🏋️‍♂️ Romanian deadlifts vs. stiff-legged deadlifts

POWERED BY:

Today’s newsletter is presented by Tiege Hanley, makers of a range of products designed to get your skin looking and feeling better than ever. Right now, Tiege Hanley is offering BarBend Newsletter readers their first box 30% off, plus a free gift, then 20% off for life.

Here’s what we’ve got to end your week with:

• Stopping the confusion between the Romanian and stiff-legged deadlifts

• How to gain muscle without a bulk

• How many calories do you burn while walking?

Exercise Selection

When Romanians Are Romanians

Confusion often abounds in the world of lifting heavy weights. Frequent queries include the difference between volume and workload, perceived max vs. true max, and whether to use high reps or high weight. Much like the there/their/they’re misappropriation common on the internet, it’s time to stop the misunderstanding between the Romanian deadlift (RLD) and the stiff-legged deadlift (SLDL).

In a sentence, the RDL involves beginning from a standing position with a weight or weights in hand, hinging at the hips to stretch the posterior chain, and standing back up again. Starting the movement standing up allows you to play to your strengths by beginning with the exercise’s eccentric (or lowering) phase, where most people are strongest.

A stiff-legged deadlift, on the other hand, is simply that: deadlifting with your knees stiffer (as in, straighter) than you normally would, and often a bit straighter than you’d see during the RDL. However, the primary difference is that SLDLs start with the weight on the floor.

So, yes, the lifts are similar but not identical. It’s important to know the differences because they can both greatly help your fitness goals.

From Our Sponsor

Great Skin Without the Guesswork

Tiege Hanley is on a mission to take the guesswork out of everyday skin care with a curated system designed to help you look and feel great.

With their Essential Routine, there’s no need to deal with confusing collections or an array of unfamiliar products. This set comes with everything you need for healthy skin, including:

• Daily face wash

• 2x per week exfoliating scrub

• AM moisturizer with SPF 20

• PM moisturizer

Better yet, Tiege Hanley's kits contain an instruction card detailing each product and how it can be used. Simply order one, follow the instructions, and you'll be feeling great and looking even better in no time.

More than 10,000 customers have rated the kits five stars, praising their simplicity and effectiveness, as well as their extra benefits for members.

Now is your chance to see what all the buzz is about. Tiege Hanley is offering BarBend Newsletter readers their first box 30% off, plus a free gift, then 20% off for life.

Muscle Building

Big Without Bulk

Bulking phases aren’t for everyone. The swollen face, constant sweating, and the inability to use a toilet without backing it up for days are some of the greatest impediments to traditional muscle growth. Wouldn’t the world be a much more swole place if you could gain muscle without the growing pains of a bulking phase? Below, we break down fitness influencer Jeremy Ethier’s blueprint for gaining muscle without a full-blown bulking cycle.

The good news is that the calories you need over baseline don’t need to be extreme. Your surplus can be as low as 200-500 calories — basically an extra serving of chicken breast. This protocol limits fast gain, making your pre-summer cut easier for showing off those diced-up abs at the beach. Don’t deny your body its sun-bathed muscles because you don’t think you can bulk; get them anyway.

Cardio

Walk It Off

In a world of desk jobs, commutes by car, and a general lack of non-interstate infrastructure, walking has become a hot topic in the weight-loss world. But is walking 10,000 steps a day really the key to containing and eliminating that pesky belly fat, or is it just like flossing (a good habit)? How many calories does walking actually burn?

Well, since a calorie is a unit of energy, you can mentally compare the energy demands required of walking compared to more arduous tasks. Remember that walking is almost infinitely scalable; changing speed, incline (like a 12/3/30 walking workout), or wearing a rucksack or weight vest will challenge your heart to perfuse your body far more than taking a gentle stroll.

Take a walk on the wild side and challenge yourself to be more bipedal.

Everything Else

Bleating Calves

• The calf raise is pretty much the main event when it comes to growing these stubborn little leg muscles. Get the full tutorial — along with some helpful variations — in our full breakdown.

• Mitchell Hooper gets into the meaty subject of hysterical strength — the acts of obscene physical ability demonstrated by people under extreme circumstances.

• Sometimes a cause for drama, the 2024 World's Strongest Man television special events have been announced for competitors and viewers alike to plan for. Check them out.