We have been told there’s no such thing as too much warm-up. That your warm-up should even be longer than your actual workout. Case in point: I remember having a conversation with the world famous ... Continue Reading
5 Great Ways to Use a Wall (Yes, a Wall) for a Better Workout
When you’re in the gym, you’re surrounded by machines, bands, barbells, squat racks, kettlebells and various other tools that help make you stronger. But there’s one tool, one that you’re overlooking, ... Continue Reading
Three Alternative Methods to Build Strength and Size When Progress Stalls
For many strength athletes, progression is a straightforward concept and looks like the following: Start with linear progression (e.g., StrongLifts) Implement periodization (like in my 12-week ... Continue Reading
Arms Growing Stubbornly Slow? Try Using Biceps and Triceps Eccentric Training
The biceps and triceps are some of the most popular muscle groups to train, and that comes to no surprise. After all, if you ask most regular gym goers about their goals and intentions for training, then ... Continue Reading
The History of Circuit Training Goes Back Way Before Your Favorite Bootcamp
It is a form of training we have all dabbled with at some point in our gym going lives. When I began working out as a teenager, the only training offered for younger trainees was circuit training. Now, ... Continue Reading
Touch and Don’t Go? An Easy Answer for Your Deadlift Problem
I get a lot of deadlift-specific questions, and I understand why: it can be a really frustrating lift! That’s especially true when you suffer from a stubborn sticking point. If you’re not already familiar ... Continue Reading
How to Use “Muscle Irradiation” to Create Tension for Stronger Lifts
What if I told you there’s a method that makes you stronger while also improving your technique and preventing injury. Would you believe me? Let me introduce you to the concept of muscle ... Continue Reading
We Tried the Primal Swoledier’s Kettlebell Flows!
What happens when two moderately fit guys try some of the hottest workouts on social media? Eric Leija, better known on Instagram as "Primal Swoledier," has become famous for programming workouts that ... Continue Reading
Partial Vs Full Range of Motion: Which Is Ideal for Muscle Development?
How much range of motion is needed to develop muscle? This is a highly debated topic across multiple strength circles. There are camps that argue that a full range of motion is an absolute must, while ... Continue Reading
15 Kettlebell Moves To Improve Your Grip Strength And Stability
It doesn’t matter if you’re a serious lifter or just serious about carrying every single grocery bag (at once) into the house: you probably want spectacular grip strength. Because having a powerful grip is ... Continue Reading
5 Ways to Effectively Train Through Injuries
Any athlete that has worked to push their performance to the next level has experienced the occasional tweak that creates some soreness with exercise. But what do you do when a more significant injury ... Continue Reading
Is Remote Coaching Right for You?
No matter how brilliant a coach is at designing a training program, creating a generic program for a group of clients with various skill sets, injury histories and experience levels, simply will never be ... Continue Reading
Navigating Bodybuilding and Muscle Dysmorphia, What Researchers Suggest
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
5 Ways to Make Social Media Improve Your Training
Hi, I’m Emily Beers and I’m a phone addict. I always knew this about myself, but (confession) there was no hiding it this past year, as my phone started letting me know how many times I picked it up and ... Continue Reading
5 Things You Probably Won’t Learn in a CrossFit Intro Group Class
Group classes are like dessert: They’re something to look forward to, and they joyously bring people together. But they aren’t always what’s best for your health. And if all you ate were pastries, brownies ... Continue Reading
Deadlift Grip Width | How to Find What’s Ideal for Your Build
Deadlift grip width can be a huge determinant of success when working with maximal loads. Sometimes what seems like a grip strength issue is actually more related to how one is gripping the bar ... Continue Reading
5 Methods to Improve Your Focus and Workout Mindset
I’ve written a lot about the benefits of mindfulness before – not just for strength training, but for everyday life. That said, I recognize that mindfulness can be really difficult to practice, especially ... Continue Reading
How to Break Through a Plateau By Switching to Kettlebells for a Week
So the barbell is feeling heavier on your back than it normally does. Or maybe you’re benching and benching and benching (because your chest can handle more volume), but your PR isn’t budging. If you’re ... Continue Reading
3 Great Ways to Improve Your Shoulder Mobility (Not Stability)
Fitness pros have often debated which quality is more important to train in the weight room: stability or mobility. Stability is the ability to maintain or control joint movement or position. It's ... Continue Reading
Why I Can’t Just “Teach You” a Pistol Squat
No matter how hard I fight it as a coach, I get it: Some movements are just perceived as sexier than others. Butterfly pull-ups, handstand push-ups, pistols = Sexy, and must be ... Continue Reading
4 Coaches Reveal Their Best Exercises for a Functional Core
If you scroll through fitness themed social media, you’re likely to see posts of people with six packs performing exercises that “crush your core”. Some posts even claim these exercises will give you a ... Continue Reading
4 Kettlebell Circuits That’ll Make You Stronger
So you’ve hit a plateau with your lifts. Maybe the plateau is physical: your numbers have stopped rising, or weights that normally go up easily are now grinding when they shouldn’t be. Or your ... Continue Reading
3 Essential Cues for Bracing in Heavy Lifts
If you’re a serious lifter, you probably work hard to make sure you’re doing enough accessory exercises and get enough sleep to improve your big three (or hopefully, your big four — the overhead press is ... Continue Reading
The Ultimate Cross Training and Lifting Shoe Size Guide
One of the most daunting parts of purchasing new cross training and lifting shoes is how they're going to fit. Unlike a pair of generic, normal training shoes that you try on at any major retail store, a ... Continue Reading