Muscle Chemistry Archive
5 Tips for Finding Yourself a Workout Partner
How to Find a Good Workout Partner
If you train alone, you are leaving a lot of gains on the table. People who hit the gym with a training partner would agree a workout partner can help you take your workouts to a new level.
A good training partner can be the constant source of support (both mental and physical) and motivation you need. Finding the right training partner is easier said than done. You want a training partner who adds to your workouts and not someone who eats away your time and focus by chatting throughout your time in the gym.
Look for Someone More Advanced
You need a training partner who will push you to your limits in the gym, so it’s better to look for someone who has more experience as compared to you. A partner who is on an advanced level can teach you about the sport and help you reach your goals more efficiently.
A training partner who is on an advanced stage will probably be using advanced training techniques to make his workouts more intense. It’ll be in your best interest to piggyback on your partner’s knowledge and experience. One of you will get the better part of the deal, so it better be you.
Discipline is the Key
You’ll need army-like discipline if you want to succeed at bodybuilding. Look for people who are at the gym at the same time every day. Obviously, you too will need to be regular to the gym to take note.
Discipline doesn’t end at showing up at the gym. Your training partner should be disciplined in his workouts. You don’t want to workout with someone who would leave an exercise in the middle to go and talk to someone, miss a workout for dinner with friends, or skip the gym because the day was too long.
Your Partner Doesn’t Necessarily Need to Workout with You
It is okay if you can’t find the right workout partner in your gym. Don’t make the mistake of settling for someone who will deteriorate the quality of your workouts. You can look for someone on virtual platforms who shares the same passion for fitness as you.
These types of workout partners are great for accountability. If you have a friend who is a fitness freak, you can keep each other accountable by sharing your goals, workouts, pictures, and nutrition.
Stay Clear of Gym Bros
If you’re a beginner, you should stay away from gym bros. Gym bros love to impress the rookies with their knowledge. The only caveat being, there is a high probability the bros have no idea what they’re talking about.
If you’re a beginner, you would want to train with someone who is fitter than you, but don’t punch above your weight class. When you join a gym don’t try to train with an athlete who is getting ready to step on stage for a show.
On the other hand, if you’re an advanced athlete and can’t find someone who can teach you stuff, take someone who shows the burning desire to transform his physique under your wing.
Be Ready to Part Ways
After you find a workout partner, it isn’t necessary things will go out as you would have wanted. Problems like not being accountable to each other, the workout style and goals, indiscipline can spoil your relationship and workouts.
If you train with someone and he misses a workout, it could negatively affect your workout. If any of the problems creep up, it’s better to call it quits and go back to training alone or look for someone new. Sounds a lot like dating, right?
Do you train with a partner? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
How The Liver King Works Out For Full Body Gains
This workout from Liver King is a full body workout for strength and conditioning.
Brian Johnson, or more commonly known as Liver King, is an entrepreneur and social media personality who practices Ancestral Living, which involves a series of tenets all working to bring you closer to your environment. With a massive following on social media, he posts videos of his crazy diets and workouts while still inspiring others.
Most of the time, we try to find workouts from bodybuilders or those strength sports athlete we admire. As fans, we want to mimic what they do so we can look as good as they do. And with so many people online claiming to know exactly what to do, it can be challenging to dive in and tell who is just lying. But once in a while someone like Liver King comes along. He’s relatable, fun, and absolutely jacked, and we want to watch. Video after video, we just can’t seem to stop.
The fascination with Liver King lies in what we see as an interesting lifestyle we would never follow. But Liver King’s goal is to get us to understand the power behind Ancestral Living and what it can do for the human mind, body, and spirit. His workouts are hard and engaging and diet is unique. But he is fun. He is someone we want to watch and imitate and thankfully he shares his process online.
Full Name: Brian Johnson (a.k.a. Liver King)
Profession
Era
Nationality
Entrepreneur, Social Media Personality
2010
American
This workout is a 30 minute, full body circuit designed to hit all your muscles as it builds strength as well as conditioning. Essentially this is a long HIIT workout, so it will make you sweat, get that heart rate up, and help you see those gains you want most.
About Liver King
Brian Johnson had everything going great in his life. He was running successful businesses and had a loving family. But things changed when his son had a medical complication and needed immediate attention. While his son survived, no expert had a real answer to give.
This launched Brian’s journey into a more natural approach to living, especially eating. But this natural approach did not just stop with his diet. He began to live it. Through hunting, lifting, sleeping, and everything about his life, Brian has switched to Ancestral Living.
Ancestral Living is the idea that we connect with our environment and get back to the roots of the relationship between human and environment. Connecting to the Earth and finding your primal self leads to better living and a better connection to the world around you.
With a large following on social media, Brian promotes this style of living while posting fun and entertaining videos of his workouts, diet, and way of life. Seeking to inspire change, he uses his platform to promote his message and seeing his popularity grow, it is certainly working.
Liver King Workout
This workout from Liver King is a massive circuit style workout that will take 30 minutes consisting of only four exercises. This shows us that you can get an effective workout to add to your shredded physique without spending hours in the gym. Focusing on hypertrophy and conditioning, this workout covers all your bases and will definitely leave you wanting more.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Handstand Push-Ups
5-10
10
Deadlifts
5-10
10
Tire Strikes
5-10
10
Rowing Machine
5-10
10 Calories
Handstand Push-Ups
Handstand Push-Ups are great for working your triceps, shoulders, and chest and requires plenty of coordination to stay balanced and stable. A great exercise to build muscle, what it really does it strengthen those stabilizer muscles to support those larger ones better.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are obviously a great exercise to work on strength in your back and legs while also reinforcing proper form. It is helpful for both functional and sport specific movements, depending on your overall goals.
Tire Strikes
A great strength builder while also getting your heart rate going, Tire Strikes work to also enhance grip strength along with speed and power. An engaging exercise, it will add diversity into your workout while you smash away.
Rowing Machine
The rowing machine is a great piece of equipment to build strength while also endurance and it is a low impact workout. Requiring good posture, it will also reinforce form and works as a nice alternative to other machines.
Best Supplements For Post-Workout Growth
Post-workout recovery time is key and while lifting weights and having a tough workout can spark that muscle growth, it is in recovery where we genuinely see gains happen. The right supplements can make or break this time and knowing which ones will be most beneficial is important. Definitely check out a great protein powder, for this will boost all areas of your muscle growth and recovery, as well as work for satiety and weight loss. Creatine is great for building strength and size while mass gainers will pump you with loads of macronutrients so you build seriously efficient mass. For overnight repair, casein protein is great for feeding our bodies even as we sleep.
Wrap Up
This workout from Liver King is sure to fire up your lungs and muscles as it is a true grind. Working hard and really diving into the world of Ancestral Living is also interesting and as part of Liver King’s mission, he truly stands by this. While having a good training routine and strict diet can work wonders for you, it is important to also understand how we treat our bodies as a whole. Staying physically fit is one thing, staying mentally sharp is different. Give this workout from Liver King a try and see what it can do for your full body gains today.
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
Best Syringes for Steroid Injection on Amazon
Steroids are used for different functions in the body. Apart from reducing inflammation and cancer management as one of the drug regimens, athletics use steroids to improve muscle functioning and strength. The usefulness of steroids can only be achieved through appropriate administration in the body. In athletics, steroids are administered intramuscularly. In this respect, administration requires syringes to deliver the necessary quantity of the steroids into the body.
Amazon is one of the leading global markets where one can virtually order and get their products. Concerning the use of steroids, Amazon provides a platform where equipment can be obtained for a steroid injection. Being one of the bestselling platforms, it harbors different steroid injection equipment. In this paper, we shall discuss the best syringes on Amazon used for a steroid injection. The paper shall look at other syringes and provide information on the best available equipment for administering steroids among the users.
Equipment for steroid injection
Like any other drug administered through an intramuscular route, steroid administration requires different equipment. These include the syringes, needle, and swab. Usually, the syringes come with the appropriate needle for use. Some packages contain the packed syringes alone and the packed needles alone. Therefore, the user has to attach the needle to the syringe before use.
Syringes are used to hold the drugs before administration. Usually, the syringes are calibrated depending on the size of the syringe to ensure accurate measurement of the desired amount of steroid to administer. Currently, non-calibrated syringes are not preferred as they do not offer the opportunity to measure the number of steroids to use. The calibration should be as precise as possible for accurate measurement as well. The calibration should be to the lowest level of accuracy, such as 0.1mL, to allow for only a small margin of inaccuracy. This is because steroids when taken more than needed, cause harm to the body the undesired effects. These adverse effects bore unwelcoming outcomes and jeopardizes the therapeutic effects desired. Therefore, the minimal allowable point of error, the better for the user.
Related Article:: Which needles and syringes are best for steroids’ use?
Syringes for Steroid
Syringes for Steroid come in different sizes depending on the amount of steroids to administer. There are 25ml, 10mL, and 5mL, among others. Therefore, the use of appropriate size is essential during steroid injection. The syringe withdraws steroid drug following a principle of negative pressure. Pulling the plunger causes negative pressure that sucks the steroid into the created vacuum to the desired level. The administration of the steroid drugs into the body requires the use of the plunge, which should be pushed to squeeze the drug out of the barrel into the body, intramuscular layer for the body to utilize the drug.
Needles for injection
Needles are essential components in steroid use and for the syringe. Some syringes come with an attached needle while coming alone, and therefore, appropriate needles need to be sorted for use. Needles are stuck on the front of the syringe and are used for two main purposes. They are used to withdraw drugs into the syringe and deliver the drug into the body. The needle can be sharp or blunt to penetrate the skin and the body into the muscular layer to allow drug delivery by pushing the plunger on the syringe. By breaking the skin barrier, they evoke relative pain depending on the size of the needle used. The size varies with the age and the size of the syringe.
Appropriate size should be chosen depending on the patient to deliver the drug to the desired intramuscular site. Using the small needle on an individual will result in the drug being given subcutaneously and not intramuscular. While the use of the larger needle size will lead to the drugs deliver much deeper. This affects drug absorption into the body and the resultant effect on the effects since the dosage calculated to give the impact when administered intramuscularly. Sharp needles, preferred for use since they cause a much faster penetration into the body and leave small areas of skin breach, causing minimal tissue damage and pain.
Injections
It as well causes minimal to no bleeding from the injection site. However, a blunt needle will require a lot of force to inject, cause a much larger skin breach, and resultant extensive damage to the skin, evoking more pain and bleeding from the site. Therefore, sharp needles are much preferred and best-selling syringe devices on Amazon.
Related Article:: Steroid Injection For Back Pain That Works
A sterile swab is an essential component in the use of syringes and steroid injections. The swab allows for cleaning the injection site, thus reducing translocation of the pathogen into the body. Therefore, before the steroid injected, it is crucial to clean the injection site with a sterile moist swab. There are different types of swabs, but the preferred and the best-selling ones are those with alcohol or spirit impregnated in them for sterilizing the skin before injection. The dry swab is not as such preferred since they do not offer adequate cleaning of the surface. The following are different types of best-selling syringes on amazon.
1ml Reduced Dead Space Syringe Barrel
The syringe barrel has a displacement spike which serves to aid in reducing the dead space in the syringe. Dead space tent to waste the amount of drug. Therefore, this product is preferred because it minimizes on wastage of drugs by 50 percent. In addition, it is of low cost, thus saves on the expenditure, and the syringe is of high quality. However, despite fitting all the Luer fit needles, it may not be compatible with all the total dosages. This limitation reduces their effectiveness in the market as one of the syringes for a steroid injection.
2ml Never Share Syringe: Blue
This syringe is color-coded to prevent reusing among different users. This advantage confers the advantage of avoiding sharing of syringes that would risk infection transmission. In addition, the syringe has extra security and has a clear marking with volume up to 2.5ml. The rubber is smooth, thus allowing easier withdrawal of steroids and a more straightforward injection of the same.
> > Never Share Syringe: BLUE LUER LOCK SYRINGE BARREL
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic Roster Has Been Announced
Here are the strongmen who received invitations to the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic!
The 2022 Arnold Sports Festival is set to take place from March 3-6, 2022 in Columbus, OH. This is the first time that this event is preparing to take place in full in over two years. The festivities from 2020 and 2021 saw cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because this was disrupted last year, there was not a chance for athletes to qualify for the 2022 competition.
The roster has been announced for the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic. This was an invitational contest. Like the 2021 Rogue Invitational, strongmen had to receive an invitation to compete in the event. There was not a need to qualify for this specific competition.
The official roster of strongmen was announced on Thursday. Bobby Thompson will act as an alternate in the case that any competitor is forced to withdraw for any reason. Check out the full list of athletes below, along with the breakdown of prize money.
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic Roster
Maxime Boudreault
JF Caron
Rob Kearney
Mateusz Kieliszkowski
Martins Licis
Evgeny Markov
Trey Mitchell
Oleksii Novikov
Luke Stoltman
Tom Stoltman
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic Prize Breakdown
First Place — $80,000
Second Place — $25,000
Third Place — $20,000
Fourth Place — $15,000
Fifth Place — $13,000
Sixth Place — $8,000
Seventh Place — $7,000
Eighth Place — $6,000
Ninth Place — $5,000
10th Place — $3,000
There are many World’s Strongest Man titles, along with other victories, that will be present during the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic. With this being the first full event in over two years, there is bound to be plenty of excitement that comes with each show. The strongmen will certainly put on a display that will be must-see action.
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.
Kayla Rowling Praises Natural Bodybuilding for Balancing Yin and Yang
Kayla Rowling thanks natural bodybuilding for balancing masculine and feminine energy.
If you were tuned in to 2021 Natural Olympia this past November, you might remember the stunning Kayla Rowling. She was the champion of the Bikini Divas Open division and back-to-back winner. In the Bikini Divas class, contestants are judged on their presentation, individuality, and sex appeal. So not only do you need to be toned and look good, but you have to present yourself in a way that’s alluring to the judges.
Kayla Rowling believes balancing and cultivating her masculine, and feminine energies played a role in her success. And she credits natural bodybuilding for helping her find this equilibrium. On an Instagram (IG) post posted on November 23, 2021, Rowling said:
“Lifting weights is very masculine and I need it, but bodybuilding gives you the best of both worlds. Once you understand the right amounts you need of both you are completely balanced and you feel whole.”
Here’s the IG post below where Kayla Rolwing goes into detail on how you can increase your feminine energy:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWoVn8aPVQO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Kayla Rowling is proof of how powerful these energies are for success. In 2019, Rowling placed 15th at Natural Olympia yet was able to earn a champion medal within two years. On IG, she voiced, “Everyone wants to avoid pain and seek out pleasure. I do the opposite!”
Masculine and Feminine Energy
According to Chinese philosophy, Yin is your feminine energy, and Yang is your masculine energy. Masculine energy represents fire, and feminine energy represents water. Power and fierce come to mind when you think of fire. Whereas with water, you muse therapeutic and healing. In a sense, both of these are analogically linked to your traits. The masculine side symbolizes strength, purpose, competitiveness, and decisiveness. Feminine energy denotes intuitiveness, empathy, and passion.
Both are important for you to feel happy and fulfilled. And letting one get out of whack can wreak havoc on all areas of your life – health, relationships, and career. With too much masculine energy, it leads to anger and ego. In contrast, an overflow of feminine energy can make you frail. A fluid dance between the two is the key to balancing these powerful energies.
On IG, Rowling stated:
“When you are in your feminine energy, you have a strong connection to your body and your intuition, and you make decisions based on what you feel in your heart. It’s what you tap into when you are being creative and inspired. It loves beauty, is fluid, empathetic, passionate, and flows from moment to moment like the waters of a river.
Masculine is all about taking action; loves to build (weight lifting) and loves to fix things. Masculine energies are strong, decisive, competitive, likes to win and break through barriers. Its energy is logical and rational.”
Final Word
Balancing your masculine and feminine energy is being harmonious to help you achieve your dreams. Fortunately, weightlifting is a great way to stabilize your Yin and Yang for all the fellow lifting brothers and sisters. So if there’s any other excuse you need to bang metal and plates around, honing your energy is a force to be reckoned with.
Generation Iron would like to congratulate Kayla Rowling for her success at 2021 Natural Olympia. And the positive energy she spreads to others.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay updated with your favorite natural bodybuilders!
A Deep Dive Into Fat Burner Ingredients & Why They Matter
These ingredients should be in your fat burners so you see only the best results.
Most of us struggle with losing fat and turn to fat burners as a supplemental aid. We train hard, focus on a strict diet, and have the right mindset to tackle all that we need to but it just doesn’t seem to be enough. So, we turn to those supplements that we feel are best to assist us on our journey. While a fat burner isn’t a magic pill to suddenly look cut, it can give us that boost we need to start to shed calories and burn away that unwanted fat.
A good fat burner will provide us with premium ingredients to kickstart our metabolism and suppress appetite, among other benefits, as we seek that extra boost. What comes in your supplement matters for it affects not only your results, but your overall health. Losing fat can be hard, but for those of us dedicated bodybuilders and athletes, it is essential that we hold as little fat as possible. The results we want most matter and having a supplement like a fat burner by our side can make all the difference.
Let’s take a look at the best ingredients for fat burning supplements so you know what to look for. Companies may try and pull a fast one by sneaking ingredients in your supplement that just don’t need to be there and if you know what to look for, you can better monitor which supplements you choose to buy.
All About Fat Burners
Fat burners are highly effective supplements for those looking to burn fat and work towards that desired physique. Typically in pill form, these do come in powder on some occasions, but either way you get a healthy dose of great ingredients all working towards your fat loss goals. When it comes to fat burners, however, often times companies may try and sneak certain ingredients in that just don’t need to be there. That is why knowing what is in your supplement can greatly benefit you as you look to maximize training and performance, as well as optimize your overall health.
With plenty of benefits, fat burning supplements can:
Kickstart metabolism for increase energy and more calorie burn.
Maintain lean muscle for better muscle maintenance and to preserve your hard earned gains.
Suppress appetite to eliminate hunger and snacking.
Boost cognitive function as a result of increased energy and more focus and alertness.
Check out our list of the Best Fat Burners for more great products!
Key Ingredients To Look For In Fat Burners
Let’s take a look at some key ingredients to look for in your fat burners. With powerful formulas all containing great ingredients, it can be hard to choose which supplement is better. We’re here to help with this ingredient guide so you know exactly what to look for.
Caffeine is a great ingredient for it will increase thermogenesis for better fat burn and energy. It will also increase your level of alertness and raise focus for better cognitive function (1).
Cayenne Pepper Extract
Cayenne pepper extract works to increase your metabolism for better calorie burn and as a natural ingredient, you are getting the benefits in a safe and effective way. It will also work to increase thermogenesis.
Green Tea Extract
Green tea extract is another great natural ingredient to enhance thermogenesis in your body and provide you with powerful antioxidants (2).
L-Carnitine
L-carnitine works to move fatty acids around to promote fat breakdown and make weight loss more efficient. By doing this, it increases energy and allows you to train harder, thus burning more calories.
Forskolin is one of those appetite suppression and craving-control ingredients. By working to lessen hunger you work towards better weight management. This works by releasing stored fat which will then be used for energy.
L-Theanine
L-theanine works to lower blood pressure and counteract the effects of caffeine, being jitters and possible crashes. However, you still have the positive benefit of increased energy (3).
5-HTP, short for 5-hydroxytryptohan, can work towards appetite suppression and weight loss by eliminating snacking.
HMB is a great aid in cutting calories and working to preserve lean body mass while promoting muscle maintenance. This ensures you work towards more definition and that sculpted physique (4).
Glucomannan
Glucomannan acts as a sugar reductor and can lead to less snacking while curbing your appetite so you only feel hungry when you actually need to.
Synephrine
Synephrine helps weight loss by increasing your metabolism and working towards fat breakdown and is a powerful ingredient in these supplements (5).
Best Fat Burning Supplements For Weight Loss & Physique Goals
When all is said and done, proper training and a strict diet are what you need to lose that desired fat for the best results. But fat burners can give you that boost you want most by kickstarting your metabolism and working to burn more calories all while keeping on that lean muscle. A good fat burner will certainly help get the job done, but as said before, it isn’t necessarily a magic pill. It is just another way to help you on your weight loss journey. If you are sensitive to stimulants or avoiding them, there are stimulant-free fat burners that can provide for the same results.
For those interested in a more natural approach, consider a CLA supplement, for it can work towards your weight loss goals in tandem with your diet.
Check out our list of the Best Fat Burners for more great fat burning products!
Wrap Up
When it comes to our supplements we should know exactly what is in them and our fat burners are no different. We deserve the best and by learning what should be in supplements, we can better monitor as we seek to only consume the best for the best results. Check out these ingredients above and make sure they are on the label next time you go to purchase your fat burning supplement.
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
Tabrizi, Reza; Saneei, Parvane; Lankarani, Kamran B.; Akbari, Maryam; et al. (2019). “The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials”. (source)
Hursel, R.; Viechtbauer, W.; Westerterp-Plantega, M. S. (2009). “The effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance: a meta-analysis”. (source)
Nobre, Anna C.; Rao, Anling; Owen, Gail N. (2008). “L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state”. (source)
Portal, Shawn; Eliakim, Alon; Nemet, Dan; Halevy, Orna; Zadik, Zvi (2010). “Effect of HMB supplementation on body composition, fitness, hormonal profile and muscle damage indices”. (source)
Gutierrez-Hellin, Jorge; Del Coso, Juan (2018). “Effects of p-Synephrine and Caffeine Ingestion on Substrate Oxidation during Exercise”. (source)
John Haack Completes Massive 600-Pound Bench Press In Training
John Haack continues to put up huge numbers during training sessions.
There is no doubt that John Haack is one of the top powerlifters in the 90kg division. He has been on a tear recently — both in competition and in training. Recently, Haack completed another monstrous lift in the gym.
Haack continues to get stronger and stronger each time he shares a lift on social media. He recently took to Instagram to share his latest accomplishment on the bench. Haack accomplished a 600-pound bench press, which is more than his heaviest competition lift.
“Joining the 600lb bench clubs feels oh so good.”
John Haack’s heaviest bench press in competition is 579.8 pounds. Here, he was able to unofficially beat his own record with a 600.8-pound lift. Haack competes in the 90kg division but his weight at the time of this lift was not specified.
Haack has set many records in this division. He currently holds the world record and became the only 90kg competitor to total over 1,000kg in competition. During the Bucked Up Showdown, Haack totaled 1,005.5kg (2,216.8lb), including breaking the deadlift world record of 410kg (903.9lb). This is where he really solidified himself as one of the best in the world.
There has been plenty of reactions to John Haack’s recent lift. It is always special when the all-time record holder acknowledges a lift. Julius Maddox currently holds the raw bench press world record. He is looking to become the first person to ever bench press 800 pounds raw. He took the time to comment on Haack’s recent Instagram post showing off his lift. Maddox simply said “This is crazy.”
Crazy indeed. Haack has made a huge name for himself in powerlifting but 2022 could hold much more. There has been talks about Haack preparing for a massive year going up. With just three weeks left in 2021, Haack is beginning to heat up in the gym and this gives some hints that he is preparing for something special.
This would not be the first time that John Haack made some noise on stage. Haack has been seen competing some massive deadlifts and now he is adding huge bench press numbers to the list. Do not be surprised to see even more weight being put on the barbell moving forward.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Muscle Doc Jordan Shallow On The Stigma And Vast Misconceptions Of Chiropractors
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Jordan Shallow, aka The Muscle Doc, breaks down the realities behind chiropractors and their place for bodybuilders.
Dr. Jordan Shallow is probably best known in media as The Muscle Doc. He’s a Chiropractor, Strength and Conditioning Coach, and hosts the RX’D RADIO podcast. He’s a vastly knowledgable person when it comes to fitness, bodybuilding, and strength sports. Which is why we connected with him to discuss a wide range of topics. In our latest GI Exclusive, Jordan Shallow debunks myths about chiropractors and evaluates their relationship with pro bodybuilding.
The world seems to have a love/hate relationship with Chiropractors. Some people believe they are a total scam, while others swear by them. And even those in the middle seem to be disappointed if a chiropractor can’t accomplish the healing that a patient is looking for. Dr. Jordan Shallow is a chiropractor himself – and spent some time during our GI Exclusive interview detailing the realities behind the profession. He also explains why the public has such a complicated relationship to it.
During our discussion about Chiropractors, Jordan Shallow was hesitant to give any blanket advice. The reason for this, is that every patient’s body is different. There is no general rule of how, when, or why to use a chiropractor. In fact, he wouldn’t want to trust any chiropractor that did provide black and white general advice.
This is because chiropractors are a form of manual therapy vs traditional medicine. Traditional medicine is often consistent. You know what you will get when you go to a typical doctor’s visit. But a chiropractor visit can be vastly different depending on who is your doctor and what your specific needs are.
“Say what you want about conventional medicine – I know what I’m going to get when I got to a doctor’s office,” Jordan Shallow states in our interview. He continues:
“For better or worse, at least it’s consistent. Which I think is one thing people are always hesitant with when approaching manual therapies of any kind. Is the relative inconsistency, especially at the level of chiropractor, of wha the treatment is going to look like.”
Jordan Shallow points out that the consistency of a traditional doctor can be a blessing and a curse. It means both successes and failures for your ailment will be relatively consistent. Whereas manual therapies like a chiropractor can open your options and provide relief where a traditional doctor might otherwise not be able to.
That being said, there is such a wide variety of approaches a chiropractor can take – which can lead to trial and error for a patient’s experience. This can often lead to frustration for the patient. On top of this, there are pop culture references that often depict chiropractors a certain way – which might flavor the opinion of a potential patient before ever even visiting a chiropractor.
On top of this, the advent of social media has also allowed for viral videos to mislead people on chiropractors as well. Jordan Shallow mentions Tik Tok chiropractors that “Jean Claude Van Damme people’s heads off” that are more stunt than they are realistic therapies that should be used in a professional environment.
So where do chiropractors come in for bodybuilding? We’ve seen across many pro bodybuilders’ socials and also many time in our very own films that top pros often go to chiropractors. Jordan Shallow had some words on that as well. Most specifically the instrument assist soft tissue mobilization (aka the metal bar you see make pro bodybuilders scream like babies).
Jordan Shallow thinks this is a case where it’s become over-popular. That many bodybuilders believe that it’s breaking up scar tissue – which in Shallow’s opinion is impossible. If it were breaking up scar tissue, the pressure needed would also break the person’s bones. So what he’s seeing here with this popular chiropractic tactic is that a little of this bar probably helps somehow on a neurological or vascular level.
The reason it has become so popular seems to be tied into something called “dose dependent relationships.” It’s a concept that Jordan Shallow believes bodybuilders are predisposed to getting tied up into. He explains in our interview –
“Bodybuilders get tied into what’s called a dose dependent relationship. If some is good, more is better. And we’ve seen this play out to the detriment over the last six months it seems but we all fall victim to it man. When I first started training I was like, ‘Wait creatine can make me bigger? So if 20 grams is good, 40 grams must be better – you’re an idiot.”
Jordan Shallow doesn’t see this as a problem unless it gets out of hand. In fact, as is mentioned in the quote above, he thinks it’s a part of what everyone goes through as they learn more about strength and fitness.
So it would see that chiropractors, like most things, is far more complicated than can be explained in pop culture or in broad media profiling. Ultimately, it depends on each individual to decide what is right for them. And as with any medical profession – doing your own personal due diligence to ensure the person you are working with is an actual professional.
You can watch Jordan Shallow’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above. And make sure to stick around in the coming weeks for more excerpts from our in-depth conversation with The Muscle Doc!
Breon Ansley Speaks On Oxygen Gym: ‘My Personal Experience Was Incredible’
Breon Ansley had positive things to say about his experience at Oxygen Gym in Kuwait.
It seems as though opinions on Oxygen Gym in Kuwait will vary depending on which athlete you ask. The gym has received criticism from some who have trained there because of its intense nature. This is an establishment that is known for rushing the limits. This training style is not right for everyone but it is hard to argue with some of the results.
Oxygen Gym, which is owned by Bader Budai, has produced some elite competitors in the sport of bodybuilding. Recently, two-time Olympia Classic Physique champion Breon Ansley sang the praises of the gym. In a recent interview, Ansley described his experiences, which he described as “positive.”
“I would say my experience, my personal experience was incredible. I had the utmost support from Bader. I had Chris out there. You know, all of the guys. You know that trained in the gym. All of the competitors and just regular gym-goers, they were all great and all supportive. Yeah, everything was great. Everything was absolutely wonderful.”
There have been plenty of contrary statements made about the gym. Regan Grimes recently spoke about his experiences in Kuwait. He explained how he gained 40 pounds in a short amount of time and the trainers were not thrilled about him going home. Grimes admitted that the style of training works but he was not for him. Also, reigning two-time Olympia champion Big Ramy left the gym back in 2018 after exercise regiments and increased supplements kept getting pushed harder and harder.
On the other end is Brandon Curry. The former Olympia champ and two-time runner-up still trains at Oxygen Gym. Breon Ansley explained how he used to room with Curry in Kuwait and how the presence of other bodybuilders adds to the overall energy.
“Yeah and the energy with Rolly in there and Ramy at the time, Ahmad was in there training. Ahmad Axomoni, yeah and Brandon, and shit, I was roommates with Brandon. We stayed together so that was really cool. So yeah nothing but great things for me to say about the experience there in Kuwait at the Oxygen Gym. My ears haven’t been on the streets to what’s going on, so I don’t know what happened.”
Breon Ansley continues to train hard at age 42. He continues to be one of the top competitors in Classic Physique. Ansley is a two-time champion and has three consecutive top-three finishes, including back-to-back bronze medals.
The 2021 Olympia saw many young competitors stop up and finish in the top five. Ansley does not feel like his age is a disadvantage. In fact, quit the opposite.
““Oh, I feel it’s an advantage. Because it’s just as well, we were talking about, the maturity. The quality of the muscle, you know. I feel now that, even with, even with certain little nagging stuff I have, when I am close to 100% my strength, my strength stride is the highest that it’s ever been.”
The overall confidence and mindset of Breon Ansley is a key factor in remaining near the top. Of course, this does along with an elite physique. Despite some recent heat that Oxygen Gym has been under, Ansley remains an advocate of the gym.
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Hafthor Bjornsson Meets Tyson Fury During Speaking Event
Hafthor Bjornsson and Tyson fury took time to take some pictures prior to the event.
It is not everyday that two men standing 6-foot-9 get a chance to measure up against each other.
On Wednesday, that is what we saw when Hafthor Bjornsson got the chance to meet WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. The duo got together for a photo session during an event where Fury was speaking. The two compared height to see who was taller and posed for some shirtless photos.
Bjornsson took to Instagram to shared a slideshow of pictures that were taken.
“Peak performance male athletic body shape vs me… all jokes aside what an honour meeting @gypsyking101 tonight and going to one of his shows! Looking forward to learning more from the champ himself in the near future! ?”
Hafthor Bjornsson has gone through an incredible physique transformation as he has gone from strongman to boxing. The former World’s Strongest Man hs lost a significant amount of weight and now sports a shredded physique. As he continues to prepare for his fight against Eddie Hall, Bjornsson met Tyson Fury, who could share some pointers.
Bjornsson and Hall are expected to meet early in 2022. This was a bout that was supposed to take place back in September but Hall was forced to postpone after suffering a torn triceps. Bjornsson has appeared in the ring three times this year in preparation for his match against Hall.
It began with a bout against Irish cruiserweight Steven Ward followed by English heavyweight Simon Vallily. Bjornsson handled the exhibition fights well before entering September. Devon Larratt stepped in for Hall to face Bjornsson in their scheduled match. This was another victory for Bjornsson as he continues to prepare for Hall.
Tyson Fury is the right man to meet. He is considered the best heavyweight in the world and currently holds the WBC title. Fury had been hoping to face Oleksandr Usyk next but has been ordered to defend his title against Dillan Whyte.
Fury is coming off a victory via knockout in the 11th round during his trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder. He will return to the ring soon to defend his title and keep his standing as the best heavyweight right now.
This was a great moment for Hafthor Bjornsson as he got a chance to meet one of his favorite boxers. Tyson Fury is a huge name in boxing and Bjornsson is trying to make an impact as well. One thing that we know is that there was a lot of size and muscle in that room when the two got together.
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