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 : Suspension Training 101
Derek ‘Body by D-Rock‘ Peruo
Let’s get started.
Looking At : Apr 27, 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 : Car Deadlift Training
This is a great piece of equipment – would love one here. Over to the incredible Jeff King.
Gymchat 245 – Feats of Strength (Grip Strength) (Jedd Johnson)
Sitting firmly at the heart of many forms of training is Grip Strength. Whether you’re a Performing Strongman, Competitive Athlete or anyone who enjoys spending a bit of time with the iron.
This week we’ll be investigating two key aspects of grip work – the various feats you’ll occasionally see, and grip training in general. Tackling these is the insanely strong Jedd Johnson, joined by 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 Jedd and Josh to address, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat and leave a comment or jump in the Q&A (during the discussion itself).
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 : The insanely strong Jedd Johnson, joined by Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett
Topic : Feats of Strength (Grip Strength)
When : Wednesday Apr 30, 8:00pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone).
How : You can sit back and watch the live stream, or join the hangout and ask your questions directly via the Event page. We’ll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.
See you there.
Previously : In Gymchat 243 we discussed How to Improve Your Pull-Ups (with Strength Coach Frank DiMeo and Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett). Great conversation.
If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.
Tip of the Week: Becoming Aware of Your Transverse Abdominis
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’s an awful lot more to abdominal work than exercises like the humble crunch. Everything from Louie‘s infamous ‘Stand-Up Abs‘ to the many, many varieties of the squat.
Before doing any of that, however, it helps to understand a little about the various muscles being worked. For that, it’s over to Kat ‘The Mighty Kat‘ Ricker.
For starters, from Kat’s superb article Specific Training for the Transverse Abdominis: Belt It In, here’s a quick way to learn to feel what your TA is doing :
Begin by becoming aware of this muscle. Sit upright on a bench. Have a partner face you, place both of his hands on your shoulders, and gently push you backward (gently!). Your goal is to maintain your upright position, not allowing your spine to extend/your back to arch. Your TA will kick in to achieve your goal.
Good stuff.
Checking Out : Bruce Lee – The Evolution of a Martial Artist
This looks great.
It’s safe to say that there have been many, many books on Bruce Lee published over the years. Looking at his training philosophy, approach to nutrition and a whole lot more. Fascinating areas.
Joining the ranks is Bruce Lee – The Evolution of a Martial Artist by none other than JKD practitioner and historian Tommy Gong. As the book itself isn’t released until June 1st (although you can pre-order it here), the Amazon page will give you a good idea of what’s included :
Tracing Bruce Lee’s path from wing chun student to jeet kune do founder, this biography chronicles Lee’s physical journey–from Hong Kong to Seattle to Oakland to Los Angeles and back again to Hong Kong–as well as his voyage of self-discovery and actualization. The book draws on numerous conversations with Bruce Lee’s childhood classmates, former students, and family friends, offering a unique insight into the life of the legendary martial artist.
Tommy Gong‘s Bruce Lee – The Evolution of a Martial Artist.
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.
Exercise of the Week : Yoke Press
Here’s an event you don’t see often enough – the Yoke Press. 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.
New Guide : The Straight to the Bar Guide to Fat Loss
We’ve received some fantastic feedback following Vic Magary‘s Gymchats on Fat Loss, cheers. Greatly appreciated.
If fat loss is one of your own fitness goals, and you haven’t yet watched the discussions, you’ll find them all here. I’ve also added several other fat loss resources we’ve noted over the years – all of them highly recommended. Dive in.
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.
Giving
If you’ve been training for a while, gradually cleaning up your diet, no doubt you’ve experienced the amazing power of transformation. It’s a tremendous feeling.
If you’re ready to give someone else a hand to transform their own lives – through education, sharing equipment, financial help – take a look at the full list of organisations on the Giving page. Cheers.
In The Wild
It’s always great to see how other people train.
If you’d like to send in a photo of yourself in action (wearing one of the Straight to the Bar Shirts of course – the latest design is here), just upload it somewhere and send us a link. Cheers.