Top Five Fitness Trends From 2008!

Here is my top five list of trends from 2008.  I think some are good, some not so much.  A few of these trends will become fads and fade away, and I think some are finally getting the respect they deserve! POST ANY TRENDS YOU THINK OF IN THE COMMENTS!

5.  “Functional” Training.  I think this term has some carry over from 2007, but the term and what it has come to stand for has started to bother me.  You want functional, go play your sport.  That’s it. 

It only took me one page of searches to find something silly looking.

4.  Kettlebells.  I posted a few days ago about how kettlebells are made (PREVIOUS POST HERE).  Of course they are nothing new, but in 2008 they have become much more trendy.  I read in our local paper that their will be a kettlebell studio opening in my area.  Essentially a training business focused entirely around KB’s. 

3.  Strongman Training.  Over the past few months I’ve posted pictures of tires and other strongman equipment I’ve found at various college and university training programs.  I have only been away from college training for a few years, and we didn’t have anything like this!  In my opinion, about time it caught on! 

Dustin’s Tire Flipping From Our Summer Training

2.  The Rise of Homemade Equipment.  “Build it, and they will come.”  Homemade equipment has always been around, some of the best training devices were first created in someone’s garage.  However, in 2008, it seemed to catch on more and more.  Perhaps its the economy and people are trying to save money, or maybe people were just getting bored and wanted a challenge.  Either way, its here!  I love people’s creativity.  This year I made:  thick grips, two pulling sleds, 2 in and 3 in wrist rollers, plyoboxes (w/ the help of my engineer father in law, I could drop a house on those things!), blast straps, pull up bar, softball grips, pull up sticks, pinch grip apparatus, farmers walk handles, and ab wheels. 

Ross Enamait’s Homemade “T” Handle Video – Now I Know What’s Coming Next!

1. Excergaming – The rise of the machines!  Now new games and addons, such as the Wii Fit.  About time Nintendo answered my daily emails about bringing back the Power Pad!  Does anyone remember the Olympic game?  I gave me the false hope of one day beating a cheetah in a race.  And the oldest trick in the book during the long jump, just stepping off of the pad and waiting, was unbeatable for a gold metal!  I can’t believe I can’t find one good youtube video about the power pad, but here is a hiliarous one about the Nintendo Wii

VERY FUNNY WII VIDEO!

Wow, that’s five posts out of me in two days! Time to get off the computer and back to the gym.

HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVERYONE!
-J. HASHEY, CSCS-

Jan. 10th Seminar with AJ Roberts and Zach EvenEsh

I exchanged some emails with Zach today, and he sent me the link of his seminar.   It looks like its going to be a great time!  I hope to get some pictures and videos for you guys, but better yet, you can still go!  Info for the interested is here: ZACH AND AJ’S SEMINAR INFORMATION.

AJ’s 725 lb Deadlift

-J. HASHEY, CSCS-

Lower Body Training and Deloading

Yesterday was another good lower body day.  The athletes were a little tired from the holidays, so I have backed off the volume and focused on form work and quality repetitions.  A couple deloading days into New Year’s Day will hopefully yield some big numbers on Friday! 

Here are some pictures from today:

The picture below is Dustin performing chain step-ups.   I first did this exercise with the use of hands for balancing with Jim Smith.  I find it very helpful to unload the athlete’s grip from DB’s or their back/traps from the conventional straight bar stepup.  The new style peaked the athlete’s curiosity which led to 3 quality sets of 12 each leg. 

Colgate University Fullback, and new to Synergy Athletics this winter, Tyler Spencer started off with sets of squats. 

-J. HASHEY, CSCS-

Shipment Day – 3 Inch Rope and Farmer’s Walk Handles!

Yesterday was another new shipment of training equipment.  Last week was the shot puts, lifting belts, and lifting shoes, and this week it is some crazy 3 in rope and farmers walk handles!   Every penny from what clients are paying this winter is going back into equipment to gear up for the most serious summer of training ever. 

The rope is used, but I couldn’t find anything thicker than 2 inch new and reasonably priced.   I’m already thinking of crazy and fun ways to use this massive rope!

3 Inch Thick Rope

Trying The Rope Out ASAP!

Farmer’s Walk Handles

It’s going to be a good summer!

-J. HASHEY, CSCS-

One Hand Deadlift Series

One handed deadlifts are a quality supplemental movement.  They are not meant to take the place as your primary mover of lower body day. 

Primary Benefits: Increased grip strength, core stability, and posterior chain strength. 

Here is the series we did today as the second exercise on our lower day:

• 5 Right Handed Front Lifts
• 5 Left Handed Front Lifts
• 5 Suitcase Right
• 5 Suitcase Left

2 Quality Sets.

ONE HANDED DEADLIFT SERIES

-J. HASHEY, CSCS-