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Contrast Sets for Maximal Muscle Growth
Contrast Sets for Maximal Muscle Growth
Goal of contrast sets: Increase total power potential through utilization of dynamic/explosive exercises combined with compound strength movements. And of course maximize muscle growth.
The traditional path to building muscle is 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps for 4-6 different exercises. Do this consistently while prioritizing your sleep and protein intake, and you’ll see noticeable gains. While this approach is proven to be effective, overtime it can lead to stagnation or even regression in a lifter’s program due to the lack of strength and power development.
Why Strength and Power Matters for Muscle Mass
When it comes to building muscle, an athlete should prioritize getting stronger and increasing their total power output. Strength training combined with dynamic/explosive movements results in increased muscle fiber recruitment and CNS (central nervous system) stimulation. An increase in muscle fiber recruitment results in greater potential for hypertrophy.
Since power is the fast display of strength, you can’t be powerful without being strong first. Or as Louie Simmons said, you can’t shoot a cannonball out of a canoe.
Power = Force x Velocity OR Strength x Speed
Power potential enhances neurological efficiency and your ability to generate force quickly. Force is dependant on your ability to recruit the high threshold motor units (HTMU) required for a specific movement pattern (1). So in order to stimulate these HTMU, power/explosive training should be incorporated into your programming.
One of the most tried and true methods for increasing total power output is using what’s known as contrast training or contrast sets.
What are contrast sets?
A contrast set is a strength movement followed by a dynamic/explosive movement. The strength exercise involved in this pairing acts as a “primer” for the explosive movement. By performing a max or sub maximal effort lift for 2-4 reps, your CNS is “heightened” and your ability to express force in the form of a dynamic movement pattern is enhanced. This is what’s known as post-activation potentiation.
Post activation potentiation is a theory that states that the contractile history of a muscle influences the mechanical performance of subsequent muscle contractions (2). The idea isn’t to fatigue your muscles with long duration exercise, but instead utilize higher loads for fewer reps to enhance subsequent muscle performance.
Most traditional “bodybuilding” rep ranges fail to enhance the lifter’s neural drive or total power output. Overtime, the lifter may experience plateaus or regressions in their strength and muscle “gains” since they’re not exposing their muscle fibers to a higher degree of output.
What’s more, our power and cognitive function decline as we continue to age. So it’s imperative to incorporate explosive and dynamic exercises into a lifter’s program to not just delay the inevitable effects of aging, but to improve intramuscular coordination.
Contrast sets don’t just make you more powerful, they lay the foundation for hypertrophy gains to continue (especially as we age).
Training Guidelines for Contrast Sets
Focus on building strength first. Remember, power is strength x speed. You can’t display strength quickly if you’re not strong! Contrast sets are reserved for those who have been lifting consistently and have a solid foundation of strength. This is an advanced training method.
Always warm-up. I know, you want to just to get into it. I get it. Even so, make sure you warm-up beforehand. You’ll get more out of your training.
Use similar movement patterns for exercise pairings. For contrast sets to work, both of the exercises should be similar (to a degree) in terms of movement pattern while utilizing similar muscle groups. For example, it wouldn’t make sense to do a heavy bench press and then squat jumps. Instead, something like explosive push-ups or med ball tosses would pair well with a bench press given the movement and muscle recruitment similarities.
Lift 80-85% of your 1RM for 2-4 reps. This is a general guideline. The idea of the strength movement is to treat it as a strength movement for maximal muscle fibre/CNS recruitment before performing the following explosive exercise. It wouldn’t make sense to do 10 back squats and pump a bunch of blood to your legs before box jumps. That’s how you fuck yourself up (sorry CrossFit).
The strength movement should be no longer than 10-15 sec in duration. Piggybacking of that last point, the initial strength movement is meant to “excite” or “heighten” your muscles and nervous system, not completely gas them out.
Move the weight FAST. To quote Louie again, you can’t move a heavy weight slowly. It may look like it’s moving slow, but you need to be thinking fast. Focus on lifting with maximal effort and moving the weight as fast as possible during the concentric portion of the lift with optimal form and technique.
Do 2-4 reps for the explosive/dynamic exercise. Your ATP levels (your muscle’s energy source) deplete rapidly as you perform high intensity activities like plyometric or ballistic training. Fewer reps will allow you to focus on quality and
Only do contrast sets 1-2 x per week. Training for power has a toll, and the fee is hefty. 1-2 contrast workouts per week is plenty. Be sure to recover between sessions with good sleep and eating.
Don’t immediately jump into the explosive exercise. This is a general rule of thumb when I program supersets for most of my clients anyway, but this especially applies to contrast sets. You don’t want to do the subsequent explosive exercise huffing and puffing or in a state of fatigue. Your form will break down and you won’t perform to your potential. This isn’t a race and you don’t get a medal for sprinting to the next exercise as fast as you can. Take at least 10-15 seconds to regroup before performing the second exercise. But note that taking too long of a break between exercises can be detrimental to your performance as well since your “heightened state” (aka post activation potentiation) begins to fade roughly beyond 15 sec.
Recover between contrast sets. Contrast sets pair a strength movement and an explosive exercise together, which means it takes a lot out of your body (and nervous system). Rest at least 3-5 minutes (maybe even slightly longer) between sets.
4-6 total contrast sets for 1-2 different pairings is plenty. Top that off with 1-2 small accessory exercises (delts, biceps, triceps…whatever you’re training that day) and you’re good to go.
Examples of Contrast Sets
A1. Box Squat x 3
A2. Box Jump x 2
Both movements are knee-dominant lower body exercises in a bilateral setting, so the pairing here makes sense.
B1. Heavy Sled Push x 20 yards
B2. Sprint x 40 yards
Ever push a heavy ass sled? It sucks. But it’ll make you tough and pack meat on your legs. The heavy sled followed by a sprint is a good pairing since both movements involve projecting the body forward unilaterally (one leg at a time).
C1. Bench Press x 2
C2. Explosive Push-Ups x 4
You should be doing more push-ups. Everyone should be. Try doing a heavy bench then some explosive push-ups and thank me later. You’ll get stronger and your shirts will fit better.
D1. Deadlift x 3
D2. Kettlebell Swing x 4
Both are hip-dominant hinging patterns with similar muscle recruitment in the glutes, hamstrings, and muscles surrounding the core/lower back.
E1. Deadlift x 2
E2. Overhead Med Ball Throw x 2
An overhead med ball throw pairs well with a heavy deadlift since it involves extension of the knees and hip (both seen in the deadlift), but in an explosive setting.
Summary
Contrast training or contrast sets are one of the best ways to develop power and induce hypertrophy as we continue to age given the neurological benefits associated with it.
References
STRENGTH; Joe Defranco, Jim Smith. 2014; 287
Robbins DW. Post-Activation Potentiation and its Practical Applicability: A Brief Review. J Strength Cond Res. 2005; 19: 453–458
Jerry Ward Warns Of Extreme Dangers From Diuretics In Bodybuilding
Jerry Ward: “There is no right way to use diuretics in bodybuilding.”
UPDATE 7/23/22: In light of the passing of Jerry Ward, Generation Iron is republishing a GI Exclusive interview segment with Ward first aired in 2020.
On the day of a bodybuilding competition, one of the most important things is to have pitch perfect conditioning. A large part of this comes down to how dry you can make your body so it looks as sharp as possible on stage. This kind of timing, to retain no water weight on the exact day and time of the show, is a true challenge. This is why many bodybuilders have turned to diuretics as a solution to being grainy and dry as possible on the day of a show. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, bodybuilder and fitness guru Jerry Ward discusses the extreme dangers of using diuretics for bodybuilding.
While many bodybuilders have turned to diuretics in order to bring the best and driest possible physique to the stage, Jerry Ward makes a clear point to remind us that there is “no right way” to use diuretics in this capacity. Diuretics have a medical use, and that’s the only way they should be used, to use them for athletic competition, the way bodybuilders often do, is to misuse them in a way that can be extremely dangerous.
The key issue to using diuretics for bodybuilding are two-fold. Athletes can end up taking too much diuretics leading to dangerous health issues. The second issue is how much other dietary decisions affect the way diuretics will work inside your body. Jerry Ward goes on to explain multiple times in his life as a bodybuilder that he witness athletes literally freeze and crumple on stage. He’s even seen one athlete freeze up on stage, go to the hospital, and try to come back and finish competing. She was disqualified.
Jerry Ward then goes on to describe a time when he started locking up due to diuretics use. He describes a moment where he literally couldn’t open his arms out wide due to his chest locking up. He also describes anther time he couldn’t get himself out of bed because of his legs locking up.
While these scenarios all ended with Jerry and the other athletes in these stories ultimately being okay – these kinds of health problems could lead to a more serious and dangerous outcome. Jerry Ward makes it very clear that many bodybuilders don’t take this seriously enough.
You can watch him explain in more detail about the dangers of diuretic use in bodybuilding in our latest GI Exclusive clip above.
IRON CINEMA: Jerry Ward Calls GH Guts A Lie
Drugs have nothing to do with bodybuilders’ large stomachs.
UPDATE 7/23/22: In light of the passing of Jerry Ward, Generation Iron is republishing a GI Exclusive interview segment with Ward first aired in 2020.
Every week, Iron Cinema will connect you with Generation Iron director Vlad Yudin. Giving you unprecedented inside access to the creative process behind his the Generation Iron Fitness Network. Get a first hand look at the entire journey of taking Vlad’s creative ideas to the big screen – from stories on set of films like Generation Iron and CT Fletcher all the way to exclusive behind-the-scene looks at our newest GI news and films. This week Vlad sits down with Jerry Ward of Bio S3 to talk about not only how steroids effect bodybuilding but how it influences young teens looking to compete. He also touches upon the GH gut controversy.
Over the course of following bodybuilding and it’s presence on the internet, I’ve noticed one major trend: the most popular YouTube channels aren’t necessarily the biggest pros in the industry. Phil Heath doesn’t have the biggest views on YouTube – people like Rich Piana, Lee Priest, and of course my most recent interviewee – Bio S3 creator Jerry Ward. I wanted to sit down with Jerry to find out what makes YouTube personalities stick out more than the pros themselves. And get his opinion on the latest controversies in the industry today. You can watch that interview in the video above.
NPC/IFBB Pro Judge & Bodybuilder Jerry Ward Passes Away At 46
Bodybuilder and IFBB Pro Judge Jerry Ward has passed away at 46 years old.
Jerry Ward, bodybuilder, coach and IFBB Pro Judge, has passed away at 47 years old. News of his passing was announced by bodybuilding promoter Gary Udit on Instagram. Ward was commentating on a live stream for Udit’s 2022 NPC Teen, Collegiate and Masters Nationals in Pittsburgh, PA. At the time of this writing, no cause of death has been revealed.
Though the cause of death was not stated, Ward’s passing was only described as sudden overnight. He was in the middle of commentating the weekend’s events and even released a video on his YouTube channel only hours before his passing.
“Sadly we lost a terrific friend today with the passing of Jerry Ward. Jerry died suddenly last night. He was here in Pittsburgh commentating on the Live Stream of the NPC Teen, Collegiate and Masters Nationals. In the NPC and IFBB PRO LEAGUE over the years Jerry was an excellent competitor, judge, expediter, head judge and PPV commentator. His knowledge of the sport of Bodybuilding was unparalleled! Jerry was liked and loved by everyone he came in contact with! We are devastated at his passing.”
– Gary Udit
Jerry Ward: from competitive bodybuilder to outspoken commentator
Jerry Ward’s passion for bodybuilding started professionally in 1994 when he earned his personal trainer certification. Later in the early 2000s, Ward started work as a fitness model. He would later go on to not only compete in bodybuilding but also wrestling and even dabble in some acting in commercials and minor TV shows.
After his competitive career, Jerry Ward later gained attention and notoriety for his bodybuilding commentary on YouTube. Ward was known for his blunt and straightforward opinions. Not reluctant to speak his mind, Ward would often find himself in controversy for his outspoken opinions.
Generation Iron had previously sat down with Jerry Ward to discuss the modern state of bodybuilding. True to form, he was very outspoken about the dangers he saw in the sport – particularly when it came to drugs often used by athletes such as diuretics during contest prep.
You can watch a segment from our interview with Jerry Ward below:
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Jerry Ward also rose through the ranks to eventually become an NPC and IFBB Pro judge. Ward also owned a successful supplement brand and personal training business under the name Bios3 Training.
Jerry Ward’s competitive history
2015
NPC Capitol Grand Prix, 4th
Capitol Grand Prix, 3rd
NPC Maryland State/East Coast Classic, 3rd
NPC Baltimore Gladiator Classic, 13th
Baltimore Gladiator Classic, 6th
2009
NPC Pittsburgh Bodybuilding Fitness & Figure, 4th
2007
NPC Lehigh Valley Bodybuilding And Figure Championships, 2nd
NPC Pittsburgh Bodybuilding, Fitness, And Figure Contest, 8th
The entire staff at Generation Iron would like to extend condolences to friend and family of Jerry Ward during this difficult time. This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available. For more news and updates – make sure to stay tuned to Generation Iron Fitness Network for all things bodybuilding, fitness, and strength sports.
Robert “Rock” Rothrock, Former Jr. Mr. America, Has Passed Away At 59
Robert Lewis Rothrock, aka “Rock”, has passed away at 59 years old.
Bodybuilder and former Jr. Mr. America Robert Rothrock passed away on June 25, 2022. He was 59 years old. Rothrock was better known by his competitive nickname “Rock” and was a promising bodybuilder during his prime. He was probably best known for having beaten Flex Wheeler in competition early in his career. At the time of this writing, no cause of death has been specified.
Robert Rothrock was a competitive bodybuilder who had a short lived competitive career – but showcased an incredible physique during his short run. In 1990, Rothrock competed in the NPC Junior Nationals – and notably defeated a young Flex Wheeler. The NPC Junior Nationals ended up being the final competition in Rothrock’s short career. Not a bad way to end his run.
You can check out a video of his posing routine during his prime below:
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Robert Rothrock was born in Rockwell, North Carolina on April 12, 1963. He was known as a “gentle giant” and considered a friend to all in the bodybuilding community. His reputation as a kind and personable person preceded him – both in and outside of bodybuilding. After his bodybuilding career, Rothrock worked at Milwaukee Tools for 27 years and also Eaton Aerospace for 12 years.
Beyond bodybuilding and weightlifting, Rothrock’s favorite pastime was watching NFL – his favorite team was the New Orleans Saints.
Regardless of the short lived nature of his competitive career – Robert Rothrock was a man passionate about bodybuilding and a brother in the sport. His positive attitude and friendly nature brought nothing but a bright light into the industry. Generation Iron sends condolences to friends and family during this challenging time.
This story is still developing and Generation Iron will update as soon as more information becomes available. For more news and all things bodybuilding – make sure to stay tuned to the Generation Iron Fitness Network.
Derek Dufour has been managing all digital operations on the Generation Iron Network for over six years. He currently manages a team of editors, writers, and designers to provide up-to-date content across the GI Network.
2022 Chicago Pro Results
Here are the results from the 2022 Chicago Pro!
The 2022 Chicago Pro is one of the biggest shows of the year. It took place on Friday and Saturday at the Tinley Convention Center in Tinley Park, IL. Hunter Labrada did not return to the competition to defend his title, which means there would be a new champion crowned.
Antoine Vaillant returned to the stage after a second-place finish during the Vancouver Pro last week. This was his ultimate return to the stage following heart issues that he has been dealing with. Vaillant has proven that he is a force when he is at his very best. Tim Budesheim and Dorian Haywood also came in with hopes of making an impact in the Men’s Open division.
During the finals on night one, Bo Lewis was crowned champion of 212 while JT Pelkey won Classic Physique to punch their tickets to the Olympia.
The first night of the results have been announced with six divisions handing out qualifications to the biggest show of the year. Checkout the results from the event below, along with official score cards.
2022 Chicago Pro: All Division Winners
Men’s Open: Coming soon!
Classic Physique: JT Pelkey
Men’s 212: Bo Lewis
Men’s Physique: Nick Koeu
Women’s Bodybuilding: Coming soon!
Bikini: Coming soon!
Fitness: Coming soon!
Figure: Julia Champlin
Women’s Physique: Ashley Jones
Wellness: Isamara Santos
2022 Chicago Pro Breakdown
Women’s Physique
First Place – Ashley Jones
Second Place – Natalie Rae Wolfe
Third Place – Amanda Machado
Fourth Place – Jonquil S. Baugh
Fifth Place – Diana Schnaidt
Sixth Place – Oksana Piari
Wellness
First Place – Isamara Santos
Second Place – Jasmine Payne
Third Place – Nerilde Garcia Strey
Fourth Place – Alexis Figueroa Quesada
Fifth Place – Kat Williams
Sixth Place – Brooke Donnelly
Figure
First Place – Julia Champlin
Second Place – Anita Davis
Third Place – Zul’fiya Bitiyeva
Fourth Place – Danielle Rose
Fifth Place – Samantha Jerring
Sixth Place – Shana Malcolm
Men’s Physique
First Place – Nick Koeu
Second Place – Jeremy Potvin
Third Place – Charjo Grant
Fourth Place – Corey Morris
Fifth Place – Winston Sullivan
Sixth Place – Shun Kaneko
Classic Physique
First Place – JT Pelkey
Second Place – Tommy Clark
Third Place – John Le
Fourth Place – Cody Amey
Fifth Place – Wilfredo Victoria
Sixth Place – Hugo Silva
Men’s 212
First Place – Bo Lewis
Second Place – Peter Castella
Third Place – Fabricio de Souza Moreira
Fourth Place – Derik Olsan
Fifth Place – Jason Joseph
Sixth Place – Ryan Walters
Fitness
Results coming soon!
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
Women’s Bodybuilding
Results coming soon!
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
Bikini
Results coming soon!
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
Men’s Open
Results coming soon!
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
2022 Chicago Pro Official Score Cards
Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the IFBB Chicago Pro 2022. Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
LISTEN: Bodybuilder Zac Aynsley Releases New EDM Single With Psyko Punkz & Wim Hof
Zac Aynsley releases a new song that you 100% need to add into your workout playlist.
Zac Aynsley is likely best known as a competitive bodybuilder with an incredible physique and strong social media presence. His bodybuilding journey was featured in our documentary feature film – Bigorexia. Bringing even more attention to the rising bodybuilding star. But beyond bodybuilding, Aynsley is also a DJ, and he’s teamed up with Psyko Punkz and Wim Hof to release a brand new EDM single.
Before Zac Aynsley transformed his physique and became a bodybuilder – he lived a party lifestyle. Part of that party lifestyle came from his talent and passion for creating music as a DJ. Eventually, due to health concerns, Aynsley had to change his lifestyle. He discovered bodybuilding and everything changed.
However, Aynsley never lost that passion for creating beats and music. He used his strong following on social media to springboard his brand and promote brand new music that he created himself. His latest song, The Alchemist, combines his talents with Psyko Punkz and Wim Hof. The result is a motivational banger that also combines enigmatic breathing exercise for a more spiritual experience. You can watch the music video for the song below:
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In 2020, Zac Aynsley was featured in GQ magazine, where he went into extreme detail about his past and the rollercoaster journey towards becoming a fitness superstar. A journey that turned him into a bodybuilder, fitness influencer, and entrepreneur that has dedicated himself towards using his passion and platform to promote mental wellness and positive thinking. At a young age, Aynsley suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts. Fitness was a major way for him to change his outlook – and now he wants to give back.
This might explain why his latest single integrates breathing exercises into thumping beats and blaring electronic tones. The concept of mental wellness is a massive part of Zac Aynsley’s life – in both bodybuilding and his other endeavors.
Zac Aynsley previously sat down with Generation Iron for an exclusive interview where he talked about the current state of bodybuilding – including how social media and drug culture has changed the sport. You can watch a segment from that interview below:
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If you like the vibes that The Alchemist put down in Aynsley’s latest single – you can check out his entire discography on his official Spotify landing page. You can also listen to his latest track and add to it to your workout playlist below.
Vince McMahon Announces Retirement From WWE
Vince McMahon has decided to call it a career amid investigations.
Vince McMahon has officially retire from his role as Chairman and CEO of WWE.
McMahon took to Twitter on Friday afternoon to make the announcement. This decision comes a month after he stepped away from his duties after investigations launched into alleged payoffs to former employees.
At 77, time for me to retire.Thank you, WWE Universe.Then. Now. Forever. Together. #WWE #thankful
— Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) July 22, 2022
“As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE. Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you. I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand,” McMahon said in a statement.
Vince McMahon shared that Chairwoman and Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon and Co-CEO Nick Khan would be taking over the reins. Additionally, McMahon took the time to thank the viewers for helping build what turned out to be a billion-dollar company.
“Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment. I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our form of Sports Entertainment.”
In June, McMahon decided to step away from his post as investigations went on about alleged payments to female employees. According to The Wall Street Journal, McMahon paid a total of $12 million to multiple women to keep quiet about alleged affairs and misconduct.
Vince McMahon enjoyed a career with WWE that spanned over five decades. He took control of the company during the 1980s from his father, Vince McMahon Sr. During his time, McMahon appeared as a broadcaster and on-screen talent, along with running the company from the top.
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Chad Martin Profile & Stats
The biography, life, and accomplishments of Chad Martin
Chad Martin is a German/Scottish American International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) natural bodybuilder born on August 7th, 1971. Martin competes in the Men’s Bodybuilding Grand Masters class. At 2021 Natural Olympia, Martin placed fourth place. This year, Martin plans to make his 19th Natural Olympia appearance.
Interestingly, he’s sometimes referred to as “The Bowflex Guy” after appearing in Bowflex’s 2005 widespread national commercial.
Below is a complete breakdown of Chad Martin’s profile, stats, biography, training, and diet regimen.
Full Name: Chad Martin
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
210 lbs (off-season), 185-190 lbs (competition)
6’0”
08/07/1971
Division
Era
Nationality
Men’s Bodybuilding Grand Masters
2010
German/Scottish American
Biography
Chad Martin was born on August 7th, 1971, in Washington State. Martin’s weightlifting routine started on a farm, throwing around hay bales. These rigorous summers built Martin a solid and robust physique for high school sports.
Martin’s first love began with baseball. And once his baseball career was over, he started lifting at a local gym. The gym owner and close friend convinced him to enter a local bodybuilding show. Of course, Martin found his next love in natural bodybuilding; the rest is history.
Chad Martin has been competing in natural bodybuilding for decades. Martin joined the INBA PNBA league after frustration with his hunch about the integrity of other natural bodybuilding leagues. He’s now competed in most Natural Olympia shows and against top champions, including Philip Ricardo Jr. and Kiyoshi Moody.
Martin considers himself “Forever Natural” and has never considered steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.
Competition History
Best Showings
Overall World Champion-2012 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia XV (RENO)
2nd Place-2002 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia V (Phoenix-Silver Medal)-1st Pro Show
3rd Place-2004 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia VII (Las Vegas-Bronze Medal)*
5th Place-2005 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia VIII (Las Vegas)*
5th Place-2012 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Reno)
5th Place-2015 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Las Vegas)*
2nd Place-2016 PNBA Mr. Natural Universe (Austin-Silver Medal)*
3rd Place-2018 PNBA Masters Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas-Bronze Medal)
4th Place-2021 PNBA Grand Masters Mr. Natural Olympia
3-Time Overall Team USA Champion (2004, 2005, 2012)
Pro Contests
4th Place-2021 PNBA Grand Masters Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)
6th Place-2020 PNBA Masters Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)
10th Place-2020 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)
10th Place-2019 PNBA Masters Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)*
19th Place-2019 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)*
3rd Place (Bronze)-2018 PNBA Masters Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)
9th Place-2018 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)
11th Place-2017 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)
10th Place-2016 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)
2nd Place-2016 PNBA Mr. Natural Universe (Austin)*
5th Place-2015 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)*
6th Place-2015 PNBA Mr. Natural Universe (Austin)
12th Place-2014 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (San Diego)
7th Place-2014 PNBA Mr. Natural Universe (Chicago)
13th Place-2013 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (San Diego)
7th Place-2013 PNBA Mr. Natural Universe (Chicago)
5th Place-2012 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Reno)
5th Place-2005 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)*
3rd Place-2004 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Vegas)*
2nd Place-2002 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia (Phoenix)
2012 ABA/INBA Natural Bodybuilding Hall of Fame Inductee
Overall Champion- 2012 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia XV (RENO)#1
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2012 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia XV (RENO-#7 Gold Medal)
Overall Champion- 2012 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas)#3
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2012 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas) #12
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2011 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia XIV (RENO-#6 Gold Medal)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2011 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas) #11
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2010 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia XIII (RENO-#6 Gold Medal)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2010 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas) #10
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2009 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Los Angeles)
2nd Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2008 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia XI (San Francisco-Silver Medal)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2008 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Los Angeles)
2nd Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2007 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia X (Greece-Silver Medal)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2007 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Los Angeles)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2006 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas)
5th Place- Professional Class- 2005 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia VIII (Las Vegas)*
1st Place- Tall/Heavy Class- 2005 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia VIII (Las Vegas-#4 Gold Medal)
Overall Champion- 2005 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas)#2
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2005 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas)
3rd Place- Professional Class- 2004 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia VII (Las Vegas-Bronze Medal)*
1st Place- Medium Tall Class- 2004 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia VII (Las Vegas-#3 Gold Medal)*
Overall Champion- 2004 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2004 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas)
4th Place- Professional Class- 2003 WFNA Supernatural (Seattle, WA)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2003 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas)*
2nd Place-Professional Class- 2002 PNBA Mr. Natural Olympia V (Phoenix-Silver Medal)-1st Pro Show.
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2002 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia V (Phoenix-#2 Gold Medal)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2002 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas)
1st Place-HeavyWeight -2002 West Coast Natural Bodybuilding Championships (Kennewick)
Overall Winner- 2002 West Coast Natural Bodybuilding Championships (Kennewick)
2nd Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2001 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Universe (Los Angeles)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2001 ABA/INBA Mr. Natural Olympia IV (Hawaii-#1 Gold Medal)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2001 ABA/INBA Team USA Natural Nationals (Las Vegas)
1st Place-Tall/Heavy Class- 2001 ABA/INBA Mr. Hollywood Natural (Los Angeles)
2nd Place-HeavyWeight-2000 IronMan Natural Bodybuilding Championships (Everett)
1st Place-HeavyWeight -2000 Inland Pacific Natural Bodybuilding Championships (Spokane)
Overall Winner- 2000 Inland Pacific Natural Bodybuilding Championships (Spokane)
1st Place-HeavyWeight -2000 West Coast Natural Bodybuilding Championships (Richland)
Overall Winner- 2000 West Coast Natural Bodybuilding Championships
1st Place-HeavyWeight -2000 NorthWest Natural Bodybuilding Championships (Portland)
1st Place-HeavyWeight -1999 NorthWest Natural Bodybuilding Championships
1st Place-HeavyWeight -1999 West Coast Natural Bodybuilding Championships
*Note: *denotes gained placing from failed drug test by another competitor (8 in total)
Chad Martin’s Workout Routine
Martin said that he’s been following a six-day split routine since the covid pandemic and has one day saved for cardio. On the other days, he’ll include cardio after lifts and train a different muscle group daily.
Martin performs an old-school pyramid scheme, performing three sets ranging from five to 10 reps. After about four weeks, Martin will do either a deload week, perform various exercises for 100 reps or follow his “Tetris Ten” training methodology to shock his muscles.
Martin uses various equipment when training, including machines, barbells, cables, dumbbells, Bowflex, Nautilus, TRX, etc. He firmly believes adding variety to your workouts is imperative for muscle shock.
Favorite Exercises
When asked about his favorite exercises, Martin asserted:
“Bowflex is my favorite piece of equipment in the gym, then I would say dumbbells. I don’t really have a favorite, I just enjoy training and the way it makes me feel, so I enjoy training every day, I just try to mentally prepare myself for that body part that day and make it fun and enjoyable, try not to think of it as work.”
Nutrition
Regarding Martin’s diet, he stated:
“After 40, my diet hasn’t changed a whole lot. My standard is oatmeal on lifting days, spinach, carrot, beet shake on cardio days or smaller muscle group days, tuna for lunch, Advocare protein bar and shake for pre and post-workout.
Dinners vary a little but usually it is bison, steak, chicken or fish with a starchy carb like potatoes or brown rice with lots of veggies, such as Brussel sprouts, green beans, cabbage and some fruit.
The major difference from in season and offseason is cheat days and then no cheat days and enjoy the holidays, then just slowly reduce calories over a few months time.
I have been sponsored by Advocare for 20 years and have only used their great products for the entire time.”
Personal Life
Besides competing in natural bodybuilding, Chad Martin has taught physical education and computer tech at a juvenile jail in WA for the last few decades.
Martin lives an active lifestyle while not prepping for bodybuilding shows or working. He enjoys being a dad and loves to watch his kids play games (one’s a professional baseball player), train with them, and coach them. In addition, the Martin family loves sports and will partake in anything active, including riding bikes, pickleball, basketball, and tennis.
Mike Tyson Reflects on His Mortality: “My Expiration Date is Coming Close Really Soon”
Mike Tyson reflects on his life and mortality in recent podcast.
Famed former heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson reflected on his mortality in a recent podcast episode. The legend spoke to his therapist Sean McFarland (aka Seano) and the two had a profound conversation about life and mortality.
Mortality can be quite the discouraging thing to think on. While so many people live their lives as if there’s no tomorrow, the reality is that one day we all will leave this mortal plane. Everyone has an expiration date and as such that means the time spent on this plane is limited. At the end of the day, none of us are going to make it out of this life alive.
To some, that may sound like a dark and depressing thing to contemplate. But it is reality and it is something that humans should reflect on before their time is up. One such human that appears to thinking on this often is former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
In recent years, Mike Tyson has shown himself to be a very changed man. Now an entrepreneur and advocate for mental health and the use of plant medicine, Tyson often reflects on his past, present and future, particularly how he will be facing his final days.
Reflecting on Mortality
A recent episode of his podcast saw the former boxing champion reflect on his mortality. In the episode Tyson spoke specifically about his thoughts on death and the reality that he has less years ahead as he does behind him.
“We’re all going to die one day, of course. Then I look in the mirror and I see those little spots on my face and I go ‘wow, my expiration date is coming close really soon, what do you do with that, how do you think about that death thing?”
While many have grown to love the more jovial side of Mike Tyson these days, the truth is that the former heavyweight champion is a deep thinker. He is a man who often reflects on his life, both the good and the bad, and tries to come away from the experience hoping to find the ultimate truth of his existence. Many individuals aren’t self-reflective which can often times lead them to lying to themselves, refusing to accept the truth about themselves, all in hopes of living up to the image they hold of themselves.
Facing Reality
Mike Tyson on the other hand is choosing to be more holistic and honest with himself about his life. Seano, Tyson’s therapist and friend, had this to say about his own mortality.
“I don’t want to die screaming. I’ve heard the last rights of a lot of people – a lot of famous people – and they’re getting ready to die, and they leave this planet screaming. The New York Times says this, the Vanity Fair says that but they become scared little boys in the end because they’re not right with truth and they’re haunted by all of their demons. I just want to die consciously, after a good swim hopefully.”
It’s refreshing to hear Mike Tyson speak on such heavy topics with a sense of grace and understanding rather than coming from a place of fear.
Watch the full podcast episode here.
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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.