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 : Conditioning Without Trying - Walking 10,000 Steps Per Day
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Time for a stroll.

  
  

• Looking At : Apr 9, 2017
  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 : Beginners Guide to Snatching

Nice one.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ 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.

Chris Lutz.

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 : Becoming Aware of Your Transverse Abdominis

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.

There's an awful lot more to abdominal work than exercises like the humble crunch. Everything from Louie's infamous 'Stand-Up Abs' to the many, many varieties of the squat.

Before doing any of that, however, it helps to understand a little about the various muscles being worked. For that, it's over to Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker.

For starters, from Kat's superb article Specific Training for the Transverse Abdominis: Belt It In, here's a quick way to learn to feel what your TA is doing :

Tara Scotti.

Begin by becoming aware of this muscle. Sit upright on a bench. Have a partner face you, place both of his hands on your shoulders, and gently push you backward (gently!). Your goal is to maintain your upright position, not allowing your spine to extend/your back to arch. Your TA will kick in to achieve your goal.

Checking Out : QuietOn - Active Noise Cancelling Earplugs

I always train with music (typically 'hard rock'), but a friend of mine prefers absolute silence. If you're in the latter camp, check out the QuietOn - Active Noise Cancelling Earplugs. Great combination.

A spot of video :

Curious : do you prefer working out to music, or training in silence?

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Trap Bar Training.

Although trap work has certainly been in my own training for a number years, I've never delved deeply into the history of the Trap Bar itself. Wonderful thing.

John Wood's Trap Bar Training does exactly that. It also manages to incorporate a wealth of training advice - always a great thing. Looking forward to it.

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 : DIY Equipment Competition - Let the Voting Begin
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Ready to make your own? Great.

  
  

• Looking At : Apr 2, 2017
  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 : Arms-90 Hybrid Shrugs

Very interesting combination.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ 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.

Adam Klymkiw.

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 : Holding the Bar in the Front Squat

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 is not so much 'How to Hold the Bar in the Front Squat' (though the article shows no fewer than 10 ways to do just that), as much as a simple demonstration that there are often many ways to achieve the same result in strength training. If what you're doing isn't working (or you simply don't enjoy it), try something else.

From the article Holding the Bar in the Front Squat :

Front Squat.

If the Mike Boyle article on T-Nation has you considering the Front Squat, you may be mindful of just how awkward it can be to hold the bar. Like Zercher Squats, they're often overlooked simply due to the difficulty.

There are several ways to hold the bar for the Front Squat. If one method doesn't feel right, or your current flexibility or injury precludes it, try one of the others. It really is a great exercise.

Checking Out : Trap Bar Training (Kindle Edition)

Trap Bar Training.

Although trap work has certainly been in my own training for a number years, I've never delved deeply into the history of the Trap Bar itself. Wonderful thing.

John Wood's Trap Bar Training does exactly that. It also manages to incorporate a wealth of training advice - always a great thing. Looking forward to it.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

Autism Fitness Level 1 Certification.

The Autism Fitness Level 1 Certification is the distilled wisdom from more than a decade of working directly with a wide range of individuals. Aimed at fitness trainers, PE and APE coaches, parents and therapists; it's a comprehensive course teaching various assessment and exercise skills.

There's a full rundown (including dates & locations) on the site; suffice to say it looks fantastic. The Autism Fitness Level 1 Certification.

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 Little Yoke Work - 10 Exercises for a Bigger Neck
  Scott Andrew Bird | Follow @scottbird
  Whether it's for protection, stability, or simply to look good in a suit - a strong neck's a great thing to have.

  
  

• Looking At : Mar 26, 2017
  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 : DIY Home Gym In A Box

Nice one.

Gymchat 278 - TBA

We're still finalising the details for this week's discussion. I'll post them on the blog (and Twitter, Google+ 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.

Matthew Palfrey.

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 : Buying a Power Rack - Determining the width you'll need.

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 following a discussion I had over the weekend (I was helping a friend choose a power rack), and is a snippet from the article 'Buyers' Guide : the Power Rack'. Determining the width you'll need.

Now that's a rack.

Although the width of a barbell never changes (within one type, that is - standard bars are about a foot shorter than their Olympic counterparts), the width of racks vary from brand to brand. The rack's minimum width will depend largely on what you're going to do with it.

Sumo squats and rack pulls will take the most room; somewhere around 40" would be an absolute minimum, but your best bet is to measure your own squat (outside one foot to outside the other).

If you intend to bench press in the rack, or use the bench as a seat for other exercises (such as the overhead work I mentioned earlier), make sure the bench fits. If you're buying them both at the same time, great. Test them out.

One more thing to note with the bench inside the rack - if you plan to use dumbbells from the bench, make sure there's plenty of room to drop the dumbbells once they get heavy. Oh, and something to protect the floor (in the drop zone) is always a good idea - a couple of rubber mats will do nicely.

Checking Out : The Autism Fitness Level 1 Certification

Autism Fitness Level 1 Certification.

The Autism Fitness Level 1 Certification is the distilled wisdom from more than a decade of working directly with a wide range of individuals. Aimed at fitness trainers, PE and APE coaches, parents and therapists; it's a comprehensive course teaching various assessment and exercise skills.

There's a full rundown (including dates & locations) on the site; suffice to say it looks fantastic. The Autism Fitness Level 1 Certification.

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

Good stuff Bret, looks great.

We've looked at a number of sleep-related devices over the years, and here's a very interesting pairing : the deceptively simple Illumy 'Smart Sleep Mask'.
Looks great.

Particularly for travel ('planes, trains, cars etc - anywhere you want to get some sleep while the lights are on).

The Illumy 'Smart Sleep Mask'.