How you can deadlift 600 pounds

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Here’s what’s going on in the world today:

• Mitchell Hooper thinks you can deadlift 600 pounds

• Improving your bench press technique

• The world’s best headphones for running

Strength

My 600-Pound Lift

Former World’s Strongest Man and two-time Arnold Strongman Classic champion Mitchell Hooper is here to explain exactly why a 600-pound deadlift is more attainable than you think.

There are, of course, caveats. Admittedly male-centric, Hooper clarifies that the equivalent for a female lifter is a 360-pound deadlift, and both numbers carry the prerequisite of being aimed at generally healthy lifters in their prime. (Though that age might be higher than you think). 

Perhaps the most difficult thing to understand in our two-day news cycle world is the need for time: something impossible in six months may be easy in five to 10 years. And Hooper stresses that this will be a long road. 

If you’re still interested after reading all the small print, check out the article below, where we break down Hooper’s more practical tips (including some all-important technique tweaks) and his philosophical tenets for pulling 600 pounds off the floor. 

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Training Tips

Right on Cue

Veterans of the iron game know it, banged-up oldheads know it, and anybody who has ever set a state, national, or world record knows it. Surprisingly, everybody else just seems to ignore one of the simplest facts of bench pressing life: technique matters.

Taking time to digest and implement the tips provided today can radically shift your bench press training, reshape your upper body, and let you finally get over that hump and put up some serious weight. In the article below, we’re giving in-depth pointers on the three main parts of the bench press: 

• Unrack and Setup

• The Descent

• The Press

Within each of these cues, we’ve got a number of form and technique tips, including where your body should be positioned, pitfalls to avoid (like not bouncing the darn bar off your chest), and what tempo you should be following. 

Though each bench rep may only last a few seconds, there are plenty of mechanics to nail in order to maximize each and every lift. Our job is to help you simplify the whole thing and get you back to rattling plates with the best of them. 

Running

Drown Out the Boredom

Isn’t it strange how distance runners always talk to you about “getting in the zone” or how amazing a “runner’s high” is, yet such a large segment of the running economy is devoted to alleviating the crushing boredom of hammering out endless miles on a track?

Wireless technology has made running with music, podcasts, or audiobooks easier and more enjoyable than ever. And that’s why BarBend’s crack team of runners/audiophiles has compiled this list of the best headphones most suitable for running the free market has to offer. 

Whether you want stylish name brands like Beats and Bose, crystal clear tones, or just something cheap to absorb some of that ear sweat and keep you on track with your goals, you’ll find the very best headphones for your cardio needs in the link below.

Everything Else

The Decline and Fall of the Open Empire

📉 Facts & Figures: It’s still early, but sign-ups for the CrossFit Open have fallen by a staggering amount from last year. Mike Halpin is on the case to investigate the root causes.

💧 Pro Picks: What’s unique about clear protein? We reviewed Seeq Protein Powder to find out.

🏋️ Big Lifts: Polish lifter Agata Sitko (69kg) continued her incredible run by setting even more world records at the recent 2025 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships. Check out the highlights.

📕 Donate: In addition to donating $1 million of his own money, Arnold Schwarzenegger recently released a limited-edition T-shirt to raise funds for the victims and firefighters dealing with the Los Angeles wildfires. All of the profits will go to charity. Buy one here.