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The Dumbbell Clean And Press: Everything You Need To Know
The Explosive Full-Body Exercise for Strength and Fitness
The clean and press is an exercise that places a great demand on a range of muscles throughout the body and as a result, the exercise can effectively develop full-body strength and fitness.
There are few fitness components that are not challenged during the dumbbell clean and press which makes it an excellent exercise for those looking to improve their strength, balance, power, cardiovascular fitness, coordination, and stability.
While the exercise is more technical than other dumbbell exercises, it is certainly an exercise that is worth learning, specifically for those who aspire to increase their power and strength.
This article will review the dumbbell clean and press, highlight key muscles worked, detail clean and press technique and look at a number of benefits associated with the exerciseDumbbell Clean and Press Muscles Worked
The movements required for the clean and press place substantial demand on practically every muscle group of the body.
This section will break down the movement into two phases and highlight which muscles are specifically involved in each phase.
Dumbbell Clean:
– Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves– Spinal Erectors, Lats, Traps– Abdominals, Lower Back– Biceps, Triceps, Forearms (grip)
In the clean, the muscles of the lower extremities – the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves – must all powerfully contract to drive the dumbbells from the floor and propel them vertically.
The glutes are particularly responsible for hip extension, the quads and hamstrings control the movement around the knees while the calves control the motion of the ankles.
The spinal erectors, lats, and traps along with the abdominals and lower back all must contract in order to protect the spine and prevent spinal flexion.
If excessive spinal flexion occurs (specifically to the lumbar spine), the risk of a serious injury occurring is significantly increased (1).
Finally, the biceps, triceps, and forearms all play a role in the high pull which is where the dumbbells are aggressively pulled upwards by the arms.
Dumbbell Press:
– Deltoids, Upper Traps, Triceps– Spinal Erectors, Lats, Traps– Abdominals, Lower Back
The deltoids and triceps are primarily responsible for the pressing motion. The delts cause shoulder flexion whereas the triceps cause elbow extension – the two movements that are responsible for the press.
As in the clean, the spinal erectors, lats, traps, abs and lower back all play a supporting role in keeping the body upright and spine protected.
How to Perform the Dumbbell Clean and Press
As mentioned, the clean and press is a technical exercise and therefore, care should be taken when performing it.
Pay close attention to each of the following coach points to ensure that you perform each part of the movement safely and effectively.
The dumbbell clean and press can be performed either bilaterally (two-handed) or unilaterally (one-handed) with both versions having similar benefits.
The below steps detail the technique for a bilateral dumbbell clean and press:
1) Start by placing two dumbbells on the floor by your feet. Assume a stance that is slightly wider than hip-width keeping the toes turned out.
Ideally, this starting position of the clean should be the same as a deadlift, therefore, push your hips back and slightly bend the knees so that you can grab the dumbbells from the floor.
2) Before initiating the clean, drive the chest up as high as possible, squeeze between the shoulder blades and brace the core.
3) From this position, drive the heels hard into the floor and rapidly extend through the knees and hips to accelerate the dumbbells upward.
When the dumbbells reach approximately mid-thigh, perform a high pull by explosively driving the elbows high and begin to drop into a quarter squat.
4) As you dip into a quarter squat and with the dumbbells rising up towards the shoulders, shoot the elbows through to allow you to “catch” the dumbbells on the shoulders and then stand.
5) From the standing position, once again, lift the chest and contract the core muscles. Focus on contracting the shoulders and arm muscles to drive the dumbbells vertically upward.
Bring the dumbbells back down to the floor by reversing the entire movement and then repeat for the prescribed number of reps.
Dumbbell Clean and Press Benefits
This section will detail four benefits associated with regularly performing the dumbbell clean and press.
1) Unilateral Training
The dumbbell clean and press will bring about a number of unilateral benefits such as improved unilateral strength, enhanced proprioception and balancing out asymmetries.
While this exercise can effectively be performed using a barbell, asymmetries in strength and movement can be masked as the stronger side can compensate for the weaker side.
Using dumbbells however forces the arms to work independently of each other and therefore, imbalances can be identified and rectified.
Furthermore, the dumbbell variation of the clean and press allow you to work one-handed which is something that the barbell cannot offer.
Performing a unilateral clean and press will add a further challenge to the core (2) as it must contract to prevent rotation caused by the asymmetric loading.
2) Full-Body Strength
Compound exercises should be prioritized when it comes to building strength as they place the greatest amount of demand on multiple muscle groups of the body (3).
Furthermore, compound lifts tend to allow you to lift a great amount of load due to the number of muscle groups that are involved in the movement.
The greater the amount of weight that can be lifted, the greater the consequent adaptation is likely to be.
With the dumbbell clean and press, a significant amount of weight can be lifted which can lead to a substantial increase in full-body strength.
In addition, heavy cleans and press (and variations of the press), are two fundamental movements that will be of great benefit to strength, power and fitness athletes.
3) Metabolic Conditioning
As highlighted, there are many components of fitness that are challenged through the clean and press – strength, power, coordination, stability, and balance, to name a few.
Considering the muscles worked and the vast number of challenges associated with the clean and press, the exercise expends a great amount of energy.
Compare the dumbbell clean and press to a number of other dumbbell-based exercises and you will quickly find that it is one of the best exercises for energy expenditure.
For those who are looking to improve their level of conditioning, consider adding the clean and press into your conditioning workouts.
The clean and press can be performed with either light or heavy weights depending on the conditioning workout you are partaking in.
4) Training Around Injuries
Finally, the dumbbell clean and press can serve as a useful alternative to the barbell clean and press when an injury occurs to a specific limb or joint.
While the demands and application of the dumbbell clean and press are slightly different from the barbell version, they do allow you to replicate movements and timings while also placing a demand on the same muscle groups.
It can also be an effective substitute for a range of other dynamic full-body compound exercises such as the snatch and thruster.
For those who participate in strongman and function fitness, the unilateral clean and press allows you to continue to train the full body even if an injury has occurred to one arm.
Dumbbell Clean and Press Programming
The number one consideration to be made when incorporating the dumbbell clean and press into your training is your current fitness goals as these goals will dictate the number of sets and reps that you should perform.
This section will cover a number of common goals and provide a recommendation in terms of overall volume to allow you to make the most optimal progress.
If your goal is to improve your power and strength, look to complete 3-5 sets of no more than 5 reps. In addition, use heavy loads as research has indicated that heavy loads and low reps are most effective for strength and power gains (4).
For those who wish to increase the size of their muscles, the recommendation is to use moderate loads and reps. The typical volume for hypertrophy would be 3-5 sets of 6-12 reps.
While this volume is conventionally used for muscle growth, research does indicate that muscle growth does occur throughout a range of reps (low, moderate and high reps).
Finally, if you are looking to improve endurance or increase metabolic fitness, as touched on earlier, use lighter loads or incorporate the exercise into a conditioning circuit or workout.
A useful guideline for endurance is to complete 3-5 sets of 12-20 reps. With all endurance work, fatigue may quickly become a factor and therefore, it is often necessary to use lighter loads than normal.
Final Word
As demonstrated, the dumbbell clean and press is a superb full-body developing exercise that can be of benefit for attaining a variety of goals. While this is the case, technique should always be the number one priority due to the technical nature of the exercise.
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
1 – Alexander, M. J. (1985-03). “Biomechanical aspects of lumbar spine injuries in athletes: a review”. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences. Journal Canadien Des Sciences Appliquees Au Sport. 10 (1): 1–20. ISSN 0700-3978. PMID 4006039.
2 – Saeterbakken, Atle Hole; Fimland, Marius Steiro (2012-05). “Muscle activity of the core during bilateral, unilateral, seated and standing resistance exercise”. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 112(5): 1671–1678. doi:10.1007/s00421-011-2141-7. ISSN 1439-6327. PMID 21877146.
3 – Paoli, Antonio; Gentil, Paulo; Moro, Tatiana; Marcolin, Giuseppe; Bianco, Antonino (December 22, 2017). “Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength”. Frontiers in Physiology. 8. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.01105. ISSN 1664-042X. PMC 5744434. PMID 29312007.
4 – Schoenfeld, Brad J.; Contreras, Bret; Vigotsky, Andrew D.; Peterson, Mark (December 1, 2016). “Differential Effects of Heavy Versus Moderate Loads on Measures of Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men”. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine. 15 (4): 715–722. ISSN 1303-2968. PMC 5131226. PMID 27928218.
Why Skater Squats Build Serious Leg Muscle
A great bodyweight exercise that requires strength, balance, focus, and endurance.
Some of us look forward to leg day, while others of us could not care less. But however you feel about it, you need it because no one will respect those chicken legs no matter how big your upper body looks. The benefits of having, big, strong legs goes far beyond a simple tree-trunk aesthetic. It means you are more grounded, balanced, and stable for any big lift. Of course, when it comes to sport specific movements it can provide a level of power and explosivity that you need, but all in all having strong legs works more to your benefit than you know. Skater squats are a great unilateral exercise to challenge yourself and give your legs a good burn.
Unilateral training is something that should absolutely not be overlooked, for the benefit towards bodybuilding specifically is that it will work to target both sides of your body equally to eliminate any muscle imbalances that may arise. By not overtraining the dominant side and isolating certain muscles, you focus on recovery and rehab to prevent injuries and keep you in the gym.
With unilateral training, the side not being used is also stimulated so some work is done, but you get a slight reprieve as only one side is seriously targeted. Not only will this keep you grinding in the gym, but it will also lead to a healthier lifestyle overall.
Let’s take a look at skater squats and see what this exercise can do for your leg gains. From what it is, to muscles worked, and the many benefits associated with this great unilateral exercise, skater squats can certainly beef up your workout to fire up those leg muscles so those thunder thighs really start to show.
What Are Skater Squats?
Skater squats are a unilateral exercise that will challenge your balance and focus, while also enhancing strength when it comes to your lower body. While this exercise provides a good leg warm-up, it will greatly enhance your entire body and can really elevate the explosivity of each leg to generate more power from each leg respectively.
This is a common variation of the pistol squat exercise because skater squats tend to be easier on the knees and for those with physical knee pain, skater squats work to get a great workout without totally blowing them out. This is because the movement of this squat exercise requires more movement out of the hip as opposed to the knee, taking that strain off.
Muscle Worked During Skater Squats
When it comes to this exercise, what you’ll find is your lower body will be absolutely fired up, but also your core. Your main abdominal muscles along with your obliques will feel a serious burn and will work to provide great balance and stability for any big lift that may come your way. For your lower body, this exercise will target your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves to make for a really great lower body burn.
Benefits Of Skater Squats
Strengthen Your Glutes & Hamstrings
While this exercise has the ability to provide for a host of benefits, what you’ll find is your glute and hamstring strength will be seriously enhanced. As two of the biggest muscles in your lower body, and ones that should never be overlooked, your quads and hamstrings provide for movement, stability, and strength when it comes to lifting big and sport specific movements for virtually every sport. Neglecting to strengthen these two muscle groups would be a mistake, but thankfully, skater squats work both at the same time (1).
Develop Single Leg Strength & Power
While single leg strength and power may seem unnecessary, any movement including a pivot or sudden turn will be greatly enhanced. For bodybuilders, while this may seem like a useless movement, it will allow you to better diversify your workouts to see great growth when it comes to other aspects of your training you wish to enhance. The explosivity that will come from a single leg movement is nothing to be overlooked.
Enhance Stability & Balance
While this may go without saying, it is a great benefit that needs to be mentioned. By promoting stability and balance, you are able to ground yourself and have more confidence when it comes to those big lifts, especially the big three in the deadlift, bench press, and squat. As skater squats work your core, you will feel a great sense of stability coming from you abdominals being worked as that six-pack starts to poke through (2).
Great Alternative To Other Squat Exercises
Skater squats serve as a great alternative to other exercises like the pistol squat, which can be tough on your knee. What a good alternative exercise can do is alleviate any unwanted pain and strain that can come from your knees or low back. The pistol squat, for example, uses your knees as the main point of movement, so for those with sensitive knees, it won’t be a great exercise to do. The skater squat works as a great alternative because it uses your hips as the main point of movement.
How To Perform Skater Squats
Pick one side of your body to focus on first. Once in a stable position, engage your core and make sure your glutes are ready to go. Take one leg and kick your heel backwards, bending at your hips with your front leg bent at your knee. It will look like a lunge, but more of a gliding motion. As you come back to the starting position, work to stay balanced using your arms for support in front of you. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Wrap Up
Skater squats are a great way to target your lower body while also providing great support for balance and coordination. Lower body strength can work wonders for power and explosivity, while also giving you great gains when it comes to overall lower body strength. Easier on your knee and more focused on a hip movement, this can take pain and strain away and provides for a great alternative squat exercise. Give skater squats a try and really work to promote that lower body growth for great gains to your fitness and physique.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
References
McAllister, Matt J.; Hammond, Kelley G.; Schilling, Brian K.; Ferreria, Lucas C.; et al. (2014). “Muscle Activation During Various Hamstring Exercises”. (source)
Akuthota, Venu; Ferreiro, Andrea; Moore, Tamara; Fredericson, Michael (2008). “Core Stability Exercise Principles”. (source)
*Images courtesy of Envato
Macronutrients Vs. Micronutrients: What They Are & How They Differ?
We’ve all heard these words, but what exactly do they mean and why do they matter?
When we research various bodybuilding diets and ways to optimize nutrition, the words macronutrients and micronutrients always appear. We know what nutrients are. We get them through food and other things we consume and they work to power our lives, giving our bodies the proper fuel it needs to thrive inside and out of the gym. But knowing what these words mean is incredibly important and should not be overlooked, especially for those of us taking health and performance as seriously as possible.
Let’s take a look at the differences between macronutrients and micronutrients so we fully understand how to optimize our health, read those beyond confusing nutrition labels, and understand just what we need to thrive inside and out of the gym. Knowing what to do and what things mean can greatly influence our ability to enhance our health and performance for the absolute best.
What Are we Talking About?
For both macronutrients and micronutrients, it is important we first define what a nutrient is. A nutrient is a compound that cannot be produced by the body yet is essential for daily functioning (1). Since the body cannot produce nutrients, we must carefully select what we consume so we only get the best fuel to power our body. With many nutrients essential for sustaining life, grouping them into macro and micronutrients can help us easily identify and explain.
What Are Macronutrients?
Macronutrients are those that our bodies need in larger quantities and provide support for energy, our metabolism, muscle growth, and overall development as we continue to progress with our fitness goals (2). The three macronutrients that we all know and love are protein, carbs, and fat. As the body’s primary source of energy, these are needed in larger quantities and make up the majority of the calories we consume on a daily basis.
Protein: Since protein is the building block of all muscle, this plays a vital role in both muscle growth as well as recovery (3). For those looking to lose weight, it can also improve satiety for less snacking and better appetite control.
Carbs: A main source of energy, carbs are important for fueling your body and your mind so you thrive inside and out of the gym with everything you do (4).
Fats: Fats are important for brain development and hormone production (5). They can also keep you full so you don’t have to deal with snacking or unwanted calories.
What Are Micronutrients?
As the name would suggest, micronutrients are those that are required in smaller quantities and responsible for supporting your body with things like repairing damaged cells, fighting diseases, among others (6). These are vitamins and minerals, those powerful nutrients packed into a multivitamin supplement to help cover all your daily doses that are important to your overall health. Examples being calcium, iron, vitamin C, B vitamins, and a host of others are all essential for keeping our bodies operating at a high level. Mainly found in the foods we eat, sometimes it is important for those who may be deficient to supplement in order to not suffer any unwanted side effects or illnesses as a result.
Searching For The Best Quality Nutrients
When it comes to finding the best nutrients, always looking to high quality foods is a sure fire way to ensure you maximize the benefits. Whole foods are a great way to go as they are nutrient dense and it is always important to make sure you supplement if need be so you never suffer a deficiency.
Featured Supplements For Valuable Nutrients
When it comes to supplementation, we felt we should share two supplements with you, one to benefit your macronutrient intake and one to assist with your micronutrients. A protein powder and a multivitamin are two important supplements that we should never take for granted.
Performance Lab SPORT Protein
Performance Lab SPORT Protein is an impressive brown rice protein source that is cleaner than most other protein powders. Great for muscle growth, recovery, and weight loss, this is absolutely a top protein supplement.
Performance Lab SPORT Protein is much cleaner than other protein powders out there. Naturally flavored with organic cocoa, vanilla bean and ceylon cinnamon – this is the best tasting protein powder many customers have tried. Being a brown-rice protein powder, anyone can use it for lean muscle growth and weight loss for this powder contains great ingredients. Regardless of whether you’re dairy intolerant, vegan, allergic to soy or gluten, Performance Lab Protein contains no allergens at all. Supplying 20g protein and only 100 calories per serving, Performance Lab Protein can be easily included in your diet at all times, whether you’re cutting or bulking and is a great protein powder for men.
Check out our individual review for Performance Lab SPORT Protein here. Also, see where this protein powder falls our list of the Best Protein Powders!
Transparent Labs WellnessSeries Multivitamin
Code GENIRON10 For 10% Off
Transparent Labs WellnessSeries Multivitamin is an ultra-potent supplement for those looking to optimize their health. With 22 active ingredients, this will pump you with vital nutrients with easy absorption.
Transparent Labs WellnessSeries Multivitamin is an ultra-potent supplement to give you all of those vital nutrients that active females need to enhance female focus and female energy, as well as female wellness. The advanced formula works to ensure your body can properly absorb and utilize all of the essentials packed into this multivitamin. From a company who prides themselves on transparency and honest labels, you will know exactly what you are getting and how much with this great product. Its iron-free formula ensures it will be gentle on your stomach and makes it a top choice on the market.
Use the promo code GENIRON10 for 10% off! Also, check out our individual review here and our list of the Best Multivitamins For Men & Best Multivitamins For Women to see where this landed!
Wrap Up
When it comes to your intake of both macronutrients and micronutrients, it is important that we value both. With these being essential for our daily functions, the right amounts can keep us thriving inside and out of the gym. With so much going on in our lives, we just can’t afford a deficiency. Keep these two in mind and remember just how valuable these nutrients really are for not only our health, but also performance.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images of courtesy of Envato
References
Savarino, G.; Corsello, A.; Corsello, G. (2021). “Macronutrient balance and micronutrient amounts through growth and development”. (source)
Vergnaud, Anne-Claire; Norat, Teresa; Mouw, Traci; Romaguera, Dora, et al. (2013). “Macronutrient Composition of the Diet and Prospective Weight Change in Participants of the EPIC-PANACEA Study”. (source)
Pasiakos, Stefan M.; McLellan, Tom M.; Lieberman, Harris R. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
Jequier, E. (1994). “Carbohydrates as a source of energy”. (source)
Milner, John A.; Allison, Richard G. (1999). “The Role of Dietary Fat in Child Nutrition and Development: Summary of an ASNS Workshop”. (source)
Biesalski, K.; Jana, T. (2018). “Micronutrients in the life cycle: Requirements and sufficient supply”. (source)
7 AM vs 7 PM: What Your Workout Says About You
7 am vs 7 pm: which is the preferred time to workout?
There are two types of people in this world. Early birds and night owls. Two distinct types of people, and their internal clocks affect their daily lives. I myself am I night owl, and have to drum up enough discipline to not let my mind completely wander and watch movies til 4am. Other people are in bed by 9pm and up at 5am.
I’ve personally never understood the whole worshiping of the early bird, but the old adage the early bird gets the worm does hold some weight.
People like Mark Wahlberg or Mike O’Hearn that get up at 3am are absolute weirdos. Ya, you’re up super early, but you went to bed at 7? I bet you’re a ton of fun…
Being a night owl is like being a pot head. It’s easy to go with the, “they’re lazy and never get anything done” cliché. Nowadays some of the most successful people are potheads. Seth Rogen, Joe Rogan, Brad Pitt, Eddie Murphy, all your favourite pro athletes, and the list goes on.
You can be a person that stays up all night pondering non sense, watching too many Alex Jones videos, and not getting anything done. This decision sabotages your next day to because it forces you to either sleep in late or run off less rest than you need. That definitely is an option and a lot of people do that.
Or, you can be someone who likes to work in the silence and seclusion the night sky provides. My point is, the early bird or the night owl doesn’t really matter. The move is to figure out what times your body and mind work best, and go from there. That being said, let’s see what your workout time says about you.
7am: Early Bird
This person’s a try hard. They’re getting up before their alarm goes off, watching some David Goggins, and running through a wall. They’re determined to make the day. Their feet hit the floor and the devil runs. The coffees ready, the outfit laid out the night before, and they’ve already done a morning mediation and read 100 pages from some super intense book. They go to bed at the same time every night, and rise at the same time every morning. Revolutions.
They sip their coffee and lemon infused water on the way to the gym, and listen to an audio book or in depth podcast. They arrive at the gym ready to conquer. They’re probably fasted and working out on an empty stomach because why not? This person’s a machine, and machines don’t need food.
They do a quick jog, followed by hitting the weights. Super sets of course, lot of reps, really getting the pump and heart rate going. They finish with some core and probably more cardio because why not. They may even ride their bike home or to work. This person gets ahead of the day. They eat the frog. They arrive places early and are ready for anything.
They’re a low carb, low sugar person, but likely high caffeine. They even plan their cheat meals (meals not days) and stick to it. Amazing. Most likely they’ve suffered some intense emotional damage or loss by something in their past and refuse to give in and ever be a loser ever again. Stay hard!!
7pm: Night Owl
This person plays with fire. They’re living dangerously. They finish their normal work day, and expect to muster up enough energy/pre workout high to leave their house again and crush weights at their local pump palace. 7pm turns to 8pm turns to 9pm and before you know it, you’re making Pillsbury cookies and firing up Netflix. This can and has happened…… trust me I know.
Going to the gym anytime past 7 pretty much guarantees you’ll be up all night. The combination of pre workout and endorphins adds a few hours of jitters and energy that you won’t be able to defeat, and get to sleep. 7pm is the last window to get a workout in before sabotaging your night. It’s a good time to go to the gym because the after work rush has left, but there’s still a solid amount of talent in the gym for motivation. And by talent, I mean chicks wearing Lulu’s and Gym Shark gear. Every day is leg day if you’re a gym girl.
I personally love the 7pm workout because it gives me time to eat and digest food all day, so my workouts are much better because I have more strength and energy behind them. I don’t mentally wake up for the first 2 hours I’m awake, (not a coffee guy) so anytime I’ve tried to work out in the morning, the workouts have been absolute dog shit. If you avoid the pitfalls of bailing on the 7pm workout, it can really be the crowning achievement of a day well lived.
If you eat like shit all day, do a physical job, and expect to rip yourself off the couch once you’re comfortable at home, it probably won’t happen for you. Once again, matching your workout with your lifestyle and preferences is huge. The 7pm workout is something I look forward to all day. I like to get as much of my shit done during the day as possible, and have that time to myself at night. It’s my form of meditation.
After my 7pm workout, I come home to shower, eat, and enjoy whatever videos or movies I want before bed because I’ve earned it. All my productive shit for the day is done and I capped it off with a great workout. Day well lived. That being said, I wrote this article after a 7pm workout because I did other stuff during the day. The gym can be a great buffer and mental release. It works as a reset that can make things clearer. You come back invigorated and raring to get one more thing done off your daily checklist before landing the plane.
At the end of the day, find what works for you and do it. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
You can follow Jake Brennan on Instagram.
Michal Krizo Wins Mr. Universe Pro 2021
Michal Krizo continues his dominant rise in IFBB Elite Pro with a big win at the Mr. Universe Pro.
While the biggest event of the weekend was the Arnold Classic UK 2021, this weekend also held the Elite Pro Mr. Universe Pro. Held on October 2nd, Michal Krizo dominated and earned first place in the Men’s Open Mr. Universe Pro. This win comes after an explosion in popularity for Krizo – catching the eyes of many IFBB Pro fans in the process.
Michael Krizo has been on a string of victories in the Elite Pro league as of late – and adds another title to his belt with a big win at the Mr. Universe Pro. His victories have become so eye-catching – that many IFBB Pro fans have been making comparisons of his physique to top athletes in the IFBB Pro league. Many have mused how he would fair if he switched leagues – though it’s rumored he is in an exclusive contract with the Elite Pro league for at least a year.
During his rise in popularity ands shortly before the Mr. Universe Pro competition – Michal Krizo also drew attention for his comments on the Arnold Classic 2021. Krizo took shots at Nick Walker – somewhat jokingly stating that “Nick Walker is no rival for me boys,” and also that, “bodybuilding isn’t only mass.” After receiving some criticism for the comments – he later apologized.
Michal Krizo’s victory at the Mr. Universe Pro seems to solidify his popularity across the globe. He very well may be one of the first Elite Pro bodybuilders to gain this kind of attention crossing between leagues. The Elite Pro league has been in existence since the controversial split between the IFBB Pro/NPC and the IFBB Pro International in 2017.
Second place at the Elite Pro Mr. Universe Pro was Pavel Koukal, presenting an impressive and well balanced physique with some solid conditioning. But could not topple the massive physique of Krizo. Following Pavel was Rene Gorol in third place, followed by Carlos Blanco and Tomas Kaspar in fourth and fifth place respectively.
The Elite Pro Mr. Universe Pro should not be confused with the NABBA associated and historical Mr. Universe competition. Even still, the event in the IFBB Elite Pro is a big event for the league – named in honor of the prestigious respect associated with the title.
Originally launched in 1975 with Bob Birdsong winning the event – the Mr. Universe Pro was run until 1981. It has now been revived by the Elite Pro and returend to big acclaim in 2021. With it’s return, the Elite Pro aims to have the competition be one of the pinnacle events for the league season.
With Michel Krizo’s breakthrough success, we’ll continue to keep an eye on the Elite Pro competitor to see his progress through the league. It would be fantastic to see how he would fair against top tier athletes in the IFBB Pro league – though that seems to be a far ways off if at all possible.
2021 Nashville Night Of Champions Results
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.
2021 Arnold Classic UK Results
Here are the full results from the 2021 Arnold Classic UK.
The 2021 Arnold Classic UK took place on Saturday in Birmingham, England. This comes one week after the 2021 Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH saw Nick Walker take home the title in Men’s Open. There were event more titles handed out this time around.
Heading into the competition, Nathan De Asha was the favorite to take home the prize. De Asha is already qualified to compete at the Olympia, which will take place from Oct. 7-10 in Orlando. This is a warmup for the biggest event of the year.
Tim Budesheim and Samson Dauda were dark-horse contenders heading into the show. This show was full of talent all over the stage. There was a clear top-tier of competition and they did not disappoint.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was unable to make the trip to the England because of an apparent leg injury. He was still part of the show in some capacity virtually throughout.
There was a total of five divisions competing in this event — Men’s Open, Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Bikini, and Fitness. The results have been announced and they can be found below.
Arnold Classic UK 2021 Winners
Men’s Open:
Classic Physique:
Men’s Physique: Ryan Terry
Fitness:
Bikini:
Arnold Classic UK 2021 Breakdown
Men’s Open
Results coming soon!
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Classic Physique
Results coming soon!
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Men’s Physique
Full Results coming soon!
First Place – Ryan Terry
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Fitness
Results coming soon!
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Bikini
Results coming soon!
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
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Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
Why Jumping Rope Is A Great Boost For Bodybuilders
Convenient, portable, and effective, jumping rope is a must.
Many of us associate jumping rope with boxers, those quick workouts where it looks like they can go forever. Or our minds jump to the playground as little kids killing time during recess. But what is unknown about this once fun game is that is an excellent source of exercise and can really increase your overall goals and athletic performance.
As a great way to burn calories and aid in weight loss, jumping rope can support your mission of sculpting your body into that perfect physique and work on building muscles in a fun and different way. As an affordable and convenient tool to aid in all of your workout needs, a jump rope is a must have in your home gym or gym bag.
Check out this great jump rope set from QuickFit here.
While running is a great cardio partner for bodybuilding, jumping rope provides an alternative that is easy on your knees to reduce inflammation and injury since each jump is absorbed by both legs. Since the movement requires your upper body as well, it is great for strengthening your arms and shoulders. As a solid exercise for aerobic work and coordination building, jumping rope is a popular exercise for individuals of all athletic activity.
Benefits
Great For Weight Loss
As a cardiovascular exercise intended for longer duration, it allows you to burn more calories and aid in weight loss. With constant movement and calorie burn, your metabolism will kick into gear and that unwanted fat will start to melt away. Jumping rope is also a great exercise for high-intensity interval training which will recruit more muscle activation and allow for a more efficient calorie burn (1).
Enhance Aerobic Capacity and Athleticism
By working for a longer session, your heart rate will increase thus building up a great aerobic base (2). Increased cardio overtime will allow you to work harder and smarter and your endurance will greatly improve. As a solid tool for athletic performance, it will promote power and quickness and it is no wonder by athletes, and especially boxers, love using the jump rope as an exercise tool.
Promotes Strength
Jumping rope is a full body workout so while it works to target your lower body through repeated jumping, your upper body, in particular your arms and shoulders, will get a great workout with the repeated motion of the rope. As a great form of strength endurance (3), you will feel this exercise all over from your calves and hamstrings, to your pecs and delt, as well as your lats, biceps, and abs.
Improve Coordination
Jumping rope is great for coordination because even if you don’t consciously recognize it, your brain always knows what your feet are doing to get over the rope. The repeated motion of the rope traveling around your body forces your brain to think of the exact timing to jump, requiring your whole body to be in-sync to sustain the movement for a longer period of time (4).
Assist Posture And Avoid Injury
This exercise assists posture by forcing you stay upright with your shoulder blades to align your body in efforts to keep you taller. A slouching posture will not allow for full efficiency of this workout and good form is crucial to execute for sustained duration. As an easy alternative on the knees to running, jumping rope is perfect for those just coming back from injury or for those who want to protect their knees from unwanted pain and stress.
Fun Alternative
While other forms of cardio are great and should be included in your workouts, like biking and running, jumping rope provides for a fun alternative to these. With different styles and variations, it allows you to challenge yourself in a different way and still enjoy the process of staying fit.
Techniques
There are many techniques and variations to use to change up your jumping rope workouts and these are just a few to get you started.
Basic Jump
Perfect for beginners, the basic jump is your standard idea of jumping rope. With both feet slightly apart, jump at the same time with both feet over the rope. This should be a staple to master before moving on to other variations.
Alternate Foot Jump
This is slightly more challenging than the basic jump and requires a different level of coordination since you alternate your feet on the ground. It is effective because you will not only double the amount of skips but will challenge your brain to work harder to keep the movement going.
Criss-Cross
The criss-cross approach is a fun variation and is an easy way to show off your jump rope skills. Although it requires some patience to get right, it will really work to target your upper body more efficiently than some others. Similar to the basic jump in movement, the only difference is to cross your hands to the opposite sides of your body while jumping.
Skier Jump
The skier jump is a challenging alternative in that you perform a traditional movement around your body, however, you jump side to side while maintaining good form at the same speed. The lateral jumping motion works muscle you otherwise don’t use.
Wrap Up
Jumping rope is a great way to challenge yourself while also having fun doing it. Cardio can grow to be monotonous and boring at times, but with the right approach, it can make your weight loss and strength building goals more enjoyable. The benefits of jumping rope are amazing for your overall health and will aid in weight loss, improve coordination, promote strength and athleticism, and help you avoid injury. With these variations above, you can really work to challenge yourself and have fun doing so. As an affordable and convenient exercise tool, a jump rope is something to definitely have for whatever your workouts may bring.
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
Sung, Ki-Dong; Pekas, Elizabeth J.; Scott, Steven D.; Son, Won-Mok; Park, Song-Young (2019). “The effects of a 12-week jump rope exercise program on abdominal adiposity, vasoactive substances, inflammation, and vascular function in adolescent girls with prehypertension”. (source)
Chen, Chao-Chien; Lin, Shih-Yen (2011). “The impact of rope jumping exercise on physical fitness of visually impaired students”. (source)
Ozer, D.; Duzgun, I.; Baltaci, G.; Karacan, S.; Colakoglu, F. (2011). “The effects of rope or weighted rope jump training on strength, coordination and proprioception in adolescent female volleyball players”. (source)
Trecroci, Athos; Cavaggioni, Luca; Caccia, Riccardo; Alberti, Giampietro (2015). “Jump Rope Training: Balance and Motor Coordination in Preadolescent Soccer Player”. (source)
6 Habits Which Will Make You Fat
Avoid Doing These Six Things If You Want To Lose Body Fat
Contrary to what most people believe, they didn’t put on body fat because of their genetics or heavy bones. The accumulation of fat is a result of the habits they have been following for years.
While there are many lifestyle choices which lead to obesity, we are listing down the top six. The objective of this article is to point out a few habits which make people fat so they can avoid them.
Not Following A Schedule
Most people don’t follow an eating schedule. They eat when they want to eat, what they want to eat and however much they want to eat. It’s a blunder when it comes to staying healthy and in shape.
Following a diet accustoms your body to an eating pattern, and your metabolism stays in top shape. A good metabolism rate ensures that you are burning fat even when you’re sitting ideal. You should be eating 5-6 meals a day to keep your metabolism rate soaring.
Becoming A Couch Potato
With the increase in desk jobs, the time people spend sitting has gone through the roof. It’s no secret that sitting for a prolonged duration can result in obesity. Becoming a couch potato can also lead to diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
If you have a desk job, you need to incorporate NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) in your schedule. NEAT encourages you to add walking, standing to your routine so that you are constantly burning calories.
Eating Too Close To Bedtime
While we can understand having dinner and hitting the sack right after it can be very convenient, it’s also one of the worst things you can do to your health. By eating too close to your bedtime, you don’t give your body enough time to burn off the extra calories.
If you can’t space your dinner and bedtime appropriately, you should add a cardio session between them to boost your metabolism. Letting the digestive process start before you go to sleep is essential in making sure you don’t build up fat reserves.
Not Drinking Enough Water
You should set a goal of drinking 8-12 glasses of water every day. Drinking water only when you’re thirsty can lead to an increase in fat deposits in the body. Headaches, acne, digestive problems are some of the problems which can be caused by a lack of drinking ample amount of water.
Staying hydrated will not only help you in fighting body fat but will also allow the body to flush out toxins, excess fat, promote skin health, and improve brain and memory function. If counting the number of glasses sounds hard, carry a one-gallon water bottle with you to work.
Stress
Stress is one of the most common reasons why many people put on weight and body fat. Studies have shown that an increase in stress can raise your cortisol levels which can lead to hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes, and a bulging waistline.
A rise in cortisol levels can also result in the lowering of the male sex hormone – testosterone. Testosterone is the hormone responsible for building muscles mass and all the characteristics associated with puberty in men.
Skipping Breakfast
The first thing many people do when they want to lose weight is to stop eating their breakfast. The breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day as you’re coming off an 8-hour fast (sleeping time).
Depriving your body of the essential calories and macros which you get through the breakfast can result in fat storage in your body. You need to make sure you never hit the starvation phase as it can do more harm than good if you want to lose body fat.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
What is your current body fat percentage?
Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Samir Bannout Full Interview | Golden Era Stories, Thoughts On Big Ramy & More
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Watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Samir Bannout.
Samir Bannout is a bodybuilder who came into his prime during the tail end of the Golden Era of bodybuilding. He’s also a bodybuilder who lived the American dream similar to athletes like Franco Columbu and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He came to the US with a passion for bodybuilding and became a superstar and Olympia champion.
Bannout is also a Mr. Olympia champion – falling into a small club of athletes who only won the title once. Despite retiring many years ago, he has remained vigilant in his passion for the sport – providing an entire training program to help improve and educate new generations of athletes.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with Samir Bannout. Now we’re releasing the full uncut interview. This includes topics such as his thoughts on the rise of middle eastern bodybuilders, his first hand account of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s controversial 1980 Olympia win, and more!
Listen To Our Samir Bannout Interview On The Generation Iron Podcast
Our full length interviews are now also in podcast form! Subscribe to the Generation Iron Podcast for candid, full length interviews with the biggest names in bodybuilding, fitness, combat, and strength sports.
Listen to the full Samir Bannout interview here:
Samir Bannout’s First Hand Account Of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Controversial Olympia 1980 Win
Samir Bannout is a bodybuilding legend in his own right. He is a Mr. Olympia champion and considered by many to have one of the greatest physiques of all time. He was also present at the 1980 Mr. Olympia competition. We sat down with Samir via video chat for our latest GI Exclusive interview. During that conversation, we asked him to reflect on his first hand account of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return and the drama that ensued at Mr. Olympia 1980.
Arnold Schwarzenegger ultimately was crowned the winner of the Mr. Olympia 1980. This decision was so poorly received that Frank Zane threw his trophy to the ground and multiple athletes stormed off stage. It was clear that many disagreed with the judges decision.
So what about Samir Bannout? Did he disagree with the call? He makes it clear in our conversation that he felt Arnold Schwarzenegger did not deserve to win the Mr. Olympia 1980. In fact, while he does not have confirmation, he has heard many rumors from trusted friends in the industry. Rumors that imply that Arnold Schwarzenegger received help from the judges due to his rising star in Hollywood.
There are those who thought perhaps Arnold was scored more favorably because of how much power he held as a celebrity. Or alternatively, he was so beloved that the judges scored more on Arnold the icon rather than his conditioning.
“Yeah of course so many people got pissed off and I also believe they have the right to get mad,” Samir Bannout states in our interview. He continues:
“I THINK THE ASSUMPTION WAS THEN… DO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED OR WHY DID ARNOLD WIN? SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, ARNOLD HAD A LOT OF FANS. AND HE’S ARNOLD. EVERYONE LOOKED UP TO ARNOLD. AND SO, I HEARD THAT SOME OF THE JUDGES LOVED ARNOLD. LOVED HIM AS ARNOLD. THEY DIDN’T CARE ABOUT HIS CONDITIONING THAT DAY. THEY VOTED FOR HIM AS ARNOLD AND THAT’S NOT RIGHT. ME PERSONALLY IF MY BROTHER WAS ON STAGE, DOESN’T DESERVE TO WIN, I WOULDN’T LET HIM WIN.”
Samir Bannout makes a point to state he has no proof of this. It’s a rumor he has heard from enough people to trust in the topic. That’s a testament to just how controversial Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1980 victory was. While all of these claims may simply be one day proven false – it’s the optics that led to such fervor.
Samir Bannout Answers: Is There A Middle East Movement Dominating Bodybuilding?
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