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!

PLANTAR FASCIITIS: WHAT HEEL SPUR?

 One of the most common complaints of the foot is plantar fasciitis. But what is it and what causes it? Fascia comes from the Latin word for band which is appropriate as the plantar fascia is a band-like material that runs from the heel to the base of the toes. Plantar fasciitis is essentially inflammation of this fascia. It is a fairly prevalent condition in runners and casual joggers and can lead to perceived pain at the bottom of the foot and heel.

Typically when one thinks of plantar fasciitis the word heel spur comes to mind. A heel spur is a bony overgrowth at the bottom of the foot that most people think either causes plantar fasciitis or vice versa that plantar fasciitis causes the spur. However, recent research has shown this is not the case. A study on 22 different heel bones with confirmed spurs showed that spurs formed at the origin of a muscle known at the bottom of the foot known as flexor digitorum brevis, not the plantar fascia.

So what does this mean for people that have plantar fasciitis? It is not what is causing the heel spur and it can be managed by activating the right muscles! A great exercise to perform if you think you may have plantar fasciitis is the lift, spread, and drop exercise. Start by lifting your big toe off the ground without lifting the rest of the toes and then dropping it back to the ground. Then try lifting the other toes, spreading them a part, and bringing them back down. To progress this exercise, try lifting each individual up and down to strengthen your foot muscles and keep you pain free!

If this exercise does not work for you, then it may need to be modified to ensure proper activation of the foot musculature. Several treatments exist to assist in doing so, including activating the muscles in stable positions with Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) as well as increasing foot mobility with manipulation, Active Release Technique (ART), Cupping and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and decreasing inflammation within the fascia using Dry Needling.

Share this article with someone you think may have plantar fasciitis symptoms and encourage them to schedule with a PT to stay active and keep that foot pain away! Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

Research and Evidence Based Medicine

 Definition: "the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values"

Hierarchy of Evidence:

Level 1a:  Systematic Reviews of Randomized Control Trials

• Comprehensive survey of a topic in which all primary studies of the highest level have been identified, analyzed and appraised
• Assessed by individual reviewers
• Cochrane systematic review is a type of review specifically used in health care.

 

Level 1b:  Individual Randomized Control Trials

• Type of research design in which participants are randomly split between 2 groups
• One group is the intervention group, one is the control group
• The control group receives either no treatment or a default treatment
• Random assigning reduces risk of bias

 

Level 2: Cohort Study

• Observational study of subjects with a specific condition and/or who are receiving a specific treatment
• Followed over a period of time
• Comparisons are made from the 2 groups, the cohort and possibly the gerneral population
• Limitations include lack of control of variables
• Not as reliable as RTC's

 

Level 3: Case Control Study

• A study that involves identifying subjects who have the outcome of interest and control subjects without the same outcome, and looking back to see if they had an exposure of interest
• Typically done retrospectively, looking back over time, example is smoking as a link to lung cancer

 

Level 4: Case Report or Case Series

• Describes the medical history of one participant
• Used to record and alert other health care professionals to occurrences 
• No control group
• Not statistically valid

Level 5: Expert Opinion

Other Things to Consider:

Ethical Considerations:

• Informed consent, confidentiality, Protection from harm or danger, Knowledge of the outcome

Variables:

• Independent Variable: the factors manipulated by the researcher
• Dependent Variable: the factors used to measure the effect of the independent variable (the "effect" or outcome of interest)

Statistics:

• Descriptive statistics: Summarize or describe important characteristics of a known set of data
• used to determine whether there are significant differences between groups

Product Review: Disruptive Strong Bag

 Product Details:

• Included Shotbells were custom designed to allow one DisruptiveStrong Bag to vary in weight, and can also be used like a dumbbell, kettlebell, barbell, medicine ball, and slam ball without bursting or damaging floor surfaces. 
• Life happens in multiple planes of direction, but traditional fitness has led us to train in only two directions. Training in only two planes of motion creates muscular imbalances and puts us at risk for injury and poor function. 
• With DisruptiveStrong, you can incorporate real world movement patterns with each workout, and start to look better, feel better and perform better. 

Your Choice: (Beginner OR Intermediate OR Advanced)

Beginner Includes:
— 10 Pound Shotbell
— 20 Pound Shotbell

Intermediate Includes:
— 10 Pound Shotbell
— 20 Pound Shotbell
— 30 Pound Shotbell

Advanced Includes:
— 10 Pound Shotbell
— 20 Pound Shotbell
— 30 Pound Shotbell
— 40 Pound Shotbell

• CHANGE THE WEIGHT: The DisruptiveStrong Bag is incredibly versatile. The workout bag itself weighs 10 pounds and you can add our Shotbells to add weight. Each Shotbell weighs 10, 20, 30, or 40 pounds. That means you can add up to 100 pounds for the training bag to weigh up to 110 pounds. The Shotbells can also be used like a dumbbell, kettlebell, barbell, medicine ball, and slam ball. Our bag is perfect as a heavy punching or striking bag and great for weighted workouts and MMA training. 
• DURABLE AND STURDY: Our fitness bag is sturdy enough to slam, drag, strike, swing, and lift while holding all of the steel shot bags inside. A durable vinyl material makes the outer shell and a flexible neoprene cylinder makes up the inside. The reinforced handle stitching helps make it resistant to tremendous intensity. It makes for great youth fitness equipment and boxing and MMA equipment. 
• 5 GRIP OPTIONS: The DisruptiveStrong Bag is great with its 5 different hand grips. For a wide grip, grab the handles on the edges of the bag. To get a neutral grip, use the handles perpendicular to the bag. To get a suitcase-like grip, hold the center handle. For an overhand or underhand grip, use the handles parallel to the bag. Add the DisruptiveStrong Bag to your home exercise equipment. 
• APP WORKOUT BONUS: You don’t just get an amazing weightlifting bag. You also get a DisruptiveStrong workout app, which includes over 1,000 unique exercises and over 350 always different workouts that get updated every month to help you so you’re always gaining muscle and burning fat with your Strong Bag. Up your weightlifting workout routine with the DisruptiveStrong Bag and our workout app. 
• 3-YEAR WARRANTY: Each purchase of workout equipment comes with a “7 Guidelines to Shed More Fat” PDF and a 3-year warranty in the unlikely event of defects in the product's materials or manufacturing. Dragging or slamming the Shotbells and Strong Bags on abrasive and sharp surfaces such as gravel, rocks, grass with sticks, etc. will void the warranty. 

Product Review:
Meet the DisruptiveStrong Bag: a training bag that you can strike, slam, lift, or drag to burn calories and build strength in your body. You will be able to change its weight from 10 to 110 pounds. The bag supports over 700 exercises, many of which simulate functional everyday movements. You can use the Shortbell filler weights like a dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell.

As a complete training system, the DisruptiveStrong Bag is soft enough to strike, but strong enough to take abuse.  It is a padded cylinder that can be filled with small, weighted bags to create a weight from 10 to 110 pounds. The cylinder can be used for a martial arts workout or it can be used like a dumbbell or kettle bell for weight training.You can use the Shortbell filler weights like a dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell. The solid yet flexible inner core and the soft, shock-absorbing outer shell are two key qualities that allow you to lift, strike, slam, and drag this remarkable tool. From military grade vinyl to double and triple stitching to soft, resilient silicone handles, the DisruptiveStrong Bag was built for comfort, sleekness, and longevity.

The most impressive piece of equipment on the market by far! It is very easy to use and can be used in the comfort of your house and easy to travel with. Literally hundreds of exercises can be done with the equipment, so your workouts are versatile and not repetitive. You will gain strength and muscle while losing fat and inches. Anyone despite their current fitness level can utilize this equipment because weight is easily added! Well worth the investment. I regularly work out at a CrossFit Gym and every time I workout with the Disruptive Strong Bag I am completely sore all over again. It hits muscle groups that no other method of working out can due to the weight shifting and sand movement. The design and durability makes it a great long term investment and a great workout tool and easily portable for workouts on the go.

It arrived at my door and the first thing I noticed was the quality as it was pieced in about 6 different packages.  For most people its going to take a while to get used to the weights. It's unconventional and I can tell this thing is going to make you work. The shotbells are either heavier or I'm just not as strong as I think. The handle is a huge plus. The workouts you can perform are endless.  The bag is durable and versatile. You get multiple grip options and an easy weight changing mechanism.

In conclusion, this product is strong, versatile, and extremely convenient. The bag and shot bells allow me to perform the functional fitness workouts I am accustomed too. I no longer have to go to the gym to use different weighted sandbags, Bulgarian bags, and different kettle bells.  I was looking for something that did it all in one complete package and allowed for me to travel with it. That's when I found the Distruptive Strong Bag, the Swiss Army knife for fitness training. This product is legit and will push you to the next level in training.

https://disruptivestrong.com/

Product Review: Titan Fitness Heavy Foam Plyo Box (30/24/20in)

 Product Details

The Titan Fitness pro-duty Foam Plyometric Box is perfect to start doing box jumps, box push-ups, dips, step ups, and other creative exercises. Are your workouts too easy on the 20" side? Simply rotate the box to add 4"-10", forcing you to jump higher and burn more calories! These boxes are constructed from high density foam and built to last. With up to a 350 lb weight limit, you can be confident that when you land your jump, this box will support you. An added bonus is that the edges and sides won’t hurt your shins!

Features: 
- Pro-duty firm foam construction
- Soft material helps prevent injury
- Slip free surface
- No assembly required
- Save money and space with 3 box sizes in 1
- Solid foam platform supports heavy weight athletes
- Rotate the box for more challenging heights

67lb Specifications:
- Material: Foam
- Height: 20"
- Width: 24"
- Length: 30"
- Weight: 67 LB

Product Review:
I am a huge crossfitter, doing 2-3 sessions a day. I wanted a foam plyo at home but did not want to spend a fortune on some of the other brands with less utility. I did a good amount of research and found this one to be very sturdy and high quality. Foam plyos are great, though can be deceiving. They are soft but they cannot be too soft or you do not get the right feel and landing on them can be difficult. This one seemed to have a good stiffness to it as well as it weighed enough to know that when I use it at 30" (which is most of the time) it will not tip or be unstable. It has performed well, seems like it will hold up for the long haul, just wish the foam was a hair stiffer. Great quality none the less for a very reasonable price. Perfect for a home garage box.

There are alot of wooden ones out there but this one is great, knowing that it is foam makes that jump easier for those that have never tried it before. The ladies I am working out with had never Attempted box jumps, it was great to see.  It came put together already (unlike my wood box) which was a plus. I've bit it and landed my shins on it, and only bruised my ego (versus splitting open my shin like on my wood plyo box).

This is HEAVY. I have to either sled push or tire flip it across my garage. I've had 0 issues with tipping, and there is plenty of surface area for box jumps/jump overs. Cover unzips, although I just wipe clean with a Lysol wipe. Colors are great to easily find the height I need.  Already had a couple members save their shins on this box.  The only down side is that and the fact it has to be flipped all the way to where you want to use it (no handles obviously).

Each jump box features an ultra dense foam core with softer foam on all six sides—making them firm and secure enough to perform plyometric movements, but soft enough that you won’t tear up your shins on the edges if you misstep. The box can be quickly positioned at three different height settings—20", 24", and 30"—and an 18 ounce vinyl is included with printed indications of which height you’re jumping at.  This plyo box is an absolute steal. It’s everything that the first offering was not. Heavy, sturdy and safe. The Black Friday sale price was insane for this piece of equipment.

In conclusion, by removing much of the fear factor and injury risks from high-intensity box jumps, and by allowing multiple athletes to set their own preferred height, the Titan Fitness Heavy Foam Box offers huge benefits for any size training facility.  The durable vinyl cover resists wear and tear while remaining firm even after heavy use. Never worry about footprints or dirt again, as the vinyl covering allows for easy cleanup.   This 3-in-1 Ballast Plyo Box is a staple item of any fitness studio or box. It allows you to design your workout & adjust on the fly. This unmatched versatility removes clutter from a workout space.

https://www.titan.fitness/3-in-1-heavy-foam-plyometric-box-20-24-30.html

DIY Plyo Box

How much do you DIY?
When I started my garage gym, I had very little cash, so I built almost everything.

10+ years later, and economies of scale have prevailed. It's cheaper to buy most things than it is to build these days. But we still have many people in our community who have made racks, boxes, etc.

Today, I present the DIY Plyometric Box - One of my first DIY projects. It's one project that will still save a fair amount of money over having one shipped to your house. And, this thing is ROCK SOLID!

This is one of the easiest DIY Garage Gym builds I have completed and one of the most important.

I know many guys like to build their boxes in a slant (kind of like a pyramid with a flat top), but I prefer to keep my DIY projects easy.

People build it that way, so you don't catch your shins on the box, and for plyometric purposes. That does make sense, but I jump higher than the box and land on top. I do not jump at an angle forward and barely make it to the top…and neither should you. A rectangular box is a good practice for keeping good form for a box jump.

Jump. Land. Full hip extension. Land.

Building it my way not only saves you a geometric-math-problem headache but also gives you a 3 in 1 box!

Building a rectangular prism will give you three different sides to jump on that will be three different heights. This is great for different workouts and overall functionality.

Materials Needed:
1 Piece of Plywood (I got the cheap plywood for flooring because it is tough. Get any plywood you want, so long as it is 3/4″ x 4ft x 8ft)
1 box of screws
1 Bottle of Gorilla Wood Glue

First, you must answer this question:

What kind of box do YOU want/need?? I built mine with these dimensions:

L= 30″
W=20″
H=24″

I wish I made the length more like 40″ because I like to do high box jumps sometimes. That is why you need to determine what you can handle and what you would want. You can make it as tall or as short as you want.

How to Build a Plyometric Box, Step 1: Let's start Cutting

You will need the following dimensions cut2x 30″ x 22.5″
2x 30″ x 20″
The trickiest part of the project2x 18.5″ x 22.5″ (this cut will be the sides and will fit within the other pieces to make a streamlined box.)

How to Build a Plyometric Box, Step 2: Gluing and Screwing, what all DIY Projects need.

Now, you have all your pieces, just put them together. (Refer to the pic of the box above, it is pretty self-explanatory.)

Anywhere wood will be touching wood, put a thin line of Gorilla Wood Glue.

I recommend starting with the base and two sides, all touching. This will give it immediate stability, and you can let it dry as needed.

I would put a screw spaced about every 2-3 inches around the entire box while putting it together. I tend to overkill things when building, but hey, if it falls apart, you can only blame yourself, so make it STURDY. Mine has withstood a lot of jumping, and I have even used it as an apparatus for floor press with 250lbs. resting on it. Now you have built an item to add to your garage arsenal.