Tips for Getting Stronger with Gymnastic Rings

 Today’s article explains a technique that will radically change your strength on the rings, on the pull-up bar and using free weights.

We’re talking about hanging from a bar or your rings. One of the simplest and most accessible of all exercises is often one of the most under utilized in people’s day to day training. It’s something children do any chance they get, and something you should do too.

This “skill” is one of the primary biological functions our bodies are designed to perform. Our genetic legacy comes from apes 🦍which are nature’s hanging, swinging, kings of the canopy. Although your iPhone makes you think you’re some how far removed from your hairy ancestors... you’re body doesn’t know that to be the case. Your shoulders are rare in the animal 🦒kingdom and they need to be treated with the respect they deserve; and they deserve a constant diet of hanging and swinging.

Spending a dedicated amount of time each day, or several times a week hanging from a bar or rings will help strengthen your hands, shoulders, decompress your spine and hips as well as build a powerful neural connection which will help to improve any exercise involving your grip.

(Learn more by finding related articles such as: http://www.j2fit.com/articles/passive-hang-stretch )

Gymnasts and climbers know and understand the importance of racking up TUT (time under tension) through hanging. Their sports depend on them being able to suspend their body weight during extended periods of time.

However, the day to day fitness enthusiast, beginner or even long term veteran with a desire to break that training barrier will massively increase their performance by filtering in more hanging.

Whether strength is your goal or just overall well-being, plan to put a few days a week of dedicated work into this skill.

There are numerous ways to hang and some, depending on what style or strength adaptation is desired can change depending on the complexity of the hang that fits your needs.


A very useful beginner protocol is to start by trying to accumulate 3 minutes of time hanging from a bar or rings. Grab the bar, squeeze your hand tightly and have a stop watch or clock nearby to be conscious of how long you hang for each time.

It’s preferable to be completely suspended and hanging in a straight line, but if you need to bend your knees, don’t worry, you can still benefit tremendously.

For truly rank beginners hanging with the feet touching the ground to help displace body weight is a great option to get going. With this method even the extremely elderly or weak con begin to improve their upper body strength and health.

As strength progresses, more challenging variations can be performed.

Hanging with knees raised, or legs extended in L-sit are very challenging next steps.

Hanging and switching from one hand to another further pushes the grip envelope.

Later, one arm hangs and one arm L-sits can be performed as our strength to weight ratio gets higher and higher.

Even bent arm hangs can be used to advance our skills and strength.

When looking at health and well-being, passive hangs to decompress the spine and hips make a big difference in the mobility and quality of our shoulders, vertebral discs and pelvis.

Another great variation is the inverted hang which tractions our shoulder and cervicales spine by turning the body upside down.

Whatever level of strength or desire to improve you find yourself at, working in a schedule to hang with regularity will be one of the best choices you ever make. Start today and in one week you’ll begin to notice a difference in your hand and body strength.

Content courtesy of Happy Fat Rings - HFR

What About The Lunge?

 In sport, athletes display a high variance of movement potential. To build athleticism, strength trainers must select exercises that improve speed, power, and strength. In traditional strength training, the squat reigns supreme for improving lower body power and strength. But what about the lunge?

Since the squat directs force vertically, the lunge takes precedence in directing force horizontally. In running sports, acceleration and change of direction are paramount. Lunging can touch on athletic components that the squat alone cannot.

Why Lunge?
In looking at the athlete’s sporting demands, we see that movement happens in large part on one leg. This unilateral movement demands the athlete to have enough strength to both produce and resist force in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes.
Lunging variations serve to integrate and load multiple planes of movement that help the athlete’s proprioception and timing. Further, multi-planar lunging can help safeguard problematic and injury-prone areas like the groin, hips, lower back, hamstrings, and knees.
Although strength trainers cannot ultimately prevent injuries from happening, they can provide exercises that build multiplanar hip, knee, and ankle stability to make the athlete more robust and resilient. Since tight musculature and lack of mobility often contribute to injury potential, lunging provides an inbuilt mechanism for safeguarding against these risks.

The Lunge is Foundational
An assessment of the athlete at play is vital in determining which exercises to include in their training program. It is appropriate for a tennis player or fencer to train the lunging pattern, as their sports are almost entirely based on lunging and striking movements. However, swimmers, rock climbers, and gymnasts may not need the same training volume or intensity.

Since athletes from all sports must be able to move with precision, the lunge is as prudent as it is pragmatic. If the athlete is able to comfortably cross the midline of their body during cutting, acceleration, and deceleration, their chances of injury lessen while their performance increases.
In programming for strength and athletic performance, exercise selection ultimately comes down to the primary action of the athlete. Both bilateral and unilateral movements are important for the athlete, but the application of when and why to use each is paramount.

The Squat vs. Lunge
In human evolution, the squat is more of a rest position than an exercise, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be loaded for strength and power development. When loading the body with a barbell, kettlebell, or other implement, the squat trains the lower body’s maximum force development in the vertical plane
However, the lunge is advantageous for the athlete that must make a change of direction in sport. Further, athletes with prior injuries to the knees, low back, or hips may find loading lunging patterns easier than loading squats. In order to understand the necessity of lunging, we must look at the role the feet play in the squat and lunge:

Squat: The feet remain in a fixed position. The feet do not move during the movement.

Lunge: The feet move in a stepping motion in any direction. The feet return to the starting position or to a new position.
Since moving into a squat is a downward motion of the athlete, it’s wise to see how a bilateral squat can help improve an athlete’s overall power and vertical jump. However, lunging provides a stimulus for the athlete that must make a sudden forward thrust of the body like in sprinting, cutting, or attacking an opponent.

The Lunge Improves Athletic Ability
There are several progressions that I give to my athletes when learning to lunge. In order to progress, the athlete should demonstrate precision in each movement, loaded and unloaded.

Lunging Continuum
Split Squat  > Reverse Lunge > Walking Lunge > Forward Lunge > Power Lunge

Product Review: XPO Trainer

 Product Details:
Multi-Purpose and All Surface!
The XPO Trainer® is not only the very first exercise sled on wheels but a training device so versatile that it serves multiple purposes:

Athletes
For the athlete it is simply the most effective push sled on the market today. With its revolutionary patent-pending exponential resistance curve, it delivers the ultimate workout in the shortest time possible! The XPO Trainer's automatically adjusting power demands will humble the most elite athletes from any sport.

Rehab and Physical TherapyFor the trainer, physical therapist, or individual working on rehab or recovery from injury, the same exponential resistance curve provides a safe method to work natural movements that will adjust to the needs of the user. Instead of pushing against a static object such as a wall, or pushing against a traditional sled that can quickly slide away and lead to further injury, the XPO Trainer provides a very low rolling resistance at low speeds with an immediate and automatic increase in resistance that will provide an opportunity for the user to regain equilibrium safely.

XPO Trainer Features

• Nearly silent operation. 
• Removable handles for easy transport, portability, and storage. 
• Safe for use on almost any surface, even indoors. 
• Suitable for any level from rehab to training elite athletes. 
• The only trainer or sled ever made that gets eXPOnentially harder to push the faster you go.
• Assembled Sled Weight: 60lbs

My Review:

Developed by Bill Strahan, co founder of Armored Fitness Equipment,  the "XPO" stands for Exponential Power Output. The XPO Trainer meets force with force, with all the resistance coming from a damper like motor. There is no friction, skidding or tearing up the surface since it is on wheels. Its smooth and quiet. One plate is all you need for some traction, no more loading up a few hundred pounds for a sled workout, or having to constantly change the weights due to variance in athlete What I love about it, is a you fatigue you slow down but you don't grind to a stop.

The faster you push it, the harder it gets. The XPO Sled is designed to bolster explosive functional power for any class of athlete from the most elite to your grandmother, on all types of different surfaces. Unlike traditional push sleds and pull sleds that are abrasive on most flooring surfaces,The XPOs durable inflated rubber wheels are easy on indoor surfaces such as carpet and rugged enough for outdoor training on grass, turf, concrete or asphalt and even slightly uneven surfaces. This makes the XPO the perfect training tool for sports performance centers, sports teams, crossfit gyms and even physical therapy clinics!  

When rehabbing individuals in the therapy setting, implementing sled pushes allows your body to naturally work the core muscles and those of the hips and legs simultaneously without having to instruct someone to do multiple exercises for activation or isolation single muscles.  Once an individual is able, this can help save a lot of time and teach more practical applications of muscle engagement.  The XPO sled resistance progresses along as the patient recovers increased work capacity, which means no more guessing if the weight is appropriate for their plan of care.  As their capacity to push this sled increases the individual is forced to place their trunk in  good position and create appropriate stiffness to continue pushing at force, thus this sled is extremely helpful in reinforcing proper positioning while also being the perfect progressive resistance tool.

My Rating: 9/10
An XPO workout is easy to get into, feels great, and takes less time than existing aerobic and strength exercise to deliver more of the results you desire. A few critiques to justify my rating include price point, and attachments.  I know this sled is not the cheapest on the market ($700) but one sled can be used for any number of individuals and serve all their needs equally.  Another thing I was a little disappointed in was that it was missing different attachments or hand holds for different pushing or pulling grips.  Looking similar to your standard prowler sled I was wishing it had a high and low bars, as well as  carabiner loop in the front for sled pulls and drags (or atleast options for such features).  However, the standard sled push is what the XPO does best, and is by far my top ranked piece of equipment for the movement.  In summary, training advantages I noticed include: safe acceleration/deceleration, full body engagement, convenience for groups, and being surface friendly.

Nothing is more functional than feet on the ground training your body in real world, not simulated, athletic movements. Increase speed, acceleration, and explosive power on the surface you play on.

You can get your own XPO Trainer sled on their website using this link:
https://www.armoredfitness.com/products/xpo-trainer

Voodoo Compression Floss Bands Part 2

 When to Use a Floss Band:

• The Floss can be used really at anytime, warm up, cool down, and in between workouts. 
• I usually floss before a workout utilizing exercise specific movements, depending on the workout, I get more out of it than a lacrosse ball or foam roller. Second, I’ll use after a lift, it really seems to keep soreness down and help initiate and speed up recovery. 
• Finally, I use the day(s) after a tough workout. When I’m really sore, and laying down on a foam roller sounds miserable, I’ll use the floss.

How to Use a Floss Band:

• Wrap anchor strip around the joint or soft tissue area. 
• From there, use roughly 50% tension or pull and overlap the bands. 
• Tuck the end of the band under. 
• Move in OPEN chain, all ranges of motion. 
• Move in CLOSED chain, loaded and exercise specific ranges of motion. 

Fast Results and Versatility: If you have varying levels of inflammation, especially in your joints (elbows, knees, and shoulders), you’ll be amazed at how much relief the bands can provide in just a few minutes. After using the bands, you can have dramatic “test and retest” before and after results that get you back to training or finally rehabing from a nagging minor injury. Also, a flossing session only takes a few active minutes, so it’s very minimal commitment for fast results.

These flexible bands have no problems wrapping around most joints on your arms and legs. If you’re experiencing discomfort in your knees, shoulders, elbows, ankles, or even wrists, it’s easy to work on these joints using the floss. The bands won’t replace your foam roller for your back and between your shoulders, but they’re very effective on releasing crepitus and impingement in your arms and legs.


To work shoulders, wrists, ankles, elbows and the little pieces within, wrap a band tightly around the joint (sometimes it might take two bands to cover the area) and put it through ROM like push-ups, PVC pass-throughs, squatting, lunging, etc. For knees, wrap one band above and one band below the joint, then do some squats. When you put the joint through ROM with bands anchored on either side, they stretch everything in between, which can greatly improve not only joint ROM but also pain, stiffness and tendonitis.


Ankle:
Wrap the compression band starting midfoot working up over the ankle, then move the ankle thru its full range. This can be done actively by pointing your toes and then bring the back up as far as you can. I like to perform my ankle mobility lunging with the compression bands on.

Knee:
Wrap the compression band around the knee, start just below the patella (kneecap) and wrap firmly working way up to just above the patella. Then squat 20-30 times.

Wrap the compression band around the upper thigh as high as possible. You can squat or sit on a box straightening and bending your knee.


Elbow:
Wrap from just below the elbow up to above the arm. Move the elbow through full range using your other hand or even better get someone else to bent and straighten your arm. Bend and straighten for a couple of minutes or until you feel like you need to rip the band off as your hand is going numb!!! You might have had it wrapped a little too tight.


Shoulder:
Place the other person’s straight arm on your shoulder. Wrap using 50% tension clockwise on the person’s right arm and counterclockwise on his left arm around the deltoid muscles (or shoulders). Start from the top of the shoulder down to mid arm. When you’re done wrapping, tuck the end under the band. Lay the person on his/her back. Place the ball of your foot on the person’s shoulder that has been wrapped. Have the person on the floor internally rotate his/her arm. Apply pressure with your foot as the person rotates his/her arm


Normally, you take the band off after two minutes. But if you experience any of the three:

• A rise in blood pressure and/or claustrophobic 
• Pale looking limb 
• You start feeling tingling 
• Take the band off immediately. The purpose of compressing is to mobilize not de-mobilize. And that’s what will happen if you keep the band on for too long. 
• If you’re flossing for the first time, you might want to go lighter on the tension than you think until you get used to it. 

Conclusion:
Floss compression bands can deliver near-magical results for specific mobility issues by allowing you to work through your full range of motion while compressing a targeted area. For minor strains and general maintenance for overuse, you’ll find that a few minutes of flossing can put you well on the path to a more mobile version of you. The bands are most effective with the help of a friend, but the fantastic grip that floss compression band products have quickly become known for make it effective to use on your own.

Voodoo Compression Floss Bands Part 1

 The floss compression band is an essential performance tool and should be a staple in the gym bag of every athlete looking to improve range, restore joint mechanics, or unstick matted down or previously injured tissue. Compression tack and flossing (compression "flossing") works on many levels; including re-perfusing tissues that have become stiff or gone cold after injury, and by compressing swelling out of tissues and joints.

It is simply a neuro-physiological response. Beyond occlusion-- what is happening is a forced gliding of the myofascial structures. With conventional soft tissue mobilization and manual therapies tissue displacement compromises effectiveness; with tack and flossing the compression forces tissue adhesions to forcefully slide against each other with minimal tissue displacement. This forced glide not only resolves myofascial dysfunction due to aberrant tissue formation, but also indirectly (or very directly depending of the therapist's intent) acts as an effective neurodynamic tensioner technique. The increase of ROM is not only driven by inhibition of tonus, but also by increased neural drive.

Because the floss band can be used while actually performing the movement the athlete is trying to change, its effect on sliding surface and restoration and tissue mobilization is unmatched. Floss Bands help make positive subjective changes to our joints and soft tissues through compression, tension and movement.

Used for treating tendinitis: This doesn't cure inflammation based injuries like tendinitis, or prevent all forms of it from ever bothering you again. However, it does provide some relief and allow you to continue training. Any time you are suffering from inflammation based problems like tendinitis or bursitis there is something you are doing that is causing the problem. Until you deal with that, you will be forced to repeat the triage over and over.

Essentially, what's happening is that the constriction prevents further inflammation of joints and connective tissue, as well as constricting blood flow for a bit. Once the compression band is removed, the blood flows back in to the area. For joints with large amounts of connective tissue, such as elbows and knees, this allows the blood to flush away some of the excess white blood cells that are further making the inflamed area worse.

Please Note: If you actually tore a ligament, sprained a joint, etc., you need to see a doctor. Usually rehab involves staying off the injured limb during the healing process, and re-initializing work with low weight high reps to strengthen the connective tissue and get blood flowing through the joint until it is completely healthy again.

Used for Mobility:
The floss band isn't going to make you stronger, however it does change the way the muscles orient themselves when you are doing various different movements. What that means is you can intensify the movement using the compression band. Again, when you take the floss off, you have that rush of blood into the mobilized area. The best bet is the rush of blood helps recovery. For a limited time your muscles may be a little larger similar to a bodybuilder pump, but that effect is strictly due to the extra blood post mobility work.

Disclaimer
· The bands are made of latex rubber, do not use if allergic.
· Avoid using on head, neck, chest, belly, or back.
· The band is compressing, if you feel like your blood is being occluded too much, your limbs are turning purple or faint, or your have numbness/tingling… please stop using immediately.
· Can leave marks: The positive mobility effects of flossing outweigh any compression and discomfort that you may experience with this level of compression, but it’s worth noting that the bands can leave the occasional line or mark on your skin, depending on how your wrap your joints. They’ll go away, but you could be left with a few temporary battle scars.

Product Review: Titan Fitness Hefty Bench V2

 Product Details:

Our version 2 of our Hefty Bench features our new enhanced vinyl for a unparalleled support, feel, and grip.

Fully utilize your bench for maximum power while also reducing your chances of injury with the Titan Hefty Bench. The added width and thickness gives your back and shoulders extra support for bench pressing.

Features: 
- Extra wide 24" base ultimate stability and support.
- Double sided gusset plates lock the bench top to the base.
- Constructed of heavy duty 3" x 3" tubing.
- Handle and wheels for easy movement and storage.
- 15" Wide pad is perfect for safely hitting you max bench press.

Specifications:
- Overall Length: 53"
- Overall Width: 24"
- Overall Height: 17"
- Bench Length: 50"
- Bench Width: 15"
- Bench Thickness: 4"
- Capacity: 1,200 LB
- Weight: 84 LB



Product Review:
I’ve been a big fan of the Titan Hefty Pad since the very first time I benched on one. It’s wider, longer, thicker, denser, and more supportive than any other bench pad I’ve ever seen or used. In addition to all that it has a unique, heavy-duty  vinyl cover that prevents any slipping or sliding around on the pad; a surprisingly uncommon feature for bench pads.

Built like a tank and the pad is a shoulder saver. I’ve been suffering from bicep tendonitis for over two years now, from playing college baseball - with this pad I’ve been able to bench 225 for reps without any pain.  Getting frustrated that my shoulder issues are holding me back I have tried a lot of things and finally tried the hefty pad, my shoulders got noticeably better. Just a couple weeks of using it my shoulders no longer hurt at night keeping me awake, like they used to. They are improving each week where benching isn't irritating them any more.

Some may worry that with training with this wide pad when they use a competition bench it will throw them off. While the setting up is a little different, I would rather have my shoulders pain free and adjust. Last week I went to another gym and used the competition bench and my shoulders hurt at night again, but was still able to set up okay on that bench.  If you’re a young gun out there - trust me - preventative measures now will make a huge difference in your longevity - you will still want to lift at 40 - at 50 - so get the fat pad.

The benefits of using this bench I can notice are: Promotes Scapular movement (which means it is uninhibited and eliminates AC tears), Eliminates Shoulder Hangover, Optimizes Back and Upper body Positioning,  Very little to no translational loading,  humeral wear on bicep tissue and pec tweaks are relieved, and it increases mechanic leverages.

It's heavier than expected and overbuilt to near perfection. The upholstery inside is thick and super dense meaning that it's the opposite of cushy (if you like softer foam, this is not for you). I like it because the density or hardness adds stability when using heavy weights. The cover material is the best I have ever seen or used. It's some kind of sticky rubberized material. Once you are in position, you will never slip.

In conclusion, This is an outstanding product. Very impressed with grip, size, width, and tank like feeling of this pad on this bench. Did bench immediately after receiving this beast of a pad in the mail and I am currently convinced I just bought a game changing piece to my ever expanding home gym.  It’s very sturdy, and versatile.  It has helped me tremendously with some issues I was having related to shoulder injury and poor shoulder mobility. I highly recommend it for any lifters with those sorts of issues.

PURCHASE YOUR TITAN FITNESS HEFTY BENCH HERE:  

https://www.titan.fitness/strength-equipment/weightlifting-plates-and-bars/benches/heftybench.html

Festivus Games - "Feats of Strength for the Rest of Us!"

Pairs – Same-Sex & Mixed-Sex Event October 22, 2022

Find a Hosting Box Near You: https://festivusgames.com/host-list/

EVENT AND WOD LIST: https://festivusgames.com/wods/

Festivus Competition Details:
The first Festivus competition was held on April 30th, 2011. The concept was simple yet long overdue. Since novice and intermediates make up 95% of athletes it made sense to have a competition designed only for them. No fire-breather types allowed!

As the made-up holiday “Festivus” was created “for the rest of us” Festivus Games continues the tradition of a light-hearted spirit with “feats of strength for the rest of us.”

Festivus Games was designed so it wouldn’t be necessary to scale the events. No athlete, whether six months in or brand new, will need to scale any of the events. The competition is about capacity more than a high degree of skill. Everyone can row…just how fast? Everyone can deadlift..just how much?

Since the first competition with about 70 athletes Festivus Games has grown to over 17,000 athletes a year!

When you compete in the Festivus Games you can expect to be challenged but you can also expect to have a lot of fun! With our Novice class Festivus Games really is the perfect venue for your first functional-fitness competition. Our Intermediate class will provide enough challenge for all but the best of the best athletes so Festivus Games can be your competition of choice for years! And, if you should happen to be age-mature enough? We’ve got the Masters division. We love our Masters Athletes!

Click Here to find the closest Host and the exact date of our next event!

You can count on feats of strength “for the rest of us” for sure!

I will post pictures from the event and detail my experience so be sure to check back at the end of October!