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How The Dumbbell Hip Thrust Promotes Strength & Power
A quick exercise to set-up, the dumbbell hip thrust is one to really increase your power output immensely.
We all know about the traditional hip thrust, but the dumbbell hip thrust may be an alternative often overlooked. While the main difference may be the use of a barbell as opposed to dumbbells, it is important to remember that dumbbells are more versatile and can greatly influence your gains as a result. The dumbbel hip thrust is one to put into your routine, or toss on the end as a good finisher, but either way, you get great benefits out of this exercise to promote strength and power output.
Let’s take a look at the dumbbell hip thrust and see what this exercise can do for all your gains. From what it is, to muscles worked, the many benefits associated with it, and how to properly perform it, you will be well on your way to putting an awesome exercise into your routine so you see the best gains possible.
What Is The Dumbbell Hip Thrust?
The dumbbell hip thrust is a nice variation of the barbell hip thrust exercise using dumbbells for easier set-up and slightly less strain on your hips. Using dumbbells can greatly benefit you in a number of ways since these are versatile and worthwhile pieces of equipment. This exercise will work to strengthen your lower half to reduce injury and increase power for those sport specific and more functional movements as you look to optimize training and performance as best you can.
Muscles Worked
When it comes to the dumbbell hip thrust, this exercise primarily works your hamstrings, glutes, and adductors. While your hamstrings and adductors tend to get great work done, it is your glutes that really feel a burn. Your gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus all will get work done as you look to build strength and provide for that more grounded and balanced feel (1). Working those muscles around your hips will offer the best in terms of stability since these tend to be a bit more vulnerable just given the amount of abuse they withstand from your workouts.
Benefits Of The Dumbbell Hip Thrust
The dumbbell hip thrust exercise is one to really challenge you so you see that growth and stability you want most. While this exercise can be challenging, depending on how much weight you put on, it is simple to learn and does have good benefits for your overall training and performance, as well as physical health.
Benefits of the dumbbell hip thrust include:
Increase strength and size: By focusing on these muscles, you increase strength and size to enhance sport specific and more functional movements (2), while aiding in a bigger physique.
Decrease risk of injury: Proper form can reduce spine compression to protect against back injury, while also strengthening some often times more weaker muscles.
Promote power output: With the movement and the muscles worked, you give yourself a great chance at increasing your power output for those sport specific movements (3).
Increase awareness and helps with form: By using a bit lighter weight than a barbell, this exercise can work to raise awareness and promote better overall form.
Good variation: This exercise is a nice variation using dumbbells which are versatile and can be worthwhile for gains.
How To Perform It
Here are the steps for performing the dumbbell hip thrust:
Set yourself up on a bench so there is some elevation. Your shoulder blades should be just above the edge of the bench.
Place the dumbbell on your hips and hold them tight so they don’t collapse into you. Tighten your core and keep your body as stable as possible.
When ready, drive through your feet, pushing your hips upwards.
Give a good squeeze at the top and slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Featured Dumbbell To Boost Growth
When it comes to working out and giving ourselves the best chance at growth, having a fully stocked shelf full of essential supplements can greatly influence our gains. We know of the real staple supplements like pre-workouts, protein powders, and BCAAs, all of which can either offer energy boosts, increase focus, provide muscle pumps, or aid in that vital growth and recovery so our hard work in the gym sticks. But knowing what kind of equipment to use will allow for the best gains in the gym possible so these supplements work to maximize all of those great benefits. While things like kettlebells and barbells are great products, a complete home gym, squat racks, and treadmills are just some pieces of equipment you can use to see great gains. For the dumbbell hip thrust, the right dumbbell will allow for comfort and support while also being durable and versatile for all your needs.
papababe Dumbbells
papababe Dumbbells are perfect for free weight strength training. Made from solid cast iron with a rubber head, this ensures durability, longevity, and protection.
papababe Dumbbells are great workout equipment for those looking to build strength, burn fat, and create a stellar physique that others will envy. Perfect for free weight training, these can be stored easily for optimal convenience. Made from solid cast iron, these ensure durability and longevity and the rubber coating helps prevent damage to floors and other equipment. With a hexagon-shaped head to prevent rolling, the grip is also secure to prevent slipping and injury.
Price: Range from $39.99-$329.99
Check out our list of the Best Dumbbells for more great lifting products!
Wrap Up
The dumbbell hip thrust is a great exercise to perform to increase strength and size while also promoting a host of other benefits. Using dumbbells allows for versatility and these are great durable pieces of equipment to help you increase strength and power, especially with this exercise. A simple to learn movement, this can fit nicely into any routine so you see those gains you want most. Try the dumbbell hip thrust today and see what this can do for your strength and power output.
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
Neto, W.; Soares, E.; Vieira, T.; Aguiar, R.; et al. (2020). “Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review”. (source)
Neto, W.; Vieira, T.; Gama, E. (2019). “Barbell Hip Thrust, Muscular Activation and Performance: A Systematic Review”. (source)
Lin, K.; Wu, C.; Huang, Y.; Cai, Z. (2017). “Effects of Hip Thrust Training on the Strength and Power Performance in Collegiate Baseball Players”. (source)
Luke Stoltman Wins 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man
Here are the complete results from the 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man competition.
The 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man competition took place on Sept. 4 with some of the elite powerlifters in the world vying for the title. Leeds, England was the location of the event and it saw Luke Stoltman take home the championship.
Luke’s brother, Tom Stoltman, was one of the favorites to win the competition but was forced to bow out at the last minute. Stoltman tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to stay in Scotland. The title was able to stay in the family with Luke emerging as the victor.
Stoltman is now qualified for the 2022 World’s Strongest Man competition. Oleksii Novikov, who won the 2020 WSM, finished second while Graham Hicks placed third. Novikov was already qualified for the 2022 WSM and Stoltman and Hicks earned theirs by finishing in the top three of the event.
The Europe’s Strongest Man consisted of five events — max log lift, shield carry, axle deadlift, car walk, and castle stones. Below are the full results from the competition.
2021 Europe’s Strongest Man Results
First Place – Luke Stoltman (GBR) — 40.5 points
Second Place – Oleksii Novikov (UKR) — 39 points
Third Place – Graham Hicks (GBR) — 30.5 points
Fourth Place – Rauno Heinla (EST) — 30 points
Fifth Place – Marius Lalas (LTU) — 28 points (T-5)
Sixth Place – Pa O’Dwyer (IRL) — 28 points (T-5)
Seventh Place – Ervin Toots (EST) — 20 points
Eighth Place – Gavin Bilton (GBR) — 12 points
Ninth Place – Johnny Hanson (SWE) — 11 points
Tenth Place – Adam Bishop (GBR) — 1 point
Max Log Lift
First Place – Luke Stoltman — 195 kilograms (429.9 pounds)
Second Place – Graham Hicks — 195 kilograms (429.9 pounds)
Third Place – Oleksii Novikov — 180 kilograms (396.8 pounds)
Shield Carry
First Place – Marius Lalas — 54.2 meters
Second Place – Luke Stoltman — 42.2 meters
Third Place – Ervin Toots — 37.7 meters
Fourth Place – Rauno Heinla — 37.05 meters
Fifth Place – Pa O’Dwyer — 34.85 meters
Sixth Place – Gavin Bolton — 32.1 meters
Seventh Place – Oleksii Novikov — 27.85 meters
Eighth Place – Graham Hicks — 27.4 meters
Ninth Place – Johnny Hanson — 22.3 meters
Tenth Place – Adam Bishop — 7.45 meters
Axle Deadlift
First Place – Rauno Heinla — 9 reps
Second Place – Graham Hicks — 8 reps
Third Place – Marius Lalas — 6 reps
Fourth Place – Oleksii Novikov — 6 reps
Fifth Place – Pa O’Dwyer — 6 reps
Sixth Place – Gavin Bilton — 5 reps
Seventh Place – Luke Stoltman — 3 reps
Eighth Place – Ervin Toots — 2 reps
Ninth Place – Johnny Hansson — 0 reps
Car Walk
First Place – Oleksii Novikov – 11.19 seconds
Second Place – Luke Stoltman – 13.59 seconds
Third Place – Pa O’Dwyer – 16.07 seconds
Fourth Place – Marius Lalas – 16.79 seconds
Fifth Place – Johnny Hansson – 20.6 seconds
Sixth Place – Rauno Heinla – 22.84 seconds
Seventh Place – Ervin Toots – 24.91 seconds
Eighth Place – Graham Hicks – 25.76 seconds
Ninth Place – Gavin Bilton – 7.73 meters
Castle Stones
First Place – Oleksii Novikov — 6 in 18.74 seconds
Second Place – Luke Stoltman — 5 in 20.58 seconds
Third Place – Rauno Heinla — 5 in 21.2 seconds
Fourth Place – Pa O’Dwyer — 5 in 22.23 seconds
Fifth Place – Graham Hicks — 5 in 22.42 seconds
Sixth Place – Ervin Toots — 5 in 23.5 seconds
Seventh Place – Marius Lalas — 5 in 24.76 seconds
Eighth Place – Johnny Hansson — 5 in 48.01 seconds
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
2021 Lenda Murray Bodybuilding Savannah Pro Results
Tommy Clark took home the prize in Classic Physique.
The 2021 Lenda Murray Bodybuilding Savannah Pro took place on Sept. 4 in Savannah, GA. This was another chance for competitors to gain qualification to the 2021 Olympia during the bodybuilding season. Tommy Clark headlined the event by taking home the prize in Classic Physique.
Lenda Murray was the host of the event and there was plenty to watch. This was Clark’s first victory and he will now have a chance to compete at the Olympia for the first time in his career. Clark recently placed seventh in Men’s Physique at the 2020 New York Pro.
There were a total of three events with winners trying to earn qualification to the best event of the year. Classic Physique, Figure, and Women’s Bodybuilding competitors gathered and put on a show that ended up being exciting and worth the wait.
The full results have been announced and the prize money has been given out. There was $5,000 given out to the Classic Physique and Figure winners while the Women’s Bodybuilding got $6,000. Check out our full breakdown of the 2021 Lenda Murray Bodybuilding Savannah Pro results below.
2021 Lenda Murray Bodybuilding Savannah Pro: All Division Winners
A quick breakdown of the winners in each division from the 2021 Savannah Pro Bodybuilding. All winners are now automatically qualified to compete in the Olympia 2021.
Classic Physique: Tommy Clark
Women’s Bodybuilding: Reshanna Boswell
Figure: Stephanie Gibson
2021 Lenda Murray Savannah Bodybuilding Pro Breakdown
Classic Physique
First Place – Tommy Clark
Second Place – Barry Hulbert
Third Place – Brady Barnes
Fourth Place – Amit Roy
Fifth Place – Julius Page
Sixth Place – Damion Ricketts
Women’s Bodybuilding Results
First Place – Reshanna Boswell
Second Place – Janeen Lankowski
Third Place – Jeanie Welker
Fourth Place – Lisa Kudrey
Fifth Place – Shannon Perdikis
Sixth Place – Nicki Chartrand
Figure
First Place – Stephanie Gibson
Second Place – Sandra Grajales
Third Place – Jossie Nathali Alarcon
Fourth Place – Autumn Cleveland
Fifth Place – Tiffani Lapoint
Sixth Place – Melissa Brodsky
Official Score Cards
Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the 2021 Savannah Bodybuilding Pro. Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
How To Enhance Offseason Bodybuilding Goals For Competition Results
When looking towards the offseason, preparing for competitions requires a set schedule and plenty of workouts.
The offseason can be a daunting time. We’ve gone through our competition prep and routines and fell into a great rhythm while seeing the results we worked so hard for. But then it ends and the offseason can begin. It’s challenging for a number of reasons, but the main one being we probably just want a break. We want to decompress, give our bodies rest, and allow our minds to wander and focus on something else. While binge watching all the shows we missed or doing fun activities we hadn’t had time to do seems appealing, the offseason is the perfect time to buckle down and really get ourselves one step closer to a podium spot.
This time is perfect for bulking up and putting on that mass without worrying about symmetry and having to have everything be perfect. It’s as though we can look forward to a workout and treat it as just that: a workout. Not worrying about measurements, certain weights, specific exercises, and any of the specially designed programs we’ve instilled in ourselves. This time can be about doing what we love doing and that is working out and seeing huge gains. Capitalizing on what we’ve already accomplished should be motivation enough to really bite down and get this work done.
Let’s look at some of the best ways to capitalize on our gains this offseason to really be effective in the long run. These will help in a number of ways by helping set goals, keeping us on track, aiding in our overall health and wellness, and of course, really targeting a shredded physique we all know and love.
Best Ways To Enhance Offseason Goals
Make A Realistic Plan & Stick With It
Something that can work to our benefit yet still be a flaw is the amount of plans and goals we set for ourselves. The benefit to this is that it shows our drive and determination to be great, always looking ahead to the next best thing. This can be a flaw when it becomes overwhelming and none of those goals are achieved. Making a realistic plan of goals can help keep us on track and allow us to actually stick with it so we are able to capitalize on all of those benefits we wish to see most. Writing everything down is almost like writing a contract to ourselves and allows us to stay accountable to our goals and gains.
Work On Building Strength & Add More Intense Methods
Building strength is the fun part about the offseason without having to worry about specifics and getting bogged down in the details. The offseason is the perfect time to attack those muscles to start to see growth, and even some personal records. Adding more intense techniques like drops sets and added time under tension, as well as cardio routines involving high-intensity interval training, can really help when it comes to seeing that muscle growth. Finding a good strength-based program can be more than helpful and looking into professional bodybuilders’ workouts can provide some helpful tips as to how to safely and effectively see great gains.
Look Into High Quality Supplements
Supplements can be your best friends during the offseason, especially high quality and worthwhile supplements to your gains. These supplements can promote serious growth, work on building a seriously stellar physique, and boost your health and wellness. Everything from a protein supplement, to a mass gainer, a pre-workout, and fat burner, all will work to help you achieve your goals. Putting a multivitamin and an omega-3 supplement can keep you healthy as you put your body through some serious training.
Check out our list of the Best Offseason Supplements here!
Focus On Nutrition
Offseason or not, nutrition is always on the forefront of our minds. But the fun part about the offseason is that you can use this time as a trial and error period when it comes to foods. During competition season, you have your own routine to follow because you know it works, but during the offseason this is a great time to try out new recipes and new foods to see just what these can do for your goals. Adding some diversity will make nutrition more fun in the long run.
Set A Date To Start Cutting & Prepping
Set a date where you intend to work towards until you start cutting and prepping. This will give you a deadline for accountability and also work to get you ready for those competitions so you are able to stick to a good routine and schedule as you get closer. It can be a set day or a rough timeline, but having a date in mind will really work to keep you on schedule and seeing those gains.
Relax & Enjoy What You Love Doing
Take this time to enjoy working out. You are in the sport for a reason and that is because you love staying fit, working hard, and looking good. But when competitions roll around, the anxiety of it all can be fun but also overwhelming. Using this time to enjoy your craft and better yourself will be something really enjoyable in the long run and you will remember why you do what you do: for the love of bodybuilding and pushing yourself to the limit.
Wrap Up
Approaching the offseason can be daunting. But you aren’t alone in that. Every athlete will hit an offseason point and how you handle it will go a long way. Setting realistic goals and finding a good plan is a solid start, but enhancing your nutrition and supplementation can really give you the edge when it comes to bulking and giving you serious strength-building benefits. The most important thing is to work hard but also remember why you do what you do. The love of the sport is a powerful thing and getting caught up in the logistics of measurements and numbers can be overwhelming at times. Look forward to the road ahead and remember why you do the sport in the first place.
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
The Only Rules You Should Break In The Gym, You Won’t Believe Number 3
The Gym Rules You Need To Break To Take Your Gains To The Next Level
As cliché as it might sound, the rules are meant to be broken. The gym isn’t one of the safest places to be in so you need to be careful about the rules you’re going to be challenging.
If your goal is to live the fit lifestyle, you need to design your training keeping longevity in mind. We have compiled a list of so-called rules you should break to maximize your results in the gym while minimizing the risk of an injury.
Never Train To Failure
It’s no secret people love to throw around fancy words to look smart. Gym bros emphasis the fact you shouldn’t work out to failure as you might risk overtraining your muscles. Overtraining is easier said than done.
Overtraining is the state when your body can’t keep up with your workouts, and your immune system and central nervous system take a hit. Only around 2-5% of the people who workout train hard enough to hit the state of overtraining. So, don’t limit yourself and go as hard as you can in your workouts.
Avoid Cardio While Bulking
Most people make the mistake of cutting out cardio from their routines when they’re in their off-season and want to bulk up. Some of these people mistake bulking up with fattening up.
Cardio is important no matter if you’re trying to shed the extra kilos or trying to put on some size. The cardio helps in burning off the extra calories and makes sure you’re putting on quality muscle and not fat.
Perform High Number of Reps For Conditioning and Low Reps For Strength
High reps for cutting and a low number of reps for strength have to be one of the most common myths amongst lifters. Tweaking the number of repetitions you perform in a workout can’t solely change your body.
The results from the number of reps don’t work in a vacuum. Other things like your diet, training split, and the amount of cardio you’re doing will play a big role in the results you’ll be getting. Changing the number of reps can act as a shock for your muscles but it solely isn’t big enough a change for your muscles to show any significant results.
Prefer Free Weights Over Machines
This is one of the first things the gym bros tell the newbies. The gym bros argue the golden era athletes built their physiques in bare bone gyms and the fancy machines don’t help in carving an aesthetic body.
Avoiding the machines can be a big mistake as the isolation you’ll get by using the cables and pulleys will always be better than using barbells or dumbbells. Your workouts should strike the right balance between isolation and compound lifts.
Always Use A Full Range of Motion
Almost everyone, at some point in time, has been disturbed in-between a set by a gym bro asking you to perform the exercise with a full range of motion. The gym bros tell you that if you don’t follow a full ROM, you’ll not be getting any results.
On the contrary, when you follow a full ROM and lockout your elbows on the top and let your muscles relax on the bottom of the movement, you’re taking the tension off the muscles and putting it on the joints. It’s okay to limit your range of motion so there is constant tension on your muscles.
Have you ever been injured in the gym?
Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
Tom Stoltman To Miss 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man
Tom Stoltman will miss the competition because of complications with COVID-19.
Tom Stoltman has become a true force in powerlifting. He won the World’s Strongest Man competition earlier in the year and had a chance to show what he can do on another big stage. It was recently announced that Stoltman will miss some time because of COVID-19.
Stoltman has a YouTube page with his brother, Luke, and this is where he shared the announcement that he will no longer take part in the 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man competition. He has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be forced to miss some time competing.
“I got COVID yesterday, so on Thursday. I’ve now got it, Thursday night. So for safety I will not be competing during the weekend. I feel like for me, it’s just a cold,” Tom Stoltman said.
“We’re going to try and stay safe, and then we’re going to be there in Scotland. I have to quarantine until Wednesday or Thursday next week, so I still have a lot of time to train for Scotland. For me, it’s beneficial because I didn’t have the best prep for Europe’s anyway… Sorry that I won’t be there. It’s out of my hands.”
This would have been Stoltman’s first competition since the World’s Strongest Man. There has been a lot of anticipation for his return but fans will have to wait a little longer.
Stolman was supposed to compete during the 2021 Shaw Classic but was one of five competitors to bow out — this includes his brother, Luke. Trey Mitchell ended up coming out on top in the event. He beat out some of the top competitors in the world and it is likely that Stoltman would have been near the top.
Tom Stoltman will not have his sites set on Scotland’s Strngest Man competition. This will take place on Sept. 19. This gives Scottish lifter plenty of time to recover from the virus and get back to where he needs to be to win an event.
While it is a shame that Stoltman will miss the upcoming event, he will be a main factor moving forward. There is no doubt that he will continue to be one of the major competitors in the world.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Iron Maiden – Anna Victoria
Anna Victoria – The Shredder, Toner, and Sculptor
Anna Victoria is everything you could ever ask for in a female fitness athlete plus much more. Her 1.2 million followers on Instagram are proof of her popularity and establishes her as an online fitness celebrity.
Victoria grew up in a small town in Southern California. She didn’t start as a fitness enthusiast and remembers cringing at people who spent hours working out and prepping meals.
Through her teen years, Anna was eating microwavable, packaged, processed, and fast food. Her bad eating habits led to a series of health problems, and she ended up in an emergency room at one point.
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INSTA VS REALITY ? can I be honest with you guys? My favorite part of what I do is all the work that goes on *behind the scenes*. I love taking pictures and filming workout videos for you all (especially workout videos!! ?) but I loooove strategizing, planning, creating a product, a service, and helping customers. . You guys would think I’m crazy if you knew how much I LOVE customer service ? I worked in customer service (in corporate jobs) from 16-23 years old, and I LOVED it. I got genuine joy out of helping people, even if it was through re-stocking the shelves at the my first job at 16 years old so people could easily find the products they need (you guys I have issues ??) . But this is why I LOVE what I do now – helping you girls!! Every day I get to go to work and brainstorm, create and implement ideas that will better help you on your journey and help you connect with the community. I haven’t talked much about the business side of everything I do, and if you would like me to talk about it more, I will! While I love sharing fitness tips and workout videos, I’m just as passionate about encouraging women to go into business, entrepreneurship, and continue breaking glass ceilings. . You girls know I rarely do collabs, and that’s because I want when I do a collab, I want you to know I really believe in it. Soooo I’m excited to share about my collab with @WeWork! ? Moving my office into a WeWork has been a huge game changer for my team, our productivity (ahem except for the Root Beer floats and Mimosas ??) and to be able to connect with other #girlbosses. . If you’re interested in checking a WeWork office out, head to the link below for more info ? So what about you girls? Where do you work? Remote / At home / In an office? Comment below and let me know ? #thefutureisfemale #fbggirls www.we.co/anna
A post shared by Anna Victoria (@annavictoria) on Jun 11, 2019 at 5:55pm PDT
Her unhealthy lifestyle came to an end when she met Luca (now her husband). Luca encouraged Anna to start her transformation, and she heeded to his advice after realizing how eating healthy food was changing her body for the better.
Beginning Of The Fit Lifestyle
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You’re stronger than you think. Coming from someone who used to strongly dislike not only fitness, but the fitness industry entirely. Growing up, it seemed like it was all pure vanity, and that people acted like they were better than you if they worked out and ate healthy and you didn’t. I felt like it wasn’t a very welcoming place and I got a very “you can’t sit with us vibe”. . Fast forward a few years when I started having health problems and I needed to start taking care of my body, otherwise my health problems would become chronic and irreversible. And within a few months of my fitness journey I realized all those years I was wrong – fitness is about so much more than vanity. It’s about feeling empowered and strong not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, and about taking care of your health preventatively. . This journey often times starts purely physical for most, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I will help you get your dream bod if you let me! ?? But you have to be willing to step outside your comfort zone and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. There’s a certain level of awareness required to be successful on this journey so you can call yourself out on your own BS and realize when you can do better, and then do it, no questions asked. I will help you with all those things but I also want to help you focus on the mental and emotional side too because that’s largely what will pull you through when times get tough. And that’s what FBG is about ? . Usually the only promo I run all year is Black Friday, but I decided to do a semi-annual Black Friday type sale ? Use promocode BACKONTRACK to get up to a total of 50% off the @fitbodyapp for life and join the #fbgcommunity! . Promo available through the link in my bio only and you can enter the code at checkout ? Remember, you’re stronger than you think and you CAN do this!! And myself and all the other #fbggirls will be there to cheer you on every step of the way! www.annavictoria.com/fitbodyapp
A post shared by Anna Victoria (@annavictoria) on Apr 18, 2019 at 9:08am PDT
It was in 2012 that Anna decided to start her fitness journey after moving to China for studies. She made the most of her free time in college by researching about health and fitness.
Anna started a fitness Instagram account to keep herself accountable where she started sharing inspirational quotes and her transformation pictures. “I pretty much threw myself into my fitness journey,” she said.
Soon after starting her fitness journey, Victoria realized that her biggest struggles were always psychological. Off the many things, she had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that she needed to hone in on her calories and macros.
With Knowledge Comes Power
Anna finally decided to look into the diet (calorie and macros-counting) part of fitness after she briefly hit a plateau and wasn’t seeing the desired results. On scrutinizing her diet, Victoria realized that her fat intake was too high, and her carb consumption too low. Fixing these two problems had a big positive impact on her muscular development.
Anna had to find a balance between cross-training and lifting weights to help reach an optimal fitness level. She regularly shares her workouts on her Instagram so that her followers can get the same results as her.
After going through the ups and downs in her transformation, Anna wants people to realize that no fitness journey is linear. She urges her followers to focus on their progress and work equally on their minds and body.
The Dream Girl Next Door
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Let’s talk ABS ‼️ and what you need to do to get abs and SEE those abs. . Commonly asked question: Do you need to do ab exercises in order to get abs? The answer is no. You don’t NEED to do traditional ab focused workouts in order to get abs. If you know how to engage and use your core/abs properly during your strength workouts, you can build abs just by using and engaging your core during strength based moves alone . Aside from that, no matter how many traditional OR non-traditional ab workouts you do, whether you can see them or not depends on a few things. First is: genetics!! Do you have a naturally lean tummy? If so, A. Lucky you ? and B. you probably don’t need to do as much cardio in order to reveal those abs and you just need to focus on building core strength. (And eat properly to assist in building that muscle) . If you DON’T have a naturally lean tummy (like me) then that saying “abs are built in the gym and revealed in the kitchen” applies to you. Bummer, I know!! And in our case, often times belly fat is the last to go and the first to come back. It is what it is! ?♀️ The more you fight against it, the more you push back reaching your goals. So focusing on strength workouts, properly engaging your core, doing cardio (not more than strength training though) AND keeping your meals/macros in check is what needs to be at the top of your (fitness) priority list. . While as you girls know, I do not believe abs are everything, not one bit. But there also isn’t anything wrong with having physical goals *as long as you aren’t putting your mental and emotional health on the back burner* in order to achieve those goals. . This is just the surface of this week’s #fbgbodylove newsletter topic! I will be doing an insta live tomorrow at 8:30am PST to go over strengthening your core and more. Comment any questions you have on this topic below so I can answer them, and I’ll chat with you girls tomorrow morning!! ☺️? #fitbodyapp www.annavictoria.com/fitbodyapp
A post shared by Anna Victoria (@annavictoria) on Aug 12, 2018 at 7:48pm PDT
Anna has one of the most picturesque Instagram profiles. Her photos range from gym photos, workout videos, beautiful landscapes to her in her bridal gown. We need to mention that she rocks each photo like a boss.
Victoria has a fitness app and is widely known for her killer fit body guide workouts and pretty smoothie bowls. We wish Anna the best for her future endeavors and are sure she’s up for some great things.
Who is your gym crush? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Header image courtesy of Instagram
The Most Effective Exercises For Building The Biceps
Bicep Peak Developing Workouts
Although developing the arms is important for physique, it’s vital that they are not overdeveloped in comparison to the rest of the body.
For a comprehensive aesthetic look, all muscle groups should be developed at a similar rate otherwise the body may look out of proportion.
Strategic Muscle Growth
Instead of having the sole aspiration of developing the arms, it is important to use a more targeted approach.
If you are a bodybuilder, the goal is to develop a look that is aesthetically pleasing. Having 25-30 inch arms that don’t fit the rest of your body is not a good look.
Therefore, be wary of using exercising the arms too frequently and instead focus on being smart with your training and training quality.
For optimal bicep development, incorporate bicep work into your back or shoulder and tricep workouts. This will ensure that mass develops at an equal rate throughout a range of muscles.
Utilizing this method will not lead to building a significant amount of full-body mass but will also develop the bicep peaks optimally and proportionally.
Two Bicep Peak Developing Workouts
As mentioned earlier, the following two workouts should be incorporated into either back day or shoulder & tricep day.
For each of the following exercises, it is recommended to perform 1-2 warm-up sets. These sets should involve approximately 50% of the weight that you will use for the working sets.
In addition, ensure you only complete 3 or 4 reps and avoid working to muscular failure. The purpose of a warm-up is to enhance the mind-muscle connection and reduce injury risk (1).
Workout 1
Exercise
Sets x Reps
Barbell Curls
1 x 60-100 reps
Cable Hammer Curls – Rope Attachment
1 x 60-100
Workout Instructions & Technique
The first workout uses just one set and high reps. The reasoning behind this is because the biceps are primarily made up of slow-twitch, type 1 muscle fiber.
This means that biceps recover more quickly than other muscles and are more resistant to fatigue which is why it is recommended to train the biceps twice per week.
The sessions do not have to be excessively long, as demonstrated with workout 1. The recommendation is to use workout 1 in conjunction with a back workout.
This is because the biceps will have already experienced a great deal of stress during the back-based resistance exercises and therefore using a high-rep set works the biceps in a different way.
The 2 sets will take no longer than 5 minutes and will effectively force blood into the biceps, causes a build-up of fatigue and onset bicep growth
Barbell Curl
For the barbell curl, select a weight that is 30% below your 10 rep max for barbell curls. For example, if you can complete 10 curls at 100lbs, you would use 70lbs.
Start by aiming for 20-25 reps with this weight before slashing the weight by half and completing as many as you can.
If you reach the point of failure before 60 reps, drop the weight by half once again and continue until you complete a minimum of 60 reps.
Using 70lbs as an example starting weight, complete 20-25 reps, drop the weight down to 35lbs and work to failure; drop down further to 17.5lbs, if necessary.
When gripping the bar, use a grip that is slightly wider than shoulder-width to target the inner head of the bicep. In addition, move the weight onto the outer palms if possible.
In terms of pace, focus on a 2-second concentric contraction, squeeze the biceps tightly and then control the eccentric contraction, taking 3-4 seconds to return the bar to the hips
Cable Hammer Curl
For the cable hammer curl, the rope attachment means that you will use a neutral grip (palms facing each other) which will effectively work the brachialis muscle.
However, as you drive the load upward look to supinate your grip (turn the palms upwards). Doing this will effectively engage both bicep peaks.
Workout 2
Exercise
Sets x Reps
Superset 1:Barbell CurlTriceps Pushdown
2-3 x 8-12
Superset 2: Machine Preacher CurlsSeated Barbell Military Press
2-3 x 8-12
Superset 3:Concentration CurlsReverse Grip Tricep Pushdown
3 x 10-15, 1 x 20-25
Workout Instructions & Technique
The second workout utilizes 3 supersets and should be performed on shoulder & triceps days.
Because the exercises are supersetted do not rest at all until you have completed all of the reps. However, do take a 60-90 second rest between each superset.
Barbell Curl & Tricep Pushdown
For superset 1, use your 10 rep max weight for the 3 sets, after completing the warm-up sets. Ensure that you are using a shoulder-width grip for the curl.
It is imperative that you do not pyramid up during the warm-up sets as you want to avoid fatiguing the biceps prior to the working sets – remember, 3 or 4 reps will suffice.
For both of the exercises in this superset, cadence is highly important. As with workout 1, use a 2 second concentric and a 3-4 second eccentric.
Machine Preacher Curl & Seated Barbell Military Press
For the machine preacher curl, the main emphasis must be on the eccentric (or negative) portion of the exercise as eccentric training has been found to accelerate the rate of muscle growth (2).
In the preacher curl, the shoulder should be relatively relaxes as the upper arm is supported by the bench which should allow for a greater drive and control.
Look to bring the weight up by 1 second and use a 4-5 second descent to maximally load the biceps.
Concentration Curl & Reverse Grip Tricep Pushdown
When performing concentration curls, often it is the case that less weight is better. The focus of the exercise should be on the control and squeeze of the biceps, not the amount of weight lifted.
Focusing on the contraction can cause a greater degree of muscle activation (3) and consequent burn. Therefore, avoid the temptation to go excessively heavy and choose a weight that facilitates control.
To get the most out of the concentration curl, utilize a wrist twist at the top of the movement. Start with the dumbbell in a neutral grip, as you curl upward, supinate your grip.
At the very top of the movement, turn the wrist a little further to maximize supination. Imagining you are trying to get the pinkie to touch the nose is a good way to maximize wrist twist.
With the sets of 10-15 reps, select a weight that will allow you to complete a minimum of 10 and bring you to the point of muscular failure.
For the final set of 20-25 reps, drop the weight by 30-50%. The weight you use is dependant on how fatigued your muscles are at that point.
Final Word
The above workouts should bring about significant changes in bicep peak size for all individuals regardless of your level of conditioning. However, it may be particularly beneficial for those of beginner and intermediate level.
Look to perform these workouts for a period of 4-6 weeks before assessing how your body has adapted to this training stimulus. Feel free to then experiment with loads and rep ranges to see what works best for you.
References:
1-Herman, Katherine; Barton, Christian; Malliaras, Peter; Morrissey, Dylan (July 19, 2012). “The effectiveness of neuromuscular warm-up strategies, that require no additional equipment, for preventing lower limb injuries during sports participation: a systematic review”. BMC Medicine. 10: 75. doi:10.1186/1741-7015-10-75. ISSN 1741-7015. PMC 3408383. PMID 22812375.
2-Roig, M.; O’Brien, K.; Kirk, G.; Murray, R.; McKinnon, P.; Shadgan, B.; Reid, W. D. (2009-08). “The effects of eccentric versus concentric resistance training on muscle strength and mass in healthy adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis”. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 43 (8): 556–568. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2008.051417. ISSN 1473-0480. PMID 18981046.
3-Calatayud, Joaquin; Vinstrup, Jonas; Jakobsen, Markus Due; Sundstrup, Emil; Brandt, Mikkel; Jay, Kenneth; Colado, Juan Carlos; Andersen, Lars Louis (2016-03). “Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training”. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 116 (3): 527–533. doi:10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7. ISSN 1439-6327. PMID 26700744.
Cedric McMillan Joins Black Skull Supplement Brand
Cedric McMillan has joined the up and coming supplement company.
It appears that a very prominent bodybuilder has joined the ranks of Black Skull. 2017 Arnold Classic champion Cedric McMillan has recently signed with the budding nutrition brand.
This comes hot off the heels of some less than stellar news for McMillan.
After suffering injury, Cedric McMillan was forced to pull out of the 2021 Arnold Classic. This wouldn’t be the first time that McMillan would be forced off an event in the last two years. Hand injuries forced McMillan out of the 2020 Olympia as well. The injuries for this recent withdrawal have yet to be revealed.
But this signing comes as great news for Cedric McMillan. With so many different injuries plaguing him, it’s good to see that some things are going right for McMillan. Sure it’s certainly different from competing at the highest level, but it’s great to see him join an up and coming brand like Black Skull.
Cedric McMillan took to his Instagram page to post about the news of his signing.
Black Skull recently partnered with Generation Iron Brasil as a part of a marketing campaign. With the signing of Cedric McMillan and the recent partnership with GI, it’s clear that Blackskull is on the rise as a nutrition and supplement company.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Managing editor of Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. He has been writing about bodybuilding, combat sports, and strength sports for over 8 years. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Trey Mitchell Wins 2021 Shaw Classic
Trey Mitchell won the second-annual event. Here are the full results.
The 2021 Shaw Classic took place from Aug. 27-28 in Estes Park, CO. Some of the best powerlifters in the world gathered to see if they can dethrone the event’s promoter Brian Shaw, who took home the title in the inaugural event last year. This time around, it was Trey Mitchell who was able to come out on top.
Shaw ended up finishing second with J.F. Caron placing third. The full results were announced on Friday through a video on Shaw’s YouTube page. Even though he finished second, Shaw did not accept any money and he distributed it among the other 15 competitors.
The Shaw Classic was missing some elite names but it was still a noteworthy event. Luke Richardson had to withdraw due to a bicep injury. Tom Stoltman and Luke Stoltman also pulled their names out weeks before the event. Finally, Robert Oberst and Oleksii Novikov were the latest to withdraw from the event.
The contest was completed on Aug. 28 and the competitors split a prize pool of $100,000. Below, you can find the final overall standings along with the money won by each athlete.
2021 Shaw Classic Results
Trey Mitchell — $21,000
Brian Shaw — $15,000*
J.F. Caron — $12,000
Kevin Faires — $9,000
Evan Singleton — $8,000
Aivars Smaukstelis — $7,000
Bobby Thompson — $6,500
Adam Bishop — $6,000
Maxime Boudreault — $5,500
Konstantine Janashia — $5,000
Graham Hicks — $4,500
Žydrūnas Savickas — $4,000
Gabriel Rheaume — $3,500
Gabriel Peña — $3,000
Jerry Pritchett — $2,500
Mikhail Shivlyakov — $2,500
The events were spread out evenly over two days. It began on day one with a max log press, super yoke, bag toss, and car squat with Ford Bronco. Day two continued with the Hummer tire deadlift, medley, circus dumbbell for reps, and Atlas stone.
In the end, it was Mitchell who was able to come out on top at the end. He excelled in the max log press when he completed a 206.3kg (455lb) lift. Mitchell also came in second with six reps in the circus dumbbell for reps.
The Shaw Classic has turned into an elite event with some of the best powerlifters in the world getting together to show who is the best. This time around, it was Mitchell who proved to rise to the occasion.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.