New Updates & More

Things have been hoppin round the FHS clubhouse lately. We always have somethin new and interesting going on and I thought I would keep you updated on recent happenings.

1. First order of business – we thank everyone for the slight delay we have had on some recent orders. The rush of interest combined with the holiday being in the middle of the week last week made for a bit of an unusual situation.

The good news is that the kids in the office have been working overtime.

Yep, Ive been really cracking that whip and just about everything, including recent super gripper orders, will be shipped before the end of the week, with many arriving before then.

2. And speaking of the Ivanko Super Grippers, we are the only company in the country right now with them currently in stock, so if you want one, heres the only place to get it:

Ivanko Super Gripper

3. The Super Gripper Training Guide is shaping up to be something very cool. I just finished the section on how to combine hand gripper training with super gripper training which includes three different schemes.

I am currently working on the sample workout section which has, to date, 7 different "types" of workouts, 8 different "holds" and a section on how to build thumbstrength using the super gripper. We don't have a firm eta yet but the wheels are definitely turning. Stay tuned for more updates as we get them.

4. Were getting announcement postcards in a few days and will likely begin mailing sometime early next week. If you still havent signed up for our mailing list and dont want to miss out on the special surprise we have in store, you can do so at the following page:

FHS Mailing List

5. We've got a great new product coming out probably next week over
at the bodyweight training site. This is something very, very cool. Be on the lookout for that.

6. The Blog over at the oldtime strongman site is quickly turning into one of our most popular pages. I can see why, if youre into training, theres some very interesting stuff to see. Check it out for yourself right here:

Oldtime Strongman Blog

7. And lastly, a bit of administrative info. When you place an order for any item that we have shipped from the manufacturer, ie climbing ropes, sand bags, thick bars etc, we place your order immediately with them to get the ball rolling. This is a courtesy from us as we waste no time in getting the order underway.

Our manufacturers then ship out as soon as they can. Please be aware of the posted turn around times on the website site.

8. With the mercury rising, be sure to stay hydrated

If you need anything else, just give us a shout.

Train hard,
John Wood

Kim Wood Speaks

Pop sent in a good one, check it out:

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1: "Make it personal"

Physical training can be very valuable...valuable in many ways. Fitness and strength training have become a part of our culture. Almost everybody has been exposed to it... training images and information are everywhere. But great value is found when you "make it yours"...

The real key to physical training is integrating it into your life. Training should be a "discipline"(...much like the martial arts are a discipline). Physical training should be an extremely personal endeavor... It should be an activity that's between "you and you"...a private affair. Grip training is a very good place to start the process. It doesn't take a great deal of time...you don't need a whole bunch of equipment.

If you work hard(and smart) you'll make progress quickly... ( because of the
connection between the hands and the brain you'll "feel" your progress as you get
stronger...)... Yes, grip work is a good place to start the process. The process is a process of physical improvement...but right along with that is the process of learning about yourself...

Kim Wood
Hall of Fame 2003
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Train hard,
John Wood

The Secret to Life

'Do you know what the secret to life is?' asked Jack Palance in the 1991 movie City Slickers.

'No, what?' says Billy Crystal.

'One thing, just one thing. You stick to that and everything else dont mean spit.'

'That's great, but whats that one thing?'

'That's what you've got to figure out.'

It's hard to argue with that logic, especially when it comes to training and yet many trainees dont want to hear that. 'Course, in training its a few 'things' but not that many, and far fewer than most people would care to believe.

A friend of mine once said: 'There is Power in Simple Things.'

Why? - because there is less room for error, and simple things are more likely to get done. And by that rationale, any training program should begin at the most basic level and build from there.

Thing is, more often than not, going beyond that most basic level is unnecessary (but many people dont want to hear that either.)

I could dazzle you with the 1578 different 'never before seen' grip training exercises that I know but when it all comes down to it, there are only about a dozen or so that are worth a damn.

Of that dozen, only a further fraction can be incorporated successfully in any routine in any given time. Any attempt to do otherwise is simply foolish.

---Take it from a fool who learned his lesson.

Aint necessarily what you do but how you do it - yet keep in mindeven simple things can fail if they are done incorrectly. Every day I hear from folks who listen then apply. Those who have taken the time to understand what really makes their training work, then go out and do so.

The ones who 'get it.'

I also know of many people who refuse to listen - who have a 'yeah , I already know that' attitude when it comes to the basic concepts that they obviously havent a clue about (and which arethe very reasons they are not getting the results they want.).

Not real concerned with them - they have made their choice.

So what about you?

Train hard.
John Wood

P.S. It was just over a decade ago that Dinosaur Training made a big splash in the strength world and the ripples haven't settled down yet. The reasons why this training guide is so well respected are the very same ones listed above - Dinosaur Training is simple, basic and if you do it right, you will get results.

Take this opportunity to grab the book that could change your view of
training forever: Dinosaur Training

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