Results matching “Bird”

Speedo launches the LZR RACER suits, ready for the Beijing Olympics. Might just be a few records broken.

Strength coach Amanda Haren demonstrates that home-made gym equipment doesn't have to be expensive or complex to be effective; knocking up her own suspension trainer. Here's how it's done. Good stuff.

This month, Run To Win and Straight to the Bar will be looking at the many possibilities when it comes to home-made training equipment. To kick things off, I'll be investigating several ways to keep your hands and forearms in great condition - DIY Grip Tools.

As you may have gathered, I love home-made exercise equipment. This is perhaps most evident when it comes to grip training - definitely a passion. Here, then, are instructions for making your own hand, wrist and grip tools.

Hands and fingers

If you've ever watched a rock climber at work - or performed a bit of climbing yourself - you'll appreciate just how strong the hands and fingers need to be. Accordingly, several items from climbers' training routines are featured here. Enjoy.

Campus board

Invented by Wolfgang Güllich, the Campus board is a superb piece of training equipment. The video shows it in action; Metolius is definitely the place to go when it comes to making one. Full instructions on construction and use - and they'll even sell you the stuff if needed.

Rice and a bowl

This is about as simple as it gets. Rice digs are a great way to toughen up your fingers and hands, and make use of equipment you've already got in the kitchen. Grab a large bowl, half fill it with rice; plunge your hands in. Repeat.





Note : if the rice doesn't present enough of a challenge, try using sand, lead shot or any other cheap, granular material. Oh, and don't be tempted to eat the stuff afterwards.

Grip strength

Softball Implement

Stacker

Ever tried holding a pile of bricks by pinch-gripping the bottom one? Ironmind's Stacker performs the same task; letting you adjust the weight easily in small increments. If your welding skills are OK, knock up your own. This video shows a home-made version in action.

Horizontal Pinch Device

Loadable plates

This surely rates as the simplest piece of grip equipment I've ever constructed; consisting solely of two nuts, two bolts and a length of chain (_perhaps 2' or 3'_).

One end of the chain is looped through a plate, and 'tied off' using one of the nut+bolt pairs. The other end of the chain is passed through another plate, and held there using the second nut+bolt. The picture at the top of this article show it in use.

This is a guest post from bending and grip strength aficionado Adam T. Glass - Leverage lifts. Strap yourself in, this is a good one.


Webster defines Leverage as :

The mechanical advantage or power gained by using a lever

With these lifts, we will work backwards, and take away the advantage gained by using proper levers with a lift.

Look at this monstrous deadlift : perfect feet-knee-hip-back alignment. This lift is going up. If his hips were farther back, or the bar was off his body during the lift, he would have a significant disadvantage to this pull. He is applying proper leverage.

Most of your training should be done in the maximum advantage position. This is almost always the safest position to move the weight, and safe training equals productive training.

Most maximum strength or strength endurance events will require the athlete to achieve perfect leverage over the implement, or the effort will fail. This is clearly evident when you examine sports such as Powerlifting, Olympic lifting, the Kettlebell biathlon and arm wrestling. The problem is most events in life do not allow you to display maximum leverage because the external resistance is fighting you - football, wrestling, arm wrestling; or the size/shape of the object puts you in an awkward position - Strongman events, strength feats such as very short bends or odd objects such as horseshoes or wrenches.

To build power in these positions, you must learn to work with in them. Isometrics Cables, and odd objects such as kettlebells will fill in some gaps. To get an unusual level of strength, you must cross from the familiar to the strange: you must use unusual drills.

During my personal quest to increase my braced bending abilities I began to examine exactly how to generate the most leverage upon different objects. Learning to bend wrenches, tear cards with my arms over head, or pick up heavy clubs led to this conclusion - You have to train outside the 'Safe zone' or proper leverage and position. You have to make the movements awkward, and as you do you will find additional stability.

Via FlipCatch : Ben Anderson's work is superb. Check out his Parkour collection.

Scientists in Germany say that tattoos could be the ideal way of delivering vaccines into the body.

The researchers say that in tests undertaken with mice, tattoos were much more effective in provoking a response from the immune system.

and

In studies with mice, tattooing a vaccine produced 16 times more antibodies than a simple injection into muscle tissue.

Biotech bodyart. Love it.

It seems to happen to everyone at some point - a serious run with the heavy stuff results in a general 'banged up' feeling; often leading to a bit of time off. Over at EliteFTS Matt Potak looks at one of the many ways to slip some bodyweight training into this period. Good stuff.

Via Ice Chamber : Rollouts on the ab wheel getting a little too easy? Try the ring version. Love it.

Via Born Rich : Ready for some serious hydrotherapy? Have a look at the AquaFit 19 Dual Temp. A little pricey, but it's a very interesting idea.

Another incredibly wet and stormy week here at Straight to the Bar. Still bunkered down in the home gym.