Straight to the Bar

All Things Strength

HELPING YOU GET STRONGER SINCE 2004

Book Review : We’re Working Out
Written By : Scott Bird

This is a great book.
If you’re not quite sure how (or why) to get started, this is a fantastic primer. Covering everything from Al’s philosophy of health & fitness to the mechanics of ‘how to begin‘, Al Kavadlo‘s We’re Working Out is highly recommended.
Let’s dive in.


The first thing that struck me when I started reading this (and if you know Al, this won’t come as a surprise) is how honest this information is. There’s no trace of the soft-spoken, ‘great results with almost no effort‘ language in here – he’s simple, clear and direct in everything he says. Extremely refreshing.
Equally unusual – in a good way – is his philosophy of all aspects of health and fitness. To illustrate this, here’s an example :

‘Don’t worry about tomorrow until tomorrow. Take each day as it comes and try to win every day. Keep your mind and your focus in the present and concentrate on what you’re doing now. If you can manage to do this and not worry about the future, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what the future brings.’

(here he’s talking about diet, but the same thinking applies to almost any aspect of looking after yourself)
All-in-all, it’s a great read. Whether it’s the beginning of your fitness library or taking pride of place admidst many others, Al Kavadlo‘s ‘We’re Working Out is highly recommended.


Quick note : although I’ve been training for several years now, I still actively try to retain a beginner’s mindset. After all, there’s always more to learn; and the information you need could come from anyone, at any time.
Even though this book has been written specifically for those who are new to the fitness world (and those who are yet to begin the journey), one of Al’s stories struck me immediately as something I’d been overlooking for most of this time. It’s obvious in hindsight, but it’s a powerfully simple idea.
Al noted that his clients’ form often deteriorates when they have something other than the workout on their mind. As soon as they begin to focus on the task at hand, their form improves.
As I said, obvious in hindsight, but a very powerful idea (think about breathing, rest intervals, workout music and so on).

Over to you. Drop us a line on X/Twitter ( @scottbird ), or add a comment below.

Cheers.

 

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What's This?

Straight to the Bar is the online home of fitness enthusiast Scott Bird, and looks at the many training approaches, essential techniques, uncommon exercises and superb equipment to help you become as strong as humanly possible. In short, this site is the home of all things strength.

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'Napalm' Jedd Johnson.
Want to see (and learn) more Feats of Strength like this? Dive in.

Just Joined Us? Try These.

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setting up a home gym?

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Ever Tried Kettlebells?

If you’ve seen people using them but never taken the plunge yourself, here are the ones I use personally. You can also pick up a book/DVD/course if you want to learn how to put them to work.

Ready To Learn Even More?

I love learning new skills, and the many seminars & workshops available are a great way to do that. If you’re looking for a specific type of workshop nearby, check out the ones on Dragon Door. Great mix of kettlebell and calisthenics-based offerings.

The Precision Nutrition Certification Program

The Precision Nutrition Certification Program

The Precision Nutrition Certification Program.

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Written By Scott Bird
Scott is a long-time fitness enthusiast (Jan 2004!), writer and photographer living in Sydney, Australia. If you share the passion for spending a bit of time under a bar, welcome. Love hearing how everyone else trains. You can connect via X (Formerly Twitter), Facebook and the various networks listed in the sidebar.
Drawing of Scott Andrew Bird performing a deadlift. Artwork by Vince Palko.