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, technique
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...
From the Archives : The Zercher Squat
posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : bodybuilding, deadlift, home gym, lunge, neck, Old-Time Strength, plate, squat, technique, 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, technique, 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, technique
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.
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.
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
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, technique
How long do you rest between sets?
From The Archives : This Aggression Will Not Stand, Man
posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : Training Concepts & Strategies
Is there any physiological benefit to increasing aggression before and during weight training?
From the Archives : Curing the Vitamin Addiction
posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : diet
What do I really need?
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, technique, 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, technique, 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.
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Cheers.
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?
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 :
- 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
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)
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
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
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
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
Dinosaur Strength and Power Courses (PDFs) These look great. It's fair to say that I've got plenty of reading material (training-specific, of course) ready for the holiday period. Although I'm always on the lookout for more.
The list has just grown a little longer with the Dinosaur Strength and Power Courses - a series of short courses over on Brooks Kubik's site.
You'll find them here :
Dinosaur Strength and Power Courses.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.