Chasing Elite

Fiddy Cent 2 50K

2011-07-02T23:38:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. Our new site is in the works, however life as you know can get quite hectic. The project will be on the backseat for the time being, but it is on the way.

In the meantime check out Fiddy Cent 2 50K on Facebook, read the wall and info, and if you like what you see "like" the page and send it to your friends!

New Site Coming Soon!!!

2010-10-10T13:19:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to drop a quick note to anyone who happens to still follow this site and to those still stumbling on this blog. Chasing Elite will be back online in the near future with a newly designed site and platform.

Stay tuned!

Internet Archives

2008-06-01T10:17:00.002-04:00

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

2008-05-17T17:53:00.006-04:00

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

2008-05-16T01:04:00.005-04:00

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

2008-01-16T15:15:00.000-05:00

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

2008-01-09T09:38:00.001-05:00

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.

4x7 - Magic in the Mundane

2007-12-12T17:15:00.000-05:00

Finally got around to watching some of Scott Sonnon's 4x7: The Magic In The Mundane. I'll hold off on final judgement until I can schedule some time to actually do the program myself, but from a cursory viewing the material looks solid. Following the typical trend of RMAX products, 4x7 offers a systematic approach of scaling difficulty in the movements presented. So regardless of your level of fitness, from zero to advanced, Scott shows you how to scale the movements to meet your current needs.

The program itself follows a 4-day cycle of waving intensities; from moderate to high, to none to low. Each of the 4 DVDs corresponds to one of the 4 training days and provides a follow along workout. If you are the type that likes to plug-and-play, then this would be an ideal product for you. There are some equipment issues for the follow along. You will need a pull-up bar, some type of box to jump on and off, and clubbells (Scott shows some less effective dumbbell substitutions on the DVD). However, this is not to say that one could get creative and find alternatives. An even better option would be to follow the principles of waving intensity and make 4x7 your own with what you have readily available. Visit the RMAX forums for ideas.

As for myself, I followed along with day 3 and the Spinal Wake-up series. I felt pretty good afterwards as I always do after mobility work. The Day 4 Prasara flows look interesting and make me want to look more into Scott's other Prasara material.

StrongLifts

2007-11-21T20:36:00.000-05:00

Cool blog with tons of lifting info. There is even a post with the Texas Method. This is definitely one to keep an eye on.

StrongLifts Blog

Ross Enamait - New Book & DVD

2007-11-19T21:53:00.000-05:00

Enamait's much anticipated DVD project was released today. A 90-page manual plus a 108 minute DVD is a bargain for $25. If Ross' past products are any indication, this DVD will blow you away. I am hoping my copy is here by the weekend.

Full Throttle Conditioning

"The Full Throttle Conditioning package includes a 108 minute DVD and a 90 page companion manual.

Within the DVD, Ross gives you a backstage pass to his conditioning dungeon. Watch how he takes simplistic tools and creates intense and effective conditioning workouts. Expect to be challenged, as you learn a proven, effective, and efficient conditioning system.

The companion manual contains additional information regarding topics such as program creation, sample workouts, and the science behind the system.

This program is not based around a specific piece of equipment. The principles can be applied to almost any exercise or tool."

Dick Hartzell and Elite FTS Jumpstretch Index

2007-10-07T21:27:00.000-04:00

A ton of useful Jumpstretch videos by Dick Hartzell were added to Youtube by EliteFTS. There is some excellent info here - Jumpstretch Index

Here is the elbow video just to give you an idea of the many possibilities of using bands:

Ross Enamait on Jump Rope Training

2007-05-23T17:46:00.000-04:00

Ross' new article on Jump rope training - Jump Rope Training - Part II

Straight to the Grip Contest Part V - The No-sets

2007-05-13T23:32:00.000-04:00

Jedd Johnson continues his series at Straight to the Bar, with my favorite method of gripper training: no-sets.

Straight to the Grip Contest Part V - The No-sets

Homemade Equipment Ideas

2007-05-13T12:02:00.000-04:00

DaveDraper.com has a nice little page with some DIY homemade equipment ideas. There are plans for everything from weighted vests, wrist rollers, and PVC gymnastic rings to sleds, calf raise machines, and power racks and benches.

The weight vest looks like it has some potential. I may rig up my own vest and modify it to where it would have a much snugger fit for Yoga or inverted and jumping movements.

Homemade Equipment Ideas

Straight To The Bar Grip Article - The Ironmind Set

2007-05-09T18:45:00.000-04:00

Jedd Johnson of the Diesel Crew continues his "Straight to the Grip" article series over at Straight to the Bar. This article is specific to the Ironmind set for certifying on the Captain of Crush grippers. Jedd goes over the pros and the cons for this type of gripper set and advices the grip athlete to work a variety of sets in training to develop a true dominance over the grippers

Straight to the Grip Contest Part IV - Current IronMind Set

New from Beast Skills - The Muscle-Up Tutorial

2007-05-08T13:44:00.000-04:00

Jim has done it again. His site Beast Skills continues to impress with a new tutorial to master the elusive muscle-up. Be sure to check out the videos in the article. The muscle-up is, in my opinion, a valuable skill to work towards with many real world applications. It could save your life. Well that may be an extreme case, but regardless this seemingly simple bodyweight move is an impressive asset.

Beast Skills - The Muscle-up Tutorial

Strongman's Home Page

2007-05-07T22:33:00.000-04:00

Terry Duty's site with some good bending and gripper info. There are also some conceptual ideas for the DIY type readers to help get that brain firing.

Strongman's Home Page

Good Dealing

2007-05-06T21:26:00.000-04:00

I'm sure there are many who use lack of equipment, or lack of money to buy new gear, as an excuse to not workout. Take kettlebells as an example. To be honest, they are overpriced. Even the "cheaper" brands cost more than what they are worth, and with today's outlandish marketing people seem to believe that they can't get similar results without them. I've seen one to many posts saying, "But I can't afford a kettlebell, what am I suppose to do?" Get some used dumbbells for .30 cents a pound and go to work. The tool isn't going to get you in shape - You are. Hell, go to Ross Enamait's site and pick yourself up a copy of Never Gymless and you'll have a wealth of knowledge on bodyweight training. If you think you can't get fit from bodyweight workouts alone... I challenge you to get Never Gymless and give Enamait's style of bodyweight training a try. But, if you still insist on having equipment and do not want to pay retail, there is hope.

Craigslist is an excellent site to find deals. Look for your state and city and start browsing the ads. The site is free to post, and there are always people looking to get rid of their old (and even new) items cheaply. This is my favorite.

Another good place is GovDeals. I've had a lot more luck with Craigslist for my area, but this is another one to keep an eye on for some nice deals in your area.

Ebay is pretty much a given. There are always deals to be found if you get the winning bid. Also, you may want to ask around or search Google for a local State surplus and drug seizure auction house. We have a state run site in my area where you can look around, but I have yet to see any fitness equipment that I had any interest in.

Offline, browse your yellow pages and find a local Play it Again Sports, Sports Authority, or other retail store that buys and sells used equipment. You can even call around and ask local gyms, schools, and universities if they are selling any old equipment. I've heard of guys getting some nice pieces this way.

Well, there you go. Lack of equipment is no longer an excuse. Keep your eyes out on those sites if you are in the market. If anyone knows of any other internet sites like those mentioned, please let me know. I'm always looking for a good deal.

Gary "Gazza" Hunt Demands "NO LIMITS!"

2007-05-02T09:28:00.000-04:00

Gazza continues to set the bar, or rather bend the bar. Digging deep down, Gazza has managed to pass through the fiery threshold unscathed into pain intolerances unimaginable by ordinary men. Most have yet to meet this challenge with pads, yet here Gazza gives a clinic in bare handed bending

**Loud music - be mindful of your speakers**

Link

More bare handed bending by Gazza:

Part I
Part II

Bigger Faster Stronger - BFS Magazine Archive

2007-04-30T00:18:00.000-04:00

Bigger Faster Stronger has opened up its BFS Magazine archives, which span the past 10 years. The BFS Mag covers a wide variety of topics and includes top-notch information on training, coaching, athletic development and nutrition. So grab a cup of coffee and cozy up to the computer screen - there is a lot of good reading here:

BFS Magazine Archive

Rippetoe and Kilgore - Starting Strength FAQ

2007-04-23T08:41:00.000-04:00

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore is a highly recommended resource for beginning (and most likely many who think they are "advanced") strength trainers. By reading this book and learning to do the lifts properly, you will be well ahead of the curve. Everyone should have a copy of this book in their library.

Bodybuilding.com forums has an excellent, excellent, excellent FAQ for Starting Strength as well as a Q&A thread for anyone needing further answers or advices from fellow lifters familiar with the program. It's a worthwhile read.

Starting Strength FAQ @ Bodybuilding.com

Starting Strength Q&A Thread

Diesel Crew Grip Article

2007-04-21T23:37:00.000-04:00

The Diesel Crew continues to draw attention to an otherwise invisible sport.

Straight to the Grip Contest
Part II: Grippers
Part III: Gripper Sets

The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution

2007-04-20T12:42:00.000-04:00

The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution is an excellent resource for restoring and maintaining shoulder health and strength. I first read this book way back when I was in high school about the time I started seriously lifting weights (I used a lot of the Health for Life material when I first started out). I'm glad I came across it when I did because I learned early on what not to do in the gym to protect my shoulders. Grab some jumpstretch bands and you'll be in business. The book has long since been in print, so you'll be lucky to get your hands on a copy for a reasonable price.

OR you can read it here:

The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution

Cosgrove vs. Cancer

2007-04-19T23:30:00.000-04:00

If you have yet to order your Lift Strong CD, go HERE and get it NOW.

Chris Shugart over at T-Nation has put up a friendly reminder and provided an audio interview with Alwyn Cosgrove about his bout with cancer and the Lift Strong project. Check it out:

Cosgrove vs. Cancer: A special audio interview with Alwyn Cosgrove
by Chris Shugart

Homemade DIY GHD!!!

2007-04-18T16:54:00.000-04:00

Absolutley fantastic. Now I don't have to spend the time to draw up my own plans when I buy a house and have a spot to put one. This excellent document is compliments of Chris Kemp at Crossfit.

Download the word document here - DIY Glute-Ham Device

Grip Lessons of Yore: Tips from Old Time Strongmen - George F. Jowett

2007-04-18T12:54:00.000-04:00

George Fiusdale Jowett was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England on December 23, 1891. In his early childhood, Jowett suffered an accident, which after years of hospitalization left doctors assured that he would never walk again or live beyond his 15th birthday. Yet, around the time he was turning 11 years old, Jowett's uncle to him to see the strongman show of Eugen Sandow, where little George learned that Sandow was also proclaimed fatally ill in his youth. This sparked something within the young Jowett, and he went on to become a very successful strongman and prolific promoter of physical culture. You can read the "A Brief Biography of George F. Jowett" supplied by Jowett's great, great niece, Kathleen Lawry for a more in depth account. Much can be learned of overcoming adversity by following the examples laid out by these great men.

Jowett knew a thing or two about hand strength. Here he is lifting an incredible 168 pound anvil by the horn to his shoulder and pressing it overhead. Makes you wonder what he did all those years spent as a blacksmith. He later went on to create the Jowett Institute for Physical Culture, which resulted in the printing of many of his classic mail order booklets. Jowett's "Molding Mighty Muscles" sold 25 million copies at 25 cents a piece. The "Molding Mighty Men" series contains at the very least one title that every aspiring gripster should read thoroughly.

"Molding a Mighty Grip" includes what Jowett feels necessary to be "the proud owner of a mighty arm and [that] will have in each hand the vice-like crushing grip of a steel bear-trap." I found Jowett's discussion on hand size particularly amusing as it is very common to hear people nowadays complain that a particular feat is beyond their reach because they have small hands. If you ask Jowett his opinion; "Personally, I do not think this should enter into the subject at all." Jowett also comments on the spirit of competition in bringing out abilities buried inside of you that you may have never known you possessed otherwise.

This booklet is an interesting read when examining the tools used by Jowett versus their modern equivalents. The front lever with the broom and a brick, for example, is now mostly performed with a sledge hammer. I'm willing to bet most every household has some sort of broom tucked away in a closet, and I'm sure there is also something of moderate weight nearby you can place on the sweeping end. That is a nice savings from a set of Ludell sledges - I think I paid around $35 for my 12 pounder. In fact, a lot of the exercises Jowett talks about in "Molding a Mighty Grip" can be implemented cheaply and easily with a variety of household items and a little creativity. So really, you have no excuse.

One item you most likely do not have laying around is a barrel. Jowett was a huge fan of barrel lifting, stating; "barrel stunting is beyond a doubt the supreme test of your grip strength." The booklet goes on to show various lifts one can perform with a barrel and contains illustrations that were even borrowed by Brooks Kubik in Dinosaur Training. Jowett's work is a fascinating trip with accounts of famous old time strongmen like Louis Cyr and Ottley Coulter. The training information in "Molding a Mighty Grip" has proven timeless and answers many of the questions that get repeatedly asked in today's Internet culture.

"Molding a Mighty Grip" - George F. Jowett
Part I
Part II
Part III

Previous Posts:

Edward Aston

Build Your Own Moon School Room Board

2007-04-17T13:18:00.000-04:00

Moon Climbing has an awesome section that contains detailed instructions to building your own climbing board like the walls in the School Room. While this project could run you several hundred dollars after buying the necessary lumbar, bolts and a kit of climbing holds, the effort will be well worth it if you are interesting in climbing or just a fun addition to your fitness routine.

School Room Climbing Wall

Spending my first several years at college in the mountains of North Carolina, I had plenty of opportunities to put my foot in the door and start climbing. Unfortunately, my mind was elsewhere and I never took the chance to learn to climb. I hope that in the future I will be at a better place to start. Whenever I get around to buying a house that a space to construct a wall, this will be on the top of my home gym list (If only I could afford a Treadwall).

Alwyn Cosgrove's Lift Strong: Help Fund Cancer Research

2007-04-15T10:58:00.000-04:00

From Alwyn Cosgrove's blog: "To find a cure for cancer -- we need to fund research. To fund research -- we need money. Plain and simple." After just one week since the launch of Liftstrong, over $10,000 has been raised for cancer research.

Liftstrong is a cd project that includes 800 pages of information from today's leaders in the fitness industry. Alwyn sought new articles from the best in the business and ended up getting responses from 55 different authors. For only $24.99, this is an incredible value. The best part is ALL proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help fund cancer research.

Make a difference. Get your cd today! - Liftstrong

JumpStretch Flex Bands Again?

2007-04-14T23:28:00.000-04:00

Seems like I'm getting on a Jumpstretch craze. The more I read about them and try out the different exercises, the more I like them. Here is a list of band resources from Elite FTS - Jump Stretch Band Exercises.

I need to pony up and buy the product. As of now I only have a strong blue JS band and several pallet bands that I don't have any other bands to compare the resistance to. An average band is on the way along with some videos, but I'd like to have a full set.

You can get your bands directley from JumpStretch Inc. along with training materials.

EliteFTS also sells the Jumpstretch flex bands, which is linked on the left sidebar.

Ironwoody sells a comparable product and is actually a better deal when you purchase the pair.

For those on a tighter budget you can search Mcmaster (linked on your left) for pallet bands, which in my opinion are a great product for the price.

CoCs Gone Wild

2007-04-13T09:46:00.000-04:00

I get enough wierd looks doing grip workouts as is, but I'm sure if someone saw me using a setup like this they would stop to ask me WTF I was doing. The JAG has surfaced on the internet for some time now and is usually laughed away. It stands for John's Adjustable Gripper and is a modification to a standard gripper like an Ironmind's Captain of Crush, Heavy grips, Robert Baraban or Warren Tetting's Beefbuilders. The device is said to turn a gripper into an adjustable device, much like a plate loaded grip machine. While this is a notable idea, I think that I will stick to the Ivanko super gripper when I need to add resistance. Yet, I do believe John Simon has some gems worth looking at on his site with a couple of his modifications.

John Simon's JAG

JumpStretch Flexibility Routine

2007-04-12T09:29:00.000-04:00

My old post with the link to a ton of Jump Stretch Flexband articles is one of the most clicked links on this blog. Here is another site that has a Jump stretch flexibility routine, with motion illustrations. Awesome. I'm fairly new to using bands in my training, so I do not know if this is the same Jump Stretch flexibility routine as outlined by Coach Dick Hartzell - the father of Jumpstretch - eventhough the site says that it is the one. I do have the tape of the original flexibility routine on the way in the mail, and I'll report back after I get a chance to view it.

Link here: Jump Stretch Flexibility Routine

Home-made Equipment Build Off

2007-04-11T21:10:00.000-04:00

It's about time to dust off that tool box. Straight to the Bar is holding a competition to encourage some new DIY home-made equipment ideas to start making the rounds on the Internet. This could turn out some excellent new pieces if the word gets out to enough people. The deadline for entries is May 30 th, so get those creative juices flowing. Your winning idea could score you some Diesel Crew gear and several "mystery" prizes from Straight to the Bar.

Check out the full details at Straight to the Bar Competition

World's Best Short Steel Bender - Gary Hunt

2007-04-10T09:45:00.000-04:00

Gazza, as he is known on the Gripboard and Grippermania, has been creating a stir in the bending world. About the middle of February I posted a video of Gary's 4.5" FBBC Shiny Bastard Bend. I didn't expect anyone to top that feat so soon. In less than 2 months, Gary put himself to the test again and performed a day's worth of bending that many of us will only dream of. Gazza's 6" x 3/8" King of All Shiny Bastards HUGE Bastard Stainless Steel bend clearly puts him at the top of a very short list.

To learn more about this great steel bender, be sure to check out the short autobiography - Gazza: Inside the Mind of a Fantastic Shiny Bastard. Gary lead a rough life in his youth and from his account you will witness the forging of a mental toughness that has driven him to success.

Gary Hunt - Bending Insanity

2007-04-06T23:21:00.000-04:00

Not to long ago I posted a Youtube vid of Gary Hunts 3/4 x 4" FBBC Shiny Bastard bend. I just didn't expect to be posting a new record so soon. Gary comes through again with a 3/8 X 6.5" stainless Fat Bastard Barbell Company "Big King Of All Shiny Bastards" bar in several different styles on the same day. There seem to be no limits for Gary. Check out the video.

As part of Gary's attempt to provide historically accurate documentation of his bends, he has tapped the entire beding session in a 5 part series linked below.

Video 1: Reverse style 6inch FBBC Huge Shiny Bastard
Video 2: DU style 6inch Huge Shiny Bastard
Video 3: Big King Of All Stainless Bastards (embedded above)

Here is where things begin to get really interesting. A bigger bend?
Video 4: 6inch Huge King Of All Shiny Bastards (The Prep)

Another record!!??!?

Part I: FBBC's King of All Shiny Bastards HUGE Bastard Bar Stainless Steel 6" x 3/8"

Part II - THE World Record Bend can be seen below.

No limits!

DIY Plyo Box Ideas

2007-04-05T11:35:00.000-04:00

You would think that a box would be fairly inexpensive. Yet, once a simple idea gets marketed as a fitness product the price jumps so high that that it would break the bank of your average fitness enthusiast. There are plyo boxes going for $70 for each fixed height box. After buying several heights and adding on shipping costs, you just bought your child a semester of text books (that's a entirely different rant!). What follows are some low-tech, DIY options that progress from free and easy to more skilled, yet simple, alternatives to an overly inflated fitness product.

This first idea came from an old Kung Fu training book I once had. The idea was to start digging a hole in the ground and jumping out until fatigued. You adjust the depth of the hole by taking away or adding dirt. Different sides of the hole can be adjusted to different heights for easy changes during a workout. It's a very simple and cost effective idea, yet it may not be practical in today's world of pedicured lawns.

If you have reservations with defacing your yard, you can search for anything stable to jump to like the side of a deck, a cut down tree stump, a large tire, stacks of concrete block, etc. The possibilities are endless - be creative and use your imagination.

If you want to go the route of purchasing a box, you can try the irrigation boxes sold at hardware or lawn and garden stores. These boxes are pretty stable (I tried them out at the store with my 200 lbs of sexyness), but they can slip, especially on concrete. You may need to apply some adhesive traction strips along the edges or screw the box into some type of wood base.

And finally, the following two links come from a couple of Crossfit members who have laid out plans for making a set of professional looking homemade plyo boxes.

Lincoln's Plyo Boxes
Allan's "How I Pimped my Plyo Boxes"

Oldtime Strongmen Footage

2007-04-04T09:02:00.000-04:00

At the British Pathe site you can search through a 3500 hour film archive of news, sporting, social and entertainment history from as far back as 1896. The site has footage of old time strongmen like Thomas Inch, Alexander Zass, and Saxon Brown to name a few. A lot of history here.

Check it out: The British Pathe

Handy Tool - Google Book Search

2007-04-03T20:14:00.000-04:00

Google is just awesome. Here is a tool that you can use to search who knows how many book titles. You can read limited previews of recent materials as well as full versions after a few simple clicks. It's like your own digitized personal library:

Google Book Search

Homemade DIY DARD

2007-04-02T21:10:00.000-04:00

In my previous post on a calf workout from Steve Maxwell I mentioned using a dumbbell in lieu of a DARD. While this has worked great for me so far, there is another option for you DIY types.

For those wondering what the DARD is, it's simply a device used to strengthen the anterior tibialis muscles of the shin. It is useful in preventing shin splints and balancing out your lower leg development. Here is a link to a homemade DARD plan that tells you exactly how to piece your own device together with plumbing parts for about $15. This guide is quite useful in that it provides the exact lengths that you need to buy for the various pieces of pipe, taking away any guess work (though you can always alter the plans to suite your individual needs).

Making a Dynamic Axial Rotation Device (DARD) By; Vaughn Numrych

EliteFTS Training for the Female Athlete

2007-03-30T10:45:00.000-04:00

Weight training for women is an often misunderstood topic. I hear from a lot of women that they do not train like the boys because they don't want to end up looking like a man. This is far from the truth. In the following two articles by Joe Defranco, we find that resistance training for both men and women should following the same basic principles for optimal performance.

Should Females Train Differently Than Males? talks about the subtle differences between male and female resistance training that may surprise some of you.

Training for the Female Athlete shows why it is important for women to properly strength train to prevent several gender specific injuries.

And for an excellent resource on women's weight training, be sure to check out Stumptuous.com, where even us guys can find useful information.

Very Nice Homemade Sled for Dragging

2007-03-25T10:16:00.000-04:00

I am reluctant to post this site because the first item could potentially be very dangerous, but the rest of the information is too good to pass up. If you do visit and decide to make the squat stands, please please please take a lot of caution if you plan to put anything heavy on them.

Now back on topic - the sled design on this site is gold. As a carpenter, I don't know how I managed to not come up with something similar when I was building my own sled. I opted for the quick and easy option of a tire, eye bolt and some plywood to load weight. Since I have all the materials necessary laying around in the garage, I'm planning on building a new sled. I'm going to alter the design to resemble The Prowler II from EliteFTS. What makes this great since I pretty much have all the necessary materials on hand is that I'm getting a similar product without having to pay $484 (shipping included).

Be sure to look at the other Homemade, DIY ideas - Make Your Own Equipment

Natural, Drug-Free Knee Pain Treatment

2007-03-24T08:40:00.000-04:00

I was at one time suffering from chronic knee pain after following misguided weightlifting advice and growing up playing just about every sport imaginable that was available to me as a young American athlete. It got to the point where I was tired of limping around campus everyday so I made an appointment with the university health clinic, which was probably a mistake, seeing how this wasn't treatable with penicillin. The "doctor" didn't have any diagnosis or advice for me other than don't do any squatting movements. This irritated me after I took the time to come in for an appointment. I wanted to ask her how the hell a person could get by in life without squatting. Was I suppose to shit standing up? Leave my shoe laces untied? Not get in and out of a car? I decided to leave it alone and left the office grateful that I never attended this doctors med school (read: I'm just an ass, this probably wasn't her area of expertise). I never did get a diagnosis.

So what followed was a year of perfect form, as-to-grass and face-the-wall bodyweight squats performed almost daily in a slow and controlled fashion. I believe this along with joint mobility was what "healed" my knee pain, whatever it may have been (this is only my personal experience - you my require different corrective procedures). The treatment that worked best was what the school's doctor told me not to do. It's a funny world. If I had to do it all over again, the only thing I would do differently would be to try the advice from TreatYourOwnPain.com. This site shows a method to wrap your knee in a manner that will decrease your pain from 70-90%, during painful activities. Maybe this method could have kept me on the go while I continued to correct my knee problem. Since I no longer have any knee pain to test this on, some of you may try this out and report back. Just be sure the knee wrap technique does not become a permanent crutch that keeps you from correcting the source of the problem.

Here is the site again - TreatYourOwnPain.com

Gymnastics Training

2007-03-22T18:07:00.000-04:00

Drills and Skills is a great site for anyone interested in gymnastic type training. If you are looking to work up to some new bodyweight skills, here is the place to search. Some of the exercises can be dangerous without proper supervision or coaching, so please take the site's disclaimer seriously. A little common sense goes a long way.

Drills and Skills

Steve Maxwell Calf Workout

2007-03-21T17:54:00.000-04:00

I was digging through some of Steve Maxwell's older posts and came across this calf workout he suggested for adding on a little mass. I did this mini routine the other day after my push workout, and I'm still feeling it. If you try this, be sure to plan on not being able to do any jumping or running afterwards.

"Here is a calf program that has never failed to give great results.
Do 25 smooth, full range, single leg calf raises, stretch for 10 sec. and immediately do 100 single leg hops as high as you can. With no rest, go back and do 10 or 15 more calf raises, stretch for 10 sec.and perform 50 more single leg hops. Stretch the calf for thirty seconds. Now do the other side. Your calves will really be pumped. You may want to massage them to get the blood flowing. Do several sets of 20 tibial dorsi flexion on a leg curl machine or use a Dard if you have one. I have seen clients add some serious size from this workout.
Steve Maxwell "

If you do not have a Dard and don't feel like buying or making one, then you can do what I do and use a dumbbell. Girls, you'll have no problems. Guys, you'll have to cross your legs like a woman (hey, it's more comfortable anyways) and ignore the looks you get if you workout at a gym. Simply hold the dumbbell in position with your hands while you do the tibial dorsi flexions. The handle rests on top of your foot. I actually prefer this method as you can adjust the position of the weight as you do the exercise; making it harder the closer the dumbbell sits to your toes and easier the closer the dumbbell sits to your ankle. You could probably slide your foot in the handle of a kettlebell as another option.

Jump Stretch Band Reminder

2007-03-20T21:25:00.000-04:00

We've been getting a lot of hits on a past post for the big list of Jump Stretch band articles. Here it is again for anyone who missed it the first go around.

A Lot of Jump Stretch Articles

Grip Lessons of Yore: Tips from Old Time Strongmen - Edward Aston

2007-03-19T08:11:00.000-04:00

1945. World War II was finally coming to an end. Hitler committed suicide, leading to the declaration of V-E Day (Victory in Europe) several days later on May 8, 1945. Out of the ashes of a devastating series of events, Edward Aston penned his treatise on hand strength in 1946. Understanding this historical context leads more bearing on the written word found in the forward to Aston’s How to Develop a Powerful Grip.

Edward Aston was the World's Middle-Weight Weightlifting Champion and the British Heavy-Weight Champion Weightlifter. He also held the title of Britain's Strongest Man from 1911-1934, retiring undefeated. His ‘how to’ publication includes many useful training tips which are recycled into most of today’s articles and tips offered by the “experts.”

Aston’s forward to How to Develop a Powerful Grip speaks to the importance of lower arm training. Coming out of the WWII period, the message is clear that hand strength and physical development can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. This is just as valid today as it was in 1946, while we still remain in a global conflict. Aston further asserts that hand strength and physical conditioning is important for both sexes; “In those days of enemy action every man or woman could be called upon at any hour of the day or night to use the power of their hands.” Although he was speaking towards the war, the assertion holds true in today’s unpredictable society.

The forward then goes into what I believe to be one of the most neglected areas of training today: the power of the mind. Go into any gym today and I’m sure you will find 90% of the people in the building with their I-pods blasting or their cell phones glued to their ears while they workout. Some will be watching random music videos on one of the numerous television screens; others will be reading a magazine while walking on the treadmill. If only they could be reading Aston’s words; “You may perform free exercises until the cows come home with little benefit to your health, strength or muscularity if your mind is wandering from the thoughts of breakfast to your best girl, for it is only when you focus your full attention to the muscles being used that the work becomes strenuous and result-getting.”

The middle section of the publication, Aston talks about the feats of strongmen such as Vansittart "The Man with the Iron Grip", Sandow, Breitbart, Marx, Topham, Samson, and the Inch. Aston describes a lot of the famous feats performed by these men and shows us why they placed a high value on strong hands. One of the points that I found interesting was how Aston spoke about the would-be strongmen who would place decks of cards into a metal sleeve and slowly bake them to reduce their strength. They would then use these cheat cards in exhibitions of strength. It seems that there will always be individuals whose egos are so fragile that they feel the need to fake a feat of strength - reminiscent of the blow-torched and foot-stomped grippers used by people today in feeble attempts to impress.

The final section of How to Develop a Powerful Grip talks about the different exercises that Aston believes to be important for lower arm development. A lot of these exercises will be familiar, and there might be some new ones to you. You could also make a lot of progress taking the ideas and applying them to modern grip products, or by making your own variations using the DIY links to your left. For example, rope hangs could be performed with a standard bath towel draped over a pull-up bar or tree branch. The newspaper twisting can be effectively performed with a cordless wrist roller (two 6 – 10” sections of pipe, (1) pipe repair clamp, and (1) wing nut to fit the bolt on the pipe clamp). With a little creativity the ideas are endless. So without further adieu I give you Edward Aston’s How to Develop a Powerful Grip with thanks to our wonderful friends at Sandow Plus.

Aston Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

The Forgotten Lifts: Odd Lifting

2007-03-18T18:29:00.000-04:00

Here is a picture of Arthur Saxon performing the Two Hands Anyhow lift. Since 1905, Saxon has held the record in this lift with an incredible 445 pounds - that is with a 335 pound barbell and a 110 pound kettlebell). Much can be learned from these old time strongmen.

Within the last 10-15 years, more and more people are getting interested in "functional" weight training and utilizing methods that were once popular lifting modalities by strongmen throughout the world. A lot can be learned form the study of history. This is a neat little website featuring odd lifting or the "forgotten lifting." Forgotten because these are the lifts that were popular by the old time strongmen, which have largely been forgotten in today's society.

Weightlifting: The Forgotten Lifts

If you want more information on the old time strongmen, be sure to check the links to the left for the Sandow Plus and the Maxalding sites. They will be well worth your time.

Product In = Product Out: Ultimate Diet "Secret" Revealed

2007-03-18T16:39:00.000-04:00

Type 'diet' into any search engine and prepare to be bombarded: Atkins, Zone, Paleo, Fruitarian, Vegetarian, Liquitarian (wtf), Anabolic, Abs Diet, Jenny Craig, Lean for Life, Mediterranean, and countless others. While some information listed in your search results could prove beneficial, the majority of the hits will be pure junk that are better off lost in the void of cyberspace. Now before you spend a small fortune trying out the numerous fad diets saturating the market, I am going to let you in on a little secret. Lean in closely. Here it is - there are no diet secrets, and there is no such thing as an ultimate diet. That's it. This fact is nothing ground shaking and you have probably heard it somewhere before, but today's marketing is filled with misinformation that leads many to forget this simple point.

Well how does this help? Any average person who gets the majority of their meals from a drive through could probably pick up a book like the Zone or Atkins and get great results if they make the necessary changes. Crossfit actually advocates the Zone as a complete diet approach to support the Crossfit methodology. This is all find and dandy, the Zone diet is actually a great resource, but before you spend any more money on dietary information I urge you to read further.

Like fitness, there is no cookie-cutter approach to diet. Despite what some might have you think, we were not all created equal. We all have different body types that respond differently to different stimuli and has different needs. To top it off, people do not have the same diet goals or lack thereof. Your best bet is to really define your goals to figure out what you are eating for. Then you will be in a better position to research the different diets and find what is best suited for you. In the mean time you might find some useful starting information, or even a standalone diet, in The Whole, Fresh, & Raw Diet (WFR) article at IronGarm. This is more of a common sense diet that is most likely geared towards how the human body was built to eat. Unlike our ancestors, the only hunter-gathering you will have to do is driving to your local grocery store or farmers market. Foraging in the 21st century is an easy convenience that lacks any excuse. Just be sure to do the majority of your grocery shopping in the periphery of the grocery store, and keep away from the isles (bet you haven't heard that one before), and you will be close to following the guidelines of the WFR Diet:

"Eat whatever you want as often as you want as long as it is

As whole as possible
As fresh as possible
As raw as possible"

What you put in your body really effects what you get out of it. I'm not just talking about trips to the toilet. If your goal is sports performance, increased energy, muscle gain, longevity and so on - then you really need to pay more attention to what you are putting in your body. Product in = product out: if you want a good output you need a good input. Check out the rest of the article at IronGarm: The Whole, Fresh, & Raw Diet (WFR)

New Diesel Crew Footage

2007-03-17T02:50:00.000-04:00

Jedd Johnson is a beast. Check out his mastery over the York Blob. Be sure to click the link on the left and read through the excellent articles on the Diesel Crew site.

Gorilla Hands on Closing Grippers

2007-03-14T19:02:00.000-04:00

A good article on the mechanics of closing grippers. It shows the difference between the sweep, the close, and the hold and what people should pay more attention to in their training if their goal is to close big grippers. This 'Rilla knows his stuff when it comes to certifying on the Captain of Crush grippers and from his experience negatives, negatives, and more negatives are the key to success.

The Hand and Negatives

DIY Box Construction - Snatches, Jerks, Plyos...

2007-03-14T10:53:00.000-04:00

Here are plans to make a pair of great looking adjustable-height boxes. The author built these specifically as a jerk box, but it looks like they could be used for a variety of activities: snatch high pulls, plyo boxes, box squats. If you follow these instructions with 2x lumber you will end up with a heavy duty box with a nice clean look. The finished product will be heavy, so you may want to devise some sort of base that is on casters for easy movement and storage when not in use. Just be sure to remove the base with the casters before use. It will be a pain in the ass but worth it in the end.

Jerk Box Construction Plans

Here is a vid from Mike's gym showing one use for the boxes: Jerk Practice

If you get sound but no video on the above movie, you'll need to go to quicktime and download the latest free 7.0 viewer.

MIT Open Course Ware

2007-03-13T18:41:00.000-04:00

"The Massachusetts Institute of Technology will become by year's end the first U.S. university to offer all of its roughly 1,800 courses free on the Internet, a school official said on Friday."

see the full article here:
Yahoo: MIT to offer its courses free online by year end

In the mean time you can check out the already listed courses here at the MIT Open Course Ware site.

While this will not get you a piece of paper that states you took such and such number of hours and received some arbitrary degree, you will still have access to some of the best information from one of the finest institutions in the country. For those with a passion for education this is the ticket. I find it amazing the amount of good information that you can find online. I already hold two degrees, and I'm heading back to school in the coming months to further my education. I will definitely be referencing the MIT site for years to come or as long as I can keep an Internet connection.

Grip Training Article

2007-03-13T17:16:00.000-04:00

Here is a good article that covers several different aspects of grip training. It talks about grippers, thick bar, wrist rollers and pinch. It also give some practical training advice and some information on how to make your own equipment. It's worth checking out:

Grip Training

Interactive Human Anatomy and Physiology

2007-03-13T14:15:00.000-04:00

Get Body Smart is a good site if you are interested in human anatomy and physiology. It's worth checking out and could be helpful in studying for a class or getting that NASM cpt/cscs certification.

Get Body Smart Interactive Human Anatomy and Physiology

Mike's Gym

2007-03-13T11:07:00.000-04:00

This is the site of Mike Burgener's regional training center for USA Weightlifting based out of Bonsall, California. The training center is geared towards Olympic Style weightlifting and the site reflects that focus. The gym trains athletes with a "philosophy based on the concept of training to prevent injury as well as the enhancement of performance using the Olympic lifts, crossfit techniques, kettlebells and other heavy equipment."

There is a ton of information and a follow along workout of the day on the main page: Mike's Gym.

Be sure to check out the articles: Mike's Gym Articles

J.V. Askem Tribute Site & DIY Farmers Walk Bars

2007-03-12T12:14:00.000-04:00

This is a "partial mirror" to the original site of J.V. Askem (1947-2003). Askem was a personal trainer and Olympic weightlifting coach who has held lifting records and has been published in Milo.

There is a ton of information here. Thank you to the kind people who are keeping the site alive.

John Victor (JV) Askem Tribute Site

Askem's site also has information on a cheaper alternative to farmers walk implements. For less than $20 a pair for bars that hold over 300 lbs, you would be hard pressed to spend the money on a high-dollar commercial equivalent. You can find the plans here:

Askem's Farmers Walk Bars

Don't Forget to Set Your Clocks!

2007-03-11T10:43:00.000-04:00

In the immortal words of Benjamin Franklin; "Early to bed and early to rise / Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

As a lot of you already know, Daylight Savings Time has been moved up this year to the second Sunday of March (March 11). So remember to set those clocks forward an hour.

From wikipedia:

"Daylight saving time (DST), also known as summer time in British English, is the convention of advancing clocks so that evenings have more daylight and mornings have less. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour in late winter or early spring and are adjusted backward in autumn. Details vary by location and change occasionally; see When it starts and stops below.

Governments often promote DST as an energy conservation measure because it substitutes summer afternoon sunlight for electrical lighting. However, in some cases DST can increase energy costs."

and to think "DST was first proposed in 1907 by William Willett.[4] An avid golfer, he disliked cutting short his round at dusk."

Wikipedia: Day Light Savings

Workout Timer Options

2007-03-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

If you workout near a computer visit Speedbagforum.com Workout Timer for a simple timer you can use for just about anything. I've been using this for some time now whenever I want to get a quick Tabata session at the house.

If you are looking for something more on the go try out the widely recommended Gymboss interval timer. Set it, clip it on and get to work. A great value for $20.

Some of you may be feeling more creative. You can always create your own mp3's with your favorite songs using something like Audacity. This will give you total control while also letting you listen to music that jacks you up. This is a great option to set whatever intervals and rest periods you like.

Jackal's Gym 1 Rep Max Calculator

2007-03-10T10:13:00.000-05:00

Here is a handy little tool for determining an estimate of your 1 rep max. Just plug in your numbers and hit calculate. This might help some of you in designing a program based around your 1 rep max.

Jackal's Gym Calculator

Juggling for Performance - Ross Enamait

2007-02-28T17:59:00.000-05:00

Ross Enamait put up a new article today about how juggling can improve athletic performance. Be sure to check it out, so far anything put out by Ross has been top-shelf:

Juggle Your Way To Improved Performance By Ross Enamait

GripFaq.com

2007-02-25T14:50:00.000-05:00

I was browsing through my bookmarks today and noticed that I have not listed this excellent website in my blog links. You can now find it on the left under Grip Links. Check it out for a good intro to everything grip related:

Gripfaq.com

Bending - 4" Shiny Bastard

2007-02-24T12:30:00.000-05:00

Gazza set another world record bend - a 3/4" FBBC shiny bastard cut to 4"

All I can say is damn...

Tennis Elbow and Other Lower Arm Related Injuries

2007-02-23T13:11:00.000-05:00

Joint and other overuse injuries were common in my wrestling days. I always knew I could push through until the end of the season and then have plenty of time to recover before I had to hit the mats again. Recently I have found interest in grip specific training and that "balls to the wall" mentality has led to some setbacks. Case in point: The last six months I have become a bit of a couch potato. A high volume blockweight routine left my right arm feeling like it was going to explode performing something as menial as gripping a stapler. And trust me, when your significant other is a teacher and you get volunteered into certain activities, this is no fun. I decided to take a week off to heal. All training came to a halt. A week turned into two, then two into three, and before I knew it two months had slipped by and it was almost time for the holidays.

By then, my elbow was doing better. I was still waking up every morning with that uncomfortable tightness and tender touch, and I still could not fully grip anything without shooting pains. Now remember, all along I could have been doing anything that didn't involve using my grip to keep some level of fitness, but I didn't. Other than some occasional Z-health, I was living a very inactive lifestyle. Once I slipped into that mentality of doing nothing, it was a bottomless pit that was hard to climb out of. It's easy to just say, "I'll wait till Monday." I found myself doing that a lot these past few months. With Christmas just around the corner, I kept myself in the hole and put everything off until the New Year.

2007. New year, new goals, new resolutions. I started to do rehab exercises to get my elbow straight. I was tired of waking up to the constant tightness and soreness. You might be wondering why I hadn't been doing rehab all along. All I can say is that laziness is a habit and once said habit sets it, it's a hard habit to break. After a month of rehab my elbow felt much better. No more tightness in the morning and only the occasional soreness in the elbow after doing some pull-ups. Now enough of the monologue and lets get down to business.

To get an idea of what I do for rehab and now prehab check out this article concerning the physical therapy of the elbow:

Physical Therapy Corner: Tennis Elbow - Lateral and Medial Epicondylitis

You will notice it has the mechanics of elbow injuries, symptoms, and rehabilitation. Some of what follows will be redundant from this site, but will give your further rehab options.

Another great resource is Tennisarm.eu. To navigate this site simply click on the home tab to your left and then click "English Version."

Several years ago, Steve Maxwell posted quality information on treating strained elbows that coincides much with the above information:

"Treat the elbow with DMSO. It really reduces the pain. I wore a tennis elbow brace and it really allowed me to keep training. It constricts the tendons and takes the strain off of gripping and holding. You may have created some muscle imbalances in your hands and forearms from excessive gripping and wrist flexion. By working the finger extensors and abductors and the extensors and supinators of the wrist, you can bring about a lot of pain relief. Perform the following rehab routine several times per week. Open your fingers against a rubber band while extending your wrist back. Also do reverse wrist curls for the forearm extensors. Finally, perform forearm supination with a dumbbell handle with a plate on one side only. A broomstick or piece of PVC pipe works well. Brace your forearm on the edge of a table or bench palm up. Grasp the end of the handle with the plate side toward the thumb. Let the handle rotate your wrist and forearm and pull your thumb downward into a slight stretch. Now rotate the handle while not moving your elbow (supination) so that the plate is vertical. Repeat for high reps.

Exercise is always the best medicine. I have successfully treated many a strained elbow with these techniques.
Steve Maxwell"

And finally, the following information comes from a Z-health trainer based out of Dallas, Texas. Frankie Faires suggested a Z-health solution to an individual who was experiencing pain in his right elbow and left foot. Don't ask me how it works, I have only been doing Z-health for a few months and have never been to a seminar where you get a real understanding of the how and why Z-health practice is beneficial. But, I do plan on attending in the future and I will be chronicling my experiences and how 2s with working through all of the Z-health material on this blog so stay tuned.

"Knee surgery, arthroscopic, when I was about 13 years ago. I have had back, shoulder and knee pain in the past. None of them too serious. In addition to the elbow pain in the right elbow my left foot has pain in certain positions.

The pain in the elbow is strange. I'm calling it tennis elbow, but I am not exactly sure what it is. Though I am going to stop pressing, it doesn't actually hurt to press. It hurts most if I pick something up, especially with a pinch grip. The outer elbow also hurts to the touch.

-Ryan"

Ryan, try these mobilities in this order:
Right Wrist Circles
Right Index/Pinky Leads
Right Finger flexion/extension waves

Left Lateral Ankle Tilt
Left Middle and Outside Toe Pulls
Left Knee Circle

Thoracic A/P position 1
Cervical Rotations

Go VERY slow, HIT THE TARGET through the mobility, NEVER MOVE INTO PAIN and keep LONG SPINE. Do 1 rep both directions and test your elbow, report back.

PS (a better option would be to go to a Z trainer)

Best,
Frankie "

After trying the exercises, the individual reported back that:

"I can't believe that worked. The pain in the elbow is gone. There is a duller pain that popped up in the tricep up past the elbow, but it's a minor dull pain. I will have to work on the movements; they were still a bit choppy.

Thank you again, I'll be in touch to let you know how my Z-Health is going.

Between this and Pavel's work I think I'll be a healthier man than I ever thought I would be.

Thank you again. Happy Holidays.

-Ryan"

To which Frankie replied:

"pain relief is often just that easy...and you are welcome.

Whatever drill(s) worked -
do 3 reps 3 times per day for 3 weeks.

Best,
Frankie"

I hope these suggestions help you if you ever get a nagging elbow injury. Remember, going all out has its place in training, just don't expect to go full throttle 100% of the time and not get injured. It is always better to build up slowly and provide a solid base to work from than trying too much too soon and getting sidelined for a few months.

Valery Fedorenko - American Kettlebell Club Blog!

2007-02-22T16:19:00.000-05:00

Awesome news! With the recent events in the kettlebell community, I'm sure many of you have a newfound interest in Girevoy Sport training. If you have been waiting for developments with Valery's new organization, The American Kettlebell Club, then you will want to check out the new blog that was posted today. The first post features an interview with the man himself, Valery Fedorenko.

AKC Blog

"Dear Kettlebell Lifter,

American Kettlebell Club's Blog is ready to view! The first Post is an Interview with our Head Coach, Valery Fedorenko. We have many Interviews planned for 2007, but it is only right to start with Coach Fedorenko."

Elite Bending - 4.5" FBBC Shiny Bastard

2007-02-15T12:55:00.000-05:00

Gary "Gazza" Hunt has taken the top spot on the 6" bending list by bending a official Fat Bastard Barbell Company Insane Shiny Bastard cut to 4.5"

Gary has gone through some rough times with key individuals doubting his bending claims and questioning his honesty. Gazza walked the talk in usual fashion and provided yet another video of his incredible feats.

This is the top of the food chain folks.

Part One:

Part Two:

New FullKOntact Forum

2007-02-08T23:03:00.000-05:00

It looks like Steve Cotter's split from DragonDoor resulted in the creation of yet another message board. Hopefully there will be some more interesting topics on a more regular basis while the forum is fresh. DragonDoor seems to be beyond its prime in relation to the quality of posts being offered. Cotter's new emphasis on Girevoy Sport will bring some attention to a fairly unknown activity. Check it out

Full Kontact Forums

Bridging Part II: Mastering the Bridge in Minutes, not Months

2007-01-08T16:54:00.000-05:00

You can read the first part of this article here: Bridging Part 1

In part 2, Jeff Martone picks up where he left off and shows us how to safely perform the wrestler’s bridge without injury.

Bridging Part 2

Enamait - Budget Training

2006-12-09T14:04:00.000-05:00

With a large population moving away from the commercial gym setting, there is always a demand for training ideas while on a budget. Ross Enamait has pulled together a lot of his personal resources and indexed many of his great articles and tips into one resource for budget training.

Here's the article: Ross Enamait: Budget Training

Bridging Part I: Releasing the Parking Break

2006-12-08T22:39:00.002-05:00

Strong and flexible hip flexors are a necessity in today’s growing "functional" fitness market. As more and more people are finding the value in dynamic fitness movements, it is essential that you spend some time on your own personal powerhouse - your hips. Jeff Martone has written another excellent article on how to do just that. Check it out!

Bridging Part 1

Jump Stretch Band Articles

2006-11-18T14:45:00.000-05:00

Here are a bunch of nice articles for those who use JS Bands in their training. I ran across this site the other day and found some useful information that I have never seen before.

PerformMax JS Band Library

The “88lb. Pull-Up Challenge”

2006-11-10T23:01:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to an article by Jeff Martone's about the “88lb. Pull-Up Challenge.” The article shows how he worked up to the event despite a hectic work schedule and little time to train and prepare. If you keep it simple you can make gains even when life is stressful.

88lb Pullup Challenge

Bodyweight Exercise Library

2006-11-01T03:08:00.000-05:00

Here is an excellent post from Fighting Arts Forum that indexes a lot of the bodyweight exercise tutorials on the internet. It's quite long but worth the read.

"A lot of people have been asking about exercises that can be done with no equipment or with minimal equipment. In the absence of a really good website listing such exercises, I figured we need a list of exercises here, which will hopefully answer most of the questions people have about such training.

There are those who think that bodyweight alone cannot offer enough resistance to give strength gains in most people. The fact is that although the weight of the body is constant, the resistance applied to the target muscles can still be made very great by loading the weight onto limbs (e.g. moving to a one-limbed version of a standard bodyweight exercise like push-ups, or by elevating the feet in a push-up so that a greater fraction of the body's weight is being pressed), by manipulating leverage (e.g. extending the legs in front during a pull-up) or by pausing in the middle of a rep to eliminate momentum. The next time you hear somebody tell you that bodyweight alone is not enough for strength gains, ask them if they can do a Maltese cross. An interesting read about bodyweight strength training is T-nation's interview with gymnastics coach Cristhopher Sommer. (Christopher Sommer will have a book coming out on bodyweight training at some unspecified date. I, for one, am greatly looking forward to it.) Another good read about the theory and practise of bodyweight strength training is Pavel Tsatsouline's The Naked Warrior.
It is gymnasts who make the best use of sophisticated bodyweight training methods. (By the way, gymnastic rings are about the best upper-body conditioning tool there is, but as this thread is intended for people who don't have the use of weights, I'm guessing you won't have those either.) The game of gymnastics is the game of controlling one's body through space. For this reason, I think it's beneficial for most athletes and martial artists to try to master the basics of gymnastics, not to mention that the performance of the skills themselves will build strength and power and can be considered a form of bodyweight conditioning. It is because gymnastic and bodyweight exercises teach you to control your body that I prefer them to exercises with weights where I have the choice between the two. On the other hand, as TimBlack said in another thread, "While it may theoretically be possible to keep increasing the effective load on your muscles by bending yourself into all kinds of painful and weird positions, it is just plain easier to use weights to increase resistance." Quite right.

Before I get on to the usual methods of lifting your bodyweight from different positions, let me mention a form of strength training requiring no equipment whatever that I feel has been overlooked:
Anything that's written on flexibility these days (rightly) touts isometric stretching as the best method for gaining flexibility, and will usually give a brief mention to the fact that it simultaneously improves strength. I think the efficacy of this type of training at building strength has been understated. Hettinger and Maller showed in 1953 that you can increase strength by 5% in a week by holding a static contraction against a fixed object for only six seconds a day. Isometric strength training became popular during the 60s and 70s, but then mysteriously dropped out of fashion.
Conventional isometric training had two big drawbacks: Firstly, your nervous system will respond to contractions in a shortened position by resetting the limit of the range of motion nearer to that point. In other words, isometrics decrease flexibility. Secondly, the strength gains, though significant in themselves, are angle-specific. So pressing forwards isometrically will increase your strength at pressing forwards, but not pressing outwards, overhead, or at any angle more than 15 or 20 degrees to either side of the angle trained.
Isometric stretching overcomes both these problems. Not only does it rapidly increase your flexibility, rather than decrease it, it also gives strength gains across a full range of motion for the muscles trained. There are different schools of thought on how long contractions should be held. It appears that the total time under tension (i.e. across all reps and sets) is the key variable in strength gains, and that longer contractions (more than six seconds) are more likely to cause increases in muscle size. I find that four tensions or 6-8 seconds works well for me, but I advise you to experiment.
It should be noted that isometrics are not recommended for children and teenagers whose bones are still growing. Note also that you will get the best results if you rest a muscle group for a day between isometric stretching sessions. Any attempt to gain strength through isometrics alone will invariably lead to a plateau after 6-8 weeks. Normal, dynamic strength training is also needed. You can find out more about isometric stretching in the stretching forum.

Part of my aim in this thread is to dispel the view of bodyweight exercises as high-rep, endurance work that can't build strength. To that end, I've included some outrageously hard exercises that no one here will be able to do. A lot of the exercises below do involves quite low resistance, but I think I've included enough difficult ones to keep just about anyone challenged. Needless to say, this list is by no means exhaustive, but I think it should contain enough to develop anyone's strength, endurance and power. I have categorised the exercises under the body part they seem to target, but many work other body parts as well. For example, push-ups require the muscles of the core for stability, handstands stress the whole of the torso etc.

LEGS
The legs are designed to move the bodyweight around, so it can be difficult to put them at a disadvantaged enough position to really challenge their strength. The glute-ham raise and the more difficult variations of the one-legged squat are probably the only ones that will challenge most people here. See plyometric drills at the bottom of the page for explosive speed drills for the legs. Master the basic squat first of all; it will teach you proper knee alignment which is needed to do many of these drills safely. Remember that the human knee is designed only to flex and extend, not to bow from side to side.

Squats. If you're interested in conditioning, bodyweight or otherwise, you must learn how to squat perfectly, as you are guaranteed to damage your knees otherwise, so I'll give quite a bit of detail on the form of this exercise. Crouch down and experiment with the distance between your feet and the outward turn of the ankle until you've found a position in which you can sit for several minutes without any discomfort. Now, without moving your feet, stand up. Crouch down again. Repeat. For the duration of the exercise, keep your spine straight and your head held as high as possible. Look slightly up. Keep your midsection tensed. Don't let your knees bow in or out; they should move along the lines of the feet. The body moves straight up and down, never forward or back. One very useful, though somewhat odd, tip is to try and elongate an imaginary line running from the bottom of the kneecap to the bottom to the quadriceps as you squat.
One-legged squat (pistols). These are a great exercise for strength. Not only do they work the thighs and hip flexion and extension, as does any squatting movement, but hip adductors and abductors are also needed to keep balance. Here is a great article on how to do them. Read it. To make pistols more difficult, pause halfway through the rep. A really difficult bodyweight leg drill is to squat rock-bottom as in a normal pistol, then jump up from the bottom position rather than standing up slowly. Christopher Sommer writes, "The goal here is to try to explode out of the bottom; not to 3/4s stand and then hop." If you still feel you're not challenged, try to jump in this way onto a box in front of you, for distance or height or both. Be very careful about knee alignment with pistols. Everything above about knee alignment for squats applies here too. It is worth sitting in the bottom position for a few minutes until you find the comfortable alignment. The fact that you have to balance on one leg causes a lot of people to wobble from side to side; this can be damaging to the knee.
Bootstrappers. http://www.trainforstrength.com/ex-2.shtml. Essentially a squat in which some of the bodyweight is taken on the hands. These can also be done on one leg.
Bleacher squats. Elevate one foot on a chair or box and squat down from that position.
Wall sits. An endurance exercise for the thighs and glutes. Sit like this with your thighs parallel to the ground, your shins vertical and your back against a wall. Make sure there are right angles between the floor, your shins, your thighs and your body. You should feel a burn in your thighs and buttocks, but if you feel it in your knees, you're doing it wrong. When you can't take no more, stand up out of it; do not slump to the ground.
Hindu squats. These work the calves, thighs and hips. Here is an animation of the exercise. It is more difficult to maintain proper knee alignment for these than for regular squats. If you allow your knees to wobble from side to side during the movement, you are damaging your knees.
Lunges. http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/hl/fit/demo/lunges.jsp. Don't rotate your hips; keep them facing forward.
Off-bench lunges. http://ronjones.org/Coach&Train/ExercisePhotos/Legs/Lunge-OffBench.html
Renegade lunges. An excellent movement for training lateral movement, which is very useful to the martial artist. Stand with a bar or something beside you at waist height. Squat down and push sideways off the foot furthest from the bar to come up on the other side. The lower you set the bar, the more difficult the drill is.
Dragon twisting. http://fullkontact.com/a_dragon.html
Backward lunges. The same as regular lunges, except stepping backwards instead of forwards. Make sure the hips stay pointed forward.
One-legged deadlift. Stand on one leg with the other bent slightly behind you. Leaning forward for balance, bend the knee of the supporting leg until the knee of theother leg touches the ground.
Mountain climbers. The starting position resembles a push-up position, except that one leg is tucked in so that the knee is near the chest like this. Switch legs quickly.
Squat thrusts. Similar to mountain climbers, except both legs come in and out together. It's like switching explosively between squatting and push-ups positions.
Burpees. A squat thrust with a jump. An explosive drill for the whole body and great for endurance work (both muscular and cardiorespiratory). http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rossboxing2.htm
Glute-ham sit-up. A very difficult exercise. Lie face down with your feet anchored. Pull yourself into a kneeling position by bending your knees.
Calf raises. From standing, simply rise up onto the ball of your foot. Can be done with one foot or two. It's a good idea to elevate the toes on a book in order to increase the range of motion.

CORE
The word 'core' is a catch-all term for the muscles of the midsection, including the rectus abdominis, oblique abdominis externis, oblique abdominis internus, transverse abdominis and spinal erectae. Bodyweight core conditioning is notorious for low-intensity exercises like crunches. While I have listed these for the sake of completeness, I don't consider them to be of much value. The only core conditioning I do these days is gymnastic-style body tension work like manna and planche progressions, dragon flags and levers, along with occasional Janda sit-ups or ab wheel rollouts. These provide the high resistance needed to build strength.

Planche progressions. http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/. These also work the arms, shoulders, legs, pretty much everything. One progression not mentioned on the linked page is the frog stance with one leg extended behind, which breakdancers call a two-handed airbaby.
Manna progressions. L-sit > V-sit - legs are perpindicular to the floor > Manna - legs are parallel to the floor. When you can hold one position for 60 seconds, try the next progression.
Front lever. You'll need a pull-up bar or something else to hang from. http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/
Back lever. http://beastskills.com/Back%20lever.htm
Dragon flags. The flag, also called Dragon flag after Bruce Lee, has been called the best abdominal exercise of all, with good cause. The pictures here describe it better than I can. (It's the one halfway down the page involving the bench.) It has an advantage over the gymnastic holds above because it works the core dynamically through a range of angles. You can work up to this by doing negatives, i.e. Get into the top position by tucking your knees to your chest and extending them upwards, then lower your legs slowly. Even this will be beyond the reach of many.
Rainbows. Starting in a planche, rotate your body upwards into a handstand, then down into an upward-facing planche and back. It has been done.
Sit-ups/ crunches. The aim in sit-ups should be to roll the spine up like a mat, not to bend from the hips. Consciously try to maximise the contraction of the abs. Crunches are different in that the lower back stays on the ground. Either movement can be made harder by extending the arms above the head or by elevating the feet.
Air bike. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Air+Bike
Janda sit-ups. Get into a normal sit-up position with the knees bent at a right angle. Secure something under your knees (I use a doorframe pull-up bar) or else have a partner put their hands under your knees and pull. Now drive your feet into the ground and pull your calves back against whatever's under your knees. Hold this tension throughout the exercise. Now perform a sit-up. It should be much harder than a regular sit-up; if it's not, you're not tensing hard enough. This exercise works by eliminating the hip flexors from the sit-up movement by tensing its antagonists - the hamstrings and glutes. This means the rectus abdominis must do all the work. You can work the obliques more by putting more pressure on one foot than the other.
Hanging leg raises. http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/329/
Lying leg thrust. Lie on the floor face up. Flatten your lower back into the floor. Now bring one leg or both (the two-legged version is harder) up to point to the ceiling. Your lower back must remain pressed to the ground at all times; it should not be possible for you to slide a hand between your back and the floor. Keep you midsection tight and hold your breath throughout the exercise.
Wheel roll-out. http://www.bronzebowpublishing.com/Superman.gif. An easier variation is to start with the knees on the ground instead of the feet. Ab wheels can be purchased very cheaply, or you can use a barbell, dumbbell, a chair with wheels, rollerskates, or make your own wheel.
Pike pull-in with wheel. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/clark1_2.jpg.
Hollow rock. Video and slideshow here
Chinnies. Lie flat on the ground with your hands held lightly behind your head. Bring your left knee and your right elbow together, relax, bring your right knee and your left elbow together. Repeat.
Russian twists. Holding the middle position of a crunch, with your hands together in front of you, twist your body and arms from side to side.
V-ups. Lie flat on the ground. Now simultaneously lift your back and legs off the floor to come to this position
Farmer Burns' stomach flattener. Inhale deeply. Now try to push the air out of your lungs with your abdominal muscles, but keep your glottis closed so the air is held in. Hold for a few seconds.
Isometric tension. The simplest way to strengthen the abs is to just tense them as if you were bracing for a punch.
Vacuum. Exhale maximally. Suck in your abdomen and hold for six seconds or so, while holding your breath. Inhale, relax and get your breath back before repeating. This exercise works the transverse abdominis.
Shoulderstand. Lie on the floor and raise your legs into this position. Do not tuck your knees in to your chest at any point.
Twisting sit-up or crunch. Twist to the side whil performing a sit-up or crunch. This variation works the obliques.
Frog kick. Hanging from a pull-up bar or something similar, bring your knees to your chest.
Back hyperextensions. Lie face down and bring your chest, legs and hips off the ground.
Knee hugs. Lie on the ground face up and bring your upper back off the ground as in a crunch while tucking in your knees.
Scissor kicks. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Scissor+Kick
Plank. Hold the position at the top of a push-up for several minutes, without letting your hips sag. An endurance exercise.
Side plank. Hold this position
Lying hip swings. Lie face up and lift your hips and legs off the ground with your feet together. Now swing your legs from side to side.
Flutter kick. Video
Bridge. Hold this position.
Wall Walking. Stand with your back to a wall. You'll need to experiment to find the right distance. Lean backwards and put your hands on the wall. Now walk your hands down the wall (ideally all the way down to the floor) and walk them back up.
Side bends. Stand with your hands overhead and bend sideways. Keep facing forward; do not twist.
Waist twists. Stand with your feet about twice your shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and twist from the waist. Your hips should stay facing forward.
Side crunches. Lie on your side and bring your shoulder, hips and legs off the floor.

PRESSING
These exercises target the upper body pressing muscles - triceps, pectorals, anterior deltoids. Note that for these, and any exercise that involves supporting all or some of the bodyweight on the hands, a variety of hand positions are possible. You can do them on your fists to strengthen the wrists or to condition your knuckles; you can do them on all 10 of your fingertips, or on as few fingertips as your strength will allow. This is a great way of building strength in the hands. Doing them on the backs of your hands in an attempt to strengthen the wrists is not a good idea and will likely lead to tendon damage. The further apart your hands are, the more the pectorals are worked, whereas having your hands close together shifts the focus to the triceps.

Push-ups. http://www.ehow.com/how_3190_proper-push-.html. Try them with only one leg on the ground to work the stabilizer muscles more. Try them with only one arm. Elevating the feet will make them harder; elevating the hands will make them easier. (This applies to all variations.)
Elevated push-up. Put your feet on a chair and each of your hands on a chair and perform push-ups so that your head dips down between the chairs at the bottom of the movement. This allows for a full range of motion, which makes the exercise more difficult rep-for-rep and is important if your martial art requires a good degree of shoulder flexibility.
Twisting push-ups. http://ronjones.org/Coach&Train/ExercisePhotos/PushUps/PushUp-LateralTwist.html
Jack LaLanne push-up. What better way to illustrate what a Jack LaLanne push-up is than a picture of Jack LaLanne doing a push-up? (On his fingertips! At age 90!) It's essentially a regular push-up with the arms extended out in front.
The other kind of Jack LaLanne push-up. Confusingly enough, there are two distinct exercises called Jack LaLanne push-ups. This one involves standing on a chair (or a box, or whatever) with the body piked so that the hands are on the ground near the chair. (The nearer the hands are to the chair, the more difficult the exercise is.) Now bend and straighten your arms.
Planche push-ups. See here for planche training. When you can do a planche (or even a tuck planche), try a push-up from that position.
Handstand holds. http://beastskills.com/Handstand.htm. Also try one arm handstand holds, pirouettes from a handstand, and walking on your hands.
Handstand push-ups. From a handstand, bend your arms until your head touches the ground, and then straighten them again. You can work up to this by doing negatives (i.e. lowering yourself down without pushing back up) or by bending your arms as far as you can and pushing back up, and gradually increasing the depth of the push-up. When you can do a full, head-to-ground handstand push-up, you're still a long way off pushing through the full range of motion of your shoulders. Elevate your hands on chairs or whatever so that you can dip your head down between them. The next progression is the one-arm handstand push-up.
Handstand shrugs. From the handstand position, shrug your shoulders up and down. The focus is on the trapezius muscles.
Press into handstand. http://beastskills.com/Handstand%20press.htm
Dips. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Dips+-+Triceps+Version. (You don't need parallel bars, any two objects of the appropriate height, like two tables, will do.)
Dip swings. Execute a dip while swinging the body and legs forwards and backwards. This works the back, hips and torso as well.
Tiger bend. http://www.bronzebowpublishing.com/TigerBend.gif. Also try it with one arm, or from a handstand position.
Divebomber/ Hindu push-ups. In the divebomber push-up, you go from this starting position, to the bottom position of a normal push-up, to this position, then back into the bottom position of a push-up, then back to the starting position. In a Hindu push-up, on the other hand, when you reach this position, you push back directly to the starting position without lowering yourself back down. Also try it with only one arm or one leg.
T-pushups. Go down as in a normal push-up, and when coming up, turn your body sideways and bring one hand off the ground to point to the ceiling
Reverse push-up. http://www.jeremymarkum.com/fitness/fitportal/full-entry-exercise/how-to-perform-a-reverse-pushup/

PULLING
These exercises target the upper-body pulling muscles - biceps, latissimus dorsi, posterior deltoids. You can do most of these from a tree branch or monkey bars, but I strongly advise getting a telescoping pull-up bar that fits into a doorway. These can be got very cheaply and can be used for a wide variety of exercises. For all these pull-up variations, having your hands closer together will put more emphasis on the biceps, whereas having them further apart will put more emphasis on the lats.

Pull-ups/ chin-ups. If you want to get technical, pull-ups are done with your palms facing you, whereas chin-ups are done with the palms facing away from you, though most people use the terms interchangeably. Pull-ups put more emphasis on the biceps than chin-ups. Another option is to have one hand facing you, and the other hand facing away from you. If you do this, make sure to switch grips so that both sides are worked equally. I've listed the following variations as 'pull-ups'; this is merely for the sake of convenience and should not be taken to imply that a certain kind of grip must be used.
L-pull-up. A pull up from an L-hang position. Video and slideshow here. Not only are your hip flexors and abdominal muscles challenged by the L-hang, but the pull-up itself becomes more difficult as the bodyweight is pulling down at a greater leverage.
One hand pull-up. Not to be confused with the one-arm pull-up. This is a pull-up in which one hand is on the bar and the other grasps this hand at the wrist like so. This challenges the stabilizers more.
1 arm pull-up. http://beastskills.com/OneArmPull.htm
Fingertip pull-ups. Instead of gripping the bar in your hand, remove the thumb and hang by your fingertips. This variation is imposed by necessity if you don't have a pull-up bar, as you can hang off the top of a door. If you're looking for goals, Eugen Sandow could do pull-ups hanging by just one finger!
Towel pull-ups. Loop a towel (or something similar) around a pull-up bar and grab the hanging towel like this. This will work your grip strength and endurance.
'Commando' pull-ups. Hang from the bar facing sideways, and pull yourself up so that your right shoulder touches the bar. Lower yourself down and pull back up so that your left shoulder touches the bar. http://www.trainforstrength.com/images/mctop.jpg
Lever pull-ups. Try pull-ups from the front and back levers described under core exercises.
Kipping pull-ups. You'll find a video of it here under 'Pull-up (kipping)'. These are not as hard rep for rep as regular pull-ups, but involve far more of the musculature of the back and hips.
Pull-up hold. Pause half-way through a standard pull-up or chin-up. Hold.
Climbing stuff! Climb trees, fences, monkey bars at playgrounds, poles, ropes, rockfaces, mountains, whatever. Climbing trees is great because it requires you to pull your bodyweight up from an unpredictable variety of angles and leverages.

HANDS
Spider-ups. From a push-up position (or any position in which some of your weight is resting on your palms e.g. leaning against the wall, most of the pressing movements above) curl your fingers up into something resembling a crane beak hand position.
Tiger claw. This is an isometric hand-strengthening exercise borrowed from kung fu. Simply crook your fingers in this position as hard as you can for as long as you can. It takes some mental focus to maximise tension in all ten fingers, but it's a handy drill as it can be done anywhere at any time.

Note again that any exercise involving taking weight on your hands - from push-ups to handstands to planches - can be done on the fingertips, or on the tips of only a few fingers. This is an excellent way of strengthening your hands.

NECK
Wrestlers' bridge. Either hold this position or else roll from the forehead to the top of the head and back.
Front bridge on neck. http://img115.echo.cx/img115/956/wb24dm.jpg. Can also be done either statically or rolling from the forehead to the tip of the head. Another version is to roll between the front bridge and wrestlers' bridge positions.
Self-resisting isometrics. By far the safest way of strengthening your neck. Just place your hands on your head and push against them with your neck. Repeat in six directions - looking down, looking up, looking left, looking right, tiliting the head right, tilting it left.
Headstand. http://www.pess.nie.edu.sg/ppt/image/Headstand.gif

PLYOMETRICS
Plyometrics are exercises without a decelerative phase, the part where you slow down to come to a stop at the end of the movement. They teach your nervous system to act explosively, and to utilise the force stored in an eccentric stretch, such as the wind-up for a punch, or the ducking motion before a jump. When training for power, reps should generally be limited to 6, as any fatigue will be detrimental. It is easy to overtrain on plyometrics; it's normally recommended to do them 1-4 days a week, 15-40 exercises per session (i.e. across all sets), depending on your level of development.
There are many lower-body plyometric drills, but they're mostly just slight variations on jumping, with no special benefits over simply jumping into the air, so I've thought it necessary to list only a few of the most important here. These should be all you need for a complete plyometric routine. This page describes them well and gives internal links to lists of exercises.
Depth jumps and shock jumps were the two original plyometric drills devised by Soviet sports scientist Prof. Yuri Verkhoshansky, who feels that much of what passes for plyometrics now - i.e. any jumping exercise - misses the point of the original plyometrics, namely to teach your nervous system to store compressed energy in the muscle tendon unit and release it explosively in the opposite direction. I feel that depth jumps and shock jumps should form the core of any lower-body plyometric routine. They are extremely effective exercises for increasing jumping ability, which is very important in wushu and some other martial arts.

Plyometric push-ups. From the bottom position of a push-up, push explosively off the ground to throw your upper body off the ground. An important exercise for anyone training in a martial art that punches with the power of the arm.
Plyometric pull-ups. Hang from a pull-up bar and pull yourself up explosively, letting go of the bar as you ascend, so that your hands come up above the bar.
Depth jumps. Drop (don't jump) from a height and, as soon as you hit the ground, jump up as high as possible. Your heels should not touch the ground. The height you drop from depends on your level of development. 45-70cm will do for most people, though advanced athletes use heights of up to 125cm. The horizontal distance you travel as you drop should be equal to the height you drop from.
Shock jumps. Drop from a height of 100-125cm and land as softly as possible, without your heels touching the ground. This exercise teaches you to absorb forces in your Achilles' tendon. As with depth jumps, the distance you land away from the object should be roughly equal to its height.
Jumps. Practise jumping straight up into the air and landing softly. Try it tucking your knees into your chest, bringing your feet behind you, or from one leg only.
Ankle bounces. Jump as high as you can without bending the knee, using only the ankle.

LINKS
www.drillsandskills.com - Gymnastics page including a list of floor skills, some basic conditioning info and a good links section.
www.beastskills.com - Well-written tutorials on advanced gymnastic and bodyweight conditioning skills.
http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode2/Workouts - Bodyweight conditioning articles on Dragon Door.
www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?MainMuscle=&Equip=BodyOnly - Bodybuilding.com's list of bodyweight exercises.
www.ronjones.org/Coach&Train/ExercisePhotos/index.html - A list of bodyweight exercises, included many varieties of push-up.
http://www.trainforstrength.com/exercises.shtml - Guides to performing some bodyweight exercises
www.trickstutorials.com - Guides to basic acrobatic moves and an outstanding section on flexibility and stretching.
www.gymnasticsrevolution.com/GymInteractive-Index.htm - Animations demonstrating gymnastic techniques.
www.mspt47.com/gymnastics/index.php?Floor_Exercise - Guides to basic gymnastic techniques.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler57.htm - Mike Mahler gives instructions for a few bodyweight exercises."

Turkish Get-Up: Functional & Fun

2006-10-29T16:38:00.000-05:00

TGUs are great for grapplers and just about everyone else since we all need shoulder strength and stability. Jeff Martone gives practical tips for performing the perfect Get-up and demonstrates the Kettlebell armbar, which is an awesome shoulder stretch.

The Turkish Get-up

Ross Enamait - Sledge Hammer Training

2006-10-13T16:59:00.000-04:00

Ross has put together another article on an ever growing popular tool - the sledge hammer.

Check it out: Ross Enamait: Sledge Hammer Training

Tactical Athlete

2006-10-10T11:03:00.000-04:00

I've added Jeff Martone's site to the Fitness Links on your left. I believe Martone has several unique products that would be a great addition to any fitness library. His "outside the box" thinking is what originally attracted me to his style of training and why I am now marketing his products. You are missing out on some great workouts if you aren't using Martone's H2H drills.

Check out Jeff Martone's impressive resume on his WEBSITE under bios in the About us tab.

If you ever get bored with your current routine, check out some of Martone's material. His H2H drills and SHOT Training will provide you will a never ending supply of fun and varied routines. If you don't think a 18 lb shot can give you a work out try it and see. Remember, a lot of people do not believe swinging around a 35 lb kettlebell is such a big deal. Those in the know, know otherwise. If you are just looking for a challenge... toss on a weight vest and give the SHOT training a run through.

I'll be posting some product reviews in the future when I get around to reviewing the material. Stay tuned.

Make Your Own Medicine Ball

2006-10-05T10:58:00.000-04:00

I've tried out several different methods for making medicine balls. All seem to work great. My first attempt was simply taking an old basketball that I had sitting around and cutting a small 'X' shaped slit with a box cutter. I put a funnel into the slit and opened up a $3 bag of sand and started filling. I then took a roll of duct tape and taped the hell out of it. I was left with a silver ball, which weighed in at 23 lbs. I finished up by writing the weight on the ball with a Sharpie. The ball has lasted a couple years, and I still use it from time to time.

Browsing the Internet I found an article that showed how to make a medicine ball that you could pump air back into to retain its shape and give it more bounce if you wanted. This way produced a ball that rivals the expensive Dynamax balls.

Here are the plans:
THE SLAMMER: A How to Guide to Making Your Own Medicine Balls

Bryce Lane's Articles

2006-10-01T09:37:00.000-04:00

Bryce Lane's site with a ton of interesting articles on strength, endurance and flexibility training. There are some good ideas here:

Articles

My Cubicle

2006-09-26T00:15:00.000-04:00

I know some of you can relate.

From the Blob to Captain of Crush - A Bender's Story

2006-09-23T12:32:00.000-04:00

To the left in the Grip links, I have indexed the site of Eric "Bender" Godfrey who is a certified Captain of Crush (CoC) and a bending fanatic. Instead of taking the traditional route to certifying on the #3 CoC, Eric to a page from John Brookfield -"Blockweights equal hand strength." Eric became addicted to bending and lifting blockweights. As his strength continued to grow, he would occasionally test himself on the grippers, "for fun." The hard work paid off, and Eric certified on the #3 Captain of Crush official list.

Check it out. There are a ton of good things going on at Bender's Page

And start pulling on those Blobs!

The Tactical Ten: Burning the butter in 10 minutes

2006-09-20T11:24:00.000-04:00

Jeff Martone gives us a couple of bodyweight + kettlebell complexes that anyone can use to get a killer 10 minute workout. These are similar to some of the complexes that Martone shows in his TAPS dvd. You think that you can't get a good workout in 10 minutes? Try these and get back to us. Everyone has at least 10 minutes a day to spare.

The Tactical Ten

More on Soft Tissue Work

2006-09-19T18:49:00.000-04:00

Some of you may have caught a recent post on Self-myofascial Release and have found some benefit in applying it to your routine. Are you looking for more? Tony Gentilcore has written an article for T-Nation on soft tissue work that he sees as a progression for those using the foam roller.

Nothing ground shaking, but a good summary of the information that is out there.

Soft Tissue Work for Tough Guys

If you feel like spending some money here is a highly recommended book on trigger point therapy:

The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief

and if you like the idea of using tennis balls for therapy, here is a book I have pulled information from since the '90s:

The Acupressure Warmup: For Fitness, Athletic Preparation and Injury Management

DIY Fitness Equipment Update

2006-09-12T18:36:00.000-04:00

For those of you who read my post on Building Your Own Fitness Equipment and are interested in bringing some of the ideas to life; take a look at McMaster.com for a lot of the harder to find materials. They carry a ton of items that you will not be able to find at most Lowes or Home Depots and will probably beat other local parts suppliers in prices. I've ordered from them several times, and the service was excellent and the shipping was very fast. A great resource for your homemade projects.

Highly recommended. I've added a link in the DIY section on the left.

Crossfit: Forging Elite Fitness

2006-09-10T11:21:00.000-04:00

Forging Elite Fitness. Well, it is unlikely Crossfit will take you to elite status, but it is a pretty good general physical preparation (GPP) program. Taking a look at the Athletic Skill Standards provided by Crossfit North, anyone who makes it to the top will truly be a well-rounded, multifaceted athlete - no one trick ponies here. Yet, I don't really see anyone making it to the top. Well, not performing all of the skills at the same time. There are just too many markers that would require specialized training to achieve. Don't take my word for it, look for yourself at the standards: Crossfit North's Athletic Skill Standards. The skill standards go from Level 1 Beginner status up to Level IV Elite Athlete status. It is a good list to give you plenty of goals to shoot for but don't bank on being able to do them all at one when you get into the top tiers.

Anyways, back to Crossfit. Many people have convoluted notions on the definition of fitness simply because there are so many different definitions. Everyone has an opinion; like Clint Eastwood says, "Opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one." Crossfit has formulated its own opinions on the methodology of developing balanced and "total" fitness. Taking into account numerous modalities like gymnastics, bodyweight exercise, Olympic lifting and so on, Crossfit emerges as a great set of principles for top shelf GPP. You can follow the workout of the day on the main webpage of Crossfit's site, or you can take the initiative and use the principles of the Crossfit program that suit your training needs and tailor a program around you own individual goals. Check out Crossfit journal 6 for a nice breakdown of the Crossfit template.

For more information on Crossfit, and the Crossfit definition of fitness, browse their free article from the Crossfit Journal, which can be accessed at Crossfit Journal: What is Fitness?. If the article peaks your interest and you want to know more about the Crossfit methodology be sure to check out the following article provided by Crossfit: Crossfit Foundations

Sandow Plus - York Hand Balancing Course

2006-09-10T00:04:00.000-04:00

Sandow Plus.UK has two excellent resources for anyone interested in training for free-standing handstands and beyond. The old York Handbalancing courses from the late 1940s offers practical suggestions that remain relevant to this day.

The York Handbalancing Course #1

The York Handbalancing Course #2

I'd give anything to be able to do some of the movements in the second course; The 1-Arm balancing is just plain sick. I may have to start practicing the material in the first pamphlet. Either way, it is great information on displays of athleticism.

Build Your Own Fitness Equipment

2006-09-07T23:05:00.000-04:00

I have always been a do-it-yourself type of guy - an acquired taste from years in the construction industry. Luckily for me, I discovered several Internet gems that will no doubt save you some money and give you a sense of accomplishment. Just don't do like me and turn a hobby into an obsession, building equipment just for the sake of building it. Your spouse will kill you.

My personal favorite: Grunt & Shen's Workshop

This site has a ton of useful ideas that will save you a lot of money from buying commercially built equipment. I've used numerous ideas from this site to construct some pretty functional fitness tools.

Other useful homemade equipment sites:

Brian Long's Site
Aptdwler's Site

The Seal Quest: BUD/S Preparation

2006-09-06T00:35:00.000-04:00

I have not visited the The Seal Quest Website for a while now. It seems like they have made a lot of changes and added a lot of new material. They have adopted a Crossfit style training program with their Seal Quest Daily Workout, mirroring Crossfit's Workout of the Day. This would be a wise decision given current military PT protocols.

There are also some pretty good articles. If you have read my blog entry on Self-Myofascial Release, there is related article on the Seal Quest that can be accessed through this link - The Seal Quest: Self-Myofascial Release Article

Ross Enamait - Hardcore Training

2006-09-05T14:00:00.000-04:00

Check out the article on a recent experiment by Ross Enamait: Hardcore Training

Ross Enamait's no bullshit, no nonsense, no misconceptions approach to fitness is steadily growing an almost cult following. I'm not normally one to so easily admit my admiration for anyone, especially anyone in the overly saturated fitness industry, but Ross Enamait is someone that is to be admired. As a family man and recent father, who spends his days training athletes, I find it hard to imagine the energy Ross has to put into his pet projects like Rosstraining.com. He routinely answers the same questions that are asked ad nauseam on his forum with a grace and patience that I've long forgotten. He is readily available to answer emails and provides answers to questions without the obscure nonsense of other fitness charlatans who try to sign you up with their "Inner-Circles."

Enamait's site is definitely one to check on regularly.

EliteFTS

2006-09-01T00:31:00.000-04:00

I was just reading through some of the recent articles over at
EliteFTS.com and am absolutely amazed at the quality of information that the contributors to EliteFTS put out there. It is a one of a kind resource for anyone interested in overall athletic and sports performance, and I am more than happy to pass this along to all of you that have not had a chance to check it out: EliteFTS Articles

Breath Awareness: Connecting Mind-Body

2006-08-30T12:15:00.000-04:00

Many people do not give much thought to breathing. It is an involuntary process that happens at birth. Something that occurs and then is forgotten, detached from our own self-awareness. Yet, breathing is important to how we live our lives - If we never breathe, we never live.

Our breath and how we consume oxygen dictates our moods, emotions, and overall states of wellbeing. Notice how your breathing changes when you are sad, angry, stressed, or relaxed. It is through our breathing patterns that our body is giving us clues to our current state of wellbeing. If we choose to listen to these clues, many of life's problems can be diffused as we step away to collect ourselves before pursuing any judgments in error.

The fact is we all know how to breathe and breathe correctly. If you don't, I doubt you will be reading much further. Everyone has breathed slowly, deeply, and effortlessly at some point in their lives. It's from the simple experience of living life that has left many of us blind to the natural breathing patterns of our early childhood. The good new is, breathing is just like riding a bike - once you learn, you never forget. Luckily for us, breathing is a natural condition of the human experience. We all know how to breathe; it just takes a little practice and patience to relearn how to breathe efficiently.

I believe it was through a program during grade school, when I initially began a conscious effort towards ineffective breathing. An instructor suggested to us that we breathe by sucking in the stomach and pushing the chest out as a means of maintaining a slim midsection. I erroneously took the advice and spent years following a shallow breathing pattern. It wasn't until I became a student of the Martial Arts that I became interested in correct and efficient breathing. We used breathing exercises as a means to calm our thoughts, and to become in-tune with our bodies and the moment. As I became more educated on the subject, I began to understand that proper breathing is essential to living a healthy lifestyle. The way I was originally taught to breath with the stomach in, chest out was most likely a prime mover in the stress-related problems of my early adolescence.

Mindful breathing has been shown to benefit a wide array of symptoms; from asthmatic complications to high blood pressure. Having trouble sleeping at night? Concentrate on your breathing and you will be counting sheep in no time. Suffering a panic attack? Be mindful of your breath and diffuse the stressful situation. Having trouble understanding and digesting new information? Give breathing a try, the appropriate intake of oxygen into the human body is essential for proper brain functioning. I could spend all day writing about the healthy benefits of mindful breathing, but somehow I think you get the point. Personally, I would much rather work on breathing than taking some prescription medication with a long list of side effects.

If I have peaked your interest, and you are ready to travel deep within and liberate your naturally given right to proper breathing, follow the simple guideline I have provided below.

Find a time and place where you will not be disturbed - Somewhere quiet and peaceful. Make this your personal haven for when you need to step away from things.

At first you may want to sit in a comfortable position, but over time you will want to attempt your breathing practice in various positions; sitting, standing, lying down, and while moving.

In the beginning, practice with your eyes closed. This will cut out one less distraction. As you become more proficient, you may begin experimenting with soft opening and closing of the eyes.

Breathe in and out softly through your nose, never straining at any point, and never holding your breath at any time.

Follow your breath and notice where it flows within your body. Do you breathe shallow, filling your upper chest, or is it a deep breath that penetrates your lower abdomen? If your breath stops at your upper chest, you are not breathing to your fullest potential. Begin allowing the air to flow into your lower abdomen. Work that diaphragm, it's there for a purpose. To get a feel for this, try placing one hand over your belly and one hand over your chest. When you inhale, you should only feel the hand that is on your belly moving.

Many people suggest counting on the inhale and the exhale. I tend to think that this takes away from the mind-body experience since you are focusing on the number not the breath or the sensations of your body. I would suggest to not count, but simply focus on the breath. How does it feel entering your nose, the back of your throat, and so on all the way into your abdomen? Do you feel any areas of tension or stress? If you find any tense areas, focus your awareness on them and feel (not visualize) their contours. Continue to breath while focusing your awareness on these points of tension, one-by-one, until they start to peel away like the layers of an onion. Peel away the layers until you feel that you can peel no more and then move on to the next point. Day by day, you will continue to strip away layers until eventually there is nothing left and the area is relaxed.

Begin by practicing for however long you are able. 5-15 minutes is a good starting point. Adjust your sessions as you find appropriate.

If you discover your mind wandering while in practice; acknowledge the thought, let it float away, and return to following your breath and feeling your body with your mind's awareness. You may also decide to end the session, and come back to it at a later time. The choice remains with you. As you continue to practice the gap between disturbing thoughts will continue to get larger and larger. Remember, the ultimate goal is a relaxed and comfortable state of being, never strain to continue a session.

I hope you enjoy the information as you begin to awaken a dormant part of your being that will have profound effects on your lives.

Golden Age of Iron Men - Eugen Sandow

2006-08-29T23:59:00.000-04:00

I highly encourage everyone to take a moment and browse The Sandow Plus Website - a site dedicated to the late Eugen Sandow (1986-1925), "The Father of Modern Bodybuilding." Sandow's time was long before the drug-imbued mess that pro bodybuilding has evolved into today. Unlike the trend of recent times, Sandow did not just look strong - he WAS strong.

Also on The Sandow Plus Website, there is information on other incredibly strong men who lived around the Sandow era.

From Sandow Plus: "Full reproductions of Sandow's Books. Articles about him and a comprehensive album of his most famous photographs. Important Bodybuilding books written before,during and after the Sandow era. Some of the leading Bodybuilding, Strength and Health books and courses that followed from the 1900s through to the 1950s and later. Plus much, much more."

Enjoy the history.

Ross Enamait - Strength Training For Fighters

2006-08-29T14:51:00.000-04:00

Ross just posted up this new article on strength training for combat athletes.

Ross Enamait - Strength Training for Fighters: 15 Random Thoughts

Impressive as always.

Foam Performance Enhancers - Self-Myofascial Release

2006-08-24T17:00:00.000-04:00

For the price of a cheap bottle of wine you can: relieve stressful joints while increasing their mobility, correct muscle imbalances while improving athletic performance, rehabilitate injuries and prevent future occurrences, and reduce muscle soreness. What? You've got to be kidding, what sort of snake oil is this? Although similar illusory claims run rampant in today's capitalist market, fortunately for us, every bit of it is true and then some.

Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) has been around for years, but is just now starting to reach mainstream awareness. SMR is a process by which tension, applied to a muscle past a certain limit, causes the Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO) to reduce muscle spindle activity and decrease muscle tension by a process called autogenic inhibition. This is the human body's natural response to injury-causing tension applied to a muscle. With regular use of foam rollers, stimulating the GTOs and the resulting autogenic inhibition can lead to greater neuromuscular efficiency.

So, what do I do next? If you are ready to begin adding SMR to your daily routine, you will first need a foam roller. There are plenty of options available through a simple Google Search. Two other highly recommended suppliers are Elite FTS and Power-Systems. You will want to start with a 1-3 foot long 6" roller. You can purchase these fairly cheaply, and for a little extra money there are also higher density rollers available. The minor increase in investment will give you a product that is less prone to break down as quickly as your standard foam roller. The smaller and harder the roller the better, but a typical 6" foam roller is the best place to start. Trust me, rolling over the IT band is truly a mind-over-matter experience, but you will feel great afterwards. Personally, I chose a low-tech option with materials I had sitting around the house. I cut a 3 foot section of 2 inch PVC pipe and tightly rolled around it one of the thousands of yoga mats that has made their way into my home. Secure it with duct tape and you are good to go. It has just enough give to make the movements bearable yet still provide the necessary tension. This option can get the job done, but I eventually caved in and ordered a Pro Roller from EliteFTS.

Next, you will want to learn some of the more standard rolling movements. Below is a suggested reading section where I have provided links to several articles that will further your understanding of SMR and provide illustrated descriptions of the movements. You will want to spend a few minutes on each movement for each side of the body, making sure that when you roll onto a painful area (you'll know for sure when you reach one) to stop rolling and rest on the roller while targeting that area for 30-60 seconds. Resting on the painful areas stimulates the GTOs mentioned earlier, giving you the benefits of SMR. From the recommendations in the links provided below, I have been performing SMR with my homemade roller daily and have found it to be a highly effective technique to use for recovery and overall relaxation. Well, to be truthful, SMR hurts like hell. It may even bring you to tears. Well maybe not, but the relaxation and after effects are great.

Suggested Reading:

Article: T-Nation - Feel Better for 10 Bucks
Article: Self-Myofascial Release Exercises

Enjoy the pain... Er, no, I mean massage.

The Next Time You Think of Quitting...

2006-08-21T23:34:00.000-04:00

or think of giving up on "impossible" goals, remember that there will always be individuals less fortunate than you who never quit, who never give up, and who always strive to reach their goals.

This video has been making the rounds for some time now. A powerful portrayal of dedication, determination, courage and most importantly love.

For more info on the accomplishments of the father-son duo, check out http://www.teamhoyt.com/

Stretching & Flexibility

2006-08-21T01:15:00.000-04:00

There seems to be a lot of confusion on the topic of stretching and flexibility. Many people continue to follow outdated advice and end up frustrated with the lack of progress in their current routine.

A free, comprehensive, resource put together by Brad Appleton contains just about everything you need to know about stretching and flexibility: Stretching & Flexibility: Everything you never wanted to know

A not-so-free guide that I found to be very helpful and informative in my own understanding of flexibility training came from the folks over at DragonDoor: Relax Into Stretch. I'm always impressed with Pavel's work - the information on why "stretching" is not the best way to become flexible is worth the price of admission alone. The section on Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) will quickly skyrocket your progress in flexibility and have you reaching your goals in no time.

Another mainstay in flexibility training that I have used as a reference for many years is Thomas Kurz's Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training

Garage Gym Shopping List

2006-08-19T15:05:00.000-04:00

The good people at Crossfit San Diego have provided us with an excellent resource for creating your own home gym: Garage Gym Shopping List. It has everything from what you will need, where to get it, and price comparisons to reviews, recommendations, and discount information. Please keep in mind that this list is geared towards a CrossFit ready gym, but don't let it stop you from getting ideas for creating a home gym that will suit your individual needs. Just because it is on this list doesn't mean that you need it to succeed.

Be sure to check out the DIY links to the left before purchasing any equipment. You can save yourself a lot of money with minimal effort.

The Diesel Crew's New Site

2006-08-18T18:14:00.000-04:00

The strong guys over at the Diesel Crew, the leaders in grip strength, have a new site in the works: The Grip Authority. If you have any interest in hand strength whatsoever, you will not want to miss this site. They will show you how to grind those Captain of Crush gripper handles and how to toss around Blobs like they were tennis balls. You may even learn how to bend a little steel.

In the mean time, be sure to check out the original home of the Diesel Crew for excellent videos to keep you motivated. Be sure not to miss out on the free info in the article section, which has some of the best training material around.