Eye of The Tiger - Bring It Back

One was an executive in his late 50s, another, a former teammate of mine in his mid 20s and the last a total stranger standing in line at the bank, I would guess in his early 30s.

All of them were athletes at some point in their lives. These were three different people in three different places but all shared one common trait:

I had the same conversation with each of them, and, in their own words, they all said the same thing:

'I used to workout.'

'I'm so out of shape now.'

'I wish I could get myself to start training again.'

If you were to ask, I bet 97 out of 100 people would tell you something similar.

I cant tell you what makes people stop training but I will say that its a challenge for everyone to keep going (yes, even highly motivated folks like me.)

So what do you do?

Let me first mention the fact that human beings seem to have this desire to make things more complex than they are (and certainly need to be.)

Here's what Apollo Creed said to Rocky in Rocky III:

'Now when we fought, you had the Eye of the Tiger, man -- the edge -- and
now you gotta get it back -- and the way to get it back is to go back to the
beginning.'

Going back to the beginning - to simplify your training for one reason and
one reason only: to take it to a level that you know and will actually do so
you can get started.

Now here's the Secret - training never needs to get more complex than 'the
beginning' -- basic exercises, done well, are all you ever need.

At this point, I can only hand the ball off to you, dear reader, because you are the one who makes the decision to go out and train or stay on the couch eating potato chips and living a life of regret.

If you need a little fire in your belly, if you want the Eye of The Tiger,
here's something that will help you bring it back.

Train hard,
John Wood

Winning Football Games with Hand-to-Hand Combat

I caught a little bit of the NFL combine on Television this past weekend. Having been around the game my whole life, I've seen the player selection process from a lot of different angles.

While its true that there are lots of guys who can do amazing things in the bench press test or who are blazing fast at running the 40 yard dash - Big numbers dont always add up to big-time players, it's how they play that counts - or at least that should count the most.

It's how that strength, speed and stamina is applied within the context of the game which really tells the tale.

Sure a 'big bench' might look good on paper, but it is not necessarily going to help a player get off a block more efficiently and make plays.

The truth is, football players are only as good as their hands, especially in the trenches, on the offensive and defensive lines.

Offensive linemen need to be able to punch and grab, to keep the D-linemen at bay during pass blocking and they have to have the hands in the perfect spot on the chest plate to 'plant' their man down field on run blocking

Conversely, Defensive linemen need to be able to put all their strength into their hands when they come off the ball to strike, separate and make a play. Their hands have to be in the right spot or else their pass-rush moves won't work.

On both sides of the ball, this is Hand-to-hand combat and if a guy can't use his hands, he's a dead duck. Amazingly enough, this is something which the draft gurus have only recently started to take a look at.

And even more alarming, many 'top prospects' are lacking in this area.

So lets talk about what its going to take to build those kinds of hands.

First and foremost, it should be understood that a large part of having 'good hands' is going to be the specific practice in the skills of football which has to be done apart from the physical training itself.

Another interesting thing about the hands - I have always found that the stronger my hands got, the more 'aware' they were and so if I needed to place one hand on a chestplate and one on an outside arm for doing a pass rush move, I could do that with relative ease.

Youll see lots of guys with 'lazy hands' who end up putting them outside the shoulders or who 'double hitch' when they come off the ball.

These are a problem, but I think both of these can be avoided by building stronger hands - proper technique demands it.

Anyhow, with that understood, the hands can be made stronger, tougher and more efficient through specific exercises.

Heres what I recommend:

1. Hand grippers - the 'crushing' movement trains the fingers through a full range of motion, making them stronger and less likely to get jammed, sprained etc. You'll also need strong fingers because sometimes thats all you have to
hang on with when making a tackle.

2. Sandbag Training - A tremendous conditioner which also helps build strength and mental toughness in ways no barbell can match.

3. Basic exercises using a Thick Bar are also very effective.

That's just the 'grip and forearm' side of things. Training for football should involve other basic upper and lower body movements designed to strengthen every area. Conditioning work is also important and should never be neglected.

Heres an interesting stat - if you can get 1.5 quarterback sacks per game, you will be voted all state, get a college scholarship, or get drafted in the first round of the NFL.

Stronger hands can help you do this - I wonder if those combine guys realize this?

If you play football or know someone who does, how important is hand strength to you now?

Start training your hands right now, you could be ready in line for one hell of a season next fall.

Train hard.
John Wood

Shes a Knockout That Can Knock You Out

A few people asked for some more information on the training course I mentioned this morning so away we go:

Dermot McGrath was born in Limerick City, Ireland in 1972and received his Black Belt in Freestyle Kickboxing from 5 times WAKO world champion Alfie Lewis in 1992.

He currently owns and runs the largest single martial arts school in Ireland with 300 students.

One day a petite Irish Lass walked into his gym - she couldnt have weighed more than a hundred pounds - and with tears in her eyes she begged for only one thing: teach me.

It was against his better judgment but Dermot agreed to let herstay on and train as long as she never complained and never quit. She barely made it through the first workout -- which wasn't even fighting at all, just calisthenics - but she did not quit.

After that first workout Dermot figured he would never see her again but she showed up again the next day and did a little better. And the next day and the next day,

She kept improving little by little... and so Dermot taught her to Fight. The day came for her first sparring match and since there Were no other girls in the class, she had to spar with the only other student in class that day, a young man a few years older than her.

The instructions were simple, move around a little, build up a good sweat and get used to sparring.

This young man had other ideas, and started ducking, bobbing and weaving like it was a real fight

-- Then it happened --

he punched that young girl right in the face... she didnt cry, she didnt whine and she sure didnt quit - she got mad, and in one lightning quick move, returned the favor, which promptly knocked that young man out cold, flat on his back.

Her name was Catherine Costigan and she was 14 years old.

Today, at 26, Catherine could easily win any beauty contest but when the gloves go on, she turns into a hellcat that could knock you out with a single punch.

Recently, Dermot decided to release his training program - the same one that Catherine has been using since the very beginning - to everyone who would like to learn to generate that kind of knockout power.

Heres a few things that Demot teaches:

1. A unique drill that develops the most devastating possible strike

2. How to read your opponent's intent to strike almost before he
knows it himself.

3. How to throw punches on the ground - power from any position - even flat on your back.

4. The best way to develop the most important muscles for punching.

5. How to develop maximum wrist strength to punch without fear of damage.

6. The exact spot to hit for the instant knockout.

I have seen a lot of instructional fighting videos and this one is one of the best I've come across. - lots of valuable drills that you can practice with a partner or by yourself which will develop punching power.

To learn more, go here right now to order yourself a copy:

Train hard.
John Wood

Who Was The Toughest President?

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far"
Leadership has many qualities, and toughness should be one of the most important. --You cant be tough if you arent in shape.

A man who is 'fit to lead' should be just that - fit. Since today is Presidents day, I am going to tell you about such a man:

He was born on October 27, 1858. During his early years, frequent bouts of asthma prevented him from running or playing like most children and left him small, frail and weak.

Despite his weakness, his mind was strong and when he turned eleven, his father offered him a challenge.

"You have the mind, but you have not the body, and without the help of the body, the mind cannot go as far as it should. You must make your body."

And so it begun - an open air piazza was converted into a gym and he started devoting his time to increasing his physical strength.

When he was thirteen, he was unable to defend himself when he was bullied by two boys while on a trip.

He understandably did not want that to happen again and took up boxing lessons. He eventually became good enough to become a member of the Harvard University boxing team. During his Junior year, he competed as a lightweight, and went all the way to the final round of the lightweight boxing championship.

He would go on to become the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, and he never stopped training when he took office.

Even while he lived at the White House, he never stopped leading an active lifestyle; boxing, wrestling, jiu jitsu (he reached brown belt level), tennis, swimming, horse riding...

With this attention to physical fitness in mind, its no surprise that he would go on to found the first U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, soon popularly known as the 'Rough Riders.'

A regiment, consisting of over 1,250 men, from all over the United States who could ride, shoot and were in shape, and thus could be ready for war with little training.

Speaking of training, I would imagine that the type of training that Theodore Roosevelt did was very simple.

Plenty of bodyweight calisthenics, dumbbell work, running, swimming,
rope jumping, bag work, pushups, breathing exercises, rope climbing and just practicing wrestling, boxing and martial arts. - which can get you in pretty good shape by themselves.

When speaking to a group of school childrenTheodore Roosevelt once famously said:

"There are two things that I want you to make up your minds to: first, that you are going to have a good time as long as you live - I have no use for the sour-faced man - and next, that you are going to do somethingworthwhile, that you are going to work hard and do the things you set out to do."

... which is a good lesson to keep in mind in training and in life.

Train hard,
John Wood

Our Gift for 2006 VIPs

At FHS, we like to support those who support us so our top 10 VIPs in 2006 received a very special gift from us as a token of our appreciation. Check out the picture below. No, it wasn't a Log Bar - thats just there for size comparison.

What our top 10 VIPs received was the very cool Giant Strongman hammer that you see below. The handle is over three feet long and our logo was laser etched making this baby is a true thing of beauty. Also, there are only 11 of them in existance -- I kept the prototype -- and the 10 others were shipped to our top ten 2006 VIPs as a unique gift (and BIG Thank You) from us.

We may have a few more made but they will not be for sale.

If you are wondering what made them our top 10 VIPs its becasue they were our top 10 in terms of total dollars spent with us.


Here's what one of our VIPs had to say when his hammer arrived:

I am writing to sincerely thank you for the beautiful Functional Hand Strength strongman hammer that arrived on Friday. What a wonderful collector's item! The beautiful wood and the outstanding craftsmanship make for an unbelievably eye-catching display piece.

Everyone who has seen it is fascinated by it. John, your unique, quality products and your one of a kind customer service (very exceptional in today's world) make your company stand head and shoulders above the rest. Your standards from yesterday are your only competition. Thanks again for this wonderful and very generous gift. I can't wait to see future FHS products!! - S.B.

Now, we have something very special planned for our 2007 VIPs and frankly, the only way to become one is spend a lotta dough with us. With all the cool stuff we have on the way, that shouldn't be too difficult to do...

Train hard.
John Wood

P.S. Want to be a VIP? Here's a good place to start.

A Simple Upside Down Workout

Of all the different types of training I have ever tried, there is nothing quite like this one. All you need is a stopwatch and a floor (or ideally, a wrestling mat.) Just kick up in a hand stand against a wall and hold for five sets of one minute.

Man Vs. Pitbull

In the early morning hours on January 31st a man named Von Pardue, went out for a walk near his home in Conroe, Texas. It was something he enjoyed doing and made it a point to go for a walk several days per week - that day, however, he was within sight of his home when an 80 lb pitbull crossed his path. Like a standoff in the old west, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop - the dog looked at the man, the man looked at the dog... Who would make the first move? The dog charged at full speed toward Pardue but he did not panic As the dog lunged at him to go for the kill, this man timed a perfect strike which landed to the side of the dogs head. This blow merely stunned the dog, and within a spit second he was at him again. When the dog lunged a second time, the man was not as successful and he had no choice but to wrestle the dog - literally fighting for his life. During the melee, the man saw an opening and hit the dog again as hard as he could in the ribs. Again, this stunned the animal and gave Pardue one chance, - the one he had been hoping for -a chance to grab the dogs collar and hang on. Pardue took it, and another force overcame him. He dragged the dog back to his home and by the time he had covered thetwo block distance, he had strangled the dog to death. Quite an amazing story and a big thanks to our buddy Dave O. for sending it our way. In his note, Dave mentions how 'this is a 'real world' example of how a fellow just might need real grip strength and the will to live, even in mundane circumstances and when he is NOT looking for trouble.' I very much agree, I have always viewed my training as a means of preparing for whatever comes next. When the you-know-what hits the fan, there is only the quick and the dead. Sure I can do a few impressive feats but the ability to do all that is secondary - and in my point of view, merely a byproduct of productive training. Maybe you're training to sack the quarterback, maybe you're training to knock people out or maybe youre just going for a walk like Von Pardue. Regardless of why you might be training, you have to ask yourself if that training is going to make a difference when there is something right in front of you, staring you in the face, that is not a afraid, that will not back down andthat wants a piece of you. Train hard. John Wood P.S. Waving around pink plastic dumbbells aint gonna get the job done when Zero hour hits. If you want to build real combat strength, I recommend checking these out.

Comin' at ya

Bulgarian Training Bags are Here!

Bulgarian Training Bags are in - check 'em out.

Train hard,
John Wood

Mysteries of The 30 Minute Workout

'Is it possible to get a great workout in 30 minutes or less?'

Thats the question I was recently asked and the answer is 'of course, but only if that workout performed a certain way'

See, a lot of people seem to be under the impression that training success has some kind of scalability factor - as if a one hour workout in the gym equals 'big,' two hours equals 'bigger,' and three or more hours equals 'biggest.'

'The more-is-better technique' can be useful , but only up to a point - and that point comes much sooner than people realize. Assuming this were true - the question then becomes 'how long 'should' you spend training if you want to reach your goals'

The answer, of course, can only be 'only as long as is necessary' since anything beyond 'what is necessary' is, by definition, a waste of time.

Now, one thing that also happens quite frequently is that most dont quite understand the actual purpose of their workout - what they are trying to do when they train.

And since the goal dictates the necessary action, 'Training' for the sake of training will not get you very far.

In its most simple terms, the goal of any workout is to create the necessary conditions for improvement.

Some people define 'improvement' as skill development, others define it as muscle growth - the processes for each of these differ a bit but there is always going to be a little bit of both regardless of what type of training you do.

There are three reasons why you have to make your workout 'work' in 60 minutes or less:
The first reason is simple time management:

The fact of the matter is that it doesnt matter who you are, where you are or what your training goals might be, you still only have 24 hours in the day. Somewhere in that 24 hours, along with school, work family and who know what else - you have to fit in the kind of training that is going to fill those requirements.

'Training as long as possible' is simply unreasonable, regardless of the actual potential physical results (or lack thereof.)

The second factor is physiological in nature - they say that testosterone levels drop roughly 45 minutes or so into a workout.

Therefore, the most efficient use of available time, is and will always be a primary requirement of a successful workout. I cant say if thats true or not but it probably is.

Even if its not, the other factors are more than important enough to make up for it which brings me to my last point:

Your ability to concentrate will decrease sharply beyond the 60 minute mark - and since Concentration one of the most, if not THE most important factor in your training Success, this is a problem.

Like I said earlier, 'just training' is, for the most part, a waste of time.

Well, like most things, as you gain training experience, you learnto do more with less. - the definition of efficiency.

You can always tell a real pro because they make it look easy - regardless of the actual difficulty level.

It should be clearly understood that what Im talking about -the ability to get the most out of what you do - is something that can be learned.

The best 'textbook' I know of for this information, can be found right here.

The truth is, when you know what to do and can apply all of your effort and concentration into it, your workouts Shouldnt need much time. Now, I cant tell you exactly how long your workout should take but I can say that most people do a lot of screwin around when they 'train.' (and I use the term loosely)

Heres what it often looks like:

Do a warmup set, get a drink of water, shoot the breeze, do another warmup set, tighten lifting belt - theres 10-12 minutes gone right there - and thats only for one exercise.

You can choose to believe or not believe what I am about to say but a handful of exercises, done well and performed correctlyin 30 minutes or less will beat a bunch o exercises performed sloppily over two hours every time.

Train hard.
John Wood