Functional Strength Training…
“Functional strength training” has become a buzzword. However, as popular as it seems, there are still people everywhere who don’t get it. So, let’s take a quick look at what it is, why it’s important, and how to do it.
Functional strength training is basically using exercises in your workouts that transfer to real life in a practical way. Think about your training program - especially if you’re into bodybuilding. Will tricep extensions carry over to real life? What about chest crossovers? Leg extensions? Leg curls? No, they won’t. Even the ever-popular bench press offers very little in the way of practical use. None of these will be much use to you as you Read more
Tags: Barbells & Dumbells, Bodyweight Training, Hardcore & Odd Object, Kettlebells, Muscle Building, Strength Training, Womens TrainingPopularity: 22% [?]
The Slosh Pipe
Steve Maxwell has a reputation for finding, creating, and sharing unique training methods and tools. I remember seeing the slosh pipe a while back, and saw last week or so that Steve had posted an article about it.
Basically, a slosh pipe is a length of PVC pipe that you fill with water, capping both ends (use a screw-top on one end). In his example, he uses a 9.5′ length of 4″-6″ PVC. When filled with water it weighs in at about 40 pounds. It doesn’t sound like much, but the way the water sloshes from end to end makes it Read more
Tags: Conditioning & Endurance, Grip Training, Hardcore & Odd Object, Strength TrainingPopularity: 9% [?]
Making a Sandbag…
I posted most of this as a comment in another post, but thought it deserved its own. Obviously, there’s more than one way to make a sandbag, but here’s how I made mine.
If you want to buy a ready-to-go sandbag, you can get one from www.ironmind.com . I haven’t used one, but Ironmind has an excellent reputation for quality. They’re pretty expensive though.
Personally, I just went to Academy (a sporting goods store) and bought a good duffel bag. You’ll want one that is fairly heavy (mine’s nylon). Mine was $10 (a few years ago). They also had some cheaper, thinner nylon bags that can work as inner bags. And even with them, I put the sand in small plastic trash bags.
So, I put the sand in several plastic bags, then those inside a few thin nylon bags, then put them inside the main heavy nylon bag. This gives you a few layers of protection to keep the sand from spilling out. It also allows you to adjust the weight of the main bag. Say you make five thin inner bags at 20 pounds each; you can use four for 80 pounds or all five for 100 pounds, etc. Or, even if you just have one or two thin inner bags, you can still adjust the weight by adding/removing the plastic bags. One other tip: remove the air from the plastic bags before tying them closed. Leave the empty space, but remove the excess air. This will allow the sand to still move around inside the bag, without the air taking up so much space.
The way I built mine might be overkill, but it works for me.
For sand, you can just get play sand from a home improvement store.
If you do all this and the sandbag still isn’t heavy enough for you, you can add something heavier to the bag. A barbell plate or dumbbell buried in the middle of the inserts can work, though I haven’t tried it myself. You could also use a chain, or gravel to add to the weight.
Tags: Conditioning & Endurance, Fat Loss, Hardcore & Odd Object, Muscle Building, Strength TrainingPopularity: 36% [?]
Six Reasons to Take Up Sandbag Training
While sandbag training does seem to be growing in popularity, there are still millions of people who have never heard of it. Or, they’ve heard of it but thought it was too “out there”, ineffective, or whatever.
I’ve thought up a short list of reasons to get going with sandbag training.
- Cheap. You can make a sandbag for less than $20.
- Strength or conditioning. Depending on the weight of your sandbag and your program, you can use them for building either strength or conditioning.
- Adjustable. If you make your sandbag by using smaller inserts, you can add or remove the inserts to adjust the weight of the bag. You can make each insert 10 pounds and easily get the weight you want.
- Stabilizers. Because the sand moves around inside the bag, you end up working muscles you forget you have. The small stabilizers muscles that come into play for balancing and such get a workout more than with a nicely-balanced barbell.
- Safety. Granted a 100+ pound sandbag still weighs 100+ pounds and you can still hurt yourself by doing something wrong. However, you practically remove the risk of impact injury with a sandbag. Drop a sandbag on your toe and you’ll be fine. With a barbell… not so much.
- Versatile. The purpose of the sandbag is to build functional, real-world strength and/or conditioning. As such, it lends itself to very creative workouts that can remain effective.
I’m sure there are plenty of other good reasons not listed. If you want to give sandbag training a try, just get started. If you’re new, or you’re tired of free-form training and want a more thought-out approach to sandbags, check out The Caveman’s Guide to Fitness or Sandbag Strength.
Tags: Conditioning & Endurance, Fat Loss, Hardcore & Odd Object, Muscle Building, Strength TrainingPopularity: 37% [?]
Sandbag Training…
I’ve done some sandbag training on and off over the years. It’s tough stuff, but every time I have a sandbag workout I end up wishing I did it more often. It’s just such a change from the norm.
Generally, I just make it up as I go along. A typical sandbag workout might just be repeatedly picking it up and putting it back down, or simply picking it up and carrying it up and down the street or around the block.
I rarely put much thought into sandbag training when I’m doing it - it’s just a fun, different workout from my normal routine. However, I just came across The Caveman’s Guide to Fitness and Sandbag Strength. Each looks like a full course in sandbag training.
Both programs are currently less than $20 - pretty affordable for this type of information. And check out the bonuses - especially for the Caveman’s Guide!
Tags: Conditioning & Endurance, Fat Loss, Hardcore & Odd Object, Strength TrainingPopularity: 33% [?]
H2H Kettlebells - Strength, Stamina & Coordination
Jeff Martone’s H2H Kettlebells series is basically a course in kettlebell juggling. Designed for explosive speed strength conditioning, the DVDs can play a major role in an effective speed training workout by improving strength and hand-eye coordination.
As expected, the first H2H Kettlebells DVD is made for the beginner, and covers the basics. These drills take your standard kettlebell training to the next level, allowing the bells to leave your hands.
Here’s the link: H2H: Kettlebell Drills
The second DVD is more advanced, and also covers more exercises. This one doesn’t detail the basic body mechanics quite like the first one, as it’s geared more for trainees who are already fairly advanced.
Here’s the link: H2HII: Harder. Faster. Stronger.
The third DVD is H2H:Kettlebell Circuits. Designed for beginners through advanced people, this DVD focuses on Read more
Tags: Conditioning & Endurance, Hardcore & Odd Object, Kettlebells, Speed StrengthPopularity: 48% [?]
Explosive Speed Strength - Outside the Box
If your sport or job calls for explosive speed strength, then it makes sense to train in a way that would improve your condition in that area. While deadlifts are great for building limit strength, there are better exercises if your task is to maneuver through a defensive line, or wrestle someone to the ground.
While an effective speed training workout will include some sport- or task-specific drills, there are some exercises that will improve your overall explosive strength, and the kettlebell is an excellent tool. However, we won’t stop there.
Kettlebells by design, lend themselves to full-body ballistic drills such as the Read more
Tags: Conditioning & Endurance, Hardcore & Odd Object, Kettlebells, Speed StrengthPopularity: 29% [?]
