Via Om Shanti : an interesting piece in the New York Times on the use of yoga by baseballers. Great to see.
Results matching “Bird”
Uberjava-ism : Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kettlebell training. Sounds like a great combination.
Mike Maloney at work [streaming, 3.1mb .flv download]. Not bad at all.
There's a great interview with Pavel Tsatsouline on the latest episode of the Applied Karate Show. Well worth a listen.
The latest Minute of Strength newsletter contains an interesting video on increasing hip snap. The primary reason for doing it is to improve lifts such as the kettlebell snatch, but I can't see it hurting the deadlift.
Looks like it might be time to put the stability ball to work.
This is the second part of this month's series on books; a collaboration with Run to Win's Blaine Moore.
My ever-growing library contains a number of books on strength, health and fitness in general. Whilst there are a number available in these three areas, here are a few which have stood the test of time and never stray too far away :
The Home Workout Bible
Lou Schuler
I picked this up shortly after I started lifting free weights at home; largely as a reference for various exercises. Although it can quickly be put on the 'introductory' shelf, I occasionally refer to it for less common variations of well know moves such as the Towel Fly (a great one for anyone with polished wooden floors) and Prone Scarecrow.
Light on Yoga
BKS Iyengar
As with the Home Workout Bible, Light on Yoga serves as a great reference. At just under 500 pages this definitely classes as comprehensive, and explains in great detail more than 200 Asanas, or postures.
This book also covers the history of this fascinating practise, several routines for working towards specific health and fitness goals, and the oft-maligned area of breathing. Fascinating stuff.
Mastery of hand strength
John Brookfield
This is essential reading for anyone looking to increase their hand or forearm strength; no matter what their goals are. John Brookfield is truly a master of his craft, and this timeless volume clearly demonstrates why.
If hand strength is important to you, make sure you've got a copy of this on the shelf.
Superfoods
Steven Pratt M.D. and Kathy Matthews
I first came across the concept of Superfoods in the T-Nation article Power Foods, and quickly made my way to the nearest bookstore. At first I wondered why this book - which tells the story of 14 nutrient-dense foods - would list each of them on the back cover; but reading it I quickly discovered that there is much more to the story than a simple list.
This book details the reasons for including each of these foods in your diet (including discussions of research on the various nutrients contained within), common sources of each food type and ways in which to incorporate them.
A few small changes to your diet can make an enormous difference.
The Bodybuilder's nutrition book
Dr Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu is perhaps best known as a bodybuilder with extraordinary strength. When it comes to the subject of nutrition, however, it's clear that he didn't achieve his infamy by accident; this book outlines the thinking he used to work his way up to Mr Olympia.
Although there are a few paragraphs that remind you that this book is more than 20 years old, the bulk of it contains sound, timeless nutritional advice that is relevant to anyone who enjoys the iron.
For a slightly more detailed review of this fascinating book, look no further than The Bodybuilder's Nutrition Book.
Biomechanical basis of human movement
Joseph Hamill and Kathleen M. Knutzen
Sit in a quiet corner and put on your thinking caps for this one. This book details exactly how we move; whether lifting weights, playing sports or simply going though our daily activities. Although it is clearly intended as a textbook for students of biomechanics, I use it largely as a reference during periods of injury.
If you've ever wondered why it hurts here when you injured yourself there, this book has the answer.
Stretching scientifically
Thomas Kurz
As you can see from the cover, when it comes to stretching Thomas Kurz knows his stuff. This superb book goes into great detail on the various types of stretching, working towards various flexibility goals, and potential injuries arising from improper technique.
Training
Harry Andrews
This book is a reprint of the 1911 volume by Harry Andrews, Training for Athletics and General Health. Harry Andrews was a running coach who clearly understood his trade. This book - although nearly a century old - contains some fascinating information which is still relevant to training techniques today.
Sportscape
Various
Sportscape details the history of sports photography over the past 100 years. Although it definitely performs well as a simple coffee table book - there are some superb images in there - it also helps to illustrate how our perceptions of sport have changed in that time.
If you've ever tried your hand at sports photography, or just admire the work of others, this is a very worthy addition to your collection.
Bruce Lee - Fighting spirit
Bruce Thomas
I initially picked this up simply as something to read on a lengthy bus trip. However, although there are many Bruce Lee biographies around, this one clearly stands out.
Written by martial artist Bruce Thomas, this book explores Lee's life in detail, giving a great insight into the thinking of this truly amazing individual.
The Optimum nutrition bible
Patrick Holford
This book is exactly what the title suggests - a comprehensive reference for the world of Optimum Nutrition. If you haven't already been exposed to this great area, Optimum Nutrition entails the consumption of sufficient foods and supplements to not simply meet the minimum Government-advised guidelines, but to ensure the greatest health benefits.
As suggested above, this book serves as a great reference whenever specific nutritional questions arise; not only covering the exact functions of various vitamins and minerals, but also outlining the treatment of many common medical complaints.
The Art of Expressing the Human Body
Bruce Lee and John Little
This book outlines Bruce Lee's training like no other. Based on Lee's own notes, The Art of Expressing the Human Body discusses his bodyweight, cardiovascular and strength training during the many phases of his brief career.
If you've ever seen an exercise being performed and thought to yourself 'I'm sure I've seen that somewhere before', chances are that it's in this book. Superb.
The Art of Expressing the Human Body is covered in more detail here.
Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding
Arnold Schwarzenegger
I must admit, I use this one mainly as a reference to the Golden Age of bodybuilding. Not only are there some great photos in there, but as a resource on some of the biggest names from the '70s it's second to none.
Overcome neck and back pain
Kit Laughlin
As the title suggests, this is a great resource for anyone who's ever experienced back or neck pain. Whilst this does not purport to be a cure-all for any variety of neck or back pain, there are some great ideas in there.
Well worth a look.
If you're in training for a Tactical Strength Challenge (the next of which will be the March 3 competitions held in various locations), you may like to see Valery Fedorenko in action. Here he is just a few months ago showing off the Snatch [streaming, 12.06mb .flv download] and Jerk [streaming, 11.78mb .flv download]; each time using 24kg bells.
In a great demonstration of training longevity, here he is in 1992 - Snatch [streaming, 6.82mb .flv download], Jerk [streaming, 9.47 mb .flv download] using 32kg bells. Superb.
Demonstration of a few exercises [streaming, 5.03mb .flv download] for baseballers, using the Speedbat. Interesting.
Via Diet Blog : shedding a bit of weight whilst training for a marathon isn't exactly front page news. Jacob, however, is training seriously [streaming video, 7.12mb .flv download] for the Boston Marathon this April. His starting weight? A little over 400lb.
It's been a while now since I last posted my training notes (although of course I've still been training), which I thought I'd rectify. Especially now as the weather here is starting to get back to reasonable levels, which will undoubtedly see an increase in intensity. Not to mention the occasional outdoor session.
A few months ago I began training for the One-Arm-Chin-up. This was always going to be a lengthy process (2 years seems to be fairly common amongst OAC practitioners), but I wasn't quite prepared for the glacial slowness of it all. The other day, whilst getting slightly over-zealous and trying to accelerate things, I managed to once again tweak my left shoulder. Frustrating, but not altogether surprising. I know what I'm like.
I'm now carefully avoiding the heavy stuff for a while; giving things a chance to heal before I return to the OAC quest. In the meantime, however, a slight obsession takes centre stage - hand strength.
After reading Chuck Halbakken's recent piece on bending, I decided to give it a go (at least I will once a couple of key items arrive). Added to this is the usual assortment of pinching, tearing and catching. All fun, highly addictive stuff.
A few of the exercises I've been trying out this week :
- basic gripper work (I only have the CoC Trainer and #1 here, but they're great for high-rep work)
- plate pinching (two plates held together with smooth sides out)
- wide pinch grip work using a 2.5kg plate + additional weights (as pictured)
- wrist rolling (using home-made wrist roller; which is little more than an axe handle, duct tape and a length of chain)
- bar hangs (right arm only)
- paper tearing (the phone books are quite safe for now)
- Thor's hammer stuff (levering with an adjustable dumbbell with weights on one end only)
I'll go through each of these exercises - and the many others that always seem to appear in grip workouts - in more detail after a week or two; once I've had a chance to really test them out.