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Bodybuilding Vs. Powerlifting Diet: Differences, What To Know & More
Each requires strict attention, but in different ways.
As the athlete you are, you may have found yourself with the choice of being a bodybuilder or a powerlifter but the idea around the bodybuilding vs. powerlifting diet has you stumped. While it is possible to be both, the approach to each is very different, for the end goal is different. We know you get it. But sometimes people still think they can get away with certain things only to find that comes back to bite them. With two sports that require attention to detail, just with different elements, you can no longer escape the idea that the crossover is an easy one.
With that said, we know you want to try. But at the core of the issue is the end result of both bodybuilding and powerlifting. Bodybuilding is for those seeking that shredded aesthetic and well-rounded appearance. Not a single muscle imbalance visible. While on the other hand, powerlifters aren’t as concerned about appearance as they are performance, being able bench, squat, and deadlift insane amounts of weights. So, yes, both athletes can lift big. We aren’t trying to be insulting. But what we are saying is that for those wanting to walk the stage in a bodybuilding show, your goal is drastically different than a powerlifter and it comes from diet.
Let’s take a look at these two sports and nail down the difference between the bodybuilding and powerlifting diet. You won’t be disappointed by the results once you know exactly what you’re looking for. And you may find crossover that allows you the opportunity to do both and do well in both sports.
Bodybuilding Vs. Powerlifting Differences
The overall difference between these two sports is strength vs. aesthetic. Now this is not to say that bodybuilders aren’t strong or powerlifters aren’t shredded, but the point is that the end goal is different. Bodybuilders are seeking that perfect symmetry, which is built on sculpting and increasing size, but at the end of the day, there is no weight to lift to determine a winner. Top prize is in the eye of the beholder. For powerlifters, the desire is to be as strong as possible and to lift as much weight as possible, so while they may care about their appearance, the only thing they are judged on is their raw strength and mental will to lift massive amounts of weight.
In order to achieve this, training is different as well as diet. Of course, there is crossover with certain exercises but at the end of the day, there needs to be a structured plan for getting what you want. So, said differences between these two lie in approach and the intended overall goal.
Bodybuilding Diet Vs. Powerlifting Diet
Jumping into the diets for these two, as this may be the crux of the issue. Bodybuilders need to make sure they are getting enough fuel to power them through their workouts, while still limiting carbs and fats so they can be as lean as possible. A powerlifter is trying to find the right balance of macronutrients to continue to build strength and overall mass to not lose any strength gains whatsoever (1).
The foods are most likely the same for both bodybuilding and powerlifting, as both kinds of athletes are looking to take optimal care of their bodies. Protein would consist of lean meats, fish, eggs, and even beef once in a while to mix things up. Carbs may see sweet potato, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and whole wheat toast. As for those fats, maybe nuts or nut butters, avocados, and certain oils may make it into the mix.
The difference herein lies with the amount of macronutrients and balancing out calories so you don’t gain weight as a bodybuilder and still have enough energy as a powerlifter. So, a bodybuilder will prioritize protein over all else, making sure they get adequate amounts to keep them full and build lean muscle (2). Carbs and fats will be present, but depending on the time of year, in much smaller quantities.
Powerlifters will seek an optimal balance of all three as they need them to thrive. Their training is depleting and ensuring their energy stores are restored can work wonders for their gains. Ultimately, we’ve found that it is about the balance and how each athlete structures their plan.
What Supplements To Take For Each
Supplements are a huge part of the game and can greatly affect our training, performance, health, and wellness. By working with premium and top-tier products, you get the most out those hard workouts as you seek to see great results. Many of the supplements out there can be used by both bodybuilders and powerlifters which allows both kinds of athletes the option to take charge and thrive in their respective sport.
When looking at great supplements to add to your routine as either a bodybuilder or powerlifter definitely consider the three main ones being pre-workout, intra-workout BCAAs, and protein powders as these will cover all the needs of your pre-, mid-, and post-workout routines. Creatine is also a big one for increasing strength and size and can work wonders for absolutely all your strength training goals (3). For health and wellness, both athletes can benefit from an omega-3 supplement, a super greens product, and of course, a multivitamin.
Supplements that may differ, for example, are fat burners and mass gainers. A bodybuilder may be more inclined to take a fat burner to help shed calories and burn that unwanted fat to add to that shredded aesthetic while a powerlifter will look more towards a mass gainer to pack on mass and increase size.
Wrap Up
The bodybuilding vs. powerlifting diet debate seems to truly lie in how much is needed for each respective athlete. Both athletes take care of themselves and seek to put the best foods and supplements in their bodies. With different goals and the end result needing to be different, what matters is quantity and knowing how many calories to put into your body. For those looking to succeed, know your limit and work hard to hit it, for the results of a quality diet are hard to ignore.
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
Oliver, J.; et al. (2010). “Macronutrient intake in Collegiate powerlifters participating in off season training”. (source)
Pasiakos, S.; et al. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
Francaux, M.; et al. (1999). “Effects of training and creatine supplement on muscle strength and body mass”. (source)
Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 22: How To Get Rich In Bodybuilding & Social Media
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Craig Golias goes in-depth about how to make money as a bodybuilding influencer.
Welcome to another episode of Talking Huge – a weekly digital series in which Craig Golias talks in-depth with Vlad Yudin on the latest trending topics in bodybuilding. Raw, honest, and uncut – Craig Golias shares his opinions on all things bodybuilding. In this episode, Craig Golias goes into great detail about how he found financial success as a bodybuilding influencer. He also shares key tips for aspiring bodybuilders on how to make a living using social media.
Craig Golias is known for being HUGE but he’s not a competitive bodybuilder. While he did compete for a brief stint earlier in his life, Craig’s success now comes through his own brand and sponsorships. This is a far cry from what was possible in bodybuilding just a few decades ago. Social media has allowed individuals to build their own businesses using their own platform.
But this is easier said than done. In order to make enough money for a living, you need to have a loyal and large fan base. This is where the work comes in. Becoming a successful social media influencer is a skill unto itself. With millions of people wanting to get insta famous – what are the key tactics for standing out among the crowd?
For Craig Golias, he focused on getting as huge as possible. He then fused that with his sense of humor to make a name for himself. But the road to success took time – and he admits it has only been over the past 2-3 years that he started truly living solely off of his own brand alone. Now through that experience – Craig opens up about the do’s and don’ts of becoming a successful (and lucrative) bodybuilding influencer. Let’s jump into it.
Always Build A Loyal Following First
Craig Golias stresses the importance on building an organic and loyal following first before selling anything via your own channels. The reason people enjoy using social media is to feel as though they are getting to know the personal life of a larger than life figure. For Craig, not only did he post pictures of his massive physique – but he showed his personality and his personal life. By doing so – the fans who may have only stopped first to see his unrealistically massive body stuck around because they felt a connection to his character.
Over time, this not only helps build followers in general. It also helps build loyal and dedicated followers. These are people who genuinely enjoy your content and feel a connection to your personality. Once that kind of loyalty is built among enough people – then you can start building your brand with sponsorships or selling directly to your fanbase.
Make Sure Your Sponsorships & Products Fit Your Brand
Once you have a loyal following – it’s important to respect that following with what you are selling. If it appears obvious you are just shoving random products down their throats, people will start unfollowing. Ensure that you believe in what you are sponsoring. Or if you are selling a direct product of your own – make it true to yourself and part of how you want to connect to the audience rather than a cold promo.
For example, Craig Golias over time built a catchphrase “SAAAP!” that he would use in many of his videos. This was just an organic part of his personality that caught on. So he turned it into a t-shirt. His fans love his catch phrase and are more than willing to own something like that. The same goes for Craig’s training programs. He has a massive body and wants to provide a service. So promoting his training and coaching feels genuine and not like a bait and switch.
Always Be Posting
Craig Golias also stresses the importance of always posting and engaging on social media. Make sure to always use Instagram stories, or Tik Tok, or typical wall posts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Your social media platforms are your business. It’s your direct connection to your audience. Even when you aren’t selling something. Post every day. Reinvent what and how you post. Keep things fresh. This is vital to maintaining your business.
For example, Craig Golias often gets up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. He always uses this as an opportunity to post something on socials. Even if it’s a throwback. He’s away at an odd hour of the day. He can reach different fans across the globe at this time. He’s awake – so why not? That’s kind of mentality keeps him engaged – and keeps his audience engaged.
Wrap Up
You can check out the full conversation in the latest episode of Talking Huge above. Craig Golias goes into far more detail about his biggest tips and biggest mistakes through his social media journey. You can use these to help avoid the same mistakes and perhaps shorten your journey to personal brand success. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
Luke Stoltman Crushes 661-Pound Pause Deadlifts For A Triple
Strongman Luke Stoltman continues to put up some huge numbers preparing for 2022.
The Stoltman brothers have climbed to the top of the powerlifting game. Both have recently been invited to participate in the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic and this is just one event for what could be a packed year in 2022. This is especially true for Luke Stoltman if he is able to continue this level of training.
Luke Stoltman seems determined to increase his numbers heading into the new year. This was made clear when Europe’s Strongest Man loaded 661 pounds on the bar and completed three reps while pausing in between. Stoltman completed this lift without a belt. This has gone with Stoltman’s recent trend of lifting heavy in order to reach his max.
Luke Stoltman entered a training session with his brother Tom, who has been more focused on high volume speed reps. In a recent video posted to the Stoltman Brothers YouTube page, you can see how Luke completed these deadlifts and the form he used to do so.
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During the 2021 Rogue Invitation, Luke Stoltman struggled with deadlifts and this was his weakest lift at the event. It is clear that he wats to bump up those numbers and has been doing so by lifting extremely heavy.
Despite this performance at the Rogue Invitation, Stoltman was able to put up a big year in 2021. He won the 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man and 2021 Giants Live World Tour Finals. At the Giants Live, Tom Stoltman finished second to his brother. Stoltman is known for massive lifts and thrives in log lift.
In 2020, Stoltman set the British record with a 221kg (487lb) log lift. It seems as though he could attempt the world record in the coming year. This is currently held by Iron Biby at 229kg (504.8lb). For the time being, Stoltman seems to have his focus on deadlifts and strengthening a part of his craft that has been down recently.
If Luke Stoltman is able to get his numbers up, there is no telling what levels he will be able to reach. Stoltman already has one show on tap for 2022 at the Arnold Strongman Classic. It will be interesting to see when he competes next and what he decides to attempt. There is no doubt that he continues to be one of the top strongmen in the world and lifts like this remind us all.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
How To Reduce Your Waist Size Without Doing Ab Exercises
Reduce Your Waist Size With This One Trick
Let’s face it; many people get a gym membership to lose weight and to fit into smaller clothes. Following the advice of the broscientists, these people spend most of their time on the cardio equipment. Since you’re reading this article, chances are you’re one of them.
It isn’t long before they lose the motivation and return to their old ways. They blame their genetics for their inability to lose the excess body fat. The ‘too busy to workout’ excuse follows.
The others don’t like spending their time on the dreaded treadmill or doing crunches. Hardly do they know, it’s not their genetics. It’s the lack of knowledge which makes them quit working out altogether.
Changes In Bodybuilding In The Recent Eras
Have you wondered how bodybuilders in the golden era had small waists even when there was no fancy electronic cardio equipment? They used techniques which are long forgotten but were way more efficient than the ones employed by the pros now.
Unlike the bodybuilders today, the golden era bodybuilder focused primarily on symmetry and maintaining a narrow and tight midsection. Most of the current pro bodybuilders focus on getting big and turning into mass monsters.
The Vacuum Pose
If you haven’t heard of this, you’re already missing out. Frank Zane brought this technique into the mainstream by performing this pose on the stage. Before him, the athletes usually performed this pose in the gym as an exercise.
In this pose, you have to suck in your stomach to your spine to make it look like it has completely disappeared. When you hit the vacuum pose, you’re contracting your transverse abdominis (TVA).
The TVA runs across your waist just like a weight belt. It works like a weight belt in your daily operation. You can only perform this kind of thing with your belly.
TVA lies under the rectus abdominis and obliques and is one of the deepest abdominal muscles. Unlike most other muscles, it doesn’t connect to or move bones closer together. Many of TVA’s fibers don’t attach to the bone at all.
You need to take baby steps when it comes to performing this exercise. It will also need a lot of patience and persistence if you have never tried hitting this pose before.
There are four steps to mastering this exercise. In this article, we will take you through each step assuming you’ve never tried this exercise at this point. Each step will be harder than the previous one.
Don’t get intimidated by the four steps; you need to take one step at a time. Once you master one level the next will be relatively easy to perform and will be more efficient than the previous step in achieving your goal of a narrow waist.
Supine Vacuum
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This is the first step in performing the vacuum. It’s also the easiest way to suck in your stomach since the gravity will be your friend in this exercise. Confused? Let us explain.
Lie on your back with your knees bent, so your feet are touching the floor. This will help you isolate and focus on your abdominal. Once you’ve assumed this position, exhale all the air you can. This will raise your diaphragm and shrink your stomach.
This is where your TVA will have the maximum contraction, and you’ll be able to hit the vacuum pose. In the beginning, you might be unable to see or feel the vacuum, but it will come with time.
Hold your breath and perform this exercise for 15 seconds in the beginning. As you get better with time, increase the contraction time to 60 seconds. Take small breaths in between if you’re unable to hold your breath.
Quadruped Vacuum
Once you’re confident with your abilities at the supine vacuum and can perform it at will with no problems, it is time to the move on to the quadruped vacuum. If you’re performing each variation every day, it should take you a couple of weeks at most to perform them optimally.
The quadruped vacuum is called so because you perform them while having four touch points with the ground. In this exercise, you’ll be working against the gravity, and this makes this exercise harder than the previous variation.
Begin in a knee push up position so your shoulders are vertically over your elbows and your wrists and hips are over your knees. Follow the same steps as in the supine vacuum; exhale and suck in your abdominal.
This exercise is harder than the supine vacuum. So, if you were doing 60 seconds on the supine version, you should start with 30 seconds and work up to the 60 seconds mark.
Seated Vacuum
We know what you’re thinking. Isn’t the anti-gravitational version harder than the sitting on your ass version? No, it’s not because many stabilizing muscles come into play while performing this exercise.
Sit on a stable surface without leaning on to anything. Taking the support of a wall or any other surface will reduce the effectiveness of this exercise.
Exhale, pull in your navel and hold it for 30 seconds. Work your way up to 60 seconds as you get better at this exercise. Also, use unstable surfaces like a swiss ball to make this exercise harder.
Functional Vacuum
This is when you become a pro at hitting the vacuum pose. You’ll be so good you could perform it at any time, anywhere. Functional vacuum is the real life variation of this exercise.
You could be performing the vacuum pose in a subway, on your office desk or anywhere else without the people beside you knowing it. As you get better at the vacuum poses, you’ll be able to hold them for long durations.
This can result in a tighter, narrower and firmer midsection. Once you’re at this stage, you’ll find yourself vacuuming throughout the day. You won’t have to wait for long before your waist size drops.
Which ab tightening technique works the best for you? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Vitaliy ‘Good Vito’ Ugolnikov Makes Switch Over To NPC
Good Vito will have a chance to compete in an NPC competition moving forward.
Vitaliy Ugolnikov, better known as Good Vito, has built quite a following and fanbase on social media. He has posted many physique updates to show off progress and he will not have a chance to show it off at a different level.
Good Vito has been competing in the IFBB Pro Elite Circuit and fans were wondering when he was going to work his way up. That seems to be happening as Ugolnikov is making the switch to NPC. This could allow Good Vito to eventually earn his pro card and move up to IFBB competition.
This is a decision that has been in the works for about a year now. Good Vito wanted to win a major international tournament, such as a European or World Championship. Now, he will have the chance to matchup against some competition at a higher level to see whee he stacks up. According to some physique updates, Ugolnikov should hold his own and then some.
At the beginning of November, Good Vito shared a picture and an achievement of winning another championship in Russia.
“3x Time Champion of Russia! So what?! Time for a bigger land?”
Good Vito is a 24-year-old bodybuilder who has made some serious progress in recent years. This has been done on social media and on stage. The time has come for Ugolnikov to join NPC competition and it can only go up from here. He certainly has built a physique that can compete at the highest level and he will have a chance to do so.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
With Santi Aragon Retiring at 33, Can We Expect More Athletes to Walk Away Early?
Santi Aragon retires from competitive bodybuilding.
Santi Aragon, 212 and Classic Physique veteran, has decided to retire at the age of 33. The bodybuilder sites that he wished to walk away on his own terms with his health intact.
Competing as a professional athlete can be quite the daunting thing. It can take a considerable toll on the physical body. Bodybuilding in particular can be especially taxing for the athletes. To push your body to the limit then cut down a tremendous amount of water weight and step on stage dried out and depleted can be truly challenging for the average person.
So when athletes state that they’re leaving competing behind it usually comes as no surprise. After all you can only stay in the game so long before it has diminishing returns…unless your name is Dexter Jackson that is. But it appears that the latest athlete to retire from the sport is doing so at a relatively young age.
212 and Classic Physique competitor Santi Aragon is walking away from competition. Aragon still at the height of his powers is choosing to call it quits at 33 years of age. The great news is that Aragon isn’t retiring due to health concerns. The bodybuilder made it clear that he’s walking away from the sport at a high point rather than going too long.
Leaving The Sport Behind
Santi Aragon wrote this message on his Instagram post addressing his retirement.
I am formally announcing my retirement from the bodybuilding stage. It’s been something that I have been wanting to do for the past year. I am walking away from the stage on my own terms and was not forced in anyway to do so. As time goes on, your priorities in life change. My priorities are my future, my health and my family. Bodybuilding was getting in the way of those 3 things which I hold dear to my heart. Bodybuilding has brought me so much joy the last 10 years. The people I’ve met, the places I’ve traveled to and all the life lessons I can take with me into the future. I am very grateful for the last 10 years and all of the people that were a part of it. Just because I’m retired from competing, does not mean I am disappearing from the fitness world. Your boy has to look peeled come summer time ? Love all you ❤️
While Santi Aragon may still be healthy and fit, there have been a string of bodybuilders who have passed away in recent years that is certainly raising some alarms. These deaths have certainly put many athletes on notice. At the end of the day all we have is our health and it appears that rather than push on for too long Aragon is choosing to walk away with his head held high and with all his faculties intact.
What do you think of Santi Aragon retiring at age 33?
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.
5 Tips for Finding Yourself a Workout Partner
How to Find a Good Workout Partner
If you train alone, you are leaving a lot of gains on the table. People who hit the gym with a training partner would agree a workout partner can help you take your workouts to a new level.
A good training partner can be the constant source of support (both mental and physical) and motivation you need. Finding the right training partner is easier said than done. You want a training partner who adds to your workouts and not someone who eats away your time and focus by chatting throughout your time in the gym.
Look for Someone More Advanced
You need a training partner who will push you to your limits in the gym, so it’s better to look for someone who has more experience as compared to you. A partner who is on an advanced level can teach you about the sport and help you reach your goals more efficiently.
A training partner who is on an advanced stage will probably be using advanced training techniques to make his workouts more intense. It’ll be in your best interest to piggyback on your partner’s knowledge and experience. One of you will get the better part of the deal, so it better be you.
Discipline is the Key
You’ll need army-like discipline if you want to succeed at bodybuilding. Look for people who are at the gym at the same time every day. Obviously, you too will need to be regular to the gym to take note.
Discipline doesn’t end at showing up at the gym. Your training partner should be disciplined in his workouts. You don’t want to workout with someone who would leave an exercise in the middle to go and talk to someone, miss a workout for dinner with friends, or skip the gym because the day was too long.
Your Partner Doesn’t Necessarily Need to Workout with You
It is okay if you can’t find the right workout partner in your gym. Don’t make the mistake of settling for someone who will deteriorate the quality of your workouts. You can look for someone on virtual platforms who shares the same passion for fitness as you.
These types of workout partners are great for accountability. If you have a friend who is a fitness freak, you can keep each other accountable by sharing your goals, workouts, pictures, and nutrition.
Stay Clear of Gym Bros
If you’re a beginner, you should stay away from gym bros. Gym bros love to impress the rookies with their knowledge. The only caveat being, there is a high probability the bros have no idea what they’re talking about.
If you’re a beginner, you would want to train with someone who is fitter than you, but don’t punch above your weight class. When you join a gym don’t try to train with an athlete who is getting ready to step on stage for a show.
On the other hand, if you’re an advanced athlete and can’t find someone who can teach you stuff, take someone who shows the burning desire to transform his physique under your wing.
Be Ready to Part Ways
After you find a workout partner, it isn’t necessary things will go out as you would have wanted. Problems like not being accountable to each other, the workout style and goals, indiscipline can spoil your relationship and workouts.
If you train with someone and he misses a workout, it could negatively affect your workout. If any of the problems creep up, it’s better to call it quits and go back to training alone or look for someone new. Sounds a lot like dating, right?
Do you train with a partner? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
How The Liver King Works Out For Full Body Gains
This workout from Liver King is a full body workout for strength and conditioning.
Brian Johnson, or more commonly known as Liver King, is an entrepreneur and social media personality who practices Ancestral Living, which involves a series of tenets all working to bring you closer to your environment. With a massive following on social media, he posts videos of his crazy diets and workouts while still inspiring others.
Most of the time, we try to find workouts from bodybuilders or those strength sports athlete we admire. As fans, we want to mimic what they do so we can look as good as they do. And with so many people online claiming to know exactly what to do, it can be challenging to dive in and tell who is just lying. But once in a while someone like Liver King comes along. He’s relatable, fun, and absolutely jacked, and we want to watch. Video after video, we just can’t seem to stop.
The fascination with Liver King lies in what we see as an interesting lifestyle we would never follow. But Liver King’s goal is to get us to understand the power behind Ancestral Living and what it can do for the human mind, body, and spirit. His workouts are hard and engaging and diet is unique. But he is fun. He is someone we want to watch and imitate and thankfully he shares his process online.
Full Name: Brian Johnson (a.k.a. Liver King)
Profession
Era
Nationality
Entrepreneur, Social Media Personality
2010
American
This workout is a 30 minute, full body circuit designed to hit all your muscles as it builds strength as well as conditioning. Essentially this is a long HIIT workout, so it will make you sweat, get that heart rate up, and help you see those gains you want most.
About Liver King
Brian Johnson had everything going great in his life. He was running successful businesses and had a loving family. But things changed when his son had a medical complication and needed immediate attention. While his son survived, no expert had a real answer to give.
This launched Brian’s journey into a more natural approach to living, especially eating. But this natural approach did not just stop with his diet. He began to live it. Through hunting, lifting, sleeping, and everything about his life, Brian has switched to Ancestral Living.
Ancestral Living is the idea that we connect with our environment and get back to the roots of the relationship between human and environment. Connecting to the Earth and finding your primal self leads to better living and a better connection to the world around you.
With a large following on social media, Brian promotes this style of living while posting fun and entertaining videos of his workouts, diet, and way of life. Seeking to inspire change, he uses his platform to promote his message and seeing his popularity grow, it is certainly working.
Liver King Workout
This workout from Liver King is a massive circuit style workout that will take 30 minutes consisting of only four exercises. This shows us that you can get an effective workout to add to your shredded physique without spending hours in the gym. Focusing on hypertrophy and conditioning, this workout covers all your bases and will definitely leave you wanting more.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Handstand Push-Ups
5-10
10
Deadlifts
5-10
10
Tire Strikes
5-10
10
Rowing Machine
5-10
10 Calories
Handstand Push-Ups
Handstand Push-Ups are great for working your triceps, shoulders, and chest and requires plenty of coordination to stay balanced and stable. A great exercise to build muscle, what it really does it strengthen those stabilizer muscles to support those larger ones better.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are obviously a great exercise to work on strength in your back and legs while also reinforcing proper form. It is helpful for both functional and sport specific movements, depending on your overall goals.
Tire Strikes
A great strength builder while also getting your heart rate going, Tire Strikes work to also enhance grip strength along with speed and power. An engaging exercise, it will add diversity into your workout while you smash away.
Rowing Machine
The rowing machine is a great piece of equipment to build strength while also endurance and it is a low impact workout. Requiring good posture, it will also reinforce form and works as a nice alternative to other machines.
Best Supplements For Post-Workout Growth
Post-workout recovery time is key and while lifting weights and having a tough workout can spark that muscle growth, it is in recovery where we genuinely see gains happen. The right supplements can make or break this time and knowing which ones will be most beneficial is important. Definitely check out a great protein powder, for this will boost all areas of your muscle growth and recovery, as well as work for satiety and weight loss. Creatine is great for building strength and size while mass gainers will pump you with loads of macronutrients so you build seriously efficient mass. For overnight repair, casein protein is great for feeding our bodies even as we sleep.
Wrap Up
This workout from Liver King is sure to fire up your lungs and muscles as it is a true grind. Working hard and really diving into the world of Ancestral Living is also interesting and as part of Liver King’s mission, he truly stands by this. While having a good training routine and strict diet can work wonders for you, it is important to also understand how we treat our bodies as a whole. Staying physically fit is one thing, staying mentally sharp is different. Give this workout from Liver King a try and see what it can do for your full body gains today.
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
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic Roster Has Been Announced
Here are the strongmen who received invitations to the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic!
The 2022 Arnold Sports Festival is set to take place from March 3-6, 2022 in Columbus, OH. This is the first time that this event is preparing to take place in full in over two years. The festivities from 2020 and 2021 saw cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because this was disrupted last year, there was not a chance for athletes to qualify for the 2022 competition.
The roster has been announced for the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic. This was an invitational contest. Like the 2021 Rogue Invitational, strongmen had to receive an invitation to compete in the event. There was not a need to qualify for this specific competition.
The official roster of strongmen was announced on Thursday. Bobby Thompson will act as an alternate in the case that any competitor is forced to withdraw for any reason. Check out the full list of athletes below, along with the breakdown of prize money.
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic Roster
Maxime Boudreault
JF Caron
Rob Kearney
Mateusz Kieliszkowski
Martins Licis
Evgeny Markov
Trey Mitchell
Oleksii Novikov
Luke Stoltman
Tom Stoltman
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic Prize Breakdown
First Place — $80,000
Second Place — $25,000
Third Place — $20,000
Fourth Place — $15,000
Fifth Place — $13,000
Sixth Place — $8,000
Seventh Place — $7,000
Eighth Place — $6,000
Ninth Place — $5,000
10th Place — $3,000
There are many World’s Strongest Man titles, along with other victories, that will be present during the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic. With this being the first full event in over two years, there is bound to be plenty of excitement that comes with each show. The strongmen will certainly put on a display that will be must-see action.
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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.
Kayla Rowling Praises Natural Bodybuilding for Balancing Yin and Yang
Kayla Rowling thanks natural bodybuilding for balancing masculine and feminine energy.
If you were tuned in to 2021 Natural Olympia this past November, you might remember the stunning Kayla Rowling. She was the champion of the Bikini Divas Open division and back-to-back winner. In the Bikini Divas class, contestants are judged on their presentation, individuality, and sex appeal. So not only do you need to be toned and look good, but you have to present yourself in a way that’s alluring to the judges.
Kayla Rowling believes balancing and cultivating her masculine, and feminine energies played a role in her success. And she credits natural bodybuilding for helping her find this equilibrium. On an Instagram (IG) post posted on November 23, 2021, Rowling said:
“Lifting weights is very masculine and I need it, but bodybuilding gives you the best of both worlds. Once you understand the right amounts you need of both you are completely balanced and you feel whole.”
Here’s the IG post below where Kayla Rolwing goes into detail on how you can increase your feminine energy:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWoVn8aPVQO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Kayla Rowling is proof of how powerful these energies are for success. In 2019, Rowling placed 15th at Natural Olympia yet was able to earn a champion medal within two years. On IG, she voiced, “Everyone wants to avoid pain and seek out pleasure. I do the opposite!”
Masculine and Feminine Energy
According to Chinese philosophy, Yin is your feminine energy, and Yang is your masculine energy. Masculine energy represents fire, and feminine energy represents water. Power and fierce come to mind when you think of fire. Whereas with water, you muse therapeutic and healing. In a sense, both of these are analogically linked to your traits. The masculine side symbolizes strength, purpose, competitiveness, and decisiveness. Feminine energy denotes intuitiveness, empathy, and passion.
Both are important for you to feel happy and fulfilled. And letting one get out of whack can wreak havoc on all areas of your life – health, relationships, and career. With too much masculine energy, it leads to anger and ego. In contrast, an overflow of feminine energy can make you frail. A fluid dance between the two is the key to balancing these powerful energies.
On IG, Rowling stated:
“When you are in your feminine energy, you have a strong connection to your body and your intuition, and you make decisions based on what you feel in your heart. It’s what you tap into when you are being creative and inspired. It loves beauty, is fluid, empathetic, passionate, and flows from moment to moment like the waters of a river.
Masculine is all about taking action; loves to build (weight lifting) and loves to fix things. Masculine energies are strong, decisive, competitive, likes to win and break through barriers. Its energy is logical and rational.”
Final Word
Balancing your masculine and feminine energy is being harmonious to help you achieve your dreams. Fortunately, weightlifting is a great way to stabilize your Yin and Yang for all the fellow lifting brothers and sisters. So if there’s any other excuse you need to bang metal and plates around, honing your energy is a force to be reckoned with.
Generation Iron would like to congratulate Kayla Rowling for her success at 2021 Natural Olympia. And the positive energy she spreads to others.
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