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Phil Heath Looks Huge In Workout Video, Says Chance Of Return ‘Staying At 5%’
Phil Heath continues to train in retirement and does not see a return coming.
Fans have been hoping to see Phil Heath return to the stage for quite some time now. After seeing workout videos of Heath recently, there is no question why fans believe that he can still dominate on stage. According to the legendary bodybuilder, a chance of a return is still slim.
Heath ranks second all-time with seven Olympia victories. He won the competition each year from 2011-2017 and is behind just Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney, who are tied with eight victories. In 2018, the late, great Shawn Rhoden defeated Heath. He returned to the 2020 Olympia, finishing third, and has not competed since.
Despite being retired, Heath has been able to maintain an elite physique and recently showed it off during a workout. In a recent interview, Heath revealed some secrets to his success.
“My mind was thinking like a boxer, this guy has got a great jab man and my jab may not have to be as good as his but I have to be able to move accordingly just to do the counter. If I can neutralize his strength, how is he going to deal with mine?” Phil Heath explained.
Phil Heath continued to explain how he was able to build a mentality and physique that made him a seven-time champion. It all began when he won his first title in 2011. Heath saw his competitors in a different light after finally reaching the pinnacle of the sport.
“I had arrived. That’s how I felt. It was all worth it. This is your new start. Because now you’re Mr. Olympia, you’re not these guys. You’ve already beat them. That’s in your rearview and fans may look at that like that’s cocky, no man, I did the work. I know the secret to my own success.”
Over the course of his early career, Heath used performances where he did not show his best to better him for the future. This includes a fifth-place finish at the Arnold Classic, which he referenced personally. Heath aimed to finish top-three and ended up in fifth place.
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This is when he decided to set new goals and just build the best version of himself. Heath was able to make the necessary changes and become a champion.
“It comes from hard work, discipline, and all that but when I recognized that I could do this better. Again, I talk about video games. The best thing is not just to get, you know I’m like old school arcade games. You go to an arcade, and you’re like I got my name in the game but you’re 10th dude. Don’t you want to be a number one, and that’s how I looked at it. I have an opportunity if I choose to play that game again and just challenge myself. How big can I go. It can be in anything. Literally anything.”
Despite remaining in top shape, Phil Heath does not see a return to the stage coming. Close to two years after Heath was last on stage, fans are holding out hope that one day he will attempt to win that coveted eighth Olympia title.
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3 Lost Exercises Of The Golden Era That Build Guaranteed Champions
Gone, but not forgotten.
In our current day and age, a common train of thought is that newer is always better. In a fast-moving world of science and technology, 1 year is a decade, and 50 years is an ice age. But even though smith machines and state of the art ellipticals are definitely great tools in our arsenal. There’s something to be said about old school creativity.
Pioneers of yesteryear had to find a way to look superhuman by very simple means, and even fewer resources. Those old school bodybuilder and strongman exercises have seemed to have fallen out of view and out desire to have the latest smart technology has clouded our judgement. We can’t blame ourselves. Fitness tech is a booming industry and if it gets more people to work out then let’s keep thinking of these new ideas.
But for those of us looking to stick to the basics and get back to those golden era physiques, it is time to revive some of these lost exercises. Let’s take a look at 3 lost exercises from the golden era that certainly helped build muscle, create monster aesthetics, and guarantee a top spot on the podium.
3 Lost Exercises From The Golden Era
These three exercises are great for putting in your routine. You can still play around with all your machines and smart stuff, but a few of these basic exercises can enhance growth and give you a physique you want to see most.
1. Pinch Grip Deadlift
Created by 1950’s Mr. Olympia winner Steve Reeves, this is the exercise he credits to widening his already wood barrel chest. The pinch grip deadlift is a great way to incorporate back, legs, and grip strength into your arsenal. Essentially, this lift is performing the deadlift but instead of holding the barbell, like normal, you hold the plates to perform the movement.
What you will find with this movement is full body engagement with a target on your upper back while also increasing range of motion, hip mobility, and your overall deadlift form.
How To: Place plates at each end of the barbell and grasp the rim of the plates. Bend at the knees, lowering the hips, and when ready, pull the weight until you stand up straight. After a short pause, return the weight to the ground by bending at the waist and knees.
2. The Spider Curls
The first ever Mr. Olympia Larry Scott loved this exercise because it helped him to further develop already big biceps as spider curls improve inside and outside of the biceps. A great isolation exercise, this will work your biceps and forearms to really increase strength and size. This is also a great exercise to perform at the end of your workouts when your muscles have hit a little fatigue and you wish to challenge them further.
What you will find with spider curls are an increase in muscle growth and better range of motion to build as much muscle as possible. Also, as an isolation exercise, these work to build symmetry to even out strength and size and aid in your overall physique.
How To: Lay on a bench at around 45-degrees with your stomach pressed on the back rest. With a dumbbell in each hand, curl the weight towards your shoulders and give a good squeeze at the top. Lower back to the starting position in a controlled motion and repeat.
3. The Double Barbell Press
One barbell isn’t enough. This exercise was first thought of by two-time Mr. Universe Reg Parker. Famous for experimenting with balance and technique, Parker developed an exercise that develops the shoulders, triceps, and pecs while improving balance and concentration at the same time.
What you will find aside from strength and muscle growth are balance and concentration, as mentioned above, as well as stability, really working to stabilize a load and use proper technique to engrain that movement into your memory.
How To: Lay with your back on a flat bench. Place your feet about shoulder width apart. Get two spotters to hand you both barbells at the same time. Press both barbells straight up in the air without losing form. If you perform this exercise improperly or with too much weight, you have a great chance of injury due to wide range of weight distribution. Start off slow and concentrate on perfect form.
Why Try New Exercises
Trying new exercises is important because your body does get used to the same movements every now and again. That is why pros will switch up their routines. If you continue to do the same exercises, without increasing in weight at that, you will find that you plateau more often and growth is severely stunted.
A training plateau is when your training stalls and there isn’t much progress to be made. Eventually your muscles get used to the same movements and you won’t see that progress you want most. To avoid training plateaus, you can perform accessory work like drop sets and supersets, both of which can really challenge your muscles and give you the best chance at growth. However, looking to those old school pros to see how they did it will also eliminate any fear of a plateau occurring.
Giving these old school exercises a try will allow you to experiment with those golden era movements that once produced champions while also allowing your body the ability to try something new to challenge your muscles. So, while sticking to the same thing is comfortable, the only way to see real gains is to be uncomfortable.
Wrap Up
There you have it. Three exercises you’re not doing that the golden era champions of bodybuilding gave you for free. Take advantage of their blood, sweat, and tears by adding these to your arsenal and step on stage with a modern yet classic physique. You won’t be disappointed with the results and you will see serious gains.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
First-ever Natural Olympia Champion John Hansen Shares Guide on How to Get Big Naturally
Image via Instagram @johnhansen1_
The first-ever Natural Olympia champion John Hansen reveals how you can get big naturally.
Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) are prohibited in natural bodybuilding. Therefore, natural bodybuilders have to structure the most efficient training and diet routine to naturally build the most muscle possible. The first-ever Natural Olympia winner John Hansen was interviewed on a podcast and shared how you can get big naturally.
John Hansen became the first Natural Olympia champ after winning the competition in 1998 in Corinth, Greece. He also was a 3x Natural Universe champ and writer for Iron Man Magazine. On the Longevity Muscle Podcast, Hansen shared how to get big without using PEDs. Hansen stated:
“I had to increase my food intake. I had to take in a lot of food. And that’s how I got big. You got to really eat a lot of food and not be afraid to bulk up.”
Eat A Lot of Calories
Hansen said that he started out weighing 135 pounds in natural bodybuilding, and by the time he was 21, he was 230 pounds. He admitted that many people online are skeptical that he was able to gain over 100 pounds naturally. But Hansen said it is possible to do so naturally and credits it to eating many calories.
John Hansen points out that many of the younger lifters want to have abs and “look sexy,” but you can’t be afraid to eat to build muscle. He said he ate more and more until his body started to gain weight. Hansen says that since his metabolism was fast and claims he was an ectomorph (naturally skinny), he was eating 4500 calories a day. However, Hansen acknowledges that everyone has a different body type, and there is no one size fits all approach. And that you should eat the number of calories your body responds to.
You can see a clip of John Hansen explaining how he got big naturally in the clip below.
John Hansen’s Training Volume for Getting Big Naturally
John Hansen said he tried implementing pump-style training into his workouts, where he targeted a muscle group with lighter weights a few days before working out that same muscle group again with heavier weights. He would superset exercises with 70% of his normal weight and do 12-15 reps.
After his pump training session, Hansen also had a muscle group he was targeting with heavyweights. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for him and was too much volume, leading to overtraining. Therefore, Hansen decided to train each muscle group once a week.
To gain mass, Hansen said:
“The most weight I could use for 6-8 reps. That’s what helped me get bigger.”
Hansen that the more calories he ate, the more he trained harder and lifted heavier weights. And the heavier weights allowed him to build more muscle.
Hansen admitted that this strategy worked well for him in his 20s and 30s. But now he eats less and doesn’t go through a bulking phase like he used to because he says it would just be stored as fat now that he’s older.
Recap
To get big naturally, the first-ever Natural Olympia champion John Hansen says he ate a lot of calories (over 4k per day) and lifted heavy weights in the 6-8 rep range, training each muscle group once per week.
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Jay Cutler Reveals Four Best Exercises To Build A Monstrous Chest
Jay Cutler put together a chest and bicep workout where he shared some of the top workouts.
Jay Cutler is one of the all-time greats in bodybuilding and has continued to maintain an impressive physique in retirement. Recently, Cutler put together a chest and bicep workout where he shared some of the top exercises to build monstrous size.
Cutler is a four-time Olympia champion. His first victory came in 2006 when he was able to end an eight-year reign by Ronnie Coleman. Since calling it a career on stage, Curler has continued to build a following because of his knowledge and passion for fitness and bodybuilding.
On Sunday, Jay Cutler released his most recent workout video sharing some of the top chest exercises that help build size and width.
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Jay Cutler Chest & Bicep Workout
Standing Calf Raise Machine – 2 warmup sets of 10-12 reps, 4 working sets
Seated Calf Raises – 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps
Incline Hammer Press Machine – 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps
Flat Dumbbell Press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Cable Chest Press – 3 sets of 10
Flat Dumbbell Flyes – 3 sets of 10
Bicep Curl Machine – 1-2 warmup sets, 3 working sets of 10-12
Bicep Curls w/ EZ Bar – 4 sets of 10
Seated Bicep Cable Curls – 3 sets of 12
Hammer Curls – 3 sets of 10
Chest
Jay Cutler hit chest with some of his favorite exercises here. That was highlighted by dumbbell press on a flat bench. This was the second exercise of the day but Cutler believes it is No. 1 on his list on chest day.
“Favorite exercise, if you asked me what the best exercise to grow your chest, it is the seated, lying flat dumbbell press. Dumbbells preferably just because I always had one side that was stronger than the other. You guys ask that question a lot. Isolateral movements.”
Cutler began the chest portion of his workout with the incline hammer press machine before moving to dumbbell presses. Following three sets in both exercises, Cutler decided to take on the cables. This is a movement that he admits to not doing each week but decided to perform it in this particular workout.
The final chest exercise of the day was dumbbell flyes. Cutler laid on a flat bench and grabbed two dumbbells that were lighter in weight than those he used for presses. He explained that this exercise is great to build a certain area of the chest.
“You guys looking to build your under, outer pecs, great exercise for that. You notice an arch in my chest, even when I bench, with a lot of those movements I try to keep the chest out.”
Biceps
Jay Cutler added biceps to chest day in retirement because he admits to not liking arm day. He also trains triceps on shoulder day.
“I wanted to take arm training out of my routine because I hate it so much. I’ll be honest, I hate bi’s and tri’s. So instead of having a bi’s and tries day, which I did for most of my career, I moved them to chest and shoulder days.”
This was the next portion of his workout performing different variations of curls including seated cable curls and hammer curls. Cutler also performed an EZ bar curl with a wide grip. He used a thicker bar in order to focus on his grip and make the lift more difficult.
“I do not like to curl with a thin bar. This is a wider grip. It kills your ego a bit because you have to be lighter with the weight.”
Calves
Jay Cutler makes sure to include calves into his regular training. This was the first movement that he did in order to warmup and get the blood flowing. Cutler performed sets on the seated calf machine and standing calf machine. Some say that they target different areas of the muscle but Cutler is not so sure.
“They always say that with calf training, the standing calf works the inner calf and the seated works the outer because you’re seated in a bent-knee position. I don’t know if I believe that very much.”
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Transparent Labs PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner Review
Everything you need to know about Transparent Labs PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner supplement.
Product Overview
If a good fat burner is working for you, you will feel lean and see that desired physique pop. But finding that right fat burner supplement can be hard with so many on the market. Transparent Labs PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner is one that can offer great results while keeping you healthy and looking great.
While there is no magic fat burning pill, PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner is great for those looking to lose weight fast without sacrificing muscle in order to achieve that toned physique. There are three ways to lose fat being increased metabolic rate, the suppression of hunger cravings, and a lifestyle that you can enjoy.
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Transparent Labs Fat Burner is a great burner to expedite weight loss in 3 ways. A 100% honest label ensures quality ingredients and optimal effectiveness.
Like many fat burning supplements, PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner will provide you with all three to make your weight loss goals attainable and fun in the process for an enjoyable weight loss lifestyle.
With no added artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives, Transparent Labs prides themselves on a transparent and honest label to ensure you get the highest quality ingredients with no hidden formulas. Each product has clean ingredients at clinically effective doses.
Transparent Labs products are manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility in Utah that is certified current good manufacturing processes (CGMP) and registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). With each product third party tested, the quality remains high and your buying experience becomes easy and affordable.
Transparent Labs Fat Burner Highlights
PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner offers the benefit of increased fat loss while also maintaining that lean muscle mass you’ve worked hard for in the gym. With 9 simple ingredients and no additional artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives, you can find comfort in a clean and trustworthy fat burner. The easy-to-swallow veggie capsules make this product easy and convenient for all of your needs.
This product will increase your metabolic rate to levels that healthy nutrition cannot do alone, while also suppressing your appetite and hunger cravings to avoid snacking and keep you feeling great. While the physical benefits alone make this product unique, the effects on reducing mental and physical stress are perfect to curb the jitters and keep you in a healthy state of mind to power through fat loss.
Ingredients To Lose Fat, Maintain Muscle & More
Forslean, consisting of 10% forskolin, is a high quality extract that aids in fat loss. It can stimulate the release of fatty acids and works as an herbal metabolism booster. Aside from aiding in weight loss and changing your body composition, it can also increase bone mass and testosterone levels (1).
Green tea and the benefits surrounding it have been studied for a long time and is known to decrease fat synthesis and increase glucose utilization (2). It also increases your metabolic rate to keep your body burning calories efficiently to lose weight for the most effective weight loss. This will also help with normal caffeine consumption, so you don’t take in too much caffeine.
5-HTP stands for 5-hydroxytryptophan and is good for curbing cravings to suppress appetite and can result in a decrease in your caloric intake (3) and aid in weight loss and those fat loss efforts with an increase calorie burn.
L-Tyrosine
L-tyrosine improves your fat loss outcome by working as an anti-stress amino acid. It can reduce the amount of mental and physical decline that results from poor sleep and high-level performance (4), providing positive impact when it comes to stress and cognitive decline.
L-Theanine
L-theanine is commonly found in green tea and works to reduce jitters and increase focus (5) to keep your workouts or daily routine running smoothly. It also works to increase serotonin and dopamine levels to increase mood.
Other Ingredients
While the ingredients listed above make up the large part of PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner, other ingredients are present as well, including: caffeine anhydrous, white willow, cayenne pepper, and synephrine. These all aid in the fat loss process to suppress appetite, increase your metabolic rate, and help with caloric expenditure, raising your energy levels, and stimulating thermogenesis (6, 7). All of these ingredients are quality tested and clinically-dosed to ensure a healthy formula and a solid fat burner for your fat loss needs.
Number Of Servings
60
Serving Size
2 Capsules
Stim Or Non-Stim
Stim
Best Way To Take
Take 2 capsules with 8-10 ounces of water, twice daily, 30-60 minutes before meals.
Price & Effectiveness For Shedding Body Fat
Transparent Labs PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner is a great supplement to shred down and keep that lean muscle mass. The easy-to-swallow veggie capsules make this product very easy and convenient. With 60 servings per container and 120 capsules included at a price of $49, PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner is an easy, clean, and affordable fat burner that beats out many currently on the market.
Pros
Clean and effective ingredients
Fully transparent label
Benefits to fat loss and lean muscle mass
From a reputable company
Cons
Premium priced option
Only available on their website
Price: $49.00
How Transparent Labs Fat Burner Can Help Overweight And Obese Men Lose Weight
It is important to start this by saying you should work a fat burner into a well-structured diet and workout routine. In obese women and men, this fat burner, as listed above, may work to help things like suppressing appetite and killing unhealthy cravings while promoting more energy and thermogenic effects.
With proper nutrition, the supplement industry and those products can be helpful, however, physical activity is advised and one should know that supplements work differently for everyone.
If you are looking to lose more fat and operate with a reduced appetite, fat burner products may be right for you. Always consult a doctor or expert if you have questions about how this supplement may affect your overall health and wellness. For those looking to avoid caffeine, there are stim free fat burner options that may be right for you.
Sponsored Athlete
Transparent Labs welcomed strongman Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson to their team as a spokesman for their top of the line products. His famous role as “The Mountain” on HBO’s Game of Thrones is matched by his wins at the Arnold Strongman Classic, Europe’s Strongest Man, and World’s Strongest Man competitions to make him the first to win all three in the same year and hold his reign atop strongmen. Transparent Labs helps Björnsson get to where he needs to be as an elite athlete.
Check out our list of the Best Fat Burners for more great fat burning products!
Overall Value
Transparent Labs PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner is a great choice for your fat loss needs as you look to burn body fat. From a company that prides itself on transparency, you can be sure that no hidden formulas or ingredients ruin this product. For those looking to lose weight fast yet keep on that lean muscle, PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner will give you an effective product, with no fillers or additives, to keep you on track for that stellar physique. What you are really buying is a great fat burning supplement from a reputable company, that ensures benefits both inside and out of the gym. Try Transparent Labs PhysiqueSeries Fat Burner today and get that physique you want most.
Try Transparent Labs Fat Burner Today
Generation Iron may receive commissions on purchases made through our links. See our disclosure page for more information.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Transparent Labs, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Instagram, and Envato
References
Godard, Michael P.; Johnson, Brad A.; Richmond, Scott R. (2005). “Body composition and hormonal adaptations associated with forskolin consumption in overweight and obese men”. (source)
Grove, Kimberly A.; Lambert, Joshua D. (2010). “Laboratory, epidemiological, and human intervention studies show that tea (Camellia sinensis) may be useful in the prevention of obesity”. (source)
Ceci, F.; Cangiano, C.; Cairella, M.; Cascino, A.; Del Ben, M.; Muscaritoli, M.; Sibilia, L.; Rossi Fanelli, F. (1989). “The effects of oral 5-hydroxytryptophan administration on feeding behavior in obese adult female subjects”. (source)
Neri, D. F.; Wiegmann, D.; Stanny, R. R.; Shappell, S. A.; McCardie, A.; McKay, D. L. (1995). “The effects of tyrosine on cognitive performance during extended wakefulness”. (source)
Smith, Jessica E. (2011). “Caffeine, theanine and anxiety: fMRI and behavioural studies”. (source)
Gutierrez-Hellin, Jorge; Del Coso, Juan (2018). “Effects of p-Synephrine and Caffeine Ingestion on Substrate Oxidation during Exercise”. (source)
Hodgson, Adrian B.; Randell, Rebecca K.; Jeukendrup, Asker E. (2013). “The Metaabolic and Performance Effects of Caffeine Compared to Coffee during Endurance Exercise”. (source)
4 Simple Things To Increase Your Body’s Growth Hormone
Alex Rogers talks about growth hormone
Here’s the email I sent a couple of days ago. It does not include the use of a sauna, that I mentioned above…so do all 4 things!
I wanted to share a possible regime to take advantage of IGF-1 and growth hormone in your body. It is straightforward and produces phenomenal results.
Last week I introduced GF-250, which is what I feel is the most potent IGF-1 product on the market. This is the first part of the regime.
Next is fasting. It is proven that fasting can increase growth hormone by double and triple digits.
Finally training. Exercise increases growth hormone as well.
Therefore I suggest combining all three.
Here is how I would do this regime.
Eat dinner (final meal)Skip breakfast and lunchTrain on an empty stomachEat dinner with at least 100 grams of protein and one serving of GF-250.Repeat for at least seven days
Edit: Add the use of a sauna!
The results should be a very decent amount of body fat loss while maintaining muscle.
Alex Rogers is a supplement manufacturing expert. He has been formulating, consulting, & manufacturing dietary supplements since 1998. Alex invented protein customization in 1998 & was the first company to allow consumers to create their own protein blends. He helped create the first supplement to contain natural follistatin, invented whey protein with egg lecithin, & recently imported the world’s first 100% hydrolyzed whey.
Jim Stoppani: Full Body Vs Full Split Training, Explained
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Jim Stoppani breaks down full body training compared to his hybrid model, full split training. Which is best for your fitness goals?
In 2007, Jim Stoppani suffered an injury that made him reevaluate how he would continue his training. Now in his 50s, Stoppani can no longer train with the exact same high energy that he used to when he was young without facing even more injuries that slow him down in the gym. So he turned to full body training – a method that is great for overall fitness but not exactly ideal for massive muscle growth. This led Stoppani to invent his own hybrid training method – full split training – to focus a bit more on muscle growth while also avoiding further serious injury. In our latest GI Exclusive in collaboration with Barbend, Jim Stoppani compares full body training to full split training and explains which technique is best for your fitness needs.
A typical competitive bodybuilder normally avoids a typical full body training routine. This is due to it’s inability to really grow muscle on a level of a mass monster. However, most do not desire to or are not able to train at that extreme level. That’s why full body training is a great method for those looking to stay in shape, get a bit lean, and remain healthy.
However, even non-competitive bodybuilders might want to pack on a bit more muscle than full body training can provide. That’s why Jim Stoppani invented a hybrid method called full split training – combining the benefits of full body training with a typical bodybuilder split training method. Let’s break it down.
What is full body training?
In simplest terms, full body training is the act of training each body part during one workout each day. Typically this takes the form of doing one exercise per body part – then repeating the next day. Jim Stoppani explains that for the average person, this method is perfectly fine. It helps prevent injuries in the gym and provides benefits both for cardiovascular health and in terms of strength and muscle.
But Jim Stoppani also admits that full body training will rarely help build you into a mass monster – or even a medium sized muscular person. Those looking for the pump and beefing up have to look elsewhere in terms of workout methods.
Ultimately, full body training is a great way to help lose weight while also building muscle and strength. It’s perfect for building a lean and fit body. But Jim Stoppani has been a passionate fan of bodybuilding for most of his life. Typical full body training was not enough to suit his physique goals. That’s why he invented his own hybrid approach.
RELATED: Check out our review guide of the best home gym equipment of 2022 under $100.
What is full split training?
Jim Stoppani’s full split training technique combines a typical full body workout with a typical bodybuilding split training workout. The ultimate goal is to find a way to build more muscle and strength without going so far as to possibly injure yourself. This is a great method for those growing older in age that want to focus on size but can’t go all out like they used to in younger years.
At this moment, we’d like to pause and make something clear. Jim Stoppani doesn’t mince words when he makes this point. For those who are still competitively bodybuilding and holding mass monster size well into their 40s and 50s – if that’s still working there’s no need to pull back on workout intensity. But majority of individuals do not actively compete in bodybuilding. Which is why Stoppani’s full split training is a great middle ground for keeping muscle without pushing the body past its limit.
So how does full split training work? Jim Stoppani explains that you simply do a typical full body workout for the day – but each day of the week you pick one specific body part to additionally focus on. So in action – you do a full body workout of all body parts, but add an extra set of exercises to one body part to ensure that one is being pushed harder.
Then the next day, you pick a different body part to focus on and repeat. By the end of the week, each major body part will have gotten some extra attention – while also maintaining a full body workout style across the week.
Jim Stoppani sees this as meeting half way between the benefits and drawbacks of full body training vs the benefits and drawbacks of split training.
Wrap Up
Jim Stoppani tops off our conversation in this segment discussing injury during workouts and how age affects these kinds of injuries. While consistent fitness throughout an individual’s lifetime will help prevent injuries as we age – we cannot ignore that growing older raises new challenges. We all become more injury prone as we get older.
As Jim Stoppani puts it, “There’s no way around it. As you get older you are degenerating… we were not meant to live this long.”
It’s with that in mind (due to his own personal experiences with injury) that he developed the full split training technique. We must be honest with our aging bodies and do what is best to avoid serious injury – or even worse – irreversible injuries that further keep us out of the gym.
You can watch Jim Stoppani go into full detail about full body training and full split training in our latest GI Exclusive explainer video segment above!
Chris Bumstead Shares Sleeve-Ripping Arm Workout To Build Size
Chris Bumstead shared his favorite arm-day workout to crush his biceps and triceps.
Chris Bumstead is the reigning three-time Classic Physique Olympia champion but he is never satisfied with his physique. This offseason, Bumstead has battled different obstacles but is looking better than ever during training sessions. In a recent YouTube video, Bumstead shared a massive arm workout that he has been using to build size.
Bumstead has a chance to make it four Olympia victories in a row in December in Las Vegas. Early in the year, Bumstead contracted COVID-19 and was forced to take some time off but has since returned to training and is in the midst of bulking.
Chris Bumstead has continued to put on weight and build the size needed to win yet another title. This includes his arms, which has been a focus recently but is not always over the course of the year.
“I definitely have the arm days in right now. I don’t always throughout the year but I just want them to grow more. And they’ve finally been growing since last year,” Bumstead said.
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Chris Bumstead Arm Workout
Rope Push-Downs and Overhead Tricep Extensions – Superset, 2 sets
Preacher Curls – 3-4 working sets
Incline Dumbbell Skull Crushers – 3 sets
Seated Dumbbell Curls and Hammer Curls on Cable Machine – Superset, 3 sets
Crossbody Cable Triceps Extension – 2 heavy sets followed by drop set
READ MORE: Chris Bumstead Details 5,000-Calorie Bulking Diet
Supersets
Chris Bumstead throws two supersets into the mix when performing this workout. It begins with the first duo of the day to pump the triceps. When performing rope push-downs and overhead tricep extensions together, Bumstead highlights the feeling of contracting the muscle followed by a stretch.
“I’ve been starting with this basically for the last four months. Basic tricep extensions with the rope and superset with over the head. It gives a tight squeeze at the bottom and when you go over the head, it gives you a tight stretch, or big stretch…You get a pump from the normal tricep extensions and then you go overhead and you stretch them, giving you this crazy burn and it feels super good.”
The next superset comes later in the workout for biceps. Bumstead hits one for each side of the arm focusing on technique.
Preacher Curls
After warming up the triceps, Bumstead begins to alternate exercises between bicep and triceps. The first of the day for biceps came on Bumstead’s favorite machine.
“This right here, this beautiful blue machine, is the GOAT bicep machine for myself personally. It’s what I figured out is the best way to contract my bicep on a heavy load, push your intensity, while keeping the load on my bicep. It’s much easier on a preacher curl, your bicep is stuck in a stiff position.”
Bumstead explains that this machine is one where he continues to get stronger. He loads up the bar with one 25-pound weight on each side before adding a second later in the workout. Since this is one of his favorite machines, Bumstead does it for 3-4 working sets pumping out as many reps as possible.
Incline Dumbbell Skull Crushers
Chris Bumstead likes to isolate triceps here and it helps to take some pressure off the shoulders. Doing this workout like this will allow the lifter to target the triceps and with the right technique, it will allow the triceps to be worked equally.
“I like doing these because it allows you to focus on each arm individually.”
Crossbody Cable Tricep Extension
Bumstead finishes the workout with this exercise because it is easier to pump out a big number of reps at the end of training. This is where the tricep can be worked across the body instead of parallel like earlier in the session.
“It’s a little easier to pound some reps out at the end of your workout…Bringing across your body sideways instead of parallel with the body like I was doing earlier with the bicep.”
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How Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano Just Changed Women’s Boxing
Katie Taylor versus Amanda Serrano was must see boxing.
Katie Taylor versus Amanda Serrano just changed women’s boxing. At least that’s what promoters should take away from the event. These two women put on an absolute classic and demonstrate what’s possible if women’s boxing is giving the right kind of promotion.
In a weekend filled with a vast array of competitive combat competitions, there was one fight that may have stolen the show. While Marlon Vera dominating Rob Font was quite eye opening, and Shakur Stevenson putting on a masterclass against Oscar Valdez was illuminating, the fight on most everyone’s minds this past weekend was the battle between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
Why you may ask.
It’s because both women displayed exactly what the term fighter means. They both went to battle in an absolute war of a contest that you couldn’t take your eye off. What Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano did for women’s boxing, nay, boxing in general was nothing short of incredible.
The Story of the Fight
Amanda Serrano never took one step back in this fight. She was in seek and destroy mode from the opening bell until the final bell of the contest. She put her hard hitting, high volume pressure style up against Taylor’s more outside fighting style and nearly won. In fact there were a great deal of people in the sold out Madison Square Garden arena who believed Serrano had done enough. But it would be Katie Taylor who got her hand raised.
Speaking of Katie Taylor she did a phenomenal job in her own right. Through the bout she made Serrano miss and pay, using slick defense and counter punching throughout the ten round affair. When she employed the hit and don’t get hit style that made her the popular champion she is today she looked truly impressive.
With all that said both women gave as good as they got. The fight could have easily been scored a draw, but in the end the judges favored Taylor. But more than the ultimate outcome there was so much more to take away from this event.
More Than Women’s Boxing
We must acknowledge that what happened on April 30, 2022 was pretty rare. A night filled with combat sports and it was women’s boxing that stole the show. Women in mixed martial arts have been given their time to shine and have become a proven source of skill, will, and entertainment that all fans can appreciate. Yet for so long women’s boxing hasn’t been treated with the same fanfare.
That is until now.
Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano headlining an event at MSG is something for the history books. But while their match booking may have been an encouraging sign of the growth of the sport on the women’s end of the equation, it was up to Taylor and Serrano to deliver. Suffice it to say, both women showcased the kind of heart, will, technique, and determination that is worthy of the moniker “instant classic”.
What we saw on April 30 may have just turned the tide of women’s boxing. When you build up stars who have great personalities and the awesome fighting skills to back that up you get the opportunity to see something amazing come to fruition. The fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano proved that no matter the gender if the people are giving a compelling match up you can fill arenas and build great interest.
Katie Taylor versus Amanda Serrano should be the blueprint to what women’s boxing should be. It should be given the same build up, presence and respect that men’s boxing receives. After the performances both women put on for the fans at MSG and around the globe, it’s clearly time that boxing makes this a regular thing and give the women of the sport more exposure to make this a common occurrence.
Did you watch Katie Taylor versus Amanda Serrano?
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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.
2022 Warrior Classic Pro Results
Lamar Shaw and Devone Martin are victorious during the 2022 Warrior Classic Pro!
The 2022 Warrior Classic Pro took place in Richmond, VA over the weekend with winners looking for a shot to compete at the 2022 Olympia. This was an event highlighted by Classic Physique and Wellness. Both Lamar Shaw and Devone Martin were able to top the competition and earn victories.
Shaw earned his first trip to the Olympia after his third competition this season. This was Shaw’s third top-five victory of the year and his first victory. He finished fourth at the Boston Pro and third during the Houston Tournament of Champions. Now, he will have a chance to go up against the best in a rising division in bodybuilding.
Martin is another competitor that is looking to take the next step in Wellness, a rather new division in bodybuilding. She will compete in his first Olympia after her victory in Richmond. Martin finished seventh during the Europa Pro Championships in 2021 after also competing at the Chicago Pro and Pittsburgh Pro.
The full results from the event have been announced! There were two divisions where competitors had a chance to show what they can do. Check out the full results of the 2022 Warrior Classic Pro from Classic Physique and Wellness below, along with the official score cards from the event!
2022 Warrior Classic Pro: All Division Winners
Classic Physique: Lamar Shaw
Wellness: Devone Martin
2022 Warrior Classic Pro Breakdown
Classic Physique
First Place – Lamar Shaw
Second Place – Michael Johnson
Third Place – Jared Keys
Fourth Place – Anthony Barbera III
Fifth Place – Laconia Seymour
Sixth Place – Sam Adiki
Seventh Place – Chris Barnes
Eighth Place – Michael Bell
Ninth Place – Mark Knight
Tenth Place – Iziah Kanhai
Wellness
First Place – Devone Martin
Second Place – Amanda Rezende
Third Place – Sheila Martins
Fourth Place – Tracy Williams
Fifth Place – Lorena Ragusa
2022 Warrior Classic Pro Official Score Cards
Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the 2022 Warrior Classic Pro. Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.