During the past week we've discussed a number of great links; on Facebook, Twitter, in The Daily 'Paper' and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.

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 : Nails - Converting Imperial to Metric
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Ready to begin your nail bending journey? Live in a country where Metric measurements are the norm?
  

• Looking At : Oct 21, 2018
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  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, get in touch.

Video : Fasting vs Eating Less - What's the Difference? (What I've Learned)

Great information.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Previously : In Gymchat 169 we discussed Recovery Foods with Ultrarunner, airline captain and insanely competitive triathlete, Chas Melichar. Great conversation.


If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you'll find the entire transcript here.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : The Benefits of Getting Your Shoes Fitted (Rather Than Fitting Them Yourself)

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.

---

There were a number of great points raised in Gymchat 185 - Training for Marathons & Triathlons, including this suggestion from Chas. There are real benefits to having your shoes fitted, rather than simply picking the ones you think will work well.

Well said.

Checking Out : Laserlight Core (Light for Night-time Cycling)

This looks great.

Remember the Blaze? The Laserlight Core is the latest incarnation, though the idea is the same - a light to assist night-time cycling, both in seeing and in being seen.

To give you an idea of what this thing looks like and how it works, a spot of video :

The Laserlight Core.

---

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.

Strong hands are a huge part of effective strength training - how do you expect to pull a monster weight off of the floor if you can't hang onto the bar? Having strong hands goes beyond just performance in the gym though - a powerful grip is essential for sports performance (baseball, golf, grappling, etc) and can improve performance in a wide variety of jobs. In fact, the ability to grab hold of someone or something and maintain control can mean the difference between safety and serious injury or even life and death for those who work in law enforcement.
I am a huge fan of all types of grip training equipment - I have and regularly use Ironmind hand grippers, David Horne's Vulcan gripper, the FBBC vertical bar and Bomb as well as a variety of block weights, thick handles, bending gear, etc. And while it would be tough to get me to part with any of those implements, one of my very favorite pieces of grip training "equipment" has been in my gym bag since long before I ever invested any time in training my hands directly. I've long been a fan of taking my favorite exercises, movements that I know really work, and adding a new element to them to see if I can push the envelope when it comes to achieving results - sometimes this tactic hits, other times I realize that the original movement has become a mainstay in my routines because it doesn't need much (if any) altering.

One of the most successful "add ons" I've made to my workouts to improve grip strength has been the simple addition of a gym towel (this should probably go without saying, but make sure it is a strong towel capable of holding your body weight without shredding) to certain lifts. This might sound a bit unusual, even ridiculous to some of you, but bear with me here...

The first movement I tried it with was pull ups (this certainly wasn't my innovation, I've seen many others throw a towel over a pull up bar before). I knew it would be more difficult than a conventional pull up, just didn't expect it to be that difficult. I had been training grip for a few years, primarily with grippers, but the instability/inconsistency made the pull ups far more taxing for me than traditional pull ups or what I considered to be more traditional grip training (grippers, thick bar, etc).

While adding towel pull ups as a finisher on back/arm day probably would have been enough to give a nice boost to my grip, I instinctively wanted more. What else could I throw a towel over to create a killer grip circuit?

A quick dose of grip work. Good stuff.

---

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 : Pull Like A Strongman
  Max Misch
  Time to test yourself.

  
  

• Looking At : Feb 15, 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 : Globe and Blob Lifting

A quick dose of grip work. Good stuff.

Gymchat 276 - NLP Skills for Fitness Professionals (Jen Mulhall)

Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Certainly an interesting - if somewhat controversial - form of psychotherapy. Perhaps more widely known in communications and personal development contexts.

This week we'll be looking closely at these last two areas, identifying the specific skills which are most valuable in a strength-training environment. Particularly for those on the Fitness Professional side of the fence.

Tackling this one are are Personal Trainers (and Strength Athletes) Jen Mulhall and Josh Hewett. Fantastic.


NB : No matter where you stand on a subject like this, we'd love to hear your thoughts. If there's a particular subject you'd like Jen and Josh to address, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat and leave a comment or jump in the Hangout and ask them 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 : Personal Trainers (and Strength Athletes) Jen Mulhall and Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett
Topic : NLP Skills for Fitness Professionals
When : Monday Jan 12, 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.

Coming Up : We've got several fantastic discussions coming up shortly - with Powerlifter Bill Piche, Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Palfrey and many, many others. Of course, we're always scheduling more; if you'd like to suggest either a topic or a person that should definitely be on the show, drop us a line. Cheers.

Tip of the Week: Checking Your Squat Depth

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 comes to us from a thread on the VirtualMeet Forums, looking at a device called the Safety Squat. Very interesting idea.

---

Over to James Chochlinski :

The safety squat arrived yesterday. No instruction manual, just a picture. Tried some squats with it using just the bar. Seems to work similarly to the youtube video sensor. Placement just above the knee requires deeper squat to trigger the sensor; Not as deep when placed higher up on the thigh. It's just a level sensor, so the difference is due to the shape of my thigh. Happy with the safety squat so far.

James was also kind enough to share some video of the device in action :

The obvious use is for powerlifters when training for a meet. However, on Google+, Raymond Ho shared an alternative way to put it to work :

The idea is actually good. I see people when they start loading up the bar (which is too heavy for them) they start to get higher out of the holes until it looks more like a partial rep. and if you squat by yourself then it stops you from cheating.

Sounds great.

I'm curious : has anyone here used a device like this, and what are your thoughts on the idea?

Revisiting : The Encyclopedia of Clubbell Training

Remember these?

Over the weekend I was chatting to a friend of mine about club training, and the excellent Encyclopedia of Clubbell Training came up. We first looked at it a while ago now (and we'll be posting a few additional thoughts shortly); this is just a quick note to mention that it's currently on sale on the RMAX site.

For a whopping 50% discount, just use the Coupon Code CBKB50 at Checkout. Good stuff.

---

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.

A fairly unusual approach to lifting the Blob. Good stuff.

---

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 :

• How They Got Started : Alana Grimolfson
  Scott Andrew Bird
  How it all began.

  
  

• Looking At : Oct 5, 2014
  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 more writing in 2014 and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Ramstein Blob Challenge

A fairly unusual approach to lifting the Blob. Good stuff.

Gymchat 258 - Questioning Fitness Authority : Your Trainer Might Be Wrong (Bud Jeffries)

When should you accept that your trainer knows what they're doing, and when should you question things? And if you do, what sorts of areas are up for grabs?

This week we'll be tackling these, and all of the underlying questions they invoke. Helping us get a handle on this critical area is Performing Strongman/Author/Speaker Bud Jeffries, together with Personal Trainer and Strength Athlete Josh Hewett. Fantastic.


NB : We love hearing from as many people as possible. Join Bud and Josh on the Hangout, or fire in your questions via the Q&A. Full details below.

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 : Performing Strongman/Author/Speaker Bud Jeffries, Personal Trainer and Strength Athlete Josh Hewett, and You
Topic : Questioning Fitness Authority : Your Trainer Might Be Wrong
When : Monday Oct 7, 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 on the main site shortly after the Gymchat.

Coming Up : We've got several fantastic discussions coming up shortly - with Powerlifter Bill Piche, Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Palfrey and many, many others. Of course, we're always scheduling more; if you'd like to suggest either a topic or a person that should definitely be on the show, drop us a line. Cheers.

Tip of the Week: The Benefits of Getting Your Shoes Fitted (Rather Than Fitting Them Yourself)

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.

---

There were a number of great points raised in Gymchat 185 - Training for Marathons & Triathlons, including this suggestion from Chas. There are real benefits to having your shoes fitted, rather than simply picking the ones you think will work well.

Well said.

Checking Out : Cadence Based Gripper Training

Perfect.

It seems as though my 'to read/watch' pile has exploded in the past week or two; although 'Napalm' Jedd Johnson's Cadence Based Gripper Training certainly made a rapid rise to the top. I have to say, it looks superb.

I'll post a full review once I finish the course (8 weeks); for the full explanation of what it's all about, over to Jedd :

Cadence Based Gripper Training.

---

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.

If you've just joined us, welcome. Here you'll find everything that grunts, groans and ticks in the world of strength training. The 30-second summary :

It's safe to say that there are a lot of articles on this site. The most recent are in the Articles and Weekly Summary categories; I've also listed some personal favourites below. Dive in.

DIY Equipment

Ready to build your own? It's a great way to try new forms of training.

1. DIY Gym Gear : How to Make Your Own Clubs - Scott Bird
   Build your own. Good fun.


2. Making your own gym equipment : DIY grip tools - Scott Bird
   You want a grip tool that does what? Make one.


3. How to Build Your Own Sandbag - Derek 'Body By D-Rock' Peruo
   It's easier than you may think.


4. DIY: Home-made Gym Equipment (part II) - Scott Bird
   Build it yourself.


5. DIY: How to Build an Olympic Weightlifting Platform - Kat Ricker
   Beautiful.


6. DIY Hanging Handles, psuedo "rings" - Kat Ricker
   Brilliantly simple.


7. The Sled - Fight Geek
   Extremely creative.


8. How to make your own bumper plates on a budget - Mehdi
   Quick, simple and inexpensive.


9. How to Make a Rack-Mounted Wrist Roller - Rory Hickman
   Love your wrist work? Same here.


10. How To Make an Adjustable Slosh Pipe - Joe Hashey
    Light weights, nice and challenging.


11. Fattening Up the Chin-up Bar - Scott Bird
    A great way to thicken up any bar at all.


12. The Fat Bar - Max Shank
    Incredibly simple, incredibly brutal.


13. Let the voting begin - Scott Bird
    There were some brilliant entries in the DIY Equipment Competition.

Old-Time Strongman Techniques

Fantastic to watch, learn and do.

14. Bare-Handed Nail Driving Basics - Ryan Pitts
    Want to learn how to drive a nail through a board with your bare hand? Here's how.


15. Blast from the Past : The Forgotten Lifts (part II, III)
    Although these lifts aren't often seen in commercial gyms, they're absolutely superb. Give them a run.


16. Tearing A License Plate - Chris Rider
    Yep, that's as hard as it sounds. Superb.


17. Unusual Goals Require Unusual Measures - Jeff Wilson
    How do you train for something like this?


18. The Human Rack Lift - Mike 'The Machine' Bruce
    You've got to see this.


19. Jaw Lifting : What, Why and How - Ryan Pitts
    Training, technique and just a dash of determination.


20. Pleasure Spiked with Pain : Training for the One Finger Lift - Jeff Wilson
    A superb feat - if a little painful.


21. Building A Neck Of Steel - Mike 'The Machine' Bruce
    So you want a strong neck? It's actually quite simple.

Hands, Wrists & Forearms

This is where the fun (and real strength) begins. Love it.

22. Nails : Converting imperial to metric - Scott Bird
    Next time you pop down to the hardware store, take this.


23. Why Bend Steel? - Adam T Glass
    Simple question, great answer. Point your non-bending friends here.


24. Straight to the Grip Contest (part II, III, IV, V and VI) - Jedd Johnson Getting ready for your first grip contest? Here's what to expect.


25. The Many Types of Blobs - Jedd Johnson
    What's a Blob, and where did it all begin?


26. Lifting the Inch Replica Dumbbell (part II, III, IV and V) - Jedd Johnson Want to train with a replica Inch? Here's how.


27. Shot Tossing for Dynamic Grip Strength - Jedd Johnson
    Shot tossing? Great fun.


28. Hammering Strength into the Wrists (part II)
    


29. Leverage lifts: Reverse engineering turned to a breakthrough in power - Adam T Glass
    These lifts are downright fun.

Free Weights

The 'normal' things you'll see in the gym.

30. The Step-up : a Real Squat Alternative? - Scott Bird
    Squats are undoubtedly key, but have you tried heavy step-ups lately?


31. Holding the bar in the Front Squat - Scott Bird
    There are many ways to hold the bar.


32. Bars, Plates, Hooks and Collars - Scott Bird
    Ready to hit the garage sales? Here's what to look for.


33. A Little Yoke Work : 10 Exercises for a Bigger Neck - Scott Bird
    Traps maketh the man.


34. Buyers' guide : the Power Rack - Scott Bird
    Ready to buy a rack? Here are a few things to keep in mind.


35. Addressing Weaknesses in The Squat - Rick Walker
    Work on weaknesses = massive PRs. Here's how to find them.


36. Innovative Training : Band Suspended Weight - Not Just for Bench - Justin Andrushko
    And the bands begin to play.


37. 29 Things to do with a Barbell in the Corner - Jason Kirby
    This is absolutely superb.


38. Specific Training for the Transverse Abdominis: Belt It In - Kat Ricker
    Time to tighten your built-in belt.


39. Workout music : soothing or aggressive? - Scott Bird
    How do you like your tunes?


40. 10 of the best : Parkour television commercials - Scott Bird
    Love watching Parkour? So do I.


41. Taking advantage of your location : At last - some real outdoor space - Scott Bird
    Ready for some serious outdoor training?


42. The Investments (part II, III, IV, V and VI) - Adam T Glass Several tools which form the basis of a great training plan.


43. From Running to Kettlebell Swings - Jordan Vezina
    Why run when you can swing?


44. Back To The Future : The Power Of Bodyweight Exercise - Adam Steer
    The training tool you always have with you.


45. Outdoor Fitness: Log Flippin' - Daniel Lapic
    This is seriously fun.


46. Blast from the Past : Squat Variations - Scott Bird
    There are many ways to get your squat on.




Conditioning

Time to get the sweat flowing.

47. Why Conditioning is King - Dean Coulson
    What conditioning is really all about.


48. Evolution of Sandbag Training (Part II)


49. Conditioning without trying : Walking 10,000 steps per day - Scott Bird
    Time to go for a walk.


50. Suspension Training 101 - Derek 'Body By D-Rock' Peruo
    What can you do with a TRX? Over to Derek.


51. The Heavy Bag (Gimp) - Fight Geek
    Thinking about getting a heavy bag? Make sure you read this first.

Recovery

Ever get that 'just run over by a truck' feeling?

52. Biphasic Sleep : 30 Day Summary - Scott Bird
    I switched to Biphasic Sleeping in September 2006, and have never looked back. Love it.


53. Recovery and Regeneration for the Strength Athlete - Patrick Ward
    Tips for better recovery.


54. Using Pulse Rate to Determine Rest Break Length - Scott Bird
    Use the pulse, Luke.


55. Fix Your Body with a Foam Roller: The Basics - Derek 'Body By D-Rock' Peruo
    What exactly do you do with a foam roller? This.


56. Strains and Sprains - Scott Bird
    What's the difference between a strain and a sprain?

Diet & Nutrition

Eating well makes a massive difference to your overall training.

57. Fuel and Rest - Scott Bird
    There's a good reason I eat so much.


58. 8 Glasses of Water Per Day? - Scott Bird
    Where did the current guideline of '8 cups per day' come from?


59. The Truth about Honey - Sam Cox
    Honey has a lot more going for it than you might think.


60. Transitioning to a Paleo Diet - Methuselah
    Ready to try Paleo? Great. Here's how to begin.


61. 5 Steps to Build Your Own Personal Diet Plan - Cristian Stanciu
    Time to get started.



Other

There's always a new way of looking at it.

62. Give it Away : Donating Disused Training Equipment to Charity (part II) - Scott Bird
    What happens to it when you update your home gym?


63. Checklists and Complex Problems - Adam Stoffa
    How do you tackle complex problems like athletic performance? Like this.


64. Starting your fitness journey : 10 things to consider - Scott Bird
    Where do you start? Right here.


65. Ready for a Virtual Meet? - Kat Ricker
    This is a brilliant idea. Cheers, Kris.


66. Training Partners - Fight Geek
    Sometime it's great to train with someone like-minded.


67. Get Mental! The Psychology of Strength - Josh Hewett
    The thinking side is half the challenge.


68. Small Victories - Josh Hanagarne
    Improve what you can improve, every day.


69. Give Your Workout a Name! - Fight Geek
    This helps more than you'd believe.


70. Working out in the Heat - Scott Bird
    It's getting hot in here.

---

Like to contribute something? I love hearing about how other people are training; if you'd like to write an article, record a video or tell us about a site you've discovered, get in touch.

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 : 29 Things to do with a Barbell in the Corner
  Jason Kirby
  It's incredible just how much you can do with a humble barbell.

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 24, 2013
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Human Flag Tutorial

Nice one.

Gymchat 226 - Advances in Strength & Power Development (Craig Bongelli)

A deceptively simple question : How do you go from the 'strongest person in the gym' to 'strongest in the area'? In short, how do you become seriously powerful?

Tackling this - from both a strength athletics and a power-hungry gym rat perspective - is competitive Strongman and Strength Coach Craig Bongelli, joined by Strongman and Personal Trainer Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Craig or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.

Details -

Who : Competitive Strongman and Strength Coach Craig Bongelli, joined by Strongman and Personal Trainer Josh Hewett
Topic : Advances in Strength & Power Development
When : Wednesday Nov 27, 9pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 225 - How to Master the Inner Game (with Personal Trainers (and Strength Athletes) Jen Mulhall and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

---

Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months - featuring Mike 'The Machine' Bruce, Ben McLaughlin and many, many more. Details shortly.

And if you'd like to suggest a future topic or take part in one of the upcoming Gymchats, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Movember 2013

If you haven't seen it yet, check out Josh's moustache-growing prowess for Movember 2013. And if you'd like to support him (well, prostate cancer research actually) in this quest, head over to his donation page :

http://ca.movember.com/mospace/7377745

btw, if you're unfamiliar with Movember and just want to see what it's all about, Josh has a brief intro video here :

http://straighttothebar.com/movember2013/

cheers.

Tip of the Week: License Plate Tearing Technique

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

This tip comes to us from performing Strongman Chris Rider, and is from his superb article Tearing A License Plate. Enjoy.

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Following a thorough description of the safety requirements for performing this feat (and it really can be a dangerous one, so proceed carefully), comes the basic technique involved. Over to Chris :

Now that we have ourselves protected, it's time to grab the plate. I personally like to tear plates at chest level, and that is the method I am going to discuss. As a dry run without a plate, place your dominant hand in a hammer style grip. Place the pinky side of that hand just above the bottom of the sternum. Now place the other fist in the same manner below the dominant one so you have the thumb side of the non-dominant and the pinky side of the dominant meeting. Squeeze as hard as you can and push your hands in opposite directions with the top hand going slightly upward and the bottom hand going slightly downward. If you push straight through, the potential for being cut dramatically increases.

Want more? No problem. Head over to the original article, and watch the video below to see it in action. Beautiful.

Checking Out : Bret Contreras' Hip Thruster

These look great.

And as we mentioned recently, they're now available in the UK (cheers Matt - great site); we'll be reviewing one shortly. In the meantime, here's a bit of video to give you an idea of what the Hip Thruster is :

Good stuff. Thanks Bret, looks like a great piece of gear.

---

Quick update on the Lift the Blob package we mentioned recently - fantastic collection.

I'd love to hear how you go with it; when it comes to tackling this challenging feat you really can't go past Lift the Blob. Superb.

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 :

• Virtual Training Partners
  Scott Andrew Bird
  We've discussed many things over the years relating to the 'Future of Fitness'. Here's one of the many things I'd love to see personally; how about you? Do you think that the idea of Virtual Training Partners is plausible, and desirable?

  
  

• Looking At : Nov 17, 2013
  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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Gymnastic Strength Training

Looking for ideas? Try a few of these.

Gymchat 225 - How to Master the Inner Game (Jen Mulhall)

Mental Toughness. Focus. Determination.

All great things, and essential components of strength training - whether you're a competitive athlete or simply looking to move a little closer to your goals. Question is, how do you achieve them?


This week we'll be answering precisely that, looking at the various skills and tools available to help you 'Master the Inner Game'. Helping us navigate this fascinating area are Personal Trainers (and Strength Athletes) Jen Mulhall and Josh Hewett. If you've got questions for Jen or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat (during the discussion itself). Details below.

Details -

Who : Personal Trainers (and Strength Athletes) Jen Mulhall and Josh Hewett
Topic : How to Master the Inner Game (Train Your Brain!)
When : Wednesday Nov 20, 9pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone)
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Previously : Last week we held Gymchat 223 - Progressive Calisthenics (with Al Kavadlo and Josh Hewett). Great discussion.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

---

Coming Up : we've got several fantastic discussions lined up for the next few months - featuring Mike 'The Machine' Bruce, Craig Bongelli and many, many more. Details shortly.

And if you'd like to suggest a future topic or take part in one of the upcoming Gymchats, just drop Josh a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Movember 2013

If you haven't seen it yet, check out Josh's moustache-growing prowess for Movember 2013. And if you'd like to support him (well, prostate cancer research actually) in this quest, head over to his donation page :

http://ca.movember.com/mospace/7377745

btw, if you're unfamiliar with Movember and just want to see what it's all about, Josh has a brief intro video here :

http://straighttothebar.com/movember2013/

cheers.

Tip of the Week: Improvements in Fitness Trained Autistic Clients

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 comes to us from Eric Chessen, and was part of last year's conversation on Fitness & Autism. Great discussion.

---

From the Fitness & Autism discussion, in response to the question :

What kind of short term and long term improvements do you see in your autistic clients once you start training them?

It depends on the individual, but it is never only physical improvement. That's why I created the PAC Profile, because we're never just looking at physical ability, but adaptive and cognitive abilities as well. In the short-term, I've had athletes begin to really enjoy movement and improve in their gross motor skills, strength, stability, and stamina.

In the long term it becomes a lifestyle, and the athletes begin to embrace movement and fitness.

Good stuff. Whether you know autistic individuals or not, it's great to know what's possible.

Checking Out : Progressive Calisthenics Instructor Certification Workshop

These look fantastic.

The PCC workshops are the ones that Al Kavadlo mentioned in the last Gymchat. If you're at all interested in giving calisthenics a serious run, check them out.

To give you a quick idea of what's involved, a spot of video :

Perfect.

---

Quick update on the Lift the Blob package we mentioned recently - fantastic collection.

I'd love to hear how you go with it; when it comes to tackling this challenging feat you really can't go past Lift the Blob. Superb.