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Interview: Bostin Loyd Reveals His Worst Steroid Experience
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Bostin Loyd uses his body as a steroids testing ground.
*In tribute to the late Bostin Loyd, who sadly passed away at 29 years old, we are republishing an archived interview from our Iron Cinema series first conducted in 2016.
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 interviews Bostin Loyd about his open and honest mentality behind steroids and learns about Loyd’s worst steroid side effect he’s ever experienced.
When Bostin Loyd decided to jump onto our podcast earlier this month, I wanted to also take the time to have a more formal interview with him. After all, there aren’t many bodybuilders to be so honest about steroids while still in the prime of competing in the NPC. Of course, this has brought much controversy and hate towards Bostin… so I wanted to dig deeper about his mentality behind the steroid honesty, how it effects his life, and what the cost is behind using his own body like a testing ground. You can watch the full interview above.
Bostin Loyd Interview: I Know Pros Use Synthol
*In tribute to the late Bostin Loyd, who sadly passed away at 29 years old, we are republishing an archived interview from our Iron Cinema series first conducted in 2016.
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 talks further with controversial bodybuilder Bostin Loyd about the use of Synthol and how it’s more commonly used at the top of the IFBB than you would ever imagine.
Bostin Loyd was another bodybuilder who had a lot to say – and so much of it was valuable that we needed to do a a second part of his interview as well. In part 2 I talk with Loyd in depth about the use of synthol and how it compares to the rampant use of steroids in the industry. Bostin Loyd has always been open and honest about all things – including steroids and synthol. So it’s good to get further clarification on how the industry really works beyond what active pros tell us. Synthol is normally frowned upon and considered a “cheat” – something that serious pros never partake in… but Bostin Loyd has a very different truth (according to him) about the use of Synthol. Hear it all in our latest interview above.
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Milos Sarcev Says He Regrets Using Synthol
Milos Sarcev talks about his history with synthol oil.
Milos Sarcev recently spoke about one of his biggest regrets in his bodybuilding career: his synthol usage. The veteran bodybuilder and coach talked about his synthol usage on Jay Cutler’s recent podcast episode.
When you’re competing at the highest level of your chosen sport there are many that will do almost anything to obtain victory. In the case of bodybuilding that can mean taking a number of different measures. Utilizing all different kinds of gear seems to be the number one choice.
For some bodybuilders utilizing synthol oil has been an option for helping to increase muscle mass. Many fans and avid bodybuilders frown upon its usage, especially by those who don’t do any kind of legit training whatsoever. But with that said, there are many pros who have used synthol oil in the past. One of them is Milos Sarcev who isn’t too proud of the point.
In a recent podcast Milos Sarcev spoke about one of his biggest regrets in his career. For Sarcev it was his apparent synthol usage. The veteran bodybuilder and coach spoke with Jay Cutler about his history with synthol.
“The biggest regret for me is using the Synthol in my arms,” said Milos Sarcev. “Okay, up until 97, I mean I was told many times, with the bigger arms you have a chance right. And we were using clan (Clenbuterol) back in the day. Then Kevin came to 97 Olympia, remember Flex was supposed to beat Dorian Yates, and then he pulled out of the show 2-weeks out.
“Then, you know Kevin was looking for him, and then said, ‘Milos can you please give this to Flex because he had to go back to England’ and so there was like 12 bottles of something. I said ‘what is it?’ He said Synthol, you inject it in small body parts, and I said ‘oh wow’. So just take half. So, you know of course I started, initially I was getting great results with that one. I don’t want to say great results because I never want to encourage anyone to do it. It’s the biggest mistake.”
While Milos Sarcev didn’t obtain his body solely by utilizing synthol, it is clearly something he isn’t proud of. To hear what else he had to say about his time in bodybuilding be sure to checkout the full podcast episode.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
Bodybuilder Bostin Loyd Has Passed Away At 29 Years Old
Bostin Loyd was open about steroids and his kidney failure during his career.
Bodybuilder Bostin Loyd has passed away at the age of 29, according to sources close to Generation Iron. There has been no official cause of death confirmed at this time. Loyd passed out at his home in Springhill, FL before being taken to the hospital. This is where he was pronounced dead. The paramedics on scene believed it to be a heart attack but there is no official word just yet.
Early in his career, Bostin Loyd publicly discussed his use of steroids. He became the first competitive bodybuilder to openly reveal his steroid cycle. Loyd was 21 years old and had just won the 2013 NPC Contra Costa in Hayward, CA. This was a video that brought attention to his career at a young age.
Loyd was a bodybuilder who became known for sharing controversial stances around the sport. He was honest about his journeys and this includes his battle with Stage 5 kidney failure. The cause of this was likely due to the overall lifestyle of a bodybuilder. This could be the substances being taken or cutting weight through dehydration.
Bostin Loyd found out about his diagnosis in October 2020 and began studying about how to restore his kidney function. This could also be used to help and guide other athletes in the future. Loyd began undergoing many treatments such as recovery peptides, gluthithione, and stem cells.
Loyd’s final competition came in 2016 during the NPC Kevin Gore Border Klash. Aside from steroids, Loyd was also open about the number of pro cards being handed out by the IFBB at the time.
The career of Loyd will be remembered in different lights depending on your views. He received plenty of backlash over the course of his career for his views and beliefs. Also, his admittance to steroids cause a huge stir. the tragic news of Loyd’s passing comes shortly after Isaac Ghavidel passed away after a success career in Iran and Canada.
Bostin Loyd was always true to himself and believed in speaking on difficult issues. Generation Iron sends condolences to friends and family during this difficult time.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Good Exercises For Lower Back Pain Alleviation & Support
Don’t let lower back pain stop you in your tracks and keep you from seeing big gains.
Lower back pain plagues us all. That uncomfortable feeling of rolling out of bed and suffering through the stiffness and pain throughout the day. There are simple and convenient ways to strengthen your lower back without succumbing to one more day of lower back pain.
Work to help yourself get better with these great exercises because you have the power to change your posture and ability to lift big for the better. All it takes is the will to make this much needed change.
The back is without a doubt one of the most important parts of your body. More confidence in the gym, in your everyday life, and in yourself can enhance your gains and keep you seeing those goals you desire most come to fruition without back pain. Any big lift requires good stability and these workouts can get you there so you look and feel great.
While it is imperative to train your whole back in order to help support the spine, strengthening the lower back is going to offer an extra level of spinal support while also keeping your hip flexors and core in great shape. This will aid in not only overall daily functioning, but also those big lifts so you start seeing huge personal records and outlift others in competition without low back pain and sore back muscles.
Lower back pain is hard to exactly pinpoint and can be caused by a host of things from improper form, strenuous activity, or muscle strain. These lower back exercises are great for strengthening and maintaining a good, solid lower back to keep you feeling great, looking great, and thriving in and out of the gym with strong core muscles keeping your lift moving.
Squats
Many associate the squat with simply the legs. But the lower back is the most targeted area during a squat and without proper strength and correct form, your lower back can suffer greatly.
Starting light with squats and gradually building to heavier weights is a great way to strengthen and maintain the lower back in order to see those gains. As a staple in the big three powerlifts, squats are great for seeing huge growth in the lower body while also promoting a solid core. With a more engaged and stable core, your low back will take less of a load, thus decreasing unwanted pain and strain and lower back pain.
How to: Start with a wide stance and have your feet shoulder width apart. Squeezing your core to maintain a flat back, sit back as if a chair is under you. Your feet should be flat on the ground with your knees behind your toes. Be sure to keep your chest up and head facing front.
Bridges
Bridges are often seen as a warm-up exercise, but the benefits of a bridge far outweigh the common misconception surrounding them. Too often we sit hunched at our desks and bridges can help strengthen not just the lower back, but the entire back.
For those looking to lift heavy and be more explosive, bridges can aid in these movements and support your workout endurance. They provide for a great stretch as well to really elongate the spine and feel longer. Opening up your spine with an exercise like this can also promote better breathing and posture and really work to aid in those big lifts and more advanced workouts without lower back pain.
How to: Lie flat on your back with your knees up. Pushing your hips off the ground, keep your arms and head relaxed down while lifting your chest. Gently lower your hips to release to the initial position and take strain off the low back.
Knee-to-Chest
While primarily a stretch, the knee-to-chest workout will increase your range of motion allowing that stiffness to be released. Whether done as a double- or single-legged exercise, this is a great warm-up or mid workout stretch. This can work to loosen up any tight muscle and really work to alleviate pain that occurs in the low back.
How to: For the single-leg, lie on your back flat on the ground with your feet on the floor and knees bent up. Raise one knee and interlace your fingers underneath. Pull the bent knee to chest, pause for a moment, then return to the floor. The same premise follows with the double-leg except lift both knees off the ground and gently pull towards your body for back pain relief.
Lying Lateral Leg Lifts
Lying lateral leg lifts will help work the hip abductor muscles used to support the pelvis and reduce unwanted strain on the lower back. This will help with balance as well as mobility and provide for a more stable core. A more stable abdominal center means less back strain and a more solid low back to aid in any big lift or serious workout and relieve pain.
How to: Lie on one side of your body with your legs together, avoiding your hands and knees. Keeping the lower leg slightly bent, raise the top leg while keeping it straight. It is important to engage the ab muscles. Hold at the top and gently lower back down. Turning onto your other side, you can repeat these steps for the other leg for back pain relief which may help it go away as this exercise helps with that for your muscles and spine.
Supermans
With Supermans, the lower back and glutes are primarily involved giving those lower back muscles the opportunity to work. Although a simple exercise, it allows you to build fundamental skills for more advanced workouts. This is also a great ab workout so you can start to see that desired physique take effect. With a solid low back and rocking core, your aesthetic and support base are seriously enhanced and ready to relieve pain in all body parts like your back and legs.
How to: Lie face down on the ground and stretch both arms out front. At the same time, raise both your hands and feet off the ground about six inches. Engage your abdominals while keeping your head straight down at the floor. Hold for a brief pause and lower back to the ground gently for pain relief from your muscles, spine and arms.
Side Plank
A good side plank can help strengthen the muscles of your lower back. While also working your core, the side plank improves stability and offers the benefit of a solid lower back. Working those obliques is a great way to get that V-shape we all desire with the added benefit of helping yourself see great gains in alleviating low back pain.
How to: This can be done on either your elbow or with your hand on the floor and arm stretched out. Choose a side and lie on the ground. Tightening your core, raise your hips so your body forms a line from your feet to your shoulder. You can place your free hand either on your hip or extended in the air. Hold for as long as you’d like in a straight line and gently lower to the ground. The same steps apply for the other side for pain relief and strengthen more core muscles and abdominal muscles.
Wrap Up
While lower back pain can be debilitating in all facets of life, don’t let it take you down. Give these lower back exercises a try and you will see significant progress with how you feel with stronger abdominal muscles and less low back pain to help relieve pain and tension. Don’t let neglect and poor movement hurt your gains and really work to help your back and overall body stay upright and with good posture. You have the power to change the way your back feels and these exercises will help greatly in your quest for increased confidence and a better overall quality lift. Try these exercises today to see how they can help you.
Let us know how these exercises are in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
Martyn Ford And Iranian Hulk Trade Blows After Heated Exchange During Staredown
The first staredown between Martyn Ford and the Iranian Hulk went as expected.
The anticipation and excitement around the boxing match between Martyn Ford and the Iranian Hulk is beginning to feel real. This was taken to the next level when the two rivals met face-to-face for the first time. The staredown took place in Dubai and was just as heated as expected. Ford and Sajad Gharibi came to blows on two occasions to set the stage for what already is a big-time fight.
The boxing match is scheduled to take place at the O2 Arena in London on April 2. The first staredown took place on Thursday morning about five weeks out of the fight.
During their first encounter, Gharibi attempted to take tackle Martyn Ford and take him to the ground. the two were separated before facing off once again. This is where Ford got even with a shove to the Iranian Hulk that sent him to the floor. Those who were filming the event were forced to help step in and break up the two behemoths.
This fight is scheduled to be a four-round bout which each being two minutes long. It is a Boxstar Celebrity Boxing event that is sanctioned by the Professional Boxing Association. This will be the headline event with 12 fights on the undercard. This makes for a great night of fighting at one of the most famous arenas in London.
When looking at the two fighters square off, you can notice the size differences. Martyn Ford holds a clear height advantage at 6-foot-9 compared to 6-foot-2 of the Iranian Hulk. Gharibi carries plenty of muscle mass and weighs around 390 pounds. This is 90 pounds more than Ford, who also carries great size at his extreme height. It will be interesting to see how this comes into play over the course of the night.
There is expected to be around 20,000 fans in attendance to watch this bout. They will have a chance to see the Iranian Hulk begin his boxing career against Ford, who has some experience in other areas. He has been training with some of the top fighters in the world to prepare. Ford has experience in MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
The plan for this fight was announced back in October. This means both fighters have had months to prepare and to think about their meeting. Both Martyn Ford and the Iranian Hulk are starting to gear up and that can be seen during their first staredown.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
8 Top-Secret Hacks For Gaining Serious Bicep Size
If a gym bro had to choose between an orgasm and a bicep pump, he’d probably pick the latter. A bro waits for the arms day every week in hopes that he’ll walk away with at least an inch added to his arms.
You’ll see people missing leg days or even back days but you’ll never see someone intentionally skipping training their biceps. Even though the gym rats shower so much love on their guns, you won’t see many people walking around with jacked arm in your gym.
While many gym noobs think that the problem with their arms is that they aren’t training them enough, the real problem lies in how they’ve been training. In most cases, the problem doesn’t lie in quantity but the quality of their workouts.
In this article, we’ll go over the little tweaks you need to make in your bicep training techniques that will give you insane results. Warning – you might not be able to scrub your back after following these tips.
8 Tips For Gaining Bicep Size
Exercises, Volume & Intensity
For starters, let’s get done with the exercises, volume, and intensity debate. There is no doubt that your workouts should have a mix of compound lifts like the barbell and dumbbell curls, and isolation exercises like the cable and concentration curls.
If you’ve been doing a mix of three compound and two isolation exercises in your arm workout but are not seeing any results, it’s time to try something new. You should try alternating between compound bicep arm workout on odd weeks and isolation workouts on even weeks.
When it comes to volume and intensity, we recommend hitting failure on every set and exercise. Don’t worry about overtraining your arms. If you’re unhappy with your arm gains, chances are you’re nowhere close to overtraining your muscles.
Use Bigger Grips
Forearms are one of the most overlooked aspects of bicep training. You can’t have muscular biceps without strong forearms. While thin bars can save the manufacturing companies money, they don’t add anything to your bottom line.
Bar grip accessories like Fat Gripz can make the barbells rounder and thicker. Thicker bars can be harder to grab and hold onto which can put additional tensions on your biceps. The curling exercises can get harder on the eccentric part of the movement while using fatter grips.
As you perform the bicep exercises using thicker grips, your biceps will be put under increasing tension as your forearms begin to fatigue. Perform one bicep exercise with the fat grips at the starting of the workout or perform one set of each exercise using the grips to annihilate your pythons.
Be The Odd One Out
If you’re someone who does 8/10/12 reps of every exercise, you’re a part of the majority of the gym population. Most of us have been using this rep scheme without ever questioning it. It’s something we have been taught the moment we step inside a weight room.
Your goal with your new rep structure would be to add three reps to every set. Performing sets of 11/13/15 reps would add a significant amount of volume to your workouts which is perfect to shock your arms into growing.
Train Your Biceps From All Angles
Most people forget biceps are called biceps for a reason. Your biceps are made up of two muscles – the short and long head. You can’t expect both these heads to develop if you hit them from a single angle.
While training with a barbell, make sure you do one set each with a shoulder-wide grip, a wider-than shoulder-width grip, and a narrow grip. Similarly, using an EZ-bar can add much-needed variation to your training regime. Changing your hand placement on the bars will help polish your guns.
Disrupt The Preacher Bench
Look at the preacher bench in your gym and you’ll probably find a dude hunched over the arm pad and swinging back and forth to lift the weights. Using momentum on an isolation lift won’t do you any good.
Instead of sitting straight on the preacher bench, turn your body sideways and place your right arm on the arm pad so your right elbow and both shoulders are in a straight line. Sitting sideways will eliminate any possibility of using momentum. You could perform this variation on a preacher curl bench, machine, or even an incline bench.
Turn Your Wrists
If we got a penny every time we saw someone half-assing through dumbbell curls, we’d have enough to buy a Bitcoin. Get this, the degree of wrist rotation while performing the dumbbell curls is directly proportional to your bicep gains.
At the top of a dumbbell curl, your pinky finger should be outside your shoulder. If your palms are facing your shoulders flat, you are not squeezing your pythons enough for you to be able to develop the peak.
Add Advanced Training Techniques To The Mix
If you’re expecting extra-ordinary results but are doing the ordinary exercises, you’re just wasting your time. You have to throw new things at your muscles constantly to keep them guessing.
Using advanced training techniques like drop-sets, supersets, BFR (blood flow restriction) training, intra-set stretching, GVTs are a great way to spice up your workouts and make those pythons grow.
Adding these advanced training techniques will also make sure your workouts never get boring. You could try one new technique in every workout or perform a set of different advanced techniques in every exercise.
Perform Partial Reps
By partial reps, we don’t mean an incomplete range of motion. Since your guns are long muscles, you should train them in different ranges to optimally develop the length and the peak of the biceps.
21s are an incredibly effective exercise to target the long and short heads of the biceps. You don’t have to limit yourself to 21s. You could perform 24s, 27s, or 30s in the same rep scheme.
Don’t Forget Nutrition & Recovery
No matter how hard you train or how much you can curl, you need to remember that you break down muscle while you are training. Your muscles grow back bigger and stronger only when you’re meeting your daily nutrient requirement and are giving your muscles enough time to rest and recuperate from your workouts.
How much can you curl, bro? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Natural Bodybuilder Melanie Pfeifer Is Ecstatic to Train Again Post Breast Cancer Surgery
Image via Instagram @inbapnbaglobal_official
Natural Olympia Pro Women’s Physique Open champion Melanie Pfeifer is ecstatic to start training for the upcoming 2022 natural bodybuilding season after successful breast cancer surgery.
The 2022 INBA PNBA season is approaching! The INBA PNBA Workshop competition plans to kickoff the INBA PNBA season in 2022, on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Corona, CA. With less than a month underway before the first INBA PNBA natural bodybuilding competition, many competitors have put it into high gear! Including Melanie Pfeifer, who is a 2021 Natural Olympia champion that’s undergone a recent successful post-surgery breast cancer recovery.
Melanie Pfeifer is inspirational and has a true heart of a champion. After receiving news of a breast cancer diagnosis two months before Natural Olympia 2021, Pfeifer stood firm and dominated the pro Women’s Physique Open division with a first-place finish. Moreover, she did this within 24 hours of winning the amateur Women’s Physique class.
Pfeifer’s surgery for breast cancer took place this past January. Her recovery has gone great, and she’s excited to start training again. The International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) released a complete statement on Instagram (IG). The INBA PNBA stated:
“Two months prior to the Natural Olympia Melanie was diagnosed with breast cancer and her surgery was scheduled for January 2022. @inbapnbaglobal_official and our global family are elated to hear that Melanie’s recovery has gone well and that she can’t wait to start training again.”
You can see the INBA PNBA’s complete statement below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CaVjON-vffu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Melanie Pfeifer Plans to Compete in 2022
It’s safe to say that Melanie Pfeifer made her country proud after taking back a gold medal and $1,000 prize. Natural Olympia 2021 was Melanie Pfeifer’s first Natural Olympia. So, of course, she traveled overseas from Italy to make this win happen.
Melanie Pfeifer’s glory doesn’t end in there though. The Natural Bodybuilding Federation Italy (NBFI) will be hosting the INBA PNBA World Championships on June 24-26th, where Pfeifer plans to compete. And as a reigning Natural Olympia gold medalist, that automatically qualifies her for 2022 Natural Olympia.
The INBA has the top natural physiques from all over the world who meet at Natural Olympia for a chance to win gold medals, cash, and prizes. This past year Natural Olympia represented athletes from over 15 countries, including champions from Britain (Claire Burton – Women’s Physique Masters), (Mexico (Arely Ayala – Bikini Angels), Germany (Mirco Burger – Men’s Bodybuilding Masters), and America (Rebekah Rasmussen – Bikini Divas Masters).
Women’s Physique Division
The Women’s Physique division is the class Melanie Pfeifer competes in. To place well in the Women’s Physique division, its critical competitors have a considerable amount of muscle mass. Judges will score them on symmetry, muscularity, definition (conditioning), and stage presence. Muscularity is essential in other divisions, such as Bikini Divas; however, Bikini athletes won’t need as much muscle to win. Although, the Women’s Bodybuilding division has the most muscular physiques in the women’s division.
Generation Iron is happy to hear Melanie Pfeifer’s post-surgery recovery has gone well. We look forward to seeing you in 2022!
Here you can find INBA PNBA’s initial schedule for the 2022 season!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more groundbreaking news on INBA PNBA natural bodybuilders!
Serena And Venus Williams Say Bodybuilding Could Be Part Of Life After Tennis
Serena and Venus Williams have discussed the possibility of becoming bodybuilders after their tennis careers.
It is not crazy to say that Serena and Venus Williams are the two greatest female tennis players of all-time. They have had great success since becoming prodigies at a young age. While they have dominated tennis for two decades now, the duo might have some other goals to achieve off the court.
The sisters will grace the cover of Harper’s Bazaar’s Legacy Issue. During their time with the publication, both Serena and Venus Williams discussed their future plans. Neither was ready to call it quits on the court but they could use their fitness passion and skill to take on bodybuilding.
“Serena and I say we’re going to become bodybuilders after tennis. It might be extreme. It might not happen exactly like that, but you never know,” Venus Williams said.
“From such a young age, all we’ve done is work. So I think for Serena and I to explore that freedom is surreal. We’ve never been free.”
The tennis duo certainly has the freedom to do whatever they want after retiring from the sport that they have played all of their lives. Serena and Venus Williams have combined to win 30 Grand Slam titles as singles players and have won 14 Grand Slam titles as doubles partners. They have also added one Olympia gold medal each as singles players and combined to win three gold medals together as partners. These came in 2000 in Sydney, 2008 in Beijing, and 2012 in London.
The Williams’ sisters are also at the top of the career earnings’ list in terms of female players. They grew a passion for tennis at a young age and were trained hard by their parents. This is where they leaned plenty of lessons.
“My dad always told us to plan ahead. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” Serena Williams said.
“”We never planned to just only play tennis and just only be tennis players. We planned to do more.”
This is not to say that Serena and Venus Williams will take on the challenge of bodybuilding but it is a future plan that they have thought of. It would certainly be interesting to see how their training and overall lifestyle would change if they went from the tennis court to the bodybuilding stage. If there is a duo of athletes that could make the jump, it would be the Williams’ sisters.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
How Knee Sleeves Can Enhance These 5 Leg Building Exercises
The best exercises for you to use those knee sleeves.
Our knees help support virtually all movements and with help from knee sleeves, we can work to better protect ourselves so we don’t suffer from any unwanted pain or injury. For those bodybuilding, powerlifting, and weightlifting needs in general, working with only the top accessories can be a game changer when it comes to seeing great gains.
Knee sleeves work to add good compression to your knees to reduce pain and decrease swelling, increase blood flow for better circulation and the prevention of lactic acid build-up, and support your muscles to limit the number of muscular vibrations and squash muscle fatigue. With the right knee sleeves, you can better tackle workouts, so you only see the best gains.
We’ve put together the top leg building exercises for you to use a knee sleeve so you can stay supported and stable while you grow those massive legs.
5 Leg Building Exercises To Use Knee Sleeves
Back Squat
Hack Squat
Lunges
Step-Ups
Power Clean
Back Squat
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The squat is one the more popular exercises for many since it will enhance lower body growth and improve overall power. This is certainly one of those exercises that you will see promote muscle while also working to boost explosivity for sport specific and functional movements.
Knee sleeves help tremendously with squats because of the sheer load put on your knees and the movement of bending and extending. The extra support is wanted and needed by your knees.
Back Squat Benefits
Increase lower body strength: Working your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, this is a great lower body exercise to boost strength and stability while also increasing certain sport specific and functional movements.
Better power: The nature of this movement requires the best for power and explosivity and will promote both as you look to optimize performance and improve those powerful movements.
How To Do The Back Squat
Place the barbell on your traps and shoulders with your feet shoulder width apart. With a tight core, bend your knees while keeping your spine neutral, squatting down to your optimal range of motion. Once you reach the bottom, drive through your feet to return back to your starting standing position.
Hack Squat
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As an effective lower body strength and mass builder, the hack squat is great for overall lower half development. Since the weight is distributed evenly, the stress on the spine is severely reduced making this a great exercise for building muscle without excess stress.
Knee sleeves will help with this lift very similar to the squat, in that given the load and movement of the squatting motion, you can better support your knees with nice compression and overall tightness.
Hack Squat Benefits
Build lower body muscles: This will put an emphasis on your quads while also building those hamstrings, so your start to enhance those lower body gains.
Improve regular squat: With this being a slightly different movement, while still working the same muscles, you start to improve all areas of your gains when it comes to the traditional squat.
How To Do Hack Squats
Place your feet on the plate of the hack squat machine and set yourself comfortably into it. When ready, push up against the shoulder pads to release the weight from its stoppers and continue in a squatting motion. Once at the bottom, squeeze your glutes and drive the weight back up to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of sets and reps.
Related: The Best 6 Exercises To Use Elbow Sleeves For Pain-Free Support
Lunges
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Lunges are that great bodyweight or weighted exercise perfect for building leg strength and fixing any muscle imbalances. Since each leg is performed separately, you can isolate each side to handle their respective needs. Plus, this movement helps build power with the driving motion performed.
Giving your knees the support they want and need, knee sleeves will help with lunges as you look to put a priority over each side separately while also giving each knee support as the lone worker.
Lunge Benefits
Fix muscle imbalances: Working with each side separately, you can fix any muscle imbalances for that more full and well-rounded physique.
Great for runners: With a similar movement, and a lot less stress, lunges are a great exercise for runners to continue to see gains.
How To Do Lunges
Stand with your feet around hip-width apart and when ready, step forward with one leg. Your knee will be bent at a 90-degree angle and you will lower yourself down to the ground. Drive that leg back to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.
Step-Ups
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A great exercise for that lower body, step-ups require you to focus on balance and stability while also driving power, thus building overall strength. A versatile and convenient exercise, this is a great one to slide into your routine.
Similar to lunges, knee sleeves will offer the working knee support since it is the only one driving through the movement. By allowing your knee support from the load of your own bodyweight, you can better tackle those gains and allow yourself to stay supported.
Step-Ups Benefits
Even strength imbalances: These target both sides of the body equally and can fix any imbalances, just like lunges.
Boost stability: Using your core and requiring certain lower body muscles, you build stability so you perform this exercise safely and efficiently.
How To Do Step-Ups
You can do these either with your bodyweight or some weight (dumbbell or kettlebell). Stand in front of a box or something you can step on and when ready, step one foot onto the box. Driving through your hips while keeping your core tight and your body neutral, stand up onto the box with one leg. Lower back to the ground and repeat for the other leg.
Related: The 7 Best Weightlifting Belt Exercises For Strength & Support
Power Clean
An advanced movement for serious lifters, the power clean is one that recruits many muscles and must be performed with the proper mechanics. Able to improve strength, power, explosiveness, speed, and stability, this exercise is one to take advantage of.
Knee sleeves will promote support especially since form is so key. By giving yourself the benefit of knee support, you don’t have to worry about unwanted pain or vulnerability and can only focus on this movement.
Power Clean Benefits
Develop strength and power: Build overall strength and power with this explosive movement to aid in all sorts of other movements and big lifts.
Build better posture: By strengthening lower body muscles and providing for better support, you start to build a stronger posture for not just exercise, but also everyday movements.
How To Do The Power Clean
Stand with your feet hip width apart and lower into a squat position, grabbing the bar slightly wider than shoulder width apart. With an engaged core, lift the bar so it stays close to your body and keep going until its at your thighs. From here, you will be quick and explosive as you thrust your hips forward and pull your body under the bar. The bar should catch at the front your shoulders. Lower the weight to the ground and repeat for your desired number of reps.
Benefits Of Knee Sleeves
Knee sleeves and the benefits associated with them can greatly influence your lifts and give you confidence as you protect this often times vulnerable joint.
Benefits of knee sleeves include:
Add compression: Work to reduce pain and decrease swelling by offering good compression and support to those knees.
Increase blood flow: Boost circulation for better movements and less pain by working to also prevent lactic acid build up (1).
Efficient recovery: More healthy blood and oxygen flow, along with less lactic acid build up, leads to better recovery for faster bounce back and more gains (2).
Support muscles: Support those muscles and decrease the number of muscular vibrations to assist in muscle fatigue and improve overall athletic performance (3).
Prevent future injury: By protecting those vulnerable spots, you preemptively work to prevent future injuries.
What To Look For In Knee Sleeves
When choosing your knee sleeve, it is important to look for the right fit overall. You don’t want your sleeve to be too tight so it restricts you, but you also don’t want it to be too loose so it ultimately does nothing. The material and padding play into this, along with size, because these are all factors that can affect fit.
The material should be comfortable because you’d rather work out with something that feels good as opposed to an itchy or scratchy sleeve. Padding offers comfort but may be bulky, so looking to the right amount of padding will affect your overall mobility.
Knee sleeves come in various sizes, typically 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm so doing some research into your own size will give you the best option. Typically, 3mm is for more endurance athletes and 7mm will offer more support for heavy lifters. Of course, 5mm is right in the middle.
Check out our list of the Best Knee Sleeves for amazing support, compression, and stability!
Wrap Up
Knee sleeves have the ability to help when it comes to boosting all of those lifting wants and needs and when it comes to these 5 leg building exercises, the right knee sleeve can go a long way. Look into a quality knee sleeve and see what this can do for you. By working to better protect yourself, you won’t be disappointed with your lifting results and how you feel doing it.
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*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Vaile, Joanna; Stefanovic, Brad; Askew, Christopher D. (2016). “Effect of lower limb compression on blood flow and performance in elite wheelchair rugby athletes”. (source)
Husmann, Florian; Mittlmeier, Thomas; Bruhn, Sven; Zschorlich, Volker; Behrens, Martin (2018). “Impact of Blood Flow Restriction Exercise on Muscle Fatigue Development and Recovery”. (source)
Raabe, Margaret E.; McNally, Michael P.; Chaudhari, Ajit M. W. (2017). “The Effect Of Compression Tights On Muscle Vibration And Fatigue From A High-Intensity Run”. (source)