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 :

• Mizuno Wave Enigma Running Shoes Review
  Bill 'Body By Long' Long
  Having just competed in the North Face Endurance Challenge, this is a perfect time to check out the Mizuno Wave Enigma running shoes. Beautiful.

  
  

• Welcome to the Gymchats
  Scott Andrew Bird
  This was a great discussion, and Google+ is the ideal platform for these conversations. Here's why.

  
  

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

Video : Forward Step Down with Resistance Bands

This is a very interesting combination - part of a RBT series intended to minimise ACL injuries. The Forward Step Down with Resistance Bands.

Good stuff.

Gymchat 133 : Workout Nutrition

The other side of training - nutrition.
This week we're continuing our series on diet, looking at Workout Nutrition. What to consume before/during/after a workout, how it changes based on workout type, and why it all works. The good stuff.

Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Examine.com's Kurtis Frank. Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Workout Nutrition
When : Wed Aug 31, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Post a comment, question or reply

If you've never been to one of these discussions before, here's how to join in the fun. Simple, quick to set up and free.

And to see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's gymchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on Finding a Personal Trainer. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, here's the direct link. Was a great one.

Tip of the Week: Tearing Your First Deck of Cards - Squeeze your Thumb

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

This tip comes to us in the form of a card-tearing technique correction from Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson, and shares an oft-overlooked part of the tearing process. The importance of the thumb.

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From the article Three Technique Corrections for Tearing Your First Deck of Cards :

Many people fail to realize the importance of the thumb in tearing a deck of cards and barely engage it. The thumb can be used to secure the deck of cards in your hands by pressing hard against the side of the deck. The thumb can also be used to wrap over a fingertip or two to increase your crimp grip power on the outside cards.

Good stuff.

Checking Out : The BXT (Body Xtreme Trainer)

This looks fantastic.

The BXT is a progressive resistance tool for assisting with things like handstands, pushups and a whole lot more. It also serves as a suspension trainer of sorts, for a standard full-body workout.

Looks great. Anyone here tried one?


Quick update on the Feats of Strength DVD : Last week we noted this incredible resource. Fantastic.

If you're keen to incorporate some old-time strongman techniques into your own training, Feats of Strength is a perfect place to start.

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 :

• 30 Day Challenge : Becoming a Morning Person
  Scott Andrew Bird
  After 40 years of being a night owl, I decided to see if it's possible to adjust your bodyclock and become a morning person.

  It is.



• Straight to the Bar Flickr Group
  Various authors
  There have been several great photos posted here recently (you'll see some of them in the sidebar), notably by Roy Scott, Zach Wheeler, Davie Easton and Wild Kiwi. If you haven't already, add some of yours. Love seeing where/how everyone trains and competes.

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

Video : Horseshoe Hearted in Phonebook Pages

If last week's discussion on Horseshoe Bending got you fired up and ready to give it a shot, check this out. Hearting a shoe in paper 'wraps'. Superb.

Gymchat 132 : How to Find a Personal Trainer

I love these discussions. They started back in February 2009 as a way to share, debate and learn a wealth of training-related information. In that time we've heard numerous ideas, tips and suggestions; and been pointed to some fascinating sites, apps, podcasts, books and equipment.

Thanks to everyone who's taken part - it really is appreciated.

Still, it always frustrated me a little that there's no easy way to point people to previous discussions. Unless you were there at the time, there wasn't a lot you could do.

Accordingly, we'll be moving these conversations to a platform that makes this sort of thing nice and painless : Google+.

Google+ (or just G+) offers a lot of advantages, both for the people who are there and those that can't make it at the time. Specifically :

• Each post on G+ has a permalink, so you can point people to previous discussions. This is just the same as any other URL, so you'll be able to share it in the usual ways.
• The questions/answers can be as long as you like - no more 140 character restriction. It's still a good idea to keep them reasonably brief (so people can read and absorb them in time), but you're not limited at all.
• Posts and comments can be edited if necessary. If you spot a glaring mistake somewhere (in one of your own points), you can go back and fix it.

And seeing as we're moving to Google, a new name is in order. I'll be running with 'Gymchats', as it isn't too much of a change and makes the subject matter pretty clear. The topics themselves will be exactly the same.

Incidentally, if you haven't used Google+ before and would like an invitation, I have a few left. Otherwise, swing by my profile and add me to one of your circles.

The discussion itself : How to Find a Personal Trainer

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Time to take your training up a notch.
No matter what your training goals are, chances are you've considered the possibilities of having your own Personal Trainer. Someone to help design a program and to keep you on track.

This week we're discussing exactly how to find one, the many benefits they bring and the types of things to consider. Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine (@fitnewbie). Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : How to Find a Personal Trainer
When : Wed Aug 24, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Post a comment, question or reply

If you've never been to one of these discussions before, here's how to join in the fun. Simple, quick to set up and free.

And to see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on Horseshoe Bending. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, here's a brief summary. Was a great one.

Tip of the Week: Rope Climbing Technique - The Cinch and Pinch

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

This tip comes to us in the form of a video from CrossFit Oldtown, and shares one of the most popular techniques for climbing a rope.

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From the article Rope Climbing Technique : The Cinch and Pinch :

Good stuff.

Looking Forward To : Feats of Strength

Now this is my kind of training.

If you've ever considered learning some of the strength feats that performing Strongmen have long been known for, this is an ideal place to start. Bending steel, tearing phonebooks, breaking chains and so on. The good stuff.

Bud Jeffries and Logan Christopher both demonstrate each one, along with various tips and techniques that'll make this a serious part of your training. To get an idea, check out the video.

Whether you're planning to be a professional strongman (or woman) or not, learning these skills will help you to become insanely strong. Beautiful.



Quick update on the SEALFIT Training : A few weeks ago we noted this incredible training approach. Fantastic.

If you're keen to incorporate some military fitness into your own training, SEALFIT is a perfect place to start.

Long-term readers of this site may recall the switch to Biphasic Sleep, which was not only extremely successful; it's a highly recommended routine. Details here.

Whilst I maintained the somewhat uncommon sleep routine, I completely overlooked the process of switching to it in the first place. It was my initial 30 Day Challenge.

In fact, it wasn't until I saw this talk (the video below) by Google's Matt Cutts that I really thought about the power of these challenges to bring about lasting lifestyle changes. Almost immediately I began analysing various aspects of my life to find things that I'd like to change.

This is the first of those.

Why would you want to do this?

Firstly, a bit of background. For as long as I can remember, I've been a night person. I've always been far more productive at midnight than at 10 in the morning.

Consequently, 5 years ago when I made the switch to a Biphasic Sleeping routine, I decided to take my nap in the early evening, and my 'core sleep' a number of hours later - in the early morning.

This worked extremely well, and I followed the same routine - unchanged - for almost 5 years. In fact, the only change during that time was the frequency of adherence.

When I first made the transition, I would have a night of monophasic sleep every month or so; depending on my schedule. Sometimes a biphasic routine just isn't possible, or even desirable (for example, if you're dining with friends during your usual nap time).

This occasional night of monophasic sleep gradually became a couple of nights, then a few; and eventually moved to a week or more. Particularly when travelling, when it was only possible to see/do things at certain times.

For this experiment, I decided to push the monophasic sleep period to an entire month. If successful, I'd return to a biphasic schedule at a slightly earlier time than before. Perhaps something like 4:30pm - 6:00pm for the nap, and 10:00pm - 4:00am for the core sleep.

As for the question of 'why?', there are a couple of reasons. The first is simply that it provides a different set of things to photograph; think of sunrise, frost and early morning light. These are all things that I very rarely see on a late night schedule.

The second - and perhaps more important change - is an anticipated increase in productivity. This is based on anecdotal evidence from those who've made similar changes, notably Steve Pavlina [1] and Leo Babauta [2].

Whilst this increase is perhaps more hoped for than expected, the important point for me is that starting the day earlier isn't likely to reduce productivity at all. Not in the long term, anyway.

How Have I Done This?

First, let me point out I elected to break my own cardinal rule for these challenges (and for many transitions, actually) : to only change one thing at a time. As this one involved a major lifestyle shift, I decided to adjust several things at once.

These were :

Increasing Sunlight in the Morning, Reducing it in the Afternoon

This idea stems directly from the Horizon documentary noted below [3], specifically the comments made by Dr Michael Hastings, Prof Debra Skene & Prof Till Roenneberg. The idea is that the amount of light your body receives at different times of day can impact the timing of your body clock.
To speed up your body clock (and spend more time awake in the mornings, less in the late evening), simply increase the amount of light you get in the mornings, and decrease the amount in the afternoon. In the mornings, go out in the sun, switch a bright light on, work outdoors if possible - whatever fits in to your current schedule. In the afternoon, stay in a slightly darkened room, wear sunglasses - again, whatever ties in to your routine.

The point is simply to increase morning light, and decrease afternoon light.

NB : to do the opposite (if you need to spend more time awake in the evenings), just reverse this. Less light in the morning, more in the afternoon and evening.

Taking Vitamin Supplements at Different Times

Although I hadn't seen any information on this, I decided to switch my Vit D supplementation to the mornings for the same reasons as those above. To make things easier, I took my other vitamin supplements at the same time.

Previously they were all taken just after my last large meal, typically around midnight.

Allowing for 8 Hours' Sleep

Although I rarely get anything approaching 8 hours of sleep with a biphasic routine, as I'd switched back to monophasic for this challenge I was typically sleeping around 7.5 hours a night. I allowed myself at least 8 hours per night - giving myself a small buffer zone of at least half an hour, just in case. This usually meant going to bed around 11:30, and waking up a little after 7.

Setting the Alarm as a Backup, Slightly Earlier Each Week

As a second line of defence - just in case the half hour buffer was not quite enough - I set an alarm to go off about 10 mins afterward. This time gradually came down week per week : just after 8 (the alarm isn't all that accurate, it's within about 10 mins), just before 8, about quarter to, about 7:30. I moved my bedtimes forward slightly to line up with these changes.

NB : this half hour buffer proved to be useful, at least at the beginning. Gradually my sleep time came down (by a minute or two each day), and now I regularly wake before the alarm goes off.

Improving Sleep Hygiene

When I initially changed over to a biphasic routine, I didn't pay a great deal of attention to sleep hygiene (removing distractions, light sources etc). This time around I eliminated objects, light sources, sound and activities - as much as possible - from the area in which I sleep.

It's now quite a dark, simple room; and falling asleep within minutes is almost inevitable.

Watching Podcasts, Movies etc Earlier in the Day

This lines up with the sleep hygiene improvements. Wherever possible, I now watch podcasts, movies etc slightly earlier in the day. Preferably not whilst sitting in bed, using a laptop (which was the norm previously).

Greatly Reducing Coffee Consumption

Although I wasn't entirely sure that this was related to being a morning/evening person, I felt that this would be a good opportunity to make the transition. After all, it does have an impact on how alert you feel at various times (up for a few hours, followed by a slight - or severe, if you drink a lot in a short period - crash).

How much? Over time, I gradually reduced it from 8-10 cups per day to 1 cup per day. I've been on that quantity for more than a year now.


For this experiment (and it's a permanent change) I cut this back to 1 cup per week; replacing the other cups with green tea. Accordingly, I never missed the 'hot drink on a cold day' feeling. And the once per week thing ensured that occasionally when I found myself in a cafe or with friends who always drank coffee, I could still enjoy one.

All-in-all, it was much easier than I expected it to be. Nice and painless.

Eating Large Meals Earlier

As I mentioned above, prior to this change I usually ate a large meal a couple of hours before sleeping, which usually equated to somewhere around midnight. One of the things I noticed immediately was that by starting the day earlier, I was hungry a lot earlier. I switched to having a large breakfast almost immediately.

And yes, that replaced the meal at midnight. I eat a lot, but not quite that much.

Changing Workout Times

As with the 'timing of large meals' change above, this was one that just felt right, and began a couple of days into the experiment.

I still have the 'light session in the morning, heavy session in the evening' routine, I've just brought both workouts forward a bit. A few hours.

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 Bulgarianization Experiment
  Al Heinemann
  This is a very interesting insight into how different trainers deal with their clients, and which approach is most effective. Definitely one to think about.




• Australian Strongman Don Athaldo
  Scott Andrew Bird
  Walter Joseph Lyons (better known as Don Athaldo) was an Australian Circus Strongman in the 1920s and 1930s. Although he published several books, it was his The Athalding System mail-order offering that helped give him lasting fame.

  Here's a brief biography of this incredible man.

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

Video : Farmers Walk Variations and Alternatives

A brief overview of Farmers Walk technique and variations. If you're just beginning your Strongman career, this is definitely one to check out.

Great information Josh.

Twitterchat 131 - Horseshoe Bending

Ready to take your bending up a notch?
As strength feats go, a spot of horseshoe bending is downright impressive. This week we're discussing how to get started - and for the seasoned veterans, how to fine-tune things a little - in the world of Horseshoe Bending. Progressions, Wrapping, Techniques and much, much more.
Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than the Diesel Crew's Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson (@jeddjohnson). Fantastic.
Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Horseshoe Bending
When : Wed Aug 17, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Include #sbgym in your tweets.

If you've never been to one of these twitterchats before, here's how to join in the fun. Simple, quick to set up and free.

And to see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the twitterchat calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on Supplements : Vit D. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, here's a brief summary. Was a great one.

Tip of the Week: Maximising Your Workouts

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

This tip comes to us from Synergy Athletic's Joe Hashey, and shares some simple ways to ensure you get the most from your training sessions.

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From the article 5 Ways to Maximize Your Workout :

Whether your time is devoted to your family, a career or anything inbetween, chances are your schedule is pretty-well full. Wasting time in the gym simply isn't an option.

Here are a couple of tips to make the most out of that invaluable gym-time.

• Monitor Rest Periods.

  
  In order to achieve your goals, you should be aware of a proper rest period. Also, the rest period should vary according to your objectives. Not only will this save you time, but it will make your workout more effective.



• Be Creative With Conditioning

  
  Many people are looking "to get in better shape." This doesn't have to mean trotting away the hours on a treadmill. You can lift AND condition on the same days. Since we are focused on athlete training, strength development is important, however it won't go far if the person is always fatigued. During pre season preparation, we include things like 6 x 30 yard hills, DB circuits, rope battling, and sledgehammer conditioning. Often, these exercises only take 10-12 minutes to perform at a high intensity.

These are general principles that can be adapted to fit your training goals. For example, my rest periods on maximal effort lifts are longer than on repetition and supplemental exercises. That doesn't mean I shouldn't pay attention to time, it just means I need to adapt the rest period to meet my goals.

With everything on your plate, your training session should be well paced and planned to be efficient and maximize results! Remember, make corrections, not excuses.

Good stuff.

Reading : The Way to Live

I love this book.

Recently I've been reading a load of books on the history of Physical Culture, and George Hackenschmidt's The Way to Live is the one I'm currently working through. Absolutely superb.

First published in 1908, The Way to Live has been published numerous times since - in fact it's still one of the largest selling books on Physical Culture. My own copy is decidedly more recent, but just as full of incredible information. It's a great read.

Full review shortly, but just quickly, here are the main parts of the book :

• Dozens of very inventive exercises (both bodyweight and weighted), for people at any stage of their training
• Hackenschmidt's thoughts on training, nutrition and recovery
• A brief biography of Hackenschmidt, complete with numerous photos of the champion wrestler

As you can see, there's a lot in there. If you're at all interested in the history of this great man, The Way to Live is essential reading. Love it.


Quick update on the SEALFIT Training : A few weeks ago we noted this incredible training approach. Fantastic.

If you're keen to incorporate some military fitness into your own training, SEALFIT is a perfect place to start.

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 :

• 7 Health & Fitness Monitoring Devices
  Scott Andrew Bird
  One of the many things we discussed in last week's twitterchat was the abundance of health & fitness monitoring devices. Here are just a few of my favourites.




• Straight to the Bar Flickr Group
  Various authors
  There have been several great photos posted here recently (you'll see some of them in the sidebar), notably by Roy Scott, Zach Wheeler, Davie Easton and Wild Kiwi. If you haven't already, add some of yours. Love seeing where/how everyone trains and competes.

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

Video : Goblet Carry

Via Fight Geek : an interesting exercise by Kevin Carr - the Goblet Carry. Looks good.

Twitterchat 130 - Supplements : Vit D

A little dietary fine-tuning can have a big impact. Bigger gains, faster recovery and better health overall. More time in the gym.
This week we're returning to our discussion on supplements, taking a look at one I'm a big fan of - Vitamin D. What it really is, what kinds there are, what they can do and how to get what you need.
Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Body by D-Rock's Derek Peruo (@bodybydrock). Fantastic.
Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Supplements : Vit D
When : Wed Aug 10, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Include #sbgym in your tweets.

If you've never been to one of these twitterchats before, here's how to join in the fun. Simple, quick to set up and free.

And to see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the twitterchat calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on The Future of Fitness II. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, here's a brief summary. Was a great one.

Tip of the Week: How to Prevent Shin Splints

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

This tip comes to us from Body by Long's Bill Long, and shares some simple ways to prevent shin splints from your running sessions.

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From the article How to Prevent Shin Splints :

The pain you feel on your shin is simply caused by overtraining the muscle tissue surrounding the bone. When you run, hike, or walk for a long distance, your shins become tight. They can become so tight in fact that you think your legs are going to snap in half.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to prevent this from occurring :


First of all, you need to make sure you have the proper footwear when starting any type of running program. There are specialty stores where they will put you on a treadmill and have you run to see what your "gap" looks like while looking to see if you are running properly. To prevent shin splints you can do a few things. During your warm-up prior to your workout, walk for 50ft and back on your heels. When you're done with your workout while stretching, do it again.

Once you are accustomed to doing this, you can add resistance. You can do this with a buddy or with a dumbbell. Attach a jump stretch band to the DB or have your buddy hold the band and sit on the floor with your legs stretched out all the way; wrap the bands around your feet; then flex your foot back towards you. Hold for a second and take it back to about a 45 degree angle and continue this for 5-8 reps. This will make your shins much stronger and your legs more resistant to injury. This will benefit your weight training while also strengthening your legs. Since you do calf raises, you should do shin flexes or toe raises. When training your quads you do the opposite motion by training your hamstrings, why not start training your shins.

Good stuff.

Checking Out : George Kirby's Basic Jujitsu Techniques

This is an excellent - and free - introduction to this wonderful art.

In Basic Jujitsu Techniques George Kirby lays out 4 key moves to improve your Jujitsu weapons training, as well as the thinking behind each one. To give you a taste of the detailed instruction in the ebook, here's a brief sample.

And if you like what you see, head over here and grab a copy. Once again, it's absolutely free.

Enjoy.


Quick update on the SEALFIT Training : Two weeks ago we noted this incredible training approach. Fantastic.

If you're keen to incorporate some military fitness into your own training, SEALFIT is a perfect place to start.

Recently a very strong and more importantly very promising and dedicated client of mine was going to take a holiday weekend in Las Vegas. She was not happy to be missing training. Nor was she actually interested in Vegas. She is someone who wants to train as frequently as possible and since I had watched some interviews with John Broz and read a bit on his site, I suggested she pay a visit to his gym.
Little did I know that she would follow through with my suggestion. And little did I know how spending two days with Broz would change her and profoundly influence how I coach my athletes.

From what I garnered from my client (I will call her G.), as soon as she stepped to the platform Broz knew that her challenges were going to be psychological and not physical. He had a heart-to-heart talk with her about her aspirations and insisted that she decide upon lifetime goals as soon as possible. Apparently he demands this of all his athletes and made no exception for someone whom he would only be seeing for a day or two. In the time we had worked together G. had always been very timid when approaching the bar. She possessed little confidence in her abilities to perform the required task. Yet, as the bar got heavier, she without exception pulled performances out of herself that I and bystanders in the gym found no less than ferocious and astonishing. Without digressing too much Broz made an estimation of what she needed within minutes of making her acquaintance and proceeded to provide her with some tools to rectify it. He then took her far out of her comfort zone and got her to pull a deadlift PR of something in the order of twenty pounds. I am sure it wasn't pretty but it served as a kind of limit experience and showed her what she is capable of.

When G. returned and related her experiences I immediately began to compare my own more conservative and protective practices as a coach to what Broz was doing. I grasped how good at psychology Broz was and realized that, though I have very good reasons for being more conservative in my own approach, it was time for me to start pushing out at the edges a little harder and see what would come of it. For me as a coach the Broz experience served as a lesson in how we must pay as much attention to mental development as physical. I feel that though Broz is getting more exposure of late for his approach to programming we must not overlook how his approach and the "Bulgarian" approach more broadly both requires and develops a very courageous attitude towards ones training.

Alongside a shift in attitude, G.'s visit to Average Broz Gym is also having a large impact on how I have been training my athletes. This influence I am calling The Bulgarianization Experiment. I consider it an "experiment" because I am both enthusiastic and skeptical. Skeptical because so many of my influences and mentors advocate heavy training no more than two or three times weekly and because of the claims that daily (or several times daily) squatting and training to a maximum only works with those of a very high genetic suitability and with the use of anabolics and other PEDs. Enthusiastic because Bulgarian-inspired training seems to be working for many of the top weightlifting clubs in the US, and these clubs are subjected to very rigorous drug-testing. This approach to training is refreshing compared to the three-days weekly regimes most popular amongst strength coaches in North America. Bulgarian lifters are exciting to watch and have been inordinately successful on the international stage. I doubt that the drugs they had access to were better than that of their competitors. Finally I have a number of athletes who wish to train near daily. Training in a Bulgarian-influenced style has allowed me to give them serious hard training as often as they are able to come into the gym. I have been able to dispense with upper/lower splits and excessive accessory exercises which I never really felt convinced by in the first place. Indeed it is both possible and useful to squat everyday.
I have been using Bulgarian Training-Lite and Bulgarian influences with three types of athletes.

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 :

• Skull CrushR
  Dan Lapic
  A particularly inventive way of putting a kettlebell to work.




• Straight to the Bar Flickr Group
  Various authors
  There have been several great photos posted here recently (you'll see some of them in the sidebar), notably by Zach Wheeler, Davie Easton and Wild Kiwi. If you haven't already, add some of yours. Love seeing where/how everyone trains and competes.

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

Video : Sliding Shoulders

Interesting exercise - using sliders and bands.

Twitterchat 129 - The Future of Fitness II

What will the fitness industry be like in 5 years' time? 20 years? 100 years?
This week we're returning to our discussion on that very topic - The Future of Fitness II - talking about the things that you think are likely to happen. The role of future gyms and personal trainers; medical technologies that may have an impact; and how we might share our successes and failures. Whatever the future holds.

Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine (@fitnewbie). Fantastic.

Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : The Future of Fitness II
When : Wed Aug 3, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Include #sbgym in your tweets.

If you've never been to one of these twitterchats before, here's how to join in the fun. Simple, quick to set up and free.

And to see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the twitterchat calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on Measuring & Monitoring. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, here's a brief summary. Was a great one.

Tip of the Week: Lifting Heavier Atlas Stones

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

This tip comes to us from Diesel Crew's Jim 'Smitty' Smith, and shares a simple way to lift heavier Atlas Stones.

---

From the article Training Tip : Atlas Stones :

Here is a stone training tip guaranteed to help your athletes transition from conventional training means to non-conventional / strongman training.

You will find your athletes who have been trained primarily trained in deadlifts only, have a hard time stabilizing and adjusting to implements that are not fixed, rigid or lifting in close proximity to their own center of gravity.

The solution? Shorten the range of motion. I just finished a workout with one of my wrestlers who couldn't budge the 160 stone off the ground (at 155 lbs bw), but he can deadlift a lot more than that.

So I lifted the stone on top of one of my tractor tires and had him perform hip extensions for sets of 6-8. This not only conditions his hips and lower back for this position, but also his biceps.

Good stuff.

Checking Out : Ryan's PVC Clubs

I love DIY Equipment.

Remember the clubs that Ryan showed off a while ago, assembled from a handful of PVC pieces? Here's the latest incarnation - smoothed off & painted black. Perfect.


Incidentally, if you're ever wondering why you'd use home-made tools over store-bought ones; it isn't just about money (though that's often a benefit). DIY equipment is a great way to see if you like something before you grab the serious gear. It also lets you customise things a little easier - sometimes you want to test an idea or two.

Whatever the reason, DIY clubs like this are ideal.


Quick update on the SEALFIT Training : Last week we noted this incredible training approach. Fantastic.

If you're keen to incorporate some military fitness into your own training, SEALFIT is a perfect place to start.

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 :

• GripWalking
  Dan Hardisky
  Like your grip work? You'll love this. Great idea.




• Psychological Training in the Gym : Training Space
  Justin Andrushko
  When to turn on the intensity, and how to use it effectively.

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

Video : The TRX Spider Man

Interesting exercise.

Twitterchat 128 - Measuring & Monitoring

No matter what your goals are, it's essential to have an idea of your starting point; as well as keeping an eye on your progress along the way.
This week we'll be discussing the various ways to measure particular aspects of your own health & fitness, and techniques for monitoring their changes over time. Your bodyfat, levels of various vitamins, the number of calories you need and a whole lot more.

Whatever your goals are, we'd love to hear how you stay on track. Join us for Measuring & Monitoring. Fantastic.

Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Measuring & Monitoring
When : Wed Jul 27, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Include #sbgym in your tweets.

If you've never been to one of these twitterchats before, here's how to join in the fun. Simple, quick to set up and free.

And to see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the twitterchat calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on How Do You ... II. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, here's a brief summary. Was a great one.

Tip of the Week: Making your own Fat Bars

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

This tip comes to us from Straight to the Bar's own Scott Andrew Bird, and shares one of the many ways to thicken up your own bars and handles.

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The benefits of thick bars are well known; increasing the grip component of many an exercise.

And although it'd doubtless be fun to rush out and buy a load of thick bars and handles for your workouts; that's not always possible or even desirable. Here's a simple way to fatten up the bars and handles you've already got. Even the fixed-weight dumbbells.


From the article Fattening Up the Chin-up Bar :

The chin-up bar that forms part of the rack - as much as I love it - was just too thin. At a diameter of around 2.5cm/1", it was one of the thinnest bars I use.

Fattening it up a little was a relatively simple (and cheap) process, involving nothing more complex than a length of pipe insulation (just rubber tubing), some super glue and a little cloth tape. If you've never used the tape, think of duct tape with fibres embedded to strengthen it a bit.

The final bar is now a little under 5cm/2" in diameter (not quite as large as I'd like, but much better than it was), and presents just a little more of a grip challenge.

Checking Out : SEALFIT

I love the SEALFIT approach.

If you've ever thought about incorporating aspects of military fitness training (both the group and individual components) into your own workouts, consider SEALFIT. Camps, seminars, online coaching; wherever you are, there's a way to get involved.

Looks superb.

Quick update on the Introduction to Strongman Training DVD : A few weeks ago we noted this incredible instructional video. Fantastic.

Whether you're keen to incorporate some Strongman work yourself, or are coaching others; the Introduction to Strongman Training DVD is a brilliant place to start.

The gym can be more than just a place people go to get big and strong, the gym is as good of place as any to train the mind to achieve greatness. I once heard a quote "lead with the mind, and the body will follow"... I will be honest I don't know who said it but none the less the statement stands true. As athletes we must learn to control the mind to be successful.

How many times have you been on a team or watching a sport as a fan and seen that one crazy guy on the sidelines hitting his head, yelling, jumping, and basically hyperventilating, getting pumped up for the game? What we must understand is that there is a right and wrong time to turn on this high intensity and a right and wrong time to turn it off. When we are in this high intensity state like the person I described we are exerting a lot of energy, this is wasted energy and often causes the person to burn out before that energy is really needed. We need to know how and when to turn it on, and just as quickly turn it off. Taking a look at Football, the game is made up of lots of extremely high intensity, short bursts. During the play the athlete needs to be in this high intensity state of mind, but as soon as the play ends he needs to turn it off and conserve his energy for the next play.

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 :

• Lift Fast, Lift Strong
  Justin Andrushko
  How quickly do you move the bar?




• Outdoor Log Workout
  Scott Andrew Bird
  One of the many ways to get a dose of training in the sun.

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

Video : Pro-grade vs Hardstyle Kettlebells

Ever wondered what the differences are? Dennis explains.

Twitterchat 127 : How Do You ... II

One of the many fascinating aspects of strength-training is that everyone has a slightly different approach; based on their own goals, available equipment and information. Love it.
This week we'll be returning to our discussion on training approaches, focusing on the many aspects of fitness other than the lifting itself. What's your current diet like, and do you take any supplements? What sort of music do you listen to whilst training, or do you prefer to lift in silence? Other than getting a good nights' sleep, how do you recover after a heavy session?

However you train, we'd love to hear about it. Join us for How Do You ... II. Fantastic.

Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : How Do You ... II
When : Wed Jul 20, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Include #sbgym in your tweets.

If you've never been to one of these twitterchats before, here's how to join in the fun. Simple, quick to set up and free.

And to see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the twitterchat calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on Increasing Your Vertical Jump. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, here's a brief summary. Was a great one.

Tip of the Week: How Many Calories Do I Need?

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

This tip comes to us from Straight to the Bar's own Scott Andrew Bird, and asks the deceptively simple question 'How Many Calories Do I Need?'.

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Whether you're ready to pack on a bit of muscle, or are trying to reduce some excess bodyfat; you need to know how many calories to consume. Fortunately, whilst working it out takes a bit of time, it isn't that difficult.
The first thing to do is to work out your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), or Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) (which is actually a different thing, but often used to mean the same and is close enough for our purposes). This article will explain exactly how :

How Many Calories Do I Need?

Next, Activity costs

Now that you've worked out how many calories you need in order to lie around all day, it's time to add a few for the various physical activities that make life more interesting. These are anything from walking around to doing physical work all day; the table below should give you a good idea.

NB : the weight training will be added in later, so ignore it for now.

Activity Factors:

1.2-1.3 for Very Light (bed rest)
1.5-1.6 for Light (office work/watching TV)
1.6-1.7 for Moderate (some activity during day)
1.9-2.1 for Heavy (labor type work)

Now, simply multiply your RMR by the activity factor (1.6 in my case).

2052 x 1.6 = 3273.6

Finally, the Workouts

For the workouts, multiply your bodyweight (in kg) by the hours you spend by the Metabolic Equivalent (MET) of the particular activity. The table below should cover the most common ones :

intense free weight lifting... 6
moderate machine training... 3
high intensity cycling... 12
low intensity cycling... 3
high intensity walking... 6.5
low intensity walking... 2.5
high intensity running... 18
low intensity running... 7
circuit-type training... 8

So, for a typical weight session for me it would be :

Cost of activity = 84 x 1 x 6 = 504 kCal

Add the values of these to the RMR x activity factor (above) and you'll get an idea of how many calories you need on a workout day. For me, this is 3273.6 + 504 = 3777.6 kCal. Of course this is only for 4 days per week (in my case); the daily average is 3561.6. It's actually a little lower than I thought, but that's still a lot of food to get through!

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NB : The figures noted above reflected my diet at the time of the original article (Dec 2005), and are slightly different now. The process, however, is exactly the same.

Checking Out : Paul Anderson - The Mightiest Minister

This looks fantastic.

As you can probably tell, I'm gradually reading a few books I somehow missed the first time around. Next up : Randall J. Strossen's Paul Anderson: The Mightiest Minister. Looks superb.

If you haven't yet read it, there's a brief description below (and if you have, I'd love to hear your thoughts).

From Amazon :

What'd he really squat? How about the back lift and those one-arm presses? If you want to know, you'll want to read this book. An Olympic gold medalist, world champion and world record holder in weightlifting, Paul Anderson is widely considered by the leading authorities to be one of the strongest men who ever lived, and his unofficial lifts continue to be the source of jaw-dropping wonder. This highly acclaimed book combines a readable style with scholarly precision; it compiles the principle articles on Paul Anderson from the major periods of his life, documents and reviews his lifts - both official and unofficial - and tells the story of the man who was dubbed a wonder of nature by the awestruck Russians, who were happy to stand out in the rain just for a chance to watch him lift.

Can't wait to get into it.
Quick update on the Introduction to Strongman Training DVD : A few weeks ago we noted this incredible instructional video. Fantastic.

Whether you're keen to incorporate some Strongman work yourself, or are coaching others; the Introduction to Strongman Training DVD is a brilliant place to start.