All Posts By Presser
Yangsu Ren Crushes IPF World Record With 370kg Deadlift In Training
Yangsu Ren completes massive deadlift in training.
Yangsu Ren has earned the nickname the “Deadlift Panda” and certainly lived up to it recently. On Monday, Ren shared yet another massive deadlift and this one would have been good enough for a world record.
Ren took to Instagram to show off his recent lift. He completed a 370kg (815.7lb) deadlift using just a lifting belt and deadlift slippers. This raw lift is 7.5kg more than the current IPF raw deadlift world record of 362.5kg (799.1lb).
“Smooth 370kg/816lb deadlift today to test out the @notorious_lift sumo sole gen 2.5 deadlift slippers ? Overall they’re great deadlift shoes that fit all my preferences; minimal flat sole with lateral support. Aside from what I mentioned on Wednesday about them for conventional, my only strike against the new model is the narrower feeling toebox with the redesigned top and sidewall, making my toes feel more cramped compared to the previous gen 2’s. This complaint will probably go away as these break in more and loosen up, but out of the box my favorite is currently still the Gen 2’s. Will provide more feedback as they break in after more sessions ?”
John Haak currently holds the raw deadlift world record in the 83kg division. This was accomplished during the 2019 USPA The Tribute. While Ren’s deadlift is far beyond that of Haak’s world record, it cannot be recognized because it was not completed in a sanctioned event. This means that Ren could have some plans to set a new mark next time he competes.
This is not the first time that Yangsu Ren has tested the waters in this territory. In 2019, Ren completed a 338kg (745lb) and 369.7kg (815lb) lifts just one month apart. He was forced to take some time off that same year to recover from lumbar-induced sciatica. He returned to competition in 2020 and completed 379kg (835lb) deadlift.
Yangsu Ren last competed in 2018 at the USAPL Raw Nationals. He took home a seventh-place finish during this event. He did not compete in 2019 to recover from injury and it looks like he has made significant progress. This is what makes some believe that Ren could put up his biggest numbers once he returns to competition.
It is unknown when that time will be. Yangsu Ren has been sharing his lifts on social media and they are continuing to get bigger and bigger. When he takes on a competition next, it will be a must-watch event.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Best Ways To Reduce Hunger For Better Weight Loss
Kick those cravings and shed fat.
Picture this. You’re sitting at your desk, typing away or potentially chatting with a co-worker. But that rumble in your stomach is to much to bear. You get up and seek out a snack. But what’s in the drawer? Most likely not the food you need to see and continue to see those gains you want most. Cravings are unfortunate but finding the right ways to reduce hunger can only assist with all your desired goals especially when it comes to weight loss.
So, how do we go about this? Well, it takes a well-thought out routine and the proper approach to training and your diet. Typically those cravings come on because you didn’t eat enough, or maybe you didn’t eat the right food to keep you full. Empty calories and those foods we love to eat are sometimes not the best option when it comes to staying full and seeing all of those gains we love most. While we may enjoy them, they aren’t great at reducing hunger, in fact, they may actually just spur this on.
Let’s take a look at the best ways to reduce hunger so you can efficiently burn fat and not worry about unwanted cravings sneaking in. The right approach to training and nutrition can be an easy and effective way to see those results you want most without dealing with the low confidence of a body you don’t want.
Best Ways To Reduce Hunger
Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to reduce hunger to kill any of those unwanted and undesired cravings.
Protein & Fiber
Foods high in protein and fiber are bound to keep you full, while also giving your digestive system some assistance. The right foods working to keep us full are exactly what we need most to see real gains and those whole foods high in protein and fiber will taste great while offering the best nutritional benefits to reduce hunger (1,2).
Proper Hydration & Water Intake
Making sure you are hydrated and drinking enough water is exactly what you need to succeed and will aid in not only your health, but also keep you full. Drinking water throughout the day, but also before meals is an easy way to feel full so you don’t overeat at said meal and take in unwanted calories (3).
Smaller Portions
Eating those massive portions only a couple times in the day can lead to consuming to many calories. Of course, weight loss happens when more calories are burned than taken in so looking to eat smaller meals throughout the day will keep you eating, but in a healthy way, and reducing your desire to snack. Plus, this will keep your metabolism moving efficiently and constantly burning for fuel.
Try To Lower Stress
Stress can kickstart those cravings and we may start to “stress eat”. Maybe you’ve heard of this, but when your body feels stress or anxious, we start to eat to find that comfort. We have busy lives and schedules and working towards ways to be mindful, maybe through yoga, a relaxing stretching routine, or meditating, can help alleviate stress and ultimately lead to less snacking (4).
Work To Burn Fat
Working to burn fat may take time, but that’s okay. Following a diet and working in a great training routine won’t be the cure all solution to losing weight in an instant, but working with this overtime will prove to yield great results. Sleep and optimizing your health are great ways to recharge so you can better tackle those grueling workouts to burn fat and keep you more alert and willing to follow a good diet.
For training, high-intensity interval training and resistance training are great ways to burn fat and change fat to muscle (5). Not only will get you fit and aid in your bodybuilding or sport specific movements, but it will also tone and sculpt your desired physique so you see those gains you want most. As long as you stay moving and work to continue to burn calories, the right diet and strict attention to detail will prove to be the best for all your weight loss goals.
Great Supplements For Reducing Hunger & Burning Fat
An effective way to reduce hunger and see weight loss are with the right supplements. What supplements will do are add to your dietary and nutrition routine so you never lack those vital nutrients. A protein powder is a great supplement for growth and recovery, but also keeping you full. By pumping you with necessary protein, you work to reduce cravings to keep you as full as you can be, and in a healthy way. Also, meal replacements have the ability to fill you up by providing the right balance of macronutrients, along with other nutrients, so if you can’t get a whole food meal in your day, at least you will stay full to limit snacking (6).
For those fat loss goals, two supplements to consider are fat burners and CLA. These will work to kickstart your metabolism and get your body burning calories so you can work on that shredded aesthetic. With stimulant and stimulant-free options, these supplements work into whatever diet or lifestyle you follow and can greatly assist all of your fat loss goals. Plus, these will also work to reduce hunger to limit those unwanted cravings.
Wrap Up
Reducing hunger can be hard. Many of us love to eat. We enjoy food and want to take full advantage of cooking a delicious meal. But throughout the day we may find ourselves snacking and taking in those unwanted calories that we just can’t afford to take in. With these approaches to reducing hunger, you will also capitalize on weight loss to see those goal you want become reality. With an emphasis on proper training and nutrition, you can burn fat and kill any of those unwanted cravings and binges.
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
Paddon-Jones, D.; et al. (2008). “Protein, weight management, and satiety”. (source)
Lattimer, J.; et al. (2010). “Effects of Dietary Fiber and Its Components on Metabolic Health”. (source)
Popkin, B.; et al. (2010). “Water, Hydration and Health”. (source)
Yau, Y.; et al. (2014). “Stress and Eating Behaviors”. (source)
Willis, L.; et al. (2012). “Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults”. (source)
Noakes, M.; et al. (2004). “Meal Replacements Are as Effective as Structured Weight-Loss Diets for Treating Obesity in Adults with Features of Metabolic Syndrome”. (source)
Powerlifter Amanda Kohatsu Wins Women’s Physique And Open Figure In Bodybuilding Debut
Amanda Kohatsu won two gold during her first bodybuilding show.
Amanda Kohatsu recently made the transition from powerlifting to bodybuilding and it as a rousing success. During the NPC Iron Games on Nov. 13, Kohatsu made her bodybuilding debut. Anaheim was the site where Kohatsu was able to win both Women’s Physique and Open Figure.
Kohatsu took to Instagram to celebrate her achievement. In her caption, she thanked her team and said that prep for the next competition will begin this week.
“Update: WE DID THE THING! ??,” Amanda Kohatsu wrote.“Yesterday I competed in my very first bodybuilding show @musclecontest Iron Games! I ended up taking overall in Women’s Physique and Open Figure! ???✨?I’ll have more to say when I come up from my food coma ? but Monday we are back on prep for the next show ?. ?HUGE THANK YOU to my coach/husband/business partner/bestie @teepopoola and my posing coach extraordinaire @kennywallach for believing in me!!Thank you SO MUCH to my crew and family for coming out! As someone who always tries to be there for everyone, it felt so amazing to walk offStage to a huge group of loved ones cheering for me! ??Like I said before, having my dad be at the show was the biggest prize…and I’m happy to report, I got that! ????”
Amanda Kohatsu began competing in powerlifting back in 2016. She has competed in six sanctioned events between the 67.5kg and 75kg weight classes. In six events, Kohatsu has finished on the podium six times and has three victories.
Amanda Kohatsu’s first win came during the 2017 USPA California State Powerlifting Championships. This came after finishing as the runner-up in her debut at the 2016 USPA Southern California Open. Kohatsu added two more victories in 2019 during the Southern Powerlifting Federation Super Training Classic and USPA Lock It Out Barbell Desert Wars. Her most recent competition is where she was able to log her best scores.
During the 2019 Lock It Out Barbell Desert Wars, Kohatsu began with a 192.5kg (424.4lb) squat. She then logged a 107.5kg (237lb) bench press and 222.5kg (490.5lb) deadlift. This landed her a total of 522.5kg (1,151.9lb).
This transition is one that Kohatsu had been planning for a long time now. She was interested in competing back in 2020 but COVID halted that plan. Now, she has made the necessary adjustments to succeed on the bodybuilding stage.
Amanda Kohatsu will be back on stage soon and it will be interesting to see how she follows up her debut. Training has already begun so it is clear that Kohatsu is passionate about the sport and she has shown that she can compete.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
How CT Fletcher Works Out To Get Jacked & Return To Former Glory
The workout that CT Fletcher uses to get jacked as he journeys back from surgery to find his old greatness.
CT Fletcher is a former bodybuilder who is now a fitness icon and successful entrepreneur. Holding many titles and a massive platform online, he seeks to inspire and help others achieve their fitness goals.
When it comes to working hard, looking to the pros and those who have gone before us is a great way to boost all our gains. They’ve done it before and are living proof of what can happen when you grind in the gym and really buckle down with a solid workout routine. So many websites and influencers claim to know exactly how to get a massive and shredded physique but at the end of the day, looking to those athletes we admire most may just unlock all those gains we wish to see.
CT Fletcher is a fitness icon and knows exactly what it takes to see growth and to optimize your training and nutrition so you only see huge gains.
Full Name: CT Fletcher
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
220-225 lbs.
5’11’’
06/08/1959
Profession
Era
Nationality
Bodybuilder, Personal Trainer, Powerlifter, Entrepreneur
1980, 1990, 2000, 2010
American
CT Fletcher’s approach to training is unique and has served him well throughout his career. For those of us looking for similar gains, no one does it better than CT Fletcher.
About CT Fletcher
CT Fletcher is also well known as the Iron Addicts entrepreneur and a worldwide powerlifting icon. Born in 1959 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, CT Fletcher moved around quite a bit during his life. He lived in Watts Township, Arkansas then later moved to the city of Compton in California.
During his bodybuilding days he displayed a great physique. He first entered the weight room in the early 1980’s and made bodybuilding and weightlifting his life. He later placed top 3 in many bodybuilding shows. He then transitioned to Powerlifting increasing his strength monthly. He began participating in many powerlifting events and became one of the most successful powerlifters of our generation. At an early age, he realized the incredible amount of strength he had in comparison to his peers.
He was ultimately a three-time winner of both World Bench Press Championship and World Strict Curl Championship. He was nicknamed as the “Superman of Compton” as seen in ‘CT Fletcher My Magnificent Obsession’ and nearly lost his life due to heart complications. His popular phrases such as “I command you to grow” and “Its still Yo Mutha Fu*** Set” became synonymous with his Iron Addicts brand and have been incorporated into his training workouts by fans across the world. Fletcher also faced many obstacles in his life. He grew up with an abusive father and he almost died due to heart failure. His unhealthy eating habits caused CT Fletcher to experience many heart complications and had to undergo heart surgery. CT Fletcher flatlined during the procedure and nearly lost his life. CT later adopted a clean diet and healthy lifestyle, even integrating a vegan diet.
Today, he is known as the successful entrepreneur, father, and a worldwide recognized fitness icon who founded Iron Addicts.
CT Fletcher Training Routine
CT Fletcher focuses a lot on Train to Fail and constantly changing workout routines. Exercises to build your body and strength entail workout routines that focus on chest and arm exercises.
The CT Fletcher workout routine includes excessive amounts of protein and carbohydrates. Also, fats are kept at only 10 percent of the entire daily intake. This is meant to keep your body energetic enough to perform as many reps as possible. A key to Fletcher’s transformation is doing both physical and mental training routines. CT relies on his repetitions, instincts, and his ability to change his daily routine.
His goal is to apply a one-movement workout (OMW) method, which involves high-volume, high-repetition interval training.
Arms
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Standing Biceps Cable Curl
4
8-10
Preacher Curl
4
8-10
Seated Triceps Press
4
8-10
Incline Hammer Bench Biceps Curl
4
8-10
Concentration Curls
4
8-10
W Bar Triceps Extensions
4
8-10
Straight Bar Triceps Extension
4
8-10
Chest
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Barbell Straight Bench Press
4
8-10
Incline Barbell Press
3
8-10
Wide Grip Chin Ups
4
10-12
Incline Bench Cable Fly
5
12
Smith Bench
4
8-10
Back
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown
3
8-10
T Bar Bent Over Row
3
8-10
Lying Machine Rows
3
10-12
Close-Grip Seated Cable Row
3
8-10
Straight Arm Pushdown
3
10-12
Shoulders
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Standing Barbell Lateral Raise
4
12-15
Barbell Press
4
10-12
Seated Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Press
4
8-10
Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise
4
12-15
Legs
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Hack Squat
4
8-10
Leg Press
4
8-10
Seated Machine Leg Curl
3-4
10-12
Barbell Squat
3
10-12
CT Fletcher Nutrition
Today, CT Fletcher follows a very clean and basic diet plan that provides him with all the essential macronutrients and helps him stay in top shape inside and outside of the gym. Since Fletcher often eats all the protein and clean foods he can get, his vegan diet has also contributed to long term results and heart health.
Meal 1
12 egg white omelet
A handful of veggies
1-2 servings of Grilled chicken or Turkey breast
Meal 2
One can serving of salad of Albacore tuna
Meal 3
Ground turkey
Meal 4
White rice
Meal 5
1- Eight-ounce chicken breast
Meal 6
Two cups of white rice
Best Supplements For Continued Growth
For those looking to maximize their gains, it is important to have a great supplementation routine ready to go. CT uses a protein powder to increase growth and recovery, a pre-workout to provide for energy and pumps, and a BCAA for that intra-workout boost to kickstart growth and burst through fatigue. Also, a multivitamin keeps him healthy by pumping him with those vital nutrients great for immunity and staying in top shape.
Wrap Up
CT Fletcher today is amongst some of the most popular and successful powerlifters in the world. Dwayne The Rock Johnson calls him his greatest influence due to his unique approach on lifting. His methods involve a great deal of work, pain, and a diversified workout routine. His past involved a great deal of poor dieting and he now recommends a healthy clean diet for bodybuilders worldwide.
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 CT Fletcher Instagram
Victor Martinez Opens Up About The Moment Diuretics Made Him Scared For His Health
[embedded content]
Victor Martinez talks candidly about a “miscalculation” with diuretics that made him fear for his health before a bodybuilding competition.
2021 has been a tragic year for bodybuilding with many beloved and legendary athletes passing away far too young. Most of these reported deaths are not connected nor have they revealed conclusive evidence on the cause of death in each case. However, many have started reflecting inward and posting publicly about a change to health standards in the sport. During our recent conversation with Victor Martinez, we asked him if he was ever scared for his health during his career as a bodybuilder. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez reveals the one time diuretics almost put his health in danger.
Victor Martinez has always been candid and honest when speaking with Generation Iron. He’s not afraid to tell it like it is – but he’s also not one to point fingers. So when we asked him if he had ever faced a bodybuilding situation where he feared for his health, he was more than happen to speak openly about it. However, he also chose not to mention names or even the specific bodybuilding event in his story. His reason? Because he doesn’t cast blame on any specific coach, promoter, or event.
In our conversation, Victor Martinez describes a moment when his use of diuretics before a show led him to fear for his health. He awoke the day of the show to shallow breathing and incredibly low energy. He felt that he didn’t have the strength to stand, let alone pose.
“I remember being in bed, man, it was this one… I’m not going to name the show because I don’t want to pinpoint the coach. I don’t want to pinpoint anybody again,” Victor Martinez states in our interview. He goes on:
“You guys have to understand this, I’m not one to throw people under the bus just because of a miscalculation. But I still remember just being in bed, Vlad, I didn’t even want to pose man. I was just there and I was just breathing. My friend came into the room and he goes… I can hear such shallow breathing.”
Victor Martinez then describes that he went back to sleep four four more hours. And at that point upon waking – he felt he could sleep even more. This was not typical for Martinez, who would often have trouble sleeping before a competition.
Victor Martinez goes on to describe actually competing. He felt that each pose was a struggle. His arms felt like they weighed a ton. He describes his legs feeling like stilts. After posing, he drank massive amounts of water. He couldn’t eat. He just kept drinking water. Eventually he started to feel recovered – luckily avoiding a trip to the hospital.
“It all had to do with diuretics man,” Victor states at the end of his story. “I knew there was a better way. A healthier way in bodybuilding terms.”
Shortly after that incident, Victor Martinez decided to train himself and make some slight changes to how he prepared for a show. He again reiterates that it was no ones fault – and that these kinds of risks are inherent in an extreme pro sport like bodybuilding. What was important is that he learned from that incident and decided to change strategies to lessen that risk in his future.
You can watch Victor Martinez’s full comments about diuretics and his health as a bodybuilder in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
White House Chef Andre Rush Joins Mike O’Hearn For Arm Day
Mike O’Hearn trained arms with Chef Andre Rush and his 24-inch arms.
Mike O’Hearn remains in tremendous shape at age 52. He is still able to push himself to the limit and perform some strenuous workouts to better his physique. Recently, O’Hearn joined White House Chef Andre Rush for arm day and the results were incredible.
Rush has been working in the White House for 21 years and has made a great career for himself. Aside from preparing meals, Rush has become known for his enormous arms that measure around 24 inches. In a bicep session, O’Hearn and Rush put together a YouTube video of the afternoon.
The two began with a bicep routine then went into conversation on what the other excels in. For Rush, the answer is clear.
“Just so you guys understand. These are 24 inch arms. These bands are not for arms. These are the leg bands, that we are using on his arms. That’s how jacked this man is. So most of you that are watching this, his arm is the size of your leg,” O’Hearn said about Rush.
This comment was brought on at the beginning of the video while Andre Rush was getting a blood Flow restrictor put on his arms. Mike O’Hearn reveals that they were using a leg band because there was not an arm one that would fit around his biceps.
The two men continued to show off their workout. It began with some dumbbell hammer curls followed by preacher curls. During the early exercises, O’Hearn kept discussing the size of Rush and his overall strength.
“I reversed it, truthfully just to open up the arm. Open up means I want the joints and the elbows to fire from all different positions. It’s great my arms are getting pumped, they’ll get pumped regardless. But I want my elbows and my wrist to rotate, I want my shoulders to open.”
O’Hearn explains that he performs preacher curls with a reverse grip to open up all parts of the arm. This is a more intense version than the traditional underneath grip.
Andre Rush is a US Army Veteran. He ensiled in 1993 where he was trained in hand-to-hand combat and food service. He began as a chef at the White House in 1997. All throughout, Rush began being known for his biceps as well as his food. To start his day, Rush says he does 2,222 pushups as part of the 22 pushup challenge. This is to raise awareness for the roughly 22 veterans who die by suicide each day.
There is no doubt that Rush can hold his own in the gym and he proved it with Mike O’Hearn. Both men put on a show that is worthy of being seen.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Five Reasons Why High-Rep Home Workouts May Be Causing Problems
How To Perform Bodyweight Workouts Safely and Effectively
Due to the worldwide pandemic, home-based training has become increasingly more popular during this year. Not only are home workouts simple and convenient, you also do not need a great deal of equipment in order to perform a tough workout.
However, without having access to equipment, only bodyweight exercises can be performed. For those who have even a basic level of fitness, the majority of bodyweight exercises can be performed for a high number of reps.
This article will highlight five reasons why high-rep bodyweight workouts might be causing more harm than good.
The Limitations Of Home Bodyweight Workouts
As touched upon, one of the main challenges with home bodyweight workouts is that it can be challenging to perform a workout that is challenging enough to bring about change.
By performing high-rep workouts, it is possible to develop muscular endurance, however, it is challenging to build serious strength using only bodyweight.
Many bodyweight workouts lack the intensity required to develop strength because they do not utilize external loading.
In an attempt to increase this intensity, individuals often increase the number of reps performed per exercise.
While this may indeed elevate the intensity and will enhance muscular endurance, heavy loading develops strength most efficiently (1) – something that is not possible with bodyweight training.
Furthermore, exercise selection can be difficult as there are fewer exercises to choose from. As a result, you will often have to think outside the box in order to really challenge the body and bring about change.
Not only can this make workouts restrictive, performing the same exercises time and time again for a prolonged period of time may not be particularly enjoyable or motivating.
As a result of the limited exercise pool, individuals often perform a number of exercises that work the same or similar movements and muscle groups.
Working the same muscle groups and completing a high number of reps may lead to problems such as overuse injuries and poor movement patterns.
The Five Reasons
Although home training can be beneficial, there are some potential problems. This section will cover five reasons why high-rep bodyweight workouts may actually be causing issues.
1) Workouts May Not Lead To Substantial Change
As reflected on, a huge limitation with bodyweight only training is the fact that you cannot load the exercise. The only weight that you can utilize is your own bodyweight.
For many individuals, this will simply not be enough to force the muscles of the body to adapt and increase in strength and function.
When exposed to a training stimulus, the human body will adapt to ensure that it can deal with this stimulus should it be exposed to it again.
However, once the body has adapted to a certain point, it can comfortably deal with the demands of your training sessions.
Therefore, without the use of external loading, it can be difficult to place a powerful enough stimulus on the body to force it to adapt any further.
2) May Increase Stress Hormone Production and Lower Immunity
Cortisol is the primary stress hormone in the body that plays a variety of roles in blood sugar control, inflammation reduction, and metabolism regulation.
However, high levels of cortisol can be detrimental to the body and can lead to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, digestive issues, headaches, and poor sleep.
Studies on high intensity workouts have determined that they increase the production of cortisol (2). Therefore, by regularly performing high intensity sessions, you may
Extremely high intensity exercise sessions have also been found to reduce immune function and increase your susceptibility to contracting infections (3).
That said, it should be noted that this reduction in function only lasts for a short period of time. Nonetheless, it is still a risk that you should be aware of.
3) Increased Injury Risk and Development of Poor Motor Skills
Another potential risk of high-rep bodyweight workouts is overuse injuries such as tendonitis. These injuries occur when training intensity is simply too high, too soon.
Overuse injuries can be subtle and often take time to develop which can make them challenging to diagnose and treat.
These injuries can be avoided by applying the progressive overload training principle where intensity starts low and gradually builds up over time.
This way the body can deal with the training stimulus and recover suitably thus reducing the chances of developing an injury.
Furthermore, with high-rep exercise, fatigue can become a factor. As the amount of fatigue increases, our technique can become compromised.
Not only does poor technique increase the risk of injury, it may also retrain the nervous system to move in an incorrect way.
4) Many Home Workouts Are Not Functional
Although they may claim to be, many home workouts are not functional. The idea with functional fitness training is to perform exercises that will have a positive impact on day-to-day activities.
For example, utilizing exercises such as the squat and push-up may be considered functional as they replicate movement patterns that will be performed throughout the course of the day.
While some of the exercises incorporated into the home workouts may be considered functional, the training structure may be far from functional.
As reflected on, many workouts hammer the same muscles and joints in a way that may lead to injury.
In addition, if technique begins to break down as a result of fatigue, you will no longer moving in a way that is considered “functional”.
5) May Lead To Overtraining Syndrome
As with overuse injuries, overtraining occurs when the body simply cannot deal with demands being placed on it during training.
Because recovery is compromised, the body does not adapt in the desired way. In actuality, regression will occur, rather than progression.
Performing workouts that incorporate a high number of reps too frequently, may not allow the body to recover adequately. If this is maintained over a prolonged time period, overtraining will occur (4).
Some symptoms of overtraining include chronic fatigue, muscle soreness or pain, suppressed immunity, poor energy and performance levels, and low-quality sleep.
Once again, providing training commences at the correct intensity and follows progressive overload, overtraining can be avoided.
Training Principles For Bodyweight Home Workouts
This is not to say that home bodyweight workouts cannot be of benefit to your physical health and fitness.
Rather, the workouts that you perform should follow a number of training principles that will ensure that you are exercising safely and most efficiently.
1) Apply Progressive Overload
To ensure that you optimize progress and reduce the chances of injury and overtraining, you must apply progressive overload to your training.
As mentioned, this simply involves gradually increasing the training intensity over time.
If your training intensity is too low, progress will stall, however, if it’s too high, you run the risk of injury and overtraining.
This is why progressive overload is so important and undoubtedly the best way of ensuring that the intensity is managed and applied correctly.
To increase workout intensity, consider gradually adding repetitions and sets, reducing rest periods, or altering the exercise to make it more demanding.
2) Split Your Training
Although the training sessions themselves are important, your ability to recover from the stresses of training are equally important.
If your training is incorrectly structured, you may find that the body does not have time to fully recover and you may consequently end up going backwards.
A useful recommendation is to alternate between resistance workouts and aerobic workouts ensuring that you schedule in a minimum of one rest day per week.
However, this is entirely dependent on your training goals, preferences, level of fitness, and limitations.
3) Consider Your Training Goals and Limitations
The final principle that you must consider is your own training goals and potential limitations. All of the workouts that you perform should be shaped around these things.
For example, if your goal is to improve upper body strength but you can only commit to a minimum of three workouts per week, find a program that is upper body orientated and fits your schedule.
It is crucial that you avoid biting off more than you can chew and understand your limitations.
If you are new to home bodyweight workouts begin with the absolute basics. Following a more advanced program that is far beyond your capabilities is unwise.
Final Word
While home bodyweight workouts can be convenient and of great benefit, there are a number of common mistakes that can lead to suboptimal progress and injury.
By applying the three home training principles outlined in this article, it is possible to make great progress with your fitness and avoid these mistakes.
References:
1 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28834797/ Schoenfeld, Brad J.; Grgic, Jozo; Ogborn, Dan; Krieger, James W. (2017-12). “Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 31 (12): 3508–3523. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000002200. ISSN 1533-4287. PMID 28834797.
2 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6162535/ Mangine, Gerald T.; Van Dusseldorp, Trisha A.; Feito, Yuri; Holmes, Alyssa J.; Serafini, Paul R.; Box, Allyson G.; Gonzalez, Adam M. (2018-07-14). “Testosterone and Cortisol Responses to Five High-Intensity Functional Training Competition Workouts in Recreationally Active Adults”. Sports. 6 (3). doi:10.3390/sports6030062. ISSN 2075-4663. PMC 6162535. PMID 30011910.
3 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9134882/ Nieman, D. C. (1997-05). “Immune response to heavy exertion”. Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md.: 1985). 82 (5): 1385–1394. doi:10.1152/jappl.1997.82.5.1385. ISSN 8750-7587. PMID 9134882.
4 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3435910/ Kreher, Jeffrey B.; Schwartz, Jennifer B. (2012-3). “Overtraining Syndrome”. Sports Health. 4 (2): 128–138. doi:10.1177/1941738111434406. ISSN 1941-7381. PMC 3435910. PMID 23016079.
Different Diets You Should Try to Build Muscle and Lose Fat
Diets Doing the Rounds in the Fitness World
The advent of the internet has brought a lot of diets you can follow. While there are many diets you can try, in this article, we will focus on some of the most effective diets which can produce the best results.
Keto
The main premise of the ketogenic diet is to eat fats to burn fat. In the keto diet, you follow a high-fat, moderate-protein, carbohydrate-restricted diet designed to make the body burn fat for fuel.
A keto diet can have many physiological benefits like fat loss, improved body composition, reduced inflammation, and increased insulin sensitivity. The different types of keto diets are –
Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD) – The most basic form of keto.
Restricted Ketogenic Diet (RKD) – A calorie-restricted version of the standard keto.
Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD) – A keto diet for people who workout regularly.
Cyclic Ketogenic Diet (CKD) – Focused on advanced athletes who need a boost of carbs for fuel during training.
High Protein Ketogenic Diet (HPKD) – Ideal for people who are trying to shed excess fat.
Paleo
If you have always fancied what the prehistoric people ate and dig their diets, the paleo diet is for you. While following the paleolithic diet you will have to skip all the processed food and eat food which occurs in the wild or come straight from the ground.
In paleo, your diet will primarily consist of meat and fish, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and nuts and seeds. Dairy products, cereal grains, legumes, starchy vegetables, fatty meats, and foods which are high in salt content are to be avoided.
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean diet is based upon the epidemiological findings that people who live in Greece, Italy, and Spain and consume traditional diets have a better health than the rest of the world.
In this diet, you’ll be eating plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. Replacing butter with healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil. Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods.
The Mediterranean diet was introduced in attempts to reduce and prevent heart disease. The flexible nature of the Mediterranean diet makes it relatively easy to follow and implement for the long-term.
Intermittent Fasting (IF)
If you’re interested in maintaining a lean and muscular physique but don’t want to give up on your favorite food IF is what you’ve been looking for. Intermittent fasting involves going an extended period of time without consuming any calories.
In the duration of your fast, you can only drink plain water, black coffee or tea. Many variations of IF exist, but the most popular involves fasting for 16 hours, then eating all of your food during an eight-hour window called the “feeding window.” This type of IF is called “16:8” fasting. Combined with a well-adjusted diet, fat-burners can accelerate fat loss by enhancing metabolism, reducing cravings, and increasing intra-workout energy.
The best ones even go the extra mile to protect against muscle breakdown.
The right fat burner can:
Accelerate metabolism
Increase mobilization of stored body fat (to be used as energy)
Fight against hunger and cravings
Reduce muscle breakdown
Improve lean body mass
Keep you healthy overall
During your “feeding window” you need to reach the same calorie and macronutrient goals as per your diet plan, provided you’re following one designed as per your goals. IF is one of the best diets when it comes to fat burning.
Atkins
The Atkins diet used to be known by many as the steak and eggs diet. In the old Atkins diet, you ate as much protein and fats as your body could handle while disregarding carbs and overlooking where your fats were coming from.
The Atkins diet has since changed tracks and now focuses on a well-rounded approach to their dietary guidelines and touting the importance of healthy carbohydrates and fats combined with protein. The Atkins diet consists of four phases –
Phase One – The first phase is the most strict phase and is followed for two weeks. In this phase, you need to include fats and proteins with each meal and restrict your carbs to 20 grams per day.
Phase Two – The second phase, like the first phase, focuses on weight loss. In this phase, you will include 5 grams of carbs per week until you have only 5-10 pounds you want to lose.
Phase Three – Phase three is known as pre-maintenance. Here you will learn how to eat in order to maintain your weight in the future.
Phase Four – This is the maintenance phase where you will have reached your target weight. In phase four you will have arrived at a diet which will help you maintain your weight.
If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM)
Macros are short for the three major nutrients – carbs, proteins, and fats. In an IIFYM diet, you focus on meeting your daily macro goals instead of counting your calories. The IIFYM approach is based on the principle that the ratio between the number of calories you consume versus how much you burn dictates whether you gain or lose weight.
While following IIFYM, the source of the calories is disregarded. You just need to maintain the proportion of calories you get from each macro and you’re free to feast on your favorite food.
Vegan
Veganism has been one of the most talked about and followed diets of the past few years. Vegans are different from vegetarians in the sense they don’t even consume dairy products while the vegetarians do. Vegans disregard anything that is derived from animals be it dairy, meat or leather products. There are certain benefits to turning vegan.
Veganism is more than a diet, being a vegan is a lifestyle. Veganism started out as a way to stop animal cruelty, but soon its health benefits took over. Now many pro athletes have turned vegan and report having improved their performance because of their new diets.
Have you tried any of these diets? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Whitney Johns Profile & Stats
The biography, life, and accomplishments of Whitney Johns
Whitney Johns is a bodybuilder, fitness model, and personal trainer who has grown over the years to be a fitness icon. After a career of trying many different sports, she decided to give weightlifting a try, and hasn’t looked back.
Below is a complete breakdown of her profile, stats, biography, training, and diet regimens.
Full Name: Whitney Johns
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
135-145 lbs.
5’9”
11/29/1990
Profession
Era
Nationality
Bodybuilder, Fitness Model, Personal Trainer
2010
American
Biography
Whitney Johns grew up in Idaho and never could really find her niche. She loved to be active and push herself, but the struggle of finding what sport to do was challenging for her. But what she would find was fitness and weightlifting and with a poor track record of enjoying other sports, she decided to give this a try. And she never looked back.
Building her physique and falling in love with weightlifting, she was fueled by physical fitness and this developed a strong discipline and confidence in herself. After training for some time, she decided to compete and from there, modeling agencies began knocking. She landed jobs with big magazines and began to build a following on social media. Now a fitness icon, she seeks to help others see those gains they want most through hard work and inspiration.
Training
Whitney focuses a lot on legs and lower body work to keep her lower half as toned as possible, but she will of course work her upper body to keep that well-rounded physique. When it comes to cardio, she loves HIIT workouts for they will increase your heart rate and really give you the edge when it comes to endurance and burning extra calories.
Legs
Smith Machine Glute Kickback: 3 sets, 10 reps
Crab Toe Touches: 3 sets, 10 reps
Dumbbell Front Squat: 3 sets, 8 reps
Kettlebell Sumo High Pull: 3 sets, 10 reps
Squat Jacks: 3 sets, 10 reps
Hip Thrust: 3 sets, 10 reps
DB Single Leg Squats: 3 sets, 12 reps
Bulgarian Split Squat: 3 sets, 10 reps
Side Lunge With Knee Drive: 3 sets, 12 reps
Squat Jump Lunge: 3 sets, 8 reps
Bodyweight HIIT Workout
Dips: 4 sets, 30 seconds
Jump Squats: 4 sets, 30 seconds
Boat Pose Pulses: 4 sets, 30 seconds
Squat Burpees: 4 sets, 30 seconds
Skater Squats: 4 sets, 30 seconds
Nutrition
Whitney seeks to keep her diet as simple as possible and only sticks to healthy and whole foods. This includes your essentials being lean meats, complex carbs, and healthy fats. But, like us all, she loves a good cheat meal here and there and typically this will be ice cream. By keeping her diet simple and not working to make it too complex, she is able to properly and easily prepare so she can eat with ease.
Supplementation
Along with a proper training and nutrition routine comes supplementation. It is important to supplement with certain products that can work to enhance all your gains. Three staples to cover your workout basics are a pre-workout, BCAA, and protein powder. These will work to increase energy, push through fatigue, enhance recovery and spur growth, each respectively of course. But together, these can work wonders. Also consider a multivitamin, super green, or omega-3 supplement to aid in your overall health and wellness goals.
Felipe Franco In ER After Surgery On Appendix
Felipe Franco remains in the ER after having a procedure done on his appendix.
Felipe Franco remains in the emergency room at Hospital Sao Camilo in Portugal after undergoing surgery on his appendix. Franco took to Instagram on Tuesday night to share that the procedure went well and he is continuing to recover in the ER.
“Last night to tonight was not a good one, really bad abdominal pain and thought it was just gases at first. I came to the @hospitalsaocamilosp ER in a hurry after an unexpected fainting that hit my head and didn’t remember anything. After the ct scan, an acute inflammation of the appendix was found. And here I am, post surgery in recovery, it was a success. It was all so fast that I didn’t understand anything. I want to thank all the professionals at @hospitalsacamilosp who were very skilled in my first surgery in my life, thank you. you guys are great. #FF vlw the strength guys.”
Felipe Franco was bothered with abdominal pains that he mistook for gas before going to the hospital. While he was there, the doctors found that his appendix was inflamed and surgery was needed. This was the first surgery for the Men Physique competitor and it was a success.
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.