On This Day In Strength History

Ron Walker was born on Dec 22, 1909.
He held no less than 21 British Heavyweight records. This included One Hand Snatches of over 200lbs, and most importantly today, a Two Hands Snatch of 297½lbs.

This Snatch of 135kg in December 1936 was the first ever World Record on one of the Olympic Set performed by a British lifter.

Spiral Knee Wrap Video

On This Day In Strength History

John Davis, of the United States, on September 13th, 1949 was the 2nd person to lift the Apollon Wheels. Davis was also a World Champion Weightlifter and was the first man to Clean and Jerk 400 pounds under official meet conditions.

On This Day In Strength History

Kurt Saxon died Sept 5, 1952. He was a member of the famous Saxon Trio. They were strongmen and circus performers from the late 19th century into the early 20th century.

On This Day In Strength History

On September 3, 1949, Frank Spellman took 1st Place in the 165 Class at the North American Weightlifting Championships in Montreal, Canada. 255 - 255 - 320 = 830
The year before Frank won the Olympic Gold Medal in London England.

Book Review: Steroids Kill

A few comments about the book STERIODS KILL by Tom Ciola.
This book gives a great historical view of the origin of Steroids. It describes the effect Steroids have had and are having on sports today. Ciola explains the psychological dilemma caused by steroids. He explains it is very hard to stop taking steroids after you achieve increased size and strength. He states many athletes don't understand when you stop taking steroids your body will start to loose size and strength. Also, your body becomes accustom to steroids and it takes more and more to get the job done as time goes on.
Ciola talks about the side effects and negative results of taking Steriods. He interviews many people about their experiences with this drug. The book encourages you to be the best you can be without the use of drugs. Cioli outlines drug free training alternatives.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about steroids or is thinking about using them.
Keith Payne

On This Day In Strength History

September 1,1932 Hermann Goerner curled 110 l/4 pounds in each hand.

On This Day In Strength History

Bert Assirati, one of history’s greatest strength athletes and wrestlers died of cancer of the bladder on August 31, 1990. Bert did a straight arm pullover of 200 with ease. He could curl 200 pounds and squat for reps with 550 when a 400 pound squat was regarded as extraordinary. He also did a single-legged squat with 200 pounds.

On This Day In Strength History

On August 30, 1953 Norbert Schemansky set a world record in the Clean and Jerk of 181kg in the middle heavyweight division at Stockholm. During his lifting career he set an amazing 75 US National, World and Olympic records, while winning nine National and four World championships--and four Olympic medals in four Olympic Games.

On This Day In Strength History

On August 29, 1953 Reg Park successfully pressed the 258 pound dumbbells. It was a British Professional Heavyweight Record. Reg commented "I had to keep a strict military position, not the looser Olympic style, and I was forced to hold the dumbbells at my shoulders for almost half a minute before I pressed them to satisfy the referee's demand for a low enough position".

On This Day In Strength History

Charles Rigoulot died August 22, 1962. He was born in Le Vésinet and died in Paris. 
Rigoulot became French weightlifting champion in 1923 and won a gold medal in the light-heavyweight class in 1924 at the Summer Olympics.
In 1929, he made a Right Hand Snatch of 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds).  This was done at a muscular bodyweight of 215 pounds. 



 

Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.



On This Day In Strength History


John Robert “Bob” Peoples was born on August 21, 1910 in Northeast Tennessee, near Johnson City.

In the 1940s he deadlifted 728 lbs. weighing 178, minus drugs and body suits. He wore no shoes (only socks) and was the forerunner of ballet-type deadlift shoes.



This Day In Strength History

Walter Podolak "The Golden Superman" was born on August 19, 1909. He was recognized as the strongest man in America in 1933. Posolak once held the world's amateur record for a deadlift of 654 pounds.











 

Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.



On This Day In Strength History



Ludwig Durlacher (aka Louis Attila) appeared as a strongman for over 20 years performing at the best theatrical houses in Europe. Attila served as Eugen Sandow’s mentor and trainer from 1886 to 1889. After separating from Sandow he moved to America arriving in New York City from London, England on August 18, 1893. Attila stayed in America and opened a gym in New York City where he trained businessmen, strongmen, professional boxers, and many women. He ran the gym until his death on March 15, 1924.  He was one of the first “personal trainers” for the rich and famous.

Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.



On This Day In Strength History

Paul Anderson passed away on August 15, 1994.

On this Day in Strength History

On August 13, 1948, John Grimek, at age 38 took 1st Place in the Health & Strength Mr. Universe contest held at the Scala Theatre in London England.



Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.



Juicing May Be a Good Alternative

I will start by saying that nothing can replace the nutritional value that eating whole raw fruits and vegetables offers. But I know so many people who do not like to eat vegetables. Maybe juicing can be an alternative. If you don't enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables, juicing may be a fun way to add them to your diet. You can find many juicing recipes online or mix up your own combinations of fruits and vegetables to suit your taste. 2

Juicing has many benefits including:

• Vegetable juice is very nutrient-dense. This concentration acts to supercharge the system. Juicing can contain concentrated amounts of phytochemicals, antioxidants and vitamins, substances that fight cancer, and substances that reduce inflammation and pain.1
• Greens are the most alkalizing, mineralizing and healthiest foods. But not always the most palatable. By juicing vegetables you can mix with apples or carrots for better taste.4
• The body easily absorbs natural fruit and vegetable juices. There is hardly any digestive work needed to process raw, enzymatically active liquid. 
• Juicing helps detoxify the liver. Liver detoxification is so important, and nothing comes close to it like the juice of raw vegetables.3
• Juices help the immune system to fight diseases.
• Juicing helps the body heal and improves its overall function.
• Vegetable and fruit juicing is also well suited for our fast moving lifestyle. It makes it possible for busy people to add more healing foods into their diets with minimal effort.

Green leafy vegetables are the best to use in your vegetable juicing program.6 Any of the following foods work well when juicing. It is very important to not juice the same vegetables every day. Variety is the key. Common Juicing Foods Include:

Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Collards
Fennel
Garlic
Ginger Root
Kale
Lettuce
Onions
Parsley
Peppers
Radishes
Spinach
Sweet Potato

Apple

Apricot

Cantaloupe

Cherry

Cranberry

Grape

Grapefruit

Honeydew

Kiwi

Lemon

Lime

Mango

Orange

Papaya

Peach

Pear

Pineapple

Pomegranate

Strawberry

Tangerine

Watermelon

A balanced diet is important. If you are neglecting to eat vegetables and fruit it is likely your body is very deficient in many nutrients. As mentioned before juicing can be an alternative to eating vegetables. Give juicing a try. Remember juicing will not replace raw vegetables and fruits but it can be the next best thing.

Keith Payne CSN, CFT, YFS

Functional Strength Systems

References:

1.        http://en.wikipedia.org

2.        http://whatscookingamerica.net

3.        http://macrobiotics.co.uk/

4.        http://www.thebestofrawfood.com

5.        http://www.juicefasting.org

6.        http://www.healingdaily.com

7.        http://www.anyvitamins.com/



Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.



SUPER NUTRITIOUS FOOD: Broccoli

Broccoli

Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family. It is closely related to cauliflower. Broccoli was first cultivated in Italy. Broccolo, its Italian name, means "cabbage sprout." Broccoli is loaded with fiber, minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. It has no saturated fat or cholesterol. Broccoli is a good source of protein, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. Broccoli contains large amounts of vitamin C and beta carotene which are important antioxidants.

· Broccoli cantains sulforaphane which is a chemical that works with cells that lack an anti-tumor gene to fight prostate cancer.

· Ample supplies of vitamin K and vitamin A help keep our vitamin D metabolism in balance. Broccoli has an unusually strong combination of both vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and vitamin K for people faced with the need to rebuild vitamin D stores.

· Broccoli contains phytonutrients (glucoraphanin, gluconasturtiian, and glucobrassicin). This trio supports all steps in the body's detox process, including activation, neutralization, and elimination of unwanted contaminants.

· Broccoli provides special cholesterol-lowering benefits if cooked by steaming. The fiber-related components in broccoli do a better job of binding together with bile acids in your digestive tract when they've been steamed. When this binding process takes place, it's easier for bile acids to be excreted, and the result is a lowering of your cholesterol levels.

References:
Natural News .Com http://www.naturalnews.com
The George Mateljan Foundation http://www.whfoods.com
University of Illinois http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/broccoli.cfm

Keith Payne
Functional Strength Systems



Vemma is quite possibly the world’s most powerful liquid antioxidant.

Strength Training 101: Overtraining Syndrome

Overtraining could be defined as a point reached between the stress of training and inadequate recuperation. At this point the athlete feels fatigued or tired even after recovery periods. Some common symptoms include:

• Diminished desire to train.
• Lack of appetite.
• Persistent muscle soreness.
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Chronic fatigue.
• Strength loss.
• Weight loss.
• Tendency to abandon the struggle or in other words “quit”.
• Increase in recovery time.
• Elevated resting heart rate.
• Depression
• Loss of motivation.
• Over sensitivity to criticism.

So, avoiding the Overtraining Syndrome is the trick. Making sure we recover from our workouts is most important. Identifying reasons for overtraining is vital for prevention. Possible causes for OS include:

• Recovery time is insufficient.
• Training is too intense in relationship to current physical condition.
• Excess training volume.
• Poor nutrition.
• Too many competitions and/or too many maximum reps in training.
• Use of alcohol, nicotine and other chemicals.
• Excessive fluctuation of Body Weight.
• Difficult personal relationships.
• Stress

Simply put, if an athlete fails to have sufficient recovery time after training sessions he will eventually feel fatigued and have symptoms we have described. To avoid the overtraining syndrome you can take the following actions.

• Schedule recovery time just like you would your training sessions.
• Increase training loads gradually.
• Utilize the principle of Periodization. Alternate high intensity days and light intensity days.
• Monitor workouts. Always keep a training log.
• Monitor resting heart rate.
• Always eat well. Good nutrition is a big key to recuperation.
• Insure calorie intake matches calories burned.
• Utilize nutritional supplements if needed.
• Keep sufficiently hydrated.
• Use post workout recovery techniques. (contrast showers, ice, stretching, “active rest”, Deep-tissue massage)

Pay attention to early warning signs of overtraining. Prevention is always the best way to go. Being a little undertrained is probably better than being overtrained in most cases. Always remember you get stronger when you are away from the gym.

Keith Payne

Functional Strength Systems

Strength Training 101: Progressive Overload Principle

One of the tried and true principles of strength training is Progressive Overload. The Progressive Overload Principle states that in order to gain strength you must exercise against a resistance greater than that “normally” encountered.

Earle E. Liederman wrote “In order to succeed in exercising, the student must perform progressive work. He must work a little harder each week or month in order to develop his body to its maximum proportions.” Keep in mind he wrote this in 1924. This training principle has been around for some time. Strongmen have understood for a long time that changing volume, intensity and frequency while training can be very beneficial when trying to break through the inevitable training valleys that occur.

This principle can manifest itself in several ways during strength training. Here are some basic ways to use the Progressive Overload Principle.

• Increase Frequency of workouts.
• Increase Weight (Resistance)
• Increase Sets
• Increase Reps
• Increase Volume of Work (Exercises) done in a specific time frame.

If the strength athlete is not willing to work harder and harder he/she will not succeed.

Remember that everyone is different. Utilizing these methods is an individual thing. Try them out and find out what works best for you. Note: You must be careful when using the Progressive Overload Principle in order to prevent over-training.

Keith Payne

Functional Strength Systems