BarBend Podcast

Alan Thrall is an accomplished strength coach and the owner of Untamed Strength. Alan has coached thousands of athletes over the course of his career, and his YouTube channels has amassed more than 85 million views, helping countless athletes get stronger in and out of the gym.In today’s episode, guest host Jake Boly talks to Alan about his growth in strength coaching, how he accidentally built a massive YouTube channel, and much much more. 

Kari Pearce is a 5-time CrossFit Games athlete and earned the title of "America's Fittest Woman" in 2016, 2018, and 2019. She's a former Division 1 gymnast who's well known for her incredible capacity on bodyweight movements. We talk to Kari about training around injury, attacking weaknesses, and what most CrossFitters get wrong about core strength. 

In the world of fitness, Rich Froning needs almost no introduction. He is a 4-time Individual and 4-time Team CrossFit Games Champion, as well as the owner of CrossFit Mayhem in Cookeville, Tennessee. Rich joins the BarBend Podcast to talk about hosting a Sanctional qualifier (the CrossFit Mayhem Classic), his honest reactions to CrossFit Games changes, and his future as a competitive athlete. 

Dr. Pat Davidson and Jordan Shallow are both at the front of the pack leading the fitness industry and building better standards. Dr. Davidson has a PhD in exercise physiology and is an accomplished strength & conditioning coach and author, while Dr. Shallow is a chiropractor, strength coach, and traveling presenter. Both of these individuals have brilliant minds when looking at and assessing basic and advanced training concepts and programs.  In today’s episode, Jake Boly takes commonly asked questions that we receive on BarBend Instagram posts, articles, and YouTube videos, and then has Dr. Davidson and Shallow answer them with free control. 

Stefi Cohen is one of the owners of Hybrid Performance Method. She holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, a CSCS, and has broken a total of 11 all-time powerlifting world records throughout her career. Additionally, Stefi is currently ranked #2 in the world for holding the all-time highest Wilks score with a remarkable 698.11, and continues to push the boundaries of what's physically possible for the human body. In today’s episode, Jake Boly sits down with Stefi to chat on her upbringing in the sport of powerlifting and her mindset — but more importantly, how she has helped Hybrid Performance Method scale, along with tips for other business owners to do so. It can be scary to scale a business at times, however, Stefi explains if you equip yourself with the right tools and mindset, then it's manageable if it's a goal you possess.If you’re trying to grow your business — whether it be in the fitness industry or not — then we hope you love this chat!

Weightlifter, coach, and YouTuber Zack Telander joins us to talk about transitioning back and forth between CrossFit and weightlifting. Zack also talks about setting realistic goals for weightlifting athletes, along with changing the paradigm of which sports are "worth it" in American culture. Zack also gives his thoughts on dealing with weightlifting data and the most underrated coach in American weightlifting.

Joe Sullivan is a champion raw powerlifter who speaks his mind on everything from online trolls to bad gym etiquette. Joe joins us to talk training, his favorite powerlifters to watch this year, and an incredibly close (and internet famous) brush with disaster due to equipment failure. 

Kris Gethin is a bodybuilder, fitness model, and supplement entrepreneur who has been the face of some of fitness' biggest physique campaigns. He's also a passionate endurance athlete who has a ton of knowledge on balancing muscle growth and strength gain with long-duration training for triathlons and distance events. We talk to Kris, the founder of Kaged Muscle, about these strategies and more. 

JC Deen was one of the first online fitness writers and trainers to build his name for a no-BS approach. He joins us to talk about beating fitness frustration, turning to "Doggcrapp Training," and how machine learning & AI might change the industry moving forward. 

Zack Bartell is a powerlifter and gym owner based in Southern California. Bartell opened SoCal Powerlifting to the public at a very young age, and with strategy, a dream, and a business mindset, he has expanded the gym twice and has created a hub for multiple powerlifters and coaches in a few short years. In this episode, we discuss the logistics of opening your own gym and what it truly takes to build a successful coaching business.