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.

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 : Holding the Bar in the Front Squat
  Scott Andrew Bird
  How exactly do you hold the bar? I'm glad you asked.

  
  

• Looking At : Jun 16, 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 : Duck Walking

Fantastic. And much, much harder than it looks - give it a try.

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.

---

Details -

Who : TBA
Topic : TBA
When : Wednesday Jun 19, 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.

---

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: Optimal Rowing 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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If you've ever used a rowing machine, you'll know the feeling well. Sometimes everything just clicks, and sometimes it doesn't.

Like anything though, a little bit of technique goes a long way. From the post Concept2 Rowing Technique, CrossFit Oldtown takes a look at the right way to tackle an indoor rowing machine :

NB : although they're using a Concept2 in this video, the same approach applies to almost any rowing machine. Give it a shot.

Looking Forward To : Napalm Pinch - How to Dominate the Two Hands Pinch

We'll be posting a lot more on this shortly, but suffice to say, you'll want this. Especially if you're doing a little pinch training.

Napalm Pinch is - as the name suggests - 'Napalm' Jedd Johnson's DVD on pinch-training techniques. And as he set (and held) a number of world records for this lift in particular, you can be assured that it's top-quality information.

Details shortly, but for now, keep your eyes open for Napalm Pinch. Superb.

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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.

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 :

• Sandbag Training Protocols
  Matt Palfrey
  Make the most of this wonderful tool.

  
  

• Looking At : Jun 9, 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 : Barehand Horseshoe Bend (Kerckhaert Trainer Shoe)

I never get tired of seeing shoe bending. Love it.

Nice work Mike.

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.

---

Details -

Who : TBA
Topic : TBA
When : Wednesday Jun 12, 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.

---

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: It's Never Too Late to Start

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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We'll be discussing this in a lot more detail in an upcoming Gymchat (and if you'd like to be involved, let me know); the idea of starting your strength-training well into your senior years.
We've looked at a number of older athletes over the years (for an idea of how many there are, just take a glance at the 'still got it' tag on the blog), and this quote sums up my thinking perfectly.
From the post 'Exercise in Healthy Older Adults' :

Age is not a contraindication to exercise, which can usually be initiated safely in older persons.

In short, it's never too late to start.

Checking Out : Body Solid GDR363 3-Tier Horizontal Dumbbell Rack

A friend of mine is currently looking for a dumbbell rack (picked up a load of 'bells over the weekend), and I suggested something like the one pictured (a Body Solid GDR363 3-Tier Horizontal Dumbbell Rack). Looks great, but I've never actually used this one (I'm still using a DIY job I made years ago). Anyone here tried it?

The Body Solid GDR363 3-Tier Horizontal Dumbbell Rack.

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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.

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 : The Step-up : a Real Squat Alternative?
  Scott Andrew Bird
  A possible addition to your leg training arsenal.

  
  

• Looking At : Jun 2, 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 : Low Back Quick Test

Another great insight. Nice one Kelly.

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.

btw, Kirk's offline for a couple of weeks - I'll let him fill everyone in on the details when he gets back. In the meantime, we'll be presenting a couple of guest-hosted Gymchats. And if you'd like to help moderate one of them, just let me know.

---

Details -

Who : TBA
Topic : TBA
When : Wednesday Jun 5, 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.

---

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: Try a Caffeine Nap

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.

---

I initially wrote this back in 2006 during a brief period without coffee (I tried giving it up, but ultimately switched to the current 'one cup per day' routine), and it's still a very intriguing idea. Although I take the occasional nap and get a regular caffeine fix, I rarely combine the two.

For a start, they take place at different times of the day.

I'm curious though - has anyone here sampled a Caffeine Nap? I'd love to hear your thoughts; particularly if it's a regular thing.


From the article 'Caffeine Napping' :

Sleep researchers at Loughborough University were looking at various ways to keep motorists awake on long journeys. The winner - perhaps somewhat surprisingly - was the 'caffeine nap'.

The idea is simple : drink a cup of coffee and immediately take a brief (15-20min) nap. This helps clear the body of adenosine, a chemical commonly believed to make you drowsy.

Very interesting indeed.

Checking Out : Becoming a Supple Leopard

This is one of the books we mentioned the other day, in our discussions of 'cataloging the fitness shelves' - Kelly Starrett's 'Becoming a Supple Leopard'. Looks great.

We'll be posting a full review shortly, but suffice to say it's well-and-truly Kelly Starrett. If you've seen any of his videos, you'll understand what I mean.

For now, a quick overview on what the book's all about :

In short, it's Kelly's approach to mobility. A detailed understanding of how the body works, in order to improve athletic performance, reduce injury time and a whole lot more.


From the Amazon page -

If you are like me you won't put this thing down. I am going through it a second time as I write this. I have already recommended it to all my patients, and this will be a staple in my office and it is a must read for anyone that has a BODY - I guess that covers all of you reading this. In closing I have spent thousands of dollars on seminar after seminar. I can say unequivocally that this book has more information in it, which by the way is very simplistic for you to implement, than all of the education I have received on the dynamics of the human body.

Becoming a Supple Leopard. Fantastic.

---

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.

As part of a 'moving to the cloud' project, I've spent a little time recently adding books to Goodreads. This article details the what, why and how when it comes to cataloguing your library.

NB : You'll notice that I'm cataloguing all of my books, not just the training-related ones. If you see other works on areas you're interested in personally, feel free to delve a little deeper - check out the ratings, read the reviews. In particular there's a lot on photography, travel and futurism. There's also quite a bit of science-fiction there - love the stuff.

What is Goodreads, and what are you actually doing?

Goodreads is an online catalog for your books, recommending other books to read based on the ones you already own (and like). And yes, the recommendations are surprisingly good.

( I tried it a few times when I was only part-way through adding my own list of books, and it frequently recommended stuff that was in the yet-to-be-added part of the collection. Books I already knew well, and really enjoyed. )

What I'm doing is scanning the barcodes (more on that in a sec), importing lists of audiobooks and ebooks, and manually typing in the remaining few. In short, I'm listing all of the books I own (and have read) in Goodreads.

Why are you doing this?

For a few reasons.

First, the recommendations are - as I touched on above - really, really good. If you're ever looking for a book on a particular subject and you don't particularly want to describe in detail the kinds of books you like and those you don't, something like Goodreads is ideal.

Second, creating a catalog - anywhere, using any tool you're familiar with (a spreadsheet is absolutely fine) - is a great way to spot 'gaps'. You'll quickly see that some of the authors you really like have other books on subjects you care about, or that you don't have any books on a particular topic that you keep getting asked about.

Finally, it's a great way to share your 'books to read' list. I'm currently looking at books like 'Becoming a Supple Leopard' by Kelly Starrett, and a number of others on various training-related and photography topics. You'll find the complete list here.

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 : I Love the Smell of Coffee in the Morning
  Scott Andrew Bird
  How about you - is coffee a part of your daily routine? Shortly before workouts, or perhaps a quick nap?

  
  

• Looking At : May 26, 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 : Squat Pre-Workout Sequence

Fantastic. Cheers Kelly.

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.

btw, Kirk's offline for a couple of weeks - I'll let him fill everyone in on the details when he gets back. In the meantime, we'll be presenting a couple of guest-hosted Gymchats. And if you'd like to help moderate one of them, just let me know.

---

Details -

Who : TBA
Topic : TBA
When : Wednesday May 29, 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.

---

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: Tie Your Water Consumption to the Number of Calories You Burn

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.

---

I drink a lot of water (mostly in the form of green tea, unless it's during a workout). Still, how do you work out how much you need?

From the article 8 Glasses of Water Per Day?, a bit of history that'll make the whole thing a lot clearer :

Most people are aware that the drinking of plenty of water is advisable, and anecdotal evidence suggests that more = better (up to a point). However, where did the current guideline of '8 cups per day' come from?

According to Valtin (i) the origin is probably the 1945 recommendation made by the Food and Nutrition Board of the US National Research Council. This stated :

A suitable allowance of water for adults is 2.5 liters daily in most instances. An ordinary standard for diverse persons is 1 milliliter for each calorie of food. Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods.

The 2.5 litres was changed to 8 x 8 fluid ounce cups in later recommendations, but is otherwise unchanged.

Incidentally, if you're wondering how to work out the number of calories you're burning these days - here's how to work it out.

Re-reading : Never Let Go

I love this book.

As part of a project I'm currently working on (full details shortly), I ended up spending a bit of weekend time adding books to Goodreads. Scanning in the barcodes.

The result? A full inventory of my library. And yes, there are one or two fitness books in there.

I'll post a complete list on the main site tomorrow (still got a couple of new ones to add), but in the meantime, a quick look at a book we first noted quite some time ago :

Never Let Go: A Philosophy of Lifting, Living and Learning

And as you'll quickly see, it's packed with incredible insights that Dan John delivers in a, well, Dan John sort of way.


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.

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.