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How Bent Over Flys Increase Shoulder Strength & Stamina
Give your shoulders a great workout with bent over flys.
Building our shoulders and working hard to get that well-rounded physique can be challenging, but great exercises like bent over flys are exactly what we need to see serious growth. With the right approach to any workout you can better tackle all of those strength wants and needs and really give yourself the best when it comes to boosting your overall gains. But it isn’t easy and it takes work, for building boulder shoulders requires only the best form to avoid injury and unwanted pain.
The nice part about bent over flys is that they are a beginner level exercise with advanced level gains. Performing this exercise is relatively easy but knowing form and how best to tackle technique is more than important. Our shoulders can be vulnerable, but by taking the right steps to strengthen the surrounding areas we better set ourselves up when it comes to sport specific and more functional gains. Bent over flys are the perfect exercise for all your lifting wants and needs and is definitely something to place into your workout.
Let’s take a look at bent over flys and see what’s up with this exercise. From what it is, to muscles worked, the many benefits of it, and how to perform it, we’ll break down bent over flys so you can maximize all of your gains. Plus, we will offer some great alternatives so you can better structure your workouts for added diversity.
What Are Bent Over Flys?
Bent over flys are a great exercise to build your shoulders for better overall development, support, strength, and stability. As an effective isolation exercise, all you need are quality dumbbells and you are ready to go. Great for beginners, as well as those intermediate and advanced, this is an effective muscle building workout for all. By working to strengthen your delts, you assist with pushing movements and can increase your level of strength for other lifts. Also, improving posture and structural support can greatly affect your gains for the better.
Muscles Worked
This exercise targets your shoulders and is very close to an isolation exercise. Working all three heads of your delts (front, rear, and lateral), you get a well-rounded workout to increase strength, size, and functionality of this often times vulnerable area. Along with your shoulders, you may feel it in your traps and triceps as a result of the movement, but primarily this will work only your shoulders.
Benefits Of Bent Over Flys
The benefits of bent over flys are hard to ignore but can greatly affect all areas of your overall shoulder gains. By working your delts and putting an emphasis on strength and stamina, you never have to worry about a poor shoulder workout again.
Benefits of bent over flys include:
Better strength and stamina: Work to increase strength and size while also improving stamina to help push through any muscular failure.
Increased posture and balance: By strengthening your shoulders you provide for better stability and balance while working to improve posture and overall support (1).
Reduce injury: Strengthening this often times vulnerable area can work for your benefit to reduce the risk of injury and keep you in the gym longer (2).
Help with muscle imbalances: Those dreaded muscle imbalances are annoying but the right exercise can work to build better symmetry.
Round out a physique: Beefing up those shoulders can only add to a well-rounded and more buff physique.
Plenty of variations: Plenty of variations means more diversity in your workout so you never grow bored and are always seeing huge gains.
How To Perform This Exercise
Here are the steps for performing bent over flys:
Choose your desired amount of weight and find a comfortable position to perform this exercise in.
With your feet a bit wider than shoulder width apart, engage your core and keep your body neutral as you hinge at the hips.
With the weight hanging in front of you, pull the dumbbells so they are parallel to the floor.
Give a good squeeze at the top and gently lower back to the starting position.
Repeat for your desired number of sets and reps.
Bent Over Fly Variations
Along with this great exercise comes plenty of variations to try. The benefit to many variations is that you can diversify your workout so you never grow bored of the same movements. However, you will still build muscle for these exercises will target the same muscles but in different ways. Once you find a variation you greatly enjoy, you can alternate back and forth from that and bent over flys for the most effective gains.
Variations of the bent over fly include:
Seated Bent Over Fly
Horizontal Fly
Kneeling Reverse Fly
Reverse Fly On Bench
Machine Rear Delt Fly
Side-Lying Rear Delt Fly
Face Pulls
Best Exercises To Pair With Bent Over Flys
To tag along with bent over flys in your workout, consider pairing with the right exercises so you see only the best gains. Working with exercises like the deadlift and Romanian deadlift, these will work nicely to give your shoulders a break but keeping them engaged. The lat pulldown and pull-ups will recruit your shoulders to really engage those lats for a wider physique and to emphasis and focus on only the best for pulling motions. And for that extra shoulder work, toss in reverse flys to boost strength and size.
Wrap Up
The bent over fly is a great exercise worthy of putting into your shoulder day routine. As an effective delt builder, you will find an increase to strength, size, and stamina as you will better be able to push yourself through any muscular fatigue. Knowing how best to perform this exercise will prove to be safe and effective with the right form and the many benefits will certainly leave you feeling satisfied. Check out bent over flys, place them into your workout routine, and watch your gains take off.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Lee, D.; et al. (2017). “Changes in rounded shoulder posture and forward head posture according to exercise methods”. (source)
Mitchell, C.; et al. (2005). “Shoulder pain: diagnosis and management in primary care”. (source)
How to Beat Boredom Eating
You’re Not Hungry, You’re Bored! Here is how to beat boredom eating.
About half of everything you do is out of habit. This means a large part of what you do is automatic behavior. This includes eating.
Same goes for boredom eating. Boredom eating is largely a product of habit. You do it mindlessly despite not actually being hungry. A set of cues triggers your boredom causing you to munch mindlessly. And unfortunately, boredom eating makes people fat.
Humans don’t snack on celery sticks out of boredom. They’re eating chips, pretzels, and some of that leftover pizza from last night’s party. You generally select high rewarding foods and high rewarding foods pack quite the caloric punch.
How Boredom Occurs
You see, in our instant gratification world, humans are getting worse and worse at delaying gratification. The world we live in is full of distractions that holler and cling for our attention. With the hyperstimulation all around us from our phones, social media, news, long work hours, social networks, and even the dang dog barking, your brain is used to stimulation.
This is why humans can’t stand boring movies, boring conversations, or boring people. We don’t like boring anything. This is an issue to our productivity and more importantly, your waistline.
You can’t realistically be stimulated all the time. Your dopamine receptors can’t be tickled 24/7. You have to adult through life which often comes with boredom. The mundane of taking the kids to school, working at a desk, and cleaning your kitchen isn’t stimulating your brain. Thus, your brain wants to break the monotony and reach for a recent stimulating memory.
This often comes in the form of food which isn’t great for our physique goals. Humans don’t realize what they’re doing until they wake up one day and their belly grows so big, they’re out of belt notches.
Fortunately, understanding the problem helps us conjure up solutions. But let’s get focused on what boredom eating really is. Boredom eating is essentially your brains way of stimulating it’s reward pathways when it’s reached task failure. Essentially, it’s sick of not being stimulated by your current task, so it resorts to thinking, “Yo, screw being an adult, let’s get chocolate wasted off that box of chocolate your friend gave you.”
Adjusting Your Environment
The first step to solving this dang boredom eating is to adjust your environment. The proximity effect is a real thing. The closer something is to you, the more you will gravitate to it. In fact, if you look at the science of cravings, humans only crave things accessible in proximity.
Ever have something super tasty while on vacation? No matter how good it tastes, once you return home, you generally don’t crave it anymore because it’s no longer accessible.
So you can leverage the proximity effect to your favor or Detriment. Have a jar of nuts on your desk? Those calories will end up around your waistline faster than if they were downstairs. Same goes for any other food.
For example, if you work from home, you’re extremely prone to boredom eating. Anything you buys is tugging at your brain subconsciously. That bag of chips downstairs is calling your name right now without you even knowing it.
To leverage the proximity effect towards your favor, you can prevent the temptation instead of resisting it because if it’s close enough, you can’t resist for long. I know your past eating behavior will confirm this.
This means buying only what you intend to eat and leaving more nutritious foods closer while distancing higher calorie foods. Keeping what you don’t intend to eat out of sight helps as well.
Meal Timing
The nature of boredom eating to escape boredom even when you don’t need food. Some people eat the most calories from their mindless snacking than any one meal of the day,
In addition to modifying your environment, you need to bring structure and intentionality back into your eating behavior. The key way to do this is to set structured eating times. Set specific times that you’ll eat your desired meals at.
The times you select should be when you’re typically hungriest. I like to have my meals more spread out throughout the day with a later than average eating schedule because I’m naturally not super hungry in the morning.
Some research also finds that if you eat at roughly the same time each day, you’re more satiated and experience better health outcomes. This is because your circadian rhythm syncs with food. Your body digests foods with endless bodily processes. Doing so in a predictable manner supports your internal clock.
If you can’t eat at a consistent time daily due to your profession, that’s totally ok. Simply, plan out your meals at your most convenient times. It’s the planning and intentionality that matters. This way, your schedule is more structured and you know when your body will reward itself with food instead of snacking out of boredom frequently.
Setting Breaks to Prevent Mental Fatigue
With boredom eating, the danger in it is that it’s an automatic habit that deviates you from your goal. This means that the last component in beating boredom eating is to break the cue that starts the habit.
Earlier, I discussed how the cue of boredom is essentially task failure. You can only do the same task for so long until your brain perceives fatigue and looks for pleasure. So if you’re able to, try to set time blocks on tasks. Never work on any one thing for too long.
If you have a project, you’re chipping away at, work on it for 30 minutes and then work on something else for 30 minutes. After that, work on another task for 30 minutes or switch back to your first task if you really need to chip away at it.
If your workday is more mundane and the tasks are highly repetitive in nature, make sure you set breaks. Work for 30-60 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. Going for a quick walk is an excellent idea here. Regardless if you sandwich your day with multiple tasks or breaks, you must switch before task boredom sets in.
This means ending your task even when you feel you’re in the “zone.” If you go past this, you’re risking task failure which leads to the brain getting bored and seeking pleasure.
Once you feel you need a break from the monotony, it’s too late. Willpower is drained and the brain is not as logical at this point. So outsmart your brain and don’t let it get bored.
No More Boredom Eating
So picture you now. You succumb to the same bag of Chex Mix each day between 2 and 3 o’ clock after a stressful work block. When that bag of Chex Mix depletes, you buy a new one. The habit keeps repeating because the cycle needs to be disrupted.
You need to set regular eating times to structure your day better. You need to stop buying Chex Mix and not leave any rewarding food near your environment. A good rule of thumb is if you don’t plan on eating it, don’t buy it, not even for company.
Lastly, you need to prevent your brain from perceiving boredom. Set timers to switch tasks and for the love of medium rare steaks, learn to take a break daily. Our culture has taught us to work nonstop 24/7 which only drains our willpower.
If you do the above, you’ll obliterate your habit of boredom eating so fast, you can write a book about it and sell millions. Ok, I’m joking about that last part, but seriously, you’ll stop boredom eating and that’s life changing in itself.
INBA PNBA Natural Bodybuilder Aims to Rep Out 500 Pounds on Deadlift
INBA PNBA natural bodybuilder Marc Cheatham wants to lift 500 lbs on deadlift for reps.
The deadlift is considered the king of all exercises. It’s one of the big three compounds movements – bench press, squat, and deadlift -, and it’s a good indicator of your overall strength. Furthermore, it’s also the movement that allows you to use the most weight. Well, one rising INBA PNBA natural bodybuilding star, Marc Cheatham, plans to hit a new personal record on this behemoth lift.
Marc Cheatham had his breakout natural bodybuilding year in 2021. Contrary to being new to professional natural bodybuilding, he placed in the top six in his category at 2021 Natural Olympia and his first Natural Olympia competition. Within two months, Cheatham competed in four shows. He got second in the first show and was granted his pro card three weeks later. And before Natural Olympia, Cheatham won his first pro show.
Moreover, he recently signed a multi-media deal with Generation Iron, INBA PNBA, and Iron Man Magazine. Crazy enough, Cheatham claims he was in the worst shape of his life six months prior.
He made it clear on Instagram (IG) how much weight he’d like to throw around on deadlift. He said:
“I got a goal to rep out 500lbs on the deadlift!”
Below, you’ll find him repping out four plates on each side on deadlift.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CYuvK6aFPGC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
If you’ve performed the deadlift before, you know this would be an incredible feat!
Prepared for the 2022 INBA PNBA Season
Marc Cheatham seems primed for this year’s 2022 INBA PNBA season. Since 2021 Natural Olympia ended, Cheatham started working early for this year’s natural bodybuilding season. On an IG post posted just weeks after Natural Olympia, he stated, “It’s grow season now. Time to put on more mass!”
Aside from winning, Cheatham acknowledges that looking good naked is another motivating factor for him to workout. Marc Cheatham plans to start competing again this summer. As an athlete, he believes balancing training for performance and aesthetics is the key to a well-rounded physique.
The Road to Natural Olympia
The road to Natural Olympia is no easy path. If you’re a pro, there are specific competitions you’ll need to compete in before you qualify. For example, suppose you’re on the west coast. In that case, you have the option to compete in International Battle Against Cancer, International Battle Iron Man Magazine, Pro Wolfpack/Cougar Classic, Zeus Classic International, Team USA, or World Cup. In addition, professional INBA PNBA athletes from the midwest and east coast have their bracket of competitions.
If you’re a reining gold medal winner or Hall of Fame Inductee, you’re exempt from qualifying competitions. Also, amateurs can compete at Natual Olympia and have their criteria to qualify. Winning overall in an amateur competition will earn an INBA PNBA athlete their pro card.
As Cheatham stated in an IG post, Natural Olympia is the Super Bowl of natural bodybuilding. It’s the most prominent natural bodybuilding event where competitors from over 60 countries have the opportunity to win medals and prizes.
Generation Iron wishes Marc Cheatham good luck in this upcoming natural bodybuilding season! Also, congratulations on signing your multi-media contract!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay tuned to INBA PNBA athletes!
Hafthor Bjornsson Offers New Bench Press Challenge To Larry Wheels
Hafthor Bjornsson commented on Larry Wheels’ post with a new challenge.
You can take the competitor away from powerlifting but cannot take powerlifting out of the competitor. Even after transitioning to the boxing ring, Hafthor Bjornsson still shows interest in weightlifting. Recently, he was seen in the comments’ section of one of Larry Wheels’ feats of strength. Bjornsson offered a new challenge for Wheels to take on while bench pressing.
Wheels has been on a tear in the gym in recent months. He has been setting many personal records and repping huge amounts of weight in different exercises. This bench press session was no different. Wheels took to Instagram to share another impressive lift.
It began when Wheels took on a 529-pound bench press and competed six reps. He then powered through 21 reps of 396.8 pounds.
“240kg x 6180kg x21@teampersonalrecord@mikethurston••@teampersonalrecord wrist and elbow wraps being used”
Larry Wheels gains much attention from his Instagram videos. This time, it was Hafthor Bjornsson who commented with a new challenge on how to go a bit further.
“That’s insane! I challenge you to do 200kg for 20 reps!”
Bjornsson continues to be an influential name in powerlifting. He has transitioned to boxing and is planning to take on fellow strongman turned boxer Eddie Hall. Since his days of powerlifting, Bjornsson has lost a significant amount of weight and is as shredded as ever. This does not the way what he was able to do during his prime.
In 2020, Bjornsson completed the heaviest deadlift in history at 501kg (1,104.5lb). In the ring, Bjornsson has completed two exhibition fights against Steven Ward and Simon Vallily. He was scheduled to take on Hall in September but it had to be cancelled. Devon Larratt stepped in and was defeated by the strongman.
Larratt is a professional arm wrestler and this is a sport that Larry Wheels has ventured into recently. He has continued training for arm wrestling while continuing to do some incredible things while weight lifting.
Hafthor Bjornsson has trained with Wheels before during his time as a powerlifter. Since making the successful transition, the two have not joined forces but remain close. That is clear by the comment on Wheels’ video. It will be interesting to see if Wheels takes on the challenge given by Bjornsson. If he does, it will certainly be a must-see post.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
WATCH: Bodybuilder Joe Mackey Deadlifts 800 Pounds For An Easy Triple
Joe Mackey made 800 pounds look easy in a recent training session.
It is not everyday that bodybuilders make lifts look as easy as powerlifters do. Last week, Joe Mackey did just that. The Men’s Open competitor completed an 800-pound deadlift for three easy reps during a training session.
Mackey shred the video to Instagram and is seen making the reps look easy. Over the years, Mackey has been known for his incredible size and it is because of lifts like this one. It is unknown when he is planning to step on stage but Mackey has not taken time off from training and continues to open eyes in the gym.
“Just 800 lbs for 3 reps tonight. Nothing too crazy. ???♂️
Last week was a light week so I was expecting a larger number this week with my program since I pulled 840 lbs 2 weeks ago.
Once I saw the workout today was only 800 lbs, Honestly speaking, I was not and didn’t have to get in the zone with this pull.”
Joe Mackey stepped up to the 800-pound lift with a lifting belt and plenty of confidence. He explained how he pulled 840 pounds two weeks ago, which was a personal record. Mackey decided to add on another rep as he has done two reps of 800 before.
“I’ve done 800 so many times and the plan only called for 2 reps. I’ve done 800 for 2 before so I figured I’d go ahead and do a extra rep.Sticking with the plan +1 with @jailhousestrong
I know the big number is coming and I’m ready.”
Joe Mackey earned his IFBB Pro Card in 2016 by placing second in the super-heavyweight division at NPC Nationals. He has competed in five competitions to this point of his career. Mackey’s highest finish came during the 2020 Tampa Pro, where he finished eighth. Mackey competed just once in 2021, during the Chicago Pro, and it is unknown when he will step on stage next.
Mackey is not slated to appear at the 2022 Arnold Classic. This means he will continue to lift heavy. By the looks of his recent ventures and his most recent Instagram caption, Mackey has his eye on an even bigger number moving forward.
Joe Mackey follows a line of great bodybuilders who are mass monsters. There is great hype around him moving forward and it will be interesting to see when he takes the stage once again. For now, Mackey will continue to impress with massive lifts.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Maren Turmo Profile & Stats
The biography, life, and accomplishments of Maren Turmo
Photo via @maren.turmo Instagram
Maren Turmo is a Norwegian fitness model and social media personality with an amazing physique. Using her platform, she promotes her workouts and lifestyle tips while also serving as an inspiration for those looking to make a change.
Below is a complete breakdown of her profile, stats, biography, training, and diet regimens.
Full Name: Maren Turmo
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
N/A
5’5”
03/31/1999
Profession
Era
Nationality
Fitness Model, Internet Influencer
2010
Norwegian
Photo via @maren.turmo Instagram
Biography
Not much is known about Maren’s early childhood, but she was born in Oslo, Norway and judging by her lifestyle, lived a healthy childhood. She gained recognition online through posting videos and photos of her workouts which garnered her many followers along the way. She chose to use that platform to spread awareness and to share her tips with others so they too could see great gains like she does. Now with a big following on social media, she will continue to rise and grow in popularity while only continuing her inspiration for so many.
Training
When it comes to training, Maren focuses on cardio, HIIT workouts, and weight training. She loves to train her legs, glutes, and abs, and it shows. She will always perform a warm-up before the workout to make sure she is primed and ready to take full advantage of her lifts.
Below are two great workouts being a full body workout and a glute workout.
Full Body Workout
Squats: 3 sets, 20 reps
V-Ups: 3 sets, 20 reps
Jump Squats: 3 sets, 15 reps
Burpees: 3 sets, 15 reps
Goblet Squat: 3 sets, 15 reps
Glute Workout
Cardio Warm-Up: 5 Minutes
Barbell Squats: 2-3 set, 10-12 reps
Hip Thrusts: 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Leg Press: 2 sets, 20 reps
Deadlift: 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Photo via @maren.turmo Instagram
Nutrition
Maren is incredibly healthy when it comes to her diet and each meal is properly planned. Eating healthy food works for her and by following such a great routine it allows her to stay both physically and mentally sharp. Some foods she includes in her diet are oatmeal, cottage cheese, berries, fish, green vegetables, and eggs.
Supplementation
While Maren uses her own supplements of choice, looking to the right supplements can make or break your gains. Although training and a good diet are essential for fat loss, what a fat burner can do is kickstart fat loss so you see only the best gains to your shredded aesthetic. With premium ingredients, a fat burning supplement can kickstart your metabolism to shed more calories, work to move stored fat so it can be used for energy, and curb your appetite so you don’t feel the need to indulge in any cravings. For all your physique goals, the right fat burner can be a game changer.
Patrick Schwarzenegger Shows Off Physique After Body Transformation
Patrick Schwarzenegger has gone through a change in physique and is not shy about showing it off.
When the last name ‘Schwarzenegger’ is attached, it is expected that an impressive physique comes with the entire package. This is something that Patrick Schwarzenegger has been working on and has built an impressive physique.
During a recent trip, Schwarzenegger is seen kayaking and shows off his ripped physique. This is the result of some new techniques that he implemented at the beginning of 2021.
Patrick Schwarzenegger began a workout challenge in January where he was waking up at 5 a.m. to begin his day with exercise. This was meant to provide motivation for the rest of the day. Schwarzenegger began the challenge at 163 pounds and 13% body fat. In May, he shared a physique update where he gained weight due to muscle gain and lost 5% body fat.
Not only did Schwarzenegger take on the challenge, he inspired others to do so as well and received some positive feedback.
“We had 413 people finish the challenge. Pretty wild. Some of the results were amazing. Found a Sense of purpose. Increased energy. Better sleeping habits. Some Lost 15-30 lbs. People ate better throughout the day. More productive at work. Found time for extra activities. Check out some of the texts I got. So inspiring.”
Patrick Schwarzenegger shared a long caption to Instagram explaining this method. Also, he provided reasons to get up and workout early in the morning.
“WHY 5am Challenge ?
1. starts your day with a form of “success” & builds momentum for the rest of your day2. Shows your mind/body your capable of doing something you don’t want to3. Allows you to form small morning rituals/habits that lead to big results over time.”
This is not something that is easy to do but it has shown great results. Now, Patrick Schwarzenegger is able to show off his impressive physique while on vacation. This time, it was in Hawaii.
There is no doubt that muscle growth and tone is in Schwarzenegger’s genes. It is amazing to see the work he has done over the past year and makes us excited to see where it will go from here. One thing we do know is that the Schwarzenegger family has taken over methods used by the best bodybuilder of all-time.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Straight Facts: How To Prevent Catastrophic Health Issues As A Bodybuilder
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Jerry Brainum shares the straight facts on important preventative health measures all bodybuilders should be utilizing.
STRAIGHT FACTS WITH JERRY BRAINUM – is an in depth exploration of the more complicated elements behind bodybuilding training, nutrition, and supplements. Hosted by legendary and longtime industry expert, Jerry Brainum, Straight Facts answers user questions so no one is left in the dark.
Last week, Jerry Brainum broke down some facts regarding health in bodybuilding – and how it compares to the average person. What he revealed was that bodybuilders have many habits that make them more healthy but these are undercut by extreme drug use. To follow up on this topic, Jerry decided to go into detail about important preventative measures that bodybuilders should seriously consider taking. In this week’s episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum explains the important steps bodybuilders should take to help prevent catastrophic health issues.
Jerry Brainum wants people to know that bodybuilders cannot be medically assessed the same way as normal people. Even if a bodybuilder were to get a blood test – it’s important for the individual to know what to look for in the results. A doctor might overlook certain findings if they are not aware of the habits and drugs that go into bodybuilding. So what, exactly, should a bodybuilder be looking for when going for a medical checkup?
Jerry Brainum breaks down in great detail the exact kind of blood and medical tests all bodybuilders should receive. Not only once or twice – but regularly over their bodybuilding lives. In fact, Jerry recommends these tests be taken quarterly to ensure true preventative health in bodybuilding.
The importance of these tests cannot be stressed enough by Jerry Brainum. He starts off this week’s episode with a bold but concerning claim. He believes that if bodybuilders from the 1970’s were taking the kind of drug protocols we see today, nearly all of them would be dead. Jerry cannot imagine a man like Arnold Schwarzenegger living as long as he has if he were taking the massive amounts of drugs that the sport sees today.
But a “war on drugs” has historically proven to do little. The floodgates are open. Now all Jerry Brainum can do is help educate those who are listening. While nothing is 100% guaranteed, preventative health measures are always powerful options to improve longevity. For bodybuilders, there are simply different specifics that should be focused on.
Overall, Jerry Brainum breaks down approximately a half dozen different tests that he recommends. That sounds like a lot but it is all in an effort to help not only extend your life but make it a higher quality of living. According to Jerry, these tests should be considered just as mandatory as supplements, nutrition, and training regimens. It’s part of the job of being a bodybuilder. The more you cut corners – the more risk in the long run.
Overall, the tests Jerry recommends focus on signs of heart health, kidney health, and liver health. These are three organs that can be majorly impacted by a bodybuilding lifestyle. The more these tests are regularly taken, the more likely you are to spot an issue sooner rather than later. If it’s soon enough, lifestyle choices can be made to reduce risk going forward. It can be the difference between retiring early from the sport or retiring early from life itself.
So if you are serious about bodybuilding and have become concerned about your long term health – heed Jerry Brainum’s words very carefully. He goes into great detail about what each test is, what it accomplishes, and why it’s important. It can be your ultimate guide towards a more healthy bodybuilding future.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into full detail in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. And make sure to stick around every Wednesday for new episodes!
Kai Greene Reveals Secret Weapon for Insane Leg Development
Kai Greene reveals one of the greatest exercises for lower body development.
Kai Greene explains the importance of the Jefferson Squat for maxing out lower body gains. He details just exactly why the movement can take your leg gains to a whole new level.
Often times it’s the most unconventional things that can take us to the next level. In order to be the 1% you have to do the things 99% of people won’t do. That being the case, if you’re a bodybuilder looking to bring something different to the table then doing things the same old way. By following a new way, a new system, a new workout, a new exercise, one may be able to unlock a new level of greatness.
Kai Greene has proven that being unorthodox can be to your benefit. His unorthodox approach to bodybuilding has made him the sensation that he is today. From his physique to his posing routine, Kai is a unique figure in the bodybuilding world and that has helped to set him apart from the pack.
One of the things that sets Kai Greene apart is his approach to preparation. Kai doesn’t train like every other bodybuilder out there. Take training legs for instance. Kai does exercises many other bodybuilders don’t. One such movement is the Jefferson Squat, an exercise many old school bodybuilders performed to develop their legs.
Kai Greene Gives Details on Secret Weapon
In fact Kai Greene recently went in depth about why the Jefferson Squat can take a bodybuilder’s leg development to the next level.
A secret of mine that you don’t see many people do anymore is the Jefferson Squat. It works your lower body in a unique way, to perform this movement take a wide stance and hold the bar between your legs with one hand in front of your body and one hand behind it.
Keep your glutes tensed while you squat down in the bucket (below parallel).
Use smaller plates on the bar, no more than 25s, so you can get down deep enough.
The key is to force your knees out—when you do that, it activates your glutes so you keep them under continuous contraction throughout the set.
The better I became at doing Jeffersons, the more proficient I got at squatting. I learned how to activate my qlutes, hams, and quads better. Doing Jeffersons then the adduction machine one after the other has been crucial to my glute and hip-flexor development.
Give it a try and let me know what you think ??
Kai Greene is one of the most popular bodybuilders on the scene for a reason. Imparting knowledge like this to up and coming bodybuilders can really take them to the next level.
What do you think of Kai Greene and the Jefferson Squat?
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.
A Breakdown Of Creatine & Why You Need It
Creatine is a popular supplement for athletes of all sports and the benefits of taking this great supplement will make you add it to your supplementation routine.
Creatine is an incredibly popular and widely used supplement by those in the health and fitness community. As a staple supplement for many, creatine helps promote that much desired growth and strength athletes of all sports love to see. It has been widely researched and both recreational and professional athletes have become attracted to this powerful product. With many benefits, including muscle growth, the list is enough to make you realize you may in fact need this as part of your daily supplementation and workout routine.
Much debate is had around the effectiveness and safety of creatine, but like many well researched supplements, many opinions are bound to pour in. As one of the most tested products by scientists and health experts, the safety and effectiveness of this supplement should go without saying that it can be quite beneficial for your gains. While we are all looking for that one thing that can push us over the edge, creatine may be that tool we’ve all been looking for.
Let’s take a deep dive into creatine and see just what this supplement is all about. From what it is, how it works, and the many benefits of it, your mind may change as to why creatine should be in your daily routine.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is actually found in our bodies. It is naturally found in the muscle cells and helps give us energy during those grueling lifts and workouts. After you eat protein, your kidneys and liver make your body’s own creatine supply which then makes it way to the muscles and is converted into creatine phosphate and finally adenosine triphosphate, which your body can then use for energy.
Chemically, creatine shares many similarities with amino acids, those vital components of protein needed for muscle growth and recovery. And while creatine is readily accessible in supplement form, either by pill, powder, or liquid, a creatine supplement shouldn’t replace a good, hearty meal full of protein and whole foods.
How Creatine Works
Creatine enters the body binding to a phosphate molecule to create creatine phosphate. It is important to note that adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) is the body’s energy source and is responsible for driving you to the finish line of any physical activity. Once that energy is used, ATP then turns to adenosine di-phosphate (ADP), which is unfortunately fairly useless for your body. What creatine does is reforms ADP back into ATP, taking that useless energy and making it into something you can use again. Thus, creatine provides a way to use your “leftovers” into something positive and helpful for longer workouts or extra refueling.
Benefits Of Creatine
Promotes Strength
Consuming creatine helps your muscles build phosphocreatine which allows for increased performance and intense strength building. Creatine can cause your cells to inflate which can improve muscle pumps, and along with L-arginine, can improve blood flow through those overworked muscles (1). This can give you an extra rep or two and over time, you will start to see those gains really come to life.
Increase Athletic Performance
For athletes who perform short, high intensity bursts of energy, creatine can increase strength and power output to keep you working longer (2). Its ability to refuel those energy stores can support recovery, enhance muscle growth, and promote explosivity and those short bursts needed for sport specific movements.
Improves Metabolism
By improving your insulin sensitivity and improving glycemic control (3), creatine can help boost your metabolism for that desired calorie burn and fat loss. With the added benefit of prolonging activity, creatine works to optimize weight control so you shed unwanted fat without losing that desired lean muscle growth.
Boosts Mental Capacity
With long and grueling workouts, our minds start to wander and fatigue. Creatine can boost mental capacity by improving memory and processing speed while increasing focus and alertness. As you become more fatigued, creatine works to enhance cognitive function by increasing oxygen utilization in the brain (4).
Safety & Dosage
Creatine is very safe and effective and as a well-researched supplement, there is plenty of evidence to support this fact. Some studies have shown that there are no negative effects for years of creatine use (5). It is important to follow the instructions for each respective product and make sure no added ingredients or hidden agendas are secretly added to whichever creatine product you choose to try. If strange or unusual side effects do pop up, see your doctor for expert advice.
Featured Creatine Supplement
Transparent Labs StrengthSeries Creatine HMB
Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is a quality supplement from a reputable and honest company with no added ingredients or fillers to ruin a great product. This is a great creatine supplement for those looking to boost their performance without suffering the consequence of losing those hard-earned gains. When placed together, creatine monohydrate and HMB have been shown to promote strength, increase endurance, and prevent lean muscle loss, all while decreasing fat mass at the same time. The addition of BioPerine allows for increased bioavailability and absorption so you get the maximum benefits of this supplement. With just three ingredients, this creatine product form Transparent Labs can transform your gains to new heights.
Price: $39.00
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Wrap Up
As a widely popular and well-researched supplement, creatine has taken the sports supplement industry by storm. As an effective tool for athletes of all experience levels, this highly effective supplement has the ability to transform your goals into something you want to see. Through strength building, toning, fat loss, and increased athletic performance, creatine is one of those supplements to work wonders for your training and performance. Safe, effective, and clinically researched, creatine is one of those supplements that should be on your shelf. Look into a top creatine supplement today and see what this powerful supplement can do for you.
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*Images courtesy of Transparent Labs and Envato
References
Bode-Boger, Stefanie M.; Boger, Rainer H.; Galland, Andrea; Tsikas, Dimitrios; Frolich, Jurgen C. (1998). “L-arginine-induced vasodilation in healthy humans: pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship”. (source)
2. Graham, A. S.; Hatton, R. C. (1999). “Creatine: a review of efficacy and safety”. (source)
3. Pinto, Camila L.; Botelho, Patricia B.; Pimentel, Gustavo D.; Campos-Ferraz, Patricia L.; Mota, Joao F. (2016). “Creatine supplementation and glycemic control: a systematic review”. (source)
4. Avgerinos, Konstantinos; Spyrou, Nikolaos; Bougioukas, Konstantinos; Kapogiannis, Dimitrios (2018). “Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials”. (source)
5. Kreider, Richard B.; Melton, Charles; Rasmussen, Christopher J.; Greenwood, Michael; Lancaster, Stacy; et al. (2003). “Long-term creatine supplementation does not significantly affect clinical markers of health in athletes”. (source)