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
The Female Cycle and Strength Training: When to Push and When to Hold Back
(Men, feel free to sit this one out): The cramps are crippling. You feel bloated, and you keep running to the bathroom between sets of squats. You’re not sure if it’s the coffee or just period poo, but ... Continue Reading
Op-Ed: When Research Comes Up Short In the Gym
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
The Importance of Variation and Four Benefits of the Safety Squat Bar
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you know that I’ve been using the safety squat bar (actually, the Elitefts Yoke Bar) as my main squatting movement in all of my training. There’s a pretty good ... Continue Reading
6 Foolproof Ways to Improve Your Grip Strength Today
Grip is something in strength training called a limiting factor. For example, you can have the back strength to deadlift 600 lbs, but if your grip can't hold the weight, then you're limited to what those ... Continue Reading
Fitness Gifts for the Lifter in Your Life
In life and in lifts, there are gifts we give in holiday spirit to those bereft of fitness equipment. The following guide is going to help you navigate the way to the perfect gift for the lifter in your ... Continue Reading
The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Weightlifters | Shoes, Belts, and More
Everyone loves to be spoiled on the holidays. Whether it’s a cookie before dinner starts, an extra serving of your favorite sides, or a not-so-little splash of brandy in your eggnog, the holidays are ... Continue Reading
The Small Muscles That Will Make Your Lifts Bigger
There’s nothing more impressive than a massive lift, but it's worth pointing out that even the biggest and strongest lifters can neglect the smaller, less sexy muscles in their quest for getting ... Continue Reading
How Tempo Work Helped Me Push Through a Plateau
Retiring from being a competitive CrossFit athlete is different than moving on from any other sport. When I quit gymnastics, I stopped practicing beam routines. Cold turkey. When I retired from ... Continue Reading