Just got a chance to read Dan John's latest piece on T-nation - New Associations, New Muscle. Here he discusses how not only changing exercises around, but changing the equipment used can lead to a wealth of new ideas.

Experiment. Have fun.

Total Transformation's John Kaiser takes a look at one of my favourite workout locations - the local park. It's definitely not just for kids.

Russian wrestler Ernst Zuzya. About 1900.

Looking for grass-fed beef in your state (North America only)? Head over to the Eat Wild site.

Interesting idea - the iH85B. Motörhead at 20 paces?

With the rain continuing, the indoor gym definitely had some attention. Between sessions the following appeared :

• Articles : Matt Danielsson looked at supplementation for natural bodybuilders, David Ostlund chatted to Chasing Kaz's Ben Hanson about his Venice Beach win (and the new points system) and Blaine wrapped up this month's conditioning series with a look at a great form of exercise-without-trying : dancing.
• Videos : Mobster did a little heavy juggling, the guys at Kentucky Powerlifting tested out the bed-of-nails once again and Andy Bolton demonstrated his training routine (note the lightning fast speed pulls).
• Ideas : There were some very interesting exercise ideas this week, notably - various grip combinations on the promo video for Grip Dominator II, the Ice Chamber's Kettlebell Windmill and John Brookfield's Plate See Saw.
• Sites : The sites added to the reader this week included Wrestler Nation (some great stuff on there), the kettlebell training diary of Texas Tom Healy and Personal Trainer Fred Fornicola's Premiere Personal Fitness.
• Bonus : Dave Barr takes a fascinating look into the subject of Carbohydrate Tolerance. If you eat as much rice as I do, this is definitely one for your reading list.

Great Falls Electrics' Taylor Shanahan sends one through. Photo © 2007 Adam.

Another site to add to your daily reading list : Fred Fornicola's Premiere Personal Fitness Blog. Good stuff.

Via Run to Win : the IAAF has allowed South African runner Oscar Pistorius to compete against able-bodied runners; at least until they can determine whether or not he is at an advantage. As Blaine points out, a victory now will not only be great from Pistorius' standpoint, it'll ensure this issue stays in the headlines.

No matter what your views are on the matter, this is definitely a good thing.

Charley Allen points to a new kettlebell training blog - the training diary of Texas Tom Healy. A great read.

Chris Shugart chats with (currently natural) bodybuilder Kiyoshi Moody. Moody's views on many things - particularly steroid use - are intriguing.

Brian Carson posts part 18 of his excellent 20-part series on Old-Time Strength - this time looking at the inimitable John Grimek. Grimek was undoubtedly a man ahead of his time.

German powerlifter Rudi Küster in action.

Via Physical Strategies : It never ceases to amaze me just how many exercises Vince 'the Iron Guru' Gironda examined, tweaked and created. One of these is the Gironda Ab Squeeze (although I'm sure it also goes by many other names) and is the perfect example of how a simple change can greatly increase the effectiveness of a movement.

NB : the description is an excerpt from the book West Coast Bodybuilding Scene, a great read.

A brief video [streaming, 3.5mb .flv download] from Glasgow Parkour demonstrating several variations of the muscle-up. Superb.

Julia Ladewski's latest newsletter contains several interesting Plank variations, notably the Side plank with kettlebell (pictured). Looks like a good one.

John Brookfield's latest Grip Tip (on the Ironmind site) is definitely one of the better ones. Incredibly simple (just pick up a plate and go), and more difficult than you might imagine.

Good fun.

This looks like it will certainly be worth the wait : Strong Magazine. Fantastic.

Via Powerlifting Watch : the trailer [streaming, 4.7mb .flv download] for an upcoming Andy Bolton (first man to deadlift over 1,000 lb - video) training DVD. Speed deadlifts with 585 lb? Love it.

Blaine wraps up this month's article series on the many ways of keeping in shape without really trying, this time examining the benefits of dancing. As someone who only dances during weddings, I can definitely attest that it manages to hit muscles I usually manage to avoid. There's definitely something in that.

If you enjoy wrestling, you'll love this - Wrestler Nation. Photos, articles and events. Perfect.

Via TX Kettlebells : Valery Fedorenko demonstrating both the KB short and long cycles. Very good stuff.

I love browsing through eBay, second-hand shops and the local markets; so, apparently, do the guys over at Swapatorium. Their latest discovery : a $20,000 (original price) exercise bike + video setup, that looks uncannily similar to my Reebok Cyberrider.

Apart from the price that is.

What will fitness gadgets look like in another 25 years?

Chris Benoit : 1967 - 2007.

More great bed-of-nails action [streaming, 4.1mb .flv download] via Kentucky Powerlifting. Two guys and an engine block. Very, very unusual.

From ArcaMax Health and Fitness :

In most healthy men, testosterone production reaches an all-time high in the late teens, and levels remain relatively stable for up to two decades. Between the ages of 30 and 40, testosterone levels begin to drop at a rate of about 1 to 2 percent per year.

Although testosterone replacement therapy has historically been considered as part of the treatment for Hypogonadism (usually a condition afflicting younger men), more recently it has been used to help ward off the effects of aging. For the men out there - is this something you would consider? When?

The Ice Chamber demonstrates a great exercise - the Kettlebell windmill. One I'll definitely be experimenting with.

Strongman Dave Ostland chats to Chasing Kaz's Ben Hanson on his recent WSM Super Series win, and the new points system that accompanied it. Changes or not - it was a great win.

Via Digg : I'm in two minds over this one. According to figures from the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (the largest of its type in the US) almost 1 million children aged 6-17 are using the services of personal trainers. This equates to roughly 13% of the trainers' clientele.

It's great to see these children keeping fit; but surely the basics of this should be promoted in schools? 1 million fit children is excellent; seeing all school-age children fit would be fantastic.

The Natural Bodybuilding Principles blog points to two great articles by Matt Danielsson concerning supplementation for bodybuilders. This quote neatly sums up Matt's view (and my own) on the subject :

Hard training and good food will take you 90% of the way. People got buff 50 years ago, before the supplement market was a gazillion-dollar industry.

As a reformed supplement junkie, this is very interesting reading.

A question over on the Former Fat Guy blog started me thinking - what is the best way to train when there's a new baby in the family (limiting time, rest and generally changing things around - in a great way, of course)? I'd love to hear your ideas; especially if you're about to be a parent for the second time (Kris, I'm definitely looking in your direction). What works? What would you do differently?

If you've been holding on for some more climbing videos, try the latest work from the guys at Piton Productions over at Urban Climber. And if you're intrigued by aerial photography (great for this type of sport), make sure you check out their blog. Superb.

Regardless of your thoughts on the problems associated with obesity, this is surely a positive step. Calgary paramedics are now driving the first ambulance designed to carry heavier patients (anywhere from 400 lb to 1,000 lb) safely to their destination. If you're in need of urgent medical treatment, you certainly don't want to be wondering how you're going to get to the hospital.

A great move.

One of the many tactics employed by the 'Health Colonel', Lt. Col. Bob Weinstein.

The Whey Consortium's Steve 'Mobster' Gardener juggling the baby Inch dumbbell [streaming, 1mb .flv download].

There are some very interesting grip exercise ideas on the promo video for the Grip Dominator II, over at Into Combat (an excellent site - well worth a look around). Wheels are definitely turning.

Via SCAQ : Bode Miller at work. One of photographer Simon Bruty's favourite shots - a great collection.

Via Physical Strategies : a great kettlebell collection.

It's been another extremely wet, windy and busy week here at Straight to the Bar. Amid the mayhem :

• Articles : Eric Cressey wraps up the excellent Mastering the Deadlift series with a look at the reasons for employing many common deadlift variants, Sports Physiotherapist Dave Waugh discusses the ways to manage ankle injury during training and I take a look at the idea of walking 10,000 steps per day.
• Videos : A week without Parkour just wouldn't be the same - here's a coaching seminar with some brilliant moves, Kris gets everyone if the right frame of mind for the next Virtual Meet (it's a great clip) and Andrew Durniat makes a couple of 32kg kettlebells look extremely light. Amazing.
• How to : Keith Scott shows you how to assess your hip mobility, Judo Info provides animations on a number of Judo throws and Kelly Mills demonstrates the perfect bodyweight squat.
• Sites : The daily reading list keeps growing. This week's finds included the superb strongman site Chasing Kaz (there's a great interview with strength athlete Mike Gill here), a regular look at the health and fitness world from the one-and-only Tanya Ryno and the fascinating Science of Sport.
• Bonus : If you're a fan of the New York Mets, you'll love this - MetsTube. Video highlights of the world's greatest baseball team.

Haven't had your fill yet of strange gadgets from Japan? Try this - it's a bodyfat measuring device for dogs. From Kao (site in Japanese).

An article I did for Diet Blog - How to prepare meals in advance. As always on that site, the comments are definitely worth a read.

Brian Carson takes a brief look at bodybuilder Angelo Siciliano, better known by his stage name Charles Atlas (pictured here pulling a Pennsylvania RR car). Very interesting man.

I'm definitely looking forward to the launch of Dave DePew's site Powerlifting Radio. Should be great.

The Ice Chamber's Kelly Mills demonstrates the ideal bodyweight squat, and delivers 10 key elements to the perfect form. Excellent.

The mighty Hermann Goerner (6'1, 245lb in this photo) being introduced by South African Strongman Tromp Van Diggelen (circa 1950).

Somewhere between academia and the playing field sits The Science of Sport. A very interesting blog.

I love this. If you're looking for bodyweight conditioning ideas, this video [streaming, 16.9mb .flv download] from a recent Parkour Coaching seminar has plenty of them. Superb.

Via Get Outdoors : As much as I love the great outdoors, this is one step too far. Ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, a highway is planned for the side of Mt Everest to 'ease the Olympic torch's journey to the peak of the world's tallest mountain'.

I'm firmly against this - what do you think?

This week's Minute of Strength newsletter features one of the more unusual kettlebell exercise combinations from the Firepower DVD; the Kettlebell squat and triple crush. Looks great.

The Virtual Meet Community, that is. Sign up for September.

In the Gym : reviews of energy bars, protein shakes and workout gear. All of the things that are just there.

Just getting into Parkour? This video [streaming, 11.1mb .flv download] demonstrates several great bodyweight exercises for lower body conditioning (for their upper body counterparts, take a look at this). Superb.

Dave Waugh - Sports Physiotherapist at the recent World Adventure Racing Championships Scotland - takes a look at Extensor Tendonitis; especially how it should be managed during training. Very interesting.

This is the first in a series of brief interviews I conducted with strength athletes from around the world. Hope you enjoy them.

1. Firstly, a bit of background. What is your name (and nickname), and where did you grow up.

Mike Gill. I was born in Buffalo, NY on November 19, 1972 making me 34 years old. I’ve lived in Buffalo and its suburbs for most of my life. I spent five years in Durham, NC where I owned three gyms, but returned home after never really adjusting to the area. Most people just call me Gill.

2. How did you get started in the sport?

I started seriously training with weights when I was 16. I had tinkered with them prior to that for years, but got dedicated after a “hardcore” gym moved into my town. I did a few bodybuilding shows in the 90s but I never could get lean enough. Besides, I like being bigger and training heavier; those two things don’t happen when you are getting contest ready. So for 10 years I just maintained my size and strength and did a few other things. I ran a few duathalons (run, bike, run) some 10k’s and did a short course triathlon. They fueled my competitive fire, but didn’t mix well with my body type. Ben Hanson (the other Chasing Kaz writer) suggested I try Strongman. I tossed the idea around for a few months and then after watching the 2005 WSM from China I decided to give it a go. I did my first strongman workout in March of ’06 and my fist competition 3 months later.

3. Which accomplishment (sporting or otherwise) are you most proud of?

Winning the Kumite Classic this year was a pretty awesome feeling for me. In my first year of competition I placed second in all three contests I entered; that was very frustrating. Getting the win assured me that I had the mental game to make it happen.

4. What are your goals for the next year or so? The next 10 years?

I would like to crack the top 5 at nationals this year. The competition keeps getting stiffer each year as the sport grows and that’s good, because it means the US as a whole is getting stronger at the sport. I think I have the tools to get my pro-card in the next 18-24 months, so that’s my long term goal. Other than that I would just like to stay healthy and continue to get bigger and stronger.

5. What changes in the sport have you seen over the years? What would you like to see?

I would like to see more odd events in contests, but standardization for getting your pro- card. That may sound confusing, so I’ll explain. To get your pro card now you have to win the amateur division at a pro-am or win Amateur Nationals. A few years back this was a good system as there were literally just a few competitors at each contest and the sport was much smaller. Now there are many guys competing for just a few spots each year, with many of the contests held in small remote locations. It’s expensive to get to and sometimes the best don’t show up, allowing a lesser competitor to earn a pro-card.

If NAS switched to regional qualifying meets then you would assure a more even system for earning a pro card. Qualifying meets would all have the same events and a certain time or number would earn you points. All participants with enough qualifying points at the end of the day would earn their cards. For example to earn a pro card you would need to clean and press a 300lb log 3 times, run a 315lb per hand 100 ft farmers walk in 24 seconds, deadlift a 800lb side handle apparatus, flip a 900lb tire for 50’ and then drag a 500lb sled, and then do a series of 5 stones to fixed heights for a certain time. This would open the doors for more competitors to go pro, find sponsors and become better athletes.

Contests should take an opposite approach though. Logs are now all steel and plate loaded; people can’t relate to the weight. Same thing with a bar that is loaded with 500lbs or 700lbs of plates, it all looks the same to the audience. To make it more interesting to the spectators (and therefore get more TV time) events should incorporate cars, safes, motorcycles, people, field stones; things that inspire awe in Joe Average when you lift them because they can relate to the objects.

6. Would you encourage up-and-coming athletes to follow the same path (as you have)? What would you do differently?

I didn’t find this sport until I was 33 years old, so that’s a bit late. What I would encourage younger athletes to do is try a variety of things until you find what you are good at and like at the same time. I’ve run into quite a few people who were good at something but no longer cared for it; it makes playing sports a chore instead of something great.

7. What types of training have you found to be most effective?

Low-volume, fluctuating intensity, high frequency training performed on the core lifts and events. It’s the method the Bulgarian Olympic lifters perfected that has given them a truck load of medals from the 70s on. You limit the amount of work in a training session, but train more often. Instead of wearing down the muscle in one session you condition it to recover faster so you can train it sooner. When applied correctly with proper recovery you can hit the same lifts multiple times per week and you are fresh each time. It’s great for me and my schedule.

8. What's your current training schedule like?

I’m a strength coach and personal trainer so I work a split shift every day. This enables me to train at around 11 AM every day (close to contest time) then eat and sleep immediately after. If I am doing splits I can get a second session in some time that afternoon.

Currently I train 4-6 days per week. I do one major lift during a training session like squats, press or dead and then do some auxiliary work. I limit training time to 40minutes. On Saturday I train events. We usually do 2 works sets per event and 3-4 events. We do this in about 2 hours.

9. What is your diet like - do you eat anything specifically to assist your training?

I eat a high fat, high protein diet, with moderate carbs. I rely mostly on food to get my calories and just a weight gainer or protein supplement if I am coming up short. I aim for a dozen whole eggs everyday along with 3lbs of red meat. I eat fish 2-3 times per week as well. My two sponsors are Perry’s Ice Cream and Braun’s Restaurant. I eat a ton so it makes it logical to have food companies behind me.

I stay pretty lean as well. I find it hard to get my bodyfat over 15% no matter what I eat. I compete at 280 and would like to be closer to 300 in the near future.

10. Are there any parting thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?

The most under-looked aspect of this sport (or any) is the mental game. In strongman you have to have great pain management skills. I’ve seen plenty of guys quit because they were tired or mentally beat, but still had the physical ability to continue. Doing sets of 10 reps with stones or tire flips for 2 minutes straight will get your conditioning up and raise your pain tolerance.

Consistency is key, as well. So many people want to know why they haven’t changed after training for just a few months. You need to be dedicated to your training, diet and recover for years to make the best gains.

Thanks for your time Mike - it's greatly appreciated. Best of luck in your next competition!

You can contact Mike - and keep up with the world of Strongman - via his site, Chasing Kaz. It's a great read.

German strongman Carl Moerke demonstrating his strength in a very unusual way.

Via Physical Strategies : video [streaming, 19.2mb .flv download] of Andrew Durniat competing at a recent Atomic Athletic Strongman picnic in Bowling Green, Ohio. Despite the fact that he manages to make a number of moves look almost easy, these are 32kg kettlebells he's throwing around. He's definitely one to remember.

Another great Parkour video [streaming, 17.7mb .flv download], this time from The Netherlands. Enjoy.

I have two doctors, my left leg and my right.

Walking is a greatly underrated form of exercise. Whether you're trying to lose weight, increase your conditioning work or simply 'stay in shape'; walking will help you on the way to your goal.

How much should I do?

The commonly cited daily minimum is 10,000 steps (about 5 miles), but really, any amount of walking is beneficial. Just try to do more than you did the previous day or week.

Note that this includes all walking through the day. You'd be surprised at how fast it adds up; particularly if you're on your feet all day at work. The simplest way to measure this is with a pedometer (don't worry, it's a tiny, inconspicuous thing).

When should I do it?

Rather than trying to cover a large distance in a single session (and 5 miles can be quite a lot if you're not used to it), break it down. The simplest way to do this is walk in situations when you'd usually choose another option.

Sometimes this isn't feasible (especially if it's raining), but keep the following in mind as potential leave-the-car-and-walk times :

• the journey to work
• the trip to the corner shop for milk, bread and newspapers
• stairs (instead of escalators)
• weekends (think 'Sunday hike', rather than 'Sunday drive' - even if you drive to your starting point)

Resources

If you're just starting out on your fitness journey, it can be great to hear from others who have recently taken the plunge themselves. For information and inspiration, try these :

Former Fat Guy 10,000 Steps Forum

Rob has definitely turned his life around, and this forum takes you inside just one aspect of that - walking at least 10,000 steps daily.

The 10,000 Step Guide to Fitness

This BBC News article contains a very interesting look at the mechanism used by a typical pedometer. Rest assured, they've come down in size considerably since those photos were taken.

The Fat Man Walking

Steve Vaught drastically changed things following one simple idea - to walk across the US. That's a long, long way. Wait 'til you hear what he has in mind now.

Lift News - a regular look at health and fitness from producer, photographer and health club owner Tanya Ryno. A great read.

Bloody Dove has a tutorial up on that action-movie favourite - the 540 Kick. Good fun.

Piedmont Design Associates (manufacturers of such things as Fractional Plates) has a number of incredibly inventive ideas which never make it all the way to the gym floor. Take a look.

I love coming across new exercises, or re-discovering older ones. Yesterday I watched an old show on Jackie Chan's stunt training, and noticed a push-up variation that doesn't seem to get much attention : the Reaching Push-up (pictured). Simply move your hands out in front of your body and perform push-ups as normal.

As with the ab rollout (if using the full ROM), this push-up variation places more stress on the lower back; whilst giving the abs and shoulders a little more to think about. Very unusual.

The one and only Bill Kazmaier.

Tom Furman points to an excellent resource over on the Ross Training Forums. If combat's your thing, you'll love this (the Judo animations are superb).

Tactical Athlete's Jeff Martone dusts off a great kettlebell or dumbbell exercise - the Strongman Swing. Looks fantastic.

Via Viking Heavy Athletics : Bobsledder and Weightlifter Ingrid Marcum.

For me, the humble kettlebell swing is usually part of a warmup (especially for squats and sumo deads). A recent post by Dustin Silveri has me considering its potential for strength endurance - just how many swings can you knock off in one hour?

500? 1,000? 1,600 (Tracy, you're incredible)

NB : If you're new to the swing, this clip [streaming, 4.2mb .flv download] by Lisa Schaffer will show you how. If you don't have a kettlebell handy, use a dumbbell. It's a great exercise.

Via Anvil or Hammer : The Training Syndicate just keeps on growing. The latest addition is Anthony (pictured here with workout partner Jonathon and the start of a great outdoor gym setup), over at All or None. Pop over and say hello.

Russian champions George Hackenshmidt and [Stanislav?] Eliseev.

The gang from the FitCast chats to strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle. He's an extremely interesting guy.

Jason C. Brown demonstrates just some of the ways that a kettlebell may be gripped (prior to pressing, snatching and so on). Very interesting indeed.

Health Hackers is a site devoted to helping the geeks of the world (and I definitely count myself in that number). If you spend most of your day hovering over a keyboard, this is one site you may just want to take a look at.

Finn Casey sails above Ashby Ollie - photo © 2007 Jason Lunn. One of many superb shots at Chilled Heat.

JumpClub points to a great training video [streaming, 6.2mb .flv download] from the Airborne Trampoline National Team. These guys definitely know how to get some height.

Just got a chance to read the final part of Eric Cressey's excellent Mastering the Deadlift series (part I, part II). If you've ever wondered what benefits lie behind the many deadlift variations, read on. Superb.

How2Skate - tips, plans and more skate videos than you can poke a stick at. Beautiful.

Keith Scott takes a brief look at three quick checks you can do to see if you fall into the 'common hip problem' category. Unfortunately I do; time for a little stretching.

Vintage Barbell is getting quite a collection.

Chasing Kaz is the Strongman site you've been waiting for. Run by amateur Strongmen Mike Gill and Ben Hanson, the site features detailed contest reports, articles and a great forum. Superb.

It's been a busy, busy week here at Straight to the Bar. A few highlights :

• Articles : Mike Davis discussed the importance of ankle mobility, Charles Poliquin looked at the benefits of overtraining and Scott Sonnon spoke about several of the recent changes in kettlebell training. Very interesting stuff.
• Videos : The Diesel Crew demonstrated a great exercise with an extra dose of grip - the Pinch Clean and Press, Gymnastics Coaching pointed us to a clip featuring plenty of standing somersault action and Matt Reynolds & Jonny Gold showed what Strongman training is all about.
• How to : The Ice Chamber's Kelley Hinds showed how to perform the Barbell Snatch, Fortified Iron members helped us soften lifting belts and Glasgow Parkour showed us how to do a little upper-body and core training for Parkour. The Hanging Knees to Elbows is a definite keeper.
• Sites : The feed reader certainly didn't go hungry this week, with the following sites joining the ever-growing list - Andrew Smit's Comrades Marathon Blog (and at a shade under 90km, that's serious business), Dogen Tricks (articles, forums and plenty of video tutorials) and Southern California Aquatics (home of professional swimmer Tony Austin). Superb.
• Bonus : Chris Shugart chats to IFBB Pro Stan 'The Man' McQuay; the guy helping to bring the bodybuilding world back on track. As you'll hear, he's more about symmetry and proportion than size-at-any-cost.

Training often and training hard. The FitFiend.

Real Muscle Online is a great bodybuilding blog; looking at various aspects of fitness, health and making sure you're the biggest person in the gym. Definitely one to add.

Lawanda - the Iron-Jawed Man. Sometime around 1900.

Via Get Outdoors : The Flowboard. A very interesting idea.

Hungry? You will be after reading some of these.

I'll be in the kitchen if you need me.

Powerlifting Watch points to an interesting discussion regarding the softening of your belt. Personally, I agree with the 'just wear it' approach. How do you soften yours?

SCAQ's Tony Austin takes a fascinating look at the more notable changes in swimming technique over the past 70 years. Very interesting indeed.

Just came across some great photos of early Indian physical culture by Vinaya Kumar. Note the stone lifting - great stuff.

Scott Sonnon takes a very interesting look at the more recent approaches to kettlebell training. A great read.

Via Maspik Teruzim : Asymmetrical Information's Jane Galt looks at the Set Point argument; promoted by (amongst others) Gina Kolata in her book Rethinking Thin. The subsequent discussion is interesting - personally I agree with Art De Vany on this one. Obesity is a complex issue, certainly, but there is nothing to support the Set Point theory.

The Ice Chamber's Kelley Hinds demonstrates the Barbell Snatch. A great exercise.

[click above image to play, 17.3mb .flv download].

Via Workout Routines : Matt Reynolds and Jonny Gold enjoying some Strongman training. Love it.

NB : You'll definitely feel like lifting something heavy after watching this.

Tom Furman points to a great interview with Martial Arts legend Adriano D. Emperado. Enjoy.

Photo © 2007 Malcolm Mathie.

Southern California Aquatics is the blog of swimmer Tony Austin, who competes for the SCAQ Swim Club. Very interesting indeed.

Blaine continues this month's look at various ways of keeping in shape without really trying, this time examining the many benefits of yard work. If you've ever taken the mower for a walk, removed a tree stump or just raked up the leaves; you'll know exactly what he means.

Charles Poliquin takes a very interesting look at the benefits of overtraining. Yes, you read that right.

From Glasgow Parkour : a brief look at Parkour conditioning for the upper body and core [streaming, 6.9mb .flv download]. There are a couple of very interesting variations in there - particularly the Hanging knee raises to elbows (pictured). Definitely one I'll be adding to my workouts.

Brian Carson continues his old-time strength series with a brief look at Prussian bodybuilder Sigmund Klein. Great physique, straightforward approach.

Via Rock Climbing for Life : The pleasure of training outdoors knows no bounds. If you're planning to keep your conditioning up this summer with a bit of hiking, climbing or mountain biking; head over to Gear Trade. They've got some great stuff (pre-loved, of course).

Another quick note on the importance of ankle strength and mobility, this time in the form of a brief Q&A on Eric Cressey's blog. Definitely something to think about.

Just another day at the office when you're 7'6. Photo © 2007 Flock.

Warrior Fitness World is the site of trainer and fitness model Akanke Birmingham. As you can see from the latest video on the site - How to prepare my oatmeal pancakes - there's a great dose of nutritional advice on there. Mmmmm.

Take a peek into the world of acclaimed circus performers Kim and Guyom. As you'll quickly see from their videos (more videos on Guyom's site, and his blog [in french]), this is an amazing duo.

If you noticed Dogen's Titanium Ankles video [.wmv, 32.9mb], you may be rethinking your approach to ankle training. Enter Mike Davis, with The Importance of Foot and Ankle Mobility [.pdf, 96kb]. It's a great article.

There are some great videos of various gymnastic tricks over on the DogenTricks forums. Enjoy.

NB : For a look at the importance of conditioning to tricking, try this one [.wmv, 25.08mb].

Via Comrades Blog : As I mentioned the other day, South Africa's Comrades Marathon is not something to be taken lightly. All the more impressive then is runner Clive Crawley, who at 76 years of age is training hard for his 43rd run in the gruelling event. Superb.

Dynamic Fitness is the training journal of writer, speaker, personal trainer and triathlete Andrew Heffernan. Definitely a keeper.

Mike Mentzer enjoying some heavy negatives.

Gymnastics Coaching points to some great standing jump action. If you've ever tried a somersault, take a look at this.

Mike points to a couple of new arrivals on the training blog scene, both of which are very promising indeed.

Sliding Sideways

This is Jen's look at both kettlebell and bodyweight training, as well as a bit of nutrition. It's all good.

The Left Hook

As you've probably guessed from the title, this is training from a professional boxer's (Neal's) perspective. Looks great.

Definitely two to add to you reading list. Pop over and say hello.

Great question, great answer. Dr Michael Eades has the details.

There are several great grip videos up on Strengthmill, including the Diesel Crew's demonstration of the Pinch Clean and Press. Not bad at all.

I am amazed at the scope and inventiveness of the entries for the DIY Equipment Contest. If you haven't already done so, check them out and comment on any you like. Although the contest itself is over, construction is an ongoing project.

The votes are now in, however, and it's time to announce the winner. They'll be receiving a few things from both the Diesel Crew (and I'm very grateful to them for getting behind this) and Straight to the Bar. Expect an email shortly.

The entry with the most votes was :

Bryan Bramhill's Dip Station
I have to admit, the video for this was superb; showing both the making and use of this heavyweight piece. Fantastic.

Make sure you head over to Saint Wilhelm's and show him your appreciation. It's well deserved.

Chad Waterbury sets up a great trio of mass-building articles on T-Nation this week, with the lines :

Raise your hand if you don't want more muscle mass. Anybody? Yeah, that's what I thought.

If you find yourself nodding sagely (whilst keeping your arms firmly by your sides), here's a bit of reading for you :

The 30 Day Mass Plan
by Chad Waterbury

This is more than a simple 'squats and milk' article, as Chad discusses recent discoveries in the muscle-building world and how he's currently implementing them in routines for his clients.

6 New Exercises For New Muscle!
by Christian Thibaudeau

Christian looks at 6 great mass-building moves that deserve more than a casual glance. In addition to the big 3, these exercises are definitely worthy of consideration.

Double Trouble Hypertrophy
by Joel Marion

Joel discusses that staple of high-frequency training - the 'twice daily' approach. If you've got a bit of time on your hands and a gym nearby, this one's for you.

At 89km, South Africa's Comrades Marathon is not for the faint of heart. The Comrades Marathon blog tracks the progress of runner Andrew Smit; currently in training for this amazing event. Definitely one to add to your daily reading list.

Via Grapplers Quest comes a great highlight video from the 2001 US Nationals [.wmv, 7.5mb]. Enjoy.

Mehdi takes a brief look at a fascinating study - Zatsiorsky's take on the Fitness-Fatigue Model. After reading Science and Practice of Strength Training, you'll see why this has become a pivotal part of the Westside approach.

Here at Straight to the Bar it's been an extremely wet week (always a good thing in Sydney), so there's been plenty of indoor training going on. Between bouts, the following appeared :

• Articles : Darren and Pete explained the process of lifting an Atlas stone, Jedd continued his superb Straight to the Grip Contest series with a look at gripper specialisation and I noted the things to keep in mind when getting yourself a new Power Rack.
• Videos : Diet Blog pointed to the great BBC series The Truth About Food, Rightshape took at look at some of the Shawn Ray Classic's great armwrestling and Zach Ruffo dropped some more speedbag gold.
• DIY : Voting began for the winner or the DIY competition (although there really can't be any losers when there's gym gear being constructed), Tom Moe posted up a video demonstration of his superb 'off helper' and DOD Sports demonstrates a great alternative use for bands - Hartzell Ankle Tractioning.
• Sites : Just a few of the sites added to the feed reader this week - Lady Hardbody (aka 'Queen of the Burpee'), Fight in the Dog (a great look at women's lightweight rowing) and Lori Braun's AthleticTube. Video sharing the way it ought to be.
• Bonus : Via The Final Sprint : Got an old pair of shoes lying around? Consider donating them to the Shoe4Africa Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on improving health and self-esteem in East Africa.

TriSwimCoach's Kevin Koskella takes a brief look at the benefits of bilateral breathing (breathing alternately on each side) whilst swimming freestyle. Very interesting.

Jim Bathurst updates his superb tutorial on the Muscle-up with a great exercise for the progression - the Support / Block Muscle-up. Will definitely be trying these out.

Via Gymnastics Coaching : I love handstands is just one of several interesting handstand groups on Facebook (Jim Bathurst is behind this one, which shouldn't come as a surprise). Rick also mentions the excellent Random Handstands Club - featuring photos of handstands performed in beautiful locations around the world.

Looking for more kettlebell action? Head over to Taikei's blog (first seen via Fawn's site) and see what three years of solid kettlebell training can do for you.

Photo © 2007 jeffchrisope.

Physical Strategies points to a great discussion on the 5 × 5 training approach. Definitely worth a read.

With most of the equipment in my home gym, the current setup is more than reasonable; however I'd probably change a few things if I was starting again. The humble Power Rack - the core of the gym - is no exception to this. If you're about to buy one, here are a few things to consider.

Height

If you're planning on doing any overhead work (Military Press, Overhead Squats etc), you'll need a bit of headroom. This will require both a high ceiling and a tall rack (mine is about 7' tall - high enough to stand in, but I'm forced to do seated versions of the above exercises).

For chin-ups, make sure there's enough room above the rack for your head to clear it comfortably (particularly if kipping's your thing). Also check that there aren't any light fittings overhead (sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised).

Weight, weight stands

Nearly every rack on the market these days will comfortably take several hundred kilos. This is fine for most people, and the small percentage of the population who demand heavier weights (and I really can't blame them) will probably already have their favourite rack picked out. If not, take a look at these over a EliteFTS.

On a side note, it can be extremely handy to have a few bars on the rack itself to hang plates on. Especially once you get into your work sets.

Attaching bands

Whilst you can always loop bands over heavy dumbbells, hooking them directly onto the rack is much, much simpler. If you regularly use bands in your training, a rack with a selection of dedicated hooks or pins is definitely worth looking at.

Spacing of pin holes

One of the things that delineates the cheaper racks from the ones that people are seen drooling over in garages everywhere is the spacing of the pin holes (the holes down the side of the rack that the pins are placed in). Within reason, a smaller gap between the holes allows for a greater degree of flexibility. Anything down to about 1" is fine (the cheaper racks have a gap of 2" or more).

Want to work on your sticking point from just there? Now you can.

NB : the spacing sometimes varies within the one rack. If it does, the finer spacing will most likely be in the middle of the working range; where it can be used to your advantage.

Extra J-hooks, extra pins

By default, many racks only come with a single pair of J-hooks (the hooks the bar sits in just prior to the lift). A second set can be extremely handy - for the other side of the rack (either internal or external).

Extra pins are also extremely handy for restricting the range of motion. For several great ideas on this see the Altering Barbell Kinetics ebook (free) I mentioned a while ago.

Width

Although the width of a barbell never changes (within one type, that is - standard bars are about a foot shorter than their Olympic counterparts), the width of racks vary from brand to brand. The rack's minimum width will depend largely on what you're going to do with it.

Sumo squats and rack pulls will take the most room; somewhere around 40" would be an absolute minimum, but your best bet is to measure your own squat (outside one foot to outside the other).

If you intend to bench press in the rack, or use the bench as a seat for other exercises (such as the overhead work I mentioned earlier), make sure the bench fits. If you're buying them both at the same time, great. Test them out.

One more thing to note with the bench inside the rack - if you plan to use dumbbells from the bench, make sure there's plenty of room to drop the dumbbells once they get heavy. Oh, and something to protect the floor (in the drop zone) is always a good idea - a couple of rubber mats will do nicely.

Optional extras

Whilst the rack is an extremely versatile piece of equipment, there are a few optional extras that are well worth considering. These are :

dip bars : these often hook on to one of the pins, and will stick out from the rack about the same distance as a loaded barbell. alternate solutions make use of the free space in front of the rack.

lat pulldown : whilst this takes up some of your rack's depth, it makes pulldown work nice and accessible.

step-up platform : although you can always use your squat box for these, a dedicated platform is both stable and always there. a great accessory.

storage hooks for bars : these are usually on the outside of the rack (to the rear), and ave very handy if you regularly use several different bars in your training.

storage hooks for bands and chains : these are generally on the sides of the rack (facing out), and are great for hanging the bands and chains you're not using for that particular set.

Overall space in your gym

One final question - how much room will a rack take up in my gym?

As noted above, racks vary a little in size - particularly in width. If you allow enough room to walk around it, you'll be fine. Happy shopping.

AthleticTube is a video sharing site with an emphasis on the bodybuilding and fitness world, rather than the usual mix of dancing cats and inane acts that seems to gradually creep into other services. As a Lori Braun project there's a healthy dose of female bodybuilding and wrestling in there; as well as a growing collection of boxing and martial arts clips.

Definitely one to keep an eye on.

We have covered the gamut of established set techniques for grippers that are currently used in certification systems and in grip contests. Now we need to talk about how to prepare for these certs and contests.

It all comes down to specialization.

You have to specialize with your setting techniques in order to make the best run at your gripper goals. If the promoter is allowing a deep set, then you should spend the majority of your time working on that deep set, and likewise with a wide set.

Following are a few of the practices I have been using in my gripper training. You will see that a lot of these tips will involve Extension of the Movement (EM), one of the concepts the Diesel Method is based upon. The idea behind EM is to increase the physical demand of the training means by making it more difficult. Then, when you return to the movement pattern of the basic movement, it feels much easier to perform. In training, I often try to make my preparation more demanding than what I will be doing in the contest.

Here are a couple of techniques I use for my specialized deep set gripper training.

Set, Pause, and Smash

For example, in the contest, you have to set the gripper to parallel and then you can immediately try to close it. In training, I set the gripper to parallel and then pause it for an instant, to make the close a bit harder. I don’t do this every single time, but I usually split it up 50/50. Try this one out! After several weeks of pausing in training, it’s going to feel much easier for you to close a gripper in the contest when you can just set it and kill it.

Train on really heavy grippers

The next time someone asks you to try out your gripper, watch how much they shake when they set it. Most people who have not trained with grippers much are going to shake and tremble when they go for the set. Those who are new to grippers often have to expend a great deal of energy just setting the gripper. This can also happen when an experienced athlete goes for their target or Personal Record gripper at a contest. When you get to the contest, you want to be able to conserve as much energy for the close that you can. You do not want to waste any energy trying to keep your hands steady during the set.

The best way I know of to make sure you are steady with grippers is by working with heavier grippers on a routine basis in your training. At least once a week, I do 5 sets or so with a significantly heavier gripper than my goal gripper. For instance, I set aside time in training to work with my Beef Builder Super Elite, COC #4, and BB Grand Elite. Setting these a few times makes lighter grippers feel like squeezing jello.

Following are a couple of things I keep in mind for my wide set training

Speed through the sweep

It is very important that once you get your fingers in place on the gripper handle, to squeeze it down quickly. Nothing is going to hinder your chances of making the handles touch than trying to cover the 3 inches between the handles with a slow, grinding motion. It takes too much energy to do this. Get the handles moving, power through the sweep, and utilize momentum to get the handles as close together as possible on the first effort. If the handles come to a halt, then by exploding from the start you should have enough energy stored up to give it another jolt and pin those handles together at the end of the range of motion.

Full range repetitions

Something new I have been doing lately for my credit card set training is employing repetitions with lighter grippers. I have never done much rep training with the grippers until recently. I have been hitting a lot of full range reps with the COC #2 and the BB Master. Full range is the important thing here. Using EM, I open the gripper completely each time, in order to make each rep a bit harder than what will be done at the contest, all with the hopes of being better conditioned once the contest arrives.

There are also a few things you should remember, whether you are practicing a deep or wide set, to keep yourself progressing on grippers

Spend time training with the gripper handles closed or nearly closed

The most important thing to remember with deep set training is that if the handles don’t touch, then you won’t get any points for your attempt. One thing I try to remember is to spend as much time with the gripper handles closed or nearly closed that I can. When I say ‘nearly closed’ I mean that I tried to close it but I just missed it, with barely a visible space between the handles. When I close a gripper down, I imagine myself squeezing it so hard that I am flattening the inside area of the gripper handles.

To take this idea a little further, I try to remember to close every rep. Whether it is a wide or a deep set, I try to finish each effort off by making the handles touch and trying to hold them there for a second or more. This even applies to when I am setting very heavy grippers. I try to make my hands remember what it feels like to bury the handles on all grippers, even ones in the neighborhood of COC #4’s and Grand Elites. To me, it just doesn’t make any sense to squeeze it down to ¼ inch space and then let it open up just because you didn’t touch the handles together. I strive to finish each rep off, either by pulling with my off-hand, pressing the gripper down on my thigh, or by having a partner close the gap when I know I have completely stalled out.

Tape the handle for negatives

A common training method for grippers is extreme negatives, where a heavy gripper is cheat closed with the off-hand and then the gripping hand tries to resist the opening of the gripper handles. This is a great way to create strength and endurance throughout the full range of the sweep. However, I have always found that my hands get highly irritated when performing multiple negatives, due to the knurling digging into my skin. I have found that I can perform many more extreme negatives in one training session if I wrap electrical tape around the handle on the finger-side of the gripper. There is a lot less friction this way, I can perform more repetitions, and I feel it has helped my endurance tremendously.

These ideas have been great additions to my gripper training lately, and I hope they help you out too. Hopefully these segments on grippers have increased your awareness of gripper techniques and are helping you accomplish your gripper training goals. All the best in your training, and as always, please check out DieselCrew.com!

.Napalm.

The Final Sprint has part 2 of the interview (part 1 here) with professional steeplechaser Ann Gaffigan. If you're new to the sport, swing by Ann's blog over at Steeple Chics.

This week's Minute of Strength newsletter contains video of a very interesting move - the Cross-legged overhead kettlebell press. Whilst the exercise itself is fairly straightforward, the idea of crossing your legs before performing seated overhead work (whether using kettlebells or not) is definitely worth thinking about.

As I mentioned recently, you can never see too many climbing videos. Here's a nice 10min clip from the guys at Parlor Tricks Productions over at Urban Climber. Great music.

Via Napalm's Corner : another great speedbag tip [streaming, 4.3mb .flv download] from Zach Ruffo (aka Speed Bag Skunk) - where to keep your arms whilst punching. Gold.

Canada's Ethel Catherwood who won the high jump at the 1928 Olympics (Amsterdam) with a 1.59m scissors jump.

There's a very interesting discussion over at Run to Win on the recent calls to ban the use of prosthetics in international competition. This came about after South African double-amputee (both legs, below the knee) Oscar Pistorius was thought to have an unfair advantage. Does he? Does it matter? Should there be a rule change to accommodate the use of prosthetics?

Yesterday I mentioned Lady Hardbody (pictured here with her trainer Rudy Friederich) and her amazing feat of 250 burpees in under half an hour. If you haven't tried them, they're far more difficult than they sound (I almost pass out from exhaustion a long time before I get that far).

Does anyone out there feel that they could match that? Perhaps on video?

Warrior FX - a bodybuilding and powerlifting guide. A very interesting blog.

Now that you've made your stone (part 1, part 2), Darren shows you how to lift it. Or rather, his brother Pete does.

Very nice tutorial.

Just came across an interesting blog via Mike's Anvil or Hammer (no Mickey Spillane jokes, please) - Fight in the Dog. A great look at women's lightweight rowing.

This month Blaine and I will be looking at the many fun things to do which will keep you fit without really trying. First off, a personal favourite - walking the dog.

I've always been a dog lover; as my first pet was a labrador given to me when I was aged 2, this is understandable. Having a dog - particularly a large, highly active one - brings with it a great range of activities (otherwise known as general conditioning work), and a whole load of fun.

If you have a dog, several things have probably already come to mind. For those that don't, however, here's some of the fun you're missing :

Walking

Taking a dog for a walk is a little more energetic than a calm walk up the street to buy a newspaper. After being confined in a relatively small area for most of the day, the dog is usually excited to get out. If you've ever seen a dog jump the fence and escape from its owners, only to go for a run and chase birds, you'll know what I mean.

Trying to walk slowly whilst an excited creature almost runs beside you just isn't feasible. It's more like going for a jog.

Throwing the ball/stick/whatever's handy

For an exercise that's clearly targeted at the dog, there's a fair bit of work involved in repeatedly throwing something. Perhaps its also the wrestling I throw in at the end of each return (it's a lot more fun than simply asking him to drop the ball). Whatever the case, it works.

Swimming (with the dog)

Ever seen a dog at the beach? Once they realise that the water coming in isn't a threat, you'll never see him/her happier. Running flat out after birds, or simply diving about in the water.

If you're miles from the beach, the next best thing is a pool (or any large body of water really). Dive in, reap the usual benefits associated with swimming (highly recommended following a particularly heavy workout) and your dog will be right in there with you.

Incidentally, you'll probably get tired before he/she does.

In fact, almost any activity you do with your dog will end up giving you a bit of a workout. Think of it as a light recovery session with an extra helping of fun.

Via Parlayer : Detroit Tigers' Jeremy Bonderman at full stretch.

Check out the blog of elite conditioning and combatives group Team Ruthless. As you can see from the writings of Lady Hardbody (a dedicated follower of the Team Ruthless training philosophy), the daily workouts are more than enough to get you breathing hard. 250 burpees in half an hour? Just warming up.

For a taste of the action, head over to the Team Ruthless videos page. Enjoy.

If you're like me, you can never see too many climbing videos. Head over to climbing.com for the trailer from Swedish Meatballs - Dylan Smith and Carl-Ola Bostrom enjoying some of Sweden's best blocs. Good fun.

Royce points to a brief video showing Dogtown's Suzanna having fun with an 88lb kettlebell [streaming, 636kb .flv download]. How long did it take to move up from the 70? 5 days.

This looks interesting (although I'm not about to sprain my ankle so I can try it) - Hartzell Ankle Tractioning. Bands are incredibly versatile things.

If you're a basketball fan and missed this weekend's incredible Pistons vs Cavs game, there are some great photos up on Cleveland's site. Definitely worth a look.

Tom Hafey is an amazing man. In the 1950s he played Aussie Rules Football for Richmond; for much of the next three decades he coached Richmond, Geelong, Collingwood and Sydney. To say he kept fit during this time is an understatement.

Now in his mid-seventies, Hafey still follows a serious workout plan. To give you an idea, here's a snippet from his daily routine :

• 10 minutes stretching
• 200 push-ups
• Beach swim (regardless of water temperature)
• 700 sit-ups
• Runs - 7 to 8 kilometres (4 - 5 miles)

In addition to that, he heads to the gym 3 or 4 days per week for the throwing around of the iron. Modest weights, but always taken to failure.

Inspired? Head over to Craig Harper's site for a great audio interview [.mp3, 14mb] with Hafey. Incredible.

Via RightShape : It's great to see a bit of competitive arm-wrestling; particularly when world champions are involved. Here's a taster from the Shaun Ray Classic.

Tom's just uploaded some video [streaming, 1.5mb .flv download] demonstrating his bench press 'off helper' in action, so you can get a little more idea of how it works. Very cool indeed.

Via Diet-Blog : The BBC has produced many great series over the years, and one of their latest - The Truth About Food - is certainly high on the list. To see what all the fuss is about, head over to the official site and watch one of the numerous clips they've put online. Not bad at all.

Tracy Fober's latest blog post points to two great online weightlifting magazines - USA Lifting Magazine and the March issue of Weightlifting USA [.pdf, 3mb]. Both are great reads, and both have printed versions available if you enjoy what you see.

A few highlights :

• A great piece by Frank Rothwell - Joe Dube Beats the Best (March 31 issue of USA Lifting)
• Another piece by Frank Rothwell : this time on Louis Martin - Britain's First World Champion (Feb 16 issue of USA lifting)
• A detailed look at Paul Anderson - Strongest Man Ever by Arthur Drechsler (March issue of Weightlifting USA)

Great reading for the weekend.

Brian Carson takes a brief look at 1920s bodybuilder and strongman Earle E. Liederman, who claimed several famous pupils including Jowett and Hyson. Very interesting.

Here's an old-time strongman display with a twist - a bench press (lying log press, really) on top of someone lying on a bed-of-nails. Very, very unusual [streaming, 3.9mb .flv download].

As you can see from the picture at left, Edward 'the Yukon Moose' Cholak was anything but a small man. Wrestling for nearly four decades he racked up an impressive 8,000 fights; most won by grim determination and a second-helping of strength endurance. Big, mean and seemingly unstoppable.

To give you a taste of his wrestling style, here he is in action with Dr Jerry Graham Jr ('the most educated man in wrestling') [streaming, 17.5mb .flv download]; probably in the mid-'50s. Want more? Check out part of a later bout with Blackjack Mulligan [streaming, 22.8mb .flv download].

Say it with me, "Moooooooooo!".

Another fantastic week here on Straight to the Bar; the DIY competition entries are in, now it's time to vote for your favourite. Also on the playlist :

• Articles : Eric Cressey begins a superb deadlift journey, Mike Amos demonstrates some heavy sandbag training and I look at several ways to build a monstrous yoke.
• Videos : Brian Carson points to a great pistol squat video, Bryan shows off the construction and use of a hand-built dip station and something you definitely don't see every day - a Sumo Wrestler vs an Orangutan in a tug-o-war contest.
• Ideas : Brad Johnson combines grippers and push-up stands, Daniel Baker discusses several interesting ways to enhance power development in his free e-Manual and Tom Moe brings us his bench press 'off helper'. Superb.
• Sites : Dan Gilliland shows why he's the Strongest Man in the Gym, Ryan Coisson is definitely Rock Climbing for Life and Randy Glasbergen lightens the mood a little with a fantastic collection of 500 fitness cartoons.
• Bonus : Arthur Jones, Nautilus and HIT - there's a fantastic discussion going on over at Anvil or Hammer. Dive on in.

Martin's mission is a straightforward one - to help you become a fitter, healthier person. A noble goal.

Head over to his blog Eliminating Excuses and say hello.

The legendary Reg Park picking up a taxi.

The DIY Equipment competition has closed, and now it's your chance to help pick a winner. Before making your selection, however, a quick recap of the entries :

Clay Johnson : farmers walk bars and a Strongman log.

Tim McFarland : Tim's also constructed a couple of farmers walk bars.

Rad Man : a power rack.

Pat Hodgson : Detailed plans for an adjustable Deadlift, Shrug, Row bar; and the Quick and Easy Forearm Exerciser.

John Fike : The Perfect Stonebell; and a Home-made heavy bag.

Chris Rice : Horizontal Pinch Device.

Jason Kirby : Home-made Medicine Ball (soon to be a Tornado Ball).

Gary Chandler : T-bar Row machine; Wooden squat rack; Wooden weight tee; W-Bar (for chins); Chinning bar and Hammer Press/Pull.

Tom Moe : an 'Off Helper' for the bench press.

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

There's some incredibly inventive stuff in there. Which is your favourite? To cast your vote, simply leave a comment below*. Whichever entrant has the largest number of votes by the end of next Friday (June 8th) will be declared the winner - and will receive the prizes shortly afterward. In the case of a tie, I'll cast the deciding vote.

Time to decide the winner - let the voting begin!

* if you're not comfortable leaving your email address, or don't have a website, just put your first name. The vote will still count.