Tag: Bodybuilding
2022 Thailand Pro Results and Scorecards
The 2022 Thailand Pro Olympia qualifier took place on 26-27 March, 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand. The show featured total four divisions including Men’s 212 Bodybuilding, Classic Physique, Men’s Physique and Bikini International. It was a 2022 Olympia qualifier, therefore, winner secured a spot to compete at the big event scheduled for Dec 15-18, 2022, in Las Vegas…
2022 San Diego Pro Championships Results and Scorecards
The 2022 San Diego Pro Championships Olympia qualifier took place on March 26, 2022, in San Diego, California, featuring the Men’s Classic Physique division. Top competitors for the Classic Physique division gathered in San Diego, California hoping to earn the chance to compete in the biggest competition of the year 2022 Mr. Olympia. The Classic…
2022 Caribbean Grand Prix Bermuda Pro Results and Scorecards
The 2022 Caribbean Grand Prix Bermuda Pro Olympia qualifier took place on Saturday 26 March, 2022 in Hamilton, Bermuda. The show featured two women’s top divisions Wellness and Bikini International. In the end, Eli Fernandez of Bikini and Barbara Cesar of Wellness wins title at Caribbean Grand Prix Bermuda 2022 pro show. Caribbean Pro Bermuda was…
William Long Profile & Stats
The biography, life, and accomplishments of William Long
William Long is a half-Caucasian half-Korean International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) natural bodybuilder born on April 24, 1987. William Long is known as “The OG” after becoming the first PNBA Men’s Physique Natural Olympia Champion. He’s the reigning 3x champ and an INBA PNBA Hall of Fame Inductee.
William Long was also the first natural athlete to sign a multi-media contract with the INBA PNBA, Generation Iron, and Iron Man Magazine.
Below is a complete breakdown of William Long’s profile, stats, biography, training, and diet regime.
Full Name: William Long
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
165 lbs (in-season), 180-190 lbs (off-season)
5’8″
04/24/1987
Division
Era
Nationality
Men’s Physique
2010
Half-Caucasian, Half-Korean
Biography
William Long was born in Fort Polk, Louisiana, on April 24, 1987. Although, he moved a lot being an army brat growing up. He credits Virginia for being the state he grew up in. However, he’s been residing in California since 2009.
William Long attended West Virginia University and initially majored in pre-veterinary medicine until he realized his true passion lay in health and fitness. Long then switched his major to Human Nutritional Sciences. He also holds a criminal justice associate’s degree and is a certified personal trainer through American Council on Exercise (ACE).
William Long is the number one ranked Men’s Physique competitor worldwide. He dominates this division and has won 3 gold medals at Natural Olympia, never placing below second in the six Natural Olympia shows he’s competed in.
Competition History
2021 PNBA/INBA Natural Olympia: 1st Place Pro Men’s Physique
2021 PNBA/INBA Mr. and Ms. USA: 3rd Place Pro Men’s Physique
2019 PNBA/INBA Natural Olympia: 2nd Place Pro Men’s Physique
2019 PNBA/INBA World Cup: 1st Place Pro Men’s Physique
2019 PNBA/INBA Battle Against Cancer: 1st Place Pro Men’s Physique
2017 PNBA/INBA Natural Olympia: 1st Place Pro Men’s Physique
2017 PNBA/INBA Night of the Natural Champions: 2nd Place Pro Men’s Physique
2016 PNBA/INBA Natural Olympia: 2nd Place Pro Men’s Physique
2016 PNBA/INBA Team USA: 1st Place Pro Men’s Physique
2015 PNBA/INBA Natural Olympia: 2nd Place Pro Men’s Physique
2015 PNBA/INBA Team USA: 3rd Place Pro Men’s Physique
2013 NPC Team USA: (no placement)
2012 PNBA/INBA Natural Olympia: 1st Place Pro Men’s Physique
2012 NPC Los Angeles Grand Prix: 1st Place Open Men’s Physique Class B
2012 NPC Los Angeles Championship: 3rd Place Open Men’s Physique Class B
2012 INBA Iron Gladiator:
1st Place Novice Men’s Bodybuilding
3rd Place Men’s Open
2011 INBA Mr. & Ms. Los Angeles:
1st Place Novice Men’s Bodybuilding
3rd Place Men’s Open Bodybuilding
2011 INBA Iron Gladiator: 1st Place Novice Men’s Bodybuilding
William Long’s Workout Plan
William Long said there’s nothing special about his workout plan and stated, “I go to the gym and bust my ass.” He’s tried various protocols and has found that consistency is the most important.
Currently, Long does a typical “bro split,” training a separate muscle group once per week, five days a week, with two rest days. And he limits cardio. Instead, he likes to focus on his step count to preserve muscle and help with recovery.
William Long trains from home and consistently does basic compound movements such as barbell bench press, barbell row, barbell squat, and barbell overhead press with heavy weight and high intensity.
Below is what a typical workout looks like for William Long.
Day 1 – Legs
Leg Extension Superset Leg Curl: 5 sets x 15, 12 10, 8, 6 reps
Smith Machine Squat/Barbell Squat: 5 sets x 15, 12, 10, 10, 8 reps
Leg Press (5th Set Triple Drop Set): 4 sets x 15, 12, 12, 10, 10 reps
Stiff-leg Barbell/Dumbbell Deadlift: 5 sets x 15, 12, 12, 10, 10 reps
Walking Dumbbell Lunge: 3 sets x 20 reps
Day 2 – Chest and Triceps
Incline/Flat Barbell/Dumbbell Bench Press: 6 sets x 15, 12, 10 10, 8, 8 reps
Single-arm Hammer Strength/Dumbbell Incline/Flat Chest Press: 3 sets x 10 reps
Cable Chest Fly Superset Cable Chest Press: 4 sets x 10 reps/ 4 sets x 15 reps
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension: 3 sets x 12, 10, 10 reps
Cable Pushdown (Rope Attachment): 5 sets x 15, 15, 12, 12, 12 reps
Day 3 – Back and Biceps
Wide Grip Lat Pull-down: 4 sets x 15, 12, 12, 10 reps
Underhand Grip Pull-down: 4 sets x 12, 12, 10, 10 reps
Bent-over Barbell Row: 4 sets x 12, 10, 10, 8 reps
One-arm Dumbbell Row: 3 sets x 12, 10, 10 reps
Barbell Deadlift/Rack Pull: 4 sets x 10, 10, 8, 6 reps
Overhead Lat Pull-down/Dumbbell Pullover: 5 sets x 12-15 reps/4 sets x 12, 12, 10, 10 reps
Barbell 21’s: 3 sets x 21 reps
Dumbbell Hammer Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Day 4 – Shoulders
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 5 sets of 15, 12, 12, 10, 10 reps
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 5 sets of 15, 12, 12, 10, 10 reps
Bent-over Dumbbell Rear Raise: 5 sets of 15, 12, 12, 10, 10 reps
Barbell Upright Row: 4 sets of 10 reps
Seated Arnold Press Drop Set (Whole Rack): 1 set x 6 reps
Day 5 – Chest and Back
Flat Dumbbell/Machine Chest Press Superset Pull-up/Lat Pulldown: 4 sets x 15, 12, 10, 10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Fly Superset Machine Row: 4 sets x 15, 12, 10, 10 reps
Dips: 3 sets x failure
Dumbbell Pullover: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Decline Pushup Superset Pushup Superset Knee Pushup: 1 set x failure
*Note: Rest one minute or less between sets.
What Are William Long’s Favorite Exercises?
William Long stated his favorite exercises below.
“Deadlifts are without a doubt my favorite exercise. There’s nothing like pulling heavy weight off the ground. Deadlifts engage the entire body and give you a greater boost in testosterone and growth hormone than any other exercise, in my opinion.
Barbell rows are a close second. Again, pulling heavy weight. Heavy rows have developed my back width and density more than anything else.
Pullover Press is an old school compound exercise I attribute most to the development of my triceps. It’s a total upper body movement that is a combination of a pullover and close grip bench press. It really opens you up.”
Nutrition
Below is a written statement of William Long detailing his nutrition.
“As far as my diet goes, it’s pretty basic. I try to incorporate the most nutrient-dense foods possible within my calorie allotment and macronutrient breakdown. Whether it’s pre-contest or off-season, I eat the same meals. The only difference is quantity.
When I diet down for competition all I do is gradually reduce what I have already been eating. My macronutrient breakdown is normally 1-1.15g protein/lb bodyweight, 20-25% of my calories from fats, and the remainder of my calories filled by carbs.
Some unique foods I like to incorporate are kimchi and sesame oil. What I believe helped improve my physique the most was paying attention to my electrolytes balance. I included more potassium-rich foods like spinach, bananas, and potatoes.
I also measured my salt. I have never felt better during a prep. Everything is weighed and measured so everything can be controlled and easily manipulated.”
Meal Plan
Below is what a typical day of eating looks like for William Long.
Upon Waking: Drink at least 20 oz cold water.
Meal #1: Fish oil, 1 serving fiber, 1 serving greens formula, 1 serving whey, 140 g blueberries (fresh or frozen; wild preferred), 2 bananas, 3 whole eggs, 1 cup (8 oz) unsweetened coconut milk, 75 g spinach (raw weight), ¼ tsp pink sea salt
Meal #2: 6 oz (cooked weight) 96/4 beef, 75 g spinach (raw weight), 2 cups Jasmine white rice (cooked measure), ¼ tsp pink sea salt, Sriracha (any low-calorie condiment under 15 cal.)
Pre-Workout (within 30 min of): 1 serving whey, 1 serving pre-workout, 1 banana
Post Workout (immediately afterward): 1 serving whey 1 banana
Meal #3: Fish oil, 6 oz (cooked weight) 96/4 beef, 75 g spinach (raw weight), 2 cups Jasmine white rice (cooked measure), 1 tbs toasted sesame oil, ¼ tsp pink sea salt, Sriracha (any low-calorie condiment under 15 cal.)
Before Bed: Drink at least 20 oz water 1 serving of ZMA.
Supplements
Below are the supplements William Long takes.
Personal Life
William Long is an active serving member of the United States Air Force as part of the security force (military law enforcement). In addition, Long is a certified personal trainer and contest prep coach. He’s been married since 2016 and has a one-year-old son, Owen.
William Long enjoys tasting new food and loves going to the cinema. He’s also a fan of Bourbon.
2022 Kuwait Classic Pro Results
Here are the full results from the 2022 Kuwait Classic Pro!
The 2022 Kuwait Pro headlined a weekend that featured many bodybuilding competitions all over the world. Many of the top competitors in three division flocked to Kuwait on Friday to fight for qualification to the 2022 Olympia. In the end, it was Urs Kalecinski leading the way with a title in Classic Physique.
Kalecinski came into the event as the biggest name on the card. He was competing for the third consecutive week after two strong showings at big-name shows. Kalecinski finished third in Classic Physique at the Arnold Classic before winning the Boston Pro. Desite having his Olympia qualification already, Kalecinski wanted to return to the stage one more time.
In Men’s 212, Naser Mohamed entered as one of the favorites to win the title. It was Anwar Al Balushi who highlighted the show with victory in the division. The Kuwait Pro gave competitors a chance to show what they have against others in the area.
There were a total of three divisions at the 2022 Kuwait Classic Pro. The full results have been announced. You can find the breakdown of each event below!
2022 Kuwait Classic Pro: All Division Winners
Classic Physique: Urs Kalecinski
Men’s Physique: Coming soon!
Men’s 212: Anwar Al Balushi
2022 Kuwait Classic Pro Full Results
Classic Physique
Full results coming soon!
First Place – Urs Kalecinski
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
Men’s Physique
Full results coming soon!
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
Men’s 212
Full results coming soon!
First Place – Anwar Al Balushi
Second Place – Jafar Ghaffarnezhad Azizi
Third Place – Naser Mohamed
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the 2022 IFBB Kuwait Classic Pro. Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
Tony Pearson: Uniqueness Is Missing From Pro Bodybuilding Physiques Today
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Tony Pearson picks his top 5 bodybuilders of all time and laments the lack of uniqueness in modern bodybuilding physiques.
What started as a discussion about the greatest bodybuilder physiques of all time pivoted into a conversation about modern bodybuilding vs past eras. Tony Pearson has a hard time picking the top 5 greatest bodybuilders of all time – because so many classic bodybuilding legends held truly unique physiques. It’s a kind of stamp of originality that Pearson doesn’t see as much in pro bodybuilding physiques today. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Tony Pearson explains how uniqueness is the missing X factor in modern bodybuilding.
During our conversation with Tony Pearson, we asked him to list his top 5 favorite bodybuilding physiques of all time. He started listing off names such as Sergio Oliva, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, and Franco Columbu. We noticed one commonality in his list – they were all Golden Era bodybuilders with a bigger focus on aesthetics rather than mass monster size.
We pointed this out and asked him about more modern legends such as Ronnie Coleman, Dorian Yates, and Phil Heath. Tony Pearson acknowledges that they are true legends – but perhaps due to primarily competing in the 70s and 80s, Pearson has a particular taste for the more aesthetic golden era.
That being said, he also believes that the most current era of bodybuilding is missing a certain x-factor. Tony Pearson isn’t criticizing modern bodybuilding’s work ethic or skill. Rather, he believes that there is simply a lack of uniqueness in the pro bodybuilding physiques we see on stage today.
“I mean you can’t say who’s the top five because everybody is unique,” Tony Pearson states in our interview. He continues:
“And that’s what we are missing I think today – is the uniqueness of the pros. Because in those days you can cover the face and hold a picture – you know who that is. You know who’s back that is. You know who’s bicep that is. You know who’s legs those are. You know. You know’s abs. Who does that vacuum. We know. And that’s unique. You’re a unique piece of work.”
Tony Pearson goes on to mention Kai Greene, seemingly the most recent pro bodybuilder he can think of that felt unique in his physique as well as his posing. In fact, a lot of the uniqueness can also come in the form of posing. Something that the modern bodybuilders are stuck living in the shadow of from previous legends.
Tony Pearson doesn’t seem to be blaming today’s pro bodybuilders for lack of trying. When it comes to posing, modern bodybuilding simply suffers from being compared to so much that came before. He explains:
“Everyone is copying everyone else now. The guys in the Classic Physique – I can say oh that’s Shawn Ray’s pose or that’s Flex Wheeler’s pose or that’s a Zane pose. I can recognize all the poses from the old time guys”
Tony Pearson has an interesting point. There are now points of reference to other famous bodybuilders. For example, Nick Walker is often being compared to the likes of Dorian Yates and even Ronnie Coleman do to his similar humongous physique. He’s not just “Nick Walker: The One and Only.” He’s “Nick Walker: The Second Coming Of Dorian Yates.” That changes the conversation and perspective on today’s athletes.
Tony Pearson acknowledges this. “It’s hard work,” he goes on to say in our interview. It’s in some ways harder work than the older generations. The Golden Era was pioneering bodybuilding as we know it today. Is there any room left for something truly new in the sport? Or will today’s athletes always be compared in some way, shape, or form to a previous legend?
You can watch Tony Pearson go into full detail on this topic by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
7 Changes Everyone Should Make To Their Training Programs – Today
Changes You Need To Make Your Workout Plan Today
Believing that their training program is foolproof is one of the biggest reasons why people don’t see the results they have been hoping for. You should constantly be making adjustments to your training program to keep your muscles guessing.
You could make all these changes at once or a couple of them at regular intervals. If you have hit a plateau or aren’t growing as fast or as big as you would like, you need to make these modifications to your training program.
Intensity
Intensity includes but is not limited to the number of repetitions. You should constantly change the number of sets, rest times, and weights to shock your muscles into growing. If you don’t break a sweat throughout your workout – you’re doing it wrong.
You have to get outside your comfort zone to see favorable changes in your physique. Sticking to the vanilla training program where you perform 12-8 reps and 3 sets of an exercise isn’t going to get you anywhere.
Advanced Training Principles
Bringing a new dimension to your workouts by using advanced training principles like super-sets, dropsets, intraset stretching, blood flow restriction (BFR) can take your gains to a new level.
Your muscles grow bigger and stronger when they are put under unfamiliar stress. The advanced training techniques can be the stimuli required to spark new growth. Using some of these techniques correctly requires you to be on an advanced level.
Adding What You’ve Been Avoiding
Almost everyone has something they have been putting off for the longest time. It could be cardio, squats, HIIT circuit training, etc. Making these things a part of your routine can ignite positive change.
Most people tend to avoid certain things because they find them hard. After you add them to your workouts, you might realize that it was all your body needed and you had been avoiding them for a reason.
Rep Speed
Tweaking the rep speed is one of the most underutilized ways of getting the most out of your workouts. There are a million combinations of how you could change the rep speed to constantly shock your muscles.
You can change the amount of time you take on the concentric (upward) and eccentric (downward) movements, and on the pause at the top and bottom of the lift. An example of this would be 5-1-1-2, i.e. five seconds on the eccentric movement, a second’s pause at the bottom, one second on the concentric motion, and a two-second contraction at the top.
Experimenting With A Training Partner
Training with a buddy can increase your input and output. You might be able to lift heavier weights and do more reps with a spotter. You also greatly reduce the chances of an injury while performing compound lifts.
On the flip side, training with a partner isn’t for everyone. If your partner has a big mouth, bad personal hygiene or isn’t an experienced lifter, they can turn into a liability rather than an asset.
Complete Reprograming
Sometimes it’s better to take a complete re-route. If you have been following a bodybuilding program for a long time, you could try doing a CrossFit, strongman or weightlifter’s training routine.
You could also try a new – but proven – workout program like Y3T, DTP, PH3, etc. You’ll have to put in the time to learn about the different training programs and understand which one is the best for you.
Training Time
By training time, we don’t mean the workout duration. If everything else fails, your best bet would be to change the time of the day you hit the gym at. If you previously worked out at 5 pm in the evening, you should experiment with training at 9 am.
Why so? We’re glad you asked. Sometimes your body doesn’t respond to your workouts because your eating and recovery routine doesn’t fit in well with your training time. Spacing your training, diet and recovery programs well is key to a successful transformation.
How often do you make changes to your training program? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Natural Bodybuilder Anitra Jeffery Shares Tips to Increase Your Squat
INBA PNBA Physique Pro Anitra Jeffery shares the mobility exercises that will increase your squat.
If you’ve been lifting weights for a while, you probably know that the squat is one of the most essential lifts. The squat is considered the king of all exercises, and it’s one of the big three movements – squat, bench press, deadlift. How much weight you can squat is a good indicator of your overall strength. The question is: how can we increase your squat?
Fortunately, the squat targets the largest muscle in your body – your gluteus maximus (butt). And your legs host large muscles, so it’s easier to increase the weight on squats than isolation movements, such as barbell curl, which targets a much smaller group – biceps.
In addition, International Natural Bodybuilder Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) Physique Pro Anitra Jeffery shares mobility and stability exercises you can add to your regimen to increase your squat. Anitra Jeffery placed in the top five at 2021 Natural Olympia in the Women’s Physique division.
The more mobile you are, the more range of motion you’ll have. Therefore, you’ll be able to squat down lower with heavier weights to build strength and muscle. And if you have more stability, you’ll be able to control more weight.
Anitra Jeffery’s Tips to Increase Your Squat
In an Instagram (IG) post posted by Anitra Jeffery on January 7th, 2022, she stated:
“If you want to be able to do the staple exercises that you need for gains, such as squats and lunges,
don’t skip mobility and stability training.
If you know you’re always short on time, add to your warmups or on your active rest days.
Inchworm—multi-joint, dynamic exercise; can increase strength and muscular endurance throughout the entire body- emphasis on shoulders and core; great stretch for hamstrings and calves; can work abs better than situps and crunches
Quadruped Torso twist & reach/T-Spine rotation- increases t-spine mobility; open up chest muscles; loosen back muscles
Birddog— strengthens the core and hips; improves stability, encourages a neutral spine, and relieves low back pain, can strengthen back muscles; promotes proper posture and increases range of motion”
Below you can see Anitra Jeffery’s full IG post with clips of her performing each mobility/stability movement.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYbz0LorHMn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Mobility and Stability Exercises
Anitra Jeffery asserts that mobility and stability exercises are essential for making progress on your squat. Jeffery recommends inchworm, quadruped torso twist and reaches/T-spine rotation, and bird dogs.
Inchworms strengthen your shoulders and core and make your hamstrings and calves more flexible. In addition, quadruped torso twist and reach/T-spine rotation increases the mobility of your thoracic mobility (thorax) and prevents lower back pain. Bird dogs also improve lower back pain and strengthen your core and hip stability.
INBA PNBA Physique Division
Anitra Jeffery competes in the Women’s Physique class. Women in the Physique division are scored on symmetry, muscularity, definition, (conditioning), and stage presence. It’s even more critical for athletes in the Physique class to have more muscle mass than other classes such as Bikini Divas, where the competitors are smaller. However, Women’s Bodybuilding contenders store the most muscle.
Recap
Having good stability and mobility is imperative for the squat. Make inchworms, quadruped torso twist and reach/T-spine rotation, and bird dogs part of your weekly training plan to add weight to your squat.
Share this article on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to help your fellow lifting brothers and sisters increase their squat!
Arnold Schwarzenegger Speaks In Favor Of Russian People, Slams Government For War
Arnold Schwarzenegger believes this is a government issues, not one with the Russian people.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is known as the best bodybuilder of all-time but he is also a politician who keeps up with the events from around the world. Recently, Schwarzenegger posted a video speaking on the current war going on between Ukraine and Russia.
Schwarzenegger spoke on his personal feelings. He has always respected Russian people and it began from a young age. Schwarzenegger spoke on a specific incident when he saw Yuri Petrovich Plasov compete at the World Weightlifting Championships. Plasov became the first person to lift 200kg above his head. Schwarzenegger was able to meet the powerlifter backstage and since then, he has been nothing but respectful to the Russians.
“Ever since I was 14 years old, I’ve had nothing but affection and respect for the people of Russia. the strength and the heart of the Russian people have always inspired me. That is why I hope that you will let me tell you the truth about the war in Ukraine and what is happening there.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger felt the need to speak his mind on the war because of his personal feelings. He went into great detail on how this is an issue with the Russian government and the reputation of the people should not be diminished.
“No one likes to hear something critical of their government, I understand that. But as a long time friend of the Russian people, I hope you hear what I have to say. And may I remind you that I speak with the same heartfelt concern as I spoke to the American people when there was an attempted insurrection on January 6th last year when a wild crowd was storming the U.S. Capitol trying to overthrow our government.”
“I know your government has told you that this is a war to denazify Ukraine. Denazify Ukraine? This is not true. Ukraine is a country with a Jewish president, a Jewish president I might add, whose father’s three brothers were all murdered by the Nazis. You see, Ukraine did not start this war. Neither did nationalists or Nazis. Those in power in the Kremlin started this war. This is not the Russian people’s war.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger has not been shy about speaking his mind and when he talks, people listen. He has had some controversial takes in the past but this is one he believes will help the overall viewpoint of the war that is happening.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Hardcore Truth: Johnnie O. Jackson Responds To Negative Reactions Of His Near-Death Story
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Johnnie O. Jackson clears the air regarding negative criticism he received on the details of his near-death experience video.
Towards the beginning of March 2022, Johnnie O. Jackson released an episode of Hardcore Truth discussing his past PED use habits in bodybuilding and a near-death experience during contest prep. Shortly after posting the episode, Jackson faced negative criticism for how he explained the story and the details behind the specifics of his PED use. Admittedly, discussing PED use specifics can be a slippery slope in terms of how this kind of information is absorbed by the public. The last thing Jackson wants to do is mislead fans in the bodybuilding. That’s why on this week’s episode of Hardcore Truth, Johnnie O. Jackson responds to the negative reactions to his near-death story.
Johnnie O. Jackson decided to speak transparently about his past PED use and a near-death experience he had during contest prep. He decided to speak on this in reaction to the tragic deaths bodybuilding has faced over the past year. While we might not know the direct causes of many of those who passed away – there has been an increased discussion on health in bodybuilding.
Johnnie O. Jackson is not a doctor nor is he an expert on discussing powerful PED substances such as steroids, diuretics, etc. He wanted to share his story not as an explanation of what you should or shouldn’t do with PEDs. Rather, he wanted to simply relay the very real health risk he faced at various moments (and one moment in particular) during his prime bodybuilding years.
Generation Iron Fitness Network has always focused on providing a platform for its hosts to speak freely without censorship and oversight. Hardcore Truth, like many other video podcasts and series on our network, is hosted and distributed by GI but allows for hosts like Johnnie O. Jackson to speak unedited.
That being said, both Johnnie O. Jackson and Generation Iron understand that Jackson’s recent near-death story episode earned some negative criticism in the industry. That’s why Jackson wanted to do a follow up video to help clarify his statements and respond to the negative criticism.
Johnnie O. Jackson’s response to negative criticism
In this episode, Jackson first clarifies that his story is not meant to be direct advice about any specific drug or protocol. He is not a doctor, and he understands that he may have not explained his situation in as much detail as a medical professional could. Jackson’s story is not advice on do’s and don’ts about drugs. It was advice about the bigger picture of health risks in bodybuilding. He explains it was a story to help warn others on how easy the drive to succeed can overpower smart thinking when it comes to health.
And most importantly, he urges viewers to always second guess what is being put into your body and don’t just blindly follow trainers or coaches – including himself. Seek a professional opinion. Do research. Know what you are getting yourself into.
Johnnie O. Jackson then brings on a video clip from a medical professional to help further explain some details on his previous statements. Dawn Thornhill is a nurse practitioner – but more than that she was the specific medical professional that was overseeing Jackson’s protocols from his previous story.
In the clip, Thornhill focuses specifically on Johnnie O. Jackson’s comments about testosterone, high blood pressure, and how it affects African Americans. She pulls on her professional experience to help clear the air and clarify in more detail on Jackson’s previous statements on the matter.
Ultimately, Johnnie O. Jackson understands that criticism is simply a part of being a public figure. He also understands that others are entitled to their reactions and opinions just as much as himself. He hopes that today’s episode helps bring clarity and more context to the situation.
You can watch Johnnie O. Jackson go into complete detail alongside Dawn Thornhill in our latest episode of Hardcore Truth above. Make sure to stick around every Thursday for new episodes!