Barbell
The loadable bar behind squats, deadlifts, presses and cleans
A seven-foot bar and a set of plates, which is still the best way to add weight in small steps over years. Nothing else loads a squat or a deadlift as well. It needs a rack and floor space, so most people meet one at a gym rather than at home.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- Rhonda PatrickDoes it
Biomedical scientist · FoundMyFitness
Barbell work runs through her strength sessions: front squats off a clean, squats and deadlifts, with pull-ups and ring rows alongside. She loads progressively, light first and heavier after, down to about three reps on her heavy sets.
Source: FoundMyFitness: her strength training and cardio - Pavel TsatsoulineRecommends
Strength coach · StrongFirst
Know your way around a kettlebell, he and Andy Bolton argue in this excerpt from their book, and barbell skills come easier. Their starting point is a partial pull with the bar racked just below the knees, run for sets of five, with deadlifting three days a week that alternates barbell and kettlebell sessions.
Source: StrongFirst: Kettlebell Deadlift to Barbell Deadlift, an excerpt from Deadlift Dynamite
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or longevity.
- Gear$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.
Road bike
Drop-bar bike for long road miles, including time trial builds for racing
Backed by 2 of 62 stacks: 2 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Gear$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.Backed by 1 of 62 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it
- Gear$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Weighted vest or rucksack
Adds load to walking, hiking and carries without needing a gym
Backed by 1 of 62 stacks: 1 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
Backed by 43 of 62 stacks: 37 do it, 4 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein-forward eating
Roughly 1g of protein per pound of target bodyweight, spread across meals
Backed by 21 of 62 stacks: 15 do it, 5 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - Supplement$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein powder
Whey or plant protein used to hit a daily protein target
Backed by 18 of 62 stacks: 13 do it, 3 recommend it, 2 have discussed it
Gear entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.