If you want to be tough, you had better be in shape… and running stairs is one of the very best ways to do so. Not only will running stairs keep your waist-line in check, it will build tremendous explosive strength in your legs as well. No fancy equipment needed, just find a few flights of stairs and have at it. Start with 10 minutes at a session and build from there — take it easy at first though, a little bit of training goes a long way, especially if you are just starting out. Add variety by running one, two or three sets of stairs per step.

Back when I was a kid, I found an old magazine which some hand balancing articles in it and thought I would be ready in short order to run off and join the circus… after a half hour of falling over like a bowling pin, I gave up my dream of hand balancing mastery. A few decades later I decided to pick up hand balancing again. but this time, I had a secret weapon to show me what to do and how to do, and now I can kick up into a handstand like a pro. Here’s what made the difference >>>

Here’s a look at the cover of the incredibly rare “Bruno Course of Bodybuilding” authored by The Living Legend himself, Bruno Sammartino. You can see by Bruno’s thick bone structure that he was a man built for some serious horsepower but don’t forget that he still had to work for his strength.  (More…)

When you’re working up to any extreme bodyweight exercises you need to have the right progressions.

One of the first steps to work up to the human flag is the clutch flag seen in the video below.

For more check out my complete article on the Clutch Flag here.

This is part 4 of my ongoing series of Removing the Mental Handcuffs. Remember, a lot of your limitations are in your mind. If you can see yourself being successful at something, you are that much closer to actually doing it.

As I stated before, for years, I just could not do a Double Inch Farmer’s Walk, deadlifting and carrying an Inch Dumbbell replica in each hand. I often thought it was a hopeless desire and I began losing confidence. In fact it wasn’t until I began changing my way of thinking that I finally began seeing progress.

In Part III of this series, I showed you that I finally was able to lift the two Inch Dumbbells and managed to take a couple of hurried, scurrying strides. Near the end of the year of 2011, I was able to shuffle my way to a few more, carrying the two Inch Dumbbells for a new personal best of about 6 feet.

This distance is still NOTHING compared to some of the numbers that have been put up, but it is a tremendous improvement for me in one of the events I absolutely struggle with the most.

I challenge you to change your way of thinking about the lifts and feats you are struggling with, and I bet you are going to see amazing improvement as well.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

For more information on Grip Training, check out Diesel Crew.com

There are certain exercises that aren’t practiced much anymore. Some don’t deserve to be as they’re not all that great. But others have been forgotten and not rightly so.

One of these is the Jefferson Deadlift.

For more check out my complete article on the Jefferson Lift here.

More of the series on how to hit harder and faster. This tip discusses using your Qi or energy behind the blow.

For much more information check out my videos How to Hit Like a Freight Train.

What is a Champion?
I’m sure many people have different opinions of what makes up a champion.

This is my view.

A champion is a person with a great work ethic and a desire to succeed. Desire is the backbone for striving to get what you want.

Without a desire the effort will not be there.
But, when that desire is so strong that you can taste it, that you think about it every, waking second of the day you grow a passion for achieving that very thing you want so bad

Thomas Inch is a well known oldtime strongman. He was most famous for his unliftable Inch dumbbell. This dumbbell has a handle that is 2 3/8” thick and weighs about 172 lbs. At that time no one could supposedly lift the bell off the ground with one hand except for Inch. Today many strongmen have done this and more. That’s not to say its an easy feat of strengthby any stretch of the imagination. Here is a video of Thomas Inch in action.

On Strength is probably Inch’s most well known book (back in his time as well as now). You can read a lot more about this book in the physical culture book club review – Thomas Inch On Strength.

More of the series  on how to hit harder and faster. This tip shows you a way to strengthen your body with the power needed for hitting hard.

For much more information check out my videos How to Hit Like a Freight Train.