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A trap barbell is a bar made with an opening or a gap that you can stand inside of with vertical handles. It’s called a trap bar because many lifters use it to perform shrugs, which work the trapezius muscles. However, it’s also great for lower body training and even other movements such as the deadlift or bent-over row for the upper back.

Most home gym owners may want to add a second top-rated barbell to their weight rooms, and the trap bar would be a great choice to go with. It can add a lot of variety and new challenges to your workouts. But which would be the best for your personal workout space? We did the research for you and have found the five best trap bars to choose from. All of these bars work with Olympic plates and have neutral grips, meaning you hold the handles at your sides with your palms facing each other. Look over each barbell carefully to determine which would be the best for you based on your training discipline and goals.

Our Top Picks for the Best Trap Bars

• Best Trap Bar Overall: REP Fitness Open Trap Bar
• Best Hex Trap Bar: Rogue TB-1 Trap Bar
• Best Luxury Trap Bar: Eleiko Öppen Bar
• Best Rackable Trap Bar: Titan Fitness Rackable Hex Trap Bar
• Best Trap Bar with Multiple Grips: Kabuki Strength Trap Bar HD

Best Trap Bar Overall: REP Fitness Open Trap Bar

REP Fitness Open Trap Bar

• Dimensions: 84.3” L x 11.3” H
• Weight: 58.4 pounds without handles
• Weight capacity: 1,350 pounds
• Sleeve length: 16.5 inches
• Rackable: Yes
• Warranty: Five years

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Pros

• Works inside or outside of a squat rack
• Dual adjustable handles
• Open design
• High weight capacity

Cons

• Not very rigid
• Wider handles
• May not suit lifters with short arms

The REP Fitness Open Trap Bar checks off many boxes for dedicated fitness enthusiasts. It has an open end that you can walk into and comes with its own deadlift jack to make changing weights easier. The four removable handles offer a variety of grips to challenge your grip strength and forearms. The handles range from 23 inches to as wide as 27.6 inches, and they all have medium knurling.

Since there are multiple moving parts, the bar may not feel as solid while you’re using it. However, that doesn’t mean it will fall apart on you. It will serve you well. This one piece of equipment can be a game changer for strength training at home or in a commercial gym because it can add a lot of variety to your workouts.

Best Hex Trap Bar: Rogue TB-1 Trap Bar

Rogue Fitness TB-1 Trap Bar

• Dimensions: 89” L x 3” H x 28.5” W
• Weight: 60 pounds
• Weight capacity: Unknown
• Sleeve length: 16 inches
• Rackable: Yes
• Warranty: Limited construction warranty

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Pros

• Rigid and durable
• Rackable
• Simple to use

Cons

• Not suitable for all collars
• Close-ended
• Unknown weight capacity

Enclosed trap bars are also called hex bars because of the hexagonal shape in the middle that you stand in. If you’re looking to maximize your training around deadlifts or squats, a trap bar like the Rogue Fitness TB-1 would be a great asset to have.

The TB-1 is also rackable, so you can perform exercises such as rack trap bar deadlifts or rack bent-over rows. Unlike open trap bars, you may not be able to do exercises such as lunges with this one because your legs may hit the front of the bar. It’s very rigid and solid, though, so don’t be afraid to load it up. It will hold a lot of weight. The knurled handles will provide adequate grip support for lifters of all levels. It can be a fantastic tool for powerlifting and strongman athletes as well as beginners who want a more budget-friendly trap bar.

Best Luxury Trap Bar: Eleiko Öppen Bar

Eleiko Öppen Bar

• Dimensions: 84” L x 8.9” H x 23.19” W
• Weight: 55.12 pounds
• Weight capacity: 1,102 pounds
• Sleeve length: 12.6 inches
• Rackable: Yes
• Warranty: Five years

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Pros

• Can be used for squats
• Excellent knurling
• Bar stays balanced while loading or unloading
• Can be used for function training or general fitness

Cons

• Limited sleeve length
• High price
• No knurling on center

The Eleiko Öppen Bar has a high price point, but if you want to invest in high-quality equipment, it should be at the top of your list. This rackable bar allows you to perform exercises such as overhead press variations inside a power rack and lunges outside of it. You can even use it for squats so long as you’re comfortable with the thicker bar on your shoulders and the weight being positioned differently than a barbell.

This Olympic trap bar has a high weight capacity as well. The sleeves have a chrome finish for durability, and the built-in deadlift jack makes unloading plates easier during a hard training session.

Best Rackable Trap Bar: Titan Fitness Rackable Hex Trap Bar

Titan Fitness Rackable Hex Trap Bar

• Dimensions: 85.5” L x 28.5” W x 7.5” H
• Weight: 60 pounds
• Weight capacity: 800 pounds
• Sleeve length: 16 inches
• Rackable: Yes
• Warranty: Comes with a one-year warranty; can add up to three years for an additional cost

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Pros

• Very solid bar
• Comfortable knurling
• Easily fits in most racks
• Suitable for beginners

Cons

• Extra warranty comes at a cost
• Thicker handles
• Doesn’t come with a jack

A “rackable” bar is long enough that you could position it on the safety arms or J-hooks of a squat rack. This allows you to lift from different heights instead of only from the floor. If you want a trap bar that can go inside a rack, the Titan Fitness Rackable Hex Trap Bar is a great choice.

It will stay centered and balanced if you’re changing plates inside of a rack, and you can store it on your rack’s J-hooks. Most lifters will be able to load it up to its 800-pound capacity and train safely. It doesn’t have short sleeves, either, so you can fit a lot of plates on it. It will support both iron and bumper weight plates. 

This rackable trap bar comes with just a one-year warranty, but Titan Fitness has a reputation for making products that last a long time. The handles don’t have aggressive knurling, so even beginners will be able to hold them comfortably.

It could also be on a best budget trap bar list. It may not be the cheapest option, but it’s far from the most expensive.

Best Trap Bar With Multiple Grips: Kabuki Strength Trap Bar HD

Kabuki Strength The Trap Bar HD

• Dimensions: 77” L x 23.5” H x 9” W
• Weight: 66 pounds
• Weight capacity: 1,500 pounds
• Sleeve length: 17 inches
• Rackable: Yes on safety arms, no on J-hooks
• Warranty: Lifetime construction

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Pros

• Long sleeve length
• Able to choose handle distance
• Two months of Kabuki EDU+ included
• Very high weight capacity

Cons

• Feet may scratch floor
• Won’t work with standard J-cups in a rack
• Not suitable for all power rack exercises

The Kabuki Strength Trap Bar HD is a barbell that can be personalized to your specific training needs. Most trap bars have a gap of 25 inches between handles. With the Kabuki bar, you can choose the handles and brackets to set the width between the grips. The bar also has a very large weight capacity, so you can use it for very heavy rack deadlifts or traditional deadlifts off the floor. The built-in bar jack makes it easy to add or remove plates.

The semi-gloss powder coat finish gives it a sleek appearance. Whether you’re looking for home gym equipment or something for a commercial gym, this trap bar will last for a long time to come. As an added bonus, Kabuki offers access to their subscription service, Kabuki EDU+ so you can learn more about training and programming while you’re working to improve.

How We Chose the Best Trap Bars

We do extensive research on trap bars and have put several of them to use. We dive deep to find the best trap bar features and whether the bars can be used inside a rack. Between analyzing the specs, taking our experience with the bars into consideration, and perusing customer reviews, we gather all the information needed to determine which trap bars are the best of the best.

What Are the Benefits of Trap Bars?

Trap bars allow you to stand in the middle of the weight so it’s closer to your center of gravity, which can make it easier to lift. When performing a trap bar deadlift, the weight isn’t in front of you as it would be with a straight barbell. This can help beginners or those working around injuries because they can still train and improve with minimal risk.

Furthermore, they have vertical handles so you can hold them with more of an anatomically-friendly grip than a horizontal grip that may require internal rotation of the shoulders (which may lead to shoulder impingement). If the trap bar can fit inside a power rack, you can use it for even more exercises, such as rack pulls, overhead presses, and bent-over rows inside the rack. Trap bars can help you improve your athletic ability, get stronger, and build muscle, just as a straight bar can.

What To Look For When Buying a Trap Bar

The more versatile a trap bar can be, the better. The best trap bar can be used inside a squat rack and will support barbell Olympic plates. It should also be able to support heavy weights. Many will have raised handles to decrease the range of motion and allow you to potentially lift heavier. A trap hex bar is closed while other trap bars are open-ended, meaning you can step in and out of them easier, so you’ll need to consider which style you prefer. Obviously, you want to stay within your budget as well, so pay attention to the price tag.

Materials and Finish

A lot of trap bars consist of stainless steel, and they come with a black powder coat finish or have a chrome look to them. Either way, keep in mind that once you add plates to them, the finish on the sleeves may suffer wear and tear.

If you want your trap bar to look as good as it performs, taking care of it should be a priority. Brushing any chalk or sweat off it with a nylon- or brass-bristled brush at the end of your workout is a good idea.

Weight

It’s very hard to find a trap bar that weighs 45 pounds like a traditional Olympic weightlifting bar would. They will likely weigh more because of the extra material needed to make them. All the bars on this list weigh 55 to 70 pounds, but there are others on the market that weigh even more. Keep that in mind as you’re shopping, as you’ll want to choose a bar with a starting weight that you can handle.

Weight Capacity

It’s good to know the trap bar’s weight capacity and tensile strength (how much weight it can hold before it breaks). Most will have upwards of a 1,000-pound rating and a tensile strength of 190,000 PSI.

But just because the bar could hold 1,000 pounds doesn’t mean you can fit that much weight on it. The sleeve length and types of plates you use will be a factor as well. If you’re using thicker bumper plates, they will take up more space than traditional iron plates. Still, you should feel confident that the trap bar can hold whatever you put on it, which is why the tensile strength or weight rating matters.

Open vs. Closed Design

An open-ended trap bar is considered safer than a traditional closed design because you don’t have to worry about stepping over the bar at the end of a set and risk tripping. It’s a great feature to have, but it isn’t essential for a trap bar to be effective. The closed bar could also be better balanced, so you may feel more comfortable using them for farmer’s walks or bent-over rows. Consider your own priorities when choosing whether an open or closed bar would be better for your training.

Size

Most trap bars range from six and a half feet to over seven feet long. Shorter trap bars are easier to store, and they can keep the center of gravity closer to the body. But if they have shorter sleeves, you may not be able to use as much weight as you would with a longer bar. You will also need more space around you if you’re training with a trap bar inside. Consider your training space and where you would keep the bar when it’s not in use before hitting that order button.

If you don’t have much storage space, you may also want to consider a rackable trap bar like the Titan Fitness Rackable Hex Trap Bar. Being able to store it on your rack will help keep it out of the way when it’s not in use.

Price

A quality trap bar won’t be that cheap unless you can find it on a yard sale website. It can and will be a bigger investment than a straight barbell. You could find a quality trap bar for around $300, but some cost more than $800. You shouldn’t have to break the bank to get a good trap bar, but keep in mind that this will be a long-term investment. You’d rather buy once than have to reorder something because it broke down on you.

Warranty

Trap bars are no different than any other form of fitness equipment. Something may go wrong and you need to return the bar. The top companies will offer long construction warranties, meaning that if something goes wrong while you’re using the trap bar as intended, the manufacturer will replace it. Pay attention to the details of the warranty so you’re fully educated on what you’re buying. If a company offers longer warranties for an additional cost, consider that before placing the final purchase order.

Knurling

The knurling is the rough portion of the handle that you hold on to, and it helps support your grip. Beginners may not want very aggressive knurling, while advanced trainees may want moderate to aggressive knurling. If hand care is a priority, you want less aggressive knurling, or you should consider using lifting straps or gloves. If you want to work on your grip, consider how sharp the knurling on the handles is, as well as if the knurling is on all handles. Some trap bars with two or three handles only have knurling on one set of handles.

Handle Height

Trap bars with multiple handles may help you lift more weight because they provide a shorter range of motion. The lower handle will be the same height as a traditional straight bar, and the higher handle will also be anywhere from two to five inches higher. Some trap bars also have three handles that allow tall and/or long-limbed lifters to deadlift from a position that suits their body proportions.

Grip Diameter

Some trap bars also have adjustable handles that vary in diameter. They will range from 28 millimeters to as much as 32 millimeters. The thicker the handle, the more your grip will become a factor. They can help with forearm development, but they also may impact the weight you can lift. If you want to minimize grip impact, go with the thinner handles.

Final Thoughts

The straight barbell is the foundation for any home gym, but a trap bar is a great specialty bar and would make for a terrific second bar. Even though it’s most famous as a substitute for the straight bar deadlift, you can use it to train multiple muscle groups effectively. If you can place it inside a rack, it makes the barbell even more valuable.

Any of the six trap bars above will add a lot of variety and challenges to your training, which can help make you a better athlete, improve your personal fitness, and achieve your goals.

FAQs

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So, you enjoy training like a bodybuilder. Excellent. But have you ever stepped on stage and competed? If not, chances are you’re unfamiliar with bodybuilding posing — the specific way bodybuilders are required to display their muscles for comparison.

Sure, you might’ve taken a stab at some posing in between sets or after workouts, and you might even know the names of some of the most popular bodybuilding poses. But if you’ve never actually competed, you might not know exactly what all eight mandatory poses are, let alone how to perform them in ways that show off all the hard work you put into muscle-building workouts and a strict fat loss diet.

When it’s time for the big showdown on stage, posing skill can make or break your physique. The mandatory bodybuilding poses are the positions that you must perform in bodybuilding competitions, as expected by judges. Even if you don’t ever plan on stepping on stage, here’s an explanation of each pose so you can understand what bodybuilders are actually doing, or maybe brush up in time for your next set of progress pics.

Bodybuilding Poses

• Front Double Biceps
• Back Double Biceps
• Front Lat Spread
• Rear Lat Spread
• Side Chest
• Side Triceps
• Abs and Thighs
• Most Muscular

Front Double Biceps Pose

The front double biceps pose is done while facing head-on toward the judges and audience. This iconic pose shows the entire front side of the body. It is one of the poses that, if done effectively, can make you appear bigger and wider than you actually are.

Aside from the most muscular pose, the front double biceps is possibly one of the most popular and most recognizable poses of all time. It’s done by bodybuilders, gymrats, athletes, and fitness fanatics when trying to show off their physiques. It’s even attempted by non-lifters and small children when they want to “make a muscle” for a picture.

How To Do It

Raise your upper arms out to your sides, so that your arms are slightly above horizontal. Aim your elbows roughly 10 to 20 degrees in front of you. Flex your biceps and forearms. Flex your serratus and, while doing so, spread your lats as wide as you possibly can. Envision your lats wrapped around your torso.

Draw your abdomen inward, as if you are trying to have your navel touch your lower back. Turn your feet out at approximately 45-degree angles. Keep your knees slightly bent while maintaining tension in your quadriceps. With all of your body in proper positions, try to stand as tall as possible, as if you are increasing your height by lengthening your spine. 

There is a tendency with this pose for some to aggressively flex their abs, pecs, and lats. What this actually does is make you appear shorter, narrower, and tense in a pose that is intended to show off width and poise. Other than your quads, forearms and biceps, no other muscles need to be flexed. 

What It Shows 

This pose primarily highlights development in your biceps, forearms, lats, serratus, and quadriceps. To a lesser extent, your pec development is on display. It also shows the degree of aesthetics and your degree of symmetry. 

Back Double Biceps Pose

The back double biceps pose is one of the first comparisons to showcase the muscles you don’t often see for yourself — the musculature on the back half of your body. Like the front double biceps pose, if done properly, the back double biceps can give the illusion of appearing bigger and wider than you are.

The back double biceps pose requires a strong mind-muscle connection, as well as the patience and coordination needed to focus on muscles you can’t see contracting. Dedicated practice is crucial for dialing-in correct technique.

How to Do It

Facing away from the audience, position your upper arms in the same way you would in the front double biceps pose — slightly above horizontal and aimed roughly 10 to 20-degrees toward the front. Flex your biceps, forearms, and serratus. Envision your lats wrapped around your torso. All the same cues so far, until it’s time for your back to shine.

Slightly round your upper back. Tense your lats and upper back, but do not draw your elbows back. Turn one foot 45-degrees outward with your knee slightly bent. Step back with your other foot and turn it out 45-degrees while putting tension on the floor, as if you were trying to screw the ball of your foot into the floor in a clockwise motion.

Finally, flex your hamstrings and glutes. When done properly, this pose should have you feeling as if you are sitting back on a base created by your highly-tensed lower body. 

What It Shows 

This pose shows the development of all three heads of your deltoid, your triceps and biceps, forearms, upper back, lats, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. It also reveals your symmetry and aesthetics.

Front Lat Spread Pose 

The front lat spread shows all the musculature on the front of your body. Like the front and back double biceps poses, this is intended to show off your aesthetics, as well as your v-taper. If you’ve spent time building a well-developed back, the front lat spread will let you highlight that muscularity without even turning around.

The front lat spread is so potentially impressive that Superman’s epic signature pose is, essentially, a modified front lat spread.

How to Do it

Face forward with your feet turned out at 45-degree angles. Flex your quads and put your hands on your waist. Draw your elbows forward and, as you do so, apply pressure into your waist to spread your lats as much as possible while flexing your serratus.

Flex your pecs as much as possible in this position. Remember to stand tall, as if you are trying to elongate your spine. Draw your navel inward, as if you are trying to connect your navel to your lower back, while keeping your midsection tight but not flexed. Envision yourself showing as much of your body as possible for a large presentation.

What It Shows

The front lat spread shows the development of your lats, pecs, arms, shoulders, and quads. It may not necessarily be considered a “finesse” pose, but can be used to highlight extreme muscularity and volume in a championship physique.

Rear Lat Spread Pose 

One phrase often passed along regarding the sport of bodybuilding is that, “contests are won from the back.” While overall muscularity and symmetry are certainly important criteria, the rear lat spread has specifically been a trademark pose for some of the best-built bodybuilders of all time.

Two-time Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu, six-time Mr. O Dorian Yates, and eight-time champion Ronnie Coleman are all closely associated with a dominant rear lat spread.

How to Do It 

Face away and set up like the previous back pose: turn one foot 45-degrees outward with a slightly bent knee. Step back with your other foot and turn it 45-degrees out and put tension on the floor. Imagine screwing the ball of your foot into the ground. Flex your hamstrings and glutes.

Put your hands at the sides of your waist and apply pressure. At the same time, round your mid and upper back, and flex your lats to spread them as much as possible. Just like the back double biceps, when this is properly done, your lower body tension should make it feel like you’re “sitting” on a stable base.

What It Shows 

The rear lat spread showcases the development of your upper back, lats, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Even though it’s called a “lat spread,” don’t underestimate the importance of featuring your lower body during the pose. Neglecting to recruit your glutes, hamstrings, and calves means you’re forgetting to present 50% of your body to the judges. Good luck winning points with that approach.

Side Chest Pose 

The side chest pose, as its name implies, calls attention to your body’s musculature from the side. It is the pose many impressionable lifters saw Arnold Schwarzenegger perform for many of his most circulated photographs, showing off his massive upper body in his prime.

The side chest pose, for some, may feel awkward or unfamiliar because it’s “sideways” rather than front-facing or straight from the back. Take the time to get comfortable with the pose because, when it’s done right, it can be one of the most eye-catching displays of almost your entire physique.

How to Do It 

Stand with your dominant side facing the audience, judges, mirror, or camera set on selfie-mode. Tightly pack your dominant arm against your side, flex your bicep, and extend your wrist. Pack your other arm tightly against your opposite side while grabbing the wrist of your dominant arm.

Slightly bend the knee of your non-dominant side. Bend the knee of your dominant leg and pack it tightly against your other leg. You want your legs together. Rise onto the ball of your dominant foot, flex your quadriceps, and apply pressure down into the floor.

Do not flex the hamstring of your dominant leg — it should be pressing against your other leg to show its fullness. Finally, with your entire body packed with tension and your shoulders squared, twist your torso toward the viewer.

What It Shows 

The side chest pose shows the development of your deltoids, traps, chest, biceps, triceps, forearms, quads, and hamstrings. The only body parts missing from this impressive pose are your back and abs, so it’s an amazing opportunity to display what you’ve built.

Side Triceps Pose 

The side triceps, like the side chest pose, spotlights your musculature of the body from the side, but with more added exposure for your midsection.

Because the side triceps pose “opens up” your physique with your arms in a unique position, it’s an opportunity to highlight not only your triceps, but your abs, chest, and legs.

How to Do It 

Set your lower body exactly the same as the side chest pose – your legs bent and packed together, up on the ball of your front foot, driving your front foot into the ground while contracting your quads.

Straighten your dominant arm by your side and tightly pack against your side with your triceps flexed. Reach around your back with your other arm to grab the wrist of your dominant arm.

Apply pressure with your dominant arm against the tension created by your other arm grabbing your wrist, as if you were performing an isometric lateral raise — try “raising” your dominant arm while preventing the movement with your opposing arm.

Finally, with your whole body tensed and your abdomen and obliques flexed, twist your body toward whoever or whatever you are posing for.

What It Shows 

The side triceps pose shows the development of your triceps, pecs, abs, obliques, deltoids, quads, and hamstrings. Be sure to incorporate a twist to reveal your entire physique. Staying too narrow will limit your presentation and prevent a complete assessment of your physique.

Abs and Thighs Pose

The abs and thighs pose primarily shows the development of your quadriceps and midsection. Because your abs are on display front and center, this pose also shows one’s degree of leanness (or lack thereof).

Even though it’s specifically in the name, don’t forget to incorporate your lower body into the pose. Some bodybuilders get so focused on displaying their abdominal and oblique development, they miss the chance to show off their leg development.

How to Do It 

Plant one leg firmly with the foot turned out at roughly a 45-degree angle. Take one step forward with your other leg and set your foot on the food with your ankle extended (toe pointed forward).

Put your hands behind the back of your head with your elbows in the air. Round your entire back. Flex your abs, serratus, and quads as hard as possible. Don’t overemphasize flexing your arms or lats, which will take focus away from the primary featured muscles.

What It Shows 

This pose shows the development of your abs, lats, serratus, and quads. Your serratus, in particular, are prominently displayed due to the overhead arm position. The transition from sculpted serratus muscles to well-defined abdominals and obliques can leave a striking impression on judges.

Most Muscular Pose 

The most muscular pose, sometimes called the crab pose, shows the majority of muscle on the front of your body, especially your arms, shoulders, upper back, and traps. Because this pose requires a high-degree of tension throughout your entire body, it is also the one that shows off your total package.

It’s likely the most demanding of the poses due to the many muscles involved, but it’s also usually the one pose that fans react to with the most enthusiasm. Like the front double biceps, the most muscular is another pose that everyone from recreational lifters to bodybuilders to mainstream pro athletes uses to “look jacked.”

How To Do It 

Stand with your legs fairly close together and your feet turned out at 45-degree angles. With the hand that feels most natural, grab the wrist of your other arm and position both hands in front of your lower abs.

Keep your shoulders down and round your upper back to make your traps “pop.” Finally, flex your pecs, abs, biceps, forearms, abs, and quads as hard as possible. You should feel immense pressure throughout your entire body because you’re essentially flexing from head-to-toe.

What It Shows 

This pose shows the development of the traps, shoulders, arms, pecs, abs, and quads. The most muscular is sometimes considered “gratuitous” or meant to rile up the audience rather than display your physique, but don’t underestimate it. This dramatic pose is a chance to highlight both upper and lower body muscular development.

Ready to Strike a Pose

Like anything else, posing is perfected with practice.You can practice posing immediately after workouts, to learn how to display pumped up muscles, or some time after training for a more fresh posing session. If you do aim to compete, posing practice must be part of your preparation and it should become more frequent as the contest gets closer.

Don’t underestimate how demanding posing can be — you’ll be “pleasantly” surprised at how tough it is once you learn to flex the correct muscles in unison. And don’t overlook how much your physique can suffer if it’s presented with poor posing. Do yourself a favor. If you’re going to pose, on stage or in pictures, apply the right technique to make the most out of it.

Featured Image: @masmacros / Instagram

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When he’s not flexing his guns on the silver screen, Chris Hemsworth is usually busy polishing them when off. “Guns” refers to his stacked arms, of course, not the weapons he occasionally carries in roles like 2012’s Red Dawn and two barnburners in 2020’s Extraction and 2023’s Extraction 2. Hemsworth shared yet another recent glimpse at how he tailors himself to be one of the biggest, and fittest, action stars on the planet.

On July 25, 2023, Hemsworth posted a comprehensive workout on his Instagram page that seemingly attacks every aspect of the upper body (his back, chest, shoulders, and triceps). From weighted medicine ball slams to arm training, Hemsworth filled in almost every niche and offered his fans a similar path to achieving his spectacular upper body fitness.

Here’s an overview of Hemsworth’s complete upper body workout. There is a detailed warm-up, a superset, and a tri-set all involved with the clear design of pushing one’s physical limitations in the gym in a healthy fashion.

Chris Hemsworth Upper Body Workout | July 2023

Warm-up

• Medicine ball slam — 4 x 10 (Rest 30 seconds)

Superset

• Dumbbell row — 4 x 10 per arm
• Push-up — 4 x 15 (Rest 60 seconds before repeating the first exercise)

Tri-set

• Renegade row — 4 x 8 per arm
• Lateral raise — 4 x 8
• Triceps pushdown — 4 x 10 (Rest 60 seconds before repeating the first exercise)

This is far from the first instance Hemsworth has shared his workout trade secrets. As the proprietor of the fitness application Centr, Hemsworth seems to make it a consistent point to stay true to that brand by offering training tidbits that demonstrate his knowledge and his own commitment.

For example, in July 2022, Hemsworth shared a chest-centric workout in advance of the release of Thor: Love and Thunder. He would follow that be sharing a minimal equipment workout on a naval ship in mid-August 2022. That same month, Hemsworth was once again seen on the naval ship issuing a five-round, 50-rep, full-body workout challenge.

Hemsworth has undoubtedly built a reputation for being one of the fittest people in Hollywood. With this latest workout in the account, he continues to spread the gospel of his gym secrets and how others can follow in his footsteps if they so choose.

Featured image: @chrishemsworth on Instagram

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On July 25, 2023, strongman Evan Singleton shared a video of himself capturing a 612-kilogram (1,350-pound) leg press for 12 reps during a recent training session. Per the caption of his post, Singleton has seen significant progress with his leg press strength lately, which aligns with how far he’s apparently come with his deadlift.

Given that Singleton is a prominent fixture on the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) roster, such developments could be excellent news for an athlete looking to notch another win and earn the title of “The Strongest Man on Earth.” The Car Leg Press is one of the 2023 SC’s main events and will be for max reps. Singleton alluded to this leg press session as a means to prepare for it, writing, “[I’m] ready to throw a car up there [at the 2023 SC] and rep it out!”

With his 2023 preparation in the account, Singleton has enjoyed a resurgence of late. A biceps injury in late 2022 forced Singleton to withdraw from the remainder of the strongman competitive calendar as he recuperated and regained his strength post-surgery. In recent weeks, he’s seemingly back to top form.

The American athlete is fresh off a victory at the 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC), notably overcoming two World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champions in Mitchell Hooper (2023) and Tom Stoltman (2021-2022) en route to the title. Perhaps more notably, Singleton even beat Trey Mitchell (fourth place), who is the reigning two-time SC champion (2021-2022). Before the GLSC, Singleton finished in fifth during the 2023 WSM, roughly just six months after his biceps ailment.

Here’s an overview of the 2023 SC roster as Singleton pushes for another victory:

2023 Shaw Classic Roster

• Trey Mitchell (United States) — Reigning two-time Champion
• Brian Shaw (United States) — 2022 runner-up
• Mitchell Hooper (Canada) — 2022 third place
• Tom Stoltman (United Kingdom)
• Luke Stoltman (United Kingdom)
• Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
• Bobby Thompson (United States)
• Adam Bishop (United Kingdom)
• Graham Hicks (United Kingdom)
• Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
• Thomas Evans (United States)
• Maxime Boudreault (Canada)
• Kevin Faires (United States)
• Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia)
• Evan Singleton (United States)
• *Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom) | *Replaces Mateusz Kieliszkowski

Here’s a rundown of the 2023 SC events schedule:

2023 Shaw Classic Events

• Log Medley
• Max Hummer Tire Deadlift
• Wheelbarrow and Arm-Over-Arm Medley
• Bag Toss
• Car Leg Press
• Atlas Stones
• Standing Bench Press
• Fingal’s Fingers and Power Stairs Medley

If Singleton can thrive in a high-pressure situation coming off a recent injury, and if he can topple titans like Mitchell, Hooper, and Stoltman in another setting, then logic would posit that he could potentially transfer over such a performance to his next contest in the 2023 SC.

Singleton has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the professional strongman sphere. With another sterling performance or even victory at the 2023 SC, he could become the sport’s next hot commodity.

Featured image: @evan_trex_strongman on Instagram

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Take a quick look around and you’ll see bodies everywhere—in most venues, across all ages—staring fixedly at a smartphone (to notice this, you might need to stop looking at your own phone for a minute). Not only are people’s eyes fixed on the screen, it’s like their entire body is being bent and pulled down towards these tiny black holes we call our “phones” (but which are more often used as multimedia entertainment devices).

When it comes to our device-shape, what’s mostly at play here is mindlessness plus gravity. We’ve got these new devices with an endless stream of captivating content, and when we dive online (which is often), we’re not only logging on with our eyeballs, we’re also logging on with our bodies.

Discussions around phone posture focus primarily on forward head/tech neck, but being on your phone is a whole-body sport with whole-body effects… from your eyeballs to your feet.

Your Phone Is Moving Your Head and Neck

Remember back in the olden days (fifteen years ago) when if you wanted to talk on the phone “hands-free,” you had to crane your head to one side and hold the phone between your shoulder and ear? Phones have always been a pain in the neck. 

Today’s smartphone movements look different, but they still often involve the head and neck moving in extreme positions for long periods of time. Fortunately, our devices don’t require that we get into specific “device-shape” for them to work; we’re just not thinking about positioning ourselves in a sustainable way. We have options when it comes to our position—yes, even when using the smartphone. 

Head ramping

Instead of letting your head dangle forward when you’ve logged on, put some strength in your swipe and use a little muscle in your upper back to hold your head and spine up.

Keeping your eyes on the horizon, and without lifting the chin or chest, lift and slide your head back toward the wall behind you and up to the ceiling above at the same time. This easy adjustment immediately decompresses the vertebrae in your neck, stretches the small muscles in the head, neck, and upper back, and makes you taller. You can look down at your phone with your eyes—you don’t have to look down with your entire spine.

I’m also a fan of modifying your environment to make moving well more reflexive. Adding a head ramp decal to your phones or tablets or a “WHERE’S YOUR HEAD AT?” post-it on the corner of your computer screen can be a fixed reminder to adjust your position.

Your Phone Is Moving Your Eyes

There’s a ring of muscles in each of your eyeballs called your ciliary muscles. When you focus on something close to your face, like a smartphone or a book, this muscular ring shortens and constricts. You need to focus on something far away—at least a quarter mile—to allow these muscles to lengthen and loosen their ring.

We can keep our eye muscles healthy, just like the muscles in our hips and shoulders, by taking them through their full range of motion many times a day. Instead, though, our copious amounts of screen and indoor time means we use our eye muscles (also like those of the hips and shoulders) over a very small and repetitive range of motion.

Back your face away from that screen

You’ve already learned the head ramp exercise above. Turns out it’s not only great for the curves of the middle and upper spine, it’s also a great way to change the distance between your eyeballs and their point of focus. 

Set a timer on your device that reminds you to regularly move your eyeballs off the screen to the world that’s literally screen-adjacent. If you’re inside, get to a window and focus on something off in the distance for a minute or two. Back away from your devices a bit (or entirely) in the whole-body sense. Swap watching one of YouTube’s cool animal videos for watching the actual birds, bugs, and nature that surrounds you no matter where you live.

Look for more non-online solutions or ways to connect. If you can’t break away from your device just yet, look for ways to listen via your phone versus just looking. Just because we can video call doesn’t mean we have to. Voice-only chats free up our eyes and body to do other things. 

Your Phone Is Moving Your Lungs

To be precise, prolonged periods of sitting and using the phone with your upper back rounded forward can prevent your lungs from moving well.¹ This isn’t really the phones’ fault; it’s more about how we use them. Lots of stillness (which already keeps the lungs pretty sedentary) plus lots of kyphosis (the forward curve of the upper spine) affects the way the lungs move. Sitting up straighter (see “Head ramping”), swapping scrolling time for movement time, and doing exercises that decrease excessive upper back curvature and shoulder tension can all help.

Start with this move:

Stretch your shoulders and upper back

Place your hands on a counter, desk, or wall at counter height. Then, walk your feet back to bring your hips away from your hands, and lower your chest toward the ground to stretch out that phone-hunch. 

Your Phone Is Moving Your Hands

Raise your hand if you’re on your phone more than ever before. Is your raised hand gripping a phone? Then these stretches are for you.

Here are three moves that will get your hands moving more and moving differently from the phone death-grip, index-finger swipe your upper body has grown accustomed to. Bonus: you have to put your phone down to do them. Find more stretches like this in Rethink Your Position (Propriometrics Press, May 2023).

Stretch your thumbs

Whether it’s the curl of one thumb to hold your phone or the rapid-fire pecking of two contracted, texting thumbs, these digits are integral to smartphone use. To keep them from clawing forever, try this stretch: Make a loose fist with your right hand with the thumb pointing up. Grasp the thumb as low as you can with your left hand and move it like it’s an old-fashioned Atari joystick, slowly moving it toward you and side to side at varying angles (“PEW PEW” noises not required).

Stretch your wrists

Keeping your shoulders down and relaxed, touch the backs of your hands together including the thumbs, then bring them down to waist level. Hold there or move them slowly up and down, or right to left, in front of your torso. Keep those thumbs touching!

Stretch your nerves

That’s right, nerves need to move through their ranges of motion too! Reach your hands out sideways from your shoulders, making a T with your arms and a “STOP” motion with your hands. Spreading your fingers away from each other, slowly work your fingertips toward your head. Keep your middle fingers pointing up, thumbs forward, and elbows slightly bent toward the ground. Think of reaching the upper arm bones away from you as you work your fingers back toward your body’s midline.

Your Phone Is Messing with Your Walk

Why have so many people ditched shoes with stiff soles and narrow toe-boxes for minimal footwear? Because conventional shoes keep parts of the feet from moving well. Certain features can even mess with elements of gait, like stride length, speed of walking, and which muscles are being used. Well, guess what? Smartphones can similarly mess with your gait when you’re on them while you walk.

As more people struggle to put their phones down, more people are also using their phones even when they’re on the move. Simply talking on or listening to the phone while you’re walking takes up some of the attention you’d normally use to process visual information,² but it’s texting or scrolling while walking that really messes with you. When walking becomes a task secondary to “being on the phone,” it slows you down, shortens your step length, and impacts with your walking cadence.³ Walking becomes less stable, and you’re much more likely to miss important visual information around you.⁴ 

There’s no body exercise that remedies the way scrolling affects your walk—just a little exercise in self control, especially if you’re on the street. Swap the video for audio when possible, and stop walking when you need to scroll, especially if you’re already at an increased risk of falling.

Use Your Phone to Be an Influencer

Part of belonging to a culture means we’re all influencing each other. While it might be hard to imagine going anywhere or getting anything done without your smartphone, these devices are actually a brand new technology that’s barely been with us for a decade. We have very little understanding of how our bodies and minds will respond to such ubiquitous use in the long term.

Until we do, create your own good-use practices and keep your body mobility and strength (and other smartphone-affected) skill sets up—and pass this intention on to your friends and family, too. Share some steps you’re taking to use your smartphone more mindfully. Be an influencer! Not by selling something via smartphone technology, but by modeling more sustainable phone-using positions and an ability to extract the best from this new technology without the large dose of adverse consequences.

Bestselling author, speaker, and a leader of the Movement movement, biomechanist Katy Bowman is changing the way we move and think about our need for movement. Bowman teaches movement globally and has written 9 previous books on the importance of a diverse movement diet, including Move Your DNA, Dynamic Aging, and Grow Wild. Her latest book, Rethink Your Position, is a much-needed guide to how our bodies move, why we need to move more, and the intentional steps anyone can take to feel, move, and even think better—one part at a time. Find her at NutritiousMovement.com, @nutritiousmovement, and on the Move Your DNA Podcast.

The post What Your Phone Is Doing to Your Body, and How to Fix It appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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On July 25, 2023, powerlifter Mary Duffy shared an Instagram video of herself finishing off a two-minute wall sit. The 56-kilogram athlete wrote that the she had 97.5 kilograms (215 pounds) worth of weight plates on her lap while sitting against the wall in the clip. Based on the tenor of Duffy’s post and her recent tidbits on social media, this wall sit appeared to be her way of ringing in a recent 74th birthday. For any strength sports athlete, this would be quite the individual fitness showcase, regardless of the time.

Given that the video captures Duffy in the final seconds of her two-minute sit, it doesn’t seem like the athlete struggled much performing her weighted wall sit. If anything, it seemed to be an excellent demonstration of the balance, core, and leg strength Duffy has cultivated during her consistent training. For the athlete to do it after 74 revolutions around the sun could be seen as even more impressive.

This wall sit is not the first time Duffy has made headlines for her gym proficiency as a septuagenarian.

In late July 2022, Duffy finished a trap bar deadlift with 113.4 kilograms (250 pounds) loaded on the bar and an additional 50 pounds of chains adorned to the sides. The weight was 2.4 times Duffy’s usual powerlifting competition body weight of around 56 kilograms. Roughly a year later, in late May 2023, Duffy built on that deadlift when she pulled 140.6 kilograms (310 pounds) raw with chains while utilizing a traditional barbell from a conventional stance. That massive feat was nearly triple her usual competitive weight class.

Now Duffy can add a demonstration of core and leg power to her ever-growing catalog of achievements in the gym.

As for Duffy’s resume with a sanctioned competitive context, the now Amateur Masters 70-74 athlete has lost just once in her eight-year string of contests. As a five-time International Powerlifting Association (IPA) Connecticut State Powerlifting champion (2015-2017, 2019, 2022), such a record is nothing to sneeze at for an athlete who began lifting in her mid-60s.

Duffy has already established herself as a tornado of strength. It’s likely only a matter of time before she pulls off another notable gym milestone that will be evergreen regardless of age.

Featured image: @mduff2404 on Instagram

The post 74-Year-Old Mary Duffy Wall Sits With 97.5 Kilograms (215 Pounds) of Added Weight For 2 Minutes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Creatine has a bit of a public relations problem. Non-lifters and overprotective parents sometimes think it’s a steroid. Airport security usually thinks it’s something even more illicit. But dedicated lifters know that creatine is quite possibly the holy grail of supplements, being both highly effective and well-researched.

Creatine is so popular among gym-goers because it’s one of the few supplements with seemingly endless science behind it. It’s arguably the most proven and data-supported supplement out there, especially when it comes to supporting strength and hypertrophy gains. So it can help you lift heavier and pack on muscle. Who could ask for more? Here’s a closer look at how to use creatine to maximize those tantalizing results.

Creatine Monohydrate

• Creatine Benefits
• How to Take Creatine
• Potential Side Effects

What is Creatine and How Does It Help?

In recent decades, creatine has gained considerable popularity as a dietary supplement among athletes and fitness enthusiasts. (1)(2)(3)

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in the body, and it’s also found, in relatively small amounts, in everyday foods like beef, chicken, and eggs. The benefits of creatine supplementation have been extensively studied over the years. Caution: There’s some scientific discussion ahead, but it’ll all make sense by the end.

Creatine is synthesized from the amino acids glycine and arginine in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. Once synthesized or consumed, creatine is primarily stored in your muscles as phosphocreatine (PCr).

One of the fundamental ways creatine functions in your body is by aiding in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) — the primary source of energy for cellular processes. During high-intensity exercise, such as weight lifting or sprinting, the demand for ATP increases. However, ATP stores are limited and they deplete rapidly. This is why intense exercise can only be sustained for so long.

That’s where creatine comes into play. It “donates” its high-energy phosphate group to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), converting it back into ATP through a process called phosphorylation. This replenishes the ATP stores, allowing muscles to continue contracting forcefully and perform at a higher intensity for longer periods. (4)(5)(6)(7)(8) In a nutshell, this powerhouse supplement gives you the edge needed to push harder in the gym.

Muscle Growth and Volume

Creatine also plays a vital role in promoting muscle growth and increasing muscle volume. When creatine is ingested, it leads to an increase in creatine stores within your muscles. This increased creatine availability enhances cellular hydration by drawing water into the muscle cells. Consequently, muscles appear fuller and larger, contributing to a more pronounced muscular appearance. (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)

This is why you’ll likely see the scale go up a little bit within your first few weeks of taking creatine. You are “retaining water,” but in a good way. The water is enlarging your muscle cells, not your love handles like after a salty Chinese buffet.

Furthermore, creatine supplementation has been shown to stimulate protein synthesis — the process by which new muscle tissue is built. It also reduces muscle protein breakdown, aiding in the preservation of existing muscle mass. This dual action of promoting muscle protein synthesis and inhibiting protein breakdown creates an anabolic environment that supports muscle growth and development.

Improved Exercise Performance

Creatine has consistently demonstrated its ability to enhance exercise performance across a wide range of activities. By increasing the availability of ATP, creatine supplementation allows for improved strength, power, and endurance during high-intensity, short-duration activities.

Athletes engaged in activities such as lifting weights, running, and jumping may benefit from creatine supplementation due to its potential to increase performance in explosive movements.

Additionally, creatine has shown positive effects on repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise with short recovery periods, like interval workouts or circuit training. Creatine helps to replenish ATP stores more rapidly, reducing fatigue and enabling athletes to maintain their performance during successive bouts of intense exercise.

Neuroprotective Effects

Beyond its benefits for physical performance, this “meathead” supplement is also good for your brain. Creatine is actively transported into the brain, where it acts as an energy buffer, providing neurons with a readily available source of ATP. (14) This energy support may help protect brain cells against damage and improve overall brain function. (15)(16)

Furthermore, studies have indicated that creatine supplementation might have potential therapeutic applications for neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. (17) While more research is needed in this area, the neuroprotective properties of creatine are promising and warrant further exploration.

Some research has also indicated that low creatine levels may correlate with higher rates of depression and anxiety, especially in vegetarian/vegan populations which are typically lacking in creatine from food sources. (18)

How to Take Creatine

When it comes to selecting a creatine supplement, there are several options available. The most common and well-researched form is creatine monohydrate. It’s the most cost-efficient, highly effective, widely used, and most thoroughly researched form of creatine.

In fact, creatine monohydrate has the ability to fully saturate your muscles. More expensive forms of creatine — creatine hcl, creatine ethyl ester, etc. — can range from being “as good as monohydrate” to simply worse, despite promising to saturate your muscles more than monohydrate. This claim is just not possible. Creatine monohydrate already fully saturates your muscles efficiently. There’s not a “more efficient” form available.

While creatine monohydrate is still a relatively inexpensive supplement, its price has increased in recent years due to popularity. Your best bet is to buy it in bulk when possible and avoid proprietary blends — pure micronized creatine monohydrate is all you need. That’s the form that is most commonly studied in research.

Loading Phase vs. Maintenance Phase

To quickly saturate your muscles with creatine, a “loading phase” is often recommended. During this five to seven-day period, take 20 grams of creatine monohydrate per day, divided into four equal doses of five grams each. This loading phase allows your muscles to reach maximum creatine levels and deliver optimal results more rapidly.

After the loading phase, switch to a maintenance dosage of three to five grams per day. It’s essential to note that creatine has been shown to be safe for long-term use, so there is no need to “cycle” on and off by stopping use of the supplement for several weeks (or months) at a time. (19)

Keep in mind that you can simply start with a maintenance phase to get your muscles fully saturated within three to four weeks and still end up with the same net benefits. This option is better for those who might potentially experience GI distress from the relatively high daily dosing involved with creatine loading.

Hydration and Timing

Creatine works best when the body is adequately hydrated. Therefore, it’s crucial to drink plenty of water throughout the day, every day, when supplementing with creatine. Aim to consume at least 8-10 glasses of water daily — at least 64 ounces per day — and always take it with water. No “dry scooping” like your favorite fitfluencer slamming a pre-workout.

Timing is also an important consideration. While creatine can be taken at any time during the day, consuming it post-workout may provide additional benefits. Most research finds this to be the optimal time because your muscles are highly sensitive to insulin, allowing them to absorb more nutrients and water. This is why it’s ideal to take creatine with your post workout meal. (20)

If you prefer to take it at another point in the day for convenience, that is fine too. Consistency to keep your muscles fully saturated is most important, which leads to the next point: If you exercise regularly, be sure to take creatine daily even on your rest days. There are still non-exercise related benefits to taking creatine, including brain health and cognitive function as explained earlier.

Potential Side Effects

As with any supplement, it’s essential to monitor your progress and be aware of any potential side effects. The most common side effect of creatine supplementation may include mild gastrointestinal distress. However, this side effect is typically minimal and temporary. Reducing the daily dose often resolves the issue.

If you do notice GI distress: don’t do a loading phase, be sure you’re taking micronized creatine (which dissolves more thoroughly and may digest easier), and take creatine with a meal. Overall though, GI distress is relatively rare.

Some people claim water retention as another side effect, but this is actually a good thing. It shows that creatine is working and being absorbed into your muscle stores. The scale going up when initially taking creatine is affirming, especially if you’re already carrying a degree of muscle mass.

The more muscled you are, the more water your body should absorb. If you are not gaining any weight after beginning creatine use, it’s likely not as detectable or you simply don’t yet have significant muscle mass to benefit from the muscle-related benefits.

Lastly, hair loss is another commonly touted side effect, but this is more fear-mongering than reality. In the decades of creatine research, there has only been one study on this — rugby players taking creatine experienced higher levels of DHT, an androgen that potentially increases hair loss. (21)

However, it’s understandable that this androgen is higher to explain the benefits of creatine. Intense exercise, itself, can increase DHT levels. Not to mention, the high-level rugby players in the study could have potentially been taking additional supplements, or performance enhancing substances, which could provide a more significant underlying cause.

There has never been research showing creatine directly impacting hair loss. Anecdotally, I’ve never encountered this either even after working with hundreds of male clients taking creatine.

Research generally finds creatine has a great safety profile. (22) If you have any underlying medical conditions, it’s crucial to consult with your healthcare provider before starting creatine supplementation (or any supplementation, for that matter). They can provide personalized advice based on your potential individual circumstances.

That being said, creatine supplementation will raise creatinine levels in your bloodwork, which might worry your doctor a bit if they don’t lift and aren’t aware that elevated creatinine levels are not, on their own, an indicator worth ringing any alarm bells. (22) All your other metrics should be relatively unchanged though.

Creatine – Simply the Best for Body and Mind

Creatine is a remarkable compound with myriad benefits. By enhancing ATP production, promoting muscle growth, and improving exercise performance, creatine has become one of the most widely-used supplement in the sports and fitness communities. Its potential neuroprotective properties further contribute to its growing significance in scientific research. However, it is crucial to approach creatine supplementation responsibly, adhering to recommended dosages and seeking professional guidance when necessary. But outside of rare exceptions, most people can and should plan on taking it until they join the big gym in the sky, so put a permanent spot for creatine monohydrate in your budget.

References

1. Baker, J. S., McCormick, M. C., & Robergs, R. A. (2010). Interaction among Skeletal Muscle Metabolic Energy Systems during Intense Exercise. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2010, 905612. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/905612
2. Cholewa, J., Trexler, E., Lima-Soares, F., de Araújo Pessôa, K., Sousa-Silva, R., Santos, A. M., Zhi, X., Nicastro, H., Cabido, C. E. T., de Freitas, M. C., Rossi, F., & Zanchi, N. E. (2019). Effects of dietary sports supplements on metabolite accumulation, vasodilation and cellular swelling in relation to muscle hypertrophy: A focus on “secondary” physiological determinants. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 60, 241–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2018.10.011
3. Kaviani M, Shaw K, Chilibeck PD. Benefits of Creatine Supplementation for Vegetarians Compared to Omnivorous Athletes: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(9):3041. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093041
4. Branch J. D. (2003). Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism, 13(2), 198–226. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.13.2.198
5. Chilibeck, P. D., Kaviani, M., Candow, D. G., & Zello, G. A. (2017). Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Open access journal of sports medicine, 8, 213–226. https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S123529
6. Engelhardt, M., Neumann, G., Berbalk, A., & Reuter, I. (1998). Creatine supplementation in endurance sports. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 30(7), 1123–1129. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199807000-00016
7. Cooper, R., Naclerio, F., Allgrove, J. et al. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 9, 33 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-9-33
8. Stares, A., & Bains, M. (2020). The Additive Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Exercise Training in an Aging Population: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001), 43(2), 99–112. https://doi.org/10.1519/JPT.0000000000000222
9. Chilibeck, P. D., Kaviani, M., Candow, D. G., & Zello, G. A. (2017). Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Open access journal of sports medicine, 8, 213–226. https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S123529
10. 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
11. Burke, D. G., Candow, D. G., Chilibeck, P. D., MacNeil, L. G., Roy, B. D., Tarnopolsky, M. A., & Ziegenfuss, T. (2008). Effect of creatine supplementation and resistance-exercise training on muscle insulin-like growth factor in young adults. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism, 18(4), 389–398. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.18.4.389
12. Willoughby, D. S., & Rosene, J. M. (2003). Effects of oral creatine and resistance training on myogenic regulatory factor expression. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 35(6), 923–929. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000069746.05241.F0
13. Saremi, A., Gharakhanloo, R., Sharghi, S., Gharaati, M. R., Larijani, B., & Omidfar, K. (2010). Effects of oral creatine and resistance training on serum myostatin and GASP-1. Molecular and cellular endocrinology, 317(1-2), 25–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2009.12.019
14. Avgerinos, K. I., Spyrou, N., Bougioukas, K. I., & Kapogiannis, D. (2018). Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Experimental gerontology, 108, 166–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2018.04.013
15. Dolan, E., Gualano, B., & Rawson, E. S. (2019). Beyond muscle: the effects of creatine supplementation on brain creatine, cognitive processing, and traumatic brain injury. European journal of sport science, 19(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1500644
16. RAWSON, ERIC S.1; VOLEK, JEFF S.2. Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Weightlifting Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 17(4):p 822-831, November 2003.
17. Bakian, A.V., Huber, R.S., Scholl, L. et al. Dietary creatine intake and depression risk among U.S. adults. Transl Psychiatry 10, 52 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-020-0741-x
18. Bender, A., Klopstock, T. Creatine for neuroprotection in neurodegenerative disease: end of story?. Amino Acids 48, 1929–1940 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-015-2165-0
19. Kreider, R. B., Melton, C., Rasmussen, C. J., Greenwood, M., Lancaster, S., Cantler, E. C., Milnor, P., & Almada, A. L. (2003). Long-term creatine supplementation does not significantly affect clinical markers of health in athletes. Molecular and cellular biochemistry, 244(1-2), 95–104.
20. Antonio, J., & Ciccone, V. (2013). The effects of pre versus post workout supplementation of creatine monohydrate on body composition and strength. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10, 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-10-36
21. van der Merwe, J., Brooks, N. E., & Myburgh, K. H. (2009). Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, 19(5), 399–404. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181b8b52f
22. Kim HJ, Kim CK, Carpentier A, Poortmans JR. Studies on the safety of creatine supplementation. Amino Acids. 2011 May;40(5):1409-18. doi: 10.1007/s00726-011-0878-2. Epub 2011 Mar 12. PMID: 21399917.

Featured Image: RHJPhtotos / Shutterstock

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Erin Murray and Jeffrey Lee are the respective champions of the 2023 U82 America’s Strongest Woman (ASW) and the 2023 U105 America’s Strongest Man (ASM) contests. The strongwoman and strongman competitions took place on July 22, 2023, in Tinley Park, Illinois, and featured seven participating strongwomen and 13 strongmen on both ends of the spectrum. In a slight veering from convention, both rosters had an identical slate of five events to run through during the single-day strength contest.

According to her resume on Strongman Archives, this is Murray’s third professional strongwoman win in five career contests. Murray’s previous highlight might have been a triumph in the 2021 U73 World’s Strongest Woman (WSW). Meanwhile, Strongman Archives shows Lee’s only prior competition to be placing ninth at the 2021 (U105) Strongman World Championships — and he undoubtedly added to his reputation with the recent victory.

Here’s an overview of the final standings from the 2023 U82 ASW:

2023 America’s Strongest Woman (U82KG) Results

1. Erin Murray — 30 points
2. Jessica Mitchell — 26.5 points
3. Erin Walklet — 23 points
4. Katie Gutwald — 22.5 points
5. Cassandra Moore — 18 points
6. Rachael Peterson — 13 points
7. Jamie Schamma — 5 points

Here’s a rundown of the final standings for the 2023 U105 ASM:

2023 America’s Strongest Man (U105KG) Results

1. Jeffrey Lee — 57 points
2. Zack McCarley — 55 points
3. Nick Hein — 43 points
4. Brandon Burley — 39 points
5. Justin Loy — 39 points
6. Alec Soukup — 38 points
7. Dan Hughes — 34 points
8. Matt Moeller — 32 points
9. Kevin Candito — 30 points
10. Michael Congdon — 28 points
11. Bill Kendall — 26.5 points
12. Jon Parker — 26 points
13. Johnny Wasiczko — 7.5 points

The five events featured in both competitors were as follows: Press Ladder, Max Farmer’s Carry, Conan’s Wheel, Ukrainian Deadlift, and the Atlas Stone Series. To distinguish between the strongwomen and strongmen, weights and implements would vary in size depending on the event.

To win her title 2023 U82 ASW title, Murray took first place on the Ukrainian Deadlift (six reps, with a max weight of 199 kilograms/440 pounds) and finished in at least the top three on each of the Press Ladder, Max Farmer’s Carry, Conan’s Wheel, and Atlas Stone Series. Lee, on the other hand, won the Max Farmer’s Carry (26 feet and five inches with 195-kilogram/430-pound implements), the Ukrainian Deadlift (9 reps with a max weight of 308.4 kilograms/680 pounds), and the Atlas Stones Series (five in 27.27 seconds) to win his title.

Consistency near the top of every event appeared to be the name of the game for both successful competitors.

According to a caption of her Instagram post recapping the event, Murray is centering her upcoming efforts on the 2023 U82 World’s Strongest Woman (WSW). Based on the competition’s past precedent, it will likely place sometime in November 2023. At the time of this writing, it is unclear what Lee’s future plans are. All that is certain is that both athletes came home from Illinois with well-earned, prestigious titles.

Featured image: @e.murray_pro.strongwoman on Instagram

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On July 19, 2023, Nick Walker shared a video of himself successfully finishing eight reps of an incline dumbbell press with 68-Kilogram (150-pound) dumbbells in each hand. The athlete controlled the weight with relative ease, taking three seconds to lower each repetition (the negative or eccentric phase) before briefly pausing at the bottom, and showed minimal struggle in each of his lockouts.

The upper body demonstration of strength, performed during a chest/shoulders/triceps workout, is part of the superstar bodybuilder’s ongoing preparation for the 2023 Mr. Olympia. That contest will take place on November 2-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL.

“Nice push day today!”

Walker finished in third place to Hadi Choopan (defending champion) and Derek Lunsford (runner-up) during the 2022 Olympia.

This is not the first instance where Walker has used a pair of dumbbells to showcase his unique power as one of the best active bodybuilders on the planet. If anything, this set was just another example of what Walker is capable of once he gets a pair of weighted “hammers” in his hands and an incline bench to work on. Other specific examples include Walker pressing 83.9-kilogram (185-pound) dumbbells for 10 reps in late April 2022 and the athlete pushing up 90.7-kilogram (200-pound) dumbbells for 10 reps in mid-August 2022.

Walker usually makes it a point to share training updates on his media platforms, and this incline dumbbell press set works is aligned with that precedent.

From a competitive perspective, it’s been a tough year for Walker. After building upon a top-five finish at the 2021 Olympia but failing to secure the title during the 2022 iteration, Walker took home runner-up in his return to the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC). Given that the 2021 AC was originally how Walker burst onto the professional scene, the latter result could’ve been jarring for an athlete of his caliber.

Nonetheless, Walker continues to push forward. He vowed to return stronger after his runner-up result at the 2023 AC and has said he thinks he left something on the table during the 2022 Olympia. If that is the case, Walker might be more of a man on a mission than the rest of the Men’s Open field is prepared for.

Walker faces a tall order to finally break through with an Olympia title later this fall. Beyond Choopan and Lunsford, the Men’s Open class seems more stacked than ever and looks like a greater on-stage challenge than in the past. Walker, like his peers, certainly understands this reality. Nothing ever said climbing bodybuilding’s highest mountain would be easy.

Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram

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Denise Herber has a resume laden with staggering, eye-popping lifts. The German athlete has lost just two competitions in her powerlifting career and is certainly no slouch when it comes to polishing her form and strength in the gym. The superstar’s latest feat fits that very bill.

On July 24, 2023, Herber posted an Instagram clip of herself successfully locking out a 269.9-kilogram (595.2-pound) raw deadlift for two single repetitions. That number is particularly notable considering it is Herber’s all-time competition best, which she achieved at the 2023 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) The Ghost Clash 2. Herber’s previous best competition deadlift was 255 kilograms (565.1 pounds), achieved 15 months earlier at the 2021 Ireland-UA ABS Pro, making her raw milestone more noteworthy.

Herber completed her recent deadlifts from a conventional stance with a mixed grip and did not appear to have a lifting belt adorned.

One of Herber’s goals earlier this year was pursuing Kristy Hawkins’ all-time raw World Record deadlift of 277.5 kilograms (611.7 pounds) in the 75-kilogram class. Hawkins earned that mark in a first-place performance at the 2022 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) American Pro. Herber had planned to make the World Record attempt during the 2023 Extreme Powerlifting Coalition (XPC) European Championship in late March but withdrew from the contest due to unforeseen health issues.

While Herber didn’t break the record, she eventually returned to form just about two months later. The athlete finally broke the 600-pound raw deadlift barrier in late May 2023 when she pulled 272.5 kilograms (600 pounds) during the 2023 Fitness Store Classic in Singen, Germany. It’s not quite the World Record, but the pull does make Herber only the second 75-kilogram competitor (after Hawkins) to pull at least 600 pounds during a sanctioned contest on camera.

That in itself is quite a way to recover and look forward for an athlete unwillingly falling short of a World Record attempt.

At the time of this writing, Herber hasn’t revealed her upcoming competitive plans. The tenor of her latest deadlift post suggests that Herber is only easing her way back in during a recent training program. However, if such a lift is “easing in,” it might only be a matter of time before the athlete can vie for the pulling World Record again.

Featured image: @deniseherber_ on Instagram

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