the joy of strength training

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Interval training for fitness and fat loss

» by July 14th, 2012 at 12:51 pm » Comments (2)

This post was inspired by a friend of mine who wanted to know what he could usefully do on a crosstrainer apart from watching the news on its screen. Interval training is the best way to use any cardio machine, whether it’s a treadmill, a crosstrainer or a rower, for improving fitness and losing fat. […]



Review: A Philosophy of Strength Training from Dan John

» by October 5th, 2009 at 12:33 pm » Comments (8)

Is watching a Dan John lecture on DVD the best fun you can have on your own? In my world, it probably is. I spent a delightful Saturday night in the company of the Yoda of strength training, listening to him give away a lifetime of wisdom with humour, clarity and purpose. Dan John is […]



Review: Everything’s Over My Head from Dan John

» by October 5th, 2009 at 12:10 pm » Comments (5)

This 3-part DVD from strength coach, thrower and all-round good guy Dan John combines three films that he’s made some time in the (looks like) dim and distant past before Windows Movie Maker. For me this is like watching old Bones Brigade movies. You can giggle at the low budget, dated production values for about […]



Get the Elite Fitness Manual here!

» by June 30th, 2009 at 11:41 pm » Comments (2)

Olympic lifts, kettlebells, gymnastic rings….these are a few of our favourite things…. Ever wished that there was a single instruction manual containing all of this cool stuff? Well, now there is! Andrew Stemler, creator of the popular i-Course – a full day of learning all the key Crossfit skills – has produced a manual to […]



A-Z of training books

» by May 27th, 2009 at 12:06 pm » Comments (10)

Need some inspiration for your next training book? Or even your first? Check out the list below. There are over 30 books here and although I know them all by reputation, I haven’t read them all. I am keen to hear opinions both of the books on the list and any other great titles I have left off. Let […]



What is strength?

» by March 22nd, 2009 at 4:26 pm » Comments (16)

When I mention to people that I do powerlifting, invariably I get the same reaction: a glance up and down my moderately trim 5’4’’ frame and a raise of the eyebrows as if to say ‘but….you’re not exactly big are you?’ I tend to laugh it off and simply say that you don’t have to […]



Review: The complete guide to training with free weights

» by February 27th, 2009 at 4:43 pm » Comments (5)

The Complete Guide to Training with Free Weights by Graeme Marsh was published in 2008 and is part of the Complete Guides series from A&C Black, which also includes Anita Bean’s The Complete Guide to Strength Training. It is great to see a text book dedicated to free weight training that is designed to have broad appeal. […]



The wisdom of Dan John

» by September 24th, 2008 at 8:16 pm » Comments (4)

Who is this man who has such a suitably evocative name? ‘Dan’ conjures images of a deadly judo master; ‘John’ is reminiscent of the prophets. Even T-Nation calls him “Yoda”… Dan John is one of the few strength pundits who is both teacher and pupil. He has a clear, engaging prose style and everything he […]



Kettlebell training guide

» by April 19th, 2008 at 4:14 pm » Comments (21)

Kettlebell training guide from Crossfit London



Muscle-up and ring training guide

» by March 5th, 2008 at 12:47 am » Comments (16)

The Ring Training Guide has now been superceded by the Elite Fitness Manual. Click here for details. The muscle-up is one of the most challenging tests of strength for the amateur trainee. If you’ve mastered dips and pull-ups and you are looking for your next challenge, add the muscle-up to your arsenal. If you want […]