Tag: Bodybuilding
Matias Scopinaro Teaches How to Lose Fat and Maintain Muscle The Natural Way
Natural bodybuilder Matias Scopinaro gives tips on losing fat and keeping muscle.
Looking to burn fat and maintain muscle the natural way? Well it appears that you’re in luck thanks to natural bodybuilder Matias Scopinaro. The natural bodybuilding champion and coach recently shared his knowledge on the methods he uses to lose body fat while holding onto to hard earned muscle mass.
In this modern era of fitness, so many individuals rely on extra help like supplements to help fuel their workout and recovery. There is indeed nothing wrong with that approach whatsoever, even for a natural bodybuilder. Where things get a bit dicey is the usage of performance enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids. Utilizing steroids can allow an athlete to recover from rigorous training and take their muscle growth to the next level. As a result it can also help individuals burn a considerable amount of fat as well.
But what is one to do if they wish to burn fat, build muscle, and do so without the help of performance enhancing drugs?
In reality the natural approach isn’t too dissimilar to that of an athlete who utilizes PEDs. The biggest difference is the training volume and recovery time. With PEDs recovery time is shorten and can even allow a human to push themselves to extraordinary limits. PEDs allow for more volume which means more potential to grow.
But if you’re choosing to build muscle the natural way, bodybuilder Matias Scopinaro has just what the doctor ordered. The natural bodybuilder has always advocated against the usage of PEDs and encourages people to stick to the natural bodybuilding path.
In a recent post to social media Matias Scopinaro provides a method to lose body fat and gain muscle, all while doing things the natural way.
How to Burn Fat and Maintain Muscle, The Natural Way
To burn fat don’t get dizzy:
Rule number 1: Be in a calorie deficit. The deficit can be reached in many ways (law of thermodynamics: you spend more than you consume, you can’t escape this law) but the optimal thing for composition (losing fat and maintaining muscle) is to have some basic points in mind.
Train heavy (muscle up)
Seek each workout to be more intense than the previous (more weight and same reps/more reps at same weight/shorten rest times maintaining same reps and weight)
Protein: between 1.6g and 2.2g x kg per pound of body weight.
Fats: Don’t lose 20% of total calories to keep your hormones at optimal function.
Carbohydrates: Prioritizes fibers and complexes, eliminates all man-made.
Cardio: as minimum as possible.
The Key Takeaways
Making sure to be in a calorie deficit, training heavy, challenging your muscles with increasingly intense lifts, maintaining a balanced diet (with protein ratios of 1.6g to 2.2g per pound of body weight, maintaining a percentage of fat, and eating complex carbohydrates) seem to do the trick. What’s interesting is Matias Scopinaro maintaining that cardio should be kept to a minimum. This is most likely so you don’t burn the very muscle you’re planning to keep on.
Cultivate patience and forget ridiculous and trendy diets. Something important: it’s normal to fall into “plates” (where you feel you’re not going down at the rate you were going down) and that’s expected. The body is wise and through several metabolic mechanisms slows down the process of self-preservation. In these cases, adjust the variable to lower calorie intake and/or increase calorie expenditure. It’s pretty simple but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
What do you think of Matias Scopinaro and his advice on how to lose body fat and maintain muscle?
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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.
Bodybuilding Legend Bill Pearl Has Passed Away At 91 Years Old
Golden Era bodybuilder Bill Pearl passed away in his home early Wednesday morning.
Former Mr. Universe champion and Golden Era bodybuilding legend Bill Pearl has passed away at the age of 91. Pearl, who enjoyed incredible success on stage, was battling Parkinson’s disease and this might have played a role in his death. The news was announced on Wednesday by Pearl’s wife, Judy Pearl, on his official Facebook page.
Pearl was recently involved in a mower accident and picked up a bacterial infection while he was in the hospital. He was able to overcome the infection thanks to “intense antibiotic therapy.” Judy Pearl shared a long message on behalf of her husband.
“TO ALL OUR FAITHFUL FACEBOOK FRIENDS:
As you all know, Bill has overcome a lot of things that would have taken down a lesser man in this past year.
just as he was getting back in the gym after his accident, he developed a bacterial infection (pseudomonas) which he apparently picked up while in the hospital. after intense antibiotic therapy, he overcame that.
i believe the parkinsons finally defeated him.
he passed away peacefully at home at 4:00 AM this morning.”
The Legendary Career Of Bill Pearl
At 22 years old, Bill Pearl served in the United States Navy. He was stationed in San Diego and began training at Leo Stern’s gym. In 1953, he competed for the first time as a professional, winning the AAU Mr. California and Mr. America competitions.
That same year, Pearl won the first of four NABBA Mr. Universe titles. In 1956, Pearl captured the Mr. USA title. Aside from his career on stage, Peal began managing several gyms and even dabbled in owning. This includes his purchase of George Redpath’s gym in 1962, which was one of the first co-ed gyms in the country.
Following his career on stage, Bill Pearl worked as a trainer, coaching nine Mr. America winners and 14 Mr. Universe champs. He also wrote three books, where he continued to share his knowledge of fitness.
Bill Pearl won six Lifetime Achievement Awards following his career from many outlets. In 2004, he was awarded the Arnold Schwarzenegger Lifetime Achievement Award for his incredible work in bodybuilding.
“All day yesterday he was fretting about his facebook page,and had me post a couple of things he had prepared.
He loved to share stories of other peoples triumphs and accomplishments.
he had written a lot while his page was down last year which he asked me to continue to post.
He so much appreciated your prayers and messages of encouragement after his accident. He loved reading your comments and arguements. It kept him occupied when he was unable to do much physically. Thank you all. I know we will all miss him,” Judy Pearl wrote on Facebook.
Generation Iron sends condolences to the family and friends of Bill Peal during this time. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Michal Krizo Aiming For Top 10 At Olympia, Shares Recent Physique Update During Posing
Michal Krizo hopes to finish in the Top 10 at the 2022 Olympia, if he is able to qualify.
Michal Krizo has not earned his Pro Card just yet but already has aspirations of his first Olympia competition, which he hopes will be in 2022. During a recent Q&A session, Krizo shared that he would like to finish in the Top 10 this year before moving into the Top 6 of the competition next year.
Krizo made the jump from the IFBB Elite Pro League to NPC in hopes of earning his Pro Card. He will compete at the Olympia Amateur and hopes to become an IFBB pro following the competition. From there, Krizo will compete at the EVLS Prague Pro, and potentially in Romania if he does not win in Prague.
Despite the fact that he has not earned his Pro Card yet, there are many who believe Krizo will be dangerous. Both Milos Sarcev and Jay Cutler have had the chance to see Krizo in person and believe his physique is ready to make some noise at the next level.
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Michal Krizo Shares Hopes For Olympia, Physique Update
Michal Krizo is preparing to take the stage in four weeks but it is clear that he has his eyes on December. During a recent interview, Krizo shared that he is not expecting anything but if he qualifies, he wants to be one of the Top 10.
“I don’t expect anything but if I qualify this year, I would like to place in the top 10. And next year, at least in the top six,” Krizo said.
Krizo has been hard at work in the gym and recently shared a physique update as well. He posted a posing routine to his YouTube page, showing off his muscles in different ways.
“We don’t talk weaknesses. Exactly. I have no weaknesses. You can’t talk about that otherwise people will focus attention to it.”
Michal Krizo is one of the fastest rising stars in bodybuilding. When he is able to earn his Pro Card, there will be immediate hype on the Olympia stage. Both Krizo and all of his fans are hoping that this can happen right away in 2022.
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Nathan De Asha On Using Trenbolone “Year-Round”: ‘I Love That Sh*t, I Love Going In There Strong’
Nathan De Asha uses Trenbolone year-round because it does not give him aggression.
Nathan De Asha is a Men’s Open competitor who likes to keep his physique in shape year-round. This happens by staying strong in the gym and De Asha credits his use of Trenbolone. During a recent interview, the bodybuilder spoke on his steroid use.
De Asha put together a strong year in 2021, winning the Europa Pro Championships. He followed that up with victories at the Arnold Classic UK and Yamamoto Cup. During his preparation, De Asha likes to stay on his cycle and Trenbolone is a big part of it.
Nathan De Asha: “I Love Going In There Being Strong”
bodybuilders often go on and off cycles during preparation but Nathan De Asha reveals that he is never off Trenbolone. He likes to remain strong in the gym and feels like this is the substance that gives the best results.
“I live on Tren all year-round bro. All year-round. I love the shit bro. I love that shit. I’d probably go from Tren A to Tren E, to a tri Tren, then back to a Tren A. I just love being strong — that’s it,” De Asha explained.
“I love going in there being strong. Sometimes I go in there and do f***ing Instagram f***ing fame posts, just go on there squat whatever, bench whatever, for a few likes and shit. I just like being strong man, I like Tren.”
Larry Wheels recently got off steroids all together and began TRT. He is a powerlifter that has been focusing on his health and this means getting away from certain steroids. During his career, Wheels discussed the effects of Trenbolone and described it as a “living hell.”
Nathan De Asha explained that he has not had any of those reactions personally and this is a reason he likes it.
“Go in the gym, strong. I don’t think it gives me aggression because I’m a nicely balanced person anyway. So, it doesn’t really do much to me. I just use it for strength and that’s it.”
This is one substance that Nathan De Asha uses all year-round and admitted that he will not go off it unless he has to.
“If my coach says, ‘Nathan, go on this, this and this.’ Okay, cool, I’ll take it, and if Tren isn’t in there, I’ll take it anyway. I don’t got to tell anybody. Nobody is here when I’m f***ing shoot up. Besides when the boys were jabbing me and stuff, I don’t know, I just like it.”
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Dorian Yates Explains What Bodybuilding Judges Look For During Mr. Olympia
Dorian Yates is a bodybuilding legend who recently shared some insight on judge’s thoughts.
There are certain bodybuilders that carry a lot of weight when they speak. Dorian Yates is one of those legendary competitors that has remained an influence in the sport. During a recent interview, Yates discussed the process that judges go through during the biggest competition of the year.
Yates won the Olympia six times during his career. He became known for the insane mass in his back. There are many who believe Yates has the most impressive back of all-time during his career. In retirement, Yates has remained active in the gym and has even started coaching the next generation.
Yates certainly knows a thing or two about how to be successful on stage and it is important to get into the minds of the judges.
Dorian Yates Explains What Judges Prioritize During Competition
As the shows go on, there are many stages where judges can get a good look at competitors. They are looking for different areas during each part and Dorian Yates recently let listeners in on the process.
“There are seven compulsory poses. The double bicep, the lat spread, all that kind of stuff. There’s seven of those and then there’s four relaxed poses or strictly semi-relaxed poses. From the front, from the side, from the back so you see all the angles in a relaxed state. Then you see all the poses, the seven compulsory poses,” Yates said.
“You see all the muscles when they’re posing. Everyone has to do this. That’s why they are called compulsory, obviously. You compare Mr. A to Mr. B.”
The process begins when competitors are seen for the first time on stage. Judges get a chance to callout different athletes in order to compare them to each other. Of course, this comes before bodybuilders put together their final routine.
Dorian Yates explains that judges are looking for the entire package — proportion, conditioning, and size.
“They’re looking for the best guy in each pose and it’s a combination of proportions, size, and conditioning. If you got all those and put them in a pot and mix them together, that’s what you are looking for.”
Dorian Yates was one of the best competitors during his time on stage. Because of this, he had the confidence and was able to use it to his advantage.
“Fun fact, I was the last one to take off my tracksuit. I knew everyone was waiting to see my physique so I’d be playing little mind games. I let them wait so they’d think about me more than they thought about what they would do on stage.”
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William Bonac Wants To Enter 2022 Olympia “As Heavy As Possible” To Compete With Big Ramy
William Bonac discussed plan to add weight while sharing his favorite cheat meal.
William Bonac continues to be an elite contender in the Men’s Open division. He is preparing to compete at the 2022 Olympia and plans to add some extra size in order to compete with reigning two-time champion Big Ramy.
Bonac burst onto the scene thanks to his conditioning on stage. His shredded physique earned him second place during the 2019 Olympia and has had great success since then. In 2020, Bonac won the 2020 Arnold Classic and was a top-five finisher at the Olympia that same year. In 2021, Bonac earned sixth at the Olympia. Now, he shared his plan to add some more weight heading into this year’s competition.
Bonac finished as the runner-up during the Arnold Classic this year. Brandon Curry, who defeated Bonac at the Olympia in 2019, was crowned champion. Just one week later, Bonac won the Boston Pro and earned his qualification for the biggest show of the year.
William Bonac Has A Goal To Hit Moving Forward
In a recent video shared on his YouTube channel, William Bonac sat down for his favorite cheat meal and shared his plans to put on some extra size. This, paired with his exceptional conditioning, will help him take a step up come December.
Bonac revealed that his favorite cheat meal is Shawarma. This is a Middle Eastern meal of thin slices of meat slow cooked on a spit. Bonac prefers this meal because it is not too fatty and goes well with bread. He keeps his diet clean and has to force some meals in at times.
Bonac is currently in the midst of his preparation and believes he will hit his weight goals.
“I have the feeling that today I’m going to hit my goal. Because my goal was to hit 120-kg, before we started the prep. So, we already had enough with the offseason prep. Now, my coach wants me to hit 120 kilograms. My weight is up to 118.3 kilograms,” Bonac said.
There are many who believe Big Ramy is going to be difficult to beat if he enters the Olympia shredded at his current size. He has shared his weight different times and is around 330 pounds. This is why William Bonac believes size is going to be the difference.
“The condition is not something that I have a problem with. It’s more the size. Now, I will have the size to be comparable with those beasts on stage, like the region’s champion Big Ramy. It was the only thing that I was missing probably.”
This plan will is to make William Bonac as heavy as possible so he brings his best package to the stage.
“I want to gain extra muscles and try to be as heavy as possible or on stage, so we can’t be denied.”
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2022 Heart Of Texas Pro Results
Michelle Ibata wins the 2022 Heart of Texas Pro!
The 2022 Heart of Texas Pro took place on Saturday with the Wellness division being on full display. In the end, it was Michelle Ibata who won the show and earned a spot in the 2022 Olympia.
Ibata is one of the up-and-coming talents in Wellness and will now have a chance to step on stage next to the best in the world. She finished third at the Musclecontest Rio Pro this year, along with a fourth-place finish during the Sin City Pro.
The full results from the event have been announced. Checkout the full breakdown from the event, along with official score cards.
2022 Heart of Texas Pro Breakdown
First Place – Michelle Ibata
Second Place – Amanda Burnett
Third Place – Frida Paulsen Stern
Fourth Place – Karen Brandao
Fifth Place – Quintaysia Goodley
Sixth Place – Renee Harshey
Seventh Place – Avis Evans
Eighth Place – Nuannaree Sriwaralak
Ninth Place – Idalia Molina
Tenth Place – Anne-Marie Gobeil
2022 Heart of Texas Pro Official Score Card
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.
Natural Bodybuilder Michael Boyle Teaches You How to Make Quality Muscle Growth
Make quality muscle growth using tips from natural bodybuilder Michael Boyle.
Natural bodybuilder Michael Boyle shared some great tips on how to build quality muscle in a recent post to his social media. The natural bodybuilding champion has a high-quality physique that he was able to attain without utilizing any performance enhancing drugs. But how exactly did he do it?
Making quality muscle growth is a science. It takes consistent hard work and dedication in order to bring about growth. It takes eating the right foods and getting quality rest to make a change occur. That goes double for those who decide to build muscle without using gear. A natural bodybuilder needs to be doubly smart if they hope to make consistent quality gains.
Enter Michael Boyle
PNBA Pro Michael Boyle has made a career of getting in tip top condition. The natural bodybuilder has won a great deal of competitions during his tenure and has coached others to get into great shape. While he may not have the massive muscle of an IFBB Pro mass monster, Boyle has built an incredible physique, all without utilizing gear.
The @inbapnbaglobal_official Olympia pics are in. I know where I need to improve and the goal has been set. Can’t wait till I’m back at peak strength lifting heavy and building more tissue. It’s been an awesome season. One that I will never forget. Time to improve!!!
Pro Tips
Ahead of his recent wedding Michael Boyle out in some quality leg day training at the gym. The Natural Mr. Olympia Master champion underwent a crushing leg training routine which he has used to help put on quality muscle. The coach also gave some great tips on muscle growth that any bodybuilder can use.
Gosia warned me not to be hobbling down the isle next week, so this is my last session pre the wedding.
Feeling really good so attempted 220kg in a couple of compounds this time.
When it’s your good day in the gym, it’s worth testing the water with the next weight you’re aiming for even if it’s just for that one rep on squats or deadlift. Never settle for certain weight, always be looking to make progress.
This off season my aim was 260kg deadlift, 220kg squat and 220 SLDLs and also 220kg x 20 reps for deadlift.
I ticked them all off except the last one.
My few tips for getting sick leg session done:
Get compounds in first before isolation exercises
Stick to the same exercises and work on progression of each
Keep minimum rest time between sets to keep the intensity high
Try getting your session completed as close to an hour as possible
Remember you grow outside of the gym, so appreciate recovery (non-training) days.
It’s clear that Mike Boyle has a pretty quality formula. Through his coaching many have been able to lose weight as well as build quality muscle. These words of wisdom could very well help all fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts make some solid gains.
What do you think of Mike Boyle and his muscle building tips?
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.
2022 INBA PNBA Pro/Am Iron Man Magazine Championships Inside Look | Posing Routines & Awards
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An inside look at the 2022 Pro/Am Iron Man Magazine Championships.
This summer held the 2022 INBA PNBA Pro/Am International Iron Man Magazine Championships. The event took place at Hermosa Beach, CA on July 30, 2022. It brought together some of the most talented natural bodybuilding stars – all battling for qualification to the Natural Olympia later this year. Generation Iron was on location for the event and captured a behind-the-scenes look recap.
The Iron Man Magazine Championships is one of the biggest INBA/PNBA competitions of the year. As such, it is also a Natural Olympia qualifier – part of the league’s Road To The Natural Olympia series of competitions. Being a pro/am competition, it also was a major opportunity for amateur natural bodybuilders to earn their pro cards.
Winners of the Iron Man Magazine Championships received up to $15,000 in cash and prizes, and first-place winners earned the opportunity to be featured on the cover of Iron Man Magazine – one of the longest running bodybuilding magazines that still operate to this day.
Of course, all show participants are drug tested with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) labs. However, WADA only uses state-of-the-art drug testing procedures. And any competitor who fails a drug test will be stripped of any title and prizes he/she may receive. Plus, they’ll be placed in the Hall of Shame.
Road To The Natural Olympia
As mentioned previously, the Iron Man Magazine Championships is part of the Road To Natural Olympia series. This means that top winners in the pro league at this competition earn qualification into the Natural Olympia this year – set to be held in Las Vegas on November 10th – 13th.
Denny Kakos founded the PNBA in 1990 because he wanted to create an organization for professional natural bodybuilders that gave out quality awards. Later, he expanded the PNBA to the INBA in 1994 to unite countries and expand natural bodybuilding globally.
Natural Olympia is the Super Bowl of natural bodybuilding competitions. And in the natural bodybuilding world, it’s equivalent to Mr. Olympia of the International Federation of Bodybuilding ad Fitness (IFBB) Pro league.
The 2022 Men’s Bodybuilding Natural Olympia winner will earn a spot on the list of Natural Olympia winners. The earliest winner dated back to John Hansen in 1998.
Watch The 2022 Pro/Am Iron Man Magazine Championships Recap
The competitors in both the amateur and pro league of the INBA PNBA who competed at the Iron Man Magazine Championships brought full passion onto the stage. Like any bodybuilding show, preparation takes months leading up to the competition – and requires a a full lifestyle of bodybuilding to truly become an elite competitor.
This is why Generation Iron continues to cover recaps of the biggest events in the INBA PNBA natural bodybuilding league. The passion, hard work, and dedication are on full display for all competitors on stage. You can check out our full recap showcasing some of the best moments from the 2022 Iron Man Magazine Championships – including behind the scenes and awards – above.
2022 Tournament of Champions Pro Bodybuilding Results
Antoine Weatherspoon won the 2022 Tournament of Champions Pro!
The 2022 Tournament of Champions Pro took place on Saturday, with the Men’s Physique division headlining the event. Antoine Weatherspoon took home a victory and will now be able to compete at the 2022 Olympia.
Weatherspoon appeared in three shows prior to his victory and finished top five in each show. This included a fourth-place finish at the Arnold Classic. He will now return to the Olympia for the first time since 2018.
The full results from the show have been announced. Checkout the full breakdown from the event below, along with an official score card from the show.
2022 Tournament of Champions Pro Breakdown
Men’s Physique
First Place – Antoine Weatherspoon
Second Place – Stan Morrison
Third Place – Mark Robinson
Fourth Place – George Brown
Fifth Place – Zach Savoie
Sixth Place – Ismael Dominguez
Seventh Place – Shogo Sato
Eighth Place – Jeremy Coleman
Ninth Place – Dre Booker
Tenth Place – Frank Worley
2022 Tournament of Champions Pro Official Score Card
Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the IFBB Tournament of Champions Pro 2021. 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.