I am so grateful for the people I knew at the start of my bodybuilding career. They gave me words of advice that prevented me from making huge mistakes that could have jeopardized my future in ... Continue Reading
Cardio and Powerlifting: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Cardio is a double-edged sword for powerlifters. On the one hand, cardio will help you to shed fat, will probably make you feel a bit better and healthier in your daily life, and might improve your work ... Continue Reading
The Real Pros and Cons of the Bodybuilding Lifestyle
Over my career, from beginner all the way to the Olympia stage, I heard it all. Every sleazy comment, every myth and misconception about the bodybuilding lifestyle. In my experience the average person, ... Continue Reading
5 Things You Can Expect When Attending a Women’s Powerlifting Event
I recently had the pleasure of attending a “Women In Strength” event at my gym; The Warhouse Gym in Reading, Pennsylvania. The event was hosted by Dana Linn Bailey, Jennifer Thompson, and Megan Gallagher ... Continue Reading
Is It Normal for the IT Band to “Pop”?
It’s quite common for our joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments to make popping and cracking noises throughout day-to-day activities and our training routines. These sounds are thought to be caused by a ... Continue Reading
Kipping Pull-Up Injuries – 4 Reasons Why and How They Happen
In this article I wanted to spend some time going through the kipping pull-up, specifically whether or not it is responsible for shoulder and muscular injuries (SLAP tears, labrum issues, muscle strains, ... Continue Reading
Cyclical Ketogenic Diet: The Best Type of Keto Diet For Strength & Power Athletes?
“Keto” seems to be the new buzzword in the health and fitness industry. Sure, you may have heard the term ketogenic diet, but did you know that there’s more than one type of keto diet? And more ... Continue Reading
Chelsea Savit Talks Body Positivity, Elite Powerlifting, and Being a “Beefpuff”
Walking away from a 15-year gymnastics career and turning to the sport of powerlifting changed Chelsea Savit’s life. From constantly feeling like her body was under a microscope and only valued for the way ... Continue Reading
3 Common Myths of Pregnancy and Strength Training
Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, ... Continue Reading
Three (Non-Lifting) Books That Will Make You a Better Lifter
Most writers love to read, and I’m no exception. I read a lot of different genres, but I can never turn off that “lifter” switch, so I’m always trying to apply what I read to my training. Usually, that ... Continue Reading
The Benefits of Ab Rollouts and Progressions to Perform Them
A strong core is useful for every type strength athlete and for multiple reasons. It supports bigger compound movements, it can promote one's overall athleticism, and it helps the maintenance of a healthy ... Continue Reading
4 Benefits of Intermittent Fasting for Strength Athletes
Intermittent fasting has been around for a while, and it has become increasingly popular as one of the latest diet trends in the health and fitness industry today. Its recent popularity has grown ... Continue Reading
When Should You “Rx Plus” a WOD?
I’ve never been a big fan of overly clichéd motivational posts. Seeing a spuriously attributed quote about wolves' self esteem embedded on a stock image just doesn’t get me hyped like it’s supposed to. But ... Continue Reading
Why Do Some Lifters Screw Their Feet Into the Floor During Deadlifts?
Have you ever seen videos of strength athletes screwing their feet into the floor before deadlifts and various compound movements? This is a cue that can hold different benefits and purposes, which will be ... Continue Reading
What’s an Elite Weightlifter, and How Do You Define It?
The term 'elite' gets thrown around a lot in strength sports, and most of the time haphazardly without a clear cut definition. Although, in defense of the usage of the word, it's tough to clearly define ... Continue Reading
Op-Ed: Why You (Yes, You) Should Be Doing Olympic Weightlifting
We think it’s pretty safe to say that by now, we all know strength training is good for you. Even mainstream gymgoers will typically agree that while, yes, cardio can be a great way to improve your health, ... Continue Reading
5 Instant Game Changing Techniques for Strength Athletes
The clock is always ticking for the athlete. There is only so much time you will have in your life to play your given sport before you eventually will stagnate and begin to lose ground. If you haven’t ... Continue Reading
Powerbuilding Programs: How Much Assistance Work Do You Need?
In my previous Unf*ck series video, I talked about the 80/20 rule for supplementary work: roughly eighty percent of your recovery resources should be spent on the competition lifts, and the other twenty ... Continue Reading
How I Train Novices Differently for Strongman
I have played a number of different sports across my 45 years. All of them were in some way influential in the development of my mental and physical self. In that time every coach I have had has taught me ... Continue Reading
Op-Ed: Why Gym Memes Make Me Cringe
Editor's 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 ... Continue Reading
The 5 Biggest Myths About Strongman
“It’s just fat guys lifting rocks. Right?” That’s the typical response I get when I speak with someone unfamiliar with the sport of strongman. After suppressing a small bit of rage, it becomes my duty ... Continue Reading
Dear Lifting Community: It’s Time to Lay Off the New Year’s Resolution Crowd
January 1st, a time for fresh starts and promises of a great new year. This date serves as a pivotal point for anyone who likes a squeaky clean date with a nice big "1" attached to it to start a new habit. ... Continue Reading
Powerlifting Grandma Hopes to Secure 300 Pound Deadlift By May
When Shirley Webb walked into the gym for the first time, a little over three years ago, she was scared, intimidated, and wouldn’t have gone if it wasn’t for her then 16-year-old granddaughter, ... Continue Reading
5 Predictions for Strongman in 2018
Can I see into the future? Kinda. I made several predictions for the 2017 strongman season in this article, and I am fairly happy with the results. The major miss was Shaw taking his fifth World’s ... Continue Reading