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 Dred Sled
  Scott Andrew Bird
  As long-term Straight to the Bar readers will know, I'm a huge fan of DIY Training Equipment. Here's a superb example of the ingenuity I love - the Dred Sled.




• 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 : I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment beneath the article itself, and share your views with the fantastic strength-training community. Cheers.

Video : Improve Your HIp Flexion and Nerve Tunnels

Very interesting indeed. Nice one.

Twitterchat 115 - Strength & Conditioning for Judo

I've always loved Judo. Not only was it my first experience with training as a group (outside school, that is), it's the first time I experienced the connection between sport and fitness. Perfect combination.
This week we're discussing the Strength & Conditioning techniques employed by this superb sport, whether you're a competitive athlete or simply looking to 'stay in shape'. Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Judo Fitness' John Schneider (@JudoFitness). Fantastic.
Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Strength & Conditioning for Judo
When : Wed Apr 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 Buying Second-Hand Training Equipment. 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: Shoulder Flexibility for Squatting

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 The Rotater's Chris Melton (@chrismelton), who blogs over at TheRotater.com . Enjoy.

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We don't really consider how shoulder flexibility impacts our ability to perform squats with good form. If our shoulder flexibility is poor, we compensate by gripping the bar wider and usually the bar must sit much higher on the shoulders. I guess that's okay if you just want to do some squats and you're not really concerned with how much weight you're lifting.
For powerlifters, this is not the case. They want to lift BIG weights and most would like the weight to 'ride' a little lower on the shoulders, closer to their center of gravity and giving them a mechanical advantage....a shorter lever.

This is tough if you don't have good shoulder flexibility...which includes most people. So, when you start your next leg training session, take a few minutes to stretch and loosen your shoulders. Dislocations with either a band or stick is a good place to start, "around the worlds" with a light weight, and use the Rotater to stretch your external rotation.

Most people who've spent years of lifting heavy weights have poor external rotation...you know the look....rounded shoulders, palms point backward when at rest....it's just how their body has adapted to the stresses of working out. Take a few minutes and loosen your shoulders...your squats may improve.

NB : for more tips like these, swing by the Prehab and Rehab & Beginners areas of the forums. And for more on The Rotater, check out the full Straight to the Bar review. Superb device.

Looking Forward To : 7 Weeks to 50 Pull-Ups

When it comes to bodyweight training, the humble pull-up is a firm favourite. Love the things.

In 7 Weeks to 50 Pull-Ups Personal Trainer Brett Stewart sets out a program for achieving an insane-sounding 50 reps in a single session; based on your starting point, whatever it is. It's a customised routine that'll vary from person to person.

NB : if you're thinking to yourself 'that's great, but I can't even do one', take heart in this line from the book's author :

I stopped thinking I couldn't do pull-ups and trained until I could do one... then two... then 25. I still find it amazing that I can do 100 pull-ups in a workout when just a couple years ago I had *never* even completed one.

Honestly, 50 pull-ups is within reach no matter what your starting point is. Give it a go.

Quick update on Home Made Strength II : Grip Strength Edition : A few weeks ago we noted Jedd's most recent DVD - the second in the Home Made Strength series. Absolutely fantastic.

This is the one that shows precisely how to build - and train with - several fantastic grip tools. It really is top quality.

Thanks to everyone who grabbed a copy, and to those that left feedback; it's greatly appreciated. If you haven't yet got one for yourself, you can grab it here. Love it.

Welcome to the Straight to the Bar community. It's great to see you here.

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What Happens Next? When Do You Start Getting The Newsletter?

The Strength & Fitness Newsletter is created every Monday (and delivered the same day), containing the highlights from Straight to the Bar that week. In the meantime, here are several free videos, photos and training guides that you're more than welcome to download, print and make full use of :

Tutorial Videos
Photos of Training, Competition & Equipment
Training & Equipment Guides

And of course the Straight to the Bar Gymchats - weekly discussions on various aspects of strength training. You'll find a full list of the previous conversations here.

What about the Strength Kit? Where are all the Free Guides and Ebooks?

No problem, the link to the download page will be emailed to you automatically as soon as you click that confirmation link above. You'll typically receive it within a couple of minutes.

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And thanks once again for joining the Straight to the Bar community. It really is appreciated.

Straight to the Bar is read by more than 100,000 strength athletes, coaches, trainers and fitness enthusiasts each month. If you'd like a product review in addition to advertising here, we can certainly accommodate that.

To help you get the most out of these reviews, here are a few details.

• Our review panel consists of several strength athletes, coaches, trainers and fitness enthusiasts - both male and female reviewers. As all are in regular training mode, you can be sure your product will be put to the test.
• Around 70% of visitors to Straight to the Bar are based within the continental US. The review will be of most help to products which are available there.
• These reviews - if positive - are typically paired with site advertising, or an affiliate program. To discuss the details of these, contact us.

No matter what your product is, if it relates to strength-training in some way, we'll be more than happy to take a look at it.

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 :

• Top 7 Hamstring and Shoulder Injury Recovery Exercises
  Troy Anderson
  Some fantastic exercises in there.




• How To Improve Back Endurance For The Deadlift
  Karsten Jensen
  More deadlift goodness from Karsten.
  

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 : I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment beneath the article itself, and share your views with the fantastic strength-training community. Cheers.

Video : Animal Warm Up

A great collection of warm-up exercises. Nice one.

Sound effects optional.

Twitterchat 114 - Buying Second-Hand Training Equipment

If you love training at home occasionally, chances are that at some point you'll find yourself buying/selling used equipment. You'll soon know sites like eBay and Craigslist extremely well.
This week we're discussing how to buy and sell training gear using places like these, and many others (both online & offline). Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Toronto-based Jason Hill (@huskybear21). Fantastic.
Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Buying Second-Hand Training Equipment
When : Wed Apr 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 Sports Injuries. Some superb ideas in there.

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

Checking Out : Classic Grip Courses

I love these.

As you can probably tell by the topic of the next twitterchat, I've been spending a bit of time on eBay recently. Buying, selling, exploring.

In the never-ending quest for vintage training gear, I came across a number of classic grip courses. Beautiful stuff.

If you're not fortunate enough to stumble across them on eBay, swing over to Bill Hinbern's site and check them out. They great reads.

Quick update on Home Made Strength II : Grip Strength Edition : A few weeks ago we noted Jedd's most recent DVD the second in the Home Made Strength series. Absolutely fantastic.

This is the one that shows precisely how to build - and train with - several fantastic grip tools. It really is top quality.

Thanks to everyone who grabbed a copy, and to those that left feedback; it's greatly appreciated. If you haven't yet got one for yourself, you can grab it here. Love it.

I absolutely love talking about training, and the twitterchats have proven to be a great way to share ideas. New exercise combinations, DIY equipment, injury prevention and much, much more. Love it.

We've got some great discussions coming up, and if you'd like to be a guest for one, the details are below. First though, a brief description of a twitterchat :

The twitterchats are weekly discussions (held on Twitter, hence the name) on a range of strength-training topics. Quite apart from being fascinating conversations in their own right, they're a lot of fun.


To join in, simply add #sbgym to each of the messages you send. If you set up a search column for 'sbgym' (here's how), you'll be able to see what everyone else is saying.

That's it. Swing on by - we'd love to hear your thoughts.

Upcoming Twitterchats

Over the past couple of years we've covered a range of subjects relating to strength-training & nutrition. Old-time strongman skills, hormones & diet, biphasic sleeping, setting up a gym and so on. Anything and everything that'll help us break PRs and smash our goals.

Over the next month or two, here are just a few of the topics we'll be discussing :

• Sports Injuries
• Buying Second-Hand Equipment
• Strength & Conditioning for Judo
• Training for Beginners
• Myofascial Release

Full details of these discussions will be in the Strength & Fitness Newsletter, as well as in the Straight to the Bar Forums. Really looking forward to them.

This Week on Straight to the Bar

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• My Weight Success Story
  Dan Hardisky
  A brief introduction, and how Dan began training.




• The "Fu-Fu Visualization" All Strong Lifters Use
  Karsten Jensen
  Karsten has shared a number of great insights on breathing and visualisation techniques. Take a look.
  

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 : I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment beneath the article itself, and share your views with the fantastic strength-training community. Cheers.

Video : 97lb Stacked Kettlebell Press For Reps

More training goodness from Mike Mahler, this time in the form of some Stacked Kettlebell Presses. Nice one.

Twitterchat 113 - Sports Injuries

Injuries are unfortunately a fact of life, particular on the playing field.

This week we'll be discussing many of the common injuries people get whilst enjoying their favourite sport - whether they're professional athletes or not - and how to deal with / minimise them. Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Alpha Kettlebell's Troy Anderson (@troyATS). Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Sports Injuries
When : Wed Apr 13, 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 Outdoor Training. Some superb ideas in there.

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

Looking Forward To : Super Human Workshop

This looks superb.

If you're ready to learn about becoming seriously strong, check out the Super Human Workshop. Taking place on April 15-17 in San Jose, California, this is a fantastic way to learn the real tools of the trade. Featuring presentations by trainers Bud Jeffries and Logan Christopher - certainly no slouches when it comes to physical culture and brutal old-time skills - the Super Human Workshop combines mental toughness with physical performance to help create obscene levels of strength.

Really looking forward to this one - it's a perfect blend. The Super Human Workshop.

Quick update on the Beast Sled : Two weeks ago we noted the Beast Sled; beautiful thing.

If you haven't ordered yours yet, swing by the The Beast Sled site and check them out. I'd love to hear what you think.

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 :

• Spider/Blob & Variety
  Dan Hardisky
  A modern twist on an unusual 1960s training method.




• Training Logs : Database, Spreadsheet, Paper etc?
  Various authors
  This is a great discussion on how training logs are stored and updated - whether that involves a pencil & paper, a spreadsheet, a database or an application on your phone or tablet. Whatever you use, we'd love to hear about it.

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 : I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment beneath the article itself, and share your views with the fantastic strength-training community. Cheers.

Video : DIY Pinch Grip Apparatus

More DIY goodness, this time in the form of a 115lb pinch grip apparatus. Love it.

Twitterchat 112 - Outdoor Training

I love training outdoors. Hot or cold, wet weather or not. Always fun.

This week we're discussing the many ways to get at least part of your training outside, and the benefits of doing just that. Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than USA Jungle Gym's Daniel Lapic (@mantis77). Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Outdoor Training
When : Wed Apr 6, 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 Making the Most of Your Gym Time II. Some superb ideas in there.

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

Checking Out : Foam Roller Workbook

Whether you're recovering, stretching or managing pain, the foam roller is your friend. Great thing.

The Foam Roller Workbook is a detailed look at using this deceptively simple piece of equipment. No matter how the roller fits in to your own training regime, this book will show you exactly what to use; and how. Very comprehensive.

The book comes out in hardcover form on June 1st, and a little before that for the digital version. Looking forward to it.

Quick update on the Beast Sled : Last week we noted the Beast Sled; beautiful thing.

If you haven't ordered yours yet, swing by the The Beast Sled site and check them out. I'd love to hear what you think.

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 :

• Late Nights and PRs
  Matt Hunt
  What's your own training like? Here's a glimpse of what Matt's getting up to these days.




• 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 : I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment beneath the article itself, and share your views with the fantastic strength-training community. Cheers.

Video : DIY Training Equipment

Reading Fight Geek's excellent site this morning, I came across this : a brief video showing how to make a few of your own strength training tools (medicine ball, slosh-pipe & suspension trainer). Good stuff.

Want more? For several fantastic grip tools you can make yourself, check out Jedd's superb Home Made Strength II. Love it.

Twitterchat 111 - Making the Most of Your Gym Time II

Love training? Same here. In the garage, local park or a hotel gym somewhere.

This is the second part of the discussion on 'Making the Most of Your Gym Time', looking at things from the client's point of view. How to make the most of the time spent in the gym, and in the period inbetween visits. Nutrition, training logs, measurements and so on. 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 : Making the Most of Your Gym Time II
When : Wed Mar 30, 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 Making the Most of Your Gym Time. Some superb ideas in there.

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

Checking Out : The Beast Sled

Yael pointed me in the direction of this recently, and I must admit, it looks great.

The Beast Sled has thick uprights (same as an Olympic bar), 4" skids and is as tough as they come. Whether you're doing strength, speed or endurance work, the Beast Sled is for you.

70 lb of pure joy.

Quick update on Home Made Strength II : Grip Strength Edition : A few weeks ago we noted Jedd's upcoming DVD (now on sale), the second in the Home Made Strength series. Absolutely fantastic.

This is the one that shows precisely how to build - and train with - several fantastic grip tools. It really is top quality.

Thanks to everyone who grabbed a copy, and to those that left feedback; it's greatly appreciated. If you haven't yet got one for yourself, you can grab it here. Love it.

I absolutely love this camera. More than any video camera I've ever used, this encourages experimentation. Once you try one, you'll see why.

The GoPro HD is a small video camera in a tough, waterproof box that's designed to be mounted on things. Cars, handlebars, surfboards and so on.

It's basically a helmetcam without the helmet.

There are a number of mounts available, and all of them operate on the same simple principle. Changing the mount is as quick as changing a lens on an SLR.

Here's a bit of sample video (just some birds eating seed in the backyard). More video shortly, along with some detailed specs. In the meantime, there are a few things I'd love to try ...

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 :

• DIY : How to Build Your Own Tire Sled
  Matt Hunt
  I love occasionally building my own training gear - great way to test out new ideas. Matt walks us through the process of building a particularly fun training tool - the Tyre Sled.
  
• Sgt Sweaty : A New Beginning
  Kevin 'Sgt Sweaty' Miller
  How did Kevin become obscenely strong? Like this.
  

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 : I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment beneath the article itself, and share your views with the fantastic strength-training community. Cheers.

Video : Dave Lemanczyk - On Form, Frequency, & Gains

If you've watched Keg Conditioning, you know that Dave clearly knows his stuff.

Over the past couple of weeks he's uploaded a stack of videos to his youtube channel, both demonstrating and analysing various aspects of his own training. Here's just one example - a detailed analysis of form, frequency and gains.

Nice one.

Twitterchat 110 - Making the Most of Your Gym Time

For those of you who've got your own training facility (or are considering getting one), how do you make the most of your time there? How do you not only look after yourself, but keep the business running well?

This is the first part of a discussion on 'Making the Most of Your Gym Time', looking at the business side of things. How to get client referrals, marketing, supplemental income and so on. Everything that can mean the difference between financial success and failure. 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 : Making the Most of Your Gym Time
When : Wed Mar 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 The Future of Fitness. Some superb ideas in there.

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

Checking Out : StrongerGrip Olympic Plate Adapter Sleeve

Perfect timing.

I've been doing the eBay thing quite a bit lately, and it's fair to say that I've amassed quite a respectable collection of plates (both Olympic and standard, in various conditions). For the Olympic ones among them, this is ideal.

It's a StrongerGrip adapter sleeve to enable the Olympic plates to be used with all kinds of grip toys. It's shown here on a Red Rafter, but it also works beautifully with things like the Gripballs.

If you love your grip work (and I can't exactly blame you), and are keen to make a little more use of your Olympic plates, check out the StrongerGrip Olympic Plate Adapter Sleeve. Beautiful thing.

Quick update on Home Made Strength II : Grip Strength Edition : A few weeks ago we noted Jedd's upcoming DVD (now on sale), the second in the Home Made Strength series. Absolutely fantastic.

This is the one that shows precisely how to build - and train with - several fantastic grip tools. It really is top quality.

Thanks to everyone who grabbed a copy, and to those that left feedback; it's greatly appreciated. If you haven't yet got one for yourself, you can grab it here. Love it.