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 : Sandbag Training Protocols
  Matt Palfrey (Sandbag Fitness)
  Good fun.
  

• Looking At : Aug 18, 2024 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 : The No BS Guide To Going From 30% To 10% Body Fat (Mind Pump)

Interesting discussion.

Gymchat 278 – TBA

We’re still finalising the details for this week’s discussion. I’ll post them on the blog (and X, 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 151 we discussed Motivation II with the wonderful Roger Lawson together with Personal Trainer ‘Captain‘ Kirk Fontaine. Great conversation.
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 : ExerRing (Smart Ring)

Looks great. Yet another entrant to the Smart Ring space – the ExerRing. Once again, a clear focus on the health-tracking side of things, together with an AI-powered Wellness Coach. And, of course, a dedicated smartphone app. A little video :
The ExerRing.

Tip of the Week : Overhand Card Tearing

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via X (Formerly `Twitter`), the blog; and the newsletter. Wherever you are, there’s always a way to improve what you’re doing.

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When it comes to the various feats of performing strongmen & women, one that frequently comes to mind is the tearing of a deck of cards. In the article Overhand Card Tearing, Bikes Cut the Correct Way, Adam explains the basic technique for doing exactly that :

1. 

   Hold it firmly.
   Hold the deck firmly with your weak hand (right side shown for me) with the deck firmly and horizontal to the floor.
2. 

   Pinch the deck.
   Pinch the deck with the strong hand with the thumb and index finger. It’s the same grip you use to use a remote control.
3. 

   Pull towards your chest.
   Pull your strong hand (pinch side) towards your chest. The index finger splits the deck. You must pinch hard!
4. 

   Turn your weak hand towards the floor.
   Continue to pull hand towards your chest, turn your weak hand towards the floor. The deck will rip – not twist – if you have a tight grip. The tear line will be clean.
5. 

   Separate the deck.
   Continue to pinch the deck hard and pull back towards your chest until you separate the deck. The line will be a clean cut right through the deck. With this method you can put the cut anywhere you want on the deck.

Tearing cards.

It takes pain tolerance and hand strength with this method. Keep practicing. THERE IS NO TRICK. Rub some lip balm on your hands after you tear if the skin is raw.
I can now rip decks of bicycles in less than 3 seconds, and quarter them in a second with this grip. It makes you strong.

Great fun.

Unlock Your Hips, Unlock Your Squat

I get a lot of questions regarding the impact of ‘unlocking your hips‘ on heavy squatting. Rick Kaselj goes into it in plenty of detail in the ‘Unlock Your Hip Flexors‘ program; and I’ve also posted a brief video below which demonstrates/explains some of the exercises.
Both (working with Ryan, and Rick’s program) are highly recommended. And as always, we love hearing your feedback – if you sample any of the above exercises or the ‘Unlock Your Hip Flexors‘ program, we’d love to hear about it.

Exercise Of The Week : Anconeus Sidekick

The most recent edition of T-Nation’s Exercises You’ve Never Tried series (#18) encouraged me to re-read the earlier articles in search of lost gems. Amongst them I found this treat – the Anconeus Sidekick – which soon formed part of an ever-growing Triceps-blasting arsenal. The Anconeus is the oft-forgotten 4th elbow extensor. To perform the sidekicks, kneel down beside a bench and use it to support your upper arm. Move your upper arm so that it’s at right angles to your torso (and parallel to the floor), with your forearm hanging straight down. Pick up a dumbbell with a pronated grip (point your thumb down), and raise your forearm to horizontal (your upper arm won’t move). Follow it up with your usual tricep work.

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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 : ‘Lost & Found: How to Wander Your Way to a Better Life’ (by Dr Tim Sharp)

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. Dr Tim Sharp’s ‘Lost & Found: How to Wander Your Way to a Better Life’ is a great look at the role of resilience in dealing with depression (in addition to exercise, medications, CBT and so on). Dive in. 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.