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

• The viability of targeting visceral fat

• Deceptively tough summertime beach workouts

• Dumbbell back workouts for every goal

Weight Loss

A Visceral Experience

Everyone should know the health risks of visceral fat (sometimes just called “belly fat”) at this point. After all, one of the most common markers used for longevity, along with grip strength and blood pressure, is waist size.

Doesn’t it make sense to put some thought and effort into reducing visceral fat? But wait, is that spot reduction? Can you actually reduce visceral fat through intentional actions?

As usual, the answer is a solid “maybe.” Well, more than “maybe” if you include surgical procedures like liposuction, but this is a fitness periodical. The foods you eat, regardless of caloric deficit, may be contributing to an increase in this type of fat. Things like sugar and an overabundance of saturated fats tend to build up visceral fat. Get better informed about this necessary-in-small-doses type of adipose, and get started on a plan to attack it.

A Message From FITAID

Electrolytes, Elevated.

FITAID Hydrate is your new sidekick for clean hydration all summer long. No sugar. No junk. Just balanced electrolytes and delicious flavors. Whether you’re training for a marathon, coaching your kids’ soccer team, or just trying to make it through leg day, FITAID Hydrate is everything you need and nothing you don't.

Each stick packs:
+ 600mg Sodium (from Pink Himalayan Salt)
+ 500mg Potassium
+ 125mg Magnesium

Naturally sweetened, zero sugar, and absolutely no artificial fillers or BS. Just two seriously refreshing flavors - Pink Himalayan Lemonade & Watermelon Wave - to help you crush the heat and keep going strong. 🍉🍋💧

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SHOP FITAID HYDRATE

Workouts

Life’s a Beach

Getting a workout down at the beach is one of the greatest (free) luxuries most humans can aspire to. The feel of the sand under your feet, fresh sea air, and an abundance of sunshine make sweating through a training session a joy rather than a burden.

But unless you hop in your Tardis and head back to the Muscle Beach of the 1970s, you might not be able to follow your lifting log book perfectly while on the sand. Instead, kick off your sandals and try these vitamin-D heavy workouts to make the most of the heart and soul of summer.

Being limited by using bodyweight movements is never as restrictive as some make it out to be, even if you’re confined to a tiny indoor space. It’s even less of a concern when you have variable surfaces like soft sand and surf to help with training variety. Trust us, seemingly basic moves like mountain climbers, squat jumps, and lunges all become much tougher (and can help improve your stability) once a little sand enters the equation. 

Rather than trying to exhaust yourself with a WOD, consider finding joy in the beauty of where you are and remembering how genuinely fun working out can be. And wear sunscreen. Always wear sunscreen.

Exercise

Back to Basics

The rise in popularity of powerlifting in the 21st century has masked a well-known piece of knowledge: the barbell isn’t always the greatest tool for putting on more size or acquiring functional strength. And that goes double when training your back.

Rather than jumping right to the barbell on your next pull day, we’re here to suggest five expert-approved dumbbell back workouts that can potentially do the trick even better.

Dumbbells give you more potential for isolation exercises and a greater range of motion. Using one weight per hand still lets you load up your traps, lats, and rhomboids pretty much as heavy as you can tolerate.

Ripping dumbbells up from the ground is as tried-and-true a method for back strength and thickness as exists in the world. If you are neglecting the DB rack, it’s a mortal lock that you are leaving back gainz on the table.

Quick Hits

🏋️‍♂️ He’s Listening: While probably not a great resource for procuring dry sherry or tips on where to find the best $12 coffee in town, Mat Fraser definitely has plenty to offer budding CrossFitters. Possibly the best male to ever get tatted up and thrown on cross-trainers for competition, Fraser offers these four pieces of sage advice on improving some of the most important movements for competitive fitness.

🍳 Eat Me: IFBB Pro Josh Jewett is a thinking man’s bodybuilder. Taking into account satiety and boredom in addition to the robotic construction of daily and weekly calorie margins, Jewett shares some of his favorite hacks for curating a breakfast perfect for a “get-shredded” type of cut.

💤 Sleep on This: According to a recent study, you might want to rethink those late-night gym sessions if you want more restful sleep.

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