💪 5 Punishing Leg Workouts for Supercharged Gains

Today’s newsletter is presented by Wellcore. If you’re dealing with low testosterone, take advantage of Wellcore’s hormone optimization plan today. And right now, use code BARVIP to get $150 off Wellcore's painless at-home assessment kit.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• The chest workout Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford is using this off-season

• Five free lower-body workouts for leg development

• Why thousands of gym enthusiasts crashed a website over a coffee mug

WORKOUT

Chest Day Buffet 

Derek Lunsford shocked the bodybuilding world this past November when he beat out defending champ Hadi Choopan to become the 2023 Mr. Olympia. That said, Lunsford knows he still has work to do, starting with adding some size to his chest.

However, Lunsford is taking a different approach to targeting and strengthening his pecs. Rather than relying on traditional free-weight barbell movements like bench press, he's focusing on machine movements for better isolation. Watch Lunsford demonstrate his revamped chest program in the article below.

FROM OUR SPONSOR

Feel Young Again

As you get older, your hormone levels decline. This can cause all sorts of problems, like moodiness, low libido, loss of energy, weight gain, disrupted sleep, loss of muscle, and so much more. You can combat these effects with Wellcore At-Home Hormone Optimization.

Wellcore’s program lets you combat common issues caused by aging without leaving the house. First, you order their Assessment Kit and collect your own blood sample using a painless device (no needle fear here!) Send it to Wellcore and the lab will analyze 22 biomarkers. Then, you’ll video chat with a Wellcore hormone specialist, and based on your lab results, they will create a personalized plan to restore your hormones.

If you're a good candidate for it, you’ll get three months of hormone treatment shipped directly to your home. Boosting your hormones can improve strength, fat loss, bone density, libido, blood sugar, mood, sleep, and more. Best of all, the program is backed by 120 scientific studies. Real science. Real results.

Right now, Wellcore is treating BarBend readers like VIPs. Use code BARVIP to order Wellcore's Painless At-Home Assessment Kit for only $49 (a whopping $150 off) today.

TRAINING

Lower Body Galore

Developing a powerful lower body is vital to crafting a well-rounded physique and adding some extra oomph to those all-important full-body compound moves like the deadlift. To achieve this, you need to incorporate a variety of equipment, such as dumbbells, barbells, and machines, into your workout routine. With this array of equipment, you can effectively target and engage your quads, hamstrings, and glutes by performing squats, lunges, and other essential movements. 

But the equipment and movements you include in your leg program should align with your specific goals: weight loss, strength, hypertrophy, etc. We’ve curated five distinct lower-body workouts to guide you through this process. Check them out below.

FEATURED

Mug Half Full

In a playful April Fool’s Day post earlier in the year, strength equipment company Eleiko went on social media with a picture of the Heavy Mug, a stylish and functional 18-pound (8.5-kilogram) coffee vessel designed to “make everyday life heavier.” It wasn't designed to be a real product until fan demand convinced the company to actually produce the thing.

But once orders for the mug went live, Eleiko’s operations crumbled under the weight of thousands of zealous gym rats piling over one another trying to purchase one. Their website crashed. Orders went unfulfilled. Some lifelong customers swore off Eleiko forever. 

It was one of the strangest fitness stories of the year, and we’re recounting the whole sordid tale below.

THE DROPSET

Biggest. Arnold. Ever

• We finally know the rosters for the Arnold Classic bodybuilding show in March 2024, and it might be one of the most stacked contests in recent memory. 

• Preacher curls are designed to bring your biceps through a greater range of motion. Learn how to add them to your arm day correctly. 

• Learn more about the career of Francielle Mattos, the dominant face of the Wellness division.