Since studying Arthur Saxon I’ve been doing a number of the exercises he outlines in The Development of Physical Power and Text Book of Weight Lifting.
One of them is the bent press done Arthur Saxon style. Considering he put up more weight then anyone else in the bent press I think it’s a good idea to listen to him about this exercise.
Here is my newest personal record, a 135 lbs. bent press.
Watching the video I still see lots of room for improvement in my bent press technique. The hardest part by far is going from the arm resting on the side to a complete lockout. I could have gotten lower instead of just struggling to press it out a little bit. But hey, I was successful.
If you look closely you’ll see me firing an anchor before commencing with the lift. After using this tactic this lift actually felt easier then my previous reps with 125 lbs.
I have to say, having been doing this regularly, I understand why so many of the oldtime strongmen loved this lift. Go ahead and try it out yourself. Just start light and realize that this is a very technical lift. Of course using a kettlebell for it makes it easier to do.
If you want lots more details on the bent press and many other “oldtime” exercises I highly recommend you check out the Arthur Saxon Power Pack.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. I’m going to start training with the two hands anyhow as well. When I break 200 lbs. in total I’ll post a video of that too.
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Feats of Strength, Oldtime Strongmen, Videos by on Jan 23rd, 2012. 18 Comments. 
The Jefferson lift, also known as the Jefferson deadlift, Jefferson squat or straddle deadlift, is not a commonly seen exercise. In fact, I would put it as something that is forgotten or unknown by 99% of the population.
According to my research it was named after Strongman Charles Jefferson.
But since I’ve been introduced to it, I’ve absolutely loved it. Let me tell you why.
First off, let’s talk about how to do the Jefferson lift. It is like a conventional deadlift except you’ll step one foot over the bar so that you are straddling it.
At first glance, men are going to be scared of this lift as I‘ve heard it been referred to its nick-name the “nut-crusher”. Let me say that I’ve personally never had this particular problem. I suppose it does depend on several factors though including arm length, torso length, and how its hanging. For that reason it may not be appropriate for everyone. Anyway…
The great thing about the Jefferson lift is how you can find your own personal groove with it.
- You can hinge at the hips more to incorporate more back. (more like a regular deadlift)
- Squat down more, making it similar to a sumo deadlift, and use recruit more quad involvement. (more like a squat)
- Move the feet closer of further.
- Change your hand position closer or wider.
- Turn more to the side, or stay facing straight forwards.
- And of course you can switch what foot is facing forwards.
There’s a lot of variation here. If you’ve ever looked for something that is same but different this is a great one. If you do biofeedback training, this exercise alone is a testament to what can be done. And on that note its note surprising the results David Dellanave has gotten with it. Here he is lifting 605 lbs. in the Jefferson.
It has been instrumental for me in increasing my conventional deadlift up to 505. And now I’m working to go even further.
Here is one more important point. The Jefferson is similar to the trap bar deadlift in that the weight is centered under you, unlike in a conventional deadlift where the weight is slightly in front of you. For this reason alone I find the Jefferson lift is actually a safer variation for many people.
Of course there is some unique core work involved, which could be great for you, or not so much. After doing a set of heavy Jeffersons you’ll feel your rib cage on one side perhaps unlike ever before.
Go ahead and try this deadlift out if you never have.
Here’s your question for the day. If you’ve done the Jefferson deadlift before “what are your experiences of it?”
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. If you want to learn a whole bunch more similar “oldtimer” exercises I suggest you check out the Arthur Saxon Power Pack.
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Bio Feedback, Lifting Technique, Oldtime Strongmen, Strength Training Concepts, Videos by on Jan 18th, 2012. 7 Comments.
Did you know that the more you study a sport (in our case weightlifting and exercise) the better you’ll be?
According to Dr. Judd Biasiotta in his book 2001 A Sports Odyssey:
“Research in the field of psychomotor development consistently revealed that the more information afforded an athlete about physiological, psychological and mechanical demands of the sport in which he engages, the more likely that he will excel.”
“The athletes that were given special intellectual training – lectures, demonstrations, and readings concerning the physical, psychological, and biomechanical demands of the sport – performed significantly better that the athletes who were not exposed to this type of special tutoring.”
So if you want to get stronger you should read more?
That’s part of it and one of the reasons I put together the new Physical Culture Book Club.
Of course, reading about lifting does not actually replace it. I’m not out to create an army of armchair lifters. The above reference presupposes actual practice.
But when you apply what you learn you’ll become stronger, if you’re smart about it.
Back many years ago I would read one book, or watch a DVD then switch my training program to reflect entirely what was in that program. Of course this would only last until I saw the “next big thing”. This is the WRONG way to do it.
These days I study just as much, but I take a different approach. Instead of looking at everything as “this is the holy grail” I operate from the “principle of the slight edge”.
If I can take one, just one technique from a book, then that makes it more than worth it to me.
What could one exercise you’ve never done, or had forgotten about, do for you, if that exercise is just what you need to bring up your weakness?
What if there’s a technique that you never learned before that can instantly add 10% to what you can do?
A single paragraph or even sentence in a 200 page book can change your training for the better
When you listen to the Oldtime Strongmen you’ll hear some contradictory advice. That’s fine. The world doesn’t end if two people don’t agree. But you take what works, add to what can be done better, and discard the rest.
The new book club is to do much more then just read the books, but discuss and bring out the best points. The more participation we get the better it will be.
Thomas Inch was strong. He also taught a lot of other people how to be strong. So we’re starting with his book aptly titled On Strength this month.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. Don’t forget you can pick up the whole package of books for this year by clicking here.
Filed under Book Club, Oldtime Strongmen, Strength Training Concepts by on Jan 3rd, 2012. Comment.
Hit a new big PR yesterday during my workout – Bending a Grade 8 Bolt.
It sort of happened like my 505 lb. deadlift. Coming into the workout I just had a feeling I could do it. So I warmed up with some lighter bolts and nails then went into it.
Here’s the video.
This has been a goal of mine for over a year, although I haven’t been completely focused in on it.
The Grade 8 bolt is just one step away from Ironmind’s Red Nail, which when you can bend that you are considered world class at bending.
I did a lot of work with the Wrist Developer for a time. Although it mimics the reverse bending style I found it didn’t quite carry over my short bending. There may be some but it is quite a different feel to it.
So in the last two months I switched gears and started bending again.
Since one day in the future I want to certify I realized I’m going to have to start bending in Ironmind’s wraps instead of the leathers I’m familiar with. Let me tell you for me there is a world of difference.
So I started training with the much smaller wraps, that inflict more pain with bending. I worked on some easier and harder 60D nails. I was working up to being able to do a Grade 5 bolt in these wraps but didn’t quite get there…yet.
However, yesterday I decided to go back to the leathers and try my hands at the Grade 8. As you can see I was successful. I had never gotten beyond the kink before.
Check out the un-centered bend of the Grade 5 I did before the Grade 8.
It’s kind of like doing partials which can desensitize you to heavier weights. Only in this case I was using a lighter “weight” but less wraps for the desensitization.
Now I’ll continue to work with both the leathers and cordura wraps, back and forth, as I work my way towards the next goals. These include:
- Bend a Grade 5 Bolt in Ironmind Pads
- Bend a Grade 8 Bolt in Ironmind Pads
- Bend a Red Nail in Leathers
- Bend a Red Nail in Ironmind Pads
- Bend a Red Nail for Certification
If you want to bend steel, tear decks of cards and many other feats of strength I highly suggest you make your way over to here to learn from the best of the best, Dennis Rogers at our upcoming workshop.
Also if you want more tips like these (including the mental tactics I used, for this one I call ’Weakening the Steel’, and know I wouldn’t have been successful without it) then sign up for my new Peak Performance Elite Coaching. The few remaining spots are filling rapidly.
As what always happens with feats like these, once the first one falls, the rest are soon to follow.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Feats of Strength, Hand Strength, Oldtime Strongmen by on Oct 14th, 2011. 7 Comments.
There’s just nothing quite like destroying perfectly good items in your own two hands. It’s a lot of fun, builds tremendous power, and can impress others.
Today, I want to take you a little deeper into the world of oldtime strongmen.
Did you know that one item is not equal to another even though they may look the same?
The 60D (pronounced 60-penny) nail is the standard among strongmen for short bending. But not all 60D nails are created the same.
At a recent workshop we were teaching the attendees how to bend. I had just purchased a new box of 60D nails. And a good number of attendees were able to destroy these with either ease or a lot of effort.
But as far as 60D nails are concerned this was a batch of some of the easiest 60D nails I had ever come across. The ones I had at home (that had collected a bit of rust) were probably about 30% harder.
And Bud Jeffries happened to have on hand a 60D nail that is equal in difficulty to a Grade 8 Bolt. That’s a huge jump.
(As a related side note: Did you know that many weight plates may be off up to several pounds in either direction? Unless you have calibrated weights then what they say may not be completely accurate. So while this may not be as drastic in weights it can still happen there too.)
My next example is cards. I’ve been working lately on my card tearing to make it even stronger.
I knew the cards I had been working with were strong, but I didn’t know just how strong they were until recently.
In working the progressions I was up to about 40 cards tearing fairly easily on these decks.
Then I’m over at Chuck Halbakken’s gym and tearing a bunch of cards. (We probably went through 100 decks that day).
The cards he had were a bit easier then mine. Enough so that I was able to do about twice as many. This video here shows my first attempt ever at a deck and a half.
I also hit some other PR’s that day. A deck behind the back and a deck torn vertically (which is ridiculously hard – all the more props to Chuck as that’s his preferred way to do it).
The gold standard among card tearing is usually using Bicycle decks. I was able to go through that easily too.
So it turns out I’ve been working on some of the hardest decks out there. And there is something to be said for working the hard way so that when you need to perform or do other things its much easier.
As you get more experienced you’ll be able to tell the difference just by looking and feeling items. And in the end you should be able to destroy them all.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. If you want to get started on bending nails or tearing cards click the pages for more details.
Filed under Feats of Strength, Hand Strength, Oldtime Strongmen, Videos by on May 3rd, 2011. 1 Comment.
Not really.
But after last night I’d be lying if I said I didn’t consider it.
You see, last night I finally watched the documentary Bigger, Stronger, Faster which is all about steroids. I’d heard about it for sometime but I didn’t get around to watching it until now.
If you haven’t seen it here is a brief synopsis from Wikipedia:
The documentary examines the steroid use of the director Christopher Bell and his two brothers, Mark and Mike Bell, who all grew up idolizing Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hulk Hogan, and Sylvester Stallone, and also features professional athletes, medical experts, fitness center members, and US Congressmen talking about the issue of anabolic steroids.
Beyond the basic issue of anabolic steroid use, Bigger, Stronger, Faster examines the lack of consistency in how America views drugs, cheating, and the lengths people go to achieve success.
The film looks beyond the steroid issue to such topics as Tiger Woods’ laser eye correction to 20/15 vision, professional musicians use of anxiety reducing drugs, or athletes’ dependence on cortisone shots, which are a legal steroid. It takes a skeptical view of the health risks of steroids and is critical of the legal health supplement industry.
Some very interesting points were viewed in the film.
The Dangers of Drug Use
Steroids aren’t as dangerous as they’re made out to be and with them being mostly illegal no long term studies will be conducted. ‘Roid rage is pretty much just a myth. Not that there isn’t any side effects. As with all drugs, pharmaceutical, recreational, and otherwise, too much, too often is always dangerous.
As the one fitness model said there are no side effects. Except, wait a sec, he got a case of bitch tits and had to have his nipple removed and put back on! To him a minor surgery (as if any surgery is minor) and no big deal. To me that alone makes me hands down never want to do them.
In our pill popping culture why wouldn’t someone who wants to get bigger take drugs to do it. After all, they take drugs to sleep better, when they get a headache, for heart troubles and to get an erection. But because steroids are illegal many won’t do it.
The Healthful Side of Steroids
Except they’re not completely illegal. You can get hormone replacement therapy done with doctor. Much of anti-aging medicine is about restoring the hormones to regular if not optimal levels. Sometimes this is done more naturally, sometimes not so much.
Where is the line between someone who is taking testosterone for their health and someone who is taking it to get the edge?
For me personally I’ve gotten big into natural Chinese tonic herbs. Many of these are used to get the hormones running right. One of the precepts for the superior class of herbs is that they can do no harm even if you are one them long term. That they have an overall healthful effects not harmful even taken all the time and in large doses.
Contrast this to drugs with their list of side effects. And as was pointed out to me by George Lamoureux of Jing Herbs all those potential side effects aren’t side effects. They are effects. They simply manifest themselves in some people but stay on an unnoticeable level in others, still wreaking havoc inside the body, yet not making symptoms occur.
By doing the proper training and eating correctly you’ll naturally optimize your hormones, get lean muscle mass and the youthful effects that brings. However no matter how well you do it, it won’t give you the same effects as injecting testosterone into yourself. It simply can’t be done.
The Drive to Win
So if you need to become bigger, stronger and more injury resistant what do you do? In order to be the best you have to beat the best. If all the others are on performance enhancing drugs what chance will you have unless you join them?
As is commonly known about bodybuilders all the guys at the top are on steroids. But so are the majority of powerlifters, strongmen, and Olympic athletes in just about every field. Louie Simmons makes it pretty clear in his gym Westside Barbell it’s almost a prerequisite to train there.
And you know what? It’s understandable.
I suppose it’s not fair if you pit a “natural” athlete against one on steroids. But what about when you pit a bunch of juiced athletes against each other? Doesn’t the win and title go to the person who still worked the hardest, has the commitment and does the best?
In a drive to get to the top it’s no wonder its so prevalent. While steroids may be a shortcut there is no real shortcut when you spend every single day and years of effort to become the best. For many sports you cannot go as far as you could if you don’t take steroids.
Why I Still Say No
Yet, I’m still not going to do them. Ever. Should I give up on my plans to become one of the strongest people out there? Not at all.
Look at the oldtime strongmen. Many had the greatest physiques ever. And certainly I believe most men would rather look like John Grimek than Jay Cutler. While most records have fallen time and time again some of the oldtime strongmen still hold world records not likely to be broken.
Even with all the pharmaceutical enhancement I haven’t seen anyone come close to Arthur Saxon’s bent press.
While I may not be able to compete with powerlifters I can do the things I do and become the best in them. Would steroids help? I’m sure they would in that I could train harder and recover faster. But do I need them? No.
Just look at my friend and business partner Bud Jeffries. Drug free his whole life. Squatted 1000 lbs. without a squats suit and even from the bottom of the rack. Many steroid users couldn’t even come close to that.
(By the way Bud is having a 25% off sale on everything at his site. It’s only for a few days longer so sprint on over there and check it out.)
I’m still looking for the edge in my training. Whether that comes from the best method of training, taking natural supplements, and using mental tactics.
For me I draw the line on steroid use.
Yet that line is hazy. As is shown in the film the Tour de France winner Floyd Landis and his atmospheric chamber. By sleeping in it he is able to produce more red blood cells which aid in endurance. The same thing goes on at the Olympic training center in Colorado with the high altitude. These are legal to do.
But blood doping (which is drawing out your own blood then reinjecting it the day before the event) or taking a drug which causes you to produce more red blood cells are not legal.
To me that makes sense. But I suppose each person will have to decide for themselves where that line is at. For some the legality is the only issue. For others their own morals don’t necessarily coincide with the law. The fact that steroids are illegal or not doesn’t effect my decision.
For me the funniest part of the film was the performance enhancing drugs used by musicians to calm themselves down. Legal and generally excepted by the whole group.
Each person will have to draw their own line on what is acceptable.
If you haven’t seen it I encourage you to check out the documentary. It’ll open your eyes to the brainwashing that most people have regarding the issue. From there you can make up your own mind.
If you have seen it I’d love to get your input below.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Health, Nutrition, Oldtime Strongmen, Recovery by on Nov 17th, 2010. 4 Comments.
Thanks to Doug over at Rise Above Performance Training I’ve got more video from the event. In a previous post, I talked mostly about the competition.
In this one, we have the performances. I often tell people the difference between modern strongman and oldtime strongman is the first is competition based while the second is performance based. There are other differences of course but that is the main one.
In this first video I demonstrate a few of the basic feats. Whenever I go somewhere there are usually the feats I take to perform. The reason being that they’re small and easy to carry. This includes bending a bolt, bending a spike, tearing a phonebook in three, and finally bending a horseshoe. As this was after the competition I was a bit tired, with the horseshoe giving me some trouble making me resort to trapping it to get started, but I still finished it.
Then they requested I did a little kettlebell juggling. Just a few moves here with the 24kg bell. If you want to do all these and more be sure to check out The Definitive Guide to Kettlebell Juggling.
After that it was time to eat. And what great food they had.
Hope you enjoyed these.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. I was recently interviewed for the new site Brothers of Strength put out by Nate and Josh Day. Check it out here.
Filed under Feats of Strength, Hand Strength, Kettlebells, Oldtime Strongmen by on Oct 4th, 2010. 2 Comments.
My friend Doug Fioranelli invited me once again to his gym, Rise Above Strength, for their anniversary party. To support my fellow trainers and have some fun I drove out to Belmont and I’m glad I did.
To start with there was a competition. This was different from last years in that it was team completion instead of individual. This was simply because so many people wanted to join in the fun.
The first event was a double kettlebell deadlift with two 40kg kettlebells. These were to be lifted as many reps as possible with no time limit. The reps among the team members where totaled for the team score.
I’m hit 64 reps before the grip on my left hand when out. While I’ve been training the deadlift steadily, its never with kettlebells and never this high reps! I’m happy to report I hit the highest total among all the guys (some of the ladies, who were lifting 20kg kettlebells, were hitting 70 and 80 reps).
The second event was a team race with the prowler. In the video you can see one of three legs I had to do.
The third and final event was a medley with each team member having to complete one section. It involved 5 exercises.
1. 20 Pullups/Chinnups
2. Tire flips for a set distance
3. 70lb. Keg Press for 20 reps (30lb. Sandbag for women)
4. Walking lunges – 40 lbs. each hand for men and 20 for women.
5. Sled Drag forwards and backwards for a set distance.
As you can see in the video I did the tire flip which I was quite good at in last year’s competition.
The best part was Dan John, showed up and joined our team for this last event (manhandling the keg press with ease) as we were short a member. This was the first time we had met so it was one more pleasant surprise for the day.
After the competition I did a little oldtime strongman show bending nails, horseshoes, shredding a phonebook followed by a little kettlebell juggling.
Finally it was time to eat and what a BBQ it was.
A little later on I was showing some of the guys some of my techniques on kettlebell snatching. Its amazing how a few small things can make a big difference. (On that note, I should be hitting one of my main snatch goals very shortly.)
My main point in sharing all this is two fold. The first is to let you share in the fun. I like to keep this site personal and show you what I’m up to.
The second point is to encourage you to do the same. I’ve said this many times before and I plan to continue saying it. You need to get out there and compete. For those of us who have the luxury of a well equipped home gym we may not always get out and mix it up. For those without training partners its even more necessary.
An event like this gives the opportunity. It is a way to test how your training is going. It’s funny to note that everyone of the exercises in this competition was not something I regularly did. The deadlifts were close but I use a barbell or trapbar and 20 reps is a high rep set for me let alone 64.
(And in case you’re wondering, yes I am sore.)
The prowler and tire flip I haven’t done since the same party the prior year!
So when you go out and compete, in one form or another, you get to really put the pedal to the metal and see what you’re made of. Doing so is a lot of fun. I highly recommend doing it when you can.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. Be sure to sign up for our 10th and final call on Super Human Training. This week features Peter Ragnar and you won’t want to miss it.
P.S.S. Also I’m going to be hitting the road soon for the Longevity Conference. I’ll try to get you an update on a few things I learn while I’m at the event, but no promises. It’ll be a crazy busy and fun time.
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Conditioning, Feats of Strength, Hand Strength, Kettlebells, Mental Training, Oldtime Strongmen, Videos, Workouts by on Sep 20th, 2010. 33 Comments.
I’ve got some exciting projects in the works. More on those later. For now I wanted to share this video with you of Johann Martin in case you haven’t seen it.
To me this guy is the ultimate athlete. Basically he does many of the things I do, he’s just been doing them for over 50 years.
You have sledgehammer leveraging, kettlebell juggling, bottoms up kettlebell work, muscling out weights, big weight supports including in a bridge, various hand balancing and other bodyweight feats, Olympic and Powerlifting and more.
It appears to me this guy was a student of Valentin Dikul. I say this for several reasons. Because of all the different things he does like kettlebell and steel ball juggling. And then you have the bridge feat which is called the ‘Dikulis Pyramide’ in the video. For more on Valentin Dikul check out this post, another very strong man.
They say a jack of all trades and master of none? I think Johann proves that wrong! There is no single strength specialty here unless you call ‘Being Strong’ a specialty.
At 63 years Johann Martin can do a lot. I’m happy to say I’m on the same path. You can learn about some of what he does here at Legendary Strength. For the handstand skills check out Lost Art of Hand Balancing. And of course for Kettlebell Juggling go here.
And above all consistently train. And you too in 50 years can do some amazing things.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Bodyweight Exercise, Feats of Strength, Kettlebells, Oldtime Strongmen, Videos by on Sep 7th, 2010. 8 Comments.
Thick Bar Training. If you’re here I’m guessing that you are familiar with thick bars and perhaps even use them.
All the old-time lifters used them, often to build a super strong grip. Using their strong hands with a thick bar they could then lift a weight that the average person wouldn’t be able to budge.
All the top modern guys are big fans of them.
In many cases thick bars are better than other hand training, grippers for instance. This is because they work the hands and forearms while also working the rest of the body. Linking in that strength from fingertips to toes.
But here’s the problem. Thick bars ain’t cheap. A good quality one can be around $700!
For this reason people have come up with many homemade versions. I’ve seen some interesting setups using fence posts, PVC pipe, and even hockey pucks. While these are all valid I wasn’t looking for a big project. Call me lazy if you want.
(And after all I currently only have one barbell that I didn’t want to ‘switch’ over permanently to a thick bar. Although this is a valid way to go because then you have no choice but to lift with the thick bar.)
Then I stumbled across these…
From Normal Bar into Thick Bar Instantly
So simple. So easy. And cheap too.
With the Fat Gripz you can, in about two seconds, slide them onto a barbell or dumbell and, voila, have a thick bar ready to use.
(As a side note I tried them on kettlebells but that didn’t work out as well as the handle isn’t long enough. But you can use them on a pullup bar for some grip-blasting chinnups!)
They’re made from heavy-duty rubber and feel great when you use them. When put onto a normal barbell the thickness suddenly becomes 2 ¼ inches.
Thick bar training is a secret to becoming super strong. Not everyone has access to a thick bar. But with the Fat Gripz you no longer have an excuse.
I bought my pair a couple weeks ago and have already fallen in love with them. Deadlifts, rows, curls and presses. Just start using them on the exercises you do everyday and your hands will become stronger.
Easily one of the best training tools purchases I’ve ever made for it’s cost and effectiveness.
You can read more about the Fat Gripz and order your set here.
In Strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. I do make a small commission on this product when you order. But as usual I would never recommend anything I do not believe in. I want you to get this product because it’s awesome and I know it’ll take your training up a level.
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Hand Strength, Oldtime Strongmen by on Aug 24th, 2010. 6 Comments.
