Q: A standard barbell is just a straight bar, while a hex bar is shaped like a hexagon, allowing you to step inside of the hex shape. If you are new to weightlifting, opt for the hex bar if possible. Stand directly between the hex bar’s weights to keep their combined weight aligned with your body. Treat yourself to an easier lift that feels less cumbersome than the standard barbell. Be aware that your grip on the barbell is just as important as the rest of your body’s ability to lift them. Expect the Pendlay and Yates rows to tire your hands out even more than standard rows. Avoid the injuries that might come from losing your hold. Develop a more powerful grip with longer endurance by buying a pair of grippers. Squeeze them repeatedly, an equal number of times per hand, during your off time. Remember: just because your back and arms crave more rows doesn’t mean your hands are fit enough to keep going. Keep your spine and neck relaxed before, during, and after each row. At the same time, pay close attention to your form so you don’t end up slouching. As you perform each row, ignore your arms and concentrate instead on how your back is reacting. Do not attempt bentover rows if you are having any issues with your back. Learn how to lift weights properly from a professional whose business is to know. Rely on their expertise to learn how to adopt the right stance, breathing, and lifting techniques. Although advice from your acquaintances may in fact be correct, take what they have to say with a grain of salt, since they may have adopted bad advice as wisdom from an unreliable source somewhere along the way.  Allow your trainer to help you devise a program with specific aims, especially if they determine that you need to concentrate on other exercises before you’re ready to do bent-over rows. If you decide against a trainer, always have a spotter on hand in case you have trouble or injure yourself. Don’t attempt to lift more than you’re able to. Use light weights in the beginning, or even just the barbell without any added weight at all. Concentrate first on adopting the proper form for bent-over rows (or any other lift) before worrying about how much weight you can lift. Go for a walk, take a jog, or do some calisthenics for five to ten minutes. Get the blood flowing so you are nice and limber for your lift. When you’re done, start your workout by using less weight than normal for each type of lift. Give your body a chance to warm up to it before challenging yourself with more weight. Don’t forget to cool down afterwards. Spend another 5 to 10 minutes stretching after each workout. Before starting a new weight-lifting routine, visit your doctor. Ask for a physical and alert them to your plans. Find out if your body has any issues that may lead to injuries, or if your doctor advices easing into weight-lifting through any other form of exercise.
A: Use a hex bar instead of a standard barbell. Strengthen your grip. Mind your back. Find a trainer. Start small. Warm up first. Get a physical.

Q: Having a bit of stretch to your infinity scarf can be nice if you decide to wrap it around your neck a few times, so you may want to go with a stretch jersey fabric. This will make it easier to get the scarf on and off. However, you can also go with a non-stretchy fabric if you choose, such as a cotton broadcloth or satin. Select a fabric that will allow you to create the type and color scarf that you want to wear. You can wrap the fabric around your neck to determine how long you want it to be, and doing this will also help you to decide how thick you would like you scarf.  Mark the fabric where you want to cut it for the length, and then lay the fabric out flat and cut a straight line across the fabric to shorten the piece. If the fabric feels too bulky around your neck, then try cutting a few inches off of the long edge to thin it out. Then, try it on again. For a lightweight scarf, cut the fabric so that it is 24 inches (61 cm) wide and about 54 inches (140 cm) long. If you are using a stretchy fabric, then use the zigzag stitch setting on your sewing machine. This will help to provide some give to the stitched areas. If your fabric is not stretchy, then use the straight stitch setting on your sewing machine. Every sewing machine is a little different. Consult your sewing machine’s manual for instructions on how to apply different settings to your machine. Lay your fabric out flat on your work surface so that the printed side is facing up towards you. Then, fold one of the long edges over so that it matches up with the other long edge.  After you fold your fabric in half, the print sides should be matching up and no longer visible. You may pin the edges together to keep the fabric’s edges even while you sew. Place a pin about every 4 inches (10 cm) to hold the fabric edges in place. This is especially helpful if you are working with a slippery fabric. Place your fabric under the presser foot so that the end of the fabric is lined up under the needle. Then, lower the presser foot and start stitching at a slow speed by applying gentle pressure to your pedal. Sew about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) from the raw (cut) edges of the folded fabric. After you get a few stitches into the fabric, backstitch a few stitches. To backstitch, press the lever on the side of your machine. This will reverse the direction of your stitches. When the needle gets to the end of your fabric again, release the lever. Continue to sew all the way down the length of the fabric along the pinned areas. Sew until you reach the end of the fabric, but do not sew over the edge. Make sure not to sew over the pins and remove the pins as you go. To secure the end stitches, backstitch a few more stitches at the end. Then, release the lever and sew to the end normally. Stop the machine when you are finished sewing, and raise the presser foot to release the fabric. Cut the thread near the last stitch to free the fabric from the machine. Next, reach through the tube of fabric you have created and grasp the end of the tube. Pull this end through the tube until you have lined it up with the other end. Do not pull the fabric through the tube completely! Line up the edges of the tube ends so that the ends are even and the seams are aligned. Then, pin the ends of the tube together to secure them. Take the tube to the sewing machine and sew a straight stitch (even if the fabric is stretchy) along the edges of the tube. Do not sew all the way around the tube! Leave about 3 inches (7.6 cm) unsecured. You will need this opening to turn the fabric right-side out.  Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of the tube stitches just as you did with the long seam. Raise the presser foot when you are finished sewing and cut the thread near the last stitch to free the fabric from the machine. Next, reach into the tube and begin pulling the fabric through the opening. This will reveal the printed side of your fabric and hide the non-printed side of your fabric. Keep pulling until the tube is completely inverted. To finish up your infinity scarf, sew up the open area using a needle and thread. Thread a needle with about 30 inches (76 cm) of a color of thread that matches your fabric. Match up the ends of the thread so that they are even, and tie a knot to secure the ends of the thread. Insert the needle from the inside of your fabric so that the knot will be anchored inside of the scarf. Then, begin sewing the hole closed.  Tuck the fabric edges under as you sew across the hole to ensure that the cut edges are hidden. Make sure to sew the two sides together evenly so that the hole will have a neat closure. Secure the thread with a knot when you are finished and cut the excess thread.
A:
Get 1.5 yards (1.4 m) of fabric. Cut the fabric to the desired length and width. Set your sewing machine. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise with the printed sides facing each other. Sew a few inches in and then backstitch a few stitches. Sew along the pinned edges. Backstitch again when you are near the end of the fabric. Pull one of the ends through the tube of fabric until the ends match up. Pin the ends together. Sew around the tube leaving a 3 inches (7.6 cm) gap. Invert the fabric. Stitch the opening closed by hand.