This Week on Straight to the Bar

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 : Shot Tossing for Dynamic Grip Strength
  Jedd ‘Napalm‘ Johnson
  Ready for some very creative ways to train?

  
  

• Looking At : Aug 12, 2012
  Scott Andrew Bird
  We’ve been discussing some very interesting techniques, products and services recently. Here are the highlights.

  
  

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’d like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here’s how.

Video : Assisted Band Training Workout

Ready for a solid outdoor workout, but your strength’s not quite where you’d like it to be yet? Consider something like this.

Nice one Dave.
btw, if you want to try something like this yourself, all you need is a light band or two. These are ideal.

Gymchat 182 – Exercise and Aging

Kirk Fontaine.

As we live longer and longer, the active part of that – the healthspan, if you like – also grows.
One of the outcomes from this is that people are now beginning their own strength-training journeys at a variety of ages – it’s entirely reasonable to begin at age 8 or 80; or anything inbetween.


This week we’re taking a close look this ‘training at any age‘ philosophy. If you’re already in your 50s/70s/90s or beyond, how do you start? What sorts of things should you – and could you – be doing?
And for those of us that haven’t quite reached those points yet, how do we make sure we’re still ready for the heavy stuff when we get there?
Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine. Fantastic.


Details –
Who : Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine
Topic : Exercise and Aging
When : Wed Aug 15, 9pm EDT (here’s how to find out when that is in your timezone)
How : Post a comment, question or reply
Link : https://plus.google.com/u/0/113406428532094481598/posts/7483jTr37Eu
For everyone who’s joining us for their first Gymchat, welcome. Just dive right in, and ask Kirk any training-related questions you like.
See you there.

Matt Hunt.

Quick update on last week’s gymchat : Once again, sincerest apologies for this – we’ve unfortunately had to reschedule this one. The new date will be announced shortly.

Tip of the Week: Nails – Converting Imperial to Metric

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via twitter, Google+, the forums, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there’s always a way to improve what you’re doing.

150mm (6″) Nails.

When it comes to incredibly enjoyable ways to train, bending things is certainly high on the list. I love wandering around hardware stores in any case, and always seem to end up in the ‘nails and fasteners‘ area.
Love it.


The first time I did that however (well, the first time after Jedd suggested I try a little nail-bending), I was in for a bit of a shock. The days of Imperial -> Metric conversion charts were gone, and the nail sizes were all noted in millimetres.
If – like me – you’re looking to go the other way (I learnt a number of core concepts from friends in the US, and Imperial measurements were everywhere), the following might help. From the article Nails : Converting Imperial to Metric, a couple of tables that may come in handy :

Enjoy.

Checking Out : Primal Stress

Primal Stress.

This looks superb.
If you checked out the Resilience Breathing offering we noted recently, you’ve already got an idea of what’s in store with the complete Primal Stress package. Suffice to say that it’s comprehensive.


What’s it all about? Over on the main site, Tanya explains it beautifully :

Scott Sonnon’s revolutionary new work Primal Stress clearly and comprehensively explains the impact of stress on the body, and how not only to offset but to optimize it in order to build the best possible life that you can. If you suffer any symptoms due to excessive stress from your job or your lifestyle (and who doesn’t?) you need this book. Even if you don’t think that you suffer due to inordinate stress, you need this book. Basically, if you have a body, you need this book. What you learn from it can change everything.

Perfect.

Fixing Elbow Pain.

Quick update on the superb Fixing Elbow Pain we mentioned recently. There’s a full review here, but suffice to say that if you’ve ever experienced conditions like Tennis Elbow or Golfer’s Elbow, it’s essential reading.
Love it.

Exercise of the Week : Bricklifting Bear Hug

If you’ve read Steve Jeck‘s Of Stones and Strength (great book incidentally), you’ll recognise this. The superb Bricklifting Bear Hug.

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.

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.

Free Downloads from the Strength Kit

I recently added a number of resources to the Straight to the Bar Strength Kit, and as a Strength & Fitness Newsletter subscriber you’re more than welcome to download as many of them as you like. Several great eBooks, podcasts and videos – all absolutely free.
Just head over here, save them to your hard-drive, and dive in.
Good stuff.


NB : This is an ever-changing list. If you’d like to put your own work in front of a fantastic strength-focussed audience, let me know.