What do you get when you put together 8 enthusiastic participants, 1 exceptional CST Certified Instructor, and the complete set of Clubbell weights (5lbs.- 45 lbs.) in a gym for 2 hours on two Sundays in San Francisco?  You have a fun and challenging time swinging iron with fellow athletes at the February 2006 Clubbell® Workshop Level 1 - The Basics with CST Instructor Cody Fielding!
       
 As a CST Athlete I’ve been practicing two of the three basic directions of CST: mobility training via Intu-Flow, and bodyweight agility and coordination via Prasara Body-Flow.  This workshop offered exactly what I needed to gain a base level understanding of the third basic direction of CST: weighted strength and conditioning via Clubbell training.
 
 I attended this workshop to learn the fundamentals, to get face to face instruction, and to receive feedback on my form while performing the Clubbell exercises.  By attending this workshop I hoped to gain the confidence to safely perform the exercises and design a workout routine at home.  
 
Structure of the Seminar

Clubbell® Workshop Level 1 - The Basics was divided into two Sundays (Part 1 & 2) of two hours in length of practice and instruction.  Cody also conducted the same workshop on two Thursdays for another group during that same month.  This structure allowed us to practice the exercises, to absorb information, and to come back to the next session with questions.  This structure may not be convenient for people who don’t live nearby, although that didn’t stop one of the participants, who drove some 380 miles from Los Angeles to catch the first Sunday workshop.  We had the entire set of Clubbell weights available to us and a clean gym at an easy to find location.  The cost of the entire workshop was $100.  All of the participants felt that this was great value.  
 
Topics Covered

The day began with a welcoming handshake and a friendly greeting from Cody.  After all the participants were present we gave introductions and Cody gave us an overview of the workshop.  Part 1 of the workshop covered an introduction to Circular Strength Training, the 7 Basic Principles of Clubbell Use, Sequential Summation of Movement, Selective Tension and Performance Breathing, Safety procedures, 10 Basic Movements, History & Basic Design of Clubbells, Compensatory Movements, and Q & A. time.  Some of the Clubbell exercises we covered included the 2-handed Basic Swing & Swing to Order, Mill, Double Shoulder Cast, Rock-its, and Lunges Forward and Lateral.  We practiced the movements for about three sets of five to ten reps.  We swung one Clubbell on both right & left sides, then double Clubbells.  We also did two-handed holds of one Clubbell.    
       
Part 2 of the workshop covered Q & A from the prior week, an introduction to Warrior Wellness/Intu-Flow, review and practice of the prior week’s lessons & exercises with an increase in weight, a brief introduction to Body-Flow, a guide to incorporating Clubbell training, Beyond the Basic exercises, secondary principles of use including Centripetal Force, economic use of energy, distribution of effort/Tensegrity structures, absorbing and retranslating force, and Performance Breathing.  Some of the “Beyond the Basic” exercises that we covered included the Hammer Throw, Hurling, Pendulum Swing and Contouring.
 
Visual Aids/Presentation

Cody provided us with visuals and handouts of principles, safety procedures, exercises, and an introduction to the CST system and Clubbells.  The content of the visuals and handouts matched his presentation, which made it easy to follow and to absorb in the workshop and at home. He even included a little DVD of the Clubbell exercises that we practiced as a visual reminder of the work that we did during his workshops (I was very happy to see this included). His presentation was clear and focused. He moved along at a good pace, and he demonstrated and instructed well.

Instructor’s Personality/Coaching

Cody kept the workshop fun and light - despite the hard work that we were performing - with his humor and his easygoing personality. When I say he’s easygoing I don’t mean that he’s a pushover! I mean to say that he’s knowledgeable, experienced, confident, relaxed, encouraging, challenging, and has a “nothing to prove” attitude. He challenged us with the volume of exercises, with increasingly sophisticated movements, with an increase in reps or Clubbell weight, and by putting us on the spot to perform while others stopped and watched.                                      
While we performed the exercises Cody was attentive to each of us as he moved around the room, providing suggestions on form and words of encouragement. He even provided a follow up email to ask us how we were feeling in the aftermath of the workshop, and if anyone had thoughts or questions. He responded with clear answers to my questions through email and in person.  He even forwarded me a CST Magazine article that was related to my inquiry.  Cody gave us sufficient time to bring up questions during both workshops sessions and before, in between, and after the workshop via email.  I appreciated this the most.      
 
My experience

I always have an uneasy, nervous, ‘butterflies in your stomach’ feeling when attending events with folks I haven’t met before.  This workshop was no exception.  However, right from the start every one of the participants and the instructor was approachable and friendly.  I normally train alone.  Being in this workshop setting with other athletes and with a CST Certified Instructor created a totally different training experience for me.                                                                
 
I believe our training environment impacts our performance.  I was pleased to be in a room with athletes who had a great attitude, good energy, and words of encouragement.  Having the other moving bodies in the room helps you to keep moving without feeling too tired.  I never stopped to think about it during our sessions, but afterwards I would be amazed at the amount of exercise we had done.  
Every now and then Cody brought everyone’s attention to a participant as they performed an exercise, either to point out something about form or to cheer us on because we were performing the movements well.  Performing a movement in front of people with their full attention is a very different internal event than performing alone. I felt nervous and self-conscious when the spotlight was on me but I found that, as you continue moving, you let go of some of those butterflies and just perform. 
 
If you usually train on your own I highly recommend spending some time training with an RMAX Study Group or attending a seminar. It’s a fun and invigorating experience to get together with others who are doing similar things. You'll get to work with different Clubbell® weights, see amazing displays of Prasara Body-Flow, play with different body types if you're doing martial arts, receive important feedback, and get your questions answered. Your performance and knowledge will improve, and you’ll get to meet new people who you can learn from and who will inspire you.

My expectations were met and exceeded!  I received feedback about my form, and I left with a deeper understanding of the fundamentals and with the confidence to safely perform the exercises and to design a workout routine at home.  I walked out of Cody’s Clubbell® Workshop Level 1 - The Basics feeling more confident, assured, knowledgeable, excited, and invigorated about my Clubbell® training. What more could you ask for?  
 
 _________________
Jeffrey Samson

* Photographs courtesy of Wesley Buckingham

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