There are as many opinions about diets out there as there are people who eat food. Despite what you may hear on your Instagram feed, there is no one-size-fits-all way to approach nutrition. Still, there ... Continue Reading
IFBB Pro League Announces Ways to Qualify for 2023 Olympia
On Dec. 28, 2022, the IFBB Pro League formally announced the 2023 Olympia Qualification System, which determines the lineups for all 11 pro divisions to qualify for the Olympia Weekend every year. The ... Continue Reading
20 High-Fiber Foods to Support Digestion
When you’re looking to adjust your diet for increasing strength and promoting muscle growth, the main macronutrients — protein, carbohydrate, and fat — likely consume the bulk of your attention. And ... Continue Reading
Behold Derek Lunsford’s Cheat Meal of Double Cheeseburgers One Day After Winning Silver at the 2022 Mr. Olympia
Former 212 Olympia champion Derek Lunsford shocked the bodybuilding world at the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest in Las Vegas, NV, on Dec. 16-18, 2022. He accepted a special invitation to compete in the Men's ... Continue Reading
Laurence Shahlaei Reveals Weight Loss of 102 Pounds for Drastic Physique Transformation
The 2016 Europe's Strongest Man (ESM) champion Laurence "Big Loz" Shahlaei took to his YouTube channel the day after Christmas 2022 to reveal the results of his weight loss journey thus far. The former ... Continue Reading
Poll: Fans Vote For Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘Conan The Barbarian’ As Best Movie Physique
There are some seriously competition-worthy physiques throughout movie history, but when casting your mind back to some of the most muscular legends of film, who’s the best? BarBend decided to put that ... Continue Reading
Aesthetics vs. Appearances: What Makes a Bodybuilder?
Why do bodybuilders pose? No, really – why bother? Why can't judges at a bodybuilding contest just look at each competitor's measurements, body fat, muscle separation, vascularity, and conditioning and ... Continue Reading
These 11 Tips Will Help You Crush Your First Workout
Congratulations on taking the plunge: Getting started on your first fitness routine can be your catalyst to improving your health, physical abilities, and overall well-being — but it can also be a bit ... Continue Reading
Crack the Code on New Leg Gains With the Hack Squat Machine
Fun fact — the hack squat machine wasn’t named for its rule-breaking potential in the weight room. While you can’t hack through the firewalls of physiology (you still need to eat well, recover properly, ... Continue Reading
These Are 8 of the Best Lower Ab Exercises Out There, Seriously
Everyone has their take on ab training. A powerlifter might say that all you need are heavy squats and pulls. Gymnasts work only with their body weight and are often shredded to the bone. And, for better ... Continue Reading
Try These Cable Chest Workouts on Your Next Chest Day
From push-ups to bench pressing, there’s a high probability that you’ll see some serious pectoral fixation every Monday at the gym. Each lifter has their own routine for when international chest day comes ... Continue Reading
How to Do the Spider Curl for Bigger, Better Arms
In a way, Peter Parker kind of cheated. Not everyone can suffer a bug bite and wake up the next day with their goal physique — and superhuman senses. But, regardless, if you want to build arms that can ... Continue Reading
5 Tips to Manage Stress During the Holidays From a Certified Wellness Coach
The holidays are upon us. And while you may have goals to maintain around nutrition and fitness, the very nature of this season is conspiring against you (at least it feels that way). Parties, the ... Continue Reading
5 of the Best Strongman and Strongwoman Athletes in 2022
The 2022 strongman season was filled with breakout performances fueled by drama, surprise, and excitement. And there are many moments worth looking back on, such as Martins Licis' winning the 2022 ... Continue Reading
5 of the Best Strongman and Strongwoman Moments in 2022
There were countless standout moments from the 2022 strongman season. From veteran performers continuing their quest toward icon status to newcomers staking their claim among the best of the best, this was ... Continue Reading
Lu Xiaojun Provisionally Suspended Due to Apparent Anti-Doping Rule Violation
On Dec. 22, 2022, the International Testing Agency (ITA) announced that it notified three-time Olympic weightlifting gold medalist Lu Xiaojun of China of an apparent anti-doping rule ... Continue Reading
These Are 5 of the Best Powerlifting Moments in 2022
The wide world of powerlifting is full of massive feats of strength. It’s hard to distill a year’s worth of sheer power into only a few moments, but we did our best. The most exciting part of all is that ... Continue Reading
These Are 5 of the Best Powerlifting Athletes in 2022
The sport of powerlifting is one that requires an incredible amount of diligence, patience, finesse, and — of course — strength. The five athletes on our list possess these qualities in spades. They have ... Continue Reading
7 of the Best Bodybuilding Athletes in 2022
Bodybuilding fans had a lot to chew on in 2022. In the sport’s most high-profile division — Men’s Open — a slew of new competitors burst onto the scene, signaling that the next generation of physique ... Continue Reading
A Look Back at Olga Liashchuk’s 2022 World’s Strongest Woman Victory
The 2022 World's Strongest Woman (WSW) contest took place over two days from Nov. 12-13, 2022, in Daytona Beach, FL. After seven events — Viking Press, Farmer's Walk, Deadlift, Sandbag to Shoulder, Car ... Continue Reading
Here’s Every American Weightlifter Who Has Won an Olympic Medal
If you’ve ever picked up a barbell and hoisted it over your head, dreaming of greatness, you’ve probably fantasized — at least for a moment — about the Olympics. The pinnacle of any weightlifter’s career, ... Continue Reading
5 of the Best Weightlifting Moments in 2022
Weightlifting happens fast. Often, the most significant moments in the sport are measured in milliseconds rather than minutes. That said, a lot goes beyond the competition platform that shapes the ... Continue Reading
5 of the Best Weightlifting Athletes in 2022
Sports are only as good as the athletes that play them. With no one on the field, the ball doesn’t move; the same idea holds as true in weightlifting as in any other sport. After all, the barbell can’t ... Continue Reading
20 of the Best Photos From the 2022 Dubai Fitness Championship
The Dubai Fitness Championship (DFC) may have concluded three weeks before this article was published, but there’s plenty to process from those four days of high-level competition. Over 20,000 pictures ... Continue Reading