I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :
- Gem From The Vault : Visualisation
Scott Andrew Bird
See it first. - Looking At : Mar 29, 2015
Scott Andrew Bird
What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.
Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.
NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.
Video : Paused Benching
Great information.
Gymchat 279 - The Power & Importance of SLEEP (Adam Farrah)
What's your sleep like currently? More to the point, what should it be like?This week we're taking a close look at this wonderful area, whether your goal is muscular recovery, a mental reset or simply to perform better throughout the day.
Joining us is Kettlebell and CrossFit Coach Adam Farrah, and Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett. Fantastic.
NB : We'd love to hear your questions and comments. If there's a particular subject you'd like Adam and Josh to address, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat and leave a comment or jump in the Hangout and ask it directly.
And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.
Details -
Who : Kettlebell and CrossFit Coach Adam Farrah, and Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett, and You
Topic : The Power & Importance of SLEEP
When : Monday Mar 30, 8:00pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone).
How : Watch the live stream, join the hangout (just add Top Form Fitness to one of your circles, and Josh'll send out the URL when the Hangout starts), or jump in the Q&A on the Event page itself. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.
Tip of the Week: Holding the Bar in the Front Squat
Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.
This tip is not so much 'How to Hold the Bar in the Front Squat' (though the article shows no fewer than 10 ways to do just that), as much as a simple demonstration that there are often many ways to achieve the same result in strength training. If what you're doing isn't working (or you simply don't enjoy it), try something else.
From the article Holding the Bar in the Front Squat :
If the Mike Boyle article on T-Nation has you considering the Front Squat, you may be mindful of just how awkward it can be to hold the bar. Like Zercher Squats, they're often overlooked simply due to the difficulty.
There are several ways to hold the bar for the Front Squat. If one method doesn't feel right, or your current flexibility or injury precludes it, try one of the others. It really is a great exercise.
Good stuff.
Re-Reading : The Anatomy of Stretching, Second Edition
Great book.Although the paperback version first appeared a couple of years ago, the one I'm talking about here is the Kindle version of the Second Edition. Fantastic.
If you haven't read it before, check out the 'Look Inside' offering on the Amazon page. Suffice to say that it's one of the best books on stretching you'll ever see. Here's a piece from one of the reviews to help explain why :
Walker's book provides wonderful schematic drawings on how the muscles are involved at the very moment of each specific stretch. Unlike other stretching anatomy books, Walker's provides a specific itemization of how to do the exercise, what body part is affected, what injury it treats, what sport it's good for, and when to avoid the stretch if you have a particular injury. It's the best diagrammed text around.
Quick update on the Hip Thruster we mentioned recently - fantastic thing.
Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :
Good stuff Bret, looks great.