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 :

• My Home Gym Story
  Conor Doherty
  Putting together a home gym really does open up a wealth of possibilities. Fantastic.

  
  

• Looking At : May 20, 2012
  Scott Andrew Bird
  We've been discussing some very interesting techniques, products and services recently. Here are the highlights.

  
  

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'd like to submit your own piece for Straight to the Bar, here's how.

Video : Kneeling Single Leg Box Jumps

Beautiful.

Gymchat 170 - Intermittent Fasting

When it comes to nutrition, there's always 'one more thing'. For me, that's Intermittent Fasting.

This week we're taking a look at this fascinating approach. Where do you start, and why would you want to? What are the benefits, and is it for everyone, or only those trying to shed some excess bodyfat?

It's safe to say that there's a lot to consider.

I'll be announcing the interviewee shortly (still confirming a couple of details); in the meantime, if you've got any questions on Intermittent Fasting (IF), get them ready. Should be a great discussion.


Details -

Who : Lovers of Strength-Training and Nutrition
Topic : Intermittent Fasting
When : Wed May 23, 9pm EDT (here's how to find out when that is in your timezone)
How : Post a comment, question or reply
Link : https://plus.google.com/u/0/113406428532094481598/posts/FWg4xVEk2Bt

If you've never been to one of these discussions before, here's how to join in the fun. Simple, quick to set up and free.

For everyone who's joining us for their first Gymchat, welcome. Just dive right in, and ask any IF-related questions you like.

See you there.

Quick update on last week's gymchat : Thanks once again to everyone who took part in the discussion : Recovery Foods. Some superb ideas in there.

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


NB : if you'd like to add a fitness-related event (either a competition you're taking part in, or something you're helping to organise there), just login to the forums and add it to the calendar. Cheers.

The Hunt for Broken Links

Straight to the Bar has been around for more than 8 years now, and there are a lot of articles/videos/photos/reviews to say the least. Nearly 6,000 in fact (there's a full list here).

Unfortunately, this number also means there's inevitably a video that's no longer available, or a link to a site which has just moved. Whatever it is, I'm always looking to fix it as quickly as possible.


To help me find the problems : if you spot something that isn't quite working right - a video that's been removed, or a link that no longer works - let me know. Leave a comment, or send me a message on Google+, Twitter or Facebook (all of the details here). As a bonus, you'll receive a selection of strength-training goodness shortly afterward. Not to mention my eternal gratitude.

Thank-you.

Tip of the Week: Tie Your Water Consumption to the Number of Calories You Burn

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

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I drink a lot of water (mostly in the form of green tea, unless it's during a workout). Still, how do you work out how much you need?

From the article 8 Glasses of Water Per Day?, a bit of history that'll make the whole thing a lot clearer :

Most people are aware that the drinking of plenty of water is advisable, and anecdotal evidence suggests that more = better (up to a point). However, where did the current guideline of '8 cups per day' come from?

According to Valtin (i) the origin is probably the 1945 recommendation made by the Food and Nutrition Board of the US National Research Council. This stated :

A suitable allowance of water for adults is 2.5 liters daily in most instances. An ordinary standard for diverse persons is 1 milliliter for each calorie of food. Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods.

The 2.5 litres was changed to 8 x 8 fluid ounce cups in later recommendations, but is otherwise unchanged.

Incidentally, if you're wondering how to work out the number of calories you're burning these days - here's how to work it out.

Checking Out : RMAX Fathers Day Special

This looks great.

With Fathers' Day rapidly approaching in many countries (although it isn't until September here), there are certainly a lot of items on sale. If you're in the market for a club or two, check out the current offering over at RMAX : a number of clubbell and training packages have been given a healthy 35% discount.

Good stuff.

Quick update on the superb Fixing Elbow Pain we mentioned recently. Suffice to say that if you've ever experienced conditions like Tennis Elbow or Golfer's Elbow, it's essential reading.

Love it.

Exercise of the Week : Husafell Partial and Hold

Love a little stone work? Training to lift the infamous Kviahellan?

Have a go at this - the Husafell Partial and Hold.

Good stuff.

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Incidentally, if you'd like to get in touch regarding this or any other aspect of strength, you can send me an email here. Look forward to hearing from you.

Free Straight to the Bar eBooks

As a Strength & Fitness Newsletter subscriber you get several great eBooks, absolutely free. Just head over here, save them to your hard-drive, and dive in.

Good stuff.

NB : This is an ever-changing list of books. If you'd like to put your own work in front of a fantastic strength-focussed audience, let me know.