They seem to be everywhere - Smart Home Gym setups, connecting various devices to virtual fitness classes. Fast, convenient and ideal for small setups. Perfect.

To give you an idea of what I mean by a 'Smart Home Gym', here's an example - The Tonal, as reviewed by Garage Gym Reviews :

Stuck at home for a while, and looking to get the occasional workout in? Here's how.

Smart Home Gym Setups

As you can see, it's ideal for use in a small space. And yes, there are many such systems available. We've noted quite a few in the 'Smart Home Gym' category, and here's a brief list to give you an idea :

• Mirror
• Tonal
• Peloton
• Apple Fitness+
• KettlebellConnect
• Tempo
• Forme Life
• STUDIO
• Echelon Rowing
• Carbon Trainer

twitter.com/i/lists/1333186499827810305 .

Final Thoughts

A Smart Home Gym - an incredibly handy way to train.

I sincerely hope these items help. If you've still got questions - or would like to point us to a particular piece of equipment/service, feel free to contact one of the trainers noted above or hit me up directly (all of the details are on the contact page).

cheers,

Scott

They seem to be everywhere - Smart Home Gym setups, connecting various devices to virtual fitness classes. Fast, convenient and ideal for small setups. Perfect.

To give you an idea of what I mean by a 'Smart Home Gym', here's an example - The Tonal, as reviewed by Garage Gym Reviews :

Stuck at home for a while, and looking to get the occasional workout in? Here's how.

Smart Home Gym Setups

As you can see, it's ideal for use in a small space. And yes, there are many such systems available. We've noted quite a few in the 'Smart Home Gym' category, and here's a brief list to give you an idea :

• Mirror
• Tonal
• Peloton
• Apple Fitness+
• KettlebellConnect
• Tempo
• Forme Life
• STUDIO
• Echelon Rowing
• Carbon Trainer

Final Thoughts

A Smart Home Gym - an incredibly handy way to train.

I sincerely hope these items help. If you've still got questions - or would like to point us to a particular piece of equipment/service, feel free to contact one of the trainers noted above or hit me up directly (all of the details are on the contact page).

cheers,

Scott

Interesting.

The VAE is a pocket-sized energy spray, designed to provide a quick pick-up whenever needed. I suspect 'prior to a heavy workout' will be a popular use case.

I'm keen to give it a go - particularly for the above use. While we're waiting (it doesn't ship until early next year), a little video :

The VAE Spray.

Since we first mentioned the Tonal, there have been a few other entrants into the 'Smart Home Gym' space. Does it still hold up?

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 : Intermittent Fasting
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  When - and how often - do you eat?

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 1, 2020
  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 : Long-Term Review of the Tonal Smart Home Gym (Garage Gym Reviews)

Since we first mentioned the Tonal, there have been a few other entrants into the 'Smart Home Gym' space. Does it still hold up?

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.

Adam Farrah.

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, the blog; and 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 : VAE (Energy Spray)

Interesting.

The VAE is a pocket-sized energy spray, designed to provide a quick pick-up whenever needed. I suspect 'prior to a heavy workout' will be a popular use case.

I'm keen to give it a go - particularly for the above use. While we're waiting (it doesn't ship until early next year), a little video :

The VAE Spray.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Looks great.

The Hela Bio is a glucose monitor which uses your sweat for its readings. Much simpler than the blood-based methods typically used.

Although I'd love to see this functionality added to existing smartwatches, this is an intriguing device nonetheless.

A little video to give you an idea of what's on offer :

The Hela Bio.

A wonderful glimpse at an oft-overlooked area of training.

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 Future of Workout Clothing
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Where's it all going?

  
  

• Looking At : Oct 25, 2020
  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 : Movement Training Explained - Ido Portal, Animal Flow, and Primal Workouts (The Bioneer)

A wonderful glimpse at an oft-overlooked area of training.

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.

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 Stages of Workout Nutrition

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 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 : Hela Bio (Wearable Sweat Glucose Smartwatch)

Looks great.

The Hela Bio is a glucose monitor which uses your sweat for its readings. Much simpler than the blood-based methods typically used.

Although I'd love to see this functionality added to existing smartwatches, this is an intriguing device nonetheless.

A little video to give you an idea of what's on offer :

The Hela Bio.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.