Halloween is my favorite holiday, and training is my favorite…well, it’s just my favorite. Combining two awesome things sounds like a pretty darn good idea to me, so let’s take a look at four ... Continue Reading
Reaching Is Easily the Most Underrated Movement for Shoulder Health
If you’ve lifted weights for any length of time you’ve probably hurt your shoulder. That sucks. The shoulder is a shallow ball and socket joint that has the very handy ability to move in multiple ... Continue Reading
Biggest Lifts Week 3: Dan Bell Deadlifts 855 lbs, Jessica Buettner Reps 405 lbs, and More!
Each week we're fired up by the big lifts we see. We see athletes across all the various strength sports putting up huge numbers, testing their limits, and crushing both personal and national/world ... Continue Reading
Katie Trombetta Tests Positive, Receives 4-Year Ban from CrossFit Games
CrossFit Games athlete Katie Trombetta shared on her Instagram page that she has tested positive for banned substances from a sample that was taken at the 2019 Reebok CrossFit Games. She has received a ... Continue Reading
Egyptian Weightlifter Mohamed Ihab Announces Retirement
One of Egypt's most decorated weightlifters, Mohamed Ihab, has announced his retirement from the sport, according to Ahram Online. This news comes just after Egypt's National Olympic Committee (NOC) ... Continue Reading
7 Steps for Nailing the Perfect Squat (Feat 2-Time IPF World Champion Taylor Atwood)
There's a lot that goes into a great squat. The un-rack, walkout, descent, and ascent all need to be perfectly aligned to move efficiently under a loaded bar. An important lesson to learn under ... Continue Reading
Watch Strongman Brian Shaw Train The Truck Pull With His Wife
Brian Shaw, a four-time winner of the World's Strongest Man, recently uploaded a video on his YouTube channel showing a full day of training during his preparation for the World's Ultimate Strongman ... Continue Reading
The History of Bodybuilding’s Messy Journey to the Olympics
Bodybuilding truly deserves a place in the pantheon of Olympic sports. It dates to the original Olympic Games of the ancient Greeks, which inspired the modern Olympics. Between competitive events, the ... Continue Reading
Best Men’s Sports Watch
Watches play a pivotal role for many people in terms of keeping time, with tight schedules and deadlines increasingly important in this era of on-demand services and international supply chains. Watches ... Continue Reading
Dexter Jackson Shares Rare Glimpse Into Olympia Prep Training
On October 7, former Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson posted a video onto YouTube that gave bodybuilding fans a unique insight into what he did in preparation for the 2019 ... Continue Reading
Weight Over Bar Guide: How-To, Benefits, and Programming Tips
Weight over bar is a classic strongman event. This event is contested in a couple different ways in strongman and Highland Games competitions. In the weight over bar event, athletes will throw an object ... Continue Reading
Steve Cotter: Kettlebell Culture and Upping Your Mental Game
Steve Cotter didn't invent kettlebells, but it's impossible to talk about their popularity in the Western world without mentioning his name. Since the early 2000s, he's given over 600 seminars and ... Continue Reading
Emily Rolfe: Proving She’s No One-Hit Wonder At the 2019 CrossFit Games
When the Ruck event was announced at the 2019 Reebok CrossFit Games, those with a running and triathlon background—Sam Briggs, Kristin Holte, Tia-Clair Toomey to name a few—likely rejoiced. Unbeknownst ... Continue Reading
Strongman Hafthor Bjornsson And Team Try To Eat 200 Burgers In One Sitting
Professional strongmen love eating challenges. We've seen Brian Shaw take on a seven pound burrito eating challenge, ultimate cheat days, and everything in-between. Hafthor Bjornsson, the 2018 World's ... Continue Reading
Will You Take the BarBend Kettlebell Swing Challenge? (Max Reps!)
The kettlebell swing is one of the best fundamental movements any athlete can master. It builds strength, tests grip, and — when done for high reps — can tax your endurance in a crazy way. We ... Continue Reading
5 Great Bulking Foods for Digestion, Intra-Workout, and More
Winter is here, and that means it’s bulking season! Personally, I’m aiming to move up from my competition weight of 184 lbs to a whopping 240 pounds this offseason – a pretty massive gain, but one I ... Continue Reading
The IPF and SBD Are Teaming to Host a “Champion of Champions” Meet
The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and SBD Apparel announced a new IPF category event that will bring together 12 men and 12 women for one weekend to battle it out for the title of Champion of ... Continue Reading
Exclusive: Brandon Curry Responds to Dorian Yates Critique Video
In a YouTube video shared by Valuetainment, six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates talks with Patrick Bet-David and shared his thoughts about the 2019 Olympia contest and how he feels the state of bodybuilding ... Continue Reading
Nike Metcon 5 Vs. Reebok CrossFit Nano 9: The REAL Winner
The Nike Metcon 5 and Reebok CrossFit Nano 9 have both been on the market for a few months now, so I figured it was about time to highlight each of them in an epic showdown. One of the most frequently ... Continue Reading
Introducing the NOBULL Dress Shoe, Is It a Hit Or Miss?
Need to get a quick lift in before your next job interview? Have no fear, NOBULL has you covered. Over the last three years at BarBend, I've reviewed over 40 of the best cross-training and lifting ... Continue Reading
Tom Boyden: Tricking, Jujimufu, and the New Age of Fitness Media
Tom Boyden is one half of the dynamic duo Juji & Tom. Find out how he partnered with Jujimufu and cracked the code on the way to building one of YouTube's craziest and most successful video ... Continue Reading
Best Running Socks
Shopping for running socks can often feel like a difficult run with no end point. There are so many makers and styles on the market, it can be an overwhelming process to find the perfect ... Continue Reading
Bodybuilder Kai Greene Shows Off His Impressive Mobility
Three-time Arnold Classic winner and three-time Mr. Olympia runner-up Kai Greene may not have competed onstage in the last three years, but he still practices posing and recently shared a unique sample of ... Continue Reading
8 Best Protein Shakes for Weight Loss in 2025, Tested and Dietitian Approved
Drinking protein shakes can help support your weight loss goals by increasing your protein intake. (1) But finding the best protein shakes for weight loss can feel overwhelming with new brands popping up ... Continue Reading