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Arnold Schwarzenegger Unveils His 3-Tier ‘Hierarchy of Muscle Gains’
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a living legend who credits much of his success to health and fitness. He’s a former seven-time Mr. Olympia champion who graced bodybuilding’s biggest stages throughout the 1970s and 80s. In a recent edition of his newsletter, Arnold’s Pump Club, Schwarzenegger shared a ‘hierarchy of muscle gains’ which consisted of three tiers.
As one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, Arnold Schwarzenegger still carries a deep passion for the sport. In retirement, he hosts the Arnold Sports Festival every year, an invite-only bodybuilding event, exclusive only to the most famous names in the IFBB Pro League. In addition to hosting these huge competitions, Schwarzenegger maintains an exceptional level of fitness at 75 years old.
Schwarzenegger was widely respected for his size, symmetry, and proportions throughout his bodybuilding career. He possessed huge arms, a slim waist, and a commanding chest, which helped him stand out on stage against competition. Before calling it a career, Schwarzenegger pushed himself against greats Franco Columbu, Frank Zane, and Sergio Oliva.
Given his status as one of the world’s best-built men, Schwarzenegger admits it’s been difficult to accept his physique as he’s gotten older. He’s also been more open about other sensitive aspects of his career, such as performance-enhancing drug use. According to Schwarzenegger, he utilized a two-compound cocktail of Dianabol and testosterone for most of his Olympia reign.
From governing the state of California to philanthropy and acting, Schwarzenegger has done it all. His love for working out and bodybuilding has persisted for decades despite his busy schedule. One of the last tips he offered fans was suggestions on achieving more youthful skin. This time, he’s teaching us how to extract the most out of consistent training sessions.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Breaks Down Hierarchy of Muscle Gains
When mapping out a workout plan, Schwarzenegger emphasized the importance of locking down a goal. The bodybuilding legend also underlined that consistency and compliance are most crucial for those aiming to build muscle or strength by working out.
“Scientists found that if you’re stressing about optimizing the number of workouts, days per week, or specific exercises, you’re missing the forest from the trees. Consistency and compliance are the most important variables for building more strength and muscle.
The researchers found that the weight you can lift and the number of sets you perform are not the main drivers of muscle growth. First, it’s consistency, and then it’s total volume. In other words, if you did ten sets of 10 reps using 20 pounds (10 reps x 20 pounds x 10 sets = 2000 pounds of total volume), it would be more effective at building muscle than three sets of 3 reps using 100 pounds (3 reps x 100 pounds x 3 sets = 900 pounds of total volume)…assuming the ten reps at 20 pounds was near failure.”
While glorifying heavy weights is easy, consistency is most important, and volume pushes your muscles to their limit. If ten reps of 20 pounds are easy, then that won’t force your muscles to work towards their capacity, which means even though you have high volume, you won’t grow. So if you wanted to create a hierarchy of muscle gains, it would be
1. Build consistent habits for training.
2. Push your body as hard as possible at each training session (most people don’t push themselves hard enough, and that’s why they don’t grow).
3. Focus on total volume.
Schwarzenegger mentioned that the frequency of training sessions can also have a dramatic impact on gains, whether for strength or muscle growth.
“If your goal is increasing strength, the variables change. You’re ability to become stronger is determined by progressively using more weight, the frequency of your training sessions (three times per week appears to be the sweet spot), and exercise order influences muscular strength.
Focus on your habits, make them automatic, and then you can figure out how to push yourself hard enough to see the desired results.”
Schwarzenegger’s impact on the sport is undeniable. Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy recently assessed his legacy on a special YouTube appearance. During the video, El Guindy called Arnold an ‘icon of modern times’ with a legacy that will last forever. El Guindy also examined Schwarzenegger’s physique before and after he became a Mr. Olympia winner.
READ MORE:
Similar to Joey Swoll’s mission, Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to see the world embrace fitness. He hopes to inspire and motivate people around the world with his workouts, recipes, techniques, and personal stories from his newsletter.
Published: 27 July, 2023 | 11:03 PM EDT
YouTuber Jesse James West Wins Bodybuilding Show Competing Naturally
Social media sensation Jesse James West is renowned for his unique content, offering a blend of bodybuilding, fitness, and entertainment. He boasts an impressive physique as well. In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, West showcased his win at the 2023 Summer Shredding Championships while competing naturally.
Jesse James West first made headlines for his workout videos on his social media channels. He amassed a huge following of nearly 3 million subscribers on YouTube and over 960,000 on Instagram. He likes to push himself with different training routines and challenges. Besides bodybuilding, West has also tried out powerlifting, strongman, and other related activities.
West teamed up with Internet sensation Liver King to adopt his lifestyle of eating raw meat and training hard based on the nine ancestral tenets in Aug. 2022. He ate, trained, and slept like Liver King for 50 hours, all under his watchful guidance, and reported positive results in the end. Then, West collaborated with bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler for a tough upper-body workout. The four-time Mr. Olympia mentored him through the chest training and offered tips in a posing session.
West joined forces with fellow influencer Brandon William in an attempt to train like Navy seal David Goggins last August. The pair tested their limits following Goggins’ intense workout and diet for a day.
The 23-year-old partnered with powerlifting sensation Larry Wheels for an extreme workout challenge of lifting a total of 100,000 pounds in 60 minutes last November. West performed well but Wheels beat him as they raced against the clock to see who could lift the total first.
Earlier this year, Jesse James West tricked legendary bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman into believing he lifted a massive 700-pound squat using fake weights. Coleman was under the impression he motivated West to score a new PR but later found out he got pranked. He pulled a similar stunt on strongman legend Eddie Hall by lifting a huge 675-pound deadlift with fake weights two months ago.
YouTuber Jesse James West Wins Bodybuilding Show Competing Naturally
In a recent YouTube video, Jesse James West gave fans a look into his bodybuilding competition. He competed naturally and weighed 172 pounds on show day.
West won in his class the 2023 Summer Shredding Championships in the Classic Physique category, held in Houston, Texas. He placed second overall in Men’s Physique and did not win the overall finals for the Classic Physique.
Jesse James West collaborated with former four-time Men’s Physique Olympia champion Jeremy Buendia for a grueling shoulders workout in preparation for his bodybuilding splash over two weeks ago. Then, he reunited with Ronnie Coleman to go through his most challenging chest workout a week later.
If the latest update is any indication, West could continue to make waves in bodybuilding if he chooses to compete regularly.
RELATED: Bodybuilder Seth Feroce ‘Exposes’ 12 Most Famous Influencers in the Fitness Industry: ‘Natty or Not’
You can watch the full video below:
Published: 27 July, 2023 | 4:01 PM EDT
Logan Paul Challenged by Bradley Martyn to ‘No Cameras Fight,’ “Come To My Gym”
Two of YouTube’s top personalities are ready to square up in a fight, whether it be boxing or behind closed doors. After Logan Paul offered to ‘humble’ Bradley Martyn in a Puerto Rico sparring match, Martyn fired back with his own idea. He challenged Logan to fight at his home gym Zoo Culture with no cameras.
Martyn sports a hulking physique and likes to test his strength, though sometimes to his misfortune. He’s a fixture in the fitness community and is known for hosting major productions on YouTube like The Full Send Podcast and Bradley Martyn’s Raw Talk. Given his knack for communication and drawing the best out of his guests, Martyn has become a fan-favorite in the industry.
Logan Paul has also built a wildly successful social media following, which includes millions on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. In addition, he’s made multiple appearances in the WWE. During a recent Impaulsive Podcast, Paul took shots at Martyn after Bradley said he could beat Nate Diaz or boxer Devin Haney in a street fight.
Logan Paul Wants to ‘Humble’ Bradley Martyn in Sparring Match, Says He’s ‘Desperate For Clicks’
In response to Martyn saying he could take the famous Stockton native in a fight, Diaz had a simple answer:
“Bro, you’re a podcaster,” Diaz laughed.
While speaking together, Bradley commented that he hoped to see Jake ‘get his ass beat’ by Nate. After hearing Bradley’s remarks, Logan Paul called out Martyn for a sparring match in Puerto Rico.
“Even the way you are talking about street fighting Nate, you’re not going to beat Nate Diaz in a street fight. You’re a well-versed guy, you’re not a guy who has to create beefs to be cool or relevant, especially when it comes to Jake. You’re cool with us, [Jake] is in the family and you’ve even said yourself that you like him. Why say that? Are you searching for clicks?”
“Bradley, you gotta be humbled. That’s what you need. It doesn’t sound like you’ve had it yet and I will invite you to Puerto Rico to spar with me to be humbled…Bradley, if you’re serious, I’m inviting you to Puerto Rico to promote my next upcoming fight and I will spar you and I will fu**ing humble your ass,” Logan Paul said on episode 25 of Impaulsive.
Martyn responded to Logan with revised terms for their potential fight.
“Logan Paul talking about clicks n views and I’m lame. This coming from the guy who filmed a dead body for views & all of a sudden I’m reaching for views? The same reason u even call me out is for the same purpose…VIEWS. In your own words…“To promote my fight coming up”. But when I did it in my content I’m lame?
Also to defend ur brother, your the guy who at every turn with KSl you don’t have his back and you own brother even feels as though u don’t.. & that’s from his own words, me wanting to see someone get memed and liking someone can both co-exist. AND speaking about clicks and views, fk all that, come to my gym no cameras no content..we can just fight in front of zoo culture.” Bradley Martyn shared.
Logan Paul talking about clicks n views and I’m lame. This coming from the guy who filmed a dead body for views & all of a sudden I’m reaching for views? The same reason u even call me out is for the same purpose…VIEWS. In your own words…“To promote my fight coming up”. But…
— Bradley Martyn (@BradleyMartyn) July 26, 2023
Should they actually meet in the ring, Martyn would enjoy a significant size advantage over Paul given his weight of around 260 pounds. Meanwhile, Paul’s walk-around weight hovers in the 205-pound area. It should be noted, ‘The Maverick’ has legitimate combat sports experience. In 2021, Paul shared the boxing ring with legend Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather in an exhibition match.
Unusual fight arrangements seem to be the norm in 2023. Over the last few months, the new Twitter owner Elon Musk, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg have laid out terms to fight each other. With both parties seemingly interested, fans might be in for a big treat. According to UFC President Dana White, Musk and Zuckerberg are ‘dead serious’ about fighting.
Musk has transformed his body and lost 20 pounds with the help of periodic fasting. Zuckerberg also has kept tabs on his fitness with participation in Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments and combat sports lessons with UFC champions such as Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski.
RELATED: Bradley Martyn Breaks Down Horrific Gym Mishap That Left Him Needing 10 Stitches
With Bradley Martyn and Logan Paul’s feud heating up, fans are jumping to pick sides. Time will tell if they meet in the ring and if Martyn can deliver in a fight without traditional combat sports experience.
Published: 27 July, 2023 | 1:39 PM EDT
212’s John Jewett Shares Ripped Update 10 Weeks from Open Debut at 2023 Legion Sports Fest Pro
Bodybuilding standout John Jewett plans to give the Men’s Open a try. Despite his track record of success in the 212 category, Jewett believes his full potential may lie at a heavier weight. In a recent Instagram post, Jewett shared a ripped update, announcing his intention to enter the upcoming 2023 Legion Sports Fest Pro, which takes place October 7-8.
In 2016, Jewett earned his IFBB Pro card at the NPC USA Championships and hasn’t looked back. Over the next few years, Jewett battled at Pro shows but struggled to pick up a victory. However, that all changed in 2019 when Jewett claimed the 212 title at the Tampa Pro. This win qualified him for his first Mr. Olympia contest, an opportunity he embraced wholeheartedly with a fourth-place finish.
Jewett attempted the 2020 Olympia, but he dropped to 13th place. His perseverance saw him push through a busy season in 2021 with his best showing at the New York Pro in second place to winner, Nathan Epler.
This year, Jewett has been eager to get his name out there. Just a few weeks ago, he won the 212 title at the 2023 Lenda Murray Atlanta Pro. And while this guaranteed him a 212 qualification to Olympia in November, Jewett wasn’t satisfied. He revealed his plans to try out the Men’s Open in October and given the trend of 212 Bodybuilders switching divisions, he feels now is the right time.
“Pulling Down to 212 I Feel Does Hurt My Look,” John Jewett Announces Next Show Will Be In Open
In addition to bringing his best to a division without restrictions, John Jewett believes the debut will give him more exposure to bodybuilding fans around the world.
Jewett is currently tipping the scales at 225 pounds ahead of his Open debut in ten weeks. He shared that the Legion Sports Fest Pro is an ideal show for him as it’s four weeks before this year’s Olympia contest. Overall, Jewett feels cutting weight to make the 212-pound weight limit might be hurting his look.
“@legionsportsfest Open Debut 2023
I really had to think on this, if it was the right callThe ultimate goal is to bring my best to stage and also make the largest impact in physique educationPulling down to 212 I feel does hurt my look and I want to see out what it would be if I did not and just went to the open.
The open shows also just get more attention than 212, so I gives a greater reach to teach others how to bodybuildLegion is a good timeline for me as it is 4 weeks prior to the Olympia and will serve as delaod diet break which should not takeaway from the O prep.Then it also gives me a barometer for where I stand and if this is really my last year as a 212 or not if the look is that much better in the Open.So, here it is, 10 weeks out from my Open Debut and I am on fire to do this show! Sitting at 225lbs.” John Jewett shared.
Should Jewett make it to the Legion Sports Fest Pro show, he’ll have taken a page from reigning 212 Olympia Shaun Clarida‘s book. Clarida, a 212 powerhouse, has also tested the waters as an Open athlete. It was Shaun’s performance at the 2021 Legion Sports Fest show that earned him the nickname ‘The Giant Killer.’ At the event, Clarida managed to defeat Regan Grimes and Sergio Oliva Jr. despite his shorter stature and size. Clarida’s last Open appearance saw him enter the 2023 Arnold Classic where he pushed Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay en route to earning fifth place.
Clarida isn’t the only 212 star to shake up the Men’s Open division. Former 2021 212 Olympia Derek Lunsford proved he could stand next to bigger foes last year while guest posing at the Pittsburgh Pro. This prompted Olympia officials to offer him a special invite to compete at the Open Mr. Olympia. Lunsford capitalized on the opportunity and took second place to Hadi Choopan, an Open bodybuilder who also started in the 212 category earlier on in his career.
In addition, Tonio Burton, another 212 Bodybuilder, decided to test out the Open at the 2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro in fourth place. He went on the following year to win the 2022 Legion Sports Fest title in the Open class. Burton has continued to find success. He recently laid claim to the 2023 New York Pro title and took runner-up at the California State Pro.
RELATED: Breon Ansley Shares Full Day of Eating for 212 Splash & Push-Day Workout
With 212 athletes flooding the Open class, many fans have begun to question how the trend will affect the way in which judges score contests. Meanwhile, stars of the sport such as Lee Priest and Iain Valliere have suggested getting rid of the 212 category altogether. They believe the most skilled competitors of the 212 would still rise to the top of the Open. As for John Jewett, he hopes to establish himself as a bigger name while pushing himself in a new division.
Published: 27 July, 2023 | 11:32 AM EDT
Jeff Nippard’s Ultimate Back and Biceps Workout Backed by Science
Jeff Nippard recently shared a science-backed high-volume pull-day workout for back and biceps gains.
Canadian fitness expert Jeff Nippard is one of the leading figures in the science-based YouTube fitness community. He is a lifelong natural bodybuilder, powerlifter, and personal coach. Nippard started training as a kid and went on to become the 2022 Mr. Junior Canada when he was 22 years old. As a powerlifter, he holds the record for 502-lbs squats, 336-lbs bench press and a 518-lbs deadlift. At one point, Nippard also held the Canadian national record for bench press.
Jeff Nippard’s knowledge comes from a degree in biochemistry and decades of training. He is a student of bodybuilding and continues to acquire and share knowledge. He routinely shares entertaining and informative videos on his YouTube channel that has amassed 3.8 million subscribers. Additionally, he has trained several natural bodybuilders and powerlifters to achieve their goals.
In recent months, Jeff Nippard has taken a deep dive into the minimalist training philosophy. He is in the process of releasing a six-part push–pull–leg training series based on the minimalist training principles. The most recent issue, a pull day workout was recently posted on Nippards’ YouTube channel. So let’s check out what Nippard has in store for us this time.
Jeff Nippard shares pull day workout and tips
One-Arm Half kneeling lat pulldown
Jeff Nippard advises to start the pull-day workout with this lat-focused exercise. Technique-wise, he suggests pulling the cable back until the upper arm is aligned with the body. Pulling the weight too far back is not ideal as the lats lose leverage once the arm goes behind the torso.
Nippard further stated that a lot of people prefer doing the lat pull-in where you pull the weight down from the sides. However, the teres muscles can take over the movement during the pull-in, causing the lats to get understimulated.
As of now, there is no scientific study that conclusively proves one exercise to be better than the other in terms of hypertrophy benefits. So as of now, choosing either of the two exercises is an individual preference without any specific benefits attached to it.
“I’d just say to roll with whatever one you feel hitting your lats harder. OR If you feel them both equally well, you can periodically rotate them in and out,” Nippard concluded.
You should perform three sets of the exercise adhering to a moderate 12 to 15 rep range.
Pull-ups
The advanced bodyweight movement follows the lat pulldowns. Personally, Jeff Nippard likes to do as many sets of pull-ups as possible. However, the lats already got the work during lat pulldowns and he feels that an-out set of pull-ups would be sufficient in this training session.
Additionally, Nippard’s priority is to make exercise enjoyable to a large variety of fitness enthusiasts. So while calisthenics enthusiasts might be excited to perform pull-ups, many bodybuilders are not in favor of doing them.
“While I do think that it’s important that your training is enjoyable, I also think pull-ups are a great exercise worth including that you shouldn’t avoid just because they’re harder than lat pulldowns.”
To address all of these factors and include this compound bodyweight movement into the workout, Nippard found the middle ground of performing one AMRAP set. The goal here should be to increase the number of reps every week while maintaining a consistent form.
“If you’re bulking, just matching the number of reps should be enough to present an overloading stimulus because as you gain weight, you’re adding resistance. But if you’re cutting, you should try to add at least one rep each week because as you lose weight, you’ll be lowering the resistance,” Nippard explained.
Technique-wise, putting the arms at a distance 1.5 times the shoulder width should be ideal and you can always use an assisted pull-up machine or resistance band if you’re at the early stages of development.
Kroc Rows
Nippard classifies Kroc rows as a more loose and slightly more upright version of dumbbell rows with ‘controlled cheating’. He argues that it is absolutely necessary to be more strict with the form, especially when you are a new lifter. But according to the Canadian fitness expert, you can restrict your progress in the name of perfect technique as you get into more advanced stages of development.
“Once you’ve mastered the technique basics, I don’t think there is anything wrong with a little controlled body English on select movements, especially if it allows you to overload the target muscles more effectively.”
Many elite professional bodybuilders allow their body to sway during exercises. Nippard drew attention to the fact that they are in control of the weight in spite of swaying, especially during the eccentric phase of the movement.
“The strength curve of the back exercises is actually very unique in that it’s super easy at the bottom and then much harder at the top. So if you stop at the first sign of any technique loss…”
He concluded:
“…You may be stopping well shy of the point where your back is fully stimulated. So using just a little bit of momentum at the bottom can help your back approach that point of full exhaustion much more effectively.”
Nippard does not advise cheating on exercises all the time. Instead, he feels that it can be an effective intensity technique in certain cases. Three sets of 10 to 12 reps on the Kroc rows should be enough for you to stimulate the back muscles.
Cable Shrug-Ins
The cable machine variation of shrugs should be the next exercise in the pull-day workout. Unlike the dumbbell or barbell shrugs where the weight moves along a straight vertical axis, the direction of movement is up and towards the center in cable shrug-ins.
According to Nippard, the direction of movement on cable shrug-ins lines up better with the orientation of the upper trap muscle fibers. As a result, shrugging up and towards the center is more effective for trap stimulation.
“That’s also why I generally recommend a slightly wider grip when doing barbell shrugs as it will force you to shrug up and in, and not just straight up and down,” Nippard concluded.
Once again, he advises doing three sets of this exercise for 12 to 15 reps before advancing to the next one.
Reverse Pec Deck Flyes
This rear delt-specific movement should be next in the workout. The focus here should be to push the weight out and back and not just back. This way, you can put more emphasis on the rear delts. According to Nippard:
“If you just pull the weight back, you’re going to shift a lot of focus on the mid-traps which isn’t a big deal if that’s what you’re going for. But we’ve already smashed the mid-traps with pull-ups and Kroc rows. So I’d much rather isolate the rear delts here since they’re usually overpowered by the bigger back muscles in those compound movements.”
You can experiment with the neutral, pronated, and internally rotated grip to stimulate the rear delt muscles in different ways and get the most benefits out of this exercise.
Overhead Cable Biceps Curls
Nippard is not a big fan of overhead biceps curls. However, he recently came across an experiment done by natural bodybuilders Alberto Nunes and Brian Miner. Both of them experienced more activation in the long head of the biceps during overhead curls.
There is little data to conclusively approve the findings of this experiment. But Nippard finds it worthwhile to at least experiment with this exercise. Three sets of 12 to 15 reps should usually suffice. But you can always add a couple of more biceps exercises to stimulate the muscles more.
Overall, the workout must include:
Jeff Nippard’s fitness advice stems from extensive research and study. So there is a high probability that you might be able to make better gains if you follow the training routine. So head over to the gym and give this pull-day workout a try!
You can watch the full video here, courtesy of Jeff Nippard’s YouTube channel:
Published: 27 July, 2023 | 11:07 AM EDT
How To Use These Proteins For Better Results!
The better quality protein you consume, the better your gains will be. One of the highest-quality protein powders you can use is any of my hydrolyzed protein powders. However, the big problem with hydrolyzed protein powders is the taste.
Listen to Alex Rogers, talk about hydrolyzed protein powders.
Here are some tips, ideas, and tricks to get these excellent protein powders into your regime if you are concerned with the taste.
The most straightforward formula is to do something like this:
1/4 cup of whey protein powder
1 tbs of leucine peptides
Protein Maximizer: Leucine Peptides
We know that leucine is THE major player in muscle protein synthesis. So if you are going to keep it basic and spend money on something, leucine peptides are the way to go. (NOT L-Leucine!)
If you need something that mixes really easily, substitute and leucine peptides for Peptopro or Total Frag 250.
Protein Blend:
Combine whey protein with casein and then add 1 tbs of Hydrolyzed 520 or Salmbolic.
Use a Drink Enhancer.
In the past, I used to recommend using Gatorade with hydrolyzed protein. It is effortless to take 20 grams of hydrolyzed protein and, put it in a 32 oz bottle of Gatorade, and drink it. You can barely taste it. And it makes for a great recovery drink.
However, I am against consuming artificial colors and am not particularly eager to consume artificial sweeteners.
I searched online and found this.
https://sturdrinks.com/pages/store-locator.
These are great to use for flavor hydrolyzed protein powder. Typically, citrus fruits are better to use.
If you are looking for something cheaper, try this
These are pretty cool as well.
Salmbolic 98, believe it or not, is easy to drink!
I know drinking salmon protein sounds gross, but I’m telling you it aint. I would not carry it if I thought nobody could consume it. Salmbolic is very easy to flavor with lemon or lemonade.
Two tbs of salmbolic with 16 oz of lemonade, and you can’t even taste it. Yes, you can smell it a little bit, but you can’t even taste it. It is a super high-quality protein to use. The guys that manufacture it say it is better than whey.
Use Depo Nitrolase 250
All of my hydrolyzed protein powders, with the exception of Total Frag 250 are only max, 28% hydrolyzed. That is why I am selling the Depo Nitrolase 250 because it will support the digestion and utilization of the hydrolyzed protein powders.
If you are using any protein powder, get the Depo Nitrolase 250.
Depo-Nitrolase 250 (Original Formula)
Sale
Product on sale
$59.99 $48.00
Cera Products
A few months ago, one of my kids bought this product called Liquid IV (yes, they never listen to their father). I almost smacked him. This Liquid IV is a grand marketing scheme, and whoever came up with the name is a marketing genius. However, the product is nothing more than dextrose with electrolytes. In my opinion, its garbage.
Instead, if you want a high-performance hydrolyzed powder, Cera Powder is it. Now, why am I mentioning this? Because if you combine it WITH any of my hydrolyzed protein powders, you have pretty much the best recovery/hydration powder that can be constructed.
Cera powders are great to use during the summer when it is hot outside. Put in a little Peptopro or Total Frag, and it turns it into a high-performance drink for sure!
Alex Rogers is a supplement manufacturing expert. He has been formulating, consulting, & manufacturing dietary supplements since 1998. Alex invented protein customization in 1998 & was the first company to allow consumers to create their own protein blends. He helped create the first supplement to contain natural follistatin, invented whey protein with egg lecithin, & recently imported the world’s first 100% hydrolyzed whey.
2023 Pharlabs Sur Pro Cup Colombia Scorecards
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Shaun Clarida kicks off the 2023 Olympia Prep With an Intense Back and Biceps Workout
Shaun Clarida has entered the prep for 2023 Olympia. He shared the news in a recent pull day workout posted on his YouTube channel and also shed light on the challenges of being on top of the division.
Shaun Clarida is an American professional builder that has competed in the Men’s Open and the 212 divisions of the IFBB Pro League. Although he has done the best of his work in the 212 division, the 40-year-old bodybuilder has maintained a strong presence in the Men’s Open division as well.
Winning the 212 Olympia title at the 2020 Olympia was the highlight of Shaun Clarida’s career. However, he was dethroned by Derek Lunsford at the 2021 Olympia, bringing the goal of a long title reign to an abrupt end. But Clarida turned up the heat and made the bold decision to move up to the Men’s Open division.
At 5ft-2in tall, Clarida is one of the shorter competitors. His decision to compete against the big boys was criticized as a result. But Clarida took the bodybuilding world by surprise when he emerged victoriously in his Men’s Open debut at the 2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro. The win earned him a direct qualification to compete in the division at the 2022 Olympia as well.
While he intended to create history by competing in both Men’s Open and 212 division at the show, Clarida eventually stayed in the 212 division, winning the second 212 Olympia title in 2022. He made a quick turnaround and attempted to score a win at the 2023 Arnold Classic in the Open division but managed to secure a fifth-place finish.
Shaun Clarida talks about the pressure of being an Olympia champion
Clarida will attempt the first defense of his 212 Olympia title in 2023 and started the competition prep 16 weeks out of the show. He made rapid progress in the off-season and feels comfortable at the current stage. Winning the third title is obviously the primary objective of the competition prep. While winning a title is probably the easier bit, defending it is the part where most people fail. Clarida has been in that situation before and highlighted the challenges of being on top of the division. He said:
“Much harder to stay on top, much harder! You’ve got a big a** target on your back. Everybody is coming to take you out. On the flip side everybody wants to see what kind of improvements you’re gonna make, how much better you can be. But if you follow my career for the past umpteen years, that’s what I’m known for… Improving year after year, bringing something new to the stage.”
The prospects of a competitive legacy are not the biggest motivating factor in his life. Clarida was blessed with a baby girl in 2022. He feels that being a father gives him the energy he needs to push through difficulties.
“Having that title is definitely motivating. But for me, what’s more motivating than that, aside from being Mr. Olympia, is being a dad, a father. Having this little human being in my hand to provide for, be an educator, be a leader…” He added.
The 40-year-old further stated that all the efforts are for his daughter and that’s one of the reasons he moved back to Texas. But he admits that being Mr. Olympia is a great feeling nevertheless. With that, Clarida jumped into the pull day workout and got a good day’s work in to get ready for the 2023 Olympia.
Shaun Clarida pushes through a high-volume back and biceps workout
Back Workout
Pull-Ups
Clarida kicked off the workout with assisted pull-ups. The regular bodyweight pull-up is one of the most effective compound exercises to build the upper body pulling muscles. Therefore it can be surprising to see an elite bodybuilder perform the assisted version, taking some resistance off. But Shaun Clarida has always preferred assisted pull-ups as they take the momentum out of play and help focus directly on the back muscles.
“I’m a big believer in pull-ups. I believe they are absolutely the bread and butter of growing that back.. For that back thickness and width…” Clarida exclaimed.
Clarida performed four to five sets of assisted pull-ups applying the progressive overload principle and setting the wheels in motion for an intense training session. He then jumped into the first official back exercise of the day.
Meadow’s Rows
‘The Giant Killer’ incorporated this exercise in his training routine around a year back when he started the training program to emphasize and improve the upper and outer areas of the latissimus dorsi muscles. But Clarida was introduced to the exercise back in the day by the late John Meadows himself ‘to really thicken up the lats’.
Clarida followed the training method taught to him by John Meadows to do this exercise. After doing a couple of warm-up sets without loading any weight on the bar, ‘The Giant Killer’ did two feeder sets to figure out a good weight that he could improve from. He uses 25lbs plates to do Meadows row as it enables him to get a better range of motion. There is a practical reason behind this as Shaun Clarida explained:
“I’m short. So if I’m short and I use the 45lbs plate, it’ll just be banging the whole time and I won’t be able to get the full (range of motion) which I want…”
The feeder sets were followed by working sets with incrementally heavier weights. Following this, the 212 Olympia champion took to the T-bar rows next.
Chest-Supported T-Bar Rows
T-bar rows are arguably the greatest exercise to impart thickness to the back. If you had to choose just one rowing movement for back, we would advise to go with T-bar rows. Clarida did the exercise on a chest-supported t-bar rows machine. Clarida prefers to have a grip that is in between the neutral grip and the overhand pronated grip. However, the machine did not have the option and Clarida improvised by attaching a D-handle.
Clarida did the warm-up set using a quarter plate and then proceeded to crank out the feeder sets. After working his way up to the top set of two full sets, ‘The Giant Killer’ took to another rowing movement.
Machine Rows
Shan Clarida next performed machine rows on the Prime Extreme Row machine. The machine has eight different adjustments for the bench. Clarida intended the exercise to simulate the bent-over dumbbell rows. He adjusted the seat accordingly and performed the rows unilaterally.
“By hovering over the bench and keeping one hand against the pad, I’m able to get a really good stretch in the lat,” Clarida said about the positioning.
He pushed through some solid sets of the exercise using a similar training method as the previous exercises – warm-up sets, feeder sets followed by working sets – and jumped into the next exercise.
Seated Rows
Most of the previous exercises primarily targeted the lats. Clarida shifted his focus on working the upper back and performed seated rows on a Prime selectorized machine next.
“(The machine) hits the upper back just right with the positioning of the chair. You’ll feel traps, rhomboids, a little bit of the rear delts but not too much,” Clarida explained.
The American bodybuilder annihilated some heavy sets of seated rows to work the upper back muscles before taking up a vertical pulling movement.
Close-Grip V-Bar Pulldowns
Vertical pulling movements help build a wide back. Clarida took to the v-bar lat pulldown next to build upper and middle back width. This variation of lat pulldowns heavily stimulates the rhomboids due to the close neutral grip. Also, biceps and forearms get a good workout as well. Clarida cranked out some solid sets of close grip v-bar pulldowns before taking up an isolation exercise next.
Standing Cable Pullovers
We can’t think of many isolation exercises when it comes to stimulating the back muscles. However, cable pullover is one isolation exercise that stands out for its benefits in back-building. It primarily works the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and posterior deltoid muscles.
“A lot of rowing, a lot of blood flow in those lats. Now we’re going to stretch them out the front lat spread, double bicep to make sure that width is there,” Clarida stated.
The 40-year-old pushed through four working sets of this exercise and jumped into the finisher of the day.
Weighted hyperextensions
Clarida capped the back workout with a variation of weighted hyperextensions that he learned from the late John Meadows. This lower back movement targets the lower back muscles, more specifically, the spinal erectors.
“We’re still 16 weeks out and I’m trying to maintain as much mass as I possibly can. I’m still taking a lot of food in so I’m able to push a good amount of weight. But at the same time, I’ve got to push that conditioning,” Clarida said.
However, he has two herniations in the lower back and needs to be extra careful with the weight.
“When you turn around and ride those elbows back, spread double biceps for that lat spread, you see that whole lower back… We call it the Christmas tree, right? We want to see all those lines, all the details. This movement is going to help with that,” Shaun Clarida explained.
He performed a few sets of hyperextensions using a barbell with 25lbs plates for weight and wrapped up back training.
Biceps Workout
Single-Arm Preacher Curls
Shaun Clarida shifted the focus to the next part of his pull day – the biceps. Preacher curls are by far the most effective isolation exercise for biceps and help massively with muscle hypertrophy by eliminating all the other muscles from the action. Clarida performed a few sets of the exercise unilaterally on a selectorized machine and jumped into the last exercise of the training session.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
Hammer curls target the brachioradialis and the brachialis muscles in the arms along with biceps brachii. Most of the arm muscles get sufficient work during most of the pulling movements. Therefore it is completely unnecessary to train them with excessively heavy weights. All they need is stimulation with a few sets done with proper form. Shaun Clarida did exactly that with dumbbell hammer curls next and wrapped up the training session.
Overall, the workout included:
2023 Olympia takes place from No.2-5 in Orlando, Florida. Shaun Clarida will be the obvious favorite heading into the show. However, he has to manage the resources well and bring a complete package to the stage. If he maintains the focus and unparalleled work ethic that he is known for, ‘The Giant Killer’ will certainly walk away with the third 212 Olympia title.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Shaun Clarida’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 9:26 AM EDT
2023 America’s Strongest Man (U105KG) & Woman (U82KG) Results
The 2023 America’s Strongest Man (U105KG) & Woman (U82KG) competition took place on July 22nd at the Tinley Park Convention Center, in Illinois. It consisted of five events, with 12 men and six women competing for the title of America’s Strongest in their respective divisions.
In the end, Jeffrey Lee was crowned as the men’s U105KG American champion after a very tight battle with Zack McCarley. On the other hand, Erin Murray won the women’s division with a bit more comfort than Lee, but she still had to push until the very end so none of her rivals overtook her.
Another factor proving just how versatile the U105KG weight class is in American Strongman is that this year’s roster was almost completely different from last year’s one. The only man who competed last year and came back this year was Michael Congdon. So, all 12 other men did not take part in the 2022 edition of this show.
2023 America’s Strongest Man U105KG Leaderboards
Jeffrey Lee — 57 points
Zack McCarley — 55 points
Nick Hein — 43 points
Brandon Burley — 39 points
Justin Loy — 39 points
Alec Soukup — 38 points
Dan Hughes — 34 points
Matt Moeller — 32 points
Kevin Candito — 30 points
Michael Congdon — 28 points
Bill Kendall — 26.5 points
Jon Parker — 26 points
Johnny Wasiczko — 7.5 points
2023 America’s Strongest Woman U82KG Leaderboards
Erin Murray — 30 points
Jessica Mitchell — 26.5 points
Erin Walklet — 23 points
Katie Gutwald — 22.5 points
Cassandra Moore — 18 points
Rachael Peterson — 13 points
Jamie Schamma — 5 points
Related: 2023 North America’s Strongest Man Results — Trey Mitchell Wins
Event Recap
Both the U105KG Men and the U82KG Women took part in the same five events. The only difference between these two categories was the weight of the implements.
Event 1: Press Ladder
The first event of the 2023 America’s Strongest Man (U105KG) & Woman (U82KG) was an Overhead Press Ladder. The athletes encountered five implements, some being Axle Presses and others Log Lifts. Each implement got substantially heavier than the previous one. So, the goal was to overhead press as many implements as possible, as quickly as possible.
Weights:
U105KG: 270-lb, 290-lb, 310-lb, 330-lb, 350-lb
U82KG: 170-lb, 185-lb, 200-lb, 215-lb, 230-lb
Men
Zack McCarley — 5 in 59.13 seconds
Nick Hein — 4 in 32.97 seconds
Jeffrey Lee — 3 in 21.28 seconds
Justin Loy — 3 in 23.21 seconds
Brandon Burley — 3 in 25.9 seconds
Dan Hughes — 3 in 26.28 seconds
Alec Soukup — 3 in 27.81 seconds
Matt Moeller — 3 in 30.09 seconds
Michael Congdon — 3 in 32.01 seconds
Kevin Candito — 3 in 38.87 seconds
Jon Parker — 3 in 48.89 seconds
Bill Kendall — 1 in 6.09 seconds
Johnny Wasiczko — 1 in 14.02 seconds
Women
Jessica Mitchell — 5 in 49.87 seconds
Erin Murray — 4 in 38.35 seconds
Cassandra Moore — 4 in 42.44 seconds
Erin Walklet — 3 in 30.09 seconds
Rachael Peterson — 1 in 7.4 seconds
Katie Gutwald — 1 in 8.9 seconds
Jamie Schamma — 1 in 9.31 seconds
Event 2: Max Farmer’s Carry
Similar to the first event, in the second event of 2023 America’s Strongest Man (U105KG) & Woman (U82KG) featured multiple implements that got progressively heavier. They had to complete 30 feet with each implement in order to progress to the heavier one. In the end, the goal was to reach the heaviest possible Farmer’s Carry implement.
No skipping of weight was allowed, so a strict rule was that an athlete MUST complete the full distance with the lighter implements first.
Weights:
U105KG: 260-lb, 300-lb, 340-lb, 370-lb, 400-lb, 430-lb, 450-lb
U82KG: 180-lb, 210-lb, 240-lb, 270-lb, 300-lb, 320-lb, 340-lb
Men
Jeffrey Lee — 430 lbs – 26ft 5in
Dan Hughes — 430 lbs – 15ft 8in
Zack McCarley — 430 lbs – 10ft 0in
Kevin Candito — 430 lbs – 7ft 11in
Alec Soukup — 400 lbs – 29ft 4in
Brandon Burley — 400 lbs – 21ft 10in
Bill Kendall — 400 lbs – 19ft 8in
Justin Loy — 400 lbs – 18ft 11in
Michael Congdon — 400 lbs – 9ft 8in
Jon Parker — 400 lbs – 6ft 0in
Matt Moeller — 370 lbs – 30ft 0in
Nick Hein — 370 lbs – 11ft 8in
Johnny Wasiczko — 340 lbs – 18ft 6in
Women
Katie Gutwald — 300 lbs – 30ft 0in
Erin Murray — 300 lbs – 16ft 8in
Cassandra Moore — 300 lbs – 7ft 7in
Erin Walklet — 270 lbs – 30ft 0in
Rachael Peterson — 270 lbs – 30ft 0in
Jamie Schamma — 270 lbs – 30ft 0in
Jessica Mitchell — 270 lbs – 29ft 0in
Event 3: Conan’s Wheel
The third event of the competition was Conan’s Wheel, a well-known test of strength and endurance in Strongman and Strongwoman. The aim of the event was to pick up a heavy metal beam with the forearms and cross as much distance as possible without dropping it. The beam pivots around a center point, meaning that the athletes spin in circles.
Having to hold the beam at the forearms and mid-chest height means that the athletes are not able to breathe properly, making this event quite a painful and uncomfortable one.
Weights:
U105KG: 650-lb
U82KG: 400-lb
Men
Justin Loy — 167.89 ft
Nick Hein — 161.91 ft
Michael Congdon — 148.27 ft
Alec Soukup — 148.17 ft
Zack McCarley — 138.36 ft
Jeffrey Lee — 136.54 ft
Bill Kendall — 133.45 ft
Matt Moeller — 127.56 ft
Kevin Candito — 107.94 ft
Brandon Burley — 104.01 ft
Dan Hughes — 82.43 ft
Johnny Wasiczko — 68.69 ft
Jon Parker — 36.31 ft
Women
Jessica Mitchell — 254.14 ft
Erin Murray — 200.18 ft
Erin Walklet — 177.8 ft
Katie Gutwald — 165.83 ft
Cassandra Moore — 125.6 ft
Rachael Peterson — 96.16 ft
Jamie Schamma — 12.76 ft
Event 4: Ukrainian Deadlift
The Ukrainian Deadlift has proven to be quite a strength test recently, which is why it made its appearance at the 2023 America’s Strongest Man (U105KG) & Woman (U82KG). It is basically a deficit deadlift with a short handle, meaning that the athletes cannot position themselves in a standard conventional stance, but instead more of a sumo stance is needed.
The Ukrainian Deadlift at this competition started off by doing one rep with each of the weights listed below. However, once athletes reached the final weight (Men: 680-lb / Women: 440-lb), they kept performing as many reps as possible.
Weights:
U105KG: 560-lb, 600-lb, 640-lb, 680-lb for reps
U82KG: 350-lb, 380-lb, 410-lb, 440-lb for reps
Men
Jeffrey Lee — 9 reps
Zack McCarley — 9 reps
Jon Parker — 9 reps
Nick Hein — 7 reps
Dan Hughes — 6 reps
Alec Soukup — 5 reps
Brandon Burley — 4 reps
Matt Moeller — 4 reps
Kevin Candito — 4 reps
Michael Congdon — 3 reps
Bill Kendall — 2 reps
Johnny Wasiczko — 2 reps
Justin Loy — 1 rep
Women
Erin Murray — 6 reps
Jessica Mitchell — 5 reps
Katie Gutwald — 5 reps
Erin Walklet — 4 reps
Cassandra Moore — 3 reps
Rachael Peterson — 2 reps
Jamie Schamma — 0 reps
Event 5: Atlas Stone Series
Like in almost every Strongman and Strongwoman competition, the Atlas Stones were the final event of the 2023 America’s Strongest Man (U105KG) & Woman (U82KG). The athletes had to lift five progressively heavier Atlas Stones on a platform in front of them.
Usually, as the Atlas Stones progress in weight, the platform’s height gets lower. However, at this specific competition, the platform height was the same for every Atlas Stone, regardless of weight.
Weights:
U105KG: 300-lb, 325-lb, 350-lb, 375-lb, 400-lb
U82KG: 220-lb, 240-lb, 260-lb, 280-lb, 300-lb
Men
Jeffrey Lee — 5 in 27.27 seconds
Brandon Burley — 5 in 46.51 seconds
Matt Moeller — 5 in 50.57 seconds
Zack McCarley — 4 in 24.02 seconds
Justin Loy — 4 in 33.59 seconds
Bill Kendall — 4 in 37.02 seconds
Nick Hein — 4 in 37.83 seconds
Jon Parker — 4 in 39.58 seconds
Kevin Candito — 4 in 44.53 seconds
Alec Soukup — 3 in 21.1 seconds
Michael Congdon — 3 in 24.85 seconds
Dan Hughes — 3 in 43.09 seconds
Johnny Wasiczko — 3 in 46.89 seconds
Women
Erin Walklet — 4 in 26.51 seconds
Jessica Mitchell — 4 in 27.53 seconds
Erin Murray — 4 in 40.33 seconds
Katie Gutwald — 3 in 37.7 seconds
Rachael Peterson — 3 in 46.87 seconds
Cassandra Moore — 2 in 22.88 seconds
Jamie Schamma — No lift
Watch the full competition here:
Related: Strongman Nicolas Cambi Wins 2022 U105KG America’s Strongest Man & Sets 285-lb Heavy Dumbbell World Record
The organizers of the 2023 America’s Strongest Man (U105KG) & Woman (U82KG) made sure to award the efforts of their competitors accordingly. So, the winners of both divisions were awarded $5,000. In addition, every athlete who finished in the top 7 athletes got their piece of the prize pool: second place ($3,000), third place ($2,000), 4th-7th place ($500 each).
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 9:30 AM EDT
Larry Wheels Hospitalized With Rhabdomyolysis
Larry Wheels has been going through a lot lately, focusing on developing his strength, building an incredible physique, and as of recently, launching his first public gym. Unfortunately, all the time Larry invested in his gym, aiming to better himself, led to a significant setback. In fact, it was even something that could develop into a fatal hazard. On July 25th, Larry shared a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed, with IV’s connected to his veins. Furthermore, in the post’s caption, Larry disclosed that he has been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that has been fatal in some cases.
“I fked around and got Rhabdo. light headed af”
Rhabdomyolysis is most often caused by overtraining, and its symptoms are similar to muscle inflammation, but often develop into much more severe pains. Basically, when a person suffers from rhabdomyolysis, their injured muscles can break down, releasing the Myoglobin protein into the bloodstream.
In turn, Myoglobin can damage the kidneys, affecting their work rate or potentially even causing kidney failure. In the worst cases, rhabdomyolysis has even caused the deaths of people who had it.
The symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include weakness, muscle pain, darkening of the urine, and lightheadedness. However, rhabdo is curable, so Larry Wheels should be back to his best after some treatments.
Related: Larry Wheels Cranks Out 405 Lbs Bench Press In A Joint Training Session With Stefi Cohen
Interestingly, rhabdo is a fairly rare disease, as approximately 26,000 cases are reported in the USA each year. So, it is something that should be paid attention to, but not overly scared of it.
CrossFit and UFC athletes are some of the most frequent people who get rhabdo due to their highly-intense training sessions. So, as a result of his intense gym efforts, Larry Wheels ended up with rhabdomyolysis. However, it does not come as a huge surprise, since he has been going all out in preparation for his Classic Bodybuilding debut. He recently revealed what exactly attracted him to this division of bodybuilding as well.
In preparation for his Classic Bodybuilding debut, Larry Wheels partnered up with William Bonac in order to get some posing tips. Larry then also revealed that his coach assured him that nothing apart from TRT would be needed for him to be competitive in the Classic Bodybuilding division. This seemed to be correct, as Larry’s physique looked incredible in every update that he shared.
It is a known fact by now that Larry Wheels has stopped using PEDs and Steroids. However, since then, he has looked like a brand new person. He began looking younger and healthier, while also slimming down to an incredibly shredded physique. His strength has also been impressive, as Larry tested his limits in a powerlifting mock meet.
The fact that he is enjoying his current fitness journey makes it obvious that he will continue to enjoy it after he recovers from rhabdomyolysis.
Related: Larry Wheels Sporting Crazy Bicep Peak in Classic Physique Posing Before Big Debut
It is currently not clear how rhabdomyolysis will affect Larry Wheels’ plans moving forward, but he will most likely provide a detailed update when he is back to full health. Until then, we wish Larry a quick recovery from the unfortunate situation that he has found himself in.
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 10:37 AM EDT