JOJO Update:
Peter Scalise III of JoJo Energy Drinks tells me they've already tweaked the drink formulation since my write-up last week. They are now 100% calorie-fee, sugar-free and carb-free, yet the taste is unchanged. Labels for the bottles are being changed right now.
Multi-Vitamin:
I'm currently using Vitabolic for my vitamins and minerals, a nice product from Nutrabolics. This 
full-spectrum vitamin and multi-nutrient complex is in the form of two small green pills. In addition to the standard array of vitamins and minerals, there is freeze-dried berry extract complex, freeze-dried vegetable extract complex, and advanced carotenoid complex. I like these additions. Though of course I "feel" nothing upon consuming vitamins and minerals, I feel good just taking them. Nutrabolics tells me these broad-spectrum products are free-radical absorbing, contain immune-protective herbal extracts, essential fatty acids, estrogen-blunting polyphenols, and cancer-fighting phytonutrients. I must admit the simplicity of taking just two pills appeals to me, too.
(www.nutrabolics.com)
Build Crushing Grip Strength
IMTUG #5 Two-Finger Gripper
Whether your intent is to roll cast-iron frying pans in your hands, or maintain a strong grip on the bar when 
deadlifting, nothing builds finger and grip strength like Captains of Crush Grippers. Legendary athletes have made reputations by fully closing some of the vaunted grippers, but how do the rest of us relate to these feats? I've attempted to close some of the difficult Captains of Crush grippers at shows, and they don't even move! I imagine it would be similar to hanging with Ronnie Coleman during a leg workout.
IronMind, producer of these grip-training tools, has a smaller two-finger version, called IMTUG. Anne and I both find this to be a most interesting device, as it allows work on both pinch grip and traditional grip strength. Our IMTUG 5 is for training the index and middle fingers, and is equivalent to #1 or #2 Captains of Crush Gripper. This is plenty difficult enough for us.
One or two fingers can be trained at a time. Best of all, we carry these in the car, so while driving or stopped at a light, out comes the IMTUG gripper. It doesn't take too much practice for your hand to get stronger, translating directly to increased deadlift or rowing strength. Use your weaker hand if you want to really remind yourself which side of your body is dominant.
Healthier and stronger hands will assist you in any sport. Our IMTUG 5 is the fifth of seven strength levels. These small grippers contain the legendary GR8 springs used in Captains of Crush grippers, and only cost $19.95.
Nutrition on the Go
PureFit nutrition bars are great tasting, about as healthy as bars get, and ideal for travel. And they don't melt. 
Now, I don't know for certain why they don't get soft and turn into funny shapes, but short of leaving one in direct sunlight, I've tried and they retain their shape, taste and texture. Any protein bar left in a gym bag in a hot car on a summer day will usually be a gooey mess. Not Purefit.
I'm not promoting these as the next best thing; they're still bars, not nearly as attractive to me, nutritionally, as a good protein shake from my blender, or real food. But when traveling, out shopping for three hours, or on someone's boat on a sunny afternoon, you would be well off with a couple of PureFit bars hidden away in a pocket.
Each bar contains 18 grams of soy protein, and do not include any dairy, wheat or gluten products. Before you spit about the soy, keep in mind this is a bar, not a sirloin steak! Carbs total 26 grams, with 6 grams of fat. With no sugar alcohols added, the 26 grams of carbs is manageable, though clearly not for someone on a ketogenic diet (but they shouldn't be eating any bars, anyway). There's something about the texture of these PureFit bars that's quite attractive to my taste buds.
Anne is always looking for a bar that doesn't taste like candy, and is pleased with Purefit's choices. They're available in Berry Almond Crunch, Almond Crunch, Chocolate Brownie, and Peanut Butter Crunch flavors (my favorite, by the way).
Big Grip for Big Weights
Harbinger's new Big Grip II lifting gloves are indeed heavy duty. Just putting them on, I felt a bit like I was preparing to compete in a powerlifting meet. They feature a nice, secure fit and a very strong yet flexible palm-of-the-hand surface. A bit of a cross between "Mad Max" and the sole of a running shoe, actually. But the Big Grip II feels great, and though I don't traditionally wear gloves while lifting, these have a special feel. The bar is solid in the hand thanks to Dura-Grip rubber pads on the palms and fingers, and when the strap is in place around the wrist, everything feels tight and secure. I'm impressed.
Running With Salmon
Most of us have eaten more than our fair share of beef jerky in our lifetimes, realizing it is a compromise food 
item, good in a pinch (like at the movie theater). Now from the wilds of Alaska comes Kodiak Solstix Wild Alaska Salmon Jerky. Available in teriyaki and spicy pepper flavors, these small (20g) pieces each contain 8 grams of protein. Soft and chewy, all the protein comes from salmon; no other protein source is added. Here's the good part: each serving size of 3 small sticks contains 460 mg of omega-3 essential fatty acids. They contain no MSG or nitrates.
Sure, there are 6 grams of carbs in each package of 3 sticks, most of it in the form of brown sugar and sorbitol, but hey, it's salmon jerky! This company sponsors some Olympic athletes, including Melanie Roach, Olympic weightlifter, Giddeon Massie, track cyclist, and Mike Mannelin, big mountain freeskier, so let's get behind them. Kodiak Solstix Jerky tastes great, with a vibrant flavor, and they never get hard, crusty and dried-out. I'll be taking this with me on camping, hiking and cycling trips this summer.
Yell at John Koenig at [email protected]
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