Muscle Chemistry Archive
2021 Miami Muscle Beach Pro Scorecards
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2021 Mile High Pro Scorecards
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2021 World’s Strongest Man Qualifier Groups Announced
The qualifier groups for the 2021 World’s Strongest Man is stacked.
The qualifier groups for the 2021 World’s Strongest Man have been announced. Each group features some of the greatest strongman athletes on the globe, each hoping to showcase their inhuman strength at the show.
The talent pull for the 2021 World’s Strongest Man is deep, featuring some of the sport’s best. Brian Shaw, Evan Singleton, Robert Oberst, Oleksii Novikov, the list of names at this show goes on and on. Who else is competing at the 2021 show? Find out in the list below.
World’s Strongest Man Qualifier Group
Group 1
Graham Hicks
Maxime Boudreault
Travis Ortmayer
Brian Shaw
Aivars Smaukstelis
Group 2
Mark Felix
Johnny Hansson
Trey Mitchell
Evan Singleton
Tom Stoltman
Group 3
JF Caron
Robert Oberst
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted
Luke Richardson
Mikhail Shivlyakov
Group 4
Adam Bishop
Terry Hollands
Jerry Pritchett
Konstantine Janashia
Chris van der Linde
Group 5
World’s Strongest Man Events
The events for the WSM competition have also be revealed. Two new events have also been announced for the competition, the Titan’s Turntable and Train Pull. Not every competitor will participate in all of the events.
The rounds and events are scheduled as follows:
Qualifying Round — Day One
Loading Medley
Squat Lift
Deadlift
Qualifying Round — Day Two
Fingal’s Fingers
Train Pull
Qualifying Round — Day Three
Overhead Medley
Pickaxe Hold
Stone Off
Final — Day One
Giant’s Medley
Titan’s Turntable
REIGN Keg Toss
Final — Day Two
Log Lift
KNAACK Deadlift
Atlas Stones
The 2021 show will be even bigger than last year’s show. This year the World’s Strongest Man will take place in Sacramento, California.
World’s Strongest Man announced a multi year deal with the Visit Sacramento Sports Commission. This new deal with the VSSC will see the WSM competition take place in Sacramento, California in 2021, 2022, and a third date yet to be disclosed.
The competition will take place June 15-20 and will once again air on CBS Sports Network and CBS Television in the U.S. at a later date.
Can Oleksii Novikov Do It Again?
Besides the wondering what the new events will be like, the biggest question on the minds of many spectators is if Oleksii Novikov can repeat at the 2021 show.
Oleksii Novikov has only been competing for the past two years, yet he was able to achieve the heights of success in all of strongman sports. Novikov broke multiple records en route to his stunning victory at the 2020 World’s Strongest Man.
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.
The Pros and Cons of the Push, Pull, Legs Training Split
The pros and cons of push, pull, legs.
Everyone is looking for the perfect training split that will completely revolutionize their gains and bring about the best results. For each individual the results will vary, but realistically there’s no wrong way to split your training. Most training splits are designed based on the individuals ability to train on a consistent basis.
Some people love total body training, especially if they’re strapped for time. Some individuals enjoy breaking up their training on two specific body parts per training session. Really, it’s all subjective and a matter of preference.
That said, each training split has its own benefits and drawbacks. For instance, a popular training split like push, pull, legs is one that many athletes conform to. While there may be some great benefits to this training method, there are also some drawbacks to look out for in order to get the most out your training.
Pro
One great thing about the push, pull, legs program is the emphasis on training specific muscle groups. Push days consist of training all the pushing muscles including the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Pull focuses on biceps, back and is usually paired with ab work as well. Leg day consists of training the collective lower half.
This kind of split allows for some very specific focus and in turn some great recovery time for every targeted muscle group. Because you’ll be working antagonist muscles every other day, it allows the muscles from the previous day to get some adequate rest and recovery, a major key to building quality muscle.
Con
Sounds great right? What could be the down side to training in this manner? Well, while the split still allows you to train the entire body, depending on the intensity of your training session and your lacking body parts, the split may not attack your weak points nearly as much as they should in order to allow them to improve.
For example. If you have lacking in the leg department, most of the split is focused on the upper body. The two days spent training the upper body is necessary to overall growth, but with one day to focus on your lagging legs, it can throw everything off. The split would require modification in order to give your weak points the attention that they need.
This can be compounded if your weaknesses are in multiple areas including the legs, biceps, back and triceps for example. That means additional time would be needed to be put on each aspect of the split. If the split isn’t handled properly you could easily burn yourself out, leaving little time for recovery.
Every training split is going to have its pros and cons. That’s not to say you shouldn’t be using the push, pull, legs program. It’s obvious that the training split has offered great success to many athletes, so it’s definitely something to be experiment with.
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 Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
The Ultimate Workout To Build Ripped Hamstrings
Build Jacked Hamstrings With This Workout
Want to know what ripped hamstrings look like? Imagine a few steel chains running under the paper thin skin at the back of your legs. These chains are what are used to lower and raise your torso when you bend forward to touch your toes or in exercises like the deadlifts.
Hamstrings can be a stubborn muscle group to develop. It’s hard to establish a mind-muscle connection with the hamstrings as they’re at the back of your legs and you can’t look at them in the mirror while training.
Lying Leg Curls – 4 Sets 15 Reps
You’ll be performing a combination of isolation and compound exercises in this workout to smoke your hams. The compound lifts help in building strength and size of the muscle and the isolation movements improve the conditioning.
You’ll start off with the lying leg curls (an isolation exercise) to activate and engage your hams. The concentric (upward) movement should be explosive, and the eccentric should be slow and controlled.
Sumo Squats – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps
The sumo squats target the hamstring and abductors primarily. Stand with your feet placed more than shoulder-width apart and point your toes outwards. You should go as deep as possible without leaning forward to target your hamstrings optimally.
If you have trouble performing the barbell sumo squats, you can use a dumbbell. Stand on an elevated platform (like aerobic steps) and take the same stance as you would during the barbell squats.
Hold a dumbbell with both your hands while your arms are fully extended towards and perpendicular to the floor. Your arms will remain in the same position throughout the exercise.
Dumbbell Deadlifts – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps
Remember the steel chain reference at the beginning of the article? You need to bring it in practice in the dumbbell deadlifts. Place your toes on quarter plates to better isolate and recruit your hamstrings.
Maintain a slight bend in your knees and lower your torso by bending at your hips while pushing them back and focusing on your hamstrings. Keep your back arched and go as low as you can without recruiting your lower back.
Supersets
Standing Hamstrings Curls – 3 Sets 20-15-12 Reps
Standing hamstrings curls are an isometric exercise which helps in building conditioning and fixing any muscle imbalances. If you don’t have access to a standing hamstring curl machine, you can use a leg extension machine.
GHD Hyperextensions – 3 Sets 10 Reps
Superset the standing hamstrings curls with the GHD hyperextensions. The GHD hyperextensions were brought into the mainstream by CrossFit athletes and are an incredibly effective exercise to annihilate your hamstrings.
Barbell Hip Thrusts – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps
Barbell hip thrusts are one of the most underutilized exercises when it comes to hamstring training. Although the hip thrusts can help you in building meaty hams, you should avoid them if you have an impending lower back injury.
Place your upper back on a flat bench while you have a barbell placed across your groin. Use padding around the barbell to avoid it from digging in when you thrust. Hold and contract your hams at the top of the movement for a couple of seconds before returning to the starting position.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
Do you train your hamstrings and quads on the same day? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
How These Shoulder Workouts With Bands Improve Strength & Flexibility
These shoulder workouts with bands provide great exercises for at home or in the gym performance.
For those of us looking to build strength and flexibility in our shoulders, it’s important to know that shoulder workouts with bands can be just as effective as any with weights. With the right amount of resistance and proper form, you can really work your muscles to grow and never worry about doing a poor shoulder exercise. While weights can obviously increase muscle hypertrophy and allow for serious gains, when it comes to banded exercises, you will start to see some of that overall definition and improved training and performance that you want most.
Let’s take a look at some awesome shoulder workouts with bands to seriously improve all areas of our training and performance while also working towards that sculpted and toned body we all desire. Having strong shoulders are a necessity and resistance bands offer great benefits, so let’s put the two together to see some amazing gains.
Benefits Of Strong Shoulders
When it comes to potentially vulnerable joints, our shoulders are at the top of the list. It is vital to keep them strong and stable to avoid any unwanted pain and injury that can come our way. By working our shoulders effectively, we can handle anything that comes our way workout wise.
Benefits of strong shoulders include:
Functional and sport specific: Having strong shoulders can work for our functionality and everyday activities while also those that are more sport specific to better our respective training and performance (1).
Prevent injury: With weak shoulders, you run the risk of injury which can keep you out of the gym for much longer than you may like (2).
Boost confidence: With stronger and defined shoulders, your confidence and posture will likely improve making you feel better overall.
Nice aesthetic: Having those boulder shoulders can really enhance your aesthetic and make you have a body those around you will envy.
Reasons To Use Resistance Bands
Resistance bands can seriously enhance all areas of our growth and physical development and should not be overlooked as a piece of exercise equipment. A good quality resistance band will:
Build muscle: Work to increase strength and size to not only see growth and definition but also work to seriously enhance those big lifts (3).
Promote better range of motion: Help create a solid and stable platform for those big lifts as well as other everyday activities to better your mobility and flexibility.
Enhance mind-muscle connection: Focus more on form while still having resistance to better progress with your goals (4).
Great warm-up: A great way to add resistance while not overloading your muscles, you can get your blood flowing and your body primed for whatever workout comes your way.
Shoulder Workouts With Bands
Give these shoulder workouts with bands a try to start to see the mighty benefits of both strong shoulders and resistance bands. With these exercises, you won’t be disappointed by the results.
Front Raise
Stand on top of the band and hold each end with one hand. Raising your arms in front of you, bring them to around shoulder height before slowly lowering back to the starting position.
Lateral Raise
Standing in the middle of the band, hold each end with your palms facing inward. With a slight bend in the elbows, raise your arms to your side at about shoulder height and in a controlled motion, lower back to the starting position.
Shoulder Press
Standing with your feet on the band, grab one end of the loop and hold it at chest level. With a tight core and proper form, drive your hands over your head working to lock out your elbows. Lower back in a controlled motion to the starting position.
Reverse Fly
With your feet in the center of the band, hinge over at the waist and keep your lower back arched. Pulling the band outward, hold for a moment with a squeeze and lower back down.
Pull Apart
Standing with your feet at about shoulder width apart, the band should be horizontally in front of you. With your arms extended out in front of you and your core tight, pull the band apart and squeeze your shoulder blades together before releasing back to less tension.
Upright Row
With your feet in the middle of the band, pull the band towards your face, keeping your elbows high. While maintaining good posture all the way through, hold at the top before lowering back down.
Featured Resistance Band
Angles90 Resistance Bands
These highly resistible and perfectly transportable resistance bands from Angles90 are perfect for all of your workout needs. With the ability to work out your whole upper body with less joint stress, you will enhance muscle development and work to see that desired physique. Angles90 comes with two bands, 20 lbs. and 40 lbs., and four carabiners. The length is adjusted through the handles for convenience to ensure an effective workout with no hassle. Whether at home or on the go, you can see great growth and development with the help of Angles90 resistance bands.
Price: $24.90
Shop Angles90 Here
Check out our individual review for Angles90 Resistance Bands here!
Check out our list of the Best Resistance Bands for seriously effective fitness products!
Wrap Up
We all should consider performing shoulder workouts with bands to enhance our overall training, performance, and physical health. The benefits of strong shoulders on top of the many benefits that resistance bands can do can greatly affect our gains for the better and it would be a shame to totally neglect them. Whether we are looking for improved strength and performance for sport specific movements or just working towards a more solid functional lifestyle, these shoulder workouts with bands offer great access to unlock everything we need for those at home or in the gym goals. Give these banded exercises a try and see what they can do for your gains today because the results will not lie.
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 Angles90 and Envato
References
Williams, Martin R. Jr.; Hendricks, Dustin S.; Dannen, Michael J.; Arnold, Andrea M.; Lawrence, Michael A. (2020). “Activity of Shoulder Stabilizers and Prime Movers During an Unstable Overhead Press”. (source)
Wilk, Kevin E.; Padraic, Obma; Simpson II, Charles D.; Cain, E. L.; et al. (2009). “Shoulder Injuries in the Overhead Athlete”. (source)
Dayne, Andrea; McBride, Jeffrey M.; Haines, Tracie L.; Larkin, Tony R.; et al. (2010). “Effect Of Elastic Band Resistance Training During Simulated Microgravity On Neuromuscular Function”. (source)
Bergquist, Ronny; Iversen, Vegardn M.; Mork, Paul J.; Fimland, Marius S. (2018). “Muscle Activity in Upper-Body Single-Joint Resistance Exercises with Elastic Resistance Bands vs. Free Weights”. (source)
Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 1: Dirty Bulking, Guy Flips Out, & Fasting Sucks
Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss health in bodybuilding and how to build muscle without getting fat.
Welcome to Talking Huge – a new weekly digital series in which Craig Golias talks in-depth with Vlad Yudin on the latest trending topics in bodybuilding. Raw, honest, and uncut – Craig Golias shares his opinions on all things bodybuilding. In our premiere episode, Craig and Vlad discuss Guy Cisternino’s angry gym outburst, dirty bulking vs clean bulking, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle as a mass monster bodybuilder.
Craig Golias only has one goal in life, to be as huge as possible. His obsession with being huge has made him a popular figure in the world of bodybuilding. Not only that, but it earned him a featured spot in our recent film Bigorexia – exploring the mindset of those who never feel big no matter how large they become.
But what is refreshing about Craig Golias is that he’s honest about his journey towards getting huge. He no longer competes in pro bodybuilding and is open to discussing more taboo topics about the sport. He’s also very open about the realities of his massive size when it comes to health and fitness.
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Watch the first episode of Talking Huge with Craig Golias above!
How To Be Healthy In Bodybuilding When Weighing Over 300 Pounds
Craig Golias is a true mass monster and aims to hover at around 300 pounds. With that amount of weight being carried on his body – does he fear long term health ramifications down the road? This is something that originally didn’t concern Craig, but as he’s gotten older, he has become more responsible in managing his health.
He visits a doctor regularly for bloodwork and an overview of his health. He recommends that any bodybuilder putting on large amounts of mass do the same. He’s focusing on taking care of his liver with medication – but beyond that he’s maintained a healthy lifestyle. This is largely due to him changing his habits after consulting a doctor more regularly.
He is honest about one painful detail. No matter what, when a person is carrying 300 pounds of weight – it’s a strain on the heart. Whether it’s fat or muscle – the human body is not meant to be so large. This is part of the reason why Craig takes going to the doctor regularly seriously. He knows it’s a risk. So being proactive with doctor visits can help in the long run.
How To Build Muscle Without Gaining Fat
Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin also discuss bulking. How does one build massive amounts of muscle like Craig without earning fat. The key is to make sure you do a clean bulk. The kinds of food you eat will effect how you gain wait. Yes, a bodybuilder needs to consume a massive amount of calories to build muscle. If you eat lean clean foods, that will turn into more muscle and less fat. If you’re stuffing your face with dirty foods – this will turn into muscle along side the fat.
Craig Golias also shares some stories of some of the worst dirty bulks he has ever seen in bodybuilding. He’s seen bodybuilders bulk so dirty that their waist goes up to 40 inches or more.
Guy Cisternino’s Gym Outburst
Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin also touch base on the viral video of Guy Cisternino. The video blew up and made headlines in May 2021. We also interviewed Cisternino about it to get his take on the whole situation. Ultimately, Cisternino admits he overreacted – but also believes that context matters.
Craig Golias agrees with this sentiment. Pro bodybuilders are in the zone when they are training in the gym. It’s their job. It’s not just a hobby like it is for most gym patrons. While Craig believes that positivity is always the better option – sometimes people overreact. This is especially true when a bodybuilder is training seriously in the gym.
Ultimately, it seems as if both parties overreacted. The younger men filming in the gym were being disrespectful and defensive. After Guy Cisternino asked for them to give him space politely – they got even more defensive. This caused Cisternino to go off the handle. It’s an unfortunate situation but not a damning one. The video itself removed context and led to some false conclusions. Sadly, that’s simply the nature of the internet attention span.
Wrap Up
You can watch Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss bulking, health in bodybuilding, and the entire Guy Cisternino viral video in our premiere episode of Talking Huge above. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
Best Exercises for Bigger Biceps
Best Exercises for Bigger Biceps
Curls are the fundamental biceps-builder, but they can become monotonous and downright boring. Hence why most of the people you see doing curls at the gym don’t have much progress to show for it. They’re doing the same variation with the same weight for the same amount of reps, week after week.
In order to elicit muscle adaptation and build a bigger set of guns, try implementing the following considerations and exercises into your program.
Training Considerations for Building Bigger Biceps
The ceiling of loading potential is low. Curls are a single joint movement involving flexion and extension of the elbow. That said, you can’t handle as much resistance compared to compound lifts. Rather than feeding into the idea that you have to curl heaver weights every week, you can continue to see gains in your biceps using the following strategies.
Use variety. Different rep ranges, grips, tempo, and tools will help stimulate hypertrophy.
Frequency is important. Instead of hitting biceps once a week, try adding another day to your split.
Intensity is important. Get after it. When you feel like you can’t do one more rep, do two. That said, stay true to your form as much as you can.
Intent is important. To really see noticeable gains, dial in on your biceps and move the weight with intent every rep of every set. As C.T Fletcher says, “I command you to grow!”.
Best Exercises for Bigger Biceps
Chin-Ups
I know what you’re thinking and you’re right, chin-ups aren’t really a “biceps exercise”, let alone a curl. And if you’re doing them right, you should feel it more in your lats and forearms anyway. All things considered, you can focus your intent on your biceps instead as you pull yourself up and squeeze the heck out of ‘em during the eccentric (lowering) phase.
Chin-ups are one of the tried and true ways to increase your relative strength (how efficiently you can move your body through space in relation to your weight). And while it can be easy to cheat your way through dumbbell curls by swinging the weight up, it’s much harder to do so during chin-ups.
Note: No, “kipping” chin-ups will do nothing for your biceps. You’ll just look like a tool.
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Barbell Curl
You can’t go wrong here. If you want bigger arms and you haven’t started with these, stop reading right now and go grab a barbell.
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Overcoming Isometric Barbell Curl
It’s universally forbidden to curl in the squat rack, with two exceptions to the rule.
If you’re curling more weight than the other guy is squatting.
If you’re doing 3D curls.
Credit goes to Joe DeFranco for this gem. This is probably my favourite way to do curls and I’m sure it’ll be one of yours as well.
The overcoming isometric curl (aka 3D curl) combines all three types of muscle contractions into one exercise: concentric, eccentric, and isometric. Put lightly, it burns the hell out of your biceps.
To do it, set up a couple spotter arms or safety pins on the squat rack at about sternum-height. Grab a barbell and curl it up against (underneath) the spotter arms so it’s placed firmly against them. Curl the barbell up against the arms as hard as you can for an 8-10 sec contraction (at this point you should really feel your biceps and core fire up). After the initial hold, take a step away from the rack and perform 10-15 barbell curls. You’re welcome.
Barbell Curl with Positional Isometrics
Positional isometrics are when you add segmented pauses throughout an exercise’s entire range of motion. You can read my full article on the subject HERE.
Other than the obvious fact that you’re increasing your biceps’ total time under tension using isometrics, it’s also a really effective way to minimize the most common technique flaw during curls: swinging.
You’ve seen it before. The egotistical maniac flailing his arms in front of the dumbbell rack using weights he has no business lifting. Granted, when you’re really going for it and reaching the end of a tough set, a little body English doesn’t hurt. But when your entire set consists of swinging heavy weights to impress your gym crush (who couldn’t care less, mind you), you’re neglecting the most important part of biceps curls: your biceps.
Positional isometric curls are harder to “cheat”, thus making your biceps the prime mover of the exercise.
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Prone Inclined Dumbbell Curl
Credit goes to John Meadows here. Keep the dumbbells pressed together and squeeze the hell out of your biceps. You get a great peak contraction at the top of the curl. As with the positional isometric variation, the prone position doesn’t allow much wiggle room for cheating, which is always great for isolating the biceps.
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Inclined Hammer Curl
If you have pre-existing shoulder/pec pain, you might want to shy away from this one for now. To do the inclined curl, have your arms extended with your biceps fully stretched. You can use a supinated or neutral grip here, as long as you feel the contraction where it matters: your biceps.
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Kettlebell Rope Curl
Other than just looking cool, the benefits here stretch beyond just building bigger biceps. The inconsistency of the weight challenges your core while the rope handle trains your grip strength. A 3-in-1 curl variation if you ask me.
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Tilted Barbell Curl
A common theme you’ve probably noticed is to eliminate cheating as much as possible in order to obtain maximal muscle contraction. Here, stick your butt against the wall and glute it there. With your torso tilted forward slightly, stretch your biceps with your arms fully extended and perform curls. Stay leaned over throughout your set to reduce assistance from your torso and hips.
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Tip: Flex your triceps at the bottom of each rep as you lockout your arms for elbow stabilization and a greater contraction in the opposing muscles (the biceps).
Best Pre-Workout For Men To Boost Muscle & Strength Training 2021
When looking for a great pre-workout for men, it should increase muscle, promote energy, and boost strength training.
We all know that a good supplement can boost our gains and a top tier pre-workout can provide for all the needs to enhance muscle growth, energy, focus, and strength training as we seek the most out of our masculine performance. While a good protein powder or intra-workout BCAA are also vital for promoting all of our gains, a pre-workout, especially one for active men, can boost our gains to new heights. When it comes to both masculine health and performance, look no further than this list of the best pre-workout products for men.
Able to provide muscle pumps, increase energy, aid in weight loss, and get our blood pumping, we as active men know just what it takes to succeed in order to boost our masculine performance. For your overall masculine health, you deserve to have a high-quality supplement able to tackle any and all of your goals. Our bodies deserve the best when it comes to supplements and our muscle growth, energy levels, and overall masculine performance rely on great products to help us get there.
Check out our list of the Best Pre-Workout Supplements For Muscle Building for more great pre-workout products!
We’ve put together a list of the Best Pre-Workouts For Men so you can start to see those desired gains to muscle growth, energy, and strength training. With clean and effective products, you can’t go wrong when looking to promote masculine performance.
Best Pre-Workout Supplements For Men 2021
Best Pre-Workout Overall: Transparent Labs PreSeries BULK
Stim Or No Stim
Stim
Calories
0
Carbs
0g
Sugar
0g
Number Of Servings
30
Flavors
Orange, Green Apple, Sour Grape, Blue Raspberry, Tropical Punch
Best Way To Take
Mix 1 scoop with 16-24 fl. oz. of water 20-30 minutes before your workout.
Transparent Lab PreSeries BULK is an effective per-workout for those looking to increase muscle, promote better strength training results, and aid in overall masculine performance. BULK contains 6,000 mg of citrulline malate, 4,000 mg of beta-alanine, 4,000 mg of BCAAs, and 2,500 mg of betaine to boost your workouts, blood flow, weight loss, and muscle growth, all in attempts to improve performance. BULK will reduce fatigue and increase your energy to give you a more impactful and longer lasting workout. Transparent Labs prides themselves on a 100% label and there are artificial additives, colorings, or preservatives to ruin this clean product.
Pros
High amount of citrulline malate for awesome pumps
Very clean ingredients for an honest product
From a reputable company in Transparent Labs
Cons
High in beta alanine
Premium priced option
Only available directly from their site
Price: $49.00
Click here for the best price
Check out our individual review for Transparent Labs PreSeries BULK here! Also, use the promo code GENIRON10 for 10% off!
Best For Strength & Performance: Performance Lab SPORT Pre
Stim Or No Stim
No Stim
Calories
0
Carbs
0g
Sugar
0g
Number Of Servings
20
Flavors
N/A
Best Way To Take
Take up to 6 capsules 30-45 minutes before your workout. Take on an empty stomach with 16-32 oz. of water
Performance Lab Sport Pre is another high-quality pre-workout supplement available to the public at a great price point. Performance Lab Sport is one of the most rigorously scientifically vetted brands and all of their pre-workout products are free of synthetic additives (which might dehydrate the muscles), non-GMO, and vegan friendly. Sport “Pre” increases nitric oxide in the blood to support the oxygenation of muscles during workouts, improves endurance by hydrating the muscles, and enhances both anaerobic and aerobic exercise by increasing ATP reductase for the best benefits out of strength training, weight loss, and masculine performance.
Pros
Vegan friendly
Capsules are easy to take
Will help with strength and endurance
Caffeine free for those looking for no caffeine
Cons
Premium priced option
Only available through their site
Price: $39.00
Click here for the best price
Best Pre-Workout For Weight Loss: Transparent Labs PreSeries LEAN
Stim Or No Stim
Stim
Calories
0
Carbs
0g
Sugar
0g
Number Of Servings
30
Flavors
Sour Grape, Orange, Blue Raspberry, Tropical Punch, Strawberry Lemonade
Best Way To Take
Mix 1 scoop with 12-16 fl. oz. of water 20-30 minutes before your workout.
The perfect supplement for cutting, LEAN is great for those looking to target stubborn fat while keeping on that lean muscle. LEAN contains 6,000 mg of citrulline malate, 2,500 mg of betaine, 2,000 mg of BCAA, 1,500 mg of beta-alanine, and 600 mg of L-tyrosine to improve strength and muscle endurance, increase blood flow and nitric oxide levels, reduce fatigue for better energy, and improve memory. LEAN is great for those looking to slim down and encourage weight loss without losing that hard work done in the gym through your exercise performance from a great pre-workout powder with ingredients like citrulline malate and betaine.
Pros
Well-dosed and third party tested
All-natural ingredients
Good for cutting and increasing strength and power
Cons
Premium priced option
Only available directly from their site
Does not have the greatest ingredients for fat loss
Price: $49.00
Click here for the best price
Use the promo code GENIRON10 for 10% off! Plus, check out our individual review for Transparent Labs PreSeries LEAN here!
Best Pre-Workout For Muscle Pumps: National Bodybuilding Co. Stage Ready
Stim Or No Stim
Stim
Calories
0
Carbs
0g
Sugar
0g
Number Of Servings
30
Flavors
Fruit Punch
Best Way To Take
Take 1 scoop and mix with 8-12 fl. oz. of water.
National Bodybuilding Co. has a great pre-workout supplement called Stage Ready Pre-Workout which delivers quality muscle pumps, enhanced stamina, weight loss, and a solid boost of energy to really elevate your performance. With an advanced and effective blend, this pre-workout can hydrate and buffer muscle tissue, raise nitric oxide levels and blood flow, optimize ATP production, and boost neurotransmitter synthesis. With great ingredients and a clean formula, it is no wonder why National Bodybuilding Co. Stage Ready Pre-Workout won for Best Pre-Workout in GI Supplement Awards.
Pros
An effective blend with solid benefits for muscle pumps, energy, and stamina
Patented ingredients and great taste
From a reputable company
Cons
Premium priced option
Only available directly from their site
Could use more beta alanine as a key ingredient
Price: $48.00
Click here for the best price
Check out our individual review for National Bodybuilding Co. Stage Ready here!
Best For Clean Ingredients: Performance Lab SPORT Pre
Stim Or No Stim
No Stim
Calories
0
Carbs
0g
Sugar
0g
Number Of Servings
20
Flavors
N/A
Best Way To Take
Take up to 6 capsules 30-45 minutes before your workout. Take on an empty stomach with 16-32 oz. of water
Performance Lab Sport Pre is another high-quality pre-workout supplement available to the public at a great price point, especially for men looking to improve their overall masculine health. Performance Lab Sport is one of the most rigorously scientifically vetted brands and all of their pre-workout products are free of synthetic additives (which might dehydrate the muscles), non-GMO, and vegan friendly. Sport “Pre” increases nitric oxide in the blood to support the oxygenation of muscles during workouts, improves endurance by hydrating the muscles, and enhances both anaerobic and aerobic exercise by increasing ATP reductase for the best benefits out of strength training, weight loss, and performance.
Pros
Vegan friendly
Capsules are easy to take
Will help with strength and endurance
Caffeine free for those looking for no caffeine
Cons
Premium priced option
Only available through their site
Price: $39.00
Click here for the best price
Best For Cutting: Transparent Labs PreSeries LEAN
Stim Or No Stim
Stim
Calories
0
Carbs
0g
Sugar
0g
Number Of Servings
30
Flavors
Sour Grape, Orange, Blue Raspberry, Tropical Punch, Strawberry Lemonade
Best Way To Take
Mix 1 scoop with 12-16 fl. oz. of water 20-30 minutes before your workout.
The perfect supplement for cutting, LEAN is great for those looking to target stubborn fat while keeping on that lean muscle. LEAN contains 6,000 mg of citrulline malate, 2,500 mg of betaine, 2,000 mg of BCAA, 1,500 mg of beta-alanine, and 600 mg of L-tyrosine to improve strength and muscle endurance, increase blood flow and nitric oxide levels, reduce fatigue, and improve memory. LEAN is great for those looking to slim down and encourage weight loss without losing that hard work done in the gym through your exercise performance from a great pre-workout powder with ingredients like citrulline malate and betaine.
Pros
Well-dosed and third party tested
All-natural ingredients
Good for cutting and increasing strength and power
Cons
Premium priced option
Only available directly from their site
Does not have the greatest ingredients for fat loss
Price: $49.00
Click here for the best price
Use the promo code GENIRON10 for 10% off! Plus, check out our individual review for Transparent Labs PreSeries LEAN here!
Best Pre-Workout Without Creatine: Kaged Muscle Pre-Kaged
Stim Or No Stim
Stim
Calories
15
Carbs
2g
Sugar
1g
Number Of Servings
20
Flavors
Berry Blast, Fruit Punch, Grape, Krisp Apple, Orange Kush, Pink Lemonade
Best Way To Take
Take one scoop with water before your workout.
Increase the performance and intensity of your workout with this high-quality pre-workout powder available from Kaged Muscle. Kaged Muscle Pre-Kaged is unmatched in terms of ingredient quality and synthesis of the blend of proteins. Kaged Muscle lab tests every batch to make sure each is fully loaded as advertised — 274 mg pure caffeine, 2 g taurine, 6.5 g fermented BCAAs, 6.5 g pure l-citrulline, and 2 g of their patented betapower blend. It’s an unbeatable combination that is guaranteed to supercharge any workout with great pre-workout ingredients from supplements to increase muscle and promote weight loss while working towards better masculine performance.
Pros
Contains BCAAs and has well-dosed ingredients
No artificial colors or flavors
Great taste
Cons
A bit expensive
Does contains sucralose, which is an artificial sweetener
Caffeine content may be high for those sensitive
Price: $39.99
Click here for the best price
Use code GENIRON10 to save 10%! Check out our individual review for Kaged Muscle Pre-Kaged here!
Benefits Of Pre-Workout For Muscle, Energy, Focus & Strength Training
For those looking into the benefits of what a pre-workout can do, the affects towards muscle growth and increased energy, as well as a host of others, have seriously dynamite results on our masculine performance and training goals. Benefits of a good pre-workout include:
Muscle growth and pumps: All of your strength training and muscle goals will be achieved by allowing more blood flow and increased pressure on those muscles to grow (1).
Increased energy and focus: More intense workouts as a result of better energy and focus to really stay locked in (2).
Reduction in fatigue: Provide for longer training sessions by burning calories to fuel your body with what it needs while reducing muscle soreness and promoting better masculine health.
Boost recovery: Allow you to bounce back faster and promote better growth for better and faster turn around time.
Better masculine performance: Overall this will aid in your performance goals and help you see the results you want most.
Pre-Workout Safety & Effectiveness On Masculine Performance
Although pre-workout supplements are not monitored by the FDA, they are safe on the whole for the general public. One of the main ingredients in most pre-workouts, being caffeine, can have negative affects on those sensitive or who are trying to avoid it, so always reading the label can ensure your masculine health is being taken care of.
A few side effects do exist for pre-workouts including dizziness, nausea, dehydration, and high blood pressure so it is important to monitor how much and when you take it so as to not disrupt any of your daily life goals. On the whole, pre-workouts can be beneficial towards muscle growth, energy, focus, and strength training but reading and knowing what you are taking can be more than beneficial.
Key Ingredients Of Pre-Workout
While each company has their own unique formula, there are some key ingredients that should be included in your pre-workout supplement to help boost all of your gains towards strength training and masculine performance.
Caffeine: Works to elevate energy and focus to be more alert and have a better workout without any sluggish feelings (3).
BCAAs: The building blocks of muscle protein synthesis, these will help with muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and a reduction in fatigue (4).
Beta-Alanine: Acts as a buffer for pH levels to push past fatigue and increase energy.
Creatine: Makes adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to help fuel your muscles and boost overall performance (5).
L-Citrulline: Boosts nitric oxide and helps maintain good blood flow for increased pumps by changing to L-arginine.
Betaine: Is great for muscle growth and power by producing carnitine to elevate strength training and masculine performance (6).
How Does Pre-Workout Affect Muscle Growth & Masculine Performance
Pre-workout and it’s affect on muscle growth and masculine performance depend on the ingredients included in each respective formula. Creatine is perfect for increased strength by increasing the levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which will provide for energy and better strength training. Something like citrulline malate can deliver oxygen and nutrients to your muscles to provide fuel and will work as a great way to boost muscle pumps, something that will pay off in the long run when it comes to masculine performance (7).
What About Energy & Focus
For energy and focus, certain ingredients like caffeine and L-theanine can provide for energy and allow you to be alert for whatever comes your way. By targeting the right receptors, you will be dialed in and ready to take on any workout that comes your way. This will also add to your motivation to really enhance strength training and muscle growth.
How We Choose
When it comes to choosing the best pre-workouts for men, we wanted to create a list to reflect what you want, need, and deserve out of your supplements. The reputation of the brand is very important for a top tier company will use only the best ingredients to boost all areas of your gains. Having an effective product is very important and should not be overlooked when it comes to boosting masculine performance and strength training. Price is very important because we know how expensive supplements can be when it comes to boosting your muscle and strength training goals. We sought the best supplements that are still affordable enough to not break the bank but still give you everything you want and need out of your pre-workout for men.
FAQ Section
What is the best pre-workout for men?
Transparent Labs PreSeries BULK. This is an effective pre-workout with clinically dosed ingredients for those looking to increase strength and muscle size while also looking to bulk and boost masculine performance. From an honest and transparent company, you can’t go wrong with this clean pre-workout void of all artificial colorings, additives, and preservatives.
Do stimulant-free pre-workouts exist?
Stim-free per-workouts do exist and can work well when it comes to your strength training goals without any unwanted stimulants. With an increase demand for stim-free products, many companies have shifted their focus including these in their pre-workout repertoire.
Check out some amazing stim-free pre-workout supplements here!
Are pre-workout supplements safe?
Although pre-workouts are not monitored by the FDA, they are safe for public use. With potential side effects like dizziness, nausea, dehydration, and high blood pressure, it is important to always read the label for proper directions on how to take each respective pre-workout.
When should I take my pre-workout?
This depends on the product, but it is ideal to take pre-workout somewhere around 30 minutes before your workout. This will allow time for all of those nutrients to hit your body properly so you can work as effectively as possible.
What are the differences in pre-workouts for masculine health and performance over those for women?
The main differences are ingredients and dosing. Men and women have different respective needs and your supplements should also reflect that. Caffeine for example tends to be slightly higher in masculine pre-workouts since men tend to weigh more. It really depends on your goals and how the company has properly dosed each pre-workout.
Check out our list of the Best Pre-Workout Supplements For Muscle Building for more great pre-workout products!
Wrap Up
A great pre-workout supplement for men can work to provide benefits towards muscle, energy, focus, strength training, and masculine performance and should not be overlooked in your supplementation routine. While it is best to have a well-rounded supplementation routine, a high-quality pre-workout can work to provide for all those muscle gains and strength training goals that you need most. Finding the right supplement to boost masculine performance and health can really boost all the needs of active men. Check out this list of the Best Pre-Workout Supplements For Men and see what these can do for your strength training and masculine performance goals today.
Generation Iron may receive commissions on purchases made through our links. See our disclosure page for more information.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
References
Kedia, A.; Hofheins, J.; Habowski, S.; Ferrando, Arny; et al. (2014). “Effects of a Pre workout Supplement on Lean Mass, Muscular Performance, Subjective Workout Experience and Biomarkers of Safety”. (source)
Ellerbroek, Anya C.; Antonio, Jose (2019). “Effects of Pre-Workout Supplements on Strength, Endurance, and Mood”. (source)
McLellan, Tom M.; Caldwell, John A.; Lieberman, Harris R. (2016). “A review of caffeine’s effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance”. (source)
Negro, M.; Giardina, S.; Marzani, B.; Marzatico, F. (2008). “Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system”. (source)
Kreider, Richard B. (2003). “Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations”. (source)
Yu, Zhu-Lin; Zhang, Ling-Yu; Jiang, Xiao-Ming; Xue, Chang-Hu; Chi, Naiqui; Zhang, Tian-Tian; Wang, Yu-Ming (2020). “Effects of dietary choline, betaine, and L-carnitine on the generation of trimethylamine-N-oxide in healthy mice”. (source)
Outlaw, Jordan J.; Wilborn, Colin D.; Smith-Ryan, Abbie E.; Hayward, Sara E.; et al. (2014). “Acute effects of a commercially-available pre-workout supplement on markers of training: a double-blind study”. (source)
Milos Sarcev Full Interview | Steroids, Insulin, & PEDs In Bodybuilding
Watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Milos Sarcev.
Milos Sarcev is a former competitive bodybuilder turned coach who has had significant sway in the industry over the past few decades. He has been open about steroid use in the sport (even calling it healthy). He was also the first big proponent of insulin use in bodybuilding. This arguably was responsible for a massive shift in the sport – making the drug more commonly used in the industry.
That’s why we connected with Milos Sarcev for a long form interview to discuss in-depth all things bodybuilding including his controversial views on steroids, insulin, and synthol. Typical to Milos, he holds nothing back and gives his full in-depth opinion.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with Milos Sarcev. Now we’re releasing the full length interview including topics such as whether or not steroids are healthy, the proper use of insulin in bodybuilding, and the moment he almost died from using synthol.
Listen To Our Milos Sarcev 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 Milos Sarcev interview here:
Milos Sarcev: “Steroids Are Healthy For Bodybuilders”
When asked about the health of bodybuilders and their ability to recover from illness – Milos Sarcev jumped straight into the conversation about steroid use. He explains that steroids are used, when prescribed, for an amazing amount of things that help people become more healthy. Help them recover after major accidents. Help them maintain testosterone levels when they drop as they get older. They are used to help fight certain infections and illnesses. So Milos argues – why are steroids being called unhealthy when used for sports?
Milos goes on to argue that the side effects listed for a wide variety of other drugs available at pharmacies match if not exceed the kind of risks steroids might bring. But for some reason steroids are villainized. Athletes who use them are seen as druggies or dope fiends. Milos Sarcev finds this reputation unfounded. He thinks that bodybuilders and athletes who use steroids are likely healthier than most people.
Of course, Milos does concede that overuse can be dangerous. But this is true of any drug. It can be true of headache medication you get over the counter. And that’s part of the problem. By regulating and banning steroid use in sports – it makes information harder to find. It makes young athletes use these PEDs incorrectly and risk their health. If it was allowed for open use – athletes would be even healthier. There would be no increase in deaths or serious health issues.
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Check out the full uncut GI Exclusive with Milos Sarcev above!
Insulin Isn’t Dangerous, Uninformed People Are Dangerous
Milos Sarcev claims to be the man who brought insulin into the sport of bodybuilding. And he still stands by its use today. He believes it is a vital part of evolving the sport and allowing athletes to push the bar to the next level. In regards to health, he thinks the drug isn’t dangerous so long as the person using it is informed and educated about its use.
We’ve interviewed other coaches and gurus who disagree with Milos’ sentiments. In our previous conversation with George Farah – he admits that he regrets jumping on the insulin bandwagon when it was first introduced. Now looking back, Farah believes that insulin shouldn’t be used at all by bodybuilders.
Of course, it must be made clear that the way insulin is being used by bodybuilders is not how it was intended to be utilized. Insulin as a drug has very specific uses that can be prescribed by a doctor. Becoming a mass monster bodybuilder is not one of them.
Milos Sarcev couldn’t care less about what doctors believe. Milos used insulin throughout majority of his competitive career. He’s suggested it to many athletes as well. He understands that doctors must lean on the safe side when condoning or endorsing drugs for casual use. But Milos believes the reality is that it makes perfect scientific sense for a bodybuilder to use the drug. But like with any drug, it must be used correctly.
Wrap Up
Our conversation with Milos Sarcev covered far more topics than could be discussed in this article. We also discuss the dangers of diuretics, his near death experience with synthol, and the topic of bodybuilding gurus. You can watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Milos above!