Ross Enamait just posted an article and video, "The Homemade Wheel." Definitely an inexpensive piece of equipment worth making, as it's good for a variety of truly killer exercises. And as always, Ross's video is very impressive. Check it out.

I decided to spend my way out of my post-Regionals depression, and as the stuff has arrived in the mail it has contributed to my growing excitement over my off-season training plans.

First up was a 12-foot length of 1.5" manila rope from McMaster-Carr. $22.17 including shipping. I'd link right to the page, but their site uses frames. I hate frames. Anyway, I tied it to a garage rafter with a bowline knot for rope climbs. It's not very high, but workable, especially if I do them in an L-seat position. In fact, I'll have to work on it before I can manage that distance in that position.

Next, the big ticket item: the "advanced" set of Iron Woody Fitness Bands for $118.45, including shipping. I've played with these a bit, and they're going to be great (I had no idea they'd be so thick). I can loop a band over the door attachment of my Homemade GHD, rig a board with footholds, and work the Grasso Lunge. Will also be perfect for improvising a kneeling cable crunch, and all kinds of rotational/core movements, explosive and otherwise. I can also use them in devious ways to add weird loads to pullups, pushups, and other bodyweight exercises. And free weights, for that matter.

Also, inspired by Ross Enamait's The Home Gym video, I built myself a couple doubly evil wheels:

Equipment from Home Depot (total $32.70):

• 2 3/4" x 5" black pipe nipples (handles)
• 4 lawnmower tires
• 2 1/2" x 10" carriage bolts
• 4 1/2" hex nuts (two per bolt - screw one on, then screw the other one on to lock it down)
• 8 1/2" washers (one for each side of each tire)

I've been working on the standing rollout some more after letting it slide a bit. Progress is very slow. Doing one-arm rollouts from the knees is a nice exercise too, for those of us who can't do 'em standing. The wheels are also great for pushup variations. For example, pushup with one arm while the other arm rolls out. Or up. Or, for a big challenge, down (towards your waist).

I'm going to be away from the machine for a few days, but thought I'd leave you with a quick exercise idea. I have lots of equipment stuff I want to write up when I get back. Until then...

If you read my bit on The Evil Wheel and decided you had to have one, here's something else you can do with it: Bear Walks. Wheel on the ground, feet on the ground, hands on the wheel. Start walking. Sprints are worse. Tabata Sprint Evil Wheel Bear Walks are very, very hard (careful of your wrists if you these on uneven ground).

One of the exercises that factors into my current program is standing rollouts on The Evil Wheel. A demo of how standing wheel rollouts should look is towards the end of Ross Enamait's Low-Tech, High Effect video. Ross makes it look easy, but this is an insanely difficult exercise. Not only is the abdominal strain the most intense of any bodyweight exercise I've tried, but it also hits just about every muscle from your shoulders to your shins.

The problem is, how does one progress to such an exercise?

First, safety: stay tight throught your body, and DO NOT let your back arch (i.e. your stomach drops). I haven't done this, but I can feel from the strain in my back as I get close that it would be bad, bad, bad.

As for the progression:

1. Do rollouts from your knees to start.
2. When you start doing standing rollouts, face a wall. When you rollout, the wheel will hit the wall, catching your descent. You can then reverse the motion.
3. As you get more comfortable, move further and further back from the wall.

Power Rings are also a fabulous tool for learning this movement (note that version 2.0 of the rings are available for preorder, and $55 is a great price (limited time offer)). On rings the same move is called a Standing Jackknife. The exercise and progression are simple:

1. Position the rings as close to the floor as you want. Bend at the waist, grab the rings, and push them away from you until you are fully laid out.
2. To make the exercise easier, raise the rings and/or start with your feet closer to them.
3. To make the exercise harder, lower the rings and/or start with your feet further away.

One of the great things about using rings for this is you can vary the resistance mid-set simply by stepping to/from the rings.