Give it Away : Donating Disused Training Equipment to Charity

by Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird

Filed in : Articles
Tags : home gym, powerlifting, Raising Money for Charities, Donating Equipment, Social Media (Twitter Google+ and Facebook), water consumption

Disused Equipment.

How? Glad you asked.


Running Shoes : if you enjoy an occasional run, chances are that you have several pairs of shoes that get infrequent use at best. Rather than let them sit and gather dust, consider giving them to an organisation like Shoe 4 Africa or Soles 4 Souls; where they'll be cleaned up, sorted, and given to runners in the poorer parts of the world.

You get a clean cupboard, they get shoes. Everybody wins.

Clothing : although I'm talking about training clothing here, any clothing can be donated in the same way.

If - like me - you've inadvertently managed to accumulate a swag of workout gear over the years that no longer fits (t-shirts particularly), pass on the older models to places like Cancer Research UK, the Salvation Army or local charity shops.

Equipment : if you've been lifting for a while, there are probably a couple of items that don't get used all that often. Or perhaps you've just managed to land yourself a new rack, and there's a perfectly good one just sitting there.

Whatever the case, there are charities that specifically collect and redistribute this equipment. Of these, the largest is the Fitness4Charity group. Fantastic organisation.

NB : for smaller pieces of equipment and sporting goods, the Salvation Army is a great option.

Books : I've been surrounded by books for as long as I can remember, and an avid collector (and reader) for most of that time. To say I've got a few items in my fitness library is definitely understating things.

Given that, I'm always amazed when people sell their own precious strength-training tomes. Of course, if you're going to be getting rid of these gems in any case, why not donate them to Hands Across the Water, Books 4 Tanzania or your local library, school or gym.

One-Time Activities

Another option is to take part in one of the numerous fitness-charity events in your area. With everything from sponsored runs to indoor rowing contests, there's bound to be something that fits perfectly with your own training style.

Treat it like a meet or a major competition, and push yourself as hard as possible. Fantastic things.

There are thousands of events like this, held globally - here are just a few examples to show you what I mean :

• Athletes for a Cure
  Holds a number of events in order to raise money for research into Prostate Cancer.
• Cycle Cambodia Challenge 2009
  This looks fantastic.
• Bench for a Cure
  Looking for something a little heavier? How about events such as Bench for a Cure.

Direct Financial Contributions

Of course, if your financial situation allows, there's always the option of a monetary contribution. The organisations listed below are just a few of the ones I contribute to personally, as well as those which have been recommended to me. If you'd like to suggest an addition, contact me via email or twitter, or leave a comment below.

• Heavy Athletics
  It was Kat that first pointed me to Heavy Athletics, a group designed to change lives 'one rep at a time'.
• Summit For Someone
  Is climbing your thing? Definitely.
• Sport Relief
  Part of the Comic Relief charity, Sport Relief holds a number of sporting and fitness-related activities across the UK.
• SportsAid
  Provides financial assistance to young athletes (12-18yo) - both disabled and able-bodied - to enable them to compete at events around the UK.

And, of course, those already mentioned.

As you'll see, they all employ strength-training to help make enormous changes in people's lives. If you've ever experienced these changes yourself, you'll understand just how powerful they can be.

Scott Andrew Bird is a writer, photographer and a guy who just loves this stuff. He's been at home in front of a computer for more years than he cares to remember (OK, 35) and is now making amends for years of many mistakes noted in the De-constructing Computer Guy articles (part 2) on T-Nation.

Find out what he's up to via Twitter, Facebook, the Daily 'Paper'; and of course his online home. Enjoy.

Like this? Check out :

70 of the Best : 7 Years of Straight to the Bar.

This site - Straight to the Bar - has been around for an incredible 7 years (the first post was on Jan 17th, 2004), and to say I'm grateful is a gross understatement.

Thank you.

The First Year.

From zero to 'healthy obsession'.

Shoulder Training Tips? Intensity!.Over to the incredible George Leeman. NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.

How They Got Started : James Dotson.

How it all began.

Gymchat 202 - Intermittent Fasting (with Josh Hewett).

When - and how often - do you eat?

Looking At : Mar 24, 2013.

What we were talking about this week : on Google+, Twitter, and the 'Paper'.

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Of course, if you enjoyed these, I'd highly recommend grabbing the Strength & Fitness Newsletter. Delivered weekly, and absolutely free.

(there's also a Daily Update, if you're looking for an even larger dose of training-related goodness.)

NB : If you'd like to write a guest post for Straight to the Bar, or if you'd like to join the team of Moderators here (I love hearing about everyone's training approaches) - get in touch. And if you've got a fitness competition or seminar coming up, add it to the calendar.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Over to you. Leave a comment below, or send us a tweet :

Are You as Strong as You Could Be?

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If you love talking about training, make sure you check out the Gymchats. There's a full list of previous shows here.

To give you an idea of what they're like, here's an example :

Gymchat 277 - Barefoot Running - Believe the Hype! (Steven Sashen)

Fantastic discussion.

NB : if you'd like to be interviewed on an upcoming show (or know someone who should be), drop us a line. 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, we'd love to hear them. Cheers.

what we're saying

NB : As well as leaving a comment or two beneath the articles themselves, come and join us over on Google+ to see what else we're talking about.

just joined us? try these

There are some incredible writers on the team here. To give you an idea, check out these posts :

• DIY: How to Build an Olympic Weightlifting Platform
  Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker
  
• Building A Neck Of Steel
  Mike 'The Machine' Bruce
  
• Straight to the Grip Contest
  Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson
  
• A Little Yoke Work : 10 Exercises for a Bigger Neck
  Scott Andrew Bird
  
• 29 Things to do with a Barbell in the Corner
  Jason Kirby
  
• Get Mental! The Psychology of Strength
  Josh Hewett
  
• Small Victories
  Josh Hanagarne
  

If you enjoyed the articles above, check out the complete 'Best Of Straight to the Bar' list. And if you'd like to do some fitness writing yourself and submit your own piece, get in touch.

ready to get in shape?

'Do It With Hewett.'

A dose of Online Personal Training is ideal. Your place, their experience.

As you'd expect, I work with a number of Fitness Professionals myself - including the wonderful Josh Hewett. If you're about to begin your own strength-training journey, swing by his site at :

top-form-fitness.com/online-coaching

Highly recommended. If you're looking to get serious about 'getting in shape', book some time with Josh. Fantastic guy.

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.

gift buying guide

No matter what sort of training they're in to, we've got a few suggestions. And if you're looking for something specific, we'll help you find out where to get it. Just leave a comment on any of the posts listed below.

There are a number of articles that may help you in your quest. Specifically :

• Grrl's Valentine's Day Wishlist (Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker)
• The Bodyweight Aficionado's Guide to Gear (Jason Kirby)
• Recommended Books & DVDs on Strength-Training (SttB Authors)

And there's also the full list of the fitness-focused books and DVDs we've looked at over the years : Reading

reading : Ferocious Fitness (Phil Ross, Marty Gallagher)

Ferocious Fitness.

Remember this? Great book. Ferocious Fitness : A Fighter's Proven Action Plan to Develop Blazing Power, Animalistic Strength and Killer Conditioning is a distillation of Phil Ross' training wisdom, in the form of a superbly comprehensive book. We took a look at the digital version recently, and you'll be pleased to know that the paperback version is now available. Definitely worthy of a place on the fitness shelf. Phil Ross' Ferocious Fitness.

community

love your grip work?

Check out The Grip Authority. Fantastic site.

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.

leave it in the ground

On Straight to the Bar we talk a lot about air pollution, primarily from a gym-owner's perspective. In the 'Leave it in the Ground' newsletter we look at the topic far more broadly - the gradual move away from the use of fossil fuels. Daily, and free.

elsewhere

As you can see, we love talking about training. In addition to the conversations on here, in the Google+ Community, Twitter and so on are discussions on several other great fitness-focussed sites.

Check out :

• Josh Hewett : How to Increase Mind-Muscle Connection
• Gains & Aesthetics : In a rut with your routine? Tips to get motivated again

Of course, we're always on the lookout for new additions to this list. If you'd like to suggest a site you've come across personally (or perhaps one that you run), drop us a line.

checking out

Interesting combination.

The Hush Iced is a weighted blanket with a specific focus on the cooling (think sleep-inducing) side of things. And although we've discussed sleep an incredible amount on this site, we've never really explored the 'cool blanket' aspect.

Works extremely well.

The Hush Iced Sleep-Inducing Blanket.

The Diesel Crew Bending eBook

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 'Napalm' 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.

The New Primal Blueprint

Confused about what to eat, how much to eat; even when to eat? This book will help you get the most out of your food plan. Superb.

Rings of Power

Mike Gillette explains the various ways to put the gymnastic rings to work - progressively - in Rings of Power. With clear emphases on both strength and rehabilitation, it's an ideal place to start.

Particularly those of us in the 'over 40' crowd.

Precision Nutrition

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.

Strength Training Anatomy

This is a fantastic book. As Josh explains, it superbly shows what's going on while you train. Love it.

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 at the moment (training-related and otherwise), join us on Goodreads. And for a cut-down list showing only the ones we recommend, swing by the Recommended Books & DVDs page. See you there.