This Week on Straight to the Bar

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Part 2: Kettlebell, TRX, & Ultimate Sandbag Exercises for Hurt Shoulders and Pulled Hamstrings
  Troy Anderson
  This is a superb follow-up to Troy's Top 7 Hamstring and Shoulder Injury Recovery Exercises, and introduces another batch of creative exercise combinations. Good stuff.




• Straight to the Bar Flickr Group
  Various authors
  There have been several great photos posted here recently (you'll see some of them in the sidebar), notably by Davie Easton and Wild Kiwi. If you haven't already, add some of yours. Love seeing where/how everyone trains and competes.

  And yes, it's free.

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

NB : I've set up a new commenting system for Straight to the Bar, which makes it even easier to share your views with the world. You can log in using your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Disqus accounts. Much simpler.

To kick things off (and to test that everything's working correctly), I'd love it if you could share a few thoughts. If you can, please leave comments on 2 or 3 of the superb articles on the site.

Thank you. It really is appreciated.

Incidentally, if you're looking for a list of the various articles by a particular author, head over here :

straighttothebar.com/articles/sttbauthors

Cheers.

Video : Broomstick Shoulder Mobility Drills

A couple of simple ways to get the shoulders ready for action. Nice one.

Twitterchat 123 - Nutrition for Beginners II

Over the past few years I've gradually been refining my diet, and seeing some incredible benefits in the process.

This is the second part of the 'Nutrition for Beginners' discussion, taking a further look at the things we eat; and how to adjust that to our advantage. To reduce weight, improve health, accelerate recovery, reduce stress and a whole lot more.

Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than All Round Athlete's Dean Coulson (@DeanCoulson ). Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Nutrition for Beginners II
When : Wed Jun 22, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Include #sbgym in your tweets.

If you've never been to one of these twitterchats before, here's how to join in the fun. Simple, quick to set up and free.

And to see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the twitterchat calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on Turning a Good Gym into a Great Gym. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, here's a brief summary. Was a great one.

Tip of the Week: Add Tennis Balls to Your Pull-ups

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via twitter, facebook, the forums, the blog; and now the newsletter. Wherever you are, there's always a way to improve what you're doing.

This tip comes to us via David Heaton (@Alpha82), and is part of a longer conversation on twitter, facebook and email. Enjoy.

---

Looking for a challenge? Grab a couple of tennis balls.

Via David :

@scottbird here's a tip for grip, Hold tennis balls in the palm of your hand while doing pullups! If you've never done this try it and feel it!

NB : While you've got the tennis balls out, there are a couple of other ways to use them in the gym. They're great things to always have available.

Two of the most common are for soft tissue work and for direct grip training. Good fun.

Looking Forward To : Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement

This looks great; perfectly combining three of my own passions.

First - and perhaps most obvious - is a fascination with the Olympic games themselves. With only 403 days to go (there's a countdown clock on the London 2012 site), it's definitely time to start planning things.

Second is the historical aspect. There have been some superb sports presented at the Games over the years, both as demonstration and competion sports. Tug-of-war, Roque and many, many more. Love it.

Third is the fact that - and yes, I know this is somewhat unusual - I collect dictionaries. Odd, yes, but also fascinating.

Overall, it's a fantastic mix. No matter which aspect of things (perhaps even all three) appeals to you, keep your eyes open for the Historical Dictionary of the Olympic Movement. Beautiful.

Quick update on the The Ultimate Sandbag : Last week we noted the incredible Ultimate Sandbag. Beautiful thing.

Whether you're looking at it as a conditioning or strength-building tool (or both), swing by the Straight to the Bar Guide to Sandbag Training. Loads of information there, examples and ideas.

Dive in.

Want to take your conditioning workouts up a notch? Throw in a bit of thick rope work. Love it.

What to get

The equipment is pretty simple. I personally use ropes from a local nautical supplies place; I've also heard good things about these. However you like to shop, a good rope is never too far away.

In terms of rope types/sizes/lengths, I won't attempt to detail all possible combinations here. All of the suppliers listed below have been selling ropes for some time, and are well placed to discuss the options with you. As long as you have room to hang/swing/drag it, you'll be fine.

Where to get it

Rope isn't exactly light, and shipping can really add up when large distances are involved. Accordingly, we work with suppliers all over the world.

Choose the one nearest you, and save yourself a dollar or three.

United States

• Monkey Bar Gym
• Battling Ropes at Grapplers Gym
• Immortal Martial Arts, Inc.
• McMaster-Carr
• eBay

UK

• eBay

Australia

• Rope 'N' Chain Company
• eBay

Additionally, there are several suppliers mentioned here. If you come across another one you're happy with, add their name.

NB : If you're a rope supplier and would like to see your name on this list, let us know.

What to do with it

There are many, many ways to train with a length of rope. Here are a few of my favourites :

• Weighted Rope Jumping
  First up, a rather unusual exercise (this was specifically for a World Record attempt, but the basic idea is sound). Grab a weight vest, ankle weights or your training partner :

  
  



• Short Power Rope : Rope Circles
  
  Here's a simple way (but a whole lot more challenging than it looks) way to put a short length of rope to work.
  
  


• Bulgarian Bag Rope Swings

  
  Grab a Bulgarian Bag, Kettlebell or anything else with a bit of weight. These are downright fun.
  
  


• Rope Climbing Technique : The Cinch and Pinch
  
  If you're just beginning your rope-climbing journey (or are ready to start), here's an essential piece : the way to climb a rope using the 'Cinch and Pinch' technique. Beautiful.
  
  


• Rapid Rope Climbing
  Once you get comfortable with your technique, you may like to consider something like this. A little speed work.
  
  
  

There are also a number of superb rope exercises on the MBG DVD. Highly recommended.

Final thought on rope training

I love thick rope work - one of the most enjoyable ways to train. Give it a shot.

This web site is owned and operated by Straight to the Bar (SttB) and will be referred to as "We", "our" and "us" in this Internet Privacy Policy. By using this site, you agree to the Internet Privacy Policy of this web site ("the web site"), which is set out on this web site page. The Internet Privacy Policy relates to the collection and use of personal information you may supply to us through your conduct on the web site.

We reserve the right, at our discretion, to modify or remove portions of this Internet Privacy Policy at any time. This Internet Privacy Policy is in addition to any other terms and conditions applicable to the web site. We do not make any representations about third party web sites that may be linked to the web site.

We recognise the importance of protecting the privacy of information collected about visitors to our web site, in particular information that is capable of identifying an individual ("personal information"). This Internet Privacy Policy governs the manner in which your personal information, obtained through the web site, will be dealt with. This Internet Privacy Policy should be reviewed periodically so that you are updated on any changes. We welcome your comments and feedback.

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www.privacy.gov.au

The areas around Townsville - most notably the town of Ayr - have been home to several generations of the BIRD family. This article details the town's growth from the period of their arrival in the 19th century until the present day.

---

Ayr is a town in northeastern Queensland, Australia, on the delta of the Burdekin River. The settlement was surveyed and gazetted in 1881. Declared a town in 1882 and named after the Scottish birthplace of Sir Thomas McIllwraith, then state premier, it became a shire in 1903.

On the north coast rail line and the Bruce Highway to Townsville (70 km northwest) and Brisbane (1,057 km southeast), it is the centre of the lower Burdekin irrigation area, which produces sugarcane, rice, corn, and beef cattle.

There are several sugar mills in the area. A 1,103-metre bridge is part of a road leading 7 miles south to the town of Home Hill (pop. 8,616 in 2006).

Notable Locations (Relating to the Family Tree)

Ayr Cemetery
Ephraim Bird was buried here.

The areas around Townsville - most notably the town of Ayr - have been home to several generations of the BIRD family. This article details the town's growth from the period of their arrival in the 19th century until the present day.

---

Ayr is a town in northeastern Queensland, Australia, on the delta of the Burdekin River. The settlement was surveyed and gazetted in 1881. Declared a town in 1882 and named after the Scottish birthplace of Sir Thomas McIllwraith, then state premier, it became a shire in 1903.

On the north coast rail line and the Bruce Highway to Townsville (45 miles [70 km] northwest) and Brisbane (657 miles [1,057 km] southeast), it is the centre of the lower Burdekin irrigation area, which produces sugarcane, rice, corn (maize), and beef cattle.

There are several sugar mills in the area. A 3,619-foot (1,103-metre) bridge is part of a road leading 7 miles south to the town of Home Hill. Pop. (2006) 8,616.

Notable Locations (Relating to the Family Tree)

Ayr Cemetery

This web site is owned and operated by Scott Bird Family Tree (SBFT) and will be referred to as "We", "our" and "us" in this Internet Privacy Policy. By using this site, you agree to the Internet Privacy Policy of this web site ("the web site"), which is set out on this web site page. The Internet Privacy Policy relates to the collection and use of personal information you may supply to us through your conduct on the web site.

We reserve the right, at our discretion, to modify or remove portions of this Internet Privacy Policy at any time. This Internet Privacy Policy is in addition to any other terms and conditions applicable to the web site. We do not make any representations about third party web sites that may be linked to the web site.

We recognise the importance of protecting the privacy of information collected about visitors to our web site, in particular information that is capable of identifying an individual ("personal information"). This Internet Privacy Policy governs the manner in which your personal information, obtained through the web site, will be dealt with. This Internet Privacy Policy should be reviewed periodically so that you are updated on any changes. We welcome your comments and feedback.

Personal Information

Personal information about visitors to our site is collected only when knowingly and voluntarily submitted. For example, we may need to collect such information to provide you with further services or to answer or forward any requests or enquiries. It is our intention that this policy will protect your personal information from being dealt with in any way that is inconsistent with applicable privacy laws in Australia.

Use of Information

Personal information that visitors submit to our site is used only for the purpose for which it is submitted or for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose, unless we disclose other uses in this Internet Privacy Policy or at the time of collection. Copies of correspondence sent from the web site, that may contain personal information, are stored as archives for record-keeping and back-up purposes only.

Disclosure

Apart from where you have consented or disclosure is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was submitted, personal information may be disclosed in special situations where we have reason to believe that doing so is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against anyone damaging, injuring, or interfering (intentionally or unintentionally) with our rights or property, users, or anyone else who could be harmed by such activities. Also, we may disclose personal information when we believe in good faith that the law requires disclosure.

We may engage third parties to provide you with goods or services on our behalf. In that circumstance, we may disclose your personal information to those third parties in order to meet your request for goods or services.

Security

We strive to ensure the security, integrity and privacy of personal information submitted to our sites, and we review and update our security measures in light of current technologies. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be totally secure.

However, we will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to protect the personal information you may transmit to us or from our online products and services. Once we do receive your transmission, we will also make our best efforts to ensure its security on our systems.

In addition, our employees and the contractors who provide services related to our information systems are obliged to respect the confidentiality of any personal information held by us. However, we will not be held responsible for events arising from unauthorised access to your personal information.

Cookies

Cookies are data that a Web site transfers to an individual's hard drive for record-keeping purposes. Cookies, which are industry standard and are used by most Web sites, including those operated by us, can facilitate a user's ongoing access to and use of a site. They allow us to customise the web site to your needs. If you do not want information collected through the use of Cookies, there is a simple procedure in most browsers that allows you to deny or accept the Cookie feature. But you should note that Cookies may be necessary to provide you with some features of our on-line services.

Access to Information

We will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to keep secure any information which we hold about you, and to keep this information accurate and up to date. If, at any time, you discover that information held about you is incorrect, you may contact us to have the information corrected.

In addition, our employees and the contractors who provide services related to our information systems are obliged to respect the confidentiality of any personal information held by us.

Links to other sites

We provide links to Web sites outside of our web sites, as well as to third party Web sites. These linked sites are not under our control, and we cannot accept responsibility for the conduct of companies linked to our website. Before disclosing your personal information on any other website, we advise you to examine the terms and conditions of using that Web site and its privacy statement.

Problems or questions

If we become aware of any ongoing concerns or problems with our web sites, we will take these issues seriously and work to address these concerns. If you have any further queries relating to our Privacy Policy, or you have a problem or complaint, please contact us.

Further Privacy Information

For more information about privacy issues in Australia and protecting your privacy, visit the Australian Federal Privacy Commissioner's web site :

www.privacy.gov.au

This web site is owned and operated by Scott Bird Family Tree (SBFT) and will be referred to as "We", "our" and "us" in this Internet Privacy Policy. By using this site, you agree to the Internet Privacy Policy of this web site ("the web site"), which is set out on this web site page. The Internet Privacy Policy relates to the collection and use of personal information you may supply to us through your conduct on the web site.

We reserve the right, at our discretion, to modify or remove portions of this Internet Privacy Policy at any time. This Internet Privacy Policy is in addition to any other terms and conditions applicable to the web site. We do not make any representations about third party web sites that may be linked to the web site.

We recognise the importance of protecting the privacy of information collected about visitors to our web site, in particular information that is capable of identifying an individual ("personal information"). This Internet Privacy Policy governs the manner in which your personal information, obtained through the web site, will be dealt with. This Internet Privacy Policy should be reviewed periodically so that you are updated on any changes. We welcome your comments and feedback.

Personal Information

Personal information about visitors to our site is collected only when knowingly and voluntarily submitted. For example, we may need to collect such information to provide you with further services or to answer or forward any requests or enquiries. It is our intention that this policy will protect your personal information from being dealt with in any way that is inconsistent with applicable privacy laws in Australia.

Use of Information

Personal information that visitors submit to our site is used only for the purpose for which it is submitted or for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose, unless we disclose other uses in this Internet Privacy Policy or at the time of collection. Copies of correspondence sent from the web site, that may contain personal information, are stored as archives for record-keeping and back-up purposes only.

Disclosure

Apart from where you have consented or disclosure is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was submitted, personal information may be disclosed in special situations where we have reason to believe that doing so is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against anyone damaging, injuring, or interfering (intentionally or unintentionally) with our rights or property, users, or anyone else who could be harmed by such activities. Also, we may disclose personal information when we believe in good faith that the law requires disclosure.

We may engage third parties to provide you with goods or services on our behalf. In that circumstance, we may disclose your personal information to those third parties in order to meet your request for goods or services.

Security

We strive to ensure the security, integrity and privacy of personal information submitted to our sites, and we review and update our security measures in light of current technologies. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be totally secure.

However, we will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to protect the personal information you may transmit to us or from our online products and services. Once we do receive your transmission, we will also make our best efforts to ensure its security on our systems.

In addition, our employees and the contractors who provide services related to our information systems are obliged to respect the confidentiality of any personal information held by us. However, we will not be held responsible for events arising from unauthorised access to your personal information.

Cookies

Cookies are data that a Web site transfers to an individual's hard drive for record-keeping purposes. Cookies, which are industry standard and are used by most Web sites, including those operated by us, can facilitate a user's ongoing access to and use of a site. They allow us to customise the web site to your needs. If you do not want information collected through the use of Cookies, there is a simple procedure in most browsers that allows you to deny or accept the Cookie feature. But you should note that Cookies may be necessary to provide you with some features of our on-line services.

Access to Information

We will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to keep secure any information which we hold about you, and to keep this information accurate and up to date. If, at any time, you discover that information held about you is incorrect, you may contact us to have the information corrected.

In addition, our employees and the contractors who provide services related to our information systems are obliged to respect the confidentiality of any personal information held by us.

Links to other sites

We provide links to Web sites outside of our web sites, as well as to third party Web sites. These linked sites are not under our control, and we cannot accept responsibility for the conduct of companies linked to our website. Before disclosing your personal information on any other website, we advise you to examine the terms and conditions of using that Web site and its privacy statement.

Problems or questions

If we become aware of any ongoing concerns or problems with our web sites, we will take these issues seriously and work to address these concerns. If you have any further queries relating to our Privacy Policy, or you have a problem or complaint, please contact us.

Further Privacy Information

For more information about privacy issues in Australia and protecting your privacy, visit the Australian Federal Privacy Commissioner's web site :

www.privacy.gov.au

This Week on Straight to the Bar

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Old-Time Strongman Performances
  Mike 'The Machine' Bruce
  Brief clips from some of Mike's Strongman shows. Good stuff.
  
• Robert Lucarelli's DIY Equipment
  Robert Lucarelli
  I love a spot of DIY, and here are a few examples of Rob's work. Nice one.
  

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

NB : if you enjoy the articles, show the authors your appreciation by voting (using the SU and Twitter icons beneath each post). Cheers.

Video : Double Overhand Axle Power Shrugs

Love a spot of yoke work? Same here.

Twitterchat 98 - Improving Your Client's Success

There are many ways to set your training-related goals - whether they're goals for a particular competition or overall fitness goals for the year. To lift this much, run that far, beat that time and so on.

This week we're taking a look at a spot of goal-setting, and several other elements that make up a client's success. Behaviour change models, motivation etc; from both the athlete's and the trainer's point of view. Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Food and Fitness's Anthony Paradis (@foodnfitness). Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Improving Your Client's Success
When : Wed Dec 29, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Include #sbgym in your tweets.

To see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the twitterchat calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on Training for Football : AFL. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Ever tried a little Australian Rules football?

Considering : Equipment for the Home Gym

I love the home gym - it's the perfect place to get away from everything for a while, and focus on building a stronger, faster, fitter me. Good fun.

Looking around, I'm certainly not the only one. If you're in the market for a bit of equipment (whether you're just setting up the gym, or adding to the one you've already got), take a look around places such as the Exercise & Fitness area on Amazon. Some very interesting ideas in there.

One item that caught my eye is this neck-training machine. Personally, I'm a fan of the neck harness approach, but I'm curious : has anyone here used a machine such as this?Thoughts?

This Week on Straight to the Bar

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• The Pistol Squat
  Al Kavadlo
  Always learning new skills and combinations, Al takes a look at this extremely challenging bodyweight (or with added resistance) exercise.
  
• Training Logs
  Various athletes
  There are many, many ways to train. Here are just a few.
  

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

NB : if you enjoy the articles, show the authors your appreciation by voting (using the SU and Twitter icons beneath each post). Cheers.

Video : Staggered Stiff-Legged Deadlifts

Interesting variation.

Twitterchat 97 - Training for Football : AFL

No matter which sports you enjoy, if a spot of Australian Rules Football (AFL) is on the list you're in for a treat. It's certainly a fast-paced and - if you're not used to it - somewhat unusual game. Highly recommended.

This week we're taking a look at the training required for this particular code, and how it compares to other forms of the game. Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Alpha Kettlebell's Troy Anderson (@troyATS). Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Training for Football : AFL
When : Wed Dec 22, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Include #sbgym in your tweets.

To see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the twitterchat calendar.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion on Fitness Gifts. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you ever buy yourself a fitness gift or two? What sorts of things?

Watching : The Corrections

I'm a long-time fan of Jordan Vezina's work, and I really admire stuff like this.

Jordan has put his entire DVD 'The Corrections' on Youtube, for anyone to watch - completely free. And yes, it's superb information.

To check out all the videos (the DVD's been broken into several parts, separated by topic), swing by Strength Beyond Strength.

Superb.

This Week on Straight to the Bar

I'm constantly amazed at just how much my training is influenced by the people on this site. Whether you're looking for a new piece of equipment, an unusual exercise variation or just an idea of how others approach things, you'll enjoy these :

• Three Technique Corrections for Tearing Your First Deck of Cards
  Jedd Johnson
  Just getting started? Perfect.
  
• Combat Trainer Chronicles
  Rob DeCillis
  Rob's training log. Good stuff.
  

Ready to add your own opinion, workout log or training article? Just head over to the Forums, Training Logs, or swing by the Article Submissions page. They're fantastic ways to share your ideas.

NB : if you enjoy the articles, show the authors your appreciation by voting (using the Like, Digg and Retweet icons). Cheers.

Video : How to Climb a Rope

Keen to add a little rope-climbing to your training mix, but not quite sure how?

Jim explains the most common techniques. Nice one.

Constructing : Suspension Handles

Want a great project for your next free evening? How about building a few sets of handles for use with sleds, suspension trainers and much, much more. Inexpensive, simple to make and incredibly versatile.

Over to Ryan.

Coming Events

Twitterchat 76 - Photographing Strength Athletes

Two things I've been immersing myself in for years are a passion for photography (ranging from creating images to collecting vintage cameras), and a serious love of strength training. Doing, watching, supporting, and of course, talking about. Absolutely love it.

This week we'll be combining these two incredible pastimes, taking a look at the best ways to photograph/video either yourself or a competing strength athlete. Everything from 'which camera to use', to how to record the audio so people can hear it over the wind noise, to the ways of getting some great - and legal - music onto your Youtube videos. Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than Daniel Ng, (@daniel_hautjobb); a man who's been combining some serious odd-object work with photography for years now. Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Photographing Strength Athletes
When : Wed Jul 28, 9pm EDT (1am UTC)
How : Include #sbgym in your tweets.

To see when it's on in your timezone, head over to the twitterchat calendar.

See you there.

NB : If you'd like to be a guest on a future twitterchat, let me know. It's great to hear how other people are training.

Quick update on last week's twitterchat : Thanks once again to Tim Hull (@THull) and everyone else who took part in the discussion on Incorporating Strongman Training. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you incorporate a little Strongman work in your training, and in what form?

Getting Ready For : The 1,000 Pound Total

The third part of Brooks Kubik's (Dinosaur Training) incredible Legacy of Iron series (Legacy of Iron and Clouds of War) is arriving soon.

This volume - The 1,000 Pound Total - covers the real-life battle between Steve Stanko and John Davis to become the first man in history to total 1,000 pounds in the three Olympic lifts.

Fantastic.

Exercise of the Week : TTK Negatives

These are superb. For more brilliant ways to put the Titan's Telegraph Key (TTK) to work, swing by Jedd's excellent article Getting the Most out of Your TTK. Good stuff.