Remember Cinderella’s “Don’t Know What You’ve Got Until It’s Gone?” If you’re an older adult struggling with balance, the song’s lyrics may be ringing truer than they did back in the ‘80s. The days of ... Continue Reading
How to Do the Dumbbell Squat: Be Brilliant at the Basics
There’s nothing like the sensation of getting stuck under a loaded bar at the bottom of a barbell squat, only to battle out an incredible one-rep max. But no matter how much raw strength you have, ... Continue Reading
How Do You Start Running in the Morning? An Experienced Ultramarathoner Explains
You’re sold on the benefits of running, and you’re trying to figure out how to integrate a routine into your busy schedule. Your training plan is written out, your new running gear and running shoes have ... Continue Reading
How Many Days a Week Should I Work Out? Here’s the Best Training Frequency
Let’s be honest: Setting fitness goals is exciting. You know what you want to achieve, but how will you get there? Succeeding is all about how you structure your exercise routine each week. Check out how ... Continue Reading
What Is the FITT Principle? Experts Explain the Basics of Exercise Programming
The FITT principle is a foundational concept in exercise programming. It’s straightforward and accounts for all of the necessary variables in a structured fitness plan: frequency, intensity, type, and ... Continue Reading
How to Do the Reverse Flye, Plus Variations & Alternatives From a CPT
So many of my clients want to do all the pushing exercises, all the time. Think, benching and overhead pressing. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with that (I think we’re all guilty of that here ... Continue Reading
How To Do the French Press Exercise for Bigger, Stronger Triceps
Your triceps are not to be neglected. They are a dominating muscle that makes up over half of your arm mass. There are countless ways to build them up, but only a handful of truly iconic staples. The ... Continue Reading
The 12 Best Mobility Exercises, PT-Approved
If strength training is the meat and potatoes of your exercise routine, mobility exercises are your “micronutrients”. The right mobility work can help preserve bodily function, stave off injury, and also ... Continue Reading
Best Cardio Alternatives to Running, From a Personal Trainer
Running is one of the most popular forms of aerobic exercise. It takes center stage in training montages and major motion pictures — but despite being the backdrop to some very motivational content, ... Continue Reading
The Stomach Vacuum: What It Is, Benefits, & More From Bodybuilding Experts
In 1979, bodybuilder Frank Zane made physique sports history when he struck a now-iconic pose on stage at that year’s Mr. Olympia (history buffs will recall that Zane won that competition), captured at the ... Continue Reading
How to Do Heel Touches — Proper Form, Benefits, Variations, and More
The heel touch exercise is simple, but it ain’t always easy. It targets your oblique muscles, builds core strength and stability, requires no barbells or other equipment, and is scalable for all fitness ... Continue Reading
The Wall Sit Exercise: Benefits, Best Variations, and Form Tips
You’re going to want to be sitting down for this one. Believe it or not, you don’t need to do too many fancy exercises if you want to strengthen your hips, thighs, and abdominal muscles. Sometimes, an ... Continue Reading
How to Do Triceps Pushdowns: Form Tips, Best Variations, & More
Believe it or not, your triceps take up about two thirds of the total mass in your upper arm. If you're into building muscle and want to ensure your arms aren't a weak point, you need to train your ... Continue Reading
How to Do the Back Squat: Learn Form, Variations, and Benefits
Everyone squats. There are very few exercises that athletes and gymgoers alike, regardless of their sport or goal, all practice in some form. But the squat is one of them. Barbell back squats — which means ... Continue Reading
How To Do the Frog Pose for Better Hip Flexibility and Posture
Whether you spend all day confined to your workdesk or are a full-time powerlifter, there’s a good chance you’ve got tight hips. Luckily, the right mobility work can help you open up your hips and ... Continue Reading
How to Do Hip Thrusts the Proper Way: Variations and Benefits
Few exercises compare to the hip thrust when you’re on the mission of building strong and powerful glutes. In the fitness world, the hip thrust has grown in popularity due to the increased understanding of ... Continue Reading
How to Do Glute Kickbacks to Build Your Butt
If you’ve been on board the bigger butt train, certain lower body exercises stand out. Squats, deadlifts, lunges, and hip thrusts have the center stage. But when you're likely too tired for another set of ... Continue Reading
The Power Clean Exercise: How To, Variations, and Fix Common Mistakes
One issue with Olympic lifts is that they take much time and skill to master. This sucks because the snatch and clean & jerk are fantastic movements with benefits that extend beyond the sport of ... Continue Reading
How to Overhead Press: Technique, Variations, and Benefits
If you hit the gym, you've probably heard about the big three; the bench press, deadlift, and squat. There is, however, one more movement that you should consider a must-do — the overhead press. You may ... Continue Reading
How to Deadlift: Proper Form, Benefits, and Variations
The deadlift is perhaps the most fundamental compound exercise that you can do in the gym. Deadlifts help you build muscle and increase strength that carry over to both other gym exercises as well as your ... Continue Reading
The 10 Best Arm Exercises to Add to Your Routine, Plus 5 Full Workouts
If you’ve landed on this page, the jig is up: You want bigger (or stronger) arms. We understand — at BarBend, we’re just as devoted to building up our arms as you are. Training your arms with weights can ... Continue Reading
How to Do the Sumo Deadlift, According to a Personal Trainer
The sumo is the dark horse of deadlifting. The first time you saw someone split their legs in the gym and yank a bar-bending amount of weight, you were probably more than a little puzzled. It may have even ... Continue Reading
How to Do the Nordic Curl to Power Up Your Hamstrings Without Weights
The Nordic curl is not for the faint of heart… or hamstrings. Don’t be misled by the fact that this move is “merely” a bodyweight exercise. Once you truly dive into this move, thoughts of adding weight ... Continue Reading
How To Do a Barbell Row: Correct Form and Muscles Worked
You won't do much better than the barbell row when it comes to gaining back strength and size. Better yet, the strength you gain from rowing a heavy barbell in a hinged position carries over to almost ... Continue Reading
