Internet Archives

Here is a handy little site that allows you to search back through the billions of webpages from as far back as 1996. If you are looking for something on a site that you use to visit but is no longer there, give this a shot and see what you can come up with. http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

The Iron Grip Volume 1 – Pinch Lifting

The Iron Grip DVD is an excellent video for any of the grip nuts out there, or just about anyone looking to gain a bit of lower arm strength. It features one of the better respected giants in the grip community, David Horne, along with Nick McKinless and the equally impressive Elizabeth Horne. Though shot on a budget, with your standard hand-held camera, the production value and editing makes this feature look like something you would see at a local film festival. I quite enjoyed watching it. The main 54 minute portion of the DVD is broken down into sections covering all aspects of pinch training. Topics covered include the following: 2 Hand Pinch Hub Lifting Loose Pinching 1 Hand Pinching Blobs & Blockweights Thumb Training History Outdoor Training Throughout video, David gives great tips on the specifics of each device, hand positioning, chalking, and how to utilize the ideal palm and finger pressure. In each of the sections, David also demos the lifts, many of which are considered at the top of the grip game: lifting the Blob, 45 plate hub w/ added weight, 2 45s, world record 2 HP, and so on. Nick also demonstrates several lifts as does David’s wife Elizabeth. The main section of the DVD also gives us a glimpse of David’s quaint dungeon gym. Watching someone of Horne’s expertise performing impressive feats of strength in such an atmosphere is very inspiring. You also discover that one does not require the latest and greatest pieces of equipment, or to spend a lot of money on new gadgets to possess a world class grip. Many of the training ideas and tools used in the Iron Grip are rather modest, and could probably be built with things lying around the house. As a DIY type of guy, this is one thing that I really like about this DVD. There are a lot of creative ideas that could be put to good use like: wooden deadlift handles, a very simple Blob deloader, the Plank of Woe, pinch planks, and a rafter simulator. My favorite idea stemming from this DVD is the use of a plain old tire. It’s so simple yet so innovative – absolutely beautiful. In addition to the main portion of the DVD, there is also about 16 to 17 minutes of bonus material. Therein contains your standard blooper reel with the missed line or two, followed by the complementary and necessary explicative or three. David squirting one out the backdoor after lifting the Blob is a must see – it happens to the best of us. The interesting addition here I found in the missed lifts. We get to see the human side of the elite. Although they make what they do seem easy and normal, they had to bust their ass to get where they are and still have to work hard to stay on top. I’d say for any grip enthusiast, the Iron Grip DVD should be near the top of your “gotta have” list. It would be a great addition to the grip library. For the average individual looking to add a little grip work, it would be hard to go wrong with this video, however you would probably be just as well off diving into the archives of Gripboard posts or checking the Grip FAQ and Diesel Crew articles. For the stateside folks, the DVD is approaching the expensive side. The American dollar ain’t shit against the pound so you’re looking to spend about $45 shipped, which really isn’t all that bad. http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/

Steve Maxwell’s Encyclopedia of Joint Mobility

Steve Maxwell. Really, that should sum it up. The man has enough knowledge of physical culture to overflow the Mariana Trench. He’s the type of person that when speaking, one would be wise to close their mouth and take notes. One of the only good things remaining on the Dragon Door forums is a backlog of 2000 odd something posts by user “Steve Maxwell”, which should be required reading for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of strength and conditioning. That being said, there has yet to be a product produced that carried Maxwell’s name that I have not found useful. Truth be told, I had reservations with his more recent materials, or the “Spartan Series,” which appeared to be piggy backing on the marketing of the 300 movie. Had Steve turned capitalist running dog, succumbing to the mighty dollar with DVDs full of more fluff than stuff? After having the privilege to view some of the titles in the series, my faith was restored and then some. Seriously, it’s Steve “Mother-F******” Maxwell. The Encyclopedia of Joint Mobility, a bit over 3 hours of non-stop info – no fluff. The 3-disc set is broken down as follows: Disc 1: Intro to Joint Mobility Neck Series Shoulder Series Elbow, Wrists, Hands & Fingers Series 78 minutes Disc 2: Spine & Lower Back Series Hip Mobility 62 minutes Disc 3: Toe, Foot, Ankle & Knee Series Spinal Rocking Series 52 minutes Within each series, Steve demonstrates and explains a wide variety of movements to target the mobility, strength and conditioning of all the joints in the body. The exercises presented are influenced from a range of traditions and filtered through Steve’s numerous years of experience as a trainer, athlete and movement specialist. If you have any familiarity with the other joint mobility programs out there, such as Z-health, Warrior Wellness or the more recent IntuFlow, then many of the joint specific movements will be very familiar. Steve simply adds his experience to the presentation and explanation on how to perform the exercises. Then there are other movements presented that are more uncommon, such as the Dance of the Shiva (Lappa on Youtube). I personally found more interest, and for me some new stuff, in the ground engagement and floor exercises. Again, if you are familiar with the work of Scott Sonnon, like Body Flow and the newly evolved Prasara, portions of the material presented will be nothing new. Yet, Steve further rounds out the encyclopedic nature of the product by introducing additional floor movements influenced from his grappling and yoga experience. A lot of these ground series exercises are used to strengthen and condition the joints in order for them to perform without injury under stress. The Spinal rocking series contains a ton of useful information and kinetic chains specifically useful to grapplers, but also anyone interested in possessing the athleticism to move around effortlessly, controlling their own bodyweight under gravity. If you are purchasing this product with the intention of having a routine all laid out for you, then you will be disappointed. There is no such routine or follow-along like in the Z-health and Intuflow programs. This is as the title suggests an encyclopedia that catalogs all of the joint specific movements that Steve has experienced and found useful in overall performance, health and longevity. It remains up to the user to intuitively string together a routine that fits their specific needs. Although, if you have a nagging body part that needs some extra TLC, you could plug in the appropriate series and run through the exercises, performing enough reps to alleviate any pains. Steve also hints at a future “advanced” mobility product in the works, though some will find the exercises in this set plenty challenging. Overall, I’d rate Steve Maxwell’s Encyclopedia of Joint Mobility a 9.5 out of 10. The only thing missing is some discussion on program design. I for one, have no problem with it, however there are more than enough individuals out there that need to have a laid out, fully developed “routine” to follow along with. If this is the case, then I would suggest exploring IntuFlow or R-phase of Z-health. If however, you want a large collection of movements to target every joint in the body and provide a lifetime of variety, then this product is for you. This is an excellent value for 50 bucks. Hell, I just checked Ebay and this is going for about $40 shipped to your door. Given the depth of information, you are really getting the best of a handful of other DVDs for less than the cost of one of the other popular programs.

Homemade Ab-Wheel

Even though the standard 1-wheel store bought varieties are about as cheap, here is another alternative for the dreaded ab wheel that has been floating around for a while now. Intended for use as a pair, one for each hand, this design opens up a lot of new possibilities than your typical ab-wheel. However, I'd use pvc or rubber hosing on the handle though. Ross Enamait has concisely put everything together in an article and included a nice video demonstration on using the device. Check it out - Homemade Ab-wheel by Ross Enamait

American Kettlebell Club Coach Certification

December turned out to be somewhat of an eventful month: I finished yet another semester of college; was surprised with an excellent job offer; survived a hard fall in my personal relationship; and took my first plane ride to a foreign destination. Unfortunately that plane wasn't heading to Bangkok or the Gold Coast, but just as well my target was Cincinnati and I was meeting a champion. If you have been following along with the kettlebell community over the last year, you are probably fully aware of the drama (yes, these magic little balls are the source of seemingly endless controversy). This style/that style, my way/your way, hard/soft, or whatever. The good news is that from all of this drama, increased exposure came to a man who has the potential to make waves in the fitness paradigms of people throughout North American and the World. Well maybe not so many waves, but probably a ripple here and there - Kettlebell Sport isn't for everyone. Valery Fedorenko is one of a few Distinguished Master of Sports as well as a World Champion kettlebell athlete whose accomplishments and skill can be searched for on the ever popular Youtube. When I discovered that Valery was hosting seminars, I became really excited. After following forum posts of the likes of Steve Cotter, Catherine Imes, and Ken Blackburn on the benefits and challenges faced in Kettlebell Sport, I knew this was something I would be interested in pursuing. Similar to my attraction towards standard barbell lifting, in Kettlebell sport there is only you and the iron. Your biggest opponent is yourself and your mental fortitude to hang on and keep going while your body and mind are screaming quit. With this in mind I knew it was my time. So after about a year of waiting, I committed myself to attending in August for the December certification. This was no small feat for a poor college kid whose wallet carries more lint than cash - Yes, I foresee many nights of fine dining on Ramen for much of next semester. However, the full set of professional grade kettlebells made spending the $1000 cert fee and other travel expenses somewhat bearable. Thanks to the powers of Craigslist, I was able to offset some of the cost. I sold a near full set of Dragondoor bells that have been keeping the dust of my carpet in a corner of my spare bedroom for the better part of a year. That and my plan to sleep at the airport for at least one of the nights left me golden. I arrived at the Residence Inn not knowing what to expect. I had never been to anything like this before so this was new territory for me. I did know that I was grossly out of shape going into this and would most likely be the one seen off in the corner wheezing under the ficus tree after performing my sets. Lucky me, I was first on the list for each of the solo demos/corrections. Valery began the certification with a little background information on himself, the AKC staff in attendance, and the sport itself. Much of the information covered in the cert is already readily available online: reasoning's for the shape and handle size of the pro bells; handle prep and chalking both the bell and your hand; appropriate clothing; use of belts and wrist wraps; some aspects of programming; and so on. Catherine Imes and Marty Farrell were on hand to assist in the cert and to demo snatch and jerk sets. Along with Valery's demonstrations, we all got to witness first-hand kettlebell mastery and efficiency of motion. After the introduction, some basic kettlebell prep info, and demonstrations from Valery, Marty and Catherine, it was our turn to step up on the platform. Each participant spent a few minutes warming up, followed by a set of Jerks, then later Snatch, on the center platform under the watchful eye of Valery. At the conclusion of our sets and feedback from Valery, each person had the opportunity to go off to the side and spend extra time with both Catherine and Marty for additional pointers and corrections. This was a time for us to both be coached and to watch how to coach others. I found it to be valuable. Here I discovered the real gem of the AKC cert - the hands on corrections and feedback from Valery, Eric, Jon, Catherine and Marty. Catherine was exceptionally generous with her time and technical know-how. While this isn't astrophysics, attention to detail and time under the bells is required to attain any degree of success in this sport. Even though only 2 lifts are being covered, there is a lot going on under the surface. But, with Valery you are getting coached by one of the best. From my personal experience at the cert, I found I need a lot of work on my rack. I now know that sets of 5 will not prepare you to hold even a minimal amount of weight on your chest for time if you can't find your hips and are able to rest. My shoulders were shutting down from fatigue early on in my set. The snatch was a bit easier. At the cert I was having minor issues getting the correct points of contact with the bell at the top position, but this problem has been quickly ironed out working at home. I'm positive that time with the bells will improve any highlighted issues. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the following Training Day on Sunday. After the cert fee plus airline ticket and hotel room, my well was running dry. I made my travel arrangements early in September and was locked in on a flight before the announcement was made that the Training Day would be free of charge. It would have end up costing as much to change flight dates. I'm sure it is a great day to receive more feedback and time with the bells while under expert supervision. Overall, the cert was money well spent. I came away with further knowledge of the sport, the most efficient technique(s) for each lift, and the programming methodology that Valery used to become a champion. The set of kettlebells is the icing on the cake. Would I recommend this certification to others? At the price of a grand and a free set of bells, yes with no question. At double the price with no free set of bells, well that's to rich for my blood (read: broke full-time student perspective) but the source of information and feedback is top shelf. These certs are fairly new and clearly have some kinks to be worked out. However, there is room for growth, and the AKC appears to foster this attitude of continual improvement. As the certs evolve and become more dynamic and streamline, the price will no longer become an issue as you can be sure that you are getting well beyond your money's worth. In the future I hope to see more assistance from other experienced coaches in the organization.