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Avoid The Skinny Fat Look With This Muscle Building Cardio
Cardio Like a beast.
Yeah, you read the title correctly. As a bodybuilder you probably already have an inherent dislike for cardio training simply because of the effect the practice can have on your muscle growth and maintenance. Consistent steady state cardio will certainly improve your endurance, but it will do nothing for your physique except eat away at that hard earned muscle.
While cardio should certainly be a staple of your program, no matter how much you hate it, it truly depends on the type of cardio you’re performing in the gym that will determine whether or not you see the results you seek. So what exactly should you be doing in the gym and what should you run away from (pun intended)?
No Steady State Cardio
When it comes to burning fat and maintaining your muscle mass, you want to avoid running at one consistent pace. For example, if you’re simply jogging the entire time while you’re doing your cardio but you’re not increasing or decreasing that pace then you can be sure that your body will dip into it’s muscles stores for energy. This is especially true if you find yourself on a cut and in a calorie deficit.
If your cardio levels are boosted yet your lifting numbers either remain consistent or even drop due to the lack of normal energy stores you can bet the body is going to adapt more to the cardiovascular training and your muscle growth will stagnate and even move backwards.
Take It Easy
The best kind of cardio for burning fat and keeping muscle is the kind that doesn’t rip your body apart. Namely, walking. You metabolic rate will rise for sure though it won’t nearly be at the levels that you’d expect from lifting or doing interval training, but it won’t break down your muscle and it will leave with enough energy that you’ll be able to hit the gym hard if you’re doing two-a-days.
Ramp Things Up
The other option for fat loss and muscle maintenance in terms of cardio training is performing HIIT. By doing interval training at high intensity your metabolic rate will skyrocket which means more calories are burned. But unlike steady state cardio HIIT training means you’re pushing your body, specifically your muscle, to the max. Notice how sprinters are always in great shape, lean but still muscular? That’s because they are constantly utilizing their muscle by pushing themselves to their limits.
They also don’t worry about training on a calorie deficit as they need as much energy as possible during their training sessions. The action of sprinting has a similar anabolic response as you’d find in lifting. HIIT including sprinting can be looked at as more muscle building cardio than traditional cardio.
Try out these methods and watch the fat burn away and your muscle continue to grow.
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How To Perform The Burpee
What Are Burpees?
Not to be mistaken for burpees seeds, burpees are one of the most challenging bodyweight exercises that can be performed and have been found to be an effective bodyweight cardio conditioning exercise (1). One of the best things about the burpee is that equipment is not necessary – all that is required is space. In addition to this, it is a full body exercise which recruits muscles the length and breadth of the body. The muscles of the legs are required to powerfully shoot the legs back in the plank position and also explosively contract in the vertical jump. The upper body and core must support the body weight in the plank and also engage during the press up.
This article will look at 4 key components of the burpee and also provide a number of variations that can be performed for a burpees workout!
How To Perform A Burpee
Burpees come in a number of variations and coaches may teach the movements differently – some require a push-up during the plank phase while others do not. Others do not require a jump at the end of the movement, while others do not. The following coaching points will teach how to perform the conventional burpee from start to finish.
Squat down and place the hands flat on the floor at approximately shoulder width apart
From this position, jump the legs back into a full plank
Hinge at the elbows and drop into a full push up ensuring the chest makes contact with the floor before returning to the plank position (if required, drop to the knees for the push-up)
Jump the feet back to the start position ensuring that the feet are placed wider than the hips
From the deep squat position, powerfully drive upwards into a vertical jump and bring the arms up and overhead
Land safely keeping the knees out and repeat for the prescribed number of reps
Performing Perfect Burpees
Burpees are a very common exercise that often appears in HIIT or Tabata style workouts (2). Typically, the goal of these workouts is to complete as many reps as possible in a set time period which can often cause the exercise to be performed incorrectly or with the absence of good technique. The following points highlight 4 key areas that are crucial when it comes to mastering the burpee.
1) Jump Effectively
Firstly, during the burpees exercise, focus on moving effectively – specifically in the jump. Be aware that this does not necessarily mean moving as fast as possible and completing each rep in as quick a time as possible.By failing to move effectively, it is likely that energy will be wasted and therefore the movement will become more challenging, energy stores will become depleted at a faster rate and fatigue will quickly become a major factor (3). Efficient movement helps to preserve energy, which will make it possible to exercise for a longer period of time, all while maintaining form.
The jump is often an area where energy will be wasted – either through rushing or an out of control jump. Although it’s important to gain height with each jump, it must be controlled to maximise movement efficiency.
2) A Solid Ground Position
Probably one of the most common mistakes is performed during the grounded phase. At this point, the body should be held long and straight in a plank position. Often in this position, the body either begin to sag by the dropping of the hips or the hips are lifted too high. Both of these positions are incorrect and fail to engage the core properly.
The best way to ensure that the correct position is assumed is to place the hands directly underneath the shoulders and maximally shoot the legs out behind the body. Meanwhile, the core should be braced as hard as possible – focus on squeezing the abs tightly. This will increase what is known as intra-abdominal pressure which will help to facilitate a strong plank position and additionally protect the spine and prevent lower back injury (4).
3) Maintaining A Wide Base
When jumping up to the feet from the grounded position, look to keep the feet slightly wider than the hips. Doing so will keep the body more stable and the movements controlled. A wide base of support has been found to facilitate stability (5) thus enhancing movement and preserving energy. If a narrow stance is assumed, stability decreases.
Additionally, by keeping a wide stance, the jump will become straightforward. When jumping, a wide stance is required as a narrow stance will make the movement more challenging and harder to gain height in the jump.
4) Be Powerful In The Jump
With the jump, it’s important to be as explosive as possible. It should involve a powerful drive using the big leg muscles that propels the body upwards. However, for many the jump is nothing more than a small hop which does very little and fails to recruit these muscles to their full potential.
The maximal jump in the burpee trains something known as triple extension which is simply a rapid extension of 3 joints – the hips, knees and ankles (6). Practicing triple extension regularly can help to build full body power, burn many calories and improve overall movement. Therefore, do not sacrifice the jump with the purpose of completing more reps in a short time period, instead, focus on springing up powerfully with each rep.
Burpee Progressions
There are number of progressions that can be performed in order to increase the intensity and challenge of the burpee exercise. Only once proficient form for the standard burpee has been established, should these variations be attempted.
Tuck Jump Burpee
Complete a full burpee and during the jump, drive the knees up powerfully and tuck the knees into the chest in mid-air.
Hand Release Burpee
For this variation, when dropping into the push up, touch the chest to the floor and release the hands from the floor so that the body is fully in contact. Complete the rest of the movement as normal.
Burpee to Jump Lunge
Once again, complete a full burpee however, look to swap out the vertical jump for a jumping lunge. Alternate sides with each rep completed.
Single-Leg Burpee
As the name suggests, complete the full movement on one leg ensuring that the other foot does not touch the floor at any point. Alternate leg with each rep.
Burpee Switch
Complete the first phases of the burpee as normal. In the jump, look to rotate 180 degrees and land safely keeping the knees pushed out.
Lateral Jump Burpee
Perform a standard burpee but look to jump laterally (to the side) rather than vertically. Still focus on being explosive with every jump.
Final Word
When it comes to cardio conditioning, the burpee is one of the best callisthenic exercises that can be performed, providing it is executed with good form. It is also an exercise which is easy to manipulate to increase the demand placed on the body, as highlighted by the vast number of burpee variations.
References:
1-Haddock, Christopher K.; Poston, Walker S.C.; Heinrich, Katie M.; Jahnke, Sara A.; Jitnarin, Nattinee (2016-11). “The Benefits of High Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) Fitness Programs for Military Personnel”. Military medicine. 181 (11): e1508–e1514. doi:10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00503. ISSN 0026-4075. PMC 5119748. PMID 27849484.
2-“Physiology of Fat Loss”. www.unm.edu.
3-Ament, Wim; Verkerke, Gijsbertus J. (2009). “Exercise and fatigue”. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). 39 (5): 389–422. doi:10.2165/00007256-200939050-00005. ISSN 0112-1642. PMID 19402743.
4-Hodges, Paul W.; Eriksson, A. E. Martin; Shirley, Debra; Gandevia, Simon C. (2005-9). “Intra-abdominal pressure increases stiffness of the lumbar spine”. Journal of Biomechanics. 38 (9): 1873–1880. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2004.08.016. ISSN 0021-9290. PMID 16023475
5-Henry, S. M.; Fung, J.; Horak, F. B. (2001-2). “Effect of stance width on multidirectional postural responses”. Journal of Neurophysiology. 85 (2): 559–570. doi:10.1152/jn.2001.85.2.559. ISSN 0022-3077. PMID 11160493.
6-Suchomel, Timothy J.; Comfort, Paul; Stone, Michael H. (2015-6). “Weightlifting pulling derivatives: rationale for implementation and application”. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). 45 (6): 823–839. doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0314-y. ISSN 1179-2035. PMID 25689955.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Makes Call To Action To Stop Deaths In Bodybuilding
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been vocal about making improvements to bodybuilding to prevent deaths.
Over the last few months, there has been an increase in deaths in the sport of bodybuilding. This is something that many have spoken out about and that includes the best bodybuilding of all-time Arnold Schwarzenegger.
During the 2021 Arnold Classic, Schwarzenegger stated on the broadcast that he believes Classic Physique is the future of bodybuilding. This is because of the preparation being different. Now, Schwarzenegger made a recent call to action in his newsletter.
“You would think that the head trauma from MMA and football would outweigh the organ failure in bodybuilding, but bodybuilding is much, much worse. We need to fix that, because bodybuilding should be about promoting health and fitness. I don’t know if the answer is more testing or promoting the smaller divisions more. What do you guys think?”
Arnold Schwarzenegger calls for more testing in bodybuilding or the promoting of smaller divisions. Right now, Men’s Open is the pinnacle of the sport where competitors have to show great size and conditioning. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay is coming off a victory at the 2021 Olympia. Prior to the competition, there was some devastating news.
George Peterson passed away tragically in Orlando just days before the Olympia. Peterson was in town preparing to compete in the Men’s 212 division. Peterson’s death came after a recent string that has hit the bodybuilding world.
Ronnie Coleman made comments in September that lineup with those of Schwarzenegger. He believes that diuretics should be banned from the sport because of the danger that they bring. Coleman referenced a time where he nearly lost his life because of the use of diuretics.
“In the past 10 years, bodybuilding lost more competitors (14!) to early deaths than any other sport, including MMA and football. In fact, most football players that die from CTE problems die much older than bodybuilders, and with the exception of a tragedy this week, MMA fighters die at a much lower rate than bodybuilders,” Arnold Schwarzenegger continued in his newsletter.
The Mr. America competition is one with a great history dating back to 1939. To this day, competitors are still being drug tested before the event. This is an all-natural event that took place from Oct. 8-10. This is something that Schwarzenegger believes would benefit the sport of bodybuilding as a whole moving forward.
This is not an easy solution so it is hard to say what the perfect fix is. There is no quick-fix option for the sport. The popularity of bodybuilding continues to grow around the world but this recent string of deaths has caused some concern. The risks of some supplements and products are well-documented but athletes have been vying for victories and this is the reason they are being used.
This is not the first time that Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken out about this issue. It does not seem like it will be the last either. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see if any big changes are made to bodybuilding.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
‘Sandow Is Home’: Big Ramy Says He Will Retain Olympia Title For Years To Come
Big Ramy confirmed that he will defend his title for years to come in recent Instagram post.
Entering the 2021 Olympia, there was a belief that no one could take down defending champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. On Saturday night, that was made clear as Big Ramy took home his second-straight title on the biggest stage in bodybuilding. Now, the Egyptian bodybuilder will focus on the upcoming years.
Big Ramy took to Instagram over the past couple of days to celebrate his victory at the 2021 Olympia. Most recently, he posted to say that he will be defending his title for years to come.
“Sandow is home and it will remain here for a very long time ، Thank you to all my fans around the world ، i made it because of your love and support.”
Can anyone take down Big Ramy at his peak? He entered the 2021 Olympia weighing in at 305 pounds, as said by a scale during the Olympia press conference. He is a mass monster that has retained an incredible physique at an enormous size. This is difficult to take down on stage but there are plenty of competitors that can compete.
Brandon Curry, who is a former Olympia champion, was the clear No. 2 behind Elssbiay at this year’s competition. He ended up taking second place while Hadi Choopan finished with the bronze medal. Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada rounded out the top five.
Competitors like Walker and Labrada are thought to be the future of bodybuilding because of their age and success to this point. With that being said, Big Ramy is not done defending his title and he believes that he can keep it for the upcoming competitions.
Big Ramy competed in his first Olympia in 2013 where he finished in eighth place. He climbed to second by 2017 but quickly fell to sixth place the very next year. Since then, Big Ramy has been at the top of the sport and has shown that during the Olympias.
The Men’s Open division is considered the top of the game and it is clear who the name to beat is. Big Ramy has claimed that winter is here and that has certainly been the case over the previous two years. If he stays at the top of his game, Big Ramy will be difficult to defeat anytime soon.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Chef Rush Reveals The Reality Behind Racism & Death Threats Online
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Chef Rush opens up about his PTSD and dangerous comments he has received online.
This past week, Facebook has been on blast after a whistleblower revealed the alleged dangerous tactics behind the company. Namely, that the company cares more about profits than huma beings – and purposefully allows toxic behavior to continue and is even sometimes pushed by their algorithms. Toxicity online is something nearly all people are aware of – especially those with large followings. Chef Rush is a viral bodybuilder who has faced some of the worst of it. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Chef Rush opens up about death threats and racist comments he’s received online.
Chef Rush is best known as the “Bodybuilding White House Chef.” He went viral upon photos released online showing his jacked physique while working at the White House. Since then, Rush has used that momentum to spread awareness about veteran PTSD and start his own businesses. As such, he’s become a bit of an online celebrity with a massive following.
As with most people in the spotlight, having a following often means receiving mass criticism as well. Often times, influencers and celebs simply ignore the comments. But we are all human – and people’s words, no matter how anonymous, can do damage. Then there’s the step above that – when online users take the next step to make direct attacks on influencers and iconic figures. This can be done through direct messages, death threats, racist comments – and also all bolstered by programmed bots to flood online pages with hate.
Chef Rush has experienced these kinds of attacks. In general, he tries to keep an open and positive mind about the internet. He understands that many toxic comments online are simply anonymous individuals looking for likes, clicks, and attention. But in a certain specific moment, Rush started to feel unsafe for himself and his family.
This moment came out of a strange extrapolation of an online post. Chef Rush made a comment about how much sleep he gets at night. He talked about getting very little (he states it was about 4 hours at the time). Somehow, this comment became so controversial that an online user programmed bots against him.
At this point Chef Rush would not even care. He knew that the swarm of comments were not real people. The problem came not due to the bot attack in and of itself – it was what they were saying. A comment about how much sleep to get suddenly turned into a swarm of comments throwing racial slurs on Rush’s posts. Not only that – but he was receiving death threats.
The barrage was so constant and cruel – that Chef Rush started to worry about his safety and the safety of his family. Posting your personal life as a viral influencer can open you up to online sleuths determining where you might physically be located – where you live, where you are on a trip, etc. What if this online hate turned into something in the real world?
That’s why Chef Rush did what he normally doesn’t do – he responded to the comments. He made it clear that if any single person were to approach him aggressively in public, he would take matters into his own hands. He kept it vague – but the implications were clear. If he felt that himself or his family were threatened in person, he would fight back.
Eventually the entire situation blew over. But the experience revealed just how out of control attention on social media can become. A comment about sleep turned into racism and death threats. It’s a level of extremism that seems propelled by the instant gratification and anonymity of social media.
You can watch Chef Rush’s full comments about the entire experience in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Burn Lab Pro Review For The Ultimate Fat Burning Support
The ultimate fat burning supplement to burn more calories, train with intensity, and feed lean muscle growth.
Product Overview
How many times has someone told you to try a fat burner? Once, twice? Maybe no times at all. Maybe you’ve tried a fat burner and thought it to be nonsense given that you saw no results even though you took your diet and exercise seriously. With so many supplements out there, it can be hard to tell the great from the good, the good from the bad, and the bad from the worst. However, when it comes to your fat burning needs, Burn Lab Pro is already making a name for itself on the market as a top tier fat burner designed for serious athletes.
What you want out of a good fat burner is something to not only burn stubborn belly fat but also give you the best in terms of muscle retention and appetite suppression. A fat burner will not be a magic pill, but working together with a solid diet and well-executed training plan, it will work to see those desired results. Burn Lab Pro does this and much more and it’s no wonder why so many bodybuilding and supplement review websites have listed this as number one.
Burn Lab Pro is a great all-around fat burner with an innovative design and research-backed benefits. It is 100% natural, safe, and caffeine free giving you the best option on the market.
Burn Lab Pro Highlights
Burn Lab Pro is an all-around great product with an innovative design and research-backed benefits to really enhance your results as you seek to burn belly fat. Instead of an unhealthy, stim-driven formula, Burn Lab Pro is 100% natural, safe, and caffeine free to give you an effective supplement without any fear of jitters or crashing. Burn Lab Pro allows you to shed more body fat from every workout, gain more lean muscle, and see better results from diet and exercise.
With 5 powerful and research-backed ingredients, this is the ultimate fat burner for whatever your needs may be. Forslean works to trigger a hormonal cascade to boost fat breakdown and promote fat burning, while Capsimax regulates hormones to increase body heat to block fat stores and control appetite with food. Along with these other ingredients, this advanced formula is designed to target all of your weight loss needs from a fat burning supplement.
Check out our list of the Best Fat Burners On The Market to see where Burn Lab Pro lands!
Ingredients
Forslean Forskolin
Forslean is a highly potent, ultra-bioavailable form of Forskolin, which is an extract from Coleus Forskohlii. Forskolin is arguably the natural fat burning supplement with the strongest backing from clinical trials; multiple studies done on humans show that Forskolin helps people lose more fat faster (1).
Forskolin works mainly by helping your body create more of an enzyme called lipase. Lipase is the enzyme which breaks down your stored body fat into fatty acids and frees it for use as fuel. Increasing lipase means more body fat is available for burning, which means faster fat loss and a more successful body recomposition.
HMB, or ß-Hydroxyl ß-Methylbutyrate as it is otherwise known, is the real secret of Burn Lab Pro’s power. HMB is a bit of a miracle fat burning supplement. However, it doesn’t actually burn fat; rather, it prevents muscle loss during periods of fasted training (or training during severe calorie restriction) (2).
Normally, when you lose fat, you lose a lot of muscle too; your body composition can often get worse during a cut! Protein powders can’t help either; if you’re in a calorie deficit, you’ll normally lose a lot of muscle. But HMB prevents this from happening. Studies show that HMB can effective prevent muscle mass loss during intensive training periods. This is why Burn Lab Pro is really more than just a fat burner; it is a body composition enhancer.
Capsimax is an extremely pure chili pepper extract. Chili pepper extracts are common ingredients in fat burning supplements (3), but Capsimax is the gold standard as it is standardized to be 2% active capsaicinoids and free of contaminants.
It is pretty obvious how chili pepper extracts like Capsimax burn fat. Eating spicy foods makes your body think your temperature is rising rapidly. This triggers a “cooling” response where your body desperately tries to lower your core temperature: your blood vessels dilate, you start to sweat, etc. All of this costs a lot of calories! This places you in a deeper calorie deficit, which means faster weight loss without having to cut more food!
Chromium is a really important ingredient for a top quality fat burner, and it is almost always overlooked by lower quality supplement manufacturers. This is because it works in a subtle, but no less effective, way than things like caffeine.
Chromium potentiates insulin. Supplementing with chromium helps insulin to properly regulate blood sugar. This means a more stable level of blood glucose, which in turn means better energy levels, less food cravings, and fewer sudden energy crashes. Chromium also helps insulin shuttle nutrients to your cells, which is vital for recovery following workouts. Burn Lab Pro uses GTF Chromium, which is the most bioavailable forms of the nutrient, and the one most studied in the context of health and fitness (4).
BioPerine is included in many top tier fat burning supplements on the market today because it helps with nutrient digestion and absorption. Basically, BioPerine helps you absorb more nutrients from the food that you eat (including the ingredients in Burn Lab Pro). Not only does this make the ingredients in Burn Lab Pro more potent, but BioPerine also makes it easier to eat a healthy diet, as the few calories you do eat will deliver many more nutrients.
Other Ingredients
NutriCaps Pullulan Capsule, NuFlow Rice Concentrate
Number Of Servings
30
Serving Size
3 NutriCaps
Stim Or Non-Stim
Non-Stim
Best Way To Take
Take 3 capsules with water.
Price & Effectiveness
Burn Lab Pro is that ultimate fat burner to burn more calories, train with intensity, and feed lean muscle growth. With 30 servings per container, 3 NutriCaps will pump you full of these amazing fat burning ingredients.
Pros
Great ingredients designed to tackle weight and fat loss goals
No stimulating ingredients with an advanced formula
Safe and natural supplement for your overall health and wellness
From a reputable and high quality company
Cons
Premium priced option
3 capsules is a lot for serving size
Price: $59.00
Who Should Take Burn Lab Pro?
Burn Lab Pro supports all weight control programs that work in tandem with a healthy diet and proper exercise routine. Bodybuilders and athletes looking for a great supplement would thrive with this supplement, as well as everyday gym goers living a healthy lifestyle who want to burn that stubborn fat.
Is Burn Lab Pro Good For Fasted Training?
Yes, Burn Lab Pro is great for fasted training. In fact, this is exactly the kind of scenario that Burn Lab Pro was designed for! Burn Lab Pro works on three different dimensions of body recomposition: it encourages the mobilization of fat from your fat stores, it boosts endurance and energy levels, and it prevents muscle wastage during periods of caloric restriction and intensive training.
Keeping your gains is the really difficult thing about cutting. We can all cut weight fast. You just stop eating food and walk a bunch every single day. The problem with this though is that you will lose just as much muscle mass as you will fat. To keep your gains, you need to be using your muscles to the same degree and keep feeding them with carbs and protein; things you can’t practically do while cutting calories.
The problem of keeping your gains is especially serious for “unenhanced” bodybuilders. If you’ve ever seen a natty bodybuilder after a serious cut, you’ll know that keeping big, inflated, thick muscles after 4 months of dieting is practically impossible (unless you have some seriously gifted genetics). To help get around muscle loss, Burn Lab Pro utilizes HMB. This natural substance has been shown to prevent muscle mass loss in people undergoing fasted or severely calorie-restricted training.
How To Use Burn Lab Pro For Maximum Fat Loss
The best way to use Burn Lab Pro for maximum fat loss is to use it consistently every single day for 2-3 months. Any Burn Lab Pro review which tells you that you need to use Burn Lab Pro at a specific time (pre-workout, post-workout, whatever) is focusing on the wrong thing!
The trick to getting the most out of Burn Lab Pro, or any good fat burner for that matter, is consistency. Fat loss doesn’t happen overnight. It can take months. Successful body recomposition takes even longer, as you need to more carefully balance weight loss with muscle preservation. The beauty of Burn Lab Pro is that it works both on your training days and on your rest days; it works to save your gains and keep your body burning stored fat round the clock, 24/7.
So long as you are sticking to your diet plan and putting the work in at the gym, Burn Lab Pro will dramatically accelerate your cut progress if used consistently on a daily basis for a period of several weeks and months. Used for the duration of a cut, Burn Lab Pro can be devastatingly effective.
Burn Lab Pro Side Effects
So we’ve seen that Burn Lab Pro looks like a genuinely effective fat burner. But is Burn Lab Pro safe?
Yes! Burn Lab Pro looks totally safe and side effect-free to us. This fat burner uses 100% natural ingredients, all of which have been thoroughly tested in numerous clinical trials. In none of the studies we have seen did any of the ingredients in this cause any side effects whatsoever. What’s more, the dosages used in Burn Lab Pro are all well within the ranges tested in clinical trials. Each ingredient has been dosed to produce the most benefits for the lowest risk of side effects.
The best thing about Burn Lab Pro as far as safety is concerned is the lack of any stimulants in the formula. Most fat burners contain HUGE quantities of caffeine. Many contain multiple synthetic stimulants which collectively make side effects highly likely.
Common side effects of cheap fat burners full of stimulants include:
Jitters
Headaches
Stomach cramps
Nausea
Anxiety
Irritability
Sweating
Hypertension
Elevated heart rate
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Insomnia
Burn Lab Pro does not cause any of these side effects as it is completely stimulant-free. That means it is perfectly safe for daily, long-term use, it won’t interact with your pre-workout, and you don’t need to worry about limiting coffee consumption.
Check out our list of the Best Men’s Fat Burners to see where Burn Lab Pro ended up!
Overall Value
Burn Lab Pro is the single best fat burner on the market today and our lists of the Best Fat Burners also reflects that. No other fat loss supplement comes close to delivering the quality and value for money that this does, especially when you factor in how clean and safe this fat burner is! The main reason we like this fat burner so much is because it prioritizes preserving muscle mass over just accelerating weight loss.
Keeping hold of your gains is the truly difficult thing about cutting; just dropping weight is easy, but looking jacked, strong and muscular after a cut is almost impossible. What you are really getting is a top tier fat burning supplement designed to maximize fat loss and keep on lean muscle from a company who fully understands what athletes need. Check out Burn Lab Pro and never worry about your gains again.
Generation Iron may receive commissions on purchases made through our links. See our disclosure page for more information.
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 Burn Lab Pro and Envato
References
Henderson, S.; Magu, B.; Rasmussen, C.; Lancaster, S.; et al. (2005). “Effects of Coleus Forskohlii Supplementation on Body Composition and Hematological Profiles in Mildly Overweight Women”. (source)
Portal, S.; Eliakim, A.; Nemet, D.; Halevy, O.; et al. (2010). “Effect of HMB supplementation on body composition, fitness, hormonal profile and muscle damage indices”. (source)
Varghese, S.; Kubatka, P.; Rodrigo, L.; Gazdikova, K.; et al. (2017). “Chili pepper as a body weight-loss food”. (source)
Yazaki, Y.; Faridi, Z.; Ma, Y.; Ali, A.; et al. (2010). “A pilot study of chromium picolinate for weight loss”. (source)
Big Ramy Looks Back In Detail About His First Ever Bodybuilding Competition | GI Vault
The current Mr. Olympia champion, Big Ramy, shares his experience competing in bodybuilding for the first time.
In December 2020, Big Ramy finally achieved what fans had been hoping for the past decade – he won the Mr. Olympia. Earlier in 2017 during the filming of Generation Iron 2, we sat down for an hour long interview with Big Ramy going through his origins through to the present of his bodybuilding career. Majority of this was not able to make it into the final film. That’s why to celebrate Ramy’s big Olympia victory, we are releasing uncut segments of never before seen footage. In our latest GI Exclusive Vault interview, Big Ramy details the first time he ever competed in a bodybuilding competition.
Everyone has to start somewhere – even Mr. Olympia champions. Big Ramy is a bodybuilder who has had hype behind his name for quite a few years now. But his story goes even further back into the early 2000s. In the extended clip above, Big Ramy details his origins from the son of fishermen through to his first ever bodybuilding competition.
When we interviewed him for Generation Iron 2, it was just before his epic display at the Olympia 2017. This is the year he placed second just behind Phil Heath. He was on top of the world and ready to prove his massive size can be matched with equally matched conditioning. While he fell short – he eventually made good on his promise last year with his big win.
But his experience starting out in bodybuilding was very different than the mammoth athlete we know today. He threw himself into the sport as an opportunity to find bigger success. While training and building muscle is a great first step – you learn a lot from actually stepping on stage and seeing the competition.
Big Ramy was ready to become a pro bodybuilder but he realized that he had a lot of improvements to do after standing beside other competitors. Specifically, he was embarrassed by his thin legs.
Instead of discouraging him, it drove him to try harder. He saw a real future in going pro and making bodybuilding his main career. Of course, his path towards learning and success would require a roller coaster path of twists and turns. Discovering Kuwait and Oxygen Gym provided him with basically a bodybuilding bootcamp.
While this help provide a foundation and extreme growth over his career, he ultimately moved on to try other coaches and other gurus in perfecting what works best for his body. Adapting and reacting is key towards improving and moving up amongst the top athletes in bodybuilding. That’s exactly what Big Ramy did and it paid off in full.
With all of that in mind, watching Big Ramy reflect on his first every bodybuilding competition just reminds us how far he’s come. How nothing is guaranteed. How only a select few through incredible hard work (and a little bit of luck) become the legends we see today.
Some believed that Big Ramy was too inconsistent to ever really win the Mr. Olympia. Others thought it was inevitable for him to reign as Olympia champion. If Ramy decided to play it safe and stick with being a fisherman, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.
You can watch Big Ramy reflect back on his early years and his first ever bodybuilding competition in our GI Exclusive Vault interview segment above. You can also watch Generation Iron 2 on digital today. Click here or the banner below to stream or download!
Big Ramy Answers: Do Genetics Play A Big Role In His Physique?
Big Ramy talks about his competition mindset and the power of genetics.
Ever since Big Ramy won the Olympia 2020, we’ve been pouring through our unreleased footage of Big Ramy from Generation Iron 2. Specifically, our sit down interview that only had a few segments make it into the film. There’s no doubt that Ramy’s massive physique lives up to his name – but how much of that is a product of genetics vs hard work? In our latest GI Exclusive Vault interview, Big Ramy discusses how big a role genetics play into his physique.
When Big Ramy appears on the pro competition stage, he’s immediately noticeable. This is not only due to his massive size but also his massive height. Big Ramy often stands tall as the biggest bodybuilder on stage from every angle. While bigger does not always equal a victory – it’s a powerful tool to have if conditioning can be kept under control.
The conditioning element was Big Ramy’s hardest challenge throughout his career. He finally nailed it in 2020 when he wowed judges and finally earned an Olympia win. Now he’s dead set on keeping that win streak going into 2021 and beyond. But until we see him compete again this year, we are rewinding back to 2017. It was years before his big win when we sat down to interview Ramy.
During that interview, we asked him about the importance of genetics in bodybuilding. How good genetics can provide the edge needed to beat someone out at the Mr. Olympia. Unfortunately, you can’t choose your genetics. That’s why we asked Ramy how big a role genetics play into his physique.
Does his massive size come natural to him due to his genetics? Or does he have to work extra hard through an uphill battle to become true to his name? Based on his answer, it seems that Big Ramy doesn’t think about it much. He simply isn’t quite sure. He does admit that his massive growth happened pretty fast. That his body reacted instantly to his bodybuilding training.
At the same time, he acknowledges that his mind is always focused on one thing – to win the Olympia. This drives him to work harder than he ever has in his life before bodybuilding. His massive physique is a result of that hard work.
Ultimately, Big Ramy doesn’t want to make it seem like he’s naturally the powerhouse bodybuilder folks see on stage. Like every other pro bodybuilder, Big Ramy puts in the work to stand tall as one of the top tier athletes of the year.
Fast forward back to today and we can certainly see the results of that hard work. Big Ramy not only maintained his massive size but was able to bring in his conditioning for an iconic physique. There was no controversy or second guessing. It was clear to the fans and the judges. Big Ramy was the clear Olympia 2020 winner. Whether it was genetics that helped him get there remains to be seen – but underneath it all the hard work always remains.
You can watch Big Ramy talk about his mindset and genetics in our latest GI Exclusive Vault interview above. You can also see Ramy in Generation Iron 2 – available on digital today! Click here or the banner below to stream or download.
Big Ramy: How Working With Different Trainers Was Important To Long Term Success | GI Vault
Big Ramy discusses the differences training in in the USA vs the Middle East and the benefits of trying multiple trainers.
GI VAULT – is an extension of our GI Exclusive interviews. The difference? These interviews come straight out of the Generation Iron vault from the cutting room floor of our feature film documentaries. With over hours of interview footage that doesn’t make it into our final films, we’re now releasing them out into the world.
It’s no secret that Big Ramy had tried working with multiple coaches and trainers throughout his career. For some time, he was best known for working with Oxygen Gym. But over the years he also jumped in and out of Kuwait to train with the likes of George Farah and Dennis James. Ultimately, in 2020, he settled back with Dennis James and Chad Nicholls and ultimately earned his first Olympia victory. In our latest GI Exclusive Vault interview, Big Ramy details how working with different trainers was vital to his success.
The interview clip featured here is from 2017. This is before he won the Mr. Olympia and before he ultimately left Oxygen Gym for good. But the conversation here, from the cutting room floor of Generation Iron 2, is still a very insightful moment despite how things have changed.
In this clip, Big Ramy discusses the differences of training with Oxygen Gym versus other trainers such as Dennis James and George Farah over in the United States. While Ramy was currently still prioritizing Oxygen Gym at the time – his answer still rings true to potentially how he ultimately found success and won the Mr. Olympia.
While there is value put on loyalty, there is also value in constant growth and education. Big Ramy wanted to always be learning. By experiencing different trainers and coaches, especially big name coaches, he is able to open is mind and education to different training tactics and beliefs.
Big Ramy would take everything he learned into consideration to his ultimate training plan. Many times, he felt ultimately that it was best for him to return to Oxygen Gym. But surely he also took small details of what he learned and applied them to each next step.
That thirst for growth and knowledge is an important lesson for any aspiring pro bodybuilder to learn. Constant adjustments and always challenging your own knowledge of training and dieting is key to success in bodybuilding. One small difference can ultimately be the key to getting an edge over another competitor in the top six on stage.
Years after this interview took place, Big Ramy ultimately left Oxygen Gym for good. He tried out a few more trainers and ultimately, for now, settled with Chad Nicholls and Dennis James. Due to Ramy’s Olympia 2020 victory, we assume this team up will remain.
But the years after this interview showcase that Big Ramy stuck to his words here. He continued to challenge himself, try new trainers, and continue his learning. This lead to his victory and will continue to help him stay dominant in the future.
You can watch Big Ramy break down his answer in full detail by watching our latest GI Exclusive Vault interview segment above. You can also see Big Ramy in Generation Iron 2 – available on digital today. Click here or the banner below to stream or download!
Supplement Q&A With Mr. Olympia Big Ramy
Things aren’t cheap these days.
Food is getting more expensive, the price of homes is rising, and the overall the cost of living is going way up. The same thing goes with dietary supplements. With so many choices on the market, it is tough to pick which products will benefit you the most. Today we’re sitting down with Mr. Olympia Champ, Big Ramy, to find out which are the most important supplements to take.
With his knowledge and proven track record of success, Big Ramy is certainly one of those bodybuilders we should follow and listen to. With so many supplements out there, having a Mr. Olympia champion guide us in the right direction is priceless.
About Big Ramy
Big Ramy is an Egyptian bodybuilder with a massive physique and accomplished resume, having won last year’s Mr. Olympia contest. His years spent training in Kuwait were documented in the film, Generation Iron 2, and for years he stood on the stage with the best of them. In 2020, he finally topped them, winning the Olympia contest and proving he had what it took to win.
Big Ramy Supplement Q&A
We sat down with Olympia champ Big Ramy to talk supplements. As important tools used by bodybuilders and athletes alike, supplements have the ability to greatly impact our performance and physique into something to be proud of. The right supplement at the right time can boost your gains and ultimately, lead to better health and performance. Let’s dive right into our conversation!
Generation Iron:
Hi Ramy. Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today.
Big Ramy:
My pleasure. Your website is a great source of information and I’m happy to contribute.
Generation Iron:
Let’s jump right into it then! What are your thoughts on dietary supplements as a whole?
Big Ramy:
I think that hard training and proper nutrition should always be the focus, but there are some fundamental supplements that I strongly believe in.
Generation Iron:
What do you consider the most important supplements for bodybuilders?
Big Ramy:
My top 5 would be protein powder, multivitamin, fish oil, creatine and essential amino acids.
Generation Iron:
I noticed you didn’t include pre-workout. Why?
Big Ramy:
I am a big believer in pre-workout. In fact, I actually teamed up with Enhanced Labs to make my own pre-workout called Ramy’s Rage, but I wouldn’t consider pre-workout to be essential. I always tell people to buy the essential supplements first and only buy things like pre-workout if you have some extra money left over.
Generation Iron:
I appreciate the honesty! Are there certain brands you recommend for the 5 fundamental supplements?
Big Ramy:
Absolutely. You get what you pay for. Most protein powders flat out suck. I recommend Enhanced Whey Isolate by Enhanced Labs. It’s a pure whey isolate with added digestive enzymes and zero fillers. I also use the Enhanced Labs EAA+ for my essential amino acids and the Enhanced Labs Super Human Immunity for my multivitamin. I don’t buy anything fancy for the last two. I usually buy my fish oil at Costco and creatine at a local supplement shop.
Generation Iron:
That’s good advice! Do you have any closing remarks before we sign off?
Big Ramy:
Supplements will never replace proper nutrition. That being said, they can help you hit your fitness goals faster! Supplements help cover nutrient gaps, ensuring that your body has what it needs for optimal performance. No matter what your goals are, the right supplements can help improve your health, performance and physique.
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The right supplement can boost your gains and give you everything you want and more out of your workouts. You work hard and deserve to have your gains show inside and out of the gym. A protein powder will pump you with adequate amounts of protein as you look to capitalize on all things growth and recovery. The right powder can enhance all of your gains.
Enhanced Whey Protein Isolate
Enhanced Labs starts by selecting the highest quality whey proteins which undergo a series of sophisticated filtration processes to ‘isolate’ out excess fat and sugar. The final product is a complete protein containing no lactose and over 90% of pure protein per serving. Enhanced Whey is then fortified with the trademarked DigeSEB digestive enzyme blend for better protein utilization within the body. With 25g of protein at just 110 calories, this high quality whey is perfect for your muscle building and recovery goals.
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Enhanced Whey Protein Isolate is a high quality whey protein with just 110 calories and 25g protein. Fortified with DigeSEB digestive enzyme blend, this allows for better protein utilization in your body.
Check out our individual review here. Also, check out our list of the Best Protein Powders for more great protein supplements!
Wrap Up
Supplements are vital for our overall health and performance and as bodybuilders and athletes, we constantly put ourselves under stress as we seek a desired physique. With the right supplements, we are well on our way to those gains we want most and having someone like Big Ramy offer advice can be a huge benefit. Look into some great supplements today and see what these can do for all your goals.
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 Enhanced and Big Ramy Instagram