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 : Strains and Sprains
  Scott Andrew Bird
  You've probably had both. But what's the difference?

  
  

• Looking At : Jul 21, 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 : Ski Jumper Planks

Interesting exercise. Nice one Nick.

Gymchat 206 - Sandbag Training (with Matt Palfrey)

Sandbag Training. What's it all about, and how do you get started? Should you make your own, or are you better off buying one? Is sand always the best thing to fill them with?

Talking about these and a whole lot more is Strength and Conditioning Coach Matt Palfrey, Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine and You. If you've got questions (or just want to show off your own gear), join us on the Hangout. Details below.


Details -

Who : Strength and Conditioning Coach Matt Palfrey, Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine and You
Topic : Sandbag Training
When : Wed Jul 24, 5pm EST (here's how to find out when that is in your timezone)
URL : We'll be announcing this shortly - both on the blog and on Google+ itself.

See you there.

Previously : In Gymchat 205 we talked about 'Paleo Dieting', with Kettlebell and CrossFit Coach Adam Farrah and Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine. Great discussion.

If you missed the broadcast, the video is available over on Kirk's Youtube Channel. That's also the best place to subscribe to the videos directly, and to see previous discussions.

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If you'd like to suggest a future topic, or schedule an interview for one of the upcoming discussions, you can send us a message privately here, or swing by our Community site on Google+. Look forward to hearing from you.

Tip of the Week: Rice Bucket Rehab

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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In the discussion Recovery Work for the Hands we noted several superb recovery techniques, including the ever-popular Rice Digs.

If you've never tried doing these, the process is incredibly simple. From the post 'Rice Digs', a brief description :

Pour some uncooked rice into a bucket and repeatedly burrow your hands into it. Make fists, rotate your wrists and generally move your hands around whilst they're surrounded by rice.

NB : All other things being equal, a finer material will feel more difficult. Things like lead shot have less give, and will quickly prove challenging. Rice is a good starting point.

And to make things a little clearer, have a look at the video below. Great exercise.


From the post Rice Bucket Rehab :

Good stuff.

Checking Out : No Gym, No Time, No Problem

This looks great.

Top of my to-read pile is No Gym, No Time, No Problem; and when you see the list of authors (Geovanni Derice, Erik Rokeash, Jedd Johnson, Ryan Munsey, Mike Salvietti, Dan Huff, G.R. Hoff, Joe Meglio, Corey Macgregor, Connor Flahive) you'll understand just why. Suffice to say they know their stuff.


A snippet from the Amazon page will give you an idea of what the book's all about :

What happens when 5 Fat Loss Experts, 5 Strength and Conditioning Coaches and 2 Lifestyle coaches Meet-up at a random house in New Jersey and lock themselves in a room for 2 days?

They come up with The simplest and easiest Collection of Fitness programs designed for busy people with Limited Time, attention and resources.

No Gym, No Time, No Problem.

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Quick update on the Renaissance Fitness Supplement Kits we mentioned recently - superb idea.

As we noted, we'll be reviewing these shortly. And if you missed the announcement, here's a brief video to explain the basic idea :

For more information, head on over to the official site - renaissancefitnessinc.com.

During the past week we've discussed a number of great links; on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.

What's your current diet like? When do you eat, and why?

Recently we took a look at the fascinating world of Intermittent Fasting. What it is, why it's worth considering and how it all works. This week we're discussing a nutritional approach that often works well with IF, the Paleo Diet. And as you'll see, it also works extremely well with a spot of strength training.

Helping us tackle this one is Kettlebell and CrossFit Coach Adam Farrah, Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine and You. Perfect.


NB : I'm very keen to hear both Adam's thinking on this approach, and yours. If you've got questions or opinions on the Paleo Diet, join us on the Hangout. Here's how.


Details -

Who Kettlebell and CrossFit Coach Adam Farrah
Topic : Paleo Dieting
When : Wed Jul 17, 12:30pm EST (here's how to find out when that is in your timezone)
URL : https://plus.google.com/events/cct01050n9hv5cp8mfule19uv0o. Just click the 'Yes' beneath 'Are you going?'

See you there.

Technologies such as Google Glass look set to change the way a great many things happen. When it comes to medicine, entertainment, journalism and a whole lot more.

What sorts of changes do you think are possible (and even likely) when it comes to the world of strength training? How will workouts change, and the various types of fitness-related competitions available? Discussing this intriguing area : Triathlete, Pilot and Google Glass Owner Chas Melichar; Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine and You. Fantastic.


NB : I'm very keen to hear both Chas' thinking on these technologies, and yours. If you've got questions or opinions on things like Google Glass, join us on the Hangout. Here's how.

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 : DIY: Home-Made Gym Equipment
  Scott Andrew Bird
  We've talked about home-made equipment a lot over the years. Here's the first major roundup.

  Incidentally, I'm always keen to see the results of your DIY labours. If you're ready to show off one or two of your own projects that are working well, swing by the Google+ Community. See you there.



• Looking At : Jul 7, 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 : Kettlebell Bear Crawls

Good stuff Brett.

Gymchat 204 - Training & Competing with Google Glass (with Chas Melichar)

Technologies such as Google Glass look set to change the way a great many things happen. When it comes to medicine, entertainment, journalism and a whole lot more.

What sorts of changes do you think are possible (and even likely) when it comes to the world of strength training? How will workouts change, and the various types of fitness-related competitions available? Discussing this intriguing area : Triathlete, Pilot and Google Glass Owner Chas Melichar; Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine and You. Fantastic.


NB : I'm very keen to hear both Chas' thinking on these technologies, and yours. If you've got questions or opinions on things like Google Glass, join us on the Hangout. Here's how.


Details -

Who Ultrarunner, airline captain and insanely competitive triathlete, Chas Melichar
Topic : Training & Competing with Google Glass
When : Wed Jul 10, 9pm EST (here's how to find out when that is in your timezone)
URL : We'll be announcing this shortly - both on the blog and on Google+ itself.

See you there.

Previously : In Gymchat 203 we talked about 'Crossfit Principles', with CrossFit Level 1 Coach, Dai Manuel and Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine. Great discussion.

If you missed the broadcast, the video is available over on Kirk's Youtube Channel. That's also the best place to subscribe to the videos directly, and to see previous discussions.

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If you'd like to suggest a future topic, or schedule an interview for one of the upcoming discussions, you can send us a message privately here, or swing by our Community site on Google+. Look forward to hearing from you.

Tip of the Week: Atlas Stone 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.

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As you may have already noticed, we're constantly adding new pages to the Guides section of this site. One of the most recent additions looks at the many ways to lift heavy stones - good fun.

To get you in the mood for a little stone work, here's the incredible Jouko Ahola explaining (and demonstrating) one of the most popular forms - Atlas Stone lifting. Love it.

NB : In addition to the technique itself, Jouko makes an excellent point near the end of the video. He notes that in his own training the platforms are a little higher than those used in competitions, and the stones are slightly heavier. Sage advice indeed.

Re-Reading : Raising the Bar

Remember this? Superb book.

Over the weekend I found myself discussing calisthenics with a friend of mine, which resulted in two things :

1. an impromptu workout
2. a re-reading of Al Kavadlo's superb book, Raising the Bar : The Definitive Guide to Bar Calisthenics.

If you haven't already, check it out. Love it.

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Quick update on the Renaissance Fitness Supplement Kits we mentioned recently - superb idea.

As we noted, we'll be reviewing these shortly. And if you missed the announcement, here's a brief video to explain the basic idea :

For more information, head on over to the official site - renaissancefitnessinc.com.

If you've spent any time exploring the world of fitness, chances are you've heard of CrossFit.

This week we're going to be discussing the thinking behind it - what it is, and the logic behind doing things the CrossFit way. The daily workouts, Olympic Lifting, diet and a whole lot more. Helping us tackle it is CrossFit Level 1 Coach, Dai Manuel. Fantastic.

NB : I'm very keen to hear both Dai's thinking on CrossFit, and yours. If you've got questions or opinions on the CrossFit approach, join us on the Hangout. Here's how.

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 : Using Pulse Rate to Determine Rest Break Length
  Scott Andrew Bird
  How long do you rest betweens sets? More importantly, how do you determine that?

  
  

• Looking At : Jun 30, 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 : How To Squat With Perfect Form

Good stuff Jonnie.

Gymchat 203 - Explaining Crossfit Principles (with Dai 'The Moose' Manuel)

If you've spent any time exploring the world of fitness, chances are you've heard of CrossFit.

This week we're going to be discussing the thinking behind it - what it is, and the logic behind doing things the CrossFit way. The daily workouts, Olympic Lifting, diet and a whole lot more. Helping us tackle it is CrossFit Level 1 Coach, Dai Manuel. Fantastic.

NB : I'm very keen to hear both Dai's thinking on CrossFit, and yours. If you've got questions or opinions on the CrossFit approach, join us on the Hangout. Here's how.

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Details -

Who : CrossFit Level 1 Coach, Dai Manuel, Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine and you.
Topic : Explaining Crossfit Principles
When : Wednesday Jul 3, 9pm EST
How : Google+ Hangout. If you've never been to one, here's how to take part.
URL : We'll be announcing this shortly - both on the blog and on Google+ itself.

NB : If this is the first time you're joining us for one of the Video Gymchats, welcome. There are three basic ways to watch this (depending on whether you want to join us on the Hangout and ask a question or two, or just sit back and take it all in) - full details here. However you like to do it, we've got you covered.

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Coming Up : In upcoming Gymchats we'll be discussing Rope Training, Sandbag Work for Beginners and the Fitness Future of technologies such as Google Glass. Get your questions ready.


And 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. Cheers.

Tip of the Week: Overhand Card Tearing

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 the various feats of performing strongmen & women, one that frequently comes to mind is the tearing of a deck of cards. In the article Overhand Card Tearing, Bikes Cut the Correct Way, Adam explains the basic technique for doing exactly that :

• 

  Hold it firmly.
  Hold the deck firmly with your weak hand (right side shown for me) with the deck firmly and horizontal to the floor.
  
• 

  Pinch the deck.
  Pinch the deck with the strong hand with the thumb and index finger. It's the same grip you use to use a remote control.
  
• 

  Pull towards your chest.
  Pull your strong hand (pinch side) towards your chest. The index finger splits the deck. You must pinch hard!
  
• 

  Turn your weak hand towards the floor.
  Continue to pull hand towards your chest, turn your weak hand towards the floor. The deck will rip - not twist - if you have a tight grip. The tear line will be clean.
  
• 

  Separate the deck.
  Continue to pinch the deck hard and pull back towards your chest until you separate the deck. The line will be a clean cut right through the deck. With this method you can put the cut anywhere you want on the deck.
  

It takes pain tolerance and hand strength with this method. Keep practicing. THERE IS NO TRICK. Rub some lip balm on your hands after you tear if the skin is raw.

I can now rip decks of bicycles in less than 3 seconds, and quarter them in a second with this grip. It makes you strong.

NB : it's certainly possible, but by no means easy. If you enjoyed doing that and would like to take it a step further, check out Jedd's superb Card Tearing eBook. Invaluable resource.

Checking Out : Bodybuilders Never Die

I love finding out how people got from there to here.

Next on the reading list is Jim Moore's Bodybuilders Never Die - They Simply Lose Their Pump, a look at his transformation from skinny teenager to national champion. And as he freely admits, there were one or two challenges along the way.

Bodybuilders Never Die. Comes out today.

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Quick update on the Renaissance Fitness Supplement Kits we mentioned recently - superb idea.

As we noted, we'll be reviewing these shortly. And if you missed the announcement, here's a brief video to explain the basic idea :

For more information, head on over to the official site - renaissancefitnessinc.com.

During the past week we've discussed a number of great links; on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.

Originally published on Renaissance Fitness Inc.

Star Rating: ★★★★☆

I have a confession to make: I almost didn't write this review.

Don't get me wrong. Garden of Life's RAW Organic Green Super Food is an amazing product, full of all the vitamin-rich foods you need to stay healthy and fit to get the most out of your workouts.

My problem is the taste.

As good as this greens powder is, it still tastes like vegetables.

You know those little lemongrass shots you can buy from the juice bar in health food stores? RAW Organic Green Super Food tastes slightly better than that thanks to the addition of fruit juices like pineapple, carrot and ginger.

But even with all those fruit juices, it still tastes green.

As a fitness professional, one of my biggest challenges is clients' adherence to their nutrition plans. If the food tastes bad, if the supplements are hard to use, or if it takes too much work to use a product I recommend, adherence to the plan goes down. Even the most perfect, most amazing products are useless if no one uses them.

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 :

• The Ultimate Self-Defense Workout
  Jessica Ruane & Brett Kasa
  Get a little conditioning in your self-defense sessions.

  
  

• Looking At : Jun 23, 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 : How to Build Your Deadlift

Good stuff Clint. There's certainly plenty to think about.

Gymchat 203 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly; here are the various ways to watch/join in.

However you take part, enjoy.

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Details -

Who : TBA
Topic : TBA
When : Wednesday Jun 26, 9pm EST
How : Google+ Hangout. If you've never been to one, here's how to take part.
URL : We'll be announcing this shortly - both on the blog and on Google+ itself.

NB : If this is the first time you're joining us for one of the Video Gymchats, welcome. There are three basic ways to watch this (depending on whether you want to join us on the Hangout and ask a question or two, or just sit back and take it all in) - full details here. However you like to do it, we've got you covered.

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Coming Up : In upcoming Gymchats we'll be discussing CrossFit, Rope Training and the Fitness Future of technologies such as Google Glass. Get your questions ready.


And 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. Cheers.

Tip of the Week: Training When Travelling

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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The other day I received a question on Google+ along the lines of 'how do I train when travelling?'. A few years ago, Mark Konen faced a similar situation. His solution (from the article Pack Light, Train Hard) :

Well traveled suitcase.

I am visiting my sedentary family soon and I will not be near a gym so here is my plan:

First, there is a wide variety of bodyweight exercises I can do including push-ups, sit-ups, mountain climbers, burpees, squats, pull-ups and jumping rope. I can fashion these as a circuit or even as a Tabata workout. So, the first thing I will pack is the Gymboss interval timer. Since I will already have my laptop with me, I could also use an online Tabata timer.

To make the bodyweight exercises even more challenging, I will bring along my jumpstretch bands; specifically the mini-bands. I can add resistance to any exercise I do and can also use it for assistance in pull-ups and range of motion (ROM) work. I also have a couple minor, nagging injuries that would benefit from some band work.

I will bring some running gear and would run in areas where I could also find some things like rocks to lift and throw. I may add in some hills and speed training. (I do use the word "speed" with a sense of humor)!

I'll toss in a Captains of Crush Gripper. I can use that while watching sports on the tube.

OK, so far so good. But I really would like to do some heavy lifting so what can I do that is the same as what I would do at my home gym? Sandbag training! All I have to do is to take my sandbag liners of 50, 25 and 10#, empty them at home and then go buy a couple of 50# bags at a hardware store close to where I'll be staying. Sand is cheap.

That about covers all I could possibly need to get in great workouts while out of town. Since I am going to a colder clime, it may be unlikely there will be a heavy snowfall this early in the season, but if I happen to be in a big snowstorm, you can't beat snow shovelling! Snow shovel intervals could be interesting, challenging and fun. Come to think of it, I'll have to look in my dad's garage. I wonder if he has a sledgehammer? I may be able to talk my mom into steering the car while I push it down the street for time or reps!

Good stuff.

Checking Out : Images of Strength

Over the years we've seen an incredible number of images (as well as creating more than a couple) looking at the world of training from every angle. Love it.

Many of these have come from Flickr, including the superb Escape Fitness photos we saw recently. I'm always on the lookout for more - have you seen any training-related images in your travels?

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Quick update on the Renaissance Fitness Supplement Kits we mentioned recently - superb idea.

As we noted, we'll be reviewing these shortly. And if you missed the announcement, here's a brief video to explain the basic idea :

For more information, head on over to the official site - renaissancefitnessinc.com.