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Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Book Review: Periodization of Strength
I just finished reading Periodization of Strength by Tudor Bompa and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in a deeper understanding of periodization and sports-specific training. It's a quick read and is broken down into three section for easy consumption. Sections 2 and 3 cover how to set up each phase of the training cycle and what to do during each of those phases. Bompa's text is supplemented generously with tables and graphics to help economize the info down to the essentials.
If you've ever wondered exactly how much weight you should use to gain strength and how long you should rest to train muscular endurance, this book is worth your time.
UPDATE: In the video I mention something called "strength-power." What I am really referring to is "power endurance," the ability to perform power-based movements over an extend period of time. This, according to Bompa, is a separate skill from strength or power alone.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Large Men Lifting Heavy Loads
In honor of me moving to a new apartment this weekend, let us watch these inspiration clips of heavy lifting in action. Enjoy.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Build Yourself A Sandbag For Free
I wanted a sandbag. So I went to the beach and made one.
First, I collected all the essential gear:
After collecting the gear, I went to the beach.
I wanted the final sandbag to be adjustable so I could use it with my clients. So instead of just one large sack full of sand, I created two smaller sacks out of doubled-up contractor bags. These smaller sacks can be added or subtracted from the main gym bag as needed. After taping the sacks closed, they look like this:
Individually, each gym bag is old and flimsy so I decided it was safer to place one inside the other, with the sand sacks in the middle:
The final product is a nifty little piece of equipment.
Because of the size of the gym bags, the final weight of the sandbag is about 40 lbs. This is too light for me to do serious strength training so I would like to create another sandbag closer to the 100 lbs mark.
I also think I put too much sand into the sacks, so everything is a lot stiffer than I would have liked. Always remember that 3/4-full is a good ballpark when filling a sandbag. The floppiness of the bag is what gives the equipment its trademark characteristics.
For a first attempt at home-made equipment, I'm very proud of this project. I already know how to improve my design for next time. I truly believe the upgrade is going to be awesome!
First, I collected all the essential gear:
- 2 old gym bags
- 4 contractor bags
- Packing tape
After collecting the gear, I went to the beach.
I wanted the final sandbag to be adjustable so I could use it with my clients. So instead of just one large sack full of sand, I created two smaller sacks out of doubled-up contractor bags. These smaller sacks can be added or subtracted from the main gym bag as needed. After taping the sacks closed, they look like this:
Individually, each gym bag is old and flimsy so I decided it was safer to place one inside the other, with the sand sacks in the middle:
The final product is a nifty little piece of equipment.
Because of the size of the gym bags, the final weight of the sandbag is about 40 lbs. This is too light for me to do serious strength training so I would like to create another sandbag closer to the 100 lbs mark.
I also think I put too much sand into the sacks, so everything is a lot stiffer than I would have liked. Always remember that 3/4-full is a good ballpark when filling a sandbag. The floppiness of the bag is what gives the equipment its trademark characteristics.
For a first attempt at home-made equipment, I'm very proud of this project. I already know how to improve my design for next time. I truly believe the upgrade is going to be awesome!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
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