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Mike O’Hearn And Joseph Baena Team Up For ‘Old-School’ Back Workout
Mike O’Hearn shares the secret to longevity with Joseph Baena and viewers.
Healthy muscles lead to longevity in the gym. If there is one man who knows about this, it is Mike O’Hearn. At 53 years old, O’Hearn has maintained an insane physique and continues to be a force in the gym. Recently, he joined Joseph Baena to go through a bay workout that will help keep muscles in good shape long term.
O’Hearn has a long history as a bodybuilder, actor, and model thanks to his shredded build. He is a four-time Mr. Universe champion and has been on the cover of many fitness magazines. Baena is the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and clearly has a passion for fitness like his father. He has spoken on how he has made his way into the gym on many occasions and is building an impressive physique that is helping on the big screen as well.
LISTEN: The Mike O’Hearn Show | Generation Iron Network Podcast
This is not the first time that Mike O’Hearn and Joseph Baena have worked out together. Just a couple weeks ago, the duo met for an arm workout featuring some supersets that will add size. Now, they decided to hit back.
Image via Instagram @projoe2
Mike O’Hearn Wants Joseph Baena To Be Lifting In His 70’s
There comes a point where Mike O’Hearn believes that it is about building healthy muscles and keeping your body in shape. That can start early and is what he is preaching to Joseph Baena here.
“You’re in your 20s, I want you lifting at 75. At some point, you’re going to go, ‘the muscle is cool and everything, but I want healthy arms and shoulders.”
O’Hearn shared the video to his YouTube account. During the session, the two shared different insights on the best way to perform the exercise. It began with wide-grip pull-ups and bent over barbell rows.
“A little bit more, just that squeeze at the top. Instead of it being flat, I’d like to pop it all the way back. Almost like you’re posting from the back,” Mike O’Hearn said.
This is one of the exercises that O’Hearn believes is connected to longevity. Young lifters are training to build bigger muscles that are tailored to bodybuilding but he believes that healthy muscles and joints are more important long term.
As the two continue to perform the bent over rows while standing on a bench, they discuss different techniques. O’Hearn speaks on how keeping the back stiff will make the exercise safer.
“You create stiffness prior to the exercise, prior to lifting it. He created stiffness in the back and then he pulled here. It’s creating the stiffness that keeps you safe. It’s not the actual position. It’s the stiffness within the position,” Mike O’Hearn said.
“It’s really the stretch that’s the game changer. I feel like it’s the whole back stretching not just the upper lats.” Joseph Baena said.
Mike O’Hearn has created many workouts using his old-school mentality and it has worked like a charm. He continues to share wisdom with the next generation.
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PNBA Natural Olympia Classic Physique Champ Derek Joe’s Top 3 Exercises
Image via Instagram @djoe.hype
PNBA Natural Olympia Classic Physique champ Derek Joe performs his top 3 exercises a week out from Natural Universe.
The reigning Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) Natural Olympia Classic Physique champ Derek Joe crushes a workout a week out from Natural Universe. Pro/Am Natural Universe takes place in Tampa, FL, on September 2-3, 2022. Derek Joe shared a physique update with us a couple of weeks ago to show how his preparation for the show’s been going. And recently, he may have performed his final leg workout before this huge natural bodybuilding event.
Iron Man Magazine uploaded a clip of Derek Joe performing his top 3 exercises. Iron Man Magazine’s social media post said:
“Here are the top three exercises of raining PNBA Natural Olympia Classic Physique Champion @djoe.hype
Squats: compound movement, strengthens core, and burns a lot of calories, develops glutes and legs.
RDL with a toe lift: it create a little bit more instability by lifting the toes versus having them flat on the floor, but it does allow you to sit back into your hips and maintain a proper hip hinge movement and is a good exercise for a beginner learning how to dead lift.
The Bulgarian split squat: Single leg functional movement done with the rear leg up on a bench. It’s a great alternative to doing a squat if you have a lower back injury. Since you are using one leg at a time the overload on the legs will be much less, but still as effective.
This will more than likely be his final leg workout before the @inbapnbaglobal_official Natural Universe in one week!?”
You can see Derek Joe doing these movements below.
Top 3 Exercises
To build a physique like Joe, the workouts he makes a regular part of his routine are paramount. Derek Joe’s top 3 exercises are the squat, Romanian deadlift (RDL), and Bulgarian split squat.
Squat
It’s no surprise that the exercise regarded by many (other than deadlifts) ranks as one of Joe’s top exercises. Squats let you place a heavy load on your back to strengthen and build muscle in your entire lower body–glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Because this movement allows you to use a heavy weight and target all the muscles in your lower body, it’s one of the best exercises you can do to build a muscular physique.
Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
The RDL develops your posterior chain muscles (back, hamstrings, glutes). Compared to the conventional deadlift, this movement’s decreased range of motion–starting with weight held in front of hips– will place less strain on your back and engage your hamstrings more.
Bulgarian Split Squat
This unilateral (single-limb) leg movement improves your balance, core, knee, and hip stability. Plus, since it’s a unilateral movement, it will give you a better mind-muscle connection and help you fix lagging muscles. The Bulgarian split squat will target all the muscles in your legs like standard squats, but it will put your core into overdrive.
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Jay Cutler Shows Off Lying French Press, Discusses Benefits When Growing Triceps
Jay Cutler explained the difference between the Lying French Press and Skull Crusher.
Jay Cutler is one of the top bodybuilders of all-time and continues to share his wisdom on different workouts. This time, he highlighted an exercise. The four-time Olympia champion recently showed off the Lying French Press and how it is used to grow triceps.
The French Press and skull crusher are two very similar exercises that pump triceps using extension and stretching. For his “tip of the day,” Cutler demonstrated the Lying French Press using a cambered bar.
“So tip of the day today. It is going to be skull crushers or this is called the French press. So this is for the triceps. I can do this with either a straight bar, cambered bars, dumbbells, cables.”
What Is The French Press?
The French Press is a similar motion to the Skull Crusher. It can be performed with many types of bars, with the hands being extended over the shoulders. When the bar is lowered, it goes behind the head and near the top of the back. This is be done with one or two hands when using a dumbbell.
“This is going to give us an extension of the tricep, okay. Anytime you train tricep, we do a lot of pushdowns or you do kickbacks or some kind of extension.”
The French Press can be performed in a standing or seated position. This exercise provides a greater stretch as the bar goes lower and puts more strain on the long head of the tricep.
In the video, Cutler opts to lie further up on the bench. This means his head and shoulders are lower than his back. The range of motion differs from a Skull Crusher and is more challenging. The bar does not go below the forehead as Cutler lowers it each rep.
“I am going to focus on 12 repetitions, 80 pounds and I am going to use a cambered bar,” Cutler explained.
The overall benefits of the French Press is the fact that it isolates the triceps and hits all areas. The exercise activates stabilizers in both the upper and lower body, which helps in many other areas. It can add size and strength during the exercise and should be added to arm days.
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Liver King Wants To Talk About Lifestyle Face-To-Face With Joe Rogan: ‘I Want the Opportunity To Go On His Show’
Liver King wants to discuss the nine ancestral traits, criticism with Joe Rogan.
Liver King has become an insane social media sensation for building a shredded physique using his lifestyle of nine ancestral traits. Since he emerged into the limelight, he has taken on a lot of criticism because many do not believe that he can live the way that he does. Of course, this includes Joe Rogan.
Currently, there is no podcast more successful than the The Joe Rogan Experience. He has built a strong following and has on some elite guests. Liver King would like to be one of those guests in order to have a face-to-face conversation about his comments in the past.
Rogan has said in the past that Liver King must be taking steroids to build the physique that he has. He claims that he has “an ass fun of steroids.” Since then, Liver King has refuted these claims and now wants the chance to discuss it with Joe Rogan.
Liver King Wants The Chance To Set The Record Straight
Liver King has dealt with claims that he is on steroids and has gotten many implants, such as his hair and abs. Rogan has made comments on his physique on multiple occasions but Liver King has held firm. He recently joined The Diary of a CEO to make comments.
“What I want is the opportunity to correct that. I want the opportunity to go on his show, and talk face to face,” Liver King said.
When someone takes on the lifestyle that Liver King does, there is going to be some criticism. He not only does this with his diet, Liver King does not sleep in a bed and goes against many other tactics that humans have grown accustomed to.
“At the end of the day, there is a lot of hate and criticism, and when I say a lot, it’s probably about 5% of the vocal minority… When we talk to each other these are just words and these are vibrations that go into our ears and then our brain assigns meaning to it. Nobody can really offend you.”
Liver King Wants The Attention To Share His Ways
Usually, criticism comes with negative feelings from those who are receiving it. As for Liver King, he wants the attention, especially from the platform that Joe Rogan is on.
“I’ve entered his ecosystem. Joe Rogan is talking about Liver King. You know how obscure I was to most of his audience before he’s talking about me. So, I love it. Now I have the opportunity to engage deeper with this idea. I think it’s dangerous when somebody points a finger and has a self-limiting belief about themselves or somebody else or anything for that matter.”
Liver King has said that claims like this can be dangerous, especially if it tarnishes the reputation of another. This is the main reason he wants to join Joe Rogan on his podcast. One thing we do know is that if this collab happens, it be will extremely entertaining to hear.
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James Hollingshead Looks Insane 4 Weeks Out From Arnold Classic UK
James Hollingshead looks unreal weeks out from the Arnold Classic UK.
Top British bodybuilder James Hollingshead is looking incredible weeks out from the Arnold Classic UK. Ahead of one of the biggest shows in the bodybuilding world, Hollingshead is showcasing a world class physique. He has the capability to challenge some of the best of the best at the Olympia.
One of the most promising bodybuilders in the world today, James Hollingshead has proven time and again to be a talented bodybuilder. Having a solid amount of muscle on his frame, great proportions and balanced symmetry, Hollingshead has the makings of a top five bodybuilder. With the talented athlete stating that he won’t be competing for much longer, it feels like it’s now or never for the British powerhouse.
With just weeks to go until the Arnold Classic UK, James Hollingshead appears to be pulling out all the stops in his preparation. Recent Posts to his social media shows a bodybuilder prepared to obliterate the field and stake his claim as one of the best in the world.
Jacked Back
When you hit the skate park after meal two and the gym after meal three
Great session at cojos today
Best back session for a while I think
Few minor adjustments to bring it on for the show in 4 weeks ?
Incredible Condition Weeks Out
Clearly we can see that James Hollingshead has what it takes to win at the Arnold Classic UK. This update just four weeks out from the event shows that Hollingshead is the clear favorite to obtain victory.
Good but not ready yet
4 weeks tomorrow
Like I said I’m chasing a look and not a date. I will not be rushed. I Will not be pressured..I will steer the ship and when I arrive where I wish to I’ll be happy that I did it that way
Bodybuilding is what I do daily and to enjoy it I will never again let it be a weight on my shoulders
I will allow it to be what I wish for it to be and nothing more
It’s my time on this earth not Bodybuildings
Be in control and do it how you find the most entertaining
To do anything that makes you feel otherwise is pointless at 33… haha I’ve been doing this long enough to make it my bitch ?
Have a good day all and remember no pressure.. you are your own master.
How Far Can He Go?
If James Hollingshead is able to win at the Arnold Classic UK then he’ll punch his ticket to the Olympia. If he’s able to do that he has a real chance to make waves at the Olympia. Don’t be surprised if he’s able to break into the top five.
What do you think of James Hollingshead and his current physique?
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News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Eddie Hall’s Epic Full Day Of Eating For His Strongman Comeback Crams 4,600 Calories Into Just Three Meals
Image via Eddie Hall’s YouTube channel
This is what Eddie Hall eats to bulk up for his strongman return.
Prepping for his return to strongman, Eddie Hall has revealed his full day diet to build back his monster size in a recent video published on his YouTube channel. Hall is a legendary strongman known best for his enormous size. He was so massive in his prime that he was dubbed “The Beast” – weighing in at about 400 pounds.
Eddie Hall took time away from strongman to prep for his much publicized boxing match against fellow strongman Hafthor Bjornsson. The two focused on transforming their physiques (and tactics) to best prepare for boxing in the ring. Thor ultimately shredded off many more pounds with Hall focusing more on power over speed. However, Hall still trimmed down and showed off an incredibly shredded physique considering a starting point of 400 pounds.
Now that the boxing match is behind him, Eddie Hall has dedicated himself to returning for a special strongman comeback. He plans to compete in the 2022 Giants Live World’s Strongest Nation on November 26, 2022. That means he has been spending time bulking back up to prepare for the contest.
While bulking on some massive calories isn’t uncommon even in the bodybuilding world. Eddie Hall seems to place his 4,600 calorie diet into just three meals. Three massive meals. The diet even includes a meal he dubs the “beast burger.” You might get full just watching the whole video – which you can see below:
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Meal 1 (Breakfast)
Eddie Hall started his morning with a protein shake consisting of milk, peanut butter, bananas, chocolate spread and protein powder. He states that he throws in about 65 grams of protein into the mix.
During his breakfast routine, he also hops on the scale to check in on his weight. He comes in weighing at about 354 pounds. This is already a big step up from his weight during his boxing debut. But he still wants to pack on more weight before the big strongman return.
Meal 2 (Lunch)
Eddie Hall’s lunch consisted of chicken wraps cut into small pieces with scissors. He also cut up onions, tomatoes, and coriander all packed into the wraps. Between the wraps and his breakfast shake – he accounts for consuming about 2,800 calories up until that point. Protein count came to about 305 grams.
Meal 3 (Dinner)
This is where the infamous “beast burgers” come into play. Eddie Hall prepped two burgers and added sauce, tomatoes, and cheese. He also had potato chips/fries on the side. Unfortunately, his planned bacon didn’t make it into the meal – as he burned the strips.
All combined the full day of eating came to 4,600 calories and 385 grams of protein. While not an enormous amount for a large athlete – to combine this into just three meals is quite impressive.
What is even more impressive is how far off this diet is compared to his more active prime years. This comeback diet is essentially a “light” version of what he used to consume. Since winning the World’s Strongest Man in 2017, Hall claimed he would step down from the sport to focus on his health. It’s unclear if this special comeback will lead to motivation for more shows in the future.
In either case, his soft comeback of 4,600 calories is more than most average humans would ever put their stomach through. We’re happy to see Eddie Hall still living life as “The Beast” in some fashion. And we can’t wait to see how he performs later this year.
Stay tuned to the Generation Iron Fitness Network for updates on Eddie Hall’s comeback progress and also for news on all things bodybuilding, strength sports, and fitness.
Kai – The Kai Green Story Debuts As Top 5 Documentary
The Kai Greene life story documentary, Kai, earns a top 5 documentary debut on the iTunes digital charts.
The wait is over. Kai – the Kai Green feature film documentary – is now available on all major digital platforms. And it looks like the film has made a splash receiving a top five documentary debut on the iTunes charts. If you haven’t had a chance to watch the film yet – you can order your digital copy right here.
The film’s rise in the charts continues to the trend of bodybuilding entertainment becoming more accepted in mainstream culture. One that has seen many bodybuilding storylines adapted into feature narrative films and TV shows.
Kai Greene is arguably one of the most complex bodybuilding legends in the history of the sport. Not only did he have a unique personality that literally shined on the stage (in the form of his unique posing routines), he also had a mysterious past that was never directly addressed in public. Instead, Greene would use art to express his reflections of the past. Art via sculpting his own physique, or through his posing routines, or through his paintings and later comic books, or through a live experimental stage play.
Kai Greene is a bodybuilding powerhouse, wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in an artist. It’s not surprising that this combination made him one of the most memorable athletes in the sport’s history. Now for the first time ever – fans will get to understand the truth behind the mind of this mysterious legendary bodybuilder.
Kai promises to be an all-encompassing deep dive into the life story of Kai Greene. Not only will the film chronicle his entire bodybuilding career, including his entertaining and bitter rivalry with Phil Heath, but it will also explore Greene’s childhood and struggles before bodybuilding. The film promises to be the most direct reflection on the past, present, and future of Kai Greene than ever before seen.
That fact becomes all the more clearer with the release of the latest Kai trailer. Kai Greene was interviewed for over 20 hours over the course of production – peeling down and exploring the ultimate truth behind the legend that is Kai Greene.
Kai also features bodybuilding contemporaries such as Mike O’Hearn, Victor Martinez, Rich Gaspari, and long time rival Phil Heath opening up on his relationship with Kai for the first time on film since the original Generation Iron.
Kai Official Synopsis
Kai Greene is one of the biggest modern day legends in bodybuilding both on and off the stage. He’s an athlete, an artist, an actor, and an entrepreneur. But his journey to greatness first started in childhood – when he chose bodybuilding as a form of survival. Growing up in Brooklyn without parents and later locked up in a juvenile correctional facility, bodybuilding became Kai’s source of hope that eventually took him to stardom.
Later in life Kai became one of the most recognizable faces in the fitness industry, praised by Arnold Schwarzenegger himself. His talent was only matched by one singular opponent, his rival and Mr. Olympia champion Phil Heath.
Now witness Kai Greene’s story of survival and climb to success in the first ever all-access documentary chronicling his life and career into the sport of bodybuilding and beyond.
Where To Watch
Kai is directed by Vlad Yudin (Generation Iron, Ronnie Coleman: The King) and produced by both Yudin and Edwin Mejia Jr. (Generation Iron, Ronnie Coleman: The King). It will be executive produced by David Gendron, Russ Riggins, Viviana Zarragoitia, and The Last Dance‘s Matt Maxson.
Kai is available now on all major digital platforms including iTunes, Amazon Prime, and Google Play. You can grab your digital copy right here or by clicking the banner below.
Maximize Your Vascularity
Having big muscles is worthless without vascularity.
Ask any bodybuilder, competitive or otherwise – vascularity is a pretty damn important thing to be concerned with to show off the hard work you’ve gained from countless hours of training. If you don’t know what vascularity is (you definitely should) – it’s when your veins bulge out to the point where your skin looks so thin that maximum muscle definition shows through. Of course, this is paramount for bodybuilders and anyone to be shredded. So how do you increase your vascularity to get that veiny and shredded look you seek? Take a look below and get enlightened.
Body Fat for Vascularity
This one doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out. Keep your body fat in check if you want to see those veins pop. Low body fat levels are the most critical factor for showing more vascularity. The leaner you are, the more your veins will show. That’s why you can see bodybuilders’ veins like crazy when they’re on stage–it’s when they’re the leanest and hovers around 5-7% body fat.
Of course, you don’t need to be quite that low if you want your veins to pop. Once you cut down to 15% body fat, you’ll start noticing more veins in your arms. But if you want to be veiny, get your body fat percentage below ten percent, and you’ll be golden. Single-digit numbers aren’t easy to obtain, but they’re the gateway to vascularity.
Cardio for Vascularity
Although low body fats are essential for being veiny, other aspects play a crucial role. For example, cardiovascular exercise will help pump blood into your muscles and reduce water retention in the body, which in turn means more vascularity (1). Water build-up outside the muscle will make it harder to see the muscles underneath, so ensure you maintain a good cardio routine.
Moderate cardio for 20-30 minutes on a cardio machine 2-3 days a week or longer walks for 30 minutes to an hour daily will suffice, but if you want to really make sure you increase your vascularity, do higher-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts for 15-30 minutes a couple of times a week. Due to the intensity of these exercises, your cardio output will be higher, meaning your cardiovascular system will have to pump more blood through your veins, increasing vascularity.
Weight Training
Weight training is a must for vascularity. When you lift weights, you’ll increase your blood flow to your muscles, known as the “pump” in bodybuilding. This is when your muscles are noticeably larger, and you can see every vein in your body. Plus, lifting weights will lower your body fat and build muscle. And to our first point, the lower your body fat, the more your veins pop.
Diet Plan
Another way to gain vascularity is to keep the right diet plan. For example, if you want to look more shredded, you better lower your sodium intake. Why? Well, if you don’t, you run the risk of water retention, which we already explained was pretty damn crucial for looking shredded. But, of course, that’s because the more sodium you intake and have floating in your body, the more water you’ll retain. So avoid foods high in sodium, such as pizza, wings, fries, and burgers (so pretty much all processed foods). Instead, choose healthy whole foods, like fruits, potatoes, rice, avocados, and chicken.
Body Temperature
This one might surprise you. Your body temperature has a lot to do with vascularity as well. The colder your body is, the more your blood flow travels inwards to keep your organs warm. But, on the flip side, the higher your body temperature, the more the blood flows outwards to the skin and muscles, causing you to have a more vascular and shredded appearance (2). So when summertime hits and you’re working hard in the gym, expect to turn heads when your veins and muscles bulge. But, of course, you can also hop in a hot bath or sauna.
Of course, another practical approach would be to consume hot beverages and foods, such as tea, coffee, and soup. And you can also increase your body temperature by putting on layers of clothing and doing a HIIT cardio session; think UFC fighters before weigh-ins.
Creatine
Now I know what you’re going to say, creatine causes water retention, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Water retention can make it harder for your muscles to be visible. But in this case, the water retention happens within the muscle cells (known as intracellular water retention) rather than outside them. That makes a difference when it comes to getting those bulging veins.
That said, creatine won’t necessarily increase your vascularity, but it won’t prevent it either. And in fact, multiple studies support its effectiveness in helping to build lean muscle mass when combined with strength training (3). And the more muscle you have, the lower your body fat and the veinier you’ll be.
Hydration
With all this talk of water retention, why the hell would we suggest you drink water? Well, here’s the secret: dehydration is a significant cause of water retention in the body. This might sound counterintuitive – but you’re made up of about seventy percent water, and if you don’t ingest water, then your body will get it from somewhere. When it does, it’ll fill your skin with water. So drink half an ounce of water per pound of your body weight each day, and your vascularity will be improved for it.
Also, you’ll want to avoid activities and foods that can cause dehydration. So avoid overly sweating without getting enough fluids in your body. And foods high in sodium (processed foods), sugary drinks, caffeine, alcohol, soy, and too much protein can all lead to dehydration. Also, certain medications and vomiting or diarrhea can cause dehydration too.
Genetics
Let’s face it; it’s the unavoidable truth, the one fact that always manages to rear its ugly head. Genetics plays a significant role in your ability to become vascular. It’s not impossible, but it helps if you naturally have an affinity for becoming more shredded (4). Don’t fret if you’re not genetically gifted like Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can do plenty via diet, exercise, and following other tips in this article to increase your vascularity.
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References
Nystoriak, M. A., & Bhatnagar, A. (2018). Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine, 5, 135. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2018.00135
Heinonen, I., Brothers, R. M., Kemppainen, J., Knuuti, J., Kalliokoski, K. K., & Crandall, C. G. (2011). Local heating, but not indirect whole body heating, increases human skeletal muscle blood flow. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 111(3), 818–824. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00269.2011
Chilibeck, P. D., Kaviani, M., Candow, D. G., & Zello, G. A. (2017). Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Open access journal of sports medicine, 8, 213–226. https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S123529
Verbrugge, S., Schönfelder, M., Becker, L., Yaghoob Nezhad, F., Hrabě de Angelis, M., & Wackerhage, H. (2018). Genes Whose Gain or Loss-Of-Function Increases Skeletal Muscle Mass in Mice: A Systematic Literature Review. Frontiers in physiology, 9, 553. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00553
PNBA Athlete Joe Carabase Shares 6 Exercises to Explode Your Shoulders and Biceps
Image via Instagram @joecarabase
PNBA athlete Joe Carabase has 6 movements for you if you want bigger biceps and shoulders.
Muscular biceps and shoulders vastly enhance your physique. The more muscle you have in your shoulders, the broader you are, and of course, the more muscles you have in your biceps, the better flexes you can do. Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) athlete Joe Carabase has 3 shoulder exercises and 3 biceps exercises that you should try for your next arm workout.
Joe Carabase recently made his pro debut in the PNBA at INBA PNBA Pro/Am Internationals in Oakville, CT, on August 20th, 2022. He received second in his division and looks ahead to make improvements for Pro/Am Natural Universe in Tampa, FL, on September 2-3.
Of course, Carabase’s muscular and ripped biceps and shoulder played a crucial part in becoming a professional natural bodybuilder and placing well at his recent show. Fortunately, Carabase shared 3 shoulders and biceps exercises on his social media that anyone can add to their routine. Carabase stated:
“These 3 variations kicked my a$$ today!
1). Arnold Press
2). Viking Press (I used Hack Squat today)
3). Reverse Press —-this one! And @bgf_lirio got me doing reps for dayyyyyyyys.”
“Hit this Biceps Tri-Set to DEFINE your arms! The name of this game is VOLUME.
Hit 45 seconds per exercise per arm, rest only 15 seconds for 3 total rounds:
1). Seated hammer curl
2). Concentration curls
3). Supine curls”
Joe Carabara’s 6 Exercises
Joe Caraba performed Arnold, Viking, and reverse press for his shoulders. And seated hammer curl, concentration curls, and supine curls for his biceps.
Arnold Press
They don’t call it “Arnold” press for nothing. This movement hits multiple angles of your deltoids and allows you to use moderately heavy weight. It separates this one from others because it will enable you to activate all three deltoid muscles–posterior, lateral, and anterior.
Viking Press
Viking press is another shoulder exercise that doesn’t coin its name for anything. Viking presses will give you a massive boost in your shredding and growing shoulders. In addition, this movement removes wrist pain from the equation, placing more tension on your core and less stress on your back.
Reverse Press
The starting position to this one is similar to the Arnold press (palms facing you), except you won’t be externally rotating when you press up. So it’s pretty much the exact opposite of a standard shoulder press.
Hammer Curl
This biceps movement is a neutral grip (palms facing each other), so it builds your forearms and allows you to use a heavier weight. Plus, it reduces wrist pain compared to standard biceps curls.
Concentration Curls
This great stabilizing and isolation bicep movement allows an excellent mind-muscle connection to strengthen each side of your biceps and correct any lagging muscle.
Supine Curls
Since this movement is seated, it will prevent other muscle groups from aiding you during the lift and force your biceps to lift the weight. A supinated grip (palms facing up) will target your biceps’ short head.
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Phil Heath’s 2022 Mr. Olympia Predictions: Hadi Choopan & Brandon Curry Can Beat Big Ramy
7x Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champ Phil Heath believes Hadi Choopan has the slight edge over Brandon Curry to possibly beat Big Ramy at The 2022 Mr. Olympia.
7x Mr. Olympia Phil Heath has revealed his initial predictions for the 2022 Mr. Olympia. In a recent video interview, Heath goes into detail about the current Olympia lineup and predicts that both Hadi Choopan and Brandon Curry have potential to defeate Big Ramy “if he leaves the door open.” Heath ultimately gives a slight edge to Choopan based on what he’s seen recently.
While it still might be a bit early to be making predictions for the 2022 Mr. Olympia, when a 7x Mr. Olympia legend speaks – you start to listen. In prep for his upcoming commentary duties this year, Phil Heath took part in an extensive interview discussing the current Olympia lineup and who has the most potential to win the trophy. He gives a deep analysis of Big Ramy and also his thoughts on the few who could possibly disrupt his reign.
There has been much talk about the rising tide of young bodybuilders finally coming into their own. Nick Walker has been the most hyped rising star – with some even believing the can take the entire Olympia title this year. Other notable mentions are Hunter Labrada, Andrew Jacked, and newcomer Michal Krizo – who has yet to earn his IFBB Pro card but is hyped by many including Jay Cutler.
However, at this moment, Phil Heath still believes that the old guard will hold onto their positions this year. Heath acknowledges the strong and deep talent of the young rising stars – but believes that last year’s top three will still be the ones to bring the most heat. Specifically, he believes that Hadi Choopan and Brandon Curry are the two best bets to win the 2022 Mr. Olympia – that is if Big Ramy slips up.
You can check out the full video below:
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Phil Heath’s predictions on who can defeat Big Ramy at the 2022 Mr. Olympia
Phil Heath starts off discussing Big Ramy himself – who he still believes is the top contender to win the Mr. Olympia this year. He only believes that Ramy will fall behind if he “leaves the door open.” What does he mean by that? Not making enough improvements. Heath – like many other bodybuilders – acknowledges that the judges expect a returning Olympia champion to not only look the same but look even better than the previous year. If Ramy can’t pull that off, he leaves the door open for others to slip in.
This led to Phil Heath being asked who could possibly take down Big Ramy if he left that door open. Heath sticks with consistency and looks towards the top placings last year – Hadi Choopan and Brandon Curry.
“You gotta go with the top three. You got to go with Brandon and Hadi. That was who was in the mix last year. I would say based on what I saw recently, Hadi. I’m not biased because I’ve worked with Hany. That dude has some serious muscle. All it takes is for Ramy to slip. We saw that happen last year. He wasn’t better than when he won his first one.”
However, Phil Heath also points out that there is a world of difference between seeing a physique in person versus in photos or video. Heath hasn’t seen every single of the top contenders in person – which he admits creates a wild card in his predictions.
“Usually, if you leave the door open for two years, things can happen right. This is what sucks by not being there live and just seeing pictures and some video. I haven’t seen Nick Walker in person. I’ve not seen him compete in person. Of course, you’re going to lean towards him being a disruptor. No question about it. I believe he is the youngest disruptor out of anyone in the world.”
Phil Heath points out Nick Walker as having real potential to disrupt this year’s Mr. Olympia. But he falls short of saying he could win – in part because he has not seen Walker in person himself.
Phil Heath shares his opinion of Michal Krizo’s physique
Phil Heath also touches base on the latest hyped athlete of the season – Michal Krizo. Originally an IFBB Elite Pro competitor, Krizo recently announced he would be moving to the IFBB Pro league. He has yet to earn his pro card but the hype is so strong with him that some believe he will become pro and qualify for Mr. Olympia in time to compete in 2022.
While Heath sees why Krizo has earned the hype, he also thinks that it’s too soon to really expect him to do any major damage this year. Phil Heath believes that Michal Krizo still has some holes in his physique.
“What I saw, he [Michal Krizo] looked great. When he was at Gold’s Venice and Jay was with him and stuff, I thought he looked really good, but I do see holes in the physique. I see holes in everything right. I think he definitely needs to work on his presentation. Even when you research his contest videos, he can’t hold poses very long. Just look at the tape.”
It’s fantastic to see Phil Heath really take on the role of a bodybuilding analyst (and future commentator) for the sport of bodybuilding. His thoughtful analysis of the current lineup of competitors is exactly the kind of conversation that helps raise the stakes for the upcoming Mr. Olympia.
That being said, Phil Heath may be commentating this year – but that doesn’t mean he won’t be returning to compete again. He has been silent about any plans but a recent post claiming, “I ain’t done yet. I’m just getting started,” gives fans hope that he will hit the stage again in the future.
Stay tuned to the Generation Iron Fitness Network for more news and updates on all things bodybuilding as we get closer to the 2022 Mr. Olympia.