Monday, December 20, 2010

Thick Grip Tip

Fat bar training is incredibly popular today. I love it. However, there is a totally avoidable, but genuine danger associated with it. It is very easy to develop tendonitis in the thumb joint, where the thumb meets the hand.

Check out the DVD here!
The two easiest ways to avoid that crippeling problem are as basic as can be. First, you can make sure not to over train that joint. The tough part about it is figuring out what is too much. You have two variables there, the volume of the training and the diameter of the thick tool you are using. Both variables have a real impact. Basically, the larger the diameter the easier to over train, but there is also a tipping point. Once your grip gap is exceeded, then it becomes much, much easier to over train that joint. I show how to find that in my “Train Like A Strongman” booklet, and discuss it in the thick bar section of Train Like A Strongman DVD Vol. 2.



The second method of avoiding some of that potential for tendonitis is totally tool related. Using a rotating handle tool will help prevent it. It will also help prevent a number of potential wrist and elbow problems. For example, you can use a rotating Olympic thick bar, instead of a solid piece of bar stock. Additionally, you can use something like our rotating Brass Thick Handles for creation of thick dumbbells. It will also help with thick implement cleans and snatches. Of course that type of training will help with your Olympic lifts, a real bonus for strongman contest competitors, Olympic lifters and Cross Fit trainees. 

Here are some helpful links:








Live strong,Roger LaPointe

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

No Snow Yet

There I was. Pretty little snow flakes were just starting to fall and I knew this could be my last good outdoor farmer's walk until spring.

Many of you have already been dumped on with snow, or ice, or melted crusty snow that has turned to ice... but we hadn't, yet. Here is a good farmer's walk oriented workout, for those of you who want to get in one last good one before the snow really flies.

Warm-up with Indian Clubs and Stretching

Light Romanian Deadlifts/Leg Extensions/Stiff Leg Deadlifts: 2 Sets of 20 Each

Rope Work for 3 or 4 Minutes: (if you can't climb, then do chins, rows, leg lifts, overhead toe touches, inverted chins, lots of stretches)

Dips: 2 Sets of 10 (Just Bodyweight)

We have a 100 foot section of our gravel access road marked off before our turn, so that is the distance on the rest of these exercises. Now you should be totally warmed up and shouldn't need gloves. If it's cold enough for your hands to freeze to your Farmers Walk implements use full fingered gloves.

This workout is for me. This is not a competition, but training. I am going to use percentages of what you might do for a 50 foot max. For example and using easy numbers, if I were training for a single length of 50 in a competition where the weight were 200 pounds, 50% would be 100 pounds. Each walk should be as fast as you are capable of doing, without sacrificing technique. If you don't have Farmers Walk Implements, then here is a link for a good way to build your own:


Walk/Warm-up 40% 1 Length
1 Lap 65%
1 Length 75%
1 Length 85%
1 Length 90%

Stone Ball Walk 75% of what would be in a single hand for the Farmers: 1 Length
Farmers Walk 1 Lap 60%

Seriously stretch
Back Squat 2 Sets of 10
Stretch (Remember, you have been training in the cold and you may not have been feeling things normally. I have seen guys stop a workout like this, walk inside and suddenly get a hamstring cramp. Avoid that.)

If you liked that, check out the link to my book:


Enjoy.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

Atomic Athletic
500 Lehman Ave, Suite 21
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Phone: 419-352-5100

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Lifting the Inver Stone

Actual Inver Stone. Image from: www.heavy-athletics.com
 One of the coolest sites we have seen in a while!

















Here is a random chance. I was weighing out honed granite Atomic Balls for a customer and we got one weighing exactly 265 pounds! That is the exact weight of the famed Inver Stone and it is sitting here, in stock and ready to ship...

Here is the link:

Atomic Athletic Inver Stone: 265 lb. Granite Ball
If you are unfamiliar with the Inver Stone, it is the first natural Scottish manhood stone discussed in Steve Jeck's “Of Stones and Strength”, on page 8. The most famous lifter of the actual Inver Stone is Bill Kazmeier, who found one story about the stone to be a little bit off. Apparently, a challenge was to lift and carry the stone across the street to the Inver Hotel pub and lay it on the bar. A free pint was to be the prize. Unfortunately, Bill found that his challenge was only half finished, as the bartender informed him that the prize would only be awarded after the stone was returned to it's starting position. Personally, I believe that Bill planned on returning it anyway. He did get his pint.

“Of Stones and Strength” is filled with tales about manhood stones. If you do not already own a copy, make sure to pick one up. We do have several in stock. More importantly, if you have ever considered attempting the Inver Stone, I would jump on getting this very smooth Honed Blue-Gray 265 Pound Atomic Ball. I don't have a certified digital scale to weigh it with, but our big freight scale has only a one pound variance, meaning plus or minus one pound potential, which is more accurate than the classic York Olympic Standard Plates.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

Atomic Athletic
500 Lehman Ave, Suite 21
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Phone: 419-352-5100

Friday, December 3, 2010

What Do You Think of Our New Ad?

Atomic Athletic has a new Ad that is starting!

We here at Atomic Athletic would love to have your input on our new MMA Strength Training Advertisment!


If you enjoy it be sure to like it on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/AtomicAthletic

Live Strong!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Rotating Thick Bar or Pipe

Here is a great question. Just last night I had a customer ask why he should get a rotating thick bar, instead of a piece of pipe. A thick piece of pipe that will actually fit your Olympic plates is great, because it is cheap. Of course, you have to watch dumping it, because it will bend. Some collars will also crush it, but if you don't have much money, go to the hardware store and get one. After you have your piece of pipe, start saving up for an actual bar.

Deadlifts with a Bull Moose Thick Bar

Ultimately, you will want to do clean grip high pulls and power cleans with your thick bar. Power cleans with a non-rotating bar are a totally different kind of lift. They can be fun and useful, but watch yourself. It is a completely different skill set that doesn't really transfer to your Olympic lifts. I have also seen a lot of sprained wrists from people who tried to do it using the same technique as a rotating thick bar. Additionally, you can't lift as much weight with the non-rotating bar. You are already lifting less weight, because the thick grip is harder to grab. So you need to decide on the goal behind your thick bar training.

If you don't already have some lighter bumper plates, pick up some 15 or 25 pounders. Of course, if you are going to step up to the next level, then you will be wanting to do snatch based exercises, like overhead squats, power snatches and snatch pulls. For that, you will really need that rotating bar. However, not everyone is up to that challenge.

Here is the best deal on a great quality Olympic rotating thick bar.

Atomic Athletic Bull Moose Rotating Thick Bars

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

Atomic Athletic
500 Lehman Ave, Suite 21
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Phone: 419-352-5100

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Fat Bar Workout

I use four different types of fat bars: a Bull Moose rotating Olympic 2 inch diameter bar, a non-rotating piece of 2 inch solid stock, a globe barbell with a 1 3/8 inch handle and dumbbells with my Limited Edition Brass Handles (set up with the rotating design). I realize that most of you don't have those options, but that is OK. The two I use most are the Bull Moose rotating bar and the rotating dumbbells, but I will keep this even simpler. This workout will utilize only the one barbell.


Warm-up: Stretching and light Indian Club Swinging

Standing Thick Bar Presses: 5 Sets of 5

Thick Bar Power Cleans: 10 Sets of 3

Back Squat (No need to use a thick bar on these, but squats are a necessity and you will need to give your grip a break.) 5 Sets of 3 - Go as heavy as you possibly can, even if you can only make it to a second rep and miss the third.

Thick Bar Hack Squats (This is going to fry your Forearms like you won't believe. Don't be surprised if you have to go fairly light.) 3 Sets of 10

Jog a mile. This is just to get your system flushed out and ready for your next workout. Stretch when you finish.

Your best results will be if you can do this workout early in the day or morning, sometime before you eat a large meal or stuff yourself with a massive amount of calories and protein and carbs. A workout like this is going to boost your natural testosterone output right through the roof and you will want the great natural building blocks of real food to take advantage of it.

You can get more great workouts like this, as part of a 20 week program in Traditional Training Legendary Strength:

Here is the link:





Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

Atomic Athletic
500 Lehman Ave, Suite 21
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Phone: 419-352-5100

Thursday, November 4, 2010

A Great Strongman Dinner

Last week's Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen (AOBS) Dinner was truly an awesome event. I don't use that term lightly. For those of you unfamiliar with this unique event, it is not just a dinner. It is also a time for “peers” to see current strongman acts!

Don't get hung up on the term “peers”. Slim “The Hammerman” Farman, even at 76 years old, has no one even close to being his equal. Age seems to be improving his show. Yes, his show was the grand finale and it would have been worth the trip by itself. By “peers”, I refer to the other members of the Association, some of whom have never performed a strongman act, or posed in a bodybuilding contest, or thrown a heavy weight. Yet, the vast majority would be considered experts in their own specialty of the strength world, as wide and varied as it is.

Wondering about what a classical strongman does? Check out this link:


That link is for the Double Special Edition DVD of our Atomic Athletic Great Black Swamp Olde Time Strongman Picnic of 2009. I mention this because I went to the AOBS Dinner for a number of great reasons this year. One of those reasons was to see the troop of strongmen that Slim has been mentoring. You got that right. Slim has put together his own, invitation only, strongman school. There are about half a dozen who performed at the dinner. My long time friend, Pat “The Human Vise” Povilaitis gave me the heads up on this one. I am sure you can see where this is going...

It is time to start sending me your performance/audition footage. There are a couple guys I am hoping to have at the next picnic, but this is the wide open time to get into the act. If you are wanting to perform at this year's picnic, give me a call and be ready to get me some sort of audition. In addition to classical performing strongmen, we have had martial artists, contortionists, jugglers, competitive strongmen and lifters, as well as a full side show tent complete with gaffs. I keep an open mind. Don't forget, we also have a vendor area, some of whom are the actual performers selling DVDs, supplements, etc.

Just a tip, I prefer UNEDITED DVDs. Of course, nothing beats a real live performance...

Give me a call if you are interested, or pass this message on to someone who may want to perform.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe
(419) 352-5100

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Strongman Origins for AOBS

Circus strongmen, bodybuilders, Olympic weightlifters, throwers or all sorts, boxers, professional wrestlers, these are all athletes who have been a part of the Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen. One of the founding members and most influential strongmen, was Vic Boff.


In addition to owning and operating one of the premier health food stores in New York City, Vic actually grew up in Red Lion, PA, where his father had owned a small department store chain. This is important because York, PA is practically right down the street!

Growing up with the Olympic weightlifting team training nearby and during the Great Depression, Vic came up with and learned a lot of training tricks that most people simply wouldn't consider today. Most of these were simple, yet highly effective.

Here is one that Vic taught me, the very first time we met. Start collecting quality solid dumbbells, like the York Solid Dumbbells. Instead of buying pairs, get different, somewhat lighter sizes, such as a 25 pounder and a 35 pounder. Because of the unique shape, you can stack them across the handles and now you have a 60 pound implement that will be fantastic for grip work, curls and a unique type of clean & overhead press. Vic was full of ideas like this. His book, Vic Boff's Bodybuilders Bible, is simply packed with them.

In honor of the AOBS Dinner this weekend, Atomic Athletic has a special on Vic's book right now. Don't miss it!

Here is the link:


Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

PS I hope to see many of our Atomic Athletic Bomb Proof Bulletin readers at the Dinner this coming weekend.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Olympic Weightlifter Honored

Three time Olympian Fred Lowe will be honored this weekend at the Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen Annual Reunion Dinner. For those of us who know Fred, this is not surprising, giving both his achievements and his long dedication to the sport of Olympic Style Weightlifting.

Congratulations Fred.

If you would like to see one of Fred's Mini-Clinics, check it out on our double DVD of the 2009 Atomic Athletic Great Black Swamp Olde Time Strongman Picnic. Fred is not just a coach, as he still competes, having recently won Best Lifter at the Masters World Championships in Poland.

If you are interested in learning more about the AOBS Organization, just click on the their highlighted link.


Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

PS I hope to see many of our Atomic Athletic Bomb Proof Bulletin readers at the Dinner this coming weekend.

Friday, October 8, 2010

British Army Rope Climbing







I just got a copy of the British Army Council's “Manual of Physical Training 1931”. Yeah, it is some dense heavy reading. The ending is quite clear. Follow this manual and you will be fit and strong. This is not a mystery.

To head off any questions right from the start, my copy is not for sale. However, if you keep paying attention to my bulletins and the BLOG, you will get some great chunks of knowledge.

The British military has always been fond of basic body weight exercises and the beauty of this book is not that they are telling me much that I haven't seen elsewhere, it is the way they do it. Instead of giving one photo or illustration and then a written description, this book has detailed sequential photos!



For example, Figure 58 “Climbing on a rope” has 19 detailed photos in the sequence showing everything from how to grasp the rope with the hands to wrapping the feet around the rope. The following sequence in the series shows one how to do the same thing without using the feet.


If a frightening grip, concrete core and powerful back are of interest to you, then you need to check out those links. If not, just ignore them.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

Friday, August 13, 2010

A Real Pain in the Knee

“Runner's Knee” is a big problem for anyone in a running sport, but especially for the track and cross country athletes. For those of you unfamiliar with the problem, I will boil it down to it's essentials, medical personnel can quit reading here as you will certainly cringe at the simplicity of my explanation. Basically, the knee cap floats around. Some sports, combined with individual body types, form an imbalance in the muscles, ligaments and tendons around the knee, which will move the knee cap slightly off track during some positions in the range of motion of knee bending. The result is pain. This is also the “Not Good” type of pain.

Many doctors will tell the athlete to quit doing the sport until it gets better. Reality shows that this is not the best solution. Sure it will ultimately solve the problem, but it takes a long time. We are also battling psychology here. If this athlete has that problem, it is likely due to being an over achiever that pushes him or herself too hard, thus the problem. That athlete won't sit on the sidelines. Instead that athlete will go back to the offending motion and “push through it”, causing far worse problems down the road. I have seen this happen again and again.

The best solution is to actively solve the knee problem. It will engage the athlete in a physical activity. It will also be an activity which fixes the problem long term and get that athlete back out on the field. Otherwise, the athlete will just go right back to the same old habits that started the issue in the first place.

One solution comes by way of that classic training tool, the Iron Boot, or as Bob Hoffman called them, “Health Shoes”. Basically, they are dumbbells for the feet. Here is a link:


Until recently, the only option was the Iron version, which has an empty weight of about 5 pounds, depending on the straps being used. We now also have Aluminum Boots, which are only 1 pound. That may seem like a waste of time, but if the Runner's Knee pain is too extreme, that may be the athletes limit for some exercises. Here is that link:


We will get into more on this later.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Cargo Net Special

Anyone up for some boring cardio work?

Maybe we can stare at a wall and run like hamsters on on treadmill?

On the other hand, let's head outside and put together our own obstacle course!

Cargo net climbing is fun. Fun means interesting, which means that you, your buddies and/or your clients will NOT be skipping their summer training sessions.


That link is for our Weekly Bomb Shelter Special, which is CARGO NETS. These are the last few of our military surplus, real rope, cargo nets. I wanted one of these for years, but simply could not find one. Then I landed on several pallets of them. They are used, but in great shape. This is exactly the type of thing that I talk about on page 67 “Sport v. Reality: The Mental Game” in Traditional Training Legendary Strength .

Get yours before they are gone. When they are gone, they are gone.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

PS. Remember you can always save on shipping if you pick it up at our warehouse/showroom!

Atomic Athletic Small Granite Ball Training

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Giant Killer Returns

The Farmers Walk Event at the Detroit Highland Games had more competitors than I have ever seen! We had 25 competitors this year, but a local Detroit Police officer beat them all.

Atomic Athletic is a regular sponsor of the Detroit Highland Games Farmer's Walk Event. The games typically get around 15,000 spectators, but I am sure there were a lot more this year. I have never seen it so packed. This is a big event, but that 200 Pounds per hand is a little daunting for most people, so we regularly get about 15 guys trying it out, but not this year.


Our giant killer was Jared Spybrook. While Jared is no small guy, he does typically compete in Strongman contests as a lightweight, meaning under 230 pounds. My guess is that there were at least half a dozen guys who were much heavier than him. That included professional and amateur highland and strongman athletes. The talent really turned out this year.

Many of you have been wondering where Jared has been during the last year. Well, if you see him, you can also congratulate him on the addition to his family. During the last year, the Spybrooks had twins. As anyone with kids knows, it can certainly have an impact on contest participation as well as training. While Jared said he is only getting in about two good training days a week, he looked great on the field. He was strong and extremely fast. Whatever he is doing, it is working.

The Detroit Highland Games take place at the Greenmead Historical Park in Livonia, MI. It is located between 7 Mile Road and 8 Mile Road, on the East side of I-275. If you want to put it on your calendar for next year, it is always the first Saturday of August, or August 6, 2011.

See you there.

Live strong,
Roger

PS. The kettlebell handles were a hot topic at our booth this year. I think there will be a lot of guys buying them in order to make their own farmer's walk handles. We have a great diagram of the Kettlebell Handle Farmers Handles at this link:


Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Aluminum Striker Boots

Our MMA customers have really been asking for an ultra light weight “Iron Boot”. Well, here it is:

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=IB2AL

We are calling this our Aluminum Striker Boot. Weighing in at only 1 pound 1 ounce, they are the perfect tool for high repetition kick work as well as those extreme position kick holds that would be simply impossible with a 5 pound Iron Boot.

All of your accessory parts that you may already have for the Iron Boots will work with our NEW Aluminum Boots.

They are being sold as Pairs and with the Ankle Stability Kit.

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=IBAK1

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

Monday, July 26, 2010

Hand Evolution

If you want to understand hand strength, then you need to look at the anatomy of the hand. This seems totally obvious to me, but I study strength training. Yet, a revelation happened as I drove to the coffee shop this morning.  

I routinely get questions about how to improve grip strength, as if grip training were as simple as putting different tires on your car. In fact, it is possibly the most complex question to be asked in strength training.

My revelation was thanks to an NPR Radio story on the evolution of our hands. Instead of merely looking at fossils, or other ape-like creatures, the premise of this concept was basically an economic one. These researchers are studying the skills that allowed the most successful humans to succeed, from a Darwinian perspective. The argument being that thousands of years of stone tool making helped the hand, wrist and forearm to evolve into what it is today. Therefore, they are studying the actions of modern “flint knappers”, as they make their stone tools, like knives, axes, and so on. As it turns out, archeological evidence of the complexity of various tools does correspond well with archeological skeletal evidence.

So you ask, “that is very interesting, Roger, but how will this knowledge get me stronger?”


As usual, the key is asking the right question. For his size, my Grandpa LaPointe has some of the strongest looking hands I have ever seen. He owned a small brick company and has laid tons and tons of bricks in his life. Conversely, Rolling Stone magazine had an outstanding photo of Keith Richards hands, from just a year or so ago. His hands looked like gnarled, old tree roots and incredibly strong, with powerful hand muscles I had never seen before. Neither of those men could do the other's job, merely from a hand strength perspective, let alone the skills required. At the same time, I am sure that few if any professional football players would be capable of the same.

General or specific strength, which one are we after?

Most sports require fairly general hand strength. As someone concentrating on Olympic lifting, or picking heavy weights up off the ground and putting them over my head, I would fall into that category. However, much like Keith, who needs to have fine motor control to bend those strings to the exact shape he wants, a baseball pitcher needs some unique and incredible specific hand strength as well.

Serendipity certainly struck. I was listening to the radio in my truck, which is a somewhat important detail, as my car radio is currently broken and that is what I typically drive around town. My mind is swirling with ideas and concepts. You never know where inspiration will come from. This radio story introduced more questions than it has answered, but I can guarantee that a program of traditional strength training is closer to the mark for hand strength than a fancy chrome weight machine which does not even require the use of the hands. Yes, they are out there.

Check out the link above and it will lead you to some awesome concepts.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Atomic Athletic Warehouse History

Sleds, Ropes & Ladders

Here is some practical lifting advice.

This is no kids game. This Atomic Athletic Bomb Proof Bulletin is about moving heavy weight. Most lifters think that the most important part of climbing a rope, a cargo net, or pulling a weighted sled is the workout you get. Well, if you have not securely attached that item, then you can forget about ever finishing that workout.

Eye splices are my personal favorite for attachment security. Particularly if you have any sort of a beam, you tuck the far end of your rope through the eye and unless there is a catastrophic failure of the implement itself, then you are secure.

Barring a situation where a rope with an eye splice will work, then you need to be looking at a carabiner or a clevis. Thanks to the world of rock climbing, there are hundreds of variations on the carabiner. The one piece of advice I will give on this subject is make sure it is steel and NOT aluminum for use in the fitness world. You can get really cheap small ones, which you have probably seen on the lat machines at commercial gyms. Generally, those are fine for that size stack and standard lat attachments. Once you get outside that realm, you might need something larger and/or stronger. Here is the one we sell:

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=C411

A clevis is another story. Generally, a clevis will be a lot safer alternative. They are safer because of the strength and the because instead of a carabiner “gate” there is a bolt that screws in. Unfortunately, sizes and shapes can be very limiting. Which is why I searched for and now carry this odd shaped Anchoring Clevis.

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=C999

You can get a basic clevis the hardware store, in a variety of sizes, but they are all the same basic shape. Essentially it has a bolt which closes off a “U” shape piece of round stock steel. These are all generally very strong and secure. The real drawback is that they do take time to screw down. If you are doing something like a harness lift and you are standing in a partial squat while tightening four of these, you will not have your best lift. I use a clevis or locking link on the bottom of the chain and the Equal D Shape Carabiner at the top, because they are so fast to hook in.

I hope this answers some of your questions.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

OUCH Groin Pull

Those are three words we never want to utter...

Here is an Atomic Tip for you, straight from the MMA guys. Work your inner and outer thigh muscles. These will help all of your leg strikes, including that Knee Strike that we talked about last week.

Sure, you can do that with those machines that the commercial gyms always seem to put in the women's section with pink pads, or you can use good old fashioned cast iron. While nothing is a 100% defense against a groin pull, the key here is a combination of stretching and strengthening in a balanced fashion.

In true traditional strongman fashion, if you can combine two or three things into one exercise, then do it. Do it intensely and save time and energy for other exercises or skills.

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=IBC

First: Make sure to do a light warm-up. Just because it is winter and you are training in an unheated garage, doesn't mean you can skip a warm-up that gets the blood flowing and heart pumping.

Second: Light stretching that includes really getting the legs, low back, groin and torso. However, you are not in a yoga class, so don't take a year to do this, because you are going to move right into the weightlifting exercise.

Third: Weightlifting exercises with the Iron Boots. Add these toward the end of your routine, after the heavy lifts, like squats or power cleans. I like to do the Inner Thigh moves first, because the more sets I do, the better the leg split range of motion I get. I don't use any weight, just an empty pair of Iron Boots, the link is above, if you don't know what they are. Basically, you lay on your back, aim your straight up at the ceiling and split. So I would do a 5 x 5 alternating sets with a 3 x 10 of the outer thigh movement that has you laying on your side and raising your straight leg. The inner thigh exercise is really done slowly, almost as if it is a stretch, with the weight helping out. It is certainly NOT explosive.

These are a great exercise to add into your Workout With A Backpack routine as well.

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=ROPEBP

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

PS Mr. America John Grimek did these moves too. So like most useful weightlifting exercises, we can once again say, “There is nothing new under the sun.”

Powerful Knee Strike Tips


Here is some advice from Angelo, from Las Vegas, NV. If you want to improve your knee strikes in full contact fighting, then these 2 tips are the beginning to the ultimate set-up.

Just to start it off, Angelo just bought his 4th set of Iron Boots!

Of course, he uses a variety of bags and pads for striking. However, he has his pure strength training as well, for which the Iron Boots are tops on his list. He has them semi-permanently put together for a variety uses.

Tip #1: Use the Heavy Duty Straps.

The Heavy Duty Straps can be tightened down harder and the cam type buckle is easier to adjust. The extra width of the strap feels better as well. Here is the link:

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=IBS4

Tip #2: Use the Allen Collars instead of a Wrenchless Screw Type Collar.

The Allen Collars hold better and take up less room on the bars. Depending on the brand of plates you are actually using the smaller size can allow you to put a little more weight on the bars, even the Short Bars. The Allen Collars also don't get caught on your clothing the way a wrenchless screw rod will.

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=COL04

I hope this helps answer some of your Iron Boot questions. Let Angelo's experiences work for you.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

Friday, January 22, 2010

History Disappearing


“Well, that's history.”

What a great comment. It is a comment we hear all the time. It is also a statement that has been banging around in the back of my head for the last eight months. I heard someone say it when we wrapped up at the end of last year's Atomic Athletic Great Black Swamp Olde Time Strongman Picnic.

Here is the truth.

It is only history for the people who were there. That is, unless someone makes a record of it for those who were NOT there.

Why is this a big deal?

Have you ever tried to find out what an old Vaudeville strongman did in his act?

I am not talking about a stage poster with a list of the feats of strength that guy may be famous for, but something equivalent to a theater script. Even newspaper reporters would not write down everything a strongman would do in his act, feat by feat, with time indications.

There is a good reason for this. It would be incredibly boring to read. Only someone who studies these things would be interested. We have something better today. It is called film or video. A good deal of video footage is now on the internet as well, but the internet is a double edged sword.

Did you know that you can practically document the cultural revolution of the 1960's ona minute by minute basis, but right now you can't find record of many of the speeches made in the last Presidential race? It's true. They went straight to a web site. Now many of those web sites are down? They are gone and some of the newspapers don't even exist today.

Think about it. The Vaudeville strongmen of the 1890's didn't have film footage. Movies hadn't been invented yet. They have an excuse.

My video library is a reference tool that I refer to again and again, just like my collection of books, photos and posters.

How about you?

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe