There's no question that social media has become a dominant force in our society. It's one of the few things that can cause the nation to come together and partake in similar challenges and movements. For ... Continue Reading
How to Watch the 2016 World University Weightlifting Championships
The 2016 FISU World University Weightlifting Championships is currently underway in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. The competition runs from November 13th through the 17th, and the weightlifting portion is ... Continue Reading
4 Fitness Vacations That Will Make You Stronger
Need to get away but don’t want to lose progress in your lifts? Believe it or not, you don't have to! If you're the kind of person whose ideal week off involves sunshine, cocktails, and barbell ... Continue Reading
3 Simple Exercises Strength Athletes Should Do for Stronger, Healthier Feet
Imagine wearing gloves for the entire day, from the moment you leave your house until you return again late in the evening. Do you think your hands will be affected, especially if you choose stiff gloves ... Continue Reading
Olympic Weightlifting Medalist Mohamed Ehab Youssef’s Insane Push Press Fight
Egyptian weightlifter Mohamed Ehab Youssef is a World and Olympic medalist (as of Rio), and besides being one of the strongest 77kg males on the planet, he's known for a couple things: 1. His intensity ... Continue Reading
NFL Player Michael Pierce Squats 725 lbs Unbelted
No matter what role you have in the strength community - impressive feats of strength should always be awarded with respect and pats on the back. Michael Pierce, defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, ... Continue Reading
USA Weightlifting Releases Record Standards for New 90kg Weight Class
In an article published on the USA Weightlifting website, USAW has announced the record standards for the newly-established women's 90kg weight class. Next month's American Open Championships in Florida ... Continue Reading
Mark Bell Says What’s On Every Strength Athlete’s Mind
Mark Bell hits home in his last video titled, “Why I Will NEVER Stop Lifting.” Strength athletes and professionals are unlike others for a lot of reasons, and I think the most fundamental reason is what ... Continue Reading
Kelly and Caleb Williams Are an American Weightlifting Power Couple
December will mark "7" for my next weightlifting power couple: 7 years married, and also 7 combined National Championships. Unlike Jason and I’s coach/athlete relationship, Caleb and Kelly Williams ... Continue Reading
Could This Research Change the Way We Look at Muscles and Strength?
A study posted on Experiment, a science-based crowd funding site, could be a game changer for athletes everywhere. Lead authors Andy Galpin, Jimmy Bagley, and Irene Tobias believe this study could be ... Continue Reading
Giants Pro Figure of 8 Lifting Straps Review
You may have heard of or seen the Figure of 8 lifting straps by Giants Pro before. These were the straps Eddie Hall used to break the deadlift world record with 500kg at the World Deadlift Championship in ... Continue Reading
The Lifter’s Guide to Magnesium: What This Nutrient Does for Strength
Ask the average strength athlete to list the supplements they can’t live or lift without, and the list will probably stop at protein powder and creatine. Folks with a higher budget might add fish oil, ... Continue Reading
Elle Hatamiya: Follow the 11 Year Old Weightlifter’s Olympic Dream
It’s always a great day when strength sports receive mass media coverage. Bleacher Report recently did a story on Elle Hatamiya, an 11 year old weightlifter with an Olympic dream. Not only is Hatamiya ... Continue Reading
Which Strongman Weight Class Is Right for Me?
Weight classes. For lifters of any discipline, being in the proper weight class is a large determinate of how well they do in their sport and how long they can compete at it. For a few it’s easy: They are ... Continue Reading
10 Tips for Coaching Athletes at Weightlifting Meets
Coaching athletes at competition can be a rewarding, exciting, challenging task for a coach. Weightlifting meets are no different, often requiring a large amount of pre-planning, adaptation, and ... Continue Reading
Coaches Roundtable: Hook Grip Your Way to Stronger Lifts
The hook grip has been around for years in weight training. While the exact creator and originator of this grip is still unknown, there are records of athletes using hook grips in the 1940’s. To perform a ... Continue Reading
Caber Tossing: Why Hurling Trees Is the Most Delicate Strength Sport
The bicycle, the telephone, the television, and penicillin are all great Scottish inventions, sure, but the country’s greatest contribution to strength sports is definitely the world-famous Highland ... Continue Reading
Strongman Eddie Hall Bench Presses 584 Pounds for 6 Reps!
Eddie Hall is the world's greatest strongman-style deadlifter (as evidenced by his record breaking 500kg pull this past July). Now, the British strongman — who made the podium for the first time at this ... Continue Reading
Canadian Weightlifter Boady Santavy Breaks Records, Aims for Olympics
Over the last five years, I have had several opportunities to venture north of the border and attend national events that were hosted by the Canadian Weightlifting Federation. In addition to friendly ... Continue Reading
Watch Larry Williams Crush the Powerlifting Total Record at 242 Pounds
Larry Williams — or Larry “Wheels” Williams as many know him — has been making waves in powerlifting since his teenage years. Now, 21, Williams from Bronx, NY, made a big statement this past ... Continue Reading
Reebok to Face Big Changes, Will Emphasize Fitness and Higher Price Points
In an article published in the Boston Globe, author Jon Chesto outlines several announcements coming from Reebok leadership following a quarterly earnings call from last week. Newly appointed Adidas ... Continue Reading
Watch Olympic Gold Medalist Aleksey Torokhtiy Make His Transition Into CrossFit
At BarBend we always love when elite athletes try out different forms of stength sports. For example, Max Lang, a 77kg German weightlifter “suffering” through a CrossFit® class and giving his thoughts ... Continue Reading
5 Weightlifting Accessory Exercises to Improve Overhead Performance
As weightlifters, our programming is pretty straight forward. Snatches here, clean & jerk variations there, and a steady diet of squatting and pulling. Accessory training is the term given to ... Continue Reading
8 Telltale Signs You’re Obsessed With Strength Sports
Can you remember the first time you discovered your love for strength sports? I definitely can. My dad, an ex-college football player, used train me when I was growing up. I was 13 when he bought a ... Continue Reading