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.  

The addition of the new “Tiny” bands to the 41 inch Power Band range means even more options for you band training.  The Tiny bands provide roughly half the resistance of the Small (yellow) Power Band so are perfect for bridging the gap between bodyweight and assisted or bodyweight and resisted exercises (such as chin ups).  Not to mention the snazzy pink colour of the new bands that will brighten up any training space The new Tiny bands are also a great option for people who need something very light for prehab/rehab work – for some people even the Small bands are too strong. For personal trainers working with special populations such as older adults and children the Tiny bands are a great starting point for introducing resistance training. Here are some more ideas for using the Tiny bands:    

Dead Balls are rubber balls filled with iron sand. The flexibility of the rubber outer combined with the iron sand means that the Dead Ball is readily deformed and doesn’t bounce easily – it’s like a cross between a medicine ball and a sandbag. Dead Balls are perfect for slams – getting the ball overhead and throwing it into the ground with as much power as possible.  Slams are an awesome drill for developing power and speed, and getting out any pent up frustration.  If you want to make the slam extra hard try to catch it on the bounce (you’ll really have to throw the Dead Balls hard to get them to bounce and be very quick to catch them on the bounce).  Do a few of them in a row and your heart rate will certainly be up. The Dead Balls come in a range of weights: 3kg, 6kg, 9kg, 12kg and 15kg so there are plenty of options depending on what you want to do or your strength level. Try getting a heavier Dead Ball and doing a thruster with a throw and catching it.  This will really help train explosiveness. If you’re really keen a Dead [...]

We all know that when you’re learning the technique for an exercise or trying to correct bad lifting habits you should start with a light weight that allows you to perfect the movement pattern.  Aside from anything else, going too heavy when you’re learning is a quick road to injury and poor form. Olypmic lifting is no exception to this rule, especially as it requires such a high level of skill to be performed correctly. Olympic lifting actually has one of the lowest injury rates of any sport because so much emphasis is put on technique, but that really is the key: those who are serious about it learn to do it right.  Anyone who wants to dabble in it should approach it as if they were going to compete. Olympic lifting is highly complex and requires a very high skill level.  It is also done with standardised equipment – the barbell is 20kg (well, the men’s barbell is but this is the weight that is most commonly used outside of competition) and the plates are of 450mm diameter. Until now, it has been very hard to get Olympic plates under 10kg, so this means that learning the lifts with [...]

The Purposeful Primitive is a must read for anyone who is serious about their weight training.  Author Marty Gallagher has compiled  anecdotes, articles, stories, observations and training methods into a book that is just about impossible to put down. Marty himself was a World Champion powerlifter, combine this with the fact that he is intelligent and well-read and you have someone who is truly qualified to write on the topic of strength training. The Purposeful Primitive is not just another exercise book with some programs and exercise descriptions (although it includes both of these).  It goes much deeper than that and looks at the training philosophies and methods of the great and Marty himself says: “My task is to share with you the battle-tested modes and methods of the true Masters.” Find out about the training protocols used by some of the best lifters of all time, including Ed Coan. In fact, just some of what you will learn from this book include: How to completely transform your body—in 90 days or less How to train for only five hours a week— yet be superbly lean and strong The two best eating plans to optimize your fat loss while gaining [...]

Maintaining fitness when you travel needn’t be difficult nor time consuming.  And you know it’s definitely worth putting the effort in when you return home and do your first training session – a few workouts while you’re away can be the difference between sliding back into your regular training and continuing to improve or a whole lot of suffering and trying to get back to where you were before. Here are some simple ideas for equipment that is suitable for travel and programs you can do pretty much anywhere. 1. The Gymboss The Gymboss is the best way to keep your travel workouts on track and stop you from stuffing around.  You can set the Gymboss for interval training (eg things like tabata where you work for 20 sec and rest for 10 for 8 rounds) or use it as a timer. The Gymboss is handy for a couple of reasons.  First, if you work for time, regulate your rest etc then you will often work harder than you would otherwise.  Second, if you work for time you know exaclty how long a workout is going to take so you don’t waste time. If you just have the Gymboss and [...]

Any high level athlete or professional coach will tell you that without good recovery the effort put into training is wasted.   And the harder you train, the better your recovery methods must be to optimise training results. Without good recovery reaching your goals will be that much harder. People often say with regard to training that you only get out what you put in.  This is commonly interpreted as a simple equation that goes something like this: train harder = better results.  This isn’t always true.  The correct equation looks more like this: train smarter = better results. Optimal recovery is part of training smart and isn’t just a concern for athletes.  Anyone who does physical exercise should consider recovery an integral part of their training program. Good recovery is essential, regardless of what level you train at. Put simply, when you exercise you put your body under stress.  For example, when you lift weights you cause micro tears in the muscles you use and the process of your body repairing these micro tears is what makes the muscle stronger (just like a broken bone heals stonger than it was originally).   Exercise will also deplete nutrients (for example the glycogen [...]

There are now 10kg and 14kg Pro Grade Kettlebells in Australia! Pro Grade Kettlebells Rock! Now I am a complete kettlebell snob and while I can understand the the Classic bells have their place and most people find them more than adequate to train with, the erognomics of the Pro Grade, their balance for ballistics and their chalkable handle, in my opinion, make them the superior kettlebell - I won’t use anything else for my own training and only train my clients using Pro Grade bells. One of the few downfalls of the Pro Grades was that they went up in 4kg increments, whereas the lighter Classic Kettlebells went up in 2kg increments – now this is being rectified the Pro Grades are becoming an even more desirable choice! For more information on the differences between Pro Grade and Classic Kettlebells read this article. How the 10kg and 14kg Will benefit Your Training The 10kg and 14kg Pro Grade Kettlebells now mean those people who have mastered the 8kg but are struggling with the 12kg, or those who have been using the 12kg but are finding the 16kg really tough, have the perfect bridging weight. A 4kg jump in weight, particularly for exercises where you’re holding [...]

A good warm up before training is crucial for injury prevention – this is something that most people who exercise are aware of.  Unfortunately, a lot of people still don’t know what constitutes a “good” warm up.  Go to any fun run, marathon, local soccer game, gym or swimming pool and you’ll still see people using static stretches to prepare for whatever activity they intend to do in the near future. Let’s be very clear about this: static stretching before exercise is not only useless, it actually REDUCES ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE.  You’re probably better off doing no warm up than doing static stretches before physical activity.  Studies have shown that static stretching before exercise reduces performance in power, maximal voluntary contraction, balance, and reaction time.  Nobody wants that! If Not Static Stretching, Then What? A good warm up involves: Joint mobility work that gets the synovial fluid lubricating the joint, as this equals smoother, safter movement and reduced risk of joint injuries. Activation of the muscles you’re going to use.  This is very important, you need to “wake up” the muscles so they’re ready to fire properly when you increase the demands on them.  If the muscles aren’t firing properly they’re more likely [...]