Gem From The Vault : The Step-up – a Real Squat Alternative?
Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
It certainly deserves some serious attention.- Looking At : Feb 28, 2021
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 : Tip For An Insanely Strong Overhead Press (Omar Isuf)
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, Facebook 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 224 we discussed The Future of Fitness (Roundtable) with Josh Hewett, Chas Melichar, Chris Lutz, Karsten Jensen and Nassim Jebran.. Great conversation.
If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you’ll find the entire video 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 : Checking Your Squat Depth
Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, the blog; and 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?
Checking Out : Ovicx WEKEEP (Smart Fitness Bike)
Looks great. The Ovicx WEKEEP is a relatively low-cost Smart Fitness Bike. If you’re looking to add a spot of cardio to the home gym, this is a great way to do it. What’s more, it comes with access to a range of classes. And as it uses Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) to connect, it also works with several other systems. Notably ZWIFT and Kinomap. To give you a brief look at the bike itself, a little video :The Ovicx WEKEEP.
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 : Chain X Push-Ups
Possibly the best way to add weight to push-ups – chains.
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.