Great information.

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 : Lift Fast, Lift Strong
  Justin Andrushko | Follow @JustinAndrushk1
  The benefits of lifting fast.

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 24, 2019
  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 : Strength Standards - 'How Strong Should I Be?' (Alan Thrall)

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, Facebook 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.

Jason Paris.

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 : 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.

Seeing Complexity. Photo by Michael Heiss.

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.

Checking Out : HardstyleFit Kettlebell Level One Course (Dragon Door)

HardstyleFit Kettlebell Level One Course.

As you'd expect for this time of year, there are more than a few Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotions on offer. One that caught my eye is Dragon Door's HardstyleFit Kettlebell Level One Course - a wonderful offering at a superb price ($99).

The course's main page has a detailed list of what's included, but suffice to say that it's a wonderful way to learn the HardstyleFit Kettlebell approach. The Goblet Squat, Get-Up, and the Swing.

Dragon Door's HardstyleFit Kettlebell Level One Course.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Looks great (especially for travel workouts).

The MONKII 360 is a door-mounted band workout system, designed with interval training in mind. Looks ideal for a quick session in the hotel room, or wherever you end up when on-the-road.

A spot of video :

The MONKII 360.

Very interesting area.

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 : Road to Strong
  Davie Easton | Follow @DavieEaston
  Its only 110kg per hand...

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 17, 2019
  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 : All About The Gut Microbiome (Joe Scott)

Very interesting area.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Facebook 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.

Kurtis Frank. Photo by Kira Beriault.

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 : Lateral Sled Work

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

This tip comes from the Gymchat Bite on Sled Training, with Strength Coach Frank DiMeo and Personal Trainer and Strength Athlete Josh Hewett. How Frank performs Lateral Work with a Sled :

Good stuff.

Checking Out : MONKII 360 (Portable Workout Setup)

The MONKII 360 is a door-mounted band workout system, designed with interval training in mind. Looks ideal for a quick session in the hotel room, or wherever you end up when on-the-road.

A spot of video :

The MONKII 360.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Interesting idea.

The NeoRhythm Neurostimulation Headband - using a combination of electromagnetism and positioning to aid focus, sleep, relaxation and so on.

Although I'm slightly skeptical of this device in particular, it's certainly a fascinating area.

The NeoRhythm.

Fascinating.

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 : Kettlebell, TRX, & Ultimate Sandbag Exercises for Healthy Shoulders and Happier Hamstrings
  Troy Anderson | Follow @TroyATS
  Look after yourself.

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 10, 2019
  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 : Dr David Sinclair on the Informational Theory of Aging, Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, Resveratrol & More (FoundMyFitness)

Fascinating.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Facebook 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.

Bill Piche.

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 : Returning to Heavy Training - Inspecting the Equipment

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

This tip is an answer to the question 'If you're using your old gear, how do you test things to make sure they're still safe and working correctly?', directed at Vic Magary during the Heavy Training after a Break Gymchat. A great discussion.

Vic Magary.

"I think the most important thing to inspect would be the J-cups where you set the bar. Also simply taking a wrench to all of the bolts of a rack to make sure they are good and tight. Depending on the type, you may want to double check the collars. I'd think the barbell and plates would be fine even after a few years as long as they were subject to normal conditions."

Checking Out : NeoRhythm (Neurostimulation Headband)

The NeoRhythm Neurostimulation Headband - using a combination of electromagnetism and positioning to aid focus, sleep, relaxation and so on.

Although I'm slightly skeptical of this device in particular, it's certainly a fascinating area.

The NeoRhythm.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.