Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Rugby 7s accepted into 2016 Olympics, about bloody time.
The Olympic committee seems to have finally woken up. Finally super sports make it into the Olympics. While I love watching the boxing, martial arts, weights lifting and 100m, some of the games just take the mickey out of it don't they, a classic - beach volleyball. Come on, that's not a sport, its just something you want to watch the girls do while downing a beer. Finally, a proper competitive sport. I am glad to see that Rio will host the event and that there are people out their campaigning to bring the balls back into the Olympics.
Ernie Davis - The Express - American Football Superstar
I watched the movie 'The Express' starring Dennis Quaid and Rob Brown. This is the story of Ernie Davis an American Football legend from the 50/ 60 s who despite tough race related issues in the States made it to the very top. His incredible speed and athletism on the field made him an incredible force to be reckoned with. During these years race related tension in the States was at a high and being a black man made his life very difficult. Segregation was widespread.
Despite the forces against him, Ernie didn't aspire to be the best black man on the field but more so the best American Football player that lived. Playing for Syracuse University, Ernie faced his toughest competition in the Cotton Bowl against the Uni of Texas. Being a truly physical game with cheap shots and hard tackles, Ernie excelled. He was the first black man to win the Heisman Trophy. Ernie never saw a professional NFL career as leukemia stole him from Earth and at the age of 23 he succumbed to the disease. Yet his memory lives on forever and his name has now reached as far corners of the world as Sri Lanka and Australia. More than 10 000 people attended his funeral.
John F Kennedy congratulated Ernie Davis personally after receiving the Heisman Trophy and was said to have spoken of Davis as -
'Seldom has an athlete been more deserving of such a tribute. Your high standards of performance on the field and off the field, reflect the finest qualities of competition, sportsmanship and citizenship. The nation has bestowed upon you its highest awards for your athletic achievements. It's a privilege for me to address you tonight as an outstanding American, and as a worthy example of our youth. I salute you.'
Ernie was a superstar because -
1) His talent spoke more than his words. He did not need to showcase himself like athletes do today, he just went on the field and his action spoke louder than words.
2) Incredible commitment to be the best, hard work and raw ambition.
3) Talent nurtured from his youth by running along rail tracks.
4) Drawing from past experiences e.g. overcoming bullies by breaking through gang formations in American Football style
5) A patient grand father who mentored him, looked out for him and patiently taught him to be the best through motivation and inspiration rather than rebuke.
6) An incredible coach who stood up for his team and made them be the best. His coach was a tough man, hard on his team and almost militant. But he did not let his arrogance dominate the sport, he was a person who worked with people to get the most out of them and make them the best at what they do. He was a mentor and an inspiration, almost the star General the army looks up to or would love to look up to.
7) A team who performs like a team on and off the field. After beating Texas at the Cotton Bowl, segregation demanded that black men were not allowed to the country club function afterward. Not even the MVP - Ernie Davis! The team told the country club to stick it where the sun doesn't shine and they all had their own private function.
8) He was the Martin Luther King Jr and the Gandhi of his moment in time i.e. his generation and placement in society. He did not resort to violence and did not work to antagonize people but rather through peaceful means worked hard to make his point through his talents so that the world would listen and begin to see that the bullshit segregation of his day belongs in tragic history rather than the future or present
9) He is an inspiration to the countless numbers of people living in the world today (2009) under segregation or persecution of their own kind. Thousands today are faced with political, ethnic or religious persecution. Violence only breeds violence and those who live by the sword die by it. Peaceful means, through sport, arts, peaceful protests, ecological or economical means should be much more sought after than violence.
10) No matter who you are, or where you are, don't ever let people put you down. The world is bent on putting you down. Do not let the world put you down. You have the potential to be the best, no one can take that from you. All you need to do is work extremely hard and the rest will be history.
The Bible verse that Ernie recites as a little boy in the Express movie -
1 Corinthians 15:10: "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
which is simplified as -
But God was kind! He made me what I am, and his wonderful kindness wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's kindness at work and not me.
Despite the forces against him, Ernie didn't aspire to be the best black man on the field but more so the best American Football player that lived. Playing for Syracuse University, Ernie faced his toughest competition in the Cotton Bowl against the Uni of Texas. Being a truly physical game with cheap shots and hard tackles, Ernie excelled. He was the first black man to win the Heisman Trophy. Ernie never saw a professional NFL career as leukemia stole him from Earth and at the age of 23 he succumbed to the disease. Yet his memory lives on forever and his name has now reached as far corners of the world as Sri Lanka and Australia. More than 10 000 people attended his funeral.
John F Kennedy congratulated Ernie Davis personally after receiving the Heisman Trophy and was said to have spoken of Davis as -
'Seldom has an athlete been more deserving of such a tribute. Your high standards of performance on the field and off the field, reflect the finest qualities of competition, sportsmanship and citizenship. The nation has bestowed upon you its highest awards for your athletic achievements. It's a privilege for me to address you tonight as an outstanding American, and as a worthy example of our youth. I salute you.'
Ernie was a superstar because -
1) His talent spoke more than his words. He did not need to showcase himself like athletes do today, he just went on the field and his action spoke louder than words.
2) Incredible commitment to be the best, hard work and raw ambition.
3) Talent nurtured from his youth by running along rail tracks.
4) Drawing from past experiences e.g. overcoming bullies by breaking through gang formations in American Football style
5) A patient grand father who mentored him, looked out for him and patiently taught him to be the best through motivation and inspiration rather than rebuke.
6) An incredible coach who stood up for his team and made them be the best. His coach was a tough man, hard on his team and almost militant. But he did not let his arrogance dominate the sport, he was a person who worked with people to get the most out of them and make them the best at what they do. He was a mentor and an inspiration, almost the star General the army looks up to or would love to look up to.
7) A team who performs like a team on and off the field. After beating Texas at the Cotton Bowl, segregation demanded that black men were not allowed to the country club function afterward. Not even the MVP - Ernie Davis! The team told the country club to stick it where the sun doesn't shine and they all had their own private function.
8) He was the Martin Luther King Jr and the Gandhi of his moment in time i.e. his generation and placement in society. He did not resort to violence and did not work to antagonize people but rather through peaceful means worked hard to make his point through his talents so that the world would listen and begin to see that the bullshit segregation of his day belongs in tragic history rather than the future or present
9) He is an inspiration to the countless numbers of people living in the world today (2009) under segregation or persecution of their own kind. Thousands today are faced with political, ethnic or religious persecution. Violence only breeds violence and those who live by the sword die by it. Peaceful means, through sport, arts, peaceful protests, ecological or economical means should be much more sought after than violence.
10) No matter who you are, or where you are, don't ever let people put you down. The world is bent on putting you down. Do not let the world put you down. You have the potential to be the best, no one can take that from you. All you need to do is work extremely hard and the rest will be history.
The Bible verse that Ernie recites as a little boy in the Express movie -
1 Corinthians 15:10: "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
which is simplified as -
But God was kind! He made me what I am, and his wonderful kindness wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's kindness at work and not me.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Strength, Training & Conditioning for the Rugby World Cup 2011 by pulling a 12 tonne Truck or Plane
Strength, Training & Conditioning for the Rugby World Cup 2011 by pulling a 12 tonne Truck or Plane: What does a Rugby player have in common with a Strongman competitor?
by Johann Tambayah
Have you seen the strongman competition? Won by Žydrūnas Savickas in 2009, it is held annually and often involves giant men such as Bill Kazmaier, Mariusz Pudzianowski and Magnus Ver Magnusson performing feats of strength that are unimaginable and awe inspiring. Performing stunts like lifting atlas balls, the ‘Hercules hold’, keg toss, flipping over giant tyres, ‘duck walk’ and car carry, against both the clock and competitors; the strong man competition is the ultimate strength event in the world. The strength and conditioning of these athletes is phenomenal. There strength conditioning not only involves the ability to lift massive weights but to carry them over distances which takes into consideration the cardio vascular aspect of their training. When you see the strongman events you cannot help but notice that some of these athletes push themselves to the point of bleeding through their noses. The effort and dedication put into the event is out of sacrificial love to be the best no matter the cost. I would not want to tread lightly into the gym workout or training program of any of these Incredible Hulks let alone compete in Strongman.
One of the strongman events is the pulling of a truck or airplane with a rope. Vehicles such as transport trucks, trams, buses or airplanes are pulled across a 30 metre course by hand as fast as possible. In 2007 a fire engine truck was pulled and in 2008 a coal truck. The truck itself sometimes weighs over 12 tonnes. How is a human being able to pull a truck that heavy? What kind of weight training, strength training exercise, strength conditioning or gym workout would one follow to attain such monster proportions of strength? Some of these athletes are able to pull the truck past 30 metres in approximately 30-40 seconds. This demonstrates raw strength together with endurance and speed. How is a human being able to perform such a feat? Does science hold an answer to this? Is this all geometry and physics? Or is this something to do with the strength training anatomy of the individual concerned i.e. is he a superman?
Yes it takes phenomenal strength to do this. But is there more to it? Examining the truck or airplane pull in detail – when you look at the stance of the athlete in the event, you notice his stance is somewhat similar to a 100m sprinter in the blocks. Have a close look at Dwain Chambers, Usain Bolt or Assafa Powel in their blocks before their sprint off in the 100m. The strongman stance is similar. They all tend to lean forward at a 45 degree angle.
A ball thrown into the air at a 45 degree angle travels the furthest. A cricket batsman like Vivian Richards from the West Indies or Aravinda De Silva from Sri Lanka are able to hit the leather cricket ball out of the cricket ground, past the spectators, over the sea gulls and into the nearby housing complexes by targeting their hits at a 45 degree angle. This is pure physics. A projectile fired at 45 degrees travels the furthest as at this angle most distance is covered at maximum force. This theory is implemented in firing missiles and rockets. Therefore by maintaining a 45 degree angle to the ground, the strength training anatomy of a strongman is able to drive the most force against the truck / plane he is pulling. A higher angle exerts less force and possibly causes difficulties in balancing as his centre of mass / gravity is thrown off course. A lower angle reduces the frictional pull the strongman has on the ground. The strength exertion at a 45 degree angle is the greatest.
Having a look at the truck / plane pull reveals that a strongman does not perform one single pull (or thrust forward), but instead exerts a sustained set of continuous repetitive pulls. His strength conditioning involves momentum. He does not explode with one pull alone but uses the speed from each pull to drive the next pull. Bodybuilders often avoid this sort of training as momentum uses physics rather than muscle fibre to make the weights move in their training motion. Each pull from the strongman slackens the rope before being pulled again. Friction causes the truck to slow down after each pull. This strongman event is likened to a strength training exercise of performing a 220 Kg squat for more than 40 repetitions in less than 30-40 seconds. Does that sound doable to you?
What does all this have to do with Rugby? The World Cup is not too far away and a lot needs to be done in preparation. Strength training and more so – functional strength training, is likely to be the decisive factor in the Rugby World Cup 2011. The Tri Nations 2009 revealed that strength, force and endurance crowned South Africa the victors. There is just about time for teams across the world to tap into functional strength training and drink the spoils of warrior grade training. Who better does one learn from than the kings of strength and endurance? The strongman.
Rugby League or Rugby Union; it really does not matter which version of the game you play. Driving forward with consistent force, sustained waves of attack with the hope of penetrating the opposition defences and forming thundering walls of defence are part and parcel of the game. The strongman truck pull immediately reminds me of the Rugby Union scrum. The body positioning, the stances and the goals i.e. moving forward against a force, (the force of the opposition scrum and the frictional force on the truck are in the same directions!) are strikingly similar. Following the strongman example, if a rugby player positions himself at a 45 degree angle when driving forward, he is likely to exert the most force and power. Thereby he is able to achieve the most from his strength training through the leverage of his angle of attack. When the whole scrum comes together in this formation they are a force to be reckoned with. Some scrum teams weigh over a tonne and I wonder how many 747 s they would be able to pull. The scrum also needs to move forward in repetitive bursts of thrusting forward. They all need to be synchronized to exert the most force. I immediately begin to envision the movie 300 where the Spartan Warriors came together to form a defensive shielded group that thrust forward in synchronized harmony. The maximum force is exerted in this manner.
Most crowd pleasing moments in the game of rugby are when a carrier or defender are pummelled to the grass in a tackle. The more ‘road runner cartoon type’ the tackle, the more reaction one gets from the crowd. We are like the ancient Romans during the gladiator battles. Most ‘victims’ of such tackles are those who stood tall in the tackle. We learned that if you position yourself above 45 degrees you may have issues with balance and you certainly cannot exert much force whilst you are not balanced. Your centre of gravity / mass is easily shifted from a point of balance and you could easily be tipped over no matter how strong, powerful or heavy you are. If you are below 45 degrees you are likely to fall forward or slip in wet grassy conditions. At 45 degrees any defender has a fair chance of using his utmost strength to floor an attacker. Any attacker is most effective when maintaining a 45 degree angle when charging forward. Any defenders caught above or below 45 degrees are vulnerable and open up a weak link in the 300 Spartan Warrior formation. They will also find it hard pressed to get down to position quick enough. As a carrier, keep your eyes always open for such opportunities. As a defender, always keep to formation.
Have you ever wondered why Power Lifters perform their movements rapidly? Whilst bodybuilders perform slower repetitions but much more of them. Power lifter movements such as the bench press, dead lift or squat are performed rapidly. Power lifters are the pinnacle; the top of strength conditioning individuals. In fact, for bench pressing or squats, lowering the weight quickly and using that momentum to burst upwards is one way to trick your muscles to pushing heavier weights; although that would have bodybuilder Olympia gurus like Dorian Yates swear out at you. Momentum is critical. Physics dictates that F = MA i.e. Force = Mass multiplied by Acceleration. The faster a player is moving, the more force he is likely to exert on impact. In the scrum, charging, rolling mauls or defending, the more momentum the more force. The opposition needs to exert an equal force to stop you. Even if they tackle you by your ankles, their forearms, arms and shoulders will have to absorb the force of your impact and they are guaranteed never to forget about you. Strength and speed attribute to power. Power will decide who wins the Rugby World Cup 2011. Will it be the All Blacks? Or the Springboks? England? Fiji? Functional strength training will reveal the new champions.
Olympic lifters (watch out for them in the London Olympics followed by Samba in Rio!) also capitalize on speed. In strength conditioning it is important to include repetition. That is, train your muscles repetitively for the movement you want to perform. There is a very good reason why Olympic athletes may not be able to bench press as much (I often find people on the internet criticize strongman competitors when they find out they cannot bench as much either).That is because of our strength training anatomy. Diving into human biology, our brains build neural pathways. A neural pathway tells the brain that a certain set of muscles need to be used in a certain sequence under a certain amount of force. Our bodies adapt to the strains imposed upon them and build the necessary strength training anatomy to handle the load. This adds strength to the statement – practice makes perfect. Determining one person’s strength over another is futile as it all depends on the function they have been training for. Sometimes the lanky looking guy is more dangerous down the dark alley than the big bench monster. Using momentum together with conditioning your body (by repeating the strength exercises) is what delivers the most power. As a part of your strength training, weights training, gym workout or training program, include speed and repetition to push or pull heavier weights.
There is still a lot be learned from the science of strongman competitions. Strongman competitors, Power Lifters and Olympic lifters all provide unique learning points for Rugby players. It is wisdom to learn battle plans from Spartan Warriors; it is wisdom to learn about combat from Gladiators and it is wisdom to learn from the professional strongmen of this world on how a physical game like Rugby could be mastered and taken to a whole new level.
There will be much more to come.
by Johann Tambayah
Have you seen the strongman competition? Won by Žydrūnas Savickas in 2009, it is held annually and often involves giant men such as Bill Kazmaier, Mariusz Pudzianowski and Magnus Ver Magnusson performing feats of strength that are unimaginable and awe inspiring. Performing stunts like lifting atlas balls, the ‘Hercules hold’, keg toss, flipping over giant tyres, ‘duck walk’ and car carry, against both the clock and competitors; the strong man competition is the ultimate strength event in the world. The strength and conditioning of these athletes is phenomenal. There strength conditioning not only involves the ability to lift massive weights but to carry them over distances which takes into consideration the cardio vascular aspect of their training. When you see the strongman events you cannot help but notice that some of these athletes push themselves to the point of bleeding through their noses. The effort and dedication put into the event is out of sacrificial love to be the best no matter the cost. I would not want to tread lightly into the gym workout or training program of any of these Incredible Hulks let alone compete in Strongman.
One of the strongman events is the pulling of a truck or airplane with a rope. Vehicles such as transport trucks, trams, buses or airplanes are pulled across a 30 metre course by hand as fast as possible. In 2007 a fire engine truck was pulled and in 2008 a coal truck. The truck itself sometimes weighs over 12 tonnes. How is a human being able to pull a truck that heavy? What kind of weight training, strength training exercise, strength conditioning or gym workout would one follow to attain such monster proportions of strength? Some of these athletes are able to pull the truck past 30 metres in approximately 30-40 seconds. This demonstrates raw strength together with endurance and speed. How is a human being able to perform such a feat? Does science hold an answer to this? Is this all geometry and physics? Or is this something to do with the strength training anatomy of the individual concerned i.e. is he a superman?
Yes it takes phenomenal strength to do this. But is there more to it? Examining the truck or airplane pull in detail – when you look at the stance of the athlete in the event, you notice his stance is somewhat similar to a 100m sprinter in the blocks. Have a close look at Dwain Chambers, Usain Bolt or Assafa Powel in their blocks before their sprint off in the 100m. The strongman stance is similar. They all tend to lean forward at a 45 degree angle.
A ball thrown into the air at a 45 degree angle travels the furthest. A cricket batsman like Vivian Richards from the West Indies or Aravinda De Silva from Sri Lanka are able to hit the leather cricket ball out of the cricket ground, past the spectators, over the sea gulls and into the nearby housing complexes by targeting their hits at a 45 degree angle. This is pure physics. A projectile fired at 45 degrees travels the furthest as at this angle most distance is covered at maximum force. This theory is implemented in firing missiles and rockets. Therefore by maintaining a 45 degree angle to the ground, the strength training anatomy of a strongman is able to drive the most force against the truck / plane he is pulling. A higher angle exerts less force and possibly causes difficulties in balancing as his centre of mass / gravity is thrown off course. A lower angle reduces the frictional pull the strongman has on the ground. The strength exertion at a 45 degree angle is the greatest.
Having a look at the truck / plane pull reveals that a strongman does not perform one single pull (or thrust forward), but instead exerts a sustained set of continuous repetitive pulls. His strength conditioning involves momentum. He does not explode with one pull alone but uses the speed from each pull to drive the next pull. Bodybuilders often avoid this sort of training as momentum uses physics rather than muscle fibre to make the weights move in their training motion. Each pull from the strongman slackens the rope before being pulled again. Friction causes the truck to slow down after each pull. This strongman event is likened to a strength training exercise of performing a 220 Kg squat for more than 40 repetitions in less than 30-40 seconds. Does that sound doable to you?
What does all this have to do with Rugby? The World Cup is not too far away and a lot needs to be done in preparation. Strength training and more so – functional strength training, is likely to be the decisive factor in the Rugby World Cup 2011. The Tri Nations 2009 revealed that strength, force and endurance crowned South Africa the victors. There is just about time for teams across the world to tap into functional strength training and drink the spoils of warrior grade training. Who better does one learn from than the kings of strength and endurance? The strongman.
Rugby League or Rugby Union; it really does not matter which version of the game you play. Driving forward with consistent force, sustained waves of attack with the hope of penetrating the opposition defences and forming thundering walls of defence are part and parcel of the game. The strongman truck pull immediately reminds me of the Rugby Union scrum. The body positioning, the stances and the goals i.e. moving forward against a force, (the force of the opposition scrum and the frictional force on the truck are in the same directions!) are strikingly similar. Following the strongman example, if a rugby player positions himself at a 45 degree angle when driving forward, he is likely to exert the most force and power. Thereby he is able to achieve the most from his strength training through the leverage of his angle of attack. When the whole scrum comes together in this formation they are a force to be reckoned with. Some scrum teams weigh over a tonne and I wonder how many 747 s they would be able to pull. The scrum also needs to move forward in repetitive bursts of thrusting forward. They all need to be synchronized to exert the most force. I immediately begin to envision the movie 300 where the Spartan Warriors came together to form a defensive shielded group that thrust forward in synchronized harmony. The maximum force is exerted in this manner.
Most crowd pleasing moments in the game of rugby are when a carrier or defender are pummelled to the grass in a tackle. The more ‘road runner cartoon type’ the tackle, the more reaction one gets from the crowd. We are like the ancient Romans during the gladiator battles. Most ‘victims’ of such tackles are those who stood tall in the tackle. We learned that if you position yourself above 45 degrees you may have issues with balance and you certainly cannot exert much force whilst you are not balanced. Your centre of gravity / mass is easily shifted from a point of balance and you could easily be tipped over no matter how strong, powerful or heavy you are. If you are below 45 degrees you are likely to fall forward or slip in wet grassy conditions. At 45 degrees any defender has a fair chance of using his utmost strength to floor an attacker. Any attacker is most effective when maintaining a 45 degree angle when charging forward. Any defenders caught above or below 45 degrees are vulnerable and open up a weak link in the 300 Spartan Warrior formation. They will also find it hard pressed to get down to position quick enough. As a carrier, keep your eyes always open for such opportunities. As a defender, always keep to formation.
Have you ever wondered why Power Lifters perform their movements rapidly? Whilst bodybuilders perform slower repetitions but much more of them. Power lifter movements such as the bench press, dead lift or squat are performed rapidly. Power lifters are the pinnacle; the top of strength conditioning individuals. In fact, for bench pressing or squats, lowering the weight quickly and using that momentum to burst upwards is one way to trick your muscles to pushing heavier weights; although that would have bodybuilder Olympia gurus like Dorian Yates swear out at you. Momentum is critical. Physics dictates that F = MA i.e. Force = Mass multiplied by Acceleration. The faster a player is moving, the more force he is likely to exert on impact. In the scrum, charging, rolling mauls or defending, the more momentum the more force. The opposition needs to exert an equal force to stop you. Even if they tackle you by your ankles, their forearms, arms and shoulders will have to absorb the force of your impact and they are guaranteed never to forget about you. Strength and speed attribute to power. Power will decide who wins the Rugby World Cup 2011. Will it be the All Blacks? Or the Springboks? England? Fiji? Functional strength training will reveal the new champions.
Olympic lifters (watch out for them in the London Olympics followed by Samba in Rio!) also capitalize on speed. In strength conditioning it is important to include repetition. That is, train your muscles repetitively for the movement you want to perform. There is a very good reason why Olympic athletes may not be able to bench press as much (I often find people on the internet criticize strongman competitors when they find out they cannot bench as much either).That is because of our strength training anatomy. Diving into human biology, our brains build neural pathways. A neural pathway tells the brain that a certain set of muscles need to be used in a certain sequence under a certain amount of force. Our bodies adapt to the strains imposed upon them and build the necessary strength training anatomy to handle the load. This adds strength to the statement – practice makes perfect. Determining one person’s strength over another is futile as it all depends on the function they have been training for. Sometimes the lanky looking guy is more dangerous down the dark alley than the big bench monster. Using momentum together with conditioning your body (by repeating the strength exercises) is what delivers the most power. As a part of your strength training, weights training, gym workout or training program, include speed and repetition to push or pull heavier weights.
There is still a lot be learned from the science of strongman competitions. Strongman competitors, Power Lifters and Olympic lifters all provide unique learning points for Rugby players. It is wisdom to learn battle plans from Spartan Warriors; it is wisdom to learn about combat from Gladiators and it is wisdom to learn from the professional strongmen of this world on how a physical game like Rugby could be mastered and taken to a whole new level.
There will be much more to come.
Lean Hybrid Muscles
Lean Hybrid Muscles -
Mr Hulse, good stuff.
The Monday and Tuesday you got listed there reminded me of Ken Lain’s training involving one day of heavy benching with low reps and the other day with lighter weights but for more reps. Of course he did it 3 days apart and with no strong man day on the Wed.
I got to hand it to both yourself and Mike, I havent hit the gym in months. I got a set of barbells at home and a skipping rope. Since you guys introduced me to barbell thrusters i just do 5 sets of 5 reps of barbell thrusters using a weight of about 65 Kgs total. In between each set i do about 100 jumps on the jump rope. I ve gotten more out of this than i could have imagined. Shoulders are bigger, lats wider, legs more defined and i feel just stronger.
I hit the gym the other day and had no issue benching about 150 Kg after about 2-3 months off the bench. When i get back into proper gym training im going to attempt the above i.e. high intensity low reps on day 1, low intensity high reps day 2 and on day 3 i am going to remove concrete slabs from the curve outside and carry them into my back garden. In 3 days time I will reverse and put them back
Mr Hulse, good stuff.
The Monday and Tuesday you got listed there reminded me of Ken Lain’s training involving one day of heavy benching with low reps and the other day with lighter weights but for more reps. Of course he did it 3 days apart and with no strong man day on the Wed.
I got to hand it to both yourself and Mike, I havent hit the gym in months. I got a set of barbells at home and a skipping rope. Since you guys introduced me to barbell thrusters i just do 5 sets of 5 reps of barbell thrusters using a weight of about 65 Kgs total. In between each set i do about 100 jumps on the jump rope. I ve gotten more out of this than i could have imagined. Shoulders are bigger, lats wider, legs more defined and i feel just stronger.
I hit the gym the other day and had no issue benching about 150 Kg after about 2-3 months off the bench. When i get back into proper gym training im going to attempt the above i.e. high intensity low reps on day 1, low intensity high reps day 2 and on day 3 i am going to remove concrete slabs from the curve outside and carry them into my back garden. In 3 days time I will reverse and put them back
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Rugby League Superstar Jason Stevens in Melbourne for a FREE motivational talk at Redline Men's Conference
Join NRL (Rugby League) superstar Jason Stevens this Thursday 8th October at the Redline Men's Conference in Melbourne Australia as he gives a motivational talk for men of all ages. Entrance is FREE.
Jason Stevens -
Played Rugby League for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. In 1997 that he was selected for Australia and made his International debut against Great Britain at Wembley Stadium. The 3 match series was won by Australia 2-1 with Jason Stevens taking part in all 3 test matches. He has played 8 State of Origin games and appeared on the Footy Show. He has plated 16 international games for Australia including the World Cup in 2000.
Doors open 7pm at -
RedLine Men's Conference,
CityLife Church - Knox
1248 High Street Road
Wantirna South,
Victoria 3152
Melway Ref 72 E2
Jason Stevens -
Played Rugby League for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. In 1997 that he was selected for Australia and made his International debut against Great Britain at Wembley Stadium. The 3 match series was won by Australia 2-1 with Jason Stevens taking part in all 3 test matches. He has played 8 State of Origin games and appeared on the Footy Show. He has plated 16 international games for Australia including the World Cup in 2000.
Doors open 7pm at -
RedLine Men's Conference,
CityLife Church - Knox
1248 High Street Road
Wantirna South,
Victoria 3152
Melway Ref 72 E2
Monday, October 05, 2009
Best of the Best Selection for October 2009
www.StrengthTrainingChronicles.com
p.s. the caption above is from the Queen production at the Dominion Theatre in London - Tottenham Court Rd. If you are in London, its a fabulous production. Also on Sunday Morning check out the Hillsong version of it for free!
Here we go, the October 2009 Top 10 of ALL TIME
1) The World Cannot Accept a Strong Man - a humorous look into the day to day obstacles big boys face! Like trying to squeeze through two cars in a lot but you are just too damn broad!
2) How are some men able to break concrete slabs with their hands and heads. Here s how.
3) South Afirca win the Tri Nations Rugby Tournament
4) Hey we are on Facebook!
5) A bit of CrossFit
6) A bit of poetry from way back!
7) Functional Strength Training - award winning and also published on article bases across the net
8) FREE RUGBY Training eBook - "10 Rules to take you from Rugby Mediocrity to being a Rugby WARRIOR!
9) The 300 workout
10) Rugby Legend Jonah Lomu takes up bodybuilding
Hear from ya soon !
Watch out we're mad !
Have you ever heard of Terence Hill and Bud Spenser?
They are two of my favorite actors from my by-gone years aka childhood. Watching their movies today still brings out a smile.
Some of their movies include –
Watch out we re mad,
They call me Trinity,
Trinity is still my name,
Double Trouble,
Miami Supercops,
I m for the hippopotamus
Blacky the pirate,
God forgives I don’t,
Etc.
p.s. Terence Hill went on to star in the TV series Lucky Luke.
What I really enjoy about these actors is there constant unchanging characters in their movies despite the change of actor personas. For example Terence Hill plays the good looking guy who always gets the gorgeous looking girls and is always up for a laugh. Bud Spenser is the tubby bearded guy who cannot be bothered in the most part to do anything but when he gets mad he gets mad alright. Terence Hill always tends to piss him off despite being on the same team! Put a meal in front of them and they eat like there is no tomorrow. In 'Trinity is still my name' the duo eat a roast buzzard for supper with worse mannerism than the poor buzzard itself. That is probably one of the funniest westerns I have ever seen. Check out this clip where they venture into an upper class restaurant.
So what does this have to do with strength training or weight training or gym routines or workout routines?
Nothing. Except that these two characters are extremely strong despite one being lanky and the other being tubby. They always end up fighting more opponents than available and they always beat up the bad guys using humor and comedy type maneuvers. Even in the wild west where guns are the norm, its always the good old fists that are thrown around. You got to love it with a smile and a dash of salt.
In 'Watch out we re mad', the duo are rally drivers who win a dune buggy. The buggy is smashed up by a mobster. The duo make it a point to get a brand new dune buggy, a red one with a yellow top from the mobster. The mobster is not interested and is keen to make a point. From hilarious sparring with the thugs in the gym (typical gymnastic type beatings and boxers) to a professional sniper who has his gun stolen and replaced with a violin that he is forced to play at the mobster s restaurant, the movie is good fun and great to watch over a beer or three.
When you get back from a hard day of training and its time to chill out, get some of their movies, get a big roast chicken and a protein shake, kick back and enjoy.
They are two of my favorite actors from my by-gone years aka childhood. Watching their movies today still brings out a smile.
Some of their movies include –
Watch out we re mad,
They call me Trinity,
Trinity is still my name,
Double Trouble,
Miami Supercops,
I m for the hippopotamus
Blacky the pirate,
God forgives I don’t,
Etc.
p.s. Terence Hill went on to star in the TV series Lucky Luke.
What I really enjoy about these actors is there constant unchanging characters in their movies despite the change of actor personas. For example Terence Hill plays the good looking guy who always gets the gorgeous looking girls and is always up for a laugh. Bud Spenser is the tubby bearded guy who cannot be bothered in the most part to do anything but when he gets mad he gets mad alright. Terence Hill always tends to piss him off despite being on the same team! Put a meal in front of them and they eat like there is no tomorrow. In 'Trinity is still my name' the duo eat a roast buzzard for supper with worse mannerism than the poor buzzard itself. That is probably one of the funniest westerns I have ever seen. Check out this clip where they venture into an upper class restaurant.
So what does this have to do with strength training or weight training or gym routines or workout routines?
Nothing. Except that these two characters are extremely strong despite one being lanky and the other being tubby. They always end up fighting more opponents than available and they always beat up the bad guys using humor and comedy type maneuvers. Even in the wild west where guns are the norm, its always the good old fists that are thrown around. You got to love it with a smile and a dash of salt.
In 'Watch out we re mad', the duo are rally drivers who win a dune buggy. The buggy is smashed up by a mobster. The duo make it a point to get a brand new dune buggy, a red one with a yellow top from the mobster. The mobster is not interested and is keen to make a point. From hilarious sparring with the thugs in the gym (typical gymnastic type beatings and boxers) to a professional sniper who has his gun stolen and replaced with a violin that he is forced to play at the mobster s restaurant, the movie is good fun and great to watch over a beer or three.
When you get back from a hard day of training and its time to chill out, get some of their movies, get a big roast chicken and a protein shake, kick back and enjoy.
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