Before you answer, be careful.

Whatever “reasons” you may think you have for not meeting your goals in the past, there’s a very good chance that anyone else would see them as excuses. You see, we’re all good at lying to ourselves when it comes to our limits, because pushing ourselves to expand them is uncomfortable. But excuses don’t burn fat (however we wish they could), and you can’t build a powerful physique on lies alone.

When it comes to your health, you simply cannot afford to believe your own BS.

In a video called Why Will You Fail (if you haven’t already)?, Coach Scott Sonnon addressed this very issue.

In the video, Coach suggests relying on an “advocate” to hold you accountable to you goals. In Intro to CST, each member is part of an Accountability Team that works together to keep each other on track. Groups might choose to “meet” via email, or Skype, or even in person if possible, but all members are responsible for checking in with their teams at least once during each of the eight weeks of the program.

The benefits of this sort of arrangement are huge. You get the camaraderie of working together with others who share your goals. You get a group of friends to support you when you begin to doubt yourself (and you will). Most importantly, you get at least four other people (plus me!) breathing down your neck if you start to slack. With that many people standing behind you cracking the whip, it’s not just going to be difficult to fail – it’s going to be impossible.

If you really want to make massive changes in your levels of strength and fitness, you have to find somebody you can’t lie to who will hold you accountable. Someone who is not you. Of course, your first commitment must be to yourself, but without that secondary commitment, it’s far too easy to fall for your own lies. Do not make the mistake of trusting your inner wuss. Be big enough to ask for help.

When you join a CST101 course, we make this part easy by assigning you a team to work with and providing a venue for you to keep in close contact. Even better, since you’ll all be through the same process together, your teammates will know exactly what you’re going through and will be able to offer the kind of moral support you just can’t get from someone who hasn’t stood exactly in your shoes.

However, that doesn’t mean you need to join a group coaching program to get these benefits. You can ask anyone to keep you accountable – just make sure you have someone.

If you decide you do want to join a group program with full support from dedicated coaches, join CST 101 today and get us on your team.

With all those benefits, you may be wondering why we chose not to make our Intro to CST course a bodyweight-only exercise program. The answer is really quite simple:

We are not astronauts.

It would be truly awesome to be able to float effortlessly and move heavy objects simply by giving them a slight nudge. However, here on terra firma, a lot of our day-to-day activities require lifting things that are far from weightless: heaps of laundry, bags of groceries, cans of beer, our children, etc. Since some of those things can get pretty heavy, we need a little bit of strength to handle them easily.

The best way to build the functional strength necessary for lifting and carrying objects in real life is (you guessed it) lifting and carrying objects in training. That means using weights.

CST101 training programs include weighted exercises so you can learn to move your body and other objects.

Disclaimer: We don’t know, maybe you are an astronaut, but neither of us are, and we assume that most people reading this will have to lift and move objects without the benefit of zero-gravity weightlessness.

Even if we can’t all be astronauts, we do know how to do back flips. Which brings us to our second point…

The Gymnastic Physique

Many bodyweight exercise proponents point to the physiques of gymnasts as an example of the kind of strength attainable by training with bodyweight exercises, but that’s really only half of the story. Indeed, many gymnasts do not lift weights, but to say they don’t use equipment would be misleading.

Gymnasts develop their powerful bodies with a combination of bodyweight and apparatus: rings, pommel horses, parallel bars, etc. Without using some form of equipment, it’s nearly impossible to build strength in every range of human motion.

In particular, pulling movements, such as rows and pull-ups, are essential for developing the muscles of the back and shoulders. You may not see these muscles when you flex in front of the mirror, but they’re the ones you’ll rely on when you need to pick up a heavy object.

Bonus: a strong back is essential for improving posture and possibly reducing back pain.

Body + Weight

We believe that strength you can only count on sometimes is useless. Real strength means being able to move in opposition to gravity as well as being able to manipulate objects. CST achieves this by combining both weighted and bodyweight exercises.

Don’t worry though – you won’t need a gym membership to do the workouts in the Intro to CST course. The equipment requirements are easily met. After all, almost everybody has a dumbbell lying around somewhere, and if you happen to own Clubbells, you’re going to love CST101. As much as we dig yoga, neither one of us can walk by a Clubbell without wanting to pick it up and do a few mills or barbarian squats.

In short, we’ll be challenging your body in a variety of ways, taking full advantage of the equipment you have. There will also be options and substitutions for people who don’t happen to have a private studio to work out in.

Functional and Integrated

In Intro to CST, we’re going to be teaching you how to strengthen your whole body in a balanced and optimal fashion. This will require using some equipment, but it will result in a healthier body an attractive physique.

For a truly functional and integrated approach to building the body of your dreams, join Intro to CST today.

It’s not that fat loss is a mystery. We know exactly how to cause fat loss: reduce caloric intake (particularly those coming from refined carbohydrate sources) and increase physical activity (particularly activity that raises the heart rate for several minutes at a time). The problem isn’t knowing what to do – it’s doing it.

Knowledge is Not Power

Most of us have purchased books or DVDs that promised to give us “buns of steel,” “the arms of a gladiator,” or a “beach-ready” body? We did so with good intentions. We sat down and watched (or read) the materials and planned out how we were really going to do it this time. Then came that fateful day when we skipped our first workout or were too busy to shop for groceries…

In most cases, excess body fat is not a knowledge problem – it’s an action problem. Applying our knowledge is what makes us powerful. Getting results in anything requires consistent action over a period of time. Yet, planning to be consistent doesn’t seem to work for us.

It doesn’t work because life is not predictable.

How to Recover from Set-Backs

Things come up. We have to work late. We get sick. Our families need attention. Life gets in the way of following through with our well-intentioned plans to follow our new training or diet program. At times like these, it’s all too easy to give ourselves an out and give up.

When (not if) life throws you a curve ball, you need to have a system for getting back on track.

In Intro to CST, that system is called Team Accountability, and it consists of a group of like-minded partners who want to see you succeed. You teammates understand when you have to miss a workout because of your daughter’s big game, but they’ll make sure you plan better next week. They’ll understand when you have to work late for three days in a row, but they’ll give you hell if you wuss out without a good reason.

Actually, the Accountability Team may be the biggest “fat loss secret” you’ll ever experience (but you’ll have to sign up to know for sure).

You team will help you commit to taking the consistent action that turns knowledge into power and good intentions into results. That translates into increased fat loss over other programs.

So, is Intro to CST a fat-loss program?

No. Though members will no doubt be burning fat and gaining muscle during each of the program’s eight weeks, our training is not specifically geared towards fat loss.

We’re not going to “incinerate” your body fat, and it won’t “melt” off your abs. Sorry about that (but not really).

Intro to CST is about using various kinds of movements together in an intelligent way that optimizes the health benefits of training. By “health benefits,” we’re talking about things like:

• increased mobility
• increased energy
• increased strength
• increased stamina
• reduced joint pain, and yes…
• reduced body fat

How Much Fat Loss Can You Expect?

That’s going to be a very individual thing. In eight weeks, it’s possible to reduce bodyfat by a few percent at least, but we want to do so in a healthy and sustainable manner. The amount of fat you can expect to lose is also relative to where you are now: going from 35 t0 30% is a lot easier than going from 15 to 10% body fat.

That said, Ryan has coached his clients to some incredible fat loss results. Earlier this year, one of his private students reduced her bodyfat by 15%. This is not an isolated case. Consistent work yields consistent results, and CST101 members experience what that means first hand.

Why You’ll Stick With It

Even better than simply losing fat, you’ll get all the benefits listed above in a health-first, no-gimmick, safe, sane, and totally BS-free program that combines all the elements of the “CST sandwich” along with comprehensive dietary guidance, expert coaching, and a fantastic support community.

You’ll get all this in a unified program that you can (and will) stick with.

• You’ll stick with the joint wellness movements because you’ll instantly feel better when you do them.
• You’ll stick with the workouts because moving your body through all six degrees of freedom is challenging and fun.
• You’ll stick with the compensatory movements because you’ll feel the tension draining out of your muscles.
• You’ll stick with the diet guidelines because they’re simple and easy to implement (as well as flavorful and nutritious).
• You’ll stick with your accountability team because they’ll be sticking with you.
• You’ll stick with the program because the program is designed to make sure you do.

When you’re ready to get the knowledge you need lose fat and the support you need to apply it, join CST101′s Intro to CST course.

“I’m not interested in becoming a CST Instructor. Can I still participate in the CST IC Online Prep Course?”

Recently I have received numerous emails regarding the CST IC Online Prep Course. One of the most frequently asked questions is whether or not this course is only for those who wish to become instructors.

The simple answer is no.

You can still participate in this online course even if you do not plan on becoming a certified CST Instructor. While we would love to have more quality CST Instructors, we do understand that not everyone has plans on opening up shop as an instructor.

That said, this course is NOT for everyone. For example, a person who is just getting started in CST and doesn’t know where to start. If you are in this group I would suggest that you look into CST101′s Intro to CST course .

Who should participate in this course?

There are three types of people that we had in mind when creating IC Prep:

1. Those seeking to become certified CST Instructors – Obviously those seeking to become CST Instructors should jump on this opportunity without a second thought. The coaching that you will receive before attending the CST IC will help you not only fly through the challenges you face at the IC, but will also allow you 8 weeks of access with me (and special guests) for questions and concerns regarding your personal practice. Compare that to the three days you will have at the IC.
2. Current CST Instructors who are looking to become Coaches and would like to go deeper in their study of CST with a Faculty Head Coach – Looking to test for Coach? For those current Instructors wishing to test for Coach level, this is also a perfect chance to hone your CST skills and learn the intricate workings of each and every movement with the basic levels of Intu-Flow, FlowFit, and Trial By Fire. Or maybe you are an instructor but need some review. Absolutely necessary for instructing and progressing in CST.
3. Those who would like to delve deeper into the three rings of CST in their personal practice merely for their own benefit – Last but not least, I realize that there are tons of people out there who love CST and want to go deeper in their daily personal practice. However, I understand that not everyone wants to become an instructor. THAT IS PERFECTLY FINE! This course will take you deeper into the three rings of CST which will allow you to make leaps and bounds in your daily personal practice without the pressure of testing for Instructor. This could even be a testing ground for those of you possibly wanting to test in the future.

So, if you find yourself within the three groups that I have listed above it would definitely be worth your while to jump on board for this course. Of course if you have any other questions or concerns regarding this course please do not hesitate to contact me directly. I look forward to hearing from you.

CST101 is the new central hub for online CST instruction, and Intro to CST, is the perfect starting place for improving your health and performance with CST.

The video says the course begins in March, but that was the first session. The next session of Intro to CST begins on May 10th.

If you’re new to CST, this course will allow you to get a feel for how CST works as a system to bring you better results. Even if you’ve been around a while, Intro to CST offers a totally integrated program combining CST’s three rings with expert instruction and an awesome community.

Register Now

Registration is Open Now

This course is no one trick pony. Intro to CST takes you through two distinct phases of training to give you the best of all CST has to offer.

Phase One – Bodyweight Exercise

• Burn fat with through TacFit-style metabolic conditioning workouts
• Build muscle with CST’s 6 degrees of freedom
• Improve joint health with daily Intu-Flow joint movements
• Improve balance and agility
• Increase movement efficiency

But Intro to CST doesn’t stop there… The movement base you build with CST bodyweight exercise directly prepares you to move heavy things and experience Flow.

Phase Two – Weighted Exercise

• Build muscular strength
• Increase your power for sport
• A month without Clubbells is like torture, so this will be your chance to swing some clubs if you’ve got ‘em
• If you don’t have Clubbells, you can do these workouts. We’ll provide variations you can perform with a cheap Wal-Mart dumbbell or even a backpack full of books.

The best part is that these two modes of training are tightly woven into a seamless program that will see you in the best shape of your life after eight weeks.

You can secure your registration today.

Make no mistake. This is not just another “program” – it’s a full-on training course that puts you under the direct supervision of a member of RMAX’s elite Faculty Coaching Staff.

You have a choice:

• Take the blue pill and go on “sampling” CST programs. You’ll learn new skills and probably get some other benefits. Or you can…
• Take the red pill and wrap both hands around CST, find out how the parts fit together, and watch your results go through the roof.

Come on – how many cliches and cheesy metaphors do we need to use to get you to try this? Dive down the rabbit hole. See inside the Matrix. Drink the koolade. We’ll melt your fat off with a blowtorch, make you tougher than a Navy Seal, and hand you enlightenment on a silver platter. There will be flowers and sunshine and rainbows and unicorns.*

(*The benefits listed in the preceding paragraph apply only to members who sign up when the planets align in perfect harmonic convergence. Everyone else will have to settle for looking, feeling, and moving better than they ever have.)

It’s eight weeks of everything you need to see for yourself how CST delivers the goods in terms of both health and performance.

We can’t tell you it will be easy. That would be BS, but if you’re willing to put in the work, we can absolutely promise that you’ll finish your Intro to CST in better health than you began.

Register Now.

This is a Prasara Yoga flow that Coach Hurst developed to help our members build a strong and functional core. It’s introduced during Week 2 of our Intro to CST course.