Ross Enamait's new ebook - Untapped Strength

Photo Source:  http://www.rosstraining.com

The great Ross Enamait has a new ebook out called Untapped Strength. First the blurb about the book:

Untapped Strength is a 244 page e-book that is dedicated to lower arm development. This program is not intended for grip competitors, but rather athletes and exercise enthusiasts who wish to develop the lower arms to enhance performance and improve overall strength. Throughout the book, I detail a simplified approach to lower arm training that is intended to complement your existing routine. Regardless of your athletic goals, stronger hands, fingers, and wrists will enhance performance and reduce risk of injury. 

As a martial artist, grip strength is pretty important overall. Afterall, a strong grip allows you to retain your tool, be it a knife, sword, stick, staff, etc. A strong grip allows one to grip the clothing of an opponent which can be the beginning of a choke or a throw. Need I go further?


And just in case, you have been living under a rock - Ross Enamait is a high performance conditioning, strength developement and boxing coach. He favors homemade equipment and bodyweight exercises. He is well-known throughout the world and the Interwebz. His site is full of information in helping the athlete and martial artist maximize their performance and conditioning. Check it out if you haven't ever been there:

http://www.rosstraining.com

I'm going to be ordering this book and look to improve my lower arms and grip with Ross Enamait's help.


Ordering info here:

• http://rosstraining.com/untappedstrength.html

Do you already have the book? If so, please leave me a comment below with your review. I thank you in advance.

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Kushti (Indian Wrestling) - The Physical Body DVD outtakes Part 7 (Warmups)

This is the 7th in a series of outtakes from The Physical Body DVD which explores "Kushti" aka Indian Wrestling. This part examines warming up.


Enjoy!

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A wrestler from the Chandigiram Akhara in Delhi runs through some of his warm up exercises under the guidance of his coach.

Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 7 from Vincent Giordano on Vimeo.

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My Review from Dec 2007 of The Physical Body DVD:  

• http://www.stickgrappler.net/2007/12/review-physical-body-dvd-indian.html

* * * * * * * *

The other parts of the raw footage/outtakes in case you missed them:

• The Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 - Hanuman Akhara in Delhi, India
• Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 Part 2 - Jori/Gada swinging at Morchali Birbaba Akhara in Varanasi
• Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 3
• Kushti:  Physical Body DVD Outtakes Part 4 - Rope Mallakhamb 
• Kushti: Physical Body DVD Outtakes Part 5 - Jor (paired practice)
• Kushti (Indian Wrestling) - The Physical Body DVD outtakes Part 6 (Yoga's Sun Salutation)

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For ordering info, please check out:

• The Physical Body DVD
• The Physical Body 2 DVD

* * * * * * * *

For further information:

• Please email:  "vanishingflame@NOSPAMgmail.com" (please take out the "NOSPAM" when emailing) about new DVDs
•  Kushti: The Physical Body outtakes series Video Channel

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Kushti (Indian Wrestling) - The Physical Body DVD outtakes Part 6 (Yoga's Sun Salutation)

This is the 6th in a series of outtakes from The Physical Body DVD which explores "Kushti" aka Indian Wrestling. This part examines Yoga's Sun Salutation with relation to Kushti training.


Enjoy!

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We take a look at surya namaskar and its relationship to a Wrestler's training and how this exercise echoes the dands and bethaks that are trained daily in the akhara.

Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 6 from Vincent Giordano on Vimeo.

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My Review from Dec 2007 of The Physical Body DVD:  

• http://www.stickgrappler.net/2007/12/review-physical-body-dvd-indian.html

* * * * * * * *

The other parts of the raw footage/outtakes in case you missed them:

• The Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 - Hanuman Akhara in Delhi, India
• Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 Part 2 - Jori/Gada swinging at Morchali Birbaba Akhara in Varanasi
• Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 3
• Kushti:  Physical Body DVD Outtakes Part 4 - Rope Mallakhamb 
• Kushti: Physical Body DVD Outtakes Part 5 - Jor (paired practice)

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For ordering info, please check out:

• The Physical Body DVD
• The Physical Body 2 DVD

* * * * * * * *

For further information:

• Please email:  "vanishingflame@NOSPAMgmail.com" (please take out the "NOSPAM" when emailing) about new DVDs
•  Kushti: The Physical Body outtakes series Video Channel

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Kushti: Physical Body DVD Outtakes Part 5 - Jor (paired practice)

Please check out this 5th clip of the raw training sequences from Vincent Giordano's The Physical Body 1 DVD. This was an outtake/unused footage. Like the first four clips, these are good for anyone who wanted more detail on Kushti aka Indian Wrestling, which was the subject of The Physical Body.

* * * * * * * *

My Review from Dec 2007 of The Physical Body DVD:  

• http://www.stickgrappler.net/2007/12/review-physical-body-dvd-indian.html

* * * * * * * *

The other parts of the raw footage/outtakes in case you missed them:

• The Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 - Hanuman Akhara in Delhi, India
• Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 Part 2 - Jori/Gada swinging at Morchali Birbaba Akhara in Varanasi
• Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 3
• Kushti:  Physical Body DVD Outtakes Part 4 - Rope Mallakhamb 

Here we go!

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Part five focuses on Jor, in this case paired wrestling practice, at the Gaya Seth Akhara.

Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 5 from Vincent Giordano on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

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For ordering info, please check out:

• The Physical Body DVD
• The Physical Body 2 DVD

* * * * * * * *

For further information on new DVDs, please email:

• vanishingflame@NOSPAMgmail.com(please take out the "NOSPAM" when emailing)

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Kushti: Physical Body DVD Outtakes Part 4 - Rope Mallakhamb

Here is the 4th clip of the raw training sequences from Vincent Giordano's The Physical Body 1 DVD. This was an outtake/unused footage. Like the first two clips, these are good for anyone who wanted more detail on Kushti aka Indian Wrestling, which was the subject of The Physical Body.

* * * * * * * *

My Review from Dec 2007 of The Physical Body DVD:  

• http://www.stickgrappler.net/2007/12/review-physical-body-dvd-indian.html

* * * * * * * *

The other parts of the raw footage/outtakes in case you missed them:

• The Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 - Hanuman Akhara in Delhi, India
• Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 Part 2 - Jori/Gada swinging at Morchali Birbaba Akhara in Varanasi
• Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 3
• Kushti:  Physical Body DVD Outtakes Part 5 - Jor (paired practice) 

Are you ready for part 4?

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This fourth part of our series continues with the Mallakhamb, focusing this time on the Rope Mallakhamb.

Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 4 from Vincent Giordano on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

---

For ordering info, please check out:

• The Physical Body DVD
• The Physical Body 2 DVD

* * * * * * * *

For further information on new DVDs, please email:

• vanishingflame@NOSPAMgmail.com(please take out the "NOSPAM" when emailing)

Read More

Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 3

Please check out this 3rd clip of the raw training sequences from Vincent Giordano's The Physical Body 1 DVD. This was an outtake/unused footage. Like the first two clips, these are good for anyone who wanted more detail on Kushti aka Indian Wrestling, which was the subject of The Physical Body.


My Review from Dec 2007 of The Physical Body DVD:  

• http://www.stickgrappler.net/2007/12/review-physical-body-dvd-indian.html

The first two parts of the raw footage/outtakes in case you missed them:

• The Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 - Hanuman Akhara in Delhi, India
• Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 Part 2 - Jori/Gada swinging at Morchali Birbaba Akhara in Varanasi

Without further ado, here's Part 3!

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This third part of our Physical Body outtakes series focuses on the Mallakhamb. A modern art practiced throughout India, it was once known as "The Wrestlers Pole" and was an integral part of the ancient Wrestlers daily routine.

Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 3 from Vincent Giordano on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

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For ordering info, please check out:

• The Physical Body DVD
• The Physical Body 2 DVD

For further information on new DVDs, please email:

• vanishingflame@NOSPAMgmail.com(please take out the "NOSPAM" when emailing)

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Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 Part 2 - Jori/Gada swinging at Morchali Birbaba Akhara in Varanasi

Back on Jan 23, 2014, I posted:

• The Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 - Hanuman Akhara in Delhi, India

Here is the 2nd part of the Outtakes:

"The second part in our Physical Body outtakes series focuses on Jori and Gada swinging at the Morchali Birbaba Akhara in Varanasi."

Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 2 from Vincent Giordano on Vimeo.


Here is Part 3:

• Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 3

Enjoy!

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For ordering info, please check out:

• The Physical Body DVD
• The Physical Body 2 DVD

For further information on new DVDs, please email:

• vanishingflame@NOSPAMgmail.com(please take out the "NOSPAM" when emailing)

Read More

The Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 - Hanuman Akhara in Delhi, India

Check out this clip of the raw training sequences from Vincent Giordano's The Physical Body 1 DVD. This was an outtake/unused footage. Good for anyone who wanted more detail on Kushti aka Indian Wrestling, that was the subject of The Physical Body.


My Review from Dec 2007 of The Physical Body:  

• http://www.stickgrappler.net/2007/12/review-physical-body-dvd-indian.html

---

A series of short outtakes from the The Physical Body series focusing on the Hanuman Akhara in Delhi, India.

Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes from Vincent Giordano on Vimeo.

Parts Two and Three can be found here:

• Physical Body DVD Outtakes 1/2 Part 2 - Jori/Gada swinging at Morchali Birbaba Akhara in Varanasi
• Kushti: Physical Body Outtakes Part 3

Enjoy!

---

For ordering info, please check out:

• The Physical Body DVD
• The Physical Body 2 DVD

For further information on new DVDs, please email:

• vanishingflame@NOSPAMgmail.com(please take out the "NOSPAM" when emailing)

Read More

Vunak's Top 50 Combat Secrets Ch. 28

Chapter 28: Quieting the Mind: Physical Meditation with Ancient Indian Exercises

Dands(Hindu Push-Up) and Bethaks(Hindu Squat) are two ancient Indian bodyweight exercises that are the core of the Action Strength training system. They are designed to develop strength, flexibility and unite the mind, body and breath into one complete functioning unit.

Dands are jackknife style push-ups and Bhetaks are comparable to deep knee bends. These two exercises when done together provide a complete body workout and can be done anywhere at anytime.

The most important feature of dands and bethaks is that they should be performed rhythmically and at a steady pace. The performance of thousands of repetitions of these two exercises produces a trance like mental state. The dands and bhetaks transport the practitioner into an altered state of consciousness from which he or she can derive great strength, focus and mental clarity. It is like doing a physical meditation.

Bhetak
From a standing position with feet set shoulder width apart, squat down onto the balls of your feet, while lifting the heels clearly off of the floor. From here push yourself up back to the start position(standing) but do not let your heels touch the ground.

Make sure that when you squat down that your knees track in front of your feet. Don’t let your legs bow in or out. Keep your back straight and abdominals tensed the whole time. Your arms should be relaxed and sway back and forth with the movement of the body to help you keep your balance. Your hands sway back before you drop down into .... the squat (they naturally sway back to the start position as you stand back up).



Indian wrestling champions would do between 2 and 3 thousand a day. Average wrestlers would do between 500-1000 a day.

Dands
One starts a Dand face down, in the push up position by placing their arms slightly wider than shoulder width, and their feet are placed slightly wider than the width of their arms. To begin, one cocks the body back by lifting one’s buttocks into the air while straightening both arms and legs. Then by bending at the elbows, one dives forward so that the chest glides between the palms close to the ground. One then arches up while straightening the arms and thrusting the pelvis down towards the ground. One then re-cocks the body to the starting position. At no time does your back arch, or bend, it must be kept in straight line at all times.

In the traditional training method one should do half as many dands as bhetaks. Wrestling champions would do between 1000-1500 a day.

Here is a Classical Training Progression that provides a road map from beginner to champion wrestler.

5 Sets of 15 Dands and 30 Bhetaks (Beginner)
5 Sets of 25 Dands and 50 Bhetaks
5 Sets of 50 Dands and 100 Bhetaks
5 Sets of 100 Dands and 200 Bhetaks
5 Sets of 200 Dands and 400 Bhetaks (Champion Wrestler)

Until Next Time,
Singh

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Please check the Table of Contents for links to other chapters of this Online Book.

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LINKS: The renowned Sandow Plus website

Sandow and the Golden Age of Iron Men
The Online Physical Culture Museum

http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/

There are articles and ebooks/pdf's as well as ebooks in html/jpg format on the old-time strongmen and physical culture of that period.

Sometime ago, I surfed across this site when I was looking for information on Farmer Burns. Check out:

http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Burns/burnsindex.htm

for info on Martin 'Farmer' Burns as well as a free pdf download of his "Lessons in Wrestling & Physical Culture", which is the famous Farmer Burns Mail Order Course. Scanned direct from a 1912 set of lessons!

Loads of cool & good information on this site. Enjoy!

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Army Maguire and Ageless Strength DVD

A few years ago, I "met" Army on some martial arts forum. For the life of me, right now as I post this, I don't remember the specific circumstances. I only remember that we exchanged emails and became friends. Back then, he shot a video of himself bending a nail. did some brick breaking, etc. All 'strongman' stuff. He snailmailed me the vid and the bent nail!

Check out this Youtube clip:



Dayum! Tearing a deck of playing cards in half! Can you do that? I know I cannot. You ever see people who break boards or bricks? They always rest the board/brick they are about to break on 2 other pieces? That is sort of "cheating"... that is you still have to generate enough power on the board/brick... but because you are resting it on 2 boards/bricks... it makes it easier to break in half. Probably not explaining this correctly... but as I understand it, it will be easier to break. Try breaking a brick while holding it like Army did in the youtube clip. That takes strength/power. WARNING: don't do it if you've not had some kind of training. In the interest of full disclosure, Army has trained Iron Palm.

A brief bio:

Richard "Army" Maguire has been in exercise, strength and fitness for many years. He has trained in many martial arts for over 30 years including arnis, Boxing, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Brazilian Jujitsu, and Catch as Catch Can wrestling under Billy Wicks. After much encouragement from friends and workout partners he decided to share the techniques that he learned from personal experience and traditional Persian methods including an instructor from Nepal.

If you want to order some wooden clubs, check this site out:

http://www.revolutionclubs.net

As posted before in the previous blog entry, I will be ordering his DVD soon and put up a review.

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"Army" Maguire and club swinging

Mark this date down:

July 11, 2009

Army Maguire's Club swinging clinic

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If you are into conditioning/physical culture (with club swinging, etc) you should have heard of "Army". His friends asked him to make a DVD on club swinging. I will be ordering the DVD shortly and a review is forthcoming.

What is old is new again! The current scene of conditioning/physical culture has exploded with the old-school methods, what with kettlebells, wooden clubs, etc. Army is one of the few at the forefront. Check out this email I received last week from my friend Army:

Here is a photo of an early antique pair of wooden clubs made in the 1900's . To the right of them are a new pair I just received from Revolution Clubs of Texas.

These new clubs have some wonderful but subtle improvements over the older model. All these clubs are marked 3lbs.. The older ones are almost 1/2 lb off that weight and weigh closer to 2 1/2 lbs. Revolution Clubs are always as close as one can get to the weight marked on the club. Our friends at Revolution Clubs produced the newer model with a slightly thicker neck. This adds strength and compliments the weight shift towards the bottom of the club. This makes for better weight distribution and a smoother swing. The clubs when resting on the floor have a wider base and are less likely to topple over.

The clubs feel wonderful to swing. Even the knob on top of the clubs has been beefed up a bit.

Another added feature is the custom engraving that can be added to any set of clubs . You may want to personalize your clubs so they advertise your gym or organization. You may just simply want your own signature laser etched into the wood for all eternity. Revolution clubs was nice enough to engrave my Ageless Strength logo on my newest pair.

If you are looking for the best made quality wooden clubs on the market I suggest you go to Revolution Clubs .

Please mention ageless strength. If you decide to purchase a 20 lb pair mention this code ARMY09 and receive a 5% discount.

http://www.revolutionclubs.net

Hope to see many of you on July 11th here in the South Bay area for our first every Club swinging clinic.

~Army
http://www.agelesstrength.com

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LINKS: Check out my friend Jimmy Fatwing's site

Check out my friend's, Jimmy Fatwing, site. He and a few others are at the forefront of researching Western Martial Arts as well as Combatives, Savate, Stickwork/Cane, you name it! If you are into any of the above, Jimmy should be no stranger to you, either his forum posts or yahoogroups posts.

Enjoy!

NOTE: Logo borrowed from Jimmy Fatwing.

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EBOOKS: The Son of the 'And yet more ebooks' entry - James Marwood's Safeism.com

Check out James Marwood's safeism.com for gigs of free ebooks!! Here's what you will find here on this great site:

The Use Of The Broadsword - T. Page - 1746

Self Defence The Art Of Boxing - Ned Donnelly - 1881
Physical Culture and Self Defense - Robert Fitzsimmons - 1901
Sabre And Bayonet - AC Cunningham - 1906
The Cane As A Weapon - AC Cunningham - 1912
Ju-Jitsu Self Defence - W Bruce Sutherland - 1913
Practical Self Defence - Jacomb - 1918
Tricks of Self-Defence - WH Collingridge - 1920
Jiu Jitsu Wrsetling Defence Against A Violent Attack - The Stillman Association - 1922
How To Become Handy With Your Fists - Percy Longhurst - 1922
Master At Arms Badge For Boy Scouts - Anon - 1925
Scout Wall Chart - “The Scout” - 1925?

Combat Sans Armes - Anon - 1941
Disarming and Hand to Hand Combat - Training Bulletin GT-10 - 1942
Shooting To Live - WE Fairnairn and EA Sykes - 1942
Unarmed Action - Micky Wood - 1942
Self Defense or Jiu Jitsu - Dewey Mitchell - 1942
Self Defence For Women - WE Fairbairn - 1942
Get Tough - WE Fairbairn - 1942
Stick Play - Yerkow - 1942
Combat Without Weapons - E Hartley Leather - 1942
Martell’s Simplified Ju Jutsu Offense and Defense - Jules Martell - 1942
Commando Jiu Jitsu - Irvin Cahn - 1943
Combat Conditioning Manual Jiu Jitsu - RE Hanley - 1943
American Art of Self Protection - Samuel B Cummings - 1943
Kill Or Get Killed - Rex Applegate - 1943
Combato - Bill Underwood - 1943
Do Or Die - AJD Biddle - 1944
How To Use Jiu Jitsu - IC King - 1944
American Combat Judo - Bernard J Cosneck - 1944
Judo 41 Lessons In The New Science of Jiu-Jitsu - T Shozo Kuwashima and Ashbel R Welch - 1944
Protect Yourself, The Secrets Of Unarmed Defense - Brooks Mendell - 1944
Abwehr Englischer Gangster-Methoden - Anon - 1945?

Your Hards…Secret Weapons! - Brooks Mendell - 1946
Ju-Jitsu And Other Methods Of Defence Simplified - Tommy Turner - 1948
How to Use The Yawara Stick - Prof. Matsuyama - 1948
Championship Fighting - Jack Dempsey - 1950
Marine Bowie - John Styers - 1950s?
Cold Steel - John Styers - 1952
Lightning Ju-Jitsu - Harry Lord - 1950s?
Modern Self Defense - RH Sigward - 1958
Canon Of Judo - K Mifune - 1958
Special Judo Self-Defense Course - Joe Weider - 1959
Handbook Of Self Defense In Pictures and Text - John Martone - 1962
Police Ju Jitsu - James M Moynahan - 1962
Pencak Silat - Alexander, Chambers & Draeger - 1972

Close Combat - US Marine Corps - 1999
Discussion on Fairbairn, Applegate and Knife Design - William Cassidy - 1999

Le Catch As Catch Can - Bontemps, Miquet and Arnaud - Unknown
The Fine Art Of JuJutsu - Unknown - Unknown

Enjoy!

p.s. hmmm... the title of this entry may sound weird to some, but for readers longer in the tooth or fan of the 1950's era science fiction movies, should recognize the format of:

the xyz
the return of xyz
the son of xyz
the return of the son of xyz

lol @ me.

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EBOOKS: And yet more at Kirk Lawson's Lulu storefront

Speaking of ebooks, here's another link to yet more ebooks -- deepest gratitude to Kirk Lawson for working so hard on making some of these out-of-print books available. If you like the dead tree version, the link will allow you to buy the print version and if you just want to check out the book, Kirk Lawson has graciously provided a free pdf.

Kirk Lawson's Lulu storefront

Enjoy!

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EBOOKS: Some more at Jason Couch's site

Speaking about Jason Couch's site, he has some free ebooks here:

http://martialhistory.com/category/free-stuff/

Enjoy!

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