darthgall

SOrry for the tardy reply... the comics did show up at the house... unfortunately, I'm away for work, and will be until St. Patrick's day... once I get home, though, I intend to post a review. Until then, I'll have to content myself with DH's Iron Shadows in the Moon...

 

Mick.

So I know I've mentioned Convict Conditioning before, and gotten a few nods of agreement.

For the record: I don't think it's inherently better than lifting weights or oldtyme strongman stuff or anything else... but for me, it's worked the best. Something about it really clicked for me mentally, and I kept with that program longer and better than any other, and have made some pretty good (for me) gains. Is that because it's a better program, or because I actually stuck with it? Probably because I stuck with it and was consistent. But for whatever reason, I love it, it seems to click with me holistically, and feels more "natural" to me, and i like the strength it's building... it feels more natural, and I just feel more capable as a human being with it. Plus, I'm seeing the gains more than with anything else.

More than that, though, I like the simplicity of breaking fitness down into the six things you need to be able to do (in CC's case: pushups, pullups, squats, handstands, bridges and leg raises), and gearing everything toward improving those capabilities.

So, i won't be going to the cert (time, money, family time, etc.), but I"m excited to see this: they've put together a certification for it.
http://progressivecalisthenics.com/
http://www.alkavadlo...-certification/
http://www.dragondoo...d=4e8cb1ea167b0

Now, I'll also admit, I'm somewhat skeptical of fitness certifications... in my mind, it's ripe to become the modern equivalent of hanging out your own shingle and teaching martial arts and awarding (i.e. "selling") black belts, which I think there was a glut of in the 1980's and early 90's... but I think there's been a real rennaissance of old-tyme functional fitness training, both calisthenics based and weightlifting based, and this seems to be a further progression of it.

I could give a $hit about getting a certification myself, but I'd go to something like that to learn how to program and advance (2013 is the year I'll get my first muscle up, I'm hoping!)... but not for the prices they're charging. But if one of their instructors sets up shop in Milwaukee, I might throw some money his way...

And, vaguely related, but if the apocalypse comes and I'm made leader of a small city state (don't scoff, I know you've all thought about how you would do this), one of the rules I would impose would be to make C.C. the official, universal fitness regimen of everyone (with good doses of sprinting thrown in) and everyone would learn some martial arts encompassing unarmed, sword, staff and bow (but that's another thread, I think...).

Now, discuss:
Fitness certifications: worth it? Or a money-making scam? Anyone have one? Recommend it to others?
Are we entering a golden-age of functional, practical, whole-body workouts and fitness? With iron weights? With bodyweight only?
Will muscle-isolation machines ever go the way of the dodo?

Mick.

In!

Aggro... Judas Priest... 405 on the bench?

I was SUPER, SUPER proud when I maxed at 225 on the bench.

Man, when I think about the reps and weight and months and months in the gym it would take me to get there, I get tired and sore just reading about it.

Inspiring? Yes. But it also makes we want to go "Eh, that guy must have that super hero gene that I don't have" even though I know it's not the case. Just a hell of a lot of damn impressive work.

Remind me not to pick a fight with Aggro.

Mick.

Droc... could you explain fat gripz? Is it just that it takes more strength to grip the bar b/c it's now a larger diameter? Which improves grip strength? As well as the forearms?

Mick.