Core Training - Chain Sit-ups

Here is a video demonstrating straight leg sit-ups with chains, ie. dynamic loading with an odd-object.

This exercise targets the abdominals dynamically and statically while developing shoulder strength and stability.



Check out more advanced core training strategies in the Combat Core Manual and DVD!



-Jedd-

The Laine Snook Watch is ON!

Keep your eyes on Laine Snook, everybody. It is only a matter of time until Laine does a double Millenium Dumbbell Deadlift and then later a farmer's walk with the to implements.

Below is a recent attempt he took under the watchful eye of the Mobster, Steve Gardener, the originator of the dumbbells.



-Jedd-

Adam Grass Bends a Lot of Stuff

Adam never ceases to amaze. In this video he bends and tears about 15 pounds worth of stuff, does sick wrist curls, and does it all with a smile. Check it out.



If you'd like to get started with bending, nails, bolts, and round stock are a good place to start, and my Nail Bending eBook is the best place to start. You can get it here.

-Jedd-

Gripmas Carol Grip Contest Write-up

It was a great contest. I have a ton of videos of the after-contest feats. It will take me some time to get them all posted, just hang tight. First one up is Bob Sundin's Two 45's Pinch.

My crush was off for the contest and only managed a 177, putting me in third place right off the bat, so I had to play catch up the whole rest of the contest.

For the pinch, I think my attempts were 230, 240, 246, and 254. So my third was an attempt at the US record and my 4th was an attempt at the world's record. I told Eaton on the way down in the snow and ice that I was going to squeeze the pinch set-up so hard that I was going to snap it in half. And that is what i did every attempt. I squeezed every single attempt so hard my entire torso shook. There was no way an attempt was going to slip out of my hands. So the 246 was no problem. I lined up everything real nice for the 254 but it only barely came off the floor. Not sure what happened there. I think at that point I was .5 or .8 points behind Dave.

Chris Rice Pinch Lifts and Feats

Chris Rice lifts 215 and 225 pounds, both excellent numbers, in the Two hands Pinch at the Gripmas Carol contest on December 13, 2008. Also, he lifts 5 ten-lb plates and two 45-lb plates following the contest, both excellent feats of grip strength.



-Jedd-

Diesel is All Over the Elite Newsletter This Week

A new Diesel Compound was released this week on Elite. We also had the featured video.

Check out the latest Diesel Compound HERE

Check out the Video of the Week HERE

Levering a Giant Hammer

Several athletes gave it a try levering the giant wooden hammer that Scott George built from a hammer handle and a huge block of wood (felt like half a tree) following the Gripmas Carol Grip Contest.



Check out The Grip Authority to learn how to lever giant hammers and bend nails bolts and steel stock like a madman.

-Jedd-

Classic Paul Anderson Video

For your viewing pleasure.



-NAPALM-

Mike Testen - Smitty's Trainee

Mike Testen has shown himself to be a very hard worker in the gym. I wish him the best in this year's wrestling season.

-Jedd-

Interview on Grip World Magazine

Steve "Mobster" Gardener recently interviewed me on his page, Grip World Magazine. Steve's interviewed some of the best in Grip, and I am pleased to be featured on his site.

Check it out here.

-Jedd-

This Week's S&F Newsletter

Just sent out this week's Strength and Fitness Newsletter. Have you seen the new design to the newsletter page and the rest of StraightToTheBar.com? I think it looks great.

This week's newsletter includes:

Article: How to Train for Strength by Parth Shah
Article: Running - How, Where, Why, When by Girlwith Noname
Featured Video: EFS Underground Strength Sessions
Featured Site: The Unorthodox Method

This week's newsletter also includes a brand new section called Recommended. This week, we take a look at Linebacker Fitness from Vince Palko.

And there's more, including two great selections From the Archives:

Silence for Intense Workouts by Parth Shah
Blast from the Past: Tricking by Scott Bird

Sign up now so you don't miss the next one - it goes out each week!

Email:

-NAPALM-

From the Forum - The Shit Testimonial

From a recent post on the DIESEL forum: The Sh*t You've Never Seen DVD

"I just wanted to say that I picked up this video and it really was pretty cool to see. First off, it was pretty nice to get a DVD for 25$ instead of the 40$ that most of these training videos end up costing. But it's also great to see guys in a dark shitty garage looking gym lifting really heavy stuff. You guys really are incredibly strong. It's also nice to see a video where you included the failed lifts. Not every training session is a highlight reel and it's nice to add that determination in there to show that even the strongest guys need a few tries. My only criticism is that I really wanted to see a bit more of the heavy kettlebell work but that's just a personal preference. It was cool to see Jedd land that double flip. Really raw but great video, I definitely recommend it." Matthew Boylan

To check out more on our DVD, The SH*t You've Never Seen, including the promo video, click the link below.

The Sh*t You've Never Seen DVD

-NAPALM-

Sled Manual Testimonial

Just received this testimonial this weekend from a customer who recently picked up the Ultimate Sled Dragging Manual. Check it out:

Jedd,

I just wanted to write and tell you that your Sled Dragging handbook is a necessary tool for anyone who trains themselves or others. Many of us (whether an athlete or a couch potato) suffer from imbalances that are in or result from the hips, groin, pelvis and lower back. These problems spread out and cause knee, shoulder, back pain etc..

This guide will not only show you to use Sled dragging (and more) to build athletic power but also to help aid in recovery and iron out any weaknesses and imbalances. If you put even just some of these drills into practice you can expect to fix nagging injuries, speed recovery, and probably even set a few new PR's in the weight room.

Thanks for putting together this manual and I'll be looking forward to more in the future.

Trent Chance, IL

Thanks so much for the fine words, Trent!

To get your copy of Ultimate Sled Dragging, click here.

-NAPALM-

Chris Rider Lifts My Inch with his Hair

Here, Chris Rider lifts my 172-lb Replica Inch Dumbbell with his hair.



-NAPALM-

245LBS Two hands Pinch

Here is a clip of a recent workout. I pulled 245-lbs in the Two Hands Pinch to lockout. In the contest, you only have to lift the apparatus about 8 inches or so. Hopefully you can view this video, as Revver as not been working well with the site for some people lately.



You can also check out the video here.

I am gearing up for the Gripmas Carol Grip Contest on December 13th. I have been chasing the record in this event for years and to be this close to it, being able to pull the implement this heavy to lockout at the end of the workout, and to be peaking this close to a contest has me really excited.

All the best in your training!

-NAPALM-

The Truth about Protein Supplements

This is a post I just saw on the Gripboard and am re-posting here with permission of the author, Chris Mason of AtLargeNutrition.com.

---From Chris Mason---

I see threads every day on our forums, and others, which address the concern of what is the best protein supplement, and specifically, what is the best protein supplement for the money?

The most common form of the argument presented goes something like the following:

“Protein is protein. Buy the least expensive you can get as it will work just as well as more expensive products.”

The above statement is bunk! First, the cost of a protein supplement DOES have something to do with its quality. You have to understand that the protein supplementation marketplace is incredibly saturated. This saturation literally precludes any company from making a windfall profit selling protein only supplements. If a protein product is inexpensive, especially one offered by a large company with a HUGE advertising budget, you can be rest assured that its quality leaves something to be desired. Quality can take many forms just a few of which are listed below:

- The source of the raw ingredients and how they were processed for the end product.
- The cost of the ingredients used for flavoring.
- What is actually in the protein supplement relative to the label claim.
- The specific forms of protein (the various fractions of whey, casein, egg albumen etc.) in the product.
- Contaminants in the ingredients.

A dirty little secret of the supplement industry is that it is rife with companies that are willing to cut a lot of corners in order to either maximize profitability, or to undercut the market. It only makes basic economic sense that a company cannot afford to spend literally hundreds of thousands of dollars per month advertising heavily in every single bodybuilding, fitness, and strength sports magazine and still sell a product less than their competitors unless they are offering a product of inferior quality.

We at AtLarge Nutrition, LLC (www.atlargenutrition.com) have spoken of the quality of Nitrean since its initial release. We were one of the first sports supplement companies in the modern era to buck the trend of whey-only protein supplements. In the years since, Nitrean has become our best selling product, has gained industry wide recognition from the likes of Men’s Health magazine and Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell, and has fueled the training of some of the strongest men and women on the planet!

Why is Nitrean so popular? Why is it superior to any whey-only protein supplement?

Nitrean’s advantage lies in its unique blend of proteins. Nitrean utilizes a protein matrix consisting of 3 fractions of whey of which isolate is the primary (and also the most prevalent form of protein in the product), casein, and egg albumin. These proteins are combined in specific ratios to ensure optimum amino acid delivery over a prolonged period of time which results in a superior net retention. Net retention of ingested protein is the entire point of protein supplementation. Your body cannot do anything with protein ingested which is not retained.

What Makes Nitrean the Best Protein Value on the Market?

Ahhh, now we get to it, the real point of this report. Make no bones about it; Nitrean is flat out the BEST PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT VALUE ON THE MARKET! How can we make this claim? The answer is simple, and has already been stated. Nitrean’s protein blend provides for superior net retention. You can literally use less Nitrean than the competition and get BETTER results. This is not mere bravado; there is research to back this statement. Kerksick et. al published their study The Effects of Protein and Amino Acid Supplementation on Performance and Training Adaptations During Ten Weeks of Resistance Training in the Journal of Strength Conditioning Research (volume 20, issue 3 – August 2006, pp. 643-653). This study demonstrated that a blend of whey and casein proteins significantly outperformed a carbohydrate placebo and a whey and BCAA blend with resistance trained males. What does significantly mean? The whey and casein blend users added an AVERAGE of over 4 lbs of lean muscle mass during the study while the other 2 groups added virtually NONE (all groups did significantly increase strength)!

Bottom line, Nitrean so significantly outperforms the whey-only competition that using 50% less Nitrean will provide equivalent or superior results to those seen with your current whey-only product. You bust your ass in the gym, don’t fuel your muscles with inferior products, get Nitrean and get the best quality, efficacy, and VALUE on the market.

To check out more about Nitrean or At Large Nutrition, please go to the following sites:

AtLargeNutrition
Nitrean Protein Supplement

-Jedd-

Adam Glass Bends 100 Grade 5 Bolts!

Yesterday, the Madman from Minot, Adam T. Glass showed that he IS unbreakable by bending 100 Grade 5 bolts measuring 1/4 inch in diameter and 6 inches in length with the heads cut off in 51 minutes.

I spoke to him yesterday before he began and he said that loves to do this type of self challenge about a week before each major appearance he has in order to get his head on right. I could tell when I talked to him that it was going to be no problem for him. Once he lays out a challenge for himself, he just does it.

He took some video of this hour of pain for us all to benefit from:

Part 2



Part 3



Part 4



"I did it because I know I can." - Adam T. Glass, 11/23/08

Great work Adam. Keep inspiring us.

-Jedd-

Recent PR from Brian Oberther

Here's Brian completing a series of pulls recently, ending up with 530 lbs!



Great job Brian. You are obviously working very hard in the gym at school. Keep up the good work - it's paying off!

-Jedd-

Importance of Grip Strength in Football

Here is a guest post from Shane Swing. Recently he caught a college football game in which Grip strength pretty much became the deciding factor in the win. Here's what he had to say:

"Leading by 1 point with just seconds left to play, all Texas Longhorn cornerback, Curtis Brown, had to do was grab Texas Tech’s wide receiver, Michael Crabtree, wrap him up, and fall down to allow his team to retain their #1 ranking.

As fate would have it, Mr. Brown apparently is not a grip enthusiast, thus his grip failed miserably and his team lost the game.

As a grip enthusiast, it was clear as day to me what caused the loss. It wasn’t coaching, curses, hot weather, or home field advantage, as pundits predictably tend to bicker over. Lack of grip strength lost the game, plain and simple, and it should immediately become part of the Texas Longhorn’s training program.

Will it? Who knows. Grip training lacks the respect it deserves. Hell, even my buddies that I’ve known since high school constantly rib me over my grip training, yet, they begrudgingly had to admit that lack of grip strength lost the game for Texas.

Sweet vindication for me, bitter pill for Texas I guess. Time will tell if they wise up...and Diesel Up."

Shane Swing
Grip Enthusiast, Maryland

Thanks Shane.

Check out this clip. Don't worry about having to watch the whole thing. I've got it set up to start playing right from the spot where the pivotal missed tackle takes place.



Never ignore the importance of Grip Strength!

-Jedd-

Quadruple Elbow Strikes

This is an attempt at performing the quadruple elbow strike with the speed bag which involves striking the speed bag in an elbow-fist-elbow-fist succession with the bag hitting only the back of the platform in between strikes. This was my first time trying this advanced technique.



-Jedd-

Kettlebell Meltdown

Click here to check out this great product from Josh Henkin.

-NAPALM-

Review of the Diesel Sled Manual

Check out this review of our ebook, The Ultimate Sled Dreagging Manual at Body by Long.

-NAPALM-

Video Bar

Hey everyone! Check out the video bar I just added to the right-hand side of my page. Pretty cool stuff! Click on a thumb nail and a small window will come up within which you will view the video.

Enjoy!

-NAPALM-

Teemu Attempts the 3.5 Certification

Above, Teemu Ilvesniemi attempts the IronMind 3.5 Gripper Certification.

I have watched many videos of Teemu destroying 3.5 grippers with ease.

However, the one he tried above looked so darn wide! For him to leave a gap that big between the handles after attempting, tells me that it was a damn hard spring as well.

I don't know what happens with grippers after trying for certification - does the athlete send it back? - - does the athlete get to keep it? - but I would suggest Teemu tries to keep that one because it seems as though if he can work up to closing that 3.5, he will be able to close pretty much any 3.5, plus he'd be that much closer to closing a #4 under certification requirements.

Best of luck to you Teemu! You are an outstanding grip athlete!

-NAPALM-

The World is Going DIESEL!

After Rory Hickman read my latest article on STTB.com, he had to give it a try!





Give it a try and post a video and I will put it up here!

-NAPALM-

Strengthening the Lateral Rotators of the Shoulder

Dr. Michael Yessis has written an article looking at strengthening the lateral rotators of the shoulder, on the EliteFTS site.

Check it out here

-NAPALM-

Feats of Strength Index

At LegendaryStrength.com, Logan has added a new page where you can learn about feats of strength. It just went up, but it looks like it's going to be pretty cool. Check it out here.

-NAPALM-

Video: Kettlebell Curling with Band

In this video we curl a 65-lb kettlebell upside-down by the horns with a jump stretch band attached to it, and choked to our feet.

Check out the article I wrote this week on Straight To The Bar!

Kettlebell Training for Grip Strength

-JEDD-

Looking for Affiliates for the Sled Dragging eBook

The Sled Dragging Manual is up on Clickbank and I am looking for affiliates to help me market it by way of clickbank.com.

ClickBank is very easy to use and I will be more than happy to help you all figure it out.

If you are interested in adding the Sled Dragging Manual to your site so that you can make sales while your surf the net, work out in the gym, and while you sleep, then please hit me with an email at jedd.diesel@gmail.com!

Thanks.

-NAPALM-

Charles Staley Reviews Combat Core

Charles Staley recently review Smitty's outstanding core strength product, Combat Core Strength, on his site and promoted it in his newsletter.

Check out Staley's review, here.



Pick up your copy of Combat Core, here.

-NAPALM-

Diesel Updates

Forum Post - Increasing Deadlift Grip Strength

What are some ways to increase your pulling strength for deadlifts? He is a recent post on the forum. What techniques do you use to pull bigger deads to lockout?

New Article - Kettlebells for Grip Strength

See how to work the lower arms using a kettlebell and bands!

Michael Fry Interviews Jedd Johnson

Check out this interview from Michael Fry at Grappler's Gym on Grip Strength for Combat Athletes - membership needed!

-NAPALM-

Diesel Classic Clip - Pinching Two 35s with Two Fingers

Here is a cool clip from a couple years ago of Brad and Eli vanquishing some pinch feats.



-NAPALM-

Did You Know...Combat Core

Did you know that Combat Core is the #8 ranked fitness book on the Internet?

That's right! Smitty's latest product, Combat Core, is ranked #8 of all Fitness-related products by Clickbank!

There is a reason why it is ranked so high. It's because it is damn good.

I guarantee you that is you try some of these exercises you are going to feel it for a while - I don't care if you train core every single day or if an ab workout only works its way into your routine once a month. Combat Core is gonna get ya.

Check it out, here.

-NAPALM-

Inspiration from Adam Glass

Not even a severely damaged shoulder will hold back Adam Glass. He truly is UNBREAKABLE. Look at these awesome Grip feats!



Great job Adam.

Check out Adam's Blog The Road Less Traveled.

-NAPALM-

Kimbo Slice vs Seth Petruzelli

Above, the Kimbo Slice fight from last weekend.

See my thoughts at the Pro Wrestling Pundit: Click Here.

-NAPALM-

Ultimate Sled Dragging Ebook

The Ultimate Sled Dragging eBook is back up on our site.

Click here to check it out!

-NAPALM-

Weird Olympic Sports

Did you know rope climbing, club swinging, and tug-of-war used to be Olympic sports? It is true, according to this page...Check it out: here.

-NAPALM-

My Revver Page

Add me as a friend on Revver! Just go here and add me.

Hurry up!

-NAPALM-

Cool Grip Picture

Here is Chris Mathison, Mash Monster Level 2, with a very cool Grip Feat picture. Chris is lifting a Blob 50, a replica 50-pound blob implement.

-NAPALM-

The Store of Strength

I have added a store to my blog: Jedd's Store of Strength. My aim is to make it easy as possible for you to find the resources you need to achieve your goals. There is a ton of great resources out there. Why spend all day searching for them? I have put most of them into my store.

Check it out. Jedd's Store of Strength

-NAPALM-

Cool Jet Li Video

I love watching non-conventional training methods in action, especially those of martial artists. Here is a video clip of Jet Li (at least that is what it is labeled as) training.



Really cool stuff. Perhaps most impressive is his muscle control when he spins his foot around the beer bottle pinned in the tree. There is no way I could do that without my hip flexors clamping up on me!

-NAPALM-

Grip Article & Video

I just posted a new article at StraightToTheBar.com - check it out here.

While you are here, be sure to check out the latest videos as well.

Pinch Grip Lifting a 56-lb Weight-for Height



Pinching Two 45's and Lifting a Half 115 Hex Block



Various Training techniques with the Titan's Telegraph Key



-NAPALM-

Article - The Grip of Man - Building a Crushing Hand Shake

The next time you meet someone for the first time, don't slip them a handshake that's weak and slippery like a pickerel. Here is an article on building the grip strength to have a monster hand shake:

The Grip of Man

-NAPALM-

Looking for Affiliates for the Nail Bending eBook

As many of you know, I devote much of my strength training time to developing world class Grip Strength. This great journey has included learning the ins and outs of nail, bolt, and bar stock bending.

Along the way, I developed product called the Nail Bending eBook. This is the most complete bending reference material available on the internet, and has gotten many good reviews and testimonials.

Over the last few months, I have been actively recruiting new affiliates to help market my product. In case you are not familiar with affiliate marketing, the way it works is actually very simple.

My Bending eBook sales are all completely automated because I list it on ClickBank. ClickBank is great because when a customer makes a purchase, the ClickBank software completes the sale for you.

I also offer a 50% commission to my affiliates for every sale, meaning that all you have to do is push the product and make sales and you and I split the profits right down the middle. The eBook sells for $39.97.

Signing up for ClickBank is easy. All you have to do is create your own unique ID, pair it with the link that is matched up with my eBook and then start selling. Each sale that you make is credited back to you! You just list my product with the correct link on your blog, site or store page and you never have to do anything ever again.

I stand by the Nail Bending eBook as the best resource material for bending nails, bolts, and all types of short stock. If you are interested in joining my affiliate force, please contact me by email by clicking here.

Let's make money together,

-JEDD JOHNSON-

New Vids on the DIESEL Site

Check out the Diesel site - I just put up three awesome grip strength feat videos of the showdown in my back yard after the US Grip Strength nationals on August 30th.

Check it out here.

-Jedd-

Chuck Liddel Knockout

Cool Strength Building Exercise: The Ox (Video)

Here is Matt Brouse performing the Ox. Really cool lift!

-NAPALM-

Bending eBook Review

Here is a review of my Nail Bending eBook, posted by Dan Cenidoza on his Be-More Training Blog.

Check it out here.

-NAPALM-

New DIESEL Product

Click on the image above to check out our latest product, Stone Lifting Fundamentals.

-NAPALM-

Rick Walker's Blog

If you haven't check it out lately, Rick Walker is keeping his blog updated. Don't forget to check it out: There's Something in the Basement.

Eat some steak.

-NAPALM-

Cool Forearm Roller Variation

Joe Hashey has come up with a very interesting forearm roller variation using apull-up bar, some cord, and a weight plate. here's the video:

-NAPALM-

Bending Nails for Fun and Strength

Logan Christopher, of LegendaryStrength.com, has put up a great article on nail bending called "Bending Nails for Fun and Strength".

Sometimes, you just want to bend some nails for fun. There's no need to shoot for a certification or any kind of acknowledgment from your peers. Sometimes, it's just finishing the nail that counts.

Happy bending,

-NAPALM-

Tommy Heslep, Grip Star, in the News

Tommy Heslep was once an active competitor in the sport of grip, but has since turned his interests to the professional performing strongman circuit these days. he is getting some good ink at The Warren Sentinel. Check it out here.

-NAPALM-

New Article: Get the Most out of Your TTK

I just put a new article up on StraightToTheBar.com, "How to Get the Most out of Your TTK."

The Titan's Telegraph Key is a common grip training tool, but feedback I have heard on it is that people get bored with it because they always do the same thing with it. Before you know it, it's off in the corner collecting dust.

This article shows some things you can do with the TTK to get some serious thumb strength gains. Do all the variations in this article a couple times and I guarantee you will be feeling it later on.

Check it out, here.

Digg it here.

-NAPALM-

Real Man Muscle Building

A few days ago, I posted about my new training approach: primary emphasis on grip strength in preparation for GGC, while maintaining my full body conditioning as well. I am continuing this approach and am loving it. Just this past week, two separate people at work remarked about how much I had trimmed down. The post is below, but mainly I am putting focus on big lifts and pushing myself to complete 11 sets within a ten minute period. This has resulted in better conditioning, shorter workouts, and sustained progress in my grip training which is leaving me just ecstatic.

I see another professional in the industry, Zach Even-Esh is doing much the same thing with abbreviated workouts. He says he has been able to regain tons of family time again while balancing his hectic schedule and booming business. In fact, he has felt so strongly about what he has done, he has put together a product about it, packed with several related bonuses. He calls it Real Man Muscle Building, and it looks awesome. At a cost of $39, there's no way you can go wrong. If you're pressed for time and want to get your life back, you gotta check it out.

I have worked with Zach on a product in the past, Grip Experts, and I have seen much of his other works, so I am convinced this latest effort is going to be amazing.

Do something good for health and your family and check this out now: Real Man Muscle Building.

-NAPALM-

Double Underhand Bending - Adam Glass

Adam covers double-underhand bending technique.

-NAPALM-

5 Tips for Increased Nail Bending Performance

Many people have been emailing me about some of the little things they can do to help their bending. Sometimes, it's the little things that matter the most. Here are 5 tips you can use to immediately increasing your nail bending performance - straight from my Nail Bending eBook.

1. Make sure the wraps you use are TIGHT. If the wraps are loose, they will slip. If they are tight, the nail will bend easier.

2. Make sure you put chalk inside the wraps. This will secure the wraps even better and help you really torque down on the nail.

3. Chalk your hands. If your hands are sweaty, you won't be able to grip what you are bending with the utmost power. Chalk your palms, the back of your hands, and in between the fingers for the best grip.

4. Tighten your whole body. In my Nail Bending eBook, I talk about radiant tension. This is tension that pulsates throughout the body and gives you a boost in strength, and many people do not realize it. Tighten everything up before you start the bend. this will pay huge dividends in the kink and the crush-down.

5. Warm up well. Warm up your entire body before bending. Some of my best bending sessions took place after a full workout. That might be a bit too much pre-bending work for some though. At the least do some movements for the entire body to get the blood flowing. I never bend anything until I have a decent head sweat going. This also helps prevent injuries!

These 5 simple tips have helped me out big time. Do them consistently and you will see a difference. When i tell people these things, I can see a light bulb flash in their head, and they often say, "Why didn't I think of that?" Sometimes it's the little things that make the biggest difference.

For more tips that will instantly change your bending performance, you've gotta check out my Nail Bending eBook. At just $39.97, it's a steal!

-NAPALM-

New Articles at the Diesel Site!

Don't miss the new articles just posted on the Diesel site.

Check them out here.

-NAPALM-

Slim the Hammer Man Articles

Just ran across two reprinted articles on Slim "The Hammer Man" Farman.

Check them out here.

-NAPALM-

Fire Walk with Me - My Workout Log on the Diesel Forum

To check out my training log, Fire Walk with Me, log onto the Diesel Forum by clicking here.

So, I have decided to start a training log.

These days, my principle focus in my training is Grip strength. Global Grip Challenge is coming up August 30th, so I have really scaled my grip training up a ton.

These last 6 weeks or so before the GGC, I have shifted my body training around quite a bit. I don't want to eliminate the body lifts totally, but I don't want to sacrifice any time I can put toward Grip training either, so what I have been doing is focusing primarily on the bigger movements for each body part ONLY.

For instance, for chest day, I have been doing bench press only. For shoulders, overhead press and posterior flyes only. For back, rows and deadlift variations only, etc. My reasoning here is that I want to make sure I continue to incorporate the multi-joint and ground based movements to maintain strength during these times. These such movements are what I consider the "bigger movements."

Now, obviously, posterior flyes are not "big lifts" but I love the movement and I am really trying to work on maintaining balance between my antagonistic muscle groups. Because of the high numbers of reps I am doing, i figured I had better not over work my shoulders in one plain and cause myself impingement or some other injury, so i am keeping the posterior flyes, shrugs, and hyperextensions in the routine.

When I was planning my first routine with this approach, I pondered what tempo i would use. High reps? Low reps? 3 sets of 10? It all sounded kind of boring, and that's when it hit me. I would try something I never tried before. I'd do each big movement for 10 minutes and try to do as many sets and reps as possible in the allotted time.

This seemed perfect for many reasons -

1. I'd be getting my work in with these big multi joint movements.

2. I'd be getting lots of reps in, in a short time

3. I'd be working really hard

4. I'd be getting a pump

5. I'd be working in a manner that was different than I had been, shocking my system like a torture device

6. I'd be through my body lifts in like 20 or 30 minutes and have a ton of time each night to dedicate to my grip training.

I was stoked, brother.

In the past, I have tried doing 10 sets of a lift in 10 minutes and documenting the reps, but this time I wanted to do more, so I decided my goal would be to complete 11 or more sets of the movement in the time span of 10 minutes.

The tempo of these lifts is nearly non-stop. I begin at the start of the ten minute period and perform as many repetitions of the lift as I can. Once done, I get up, walk over to write the reps down, and with minimal rest, return to the lift to begin the next set. In between sets, I strive to keep the rest period as short as possible taking only the time to write down reps, get a swig of fluids, or re-chalk my hands. Sometimes, I will also stretch the area I am working if I am just too pumped or if my muscles are seizing up. Other than that it is just get up, write and come back for another set.

I must say, I am loving this new routine. Even on some of the 90+ degree days we've been having lately, after working 10 or 11 hours, I have not missed a single workout. In fact, I've actually been hitting more workouts per week than before, plus hitting extra grip workouts throughout the week. Last Sunday, I actually hit two Grip workouts and then trained on Monday.

So, I thought I would share some of these workouts with the forum to reflect on them and also to receive feedback from all of the members.

7/14/08
Bench - 225 lbs - 7:02PM to 7:12 PM
Reps: 8,5,3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2
Total sets: 10
Total reps: 36
So, I did not make the 11 set goal, but my pump was ridiculous, especially in my triceps. I thought even though I didn't get the 11 sets, it was still an awesome feeling to hit all those reps in such a short time. Please, my triceps got a much better workout than the push-downs I had been doing for the last several endless weeks. Since I lift in my basement now, I do not have access to a variety of machines and different size dumbbells, so my tricep work had become stale.

Dips - Bodyweight - 7:30PM to 7:40 PM
15, 6, 5, 5, 4, 4.75, 6, 4, 5, 3, 4, 4, 3.25, 3, 2, 2
Total sets: 16
Total reps: 75
Again, this movement hit the triceps hard and I began dropping off the bars quicker very early on in the period, as you can see from my 15-rep to 6-rep drop off in set 1 and 2.

You'll also notice that there was nearly a 20-minute break in between the two lifts. This was because I worked some grippers in between.

You'll also notice that the reps, as written (with the decimals) add up to more than 75. The decimals signifies a failed rep. If it's a .25, it means I barely started the rep. A .75 means I nearly completed the rep but failed. A .5 is somewhere in between.

I was able to get more sets in, I think, because I could recover more quickly. The resistance (bodyweight) wasn't too threatening, so only 30 seconds could go by and I'd still be ready to jump back up on the bars.

7/16/08
Pull-ups 6:45 PM to 6:55 PM
8, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2.75, 2, 2, 1
Total sets: 13
Total reps: 40
This was a really intense session. Toward the end I was hustling back to the pull-up bar to try to get more reps in. I took a shot of 5-hour energy that night and was jacked up big time.

I hit pinch next.

Posterior Flyes 85-lb DB's 7:30 PM to 7:40 PM
7, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3.25, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2.75, 2
Total sets: 13
Total reps: 47
I had the dumbbells set up right beside where I was documenting, so this enabled me to get a lot of sets in. It felt great to engorge my posterior delts like this.

Another Day (not sure of date - didn't write it down)
Axle RDL's 225 7:48 PM - 7:58 PM
8, 6, 6, 5, 3, 4, 2.75, 1, 3
Total sets: 9
Total reps: 38
I did this after doing squats. I did not employ the 11-in-10 to my squats. This is the first time in a while that I did RDL's for reps, and since I used the axle, my grip was fried from my fingertips back to my wrist and again out to my thumb!

7/24/08
Pull-ups 5:03 - 5:13
10, 4, 3, 3, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2
Total sets: 14
Total reps: 48
It was great to get the workout in so early. i got up for work at 3:45 and worked until 4, but like I said earlier, I have really been geared up to train with this system and with GGC coming up.

One more set this week than last time and a total of 8 more reps than last night! Great improvement!

Axle Shrugs 225-lbs 5:18 - 5:28
15, 12, 10, 7.5, 9.5, 7, 10, 7, 4.5
Total sets: 9
Total reps: 81
Because the rep range was so short I was really really strict on counting the reps. If it didn't feel like I got the weight all the way up, I didn't count it.

A little bit of a pump in the thumb pads - not too tough on the grip.

Missed my 11-set goal

F-Word Wrist extensions 5:30 - 5:40
Not sure how much weight is on there.
11, 10, 10, 7.5, 6.5, 9, 7.5, 6, 4.5
Total sets: 9
Total reps: 70
This was the first time I employed the 11-in-10 system to a complete grip movement, but it worked well. I try to do these or some other type of wrist extension each week for balance.

7/30/08
Pull-ups 6:52 - 7:02
12, 3, 4, 3, 3, 3, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2.25, 3, 2.25
Total sets: 13
Total reps: 48
Completed one less set than last time, but got the same amount of reps.

8/1/08
Started out with log strict press. 5 sets of triples with 160. Couldn't believe how much it took out of me for the bench. Of course, strict press takes a lot out of your triceps and I feel it big time in the tri's when I hit these reps on the bench.

Bench - 225-lbs 7:00 - 7:10
10, 5, 3, 3, 3, 2.75, 2, 2
Total sets: 8
Total reps: 30
I was pretty disappointed with my performance, but I understand it is mainly due to working the strict press before the bench work.

3-inch Wrist Roller - 70-lbs
My wrist roller is a 3" Fat bastard Roller, and it goes on one of the pins in the squat cage. I love it. I rolled it up, pulling it toward me on top, then would return it back to the floor, semi, under control, not letting it just unwind to the floor, then bring it back up. This was unbelievable. I have never had this kind of a pump in my forearms, ever! It was a different pump. It felt like the pump was spread out to different spots throughout my forearm - weird man!

3, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Total sets: 8
Total reps: 23

There was no way i was getting 11 sets in tonight! My forearms were wicked pumped! It was a great feeling though, and I look forward to doing it again.

I tell you, lifting with this tempo has been great. I am actually looking forward to each workout. I feel delightfully throttled after each body workout, but not too destroyed to get some really good grip workouts in. I think I am going to keep this 11-in10 system going for a while.

Hopefully, I can also keep up the workout log.

-NAPALM-

GGC Notes

I know it's been quite a while since I posted anything. The fact is I have been very busy getting ready for GGC.

You may have seen that I have been sending out newsletters on this upcoming contest on a weekly basis. The reason for this is because I want to do everything I can to help the sport grow, and I think one way to do that is to get information about it out in the open. For that reason, I have been sending out these newsletters to two of our mailing lists - the Grip Strength mailing list and the Diesel Report mailing list. These are our two oldest list and have readers on them that have known us from the beginning - way back since 2003.

I also believe an excellent way to grow the sport is to take care of our sponsors. In each newsletter, I am sending out updates about new sponsors that have come on board. We are up to 10 sponsors at this point:

PerthStrongman.com
TotalPerformanceSports.com
StraightToTheBar.com
Dennis Rogers
APT's Pro Wrist Straps
Be-More Training
Elite FTS
Stronger Grip Enterprises
At Large Nutrition
Chris Rice

These sponsors have really stepped up this year and are helping to make this year's prize cache probably the biggest ever! I would appreciate if you keep these guys in mind the next time you need to pick up new equipment, new supplements, new dvd's etc.! They are showing their support for us, so let's show our support for them!

I'd also like to take a moment and let everyone know that we are starting a new blog for the USGrip Scene. It is at http://usgrip.blogspot.com/. It just went up this week and we have several people contributing: Zach Coulter, Chris Rice, Eric Milfeld, and myself.

Our goal is to grow the sport, so our efforts will be focused around that. Announcements regarding next year's Grip season will be made their, so make sure to check back often!

In closing, here is a list of competitors who have confirmed their participation at the global grip Challenge this year. Remember, this is the first year ever that we set up qualifiers and required qualification in order to compete at the National Competition, GGC. It's a shame that transportation costs have gone through the roof, because many of the top names in the sport will not be attending this year due to gas prices. Hopefully, we will see some relief in the next year so that more of the top contenders in Grip can come and play next year.

Here's who's coming so far:

Brent Barbe
Rex Hubbard
Chad Woodall
Jedd Johnson
Chris Rice
Bob Sundin
Eric Milfeld
Paul Knight

If you are on the fence about coming, then now is the time to get your entry in and start training for the show. It's going to be a great time!

-NAPALM-

Deadlifting 101 Testimonial

I was just checking out the Diesel Forum and found some excellent feedback for Rick Walker's "Deadlifting 101" which is one of the many bonuses for Smitty's latest product, the likewise well-reviewed Combat Core. This product is packed with a ton of outstanding bonuses! Check out just how many are included by clicking the image below!



-NAPALM-

Eric Cressey Analyzes the Baseball Swing

Thanks to Scott at Straight To The Bar for posting this excellent article on his site from Eric Cressey. Eric does a great job of covering the importance of the lower body in the baseball swing and the pitching mechanics, along with explaining why so many major leaguers are experience oblique injuries, while even throwing in a plug for my buddy Smitty's Combat Core Strength product.

Check the article out: here

-NAPALM-

John Dennis - 450lb Axle Deadlift

Here is John Dennis at the Williamsport Power Fest I promoted earlier this year.

While John is doing great at strongman, he also recently pulled 450 double overhand on an axle. I am really hoping he has time to dedicate to grip training for next season - I think he has huge potential and would add serious depth to the field of athletes.

-NAPALM-

Testimonial: Nail Bending EBook

I recently received the following testimonial from Mighty Joe Musselwhite. Feedback like this is why I write these articles and products. Thanks to Joe for providing it - glad I could help you out.

"I purchased Jedd Johnson's Bending E- Book thinking, What if it doesn't deliver?

Boy was I wrong! Let me say right up front that the exercises alone listed and explained
in the book are worth the price of the book. Period!

Very detailed in explanations and diagrams. The references at the end of the book are
priceless and can lead to a tremendous education in strength.

After 90 days my bending went from not being able to budge a 60D spiral to demolishing Iron Mind's
Yellow and Blue. I'm currently able to Double Overhand grade 5 bolts, grade 2 bolts, stainless and
more. Not to mention, I can now Reverse bend a IM Yellow nail.

As a former Pro Arm Westler for 15 years turned Bending Fanatic, I strongly urge anyone getting started in bending
to grab a copy of Jedd's book. You will not be disappointed!"

"Mighty" Joe Musselwhite

2nd place, Silver Medalist
1991 AAA Stand-up National Arm Wrestling Championships
Men's Right Hand-90 kg. class

Please check out Mighty Joe's Blogs:
Mighty Joe's Training Blog
Mighty Joe's Equipment Reviews



-NAPALM-

Correct Tire Flipping Technique

Smitty took care of business with this clip - Correct Tire Flipping Technique.

Get the benefit off the movement - don't get injured!

-NAPALM-

New Grip Article - The Many Types of Blobs

Check out my latest post at StraightToTheBar.com! This one covers the many types of Blobs that are out there - make sure you know what you are adding to your collection.

Read the article HERE.

Digg it HERE.

-NAPALM-

Kettlebell eBook Link

My bad everyone. I did not realize that the link to our kettlebell ebooks had gone bad. It is fixed now though.



A few weeks back, we revamped the website and some of the linking systems changed. I'd like to ask everyone that reads the blog to please let me know if you find any more links here that are not working.

Thanks for your help.

-NAPALM-

Strongman Tire Deloading Set-up

I posted a strongman tire deloading set-up article on the Diesel site. Please check it out and give any feedback you may have.

Click here for the article

Digg it here

-NAPALM-

Dave Thornton - Medley Video

Here is Dave Thornton, the 2008 Michigan Grip Champion, taking his turn on the medley.

-NAPALM-

New Grip Video

Here is a video of me at the Michigan Grip Championships. This is the medley event.



-NAPALM-

David Whitley's New Product

I've never been content to just do the plain old cleans and snatches in my kettlebell workouts. I like to do side bends, windmills and other variations to incorporate more muscle and build athleticism.

If you are like me, then check out David Whitley's new product, the Full Body Power DVD. I have gone through it and it covers these very movements to the T.

Check it out HERE.

-NAPALM-

Alan Kahn - Advanced Speed Bag Striking

Alan Kahn is a tremendous source for hitting the speed bag. His Speed Bag Bible is incredible. Here is a video from Alan where he goes over some triple hits. Awesome stuff. Wait until you see his side angle hits.

-NAPALM-

Adam Glass, world class professional performing strongman, has put together an excellent article on short steel bending. If you are not familiar with bending short steel, then you must read this article.

Article: Why Bend Steel?

Digg it HERE.

-NAPALM-

BIG NEWS on Combat Core!

The Combat Core DVD is coming soon!

Plus, check back here on Monday for MORE big news on the Combat Core ebook! You don't want to miss this, I promise you!

-NAPALM-

Nintendo Wii Fit Review

What do the fitness pro's say about the Wii Fit game?

Haven't played with the Wii Fit, but we did get a Wii for Christmas and I was a little let down. The graphics are pathetic - the characters on the sports games have no arms or legs and look like weebles. Also, many of the games can be played while seated.

-NAPALM-

Speed Bag: How to Front Fist Roll

Zach Ruffo shows us all how to perform the front fist roll:

-NAPALM-

GGC Event Rules and Entry Form

Global Grip Challenge will be August 30th, 2008

Events will be Grippers, Two Hands Pinch, Axle Double Overhand Deadlift, Loading Medley and 6" Reverse Bending.

Get Your Entry Form Here

This is the Official United States Championship contest, and athletes must qualify in order to participate. Qualification must take place in US Hand Strength sanctioned contests that are announced on the the GripBoard. Qualifying lifts are listed below.

Events at a Glance

Grippers
MM, Credit Card, and TNS sets will be allowed. More points will be awarded for a wider set. Captains of Crush grippers will be used.

Two Hands Pinch
Normal rules apply. 4 attempts. Rising Bar. Pre-announced weights will be used.

Loading Medley
20 items to be loaded of all shapes and sizes.

Axle Deadlift
Full Lockout. 3 attempts. Rising Bar. Pre-announced weights will be used.

Reverse Bending
6" lengths Reverse style. 3 attempts. 30 second time limit bent to 40 degrees

Qualifications

Qualification Chance 1: Athletes shall qualify for Nationals if they finish top 3 in a US Hand Strength sanctioned contest announced on the Gripboard between September 2007 and August 2008.

Qualification Chance 2: Athletes can also qualify for Nationals by completing 3 of the following feats during 2007-2008 competition:

1" Vertical Bar - 290
2" FBBC Vertical Bar - 200
Gripper - IM #3 or equivalent (140#), or 150# choker close
Reverse Bending - Grade 5x6" bolt
Axle Deadlift - 290
Plate Pinch - 170

Qualification Chance 3: Complete any one of the following Wild Card feats:

Close #4 Gripper with parallel set or wider (choker included)
Break US Record in Two Hands Pinch
Break US Record in 1-inch Vertical Bar (LGC Standard or FBBC Standard)

EVENTS FOR NATIONALS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Please continue to check back often for updates.

Feel free to leave comments here if you have any questions.

-NAPALM-

Ultimate Warrior Returns to the Ring

One my favorite wrestlers as a kid, and one of the most controversial wrestling personalities these days will return to the ring in Barcelona, Spain in July - the Ultimate Warrior. I am not sure how much fanfare that match will bring, but that all aside, it is inspiring to see that with hard work and dedication, you can stay in excellent shape well into your 40's, as evidenced by the Warrior's training video, here.

Read more at the Pro Wrestling Pundit.

-NAPALM-

Athletic Performance from a Different Angle

This is an interview that Smitty recently did with John Alvino! John is a strength and conditioning specialist and an advisor for Men's Fitness. John gets amazing results with the athletes he trains. He is well known in the industry for getting his athletes completely ripped, and stronger than ever. I asked John to tell me a little bit about his fat loss protocol for athletes. Here's what he had to say:

Tell me, why is it important for athletes to maintain a lean physique and how can they do it without affecting their performance?

Most athletes want to become leaner to improve their sports performance. Unfortunately, most of the fat loss methods out there actually act as an enemy to athleticism. A typical fat loss program involves eating low calories, which significantly hampers the athlete's ability to recover. Athletes tend to experience a decrease in performance as well as a lack of energy when they employ these fat loss protocols for too long.

For your body to function optimally, you must take in an adequate amount of nutrients in order to aid in recovery, prevent injury, and keep your immune system healthy. Fat loss training methods tend to completely ignore this fact about the human body. Thus, most fat loss programs end up making you weaker, slower, and less explosive. Moreover, typical fat loss methods actually encourage the fast twitch muscle fibers to take on characteristics of slower twitch fibers (for those of you who don't know, it is your fast twitch fibers that provide you with explosive strength and quickness). These are very serious consequences to a high level athlete. Fortunately, there is a better way.

My fat loss approach actually encourages more athleticism, more power, and more explosiveness, as well as a higher level of anabolic hormones (testosterone and growth hormone). My athletes find that as they get leaner, their conditioning for their sport actually improves, as does their energy levels. They feel lighter on their feet, yet stronger and even more explosive than they were before. That's because my program is specifically designed to burn fat while encouraging dexterity, speed, and a maximum maintenance of lean muscle.

I usually have only 12 weeks to train an athlete prior to their returning to camp for pre-season. Although their primary goal is to get stronger and faster, I also like to get them as lean as possible. In the 12 weeks they work with me, it is quite typical that my athletes lose 20 lbs of body fat, and yet they make great gains in their strength, power and conditioning. My athletes excel in the strength and conditioning tests upon returning to camp: exercises such as vertical jump, 40 yard dash, 225-lb for reps on the bench press, power cleans, squats, etc.

Here are a few keys to successful fat loss for an athlete:


Do not lose more 2 lbs per week.

Doing so can result in water loss, lean muscle loss, and rapid glycogen depletion. This is turn causes weakness, loss of endurance, fatigue, reduced mental focus, and increases the athlete's susceptibility to injury.

Don't cut carbs too low.

Carbohydrates are an athlete's primary source of energy. It is essential not to restrict carbohydrates too much for too long. This will directly decrease power output and performance in general.

Emphasize cardiovascular activities that engage fast twitch fibers.

By doing so, you ensure that you will not lose power or lean muscle mass as a result of your cardio training. Also, by training this way, you will actually be better prepared for the rigorous requirements of the training regimen of your particular sport, as well as the demands of the sport itself.

Avoid working out exclusively in the high rep range.

High reps are a common prescription in any fat loss program. The athlete's perception is usually that a high rep workout is a better and more thorough workout. They sweat more and the workout often feels more taxing; thus, they mistakenly feel that this means they are burning more fat. There is a big price to pay for this misconception.

The truth is that the high rep protocol is yet another reason performance can decrease. The weight that is used is just too light to adequately engage the neuromuscular system. This, in conjunction with the high volume of these workouts, this protocol often contributes to muscle wasting, and causes the athlete to become slower and weaker

------

John Alvino is not the typical "bodybuilding" trainer. All of his fat loss techniques have been refined and perfected on the top level athletes he has trained for the last 7 years.

Check out his program here - Click Here

Some Brutal Training with Chains

You gotta see what Smitty, Eli and John have been up to. Some sick training with chains!
Diesel Chain Training

-NAPALM-

New Article from Napalm

Bending Wraps have come a long way in just a few years. Have a look at my latest article on StraightToTheBar.com!

Click HERE!

Digg it HERE!

-NAPALM-

Kaz in Wrestling Part III

Here is another example of Kaz during his short lived career in WCW. It's in part 3 of this clip:

-NAPALM-

Iron Sheik's Persian Clubs

I have scoured YouTube looking for the Iron Sheik doing his Persian Clubs ever since I saw him doing them on an episode of Cheap Seats a while back. I was never able to find any. And then tonight I found two!

Here is a Persian Club Demo the Iron Sheik performed at the very tail end of a shoot interview he did. I have this video, but the quality is poor. The one you see below is much better.

Obviously the clubs he is using are not what he used to use all those years ago on the TV wrestling shows.

In this clip below, the Sheik performs his club demo not once, not twice, but three times. 75-lbs apiece? I'm not completely sure of that, but nevertheless a very impressive feat of strength.

If you know of any other clips of the Iron Sheik swinging his Persian Clubs, please let me know. Leave a comment or email me.

-NAPALM-

Understanding Elbows on the Speed Bag

In true Kung Fu Theater fashion, Zach Ruffo goes over the several point son building elbow strikes into your striking routine with the speed bag.

-NAPALM-

Several Great Articles from ELITE

The EliteFTS.com email newsletter is excellent today. I really enjoyed reading the following articles.

The Stretch Reflex by Dr. Michael Yessis

Rules fr Maintaining a Successful Powerlifting Club by Travis Mash

Functional Training: An Obsolete Term? by Karsten Jensen

Anatomical Fixer Upper by Ty Ferrell

-NAPALM-

Smitty - Men's Health Trainer of the Month

Smitty recently garnered the award of Men's Health Trainer of the Month! Check out our site, DieselCrew.com for more details.

-NAPALM-

Blob Plus 20

I recently was able to lift the 50-lb Blob with 20 lbs added to it via a string set-up.



-NAPALM-

New Diesel Site!

The New Diesel Site is Revealed!

The long awaited newly designed Diesel site is live! We've listened to your feedback and have redesigned the entire site for easier navigation and better viewing.

A new forum will be released in about a month too, so you can network with others in the strength community and share your knowledge.

Let me know how you like the new site!

CLICK HERE

-NAPALM-

John Dennis - 500 lb Axle Deadlift

John Dennis showed up to the Williamsport PowerFest this past January and put forth an awesome showing. Now he is showing that not only does he have trememendous potential in the sport of Strongman, but he also has a big future in Grip. Here, he pulls an amazing 500 lbs on the 2" Axle Deadlift!

Phenomenal!

John, get to a qualifier, and get yourself into GGC 2008!

-NAPALM-

Bending eBook Testimonial

I was pleased to get this message in my inbox today, regarding my Bending eBook, so I thought I would share it with you.

"Passion. When we do something with passion, we will undoubtedly do it well. The Bending eBook is no different. You can tell Jedd Johnson put his best effort in to this manual. 188 pages of how to bend something?? You gotta be kidding me! But after you read this manual you will not only be armed with knowledge beyond your wildest expectations, but you will also have powerful tools at your disposal to take your grip strength profile to Herculean levels. Whether you are an elite powerlifter, an athlete, or just a person trying to get stronger, you will be doing yourself and your athletes a great disservice by not picking up a copy and implementing the contents of this book in to your program. This book truly achieves beyond potential."

Patrick Hackley-Hough
Oakton High School baseball strength and conditioning coach
http://www.oaktonstrength.blogspot.com

You can check out the Bending eBook here.

-NAPALM-

Superstar Billy Graham - What's he up to these days?

This is what the Superstar is up to these days - pushing for awareness about organ donation.

I just put up a new post at The Pro-Wrestling Pundit about the Superstar's book and DVD from WWE. Have a look now!

-NAPALM-

New Episode of Grip Strength Radio - GGC Events & Rules

The latest episode of Grip Strength Radio is here. In this show, I go over a quick spattering of the rules for the events for GGC, to be held on August 30, 2008: Grippers, Pinch, Axle Deadlift, Loading Medley and Reverse Style Bending.

Check this quick show out now and get the details you need to excel at GGC this year.

Click here to download the new episode.

Give it a Digg, HERE.

-NAPALM-

Build Tough Hands - Bend Nails

Do you give a hand shake like a dead fish? If you want to build a set of truly tough hands but don't have a manual labor job to do it, then try grip training and nail bending!

My bending manual will show you how to do it right and how to do it safe. After all, you want tough hands, not beat up hands!

I'll show you all the major techniques for nail bending, and some of the lesser known ones to give your bending routine an additional flavor for variety.

And if nail bending isn't for you, just the exercise index alone in my bending manual is 60+ pages!!

For more info, check it out here.

-NAPALM-

Alexey Voevoda - Video Clip

Here is a video of Alexey Voevoda, Russian arm wrestler. There's some very impressive arm training in this clip using thick ropes, thick handle dumbbells and you have got to see him pulling against the might of three other men in some table work!

-NAPALM-

Global Grip Challenge 2008 Announcement

Global Grip Challenge will be August 30th, 2008

Events will be Grippers, Two Hands Pinch, Axle Double Overhand Deadlift, Loading Medley and 6" Reverse Bending.

This is the Official United States Championship contest, and athletes must qualify in order to participate. Qualification must take place in US Hand Strength sanctioned contests that are announced on the the GripBoard. Qualifying lifts are listed below.

Events at a Glance

Grippers
MM, Credit Card, and TNS sets will be allowed. More points will be awarded for a wider set. Captains of Crush grippers will be used.

Two Hands Pinch
Normal rules apply. 4 attempts. Rising Bar. Pre-announced weights will be used.

Loading Medley
20 items to be loaded of all shapes and sizes.

Axle Deadlift
Full Lockout. 3 attempts. Rising Bar. Pre-announced weights will be used.

Reverse Bending
6" lengths Reverse style. 3 attempts. 30 second time limit bent to 40 degrees

Qualifications

Qualification Chance 1: Athletes shall qualify for Nationals if they finish top 3 in a US Hand Strength sanctioned contest announced on the Gripboard between September 2007 and August 2008.

Qualification Chance 2: Athletes can also qualify for Nationals by completing 3 of the following feats during 2007-2008 competition:

1" Vertical Bar - 290
2" FBBC Vertical Bar - 200
Gripper - IM #3 or equivalent (140#), or 150# choker close
Reverse Bending - Grade 5x6" bolt
Axle Deadlift - 290
Plate Pinch - 170

Qualification Chance 3: Complete any one of the following Wild Card feats:

Close #4 Gripper with parallel set or wider (choker included)
Break US Record in Two Hands Pinch
Break US Record in 1-inch Vertical Bar (LGC Standard or FBBC Standard)

EVENTS FOR NATIONALS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Please continue to check back often for updates.

Feel free to leave comments here if you have any questions.

-NAPALM-

Phil Pfister: In the Beginning

Here is a classic video of Phil Pfister from back in 1998. This guy was maniac from the beginning.

-NAPALM-

New Blog from Bob Sundin and John Eaton

It looks like Bob Sundin and John Eaton are going to try their hands at maintaining a blog. Up to this point it looks like Bob has made most of the posts. I hope John can commit to making some good contributions to the blog with his thoughts on his training, and once he starts that he keeps it up longer than his attempt at a workout regimen.

Good luck guys.

Check it out everyone: Brothers in Grip.

-NAPALM-

Zach Ruffo - Advanced Speed Bag Techniques

Here, Zach Ruffo goes over several advanced techniques, starting on the easier side and working toward more difficult hits.

-NAPALM-

Alan Kahn - Side Double Punch Combos

Here, Alan Kahn shows how to properly hit the speed bag from the side. Very nice!

Check out Alan's Speed Bag Forum. A great resource.

-NAPALM-

New Video from Smitty

Smitty just put together some brand new videos to show some of the techniques he discusses in his new product, Combat Core.

Exercise: Sandbag Loaders

Execution:
Hanging from a pull-up bar the lifter will load a sandbag or medicine ball to a partner or onto a platform. This compound torso building exercise ties in the upper back and lats with the abdominals and hip flexors.

Benefits:
- compound movement incorporating many muscle groups
- support grip strength endurance
- a variety of trunk postures can be executed, not just linear flexion / extension movements
- controlling the extension (eccentric) phase of the movement creates a balance of the musculature surrounding the hip

Increase difficulty by increasing the weight in the sandbag, increasing the required loading height or by decreasing the rigidity of the implement (i.e. slosh ball or water keg).

Check out Combat Core at CombatCoreStrength.com.
-NAPALM-

Goody's Trip to My House

Goody came to the house and trained recently and did very well. Read about it here: Cinderblock Hands.

-NAPALM-

New Video from Smitty - Recative Rows

Exercise: Reactive Rows

Benefits:

- improved transverse deceleration of the torso
- improved anti-rotation / bracing of the torso
- improved thoracic mobility
- improved upper body reactivity
- improved grip strength

Modifications:

-Increase weight of DB
-Remove stability points (hand and knee on bench) and perform free standing

Check out Combat Core at CombatCoreStrength.com

-NAPALM-

New Article from Smitty - Dynamic Planks

The Next Level of Core Training - Dynamic Planks by Jim Smith

When you think about the most basic abdominal exercise, the first one that pops into your head is probably planks.

Planks are where a person lays out into a push-up position but instead of being on their outstretched hands, they rest on their forearms. In this position, the athlete or lifter will remain for a specific length of time. If the time exceeds one and a half minutes that is considered pretty good.

The benefits of planks include rehabilitating a back injury, glute activation, developing proficiency for bracing the torso with intra-abdominal pressure and an isometric contraction of the abdominals and developing muscular endurance of the muscles that stabilize, support and engage movements of the torso.

But in accordance with the Principle of Overload and the Laws of Chaos, there is a progression for all resistance training means. Progression of an exercise will increase the difficulty, which increases the demand and work capacity of the lifter and in turn, provides more adaptation and benefits.

So what is the next training progression for planks? Here are some of the most common modifications :

* Raising one foot off the ground (ensure the lifter doesn’t shift to the side to compensate by forcibly firing the glutes and bracing harder
* Add a weighted vest or back pack

Further unique adaptations can be obtained if we are relentless in our pursuit of our ultimate goal – real world strength. It is this real world strength that is developed not only with fixed, patterned strength training movements, but with random, rapidly adjusted reactive means. This is truer to real life and everyday movements.

Here is the modification that will produce the results we want. The lifter will setup in a conventional plank but with their feet on an elevated box and their forearms on a mini-trampoline.

This is a plank x 10!

This variation is much more difficult to stabilize because as the lifter adjusts, so does the base of support (the trampoline) they are resting on! We can of course increase the difficulty by externally loading the lifter or having them lift one leg, but we want to make this exercise really difficult. By having the lifter raise up onto their hands, more vibration can be achieved.

Now hit a plyometric push-up with the goal of restabilizing and restoring a static posture as quickly as possible. This creates a full body tremor that improves the integrity of the elbows, shoulders and hips.

Now, let's perform a one arm plank on this setup. This requires a greater glute and opposite oblique contraction to counterbalance the movement. The goal is to minimize the hips shifting and remain rigid. This movement can be held for time and increased in difficulty by a partner-assisted agitation.

For a more advanced movement a plyometric push-up can once again be engaged, but this time we will land on one arm.

Not only does this have amazing implications in a rehabilitative setting, but decelerative properties for the torso, back and shoulders as well. Sports that require ballistic upper body expressions (which is essentially all sports) or sports with high incidences of shoulder or hip injuries can benefit from this vibrational environment. The more vibration we can introduce, the more rapid the contractions, primary and antagonistic, of the engaged muscular and the greater stability of the kinetic chain. This creates a balance and teaches the athlete how to stabilize in opposition to random stimuli.

Check out http://www.combatcorestrength.com