Gem From The Vault : A Little Yoke Work – 10 Exercises for a Bigger Neck
Scott Andrew Bird
In addition to protecting things, huge traps are downright impressive.- Looking At : Aug 6, 2023
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 : What actually ARE muscle cramps? (Medlife Crisis)
I was talking to a friend last night and they asked about muscle cramps – what they are, and how to prevent them. If you’re curious about those things yourself, watch this.
Wonderful explanation of the two main theories, and the research surrounding them.
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 233 we discussed The Basics of Getting STRONG with Powerlifter Tyler Thor Jefferis and Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett. Great conversation.
And if you missed it the first time (or just want to go over a particular point again), check out the full video :
https://straighttothebar.com/2014/01/29/video_for_gymchat_233_-_the_basics_of_getting_strong_tyler_thor_jefferis/ .
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.
Checking Out : Qstoves ElectriQ (Electric Pizza Oven)
Looks great.
I must admit, when I get hold of one of these I’ll likely be combining my obsession of outdoor training with a love of pizza. Suspect I’m not alone in that.
As for the device itself, a bit of video :
The Qstoves ElectriQ.
Ever Tried Kettlebells?
If you've seen people using them but never taken the plunge yourself, here are the ones I use personally. You can also pick up a book/DVD/course if you want to learn how to put them to work.
Tip of the Week: Training When Travelling
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.
We’ve had a number of questions over the years along the lines of ‘how do I train when travelling?‘. Mark Konen’s approach (from the article Pack Light, Train Hard) :
Well traveled suitcase.I am visiting my sedentary family soon and I will not be near a gym so here is my plan:
First, there is a wide variety of bodyweight exercises I can do including push-ups, sit-ups, mountain climbers, burpees, squats, pull-ups and jumping rope. I can fashion these as a circuit or even as a Tabata workout. So, the first thing I will pack is the Gymboss interval timer. Since I will already have my laptop with me, I could also use an online Tabata timer.
To make the bodyweight exercises even more challenging, I will bring along my jumpstretch bands; specifically the mini-bands. I can add resistance to any exercise I do and can also use it for assistance in pull-ups and range of motion (ROM) work. I also have a couple minor, nagging injuries that would benefit from some band work.
I will bring some running gear and would run in areas where I could also find some things like rocks to lift and throw. I may add in some hills and speed training. (I do use the word “speed” with a sense of humor)!
I’ll toss in a Captains of Crush Gripper. I can use that while watching sports on the tube.
OK, so far so good. But I really would like to do some heavy lifting so what can I do that is the same as what I would do at my home gym? Sandbag training! All I have to do is to take my sandbag liners of 50, 25 and 10#, empty them at home and then go buy a couple of 50# bags at a hardware store close to where I’ll be staying. Sand is cheap.
That about covers all I could possibly need to get in great workouts while out of town. Since I am going to a colder clime, it may be unlikely there will be a heavy snowfall this early in the season, but if I happen to be in a big snowstorm, you can’t beat snow shovelling! Snow shovel intervals could be interesting, challenging and fun. Come to think of it, I’ll have to look in my dad’s garage. I wonder if he has a sledgehammer? I may be able to talk my mom into steering the car while I push it down the street for time or reps!
Good stuff.
Exercises Of The Week : Muscle-Up Progressions
Ah the muscle-up, arguably the new gold standard for pound for pound upper body strength, speed, and coordination. CrossFit has embraced this as one of their greatest feats, but what makes this exercise so special? At first glance it appears to be a kipping pull up, and a low dip right? What do we all know about first appearances? They can be misleading. The muscle-up is the extreme of both exercises.
The amount of force generated during a muscle-up is much more than that of a pull up and a dip separately. So how do you do one of these? Well if you are very strong, or well coordinated you might be able to do one of these in your first few tries. But not all of us are created equal. We’re going to tackle this technique with a progression. That means that we’re going to take a difficult feat, and make it possible by doing it step by step.
( Read The Full Article )
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.
Fitness Reading/Listening For The Week : ‘Migraine: Inside a World of Invisible Pain’ (by Maria Konnikova)
It’ll come as no surprise that we discuss a lot of fitness-related books, courses & podcasts; on this site as well as the various networks noted in the sidebar.
Migraine: Inside a World of Invisible Pain is a fascinating look at this incredibly mysterious area – its history, possible workings, variations and treatments.
As for exercise as a potential therapeutic, well, I’ll let Maria explain.
Incidentally, I’m always looking to add to the ‘books to read‘ list. If you’ve come across something which you’d love everyone else to check out, drop me a line.
There’s also a list of our all-time fitness suggestions over there. Dive on in.