Muscle Chemistry Archive
INTERVIEW: How A $100 Bet Transformed Dennis James Into A Bodybuilder
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Dennis James reflects on his time in Thailand and how a simple $100 bet changed the entire course of his life into bodybuilding.
Dennis James is well known today as a bodybuilding guru of sorts. He helps coach and train some of the biggest bodybuilders in the sport. He’s also a sort of unofficial color commentator for bodybuilding. He’s a co-host of the Olympia press conference and provides analysis for the various top-level physiques we see on stage. He was also one hell of a bodybuilder in his prime.
So it may come as a shock that his entire life as an iconic bodybuilder, commentator, and coach all stemmed from a simple $100 bet. Not only that – it was a $100 bet that was agreed upon while James was drunk. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Dennis James explains how a $100 bet changed his life and transformed him into a bodybuilder.
Dennis James is an extremely knowledgable bodybuilder in the sport. That’s why during our video conversation with him, we asked how a beginner bodybuilder can get credible information for research into training and dieting and supplementation. Like any sport – there is no one right answer. The fundamentals are all easily available for anyone to learn – but the pro level tactics come from experience. And everyone’s individual journey is often different.
So instead of giving generalized advice, Dennis James shares his story of how he became a bodybuilder and learned how to perfect his diet, training, and supplementation. The story is quite a rollercoaster and shows that even an icon like James required years of trial and error before become the pro we all remember. The best part about the whole story? It started off with a drunk $100 bet.
Dennis James took a two week trip to Thailand in the early 1990s. He loved it so much there that he never left. He ultimately stayed there for many years – far past the two week vacation plan. While living there, he spent a lot of time enjoying life and hanging out at the local bars. One such bar often had bodybuilders come in as patrons. After some time of becoming friendly, a fun and drunken wager was made.
Dennis James bet a bodybuilder that he could become just as muscular in three months. He was drunk and overly confident. He had little to no knowledge on how to achieve this goal. Regardless, he shook on the bet. $100 if he could build up mass monster muscle in 3 months.
Dennis James dove head first into training. He knew nothing about diet. He actually changed nothing about his diet. Instead he just rained hardcore non-stop. According to him, his body reacted so well and so fast that he received the $100 from the bet in just six months.
Shortly after the bet, Dennis James continued to train and eventually caught the eye of the Mr. Universe promoters. In 1992 Dennis James was drunkenly taking a random $100 bet. In 1993, he was on stage at the Mr. Universe in England.
The rest, as the say, is history. He continued to make bodybuilding his passion. In having to finally compete on a stage – he asked for advice on how to diet. His initial advice received was to simply eat chicken, rise, and pineapple for every meal. That’s why he did and it helped. Of course, we know that the bodybuilding diet is far more complicated than that.
And that’s the point. Dennis James went from a bet, to competing, to making mistakes, and eventually went pro. He used that passion and pro status to eventually become the man we know today. There is no one single correct way to learn about bodybuilding. Everyone’s journey is different. You will make mistakes – but just make sure to do as much research as possible so you don’t make dangerous mistakes. If the passion is there – the rest will come to you.
You can watch Dennis James go into complete detail about his bodybuilding origins in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
John Haack Crushes A PR Deadlift Of 405kg During Training
Powerlifter John Haack is getting his numbers up in hopes of setting a world record.
Powerlifter John Haack competes in the 90kg (198lb) division and it five weeks out from getting back on stage. The 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation Showdown will take place on Sept. 25-26 and Haack could be looking to accomplish something that has never been done before.
In a recent Instagram video, Haack is seen deadlifting 405kg with nothing but a lifting belt, deadlift shoes, and a pair of wrist straps. This lift was performed during a training session so it will not count as an official record but if done in competition, Haack would hold the world record in the 90kg division.
“I’m ballin out, no ?PR deadlift at 405kgs/892lbs. Just under 5 weeks out #BDE“
According to Haack’s caption, this is a personal record lift. It is fair to assume that Haack is around his competition weight with his next event being so close. With the way he has been training in recent weeks, it is clear that Haack has a plan when he steps on stage in September.
In April at the 2021 US Kern Open, Haack put on quite a show but was bested by Chad Penson. Haack set the bench press world record in the 90kg division with a 262.5kg (578.7lb) lift at the Kern Open. He totaled 970kg in the event but Penson was able to finish with 7.5 more kilograms.
John Haack attempted a 400kg at the Kern Open but was unsuccessful on both attempts. This kept Haack from totaling 1,000kg in the competition, which would have been a record. On August 9, he pulled off a 400kg deadlift and clearly has his sights set on more weight. With Penson present at the WRPF Showdown, there is no doubt that Haack will have revenge on his mind.
This event will take place at Brave Enough CrossFit in Kansas City. It will feature some of the top competitors such as Haack, Penson, Joe Sullivan and Kevin Oak. Haack and the other male competitors will lift on Sept. 25. This is the chance for Haack to show the progress he has made and put up some numbers that have never been done in the 90kg division.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
How The Kettlebell Bent Press Aids In Overhead Strength
Add this exercise into your workout routine and look to increase mobility, strength, and functional movements.
The kettlebell is a great fitness tool to really work multiple muscles in your body and is convenient in that it can be used at home or in the gym. But with so many kettlebell exercises, it can be challenging to choose the most effective ones for you. While programs exist for you to follow along with trainers, and kettlebell competitions on the rise, you need an exercise to really kickstart your gains to new heights and one that will allow you to lift big weight safely. The bent press has been around for a long time, but unfortunately, too many of us overlook this great bent press exercise.
The bent press is an old exercise, but one still very relevant today. Able to work virtually your whole body, the main benefit to this exercise is you will lift more weight than others and do so safely. While it can be challenging, it will be worth it for the results. Whether using a barbell, dumbbell, or kettlebell, the bent press is more than effective, but the kettlebell will offer great grip and easier movements, especially when putting the weight overhead with a press.
Let’s take a look at the this exercise and really see what this exercise can do for you. We’ll dive into what it is, the muscles worked, and the many benefits this exercise has to offer. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed with the results when the press is done safely and effectively.
What Is The Bent Press?
The bent press has a long history as an effective workout and can be used with a variety of workout tools like a kettlebell, barbell, or dumbbell. It is a misunderstood kettlebell exercise, and with so many kettlebell exercises or variations out there, it can be challenging to really identify which ones are the best. The bent press is a weight training exercise where the weight is brought from shoulder level to the weight overhead and a large amount of weight can be lifted when compared to other press exercises of similar caliber.
For the bent press’ ability to really target your muscles effectively and properly, this kettlebell exercise should not be overlooked. Effective for your core, as well as mainly your upper body, this is one challenge that once defeated, will prove to be great for your gains as well as things like mobility.
Muscles Worked With The Bent Press
What you will find with this movement is that this is a full body workout designed to really target all areas of your body including many muscle groups. While the main goal is not to target your lower body, the need to stay stable and balanced will require some engagement from those lower body muscles. This is where your core comes into play with this press. Those rock solid abdominal muscles will really work to maintain good balance and stability. Other important upper body muscles worked during this exercise include your biceps, triceps, traps, delts, forearms, and chest.
Benefits Of The Bent Press
Improve Overhead Strength
Lifting big weight overhead can be intimidating, especially for those bodybuilders just starting out. This will allow you to work your way up in weight so you are comfortable with lifting big overhead as you build muscle. As a great exercise to increase strength in a number of muscles, you will soon be lifting more than you thought possible all while doing so safely, either with a barbell or kettlebells with proper form to get you stronger with increased practice.
Promote Mobility, Especially Those Hips
Your hips are a critical point of contact for this lift and this movement will work to increase hip mobility since your body is under the kettlebell, requiring a bit of a twist, thus enhancing mobility. Since this exercise is demanding on your hips, you have no choice but to use them and the movement required will prove to be key in increasing hip mobility, as well as thoracic mobility for thoracic spine support (1).
Strengthen Your Stabilizers
With many muscles worked, the stabilizer and connecting muscles that are smaller and often overlooked will get work done. This will increase their strength and allow you to see great growth and support when it comes to other lifts. This is surprisingly demanding on muscles you may not really work, but the benefit is you finally target these muscles with a strict press with one arm whether you know it or not to increase other things like mobility as well.
Increase Trunk Stability
Since it is necessary that your core is engaged throughout, you will not only work your abdominal muscles, but also balance and stability while also getting stronger (2). Not only does this matter for this specific exercise, but also for big lifts, like the big three powerlifting lifts (bench press, squat, and deadlift) so you see those numbers you want to see most of out your training as you build muscle and increase focus.
How To Perform The Bent Press
Here are the steps to performing an effective exercise with this movement.
Start with your feet around shoulder width apart and hold a kettlebell by your shoulder. Lean towards the opposite side and slowly extend your arm as the kettlebell is held directly above you. As you do this, move your free hand down towards your foot. This next step is important for avoiding injury and proper form. You need to make sure the kettlebell is in line with your free arm. You will raise back up and repeat for your desired number of reps to continue with your training and lifts for maximum benefits.
Featured Kettlebells For The Bent Press
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Wrap Up
The kettlebell bent press is a great exercise designed to support strength, mobility, and functional movements and should not be overlooked as an effective kettlebell exercise. While kettlebells are on the rise, this exercise should be too and can prove to be worth your while when included in your workout routine. Check out this exercise today and really see what this exercise can do for you as you move towards bigger gains and able to promote a better routine.
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
Hrysomallis, Con (2009). “Hip Adductors’ Strength, Flexibility, and Injury Risk”. (source)
Hibbs, Angela E.; Thompson, Kevin G.; French, Duncan; Wrigley, Allan; Spears, Iain (2008). “Optimizing performance by improving core stability and core strength”. (source)
How This David Laid Workout Can Shred & Tone Your Physique
This workout from David Laid is one to get you shredded as you tone your lean and amazing aesthetic.
David Laid is a bodybuilder, fitness model, and social media influencer with a great physique that others certainly envy. A fitness fan from an early age, he saw an outlet to use it to his advantage and has since created a following of many who seek to look like he does.
When it comes to looking amazing and feeling even better, we need the right workout to help get us there. But the search for that all too vital workout can be challenging and with so many people claiming to have that golden workout, it can be hard to weed through all the nonsense. Looking to professional athletes, bodybuilders, and those popular influencers can greatly affect our gains and lead us to a massive and shredded physique that we want most. They are living proof of what these workouts can do and we should use them as examples of what a great workout can truly be.
David Laid knows exactly what it takes to succeed when it comes to workouts and with the right exercises, he knows just how to help get you the physique you want most for others to truly envy.
Full Name: David Laid
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
185-195 lbs.
6’2’’
01/29/1998
Profession
Era
Nationality
Bodybuilder, Fitness Model, Social Media Influencer
2010
Estonian
This workout from David Laid offers the best exercises and an all-around great workout to give you great gains for that shredded physique as you look to tone and really define those muscles. Keeping your workout as engaging as possible can greatly affect all those gains you want most so you can look and feel as great as Laid himself.
About David Laid
David Laid’s fitness journey began at a young age, but it wasn’t without his fair share of struggles early on. He lost his father at a young age and suffered at the hands of bullies, only limiting his self-confidence even more. After he was diagnosed with scoliosis, he knew he needed a change and used weightlifting as an outlet to achieve this.
After finding his passion and beginning his gym grind, he realized a toned and sculpted physique was within his reach. He kept working on getting that physique to where he wanted it to be and ultimately became a social media influencer and fitness model, using his platform to help others reach their goals. Now with over 1.5 million followers on Instagram, he uses his reach to help others and continues his dominance in the fitness community.
David Laid Training Routine
This workout from David Laid is one to target all those muscle groups so you see the best outcome to strength and size. Using fundamental exercises, this workout is great for sport specific movements, as well as those more functional ones to aid in your everyday life. Looking to build strength and size while also leaning out for a shredded aesthetic may seem tough, but this workout gives you the best chance at seeing the results you want most.
Workout #1: Chest
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Incline Bench Press
5
8
Dumbbell Incline Press
5
8
Dumbbell Bench Press
5
8
Incline Bench Press
3
Until Failure
Flat Bench Press
3
Until Failure
Workout #2: Shoulders
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Seated Dumbbell Press
3
10
Behind The Neck Press
3
10
Lateral Raise with Dumbbells
3
12
Front Raise With Plates
3
12
Seated Overhead Press
3
10
Cable Lateral Raise
3
12
Rear Delt Cable Row
3
10
Workout #3: Back
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Rows
3
10
Seated Cable Row
3
10
Lat Pulldown (Wide Grip)
3
12
Hex Bar Shrugs
3
15
Cable Shrugs
3
15
Chin-Up (Close Grip)
3
10
Lat Pulldown (Normal Grip)
3
10
Workout #4: Legs
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Back Squat
5
5
Leg Press
3
8
Hamstring Curls
3
10
Calf Raises
3
12
Back Squat with Pause
5
5
Workout #5: Arms
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Hammer Curls
3
10
Dips
3
10
Triceps Cable Pushdowns
3
12
EZ Bar Curls
3
10
Barbell Curls
3
10
Featured Supplement To Help Your Shred
While a great training routine and the right diet can greatly affect how you look and feel, using supplements can greatly affect all areas of your gains. Something like a pre-workout supplement is great for offering energy and muscle pumps and a protein powder can pump you with protein for those post-workout growth and recovery needs. For that increased strength and size, looking to a creatine supplement can also greatly influence those desired gains. But a fat burner is perfect for those looking to lose fat and retain muscle for a lean physique to be proud of.
Kaged Muscle Clean Burn
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Wrap Up
This workout from David Laid is perfect for giving you the edge when it comes to your bodybuilding and lean physique goals, With great exercises targeting all those muscle groups, you can’t go wrong with an amazing workout from someone who knows the industry. The right training routine with a well-thought out diet, matched by a quality supplementation regimen, can give you the best when it comes to those gains. Give this workout a try and see what it can do for all your 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 David Laid Instagram
How The Rowing Machine Can Boost Strength And Endurance
This exercise is not only for rowers and is a great boost to your overall performance.
The rowing machine often sits off to the side of the cardio machines in the gym waiting to be used. While many people are more comfortable with the treadmill, elliptical, or bike for their aerobic needs, the rowing machine is an amazing full body workout to boost endurance, strength, and your overall health. Switching your cardio to a variety of different machines utilizes different muscles and proves to be more effective for your training. It also makes doing cardio a little less boring.
Able to support both muscular strength and muscular endurance, the rowing machine is a staple exercise for competitive rowers during the off-season and a great cross train for other endurance athletes looking for a break from their own sport. Compared to other cardio workouts, the rowing machine is low-impact and recruits the majority of your muscles to propel you through the workout. Although a challenging exercise, once you nail down proper form you will be cruising along on this machine to increased muscle growth, endurance, and a toned physique.
A mix of both upper body and lower body muscles, the rowing machine works for your full body benefit. While working the chest, biceps, delts, and abs in the front, it will cover your lats, triceps, and upper back as well. As a push exercise, your quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes will feel the burn to give your lower body a great workout.
Rowing classes have emerged the same way as spinning classes and with the benefits the rowing machine provides, it is no wonder this exercise has gained popularity among athletes and gym-goers alike.
Benefits Of The Rowing Machine
Burn Calories Efficiently
One of the best benefits is the ability to burn calories efficiently for your weight loss goals. With the ability to sustain a longer cardio session, and at an easier pace, you can still burn calories to see results, but using the rowing machine as a form of high-intensity interval training can be perfect for shorter endurance work with optimal calorie loss. Of course calorie burn depends on your level of exertion among other factors, but the rowing machine is a sure way to see progress with your weight loss goals without spending hours on a cardio machine (1).
Low-Impact Full Body Workout
The rowing machine uses over 85% of your muscles for a great full body workout. Mixed with upper body and lower body muscle groups, you will feel an overall burn. With your legs being the primary point of engagement for most of the stroke, it is a great way to build leg strength. As your upper body completes the stroke, you get that well-rounded burn all the way through. As a great exercise for active recovery, you control the movement and pace without adding increased strain on your joints.
Endurance and Conditioning
Aside from the benefits surrounding strength and muscle growth, the rowing machine is a phenomenal way to increase cardio and muscular endurance (2). As an exercise that really spikes your heart rate, you can keep it well within the limits of control while also pushing your cardiovascular limit. Aerobic exercise can boost mood and overall fitness and since your heart works harder to transport blood to the body, it can increase heart strength as well.
Posture Support
While this exercise looks like you would be hunched the entire time, it actually forces you to keep good posture to maximize the benefits (3). By requiring you to sit upright, you are straightening the spine and allowing for repeated practice in good posture. Transition that posture to everyday life and your confidence and stability will improve greatly.
Solid Alternative To Other Machines
This is just a good exercise to add with other machines to diversify you workouts and not deal with the monotony of a cardio exercise. Whether you are an athlete looking for a cross-training exercise, or a gym-goer looking for a unique alternative to the treadmill, the rowing machine can be a fun way to add to your overall health.
How To Use It
There are four parts to a rowing stroke that are important for the rowing machine. The finish position is when your legs are flat, back slightly back, and the handle is just below your chest. The recovery is the movement towards the front of the machine with your arms extended and your knees slowly rising up. The catch position is with your knees fully bent up, your body over your knees, and your handle close to the cage at the front of the machine. The drive is the movement pushing back towards the finish position where you started.
This movement will start at the finish. In a slightly laid back position with the handle at your chest, push your arms away from your body, hinge at the waist while keeping a flat back, and slowly start to slide up, bending your knees as you do. Your arms will be extended in front of you the whole movement up the slide and your back will be flat and slowly beginning to make its way closer to your knees. At the catch position, your chest will be close to your knees and the handle will be out in front you with your arms still extended. As you drive back, push through the footplate while keeping a flat back engaging your lats. Once your legs are fully extended down, bring the handle back to your chest ultimately ending at the finish position.
Wrap Up
The rowing machine can be intimidating. If you are unsure of form or how to use it, it may be one machine you shy away from. But the benefits of the rowing machine are great and you could be missing out on so much potential. As an amazing full body workout for strength and endurance, it is the ultimate exercise to save time, burn calories, and see great gains in the gym. As a low-impact exercise, it will keep you healthy and stable and won’t sacrifice your other hard work. Add this to your workouts as a great supplement to any other cardio exercise and you will so glad you did.
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
Slater, Gary J.; Rice, Anthony J.; Sharpe, Ken; Tanner, Rebecca; Jenkins, David; Gore, Christopher J.; Hahn, Allan G. (2005). “Impact of Acute Weight Loss and/or Thermal Stress on Rowing Ergometer Performance”. (source)
Gee, Thomas I; Olsen, Peter D.; Berger, Nicolas J.; Golby, Jim; Thompson, Kevin G. (2011). “Strength and Conditioning Practices in Rowing”. (source)
Vasile, Simona; Cools, Joris; De Raeve, Alexandra; Malengier, Benny; Deruyck, Frank (2019). “Effect of rowing posture on body measurements and skin- sportswear interface pressure and implications on garment fit”. (source)
Peiman Maheripourehir Approaches Deadlift World Record In Recent Training Session
Peiman Maheripourehir pulled off a 492kg deadlift in a recent training session.
The deadlift world record is one that has been on the radar of many powerlifters recently. This includes Peiman Maheripourehir. The Iranian strongman is one of the legitimate threats to the record, currently held by Hafthor Bjornsson, and could be training to eventually have a chance to break it.
Bjornsson set the mark of 501kg last year and few have gotten as close as Maheripourehir. In a recent training session, Maheripourehir pulled off a 450kg raw deadlift followed by a 492kg lift. The final lift was within 10kg of the world record.
“?492 kg & 450 kg raw?”
The first lift could have caused some discussions. The lockout was a bit wobbly and this might have not gotten the nod from judges if it were in competition. This does not mean that Maheripourehir cannot perform the lift. He eliminated all doubts with his raw deadlift — which was performed with ease.
This is not the first time that Maheripourehir has showcased an extreme feat of strength. Back in June, he shared a video on Instagram completing a 425kg for two reps. After performing these reps, Maheripourehir made it clear what his intentions were.
“425 kg raw x 2 reps easy ?..Today’s exercise was done due to personal work (with body fatigue). I will be the father of the deadlift of the world??”
Maheripourehir has not posted many updates but it is clear that he wants to take over the world record currently held by Bjornsson. He has his sights set on 505kg but it is unknown when he will be able to attempt this lift. There have only been two men who have been able to deadlift 500kg. Eddie Hall was the first to accomplish this feat and Bjornsson bested him by a single kilogram.
There is no doubt that Maheripourehir is training to join that list. He knows what it takes to get there and it is unlikely that he accepts any fate short of the world record. This will continue to be a storyline to watch but as of now, Maheripourehir seems like the biggest threat to break Bjornsson’s record.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Calum Von Moger Takes Down Posters of Arnold Schwarzenegger in His Gym
Calum Von Moger Is No Longer a Fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger After Recent Comments
Calum von Moger has long been an Arnold Schwarzenegger fan. Some may even argue that Calum owes a great deal to Arnold in terms of the legend motivating him. But there comes a time when everyone has to stand strong on their morals. It appears that Calum has reached that point.
After recent comments made in an interview, Arnold Schwarzenegger has sparked the ire of many in the fitness and bodybuilding community. In the interview there is a segment in which Arnold says “Screw Your Freedom” in regards to those issuing concerns about the current global crisis. Many expressed apprehension about wearing masks or taking the vaccine and Arnold says that their decisions could be potentially harmful to others around them. But the state about disregarding a person’s freedom appears to have rubbed people the wrong way.
Hard Decisions
As such Calum von Moger has been completely turned off by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Due to his comments, much like Brian Shaw, Calum von Moger has decided to take down posters of Arnold Schwarzenegger from his gym. Calum commented on the subject in his stories.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Arnold’s,” said Calum von Moger. “I grew up watching his movies and he inspired me to get into bodybuilding and competing and everything. But the Arnold that we knew then is different from the Arnold that we see today.”
“Unfortunately I made the decision to remove all of his posters off of my wall and chuck them out because recently in an interview he… I think it was just a poor choice in words but quote ‘screw your freedom’ was what he said, and I can’t support someone that doesn’t support our freedom. So I’m no longer a fan. Sorry Arnold.”
Calum von Moger also made a post about the issue.
I’ll always remember the Arnold that inspired us to train hard, believe in ourselves and follow our dreams. But I can no longer support the Arnold that speaks to us today.
I say, fight for your freedom.
#PowertothePeople
What do you think of the fallout from these recent comments?
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.
Hafthor Bjornsson Shows Physique Transformation Ahead Of Boxing Match
Hafthor Bjornsson posted a physique update ahead of his boxing match with Devon Larratt.
Hafthor Bjornsson is known as a powerlifter who holds the world record for the heaviest raw deadlift. In May 2020, Bjornsson set a new mark at 501kg (1,105lb), beating the previous mark held by Eddie Hall by a single kilogram. Now, Bjornsson has gone through the ultimate transformation as he begins to work his way into the boxing world.
In a recent Instagram post, Bjornsson looks extremely shredded at 340 pounds. He has gone down from 450 pounds during his days of powerlifting.
Hafthor Bjornsson is set to take on arm wrestler Devon Larratt on Sept. 18. Larratt recently replaced Hall, who was forced to back out due to an injury, in this match. Hall has already began training following a torn bicep. There is a chance that Bjornsson and Hall get in the ring at some point moving forward when they are both healthy.
The battle between Bjornsson and Hall was going to settle some issues that the two have had in recent years. They have been connected in both deadlifting and World’s Strongest Man competitions. In 2017, Hall won the WSM title with Bjornsson finishing as the runner-up. The very next year, Bjornsson was able to rise to the top and win his first WSM championship.
It is clear that Bjornsson has a serious passion for boxing. The recent transformation for Bjornsson has him looking shredded and slim. This shows that the increased cardio training associated with boxing has been paying off in a big way.
This is a chance for Bjornsson to continue his goal of bursting onto the scene in the boxing world. He has a couple exhibition fights under his belt against Steven Ward and Simon Vallily. Recently, it has become clear that Bjornsson has been training in the necessary ways to look like a fighter.
Bjornsson’s battle with Larratt is less than a month away. As we creep closer to the big night, the former powerlifter continues to get in fighting shape and make the ultimate body transformation.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Why Owning A Home Gym Is A Great Choice For Gains
Owning your own home gym, either complete or with various equipment, can greatly influence gains and is a great choice.
You may love going to the gym, but have you ever considered owning your own home gym? Gyms can be a great place to see gains for they offer the best equipment around and you never lack engagement in your workouts. Plus, you get some camaraderie among fellow lifters and bodybuilders. But a home gym can offer comfort and versatility and can be fully customized to how you want it. Don’t limit yourself on the possibilities for growth and look to invest in owning your own home gym.
Having your own home gym can prove to be worth your while and you should absolutely consider this as an option if you have the space. While it may be more expensive up front, in the long run, you do save money and can just enjoy a comfortable workout in your own home. Whether it be a complete home gym, or a variety of fitness equipment, you can work to set yourself up for the utmost success.
Benefits Of Owning A Home Gym
Owning a home gym certainly has its perks and while a full gym membership may give you a lot of amenities, your own can offer that as well. Working from the comfort of your home can give you space and convenience, which is exactly what you want most, and being in a comfortable environment can allow for those gains to thrive.
Benefits of owning a home gym include:
Gives you space and comfort: Your own space can be great and you don’t have to wait to use those machines you need most. Offering comfort as well can be great for your gains because its just you and the weight.
Better hygiene: You never have to worry about other peoples’ germs and can keep your gym as clean as you would like.
Save time and money: With a gym in your home, you save travel time and can get your workout done quickly. You also save money on a membership, gas to get to and from the gym, and other expenses associated with having to go to a gym.
Customize to how you want: You can get the equipment you want so you have full rights to customize however you want.
What Your Home Gym Could Include
With so many options for fitness equipment, knowing what you can include in your home gym can give you a better understanding of what you need to maximize all gains. The right equipment at the right price can boost all areas of your growth and give you a physique others will envy.
Resistance Bands For Warm-Ups, Workouts & Rehab
Resistance bands are awesome for they can work to aid in your warm-up, actual workout, and even post-workout recovery. By working on building mind-muscle connection and improving your range of motion (1,2), you do build muscle and can seriously increase strength. The right set will allow for proper weight adjustment with differing bands so you can adjust to whatever your needs may be whether it pre-, mid-, or post-workout.
Check out our list of the Best Resistance Bands for more great products!
Kettlebells For Strength & Functional Fitness
Kettlebells work for a variety of exercises and offer the ability to get a full body workout while also working on conditioning for better training and performance. Promoting strength and power (3), kettlebells also work to improve balance, stability, and coordination to improve form. As simple and convenient tools, these are versatile for any workout.
Check out our list of the Best Kettlebells for more strength training and functional fitness products!
Barbells For Heavy Training
Barbells are great for enhancing athletic performance and offering a full body workout as well. But barbells are perfect for your heavy training needs and can greatly improve your big three powerlifts, being the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Having a barbell in your home gym can support increased strength, while also working on functional movements (4).
Check out our list of the Best Barbells for more great products for heavy training!
Dumbbells For A Variety Of Workouts
Dumbbells are perfect for muscle growth and add amazing versatility to your workouts. Many exercises can be done with dumbbells to provide for effective alternatives and can really challenge your workouts for the better. The nice part about dumbbells are that you can work on fixing any muscle imbalances so you achieve perfect symmetry (5), something all bodybuilders want and need. Safe and effective tools, you can use fixed dumbbells or adjustable dumbbells to add even convenience to your workouts.
Check out our list of the Best Dumbbells to add great variety to your workouts, as well as our list of the Best Adjustable Dumbbells to add more convenience and save time!
Complete Home Gyms For Ease & Huge Gains
Complete home gyms may be on the more expensive side, but what you get is a full gym with tons of workouts. The ultimate convenience, this long term investment can increase privacy, build strength and size, and give you the most bang for your buck when looking to capitalize on all workouts. With key pieces of fitness equipment included, you get a quality and durable machine able to tackle all your needs and if you have the space and money to invest in a complete home gym, you won’t be disappointed with the results at all.
Check out our list of the Best Complete Home Gyms for a complete set to increase gains!
Wrap Up
There are great benefits to owning your own home gym and that can greatly affect all areas of your gains. By saving you time and offering space and convenience, you get a great set-up to see the growth and development you want most. With so much to offer, a home gym is something you deserve, and if you can make it work, it is something you should absolutely consider investing in.
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
McMahon, Gerard E.; Morse, Christopher I.; Burden, Adrian; Winwood, Keith; Onambele, Gladys L. (2014). “Impact of range of motion during ecologically valid resistance training protocols on muscle size, subcutaneous fat, and strength”. (source)
Calatayud, J.; Vinstrup, J.; Jakobsen, M.; Sundstrup, E. (2016). “Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training”. (source)
Beardsley, Chris; Contreras, Bret (2014). “The Role of Kettlebells in Strength and Conditioning: A Review of the Literature”. (source)
Thompson, Brennan J.; Stock, Matt S.; Shields, JoCarol E.; Luera, Micheal J.; et al. (2015). “Barbell Deadlift Training Increases the Rate of Torque Development and Vertical Jump Performance in Novices”. (source)
Franettovich, M.; Hides, J.; Mendis, M.; Littleworth, H. (2011). “Muscle imbalance among elite athletes”. (source)
German Volume Training: How to Incorporate It and Improve Your Gains
German Volume Training (GVT) was popularized by, well the Germans or as folklore would have it, any German speaking country. It’s been used for nearly half a century. In America, the late Charles Poliquin popularized it.
Many people view him as the Godfather of GVT. His reputation brought it to masses across bodybuilding communities. The simplicity of the method made it easy to learn and Poliquin refined it and spread it like wildfire.
What is German Volume Training
German Volume Training is 10 sets of 10 for the same exercise with the same weight. You use a weight that you can do for about 20 reps, so about 60% of 1-RM. Rest periods are set at 1-2 minutes between sets. Poliquin popularized a specific tempo for this protocol as well.
Some circles say he used 3020 while others say he used a 4010. Both are essentially a slow eccentric and a forceful concentric which is the general recommendation I give clients no matter what protocol they’re doing.
GVT at first glance seems pretty easy. 60% of 1-RM? That’s deeply light especially for compound exercises. If your bench press 1-RM is 250 pounds, you’d be lifting 150 pounds with GVT. So it’s no surprise, many people think, “Lol, how the heck will I build muscle on this protocol?”
But make no mistake, GVT is brutal. The volume you’re imposing is brutal and you accumulate 100 reps for each exercise you do it on. As fatigue accumulates, especially if you only take 60 seconds of rest, each proceeding set reaches you closer to failure. Those final sets are extremely close to or up to failure. If you do it right, you might not even complete all 10 reps in the last couple sets.
Anyone who’s done GVT knows of it’s grueling mental strength needed to endure all 10 sets. However, we live in the 21st century and I’d like to think we would train based on science and data as opposed to what’s brutal and feels hard.
Let’s take a deeper dive.
Understanding Volume Research
GVT has volume in it’s name, but ironically, it doesn’t actually accumulate much volume, at least not meaningful volume. Many people are still stuck in the outdated way of measuring volume as volume load which is load x reps x sets.
This can also be called total tonnage. It does have it’s uses, but it’s not a great way to measure true training volume. Training volume by definition is estimating the dose of the training stimulus.
GVT collects a high volume load, but each set builds disproportionately different levels of muscle. For example, the first set probably isn’t building any muscle because you’re doing 10 reps with your 20-RM while the final set is building quite a bit of muscle in comparison.
So when determining how much volume you’re truly doing, it’s better to use number of sets close to failure which is not only hard to determine on GVT because it varies greatly between exercises, but like I said, each set is inherently different in how much muscle it builds. Let me elaborate further.
Understanding Effective Reps
Have you ever heard of the effective reps theory? To make a long story short, it basically says the reps closer to reaching failure build more muscle than the previous reps or that the final 5 reps before failure build muscle while the previous ones don’t.
While there is plenty of research to showing the final reps before failure don’t matter that much, we also know you have to get close to failure to build sufficient muscle for that set (1). As fatigue accumulates within a set, it forces your body to recruit more muscle fiber and impose more mechanical tension on them.
So each set taken near failure will generally yield the same muscle growth in a one to one comparison despite differences in tempo, load, and rep range.
So where am I going with all this?
Well, with GVT, you’re doing 10 sets, but only start getting meaningful hypertrophy from the later sets, likely the last 3-4 sets. It’s a deeply inefficient way of training, not to mention time consuming and needlessly painful.
Why do 6 extra sets that get increasingly more unpleasant before doing 4 brutal sets when I can just do 5 brutal sets to get the same, if not better muscle growth.
You would not only save time, but prevent yourself from collecting any unnecessary fatigue from the earlier sets because remember, just because the early sets in GVT don’t’ build much muscle, they can still draw resources from your tissue and nervous system.
In fact, the only 2 studies on GVT specifically found that doing half the number of sets grew as much muscle as doing the full 10 sets (2,3).
Understanding Rest Period Research
Furthermore, GVT proposes shorter rest periods. The original version often used 60 seconds which is absurd. The 2 minuteversion is better, but to optimize most hypertrophy and strength, longer rest periods are better. 3 minutes is a pretty good gold standard.
One study compared 1 minute rest periods to 3 minute rest periods between strength training sets and the group that rested 3 minutes between sets grew considerably more muscle growth(4). Some measures were doubled the other group within the study’s timeframe.
Shorter rest periods can even blunt your body’s ability to construct muscle protein and the gene expression involved in it(5).
So again, short rest periods and 10 sets of 10 might make you hardcore, but it’s not an efficient or effective way to slap on muscle which is what many people doing GVT intend to.
But XYZ Did It
Some of the greats in our industry did it and they’re determination and work ethic are beyond admirable. However, there’s a fine line between drawing inspiration from their discipline and adopting training methods that are suboptimal.
Remember, you only need mechanical tension to grow muscle. Anyone can lift weights to grow muscle. Having great genetics and steroids helps too, but somebody’s reputation or physique tells you near nothing about how useful their training methods are.
In other words, people can grow muscle in spite of using subpar approaches. Similarly GVT can grow muscle, but it’s not efficient.
Sample GVT Program
Here’s a sample GVT program that somebody can try for the novelty or to simply say you’ve done GVT. This is deeply traditional program, so many aspects aren’t as optimized based on what we know to work better nowadays.
Nonetheless, it can be fun and feel hardcore to do while brining you back to what some legends would periodize throughout the year.
Monday: Chest and Back
A1) Barbell Bench Press 10 x 10
B1) Chest Supported Db Row 10 x 10
C1) Cable fFyes 10 x 10
C2) Hammer Grip Pulldown 10 x 10
Tuesday: Shoulders
A1) Db overhead Press 10 x 10
B1) Db Lateral Raise 10 x 10
C1) Reverse Pec Deck 10 x 10
Thursday: Legs
A1) Barbell Back Squat 10 x 10
B1) Lying Leg Curl 10 x 10
B2) Leg Extension 10 x 10
C1) Standing Calf Raise Machine 10 x 10
Friday: Arms
Overhead Rope Extension 10 x 10
EZ Bar Curl 10 x 10
Cable Wrist Curls 10 x10
The Bottom Line on German Volume Training
So give it a shot if you want to know what some of the old school guys put their bodies through. It’s a highly intense training protocol that has lasted the test of time, but falls short compared to more optimized training.
The volume it accumulates might be high if you measure it in total tonnage, but measuring how meaningful that volume is will be a different story. That’s a major drawback of GVT.
You can get the same training stimulus from doing fewer sets closer to failure and will enhance your strength and hypertrophy outcomes by resting longer. GVT is definitely not worth the hype.
References
1. J, Grgic. “Effects of Resistance Training Performed to Repetition Failure or Non-Failure on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Sport and Health Science, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33497853/.
2. Amirthalingam, T. “Effects of a Modified German Volume Training Program on Muscular Hypertrophy and Strength.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27941492/.
3. Hackett, Daniel A, et al. “Effects of a 12-Week Modified German Volume Training Program on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy-A Pilot Study.” Sports (Basel, Switzerland), MDPI, 29 Jan. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5969184/.
4. Schoenfeld, Brad. “Longer Interset Rest Periods Enhance Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26605807/.
5. McKendry, J. “Short Inter-Set Rest Blunts Resistance Exercise-Induced Increases in Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis and Intracellular Signalling in Young Males.” Experimental Physiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27126459/.