What people are saying about our site:
John,
"Keep up the great work... you are doing the right thing promoting
solid training information."
Tommy Kono
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My introduction to strength training came from my uncle when I was about 12 years old. Back then
it was a simple 3 times a week full body workout with plastic coated cement weights from "Sears".
My cousin and I took to that right away, and I also began to read everything I could.
I started experimenting with some of the various programs presented in those books and magazines
all through junior high and high school, but my training really started taking off after my senior
year of football. I was then free to do my own thing in the weight room, not just what the coach
wanted. On into college, I continued to workout using a variety of complicated routines (mostly
geared toward strength at least) such as the "Bulgarian Burst" program which had you working out
up to 18 times per week!
I was at least fortunate back then to have discovered
"Super Squats" by
Dr. Randall Strossen. It was amazing what his program did for me in only 3 short workouts a week
that some couldn't do in 18!
During my third year in college, I started training in Taekwondo. At first I tried to continue
weight training while in Taekwondo, but eventually, weight training got put on the back burner
for about 15 years.
As time passed, however, I found myself wanting more and more to return to
the weight room. I finally decided to get a membership to a local gym with a decent weight room.
I started working out with a basic program, but it lacked the direction and focus I was hoping
to achieve. It was at this point, that a chance internet search for an obscure piece of workout
equipment allowed me to discover "oldtimestrongman.com".
Since discovering your website about a year ago, I have purchased several products: a "Captains
of Crush" hand gripper (the #1),
Indian Clubs, "
Developing Physical Strength" by Bob Peoples,
"Rock, Iron, Steel" by Steve Justa, "Of Stones and Strength" by Steve Jeck, and
"Dinosaur Training"
by Brooks Kubik.
Now, I realize, everyone has their own favorite training book, but I would highly recommend
"Dinosaur Training"! This one book really opened my eyes to what training with weights is all
about! I have since put together a fairly decent home gym that allows me to put nearly all of
Brooks' ideas into practice.
I am currently doing an abbreviated program (see chapter 6) that
consists of trap bar deadlift, standing press, and hang cleans (all for 5x5...see chapter 10),
followed by one set for time or reps of one of the following: hammer swings, keg lift, Atlas
stone lift, barrel lift, or Dinnie Stone trainer.
I will occasionally sustitute one of the odd
object lifts with a series of progressively heavier singles on one exercise or another (see chapter 11).
For my goals,
"Dinosaur Training" can't be beat! Combined with the previously mentioned titles
by Bob Peoples, Steve Jeck, Steve Justa, and Randall Strossen, an unlimited world of functional
strength training knowledge is at your service! Thanks for a great set of websites!
Keep up the great work!
Chris Hundven
Manhattan, Kansas
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John,
Wanted to thank you for the fast shipping, great service and great products.
Jan Dellinger's book is top notch, and so is the trading card.
Looking forward to future releases!
Dave Hartnett
Salem, New Hampshire
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Hi John,
This is just a quick note to let you know that my latest order arrived on
Saturday. You and your crew did another great job!!! I received my order
in less than two days, complete and in order. Thanks again for such fast
service (I just wish more people in the industry were as diligent and customer oriented
as you and your team)!!
Thanks again,
Mark Davis
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Hi John,
I just wanted to thank you for your great newsletters and training articles. I have
signed up for numerous newsletters and lately I find myself deleting all of them
without even opening them... except for yours. I like your no-nonsense approach to
training and you always have good tips. I train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and
wrestling, and am also a police officer.
I have gotten a lot of great ideas from your newsletter and it has helped me tremendously with my training. The harder I train, the
better athlete I will become. All the added grip strength sure does help at work too. I
just figured I'd shoot you a message and say keep up the great work! Waking up in the morning
I look forward to another one of your articles to get me going to go lift some iron!!
Sincerely,
James Fulton
P.S. I bought the Captain of Crush grippers and the Ivanko Super Gripper from your site and I must say they are awesome.
Next purchase will be some climbing ropes in the near future!!
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Hi John,
Your info bulletins are fantastic, thank you very much and I look forward to regaining and
exceeding the strength I once had as a Royal Australian Army Commando.
Regards,
Simon Vanderzeil
No.1 Commando Company (Ret),
1st Commando Regiment,
Royal Australian Armed Forces
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Just checked out the new site... I feel stronger already. Nice work.
Chris G.
Cleveland, Ohio
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Hey John,
I read your e-Mails all time I really liked the ones about sandbag lifting.
Having just started doing it myself, I can say that it really has added a ton of power
and strength to my over all workouts. Just today I was outside doing a
little workout and decided to try pushing my tire across my yard the great
thing is that their was still snow & ice.
I started training with the sand
bags late fall. I have an 80lbs bag and a 60lbs one too. I do all of the
lifts like shoulder press, curls, squats, power cleans - W/ the 60 bag but I
do what's called a pull through W/ the 80lbs bag, some where around 6-10
reps and like 2- 4 sets.
The lift is a great, all around great strength
builder. The movement goes like this the bag is on the ground you bend down
and reach through your legs and do like a squat and power clean and flip all
in one movement, - the bag goes over your head letting go at the end of the
movement, it takes lots of strength to do it. Like I said I tried to push my
tractor tire across my yard that is about 90 feet well I DID IT, was the
hardest thing I think I ever did thanks to the sand bag workout's I really
don't think I could have done it.
P.S. the tire is about 250 to 300lbs, I also did what I call row pull's W/ the
same tire too that goes like this, bend over like a bent over row keep the
tire at arms length, spread your legs, squat down pull the tire towards your
chest as hard & as fast as you can I also did one set of that, for the 90
feet too rep wise about 10 to 15, sandbagin' really works!! !
I also did tire flips and framers walks W/ the same tire too for like 3 sets
up & down the 90 feet to -. Just so were clear I get in the tire grab it
lift up and walk I also do as many shrugs W/ it as I can when doing the
farmers walks too.
The temp out side today was like 30 with a cold wind very hard to breathe.
Also to anyone who wants real strength read Steve Justa Book Rock Iron Steel
Great Book !!! You can get that book from John's website:
http://www.oldtimestrongman.com
Thanks again,
Eric Silvi
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John,
I look forward to getting my hand grippers. In the meantime, thanks for
taking the time to put together an amazing resource of old-school
strength building - it's exactly what I was looking for. It's great to
see someone working hard to do things right and who are excited and
informed about what they're doing.
Thanks again,
Jon Edelbrock
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"... you have a great site. A blast from the past!"
Fred Crivello
Safety Harbor, Florida
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I love your Oldtime Strongman website's unique training material (especially the Blog).
Bill C.
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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On the Literature of Strength books written by strongmen of past eras and sold on the site:
I have been an athlete my whole life, just about every sport at one time or another. Particularly I
began lifting weights at the age of twelve and became serious and aimed for power during high school.
I continued my efforts throughout my initial run through college in regard to finding the best training
program.
After I graduated I studied more and more, read this book and that book and all the time I
would hit plateaus. I researched more and more and found books and methods that partially worked, but
even so there would always be plateaus, which I would reach well in advance of my full potential.
I came to read cutting edge literature on the subject of strength so that I could integrate the best
strength training program into my Mixed Martial Arts training and my training as a power lifter.
For awhile it all seemed incompatible, however, after discarding the notion of modern set training
plans that are designed for most pro bodybuilders on steroids, HGH, Insulin and many other drugs--and
that are not even the most effective training methods for such individuals anyways.
I must say that what I have found, to get to the point is that the best of the modern literature I have found on
strength training is not new.
I have found it to be in many ways a rediscovery of the writings of
strongmen such as Bob Peoples, Paul Anderson and many others who pioneered amazing feats that have
not been duplicated to this day. I believe that finding this wonderful website and the work that
it has done has served to aid me immeasurably because knowledge is power and it is more than worth
it to study what works in the great collection of literature offered than to experiment for years
using routines that lead only to disappointment for the average person and even
for genetically blessed individuals falling short of their goals.
The human body is universal and training for the body rather than for the routine works for everyone
adhering to a state of existence. Forget muscle confusion, forget the fad TV programs and diet plans
that are not designed for athletes seeking to build strength. The answers to all strength training
for practical or raw power purposes have already been found, and now they simply await your discovery.
Train intense and smart...not slow, boring and lame.
Sincerely...
Joe Sherick
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Your new site is rocking and it totally beats any other strength site out there.
Eclipse N.
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"You are absolutely the greatest storehouse of knowledge in our industry today.
Thank GOD you are there to record the history as it unfolds.
Keep up the great work. I always read your inspiring emails and site when I can during the week."
Mike Glass
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Hi John,
"I get emails from various sites everyday but yours are the only I actually
enjoy reading and I am never disappointed."
Thank you,
Sarah
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Hi John,
"I love the newsletter, not just for the great training tips and workout
ideas. I love it for that extra push and motivation to get off my duff and
do it.
Dinosaur Training is the best book I've read on BS-free weight
training."
Matt McKinney
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"... I just wanted to let you know what a pleasure it is to have found your
site. It is definitely right up my "alley" so to speak. I look forward to
the emails you send me and really like your philosophy on strength training."
Sincerely,
Jeffrey R. Graffius
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