Muscle Chemistry Archive
Melvin Anthony’s Behind The Scenes Account Of Jay Cutler Defeating Ronnie Coleman At Olympia 2006
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Melvin Anthony shares his first hand story of seeing Jay Cutler defeat Ronnie Coleman for the first time.
Ronnie Coleman is a bodybuilder of legends. He’s arguably the greatest bodybuilder to ever live. So of course, the moment when he was finally defeated from his Mr. Olympia reign was a noteworthy one. The man to take down Coleman was Jay Cutler – who went on to win four Mr. Olympia titles. Many bodybuilding fans have seen the footage – but only a small number of people were there in person for this historic moment. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Melvin Anthony shares his behind the scenes first hand account of Jay Cutler’s victory over Ronnie Coleman at Olympia 2006.
Melvin Anthony was competing at the Mr. Olympia in 2006. So not only was he in person to witness Ronnie Coleman’s defeat after eight Mr. Olympia wins, he was also behind the scenes in the events leading up to it. That’s why in our video interview, we asked Anthony to break down what that experience was like. Was it clear from the beginning that Jay Cutler would take down The King? Or was it a surprise for even the competitors?
Melvin Anthony admits that his perception on the moment is slightly skewed. He was competing himself – and so he had tunnel vision due to the hunger for victory. He wasn’t worrying whether or not Jay Cutler could beat Coleman. He instead was focused on being the one to beat Coleman himself.
Despite this, Melvin Anthony had some interesting stories to tell about the Olympia 2016. Once Anthony saw Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman pose – he knew that he wouldn’t be able to take the first place spot. It’s at this moment he was able to focus on the battle between Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman with more focus.
Was he surprised that Ronnie Coleman lost? No, not really. This isn’t because it was obvious he would lose. It was because in a sport like bodybuilding – anything can happen between competitors at this top tier level. In fact, Melvin Anthony believes that Jay Cutler had a better physique in previous years. Cutler only lost because he lost the mental game.
Melvin Anthony describes a moment from a previous Olympia, when Ronnie Coleman came out to warm up backastage and, according to Anthony, you could see Coleman’s size grow as he got pumped up. It was in that moment that Jay Cutler go psyched out. By having his mental game thrown off – his physique diminished and he lost to Coleman.
Anthony believes that Jay Cutler’s physique was slightly less on point in 2006 – but his mental game was completely on point. It helped take down Ronnie Coleman. The moment was a big one. It was the passing of the torch and the end of an era for one of the longest running Mr. Olympia champions. Everyone knew that day that there would never be another like Ronnie Coleman.
You can watch Melvin Anthony go into full detail about his behind the scenes experience of Ronnie Coleman vs Jay Cutler in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Update On Bio Serum 1, Bio-Serum 2, & Red Serum 1
What you are looking at on my desk are 3 new protein powders that most of my customers are anxiously waiting for. Now most of you reading this have heard of Bio-Serum 1. However, none of my customers have heard of Bio-Serum 2, and Red Serum 1. These are all very, very, potent muscle-building protein…
Linda Durbesson Profile & Stats
The biography, life, and accomplishments of Linda Durbesson
Linda Durbesson is a personal trainer and model for both fashion and fitness who has inspired the industry with her positivity and acceptance. Her unique approach to training has made her a social media icon.
Below is a complete breakdown of her profile, stats, biography, training, and diet regimens.
Full Name: Linda Durbesson
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
145-155 lbs.
5’5”
12/20/1979
Profession
Era
Nationality
Personal Trainer, Fitness Model, Fashion Model
2010
French
Biography
Linda Durbesson was born in the south of France and was always active and into sports, including things like tennis, mountain biking, and martial arts. With a passion to see the world, she moved to the United States with a boyfriend, but after the relationship ended, she was stuck in a foreign country, forced to figure it out on her own. And she did. She began her fitness journey determined to change her physique and even enrolled at an American university.
She studied Personal Training and began a new journey, learning about the importance of nutrition and exercise. After working on her physique at the same time, she began to amass a following on social media and was eventually approached by a magazine as a model. Using her platform and her website, she now encourages others to fuel their desire to change their bodies and continues to inspire and motivate her fans with updated progress every single day.
Training
Linda’s training usually follows a six day cycle and she works on her legs and upper body separately to develop and maintain her great body. Typically these days will alternate lower body lifts with upper body lifts and cardio every other day with Sunday being a good rest day. Her cardio is never too crazy, but just enough to keep her fitness high.
Quads & Glutes Workout
Glute Kickbacks with Bands: 3 sets, 10 reps
Banded Lunges: 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Hack Squat: 3 sets, 8 reps
Reverse Crunches: 3 sets, 15 reps
Deadlift: 3 sets, 8 reps
Dumbbell Squat: 3 sets, 10 reps
Jump Squats: 3 sets, 10 reps
Hamstring Curl: 3 sets, 12 reps
One-Leg Leg Press Machine: 3 sets, 8 reps
Split Squat: 3 sets, 12 reps
Nutrition
Linda eats around 5 meals a day to always be fueling her metabolism and giving her body what it needs to thrive inside and out of the gym. Her diet mainly revolves around lean proteins like egg whites and turkey, complex carbs like oats and sweet potato, and fruits and vegetables including raspberries, asparagus, green beans, and kiwis. Of course, Linda does allow herself a cheat meal here and there like candy or chocolate, for she eats very clean but also wants to enjoy herself.
Supplementation
While Linda uses her own supplements of choice, having a solid supplementation routine in place can only work to continue those gains from a healthy diet and proper training. A protein powder is one to boost muscle growth and recovery for those post-workout needs, while a pre-workout can provide for muscle pumps and continued energy throughout the workout for whatever you need to start. Creatine supplements or BCAAs are great for fighting fatigue and aiding in muscle soreness, while also increasing strength, and for those who really want to see that shredded aesthetic, a fat burner can influence this greatly.
Aaron Singerman: Objectively Arnold Schwarzenegger Would Not Be In The Top 5 Bodybuilders Of All Time
Removing personal taste, Aaron Singerman picks the top 5 bodybuilders of all time.
There are a few ways you can make a top 5 list for sports. One would be to focus on what they accomplished in context of their era. The other is to put all athletes on the same playing field and judge them on pure skill and talent. So putting context and history aside – who would be the top 5 bodybuilders in terms of pure physique? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Aaron Singerman explains why Arnold Schwarzenegger would not be in the top 5 bodybuilders of all time.
Whenever we sit down for an interview with someone from the industry, we always take a moment to ask who are the top 5 greatest bodybuilders of all time? The variety of answers we get is truly insightful and showcases the different perspectives that exist in the sport.
When we spoke with Aaron Singerman, we asked him the same question. Specifically, we didn’t ask him for his personal favorites but instead who he thinks objectively has the best physiques of all time.
Right off the bat Aaron Singerman was able to pick his number one – Ronnie Coleman. Without hesitation he believes that he would win any contest against any era of physiques. But after that first pick – Singerman begins to struggle. He tries to be as analytical as possible. If he were a judge – who else he rank next?
Aaron Singerman ultimately lands on Flex Wheeler at number two followed by Phil Heath, Dorian Yates, and Kevin Levrone. For a moment, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s name comes up. But Singerman quickly dismisses it. While he finds Schwarzenegger to be one of his personal favorite bodybuilders of all time – he thinks there are too many athletes with physique far superior to his.
“If someone was thinking Arnold Schwarzenegger, he’s getting smoked by all these guys,” Aaron Singerman states in our interview. He continues:
“So he’s not… I mean he’d be one of my favorites. Who I would like to look like personally, he’d be up there. But in terms of would Arnold at a stage now compete with Flex Wheeler? No, I mean he’d be demolished.”
Of course, there’s a reason why many would place Arnold Schwarzenegger on the top of their list. It’s due to his contributions to the sport, his presence in pop culture, and his accomplishments for the time. But in the full spectrum of physiques across the years – by today’s standards he would potentially fall short.
Of course, it would be fun to imagine what Arnold Schwarzenegger would look like today had he grown up in this era. With the kind of knowledge, technology, and supplementation of today – would we see some sort of uber Schwarzenegger? Sadly, that’s an idea that can only exist in the imagination.
You can watch Aaron Singerman break down his reasoning for the top 5 bodybuilders of all time in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
6 Key Things Experienced Lifters Do Every Day
Learn from the best
Show me a man’s habits and I’ll show you who he is. A common theory that few people put into practice. Anyone who has ever gone for a goal in life knows that goal setting is an important step in achieving what you want. The part that’s not as glamorous is the daily trudge. It’s the monotonous steps builders take day in and day out to make them just a little bit better than the day before. It’s a game of inches and we’re going to show you how to play.
While everybody has their routines we’re interested in what works and the types of things that champions do. We’ve comprised a list of 6 habits you should engrave into your brain and physiology in order to achieve with the champions, to eat with the Gods. Pay attention and take notes.
Consistency
Any amateur can start a gym membership, workout routine, or sleep and eat right for a week or two. The thing that separates the lifters that really want it from the herd is the focus to do these things on a regular basis until they become HABIT! The number one way to make something into a habit is to be consistent. It’s easy to get your ass into the gym… what’s harder is to do it every day, workout just as hard (or harder) every day, and never lose steam.
Journal
That’s right, real lifters men (or champions in this case) use a journal. By journaling you can see what you did right, what you did wrong, and how you can improve on it tomorrow. It’s a systematic way to track your progress and assess where you’re at. When you have a correct view of where you are then you can take correct steps to where you want to go. Of course, in these modern times there are also tons of apps you can download to help use as a sort of journal to manage your goals. For example – you can keep track of your macros with something out like My Fitness Pal.
Put The Big Rocks in First
Are you doing a whole bunch of machines or bicep work when you know that you need to max out clean and jerk in order to improve your strength and movement? Then you’re putting in the sand before the big rocks. The big rocks are the things that make us scared and anxious. They’re usually the hardest and stressful things that will push us to our limit but will also give us the biggest push in the direct we want to be. Time is our most precious commodity, put the big rocks first and then the small rocks (i.e. making phone calls to sponsors, running errands, etc.) will slip in around them. If you do it the other way around you’ll find you spent the whole day doing busy work while nothing actually got done.
Work on your rest
In such a busy day and age this component of bodybuilding often gets overlooked the most. While the lifting is taken seriously by most builders the self care component is often seen as optional, not taking into account this is like the negative side of rep for your whole body. Things like getting massages, hanging with family and friends, meditating, or just watching TV is JUST as important as lifting weights if you want to reach your full potential.
Synergize
Successful lifters are always looking for new and innovative ways to build on their routines. They try alternate exercises such as yoga, or resistance circuits to hybrid there workouts – whatever it takes to give them the edge. This is especially relevant when you’re stuck in a rut or have reached a plateau. So go ahead, take that MMA class.
(ABL) Always be learning
Tying in with “synergizing” is the habit of always looking to learn something new. Successful lifters always seek to understand before being understood. They take new information, weigh it, and think about how they could incorporate this into their current program. It’s not good enough to know – information is always changing – you have to expand and evolve with the changing times. If you don’t evolve then your physique won’t either.
What do you think of our 6 things successful bodybuilders do every day? Have you found these have worked in the pass or have we touch on something new? Hit us up with your opinions below in the comment section.
The Differences Between the Back Squat Vs. Front Squat Explained
Many tout the barbell back squat to be the king of all exercises and while the back squat does have a lot of benefits, so does its squat-brother, the barbell front squat. Both movements build strength and hypertrophy in your lower body — glutes, quads, and hamstrings —, although each one emphasizes more of your anterior (front) or posterior (back) muscles.
Depending on if you have lower back pain, are an athlete, new to the gym, or what your goal is will determine what movement you should focus on. This article will cover the form differences of each, what muscle they work, and which one to do.
What Muscles Do They Work?
The back squat and front squat both work your lower body muscles — glutes, hamstrings, and quads —; however, each one activates one more than the other.
Posterior Chain Vs. Anterior Chain
The back squat will work more of your posterior chain — glutes and hamstrings — while the front squat will engage more of your anterior chain — quadriceps. That’s because when you do a back squat you load the barbell behind your midline, and when you do a front squat, the load is placed in the front — where your quads sit.
How to Do the Back Squat
Place the height of the squat rack clips to a height that allows you to comfortably rest the barbell on your back and unrack the weight without having to squat down too low or get on your tippy-toes to lift the weight up — you should be in a quarter squat position. Grab the barbell with your hands, lift the weight, then slowly take a few steps back — this is your starting position. Now, squat down to make your legs form a 90-degree angle or slightly past that while keeping your torso upright, then extend up. Make sure that you stay back on your heels and keep your knees as stable as possible through the full range of motion.
Benefits
You can use more weight than most movements.
It works your posterior chain.
Easier to do for beginners than front squats.
How to Do the Front Squat
Place the height of the squat rack clips to a height that allows you to comfortably rest the barbell on your upper chest and unrack the weight without having to squat down too low or get on your tippy-toes to lift the weight up — you should be in a quarter squat position. Grab the barbell with your hands with a close grip and lift the weight up and take a couple of steps back to get into the starting position. Squat down to make your legs parallel with the ground — where your knees meet your thighs — or slightly past that, then lift the weight up. It’s important you keep your torso straight and don’t allow your knees to go over your toes during the eccentric (lengthening) and concentric (contraction) portions of the lift.
Benefits
Targets your anterior chain with a heavy load.
Healthier for your back than the back squat.
Differences Between the Back Squat and Front Squat
Each brother-squat has their distinct technique difference, as well as different benefits. Below, we’ll be covering those, so you get a better idea of which one would benefit you the most.
Barbell Positioning
The major difference between the front squat and back squat is where the barbell sits, of course. The barbell rests on the top of your back on the barbell squat while it rests on your upper chest for the front squat.
Wrist Mobility
With the front squat, you’ll need good wrist mobility to rest the barbell onto your upper chest. However, if the movement feels a bit uncomfortable, you can opt to cross your arms and grasp the barbell on each side while the barbell rests on your collar bone.
Total Strength
Overall, you’ll be able to use more weight with barbell squats than you will with front squats. That’s because it’s easier to lift a load on your back than it is on your chest since you’ll be activating your glutes and hamstrings more, which are stronger than your quads alone.
Knee and Back Health
The front squat places less stress on your spine and knees than the barbell squat does, so it’s healthier for your back. (1)
Similarities Between the Back Squat and Front Squat
Although the back squat and front squat are different, many parts of their movement and benefits are the same. Read on to learn their similarities.
Squat Form
Though both squat variations have their differences, the correct form of a standard squat applies to both. You’ll be in a shoulder-width stance and squat down to parallel or slightly past that. You’ll also keep your back straight and your torso upright while keeping your front knees behind your toes when you squat down. Also, both require you to keep your knees stable without valgus (knees caving in) or varus (knees pointing out).
Muscles Worked
Although the back squat and front squat split the emphasis each will place on your different lower body musculature, both barbell movements will engage all the muscles in your lower body.
When to Use Each
After learning the similarities and differences between both squats, deciding which one is right for you can still be confusing. Below, we’ve garnered a list to help make that choice a breeze.
Back Issues
If you have any back issues, it’s best to stick with front squats since you won’t be placing as much load on your spine.
Athletes
Athletes that require sprinting and jumping should focus more on back squats since your glutes and hamstrings are used more than your quadriceps during those movements. (2)
Beginners
Beginners should focus on back squats and get that form down before transitioning to front squats since it doesn’t require as much mobility.
Occupation
If you have a desk job, you’ll likely be quad dominant and be at an increased risk for tight glutes, which can lead to lower back pain; therefore, it’s recommended that you stick with back squats since it activates more of your glutes.
Strength and Power
For overall lower body strength and power, you’ll want to do back squats since you’ll be able to load the barbell with more weight.
Final Word
The barbell squat and front squat are both exceptional movements for building strength and hypertrophy in your lower body. The back squat will allow you to use more weight and focus more on your posterior chain, but the front squat is healthier for your back and will strengthen your quads more.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more lifting tips!
References
Yavuz, H. U., Erdağ, D., Amca, A. M., & Aritan, S. (2015). Kinematic and EMG activities during front and back squat variations in maximum loads. Journal of sports sciences, 33(10), 1058–1066. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.984240
2. Myer, G. D., Kushner, A. M., Brent, J. L., Schoenfeld, B. J., Hugentobler, J., Lloyd, R. S., Vermeil, A., Chu, D. A., Harbin, J., & McGill, S. M. (2014). The back squat: A proposed assessment of functional deficits and technical factors that limit performance. Strength and conditioning journal, 36(6), 4–27. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000103
2021 UK’s Strongest Woman Results
Donna Moore came out on top in the UK’s Strongest Woman competition.
Strongwoman is a sport on the rise and the UK’s Strongest Woman competition is one of the best events of the year. This year’s competition took place over the weekend with 16 of the best athletes in the sport gathering in Bangor, Northern Ireland to see who would hoist the trophy at the end. It was an extremely close finish with Donna Moore edging out Rebecca Roberts by a single point.
Donna Moore has been a force in strongwoman for years now. She is a three-time World’s Strongest Woman winner. She has also picked up victories at the Arnold World Strongwoman competition in 2016 and 2017. Moore thrives with the Atlas stone and has set some records previously.
This past weekend, Moore continued to dominate the sport. The field of 16 was cut to 12 on the second day and ended with the winners being announced. Moore and Roberts finished as the top two with Lucy Underdown coming in third.
Moore took to Instagram to celebrate not only her achievement but the accomplishments of strongwoman as a whole.
“While I am delighted with the outcome of the competition for myself (few squeaky bum moments here and there Sandbag and Stones ?) its the bigger picture that is the most important for me.
This will be the first time in 2 decades that Strongwoman will be featured on TV in the UK.The last was Worlds Strongest Woman in the early 2000’s
This is amazing for the sport as a whole and given a platform for women to showcase the glorious sport of Strongwoman to the world.”
Moore highlighted an elite group of competitors at the UK’s Strongest Woman competition. Here are the full results from the competition.
Final Point Standings
Donna Moore (Great Britain) — 55 points
Rebecca Roberts (Great Britain) — 54 points
Lucy Underdown (Great Britain) — 51 points
Rebecca Cumpsty (Great Britain) — 43.5 points
Annabelle Chapman (Great Britain) — 43 points
Rhianon Lovelace (Great Britain) — 28.5 points
Shannon Clifford (Great Britain) — 25.5 points
Julia Mills (Great Britain) — 23.5 points
Sam Taylor (Great Britain) — 19.5 points
Ayshea Ullah (Ireland) — 18.5 points
Gemma Ferguson (Great Britain) — 16.5 points
Gemma Moore (Ireland) — 8.5 points
Tire Flip
Donna Moore — 34.55 seconds (12 points)
Lucy Underdown — 35.83 seconds (11 points)
Rebecca Roberts — 46.71 seconds (10 points)
Annabelle Chapman — 73.38 seconds (9 points)
Rebecca Cumpsty — 4 flips (7.5 points)
Rhianon Lovelace — 4 flips (7.5 points)
Sam Taylor — 3 flips (5.5 points)
Gemma Ferguson — 3 flips (5.5 points)
Shannon Clifford — 2 flips (2.5 points)
Ayshea Ullah — 2 flips (2.5 points)
Julia Mills — 2 flips (2.5 points)
Gemma Moore — 2 flips (2.5 points)
Log Lift
Annabelle Chapman — 120 kilograms (12 points)
Donna Moore — 115 kilograms (11 points)
Rebecca Roberts — 105 kilograms (9 points)
Lucy Underdown — 105 kilograms (9 points)
Rebecca Cumpsty — 105 kilograms (9 points)
Shannon Clifford — 95 kilograms (7 points)
Rhianon Lovelace — 85 kilograms (5 points)
Julia Mills — 85 kilograms (5 points)
Sam Taylor — 85 kilograms (5 points)
Ayshea Ullah — 75 kilograms (2 points)
Gemma Ferguson — 75 kilograms (2 points)
Gemma Moore — 75 kilograms (2 points)
Sack Carry
Donna Moore — 160 meters (12 points)
Rebecca Roberts — 157.25 meters (11 points)
Rebecca Cumpsty — 137.9 meters (10 points)
Lucy Underdown — 129.5 meters (9 points)
Rhianon Lovelace — 117.5 meters (8 points)
Annabelle Chapman — 103.45 meters (7 points)
Shannon Clifford — 100 meters (6 points)
Julia Mills — 89.7 meters (5 points)
Gemma Ferguson — 83.85 meters (4 points)
Ayshea Ullah — 69.4 meters (3 points)
Sam Taylor — 63.8 meters (2 points)
Gemma Moore — 60.95 meters (1 point)
Truck Pull
Rebecca Roberts — 28.82 seconds (12 points)
Lucy Underdown — 29.19 seconds (11 points)
Donna Moore — 30.79 seconds (10 points)
Rebecca Cumpsty — 39.09 seconds (9 points)
Julia Mills — 42.81 seconds (8 points)
Ayshea Ullah — 46.13 seconds (7 points)
Annabelle Chapman — 46.34 seconds (6 points)
Gemma Ferguson — 49.59 seconds (5 points)
Shannon Clifford — 52.66 seconds (4 points)
Gemma Moore — 68 seconds (3 points)
Sam Taylor — 15.3 meters (2 points)
Rhianon Lovelace — 12.95 meters (1 point)
Atlas Stone-Off
Rebecca Roberts — 4 stones in 23.91 seconds (12 points)
Lucy Underdown — 4 stones in 24.99 seconds (11 points)
Donna Moore — 4 stones in 27.22 seconds (10 points)
Annabelle Chapman — 4 stones in 56.97 seconds (9 points)
Rebecca Cumpsty — 3 stones in 23.02 seconds (8 points)
Rhianon Lovelace — 3 stones in 27.45 seconds (7 points)
Shannon Clifford — 3 stones in 37.30 seconds (6 points)
Sam Taylor — 3 stones in 53.98 seconds (5 points)
Ayshea Ullah — 3 stones in 54.09 seconds (4 points)
Julia Mills — 2 stones in 21.52 seconds (3 points)
Gemma Ferguson — 0 stones (0 points)
Gemma Moore — 0 stones (0 points)
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.
Robert Oberst and Oleksii Novikov Withdraw From 2021 Shaw Classic Due To Injuries
The 2021 Shaw Classic will be without two elite competitors this year as Robert Oberst and Oleksii Novikov withdraw.
The 2021 Shaw Classic will take place from on Aug. 27-28 in Estes Park, CO. On Monday, Brian Shaw announced that the field would look a bit different moving forward. Both Robert Oberst and Oleksii Novikov have withdraw from the competition with injuries.
Shaw made the announcement on the Shaw Classic Instagram account. Gabriel Pena and Gabriel Rheaume will be used as replacements. There will still be 16 participants, highlighted by four-time World’s Strongest Man champion Zydrunas Savickas.
“Athlete Update
Wishing the best to the injured athletes and excited to welcome the new athletes. Thank you all for the continued support of the Shaw Classic.”
According to Shaw, Oberst will miss the competition with a shoulder injury while Novikov is still recovering from a concussion suffered as the 2021 Strongman Classic. Neither competition has made an official statement themselves just yet.
This is not the first time that the lineup for the Shaw Classic had to be revised. Luke Richardson had to withdraw due to a bicep injury. Tom Stoltman and Luke Stoltman also pulled their names out. Even with five competitors being forced to withdraw, the competition still has some elite names and will be as exciting as ever.
Rheaume is an up-and-coming powerlifter. The 24-year-old made some noise when he won the Canada’s Strongest Man competition this year. This was his biggest win since he began competing in 2018. As for Pena, he is a name that is more well-known. He took place in the 2020 World’s Strongest Man and 2021 World Open. He was forced to leave the 2020 WSM with a heart issue but has been training hard and it ready to compete.
The 2021 Shaw Classic will be the second annual event run by Brian Shaw himself. He won the first ever competition in 2020 and will be defending his title this year. Shaw will have to battle the likes of Savickas, Evan Singleton, Bobby Thompson, and Adam Bishop. There will be some names missing but this should not take away from the intensity of the event.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Best Gym Bags For Powerlifting & Bodybuilding (Updated 2021)
The best weightlifting gym bag can prove most effective for your bodybuilding and powerlifting goals for space and convenience.
Finding a great weightlifting gym bag can be difficult but those looking to boost their bodybuilding and powerlifting goals need one to boost all gains. While there are many different fitness aids, including weightlifting shoes, lifting belts, wrist wraps, and more, having a convenient way to transport these to and from the gym is a necessity. A gym bag worth your while will take care of all your transport needs to and from the gym, while also being suitable for other environments and travel, making this product your new gym partner.
We’ve put together a list of the Best Gym Bags for 2021 to offer great products to maximize your space and convenience so you can tackle any workout. High-quality for bodybuilding, powerlifting, and weightlifting, these are the best gym bags for men to boost gains.
Best Gyms Bags For 2021
Best Gym Bag Overall
The best gym bag overall will be one of the highest quality and made from durable and long lasting material. Able to hold all of your equipment, many compartments and other features will make your life easier as you travel to and from the gym.
King Kong Apparel CORE35
King Kong Apparel CORE35 is a high-quality duffel bag made to support all your gym needs. The outer material is tough, durable, and lightweight while also being water resistant and easy to clean. Multiple external and internal compartments are perfect for storing gear, including an internal shoe compartment and a 13’’ internal laptop sleeve. The best part about this bag is that your weightlifting belt can be strapped around it to maintain proper shape and save space.
King Kong Apparel CORE35 is a high-quality gym duffel bag designed to support all your needs. Durable and lightweight, while also providing space and comfort, this bag is perfect for any gym day.
Pros
Stores belt on the outside
Huge internal capacity from a weightlifting gym bag
Multiple compartments for all your gear
Great quality and durability to ensure longevity
Cons
If your shoes are larger than US size 13 Mens, then the CORE51 with its larger shoe compartment is a better match for you
Price: $129.95
Check out our individual review for King Kong Apparel CORE35 here!
Best Gym Bag For Space
You want a bag that offers space and works to fit everything you need inside. This can be either with one large compartment to fit everything you need, or many separate ones to keep your whole bag organized.
Under Armour 4.0 Gym Bag
Under Armour 4.0 Gym Bag is a lightweight and well-built bag made with incredible materials to boost everyday performance. The UA Storm technology offers a highly water-resistance finish with an abrasion resistant bottom. Two large front zippered pockets allow for convenient storage and a removable and padded shoulder strap offers the best for comfort. A one size fits all bag, this offers great space for all your equipment needs.
Under Armour 4.0 Gym Bag is a water-resistant and highly durable bag for any conditions. Large vented and zippered pockets are great for organizing and ventilation.
Pros
Lightweight and well-built with great material
Water and abrasion resistant to withstand repeated abuse
Great for space with convenient pockets and storage compartments
Cons
Zippers may be poor quality for a weightlifting gym bag
May have too much space depending on your needs
Price: $27.99-$72.65
Best Lightweight Gym Bag For Durability
With so much inside, your gym bag can heavy and you really don’t need to lug it around before your workout. One that is lightweight, but also durable, is exactly what you need to see those gains you want most.
Serious Steel Fitness Gym Bag
Serious Steel Fitness Gym Bag is a great bag for those looking for durability and extra storage while still being lightweight. A spacious main compartment is accompanied by shoes compartments, multipurpose pockets, and ventilated pockets to only give you the best in terms of carrying your equipment. Heavy duty strap buckles and durable smooth zippers make this bag easy to use as well. Carrying all your equipment can get heavy but a lightweight and durable bag is exactly what you need.
Serious Steel Fitness Gym Bag is made from heavy-duty fabric to last you years. Spacious compartments allow for all your equipment like belts, wraps, straps, and more.
Pros
Lightweight and durable for long term use out of this powerlifting gym bag
Many spacious compartments to be used for carrying all your equipment
From a reputable company in Serious Steel
Cons
Shoe compartment does take up a lot of the main compartment
Smaller than expected for a weightlifting gym bag
Price: $99.90
Best Gym Bag For Style & Design
While you want a functional bag, you also want one that will make you look good. When you walk into the gym, others should envy your bag as you will definitely look the part.
adidas Court Lite Duffel Bag
adidas Court Lite Duffel Bag is the perfect duffel to flaunt your stuff in the gym. A wide U-shaped opening makes it easy to find what’s inside and with two outer zipper pockets, you can keep everything you want separated away from each other. Made from 100% polyester, the wipeable material is easy to clean and this weightlifting bag is also comfortable. With an adjustable shoulder strap, dual carry handles, and plenty of space, this bag will make you look good and feel better as others will certainly envy you.
adidas Court Lite Duffel Bag is a sport-inspired style bag that is sturdy and durable. A lifetime warranty ensures you always have a quality bag in the gym.
Pros
Wide U-shape for easy access
Durable and comfortable for everyday use from a bodybuilding gym bag
Looks great and is perfect in terms of style and design
Cons
No reinforcement on the bottom
Shoulder strap is not removable
Price: $46.59
Benefits Of A Quality Gym Bag
Having a gym bag that you can trust can prove to be highly effective when it comes to boosting all of your gains inside and out of the gym. The best gym bags for men will be from a company you can trust and can greatly influence space and convenience so you never have the hassle of packing and hustling to the gym again. Benefits of a quality gym bag include:
Ensure you have everything packed: Never have to leave anything at home and allow yourself to pack your equipment, clothes, and supplements effortlessly.
Save space: A good bodybuilding gym bag will keep things tidy and save you space as opposed to just throwing it into any old bag.
Utmost convenience: Packing and unloading your bag has never been easier with compartments and space to be sure you get the most out of your gym bags.
Last a long time: Made from durable material, the right powerlifting gym bag can last you a long time and provide everything you need to thrive.
What You Can Include In Your Gym Bag
While this may seem obvious, the right gym can allow you to include a host of things to better prepare you for your workout. Your fitness clothes and weightlifting shoes will fit effortlessly in your gym bag, as well as any supplements you choose to take, whether that be a protein powder, pre-workout, or intra-workout BCAA. Don’t forget room for your shaker bottle as well.
But the best part about a spacious powerlifting gym bag is that it can fit all of that equipment like lifting straps, weightlifting gloves, resistance bands, and of course, your weightlifting belt. The best gym bags for men allow you to wrap your belt around the bag so it keeps its shape and won’t clutter the inside of your bag. Finding the right gym bag to include all of this may seem dauting but the best bodybuilding bags allow for this and much more.
Gym Bags Vs. Drawstrings & Backpacks
A good, functional gym bag is great for people who prefer to take their things with them into a fitness center or who need to have convenient access to their belongings. But why not just use a backpack or drawstring bag? It’s the same thing, right? Well, there are several reasons why a dedicated gym bag would be preferred and superior to a backpack or drawstring bag for gym use.
Gym Bag vs. Drawstring
First off, we already know that most drawstring bags will bunch up everything together (although some have compartments and more features than the standard drawstring bag), with items stacked on top of the other. And oftentimes, they aren’t as durable for heavier items. Not to mention, your stuff can be more difficult to sort through depending on how big the bag is. And that’s another negative of the drawstring. They can only be so big.
And in most cases, you can store quite a bit more in a decent-sized gym bag and most of these great options on our list will allow you to do so. Many of the quality gym bags are longer and higher from base to top which means there’s room for more options overall. Plus, you have more compartments and features for ease of storage.
Gym Bag vs. Backpack
Backpacks are great because they’re pretty durable with a decent amount of room to store your belongings. And like the drawstring bag, most backpacks are designed to where your items will all be piled on top of the other and it can get pretty deep in there making digging through to find your stuff a challenge sometimes. Now, there are some more high tech backpacks out there which are better designed for convenience and ease of use but they are mostly made to be carried on your back in the same manner a drawstring bag is.
A good gym bag is more elongated so that you can carry it by the handles. Gym bags are generally higher from base to top to where you can separate your belongings in sections.
So, you can carry your gym bag around with you while you train and everything will be so much easier to navigate through. And it’s much easier to carry around by the top handles since the bag is designed for it. But another advantage (purely aesthetic) a gym bag has over a backpack is that if you want to look the part, the former will be more fitting for the environment than the latter, which is an added bonus!
Rogue Vs. Bags On This List
Many people gravitate towards Rogue gym bags but we felt other bags offer better features than many of the bags Rogue does. Don’t get us wrong, Rogue offers a good bag with quality and convenience, but the bags on this list from King Kong Apparel and Gymreapers are great for they contain the best in terms of space with compartments, nice features like wrapping the belt, and the utmost organization to keep your gym experience running smoothly. It’s nothing personal to Rogue, but we just feel some of these brands offer a bit more for the dollar.
How We Choose
When it comes to choosing the best gym bags for men and all your bodybuilding and powerlifting needs, we focus first on the company and the brand. You deserve to have a great brand that is highly reputable working on your behalf to produce only the best bodybuilding bags around. Looking next at quality and what the bags offer is important. The material should be durable and able to last you a long time while withstanding abuse from the constant wear and tear. Each bag should offer compartments and plenty of space for all your gym needs. Lastly, we look at price because we know these products can get expensive but it is possible to find a great gym bag at an affordable price.
FAQ Section
What is the best gym bag?
King Kong Apparel CORE35. This gym is a high-quality duffel bag made to support all your gym needs and is one of the best gym bags for men. Made from great material with tons of storage, this bag offers great features to make your life as easy as possible.
Why can’t I just use a backpack?
You absolutely can use a backpack but know the organization of a backpack just doesn’t compare to that of a gym bag. Gyms bags allow you to capitalize on space for the utmost convenience to make the experience even easier.
Aren’t all gym bags the same?
While gym bags tend to have similar qualities, top tier gym bags will offer the best in terms of amenities and other features. Things like the ability to wrap your belt around the bag is a nice touch that some bags offer. So while gym bags tend to be similar, they are quite different in many ways.
Wrap Up
The best gyms bags for men and those looking to boost their bodybuilding and powerlifting goals have great affects on your overall training and performance. The right bag will allow you to fit everything you need for your workout inside so you never have to leave any equipment behind. A great weightlifting bag will save you time and be of the utmost convenience so no gains are ever sacrificed. Check out these great gym bags and work to improve your training and performance inside and out of the gym today.
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How OnlyFans Shifting Their Business Model Could Affect The Fitness Community
OnlyFans is changing its business model and it could put a lot of people out of business.
So OnlyFans is stopping sexually explicit content from being on the platform. To be honest it’s a bold move on the part of ownership. Seeing how the platform gained notoriety and popularity through its offering of sexually explicit material, to now ban said content is a major risk. But since the company wishes to go mainstream, it appears that they are intent on “cleaning up” their image.
With that said, how will this shift in focus affect those in the fitness industry?
Let’s face it, there are plenty of individuals in the fitness space that have OnlyFans accounts. Many of them are in the bodybuilding community and have leveraged their physiques to make additional or even full time income with OnlyFans. Some have specifically done that through creating sexually explicit material, muscle worship coming to mind in this case.
The platform banning this content will put many sex workers out of a job and will also affect a segment of the fitness community negatively. While it’s possible that certain raunchy imagery may still be allowed on the platform, explicit content will certainly not be allowed.
Not everyone who uses the platform however posts explicit content. In fact there are a great deal of individuals that use the platform to connect directly with their fans. This includes none other than the current reigning UFC middleweight champion himself Israel Adesanya.
The UFC Champ Shares His Thoughts
The enigmatic and popular UFC champion has been on the platform since January of this year and has used it to his benefit. Israel Adesanya has posted content that many of his fans wouldn’t see otherwise all through the lens of safe for work content. But even Adesanya had a thing or two to say about the new direction of the OnlyFans platform.
“So no more sexually explicit content…lol ok.
“I think it’s BS, but I get why they have to if OF wants to go mainstream. The biggest network online is the porn network. They’ve dictated the trends for a long time.
“I’m still here though, just dropping likkle gems from time. I still got plenty in the archives…stay tuned ?”
This shift in business practices may not completely implode the platform. After all, many athletes and celebrities will still find a way to monetize through OnlyFans.
But for those who relied on the network to pay their bills through explicit means, this shift in focus has been a devastating blow. As time moves forward, we’ll see just how much this change to OnlyFans will affect the fitness and bodybuilding community.
Honestly, big sweeping moves like this by corporations can be extremely harmful to the very people they want using their invention. In a way it’s understandable that they want to shift their image. In another it takes away income and autonomy from people looking to make a living.
What do you think of OnlyFans shifting focus?
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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.