Barbell Apparel started out as a line of men’s jeans designed for muscular quadriceps. After raising $1 million via a Kickstarter campaign, the founder of the Barbell Appeal, weight lifter Karl Workman of Las Vegas, Nevada, pitched the niche clothing company on Shark Tank in November 2016. Workman went into the Tank seeking an investment of $500,000 in exchange for five percent equity but, alas, he did not leave with a deal. The valuation was a tough sell.
Since Shark Tank, the Barbell Apparel company continues to grow in popularity with more than 164,000 followers on Facebook and 131,000 on Instagram while the clothing regularly receives 5-star reviews. In addition to their signature athletic fit jeans, Barbell Apparel also offers chinos, dress shirts, polo shirts, shorts, and workout tops for men and women.
In April 2018, The New York Post ran an article titled “This is the secret to sticking with your gym routine” which was about a survey conducted by Barbell Apparel. The survey revealed that 79 percent of the people surveyed believe “owning good gym clothes” is an important first step toward accomplishing workout goals. New episodes of Shark Tank air Sundays at 9pm on ABC.
