Want to take your workouts up a notch? Throw in a bit of kettlebell training. Love it.

What to get

The equipment is pretty simple. I personally use the Dragon Door kettlebells; all of which I'd highly recommend. Beautiful things.

In terms of space, the workouts don't require all that much - though it's great if it's available. As long as you have room to swing the bell both in front of and behind you, and to press it overhead, you'll be fine.

What to do with them?

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

• Kettlebell Benching
  Remember Rick talking about kettlebell beakers a while ago? Here they are in action (with a slight variation). Good fun.
  
• Dragging KettleBells
  Kettlebells are great for a variety of exercises, including drags. Nice one.
  

Want More?

We've looked at a number of fantastic kettlebell exercises and variations over the years. Here's a complete list.

Keep on Learning

There's actually quite a bit of info (both online and offline) available on kettlebell training methods, including :

• Books such as Enter The Kettlebell and The Great Kettlebell Handbook.
• DVDs such as Kettlebell Training Clinic.
• Articles on this site, including How to Paint a Kettlebell, DB vs KB and the Kettlebell Buyers' Guide.

Final thought on kettlebell training

Kettlebells are one of the few training tools I take with me wherever I happen to be working out (in the home gym, the backyard pool, the local park and so on). Once you try them, you'll quickly see why. Beautiful things.

This is a post by the astonishingly creative Adam Stoffa (@SEEAdamTrain) and Straight to the Bar's own Scott Andrew Bird (@scottbird). Resources for Twitterchat 106 - Recovery : Improving Monophasic and Biphasic Sleep.

Sleep is essential for maximizing recovery and improving performance. Scott switched over to biphasic sleep way back in September 2006, whereas Adam has been working hard to maximize the benefits of a single good night's rest. Although their approaches are different, both have found improvements to sleep to be extremely rewarding.

In this week's twitterchat we'll compare and contrast these two forms of recovery work. The benefits of each approach, how to do it and what impact it has (a very positive one) on your training. Really looking forward to it.

NB : if you'd like to join us, the details of how (and of 'what this is') are here :

Twitterchat 106 - Recovery : Improving Monophasic and Biphasic Sleep

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 :

• Grip-Focused Training
  Matt Hunt
  Love your grip work? Same here.
  
• Health & Fitness Research
  Various authors
  There has been some fantastic research posted recently, both on the forums and the Facebook page. Dive in.
  

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' button beneath each post). Cheers.

Video : Weight-Over-Bar Record

42lb over an 18' bar? Love it.

Twitterchat 106 - Biphasic Sleep

When it comes to recovery, there's nothing quite like a good dose of shut-eye. Love it.

This week we're discussing my favourite form of this strange beast, the idea of Biphasic Sleeping. Everything from the 'how to' to the benefits of sleeping twice each day. And in particular - how it can assist your training.

Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than the astonishingly creative Adam Stoffa (@SEEAdamTrain).


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Biphasic Sleep
When : Wed Feb 23, 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 Nail Bending. Some superb ideas in there.

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

Deal of the Week : 25% Off AtLarge BCAA+

I love the AtLarge offerings, particularly things like BCAA+ (Branched Chain Amino Acids). Top-quality gear.

If you've never tried BCAA, the benefits are simple : improvements in strength, recovery times and a distinct reduction in the soreness you get after a heavy session. For details on exactly how this works, swing by the AtLarge site.

Sound good? It's about to get even better - for the next month (up until March 20th), AtLarge is generously offering their BCAA+ at a whopping 25% discount. Great time to grab a couple.

To take advantage of this offer, just enter the coupon code SB25 when ordering. And tell Chris that Straight to the Bar sent you. He'll look after you.

AtLarge BCAA+. Fantastic gear.

Looking Forward To : Home Made Strength II

As Jedd announced recently, Home Made Strength II is on the way. Looks superb.

I'm a long-time fan of DIY Strength-Training Equipment (I built a wrist roller shortly after I began training); it's a fantastic way to test out a new training tool or technique without breaking the bank. It also enables you to customise the equipment and try out your own ideas for new ways to train.

The first Home Made Strength DVD included a range of projects, covering the entire body in one form or another. Home Made Strength II concentrates on my favourite form of home-made equipment - tools for the hands and forearms.

If you're similarly obsessed with your grip and wrist work, Home Made Strength II is definitely for you. An incredible collection of extremely creative hand & forearm tools. Fantastic.

This is a superb article by designer and strength aficionado Rory Hickman - How to Make Your Own Rack-Mounted Wrist Roller. Fantastic DIY project.

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 Power of Negatives
  Anthony Paradis
  There's a lot of superb info in the Beginners area of the forums, including deceptively simple snippets such as this. Over to you - do you employ negatives in your routines; in what sorts of exercises?
  
• GripTopz Rim Lift (162lb)
  'Unbreakable' Adam Glass
  Here's a quick demonstration of a very interesting training tool - the GripTopz. 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 'Like' button beneath each post). Cheers.

Video : 64kg Kettlebell Snatch x 5

Nice and heavy. Good stuff.

Twitterchat 105 - Nail Bending

I love bending things. Underhand, overhand, bolts, shoes. And nails - especially nails. Fantastic way to train.

This week we're discussing the superb activity that is Nail Bending - why you'll want to give it a shot (hint: it works far more than you think), how to get started and so on. Really looking forward to it.

Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than the incredible Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson (@JeddJohnson).


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Nail Bending
When : Wed Feb 16, 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 Training with Grippers. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, I'd love to hear your thoughts. What's your poison : Captains of Crush, Mash Monsters, Vulcans?

Reading : Primal Blueprint Coconut Recipe Cookbook

Big fan of coconut.

My diet has changed considerably over the years, and these days falls into the 'Paleo with a hint of Primal' camp. If you're also a fan of this way of eating (and the many, many nutritional benefits which come along with it), check out the Coconut Recipe Cookbook.

62 recipes, all contributed by Mark's Daily Apple readers, and all more than worthy of a test run. Love it.

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 :

• Health & Fitness Research
  Various authors
  There has been some fantastic research posted recently, both on the forums and the Facebook page. Dive in.
  
• 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 'Like' button beneath each post). Cheers.

Video : Band-Resisted Knee-Ins

Nice and simple - a little band work.

Good stuff.

Twitterchat 104 - Training with Grippers

We've talked a lot about grip training over the past couple of years (yes, this is the second anniversary of the twitterchats); everything from DIY Grip Tools to Pinch Grip Training. Love it.
This week we're returning to the world of hand strength, taking a detailed look at Training with Grippers. What to get, what to do, recovery techniques and so on. All the good stuff.

Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than the enigmatic Matt (@njstrongman32). Fantastic.


Details -

Who : Strength-training fans
Topic : Training with Grippers
When : Wed Feb 9, 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 Pinch Grip, Blobs and the U-GO Handles. Some superb ideas in there.

For those who missed out on the conversation, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Plates, blobs, bars - what do you like to lift?

NB : The winner of the superb StrongerGrip Loadable Blob was @njstrongman32 - congratulations. And cheers Ryan, greatly appreciated.

Checking Out : Hyper Wear SteelBells

These look great.

If you've ever played with the SandBells (great for things like Grip Grabs), you know just how versatile they are. Use them in place of the occasional kettlebell or medicine ball workout.

SteelBells are essentially just the heavy-duty variety. As the name implies, they're filled with steel shot; which makes them far more dense, and even more difficult to hold. The weight shifts about a lot more.

If you're after a new way to challenge your grip - and get a little strength-conditioning in at the same time - give the SteelBells a run. Beautiful.

I love Twitter.

When it comes to strength training, there are many, many ways to make use of it. Here are just a few of them :

Twitterchats

Each Wednesday evening (9pm Eastern), I hold a moderated group discussion on a particular strength-training topic. If you love talking about training, swing by.

Strength, Nutrition & Conditioning on Twitter

There are some incredible coaches, trainers and strength afficionados on Twitter. Here's a taste.

Health & Fitness News

In addition to the studies and discoveries noted regularly on the forums, I share a number via my twitter feed. You can never be too well informed.

How about you - how do you use Twitter? I'd love to hear about it.

I love Twitter.

When it comes to strength training, there are many, many ways to make use of it. Here are just a few of them :

Twitterchats

Each Wednesday evening (9pm Eastern), I hold a moderated group discussion on a particular strength-training topic. If you love talking about training, swing by.

Strength, Nutrition & Conditioning on Twitter

There are some incredible coaches, trainers and strength afficionados on Twitter. Here's a taste.

Health & Fitness News

In addition to the studies and discoveries noted regularly on the forums, I share a number via my twitter feed. You can never be too well informed.

How about you - how do you use Twitter? I'd love to hear about it.

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.

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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.