BEYOND STRONG

Hectic

I wanted to warn everyone that posts are going to be rather infrequent over the next few months. Due to work committments it's going to be hard to find time to post new articles.

I managed to train with David, Alex and Elizabeth Horne this week and witness David and Alex's mammouth arm wrestling sessions! We did two workouts over a 3 plus hour period. First up was chest and tricep work playing around with the One DB Bench press and David's new Triton Bar. The One DB Bench Press is a really interesting change of pace and well worth trying if the regular bench press is getting stale in your routine. I managed a tough 65kg/143lbs whilst David easily blasted out 70kg or 154lbs.

After some lovely home cooked food from Elizabeth we resumed our efforts. Having not really trained grip properly for a year I was eager to do some light pinching and play with some other grip toys. I managed a rough not locked out (5" off the floor) 99.4kg Two Hands Pinch with the now standard Euro Pinch Grip apparatus. I was pleased with this, knowing that with 2-4 weeks of training I would be back to my best of 109kg.
With David's 'sliding ramp' technique I worked up to a few lifts with the York Blob and then picked up two 20kg plates comfortably. I guess this kind of hand strength doesn't just go away!
David worked up toan easy Level 13 on his Vulcan gripper which I failed at miserably. Level 12 was my best today.
The One Arm Curl against the wall was next. I worked up to 35kg/77lbs for 2 reps each arm and I believe David got 40kg/88lbs for one rep. Pretty impressive curling with a heavy dumbbell.

After this I witnessed David and Alex's arm wrestling sessions. David uses massive band tension which I struggled to pull over. Then Alex, who is an accomplished and super strong 17 year old arm wrestler, wrestles David over 6 bouts. The intensity was INSANE! Here's a picture...

David won 4 to 3 but they were close and tough battles!

We then went onto David's Lock 'n' Load invention. A partial range trainer for various positions on the arm wrestling table. We worked three positions and I can see the huge benefits for arm wrestlers with this machine set up. It would also be a cool way to train for a bigger bicep curl as well.
Finally,( yes we were still going), we did a combination of Orbi Grip and Lock 'n' Load. 50 Orbi's followed by 5 full range Lock 'n' Loads for 5 sets. SUPER PUMP!

Another brilliant day spent with friends just enjoying training, chatting and laughing our heads off. That's what it's all about!

Nick

Life fitness

Things have been quite busy around here recently. Thankfully work has picked up and although training 6 days a week (sometimes twice a day) has been great, it was nice to put that training to good use. Training has been a combination of strength, bodybuilding and conditioning. I have come to the conclusion that these are the most important elements of a great workout schedule. Of course, I would also add to that with prehab and rehab work. This would be mobility work, myofascial release and sports specific stretching.

Here's an example of a recent workout.

Warm-up - dynamic swings and joint rotations
Seated Press - 5x5
Chins - 5 sets with varied hand positions (alternate, underhand, overhead etc) 5 sets from 1-15 reps
Flys - 3 sets of 12, never locking out
Cable Crossover - 2 sets of 12-15
4 Board Press - 4x5, stressing the triceps
Bicep Machine - 4x8-12
Pushdowns - work to heavy set of 8-10 then a big drop set
Mobility - either upper body or lower body
Cardio - 20-30 minutes of Cross Trainer on 'Strength' or 'Hills' at a high Level (10 or above)

I still have a way to go to achieve the results I want. Below is a picture taken about 3 weeks ago. For reference, I couldn't see my abs at Xmas! This is part of my Life Fitness plan where I hope to maintain a good level of strength and conditioning but also stay injury and pain free. So far so good. Of course, you can't have maximum strength or maximum fitness like this. The goal is a level of all round fitness which would require a minimal phase of specialization (6-12 weeks) to reach maximum strength or aerobic capacity depending on the goal. This is an experimental process which eventually will be a part of a wider program I will share with you all in the future.

I'll have another picture of my progress in April.

Nick

Marvin Eder Interview

I found this excellent Marvin Eder interview on bodybuilding.com...Marvin's Interview.

The last article was on Beyond Strong some 9 months ago by David Gentle...HERE

This new article is really interesting and Marvin, now 75, is lifting again.

Read the article and marvel at his unbelievable lifting!

Nick

 

Steve, Theo and Rick

Rick and Theo have taken some leave of absence right now. Both are snowed under with their personal lives and finding time to post on their blogs has become more and more infrequent. With the New Year tidy up I have amalgmated ALL their posts into the main Beyond Strong blog. You can find them all here if you need to search for them.

Steve is continuing with Shaf's corner as before. I am continuing with this main website blog as before. I am sure from time to time Rick and Theo will drop by and post as well.

I want to wish all the guys the best for 2009 and look forward to seeing their future projects.

All the best in health and strength!

Nick

Better late than never!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I have been away over the New Year in Australia. It was a fantastic time with friends and family. I managed to roll a car (thanks to my friends Spike and Shaggy), watch the most incredible star display at my parent-in-laws farm in the country and see the new Hollywood Stunt Driver show at Movie World on the Gold Coast. Add to that the amazing weather we had, the beautiful beaches and ocean at Newcastle and on the Gold Coast, the fine dining, catching up with old friends and I think this one of the best holidays I have EVER had!

I did manage to train a little. Mostly some gym work, the odd long walk and of course plenty of swimming. This year for me is about staying healthy and injury free. I've added a few pounds over the holiday period and so I need to lose at least 10lbs. The worst/best part of being in a hot climate is that it's never too early to drink a beer! However, I can still see my abs and my strength, at least in the upper body, has been maintained. I'm also looking into some great recipes for healthy eating.

Here is my routine for the coming months.

Day 1
Overhead press  - One of these - One Arm DB Press, Military Press or Seated Press. Varied reps but generally lower in the 3-8 range.
Pulldowns or Chins - I've almost never put anytime into pulldowns so I am interested to see how they effect my chins. Medium reps - 8-12.
Flat Press - One of these - CG Bench, various board presses, pin presses or floor presses. Lower reps, mainly for triceps strength.
Speed Pulls - One of these - Deadlifts, Power Cleans, Power Snatches, One arm snatches. Mainly doubles.

Day 2
Seated DB Press to Incline DB Press to Flat Press. Basically moving the bench down and the increasing the weight of the dumbells. This or dips.
Rows and/or Pullovers. Medium reps.
Flys - cables, incline, flat etc.
Abs - planks, leg raises, russian twists etc

Day 3
Deadlift - One of these - Off blocks at 2,4 or 6", Isometric pulls at sticking point, DB Deads. Low reps.
Squat/Quad - One of these - Rack front Squat, Lunges, Hip Belt, Top Squat. Low to high reps.
Hamstrings - various machines. Medium reps.
Biceps - various machines or free weights. Med-high reps.
Triceps - as above.

I'll also be continuing my mobility work and cardio/HIIT on alternate days. This will be Concept II rowing, running medium sprints (200m) or the odd hybrid plyo workout.

As work gets busier I will drop certain things such as the speed deadlifts and flys. This way I can keep the core part of my workouts intact. What I have basically done is to choose the exercises that have worked well for me over the last 10 years or so. I have chosen 2-5 for each bodypart and will rotate them as they go stale. This is a version of conjugate training I guess but without the required percentages. A little like Dogg Crapp training as well. I'll squeeze some grip training in at home with David Horne's Orbi Grip and Vulcan Gripper.

If I had the equipment at hand I would have had Farmer's Walks, Dragging and Loading in this routine somewhere. I think these three exercises are the icing on the cake for strength and conditioning. Perhaps a little throwing as well. For now though this is feeling good as I have been 'test driving' the routine over Xmas and New Year. I like that I am finishing workouts energized rather than obliterated!

Here's some photos from my trip...have a great 2009!

Nick

The car AFTER I rolled it

3 Cars on Two Wheels!

The Farm

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

I am sure many of you are busy writing New Year Resolutions which involve lifting and training. My personal goals are are very simple - stay injury free!

There will be no competing this year, no chasing weights I don't need and no pushing to the limit when it's not required. I will work hard of course but the need to push my body is really not required at the moment.

I still intend to lift 3 times a week. This will be basic as usual. However, I will include some of the bodybuilding I have been doing recently as it's made a nice change and has taken the stress off my joints a great deal. I will be continuing with my mobility and hope to do more yoga. I also want to push to get in a couple of cardio or high intensity interval training sessions in each week. This I hope will keep my body fat lower than it has been.

The only time I will be pushing hard is during my work environment when 100% is required to produce a solid performance. I am hoping this will keep the injuries to a minimum. I have also been getting regular osteopathic treatment and I will continue this as it has helped a great deal.

I still feel as a competitor in Strongman I have much more in me. I don't think I ever really peaked as a lightweight strongman. I hope to make a comeback of sorts in my 40's (2 years away now!) and take on the younger guys on the world stage.

As I get older I am really interested in pursuing sport as recreation and not so much competition. Feeling good is more important to me than aching and creaking and popping pain killers all the time.

We'll see where this takes me.

As for you guys - let's give you something to think about over the holiday period.

Older but wiser training tips for 2009

Feel strong. Back off!

When everything feels strong and is going well in your training, consider backing off. The body likes to peak and then recuperate. Enjoy the strong times without the fear of injury or pain.

Get your technique down in all of the main lifts.

Ugly lifting is way too common these days. I personally hate it! Get your squat, deadlift, press, clean, bench and chin form perfect and reap the rewards. Give me a smooth 500lb deadlift over an ugly, hitched 550lbs deadlift anyday.

Compete in competitions not in the gym.

Frankly, no one cares what you lift in the gym if when you compete you come last or middle of the pack. Friendly competition is fine but save the psyching up and aggression for when it counts.

Don't be an internet hero.

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! I've said it before and I'll say it again - NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU LIFT!!!

Try something new.

There are so many avenues to health and strength that sometimes the gym seems a bit redundant to me. Here's a few things to consider trying in 2009. Squat with a different bar (Safety, Cambered, Top Squat etc). Go on a PROPER diet. DO some mobility work or yoga or pilates. Try some light strongman events. Lift a rock. Climb a tree. Try training like one of the greats such as Vince Gironda or Reg Park. Specialize on a weakness such as those spindly legs or pencil neck. Take a barbell to the park and do lifting and sprinting. Try EDT, Tabatas, HIT, 20 reps squats, Dogg Crapp training, Isometrics, Pre-exaustion, Chains, Bands, Complexes, 3x3, Smolov, German Volume Training, 50 reps sets, Pack of Cards, Speed Work, Heavy Partials, Ladders, The Transformation Program and the list goes on and on. Don't just read it or think it DO IT!

Beyond Strong wishes everyone and safe and happy Christmas time and successful 2009.

Nick

From my good friend Spike Cherrie for Xmas.

Simplicity again

Over the past month I seem to have barely trained at all. I've been squeezing in pullups and jumping at working, with the odd flag thrown in for good measure. I've actually been to the gym twice in that time. Both workouts were 'ok'. One thing I have been doing a lot of is mobility training. This is VERY different to stretching. Mobility is about getting each and every joint moving in it's fullest range of motion and actually pushing the stuff that hurts into areas it doesn't like. I've mainly been doing Steve Maxwell's mobility DVDs and concentrating on my spine, hips and shoulders. I am already seeing some benefits but it's not going to make a big difference overnight when I have been shutting down my range of motion for the last 20 odd years! I would recommend this for anyone who is 35 and over and feels that weights and stretching alone are not making them move as well as they should.

This brings me to simplicity in training. I am sure you are all aware of the difficulty in deciding on a training routine. I have note pads galore full of training routines for myself and my charges but more often than not the simple stuff is what works and what people enjoy. My wife is a classic example. I would like her to follow a preset running regime but instead she sets herself simple, achievable goals and gets there slowly but surely. For example, her first goal was to run 10km on the treadmill in an hour. Then she made it to 11km in an hour. Now she wants to consistently run 30km per week in 3 sessions of 10km each. Simple but effective for what she considers to be her goals right now. You can't argue with that. She throws in some pushups and some lunges from time to time but the simplicity is what she needs with a high pressure job and long hours.

I am just getting to the gym when I can, like I will later today. Looking back over my old training, I did very well on training 2 days per week. That kind of split seems too little but in fact it is just right when getting to the gym is hard. I've also laid out plans for bodyweight based training which I can do at home.

Over Xmas I should be able to try some new things but when it gets hectic I think back to basics 2 days a week may be the order of the day.

Here's some Steve Maxwell to wet your appetite...




Nick

Lack of Input

Sorry for the lack of input of late. Right now I am putting a lot of time into work. I do have more in the pipeline for the blog though so...in the immortal words of Arnold...I'll be back!

For now check out this pretty cool video from Joe DeFranco's youtube page. Joe (and the guys he trains) is one of those guys that puts up.


Nick

Priorities

I had a quiet summer but things seem to be picking up. I was on Sherlock Holmes last weekend with Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr. A true gent, a genuine film star and an inspiring actor. Guy Ritchie was directing and he is a very enigmatic man. I was fortunate enough to be involved in the opening fight which should look pretty cool. Can't really say much more than that!

My training has been going quite well. I hit a nice 215kgx2 rock bottom squat (just a belt) last week with more in the tank. Chins were up to 60kg for doubles and I've even been doing some deadlifting. I also went to see an osteopath and she has already helped me re-evaluate my priorities. The good thing she is not averse to strength training and all it's avenues. Indeed, she is a keen kettlebell and clubbell enthusiast.

The worst things are my posture which has exposed a virtually flat lower back and a flat middle back/trap area. I know how bad my mobility is as well but this was evident with some of the tests we went through. My previous injuries are certainly not helping. I am a bit of a mess!

Still I am now focused on improving these problems and will put big strength goals on the back burner. At 38 I need to address these things now. As she and my wife said, 'You move like knackered old horse!'. Charming...but true.

Ideally my priorities should be something like this:

1. Mobility - especially in the shoulders, lower back, hamstrings.
2. Postural - middle back and lower traps, specific chest work, lower back curvature.
3. Conditioning - multiple short busts of between 30 seconds and 4 mins.
4. Strength - the usual!

Right now I don't need to change much. The first thing is to try and loosen up some of the back with manipulation, trigger point therapy and acupuncture. At least then I will have a chance and improving rather than fighting against the tightness that exists. It will not be a short process.

As always I will leave you with a bit of fun. This is a promo for a new comedy series featuring two friends of mine, Mike and Mark Duncan, twins in fact! They are doing all the cool stunts in this clip and star as the two delivery drivers/riders. Very Ethnic Australian but very funny. Enjoy...

Swift and Shift Couriers SBS commercial
Nick

New Ads

You'll notice some new flashing images in the right hand side of the blog (which is a change as I noticed nearly every other blog was set up like this!). These are affiliated to Beyond Strong but they are all products that I have used or still use.

Kelly Baggett's Vertical Jump Bible is really one of the best Jumping programs there is. Just recognizing what type of jumper you are (which Kelly explains here) is worth the price of the book. Highly recommended.

Firebox.com is a company ran by, well, geeks! Actually I have a friend who works there and they have the best prices on some of the coolest and most stupid (!) toys, gadgets, games and gifts you can buy. Stuck for a present? Firebox will have something I guarantee it. Highly recommended.

T3 magazine is more gadgets and technology. I've been buying T3 for well over 10 years now. I've bought it here, in Australia and in the states. If you want all the up to date information on gadgets and tech then T3 is your mag. Highly Recommended.

SpiderWeb Marketing. Ok, this may not be your thing. In some ways it's not my thing but I have found that it works and it's FREE. If you want to make a little extra cash on the side, have a few hours spare to listen to a loud, sales pitching American (sorry my Yankee friends but he is a loud son of a gun!) then give it a try. You simply follow the steps, sign up to all the income streams and once you build a small network of people you start making money. Once it's set up it is is easy to maintain. Not for everyone so only recommended if you really want to earn some extra money with Internet Marketing.

The rest you know about and of course they are all highly recommended.

Sorry for the ad talk...more articles on strength and health coming soon...I PROMISE!

Nick