Straight to the Bar Archives : From the Archives

Recently in From the Archives

The Best of the Best.

From the archives : Straight to the Grip Contest

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : grip

I'm travelling for a couple of weeks (back around March 15). In the meantime, here are a few hidden gems from the archives. Enjoy. Straight to the Grip Contest When it comes to grip training, Jedd Johnson's a goldmine of...

From the archives : Card Tearing Anyone?

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : balance, injury prevention, Old-Time Strength, posture, tearing

I'm travelling for a couple of weeks (back around March 15). In the meantime, here are a few hidden gems from the archives. Enjoy. Card Tearing Anyone? I don't care if you tear a stack of paper, a deck of...

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From the Archives : The Zercher Squat

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : bodybuilding, deadlift, home gym, lunge, neck, Old-Time Strength, plate, squat, thick bar, zercher squat

The first in a series of Timeless Exercises.

From the Archives : 29 Things to do with a Barbell in the Corner

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : balance, beginner, deadlift, dumbbell, front squat, grip, handstand, push-ups, shrugs, squat, stretch

Time to get creative.

From the Archives : The Hack Squat

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : bodybuilding, deadlift, grip, Old-Time Strength, rings, squat, stretch, stretching, thick bar

Wonderful exercise.

From the Archives : 10 Questions with Strongman Mike Gill

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : bodybuilding, conditioning, counting calories, deadlift, diet, Farmers Walk, protein, recovery, squat, stone lifting, weight gain

I'm travelling for a couple of weeks (back around March 15). In the meantime, here are a few hidden gems from the archives.

From the Archives : Nails - Converting Imperial to Metric

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : bending, grip, measurement, Old-Time Strength

Love bending things? Here are a couple of charts which might just come in handy.

From the archives : Row, row, row

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : bodybuilding, grip

I'm travelling for a couple of weeks (back around March 15). In the meantime, here are a few hidden gems from the archives. Enjoy. Row, row, row This is just a quick look at several of the popular - as...

From the Archives : Buyers' guide : the Power Rack

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : bands, chin-up, dumbbell, home gym, squat

The core of the gym.

From the archives : Bars, plates, hooks and collars

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : deadlift, DIY, dumbbell, front squat, grip, home gym, powerlifting, shrugs, squat

A few of the essentials.

From the archives : Specific Training for the Transverse Abdominis - Belt It In

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : abdominal, bodybuilding, grip, posture, squat, yoga

Time to tighten up your built-in belt.

From the Archives : The Lost Art of Overhead Pressing

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : balance, bench press, dumbbell, grip, stretch, stretching

How much? Time to find out.

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From the Archives : A Little Yoke Work - 10 Exercises for a Bigger Neck

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : breathing, clubs & maces, deadlift, dumbbell, grip, jump, leverage, measurement, neck, rings, shrugs, squat, stretch, stretching

Whether it's for protection, stability, or simply to look good in a suit - a strong neck's a great thing to have.

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From the Archives : Conditioning Without Trying : Walking 10,000 steps per day

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : community, conditioning, counting calories, lunge, quantified self, The quantified self : fitness devices and gadgets, walking

I have two doctors, my left leg and my right. - George Trevelyan, 1913

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From the archives : Using pulse rate to determine rest break length

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : coffee, diet, heart, illness, jump, measurement, rings, squat

How long do you rest between sets?

From the archives : This aggression will not stand, man

posted by Scott Andrew Bird

I first asked this question back in March last year, and it's something that still has me curious. Is there any physiological benefit to increasing aggression before and during weight training? The comments at the time expressed a range of...

From the archives : Curing the vitamin addiction

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : diet

As with any major dietary change, things have stabilised somewhat since the original article. Over the past few years I've gone from a daily dose of 1 or 2 vitamin/mineral supplements, to a ridiculous 15 (at the time of the...

From the Archives : Bruce Lee's Back Injury

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : film, HIIT, injury prevention, massage, medical cannabis, Nerve damage and neurological conditions, recovery, rings, stunts, walking

What really happened?

From the Archives : Starting Your Fitness Journey

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : chin-up, coffee, home gym, push-ups, squat, water consumption

Although this article isn't all that old (I originally published it in May 2007), it remains one of my favourites. Hopefully it contains something which helps you in your own fitness quest. Starting your fitness journey : 10 things to...

From the archives : Structural Balance Test

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : balance, bench press, chin-up, grip, powerlifting

Measure your progress.

From the archives : Straight to the Grip Contest

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : grip

This series looks at some of my favourite articles from this site; updated to include new developments and other changes. I hope you enjoy it. One of my favourite article series' this year was Jedd Johnson's superb Straight to the...

From the Archives : DIY Gym Equipment

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : bodybuilding, brain, clubs & maces, DIY, dumbbell, energy harvesting, grip, home gym, leverage, measurement, rings, squat, water consumption

This series looks at some of my favourite articles from this site; updated to include new developments and other changes. I hope you enjoy it. There's something inherently satisfying about building things yourself. Perhaps this is best seen in the...

From the Archives : Biphasic Sleeping

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : bodyclock, coffee, injury prevention, recovery, surfing

The transition to this superb method of sleeping.

From the archives : The Step-up - A Real Squat Alternative?

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : balance, bodybuilding, conditioning, dumbbell, injury prevention, rings, squat, weight vest

Definitely time to give it a go.

From the Archives : Holding the bar in the Front Squat

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : dumbbell, front squat, grip, injury prevention, kettlebell, Old-Time Strength, squat, zercher squat

Mike Boyle's articles have a habit of encouraging a new viewpoint on things, and this article from September 2006 is no exception. Shortly afterwards I found myself thinking hard about the Front Squat; particularly the method of holding the bar.

NB : if you're looking for something specific, use the search box (top of the page) or drop us a line. And if you're happily browsing around, here's a list of all the categories and tags we use on the site :

Cheers.

The Gymchats with Josh Hewett. Talking about strength, every week.

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

When your spouse/sibling/friend is ready to 'get in shape' (or they already are), what do you get them?

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 :

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

NB : if you're still not sure what to get, there's always the option of buying them a gift card. There are certainly plenty of options; Amazon's still my favourite. Now it's your turn. Let us know how you get on, and feel free to share any photographs of what you bought or how it's being used. Look forward to hearing from you.

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

talking about If you tweet a lot about fitness and would love to be on this list, let me know.

giving

Straight to the Bar Team on Kiva.

If you've been training for a while, gradually cleaning up your diet, no doubt you've experienced the amazing power of transformation. It's a tremendous feeling. If you're ready to give someone else a hand to transform their own lives - through education, sharing equipment, financial help - take a look at the full list of organisations on the Giving page. Cheers.

daily newsletter

Daily Newsletter.

For some people, this site's weekly newsletter (The Strength & Fitness Weekly - part of the Strength Kit) isn't quite frequent enough. For those I produce a daily version, which you can grab here. Absolutely free.

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

On the Lookout 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
Al Kavadlo : Air Baby Tutorial
Dictated Journeys Of A Personal Trainer : My caloric goal achieved using the s health app on my phone
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

Sated Keto (Meal Replacement Shake)

Interesting.

Whilst the ketogenic part is debatable, this looks like a great meal replacement shake. Keen to try it out.

In the meantime, a spot of video :

Sated's Keto (Meal Replacement Shake).

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.

Just Joined Us? Try These.

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 these, check out the complete 'Best Of Straight to the Bar' list. Fantastic.

Converters and Calculators.

Before you start your fitness journey, it's important to measure a few things.

Here's how.

Wherever You Are, We Are.

In addition to the main site, you can share your strength-training passion with a like-minded community on :

Wherever you like to hang out, get your regular dose of strength. Straight to the Bar.

all things strength

Recently in From the Archives

The Best of the Best.

Categories

Tags

what we're saying

just joined us? try these

ready to get in shape?

setting up a home gym?

images of strength

gift buying guide

reading : Ferocious Fitness (Phil Ross, Marty Gallagher)

community

giving

daily newsletter

love your grip work?

in the wild

the future of fitness

leave it in the ground

elsewhere

checking out

Just Joined Us? Try These.

Converters and Calculators.

Wherever You Are, We Are.