Note: today is the last day to secure the Clubbell Flow Evolution at the discounted price. At midnight tonight, the price will increase by $52 (that’s 5/7/2012). If you’re on the fence, don’t dilly dally!
I put up a sample workout from the Clubbell Flow Evolution last Thursday, and soon after, I got a message about how the program doesn’t look any different from the prior programs that Shane Heins has released (Clubbell Mass Evolution and Clubbell Hero Evolution). Well, well, well! That couldn’t be more wrong, and I’ll admit, the blame is on me. It may be because of two reasons:
1) In the first Clubbell Flow Evolution workout video that I posted last week, I merely demonstrated ONE round of ONE portion of ONE workout from ONE cycle of ONE of the three programs contained within the Clubbell Flow Evolution. To put it simply, there are TONS of workouts contained in the Clubbell Flow Evolution, and there’s no way I could represent the entire product with one video. It just wouldn’t do it justice – not even close.
2) I have a thing for two-handed training, and thus, that’s why I chose that particular footage for my demo video.
However, what I did NOT get across in the workout video is how the workouts progress from cycle to cycle.
So, if you were reading my Clubbell Flow Evolution Review and were wondering what I meant when I said: “In each of the three programs, rudimentary exercises eventually progress into combination routines, which eventually progress into sophisticated clubbell training flows.”
THIS is what I meant…
Here’s another video of some footage I shot while beta-testing the program. This is out of the same program as the previous video (Cyclone Strength), but it’s a different/later cycle, in which clubbell flows are used as the primary means of intensity training (instead of multiple-repetition circuits). If you watch closely, you’ll see that I’m using the same exact movements that were used in the last video, except this time they’ve been linked together into a flow. And if you’ve never seen a clubbell flow before – prepare to have your eyes opened!
The Clubbell Flow Evolution is the third installment in the clubbell evolution training series by Founder of Dare to Evolve and CST Head Coach, Shane Heins. I’ve used and reviewed the prior two programs before: Clubbell Mass Evolution and Clubbell Hero Evolution and have been quite impressed – even with my high expectations. Based on my first impressions, the Clubbell Flow Evolution will live up to its reputation and maybe even exceed them.
Shane is a friend of mine and he was kind enough to send me the same materials that he sent over to his beta-testers for his upcoming program. So, I basically got an inside look at the goods – at least the program design portion of the product itself. Over the last several weeks, I’ve given it a fairly thorough look-see, and have tried out a few of the sessions to get a feel for it. So far, I’m quite impressed!
I’m short on time today, but I did manage to film a quick round out of the strength endurance cycle while I was training recently, and I wanted to get it up for you prior to the official product release.
This is one round of the work portion of a session from the strength endurance cycle out of Clubbell Flow Evolution. Enjoy!
5 Complete Pullup and Chinup Workouts to Help You Build Muscle, Increase Your Strength, and Skyrocket Your Numbers
I’ve written about pullup training many times before (see links below), and even published a complete 3 month pullup training program that I’ve used with my clients quite successfully over the years. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t more fun to be had from this great exercise. And so, I present to you five of my personal favorite pullup and chinup workouts. These are just too much fun to NOT share with you! And get this – they actually work!
I’ve used each and every one of these to build both my and my clients pullup numbers and increase strength and hypertrophy when the goal has been there. And if probability is on my side, these can work for you, too.
Once you've learned these workouts, zounds of people will gather around you - just begging for a turn!
Have you ever seen those guys or gals at the gym doing an exercise with a partial range of motion? Maybe they were doing 1/4 squats or even the dreaded half pullups (I call them “sissy pullups”). If you’re like me, then this probably drives you crazy. There have been times when I just wanted to grab someone by the scruff of their sweaty tank top and yell, “you’re doing it wrong!” But are they really? Do they know something that we don’t, and is there something to partial rep training that we could all do well to draw on? Well, a new study shines some light on this issue, and we’re going to take a quick peek in a minute.
But first, let me be clear that there are two kinds of people who use partial reps in their programs. First, you have the advanced weightlifters – the guys who may or may not be competitive strength athletes, but at the very least, have been at the iron game for years. These are the guys who will plug some partial rep training into their routines – usually to help improve a weak portion of a lift (like the rock bottom position of the squat, or the lockout portion of the deadlift). For example, you might see one of these guys doing deadlifts with an barbell that is elevated on pins in the power rack so that he’s only doing the top half of the range of motion, or he may be using resistance bands to make the very last portion of the ROM the toughest. So, that’s your first category of partial rep trainees. These guys are the elites and they know what they’re doing.
Then you have the next category, which is just some person who knows hardly anything about training and generally uses sloppy technique in all of their lifting exercises, usually because they are trying to lift with way too much weight. You thought 1/4 squats were bad? Try watching someone do 1/8 squats with twice their bodyweight on the bar! Needless to say, it doesn’t take a strength and conditioning coach to tell the two categories of trainees apart.
TACFIT Firefighter is a low-tech, high effect fitness training program that involves a carefully-selected collection of health-first conditioning methods that are packaged into one comprehensive, plug-and-play system to help you improve your fitness by burning stubborn fat, building functional muscle and improving your conditioning level in a variety of movement skills that were specifically engineered to improve performance in the firefighting profession. I’d say that sums it up, but boy, what a mouthful!
Christian Carson
TACFIT Firefighter was created by firefighters, for firefighters, but it is an excellent program for anyone who is interested in a high standard of fitness and peak performance in their job and in their lifestyle. You may never need to rescue someone from a burning building, or wield a 290 psi fire hose like firefighters do every day, but if you want to be leaner, stronger, and more fit for your life, then TACFIT Firefighter may still be a good option for you. Of course, almost anyone could benefit from using this program, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily right for everyone, which is why I recommend you get your questions answered BEFORE you pull out that credit card and shell out your hard-earned cash.
Ryan Provencher
TACFIT Firefighter was created by two fire captains who both have had a lifelong love of fitness. Both of the co-creators, Christian Carson and Ryan Provencher, are fitness professionals and TACFIT Division Chiefs, the highest level certification awarded in the TACFIT hierarchy (TACFIT is short for tactical fitness and is a fast-growing system under the RMAX International organization, which also puts out the Circular Strength Training system, in which the author is certified). These guys are well-credentialed and certainly qualified to address the fitness needs facing the firefighting profession, but what is the REAL TRUTH behind this system they’ve put together – is it worth it, does it work, and who would be best served by TACFIT Firefighter?
This review is going to answer all of those questions and more. Ultimately, my goal is to help you decide if this product is right for you.
So, what is TACFIT Firefighter and what do you actually get when you buy it?
Well, have a look at this first. This will give you the general gist of what you’re getting…
It’s ok. I get it – that was pretty dang cool. And I hope you caught how the exercises chosen coincide with the actual duties that firefighters need to perform. That’s something we discussed at length during my interview with Christian and Ryan about TACFIT Firefighter. But I’m getting off topic. Suffice to say, that was a pretty sweet trailer, and it’s that kind of production quality and attention to detail that you can expect from the rest of the TACFIT Firefighter Program. Sometimes, it’s better to SEE the quality that you’ll be buying instead of just hearing about it.
The TACFIT Firefighter Workout Challenge was established as a benchmark training test for those using the TACFIT Firefighter First Alarm Program, which is an upcoming fitness program that was created to serve the specific strength and conditioning needs of firefighters.
There’s no doubt in my mind that active duty firefighters require a high standard of fitness in order to perform their job duties effectively, and it’s fairly accepted that most firefighters are pretty fit men and women already. But here’s the thing, there’s a difference between being fit, in general, and being specifically fit for your vocation. I would contend that most firefighters are generally well-conditioned for the vigorous demands of their careers, but not necessarily specifically conditioned to excel in the physical skills and attributes required to do their jobs well and return home safely.
That right there is the very reason why TACFIT Firefighter was developed, and this short workout can be used as a measuring stick to see how your fitness stacks up to the standard. And that goes whether you are a firefighter or not. So, consider this an official challenge (especially if you ARE a firefighter), and please give it a shot.
The TACFIT Firefighter Workout Challenge – Smoke Eater Level
Here is a demonstration of one round at the highest level of movement sophistication, affectionately called the “Smoke Eater” level. I guess that’s fireman lingo for a really tough dude who eats fire every day for breakfast. Below the video, you’ll see additional instructions for each of the four levels of workouts. For those of you whom are already familiar with TACFIT programs or the Circular Strength Training system, you’ll see some similarities.
But first, let me be clear that there are two kinds of people who use partial reps in their programs. First, you have the advanced weightlifters – the guys who may or may not be competitive strength athletes, but at the very least, have been at the iron game for years. These are the guys who will plug some partial rep training into their routines – usually to help improve a weak portion of a lift (like the rock bottom position of the squat, or the lockout portion of the deadlift). For example, you might see one of these guys doing deadlifts with an barbell that is elevated on pins in the power rack so that he’s only doing the top half of the range of motion, or he may be using resistance bands to make the very last portion of the ROM the toughest. So, that’s your first category of partial rep trainees. These guys are the elites and they know what they’re doing.
