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 : Making Your Own Gym Equipment - DIY Grip Tools
  Scott Andrew Bird
  Ready for a little DIY? Perfect.

  
  

• Looking At : Dec 15, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : GripMonsters Challenges - 2 x Plates Timed Holds

Nice one Juha.

Gymchat 229 - How to Prepare for a Powerlifting Competition (Ben McLaughlin)

Powerlifting. Love it.

If you're about to compete - whether you're new to the training world or just beginning the journey - how do you prepare? What should you expect, how early do you need to start training specifically for the meet, and what should you be doing?


Taking us through the entire process is Powerlifter Ben McLaughlin, joined by Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. If you've got questions/comments for Ben or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.

Details -

Who : Powerlifter Ben McLaughlin and Josh Hewett
Topic : How to Prepare for a Powerlifting Competition
When : Wednesday Dec 18, 8pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 228 - In-Season Training for Hockey (with Personal Trainers Conor Doherty and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

NB : The training package that Conor mentioned in the chat will be available shortly (and yes, we'll be reviewing it over on the main site). In the meantime, a few details.

---

Coming Up : This is the last Gymchat for 2013. We'll be taking a couple of weeks off; beginning again in early 2014. Full details shortly.

And if you'd like to suggest a future topic or take part in one of the upcoming Gymchats, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Tip of the Week: Fix Your Feet

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 from Josh Hewett's excellent 'Bulletproof Your Body' series. The real benefits of including your feet in your training.

Over to Josh :

---

You need to gradually strengthen your feet and slowly introduce them to greater range of motion. Walking barefoot on soft sand or grass is a great way to start... plus it feels good! If you have access to a beach or a well manicured lawn, slowly progress from walking barefoot for a few minutes at a time and working up to a longer duration, before introducing any more challenging barefoot activities.

For walking on solid surfaces such as concrete, I suggest you wear appropriate footwear that will provide minimal support while still allowing for greater natural movement of your feet.

Good stuff. Note that this is only a snippet from the full piece - swing by Josh' blog for the entire article [.pdf]. A great read.

Re-Investigating : MILO

It's that time of year again : time to set up a magazine subscription or two. Paper or digital downloads; there are plenty to choose from; and this is definitely one of my favourites. Love it.

I'm also keen to hear what everyone else is reading, in the way of training-related publications. What's on your own list?

---

Quick update on the Hip Thruster we mentioned last week - fantastic thing.

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 :

• Transformation Techniques V - Nutritional Basics 1 - Energy Requirements
  Jason Paris, CSCS
  This is a superb series. If you're ready to physically transform yourself, read on.

  
  

• Looking At : Dec 8, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : How To Handstand

Ever wanted to tackle the handstand? Superb thing.

Gymchat 228 - In-Season Training for Hockey (Conor Doherty)

Ice Hockey - great sport.

How do you train for it, particularly during the season itself?

This week we'll be answering this exact question, with Personal Trainers Conor Doherty and Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Conor or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.

Details -

Who : Personal Trainers Conor Doherty and Josh Hewett
Topic : In-Season Training for Hockey
When : Wednesday Dec 11, 8pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 227 - The Tempo Matrix (with Karsten Jensen and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

---

Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months - featuring Mike 'The Machine' Bruce, Ben McLaughlin and many, many more. Details shortly.

And if you'd like to suggest a future topic or take part in one of the upcoming Gymchats, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Movember 2013

Movember is over for 2013 - cheers to everyone who contributed a dollar or two. Greatly appreciated.

If you haven't donated yet, and would like to, swing by Josh Hewett's page :

http://ca.movember.com/mospace/7377745

And thanks again. It seriously is for a great cause - prostate cancer research. Cheers.

Tip of the Week: Stretching Causes Weakness

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 from Josh Hewett's excellent 'Bulletproof Your Body' series. The impact of stretching on both strength and injury.

Over to Josh :

---

Exercise physiologists have concluded that passive stretching not only has no effect on preventing injuries, but it can actually make you even more likely to get hurt. But I didn't take their word on it... I've experienced the effects of passive vs. active stretching first hand. I've also worked with biomechanics specialists who use Applied Kinesiology muscle testing as a reproducible way to measure muscle strength and responsiveness. They demonstrated that in almost every case a passive stretch is performed the muscles will test weak after. On the other hand, active isometric exercise will improve muscle activation.

Good stuff. Note that this is only a snippet from the full piece - swing by Josh' blog for the entire article. A great read.

Re-Investigating : The TRX Suspension Trainer

As you might expect at this time of the year, we've been talking a lot lately about training when travelling. How to get the sweat flowing when you're away from home.

Personally, I'm a big fan of suspension training - been using a TRX for years. Beautiful thing.

I'm sure that many of you have seen things like the TRX in action; or used one yourself. Just in case though, here's a bit of video to help show what it is and how you can put it to work :

Cheers Umberto.

And of course, there's Derek's excellent guide on getting the most out of this incredible tool : Suspension Training 101. Absolutely free.

---

Quick update on the Hip Thruster we mentioned last week - fantastic thing.

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 : Specific Training for the Transverse Abdominis: Belt It In
  Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker
  How do you train it? Like this.

  
  

• Looking At : Dec 1, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : One Hand Pinch High Pulls

High Pulls with the Euro. Nice one.

Gymchat 227 - The Tempo Matrix (Karsten Jensen)

When you're working out, how fast should each rep be? The same speed all the way through, or varying throughout?

This week we'll be discussing this area in depth, with Strength Coach Karsten Jensen and Strongman and Strongman and Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Karsten or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.

Details -

Who : Strength Coach Karsten Jensen, joined by Strongman and Personal Trainer Josh Hewett
Topic : The Tempo Matrix
When : Wednesday Dec 4, 8pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 226 - Advances in Strength & Power Development (with Craig Bongelli and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

---

Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months - featuring Mike 'The Machine' Bruce, Ben McLaughlin and many, many more. Details shortly.

And if you'd like to suggest a future topic or take part in one of the upcoming Gymchats, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Movember 2013

Movember is over for 2013 - cheers to everyone who contributed a dollar or two. Greatly appreciated.

If you haven't donated yet, and would like to, swing by Josh Hewett's page :

http://ca.movember.com/mospace/7377745

And thanks again. It seriously is for a great cause - prostate cancer research. Cheers.

Tip of the Week: Setting a Gripper

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 comes to us from the incredible Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson, and takes the form of a superb video. Enjoy.

---

Incidentally, if you want to learn more techniques like this, check out Jedd's own The Grip Authority.

Fantastic site.

Re-Reading : The Grip Master's Manual

This is a truly superb book.

We've noted this one many times over the years, it's certainly an essential book to have on your fitness shelves. If you haven't come across it before, here's a quick snippet from the Amazon page to give you an idea of what it's about :

This book is THE book when it comes to grip training and becoming a well rounded athlete. Brookfield lays this book out very logically starting with a section on getting ready. He then progresses through: Advanced Lower Arm and Grip Training; Advanced Grip Challenges; and Steel Bending. No matter where you turn to this book is filled with helpful tips and ideas to get your workouts going.

The Grip Master's Manual. Fantastic.

---

Quick update on the Hip Thruster we mentioned last week - fantastic thing.

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 : 29 Things to do with a Barbell in the Corner
  Jason Kirby
  It's incredible just how much you can do with a humble barbell.

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 24, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Human Flag Tutorial

Nice one.

Gymchat 226 - Advances in Strength & Power Development (Craig Bongelli)

A deceptively simple question : How do you go from the 'strongest person in the gym' to 'strongest in the area'? In short, how do you become seriously powerful?

Tackling this - from both a strength athletics and a power-hungry gym rat perspective - is competitive Strongman and Strength Coach Craig Bongelli, joined by Strongman and Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Craig or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.

Details -

Who : Competitive Strongman and Strength Coach Craig Bongelli, joined by Strongman and Personal Trainer Josh Hewett
Topic : Advances in Strength & Power Development
When : Wednesday Nov 27, 9pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 225 - How to Master the Inner Game (with Personal Trainers (and Strength Athletes) Jen Mulhall and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

---

Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months - featuring Mike 'The Machine' Bruce, Ben McLaughlin and many, many more. Details shortly.

And if you'd like to suggest a future topic or take part in one of the upcoming Gymchats, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Movember 2013

If you haven't seen it yet, check out Josh's moustache-growing prowess for Movember 2013. And if you'd like to support him (well, prostate cancer research actually) in this quest, head over to his donation page :

http://ca.movember.com/mospace/7377745

btw, if you're unfamiliar with Movember and just want to see what it's all about, Josh has a brief intro video here :

http://straighttothebar.com/movember2013/

cheers.

Tip of the Week: License Plate Tearing Technique

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 comes to us from performing Strongman Chris Rider, and is from his superb article Tearing A License Plate. Enjoy.

---

Following a thorough description of the safety requirements for performing this feat (and it really can be a dangerous one, so proceed carefully), comes the basic technique involved. Over to Chris :

Now that we have ourselves protected, it's time to grab the plate. I personally like to tear plates at chest level, and that is the method I am going to discuss. As a dry run without a plate, place your dominant hand in a hammer style grip. Place the pinky side of that hand just above the bottom of the sternum. Now place the other fist in the same manner below the dominant one so you have the thumb side of the non-dominant and the pinky side of the dominant meeting. Squeeze as hard as you can and push your hands in opposite directions with the top hand going slightly upward and the bottom hand going slightly downward. If you push straight through, the potential for being cut dramatically increases.

Want more? No problem. Head over to the original article, and watch the video below to see it in action. Beautiful.

Checking Out : Bret Contreras' Hip Thruster

These look great.

And as we mentioned recently, they're now available in the UK (cheers Matt - great site); we'll be reviewing one shortly. In the meantime, here's a bit of video to give you an idea of what the Hip Thruster is :

Good stuff. Thanks Bret, looks like a great piece of gear.

---

Quick update on the Lift the Blob package we mentioned recently - fantastic collection.

I'd love to hear how you go with it; when it comes to tackling this challenging feat you really can't go past Lift the Blob. Superb.

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 :

• Virtual Training Partners
  Scott Andrew Bird
  We've discussed many things over the years relating to the 'Future of Fitness'. Here's one of the many things I'd love to see personally; how about you? Do you think that the idea of Virtual Training Partners is plausible, and desirable?

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 17, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Gymnastic Strength Training

Looking for ideas? Try a few of these.

Gymchat 225 - How to Master the Inner Game (Jen Mulhall)

Mental Toughness. Focus. Determination.

All great things, and essential components of strength training - whether you're a competitive athlete or simply looking to move a little closer to your goals. Question is, how do you achieve them?


This week we'll be answering precisely that, looking at the various skills and tools available to help you 'Master the Inner Game'. Helping us navigate this fascinating area are Personal Trainers (and Strength Athletes) Jen Mulhall and Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Jen or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.

Details -

Who : Personal Trainers (and Strength Athletes) Jen Mulhall and Josh Hewett
Topic : How to Master the Inner Game (Train Your Brain!)
When : Wednesday Nov 20, 9pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 223 - Progressive Calisthenics (with Al Kavadlo and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

---

Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months - featuring Mike 'The Machine' Bruce, Craig Bongelli and many, many more. Details shortly.

And if you'd like to suggest a future topic or take part in one of the upcoming Gymchats, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Movember 2013

If you haven't seen it yet, check out Josh's moustache-growing prowess for Movember 2013. And if you'd like to support him (well, prostate cancer research actually) in this quest, head over to his donation page :

http://ca.movember.com/mospace/7377745

btw, if you're unfamiliar with Movember and just want to see what it's all about, Josh has a brief intro video here :

http://straighttothebar.com/movember2013/

cheers.

Tip of the Week: Improvements in Fitness Trained Autistic Clients

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 comes to us from Eric Chessen, and was part of last year's conversation on Fitness & Autism. Great discussion.

---

From the Fitness & Autism discussion, in response to the question :

What kind of short term and long term improvements do you see in your autistic clients once you start training them?

It depends on the individual, but it is never only physical improvement. That's why I created the PAC Profile, because we're never just looking at physical ability, but adaptive and cognitive abilities as well. In the short-term, I've had athletes begin to really enjoy movement and improve in their gross motor skills, strength, stability, and stamina.

In the long term it becomes a lifestyle, and the athletes begin to embrace movement and fitness.

Good stuff. Whether you know autistic individuals or not, it's great to know what's possible.

Checking Out : Progressive Calisthenics Instructor Certification Workshop

These look fantastic.

The PCC workshops are the ones that Al Kavadlo mentioned in the last Gymchat. If you're at all interested in giving calisthenics a serious run, check them out.

To give you a quick idea of what's involved, a spot of video :

Perfect.

---

Quick update on the Lift the Blob package we mentioned recently - fantastic collection.

I'd love to hear how you go with it; when it comes to tackling this challenging feat you really can't go past Lift the Blob. Superb.

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 Your Own Bumper Plates on a Budget
  Mehdi Hadim
  Ready to try a spot of Olympic Weightlifting? Make your own 'plates'.

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 10, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Strong at 64

Good stuff.

Gymchat 223 - Progressive Calisthenics (with Al Kavadlo)

Calisthenics. Wonderful area. Question is, how do you progress?

This week we're diving deep into this one, looking at everything from 'what it is' and 'how to get started' to the all-important 'how to progress the exercises'. Tackling this one is none other than Personal Trainer Al Kavadlo, joined by Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Al or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.


Details -

Who : Personal Trainer Al Kavadlo and Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett
Topic : Progressive Calisthenics
When : Monday Nov 11, 4pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : A couple of weeks ago we held Gymchat 220 : High Intensity Training - HIT (with Chris Lutz and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

---

Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months, details shortly. One of those is an area I'm intrigued by personally, the Future of Fitness. Fascinating topic.

To give you an idea of what we'll be talking about and why it's essential (especially if you're a fitness professional yourself, or planning to be), here's a quick primer. And if you'd like to join us on the panel, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Tip of the Week: Why Warm Up?

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 comes to us from Kirk Fontaine, and is a snippet from the discussion Stretching & Warming Up. Was a great one.

---

In response to a couple of questions on 'Why Warm Up?' :

If you are to participate in exercise the first thing you need to do is warm up. The warm up is important to prepare your mind and body so that you can get the very best out of the exercise. The effect of a warm up on preventing injury is not clear however research does suggest increased muscle temperature decreases the risk of muscle tear.

Warming up will :

• Increase your heart rate to give you increased blood flow around the body to the muscles
• Improve oxygen delivery to the muscles
• Stimulate faster muscle contraction
• Improve the joints' ability to endure stress.

Good stuff.

Revisiting : Lift the Blob

Quick update on the Lift the Blob package we mentioned recently - fantastic collection.

I'd love to hear how you go with it, when it comes to tackling this challenging feat you really can't go past Lift the Blob. Superb.

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 : Conditioning Without Trying - Walking 10,000 Steps Per Day
  Scott Andrew Bird
  It really doesn't have to be complicated.

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 3, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Rope Climbing Alternatives

Nice one Ross.

Gymchat 222 - The Difference Between Exercise & Training (Why You Should TRAIN!) (Ryan Burgess)

A deceptively simple question - what's the difference between exercising and training?

This week we'll be looking closely at this subtle distinction, and how to approach things in the most effective way possible. Tackling this one is Powerlifter & Strength Coach Ryan Burgess, joined by Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Ryan or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.


Details -

Who : Powerlifter & Strength Coach Ryan Burgess and Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett
Topic : The Difference Between Exercise & Training (Why You Should TRAIN!)
When : Wednesday Nov 6, 9pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : A couple of weeks ago we held Gymchat 220 : High Intensity Training - HIT (with Chris Lutz and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

---

Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months, details shortly. One of those is an area I'm intrigued by personally, the Future of Fitness. Fascinating topic.

To give you an idea of what we'll be talking about and why it's essential (especially if you're a fitness professional yourself, or planning to be), here's a quick primer. And if you'd like to join us on the panel, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Tip of the Week : Bending Steel = Increased Strength Endurance

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.

---

A friend of mine asked me over the weekend why I bend things. It's partly because it's fun, and partly, well, I'll let Adam explain.
There are many great reasons for bending things, as 'Unbreakable' Adam Glass notes in the article Why Bend Steel? Apart from the simple 'because it's downright fun' :

The increase in strength and power naturally will carry over to an increase in your endurance. Anyone who has bent a nail will tell you the first time they bent it was so tiring. I have watched people sweat bullets bending their first respectable nail. As time goes on you gain huge reserves of power. A personal testament to this level of power for me was October 2007 when I bent 150 60D nails in one hour using the double under (DU) grip. That represented a massive improvement from Jan 2007, when bending 10-15 nails left my hands extremely fatigued.

Good stuff.

Revisiting : Lift the Blob

Quick update on the Lift the Blob package we mentioned recently - fantastic collection.

I'd love to hear how you go with it, when it comes to tackling this challenging feat you really can't go past Lift the Blob. Superb.

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 : A Little Yoke Work - 10 Exercises for a Bigger Neck
  Scott Andrew Bird
  Whether it's for protection, stability, or simply to look good in a suit - a strong neck's a great thing to have.

  
  

• Looking At : Oct 27, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : 5 Step "No Bar" Body Conditioning Routine

Nice one guys.

Gymchat 221 : The Paleo Approach to Health & Physique Transformation (Adam Farrah)

The Paleo Diet - what exactly is it, and how can it help with both health and physique transformation?

This is a fascinating area, and we'll be diving deep into it in this week's discussion. Tackling it is none other than Kettlebell and CrossFit Coach Adam Farrah, joined by Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Adam or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.


Details -

Who : Kettlebell and CrossFit Coach Adam Farrah and Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett
Topic : The Paleo Approach to Health & Physique Transformation
When : Wednesday Oct 30, 9pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 220 : High Intensity Training - HIT (with Chris Lutz and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

---

Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months, details shortly. One of those is an area I'm intrigued by personally, the Future of Fitness. Fascinating topic.

To give you an idea of what we'll be talking about and why it's essential (especially if you're a fitness professional yourself, or planning to be), here's a quick primer. And if you'd like to join us on the panel, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Tip of the Week : Use Checklists in your Training

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.

---

Checklists are one of those things that seem so simple as to be almost pointless. Not really worth the effort.

However, they're very powerful things indeed.


The basic logic behind using a checklist is pretty straightforward. As Adam Stoffa notes in the article Checklists and Complex Problems :

An example from training might be properly warming up. Everyone knows it's foolish to engage in physical training without warming up first, but with time pressure, competing interests, or environmental stress, this step occasionally gets skipped. The risks associated with skipping this step, are significant. Pulled muscles are a major setback to a training program. When you balance the interests involved, saving a few minutes versus suffering a major setback, the risk associated with skipping this key step is unacceptably high. Therefore, item number 1 on your checklist could be:

1. Complete Warm Up Exercises

And yes, although it looks almost laughably simple, this absolutely works. The checklist approach is very highly recommended indeed.

Revisiting : Lift the Blob

Quick update on the Lift the Blob package we mentioned recently - fantastic collection.

I'd love to hear how you go with it, when it comes to tackling this challenging feat you really can't go past Lift the Blob. Superb.

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 : The Hack Squat
  Scott Andrew Bird
  History and technique for this wonderful exercise. Love it.

  
  

• Looking At : Oct 20, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  We've been discussing some very interesting techniques, products and services recently. Here are the highlights.

  
  

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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Barstarzz In Paris (at the King of Push and Pull event)

Nice one guys.

Gymchat 220 : High Intensity Training - HIT (Chris Lutz)

High Intensity Training (HIT) - what exactly is it, and should it be part of your training routine?

This week we'll be explaining exactly what HIT is, and how everything works; as well as some of the fascinating research into this area in particular. Tackling this is Personal Trainer Chris Lutz, joined by Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Chris or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.


Details -

Who : Personal Trainer Chris Lutz and Strongman & Personal Trainer Josh Hewett
Topic : High Intensity Training - HIT
When : Wednesday Oct 23, 9pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 219 - Assessing Current Fitness Trends (with Adam Klymkiw and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

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Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months, details shortly. One of those is an area I'm intrigued by personally, the Future of Fitness. Fascinating topic.

To give you an idea of what we'll be talking about and why it's essential (especially if you're a fitness professional yourself, or planning to be), here's a quick primer. And if you'd like to join us on the panel, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Tip of the Week : A Moment of Silence

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.

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How do you mentally prepare for a workout? Listen to heavy music and generally get psyched up?

Try doing the opposite. Parth explains.


In the article Silence for Intense Workouts, Parth shares an interesting idea :

There is a moment right between my warm-up, and workout. Sometimes it is brief, perhaps lasting a few seconds, but other times it is long, lasting almost ten minutes. It is a moment of silence. Of reflection. The quiet before a storm. The soothing nature of the wind, steadily picking up the dead leaves off the tree and dropping them gently on the ground before the final gust of wind begins the season of autumn.


This is my moment of ZEN. To make sure that I am mentally THERE. I don't want to be thinking about my job interviews, about that girl I like, or about that thing I wanted to buy but was too broke 'cause I still live with my parents. No, it all goes away.

And yes, the music can come on right after this. Works well.

Revisiting : Warrior Power T's

Remember these? Fantastic things.

We first looked at these around 4 years ago, and they've been part of my training arsenal ever since. Comprising push-up handles with a very small connection to the ground, they make almost any variety of push-up just a little more challenging. A quick video to give you an idea :

The Warrior Power T's - love 'em.

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Quick update on the Lift the Blob package we mentioned recently - fantastic collection.

I'd love to hear how you go with it, when it comes to tackling this challenging feat you really can't go past Lift the Blob. Superb.

This Week on Straight to the Bar

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 : Starting Your Fitness Journey - 10 Things to Consider
  Scott Andrew Bird
  Just getting started? Welcome.

  
  

• Looking At : Oct 13, 2013
  Scott Andrew Bird
  We've been discussing some very interesting techniques, products and services recently. Here are the highlights.

  
  

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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Eric Lilliebridge - Deadlift Training Week 3, 370kgs (815lbs)

Nice one Eric.

Gymchat 219 - TBA

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

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Details -

Who : TBA
Topic : TBA
When : Wednesday Oct 16, 9pm EST
How : Google+ Hangout. If you've never been to one, just swing by the Event page (we'll post that shortly) and ask a question or three.
URL : We'll be announcing this shortly - both on the blog and on Google+ itself.

Previously : Last week we held three incredible discussions - Gymchat 216, Gymchat 217 and Gymchat 218. Absolutely fantastic.

If you missed any of the live streams, you can watch the full videos over on Josh's Youtube channel. Dive in.

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Coming Up : In upcoming Gymchats we'll be talking to Mike 'The Machine' Bruce, Al Kavadlo and many, many others. Full details shortly.

If you'd like to suggest a topic for a future discussion - or volunteer to be interviewed on the show - just drop us a line. And if you'd like to add your comments and suggestions on the Gymchats in general, you can do that here. Cheers.

Tip of the Week : Finding a Personal Trainer

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.

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When it comes to getting a fitness professional who's going to help you clarify and reach your goals, finding one is half the battle. Offering a couple of suggestions in that area is Total Transformation's John Kaiser, who's had more than a little experience himself.

Nice one. Over to John.


From the article Eliminating the Lug Nuts: How to Find a Good Trainer, a few thoughts :

Get the Digits. Step one, ask your trainer for references that you can contact. Step two, contact those references. It is amazing how many people miss step two--apparently asking for references only as a bluff. When you call the list of references, ask about their results. Where did they start and how far has he taken them? Did their hard work combined with his training know-how pay off? Has he been reliable and professional?

Good trainers get results; lug nuts only get your money.

One Size Fits All. Is the nutrition/training sheet your trainer gives you just a black and white copy--the same one he hands out to all his clients? Or does she/he give you a personalized workout and nutrition plan? You are paying for a personalized approach, so make sure you get it!

Good Trainers Personalize, Bad Trainers Xerox

Can't we All Just get Along? There is nothing worse than putting down several hundred dollars on a personal trainer only to find that the two of you can't get along. So pay for a few individual sessions (even if it costs a bit more). This will give you an opportunity to get to know the trainer, see how he runs his shop, and strike up a rapport. You aren't auditioning him/her for the role of best friend, but you should expect a certain level of professionalism.

A good trainer is always professional

Good stuff.

Looking Forward To : 'Strongman' on DVD

Fantastic.

Remember the film 'Strongman'? A fascinating look at Stanley 'Stanless Steel' Pleskun - a truly amazing guy.

It's about to hit the shelves in the form of a DVD, and Digital Download (on iTunes, Amazon Instant and Vudu). Really looking forward to checking it out once again.

'Strongman'.

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Quick update on the Lift the Blob package we mentioned recently - fantastic collection.

I'd love to hear how you go with it; when it comes to tackling this challenging feat you really can't go past Lift the Blob. Superb.