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 :
Ultimate Masters World’s Strongest Man 2011
Davie Easton
A review of this incredible Strongman competition.
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 : Say No to Over Pressure
Very interesting indeed.
Gymchat 134 – From Diabetic to Fit
We all have different starting points.
This week we’re taking a look at training and nutrition from another angle. How to take someone with a common medical condition (Type II Diabetes) and make a number of dietary changes which not only alter the condition itself, they allow new training approaches to be explored.
Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Diabetes Warrior‘s Steve Cooksey. Fantastic.
Details –
Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : From Diabetic to Fit
When : Wed Sep 7, 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 Workout Nutrition. 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: Jouko Ahola Discusses Atlas Stone Technique
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 video by freakishly strong Jouko Ahola, explaining and demonstrating Atlas Stone lifting technique.
From the article Jouko Ahola Discusses Atlas Stone Technique :
Jouko makes two excellent points here, specifically relating to his training approach. The first is that he trains using slightly higher steps than are found in competition, and the second is that he trains with heavier stones than those he competes with. Superb.
Checking Out : The ZFO Sports Weight Vest
Looking for a challenge? Try adding a weight vest to your training.
Once again, there are many, many sales on at this time of year (with Labor Day weekend in the US) and my favourite of these is in the ‘Sports & Outdoors‘ section of Amazon. Particularly when it comes to stocking up on things that have an impact on numerous areas of my training – and a quality weight vest certainly does that.
My personal favourite is this one from Zfitness; though there are certainly plenty to choose from. If you’re looking for a simple way to increase the resistance for a number of exercises, give a quality weight vest some thought.
Fantastic thing.
Quick update on the Feats of Strength DVD : Two weeks ago 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.
Exercise of the Week : 2 Barbell Deadlift
I was introduced to this one back in 2006 by Kris Lindqvist (Toffe’s Gym, Tsampa.org, Virtual Meets), who was considering adding some more variety to his routines. The 2 Barbell Deadlift.
The lift itself is exactly as it sounds, grab two bars, load them up and deadlift one in each hand. This is an extreme test of your stability (to say the least). Good fun.
Here’s a quick demonstration by Nick Nilsson :
Love it.
Incidentally, if you’d like to get in touch regarding this or any other aspect of strength, you can send me an email here. Look forward to hearing from you.
Free Straight to the Bar eBooks
As a Strength & Fitness Newsletter subscriber you get several great eBooks, absolutely free. Just head over here, save them to your hard-drive, and dive in.
Good stuff.
NB : This is an ever-changing list of books. If you’d like to put your own work in front of a fantastic strength-focussed audience, let me know.
Time for Some New Gear? Here’s What to Get, and How to Use It
Thanks to everyone who’s sent in feedback (via email, Facebook and Twitter) about the Straight to the Bar Guides – it’s greatly appreciated.
For everyone who hasn’t seen them yet, the Guides will help you decide what to get (and where), and how to train with it. There’s some great information in there.