Reviews

Fringe Sport recently dropped the mic with their triple release of the new Lone Star Power Bar, the Longhorn Buffalo Bar, and the CeraColt Olympic Bar. Looking at their full barbell lineup, I think they may have just added three new starters to the roster. I've owned the original Fringe Sport Power Bar for over a year - this new bar...

Don't look now, but Bells of Steel is quickly making a name for themselves in the gym equipment industry. Originally launched as a Canadian company in 2010 selling kettlebells, the company has greatly increased its product catalog to include racks, bars, plates, benches, etc... Not only that, but they've also expanded into the United States with their warehouse in Indianapolis, IN. This...

Let's play a quick game of word association... When you read the word below, what's the first thing that comes to your mind... 'Rower.' If you thought 'Concept 2', you're likely in the majority. By the way, 'brutal' is another that popped into my mind. Back to Concept 2 though - they've been dominating the rower scene for decades. You'll find their rowers in...

Let me ask you a question... When was the last time you trained your neck? Last week? Last month? Longer? Maybe never? Let's face it, neck training isn't high on the priority list for a lot of athletes, and certainly not your every day Jimmy and Joe. It's not really a "sexy" muscle group like the abs, pecs, etc... Why even bother, amirite? Well... no. Neck...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're reading this review and you're looking for a buffalo bar, odds are you have shoulder mobility issues, elbow pain, or possibly some wrist problems. Maybe you're just looking for some additional variety in your training, deeper range of motion on bench, etc... Either way, the buffalo bar is an excellent choice. Historically, mainstream "bow...

You know that feeling you get when you realize that you just discovered the best ______ (insert thing) you've ever had/used/tasted/etc...? Feels pretty cool, right? For me, I knew: That my wife was the greatest woman I had ever met when she showed up to take me to the airport after a couple days of knowing me with a bag of...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... Rep Fitness is making the best benches out there. The quality is top-notch and the prices are great, making them practically unbeatable in terms of value. In the past year, they released and refined their FB-5000 flat bench, which I positively reviewed here. In my opinion, that flat bench is easily the best...

Warning: This review may trigger some readers. Why is that? Well, because it seems belt squats are a bit controversial these days. You've got lever-based belt squats, you've got pulley-based belt squats, and you've got the Squatmax-MD belt squat. Users of each are vying for the right to say their belt squat reigns supreme over the other. In the seven years prior to owning my...

After what felt like an eternity, the aggressive Rep Fitness PowerSpeed bar has arrived! If you got a taste of the Rep stainless steel power bar (review here), you know what I'm talking about. That bar, which released in 2017 offers more of a medium cut. That is, it's not very aggressive. It's a really nice bar, no doubt, but it...

Vulcan Strength, as I've mentioned before, is perennially underrated in the gym equipment space. They make some of my favorite gear, including my #1 pick for a power bar under $350. Recently they've launched their new urethane bumper plates, and overall I'm very impressed. As urethane continues to become more and more popular, it's nice to see some additional options out there,...