Results matching “Bird”

Tara ScottiA great week here on Straight to the Bar. Hitting the headlines :

UVTV - Test articles

Arch EnemyLooking for some new workout music? Take a wander over to the Underground Video Television podcast : Metal, Hardcore and Hard Rock videos. Superb.

GrapplingWith the next Grappling and BJJ Championship taking place in just over a weeks' time (in Las Vegas), here's a brief video [916kb, .mov] to get you in the mood. Should be a good one.

Jason KirbyThis is the first of a monthly Q&A session with Personal Trainer Jason Kirby. If you've got a question to ask, please send it to :

kirby AT straighttothebar DOT com

A few will be selected (minus the names, of course) each month. This time he looks at outdoor training, warm-ups and creating a workout plan.

What are the real benefits of outdoor training? Why aren't there more open-air gyms?

There are a ton of real benefits to outdoor training, but the one that strikes me the hardest is shaking up the boredom from a routine. Exposure to elements can force new stimuli on the body forcing it to adapt to much more difficult training sessions, and in time yield stronger, tempered results. I suppose open air gyms are not as common because they’re not as appealing to the large amounts of people who exercise at health clubs, and because the dinosaur nature of outdoor training is usually more difficult than knocking out a few squats on the Smith Machine, or some Overhead Presses on the Hammer Strength machine; people may be less inclined to do such.

What makes a good warm-up? How can you tell when you're ready to start playing with the heavy stuff?

A good warm-up is a lot like an insurance policy you’ve earned. I’ve found that the very best warm up to do is one that follows specificity. I’m a huge fan of joint rotations and joint mobility warm ups to facilitate the joints being lubricated by the synovial fluid. Afterwards I’ve found that a quick neuromuscular warm up involving some unstable surface training gets proprioreception fired and ready for the ensuing training.

Last but not least make sure to practice a couple of warm ups sets related directly to the area of target, if it’s legs, then do a set or so of bodyweight squats, and lunges to get the blood flowing, but also make sure to spend extra time warming up areas that are either injured or lack R.O.M. that they should have. You should be warm and red. You’ll know when you’re ready to play with the big weights when you’re warm to the touch, loosened up enough to touch your toes, and motivated enough to start chucking weights around the weight room.

You seem to put a lot of effort into the training elements which take place out of the gym, such as nutrition and recovery. Do you teach these things to your clients, and if so, how?

I unfortunately don’t give my clients as much time into the darker areas of training that can really make or break success with the war on weights. Recovery and rehabilitation should be taken as seriously if not more seriously than the training itself. Replacing joints is not a fun process and muscular imbalances sabotage the fruits of labor. Here and there I get special cases where the out of gym training is more valuable to their goals than what I do with them. Things like proper nutrition, or even sports nutrition can play 1/3 or more of goal completion and can boost exercise capabilities rather quickly. I always remind people that before they come to me, they need to have eaten at least an hour before. Your car won’t go far without gas, and I remind them to eat afterwards regardless of what their own personal beliefs or craziness’s are. Food is energy, and that’s the only way our bodies run.

Why is it almost impossible for a personal trainer to create a plan for someone who isn't their client?

Impossible is only a word, but in all honesty it’s extremely difficult to make presumptions on an impersonal experience when writing a plan for someone you don’t know. Obviously that can be very dangerous if you’re not aware of limitations or strengths. You can create a wonderful plan that covers every corner, but what you cannot teach to someone (easily) is dedication and completion of that plan. You can’t gauge whether or not they’re stronger than you thought or that they are gifted in talent with particular exercises or training protocols. You can’t make them follow it, and with all the training plans available on the internet, with a little bit of research they can find one that works well for them. A plan has to match the goals of the client and has to be specific to their goals, ie. No using powerlifting programs to help a distance runner achieve a shorter time.


If you live in California and would like to hire Jason as a Personal Trainer, the best ways to get in touch with him are :

  • Phone : 480-316-0093
  • Email : jason AT allaroundstrength.com

For more of his work, take a look at the other articles on this site and his writing at All Around Strength.

Tara ScottiThis is a guest post by bodybuilder, writer and weightlifting aficionado Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker - Specific Training for the Transverse Abdominis: Belt It In. Enjoy.


For most people, specific-training ab routines include a variety of spinal flexion movements designed to emphasize the rectus abdominis, the vertical muscles on the front of the core (rectus = erect). In the weightroom, these include familiar exercises such as crunches, reverse crunches, sit-ups and Roman chair leg lifts (although the chief emphasis ends up going to the hip flexors in such leg lift exercises more often than not). In the yoga or Pilates studio, they include a variety of V-sit exercises. While all of these may, if performed properly, leave your core stiff and sore the following days, if these make up your entire abs routine, there is an important abs muscle that you are neglecting -- transverse abdominis.

The transverse abdominis runs horizontally, in the transverse plane of the body (trans = across). A simple way to think of it is that it acts like a belt, drawing your entire core in more tightly to your vertical midline. And that's exactly what you want in order to give your waist a narrow appearance. The exercises for this ab are different from the ones mentioned for the other abs. They may not sound like much and certainly won't look as dramatic as, say, your big bench or monster squat. But if you've been doggedly crunching away and still don't want anyone seeing your exposed belly until you're good and ready, training the TA may be exactly what your program needs.

Most people have some innate sense of how this muscle works, and proof that it's the key to a great midsection is right there. Think about the old phrase "sucking in your gut." When people who have no idea how to work out want their tummies to look good, they instinctively try to draw in their abs like the Frank Zane vacuum pose. This movement bears no resemblance to a crunch-type movement. They do not bend over. Their hip flexors remain neutral. The only bodypart they try to affect is the TA. And crude as it may look, bodybuilders take notice: they've got something there.

The TA is a deep layer of horizontal muscle fibers that does not appear to be directly involved in joint movement. This muscle can indirectly add to spinal support by providing belt-like opposition to intra-abdominal pressure, which creates a column of support for the spine as well as the trunk area (NASM, 106). In order to work the TA, then, concentrate not on challenging spinal flexion but rather spinal stabilization in neutral alignment.

Begin by becoming aware of this muscle. Sit upright on a bench. Have a partner face you, place both of his hands on your shoulders, and gently push you backward (gently!). Your goal is to maintain your upright position, not allowing your spine to extend/your back to arch. Your TA will kick in to achieve your goal.

Here's a visualization to help you zero in on this muscle: imagine you are pulling your belly button into your spine. Place your hand on your belly button and try it, and you'll realize what a dramatic difference actuating this muscle makes. Strengthen it, and you'll have just that much enhancement to the appearance of your midsection.

Here's something you can do while you're driving. Whenever you hit the brake, contract your TA. The momentum of moving forward will provide tangible, manageable resistance. This is a great way to get in some TA work in daily life.

Keep the exercises distinct from your other ab and core exercises. You may perform them in the same workout, and indeed you should keep your TA tight throughout most of your exercises as a rule. But set aside a few specific moves to devote to training your TA alone. Train your belt on the inside, and you'll be tightening up the one on the outside.

MX Conditioning - Test articles

071121_mxconditioning.jpgWhen was the last time you came across a fitness site squarely aimed at Motorcross enthusiasts? What's that, you haven't?

Take a wander over to MX Conditioning - the online home of performance expert Steven Bubel. Not bad at all.

ThamesA recent thread over on Fitness Banter has me considering various ways to display hikes, running routes and assorted travels - using Google Earth. Good stuff.

Eleni Petroulaki - Daily Curves

eleni_petroulaki22.jpgGreek gymnast Eleni Petroulaki. Just one of the amazing physiques in this gallery of nude sporting stars over on femalemuscle.

Muscle crampOver at The Science of Sport Ross takes a fascinating look at muscle cramping. How much of a role does 'salty sweat' really play? A great read.

Karl Gillingham performing Timber Walk. Photo © Randall J. Strossen.

Karl Gillingham performing the Timber Walk at the 2005 Arnold. Just one of the many strongman events not in next year's Louis Cyr World Strength Challenge.

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