During the past week we've discussed a number of great links; on Facebook, Twitter, in The Daily 'Paper' and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.

Looks great.

As the name suggests, Next Level Strength is all about getting seriously strong using only those wonderful calisthenics tools - rings and paralettes.

If you've ever seen either Al or Danny (or both) in action, you know what to expect. And for the uninitiated :

Next Level Strength.

---

Great information.

---

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 : Tackling the One-Armed Push-Up
  Al Kavadlo | Follow @AlKavadlo
  Up for a challenge?

  
  

• Looking At : Jun 9, 2019
  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 : Sleep is Your Superpower (Matt Walker)

Great information.

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.

Previously : In Gymchat 211 we discussed Training Approaches with the wonderful Josh Hewett, Matt Palfrey, Adam Klymkiw, Kurtis Frank and Jason Paris. Great conversation.


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

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: Lifting Without a Spotter

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.

---

I love the home gym - it's definitely the perfect place to focus, and to really get to work. Particularly when you're training solo.

That said, there are a few things to keep in mind when lifting by yourself. In the Setting Up the Home Gym Gymchat, Andrew noted his own guidelines for Lifting Without a Spotter. Good stuff.

From Gymchat 167 - Setting Up the Home Gym :

My personal general rules for lifting without a spotter:

Don't do:

• 1. Anything I haven't done before.
• 2. Anything that could get me killed.
• 3. Anything that I am not 100% sure that I will get all the reps.
• 4. Anything that I cannot do with good form.

Do:

• 1. Anything that doesn't violate the "don't do" and will get me stronger!

Love it.

Checking Out : Next Level Strength - The Ultimate Rings and Parallettes Program (Al and Danny Kavadlo)

Looks great.

As the name suggests, Next Level Strength is all about getting seriously strong using only those wonderful calisthenics tools - rings and paralettes.

If you've ever seen either Al or Danny (or both) in action, you know what to expect. And for the uninitiated :

Next Level Strength.

---

Quick update on the Hip Thruster we mentioned recently - fantastic thing.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

During the past week we've discussed a number of great links; on Facebook, Twitter, in The Daily 'Paper' and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.

Interesting idea.

The Emergy is a torque-resistance exerciser for basic grip work. And although I'm somewhat dubious of the device itself, the mechanism is certainly interesting.

Would love to see other types of equipment make use of the 'Torque-Resistance' approach.

A little video :

The Emergy.

---

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 : Pleasure Spiked with Pain : Training for the One Finger Lift
  Jeff Wilson | Follow @BasInsFitness
  With certain feats comes the assurance of pain. And a challenge.

  
  

• Looking At : Jun 2, 2019
  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 : The LifeXtenShow Pilot Episode (Lifespan.io)

Although the humour may/may not be to your taste, it's wonderful to see a show about this area in particular. Looking forward to it.

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.

Previously : In Gymchat 209 we discussed Setting up a Home Gym with Strongman Josh Hewett and Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine. Great conversation.


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

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: How a Paleo Diet Can Benefit Strength Training

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.

---

My diet has been gradually improving for years (since I began lifting weights), becoming cleaner and more streamlined over time. This was all with the purpose of having a greater intensity in the gym, and recovering faster. Of course there are many other benefits; these are just the two that were on my radar.
In May 2009 I decided to make a transition to a new eating approach altogether, the Paleo Diet. Not only did I experience a number of incredible health benefits, the intensity and recovery aspects increased markedly. Here's a brief look at the main benefits of the Paleo Diet, as far as strength-training is concerned.

From The Straight to the Bar Guide to the Paleo Diet :

As strength-training is a major part of my life, I was careful to ensure that the Paleo Diet integrated well with it. I'm pleased to report that it's a great mix, and even comes with a number of benefits. These include :

Energy levels maintained : as your body isn't being subjected to constant insulin spikes under the Paleo Diet, you'll have a much more stable level of energy going in to the gym. This is particularly noticeable after you've been on the diet for a few weeks or so.

Better recovery : although it's most notable in the form of improved sleep, you'll find that your body's ability to recover from your workouts is improved overall. And this is definitely a good thing.

Improved focus : one of the most surprising benefits from a switch to Paleo (in my case at least) has been an improvement in mental clarity. This change can have a very subtle effect on training; remembering exactly what happened in a prior session and just how much impact it had. Additionally, you'll find an array of subtle benefits from it when you're outside the gym. Love it.

Fantastic.

Checking Out : Emergy (Torque-Resistance Exerciser)

Interesting idea.

The Emergy is a torque-resistance exerciser for basic grip work. And although I'm somewhat dubious of the device itself, the mechanism is certainly interesting.

Would love to see other types of equipment make use of the 'Torque-Resistance' approach.

A little video :

The Emergy.

---

Quick update on the Hip Thruster we mentioned recently - fantastic thing.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

During the past week we've discussed a number of great links; on Facebook, Twitter, in The Daily 'Paper' and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.

Interesting idea.

Superthotics is a customizable orthotic designed to help correct a few of the more common foot-related issues. If you enjoy the occasional run, you'll understand the appeal.

And yes, in addition to running, I'll be putting them through a bit of a test in the home gym. Curious about the deadlift in particular.

Superthotics.

---

Although I regularly watch Isaac's wonderful videos on futuristic technologies, I somehow missed this one. Great information.

---