The other week we held a BarBend wrist wrap giveaway on our Instagram page. In order to win, athletes had to do two things: Share their favorite article with us, then state why it was their top pick. Our goal was to receive honest feedback from a variety of strength athletes while gaining a better idea of articles our readers love. Strength sports are different, but the athletes within them are all similar; they all have the natural drive for self-improvement.
At the end of every day here at BarBend, our main goal is always the same, and that’s to provide the readers with something to takeaway and learn. They’re what makes what we do possible, and the reason we keep pushing to produce the best content possible. Here are 12 BarBend readers’ favorite articles, along with why they like them.
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 sourced exclusively by the author.
1. Itzel Volino
Favorite Article: Stefi Cohen Talks Cardio, Powerlifting Myths, and 4X Bodyweight Deadlifts
Why: This article is everything to me. I believe in autoregulation and do my best to prove that a typical powerlifter isn’t just some strong big body, but a hybrid that’s functional. Longevity is key to me!
2. Hector Sarabia
Favorite Article: These Are the First Images of the Nike Metcon 4s (Plus Tentative Release Date)
Why: I like the latest Metcon 4 article. You guys are always on top of new things coming out and I like reading the reviews on supplements you compare.
3. Max Boone
Favorite Article: Ilya Ilyin Discusses His Suspension and a Potential Comeback In a New Interview
Why: This article is my favorite because it’s epic to hear that Ilya Ilyin is fighting to come back and learning about his marriage to the barbell.
4. David Ayscue
Favorite Article: Could Weight Distribution Be the Reason You’re Missing Olympic Lifts?
Why: I love the article by Phil Sabatini about foot positioning and Olympic movements. It helped me keep my toes down, while putting more power into the bar in the right direction.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbFKjK2j0LD/
5. Morgan McCullough
Favorite Article: 13-Year Old Morgan McCullough Breaks Multiple American Records at the American Open
Why: My favorite article is the one you guys shared that highlights my lifting!
6. Bill McNamee
Favorite Article: How to Choose The Perfect Heel Height for Your Body and Squat Style
Why: My favorite article is where you talk about the heel height in weightlifting shoes. It played a huge role in my shoes purchase and is paying dividends.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaPdgAPH0L5/
7. Carlos Verzosa
Favorite Article: Is Your Split Jerk Holding You Back? Try These 4 Drills
Why: I’ve always struggled with the split jerk. I’ve switched from split, to squat, to power, and back to split with that rotation a few times. Any insight or tips to improve my jerk is always appreciated, and I’m grateful for the article you guys shared!
8. Jordan Fiedor
Favorite Article: Squat Alternatives for Strength, Hypertrophy, and Functional Movement
Why: The squat alternatives article is my favorite because it talks about the different alternatives that you can do for squats to increase your strength and ability, so you can perform the back/front square more efficiently.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbLKtbxgkDd/
9. Seth Dahlke
Favorite Article: Why You Should Add Crawling To Your Warm-Up and Workout Routine
Why: My favorite article is the one about crawling for your warm-up. I like it because I’ve never considered doing something like that now it’s a staple in my routine. It’s been a game changer.
10. Christopher Gomez
Favorite Article: 17 Ways to Break Through a Stubborn Squat Plateau
Why: My favorite article is about breaking through a squat plateau. It’s helped me improve my squat after a cycle of Johnny Candito’s program.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXvnwQDgd6C/
11. Connor McKenzie
Favorite Article: Interview: Aleksey Torokhtiy Talks Building His Brand, Training, and What’s Next
Why: My favorite is the interview with Aleksey Torokhtiy because it’s cool to read more about an Olympic champ.
12. Jake Satt
Favorite Article: How to Choose The Perfect Heel Height for Your Body and Squat Style
Why: The article about leg and torso length greatly helped me decide which shoes to purchase.
Wrapping Up
To all of the strength athletes who partook in our giveaway, thank you. And again, we can’t thank our readers enough for continuing to come back to check out our content. As time goes on, we plan to have more giveaways and create more ways to give back to our readership.
Feature image screenshot @itz.vo Instagram page.
