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 :
Gem From the Vault : Give it Away : Donating Disused Training Equipment to Charity
Scott Andrew Bird
When it’s time to update your home gym, what happens to the old stuff?- Looking At : Oct 21, 2012
Scott Andrew Bird
We’ve been discussing some very interesting techniques, products and services recently. Here are the highlights.
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 : The Low Kettlebell Windmill
Interesting variation.
Nice one Forest.
Gymchat 188 – Training Athletes (with Kyle Bohannon)
How do you help someone become a highly successful athlete – to throw further, run faster and generally move more efficiently than everyone around them?
This week we’re returning to the sporting field to discuss precisely how to do this. Helping us tackle this one is Strength & Conditioning Coach Kyle Bohannon, as well as Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine. Should be a great one.
NB : If this is the first time you’re joining us for one of the Video Gymchats, welcome. There are three basic ways to watch this (depending on whether you want to ask a question or two, or just sit back and take it all in) – full details here. However you like to do it, we’ve got you covered.
Details –
Who Strength & Conditioning Coach Kyle Bohannon and Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine
Topic : Training Athletes
When : TBA. Kirk will post the full details in his Google+ stream (you can follow him here).
How : Google+ Hangout. Follow either Kirk or Scott for details on the live feed.
See you there.
Previously : In Gymchat 187 we discussed Bodyweight and Suspension Training (with Pierre Johnson). Thanks to everyone who was able to watch live, always the best way to keep up with what’s going on.
If you missed the discussion (or are new to the Video Gymchats and just want to see what they’re like), it’s available on Kirk’s Youtube Channel. Enjoy.
Tip of the Week : Use Checklists in your Training
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.
Checklists are one of those things that seem so simple as to be almost pointless. Not really worth the effort.
However, they’re very powerful things indeed.
The basic logic behind using a checklist is pretty straightforward. As Adam Stoffa notes in the article Checklists and Complex Problems :
An example from training might be properly warming up. Everyone knows it’s foolish to engage in physical training without warming up first, but with time pressure, competing interests, or environmental stress, this step occasionally gets skipped. The risks associated with skipping this step, are significant. Pulled muscles are a major setback to a training program. When you balance the interests involved, saving a few minutes versus suffering a major setback, the risk associated with skipping this key step is unacceptably high. Therefore, item number 1 on your checklist could be:
- Complete Warm Up Exercises
And yes, although it looks almost laughably simple, this absolutely works. The checklist approach is very highly recommended indeed.
Checking Out : 20% Off the Ultimate Sandbag
Fantastic.
We’ve noted the Ultimate Sandbags several times before – beautiful things. There’s a full review here.
And if you’re considering getting yourself one (or buying one as a gift), now’s the time. For a whopping 20% discount, simply enter the coupon code MAGAZINE when checking out.
Brilliant.
Quick update on the StrongerGrip Modular Grip System (MGS) we mentioned recently – absolutely fantastic.
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the video. Warning : you will want one.
Beautiful.
Exercise of the Week : Ab Work With Chains
This is a great way to incorporate chains into your ab training. Good stuff.
Incidentally, if you’d like to get in touch regarding this or any other aspect of strength, you can contact me here. Look forward to hearing from you.
Kettlebell Exercise Demonstrations & Tutorials
We’ve looked at a lot of kettlebell exercises and variations over the years – in the form of tips, tutorials and demonstrations.
Where do you find them all? Right here – a complete list of Kettlebell Exercise Demonstrations & Tutorials.
Enjoy.
Free Downloads from the Strength Kit
I recently added a number of resources to the Straight to the Bar Strength Kit, and as a Strength & Fitness Newsletter subscriber you’re more than welcome to download as many of them as you like. Several great eBooks, podcasts and videos – all absolutely free.
Just head over here, save them to your hard-drive, and dive in.
Good stuff.
NB : This is an ever-changing list. If you’d like to put your own work in front of a fantastic strength-focussed audience, let me know.
Want to Help Out?
As you might expect, at Straight to the Bar we’re always looking for new ways to share the love of strength-training with the world. Via the main site, the weekly Gymchats, this newsletter and a whole lot more.
We’ve got a new project coming up (a couple actually), and we’re looking for someone to help out with the graphics side of things. In return we offer not only our eternal admiration, but the sincere appreciation of the entire strength-training community. And, of course, the myriad connections and opportunities that go along with that.
If you’re a designer (think illustrations more than physical products) and have more than a passing fondness for the world of strength training, get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.