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 : Bare-Handed Nail Driving Basics
  Ryan Pitts
  Looking for a serious challenge? Try this.

  
  

• Looking At : Feb 2, 2014
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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 more writing in 2014 and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : 100lb Plate Hold for Time

A deceptively simple challenge - holding a couple of 100lb plates for as long as possible. Try it, and you'll see what I mean.

Nice one Logan.

Gymchat 234 - Fitness Industry Posers (Education vs Experience) (Bill Piche)

Bill Piche.

This week we're tackling this area - discussing the value of education vs experience when it comes to training. How to evaluate what's on offer, and the types of things to consider when choosing someone to work with. Helping us tackle this one is Powerlifter Bill Piche, joined by Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett. Fantastic.

If you've got questions/comments for Bill or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat. And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.

Details -

Who : Powerlifter Bill Piche, joined by Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett
Topic : Fitness Industry Posers (Education vs Experience)
When : Wednesday Feb 5, 9:00pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone).
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Tyler Thor Jefferis.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here.

Tip of the Week: The Modified Jefferson Lift

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, 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 from Jason's superb article 29 Things to do with a Barbell in the Corner; and looks at just one of the many ways to put a partly-loaded barbell to work. The Modified Jefferson Lift.

Over to Jason :

This is where you straddle the barbell with both legs, and grasp above the weights while you lower yourself straight down as if sitting down into a chair. The R.O.M. is limited so you can use heavier weights if you feel comfortable.

Good stuff.

Checking Out : Basic Anabolic Hypertrophy Training

Basic Anabolic Hypertrophy Training.

Josh Hewett's shared some fantastic information over the years - in the form of videos, articles and, well, just doing it. Good stuff.

His latest offering, Basic Anabolic Hypertrophy Training, is certainly no exception. A detailed guide to putting a little more muscle on your frame; regardless of your starting point. If you're ready to put the work in, Josh is ready to help.

Best of all - he's used this program with a number of clients, so you know it works. Basic Anabolic Hypertrophy Training.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Thanks again to everyone who watched and sent in questions for the discussion Gymchat 233 - The Basics of Getting STRONG [with Powerlifter Tyler Wareham (Tyler Thor Jefferis) and Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) and Josh Hewett] - much appreciated. If you haven't seen it yet (or simply want to go over a particular point again), here's the entire video.

Stretching Your Boundaries.

Making its way instantly to the top of my 'books to read' list is Stretching Your Boundaries - the latest offering from the inimitable Al Kavadlo. And as the name implies, Stretching Your Boundaries is Al's own thinking on the use of stretching with bodyweight training. Perfect.

Full review shortly; in the meantime though, here's a quick comment from the Amazon page to give you an idea :

What is fantastic about this book is the first part - a complete manifesto about stretching and stretch safety. If you had any doubts about stretching, this part of the book is worth the money alone.

Stretching Your Boundaries.

NB : the links above are for the Kindle edition; a paperback version is available over on the Dragon Door site.

Tyler Thor Jefferis.

This week we'll be discussing this area in detail, explaining exactly how to go from being 'about as strong as the people around me' to 'the strongest person I know'. Taking us through the entire process is Powerlifter Tyler Thor Jefferis together with Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett. Fantastic.

If you've got questions/comments for Tyler or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat. And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.

Details -

Who : Powerlifter Tyler Thor Jefferis and Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett
Topic : The Basics of Getting STRONG
When : We're holding this one a little earlier in the week. It'll be on Tuesday Jan 28, 9:15pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone).
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

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 : The Fat Bar
  Max Shank
  Looking for a way to challenge your grip? Throw in a little thick bar work. Good fun.

  
  

• Looking At : Jan 26, 2014
  Scott Andrew Bird
  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 more writing in 2014 and would like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Mobility for Powerlifting

Good stuff Clint. Excellent advice.

Gymchat 233 - The Basics of Getting STRONG (Tyler Thor Jefferis)

Tyler Thor Jefferis.

This week we'll be discussing this area in detail, explaining exactly how to go from being 'about as strong as the people around me' to 'the strongest person I know'. Taking us through the entire process is Powerlifter Tyler Thor Jefferis together with Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett. Fantastic.

If you've got questions/comments for Tyler or Josh, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat. And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.

Details -

Who : Powerlifter Tyler Thor Jefferis and Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett
Topic : The Basics of Getting STRONG
When : We're holding this one a little earlier in the week. It'll be on Tuesday Jan 28, 9:15pm EDT (the Event page shows what time that is in your local timezone).
How : Watch the live stream, and ask questions, directly on the Event page. We'll also post the full video shortly after the Gymchat.

See you there.

Jen Mulhall.

If you missed the live stream (or just want to go over a particular point again), you can watch the entire video here. And if you'd like to work with Jen 1 on 1, you'll find her at Thrive 365.

Tip of the Week: Finding a Good Training Partner

Each week we publish a number of tips and techniques via Twitter, Google+, 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 from the Gymchat on 'Motivation', and is part of a longer discussion of training partners. Enjoy.

Over to Roger :

Roger Lawson.

Finding a good training partner is rough and really all depends on the person's temperament. Some like to train with someone who is far above them as motivation to get better while others like someone who is at their level or slightly beyond them, otherwise they get discouraged because the gap is so wide (a prime example of that negative self talk).

I would start by just searching the gym for someone who does a similar style of training (or something completely different if you're in to trying new things) that you do or someone who has attributes that you'd like to have (e.g. freaky strong, etc) and strike up a chat with them. You already have at least the gym in common, so start there.

Checking Out : Stretching Your Boundaries - Flexibility Training for Extreme Calisthenic Strength

Stretching Your Boundaries.

Making its way instantly to the top of my 'books to read' list is Stretching Your Boundaries - the latest offering from the inimitable Al Kavadlo. And as the name implies, Stretching Your Boundaries is Al's own thinking on the use of stretching with bodyweight training. Perfect.

Full review shortly; in the meantime though, here's a quick comment from the Amazon page to give you an idea :

What is fantastic about this book is the first part - a complete manifesto about stretching and stretch safety. If you had any doubts about stretching, this part of the book is worth the money alone.

Stretching Your Boundaries.

NB : the links above are for the Kindle edition; a paperback version is available over on the Dragon Door site.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Yep, that's me.

In the meantime, here's part of my own approach - the setting of new goals. Typically when tackling a new record for an existing skill (say, a deadlift number I'm looking to hit in training).

I use my existing PR as a starting point, so I have a general idea of what a good number is (for my current skill level, environment, equipment etc). Then - and this is the point where my approach differs from the advice I commonly hear - I think about lifting that amount on a perfect day. When I've slept really well, the background music 'works'; everything just feels right.

More importantly, all of the external factors on that 'perfect day' (the noise from next door, that situation that's been on my mind) seem to go in my favour. Everything lets up for a few minutes, and I pull a new PR.

My new goal? That PR. The one I just set on that imaginary perfect day. When everything just seemed to go 'right'.

In short, when I define a new goal - for lifting, or anything at all - I make sure it's almost out of reach. As difficult as possible.

That means that most of the time, I'll fail. Even when I focus, and am absolutely determined to succeed. Fail.

But on that rare occasion when I actually achieve it - when everything goes 'right' - it's an incredible feeling. A leaping in the air, shouting obscenities, running around the room feeling. A beautiful thing.

Over to you. The above approach works (and extremely well - been using it for years), and is one I'd highly recommend.

Still, I'm keen to hear what your own approach is like. Join us for the Gymchat, and leave a comment below. How do you define your own goals?

Thanks again to everyone who watched and sent in questions for the discussion Gymchat 232 - Self-Hypnosis [Controlled Relaxation] For Strength Gains [with Personal Trainers (and Strength Athletes) Jen Mulhall and Josh Hewett] - much appreciated. If you haven't seen it yet (or simply want to go over a particular point again), here's the entire video.

Bones of Iron - Collected Articles on the Life of the Strength Athlete.

I missed this one originally, and had actually forgotten all about it - until someone mentioned it today. Matt's fantastic gathering of articles on Olympic Weightlifting - Bones of Iron - Collected Articles on the Life of the Strength Athlete.

Full review shortly; in the meantime, here's a quick comment from the Amazon page to give you an idea :

Matt Foreman is one of the truly "good guys" in Olympic Weightlifting, and his book reads just like he's sitting next to you on the platform sharing the tips that make the difference between a PR and abject failure (which he understands only too well is a thin, thin line...). Foreman's approach is pragmatic, easy to understand and conversational, making it enjoyable to read and applicable to your own training. His wit is only matched by his vast knowledge and experience and both come out in spades in this book.

Bones of Iron - Collected Articles on the Life of the Strength Athlete.