Diesel Crew - Muscle Building, Athletic Development, Strength Training, Grip Strength » sled dragging workouts

Killer Weekend Strongman Workout

Jedd Johnson — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 03:07:12 +0000

This past Friday I got a call on my cell phone around 9 PM. It was Rick Walker, who has written many of the articles we have in our strength and conditioning articles section.
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“What are you doing tomorrow?” he says.

“Nothing’s planned buddy,” I said.

“You want some company?” he said.

“Oh hell yeah!” I told him.

If you don’t know Rick, he is the first person I am aware of to ever hold a grip contest East of Ohio, and he did so in September 2003. It was that contest that got me interested in pursuing competitive Grip strength.

Over the years, Rick and I have gotten together for some awesome workouts. Each one was several hours long and consisted of everything from Strongman training, to Powerlifting, to Grip Feats and Steel Bending. These workouts are always intense and we always push one another to keep going and hit PR’s.

These types of workouts are awesome, and I encourage anyone who loves to lift to attend workouts of this kind. If you are used to working out alone, when you get together with other dudes with similar training styles, you can really have a lot of fun and set new PR’s.

One advantage of these special group training sessions is that you can get a spot from one another, which in and of itself can lead to bigger numbers if you are used to training solo.

Another benefit of working out with special occasion training partners is that they might be able to see something in your technique that you are not able to pick up on or your normal training partner isn’t seeing. Rick was able to show me something with my sumo deadlift technique that made my lift feel much better for me.

Finally, these sessions can just simply make you push yourself harder because you want to put up as big of numbers as you can with the other guys. Your heart starts pumping, the adrenaline gets going, and you end up doing stuff that can even surprise you.

If you have the opportunity to attend or set one of the sessions up, I encourage you to do so, because you will not regret it. You will have a great time! And that is what it is all about. Your workouts should give you enjoyment.

So, this is what Rick and I got up to yesterday. You’ll see this workout had everything but the kitchen sink in it:

1. Deadlifts - I got 515 Double Overhand after not deadlifting for about a month. Got 520 to my knees before right hand grip slipped. Rick got 605 matching his best pull since focusing on his next lifting comp.

2. Overhead Press (Log) – I got 280 on my second try, matching my best since 2005. Rick couldn’t get comfortable under the log, having not used one since about 2005.

3. Muscle-ups – I thought for sure with Rick there I’d get one. Tried 5 or 6 times, but just couldn’t get up there to catch myself above the bar.

4. Farmers Walk – Implements weigh 174 lbs. We did four trips down and back about 200 feet total maybe. Rick did his with a massive dark brown beard that looked like it had something metallic sticking out of it. It looked like something left over from the Roswell crash. I told him if he dyed it white he would look like a lawn gnome.

5. Tire Flip (780lbs) – Been about a year since I flipped this tire. Worked up to a slow set of 3. Rick had trouble keeping his footing under the tire but managed 3 good sets of 1. This was great being able to flip this so easy without practicing for a year or so.

6. Prowler – Pushed up hill using the vertical handles and pushed back down using the bottom horizontal handle for as far as we could go, then switching to the top handle. Two sets each. It was during the Prowler work that i realized Rick had taken at least two and maybe three breaks to urinate, while I still hadn’t gone, so I must have had some dehydration going. We just kept going

7. Thick Bar Lifts – Picked up the bell and tried to hold it off for 3 sets of 6 each hand. My hands were so wasted from the farmers and tire I could not get the Inch off the ground one handed. Also worked on the Slater Loadable, weight 127. After this round, my forearms were totally brutalized.

8. Club Pendulums – I love this movement. The Demolition Club is so big that it is full body movement but it still kicks your forearms’ asses. Used the 89.5-lb Demolition Club for Pendulums. I hit sets of 6. Rick had never done this but managed to master the movement and end on a good one before we went upstairs and proceed to devour mass quantities of beef and various salads.

I put together a highlight video of yesterday’s workout. If you double click on the video, it will take you to YouTube and if you can give it a thumbs up, I’d really appreciate it. Also, feel free to leave a comment either here on the site or over at YouTube.

Here you go:

Look for a follow-up video sometime soon, as Rick says next time I need to come to his place and that it is going to be “Walker Rules” this time around.

Keep up the great work with your training.

-Jedd-

Diesel Training – Survival in the Sun

Jedd Johnson — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:43:06 +0000

“We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.” – Winston Churchill

All I could think about yesterday was what I had to do to survive.

It was a beautiful and hot day. The thermometer was showing over 90 degrees, and although it was slightly cooler in the Garage Gym, it was still humid and everything we touched got covered in sweat.

We started out with about 10 minutes of warm-up that included Mobility / PVC Roller / General Warm-up. By the end of that, we had already sweated through our shirts. Each of us went through a giant glass of water just during this time

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Next was Front Squats. We stayed higher in reps instead of going up in weight, and for our last set we dropped down for a giant set. This just added to how drenched we were, but we kept on going. I combined them with Log Military Press. This is a very intense combination.

Next, we moved on to Waddles using the Napalm’s Nightmare rotating handle which is 2.5 inches thick. These kicked my ass. We did four sets of them. The last one is the only one that really wiped out my grip, but each set burnt my legs and glutes up due to the short choppy steps we were taking.

During the waddle, with the sun seemingly only getting hotter, we had to work harder to focus and survive the workout. At this point in the video is when you really hear us pulling for one another each step along the way.

The killer, THE ABSOLUTE KILLER, for me was Lunges. We “raced” up the hill to the satellite and then came back and by the time I got up there, my groin muscles were completely fried. It was all I could to SURVIVE and finish the course.

I could really tell how weak my groin muscles are and I think I know what I have to do to get them strengthened back up…

We finished with Prowler Rope Pulls on the Glute Ham machine. We weren’t sure how to set up good resistance out in the grass, so at first we hooked the rope up to a 30-lb kettlebell, but that was just too light. Next we hooked up the empty prowler, but that was too light too, so we threw on 90-lbs. That was just right!

The prowler plus 90-lbs was so heavy that the Glute Ham machine was tipping over so we had to stand on the back of it for one another.

You’ll also see about 2/3 of the way through the video that I somehow miss the foot hooks on the station and do a complete nose dive / face plant in the grass. Awesome!

Here’s a video clip our training. It was great to get out of the garage and into the sunlight for a change, and it felt good to push myself and be pushed at the same time.

Here’s a clip of four session…

Keep up the great work in your training, and have an outstanding Memorial Day weekend!

If you want to do some crazy training outside, check out the Ultimate Sled Dragging Manual!

Dozens of Extreme Sled Movements <== (click here)

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Group Conditioning Circuits

Jedd Johnson — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:35:21 +0000

Lean on Me

Guest Post

Barry Gibson

http://www.grapplefit.com

It’s something of an honor to be asked to do a guest post for Smitty and Jedd, especially as I’ve been a big fan for some time. For people that don’t know, my name is Barry Gibson and I own and operate Grapplefit Training in Sunderland, England. I have been the regular strength contributor to Fighters Only Magazine for almost four years now, and have had the concept of Grapplefit for at least seven years. Only now is it becoming a reality and I have my own unit where I train combat athletes full time. I also run fat loss boot camps for ladies and gents not involved in the fight game. One of my more recognizable clients is Ross Pearson – TUF season 9 lightweight winner and now UFC fighter. At the time of writing, Ross has just defeated Aaron Riley at UFC 105.

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When I was asked to write the post I’ve scratched my head and paced back and forth in my new unit thinking about a suitable topic that would fire up and motivate the discerning readers at the Diesel Crew!! Then it hit me, back to basics – the very basis of all great training, strip away the B.S. (bollocks for the English readers!!) This is the very cornerstone of training. The days of great strength have gone because people tend to make things that much more complex. They really don’t need to be – trust me… The combat sports arena is exactly the same, people over complicate programmes with macro cycles, meso cycles, conjugate, concurrent, linear periodised models etc. These are all great principles, but how does your average combat athlete decipher this and negotiate the field of training. No wonder paralysis by analysis is so prevalent…

So, this is what I came up with: two little circuits that will fry your athletes or team mates. Seeing that I hail from God’s Green Acres, (England), these circuits can be done indoors and outdoors too. Just in case you don’t have the balmy climates we enjoy in the U.K… The attached video shows a version inside the Kodokwai judo club.

I’ve put this together so you don’t need equipment at all, so you can get into your workout kit and go for it.

Set a track 50m marked with your favorite hoody or T-shirt or you could use cones (ok I know I said no kit but there you go).

You can work in pairs for this but you all work at the same time, there’s no need for a “you go, I go” approach.

Circuit 1:

Burpees – 10
Partner Carry – 50m
Over/unders – 10
Pummelling – 60s
Fireman’s carry (right) – 50m
Fireman’s carry (left) – 50m
Forward rolls – 10 (out and back)
Partner Pick-ups – 10 (shoot in and lift explosively)
Sprint – 100m
Piggy back – 50m

Perform this straight through with no rest. Rest 60-90 sec between circuits and strive for 3-5 rounds.

This gives you a massive hit on the heart and lungs and you get a little lactic tolerance thrown in too. Some fighters commented that this was harder than getting in the cage – then it hit me that this is exactly how to train for fight fitness. Not this exact circuit, although you could do worse, but that feeling of near nausea, metabolically challenging complexes, sand bag sprints, uphill bear crawls, anything that taxes your muscular and cardiovascular system simultaneously will develop what Dr. Len Schwartz called “Long Strength”. He was the founder of “Heavy Hands” which was based on some sound research, but it goes beyond the scope of this article. Suffice to say it fell into “Fad-dom” and was lost on the masses. But the concept of Long Strength still stands. The ability to be explosive over a period of time is a much sought after quality in combat sports. These circuits and others like them using assorted equipment will get you there.

Circuit 2:

Lunge walks – 50m (this is nice)
Sprint – 150m
Rear partner drag – 50m (stand behind your partner and reach under the arms then walk/jog backwards)
Forward partner drag – 50m (your partner stands behind you and reaches around your chest then you walk/jog forwards)
Tuck jumps – 10
Handstand walking – as far as possible (this is more for fun but may surprise you)
Forward bear crawl – 50m
Reverse bear crawl – 50m
Pummelling – 60s

This takes the same format as before, go straight through with no rest. Rest 60-90sec between circuits and go for 3-5 rounds.

So there you have it, two crippling circuits using nothing but your own body weight and that of a partner. You’ll get really strong and super-conditioned with this lot. Afterwards, you’ll need no convincing that you can get fit and strong using your own weight as resistance. Think of it this way, if you can handle your own bodyweight and that of another it’ll make you much more able to cope with the stress and strain of a fight. Barbells are great tools but as I’ve said many times they provide a balanced resistance, a human body doesn’t, and it shifts in a unique way when lifted from the floor. So get a partner and get lifting. It’ll make a nice change from getting under the iron and a great transference of specific strength too.

About the Author

Check out the videos below for more ideas of how to implement these into your schedule. If you have any queries please contact mail me, barry@grapplefit.com.

Website: http://www.grapplefit.com

The Premier MMA Training Bible – Blunt Force Trauma

Home Made Strength

Jedd Johnson — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:11:55 +0000

If you fit any of the following descriptions, I suggest you read this entire post.

You are working to put together your own collection of strength equipment.

You are a strength coach on a limited budget.

You are a student athlete with no job and need to get extra work in to make the team.

You are a personal trainer running boot camps and need more equipment to take with you to sessions.

You are an athlete and the school weight room sucks and just plain doesn’t meet your needs.

You are a strength enthusiast putting together your own garage/basement gym.

You are a strength coach looking to add new training methods to your program.

You are a strength enthusiast who wants to hit new PR’s.

You are a person involved with some form of weight training with limited money to throw at expensive equipment manufacturers.

It’s time to take action and learn how to build your own equipment, with the Home Made Strength Online DVD.

In the summer, Joe Hashey and I got together and shot a few hours of video on how to put together several pieces of your own home made strength equipment.

I took out all the boring stuff and kept the instruction for the 8 coolest pieces of equipment we made and it is going to be ready to show you very soon.

This Online DVD is what you need to get to work to start building your own equipment that is going to get you strong as hell, save you a ton of money, and last you for years to come.

And because it’s an Online DVD, you’ll be able to download it to your computer or laptop and replay it whenever you want.

What’s also cool is that we go over technique instruction and ways to implement these pieces of equipment into your training program so you can start using them to your advantage right away!

To make sure you get word on when this project is going to be released, make sure you sign up for email updates today. Just put your name and primary email address in below.

I can tell you right now that the thick bar axle we make is well worth the entire price of the video. It is a design Joe developed and it is without a doubt the most intense axle I have ever trained on. I love training for grip strength and this thing is a must have if you are looking to build a rugged grip.

We’re also going to show you how to put together equipment that will build you a strong back, hit your core, strengthen your wrists and arms, give you powerful legs, and your conditioning will go way up with the stuff we’ve got in store for you!

If you want to see more about this upcoming launch, just check out this page: Home Made Strength

All the best in your training.

-Jedd-Similar Posts:

Backyard Cardio

Jedd Johnson — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:20:51 +0000

A New Slant on the 40 Yard Dash for Backyard Cardio

By: Andy Book, CSCS

Running sprints with limited rest periods between repetitions is unquestionably a great method of building strength endurance. On the other hand, running repeated sprints is frankly boring. It’s rare to see even dedicated self-trained athletes running sprints.

Typically, if you see somebody running sprints, there’s a coach directing this effort. If you don’t want to run sprints, but still want to build strength endurance the following circuit is a great alternative for boring sprint work. However, you’ll be doing 40 yard dashes. Boredom shouldn’t be an issue with this circuit. Fried lungs…well that’s another story.

The circuit is a follows:

Gather your implements (e.g.., Sled, Kettlebells, Sandbag, Farmer Walk bars) and place them all at the beginning of the course. First, perform the sled crawl for 40 yards, and then jog or walk back to the pile and grab the kettlebells and move the kettlebells to where the sled is. Do the same with sandbags and the farmer’s walk.

After you complete the circuit, rest 5 minutes and repeat. Repeat 2 to 3 times. Over subsequent workouts, work on decreasing the time it takes you to perform the circuit and gradually decrease your rest periods between circuits.

1) Sled Crawl: Stay on all Fours the whole time and rhythmically drive your legs

2) Double Kettlebell Walk for Rack Position:

3) Overhead Sandbag Lunge:

4) Farmer’s Walk:

Andy Book is a CSCS and USAW Club Coach. He is currently developing a manual for combat athletes.

See more posts on kettlebell training.Similar Posts:

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