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The workout logs return

by Scott Andrew Bird | February 10, 2007
Filed in workouts

Wide plate pinch It's been a while now since I last posted my training notes (although of course I've still been training), which I thought I'd rectify. Especially now as the weather here is starting to get back to reasonable levels, which will undoubtedly see an increase in intensity. Not to mention the occasional outdoor session.

A few months ago I began training for the One-Arm-Chin-up. This was always going to be a lengthy process (2 years seems to be fairly common amongst OAC practitioners), but I wasn't quite prepared for the glacial slowness of it all. The other day, whilst getting slightly over-zealous and trying to accelerate things, I managed to once again tweak my left shoulder. Frustrating, but not altogether surprising. I know what I'm like.

I'm now carefully avoiding the heavy stuff for a while; giving things a chance to heal before I return to the OAC quest. In the meantime, however, a slight obsession takes centre stage - hand strength.

After reading Chuck Halbakken's recent piece on bending, I decided to give it a go (at least I will once a couple of key items arrive). Added to this is the usual assortment of pinching, tearing and catching. All fun, highly addictive stuff.

A few of the exercises I've been trying out this week :

basic gripper work (I only have the CoC Trainer and #1 here, but they're great for high-rep work)
plate pinching (two plates held together with smooth sides out)
wide pinch grip work using a 2.5kg plate + additional weights (as pictured)
wrist rolling (using home-made wrist roller; which is little more than an axe handle, duct tape and a length of chain)
bar hangs (right arm only)
paper tearing (the phone books are quite safe for now)
Thor's hammer stuff (levering with an adjustable dumbbell with weights on one end only)

I'll go through each of these exercises - and the many others that always seem to appear in grip workouts - in more detail after a week or two; once I've had a chance to really test them out.

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reading

the team

There are several great writers here, looking at the world of strength training from a number of angles. The regulars :

Scott Bird (@scottbird)
Writer and Fitness enthusiast
Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson (@jeddjohnson)
Grip champion and Strongman
'Unbreakable' Adam T Glass (@adamtglass)
Bending freak and Strongman
Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker
Bodybuilder and Writer
Joe Hashey (@jhashey)
Athlete, Teacher and Trainer
Josh Hanagarne (@joshhanagarne)
Kettlebell and grip afficionado
Bill Long (@bill_long1)
SPC and grip fanatic

In addition, articles are submitted from across the globe. Got a piece you'd like to share? Let us know.

training at work

There's always a way to train while you're at work. (Josh Hanagarne)

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elsewhere

This is a fantastic book. If you've ever considered learning this incredible strength feat, the Card Tearing eBook (review) is the perfect place to start. Love it.

In addition to the articles on this site are a number I've written elsewhere. Including :

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I get regular questions regarding the hosting of this site, my favourite stats package and so on, so here are a few details :

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Pair is easily the fastest and most reliable host I've come across - perfect for a site like this. If you're setting up your own blog, forum or ezine; check them out. Brilliant.

what to get?

Thanks for dropping by. If you’d like to help support this site (and get in great shape at the same time), here’s a list of strength-training books, DVDs and tools I recommend. Love them.

Dragon Door Kettlebells
These are easily the best kettlebells I've used; and I'd strongly recommend them above all others. Well-made, comfortable to use and ready to take any abuse you send their way. Love them.
RMAX Clubbells
I'm a big fan of leverage training in any form, especially things like the RMAX Clubbells. Beautiful things.
MBG Powerwheel
Although I generally avoid single-purpose tools, I'll happily make an exception for the Powerwheel. Ab training has never been so much fun.
Battling Rope Kit
This is easily my favourite form of conditioning work. Incredibly fun, exhausting and - most importantly - effective.
Precision Nutrition
When it comes to body transformation - whether that's a increase in strength, packing on a bit of muscle or losing a bit of excess fat - this is the perfect place to start. Dr Berardi's Precision Nutrition.
Gymboss Interval Timer
If you've ever tried to do interval work with a stopwatch, or by counting out the time, grab a Gymboss. The perfect way to time your fat-shedding sessions.
The Ultimate Sandbag
I love sandbag training, and this is definitely the way to do it right. Beautiful thing.