🏋️‍♂️ the best protein powders to hit your macros

This newsletter is presented by PowerBlock. If you’re looking for top-rated home workout equipment that can actually save you money and space, you’ll want to learn all about PowerBlock’s new Pro 100 EXP adjustable dumbbells. Click here for more.

Here’s what’s going on in this edition:

• The pros and cons of different types of protein.

• Free weights vs. resistance bands.

• Benefits of doing the deficit deadlift.

Nutrition

Do You Know the Whey?

Protein supplements may be the most widely used dietary aid among people who lift weights, but have you ever stopped to consider the kind of protein you need to be using for optimal effect?

The discrepancies between the myriad types of whey protein can get confusing. Is whey isolate superior to whey concentrate? And what does hydrolysate even mean in the context of whey? You can even venture outside the world of whey into entirely new kinds of vegetarian or egg-based powders.

Know the science behind all of your options, and become a more informed connoisseur of protein powders.

From Our Sponsor

Adjust Your Workouts for the Better

When investing in a home gym, you want to make sure the equipment you buy can withstand the day-in, day-out rigors of any fitness routine you throw at it. And that’s exactly what PowerBlock has built its reputation on ever since it got into the game. The company is known for its top-of-the-line adjustable dumbbells, and now it’s improving on its classic model with the release of the new Pro 100 EXP model.

These adjustable dumbbells are built for everyone, from beginners to lifelong lifters with an eye on peak performance. With these dumbbells by your side, you’re guaranteed best-in-class fitness equipment that is:

• Compact: Instead of filling an entire basement or garage with racks upon racks of free weights, the Pro 100 EXP is a single piece of equipment that does the job of up to 30 dumbbells.

• Durable: The Pro 100 EXP dumbbells are built tough enough to get you through your most intense workout routines, thanks to their sturdy urethane-coated steel construction. This isn’t the typical gym equipment you’ll have to replace after a few months of use — these dumbbells will be with you for the long haul.

• Simple: Fortunately, this new technology doesn’t require much (if any) practice to get your head around it. They’re as straightforward as traditional dumbbells, and switching between weights can be done in the time it takes to exhale after a great set.

• Versatile: The weight range and compact design help the Pro 100 EXP cater to gymgoers of all experience levels and training styles, from powerlifting to circuit training. This makes it ideal for families to share amongst themselves.

If you want to read more about how the PowerBlock Pro 100 EXP adds versatility and value to your home workout routines, head here.

Exercises

Resistance Isn’t Futile

The term resistance training refers to all possible means of creating tension between your body and a foreign body (for bodyweight exercises, the foreign body could be your body).

Usually, gravity supplies the force against which you must work, but with exercise bands, the elasticity of the equipment creates an ever greater challenge the more you elongate it. Adding a band onto a movement that already requires force to be applied against gravity (like a squat) creates a new kind of dual stimulus.

There are many benefits and drawbacks between the tension a band provides and the load a free weight supplies. If you’re trying to figure out which methods are best for your needs, we have your answers below.

Workout Tips

A Deficit in Your Training

What’s the one thing that could make a Neanderthalic movement like the deadlift even more gut-busting? If you answered “increase the range of motion,” you win the prize of remaining the dominant hominid on this planet.

The deficit deadlift does just that, forcing your body to stay tight for a longer period of time by lifting from a slightly elevated surface. You get to experience the muscles of your back bulging and straining like never before, while also giving your quads the attention they need.

And that’s only the beginning of how the deficit deadlift can benefit your training program. Grab a bumper plate or some mats and get ready to feel some new kinds of discomfort you didn’t even know were possible.

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Everything Else

The Iceman Leaveth

• Mitchell Hooper, of World’s Strongest Man and The Arnold Classic fame, has the brains to match his otherworldly brawn. And the cerebral strongman recently took the time to explain why he’s not a fan of using cold therapy for recovery.

• Rucking is an effective way to get a cardio workout while also adding an element of resistance. Here’s how to do it the right way.

• When working up a lather in the gym, nothing hits the spot quite like a sports drink. And we’ve rounded up eight of the best ones you can buy.

Sound Off!

How Do You Get Your Protein?

The Results Are In

How Long You Stay in the Gym

In the September 11, 2023, edition of The BarBend Newsletter, we asked you how long you spend in the gym. Here’s how you voted:

1. 40-60 minutes (33.17%)

2. 60-90 minutes (32.03%)

3. 90+ minutes (13.01%)

4. 30-40 minutes (11.06%)

5. 20-30 minutes (7.8%)

6. Less than 20 minutes (2.93%)