Blog
10 Reasons Why You’ll Never Have Big Calves
Calves are one of the most underrated body parts. A pair of chiseled calves can arguably overshadow shirt-ripping arms. But it’s easier said than done, lower legs can be a stubborn muscle group to develop.
Look around your gym, and you’ll see many guys flexing their arms and pecs in their mirror, but you’ll hardly see anyone showing off their calves. Turning your calves into full-grown bulls tests your grit and mettle. It’s also what separates the men from the boys.
Don’t get us wrong, this article is not meant to discourage you. We have put together a list of reasons why most people fail to build their calves. Avoid committing these mistakes, and you’ll be the owner of two big and beautiful cows.
10 Reasons Why You’ll Never Have Big Calves
Treating Calf Workouts Like Accessory Work
If we got a dollar every time someone called it a day after completing two exercises in a calf workout, we’d have our own Bitcoin fund by now. Some people think that since calves are a relatively small muscle group, they don’t need to go too hard on them.
Your lower legs are used to carrying around your bodyweight throughout the day. If you want them to grow, you’ll have to do more than just a few sets on the seated calf raises. Treat your calves like accessories, and they are going to remain that way.
Using Too Much Weight
Most people let their egos get the better of them in the gym. They put on more weights on the bar than they can handle. A limited range of motion is one of the most common mistakes people make while training their little toothpicks.
Range of motion is the name of the game when it comes to calf development. You should be on your toes (just like a ballerina) at the top of the movement and your heels should be a few centimeters off the floor at the bottom of the lift.
Training Too Little
Overtraining is one of the most misunderstood concepts in bodybuilding. Gym bros love to flaunt their broscience on the subject whenever they get a chance. Noobs are advised by the bros to not train their muscles more than twice a week.
The sad news here is that most people can’t train, if they wanted to, with the intensity and volumes required to hit the state of overtraining. There is a big difference between being sore and being overtrained.
Overtraining can impact your CNS (central nervous system) and immunity. How many people do you think can train with the fervor required to overtrain in every single workout? Since your calves are used to taking a beating, the rule of thumb for calf training should be to train them every day if they aren’t sore.
Training in the State of Exhaustion
Many people train their calves after they have been exhausted by a leg workout. These people follow their intuitions and get to the lower leg workout without any planning due to which they end up doing the exercises they’re comfortable performing.
If your calves are lagging, you should train them at the beginning of your workouts. Your other option would be to train them along with your upper legs using super-sets. You can’t expect to build monster calves while you’re out of gas and running on fumes.
Not Hitting Failure
Not training to failure is the extension of the overtraining mentality. Calves get the nastiest of pumps when you train to failure. Not everyone can handle the pain and hence people fall off after doing 10-12 reps.
You aren’t going to see any gains in that rep range. Your calves are used to taking a lot more workload as compared to what you do in your workouts. Training until muscle annihilation and then pushing through it is where the gains lie.
Low Intensity
When it comes to training calves, it’s best to avoid the intensity and volume debate. You need to get the best of both worlds and should be doing high reps with lower weights as well as lower reps with higher weights.
You can add a new dimension to your workouts by using time stops for your sets instead of the usual repetition stops. Instead of doing 12-15 reps of a calf exercise, perform a set straight for two minutes without any rest.
Time under tension (TuT) can also play a major role in developing your calves. Follow the 5:2:2:2 rep tempo (five seconds while lowering the weights, a two-second hold at the bottom, two seconds on the way up, and a two-second contraction at the top) to annihilate your calves.
Training Calves as Single Muscles
You’ll never be able to develop the inverted heart-shaped muscle on the back of your lower leg if you treat it as a single muscle. Your calves consist of three heads and you need to target each head separately.
On a calf raise exercise, keep your feet parallel to each other on the platform to target the medial head. Keeping your toes together and heels apart (forming an ‘A’) will target your outer calf head, and placing your toes apart and heels together (forming a ‘V’) will hit the inner head.
Using the Same Exercises
If your calf exercise arsenal consists only of seated and standing calf raises, you’re not going too far in the lower leg game. The stubborn calf muscles will get used to your workouts soon and stop responding if you don’t keep switching your exercises frequently.
Donkey, smith machine, bodyweight, leg press calf raises, to name a few, should be a part of your lower leg workouts. Your goal should be to not repeat the lower leg exercises before a couple of weeks if you train your lower legs four times a week.
Recovery – massages
Every person has a different muscle composition. Most people with tiny calves have a tight fascia which can require some extra work other than the workouts. Visiting a physiotherapist and getting deep-tissue massages every week can help ignite growth in your calves.
Not Deploying Different Training Principles
Most people use advanced training principles like dropsets, supersets, intraset stretching, BFR training for every muscle group except their calves. Calves are a muscle group that needs these advanced techniques for breaking the plateau.
If you’re serious about building your lower legs, you’ll have to stop this step-motherly behavior. It’d be great if you showed your calves the love they deserve and made up for all the times you screwed up.
How often do you train your calves? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Mike O’Hearn: People Want To See Logan Paul Get His Ass Kicked… And He Knows It
Mike O’Hearn Answers: Is Logan Paul vs Floyd Mayweather bad for the sport of boxing?
With the Logan Paul vs Floyd Mayweather boxing match right around the corner, the controversial influencer has been making headlines again after an eventful press conference for the bout. Logan Paul as a public figure has been a hotly debated topic for years now. Is his success bad for the future of entertainment? And now more specifically, is his latest fight against Mayweather bad for the future of boxing? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Mike O’Hearn weighs in on whether or not Logan Paul is a good or bad change for boxing.
The Logan Paul vs Floyd Mayweather boxing match is not the first of it’s kind. Not only has Paul been doing super exhibition PPV matches in the past, but there was also the UFC/boxing crossover of Conor McGregor vs Floyd Mayweather. These “super fights” fall outside the traditional norms of professional boxing. However, they also bring in massive amounts of interest and money. They are arguably more financially successful than real title matches in the sport.
Of course, popularity does not always equal quality. This is the main controversy behind Logan Paul’s entire career. Whether it’s boxing, YouTube, or any other place he appears – Logan Paul brings in massive views and massive money. But does it come at a cost? Does it diminish the credibility and quality of entertainment and sports?
We asked this question during our latest interview with Mike O’Hearn. Mike O’Hearn is a bodybuilder and public figure who’s familiar with controversy. He’s a bodybuilder who has consistently claimed to be all-natural. But the general bodybuilding public don’t believe he’s telling the truth due to his incredible physique. Not only that but O’Hearn is also a man who is familiar with building his own brand and personality beyond just being a bodybuilder.
[embedded content]
Check out our GI Exclusive segment with Mike O’Hearn above!
So what does he think of Logan Paul? His personality, love him or hate him, brings in attention. That attention creates massively attended events. That brings in money – which in turn can help bolster whatever industry Paul is engaging with. His latest, a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather – is set to potentially break records in terms of sales.
Mike O’Hearn sees no problem in Logan Paul’s tactics. While O’Hearn personally does not find Paul entertaining, he also sees the numbers. Most people enjoy watching Paul, either to “hate watch” him or because they are legitimate fans. Either way, Logan Paul is aware of this fact. He’s taking advantage of it. O’Hearn sees no problem in that.
Ultimately the success of Logan Paul relies 100% on his fans continuing to take an interest. He’s not forcing fans to enjoy his boxing crossover events. In that sense, it’s less Logan Paul that is the problem and more the audience. They decide what interests them. Right now, Logan Paul is the thing they want.
Mike O’Hearn goes on to mention that anything you can do to trigger society will always get attention. If you can monetize that attention, then you’re finding success in a tactic that always works.
Mike O’Hearn even relates Logan Paul, his success, and his controversy to modern bodybuilding.
“I said this to some old time bodybuilders that don’t have a big following on social media,” Mike O’Hearn states in our interview. He goes on:
“They’re like, ‘I won the titles, I won all of this, and I don’t get the respect I deserve.’ And it’s like – it’s the world that changes. You have to keep adapting. You have to keep moving with it. It’s the personality. Bruce Lee and Arnold [Schwarzenegger] made it because of their personality. If they were boring cardboard they wouldn’t have made it.”
You can see Mike O’Hearn break down his thoughts on Logan Paul and viral personalities in sports above. Check it out in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment!
NutraBio Classic Whey Protein Review For Quality Whey Concentrate
This whey protein concentrate is one to help you see that desired increase in strength and size.
Product Overview
We all know we need a quality whey supplement to boost both our recovery and gains. For many of us looking to get lean while keeping our shredded physiques, a whey isolate is a safe bet, for it will continue to pump us with protein while limiting the amount of fat and carbs through a more filtered, more isolated process. But for those of us looking to bulk and see an increase in strength and size, a whey concentrate is exactly what we need. With a great balance of carbs, fat, and protein, all your wants and needs for serious growth are just around the corner. NutraBio Classic Whey Protein is an awesome whey concentrate supplement to help with all your workout, health, and wellness needs.
Since protein is the building block of all muscle, finding the right product for you is imperative to your growth, as well as your overall health. In a market heavily saturated with protein supplements, it can be difficult to find the one that works best for you as you sort through all the nonsense. As you look to build and maintain muscle while also looking towards the other health benefits associated with whey concentrate (1), you deserve to have a quality supplement to have your back. NutraBio Classic Whey Protein is that supplement to help you get there.
Shop at NutraBio
NutraBio is a high-quality sports supplement company designing and producing top tier products for athletes everywhere. Their mission is to maximize the quality of life for all consumers by providing advanced nutrition products with science-backed research to enhance training and performance. NutraBio is a standout when it comes to clean and effective products and sought to revolutionize the industry by using zero fillers, additives, or excipients of any kind and working to ensure accurate dosages for all active ingredients. With the utmost quality in mind, NutraBio is a transparent and honest company working for your benefit only.
NutraBio Classic Whey Protein Highlights
NutraBio Classic Whey Protein is a 100% whey protein concentrate designed to boost protein synthesis, improve glycogen replenishment and nitrogen retention, and improve anabolic and anti-catabolic mechanisms. On top of that, it will give you continuous gains in muscle growth and strength so you see that desired physique really start to take effect. With an advanced full-spectrum amino acid profile and a clean source of whey, you know these ingredients are ones you can trust. This whey is instantized and agglomerated for greater absorption, so all these nutrients hit you faster for better results.
NutraBio makes sure all their products, including this whey concentrate, are clean and created with only the best in mind for their consumers. A fully disclosed label ensures no proprietary blends, no protein spiking, zero fillers, excipients, hidden ingredients, banned substances, added sugars or carbs, and artificial colors to give you a 100% amazing protein supplement through and through.
Ingredients
Whey Protein Concentrate
This whey used is guaranteed to be the freshest and purest protein available. This 100% non-denatured whey protein concentrate undergoes a low temperature cross flow micro filtration process. Using low temperature ensure that the protein is protected and that the protein keeps the protein fractions intact to give you a high concentration of amino acids. With a full spectrum amino acid profile, you can be sure this whey allows for increased protein synthesis and muscle growth, enhanced recovery, and improved glycogen replenishment and nitrogen retention (2,3).
Other Ingredients
Flavoring: natural and artificial flavor, xantham gum, salt, sucralose, acesulfame potassium. Coloring: beta carotene, blue spirulina
Type
Concentrate
Calories
130
Protein
25g
Carbs
3g
Fat
2g
Sugar
2g
Flavors
Irish Whiskey Cream, Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Milkshake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Bliss, Ice Cream Cookie Dream, Creamy Vanilla, Orange Dream, Pistachio Delight, Banana Cream Pie
Number Of Servings
26.5
Best Way To Take
Add 1 scoop with 6 oz. of cold water or your favorite beverage. Mix for 25-30 seconds.
Price, Flavors & Effectiveness
NutraBio Classic Whey Protein is that 100% whey protein concentrate that you need most to boost training and performance to new heights. With just under 30 servings per container, one scoop of this amazing protein will boost your gains and aid in recovery. Amazing flavors only add to this awesome product.
Flavors Include: Irish Whiskey Cream, Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Milkshake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Bliss, Ice Cream Cookie Dream, Creamy Vanilla, Orange Dream, Pistachio Delight, Banana Cream Pie.
Pros
100% whey protein concentrate with clean ingredients
Great benefits including muscle growth, recovery, and glycogen replenishment
Advanced full spectrum amino acid profile
Zero proprietary blends, fillers, banned substances, artificial colors, hidden ingredients, and MANY MORE
From a reputable company in NutraBio
Cons
Does contain sucralose and acesulfame potassium for those who stay away from artificial sweeteners
Price: $32.99
Featured NutraBio Athlete
Erik Ramirez
Erik Ramirez is an IFBB pro bodybuilder and NutraBio athlete who uses their supplements to enhance his absolutely shredded aesthetic. Among many competitions, he was crowned the 2015 North American Overall Champion and has competed in other events including the New York Pro, Toronto Pro, Tampa Pro 212, and the 2020 Chicago Pro Men’s Bodybuilding contest. Working with NutraBio, Ramirez only uses high quality supplements to fuel his workouts and recovery and is comfortable with NutraBio given their innovative formulas, clean ingredients, and advanced results for maximum gains.
Overall Value
NutraBio Classic Whey Protein is an amazing 100% whey protein concentrate designed to give you the best chance at seeing growth and aiding in all your training and performance needs. An advanced full spectrum amino acid profile will give you continuous growth and strength while boosting protein synthesis for the best chance at building muscle. NutraBio knows how to create a healthy, safe, and effective supplement and understands the needs of athletes everywhere. What you are really getting is a high-quality whey concentrate designed to give you the boost you need with clean ingredients, a transparent formula, and an honest company backing it. Try NutraBio Classic Whey today and see what this whey concentrate can do for you muscle building goals.
Try NutraBio Classic Whey Protein Today
Generation Iron may receive commissions on purchases made through our links. See our disclosure page for more information.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of NutraBio, Erik Ramirez Instagram, and Envato
References
Kadam, Bapurao; Ambadkar, Rajhans; Rathod Kishor; Landge, Sariput (2018). “Health Benefits of Whey: A Brief Review”. (source)
Devries, Michaela C.; Phillips, Stuart M. (2015). “Supplemental protein in support of muscle mass and health: advantage whey”. (source)
Hays, Nicholas P.; Kim, Helen; Wells, Amanda M.; Kajkenova, Oumitana; Evans, William J. (2009). “Effects of whey and fortified collagen hydrolysate protein supplements on nitrogen balance and boy composition in older women”. (source)
Benefits of Assistance Exercises And Why You Need Them
Enhance those big lifts by strengthening your weaknesses with assistance exercises.
We all focus on big lifts and high volume exercises to see growth in our strength and overall performance. But too often do we neglect the weaker muscles that tend to play a huge part in that growth and development. Ironing out those small details can be time consuming and as much as we want to focus on big lifts and huge progress, we must recognize that supplemental work can enhance this as well as provide for overall support and stability for bigger muscle groups. These are called assistance exercises and you should know all about them.
Typically assistance exercises work well for those in competition where you can train for a specific event without having to grind away constantly with the same workout. In efforts to not totally overload your muscles, assistance exercises can help with overtraining and keep you feeling refreshed for every single workout. Assistance exercises work to develop movements and muscle groups associated with certain big lifts or competitive events without actually having to train for that specific event. These exercises assist with what you need to get done in terms of strength training and aerobic capacity.
So, Why Do We Need Them?
Assistance exercises play important roles for not just muscle-building but also support and stabilization (1). By improving on weaknesses of big lifts, certain exercises can really work to enhance your progress and keep you seeing progress with personal gains. That dreaded plateau always strikes and no matter how much weight you put on, it may not be enough to get through the plateau. While drops sets and other supplemental ways to train can break a plateau, assistance exercises can really work to strengthen small muscles around larger muscle groups to give you that extra boost to plow through any plateau.
By working on stabilization and support, assistance exercises can also prevent injury and fix any muscle imbalances that throw off your desired physique. With weak stabilizer muscles, your body relies on other muscle groups to compensate for the lack of strength causing unwanted stress and strain (2). That can lead to injury and keep you out of the gym, really hurting your overall progress. For muscle imbalances, assistance exercises will build those stabilizer muscles to really round out a solid physique to give you increased confidence and strength once competitions come around.
Supplemental and accessory exercises are often misunderstood and not used to their full advantage so understanding how they can benefit you can provide for great progress when the time comes. These will enhance the body’s capabilities to do much more and perform much better.
How To Choose The Right Assistance Exercises
When it comes to choosing the best assistance exercises to perform, find ones that complement each other as well as ones that work in tandem with the lift you are working on. If your main lift is the bench press, you may assist that workout with dumbbell flys and an incline dumbbell press. This will work all aspects of your chest in order to offer total coverage to build your pecs and ultimately support your bench press. You can also choose to work with what are called antagonistic exercises to work opposing muscle groups while also getting the same benefit (3). These will work to counter your main lift while also providing support and stabilization to assist it at the same time.
With that said, it is best to choose those that mimic the same movement pattern but that work to emphasize different motions and amount of load and tension provided. These will also work to improve range of motion but also partial range of motion. Instead of doing a full deadlift, you may consider doing a rack deadlift to strengthen that area of the full lift for maximum benefit.
Types Of Assistance Exercises
Barbell Glute Bridges
The barbell glute bridge is a great way to enhance strength, power and performance and works as a great correction exercise. It targets the gluteal muscles to increase glute activation and muscle hypertrophy. This will assist well with posture and alleviate pain in your knees and lower back. This is a great assistance exercise for the deadlift because it works the last phase of the full lift so you have full control of your pelvis through your glutes and hamstrings.
Box Squats
Box squats will work to enforce proper technique, improve mobility and range of motion and build power and strength as a safe and effective lower body exercise. The increased focus on power to propel yourself from the ground onto the box will increase lower body strength and reinforce the explosive drive needed at the bottom of a back squat. This will also work your core to stay engaged and serves as a good assistance exercise to the back squat.
Dips
While often associated with the triceps, dips serve as a great chest exercise and really work well to complement the bench press as an assistance exercise. It activates many muscle groups and provides for wider chest development and functional movement. For the bench press, dips are beneficial for working your range of motion.
Push Press
For a solid assistance exercise for the overhead press, a push press will incorporate many muscle groups and work to build strong shoulders. It also provides for increased overhead stability to make overhead lifting more comfortable. It can increase hip drive to provide for greater power and allow more weight to be lifted overhead.
Wrap Up
Assistance exercises are really great supplemental exercises to add into your training regimen to improve bigger lifts and offer support and stabilization. Working in tandem with a big lift can provide for much needed support to see more personal growth and increased performance with workouts or competition. Look into what you want to get out of big lifts and try assistance exercises to really elevate your overall performance.
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
Morton, Robert W.; Colenso-Semple, Lauren; Phillips, Stuart M. (2019). “Training for strength and hypertrophy: an evidence-based approach”. (source)
Han, Kap-Soo; Kang, Seung-Rok; Kwon, Tae-Kyu (2020). “Analysis of Muscle Strength Effects on Exercise Performance Using Dynamic Stabilization Exercise Device”. (source)
Robbins, Daniel W.; Young, Warren B.; Behm, David G.; Payne, Warren R. (2010). “Agonist-antagonist paired set resistance training: a brief review”. (source)
Perfect Your Muscle With The Zercher Squat
Put your muscles to the test.
It’s no secret that every weight lifter loves leg day. Seriously. It’s not mind-numbingly difficult or torturous what so ever. Often times people complain about leg day and to those individuals we have a few words for you: stop your whining.
Leg day is the one day out of the week where you get to focus on some of the most important muscles to develop in the body. Not only do you work your legs, but with most exercises targeting the legs you must utilize your lower back and your core in the movement as well. Want a strong stomach and back? Then perform some squats to make some major gains in those areas.
Now leg day can be a bit tedious, performing the same exercises over and over can be effective to an extent, but ultimately it’ll run you right into the plateau wall of doom. There’s nothing wrong with switching up your routine now and again, but you don’t want to stray too far from the formula that brought you to the dance. So what exercise should you add or supplement to your leg day training? The Zercher squat, that’s what.
What the hell is the Zercher squat? It’s a variant on the regular squat that most of us are used to. It’s not quite a front squat, but it easy to confuse the movements a bit. Firstly, you perform this exercise at a squat rack. Rather than grip the barbell with your hands you load the bar onto your forearms, lock one of your fist with the opposite hand, and perform the squat from that position. Sounds pretty funky, we know. Maybe you’re wondering what the hell is the benefit to performing squats this way? Well be patient and we’ll tell you.
Great for Beginners
The Zercher Squat is great for beginners. Why? Because it works your technique and the mechanics of the exercise. This squat is more of a hip dominant exercise and will also help to improve your posture as well. This exercise could be the key to improving your regular squat and has the added benefit of not having stress your spine. It’s a win-win.
Work Core
Remember when we said squats can work your core? Well the Zercher squat emphasizes working the anterior muscles as much as the posterior chain and legs. The stabilizing anterior muscles, namely the abs and core, can some extra work from this motion. If you want to develop more than just your legs and get a stronger core and back then this exercise is for you.
Squat Deeper
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it for all time. If you want to build up your hamstrings, get some monster calves, some major quad work done, and just generally maximize your leg development, then you need to squat low. By focusing the weight towards the front of body, much like a front squat, you can focus more on squatting lower to get a complete range of motion. Utilizing the Zercher squat to improve your squatting depth will eventually translate to your regular squatting movement.
Is the Zercher squat apart of your move set? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Patrick Moore Hints He’ll Compete at the 2021 California Pro
It looks like Patrick Moore is prepping for the California Pro.
For the past few months Patrick Moore has been making vast improvements. Moore decided to take an extended time off to build upon his physique. Now the bodybuilder is hinting that he’ll be competing at the California Pro in 12 days.
Moore has been criticized heavily in the past. Not for misconduct. Not for anything malicious. But for his physique and whether he belongs in the Men’s Open Bodybuilding division. Many have said he is undersized, that he should consider switching to the Classic Physique division.
While he has been considered undersized in the past, Patrick Moore has shown some great resolve in packing on the muscle. The talented bodybuilder has used his off season wisely. Rather than sitting back and watching the competition, Moore has been using his extended off season to bulk up.
Taking Things to the Next Level
No longer will the idea that he is undersized be an issue for Patrick Moore. The bodybuilder has pumped enough iron to ensure that won’t be a talking point anymore. His recent posts have shown a Moore who has decided to take his growth to the next level.
It’s clear that Patrick Moore has reached a new level in his training.
If I’m betting on myself, then I’ll completely double down?
Patrick Moore is certainly a bodybuilder that is going to shake things up in the coming months. His latest declaration indicates that he will attempt to qualify for the Olympia with a win at the California Pro.
While the bodybuilder doesn’t explicitly say so, he mentions that he will be ready to compete in 12 days (relative from his latest post). Within that time, the California Pro will take place.
Trust, It’s all fun and games until I wanna play too #12days ??
With his current physique, Patrick Moore may well earn his place at the 2021 Olympia. Do you think he will win at the California Pro?
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.
Regan Grimes Profile & Stats
The biography, life, and accomplishments of Regan Grimes
Regan Grimes is a Canadian professional bodybuilder who has competed in both the Men’s Open division and Classic Physique division. His style of training is centered around getting a serious pump which aids in his massive physique.
Below is a complete breakdown of his profile, stats, biography, training and diet regimens.
Full Name: Regan Grimes (IFBB Pro Bodybuilder)
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
215-225 lbs.
5’11”
06/26/1993
Division
Era
Nationality
Classic Physique & Open
2010
Canadian
BIOGRAPHY
Regan is a professional bodybuilder that has been training since he was 17. When Regan first started working out, he just wanted to get stronger and bigger for motocross races. After seeing the results from his training, he became hooked. Regan looked up to Antonie Valliant during his journey. He watched all of Antonie’s training videos and took notes. His love for building his body grew and he decided to begin competing.
Regan made his first appearance in a bodybuilding show at 18 years old and is now an IFBB pro bodybuilder, fitness entrepreneur, and owns his own gym.
TRAINING
Regan’s main goal while working out is getting as much blood flowing to his muscles as much as possible.
His favorite thing about training is ‘the pump’. The pump is warming up to get your blood flowing and to get your joints ready for heavy sets. Proceed to heavy compound exercises to work on your strength and hypertrophy will ensure serious growth.
After the pump, Regan moves on to isolation exercises, but will utilize lighter weights.
Back Workout
Regan adds a bunch of volume to his back workouts. 5 sets per exercise and around 12 repetitions per set. Doing this allows him to train every muscle in his back with enough volume and intensity.
High pull cable row, 5 sets x 12 reps
V Bar smith machine Row, 4 sets x 12-15 reps
DB Rows, 4 sets x 12 reps
Sideways High row hammer strength, 4 sets x 12 reps
Smith machine rack pulls controlled, 4 sets x 12 reps
UPDATED Back Workout
Reverse pulldowns
Low row (Hammer Strength machine)
Mid-row
High row (Hammer Strength machine)
Straight-arm rope pushdown
Rack pull
Biceps & Rear Delts
Dumbbell curls
Rear delt machine fly
Machine preacher curl
NUTRITION
For natural bodybuilders, staying lean while adding on muscle mass can be difficult. It’s normal to gain some excess weight when ‘bulking’, according to Grimes.
Breakfast
Coffee, 2 eggs with 5 oz sliced chicken breast, 100g cream of rice w/ 1/2 cup blueberries and 1 tsp omega oil. Seasonings and additional ingredients are also used.
Post-workout
300g white rice, 6 oz sliced chicken breast, and a large Honeycrisp apple
Meal 3
300g white rice and 6oz chicken breast
Meal 4
Greek salad, 200g chicken skewer, 1 cup lemon rice, 1.4 cups Greek lemon potatoes, 1 bun/roll, and 1 tsp olive oil
Meal 5
300g white rice, 8oz Bison
Meal 6
100g cream of rice and 8oz of salmon
COMPETITION HISTORY
2020
European Pro Men’s Bodybuilding, 4th place
2019
Japan Pro Men’s Bodybuilding, 3rd placde
Romania Muscle Fest Pro Men’s Bodybuilding, 3rd place
2018
Olympia Classic Physique, 8th place
New York Pro Classic Men’s Physique, 1st place
2017
Vancouver Pro, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding, 2nd place
Wings of Strength Chicago Pro, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding, 5th place
Tampa Pro, IFBB Men’s Open Bodybuilding, 5th place
2014
Ontario Provincials, 2nd place Open Men’s Heavyweight, 2nd place Junior Heavyweight
Mississauga Luchka O’Brien Classic, Junior Bodybuilding, Men’s Bodybuilding Heavyweight, and Overall, 1st place
2012
Ultimate Fitness Events Bodybuilding Contest (UFE), Middleweight Men’s Bodybuilding, 1st place
Jose Raymond: You Should Never Do Bodybuilding To Make Money
Jose Raymond’s advice to young bodybuilders: don’t become a bodybuilder for fame or money.
If you’re a fan of the sport, it’s common to celebritize the top athletes in the sport. Like any other sport, truly gifted athletes seem larger than life. They accomplish things that are impossible for most average folk. Since the inception of sports as entertainment this has allowed for famous athletes to bring in big money. Suddenly, you have fans who are inspired for partially the wrong reasons. They want to become a star athlete simply to become rich and famous. In our latest GI Exclusive, Jose Raymond shares his key advice to young aspiring bodybuilders. Don’t enter the sport for the money or the fame.
During our interviews and conversations with pro bodybuilders, we always make a point to ask them to share advice for aspiring bodybuilders. The star athletes of today are directly responsible for inspiring the star athletes of tomorrow. So any advice they can share could help shape the future of the sport.
So when we asked Jose Raymond to share his key advice – it was less about specific workout or diet tips. Instead, it was about the mentality behind the sport. His message – don’t become a competitive bodybuilder motivated by money or fame. His reason? Only a very small percentage end up getting that kind of achievement.
Now don’t let this be discouragement from Jose Raymond. Far from it. What Jose wants to express here is a message about passion. Bodybuilding requires an entire lifestyle shift. Whether you compete or not. Whether you succeed or not. You will need to eat, sleep, and train under the strictest of circumstances in order to shape and transform your body. Even if you become successful at it – if you don’t love the process, you will never be happy. It’s just that much of a sacrifice.
[embedded content]
Check out our latest GI Exclusive segment with Jose Raymond above!
That reality behind professional bodybuilding is this – pro bodybuilders don’t make the same kind of revenue overall as other bigger professional sports. That’s not to say there are some who bring in big fame and big dollars. But if you compare it to a sport like football, where even the least talented professional player will make big money simply for being on a pro team, it’s a whole different ballgame compared to pro bodybuilding.
Unlike many other sports, bodybuilders don’t get paid if they lose. You only win prize money for gaining a top placing. And even then, unless you win first place at one of the biggest shows, you won’t earn that much money. Yes, sponsorships and entrepreneurial opportunities can arise from pro bodybuilding. But that takes work in and of itself separate from the work of being a bodybuilder.
Which brings us back to Jose Raymond’s advice. Bodybuilding is hard work. It’s the kind of day in and day out hard work that can burn out many people. So his biggest advice is for a bodybuilder to truly be passionate about the grind and the lifestyle. The money may come and go. The fame may come or may never reach your lane. But if you’re passionate about the sport – none of that will matter. Bodybuilding, at its core, is about self change.
Yes, you can be competitive and want to achieve greatness. That’s the key to any professional competitive sport. But you should make sure to fall back on one thing behind that – passion for the lifestyle of bodybuilding.
You can watch Jose Raymond go into more detail in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Kai Greene Talks Crypto Currency, Shows Amazing Agility in Pro Wrestling Training
Kai Greene shows his multifaceted interests in his recent talks on crypto currency and some pro wrestling training.
Kai Greene is looking to up his game in the crypto currency market. The bodybuilder appears to be following in the footsteps of famous entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and is looking to invest in SHIBA. At the same time, Kai has also been dabbling in pro wrestling training.
While bodybuilding is one of his major focuses in life, Kai Greene is also a businessman. From a bodybuilding hopeful with a love for art and little to no money in his pocket to the one of the most popular figures in bodybuilding, Kai Greene has changed his life entirely.
With business ventures like his Dynamik Muscle, Kai Greene has established himself as the consummate businessman. An entrepreneur in his own rights dabbling in the supplement game and even releasing his own comic book, Kai knows a thing or two about turning a profit.
Now it appears that his sights are set on a new goal. The stock market.
Recently Kai Greene has made it clear that he’s looking to shift his focus to crypto currency.
Crypto currency is all the rage these days. With businessman like Elon Musk singing the praises of the future of crypto currency, Kai has no intentions of being left behind. Kai Greene shares some of his own thoughts on crypto currency as well as Elon Musk’s influence on the market.
Here’s my look at this.Elon tweets market goes down.Not because of the business but because of the tweet. My educative guess is he is secretly buying as he now knows he can manipulate market to go down with tweets.
— Kai Greene (@KaiGreene) May 17, 2021
#ShibaArmy #Shiba holdersJust so we are all clear…. $SHIBWe are not selling at 0.0000777We are not selling at 0.0001We are not selling at 0.001We are not selling at 0.1We are not selling $SHIBGet on the ? strap in, and enjoy the ride of your life ??? pic.twitter.com/UU3mjSDz7v
— Kai Greene (@KaiGreene) May 17, 2021
Pro Wrestling Training
Besides delving into crypto currency, Kai Greene recently decided to dabble in some pro wrestling training. The bodybuilder recently collaborated with AEW pro wrestler Brian Cage and the results were pretty interesting.
?Stepping into the ring with The Machine @briancage. An experience myself nor my spine will ever forget! I’ve quickly gained a whole new level of respect for wrestlers from amateurs to professionals. Every sport has an art to it.
Kai Greene is an ever changing force and is always looking to explore new options. It’s certainly inspiring to see.
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.
A Complete Guide To Super Greens Supplements
Super greens work to boost our overall health and wellness so nothing stands in our way.
Many of us overlook super green supplements and give ourselves a pass. We take a multivitamin which can pump us with those essential nutrients to optimize growth and bodily functions. Many of us even toss in an omega-3 supplement to really give a boost to our overall health and wellness. But what a good super greens supplement can do is support our overall health and wellness by giving our bodies the right nutrients exactly when we need them so we can fuel and tackle any challenge.
Getting enough greens in our diets is vital to continue to maximize the most out of everything we do. But think about your daily eating routine and really wonder if you are getting enough greens. Making sure we get enough in our diet can help our organs function, cognitive health, and maintain a healthy routine. But too often our often busy schedules force us to resort to other means of nutrition, and while they may not be bad, we can always do better. Super greens are there to fill in any missing nutrient gaps and make sure your health stays priority number one.
We’ve put together this complete guide for super green supplements so you can make the best choice possible for yourself. We know supplementation can be tricky, but knowing exactly what to look for and how to navigate the market can prove to be very much worth your while when looking for the best to boost your growth.
What Are Super Greens Supplements?
Super green supplements are dietary supplements designed to help you reach your daily recommended intake of those vital greens. With benefits ranging from immunity, to energy, and detoxification, it is no wonder why these supplements have taken off in popularity. Typically in powder form, you can mix with water or any desired liquid to get these nutrients into your body. Usually packed with tons of ingredients, like leafy greens, other vegetables, fruits, grasses, and probiotics, these supplements are created to pump you with only the best to keep you operating at maximum capacity.
Benefits Of Super Greens
Super greens will offer you a great foundation for your overall health with a range of benefits stemming from the many vitamins and minerals packed into one serving. A great super greens supplement will:
Increase energy: Consistently supply you with an energy source throughout the day to ensure nothing goes to waste and you burn fuel efficiently.
Offer antioxidants: Fight oxidative damage from free radicals (1).
Improve gut health: Help break down food for maximum nutrient extraction to assist your gut.
Serve as vegetable substitute: Can help fill any missing nutrient gaps missed from a whole food diet.
Key Ingredients In Super Greens
While there are often times many ingredients included in a super greens supplement, these will differ based off brand and formula. This list below are some staples that should be in your super greens supplement.
Leafy Greens: These include things like spinach, kale, and collard greens. Benefits include aiding in digestive health, balancing cholesterol levels, working to maintain weight, boosting energy, and aiding in muscle strength (2).
Grasses: Including wheatgrass, barley grass, and alfalfa grass. These can eliminate toxins, help with digestion, and boost your metabolism.
Vegetables: These include foods like broccoli, carrots, beets, and a host of others. Help with weight loss, cognitive function, and provide great nutrients (3).
Fruits: Typically high in antioxidants like blueberries, goji berries, and acai. Offer great antioxidant properties and pump you with vitamins and minerals.
Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes: Various forms of probiotics and enzymes like amylase, lipase, among others. These can aid in digestion to not upset your stomach and work to improve gut health (4).
Safety & Effectiveness
On the whole, super greens are safe to take and are a great all-natural way to really boost your overall health. Always read the label to see what the respective company advises in terms of use and directions, but the right super greens supplement from a transparent and honest company will give you everything you need. By pumping you with those vital nutrients, it is highly effective in offering aid to your mind and body as you seek the best for yourself, your training, and your lifestyle.
Featured Super Greens Supplement
While there are many great super green supplements, out there, and our list of the Best Super Greens Supplements contains many of them, we wanted to share one that is an all-star product.
Transparent Labs WellnessSeries Prebiotic Greens
Transparent Labs offers a solid super greens supplement with their WellnessSeries Prebiotic Greens, a mineral rich and nutritious prebiotic supplement to maximize nutrient utilization. With two parts to this formula, their Algae Greens delivers much needed vitamins and minerals to aid in detoxification and their Prebiotic Fibers will provide healthy gut fibers to maximize this nutrient utilization. With clean ingredients and a transparent formula, Transparent Labs takes pride in knowing their product is geared towards the needs of the consumer with no ulterior motive.
Price: $39.00
Try Transparent Labs WellnessSeries Prebiotic Greens Here
Check out our list of the Best Super Green Supplements for more awesome products!
Wrap Up
When it comes to supplements to give us real aid to our overall health and wellness, looking to super greens is a great start. A multivitamin and omega-3 supplement may give us the similar benefits, but each works in their own respective way to better us. A super greens product can give you those important vitamins and minerals while working to provide great benefits to you. We know that finding a high quality super greens supplement can be challenging, but we make it our goal to always bring you the best products to give you the best chance at growth. This complete guide will help you as you navigate the world of super greens and look for the best option for your health 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 Transparent Labs & Envato
References
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Antioxidants: In Depth”. (source)
Edith Cowan University (2021). “Green leafy vegetables essential for muscle strength”. (source)
Dias, Joao Silva (2012). “Nutritional Quality and Health Benefits of Vegetables: A Review”. (source)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Probiotics: What You Need To Know”. (source)