Battle Rope Buyers Guide

 Battle ropes most commonly come in three lengths (30, 40 or 50 feet) and two thicknesses (1.5" and 2"). The size you should get depends on two main factors: your fitness goals, and the amount of space you have.

After all this testing and experimenting, here's what I've discovered matters with battle ropes:

• Material
• Length
• Thickness

Material:
I'd recommend good Poly Dacron: Poly Dacron rope is made from polypropylene and dacron plastic fibers. These synthetic fibers are twisted into strands, with the Dacron providing the strength in the outer braid. Polypropylene provides a lightweight core and additional strength. Using polypropylene for the core reduces weight and cost and makes the rope lighter.

The main benefit of poly dacron is that it doesn't shed. Manila ropes perform great if you're only using them outside, but they are a little more expensive and they shed little fibers every time you use them, which can be a pain to clean up if you're inside. Manila ropes are also 10% to 25% more expensive than comparable polydac ropes. I'd only recommend manila if you want a more organic product (manila is made from hemp plant fibers) or if you only plan to use these outside.

How to tell between cheap and good polydac? I hate to say it, but price is the easiest way, as most manufacturers won't discuss what blend level they use. Our ropes are 80% Dacron, 20% Polypropylene, which we've found to be the optimum blend for durability and fluidity. Anything greater than 30% Polypropylene has that more fibrous feel.


Thickness
Thick ropes carry more weight, while longer ropes allow for a more fluid motion.
Thicker ropes require bigger hands and greater grip strength. If you're looking for high intensity, cardio blasting workouts, we recommend the 1.5" diameter battle rope. These ropes will allow you to go hard, maintain a solid grip, and will fit perfectly into a circuit training workout.
If it's muscles you’re after and you're prepared to perform a workout that feels more like a bench press than wind sprints the, 2.0" width battle rope is for you. These ropes are 35% larger than the 1.5" width ropes and require a larger hand and stronger grip to maintain control of the battle rope.


Length
Shorter ropes aren’t as fluid, but they allow for smaller spaces. Because your rope will essentially be folded in half at an anchor point, you need a straight line that is half the length of your rope. For a 50' rope you'll need 25 feet of clear space.
The most common length is 50 feet, followed by 40' and 30' respectively. A 50' battle rope leaves you with 25' in each arm, which is a great length for creating momentum-filled waves for a smooth, low-impact workout.

We recommend: All things being equal, and if you’re unsure of which one to get, we recommend the 50 foot length and 1.5" width. The longer length will be the most fluid and versatile, and the 1.5” grip will be the easiest to hold and use.

Battle Rope Buyers Guide

Safety Squat Bar Review: How it can Help Reduce Injury and Crush PRs

 The Safety Squat Bar is one of our favorite specialty bars to use.  This bar is easy on the shoulders, which is especially helpful for powerlifters and those with a limited range of motion. That said, the SSB pretty much decimates every other part of the body.

Often times when people see the name "Safety" Squat Bar, they think the bar is easier to use. That, however, couldn't be further from the truth. So, just so I can put this idea to rest, the Safety Squat Bar is NOT easier than a traditional barbell squat. It's just different, and in some ways, much more difficult.


One of the details of the Safety Squat Bar that makes it quite a bit different from a standard barbell is the camber.

With a normal barbell, since it is straight (or at least should be,) the weight is directed along the path of where the bar is on your back. With an SSB, the weight is directed wherever the sleeves are in relation to the ground.

The majority of time, what the SSB is trying to do is dump you forward. This forces you to fight by keeping tighter and staying more upright. The people most affected by the SSB are low-bar squatters and it can take them some time to get used to the bar.   The primary benefit from this perspective is that it significantly decreases stress on the upper extremities, particularly the shoulders, elbows, and wrists.

The way the bar is designed, there is a padded section that sits around your neck with two handles extending over each shoulder. This allows you to easily hold the handles directly out in front of your body. There is no need to externally rotate the shoulders, which is something many people have issues with on a traditional straight bar. The length of the handles depends on the bar you purchase and on personal preference.

So if you have shoulder or elbow pain while back squatting with a straight bar, or if you have wrist pain when front squatting, this bar will help you tremendously.


BUT, it's not just the upper extremities that it helps. When squatting with the safety squat bar, your spine position will actually be more vertical. It looks more like a front squat or a high-bar back squat. This positioning minimizes shear forces on the lower back and also allows for improved range of motion through the hips, knees, and ankles.

One thing that is an improvement on the Titan SSB V2 over what other SSB offers is that the sleeves are an Olympic Sleeve, meaning they take standard collars instead of having to use axle collars. This means calibrated plates fit well on the bar without too much play as well. Honestly, all bars should use the standard Olympic sleeve size and companies are starting to adopt this.

The Titan Fitness SSB v2 pad is just right. It's made of a very dense foam that actually looks like really thick carpet padding. The covering has a great feel to it – it's grippy, yet supple. The stitching on the pad is very well done, adding to the high quality look and feel. The velcro used to secure the covering is really strong and it doesn't peel in any direction.

As you use this bar and become stronger, your ability to stay upright under a straight bar is going to be improved. Similarly, you're probably going to be able to hit depth easier with a safety squat bar because it does promote a more ‘sit down, not back' movement. This can also translate well to your straight-bar technique, as you should have a greater range of motion

The biggest and possibly only drawback of this bar is the finish, which is known to flake after sliding plates on and off the sleeves for an extended amount of time. This completely cosmetic issue has no bearing whatsoever on performance. To be fair, specialty bars in general leave something to be desired when it comes to sleeve finishes. Most of them are powder coated, which will also chip and flake, so it’s hard to knock Titan Fitness too hard on this. Still, it’s something to consider if you’re a stickler about such things.

Product Review: Titan Fitness Mass Storage System

 

Product Details:
One of the best ways to store bumper plates, dumbbells, kettlebells, or medicine balls. This 45" 2-Tier Mass Storage System comes with two shelves meant to hold up to 42" worth of bumper plates and the ability to add-on a dumbbell or kettlebell shelf wherever you please!

Features:
- Includes (4) 45" Uprights that can be bolted down to the floor.
- Includes 2 shelves you can place at multiple heights to customize your rack for medicine ball and bumper plate storage.
- Dumbbell and Kettlebell Tray Add-On's allow you to store your most used equipment at your own custom desired height.


Specifications:
- Height: 45"
- Width: 42"
- Outside Upright to Upright Depth: 14"
- Inside Upright to Upright Depth: 10"
- Weight: 82 LB
- Weight Capacity: 2,200 LB
- 13 Gauge Steel
(Note: Titan recommends a maximum of 600 LB per shelf)

** Dumbbell and Kettlebell Trays sold separately! **


Product Review:
This bookshelf-style storage unit is compact and completely customizable—providing an all-in-one, 3-tier rack for well over 600LB worth of gear. Choose from standard bumper / medicine ball shelves, or swap out one or more with a specialized kettlebell or dumbbell tray. Titans Mass Storage System is also compatible with a wide range of accessories, from wheels for convenient portability to attachable plate storage pins, rail mount hangers for your belts and straps, and bookshelf dividers to keep your plates upright and organized.

This is an awesome storage equipment item. As you can see it holds a lot of stuff. Some extra accessory items available are book shelf dividers, 4 storage pegs (short), and chalk bowl.   I've had this for a few months and it is rock solid. It holds everything bumpers, kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls, change plates, and a chalk bowl. I easily have over 1000lbs of weight on this and it holds its integrity really well.  I really recommended buying any additional items with your original purchase save yourself shipping cost and item cost. The kettlebells tray is cheaper when you buy with original purchase then buying it later on like I did. Overall I am completely satisfied with my purchase.

Highly recommend this rack for anyone that needs to organize their weight room. It's much better then having bumper plate racks, dumbbell trees, ball racks, and kettle bells all over the place. Its just wide enough to fit Almost anything nicley in the house without taking up unnecessary room

Super easy to build and extremely strong. The tray marks pretty easily moving kettlebells and free weights on there but that doesn't bother me - it may for some. The fraction plate holders are a nice touch and I'm happy with how it's all turned out.

I bought the 43" storage system to get the gear off the floor and out of the cupbords of my garage. It fits great and holds a ton of gear without taking up a lot of space. My squat rack and bench slide right up next to it for easy storage. It is so solid I also use it to anchor bands for mobility and battle ropes for training. The extra storage arms are great as well for fractional and 5lb and 10lb plates, as well as clamps and springs. I also end up leaning the Oly bars up against the side. This was a great addition to my garage!

The packaging was pretty good, and none of the pieces were damaged upon first inspection. I placed all of my bumper plates on the top row (about 450#), and my kettlebells on the bottom row (about #400) and then tightened all of the bolts. This prevented the rack from rocking at all. When I tightened all bolts first, then loaded, I got a bit of rocking. That being said, for the price, you cannot beat this storage rack!

Product Review: Freak Athlete Essentials - Nordic Mini

Product Details: Nordic Mini™

Bullet-Proof Your Knees

• Knee padding: 3″ thickness, 18″ x 24″

• Height capacity: Supports users up to 7′ tall

• Weight capacity: Supports users up to 300 lbs

• Weight: 45 lbs with built-in wheels so it can be moved easily

• Adjustable ankle lock: Feet rollers can be moved up and down to secure feet down

• Weight sleeve: Allows you to add Olympic size weight plates for counter balance

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

• 18” x 24” surface, which supports users up to 6’ 10’  and boasts a 350-lb weight capacity
• Portable with built-in transport wheels
• Designed to enable exercises typically completed on a full-sized GHD machine

  https://freakathleteessentials.com/products/nordic-mini

 Product Review:

This year I really became interested in training my hamstrings and the subject of Nordic Benches came up. Most people consider the Nordic bench the poor man’s GHD when realistically it is a fabulous tool to train and focus on both eccentric and concentric hamstring work. I recently had the opportunity to try out the Freak Athlete Nordic Mini Nordic Curl Board, and I must say, I was thoroughly impressed.

Firstly, the design is sleek and stylish, making it an attractive addition to any home gym. The board itself is sturdy and well-constructed, ensuring that it will last for a long time. The adjustable footplate and pad allow for a comfortable and customized fit, which is essential for preventing injuries.

One of the standout features of the Nordic Mini is how versatile it is. I was able to use it for a variety of exercises, including hamstring curls, glute bridges, and core work.   The board's compact size also makes it ideal for those with limited space in their home gym. Despite its small size, it provided me with an intense and challenging workout that targeted my lower body muscles effectively.

As a dedicated fitness fanatic, I am always searching for what I consider top-quality equipment and exercises that produce results. I feel I am more of a traditionalist when it comes to exercise, so I focus on consistency and exercises that have worked over the years. The Nordic Curl or Glute Ham Raise, is a bodyweight hamstring movement that concentrates on knee flexion. When made a regular part of a training regimen, these GHR exercises can help increase squat and deadlift strength as well as a runner’s power and speed off the blocks. The movement itself doesn't put any high compressive forces on the spine, and its effects may reduce the chance of suffering serious ACL injuries down the road.

A Nordic curl is an advanced bodyweight exercise that targets the hamstrings and glutes. Here are the steps to perform a Nordic curl:

1. Kneel on a soft surface (such as a mat or pad) with your feet securely anchored under a heavy object, such as a weight bench or barbell. You can also ask a workout partner to hold your feet down.

2. Cross your arms in front of your chest or place your hands behind your head.

3. Slowly lower your upper body towards the ground while keeping your back straight and core engaged. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your knees.

4. As you lower your body towards the ground, focus on engaging your hamstrings to control the movement. Avoid using your lower back or allowing your hips to drop towards the ground.

5. Once you reach the end of your range of motion, use your hamstrings and glutes to push your body back up to the starting position.

6. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

It's important to note that the Nordic curl is an advanced exercise that requires a lot of strength and control. If you're new to this exercise, start with a modified version, such as using a resistance band to assist the movement or performing partial reps. Additionally, make sure to warm up properly and use proper form to prevent injury.

There are several benefits of doing Nordic curls, including:

1. Stronger hamstrings: The Nordic curl is a highly effective exercise for strengthening the hamstrings, which are essential for activities such as running, jumping, and sprinting. Strong hamstrings can help improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury.

2. Improved knee stability: The hamstrings play a crucial role in stabilizing the knee joint, and strengthening these muscles can help improve knee stability and reduce the risk of knee injuries.

3. Better posture and core stability: The Nordic curl also engages the core muscles, which can help improve posture and overall core stability.

4. Increased muscle activation: Research has shown that the Nordic curl results in greater muscle activation in the hamstrings than other popular hamstring exercises, such as the leg curl.

   

5. Minimal equipment required: Unlike many other exercises that require specialized equipment or a gym membership, the Nordic curl can be performed with just a resistance band or a partner to hold your feet down.

As you can see the Nordic curl is an effective exercise for targeting the hamstrings, improving knee stability and posture, and increasing muscle activation. However, it's important to start with a modified version of the exercise and use proper form to avoid injury.

The Freak Athlete Nordic Mini is exactly what I've been looking for. As the owner of a private fitness studio, I don't have a lot of extra floor space for new equipment. I've wanted a Nordic curl bench for some time now, but the footprint of most benches I found was too big. The Nordic Mini solved that problem! It's small, easily portable, and solid enough to handle everything my athletes and training partners can throw at it.

Another feature I appreciated was the detailed instruction manual that came with the board. The manual provided clear and concise instructions on how to use the board properly, which is crucial for avoiding injuries and getting the most out of your workout.

There are no shortcuts in designing or building this piece of equipment. Even the welds look good! The fact that they included a booklet with detailed instructions on assembly and packaged everything to reflect the corresponding part id Is most helpful! All of the nuts, bolts, & washers were in individually labeled bags and put into a small box. So no losing random parts in packaging or shipping.

Overall, I highly recommend the Freak Athlete Nordic Mini Nordic Curl Board to anyone looking to enhance their lower body workout routine.  Nordic benches are expensive and take up a lot of room. This hits the middle ground perfectly. Easy to follow instructions to assemble and feels solid. Tucks away nicely in the home gym when not in use, so saves a lot of space.

I know I’m going to be banging out reps on this until walking is a challenge.  Appreciate the attention to detail. It's an excellent investment for those who want to target their hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles effectively while taking up minimal space in their home gym. I do wish it could be stored upright, but the weight horn is necessary so I'm good with it. 

 https://freakathleteessentials.com/products/nordic-mini

Product Review: RockTape OCR Arm and Calf Sleeves

 RockGuards Arm Protection -

 

RockGuard Arm Protection sleeves are designed for OCR, cross-training, mountain biking, and other high-impact sports. Made from Lycra® spandex, they offer abrasion protection with a unique asymmetrical design.

My Review:

Arm Sleeves Comfort and Fit
The RockTape Arm Sleeves fit to size based off their sizing chart on the website. The sleeves are available in three sizes. The sizing chart is included below for reference. My arms were right on the cusp between Medium and Large. I opted for the smaller size. They fit snug with little slack. The sleeves were extremely comfortable and weren’t as noticeable as other compression gear.
 

Arm Sleeves Function
One factor that a lot of racers fail to take into account is how the product deals with water and/or mud. This is important as many races have you constantly in and out of liquid. I have not ran a full OCR with these but from testing during training they do not retain a noticeable amount of liquid. The sleeves were exposed to many elements since I do a lot of workouts out side, the sleeves never gave off a ‘water-logged’ feel.  The bands are tighter than other compression probably to keep unwanted foreign objects from getting into the sleeve and avoided sacrificing comfort.  I am quite impressed with how much protection they provide!

OVERALL RATING: 9.4/10 -  I have worn many different arm sleeves for arm protection while throwing and pitching, these are by far the most comfortable and durable sleeves I have ever worn! They have an unbeatable price as well, and for a limited time come as a free gift when you spend $50 on the RockTape Website!

RockGuards Shin Protection
 
RockGuards are designed for rope climbs, deadlifts, cleans, snatches, box-jumps… really anything that punishes your shins. Tall socks can only go so far – our specially designed RockGuards are made from perforated 5mm neoprene with a mesh backing. Slide them on easily before your WOD and lift with confidence.


Built Tough
The 3rd generation RockGuards are made with durable 5mm neoprene on the shin-side – and a lightweight mesh on the back for easy on-off during your workout. The neoprene is also perforated for breathability and will not retain water during obstacle course racing.

Not Just the Gym
RockGuards are absolutely fantastic for a variety of collision sports – including mountain biking, obstacle course racing, and trail-running.


I had the same great experience with the calf sleeves. Actually, I was able to use my calf sleeves in more ways than I ever expected.  However, with my RockTape Rock Guards Shin they literally melt into my skin, and I can wear them post recovery for as long as I want!

Similar Comfort, Fit, Function, and Durability as the arm sleeves above!  However the calf sleeves come with a couple extra features such as a 2" Zipper for secure fit and easy removal,  Footstrap to keep in place during functional training and running, and finally a 5mm Neoprene Shin Guard pad to protect you from rope burn, deadlift bruises and double under lashes!

Overall, I highly recommend these Calf sleeves  to anyone looking for active support for endurance, protection from the elements during a race, or even for all day post recovery.

OVERALL RATING: 9.2/10 -  Once again RockTape's Protection sleeves do not disappoint!  

Head on over to their website via my Referral link to get a pair of your own!

https://shop.rocktape.com/?rfsn=508285.03f8c

Basics of Gait Training (Walking)

 Phases of Walking:

Summary of Muscle Function in Level Walking

Muscle Group	Main Function	Abnormalities if Weak
Hip Flexors	Acceleration of Swing	Backward lurch and pelvic tilt to initiate swing as seen in hemiplegia
Hip Abductors	Stabilize pelvis in stance Control drop of pelvis	Trendelenburg or contralateral hip drop
Hip Extensor	Stabilize pelvis, and stance	Backward lurch, or jacknife with quick step on contralateral side
Quadriceps	Absorb shock at heel strike and support knee at stance	Lock knee during stance and tendency to hyperextend
Hamstrings	Deceleration of swing phase	May overshoot at end of swing and "slam into extension"
Ankle DF & Toe Extensors	Control foot hitting the ground "slap" and lift the foot during swing	Steppage gait, toe-heel gait, vault up on opposite leg or circumduct around
Ankle PF & Toe Flexors	Push off at the end of stance phase	Absence of push off and small steps with poor balance and slow speed

• Hip Flexors start the swing
• Hip Extensors, especially hamstrings, decelerate the leg at the end of swing
• Knee extensors contract eccentrically at heel-strike to prevent buckling of knee
• Dorsiflexors act to hold toe off floor during swing, and to prevent foot slap at heel strike (act to slow plantar flexion), another eccentric contraction
• Plantar flexors act during push off

Product Review: GymNext Flex Timer Gym Edition

 Product Details

This is the timer your coaches and members have been asking for!

The GymNext Flex Timer combines a large, crystal-clear LED display with an easy to use interval timer app creating the best, most powerful gym timer ever made.

The 4.0" LED digits (same as the Rogue Echo or MDUSA No Limits timer) in blue/red are visible from hundreds of feet away and the 95db buzzer is extremely loud. With bluetooth range of over 100 feet, you aren't tethered to the clock. Move throughout the facility and easily control and setup the timer from our convenient and FREE mobile app.

You can save an unlimited number of custom workouts spanning 6 different timer modes: Standard, Round, Interval, Tabata, EMOM and Laps. Configurable prelude times, round warnings, and a 3-second segue between rounds are just the beginning of the options available to create the most customized experience ever.

The audio sync feature allows you to use a wired or bluetooth speaker to augment or replace the timer's built in buzzer. Play your music from your phone and now you can listen to your music as loud as you want. The app will automatically fade the music in and out at the end of each round so that you never miss an indicator again.

Large gyms will love the ability to link multiple timers together and have them display the same workout or run the timers separately to easily manage different workouts or heats. And the included wall brackets make mounting your clock a breeze.

For the utmost convenience, go hands-free with a Pebble timepiece or Apple Watch. You'll enjoy the natural feeling you get from initiating the timer from your wrist just like a stopwatch.

For the data lovers and elite athletes, integrate heart rate monitoring into your workouts and have your heart rate periodically or permanently display on the clock so you know how hard you're working and can set a proper pace.

When not in use for timing purposes, the Flex Timer reverts back to a 12h or 24h clock.

But there's even more...

The Flex Timer app is updated all the time unlocking new features and functionality so that your timer actually gets even better with age.


My Review:
I avoided purchasing a clock for my gym too long. Didn't think it was necessary. I was constantly using my phone timer, an app, a stop watch, or even a stop watch website on my computer.  But after using my GymNext clock I can't imagine a workout without it. It is easy to use, not a distraction, and infinite programming possibilities for any type of workout.

I like that you can set up a custom welcome message and that the timer automatically takes local time from your phone. Be aware that the timer will only connect with one phone at a time. This means that if someone was using the timer and you go to connect with your phone, you won't be able to connect. In a big gym setting this would mean you have to reboot the timer or hunt down the person who retains control.

I researched a number of cheaper alternatives but what makes this worth the price is the app. The timer easily connects to your phone and then you can create whatever type of timer you need. Plus the built in timers make it easy to quickly get started, or you can edit them if need be.

The app works flawlessly with the GymNext Flex Timer application. Connection to the timer is so simple a monkey could do it. Everytime I open the app, it connects immediately with zero lag. It's programmable to every interval training mode known to man and has loud audible beeping that can also be programmed to discretion. It does not interfere with music and once the timer is going, you can still use your phone normally as long as the app is running in the background. It connects to a heart rate monitor and can display your heart rate periodically to your discretion. This is extremely helpful especially when you're trying to maintain a certain heart rate zone.

Bottom line, this timer is outstanding in value, usability, build quality and customer service. I've contacted their friendly customer service to tell them how impressed I am with their product and you can tell they are a Just as excited as you will be once you get your hands on it.

- Very bright numbers (I actually use the reduced brightness setting)
- LOUD (I put tape over the buzzer and it is still highly audible)
- App supports any imagineable interval combination
- Kid-safe as there is no remote to play with, damage, or hide
- Robust construction with top and bottom aluminum profiles / extrusions
- Wide-range input power supply for worldwide use

No more fumbling with an awkward remote control. Competitive price superior functionality = unbelievable value. If you're on the fence about this one, do yourself a favor and pull the trigger on the purchase, you won't be disappointed.

I must say it's even more impressive than I thought! Easy to use, 110-220V global electricity support, fast connection to iPhone, ample phone-to-LED display connection range even without the need for line of sight, straightforward LED display design, clear/visible display and audible alarm for large gym. The best timer in my opinion all around. My only critiques are not being able to sync multiple phones and not being able to adjust the beep volume.

It was pretty cool to see the time update instantly once I connected my phone to the clock and when I open the app, the response is quick, accurate and makes everything so hands free. The app user interface is easy to use and quick to learn. Additionally, if I have music playing from my phone, the app automatically quiets the music for the 3-2-1 countdown and then cranks back up for the WOD. What I love about this clock is that it doesn't take time away from my workout time. I don't know it's there until I use it, and when I'm done, it's done. Goes right back to clock time until I need it again.

Order your GymNext Flex Timer!