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If you're just beginning your fitness journey, you know what it's like. There are a lot of questions.

Here are several resources we've seen - and recommended - over the years which will help you learn what to do, what to eat, which equipment to use, and where to go when you get stuck. In the form of ebooks, podcasts, video demonstrations, sites and newsletters.

And yes, they're all free.

eBooks

You can never learn too much. We've looked at an incredible number of free ebooks over the years, and these are a handful of my favourites. Enjoy.

Returning to Heavy Training After a Break

Scott Andrew Bird and Vic Magary

No matter how long you've been away from the iron - months/years/decades - this free ebook will help you get back to it. To return to a regular routine, using the gear you've already got, and without getting injured.

Suspension Training 101

Scott Andrew Bird and Derek 'D-Rock' Peruo

If you're entering the world of suspension training - whether you've been working out for years, or are just getting started - this free ebook is a must-have. Using the incredibly popular TRX Pro as an example, Derek 'D-Rock' Peruo explains how to set up and use this incredible tool; as well as providing sample exercises and routines.

10 Essential Conditioning Tools

Scott Andrew Bird and Kira Robert Clarke

Whether you're getting ready for a fight or just keen on looking after yourself, you'll be pleased to know that there are a number of conditioning tools out there. Here's a brief look at what's available, and where to get them.

14 Things You NEED for your First Strongman Contest

Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson

Getting ready to compete in your first Strongman contest? Brilliant.

Freak Strength

Zach Even-Esh

Ready to get obscenely strong? Here's how.

Grrl's Valentines Day Wishlist

Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker

What to buy a woman who loves training? Kat has a few ideas.

How to Paint a Kettlebell

Scott Andrew Bird

A great way to customise your workout equipment.

Active Recovery Training

Ty

No matter what sort of training you favour, there's no doubt that recovery can play a huge role. Here's a brief look at several forms of recovery work to make the experience both more effective and more enjoyable.

What Really Works

Josh Hewett

This is a superb overview of exactly what's involved in serious training. If you're ready to become stronger, faster and generally more capable; this is a great place to start.

Sgt Sweaty's Old-School Training Course

Kevin 'Sgt Sweaty' Miller

Simple, heavy and effective. Perfect.

1st Star Performance

Conor Doherty

Ready to shine? Conor'll put you on the right path with this simple routine for beginner athletes.

Video Demonstrations

When learning a new exercise, it can be incredibly valuable to watch it being performed by someone who clearly knows what they're doing. Accordingly, I've compiled the best 'how to' videos - covering a number of training approaches - over on my youtube channel.

You'll find them all here : youtube.com/user/birdy

Podcasts

I'm a big fan of constantly learning what's going on in the world of strength-training, and podcasts (both audio and video) are a perfect way to do that. They're also great for keeping up-to-date with various other interests - sports, photography and so on.

A couple I particularly enjoy :

Samovar Stories
These are interviews with a range of athletes, entrepreneurs and generally interesting people. If you're new to this podcast, I recommend starting with the Dean Karnazes interview. He's a fascinating guy.

TED Talks
As with the Samovar Stories interviews, TED Talks cover a wide range of subjects (TED stands for Technology, Entertainment & Design). The simplest way to get a feel for these - and to experience the variety of material, training-related and otherwise - is to dive in and watch a few talks. The short ones (typically 6 minutes or less) will give you a good idea.

Recommended Sites

There are several sites I read on a regular basis - blogs, forums and a cup of coffee. A great way to start the day.

Three of my favourites are :

The Pound
This is the online home of Kira Robert Clarke, better known as The Fight Geek. This site shows his clear passion for Muay Thai, underground fitness and the Essendon Football Club. Fantastic.

Mark's Daily Apple
If you're intrigued by the Paleo and Primal diets, you'll love this site. Mark's Daily Apple is the blog of Mark Sisson, the guy behind The Primal Blueprint. It's a brilliant read.

The Grip Authority
As many of you already know, I'm a huge fan of grip training. If you're like me, and keen to learn the skills necessary to master this extremely competitive game, head over to The Grip Authority. A wealth of instructional videos, articles and discussions to help you become obscenely strong.

Recommended Newsletters

Finally, newsletters. As with the blogs and forums above, these are perfect when paired with a few quiet minutes and a cup of coffee. Dive in, pick out the bits that look interesting, and soak it in. Beautiful.

Consider these :

Minute of Strength
Each newsletter contains a brief video demonstration of a kettlebell-related exercise, idea or piece of equipment. If you love a spot of kettlebell work (and if you do, you're certainly not alone), the Minute of Strength is highly recommended.

Serious About Muscle
The strength-training community is fantastic, and I've learnt more about training in the past 7 years than in all the years up to that point. Love it.

Wannabebig's Serious About Muscle is a perfect example of precisely why this is the case, combining the wisdom of the site's founders with the thoughts of a massive forum community. A great read.

Of course, there are many, many more. Which are the ebooks, podcasts, sites and newsletters that you've found most helpful when beginning your fitness journey? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Ready to share your strength-training passion with the people around you? Why not grab some of the Straight to the Bar Wallpapers shown here, designed by Glenn Bird, Rory Hickman and You.

Absolutely free.

Of course, we'd also love to see some of your own designs. If you've got one that you'd love to share with an incredibly passionate, strength-focussed audience, just upload it somewhere and send us the URL.

Perfect.

NB : the above images are hosted by Flickr - head over to the Straight to the Bar (SttB) Flickr Group for more.

This page lists many of the strength feats often performed by professional old-time Strongmen, and demonstrates/explains exactly how to train for each one. Even if your goals do not include spending a bit of time in front of an audience, these are well worth learning.

After all, you can never be too strong.

Bending

Demonstrations

• Barehanded Nail Bending (Jim)
• Horseshoe Bending (Mike 'The Machine' Bruce)
• Destroying Wrench (with tissue wraps) (Dennis Rogers)

Technique and Training

• Advanced Nail Wrapping (Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson)
• Reverse Bending Instructional Video ('Unbreakable' Adam T Glass)
• SttB Guide to Bending (Scott Andrew Bird)

Blowing

Demonstrations

• Mario Strong
• Ather Butt
• Shobha Tipnis

Chain Breaking

Demonstrations

• Chest Expansion Chain Breaking
• Unbraced Pulling ('Unbreakable' Adam T Glass)

Crushing

Demonstrations

• Crushing Full Soda Can (Jeff Wilson)

Ears and Eyes

Demonstrations

• The Baron Von Geiger (Ears)
• Mohammed Sabir Sipra (Eyelid)

Finger Lifting

Demonstrations

• 'Unbreakable' Adam T Glass
• Ryan Pitts

Technique and Training

• Training for the One Finger Lift (Jeff Wilson)

Frying Pan Rolling

Demonstrations

• Clayton Edgin
• Aneta Florczyk
• Built Old Lady (Gayle)

Grippers

Demonstrations

• Repping with the CoC #3 (Viper)

Technique and Training

• Choked Gripper Training (Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson)
• Magnus Samuelsson on Gripper Training

Hair Feats

Demonstrations

• Tram Pull (Bruce Khlebnikov)
• Bus Pull (Rani Manchi)
• 300lb Hair Lift (Chris Rider)

Hammers and Levering

Demonstrations

• Adam Glass
• Ryan Pitts

Technique and Training

• Leverage lifts: A reverse engineering problem turned to a breakthrough in power ('Unbreakable' Adam T Glass)
• Hammering Strength into the Wrists (Jedd Johnson)
• Introduction to Sledgehammer Levering (Michael Parrella)
• SttB Guide to Sledgehammer Training (Scott Andrew Bird)

Hand Balancing

Demonstrations

• One-armed Handstand Push-ups
• A Day in the Life

Technique and Training

• Band-supported Handstand Push-ups (Jeff Tucker)
• Handstand Drills (CrossFit Journal)

Human Link

Demonstrations

• Chad Netherland
• Lolik the Strongman

Juggling Weights

Demonstrations

• Bumper Plate Juggling (David Hoffmaster)
• Kettlebell Juggling (Pairs)
• Juggling the Baby Inch (Steve 'Mobster' Gardener)

Technique and Training

• The Definitive Guide to Kettlebell Juggling (Logan Christopher)

Muscle Control

Demonstrations

• Maxalding video

Technique and Training

• Performing a Stomach Vacuum

Nail Driving with the Hands

Demonstrations

• Nail Driving Through Phonebook and Board (Aaron 'The Mighty Mac' Mckenzie)
• Nail Driving Through Shoe and Board (Tommy Heslep)
• Balloon-bustin' Bare-handed Nail Driving (Ryan Pitts)

Technique and Training

• Bare-Handed Nail Driving Basics (Ryan Pitts)

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 :

• Switching to a Paleo Diet
  Matt Hunt
  In the lead-up to this week's twitterchat (see details below), Matt has begun a little experimentation himself.
  
• Health & Fitness Research
  Various authors
  There has been some fantastic research posted recently, both on the forums and the Facebook page. Dive in.
  

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.

NB : if you enjoy the articles, show the authors your appreciation by voting (using the 'Like' button beneath each post). Cheers.

Video : Tire Rotation by USAJG

This is a beautifully simple idea. Love it.

Twitterchat 107 - Nutrition For Fat Loss

When I started lifting weights a little over 7 years ago, I wasn't exactly thinking about what I ate. No matter what it was, I was certain the training was going to make up for it.

Over the years I've gradually learnt the benefits of eating cleanly, and made the occasional tweak to my diet. It now falls into the 'Primal, and very, very clean' category.

More recently, I've begun exploring the scientific side of nutrition - the fine-tuning that's possible with a little effort in the right areas. And yes, it makes a massive differece.

This week we're looking closely at this third aspect, Nutrition For Fat Loss. How to work out what your body needs, when, and in what form. Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Food and Fitness's Anthony Paradis (@foodnfitness). Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Nutrition For Fat Loss
When : Wed Mar 2, 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 Recovery : Improving Monophasic and Biphasic Sleep. Some superb ideas in there.

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

Considering : MiR 20LBS Adjustable Weighted Vest

I buy the majority of my stuff online, and regularly find myself trawling places like Amazon in search of discounts. One I just came across - the MiR 20LBS Adjustable Weighted Vest.

Although it's a whopping 60% off the usual price, I'm still wont to read a review or two. In particular, this one stood out :

I am a 34 year old U.S. Army soldier in currently stationed in Afghanistan, so you can guarantee that if I am taking time to write a review (down time that I could be using to sleep or write my family) that It will be accurate review based upon actual facts and not emotions.

Setup: I received my MiR 20LBS Comfortable Exercise Adjustable PRO Weighted VEST 5 days ago. I bought it new on sale for $26.99 (marked down from $69.99). It took about a week to get here. Shipping cost me more then what I paid for the vest ($29.99), but it's what I expected it to cost for a 20lb package to be shipped to Afghanistan.

Results after 5 days(approx. 64hrs of wear): So far I am very impressed with the vest, it fits well and is easy to adjust and seems to be made out of really durable material. I tried jumping up and down rapidly for 30 secs and the vest barely moved. The vest is a little bulky under my uniform but I see that as a small price to pay for increase speed and endurance. I only wear it continuously 12-14 hrs a day but since I only got it five days ago I am taking it slowly by letting my body get use to the weight before I start actually exercising with it on. The only down side I see is the burst of energy I feel when I take it off before I go to sleep. I can't wait to take it on a run! Check back for my update when I start exercising and am able to see what this baby can really do!

Sounds great. Anyone here tried one?

Quick update on the AtLarge BCAA+ : Thanks to everyone who grabbed some, it's great stuff. The discount still applies for another couple of weeks, so if you missed out (or would just like to grab some more), here are the details :

Head over to the AtLarge BCAA+ page, grab a bottle or three, and use the coupon code SB25 when ordering. Tell Chris that Straight to the Bar sent you. He'll look after you.

Want to take your conditioning workouts up a notch? Throw in a bit of sandbag training. Love it.

What to get

The equipment is pretty simple. I personally use an Ultimate Sandbag (which I highly recommend - full review); and there are also several DIY options (the basic idea here).

In terms of space, the workouts don't require all that much - though it's great if it's available. As long as you have room to swing the bag in front of you and to press it overhead, you'll be fine.

What to do with it

There are many, many ways to train with a sandbag. Here are a few of my favourites :

• Sandbag Lifting in Competition
  
  Lifting, carrying and loading. Nice one.
  
• The Chipper
  Combine a number of your favourite sandbag exercises, and give the routine a name. Good stuff.
  
  

There are also a number of superb sandbag exercises on the High Octane DVD, and in Matt Palfrey's Sandbag Training books ( his latest is Sandbag Fitness - 150 High Intensity Workouts ). Highly recommended.

Where to find out more

There's actually quite a bit of info (both online and offline) available on sandbag training methods, including :

• Josh has a great deal of info on sandbag training over on his blog, as well as his many videos on youtube.
• Dragon Door has a number of top articles on sandbag workouts, such as Effective Sandbag Training. There are also several articles on this site, such as Mike's Heavy Sandbag Training series.
• Sandbag Lifting, from John Brookfield's Grip Tips series on IronMind.

Final thought on sandbag training

Sandbag workouts are one of the few forms of training I perform daily. Once you try them, you'll quickly see why. Beautiful things.

Want to take your workouts up a notch? Throw in a bit of short steel bending. Love it.

What to get

If you're ready to give nail bending a bit of a run, you'll be pleased to know there are only three things you need. You'll be bending within hours.

Information

I ventured in to the world of short-steel bending fairly recently (2007), following a shoulder injury that ruled out my usual lifts for a while. This is the book (review) that got me started; detailing everything from wrapping techniques to the many types of bending available.

A couple of years later, I still refer to it regularly.

When it comes to unbraced short-steel bending, this is the perfect place to start. Brilliant.

Wraps

At first I tried using a couple of chamois car cloths from a local auto accessories place. Once I got my hands on the real thing, however, my bending abilities seemed to shoot up instantly.

It's worth getting a decent pair of wraps. Here are a few of my favourite online sources :

In the US, grab a pair of Cordura pads from Ironmind.
In the UK, David Horne has suede wraps ready to go.

Alternatively (or while you're waiting for your online purchases to arrive), try one of these :

• hand towels
• tea towels
• cordura
• denim

Although a set of good leather wraps will instantly make a huge difference, these alternatives will still protect your hands during the bend.

Nails

Finally, nails. There are essentially two sources of nails, bolts, screws and other fun things to bend - hardware stores and online suppliers.

The local hardware store is usually fine for those just starting out; it's pretty easy to get your hands on a few 60D nails or similar (Imperial -> Metric conversion).

When it comes to more challenging supplies, online suppliers such as IronMind are the first port of call. Here are a few others to check out :

• FBBC

What to do

The Bending eBook above details a number of techniques for short-steel bending. In my case, I found the best strategy was to learn a particular technique, try it out for myself (usually starting out with a 60D), and then return to the book for a spot of fine-tuning. Rinse and repeat.

It also helped to watch a lot of bending in action, using the various techniques available. Here's just one of the many clips that came in handy at various stages :

• Reverse Bend Instructional
  Adam describes and demonstrates the Reverse Bending technique. Superb.
  
  

Where to find out more

There's actually quite a bit of info (both online and offline) available on short steel bending, including :

• Scott Styles maintains The Gripfaq, a superb resource for all manner of things relating to hand strength - including bending. A great read.
• In addition to the clip above, 'Unbreakable' Adam Glass demonstrates a number of incredible bending feats on his youtube page. Definitely one to see.

Final thought on bending

Bending is one of the few strength-related activities that I perform at least once a day (and usually several). Once you try it, you'll understand why.

Want to take your workouts up a notch? Add a resistance band or two. Love 'em.

What exactly are Resistance Bands? How do they help?

Resistance Bands are really just enormous (and incredibly tough) rubber bands. Looped over the bar, handles, bench or your body; they'll help make the exercise more challenging at one extreme than the other.

Here's an example to show you what I mean. At the top of the pull (when the bands are stretched), the bar will feel significantly heavier than at the start of the lift, when the bands are slack.

Which ones should I get, and where can I get them?

The equipment is pretty simple. The bands come in couple of basic sizes, and a range of strengths. By 'strength' I mean the resistance at the top of the lift, when the band is at full stretch.

Although it's easy enough to buy them one at a time, I personally found it cheaper to buy a set. There are several available, and the ones are got are from Iron Woody - which are great - I use them daily. Never had a problem with them.

In addition to the cost savings is another benefit with buying a package - it enables you to test out different strengths in different exercises, and see which works best for you. Really though, you'll always use all the ones you have. You'll never 'outgrow' the bands of a particular strength, you'll just use them in different ways.

How do you set up the Bands? Do you need equipment with hooks?

There are many ways to set up the bands, depending on how you plan to use them (a few common setups are listed below).

• Setup for Band Speed Deadlifts
• Setup for Band Bench Press
• Setup for Band Dumbbell Bench Press

As you can see, the basic process is : fold the band in half, loop one end through the other, and pull tight. This allows you to connect the band to just about anything.

NB : in many cases, it's even easier than that - just loop it over a heavy object, and get to work.

Regarding hooks : they're great if available (if buying a new rack for example, that's definitely something to bear in mind), but certainly not essential. There are plenty of things to loop the bands around.

How strong are the bands - can I stretch them too far, and break them?

Although you can break anything if you try hard enough, the bands are ridiculously tough. Chances are you won't be able to stretch them far enough to break, or lift a weight that's heavy enough to damage them. Take a look at the videos below - they're made for this sort of work.

What sorts of things can I do with Resistance Bands?

There are many, many ways to use the bands. Here are a few of my favourites :

Identification of Weaknesses and Their Correction

Knees caving in when you're squatting? Rick explains the problem and solution here : put a band around your legs at knee height, and perform a few light squats. Consciously stop the band from slipping down to the floor, by pushing your legs outward during the squat.

Bands are also ideal for tackling sticking points. You can set up the lift so that it's comparatively easy at the start, and difficult around the range of the sticking point; or the reverse.

As an example, here are a few sets of squats using The Lightened Method (band resistance is greatest at the bottom of the squat) :

Assisting With Exercises : Band-Assisted Chin-Ups

Haven't yet mastered the chin-up? No problem.

NB : this approach also works particularly well for dips.

Making Exercises More Challenging

Many, many ways to do this. Try a few Band-Resisted Rack Pulls.

Once you begin to experiment, you'll find a wealth of potential variations like this. No two workouts need ever be the same.

Warm-ups, Cooldowns and Light Sessions : Band Triceps Pushdown

This is a beautifully simple, multi-purpose exercise.

At the beginning or end of your workout (or as part of a 'feeder' session), loop the band around the top of a rack. Perform triceps pushdowns as normal.

Quick demo :

Training When Travelling : Band Pull-Apart

I love these things.

One of my early 'training when travelling' kits consisted solely of a fairly hefty resistance band (just the one). It can either be stretched apart in various ways (such as the Band Pull-Apart shown below), or looped around a heavy, stationary object for a number of cable-machine-like exercises.

Either way, it's great fun.

Stretching : Hamstrings

There are a number of ways to use the bands in your stretching. Here's a brief clip of 'The Band Man' (Jump Stretch's Dick Hartzell) in action, with a rather aggressive dose of hamstring work.

Where can I find out more?

There's actually quite a bit of info (both online and offline) available on training with Resistance Bands, including :

• Although several years old now (I first watched the Deadlift Secrets video in 2004), the Westside Secrets DVDs contain some great snippets on training with bands.
• Articles on this site, such as the superb Innovative Training : Band Suspended Weight - Not Just for Bench.
• Books such as Tim Hull's Functional Correction Manual (review).
• Finally, there are the Powerlifting and Free Weights areas of the forums. Enjoy.

Final thought on Resistance Bands

Resistance Bands are incredibly versatile things, and I've been using them daily for almost 7 years now. Whether you plan to use them in the home gym, a commercial facility or on-the-road; you'll discover many, many ways to add them to your routines.

Now it's over to you - grab some bands, and let me know how you put them to work. Love 'em.

This is a post by the astonishingly creative Adam Stoffa (@SEEAdamTrain) and Straight to the Bar's own Scott Andrew Bird (@scottbird). Resources for Twitterchat 106 - Recovery : Improving Monophasic and Biphasic Sleep.

Sleep is essential for maximizing recovery and improving performance. Scott switched over to biphasic sleep way back in September 2006, whereas Adam has been working hard to maximize the benefits of a single good night's rest. Although their approaches are different, both have found improvements to sleep to be extremely rewarding.

In this week's twitterchat we'll compare and contrast these two forms of recovery work. The benefits of each approach, how to do it and what impact it has (a very positive one) on your training. Really looking forward to it.

NB : if you'd like to join us, the details of how (and of 'what this is') are here :

Twitterchat 106 - Recovery : Improving Monophasic and Biphasic Sleep

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 :

• Grip-Focused Training
  Matt Hunt
  Love your grip work? Same here.
  
• Health & Fitness Research
  Various authors
  There has been some fantastic research posted recently, both on the forums and the Facebook page. Dive in.
  

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.

NB : if you enjoy the articles, show the authors your appreciation by voting (using the 'Like' button beneath each post). Cheers.

Video : Weight-Over-Bar Record

42lb over an 18' bar? Love it.

Twitterchat 106 - Biphasic Sleep

When it comes to recovery, there's nothing quite like a good dose of shut-eye. Love it.

This week we're discussing my favourite form of this strange beast, the idea of Biphasic Sleeping. Everything from the 'how to' to the benefits of sleeping twice each day. And in particular - how it can assist your training.

Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than the astonishingly creative Adam Stoffa (@SEEAdamTrain).


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Biphasic Sleep
When : Wed Feb 23, 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 Nail Bending. Some superb ideas in there.

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

Deal of the Week : 25% Off AtLarge BCAA+

I love the AtLarge offerings, particularly things like BCAA+ (Branched Chain Amino Acids). Top-quality gear.

If you've never tried BCAA, the benefits are simple : improvements in strength, recovery times and a distinct reduction in the soreness you get after a heavy session. For details on exactly how this works, swing by the AtLarge site.

Sound good? It's about to get even better - for the next month (up until March 20th), AtLarge is generously offering their BCAA+ at a whopping 25% discount. Great time to grab a couple.

To take advantage of this offer, just enter the coupon code SB25 when ordering. And tell Chris that Straight to the Bar sent you. He'll look after you.

AtLarge BCAA+. Fantastic gear.

Looking Forward To : Home Made Strength II

As Jedd announced recently, Home Made Strength II is on the way. Looks superb.

I'm a long-time fan of DIY Strength-Training Equipment (I built a wrist roller shortly after I began training); it's a fantastic way to test out a new training tool or technique without breaking the bank. It also enables you to customise the equipment and try out your own ideas for new ways to train.

The first Home Made Strength DVD included a range of projects, covering the entire body in one form or another. Home Made Strength II concentrates on my favourite form of home-made equipment - tools for the hands and forearms.

If you're similarly obsessed with your grip and wrist work, Home Made Strength II is definitely for you. An incredible collection of extremely creative hand & forearm tools. Fantastic.