Sgt Sweaty : A New Beginning
by Kevin 'Sgt Sweaty' Miller
Filed in : How They Got Started
Tags : assistance device, balance, bodybuilding, clubs & maces, deadlift, grip, history, hockey, leverage, squat
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Crankin' Up.
Okay, not really that long. I had always been a pretty skinny, weak chump for my younger years, but come freshman year of high school I decided to do something about it.
I had goofed around with weights a couple years prior to get stronger for ice hockey, but it wasn't until that one fateful year that the bug had officially bit me. It wasn't until - believe it or not - I went on the internet, and for whatever reason did a search for weight lifting (I don't remember the exact term), but I started looking around at what came up and stumbled across a forum dedicated to strength and bodybuilding. It was here that I discovered how strong the Average Joe actually could be, without pharmaceutical assistance. I was benching about 135lbs at the time, and these guys were benching 315+ for countless reps. I started looking for ways to achieve this great strength, and well the rest is history.
Ever since then I've been hitting the heavy squats, deadlifts, benches, rows, overhead presses, all the movements that anyone should be doing in their quest to become abnormally strong.
Everything was going great (for the most part), but then my love for the game basically tripled when I discovered the awesomeness of strongman. Lifting big ass rocks like a caveman, walking with 800lbs on your back, moving tires the smart way (flipping them, rather than rolling them), all gave me the biggest rush imaginable, along with a fresh new incredibly fun variation of the traditional barbell squat.
I HIGHLY recommend that you, yes you, go lift some heavy rocks as soon as you're done reading this, and discover the great love that is strongman training. You only have to learn the basic forms for the lifts, then from there it's all about going balls to the wall and sweating straight testosterone.
Ever since the internet gave me a new passion, strength has been my life. Now I balance lifting out with everything else of course, but that has been the predominate mainstay of my existence these past years. Nothing but good has come out of my lifting, and I KNOW the same will be in store for you.
If you are in need of any basic information about getting started, be sure to check out my site at SgtSweaty.com for some great material.
Good luck with your lifting. I don't know you, but I truly believe that you're destined for iron greatness, with the right effort.
Kevin 'Sgt Sweaty' Miller is a fan of all things heavy (especially when it comes to strength training), and of physical culture in general. Find out more at his online home - Sgt Sweaty.
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DIY: How to Build an Olympic Weightlifting Platform
Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker
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Scott Andrew Bird
29 Things to do with a Barbell in the Corner
Jason Kirby
Get Mental! The Psychology of Strength
Josh Hewett
Small Victories
Josh Hanagarne
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- Grrl's Valentine's Day Wishlist (Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker)
- The Bodyweight Aficionado's Guide to Gear (Jason Kirby)
- Recommended Books and DVDs on Strength-Training & Nutrition (The Straight to the Bar Authors)
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NB : if you're still not sure what to get, there's always the option of buying them a gift card. There are certainly plenty of options; Amazon
's still my favourite.
Now it's your turn. Let us know how you get on, and feel free to share any photographs of what you bought or how it's being used.
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Looking for an upcoming competition, or know of one in your area? Why not add it to the spreadsheet.
reading : Ferocious Fitness (Phil Ross, Marty Gallagher)
Remember this? Great book. Ferocious Fitness : A Fighter's Proven Action Plan to Develop Blazing Power, Animalistic Strength and Killer Conditioning is a distillation of Phil Ross' training wisdom, in the form of a superbly comprehensive book. We took a look at the digital version recently, and you'll be pleased to know that the paperback version is now available. Definitely worthy of a place on the fitness shelf. Phil Ross' Ferocious Fitness.
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talking about If you tweet a lot about fitness and would love to be on this list, let me know.
giving
If you've been training for a while, gradually cleaning up your diet, no doubt you've experienced the amazing power of transformation. It's a tremendous feeling. If you're ready to give someone else a hand to transform their own lives - through education, sharing equipment, financial help - take a look at the full list of organisations on the Giving page. Cheers.
love your grip work?
Check out The Grip Authority. Fantastic site.
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As you've doubtless noticed, in addition to the main site is a Community on Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Wherever you are, a daily dose of strength isn't all that far away.
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in the wild
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the future of fitness
Over the years we’ve looked at the fitness industry from a number of angles - discussing the history, present approaches and potential future trends involved. Fascinating areas.
When it comes to the last part - discussing potential future trends - things get a little, well, unusual. If it’s an interest you share, or you just want to find out the types of things we think are likely, check out the posts tagged ‘Futurism’. And of course, Gymchat 224 (Roundtable) - The Future of Fitness. Superb discussion.
leave it in the ground
On Straight to the Bar we talk a lot about air pollution, primarily from a gym-owner's perspective. In the 'Leave it in the Ground' newsletter we look at the topic far more broadly - the gradual move away from the use of fossil fuels. Daily, and free.
elsewhere
As you can see, we love talking about training. In addition to the conversations on here, in the Google+ Community, Twitter and so on are discussions on several other great fitness-focussed sites.
Check out :
- Josh Hewett : Basic Home Workout for Beginners
- Al Kavadlo : The Benefits of Cold Exposure
- Diesel Crew : August of Arms 2017 Pre-Test Results
- Year of the Bear : One Week To Go! / Looking Ahead
- Gains & Aesthetics : What The Greek God Fitness Program Is All About
Of course, we're always on the lookout for new additions to this list. If you'd like to suggest a site you've come across personally (or perhaps one that you run), drop us a line.
checking out
The Concept2 BikeErgWas talking to someone about this just a few hours ago - the Concept2 BikeErg. Looks good.
I'll be trying it out as soon as it's available here (early next year). In the meantime, a bit of video to show you what's on offer :
If you're new to the world of nail bending, this is the perfect book to get. It'll show you the exact techniques you'll need to get started right away. Written by world-class bender Jedd Johnson.
The Diesel Crew's Card Tearing eBook
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This is a superb resource. With a focus on law enforcement personnel, it takes the form of a Facebook Group as well as one on one coaching sessions. Created by the incredible Jeff Wilson.
Mike Gillette explains the various ways to put the gymnastic rings to work - progressively - in Rings of Power. With clear emphases on both strength and rehabilitation, it's an ideal place to start.
Particularly those of us in the 'over 40' crowd.
When it comes to body transformation - whether that's an increase in strength, packing on a bit of muscle or losing a bit of excess fat - this is the perfect place to start. Dr Berardi's Precision Nutrition.
This is a fantastic book. As Josh explains, it superbly shows what's going on while you train. Love it.
The Art of Expressing the Human Body
If you've ever watched a Bruce Lee film and marveled at his strength, speed, agility, endurance, flexibility or muscularity, this book should take pride of place in your collection. Unlike many other writings covering everything from Lee's training methods to nutrition, this book is based not on the recollections of people around him; but on Lee's own notes. Brilliant.
For a full list of what we're reading at the moment (training-related and otherwise), join us on Goodreads. And for a cut-down list showing only the ones we recommend, swing by the Recommended Books & DVDs page. See you there.