Anyone who gets into the gym and picks up weights is typically concerned with two things: Lifting heavier weights for more reps. Progressive overload — doing more than you did last time, session ... 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
15 Exercises to Strengthen the Lower Back & Prevent Pain, Plus 3 Workouts
Lower back pain can range from a minor annoyance to a life-altering condition. If you’re an athlete or someone who likes to lift weights, you probably know how it feels to struggle with a set of squats or ... Continue Reading
The 7 Post-Run Stretches for Your Cool-Down (+ A Stretch Routine From a Personal Trainer)
When you’ve been bitten by the running bug, even a busy schedule won’t stop you from getting those miles in. Still, you may be tempted to shave time off the beginning and end by skipping a warm-up or ... Continue Reading
The 15 Best Bodyweight Exercises, + Workouts and Tips From a CPT
Don’t worry, we get it — you love lifting weights, and the idea of parting with your favorite barbell or dumbbell exercises might make your skin crawl. But a good bodyweight workout can come in handy in ... Continue Reading
Best Dumbbell Exercises for Muscle Gain, Plus 3 Workouts
At BarBend, we review a lot of exercise equipment. Weekly we ask ourselves, what’s the best barbell out there? What are the best kettlebells for beginners? Is there a best treadmill, and if so, ... Continue Reading
The Best 8 Stretches to Do Before a Run, According to a CPT
The sun is shining, you’re lacing up your running shoes, and you’re ready to head out and clear your mind on a run. Before you go, taking a few minutes to do a dynamic warm-up can help you prepare your ... Continue Reading
The 11 Best Triceps Exercises and Workouts, Recommended by a CPT
The biceps get too much credit. Don’t get us wrong; training your biceps is a must for bigger and stronger arms. But your triceps make up two-thirds of your upper arm mass and cover the entirety of the ... Continue Reading
The 5 Best Triceps Stretches to Push Your Presses to the Next Level
For lovers of barbells and dumbbells, stretching might be at the bottom of your list of priorities when you’re crushing a good workout. A sweet pump and rewarding burn may well take center stage — less ... Continue Reading
The Best Chest Exercises for Building Muscle, Plus 4 Full Workouts
At BarBend, we're suckers for a good chest workout. Our staff of industry experts and accredited training professionals come from a wide variety of different backgrounds, but there's one thing we all have ... Continue Reading
The 9 Best Cool-Down Exercises to Optimize Your Recovery
After an intense workout, it’s tempting to hit the showers and move on with your busy day. But taking a few minutes to stretch, breathe, and relax gives your body a chance to (literally) cool down. ... Continue Reading
The 12 Best Partner Exercises to Try With Your Gym Buddy, Plus Workouts
Some days, hitting the gym is all about much-needed me-time. You just want to pop on your headphones and dial in. On other days, you may want the extra motivation of your workout buddy sweating it out with ... Continue Reading
The 11 Best Pull Exercises to Forge a Bigger, Stronger Back
You know what to do on leg day. And push days are known to bring on the bench press and overhead press. But pull day is looming in your push-pull-legs workout split, and you’re unsure which moves to ... 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
The 8 Best Kettlebell Back Exercises to Build Your Back Without a Barbell
Training your back isn’t just a one-exercise-and-done situation. That’s because the back contains an intricate system of muscles that support pretty much every movement in your body. If you’re bending, ... Continue Reading
The 8 Best Wrist Mobility Exercises to Help You Lift Heavier Barbells
Every joint plays an important role in your ability to make gains. Healthy joints help keep you in the safest positions possible with free weights while providing the most muscle-building potential. As you ... Continue Reading
The 8 Best Leg Extension Alternatives to Build Huge Quads
Leg extensions are the accessory glue that holds leg day together. Be it a capstone to a squat challenge or a warm-up for the seasoned lifter, it’s hard to escape the inevitable burn as the leg extension ... Continue Reading
13 Best In-Chair Exercises to Do at Home (Or in the Office)
How much of your time do you spend on your screens each day? Sitting at work, whether in a formal office or at home? Even if you’re into two-a-day workouts, you might be inactive for a lot longer each day ... Continue Reading
15 Best Glute Workout Exercises, With Tips From Our Experts
The gluteus maximus — that’s your butt for the uninitiated — is the largest muscle in your body. Even if filling out a pair of jeans isn't at the top of your priority list, we can’t stress it enough: ... Continue Reading
The 15 Best Barbell Exercises For Mass, Strength, and Power
Barbell training is a one-stop-shop for strength, more muscle mass, fat loss, and power. That's because you can load up the barbell with more weight than kettlebells and dumbbells can provide. The almighty ... Continue Reading
The 11 Best Back Exercises And Full Workouts To Build Muscle And Strength
Proper back training begins with the exercises you choose to help you pursue your fitness goals. Commonly regarded as “pulling movements,” there are more viable back-training options than there are muscles ... Continue Reading
The 8 Best Push Exercises You Should Be Doing for Muscle and Strength
If you follow fitness, it probably feels like the posterior chain is all the rage. (For the uninitiated, your posterior chain is basically your backside. It counts all of the muscles that span the base of ... Continue Reading
The 5 Best Lower Lat Exercises for a Denser Back
Big lats serve two primary purposes: They support your spine during squats, deadlifts, and bench presses and make you look big in sweaters. However, many lifters have trouble engaging their lats because we ... Continue Reading
The 6 Best Landmine Shoulder Exercises You Can Do
When it comes to shoulder training, most folks base their workouts on a combination of free weights and cables. After all, nothing beats the barbell overhead press for raw strength, and it’s hard to match ... Continue Reading
