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Flex Wheeler Shares Update On Condition, Receives Well Wishes From Dave Bautista
Flex Wheeler gave a recent update during his battle with COVID-19 and it included a message from Dave Bautista.
Flex Wheeler was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Oct. 9 and has been dealing with the virus ever since. He has provided updates on his condition over the last few weeks and it has been a struggle for the former bodybuilder. Wheeler recently provided another update and it featured well wishes from Dave Bautista.
Wheeler has been able to stay positive throughout the recovery process as he continues to fight the virus. There has been plenty of support for Wheeler from the bodybuilding world but they are not the only community sharing well wishes.
Bautista, a former WWE star turned actor, shared a video message where he had some kid words to say to Wheeler.
“We love you big dog. Just do your thing and get better, like you always do. Just pull through this and keep inspiring people. It’s not your time brother,” Bautista said.
Flex Wheeler shared the video of Dave Bautista on his Instagram page and responded right away. Wheeler thanked the star for his kind words and agreed with the sentiment.
“Sincerely appreciate your support homie ? @davebautista
“The Original Super Duper Fly”
You’re 100% right brother, it’s not my time.
I can’t wait to get out of here to check out your new movie ? ?
I want to congratulate you on all your success and future success.
Your friendship means the world to me. I hope you and the Family have a amazing Halloween tonight save me some candy.”
Flex Wheeler has been through a lot over the last month. In his previous update, he shared that he was in acute kidney failure. The virus has even done some damage to his lungs but Wheeler has continued to shine and be as positive as ever. This is not surprising as he continues to fight to defeat the virus.
On Saturday, Flex Wheeler took to Instagram to share a video of a positive message. He showed the hospital room he is in and discussed the path that God has put him on. Throughout the video and the message, Wheeler can be seen with a smile. This is the type of person he was throughout his career and that has continued.
The entire staff here at Generation Iron send out hope and support for Flex Wheeler during this time. The Generation Iron Fitness Network will continue to provide updates as they become available for this developing story. We all hope for a smooth and strong recovery in the days ahead.
How Bret Contreras Builds Those God-Like Glutes
This workout from “The Glute Guy” will give you those toned glutes to add to your shredded aesthetic.
Bret Contreras is a fitness trainer and someone who many see as the world’s expert on glute training. Nicknamed “The Glute Guy”, his website contains everything you need to know about glute training, as well as all things related to sports science.
For many of us, finding the right workouts to really get us going can be difficult. With so many out there, looking for those top workouts that are most suitable for us can be a real challenge. But why not look to professionals, experts, bodybuilders, and trainers for help? They’ve made their life focus to do all things related to health and fitness and it would be a disservice to not listen to them. Plus, they are living proof that these workouts do in fact work.
With Bret’s knowledge and fame as “The Glute Guy”, toning and sculpting your glutes hasn’t seemed easier. Sure, you have to put in the work, but don’t let that deter you from getting a great workout done.
Full Name: Bret Contreras
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
N/A
6’4’’
07/26/1976
Profession
Era
Nationality
Personal Trainer, Social Media Personality
2010
American
With his expertise in the gym and his personality out of it, Bret has built a massive following for those in-person and online. As someone who knows a thing or two about sports science, he seeks to help others and give them the best advice to further their gains.
About Bret Contreras
Bret Contreras is an American personal trainer and online personality nicknamed “The Glute Guy” for his knowledge and expertise on how best to build those toned and sculpted glutes. He has a variety of credentials with a Master’s from Arizona State University and a PhD in Sports Science from AUT University. The author or co-author of a number of books, as well as the founder of gyms and programs, Bret as earned the reputation as the world’s expert on all things glutes. With his website and massive following on social media, he also has the platform to reach a wide array of people to give them the best advice as they seek to tone and sculpt not only their glutes, but their entire physique.
Bret Contreras Workout
This 4-day workout is one to seriously fire up those glutes, as well as provide for a full body session. A mix of great exercises each targeting specific needs, you can’t go wrong with this full body workout*.
Monday
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Barbell Hip Thrust Pyramid
1 of each
10, 8, 6, 15
Goblet Squat
3
12
Heavy Kettlebell Deadlift
2
15
45-Degree Hyper
2
20
Band Seated Hip Abduction
2
20
Incline Press
2
10
Lat Pulldown
2
10
Tuesday
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Band Hip Thrust
3
10
Walking Lunge
2
50 (25 per leg)
Reverse Hyper
3
10
Lateral Band Walk
3
20
Push-Up
2
AMRAP
Hammer Strength Row
2
10
Thursday
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Barbell Hip Thrust
3
6
Bulgarian Split Squat
2
10
45-Degree Hyper
2
30
Pendulum Quadruped Hip Extension
2
10
Band Side Lying Clam
2
20
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
2
10
One Arm Row
2
10
Friday
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Double Band Hip Thrust
3
20
Cybex Leg Press
3
10
American Deadlift
2
8
Band Standing Hip Abduction
2
20
Dumbbell Bench Press
2
10
Inverted Row
2
10
*Workout from Bret Contreras’ website
Some Of Bret’s Favorite Glute Exercises
Since Bret is “The Glute Guy”, let’s take a look at some of his favorite glute building exercises to give you that definition.
Goblet Squat
The goblet squat is a great exercise to improve strength and mobility and to establish a better movement overall. A great variation of the squat, this can be done with a kettlebell or dumbbell and will work your glutes and quads.
Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a functional movement that works many muscles including your back, legs, glutes, core, and other upper body muscles to build strength and aid in overall performance (1).
Barbell Hip Thrust
A great exercise to use with a barbell, hip thrusts are perfect for lessening knee pain, aiding in better low back health, and promoting glute strength and explosiveness for all your needs (2).
Great Supplement For Post-Workout Growth & Recovery
For those post-workout needs, it is best to find a great protein supplement that will work wonders for all your recovery and muscle building needs. After a grueling and tough workout, nothing beats a great protein shake to really capitalize on all your gains.
Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate
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Wrap Up
This workout from Bret Contreras offers a full body workout so you can target all of those muscle building, calorie burning, and physique needs. As “The Glute Guy”, Bret works to put a real emphasis on the glutes, but with many accreditations and tons of experience, his knowledge of full body work is immense. With a massive following on social media, Bret works to inspire others to be their best and this workout will help get you to where you want to be yourself.
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 Bret Contreras Instagram
References
Fisher, J.; et al. (2013). “A randomized trial to consider the effect of Romanian deadlift exercise on the development of lumbar extension strength”. (source)
Neto, W.; et al. (2019). “Barbell Hip Thrust, Muscular Activation and Performance: A Systematic Review”. (source)
Registration Is Now Open For The 2022 Mr. America
Bodybuilders can now sign up for the 2022 Mr. America competition.
This past October not only held the Mr. Olympia, but the Mr. America 2021. A historic event that dates back further than both the Olympia and Mr. Universe, Mr. America has been in a sort of revival since 2020’s comeback. The event has drawn attention due to it’s dedication to all-natural competition and being picked up to broadcast by CBS Sports Network. You can also catch Generation Iron’s full coverage and results of the event right here. Now the competition is making an open call to all bodybuilders across all divisions of the sport – the Mr. America 2022 registration window is now open.
The Mr. America competition is leading the charge to make pro bodybuilding a mainstream sport broadcast on national television. Ever since the historic event’s return in 2020, a major step was taken to help ensure that future. The CBS Sports Network has been broadcasting the event since 2020. With the event not holding competition in any single specific league – any competitive bodybuilder can register to be a part of this growing televised event. Information on registration for the 2022 Mr. America can be found at the official website here.
Recapping The Mr. America 2021
Generation Iron provided full reporting on the results from the Mr. America 2021 and was also on the ground for the full play-by-play experience. There were many returning winners looking to defend their title at the 2021 competition. Joe LaCerra returned to defend his title in the Pro Classic category while Dora Avila was the reigning champion in Pro Bikini. Johnny Dotson returned after a 2020 victory in Pro Men’s Physique and Jenna Bidoglio was the champion in Pro Figure.
In the end, it was Cory Brown who highlighted the show with a victory in Men’s Open. He appeared on stage in excellent shape with conditioning that was above the rest. Jeremiah Kenney-Wright was named the new champion in Pro Classic while Arius Norris won gold in Men’s Physique. Bidoglio was bested in Pro Figure but took home gold in Classic Figure.
History Of Mr. America
Mr. America has made great strides since its beginning in 1939. It was started by the Amateur Athletic Union when it championed the idea of Greek ideal that perfectly sculpted physiques. The IFBB was a challenger to Mr. America when it was founded. There was a slow decline of the original ideals when money became involved along with the idea that physiques and builds must be larger.
The AAU wold eventually stop hiding the contest and this caused it to fall out of the public eye a bit. Over the years, East Coast Fitness Concepts began taking over in an attempt to bring Mr. America back to prominence. Successful events over the last two years is beginning to accomplish this goal.
The 2021 event was broadcasted on CBS Sports Network. This is an important step for natural bodybuilding to gain an audience and continue to build a strong reputation. When it comes to all-natural competition, Mr. America is leading the way. This is the top competition in the natural bodybuilding scene and it will only continue to grow from here.
The 2021 competition was a rousing success and this was a huge step forward for a competition that continues to build momentum. It will be interesting and exciting to see how it continues to grow over the years.
The Future Of Mr. America
While there has not been much confirmation on the exact details for the Mr. America 2022, the official registration announcement promotes the return of CBS Sports providing a video broadcast of next year’s event. If you are a pro bodybuilder looking to get seen not only on the competition stage – but on the national stage – you can register for the event at their official website right here.
Generation Iron will also be releasing video interviews this month with the champions from the Mr. America 2021. So be sure to stick around and check out our GI Exclusives page for more updates on the Mr. America!
2021 Rogue Invitational Strongman Contest: Martins Licis Finishes As Champion
Martins Licis was able to take home the title at the 2021 Rogue Invitational Strongman Contest.
Martin Licis proved superior over the weekend during the 2021 Rogue Invitational. Some of the top strongmen in the world gathered in Round Rock, TX and competed in five events to see who would be crowned champion. In the end, it was one of the former World’s Strongest Man competition winners who took home the prize.
Licis was not the only former WSM winner in the competition. The 2019 winner was able to outlast the two previous champions. Tom Stoltman, who was the WSM champion in 2021, finished second while 2020 WSM Oleksii Novikov finished with the bronze medal. Novikov was on a roll with three victories already this year and one second-place finish. Now, he can add another top-three finish to his resume.
For Licis, this was his first competition since the 2020 Arnold Strongman Classic as he was recovering from injuries. A force in the sport, Licis proved that he is still a force and is fully back from any injuries that have been suffered. There is no better return than a first-place finish against some of the other top competitors in the world.
All competitors competed in five different events and were fighting for placement to split a total pool of $1,436,638. By finishing in first place, Licis took home $133,351, which is the largest winning in the history of the sport. Stoleman claimed $66,601 while Novikov earned $39,3991 for his third-place finish.
The full results have been released and you can checkout how the entire competition played out below!
2021 Rogue Invitational Results
Overall
Martins Licis — 45 points
Tom Stoltman — 42 point
Oleksii Novikov — 34 points
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 29.5 points
JF Caron — 28 points
Rob Kearney — 26 points
Brian Shaw — 23 points
Luke Stoltman — 22 points
Mikhail Shivlyakov — 13.5 points
Jerry Pritchett — 12 points
Elephant Bar Deadlift
This event kicked off the competition where athletes were to complete the heaviest lift they could. The order of lifts went based on the weights that were chosen by the men. JF Caron took first place in the first event. Brian Shaw finished fourth but was forced to skip him third and final lift after a hamstring injury.
JF Caron — 420 kilograms (926 pounds)
Tom Stoltman — 413 kilograms (911 pounds)
Martins Licis — 410 kilograms (906 pounds)
Brain Shaw — 400 kilograms (881 pounds)
Rob Kearney — 397.5 kilograms (876 pounds)
Oleksii Novikov — 390 kilograms (861 pounds)
Jerry Pritchett — 388 kilograms (856 pounds)
Luke Stoltman — 383.5 kilograms (846 pounds)
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — no successful lift (T-ninth)
Mikhail Shivlyakov — no successful lift (T-ninth)
Cyr Dumbbell Ladder
Mateusz Kieliszkowski holds the world record for the heaviest dumbbell lift at 150kg (3330.7lb) but this was an event based on speed. Athletes had to lift five dumbbells overhead in the fastest time possible. The dumbbells weighed 253, 274, 280, 290, and 300 pounds. Novikov was the only competitor to complete all five lifts and did so in just over a minute.
Oleksii Novikov — five dumbbells in one minute, five seconds
Martins Licis — three dumbbells in 37 seconds
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — three dumbbells in one minute
Brian Shaw — two dumbbells in 21 seconds
Tom Stoltman — two dumbbells in 28 seconds
Rob Kearney — two dumbbells in 29 seconds
Luke Stoltman — one dumbbell in eight seconds
Mikhail Shivlyakov — one dumbbell in seven seconds
JF Caron — one dumbbell in nine seconds
Jerry Pritchett — no successful lift
Wheel of Pain
The Wheel of Pain is a behemoth that weights 20,000 pounds. Made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger, athletes are required to turn the wheel as far as possible in one minute. Each competitor was given 60 seconds and in the end, Stoltman moved it furthest at just over 89 feet.
Tom Stoltman — 89 feet, three inches
Martins Licis — 85 feet, six inches
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 83 feet, six inches
Oleksii Novikov — 76 feet, 3 inches
Luke Stoltman — 73 feet, nine inches
Rob Kearney — 63 feet, three inches
Mikhail Shivlyakov — 55 feet, nine inches
Brian Shaw — 54 feet, nine inches
Jerry Pritchett — 50 feet, nine inches
JF Caron — 29 feet, six inches
Timber Yoke Carry/Overhead Log Press Medley
The athletes had a two and a half minute time limit to complete this event. They were required to carry a 455kg (1,000lb) yoke a distance of 50 feet before pressing a 163kg (360lb) log overhead three times. The fastest time determined the winner and it was Kieliszkowski, who defeated Licis by three seconds.
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 0:41.74
Martins Licis — 0:44.70
Tom Stoltman — 0:52.06
JF Caron — 0:56.03
Oleksii Novikov — 1:05.51
Brian Shaw — 1:37.83
Luke Stoltman — two reps on the log in 37 seconds
Rob Kearney — one rep on the log in 27 seconds
Mikhail Shivlyakov — yoke carry in 50 seconds
Jerry Pritchett — no distance credited
Inver Stone Over Hitching Post
This is another event with a time limit — this time two minutes. Athletes had to lift the oddly-shaped stones over a 50-inch high log. The stones weighed 275, 300, 365, 400, and 420 pounds. Heading into this event, Licis needed to place at least second to win the competition and he ended it with a win. Licis completed the five stones nearly six seconds faster than Stoltman, who is known as “King of Stones.” The inver stones are a bit different than Atlas because of their shape.
Martins Licis — five stones in 24.45 seconds
Tom Stoltman — five stones in 30.08 seconds
JF Caron — five stones in 43.51 seconds
Oleksii Novikov — four stones in 1:04.5 seconds
Rob Kearney — four stones in 33.4 seconds
Luke Stoltman — three stones in 17.6 seconds
Jerry Pritchett — two stones in 13.3 seconds
Mikhail Shivlyakov — two stones in 12.1 seconds
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — one stone in 9.4 seconds
Brian Shaw — no lifts
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Ryan Crowley: The Pros and Cons Of Being An Endomorph Bodybuilder
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Ryan Crowley shares his personal experience on successful training techniques as a person who genetically gains weight easily.
A core school of thought when it comes to fitness and bodybuilding is that everyone falls into three body types. An Ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph. Ectomorphs have a heard time gaining weight with little body fat, mesomorphs have a natural high muscle to fat ratio, and endomorphs have a naturally higher fat to muscle ratio and gain weight easily. Ryan Crowley was bullied as a child for being an overweight kid and to this day falls in the endomorph category. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Ryan Terry shares his experiences and tips on how to keep his fat ratio low while building a successful bodybuilding technique.
In competitive bodybuilding, there are some who struggle with building size and forcing themselves to eat enough food. But some bodybuilders gain weight easily during bulking. Typically, these bodybuilders would fall under the endomorph category of genetic body type. This might seem like a blessing. Building weight and size is the first step towards becoming a competitive bodybuilder. But when a competitor ultimately steps on stage, they also want to be as lean as possible. That can be more challenging to pull off for endomorphs.
Ryan Crowley is one such bodybuilder who falls into that category. He has been open about being an overweight child and being bullied. This was part of the reason why he eventually discovered bodybuilding and started sculpting his physique. This doesn’t mean that his genetic predisposition to gain fat disappears. In fact, Crowley’s fans have often been in disbelief how easily he can maintain his weight at around 300 pounds.
It’s so easy for him to stay heavy, in fact, that his bulks can sometimes go too far in the wrong direction. He describes bulking up to near 320 pounds and feeling unhealthy carrying that much weight on his body. Not only that, but he eventually needs to cut back on the fat, try to maintain as much size as possible, and keep it all as lean muscle. This is much harder for endomorphs who gain fat much more easily.
While cardio is often seen as an enemy for bodybuilders (due to cutting muscle alongside the fat), Ryan Crowley finds himself sometimes doing three hours of cardio to keep himself at a respectable weight – even during bulk. This seems to be Crowley’s biggest takeaway about being an endomorph. Bodybuilders who fall under this category need to embrace cardio in order to stay lean.
At the end of the day, Ryan Crowley keeps on weight at lower calorie levels that would cause others to lose weight. This has led fans to call him a liar about his weight and demand he shows video of stepping on the scale. The plus side is that he can keep weight with eating less food and avoiding more carbs. But the downside is if he doesn’t keep an eye on it and add extensive cardio into his routine – he can fall too far into bulking and make his cutting phase a nightmare in prep for a show.
You can watch Ryan Crowley talk in more detail about the pros and cons of being an endomorph bodybuilder in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Big Ramy Poses For First Time Since Winning Olympia
Big Ramy made a recent appearance as a guest poser on stage.
A bodybuilding competition in Egypt would not be complete without the presence of the reigning two-time Olympia champion. The 2021 KO Pro Egypt took place on Sunday in Egypt and Big Ramy made an appearance on stage for the first time since winning the Olympia in October. He arrived as a guest poser and showed off his prize-winning physique.
Big Ramy took the stage with plenty of praise from the crowd and chants of his name. He performed a posing routine for close to two minutes for fans in his home country.
Leading up to the event, Big Ramy continued to be a big storyline because of the competition taking place in Egypt. He has become a superstar because of his work on the biggest stage. Big Ramy won the 2021 Olympia and successfully defended his title. This is something that he plans to do for years to come.
It is no surprise that fans in Egypt gave Big Ramy a warm welcome on stage. This has been the case since he took home the Olympia title. Big Ramy’s hometown of Kafr El Sheikh decided that the biggest square in the city would be named after him. Also, there was a huge welcome once Big Ramy returned from Orlando. There was staff waiting in the airport along with fans who wanted to catch a glimpse of the champion.
At the Egypt Pro, Regan Grimes took home the prize in Men’s Open. This earned him an automatic bid to the 2022 Olympia where he will have a chance to go up against Big Ramy. Grimes has displayed an incredible physique and has made progress in a short time since hiring a new coach.
Grimes finished first in this event after placing second last weekend during the 2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro. Now that he has his qualification, he can focus on preparing for the Olympia, which is set to take place in December 2022.
Big Ramy will not be an easy competitor to beat. It was confirmed last week that the reigning champion has already started training. This is about 14 months out from the Olympia. Heading into the 2021 show, Big Ramy had just three months of training after an extended period of time off. This is a scary sight for opponents if Big Ramy is preparing this far out in advance.
It is only right that Big Ramy made an appearance on stage this weekend. He showed why he is the Olympia champ and that fans are in for a treat next time he steps on stage. There is no doubt that there will be plenty of physique updates as training progresses.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Joe Rogan, Mark Bell React to Powerlifter With Most Muscle Mass in History
Joe Rogan and Mark Bell react to powerlifter Ray Williams.
Joe Rogan and Mark Bell are both in awe of the strength of powerlifter Ray Williams. Not only were both men impressed by his lifting ability, but also by the fact that he has the most muscle mass in history. Bell explains on his podcast how Williams possesses 300 Lbs of fat free mass. That in itself is a crowning achievement. But what Ray Williams was able to accomplish during his powerlifting career is worthy of even more praise.
Powerlifting has produced some of the strongest beings to walk the face of the Earth. These athletes, men and women alike, have pushed the boundaries of what many thought to be possible for humans. Many athletes achieve have achieved lifts while using performance enhancing drugs while others have chosen to go the natural route. One such natural athlete is Ray Williams, a powerlifter who has impressed both Joe Rogan and Mark Bell.
Ray Williams has put himself on the map with his 2016 crowning achievement. He was the first person to squat over 1000+ Lbs raw at the USAPL Raw Nationals. He went on to further set himself apart in the powerlifting world with a 1080 Lbs raw squat. Williams is far from being done as well as he continues to get stronger in the gym. You can tell that he has an incredible level of strength just from his training regimen alone.
Training Regimen of a Beast
Still focusing on getting 1% better every day. Working technique and form mostly now and days. Bumping that good ole Triple Six… my dude Big Will can appreciate this!!
Mane!!! Taking a Qik reload before I start my next cycle to prepare for my next meet l. Also time to get back to squat to in a rack… had to break out my @roguefitness combo. Gonna enjoy a week of lighter weights and then turn it up little by little.
Ray Williams has cemented himself in history as being one of the strongest humans on the planet. In fact, Mark Bell believes he’s one of the strongest humans in history. Bell talked about the powerlifter on a recent episode of his podcast.
In the clip posted to YouTube Mark Bell reacts to Joe Rogan and strongman Rob Kearney watching Ray Williams squat over 1000 Lbs. Suffice it to say, every one of them were impressed by the feat of strength.
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What do you think of Ray Williams and his incredible achievements in powerlifting?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
The 4 Most Common Lagging Body Parts and How To Fix Them
The Four Most Common Lagging Muscle Groups
Most people have muscle imbalances due to their genetics. A couple of their muscle groups will be laggings as compared to the other muscles. These people make the situation worse by overlooking these muscles or by not training them optimally.
If you go to gyms looking for the most common lagging muscle groups, you are most likely to find a pattern. Since you’re reading this article, we assume you have a lagging muscle group or two which you want to bring up to par.
Calves
Calves are one of the most common weak muscle groups. They also make it to the top of the most stubborn muscle group list. Unlike your upper body muscles, hiding your weak legs is easy. Bros with chicken legs cover them up with baggy track pants.
Training your calves can be different from the other muscle groups. You stand on your calves for the entire day and use them for moving from one place to the other. Your calves can recover quickly from your workouts and you can train them multiple times a week.
Rear Delts
Rear delts are a weak muscle group for most people. We’re sure most people aren’t even aware of their existence. Since the rear deltoids are on your back, it is hard to establish a mind-muscle connection with them since you can’t look at them in the mirror while training.
Rear deltoids are a hard muscle to train. Most people stick to a single exercise for training their posterior delts. You should add variations and target your rear delts from different angles in every workout.
Forearms
Most people spend way too much time training their arms and completely ignore their forearms. Muscular forearms can add to the size of your arms. Your bicep and triceps workouts aren’t enough to develop your forearms.
You need to train your forearms with compound and isolation exercises. Add forearm exercises to your arm days. You could also get hand grippers to train your forearms while you’re sitting idle.
Neck
Only a few other things look more awkward than a guy with big muscles and a tiny neck. If you have never trained your neck, it is time you start. You need to be extra careful while training your neck since it is one of the more delicate muscles.
Lie facedown on a flat bench and use a strap to lift a quarter plate. Move up to heavier weights as your neck gets stronger. Watch the video below to learn a few neck building tips from Mike Tyson.
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Grow Your Weak Muscle With These Tips
1. Train Them At The Beginning of Your Workout
If you look closely, all these muscle groups are usually trained at the end of workouts. You are fatigued by the end of your workouts. You should train your weak muscles at the beginning of your workouts since you’re full of energy and stamina.
2. Train Them Twice a Week
Since these are small muscle groups, they take relatively shorter time to recover from your workouts as compared to the bigger muscles. Schedule your workouts so you have 48 hours before you train the same muscle again.
3. Use Advanced Training Techniques
Most people stick to the same exercises for the lagging muscle groups. You need to constantly change your exercises to shock your muscles and keep them guessing. Use advanced training techniques like supersets, drop sets, intraset stretching to take your workouts to the next level.
Do you have a weak muscle group? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Kaged Muscle Plantein Review For Premium Vegan Protein
This clean, fully disclosed, and naturally flavored vegan protein is perfect for your gains.
Product Overview
How many times has someone told you that you need a protein powder? Most likely every single time you hit the gym. You’ve tried all the different types of whey, but find it upsets your stomach. Or maybe you’re someone simply avoiding dairy. Thankfully, supplement companies recognize this and have sought to produce high quality vegan proteins equal to, if not better than, some whey products when it comes to building muscle, boosting recovery, and working to keep you full. Kaged Muscle Plantein is at the top of the list and is one of those proteins you need to try if your looking for a premium vegan option.
Protein is the building block of all muscle and it would be a disservice to neglect that fact. We work hard inside and out of the gym, so why not give ourselves a great product to boost all areas of our gains. The right protein powder can work to increase muscle growth, boost recovery, and help keep us full for better weight management so we see our desired gains come to life. Kaged Muscle Plantein can do all of this and much more and as a vegan protein, this supplement is highly conducive to all diets and can work for not only training and performance, but also your overall health and wellness.
Code GENIRON10 For 10% Off
Kaged Muscle Plantein is a premium vegan protein that builds muscle like whey without the dairy. Superior texture and taste is matched by 300% more absorption so those nutrients hit you harder.
Kaged Muscle is a supplements company who takes their production process and final products seriously, only reinforcing the deepest of integrity. They source the most pure, most potent raw materials and ensure their labs operate beyond the status quo with rigorous testing and third party assurance. Never compromising on quality and price, Kaged Muscle seeks to only make the highest quality supplements they can, for they know you the athlete deserves only the best.
Plantein Highlights
Kaged Muscle Plantein is a great plant-based protein powder for those looking for a clean, fully disclosed, and naturally flavored supplement. This protein builds muscle like whey without the dairy and is 300% absorption so all those nutrients hit you harder. With superior taste, texture, and mixability, this protein is made with MCT oil and provides a complete profile of EAAs and BCAAs. Being soy, dairy, lactose, and gluten free, this is a great pure plant-based option for athletes of all types.
Ingredients
Pea Protein Isolate: Pea protein is extracted from yellow peas and is a high-quality protein source. This can build muscle mass when paired with resistance training, help keep you full to aid in weight loss and weight management, and enhance recovery to repair those worn down muscles for better recovery (1,2,3).
Organic Quinoa: Quinoa is a complete protein containing all of the essential amino acids while also being high in fiber. This nutrient rich food is perfect for those looking to grow and repair their muscles (4).
MCT Powder: Helps with digestion, can improve brain function (5), may lower cholesterol, and enhance exercise performance for all-around gains.
Other Ingredients
Natural Flavors, Steviol Glycosides, Sucralose
Calories
160
Protein
26g
Carbs
5g
Fat
4g
Sugar
1g
Flavors
Peanut Butter Cookie, Banana Bread, Cinnamon Roll
Number Of Servings
15
Price, Flavors & Effectiveness
Kaged Muscle Plantein is a premium vegan protein perfect for building muscle and pumping you with vital nutrients similar to whey. With 15 servings per container, 1 scoop of this non-dairy protein will pump you with clean ingredients so you see only the best gains. To ensure you never grow bored with the taste, Plantein comes in three great flavors being Peanut Butter Cookie, Banana Bread, and Cinnamon Roll.
Pros
Clean, fully disclosed, and naturally flavored
300% better absorption
Soy, dairy, lactose, and gluten free
Great tastes with natural flavors
Cons
Could have more servings per container
Price: $29.99
Check out our list of the Best Non-Dairy Protein Powders for more amazing vegan proteins!
Also, head to our GI Supplement Awards and see where Plantein landed on our list of Best Protein Powder of 2021!
Overall Value
Kaged Muscle Plantein is that premium vegan protein you need most today. By working with clean and naturally flavored ingredients, you get a fully disclosed label and a great product to see those non-dairy gains unfold. Kaged Muscle is a great company who knows the needs of athletes and seeks to produce only the best supplements around. What you are really getting is a high-quality vegan protein with clean ingredients, real results, and an honest company backing you. Check out Kaged Muscle Plantein today and see what this can do for all your goals.
Try Kaged Muscle Plantein Today
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*Images courtesy of Kaged Muscle and Envato
References
Babault, N.; et al. (2015). “Pea proteins oral supplementation promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, Placebo-controlled clinical trial vs. Whey protein”. (source)
Leidy, H.; et al. (2015). “The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance”. (source)
Nieman, D.; et al. (2020). “Effects of Whey and Pea Protein Supplementation on Post-Eccentric Exercise Muscle Damage: A Randomized Trial”. (source)
Elsohaimy, S.; (2015). “Physicochemical and functional properties of quinoa protein isolate”. (source)
Croteau, E.; et al. (2018). “Ketogenic Medium Chain Triglycerides Increase Brain Energy Metabolism in Alzheimer’s Disease”. (source)
3 Tips To Smashing Through A Bodybuilding Plateau
Almost every experienced lifter has experienced the frustration of a plateau.
There are many potential causes of plateau thus many corresponding solutions. These three tips are an excellent place to start if you’re looking to break a plateau or even just steepen your rate of progress.
1. Set Goals
If asked, most people would declare that their time in the gym has a purpose. But it’s not enough to have a vague idea of a better body or stronger lifts. Empirical measurements and specific deadlines are some of the best ways to ensure you possess a conscious intent throughout the day.
Goals can be set for various time ranges, but the best way to start is with monthly, weekly or even daily goals. This helps initiate the habit of goal setting and fulfillment. A daily goal can be anything from a calorie count to concrete ‘in bed’ and ‘out of bed’ times. A weekly goal can be a total number of set’s accumulated on a weak bodypart. Goals should be personalized, purposeful, and WRITTEN DOWN.
2. Change The Stimulus
The Law Of Accommodation rules the gym. It basically states that any given stimulus over time will excite a diminishing result in the body. So one of the best ways to make sure that we are constantly optimizing growth is to vary our workouts. This doesn’t just mean vary the movements- set number, rep number, weight, rest time between reps, types of reps, types of resistance – can and should all be modified, both to change the stimulus, and to discover the optimal stimulus for your body.
Occasionally, something completely outside the box, like a day of kayaking, can torch your shoulders in a way that the gym can’t, simply because your body is unused to the movement. Don’t underestimate the power of the unfamiliar.
3. Recover
Offering this tip may be beating a dead horse at this point, but frankly it’s a horse that can’t be beaten enough. So often it is not our work in the gym that forestalls us, it is our ability to recover from our work in the gym. Recovery doesn’t just mean sleep and nutrition, although those practices must be refined. Most elite level lifters routinely get bodywork done, and there’s a reason for that- it makes a difference.
Of course the average lifter cant afford to get massage, dry needling, chiropractic, etc every week. But, for example, one sports massage every month or two can really do wonders to prevent and resolve injury, open up new ranges of muscle contraction and separation, and offer a deeper connection with the body.
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