[Read More: The Continuous Flux of the 2024 World’s Strongest Man Roster]

The Qualifying Stage takes place over the first two days of competition: May 1-2, 2024. The top two athletes in each group will advance to the WSM Final on May 4-5. WSM organizer and promoter Colin Bryce attributed the late group announcement, relative to years past, to the high number of pre-event drop-outs (including WSM mainstays Oleksii Novikov, Martins Licis, and Mateusz Kieliszkowski).

2024 World’s Strongest Man Groups

At long last, here are the groups for 2024 WSM. Of these 30 strongman competing in the Qualifying Stage, only 10 will advance to the 2024 WSM Final.

Group 1

• Luke Stoltman (GB)
• Trey Mitchell (USA)
• Kevin Faires (USA)
• Eddie Williams (AUS)
• Oskar Ziółkowski (POL)
• Tristain Hoath (CA)

Trey Mitchell remains a wildcard for this competition. He suffered an Achilles injury that compelled him to withdraw from the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational. With only six months or so to recover and prep for this contest, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding expectations — Mitchell is typically a podium contender at this stage of his strongman career on the sport’s biggest stages.

Most can presume that the 2024 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) Luke Stoltman can carry his current momentum to a 2024 WSM Final birth. He is comfortable on this stage and should fare well given the event structure — overhead events are his specialty.

If Mitchell is not competing at 100 percent, then Faires is likely the most favorable pick to escape the group with Stoltman. The Webster Stones, as the opening event, will likely be a legendary battle between Faires and Williams. The latter currently holds the Nicol Stones record, but Faires set and held the record multiple times over before Williams claimed it.

Group 2

• Austin Andrade (MX)
• Gavin Bilton (BG)
• Nicolas Cambi (IT)
• Ondrej Fojtu (CZ)
• Mitchell Hooper — Defending Champion (CA)
• Spenser Remick (USA)

Hooper is expected to slam dunk his way through this group to the Final. The question after that is who competes in the Stone Off. The Qualifying Stage events are favorable to guys like Bilton and Andrade, but Cambi is untested at this level.

Cambi and Hooper are likely to crush the moving events (e.g., the Sandbag Steeplechase), while the Viking Press is potentially favorable to heavier competitors like Bilton. If Cambi or Andrade can covert a runner-up finish in the group so they can lift second in the Stone-Off, a WSM Final appearance might be in their future.

Group 3

• Adam Bishop (GB)
• Thomas Evans (USA)
• Rob Kearney (USA)
• Pa O’Dwyer (IRL)
• Mathew Ragg (NZ)
• Aivars Šmaukstelis (LVA)

After his debut performance in 2023, Ragg has many eyes on him to perform well in 2024. Betting odds likely favor Ragg to win the group. However, Kearney will have the fire under him in his the final WSM appearance before he closes the curtain on his competitive strongman career.

Šmaukstelis has been a workhorse of consistency on the Strongman Champions League circuit and knows how to handle himself at this level. Bishop has historically been hit or miss at the WSM; some years, he seems undeniable, while others leave the crowd perplexed. If Bishop is on his game, the events are favorable to him.

This is an extremely tight group, and any of its athletes could win. Keep tabs on who can covert a runner-up finish because the likelihood is whoever is in third and, therefore, lifting first in the Stone-Off will fall.

Group 4

• Marcus Crowder (USA)
• Kane Francis (GB)
• Rauno Heinla (EST)
• Pavlo Kordiyaka (UA)
• Evans Nana (GHA)
• Evan Singleton (USA)

Singleton’s stock has risen a ton with all the withdrawals. He has been a podium contender at the WSM before, and much of his elite competition from years past will not be in attendance. He is certainly aware of this. If Singleton can maintain his nerves and execute his gameplan, he is a favorite to escape the group and advance to the Final.

Kordiyaka is a jack-of-all-trades would could blitz the group if they are unsuspecting and outright win it. If that happens, the other competitors just need to ensure Heinla does not make it to the Stone-Off because if he does, he will likely bury whomever is lifting across from him.

Group 5

• Wesley Derwinsky (CA)
• Nathan Goltry (USA)
• Adam Roszkowski (POL)
• Jaco Schoonwinkel (SA)
• Tom Stoltman (GB)
• Bobby Thompson (USA)

Tom Stoltman is the biggest contender to Hooper’s throne. Stoltman, a former two-time WSM champion, has good events through the Qualifying Stage and is untouchable on the Stones.

A legitimate strategy for the other five athletes is to concede the group to Stoltman to ensure he is not in the Stone-Off. That way, whomever does reach the Stone-Off can take a legitimate shot on goal to reach the Final.

Early money is likely on Bobby Thompson and Schoonwinkel to be in that Stone-Off position as the other three athletes are untested on the WSM stage.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Read More: Rob Kearney Will Retire From Competitive Strongman After 2024 World’s Strongest Man]

2024 World’s Strongest Man Events and Schedule

The importance of the groupings cannot be understated. An athlete’s opportunity to reach the Finals Stage can be made or broken in large part by who they’re up against in their groups during the Qualifying Stage.

Another huge component of an athlete’s journey through the WSM? Which events do athletes take on, and in which order? Here are the feats of strength these groups will take on during the prestigious week of grit and showmanship.

The events for both the Qualifying Events and Finals follow, along with their day and time in EST.

Qualifying Stage — Day One (Wednesday, May 1)

• Qualifying Event 1: Webster Stones — 9:00 AM
• Qualifying Event 2: Deadlift Ladder — 1:00 PM
• Qualifying Event 3: Sandbag Steeplechase — 4:00 PM

Qualifying Stage — Day Two (Thursday, May 2)

• Qualifying Event 4: Globe Viking Press — 9:00 AM
• Qualifying Event 5: Car Walk — 1:00 PM
• Qualifying Event 6: Stone-Off — 5:00 PM

Finals Stage — Day One (Saturday, May 4)

• Finals Event 1: KNAACK Giant’s Medley — 10:00 AM
• Finals Event 2: Max Axle Press — 11:30 AM
• Finals Event 3: Keg Toss — 3:00 PM

Finals Stage — Day Two (Sunday, May 5)

• Finals Event 4: Reign Total Body Fuel Conan’s Wheel — 10:00 AM
• Finals Event 5: BFGoodrich Tires HD Terrain Deadlift — 12:00 PM
• Finals Event 6: Atlas Stones — 3:00 PM

[Read More: The 2024 World’s Strongest Man Events Revealed]

Stay Tuned

Fans won’t be able to watch the 2024 WSM on livestream, but you can stick around BarBend‘s 2024 WSM results page and up-to-date articles covering each event as soon as they conclude. Our on-the-ground correspondent Roger Lockridge will be bringing all breaking news, event recaps, and analysis right from Myrtle Beach.

With the groups finally announced, the 2024 WSM is all set for an impressive ride.

Featured Image Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man

The post 2024 World’s Strongest Man Groups Announced appeared first on BarBend.

The 2024 WSM roster has been plagued with withdrawals due to injuries. Top WSM contenders of the past half-decade, including Martins Licis, Mateusz Kieliszkowski, and Oleksii Novikov, have all withdrawn. Likewise, younger athletes with a ton of promise have also bowed out of the event, including Shane Flowers and Kristján Jón Haraldsson.

Predicting the final standings for a contest with an ever-changing roster is challenging. However, Hooper shared his leaderboard predictions when the contest wraps on May 5. Check out his takes below:

[Related: Ronnie Coleman vs. Mariusz Pudzianowski: A Fantasy Strongman Showdown]

The breakdown of the competition is as follows:

• Day One — Qualifying Stage
• Day Two — Qualifying Stage
• Day Three — Rest Day
• Day Four — WSM Final
• Day Five — WSM Final

Each day of competition features three events, meaning that the entire contest contains 12 events. However, only the top 10 athletes at the end of Qualifying will advance to the WSM Final.

The Qualifying stage holds six groups of five athletes. While not officially stated that group selection is seeded, Hooper does not mince words, stating that WSM will, “100 percent,” make the groups, “somewhat even and reasonable.”

The winner of each Qualifying group advances to the WSM Final. Second and third-place finishers in each group battle in a Stone-Off, the latter of which must lift first. The winner of each Stone-Off will move on to the Final.

Day One comprises the Webster Stones (similar to a Nicol Stone carry), the Deadlift Ladder, and the Sandbag Steeplechase (effectively a loading race). Day Two comprises the Viking Press, the Car Walk, and the Stone-Off.

Mitchell Hooper’s 2024 WSM Final Predictions

Here are the athletes Hooper believes will advance through the Qualifying Stage:

• Mitchell Hooper
• Tom Stoltman
• Evan Singleton
• Mathew Ragg
• Rauno Heinla
• Luke Stoltman
• Aivars Smaukstelis
• Trey Mitchell
• Bobby Thompson
• Austin Andrade / Jaco Schoonwinkel

[Related: Rob Kearney Will Retire From Competitive Strongman After 2024 World’s Strongest Man]

2024 WSM Final | Day One Predictions

The opening event of the 2024 WSM Final is the KNAACK Medley. Hooper considers this a “bread and butter” event for him, and history only supports that claim.

The second event is a Max Axle Press, in which athletes must have an effective technique to secure heavier loads but look toward the athletes with impressive overhead strength to excel.

Thompson’s prowess overhead, with his shorter stature comparatively to the field, means he has to travel the weight a smaller distance and can press with the best. Expect a big performance from the “American Nightmare.”

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The Keg Toss closes the first day of the WSM Final, and Hooper’s predicted field is situated to advantage Tom Stoltman. He has shown in the past that he can push the toss to world-record heights and will be the tallest athlete in the field, which is certainly favored in this type of event.

However, athletes with explosive power and impressive speed can likely keep pace (read: guys like Hooper, Singleton, and Mitchell if he is fully recovered from his Achilles injury from the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational).

2024 WSM Final | Day Two Predictions

Conan’s Wheel opens the closing day of competition. The Zercher position for distance around an axis will test stamina and, according to Hooper, “how bad [each athlete] wants it.” Distance events like this will heavily favor those who run the event last, as the information for distance to beat is an unparalleled advantage that typically skews this contest.

Hooper told BarBend in 2023 that his leader’s advantage through the Final (i.e., knowing reps and distances to beat during his run) was equivalent to a five or six-point advantage. Given that WSM Final events award 10 points to the winner of each event, having an effective half-event handicap in a six-event contest is monumental.

Deadlift for Reps is the penultimate event of the competition, and no one has shown better deadlift results than Hooper over the past year. The athletes likely to contend for the win in this event from his predicted finalists are Thompson, Ragg, and Mitchell (again, assuming he is competing at 100 percent). Similarly, Tom Stoltman’s deadlift is among the best in the world on his good days.

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The closing event is the Atlas Stones. No one on the planet is contesting Tom Stoltman in that arena if history repeats itself. However, Stoltman’s edge is common knowledge among all the athletes, and they are almost certainly calibrating the performances they need to afford conceding first-place points to Tom Stoltman in the Stones.

If Tom Stoltman has a one-point lead overall heading into the Atlas Stones, he is almost assuredly locked for a third WSM title (the tie-breaker is each athlete’s Atlas Stones time.)

Winner Thoughts

At the end of the day, Hooper feels the contest will culminate in a rematch from 2023 for the throne — Mitchell Hooper vs. Tom Stoltman for the title. Given the results from the past year across the various major strongman contests, this stands as the default belief as we head to Myrtle Beach.

While the rest of the field is expected to battle for bronze, many WSM debuts are happening in 2024. As we saw with Schoonwinkel in 2023, before injury pulled him from the competition, rookie heat can strike in Myrtle Beach. Suffice to say, the 2024 WSM will be filled with unpredictable performances that could shake up the elite level of the sport.

Featured Image: @theworldsstrongestman on Instagram

The post Mitchell Hooper Reveals His Predictions for the 2024 World’s Strongest Man appeared first on BarBend.

Lee posted a snapshot of the one-year mark of mass-gaining efforts below:

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Lee rose to social media fame years ago as a shredded teenager with soccer skills and a world-class work ethic. At age 13, Lee committed to the low-carb ketogenic regime for years until adopting a carnivore diet when he’d consume fewer than 10 grams of carbohydrates daily. 

However, eating mostly meat seemed to make building muscle mass challenging for Lee. The influencer now consumes over 500 grams of carbs daily. His new diet approach, combined with a specific strength training plan, helped him add 40 (18.1 kilograms) in the past year after switching focus.  Watch Tristyn Lee’s full day of eating in the video below:

Lee is usually an early riser, eating his first meal around four or five a.m. With his groggy crew sleeping in, the Lee settled for a nutritious performance shake around 8:30 a.m. to power his chest and biceps workout. Here’s the pre-workout performance recipe:

“Since the first full day of eating video I ever did on this channel, I touted the benefits of glycerol powder for getting a nasty pump.” Whey is muscle-repairing, carb powders supply fast energy, and creatine does a little of both. (1)

Lee’s Chest and Bi’s Workout

Lee commenced the push-curl gym sesh with a pre-pump arm measurement courtesy of his brother, Tyler Lee, who came for the “vibes.” The bros squeezed a series of intense chest contractions and flexed their biceps under a heavy weight for multiple sets. 

Tristyn Lee revisited his arm measurement at 16.75 inches following the biceps routine. Tyler’s measured 17.2 inches.  The full workout is listed below:

[Related: The Best Biceps Exercises For Your Next Workout]

Post-Workout Lunch — 12:30 P.M.

Lee limits his fiber and fat intake before and after training to allow for faster carb and nutrient absorption into his muscles. His post-workout food combination is as follows:

[Related: What to Eat After a Workout]

“If you’re trying to get more food down [to] bulk, try higher glycemic foods, especially around your workouts,” shared Lee. “You can eat more meals more frequently because you’ll be hungrier faster.”

Mid-Day Meal — 2 P.M. 

An hour and a half later, Lee eats a fatty marine protein, nutrient-rich beef liver, slower-digesting sweet potatoes, quick-absorbing white rice, and olive oil for additional healthy fats.  Here’s the breakdown of each food by weight:

[Related: Why Omega-3s Are Extra Helpful for Strength Athletes]

Does Tristyn Lee Have Cheat Meals? 

The strict bodybuilder would rather have double portions of his normal meals than consume cheat meals he’s not used to. It’s easier to track how a specific food or macronutrient affects his body. 

Dinner — 5 P.M. 

While unwrapping his groceries, Lee mentioned he could have sugary cereals during his bulk but avoids them due to how sugar makes him feel. “I’ve tried putting any sort of sugar into my diet, and I just feel absolutely terrible.” The athlete’s loyalty to Jasmine white rice is commendable. 

Lee usually breaks this meal up into two but combines them for time. Let’s see what’s on the dinner menu:

Protein Pudding and Supplements — 7:30 P.M. 

For a satiating pre-bedtime meal/snack, Lee conjures protein pudding (he did not share the recipe) and gets additional calories from nuts and more white grains. 

“I don’t take many supplements, and no, none of these are necessary,” Lee admits — a notion rarely heard in bodybuilding. Lee shared his secret for a good night’s rest, “the only one that crosses the blood/brain barrier,” referring to magnesium bis-glycinate. “Helps me sleep tremendously.”

 “Having that (Casein protein) before bed keeps muscle protein synthesis higher throughout the night,” touted Lee.

[Related: When Is The Best Time To Drink A Protein Shake?]

Full Day of Calories 

Before signing off, Lee broke down his meals and shared the full day’s calories and macronutrients using the MyFitnessPal app, which displayed the following numbers. 

The beefed-up YouTuber informed viewers of his often-changing diet, but that’s all part of having body goals. The transformation continues as the calories keep coming.

Reference

1. Farshidfar, F., Pinder, M. A., & Myrie, S. B. (2017). Creatine Supplementation and Skeletal Muscle Metabolism for Building Muscle Mass- Review of the Potential Mechanisms of Action. Current protein & peptide science, 18(12), 1273–1287. https://doi.org/10.2174/1389203718666170606105108

Featured image: @tristynleeofficial on Instagram

The post The 4,000-Calorie Diet That Helped Tristyn Lee Gain 40 Pounds appeared first on BarBend.

BarBend’s boots-on-the-ground correspondent Roger Lockridge will bring you event recaps, breaking news, and analyses directly from Myrtle Beach. You can also tune into the World’s Strongest Man’s Instagram for clips of the action.

To watch the full event, you’ll have to wait for coverage in the US to air on CBS and CBS Sports later in the summer; UK residents won’t be able to watch the event until the end of the year.

2024 World’s Strongest Man | Group Stage Leaderboard

The Group stage occurs during the first two days of the WSM and will decide the 10 final athletes. All competitors get a rest day on May 3rd, and the finals take place from May 4th to 5th.

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

2024 World’s Strongest Man | Events and Schedule

You can find details for both the Qualifying Events and Finals below, along with their day and time. Note that all times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Qualifying Stage — Day One (Wednesday, May 1)

• Qualifying Event 1: Webster Stones — 9:00 AM
• Qualifying Event 2: Deadlift Ladder — 1:00 PM
• Qualifying Event 3: Sandbag Steeplechase — 4:00 PM

Qualifying Stage — Day Two (Thursday, May 2)

• Qualifying Event 4: Globe Viking Press — 9:00 AM
• Qualifying Event 5: Car Walk — 1:00 PM
• Qualifying Event 6: Stone-Off — 5:00 PM

Finals Stage — Day One (Saturday, May 4)

• Finals Event 1: KNAACK Giant’s Medley — 10:00 AM
• Finals Event 2: Max Axle Press — 11:30 AM
• Finals Event 3: Keg Toss — 3:00 PM

Finals Stage — Day Two (Sunday, May 5)

• Finals Event 4: Reign Total Body Fuel Conan’s Wheel — 10:00 AM
• Finals Event 5: BFGoodrich Tires HD Terrain Deadlift — 12:00 PM
• Finals Event 6: Atlas Stones — 3:00 PM

2024 World’s Strongest Man | Athlete Withdrawals

We’ll update this section with any athlete withdrawals that occur throughout the competition.

How to Watch the 2024 World’s Strongest Man

[Read: How to Watch the 2024 World’s Strongest Man]

You’ll need to monitor this leaderboard while the competition is underway if you want to stay in the loop. To watch the entire competition, CBS and the CBS Sports Network will air footage from the contest all summer long, with event coverage starting on May 28 and running through July 27. These episodes will also stream live on Paramount+.

Spectators in the UK will have to wait until December, when the competition airs on Channel 5.

Every WSM Winner

• Bruce Wilhelm (1977-1978)
• Don Reinhoudt (1979)
• Bill Kazmaier (1980-1982)
• Geoff Capes (1983, 1985)
• Jón Páll Sigmarsson (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990)
• Jamie Reeves (1989)
• Magnús Ver Magnússon (1991, 1994-1996)
• Ted van der Parre (1992)
• Gary Taylor (1993)
• Jouko Ahola (1997, 1999)
• Magnus Samuelson (1998)
• Janne Virtanen (2000)
• Svend Karlsen (2001)
• Mariusz Pudzianowski (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008)
• Vasyl Virastyuk (2004)
• Phil Pfister (2006)
• Žydrūnas Savickas (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014)
• Brian Shaw (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016)
• Eddie Hall (2017)
• Hafthór Júlíus Björnsson (2018)
• Martins Licis (2019)
• Oleksii Novikov (2020)
• Tom Stoltman (2021, 2022)
• Mitchell Hooper (2023)

Featured Image: @worldsstrongestman on Instagram

FAQs

The post 2024 World’s Strongest Man Results & Leaderboard appeared first on BarBend.

Cycling Vs. Running

Before you decide to invest in cycling or running shoes, I want to reassure you: Cycling and running are both fantastic forms of cardio exercise that can boost your cardiovascular and mental health. You don’t have to choose one or the other. They’ll both serve you well, granted in slightly different ways.

[Read More: The Best Leg Exercises for Muscle & Strength, According to a PhD]

But since you asked (otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this), I’m going to break things down into fitness goals for you. Do you want to lose weight, build muscle, or increase strength? One may win over the other. I’ll also dive into which is more efficient for different populations, how each relates to injury recovery, and what the science says about each activity and heart health.

For Efficiency

When deciding how efficient a cardio workout is, consider the equipment you may need, how long it takes to reach the same output or intensity, and how feasible it is for different fitness levels. 

[Read More: Expert Tested: The Best Treadmills for Running]

Burning calories isn’t always the best indicator of a solid workout, but it helps show you how hard you may be working in the same amount of time, so I’ll include those figures, too.

Cycling:

• Equipment Needed: You’ll need to own or rent a regular bike and safety gear for outdoor cycling or hop on a stationary exercise bike for indoor cycling. Some people like cycling shoes for spin classes.
• Amount of Time and Calories Burned: The number of calories you burn during exercise depends on your body weight and other factors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states the number of calories a 154-pound person may burn on a 30-minute and one-hour bike ride at different speeds. (1)

• Level of Difficulty in Reaching Intensity: One of the benefits of cycling is that even beginners can reach a high intensity, especially on a stationary bike. Solid form still matters, but you may be able to pedal faster and with more resistance — even at a lower fitness level. It’s also easy for advanced athletes to scale up by cranking up the resistance, trying high-intensity interval training (HIIT) cycling workouts, and alternating sitting with standing.

[Read More: The Benefits of Exercise Bikes (Plus Workouts From a Personal Trainer)]

Running:

• Equipment Needed: You’ll need proper running shoes. Other than that, you can run on a treadmill or outside. Many people get into running because it is free and relatively accessible when you just step out of your building and into your workout.
• Amount of Time and Calories Burned: The CDC gives the following number of calories a 154-pound person may burn running. They only list the amounts for running at five miles per hour, and some runners may run faster (or slower). Still, it gives you an idea. (1)

• Level of Difficulty in Reaching Intensity: Running burns more calories than cycling, but you need to be at a fitness level that is high enough to achieve it. Running for 30 or 60 minutes without stopping is challenging for a beginner, and even for more experienced runners.

The Winner: 

• Running is more efficient for intermediate and advanced runners. You only need a pair of shoes and your body weight, and you’ll burn more calories and work harder in the same amount of time as a comparable bike ride.
• Cycling is more efficient for the general population, beginners, or otherwise fit people who are new to running. You can burn as much energy on a bike at a lower fitness goals.

For Weight Loss

If you have a weight loss goal, the general theory is to burn more calories than you take in to increase your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). You might assume that running is best for weight loss since it can burn more calories. Still, it’s more complicated than the cold hard numbers.

Cycling:

• Low-Impact: Cycling is a low-impact activity. Your feet never leave the pedals; you don’t have to support your body weight. If you have a weight loss goal or are at a heavier weight, starting with a non-weight-bearing exercise like cycling may be more comfortable. 
• Calories Burned: Since cycling causes less impact on your joints, you can withstand a longer period of cycling to burn the same amount of calories you could do on a shorter, high-impact run.
• Moderate Intensity for Weight Loss: You can get a great cycling workout at a moderate intensity. Some research suggests that people with obesity new to exercise may enjoy moderate-intensity exercise more than high-intensity exercise because it has a lower rate of perceived exertion (RPE). (2)

Running:

• Calories Burned: Advanced runners can burn more calories in a fast, long-distance run, which could lead to more weight loss overall. 
• High-Impact Activity: Running is a high-impact activity. Each time your heel strikes the ground, your joints take on the force of two to three times your body weight. For people at higher weights, a higher impact may increase the risk of injury. (3)(4)
• High-Intensity: The high-impact, high-intensity nature of running may also lead to more weight loss. 

[Read More: The Best Incline Treadmills on the Market]

The Winner: All things being equal, running burns more calories, but cycling is lower impact, gentler on joints, and might be safer for higher-weight people who may have weight loss goals. 

For Strength

Though you’re not lifting heavy weights for a few reps — a classic component of strength training workouts — both cycling and running may increase your strength. You’ll get stronger at what you do consistently. Some populations may see more strength gains than others, though.

[Read More: The Best Air Bikes for Your Home Gym]

Cycling:

• Strengthens Leg Muscles: Cycling, especially with resistance or uphill, will strengthen your leg muscles. Your quadriceps (cycling is particularly quad-heavy), hamstrings, glutes, and calves all need to engage in pushing and pulling the pedals. You’ll also get some upper body work in an indoor cycling class. 
• Older Adults: One review of studies suggests that older adults may build more strength during cycling than younger adults. Younger adults may gain some strength by doing HIIT exercise bike workouts, but moderate intensity works for older folks. (5)

Running:

• High-Impact Weight-Bearing Exercise: High-impact, weight-bearing exercise like running will likely build more strength than cycling since you need to support your total body weight while powering yourself through a run.
• Bone Health: Medical professionals may advise older adults at risk of osteopenia (low bone mineral density or BMD) or osteoporosis (a more severe loss of BMD) to do weight-bearing cardio exercise and resistance training. Researchers have investigated running versus cycling and BMD.
  • One systematic review found that cycling is less beneficial for bone health than running and other weight-bearing cardio exercises. Runners had a higher BMD in their lumbar spines than cyclists. However, cycling is more beneficial to bone health than a sedentary lifestyle. (6)
  • Another study of cyclists and runners assigned male at birth found that the cyclists were seven times more likely to have lumbar spine osteopenia and lower BMD than runners. (7)
• Strength Athletes: Strength athletes can increase their anaerobic capacity in HIIT sprint workouts or by doing tempo runs. 

The Winner: Although cycling offers more resistance for working your muscles, running builds more full-body strength — down to your bones. It’s a toss-up here for which type of strength you’re trying to focus on.

For Muscle Growth

If you’re aiming to gain muscle mass, you don’t head to the cardio floor as your primary form of training. But when you’re working out with an eye on getting swole, cycling and running can still help. (If nothing else, they’ll help boost your work capacity so you can handle more weight lifting. And that’ll help you bust through many shirt sleeves in the long run.)

Cycling:

• Builds Leg Muscles: Research suggests professional cyclists who ride long distances and train for years may build leg muscles from their high volume of work. However, they likely also do resistance training outside of cycling. (5)
• Older Adults and Sedentary People: Older adults and sedentary people may also build muscle through cycling. Younger adults can also achieve some muscle hypertrophy through cycling. (5)
• Some Upper Body Work: If you regularly take indoor cycling classes that engage your upper body with dumbbell work, you could theoretically build muscle there as well. Try to increase the reps over time and get enough protein to fuel muscle growth.

Running:

• More Muscle Group Engagement: Although you’ll be up against less resistance when you run, it’s a weight-bearing exercise that recruits more muscle groups. 
• May Sometimes Interfere: Concurrent training — both endurance and strength training in one cycle — may in some circumstances eat into your gains just a little bit. If you’re not eating enough to fuel all your training, or if you’re pouring most of your energy into runs instead of lifting, you may find yourself stalled in the muscle department. Make sure you’re eating enough and that you train for strength before jogging sessions to optimize your recovery and gains.

The Winner: More research suggests that you can build muscle through cycling, likely due to the higher potential for resistance and the time you can stress your muscles under tension. 

For Injury Recovery

Few things are as frustrating to a fitness enthusiast as suffering an injury and getting knocked out of your exercise routine. For some injuries, you can do cycling or running to maintain mobility, strength, and heart health. 

Cycling:

• Lower-Impact, Non-Weight-Bearing Exercise: A stationary bike comes in handy if you have an injury that allows you to use your lower body but not bear your body weight. A recumbent bike is closer to the floor and may be more accessible.
• Recovery from Running Injuries: If you’re a runner with an injury, you may find yourself cycling during recovery. You can keep your leg muscles working; just be mindful of knee pain.

[Read More: The Best Recumbent Bikes for Small Spaces, Streaming, Seniors, and More]

Running:

• Upper-Body Injury: If you prefer running and have an upper-body injury, you may be able to continue running while you recover. Of course, checking with a doctor or physical therapist is important.
• Weight-Bearing Exercise May Help Recovery: In some cases, weight-bearing exercise may benefit injury recovery better since it builds more strength than non-weight-bearing exercises. 

The Winner: Cycling, especially on a stationary bike, is a go-to for cardio exercise for most injury recovery. 

For Heart Health

Regular aerobic exercise (or cardio) is one of the best ways to protect your cardiovascular health and prevent avoidable cardiac health conditions. 

Aerobic exercise is any type of physical activity that raises your heart rate and breathing, engages multiple muscle groups, and can be performed rhythmically for some time. Aerobic activities utilize oxygen as an energy source. (8)

[Read More: The Best Budget Treadmills on the Market]

The American Heart Association (AHA) offers the following physical activity guidelines for adults. Each week, aim for: (9)

• 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise 
• 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity
• Combine the two
• Add on two days of resistance training

Reaching these minimum goals lowers your risk of cardiovascular diseases and can improve heart health by managing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. (9)

Both types of exercise can get you these health benefits. One study on sedentary people assigned male at birth investigated whether running or cycling was better for heart health. (10)

• Running increased VO2 max and heart rate more than cycling in a steady-state workout at about the same intensity. 
• The cardiac output was higher for cycling than for running in HIIT workouts, likely because untrained individuals have a lower work capacity for HIIT running workouts, and they can work harder at cycling.

Here are a few areas where they differ.

Cycling:

• Improves Cardiovascular Health: A systematic review of studies found that consistent cycling was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality. (11)
• May Be More Accessible: Cycling may be more accessible to sedentary people looking to start exercising for heart health.
• Moderate-Intensity and High-Intensity: Cycling is scalable; you can do a moderate-intensity workout or keep the intensity high in either HIIT or a steady-state bike ride. 

Running:

• Improves Cardiovascular Health: Running is excellent for cardiovascular health because it is very demanding. Here are the findings of two major studies.
  • A study on over 55,000 people aged 18 to 100 found that runners had a 30 to 45 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality than non-runners. Runners also lived an average of three years longer than non-runners. Even taking a five to 10-minute daily run slower than six miles per hour provides heart health benefits. (12)
  • The Copenhagen City Heart study compared 18,000 joggers and non-joggers of all genders, aged 20 to 98. Joggers had better heart health markers (lower blood pressure, resting heart rates, and cholesterol levels) and lived an average of six years more than non-joggers. The highest cardiovascular health benefits were associated with people who ran at least 2.5 hours per week slowly, spread over three to four days. (13)
• High Fitness Level, High Intensity, High Impact: To reach the cardio exercise requirements for heart health through running alone, you need to be at a fitness level that is high enough to sustain the high-intensity, high-impact nature of running.

The Winner: Cycling and running are both great for heart health.

• Cycling is great for heart health for sedentary people because it is more accessible and can be done at a moderate intensity.
• Overall, running is also great for heart health if you have the fitness level and experience to do it safely.

Takeaways

Did you catch all of that? Here’s a quick recap of the winners of running versus cycling.

• For Efficiency: Running is more efficient due to the lack of equipment needed and how taxing it is, but cycling is more efficient for non-runners because they can work harder for longer.
• For Weight Loss: If you have a significant weight loss goal, cycling is best because it’s gentler on the joints and allows you to do more intense workouts safely. However, running may cause more weight loss overall.
• For Strength: Running strengthens your bones and muscles more than cycling.
• For Muscle Growth: Evidence suggests cycling builds more muscle than running if you do a high enough volume with resistance — especially for older adults and sedentary people.
• For Injury Recovery: In most cases, cycling is better for recovery, especially if you got injured from running.
• For Heart Health: While running is more cardiovascularly taxing than cycling, cycling is more accessible to people new to exercise, and both can boost heart health. This one depends on your fitness level.

FAQs

You’ve probably still got questions. Before you make your choice (remember that both are solid options), head out as informed as you can.

Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.

References

1. CDC. Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2. De Feo P. Is high-intensity exercise better than moderate-intensity exercise for weight loss? Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013 Nov;23(11):1037-42. 
3. Glancy, J., CO (1984). Orthotic Control of Ground Reaction Forces During Running (A Preliminary Report). Orthotics and Prosthetics, 38(3), 12-40.
4. Winter, S. C., Gordon, S., Brice, S. M., Lindsay, D., & Barrs, S. (2020). A Multifactorial Approach to Overuse Running Injuries: A 1-Year Prospective Study. Sports Health.
5. Ozaki H, Loenneke JP, Thiebaud RS, Abe T. Cycle training induces muscle hypertrophy and strength gain: strategies and mechanisms. Acta Physiol Hung. 2015 Mar;102(1):1-22. 
6. Nagle KB, Brooks MA. A Systematic Review of Bone Health in Cyclists. Sports Health. 2011 May;3(3):235-243. 
7. Rector, R. S., Rogers, R., Ruebel, M., & Hinton, P. S. (2008). Participation in road cycling vs running is associated with lower bone mineral density in men. Metabolism, 57(2), 226-232. 
8. Patel H, Alkhawam H, Madanieh R, Shah N, Kosmas CE, Vittorio TJ. Aerobic vs anaerobic exercise training effects on the cardiovascular system. World J Cardiol. 2017 Feb 26;9(2):134-138. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v9.i2.134. PMID: 28289526; PMCID: PMC5329739.
9. Piercy, K. L., & Troiano, R. P. (2018). Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans From the US Department of Health and Human Services. AHA Journal, 11(11).
10. Kriel Y, Askew CD, Solomon C. The effect of running versus cycling high-intensity intermittent exercise on local tissue oxygenation and perceived enjoyment in 18-30-year-old sedentary men. PeerJ. 2018 Jun 19;6:e5026.
11. Nordengen S, Andersen LB, Solbraa AK, Riiser A. Cycling is associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases and death: Part 1 – systematic review of cohort studies with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2019 Jul;53(14):870-878. 
12. Lee DC, Pate RR, Lavie CJ, Sui X, Church TS, Blair SN. Leisure-time running reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014 Aug 5;64(5):472-81. 
13. Peter Schnohr, Jacob L. Marott, Peter Lange, Gorm B. Jensen, Longevity in Male and Female Joggers: The Copenhagen City Heart Study, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 177, Issue 7, 1 April 2013, Pages 683–689,

The post Cycling Vs. Running — A Personal Trainer Runs Through the Best Form of Cardio appeared first on BarBend.

Aborah’s rate of progress is accelerating, too. On March 26, 2024, she posted a new deadlift PR of 220 kilograms for three repetitions. She added an incredible 20 kilograms for a raw single one month later. Check out Aborah’s remarkable 240-kilogram raw deadlift in the video below, courtesy of Aborah’s Instagram page:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Betty(dead)lifts (@bettylifts)

Aborah deadlifts with a wide sumo stance, which suits her proportions well. Using only a lifting belt to assist her, she took the barbell in a mixed grip and locked it out smoothly. The only sign of struggle was a shaky right knee.

The Junior world record in the 63KG class belongs to France’s Samantha Eugenie at 216 kilograms. Aborah is a long way past that in training and will almost certainly smash the record to smithereens at the first opportunity.

In the IPF, world records can only be set at an international competition, so Aborah must bide her time until she can officially break the record.

The Open world record in the 63KG class was set at 231 kilograms by Prescillia Bavoil at the 2022 UK Arnold. Aborah appears to have that weight in her lifting repertoire and may break that record while still in the Junior category.

Aborah is preparing for the KNKF Dutch Junior National Championships on May 11-12, 2024, in Stamproy, Netherlands. From there, it’s unclear whether she will compete at the Junior powerlifting event at the heart of the Euro Muscle Show at the Rai Centre in Amsterdam in July or keep her powder dry until IPF World Junior Powerlifting Championships in Malta in August.

Whichever path Aborah chooses, it looks like a brand new name will enter the record books soon.

Featured image: @bettylifts on Instagram

The post Betty Aborah (63KG) Raw Deadlifts 240 Kilograms; 9 Kilograms Over IPF World Record appeared first on BarBend.

Not because he said something particularly inflammatory, as is often the case these days. Also not because a new generation of physique neophytes were awed by his esteemed career on stage; Mentzer never won the overall title at the Mr. Olympia.

[Related: The Best Supplements for Bodybuilding]

Maybe it was the mustache — those are back in a big way. In truth, Mentzer’s unexpected resurgence can be attributed to the athlete and man he was during his heyday: an idiosyncratic, hard-headed maverick with some pretty novel perspectives on bodybuilding workouts, diets, and philosophy. 

Which is exactly the sort of sugary content that contemporary social media algorithms adore. Mentzer was undeniably ahead of his time, for better and for worse. In some ways, Mentzer’s newfound adoration online is entirely misplaced. 

The Many Misguided Mentzerisms

Scour Instagram and TikTok, and you’ll see scores of Mentzer montages hoarding millions of views. Many sport thumb-stopping captions like…

• “PROTEIN ISN’T IMPORTANT”
• “This is why you must lift until failure!” 
• “Mike Mentzer: Only One Set” 
• “Why Mentzer almost ATTACKED Arnold!”

…and so on. They’re tabloidy zingers that magnetize eyeballs and, more importantly, come with a fallacious appeal to authority built in. Mentzer was an uncommonly jacked and diced-as-Hell bodybuilder for his time, so his hot takes about lifting weights must be true. 

But that’s not really how it works. For one, some of Mentzer’s ideas — most notably his dedication to high-intensity training (HIT) and atypically-low volume — don’t hold up.

Secondly, many of these videos beg and plead for your attention by contorting Mentzer’s words or obfuscating his meaning. For example, Mentzer didn’t say protein “wasn’t important,” despite that being plastered on the thumbnail and it being attributed to him as a consequence. He said some of his contemporaries had overstated its value.

(In an interview for Iron Man Magazine, Mentzer recommended a macronutrient split of 60% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 15% fat.)

Yet an avid scroller on TikTok might see that thumbnail, scoff at its absurdity, and instantaneously dismiss Mentzer altogether even though his advice in this particular case isn’t outlandish — though the protein bit may be more of an exception than a rule.

[Related: The Fitness Influencer Arms Race — How Content Creators Push the Envelope for Clicks]

Sports science has come a long way in the last half-century, and anyone with CapCut downloaded on their smartphone can capitalize on a deceased bodybuilder’s musings without fear of retaliation (unless you’re particularly superstitious, that is).

But while exercise science may have been in its relative infancy in his prime, modern academia isn’t on Mentzer’s side in all cases: 

Bodybuilding’s Thought Leader

So what’s happening here? Well, according to Renaissance Periodization mastermind and Sport Science PhD Mike Israetel in a Jan. 19, 2024 YouTube video, Mentzer’s return to the nexus of bodybuilding culture is explained by how well his philosophies carve through the Internet’s information glut:

“[Mentzer] was a precision-oriented person. He remains popular even to this day because [his training philosophy] is insanely simple and brutally difficult … We are eternally indebted [to Mentzer] for trying to make some God-damned sense out of lifting.” 

Social media is bursting at the seams with everyone’s hot take on how to build muscle, burn fat, or increase strength. The methods and mechanisms to achieve these goals are often complicated (and often deliberately). Mentzer’s approach was straightforward, which is why he’s so easily co-opted on social media.

Beyond that, sports historian and lecturer Dr. Conor Heffernan says that Mentzer’s career as a physique athlete may have contributed to his becoming bodybuilding’s black sheep. “Mentzer was strongly influenced by the teachings of Arthur Jones, [inventor of the Nautilus machines], who bucked many mainstream bodybuilding practices at the time,” says Heffernan.

Heffernan notes that Mentzer may have walked away from bodybuilding due to the debacles of the 1980 Mr. “O”, but “[Mentzer’s] own philosophy had solidified long before then.”

[Related: Best Casein Protein Powders for Muscle Growth]

Mentzer Had It Right…Sometimes

To his credit, Mentzer was ahead of the curve in some ways. 

[Read More: All Bodybuilding Eras Explained]

Even nutritional science is cooling on exactly how much protein you need to build muscle, and Mentzer was all-in on flexible dieting long before the “IIFYM” moniker took hold on bodybuilding message boards in the late 2000s.

But generally, the further he strayed from practical training advice, the less credible Mentzer’s ideas became. In 1981, Mentzer reportedly made dietary claims like “You’re not going to gain fat from eating carbs like white rice” and “It’s ridiculous to go on low-carbohydrate diets to get cut up, because you will, inevitably, lose some muscle.”

• You can absolutely gain fat by eating too much of anything, including and especially a palatable, easy-to-shovel-down carb source like rice.
• Contemporary academia largely supports protein intake as the mediating factor in muscle loss during a calorie deficit, more than carbohydrates. (7)

Dig deep enough, and you will find some real headscratchers attributed to Mentzer. It’s easy to criticize bodybuilding advice from decades before Y2K scared the daylights out of most TikTok’ers parents. Mentzer has become a convenient social media mouthpiece, but his ideas are still a mixed bag.

“Potential Is the Expression of Possibility”

By all accounts, Mike Mentzer was not a dispassionate man. In a rather touching obituary penned a few weeks after his passing in June of 2001, writer and personal friend of Mentzer’s John Little said:

“Prior to Mike’s coming, bodybuilding had cried out for a watchdog or protector of young bodybuilders who might otherwise fall prey to the blandishments of the corporate interests that had infiltrated the sport.”

Little’s tribute was more poignant than he realized. His assessment clearly illustrates, at least in part, why Mentzer is one of Gen Z’s favorite bodybuilders. The guy just plain loved lifting, which made his words all the more infectious and influential. 

Have all of his views held up against the relentless marches of time and science? Heck no. Mentzer was a great bodybuilder who was ahead of his time in some ways and pretty off-base in others — but he was undeniably well-intentioned. Mentzer deserves his 15 minutes of Internet fame, as long as you don’t get too caught up in his charm and lose the plot in the process. 

Bodybuilding culture cried out for Mike Mentzer.

John Little

You probably shouldn’t heed “his” one-set-only, eat-all-the-rice-you-want advice, even though it often comes with the implicit authority of thousands of likes and comments. Mentzer is, however, more than worth hearing out when it comes to his philosophy on training and how it can guide your life: 

“Don’t worry about your individual potential. Potential is only the expression of possibility — something that can be assessed accurately only in retrospect.” 

In essence, don’t lose the forest for the trees. Just go to the gym and work your ass off. 

More Op-Eds on BarBend

• Long-Length Partial Reps Are Overrated for Bodybuilding
• Ego Cost Rahmat Erwin Abdullah a Gold Medal at the 2024 Olympics
• Stop Doing Deadlifts if You Want To Build Muscle

References

1. Nóbrega SR, Libardi CA. Is Resistance Training to Muscular Failure Necessary? Front Physiol. 2016 Jan 29;7:10. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00010. PMID: 26858654; PMCID: PMC4731492.
2. Refalo, M.C., Helms, E.R., Trexler, E.T. et al. Influence of Resistance Training Proximity-to-Failure on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis. Sports Med 53, 649–665 (2023).
3. Morton, R. W., Murphy, K. T., McKellar, S. R., Schoenfeld, B. J., Henselmans, M., Helms, E., Aragon, A. A., Devries, M. C., Banfield, L., Krieger, J. W., & Phillips, S. M. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British journal of sports medicine, 52(6), 376–384. 
4. Bernárdez-Vázquez R, Raya-González J, Castillo D, Beato M. Resistance Training Variables for Optimization of Muscle Hypertrophy: An Umbrella Review. Front Sports Act Living. 2022 Jul 4;4:949021. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.949021. PMID: 35873210; PMCID: PMC9302196.
5. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016 Nov;46(11):1689-1697. doi: 10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8. PMID: 27102172.
6. Kataoka, R., Hammert, W. B., Yamada, Y., Song, J. S., Seffrin, A., Kang, A., Spitz, R. W., Wong, V., & Loenneke, J. P. (2024). The Plateau in Muscle Growth with Resistance Training: An Exploration of Possible Mechanisms. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 54(1), 31–48.
7. Cava E, Yeat NC, Mittendorfer B. Preserving Healthy Muscle during Weight Loss. Adv Nutr. 2017 May 15;8(3):511-519. doi: 10.3945/an.116.014506. PMID: 28507015; PMCID: PMC5421125.

Imagery: @mentzerhit on Instagram

The post Opinion: Mike Mentzer Was a Good Bodybuilder With (Some) Bad Advice appeared first on BarBend.

The gel or silicon inserts meant to separate your toes aren’t just a TikTok trend amongst aspiring athletes and influencers. Big-time CrossFitters like Sam Briggs, Emma Lawson, Jeff Adler, and Danielle Brandon have all been known to flaunt their toe spacers on social media.

Here, you’ll learn the ins and outs of what these strange separators are, how to use them, and the potential benefits of toe spacers for improving strength athletes’ mobility, foot strength, and even overall performance.

Recent Updates: In our latest round of updates on April 30, 2024, BarBend’s Senior Editor Alex Polish added an FAQ section along with a series of takeaways to help you access the information you’re looking for most efficiently. We’ve also updated the media on the page and helped make it easier to navigate.

What Are Toe Spacers?

Toe spacers — also referred to as toe separators or toe spreaders — are generally made of silicon or gel, designed to slip between your toes and separate them from each other. They come in varying sizes that separate your toes to different degrees.

Some styles are somewhat bulky, meaning that you’ll be wearing them around the house with no shoes. Other toe spacers have a sleeker design, meant to separate your toes while wearing cross-training shoes with a slightly wider toe box.

Why Do People Use Toe Spacers?

Toe spacers can counteract the effects of squishing your feet into shoes with narrow toe boxes. Athletes often tout them as a way to stretch their foot muscles and ligaments, realign their foot angles, and reduce foot pain.

Some athletes may opt to use them as a countermeasure to wearing high heels and training shoes with narrow toe boxes. If you’re going to wear constricting shoes, the logic goes, you can undo some of that squishing by stretching your toes out afterward.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Emma Lawson (@emma.lawson_5)

[Read More: The Best Mobility Exercises, PT-Approved]

Others may choose to replace or supplement their current shoe selection with wider toe boxes that can accommodate toe spacers. This way, you’re giving your toes the opportunity to explore a broader range of motion day to day without any constricting effects of tight shoes. 

This approach may be particularly helpful to athletes with bunions or other potentially painful foot conditions that impact toe angles.

Other athletes opt to wear toe spacers during training, hoping to improve their ability to grip the ground and maintain mobile, strong feet while lifting.

Why Your Feet Are Important in Lifting

You need more than strong lats and a solid posterior chain to deadlift heavy. Although these muscles might not come to mind immediately, your feet need to be strong if you want your lifts to have a steady foundation. 

The ability to “grip” the floor with your feet during powerful pulls and squats demands a strong relationship with your feet.

The stronger your feet, the better you’ll be able to channel strength through your toes to maintain the crucial three points of contact with the ground during your lift. Also known as a tripod position, this stance entails displacing equal pressure between the base of your little toe, the base of your big toe, and your heel.

By creating a stable base to lift from, maintaining these three points of contact sets your knee and hip joints up for a successful lift. 

[Read More: What Does It Mean When Athletes Maintain Three Points of Contact in Lifting?]

Without a solid stance, you start off all your standing lifts — everything from squats and deadlifts to overhead presses and even standing biceps curls — with a weak link. 

This shortcoming only gets worse if your foot muscles are unbalanced, such as if your toe angles are less than optimal. (1) For example, if you have bunions (aka hallux valgus) and your big toe is abducted away from your foot, it will be very hard to maintain three points of contact. Your ankles and knees may be negatively — and painfully — impacted by this, too. (2)

The idea of toe spacers is that they may be able to even out your toe angles, whether temporarily during training or more permanently over time. This may enable you to optimize your foot pressure and strength to give yourself the strongest base possible for your lifts.

How to Use Toe Spacers

When you’re trying a new strategy on or off the lifting platform, it’s often wise to apply the principle of progressive overload. Start small — with something you know your body can tolerate — and gradually increase the intensity from there.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by THE TOE SPACER (@spacermobility)

[Read More: How Many Steps Are in a Mile? Calculate by Height and Pace]

With toe spacers, that means putting them on and wearing them for 10 minutes at a time for a couple of weeks to let your feet acclimate. Do this while sitting at first. Then, try 30 minutes. Once you’ve worked up to wearing them while sitting, try walking around in them. 

When your body is used to walking around in them for the length of your average training session, you might consider doing a stretching or mobility session while wearing them. If it’s part of your goals, you might then work up to performing your training in toe spacers.

Depending on your goals, you might want to wear toe spacers for:

• Recovery: when you’re not being very physically active at all
• Mobility: during warm-ups, cool-downs, stretch sessions, and perhaps light cardio
• Training: during your workout sessions themselves

Benefits of Toe Spacers

If you’ve never tried toe spacers, it might be hard to get behind the hype. Here, you’ll find research-backed benefits of toe spacers that might just convince you to give them a try.

They Stretch Your Toes

Since toe spacers are designed to stretch your toes, as opposed to the constraints of certain types of shoes, they can help counter the effects of constricting shoes. This can take a lot of pressure off your feet and strengthen them at the same time. (3)

If your preferred training shoes have a narrow toe box, you might want to consider wearing toe spacers after your workouts to counteract the impacts of squishing your toes into that narrow box.

[Read More: The Best Weightlifting Shoes, As Tested by Our Experts]

They Help with Gripping the Floor

You may be tempted by barefoot strength training because of the idea of strengthening your feet. After all, when you’re not wearing shoes, your toes are literally gripping the floor during your lifts. 

But your commercial gym might not allow lifting while barefoot. Or you may have bunions or another foot condition that sets your toes at an unusual angle. In that case, it may be difficult or impossible to establish those coveted three points of contact painlessly and effectively.

Enter toe spacers. You can get the freer toe splay available with barefoot training, but you’ll be wearing  (wide-box) shoes. Plus, if your toes are splayed in a less-than-optimal way, wearing spacers during your lifts can reorient your toe angles so that you may grip the floor more solidly.

Toe spreaders designed specifically for an individual’s feet can alter a person’s hallux valgus angle and intermetatarsal angle. (4) Customized toe spreaders may help permanently make a tripod position easier to maintain, since your toes may become more evenly spaced.

[Read More: 3 Simple Exercises Strength Athletes Should Do for Stronger, Healthier Feet]

Potential Pain Reduction

If you live with bunions or other foot conditions that may negatively impact both your quality of life and lifting performance, toe spacers might help.

Performing foot-strengthening exercises by deliberately spreading your toes can be helpful in pain reduction for bunions. (5)(6) Since toe spreaders keep your toes spaced out, they may be able to stretch and strengthen your foot muscles. In turn, this may help with pain relief.

For people with painful bunions, insoles with toe separators may be more helpful for pain reduction than wearing night splints — even if the spacers don’t alter toe angles. (7)

Who Should Use Toe Spacers

Toe spacers can be useful for a range of athletes who want to do everything they can to give themselves an edge on the weight room floor. This might mean helping themselves lift more efficiently or counteracting the impacts of tight shoes.

Athletes Who Can Get Customized Gear

If you’re a serious athlete who’s willing and able to dedicate the resources to getting custom-made gear, you’re in luck. Toe spreaders that are personalized to fit an athlete’s feet stand a good chance of altering their toe angles to help reduce pain and maximize movement efficiency. (4)

While regular toe spacers — particularly those in insoles — may be helpful for reducing foot pain, you may be more likely to change your toe angles with customized spacers. (4)(7) If you can shell out for this personalized gear, you might be setting yourself up for even more success than going with a generic spacer.

Athletes With Foot Pain

Many athletes experience pain in their feet from wearing constraining shoes, like those with narrow toe boxes and high heels may. (3) This pain may be relieved by emulating barefoot training and stretching the ligaments of the feet to counter the effects of tight footwear. (3)

Toe spacers can be a big help here, as they’re designed to help simulate a more barefoot-esque environment for toes better able to grip the floor evenly. The stretching and strengthening provided by spacers may also contribute to significant pain relief. (5)(6)

For athletes with pain due to foot conditions like bunions, toe spacers are a noninvasive treatment that may be able to help reduce pain without a lot of medical intervention. (8) So if you’re concerned about getting treatment without relying on invasive treatment (like surgery) that requires recovery time, toe spacers may be quite helpful.

Athletes Who Want Stronger Feet

Research has found that deliberately spreading your toes may help reduce pain from bunions — but that’s not all it does. (5)(6) This spreading of the toes is considered a strengthening exercise for your feet overall. (5)(6)

When you spread your toes with spacers, you’re increasing your ability to maintain three points of contact with the ground during your lifts. In doing so, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to strengthen your feet even further by exposing them to a healthy training stimulus.

Who Shouldn’t Use Toe Spacers

Just because it’s popular on social media doesn’t mean it’s for you. Toe spacers may not be useful to every strength athlete. If your instinct is to stay away from anything that gets between your toes, don’t sweat it. They’re not a must-have for everyone.

Athletes Without Access to Customized Gear

Some research indicates that the most effective toe spreaders are the ones that are custom-made to suit an athlete’s feet. (4) If you don’t have access to personalized gear, then you might want to forgo participation in the toe spacer phenomenon.

Athletes Who Find Toe Spacers Uncomfortable

Let’s be honest — some people are just plain squeamish about your feet. If you don’t like dealing with your feet more than absolutely necessary to slip on your socks and training shoes, then these probably aren’t the innovation for you.

You may also find that the material of toe spacers — some are gel, some are silicon — is just plain uncomfortable. It’s worth noting that even for athletes who love them, toe spacers take time to adjust to. 

So if you try them for the first time and find them a bit uncomfy, you might want to try again for a little while. The discomfort may fade into your new favorite training and mobility accessory.

[Read More: Best Running Shoes for High Arches, Flat Feet, Cross Training, and More]

Takeaways

FAQs

So you’re on the search for the quick and dirty answers? Sounds good. Because we’ve got them right here.

Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.

References

1. Arinci Incel N, Genç H, Erdem HR, Yorgancioglu ZR. Muscle imbalance in hallux valgus: an electromyographic study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2003 May;82(5):345-9.
2. Park C, Kang N, Jeon K, Park K. Quantifying the Dynamic Stability of Gait Patterns in People with Hallux Valgus. Appl Bionics Biomech. 2021 May 10;2021:5543704.
3. Xiang, L., Mei, Q., Xu, D., Fernandez, J., & Gu, Y. (2020). Multi-segmental motion in foot during counter-movement jump with toe manipulation. Applied Sciences, 10(5), 1893.
4. Cha, Y. H., Kim, S. J., Lee, K. H., Kwon, J. Y., Kim, D. H., Seo, A., & Kim, S. J. (2018). Designing personalized toe spreaders for hallux valgus with three-dimensional scanning and printing. Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Biosciences (JBEB), 5(1), 1-6.
5. Glasoe, W. M. (2016). Treatment of progressive first metatarsophalangeal hallux valgus deformity: a biomechanically based muscle-strengthening approach. journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy, 46(7), 596-605.
6. Kim MH, Yi CH, Weon JH, Cynn HS, Jung DY, Kwon OY. Effect of toe-spread-out exercise on hallux valgus angle and cross-sectional area of abductor hallucis muscle in subjects with hallux valgus. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Apr;27(4):1019-22. 
7. Tehraninasr A, Saeedi H, Forogh B, Bahramizadeh M, Keyhani MR. Effects of insole with toe-separator and night splint on patients with painful hallux valgus: a comparative study. Prosthet Orthot Int. 2008 Mar;32(1):79-83.
8. Park, C. H., & Chang, M. C. (2019). Forefoot disorders and conservative treatment. Yeungnam University journal of medicine, 36(2), 92-98.

Featured Image: Dr. Michael Tang PT, DPT, CSCS / YouTube

The post The Benefits of Toe Spacers (and Who Should Use Them) appeared first on BarBend.

The contest begins with Sub-Junior lifters (ages 14-18), continues through the Junior categories (ages 19-23), and concludes with the Open category. The Masters categories (ages 40 and above) will compete separately at their own championships.

The full 2024 EEC roster with nominated totals is available on Goodlift. The 2024 EEC can be viewed live on the EPF YouTube channel.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by EPF Powerlifting (@the_epf_)

[Related: Tamara Walcott and Kent Fleming Announce the Launch of APC Walcott Wreckers]

Athletes to Watch

• Kostiantyn Musiienko (93KG) — highest-ranked equipped lifter in IPF
• Sergii Bilyi (105KG) — three-time world champion, world record holder
• Andrii Shevchenko (120+) — 2022 world champion
• Sonja Stefanie Krüger (76KG) — multiple world champion & world record holder
• Daria Rusanenko (84KG) — squat world record holder

[Related: How To Watch The 2024 APF Asian Equipped Powerlifting Championships]

Full Livestream Schedule

Author’s Note: All times CET. The schedule is subject to change. All sessions will be available to watch for free on the EPF’s YouTube channel.

Tuesday, May 7

• Sub-Junior Women 43KG – 57KG & Men 53KG – 66KG — 10:00 a.m.
• Sub-Junior Women 63KG – 84+KG & Men 74KG – 83KG — 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 8

• Sub-Junior Men 93KG – 120+KG & Junior 59KG – 66KG — 10:00 a.m.
• Junior — Women 43KG – 63KG & Men 74KG – 83KG  — 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 9

• Junior — Women 69KG – 76KG & Men 93KG – 105KG  — 10:00 a.m.
• Junior — Women 84KG – 84+KG & Men 120KG – 120+KG  — 2:30 p.m.

Friday, May 10

• Open — Women 47KG – 57KG  — 10:00 a.m.
• Open — Men 59KG – 83KG  — 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 11

• Open — Women 63KG – 69KG  — 10:00 a.m.
• Open — Men 93KG – 105KG  — 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 12

• Open — Women 76KG – 84+KG  — 10:00 a.m.
• Open — Men 120KG – 120+KG  — 2:30 p.m.

The EPF is a regional affiliate of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), so IPF world records and EPF European records can be claimed in this competition.

The athletes lifting in the EEC aim to qualify for the 2024 IPF World Equipped Championships in Reykjavik, Iceland. Once there, they can attempt to qualify for the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China.

More Powerlifting Content

• Agata Sitko (76KG) Hits a Training Total 2 Kilograms Over the IPF World Record
• Rondel Hunte (120KG) Deadlifts a 400 -Kilogram Raw Double; 4.5 Kilos Over the IPF World Record
• Insane Grip Strength: 500LB (226KG) One-Handed Deadlift Triple by Yousef Eddessa

Featured image: @the_epf_ on Instagram

The post How To Watch The 2024 EPF European Equipped Powerlifting Championships  appeared first on BarBend.

In this guide, we’ll be discussing how to reset ProForm treadmills. We’re big fans of ProForm’s cardio machines, as they’re tech-forward units built from solid materials that can support high-intensity runs. BarBend expert reviewer Amanda Capritto, CPT, CES, CNC, CF-L1, CSNC, for example, calls the ProForm Pro 9000 Treadmill one of her “favorite treadmills.” But even the best machines can have technical hiccups. As a certified personal trainer, I’ve had to reset a number of different treadmills over the years. Read on as we walk you through this quick and easy process. 

How to Perform a Factory Reset on a ProForm Treadmill

Although treadmills can appear to be complex machinery, performing a factory reset on your ProForm Treadmill is much easier than you might expect. All you need are two people, a paper clip, and to follow these simple steps. 

Shut The Power Off

Locate the power switch on your treadmill. Typically, this button is located near where the power cord connects to the exercise machine. Make sure to switch the power button to the off position. 

Locate Pinhole 

For most ProForm machines, the pinhole is located on the right side of the console. However, in some older models, the pinhole may be located on the back of the console. 

[Related: Best Treadmills with iFIT]

Insert Paperclip Into Pinhole

Unfold the paper clip and make sure you have a long, straight edge to fit in the pinhole reset opening. Insert this end of the paperclip into the opening and leave it there. 

Turn The Power On

While pressing the paperclip against the reset button, reach down and turn the power switch button to the on position. If the distance is too far for you to reach, you can also have a second person flip the power switch. 

Once you see the treadmill screen reset, you can remove the paperclip, as the factory reset has successfully begun. However, if you don’t see the screen reset, you will have to perform these steps again. Additionally, if the factory reset process hasn’t completed within 30 minutes, you’re going to want to try these steps once again. 

If you have tried this factory reset process a few times, and the treadmill console is still not working properly, you will need to contact customer support, as there might be a more severe technical issue. ProForm suggests you either reach out to its customer support team at 1-888-533-1333 or to iFIT via its customer support portal or support@ifit.com. You can also give iFIT customer support a call at 1-800-862-3348. 

When Should You Reset a ProForm Treadmill?

Typically, those resetting a ProForm or NordicTrack treadmill are doing so because the console will not turn on/off, respond to various commands, or load the iFIT app. You may also be getting an error code. A full factory reset is the last step in your troubleshooting process, as it can have a permanent effect on your treadmill. 

A treadmill factory reset will wipe out any and all customized settings on your exercise machine, including any preset treadmill workouts that you created. As such, you’ll want to exhaust all other troubleshooting steps before performing this one. 

ProForm Treadmill Troubleshooting Tips

Before attempting a factory reset, make sure to try the following ProForm treadmill troubleshooting steps to see if they can fix your issue. In my many years of training clients in commercial gyms, I’ve found that the majority of treadmill issues can be resolved with one of the troubleshooting steps below. 

Consult the User Manual

The first step to troubleshooting any of the best commercial treadmills is to consult your owner’s manual. Typically, treadmill manuals will have a comprehensive DIY troubleshooting section that covers a multitude of issues, including console glitches, control board malfunctions, and power disruptions, as well as issues with the treadmill incline function, deck calibration, or the walking belt shifting off center. 

With each issue, the manual lays out a step-by-step process to troubleshooting the problem, the last of which is performing a full factory reset. If you lost your manual, there are online resources where you can view, print or download your specific ProForm or NordicTrack manual.

Furthermore, your treadmill manual will have the contact information for tech support if you are unable to fix your machine’s issues after trying our troubleshooting steps or performing a full factory reset. This would also be a good time to refresh yourself on the machine’s warranty just in case parts need to be replaced. Additionally, I highly recommend performing regular treadmill maintenance by following the suggestions in your user’s manual.

Make Sure There Is Power

You’d be surprised how many times I’ve resolved a treadmill issue just by double checking that the outlet is actually distributing power. Sometimes storms or power surges can trip a circuit breaker and cause electrical issues in your home or gym. Double check to make sure the outlet has power before moving on to the next troubleshooting steps. 

Turn Power On and Off

Sometimes, treadmill issues can be resolved by simply turning your treadmill off and on again. The machine could have failed to boot up properly the first time and by pressing the off switch, you are rebooting the system. This simple reboot might be all your treadmill needs to resolve any issue. 

[Related: Kids Treadmill Dangers and How to Prevent Them]

Plugging and Unplugging Your Machine

Like with the step above, unplugging and plugging the power cord back in can help to reboot your machine. Unplug the power cord for five minutes, then plug it back in. By doing this, your treadmill will completely power off, which allows the treadmill to reboot when power is returned to the console after you’ve plugged it back in. 

Make Sure The Safety Key Is Connected

A safety key signals to the treadmill motor to power on and activate the treadmill belt. If the safety key is slightly disconnected or detached from the console, then the treadmill will not work. This safety feature is like another stop button as it will bring the machine to a halt if you fall or lose balance while walking or running on the treadmill.

However, there are times when users might accidentally dislodge the safety key or forget to reinsert it after removing it. Always make sure the treadmill safety key is fully connected before moving on to other troubleshooting steps. 

Make a Firmware Update

Many of the best ProForm treadmills need firmware updates, which means that users should make sure to check for updates on a regular basis. If you’re using an older firmware version, it could result in your console not working properly. 

For most ProForm or Nordictrack treadmills, you’ll want to press the Maintenance button on your console touchscreen and then press Update. This is where you will see if any updates are needed. If there is a firmware update, it will automatically begin updating via your wireless network. Make sure you don’t turn off or unplug your treadmill during this update. 

You can monitor its progress on your screen. The treadmill will automatically turn off and back on when the update is complete. Sometimes, it can take a few minutes before your console is ready to use after the firmware update. 

Check Wi-Fi Signal

Sometimes, your treadmill’s console will not work properly because it has lost its connection to the Wi-Fi signal. If this happens, there are two paths to follow. The first path is to reset your wireless router. A rebooted router could send a stronger signal or automatically connect to previously approved devices. 

[Related: Best Treadmills with Screens]

If rebooting your router doesn’t work, then power off your treadmill by removing the plug from the outlet and waiting a few minutes before plugging it back in and turning it on. If the problem continues, you will need to double-check your treadmill’s Wi-Fi settings. Your treadmill’s manual should have a step-by-step process for setting your Wi-Fi settings, so be sure to have it handy.

Final Thoughts

ProForm treadmill issues can be frustrating when they arise. Fortunately, there are many troubleshooting tips that you can follow to address issues that are preventing your exercise machine from working properly. Between our expert tips above and your treadmill’s user manual, you’re likely to have the solution at your fingertips. 

In the event that you have to perform a full factory reset, it really is a simple process that just takes a few moments to complete. A factory reset usually resolves the majority of console issues. However, it does mean that you will lose all of your customized settings and workouts. So, make sure to try the troubleshooting tips first before going straight to a factory reset.

FAQs

The post How to Reset a ProForm Treadmill: 4 Easy Steps To Resetting Your Machine appeared first on BarBend.