BarBend Podcast
BarBend
Learn from the top athletes, coaches, and influencers in strength! Each week, the BarBend Podcast brings together some of the world's biggest strength names across weightlifting, powerlifting, CrossFit, strongman, and more. BarBend Editor and Co-Founder David Thomas Tao sits down with the strength community's smartest and strongest minds to with a focus on their learnings through training, competition, and coaching. We dive deep on their journeys and where strength training has taken them. World record holders share their competition secrets. Coaches give their most underrated tips. And top thinkers and researchers from the realm of strength science go deep on their most promising findings. This podcast is the perfect companion for experts and beginners alike, covering a wide range of topics to keep listeners up to date on the world of strength.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 10, 2024 • 27min
How to Build Muscle with Kettlebells (w/Joe Daniels)
Today I'm speaking with Joe Daniels, better known as Swing This Kettlebell on social media. Joe has a varied athletic background, but in recent years he's focused on kettlebell training across a variety of methods. We dive into his experience and bust some myths are kettlebells, hypertrophy, and functional training.
Nov 1, 2023 • 28min
Balancing Life As an Athlete and Coach (w/Zachary Huse)
Today I'm talking to weightlifter and coach Zachary Huse. Zack is in an interesting position: he's an active weightlifter in the superheavyweight category, and he's also a coach with an increasingly accomplished roster of athletes. Is it possible to excel at both points in your weightlifting career? How does he balance coaching at competitions while often competing on the same platform (albeit after most of his athletes)? And what are the most exciting developments in USA Weightlifting competition? There are lessons here for all strength athletes, and I hope you enjoy!
Oct 24, 2023 • 26min
BarBend Classic: Should CrossFitters Switch to Strongman? (w/Hanna Coldiron)
Here's one from the archives (we're back with new episodes next week!). Today we're wrapping up our mini-series with elite strongwoman athletes. Hanna Coldiron is the 2021 world's 7th strongest woman under 64kg, and she's looking to better that result later in 2022. Hanna wears a lot of hats: athlete and contest promoter, in addition to working a full time job outside of strength athletics. She also got her start in CrossFit (a bit like multi-time World's Strongest Man competitor Rob Kearney), and hearing her take on transitioning sports was eye-opening. If you've ever wanted to hear from a top strongman competitor in the lighter bodyweight categories — or are considering getting involved in the sport yourself — this is a great episode to listen to all the way through!
Oct 13, 2023 • 29min
From Gymnastics to Kettlebells to Weightlifting (with Rebecca Rouse)
Rebecca Rouse, weightlifter and kettlebell athlete, discusses transitioning from gymnastics to weightlifting, debunking misconceptions about kettlebell training, and finding new coaches. She also shares her experiences competing in strength sports, the importance of mobility, and reminisces about old-school garage gyms.
Oct 3, 2023 • 28min
Secrets of Giants (with Alyssa Ages)
Author Alyssa Ages discusses her book 'Secrets of Giants' and the impact of strength on our lives. Topics include motivation for strength training, reflections on success, embracing failure, overcoming fear of overhead press, seeking support, and feats of strength.
Sep 19, 2023 • 33min
BarBend Classic: How Mini-Cuts Unlock Muscle-Building
Here's one from our archives; we'll be back with new episodes next week! Today I’m talking to trainer, writer, and podcast Tom MacCormick. A writer for sites like Breaking Muscle and BarBend — but hey, I’m biased — Tom is a veteran of the strength and conditioning industry. But one thing he’s best known for online is helping people harness the power of mini cuts — targeted, specific periods of concentrated fat loss — that Tom says can actually help long-term muscle-building and strength goals. Tom joins us to explain how mini-cuts can be adapted to almost any training environment, along with tips on how to balance nutritional parameters with in-gym progress.
Sep 13, 2023 • 34min
From Walking with a Cane to Powerlifting Competitions (with Angelo Poli)
Today we have one that really spans the spectrum from fitness to nutrition. I'm talking to Angelo Poli, who is the founder of a company called MetPro. The first part of the podcast talks about Angelo's personal story. He overcame a significant injury that had him walking with a can for the better part of a decade. And through that recovery, he ended up competing in powerlifting and doesn't need to walk with a cane anymore. Everyone's recovery path is different, but Angelo's especially was interesting to me.Angelo is also the founder of MetPro, which by the way sponsored this podcast. You can find more at MetPro, and we of course talk about that: Why metabolic nutrition needs to be tailored for individuals.
Aug 29, 2023 • 23min
From Rookie to 5th Fittest Woman on Earth (with Alex Gazan)
Today I'm talking to CrossFit Games athlete Alex Gazan. She's the fifth Fittest Woman on Earth, and still in her early 20s, she made her rookie debut at the CrossFit Games. She improved massively in 2023, and we talk about what it took to get to that next level. I do want to point out that we recorded this episodes while she was still in final prep, so before this year's CrossFit Games, so it's a good look at her mindset and training approach leading up to the season's biggest competition. We also talk about her lacrosse career and how Alex went viral for a 270 pound bench press.
Aug 23, 2023 • 27min
How to Understand the Weightlifter's Mindset (with Dr. A'Naja Newsome)
Dr. A'Naja Newsome, PhD is an educator, weightlifter, and weightlifting coach, and she has studied athlete psychology both inside and outside the gym. In this episode, we talk about weightlifting in particular: What are the factors that influence performance from within the athlete, and which external factors impact what and how they lift? Which questions are most coaches NOT asking that they should be? And when do normal strategies for contest preparation and peaking simply fall short? We do a deep dive that's useful for all strength athletes hoping to reach that next level of performance and strength.
Aug 15, 2023 • 29min
The True Fitness OG (with Bobby Maximus)
Former professional fighter and fitness influencer Bobby Maximus talks about his insane career, why he works out three times a day, and busts pros and cons of that approach. The podcast explores the difference between elite athletes and wannabes, shares Bobby's daily training routine, discusses the effectiveness of old workout tapes, and reflects on a combat sports career. Bobby also talks about personal fitness goals and where he can be followed on social media.
