💪 7 fitness myths stopping your gains

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Welcome to The BarBend Newsletter! Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• 7 pieces of misinformation sabotaging your training

• Try Arnold’s dumbbell pullover for a massive chest 

• Top power racks for your home gym

Training

The Fakest of All News

While the internet has been an amazing resource for the proliferation of knowledge throughout the world, misinformation is still commonplace across the digital landscape.

To help you separate fact from fiction, we’ve gathered seven of the most common fitness myths you need to swear off once and for all. And when you do, you’ll find that the gains will soon follow.

Some of these sacred cows will no doubt be obvious false idols to you, like how being sore is a surefire sign of muscle growth, but we’re willing to bet there’s at least one hill you’re still ready to die on. Rid your body and mind of these pestilences and focus on a set of core training fundamentals that can actually hold up to deeper scrutiny.

A Message From Huel

You’re doing breakfast wrong

Let’s face it—most breakfast options just don’t cut it.

Toast? Too light. Cereal? Mostly sugar. Skipping it altogether? Not ideal.

If you want real fuel to power your day, it’s time to upgrade to Huel Black Edition. This ready-in-seconds shake is packed with 40g of plant-based protein, 27 essential vitamins & minerals, and 0 artificial sweeteners—just science-backed nutrition to support your muscles, digestion, and more.

Oh, and did we mention? It’s delicious.

Right now, first-time customers get 15% off, plus a free t-shirt and shaker with code HUELSPRING, for orders over $75.

Find your fuel

Exercise Selection

Arnold’s Favorite Exercise

Though he hasn’t stepped foot on the bodybuilding stage since 1980, Arnold Schwarzenegger is still a wealth of knowledge for anyone looking to chisel a world-class physique. And what better way to look like Arnold than to perform his favorite exercise?   

While it doesn’t get as much attention as it probably should nowadays, Arnold credits the dumbbell pullover as the most important lift in building his iconic chest. When was the last time you rolled up to a busy gym and saw a bunch of dudes waiting around for the bench to open up so they could take their turn?

As is often the case with Arnold (and all geniuses, really), modern science doesn’t quite agree with his take on why the pullover worked so well for him, but it does offer an alternate insight into its practical uses. Don’t let our species forget even more of its past. Learn how to integrate the dumbbell pullover into your training routine.

Equipment

More Power

A solid power rack is among the very few pieces of equipment you really need if you’re serious about training. While you certainly do wonders with your body weight and a couple of kettlebells, nothing can truly compete with a power rack for gym primacy.

There has never been a better time to shop for a home power rack, as these top offerings from 2025 show. You’ll have ample choice when it comes to finding the correct size, price, and footprint (some of them even fold up now). Clear some space in your garage and join the home gym revolution.

Quick Hits

🦵 Embrace This: Shake off the internet hate and make 2025 the year you embrace being a DB kind of guy or gal by doing some more dumbbell lunges.

🏋️ Assemble This: Despite several issues facing the 2025 CrossFit Games, there are still thousands of athletes jostling for a spot on the roster. See who has already qualified and who is coming up short.

🥩 Read This: Harvard comes out firing in all of its wild, impractical, academic glory by saying that not only is America simply eating too much protein, but far too much of it comes from animals instead of plants.

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