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Nick Walker On Blessing Awodibu Finishing Higher At Olympia: ‘It’s Not Going To Happen This Year, There’s No Way’
Nick Walker claims that Blessing Awodibu is “not even in my vision” heading into the Olympia.
Is the rivalry between Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu back? We caught a glimpse of it following Awodibu’s victory at the 2022 New York Pro. Recently, Walker appeared on Hany Rambod’s The Truth podcast to discuss his current mindset heading into the Olympia.
Walker completely burst onto the scene last year winning both the New York Pro and Arnold Classic. He ended up fifth at the Olympia in 2021 and vowed for a better performance this time around. Walker has put all of his effort in the offseason on the biggest show in the sport.
As for Awodibu, he appeared on stage twice this season, winning both New York and the Indy Pro. Following his victory in New York (or New Jersey), Walker went on stage to speak with Awodibu. This is when Awodibu claims that he would “whoop” Walker’s ass come the Olympia. Of course, Walker denied the claim and the rivalry is back on.
The original storyline between the two bodybuilders began when Walker defeated Awodibu at the 2021 New York Pro. From that moment on, the two began training together and smoothed things over. Now, there is some extra fire coming from both sides.
Nick Walker On Blessing Awodibu: “He’s Not Even In My Vision”
Nick Walker finished behind Hadi Choopan, Brandon Curry, Hunter Labrada, and of course two-time reigning champ Big Ramy last year. He believes that he has to focus on moving up in the rankings first before anything else.
“I was trying to be polite, say good job and congrats and he’s like, ‘where’s the microphone, I need the microphone.’ Yeah basically from that, that’s when he started it. We had a nice little banter. I love Blessing but there’s no way. It’s not going to happen this year. No. He’s not even in my vision,” Walker said with a smile.
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Blessing Awodibu began working with George Farah heading into the season. It is clear that he has made improvements this season but Walker still believes that he is not on his level.
“He has a very good physique, very good symmetry, wide back, little waist but I don’t think his legs are going to be where they need to be by the Olympia. I don’t think his hamstrings are going to be where they need to be, his glutes won’t be where it needs to be. He has the upper body right; he just doesn’t have the lower half.”
READ MORE: PHOTOS: Nick Walker Looks Massive Guest Posing At The 2022 Pittsburgh Pro
Nick Walker On Rivalry: “It Is Fun. I Certainly Enjoy Doing It”
Hany Rambod continued the interview by diving into the rivalry a bit and asking it if was ever personal. Nick Walker explains that he is enjoys the back-and-forth and believes that it is good for the sport.
“It is fun. I certainly enjoy doing it. Honestly, I think it’s good for the sport to have that. I mean, obviously, there’s limitations here, you don’t want to go too far. Other people that will try to do it, it won’t be the same. Me and Blessing have a good connection to where we are able to do things like that.”
Walker continues to explain how he was unaware of Awodibu when he was being called out in 2021.
“I didn’t know who this guy was and he started to call me out. Even how it started before New York, right?”
“So, I’m looking at my phone and there’s this guy, and I’m like, ‘who the f**k is Blessing?’ I have no idea who this kid is. I’m listening, he’s calling me out and shit. At first, I’m laughing, ‘oh this is cool.’ Then, he just kept going. I was like, ‘who the f**k is this guy man?’ We haven’t spoke and I didn’t know who he is, nothing.”
The Olympia is full of storylines in all divisions but is highlighted by Men’s Open. Now, Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu will add another element for fans to keep an eye on.
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How to Perform the Preacher Curl
The Ultimate Bicep Building Resistance Exercise
When it comes to bicep development, there are a number of curling variations that can prove to be highly useful – the preacher curl is one great example of an effective curling variation.While the preacher curl should not replace the conventional bicep curl entirely, it should be used alongside it as it targets the biceps in a different manner.In order to perform the preacher curl, you will need a preacher bench – most gyms will have one and some even have a preacher curl machine. The preacher bench and machine have been designed to isolate the biceps entirely by placing the upper arms in firm contact with the sloping bench. There are multiple pieces of resistance kit that can be when performing the preacher curl – dumbbells, barbells or EZ-bars.
Preacher Curl Form
Due to the position that the arms are placed in, it is crucial that the movements are kept smooth, slow and under control. As a result, when performing the preacher curl, it is important that you use a lighter weight than you use for conventional bicep curls. Excessively heavy weights will not facilitate safe, controlled movement thus failing to maximize the benefits of the exercise and increasing the risk of injury.To perform the preacher curl, work through the following steps.1) Adjust the seat on the preacher bench so that your armpits align with the top of the bench when the arms are placed on the bench.2) Ensure that the upper arms are fully in contact with the bench and extend the arms entirely. Grip the weight using a supinated grip (palms up).3) From this position, curl the weight upward while keeping the upper arms in contact with the bench. Bring the bar up until the forearms are in a vertical position.4) At the top of the movement, pause for a second and actively squeeze the biceps. Drop the weight back down in a controlled manner counting for three seconds until the arms are fully extended once again.Throughout the entire exercise, ensure that the feet remain pressed into the floor, chest lifted and the shoulders held in the same position.
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Preacher Curl Benefits
There are a number of benefits associated with regularly performing the preacher curl. The preacher curl should predominantly be used as an accessory exercise in your training.When considering the number of sets and reps to complete, for maximal growth it is recommended to complete between 6 – 12 reps per set (1).If your goal is to build significant muscle size in the arms, consider your training volume and perform arm exercises regularly. Training volume has been found to be the most influential factor for muscle growth (2).
1) Biceps Activation
There have been many studies completed on the effectiveness of the preacher curl. It has been found that preacher curls highly activate the biceps and is, therefore, an excellent exercise choice.In addition, it is recommended that an EZ-bar is used when performing the preacher curl as this will lead to maximal activation of the biceps (3).This high degree of bicep activation places a great degree of stress on the muscle. This application of stress will cause the biceps to adapt rapidly and increase in size and strength.
2) Isolating the Biceps
The biceps are activated highly in the preacher curl primarily because the exercise effectively isolates the biceps by placing the upper arm directly on the bench; this prevents movement around the shoulder.For the all bicep isolation exercises movement should only occur around the elbow joint considering that the contraction of the biceps causes elbow flexion. However, for a number of these exercises, form can become compromised, especially as fatigue increases. Individuals may find that the shoulders or hips begin to move to assist in the movement.Allowing movement to occur in any other joint out with the biceps will reduce the amount of stress on the biceps and place it on other muscles.Reducing the amount of stress placed on the muscle is less than ideal as it will not facilitate maximal muscle growth.With the preacher curl, due to the design of the bench, it is practically impossible to move through the shoulder and the seat position negates assistance from the lower body thus maximizing bicep stress.
3) Facilitating Compound Lifts
A further benefit of the preacher curl is that it can facilitate an improved performance for a number of compound exercises.Specifically, there are a number of back exercises that use the biceps – lat pulldowns, rows and chin-ups, for example. This explains why back and biceps are commonly exercised on the same day.While the biceps play a secondary role in a number of these exercises, increasing the amount of force that the biceps can produce may allow you to lift a greater amount of weight.The greater the amount of weight that can be lifted, the greater the adaptation is likely to be. Therefore, increasing bicep strength may have a consequent impact on a number of other muscles.
4) Promoting Elbow Health
Finally, regularly performing the preacher curl and consequently building strength and size in the biceps will not only improve aesthetics but will also promote the function and health of the elbow joint. The biceps must concentrically contract in order to bring about elbow flexion. They also have an accessory role as they lengthen to assist the triceps during elbow extension. By strengthening the arm muscles through exercises such as the preacher curl, the risk of sustaining an injury to the elbow joint is much reduced.This is extremely important when it comes to heavy lifting, especially with compound exercises, where the elbow joints may be subjected to a substantial amount of force.
Preacher Curl Variations
1) Thumbless Overhand Preacher Curl
Removing the involvement of the thumbs in any curling exercise places a greater demand on grip strength. Not only will grip strength develop with this variation, but forearm strength and size too.Before advancing onto this variation, it is important that you are proficient with the conventional preacher curl.Ideally, use an EZ-bar for the thumbless variation, however, if you do not have an EZ-bar available a barbell or dumbbells will suffice.The set-up for this variation is the same as the conventional curl, the only difference being the grip that is used on the weight.Instead of a supinated grip, this time grip the bar using an overhand, pronated grip using only the fingers.In terms of execution, the movement is identical. When the bar reaches the top of the movement, squeeze the bar with the fingers and squeeze the biceps before lowering.
2) Zottman Preacher Curl
A second variation that also effectively works the biceps and forearm muscles is the zottman preacher curl.The conventional zottman curl uses a rotating grip to apply stress to the arms. When placing the arms on a preacher bench, the forearms must still work but the focus moves primarily to the biceps.Considering that a rotatable grip is not possible on a bar, dumbbells must be used for this variation.Start by setting up on the preacher bench as normal while holding two dumbbells at top position by the shoulders.Starting with the dumbbells in a supinated grip, lower the weights under control until the arm is fully extended. Upon reaching the bottom position, rotate the grip so that the hands become protonated.Drive the dumbbells back up to the starting position. Remember to pause for a second at the top of every rep and lower the load back down in a three-second period.
3) Unilateral Preacher Curl
There is great benefit to be found in performing unilateral exercises when it comes to muscle growth and strength development (4).Furthermore, unilateral exercises can be used to effectively identify and remove any imbalances in strength that may exist.Humans typically have a dominant side and therefore, imbalances between the right and left side are not uncommon. In addition, injury can also cause lead to an imbalance between sides.Bilateral exercises will not work to iron out these imbalances and may actually contribute towards the imbalance. This is because the stronger side can actually mask the imbalance.Unilateral exercise allows you to work either side individually and remove interference from the strong side. If an imbalance is evident, unilateral exercises can then be used to rectify it.For the unilateral preacher curl, use a dumbbell. Set up as normal on the preacher bench and complete a number of reps using one arm. Swap the dumbbell to the other arm and then look to complete the same number of reps.Another option would be to hold dumbbells in both hands and alternate between right and left arm until the prescribed number of reps have been completed.
Final Word
When it comes to comprehensive bicep development, it is important that a range of curling exercises are selected. The preacher curl is one example of a bicep curling variation that will effectively bring about changes in muscle strength and size.
References:
1 -Mangine, Gerald T; Hoffman, Jay R; Gonzalez, Adam M; Townsend, Jeremy R; Wells, Adam J; Jajtner, Adam R; Beyer, Kyle S; Boone, Carleigh H; Miramonti, Amelia A; Wang, Ran; LaMonica, Michael B (August 13, 2015). “The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men”. Physiological Reports. 3 (8). doi:10.14814/phy2.12472. ISSN 2051-817X. PMC 4562558. PMID 26272733.
2 – SCHOENFELD, BRAD J.; CONTRERAS, BRET; KRIEGER, JAMES; GRGIC, JOZO; DELCASTILLO, KENNETH; BELLIARD, RAMON; ALTO, ANDREW (2019-1). “Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men”. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 51 (1): 94–103. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764. ISSN 0195-9131. PMC 6303131. PMID 30153194.
3 – Marcolin, Giuseppe; Panizzolo, Fausto Antonio; Petrone, Nicola; Moro, Tatiana; Grigoletto, Davide; Piccolo, Davide; Paoli, Antonio (July 13, 2018). “Differences in electromyographic activity of biceps brachii and brachioradialis while performing three variants of curl”. PeerJ. 6. doi:10.7717/peerj.5165. ISSN 2167-8359. PMC 6047503. PMID 30013836.
4 – Paoli, Antonio; Gentil, Paulo; Moro, Tatiana; Marcolin, Giuseppe; Bianco, Antonino (December 22, 2017). “Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength”. Frontiers in Physiology. 8. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.01105. ISSN 1664-042X. PMC 5744434. PMID 29312007.
Brendan Schaub Weighs In On Liver King: ‘His Approach To Life Is Legitimate, Let Him Do His Thing’
Brendan Schaub decided to discuss whether he believes Liver King is natural.
Brian Johnson, better known as Liver King, has become a sensation on social media because of his unorthodox eating habits and ripped physique. This has sparked plenty of conversation on whether or not he is natural. Recently, Brendan Schaub decided to weigh in on the discussion. The former UFC fighter believes that people need to mind their own business.
Liver King has preached the nine ancestral ways of life. He has spoke highly of the benefits of raw meats, including liver, brain, testicles, and more. Liver King can consume up to a pound of raw meat a day. Along with his diet, Liver King goes through some intense workouts that are not seen everyday.
Put this all together and Johnson has turned into a shredded star on social media. Schaub joined Fighter and The Kid where the conversation turned to Liver King.
Brendan Schaub: “There’s Some Freaks Out There…It’s Your Genetic Framework.”
Brendan Schaub was asked if he believes Liver King has a natural body or if he is using steroids. This is a claim that Johnson himself has denied but many have disagreed with his own claim.
Schaub gave an answer but believes there is more to it.
“He says he’s natural? What’s he look like, I’ll tell you right now. Bring him up. Oh NO! Hey… hey everybody stop. This is the guy that only eats Liver?”
“In my experience, gun to the head, would I say he’s on something? Probably. I will say though man, there’s some freaks out there. I’ve been around them. It’s just tough. It’s your genetic framework.”
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Joe Rogan seemed confident that Liver King was on some sort of substance when he discussed the topic. He did not believe that his body was natural when looking at it in photos. As the conversation grew, Schaub continued to emphasize that he was not sure of his current status.
“People are hating on this guy. People are saying they are hating on him for being all natural. I don’t see social media. Is he on there constantly saying all natty, all natty?”
“I also think it’s weid how people decide what to put up with as far as cancel culture. I’ll go through people on podcasts or comedy shows, where they allow this guy or that guy.”
Is Liver King Hiding His All-Natural Status?
The issue of steroids is being discussed a bit more recently after some deaths have hit the bodybuilding world hard. Despite these discussions, active members in the sport, and other stars, have remained quiet on the topic.
Both The Rock and Mike O’Hearn, for example, do not discuss their status and that is their right to do so. Brendan Schaub used an example of seeing Ronnie Coleman speak 20 years ago claiming that he was natural.
“He might feel like he’s in a position where he can’t talk about it openly. Look, Ronnie Coleman was on Jay Leno 20 years ago talking about ‘I’m all natural, I’m not on steroids.’ It’s taboo for certain things.”
“Let him do this thing. Who cares? Yeah, maybe he doesn’t have a prescription plan but how is this different from some girl getting a fake ass and starting an OnlyFans?”
At the end of the day, Brendan Schaub believes there could be some jealousy surrounding Liver King and his body type. This is because the average person might not have it in them to live this life.
“People hate it. Why do they hate it? It’s triggering because they can’t live that life.”
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Larry Wheels Discusses “Healthier Approach” To PEDs: ‘I’m Trying My Best To Send The Right Message To Those Using’
Larry Wheels believes a five-day blast is a healthier alternative to a full cycle.
The recent string of deaths in bodybuilding has opened the eyes of many in strength sports. This includes Larry Wheels, who is one of the most popular powerlifters in the game. He has been extremely open about his PED use and what can be done to make it better. Recently, Larry Wheels discussed an alternative to an 8-12 week cycle.
Wheels is know for his incredible feats of strength on social media. He is often seen setting a massive PR or repping a ton of weight in different exercises. He has dabbled in arm wrestling as well but is back to training as a powerlifter. Wheels is set to appear in the Middle East’s Strongest Man competition this year.
Wheels recently decided to get checked out by a doctor because of his steroid use over the last decade. At 27 years old, Wheels wanted to get ahead of any damage that these substances might have caused. Thankfully, the doctors did not find any reason for concern. Wheels continues to discuss alternatives for those who are already using PEDs.
Larry Wheels: ‘If You Do Not Already Use PEDs, Please Do Not’
Over the course of his career, Larry Wheels has used 8-12 week cycles. This allows him to compound different substances and let them do what they are supposed to. Instead, he believes the same can be done with a five-day blast and it might be healthier.
“There’s a couple specifically for strength that work extremely well and most people in the strength world use it as a bread and butter. I use those compounds for usually eight to 12 weeks. So, the first two weeks are okay but each week that you’re on, you’re body is enduring more and more stress. Side effects become increasingly more unbearable, and especially the most effective ones, the most effective steroids from gaining strength unfortunately come with the most potent side effects.”
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Wheels did not always believe in this process over the course of his career. It was suggested by a coach and when he realized the results, Wheels decided that this could be an alternative.
“When my coach told me you could reach your all-time best in five days as opposed to the usual 8-12 weeks that I would use these compounds for, you can imagine I was a bit skeptical. But I took his word for it and did the entire eight week prep, for this 422-kilogram deadlift for a triple, which meant to only be two reps by the way.”
Larry Wheels has been on different substances for over a decade to put on size and gain strength in the gym. He also shared a message for those who have not started to cycle yet.
“To keep things more vague and trying my best to send the right message to those who are already using PEDs, not those who are natural and considering it. I’m trying to encourage a healthier approach to using PEDs for those who already do. Guys if you don’t already use PEDs please do not, you don’t need PEDs to get stronger.”
Wheels Believes In New Process, Believes He Knew It Sooner
“I wish I knew I could do it this way a decade ago. It’s a bit bittersweet that I’m only learning this now ten years after the fact of hitting my PRs and still making progress and having a successful lifting journey, but doing it in a much more unhealthy way compared to how I just did it over the last couple of months.”
Larry Wheels is now using this system primarily. Despite wishing he knew it a bit sooner, there is still a chance to implement and make it better. It does not seem as though the powerlifter will be off it anytime soon.
“There’s no temptation to go off program because the entire cycle, you’re not on these very potent compounds. You’re just on testosterone. You know if you just went off the program, and lifted for ego or social media, it’s not going to come out of your ass.”
Larry Wheels might not be a bodybuilder but he certainly has the physique for it. Despite his area of expertise, Wheels’ eyes were open by the recent string of deaths in bodybuilding. Now, he is discussing different ways to make it a safer environment.
INBA Australia Athlete Jodie Litzow’s Glamorous Natural Bodybuilding Transformation
Image via Instagram @jodie_litzow
INBA Australia Phyisue pro Jodie Litzow displays an 11-year transformation photo.
A total body transformation takes time. Patience and consistently following a structured diet and training plan are the key to improving your physique. And it doesn’t happen overnight. International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) Australia Physique competitor is testimony to how following natural bodybuilding regimens consistently can transform your physique. Jodie Litzow uploaded an astonishing 11-year natural bodybuilding transformation photo to Instagram (IG)
Jodie Litzow recently earned her Professional Natural Bodybuilding (PNBA) pro card. She posted her natural bodybuilding transformation to IG on Instagram (IG) on December 13, 2021, showing her in 2010 compared to 2021. Litzow stated:
“This woman was brave, blissfully ignorant of what laid ahead, but was done with feeling like shit both in body and more importantly in her own head.”
You can see her full transformation photo on IG below:
INBA PNBA Women’s Physique Category
Women in the Physique division will have the second most muscular body in the women’s natural bodybuilding categories–Women’s Bodybuilding competitors have the most muscle mass. For example, if you look at the Bikini Divas division, muscle mass is an integral part of the judging, but the athletes won’t be as big as the ones in Women’s Physique. The Judges score the Women’s Physique class on symmetry, muscularity, definition (conditioning), and stage presence.
Claire Burton is another Women’s Physique contender who won the gold medal in the Master’s division and the silver medal in the Open class at 2021 Natural Olympia. Melanie Pfeifer is a strong woman who took first place in the Women’s Physique Open class at 2021 Natural Olympia after a breast cancer diagnosis. Anitra Jeffrey also competes in the Physique class, placing fifth at 2021 Natural Olympia.
Natural Bodybuilding
For many INBA PNBA competitors, natural bodybuilding has been an outlet for better mental health and physical health. Some INBA PNBA athletes that have faced a battle with cancer point to natural bodybuilding for their improvement. Moreover, multi-media athlete Brandon Lirio says that weightlifting helped him overcome anxiety by balancing his hormones.
Natural bodybuilding doesn’t allow drug use. So the candid competitors– who follow INBA PNBA’s World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) drug guidelines–those who don’t end up in the Hall of Shame–have a safe environment to compete in the sport of bodybuilding and manage their health simultaneously.
Since drugs are banned, INBA PNBA natural bodybuilders must think outside the box to develop the best physique they can naturally to claim a medal at the most extensive natural bodybuilding competition worldwide (Natural Olympia). For example, the 2021 Natural Olympia Men’s Bodybuilding Masters third-place finisher, Peter Cichonski, trains outside to help with recovery and build muscle.
And other natural bodybuilders train with less volume compared to performance enhancers. Of course, as a natural, many athletes can’t handle the same workload an enhanced (steroid) user may be able to. For example, Kenyan Natural Olympia champ Meshack Ochieng trains each muscle group once a week during the off-season.
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The Rock Displays High-Volume Finisher To Add Into Your Next Leg Day
The Rock finished a leg day workout with a huge finisher to exhaust.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has always been interested in sharing fitness advice and workouts on social media to his massive following. As one of the biggest actors in Hollywood, The Rock has become known for his parts in movies along with his massive physique. It is clear that Johnson does not skip leg day. In a recent update, he shared a leg-day finisher that pushes your legs to the limit at the end of a workout.
The Rock is preparing for a role in DC’s Black Adam. This role requires Johnson to play a massive superhero, which should not be difficult. Johnson continues to put himself through huge workouts in his home gym named “Iron Paradise.” Recently, it was a high-volume squat workout to end a leg day.
“F’n burn.Excellent high volume finisher for me with all my crazy football and wrestling injuries.
5th and final Giant Set of doing 5 exercises in a row with no rest.
Final burner is Pit Shark squats with 3 second negatives til FAILURE.Slow and controlled.”
Image via Instagram @therock
The Rock Leg-Day Finisher
In the video, The Rock is performing five consecutive exercises with no rest on the fifth set of his workout. The final one is Pit Shark squats with a three-second negative. These are performed until failure. Johnson makes sure to focus on slow and controlled reps. This is a trend in his workouts.
“I like saving my most grueling workout of the week for my last (usually falls on Sat or Sun).It becomes a forcing mechanism all week because I know the storm of leg training is coming ?☄️”
The Rock burst onto the scene in professional wrestling as one of the biggest stars in the WWE. He is still considered one of the greatest talents to ever go through the industry. Now, he has kept up with his physique during his career on the big screen.
Johnson really focuses on slow and controlled reps in order to build muscle. This helps the muscle grow under constant tension. He believes this is the best way to end any workout, whether it be leg day or any other body part.
If you are looking for a guide on social media while in the gym, there are few better than the The Rock. At the end of the day, results speak for themselves and Johnson continues to improve his physique in many ways.
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Julius Maddox Attempts 804Lb Bench Press in Recent Powerlifting Meet
Julius Maddox nearly made his dream of an 800lb press a reality.
Powerlifter Julius Maddox recently attempted at 804.8lb bench press at an official meet. With his goal of conquering 800lbs in his sight Maddox came close to making his dream a reality. Unfortunately, it appears that it wasn’t meant to be, at least not this time.
Popular powerlifter Julius Maddox is having a tough goal that recently. Renowned for his prowess in the bench press, Maddox has dominated the category for quite some time. Holding the raw Bench press world record at 782lbs back in February 2021, Maddox still holds the official record. But with being another talented athlete challenging for throne, Maddox is feeling the heat.
Having been dead set on benching 800 pounds, Julius Maddox has been hard at work in the gym in preparation. Having successfully bench press 796 pounds in recent training, it’s clear that Maddox possesses the strength to crack 800. At a recent powerlifting meet, Maddox got that very opportunity. Unfortunately for the dedicated powerlifter, things didn’t go as way.
The Attempt
804.8 This is a tough one. I’m struggling internally. Recap this week.
While his recent attempt may have ended in failure, Julius Maddox can hold his head up high. The attempt was a strong showing. He didn’t buckle under the weight and still showed some ability to push the bar off his chest. If anything, it’s a sign of things to come. Maddox is right within the margin for error. He’s very close to accomplishing his goal and only needs to keep pushing before he’s able to conquer the 800lb bench press.
While he may be down in the dumps right now, Julius Maddox should be nothing but proud of himself. He’s right within striking distance and can make history if he doesn’t give up on himself. Knowing Maddox, that’s highly unlikely. While this failed attempt may be hard to swallow, he will most likely use it as motivation to conquer his dream of 800lbs. There can be no growth without some hardship. Maddox knows this well and will use this last meet as a means to push himself forward in his journey.
Do you think Julius Maddox can complete the 800lb bench press?
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News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
WATCH: Stunned Boxer Begins Swinging At Non-Existent Opponent During African Boxing Event
Simiso Buthelezi began throwing punches at the air after his opponent fell out of the ring.
A strange scene unfolded on Sunday during a boxing event in Africa. Simiso Buthelezi was prepared to defend his title against Siphesihle Mntungwa at the Greyville Convention Centre in Durban, South Africa. It took a turn in the 10th round when the champ began throwing punches at a non-existent opponent.
Buthelezi seemed to lose his sense of where he was in the 10th round once his opponent fell out of the ring. Mntungwa was struck and fell through the ropes before quickly scampering back in. The referee restarted the match but Buthelezi did not go after his opponent. Instead, the undefeated fighter turned the other way and began throwing punches in the corner at nothing.
The referee was forced to stop the fight and Mntungwa was awarded the victory. Tim Boxeo shared the video on his Twitter account.
“Very scary in South Africa please for Simiso Buthelezi (4-1). At 2:43 of the 10th & final round, Siphesihle Mntungwa (7-1-2) falls through the ropes but then Buthelezi appears to lose his understanding of the present situation. Mntungwa takes the WBF African lightweight title.”
Very scary in South Africa please ?? for Simiso Buthelezi (4-1). At 2:43 of the 10th & final round, Siphesihle Mntungwa (7-1-2) falls through the ropes but then Buthelezi appears to lose his understanding of the present situation. Mntungwa takes the WBF African lightweight title pic.twitter.com/YhfCI623LB
— Tim Boxeo (@TimBoxeo) June 5, 2022
An update was posted in a threat under the tweet explaining the current condition of Buthelezi.
“Sources share that Simiso Buthelezi is currently in stable condition in South Africa and in the next few days more will be learned as to what could have potentially caused a very scary and odd response in the ring.”
This is a scary scene for boxing because of the potential head or brain injury that Buthelezi might have suffered. There will be more answers given in the coming days as the situation gets sorted out. At this point, it is unknown if the one-time undefeated fighter will be in any condition to step back in the ring.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Best on the Planet – Triceps That Need Horseshoes of Their Own
Best Triceps In The World
For most people, a tricep workout is limited to a few cable pressdowns and a couple of dips. Although the triceps are a small muscle group, they need a lot of attention and exercise variation.
The triceps consist of three heads which need to be trained with different exercises for overall development. Athletes in the article have proved their mettle by putting in the time and dedication which goes into building the horseshoe triceps.
Roelly Winklaar
Roelly has one of the nastiest arms in the business. The definition of his triceps looks like they are straight out of a comic book. Winklaar seems to be improving on his arms with every passing year.
Lee Priest
Let’s get the elephant out of the room by acknowledging Lee Priest had one of the best triceps back in the day. What Lee lacked in height, he made up with his muscle symmetry, definition, and volume.
Kevin Levrone
Kevin Levrone is one of the best bodybuilders of all time. He’s also considered to be an uncrowned Mr. Olympia. Kevin’s symmetry and aesthetics flowed down to his triceps and set him apart from his competition.
Flex Lewis
Flex is a 7X 212 Mr. Olympia and probably has one of the best genetics in the industry. Lewis has thick and striated triceps. His triceps pop out more because of his small joints and full muscle bellies.
Julian Smith
Although Julian Smith is known as the “Quad Guy”, his muscle conditioning is top-notch. Smith focuses on his triceps using different techniques including varying TuT (time under tension) and rep ranges.
Rob Riches
It doesn’t get any better than Rob Riches when it comes to muscle definition. You could actually learn muscle anatomy on Rob’s triceps. The muscle composition and symmetry set Rob apart from the crowd.
Sadik Hadzovic
Sadik Hadzovic is a crowd favorite and his 2.5 million followers on Instagram are proof. Hazovic has the golden era aesthetics and focuses on the overall development of his body. The back of his arms is perfectly balanced, conditioned and shaped.
Chris Bumstead
Chris Bumstead is a classic physique competitor. His broad shoulders and narrow waist will give you flashbacks of the golden era of bodybuilding. Bumstead follows a no-nonsense approach while training his tris and the results speak for themselves.
Ulisses Jr.
Ulisses Jr. is an internet fitness celebrity and his crazy aesthetics have won the world over. He is a hard worker and balances his workouts between lifting heavy, keeping the intensity high and focusing on his core.
Shawn Rhoden
How could we leave the reigning Mr. Olympia out of the list? Being Mr. Olympia means the athlete is the best bodybuilder in the world. We couldn’t find a fault with Rhoden’s physiques even if we tried.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
Who do you think has the best triceps?
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2022 UK’s Strongest Man Results: Paul Smith Takes Home The Title
The UK’s Strongest Man competition crowned another champion over the weekend.
The 2022 UK’s Strongest Man competition took place over the weekend in Milton Keynes, England. There were eight of the top strongmen from around the world that clinched a spot in the final. In the end, Paul Smith was crowned champion after a long weekend of events.
The finals consisted of five different events for the athletes to participate in. Gavin Bilton was looking to defend his title and was able to qualify for the final round. He finished with the bronze as Louis Jack was the runner-up to Smith.
The full results from the final round of the competition have been released. Checkout the final standings along with how each competitor fared in the five events in the final.
2022 UK’s Strongest Man: Final Standings
First Place – Paul Smith (ENG) – 33.5 points
Second Place – Louis Jack (SCO) – 26 points
Third Place – Gavin Bilton (WAL) – 25.5 points
Fourth Place – Cilléin Groom (IRL) – 24.5 points
Fifth Place – David Ramplee (WAL) – 24 points
Sixth Place – Matt Diamond (WAL) – 16.5 points
Seventh Place – Scott Milne (SCO) – 15 points
Eighth Place – Andrew Flynn (ENG) – 15 points
2022 UK’s Strongest Man: Full Event Recap
Arm-Over-Arm Pull
This was a timed event with a 75-second cap. Competitors were to pull an 8,500kg truck down a 25-meter ramp as fast as they could. There was only one competitor who was able to complete the entire course.
David Ramplee – 25 meters in 72 seconds
Paul Smith – 18.35 meters
Scott Milne – 17.7 meters
Cilléin Groom – 14.05 meters
Gavin Bilton – 13.1 meters
Andrew Flynn – 7.35 meters
Louis Jack – 7.2 meters
Matt Diamond – 6.9 meters
Sandbag To Shoulder
Athletes were asked to lift a 150kg sandbag from the ground to their shoulder. This is not a timed event as competitors battled to see who could complete the most amount of reps.
Paul Smith – Five reps (T-first)
Gavin Bilton – Five reps (T-first)
Cilléin Groom – Four reps
David Ramplee – Three reps (T-third)
Andrew Flynn – Three reps (T-third)
Louis Jack – Three reps (T-third)
Matt Diamond – Two reps
Scott Milne – One rep
Squat For Reps
In this event, each athlete racked up as many reps as possible using a 250kg car. The champion was able to pull out the victory by a wide margin.
Paul Smith – 28 reps
Cilléin Groom – 22 reps (T-second)
Matt Diamond – 22 reps (T-second)
Louis Jack – 20 reps
Scott Milne – 18 reps
Gavin Bilton – 15 reps
Andrew Flynn – 14 reps
David Ramplee – 10 reps
Block Press
The athletes were tasked with lifting four blocks of different weights onto the platforms as fast as they could. They had 75 seconds to complete all four blocks.
Louis Jack – Four blocks, 61.97 seconds
Paul Smith – Four blocks, 66.23 seconds
Matt Diamond – Three blocks, 48.64 seconds
Gavin Bilton – Three blocks, 64.36 seconds
Cilléin Groom – Three blocks, 70.08 seconds
David Ramplee – Two blocks, 46.67 seconds
Scott Milne – One block, 32.08 seconds
Andrew Flynn – One block, 44.25 seconds
Flag Hoist
The flag hoist was the final event where athletes had 75 seconds to hoist flags as quickly as possible. There were five flags that went up in weight as they went down the line.
David Ramplee – Four flags, 55.35 seconds
Louis Jack – Three flags, 25.1 seconds
Gavin Bilton – Three flags, 25.54 seconds
Andrew Flynn – Three flags, 45.22 seconds
Paul Smith – One flag, 5.94 seconds
Cilléin Groom – One flag, 6.04 seconds
Scott Milne – One flag, 12.9 seconds
Matt Diamond – One flag, 20.7 seconds
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