SteveB
04-16-2007, 09:41 AM
8) I had a chance to work out at Coach Sonnon’s Rmax gym at the Bellingham Athletic Club. Wow! It’s a beautiful little space crammed with clubbells and kettlebells (yes, kettlebells! Scott has hooked up with world champion kettlebell master Valeri Federenko, and the results can only be spectacular.) He corrected some errors in my snatch technique, and demonstrated how KBs could be used to stimiulate the CNS. I loved it. During class, Scott led us through his brilliant 4x7 protocol: 5 pushups, 10 1-legged squats, 15 pullups. Each modified for level of fitness (from pushup to Hindus on parallel bars to plank extensions, for instance). See how many cycles you can do in 20 minutes. I did 7.5 cycles, and was well trashed. Felt sore, tight, and oddly loose (!?) for days afterward. Then I attended his Rmax Sambo class, and ate humble pie. My my, it’s been a looooong time since I’ve done mat work, and it was all I could do to keep from being twisted into a knot! His emphasis seems to be response to “positional” grapplers, and his students look at each engagement as a kind of physical chess game. Scott is simply a phenomenal teacher, and I cannot recommend him and his methodology higher. He is the absolute best, and his approach dovetails to any other martial art you practice. Do yourself a favor—if you live anywhere near Bellingham Washington, experience Scott Sonnon.