Random Ramblings from Jedd
Please read this post and put in your thoughts / comments in the comment box below…
Hello Diesels.
As I have posted before, I am a huge baseball (and especially New York Yankees) fan. I watch them every chance I get. I stay up to date on the Yankees’ rumor mill, trades, signings…all of it in-season and out.
However, putting all that drama aside, I also like to study what they do for strength and conditioning, and what other industry leaders are saying about strength and conditioning for baseball. I have a handful of baseball players that come to train every so often, and I like applying the stuff I learn to the training I do with them, plus I try to apply it to my own training. Although I will probably never play baseball again, I do indeed suit up for Slow Pitch softball during the summer and enjoy playing to the best of my ability because it is fun as hell and it is a good break from the “hardcore” training I am normally doing in the gym. (more…)
One of the simplest ways to build and test your Grip Strength is with Deadlifts – pulling big weight off the ground. The One Arm / One Hand Deadlift is an awesome variation with many benefits…
The Goblet Squat is an outstanding alternative to the Back Squat that you can use from time to time in your training in order to mix things up and enjoy a bit of variety. It is most often performed with a dumbbell or kettlebell, but odd objects can be used as well.
The Goblet Squat was invented by the world-renowned speaker, author, accomplished athlete, and all-around strong dude, Dan John.
Sorry I haven’t posted much this week. I am working on a new clothing line. Included are leather head and chest hoods, body chains, and nut-hugging-tight pants, like the image to the right…
Just kidding.
Actually, I have been working my ass off this whole week finishing a product off that I started in 2009.
I’ve had some people asking about it recently, saying it was a logical “next step,” so I figured it was about time for me to get serious and get it done. This should be out next week…
Unforch, I’ve been working so hard that I neglected you and I apologize. I have lots to tell you, so let’s get to it.
Napalm’s Nightmare
First off, if you picked up Home Made Strength II like many other strength enthusiasts, personal trainers, strength coaches, and athletes did, during the introductory sale, then you may have won one of the prizes, a Napalm’s Nightmare device from StrongerGrip Enterprises.
I did the drawing out of my bad ass Diesel Beanie, the last one in stock (claim it here => Diesel Crew Beanie Hat. If you want it, you better hurry. Check out the drawing to see if you won…
Congratulations to the winners. The Napalm’s Nightmare is an AWESOME device when home made by your own hands, but to get one from Ryan Pitts and Stronger Grip, as awesome as his stuff is, that is going to be extraordinary.
Grapple Grips
As you know I have the opportunity to review many products, both informational and equipment products. One of the recent reviews I got to do was for the Grapple Grips, and I must say that I like them. I have done plenty of training with them since getting them and they work great.
Below is the review video. I would have liked to have included some training footage for you guys, but unfortunately it hurts my finger injuries and I didn’t want to push it. I promise when my injuries are resolved I will shoot another video and post it for you guys.
Here are some of the exercises I have done with the Grapple Grips: Pull-ups, Pull-downs, One-Arm Swings (I have done tons of these), Hammer Curls, Waddles, and Flexed Arm Hangs. All of them were awesome. Like I said in the video, I got one of the biggest sizes to work my hands hard. You will probably want to get smaller ones if you do not have porno thumbs and banana fingers like me…
AJ Roberts Interview
On Monday, I interviewed AJ Roberts, who is probable the strongest guy I have ever sat down and had a cup of coffee with. He recently competed in the SPF (Southern Powerlifting Federation) and broke a World Record for Total (Squat + Deadlift + Bench Press).
The thing I grilled him on in particular is the mental side of his training and how he approaches it all so that he can perform at an Elite Level. The stuff he passed on to me was awesome. One thing in particular that he told me I was instantly able to implement and it helped me accomplish a substantial PR in my training.
If you want this interview, all I am asking is that you sign up for me new newsletter. You HAVE to be signed up for this newsletter in order to get this interview. If you signed up for the recent Home Made Strength II release or the Muscle Building Giveaway at the top of the page, that won’t work. You HAVE to fill out the boxes below.
I really want to keep in contact with you all when I dump this old email system, so please sign up.
The information in this interview will help you out in your strength training, your job, and any other facet of your life in which you want to perform at a high level so don’t miss out.
That’s about it for right now guys. Like I said, I am sorry for leaving the site so stagnant this week. I can ensure you that I have been plugging away!
If you are reading this site, then chances are you take your training very seriously.
You maintain a very tight training schedule.
You watch your diet, eating and hydrating for sustained high performance.
You track your training results, whether formally or informally.
You take each set and each rep seriously.
And if you are someone who is serious about their training, you know that FAILURE is occasionally a part of the equation.
Sometimes when people FAIL at a lift or MISS their desired reps in a set, it can really have an effect on them.
That set can linger in the back of their mind and have a negative effect on the rest of the workout.
There’s no place for negative thinking in a serious strength or muscle building program.
You have got to move past that sh*t and not let it eat you up inside or else it is going to hold you back.
It’s time to change your MINDSET and look at failure, misses, and other non-successes differently.
Next time you miss a lift or fail to hit your mark, whether it is a squat, deadlift, bench, snatch, clean, press, curl, push-down, pinch lift, gripper attempt, etc, you need to approach it like this:
MISSES ARE JUST WARM-UPS
You missed a lift – JUST A WARM-UP – get it next time.
You didn’t hit depth – JUST A WARM-UP – get it next time.
You lost the jerk out in front – JUST A WARM-UP – get it next time.
The fact of the matter is, sometimes it’s just “not in the cards” for you to hit that big lift or set that big PR.
There are so many variables that impact performance and if just one of those is slightly off that day, it can affect your upper range lifts.
Factors Affecting Performance
Hydration Status
Nutrition the day of the workout and days before
State of Warm-up / Excitation
Spinal / Joint Alignment
Recent Sleeping Patterns
Recent Stress Levels
That’s a lot of stuff to have all in line. Not everyone is going to keep all of those points in order, every day and some are completely OUT OF YOUR CONTROL.
Now, I guarantee you can think of a time where you missed a lift, re-grouped, and then came back and hit it for a successful lift.
The fact is, your body may need an extra attempt in order get ready to do something amazing.
That little thing that is “off” might actually get corrected during your miss and you might be ready to set a new milestone if you try it one more time.
So does it make any sense at all to just stop trying something because you failed at it one time???
Below is an example from a recent training session where I failed, MULTIPLE TIMES, but just kept on going and ended up setting a substantial PR for volume.
It is an iron weight that is cast from a mold from an Original Fat Man Blob. I don’t know the actual weight, but Clones are much harder to lift than other Blobs because they ended up coming out bigger and they surely seem heavier as well.
