Vibram Five Fingers & Barefoot Running

So I finally broke down and bought a pair of the ugly foot glove shoes - the Vibram Five Fingers - . I got the all black ones because they are the least conspicuous and I figured if I wear them at night then maybe nobody will see them:) My wife said they should come with a face shield for when people throw things at you. :)

All joking aside, they are actually pretty damn comfortable and I'm getting used to their funny looks already.

I'm convinced of the reported benefits to training barefoot and I have held that opinion for years. From proprioception, balance, natural gait to running mechanics; it all makes sense - smart shoes make dumb feet.

It wasn't until I read this article - The painful truth about trainers - and until mc (a fellow KB instructor, and barefoot training advocate) scored a 40% discount for RKC's, did I decide to give the foot gloves a try.

My first time out with them consisted of a 1/2 run and four 100m sprints. The first thing I noticed was there was no heel strike in my stride. Much smoother run. The sprints weren't as fast as in running shoes (I normally wear the Nike Free 7.0) but I felt like I could run easier, if that makes sense. I also noticed my feet started to fatigue; they were definitely getting a workout. It'll be interesting to see if I have DOMS tomorrow in my feet, I've got a feeling I will.

Power Plant Live Strongman Show

This past Saturday I did a strongman show for CREATE Everyday Geniuses "Celebrate Your Style" Family Fun Day held at the Power Plant Live in downtown Baltimore. The show went over very well. Check out the pictures by Tony Winthrop of Live TV Group.com

They say pictures are worth a thousand words so I won't say anymore.

http://gallery.me.com/cameramantony#100002

AOBS Dinner - Rising Stars of Strength

Horseshoe Bending at Juniata College

Juniata and AOBS weekend

Just got back from an exhausting weekend traveling over 600 miles from Baltimore, to Huntingdon PA, to Newark NJ and then back home to Baltimore. Had the Pennsylvania State Strength & Conditioning clinic this weekend at Juniata College where I gave a presentation on "Team Training with Kettlebells" and a hands-on session on "Kettlebell Sport." This was my fourth year at the clinic and third time presenting. I always look forward to this weekend.


Another weekend I look forward to is the AOBS weekend where a bunch of strongmen gather to honor Iron Game notables. From bodybuilding, to powerlifting, to olympic weightlifting, to strongman performances; it's all covered that weekend.

I've got a lot to digest and a lot of video footage to edit. Stay tuned.

Grade 8

I just bent five Grade 8 bolts. I've bent two in the past (on the same day but spaced out about an hour apart) and that was the last time I've even attempted such a tough bend. I've been working on my technique and I think I finally found my groove! My last bending video awarded me some great pointers from many of my steel bending brethren on the net. Thanks to guys on the Gripboard.com and everybody who posted comments on my blog! Special thanks to Dennis Rogers, Chris Rider and Aaron McKenzie for working with me and for the encouragement.

Anyway, here's a video of the fifth destroyed bolt. They got easier with each successive bend. The first bend actually dropped me to my knees, I almost passed out. I almost quit. I almost didn't hit a HUGE personal record!

Old Texas Barbell Company

http://irontamerblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/old-time-strongman-university-with.html