Lately in my training I’ve been focusing on things like deadlifting and a number of gymnastic feats. I haven’t been doing much with the feats of strength.
However since I’ve trained them much in the past I can put on a show anytime I please and do all the regular feats with ease. This happened twice in the last couple of weeks.
Performing a Show
Even though I hadn’t been training after the show I was feeling good so I grabbed a horseshoe and hearted it. This was a harder shoe then I’d even done before. (Don’t ask me what it was because I don’t know.)
For the show of course I stuck with items I new I could easily do. That’s an important tip for performing.
I also preceded to tear a deck of cards behind my back. Once again, I had not done this before except with a really cheap and easy deck.
Two big PR’s without even training for them, plus a real fun time.
Then last weekend I was attending a certification.
When asked what I do I answered “among other things I am a performing strongman“. This really ought to be shown more then explained. So I did.
There is an old saying “Everyone loves a strongman.” I’m not sure who might have originally said it, but it is quite true.
Here’s another fact. Most people don’t know that strongmen exist. Yet when they see one they’ll immediately love it. This has been my experience.
When you can tear through a phonebook or bend a nail you immediately become a more interesting and cool person in everyone’s eyes.
You can strike fear into the hearts of your enemies and when the love and adoration of all. Okay…that may be overdoing it a little but being a strongman is a skill set worth having.
Want to learn these amazing feats? There’s not better person to learn from then Dennis Rogers. Check out all his DVD’s here.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Feats of Strength, Oldtime Strongmen by on May 16th, 2012. Comment. 
My older brother called me up awhile back.
He had this wild idea about starting to sell some of the amazing herbs he and I’d been taking.
I said yeah, sure, I’ll help out…
(You have to test people out, even family, as most people are all talk. I’ve seen too many great business ideas never move past the “talk” stage to get excited about them at this point.)
Well my brother wasn’t just talking. He got everything in order and not only has it become a reality but I’m very happy to share it with you.
I’ve been studying Chinese Herbalism for a couple years now, as well as all the super food and nutrition information I can find.
In fact, in another week I’m off to the Longevity Conference once again to learn from some of the top people in the world.
There’s only a few items, yet very POWERFUL herbs, that we’re carrying so far.
Do you want an herb that is known as SUPERIOR to ginseng as a qi or energy tonic? One that may impart on you some of the strength of the strongest pound-for-pound creature on earth?
Do you want a Phyto-Androgen that can help balance, support and regulate the all important male sex hormones?
You’ll be glad you did.
You can get a 15% off coupon just by signing up at the page.
In the near future there will be even more available as we’re just getting started.
Most people have never heard of these herbs yet they’re one of my SECRET weapons in not only performing in the gym but excelling in life.
Yes, herbs can be that good!
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. Also be sure to check out the Superman Herbs Facebook page.
Filed under Health, Nutrition by on May 11th, 2012. Comment.
Here is the second ever Legendary Strength podcast.
For this episode I decided to talk about what could me the most fun training of all time…
Kettlebell Juggling
I discuss:
- How I got started with kettlebells and juggling.
- Why kettlebell juggling is so great.
- The value of Chaos Training
- How easy it is to pick up new skills
- The many different Styles of Kettlebell Juggling
- What size weight should you use?
- What’s coming in the future with the new Definitive Guide?
I hope you enjoy it.
Please leave your questions and comments below. I’m also open to suggestions for future shows.
Filed under Kettlebells, Podcasts by on May 9th, 2012. 3 Comments.
What’s more difficult then partner kettlebell juggling? What’s more difficult then double kettlebell juggling?
Partner Double Kettlebell Juggling
My friend and I worked on some real basic moves. Just tossing the two bells at once, flipping the bells and then some flips to the outsides of the body. Fun stuff.
To learn the basics pick up The Definitive Guide to Kettlebell Juggling.
Be sure to have a firm foundations in the basics (both of you!) before trying this out.
Filed under Kettlebells by on May 8th, 2012. 2 Comments.
Just finished my second ever Tactical Strength Challenge this past Sunday.
Competition is fun!
It is quite different between training in the gym, and then being forced to be at your best on a specific date and time.
Luckily this time I didn’t have to drive to Sacramento to compete as Crossfit West in Santa Cruz was holding it at their facility this year.
Before we get into what happened, let’s talk about my goals for the event. I was looking to improve over what I did the previous year when I competed. I was also looking to place in the Top 3 internationally. Unfortunately I won’t know those results for some time as it takes awhile to compile on the results from many different gyms.
Lastly I wanted to beat everybody at the gym in all three events. Sorry, I have a thing about showing up at a Crossfit, and beating people at what they do, of course in a friendly way. (Most of the competitors there trained at that Crossfit.)It was just an added component of competing for me.
If you are unaware of the TSC it is a 3 event competition.
The first event is a maximum deadlift. You get three attempts, at its basically powerlifting rules.
The second event is dead hang pullups for reps.
The third event is a 5 minute kettlebell snatch test with multiple hand switches for reps.
There are different classes for men, women, novices, masters and elite. I competed in the open class as that’s where most of the competition is. This meant for me the pullups were with bodyweight and the snatch was with a 24kg bell.
The video below shows you my results.
Deadlift
I opened with an easy 425 lb. deadlift. I moved up to 455 and hit that as well. As was deciding between a 475 and 485 deadlift for my last attempt. The latter felt right so I went with that and pulled it fairly easily.
This is a competition PR and also one for recency. I’ve hit 505 in training before and am in the process of working back up to that point and beyond it, as after I accomplished it I stopped dead lifting for sometime.
I followed much the same training as before. And the heaviest I’ve lifted in training so far this time around was 425 lbs.
For the deadlifts I also used anchoring and the “summoning saxon” technique, two great mental training tactics that definitely helped out.
Pullups
Then came the pullups. In my training I’ve been working towards one arm chins. I really hadn’t been doing much high rep work at all.
I tried but did not beat my previous record of 21. I only tied it.
Next time I’ll train a little more specifically on bodyweight pullups for reps.
Kettlebell Snatches
Last came the event that I knew I would do the best in as it’s something of my specialty.
(You can check out Kettlebell Snatch Domination for how I train it. There’s also a bonus called How to Kick-Ass at the TSC which will help you out on the other exercises that comes with it.)
I used a competition bell that Buck had brought. He came all the way from Chico to compete. I’m still not sure that was the best call as I had been training with the thicker handled dragondoor kettlebells.
In the end since I had not taken care of my callouses like I should have before-hand I ended up with a couple blood blisters.
I could feel them start to come on. You’ll see in the video I start doing more hand switches at the end. But this was competition and I had to finish strong.
It slowed me a little but my goal was to break 150 which I did with 154 reps. That beats what I did last year with 146 reps.
The Results
Overall I’m very happy with my results. We will all have to wait and see what the final results come to be.
I didn’t beat everybody in every event. I was far ahead in the pullups and the snatches. But one guy there beat me deadlifting. He also had the advantage of weighing 50 more pounds then me.
Did anyone else compete? I’d love to hear your experience below.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Bodyweight Exercise, Conditioning, Kettlebells, Mental Training, Videos by on May 7th, 2012. 7 Comments.
Here is an excellent guest article by Matti Marzel on Mental Toughness in the Army. I know something about mental toughness but not about being in the army. Matti is fast up and coming as a very strong and enduring guy. I knew he was pretty good but after meeting him at the recent Super Human Training Workshop I got to see first hand just how much he could do. I mean he even beat my record in the snatch test. Enjoy!
Let’s take a trip down memory lane & go back in time 3 years ago! Which takes us to 2009. This was the time that I was still training to become Mentally & Emotionally TOUGHER! We trained all day long, With NO set plans, sets or reps or even breaks. We (me & my army comrades) were doing Army Specific Shooting & Maneuvering drills, spec-ops type skills & weapons training & a whole lot more! And if I would tell you everything that I did in my 3 years service, then I have to kill you afterwards! So I won’t tell about the missions, weapons & skills training anymore…
I won’t kill you though, that was a joke! What I wanted to talk about in this article is NOT about all the specific army type skill training that I did, but about the Training itself in the army, The Mentally, Emotionally TOUGH training that I’ve been through! And what made me into the man that I am today!
You see, training in an Elite Unit is NOTHING that you’ve ever seen or witnessed outside the army, people outside can’t possibly fathom the toughness that is required in an Spec-Ops Unit, both mentally & emotionally! Being able to go on & on & on without stopping whatsoever is NOT easy to do! That’s why they train soldiers to being able to go & take it that far over a long period of time… Every soldier that been in an Elite Unit will tell you that this is absolutely true!
To have the crazy ability to push forward & never give up, especially when the going gets really tough & you haven’t slept or eat a decent meal in days, is what they train you for & want you to achieve in an Elite Unit. They don’t give a damn about how muscular you are, how pumped up or big your arms or lats are. They don’t give a damn neither if you slept good the day before, Got your protein intake for that day or haven’t had your afternoon nap or your Vitamins & Minerals Supplements.
None of that matters in the army, at least where I was it didn’t. Again, they wanted me to become mentally TOUGH, that when the time came for a War, that I’ll be ready no matter what, whether I had a good full night sleep or not. Whether I feel fatigued or not. And as a matter of FACT, they want you to thrive when you’re completely fatigued, because that way you won’t break in a very stressful situation… let’s say for example: WAR!
Training to being able to do that for years has made me tough as nails & mentally & emotionally ready for whatever comes in my path! And it gave me the ability & mental focus to continue pushing (or pulling) forwards no matter what! Especially when the going gets really tough & unbearable!
Why do I talk about this & why does it sound like I’m bragging about my time as an Elite Soldier in the army? Very simple, and NO it’s not to make myself feel better or to toot my own horn or any of that crap. I talk about this to teach YOU, whoever you are that is reading this right now, to do the exact same! What I’m trying to say is that you DON’T have to go & sign up for the army & go through bootcamp & being broken both mentally & physically to get to this point & level in your training.
With practice every day, both mentally, emotionally & physically, you can achieve this kind of Mental Toughness in your own training, and in your own life… period! This kind of toughness both mentally, emotionally & physically carries over to every other part of your life as well! That is how it was & still is in my own life, and I will bet all my money on it that it will do the exact same for you as well! You just gotta believe in yourself & NEVER give up! No matter what!
It’s funny how the mind plays tricks on us, isn’t it? Especially when it comes down to training. I’ve seen many trainees & athletes, whether they’re couch potatoes just starting out or High level advanced athletes, giving up way too soon & way too early in their own training! Once again, it all starts with how you look at yourself & see yourself in your own mind! So the next time you’re going out there to do a very DEMANDING (for you) test or feat of strength, take a moment to visualize yourself being VERY STRONG both physically, mentally & emotionally as well! Once you can take yourself to that calm & happy place you’ll perform a lot better & more focused! ESPECIALLY under a lot of stress!
And that’s the kick in the head, a lot of times athletes & trainees, whether beginners or elite level, think that when you eat bad, sleep bad & have shitty conditions around you, you’re training will suffer big time & thus they avoid training under those conditions. I tend to agree with that, however, I’m also of a very strong opinion that when you learn to calm down & relax under severe stressful & bad situations, like the ones in an Elite Unit for 3 years, then you’ll be way better of in the long-term! Simply because you’ve learned to still perform & thrive under those conditions & still set NEW PR’s!
Now don’t get me wrong over here though, I’m not suggesting you deprive yourself of good quality sleep, food & rest. What I am saying however, is that you should train even when you haven’t had a good night sleep or very little sleep & train in odd hours when you don’t usually & normally train. The mental & emotional picture you gotta have in your mind is this: ALWAYS being ready to do anything, anywhere & anytime of the day, no matter what! It’s that laser focus vision & concentration that let’s you go from messing around & joking with your friends or family to becoming as serious & focused as a Samurai on a mission!
It will take practice & time to master this DEEP kind of mental & emotional focus & concentration! But once you start training it & keep paying attention to it, you’ll be surprised what kind of effect it can & will have on your training in the long run! You can turn pain & fear into focus & concentration! Thrive on fear, rather then shut your mind & body from it & trying to escape from it! This is the Loyal & Ultimate road to master these 2 dreadful feelings people have when they first start to train, or even for those that train for a long period of time!
I truly believe that this is one of the missing ingredients in serious trainees & athletes training these days! And like I said before, you don’t have to join the army & go through BRUTAL & Stressful training to get there, that’s a quickstart method to get there no doubt, But I know not everyone wants to go that route, and I’m not here to force them to. What I’m stressing so much over here is that you DO gotta use these same types of mental & emotional tactics & strategies to conquer those fears & pains that you have in training & make them your strongest points & allies in your training! When you do that, then I’ll guarantee you that your results will be Phenomenal & will blow your mind!
So take a moment each & every time before you start your training, bring yourself under hypnosis, visualize yourself being always ready to train hard as hell & going 100% for it, no matter what happens! You’re gonna do it & you will! There’s no stopping you! Unless you stop yourself! That’s yet another thing I learned in the army, and my sergeants & generals kept yelling this in my ears day in & day out:
Soldier: IT’S ALL IN THE HEAD!
And this is very true, everyone realizes this, whether they admit it or not. So my take away points in this article is: Start living in the zone, where you don’t even think you can’t do something, especially when it looks impossible & unreal to the normal society! Visualize & Imagine yourself being always on top of your game, even on your BAD & Stressful days, when all the odds are stacked against you! You’ll learn who you are personally on those days, Especially on those days!
And the most fun & awesome fact about this kind of mental toughness & state of mind in your training, is that when you do sleep very well, had a very good nap when you needed it & eat the best organic, raw & fresh foods out there, you’ll be even more stronger, conditioned & enduring then you would be if you didn’t put yourself through the Brutally Mentally tough training they put you through in the army.
This is food for thought! And once you really start to think about it in a deeper way, you’ll come to the conclusion that the human body is capable of dealing with a lot more stress & bad situations then you might think! Same goes for training, a lot of times even Advanced Athletes cut themselves short before they even reach they’re true maximum potential! Make sure you do NOT make the same mistakes as they do! Start training a lot more mentally then you do right now & Develop that Do or Die, Kill or Be Killed, Full Force Elite Commando Unit mentality… TODAY!
I’ll have another article for all of y’all in the future! But for now…
Marzel Out!
Make sure you check out Matti’s new site Ferocious Strength, read the articles he has over there, and sign up for his very interesting report on Emotional Anchors for training. Get it here.
Filed under Mental Training by on May 2nd, 2012. 4 Comments.
Been working a bunch on kettlebell juggling lately. I almost forgot how much fun it is!
Here is a clip of some partner kettlebell juggling with me and my friend, Tyler.
You must know how to do the basic moves before you can start doing this especially as you move beyond just the front flips. You can start to do most, if not all, of the moves you can do yourself, just now passing it to the other person. This opens up to doors to the possibilities even further then just juggling kettlebells by yourself.
To learn the basics pick up The Definitive Guide to Kettlebell Juggling.
Filed under Conditioning, Kettlebells, Videos, Workouts by on May 1st, 2012. 2 Comments.
Some people say you should never do them. I personally love them. I’m talking about high repetition deadlifts.
In the video below you’ll see me lift 225 lbs. for 30 reps in a single set.
High Repetition Deadlifts
Now are high rep deadlifts the only thing I do? No, far from it. My main goal is to deadlift more for a max single. Specifically my goal is 605 now after hitting 505 before.
But instead of just sticking to singles, doubles, triples or sets of five (does anyone do sets of 4?) I like to mix it up. And my lifts keep going up. It’s just one thing I’ve started doing not just with deadlifts but EVERY exercise since starting out in biofeedback training.
These can be done in any style of deadlifting. I typically do them with conventional style as seen here and with jefferson deadlifts.
Anyone else have experience good or bad with high repetition deadlifts?
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Bio Feedback, Conditioning, Strength Training Concepts, Videos by on May 1st, 2012. 5 Comments.
Introducing the Physical Culture Book Club. As a subscriber on Legendary Strength you can join for free.
For the month of May we’ll be reading Vitality Supreme by Bernarr Macfadden.
If you start reading and have questions and comments please post them below. I’ll have the discussion article up shortly.
Filed under Book Club by on May 1st, 2012. Comment.
This is one of the most amazing feats of strength possible. Everyone who has done some bending knows how tough it is on the hands and how much pressure it puts there.
So when someone can do a wrench with nothing but tissues for wraps…well that just makes it even more amazing.
Want to learn how to do this (using proper wraps to start with of course)? Then get the Odd Object Bending and Breaking DVD’s.
Filed under Feats of Strength, Hand Strength by on May 1st, 2012. Comment.
