Medieval Strength, Fitness, Athletics & Heavy Training

The Blob Father (30 kg York Blob)

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 10:19:00 +0000

Check out the 30kg blob I recently borrowed from Maxwell Thompson at the last grip comp.

Here it is against the blob I cut off a 45 kg York Legacy Dumbbell. Looks like the big Daddy of blobs

Right now it's not moving very far! Goal is to lock out with it by end of summer.

Apparently Laine Snook has cleaned a 30 kg blob (mind blowing)

Grip Training Update

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:51:00 +0000

Over the last few weeks my training has primarily consisted of kettlebell swings, hiking through the woods (sounds a bit odd), body weight stuff including squats,press ups and burpees along with lots of grip training.

A couple of weeks ago I competed in David Horne's Britain's Strongest Hands comp and took 2nd place (David won), the comp has taken it's toll on my left arm from the bending battle I had with David, which incidently I won with a 6.2 degree bend in a piece of 8mm x 7" steel.

Since then I have done 2 of the Adam Glass online grip challenges, 2" axle bodweight for reps and 3" dumbbell challenge. Not sure where i came but these things are just for fun and a challenge for yourself.

Next weekend is Shildon for the first Athletics meeting of the year followed by British Grip Champs the week after (hopefully my lefty will be completely recovered)

I am also hosting a grip competition here in Scarborough on the 23rd September called the 'Yorkshire Grip Classic', more in to follow on this.
The comp is open for everyone and will be ideal for first timers to have a go at grip, so if you're nearish by and fancy it let me know.

Take Your Fitness To Another Level with the Gymboss Interval Timer

Sledgehammer Target Cracked

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:01:00 +0000

I finally hit over 1000 reps in 1 hr with the 25kg Hammer last thursday! 1017 to be precise

The experience was a better one than my 960 reps in October 2011. Although this was only my 3rd session on the hammer since October, I felt much more conditioned from all the lunchtime kettlebell sessions I have been putting in along with the weekly one off longer session.

There was no problems with my grip. The only hurdle was my mind, I faced the voices in my head trying to get me stop after about 25 mins and battled with them for around 15 mins until I got so far through it would have been rude to stop before the hour was up.

Here's the video (for reference)

Sledgehammer Training

Although I have plenty of athletics and grip comps planned for this year I will continue training with the sledgehammer for the next 2-3 weeks and will be aiming for 1100 reps in 1 hr before May

Next stop is Britain's Strongest Hands this weekend down at David Horne's

Sledgehammer Training - Update

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:36:00 +0000

It's been a while since I picked up my hammer after my Sledgehammer Challenge.

It took a while (on top of being busy) to get back into training again after it.

However, I blew the cobwebs off my 25kg Sledgehammer and did my first lunchtime session. After a swift warm up of 40 strikes, I set my Gymboss at 1min intervals and went for it. Result was 181 strikes in 10 min. I felt good, mainly due to the base I've been building with my lunch time kettlebell efforts.

I've been keeping a record of my volume for these sessions:

All 24kg kettlebell unless stated.

In addition to this I also completed 408 reps in 24 mins today with the 25kg Hammer
Another attempt at 1000 reps in 1hr is looming

Traveling Kettlebell Juggling

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 06:14:00 +0000

Some great kettlebell flipping from Logan Christopher, would be nice right now to be out on some sand with the sun on your flipping kettlebells

Kettlebell Juggling

Take Your Fitness To Another Level with the Gymboss Interval Timer

Brutal Minimalist Fitness 1000 Snatches

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 16:48:00 +0000

I first read about the 'Brutal Minimalist Fitness' Challenge via Dave Whitley quite a few years back read what I wrote about BMF in 2008.

I've been thinking about having a crack at 1000 non stop snatches with the 16kg kettlebell for quite some time. I did it in 42 minutes and felt good all round apart from my suffering hands even with pufter gloves on!

Brutal minimalist Fitness

I decided to carry on 1 extra week this week with the lighter kettlebells and did 3 lunch times with 1000 rep sets with the 24kg kettlebell. Next week I will begin hammer training again and some heavier kettlebell stuff!

Braced Snap and Training Update

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 08:43:00 +0000

Training has been going well recently with an unbroken string of lunch time kettlebell training, beginning of grip training and many fitness/ergometer sessions including running and bodyweight squatting.

Braced Snap - If you are wondering what a braced snap is? Simple, use both hands to bend the bar by bracing the bar on your hips and between your legs, repeatedly bending until the bar snaps in half (see video)

As this years grip comps are taking a turn (in terms of events), there is a lot of high rep grippers, braced snaps and bar bending to be done - mucho wrist development to come!
I picked up about 40 x 16 inch (8mm thick) bolts from the scrap bin at work to start practicing without the cost of buying in exspensive bar stock.

My first attempts at a 'braced snap' on 1 8mmx12" bar was around 9 1/2 mins down to 1 min 25 secs in about 1 week (2 sessions).

So friday night I decided to tape 2 16" lengths together (originally 12" which resulted in only a slight kink), the result is in the video below (around 7 mins-ish).#

Having never done this type of work, I now know how great a tool it is for building allround fitness and power. Next day i felt like I'd done a heavy squat session, especially in my glutes and lats. I must say I'm hooked!

Braced Snap

This week also saw me carry on from swings to snatches with the '1 set style'

I completed 1 set every lunch time (no put down), as follows:

Mon 220 snatches 24kg kettlebell
Tue 240 snatches 24kg kettlebell
Wed 260 snatches 24kg kettlebell
Thu 280 snatches 24kg kettlebell
Fri 300 snatches 24kg kettlebell

At the end of this week I'll attempt to beat my 1 hour 24kg kettlebell swing best of 2302 - aiming for 2400 in 1 hr.

I'll also be starting 40kg kettlebell snatching alternated with Sledgehammer Training

Take Your Fitness To Another Level with the Gymboss Interval Timer

Laine Snook Rolling Thunder for reps and Inch Clean

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:23:00 +0000

Another crazy gripping frenzy from Laine Snook

10 reps of 300lb with the Rolling Thunder after cleaning the 78kg Inch Dumbbell = F'in bonkers

Well done Laine

If you're half as strong as this you're doing well

Laine Snook -Rolling Thunder 300lbs

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:45:00 +0000

Incredible lifting from Laine Snook!
Crazy Crazy grip strength, what a monster

2500 Kettlebell Swings

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:35:00 +0000

Friday saw me take on a challenge of 1 hour of kettlebell swinging with the 24kg.

I've been training for around a month now on lunch times at work, hitting swings and snatches.

I set off with sets of around 100 reps on the swing and 50 in the snatch (with the 24kg), doing a couple of sets of each and have built up to a 1000 swing set and 220 on snatch (all without setting the kettlebell down), for the swing this has been a challenge for my hips and lower back, the snatch has been more of a challenge for my mind and grip!

After my sledgehammer challenge (in which I totally fatigued my lower back and hips), I suffered from plenty of lower back ache, just after the event and also when training in the following weeks felt that it was not a possibilty to do much kettlebell training (especially repetetive snatching or swinging), so laid off for quite some time.

However, life took over and training was not an option anyway and since Christmas came and went and I found space to start training again.

I also found a way to defeat the hip and lower back demons in the form of proprioceptive stretching before every kettlebell session, the results have been awesome.

I've been doing hip flexor stretching in a PNF style which has released my lower back from it's prison sentence. (PNF - in short you stretch the muscle you want to release by doing a standard stetch for 10-20 secs and then tense isometrically the opposite muscle for 10 seconds - in my case my butt muscles vs my hip flexors to utilse the Golgi Tendon Organ) the result of this is a much freer muscle and a less fatigued lower back, in other words I'm directing the stress thorugh the right channels and not directly onto my lower back.

Anyways, after finding a new wind In recent weeks I felt it was time to try a 1 hour kettlebell swing challenge.

Last friday I was aiming for just completing 1 hour of swinging and roughly 2000 reps was the goal.

I knocked off 2302 swings in 1 hour and 2500 in 1 hr and 5 mins with the 24kg kettlebell and enjoyed every 'pain(ish) free minute of it'

1000 more reps may have been a goer if I had the time (maybe next time), but felt I'd tested my self sufficently for the time being!

Just for proof (and future reference), I videoed the full session!

2500 reps with no rest!

Next time 3000"

BTW I don't think I would have attempted this without inspiration from Bud Jeffries and his inspirational fat loss and 'Mental' KB swing workouts.

Thanks to Bud for leading the way!!

Apologies for the crap quality, I compressed the video from 5gb to 190 mb

Before May 2012 I plan to Seek and Destroy the 1000 reps barrier with the 25kg Sledgehammer Challenge

Time Your Personal Bests with a Gymboss

The Mighty Atom

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:34:00 +0000

Great video of the Mighty Atom driving a nail

Andy Bolton Kettlebell Swings for Deadlift

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:07:00 +0000

It's no secret that kettlebell swings are an awesome tool for developing your posterior chain, that in turn make them an awesome tool for assisting your deadlift training.

Most importantly make sure you're snapping your hips rapidly to get the most benefit

Checck out this post on Kettlebell Swing Technique Tips to learn some more

Unconventional Conditioning Kettlebell PDF

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Kettlebell Training PDF

Last October to assist fundraising for my Charity Hammer challenge I wrote my first ebook - Unconventional Conditioning and gave it away with every donation and entry to a raffle.

Since then I have pretty much done nothing with it and would like to give it away to anyone who would be interested in reading it (download link below).

The book has lots of kettlebell training ideas along with other unconventional training methods to make anyones training routines more interesting.

Watch out for Unconventional Conditioning 2.0 coming soon

In return I would sincerely appreciate a Facebook LIKE on my DIY Strength Gear Page or Unconventional Conditioning Page (or both for that matter)

***********DOWNLOAD********** (Right Click and Save)

Unconventional Conditioning Ebook

Chris Van Jaarsveld BFS Hammer Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:22:00 +0000

Chris Van Jaarsveld of HammerHead Blog
recently completed the 1 hour Sledgehammer Challenge with a 20kg Hammer, doing no less than 1006 reps in 60 minutes. I think Chris is around only 80kg's in bodyweight so this makes it even more exceptional

Here's a video of Chris in the final minute.

Check out the full post on Hammerhead

Inch Dumbbell Hand to Hand Toss

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:56:00 +0000

Awesome feat of strength from Adam T Glass with the Inch Dumbbell

One of my goals for this year is to consistently lift the Inch Dumbbell with both hands

Strongman Exercise Equipment for Sale UK

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:45:00 +0000

Time to shed some of my strongman/grip equipment!
Before these items finally go on EBAY let me know if you would like to make me an offer for any of them

Items are:

Titans Telegraph Key

Olympic Strongman Log Bar
Olympic Trap bar
2.5" 7 foot Olympic Axle
Ironmind eagle Loops
David Horne Wrist Rocker
2 x 10kg Clubs

Sensible offers will be considered
Just drop a comment with your email address and name (I will not publish it)

Raffle Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:21:00 +0000

And the raffle winners are........

1.John Tanner
2.Mike Mackenzie
3.James Farthing
4.Guillermo Marisi
5.Jamie Dreyer

Will contact each one individualy once I find out which prizes are left after the prvious place has picked.

Many thanks to all who entered and help me raise over a grand

It's Not too Late to Enter

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:35:00 +0000

It's not too late to enter the raffle which ends today, get my ebook and entrance into the raffle for £2, all relating to my Sledgehammer Challenge a couple of weeks ago.
Go directly to my Just Giving Page and donate a minimum of £2 to enter.

Here's what's up for grabs

1. Logan Christopher's Kettlebell Snatch Domination DVD (3 DVD set)
2. Original Vulcan Gripper (second hand with dipped black spring)
3. IMTUG 3 (second hand)
4. 1 copy Jedd Johnson's Nail Bending ebook (thanks Jedd)
5. 1 copy Jedd Johnson's Card Tearing ebook

Kettlebell BUP Technique and Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:38:00 +0000

The Kettlebell Bottoms Up Press

I have been BUPing for quite a few years now and loved
every session doing it, I love a challenge. Here are my thoughts on the BUP and the technique I use, described in as much details as possible.

Kettlebell BUP

The Set up: set the kettlebell about a foot in front of your toes with the handle striking a line directly through
your body (you may need it a little further away if
you’re attempting a max lift).

Place your hand towards the front end of the handle (I
find this most comfortable).

Create tension in your arm by pulling back slightly on the handle before you initiate the back swing.

Keeping your glutes, hips and core tight, swing the kettlebell between your legs.

Don’t begin the upwards pull until the bell has swung back as far as it can and is beginning to return to it’s starting position(this is most relevant if you are going for a max single as it seems to make the lift flow more than fighting against the weight).

When you feel the weight coming back up, pull upwards and begin turning the kettlebell over.

Keep the bell as close as possible to your body to minimize energy wastage.

Aim to pull the kettlebell to your shoulder and land with your lower arm completely vertical, with hardly any space between you thumb and shoulder.

Any movement outside landing in this position will mean you somehow need to recover the lift.

I see many people leaning back on a BUP and then trying to press it away from themselves (whichalso results from holding the kettlebell in the wrong position).

The shortest movement possible will always be the best!

A little note on gripping the kettlebell – I like to loosely grip the kettlebell on the upswing as I find gripping it too tight means you have the bell in the
wrong position when you’ve cleaned it.

When you don’t commit to gripping too hard you can get under the bell in a better position before going for the press.

This way you get the option for your hand to be slightly tilted for the press rather than having the back of your hand in line with your vertical elbow (for me a much
better position to press from), I find this way I can really grind the kettlebell and get maximum advantage from the lats rather than a straight hand to forearm which for me tends to mean more tricep involvement.

The Press: once you’ve got the kettlebell landed in the right position, you need to get your feet sorted out into a place where you can gain most leverage.

This will differ for everyone, but I like to take a short step backwards with the same hand that I am pressing with.

Use your opposite side to brace against, I prefer my arm to be out wide to balance my body.

Begin the press by pushing hard into the ground with your feet and engaging your lats, lean back on the press (only lean backwards slightly, this too may put unnecessary stress on your back).

If you’re on a max lift, my only advice is to keep pressing, but make sure it’s coming through your legs, back, shoulders, triceps and wrist (in that order).

DON’T GIVE UP!

Even if the movement is only minimal just keep the pressure on, with some real guts the weight will go up!

BUP Tips: To work up to a max BUP I use the following format to get my body into the right gear using the actual weight I’m going to attempt (assuming I am already warmed up)

(2-5 reps on both sides)
Swings

Cleans

1.Clean and Push Press

2.Snatch

3.Flips

4.Bottoms Up Clean

5.Bottoms Up Press (MAX)

Going for a new weight in the BUP
In training I will use bottoms up cleans for a while until I become accustomed to the weight and also use heavy kettlebell cleans to prime my body and nervous system.

I have also used other methods to train the BUP and make it harder, such as double BUP’s, double BUP Cleans, pronated and neutral grips, holding a kettlebell in the BUP position (non-pressing hand) whilst BUP’ing, stacked pressing, sloshpipe attached to the kettlebell, Hamburger Press (stacked bells with weight discs between), holds for time. The list is endless, your mind is your only obstacle!

Sledgehammer Challenge 960 strikes

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:54:00 +0000

15/10/11 saw me do my Sledgehammer Challenge in Kirkbymoorside

I was aiming to do 1000 strikes in 1 hour with a 25kg hammer.

The result of my efforts was 960 reps

Check out this video of the last minute

I have also set up a post on my sledgehammer training leading upto the event

Many thanks to all who supported me and help me raise over £1000, especially some great posts that Jedd Johnson, Chris Beardsley, Scott Bird, Jason Steeves and Pat Hodgson have put up for me to help and all those who helped on FB

Also, many thanks to Pat from Homemadegymstuff for his help with the counting and motivation on the day, cheers mate!! You never fail me!

Also, it's not too late to enter the strength raffle and get my ebook.

Place a minimum £2 donation on my Justgiving page to get the ebook and enter the raffle

Sledgehammer Mayhem 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:52:00 +0000

Only 22 hr to go to Sledgehammer Mayhem 2011

If you don't know what it's about check out Sledgehammer Challenge or go straight to my donation page. You'll receive my ebook and an entrance into the raffle for grip strength and kettlebell stuff

Sledgehammer Challenge Raffle

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:55:00 +0000

A little later than promised but here's the list of items so far for the raffle.

1. Logan Christopher's Kettlebell Snatch Domination DVD (3 DVD set)
2. Original Vulcan Gripper (second hand with dipped black spring)
3. IMTUG 3 (second hand)
4. 1 copy Jedd Johnson's Nail Bending ebook (thanks Jedd)
5. 1 copy Jedd Johnson's Card Tearing ebook

If you're unsure how to enter check out the original post on Unconventional Conditioning.

Or if you're lazy, in a nutshell I am doing a Sledgehammer event for charity where I am attempting 1000 tyre strikes with a 25kg sledgehammer in 1 hour. To assist in fundraising I have written an ebook, to get this ebook you must sponsor me a minimum of 2 GBP on my Justgiving page 2GBP = 2 raffle entries 10GBP=10 raffle entries etc. The raffle is for the prizes above and will run right through October.

Unconventional Conditioning

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:14:00 +0000

I need Your Help

Some of you may have seen that recently I have been training for a Sledgehammer Challenge (in Kirkbymoorside on 15th October @ 11 AM), where I will attempt to reach over 1000 strikes of a tyre in 1 hour with a 25kg Sledgehammer for the Charity 'Children in Distress'

I have been training since May for to get into shape for the 1000 rep challenge and had a very fun and challenging time, shortly after the event I will post up my full routine of the exact reps and dates etc that I completed them.

So far I'm on over 11,000 strikes over 55 training sessions (all done on a lunchtime at work).

So, to raise awareness and help me along the way and raise some extra cash for my chosen charity, I have written my first ebook 'Unconventional Conditioning', a 45 page ebook with lots of videos and info about my training including tips and ideas for putting together your own training program, even a section on how to Bottoms Up Press a kettlebell and train for it, check out the table of contents below.

To get hold of this book I am asking for a £2 minimum donation (click here on my Just Giving Page! Drop me a comment and I will send you the book!

Not only this but for every £1 you sponsor me you will get 1 entry into a raffle for some strength and fitness goodies, list of items will be posted up tomorrow

The offer will be open until the 31st Ocotber 2011 and raffle drawn 1st November 2011

If you run your own blog, I would be very appreciative if you could spread the word on this one or share on facebook or twitter.

Cheers

New Bests at World Strongest Hands 2nd Leg

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 05:02:00 +0000

Had a great day on saturday down in Stafford at the 2nd Leg of the Worlds Strongest Hands Comp.

I set new best in all events - Vulcan - Level 15 dipped black spring (1mm off level 16), 105kg In the 2 Hands Pinch (now on top 20 all time list), 19.64kg on the griptopz stub and 16.22kg on the griptopz half penny.

These lifts got me 2nd place in the UK and 6th Over all in the World on the 2nd leg so very pleased with that.

David Horne won first place overall on everything and set an new WR in the half penny lift with 19.22kg. His wife Elizabeth(who is 8 months pregnant I might add), hit 80kg in the 2HP which is totally mind blowing!!!!

Also, got to meet bending legend Gary Hunt and some other new guys I've never met before. Gary also took photo's all through the comp.

105kg 2 Hands Pinch

As always after the comp there's lots of feats of grip strength taking part. This time hub lifting seemed to be the flavour with Pete Kerr and Richie Bevan going barmy loading a 25kg plate up with discs.

To see the full results and get involved with grip training get yourself over to David Horne's Grip Forum

Sledgehammer Workout - Cardio Crusher

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Russell) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:41:00 +0000

14 mins of Hammer Slamming in preperation for my 1000 rep Hammer Challenge - Total reps 280.

Basically, I'm attempting to hit 1000 reps in 1 hour with the 25kg Sledgehammer for the charity 'Children in Distress'.

I've been training since 23rd May this year and have completed 45 sessions so far with over 7000 reps in total. With only 36 days left before the event I'm aiming at over 12000 reps total in training. Let's bring it on.

After the event I'll be publishing my training tables, hopefully someone may find this interesting.

Sledgehammer Workout

The interesting thing about Sledgehammer Training is the carryover to kettlebell snatching. I've been using the 24kg kettlebell snatch test as a gauge for my progress with the hammer and have pushed out my SSST best to 252 reps (so far) over the next 36 days I intend on 2 more snatch tests and will also on the back of my sledgehammer fitness be pushing the snatch test as far as I possibly can before Christmas.

If you fancy supporting me please check out my 2011 Sledgehammer Challenge JustGiving Page

Can you hear the beep in this video? This little fella keeps me going