I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : Nails - Converting Imperial to Metric
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Ready to begin your nail bending journey? Live in a country where Metric measurements are the norm?
  

• Looking At : Oct 21, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : Fasting vs Eating Less - What's the Difference? (What I've Learned)

Great information.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Chas Melichar.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : The Benefits of Getting Your Shoes Fitted (Rather Than Fitting Them Yourself)

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

There were a number of great points raised in Gymchat 185 - Training for Marathons & Triathlons, including this suggestion from Chas. There are real benefits to having your shoes fitted, rather than simply picking the ones you think will work well.

Well said.

Checking Out : Laserlight Core (Light for Night-time Cycling)

Remember the Blaze? The Laserlight Core is the latest incarnation, though the idea is the same - a light to assist night-time cycling, both in seeing and in being seen.

To give you an idea of what this thing looks like and how it works, a spot of video :

The Laserlight Core.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : Setting Up A Home Gym
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Ready to get started? Great.
  

• Looking At : Oct 14, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : The Psychological Approach to Rapid Fat Loss (Gravity Transformation)

Great information.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Maik Wiedenbach.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : The Stages of Workout Nutrition

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

This tip is a brief look at the major stages of workout nutrition, and their goals. A bit of fine-tuning here can go a long way indeed.

From Gymchat 133 - Workout Nutrition :

Kurtis Frank.

Any meal can contribute to a workout (glycogen replenishment mostly), but generally workout nutrition is broken into three segments. The pre-workout, the intra-workout (optional dependent on goals), and the post-workout.

Pre-workout is literally just a meal you eat before you hit the gym. It holds more importance than other meals (say, breakfast if you train in the PM) since the nutrients you ingest at this meal will still be floating around in your blood when it comes time for a workout.

Intra-workout is typically something you bring to the gym to sip on, and where stuff typically gets all fancy with supplementation and is the area most people like to talk about. (This includes post-workout shakes consumed immediately after training)

Post-workout is when you get home and make a nice meal. There are typically higher rates of muscular metabolism and generally more metabolic direction to muscle and away from fat mass (compared to other meals). So nutrients post workout tend to be put to better fates than other meals.

Checking Out : Sated Keto (Meal Replacement Shake)

Whilst the ketogenic part is debatable, this looks like a great meal replacement shake. Keen to try it out.

In the meantime, a spot of video :

Sated's Keto (Meal Replacement Shake).

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : Bars, Plates, Hooks and Collars
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  The heart of the home gym.
  

• Looking At : Oct 7, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : How Long Should You Be Resting Between Sets? (Gravity Transformation)

Great information.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Andrew Nalepa.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week: Getting Back Into It

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

Returning to Heavy Training After a Break

In Gymchat 136 - Heavy Training after a Break, Vic noted :

I lost a LOT of strength on some lifts. It was surprising. That's why that initial 3 weeks of lighter work was important to me - it was smart to underestimate my strength at first.

And

It's important to consciously do less those first few weeks. I was off for almost 2 years - as a rule I did not put any more than 135lbs on the bar the first week. I did not push any sets to failure the next two weeks while still staying at 5 reps or less for most sets.

Good stuff.

Checking Out : HYDROW (Live Outdoor Reality Rower)

The HYDROW bills itself as a 'Live Outdoor Reality Rower' (think rowing machine with a screen showing another rower, outdoors), which lets you row with world class athletes streaming live from the water. Very interesting concept - would love to see other pieces of equipment offer a similar pairing.

To give you an idea of what this thing looks like and how it works, a spot of video :

The HYDROW.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : Glossary - Strength Training Equipment
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What does it all do?
  

• Looking At : Sep 30, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : 4 Lat Pulldown Variations (Athlean-X)

Nice one Jeff.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Whitehouse Gym, Truman Administration.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : Fast or Slow Reps?

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

One of the areas that Josh Hewett and John Paul Catanzaro covered in Gymchat 256 - Injury Prevention & Management was the general approach to choosing rep speed based on your goals. John Paul outlines the basic idea :

Good stuff.

Checking Out : Lessons 3 & 4 of David Webster's 'The Complete Physique Course' [Kindle Edition]

The Complete Physique Course - Lessons 3 & 4.

The goodness continues.

This is the second part of David Webster's 'The Complete Physique Course' - Lessons 3 & 4. It's a wonderful combination of specific workouts and the basics of Olympic Weightlifting.

I haven't read the originals for a long, long time - looking forward to diving in to the Kindle incarnation.

Lessons 3 & 4 of David Webster's 'The Complete Physique Course' [Kindle Edition].

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : Workout Locations - the Beach
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  When it comes to outdoor training, the beach is ideal.
  

• Looking At : Sep 23, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : Calisthenics Strength 'Rules' (Calisthenicmovement)

Great Information.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Andrew Nalepa.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : Fine-Tuning Your Lifestyle

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

One of the areas that Josh Hewett and Adam Farrah covered in Gymchat 255 - Pillars of Paleo was the general approach to fine-tuning your lifestyle. Though the specifics will obviously vary from person to person, Adam outlines the basic idea :

Good stuff.

Checking Out : The 'This Week in Grip' Podcast ('Napalm' Jedd Johnson)

Although I've been listening to 'Napalm' Jedd Johnson's 'This Week in Grip' podcast for a while now, a conversation this morning reminded me that we've never mentioned in it here.

Time to rectify that.

The most recent episode will give you a good idea of what the show's like. Suffice to say that if you enjoy the occasional dose of grip work, you'll love this. Wonderful insights, guests and hosts.

You'll find it on Jedd's Youtube Channel :

Enjoy.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : Sleeping on the Job
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Time for a power nap?
  

• Looking At : Sep 16, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : Arnold Schwarzenegger : Heavy Training at 71 (Gym Nation 2.0)

After the surgery, straight back into it.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Derek Peruo.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : The Power of Naming Your Workouts

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

Kira Robert Clarke (Fight Geek).

A few years ago, a couple of young dudes I trained with (Muay Thai), wanted to do some extra conditioning work. I offered to take them on a run up Puke Hill on the weekends.

After a few nervous side-glances, both of them asked, "Why is it called Puke Hill?" After striking a suitably melodramatic pose, I just smiled and then walked away.

When they finally got to do the run, I noticed three distinct changes to the way they normally trained:

• Intensity - It was the hardest I'd seen either of them train.
• Team-work - When one of them almost gave up, the other one slowed down and ran beside his friend--helping him to complete the last set of sprints.
• Accomplishment - After the run, neither whined or complained. In fact, despite their exhaustion, both had shit-eating grins plastered across their ugly faces.

Of course Puke Hill is just a hill. Sure it was steep, and using it for interval-sprints was quite challenging, but what hill sprints aren't challenging? So here's the point of my story: I believe that by simply giving the run a name, my two padawans trained harder, worked together better, and gained a greater sense of individual and shared achievement.

Good stuff.

Checking Out : Ascent (Whey Protein Powder)

Ascent Native Fuel.

Ascent Native Fuel is the protein powder that Tim Ferriss mentioned recently in a 'Five Bullet Friday' newsletter (and of course in the '4 Hour Body'). If you've never read it, the newsletter notes :

Ever since I wrote The 4-Hour Body, starting my day with ~30 grams of protein has been part of my routine. Of course, I don't always have time or the patience to cook a meal, so I supplement. Unfortunately, most protein powders are filled with excess sugar, questionable artificial sweeteners, or low-grade protein. Ascent Protein is an exception -- it contains zero artificial ingredients, artificial sweeteners, or added sugar. They also nailed the taste; they tested 282 versions before getting the chocolate (my favorite) just right. If you prefer, they also offer vanilla bean, cappuccino, and lemon sorbet flavors. Visit ascentprotein.com/Tim and use the code TFASCENT and you'll receive 20% off of your entire purchase. If you want a quick dose of protein to start your day or end a workout, this is a great option and my default. Use TFASCENT for your 20% discount. Enjoy!

If you're curious to find out more, swing by :

www.ascentprotein.com/tim.

Sounds great.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : Strains and Sprains
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Causes and treatments.
  

• Looking At : Sep 9, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : Heavy Lifting at 6'6 (Jujimufu)

A little on the tall side? Here's a great look at some seriously heavy lifting at 6'6.

Love it.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Maik Wiedenbach.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : Sleep Hygiene

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

One of the areas that Josh Hewett and Sincere Hogan covered in Gymchat 253 was the general approach to sleep hygiene. Though the specifics will obviously vary from person to person, Sincere outlines the basic idea :

Good stuff.

Checking Out : Meyko (Medication Reminder for Children)

The Meyko is a medication reminder for children (for asthmatics in this case, but it could be anything), gamifying the regular consumption of medication. Doses are linked to care of the device.

A bit of video will show you what I mean :

The Meyko.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : How to Make a Sandbag for $10
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Make your own.
  

• Looking At : Sep 2, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : Fit Expo Grip Testing (Jujimufu)

Love it.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Andrew Nalepa.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : When Possible, Buy Meat Locally

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

In the article Fight Fat With CLA from eVitamins, Derek noted the value of getting some quality meat in your diet. One of the key factors is to keep an eye out for things like 'grass-fed beef'; another is to purchase from local sources whenever possible.

Jeff Marraccini explains :

Scott, I also look for local sources. Even grass-fed meat coming from far away likely has more risk of being exposed to excessive heat, cold, or other environmental conditions. Unfortunately, it is not always possible so I have to compromise from time to time.

Great point.

Checking Out : Lessons 1 & 2 of David Webster's 'The Complete Physique Course' [Kindle Edition]

The Complete Physique Course.

Looks great.

This is the Kindle version of David Webster's 'The Complete Physique Course' - Lessons 1 & 2. It's a wonderful combination of free-weight and bodybuilding-style training.

I haven't read the originals for a long, long time - looking forward to diving in to the Kindle incarnation.

Lessons 1 & 2 of David Webster's 'The Complete Physique Course' [Kindle Edition].

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : Napping in the Afternoon
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  

  Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.

  - Edgar Allen Poe

  
  

• Looking At : Aug 26, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : How to Make an Indoor Climbing Wall (I Like to Make Stuff)

A great DIY idea - an indoor climbing wall. Love it.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Maik Wiedenbach.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : Training for Unusual Feats

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

When Jeff Wilson was training for the Soda Can Crush (video below), he quickly realised that his usual training approach wouldn't work. For one thing, you can't progressively crush a can of soda.

In the article Unusual Goals Require Unusual Measures, he explains exactly how to tackle something like this. Here's a snippet to give you the basic idea :

I knew that without actually being able to accomplish the feat that my training would have to take a drastic turn from what I had become accustomed to over the years. The seemingly supplemental exercises of my workouts would now become my core movements.

I scoured my repertoire (as well as the training logs of top gripsters world-wide) for hand, wrist and grip exercises to find those that closely mimicked the movement I would use for the crush - and I came to the conclusion that the final crush of an unbraced bend was strikingly similar. With some alterations to my particular style of bending I knew I could get huge carryover to the soda crush. I upped my bending frequency a bit and focused on generating as much power as possible through the final crush down as I could with each piece of steel I attempted. During my bending sessions I used high volume, isometrics and pre-kinking steel that was a little out of my league, but I didn't want to bend too often because going too overboard with unbraced bending can potentially set you up for some pretty nasty injuries. I knew that I also needed movements that I could safely perform on a very regular basis that would have big carry over to the can crush, while having very little risk of injury in order to accomplish my goal in a timely manner.

And the feat itself? Over to Jeff :

Love it.

Checking Out : The Mighty (Portable Streaming Music Player)

Looks great.

The Mighty is a combination of the iPod Shuffle (remember those?) and a 'portable, streaming music player', better known as a 'phone. Should be the ideal device for a blast of music during a workout.

The video below will show you what I mean :

The Mighty.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Gem From The Vault : DIY - Home-Made Gym Equipment
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Ready to build your own? Here's how.

  
  

• Looking At : Aug 19, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : Calisthenics Progressions (Calisthenicmovement)

Great information.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Derek Peruo.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : Addressing Squat Weaknesses - Bending at the Knees First

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

Back.

When it comes to the squat, Powerlifter Rick Walker clearly knows what he's talking about.

If you've ever tackled this wonderful exercise yourself and felt that your form just didn't feel quite right, check out his article Addressing Weaknesses in The Squat. To give you an idea of what it's all about, here's how he corrects one of the more common problems found in squat technique - the simple act of Bending at the Knees First.

Over to Rick.

This is a common problem among many beginning squatters as the lifter is usually afraid of falling backwards with the weight. Instead of sitting back first, the lifter will bend at the knees to go down. This causes the knees to go forward well over the toes and often times causes the lifter to go up onto their toes in the hole. This is not only dangerous, but you are limiting how much you can squat. The pressure on the patellar tendons in this position is tremendous and leads to big time problems down the road.

Yes, some lifters, especially Olympic lifters, can adapt to these kinds of stresses from having their knees that far forward.

However, the goal here is to improve the squat and move more weight, and that will be accomplished by sitting back into the squat.

How to fix it

The lifter must learn to sit back and not down. This can take a long time to get them to do, and even longer to get them to do it under maximum loads. I start all newbie squatters on a box.

I use a very high box and a very light load, usually the empty bar with some light JumpStretch© bands attached for tension. The basic commands I give are for the lifter to sit back like he is searching for a chair that is behind him. Once the lifter can get down to the high box by sitting back, I lower it an inch and start all over. Eventually the lifter will be able to sit back to a parallel box and the movement will become second nature.

Another possible reason for the lifter's inability to sit back is hamstring strength. If the lifter has weak hamstrings, he won't be able to sit back into a squat without falling. It gets much worse as the weight increases. To address this, get the lifter on the glute-ham machine pronto!

This is the best way to bring up lagging hamstrings and prepare the lifter for handling more weight in the squat correctly. I have also found Romanian Deadlifts and reverse hypers to be effective for improving the sit back portion of the squat.

And yes, I can assure you that it works. Cheers, Rick.

Checking Out : The PR2 (Band Deadlifts Platform)

Looks great.

The PR2 is a purpose-built Band Deadlift Platform, small enough to be portable and solid enough to cope with some insanely heavy pulls. Adjustable, designed to cope with both Standard & Reverse Band Deadlifts.

A spot of video :

NB : I must admit, my own setup is very much like the DIY one shown in the video; but a dedicated platform like this certainly has its advantages. Ever tried one?

The PR2 Band Deadlifts Platform.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.