Gem From The Vault : DIY – Home-Made Gym Equipment II
Scott Andrew Bird
Building it is half the fun.- Looking At : Jun 25, 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 : How To Use A Food Scale – Macro Counting (Kristi Eramo O’Connell)
This is a wonderful demonstration of the basic ‘weighing and tracking your food‘ process. Great way to see precisely how much of everything you’re eating.
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 227 we discussed The Tempo Matrix with Strength Coach Karsten Jensen and Strongman and Personal Trainer 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 over on Josh’s Youtube channel :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X30x1VlrLCw.
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 : niostem (Wearable To Reverse Hair Loss)
Interesting.
niostem is a wearable designed to stop – and gradually reverse – hair loss. And although I’m not exactly the ‘right’ person to test this out, I’m keen to hear from anyone who’s given it a run.
As for the device itself :
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: How a Paleo Diet Can Benefit Strength Training
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.
My diet has been gradually improving for years (since I began lifting weights), becoming cleaner and more streamlined over time. This was all with the purpose of having a greater intensity in the gym, and recovering faster. Of course there are many other benefits; these are just the two that were on my radar.
In May 2009 I decided to make a transition to a new eating approach altogether, the Paleo Diet. Not only did I experience a number of incredible health benefits, the intensity and recovery aspects increased markedly. Here’s a brief look at the main benefits of the Paleo Diet, as far as strength-training is concerned.
From The Straight to the Bar Guide to the Paleo Diet :
As strength-training is a major part of my life, I was careful to ensure that the Paleo Diet integrated well with it. I’m pleased to report that it’s a great mix, and even comes with a number of benefits. These include :
Energy levels maintained : as your body isn’t being subjected to constant insulin spikes under the Paleo Diet, you’ll have a much more stable level of energy going in to the gym. This is particularly noticeable after you’ve been on the diet for a few weeks or so.
Better recovery : although it’s most notable in the form of improved sleep, you’ll find that your body’s ability to recover from your workouts is improved overall. And this is definitely a good thing.
Improved focus : one of the most surprising benefits from a switch to Paleo (in my case at least) has been an improvement in mental clarity. This change can have a very subtle effect on training; remembering exactly what happened in a prior session and just how much impact it had. Additionally, you’ll find an array of subtle benefits from it when you’re outside the gym. Love it.
Fantastic.
Exercise Feat Of The Week : Kaz Performing Log Press
Another great Kaz video via Napalm’s Corner : Bill Kazmaier in 1982 performing the log press. As you’ll see, the start is slightly different to today’s contests.
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 : ‘Changing Body Composition Through Diet and Exercise’ (by Michael Ormsbee for The Great Courses)
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.
Changing Body Composition Through Diet and Exercise is a great overview of the basics (on both the nutrition and exercise fronts). If you’re just beginning your fitness journey (or about to), this is an excellent place to start.
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.