Editor's Note: This article was updated on December 5th to reflect changes made in regard to the World's Strongest Man air dates and Strongwoman on the main stage at the Arnold Classic. In the prior ... Continue Reading
Are Preworkouts Worth It?
When you’re looking at workout supplements, there are a handful that have stood the test of time: protein powder, creatine, and preworkouts. First introduced to the market in 1982 — read about the first ... Continue Reading
What Should You Look for in a Cross Training Shoe?
Cross training shoes continue to grow in popularity among both serious and recreational strength athletes. These shoes are designed with versatility in mind and have become a staple for any weight bearing, ... Continue Reading
Should Weightlifters Do Lunges/Split Squats?
Olympic weightlifting requires great amounts of leg strength to produce successful snatches, cleans, and jerks. Movements like back squats, front squats, and pulls are the main movements used to acquire ... Continue Reading
5 Big Changes After 30 Days Of Cold Water Immersion
As longevity seems to be one of this year’s hot topics, it comes to no surprise that cold water immersion ranks pretty high on the list. Although this practice has been around for centuries, its popularity ... Continue Reading
Weightlifting Training for Baseball Players
Olympic lifts have been shown to increase athletic potential. Most arguments for and against the usage of Olympic lifts for baseball players are not over the effectiveness of Olympic lifts making better ... Continue Reading
Why Olympic Weightlifting Will Make You a Better Sprinter
As an athlete, life is easier when you are fast. In many sports, sprinting speed is one of the predominate physical characteristics that differentiates an athlete’s level of playing ... Continue Reading
The Hip Thrust Mistake Everyone Keeps Making
Last week, I posted a video of some hip thrusts on Instagram. As you can see, even with the awesome machine from Sorinex, they weren’t easy! I struggled with just 80 ... Continue Reading
Is Powerlifting Safe for Kids?
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
This Is the Best Study on Fasting and Strength Training to Date
When it comes to the benefits of fasting there are a lot of studies on overweight individuals and people with chronic illnesses, but there aren't actually all that many on strength athletes. This is one ... Continue Reading
3 Major Reasons You’re NOT Progressing In the Gym
I see a lot of mistakes made in the gym, and the thing is, many of them are the same mistakes, made over and over and over again. Of course, the reason I notice is probably because I’ve made all the same ... Continue Reading
Should You Train Core Every Day?
Core training is something nearly every strength/power athlete and everyday fitness enthusiast are concerned about, in one way or another. Some athletes and coaches are looking at ways to improve core ... Continue Reading
Why Women Can Handle More Training Volume Than Men
Strong /strôNG/ adjective: having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks. [Synonyms: muscular, brawny, strapping, sturdy, burly, heavily built, meaty, robust, ... Continue Reading
How Timed Holds Can Improve Your Squat, Bench, and Deadlift
Back in the 1960s, the iron game world was a lot smaller than it is today. Now, we’re nearly overwhelmed by choices — what websites to read, which barbell is best, what shoes to wear, and dozens or ... Continue Reading
Does Soy Lower Testosterone? What Athletes Need to Know
One of the most controversial topics in sports nutrition has got to be soy. The humble, unusually high-fat bean has been a dietary staple in much of Asia for thousands of years and today it makes up some 7 ... Continue Reading
The Pros and Cons of Lifting Belts
A lifting belt can be an extremely useful piece of supportive strength equipment for the gym. Yet, with that extreme usefulness comes an equal level of understanding for when, how, and why you should wear ... Continue Reading
Best Weightlifting Shoes for Beginners
If you've landed on this article, then more than likely you're newer to lifting shoes and need guidance before investing. Whether you're new to competing in strength sports or you're just a recreational ... Continue Reading
Charles R. Poliquin, World Renowned Strength Coach, Has Died At Age 57
Charles R. Poliquin, one of the most influential strength coaches in the world, has unexpectedly passed away at age 57. The cause of death is currently unknown. The announcement was made in English and ... Continue Reading
Why Everyone Hates This “Fit After 50” Article
If you like fitness and you have a social media account, there’s a decent chance you’ve seen the scorn heaped upon a recent Reader’s Digest article. Apparently, if you’re over 50, you shouldn’t do… pretty ... Continue Reading
The Benefits of Towel Pull-Ups, Rows, and Much More
Believe it or not, you have a tool that can strengthen your grip sitting in your room, and you probably use it for everything but grip training every single day. What's this magic exercise implement? A ... Continue Reading
5 Benefits of Heavy Thrusters
Heavy front squats and push presses are two movements that are beneficial for building strength, muscle mass, and athletic potential for strength, power, and fitness sports. Thrusters, often seen in ... Continue Reading
7 Downsides of Being Crazy Lean
Sure, a strong deadlift is cool but you know what’s really cool? Six. Pack. Abs. Or eight-pack abs. Just getting super, stupid, crazy lean, bro, that’s what it’s all about. We’re being sarcastic here ... Continue Reading
How Ultra High Rep (25+) Sets Can Improve Your Strength and Size
One of my favorite bodybuilding strategies involves ultra-high reps for growth: sets of 25, 50, or even 100. I love a challenge, and these ultra-high-rep sets require pushing yourself to the limit, even ... Continue Reading
The Ideal Body Fat Percentage for Powerlifting
If you read my last article, you know that the Pioneer Tribute meet didn’t go all that well for me. And you know that I believe it didn’t go well because I tried to diet too hard, got too lean, and ended ... Continue Reading