Keyboard Vaguaries is the training blog of John from Palmdale; with plenty of kettlebell action. Pop over and say hello.

Love it [streaming, 11.5mb .flv download].

A recent piece by Mike Demeter has me thinking about the Nike Free line of shoes that are designed to mimic the behaviour of bare feet as closely as possible. I can certainly see their appeal for runners; has anyone tried them whilst lifting weights?

There's something about barefoot deadlifting that never feels quite safe. Not that a running shoe would make much difference if I were to drop a plate on my foot (once was quite enough, thank you), but it's a psychological edge.

Although Billy Milton didn't get into the demanding sport of marathon running until his mid 40s, he has quickly picked up some great resources on marathon training and nutrition. His blog - filled with these ideas - is a great read.

British neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis has developed a 'formula for a balanced life' that anyone can use to calculate their current status (and what needs to be changed). The formula considers such factors as time spent at work, commuting, exercising, sleeping and with family.

A few snippets from this week’s health news :

• Enhanced Environment Restores Memory in Mice with Neurodegeneration
A new study has found that placing mice in an enriched environment can reinstate learning behavior and reestablish access to long-term memories after significant brain atrophy and neuronal loss has occurred.

• Humans Aren't The Only Ones With Obesity Problems
"There is a striking parallelism between humans and horses when it comes to obesity," said Philip Johnson, professor of veterinary medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

• Scientists Unravel Clue In Cortisol Production
Given the variety of its effects,understanding how cortisol is made is essential to producing medications that can alter its production.

• Ceiling Height Can Affect How A Person Thinks, Feels And Acts
"When a person is in a space with a 10-foot ceiling, they will tend to think more freely, more abstractly," said Meyers-Levy. "They might process more abstract connections between objects in a room, whereas a person in a room with an 8-foot ceiling will be more likely to focus on specifics."

• Alcoholics Should Avoid Excessive Physical And Psychological Stress During Early Abstinence
New findings of alterations in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol secretion in alcoholic patients, which reflect changes in the HPA axis, prompt recommendations that alcoholics avoid excessive stress - both physical and psychological - during early abstinence.

Tim Ferriss is a very interesting guy. Over a number of years he's managed to reduce the time he spends working (but not necessarily his output) to a tiny 4 hours per week, simply to spend more time pursuing his other interests; chief among them, MMA.

His blog contains an intriguing blend of productivity tips, dietary and fitness information; a great example of which is the piece How to lose 20lb of fat in 30 days.

NB : If you're anything like me, and eat large amounts of bread, rice and pasta on a routine basis, this isn't going to be easy. Sounds like a challenge.

Via Chasing Elite : a great article over on the Diesel Crew's site - SSgt Glass' Expanding Your Training [.pdf, 700kb]. SSgt Adam Glass discusses the use of a beautifully simple home gym setup; centred around kettlebells, chains and bands. With this mix he has developed some superb, truly inventive exercises (personal favourite: pistols with kettlebells and chains). Enjoy.

Dr Joel Fuhrman points to an interesting article in the New York Times which asks the simple question :

You're hungry, but only have one dollar to spend. What do you buy?

The answer, unsurprisingly, turns out to be the calorie-dense processed foods that fill a typical supermarket's centre aisles. As Dr Michael Pollen states in the article :

[Adam] Drewnowski gave himself a hypothetical dollar to spend, using it to purchase as many calories as he possibly could. He discovered that he could buy the most calories per dollar in the middle aisles of the supermarket, among the towering canyons of processed food and soft drink. (In the typical American supermarket, the fresh foods — dairy, meat, fish and produce — line the perimeter walls, while the imperishable packaged goods dominate the center.) Drewnowski found that a dollar could buy 1,200 calories of cookies or potato chips but only 250 calories of carrots. Looking for something to wash down those chips, he discovered that his dollar bought 875 calories of soda but only 170 calories of orange juice.

That being said, what type of food would you buy for a dollar? As much as I hate to admit it, my answer would be 'something simple from the nearest convenience store - probably a packet of crisps'.

Joshua J. Steimle is running a competition over on SubLimited - a skateboarding blog - for anyone that can duplicate this feat [streaming, 8.4mb .flv download]. The prize? $1,000.

Warning : it's not easy.

Matt Shannon is an author, combat athlete and general fitness fanatic. A great place to start is his blog; or grab one of the many videos scattered around his site (such as this one - a quick rope pull-up demo [streaming, 988kb .flv download] ).

If this is your first visit to the site, you may be wondering what it's all about. Essentially it's a celebration of strength, in all its wonderful forms. Whether you enjoy powerlifting, parkour, strongman, grip training, kettlebells or anything else relating to strength; you're sure to find something here.

To get started, the simplest way is just to subscribe to the site's main RSS feed. The site generally has a half-dozen or more updates per day, so choose a few that you like and read on. If you enjoy an article or photo, feel free to leave a comment or trackback. Share it with your friends, via the Digg or del.icio.us links underneath each post. Add a page to the equipment wiki.

Alternately, use the search box (upper right of each page) if you've got something specific in mind. Or take a wander through some of my favourite posts on the site. There's plenty of great stuff to read.

If you've got any feedback on the site (good or bad), send me an email. Enjoy.

Coach Scott Sonnon demonstrating the 'Viking Choke'. From Sonnon :

I came up with the "Viking" Choke when we were training at the "Ironman Gym" in Gothenburg, Sweden which is why we called it the Viking (and the fact that it looks like a Viking helmet.)

The opportunity to apply it doesn't happen too often because the opponent has to fail to pass his hips around faster than you can bridge and bend your knee over his neck. But when you do get it, it's a slick little technique to have available.

As he passes from your failed triangle, arch your hips and bend your knee around his neck.

Grab your own ankle with your near arm for the basic lock. With your far arm, you must keep control of the inside arm which you were trying to triangle before he passed his head.

Then, release your far arm from controlling his trapped arm and weave it underneath your near thigh and over top of your near arm.

Finalize the choke by driving your far elbow up your shin towards your opposite hand, while kicking your knee towards his neck and pulling your near arm elbow towards your near thigh.

It's easy to finish once you have it on, but you have to be smooth and non-telegraphed on the set-up. And again, we need to focus on the basics. An opportunity for the Viking doesn't appear often, but when it does, it's good to have the trick in your pocket.

Dave Tate has undoubtedly learnt an incredible amount over the years; much of it whilst under the bar in some capacity (either training or competing). His latest piece on T-Nation is a gathering of juicy morsels from that time. A great read.

This is superb. Pat Hodgson (aka 'The Dark Master') has produced plans (complete with a few renderings) for an adjustable deadlift/shrug/row bar. As all three of these exercises rate highly on my list of 'fun things to do in the gym', I can definitely see this getting a lot of use.

The plans have been made freely available [.pdf, 1.1mb]; all that's requested is a photograph of any that are built. Any welders out there?

Happy Birthday Karl.

This week on Straight to the Bar - ideas for the DIY Equipment competition, a superb concrete / kettlebell combination and lots more :

• Articles : Jedd Johnson brings out part III of his excellent Straight to the Grip series, this time looking at the Mash Monster Certification; Laree Draper takes a fascinating look at heart health and longevity; and I briefly discuss the topic of Visualisation (or Visualization if you prefer) in the Mind series.
• Videos : Napalm's Corner points to some classic car-turning action, I know you got soul, and David Lang does it again.
• Sites : Meet long-time powerlifter Gary Zeolla; share Randy Hauer's passions for both Olympic weightlifting and kettlebell training at e-strength band; and head over to Kim Wood's Athletic Strength and Power. Now that's a gym.
• Equipment : Bands and chains vs air pressure; speed-bag work, 1930s style; and a great book find by Scott Styles - Stretch to Win.
• Bonus : (De)-Constructing Computer Guy. As a long-time computer guy myself (24 years, in fact) I can definitely attest to seeing this phenomenon many, many times. A great article by Tony Gentilcore and Jimmy Smith.

Kettlebell and keg fun [streaming, 4.3mb .flv download] from Optimal Life Fitness.

Tracy Fober takes a very interesting look at the PBN - Press Behind the Neck. Not all athletes have the same training needs.

Check out the blog of Rudy Friederich's Street Combat Conditioning. Kettlebells, clubbells, bodyweight exercises and other fun stuff.

Famed nutritionist and fitness expert Jack LaLanne has always been an intriguing guy. Here's a clip [streaming, 14mb .flv download] from Groucho Marx's 'You Bet Your Life' (probably late 1950s), which gives you some insight into his mindset.

Via Styles Develops : Scott points to a great book (and accompanying podcast) on stretching - Stretch to Win. The site has a couple of sample chapters; the entire book is for sale via Amazon. Based on the sample, it looks like a great read.

Scott - as a long-time fan of Thomas Kurz's Stretching Scientifically I'm very interested to hear your thoughts on this book. Let me know when you've had a chance to really put it through its paces.

Goodbye, Bill Good - 1910-2007. Thanks to Muscle and Strength.

Glasgow Parkour's David Lang has a superb strength conditioning routine. Here's a taste [streaming, 10.9mb .flv download]. There are some great ideas in there (keep your eyes on the background for things like the keg toss).

Via Napalm's Corner : some great speedbag work, 1930s-style [streaming, 3.6mb .flv download].

It's now been a little over 2 months since Dave Draper's open heart surgery, and much has been learnt in that time. Laree Draper takes an excellent look at heart health, and its relationship with longevity. It's a great read.

The Diesel Crew's Jedd Johnson sits down with Nazareth Barbell's Mike Miller; the man with the world's heaviest squat. A very interesting interview [.pdf, 124kb].

Anthony DiLuglio demonstrates an unusual exercise on this week's Minute of Strength newsletter : the 1 leg clean and press. I'll leave it up to you to decide whether it's a great exercise or just plain weird.

Anzac Day.

Handstand push-ups getting a bit too easy? Try some of this [streaming, 4.7mb .flv download].

Via Dedwarmo : these guys are incredible. Check out the videos (under 'People Juggling'). Superb.

Parry O'Brien. 1932-2007.

It's a stone ... it's a kettlebell ... it's a stonebell. Great idea.

The name Mike Selearis has long been associated with arm wrestling, and this video [streaming, 1.9mb .flv download] gives you a hint as to why.

For more videos of Mike in action (although some of the bouts are incredibly brief), head over to the Pulling John site.

Via Gizmodo : for the tired Norwegian cyclist faced with one hill climb too many - the bicycle lift.

Photo © 2007 The Flying Pie.

The first blog by Training Syndicate's Mike (other than his own, which is always a great read) is online : Stephen's Principles of Effective Action. Head over there and say hello.

Via Physical Strategies : A great blog - Athletic Strength and Power. The podcast (in three parts) is well worth a listen.

Kim Wood's gym (pictured) doesn't look too bad either. Especially the collection of barbells. Beautiful.

'Try out your ideas by visualizing them in action.'
- David Seabury

Visualisation (or 'visualization' for our North American readers) is the act of forming a mental image of the outcome event, before the event has taken place. Although it's often dismissed as being 'new-age' (or something a little stronger, but you get the idea), it has a logical base that stands up to a little testing.

If you've never been exposed to visualisation before, here's a brief example to illustrate just what it is.

Imagine yourself at a powerlifting competition, standing on the platform with a bar loaded to 200kg on the floor in front of you. You've deadlifted 195kg in the gym, and you feel ready for the 200.

Just before you walk up to the bar you see a great image in your mind - it's you successfully completing the lift, and a subtle grin forms on your face as you stand there for a second with the bar in your hands. The training has paid off.

Back to reality - you walk up to the bar, set yourself up and get down to business. The bar moves fast, your head feels ready to explode and your eyes are about to burst. Seconds later, however, you find yourself standing there with the bar in hand, and a subtle grin on your face. You've done it.

This is the way visualisation can, and does, work. It's an extra bit of help; not a miracle. If you've worked up to 195kg in the gym, visualisation won't have you suddenly pulling 350 in a competition. It just takes you one step closer to a successful lift.

Now, the rational part. There are many reasons why visualisation (and positive thinking in general) helps, including :

• Forming a mental picture of you successfully completing a lift is not a lot different to watch a video replay of a previous success you've had. The more often you see these successful lifts (whether via video replay or visualisation), the more likely you are to repeat them. It's a great way to learn.
  
  The benefit of visualisation here is that the outcome may be based on something you haven't done before. Sure, you may have done the exercise many, many times; but not with that weight. Or perhaps you've run that distance numerous times; but not quite that fast. Whatever the activity, visualising success can be the difference between your actual success and failure.
• If you believe you can do something, you try harder. If you walk up to the bar telling yourself 'there's no way I can lift this', you're probably right. Walk up there with a positive attitude, picturing yourself lifting it successfully, and you're in with a real chance.
  
  Part of this is purely physical. Think about the times you've lifted something in order to impress someone. This doesn't matter whether it's a group of friends in your backyard, a young girl in the gym or your mother trying to rearrange the furniture. Chances are you took a deeper breath, puffed your chest out a bit more, pushed your shoulders back and arched your back slightly - all without realising it. It all helps.

Further reading

There's a massive amount of reading material available on the topic of visualisation. Fortunately I'm somewhat skeptical in my thinking on most subjects, and have cut this back to a manageable few :

Blogs

More than Mind Games
Sports Psychology and History

Sports Psychology for athletes, coaches and parents
Dr Patrick Cohn on sports psychology

A mental game
Sports psychology and golf

Cultivate Greatness
Personal development
Particularly the visualization category

The Genius in All of us
This is a superb look inside the minds of athletes, inventors and just about everyone else. David Shenk raises some fascinating questions.

Sites
Peak Performance Sports
Sports psychology and mental training

There's a lot of great information on this site; particularly the Get Psyched podcasts and newsletter.

Psychology of sports
Dr Richard Lustberg

Podcasts

Goal Free Living
Interview with Doug Gardner, Sports Psychology consultant

Weight Loss: Visualization and Positive Self-Talk

Articles

The Secret Weapon
Chris Shugart interviews Dr Jack Singer, Sports Psychologist

6 keys to killer workouts
Mike Robertson discusses the benefits of visualization, goal-setting and stimulants

Walter Gieseking
The man who rehearsed in his mind

Mind control over muscle power
Synopsis of a 2006 Cardiff study

The shocking nervous system
Chad Waterbury discusses neuroscience. Superb.

As I said, there's an immense amount of material on the topic of visualisation, and sports psychology in general. If you've come across a good resource - that's not already on the list - let me know.

Via Napalm's Corner (fast becoming a great source for all things Kaz) : the Car Turn Over event [streaming, 8.5mb .flv download] from the 1989 World's Strongest Men contest (later renamed to World's Strongest Man). Just when you thought tyre flipping was challenging.

Via Physical Strategies : if you're looking for a change when it comes to working the rotator cuff (at least on one side), try this - Combat Archery [streaming, 8.8mb .flv download].

e-Strength Band is the blog of Pennsylvania's Randy Hauer, both coach and competitor with passions for Olympic weightlifting and kettlebell training.

His latest piece - Medvedev, Weightlifting and Kettlebells: Part 1 - clearly demonstrates both of those passions. Superb.

Via Engadget : Robotic falcons are being developed in the UK to perform a curious task - to scare away obese pigeons. Novel idea; will larger animals (dare I say humans) be next?

If you've got a few 5kg plates, some duct tape and fairly large hands; try this [streaming, 1.3mb .flv download]. Harder than it looks, but great fun.

Just came across the site of long-time powerlifter Gary Zeolla. Well worth checking out.

Joe DeFranco briefly tackles an interesting question - bands and chains or air pressure?

His response (in part) :

The “consistent resistance” that these machines market as a positive feature is actually detrimental to athletes. I say this because I want my athletes to always try and ACCELERATE the barbell when they lift. The act of actually making the barbell move faster is what helps develop explosive force. The “air pressure” machines provide a CONSTANT bar speed, regardless of how much force an athletes applies when performing the lift. In my opinion, this may actually decrease an athlete’s explosive force!

Somehow I can't help thinking 'Nautilus' when I read this. I do tend to agree with him though.

I certified as an IronMind Captain of Crush on the #3 Gripper at the end of 2003. In 2004, the IronMind certification was still the only one that existed. In order to get your name ‘up in lights,’ you had to do so through the IronMind certification. Click to go to IronMind’s Captains of Crush Certification page. To this day, IronMind remains the gold standard in Grip Strength equipment.

At that same time, a regular topic being discussed on the Gripboard was the fact that there was variance between the IronMind number 3 grippers. It was noted that many of the older #3’s were more difficult than the ones that were currently being produced. While I have only tried a handful of older grippers, and by ‘older’ I mean produced prior to 2003, the ones I have tried were definitely more difficult on average. The fact is grippers do vary. To me, it seems that most of the time that I squeezed a pre-2003 #3 it seemed harder to shut that ones made after 2003. Then in 2005, it seemed to me that they didn’t vary as much. These days, the #3’s all seem just about the same, and you rarely find a spongy one.

If you'd like to enter the DIY Equipment Competition but are lacking inspiration, here are a few ideas that just may get things rolling :

A harness for towing a car

Thinking of the car as an enormous, heavy sled; how would you hold onto the straps to tow it? Especially if you're facing away from it.

A harness would spread the load over a lot more of the body than simply looping the straps around your waist.

Bar thickeners

Using a thick bar can be great fun, for just about any exercise. The problem comes when you go to fatten up an existing bar - usually the entire length of the bar is thickened. All that's needed, though, is for the bar to be thicker in the sections you're holding; not the bar's full length.

A pair of clamps would be great, each a little more than the width of your hand, to lock around a standard or Olympic bar and fatten it up to a more respectable 2.5" - 3". These could then be taken from bar to bar.

Board for step-ups (in rack), rows and back rest for shoulder work

This is a fairly simple one - a piece of wood about the size of an ironing board, smooth (you're going to be lying on it) and strong (you're going to be stepping up onto it with weight). Near each end would be a groove designed to fit around both the pins (for rows and step-ups) and the main vertical bars of the rack (for seated overhead presses, to act as a back support).

Lat pulldown attachment for rack

As much as I love performing chin-ups, the occasional use of a lat pulldown is great. A simple attachment for the rack would be a beautiful thing.

Cable attachment for rack

I tend to use bands for many traditional cable exercises, but of course this alters the strength curve quite a bit. A simple cable setup for the rack would be superb.

V-handles

These come in handy for a range of exercises, including rows, deadlifts and chin-ups. The ability to add straps, ropes or chains is a bonus.

Sandpit

For throwing kettlebells, dumbbells or anything else that would make a nice dent in your lawn.

Clubbell

There are many cool things that can be made by simply filling unused toys with sand (such as the medicine ball Jim made a while ago), and clubs are no exception. For starters, grab a plastic baseball bat and a bag of sand.

Sliding bench

Despite the advertising, the Total Gym (particularly the basic models) is a wonderful device. I tend to use it for warm-ups, but it's also great for rehab and endurance training workouts.

A similar setup would be a great addition to many a home gym. All you really need is a sliding platform on angled runners, and two cables with which to pull yourself along. Similar to a rowing machine.

Ab roller

This is a quick one - it's essentially just a free-spinning wheel and an axle with a bit of grip on each end. An Olympic dumbbell with a rotating handle works reasonably well; however setups with a single wheel are also great to use.

Pull-up helper

There are a number of devices related to the humble pull-up that I'd love to see. These include :

• a counterbalanced rope or pulley to aid the completion of a pull-up
• adjustable boxes for gradually increasing the starting distance from the bar (they'd also be great for squats)
• a portable set-up for completing pull-ups whilst away from home (whether in your lunch break at work, or whilst travelling)

Fingerboards

Once standard pull-ups become comfortable, variations such as the Climbers' Pull-up (two fingers from each hand) rapidly move up the list. The many versions of fingerboards are great for this type of training, and can be simple as a smooth piece of wood affixed to the wall above a doorframe.

Punching bag

Whether you're training your punches or kicks, a bag is a great thing to have. The filling is the key here - rags, sand or other materials?

Weighted vest

As cool as the X-Vest is, weight is weight. Plates are a little cumbersome for that sort of thing; sand perhaps?

Rowing machine

Although this sounds ambitious, the basic idea is fairly straightforward. Construct a padded seat on rails, and a cable on a weighted wheel to drag you along.

Grip training

Many exercises can be made more difficult simply by making the object harder to grip. This provides a limitless pool of ideas, and changes the way you look at everyday objects.

A couple of examples :

• Cut a length of dowel into 1.5" - 2" pieces and hammer them into a board. Pull them out with your fingers.
• Knock up a couple of heavy sandbags (Mike has a great article on doing just that), grab them around the top of the bag (hands in a hammer grip) and perform farmers walks.

This week on Straight to the Bar - more competition entries, Chris Cormier struts his stuff on TV and lots more :

• Articles : Christian Thibaudeau hits the ground running in his new Optimized Figure Training series with 10 Ways to improve your workout, Jonty Rhodes discusses why fielding should be fun and Eric Cressey urges everyone to stop thinking and start doing.
• Videos : Grip World Records are broken by Elizabeth Horne and Martin Arildsson, Dr Lamont J Cardon performs some arthroscopic shoulder surgery and the Iron Maven takes a look at some old-school Polish weightlifting training.
• Grip : Scott Styles is in training for this year's Michigan Grip Championship, Aneta Florczyk does a little frypan-rolling and Dunkster finds a great use for the Argos catalogue.
• Blogs : Raymond Britt delves into marathon running (and has some great shots from Boston), Danny finds some great DIY equipment over at Chasing Elite and Joshua Bird blends Crossfit- and WSB-style workouts on Interfit Online.
• Bonus : Tracy Fober looks at the benefits of video analysis. Very interesting indeed.

Run to Win's Blaine Moore continues this month's collaboration on the power of the mind, looking at the way in which fear can overcome your common sense. The example used here is his recent run in the Boston Marathon - a superb achievement, despite his modesty; although it applies equally well to any competitive physical activity.

The discussion following Mike's recent '2007 goals' post has me thinking about the various ways of blending Crossfit-style endurance workouts and a WSB approach for the heavy stuff. The Interfit Online blog records Joshua Bird's (no relation) attempts to do exactly that.

Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Via the Sport People blog.

Eric Cressey discusses something which I tend to do myself - overanalysing your lifting routine at the expense of keeping the primary compound lifts at its core. Time to stop reading and load up the bar.

Deadlifts await.

The Combat Hapkido Journal mentions an interesting exercise combination - the Squat Kick.

The 2007 Cirque du Soleil show has been named Kooza (from a Sanskrit word meaning 'box' or 'coffer'), and as the training video [streaming] indicates, looks set to be another great one. Enjoy.

The About Sleep Disorders blog has a few tips on overcoming Circadian Disrhythmia, or Jetlag. Of course the simplest solution is to not get it in the first place. This doesn't mean avoiding all international flights; it just means to not expect it.

Just a quick video of strongwoman Aneta Florczyk performing an old favourite : rolling up a frying pan [streaming, 968kb .flv download]. Not bad at all.

Via Grip Training Obsession and Napalm's Corner : A great video showing Martin Arildsson lifting 111kg in the 2-Hand Pinch Lift [streaming, 1.2mb .flv download] at the 2007 Löddeköpinge Grip Challenge. Arildsson went on to hoist an incredible 117.5kg to break the world record.

I want to destroy you. Photo © 2007 Jonathon Freedin.

A study published in this month's Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics examined the link between intake of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), in children aged 7-12 years.

The short version? They help, more than you might expect.

Via Get Outdoors : Slovenian Miha Valic has just completed an interesting project - climbing to the summit of all 82 Alpine peaks in just 102 days. In winter. Not bad at all.

Chasing Elite is a blog by fellow strength enthusiast Danny, on grip training, climbing and DIY equipment. Superb.

Raymond Britt is, amongst other things, an athlete and a superb photographer. Head over to his site, and make sure to check out his photos from the 2007 Boston Marathon (Freedom Run only at the moment, Race Day photos shortly). Excellent.

Via Iron Barbell : Henry 'Milo' Steinborn - the man often credited with bringing the squat to the US.

Via Dedwarmo : Steven Ragatz. Mesmerizing.

Just a short compilation clip [streaming, 9mb .flv download] of the University of Vermont Mens Ice Hockey team being put through their paces. Great to see.

Danny Wood's latest training video [streaming, 8.9mb .flv download] shows just how much fun you can have in your local park. Some great ideas in there.

A few snippets from this week's health news :

• Changing the Circadian Clock with the Seasons
  New research has revealed what keeps animals' internal clocks running on time through the long nights of winter, the long days of summer, and everything in between.
  
• Trial Of Creatine For Parkinson's Disease
  Rush University Medical Center will participate in a large-scale national clinical trial to learn if the nutritional supplement creatine can slow the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD).
  
• Liver Regeneration May Be Simpler Than Previously Thought
  A new study, appearing in The Journal of Biological Chemistry, provides new information on the inner workings of cells from regenerating livers that could significantly affect the way physicians make livers regrow in patients with liver diseases such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, or cancer.
  
• Milk Beats Soy For Post-Weighlifting Muscle Gain
  Got milk? Weightlifters will want to raise a glass after a new study found that milk protein is significantly better than soy at building muscle mass.
  
• Power Lawn Mower Injuries Crop Up With Change Of Season
  Lawn mower injuries are a seasonal threat to children and the leading cause of amputations in adolescents, say specialists from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center, Maryland's designated pediatric trauma center where the most severe injuries are treated.
  

David points to a brief piece on Cricinfo by the illustrious Jonty Rhodes; quite possibly the greatest fielder the game's ever seen. Rhodes is now South Africa's fielding coach, a relatively new position in teams worldwide.

Perhaps the most notable change (in recent years) is in throwing technique, as Rhodes notes in the article :

A correct throwing technique means that the throwing arm comes up and over your shoulder, as opposed to a quick release throw, which means that the arm is extended parallel to the ground, and not over the top.

This change alone should see a reduction in shoulder-related injuries over the next few years. Superb.

Once upon a time I was an obese analyst, then changed careers and mindsets, lost 60 or so lbs and became a teacher. I love lifting, hate toning, can make egg white omelets with my eyes closed and am very grateful to whomever invented canned tuna.

Following a wee bit of backsliding, I'm getting my training and nutrition back on track. That sigh you hear is me pining for my old gym back in Jerusalem, where most of the transformation took place. I like leg days best, but have promised myself a pull up one of these days.

Details and reflections at maspikteruzim.blogspot.com.

Dunkster finding a great use for an Argos catalogue [streaming, 3mb .flv download].

The Om Shanti blog has videos of two ways to get into a handstand position away from the wall. Not bad at all.

Pat Casey, 1967.

Via The Iron Maven : This is superb; especially the accessory work near the end. Polish weightlifting, old school [streaming, 18.9mb .flv download].

Via Healthbolt : I find this type of thing fascinating (although several members of my family would refuse to watch it) - a video showing Dr Lamont J Cardon performing subacromial decompression surgery [streaming, 11.2mb .flv download].

The first part of Christian Thibaudeau's Optimized Figure Training series takes a look at progression; and much of it applies to anyone who lifts weights. Not bad at all.

Via Scott Styles : If you're in Michigan, be sure to keep July 28 free : it's the Michigan Grip Championship #5. Looks like fun.

The Diesel Crew points to a great collection of Dave Draper photos - the IronOnline Flickr collection. Not bad at all.

I love this stuff. Blaine briefly looks at the origin of the name 'Heartbreak Hill'; initially part of the Boston Marathon and now given to many marathons around the world.

I've always lived in cities where horizontal sections of road are few and far between, so I remain somewhat skeptical. Still, it's an interesting idea. The Rowbike.

Watch Elizabeth Horne breaking the women's Rolling Thunder World Record [streaming, 1mb .flv download] with a lift of 65.5kg (143lb). Congrats.

The competition is well underway, with the first couple of entries appearing already. If you haven't seen it, head over and take a look. Afterwards, here's a bit of light reading from this week :

• Articles : Mike kicks off the Heavy Sandbag Training series with a great look at the making of your own bag, Jedd explains why the grippers are often first up in grip contests and Dogtown's Robert McKee looks at Extreme Back Training using kettlebells.
• Videos : Anthony DiLuglio explains how 5-year-olds can teach a thing or two about squatting, Dustin Silveri points to a great clip of a couple of guys snatching the beast and Napalm takes us back to the glory days of Kaz and the Log Press.
• Sites : Lisa does a spot of powerlifting, Darren's Diatribe hits the ground running with a tutorial on making an Atlas Stone and Training Syndicate launches. Superb.
• Conditioning : Jason Kirby does a little sled dragging and car pushing, Lee Taft demonstrates several exercises on the Ultimate Ladder DVD and The Knuckledraggers try a great form of kettlebell training - kettlebells for height.
• Bonus : Tony Gentilcore looks at a much underrated excercise - the Pull-through.

If you're joining in the fun of the Home-made equipment competition you probably already know what it's like to look at every object around your house with a 'What if I...' thought running through your head.

Here's the official list (I'll keep this updated as new entries come in) of the participants so far :

Clay Johnson : Clay has built some superb stuff over the years, including :

• Homemade Kettlebells for $1!
• Heavy Handle
• Revolving Handle
• Levers
• Thick Dumbbell Handles
• More Cheap Homemade Thick Dumbbells
• Homemade Dumbbell Rack
• Cheap Pinch Tools
• Loading Pins
• Log

His latest constructions, some farmers walk bars and a Strongman log, are great.

Tim : Tim's also constructed a couple of farmers walk bars, one of which is shown here. Superb.

Rad Man : a power rack. Wood, pipe - $80. Excellent.

Pat Hodgson : Detailed plans for an adjustable Deadlift, Shrug, Row bar. Love it.

Also the Quick and Easy Forearm Exerciser. Now that's a great use for an exercise bike.

John Fike :

• The Perfect Stonebell. Absolutely brilliant.
• Home-made heavy bag. Just like hitting a real opponent.

Chris Rice : Horizontal Pinch Device. I definitely want one of these.

Jason Kirby : Home-made Medicine Ball (soon to be a Tornado Ball). Also on the way - a DIY Wobble Board.

Gary Chandler : several items, including a superb T-bar Row machine. Also :

• Wooden squat rack
• Wooden weight tee
• W-Bar (for chins)
• Chinning bar
• Hammer Press/Pull

Tom Moe : a superb device for the solo home lifter - an 'Off Helper' for the bench press. Love it.

Bryan Bramhill (aka 'bacon') : an extremely sturdy Dip Station. Watch the video to find out exactly how it was made and used.

Brilliant.

Putting the whitegoods to good use [streaming, 928kb .flv download].

Via Dustin Silveri : Snatching the beast [streaming, 5.2mb .flv download]. Superb.

Tyre flipping [streaming, 1.4mb .flv download]. Great fun.

The promo video [streaming, 2.4mb .flv download] for the Ultimate Ladder DVD shows just how versatile this piece of equipment can be.

Just came across a great site via Dave Draper's blog : William Moore's Muscle and Strength Memorabilia Blog. Some fantastic stuff on there.

I've come across some great home-made gym gear over the past few years (check out DIY : Home-made gym equipment I and II), as well as having a go at creating my own. However, I'm always on the lookout for more; and this is where you come in.

Competition

Construct something for use in your workouts. It doesn't matter whether it's a sandbag, a squat rack or a full-blown all-in-one machine. The only constraint is that is has to be constructed between now and May 30 2007. No old stuff, please.

To submit it, either :

• post a photo of it (preferably in use) on your blog and leave a comment here to point to it.

or

• send me (scott AT straighttothebar DOT com) a photo and a couple of paragraphs explaining what it is. I'll post it up here.

Prizes

The prize list includes some great stuff from the guys over at the Diesel Crew (including a t-shirt and their superb ebooks); as well as a couple of mystery items from Straight to the Bar. More details over the next few weeks.

Judging

The judging will be done by you, the reader (via a poll). In the case of a tie, I'll cast the deciding vote.

Finally

The most important part of this exercise is to enjoy the equipment you've just built. Have fun.

Dance Dance Revolution? A Wii perhaps? How about the MX9 Workout Master.

Or a couple of kettlebells. Preferably outdoors.

A spot of stone carrying [streaming. 1.1mb .flv download]. Good fun.

Just one of the many topics covered in Charles Poliquin's latest Q & A on T-Nation. Well worth reading.

If you've got young kids this may seem obvious to you, but it's still great to see the research : when kids don't sleep, neither do their parents.

Via Rif's Blog.

This week's Minute of Strength newsletter contains some great stuff, including a video demonstrating just how to squat : like a 5-year-old child. Apart from the depth, that is.

Also noted is the winning entry from Mike's recent kettlebell painting competition over at Anvil or Hammer. Haven't painted yours yet? Here's some great inspiration.

Via Get Outdoors : the ZorinPump. Ingenious.

Via Physical Subculture : weighted pistols with a bonus hop [104kb, .wmv]. Just a little more challenging than they first appear.

A couple of new links on the Fightraining blog, as well as a few recent discoveries, have prompted me to create a second list of DIY gym equipment (original list). Building it is half the fun.

IronOnline
From Dave Draper's excellent site : several terrific ideas, incuding an axle-mounted wrist wroller, a poor man's Reverse Hyper bench and a home-made weight vest.

CelticKane
Want a pull-up bar but don't want to drill any holes? CelticKane has a great solution.

From the forums
The RossTraining Forum is always filled with great ideas, including : a home-made sled that rivals commercial offerings (Jason Kirby has a brilliantly simple alternative) and Make Your Own Gear. Superb.

The Crossfit Forums are similarly active, with great ideas such as this : attaching a climbing rope.

XXX Powerlifting
Can't afford your own monolift? The guys at XXX Powerlifting have the next best thing.

Anvil or Hammer
Anvil or Hammer recently held a kettlebell painting contest, in conjunction with the Art of Strength. Even if you missed the contest, Mike has some great tips on kettlebell painting. One of the best ways to customise your home gym.

Lean and Hungry Fitness
Are conventional pull-ups getting a little too easy? Have a go at Jim's Hanging Pull-up Bar.

Straight to the Bar
From this site : Mike Amos takes a great look at making your own sandbags.

Once again, it looks like time to visit the nearest hardware store. Some great ideas in there.

If you're anything like me you tend to spend a lot of time in Gmail; or at least have it open in order to keep an eye on things. One of the Gmail features that I've come to really enjoy over the past couple of years is Web Clipping.

Web Clips are simply headlines from your favourite XML feeds, displayed just above your inbox (or whichever folder you're currently in). The list of feeds is entirely customisable; this is how to add the feed for Straight to the Bar :

• Log in to Gmail, and click on 'Settings' in the upper right of the screen.
• Click on the 'Web Clips' tab.
• Paste the following URL into the search box :

  http://feeds.feedburner.com/StraightToTheBar

  and click 'Search'.
• Click 'Add'.

That's it. The headlines from the feed will now appear just above your Inbox (or you current folder). Each time you read a new email or refresh the folder, you'll see a different headline. Simple.

Zercher Squats are one of the many cruel and unusual exercises developed by Californian strongman Ed Zercher (pictured here doing an unsupported leg press) these are done with the bar resting in the crook of your arms, rather than above the back (if you're still not quite sure how they're done, take a look at the BioMechanics Lab site). Unusual, but highly effective - both as a way to improve standard squat technique and to hit the upper quads.

Via Training Syndicate : If you've come across Scott Styles via forums such as The Gripfaq, you'll know just how serious his grip training can be. His new blog blends grip training with kettlebell work; a great combination.

Christian Thibaudeau discusses a great set of exercises - both new and not-so-new - in his latest piece on T-Nation. The Lumberjack Squat looks great.

Lose not yourself in a far off time, seize the moment that is thine.

- Johann Friedrich Von Schiller

This is the second part of this month's series on the mind; a collaboration with Run to Win's Blaine Moore.

focus [n] : a centre of interest or activity.

David Hinchliffe recently wrote a great piece on the subject of focus (as it applies to athletes) over at Harrow Drive. He gave a couple of examples that clearly demonstrate just how effective focus can be in our everyday lives :

Look around the room you are in now for anything that is the colour bright red. I guarantee you will be able to pick out even the tiniest speck now you are looking for it, even if there is hardly any red at all.

and

Maybe you have bought a brand new car sometime in your life. How many of those cars do you suddenly see on the road once you start driving around?

Wouldn't it be great to have this level of attention whilst lifting weights? Running a marathon? Playing football in the park?

Achieving focus, essentially just a form of heightened awareness, requires 3 things :

• goals to have been set
• visualisation
• freedom from distractions

Once these three are in place you will find it much simpler to focus on the task at hand. In many cases it will be automatic.

Goal setting

The concepts of goal setting seem to be often misunderstood, or simply ignored. Essentially, select something which is slightly out of your current reach, and aim to reach it via regular improvement. This may be a particular weight for a given lift, a time for running a certain distance or a pulserate following a chosen activity. Whatever it is, stretch yourself toward it.

Once you're almost there, set a new goal; a little further away. Stretch toward that one, and repeat the process.

If you're not quite sure what your goal should be, pick something. Work toward it, and you'll soon discover whether it feels right to you or not. If it does, keep going. If not, pick something else. Rinse and repeat.

NB : for a slightly more in-depth look at motivation and goal-setting - particularly for fitness goals - take a look at Dan John's 2004 piece on T-Nation,
Goal setting for hard asses. A great read.

Visualisation and freedom from distractions

Both of these subjects will be covered in more detail later in this series, but briefly :

Visualisation : imagine yourself achieving your goal, and reaching it becomes a little easier.

Freedom from distractions : this doesn't just mean throwing out the people who talk constantly whilst in the gym (although that would probably help), it's a matter of constructing a mental 'cone of silence'.

Now the fun begins.

Via Physical Strategies : some great kettlebell back exercises, courtesy Dogtown's Robert McKee. Very cool indeed.

Training Syndicate - the brainchild of Mike Amos - is a feed aggregator containing the output of the ever-growing list of lifting blogs. Superb.

All Around Strength's Jason Kirby tries out a bit of car pushing. Great stuff.

Via Harrow Drive : Vern Gambetta's thoughts on baseball pitching.

The Münsterland Grip Challenge is one of the big ones on the grip contest calendar. Although Münsterland is the area around Münster, Germany, the Challenge regularly attracts the top gripmeisters from around the world. This year the lineup includes many big names from the grip world, such as top US athletes Chad Woodall and Scott George (you can help them cover costs over on the Diesel Crew site). Should be a big one.

The consumption of milk is still somewhat controversial. Extra-Strength Fitness and Nutrition wades in.

Where do you stand?

Coach Mike's Corner is the blog of personal trainer Mike Demeter. Well worth checking out.

Thank you all for your interest in this series. Again, the idea behind this series is to give you information that will help you get ready for the next Grip Strength Contest in your area. Since Grippers are usually the first event in a Grip Contest, I am starting off with information on Grippers with this segment.

When I started, I didn’t completely understand why Grippers were appearing first in every contest I was reading about, but now it makes sense. Grip contest events often require multiple trips to the platform and multiple attempts per trip, so your hands get tired out fast and the skin gets sensitive quickly. Because of this, it gets more and more difficult to close a top level Gripper. As you get deeper into the contest, your Max Gripper potential can get drained.

Those who follow the day-to-day happenings in the Grip world know who is closing big Grippers like the #3 IronMind Captains of Crush, Beef Builder Elite, Super Elite and the #4 C.O.C. When these types of Grippers get smashed at the contest, it looks a lot better on the score sheet. If Grippers get shifted backwards to a later spot in the contest, you can bet on most of the athletes’ performances dropping. Promoters like to be able to show off the score card with monster Grippers getting closed and the fans enjoy reading about it. Plus, when you consider how far athletes must travel to get to the contest and the financial investment they make in registering for the contest, as well as paying for food travel and hotel stay, they want to go to the contest and murder that big Gripper they have been working on. All of these factors add up to Grippers being the first event, usually.

I only know of one promoter that consistently sets the contest order up so that Grippers are not first, and that is Dave Memont from Total Performance Sports. You might remember from the last installment that I just made a trip up that way last weekend. Luckily, he placed Grippers second in the order this year, but two years ago, at the 2005 Grip Assault contest, Grippers were LAST and not a single competitor, including myself, was able to close a #3 Gripper. We were all too wasted from the rest of the prior events! I anticipated him doing it again this year, so I shifted Grippers last in each workout that I trained them. I did this in an effort to develop the endurance to still have high performance in the grippers at the end of the contest, even after several efforts on the Hub, Rolling Thunder, Vertical Bar, and Thick Bar lifts. This year, with Grippers being second, my hands felt great going into the event, and I closed the #3 no problem.

Besides the order of events, the biggest factor in how difficult it will be to excel in the Gripper event is the kind of set that is being used in the contest. A set is the technique used in partially closing the Gripper with two hands in order to optimally position the Gripper in the gripping hand in preparation for the close.
There are several types of sets that are used in Grip Strength Contests. I will cover each one so that you will become familiar with all of them. Let’s start off at the beginning with the Original IronMind Set.

Original IronMind Set

Since IronMind is the manufacturer of the most famous hand strength grippers on the market, all contests used to employ the original IronMind Set. For certification on IronMind’s #3 and #4 Captains of Crush Grippers, you used to be able to set the gripper with your off hand up until the point where the handles were one inch apart.
The witness had to be able to clearly see the last inch of Range of Motion (R.O.M.) and the contact of the handles for the athlete to qualify as officially closing the gripper.

The beauty of this technique was that it took hand size out of the picture for the certification process. Since you were permitted to set the Gripper, it didn’t matter if your hands were 7 inches, or 9 inches, because everybody could get their fingers into a good position on the gripper handles. Essentially, everyone had an equal shot at certifying on the #3 and the #4 as long as they were willing to put the work in. With the beginning of the R.O.M. taken out of the equation, the toughest part of the Gripper R.O.M., the close, was still there for everyone to conquer.

This setting method was the easy choice for Grip contests. After all, IronMind was the gold standard in Gripper product quality, so why not use their setting technique in contests? My first Grip Contest was the Battle for Grip Supremacy, promoted by Rick Walker in Punxsutawney, PA. There, Grippers were held first, and the athlete could set to parallel and squeeze. If there was a tie, and two or more athletes closed the same Gripper, then they had to go back and do a tie-breaker by performing a timed hold with that gripper. I remember I closed a very tough, wide-spread, single-stamped #3 Gripper along with Rob F. Vigeant. On the next turn, we both missed the Beef Builder Elite, so we were tied. The Gripper attempts lasted 2 minutes, so we were both so wasted from double digit attempts at getting that Elite closed. Thankfully, Rick let us split the points.

Eventually, the Gripboard started its own certification system, the Gripboard Mash Monster Elite, which spawned the Mash Monster set. In the next installment of Straight to the Grip Contest, we’ll see how the advent of the Mash Monster eventually led to the demise of the Original IronMind Set.

Again, I welcome any comments, questions, or suggestions in regards to this series. Please feel free to email me at jedd.diesel@gmail.com. Also, please check out DieselCrew.com for more articles and products related to Grip Strength.

If you enjoy a little DIY work when it comes to training equipment, take a look at this tutorial on Darren's Diatribe - How to make an Atlas Stone (part 1, part 2). Good fun.

Via Physical Strategies : Atienza Kali - discipline of the blade.

Check out Power Training, the training diary of Brisbane-based powerlifter Lisa. Great to see.

Dr Michael Breus points to an interesting article that on the link between sleep and testosterone; particularly in older men. How much quality sleep do you currently get?

This is part one of two of an article on Heavy sandbag training. In part one I will cover specifics of building sandbags but will not talk about training, yet. This article is based on my personal experience with sandbags and I will share with you any mistakes I made in the hope you can avoid the same. This article is geared toward someone who is new to sandbag training and who wants to work with weights from 100lbs and up. For people working with lighter weights, the tips on building sandbags may be helpful but you will find more at any of the online sandbag retailers.

This is the year of the sandbag: folks are talking about them, coaches are drilling them, even big budget films are shaping up their extras with this unorthodox training method. Now it's your turn.

Being that it's your first year of sandbag, let me try to clear up a little confusion. Sandbags are a subset of what could be called odd object lifts, Dinosaur Training or Turbulence Training. Sandbag training isn’t the whole of any of these things nor do any of these fully encompass sandbags. Sandbags are physical training tools that are malleable in your routine more so than most things and yet harder to train with as well. Sandbags represent strength training and weightlifting at their purest. There are no federations, clubs, suits, belts or even rules. Sandbags remind us that in the real world not every object comes with a perfectly balanced 1" handle, that things are awkward and sometimes even seem to be built to prevent their being lifted.

Hardware:

1. Outer bag
2. Middle bag (optional)
3. Inner bag
4. Sand

The outer bag is probably the one ingredient with the most options. Military duffle bags are a popular choice and for a good reason. They are the cheapest bag out there that is durable to take the punishment you’re gonna dish out. If you go this route, cut off any buckles and probably the straps too. Depending on the duffle you get, there is a hook at the top to keep it closed. I would cut this off too and consider using rope with a knot in it or duct tape. The reason you are destroying your nice new bag is that your face and body is going to be up close and personal with this bag and there will be weight, sliding and dropping, those actions combined with the aforementioned hazards lead to wounds and lacerations. There are a couple commercially available options out there too. Ironmind makes a great bag that can be bought separately or as part of kit. I personally used this for my first attempts at sandbag training and was very satisfied. There are a couple other manufacturers of sandbags out there. So far, none of them have been designed to hold 150 pounds or more, for that reason, they are not an option for me.

The middle bag is not for everyone. The middle bag is your basic sandbag, the mesh kind that are used keep water at bay, on levees and such. You can order these online or buy them at your local hardware store, you can buy several for a dollar in most cases. I made use of these but you don't have to. These come in really handy if you are still experimenting with weights. I'll cover the difference more in a moment.

The inner bag is always a good idea. This is basically a plastic bag, usually a trash bag, often several of them. The basic idea is that no cloth bag is very good at keeping sand inside. It leaks, it gets in your hair, clothes and carpet. This won't kill you but it gets old. Your sandbags lose weight over time this way too. I actually did not use these in my first pass at sandbags and was just fine but I'm tired of sand in my car so you can bet I'll use them next time.

The last thing you need is some sand. It's as easy as going to the hardware store and buying some. I found it in the aisle with garden and landscape supplies. Ask around if you need help. I used play sand for about $5/50lbs. Some people choose to use pea gravel. It's not gonna be as dense or roll as easily but it works really well, leaks less and is less dusty if you didn't use an inner bag. Obviously you could go out and find sand on the ground too, that is up to you. Personally I like a clean source. Any stick or sharp rocks will wreck your bag and will wreck you, possibly.

You've got your equipment, it's time to get down to the business of building sandbags. There are two ways you can do this,as I eluded above, I'll talk about them both and you can pick:

David Belle is both the founder of Parkour (the art of displacement) and its most famous practitioner. To get an idea of this wonderful sport, take at look at the many television commercials featuring Parkour or the film Banlieue 13 (District 13). Superb.

Going to be near Salzburg in July? Love the great outdoors? Try a bit of naked hiking in the Alps. Via Get Outdoors.

Another great Kaz video via Napalm's Corner : Bill Kazmaier in 1982 performing the log press [streaming, 1.5mb .flv download]. As you'll see, the start is slightly different to today's contests.

If it doesn't have a squat rack, it's not a gym.

Another great idea by Jason Kirby. Sled dragging without the sled.

Via The Knuckledraggers.

Autumn is finally getting underway here. As things cool down outdoors, Straight to the Bar just gets warmed up :

• Articles : Jason Kirby takes a look at Muscle-up progressions, Jedd Johnson sets up a superb series on grip contests and Blaine Moore discusses the thoughts that go through your head whilst running - and how they affect your performance.
• Video : This week saw a compilation video from the Iowa Strongest Man contest, William McCaslin holding his first strongman show and Jedd Johnson takes us back to the WWF 1991 style with a look at Kaz in the ring.
• Conditioning : Crossfit has a great video on Parkour QM training drills, Tom Giblin does a little tyre-flipping and I take a look at 10 of the best television commercials featuring Parkour.
• Sites : Map My Run keeps track of training for runners, Low-carb medical research stays on top of just that and Industrial Strength London demonstrates just how much fun outdoor training can be.
• Bonus : Charles Staley takes a look into why periodization doesn't work. A great article, not to mention a superb exercise in marketing. Read on.

I've held a fascination with sleep research for a long time (prior to switching over to a biphasic routine), and this interview with Dr. Michael Breus (aka The Sleep Doctor) certainly doesn't change that. Well worth a listen.

Via Napalm's Corner : a great find - Bill Kazmaier doing a little wrestling [streaming, 6.2mb .flv download]. Superb.

Looking for a slightly different combination for your conditioning work? Try the Sprawl and Punch [streaming, 332kb .flv download].

At Large Nutrition has a great interview with legendary bodybuilder Dr Ellington Darden. Enjoy.

The training blog of Jonathon Lewis' Industrial Strength London shows just how simple and effective outdoor training can be. Bodyweight exercises, kettlebells, rope work and other fun things.

If you've never seen sumo wrestling and you're in LA, head over to the Los Angeles Sports Arena on Saturday for the 2007 US Sumo Open. Looks great.

This has great implications : it may now be possible to convert blood types. Currently, if you're in need of blood (following an accident, operation or illness) you're limited in the type of blood you can be given. If you have type A or AB blood you can be given type A; if you have B or AB you need B. Type O can be given to anyone.

The ability to convert from one type to another means an instant increase in the blood supply. Fantastic.

World champion weightlifter Sergo Chakhoyan has been banned from competing in the sport for life, following a second positive test for a prohibited substance. It's a sad way to end an otherwise great career : he broke world records at both the 1994 and 2003 World Championships.

Tom Furman points to a nice resource on low-carb research. Enjoy.

Via Digg : some great sports photography. Enjoy.

Is your dog looking a little stressed? Not getting quite enough exercise? Try Doggie Yoga.

Chris Shugart summarises the 2007 Health & Fitness Summit held recently in Dallas, Texas. There's a lot of great information in there.

Maurice Tillet (aka The French Angel) was a wrestler in the 1930s-'40s. In his 20s he developed acromegaly, gradually disfiguring his body and leading to his 'ogre' personality in the ring.

On August 1, 1944, The French Angel defeated Steve "Crusher" Casey for the American Wrestling Association World Championship.

Mark Reifkind salutes the hardest working man in powerlifting - Westside's Chuck Vogelpohl. The video is great.

As part of a recent charity event Tom Giblin, the owner of Peak Strength & Fitness flipped [streaming, 12.1mb .flv download] a 450lb tyre (a Michelin 20.5 R25 XHA) 31 times in just 5 minutes. Superb.

Parkour has been used many times in advertising over the past few years. Here are a few of my favourites.

1. Österreichische Bundesbahnen (Austrian Federal Railway) Summerticket promotion
   
   
   Clearly aimed at the youth market, this ad formed part of the ÖBB's 2006 Summerticket promotion.
   
   
2. Rogers Wireless, Canada
   
   
   The 'Meeting' ad for Rogers is one of their best. Filmed in England, Jan 2006.
   
   
3. Scion
   
   
   Ordinary car, great commercial.
   
   
4. Canon Ixus 900 TI CF
   
   
   This is a Japanese commercial for the Canon Ixus 900 TI CF featuring David Belle. Very nice.
   
   
5. Rush-Hour (BBC)
   
   
   This one features another amazing performance by David Belle. Superb.
   
   
6. Go Fast energy drink
   
   
   This ad demonstrates the true powers of the Go Fast energy drink. Featuring Brian Taylor.
   
   
7. Virgin soft Drinks
   
   
   This was TeamTraceur's first commercial, created via parkour.co.za and filmed in Tunisia in 2005. A great one - particularly the huge gap jump 26sec into the ad.
   
   
8. Excite
   
   
   Featuring Stephane Vigroux, this isn't bad at all. Filmed in France.
   
   
9. MTV - Barrio19
   
   
   This commercial showcased the talents of the Adrenaline Team.
   
   
10. Nike - The Angry Chicken (Nike Presto)
    
    
    Finally, the one that started it all - Nike's 'The Angry Chicken'. Superb.
    
    

These are only a few of my personal favourites; there are many more parkour-based commercials. What other good ones have you seen?

Something's seriously wrong with this. Via Diet Blog.

Mike Robertson briefly discusses an exceedingly simple - though often overlooked - principle : Kaizen. The Kaizen Principle is one of continuous improvement through regular small changes.

Great food for thought.

I've long been interested in your mind's ability to focus on a task, remember things and generally make life a little easier. This month's collaboration with Run to Win's Blaine Moore looks at several areas relating to the power of the mind; beginning with a look at the thoughts you have whilst running. And, of course, how these impact your performance.

Via the RossTraining forums : a great-looking home-made sled. Not bad at all.

Physical Strategies points to a great video on Crossfit [19.9mb, .mov] demonstrating a few QM (Quadrupedal Movement) drills for Parkour training. Looks like fun.

This weekend in Casa Grande, Arizona, freelance writer Bryan Ball will be just one of many people using a Nissan Motors test track to take a shot at breaking a bicycle-powered land speed record. Ball will be riding the incredible-looking Varna Orpheus (pictured), and targeting the low-altitude record of 62.3mph. The high altitude record - which will undoubtedly be the subject of an attempt next year - is a staggering 81mph.

That's 81mph on a bicycle. Wow.

William McCaslin - who recently added his name to the illustrious Ironmind Red Nail Roster - strutted his stuff recently [streaming, 17.7mb .flv download] at the California State Powerlifting Championship. Definitely a name to remember.

A few snippets from this week's health news :

• If Friends Drink and Drive, So May You
  People whose friends are OK with drinking and driving are much more likely to drink and drive themselves, too, a U.S. study confirms.
  
• Dr John Berardi's Precision Nutrition forums now open to everyone
  Be sure to check out the exercise videos.
  
• Dirt exposure 'boosts happiness'
  Exposure to dirt may be a way to lift mood as well as boost the immune system, UK scientists say.
  
• Groundbreaking Canadian Asthma Study
  A new report published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) shows that patients treated with bronchial thermoplasty, the first non-drug treatment for asthma, demonstrated an overall improvement in asthma control.
  
• Snoring Can Be as Harmful to a Child's IQ as Lead Poisoning
  University of Virginia researchers have been studying sleep disturbances in children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids for the past seven years. They discovered that youngsters who snore nightly scored significantly lower on vocabulary tests than those who snore less often.