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2023 CrossFit Africa Semifinal Results — Jason Smith & Michelle Basnett Qualify For CrossFit Games
The 2023 CrossFit Africa Semifinal took place on May 19-21, in South Africa, and gathered this continent’s greatest CrossFit athletes. However, only the winners of both the men’s and women’s divisions earned qualification for the 2023 CrossFit Games. Consequently, dozens of elite athletes gave their all in the hopes of securing the exclusive top spot. However, Jason Smith and Michelle Basnett won their respective men’s and women’s divisions and thus qualified for the 2023 CrossFit Games.
Jason Smith had no problems in winning the men’s division of the 2023 CrossFit Africa Semifinal. He won two of the events and claimed impressive top-10 finishes in all of the remaining five events. In the end, his point tally came out to 596, while his closest rival, Conrad Winnertz, had 500.
Michelle Basnett, however, had to grind to get her victory. She accumulated an impressive 613 points with three event victories, but still had a few athletes narrowly following her. However, Michelle proved to be the most consistent in the field and rightfully earned her place at the 2023 CrossFit Games.
2023 CrossFit Africa Semifinal Leaderboards
Men
Note: Only the winner of the men’s division qualified for the 2023 CrossFit Games.
Jason Smith — 596 points
Conrad Winnertz — 500 points
Ruan Potgieter — 497 points
Darren Zurnamer — 482 points
Josh Kernot — 475 points
Daniel Griesel — 474 points
James Van Dongen — 466 points
Justin Holliday — 433 points
Dutoit Botha — 418 points
Assem Effat — 413 points
Ruan Conradie — 366 points
Matthew Schiff — 350 points
Damien Botes — 348 points
Driss Bouchiah — 333 points
Julian Liebenberg — 333 points
Women
Note: Only the winner of the women’s division qualified for the 2023 CrossFit Games.
Michelle Basnett — 613 points
Mariska Smit — 596 points
Gilmari Reyneke — 580 points
Christina Livaditakis — 570 points
Tanha Bouffe — 507 points
Gemma Rader — 497 points
Emma Holliday — 492 points
Megan Joy McDermott — 418 points
Megan Faul — 411 points
Alicia Stoop — 408 points
Maxx Klynsmith — 380 points
Ingy Hossam Eldin — 362 points
Mary Jamieson — 355 points
Sofia Bennani — 553 points
Laura Hume — 345 points
Teams
CrossFit FBDV Mayhem Africa — 580 points
Cape CrossFit Wolfpack — 555 points
CrossFit 10 Star Hybrids — 530 points
CrossFit Tijger Valley Synergy — 530 points
CrossFit Juggernaut Unstoppable — 490 points
Pack Life CrossFit Wanderers — 380 points
Cape CrossFit Werewolves — 335 points
Motley Crew CrossFit Red — 330 points
CrossFit Zulu — 325 points
CrossFit 111 Relentless — 320 points
Related: 2023 CrossFit North America East Semifinal — Full Results
Individual Division Tests (Workouts) Recap
TEST ONE
For time:
3,000-meter Echo Bike
Hand-Over-Hand Pull (84 feet)
2,000-meter Assault AirRunner
Hand-Over-Hand Pull (84 feet)
1,000-meter SkiErg
Hand-Over-Hand Pull (92 feet)
Time cap: 30 minutes
Women: 180 pounds
Men: 225 pounds
Men’s Results
Jason Smith — 25:56
Daniel Griesel — 26:30
Estian Ferreira — 26:41
Women’s Results
Gilmari Reyneke — CAP+14
Alicia Stoop — CAP+14
Maxx Klynsmith — CAP+14
TEST TWO
As many reps as possible in 3 minutes of:
5 Ring Complexes (1 Toe-To-Ring, 1 Muscle-Up, 1 Ring Dip)
20 Single-Leg Squats
Max Burpees Over Box
*Complete 3 rounds, resting 1 minute between rounds.
*Score is total reps across the 3 minutes.
Women Wear a 10-pound ruck, 24-inch box
Men Wear a 20-pound ruck, 30-inch box
Men’s Results
Ruan Potgieter — 42 reps
Darren Zurnamer — 38 reps
Jason Smith — 34 reps
Women’s Results
Christina Livaditakis — 36 reps
Michelle Basnett — 28 reps
Gilmari Reyneke — 28 reps
TEST THREE
For time:
Semifinals Linda — 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps of:
Deadlifts
Dumbbell Bench Presses
Squat Cleans
Time cap: 17 minutes
Women: 220-pound deadlifts, 60-pound dumbbells, 105-pound squat cleans
Men: 295-pound deadlifts, 90-pound dumbbells, 145-pound squat cleans
Men’s Results
Kealan Henry — 15:15
Justin Holliday — 16:29
Ruan Conradie — 16:47
Women’s Results
Megan Faul — CAP+3
Gemma Rader — CAP+11
Christina Livaditakis — CAP+16
TEST FOUR
For load:
Run 800 meters
Max Snatch
Time cap: 6 minutes
After the time cap for test four clocked out, the athletes had just two minutes to rest before initiating Test Five.
Men’s Results
Elsayed Hasona — 278 pounds
Darren Zurnamer — 269 pounds
Ruan Potgieter — 269 pounds
Women’s Results
Michelle Basnett — 179 pounds
Mariska Smit — 176 pounds
Christina Livaditakis — 172 pounds
TEST FIVE
For time:
8 Snatches
Run 800 meters
Time cap: 6 minutes
Women: 125-pound snatch
Men: 185-pound snatch
Men’s Results
Justin Holliday — 3:24
Dutoit Botha — 3:29
Matthew Schiff — 3:34
Women’s Results
Mariska Smit — 3:59
Gilmari Reyneke — 4:00
Emma Holliday — 4:21
TEST SIX
For time:
20 Overhead Squats
500-meter Row
Three Handstand-Walk Pirouettes
Two Seated Legless Rope Climbs
20 Strict Chest-To-Wall Handstand Push-Ups
Two Seated Legless Rope Climbs
Three Handstand-Walk Pirouettes
500-meter Row
20 Overhead Squats
Time cap: 15 minutes (Men) — 16 minutes (Women)
Women: 125-pound Squat
Men: 185-pound Squat
Men’s Results
Ruan Potgieter — 11:05
Darren Zurnamer — 12:54
Conrad Winnertz — 13:17
Women’s Results
Michelle Basnett — CAP+3
Christina Livaditakis — CAP+4
Mariska Smit — CAP+9
TEST SEVEN
Three rounds for time of:
Echo Bike Calories (Men: 15 calories / Women: 10 calories)
20 Toes-To-Bar
60-Foot Sandbag Bear-Hug Carry
Women: 150-pound Sandbag
Men: 200-pound Sandbag
Men’s Results
Jason Smith — 4:29
Josh Kernot — 4:34
Ruan Potgieter — 4:42
Women’s Results
Michelle Basnett — 5:08
Gemma Rader — 5:10
Christina Livaditakis — 5:16
Related: How to Watch the 2023 CrossFit Semifinals
The first week and two of the Semifinal competitions are already done. So, 13 men and 12 women have already qualified for the 2023 CrossFit Games. The total number of spots at the Games will be 40 in each division, so the next two weeks will determine the full roster. We still have five more Semifinal competitions set to take place, which will fill out the remaining qualifying spots.
Published: 23 May, 2023 | 9:37 AM EDT
2023 Global Classic Vietnam Regional 073023
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How Much Muscle Can You Gain in A Month?
If someone ever invents motivation in supplement form, they’ll become a millionaire billionaire overnight. Motivation is what drives us, and it’s often in short supply.
When your motivation levels are high, crushing your workouts and sticking to your diet is easy. You rise to every challenge and push yourself relentlessly. All your hard work is invariably rewarded with great gains and rapid progress.
However, when your motivation levels are low, even thinking about going to the gym is exhausting. And eating healthy? Forget about it!
Sadly, no supplement can turn your motivation levels up to 11, so it’s up to you to get and stay motivated.
One of the most motivating things you can do is set goals. For example, building 15 pounds of muscle, adding 20 pounds to your bench press, or dropping five percent of body fat. Having a goal gives you something to train and diet for. It provides direction and a way to measure your progress.
Knowing how long it’ll take you to achieve your goals can also be helpful. Having a finish line makes it easier to stick to your diet or workout plan. And what do you do when you reach your goal? Set a new one, of course!
So, how much muscle can the average lifter expect to gain in a month? We reveal the answer!
How Much Muscle Can You Gain in A Month?
Regardless of your age, gender, experience, or diet, regular strength training builds muscle (1). When you lift weights, do push-ups, use resistance bands, or otherwise overload your muscles, you expose them to mechanical and metabolic stress and cause muscle fiber microtrauma. Your muscles respond to these stresses by getting bigger and stronger, which is a process called hypertrophy.
However, because of various factors, the rate of muscle gain varies between individuals.
Some people are better at building muscle than others. Plus, there are external factors that determine the rate of muscle growth, such as diet and getting enough sleep. All that said, some studies have attempted to answer the question of how much muscle you can expect to gain in a month.
1. Beginner gains are real
Beginner gains might sound like bro science, but newbies tend to build muscle faster than their more experienced counterparts. This is probably because any training stimulus is novel for beginners and shocks their muscles into growing. Beginners also have “more room to grow” as they are a long way from their genetic potential for muscle growth.
As such, beginners can expect to gain 2 to 4 pounds of muscle per month (2). However, this rapid muscle growth phase doesn’t last long – 6-12 months being typical.
Beginners usually experience rapid gains regardless of the type of program they follow, even if it’s very basic. In fact, most beginners don’t need advanced bodybuilding workouts to build appreciable amounts of muscle, and a simple full-body program will suffice.
2. Experienced lifters gain muscle more slowly
Muscle gains are slower for more experienced exercisers. This is probably because experienced lifters’ muscles get used to the demands of strength training and no longer perceive it as such a threat.
If you’ve been training for a while, you may have noticed that you don’t get as sore as you used to. This is an indicator that you are now more accustomed to your workouts.
Because of this, experienced exercisers must train harder and often use workout-intensifying methods to continue stimulating muscle growth, e.g., drop sets, supersets, etc. In addition, workouts also tend to be more voluminous and complex.
Experienced exercisers can expect to gain 0.5 to 2 pounds of muscle per month (3). However, the closer you get to your genetic potential for muscle size, the slower your progress will be and the harder you’ll need to work for your gains.
Summary: While the number will be unique for you, most lifters can expect to gain between 0.5 to 4 pounds of muscle in a month, with 1-2 pounds being an acceptable average. However, there are both internal and external factors that affect your rate of muscle growth.
Unmodifiable Factors Affecting Muscle Growth
While there are plenty of things you can do to maximize muscle growth, there are several unmodifiable factors that you cannot do anything about. These include:
Age
While you can build muscle at any age, gains tend to be slower as you get older. Muscle growth rates peak during your mid-thirties and decline after that. As such, younger lifters have the potential to build muscle faster than older exercisers. However, even exercisers in their 60s and above can still build muscle, albeit more slowly.
Gender
Men have the potential to build more muscle than women and build it more quickly. Men naturally have more testosterone than women, which is an anabolic or muscle-building hormone.
Women can build appreciable levels of muscle mass but, on average, will not gain as much or develop it as quickly.
Dominant muscle fiber type
There are three types of skeletal muscle fiber – 1a, 2a, and 2b.
1a (slow twitch) fibers are made for aerobic activities and have a low potential for hypertrophy or growth.
In contrast, type 2b (fast twitch) fibers are made for force production and have much greater hypertrophic potential. The third type of fibers, 2a, are adaptable and change according to your workouts.
Your ratio of type 1a to 2b fibers depends on your genetics, and you can do nothing to alter it. That’s why some people are naturally muscular, while others make better endurance athletes.
Having a high ratio of type 2b to 1a fibers means you have a greater potential for rapid muscle growth.
Somatotype
We are all a mix of three basic somatotypes or body types. Each one has different physical characteristics, including the potential for building muscle.
Ectomorphs are naturally slim and tend not to build muscle quickly or in appreciable amounts. In contrast, mesomorphs are more muscular and build muscle mass easily and more quickly. Endomorphs are also naturally muscular but tend to accumulate fat as well as muscle.
Your somatotype mix, like your muscle fiber ratio, is determined by your genetics and helps explain why some people are easy muscle gainers while others are hard gainers who struggle to gain even a few pounds of muscle.
Related: Body Type Quiz
You can’t change any of these factors – they are the genetic hand you have been dealt. That said, whatever your age, gender, muscle fiber ratio, or somatotype, you can still build muscle if you train hard, eat right, and take care of the unmodifiable factors that affect muscle growth.
Modifiable Factors Affecting Muscle Growth
While you can’t change your age or dominant muscle fiber type, there are several modifiable factors that affect your rate of and potential for building muscle. Pay attention to the following to maximize muscle growth.
Training program
There are lots of different ways to work out, and some are better for muscle growth than others. This is because of the specificity principle, which states your body adapts to the type of training you do.
For example, if you do a lot of running, your body will adapt to make you a better runner. However, running will not improve your ability to swim as the movements are too dissimilar.
So, to build muscle, you need to follow a hypertrophy-specific training program, i.e., a bodybuilding workout. You can design your own or follow one of the hundreds in the Fitness Volt workout archives.
Once you’ve got your program, you then need to train consistently and progressively. Missing workouts doesn’t build muscle, and you need to overload your muscles with more weight and reps to keep them growing.
Then, after 6-12 weeks, you must change your program to avoid plateaus.
Nutrition and diet
The food you eat provides your body with the energy and nutrients it needs to build muscle. You must consume adequate calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber to build muscle, and any dietary insufficiencies could hurt your progress.
You need a calorie surplus for optimal muscle growth, meaning you must consume more calories than you expend. While you can build muscle without a surplus, your progress will be slower than it could be.
It’s beyond the scope of this article to tell you what to eat to build muscle, but you’ll find all the information you need here.
Rest and sleep
Intense, muscle-building workouts take a lot out of your body. In simple terms, your training breaks your muscles down. To get bigger and stronger, your muscles need time to recover and repair the damage caused by your workouts. Not only do they return to their original state when you rest, they supercompensate and come back better than before.
For this to happen, you must rest between workouts and get plenty of sleep.
It takes 48 to 72 hours for a muscle group to recover from training. For this reason, lifters usually follow a three-times-a-week full-body training plan, e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or a split routine where different muscle groups are trained on different days, e.g.:
Monday: Chest and triceps
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Back and biceps
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Shoulders, arms, and abs
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
Regardless of how you organize your training week, you must avoid training any muscle group too often, e.g., every day. Training too frequently could hinder rather than help you in your quest to build muscle and could even lead to overtraining.
While rest between workouts is essential, sleep could be even more critical for muscle growth. Lack of sleep can undermine your energy and enthusiasm for training, and studies suggest too little sleep can lower levels of vital anabolic hormones, reducing muscle growth (4).
Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, but bodybuilders should aim for the upper end of this recommendation. Even occasional sleep deficits can hurt your progress.
Stress
Stress comes from various sources, including work, relationships, and finances. Excess stress has been shown to interfere with muscle growth and strength development (5).
Regardless of the origin of your stress, it triggers the “fight or flight” response, which causes a cascade of physical and chemical changes within your body, not least the release of cortisol. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone, meaning it causes muscle breakdown. Needless to say, the last thing you want when you’re trying to build muscle is more cortisol and catabolism.
While stress is impossible to eliminate completely, you can reduce your exposure and limit its impact. Strategies for minimizing the damaging effects of stress include:
Get more sleep
Cut back on caffeine
Drink less alcohol
Do not abuse medications or drugs
Exercise moderately
Learn how to prioritize
Avoid perfectionism
Organize and manage your time better
Practice meditation and breathing exercises
Spend time in nature
Talk about how you’re feeling with a trusted friend
Practice gratitude
Avoid people and situations that trigger your stress response
Seek professional help to deal with stress
Supplements
While you don’t need to take supplements to build muscle, there are some products that may enhance your progress. These supplements help optimize your nutritional intake, plugging any gaps in your diet.
Good options include:
Protein powder – to make getting sufficient protein easier
Creatine – for cell volumization, increased endurance, and faster recovery
Pre-workout – for more energy and longer, more intense workouts
BCAAs and EAAs – for less muscle breakdown and quicker recovery
However, it’s important to remember that no supplement will compensate for a poorly designed workout plan, incomplete diet, or too little rest and sleep. Instead, think of supplements as effort multipliers: the harder YOU work, the more THEY work.
Muscle Gain FAQs
Do you have a question regarding how much muscle you can gain in a month? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. So, how much muscle can I gain in one month?
Because of the many factors involved, it’s impossible to give you a precise number of pounds you’ll gain per month. Things like your training status, body type, age, and diet influence your rate of muscle gain.
That said, studies indicate you can gain anywhere from 0.5 to 4.0 pounds per month. However, if you want to maximize your rate of muscle gain, you must pay attention to everything you do in and outside the gym, including your workout, diet, sleep, and stress.
It’s also worth noting that gaining just one pound a month for a year will have a massive impact on your appearance. That’s especially true if you drop some body fat to reveal your definition.
2. What are the best exercises for building muscle?
It’s generally accepted that the best muscle-building exercises are compound in nature, meaning they involve multiple joints and muscle groups working together.
Examples include:
Squats
Deadlifts
Leg presses
Bench presses
Overhead presses
Pull-ups
Pulldowns
Rows
These exercises allow you to lift heavy weights, putting lots of muscle-building stress through your muscles. So, while there is nothing wrong with including isolation or single-joint exercises in your workouts, the bulk of your program should consist of compound lifts.
Related: Compound vs. Isolation Exercises
3. I’m not gaining any muscle – what gives?
Not gaining muscle can be so frustrating that it makes some people give up training altogether. After all, what’s the point if what you are doing is not working? Here are some of the reasons you may be stuck in a muscle-building rut, plus the solutions to your problems.
You aren’t eating enough – make sure you have a 500-calorie-per-day surplus. If your weight is stuck, you probably need to eat more. Eat more if you still aren’t gaining weight.
You aren’t training hard enough – building muscle involves taking at least some of your sets to failure. Push yourself harder, and don’t leave more than a rep or two in the tank.
You are training too hard – if your workouts outpace your ability to recover, muscle growth will stall. Make sure your program includes rest days and that it matches your fitness and experience. Beginners should avoid high-volume workouts, which can hurt more than help you build muscle.
You’re skipping too many workouts – missed workouts do not build muscle. Instead, your training must be consistent if you want to transform your body by building muscle. Find a program you can stick to religiously, as even the best workout won’t work if you don’t do it.
You aren’t getting enough sleep – go to bed eight hours before you plan on getting up. Do this every night, and not just at the weekend.
Cut down on cardio – your body is very bad at adapting to multiple stressors. If you are serious about building muscle, you’ll need to put cardio on the back burner for a while. You can still do 20-30 minutes 2-3 times per week, but more than that could harm your progress.
You aren’t consuming enough protein – protein contains the building blocks of muscle tissue: amino acids. Consume plenty of meat, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, nuts, seeds, etc., to ensure you’re getting enough. Insufficient protein will undermine your progress.
4. How much protein do I need to build muscle?
It’s generally accepted that you need to consume about one gram of protein per pound of body weight to build muscle. This may be a little more than required, but it ensures you are never in a protein deficit.
Alternatively, you can personalize your protein intake with our easy-to-use protein calculator.
Divide your protein intake throughout the day to ensure your muscles receive a steady stream of amino acids.
5. Do steroids and other bodybuilding drugs help you build muscle faster?
They certainly do! Steroids and other bodybuilding drugs increase protein synthesis, which is one of the mechanisms of muscle growth. They also enhance recovery, so you can train harder and longer.
Drugs used in bodybuilding include exogenous testosterone, human growth hormone, and insulin.
While these substances will undoubtedly speed up muscle growth, they can also harm your health and can even contribute to premature death. Also, when you stop taking them, you will quickly lose much of your chemically-enhanced muscle mass.
Closing Thoughts
While we can’t say precisely how much muscle you can gain in a month, most people should be able to add 0.5 to 4.0 pounds to their frames in that time.
The actual amount of muscle you can build in 30 days depends on several modifiable and unmodifiable factors, including your diet, training program, age, gender, body type, and experience.
However, while we can’t tell you how much muscle you can build in a month, we can tell you what will harm your progress. Too little sleep, insufficient protein, and too many easy workouts will all undermine your progress.
So, get all your training, diet, and recovery ducks in a row and see just how much muscle you can build in a month. And then, next month, do it all again! Keep at it until you have built the body of your dreams.
References:
Roth SM, Ivey FM, Martel GF, Lemmer JT, Hurlbut DE, Siegel EL, Metter EJ, Fleg JL, Fozard JL, Kostek MC, Wernick DM, Hurley BF. Muscle size responses to strength training in young and older men and women. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001 Nov;49(11):1428-33. doi: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.4911233.x. PMID: 11890579. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11890579/
Hartman JW, Tang JE, Wilkinson SB, Tarnopolsky MA, Lawrence RL, Fullerton AV, Phillips SM. Consumption of fat-free fluid milk after resistance exercise promotes greater lean mass accretion than does consumption of soy or carbohydrate in young, novice, male weightlifters. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Aug;86(2):373-81. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/86.2.373. PMID: 17684208. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17684208/
Arden NK, Spector TD. Genetic influences on muscle strength, lean body mass, and bone mineral density: a twin study. J Bone Miner Res. 1997 Dec;12(12):2076-81. doi: 10.1359/jbmr.1997.12.12.2076. PMID: 9421240. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9421240/
Dattilo M, Antunes HK, Medeiros A, Mônico Neto M, Souza HS, Tufik S, de Mello MT. Sleep and muscle recovery: endocrinological and molecular basis for a new and promising hypothesis. Med Hypotheses. 2011 Aug;77(2):220-2. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.04.017. Epub 2011 May 7. PMID: 21550729. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21550729/
Bartholomew JB, Stults-Kolehmainen MA, Elrod CC, Todd JS. Strength gains after resistance training: the effect of stressful, negative life events. J Strength Cond Res. 2008 Jul;22(4):1215-21. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318173d0bf. PMID: 18545186. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18545186/
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) – How-To, Muscles Worked, Benefits, and Variations
As the name implies, there is a similarity between the downward facing dog and a common habit of our favorite furry sidekicks. Also called Adho Mukha Svanasana in yoga words, this pose is akin to how a dog stretches itself by leaning back onto the legs and lengthening its spine (svana). And this full-body technique will benefit you just the same!
The downward dog is one of the most commonly practiced yoga techniques, cued often in vinyasa yoga, flowing into other poses, but also effective all on its own! But most importantly, the goal isn’t ultimately the downward dog pose, but how it makes us feel and progress in our yoga journey, or life in general.
It’s a tricky one, but follow along with the instructions and tips in this guide, and you’ll get it down pat!
Muscles Worked
A yoga-based pose, downward facing dog still requires various muscles to perform it correctly. Here are brief descriptions of the muscles you’ll use during this technique.
Arms and delts
Anytime your body is being supported by your arms, you’re recruiting the triceps and deltoid muscles. Both muscle groups have a combined three heads, one on the anterior, another laterally, and the third on the posterior or backside of the body.
With the arms extended, your triceps resist elbow flexion, allowing you to support your weight. The front deltoids are engaged when the arms move forward in front of the body.
Trapezius
Traps too have three components – upper, middle, and lower fibers. Individually, they lift the scapula, pull it back, and retract it. The upper fibers are most prominent during a downward facing dog when the arms are in an overhead position.
Core
Finding their role in every total body movement, your core and abdominal muscles stabilize your trunk, and help you to maintain balance, and force efficiency, to keep you in the inverted ‘V’ position.
Leg muscles
Don’t expect much physical gains but the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves do bear some of your weight. Not to mention, the calf raise component during a more advanced variation where the toes are dorisflexed which activates the rear lower leg muscles. Then you have the inner thighs or adductor muscles which should be used to keep the lower body in stable and strong position.
How To Do Downward Facing Dog
In this section, we break down the downward facing dog technique with step-by-step instructions. So be sure to follow along closely, and check out the video demonstration below to hear all the important form ques.
Steps
Note: The following instructions and demonstration are the quick and easy steps to get into a downward facing dog position. If you plan to progress in your yoga journey, we recommend learning additional pre-pose techniques. This will make your yoga practice more enjoyable, productive, and sustainable.
Get down on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Your hands should be roughly shoulder width apart, shoulders slightly forward past the wrists, with arms fully extended, knees directly under the hips, and back neutral. Turn your hands slightly outward so your elbows are pointing straight behind you, not completely out to the sides.
While you’re in this position, you may feel the natural need to do a cat-cow pose, to stretch your back and abdomen. It’s a great choice before hopping into the downward dog. We’ve included a video example of cat-cow below.
From your hands and knees, squeeze your hands together, without physically moving them inward, to activate your chest.
Now curl your toes under and press your feet into the ground bringing your knees into full extension, while lifting your hips up and back. In this position, your arms should be aligned with your torso in a straight line from your hands to your butt. Bring your gaze down so you’re looking down at the floor, or at the back of the room through your legs.
Accentuate the extension through your spine by lifting up through the pelvis and pressing the full hands into the floor. Externally rotate your arms, to create space between the shoulder blades. Lift the heels, and pretend to squeeze the inner thighs together.
Congrats! You just did the downward facing dog!
Here’s a short video demonstration of cat-cow pose.
Tips
Take some time and find the right knee and foot position to ensure you are doing the downward facing dog with the correct technique.
One way people find the optimal feet to hands distance is to get into a plank.
You should be able to transition between a plank and downward facing dog without moving your hands and feet.
If you cannot keep your spine straight during the downward facing dog, do it with your knees bent until you gain more flexibility.
Your heels do not need to be touching the ground.
Do a few reps of a cat-cow pose to warm up the spine before the downward dog.
Consider easing into the downward dog by incorporating pre-movement techniques beforehand.
You need a comfortable and non-slip surface to do this technique safely and effectively.
Press down into the floor with the entire hands (palms and fingers) to get the most efficiency from the movement.
Benefits of Downward Facing Dog
The advantages of learning this technique surely outweigh any potential negatives. It does a whole lot of good for the body and mind, and it’s also challenging and a good transition pose to other yoga practices.
Get a lovely stretch!
If done right, the downward facing dog should stretch your back first and foremost, followed by everything from your wrists to your shoulders, abs, and leg muscles. However, the back should be the focal point. The goal should not be to force a stretch in your legs.
Stretching has many benefits including healthier muscles, increased range of motion and flexibility, more blood flow to the area, reduced muscle soreness, and even stress relief. During downward facing dog you’re also strengthening the aformentioned muscles.
Strengthen all your muscles
The downward dog involves your push muscles, back, abdominals and obliques, hips, legs, and feet. There’s literally no muscle sitting out. While there is some muscular strengthening from movement (isotonic), you also benefit from static strengthening, where the muscles are not contracting, but support your weight in a contracted state.
Learn about the differences and benefits of isotonic vs isometric training here.
Form of inversion
Most exercises don’t involve hanging the head down, somewhat upside down. But what this does is increase blood flow and circulation to the brain possibly enhancing mental performance, while decompressing the spine and creating more space between the vertebra which may allow better disk hydration and hence greater spine mobility and reduced risk of injury.
Many experts also believe that inversion supports the lymphatic system, which helps the body cleanse itself. And this is said to only be able to occur via the movement of muscles, and breathing. Some other supposed benefits include improving back pain, and increasing torso strength and mobility too.
It’s important to note, however, that studies are limited and not conclusive on the potential benefits of inversion.
Ease your mind
Yoga has long been practiced for its stress-relieving effects. Most of us live every day without releasing the tension that we build up in our muscles due to mental stress, physical stress, lack of activity, and high intensity exercise. Bringing flexibility, and stretch into our daily routines can have a great effect on us. Not to mention, yoga technique are therapeutic alone.
May support better digestion
For the same reason the brain and spine may benefit from downward facing dog, so too may your digestive system. In normal conditions, the belly has to work a little to digest food against gravitational forces. Well, the increased blood driven to the stomach could possibly stimulate a healthier process.
Burn calories
Moving your body and using your muscles to resist your body weight is one way to burn calories. During this process, your body uses energy from stored food for fuel, and if you expend more energy than you consume, you’ll lose fat. Yoga is one way to contribute to the weight loss process if you’re not eating too much every day.
Try our yoga calories burned calculator to see how much energy you’re using during your sessions.
This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Arms, delts, core, quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves
Type: Yoga
Mechanics: Compound
Equipment: Cushioned surface, exercise mat
Difficulty: Intermediate
Drawbacks of Downward Facing Dog
If you want to try the downward facing dog, you could experience some of these negatives.
Not as easy as it looks
If you’re not decently flexible or fit, you may be in for a nice surprise. It’s harder than it looks both on video, and in your head. But… if you use a suitable surface, wear the right clothing, and follow the form instructions, you’ll have the best chance at nailing this technique. The good news is, if you can’t yet, you’re totally allowed to bend your knees. So keep practicing and you’ll master this staple pose!
Bad form is common and good form ignored
Without a proper understanding of basic exercise technique mechanics, or yoga experience, it’s too easy to do this exercise wrong. Not that its the worst thing you could do, but people try to force their heels down when they shouldn’t, or they don’t realize they have bad form. The downward dog should be a beautiful exercise that feels good, and encourages you do it more.
Common Mistakes When Performing Downward Facing Dog
If you want to get the most out of the downward facing dog, try to keep these bad habits out of your checklist.
Tucking in the tailbone
You want to lift the tailbone, not tuck it in. The latter will move the pelvis rearward and round the back in a convex shape which you don’t want. Rather bend the knees to bring the back into a better and safer alignment.
Forcing the heels down
We’re not all physically constructed the same, hence different heights, proportions, movement, etc. If your heels don’t naturally touch the floor, don’t force them. As you stretch, you’ll learn if it’s tight calves and hamstrings. But it could also be a shorter achilles tendon, or someone’s bone structure, and that’s fine, there’s nothing to do there. After all, the goal is not to stretch the calves, it’s to target the back.
Bad shoulder position
Slouching over and letting your head into your shoulders is the wrong way. The delts and scapular area should be set properly with proper arm placement and involved to make the exercise most efficient.
Wrong hand positioning
When pushing your hands into the floor, you should focus on shifting the weight onto your thumbs, index and middle fingers, not the pinkies or palms only. This will create a better position for your shoulders and it’s more efficient.
Not bending the knees
While you will need to lengthen the legs to lift the tailbone and stretch the back, you are free to keep the knees slightly bent.
Internal shoulder rotation
Remember that these three words are something you seldom ever wanted to do during any exercise. Turning the shoulders inward toward the chest can cause impingement issues, and it doesn’t make for efficient technique. Instead, turn your biceps slightly out to open up the delts and create a safer position.
Feet too close or wide
Your feet should be roughly the same distance apart that they are in a plank. That’s why it’s good to start the movement from a plank, especially if you’re a beginner. But, you may find the need to adjust your footing slightly.
Variations of Downward Facing Dog
You can find so many different variations of the downward facing dog. Unfortunately, there are too many to list here, however, we picked some favorites for you to try!
Single leg downward facing dog
Also called Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana, this single leg downward facing dog variation stretches the hamstrings, engages more core muscles, and trains your balance.
Steps
Assume the basic downward facing dog as shown in the primary example in this guide. Your feet should be fully planted on the mat.
Press down into the left foot, and lift the right heel as high as you can while keeping it fully extended. Point the toes straight down. You should feel a nice stretch in the left hamstring. Keep your gaze down toward the floor, or back toward your feet.
Hold then switch legs and repeat.
Tips
Inhale as you lift the leg and exhale as you drop it down.
Keep your shoulders and hips square, avoiding allowing the body to rotate in either direction.
For a more advanced technique, great for training balance, lift one leg, and the opposite arm.
Knee to elbow
If you want to take the previous variation a step further, hence increasing the benefits, you can introduce more movement.
Steps
From the three legged, or single leg downward facing dog with one leg extended in the air, bend the knee and bring it into the same side elbow. Keep your core tense and spine neutral.
Lift the same leg back up into extension or the three legged dog, now pull the knee into your opposite elbow.
Do several reps, then switch legs.
Twisted dog
Here’s a simple, but challenging variation you should also try. It will wake up your obliques, and give you a releasing stretching in the waist.
Steps
From the basic downward facing dog position, move your feet closer to your arms and simply reach one hand back and grab the opposite ankle. Rotate your upper body to face the same side as the leg you’re grabbing. Return to the starting position, then reach with the opposite hand to the other ankle.
Make sure to keep your spine lengthened.
Bent knee dog
From the inverted downward dog position, bend one knee so that your toes are pointed at the ceiling. Reset, and repeat with the other leg.
Downward facing dog on blocks
Prop your feet or hands up on some blocks to vary the angle and lessen the difficulty of the downward facing dog. Elevating the hands, for example, creates more space in the upper body like shoulders, back and neck. It also helps maximize space on the mat during vinyasa flow!
Steps
Prop your hands up on blocks and find your downward dog.
Keeping your toes on the mat, lift your heels high, and extend your spine by raising your hips up above your shoulders.
Now exhale, bend your knees, tighten your core, press into the blocks and hop your feet forward in between your hands. As you jump, keep the hips higher than the shoulders.
Inhale, stand halfway up keeping your hands on the blocks, exhale, fold your upper body into your lower body, then inhale, and stand all the way up reaching your arms overhead with hands together.
Finally, exhale and bring your hands to your heart.
FAQs
Below we included a few common questions and answers regarding the downward facing dog pose.
Who is the downward facing dog not good for? Due to the nature of this exercise, it’s best avoided by people with wrist problems such as carpal tunnel, or those with back issues, vertigo, high blood pressure, or eye conditions that affect vision. We also don’t recommend it for women who are pregnant.
What should be the primary goal of the downward facing dog?Stretching the back, activating the core, and really becoming more in tune with your body. There are many benefits of downward facing dog that can enhance your physical, mental, and yoga progression.
Wrapping Up
Congrats on mastering the downward facing dog pose! But if you haven’t yet, don’t worry you’re not alone, it’s by no means an easy exercise for most people. But this common yoga class pose should be learned as it’s a fundamental technique and you’ll probably be called to do it. The tips, tricks and variations in this guide are going to help you utilize the downward dog effectively, build more confidence in your yoga journey, and enhance your life!
The Summer Beach Workout to Get You Jacked
Most people head to the beach to laze around, take an easy dip and work on their suntan. But you’re not like most people. You’re an athlete, and you know that the beach offers the ideal venue for a kick-ass workout. For one thing, training on the sand is a lot easier on your joints than working out on the gym floor.
It also burns more calories because you need to work harder to take a step forward when the surface beneath your feet constantly shifts. Throw in the added elements of the sun’s rays and the awesome scenery, and it’s no wonder that summer beach workouts are a trending fitness innovation.
This article lays out a challenging beach workout to get you jacked for summer.
Beach Workout Benefits
There has been some interesting research on the benefits of working out on the beach. More precisely, those benefits come from the surface beneath your feet when you exercise in front of the waves — sand.
A 2014 study by Binnie et al. found that, when compared with grass, exercising on sand offered a higher energy cost (meaning greater calorie burn). The low-impact forces experienced on sand also limited muscle damage and muscle soreness. This study was mainly focused on team sports and strongly recommended that teams introduce sand training to the workout protocols. [1]
A 2020 study found that sand workouts added the benefit of being more functional than those done on a hard surface. In this study, 120 elderly subjects were divided into three groups of 40 to perform Thai dance workouts for fifty minutes per day, three times per week for six. The difference was the training surface. One group trained on a hard surface, another on a soft surface, and the third worked out on sand.
All three groups showed functional outcome improvements. However, the sand group’s functional movement improvements were significantly greater than the other two groups. [2]
Another 2020 study looked at the effects of walking on sand in terms of body mass index, waist circumference, and overall quality of life in people who are obese. Over a study period of 16 weeks, a sand walking group was compared to a control group that walked on a hard surface. The researchers found that sand walking was reported to be more enjoyable and more challenging than working on a hard surface. The reduction in BMI and waist circumference reduction was also more significant in the sand walking group. Perhaps most significantly of all, the joint reaction force was much less in the sand walking group. [3]
Other research has focused on the general benefits of working out outdoors. A 2022 study by Wicks, et al. found that ‘physical activity undertaken outdoors in natural environments is more beneficial for a range of psychological outcomes than urban environments’. [4]
Beach Workout Structure
As a personal trainer, I’ve used the beach as a workout venue for decades. I just live 10 minutes away from one of the world’s most stunning beaches — Mount Maunganui in the middle of New Zealand’s North Island, so it would almost be a crime not to use it. I especially love putting my advanced and elite athletes through a sand workout. The workout I’m about to lay out here is pretty intense, so be warned. However, it can also be modified for less experienced trainers.
The workout follows a high-intensity interval structure combined with circuit training. That means you’ll be doing plenty of intense bouts of work, followed by short rest periods. Rather than the traditional multi-set method of doing an exercise, you will also follow a sequence of exercises where you do a single set of each move to complete a round. You then get two minutes of recovery before repeating the round.
Best Beach Exercises
This HIIT Circuit beach workout consists of 11 exercises done back to back. They’ve been selected to provide an ideal balance of full-body muscle activation, functional fitness, and cardiovascular challenge. Here’s an overview of the exercise you’ll do:
1. Shoulder Tap Push-Up
The shoulder tap push-up is an advanced version of the regular push-up that targets your delts and pecs. Doing the exercise on the shifting sand surface adds an extra element of intensity.
Get down in the top push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Your feet should be together, and your body should form a straight line from the head to the ankle. Do not lift your butt.
Bend your elbows until your chest touches the sand.
Explode back to the start position.
Bring your right hand up to tap your left shoulder.
On the next rep, tap your left hand on your right shoulder.
2. Squat Jump + Pulse
This squat variation adds a pulsing movement in the bottom squat to put the focus on the adductors. The jump that ends each rep also makes this a cardio exercise.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Clasp your hands together in front of your chin.
From this starting position, descend into a parallel squat position.
In this position, pulse your thighs apart twice and then jump directly into the air. That is one rep.
3. V-Up
The V-Up is an effective ab-isolator that works the upper abdominals to produce an extremely satisfying mid-section burn.
Lie on an exercise mat on your back with your legs extended and arms by your side.
Hinge at your hips to bring your straightened legs up until they are perpendicular to your torso.
Straighten your arms up toward your legs.
Begin pulsing up toward your toes by contracting your abdominals. Bring your head up on each pulse.
4. Sumo Squat to High Knees
This squat variation works the outer thighs and hamstrings and even hits the obliques as you drive your knee to the opposite elbow.
Stand with feet about a foot wider than shoulder-width apart, and toes pointed slightly outward. Clasp your hands in front of your chin.
Hinge at the hips to descend into a full squat.
As you come out of the squat, lift your right knee to touch the corresponding elbow.
On the next rep, lift the left knee.
5. Superman
The Superman does a great job of targeting your erector spinae muscles.
Lie face down on an exercise mat with your body in an arched position so that your arms and feet are extended off the ground.
Arch up to full extension to raise your arms and feet as high as possible.
Lower and repeat.
6. Crab Walk
The crab walk is a functional compound movement that engages the triceps, deltoids, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and abdominals. This is also an effective move to increase hip mobility.
Get down on the floor on your butt and assume a tabletop position with your hands at your slides and fingers pointing away from your body. Your hands should be stacked below your shoulders and your feet below your knees.
Keep your core up, and walk your right hand and left foot forward. Repeat with the opposite sides to continue the movement.
7. Burpees
The burpee is another functional compound movement that works nearly every muscle in your body. At the same time, it provides an effective cardio workout to churn through the calories.
Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Lower yourself into a squat and place your hands on the ground before you.
Quickly jump your feet back into a plank position, keeping your core engaged and your back straight.
Lower your chest down to the ground for a push-up.
Push yourself back up to the plank position.
Jump your feet back towards your hands, landing in the squat position.
Quickly jump up as high as you can, extending your arms overhead.
Land softly in the starting position and repeat steps 2-7 continuously.
8. Plank Jacks
The plank jack is a core-centric exercise that will strengthen your abdominal wall. By incorporating the ‘jack’ component of the exercise, it also becomes a cardio movement.
Get down on all fours in a basic plank position. The points of contact should be your forearms and your toes, and your feet should be together.
Kick your feet apart as wide as possible.
Kick your feet back in together.
Repeat this action in a smooth, continuous manner.
9. Sprints
Sprinting on sand is much more challenging than on a hard surface like grass. That’s because sand represents an unstable surface, meaning you can’t get the firmness and grip you take for granted on a hard surface. There’s also more friction between your feet and the ground, so you must generate more force and energy to advance. Your glutes, calves, and hamstrings all have to work harder when you are running at the beach.
Set a marker 10 yards away.
Begin in the traditional runner’s stance, with your lead foot slightly in front of the other, weight evenly distributed, and knees slightly bent.
Drive off the front leg by pushing into the sand.
Propel yourself forward with explosive, long strides, driving your arms to provide extra momentum.
Sprint to the marker, pivot, and return to your start position.
10. Tuck Jumps
The tuck jump is a demanding cardio exercise. This is a classic plyometric move that will get your pulse racing. Doing it on sand significantly reduces the joint impact of this exercise.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands spread at chest level with palms down.
Hinge at the hips to lower into a quarter squat, then explode off the floor.
Bring your knees up to touch your palms in mid-flight.
When you land, go directly into the next tuck jump.
11. Bear Crawls
The bear crawl is a functional move that increases agility, proprioception, and strength, especially in the deltoids and core.
Get down on all fours. With your hands stacked under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
Simultaneously bring your right arm and left leg forward, planting them on the ground.
Repeat with the left arm and right leg. This is one rep.
Putting It All Together
The key to the effectiveness of this beach workout isn’t just the exercises but how they are woven together to produce a challenging butt-kicker of a workout. As with every workout, you need to begin with a proper warm-up.
The Warm-Up
Your beach workout warm-up should consist of both an aerobic and an anaerobic component. For the anaerobic part, your goal is to warm up your muscles for work. You can do this with these five dynamic stretches:
Bodyweight Squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands clasped together in front of your chest.
Looking directly ahead, hinge at the hips to drop to a parallel squat position. Be sure to keep your lower back naturally arched.
Now push through your heels to return to the start position.
Arm Circles
Stand with your arms by your sides and rotate them together in windmill fashion to make large circles.
Do not bend your arms, with the motion occurring at the shoulder joint.
Chest In & Out
Stand with your arms outstretched at your sides, elbows slightly bent.
Bring your arms in to ‘hug’ your chest. Feel for a contraction of the chest.
Now extend the arms back out to stretch the pectorals and the latissimus dorsi.
Cat-Cow Stretch
Get down on all fours, with hands and knees on the floor. Keep your lower back in a naturally arched position.
Look directly ahead as you sink your belly toward the floor and arch your torso downward.
Reverse the motion to come back up, rounding your back as you do so. As you do so, tuck in your tailbone and suck in your stomach.
The Summer Beach Workout
Follow this workout for a jacked physique:
Cooldown
Performing static stretching after your workout will help you cool down and recover from your session. Research indicates that static stretching will increase blood flow to the muscles, allowing for a greater supply of nutrients and oxygen to speed recovery and regrowth. Static stretching also helps the central nervous system calm down after the workout.
Here are six effective static stretches to conclude your beach workout:
Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel on your right knee with your hands on your hips. Your left knee should be bent with that foot flat on the ground.
Lean forward to stretch the right hip flexor.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
Repeat on the other side.
Hamstring Stretch
Keeping your chest lifted and your stomach taut, take a step forward with your left leg, keeping the knee straight.
Bend your right knee and lean forward from the hips, lowering your chest towards your right thigh.
When you feel the pull behind your thigh and knee of the straight leg, hold for 15 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
Repeat this stretch five times on each leg. Read more on hamstring stretches.
Overhead Stretch
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, your back straight, and your head in line with your spine.
Lift your arms above your head as far as possible with your palms touching.
Hold for five seconds.
To extend this stretch further, ease your arms back slightly.
Repeat this stretch five times on each leg.
Standing Calf Stretch
Stand facing a wall and place your palms on it in line with your chest.
Step your right leg back so that it is fully extended with your left knee slightly bent.
Lean forward, keeping your back foot completely on the floor. You should feel the stretch through your calf muscle. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds, then repeat on the other leg.
Repeat this stretch five times on each leg.
Arm Stretch
Stand with your arms at your sides, your stomach pulled in, your chest expanded, and your spine in a neutral position (not rounded).
Clasp your hands behind your back and slowly lift your arms up, keeping your elbows straight. Hold for five seconds.
Repeat this stretch five times.
Triceps Stretch
Stand in a neutral position with your arms at your sides.
Place your left hand behind your back so that your palm sits between your shoulder blades and your elbow points upward.
Bring your right hand up behind your back and try to join hands.
Hold for a count of five, then repeat with the other arm.
Repeat this stretch five times. Read more triceps stretches.
Wrap Up
This summer beach workout is going to challenge every fiber of your being. It is not for beginners, but it can be modified to make it easier. If you’ve been training for less than 18 months, cut the reps to eight on each exercise and bring the sprint marker back to 5 yards.
Advanced athletes should aim to complete three rounds of this workout. Limit yourself to two minutes of recovery between rounds but be sure to drink plenty of water so you don’t dehydrate. Finally, I recommend keeping this beach workout as your weekend challenge, sticking to your regular gym workouts throughout the week.
References
Binnie MJ, Dawson B, Pinnington H, Landers G, Peeling P. Sand training: a review of current research and practical applications. J Sports Sci. 2014;32(1):8-15. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2013.805239. Epub 2013 Aug 22. PMID: 23968257.
Kaewjoho C, Thaweewannakij T, Mato L, Nakmaroeng S, Phadungkit S, Amatachaya S. Effects of Exercises on a Hard, Soft, and Sand Surface on Functional Outcomes of Community-Dwelling Older Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Aging Phys Act. 2020 Jun 2:1-8. doi: 10.1123/japa.2019-0246. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32485663.
Seyam M, Kashoo F, Alqahtani M, Alzhrani M, Aldhafiri F, Ahmad M. Effect of Walking on Sand with Dietary Intervention in OverweightType 2 DiabetesMellitusPatients: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Healthcare (Basel). 2020 Sep 29;8(4):370. doi: 10.3390/healthcare8040370. PMID: 33003313; PMCID: PMC7712869.
Wicks C, Barton J, Orbell S, Andrews L. Psychological benefits of outdoor physical activity in natural versus urban environments: A systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies. Appl Psychol Health Well Being. 2022 Aug;14(3):1037-1061. doi: 10.1111/aphw.12353. Epub 2022 Mar 8. PMID: 35259287; PMCID: PMC9544808.
Joseph Baena Shares Intense Endurance-Based Workout Challenge & Ripped Physique Update
Joseph Baena, son of bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, loves the gym just like his father. In a recent pair of Instagram posts, the 25-year-old shared a grueling endurance workout and unveiled an impressive physique update.
With a striking resemblance to Schwarzenegger, Joseph admits comparisons have been difficult to get used to. Nevertheless, his dedication to fitness and bodybuilding workouts is evident anytime he picks up weights.
While Joseph doesn’t compete professionally, fans favor his chances should he take to a bodybuilding stage. Baena shares workout/posing collaborations regularly, where he teams up with bodybuilders who have long made their mark on the sport, like Robby Robinson and Mr. Universe winner Mike O’Hearn.
Having commanded roles in the Terminator 2 Remake with Joseph Baena, Bad to the Bone (2016), Chariot (2022), and Bully High (2022), Baena continues to test the waters in Hollywood. Given his family name and fitness level, Baena invited his followers to try a challenging endurance workout that took him an hour and 20 minutes to complete.
Joseph Baena Shows Off Built Physique with ‘Full-Body Endurance Circuit’ Workout
In the caption of the Instagram post, Baena shared his preference for switching up exercises over time.
“I always love switching up my workouts every once in a while. Could be trying a new exercise, doing drop sets or even trying a new sport. Today I tried this Full Body Endurance Circuit. It consisted of 6 super sets and totally wore the group out, but also pumped us up! Completed it in about 1hr 20min, but think I can get a faster time on the next try. How fast do you think you can complete this workout?”
Battle ropes 6 x 30 seconds
200 Elevated crunches
Row (1 kilometer)
50 Pull-ups
Ski (1 kilometer)
150 Press-ups
Run (1.2 miles)
200 Split squats
Assault bike (1.2 miles)
50 Dips
8 Sled pushes
50 Squat jumps (with weighted vest)
Given Baena’s training session consisted of 12 different exercises, it is a daunting challenge since there are no dedicated rest periods. The workout used by Baena was created by trainer Lawrence Cuse.
Aside from his latest training session, Baena has kept busy and recently sat down to discuss his budding acting career in detail. According to Baena, he intends to achieve a ‘superhero’ body in 2023, which he believes will help him attract higher-profile movie projects. He added that at this stage in his life, he’s pursuing his acting career ‘as hard as possible.’
Joseph Baena / Instagram
In addition to training routines, Baena has been open and honest about his nutrition. Overall, Baena prefers three meals a day and lives by eating ‘simple, clean, and fresh’ ingredients, which he’s credited for helping him maintain his body.
Considering Baena’s physique and posing strengths, fans would love nothing more than to see him take on a bodybuilding competition. While he’s left that door open for the future, Baena stressed that his attention is solely focused on building his physique for acting gigs not for the stage.
Published: 22 May, 2023 | 8:40 PM EDT
2023 CrossFit North America East Semifinal — Full Results
The penultimate stage of the season has begun, as the 2023 CrossFit Semifinals opened up with the North America East edition. The semifinal stage started off with a bang, since the North America East competition featured the strongest lineup. So, it also secured the most qualifying spots for the 2023 CrossFit Games out of the seven semifinals. Thus, the top 12 men and 11 women from the North America East Semifinal will be going through to the Games. Despite facing tough competition, Jeffrey Adler and Emma Cary managed to secure victory in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively.
An all out war took place in both the men’s and women’s divisions, as no one was able to gain a comfortable lead at any point of the competition. However, Jeffrey Adler managed to come out on top of the men’s division with two event wins and 613 points in total. On the other hand, Emma Cary only won one of the seven events, but secured an additional two second place finishes. She ended up with 607 points in total, just six ahead of Danielle Brandon.
2023 CrossFit North America East Leaderboards
Men
Note: Top 12 Men qualified for the 2023 CrossFit Games.
Jeffrey Adler — 613 points (Qualified)
Jayson Hopper — 598 points (Qualified)
Dallin Pepper — 586 points (Qualified)
Roman Khrennikov — 575 points (Qualified)
Samuel Cournoyer — 538 points (Qualified)
Will Moorad — 535 points (Qualified)
Noah Ohlsen — 521 points (Qualified)
Luke Parker — 513 points (Qualified)
Alex Vigneault — 507 points (Qualified)
Jack Farlow — 477 points (Qualified)
James Sprague — 460 points (Qualified)
Spencer Panchik — 439 points (Qualified)
Austin Hatfield — 413 points
Tyler Christophel — 405 points
Evan Rogers — 401 points
Women
Note: Top 11 Women qualified for the 2023 CrossFit Games.
Emma Cary — 607 points (Qualified)
Danielle Brandon — 601 points (Qualified)
Amanda Barnhart — 577 points (Qualified)
Emma Lawson — 575 points (Qualified)
Alexis Raptis — 564 points (Qualified)
Paige Powers — 557 points (Qualified)
Sydney Wells — 409 points (Qualified)
Feeroozeh Saghafi — 398 points (Qualified)
Shelby Neal — 397 points (Qualified)
Caroline Stanley — 395 points (Qualified)
Paige Semenza — 386 points (Qualified)
Anikha Greer — 383 points
Jordan Szewc — 383 points
Brooke Wells — 379 points
Carolyne Prevost — 378 points
Teams
CrossFit East Nashville PRVN — 573 points
CrossFit Move Fast Lift Heavy 247 — 549 points
Ab Crossfit – Mayhem — 513 points
CrossFit Mayhem Independence — 489 points
CrossFit Krypton — 486 points
CrossFit CLT The Grit Haus — 486 points
CrossFit Oba — 471 points
TTT CrossFit Black — 450 points
CrossFit PSC Invasion — 450 points
CrossFit Milford Team Conquer — 402 points
Related: How to Watch the 2023 CrossFit Semifinals
Individual Division Tests (Workouts) Recap
TEST ONE
For time:
3,000-meter Echo Bike
Hand-Over-Hand Pull (84 feet)
2,000-meter Assault AirRunner
Hand-Over-Hand Pull (84 feet)
1,000-meter SkiErg
Hand-Over-Hand Pull (92 feet)
Time cap: 30 minutes
Women: 180 pounds
Men: 225 pounds
Men’s Results
Jayson Hopper — 22:18.87
James Sprague — 22:32.21
Roman Khrennikov — 22:55.34
Women’s Results
Danielle Brandon — 26:35.48
Amanda Fischer — 27:42.89
Danielle Kearns — 28:23.28
TEST TWO
As many reps as possible in 3 minutes of:
5 Ring Complexes (1 Toe-To-Ring, 1 Muscle-Up, 1 Ring Dip)
20 Single-Leg Squats
Max Burpees Over Box
*Complete 3 rounds, resting 1 minute between rounds.
*Score is total reps across the 3 minutes.
Women Wear a 10-pound ruck, 24-inch box
Men Wear a 20-pound ruck, 30-inch box
Men’s Results
Jeffrey Adler — 53 reps
Noah Ohlsen — 50 reps
Will Moorad — 48 reps
Women’s Results
Emma Lawson — 61 reps
Emma Cary — 58 reps
Alexis Raptis — 51 reps
TEST THREE
For time:
Semifinals Linda — 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps of:
Deadlifts
Dumbbell Bench Presses
Squat Cleans
Time cap: 17 minutes
Women: 220-pound deadlifts, 60-pound dumbbells, 105-pound squat cleans
Men: 295-pound deadlifts, 90-pound dumbbells, 145-pound squat cleans
Men’s Results
Samuel Cournoyer — 12:04.90
Jayson Hopper — 12:15.38
Roman Khrennikov — 12:19.08
Women’s Results
Amanda Barnhart — 11:46.61
Caroline Stanley — 12:20.49
Paige Powers — 12:25.28
TEST FOUR
For load:
Run 800 meters
Max Snatch
Time cap: 6 minutes
After the time cap for test four clocks out, the athletes will have just two minutes to rest before initiating Test Five.
Men’s Results
Jayson Hopper — 305 pounds
Jack Farlow — 300 pounds
Luke Parker — 300 pounds
Women’s Results
Danielle Paran — 210 pounds
Ashleigh Wosny — 205 pounds
Emma Harvang — 205 pounds
TEST FIVE
For time:
8 Snatches
Run 800 meters
Time cap: 6 minutes
Women: 125-pound snatch
Men: 185-pound snatch
Men’s Results
Jeffrey Adler — 03:00.79
Roman Khrennikov — 03:02.97
Garrett Clark — 03:05.24
Women’s Results
Sydney Wells — 03:09.58
Emma Cary — 03:11.31
Danielle Brandon — 03:15.16
TEST SIX
For time:
20 Overhead Squats
500-meter Row
Three Handstand-Walk Pirouettes
Two Seated Legless Rope Climbs
20 Strict Chest-To-Wall Handstand Push-Ups
Two Seated Legless Rope Climbs
Three Handstand-Walk Pirouettes
500-meter Row
20 Overhead Squats
Time cap: 15 minutes (Men) — 16 minutes (Women)
Women: 125-pound Squat
Men: 185-pound Squat
Men’s Results
Noah Ohlsen — 09:32.70
Will Moorad — 09:45.16
Spencer Panchik — 10:17.76
Women’s Results
Danielle Brandon — 10:39.00
Samantha Pugh — 10:46.00
Anikha Greer — 10:52.18
TEST SEVEN
Three rounds for time of:
Echo Bike Calories (Men: 15 calories / Women: 10 calories)
20 Toes-To-Bar
60-Foot Sandbag Bear-Hug Carry
Women: 150-pound Sandbag
Men: 200-pound Sandbag
Men’s Results
Dallin Pepper — 03:46.40
Jayson Hopper — 03:50.90
Roman Khrennikov — 03:54.82
Women’s Results
Emma Cary — 04:05.25
Danielle Brandon — 04:11.23
Brooke Wells — 04:14.24
Related: Mal O’Brien Announces Her Withdrawal From The 2023 CrossFit Season
The 2023 CrossFit Games will take place on August 1-6, in Madison, Wisconsin. With the conclusion of the first week of the Semifinals, the qualifying spots for the Games have already started to be filled. The remainder of the CrossFit Games roster will be filled out in the following two weeks as five more semifinal competitions will take place around the globe.
Published: 22 May, 2023 | 5:35 PM EDT
Chris Bumstead Says He Has No Injuries & Credits Iain Valliere for Not Fuc*ing Up His Health w/Steroids
Chris Bumstead is already eying preparations for his potential fifth Classic Physique title at the Mr. Olympia contest. In a recent Straight Outta the Lair podcast with Flex Lewis, Bumstead detailed his split from Iain Valliere, discussed his current supplementation, and 2023 off-season.
In 2019, Chris Bumstead brought an undeniable look which led to him defeating the two-time Classic Physique Olympia titleholder, Breon Ansley. Despite the explosive popularity of the division, no one from the Classic Physique category has been able to stop Cbum’s reign.
Prior to laying claim to his fourth title last December, Bumstead was dealt his fair share of adversity. Roughly 12 weeks before 2022 Olympia, he and his long-time training partner, Iain Valliere, decided to part ways. Instead, Bumstead would join Hany Rambod for his title endeavor. And while he performed with a torn bicep on stage, Rambod successfully guided the Canadian native to another victory.
With four Classic Physique Olympia titles in his arsenal, Bumstead has quickly become one of the most recognizable faces in the sport on social media, second to only Arnold Schwarzenegger. The 2023 Mr. Olympia show is approaching in less than six months, which prompted Cbum to update fans on his current progress before battling to become a five-time champion.
Chris Bumstead ‘Feeling Great,’ Says ‘Supplements Are Low,’ Talks 2023 Off-Season: ‘Pushing Training and Putting Size On’
While his supplements are ‘low,’ Bumstead says he never looked better at this stage before starting a prep.
“That’s still to come [true off-season] so I’m eating right, training right, supplements are low. Just focusing on doing everything the best I can right now with the travel. Then, when I come back I have one more trip to Italy, when I come back from that in June, I’m going full tilt and locking everything in and focusing on it.
This is the best I’ve looked at this point in a year even. I’ve always taken a lot of time off, like complete time off. Not even in the gym, taking nothing barely eating, losing too much weight. Okay, let’s not go that hard and just take a little bit of time off,” Bumstead shared.
Looking ahead, Bumstead says his health is in order and he has no injuries.
“The second I started pushing training I started putting size back on. I maybe need to put on another five pounds to be a little heavier than I was last year even. I’m in a great spot right now, I feel healthy, body feels young, no injuries, knock on wood.”
Some believe taking time off is a disservice to Bumstead, but he sees it as essential to his growth and longevity as a bodybuilder.
“I think it’s helped me a lot [stem cell therapy]. It’s hard to say and I try not to push it on people it’s expensive. I don’t say you need to do this to be healthy. You don’t, but someone with an autoimmune condition which is all about inflammation and systemic stem cells flush your inflammation so that’s been super helpful for me.”
“I focus on my time off that I take, people might think it’s a deficit, but everyone in the top four at the Olympia did the Arnold. They took a few weeks off and jumped into prep. Their bodies are beat up. I’m getting younger. I’m taking time off resting staying healthy. I feel good, I’m really holding on to that and that allows you to compete longer.”
Bumstead: ‘I Didn’t Fu** Up My Health and Do Too Much Drugs Because of Iain Valliere’
According to Bumstead, Iain Valliere is the reason for his success at a young age. He added that Valliere motivated him to train harder and advised him not to use excessive amounts of steroids.
“Iain is the reason I was able to be successful at a young age. I came into that first show I did, won, and climbed so quick, and the reason I didn’t fu** up my health and do too much drugs, do too much stupid shit in the beginning of my bodybuilding career was because of Iain,” Bumstead said.
“He was the reason I always trained with someone that was lifting two plates more than me on anything. So I pushed myself to be stronger and better. Iain was always stronger and bigger than me. He pushed me and he’s the reason I got to where I was in my career. I’m super grateful for him. I don’t think I’d be where I am without him, at least at this young. That was a really tough decision to leave, to make that call, it was really hard.”
“We came to a decision it would be best for both of us,” Bumstead added. “I was talking to Hany and he just talked to me about Derek Lunsford, how he had a crazy mental and physical transformation, 180, now he’s just crushing it. We were talking about that, mindset, he’s worked with business CEO people on training and mindset. He’s focused a lot on mental. I didn’t even tell him that’s what I was super interested in.”
After going their separate ways, Cbum explained that he started talking to Hany Rambod after the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro.
“He’s a maniac, super outgoing, extroverted, I’m a little more quiet sometimes, that’s why I flow with people crazy like that. We clicked off then. I held that in my back pocket. I was worried to pick someone because it’s a family. You’re bringing someone into your family. A lot of trust very intimate moments, very serious.
Held off for a while before asking Hany to coach me, it was August three and a half months out. I asked him to coach me, he thought I meant mentally help him, I kind of worded myself weird, you know, ‘Could you maybe help me with that,’ then we talked again and I told him I meant coach me fully. He said, ‘Oh, I need to think about that.’ He put me on hold, yeah, motherfuc**r,” said Bumstead.
This isn’t the first time that Bumstead has opened up about some of his struggles in the sport. In a recent Don’t Be Sour podcast, Bumstead discussed the pressures of being a dominant champion. His goal is to exit the sport on top but highlighted that the fear of losing motivates him to continue.
Chris Bumstead is set to return on stage at the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, taking place Nov. 2-5 in Orlando, Florida. Fans look forward to seeing him face off against the rising contender, 2023 Arnold Classic winner, Ramon Queiroz.
RELATED: Chris Bumstead: “I Brought My PEDs Down & It Allowed Me to Have to Train Harder”
You can watch the full video below from Flex Lewis’ YouTube channel:
Published: 22 May, 2023 | 2:59 PM EDT
Frank Zane Talks Low-Carb Diet, Using Sunbathing Instead of Diuretics, & Max Weight During Off-Seasons
Bodybuilding icon Frank Zane understood the need for discipline en route to earning his three Mr. Olympia titles. In a recent The Menace podcast, Zane discussed the low-carbohydrate diet he consumed almost year-round and explained how he used sunbathing as a drying-out process for contests.
While competing actively, Frank Zane sought to master all aspects of bodybuilding, from building muscle, tanning, posing, and training routines, his methods saw him reach the top of the sport, where he pushed the pace against legends such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robby Robinson, and Franco Columbo.
Zane, a living encyclopedia of bodybuilding knowledge, is 80 years old, but his passion and experience shine during workout demonstrations. The three-time Mr. Olympia joined Mike O’Hearn for an unusual training session comprising of exercises he implemented at the peak of his career.
Having made a name for himself with a low body weight and exceptional aesthetics, Zane cautioned against modern competitors adding size too quickly. He stressed that extra weight could ruin symmetry and proportions. Instead, Zane suggested that athletes improve extremities like calves and forearms to achieve a more balanced physique overall.
Frank Zane Talks Low-Carb Diet, Using Sunbathing Instead of Diuretics, & Max Weight During Off-Seasons
During his career, Zane used a low-carbohydrate diet consisting of 50 grams per day. He added that he consumed 200 grams of protein as well (equivalent to 1 gram per pound of body weight).
“I followed a low carbohydrate diet. I would get less than 50 grams of carbs a day and one gram of protein per pound of body weight, so I’d be getting over 200 grams of protein in a day and under 50 grams of carbs a day. That’s what I did the last few months before a competition,” Frank Zane said. “Fats… you know I really didn’t go overboard on fats, but I didn’t deliberately restrict my fats, I just didn’t eat a lot of fat. Now, I ate red meat but I always had lean cuts. I ate fish, you know which has good oils. I ate poultry, I really didn’t eat a high-fat diet either.”
Zane said his cardio demands were walking fast on a treadmill for 15-20 minutes a day.
“No [extra fats were added] right, it was a low-carbohydrate diet. I did some [cardio] but I didn’t do a lot. I generally did something at the end of my weight training workout. I’d take about 15-20 minutes on the treadmill walking fast.”
While he admits his diet was strict, Zane shared that he did what was necessary to be contest-ready. According to the bodybuilding legend, his max weight in the off-season was 200 pounds.
“I was strict and my metabolism wasn’t slow, but it wasn’t really fast either. I did what was necessary and got in shape,” added Zane. “I generally competed – my best weight for competition was 190. I never went over 200 pounds in the off-season. I stayed in that 190-200-pound range all the time. I didn’t look upon it as a diet, it was the way I ate normally.”
Zane revealed his protein sources were steak, fish, and chicken. He added that he now eats eggs for breakfast and fish for dinner regularly.
“I would not eat way more carbs, I never did that,” Zane shared. “I had red meat almost every day. That was steak, fish, and chicken, and in more recent times, I don’t eat much red meat now, I eat mainly fish. Eggs for breakfast, fish for dinner.”
The most carbohydrates Zane would consume was 150 grams in a day. He underlined that he maintained a rigid diet, especially in the eight weeks leading up to a show.
“No never [200-300 carbs] in off-season,” shared Zane. 150 grams of carbs as a high-carb day [is the max]. No that’s something I did all the time, pretty much, I just did it more strictly before a competition and it wasn’t just a few days before it was months before. At least eight weeks before. I did [carb up on stage] not a lot but a little bit, one day usually, if the contest was Saturday, I would carb up on Friday and Saturday morning.”
Zane explained that diuretics would make him lose excess water so he dried out by sunbathing in Santa Monica or Palm Springs.
“No [diuretics]. No, basically, if I did, I would lose too much water if I did that. The other thing, I sunbathed a lot, I would go out lay and the sun and sweat, and that was sort of a diuretic for me. Both, I had a place in Palm Springs, I lived in Santa Monica, I’d go there on the weekends for two or three days and get sun and come back.”
In light of the growing number of bodybuilders dying, Zane opened up about some of the dangers present in the sport today. Zane worries that competitors are taking bad advice. Moreover, he implied athletes are now using shortcuts with drugs and/or synthol implants instead of achieving a physique steadily over time.
The sport has certainly changed since Zane’s time on top, but his methods and practices still hold value today as aesthetic bodybuilders in the Open class continue to gain momentum.
RELATED: Samir Bannout Tells Nick Walker to Hire Frank Zane as Posing Coach for 2023 Mr. Olympia Win: ‘Fix Front Lat Spread’
Watch the full video below from the Muscle and Fitness YouTube channel:
Published: 22 May, 2023 | 11:56 AM EDT
The Ultimate Guide To Natural Bodybuilding: Best Training and Diet Tips
“Natty for life” is arguably the most popular catchphrase amongst fitness enthusiasts. Ironically, “natty for life” is often used as a hashtag by bodybuilders that are guilty of using gear. But why are so many bodybuilders keen on coming off as natural?
Many people consider steroid use as a form of cheating. It is believed that folks on juice have it much easier than their natural counterparts. Whether this assumption is true is out of the scope of this article. However, you can rest assured that you will gain much more praise and recognition if you have built a diced physique without using performance-enhancing drugs.
Furthermore, unlike the governing bodies of most sports, such as Olympic weightlifting, American football, or fencing, the leading bodybuilding organization, the IFBB Pro League, does not enforce drug testing. As pro bodybuilders are not required to take doping tests, they can take anything under the sun to build a blockbuster physique.
If you aspire to compete in bodybuilding shows, knowing that most famous folks in the sport are using gear puts you at a significant disadvantage. Drug use is not limited to professional bodybuilders; many people start their first steroid cycle in hopes of breaking through on social media.
In this article, we dive deep into natural bodybuilding, the difference between being a natty and a juiced-up bodybuilder, the scope of natural bodybuilders in the IFBB Pro League, and the best training and nutrition tips for building your dream physique. We also cover the 14 best natural bodybuilders that are excellent role models for aspiring natural bodybuilders.
Before we get to the meat of this article, we must clarify that this article is not about dissing bodybuilders who use gear. We are the first to admit using PEDs requires significant dedication and commitment.
What is Natural Bodybuilding?
Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, Kai Greene, and Flex Wheeler are some of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. However, these legends share one thing in common — they are not natural bodybuilders.
So, what is natural bodybuilding?
Simply put, natural bodybuilding involves building a muscular, balanced, symmetrical, and diced physique without using drugs. Conversely, enhanced bodybuilders use synthetic hormones that imitate the male sex hormone, testosterone, to help with the growth and repair of muscle tissue.
The sport of natural bodybuilding has evolved tremendously over the last couple of decades. We now have multiple natural bodybuilding organizations that promote several natty bodybuilding shows throughout the year.
These natural bodybuilding organizations conduct several tests and have varying guidelines on what their athletes can and cannot take.
Natural bodybuilders are generally smaller than enhanced athletes who use PEDs, such as HGH (human growth hormone), testosterone, Trenbolone, and deca, which results in significant structural changes in the human body. The Open division bodybuilders of the untested bodybuilding leagues are substantially bigger and heavier than their drug-tested counterparts.
Owing to the popularity of the IFBB Pro Mr. Olympia contest, the International Natural Bodybuilding Association and Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA/PNBA) started the Natural Olympia contest in 1998, which aims to crown the best natural bodybuilder in the world. Since then, the Natural Olympia has become the premiere bodybuilding contest for the natties.
However, we will go as far as to say that the chances of a natural bodybuilder beating an enhanced athlete in a no-holds-barred contest are as bright as a black hole in outer space.
Note: Fitness Volt doesn’t condone the use of performance-enhancing drugs. This article is for informative purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice to diagnose, prevent, or treat health problems. If you’re suffering from a health issue, are pregnant, or are under 18 years old, you should consult your physician before starting any new supplement, nutrition, or fitness routine.
Natural Bodybuilding Federations
The following organizations are the most popular in the natural bodybuilding space:
International Natural Bodybuilding Association and Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA/PNBA)
World Natural Bodybuilding Federation (WNBF)
American Natural Bodybuilding Federation (ANBF)
Most of these drug-free bodybuilding federations use the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) guidelines that include 10 years drug-free of prescription/pharmaceutical hormones on the WADA banned substance list and two years free of over-the-counter hormones, pro-hormones, or banned substances listed or their chemical counterparts.
A natural bodybuilding federation can use blood, urine, and polygraph tests to check its athletes for drug use. These tests are done randomly throughout the year. Plus, most federations conduct drug tests on random bodybuilders before a competition.
Interestingly, most of these federations have the same bodybuilding divisions as the IFBB Pro League, including the Open, Men’s Physique, Classic Physique for the men, and the Open, Bikini, Physique, Fitness, and Wellness categories for the ladies.
The PNBA Elite World Tour and the Natural Olympia are the biggest competitions for natural bodybuilders. Although the biggest, these are nowhere close to the biggest untested competition.
In 2021, the total prize pool for the Natural Olympia was $65,000, and most division winners pocketed $1,000. On the other hand, the IFBB Pro League Mr. Olympia in 2022 had a $1.6 million prize pool, and the Mr. Olympia champ Hadi Choopan took home $400,000.
Considering this, you could think of natural bodybuilding as a hobby, whereas you could make a decent living competing in untested bodybuilding competitions.
Can natural bodybuilders become IFBB Pro athletes?
The IFBB Pro League is the world’s numero uno pro bodybuilding organization. Only IFBB Pro League bodybuilders are allowed to compete in the coveted Mr. Olympia competition, which is the biggest bodybuilding contest in the world.
Many people believe that no athlete can turn pro in the IFBB Pro League without using gear. However, this isn’t true.
Ronnie Coleman
Your genetics play a massive role in how far you can take your physique without using PEDs. The eight-time Mr. Olympia champion, Ronnie Coleman, turned pro in 1991. The 1964-born bodybuilder claims to have competed natural until the age of 30. He had taken 15th at the 1994 Olympia, his second O appearance.
Although not everyone is born with Big Ron’s genetics and work ethic, he proves that you can reach the top of the sport while staying natural.
If this wasn’t enough, the three-time Bikini Olympia champ, Ashley Kaltwasser, is the winningest IFBB Pro competitor. At the time of writing, she has 37 pro show wins to her name, which is seven more than the 2008 Mr. Olympia champ Dexter Jackson, who leads the men with 29 pro show wins. Kaltwasser claims to be a life-long natural bodybuilder.
Testing Problems With Natural Bodybuilding Federations
Doping tests can be expensive, and the natural bodybuilding federations must pay for them to get all their athletes tested. However, here lies a big problem. Competitive bodybuilding is not a mainstream sport. Plus, natural bodybuilding is a niche within a niche, meaning the money is tight for most of these natural federations.
Some of these federations rely on cheap doping tests, which often return incorrect results. An athlete who wants to appeal his test results must pay for the doping tests, which increases his competition budget. Plus, most of these natural bodybuilding federations charge their members a yearly doping test fee.
On the other hand, untested organizations like the IFBB Pro League don’t have to deal with doping tests, saving their athletes a lot of money and headache. With that said, enhanced athletes usually spend more on their gear in a month than natty athletes spend on their tests in a couple of years.
Furthermore, doping tests face a perennial problem. Athletes find ways to cheat the system. Cheating on drug tests is not isolated to bodybuilding. Many elite weightlifters, golfers, cyclists, and footballers have never failed their drug tests despite being on juice for years. People who are willing to do anything to be number one at what they do find ways to cheat a doping test.
Natural bodybuilding federations take their doping tests very seriously. The INBA/PNBA has a “Hall of Shame” section on their website that features bodybuilders that claim to be natty but have failed a drug test.
Diet Tips For Natural Bodybuilding
Enhanced and natty bodybuilders start with similar diets, training, and recovery programs. The main difference in their physiques is caused by drug use. As an enhanced athlete starts using gear, he experiences an uptick in his body weight due to increased muscle mass and strength, which requires him to eat more and lift heavier to sustain his gains. This cycle keeps bodybuilders hooked to steroids.
Calorie Goals
Your calorie goals will depend on your current physique, gender, genetics, age, height, activity levels, and goal physique. Use our convenient calorie calculator to determine your daily caloric goals.
Folks looking to build muscle mass should enter a caloric surplus (eat more calories than they burn in a day), whereas bodybuilders trying to lose weight should be on a calorie-deficit diet (burn more calories than they consume).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adding 500-1,000 to your daily calorie intake can result in gaining 1-2 pounds weekly. Conversely, cutting the same amount from your daily diet can help you lose 1-2 pounds a week. [1]
Macronutrient Goals
After arriving at a daily calorie goal, you must break it down into an appropriate macronutrient (carbohydrates, protein, and fats) split.
The macronutrient split for most natural bodybuilders lies in the following ranges:
Carbohydrates: 35% to 60%
Protein: 30% to 45%
Fats: 10% to 30%
Bodybuilding consists of three phases — bulking, cutting, and maintenance. Your macronutrient split will change depending on the phase you are in. However, one thing remains consistent throughout the three phases for natural bodybuilders; they are always on a high-protein diet.
You must analyze your transformation progress weekly to ensure you are on the correct path. Add more calories to your diet if you’re unsatisfied with your bulking progress. On the flip side, cut more calories from your diet and do more cardio if you’re not shedding body weight fast enough. Arriving at the right daily calorie intake goal and macronutrient split can take some trial and error, and you must get comfortable trying new things.
Supplements
Recovery is often overlooked in a bodybuilding regimen. Most anabolic steroids, also known as super supplements, speed up your recovery, which helps the enhanced athlete get ready for their next workout relatively quickly. However, natural bodybuilders must emphasize their diet and recovery program to ensure optimal recovery.
Supplements are an excellent tool for natural bodybuilders to fill the nutrition voids in their diet. Whey protein supplements can help repair and rebuild stronger muscles, whereas a mass gainer supp can make adding more size easier. Creatine, BCAAs, pre-workouts, and glutamine supplements can also help boost your results.
You must also ensure you meet your daily micronutrient needs for overall physical development and better health, well-being, and functionality. Add a multivitamin supp to your daily routine if you cannot meet your micronutrient goals through real food.
Although supplements are a great way to meet your macro and micronutrient needs, you shouldn’t be over-reliant on them. Focus on achieving your nutrition needs through nutrient-dense whole foods.
Natural bodybuilders with competitive aspirations must check the banned substance list of their chosen bodybuilding federation to ensure the ingredients in their favorite supplements will not get them banned for life.
Training Tips For Natural Bodybuilding
There is no one-fits-all training program for bodybuilders. What works for your training partner might not work for you. You should follow a personalized training regimen that focuses on bringing up your lagging muscle groups and polishing your strengths.
Your training program will depend on your starting and goal physique. Your trainer might also change your training volume, intensity, and frequency depending on how you respond to an exercise regimen.
Here are some of the best training tips to help natty bodybuilders get the best bang for their buck:
Perform 3-5 sets and 8-12 reps of an exercise with 70-85% of your one-rep max to induce hypertrophy. [2]
Train your lagging muscle groups up to twice a week.
Limit your rest duration between sets to 60-120 seconds to maintain a high training intensity.
The eccentric (lowering) motion is just as important as the concentric (lifting) movement. Plus, focus on squeezing the life out of your muscles at the static contraction at the top.
Change your rep tempo to challenge your muscles.
Use advanced training principles like super sets, drop sets, and intra-set stretching to progressively overload your muscles.
Wait at least 48 hours before training the same muscle group again.
Switch your hand grip when possible to train your muscles from different angles and ensure overall development.
Avoid lifting too heavy close to a competition to limit your risk of injury.
Find a training partner that can push you to do your best in the weight room.
Hiring a nutritionist and personal trainer can help speed up your transformation progress and save you significant time, energy, effort, and money. Seek a certified professional’s help if you can afford it; it will pay dividends in the long run. Plus, it can help you build a solid foundation and considerably reduce your risk of injury in the gym.
14 Best Natural Bodybuilders
Most bodybuilders are on the fence about revealing their enhanced status. This trend was arguably started by the legendary Joe Weider, who barred bodybuilders competing in the IFBB from disclosing their drug use. However, things are changing for the better, as more pro bodybuilders are taking to social media and podcasts and sharing their drug cycles.
In this article, we have included bodybuilders from the whole gamut of the sport — we have athletes that compete in drug-tested bodybuilding competitions, social media stars, and athletes that compete in untested leagues.
Remember, there is no sure way to tell if an athlete has been a lifelong natural bodybuilder. In this list, we have included bodybuilders that have never failed a doping test. However, it could mean two things; first, these athletes have some of the best genetics in the world and have never used gear, or these folks are really good at gaming a drug test; you be the judge.
Without further ado, here are the 14 best natural bodybuilders:
Ron Williams
With 250 competition wins under his belt, Williams is the winningest natural bodybuilder of all time. His balanced, proportioned, and chiseled physique would make anyone question his natty status. However, Williams has never failed a drug test, making him one of the most genetically gifted natural bodybuilders ever.
Here are some of his achievements:
7-time Mr. Natural Olympia
7-time Mr. Natural Universe
7-time Natural World
Hall of Fame Inductee (2008): International Natural Bodybuilding Association
Donte Franklin
If you think natural bodybuilders cannot have mountain-like biceps, Franklin is here to prove you wrong. The 6-foot natural bodybuilder manages to grow and improve his physique every year, making him one of the most consistent nattys in the business.
Franklin likes to train hard and heavy, qualities he attributes as the secret to his incredible physique.
Paul Krueger
Krueger is one of the most dominant natural bodybuilders. He won the coveted Natural Olympia title in 2021, only a few weeks after getting his pro card. Notably, Krueger competed as an amateur bodybuilder for 25 years before turning pro and disrupting the upper echelons of the natural bodybuilding circuit.
Brandon Lirio
If you are a fan of the golden era aesthetics, you will love Lirio. He possesses excellent muscle mass, symmetry, balance, well-defined lines, and conditioning. Lirio is a three-time Natural Olympia champion and two-time Mr. Universe champion. He has also been inducted into the PNBA Pro Hall of Famer.
Derek Joe
Joe won the Natural Olympia Men’s Classic Physique division in his freshman year at the contest. The Classic Physique Natural Olympia champ has high expectations from himself. He nearly quit competitive bodybuilding after placing second at his debut amateur bodybuilding show in 2020. If it weren’t for the encouragement from his friends and family, Joe would never have competed at the 2021 Natural Olympia.
Steve Cook
Cook is one of the most famous fitness athletes and an OG bodybuilding YouTuber. He has appeared in numerous print and online publications and has a sizeable social media following. Cook claims to be a natural bodybuilder and has competed in the Men’s Physique division at the IFBB Mr. Olympia. His best placing was a fifth-place finish at the 2014 Mr. Olympia.
Mike Thurston
Thurston has an incredibly chiseled physique that would give his enhanced counterparts a run for their money. His washboard abs and perfectly-crafted pecs are the benchmarks for many natural bodybuilders.
Simeon Panda
Panda is one of the strongest and most popular bodybuilders on this list. The Brit was named one of the world’s top ten fitness influencers by Forbes and has over 8 million Instagram followers.
Ulisses Jr.
Ulisses Jr. is among the most famous Instagram fitness athletes. He is a must-follow on the photo and video-sharing app if you are always short on ab training ideas. The natural bodybuilder’s eight-pack abs are a symbol of his discipline, dedication, and commitment. Ulisses Jr. is among the few fitness social media celebs who have won multiple bodybuilding titles.
Lazar Angelov
If you are a fitness enthusiast, you already know about Angelov. His trademark beard, chest tattoo, and chiseled physique appear on several posters on gym walls across the globe.
Jeff Seid
Seid’s wide shoulders, narrow waist, and picture-perfect V-taper made him the youngest IFBB Pro bodybuilder of all time. The natural bodybuilder started training at the age of 12 and was an All-American wrestling champion before switching to bodybuilding.
Rob Riches
Riches has an incredibly shredded physique. The natural bodybuilder started lifting at the age of 15 after he fractured his shoulder in a mountain bike race; he has never looked back since. The British bodybuilder has competed in the BNBF, Musclemania, UKBFF, and NPA, all natty bodybuilding federations.
Ashley Kaltwasser
PED use is as widespread among female pro bodybuilders as men. Kaltwasser is the most successful natty female pro bodybuilder competing in the IFBB Pro League. She is famous for staying in incredible shape throughout the year.
Mike O’Hearn
We will get a lot of flak for this, as Mike O’Hearn is one of the most controversial nattys in the sport. However, The Titan has won the Mr. Natural Universe title four times and has never failed a drug test. Furthermore, O’Hearn was inducted into the INBA/PNBA Hall of Fame class of 2011, which is a solid endorsement of his natty status.
The American Gladiators star is also one of the strongest natural bodybuilders. He coined the term ‘powerbodybuilding’ for his unique training regimen that combines lifting super heavy weights while staying in a hypertrophy-inducing rep range.
10 Ways To Tell a Natty Bodyuilber From a Fake Natty
Every guy that is bigger than you is on the juice. No, I am just kidding. However, this is a great way to stroke your ego.
Before we get into the difference between natural bodybuilders and bodybuilders on gear, we must point out that although these things will apply to most people, there are some genetically gifted natty bodybuilder outliers who can give an average juiced-up bro a run for their money.
Here are a few tell-tale signs of a bodybuilder on steroids:
Extended Gut
An extended gut is a dead giveaway of a steroid user. HGH is usually responsible for causing a bloated gut among steroid users. Contrary to what most people think, steroids cannot spot increase a particular muscle group, like your chest or arms. When you take a PED, it acts on all your muscles, including your stomach and heart.
Extended guts due to steroid abuse hamper a bodybuilder’s physique aesthetics. They are also why untested bodybuilding contests received significant backlash between 2010-2016, including from Arnold Schwarzenegger, who pushed for rewarding more proportionate and aesthetically-appealing physiques.
Superhuman Muscle Mass
One of the first differences you’ll notice between a natty bodybuilder and a bodybuilder using gear is that the natural athlete has a much more achievable physique. On the other hand, enhanced bodybuilders have muscles you didn’t know existed. If a bodybuilder has a superhero physique with unexplainable proportions and conditioning, chances are he is on steroids.
Strength
Certain drugs, such as Tren and Dianabol, can make you super strong. If you notice a person lifting 1.5-2 times heavier than usual within a few weeks or has grown a crazy amount in a short period, he has probably started a cycle. Furthermore, social media influencers who lift crazy weights for an insane number of reps, for example, a 450-pound squat for 10 reps, are probably on juice.
Conditioning and Vascularity
Many enhanced pro bodybuilders use diuretics to achieve crisp conditioning. These PEDs drain water from your system, which helps improve your muscle definition and vascularity. If you encounter a bodybuilder with paper-thin skin, he is probably on steroids. Further, don’t let the jacked bro at your gym tell you that his roadmap-like forearm vascularity is because of their insane forearm training routine. The dude is probably on EQ.
Hair Loss
Most pro bodybuilders are neither bald by choice nor is it a fashion statement. Many steroids cause hair loss. If a person with a full head of hair starts experiencing a receding hairline while building a significant amount of muscle mass, strength, and conditioning, it is a sign he has started a steroid cycle.
Roid Rage
Many steroids can cause severe mood swings. Dianabol and Tren are especially infamous for causing short tempers. Bodybuilders on gear usually have a short fuse. The extent of anger usually depends on a person’s steroid tolerance and its dose.
Syringe Marks
Although steroids come in various forms, including oral and injectable, most pro bodybuilders prefer injecting their drugs as it delivers better and quicker results and minimizes wastage. Nonetheless, frequent injections can leave syringe marks on your body. Many bodybuilders like to use injections on body parts that are usually covered, like their glutes.
Acne
You are effectively altering your natural hormones by injecting steroids into your body. Many enhanced bodybuilders tend to experience acne, especially on their backs, while on a cycle. Notably, food allergies can also cause acne in natural athletes.
Gyno
Gynecomastia, also known as gyno, is a breast tissue swelling in men that is mostly caused by excessive production of estrogen or prolactin as a result of anabolic drug use. Synthetic testosterone is the primary cause of gyno in men as it can cause a testosterone and estrogen imbalance. [3]
Next Read: Gyno in Bodybuilding: The Ultimate Guide
Competing in Tested Federations
This one is a no-brainer. Fake nattys do not come near a tested competition. People who use multiple steroids throughout the year have a hard time stopping drug use or using steroid masks without compromising their physique.
With that said, untested bodybuilding competitions are more popular among fans than tested ones. It is arguably because people love to witness the mass monsters pushing the limits of the human body. However, natural bodybuilding is slowly and steadily building a cult following.
Advantages and Drawbacks of Natural Bodybuilding
Here are the pros and cons of natural bodybuilding:
Advantages
Improve Physique Aesthetics and Strength: Most people start lifting weights to improve their physique aesthetics. Natural and enhanced bodybuilding can improve your strength and muscle mass and boost your self-image and confidence.
Pride: If building muscle naturally wasn’t so appealing, the natty vs. fake natty debate would not exist. Natural bodybuilding is a testament to an individual’s grit, determination, consistency, and patience.
Longevity: This is arguably the biggest and most important difference between natural and enhanced bodybuilding. Using PEDs can cause irreversible damage and lead to chronic health conditions, whereas natural bodybuilding improves your overall health and well-being.
Boosts Testosterone Levels: Natural strength training can enhance testosterone production in men, boosting their strength, muscle mass, and overall health. Conversely, enhanced athletes inject synthetic test into their bodies, which can stop natural test production in their bodies. [4]
Know Your Limits: This one is a blessing in disguise. Most people start their first cycle with a single drug. However, the desire to look better pushes them to do multiple drugs simultaneously. It doesn’t end here. Some people also inject oils such as synthol into their muscles to make them look bigger, which can cost them a limb and even their life!
Disadvantages
Bigorexia: Whether you are an enhanced or natural bodybuilder, you will likely struggle with bigorexia. Folks dealing with bigorexia believe they are small and skinny, despite being typically or even unusually muscular. Bigorexia is one of the biggest reasons why many natural bodybuilders jump ships and make peace with drugs. However, the irony is these folks still cannot get rid of bigorexia after beginning their cycles.
Lack of Fame and Money: Natural bodybuilding is a cult within a cult sport. The prize money from winning some of the biggest natural bodybuilding shows is not enough to pay the monthly bills for most bodybuilders. Since it is such a small sport, even the best bodybuilders in the natural bodybuilding space have menial clout.
Comparisons: Tell someone you are a natural bodybuilder, and they will instantly compare you to some of the best enhanced bodybuilders. You must be prepared to explain the difference between natty and enhanced bodybuilding every time you meet someone new.
With all said and done, if you do not aspire to compete at the biggest competition in the pro bodybuilding circuit or have no plans to make a living out of your bodybuilding career, staying natural is hands down the better approach. Don’t get us wrong; natural bodybuilders can make considerable gains and compete in bodybuilding shows. However, the fame and compensation aren’t close to what untested athletes enjoy.
Being consistent with your diet, training, and recovery program will put you in the top 1% of the world and help you achieve your dream physique. Plus, if you have the genetics and talent, there is nothing stopping you from becoming a social media sensation and building a fitness empire.
Wrapping Up
Natural bodybuilding involves building your best physique without using anabolic steroids. Although natty bodybuilders can not build as big or conditioned a physique as top-tier enhanced athletes, testing your natural limits before going down the dark path is always advised.
While it might not be possible to win the coveted Mr. Olympia title while staying natural, you can absolutely build a Greek god-like physique without using a syringe. This article gives you the best diet and training tips for building a jacked natural physique. We have also covered the 14 best natural bodybuilders that are the role models of natty and enhanced athletes alike. So, what are you waiting for? Eat your chicken breast, take your vitamins, train, and you will never go wrong, brother. Best of luck!
References
Swerdloff RS, Ng JCM. Gynecomastia: Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. [Updated 2023 Jan 6]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Blackman MR, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279105/
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Losing Weight. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
Vingren JL, Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA, Anderson JM, Volek JS, Maresh CM. Testosterone physiology in resistance exercise and training: the up-stream regulatory elements. Sports Med. 2010 Dec 1;40(12):1037-53. doi: 10.2165/11536910-000000000-00000. PMID: 21058750.