Pendlay Nexgen HD Olympic Bar (20kg)

Enough time has gone by and it is time for my Pendlay Nexgen HD Barbell Review!

I got this barbell over a year ago and I love this thing. The first time I did a clean with it there was a HUGE and noticeable difference in the feel. At first I thought maybe it was all psychological so I had my friend try and see if he felt it too...Ok, I wasn't crazy there was a different feel to it.

At first I noticed the knurling was a bit more passive (smooth) I wasn't too sure how I felt about it. Now I have gotten used to it and I love it. From time to time I will need to chalk up but not all the time. Having now tried the Rogue barbell I can see why I like the passive knurl. While I do like the knurl on the rogue barbell sometimes I will clean it up and it will scratch my arm/chest like razors. But other than that I kind of like the feel on my hands. It's one of those...how do I feel today kind of things.

The Story:

I have been waiting to invest in a good barbell for some time now. 

A few reasons why I wanted a new bar:

1. I love new, even if it's new used, gear 

2. Ever since I was doing cleans and the collar popped off of the barbell, scary and dangerous, I ended up tightening the collars before every workout but they would still loosen at times.

3. Collars on current bar did not spin well

4. Diameter is around 29mm-30mm. Makes hook grip harder.

5. oh and did I mention...I LOVE new gear

After reading countless reviews on the Rogue bar, Pendlay etc. I found a webstie that shipped the Pendlay bar for around $6 to Hawaii. That is insane! Most of the time it is going to be $95 to ship to Hawaii. So for the price I went with the Pendlay as I have heard great things about the bar and its superiority.

I got some Pendlay 45s to go with this beauty!

Tape on the seams

Plus they made sure this bad boy didn't pop out of the ends.

In that box there was a tube that held the bar. Unfortunately my tube had broken so I was a bit worried.

I opened it on the wrong side. Yes, there is a right and wrong side. this side was taped and stapled closed.

So I went to the other side to see this beauty looking back at me!

The knurling on the bar was a bit more passive then I had expected. Although I have gotten used to it and find that I really like it. It is a softer knurling so it does not shred your hands or shins. Although it is inevitable to get shin and knee skin on the bar. 

The collar came with this strange black residue on it that I could not get off. I was upset because I wanted to get my bar dirty. No biggie though.

You can see the knurling is close to the edge on this side although the other side is double the length away from the collar. I am not sure why. Must have been a mistake but it doesn't effect the bar or the performance.

The end cap

After talking with Muscle Driver USA, I was informed that the knurling defect would not affect the bar performance. I had also noticed that there was grease leaking from both collars and they had informed me that it was be cause they packed it with extra grease for shipping.


Over all I am happy about this purchase. After all I do use this barbell almost everyday. I make sure to clean it after every use and it's also never allowed to be racked. So that the knurling doesn't get damaged. Although Olympic lifting barbells should never be racked anyways.

Using Metal plates:
I also noticed that metal plates that are not make to a stricter tolerance (2" diameter) can damage the threading on the collars. I used some 5 pounds plates and noticed they started to dent the threads. So I have specific 5 pound plates that are meant to be used on this bar. It sounds crazy because it is ascetics, but the threads are there for a reason. I want to keep this barbell going forever.

Rock Tape Day 2

Day two of Rock Tape on my hamstring. So far it is still sticking well with a bit of fraying on the outside causing stings to come off. I am a little disappointed that the tape is fraying like this and I haven't even taken it into the ocean or done a WOD with it yet.

Rock Sauce: The Hamstring Marinade

The Story:
I am no stranger to pain so I have tried many topical pain relief methods. So naturally I had to try this stuff out too.

The Review:
When I opened the bottle I noticed that it has a lotion constancy to it but it seems to be a bit thicker and it looked like corn starch and water. I capped it, shook it up a bit and then squeezed some out. I only squeezed out a small amount and then the room fills with that menthol scent. A very strong scent. I like it so it doesn't bother me. After applying the Rock Sauce to my hamstring I wiped it off as instructed then applied my Rock Tape. When I was done I put a little more Rock Sauce over the tape and rubbed it in. A few seconds later I could feel the cooling sensation of the the Rock Sauce working its magic. I have to say I am pretty impressed with this stuff. The combination of the Rock Sauce and Rock Tape worked wonderfully. The only thing I did notice is that the cooling sensation did subside quickly. Like most of these topical pain revilers. They are for temporary relief after all (that is why it is not under Cons.)

Conclusion...it worked well and I would most definitely buy this again. Although I have an 8oz bottle and you really don't need to use a lot. So this bottle could last me some time.

Pros:

Works

Cooling sensation NOT a painful cold

Only a small amount is needed

Cons:

None yet

Rock Tape, Rock Tape H20 and Rock Sauce

The Story:

Part of my review of  Rock Tape vs KT Tape, I got this in the mail yesterday. It consists of Rock Tape H20 (left), which is supposed to be stickier and last longer in water, compared to the regular Rock Tape (right). I also got a roll of regular Rock Tape to see how that works out. Rock Tape H2O only comes in black unlike the regular Rock Tape, which has may different colors and patterns. The bottle in the middle is Rock Sauce.  A topical pain reliever that is similar to Icy Hot, Tokuhon, or BioFreeze. 

The Initial Review:

The day after I ordered I got a call from Rock Tape. One of the items I ordered was on back order so they wanted to know if I would wait or willing to take a different color. I told them any color was fine by me. He then told me about the different colors. He explained that there were two type of blue and I told him to just surprise me. He obliged and said that the tape would be in that mail that day, it was a Friday. Later I got an email confirming that my packaged had been mailed.

When I opened the box it was packed with some paper so that the items did not slide around. I do appreciate the customer service from Rock Tape. It was a nice and personal touch that they had someone call me about my order. When they could of easily sent me an email. That told me they are a customer-centric company and that they wanted to make sure they got a quick response so that they could ship my order before the weekend or else I would have to wait that much longer. A huge plus in my books.

Lock-Jaw Pro HD Collars

The Story:

Most people are used to those metal spring collars and while I have 2 pairs of them I don't really like them. When we used them on iron plates the collars were longer then some plates so it would hit the ground. The good part was that we could use it as a kick stand so the barbell didn't roll away. They are also a hassle to take on and off and the rubber handles pop off all the time. All small things but still annoy me. When I was at the store I saw some of these Lock-Jaw Pro HD Collars and it looks slim and a lot quicker to use. There are two versions the lock and the regular. The lock pros have a red tap that locks the collars. I was told that the others can pop open some times. It wasn't that much more for the lock pros, so I ended up getting the Lock-Jaw Pro HD Collars.  I bought mine for $44.00 from Total Fitness USA.

The Review:

Not all collars are made a like. These collars were very nice to use. They make for a quick plate change and are perfect for those WODs that require you to do so. It may shave a few seconds off of your time and while some people tell me a few seconds do not matter. I tell them a few seconds can be the difference between a7 minute and a sub 7 time. A few seconds can be the difference between a new PR. A few seconds can be the difference between 1st and last and every second counts.

I have noticed that over time the collars are starting to wear and you cannot read the words on it anymore but that is ascetics. 

The collars also rub against my bumper plates causing a ring to form around it and can actually start to rub rubber off of the plates.

Pros:

Quick to take off and on

Not too much slide on bar

Slim Design, easy storage and use 

Cons:

Tears/rubs rubber off of bumper plates (smooth bumpers so far not on my Hi-Temps)

KT Tape Pro Day 4

KT Tape Pro Day 4.

This morning it is still on my back nice and dry. It seems to me that long exposure to water will reduce the sticking abilities of the KT Tape Pro. Since yesterday it was wet for quite some time. Since I am not going into the water today I will see how it handles on Sundays WOD. Scaled to stay under that 22min time cap of course. 

May 6, 2012

SUNDAY 120506

2012 CrossFit Games Regional: Individual Event 4
For time:
135 pound Back squat, 50 reps
40 Pull-ups
135 pound Shoulder-to-overhead, 30 reps
85 pound Front squat, 50 reps
40 Pull-ups
85 pound Shoulder-to-overhead, 30 reps
65 pound Overhead squat, 50 reps
40 Pull-ups
65 pound Shoulder-to-overhead, 30 reps

KT Tape Pro Day 3

Day 3 with my KT Tape Pro. 

After getting out of the water I showered off and hoped in my car. On the drive home I felt something on my back and when I reached to feel it, I felt the sticky tape starting to come off. Needless to say I was a little disappointed. I got home and got ready to do the pack (50# DB) version CrossFit Games Regional Event 3:

May 5, 2012

SATURDAY 120505

2012 CrossFit Games Regional: Individual Event 3
Four rounds for time of:
100 pound Dumbbell snatch, 10 reps
200 foot Sprint

After I finished my WOD I went home to shower off. The KT Tape Pro was still starting to peal off. After an accidental nap I woke up and the tape had dried off and was not pealing off anymore. 

KT Tape Initial Thoughts...

Initial Thoughts:

KT Tape was nice enough to send me a trial pack in the mail. It came very fast. I got it in a few days. So off the bat KT Tape gets a +1 due do excellent customer service and follow up. 

KT tape recommends that you do not wear the tape for longer than 5 days. Although it says that it can stay on for 7 days. Contradicting information...Hoping they get back to me soon. 

I watched the video on the KT Tape website on how to apply KT Tape and had my sister assist me since I can't put it on my own back.

I could tell that the tape was doing something after I walked around a bit. It is hard to describe the feeling, it was almost as if the tape helped to remove the pressure on my lower back. 

KT Tape PRO is comfortable and does not bother me when it is on. I barley notice that it is their, aside from the pressure and pain relief. 

The first night I had it on I woke up and part of the tape seemed to be rolling up so I just rubbed it down and it was fine. Later that morning I went to the beach to go diving (now I am going to have KT Tape tan lines...) and when I came out the tape was stuck to me like glue. No shift no pealing. It was as if I wasn't in the water at all. The tape does absorb water so it stayed wet a for a few minutes after you leave the water. After a shower it is the same way. You might want to let it dry off before you put on a nice shirt or else you will have wet KT Tape marks on your shirt. 

After the beach I did my CrossFit WOD... 

"The Chief"

Max rounds in 3 minutes of:

135 pound Power cleans, 3 reps

6 Push-ups

9 Squats

Rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 5 cycles.

Post rounds completed for each of the 5 cycles.

Needless to say this was a pretty brutal WOD where you will sweat and move. I moved but the KT Tape didn't budge. The last thing I would want to think about during a WOD is some annoying tape flapping around on my back (although in this WOD I was in drone mode and might not of noticed). When I finished my fifth round I did my usual flopping around on the ground. When I got up I checked my tape and everything was good to go. 

So far I am very happy with how well this tape sticks to my skin without irritating me. 

Today will be the third day so we will see how it holds up. 

Front:

Back:

The trail pack came with two strips of KT Tape, a yellow and a black peice. From first look I have to say it looks pretty cool. KT Tape Pro is their new 100% synthetic tape and if you sniff the tape you can smell the plastic and glue smell. It is not a strong smell, you can only smell if it you put your nose right on it. So it isn't an issue for me.

In the package it also came with a mini guide for common applications. There is also a link to their website which has a lot of videos on how to put the tape on for different applications.

From the ground up...Shoes

The Story:
I guess I will start with shoes...

When I first started CrossFit maybe a couple of years ago. I only had some Vans and some hiking shoes. So I used my hiking shoes. Not the best thing to lift, run or workout with.

Lets go back real quick...I should have noted that I have never really played sports except when I was in elementary school, but that doesn't really count since it was so long ago. So a lot of the things I learned with my gear was the hard way. It took time to find what worked for me.

Ok...back on track.

Eventually I bought some running shoes. I bought some Nike Frees. I read they were a good shoe for running and some general CrossFit WODs. While this may work for some people it did not work for me. I am not a runner, don't like it, not good at it. Running in the shoes were fine...I guess. It had lots of cushion for my foot, but this was the problem. In a lot of the CrossFit WODs there is Olympic lifting coupled with running or DUs (double-unders). I found that the cushion was pretty horrible when I was doing my lifting. On a strength day of 3-3-3-3-3 Deadlifts I decided to take my shoes off and lift barefoot. Wow! Barefoot lifting was amazing! I loved it! I felt so much more connected to the floor and 100 times more stable. I was able to push though my feet into the ground without the shoe giving and hindering my lifts since I was not lifting on solid ground. This also hurt my form on the heavy lifts.

The next WOD I did was combination of Deadlift, run and DUs. Since I had been lifting without shoes now I had realized this was going to be a problem. I tried to do some DUs barefoot and run...that didnt really So I ended up taking my shoes off and on during this WOD. This was not going to fly.

The next day I went to Total Fitness USA to look for something. I forget what. I ended up asking about shoe recommendations. Jack (guy that works there,) had showed me some Inov-8s. I think the first one was the Inov-8, 195s. This shoe was nice and slim. It has a 3mm differential sole. Jack had let me know that its a good shoe to start into the bare shoes. A lot of companies are creating shoes to mimic bare feet running but a lot of peoples feet can't really take it since they are used to the cushion. The only issue I had with the shoe was that it was a bit tight on the front end since I have wide feet. Jack then told me that since I have been lifting barefoot I might be ok with the Inov-8, 150s. It actually fit my foot a lot better. My first question was, "does it come in a different color?" It was a bit of a flashy shoe since it is white and red.


The Review:
Running for the first time was a bit strange since there was no cushion my foot pretty much felt like it was hitting the ground directly. The plus side...you also feel like you can run a million MPH since the shoes is so light. 150grams light. It took a couple days to get used to it but then I was ok running with it.

Lifting with these shoes were very nice. I have to say that not only did I really enjoy it but I was a little surprised as how secure my footing was.Not 100% like barefoot, but this is pretty close. The only problem I have is that when dust accumulates in the garage and on the mats it sticks to the shoes sole creating this dust barrier between the two and it can be slippery. So I have to pour some water on the floor and wash the shoe sole off before I workout. This is also starting to wear down the soles quicker.

Another big plus is the shoe laces. I don't have to tie them just tighten the pull chord. Small thing but I really like it.


What I also found to be a great benefit is on the front and back there is a loop to help you put the shoe on and take it off. I also found this to be extremely helpful when stretching my hamstrings.

Pros:

0 mm Differential

Very lightweight

Pull Chord Shoe Lace

Sole flexes well  

Pull strings on top and back of shoe is great for putting shoe on as well as stretching legs.

Great for WODs where you have Oly Lift and running or DUs 

Cons:

Slippery

Link to the inov-8 site with more info:
http://www.inov-8.com/New/Global/Product-View-BareXLite-150.html?L=27
*Site needs is a better search method. But that has nothing to do with the shoe.

What's this all about?

So I have decided that there are a lot of blogs out there about gear reviews from "experts" and a lot of the time I am looking for information from both experts and the layperson. 

Since I am not an exceptional beast of a human I don't always need the best gear out there. While it is nice to have, there are certain things that I would not benefit from. So I wanted to talk about my experiences with the gear that I have decided to buy and use.

About a year ago I started to build my own CrossFit garage gym. Piece by piece it was been slowly coming together. Now that I have put some of these items to good use I can actually talk about the different pros and cons that I see in each item. Some of my gear I made, like my plyo jump box, although most I bought.

Again, this is going to be my options and not backed by science or the manufacturers. I am Just a normal dude looking for some great gear and great service.