Tag: Bodybuilding
Straight Facts: Should Competitive Bodybuilders Have Tattoos?
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Jerry Brainum breaks down the risks of having extensive tattoos as a competitive bodybuilder.
Tattoos are far more accepted today than they once were. This is also clear in the world of bodybuilding – where it’s become more common for a competitor to step on stage with more extensive tattoos covering their physique. But do extensive tattoos end up hurting their chances for a victory on stage? And are there other less known risks as a bodybuilder? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum discusses the potential health risks and competition risks of extensive tattoos in bodybuilding.
Jerry Brainum doesn’t want to upset people. He also doesn’t want to be overly critical of those who decide to express themselves with tattoos. That’s why before Brainum dives deep into this episode, he makes a point to not condemn those with tattoos. Brainum does not believe that value or personality of a person should be judged based on what someone has on their body.
However, in the world of competitive bodybuilding, tattoos have a more direct effect on how a physique is perceived. So rather than try to judge the morality of tattoos – Brainum wants to focus the more objective effect they can have on competitive bodybuilders. Let’s break it down.
Can extensive tattoos negatively impact competitive bodybuilders?
Jerry Brainum first explains the distinct difference between getting a simple tattoo and getting extensive one. Brainum does not believe having one or two tattoos on your body will have a drastic effect on a bodybuilder. However, extensive ones such as full body or “sleeves” covering large portions of the physique can, theoretically, cause more of a problem.
Jerry Brainum points out that the goal of competitive bodybuilding is showcase your physique and compare it to others. Extensive tattoos can make it harder for a bodybuilder’s definition to be seen. They can hide or obscure muscle definition – especially dark tattoos with plenty of fillings with black ink. This is less a personal taste argument and more a logical one. If a judge cannot see the details of your physique – the judge can’t score you as high as others standing next to you on stage.
Are there possible health risks from tattoos?
Beyond the competitive bodybuilding stage, there are other small but possibly dangerous risks to consider before getting extensive tattoos. Much as Jerry Brainum explained how they can obscure conditioning, they can also obscure or hide early signs of skin cancer. Skin discoloration or moles are warning signs that should always be checked out. This might be harder to notice with extensive dark tattoos obscuring the skin.
Jerry Brainum also points to a study that shows extensive tattoos can decrease your sweat rate by 50%. For bodybuilders, this can be a more damaging issue. Less sweat might make workouts more difficult. Not only that – but on competition day the hot lights and long periods of comparison rounds can become more challenging.
Lastly, Jerry Brainum points out some studies that showcase the toxic risks of tattoos. While Brainum himself points out there are very few anecdotal stories of people getting sick from them – it’s not impossible.
Many studies have shown that risks of infection or disease can occur if the tattoo artist does not follow proper cleaning procedures on the needle while tattooing. In addition to this, other studies have shown certain inks having contaminants including carcinogens. Again, the risk is extremely low for traditional or simple tattoos. But for those covering large portions of their body with heavy filling of color – the risk increases.
Wrap Up
Ultimately, Jerry Brainum reiterates that he doesn’t want to use scare tactics to villainize tattoos. While he thinks society should not consider tattoo inking as benign, it is extremely low risk overall. However, a competitive bodybuilder should think a bit harder as to whether or not to get extensive tattoos. It can potentially affect your sweat rate and make training more challenging. But worst of all, it can make your conditioning harder to see on the stage.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into full detail about tattoos and bodybuilding in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. Make sure to check back every Wednesday for new episodes of Straight Facts!
PNBA Figure Champion Alondra Chatman’s Bodybuilding Workout to Transform Your Back
PNBA 2x Natural Olympia Figure champion Alondra Chatman shares her workout to transform your back.
A ripped back can drastically enhance your physique. A back that’s shredded will improve your shoulder-to-waist ratio to give you a nice V-taper. And it will prevent upper body imbalances – for men, at least since many men overtrain their chest muscles and undertrain their back muscles. In addition, a muscular and lean back is essential for bodybuilders. International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) 2x Figure Open Natural Olympia champion Alondra Chatman shared her workout to transform your back.
Alondra Chatman has a multi-media contract with Generation Iron, INBA PNBA, and Iron Man Magazine and is a PNBA Hall of Fame Inductee. Moreover, her business was nominated by the San Leandro Mayor for the Award of Excellence in 2021.
Iron Man Magazine shared clips on Instagram of Alondra Chatman performing a back workout below.
Alondra Chatman’s Workout to Transform Your Back
Below is Alondra Chatman’s back workout.
Dumbbell Bent-over Row: 3 sets x 12 reps
Stability Ball Hyperextension: 3 sets x 12 reps
Heavy Barbell Row: 3 sets x 8 reps
Cable Seated Row: 3 sets x 12 reps
Banded Barbell Row: 3 sets x 6 reps
Dumbbell Single-arm Row: 3 sets x 6 reps
Benefits of a Strong Back
A muscular back will widen your torso, which will enhance your V-taper since it will improve your shoulder-to-hip ratio. A strong back will also:
improve your body composition
fix your posture
prevent muscular imbalances
Besides your legs, your back hosts the second-largest muscle (lats), so building up your back will give your frame more muscle and less fat. In addition, of course, a straight back will improve your posture, and back exercises will help correct a rounded back. Moreover, your back stabilizes your shoulder joints, which will help you improve your bench press. And it’s imperative to build a solid back to protect yourself from injuries because overtraining your chest muscles and undertraining your back muscles increase the risk.
INBA PNBA Natural Bodybuilding Upcoming Shows
The INBA PNBA is the largest natural bodybuilding federation and provides the most significant payouts and prizes. The INBA PNBA’s Instagram page released the upcoming INBA PNBA competitions from May through July. Here is the remainder of the INBA PNBA natural bodybuilding events in May and their location and prizes/awards:
May 14th PNBA America’s Natural – Chicago, IL
PNBA Natural Olympia Qualifier
PNBA Prize Money Payouts
May 14th INBA Illinois State – Chicago, IL
PNBA Pro Qualification Awarded
INBA PNBA Team USA Qualifier
May 21st INBA New England Naturals – Oakville, CT
PNBA Pro Qualification Awarded
INBA PNBA Team USA Qualifier
May 21st INBA Silver & Black San Leandro, CA
PNBA Pro Qualification Awarded
INBA PNBA Team USA Qualifier
May 28th PNBA INBA Pro/Am International Battle Against Cancer – Corona, CA
PNBA Prize Money Payouts
Natural Olympia Qualifier Professional/Amateurs
Below you can see the INBA PNBA’s complete upcoming show listing.
Here is the complete list of the INBA PNBA’s 2022 natural bodybuilding season.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more natural bodybuilding workouts!
PNBA Figure Champion Alondra Chatman’s Bodybuilding Shredded Back Workout
PNBA 2x Natural Olympia Figure champion Alondra Chatman shares a workout to build a shredded back.
A ripped back can drastically enhance your physique. A back that’s shredded will improve your shoulder-to-waist ratio to give you a nice V-taper. And it will prevent upper body imbalances – for men, at least since many men overtrain their chest muscles and undertrain their back muscles. In addition, a muscular and lean back is essential for bodybuilders. International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) 2x Figure Open Natural Olympia champion Alondra Chatman shared her shredded back workout.
Alondra Chatman also has a multi-media contract with Generation Iron, INBA PNBA, and Iron Man Magazine and is a PNBA Hall of Fame Inductee. Moreover, her business was nominated by the San Leandro Mayor for the Award of Excellence in 2021.
Iron Man Magazine shared clips on Instagram of Alondra Chatman performing a back workout below.
Alondra Chatman’s Shredded Back Workout
Below is Alondra Chatman’s back workout.
Dumbbell Bent-over Row: 3 sets x 12 reps
Stability Ball Hyperextension: 3 sets x 12 reps
Heavy Barbell Row: 3 sets x 8 reps
Cable Seated Row: 3 sets x 12 reps
Banded Barbell Row: 3 sets x 6 reps
Dumbbell Single-arm Row: 3 sets x 6 reps
Benefits of a Strong Back
A defined back will widen your torso, which will enhance your V-taper since it will improve your shoulder-to-hip ratio. A strong back will also:
improve your body composition
fix your posture
prevent muscular imbalances
Besides your legs, your back hosts the second-largest muscle (lats), so building up your back will give your frame more muscle and less fat. In addition, of course, a straight back will improve your posture, and back exercises will help correct a rounded back. Moreover, your back stabilizes your shoulder joints, which will help you improve your bench press. And it’s imperative to build a solid back to protect yourself from injuries because overtraining your chest muscles and undertraining your back muscles increase the risk.
INBA PNBA Natural Bodybuilding Upcoming Shows
The INBA PNBA is the largest natural bodybuilding federation and provides the most significant payouts and prizes. The INBA PNBA’s Instagram page released the upcoming INBA PNBA competitions from May through July. Here is the remainder of the INBA PNBA natural bodybuilding events in May and their location and prizes/awards:
May 14th PNBA America’s Natural – Chicago, IL
PNBA Natural Olympia Qualifier
PNBA Prize Money Payouts
May 14th INBA Illinois State – Chicago, IL
PNBA Pro Qualification Awarded
INBA PNBA Team USA Qualifier
May 21st INBA New England Naturals – Oakville, CT
PNBA Pro Qualification Awarded
INBA PNBA Team USA Qualifier
May 21st INBA Silver & Black San Leandro, CA
PNBA Pro Qualification Awarded
INBA PNBA Team USA Qualifier
May 28th PNBA INBA Pro/Am International Battle Against Cancer – Corona, CA
PNBA Prize Money Payouts
Natural Olympia Qualifier Professional/Amateurs
Below you can see the INBA PNBA’s complete upcoming show listing.
Here is the complete list of the INBA PNBA’s 2022 natural bodybuilding season.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more natural bodybuilding workouts!
Every Winner Of The Arnold Classic Bodybuilding Show
Photo via @officialflexwheeler Instagram, @ronniecoleman8 Instagram, and @brandon_curry Instagram
All the Arnold Classic winners until now!
Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn’t stopped his support of the sport that he saw so much success with. The seven-time Mr. Olympia winner wanted to continue to support and promote the sport and the Arnold Sports Festival has now taken over, including bodybuilding shows, strongman events, and other great competitions that give athletes a chance to show off their skills. The Arnold Classic Bodybuilding Show has become one of those events in the community that everyone looks forward to.
Held in Columbus, Ohio, some of the best bodybuilders have crossed the stage and held the trophy high as they have taken home the top prize. With a long history and stacked list of winners, every year contenders flock to this event to compete at a high level and hoist that trophy overhead.
We put together a list of past winners of the Arnold Classic so you can see all of the bodybuilding giants to take that top podium spot. With a long history in the books, fans are excited every year to see which new legend will take the top prize.
Arnold Classic Winners
Rich Gaspari – 1989
Mike Ashley – 1990
Shawn Ray – 1991
Vince Taylor – 1992
Flex Wheeler – 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000
Kevin Levrone – 1994, 1996
Mike Francois – 1995
Nasser El Sonbaty – 1999
Ronnie Coleman – 2001
Jay Cutler – 2002, 2003, 2004
Dexter Jackson – 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2015
Victor Martinez – 2007
Kai Greene – 2009, 2010, 2016
Branch Warren – 2011, 2012
Dennis Wolf – 2014
Cedric McMillan – 2017
William Bonac – 2018, 2020
Brandon Curry – 2019, 2022
Nick Walker – 2021
Rich Gaspari – 1989
Rich Gaspari made his pro debut in 1985 and was constantly praised for his conditioning and definition. He was a runner-up at Mr. Olympia three times but this win at the Arnold Classic was another big title to add to his impressive resume. He now runs his supplements company called Gaspari Nutrition.
Mike Ashley – 1990
Mike Ashley turned pro in 1986 and had a number of appearances at big competitions, including a top ten finish at Mr. Olympia. At this Arnold Classic event, he came out looking absolutely shredded and took home the top prize, leaving this impressive notch in his bodybuilding resume.
Related: A Complete List Of Mr. Olympia Winners Throughout The Years
Shawn Ray – 1991
Shawn Ray consistently placed high in bodybuilding shows, mostly in the top five, which led to a long career of wins, including this win at the Arnold Classic in 1991. After he retired, he appeared in a umber of magazines and hosted contests for ESPN while staying as involved as he could with the sport.
Vince Taylor – 1992
Vince Taylor turned pro in 1988 and this Arnold Classic win came shortly after. For a while he had a record of 22 wins until it was broken by Ronnie Coleman, however, Taylor is still remembered highly in the bodybuilding community.
Flex Wheeler – 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000
Many legends say that Flex Wheeler was one of, if not, the best bodybuilders they have faced. This four-time Arnold Classic winner came close to a Mr. Olympia title in 1993 but has won plenty of other top events making him one of those incredibly memorable athletes.
Kevin Levrone – 1994, 1996
Kevin Levrone narrowly missed an Oympia title four times, falling short to both Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman. With a great career, these two wins at the Arnold Classic have still put him on the map as a top contender in the bodybuilding circuit when he was competing.
Mike Francois – 1995
Mike Francois took home the Arnold Classic title in 1995 and had a good career until starting his training business. During his career he won other events like the Chicago Pro and San Jose Pro, among others.
Nasser El Sonbaty – 1999
This win at the Arnold Classic was the best win out of his 53 pro shows for Nasser El Sonbaty. He did place second at Mr. Olympia in 1997 and those round glasses he always wore saw plenty of action throughout his career.
Ronnie Coleman – 2001
Ronnie Coleman is one of those names everyone knows and this mass monster started training for a free membership at a local gym. This Arnold Classic win was among plenty of amazing wins, including an 8-year run at Mr. Olympia.
Jay Cutler – 2002, 2003, 2004
Jay Cutler is another big name in the bodybuilding community and this three-time Arnold Classic winner was also a four-time Olympia winner. He now runs Cutler Nutrition and seeks to spread his knowledge of bodybuilding onto others.
Dexter Jackson – 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2015
Dexter Jackson was an absolute force with 5 wins at the Arnold Classic and a win at the 2008 Olympia competition. He is also the only bodybuilder to win the overall title at Mr. Olympia and Masters Olympia. These wins at the Arnold Classic are among the many memorable wins for this dedicated bodybuilder.
Victor Martinez – 2007
Victor Martinez came onto the scene in 2001 and started off competing in big events, although his finishes were rather far down the list. However, with continued work, he took first at the Arnold Classic here in 2007 and finished second to Jay Cutler at Olympia in the same year.
Kai Greene – 2009, 2010, 2016
Kai Greene hit the pro circuit in 2004 and had great success in his bodybuilding career. Taking first in three Arnold Classic events, he also placed second in 2012, 2013, and 2014. His final Arnold Classic win came in 2016 which was a great year for Greene as he also won titles at the Arnold Classic South America and Arnold Classic Australia.
Branch Warren – 2011, 2012
Branch Warren placed in the top three at a number of Olympia shows, however these two wins at the Arnold Classic put him great contention on the pro circuit. His dominant career saw great success and he was always a worthy opponent to face off against.
Dennis Wolf – 2014
Dennis Wolf finished first at a number of events throughout his career, but this 2014 Arnold Classic win is very notable. His focus on bodybuilding came at an early age and his small waist was notable in the sport since he turned pro in 2005.
Related: Every Winner Of The New York Pro Bodybuilding Show
Cedric McMillan – 2017
Cedric McMillan was praised for his physique and the idea of bringing back the golden era physique bodybuilding fans missed. Since earning his pro card in 2009, he was a dominant force on the pro circuit and this win at the Arnold Classic was just one example of why.
William Bonac – 2018, 2020
William Bonac began to climb the ranks in the bodybuilding community and competed in many shows, taking two Arnold Classic first place finishes and other top finishes at events like Mr. Olympia. He continues to push other competitors to be the best they can be.
Brandon Curry – 2019, 2022
Brandon Curry put himself on the map with his 2019 Mr. Olympia win, but these two Arnold Classic wins do not go unnoticed. He is a force on the pro circuit and shows no signs of slowing down.
Nick Walker – 2021
Nick Walker turned pro in 2020 and has already made noise in the community. He took this Arnold Classic title the same year he won the New York Pro event and rounded out the year with a fifth-place finish at Mr. Olympia.
With Brandon Curry the defending champion, fans cannot wait for the next Olympia event as all eyes will see who will take that top spot come the next competition.
Wrap Up
The Arnold Classic is a great event and one where many great competitors take the stage in efforts to win that top prize. As a celebrated event in the bodybuilding community, every year fans wait to see who will come out on top and take home the top prize and title of Arnold Classic champion.
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 Flex Wheeler Instagram, Ronnie Coleman Instagram, and Brandon Curry Instagram
Build Sleeve Ripping Triceps With This Crazy Arm Workout
Build those ripped tris with this workout.
Biceps and triceps are two sides of the same coin and yet tris don’t get the same love as the bis, but this triceps workout can change that. Generally, the muscles which can’t be seen in the mirror directly like the tris, back, rear delts, hams, and calves don’t get the same treatment as their counterparts. We love to show off our muscles and if we can’t see them then we start to think others won’t either. But this is why these are the weak muscle group for most people. They just don’t get that much love.
Triceps consist of three heads and a great pair of tris should look like a horse kicked you in the back of your arm. Muscular tris can make your arms look significantly bigger as they add symmetry and size. Plus, they can help give your biceps shape so you really add a well-rounded look of symmetry, size, and shape to your biceps’ aesthetic.
You’ll have to hit your tris from all the three angles to train them effectively. The perfect triceps workout is a blend of compound and isolation exercises, plus resistance and bodyweight exercises. What you will find by doing this is that your workouts will never suffer because you will have so much diversity in your routine. With plenty of exercises, you won’t feel so bogged down and won’t suffer from any of those unwanted plateaus either.
We’ll be starting this workout with isolation exercises to exhaust our tris at the beginning of the workout, so we don’t have to lift heavier weights later in the compound exercises. We’ll be using a lot of variety in this workout to completely annihilate your triceps so you see those desired results to strength, size, and symmetry. Let’s jump into this triceps workout so you can get the most out of your arm day routine.
Sleeve Ripping Triceps Workout
This great sleeve ripping triceps workout will make you buy a new shirt every time you flex. Those bulging tris can add to any aesthetic and make your arms look absolutely massive. With the right approach to lifting and working your triceps, not only will your biceps benefit, but your overall physique will as well.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
SUPERSET
Cable Triceps Pushdown
3
30, 20, 10 (descending)
Elastic Band Triceps Pushdown
3
10, 20, 30 (ascending)
END SUPERSET
Incline Bench Dumbbell Skullcrushers
4
30, 25, 20 followed by 10 reps drop set
Dumbbell Kickbacks
3
20
Smith Machine Close-Grip Bench Press
3
20, 15, 10 (descending)
SUPERSET
Dips
3
Until Failure
Diamond Push-Ups
3
Until Failure
END SUPERSET
Exercise #1 and #2 (Superset) – Cable Triceps Pushdown & Elastic Band Triceps Pushdown
The first exercise of this workout should completely burn out your tris. Perform these exercises with a strict form. Stand straight, don’t lean over the bar or the bands, lock your elbows at your sides, and bring your hands over your elbows at the top of the movement.
Related: Eight Best Dumbbell Exercises For Your Triceps
In the elastic band triceps pushdowns, hang the bands around the cable pulley machine so the handles or the ends of the bands are at your chest level. In the lower reps set, increase the resistance on the bands by grabbing them higher and reduce the resistance by holding it by its ends.
Exercise #3 – Incline Bench Dumbbell Skullcrushers
The last set of this exercise is a drop-set. After completing the 20 reps, increase the weights by at least 50% and complete the remaining 10 reps. In this workout, we use many advanced training techniques to ignite new gains in our tris.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lock your elbows over your forehead where they are perpendicular to the floor. Hold the dumbbells with a hammer grip and bring them close to your shoulders at the bottom of the movement. Rotate your wrists to a dumbbell chest press position at the top of the movement and contract your triceps.
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Exercise #4 – Dumbbell Kickbacks
In this exercise, we’ll be using the rest-pause technique. After you’re done performing the 20 reps on an arm, take a five-second rest and then do more reps on the same arm until you hit failure.
Throughout this workout, focus on squeezing your tris with every rep and maintain a mind-muscle connection. Don’t just go through the motions. By the end of this workout, your triceps should be filled with blood and lactic acid and asking for mercy.
Related: 5 Exercises To Build Horseshoe Triceps
Exercise #5 – Smith Machine Close-Grip Bench Press
We prefer the smith machine close grip bench presses over the barbell presses because it adds a lot more stability, reduces the stress from the wrists, and adds more tension on the tris while limiting the pec recruitment.
In the intraset stretching sets, hold the bar at the bottom of the movement over your chest for 10 seconds after completing the aforementioned reps. Without racking the weights do more reps until you reach failure.
Exercise #6 and #7 (Superset) – Dips & Diamond Push-Ups
We’ll end this workout with bodyweight exercises done to failure. If you still have some gas left in the tank, feel free to add resistance. You could also perform this superset using the blood flow restriction technique (BFR) by tying elastic bands around your arms.
Perform the dips on parallel bars while keeping an upright stance. Don’t lean forward as it will recruit your chest. In the diamond pushups, form a triangle with your hands under your chest, so your thumbs and index fingers are touching each other and forming a triangle.
Wrap Up
The right triceps workout will enhance your goals for the better and give you that bulging aesthetic you want most. A great combination of compound and isolation exercises, what you will find is variety in your workout while also feeling like you are accomplishing what you want. Be prepared to buy a couple of new shirts for this triceps workout is one to rip the sleeves right off. You will love the way you look and the way you feel with this amazing triceps workout.
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
Natural Olympia Champion Meshack Ochieng Explains In-Season Vs. Off-Season Bodybuilding Training
Image via Instagram @meshackochieng
Keynan Natural Olympia champion Meshack Ochieng discusses his natural bodybuilding training variation in-season vs. off-season.
Bodybuilders structures their training routine corresponding to what their goal is. The training for athletes in-season vs. off-season varies. International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) Kenyan Natural Olympia champion Meshack Ochieng discussed how his training changes in-season vs. off-season.
Meshack Ochieng is a Keynan PNBA natural bodybuilder standing 5’2”. Despite his size disadvantage, he won Natural Olympia 2020, the 2018 OCB pro bodybuilding Yorton Cup, and the 2018 IPE Worlds. His training regimen didn’t start with luxury training equipment. Instead, Ochieng began lifting weights with stone dumbbells and barbells in his backyard.
Off-Season Training Vs. In-Season Training
Meshack Ochieng was on the Longevity Muscle Podcast discussing various topics and touched on how his training differs in-season vs. out of season. Ochieng says that he trains four days a week during the off-season (each muscle group once a week) and increases the volume during contest prep. Ochieng stated:
“When I’m four weeks to competition, that’s when I move it to six days a week. When it comes to competition, when I’m getting ready to compete, I train everything twice a week. But then four weeks out, then it’s three times a week.”
Ochieng claims that 4-6 weeks is all he needs to prep for a show. However, Ochieng admits that he stayed away from American food upon migrating to America. So he could keep on track with his nutrition during the off-season, mainly eating healthy foods.
Ochieng also suggested avoiding heavy lifting as a show approaches. Ochieng noted:
“Doing heavy workouts when you are approaching a contest is very dangerous. Because the more you get leaner, the more your joints get weak. And so if you put heavy loads on weak joints, you are going to get injured.”
Ochieng discussed several other topics on the podcast, including not needing a luxury gym to build a world-class physique and his training philosophy.
Training Without State-of-the-Art Equipment
Ochieng started weightlifting in Kenya with his older brother. They didn’t have a standard gym and made their backyard gym. Ochieng said:
“We didn’t have a fully equipped gym, so everything in our small gym we made it by ourselves. We constructed the benches, the weights.”
Now, Ochieng says he trains at a small gym at Anytime Fitness.
In addition, Chieng says it’s essential to find movements that work the best with your genetics; not everyone will respond to each exercise the same.
Training Philosophy
Ochieng says if you’re a competitor, it’s essential to know when to change things. For example, Ochieng says that supersets are effective before shows. However, he doesn’t recommend them to build muscle. Instead, he suggests picking one or two big compound movements per body part. Ochieng personally picks two workouts with big heavy weight (in the 5-8 rep range), then the rest of his training is with light weight performing ten reps.
Ochieng also trains biceps with the chest because he’s found his triceps are toast after training his chest muscles. Therefore, he’ll pair his triceps with his back workout.
Ochieng discusses knowing when to change your workout routine in detail below.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more natural bodybuilding training tips!
Tony Pearson: Bodybuilders Should Stay Natural As Long As Possible Before Turning To Steroids
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Tony Pearson reacts to the current state of steroid use in competitive bodybuilding and compares it to his era of the sport.
The past two years have been challenging in the sport of bodybuilding. Not only due to a pandemic that ground the sport to a temporary halt but also due to a long line of tragic too-soon athlete deaths. While the cause of death for many of these athletes remain unknown – many have started to put deeper focus on drug use in the sport and its affect on health. During our interviews with old school bodybuilding legends – we have been asking their take on modern steroid use compared to their era. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Tony Pearson reflects on steroid use during his time competing – and urges competitors to stay natural for as long as possible before using PEDs.
During our conversation with Tony Pearson, we asked him if he felt that steroids and other PEDs should be removed entirely from the sport of bodybuilding. With such a focus on health and the dangers of PEDs lately – should pro leagues start getting serious about testing?
Tony Pearson believes this could never happen due to how prevalent steroids are in the sport and how necessary they are in the late stage of pro competition. However, he does believe that the culture around steroid and PED use has changed for modern athletes specifically. Namely, now steroids are the first go-to option from the get go. In Tony Pearson’s time – pro athletes would stay natural as long as possible to determine their peak natural limit. Only then would they enhance with PEDs. Even then, it was much less than the doses Pearson hears about today.
Looking back at our first documentary, Generation Iron, great emphasis was placed by both athletes and experts that steroids are not a miracle muscle drug. Behind the enhancements, hard work is still required. Essentially, the drugs do not take away from the work put in by these miraculous athletes.
That still remains true today, but Tony Pearson points out, as many others have as well, that the culture has changed. Modern bodybuilders jump into steroids at a very young age and at an early point in their career. The hard work is still present – but the drugs seem to take center stage ahead of the hard work. A young competitive bodybuilder is more concerned with perfecting a steroid cycle or drug protocol than perfecting their training routine.
Tony Pearson explains that staying natural as long as possible should be the goal. Not simply to stay healthier – but to truly know your limits without the drugs. Only when an athlete reaches 100% all-natural should a competitor move onto PEDs and steroids. Competitors would be amazed at just how much progress can be made before PEDs are needed.
The internet has changed a lot of things across the globe. Information is faster than ever before. This makes competitive bodybuilders more able to learn about and obtain steroids sooner and faster. Perhaps this is the main culprit behind the culture shift in bodybuilding. Or perhaps this is the natural progression as physiques continue to get bigger and bigger inspiring new generations to top it. In either case, Tony Pearson joins a growing chorus of legends warning the new generation to slow down.
You can watch Tony Pearson’s full comments on steroids and PEDs in bodybuilding by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
2022 Vancouver Island Showdown Results
Christelle Zarovska wins Women’s Physique at the Vancouver Island Showdown!
The Vancouver Island Showdown took place on Saturday with two divisions on display. Vancouver was the site that saw Christelle Zarovska win Women’s Physique and earn a chance to compete against some of the best competitors in the world come December.
This will be Zarovska’s second consecutive Olympia appearance. In 2021, she won the Omaha Pro and punched her ticket. During the biggest show of the year, Zarovska finished eighth in Women’s Physique. Exactly one year later, she will have a chance to show improvements on the biggest stage.
Eva Montgomery appeared on stage in Women’s Bodybuilding hoping to return to the Olympia. She competed at the Tampa Pro last season and returned to the stage on Saturday.
The full results from the show have been announced. Check out the breakdown from each division and official score cards below!
2022 Vancouver Island Showdown: All Division Winners
Women’s Physique: Christelle Zarovska
Women’s Bodybuilding: Eva Montgomery
2022 Vancouver Island Showdown Breakdown
Women’s Physique
First Place – Christelle Zarovska
Second Place – Emilija Martic
Third Place – Tina Mauer Guadarrama
Fourth Place – Maria Quennie Liberman
Fifth Place – Layla Ikahihifo
Sixth Place – Jennifer Streeter
Seventh Place – Dannielle Goulet
Women’s Bodybuilding
First Place – Eva Montgomery
2022 Vancouver Island Showdown Official Score Cards
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
PHOTOS: Hunter Labrada Makes Appearance As Guest Poser During Pittsburgh Pro
Hunter Labrada made his second guest posing appearance of the year in Pittsburgh!
Hunter Labrada has been putting on some major size this offseason and showed it off once again during the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro. The competition was held on May 6-7 with guest posers appearing on Saturday. This is Labrada’s second time appearing on stage as a guest poser giving fans physique updates since he will not be competing in any official shows.
The Pittsburgh Pro is known for its star studded guest posing routines. The competition is run by IFBB Pro and NPC president Jim Manion, making it one of the more exciting events of the season each year. Alongside Labrada was Brandon Curry, Nick Walker, and Derek Lunsford also guest posing.
Hunter Labrada is one of the biggest up-and-coming talents in bodybuilding. He was victorious during the Chicago Pro last season giving him qualification to the biggest show of the year. Labrada finished fourth during the Olympia and has put all of his effort into improving for this year’s show.
You can see photos of Labrada and all guest posers at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro right here:
Hunter Labrada burst onto the scene in 2020 when he won the Tampa Pro, earning his first bid to the Olympia. He finished eighth that year and made a huge jump come 2021. Now Labrada, who has gained many fans over the years, is looking to make even more improvements heading into the 2022 show.
Labrada is the second going of his father, legendary bodybuilder Lee Labrada. He is a mass monster but has developed a physique that fits modern day bodybuilding. He is well conditioned and brings an aesthetically pleasing look to the stage.
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Hunter Labrada has the size to compete on stage and the drive to improve day by day. Put all of this together and there is a competitor that might be destined for an Olympia victory in his career. In 2021, Labrada finished behind just Curry, Hadi Choopan, and reigning two-time champion Big Ramy.
The 2022 Olympia has a chance to be one of the deepest in recent memory with the likes of Labrada and Walker putting all effort this season into it. Labrada recently showed what he has to offer and fans should be looking forward to what he will bring to Las Vegas.
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PHOTOS: Derek Lunsford Stole The Show During His Guest Posing At The 2022 Pittsburgh Pro
Derek Lunsford shocked fans with a massive guest posing at the star studded 2022 Pittsburgh Pro.
Derek Lunsford gave us an up close and personal look at his latest physique during his guest posing at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro – which commenced on May 7, 2022. This is Lunsford’s first on stage appearance of 2022. While this is still a strong seven months away from the Mr. Olympia, it provides fans with some insight into his offseason physique as he trains to potentially win his third Olympia title later this year.
The Pittsburgh Pro is a notable pro bodybuilding competition for being run by IFBB Pro and NPC president Jim Manion himself. Due to this, the Pittsburgh Pro always has a star studded roster of elite IFBB Pro competitors take the stage to guest pose. Beyond Derek Lunsford, Brandon Curry, Nick Walker, and Hunter Labrada all took the stage to guest pose as well.
Many fans were expecting to see Big Ramy take the stage at the Pittsburgh Pro – but he ended up being a no-show. Instead, Derek Lunsford made a surprise appearance and looked truly massive. In fact, many fans were pointing out that he looked as large or even larger than many of the Men’s Open competitors who guest posed alongside him that night.
Derek Lunsford is the current Men’s 212 Olympia champion – but his physique here showed that he could truly hold an impressive and controlled physique weighing well over the 212 limit.
Derek Lunsford is the number one competitor to beat at the 2022 Men’s 212 Olympia. Lunsford truly shocked and impressed at the 2021 Olympia, knocking out the returning champion Shaun Clarida. After many years of impressive showings, Lunsford transformed into perfection that night with a shock and awe performance. Many believe that if he could keep that kind of consistency, he will be an Olympia champion for years to come.
Most notable this weekend was the fact that Derek Lunsford was the only non-Men’s Open competitor guest posing. Derek Lunsford took the stage alongside Brandon Curry, Nick Walker, and Hunter Labrada. Not only did Lunsford look impressive in his own right – he looked fantastic standing side by side with the other Men’s Open competitors. This spurred many fans to wonder if he will one day transition into the Men’s Open division.
Many Men’s 212 competitors have transitioned to Men’s Open over the past few years. Most notable is Hadi Choopan – who has placed in the top five consistently in Men’s Open at the Olympia. Perhaps Lunsford can have the same kind of success if he transitioned upwards. He can hold much more size and height that Choopan – which might give him an even better advantage based on what we saw during the guest posing this weekend.
This is all just speculation though. For now, the main takeaway is that Derek Lunsford is still the number one competitor to beat at the Men’s 212 Olympia later this year. A lot can change over the next seven months, so nothing is set in stone. But this offseason physique was so impressive – many will hype Lunsford further for the rest of this season.