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 : The Step-up : a Real Squat Alternative?
Scott Andrew Bird
A possible addition to your leg training arsenal.- Looking At : Jun 2, 2013
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 : Low Back Quick Test
Another great insight. Nice one Kelly.
Gymchat 203 – TBA
We’re still finalising the details for this week’s discussion. I’ll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ etc) shortly; here are the various ways to watch/join in.
However you take part, enjoy.
btw, Kirk’s offline for a couple of weeks – I’ll let him fill everyone in on the details when he gets back. In the meantime, we’ll be presenting a couple of guest-hosted Gymchats. And if you’d like to help moderate one of them, just let me know.
Details –
Who : TBA
Topic : TBA
When : Wednesday Jun 5, 9pm EST
How : Google+ Hangout. If you’ve never been to one, here’s how to take part.
URL : We’ll be announcing this shortly – both on the blog and on Google+ itself.
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 join us on the Hangout and 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.
Coming Up : In upcoming Gymchats we’ll be discussing CrossFit, Rope Training and the Fitness Future of technologies such as Google Glass. Get your questions ready.
And if you’d like to suggest a topic for a future discussion – or volunteer to be interviewed on the show – just drop us a line. Cheers.
Tip of the Week: Try a Caffeine Nap
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.
I initially wrote this back in 2006 during a brief period without coffee (I tried giving it up, but ultimately switched to the current ‘one cup per day’ routine), and it’s still a very intriguing idea. Although I take the occasional nap and get a regular caffeine fix, I rarely combine the two.
For a start, they take place at different times of the day.
I’m curious though – has anyone here sampled a Caffeine Nap? I’d love to hear your thoughts; particularly if it’s a regular thing.
From the article ‘Caffeine Napping‘ :
Sleep researchers at Loughborough University were looking at various ways to keep motorists awake on long journeys. The winner – perhaps somewhat surprisingly – was the ‘caffeine nap‘.
The idea is simple : drink a cup of coffee and immediately take a brief (15-20min) nap. This helps clear the body of adenosine, a chemical commonly believed to make you drowsy.
Very interesting indeed.
Checking Out : Becoming a Supple Leopard
This is one of the books we mentioned the other day, in our discussions of ‘cataloging the fitness shelves‘ – Kelly Starrett’s ‘Becoming a Supple Leopard‘. Looks great.
We’ll be posting a full review shortly, but suffice to say it’s well-and-truly Kelly Starrett. If you’ve seen any of his videos, you’ll understand what I mean.
For now, a quick overview on what the book’s all about :
In short, it’s Kelly’s approach to mobility. A detailed understanding of how the body works, in order to improve athletic performance, reduce injury time and a whole lot more.
From the Amazon page –
If you are like me you won’t put this thing down. I am going through it a second time as I write this. I have already recommended it to all my patients, and this will be a staple in my office and it is a must read for anyone that has a BODY – I guess that covers all of you reading this. In closing I have spent thousands of dollars on seminar after seminar. I can say unequivocally that this book has more information in it, which by the way is very simplistic for you to implement, than all of the education I have received on the dynamics of the human body.
Becoming a Supple Leopard. Fantastic.
Quick update on the Renaissance Fitness Supplement Kits we mentioned recently – superb idea.
As we noted, we’ll be reviewing these shortly. And if you missed the announcement, here’s a brief video to explain the basic idea :
For more information, head on over to the official site – renaissancefitnessinc.com.
Exercise of the Week : Beaker Squats
Ever tried the Squat version of the Kettlebell Beakers exercise? Here it is in action. Love it.
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.
A Daily Dose
Love this stuff? Same here. If you’re looking for a daily dose of strength-training goodness, grab the Straight to the Bar Daily.
Absolutely free.
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’ve doubtless noticed, in addition to the main site is a Community on Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Wherever you are, a daily dose of strength isn’t all that far away.
To help run all of these sites, we’re on the lookout for several new Moderators. To welcome new community members, bring up new items to discuss and generally keep the conversations on track.
If you’re already spending a bit of time at any of the above sites, and would like to offer your services as a Moderator, just drop us a line below. And thanks for that, it really is appreciated.
Contact either :
Kirk Fontaine, Community Manager, Straight to the Bar
or me :
Scott Andrew Bird, Editor, Straight to the Bar
Thanks again. Look forward to hearing from you.