Welcome to Straight to the Bar
Yes, I love the deadlift.
Incidentally, this site’s been helping people become fitter, healthier and stronger since January 2004. If you’ve just joined us, I highly recommend subscribing to the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter, which contains details of new posts on the site, freshly-minted video demonstrations & tutorials, details of upcoming Gymchats and a whole lot more.
And yes, it’s absolutely free.
Misses Are Just Warm-ups
Excellent way of looking at it Jedd.
How They Got Started : Ray Hulm
Ray Hulm.
Looking At : Jul 20, 2014
What we were talking about this week : on Google+, Twitter, and the Daily 'Paper'
During the past week we've discussed a number of great links; on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.
The Kennedy Lift
The Kennedy Lift.
Muscle-Ups For Reps
Nice one.
Nice one. btw, if you're currently unable to do them, here's the basic progression.
Gymchat 253 - Alpha Aesthetics (Personal Development In The 21st Century with Omar Atlas)
Ready to become number one?
How do you become the 'alpha dog' - the leader of the pack? And how do you use strength training to do it? This week we're exploring this enigmatic area - the intersection of bodybuilding and personal development. Tackling this is the wonderful Omar 'Bromar' Atlas, joined by Personal Trainer and Strength Athlete Josh Hewett. Fantastic.
NB : We'd love to hear your questions and comments. If there's a particular subject you'd like Omar and Josh to address, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat and leave a comment or jump in the Hangout and ask them directly. And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.
Looking At : Jul 13, 2014
What we were talking about this week : on Google+, Twitter, and the Daily 'Paper'
During the past week we've discussed a number of great links; on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.
Maximum Functional Mass
Superb. If you watched the Gymchat last week, you'll know exactly what to expect. Bud Jeffries shares some truly incredible information. We'll post a full review shortly, but in the meantime, here's a piece from Bud's own site to help explain what Maximum Functional Mass's all about :
The first in our new series on how to build muscles - Large muscles! Powerful muscles! Muscles that can do more than they look like they can do. Muscles that actually work, not just look impressive.Maximum Functional Mass.
Gymchat 252 - The Power of Mental Strength (Dru Patrick)
Think about it.
How important is it to be mentally strong? Does it help you gain physical strength? This week we'll be looking closely at the area of Mental Strength - explaining exactly what it is, how it impacts physical strength and how to go about acquiring some. Helping us tackle this fascinating area is Powerlifter Dru Patrick - Powerlifting Instructor at Crossfit Gulf Coast - together with Personal Trainer and Strength Athlete Josh Hewett. Fantastic.
NB : We'd love to hear your questions and comments. If there's a particular subject you'd like Dru and Josh to address, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat and leave a comment or jump in the Hangout and ask them directly. And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.
Details -
Who : Powerlifter Dru Patrick, Personal Trainer and Strength Athlete Josh Hewett, and You Topic : The Power of Mental Strength When : Wednesday Jul 9, 8:00pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone). How : Watch the live stream, join the hangout (just add Josh to one of your circles, and he'll send you the URL when the Hangout starts), or jump in the Q&A on the Event page itself. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.Pec Poppin' Pushups
Pushups with a twist.
Nice one Joe.
Like to contribute something? I love hearing about how other people are training; if you’d like to write an article, record a video or tell us about a site you’ve discovered, get in touch.
Want More?
As you can imagine, there’s an incredible amount of material on this site. Articles, video demonstrations & tutorials, the weekly Gymchats and a whole lot more. To keep up with everything going on in the World of Strength, sign up for the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter.
Absolutely free.
This week :
Gymchat 253 - Alpha Aesthetics (Personal Development In The 21st Century with Omar Atlas)
Monday, starting at 8pm Eastern. See you there.
NB : if you'd like to be interviewed in an upcoming discussion, we'd love to hear from you. It's great to find out how other people train.
And if you'd like to add your comments and suggestions on the Gymchats in general, you can do that here. Cheers.
setting up a home gym?
If you're getting ready to put together a solid Home Gym (fantastic thing), here's how.
And for more, swing by the full guide. Absolutely free.
images of strength
Want to see (and learn) more Feats of Strength like this? Dive in.
recommended
It'll come as no surprise that we've reviewed many, many products over the years. Everything from books, magazines and DVDs to racks, benches and complete home gyms.
To give you an idea :
- Recover Better and Faster with Elite Recoup
- Carlson Labs Fish Oil
- Get Extreme With Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite
- Review : Fixing Elbow Pain
- Gettin' Swole, Part 2
- Gettin' Swole
- You Need More Drugs
Looking for a full list of the various equipment and services we use and recommend? No problem - it's all here.
the team
There are some superb writers here, looking at the world of strength training from a number of angles. The regulars :
Scott Bird (@scottbird, +Scott Bird)
Writer and Fitness enthusiast
Josh Hewett (@TopFormFitness, +Josh Hewett)
Strongman, Personal Trainer and Host of the Gymchats
Conor Doherty (@sfactoryfitness, +Conor Doherty)
Educator and Personal Trainer
Derek 'D-Rock' Peruo (@DerekPeruoCSCS, +Derek Peruo)
Personal Trainer and Creator of the Renaissance Fitness Supplement Kits
Dean Coulson (@DeanCoulson, +Dean Coulson)
Strength & Conditioning Coach and Martial Artist
Kat
'The Mighty Kat' Ricker (+Kat Ricker)
Bodybuilder and Writer
Jedd
'Napalm' Johnson (@jeddjohnson, +Jedd Johnson)
Grip champion and Strongman
NB : It's a big team - full list here.
In addition, articles are submitted from across the globe. Got a piece you'd like to share? Let us know.
in the wild
It’s always great to see how other people train.
If you’d like to send in a photo of yourself in action (wearing one of the Straight to the Bar Shirts of course - the latest design is here), just upload it somewhere and send us a link. Cheers.
the future of fitness
Over the years we’ve looked at the fitness industry from a number of angles - discussing the history, present approaches and potential future trends involved. Fascinating areas.
When it comes to the last part - discussing potential future trends - things get a little, well, unusual. If it’s an interest you share, or you just want to find out the types of things we think are likely, check out the posts tagged ‘Futurism’. And of course, Gymchat 224 (Roundtable) - The Future of Fitness. Superb discussion.
reading
Maximum Functional Mass
Maximum Functional Mass.Superb. If you watched the Gymchat last week, you'll know exactly what to expect. Bud Jeffries shares some truly incredible information. We'll post a full review shortly, but in the meantime, here's a piece from Bud's own site to help explain what Maximum Functional Mass's all about : The first in our new series on how to build muscles - Large muscles! Powerful muscles! Muscles that can do more than they look like they can do. Muscles that actually work, not just look impressive. Maximum Functional Mass.»»
If you're new to the world of nail bending, this is the perfect book to get. It'll show you the exact techniques you'll need to get started right away. Written by world-class bender Jedd Johnson.
The Diesel Crew's Card Tearing eBook
This is a fantastic book. If you've ever considered learning this incredible strength feat, the Card Tearing eBook is the perfect place to start. Love it.
If you ever wake up with that 'just run over by a truck' feeling, you need a copy of Tim Hull's Functional Correction Manual. Not only will it help you to locate and repair the problem, it'll help prevent it happening in the future.
When it comes to body transformation - whether that's an increase in strength, packing on a bit of muscle or losing a bit of excess fat - this is the perfect place to start. Dr Berardi's Precision Nutrition.
This is a fantastic book. As Josh explains, it superbly shows what's going on while you train. Love it.
101 Fitness Myths [Kindle Edition]
A superb combination of fitness mythbusting and no-nonsense advice. If you're not quite sure where to start, grab this.
The Art of Expressing the Human Body
If you've ever watched a Bruce Lee film and marveled at his strength, speed, agility, endurance, flexibility or muscularity, this book should take pride of place in your collection. Unlike many other writings covering everything from Lee's training methods to nutrition, this book is based not on the recollections of people around him; but on Lee's own notes. Brilliant.
For a full list of what we're reading and watching at the moment, just head over to the Recommended Books & DVDs page. See you there.