It’s the French paradox. People in France (and southern Europe in general) have the lowest incidence of heart disease in the world. This is despite the fact that they 1) stuff themselves full of butter and cheese and 2) many of them smoke like chimneys! I’ll give you an example, the average French person consumes well over 100 grams per day of fat from animal sources (the average Aussie consumes about 70 grams). The French eat four-to-five times as much butter and cheese as Americans do and nearly three times as much pork. However, despite this artery-clogging regime, this population has one of the lowest levels of heart and cardiovascular disease on the planet. What’s their secret? It’s called wine my friends. And more specifically, the active ingredient in red wine; a compound called resveratrol. Resveratrol is definitely one of the biggest discoveries is nutritional science. This amazing ingredient is naturally abundant in dark grapes, in particular, the skin of dark grapes. Unfortunately, resveratrol oxidizes quickly, losing its metabolic potency in the process. That’s why fresh grapes are not a great source. However, red wine is a potent source of resveratrol as the fermentation process retains this phytoestrogens’ unique capacities. [...]

Movement has 2 aspects; Solving a movement problem like taking a step, changing direction, getting up from the floor etc. Liberating degrees of freedom. In our exploration of the task, our highest expression is to perform the movement with the greatest ease. This can be done by becoming clear on the task via improved coordination, or loading the task by increasing the demand. Moving is a series of chain responses that are highly integrated. The functional view of training asks that we load movement, rather than being concerned with strengthening muscles. The muscles involved in the chain of movement will increase their firing through facilitation and this constitutes the adaptation. The body-brain is a global system and needs to be trained as such. The 3 characteristics of functional movement adaptation using Power Bands are; the body is working against gravity ground reaction forces are present in overload and overspeed form the athlete is dealing with their own momentum Power Bands are a load enhancer that strengthen the loading phase (overload) and neurologically quicken the unloading phase (overspeed).  What this means for the athlete is; they are stronger against gravity they become more effective at controlling momentum (deceleration) while increasing foot [...]

Surya Voinar-Fowler is one of my kettlebell sport heroes.  I watched her on YouTube long before I was lucky enough to meet her and was always impressed by her guts on the platform.  However, it was reading ”Just One Rep Away“, written by Surya after a couple of failed MS attempts that made me realise what a truly incredible athlete Surya is: she never quits and epitomises the kettlebell sport spirit with constant growth, not only in numbers but in her outlook.  It’s Surya’s persistence and humble nature that have allowed her to plough through countless barriers and continually add to her list of achievements, which include: Being ranked Master of Sport with the WKC and RGSF Being the only US woman to compete in 24kg snatch alongside the professional women in the IUKL, and winning a silver medal at the IUKL Open Cup of Europe in Russia and a bronze medal at the IUKL World Championships in New York Being ranked CMS in 24kg snatch only with the IUKL Holding record 20kg one arm jerk numbers Surya has also broken down stereotypes by performing double jerks and double long cycle with form that would make most male lifters envious.  This is an interview I’ve been wanting [...]

The traditional foam roller is intended for myofascial release. However, due to its flat surface, it can actually further compress muscle tissue and increase tightness, rather than alleviate it. The Rumble Roller is studded with stiff protrusions which act like a masseur’s fingers, reaching into muscle tissue and releasing trigger points. While the bumps are stiffer than foam they are softer than bone, so they deflect out of the way if they come into contact with the spine, hip, or other parts of the skeleton. The Rumble Roller boasts another quality which puts it further beyond its traditional counterpart. By moving side to side, the bumps are even stiffer, thereby providng an extra dimension – and intensity – to your stretching program. The Rumble Roller comes in two sizes. The larger model is wide enough so that it will cover the whole of your back in one pass, while the compact model is more portable; ideal for those who need it when travelling to sporting events. There are essentially two grades; blue, which is more of an entry level device, and the black roller, which is 36% firmer.

The weighted vest has always been a diffucult proposition. If you have used a weighted vest in your training before, you’ll be aware that the benefit of the extra weight during exercise is proportionally offset by the amount off irritation generated. Weighted vests have a propensity to sag and slop, which means that the load is doing all kinds of things while you’re working, such as interfering with movement and balance, and not in a good way at all. We had some much difficulty finding the right design, we decided to halt manufacture until we did. We are proud to say that day has arrived. Our new vest does away with elasticised parts altogther and adjustment is taken care of by a fully adjustable strap. This ensures that the contours of the vest will conform eactly to your shape, leaving you free to concentrate on the job at hand. We guarantee that this new vest won’t do anything it shouldn’t, regardless of what you’re doing, or the plane you’re doing it in.  

Recent research performed at three prestigious academic facilities sheds light on the virtues of resistance training to optimize cardiac health. Research completed at Harvard University, the Michigan Technological Institute (MTI) and the University of Western Australia may give weight lifting a whole new image. In the Harvard study, over 44 000 US men were checked at two year intervals between 1986 and 1998 to assess potential heart disease factors, health status and activity levels. The Harvard scientists found that men who jogged regularly each week showed a 42% reduction in risk for heart disease. However, the men who trained with weights only once a week showed a 23% risk reduction. These results suggest that training with weighs maybe more efficient a providing protection against heart disease. The research performed by MTI scientists revealed the effectiveness of resistance training to normalize high blood pressure. After eight weeks of weight training, a group of healthy volunteers showed a significant decrease in resting blood pressure (130/69 to 121/61). These results add weight to the growing amount of evidence that suggests weight training “normalizes” a person’s blood pressure. Australian researchers have recently showed that resistance training is an effective form of rehabilitation for heart [...]

The increasing popularity of Olympic lifting has seen it explode through gyms across the country, helped along by the ever-growing Crossfit craze. The only drawbacks seem to be the safety issues and the cost. The biggest problem related to both is dropping weights; it trashes both bars and plates, and sometimes, the unfortunate gym rat that gets in the way. IronEdge has come up with a product which reduces both dangers considerably, making Olympic lifting more accessible to the average gym-goer. Rather than having to spend a fortune on building a lifting platform, you can simply purchase IronEdge’s new 50ml rubber flooring, which allows you to quickly and easily construct your own platform. At fifty millimetres thick and five hundred by five hundred millimetres squared, the flooring is comprised of dual-density foam. The top layer is 10 ml deep and provides a dense surface for supporting the lifter and the weight, while the 40ml beneath is a cushioning layer for both shock and sound absorption. IronEdge’s new rubber flooring: a safe and sound solution to your Olympic lifting issues.

In our search for the innovative and exciting, we often find that the more effective a piece of equipment is, the more peculiar its  origins. The Wrestler’s bag may be one of our best products yet, and comes with a story of almost singular awesomeness. “Bulgarian shepherds were often forced to carry lambs and weak sheep around their shoulders when they were wandering with their herds, and often performed acts of strength with sheep and goats on street fairs. The design of the Bugarian bag is based on the body of an ovine and its use is considered a modern interpretation of the old tradition.” By virtue of its highly unusual design, the Wrestler’s bag can be used for a host of exercises to target the core, upper body and grip. It can also be used to develop coordination as well as increase joint and shoulder mobility. Many of its signature exercises require swinging and spinning, which means that different movement patterns are united as part of the same exercise. The Wrestler’s bag can also be added to your body weight for push ups, squats, jumps, power crunches, and all kinds of other plyometric exercises. There isn’t a more versatile fitness product [...]

The 23kg is the newest, and heaviest, addition to the Iron Edge Dead Ball range. 23kg of dead weight will certainly give you a challenge for many exercises.  Just holding onto the 23kg Dead Ball while you walk, lunge or squat can be enough of a challenge (especially if you are holding it overhead) and for slams it is very challenging – great for strong people who really want to build explosive throwing power. If you’re brave, you can give the Dead Ball Bastards a shot with the 23kgs: Or if you’re extra keen take up the 100 days slam challenge with the 23kg Dead Ball – 100 slams each day for 100 days. The 23kg Dead Ball, like all other Dead Balls in the Iron Edge range, has an outer casing of highly durable rubber and is filled with iron sand.  It is designed to take a lot of punishment without splitting or leaking, so you can slam it to your heart’s content. For more information on the new 23kg Dead Ball or the rest of the Dead Ball range click here.

I believe most people don’t match the quality of their nutrition to the incredible physical demands they place on their bodies. Did you know most people select less than 20 different foods in their lifetime. Often, when people decide to “get lean” or get “in shape” they severely limit there food choices. Most make no more than 5 food choices a week! Chicken, rice, oats, egg whites, a protein supplement and maybe some green beans -sound familiar? It’s a narrow-minded, lazy approach that knee-caps your ability to achieve optimum health and peak performance, let alone create the metabolism for permanent fat loss. Increased food variety is one of the most effective ways to get the most from your training. There is a simple rule you can follow that will dramatically increase the nutrition of your plan: Dine by Colour! Take a god look at each meal you eat – how colourful is it? Research shows the more colour, the more nutrition and great fat-burning potential. When purchasing foods go for bright colours (and I’m not talking about the design on the cereal box either!) For example, when choosing vegetables and fruits, (yes, fruit should be a staple of every transformation [...]