Kettlebell Class Canceled Tonight!

The 6pm kettlebell class is CANCELED tonight due to the impending weather!

Oldtime Strongman Records

If your a fan of oldtime strength, you should know the name and training methods of Hermann Goerner. The German strongman set all manner of incredible records during his career.

A few of his greatest feats:

1. Right-Hand Military Press: 138 pounds

2. Left-Hand Military Press: 115 Pounds

3. Right-Hand Snatch: 230 pounds

4. Two-Arm Jerk: 411 pounds

5. Right-Hand kettlebell swing of two kettlebells totaling 187.5 pounds

6. Two-Hands slow curl of 209 pounds

7. A rectangular fix of 160 pounds

8. The Human Bridge - while an automobile with six passengers drove Over him - a weight of well over 4000 pounds

9. Carried a grand piano weighing 1444 pounds for 52 feet

10. Wrote his name on a blackboard with a 110 pound kettlebell hanging from his thumb

11. One Hand Deadlift of 735 pounds

12. Lifted his stage dumbbell (which was 330 pounds with a 2-3/8 inch diameter handle) clean and jerk style - any time he wanted.

This Week's Routine - Core Stability

For those who want a harder challenge then I normally would post, try out this routine.  I throw a lot of unstable exercises at you, which will really challenge your ability to stay under tension.  Safety is of most importance, so please choose a weight that you can safely wield.  I have included the youtube links to as many as possible so that you can refer to how they are done.

Cossack - ( 1 bell or 2) - 3 x 5
Burpees - 3 x 10
Renegade Rows - 3 x 5
Plank Press - 3 x 10
Overhead Lunges - 3 x 5
Static Hold and Press - 3 x 5

Feedback from Glute Activation Post

You may remember my post a few weeks back regarding using the foam roller on the soleus muscle to activate the glutes and hip extensors. I have been using the foam roller on many of my clients, in between sets of squats, deadlifts, and balance work.  I've even used it for a few people prior to their treadmill warmup.  The overall feedback from people has been great.  Everyone reports that using it prior to a hip dominant exercise seems to make the exercise easier to perform.  I have tried it myself, and I am definitely making it part of my training program.  I just wish I learned about it earlier!

Please try it on your own, and post feedback to this blog post, or email me your thoughts.  It will help me learn.

This Weeks Routine- Bottom's Up

I've done this routine a few times, and it is brutal on all the smaller muscles of the shoulder, arm, wrist, and hand.  It is an odd feeling after a few days, as I don't think I've ever felt those muscles so sore.  The premise is very basic. Simple perform the four exercises below with a "bottom up" bell position.  Move slow, very slow...except on the clean.

Because the grip fatigue will be high, limit your repetitions to 5 reps at a time or less.  Performing them in the order I have listed will help your overall performance on each.

 1) Bottom Up Turkish Getup - 5 each side

 2) Bottom Up Windmill - 3-4 sets of 5 or less each side

  3) 1 Arm Press - 3-4 sets of 5 or less each side

  4) 1 Arm Clean and Press - 3-4 sets of 5 or less each side

This is great for anyone who requires a strong grip.  That includes juijitsu, sailing, construction, mechanics, etc...

More Idiotic Arrogance!

Watch this video below....



How many of you would like to perform this guy's variation of a jump squat?  Not me.  Go ahead and try.  Join the millions of people who damage their vertebrae, tear their ACL, or dislocate a hip.  This idiot actually believes people should train like him.  Please don't! Any time you perform any exercise, you better have a damn good reason for doing it.  And if you are going to risk injury, the pay off better be huge.  This idiot's vertical jump would improve just as much if he performed regular, boring, SAFE, back squats. As a rule, just because it can be done, doesn't mean it should be done.