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Archive for the ‘strength training videos diesel tv’ Category

Upper Body Strength Training for Powerlifters

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013

Upper Body and Grip Training Workout 8/29/13

Lots of people love the idea of building a Big Bench Press, but have little idea how to go about doing it.

Often, the type of Bench Press training we learn about is what we learned in our High School Gyms, which are most likely recycled information that the coach learned when he was in High School and has never changed one single bit. It often ends of becoming a vicious cycle of bad, out-dated information.

My suggestion for people who want to bring up their Bench is to find someone who actually is a Powerlifter and is seeing some success in their training. When you train with someone who is successful in the Big Three Lifts (Bench Press, Squat, and Deadlift), Strength becomes Contagious. Just by lifting with them, you get stronger, and all awhile learn the proper way to train.

Last Friday, I had someone visit who has done just what I am suggesting. He went from having very little structure in his training a few years ago, to following one of the most popular Powerlifting Programs that is out there. As a result, he has seen impressive gains from the new-found structure and is enjoying the design of the program and the increased numbers, for sure.

This lifter is Josh McIntyre
. I first met Josh through the Diesel Crew website in January of 2011 when I started the Weekly Grip Strength Challenges. Josh won many of these challenges during the year and has gone on to perform lots of Elite-Lever Grip Strength Feats since then, although these days his primary focus is Powerlifting with a little Strongman and Grip thrown in, a great mixture for developing incredible strength.

We hit an awesome workout this past Friday, about 2 hours and 15 minutes of Upper Body Training and then about an hour and a half of Grip Training, with a little break in between for a short interview.

Below is the video, which contains the entire session.

I asked Josh to send in a little write-up about himself so you could get to know him a bit better. I think you will also see that once you get some programming into your routine, you can expect to see some increased strength levels across the board. Here you go.

Josh McIntyre Interview

josh jedd

Jedd: Who the hell are you and how did you end up getting into Powerlifting?

Thanks Jedd for having me up to your place. My name is Josh McIntyre, I’m 32 and have been lifting off and on since I was 14, but with goals in mind since 2010 and most seriously since 2012. I’ve competed in both Powerlifting and Strongman. My best lifts to date are a 565 squat (raw w/ wraps,) a 390 raw bench and a 635 raw deadlift (no belt) but I’m seeing now that I’m capable of a lot more.

I never did anything more than a set of curls and some push up’s right after highschool. I thought I was strong back then. It’s amazing to look back at pictures and see a guy who thought he was the man. In 2007, I moved to NC from NJ and found myself with a spare room to fill. So I assembled my rusty old H.S. weight bench and got some cheap standard plates from craigslist ads and used sporting goods stores.

Around the same time I spent a lot of time on Youtube looking for workout routines. I found your channel and was floored by the feats I was witnessing. I had a “monkey see, monkey do” mentality like many others, and trained until I could replicate whatever it was that I was training for, like a 5 dimes pinch (have still to get 6 without a pipe through them,) pinching two 45’s, levering a 45# plate (still sloppy,) hubbing a 45# plate, closing an Ironmind #3 etc etc.

I also started to train the powerlifts. I use the term “train” loosely here because I had no idea what the hell I was doing and ended up with a lot of shoulder pain. For a while, since I had no squat rack and it hurt my shoulders to bench a lot, I focused primarily on the DEADLIFT. To this day, it’s still my best and favorite lift. (long arms)

Once I scored a power rack off of craigslist for $100, it was on from there. I read up a bunch on rehab and prehab for shoulders here on DieselCrew.com and Elitefts. I watched a lot of video’s and inched my DL up over 500 in 2009.

Jedd: Tell us About Your Early Competition Days

I competed in my first powerlifting meet in 2010 in the APA. I entered Deadlift only, weighed in around 235 and competed in the 242’s. I opened at 505, went 565 for my second and 585 for my third. Unfortunately they called me for hitching (rightfully so) and I was credited only for my opener. I learned a lot that day and I was hooked!

Since then I’ve competed in 6 powerlifting meets and 1 strongman contest. I’ve learned so much from each one. I really enjoyed the strongman contest but PL is where my passion is. I’ve also trained with a lot of brutally strong PL competitors I’ve met at meets and gained a lot of strength and knowledge from them.

Jedd: When I first learned of you, you were training mostly at your house and from time to time in a gym where they wouldn’t even let you bring in chalk. These days, I have seen you have been training at Raleigh Barbell.

Since March of this year, I began training with a PL team at Raleigh Barbell. I’ve seen my best gains ever just in the last 5 months since training there. We trained 2 cycles of Brandon Lilly’s Cube Method with some success. The guys are great, supportive, serious and very goal motivated. If I squat high, they let me know. If my back started to round a little there, or my ass rises off the bench slightly, they’re right there to correct it for me. Having an extra set of eyes is really helpful when you can’t see where you’re screwing up.

josh 510s
5-10’s Pinch for Grip Specific Warm-up – NO PROBLEM!

As far as the gym, Raleigh Barbell is an 864 square foot training facility located in the heart of downtown Raleigh which is owned and operated by Elite Strength and Wellness Coach Jackson Williams. He’s been a great coach and he’s strong as hell! I’ve seen him pull 650 raw like it was 315. Training with guys stronger than me has been exactly what I was missing. Coach Jackson and Teammates Mason, Hunter, Chris, Keven and Justus are great lifters and training partners, and I’m lucky to be training along side of them. For more info on Raleigh Barbell or to contact Jackson, check out Raleighbarbell.com or hit him up on the Raleigh Barbell facebook page, if you’re on the book of faces.

Recently we’ve started a 10 week training template written by our coach leading up to a PL meet in November in Richmond, VA followed by a Charity Push/Pull the following weekend that I’ve done for the past 3 years.

Jedd: Josh, I’ve gotten some questions asking why we chose the exercises we did during our workout and what exactly the bands are for. Could you explain these points please?

The bench workout you and I did was from our Raleigh Barbell week 2 speed bench. It focused on practicing the bench press movement over and over by doing 8 sets of 2 as fast as we could WITH GOOD FORM. We incorporated band tension to make the lockout more difficult. That forced us to generate momentum from the start to get us through the increasing resistance. We also added volume by going for max reps up to but NOT including failure. We don’t miss training lifts at Raleigh Barbell. We only took another rep if it was there. The rest of the bench day was higher volume accessory stuff, o/h press, shoulders, rows, hammer curls, tri’s, all for hypertrophy.

Jedd: Now that you are several years into serious training, maybe you could talk a bit about major lessons you have learned, pitfalls you have run into along the way, mistakes you’ve made, etc?

I’ve seen up’s and down’s in my training but the more experience I got the more I realized the anecdote “it’s a marathon, not a sprint” is dead on. Also, enjoying the journey has been key for me. I lift ’cause I love it, that makes it easy to commit to. I see lifters so focused on their goal that they suffer through and end up hating their training. It’s ok to like what you do, it makes you easier to be around too.

Some of the mistakes in my own training over the years have been:

    1. Sticking with a routine even after I stall while using it. You can’t keep doing the same thing and expect to get a different result. My numbers were up and down, up and down for far too long
    2. Not doing any kind of accessory work to bring up weak areas
    3. Thinking one way was right and ALL other ways were wrong
    4. Waiting until I thought I was “good enough” to enter a PL meet. I wish I had done it sooner. Your entire mentality toward training changes after a competition. And the friends I’ve made and the things I’ve learned have been valuable to me as a lifter and a competitor. Don’t wait, sign up today. It’s so much fun and you’ll walk away with more than you came with
    5. Finding reliable training partners. More easily said than done. If you have an opportunity to join a PL gym, or a CF gym or a Strongman crew DO IT

jedd 610s
6-10’s Pinch. Off the Ground 5 or 6 Times, but Not Quite Lockout

Jedd: Josh, great having you up here. Come back again when you make a trip up this way. I want to see you get the 6-10’s Pinch sometime soon.

Again, thank you Jedd for having me up to train. The grip feats I witnessed and failed at were humbling and motivating. I was smashed when I left your gym but mentally I was rejuvenated with the idea of grip training. I have an entirely new respect and appreciation for Grip sport and its competitors. I look forward to meeting up again soon!


I got some feedback that the videos were hard to watch in the Playlist, and that you would like them separated out, so here you go…

Speed Bench Press Against Light Bands

Overhead Axle Training

Axle Rows for Back and Grip Strength

Tricep and Biceps Superset

Hammer Curls for Size and Strength

Josh McIntyre Interview

DIESELS – If you have any other questions about the training we did in the videos, leave a comment and I will do a follow up article to answer them.

All the best in your training.

Jedd


The Missing Part of Your Strength Training – Extensor Work – A Must for Any Serious Lifter – Hand X Bands
handxbandlogo


Tags: bench press, bench press program, powerlifting, strength training
Posted in grip strength, how to bench press, how to develop strength, how to improve fitness and conditioning, how to improve strength, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training powerlifting, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strongman training for athletes | 6 Comments »

Diesel Road Report: Juniata Workout

Monday, July 1st, 2013

A few weeks back, I attended the PA Strength and Conditioning Clinic at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA. A few weeks prior to that, I had written some of my good friends who attend the clinic each year and told them I was really looking forward to meeting up with them and hitting a good, solid, hard workout.

The reason I did this is because I wanted to just go there and relax and just blow off some steam by putting one another through the ringers, challenging one another in a nice, conventional workout in the gym.

So, Jerry Shreck, from Bucknell and Bobby Fisk, from Hobart, all met up and just threw down for about 2 solid hours of lifting with no real plan except to leave everything we had in the weight room.

Here is what we ended up doing.


Part I: Overhead Lifting

This portion starts out with some One Arm Snatch and One Arm Clean Clean and Press using Dumbbells. I was really looking forward to seeing how much I could do in these lifts, for two reasons.

First, the heaviest dumbbells I have in my gym is 110-lbs, and I seemed to remember Juniata’s going up to 150. Unfortunately, I remembered wrong, because they only went up to 120’s.

Second, there had been a post on the Gripboard talking about the heaviest One Arm Press people could do with no leg drive and starting with the dumbbell in contact with the shoulder. In training, I had gotten 100-lbs but kept missing with 110, so I was looking forward to seeing what I could.

The Snatches just happened because I figured I might as well start out with at least one fast lift, plus the Snatch takes nothing out of me for the Clean and Press so it ended up making sense.

For the Snatch, I ended up getting 120-lbs right handed. I was happy with this, but I know I could have gotten more, especially after Jerry cued me to keep my back straighter – everything felt more efficient after that and was much easier.

For the Clean and Press, I knocked out 110 without any leg drive whatsoever. On 115, I came very close, but I lost my balance a bit and had to move my feet to keep from falling over, so I can’t count it.

From there, we did some Pressing Ladders, where I started with 85 X 1, then 80 X 2, 75 X 3, 70 X 4, and then tried to reverse it back to 85X 1. I came close but didn’t quite finish it off.



Part II: Rows and Chest Press

Sadly, this is the part of the workout that really messed Jerry up. He had a pretty significant injury to his left forearm that kept him from hitting the numbers he really wanted to so, I know that he will be going after some payback sometime soon. Maybe we will have to meet up at Bucknell sometime for another encounter.

This video starts of with some Low Cable Rows. We started out with the whole stack, level 20, and we performed 5 reps there, then we would drop one plate off the pin and hit 5 more reps. This is where Bobby jumped in with us and proved that they don’t mess around in their training at Hobart.

I really liked this exchange. It was awesome having a pin-selected stack to work with. At my place, my Low Cable Row machine has an actual loading pin, so if I want to drop weight from it during a set, I have to stand up, walk 4 feet to unload, and then get back in position. Being able to just sit forward and have someone else adjust the pins was awesome.

Next, we hit the Chest Press Machine. We started with the stack again, and then dropped two plate positions, hitting 5 reps at each stop. This machine proved to be fairly surprising in the area of difficulty. It had been a long time since Jerry and I had worked on a machine like this, and the bottom of the movement as well as the lockout were much more difficult than the regular Barbell Bench Press.

With this in mind, it could be a good idea to work some machines in every so often in order to shock the muscles a bit and keep them guessing. As I told Bobby, “It’s a different hard. It can still make you better.”



Part III: Curls, Upright Rows, Side Laterals, Posterior Flyes

As I was walking around the gym warming up, I saw this freakin’ awesome angled handle barbell. I know Coach Smith from Juniata has all of the best equipment for his football players, so it didn’t surprise me that he’d have a barbell like this. Bobby and I jumped on it right away, throwing a 10-kilo plate on there and performing a few sets of curls. It felt awesome and there was absolutely no stress on the wrists or forearms whatsoever curling with this barbell.

After that we set up a combination for the shoulders. Lift A was Upright Rows, which I haven’t done in years, but have added in a bit recently using only the EZ Curl Bar. I have actually coached people NOT to do Upright Rows in the past, but with the form I use in the video, I think they are much safer than the regular form used with barbells. We combined that with a superset of Side Laterals and Posterior Flyes performed with Chains.

This was an AWESOME burner for the shoulders. What’s great about the chains is they are very light at the bottom and then KILLER HARD at the top. With the lighter resistance at the bottom, they do not strain the rotator cuffs like dumbbells would, and the difficulty only ramps up when you get out of the range where the rotator cuffs are doing all of the work.

I LOVED this workout. The only things that could could have made it any better were if my two regular lifting buddies, Mark Gannon and JT Straussner, would have been there, and if we would have thrown in some Grip at the end. However, I took a 3-week hiatus from Grip Training after nationals, so the only grip I did during that time was holding the weights in my regular Strength and Mass Building lifts.



I hope you enjoy the videos. If you have any questions about the training, please feel free to leave a comment below, or right on the YouTube video pages.

Also, make sure to subscribe to my channel by clicking here.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

P.S. Be sure to keep an eye out for more updates from Juniata. I still have a few more training and learning tidbits I will be sharing from my time there. Stay Tuned.


Start Strongman Training and Take Your Strength to New Levels


Tags: chest press, dumbbell press, dumbbell snatch, juniata clinic, low cable row, strength coach, strength training
Posted in how to develop strength, how to improve fitness and conditioning, how to lose fat improve fat loss, how to lose weight and get in better shape, overhead lifting, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training videos diesel tv | 3 Comments »

The Group Effect, Expectation and Strength

Wednesday, December 12th, 2012

Article by Logan Christopher, Legendary Strength



In this article I’m going to share a secret of strength that is rarely if ever spelled out in detail. Yet if you utilize these factors in your favor you can easily and dramatically increase the strength that you have. What I’m talking about is training with partners or a group that is strong, where the expectation of strength is high. Doing this, and this alone, will almost assure that you become strong yourself.
(more…)

Posted in how to buid wrist strength, how to build muscle, mace swinging, muscle building anatomy, strength training videos diesel tv, Uncategorized | 349 Comments »

Old Friend, New Training Partner

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012


Random pic of Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle) never hurt anybody…

I was driving a few weeks ago and decided to give an old friend, Kyle Kintner, a call.

Kyle and I had known one another since at least the 5th grade, went to the same high school and college, and have always kept in touch here and there. He had moved away when he got married though and I had just recently heard that he moved back into the area, so I gave him a ring to see what was up.

We chatted for a few minutes and before hanging up I invited him to come up and lift with me if he ever was in the neighborhood and had the interest. Kyle’s job takes him all over the county and when I described where I lived, he said that he drives by multiple times a week, he just didn’t know where I lived or else he would have stopped in sooner.

I live in a small town and admittedly don’t get out much, nor do I really want to, since I’d rather hang around with my family, but that situation makes it hard to find a training partner. I thought I picked one up last Fall, but the Winter hit and he disappeared just as the Arnold Classic Mighty Mitts was coming up, so I was back to training alone again.

It’s one thing to train alone. It’s something altogether different to start to depend on somebody during a workout and then as the start time for the session approaches the guy is late every time or just plain doesn’t show up.

So, I had made the overture to Kyle, like I have done countless times to friends and people I meet who have a history of training, but wasn’t sure what to expect as far as a follow-up response.

To my surprise, however, Kyle texted me back about training the very next day. He said his rounds were bringing me back by my house and that he’d like to train and try out some of the stuff I was doing.

I was even more pleased that when Kyle showed up he came ready to throw down. Kyle was always an athlete, setting the Pole Vault record in high school and earning a scholarship to college for his track and field prowess, and he brought that same athleticism to the gym – it was an awesome workout right off the bat, and he said he hadn’t used free-weights in a workout for years because he owned a Bowflex, but it was hard to tell by watching him throw the weight around.

In a Grip sense, he was also very impressive, getting partial lifts on 5-Tens-Pinch and 2-35’s-Pinch.

For some reason, I wasn’t smart enough to film our first few lifts together (we’ve been hitting it for about a month now) but I did grab the camera last week and I put together a highlight video.

Some of the stuff we did:

1. Overhead Push Jerks and Presses

Kyle is a naturally powerful athlete. We would train together in college occasionally and he would almost always match me in the Olympic lift variations we would do. To this day he is still able to move the weight fast.

2. Incline Bench

Our previous two workouts, we hit flat bench, so we made sure to switch it up a bit. I don’t have an adjustable bench, so we sat one end of the bench up on a stack of bumper plates. Works great.

3. Grip Training

We did Adjustable Thick Bar and various forms of Plate Pinching. I got a good lift with either hand on 2-45’s-Pinch and Kyle got his first full lifts on film with 5-Tens-Pinch.

3. Biceps and Triceps

This was kind of a De-load Workout, if you can call it that, because we had been killing upper body so hard, but we made sure to stick some Curls and Push-downs in there for good measure. We hit some volume sets, and then I went for the “All important 1-rep maximum bicep curl,” aiming for as strict of form as possible i.e. The Vigeant Curl Challenge, and I matched my best ever mark of 75-lbs with either hand. I must say that this time it felt much better on my elbows, as the last time I had a touch of elbow pain, but my preventive work that I share in Fixing Elbow Pain has been working very well.

I didn’t film the Tricep work because my machine is in the storage room adjacent to the garage and it is scary in there.

Training with Kyle has been great. He is Intense and brings it hard every workout. He gets in my face, picks up on form and technique errors, and even has the balls to mention them, plus the biggest benefit of them all is that Kyle is supportive. You might not hear it in the video, but he gives the little cheers you want to hear before big attempts. That is the kind of thing I have been missing for years in my training.

I will close this post by saying this…

You don’t NEED a partner in order to have a good workout or to get stronger. Since 2008 when I began training alone, I have never had a steady partner for more than a few months.

So if you are using the excuse “I don’t have a partner, so I can’t train,” then that is complete hog wash. Get in there and get some work done, partner or not.

However, I do plan on getting Kyle fully immersed in the Grip Life, and I am hoping to get him to help me try some drills I have been meaning to try for some time with the Inch Dumbbell but haven’t had anyone with me strong enough to do them. It should go well.

Stay tuned for more developments, as I am sure Kyle is going to learn fast and with time progress nicely.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

P.S. I also plan on getting Kyle involved in some Strongman Training. I will of course work him in slowly.

If you want to introduce Strongman Training to your program, or that of your athletes, make sure to do it the right way with the right technique.

Our DVD, Introduction to Strongman Training will help nicely.

Tags: strength training, training partner, workout partner
Posted in how to improve fitness and conditioning, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts | 9 Comments »

Continued Improvement in Overhead Press

Monday, May 7th, 2012


Inch Dumbbell Overhead (Photo by Joe Mugovero)

One of my main body strength goals for 2012 was improving my Overhead Pressing ability, so I really began to look at all the contributing factors to a big press. Things like a strong core, lockout strength and speed off the shoulders were some of the things I looked at most heavily, because when I was doing strongman training, those were the things I focused on most often for building the press.

However, one of the things I did not take a real close look at, at first, was my flexibility and mobility in my shoulders and torso. To my surprise, working stretching into the routine has proven to be the absolute biggest factor in my increase in pressing strength recently.

It’s kind of ironic that including the simple practice of stretching would have such a big effect. I remember watching Lee Haney videos on ESPN when I was a teenager, so it’s not like this is the first time I ever heard of the concept.

My absolute neglect for stretching and any kind of range of motion or mobility maintenance came when I started studying NSCA materials. The literature stated that if you performed exercises with a full range of motion, then there would be no worry for loss of it.

More recently, several proponents of Biofeedback/Gym Movement have even spoken of their lack of use of stretching and mobility work in their routines.

Well, here is the problem with all those organizations and belief systems, from Lee Haney, to the NSCA, to GM: they are only referring to lifting and NOT what is going on the other 22 hours in the day.

For me, and maybe some of you reading this, the most important factor for my flexibility and range of motion status (aside from sheer genetics), I feel, is my positioning during those 22 hours.

The amount of time I am in a seated position, whether it is working, driving, or just lounging around is staggering. Sometimes, it seems as though if I am not walking to or from my car, or if I am not training, then I am sitting on my ass, and getting more and more locked up.

In relationship to my pressing numbers, I posted a few weeks back how I was able to make incredible jumps in pressing strength with some stretching and soft tissue work prior to and during my pressing workout. That post is here: What’s Working Now – Improving Overhead Press.

Now, although the improvements I saw in that workout were impressive as far as the actual weight jumps from one workout to the next, the numbers were still not where I would want them because in the past I have been capable of much more.

So, I began going back through some old video clips of myself pressing, and one thing I noticed was that several years ago I looked much more fluid. These days in my videos, I walk like Frankenstein, as if my spine is fused and when I press, I have almost zero lean in the thoracic region of my back at all. In the past, my thoracic mobility was far greater and a real strength of mine, so I knew I had to do something to get back there. Once I began incorporating drills right into my workout, I began instantly seeing some good results, thus the post I mentioned above.

And once I started seeing progress, I began trying out even more movements to see what would work the best. I’ve come up with three movements that I have gotten continued good results from and I want to share them with you so you can try them.

Pipe Roll Thoracic Arch

Squat Cage Doorway Stretch

Squat Cage Shoulder Point

These three movements have proven to have the biggest benefit for me in my training, of the dozens I have tried. If you think you are lacking in the mobility department for your thoracic spine, or if you think your shoulders are inhibited in some other way, then you should give these a try.

If these drills don’t seem to do anything for you, then I encourage you to do some experimenting. We are all different and have different limitations, so in turn we will all need to do different things in order to address those limitations.

Results From 8 Weeks of Concentrated Mid Workout Stretching

Barbell Military Press – Recent PR

In recent memory, in the Barbell Press out of a cage, my best has been 215. I have gotten that number so many times I have lost count. That really irritates me, because it is about 40 lbs under my best strict press on a barbell.

Without stretching or soft tissue work, I was topping out at 215 whether I did overhead press first or if I did Bench Press first. And that little factoid irritates me because you would think that after benching the triceps would be too tired to match my best PR, but it has seemed to have no effect whatsoever.

So, here is a recent video of some new high water marks for the Barbell Press out of the cage.

Barbell Military Press – Old Working Set

I am not sure if you can tell in the video clips, but I am able to get a bit more extension in my thoracic spine in the new PR video (I could certainly feel the difference that day). In the working sets video from a few months back, I don’t get anything at all. The benefit to getting this fluidity in the thoracic portion of the spine is that each repetition feels better, and feel less like I have two baseball bats running from my shoulders to my glutes, restricting me. Being able to bend ever so slightly back near the shoulder area lets me press much easier.

Take note, I am not talking about bending the lumbar spine like a 1950’s Olympic Press, as shown above. That is something that you should try to avoid. I played Russian Roulette with that too often back in the day and have no desire to go back to it. What I am looking to improve is my thoracic spine, the mid to upper torso (shown below)

Dumbbell Military Press PR

My numbers in this had been so bad, that I was pretty much stuck at 50’s. Then with time working on my ROM and soft tissue, I was gradually able to work up to 70’s and now 85’s is becoming my new standard. Below, I hit a set of 6 with 85’s, a set which felt so easy up until the last set, it is hard to put it into words.

In the video above, I think it is a bit easier to see the extension I am getting in the thoracic spine. This video was shot two pressing workouts after the Barbell Press workout where I pressed 235.

To sum things up, although my upper back/torso issues are not so bad that I walk around with like Quasimodo or have scapular winging, I still have issues with tightness in the shoulders and lack of thoracic mobility. Like an addict with a gambling problem, it took my a long time to admit to having these issues, but now that I have owned up to them and begun addressing them, as well as seeing the results, I feel I will be able to continue to improve.

Look for more updates coming down the pike on this. Until then all the best in your training.

Jedd

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Tags: military press, overhead press, shoulder training, strength training
Posted in strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts, strongman feats, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Continued Improvement in Overhead Press

How to Increase Vertical Jump

Saturday, September 3rd, 2011

What Do Most Explosive Athletes Have in Common?

Whether you play basketball, football or any other power sport, the vertical jump is the ultimate indication of overall body power, more specifically lower body power. Most power sports require short and explosive movements and this is exactly what the vertical jump is. Keep in mind that you cannot jump slowly, you have to be explosive! You see, the athletes that jump the highest usually run the fastest, are the most explosive and are usually the most athletic.

BIG Vertical Jumps!

What else do athletes with big vertical jumps have in common? I would bet money that they have a high level of relative body strength, a low body fat level and a high rate of force development.

Let’s Get Serious

How many fat and out of shape athletes do you know with a 40 inch vertical jump? Not many. Chances are if you do know any fat and out of shape athletes that have a big vertical jump, they probably have a very high rate of force development.

When it comes to improving your vertical jump, most beginners, especially in high school, will improve their vertical jump by simply increasing their maximal strength and relative body strength. These increases in strength come through mastering basic bodyweight exercises like push up variations, pull ups, hand walking and rope climbing to name a few.

Big barbell exercises like squats, deadlifts and heavy pressing will help improve maximal strength. Strengthening the posterior chain is also critical to improving your vertical jump. Exercises like deadlift variations, glute ham raises, box squats, kettlebell swings and upright sled drags will build a strong and powerful posterior chain.

Don’t underestimate the role that strength plays in improving the vertical jump. Strength is the foundation upon which speed, power, agility and all other athletic abilities are built. If you want to see a serious improvement in your vertical jump start moving some serious weight!

While beginners should focus on getting stronger, advanced athletes need to dig a bit deeper.

First off, the athlete needs to determine where they are on the absolute strength to absolute speed continuum. Here is a great video Eric Cressey did describing this continuum.

In a nutshell, if you are more explosive than you are strong, you need to focus on maximal strength, however if you are stronger than you are explosive, you need to focus on reactive training. In order to optimize your performance and to maximize your vertical jump you should fall in the middle of the absolute strength to absolute speed continuum.

While maximal strength is an important component of increasing your vertical jump, athletes who already have a solid foundation of maximal strength should focus on improving rate of force development. This is where reactive training comes in-various jumps, sprinting, and medicine ball throws. For the purpose of this article, let’s focus on the jumping aspect as that will have the most carry over to the vertical jump. Check out my top 10 jumping exercises below to help improve your vertical jump.

Vertical Jump

  • Start in an athletic position and the hands locked out overhead
  • Explosively whip your arms down and jump as high as you can
  • Land in an athletic position
  • Reset and repeat

Here is a great video by Joe DeFranco

Box Jump (onto Tires)

  • Start in an athletic position and the hands locked out overhead
  • Explosively whip your arms down and jump as high as you can
  • Tuck your knees in to ensure you clear the box
  • Land in an athletic position
  • Step down and repeat

Weighted Box Jump

  • Start in an athletic position and the hands locked out overhead
  • Explosively whip your arms down and jump as high as you can
  • Tuck your knees in to ensure you clear the box
  • Land in an athletic position
  • Step down and repeat

Box Squat into Box Jump

  • Start in an athletic position and perform a box squat
  • Explosively jump out of the hole and onto the bigger box
  • Tuck your knees in to ensure you clear the box
  • Land in an athletic position
  • Step down and repeat

Static Box Squat into Box Jump

  • Start by sitting on a 12 inch box
  • Explosively jump out of the hole and onto the bigger box
  • Tuck your knees in to ensure you clear the box
  • Land in an athletic position
  • Step down and repeat

Squat Jump into Box Jump

  • Hold 10lb dumbbells at your side
  • Perform a squat jump
  • As you are landing release the dumbbells and jump onto the box
  • Land in an athletic position
  • Step down and repeat

Broad Jump

  • Start in an athletic position and the hands locked out overhead
  • Explosively whip your arms down and jump as far as you can
  • Land in an athletic position and without any rest immediately go into the next broad jump

Squat Jump into Broad Jump

  • Hold 10lb dumbbells at your side
  • Perform a squat jump
  • As you are landing release the dumbbells and jump as far as you can
  • Land in an athletic position and immediately go into your next broad jump

Heavy Sled Drags

  • Load a sled up with maximal weight
  • Lean forward and drive with your legs
  • Apply as much force to the ground as possible
  • Drag the sled for 10 yards
  • Rest to you are fully recovered and go again

Depth Jumps

  • Start by standing tall on a 12 inch box
  • Step off the 12 inch box and immediately perform a box jump
  • Land in an athletic position
  • Step down and repeat

Putting it All Together

There you have it, a list of my top 10 favorite jumping exercises to help improve your vertical jump.

This article wouldn’t be complete without me telling you how to implement jumps into your training. Start performing jumps on your lower body days directly after your warm up and right before your main exercise. This is important because it will prime your central nervous system for the workout and because your body is not yet fatigued.

Start with the most basic progression of a jump and progress each week or two to a harder variation. It may even take as long as 3 weeks before your athletes really start getting good at certain jumps.

Here is a sample progression I use with my athletes:

  • Week 1-Box Jump with a running start
  • Week 2-Box jump from a static position
  • Week 3-Box Squat into Box Jump
  • Week 4-Static Box Squat into Box Jump
  • Week 5-repeat week 2 with a higher box

You have a couple different options here. You can either progress each week to a harder exercise like the example above or you can pick one exercise and perform it week after week but alter the volume and intensity (see chart below). If you have the equipment for this option then go for it, if not stick with the example I provided above. I have had success with both options in the past.

For bounding exercises, perform no more than 3 jumps per set. Make sure you are getting full recovery and then repeat for 3-5 sets. If you are just starting to incorporate jumping into your program start with minimal volume and slowly increase the volume each week. For example, you can do 3 X 3 of broad jumps week 1, 4 X 3 week 2 and 5 X 3 week 3.

It is important to closely measure your volume and intensity. In order to do this I adhere to Prilepin’s Table. For example, say your 1 rep max box jump is 40 inches and all you have is a 36 inch box, you should perform around 5-7 singles for that workout. If your goal is to improve rate of force development, I do not recommend you jump below 70 percent of your 1 rep max.

I hope you enjoyed my top 10 jumping exercises to increase your vertical. Start by implementing a handful of these techniques into your training, or your athletes’ training, they will be come more explosive and start leaping higher and higher.

Of course, if you have any questions about this article, please leave a comment below and I’d be glad to address them and possibly do a follow-up sometime down the road. Make sure you head over to my website, MeglioFitness.com and sign up for my newsletter to receive 3 FREE gifts including a 4 free week program, my performance nutrition manual and an awesome interview with EliteFTS Athlete, Chad Smith.

Thanks.

Joe Meglio

Joe Meglio is a strength and conditioning coach at Zach Even-Esh’s underground strength gym. Joe is a former college baseball player and has competed in powerlifting and written for many national magazines and online websites including EliteFTS.com, Oneresult.com and STACK.com and Today’s Man to name a few. Joe is giving away a FREE 4 week training program and a FREE performance nutrition manual. Claim your FREE Gifts. For more information on Joe Meglio and his unique training methods, check out MeglioFitness.com

Tags: be more explosive, jump higher, more athletic, vertical jump, vertical leap
Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, baseball strength and conditioning, basketball strength and conditioning, bodyweight training, how to improve fitness and conditioning, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv | 11 Comments »

Highlights from USA Powerlifting Competition

Friday, August 26th, 2011

Hello DIESELS!

I hope you are kicking ass so hard in the gym that the PR’s are paying you to take it easy on them.

First off, I am sorry for starting the earthquake earlier this week. I was working Two Hands Pinch using some black-hat, ninja-style, Outlaw-Diesel methods of training and it accidentally slipped out of my grasp.

The weight was so tremendous that it set off a tectonic plate collision in the Richmond, Virginia area. Jay DeMayo tried to take the credit, but he is not the one to blame.


Sorry, Washington Monument

My bad about the damage to the Washington Monument. I’ve heard they’ve been looking for a reason to shut that thing down anyway, so I guess I did them a favor.

(In all seriousness, I hope everyone is safe and that damages can be taken care of soon.)



Anyway, I wanted to share a video with you guys that I took last Saturday in Scranton PA at the USA Powerlifting Nationals.

I went down to watch my buddies, Paul Tompkins and Mike Turpin compete. Paul and Mike have submitted a lot of videos to my Weekly Grip Challenge, so i wanted to go down and give them some support!

Speaking of the weekly challenge – have you entered the Classic Strongman Feats Tournament? If not, get on it!

Back to the Powerlifting Meet…here is the video…

According to Paul, he lifted 451 in the Bench, 644 in the Squat and 655 in the Deadlift, totaling 1750.

Mike got 358 in the Bench, 391 in the Squat and 557 in the Deadlift, totaling 1306. Awesome job guys.

I also wanted to mention that Mike Turpin is developing some of the nastiest forearms I’ve ever seen. He showed me his freaky Brachioradialis and I had nightmares for two straight nights. According to Mike, he has done no direct forearm work from this. It has all come from Grip Training, like Gripper work, Pinching, and lifting Hex Head Dumbbells by the Head.

So there’s yet another reason to start Grip Training if you haven’t already done so. The time under tension packs serious muscles on your lower arms!

Also, Mike told me that several months ago, Paul attempted a near-600-lb Deadlift and could get it nowhere near lockout. Judging by the fact that I watched him pull 659 with EEEEEASE, the Grip Training must be paying off.

Mind you, these guys are doing a variety of stuff. They are trying the challenges I put out each week and they are doing some other stuff on their own. Hitting the hands from multiple angles like this has improved their General Grip Strength tremendously.

Mike says he used to not be able to close a #1 Gripper, and now he is mashing the #2 each workout. Also, between his lifts and Paul’s there was about a two-hour break in the action, so Turpin, another buddy of mine, Mike Puchalski, and I went out to my car and did some work with the Vulcan-2 that I had for Puchalski. If memory serves, Mike toyed with the Level 10 like he was reading a newspaper on the toilet, and that is with the new Silver Black-Dipped Spring. AWESOME. I can’t wait to see what he can do at World’s Strongest Hands on September 10th. If you are in the neighborhood, you should come by. It is going to be a good time.

Who Wants a Vulcan 2 Gripper?

Speaking of Vulcans, I am completely sold out right now, but I am looking to get another order around. If you are interested, please post in the comments section below. The Vulcan V-2’s cost $99.

I am also looking to bring in some extra Orange Springs that are quite a bit lighter than the standard Silver Black-Dipped Springs. Also, I want to get some Thumb Screws thrown in as well.

All I am looking for is for you to post below that you are interested and I will add you to the list. Please do so as soon as possible so I can get with David Horne. This time, I am keeping one of the sets of Thumb Screws.

OK, DIESELS, that’s it for now. My new Grip Training Freak, Eric Loyd is coming over soon and we are going to work on the Vulcan, Two Hands Pinch, and maybe even try bending a horseshoe.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Tags: bench, bench press, benefits of grip training, deadlift, powerlifting, raw powerlifting, squat, USA powerlifting
Posted in strength training muscle building workouts, strength training powerlifting, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv | 10 Comments »

Killer Goblet Squats

Saturday, April 16th, 2011

goblet
I want to drink Ovaltine out of this…

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.


Dan John Loading up for a Monster Discuss Toss

How to Perform the Goblet Squat

The Grip


(more…)

Tags: goblet squats, how to perform the goblet squat, kettlebell exercises, kettlebell training, what is the goblet squat
Posted in advanced kettlebell training feats, athletic strength training lift odd objects, core training workouts, feats of strength, how to improve fitness and conditioning, kettlebell training, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training powerlifting, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts | 12 Comments »

Beginner Odd Object Training – Safety Considerations

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

fire hydrant carry odd object
Dan Cenidoza – Hydrant Carry, 2005

Odd Objects are implements used for strength training that are different from normal strength training tools like dumbbells and barbells.

The size, shape, and weight of Odd Objects make them more challenging to grip, hold, and control, and their bulk makes their center of gravity hard to predict.

Examples of Odd Objects include kegs, sandbags, atlas stones, natural stones, fire hydrants, wheel barrels, logs, tires, block weights, kettlebells, and more.

diesel keg training

In recent years, Odd Object training has become more popular and they are being used at all levels of strength training and conditioning, including the High School, Collegiate, and Professional levels.

Odd Objects are also often used in the sport of Strongman and Grip contests. The competitors in these sports spend hours training with the sport-specific implements in order to master them and be ready to lift them when they get to their competitions.

Because of the popularity of odd objects, strength enthusiasts and those interested in building muscle may also want to add them into their routine for an additional challenge and variety. However, it is important to understand that Odd Object training can entail more risk, especially for those not used to dealing with their dynamic and unpredictable nature.

Starting Out

It is important to start out slow with Odd Object training. Just like any new activity, there has to be a conditioning, or ramp-up period instituted in order to do it safely.

Just like you can’t go from having a sedentary lifestyle to running a marathon, you can’t expect to go from working out on machines and doing very basic lifting to doing heavy Odd Object training without getting sore or even having an injury.

If your normal training routine involves primarily barbell and dumbbell work while seated or laying on a bench, cable work, or lifts done in machines, then you have work to do before getting involved in Odd Object training. These types of lifts are mostly isolation movements, meaning they target primarily one joint during the movement. While this type of training can be used for getting a huge pump and building muscle, they do little to prepare you for awkward weight bearing lifts involved in Odd Object training.

Prior to getting involved with things like heavy sandbags, logs, and other bigger and heavier objects, it is important to move away from only doing isolation movements and move toward including multi-joint and closed chain movements in your program.

Multi-joint movements are easy to spot, as they include movement over more than just one joint. For an example, tricep pushdowns done on a cable machine are an isolation movement – they target the triceps and involve movement mainly at the elbow only. Close-Grip bench press targets the triceps, but incorporates movement both at the elbow and the shoulder. This in turn brings more muscle into play and increases the demand on the trainee, moving them closer toward being prepared for Odd Object strength training.

Closed kinetic chain movements (CKCM) are also important in conditioning a trainee to Odd Object training. Closed Chain movements are done without sitting on a machine but rather while standing or exerting force directly into the ground. They are also often weight bearing in nature and require more energy to stabilize the joints of the body while the movement of each repetition takes place.

Thus, instead of stopping at Close-grip bench press, an even better option for getting ready for Odd Object training is some form of standing overhead press. This still works the triceps, but you also get the benefit of more shoulder work, core stimulation and full body coordination and stability. Other examples of movements with a closed kinetic chain are the Squat, Cleans, Deadlift Variations, and Lunges.

Proper Lifting Form Cues – Mental Checklist

atlas stone training

For those new to this type of training, it is important to set-up correctly prior to doing any lifts. Following is a Mental Checklist to go over when working with closed kinetic chain, multi-joint movements.

Head in Line with Spine: The neck should not be flexed or extended while lifting. It should remain in neutral alignment with the spine to prevent injury. The neck can also be stabilized further by pressing the tongue into the roof of the mouth.

Shoulders Back: Posture is important the entire way down the torso. The shoulders should not slouch forward or there is an increase risk of injury. The shoulders should be pulled back during most of these movements.

Proud Chest: This cue works in tandem with the shoulders. By maintaining a proud chest the thoracic area remains rigid and the spine stays in proper alignment.

Push Belly Out: Take a deep breath and push the belly out. This creates intra-abdominal pressure and helps brace the core and stabilize the torso. This can increase the blood pressure for a short time, so any trainees with health concerns in this neighborhood should exercise caution.

Hips Back: The first movement in most closed-chain, multi-joint movements, should involve pushing the hips back. This helps maintain a safe lordotic curve of the lumbar spine, where it arches inward toward the stomach, rather than rounding away.

Again, the value of this type of training is bridging the gap from isolation movements that are very predictable in nature and moving toward the unpredictable nature of Odd Object training. Training like this helps with coordination, stability, core strength, joint stability, and the ability to react to and counteract outside forces.

Training with Odd Objects

After several workouts performing these free-standing, multi-joint movements, now it is time to move into using Odd Objects. For Beginner Odd Object Training, I like the use of something like a stiff heavy bag. Heavy bags are large and bulky, but their filling is dense and does not shift like that of a slosh pipe or a loosely packed sandbag. This way, the trainee is able to work with the increased size of the implement but not such a dynamic center of gravity.

Heavy bags come in many lengths and weights. The one I use is about 40-lbs. This is a good starting point for the new Odd Object trainee and it will help build confidence with a non-conventional implement.

Now, the same closed-chain, multi-joint movements that are done with a barbell can be done with the heavy bag: Squat, Deadlift, Clean, Press, Clean and Press, etc.

Other movements that can also be done with the heavy bag include Shouldering the Bag, Shoulder Squats, Waiter’s Bows, etc.

Also, because the Heavy Bag does not have to be loaded with plates or any other means, transitions from one movement to another can be quick, increasing conditioning and allowing you to get more work completed in a shorter time.

Sometimes, the best way to put new types of training into action is to see them being done by someone else. In the video below, I go over many of the above mentioned movements, plus other ones. So grab your heavy bag and go along with this video.

Incidentally, if you do not have access to a heavy bag, a sandbag or a loaded duffel bag will work well. They can be a bit more advanced though, because the load inside them may move, causing the sandbag or duffel to flex during the movement, so be prepared if you go that route.

In closing, Odd Object training can be used for a welcomed change of pace from your normal training routine. However, depending on the current ability and training status of the trainee, there may be some transitional work that must be done for a short time beforehand in order to assure safety. With proper caution and consistent training, Odd Object lifting can be a safe and rewarding activity that will help you build muscle, improve your conditioning, and increase your athleticism.

Questions???

If you have any questions about how to get started with odd Object training, please do not hesitate to ask. Leave a comment below or shoot me an email through the RESOURCES button above.

All the best in your training,

Jedd


Other Odd Object Info at Diesel

We’ve got tons of information here for you on Odd Object Training. Here’s just a sampling…

How to Lift Kegs Safely
Using Odd Objects for Conditioning
Introduction to Odd Objects
Similarities Between Olympic Lifts and Stone Lifting
Atlas Stone Beginner Training Tip
Benefits You Get from Stone Training
Sandbag Circuits for Serious Conditioning
Killer Sandbag Workout


Ultimate Forearm Training for Baseball | How to Bend Nails | How to Tear Cards | Feats of Grip Strength Explained | How to Build Your Own Equipment | How to Lift Atlas Stones | The Sh*t You’ve Never Seen | Sled Dragging for Athletes | The Road to the Record DVD

Tags: core strength, hydrant, keg lifting, log, odd objects, sandbag, stone lifting, strongman training
Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, grip hand forearm training for sports, how to build muscle, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv | 7 Comments »

Killer Weekend Strongman Workout

Sunday, June 27th, 2010

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.
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Tags: deadlift, farmers walk, grip, grip strength, log press, prowler, strongman, tire, tire flipping, training session, workout
Posted in feats of strength, grip hand forearm training for sports, grip strength, how to improve grip strength, old strongman feats of strength, sled dragging workouts, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training powerlifting, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts, strongman competition training, strongman feats, strongman training for athletes, strongman training log stone tire farmer, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

Forearm and Grip Training for Baseball

Friday, June 4th, 2010

Hey everybody. I hope you are doing well.

Just a quick video for you regarding a project I have been working very hard on for the last couple of months…

Forearm Training for Baseball < = = Free video on Grip Strength for Baseball.

If you’d like to learn more, sign up for the video, or if you know someone who might benefit from this information, please forward it on.

Thanks,

-Jedd-

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

How to Bend Nails | How to Tear Cards | Feats of Grip Strength Explained | How to Build Your Own Equipment | How to Lift Atlas Stones | The Sh*t You’ve Never Seen | Sled Dragging for Athletes | The Road to the Record DVD

Tags: baseball forearm training, baseball grip, baseball strength, how to get strong for baseball, how to train for baseball
Posted in baseball strength and conditioning, how to improve grip strength, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts | 2 Comments »

Iron Masters

Sunday, May 30th, 2010


Hey everybody, it’s Jedd. I hope you had a pleasant Holiday weekend, and that you have a peaceful Memorial Day.

I also hope your training is going well. I had an awesome time training Saturday. Some buddies, Mike Rinderle and Frank Snyder came over and we had an excellent workout. I’ve got some video clips that I will post up later in the week.

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Posted in grip strength, how to bench press, how to build muscle, how to improve fitness and conditioning, how to improve grip strength, how to lose fat improve fat loss, how to lose weight and get in better shape, improve grip strength crush, improve speed bag training, kettlebell training, mixed martial arts training, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training powerlifting, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts, your daily inspiration | 7 Comments »

Diesel Training – Survival in the Sun

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

“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

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Tags: conditioning, front squats, lunges, prowler, rope pulling, strength training, strongman, training outside
Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, grip strength, how to build muscle, how to improve fitness and conditioning, how to lose weight and get in better shape, sled dragging workouts, strength training videos diesel tv, strongman training log stone tire farmer | 3 Comments »

Diesel Odd Object Training: Keg Lifting Basics

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

Keg Lifting Basics

Keg Lifting is a very fun and rewarding form of training.  Like Sandbags, Atlas Stones, and Logs, Kegs are considered odd objects.

What are Odd Objects

keg lifting training strongman strength

Odd objects are training tools whose center of gravity is unpredictable, often lying out away from the athlete.  Odd objects often have considerable bulk and gripping and controlling them is one of the primary challenges of lifting them.  While bars and dumbbells have a concise and predictable shape and center of gravity, odd objects force the athlete to react to the dynamic and unpredictable size, shape, and center of gravity of the object.

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Tags: keg, keg lifting, keg training, kegs, odd object, odd objects, strongman, strongman training
Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, grip hand forearm training for sports, home made strength equipment, old strongman feats of strength, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strongman competition training, strongman feats, strongman training for athletes, strongman training log stone tire farmer | 5 Comments »

Freaky Forearm Training for Baseball

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

Bat speed, long ball power, and bat control are three aspects of batting over which you can have better command with increased forearm strength.

In order to train your forearms to turn them into bat thrashing and ball flattening power generators, you’ve got to hit them from a variety of angles.

CHECK OUT THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Tags: build big forearms, forearm size, forearm strength, grip, grip strength, grip training, hand strength, hand strength training, muscular forearms
Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, baseball strength and conditioning, grip hand forearm training for sports, grip strength, home made strength equipment, how to build muscle, how to improve grip strength, strength training videos diesel tv | 1 Comment »

The Road to the Record Documentary DVD

Sunday, March 14th, 2010

DSC_0270
Photo Courtesy Michelle Carns

In December 2009, I set a new World Record in the Two Hands Pinch Lift with 256.04 lbs after many years of trying.
The picture above shows the record breaking lift.

This was one of the main focuses of my training for quite some time and finally breaking the record was a tremendous thrill for me.

For whatever reason, during my training for the Gripmas Carol, I felt more confident than I ever had been. My left thumb, which gave me trouble throughout much of 2009, for some reason felt better after Nationals, adding to my confidence.

One day, Smitty said to me, “Man could you imagine if you taped all of your workouts from now until December. You could have a complete documentary if you actually break the record.”

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Tags: 2hp, grip competition, grip contest, grip strength, pinch strength, pinching strength, thumb strength, two hand pinch, two hands pinch
Posted in feats of strength, grip strength, grip strength competition contest, how to improve grip strength, strength training videos diesel tv | 7 Comments »

Demolition Club Update

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

DEMOLITION CLUB

A couple of weeks back, I put up a post introducing the Demolition Club. If you missed it, it’s right here = = >>What is the Demolition Club?

I have been experimenting with club and mace swinging for quite some time and recently I got the idea to have a buddy of mine put a handle on the giant artillery shell I had collecting dust for years.

100_1259

READ THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, baseball strength and conditioning, create your own garage gym, home made strength equipment, how to build strength equipment, how to improve grip strength, old strongman feats of strength, strength training videos diesel tv | 4 Comments »

Top Twelve Reasons to Go Some Where Else to Train

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

I AM A CELLAR DWELLER

MountainTroll

I am a cellar dweller. And while some people may take that to mean I am a hideous looking troll that stalks billy goats with a club, really all it means is that normally, I don’t go to the gym to work out – I train in my basement and garage.

That’s right I do almost all my training right on my own property. If I didn’t post videos on the internet, almost nobody in the world would know I train because I pay no memberships and don’t go into town to get my workout in.

To me, this is the way to go. I can use all the chalk I want, turn up the music as loud as I want, drop the weights if I want, and shoot snot rockets whenever I want. (I actually go outside to shoot the snot rockets)

Watch the Killer Video: Click here ==> (more…)

Tags: cellar dweller, grip training, group training, home gym, home gym training, how to build your own equipment, strength training, training alone, training alone vs training with partners, training at home vs. training at a gym, training on the road, training partners
Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, create your own garage gym, how to build pinch strength, how to improve grip strength, how to tear cards, old strongman feats of strength, strength training videos diesel tv | 6 Comments »

Ultimate Upper Body Strength and Power – MUSCLE UPS

Monday, January 25th, 2010

Would You Help Coach Me to a Muscle-Up???

Ever since I started seriously training for size and strength, I enjoyed trying new training methods. I just plain love training and learning new things.

I also like to take things to the extreme. I guess it’s the way I was brought up. You either do something for real, or you don’t do it.

My dad would say when I was a kid: “Anything worth doing is worth doing right.”

Well, I took that to mean work your ass off until you’re successful.

(more…)

Tags: back strength, bodyweight training, muscle-ups, pull-ups, upper body strength
Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, bodyweight training, core training workouts, core workouts for athletes, how to improve fitness and conditioning, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts | 19 Comments »

Turn Back the Clock – Diesel Card Tearing 2003

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

welcome2

If this is your first trip to the Diesel Crew website, WELCOME. Here at our site you will find some of the greatest free information on how to get strong, fit and muscular!. Before you go, I have a question for YOU at the bottom!

As you peruse the site, you will see countless free articles that Smitty and I have written to help you out. These articles are at no cost because we love providing good solid training information. To check out our articles, click on the MEDIA toolbar above. In addition to the hundreds of articles and posts that we have put up, you’ll also find numerous articles and posts from guest authors who have wanted to help you out as well.

Another thing that you will find is a ton of great free video clips. When we develop new exercise variations, we post them. When we perform cool feats of strength, we post them. Keep coming back to see our videos and subscribe to our YouTube Channels.

Speaking of videos,we were one of the first strength training teams to put out videos on the internet. Back before YouTube was taking the internet by storm, we were editing videos and putting them to hard core metal head banging music, and streaming them off our site.

(more…)

Tags: card tearing, grip strength, how to improve grip strength, how to tear cards, tearing cards, tearing decks of cards
Posted in how to improve grip strength, how to tear cards, strength training videos diesel tv, Uncategorized | 8 Comments »

Awesome Day Here at the Gym Yesterday

Sunday, August 2nd, 2009

Hey everybody. Jedd here.

Hopefully some of you got the chance to catch our live UStream Feed yesterday from my Garage Gym here in PA. The gym’s been finished since April, but we haven’t been able to schedule anything where all the guys could make it down until now.

Smitty, Eli, Brad and Brian all made it down. Also Joe Hashey and his brother Pat came down.

We started our squats about 9:30. Even early in the morning it was already hot in the garage. Eli went through like a half dozen shirts I think. We squatted outside the cage with spotters. It was nice having people there to spot me. It gave me more confidence considering the back tweaks I have been having. I actually loaded the bar up to 315 to feel the weight again. We did an intermediate stance, not narrow high bars, but not wide sumo stance with the bar lower either. It was in the middle and felt pretty good.

(more…)

Tags: create your own garage gym, dquats, grip strength, grip training, hand strength, how to improve grip strength, lower body, strength training muscle building workouts
Posted in create your own garage gym, how to improve grip strength, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts, strongman training for athletes | 430 Comments »

Live Diesel Workout Today

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Yo everybody.

We are streaming the very first Live Workout from my new gym today.

Tons of dudes are slated to be here today: Smitty, Brad, Brian, Joe Hashey and his brother, and two local dudes that we have trained with over the years, the Rockwell boys.

That all starts out at 9 and that’s just the first workout.

I’ve also got some grip dudes coming down at noon. Brent Barbe is making the drive from out by Pittsburgh, John Eaton is coming down, and the rumor is Frank Snyder is going to crawl out from under his rock an hour and half away. He is going to stop my ass in grippers and then I am going to kick his because he lives so freakin’ close but never comes by to train!

I am psyched, y’all.

Now, remember we are streaming all of this. I have no idea how to do that, but Smitty is going to set it up when he gets here so when we are all set, just click the link below:

Diesel Strength Live

Until that gets ready, check out the evolution of my gym: Jedd’s Home Gym

Tags: strength training videos diesel tv
Posted in create your own garage gym, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training videos diesel tv | 4 Comments »

Coming Back from Fast Track

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

Last weekend we went to the Fast Track for Fitness Millions seminar. What a great seminar.

I tell you guys, if you are not attending a seminar at least once a year, then you are holding your own development back. You have to extend beyond your current boundaries.

Attend not only for the seminar speakers, but also for the networking capabilities that abound, and the chance to learn from your peers. On Friday night I had dinner with some of the leaders in the industry and was able to pick up more mental notes than I could count to help me out.

Here’s a clip of me as I drive home, all revved up from another great seminar experience.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

As I mentioned, Iron Tamer Dave Whitley is cool as hell. To see what I am talking about by the “bumps” I took from him, check out his YouTube Channel: DaveWhitley.

Did YOU attend the Fast Track seminar? What did you like about it? Leave a comment below…

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site

Tags: dave whitley, fast track, personal training, strength coach, website
Posted in strength training videos diesel tv | 370 Comments »

Recent DieselTV Workout

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Last Saturday we streamed a live workout. Joe Hashey got some good clips and put them all together on his YouTube Channel.

Check it out – lots of squats and deadlifts!

Hit me up on YouTube: Subscribe to my channel or Friend me.

-Jedd-

How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site

Tags: deadlift, dieseltv, squat, strength training powerlifting
Posted in strength training muscle building workouts, strength training videos diesel tv, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

LIVE Heavy Squat / Deadlift Workout

Friday, April 10th, 2009

dieseltv-copy

WHEN:  Saturday, April 11th, 11:30AM

Come watch us hit some heavy squats and deadlifts. Matt Ladewski and Joe Hashey are coming to kill this workout.

Click on this Link to Watch the Workout


How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site

Tags: build, deadlift, heavy, muscl, squat, workout
Posted in accelerated muscular development, how to build muscle, how to tear cards, injury rehab recover from injury, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts, your daily inspiration | 1 Comment »

Watch the Upper Body Bench Workout from Today

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

dieseltv-copy

If you missed the live streaming workout from today, no problem.

Check it out here:

Click Here to Watch Video


How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site

Posted in how to build muscle, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts, your daily inspiration | No Comments »

Diesel TV – Watch a Live Workout!

Friday, March 27th, 2009

dieseltv-copy

Watch a live workout tomorrow during your lunch.

Saturday, 3/27/09, High Noon 12pm (EST)

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

I will update this post with the live broadcast link tomorrow.  I will also twitter and send out a newsletter for everyone.

Something else, I need your help.  Pick our conditioning for after the workout.  Email me at smitty [dot] diesel [at] gmail.com with your pick:

1.  DB Circuit;  DB Press + DB Snatch, or
2.  Spin Bike, Heavy Bag Getups, Ab Roller, or
3.  Modified Treadsled

Hope to see you tomorrow!

Smitty

How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site

Tags: diesel, dieseltv, live, strength, training, tv, workout
Posted in how to build muscle, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training videos diesel tv, strength training workouts | 7 Comments »

Top 3 Missing Components of a Good Strength Program
Watch the Upper Body Bench Workout from Today

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