I had the amazing opportunity to put together an article for sponsor, Onnit’s magazine, Onnit Academy.

It’s called “The 7 Deadly Sins of Strength Training.”

Here’s a picture of the magazine:

Here’s what you’ll learn from the article…

No matter what your main objective in your training is, it takes a LOT more than just getting your workouts in, to be successful.

There’s other stuff you’ve gotta do to support your training and recovery in order to ensure you see the results you want.

Whether you’re trying to build a massive yoke, excel at strongman, or training to close bigger grippers, when you get these 7 things right, you see better results in your training.

As my sponsors, Onnit has sent me a special link so that my readers can get a copy of this issue, and all you need to do is pay the shipping charges.

Special Onnit Academy Link for my DIESELS

This is a complete STEAL of a price, too.

This is easily the highest quality fitness magazine I’ve ever seen. The cover and pages actually feel more like catalog quality than cheapo magazine stock.

Plus, the information is top notch. This issue alone features contributions from:

Mark DeGrasse, me, Lance Brazil, Joe Defranco, Jim “Smitty” Smith, Travis Stoetzel, Travis Janeway, Trey Hardee, Doug Fioranelli, Evan Brand, Luke Hocevar, Marcus Martinez, Joe Daniels Ryan Mortensen, Ken Blackburn, and Matt Wichlinski

Plus, I flipped through the thing and found just ONE ADVERTISEMENT in the whole issue.

So you’re not staring and endless supplement ads as you go through it like most magazines that are out there.

Instead, you’re getting solid information.

So, get yourself a copy for as cheap as you possibly can, by just paying shipping:

Onnit Academy Magazine – pay just $4.95 to cover shipping costs

I hope you pick it up and let me know what you think of the article!

Thanks and all the best in your training.

Jedd

Learn the Basics of Stone Lifting Today:
Stone Lifting Fundamentals

Ab Wheel Training For Real

GANGSTA

I have been continuing to experiment with the Ab Wheel. It is by far my favorite piece of equipment for training the core right now. Here are a few reasons why.

1. It Works a LARGE Portion of the Body

The Ab Wheel is similar to a dynamic plank – you must create tension from the shoulder area to the knee area. Because of this large amount of muscle that is working, I find basic Ab Wheel roll-outs to be a great warm-up, and I often use it at the beginning of workouts as a bridge from my general to specific warm-up.

2. It is not ONLY Hip Flexion

So many abdominal exercises involve hip and trunk flexion – sit-ups, leg raises, crunches – all of them involve drawing the hips and rib cage closer together, potentially causing shortening of the hip flexors. I sit down so much while I work and drive, my hip flexors are short enough, so I avoid doing that movement pattern in training as well. This is something to keep in mind if you sit down a lot and your back hurts – it could be due to tight hip flexors.

3. It Doesn’t Hurt My Neck

For whatever reason, in the past I have strained my neck doing ab movements. Whether it is from hooking my hands around my head, clenching my teeth together, or whatever – it has happened, and a strained neck is one of the most annoying things for me, so I look to avoid it like venereal disease.

With these three benefits considered, the Ab Wheel continues to be something I include in my training on a regular basis.

Plus, in the long-term, I want to be able to do a Standing Ab Wheel Roll-out. It seems to be an advanced feat for this simple device, and I think if I were to train to obtain it, it would be a “Gateway Feat,” in that my core would be so strong that the increased strength would assist in many other lifts as well.

With this in mind, I have been looking for ways to gradually increase the difficulty of the more basic ab-wheel roll-outs in order to progress more smoothly to the more advanced movements.

One drill I have come up with that I have not seen elsewhere is Decline Ab Wheel Roll-outs. For these, you set the Ab Wheel up on some sort of decline, instead of a flat surface.

There are two main strength building benefits to performing roll-outs on a decline:

1. The eccentric challenge level as you roll out is increased greatly, as you must stay engaged in order to control the descent. This gives you much better stability than the basic exercise does.

2. The concentric challenge level is BRUTAL as you must pull much harder to climb back up the hill. This teaches you to pull much harder with the shoulders, lats, and core when returning to the starting position.

Decline Ab Wheel Roll-outs

There are surely many ways you could set this exercise up. One way that I think would be perfect is with an inside pitching mound, such as the one below, to begin with.

However, instead of busting out the nails, hammer and circular saw, I just dragged an extra gym mat out to the hill beside the house and used mother nature to my advantage.

As you can tell by my screams and grunts, this version of Ab Wheel Roll-outs is no joke. Far harder than the basic exercise, this one will hit you hard.

Of course, before you try this, you need to make sure you have the Basic Ab Wheel Technique down first. For a quick video on how to do them right, click here => Basic Ab Wheel Roll-outs.

Even if you don’t go for the more advanced movements with the Ab Wheel, this piece of equipment is a great investment for those with home gyms. For about $10, it takes up no room and leaves every muscle in your core absolutely destroyed.

Get your Ab Wheel here: Valeo Ab Wheel

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Braced Bending DVD: Bend Everything from Steel Bars, to Frying Pans, to Hammers and Wrenches

Perfect Tool for Core Strength

4 Days ago, I did the drill I am going to show you today, and I am STILL SORE.

Normally, I wouldn’t judge the effectiveness of an exercise by whether or not it made me sore, but consider the following…

I have been doing Ab Wheel work for several months. I have been working it HARD.

I did 10 sets of 10 Roll-outs on my knees one day while I was on vacation, so I thought I was getting where I needed to be.

Then, last Friday, I set this drill up and 4 days later my abs are still cooked. That just goes to show you how vicious this exercise is, and why you should start doing it right now.

Standing Ab Wheel Roll-out Training

If you are looking for a way to build core strength, get stability for the lower back, strengthen the hips, and build your abdominal muscles, the only real piece of equipment that you need is the Ab Wheel.

Over the last 4 months or so, I have been including the Ab Wheel in my training on at least a weekly basis and I love it. I have written several articles about the Ab Wheel this year and will be continuing to experiment with it.

• How to Use the Ab Wheel Correctly
• Back and Triceps Training
• The Perfect Tool to Compliment Your Kettlebell Training

I would say my experimentation is still in its infancy, although the ideas that are going through my head are non-stop. I am doing my best to get them onto my ever-growing note pad, and hope to one day compile everything for you.

I have decided that one of my goals I hope to complete before the end of this year is a Full Ab Wheel Roll-out on the Feet.

As I am sure many of you know if you have tried one of these variations, the difference in difficulty between Ab Wheel Roll-outs on the Knees and Ab Wheel Roll-outs on the Feet is crazy. These two drills are not even in the same galaxy.

For Full Ab Wheel Roll-outs on the Feet, you must have much more abdominal strength, you must be much more stable through the core and the hips, and your shoulders must be able to with stand a great deal force in the full flexed position as well.

All of these factors, plus more that I am surely over-looking, make the Ab Wheel Roll-out version on the Feet much harder.

I have begun implementing more Ab Wheel work on my feet and moving away from Ab Wheel work on my knees altogether.

Today I want to show you a very promising progression step I have been using for working up to the Full Ab Wheel Roll-out on the Feet, and it involves using bands.

Someone asked how to do this method if you do not have bands. My answer to them is GET BANDS.

Bands are useful for countless exercises and methods. There are innumerable ways they can be used to make exercises easier, harder, and to de-load or assist you in bodyweight movements.

If you do not have a set, here are a couple of places to get them:

• Rogue Fitness Monster Bands

• RBT Rubber Band Training

Again, if you don’t have bands, I really have to ask why. They are very affordable and the myriad of ways that they can be used make them very high in value. The links above are affiliate links. When you order through them, you will not only be getting yourself some training tools that you will use in countless ways, but you will also be helping me out with some commissions. Although they are small, it all helps me continue to improve this site and keep it available as a source of reliable information.

Keep an eye on new updates on my pursuit for legit Standing Ab Wheel Roll-outs by joining my Ab Wheel Roll-out Update List below.

If you don’t have an Ab Wheel yet, you can get one here: Where to Buy an Ab Wheel

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Get the Benefits of Deep Tissue Sports Massage Without Having to Leave Your House. Fix Your Own Arms with ARMAID

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That may seem like an odd title when so many people spend all their time with new training plans and the hottest supplements to add muscle to their frame. But what can I say? I’m unconventional.

My goal is performance, that is what I can lift, rather then looking bigger. Although I’m tall I’m not a very big guy. At 6’2″ I tip the scales at about 185 right now. The biggest I’ve ever been was just over 190. Since a lot of what I do is bodyweight training adding mass doesn’t really help with those goals. Thus I choose to stay small. But I also like to lift heavy stuff.

It’s because of my size that I commonly hear the phrase, “You don’t look strong.”

But what does strength have to do with looks? For the average person the appearance of muscles means strength, but that’s only a piece of the puzzle if you want to become truly strong. In fact it’s not even near the top of the list of necessary things. And just because someone is muscular doesn’t necessarily mean they’re very strong either.

How do you get stronger without adding lots of muscle? There’s a few ways.

A muscle can learn to contract harder without the cells being any more in number or size.

Use your mind to access more of the strength you already have.

And the main method I want to talk about today. The muscles are just one of the things that are used in lifting. Sure they get the spotlight and all the publicity, but for the super strong you’ll want to focus elsewhere. I’m talking about the tendons, ligaments and bones themselves. Supports and partials are two ways to train them.

Supports

Did you know that famous strongman Louis Cyr (whom a movie is being made about right now) back lifted more than 4000 lbs? If you don’t know what the back lift is, its a support where a platform is placed across the back. The legs and arms are straightened to lift the weight only about an inch or so. This was also a favorite of Steve Justa. This position is sometimes held or just done quickly.

Louis Cyr Back Lifting

Think about this for a second. If you tried to support that weight what would happen? I don’t know about you but it’s likely my bones would break under such a load. Perhaps your femur my snap or more than likely a joint would give out. Yet in working up to this feat Cyr was able to handle massive weights. I’m not sure if this made his bones any thicker in dimension but certainly denser and stronger.

There are several old-time lifts called supports because you support the weight rather then lifting it. Though often in order to hold a support you need to do a lift to get it in place which requires a short range lift. Here’s a list of a few of them besides the back lift:

Leg press support (like in a leg press machine but just supporting the weight. Some of the old-time strongmen would support a plan of wood on their legs which people would sit on while they laid on their backs)

Overhead support (This was a favorite of John Grimek and it is said he worked up to supported 1000lbs in this position. They would support a barbell from chains hanging off the rafters and then lift it up into the support position.)

Standing support (Think of the top position of a squat with the barbell across the shoulders. Just try this with a heavy weight and whatever you’re use to squatting will feel very light in comparison.)

Wrestler’s bridge support (This is a personal favorite of mine as a neck strengthener. Get in the wrestler’s bridge position and lift a barbell or have someone sit on you to add resistance.)

There’s many more possibilities. You could do a one arm overhead support or a zercher squat support. Use your creativity.

Anton Riha is shown here supporting 1400 lbs in quite the standing support.

The bones are much stronger at supporting weight then the muscles are in lifting, especially through a full range of motion. Which brings me to the next subject…

Partials

Partials get their name from doing a partial range of motion instead of the full range done in most lifts. Depending on what range of motion you work these in, you’ll typically be stronger than the full range.

These are also great for people engaged in any sport or martial art. How many sports involve even parallel squats? Very few. Instead you can get stronger just in the top quarter range of motion which will translate over to more speed, bigger jumps, etc.

(As a side note the full range of a lift is quite arbitrary in some cases. A full range deadlift is only about half the available range of motions for the muscles involved. For a true full range of motion you’d have to be on a platform with your arms going down much lower than shin level.)

Look, full ranges of motion are great. I highly advise you to do them. But if that’s all you do then you’re missing out on some of the best training possible to strengthen your connective tissues and bones. If you only ever lift the comparably light weights that you need to for full ranges then you’re not going to build these areas to as great of a degree as you possibly could.

You can work different partials like a quarter, half or three quarter squat. You can make even smaller jumps doing progressive distance training. There are many benefits and different ways to use partials.

One of the simplest in my opinion is working the top quarter range of motion like in this rack pull here, a recent PR for myself. You can not only use really heavy weights but partials tend to be even safer than full ranges of motion.

This can be done with any exercise though they’re typically done with the big compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press and sometimes rows.

Supports will not add muscle because the only work they’re doing is to support keeping the bones in place. I suppose for a completely untrained individual they’d get that effect, but not for your average trainer.

With partials it will depend on how you train them. More reps and volume could add muscle. But if you do them in my preferred way, working at high intensity, you’ll get stronger but without much size.

All of these lifts will strengthen your bones, tendons and ligaments. You don’t need to do them all. Just pick one or a few to start with. As with everything you’ll want to build up to this slowly. Don’t’ go too far too fast as you body may not be ready for it. But you may surprise yourself in a short time just how much you can handle.

For more information check out my newest book Deceptive Strength available here. Right now you can grab it along with a bunch of bonuses.

–Logan Christopher–

I was recently contacted by a gentleman named Michael Volkin about reviewing his new product called Strength Stack 52.

Normally, these types of spam messages get glanced at and then immediately deleted.

But this case was a little different.

In this case, Michael had pretty much taken an idea I had come up with years before and not only run with it, but did it in a way that was much better than the idea I had.

Check out the video below and you’ll find out exactly what I am talking about.

Strength Stack 52 Review

You can grab a deck of Strength Stack here: Strength Stack 52.

Who Is Strength Stack 52 For?

I personally think Strength Stack cards could be very valuable for personal trainers and boot camp instructors. The exercises shown are all bodyweight exercises and require very little equipment in order to perform them, so that means in many cases a great deal of clients can perform the movements all at the same time.

In addition, because most of the exercises are not actually weight room or gym-based, that means they can be done anywhere, from garages, to lawns and parks.

They can also bring a “mystery effect” to training by using the Strength Stack cards to dictate Finishers for a workout.

Finally, for those who enjoy bodyweight training over other forms of resistance work, I suggest you check this out. There are some pretty cool variations of basic exercises, like Push-ups, that are much more demanding.

Who Is Strength Stack Not For

As cool as I think these cards are, I don’t think they will be a big hit with people who base their training around Strength Development or most periodization models. In those cases, it would seem that people who train in that way will already have too much on their plate in order to add these drills in, unless bodyweight work is already being added into their regular training.

As an example, in my training, I am pretty much limited to a 2-hour spot, and I have to get a solid warm-up, train either upper or lower body, and then get in my specialized Grip and Feat of Strength Training, plus recovery work. There just isn’t any available time to add something like this in in most workouts.

Summary

If you like Bodyweight Training and like to always have a little variety in your training, then check these out. Also, if you are a Personal Trainer or Boot Camp Owner, and are always looking for new workouts and drills to throw at your clients, then this could be absolutely perfect for you.

You can grab your deck here: Strength Stack 52.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

For this challenge, the main idea is to push yourself and record your time.

Due to the length that some of the videos will be, video will only be required for the winner of the challenge.

Please have your times in to me by NOON EST on 12/31/12. You can email me at jedd dot diesel at gmail dot com. The winner will be announced on January 1st, time and hang-over permitting.

Any videos submitted will be posted here on the site, so it will be a great way to introduce yourself to the rest of the on-line world.

Who will be the winner? Who will be the survivor?

I can’t wait to find out.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

When I first began delving into Strength and Conditioning literature after I got out of college, I was given a copy of a strength training documentary about Werner Gunthor called, L’heritage d’une carriere, by my friend Dan Cenidoza

At the time, I was reading a lot of the materials from the NSCA, and even though they were much more geared toward strength training than the bodybuilding magazines I read in college, even the NSCA manuals did not prepare me for the type of training I would see in this video.

To my dismay, I somehow lost my copy of the tape and had not watched it in years, but I was able to find it recently, in its entirety on YouTube.
(more…)

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

Hello DIESELS!

I have been telling many of you about Mike Fitch’s Animal Flow Workout, and this thing is AWESOME. I first found out about Mike when he posted a comment here on the site and it has been good getting to know him ever since.

When I saw his promotional video on YouTube for his new program, I was like, wow, I have to give this stuff a try, especially after enjoying Scott Sonnon’s Flow and TacFit maneuvers and some of my own bodyweight experimentations.

This is some of the most fun I have had training in a while. It makes me feel like I am a kid playing out in the yard, but I also get a kick-ass workout.

I found this stuff so interesting, that I asked him to do an interview with us and he was glad to oblige. Mike has an interesting background and obviously stays in great shape. I love trying new things with my strength training and I plan on using this as my cardio and flexibility training for a while.

Here’s the interview…

Jedd: Hello Mike, thanks for taking time to sit down and tell the Diesel Universe about yourself, and your upcoming DVD, The Animal Flow Workout.

First off, could you please tell us about yourself, including your athletic back ground and how it is you ended up d some of the amazing bodyweight stuff that you do?

Mike: Sure, I’ve been a strength coach, personal trainer and post rehab specialist for a little over 12 years. Even though I had been lifting since a young teen, it wasn’t until I was about 17 that I started learning more and more about anatomy and different training styles. There was no looking back – It was on!

I spent the next ten years obsessively gathering information on as many training styles as I could, from corrective exercise to KB coaching to Olympic lifts to sports-specific and speed-agility training, and attained certifications from about every organization I could find.

But, about two years ago I started feeling unchallenged in my own day-to-day routines. After walking around at fifty pounds heavier than I am now and grinding out countless hours in the gym, I came to the point where I was just done. My joints hurt all the time and I felt like it was time for something new.

I’ve always been interested in non-traditional methods of exercise, but it wasn’t until I started watching the way gymnasts strength train, that something started to click. I began checking out all bodyweight disciplines. Everything from gymnastics, hand balancing, parkour, martial arts to capoeira.

So, getting into to pure bodyweight training started out as a diversion from the lifting routines I’d become bored with, but the more I got into it, the more I wanted to do. There are so many disciplines within bodyweight training that it is a constant learning and progressing process and once you start combining them, the possibilities are endless.

Jedd: Mike, you have a website called, GlobalBodyweightTraining.com – obviously it has to do with bodyweight training, but could you tell us a little bit about what all Global Bodyweight Training entails?

Mike: The idea behind Global Bodyweight Training was simply to create a platform that showcased and increased awareness of all disciplines of bodyweight training. Most importantly though, I wanted to drive the message that no matter where you were, you could get in a killer workout without a single piece of equipment. Allow people to be creative with their programs rather than just getting stuck in the same routine.

On the site you’ll find instructional videos, blog posts, alternative exercise, challenges and rehab techniques. One of the main goals is to provide quality info that’s practical. I’m still learning new styles and exercises all of the time so I feel the content will continue to grow without becoming stale.

The global part was just to create a world-wide project where readers could participate and become part of something. More like a network that everyone can add to and learn from. We encourage people everywhere to send in their photos and videos of their bodyweight training around the globe to inspire each other.

Jedd: Would you say that you specialize in bodyweight training? Is that all that you do? What sorts of weight training exercises do you do?

Mike: My tendency (for better or for worse) is to commit myself 100% to whatever it is I’m focusing on, so once I set down the weights I rarely picked them back up. Also from the experimental side, I wanted to see how far I could push myself going purely BW.

Once I switched over, my workouts became much more of a practice. Each workout was about improving a little bit with each session, but in this case it wasn’t adding more weight but maybe mastering a skill or improving on a bodyweight feat of strength. So I would say that I specialize in bodyweight training but I am still very much a student.

However, with my coaching I’ll never get away from the big lifts or KB’s. It still comes down to whatever is necessary for my clients and students. Of course, if they request to go pure bodyweight, I’m more than happy to oblige – and more and more of them are asking for it as they see how I’ve adopted it myself.

Jedd: What role does the ability to move your body have to do with being strong? Are there any examples of movement patterns that big strong DIESELS might be able to improve upon IF they can move better?

Mike: Hmmm, how about pushing, pulling, dragging, carrying, twisting, bending, lifting, sprinkled with a lot less pain and risk of chronic overuse injuries….haha. Seriously though, movement is everything. I think the importance of mobility and motion is often overlooked by the big guys, when in fact restricted muscles and joints are restricting serious strength potential.

Ape Walking

Jedd: Could you go over an example of a bodyweight workout that you like to do that supports the rest of your strength training?

Mike: Sure, that’s one of my favorite parts.

When done properly you can structure your BW exercises to illicit whatever training response you want, whether it be strength, power, endurance, etc. Usually if I’m training for strength, I’ll pick the goal rep range, then pick the exercises that challenge me within those ranges.

So a workout may consist of full range single arm push- ups, chin ups with a single arm negative, unsupported handstand push-ups and super slow tempo pistol squats. Once you’ve adapted to those exercises, you can still change your lever arm or decrease your mechanical advantage to make it more challenging again. I’m still working on that single arm handstand push up (it may be a very long time).

Jedd: When I think of bodyweight training, I think of bodyweight squats and lunges, which to me can be pretty boring. But your dvd goes way beyond those. What made you move past the basic bodyweight stuff and start moving like an quadruped?

Mike: Well that was all part of the quest. With researching and practicing different BW disciplines I started to realize that 1: they all eventually cross over into each other and 2: each one can play a very different role in your program, depending upon how it’s utilized. The animal movements are super versatile in the respect that they are literally good for everything. These types of moves have been used for thousands of years to increase health and vitality.

While I had played with them off and on in my training, it wasn’t until I dedicated a tremendous amount of time to check out different styles of animal movements that I really began to understand their potential for performance. What developed was a program that was highly teachable and highly effective. Once you learn the movements, you can put them together in an endless flow that is unbelievably challenging. And you’re right – it’s a long way away from your basic BW squats/lunges or the dreaded treadmill!

Jedd: Can you point to any examples of movement or strength improvements you have experienced since adapting this type of upper body bodyweight training?

Mike: Absolutely! The positive benefits have been almost overwhelming. Especially considering we spend most of our careers looking for that one thing that’s going to give us an “edge” in our training. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this is the end all be all magic pill, but I do know the changes I’ve seen in myself as well as my clients.

As I had mentioned earlier, I rarely pick up a weight these days. However when I do, it’s to assess my strength as compared to my weight training days. The results have been favorable to say the least! I credit this to pure muscle integration and higher neural coordination as a result of this style of bodyweight training. While I’m not the biggest guy around (by a long shot), my body has completely changed in proportion. It’s like Symmetry out of necessity, results I could not achieve while I was weight training.

Jedd: What is something that many people commonly experience once they start adopting these types of skills into their training? Let’s assume that Jedd Johnson is NOT the most limber guy on earth – what might I notice after doing the stuff from your dvd for a couple of weeks?

Mike: Well Jedd, I can say that a lot of the bigger guys or strongmen I’ve seen or worked with have characteristically had tight and locked up hip flexors/deep hip rotators, less than optimal spinal rotation and unbelievably tight and internally rotated shoulders. Usually any mobility or flexibility work is gladly traded in for another couple sets of strength training. Who has the time for everything right?

Well even when using the animal movements at the beginning of a strength workout as a dynamic warm up, can yield some pretty impressive results. Some of the most common responses I hear are “holly s#*t, I feel so opened up!” or “I actually feel lighter.” The animal movements take your through active ranges that will mobilize those tight areas like the shoulders, spine and hips.

Let’s see Jedd, give it a shot for two weeks and then tell me!

Jedd: I plan on it, brother! So, Mike, let’s get down to it. Let’s say some of the DIESELS are interested in your dvd. What is the number one reason to pick it up?

Mike: I really believe it has something for everyone. The beauty of animal movements is that they can be incorporated into almost any workout, whether you are a strongman, a yogi, a traceur, an MMA fighter, and so on. I’ve designed the video so that the information is provided in an easy to follow format, so that anyone can pick it up quickly. That way, a DIESEL can pick up the DVD and almost immediately be able to incorporate the movements into their own workout, at the level they want.

Animal movements can be your whole workout if you want, or can be an added element that you do in addition to your regular routine. Either way, you’ll be using movement in a different way, and It’s an excellent way to improve your cardiovascular performance and endurance. No matter what the sport, athleticism can be rated by ones strength, power, endurance, speed, coordination, flexibility, agility and balance. The Animal Flow Workout will help improve all of these!

Jedd: Mike, thanks for taking time out of your schedule to break off some knowledge for us. I for one am looking forward to trying some of this stuff out. Thanks again!

Mike: Thanks for having me Jedd

Guys, I hope you enjoyed the interview. If you think that you might want to try some bodyweight training in your routine, I suggest you give this a try. As I have said, after just a few rounds of the forward Ape maneuvers, my arms were blown up like I had just worked bi’s and tri’s for an hour.

P.S. Go through the banner above to pick up the program and send me your Clickbank Receipt and I will schedule a half-hour strength training coaching call with you as a bonus!

Guest Post by Mike Fitch of GlobalBodyWeightTraining.com

The Three Best Ab Exercises from the Lower Body Up

I already know what you’re thinking, not another ab article, how many times can we repackage the same old crap?
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I have a confession to make.

For years, I thought warming up was a joke – a waste of time. DUMB.

Trainers like Guy Razy would come to train with us and show us cool warm-up drills, and I would ignore them. DUMB.

Guys like Coach Mike wrote me emails telling me I needed to improve my flexibility and mobility and I put it off. DUMB.

Smitty and Brad told me how much better they felt after incorporating more of this stuff into their training and I ignored them. DUMB.

It wasn’t until more than a year later when Smitty and Brad actually ran me through a battery of intense warming up that I realized what I was missing. Now I warm-up intensely every single workout.

In addition to warm-up and dynamic flexibility strategies to get ready to WREAK HAVOC, I’ve also found that I respond well to jumping exercises before hitting the weights.

I’ve always loved jumping, but unfortunately my ceiling is too low for me to leap up on top of jump boxes, so that’s out of the question.

But I recently found something just as good. You’ve probably heard them called Kneeling Jumps, but I call them Up Downs.

Up Downs spark the Central Nervous System BIG TIME.

After doing these, I am ready to DROP BOMBS. I feel more aware, more focused, and I have hit several PR’s since including them. I want you to try these out.

How to Perform Up Downs

You may have seen these done differently elsewhere, but this is how I do them. This way actually makes it harder to perform them, causing you to work just a bit harder, focus more deeply, and as a result, pushing you to a better warm-up finisher.

Starting Position:

Kneel down on the gym floor, placing your entire shin flat on the ground, plantar flexing the foot. This position takes your ankles out of the movement and forces you to engage everything else more intensely.

Power Transfer:

It is imperative to get the arms involved in the movement in order to generate the power to get up off the ground and to the landing position. Swing them back to engage a sretch reflex, then fire your leg and glute power to drive yourself upwards.

Recovery Position:

Once airborne, you must pull your feet out from under you to stick the landing. Try to land as quietly as possible to absorb the energy, and get into an athletic position, like a puma ready to pounce on its prey.

Here’s a quick video demo showing some of the stuff I have done to modify Up Downs even more.

If you’re like me and have hated and dreaded warm-up, you should try this out.

Go through some dynamic warm-up and mobility stuff and then finish it off with some Up Downs or something similar to really prime the CNS. I think you’ll be surprised how good you feel.

Try them and let me know what you think. I think you’ll have a KICK-ASS workout setting MONSTER PR’s.

All the best,

Jedd