It's Monday, work was long and stressful, you barely slept the night before, and you have heavy squat triples. Going into the workout your mind is elsewhere, far from the weights in front of you. You begin ... Continue Reading
4 Benefits of Russian Dips
In an earlier article we discussed the Russian dip and why it can be a valuable asset to gymnastics and competitive fitness athletes looking to build stronger triceps, chest muscles, and develop better ... Continue Reading
Why Olympic Weightlifting Makes You Better at Practically Any Sport
Editors' 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
4 Benefits of Butterfly Pull-Ups
In this article we will discuss in deeper detail the benefits of the butterfly pull-up, an advanced pull-up variation that helps an individual conserve energy, save time, and often perform more repetitions ... Continue Reading
The 7 Fittest Presidents of All Time
When looking through the history of our nation’s leaders, many people overlook the fact that U.S. presidents tend to be remarkably fit individuals. Maybe it’s because most of them served in the military, ... 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
How Much Is Enough? Finding Your Perfect Workout Frequency
Before reading any further, I have a confession. The title above is a little misleading because the idea of "perfect" isn't really achievable in strength sports and working out. Sure, we can find what's ... Continue Reading
Barbell Clean and Press Alternatives
The barbell clean and press is a very popular movement in fitness, strength, and power sports. While it does differ from the barbell clean & jerk (view comparison article here), the clean and press vs ... 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
Powerlifting Slows the Aging Process. Here’s Why
Doctors understand aging as a loss of one’s reserves. Here, reserves means abilities – physical and mental. To a doctor, then, we age when we lose physical ability or mental capacity. While we all, of ... 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
Chest to Bar Pull-Ups Modifications/ Scaled/ Alternatives
Chest to bar pull-ups are an advanced pull-up variation seen in most competitive fitness workouts and competitions. The inclusion of such an advanced exercise (strict, kipping, and butterfly chest to bar ... 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
4 Benefits of Chest to Bar Pull-Ups
In a previous article we discussed the chest to bar pull-up, a bodyweight movement that is seen in both strict and kipping forms; with the purpose of back development, gymnastic ad competitive fitness ... 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
Dealing With and Working Past Bad Days In the Gym
We’ve all been there before: You’ve got a big workout coming up. Maybe you’re going to try to hit some big PRs, or maybe you’re starting a new training cycle, or maybe you’ve just been dealing with some ... Continue Reading
4 Benefits of Weighted Pull-Ups
In this article we will discuss the weighted pull-up and the specific benefits that it offers strength, power, and fitness athletes in regards to back development overall performance. In an earlier article ... Continue Reading
Weighted Pull-Ups Alternatives
In this article, four alternatives to the weighted pull-up will be discussed, each with video demonstrations. In an earlier article we discussed the benefits and purpose of the weighted pull-up, which are ... 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
4 Benefits of L-Sit Pull-Ups
In an earlier article we discussed the l-sit pull-up in great detail, discussing the distinct challenges they pose to individuals adding them to their workouts. This advanced exercise is a combination of a ... Continue Reading
4 Benefits of Jumping Pull-Ups
In this article we will discuss the jumping pull-up, a bodyweight exercise we discussed in a previous article that went over everything you needed (and wanted) to learn about the the movement. In the below ... Continue Reading
8 Hanging Knee Raise Alternatives
In a previous article we discussed the hanging knee raise and why it is responsible for abdominal development, gymnastics and bodyweight skills and movement, and enhancing core strength and ... Continue Reading
5 Strength Athletes Who Hit 50+ Reps On the 225 lb Max Bench Test
Author's Note: This article is intended to be a fun and lighthearted celebration of strength. None of these strength athletes are in a formal testing environment, nor are their guidelines for their bench ... Continue Reading