Summer 2020 Home Gym Quarterly

HOME GYM

QUARTERLY

SUMMER 2020

LIFT WITH

HOLLY AND ARRYN BRANDIS ATWOOD

GO PLAY OUTSIDE

RICKSHAW VS. THE MARKET

GET A GRIP 1

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HOME GYM

QUARTERLY

TABLE OF CONTENTS ON THE COVER

27 FEATURED

Brandis Atwood

Busy Dad Meal Prep David Clark, Sr

Double Peanut Butter Oatmeal Recipe - pg 34

By: Marisol Swords

Protein French Toast Recipe - pg 36

Rickshaw vs. The Market

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By: Joe Gray

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Air Fried Potatoes Recipe - pg 38 Editorial Advisory Board Roberta Greaves Naomi Greaves

Go Play Outside

Get a Grip

Graphic Editor/Director: Kellie Kilgore Graphics, LLC

By: Riccardo Magni

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By: Rob Brinkley Jr., NASM P.E.S., SFG 1

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EDITOR’S NOTE community, with deeper pockets than our rebellious little start up, entered our space and threatened to suck the oxygen we were breathing out of the room.

The blessing in that challenge was that it forced me to take a hard look at how we were presenting ourselves to the world. Our YouTube channel for example, was an afterthought for a long time until we began live streaming strength sports on it last year.

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine had an unexpected effect on our business. You might think that with the mad scramble to buy home gym equipment, business would be booming, but that’s not the case.

Our target audience has never been brand new home gym owners, or even people who are thinking about starting a home gym. Rather our primary audience is people who have been home gym owners long enough for the initial excitement to fade. It’s people who need the extra dose of motivation or the essential piece of information needed to make their home workouts successful.

What happened as a result of the home workout craze was a lot of voices from outside of our

With no sports to stream, we had to respond by creating a more solid foundation that’s going to result in viewers having quality content to watch in between events as well as creating something that harmonizes well with our magazine. It really opened up doors for contributors who aren’t necessarily writers as well as creating more ways for those who write for us to share their knowledge with our audience.

You’ll see some of that content embedded in the ads and articles in this very issue.

I’m proud of the way that we’ve responded to the crisis and it’s paying off as our YouTube channel is seeing growth far beyond anything we’ve experienced in the past. Watch the video below, “Who We Are” to get an idea of what to expect on from the Garage Gym Life Media YouTube channel and I invite you to subscribe so you don’t miss any of the content from our contributors.

My utmost for His highest,

John Greaves III Editor/Publisher

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CONTRIBUTOR BIOS ROB BRINKLEY

N.A.S.M PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT SPECIALIST TRX SUSPENSION TRAINING CERTIFIED Rob Brinkley began his fitness quest in a Mid-West basement circa 1993, starting with calisthenics; then moving to: bodybuilding, powerlifting and kettlebell training. Although Rob has done bodybuilding competitions, five half marathons, and a strict curl competition, he prefers to keep fitness simple. He spends most of his time with his boys (2 & 5 years old). Rob has been a personal trainer for 11 years, and helps busy people simplify their fitness in person in St. Louis, MO and at www.simplify.fitness with online personalized training

RICCARDO MAGNI Riccardo Magni is a hardcore garage gym athlete and strength coach with a competitive background in track and field, powerlifting, strongman and Highland Games. Riccardo currently competes in Armlifting. He is one of the co-hosts of The Grip Guys podcast as well as the Secretary General of Armlifting, a husband and father to three kids. You can follow him on YouTube at Riccardo Magni and Instagram @riccardomagni1.

MARISOL SWORDS Marisol Swords is a yogi, martial artist, recreational powerlifter and certified Macefit instructor. She’s owned a home gym on two continents and multiple states, from her roots in her father’s basement gym to a patio gym in Peru, a carport gym in southern Georgia and a garage gym in the Pacific Northwest.

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CONTRIBUTOR BIOS DERRICK CLARK, SR. NASM-CPT Derrick Clark, Sr. is a Philadelphia based personal trainer who trains primarily in his basement laundry room. Derrick is the co-founder of Clark Family Fitness with his wife, Tina, the host of the Ricky Rambles podcast as well as a contributor to the Clark Family Fitness YouTube Channel.

You can follow he and Tina on Instagram @clarkfamilyfitness

JOE GRAY Joe Gray is the founder of Gray Matter Lifting, a blog and YouTube channel where he reviews home gym equipment, posts DIY projects and his training diary. Joe is also a mod on r/HomeGym on Reddit, an online forum where home gym owners can post questions about equipment, see home gym builds and read monthly AMAs which feature professionals from industries that serve the home gym community.

Follow him on Instagram @gray_matter_lifting and subscribe to him on YouTube at Joe Gray.

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S H O P N O W:

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Brandis Atwood Unpacks Her Pole Fitness Obsession

by Marisol Swords 9

Brandis Atwood discovered pole fitness while browsing Pinterest, and what she calls her obsession with the craft has only grown over time. Marisol Swords caught up with Brandis to find out more about this awesome wife and mother who’s embracing the adventure of pole fitness, and aerial rings with the occasional Warrior Dash thrown in the mix!

MS: Brandis, I have been aware of pole fitness practices from Chinese Martial Arts to the modern entertainment industry for a while now. It is a well-respected fitness practice across many global communities. Have you researched the history of pole fitness along your own journey?

BA: Oh yes, most definitely! For me personally, it was, and still is an obsession. I spent a lot of time learning about the craft, and how far it has come to be as mainstream as we see it today. It has most definitely given me a deep appreciation and respect for the art of pole. I love the diversity, but I have seen, first hand, people try to discredit the exotic side because of the stigma attached. Many of the trendy moves we see on social media were made famous by people who began their journey by working in the clubs.

MS: Did you have a sports, dance or gymnastics background before you started pole fitness?

BA: Yes, but when I started pole fitness, it had been at least twelve or thirteen years since I had done any of that. I had taken ballet, tap, jazz and gymnastics at various points in my youth.

MS: Do you think having that dance and gymnastics background helps you with your training now?

BA: I had muscle memory and I think that helps with learning certain tricks. I know how to fall safely and know my body’s limits. I really credit my youth training in those regards. With that said, I was not very active in my twenties. I worked a sedentary desk job, didn’t work out and ate terribly. I lost all 10

my flexibility and strength during this time, so it basically felt like starting from scratch. Slowly, with dedication, everything began falling in place. My body was like, “Oh! Okay, I know what you want me to do now!” Its like waking up something inside of you that you may have forgotten was there.

MS: What influenced you to practice your pole fitness at home?

BA: Mainly, the initial attraction was convenience.

With a pole at home, I could effectively workout without having to worry about a babysitter for my girls. I was also pretty unhealthy and insecure with my body at the time. My second child had been born only a few months prior, so I was intimidated by the gym. I had no idea at that point that I would be breaking through those layers and becoming a new confident person! I’m grateful my family has been so supportive of letting me put the metal pole in the middle of our living room! Ha ha!

MS: Most people are unfamiliar with pole fitness outside of the entertainment industry and therefore attempt to cast judgments on pole; how do you deal with ignorance thrown at you on social media or anywhere else regarding your pole practice?

BA: I would be lying if I said it didn’t bother me. I have been called names on Instagram and told I am a bad mother because of my preferred choice of fitness. You do, over time, grow a thicker skin and block them. Just move on.

MS: As women, taking control of our fitness is an empowering and rewarding path, particularly when pursued at home; how do you incorporate your home pole fitness practice into raising empowered children educated on the home gym life?

BA: It’s hard to find that balance. I have to make sure that I am teaching self-love and confidence as well as self-discipline. I show them that it’s okay to be non-conventional. They see the hard work I put in every week, and the result of me being more and more active with them as a parent, and that’s pretty rewarding for everyone in the household. If they grow up to be confident, self-loving adults, then I will have succeeded.

MS: Brandis, I also saw you on the aerial hoop. I am terrified of heights, so to me, that’s incredibly impressive; have you found another practice to add to your home collection?

BA: Most definitely. I too am afraid of heights, so it’s very odd that aerial apparatus give me such a satisfying rush. Its cathartic in a way I suppose. Hoop is a difficult apparatus, but it is something I am going to actively pursue alongside pole.

MS: Pole practitioners have an impressive level of upper body strength; did you develop yours strictly from pole work, or do you include other exercises in your training regimen?

BA: Almost all of it is from pole. I will do planks and stuff like that but lifting my body weight repeatedly has given me some really cool upper body strength.

MS: What are some surprising things you’ve discovered you can do now in your everyday life after training in pole consistently?

BA: I have turned into a big kid! If I am in the kitchen cooking or cleaning, sometimes I will just lift my leg to see how high I can make it go. I will do cartwheels with my girls. Playing on playgrounds is extra fun. Also, just doing simple household things just feel like less work.

MS: So how do you structure a training session?

Is it by skills, move, choreographed routine or is it according to body parts that need training?

BA: Well, my end result changes every week whether its learning a new skill or combo or participating in a challenge. I work on my flexibility usually right before I do any pole which is around 3 to 5 days a week. If I know I’m going to be working on splits, I may spend more time prepping that part of the body to avoid injury. (The exception would be training my back and shoulder flexibility which I save for after training since then my back is usually nice and warm.) I will then usually do some work on pole conditioning, which warms the pole and makes it safer to attempt new moves, since the pole is then able to have more stick and friction on the skin. Once I’m done with that, I move on training whatever goal I may be working on that day.

MS: When people look at what you have on, it probably raises eyebrows but it’s not that different honestly from what female CrossFitters wear to train.

Still, you said that you aren’t comfortable wearing it when your daughter’s friends come over. Is that just to avoid potential problems with other parents?

BA: Yes exactly! You never know how someone is going to interpret and react to something. I just am very careful even though I am sure they see way more at the swimming pool.

MS: In one video, you mentioned that another of your daughters was waiting for her turn on the pole.

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How much does she train on the pole with you?

BA: Yes, that was my littlest. She was three at the time and enrolled in the gymnastics center not far from us. When we are home, she thinks the pole is her personal playground and will spin and climb on it every day for hours sometimes. She doesn’t quit, has endless stamina and incredible grip strength. It will be cool to watch her accomplishments.

MS: When you began practicing, what were the safety precautions you took to ensure you didn’t injure yourself if you fell?

BA: I have fallen when I thought I was ready for a move but wasn’t. Those falls can set a person back further than where they were. So, don’t get cocky; and know your limits. I began practicing things over and over until I felt safe to move past that point. If you build off the initial fundamentals of pole, then those moves become your safety net. Soon, if you are advanced and you feel yourself falling out of a pose, then your body will have the muscle memory to fall into a fundamental move like a leg hang.

Fundamentals + muscle memory = safety net.

MS: Obviously, there’s always the danger of falling, but I never realized how easy it is to hurt yourself in other ways, until I saw your post about hitting your toes on the ceiling during a flying spin move. What are some of the weirdest ways you’ve injured yourself doing pole fitness?

BA: Well, I have bumped my head. There have been times when I lost grip and fell. Those are sometimes kind of funny to watch on replay. Usually, I end up just lying on the floor for a bit thinking about what just happened. I have hurt myself pretty bad a few times. For the most part nothing chronic, luckily. I haven’t had anything like that happen in a very long time. Pole fitness is essentially gymnastics.

MS: Where did you go to get your beginner lessons?

I started on Studio Veena. That website taught me everything from the muscles you are using to points 12

of contact on the pole. There are discussion boards that you can refer to for any questions. I loved the tutorials and break downs she made available for her users. I also ventured to other online pole studios like Cleo’s Rock N Pole and 123poling.

MS: What is the best methodology you’ve found to learn the most complicated pole moves you know?

BA: Oh my gosh! Ha,ha! Well, I’m not sure that is something I have mastered. I usually will break down as much as I can, and just try over and over and over, sometimes for weeks or months or years in some cases.

MS: You do a fair amount of challenges on Instagram. Is that just a way to keep yourself on track with training, to keep your training from becoming stale, or because you can’t back down from a challenge?

BA: I don’t have one clear answer for this as my views revolving around many pole related challenges have changed quite a bit over the past year. For instance, in my early days of learning pole fitness, it encouraged me to be active, set goals and learn how to be consistent in training. My training consisted of a warm-up, stretching, then practicing the goal of the day over repeatedly until I was satisfied. Pole is a complete full body workout and the process for me was a big deal, as I wasn’t the most active at the time.

It was like a fast track to learning the terminology, tricks, dances, transitions and fun combos. Mainly, this past year however, I realized that some challenges weren’t so great on my body. Many encouraged daily participation, which obviously is not necessarily good as the body needs rest days. I would let ego take over and try things that actually ended up causing minor injuries. In hindsight, the setbacks were just not worth it. When I decide to participate in one again, there are certain criteria I like to look for before making that decision. I know my body better and wish I had been more conscious of that sooner.

With that, said I don’t necessarily want to discourage people from trying them as everyone’s different and

they truly can be fun. Just train smart. Know when to modify.

MS: What’s been your favorite challenge so far?

BA: There was one by Twisted Polerina that I loved.

Each week featured an Exotic, Strength and Ballerina style move or combo. From there, each posting had variations. I thought it was fun and one of my alltime favorites.

MS: Do you ever like a challenge so much that you permanently incorporate it into your normal training routine?

BA: Yes! I did a challenge that was by Jamilla Deville who does CrossFit and pole. It was a strengthbased challenge and I have been using those specific workouts weekly ever since. For reference, I believe the hashtag was #jamillastrength. I highly recommend checking it out.

MS: What muscle groups do you have to train specifically as a beginner vs what you have to train now to get better?

BA: There are not any prerequisites to start training for pole. I personally have never focused on one

specific muscle group when it comes to my training.

I focused more on moves tailored to beginner, intermediate or advanced. A beginner will learn holds, spins, walks, pirouettes to name a few. These are the layers of brick in the foundation. You’ll notice grip strength improving, which will help you stay on the pole longer. Pole holds will strengthen your forearms and shoulders. Certain moves will force you to engage the lower abdominal and hip flexors.

I usually have students go through a series of these, so by the end of class they will have had a full body workout. When a person is able to complete those level moves successfully and safely, then they are able to start advancing into more difficult things like mounts, sits, climbs and inversions. First inversions are usually a milestone of celebration. A person will learn when to engage muscles to keep them secure on the points of contact, all while holding their body upside down. That is no easy feat! Now, when I train, I like to start with conditioning the foundational moves. I will do a series pole holds, climbs, mounts and also, recently, endurance training to determine how long I can stay up the pole before needing to come down and rest. I will then try to play around with combos and then do walks for an easy cool down.

MS: What would you say is the balance between strength and flexibility that’s required for pole work?

BA: I feel like there’s this belief that if you are strong that you can’t be flexible, or vice versa. That is not true. You can see this in athletes like gymnasts and circus performers. In fact, I think the two go hand in hand. This year, I enrolled in a program that is focused heavily on active flexibility. Active flexibility relies on strength of the muscle fibers to achieve a desired stretch. I have a more stable and strong range of motion as a result of the active flexibility training. Prior to this year, my main focus was passive stretches, which are done by relaxing into stretches while using external forces like gravity or straps. That alone didn’t help me achieve my goals.

So, this shift in direction has definitely helped.

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MS: When you don’t want to do pole, like when your daughter’s friends are over, what are your go to fitness alternatives? Do you do yoga?

BA: I do yoga usually alongside my pole routine.

There are various other activities I do outside of pole. For example, I have a Swiss ball that I will mess around on from time to time. About a year ago, I bought a booty band and have been trying to stay consistent with that. Also, its summer, so I like to get out with the kids. Taking walks and going to the park are fun active things to do as a family.

BA: After getting this question, we had to go test the dragon flag out.

MS: My work is done. And the winner is?

BA: My husband is a beast and came out the clear winner!

MS: Another non pole specific challenge you did was the Warrior Dash; is that a regular occurrence or just for fun that one time?

MS: You and your husband did some cool shapes out in the yard. You said he’s more into lifting but have you found that this is a way that you two can train together and blend the fitness activities you each enjoy?

BA: Oh my gosh! Yes, that was so much fun! That year was my first time running the Warrior Dash.

I’m not a runner so it was difficult for me in places during the course. Despite that, I feel like I am at a good place in my fitness journey that I am challenging myself to new exciting experiences. I will be returning to do it again.

BA: That was so much fun! The fact that we can do things like that together and laugh is just the best feeling. There’s a trust I have in his strength, even though acro isn’t our area of expertise, that he won’t drop me on my head. Our kids see mom and dad out in the backyard trying new things, laughing and being silly. I feel like that’s a great thing for us as a family.

MS: How are you planning to adjust your training to help you get ready for your next Warrior Dash?

You can follow Brandis @brandis_marie_ on Instagram.

BA: I think maybe I will just try increasing how long I can do combos on pole. It’s a great way to build stamina. I also think I will try jogging with my husband in the months leading up to that.

MS: Your husband did the Warrior Dash with you and you are both smiling so he obviously keeps himself in good enough shape to handle obstacle course racing. What does he do to stay in shape?

BA: Yes, he has been going to the gym since we began dating. I’d say he is pretty dedicated and makes it there five days out of the week. I’m not sure of the specific workouts he does while in the gym. I do know that when he is home, he lifts weights in our basement, does cardio, stretches, and runs.

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MS: Okay, time to cause trouble then! Who can hold a dragon flag longer? You or him?

We Asked, She Answered

Brandis Atwood’s Tips on Getting Started in Pole Fitness Do you need special equipment to practice pole sport?

parts inside, and have no coating to prevent good grip on top of the dome.

Aside from my X Pole brand pole, I use pole grips aids to help on slippery days. There are various grip aids one could choose depending on how you sweat and your grip strength. Also, as far as attire goes, you need skin contact or you’re going to slide right off the pole when attempting tricks. I usually wear small pole shorts over underwear and a small top or sports bra. That gives me contact on my legs, torso and arms.

• Make sure you install your pole properly, so that no injuries or damage occurs. Make sure if you are using a tension pole like I do, that you frequently check to make sure there is no slippage. If you have joints, then make sure that you check to make sure those have not come loose.

When you were setting up the pole in your house, what were the most important things you needed to consider?

Space is vital; you don’t want to kick anything so make sure you have an area big enough for spins.

Also, make sure your home structure can support the pole. I have a pressure mount pole that can be raised or lowered. I used a stud finder to locate the beams in the ceiling and put my pole directly under that beam.

Are there any other things to watch out for?

• Make sure you are buying a reputable pole brand. I use X Pole, but there are other great brands out there too. My pole has a silicone coating on the top that helps grip the surface area of the ceiling. I’ve seen cheaper knock off brands that use plastic, breakable

• Clean and warm the pole. If the pole is cold it could make proper grip difficult, which can result in fall and injury.

• When learning new moves, put down a crash mat in case of a fall. If you don’t have a crash mat, then using couch cushions is also a great option.

How much space do you need to set up a pole training area in the house?

X Pole explains it like this: “Get a chair, and, walking in a circle with your arms stretched out, make sure you move anything out of the way that your arms or legs are able to reach”. That’s easier for me to comprehend than reading exact measurements. Additionally, everyone’s reach is going to vary.

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Rickshaw vs. The Market

by Joe Gray

When I originally purchased my Rickshaw back in June of 2017, I had a few objectives. To be able to replace a trap bar, a set of farmers bars, and do deadlifts as well as weighted carries with one bar. The weighted carries needed to be able to function well out of my garage, in my garage, on my driveway, on my sidewalk, with cars parked near bye or not, etc.

If you don’t know what it is… the Rickshaw is essentially a trap bar on raised feet. This allows you to load 45lb plates without any adjusting necessary. It is often used for weighted carries and deadlifts, but I’ve used mine for dips, rows, and a bunch of other random stuff too.

Whether it was me, my wife, or friends using it, it was easy to move, to use, to load up, to carry, to lift, to put away. Never an issue with uneven pavement, or problems with varying strength lifters.

If you have watched my Instagram or YouTube or

read or watched my reviews on the Rickshaw, you probably know I love this thing. It has been the most consistently used specialty bar in my gym since we bought it.

So, you are now asking, well then what am I reading this article for?

Great question! When I bought the rickshaw, the options on the market didn’t look like the options today. You now have the trap bars from Kabuki, Eleiko, Intek, and more that have kickstands. The kickstand makes the bar SUPER easy to load up. So, the question is… in today’s market, if I was looking for a new trap bar type bar for carries and deadlifts, what would I buy?

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The Kickstand In 2019 the market exploded with a bunch of highend trap bar offerings. The days of left-over pipe and sloppy welds to make a hex shape were over. We now had premium trap bars made to hold 1000lbs+, that looked as good as they performed. They also addressed the number one issue with a trap bar… loading. The bar is often touted as a back friendly alternative for deadlifts, yet loading was a pain in the… back! Typical bar jacks didn’t work well, so you had options like deadlift wedges, or just hiking up a plate. The kickstand solution is pretty brilliant.

You simply roll the bar forward, it is now up off the ground enough to load a 45lb plate (or bumpers), and then roll it back. No jacks, no wedges, no back ache.

This piece added nothing to the structure or frame of the unit, meaning you didn’t even have some janky piece hanging off the side.

So, the question is… what is better, the feet of the rickshaw, or the kickstand of a trap bar? I’ll address this based on exercise selection.

Deadlifts The most common use for a trap bar is deadlifts.

As much as I love my rickshaw, I think the trap bar wins here. The downside of the rickshaw’s feet are that you are lifting off of, and placing back down on, the feet, with every rep. The chances that you hit just a few millimeters forward or back or side to

side is pretty common, and it means the bar is now slightly to grossly out of position for the next rep.

Doing a 20-rep set? Get ready for that bar to end up everywhere. The trap bar, since you are deadlifting off the round plates, doesn’t have this issue. The other benefit to the trap bar is that since the kickstand gets out of the way, the bar sits lower to the ground for deadlifts. Thus, you are a little closer to the range of motion of a traditional deadlift, in case you still care about your powerlifting total. The Rickshaw with its static feet means the handles are high up all the time, so your pulls are a little more like rack pulls than from the floor pulls. You can stand on blocks, but you now just added a set-up piece to overcome an issue with design. The trap bars also tend to have longer loadable sleeves, which mean more weight can be lifted. For deadlifts, this is a big consideration as plates can start to take up the rickshaws sleeves at around 500lbs. For deadlifts, the new trap bars with a kickstand win.

Weighted Carries For me, weighted carries are meant to be done outside. In the winter I will do them inside as needed, but outside in the open air where your neighbors can watch you be “that guy” is where they are intended to be done. The rickshaw with its static feet make loading plates on sidewalk, on grass, on turf, on driveways, on rock, on literally any surface, simple. If you happen to lose your grip and drop the rickshaw, it falls on the feet and your plates are good to go.

With a trap bar, you still need a level and clean surface for the kickstand to work. Not very user friendly for outdoor use. And if you lose your grip, your plates are going to take a beating from the outside concrete.

Add to this that the feet make switching between athletes, or just ramping up weights, just slightly easier than a kickstand, and dramatically easier on different surfaces, and the rickshaw is the hands down winner for weighted carries. The handles being higher is actually a plus here for the Rickshaw, as it means you should in theory be able to pick up more

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weight, and be less restricted by your pick weight, than your carry weight.

Remember that loadable sleeve length issues for deadlifts? This is a GOOD thing for using it outside as you don’t hit parked cars, trees, kids, etc. The amount of times I had to stop my weighted carry sets because someone parked next to my sidewalk….

GRRRR! For weighted carries, the rickshaw wins.

Other Exercises and Considerations Both bars have the option for rows, both bars could be loaded up and used for L-Sits, shrugs, Dips, and more. The rickshaw certainly makes some of these easier, because the feet are permanent, meaning no need to load a few plates to get it up off the ground.

Storage for a trap bar is MUCH easier than the Rickshaw. The rickshaws permanent feet make it a little annoying to store. I shove mine under my GHD, but a traditional trap bar would go against a wall or in a vertical bar holder pretty easily.

Knurling and handles are another consideration.

The Rickshaw has no knurling and the handles are high and in place. Most of the nicer trap bars have good knurling, and some even have different handle options. The Prime Fitness trap bar for instance has the ability to hot-swap handles, the Kabuki has the ability to adjust the width for smaller and bigger athletes. While knurling is obviously handled by using

straps, nice knurling is a plus for a lot of reasons.

And the ability to change out handles and mix things up is just killer! Prime nailed that one. The Rickshaw has some handle issues where the plates sit versus the handle, and trying to get a really solid and tight strap hold. So again, knurling would be nice here.

The last piece is really around aesthetics. The Rickshaw is powder coated black and simple. The nicer trap bars are custom done, with chromed sleeves and finished end caps. They really are superior items when it comes to aesthetics.

Between the two the high-end trap bars win in this “extras” category, but they aren’t likely deal breakers for most people in any regards.

So, which one?

In an ideal world, I’d love to see someone make a kickstand trap bar with removable/adjustable feet and solid knurling, maybe with the ability to add new handles (fat, angled, cannonball, etc.). Some pop-pins or something to add in and remove the feet, and you now have the ultimate unit. Easy to store, easy to load, good for deadlifts, good for carries, good for all the other exercises you can think of.

Since I haven’t seen that yet, I’m currently sticking with my Rickshaw. If I was buying today for my personal gym, I’d take the rickshaw again and again.

My wife and I both do weighted carries every week, and we do them off the driveway and sidewalk, so 19

the feet are crucial. I can live with the slightly less ideal deadlift set up, for the headaches it removes from weighted carries.

MB Power Center Dead Sled: https://www. mbpowercenter.com/product-category/equipment/ deadsled/

So, the moral of the story is‌ if you are only looking for a deadlift alternative, grab a nice new trap bar with a kickstand. If you want weighted carry options, grab a rickshaw‌ and if you make equipment, could you make me a kickstand trap bar with removable feet and handles?

Prime Fitness Trap Bar: https://primefitnessusa. com/product/prime-trap-bar/

If you are in the market for a bar, here is a list of some of the options out there: Edge Fitness Systems Rickshaw: https:// edgefitnesssystems.com/products/rickshaw EliteFTS Rickshaw: https://www.elitefts.com/ rickshaw.html

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Kabuki Trap Bar: https://store.kabukistrength.net/ collections/frontpage/products/the-trap-bar Eleiko Trap Bar: https://www.eleiko.com/en/p/ eleiko-oppen-deadlift-bar/1997#gs.sad1k7 Intek Trap Bar: https://www.intekstrength.com/ Modular-Weight-Lifting-Bar.html

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Summer Project: Let’s close some grippers

By Riccardo Magni

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If you’re looking for a summer strength project but you don’t have equipment due to the quarantine?

What can you do to actually get functional strength that you can use on a daily basis? Well, closing grippers might turn into your latest strength obsession.

A gripper is an age-old device that involves a spring with handles that you close with your hand.

The proper name for it is a torsion spring gripper.

These have been around for about a hundred years; besides his dumbbell, Thomas Inch had a few grippers that he would challenge people in his audience (1930’s) to close. Today in the fitness market, there are a few companies that make very high quality grippers that you can close and some of them even have certification systems by which you can compare yourself to other athletes. This can be a rewarding process because the grippers are very similar to each other and you can see how you compare to the top dogs. I want to introduce you to the different kinds of challenges that are out there right now in 2020 and also introduce training ideas on how you can start smashing grippers.

The main companies that offer grippers for

sale are GHP (Gillingham High Performance and IronMind. IronMind is the gold standard for grippers; their line of grippers is called the Captains of Crush and getting certified on those grippers is a very tricky and daunting process. Those grippers have been on the market since 1990. GHP has been making grippers since 2011. A new player on the market is Juji Mufu, the internet fitness celebrity who has a new company called Grip Genie. Those grippers were released in 2020. I will also review other makers of grippers that you may encounter including Heavy Grips, Robert Baraban from Austria, and Warren Tetting (who, unfortunately, has recently passed away and made some really excellent grippers).

Each of the companies has a slight variation and how they produce the grippers and different features of each of the grippers which make their products unique.

The IronMind gripper is the gold standard; all other grippers are compared to them. They have been around since 1990 and they are a very proven company with a history of some of the strongest people in the world closing the grippers. They make 11 different grippers with strengths ranging from one

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that high school girls can close the first time they see it to grippers that are SO strong that only a very, very few highly trained athletes can close.

The GHP grippers have a very sharp knurling and they also have a different knurling for the finger side of the grippers versus for the palm side of the grippers. It makes using them very interesting because they certainly can dig into your hand. GHP has 10 grippers and their series is very similar to the strength of the IronMind grippers. There are some differences, but you can’t go wrong with either one.

Grip Genie and Heavy Grips each have 6 levels with their grippers. I train in my garage and have a wall where all of the grippers are hanging up. The first thing my teenagers (who also train in the garage) asked was “Hey Dad, when did you get the cool new grippers?” They were, of course, referring to the Grip Genie grippers. There is something really cool about their colorful handles. They are certainly eye catching, that’s for sure. One difference to note is that the IronMind and GHP grippers have a 19mm handle. Grip Genie grippers have an 18mm handle.

That means they have a slightly increased range of motion. This could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what you are training for.

Warren Tetting has the number of varieties of grippers that he has made throughout the years. They are the grandfather of all grippers because Warren himself started making the grippers for IronMind in 1990. The grippers have undergone a series of modifications but they were made by hand with a pin to hold the spring in place. I have only used a “handful” of these grippers as they are no longer in production and hard to find. They are really nice to use because they are a nice balance of knurling on the handles and not an ultra-wide spread of the handle.

The easiest place to investigate a repository of gripper products is the website called Cannonpowerworks.com; on that website, you will be able to find all of the grippers that I mentioned above along with top class service from the owner, Matt Cannon. Emailing him will certainly provide a high level of service if you can’t find out exactly what you’re looking for.

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If you can find someone who has grippers near you, then you can try them out first in order to gauge what strength you need to buy. If not, then you may need to just bite the bullet and order several at once.

Which ones you buy are personal preference.

IronMind has the certification using a credit card for their #3, #3.5, and #4 grippers. GHP has a certification with their #7, #8, and #9 grippers; you will need to use their 1.5” (38mm) block in order to certify on their grippers. I certified on the GHP 7 gripper on May 23, 2020. There is also another type of certification using Tetting grippers called the MashMonster certification. The interesting thing about this one is that everyone certifies on the exact same gripper. Those grippers have been mailed around the world many times. These certifications are certainly no joke and anyone who can complete one of these has certainly demonstrated a serious level of grip strength. I certified on the MM1 gripper on May 30, 2020.

How do you train for these grippers, you might be asking? There are certainly a variety of ways to get stronger at them. Part of the training strategy depends on how many different grippers you have to work with. A word of caution: you will need to warm up well. I do not advise you to try maximum gripper closes without warming up. I like to do full range closes with very easy grippers to start. I usually do sets of 3 to warm up. Before every workout, I have a goal in mind. Maybe the goal is to break a PR for reps with a gripper. Maybe the goal is to work on your technique. Maybe the goal is to close a gripper that you haven’t closed before. I must say that it is quite a good feeling when you close a gripper that you have failed previously. I recommend that you go on Instagram or YouTube and watch some of the top gripper guys in action. Carl Myerscough, David Shamey, and Nathan Holle all are at the top of the gripper pyramid right now. What they are doing becomes more impressive when you find out that you can’t close their warmup grippers!! But we all have our own journey and the cool thing about closing grippers is that there is no way to fake a close. The handles are either touching or they aren’t. Pretty straightforward. A possible template for an 8 week

cycle that has two gripper days per week might look like this: DAY 1

DAY 2

WEEK 1

12 rep max

3 triples w/GHP Block

WEEK 2

10 rep max

2 triples w/GHP Block

WEEK 3

8 rep max

1 triple w/GHP Block

WEEK 4

6 rep max

6 singles w/GHP Block

WEEK 5

5 rep max

5 singles w/GHP Block

WEEK 6

4 rep max

4 singles w/GHP Block

WEEK 7

3 rep max

3 singles w/GHP Block

WEEK 8

REST

MAX OUT!

Goals: I think that any type of a parallel close with a IronMind #3 or GHP7 is really, really good.

Certifying on those grippers certainly steps the level

of difficulty up a notch! Since 2018, only 12 people have certified on the IronMind #3 and only 11 have certified on the GHP 7. For the elite grippers out there, only 4 people have certified on the IronMind #3.5 and only 3 people have certified on the GHP 8 since 2018. And what about the highest levels: the IronMind #4 and GHP 9? Since 2018, a total of 0 and 4 people have gotten these closed under official conditions.

In conclusion, why train to close grippers? It is fun!! It is measurable. It is portable. You can close them anywhere; on vacation, on your lunch break, or in your garage like me. And you certainly know when you are improving. The good thing is that if the grippers that you have are too easy, you can always buy harder ones. I hope that you give it a try and you might start on a gripper journey like I have.

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Channel

Laura Kummerle is a former American Ninja Warrior contestant, who uses her gymnastics and her training as a physical therapist to go beyond the typical workout videos you see on social media.

Go beyond the Instagram posts and listen in as Laura talks about her training, how she and her dad built that awesome squat rack/salmon ladder combo plus how her early training in gymnastics has shaped her life and what it was like to compete on Season 11 of American Ninja Warrior!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW 26

Lifting with Holly and Arryn

by John Greaves III 27

Movement coaches, Holly Myers and Arryn Grogan are two awesome people who are dedicated to creating a kinder fitness industry with play, awareness and courage. They joined me recently to talk about how they are coaching coaches worldwide to achieve their kettlebell & barbell goals in the spirit of good strong fun!

Get to know them below or you can click here to watch the unedited video of this interview.

JGIII: We both seem to have recently encountered David Weck. How did you guys discover the Weck Method, the Dragon Roll, the Royal Coil and whatnot?

Arryn: I think that I came across one of his coaches, Chris Chamberlain, on Instagram and I was like, “Wow. This dude, he does some really interesting things and just like really cool things! We should look into it more.”

Holly: Yeah, we took a lesson with him in San Diego in January and learned just kind of the basics of the ropes and what else did we do?

Arryn: The pulsers, a little bit of the RMT club, but mostly what we have been practicing since we learned from him is RMT ropes.

JGIII: Arryn, you are a Jeet Kune Do black belt through Dan Inosanto, and I trained under Chet Blalock, who came through Joe Lewis and Richard Bustillo. What are some of your other influences?

Arryn: I’ve trained in Jeet Kune Do, primarily.

But I’ve also trained pretty extensively in Filipino martial arts, or Kali. And I think that a lot of my appreciation for the RMT ropes and also recently Indian clubs is because of my nearly 10 years in Kali training, and so much of it just feels so similar and feels good to do. So, it’s cool to have the martial arts application background and then to train other styles that aren’t necessarily martial arts. It’s just cool how it blends like that.

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JGIII: Holly, you’re an Iron Maiden for people who don’t know how big a deal that is, give me some insight into the kind of weights you’re handling to achieve that.

Holly: In February 2018, I completed a strict overhead press, a pistol squat, & a strict pull-up all with 24kilos (40% of my bodyweight) within minutes of each other at a kettlebell certification I was assisting at. It was the culmination of over a year of training specifically to complete the challenge. The first time I attempted it, I actually failed the pull-up because I didn’t pause long enough in a dead hang before pulling, even though I had a good pull. At that time, the 24kg was closer to a real 1RM, so my second attempt (though I got my chin over the bar) wasn’t high enough. This taught me so much about the value of failure, and I continued training for months so that I could try again. Nailed it the second time! As far as I know, less than 50 women in the world have completed the Iron Maiden.

JGIII: How do the two of you reconcile the differing influences in your backgrounds that seem to conflict from the Weck Method, to StrongFirst to Stuart McGill’s approach?

Arryn: I like to take things, try them on for myself, and in my coaching shoes with my students as well, but to see how these different principals actually apply. Years ago, when I was training very heavily in Jeet Kune Do, my training partner and I would try a technique— always, open to absorb it just to see how we liked it, and if it worked well for us. If it wasn’t like our favorite thing, or just maybe it didn’t work very well with our body or like, our speed. We would be like, “No, that’s not my JKD but maybe that’s yours,” so, the very similar approach is how I take strength training, or, just learning other movements in general. Like, I don’t think that it’s always black or white for everybody. If something maybe does work for me, it might not for you, and I think that’s okay.

Holly: I think the first thing that pops to my head is aiming to make my movement look beautiful,

or, bring a sort of artistic quality to it. Keeping an open mind, and also looking at the balance, and the harmony between the whole of our movement practice. Like, if everything’s so rigid and just everything’s sagittal plane, all that stuff, where is the balance of the other stuff too?

JGIII: You recently made the decision to step away from Strong First to a certain extent. Holly, while you’re a person of color, after talking to you both and seeing what you’ve posted in the aftermath of the recent murder of George Floyd and Ahmad Arbery, I’m confident that this decision was a mutual one. Can you guys unpack some of the reasons behind your decision to step away?

Arryn: While attending & assisting certification weekends, both of us have experienced (some) high-ranking instructors saying blatantly sexist, transphobic, and generally unkind things.

Institutionally, there is a stark lack of diversity at the highest levels; for example, out of 15 “Master” Instructors (highest rank possible), 11 are white men, 2 are men of color, & there are 2 women (1 is white, & 1 is a woman of color.) On their Instagram page, they feature White People over 95% of the

time (a colleague counted this from the past 5 years of posts.) When we first got started within their system, we had wanted to become part of their leadership team, but the more we experienced of the aforementioned nature, the less we aligned with their actions (and therefore, their true values as an organization.)

Holly: That was all before we started a conversation about racial inequity on their instructors’ Facebook page in the past few weeks. One of our close friends, who was until recently one of the few Black members of their leadership team, had asked if the company would be taking a stance against racial inequity, and was met with silence. We couldn’t be in our integrity, as privileged members of the community, and NOT bring the topic up again. We were met with many taking the question personally, various forms of tone policing & defensiveness, as well as accusations about us having “ulterior motives.” Some members of leadership said we were using racism as a ruse to steal their customers, and even went as far as making personal phone calls to other instructors to tell them that.

Holly: Needless to say, this is not the kind of organization we wish to associate with. We sincerely

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hope that they will be changing their institution to be truly representative of (& safer for) diverse communities that come to them for instruction.

We will be forging our own path ahead, with many others in the fitness industry who agree that a shift away from the overly white, patriarchal culture is long overdue.

JGIII: This is a pretty big deal given how involved you two were in terms of teaching at certs, you’ve both completed all four certifications to be StrongFirst Elite and Arryn even has a StrongFirst tattoo!

Holly: It’s a huge deal for us, as training people for their certifications was a big part of our business since it started almost 2 years ago. We have met some wonderful people, made some great memories, and have close relationships with many in the community.

We have actually been grappling with our cognitive dissonance for many months around continuing to represent their brand in such a big way, while at the same time feeling uncomfortable with some of our personal experiences.

JGIII: Let’s shift gears back to training.

Specifically barefoot training. Holly, anyone who sees your Instagram sees you very rarely with shoes on, so, how does being barefoot improve you as a lifter?

Holly: I can connect to the ground so much better.

I have so much more feedback, I mean, shoes never feel as good as barefoot to me.

JGIII: How much do you guys learn from your students?

Holly: So much. We get so much inspiration for our drills from them.

Arryn: Yeah, I love learning new things for ourselves, but then I feel like there’s a whole other level to mastery of a movement once you start teaching the movement.

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JGIII: So, what are the things that you look for in an ideal client?

Arryn: We try to make it known how we actually help people and the services that we do offer. And, sometimes when we get applications if it’s just not a good fit, like, let’s say we get a beginning kettlebell lifter who doesn’t know how to do a kettlebell swing or even just a proper hinge. We are not going to be able to help them. It wouldn’t be a good idea for us to try to help coach someone from the ground up online. So, if it’s not a good match, we are okay with trying to help that person, uh, maybe find a better match.

Holly: Yeah, and that can look like finding out where they are and trying to connect them with a trainer that we know who they can work in person with them. Because that’s usually the best way for beginners to learn kettlebells. But also, other people who do live video sessions with people, I think that would be a better way too, but the way that our online coaching works, it’s like, we give them programming, and then they take videos, send them

back to us and then we’ll look at them later. It’s not a live interaction.

JGIII: You guys have stated that one of your goals is “creating a kinder fitness industry with play, awareness, and courage.” Talk about some of the things you’re doing within your business to make that happen.

Holly: The most important part of beginning to do the work of Social Change is self-examination & education. We have been taking courses in Social Justice & Allyship as it pertains to the Fitness Industry with Dr. Tee Williams. We have been listening to talks & reading books by educators who have been doing this work way longer than we have. We are drawing lines in the sand about what is not acceptable to be involved with. We have been speaking out on behalf of ourselves and others who have felt like they don’t belong in the industry.

We have been considering who we want to support with our money. We are looking at our resources, privileges, & talents, and exploring to whom, what, & how we can offer our support. We ended up donating 100% of the proceeds from our Bent Press E-Book’s first month to some amazing organizations working toward a more just world. We are looking for ways we haven’t gotten it right either, and are continually trying to do better.

JGIII: I can’t end the interview without talking about this. You guys are authors! You have a Bent Press ebook that just came out. What’s been the reaction to the book so far? I’m enjoying it myself, what are other people saying about it?

Holly: The reaction has been super positive! People who have been intimidated by bent pressing are saying it has helped them feel more comfortable practicing it. Others say they appreciate how in-depth we go in explaining the different styles. Some say it has helped the movement click in a new way, and that they actually ENJOY bent pressing now (where they found it cumbersome before.) We’re stoked!

JGIII: What made you guys decide write a book on Bent Pressing what problem does it solve?

Arryn: A lot of people know us for Bent Pressing.

And we also have a lot of people who are very confused by the movement, and who need help. And not everyone can afford, or even wants to do one-onone online coaching with us. So, this is a way for us to have a standalone product for people that they can practice on their own time.

JGIII: I’ve read two of the previously existing books on Bent Pressing: Arthur Saxon’s book— and he obviously knew how to do it; he did over 300 pounds! And then there’s Dave Whitley’s book on Bent Pressing. Those are both good books, but what I really was looking for was not just a static photo. I wanted to see the movement, so you know, this is 2020 I was glad to see that there were videos in the book!

Holly: Yeah. There is definitely text, but the emphasis is not on the text, it’s more [along the lines of] “Here are the drills, and there’s a program in it too, so, try all the drills for a while and then once you get set with that, then do the program.” So it is very drill and video heavy.

Arryn: I think we have right now, twenty or twentyone videos, and not twenty variations of Bent Presses, but movements that progress you to Bent Press.

JGIII: Nice! So how can people get in touch with you to follow your training, get a preview of some of the videos that are in the book or apply to train with you?

Holly: They can follow us on Instagram @ liftwithhollyandarryn. There’s a link in our bio that takes them to our website where you can also apply and see all of our other programs and stuff too.

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Busy Dad Meal Prep

By Derrick Clark, Sr

Double Peanut Butter Oatmeal Recipe Works well as: Breakfast/Snack If you love peanut butter, you’ll love this!!

Good for breakfast because it will help to keep you full throughout the day. And you can also put this in the refrigerator for some overnight oatmeal action!

I’m a huge peanut butter fan so you know this is one of my favorites! If you track macros this will help you reach your fat macros as well!

Ingredients: 1 serving of oatmeal quick oats or rolled oats 40 grams 150 calories 27 carbs 4.5 fat 4 protein Unsweetened peanut butter powder 16 grams 34

70 calories 5 carbs 2 fat 8 protein Smooth or crunchy peanut butter 16 grams 90 calories 4 carbs 8 fat 3 protein Cinnamon 1 Teaspoon or to taste.

1 cup water Total macros 310 calories 36 carbs 14.5 fat

15 protein

Microwave for 2 minutes until the oatmeal is cooked.

Total macros per serving 310 calories 36 carbs 14.5 fat 15 protein

Add peanut butter powder and cinnamon.

Directions Prep time: 10 minutes Place a serving of oatmeal in a bowl.

Add water.

Pro Tip: You can find the peanut butter powder on Amazon if you’re having trouble finding it at the grocery stores.

Add peanut butter.

Mix and let it cool for a few minutes then enjoy!!!

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Protein French Toast Recipe Works well as: Breakfast One of my favorite high protein breakfast recipes!

The Carb Smart bread lets you have more food for less volume, plus it’s high in fiber so it will keep you full. All of the types of carb smart bread work well but white and Italian are my favorites!

Ingredients: Egg whites 200 grams 109 calories 21 grams of protein 0 carb 0 fat 1 scoop of protein powder Macros vary depending on protein powder. I’m using a basic vanilla flavor protein powder. Vanilla works the best but cinnamon is good also. GCode Nutrition has a great cinnamon flavor protein powder!

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130 calories 25g protein 3g carbs 1g fat Schmidt 647 Carb Smart bread I use Italian but any kind of Carb Smart bread will work 40 calories per slice 14g carb 1g fat 2g protein Add cinnamon to taste.

Add your sweetener of choice to taste. (watch the calories in the sweetener!)

Cooking spray Total macros for two slices of bread

329 calories 48 grams of protein 2 fat 17 carbs Directions Place egg whites in a bowl.

Add protein powder.

Add cinnamon and sweetener to taste.

Mix well.

Dip bread in mixture.

Preheat pan to medium.

Add bread to the pan.

Cook to both sides are golden brown.

Let it cool and enjoy!

Pro Tip: Add some sugar free maple syrup or banana to these to take them to the next level!

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Air Fried Potatoes Recipe Works well as: Lunch/Dinner/Snack These are a great substitute for French fries! You can also use sweet potatoes, but I recommend softening them up a little bit by boiling them or placing them in a microwave safe zip lock bag. Add some burgers to this and you don’t need to go to a restaurant, thereby saving time and money, plus avoiding unnecessary temptation!

Ingredients: Red or Russet potatoes Salt Black Pepper Paprika Air fryer Container with a lid Cooking spray Total macros per serving 90 calories 20 carbs .1 fat 38

2 grams of protein Directions 25 minutes • Chop potatoes into cubes and place in a bowl or container with a lid.

• Add salt, black pepper and paprika to taste.

Place lid on bowl.

• Shake until all of the potatoes in the bowl are covered with seasoning.

• Spray cooking spray in the air fryer.

• Add potatoes then put all of the ingredients into the air fryer.

• Set the air fryer for 360 degrees and 20 to 25 minutes Once done, let them cool and enjoy!

Pro Tip: The air fryer is a highly recommended kitchen appliance if you’re someone who doesn’t have a lot of time.

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Go Play Outside

by Rob Brinkley Jr., NASM P.E.S., SFG 1

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As I write this, I’m not sure if our summer will be full of summer camps and family road trips or social distancing and attempting to occupy our boys. Either way, time is a precious resource and summer keeps us busy. Most likely, you are in a similar situation.

So, here’s a fun Summer regimen to practice. You can get it done quickly all by your lone wolf-self or make it a family affair and enjoy the active time together (maybe it’ll inspire a nap afterwards).

YOUR EXERCISES • Suspension Pushups • Suspension Rows (or) Pullups • Crawls • Weighted carries (or) weighted drags *if you need some cardio, run up a hill

that? Find higher and lower things to attach to, or carefully wrap around to achieve your “right” length.

Tip: To prevent it from moving forward or backward, I crisscross mine.

Crawling is great,and you don’t need anything.

If you can crawl outside in the grass – even better!

Crawling with legs down is a good gentle way to connect your body parts and get you moving.

Crawling with legs off the ground is surprisingly challenging.

Carrying &/or dragging things is simple and effective. You can get creative with what you use as “weights”. You can make it great fun. If needed, uphill running can be great. The uphill slope often puts your body mechanics in good alignment, and it can put some limitations on your potential joint pounding (especially when practiced in the grass).

ABOUT THE EXERCISE SELECTION Suspension pushups and row/pullups are scalable for everyone. Your grandma can do them, your strong spouse can do them, and even the kids can take a turn playing/swinging, hanging, etc. (which could give you your rest breaks between sets).

Don’t have a suspension system? NO problem! In the accompanying videos, I am using the webbing from a ratchet strap with two handles attached. The only challenge with this low-tech method is the length is not easily adjustable as a suspension system you may purchase. How to fix

HOW TO DO YOUR EXERCISES Suspension Pushup Secure your suspension system. Give it a tug to make sure it is solid. Start with anchor point behind you.

Holding handles, set your self in a standing plank position. Brace your mid-section*. Walk your feet back to your needed difficulty level. Perform your pushups keeping good posture and not allowing the webbing to rub your arms. To make sure your posture doesn’t break down stick to repetitions of 5 to 8. Take a break (give someone else a turn). Then 41

repeat until you finish all your sets. (video link = https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=iW4iMXxEY0s&feature=youtu.be ) Suspension Row (or pullup) Tug again to make sure everything is still secure (or if needed, relocate for appropriate difficulty level and make sure secure). This time face your anchor point. Set your standing plank posture. Brace your mid-section*. Walk your feet forward to your needed difficulty level. Perform your rows. To make sure your posture doesn’t break down stick to repetitions of 5 to 8. Take a break. Then repeat until you finish all your sets. (video link = https://youtu.be/r17CkgsN9L0 ) If you need to make the rows more difficult, you could put on a weight vest.

Or try L-sit pullups. (L-sit pullup video link = https://youtu.be/C6kpr9k7NI0 ) *To “Brace your mid-section” poke yourself in the sides of your belly with your fingers; using your stomach muscles, push your fingers back. Practice doing this and breathing at the same time.

Crawling Get down on the ground on your hands and knees.

Tilt your head up, so you can see where you are

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going. Crawl using opposite arm and leg pairs. (video link = https://youtu.be/nejLIbZiObs ) If you need to make it more difficult, keeping your back flat and butt down, elevate your legs off the ground. Now crawl still using opposite arm and leg pairs. Your “reps” could be 1 to 2 minutes. It’s not a race, keep good form. It isn’t the bear crawls you did in elementary gym class, keep your butt down! (video link = https://youtu.be/wWamew9p-hI ) WEIGHTED CARRY OR DRAG You can vary this one depending on what you have and what you like. Mix it up if you can. For the carries, brace mid-section, pick-up and go. How far?

I’ve read many recommendations and strength goals, which can all be great. But to be practical, do what is convenient and you have time to do. I too have

fantasies of hauling all my weights to the park and practicing a gauntlet medley of carries. But if I wait until I have time and permission to do it – then I’d only be doing weighted carries a couple times per year. However, most days I can walk from the garage to the driveway – and maybe to the corner. Keep it reasonable and repeatable. For your distance to walk, find what is actually convenient for you. Ask yourself, “Where do I have a 10 – 60-yard space that is nearby, which would take minimal effort to do or setup?” Once you have picked out “your space” – adjust your appropriate load for what you need.

Louie Simmons has said, if you walk like you are drunk, the weight is too heavy.

your kids to race you; they may encourage you to do more! (video link = https://youtu.be/_20GAeX6jMs )

Enjoy your Summer & have fun practicing!

(video link = https://youtu.be/3ZDiQJ6XuJg )

The weighted drags can be fun and get the kids easily involved. You could use a D.I.Y. sled, wagon, cart, wheel barrow, etc. If you need to “easily” make them more difficult – go uphill. For your weighted drag distance ask yourself the same question as for the weighted carry distance. For me, the places are different, but need to be convenient for each. (video link = https://youtu.be/vO-0Xd1tJxk ) How many sets?

If you practice 2 days per week Try one day with 2 sets of all and one day with 4 sets of all If you practice 3 days per week Try one day with 2 sets of all one day with 3 sets of all , one day with 4 sets of all If you practice 4 days per week Try one day with 2 sets of all Two days with 3 sets of all One day with 4 sets of all WHAT ABOUT CARDIO? If you decide to add the hill runs, find your hill and get a timer. Warm-up as needed. Run uphill (10-20 seconds). Walk back down and catch your breath.

Give yourself 60-90 seconds of recovery (longer if needed). Practice 5 to 20 sets as needed. If you get 43

GEARS

Nick and Pesarakphorn Hagadone join us to tell us about their coffee start up brand, Launch Coffee Co. and how they're using Instagram to build brand awareness and connect with their customers in real and unique ways.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW

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Channel

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DID YOU MISS SOMETHING?

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G E T A L L O F O U R B A C K I S S U E S F O R F R E E A T H T T P S : / / I S S U U . C O M / G A R A G E G Y M L I F E