Typically when I watch people squat, I see one of two errors: They don’t brace properly. They fall forward in the hole (hips shoot up before shoulders). Now, oftentimes, the first problem causes ... Continue Reading
Why Every Athlete Can Benefit From Sandbag Training
I love odd object training. Things like Atlas Stones, kegs, and sandbags have all gained popularity for training in the general population as of recently, although, they have long been a staple in ... Continue Reading
The Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started In Powerlifting (Part 1)
Editor’s note: This article is an op-ed. The views expressed herein and in the video are the author’s and don’t necessarily reflect the views of BarBend. Claims, assertions, opinions, and quotes have been ... Continue Reading
How Often to Train Strongman Events
Athletes who are looking for an edge often wonder if they can increase the frequency of training with the implements. There is no blanket answer for this question, but instead consider these concepts when ... Continue Reading
The Real Reason Your Lifting Progress Isn’t Linear
How many times have you gotten towards the middle or end of a long training cycle, only to realize that you’re feeling tired, achy, and frustrated by slowing progress? And — assuming you stuck with the ... Continue Reading
The Ultimate Guide to Conditioning for Powerlifters
Ahh, conditioning. Say “cardio” and powerlifters run and hide, but conditioning is different. Conditioning is hardcore, it builds strength, fries body fat, and is pretty much the most athletic thing you ... Continue Reading
Coaches: Teach Your Female Clients to Take Up Space
One of my clients refers to gyms as “bro dungeons.” Gym geography too often shields cardio machines from the strength floor; the comfortable, self-explanatory equipment from the free weights. More ... Continue Reading
3 Things to Remember When Recovering From Lifting Injuries
I thought I knew what I was doing, but my back told me different. That small tweak? It was later diagnosed as 3 herniated disks in my lower back. I was able to bluff my way through and continue to ... Continue Reading
How to Plan the Perfect Off-Season to Smash Weaknesses
I’ve written a lot before about how difficult meet prep can be: it’s stressful, it’s a time when you’re more prone to injury (because of the heavier weights and higher stress levels) — and it can also be ... Continue Reading
How to Train Strongman with Multiple Sessions Per Day
I recently wrote an article dealing with the time crunched individual and making progress on just three short sessions a week. While this is the situation for the majority of strongman athletes, there are ... Continue Reading
The Benefits of Hypertrophy Training for Powerlifters
Let me ask you this, why did you start lifting? How did you get into it? You probably were in the same boat as a majority of us, and more than likely you started lifting because you wanted to look better, ... Continue Reading
Hate Doing Mobility? Here’s How to Do It Between Sets
You should know (by now) that recovering from your training with rest, good nutrition, and the occasional soft tissue massage is essential for a body that not only looks good but performs well ... Continue Reading
Injuries in Training: How to Manage Risk
Nobody plans on getting injured, but it is common and sometimes seems inevitable if you are in strength sports for the long haul. Lifting can certainly beat a body up, especially the ultra competitive who ... Continue Reading
Why Program Hopping Isn’t Always Bad
If you were to ask the top 100 lifters of 2018 what their “secret” is, you might get a lot of different answers, but I bet that a lot of them would say exactly the same thing: Consistency. Consistency is ... Continue Reading
How Will Larry “Wheels” Williams Do in Strongman Competition?
We all make mistakes, the hard part is owning them. Last year I was taken in by the hype and wrote about how Iron Biby might make a surprising impact at that year's WSM. I could not have been more wrong. ... Continue Reading
Why Every Rookie Powerlifter Needs a Handler for Their First Meet
If you think that powerlifting is a solo sport, you may be largely correct. When you step onto the platform, after all, it is just you and the weights. However, similar to finely tuned race cars, ... Continue Reading
Build a Massive Upper Back and Traps With “Kirk Shrugs”
If you know a little bit about me, you might remember that I earned my PhD studying the history of strength, but that my own research focused specifically on the early 1900s — before powerlifting in its ... Continue Reading
How The Titan Games Could GREATLY Improve Strength Sports
By now, there's a good chance you've seen something on social media or television about NBC's new show The Titan Games. If you haven't heard of it, The Titan Games is a massive competition based show that ... Continue Reading
Why You Should Be Pulling Sumo Deadlifts From a Deficit
Y’know, I think a lot of people overcomplicate lifting. It’s lifting weights — you don’t really need some super-scientific programming method or ultra-rigorous diet to do damned well. But you do have to ... Continue Reading
Strongman Training Over 40 Years Old
While most people would consider such an extreme sport something for young athletes to enjoy, Strongman is a sport that can be enjoyed as a master’s athlete, especially if certain considerations are made. ... Continue Reading
My Five Thoughts on Strongman for the Close of 2018
While still a very small sport, our passion has grown by leaps and bounds in the last three years. It has been fun to watch it grow and become slightly more mainstream and more inclusive of women. Many ... Continue Reading
Getting Stronger Isn’t Complicated. It’s Difficult. There’s a Difference
It’s pretty frustrating for me to watch all these men and women in the gym who so desperately seem to believe there’s this secret — some program, some technique change, some drug — that’s going to ... Continue Reading
So You Wanna Be A Powerlifter? Rules and How the Meet Runs
In our previous episode, we talked about preparation for meet day and things to consider while getting ready for your first meet and when you’re packing. In this episode, we’re going to go over some of the ... Continue Reading
Three Hour Strongman: How to Stay Strong and Competitive on Limited Training Time
Time. We all have the same amount of this precious commodity but have different demands on how we allocate it. Most people who train for the sport can manage to spend five or six days per week in the gym ... Continue Reading