Emily Beers is a freelance health, fitness and nutrition writer. She has also been coaching fitness at MadLab School of Fitness in Vancouver, B.C. since 2009. A former college basketball player and rower, Emily became heavily involved in CrossFit after finishing her Masters degree in journalism at the University of Western Ontario. She competed at the 2014 CrossFit Games and also worked with CrossFit Inc.’s media team for 8 years. You can also find her work at Precision Nutrition, the Whole Life Challenge, OPEX, and a host of other fitness and nutrition companies and media outlets.
About BarBend
BarBend covers a wide range of topics in strength, including training, nutrition, sports, news, analysis, reviews, and opinion. Whether you’re a seasoned lifter, new to the gym, or a dedicated strength sports fan, we’re your go-to source for the content you need to know!
Our team of in-house editors has decades of combined experience in strength training content. The majority of reviews on our site are written based on their first-person experience and testing. We also feature content from dozens of top contributing writers, coaches, and athletes from around the world. And BarBend’s Expert Network features medical professionals, trainers, and researchers who help verify the accuracy of our content, specifically select training and reviews topics. Content that is Expert Verified is indicated at the top of each corresponding article. We also work to keep our content up-to-date and indicate the day of the most recent editorial updates at the top of our articles.
BarBend is also the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting, the governing body for the sport in the United States.
Latest Posts
Competition Results
- Firefighter and Masters CrossFitter Carol Mezen Talks Gaining Confidence, Putting on 30 Pounds of Muscle
- Masters Collective Winner Jody Clements Says Fitness Is Just One Piece of CrossFit
- 10 Up-and-Coming CrossFit Athletes to Watch In 2020 and Beyond
Conditioning
- Olympic Rowers Reveal the Mistakes They See CrossFitters Make
- 4 Keys to Using Running Intervals to Improve Your Metcons
- 5 Mistakes You Might Be Making Training At Home
- 7 Ways to Prepare Your Body (and Your Nervous System) to Lift Heavy Again
- Upper Body Isometrics: Why and What You Can Do At Home
- The Most Versatile Piece of Equipment You Might Be Forgetting to Use
- Tired of Air Squats, Burpees, and Lunges on Repeat?
- So Your CrossFit Box Is Closed? Adapt With A Week of At-Home Workouts
- Do You Really Need a 30-Minute Warm-Up?
- 7 Ways to Improve Your Rowing Stroke
- How Tempo Work Helped Me Push Through a Plateau
CrossFit Games
- Kristine Best: First-Time CrossFit Games Competitor Talks Breaking Through and Training for the Unknown
- Patricia McGill: 61-Year-Old CrossFit Games Athlete Does Rope Climbs in Her Backyard
- How CrossFit Games Masters Athlete Jarka Giangiulio Got Her First Muscle-Up At 60
- 10 Questions with Four-Time CrossFit Games Athlete Bethany Shadburne
- 10 Questions with Canadian CrossFit Games Athlete Jean-Simon Lemaire
- 10 Questions with First-Time CrossFit Games Qualifier Andrea Solberg
- 10 Questions With First-Time CrossFit Games Qualifier Scott Tetlow
- Meet the Filipino National CrossFit Champion Robin Jaramillo
- Meet Sana’a Mandar: The First Moroccan Woman to Compete at the CrossFit Games
- Meet CrossFit Games Athlete Nastassia Kaddour: Breaking New Ground for Covered Women
- 10 Up-and-Coming CrossFit Athletes to Watch In 2020 and Beyond
Diets
- 3 Misconceptions CrossFit® Athletes Have About Nutrition
- 14 CrossFit Games Women Reveal Their Daily Macros
- Op-Ed: The Ridiculousness of Carefully-Packaged, Rigid Diets
- Why Protein Isn’t Created Equal (And How to Find the Best Sources for Your Needs)
- 7 Ways Athletes Can Slash Their Grocery Bills in 2020
- 10 Foods That Will Make a Splash in 2020 and Beyond
- Does Your Recovery Suck? Low Iron Could Be to Blame
- How to Solve the Charcuterie Conundrum if You’re Gluten-Free, Keto, or Macro-Counting
Fat Loss
- Macro Counting Might Bring Results, But At What Cost?
- 3 Misconceptions CrossFit® Athletes Have About Nutrition
- After MS Diagnosis, Alex Ortiz Turned His Life Around Through Fitness
- Meet Heather Pivoras and the CrossFit Coach Who Helped Transform her Life
Fitness
- Firefighter and Masters CrossFitter Carol Mezen Talks Gaining Confidence, Putting on 30 Pounds of Muscle
- Olympic Rowers Reveal the Mistakes They See CrossFitters Make
- Masters Collective Winner Jody Clements Says Fitness Is Just One Piece of CrossFit
- Kristine Best: First-Time CrossFit Games Competitor Talks Breaking Through and Training for the Unknown
- Patricia McGill: 61-Year-Old CrossFit Games Athlete Does Rope Climbs in Her Backyard
- Strength Training Improves Quality of Life, Especially If You’re Stuck Training at Home
- How CrossFit Games Masters Athlete Jarka Giangiulio Got Her First Muscle-Up At 60
- Logan Aldridge: Well Armed with One-Arm in Fitness, Sports, and CrossFit
- Adaptive Athlete Joe Micco’s Message: Don’t Just Accept Your Prognosis
- When Someone Tests Positive at Your Gym: Two Owners Share Their Thoughts
- Desperate Times Called for Homemade Concrete Dumbbells
- OpEd: The “CrossFit” Community Is Going to be Okay
- Pandemic-Inspired Fitness: How Gyms Around the World Adapt
- The Hollow Body Position: Why It’s So Important for Fitness Athletes
- 3 Misconceptions CrossFit® Athletes Have About Nutrition
- Rotational, Reactive, and Lateral: Three Forgotten Pieces of the Strength Training Puzzle
- 5 Tips to Improve Your Recovery Between Intense Workouts
- As Gyms Reopen, Owners Ask: Can Air Bikes and Rowing Machines Spread Disease?
- 3 Reasons CrossFit Athletes Should Train Without a Belt (Sometimes)
- 10 Questions with Four-Time CrossFit Games Athlete Bethany Shadburne
- 10 Questions with Canadian CrossFit Games Athlete Jean-Simon Lemaire
- 10 Questions with First-Time CrossFit Games Qualifier Andrea Solberg
- 10 Questions With First-Time CrossFit Games Qualifier Scott Tetlow
- Why I’m Not Going Back to the Gym (Yet)
- Returning to the Gym: Changes CrossFit Athletes Should Expect
- 5 Tips to Transition Your Gym Away from the Group Class Model
- COVID-19: The Launching Pad to Fix a Broken Fitness Industry?
- Leading the Way: The Next Wave in Online Functional Fitness?
- Upper Body Isometrics: Why and What You Can Do At Home
- The Most Versatile Piece of Equipment You Might Be Forgetting to Use
- Keep Pulling Without a Pull-Up Bar
- Op-Ed: How Gyms Can Compensate Trainers Through Social Distancing and Beyond
- Exercising Together Is This CrossFit Family’s Secret Weapon for Social Distancing
- Fitness on Lockdown: 9 Days and Counting in France
- COVID-19 and Member Retention: How Will Small Gyms and CrossFit Boxes Survive?
- 14 CrossFit Games Women Reveal Their Daily Macros
- So Your CrossFit Box Is Closed? Adapt With A Week of At-Home Workouts
- Four Teens to Watch During The CrossFit Games Age Group Online Qualifier
- Missing Equipment? The CrossFitter’s Guide to Movement Substitutions
- Meet Heather Pivoras and the CrossFit Coach Who Helped Transform her Life
- Meet the Couple in the Best Shape of Their Lives At 80
- Meet the Filipino National CrossFit Champion Robin Jaramillo
- Meet Sana’a Mandar: The First Moroccan Woman to Compete at the CrossFit Games
- Meet CrossFit Games Athlete Nastassia Kaddour: Breaking New Ground for Covered Women
- 6 Drills to Improve Your Muscle-up Transition
- Dear Ladies: Don’t Fear Heavy Weights. Lifting Them Alone Won’t Bulk You Up
- Ryan Grover Took Up CrossFit and Lost 98 Pounds in 2019
- How Hiring a CrossFit Coach Helped Jonathan Headley Lose 100 Pounds in 2019
- 7 Tips to Avoid Burnout As a Personal Trainer
- Is Remote Coaching Right for You?
- 10 Up-and-Coming CrossFit Athletes to Watch In 2020 and Beyond
- 7 Ways to Improve Your Rowing Stroke
- 5 Things You Probably Won’t Learn in a CrossFit Intro Group Class
- 10 Most Memorable CrossFit Games Moments of 2019
- 4 Reasons Not to Run a Short-Term Fitness Challenge
- 5 Big Offenses to Avoid When Visiting a New CrossFit Gym
- Maddie Sturt’s Quest For a Fifth CrossFit Games
- Beyond the Lat Pulldown: How to Fix Your Upper Back Deficiency
- 10 CrossFit Women Who Inspired Us In 2019
- How Tyler Christophel Broke Into the Top 10 in the World in the CrossFit Open
- How Andrea Nisler Accidentally Finished in the Top 20 in the 2020 CrossFit Open
- Scott Tetlow: Sitting Pretty With One CrossFit Open Workout to Go
- Why Membership Numbers Tell You Nothing About A Gym’s Success
- Kendall Vincelette: Going At It Alone
- Meet Cedric Lapointe: The Most Talented CrossFit Athlete You Probably Don’t Know
- “You Have Nice Legs”: One Woman’s Take On Unsolicited Gym Comments
- Get to Know Emma McQuaid: The Fastest in the World At CrossFit Open 20.1
- 5 Keys to Keeping Personal Training Clients for Years
- 5 Keys to Earning a Professional Wage As a Fitness Coach
- Emily Rolfe: Proving She’s No One-Hit Wonder At the 2019 CrossFit Games
Muscle Gain
News
- Firefighter and Masters CrossFitter Carol Mezen Talks Gaining Confidence, Putting on 30 Pounds of Muscle
- Masters Collective Winner Jody Clements Says Fitness Is Just One Piece of CrossFit
- Kristine Best: First-Time CrossFit Games Competitor Talks Breaking Through and Training for the Unknown
- Patricia McGill: 61-Year-Old CrossFit Games Athlete Does Rope Climbs in Her Backyard
- How CrossFit Games Masters Athlete Jarka Giangiulio Got Her First Muscle-Up At 60
- Desperate Times Called for Homemade Concrete Dumbbells
- Pandemic-Inspired Fitness: How Gyms Around the World Adapt
- As Gyms Reopen, Owners Ask: Can Air Bikes and Rowing Machines Spread Disease?
- 10 Questions with Four-Time CrossFit Games Athlete Bethany Shadburne
- 10 Questions with Canadian CrossFit Games Athlete Jean-Simon Lemaire
- 10 Questions with First-Time CrossFit Games Qualifier Andrea Solberg
- 10 Questions With First-Time CrossFit Games Qualifier Scott Tetlow
- COVID-19 and Member Retention: How Will Small Gyms and CrossFit Boxes Survive?
- Four Teens to Watch During The CrossFit Games Age Group Online Qualifier
- Meet the Filipino National CrossFit Champion Robin Jaramillo
- Meet Sana’a Mandar: The First Moroccan Woman to Compete at the CrossFit Games
- Meet CrossFit Games Athlete Nastassia Kaddour: Breaking New Ground for Covered Women
- 10 Up-and-Coming CrossFit Athletes to Watch In 2020 and Beyond
- 10 Most Memorable CrossFit Games Moments of 2019
- Maddie Sturt’s Quest For a Fifth CrossFit Games
- How Tyler Christophel Broke Into the Top 10 in the World in the CrossFit Open
- How Andrea Nisler Accidentally Finished in the Top 20 in the 2020 CrossFit Open
- Kendall Vincelette: Going At It Alone
- Meet Cedric Lapointe: The Most Talented CrossFit Athlete You Probably Don’t Know
- Get to Know Emma McQuaid: The Fastest in the World At CrossFit Open 20.1
News Editor's Picks
- Patricia McGill: 61-Year-Old CrossFit Games Athlete Does Rope Climbs in Her Backyard
- Meet CrossFit Games Athlete Nastassia Kaddour: Breaking New Ground for Covered Women
- 10 Up-and-Coming CrossFit Athletes to Watch In 2020 and Beyond
Nutrition
- Macro Counting Might Bring Results, But At What Cost?
- 3 Misconceptions CrossFit® Athletes Have About Nutrition
- 14 CrossFit Games Women Reveal Their Daily Macros
- After MS Diagnosis, Alex Ortiz Turned His Life Around Through Fitness
- Meet Heather Pivoras and the CrossFit Coach Who Helped Transform her Life
- Op-Ed: The Ridiculousness of Carefully-Packaged, Rigid Diets
- Why Protein Isn’t Created Equal (And How to Find the Best Sources for Your Needs)
- 7 Ways Athletes Can Slash Their Grocery Bills in 2020
- Combating the Winter Blues this Winter? Start With Vitamin D
- 10 Foods That Will Make a Splash in 2020 and Beyond
- Does Your Recovery Suck? Low Iron Could Be to Blame
- How to Solve the Charcuterie Conundrum if You’re Gluten-Free, Keto, or Macro-Counting
Nutrition Editor's Picks
- Macro Counting Might Bring Results, But At What Cost?
- 3 Misconceptions CrossFit® Athletes Have About Nutrition
- 14 CrossFit Games Women Reveal Their Daily Macros
- 7 Ways Athletes Can Slash Their Grocery Bills in 2020
- 10 Foods That Will Make a Splash in 2020 and Beyond
Op-Ed
- A How-To Guide for Assessing Personal Training Clients Remotely
- Macro Counting Might Bring Results, But At What Cost?
- When Someone Tests Positive at Your Gym: Two Owners Share Their Thoughts
- OpEd: The “CrossFit” Community Is Going to be Okay
- 3 Misconceptions CrossFit® Athletes Have About Nutrition
- What to Focus on When Getting Back into Fitness Postpartum
- Rotational, Reactive, and Lateral: Three Forgotten Pieces of the Strength Training Puzzle
- Why I’m Not Going Back to the Gym (Yet)
- 5 Tips to Transition Your Gym Away from the Group Class Model
- 5 Mistakes You Might Be Making Training At Home
- COVID-19: The Launching Pad to Fix a Broken Fitness Industry?
- Op-Ed: How Gyms Can Compensate Trainers Through Social Distancing and Beyond
- Fitness on Lockdown: 9 Days and Counting in France
- Managing Strength Training Through Menopause
- Op-Ed: The Ridiculousness of Carefully-Packaged, Rigid Diets
- Do You Really Need a 30-Minute Warm-Up?
- 7 Tips to Avoid Burnout As a Personal Trainer
- Is Remote Coaching Right for You?
- 5 Ways to Make Social Media Improve Your Training
- 5 Things You Probably Won’t Learn in a CrossFit Intro Group Class
- What’s the REAL Goal? Former CrossFit Games Athlete on Reassessing Your Training
- 4 Reasons Not to Run a Short-Term Fitness Challenge
- 5 Big Offenses to Avoid When Visiting a New CrossFit Gym
- Why I Can’t Just “Teach You” a Pistol Squat
- The Female Cycle and Strength Training: When to Push and When to Hold Back
- Why Membership Numbers Tell You Nothing About A Gym’s Success
- How to Solve the Charcuterie Conundrum if You’re Gluten-Free, Keto, or Macro-Counting
- “You Have Nice Legs”: One Woman’s Take On Unsolicited Gym Comments
- 5 Keys to Keeping Personal Training Clients for Years
- 5 Keys to Earning a Professional Wage As a Fitness Coach
Powerlifting
- Multi-Time Paralympian Ali Jawad Talks Training and Anti-Doping Efforts in Paralympic Powerlifting
- Vaughan DeBarr’s Message to Adaptive Athletes: “Fight the fight. One step at a time.”
- Chloe Lansing: Deadlifting 500 Pounds and Fighting for Inclusivity in Strength
- Antonio Martin: Untrained 430 Pound Bench Press to Para Powerlifting Superstar
Pro Tips
- Olympic Rowers Reveal the Mistakes They See CrossFitters Make
- A How-To Guide for Assessing Personal Training Clients Remotely
- Strength Training Improves Quality of Life, Especially If You’re Stuck Training at Home
- What to Do If You’re Squat or Deadlift Dominant
- 5 Tips to Improve Your Recovery Between Intense Workouts
- 3 Reasons CrossFit Athletes Should Train Without a Belt (Sometimes)
- Are Your Abs Actually Strong, or Are Your Hip Flexors Doing the Work?
- 4 Keys to Using Running Intervals to Improve Your Metcons
- 5 Mistakes You Might Be Making Training At Home
- 7 Ways to Prepare Your Body (and Your Nervous System) to Lift Heavy Again
- Pay Attention to Your Foot and Ankle Mobility: Your Lifts Will Thank You For It
- How to Develop Explosive Power Without a Barbell
- Keep Pulling Without a Pull-Up Bar
- Tired of Air Squats, Burpees, and Lunges on Repeat?
- Missing Equipment? The CrossFitter’s Guide to Movement Substitutions
- 6 Drills to Improve Your Muscle-up Transition
- Barbell Etiquette: How to Keep Law and Order at the Gym
- What’s the REAL Goal? Former CrossFit Games Athlete on Reassessing Your Training
- How Tempo Work Helped Me Push Through a Plateau
- 5 Keys to Earning a Professional Wage As a Fitness Coach
Programs
- A How-To Guide for Assessing Personal Training Clients Remotely
- Rotational, Reactive, and Lateral: Three Forgotten Pieces of the Strength Training Puzzle
- 5 Mistakes You Might Be Making Training At Home
- 3 Ab Challenges You Might Not be Able to Complete on First Attempt
- The Most Versatile Piece of Equipment You Might Be Forgetting to Use
- So Your CrossFit Box Is Closed? Adapt With A Week of At-Home Workouts
- Is Remote Coaching Right for You?
- Why I Can’t Just “Teach You” a Pistol Squat
Strength & Mass
- A How-To Guide for Assessing Personal Training Clients Remotely
- Strength Training Improves Quality of Life, Especially If You’re Stuck Training at Home
- What to Do If You’re Squat or Deadlift Dominant
- 3 Reasons CrossFit Athletes Should Train Without a Belt (Sometimes)
- 5 Mistakes You Might Be Making Training At Home
- 7 Ways to Prepare Your Body (and Your Nervous System) to Lift Heavy Again
- The Most Versatile Piece of Equipment You Might Be Forgetting to Use
- How to Develop Explosive Power Without a Barbell
- Keep Pulling Without a Pull-Up Bar
- 6 Drills to Improve Your Muscle-up Transition
- Why I Can’t Just “Teach You” a Pistol Squat
- The Female Cycle and Strength Training: When to Push and When to Hold Back
- Beyond the Lat Pulldown: How to Fix Your Upper Back Deficiency
- How Tempo Work Helped Me Push Through a Plateau
Strongman
Top Athletes
- Firefighter and Masters CrossFitter Carol Mezen Talks Gaining Confidence, Putting on 30 Pounds of Muscle
- Masters Collective Winner Jody Clements Says Fitness Is Just One Piece of CrossFit
- Kristine Best: First-Time CrossFit Games Competitor Talks Breaking Through and Training for the Unknown
- Patricia McGill: 61-Year-Old CrossFit Games Athlete Does Rope Climbs in Her Backyard
- How CrossFit Games Masters Athlete Jarka Giangiulio Got Her First Muscle-Up At 60
- 10 Questions with Four-Time CrossFit Games Athlete Bethany Shadburne
- 10 Questions with Canadian CrossFit Games Athlete Jean-Simon Lemaire
- 10 Questions with First-Time CrossFit Games Qualifier Andrea Solberg
- 10 Questions With First-Time CrossFit Games Qualifier Scott Tetlow
- Four Teens to Watch During The CrossFit Games Age Group Online Qualifier
- Meet the Filipino National CrossFit Champion Robin Jaramillo
- Meet Sana’a Mandar: The First Moroccan Woman to Compete at the CrossFit Games
- Meet CrossFit Games Athlete Nastassia Kaddour: Breaking New Ground for Covered Women
- 10 Up-and-Coming CrossFit Athletes to Watch In 2020 and Beyond
- Maddie Sturt’s Quest For a Fifth CrossFit Games
- How Tyler Christophel Broke Into the Top 10 in the World in the CrossFit Open
- How Andrea Nisler Accidentally Finished in the Top 20 in the 2020 CrossFit Open
- Kendall Vincelette: Going At It Alone
- Get to Know Emma McQuaid: The Fastest in the World At CrossFit Open 20.1
Training
- Olympic Rowers Reveal the Mistakes They See CrossFitters Make
- A How-To Guide for Assessing Personal Training Clients Remotely
- Strength Training Improves Quality of Life, Especially If You’re Stuck Training at Home
- 5 Steps to Effective Remote Individual Program Design
- What to Do If You’re Squat or Deadlift Dominant
- The Hollow Body Position: Why It’s So Important for Fitness Athletes
- What to Focus on When Getting Back into Fitness Postpartum
- Rotational, Reactive, and Lateral: Three Forgotten Pieces of the Strength Training Puzzle
- 5 Tips to Improve Your Recovery Between Intense Workouts
- 3 Reasons CrossFit Athletes Should Train Without a Belt (Sometimes)
- Are Your Abs Actually Strong, or Are Your Hip Flexors Doing the Work?
- Why I’m Not Going Back to the Gym (Yet)
- 4 Keys to Using Running Intervals to Improve Your Metcons
- 5 Mistakes You Might Be Making Training At Home
- 7 Ways to Prepare Your Body (and Your Nervous System) to Lift Heavy Again
- Pay Attention to Your Foot and Ankle Mobility: Your Lifts Will Thank You For It
- 3 Ab Challenges You Might Not be Able to Complete on First Attempt
- Strength Athletes: Don’t Overlook Your Wrists
- Upper Body Isometrics: Why and What You Can Do At Home
- The Most Versatile Piece of Equipment You Might Be Forgetting to Use
- How to Develop Explosive Power Without a Barbell
- Keep Pulling Without a Pull-Up Bar
- Tired of Air Squats, Burpees, and Lunges on Repeat?
- So Your CrossFit Box Is Closed? Adapt With A Week of At-Home Workouts
- Managing Strength Training Through Menopause
- After MS Diagnosis, Alex Ortiz Turned His Life Around Through Fitness
- Missing Equipment? The CrossFitter’s Guide to Movement Substitutions
- 6 Drills to Improve Your Muscle-up Transition
- Do You Really Need a 30-Minute Warm-Up?
- How Hiring a CrossFit Coach Helped Jonathan Headley Lose 100 Pounds in 2019
- Barbell Etiquette: How to Keep Law and Order at the Gym
- 7 Tips to Avoid Burnout As a Personal Trainer
- Is Remote Coaching Right for You?
- 7 Ways to Improve Your Rowing Stroke
- 5 Ways to Make Social Media Improve Your Training
- What’s the REAL Goal? Former CrossFit Games Athlete on Reassessing Your Training
- Why I Can’t Just “Teach You” a Pistol Squat
- The Female Cycle and Strength Training: When to Push and When to Hold Back
- 10 Signs Coachability Is Harming Your Gym Progress
- Beyond the Lat Pulldown: How to Fix Your Upper Back Deficiency
- How Tempo Work Helped Me Push Through a Plateau
- “You Have Nice Legs”: One Woman’s Take On Unsolicited Gym Comments
- 5 Keys to Earning a Professional Wage As a Fitness Coach
Training Editor's Picks
- Strength Training Improves Quality of Life, Especially If You’re Stuck Training at Home
- What to Do If You’re Squat or Deadlift Dominant
- 5 Tips to Improve Your Recovery Between Intense Workouts
- 5 Mistakes You Might Be Making Training At Home
- Pay Attention to Your Foot and Ankle Mobility: Your Lifts Will Thank You For It
- The Most Versatile Piece of Equipment You Might Be Forgetting to Use
- How to Develop Explosive Power Without a Barbell
- 10 Signs Coachability Is Harming Your Gym Progress
- “You Have Nice Legs”: One Woman’s Take On Unsolicited Gym Comments
- 5 Keys to Earning a Professional Wage As a Fitness Coach
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