Welcome to Straight to the Bar
If you’ve just joined us, welcome. Here you’ll find everything that grunts, groans and ticks in the world of strength training. In short, this site is the home of all things strength.
Incidentally, this site’s been helping people become fitter, healthier and stronger since January 2004. If you’ve just joined us, I highly recommend subscribing to the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit), which contains details of new posts on the site, freshly-minted video demonstrations & tutorials, details of upcoming Gymchats and a whole lot more.
And yes, it’s absolutely free.
To help get you started, here are a few of our most recent posts. And if you want to dive in to a particular area. check out the ‘Start Here‘ page above. Enjoy.
Fitness Reading For The Week : The Science of Food: An Exploration of What We Eat and How We Cook (by Marty Jopson)
I was chatting to a nutritionist last night, and it’s fair to say that she spends a fair bit of time in the kitchen (she isn’t alone there – I suspect many of us are similarly food-obsessed).
One of her book recommendations – and the one I’m about to dive into myself – is The Science of Food: An Exploration of What We Eat and How We Cook by Marty Jopson.
Wonderful.
Sleepmi (Anti Snoring Device)
Interesting device. The Sleepmi is a wearable device (worn beneath the chin during sleep) which aims to greatly reduce any snoring it detects. A pulse or two is sent out whenever it does. A targeted, timely massage. A little video : The Sleepmi.
The First Human Trial Of A Virus That Kills Cancer (Dr Ben Miles)
This video takes a look at the Phase 1 trial of Vaxinia (and oncolytic viruses in general), which hold enormous promise in the fighting of various cancers. Wonderful.
Looking At : Jun 5 2022
This week on Straight to the Bar…
Fitness Reading For The Week : Deadly Outbreaks: How Medical Detectives Save Lives Threatened by Killer Pandemics, Exotic Viruses, and Drug-Resistant Parasites (by Alexandra M. Levitt)
A recent discussion aroused my curiosity of the ‘medical detective‘ side of things from prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the book Deadly Outbreaks thoroughly explores that world. Sadly/happily (depending on your viewpoint), things really don’t seem to have changed a great deal in the past few years.
Great read.
amofit S (VNS Wearable)
The amofit S is a wearable device (worn like a necklace, or clipped to your clothing) which stimulates the vagus nerve, improving sleep. And although I’m somewhat skeptical of the amofit’s claimed benefits, I’m keen to give it a run here and test them out myself.
Nate Chittick’s Autopsy Results Showing Evidence Of CTE (Kelsey Chittick & Peter Attia, M.D.)
Very interesting area, with huge implications for a wide range of sports.
Looking At : May 29 2022
This week on Straight to the Bar…
Fitness Reading For The Week : A Thousand Brains (by Jeff Hawkins)
Over the years we’ve discussed a number of books on the brain – how everything works, and how to improve things.
Jeff Hawkins’ A Thousand Brains is firmly in the ‘how everything works‘ camp. Or at least, in the ‘how everything might work‘ one. Detailed, and absolutely fascinating.
Strap in.
zDen (Light-Blocking Sleep Aid)
The zDen is a small, black dome which sits above and beside your head as you sleep. Blocking out all incoming light, without you needing to wear or do anything.