In this issue:
Video of the week: side snatch + overhead lunge
This week, another compound drill from The Art of Strength: Newport DVD. Get ready to learn the side snatch + overhead lunge. There is nothing better than good clean variety... Enjoy!
Artist Profile: Nia Kelley
I am a 28 year old “master multi-tasker” living in Austin, TX with an incredibly full schedule. My 1st passion includes a full-time job as a Software Development Manager at IBM. I am also pursuing a Master’s degree in Software Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.
My 2nd passion is fitness. I did not embrace the fit lifestyle, however, until later in life. As a child and teenager, I was incredibly sedentary and despised exercise. The first spark came as a sophomore at the University of Maryland while working towards my BS in Electrical Engineering. I happened to see Pumping Iron II, a documentary about the 1982 Ms. Olympia contest. It was the first time I'd ever seen female bodybuilders, and I immediately fell in love with the appearance of their physique and their commitment to training. The next semester I enrolled in a weight lifting course and eventually began teaching aerobics at the University. I taught aerobics for the remainder of my undergraduate studies.
With undergrad degree in hand, I relocated to Texas in 2000 to join IBM. I continued to teach aerobics after-hours, earned my personal training and Spinning certifications, and worked at both World Gym and Gold's Gym. I attended my first NPC Figure/Fitness competition in November 2002 and decided to take on a new challenge.
I entered my first Figure competition in November 2003 where I came in dead last. I didn't let my placement discourage me. Rather, I continued to work hard. I started working with a trainer (Jerry Malina - Bodies by Jerry), and a nutrition coach (Mike Davies - The Fitness Factory) to improve my competitive standing and fitness level.
This year, my goal is to compete in two shows and place in the top 8. I am dedicated to continuously improving myself and pushing myself to new limits, which is why I adopted kettlebell training. I first learned about kettlebells in 2002 after seeing one of Pavel Tsatsouline's advertisements in Muscle Media
magazine. Kettlebells add a refreshing, unique, and challenging element to my training routine… and I can accomplish an incredibly effective circuit training session in a very short period. I started training with 9-kg and 12-kg kettlebells. I would like to improve my strength and conditioning this year, and eventually progress to the 16-kg kettlebells.
My workout regimen varies depending on whether or not I am preparing for a show. In general, I try to engage in 30-60 minutes of physical activity per day. I like to change my cardio routine to include jogging, boxing, various cardiovascular machines, and jumping rope. I shoot for 1-2 dedicated flexibility sessions in each week through yoga or Pilates. I also like to lift 3 days per week, and strive to get 1-2 kettlebell workouts in per week.
I own both Art of Strength DVDs and use them regularly. The AOS series has definitely helped tone my legs, glutes, and shoulders. The circuit routines always challenge me, no matter how many times I perform them. I feel myself getting stronger and more efficient with each swing, snatch, and dead lift.
The first time I tried Providence, I was only able to make it through the first 5 rounds. Anthony is my inspiration. He is incredibly motivating in the AOS series and encourages me to keep striving to improve. My goal is to eventually make it through the entire AOS Providence routine using my 12-kg kettlebell… without pressing pause on my DVD player!
The biggest excuses people have for not embracing a fit lifestyle is “not enough time” and “too busy”. I have one of the busiest schedules you’ll see and still make time to invest in my health. If I can do it, anyone can… so get out there and take the 1st steps today!
Nia Kelley
Austin, TX
www.niakelley.com
Email Gymnastics
So... how many emails do you get about "V!agRa" or "Secret African Investment Opportunities"? Email SPAM is completely out of control and has driven all companies and most individuals to implement some form of SPAM filtering. Many consumers have some level of SPAM protection and don't even know it! Most internet providers have a least a low level scan filter in place to catch the more obvious offenders.
The downside of all this filtering is occasional "false positives". Even an innocent email from your favorite Aunt Millie could get tripped up jumping through these SPAM filter hoops. Her email might never make it to your inbox as it sits in a junk folder limbo. Unfortunately, that may also explain why you are missing your new issues of our "The Minute of Strength" newsletter.
On the upside, it is relatively easy to ensure delivery of all email from your most trusted of sources. Most filters offer some form of "whitelisting" so you can raise your hand and say, "Yes... I want to hear from Aunt Millie and The Art of Strength!"
Even if you are succesfully receiving your MOS newsletter now, it is a good idea to whitelist us to avoid problems in the future. Click here to see "whitelisting" instructions for a variety of common email tools and SPAM filters. Be sure to whitelist "@artofstrength.com" as well as any other friends and family.