On the Forums

• General Kettlebell Questions
  Various Authors
  Want to find out which kettlebell to get? Read on.
  
• Gym Videos : What's Your Gym Like?
  Various Authors
  What sort of equipment does everyone have in their own gym? Take a look.
  

Ready to add yours? Just head over to the Articles & Logs page and log in, and click 'Post to Your Blog'. That's all there is to it.

Video - Home-made Belt Squat Machine

Ready for another dose of DIY Equipment goodness? Here's a home-made belt squat machine in action (how it's constructed). Good stuff.

Coming Events

Grip Contests : There are several grip contests coming up shortly, including :

• The Hybrid Competition
• Backyard Bash 5
• USHS Nationals
• The Steel Slayer Showdown
• Global Grip Challenge 2009

For details, swing by the Grip Contest Calendar.

Exercise of the Week

Stair Squat Jumps.

This is actually the first exercise I can recall seeing someone perform (in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens - great spot for outdoor training) : Stair Squat Jumps. Good fun.

On the Forums

• Ready to Start Bending?
  Scott Bird
  Ready to begin your steel-bending journey? Here's how.
  
• Getting Started Bending
  Various Authors
  Want more? This is a great discussion.
  

Ready to add yours? Just head over to the Articles & Logs page and log in, and click 'Post to Your Blog'. That's all there is to it.

Video - Parkour Tutorial: Wall-Run

This is a superb look at a particularly fun element of Parkour - the Wall Run. Enjoy.

Coming Events

Twitterchat : In this week's twitterchat we'll be joining The Rotater's Chris Melton for a discussion on his life as a reformed gymrat and what his current training approach is.

See you there.

Grip Contests : There are several grip contests coming up shortly, including :

• The Hybrid Competition
• Backyard Bash 5
• USHS Nationals
• The Steel Slayer Showdown
• Global Grip Challenge 2009

For details, swing by the Grip Contest Calendar.

Exercise of the Week

The Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (TGU). I first came across this exercise via the On Sitting and Standing piece in July 2006, and it's been a favourite ever since.

Pavel has a superb explanation on the Enter the Kettlebell! DVD, and Steve Cotter looks at an alternative technique in his brilliant Encyclopedia Of Kettlebell Lifting (Series 1). Regardless of your training goals, there's likely a place for it in your routines. Fantastic exercise.

On the Forums

• Six Things Your Training Should Include
  Chris Smith
  Whatever your training goals, a well-balanced program contains a dose of all of these.
  
• Bottom Up Press Tips
  Various Authors
  Ready to turn your kettlebell training upside down? Here's how.
  

Ready to add yours? Just head over to the Articles & Logs page and log in, and click 'Post to Your Blog'. That's all there is to it.

Video - Home-made Protein Bars

There are a number of ways to make your own protein bars, and this video goes over the basic process. Use your favourite type of nut butter, protein powder and experiment. You really can't go far wrong.

NB : if you've found a combination that works particularly well, tell us about it (or share some video) in the Diet section of the forums. Loads of great ideas in there.

Coming Events

Contest : Card Tearing
How's your card tearing? Josh and I will be formalising a contest during the week, but it's safe to say that there'll be plenty of torn cards, sore fingers and a spot of video involved. Should be fun.

Grip Contest : Global Grip Challenge 2009
It's on again - the superb Global Grip Challenge. Details shortly.

Training Logs

• Fight Geek
  A great look at conditioning work with a definite combat edge.
  
• Josh Hanagarne
  230 kettlebell snatches in 10 minutes? That's the plan.
  

Ready to add yours? Just head over to the Articles & Logs page and log in, and click 'Post to Your Blog'. That's all there is to it.

Video - DIY Wrist Roller Tutorial

DIY project for the week - the first bit of gym gear I made for myself, a Wrist Roller. Good stuff.

NB : once you've made one, tell us about it (or share some video) in the DIY section of the forums. Loads of great ideas in there.

Basic Philosophy of Hardstyle

What's the Hardstyle approach all about? Josh explains.

Articles

• How much does it cost to work out?
  by Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker
  Kat takes a great look at the financial side of working out.
  
• How Bodyweight Saved my Back
  by Dave Hedges
  Dave gives bodyweight training a serious look, with great results.
  

Ready to add yours?

Video - DIY Duct Tape Speed Ladder

DIY project for the week - a Duct Tape Speed Ladder. Good stuff.

Sandbag Combos for Fighters

There have been a number of great discussions on the forums over the past two weeks, including this thread on sandbag training. How do you put your sandbag to use?

Articles

• The Adventure & Romance of Exploring Gyms
  by Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker
  Kat takes a great look at the real value of exploring new gyms.
  
• Bad News on Core Training
  by Joe Hashey
  Looking for something a little more exciting than an ab crunch? Joe has a few ideas.
  

Ready to add yours?

Video - Day at the Park

The Pound's Brendan shows us a sample workout in the local park; complete with kettlebells and medicine ball. Good stuff.

Training at Work

I was asked again this morning about the ideal way to train while you're at work; covering the topic in superb detail, Josh over at World's Strongest Librarian. Absolutely free.

How to Get Stronger at Work While Your Boss Isn't Looking

Articles

• Working Out At Home - Deck of Cards
  by Justin Andrushko
  Justin notes a quick way to add some variety to your routine.
  
• 6 Tips for the Overhead Squat
  by Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker
  Ready to squeeze a little more out of the Overhead Squat? Kat explains how.
  

Ready to add yours?

Transformation of Straight to the Bar

The new-look Straight to the Bar. Welcome.

At the heart of Straight to the Bar is a fantastic community of people who share an undeniable passion for lifting heavy objects. This love of the iron is shared through email, tweets, youtube videos and many other media. Love it.

In order to get even closer to this community, Straight to the Bar has been transformed into a forum over the past few days. As well as communicating with me, everyone will be more able to discuss training ideas and techniques directly with each other. Much more effective.

Additionally, I'll be creating a lot of new content for the new-look site. Of course, the many, many articles (posted over the last 5 years) will remain. You'll find them all here.

Hope everyone enjoys the change. If you've got any questions/comments/suggestions, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.

See you inside.

Video - Overhead Squat Mobility

Steve Cotter has posted several great videos on the squat, including the one above - progressions for the Overhead Squat. Good stuff.

Beast Skills

Beast Skills.

Got a site, event or product you'd like to recommend? Drop us a line.

Video - Kettlebell Juggling at the 2004 European Weightlifting Championships.

Wow.

ExRx Exercise and Muscle Directory

ExRx Exercise and Muscle Directory.

Got a site, event or product you'd like to recommend? Drop us a line.

Video - Home-made 'Bulgarian Bag'

Matt Wichlinski demonstrates the construction and use of a DIY 'Bulgarian Bag' version. Love it.

The Powerlifting

The Powerlifting.

Got a site, event or product you'd like to recommend? Drop us a line.