Straight to the Bar

All Things Strength

HELPING YOU GET STRONGER SINCE 2004

Looking At : Week Ending Mar 4, 2012
Written By : Scott Bird
Filed In : Fitness-Related Sites | Gymchats (formerly twitterchats) | Health | video | Weekly summary
Binoculars. Photo by Phil Whitehouse.

Binoculars. Photo by Phil Whitehouse.

During the past week we’ve discussed a number of great links; on Google+, Twitter, the Forums and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.

  • Maik Wiedenbach interview : Maik is the World Physique ‘Personal Trainer of the Month‘ for March 2012. You can see the full piece here.
  • ‘Know Your Own Skin‘ iPhone app : we noted several very interesting applications for both Android and iOS, including the ‘Know Your Own Skin’ app (iPhone only for now). Anyone here tried it?
  • Fitocracy : Although the site‘s been around for a while, the addition of various Red Bull challenges has really given it a push. Good stuff.
  • Larry Smarr article : this piece in MIT’s Technology Review neatly describes why I’m a huge fan of the ‘Quantified Self‘ movement. Very inspiring story.
  • Pivothead Video glasses : stumbled across these the other day. Anyone here used them for something like snowboarding or skateboarding videos?
  • Ekso selling first exoskeleton : we first saw this a while ago, at a TED conference. Absolutely incredible. Now Ekso (formerly called Berkeley Bionics, if you don’t recognise the name) is starting to sell these fantastic devices.
  • The ‘Truth About Exercise‘ documentary : I noted this one briefly in the recent discussion on Mike Mentzer. It combines HIT-style training with a new battery of tests and observations; fascinating ideas overall. Would love to hear what you think.

NB : to see all of these as they appear (and to share your own thoughts on things), the simplest way is to follow me on Google+. You’ll see these, and a whole lot more.

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

Cheers.

 

NB : if you love talking about strength-training as much as I do, you might also like to check out the weekly newsletter. A regular dose of fitness-focussed discussions, absolutely free.

And if you'd like to check out any of the stuff mentioned above (or in the comments), swing by Amazon. Huge assortment of fitness gear.

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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.

images of strength

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

Just Joined Us? Try These.

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

If you enjoyed these, check out the complete ‘Best Of Straight to the Bar‘ list. Fantastic.

setting up a home gym?

If you’re getting ready to put together a solid Home Gym (fantastic thing), here’s how.

For more, swing by the full guide. Absolutely free.

And of course, you’ll find everything you need over in the SttB Strength Store. Massive range.

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.

Converters and Calculators.

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

Here’s how.

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.

If you’re a fitness professional and love the Precision Nutrition approach, check out their certification offering. To say it’s comprehensive is an understatement.

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.

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.