🏋️ 8 exercises for a strong lower back

Is there any sweeter sight than seeing the clock strike 5:00 on a Friday afternoon? (Obviously, seeing The BarBend Newsletter pop up in your inbox is a close runner-up.)

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The final CrossFit Open workout of the season has been posted. And we had the pleasure of seeing Mal O'Brien and Danielle Brandon square off against each other in this brutal test of strength.

Powerlifter Natalie Richards is someone you'll want to keep an eye on. She recently made history by hitting a massive 500-kilogram (1,102.3-pound) total in competition.

You can get really creative when it comes to strengthening your lower back. We've got a bunch of different deadlift variations and rows to help you get started.

CrossFit

A Double-Under CrossFit Workout

The third and final week of the 2023 CrossFit Open is finally here with the announcement of Workout 23.3. The 2022 CrossFit Games runner-up, Mal O'Brien, and four-time Games competitor Danielle Brandon debuted this workout on Thursday during a live showdown from CrossFit Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska.

If you want to follow along, this workout includes double-unders, snatches, wall walks, and strict handstand push-ups. But how many reps depends on how fast you move through the whole thing. Trust us — it's a doozy.

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Powerlifting

Natalie Richards Breaks New Ground

Natalie Richards has a sterling record of success. The powerlifter has won three straight contests and has only ever failed to finish first on two of 12 occasions. Yet, her latest accomplishment forced us to strain to pick our jaws up off the floor.

During the recent Powerlifting America (AMP) Classic Open Nationals, the 57KG athlete recorded a 501.2-kilogram (1,105-pound) total. In the process, she became the first AMP athlete to break the 500-kilogram barrier. Oh, and she's only *checks notes* 24 years old.

Just let that age and power combination sink in. It still hasn't for us.

Training Tips

8 Ways to Strengthen Your Lower Back

If you don't take care of your lower back, it'll take care of you. And we don't mean that in a pleasant way. A strong lower back is the foundation of a happy and healthy day-to-day life. If you're neglecting it, you're putting yourself at risk of some real discomfort.

That's why we broke down eight different lower back exercises that'll help bring strength and stability to this vital part of the body. Once you're through with some good mornings or Jefferson curls, your back will resemble more of a tree trunk than you think.

Everything Else

Previewing the 2023 Arnold Classic

• It's Arnold Classic weekend! Here's how to watch the second-biggest competition in bodybuilding.

• Powerlifter Brian Le just scored a couple of unofficial International Powerlifting Federation World Records. And he made them look easy.

• Speaking of back workouts, here's how to do the single-lat pulldown for beefier wings.