Although we've touched on several of these possibilities over the years, it's wonderful to see them all in a single video.

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 :

• Gem From The Vault : Owning an Underground Gym: Some Insights
  Al Heinemann | Follow @AlHeinemann
  The first 18 months of the Terminal City Barbell Club.

  
  

• Looking At : Oct 4, 2020
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : 3D-Printing Human Parts - The Future of Our Bodies (Venture City)

Although we've touched on several of these possibilities over the years, it's wonderful to see them all in a single video.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Facebook etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Josh Hewett.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : Fine-Tuning Your Lifestyle

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

One of the areas that Josh Hewett and Adam Farrah covered in Gymchat 255 - Pillars of Paleo was the general approach to fine-tuning your lifestyle. Though the specifics will obviously vary from person to person, Adam outlines the basic idea :

Good stuff.

Checking Out : Skill Board (Balance Board)

Deceptively simple.

The Skill Board is a balance board & ball (rather than the typical cylinder) - challenging your moves in 360 degrees. Think of it as the foundation of several types of agility training.

Although I'm keen to test it out myself, I'm also curious to see what it commonly gets paired with. Will it make its way into the home gym, or is it best suited to more commercial spaces? Keen to hear everyone's thoughts.

A little video :

The Skill Board.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Virtual Workout Partner? Yep - for runners, anyway.

Ghost Pacer is a pair of mixed-reality glasses with a definite running focus. They generate a virtual training partner for you, displaying it on the track nearby.

Very interesting idea.

Although I'm keen to test it out myself, I'm also curious to see the second and third generations of a product like this. Something a bit closer to the 'Virtual Training Partners' concept we discussed years ago.

While I'm waiting for mine to arrive, a little video :

The Ghost Pacer.

Very interesting look at the major areas of fitness - key to a 'well-rounded' approach.

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 :

• Gem From The Vault : A Word of Advice for Training - The Importance of Fundamentals
  Justin Andrushko | Follow @JustinAndrushk1
  Understanding the basics.

  
  

• Looking At : Sep 27, 2020
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : Pillars of Fitness - Types of Fitness Everyone Should Train For (The Bioneer)

Very interesting look at the major areas of fitness - key to a 'well-rounded' approach.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Facebook etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Chadwick Haines.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : The Power of Naming Your Workouts

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

Kira Robert Clarke (Fight Geek).

A few years ago, a couple of young dudes I trained with (Muay Thai), wanted to do some extra conditioning work. I offered to take them on a run up Puke Hill on the weekends.

After a few nervous side-glances, both of them asked, "Why is it called Puke Hill?" After striking a suitably melodramatic pose, I just smiled and then walked away.

When they finally got to do the run, I noticed three distinct changes to the way they normally trained:

• Intensity - It was the hardest I'd seen either of them train.
• Team-work - When one of them almost gave up, the other one slowed down and ran beside his friend--helping him to complete the last set of sprints.
• Accomplishment - After the run, neither whined or complained. In fact, despite their exhaustion, both had shit-eating grins plastered across their ugly faces.

Of course Puke Hill is just a hill. Sure it was steep, and using it for interval-sprints was quite challenging, but what hill sprints aren't challenging? So here's the point of my story: I believe that by simply giving the run a name, my two padawans trained harder, worked together better, and gained a greater sense of individual and shared achievement.

Good stuff.

Checking Out : Ghost Pacer (Holographic Training Partner)

Virtual Workout Partners? Yep - for runners, anyway.

Ghost Pacer is a pair of mixed-reality glasses with a definite running focus. They generate a virtual training partner for you, displaying it on the track nearby.

Very interesting idea.

Although I'm keen to test it out myself, I'm also curious to see the second and third generations of a product like this. Something a bit closer to the 'Virtual Training Partners' concept we discussed years ago.

While I'm waiting for mine to arrive, a little video :

The Ghost Pacer.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

The latest generation of the Apple Watch was officially launched the other day, and the reviews have been steadily trickling in ever since. My favourite so far - this one by DC Rainmaker.

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 :

• Gem From The Vault : Ultimate Masters World's Strongest Man 2011
  Davie Easton | Follow @DavieEaston
  Great competition.

  
  

• Looking At : Sep 20, 2020
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  What's been going on this week? Quite a lot actually.

  
  

Over to you. I'd love to hear what you think : leave your comments on the above articles, and share them with your friends/colleagues/clients and so on.

NB : If you're keen to do a little fitness writing and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, get in touch.

Video : Apple Watch Series 6 - Sports & Fitness Hands-on Tests (DC Rainmaker)

The latest generation of the Apple Watch was officially launched the other day, and the reviews have been steadily trickling in ever since. My favourite so far - this one by DC Rainmaker.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Facebook etc) shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of the previous episodes of the show - (there's an example below, and a full list here). And if you've got any questions or comments on the various topics discussed, we'd love to hear them. Just leave a note below the video.

Conor Doherty.

NB : if you'd like to take part in a future episode - either as an interviewee, or as a guest host - just drop us a line. Love hearing how everyone else trains.

Tip of the Week : Sleep Hygiene

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

One of the areas that Josh Hewett and Sincere Hogan covered in Gymchat 253 was the general approach to sleep hygiene. Though the specifics will obviously vary from person to person, Sincere outlines the basic idea :

Good stuff.

Checking Out : Intriex (Metabolism Tracking Device)

Very interesting idea.

Although I'm not a fan of the infomercial-style advertising, the product itself - The Intriex Metabolism Tracking Device - is interesting. A couple of questions though :

1. Can I export the data for use in another app (either a commercially-available one, or one I've written myself)
2. How many times can the strips be used? Will I be forced to buy new ones all the time, or can I clean & re-use them?

The Intriex Metabolism Tracking Device.

Rather than trying to explain how it works, here it is in action :

Good stuff Bret, looks great.