Dips are an amazing exercise to build serious muscle mass, strength, and aesthetics for the chest, triceps, and anterior shoulders. Like the chin-up, pull-up, row, and press; dips are a staple of strength, ... Continue Reading
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Vs. Isopure Low Carb — Which Is the Best Whey?
Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard Whey is probably the most popular protein powder on the market, and with good reason: it's cheap, effective, and tasty. Isopure's Low Carb, on the other hand, is among the ... Continue Reading
MusclePharm BCAA 3:1:2 Review — Why the Different Ratio?
MusclePharm is a Colorado-based supplement company that has a decent following among bodybuilders, but is probably best known for their line of “combat” supplements like Combat Whey and their Combat Crunch ... Continue Reading
6 Tips to Make Counting Your Macros Way Easier
Editors note: This article is an op-ed. The views expressed herein and in the video are the authors and don’t necessarily reflect the views of BarBend. Claims, assertions, opinions, and quotes have been ... Continue Reading
How to Grow Strongman in the United States
In 2017, strongman Eddie "The Beast" Hall stepped from the backstage shadows to a roaring capacity crowd at the Doncaster Dome in England. The event is on YouTube in amateur and professionally edited ... Continue Reading
Dumbbell Thrusters vs Barbell Thrusters vs Kettlebell Thrusters
Thrusters are a great exercise, regardless of what you use to do them. While many of us are highly familiar with the barbell variation, two other means (dumbbells and kettlebells) are making their way into ... Continue Reading
6 Benefits of Kettlebell Thrusters
The single kettlebell thruster and double kettlebell thruster offer techniques that can help stave off injury across multiple sports and various athletics. Additionally, there are a series of benefits that ... Continue Reading
Kinesiology Taping for Tennis Elbow
A common area to tape for athletes in both strength sports and regular sports is the elbow. Lateral Epincondylitis is a common cause of pain and discomfort at the elbow. Common symptoms of Lateral ... Continue Reading
BSN AMINOx Review — Can It Really Help Endurance?
BSN, which stands for bio-engineered supplements and nutrition, is an Illinois-based supplement company that sponsors a wide variety of athletes and bodybuilders, most notably UFC champion Connor McGregor. ... Continue Reading
Single Kettlebell Thruster – Exercise Guide, Benefits, and Muscles Worked
In earlier pieces we discussed both the dumbbell thruster and double kettlebell thruster, each offering athletes and coaches unique yet similar training outcomes for increased movement, strength, and ... Continue Reading
How to Prevent a Bicep Tear
Bicep tears are pretty gnarly. They’re extremely painful, can put a lifter out of commission for months — even squats can be prohibited — and they can come out of nowhere. You can do curls and chin-ups all ... Continue Reading
Do You Really Need High Glycemic Carbs Around Your Workout?
The idea that you need high glycemic carbohydrates to spike your insulin and replenish glycogen after a workout is common in the strength world. It’s an integral part of taking advantage of your “window of ... Continue Reading
Scivation Xtend BCAA Review — Why the Vitamins?
Scivation is a North Carolina-based supplement company that focuses on the low-calorie side of workout supplements. While they do offer a whey protein powder, their brand name is most closely ... Continue Reading
Double Kettlebell Thruster – Exercise Guide and Benefits
In an earlier article we discussed the powerful impact the thruster movement (squat into overhead push press) can have on leg and upper body strength, core stabilization, metabolic conditioning training, ... Continue Reading
3 Tips for Pulling Under the Bar in Olympic Weightlifting
It’s not uncommon, especially in beginning lifters or lifters transferring to weightlifting after competing in other sports, to have difficulty getting under the bar while completing full snatches and ... Continue Reading
Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Review (2026), Personally Tested and Reviewed
If you’re looking for a helpful tool to bolster muscle growth and endurance levels in the gym, the best BCAA supplements can deliver thanks to their effectiveness in preventing muscle soreness. ... Continue Reading
Factor Meals Review (2026): Worth the Cost?
When it comes to the best meal delivery services, Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, MS, RDN, LD states, “These subscriptions can be game-changing platforms for those short on time or those looking for ... Continue Reading
Kinesiology Taping for Lower Back Pain and Stability
As a nation that sits for a majority of our work days, it's not uncommon to see issues in the gym with the lower back. The back is made up of three segmented areas, which include the cervical, thoracic, ... Continue Reading
Dumbbell Thrusters – Exercise Guide and Benefits
Moving an object from a squatted position to overhead is one of the most challenging and exhausting movements we can do. The thruster is a movement popularized by competitive fitness sports, however it has ... Continue Reading
Dropping Weight in Strongman: How to Cut Pounds and Build Strength
Strongman. The word alone conjures the image of man: tall, muscular, and larger than life. The character that the World’s Strongest Man contest has created is most likely the only one people think exists, ... Continue Reading
Toes To Bar Modifications and Alternatives for Beginners
When learning any movement, a series of steps must be taken to properly progress oneself to the full version. In doing so, proper technique and foundational strength can be developed to ensure proper ... Continue Reading
GNC Pro Performance BCAA 5000 Review — No Bells or Whistles
GNC is an enormously popular chain of supplement stores that has thousands of locations in the United States and stores in fifty other countries around the world. When we tried their in-house whey protein ... Continue Reading
Toes to Bar: Kipping vs Strict
The toes to bar movement is a highly effective way to develop midline stability, increase muscular hypertrophy of the abdominals and obliques, and enhance overall core strength. Gymnasts, fitness, and ... Continue Reading
Sports Acupuncture – Can It Benefit Strength Athletes?
"Every needle I put in, I have a reason for it. It's not just a concept, but a reason with scientific backing," states Peter D'Aquino. Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that ... Continue Reading