Hello and welcome to the GiryaGirl.com Official Podcast Episode # 31 Coconuts, Goblet Squats, and Strength and Conditioning for Soccer!
This week’s episode features a conversation with Shaun Spencer of Resolute Fitness Challenge. He specializes in strength and conditioning for soccer, and of course in general. We discuss some of the most important aspects of training for soccer, and the differences between European and American approaches to strength and conditioning for soccer players. This episode also includes upcoming events, the question of the week, workout tip of the week, a book of the week, and of course some extra surprises.
Upcoming Events:
Be sure to sign up for the November 16th and 17th Hardstyle Kettlebell Certification and Strength Calisthenics Certification happening in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Master RKC and good friend of many years Michael Krivka will be teaching the HKC, and I’ll be teaching the SCC the next day. Level up your skills as a fitness professional or exercise enthusiast on one special weekend.
Fresh on the calendar at NCSystema.com! I’m leading an intensive and focused seminar on the kettlebell get-up here in Durham North Carolina on August the 10th! Taught by Adrienne Harvey… ME… RKC Team Leader, Senior PCC Instructor, CK-FMS
Spend a full afternoon focused on this incredible exercise. Beginners will learn great habits from the start. Intermediate and advanced kettlebell enthusiasts will dial in their form making every rep that much more effective. Nearly every sport and human activity can be improved when we practice properly performed get-ups — with and without weight! This coordination, core, strength, shoulder stability, flexibility, and mobility powerhouse is useful for nearly everyone… but there’s a fairly steep learning curve. If you’ve tried to learn this powerful but oddly complex move from a book, video, or even in a group class and still feel lost, then this workshop is absolutely for you. Even “the experts” on social media are regularly sharing sub-par get-ups… and leaking strength!
I’ll show you how to avoid many common mistakes so that you can get the most out of your get-ups. We’re going to break it down so that you can practice this exercise safely and effectively in your own workouts and in the group sessions you might already be attending. You will also learn how the get-up and its component parts can be programmed as nearly infinite variations within workouts. The last hour will be dedicated to Q&A, practice, and of course individual problem solving.
Bring a water bottle and hand towel. Kettlebells will be provided. I will have new, in box Dragon Door kettlebells in various useful sizes available for purchase at the event (contact me if you would like to purchase one ahead of time and I will reserve it for you. Dragon Door 8kg, 12kg, 16kg, and 20kg kettlebells will be available: info@giryagirl.com )
Event Tuition: $50 Visit NCSystema.com click the schedule tab then the seminars and special events section on the drop down. Or visit the show notes from this episode for the direct link: https://www.ncsystema.com/events/2019/8/10/kettlebell-get-up-intensive-seminar
Also visit NCSystema.com for local classes in Strength and conditioning with me, or Systema, self defense, and other specialized topics with Systema HQ certified instructors here in Durham, NC. They’re always adding awesome workshops and events to their calendar so check it out now.
Be sure to check out the Vintage Strength Training Games happening at The Shop Gym in Manassas, Virgina on Saturday August 17th starting at noon. This first of it’s kind event will feature competitions with the mace and club. People of all experience levels are invited to participate, complete and/or learn! Find out more about the event by searching for “Vintage Strength Training Games” on Facebook or visiting the Maceworx.com website.
Question of the Week!
What’s the difference between coconut milk and coconut cream?
First off, both are delicious in my opinion. In rare cases they can be used interchangeably but usually not. I will talk about one such case later in this answer.
Both Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream are fully non-dairy products, both are high in fat, both are popular in paleo and keto diets. Both are also safe for vegetarians and vegans.
For the sake of this question, I grabbed two examples of each – coconut milk and coconut cream from both Trader Joe’s and Sprouts Market. They’re very similar products. A couple things are different. The cans from Sprouts Market need to be opened with a can opener, while the Trader Joe’s cans have a pop top. The Sprouts Market coconut milk and coconut cream are both products of Thailand, while the Trader Joe’s coconut milk and cream are both products of Sri Lanka. Both countries are well acquainted with coconut milk and cream and I definitely trust both with this product! The last difference between the Sprouts and TJs coconut milk and cream products is that the Sprouts versions both have the addition of guar gum. Guar gum is a stabilizer and keeps the coconut milk and coconut cream products from separating. Guar gum is no biggie and I don’t slight Sprouts for including it.
But, I do try to avoid coconut milk with sulfites in it. That’s usually found in cans of conventional coconut milk as a preservative, and unfortunately you will find it in brands selling coconut milk at competitive prices. So if you see what looks like an awesome deal on coconut milk, be sure to check the ingredient label for common sulfites like sodium metabisulfite or potassium metabisulfite before you go bonkers and buy a whole case of it – especially if you have an allergy or sensitivity to it. I don’t, but I consume such a quantity of coconut milk, that I make sure to avoid it out of an abundance of caution.
So, I love to make really healthy-fat dense treats with both coconut milk and coconut cream. Coconut milk makes an excellent “pudding” if you stir in 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds and then let it set in the fridge. I usually add a tiny bit of honey or stevia right before stirring again and serving. Coconut cream is already so dense you may not wish to use it in that way. Coconut cream is a treat in it’s own right and with a little pinch of stevia sweetness can be used as a sort of paleo/keto frosting. I love to make coconut based curries – and if I want to make a super rich one, sometimes I’ll use half coconut milk, and half coconut cream. Years ago, I made an incredibly over-the-top rich Thai style Tom Ka Gai soup when I accidentally used coconut cream instead of coconut milk. Now I’ll only do that for special occasions or if I’m sharing the soup with at least two other people. I can’t be trusted not to eat the whole batch sometimes and I’m sure I’d have some issues digesting that much coconut cream on my own in one sitting!
In the winter I love to make a coconut milk based hot chocolate -and if you want to get extra fancy, you can always top that with a bit of coconut cream whipped up. Whipped up coconut cream is also delicious on top of any sort of paleo or keto baked goods.
You’ll notice that I don’t have any cans of “light” coconut milk… simply put this is just coconut milk with water added… and we don’t want any of that! If you’re counting calories I’d advise you to just use less regular coconut milk, or watch the portion sizes when eating a coconut milk based recipe. You may also wish to avoid coconut cream or recipes which call for it. If you’re keto, then coconut cream might become your favorite base for intensely luxurious coconut-fat filled treats.
Something to be extra careful of is a product called “Cream of Coconut” it’s sweetened (usually with cane sugar) and is not appropriate for keto or paleo foods. It’s usually used in desserts, tropical cocktails and the like. It’s definitely a special occasion ingredient—it has a very sweet, syrupy texture and is essentially the “sweetened condensed milk” of the coconut world.
I hope that clears up the confusion about canned coconut products and that you’re ready to choose the right one for your next recipe!
Call for Questions:
Call our question line at: (321) 316-3533 and leave a message with your question about kettlebells, calisthenics, food, workouts, and more. Leave your name (and where you’re from) for fame or feel free to remain anonymous.
Support GiryaGirl.com:
HEY! Want to support this and other projects and continue to get free workouts and more? Then visit GiryaGirl.com and the new URL (it all goes to the same place) that points to the same site, KettlebellsOfficial.com to keep up with all the new upcoming events, etc. Support this podcast, the website when you use any of the affiliate links to purchase items like kettlebells, workshop registrations, books, and more. This is how you can support the site and the continued production of more podcasts, workouts, blog posts, videos and more. If you have a relevant product or business and would like to work out a more formal sponsorship call 321-316-3533 and let’s talk! Very limited placements available.
Conversation Segment:
And now for a chat with Shawn Spencer of Resolute Fitness Challenge. Subscribe to his YouTube channel, while it’s still a very new channel, he’s growing fast and always posting some pretty interesting CrossFit workouts and competition vlogs: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL4xZWDWsMMlJFJ0fih6JUQ I plan to challenge him here soon… but he won’t know that until he listens to this episode HAHAHA.
Training Tip of the Week:
It might not sound important, but the way that we pick the kettlebell up and set it back down before and after goblet squats is really important. You start by standing with your feet shoulder to hip width apart. The kettlebell is between your feet with the handle lined up with your anklebones. You don’t want to set the kettlebell out in front of you as though you were about to do swings. To pick the kettlebell up, squat down as if you’re doing a goblet squat—inhale in the way down—and grasp the top of the handle with both hands. Stand up quickly and forcefully with a fast exhale. Allow the kettlebell to keep traveling upwards for a split second while you’re standing and grasp it at the base of the handles. The kettlebell should be held at chest height, the elbows are hugging your ribcage—and hopefully your mighty lats. Be sure to NOT rest the kettlebell on your tummy… while that will make the subsequent exercises easier, you’re really cheating yourself out of some extra quality work. From this position you can do goblet squats of course, but you can also do lunges, shuffles, weighted walks, crush-curls, and more. To set the kettlebell down, completely finish the last rep of whatever you were doing and stay in a standing, fully locked out position. Allow your hands to slide to the middle of the top of the kettlebell handle as you sit back with your hips and let your arms straighten. Keep your abs engaged for this entire process until the kettlebell is on the ground. Stand up tall and proud of a job well done. Very rarely do we get to experience such closure in our modern lives.
Book of the Week!
The Spiritual Journey of Joseph L. Greenstein: The Mighty Atom by Ed Spielman. This book has legendary status among serious strength seekers and strongman/strongwoman competitiors. And even if you don’t fall into that second category you will still be inspired by this rare, out of print book. I’m calling attention to it now because I’ve never seen the price fall this low. It’s just above $50 right now on Amazon so you should snap it up ASAP. https://amzn.to/2YtguCW Yes it is worth it, I bought it at twice the price and have no regrets. But I will only loan it out with collateral (not joking). The book follows the life of Joseph L. Greenstein from very humble, poor, and sickly beginnings to his fame as an unbelievably strong performing strongman – from depression era vaudeville to massive fame. His story is an inspiring example of what can be accomplished with a lifetime of faith, practice, and consistency. Though he began life as a sickly, undersized child with asthma, the Mighty Atom performed feats of strength into his 80s!
Wrapping it up:
Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the GiryaGirl.com official podcast. Be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss the next episode next week. If you like this podcast please leave a review on iTunes, I know it’s a pain but it will really help the show out! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/official-giryagirl-com-podcast/id862731884 You can also support the show by visiting giryagirl.com or kettlebellsofficial.com . Any purchases you might make through the links on those sites help this show with no additional cost to you.
Hope you enjoyed this episode, and I’ll see you in two weeks!
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