All Posts By Presser
5 Rules Of Being A Great Workout Partner
How To Be A Great Training Partner
Working out with the wrong training partner can be worse than not having a workout buddy. The right training buddies are a match made in heaven and are blessed by the bodybuilding Gods, old and new.
If you have trained with lifting partners in the past, you’ll know that a bad spotter can not only make you hit a plateau but can also hamper your gains. In this article, we’ll teach you how to be a great workout partner so you can lead by example for your future training buddies.
Open-Mindedness
Patience, persistence, and a willingness to learn new techniques is the key to being a great workout partner. If you’re too rigid about following your training program, people with more experience might not be eager to train with you.
Exploring new training, nutrition, and recovery techniques can enrichen your fitness journey. Dismissing your training buddy’s suggestions too often is a sure-shot way of cutting short your partnership.
Honesty
More often than not, people let their egos get the better of them in the gym. Look around in your gym and you’ll surely see a spotter doing more work than the lifter. Even worse is the fact that the spotter doesn’t ask his training partner to drop the weight even when both of them are struggling with the weight.
The next time, before you say “it was all you” when it wasn’t, know that you’re doing your training buddy and yourself disfavor. Be honest about your form, performance, and any other aspects you could improve on.
Keep Your Ego In Check
People who train with a lifter who is on an advanced level often end up falling victim to their egos. Playing catch-up can prove expensive in the weight room. If you’re a beginner, focus on learning the right form instead of trying to lift heavier weights.
It’s your responsibility to keep your partner’s ego in check if you’re the advanced lifter. Remember, there is a thin line between ego lifting and pushing your boundaries. You shouldn’t get so conservative that you stop pushing your limits.
Accountability
The best training partners keep themselves and their buddies accountable. You should be proactive in making sure none of you misses workouts, meals and check if you are meeting your progress goals.
Accountability doesn’t end here, you are the person responsible for your and your partner’s motivation. When any of you lose the inspiration to train, you need to step in and make sure the train remains on track.
It Takes Time
While this article is about how to be a great training buddy, you’ll still have to find a person who you’ll be a partner to. Your and your partner’s training, diet, and recovery approach should fit live a glove.
We could give you tips for selecting the right training partner, but you’ll have to train with a bunch of people before you could find the right match for yourself. Be patient and willing to train with people across experience levels.
Do you train with a training partner? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Have Non-Existent Triceps? Use These Horseshoe Building Tricks
Have Non-Existent Triceps? Use These Horseshoe Building Tricks
Triceps and biceps are two sides of the same coin, and yet the tris don’t get the same love as the bis. Training the tris effectively can be trickier as you need to hit the three heads of the triceps as compared to the two bicep heads.
Bodybuilding is a game of illusions and having meaty triceps can make your arms look bigger. A pair of shredded triceps should look like a horse has kicked you in the back of your arm.
The Best Horseshoe Triceps Building Tips
Start With Compound Exercises
Most people make the mistake of starting their tricep workouts with isolation lifts. If you perform exercises like the cable tricep press-downs at the starting of your workouts, you’ll be fatigued by the time you get to the compound moves.
While it might be a good idea to perform the isolation exercises to pre-exhaust your muscles when you’re training the bigger muscle groups (like chest or back), it can have the opposite effect for your tris if you’re fatigued by the time you get to the functional lifts.
Know The Muscle
It’s always a good idea to do some research about the muscles before you start training. The triceps is composed of 67% fast-twitch fibers, so train it according to the adage, “go heavy or go home.”
For the uninitiated – fast-twitch fibers means that you’ll get the best results from your exercises if you keep the TuT (time under tension) short and overload the muscles with heavier weights.
Use Advanced Training Principles
In the sport of bodybuilding, people are always chasing the pump, and in doing so they favor performing a higher number of reps to flush their muscles with lactic acid. Using the advanced training principles while training the fast-twitch muscles can get a little tricky.
If you’ll be using advanced training techniques like supersets, drop-sets in your training, you should make sure you’re using heavier weights (with the right form) and are performing 5-8 reps on each set.
Stretch It Out
By not stretching and posing during the workout, many people leave gains on the table. Not only will stretching improve the muscle pumps, but it will also help establish a better mind-muscle connection.
Holding an overhead tricep pull is one of the most effective tricep stretching moves. Using resistance bands, hitting the bodybuilding tricep poses like the side chest are great ways of flushing the muscles with lactic acid.
Increase The Training Frequency
If your arms are nothing more than small tree branches, you’ll have to put in more effort. We recommend training the muscle twice a week if you have lagging tris. Don’t experiment too much with the exercises and follow the same workout on both the tricep training days in the week.
One of the days should be a single muscle day where you only train your triceps. For the second tricep training day, club your tri workout with bigger muscle groups like the chest or back. Make sure you’re maintaining a balance between training all the three (medial, long, short) heads of the triceps.
How often do you train your calves? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Follow This Leg Busting Workout For Monster Gains
Follow This Leg Busting Workout For Monster Gains
Shredded legs are what separate the men from the boys. Leg day can prove to be the most brutal workout for most people. Limping around after a good leg workout is normal. Legs are one-half of your body and training them can be hard and exhausting.
Look around your gym and you’ll surely see people with muscular upper bodies and tiny legs. Leg days also happen to be the most skipped workouts around the world. We can’t make you love your leg workouts, but we can surely get you results.
1. Squats – 3 Sets – 12, 10, 8 Reps
Squats are a complete leg builder. You can’t expect to build muscle mass in your legs without doing this exercise. Squats are a compound (multi joint) exercise which builds size and strength in your legs. This exercise will also make you stronger at other exercises.
Start your workouts with 12 reps, with every set increase the weights and reduce the number of reps. Make sure you have a complete ‘ass to the grass’ range of motion. Performing partial reps won’t do anything for your legs.
2. Leg Press – 3 Sets – 12, 10, 8 Reps
Leg Press can be incredibly efficient in building size and definition in your legs. This exercise helps you train your legs from different angles by changing your feet position on the platform. Placing your feet high on the platforms train your hamstrings and the lower feet position will train your quads.
Close and wide feet placement targets your outer and inner quad sweep respectively. Leg press is also the most abused equipment in the gym. People load it up with more weights than they can handle. Use appropriate weights and maintain a full range of motion.
3. Leg Extensions – 3 Sets – 20, 15, 12 Reps
Leg extensions are an isolation exercise and help focus on your quads. This exercise helps in maintaining tension on your quads throughout the motion. Establish a mind-muscle connection with your legs and squeeze the hell out of them at the top of the movement.
You don’t need to go super heavy during this exercise. Keep the motion slow and deliberate and target muscle failure at the end of every set. You should be doing both compound and isolation exercises to make the most of your leg workouts.
4. Romanian Deadlifts – 3 Sets – 12, 10, 8 Reps
This exercise targets your hamstrings. Hamstrings can be a little harder to train since you can’t see them in the mirror and it can be a little harder to establish a mind-muscle connection with them. Keep your back arches and maintain a slight bend in your knees throughout this exercise.
During Romanian deadlifts, think of your hamstrings as chains being used to lift and lower your upper body. Using more weights than you can handle can shift the tension from your hams to your back, defeating the entire purpose of this exercise.
5. Leg Curls – 3 Sets – 20, 15, 12 Reps
Legs curls are one of the most effective hamstring exercises. This is an isolation exercise where the entire focus is on your hams. Maintain a mind-muscle connection with your hams throughout this exercise and keep your reps slow and deliberate.
Since your knees are the only joints working during this exercise, going too fast can increase your chances of an injury. Squeeze your hamstrings at the top of the movement and follow a complete range of motion.
6. Standing Calf Raises – 5 Sets – 20, 15, 10 Reps
You need to treat your calves just like any other muscle group. Doing three sets at the end of a leg workout won’t do any good for your calves. Standing calf raises target your gastrocnemius muscle which is the long head of the calves.
If you don’t have a standing calf machine at your gym, you can utilize the smith machine. Just like with all the other exercises, maintain a full range of motion and squeeze your calves at the top of the movement.
7. Seated Calf Raises – 5 Sets – 20, 15, 10 Reps
Most people have tiny calves because they don’t train them well enough. You need to be doing both the standing and the seated versions of the calf raises to train them optimally. The seated calf raises train the short head of the calves known as soleus.
You can try different feet placement to train your calves from different angles. Keeping your toes together and heels apart will target the outer head of your calves and placing your heels together and toes apart will train the inner head.
Which is your favorite leg exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
2021 Atlanta All States Pro Results
Here are the complete results from the 2021 Atlanta All States Pro!
The 2021 Atlanta All States Pro took place on Friday and Saturday with winners earning qualification to the 2022 Olympia. It was Kyrylo Khudaiev who took home gold in Classic Physique while Jourdanne Lee ended up winning Bikini. There were just two events where competitors gathered in Atlanta to compete.
For Khudaiev, this will be his second Olympia appearance. The first came back in 2019. This was Khudaiev’s best year to date. In 2019, he picked up victories in the Portugal Pro and Dennis James Classic Pro. He followed that up with a second-place finish in the Kai Greene Classic Pro and fourth place during the 2020 New York Pro. Khudaiev will not have a chance to compete against some of the best in the world in Las Vegas come December 2022.
Lee is an up-and-coming talent in the Bikini division preparing to make her third Olympia appearance. She made her debut in the competition in 2019 before returning in October. Her last victory came during the 2020 Iron Games Bikini Pro and now she has earned qualification in back-to-back years.
The full results from the show have been announced. There were two divisions that handed out gold medals. Check out the full results from the 2021 Atlanta All States Pro below, along with official scorecards from the weekend!
2021 Atlanta All States Pro: All Division Results
Classic Physique: Kyrylo Khudaiev
Bikini: Jourdanne Lee
2021 Atlanta All States Pro Breakdown
Classic Physique
First Place – Kyrylo Khudaiev
Second Place – Abdullah Wael Alrabiah
Third Place – Luis Garcia Martinez
Fourth Place – Ahmad Ahmad
Fifth Place – Damien Patrick
Sixth Place – Brent Bumgarner
Seventh Place – Barry Hulbert
Eighth Place – Luis Colon
Ninth Place – Shin Kodama
Tenth Place – Keith Lanier
Bikini
First Place – Jourdanne Lee
Second Place – Marcia Goncalves
Third Place – Rachel Linares
Fourth Place – Mahsa Akbarimehr
Fifth Place – Marisa Woo
Sixth Place – Denetra Blackshear
Seventh Place – Norma Jean Watkins
Eighth Place – Julia Wohlschlegel
Ninth Place – Nicole Hermanson
Tenth Place – Sammy Houle
Official Score Cards
Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the 2021 Atlanta All States Pro. 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.
UFC 269: Charles Oliveira vs Dustin Poirier Results
These are the UFC 269: Charles Oliveira vs Dustin Poirier results.
UFC 269 featured two high stakes winner take all battles between lightweight champion Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier as well as a women’s bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes and Julianna Peña. Who won at UFC 269?
Since defeating Conor McGregor twice within the calendar year, Dustin Poirier has seen his market value skyrocket. Many who didn’t know his name before have a much better idea of who this fighter is now. He’s an every man in a sense, a man who has been grinding to reach the top. Now he has opportunity to cement his legacy by becoming the undisputed lightweight champion. But standing in his way is another man with quite a similar story.
Charles Oliveira was at one point considered a good fighter who would never reach the top of the mountain. He was certainly skilled as his record breaking submission wins would indicate. That said Oliveira had lost some pretty important fights earlier in his career. But the last few years have seen the young fighter with tons of potential mature into a wrecking machine of a talent.
En route to winning the UFC lightweight championship, Charles Oliveira dispatched the likes of Kevin Lee, Tony Ferguson, and Michael Chandler. Now he is faced with defending his title against a game and hungry Dustin Poirier who hopes to cap off his Cinderella story with a lightweight belt.
Anyone could win this match up. Both Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier have all the tools to take the other out. It will be about who has the better game plan. It will be about who wants it more.
Results
Charles Oliveira vs Dustin Poirier for the UFC Lightweight Championship
TBA
Amanda Nunes vs Julianna Peña for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Julianna Peña defeats Amanda Nunes by submission (rear naked choke).
Did you tune in for UFC 269?
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.
Vasyl Lomachenko vs Richard Commey Fight Results
Vasyl Lomachenko vs Richard Commey Fight Results
Vasyl Lomachenko makes his return to the ring against fellow veteran Richard Commey. It’s the second fight for Lomachenko since suffering a defeat to Teofimo Lopez. Since that loss Lomachenko dominated Masayoshi Nakatani to a TKO victory in the ninth round.
Former IBF lightweight champion Richard Commey bounced back from a loss at the hands of Teofimo Lopez with a knockout victory this past February. Both Vasyl Lomachenko and Commey hope to right the ship and get a streak going after their respective losses to Lopez. Who is the one that will begin a new win streak?
Results
Vasyl Lomachenko defeats Richard Commey by unanimous decision.
Did you watch the boxing match between Vasyl Lomachenko and Richard Comey?
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.
Managing editor of Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. He has been writing about bodybuilding, combat sports, and strength sports for over 8 years. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
The Visualization Process For High Performance Athletes
This cognitive technique can really work to benefit all of your performance goals.
Many professional athletes in all sports have successfully used the process of visualization to tackle any challenge laid before them. To see your intended goal happen in your head before you actually execute is a great way to start the process of the actual execution. As a powerful and proven tool for athletes in any sport, visualization and the techniques that go along with it can really work to benefit all aspects of your training and performance.
With so many people preaching how to visualize and how to imagine their success, you will hear people mention how you should see it before you do it, imagine you are in that setting and how it feels, and try and put yourself in the mindset of the pressure you will feel in that moment. By visualizing your environment before you actually get there, the allure and overall atmosphere of a high intensity environment will seem second nature to you (1). But learning how to do it can definitely be something of a challenge.
What Is Visualization?
Visualization is an experience and a preparation for the big moment ahead. Also known as guided imagery, this process and technique is sort of a mental rehearsal for what lies ahead. By creating a mental image and nailing down your ultimate goals and intentions, you will start to make that goal and that dream a reality (2).
Focusing on what you intend to do is important and is something not only necessary in sport but also other facets of your life. If you enter a meeting where you seek to pitch a million dollar idea to investors, by visualizing a positive outcome in that meeting, you will feel more relaxed and will be better equipped to execute in that meeting.
For our purposes of sport, if you are facing a monster deadlift in Strongman or a powerlifting competition, seeing everything laid before you can help with execution. Imagine the atmosphere, the cheers, the immense pressure you will be under. See your feet under the bar, your hands on the grip, and maybe even a bead of sweat dripping onto the floor from your head. Imagine how it feels, the weight slowly being lifted off the floor as you look up, that bar trailing your shins, moving past your knees, and reaching your hips. Then think about how you did it, how you are holding that weight knowing you lifted all of it and accomplished your goal before dropping it back down. That is visualization.
Benefits Of Visualization
Improve Focus & Concentration
By taking time away from the distractions of life, you will start to work your mind into focusing on what you care about. By concentrating on one thing, you will start to get better at narrowing down exactly what you want and that will cross over into other areas of focus and concentration.
Promote Relaxation
Finding peace and quiet and exploring your mind is a great way to promote relaxation. By working to achieve your goals and seeing yourself succeed, you will not only help yourself see that performance goal come to life but also feel good knowing you are tackling that overwhelming sense of whatever is bothering you. Eliminate distractions and all that anxiety and find a moment of relaxation for your mental and physical health (3).
Increase Positivity
Leading up to any competition, the nerves really get going and your mind starts to wander, filling your head with all that self doubt. By working to visualize your goal and tackle the issue at hand, you won’t feel all of that negativity and the overwhelming feeling that comes with it. Kick all of that negative self talk and foolish nonsense out of your head and trust that you have worked hard to get to where you are and where you want to be.
Think BIG
Seeing that goal in front of you can help you think bigger. Don’t narrow yourself into a corner because of what you think you can do, but of what you know you can do. If you visualize yourself lifting a set weight, try adding ten or fifteen pounds in your head. It doesn’t have to be an astronomical difference, but just enough to keep you progressing and pushing yourself to be better everyday.
Visualization Techniques
Find a quiet and comfortable spot to really settle in. As a form of meditation let your mind wander, slowly finding your breathing and adjusting to how you want your focus to be. Start to rehearse potential situations in your head as you begin this visualization journey. Where you will be, what you will think about, and how you will execute are all good starting points. Slowly start to create this imaginative world into one of reality as you face the challenge head on. Moving through the motions of what will happen, start to convert those desires and dreams into attainable goals and beliefs. Be sure to breathe, maintain a strong, comfortable posture, and start to make those goals a reality.
Wrap Up
Visualization and the process it entails can greatly benefit your overall performance. By picturing exactly what can and will happen at the time of the event, you will start to feel at peace knowing you have what it takes to do it. The mind has full control of the body and pushing your limits requires just as strong of a mind as it does muscles, joints, and ligaments. Don’t let poor planning hurt your overall goals and really work to achieve greatness by starting to see greatness before you even begin. Give visualization a try and really see your goals become reality.
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
Munroe-Chandler, Krista J.; Guerrero, Michelle D. (2017). “Psychological Imagery in Sport and Performance”. (source)
Ekeocha, Tracy C. (2015). “The Effects Of Visualization & Guided Imagery In Sports Performance”. (source)
Pelka, Maximilian; Heidari, Jahan; Ferrauti, Alexander; Meyer, Tim; Pfeiffer; Kellmann, Michael (2016). “Relaxation techniques in sports: A systematic review on acute effects on performance”. (source)
Iron Maiden – Valentina Lequeux
The Unstoppable Valentina Lequeux
Valentina Lequeux is a fitness model, personal trainer and an online sensation with almost 2 million followers on Instagram. Lequeux was born in Bueno Aires, Argentina and raised in Florida (USA).
Valentina started posting pictures of her incredible figure on social media in 2016. It wasn’t long after that she started getting noticed. Since 2016, she has inspired thousands of people to achieve their dream physiques.
Valentina isn’t the typical booty-flaunting Instagram fitness chick. Her shredded back and ripped abdominal is proof of her prowess in her field. Lequeux regularly posts her home and gym workouts on her Instagram for her fans to follow.
Apart from her jaw-dropping body, Valentina shares her mind jewels through her post captions. Valentina Lequeux is the personification of beauty with brains. If going through her Instagram feed doesn’t motivate you, chances are nothing ever will.
Queen of Conditioning
Lequeux has some crazy muscle definition and can put some of her male counterparts to shame with her washboard abs. The fact that Valentina maintains her magazine-ready shape throughout the year is commendable.
View this post on Instagram
Keep your mind, heart and eyes on what’s important ?How are you getting excited about 2020 ⁉️ Please Read ?? Save this post and visit it whenever you need it. – Taken at the incredible @museumhotel – As this year comes to an end I’m starting to see posts about how 2020 is going to be the year of_____ fill in the blank. If you really want to have a successful year you have to start now and get ahead of everyone that will be competing in your field. One thing @luisenriquepzia has taught me over our years of relationship and business together, Is to always evaluate where we are, what we are doing wrong and what have we done correctly? We take December to do that, and I encourage you to do the same. If you wanna have a really successful year. Start isolating the areas of your life that are important to you. Mine are these 5: Professional life Love life Family Friendships Health (mental, physical, spiritual). – After isolating them start by discarding the distractions around them! Visualize the big picture, and start dividing it into small goals and step that you will use towards achieving that goal. Once you’ve organized that you shall realize that many things you are investing time and energy on are just distractions! Time, right alongside health is the biggest currency you have in life! How you invest both of these into your purpose will dictate how you will fulfill your life. Your life Is either going to be a happy beautiful journey, or you will be miserable on your way to trying to achieve it! It’s your responsibility, your duty, your job to actively work towards your goals! And you only have two options around it! Either stay actively working to make the journey a joyful one or a miserable one! – If the choice is to make it a joyful one! Discipline is your biggest ally, because sometimes happiness is about having the discipline to stay the course and do the things you know will help you even if in that moment you don’t feel like doing them! – – #travel #healthylifestyle #mindfulness #motivation #traveling #positivevibes #happiness #love #couplegoals #couple #marriedlife
A post shared by ????????? ??????? (@valentinalequeux) on Dec 4, 2019 at 10:28am PST
Lequeux has a travel bug and some of her pictures are truly scenic. The landscapes in her photos are wronged as she steals the limelight from them. Sharing the frame with Valentina is no easy task.
Love Thy Body
View this post on Instagram
?INTIMACY & VULNERABILITY? – ? @DelekTulum – This series of photos were taken by my husband. And couldn’t help to think about how intimate they are, and the possible criticism I may receive. One common line I always get when I post this type of content is that I should keep these moments and visuals for my husband and not post them. – The truth is, for us it doesn’t matter what we showcase here on social media because our true intimacy comes from how vulnerable and open we are with each other, on how freely we communicate our thoughts, desires, hopes, dreams and also fears, confusion, anger, sadness and any other emotion, from the brightest to the darkest. – we have learned a lot through the years of being together and have found that the key to our happiest days is having judgment free communication ?? Always trying to put ourselves in the shoes of the other. – That type of intimacy is one that can’t really be shown on a photo or a video, that intimacy always happens behind closed doors, never filmed, never taken photos of it. It is our most private moments that build the strong bonds between us, and those moments makes us so strong that we can get all the judgment and criticism in the world and as long as we have our safe haven, we are sure that everything will be alright. – I encourage all couples to practice 100% honesty, no judgments, say what you need to say even though you think it may hurt the other person, it’s always better to be honest and open, this will help you grow as a couple faster and stronger. ?? – #DelekTulum #TashiDelek #DelekInspire #mindfulness #TulumMéxico #Tulumexperience #Tulumbeach #Tulumvibes #México #infinite #consciousness #happiness #changetheplanet #actoflove #wanderlust #peaceofmind #travel #hotel #beachhotel #vacation #toursim #beach #ocean #sea #luxurytravel #beautifuldestinations #explore #nature #adventure #landscape
A post shared by ????????? ??????? (@valentinalequeux) on Oct 23, 2019 at 11:14am PDT
Valentina has one of the strongest voices against body shaming and moral police. She constantly reminds her followers to expand their horizons both psychologically and physically.
If you’re someone who doesn’t have the time to hit the gym but want a toned physique, you should follow Lequeux as she has some great bodyweight workouts you can do in the comfort of your home.
A Little Something For Everyone
If you want to start working out, need new workout ideas or need a daily dose of motivation, Valentina has got you covered. Valentina’s Instagram posts check all the right boxes and are fun, informative and engaging.
In the gym, on the road, or in the kitchen, Lequeux keeps her content fresh – just like her recipes. If you are someone who gets bored with their diet quickly, trying Valentina’s new recipes will keep you busy in the kitchen.
Keeping It Real
View this post on Instagram
??LOVE & PEACE ♥️ – ?PLEASE READ? ? @ajkphotography1 ? @villacellabella – Hati in Indonesian means “heart”, emphasising the spiritual meaning, more so than your actual heart. Hati hati means “watch your heart” or in other words, “take care”, “watch out” or “take it easy”. I’ve heard it used mostly in the context of “slow down”. I’m used to living in an environment where we rush everywhere, we rush to get up in the morning, we rush our lunches or even worse, we eat lunch at our desks or whilst walking on the streets, or standing up at home, we drive fast to get somewhere quickly just to rush through that activity too. This is for sure how people live here in South Florida. So… when do we ever slow down?? – My experiences in Bali we’re much like back at home. We essentially took with us our lifestyle from back home and didn’t practice hati hati. I have to be honest that @luisenriquepzia and I have a hard time with slowing down and taking life in. We’re so wrapped up in so many projects, and making a successful life for ourselves that we have a tendency to rush through life. I would love to tell you that in this photo I felt calm and in the moment. But the truth is that I was feeling some anxiety over creating the perfect content for you guys. – The experiences that I create and you see here always have a purpose behind them. I want to share with you my life, in hopes that you and I learn together how to be more in the moment, more present, feel healthy and happy, and find some meaning and purpose when lost spiritually. – So why are the Balinese so peaceful and do everything with gratitude? With love? With patience? Because they have practiced, yes practiced this lifestyle for years, this is all they know, and in turn the life’s we lead is all we know! Practicing gratitude, love, peace and patience is what we struggle with, so why not practice more of these things in hopes of leading a more bountiful life, spiritually and finally being able to let go, not be so controlling and being more at peace ??
A post shared by ????????? ??????? (@valentinalequeux) on Jun 2, 2019 at 8:46am PDT
PDA? Yes, please. While most other fitness athletes try to hide their relationships, Valentina breaks away from this practice. She is one of the most transparent, humble, and genuine people you’ll find on the internet.
View this post on Instagram
MAKING A CHANGE or START LIVING⁉️ – [email protected]_photography Gym @gee.gym – Before I get into today’s talk, I want to thank everyone who’s already signed up for my 8 week challenge ! You guys have me SOOO excited to see some major mind, health and body changes. And for everyone who is asking, yesterday’s post has all the info on how to enter, I still have spots open don’t worry! – Now to the REAL TALK…This isn’t your typical “NEW YEAR NEW YOU” bunch of sappy stuff, stick around because this is about to get real… – Making a living, vs LIVING, and actually taking a risk, so big that you don’t know if the outcome will be good, or bad, is scary AF!!! For all you guys that have been reading my posts for years, have come to see some major achievements in my life, and I’ll tell you what, behind EVERY SINGLE ONE of them was a scary decision made. Not a lazy one, not a half ass one, a FULL BLOWN decision made to do something SCARY (yes I have to CAP LOCK those words, trying to make an impact here…) – Ok, yes we’ve heard it before, “Take a leap,” “take a risk…” blah blah blah. But what people don’t talk enough about, is the reality, what it looks like after the fact that you take that risk, that leap. I’m not going to sugarcoat it, because, well, when do I ever sugarcoat anything around here? ITS SCARY and it REAL, and there will be tears of happiness, of sadness, of fear, but man I have NEVER felt more alive, more full of energy and more HAPPY than in THOSE moments guys. I’M SERIOUS! – I want you all to understand one thing, and one thing only, I am NOT perfect, and I don’t pretend to know eveything but what I am doing here, every single day is taking a leap into the UNKNOWN, and taking risks and failing, and trying again, and picking myself up every time things don’t go my way, why? Because I have already seen the math work, I have seen that after so much hard work, learning and trials and errors that when I seek out what I want badly enough and I GET SHIT done, guess what? I get it. – So? How badly do you want that thing you’re thinking about right now? Take the risk, do it, and don’t be lazy. The only reason you won’t get it is because you didn’t try it to begin with.
A post shared by ????????? ??????? (@valentinalequeux) on Jan 3, 2019 at 12:37pm PST
There could be no better way to end the article than sharing a quote by Valentina herself – “Everyone needs to understand that your body is capable of amazing things and you can shape it and build it to its highest potential.”
Who is your gym crush? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Instagram.
2022 Olympia Will Return To Las Vegas On Dec. 16-18
The biggest bodybuilding competition of the year now has a date and location as the Olympia returns to Las Vegas.
The 2022 Olympia now has everything in place. Following the 2021 event, it was announced that the competition would move back to Las Vegas. Now, the official dates have been announced.
On Friday, Olympia Productions President Dan Soloman shared a video announcing the date for the Olympia. Soloman took to Instagram to say that the 2022 event will take place from Dec. 16-18 in Las Vegas.
““For those of you that haven’t heard, the Olympia Weekend in 2022 will be held right here in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood the weekend of December 16th, 17th, and 18th. And I have to be honest with you guys, the things we have planned this year are going to absolutely blow your mind.”
The Olympia will return to Sin City after two years in Orlando. Olympia production was sold to Jake Wood by American Media Inc. in 2020. Because of the pandemic, there were certain restrictions that did not allow the competition to take place in Nevada. This led to the 2020 and 2021 shows taking place in the Sunshine State.
The change did not affect Big Ramy. He won back-to-back titles in Orlando and has solidified himself as one of the best bodybuilders in the world. Brandon Curry has finished as the runner-up in each of the last two competitions after being crowned champion in 2019, which was the last show to take place in Las Vegas.
There are currently 11 divisions that compete at the biggest event of the year. This includes Wellness, which made its Olympia debut in 2021. Men’s Open continues to be the highlight of the weekend a d competitors have already started competing in order to qualify for the 2022 Olympia. So far, there are 12 athletes who have already earned qualification by either winning a show or finishing top five in Men’s Open in 2021.
Rafael Brandao (2021 Romania Muscle Fest Pro winner)
Hadi Choopan (3rd place in 2021)
Shaun Clarida (2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro winner)
Brandon Curry (runner-up in 2021)
Samson Dauda (2021 EVLS Prague Pro winner)
Nathan De Asha (2021 Yamamoto Pro Cup winner)
Mamdouh Elssbiay (2021 Olympia champion)
Angel Calderon Frias (2021 Bigman Weekend Pro Spain winner)
Regan Grimes (2021 KO Pro Egypt Winner)
Hunter Labrada (4th place in 2021)
Joel Thomas (2021 Toronto Pro Supershow winner)
Nick Walker (5th place in 2021)
Competitors will have plenty of chances to qualify in 2022. There are no more Men’s Open competitions currently planned this year. The next one is set to take place during the 2022 Arnold Classic on March 3-6 in Columbus. Athletes now have a date to target for the 2022 Olympia.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Natural Bodybuilder William Long Goes Super Saiyan at Comic Con
William Long cosplays Vegeta at LA Comic Con.
If you’re a fan of cosplay, more specifically Dragon Ball Z, and you also happen to be a crazed bodybuilding fan or at least of lifting heavy things (which likely you are if you’re reading this). You’re going to love William Long’s AKA “The OG” outfit at the Los Angeles Comic Con that took place over the weekend from December 3, 2021 – to December 5, 2021. William Long depicted none other than Vegeta while cosplaying. Long stated on Instagram (IG):
“Though brief, it was a fun time at @comicconla with the family @calichica951. I do enjoy cosplaying and wish I could do it more often and as well as @sd_cosplayfitand @glee702 do. Glad we were able to meet up with them along with @gi.janedoe . I got to meet Thee voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman, @kevinconroypage . Definitely going to up my cos0lay game for the next con.”
Long continues to say, “Definitely going to up my cos0lay game for the next con. There will be no greater Vegeta than me. I am The Prince of all Saiyans, Prince Vegeta. Also, will someone acknowledge my quads?”
There will likely be no better Vegeta than Wiliam Long (or one with bigger quads at least) at the next LA Comic Con, but will there be a challenger around at the following Natural Olympia – the GOAT of natural bodybuilding competitions – perhaps Goku?
*Note: You can see next year’s initial International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/ Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) 2022 natural bodybuilding schedule here.
Super Saiyan Natural Bodybuilder
William Long dressed up as Vegeta in the IG post below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXGCcRLLLc-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Aside from cosplaying your favorite anime characters, William Long has a compelling natural bodybuilding resume. He’s the reigning 3x champ of the Men’s Physique division at Natural Olympia. Not to mention, he’s a natural bodybuilding Hall of Fame Inductee. They don’t call him “The OG” for nothing. His nickname sprout to life after being the first PNBA Men’s Physique Natural Olympia champion. In 2017, he made history again by being the first to win a whopping $10,000 cash prize at the 2017 Natural Olympia.
After seeing his Vegeta depiction, any competitor that stands a chance at overthrowing this behemoth is going to need to match Goku’s power level (yes, over 9,000).
Men’s Physique
The Men’s Physique class in natural bodybuilding is relatively new. It first came to surface in 2012 when the International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB) league launched it. And the INBA/PNBA followed suit.
In the Men’s Physique division, judges don’t base an athlete purely on their size. Instead, the dominant competitor will be the most athletic looking – less muscularity, more conditioning. But, of course, poise is crucial as well.
According to Long, you shouldn’t pose like a bodybuilder in Men’s Physique. On an IG post posted on June 3, 2021 Long gave his followers a posing tip in this class. Long voiced, “Don’t focus on looking as big as possible but instead, on displaying your conditioning. Here you should take notice that I’m not trying to expand my ribcage and puff out my chest. Instead, I’m flexing and crunching down on my abs and obliques. That’s why my arms are low at around my waist so that my midsection is visible.” He also expressed that you shouldn’t squat down to flex your hamstring and quads since they can’t be seen when you’re wearing board shorts. Instead, he says you should stand in an open stance to look more powerful and display your V-taper.
Generation Iron would like to congratulate William Long for winning another title in Men’s Physique at Natural Olympia! We’d also like to thank you for your service – he’s an active member of the United States Air Force!
PS We loved your Vegeta outfit!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more news on natural bodybuilding competitors!