight. Don’t be afraid of regressions, of going back to more basics skills, because with a better foundation, everything is easier and safer in the long run.

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Thank you for your time Daniel!

You can follow Daniel and get in touch with him through social medias

  1. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.centrosakya
  2. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/laotse1981
  3. Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/defalcodaniel