Mr. Dolby: So glad you have come out of your cave to talk to us!

I see in your bio that you have a Level 3 Z-Health® certification. I am interested, given your “diverse athletic background”, how Z is incorporated into your regime and what benefits it can better provide compared to kettlebell and Indian club work?

Thank you,
TTO

Hi TTO, thanks for you interest. Z Health offers the tools necessary to keep your joints mobile, (active mobilization), and your nervous system primed, therefore preparing your body for what life has to throw at you while reducing your risk of injury. Indian Clubs are like Z-with sticks , or an advanced "shoulder Z". Z, as well as Indian club movement will prime you for better movement as well as warm you down, (reset you).

The kettlebell brings the "heat" with serious strength and strength endurance benefits. They are different animals, but the Indian clubs and Z Health when combined with kettlebell lifting create a holistic balance between functional work and functional recovery.

Hope this helps TTO

Cheers!

- J Dolby

Hi Jason,

I am doing the common joint mobility and using the QIGong Breathing from Steve for recovery and flexibility.
Functional recovery is very importend and I want to learn more about it.
So I want to go a step further and was reading about Z-Health / Indian Clubs and also about Scott Sonnon`s IntuFlow and the Clubbells.
I could not really figure out what`s the difference!

Could you please tell me the main difference / advantage between Z-Health and IntuFlow / Joint Mobility and also about the Indian Clubs vs. Clubbells?

Thank you.
Sven

Hi Sven,

If you don't mind I could give you my thoughts on Z-Health and Intuflow. I've practiced both for some time now. I have both R-Phase and I-Phase programs from Z-Health, although I mostly practice R-Phase. And I worked through beginner and intermediate Intuflow programs quite a bit as well.

Although the programs appear very similar from a 5,000 foot view, Z-Health draws attention to each joint in a very precise manner, almost in a surgical method. Whereas, Intuflow, addressing all of the same joints, focuses more in gross joint movements and is a bit more dynamic in that sense.

I can't speak to the more advanced Z-Health programs.

I can say that having a history of neck and shoulder injuries, practicing Z-Health made a phenominal improvement to the overall well being of those related joints. Where I used to tighten up frequently and suffer from headaches due to muscle spasm, those largely went away.

Hope this is helpful and I'd like to hear Jason's point of view myself.

Howie

Hi Howie,

nice to meet you and thanks for your respond.

If I understand correctly, Z is more used to recover from specific muscle/joint problems or injuries like a rehab and IntuFlow is more used on a daily base like in warm ups, cool downs, off days to prevent injuries and better recovery from workouts.
So its actually build on the same basis but pointing in two different directions.

Or can you use Z also on a daily basis as intu flow to regenerate better, become more agile and to prevent injuries?
Do you use both regulary?

Cheers

Sven

Hey Sven,

To be honest, there is probably about 80%-85% overlap between the two programs. I have used both enough that I now take a bit from each when I perform my JM.

For example, I like the cervical spine movements from Z-Health. I like the shoulder rolls from Intuflow, and also the "camshaft" rolls from Z. I like the elbow drills from Intuflow. Z has some nice, unique ankle drills, while Intuflow has some unique "pre-Prasara" drills like spinal rocks, quad hops and a few other arm/spinal wave movements.

Although more pricey, Z-Health comes with a nice, detailed spiral bound book with descriptions of each movement. Z also comes with two DVDs, one specific to instruction and a second with a follow-along program (which I never use as I like to work at my own pace).

Intuflow also comes with two DVD's but they are instruction/follow-along combined and include four programs, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Master. I have only used the Beginner and Intermediate in depth, only touched upon Advanced and only scanned the Master. The first two programs for me is more than enough to work with.

So I suppose I am not telling you which is 'better'. I like them both and think that you will like either one.

[I also have Sonnon's Kettlbell Foundations DVD, which includes other joint mobility drills that he devised specific to kettlebell lifting. I also will do a select number from there as well. =) But then again, I feel the most valuable part of that collection is the Compensatory Movements DVD (there are three DVDs in all, Joint Mobility, Kettlebell Technique and Compensatory Movements). The Compensatory Movements are mostly yoga based but in my opinion very effective. I also use a select number of movements from there as part of my cooldown work on some days.]

Please let me know if I have confused you even more. =)

I'm glad to continue this conversation if you have any other questions.

Howie

Hey Howie,

no you didn`t confuse me more, actually I see the point know!
I have got to make my own experience with it.

Think I will get me Z-Health R-Phase first. I like to read a physical book and get bit more in to depth at first so that I know what I`m doing and hope it helps me to fix my shoulder problem. I don`t want to say that Scott is not explaining the why! I think you know what I mean.
And in the meanwhile i will use Scott's IntuFlow beginner, I found it on his blog! Then I will see, picking the things out they work for me.

Now, Scott`s kettlebell Foundation DVD you mentioned sounds interesting too.
Again one more...!
Man, I can`t buy me all of them, specially with shipping overseas its becoming quite expensive!
Will see, step by step.

Anyway, thanks for your great information and help!

Do you have any experience on Indian Clubs or Clubbells?

Greetings from switzerland
Sven

Hey Sven,

Haha... yes I have just a small bit of experience with clubbells. I have a 5lb pair that came along with the Intuflow program, with Sonnon's Xtension DVD. I have played with them a bit and liked them for some of the additional lateral-type movements that we don't typically get with the kettlebells.

Then almost exactly a year ago, I purchased a pair of 15lb clubbells. I have just started working with them when my 'back issue' got to the point that I needed to stop (I was forced to layoff everything, bells and clubs, but that's another long story). I do like the clubs and hope to get them back into my regimen as well eventually.

I'm interested in Indian clubs, but haven't been exposed to them as of yet.