Unconventional Athletes Issue 3

UNCONVENTIONAL EQUIPMENT CONSTRUCTION 

Issue 03 - Volume 1 

MASTER THE 

MUSCLE UP! 

KETTLEBELL 

SPORT 

PREPARATION 

TURN HOUSEHOLD 

CHORES INTO A FULL 

BODY WORKOUT! 

Fitness 

for Film Prep 

A STUNT MAN'S 

PERSPECTIVE! 

LEARN THE 

BACKFLIP 

Samer Delgado 

PRO BAR ATHLETE 

LAYS IT DOWN 

UNCONVENTIONAL 

SPRINT SCIENCE 

PART 2! 

DITCHING DRINK FOR UNCONVENTIONAL TRAINING: AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY ON HOW THIS CHANGE SAVED A LIFE!

www.unconventionalathletes.com 

CONTENTS 

12 

15 

MUSCLE 

18 

22 

24 

27 

FITNESS 

30 

CHALLENGED FOR TIME wITH CHORES? 

TURN YOUR ADMIN INTO A FULL BODY wORKOUT 

UP MAYHEM 

LEARN TO MASTER THE MUSCLE UP! 

SPRINTING: UNCONVENTIONAL TO CONVENTIONAL 

PART 2 

USE PHYSICS FOR EFFICIENCY! 

UNDERSTANDING KETTLEBELL DYNAMICS: ExECUTE 

MOVEMENTS WITH PRECISION FOR MAXIMUM RESULTS 

BE INSPIRED 

DITCHING ALCOHOL FOR UNCONVENTIONAL 

FOR FILM PREP 

UNCONVENTIONAL AND UNORTHADOx TRAINING 

THE BACKFLIP 

PREPARATION TO PERFECT THIS IMPRESSIVE SKILL 

33 

38 

THE 

42 

PULL 

44 

UTILIZE FEAR! 

REGAIN YOUR LOST MECHANISM: AWAKEN YOUR DORMANT 

ANCESTRAL SKILLS AND AWARENESS WITH TREE CLIMBING! 

LUMBERJACK’S WORKOUT 

A CELEBRATION OF STRENGTH! 

FOR PERFECTION 

A PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND INTRODUCTION OF UNCONVENTIONAL 

EQUIPMENT THAT wILL GIVE YOU AN IRON GRIP 

HENKULES UNCONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION 

HOw TO CONSTRUCT A LUMBER-LOG. 

Issue 03 - Volume 1 Page 4


introduction 

COVER ATHLETE: Henk Bakker 

ISSUE 3 - Volume 1 

UNCONVENTIONAL ATHLETES MAGAZINE 

Editor 

Nigel John 

Contributors: 

Jeff Bankens 

Brittany Van Schravendijk 

Mark J Cunanan 

Lance Brazil 

Samer Delgado 

Chief Assistant Editor 

Henk Bakker 

Mark Smith 

Bryan Zurek 

Stephen Santangelo 

Henk Bakker 

James Smith 

Published by Unconventionalathletes.com 

ENQUIRES: Unconventionalfit@outlook.com 

Mobile: +447709045111 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ 

UnconventionalAthletes/?fref=ts 

Disclaimer: 

Unconventionalathletes.com is a 

publication/magazine that makes no representation, 

endorsement, portrayal, warranty or guarantee with 

regards to safety or the efficacy of the products or 

the techniques of training methods that are 

spoken/written about, or shown in pictures/videos. 

Unconventionalathletes.com makes no warranty, 

guarantee or representation regarding the use or 

purchase of services that are in the United Kingdom 

or elsewhere. It is mandatory that you discuss with 

a healthcare professional; your physical health 

before attempting the techniques/exercises and 

equipment featured and discussed both literally 

and visually in this magazine. 

Unconventionalathletes.com takes no liability in 

your participation from the information received in 

the magazine and thus any participation is 

considered voluntary, thus cannot hold responsible 

either Unconventionalathletes.com or it's partners, 

contributors or anybody featured in this publication 

for any harm or injury that may result from your 

participation. 

Welcome to issue 3 of Unconventional 

Athletes. Here, you will find out what it 

takes to execute a backflip correctly and 

safely under the guidance of a Pro Bar 

Athlete and calisthenics expert. We've 

got odd-object lifting for strength and 

stamina! Thinking of becoming a stunt 

man? Then read ahead to learn the basic 

prep! You'll also see familiar faces in this 

issue; original contributors, who come 

bearing effective and unique tips and 

tricks to help you in your journey. You'll 

also get to grips with a very impressive 

and highly regarded move; The Muscle 

Up! 

This magazine is designed for people 

who think outside the box when it comes 

to fitness training. I mean, times change 

and we evolve! Long ago, everybody 

believed that the earth was flat and not 

round, and anybody that objected to this 

train of thinking was belittled. It turned 

out that the minority were right! So I 

invite you to keep an open mind, as 

'conventional' is not always practical. 

This magazine will help you move 

forward, evolving your fitness and skills 

to the next level. I can guarantee you will 

learn some very cool skills and training 

methods; most of which you would've 

never heard of. The world is becoming a 

more volatile place and walking the 

streets with a confident and positive 

mind-set will make an aggressor less 

likely to be drawn to you. If you have a 

lack of confidence in your strength and 

ability, then it will be shown in your 

posture, body language, and even 

subconsciously from the pheromones 

produced in your sweat. They can smell 

your fear! 

If you want fast results and to be at the 

top of your game, then this is the 

magazine to help you evolve and be 

confident. This magazine, and the others 

to follow are dedicated to bringing you 

many years of practical experience from 

experts in the unconventional training 

community. The guys who write for this 

magazine have a fountain of knowledge. 

They have not merely just done a short 

course on unconventional training; they 

have lived it, breathed it, practiced and 

perfected the art for many years. As Albert 

Einstein would say: "All knowledge is 

experience", and let's be honest - Albert 

knew his stuff. There's a chance you've 

come here because you're bored of the 

gym, and are paying lots of money on a 

membership - only to fail to get the 

functional, agile and strong body that you 

desire. You're seeing dudes on the internet 

doing crazy, cool stuff, and you want to be 

able to do that too! You want something 

different and to experience training 

methods that are not only going to get 

your body in good shape but your mind as 

well. We'll teach you to use nature as your 

playground and make/explore alternative 

equipment that will enhance you to 

levels - that you never thought possible! 

You will learn to train in all weather, so 

there is never an excuse. Nature is an 

unconventional athlete's greatest tool! So, 

if you are an unconventional newbie, don't 

worry we are here to help! 

We don't do things the 'conventional’way 

(that wouldn't be practical or fun!) and we 

don't spend all our time rigidly stuck at 

the gym. Training at home or being 

outside with nature is where it's at! No 

grunts from the big guys down the gym, 

no judgement from others - just you, your 

bodyweight and unconventional training 

equipment - Giving you the edge! The 

world is changing fast, and I for one know 

that being fit and strong enough to 

protect your family is not optional, and 

preparation for this should be part of your 

routine! Learn from the best, add to your 

existing skill set, and reap all the 

knowledge from our athletes to improve 

yourself beyond what you thought 

possible! 

Unconventionalathletes.com is growing 

fast, if you feel that you have some ideas 

to share and think you fit the criteria for 

the magazine - please contact us at 

unconventionalfit@outlook.com. If you 

want to plug your own unconventional 

training gym, then let us know. 



Nigel John 

Founder and creator of Unconventional Athletes.COM 

Nigel has created this magazine to educate and 

help people change the way they think about 

fitness, using a more pragmatic approach; 

making unconventional = functional. Fitness 

should be a natural part of life and not a chore, 

and he strongly believes in experience being 

the key to success. Everyone who features in 

this magazine has been vetted for their skills, 

bringing together former Special Forces, 

calisthenics experts, strength experts, fighters 

and policemen etc. The athletes have effective, 

unconventional training knowledge formed 

from many years of experience. They have not 

just done a short course on the subject, they 

have truly experienced the training and results 

first-hand. Nigel has created his own system 

called high octane training, which has been 

developed over a number of years. It's designed 

to evolve your fitness to an elite level in a very 

short space of time with multiple applications. 

Nigel is well-known and respected amongst the 

unconventional training community all around 

the world, He has had publications in 'My Mad 

Methods Magazine' and 'Onnit Academy'. He's 

sponsored by Mass Suit and runs the Facebook 

page 'Unconventional Athletes'; uniting athletes 

all over the world, who then share their 

knowledge to those who want to get involved 

in our methods. This allows unconventional 

athletes to get recognition for what they do. 

The magazine is dedicated to helping people 

gain an insight into unconventional training 

equipment; suggesting cheaper or homemade 

alternatives. This way you don't get ripped off 

with gimmicky, useless equipment that your 

personal trainer endorses just to earn a quick 

buck! Don't stay in the box, read on, reap the 

knowledge and evolve. The one-eyed man is 

king in the valley of the blind! 





CONTRIBUTORS 

JEFF ‘T REX’ BANKENS 

NATIONALITY: AMERICAN 

Jeff “T-Rex” Bankens is a minister & performing strongman. His love of weightlifting began when he was 

a toddler, watching The Incredible Hulk smash his way through American television. “T-Rex” began lifting 

weights as a high school freshman, & over 2 decades later, he is STILL putting heavy things overhead. Over 

10 years ago, his life was forever changed when he discovered the book “Dinosaur Training” & the ways 

of the oldtime strongmen. 

Today, “T-Rex” uses his talents as an entertainer & speaker to motivate, encourage, & transform the lives of 

those he speaks to. “T-Rex” is available to speak & perform at schools, churches, corporate events, & 

homes for troubled youth. 

https://sites.google.com/site/trexpowerevents/ 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TRex.Jeff.Bankens 

WEBSITE: https://sites.google.com/site/trexpowerevents/ 

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/MrJbanken01 

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/TRex4JC 

INSTAGRAM: http://www.enjoygram.com/jefftrexbankens 

MARK J CUNANAN 


Mark is a former bboy from 1992 to 2003. In the summer of 2003 he gave up bboying to live for God. 

After completing a Bachelor’s of Science in Physics in December 2003, he went to complete a 

Bachelor’s of Religious Education from January 2004 to May 2007. In July 2007 he gave his life to work 

for the Lord in the Christian school; Faithful Ambassadors Bible Baptist Academy and at his Bible 

Baptist Church. Mark is a master at muscle ups; he is able to complete 20 CLEAN muscle-ups 

consecutively with no rest. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markjoanna.cunanan?fref=ts 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyXrSeRXZ1J9r8WUyT6xDLQ 

HENK BAKKER 

Nationality: DUTCH 

Henk is also known as Henkules to his many fans and friends. Henk is sponsored by Schmitt Anchors & 

Chain cables and is known to most as the king of unconventional object lifting and strength training 

applying over 20 years of experience to his methods. He is very well respected in the unconventional 

training community. He works at the Department of Justice in a Special Response Team to ensure safety 

against dangerous detainees. Throughout his career he has had different forms of training such as 

combat, endurance, and strength training. Henk works now as group leader/mentor, preparing detainees 

for their return to society. ‘I have over 20 years experience in strength training. I try to motivate and 

inspire people who want to train in an unconventional way.’ His sponsor Schmitt Anchors & Chaincables 

facilitates all of Henk's unconventional training tools. 

Website http://unconventional-training.nl 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/553936311344546/?fref=ts 



CONTRIBUTORS 

• Cross Fit Certified 

• Biathlon Certified 

• Personal Trainer Certified under Jack LaLanne in 1979 

• Certified Olympic Weightlifting Coach 

• Level 1 Track & Field Coach 

• Certified Resistance Band Instructor 

• United States Biathlon Association 

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/stephen.santangelo.75 

S T E P H E N R S A N TA N g E lO 


Stephen has been involved with the fitness industry since 1979 and eventually created his specialty 

exercises & programs, which are based upon the anthropological movement of the human body. 

Protocols for physiological development are based upon energy systems, chemical & structural changes 

and time/duration effectiveness to ignite specific neurological pathways. His business involves 

nutritional guidance along with fitness development on several levels. He has trained Olympic 

qualifiers, elite athletes, military Special Forces, SWAT & first responders. In recent years he has taken 

his training programs to the general public. 

Through the years of development, Stephen has created a Survival Fitness Program which is based 

upon body chemistry, reaction development, neurological stimuli and the psychological response to 

emergency scenarios which has been embraced by the military, first responders and with home defence 

seminars and fitness camps. 

Stephen participates in Masters/Senior track & field in running, throwing and jumping events during the 

spring & summer. During the winter months snow-shoe racing dominates his training and throughout 

the year participates in Old-Time Strongman lifts where he currently holds 7 national records in the 

Unites States All-round Strength Association. 

• United States Snowshoe Association 

• United States All-Round Strength Association 

• International All-Round Strength Association 

• United States Archery Biathlon 

• Bachelor of Science UCLA 1974 

• Post Graduate USC 1976 

LANCE BRAZIL 


Lance Brazil has studied traditional Chinese Martial Arts since 1999. He teaches and practices Northern 

Shaolin and Tai Chi Praying Mantis in Las Vegas, NV. He is also an avid Ninja Warrior (Sasuke) practitioner. 

He currently holds a StrongFirst lvl 1 Kettlebell Certification, W.I.T.S. (world instructor training school) 

and an Onnit Level 1 certification. Lance is constantly perusing proficiency to help him and others. He is 

fortunate to have great teachers in his life, which have been a valuable contribution to his skill set. 

Previously, Lance was a My Mad Methods Magazine Content Contributor, but is now contributing to 

ONNIT. Also known for his Stunt Actor work in Nightwing; the series on YouTube, portraying character 

Deathstroke and the Terminator. He also performs other stunt work projects with his stunt team in Las 

Vegas; The Arhat Orphan Brotherhood. 

You can check out some of his work here: 

Deathstroke – Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o297A1wmys0 

Super Smash Bros: Marth vs. Link (Live Action) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4luATjv_P0 

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/user/IronLohanKettlebells 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/lance.brazil?fref=ts 



CONTRIBUTORS 

B R I T TA N Y VA N S C H RAV E N D I J K 

NATIONALITY: DUTCH AMERICAN 

Brittany has been competing in Kettlebell Sport since October 2011. She learned how to lift kettlebells at 

one of the top Kettlebell Sport gyms in the United States; Ice Chamber, which has produced seven female 

Master of Sport lifters to date (Brittany is the most recent one). 

Brittany is the Head Coach of Kettlebell Sport at KOR Strength and Conditioning in San Diego, California. 

She has travelled all over the U.S. to teach Kettlebell Sport workshops. 

lIST OF ACCOMPlISHMENTS: 

• Youngest American female Master of Sport 

• National Record Holder in 24kg Biathlon, 

63kg weight class, 210 points 

• North American Record Holder in 2x16kg 

Long Cycle, absolute, 95 repetitions 

• National Champion in 24kg Snatch, 63kg 

weight class, 92 repetitions 

• Master of Sport, 24kg Snatch, 63kg weight 

class, 92 repetitions 

• Master of Sport, 24kg Long Cycle, 63kg 


• Silver medalist in 16kg Snatch at the IUKL 

World Championships, Junior category, 63kg 


WEBSITE: http://www.kbfitbritt.com/ 

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/kbfitbritt 

TWITTER:: www.twitter.com/brittanyvans 

INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/kbfitbritt 

YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/brittanyvanschravendijk 

BRYAN ZUREK 

Nationality: AMERICAN 

SAMER DELGADO 


Samer is a 29 year old Personal Trainer and Professional Bar Athlete from Groton, CT. He has over 5 

years of experience in the fitness industry as a personal trainer. He became a personal trainer 

after realising that he had a passion for fitness and was a natural at teaching and educating 

others in all aspects of life. "I live and love this lifestyle and I’ve been told that passion shines 

through". Samer's motto has always been “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you, and 

nothing in this world that's worth having - comes easily". He believes that it takes hard work and 

determination, and the ability to endure hardship to achieve greatness! 

Fitnessblazt@gmail.com | instagram.com/FitnessBlazt | facebook.com/FitnessBlazt 

YouTube.com/Blazt187u 

Bryan Zurek is a family man, married for 25 years and has 3 daughters and a pet pitbull. Having no 

fitness background whatsoever when he started, Bryan was able to gather functional strength from his 

job of 23 years, working 12 hours a day shifting odd-shaped, heavy objects under stringent time sets! 

Bryan was an alcoholic but turned his life around by applying his inherent and practical strength to 

unconventional training. He announced that it saved his life and that he no longer relies on alcohol. He 

is quickly moving for ward with his skills in the unconventional training community. Bryan runs an 

unconventional strength fitness group on Facebook called Pit Fit 21222; helping fellow athletes display 

their skills and strengthen their knowledge in the hope of inspiring others and help them get a stronger 

body and stronger mind! 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pitfit21222/ 



CONTRIBUTORS 

MARK SMITH 

Nationality: AMERICAN 

Mark Smith is the owner and founder of Asylum Fitness. He is a Movement and Strength Coach. He believes 

in reclaiming our birthright as humans to be able to move however and whenever we want or choose 

to. Coach Mark teaches his students how to move as they did when they were kids, freely and without 

hesitation or thought. This freedom through movement practice is highly rewarding and has profound 

health benefits. The goal for students at Asylum Fitness is to live long active and playful lives. Coach Mark 

also enjoys teaching his students to reconnect with nature through play, as well as connecting with other 

humans through games. Ultimately through his teaching we move better, feel better, and become better 

humans. 

Coach Mark originally began as a WITS certified personal trainer after graduating with a minor in 

Exercise Sports Science, concentration on Coaching, from The University of North Carolina at Chapel 

Hill. In his endless pursuit of knowledge, education and self betterment he has added the c-FMS 

(Functional Movement Screen) under Gray Cook, MCT2 (MovNat level two certified trainer), and several 

workshops. In the summer of 2014 he flew to Dublin, Ireland to learn from the brilliant Ido Portal. While 

he was there he got to spend 5 days with a colleague named Dave Hedges, founder of Wild Geese Fitness. 

His time spent with Dave was invaluable, as Dave is a wealth of knowledge and is eager to share. The 

whole trip was a pivotal paradigm in his pedagogy. In September of 2014 Coach Mark participated in 

the beta test of the Onnit Level 1 Certification. Mark is now an Alpha Affiliate at Onnit. Coach Mark 

writes frequently for several online publications and teaches workshops all over (upon request) 

sharing his journey into movement culture with anyone who will listen and wants to learn. 

Mark’s physical background is track 4x800m, 3200m, 800m, 1600m; cross country, wrestling 

(all-conference), Jiu-jitsu on and off for nearly 10 years (serious for the first 4 under Joe Hurst in 

Concord, NC), Muay Thai, and a little boxing. In College he was a competitive Ballroom Dancer, and now 

he is dabbling in parkour and rudimentary gymnastics. He is an outdoor enthusiast and barefoot 

practitioner. He also enjoys strongman training and highland games training. 

WEBSITE: http://www.AsylumFitness.com 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/asylumfitnessnc 

INSTAGRAM: Instagram @coachmarkaf 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfZKSRBHr9LIkxD_vX2ij2g 

JAMES (JIM) SMITH 

Nationality: Hawaiian 

Born in Virginia, USA. Personal Trainer, Dialysis Technician, Store owner, Author. 

Founder of the Animal Ability method, which is an ever-evolving way to train and eat for optimum 

results. The Animal Ability method uses ancient and modern techniques to enhance health and 

fitness in contemporary times. James is a fountain of knowledge both spiritually and physically, 

as years of pragmatism have forged this man's unconventional training methods to another level. 

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/107331742747208/fref=ts 

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalAbility 



CHALLENGED 

FOR TIME WITH 

CHORES? 

Turn your admin into a 

Full body workout 

If you are like me, then you may find it challenging to get everything 

done around your house. During the spring and summer, that includes 

weightlifting, cardio/endurance training, and taking care of my lawn. 

One day, as I was getting ready to mow my lawn, it occurred to me that 

I could combine each of these tasks into one full body workout! I call 

it “The Lawnmower Challenge”. As you will soon find out, one of the 

great things about this challenge is that it can be changed / adapted 

to almost any season, climate, or landscape. 

THE LAWNMOWER CHALLENGE: 

For this workout you will need the following pieces of equipment: 

1. A walk-behind lawnmower ( “Self-Propelled” mode is disengaged) 

2. A lawn to mow 

3. An O2 Trainer (I tend to use a lower setting on this exercise, going 

no higher than Level 6) 

4. 5 – 10 Odd Objects (Rocks, boulders, Atlas Stones, Kegs, Sandbags, etc.) 

5. A stopwatch (optional) 

**Don’t forget your Water** 



I will now give an overview of the 

“challenge”, before explaining it in 

more detail: 

Step 1) I mow my lawn with a small 

push mower, while utilizing the O2 

Trainer and nose clip, this adds to 

the intensity and trains my bellows 

(lungs). This usually takes me about an 

hour to complete (At this point I mow 

the entire yard, except for the small 

strip surrounding the odd objects). I 

recommend that you start with setting 

1 on the O2 trainer, and gradually work 

your way up. This is especially 

important in the summer months, 

when heat and humidity are at peak 

levels. 

Step 2) Park the mower near the odd 

objects so that you can mow the 

grass under them once they are 

moved out of the way. 

Step 3) Begin timing yourself with 

the stopwatch. Next, move the objects 

from their resting place to a spot near 

the fence, using a combination of bear 

hugs, push jerks, and carries. This 

allows you to mow the grass that they 

rest on. You can do this while still 

wearing the nose clip and O2 Trainer. 

I have intentionally stacked these 

objects in such a way that they must 

be moved in order for me to be able 

to mow the lawn. 

Step 4) Restart the mower and finish 

the lawn mowing task. 

Step 5) Once you have finished 

mowing and each object is carried back 

to it's original resting place, utilizing 

the same techniques described in Step 

3. Stop the stopwatch. Keep a record of 

your times so that you can try to beat 

your personal best each time you take on 

the challenge. 

Step 6) Remove the O2 Trainer and 

nose clip, and then I store the 

lawnmower in my shed. 

Step 7) Rest, rehydrate, and enjoy the 

rest of my day. 

Once you establish the setup of your challenge, you must 

HAVE a way to gauge progression in your performance.’ 

WHY THE LAWNMOWER CHALLENGE? 

There are several reasons why I like to 

do The Lawnmower Challenge. First, 

it's a great test of your fitness and 

strength level. You're following up an 

hour of fairly hard cardio with heavy 

lifting. I know that if I can get through 

the challenge on a hot, humid day, my 

strength will not fail me in real-life 

situations. This also lets me know that 

I have still "got it". Secondly, it allows 

me to incorporate a great full body 

workout into my weekly yard work. 

This results in huge time savings. 

With the schedule I have, it's important 

that I squeeze in a workout whenever I 

get the chance to do so. Lastly, taking 

on the challenge builds mental 

toughness, if you allow it to. What I 

mean is that you're already tired 

from the heat, the mowing, and the 

use of the O2 Trainer. Now you are 

expected to do some heavy, awkward 

lifting without the benefit of a proper 

warm up. If you approach this tough 

challenge knowing that quitting is not 

an option and that you must complete 

it, you will strengthen your mind every 

time you take it on. 

CONTRAPT YOUR CHAllENgE! 

Now that we have established how 

the challenge works and what it does 

for you, I will show you how to setup 

a challenge for yourself, using mine 

as an example. As you will see in the 

photos, I have my implements (odd 

objects) set up in an easily accessible 

area of my yard. This allows for 

consistency and ease of use. I have 

them set in a certain order that I do 

not change. The order is as follows: 

• 2 stones (50 – 60lbs. (22.7 – 

27.2kg) each) 

• 1 Stone (127lbs. /57.6 kg) 

• 1 Stone (149lbs. /67.6 kg) 

• 1 Granite Ball (100lbs. /45.3 kg) 

• 1 Keg (160lbs. /72.6 kg) *This Keg 

is filled with a combination of 

sand, water, and bent 60 Penny 

Nails* 

• 1 Keg (132lbs. /59.9 kg) *This Keg 

is filled with a combination of 

sand and water * 

• 1 Concrete Atlas Stone (240lbs. 

/108.9 kg) 

*O2 Trainer is set at level 5 for mowing and lifting. 

Do not be “too tough” and take breathing breaks 

and water breaks during the challenge.This is 

very taxing, even on the fittest bodies / minds* 



WE All HAVE THE 

oPPoRTUNITY 

To TRANSfoRM oUR 

DAIlY oR WEEklY 

oUTDooR CHoRES 

INTo AN AMAzINg 

WoRkoUT. 

gAUgE YOUR PROgRESSION: 

Once you establish the setup of 

your challenge, you must have a 

way to gauge progression in your 

performance. This can be done in 

several ways: First, you can time 

yourself, trying to accomplish the 

same amount of work in a shorter 

period of time than the last session. 

Second, you can add implements into 

your challenge every so often. Lastly, 

you can do the same amount of work 

for each challenge, while slowly 

raising the level used on your O2 

trainer. Using any of these methods 

(or a combination of all 3) will give 

your body a challenge for many 

weeks, months, and years to come. 

ADAPT TO WHAT YOU HAVE 

When you setup your own challenge, 

remember this: We do not all live 

in Louisiana, USA. We also do not 

all have the same type of yard or 

training implements. We all have, 

however, the opportunity to transform 

our daily or weekly outdoor chores 

into an amazing workout. Take this 

into consideration as you begin 

taking on the Lawnmower Challenge. 

Before I leave you to setup your own 

challenge, I want to say thank you for 

taking the time to read this article, 

and I pray God blesses all of your 

fitness endeavors. 

Article by Jeff Bankens 

WEBSITE: https://sites.google.com/site/trexpowerevents/ 

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/MrJbanken01 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TRex.Jeff.Bankens 

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/TRex4JC 

INSTAGRAM: http://www.enjoygram.com/jefftrexbankens 


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MUSCLE 

UP MAYHEM 

LEARN TO MASTER THE MUSCLE UP! 

Inspiration + Determination = Exceptional Strength 

In the year of 2010, I took our Drill program to 

compete in a Drill competition. At the competition, 

the USMC had the 20 pull up challenge, and that 

day I only completed 13 pull ups. Since then, I 

was determined to get my pull up numbers higher, 

so I studied YouTube videos. I came across Zef’s 

pull up/muscle up video, which inspired me to get 

more than just higher pull up reps, but rather to 

get a “muscle up.” I was able to do 4 muscle ups in 

De cember 2011, and trained for one year. After a 

strict year of training muscle ups, I was able to do 

20 muscle ups by the end of December 2012. 

STRUCTURE TO SUCCESS 

My training plan to go from 4 muscle ups to 20 

muscle ups in one year was simply by doing one 

max set of muscle ups on my lunch break, and 

one max set of muscle ups after work for 5 days a 

week. The goal that I had each week was getting 

one more rep than the previous week. My 

progression may be found on the description of 

my “How to do a strict muscle up tutorial, and how 

I went from 4 to 20 muscle ups within one year.” 

The link is found below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdmfZoIJ3y4 

FUNDAMENTAl PROgRESSION 

Exercise requirements that helped me achieve the 

strict bar muscle up: 

DEAD HANg 

Know how to do a strict dead hang pull up. A good 

pull up number would be 10-15 reps. These pull ups 

must be completed with ease without using your 

lower body (without using your legs). A good 

exercise that may help you achieve the dead hang 

pull up would be doing negatives; by jumping until 

your chin is above the bar, then going down very 

slow to a dead hang. A good example of a strict 

dead hang pull up can be found in the link below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hsCOtgoVrQ 

STRICT HIGH PULL UP’S 



Learn how to do strict high pull ups; pulling to the 

bottom of your chest or to your abdomen. A good high 

pull up number would be 5 reps. These pull ups must be 

completed with ease without using your lower body 

(your legs). Good exercises would be to do some slow 

negatives, starting from the bottom of your chest to a 

dead hang, or by doing weighted pull ups. There is a 

good example of high pull ups on the link below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnU9h8ColdA 

FAlSE gRIP 

Master the “false grip”, having your wrists on top of 

the bar. You need to be able to start from a dead hang 

grip, pull up high and then hold the “false grip” with 

ease. A good example may be found on the link below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa3NDB2kK80 

BAR DIPS 

Be able to do 10 to 15 straight bar dips. These dips may 

be completed on a low pull up bar or on the dip bars. 

This exercise helps you with the pushing phase of 

the muscle up, giving you the strength needed to 

surpass the “transition” from the pull to push phase. A 

good example may be found on the link below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_EppmZiqqw 

PUll TO PUSH PHASE 

Master the pull to push phase (or “transition” phase) 

of the muscle up. To complete this, pull up high to 

the “false grip”, then lean forward, and push up as if you 

are doing a straight bar dip. A good example may be 

found on the link below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_EppmZiqqw 

After mastering the pull to push phase, you will 

eventually build the strength to do a smooth 

transition. A strict bar muscle up, without pausing 

at the transition. A good example may be found on 

the link below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEklLl3WIw8 

Master the pull to push 

phase (or “transition” 

phase) of the Muscle up. 

Issue 03 - Volume 1 Page 16{


WHY DID I START DOINg THE BAR MUSClE UP? 

I started doing muscle ups because I came across Zef’s 

pull ups/muscle ups video of him doing muscle ups. 

His muscle ups gave me motivation to not just get the 

muscle up, but to perfect it, maintaining clean form 

from beginning to end. Making sure that when ever I 

do a muscle up set; I have Zef’s mentality, “completing 

my last rep as good as my first rep.” 

VARIATIONS 

Variations of muscle ups that I am able to do are close 

grip muscle ups and reverse grip muscle ups, but my 

favourite is the regular grip muscle up. 

The link below has an example of me doing reverse grip 

muscle ups: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_AVoMeFQ6w 

ElITE MUSClE UP WORKOUT 

An elite muscle up workout that I do is max muscle ups 

to max straight bar dips, to max dead hang pull-ups 

as one set. The link below has me doing 20 muscle ups 

to 20 straight bar dips, followed by 17 pull ups: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utsqmCmnS48 

Mark is no joke, he is able to complete at least 20 

CLEAN muscle ups with no rest, so if you're 

interested in getting to grips with MASTERING 

the Muscle Up, then hit him up! 

Article by Mark J Cunanan 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markjoanna.cunanan?fref=ts 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyXrSeRXZ1J9r8WUyT6xDLQ 

The goal that I had each 

week was getting one More 

{rep than the previous week. 



SPRINTINg. 

UNCONvENTIONAL TO CONvENTIONAL 

PART 2 (PART 1 is feATuRed in issue 2) 

ENHANCING THE 

QUALITY OF SPEED AND 

STRENGTH FOR HUMAN 

PERFORMANCE THE 

UNCONVENTIONAL 

WAY, SPRINT YOUR WAY 

TO SUCCESS PART 2! 

PROTOCOlS FOR OPTIMUM 

PERFORMANCE: 

There is much confusion in the fitness 

industry as to what sprinting is. 

Therefore, our frame of reference must 

be established to determine how & 

why sprinting is an important factor in 

every training program and to 

understand the protocols which are 

required for optimum performance & 

fitness based upon specific goals. 

THE NEED FOR SPEED! 

The 2 most important questions one 

must ask are, “what do you want to 

achieve & what the purpose for speed 

training is?” This establishes the 

baseline with how one will approach 

& incorporate sprinting into a training 

regimen. Quality of speed & strength 

for human performance is an absolute 

must for success! Correct Stimuli! 

All too often trainers talk about the 

anaerobic energy system which 

includes ATP/CP as stored energy. ATP 

is Adenosine Triphosphate and CP is 

Creatine Phosphate. True, this chemistry 

is an important factor; however, there 

are many other stimuli which play an 

integral role in developing sprint speed. 

CNS COMPREHENSION AND 

ElIMINATINg THE IllUSION! 

The first energy stimulus is the brain & 

central nervous system (CNS). All body 

functions begin here. Without it, the 

body cannot receive or execute 

functions. The CNS works from the 

moment the body begins to move and 

continues throughout the entire 

athletic performance, regardless 

whether it is long and continuous, 

short explosive movements or a 

combination of both. 

Our brain responds to stimuli in 

1/1000ths of a second through 

electrical charges to activate the CNS 

(Central Nervous System.) 

Within the first 0.2 (2/10ths) second 

is considered to be our reaction time. 

This is the initial thrust of the body to 

propel us forward. 

Next is action: Within the 1st 1.0 

second where a single leg is activated 

for the 1st step. 

Within 2.0-5.0 seconds begins the 

acceleration phase. 

From 5.0-8.0 seconds maximum 

velocity is achieved. 



At this point the body begins to slow 

down. In a world class field of 100m 

sprinters it appears the leader is 

“pulling away” from the rest of the 

competitors. This is not so. The 

remaining athletes are slowing down a 

faster rate in the last 20m than the 

winner, so, it presents an optical 

illusion of the winner to be “pulling 

away” from the other sprinters. 

MAX VElOCITY! 

The point is maximum velocity can 

only be attained for a short period of 

time. As with every training protocol, 

all energy systems/chemical reactions 

are time/intensity specific. Intensity & 

rest interval plays a major role in 

which energy/chemical response are 

used. Based upon this understanding, 

you can determine how to structure a 

training regimen based upon desired 

results to attain specific goals. 

5 HARD-HEADED METHODS TO 

REAllY UP YOUR gAME! 

Listed below are the 5 elements for 

developing sprint speed & athletic 

quickness. 

lENgTH: 

Length of run & change of direction. 

This can vary from 20m-600m in 

straight lines, obstacle course, hills or 

around a track. 

COMPONENT 

Absolute speed, speed endurance, long 

speed, power development & work capacity 

ENERgY SYSTEMS UTIlISED 

Brain, CNS, alactic, alactic + CP, alactic 

& stored ATP+CP, alactic + extended 

CP, lactic acid, lactic + aerobic, aerobic + 

glycogen & finally, aerobic + glycogen 

+ fat 

ENERgY SYSTEM 

Brain, CNS, anaerobic, lactic acid 

tolerance, anaerobic + aerobic & aerobic 

REST INTERVAlS 

1:1 (work to rest ratio) 7 up to 20 

minutes for full recovery. 

VOlUME 

This is determined by purpose and 

weekly training program. 

STARTING METHODS FOR MASTERY 

Arm Drive Drill: 

Stand in a tall, erect position so the 

head and shoulders are directly above 

the hips; all in vertical line. 

Drive the arms back and forth AFAP (As 

Fast As Possible) with short, explosive 

strokes. 

Keep the arms bent at a 90 degree 

angle in the front/top position and 

about 100 degrees in the back/lower 

position. Avoid leaning forward when 

executing this drill. 

Do this for only 10 seconds. You need 

to perform a minimum of 30 strokes 

within each 10 second cycle. 

Use either arm to count strokes, not 

both. 

Your goal is to increase the number of 

reps per set. 

Rest for a minimum of 3 mins between 

sets. Older athletes, such as me, will 

need 5 mins. This is essential for the 

ATP/CP to refuel the muscles. 

Our brain responds 

to stimuli in 

1/1000ths of a 

second through 

electrical charges to 

activate the CNS 

(Central Nervous 

System.) 

. 



Leg Drive Drill 

Stand in a tall, erect position so the 

head and shoulders are directly above 

the hips; all in vertical line. 

Drive the knee up to parallel and back 

down AFAP while driving the arms 

forcefully. 

This is 1 repetition. 

Rest 3 seconds between reps. This is 

essential to eliminate the elastic 

energy/eccentric force from the 

equation. 

It takes precise analYSIS, 

comprehension & execution to 

ACHIEVE the greatest resulTS in 

the shortest time 

Do 5 reps per set. 

Rest minimum 3 minutes between sets. 

Older athletes, such as me, will need 5 

minutes. This is essential for the ATP/ 

CP to refuel the muscles. 

Note: The foot is kept dorsi flexed; toes 

pointed up. This is essential to activate 

the hip flexors/psoas muscles which 

pull the leg up and using the glutes to 

drive the leg down. 

BE FRESH! 

These drills must be executed at the 

beginning of each training session 

after a 15-20 dynamic warm up. All 

technical drills and neuro-motor drills 

need to be performed when the body 

is fresh; never at the end of a workout. 

When training for neural response it’s 

not huffing & puffing; it’s all about 

developing neurological pathways 

and using the energy systems and 

available chemistry responsible for 

reactive stimuli. 

A MOMENT OF ClARITY. 

One can clearly see speed & 

quickness is more than just going out 

and running. It takes precise analysis, 

comprehension & execution to 

achieve the greatest results in the 

shortest time. 

Article by Stephen Santangelo 

Standby for the 3rd part of ‘Sprint to Success in the next edition of Unconventional 

Athletes.Com Facebook http://www.facebook.com/stephen.santangelo.75 


official sponsor 

UnconventionalAthletes.com 

+31638192815 ◼ ron@rbdesign.nl


USE PHYSICS FOR EFFICIENCY! 

UNDERSTANDING KETTLEBELL DYNAMICS: 

EXECUTE MOVEMENTS WITH PRECISION FOR MAXIMUM RESULTS 

STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME WITH 

CORRECT KETTLEBELL EDUCATION FOR 

CHAMPIONSHIP DOMINATION 

KETTlEBEll SPORT EXPlAINED 

Kettlebell Sport, also known as 

Girevoy Sport, is a strength-endurance 

sport that originated from Russian 

military training. In the past 10 years, 

the sport has seen a lot of growth in 

Western Europe and the Americas. The 

competition of Kettlebell Sportisa 

10-minute set, in which the athlete 

completes as many repetitions as 

possible without setting the kettlebell 

down – and with only one hand switch 

(or in the case of lifting 2 kettlebells, 

no switch at all!). 

ENHANCE YOUR MOTOR CONTROl 

STRENgTH AND CARDIO! 

The benefits of Kettlebell Sport are 

numerous, as it promotes strength 

and cardiovascular endurance all in 

the same exercise. Kettlebell Snatch 

especially works on grip strength and 

shoulder stability. Because one side is 

trained at a time for single arm lifts, 

imbalances between the two sides of 

the body will decrease as well. Being 

right-handed, I have seen a big 

increase in the strength and motor 

control of the left side of my body since 

training kettlebells. Kettlebell Sport is 

a great way to motivate people to train 

towards a goal and stay consistent with 

their training – whether they are just 

aiming to last 10 minutes, hit a certain 

number of repetitions, or qualify for 

the World Championships. 

MIND POWER! 

Perhaps more importantly than the 

physical challenge Kettlebell Sport 

presents (which is a great one, don’t 

get me wrong), is the mental tenacity 

the sport demands. The most 

gruelling part of a 10-minute set is 

convincing oneself to keep pushing 

through to the very end. The kind of 

resilience required to complete a 

Kettlebell Sport set has amazing carry 

over into any other physical endeavor 

or life challenge that comes up – after 

completing a 10 minute set with a 

heavy kettlebell, everything else 

seems easy! 

WORlD CHAMPIONSHIPS! 

I will be traveling to Dublin, Ireland in 

the last week of November to 

compete in my second IUKL Kettlebell 

Sport World Championships. In order 

to qualify, I had to win my weight 

class category (63kg) in the 

Professional 24kg Snatch lift at the 

American Kettlebell Alliance National 

Championship. 

from 6-10 minutes. Betweenthe days 

that I lift kettlebells, I do 2 days of 

accessory workouts, which include 

general strength training (squats, 

deadlifts, etc.) and bodyweight training 

(push ups, skin the cats, handstands). 

SNATCH lIFT 

The trickiest part about the Snatch lift 

and what makes it “unconventional” in 

my eyes is that you must use the 

principles of Physics for efficiency. In 

most training modalities, you are 

trying to exert as much energy and 

muscular force as possible when 

completing an exercise in order to 

work your body. When training for 

Kettlebell Sport, however, the goal is 

to save your energy with each 

repetition so you can complete as 

many repetitions as possible in 10 

minutes. 

WEIgHT DISTRIBUTION FOR 

gRAVITY ADVANTAgE! 

Learning to shift your weight 

PREPARATION: 

properly to use gravity to your 

In my training for the World 

advantage and properly time each 

Championships, I complete 3 sessions 

repetition is a huge factor for the 

per week - two days of shorter intervals 

Snatch. If the timing of one portion 

with varying kettlebell weights for 

of the lift is off, the timing of the 

conditioning and technique practice, 

entire lift will be thrown off. Thus it 

can take years to perfect the 

and the third day a long training set 

technique (something I am still 

with my competition weight ranging 

working on after 4 years)! 



THE SNATCH LIFT METHOD 

Here is a basic outline of the Snatch technique 

1) Swing the kettlebell back 

between the legs with a 

straight-arm and relaxed 

shoulder. 

2) Let the bell come forward 

(without pulling it), and 

following through with the 

hips 

3) When the bell reaches the 

point of “weightlessness” at 

the top of the swing, pull 

the shoulder back to direct 

upward movement. 

4) Shift your weight back 

and let the kettlebell fly up, 

opening the hand to let the 

bell flip over. 

5) Catch the bell in the overhead 

position with the hand 

fully inserted into the handle, 

arm straight, joints stacked. 

6) Turn the hip to initiate the 

drop of the kettlebell with 

your body instead of your 

hand. 

7) Keep your torso upright 

as the bell turns and starts 

to drop. 

8) Let the upper arm come in 

close to the body as the bell 

drops, and wait for your arm 

to be cushioned by the hips 

before letting the chest come 

down as you hinge forward. 

9) Let the bell dictate the 

depth of your backswing 

before the next repetition. 

the Most gruelLing part of a 10-Minute 

set is convincing oneself to keep pushing 

through to the very end. 

For more tips and information on Kettlebell Sport, as well 

as upcoming workshops, check out Brittany’s website at 

www.kbfitbritt.com. 

Article by: Brittany Van Schravendijk 

WEBSITE: http://www.kbfitbritt.com/ 

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/kbfitbritt 

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/brittanyvans 

INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/kbfitbritt 

YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/brittanyvanschravendijk 



BE INSPIRED 

DITCHING ALCOHOL FOR UNCONVENTIONAL 

BRYAN ZUREK ON HOW UNCONVENTIONAL TRAINING SAVED HIS LIFE. 

A VERY PURE AND BRUTAL APPROACH TO STRENGTH AND CARDIO CONDITIONING 

BACKgROUND: 

I am Bryan Zurek; I have been 

married for 25 years and have 3 

daughters and a pet Pitbull. I love 

music, and have been a keen guitar 

player since a young age. I have no 

fitness background at all but I did 

work on commercial printing presses 

for 23 years. This trade can be brutal; 

12 hours a day, no breaks, moving 

rolls that weigh 500 to 3000#s. 

Putting the 90# shafts in the core of 

the roll, sometimes every 20 minutes 

depending on how fast we ran the 

press. Also, carrying 5 gallon water 

jugs and 30# ink kits around, up and 

down the press all day. Lets just say 

this job kept me in shape! 

FIllINg THE VOID: 

I lost that job! 

I got a 40 hour a week job so I had 

more time with my family, but more 

time to drink beer. I started drinking a 

lot. My waist went from a 32 to a 36. 

Way out of shape! 

gETTINg MY S##T TOgETHER! 

I woke up with the flu and a hangover, 

sick in bed for a week. Did not have a 

beer for a week. Then I went another 

week without a beer. I started to see my 

belly go down. It felt good! So, I pulled 

out my old curling bar from high school 

with 30#s on it and started to lift. I 

could not get a weight rack in my 

house, I needed something smaller! 

NATURE. INSPIRATION AND 

UNlEASHINg THE INNER WARRIOR! 

Surfing the net I discovered the 

kettlebell and I had seen this big guy 

pulling an anchor through the sand. 

Wow, that's it! That's what I wanted to 

do. It was not too long after that when 

Henk Bakker and I started to talk on 



THAT IS wHERE I uNlEASH my INNER 

wARRIOR. I PuT DOwN THE BEER fOR A 

STONE, AND NEvER lOOkED BAck 

Facebook. He motivated me so much. A 

great guy. NATURE! That is where I like 

to be. That is where I unleash my inner 

WARRIOR. I put down the beer for a 

stone and never looked back. 

As you get more conditioned you can 

add a moderate incline! Remember 

where the object is placed after the ½ 

mile lift, in Part 3 of this method 

you will come back to it! 

USE THE ElEMENTS!! 

My training is simple, basic and mostly 

full body workouts. Put me in a Planet 

Fitness or Gold's Gym, I would not 

even know what to do there. But give 

me a stone and a log and I will give you 

brutal training. Hellish heat, freezing 

cold, rain, nothing holds me back. I am 

out there to destroy the workout and 

push my body hard, Everyday! One of 

my workouts is pretty basic, and it 

will test your strength and endurance. 

It is called BEAR. 

THE BEAR METHOD! 

BEAR is played out at my park a few blocks 

away. I do this 2 to 3 times a week. This is 

one of my unconventional methods, and 

man this will work you like crazy! 

Paraphernalia 

1) log 145# 

2) 145# Carrying stone 

3) 90# Throwing stone. 

TECHNIqUE: 

ODD OBJECT SHOUlDER CARRY 

1) I shoulder carry the 90# stone 

around the half-mile long pond to 

wear me down a little, you can adapt by 

finding flat terrain with loose holding 

ground (this will add to the intensity) 

THE lOg FlIP 

2) My next venture (this is with no 

rest after step 1); the log flip, end 

over end. 

Please note: 

i) Squat position to lift. 

ii) Explosive power to throw the 

log up hard so it comes back to 

your hands. 

iii) Push that log with brute force 

back to earth. 

iv) Don’t just let it drop. 

This log is flipped for 50 yards on a 

downgrade, you can take a very 

short break at the halfway mark if 

you like but I would suggest battling 

through it to get the best workout. 

Remember where you have put the 

log because you will come back to 

this too in part 3. 

VIOlENT THROW INTO DEADlIFT 

3) Walk back to the 145# stone at the 

start point. 

i) Deadlift this with a violent lift 

to the belly and carry it 50 yards 

back to where you left the log, drop 

it gently when you reach it. 

ii) Go back to the 90# throw stone. 

Oh yes, this is just brute strength! 

Squat down to grab the stone, 

throw it up to the shoulder, then 

press overhead. 

iii) From the overhead position 

launch that stone as far as you can. 

Just remember, the farther you 

throw it, the less times you have to 

pick it up. 

iv) The throws are for 50 yards down 

to the log and boulder. 



By now you will be exhausted. You 

think you’re done? You're not! 

PUSH PAST YOUR lIMITS! 

Do all 3 workouts again, but with a 

50-yard upgrade. Your legs will feel 

like rubber now, but you have to push 

forward. Remember the tools have to 

get back to their home; that is the 

final part of your workout. Get those 

bad boys to bed, then your good self! 

Unconventional training saved my life 

and for that I am forever grateful and 

hope to help and inspire others with 

my brutal, training craftsmanship! 

Article by Bryan Zurech 

Totally inspirational and freaking brutal, look forward to more workouts from you Bryan! 

You can hit Bryan up for advice and unconventional training protocols at his Facebook page Pit Fit 21222 listed below! 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pitfit21222/ 

Photos by Chad Umberger (https://www.facebook.com/c.u.photos?__mref=message_bubble) 



Fitness for Film Prep 

UNCONVENTIONAL ANd UNORThAdOX 

A STUNT MAN'S PERSPECTIVE! 

PREPARATION FOR THE UNKNOWN! 

Unconventional fitness provides nothing but benefits to any stuntman or performer in any realm, especially for 

film work. Now, what makes up unconventional fitness, is really a means of totality for body movement. Tools and 

bodyweight are used to work your muscles in an unorthodox means, to better prepare you for what life throws 

your way. Unconventional fitness consists of fitness methods that are not relied on by mainstream practices. An 

example of mainstream would be the daily grind at a gym facility, using the treadmill and weight machines that 

offer no creativity and diversity in movement. 



MINDSET! POSITIVE FOCUS! 

Mindset is everything in film prep; the 

mind is what will drive your body. You 

cannot have a strong mind without a 

strong body, nor can you have a strong 

body without a strong mind. The mind 

should still be first priority in training. 

Positive thoughts reinforce positive 

actions and the will to succeed on what 

task is your focus. What skills can prep 

you in this matter; is seated 

meditation and active meditation. 

MEDITATE THE MONKEY! 

Seated meditation is essential because 

it can teach you to have clear focus and 

have clarity. To keep you from having 

what is called a monkey mind; where 

your thoughts are all over the place in 

chaotic fashion. In film your focus 

should clearly be your character andthe 

project at the time. Meditation will 

help your mind endure the long hours 

of filming and random schedules. 

Basic Chan seated meditation practice 

will only take 1-5 mins any time of 

the day. Focus solely on your breathing 

and don’t let your thoughts stray from 

your breath. Slow inhale for 5 

seconds -> hold your breath 5 seconds 

-> exhale slowly for 5 seconds -> with 

empty lungs hold for 5 seconds -> then 

repeat. At first it will feel like you’re 

suffocating, but you'll quickly correct it 

once you realise you're in control. 

ACTIVE MEDITATION= STRONg FOCUS 

Active meditation is clearly essential for 

the stuntman and utilising your skills of 

mind, strength, and endurance. Active 

meditation is best described as a single 

focus or thought in motion while 

enduring body movements. The 

practice of mainstream Yoga is a great 

example. In Yoga you are generally 

required to endure deep postures that 

transition to other postures while 

keeping your mental cool. Active 

meditation of course can go way 

beyond the practice of Yoga, any 

physical training is active meditation if 

there is a strong focus. Certain martial 

arts will relate to this practice 

immensely. 

STUNTMAN STRENgTH 

Strength is a must for any stuntman, 

It is your lifeline to preventing any 

injuries. Stuntman work is exciting, but 

also dangerous. Real strength 

training is what will protect your 

joints and improve your longevity to 

tackle life. The practice of strength is 

to overcome fear of lifting heavy 

weight, or in general just create great 

amounts of muscle tension. This can 

be done with static isometric 

movements, or dynamic movements 

in a methodical, controlled state 

while maintaining solid range of 

motion. Strength is a skill and must 

be practiced. Strength practice is a 

movement which can give you high 

amounts of tension in a safe as 

possible fashion. Example of this is a 

heavy barbell deadlift, kettlebell 

shoulder press, or even a one arm 

pushup. These 3 movements can be 

practiced in a routine of a “Rising 

Ladder”. Give yourself a goal of 

repetitions which in turn will become 

your sets. For example let’s use the 

number 5. Five will be your total sets, 

so your first set will only be 1 

repetition of your movement. You 

will then take a break. When ready, 

your 2nd set will be 2 repetitions, 

and so forth. An up-ladder is simple 

and sinister; it will always challenge 

your body. Remember “strength is 

what makes all values possible”. 

ENDURANCE: lEARN TO WAlK 

BEFORE YOU RUN! 

Endurance needs to be looked at as 

secondary to strength, you must be 

strong first. If you jump right into 

doing endurance based practices you 

are just asking for trouble. Learn to 

walk before you run and gradually 

develop the skill of endurance. 

Endurance is really what all athletes 

are striving for, it’s about performing 

physical tasks longer. Endurance tests 

how well your strength development 

is in an applied state. Any stuntman 

would want to develop this skill, being 

long hours and high intensity scenes 

that could be required in the project. 

A good way to develop this is through 

high repetition exercises, circuit timed 

training, and of course the Tabata. I 

highly recommend adding Tabatas to 

your current routine as a finisher to 

your workout. The idea of a Tabata is 



Strength is 

WHAT makes 

all values 

possible 

4 mins of total semi-consistent high 

intensity work. It is 8 rounds of which 

each round consists of 20 seconds of 

work and only 10 seconds of rest, 

repeat for 8 rounds. Tabatas will work 

your heart, lungs, and muscle 

endurance no doubt. Recommended 

exercises for the Tabata; is Burpees, 

Battle Ropes, Macebell swings, and of 

course the kettlebell swing. When I 

was on set of the hit YouTube web series 

“Nightwing: The Series” working 

with my affiliated stunt team, Arhat 

Orphan Brotherhood. I was graciously 

playing the role of Deathstroke: The 

Terminator as the stunt actor. I had to 

endure long hours of filming while 

maintaining a 40 hour work week, plus 

my own training, teaching martial arts, 

and typing up articles. Some of the 

nights were definitely taxing on the 

mind and body. Through these traits of 

mindset, strength, and endurance, I 

can definitely say it’s what got me 

through the project. 

So keep on training, but 

for best results; keep it 

unconventional. 

Article by lance Brazil 

You can check out some of his work here: 

Deathstroke – Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o297A1wmys0 

Super Smash Bros: Marth vs. Link (Live Action) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4luATjv_P0 

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/user/IronLohanKettlebells 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/lance.brazil?fref=ts 



The Backflip 

Preparation for Perfection! 

Learn how to correctly approach and prepare for this advanced 

compound Move without destroying yourself! 

REAP the knowledge from Pro Bar Athlete and Calisthenics competitor, 

SAMER DELGADO aka FITNESSBLAZT! 



My name is Samer Delgado, I’m also known in the social media world and Street Workout 

community as Fitnessblazt. I am a Personal Trainer as well as a Pro Bar Athlete and 

Calisthenics Competitor. 

Today I will be taking you through a tutorial of the infamous backflip. You will learn all 

the progression and exercises towards achieving this advanced skill. Enjoy! 

The Backflip is an advanced compound move that should be done with spotters when 

first learning it. Use proper technique to avoid injury. First and most importantly, you 

must strengthen the right muscles and work on your flexibility to have good, overall 

body ability before attempting the actual skill. 

THE BACkflIP IS 

AN ADVANCED 

CoMPoUND MoVE 

THAT SHoUlD 

BE DoNE WITH 

SPoTTERS WHEN 

fIRST lEARNINg 

IT. USE PRoPER 

TECHNIqUE To 

AVoID INjURY 

Exercises and Skills to work on: 

1. Back Bends/Bridges 

It’s important that you have good lower back and overall flexibility. Best way to achieve 

this will be by working on your back bends and bridges. 

Lie down on your back. Place hands by your head, fingers pointing towards your 

shoulders, knees fully bent and feet planted on ground. Now press your body up by 

pushing down on your hands and feet. Make sure you’re breathing through the entire 

exercise. Hold that position for about 10 seconds. Go back down. Repeat 5 times. 

2. Explosive Squat jumps 

This a regular squat with an explosive 

jump at the top, landing back in the squat 

position. Remember to always push 

through your heels. Do 3 sets of 25 reps. 



Article By Samer Delgado 

If you need any advice on 

training or simply want 

to check his seriously sick 

skills out on YouTube, you 

can contact Samer below, he 

is very welcoming and so is 

his community, a true 

professional! 

Fitnessblazt@gmail.com 

Instagram.com/FitnessBlazt 

Facebook.com/FitnessBlazt 

YouTube.com/Blazt187u 

3. Full body crunches. 

Start by lying on your back, arms extended overhead and legs extended and not touching 

ground. Next crunch bottom and top half of body and squeeze the core area. Now go 

back to the starting position without ever touching the ground. Do 4 sets of 25 reps. 

Things to remember when performing a Backflip: 

»» 

Jump up with power and a slight back angle. 

»» 

Look straight forward through the whole vertical jump. 

»» 

Tuck knees into stomach and use hands to help you tuck this will make you flip faster. 

»» 

Make believe there is a bar that you are trying to clear as you flip. This will give 

you more height. 

»» 

Don’t open up until your body has fully rotated, as opening up will stop the flip 

rotation completely. 

Why do Backflips? 

Backflips are a great way to push your body in a different and more challenging way 

than other exercises can, as you are using various, small stabilising muscles and 

many other explosive components to achieve this skill. Some use backflips as part 

of a combination of moves to increase difficulty such as Burpees. Add a backflip to 

the jumping section of a Burpee and now you have a “Backflip Burpee” a much more 

explosive move with a greater degree of difficulty. 

Some use backflips as a mean to develop muscle endurance or as a part of 

cardiovascular workouts. In these activities the backflips are done continuously for 

reps until failure or by reaching a target goal. For example: 5 backflips, 10 push ups, 

15 jump squats, 20-second sprint. 

Backflips are not a basic movement by any means. Therefore once you’re able to 

achieve one, you can consider yourself an elite athlete. 

What comes after flipping? 

Once backflips are beginning to feel easier you can start thinking about learning 

some of the more advanced flips. One of those forms of flipping will be the wall flip. 

This is when you run towards a wall, step up it with one foot and launch your body 

backwards as you flip and land back on your feet. 

Another advanced type of flip is the “full”, or as some like to call it The 360 Backflip. 

This is a flip with a full twist and landing back at the starting position. 

Do not try any of the more advanced flips until you have perfected the regular backflip 

and feel 100% comfortable doing it. 



uTIlIZE 

fEAR! 

REGAIN YOUR LOST MECHANISM: 

AWAKEN YOUR DORMANT 

ANCESTRAL SKILLS AND 

AWARENESS WITH... 

{TREE CLIMBING!!!} 

BORED OF BEING AN ADULT? 

The first house I lived in had a beautiful 

sugar maple in the front yard. When I was 

about four years old with a little help and 

guidance from my dad, I climbed it for the 

first time. Though I only made it to standing 

on the second limb up, I felt like I was on 

top of the world. My parents still have the 

pictures taken that day, in one shot; a look 

of fear and uncertainty, in the next photo 

a look of overwhelming joy and ecstasy. 

I am sure many of you reading this have 

a similar story and many more thereafter 

of the happiness found as a child playing 

in trees. Adults are boring. I said it. It 

needed to be said; where is the sense of 

adventure, of wonder, of exploration that 

so dominated your existence as a child? 

It isn’t gone entirely. I promise it is just 

dormant. After all, adulthood is boring 

for a reason. We have bills to pay, mouths 

to feed, responsibilities, there is no room 

for fun. I want to change that. I want to 

encourage you to live boldly again and 

regain the freedom you had as a child. I 

want to do that through one of my favorites 

modalities of training, tree climbing. 



SEEKINg THE THRIll! 

Step 1 is just getting back in a tree. I find this to be very rewarding for 

my students. This thrill alone provides a new-found exuberance and 

exhilaration. Just as when you were a kid, you don’t have to go all the 

way to the top. In fact, I recommend a lower tree with nice sturdy 

branches that allow for multiple foot placements and hand holds. You 

want to feel somewhat secure as you get reacquainted with your inner 

child. Meanwhile there are some pretty cool physical benefits you are 

reaping. 

REBOOT YOUR DORMENT AgRAIAN CAPABIlITY! 

First, and perhaps my favourite; grabbing. We don’t grab things much 

in the modern world. Think about it, the remote, a glass of water, some 

laundry maybe. This is a far cry from even 150 years ago when much of 

the world was still agrarian. Then you grabbed many objects throughout 

the day, tools, crops, animals, rocks you name it. So I really like that when 

you begin to explore and move about a tree you are constantly grabbing. 

This is a fantastic way to regain the lost mechanism of humans. 

First, and perhaps my 

Favourite; grabbing. we 

don’t grab things much in 

the modern world. think 

about it, the remote, a 

glass oF water, some 

laundry maybe. 

MAKE FEAR YOUR FRIEND 

Second, and this begins to happen as you move more comfortably up, 

down and around the tree: awareness. I love preaching the good news 

of awareness. There is a certain level of fear that comes with climbing 

anything (I am speaking in general, not to the elite or professional). This 

is a good thing. Fear is that little voice saying, “Easy now, make sure your 

foot is set. Whoa there, that branch looks dead, don’t pull on it.” It is self 

preservation keeping you from making a critical mistake. I like that we 

have to PAY ATTENTION, when doing something physical. It creates a sense 

of awareness. My hope is that through this type of practice we retain this 

skill in our day to day rather than mindlessly going through life unaware 

of our surroundings and situations. Awareness is a big teaching point of 

mine and I believe that climbing trees helps establish this life skill. 



THE BEAUTY OF BAlANCE 

The third benefit is balance. Walking on limbs, there is no substitute for 

the infinite variability that trees provide for balance. I like to say balance 

is arguably the most vital athletic trait. Most of the time when you watch 

a video of physical prowess that "wows"; extremely skilled balance is 

involved (look for it next time). 

PRACTICE FOR PERFECTION 

The fourth step is developing your practice. As you begin to get more and 

more comfortable you will begin to move more freely. Also your kinesthetic 

vocabulary will increase, meaning you will have more tools in your toolbox to 

use. 

OPEN YOUR MIND 

My ultimate goal for my students and readers is that they would see the 

world and movement differently. When I go for a hike, I will inevitably come 

across a tree or two that just draws me in and invites me to play and climb. 

You probably did the same thing when you were a child. I want that outlook 

on life for you as an adult. Why not? Sooner than later you won’t even think 

about whether you should or should not climb this tree or that tree anymore. 

You will just do it because you enjoy it and it challenges you while it frees 

you. The best way to develop this is to spend more and more time playing 

in trees. I have a favourite tree, which provides loads of variety for 

climbing, vaulting, balancing, hanging, swinging, jumping, and brachiating 

(I worked up a sweat just thinking about all that physical fun). 

Your kinesthetic 

vocabulary will 

increase, meaning 

you will have 

more tools in your 

toolbox to use 

gO APE! 

Find a tree that you fall in love 

with, and then the others will 

become more inviting too. So 

go out and start climbing and 

playing in trees today! You will 

get strong as an ape and feel 

as young as a kid! 

Article by Mark Smith 

WEBSITE: http://www.AsylumFitness.com 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/asylumfitnessnc 

INSTAGRAM: Instagram @coachmarkaf 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfZKSRBHr9LIkxD_vX2ij2g 



THE LUMBERJACK’S 

WORKOUT 

A CELEBRATION OF STRENGTH! 

RESIST MoDERNISATIoN: gET BACk To 

BASICS - THE UNCoNVENTIoNAl WAY! 

ORIgINS! 

In popular culture, the 

stereotypical lumberjack is a 

strong, burly, usually bearded 

man who lives life to brave the 

natural environment. He works by 

cutting down trees with either an 

axe or a crosscut saw (as 

opposed to the modern 

chainsaw). 

Being a lumberjack was seasonal 

work. Lumberjacks were 

exclusively men. Due to its 

historical ties, the term 

lumberjack has become 

ingrained in popular culture 

through folklore, mass media and 

spectator sports. The actual work 

of a lumberjack was difficult, 

dangerous, intermittent, low 

paying, and primitive in living 

conditions, but the men built a 

traditional culture that 

celebrated strength, masculinity, 

confrontation with danger, and 

resistance to modernisation. 

THE lUMBERJACK TOURNAMENT 

There are also lumberjack shows 

which tour the United States, 

demonstrating these old-time 

lumber practices to the general 

public. The Lumberjack World 

Championships have been held 

annually in Hayward, Wisconsin, 

since 1960. Over twelve thousand 

visitors come to this small 

northern Wisconsin town each 

year in late July to watch men and 

women compete in 21 different 

events, this includes log rolling, 

chopping, timed hot (power) saw 

and crosscut saw cutting. There 

is also pole climbing. 

The actual work 

of a Lumberjack 

was difficult, 

dangerous, 

intermittent, 

low paying, and 

primitive in 

living 

conditions. 



WORK YOUR CARDIO AND CORE WITH AXE TRAININg 

Chopping firewood is probably one of the most masculine activities you can think 

of, outdoors chopping wood with a powerful swing of your axe. Unfortunately, this 

masculine physical exertion has become less prominent because of other heating 

sources such as gas fireplaces and compressed logs for the fireplace. Many people 

think that you mainly use your arm muscles when chopping wood, but this is not 

entirely true. With chopping wood you burn a lot of calories and it’s much more of 

a cardio and core training exercise. 

METHOD 

1. Grip the Axe with both hands at the bottom of the shaft and stand a bit 

back from the chopping block. 

2. Centre yourself and bring the axe directly overhead, then explosively you 

strike the axe down with two hands, through the midline of your body, and 

split the firewood with a powerful slam, in half. 

3. Do this exercise for ten minutes. 

THE lOg-BEll 

POWER-SNATCH. 

HOMEMADE EqUIPMENT 

The two log-bells were made by 

myself; I would saw from one trunk 

into two equal parts, so that the 

weight and thickness are the same. 

They are half a metre long and have 

a circumference of one metre. With 

a long wood drill, I drilled holes 

through the location where the 

handles should be. The handles are 

made of thick rope; I put the rope 

into the holes and placed a knot at 

the end. (In the centre I placed a 

piece of PVC pipe). 

For a concise guide on building these 

log bells please refer to my article in 

Issue 1 of UnconventionalAthletes.com 

Method 

1. Grab the log-bell with both 

hands on the PVC pipe in the 

centre of the rope handle. 

2. Place your feet wide enough 

so that the log-bell fits 

between your legs. 

3. In an explosive move, pull 

the log-bell over your head to 

the back of your shoulders. 

4. From the movement 

mentioned above explosively 

pull the log overhead back, and 

swing it through your legs. 

5. Keep your back flat as you 

slow down the log and repeat 

the movement ten times. 

6. You can do this exercise in 

four sets of ten reps. 



In popular culture, 

the stereotypical 

lumberjack is 

a strong, burly, 

usually bearded 

man who lives 

life to brave 

the natural 

environment. 

Log-bell lunges. 

Method 

1. Stand between the two log-bells and drop through to the squat 

position. 

2. Grab the handles of the log-bells and stand up straight. 

3. The structure for this exercise is an upright position with the feet 

close together. 

4. One leg moves to the front in such a way that the lower leg makes an 

angle of 90 degrees with the ground. Lower the rear leg until the knee 

nearly touches the ground. 

5. Get the front leg back so that the initial position is reached again, then 

put the other leg forward and continue with the exercise. 

6. The muscles that are trained by the lunge are the quadriceps, 

hamstrings and glutes. 

7. (Do 4 sets of 10 repetitions) 

THE FRAME SAW EXERCISE. 

For this exercise I have made the rack myself from thick 

branches, this is where the tree-trunk sits. I use an old 

frame saw for this exercise instead of a chainsaw. With 

this exercise you mainly use your back and arm muscles, 

but it is also a great cardio exercise! 

METHOD 

1. While you’re sawing; you keep your abs tight. 

2. Your front leg is nearest to the trunk and is slightly 

bent; with your back leg bracing yourself. 

3. Keep your back straight and take the saw frame in 

one hand, and with your other hand you will hold 

the trunk. 

4. Breathe in as you pull the saw towards you; exhale 

when you push the saw forward until the arm is 

stretched out again. 

5. Do twenty saw movements each arm, until you’ve 

sawn through the trunk. If you change your arm, after 

twenty saw movements, then you must also change 

the position of your legs. 



THE TREE TRUNK BENCH PRESS. 

I use a tree trunk as weight; there are no handles, so it’s more difficult 

to keep the weight under control. The stabilizer muscles in your chest 

have to work hard in order to keep the tree trunk under control. The tree 

trunk bench press is an upper body exercise. When performing this 

exercise, you lie with your back flat on the bench, and then lower the 

weight to chest level, and then push it back up until the arms are straight. 

The exercise focuses on the development of the pectorals major muscle 

as well as other supporting muscles including anterior deltoids, 

trapezius, and the triceps. (Do 4 sets of 15 repetitions) 

TREE TRUNK CABER TOSSINg. 

The caber toss is a traditional Scottish athletic 

event in which competitors toss a large tapered 

pole called a “caber”. It is normally practised at 

the Scottish Highland Games. In Scotland the 

caber is usually made from a Larch tree and is 

typically 19 feet 6 inches (5.94 m) tall and 

weighs 175 pounds (79 kg). The term ‘caber’ 

derives from the Gaelic word “Caber” or 

“Kaber” which refers to a wooden beam. The 

person tossing the caber is called a “Tosser” or 

a “Thrower”. 

N.B. I myself use a tree trunk instead of a long 

pole 

METHOD 

1. Place the trunk upright and let it rest 

against your shoulder and neck. 

2. Now sink into the squat position; your 

hands need to slide down. With cupped 

hands, place them under the bottom. 

From the squat; you stand upright. 

3. Keep the trunk upright in balance, this is 

no easy task. 

4. Walk a few steps forward and from a 

slightly bent position; straighten yourself 

out and toss the trunk vigorously away 

from you; aiming to get the top of the log 

to touch the ground first, in the twelve 

o’clock position. 

Article by cover Athlete, Henk Bakker 

Website: http://unconventional-training.nl 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/553936311344546/?fref=ts 



PULL FOR PERFECTION 

A PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND INTRODUCTION OF UNCONVENTIONAL EqUIPMENT 

THAT WIll gIVE YoU AN IRoN gRIP 

NO MORE SLITHER ON THE PULL UP! GRIP RIGHT, GRIP EASY! 

UNCONVENTIONAL=FUNCTIONAL 

Do you do a lot of pulling in your training? To be truly strong; pulling is a must! Are you always using standard handles and 

bars for your pulling? If you are, you are missing out on a whole new world of results. Using methods that make your pulls 

more grip-dependent is very functional, for real world strength. 

UNCoNVENTIoNAl IMPlEMENTS AND ADjUSTMENTS foR gRIP DEPENDENT ExERCISES 

Most of the time when people want to make an exercise grip-dependent; the first thing that they do is make the 

implement thicker. You can use a thick bar, or those slip on, thick grip devices to make the diameter a true challenge. Up the 

intensity on Deadlifts, Rows, Pull/Chin-Ups or any other pulling exercise. 

In the above pictures I am using a device called Grip4orce (TM), which I ordered on Amazon.com. https://www.amazon.com/ 

No plug intended, it’s just that these devices add to the difficulty well and you can rapidly improve grip! 

gRIP THICk! 

Then there are thick ropes for pull/chin-ups, 

rope climbing, recline rowing, etc. The ones I use 

for most things are 1.5 inches thickness, but 

occasionally I will use my 2-inch rope. Heck, 

you could even do the strongman thing and pull 

a car or heavy sled with a thick rope. 



THE EAglE looPS: AN 

UNCoNVENTIoNAl ADDITIoN 

Another way to make different pulls more grip - 

intensive is to use Ironmind(TM) Eagle Loops 

(available at http://www.ironmind-store.com/). 

These are straps that wrap around any bar, that 

have four small finger loops. The trainee can use 

four, three, or even two fingers. If you make it to 

one finger, all I can say is "WOW!" 

ExERCISE CAUTIoN! 

Make sure to take the time to work up to extreme performance as these can 

take a toll on your tendons/ligaments. SO BE CAREFUL! 

fINgER PoWER WITH RoCk RINgS! 

Metolius (TM) Rock Rings (also available on Amazon.com 

https://www.amazon.com/) are a great way to enhance you grip and finger 

strength. All sorts of options are available from the easy over the top, all 

the way to the fingertip position. 

I Normally start with 4 fingers over the top of the Rock Rings, then 

progress to 3, and then 2 fingers! 

MAkE YoUR oWN gRIP STRoNg 

SPAgHETTI! 

Now, where the above required you to order 

special equipment, here is a fantastic way to make 

a super -intensive grip device. At the local market or 

hardware store purchase some clothes-line string 

and cut it into small sections. Loop a bundle of 

strings (it will look similar to spaghetti) over a bar 

and perform pull-ups. As you get stronger, remove 

one or two strands. This is a killer way to 

progress. As you remove strands, you have to 

squeeze tighter and tighter to hold onto the 

remaining strands. This will build immense 

crushing & holding power. 

These are the go-to methods I use to work my grip 

while pulling. By no means is this comprehensive, 

but starting with these will have you feeling like 

a BEAST! 

Imagination is your limit, which means NO LIMITS! 

Article by James Smith 

Check out the Animal Ability Facebook Group: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/107331742747208/ 

Don’t forget to like the Animal Ability Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/AnimalAbility 



Henkules unconventional 

Construction! 

How to construct a Lumber-LOg. 

If you’re a bit handy, then it’s 

easy to make this lumber-log. 

You don’t need much to make 

one, with a solid trunk and 

some rope you can get a real 

handy piece of unconventional 

training kit, and it's free! 

(this lumber-log weighs about 

20kg) 

MATERIALS YOU NEED FOR A LUMBER-LOG: 

- a handsaw or chainsaw 

- a long sturdy rope 

- a thick tree trunk 

. 

1. Use the Handsaw to saw 

the log into the right size , 

which is to your preference. 

This is dependent on the 

circumference of the trunk 

and the weight you want to 

lift. The handsaw is used to 

provide another tough 

exercise. 

2. Saw with each arm; this is 

to ensure you get an equal 

workout, the unconventional 

way! When the log is cut to the right size for your needs, tie the rope around 

the log (see image). 

3. The rope is divided into three long pieces at least 3 metres per piece, one rope 

for going around the log and the other rope to tie in the longitudinal plane 

of the log and another to go underneath, along the length and over the top of 

the log. This will eventually act as handles. 

4. Make a tight knot at each connection, space these equally. Follow the 

Youtube link for the Diamond Knot; it takes a little practice but is a great 

load- bearing knot! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t75IRTkFpCI 

5. Leave a little slack for the last knot. This should be located at the top of the 

log in the middle, this is so you can fit your hands under, and use as handles 

(see image). 

6. The “Lumber-log” is ready for action! 



The Lumber-log that I have made weighs 20kg. You work harder than conventional 

weight training due to its irregular shape; forcing you to use your stabilizing muscles to 

stay balanced. By training with the Lumber-log, you get more power in your whole body! 

TWO BASIC ExERCISES YOU CAN DO 

WITH THE LUMBERLOg: 

THE POWER CLEAN: 

GREAT FOR LEG STRENGTH! 

4 SETS, 12 REPS 

1) LIFT THE LOG FROM THE FLOOR IN THE DEADLIFT 

POSITION 

2) PUSH YOUR BODY UNDERNEATH TO CATCH IN THE 

SQUAT POSITION. 

lOg DRAg 

4 SETS, 10 REPS 

ARM STRENgTH AND CORE! 

1) ADOPT THE PUSH UP POSITION WITH THE LOG ON 

THE LEFT SIDE 

2) PULL THE LOG WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND 

UNDERNEATH YOUR BODY 

3) REPEAT WITH THE LEFT HAND 

4) ALTERNATE THE ARMS!

Unconventional Athletes Issue 3

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