Alaska Update Day 3 - Burn with Kearns 90 Day Fitness Challenge

Yesterday, we kicked off a Burn with Kearns' 90 Day Fitness Challenge at Anthony Barker's Valley Tang Soo Do in Wasilla, Alaska . We had 34 people sweating and smiling to the Burn with Kearns' protocols. Today, I will be performing an MMA conditioning workout then watching UFC 111 at the Barker's home. You want mind clearing experience this is the place!

Alaska Day Two

Today I saw one of God's finest creations, Mount McKinley. It is the tallest point in North America, at 20 thousand feet. There is no pollution up here, the air and water feel and taste different. This is truly the last frontier in America. 

To put Alaska into prospective, the state of Alaska would take up two thirds of the United States! Three quarters of the state is roadless. The air is so clear that it is hard to judge distance. Something that looks close is actually far away. 

With all the trails and woods out here, it is simple to get back to nature. You can be at peace while exercising or taking time to get quite. Time feels as if it stops. You can be a human being instead of a human doing. 

Special thanks to Anthony Barker and Valley Tang Soo Do for showing me this beautiful state. I can't wait to come back. Stay tuned for my video blog next week."

Arrived in Alaska

Mr Barker of Valley Tang Soo Do Martial Arts School picked me up last night at the Anchorage Airport a little after midnight. First I have to say I am very impressed with Alaskan Airlines. The service was great and the experience awesome. Upon my arrival at the airport I found the airport to be one of the nicest I have been in. It is clean and has a variety of food shops and stores. 


Mr Barker drove me through a glacieral lake where I saw the mountains for the first time. It literally looks as if you could touch the stars on top of them. This morning as I look out the window of my hotel, the sun is just rising over the mountains. I find myself with little sleep, but very inspired. This truly is God's country and I can't wait to experience it. I'm off now to catch the sunrise and a hike.

A Growing Weight Problem

The latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, shows that 63.1% of adults in the U.S. were either overweight or obese in 2009. That was a small but measurable increase from 62.2% the previous year. The survey finds that 36.6% of Americans are overweight and 26.5% obese. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index findings are based on telephone interviews with 673,000 adults in January 2008 to December 2009. About 90,000 surveys were done each quarter, and the margin of error for the quarterly results is +/- 0.3 percentage points.

Reversing this trend will take the involvment of many. With the country focused on health care costs, hopefully we can develop innovative solutions, especially for children.

Ultimate MMA Magazine Review of My New Grappling Conditioning DVD

The May 2010 issue of Ultimate MMA Magazine features a review of my new Grappling Specific Conditioning DVD:

"If you haven't seen Kevin Kearns perform you're in for a big treat. He's comfortable and humorous on camera, so his personality pulls you in and keeps you hanging onto every word as he takes you through every exercise."

"Speaking of which, these exercises are amazing. He had us on the ground, in our office, working along with him.  Working out may be the only thing in this world better than writing, so we decided to forego all work for a bit while we Burned with Kearns. Eventually, we got back to pounding the keyboard, but this DVD is going home with us. Guaranteed."

A Winter Workout with Nature

I am a huge fan of getting back to nature (working out outside)! On a recent day in Boston, a snow had fallen a few days before, it was about 35 degrees and the sun was shining.

Although my time was limited, I wanted to workout outside. (I was getting my kids off the bus in about 30 minutes). Strength training was on my agenda with an interval component.

I grabed a Kettlebell and my 4lb sledge hammers and went to workout in the snow. Our yard has many pine trees, a kid's swing set, plus a nice 20 yard hill for sprints.

Here was the circuit:

• 3 sets on all Hammer time: 20 reps each
• Kettlebell swings: 30 reps
• Kettlebell horn squats: 30 reps
• Alternating snatches: 30 reps
• Pull ups: 20 reps
• 20 yard sprints uphill: 3 sets
• Hammer matrix
• I concluded with 10 minutes of yoga

There is something special about being outside - like a kid and just playing.

The MMA Conditioning Revolution

Martial artists are some the most disciplined athletes you will find. Initially, the UFC  was more about which style worked better. As the sport evolved, fighters realized that they had to have both a standup game and a ground game to succeed. In today’s MMA arena, a new revolution is talking place.

It is no longer a matter of being a BJJ black belt, an accomplished Muay Thai fighter, or an NCAA wrestling champ to succeed. The competitive edge comes to those who have deep conditioning plans that detail how to train all year round.

The outcome of many fights is now coming down to who has the most gas left in the tank. This concept is prevalent in many other sports as well. Besides the physical edge, if an athlete is fresh - the mind is clearer, reactions quicker and balance is better.

Whether you are fighting professionally, or just want your next BJJ belt, or want to train injury free, you need to stay in shape even when you’re not on the mat. A conditioning program should address:

 1. Movement evaluation of the fighter or trainee.

 2. Evaluation of physical strengths and weaknesses.

 3. Evaluation of current nutritional intake.

 4. In-depth analysis of current performance.

 5. Identifying specific performance needs and goals.

 6. Detailed outline of conditioning program modules.

 7. Coordination of programming time table with other professionals

 8. Implementation of conditioning and nutrition.

 9. Post event evaluation.

10. Sports psychology analysis

MMA conditioning falls into these categories:

1. Cardiovascular endurance

2. Explosive strength

3. Muscular endurance and strength

4. Functional strength

5. Sport specific flexibility

6. Nutrient timing

I have produced 5 MMA Training DVDs that cover these approaches. They are available at UFC.com.