"Super Training" - Fit at Midlife

You need a good workout bench or weight bench for exercises like the bench press - one of the best upper body strength building exercises.

Weight Bench Buyer’s Guide

December 22, 2021 Tim Comments Off

Let’s talk about weight benches, also sometimes called workout benches. We are also going to look at adjustable weight benches – because they are the most versatile. Having a stable, comfortable weight bench is an essential for a variety of exercises including the mighty bench press. And while it’s true that the bench press has fallen out of favor in recent years because it’s not a “functional exercise”, it’s still a huge mass and strength builder without equal. Take that, CrossFit. (Actually, recently the bench press made a rare appearance in a CrossFit WOD – so maybe they’ve come to their senses.) Let’s look at what makes the best weight bench – whether for your home gym, garage gym, or [Read more …]

Rogue Fitness SR-343 Mach Speed Rope - Rogue's most advanced jump rope

Speed Ropes

January 30, 2021 Tim Comments Off

Let’s talk about speed ropes – a variation on the jump rope or skipping rope that spins much faster than a regular rope. Why a speed rope? The increased speed helps improve coordination and timing. The super fast spin makes some moves easier – such as the double under or triple under. But you’ll be turning the rope (it’s a cable really) more, and jumping more – so a speed rope can also be a great improvement on the endurance building aspects of jumping rope. In a nutshell it makes jumping rope that much more of an intense (and therefore effective) workout. We’ll look at some options from Rogue Fitness – they have the widest range of speed rope options [Read more …]

An athlete using the Victory Multi-Grip functional trainer

Functional Trainer Cable Machines

April 10, 2022 Tim Comments Off

Let’s talk about functional trainers, also called cable machines. What’s a functional trainer? Here’s an example – the Victory FT-5000 Multi-Grip Functional Trainer from Rep Fitness. This is our top pick for an affordable functional trainer for your home gym or garage gym in the year 2022. A Functional Trainer is a cable machine that uses two independent weight stacks, pulleys, and cables (with handles) to provide unique workout benefits. Here’s the functional trainer cable machines that we will cover: FT 5000 Victory Multi-Grip Functional Trainer This functional trainer from Rep Fitness has everything we’d look for – two 220 lb weight stacks, height adjustable handles, pull-up handles, and plenty of attachment options. All that – and a great price. [Read more …]

GORUCK Rucksack Alternatives

December 1, 2020 Tim 2

Need to buy an affordable rucksack? If you need a rucksack for ruck training, we believe the GORUCK GR1 is the best blend of durability, style, and functionality for fitness or Every Day Carry (EDC). But, the GORUCK bags are pretty expensive – even with their recent price cuts. Is the GORUCK GR1 too expensive? That’s for you to decide. And while we still think the GORUCK GR1 or the GORUCK Rucker 2.0 are the best option for rucking and general use, we also understand that at these prices the bags may be out of the reach of many. Therefore, we will compare and contrast some GORUCK GR1 alternatives from 5.11 Tactical, Mystery Ranch, and London Bridge Trading (LBT). Here’s [Read more …]

Best Rucking Accessories for GORUCK

May 18, 2022 Tim Comments Off

Now that you’ve picked out your ideal GORUCK rucking backpack you should look at some rucking gear that helps you get the best packing and storage efficiency out of that GR1 or Rucker backpack. We’re going to review the best rucksack accessories for the GR1 – or any GORUCK bag. These choices have been vetted by rucking enthusiasts – so consider them the “best of the best”. Whether you are using a GR1, or other rucking backpack – all of these items are great aftermarket rucking gear. MOLLE Accessories We’re going to mention “MOLLE” a lot in this article. MOLLE, or Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment, is the military’s solution for versatile equipment loading and accessories. The most important feature of [Read more …]

An air bike (also called an assault bike) workout in a CrossFit box.

28 Awesome Assault Bike Workouts

July 30, 2023 Tim 7

The assault bike (also commonly called an air bike, or fan bike) is an awesome, calorie-burning workout. Why? Because it’s a total body effort – you push, pull, and pedal against resistance that gets more intense the more you go. The faster and harder you go, the more resistance there is. The assault bike has earned it’s nickname: Satan’s Tricycle The assault bike can be used for steady state cardio or super-efficient interval style workouts. In this article, we’ll bring you a round up of 28 of the best air bike workout ideas. Find out why people have a love-hate relationship with this burn inducing, hard hitting workout device. But why workout easy when you can workout hard? These all [Read more …]

Weight Vests vs Plate Carriers

May 11, 2021 Tim 3

What’s the best way to add weight for the murph wod: Weight vest or plate carrier? What’s the difference in terms of using these workout implements for health and fitness? What is the best weighted vest for CrossFit? That’s what we’ll review here. At first glance, they seem similar – they both provide a way to add additional resistance to a variety of exercises. But there are important differences. And, you’ve probably seen plate carriers in use at the CrossFit games. Let’s compare plate carriers to weighted vests, and determine which is best for your workout. We’ll copmare the 5.11 TacTec Plate Carrier, the Condor Plate Carrier, and Box weighted vests, and other options too. Box Weight Vest This weight [Read more …]

The olympic rings are an essential part of CrossFIt workouts.

CrossFit Gift Guide – Holidays, Birthdays, And More For 2020

January 4, 2021 Tim Comments Off

Need a good holiday or birthday gift idea for an avid CrossFitter in your life? Here’s some great gift ideas for 2020. In this guide we’re going to focus on items that are inexpensive, small (easy to ship), useful, and will be appreciated by those that are crazy about CrossFit. What makes these the best CrossFit gift ideas? They’ll all be useful, functional items. Something that they will find real value in. And lastly, these are all unisex – they all make great gift ideas for men or women. And all these great gift ideas will put a smile on the face of your beloved CrossFit diehard or junkie. And by the way, these all make great gift ideas for [Read more …]

GORUCK MACV-1 Rucking Boot in Black Leather

Best Shoes For Rucking

December 1, 2020 Tim Comments Off

What are the best shoes, boots, and trail running shoes for rucking? We’ll take a look at some options for rucking footwear in this article. We love rucking because it is so simple. It is easy to pick up and there is not a lot of equipment necessary. But it can be hard on your feet. Especially if you aren’t conditioned to walking long distances at a fast pace. In this article, we’ll give you some important tips and tricks to protect your feet as well. We’ll talk about the best socks for rucking too, because that’s also important. What is Rucking? Rucking is walking with a loaded backpack. It’s a cheap, simple exercise that burns calories and builds aerobic [Read more …]

Rogue Abram GHD 2.0 - Glute Ham Developer

The Older I Get, The More I Love the Glute Ham Raise (GHR)

June 25, 2019 Tim Comments Off

The older I get, the more I love the Glute Ham Raise. The Glute Ham Raise (or GHR) is a simple, but challenging exercise that works the entire posterior chain – the oft neglected back side of your lower-body. The posterior chain includes the calves, the hamstrings, and the glutes. There’s many exercises that you can use on this critical area – but I think the GHR has benefits above and beyond the rest. Why do I love this exercise so much? Read on to find out more. Why Strong Hamstrings and Glutes Are Important First of all, let’s agree that hamstring and glute strength and endurance are important. The hamstrings are extremely important muscles that help with explosive movement, [Read more …]