Tag: Bodybuilding
Natural Bodybuilder Hilary Grant Kicks “Wimpy Me” to Focus on “Future Me”
Hilary Grant pushes aside a moment of weakness to work on her future self.
You know that dreaded moment you have when you’re contemplating going to the gym or not? When you think it’s a better idea to take a hiatus from the horrendous treadmill to stay cozy up in bed and indulge in your contemporary Netflix binge. We’ve all been there, and Hilary Grant can resonate. Hilary Grant is a natural bodybuilder figure competitor and consecutive Figure Masters Natural Olympia champion – 2020 and 2021. She also won the Figure Classic division this year (2021). On Instagram (IG), Grant said:
“9 out of 10 days I play this little game with myself… it’s the “you’re good, you don’t need to get on the treadmill today” game. WIMPY ME is usually quite persuasive. She always reminds me of what I have accomplished and how I “deserve” a rest day.”
Grant goes on to say that when this negative thought creeps in, her “determined me” kicks in, and she’s reminded of all the goals she wants to accomplish. She’s then propelled into her “future me” mindset with no issues doing the work. She stated,
“No matter how good or not good we have gotten, we should always be working on our FUTURE selves.”
You can see her full post below.
Admittedly, Hilary Grant didn’t get on her treadmill until a little later than anticipated, but she did overcome her temptation to omit the gym. Additionally, she hit a new personal record during her high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout.
It’s safe to say because of Hilary Grant’s determination and mental fortitude, she’s been able to accomplish a lot in natural bodybuilding this year, including receiving the Pro Female Athlete of the Year award at Natural Olympia.
Hilary Grant and Motivation
If you scan Hilary Grant’s IG page, you’ll quickly see how inspirational she is. She’s posted on taking action, saying yes, and enjoying the process. In summary, Grant believes taking action and refusing to give up is imperative for success. Moreover, opportunities arise from saying yes, and the process is part of the road to greatness.
Business and Ultimate Goal
Hilary Grant runs family businesses Optimal Health Systems (OHS)and Gains In Bulk (GIB). Both are supplement companies, except OHS focuses on nutritional supplements for overall health and GIB’s niche is bodybuilders and athletes.
As claimed by Gila Herald, Grant expressed that she’s happy with her wins in the Figure Masters division. Still, her ultimate goal is to win Natural Olympia in the Figure Open division. Figure category has three subdivisions – Masters, Open, and Classic. According to Gila Herald, Grant says that the Figure class is her favorite division because the judges score you on symmetry – you can’t be too big or shredded.
Final Word
Even the greatest athletes can’t escape their minds playing tricks on them. But what separates them from the heard is how they handle it. How we feel and what we do are two separate things. Showing up despite your emotional state is what many champions overcome to get where they are. So next time you hear the whispers of the weak-minded archnemesis of the strong-minded, remember your goals and take the actions necessary to put you one step closer to grasping them, regardless of how you feel in the moment.
Generation Iron would like to congratulate Hilary Grant for having the first-place finish in her second consecutive year in Figure Masters at Natural Olympia. Also, for receiving the Pro Female Athlete of the Year award!
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The Most Dangerous Substances In Bodybuilding Today According To Dr. Testosterone
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Dr. Testosterone breaks down the absolute most dangerous substances used in bodybuilding today.
For almost as long as modern bodybuilding has existed, there has been an ongoing conversation about substance use in the sport. It’s widely known that many competitors use steroids and other PEDs to enhance performance. What seems to be further up for debate is just how dangerous these substances really are. But beyond the standard set of steroids, bodybuilding as a whole has engaged with other substances such as insulin, diuretics, and stimulants. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Dr. Testosterone details the truly most dangerous substances used in bodybuilding today.
There is no doubt that steroids and similar PEDs can lead to health issues in the long term. It’s the kind of risk that many competitive bodybuilders are willing to take to achieve a new level of greatness. While we don’t want to diminish the possible ramifications of steroids, there are far more dangerous drugs used in the sport as well. That’s why we turned to Dr. Testosterone to find out more clearly which substances are the most dangerous and what kind of effects they can have on athletes.
When asked the question, Dr. Testosterone doesn’t even pause to think. Diuretics, stimulants, and insulin are far and above the most dangerous substances used in bodybuilding today. The doctor has spoken previously with us about the ramifications of diuretics in a previous segment. He’s also gone into detail about the dangers of insulin. So in this segment Dr. Testosterone dives headfirst into stimulants, how they are used in bodybuilding, and why they are so dangerous.
While not as common as other substances, bodybuilders use stimulants to help burn fat. But the problem with stimulants is that they are essentially a direct poison to the body. Looking past the detailed medical and scientific explanations of what happens to the body – the short answer is that stimulant abuse can lead to a stroke. While not always fatal, strokes can lead to very serious life altering outcomes. It can also lead to death in some cases.
Strokes can be caused by the stimulants raising your blood pressure in the brain. But that’s not the only possible negative effect. Stimulants elevate your heart rate and in some cases can cause arrhythmia. It can also constrict blood vessels eventually leading to a heart attack.
There are also other dangers of substances in bodybuilding beyond life or death situations. Sex drive is often associated with drugs like steroids. This is because of the increased testosterone that can, initially, increase sex drive. But as we had previously discussed with The Anabolic Doc, that increased sex drive eventually gives way to a complete depletion of it. Dr. Testosterone corroborates that notion – and goes into more detail as to why it happens and the many forms it can take.
This does not only take the shape of decreased desire for sex. It can also lead to making it hard or impossible for men to achieve erections. And in some extreme cases can lead to a man not being able to ejaculate at all. While not as dire as a life or death health scenario – these kinds of sex issues can cause great psychological trauma to individuals and couples in a relationship.
In addition to this, Dr. Testosterone also speaks about the possible dangers of substances when it comes to increasing aggression, agitation, and anger. While “roid rage” is vastly over-exaggerated in pop culture media, the doctor does admit that certain substances can lead to increased aggression. His recommendation? Smoke a joint to help level out your mood.
You can watch all of Dr. Testosterone’s comments on the most dangerous drugs currently in bodybuilding by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes to Keep You Motivated
Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes to Keep You Motivated
It’s safe to say Arnold brought bodybuilding to the mainstream. If it was not for Arnie and his Greek god-like physique in Conan the Barbarian, Terminator, Commando etc., bodybuilding probably wouldn’t have flourished throughout the world.
Who would have thought a guy from Austria would end up marrying a Kennedy and become the Governor of California? The Governator is no ordinary human. His thought process, hard work, discipline, and visualization techniques have helped him get where he is. When Arnie talks, we should all listen.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Rules of Success
Make it Count
“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.”
Chase the Pump
“Not many people understand what a pump is. It must be experienced to be understood. It is the greatest feeling that I get. I search for this pump because it means that that my muscles will grow when I get it. I get a pump when the blood is running into my muscles. They become really tight with blood. Like the skin is going to explode any minute. It’s like someone putting air in my muscles. It blows up. It feels fantastic.”
Resistance is Your Friend
“The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character.”
If It’s Not Fun, You’re Doing it Wrong
“Bodybuilding should be fun because you get a feeling of satisfaction which is very hard to explain. A bodybuilder knows when he pumps up his muscles it means growth. The muscles grow. So, therefore, he knows when he pumps up well, that is progress. And that satisfies him because he feels the progress in his body. Therefore the pump feels good. It’s actually the best feeling a bodybuilder can have. It’s a difficult thing to explain. Like sometimes we joke around and we get a good pump and we say you have to admit that a good pump is better than coming. Somebody off the street wouldn’t understand that, but sometimes a pump is the best feeling you can have.”
“The best activities for your health are pumping and humping.”
Shock Your Muscles
“A beginner does eight repetitions of a certain exercise with his maximum weight on the barbell. As soon as it hurts, he thinks about stopping. I work beyond this point, which means I tell my mind that as soon as it starts aching it is growing. Growing is something unusual for the body when you are over eighteen. The body isn’t used to ten, eleven, or twelve reps with a maximum weight. Then I do ten or fifteen sets of this in a row. No human body was ever prepared for this and suddenly it is making itself grow to handle this new challenge, growing through this pain area. Experiencing this pain in my muscles and aching and going on is my challenge. The last three or four reps is what makes the muscles grow. This area of pain divides a champion from someone who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens. I have no fear of fainting. I do squats until I fall over and pass out. So what? It’s not going to kill me. I wake up five minutes later and I’m OK. A lot of other athletes are afraid of this. So they don’t pass out. They don’t go on.”
Stay True to Yourself
“What I’m doing is the thing I want to do. I don’t care what other people think. If the rest of disagrees and says I shouldn’t waste my time, I still will be a bodybuilder. I love it. I love the feeling in my muscles, I love the competition, and I love the things it gives me. I have never really had to work in my whole life. I’ve never had an eight to six job. I’ve always made good money. I’ve traveled all over the world competing and giving exhibitions. I‘ve made a profession out of a pastime, which perhaps only five percent of the population can do. The other ninety-five percent are frustrated office workers, working for someone else. I’m totally independent. So, I…..feel…if I would live again or if I would be born again, I would do exactly the same thing.”
Never Be Afraid of Failure
“Just like in bodybuilding, failure is also a necessary experience for growth in our own lives, for if we’re never tested to our limits, how will we know how strong we really are? How will we ever grow?”
Be the Sculptor of Your Physique
“You don’t really see a muscle as a part of you, in a way. You see it as a thing. You look at it as a thing and you say well this thing has to be built a little longer, the bicep has to be longer, or the tricep has to be thicker here in the elbow area. And you look at it and it doesn’t even seem to belong to you. Like a sculpture. Then after looking at it a sculptor goes in with his thing and works a little bit, and you do maybe then some extra forced reps to get this lower part out. You form it. Just like a sculpture.”
Struggles Develop Real Strength
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
Visualization is the Key
“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.”
“As a kid, I always idolized the winning athletes. It is one thing to idolize heroes. It is quite another to visualize yourself in their place. When I saw great people, I said to myself: I can be there.”
“We all have great inner power. The power is self-faith. There’s really an attitude to winning. You have to see yourself winning before you win. And you have to be hungry. You have to want to conquer.”
Be Yourself
“The worst thing I can be is the same as everybody else. I hate that.”
Never Settle
“When I was ten years old I got this thing that I wanted to be the best in something, so I started swimming. I won championships, but I felt I couldn’t be the best. I tried skiing, but there I felt I didn’t have potential. I played soccer, but I didn’t like that to well because there I didn’t get the credit alone if I did something special. I just avoided team sports from then on. Then I started lifting through the other sports and I enjoyed it the most. I won the Austrian championship in 1964 but found out I was too tall. So I quit that and went into bodybuilding. Two years later I found out that that’s it that’s what I can be the best in.”
Food for Thought
“You have to remember something: Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you have to earn.”
Which is your favorite Arnold quote? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
5 Rules Of Being A Great Workout Partner
How To Be A Great Training Partner
Working out with the wrong training partner can be worse than not having a workout buddy. The right training buddies are a match made in heaven and are blessed by the bodybuilding Gods, old and new.
If you have trained with lifting partners in the past, you’ll know that a bad spotter can not only make you hit a plateau but can also hamper your gains. In this article, we’ll teach you how to be a great workout partner so you can lead by example for your future training buddies.
Open-Mindedness
Patience, persistence, and a willingness to learn new techniques is the key to being a great workout partner. If you’re too rigid about following your training program, people with more experience might not be eager to train with you.
Exploring new training, nutrition, and recovery techniques can enrichen your fitness journey. Dismissing your training buddy’s suggestions too often is a sure-shot way of cutting short your partnership.
Honesty
More often than not, people let their egos get the better of them in the gym. Look around in your gym and you’ll surely see a spotter doing more work than the lifter. Even worse is the fact that the spotter doesn’t ask his training partner to drop the weight even when both of them are struggling with the weight.
The next time, before you say “it was all you” when it wasn’t, know that you’re doing your training buddy and yourself disfavor. Be honest about your form, performance, and any other aspects you could improve on.
Keep Your Ego In Check
People who train with a lifter who is on an advanced level often end up falling victim to their egos. Playing catch-up can prove expensive in the weight room. If you’re a beginner, focus on learning the right form instead of trying to lift heavier weights.
It’s your responsibility to keep your partner’s ego in check if you’re the advanced lifter. Remember, there is a thin line between ego lifting and pushing your boundaries. You shouldn’t get so conservative that you stop pushing your limits.
Accountability
The best training partners keep themselves and their buddies accountable. You should be proactive in making sure none of you misses workouts, meals and check if you are meeting your progress goals.
Accountability doesn’t end here, you are the person responsible for your and your partner’s motivation. When any of you lose the inspiration to train, you need to step in and make sure the train remains on track.
It Takes Time
While this article is about how to be a great training buddy, you’ll still have to find a person who you’ll be a partner to. Your and your partner’s training, diet, and recovery approach should fit live a glove.
We could give you tips for selecting the right training partner, but you’ll have to train with a bunch of people before you could find the right match for yourself. Be patient and willing to train with people across experience levels.
Do you train with a training partner? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Have Non-Existent Triceps? Use These Horseshoe Building Tricks
Have Non-Existent Triceps? Use These Horseshoe Building Tricks
Triceps and biceps are two sides of the same coin, and yet the tris don’t get the same love as the bis. Training the tris effectively can be trickier as you need to hit the three heads of the triceps as compared to the two bicep heads.
Bodybuilding is a game of illusions and having meaty triceps can make your arms look bigger. A pair of shredded triceps should look like a horse has kicked you in the back of your arm.
The Best Horseshoe Triceps Building Tips
Start With Compound Exercises
Most people make the mistake of starting their tricep workouts with isolation lifts. If you perform exercises like the cable tricep press-downs at the starting of your workouts, you’ll be fatigued by the time you get to the compound moves.
While it might be a good idea to perform the isolation exercises to pre-exhaust your muscles when you’re training the bigger muscle groups (like chest or back), it can have the opposite effect for your tris if you’re fatigued by the time you get to the functional lifts.
Know The Muscle
It’s always a good idea to do some research about the muscles before you start training. The triceps is composed of 67% fast-twitch fibers, so train it according to the adage, “go heavy or go home.”
For the uninitiated – fast-twitch fibers means that you’ll get the best results from your exercises if you keep the TuT (time under tension) short and overload the muscles with heavier weights.
Use Advanced Training Principles
In the sport of bodybuilding, people are always chasing the pump, and in doing so they favor performing a higher number of reps to flush their muscles with lactic acid. Using the advanced training principles while training the fast-twitch muscles can get a little tricky.
If you’ll be using advanced training techniques like supersets, drop-sets in your training, you should make sure you’re using heavier weights (with the right form) and are performing 5-8 reps on each set.
Stretch It Out
By not stretching and posing during the workout, many people leave gains on the table. Not only will stretching improve the muscle pumps, but it will also help establish a better mind-muscle connection.
Holding an overhead tricep pull is one of the most effective tricep stretching moves. Using resistance bands, hitting the bodybuilding tricep poses like the side chest are great ways of flushing the muscles with lactic acid.
Increase The Training Frequency
If your arms are nothing more than small tree branches, you’ll have to put in more effort. We recommend training the muscle twice a week if you have lagging tris. Don’t experiment too much with the exercises and follow the same workout on both the tricep training days in the week.
One of the days should be a single muscle day where you only train your triceps. For the second tricep training day, club your tri workout with bigger muscle groups like the chest or back. Make sure you’re maintaining a balance between training all the three (medial, long, short) heads of the triceps.
How often do you train your calves? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Follow This Leg Busting Workout For Monster Gains
Follow This Leg Busting Workout For Monster Gains
Shredded legs are what separate the men from the boys. Leg day can prove to be the most brutal workout for most people. Limping around after a good leg workout is normal. Legs are one-half of your body and training them can be hard and exhausting.
Look around your gym and you’ll surely see people with muscular upper bodies and tiny legs. Leg days also happen to be the most skipped workouts around the world. We can’t make you love your leg workouts, but we can surely get you results.
1. Squats – 3 Sets – 12, 10, 8 Reps
Squats are a complete leg builder. You can’t expect to build muscle mass in your legs without doing this exercise. Squats are a compound (multi joint) exercise which builds size and strength in your legs. This exercise will also make you stronger at other exercises.
Start your workouts with 12 reps, with every set increase the weights and reduce the number of reps. Make sure you have a complete ‘ass to the grass’ range of motion. Performing partial reps won’t do anything for your legs.
2. Leg Press – 3 Sets – 12, 10, 8 Reps
Leg Press can be incredibly efficient in building size and definition in your legs. This exercise helps you train your legs from different angles by changing your feet position on the platform. Placing your feet high on the platforms train your hamstrings and the lower feet position will train your quads.
Close and wide feet placement targets your outer and inner quad sweep respectively. Leg press is also the most abused equipment in the gym. People load it up with more weights than they can handle. Use appropriate weights and maintain a full range of motion.
3. Leg Extensions – 3 Sets – 20, 15, 12 Reps
Leg extensions are an isolation exercise and help focus on your quads. This exercise helps in maintaining tension on your quads throughout the motion. Establish a mind-muscle connection with your legs and squeeze the hell out of them at the top of the movement.
You don’t need to go super heavy during this exercise. Keep the motion slow and deliberate and target muscle failure at the end of every set. You should be doing both compound and isolation exercises to make the most of your leg workouts.
4. Romanian Deadlifts – 3 Sets – 12, 10, 8 Reps
This exercise targets your hamstrings. Hamstrings can be a little harder to train since you can’t see them in the mirror and it can be a little harder to establish a mind-muscle connection with them. Keep your back arches and maintain a slight bend in your knees throughout this exercise.
During Romanian deadlifts, think of your hamstrings as chains being used to lift and lower your upper body. Using more weights than you can handle can shift the tension from your hams to your back, defeating the entire purpose of this exercise.
5. Leg Curls – 3 Sets – 20, 15, 12 Reps
Legs curls are one of the most effective hamstring exercises. This is an isolation exercise where the entire focus is on your hams. Maintain a mind-muscle connection with your hams throughout this exercise and keep your reps slow and deliberate.
Since your knees are the only joints working during this exercise, going too fast can increase your chances of an injury. Squeeze your hamstrings at the top of the movement and follow a complete range of motion.
6. Standing Calf Raises – 5 Sets – 20, 15, 10 Reps
You need to treat your calves just like any other muscle group. Doing three sets at the end of a leg workout won’t do any good for your calves. Standing calf raises target your gastrocnemius muscle which is the long head of the calves.
If you don’t have a standing calf machine at your gym, you can utilize the smith machine. Just like with all the other exercises, maintain a full range of motion and squeeze your calves at the top of the movement.
7. Seated Calf Raises – 5 Sets – 20, 15, 10 Reps
Most people have tiny calves because they don’t train them well enough. You need to be doing both the standing and the seated versions of the calf raises to train them optimally. The seated calf raises train the short head of the calves known as soleus.
You can try different feet placement to train your calves from different angles. Keeping your toes together and heels apart will target the outer head of your calves and placing your heels together and toes apart will train the inner head.
Which is your favorite leg exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
2021 Atlanta All States Pro Results
Here are the complete results from the 2021 Atlanta All States Pro!
The 2021 Atlanta All States Pro took place on Friday and Saturday with winners earning qualification to the 2022 Olympia. It was Kyrylo Khudaiev who took home gold in Classic Physique while Jourdanne Lee ended up winning Bikini. There were just two events where competitors gathered in Atlanta to compete.
For Khudaiev, this will be his second Olympia appearance. The first came back in 2019. This was Khudaiev’s best year to date. In 2019, he picked up victories in the Portugal Pro and Dennis James Classic Pro. He followed that up with a second-place finish in the Kai Greene Classic Pro and fourth place during the 2020 New York Pro. Khudaiev will not have a chance to compete against some of the best in the world in Las Vegas come December 2022.
Lee is an up-and-coming talent in the Bikini division preparing to make her third Olympia appearance. She made her debut in the competition in 2019 before returning in October. Her last victory came during the 2020 Iron Games Bikini Pro and now she has earned qualification in back-to-back years.
The full results from the show have been announced. There were two divisions that handed out gold medals. Check out the full results from the 2021 Atlanta All States Pro below, along with official scorecards from the weekend!
2021 Atlanta All States Pro: All Division Results
Classic Physique: Kyrylo Khudaiev
Bikini: Jourdanne Lee
2021 Atlanta All States Pro Breakdown
Classic Physique
First Place – Kyrylo Khudaiev
Second Place – Abdullah Wael Alrabiah
Third Place – Luis Garcia Martinez
Fourth Place – Ahmad Ahmad
Fifth Place – Damien Patrick
Sixth Place – Brent Bumgarner
Seventh Place – Barry Hulbert
Eighth Place – Luis Colon
Ninth Place – Shin Kodama
Tenth Place – Keith Lanier
Bikini
First Place – Jourdanne Lee
Second Place – Marcia Goncalves
Third Place – Rachel Linares
Fourth Place – Mahsa Akbarimehr
Fifth Place – Marisa Woo
Sixth Place – Denetra Blackshear
Seventh Place – Norma Jean Watkins
Eighth Place – Julia Wohlschlegel
Ninth Place – Nicole Hermanson
Tenth Place – Sammy Houle
Official Score Cards
Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the 2021 Atlanta All States 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.
2022 Olympia Will Return To Las Vegas On Dec. 16-18
The biggest bodybuilding competition of the year now has a date and location as the Olympia returns to Las Vegas.
The 2022 Olympia now has everything in place. Following the 2021 event, it was announced that the competition would move back to Las Vegas. Now, the official dates have been announced.
On Friday, Olympia Productions President Dan Soloman shared a video announcing the date for the Olympia. Soloman took to Instagram to say that the 2022 event will take place from Dec. 16-18 in Las Vegas.
““For those of you that haven’t heard, the Olympia Weekend in 2022 will be held right here in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood the weekend of December 16th, 17th, and 18th. And I have to be honest with you guys, the things we have planned this year are going to absolutely blow your mind.”
The Olympia will return to Sin City after two years in Orlando. Olympia production was sold to Jake Wood by American Media Inc. in 2020. Because of the pandemic, there were certain restrictions that did not allow the competition to take place in Nevada. This led to the 2020 and 2021 shows taking place in the Sunshine State.
The change did not affect Big Ramy. He won back-to-back titles in Orlando and has solidified himself as one of the best bodybuilders in the world. Brandon Curry has finished as the runner-up in each of the last two competitions after being crowned champion in 2019, which was the last show to take place in Las Vegas.
There are currently 11 divisions that compete at the biggest event of the year. This includes Wellness, which made its Olympia debut in 2021. Men’s Open continues to be the highlight of the weekend a d competitors have already started competing in order to qualify for the 2022 Olympia. So far, there are 12 athletes who have already earned qualification by either winning a show or finishing top five in Men’s Open in 2021.
Rafael Brandao (2021 Romania Muscle Fest Pro winner)
Hadi Choopan (3rd place in 2021)
Shaun Clarida (2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro winner)
Brandon Curry (runner-up in 2021)
Samson Dauda (2021 EVLS Prague Pro winner)
Nathan De Asha (2021 Yamamoto Pro Cup winner)
Mamdouh Elssbiay (2021 Olympia champion)
Angel Calderon Frias (2021 Bigman Weekend Pro Spain winner)
Regan Grimes (2021 KO Pro Egypt Winner)
Hunter Labrada (4th place in 2021)
Joel Thomas (2021 Toronto Pro Supershow winner)
Nick Walker (5th place in 2021)
Competitors will have plenty of chances to qualify in 2022. There are no more Men’s Open competitions currently planned this year. The next one is set to take place during the 2022 Arnold Classic on March 3-6 in Columbus. Athletes now have a date to target for the 2022 Olympia.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Natural Bodybuilder William Long Goes Super Saiyan at Comic Con
William Long cosplays Vegeta at LA Comic Con.
If you’re a fan of cosplay, more specifically Dragon Ball Z, and you also happen to be a crazed bodybuilding fan or at least of lifting heavy things (which likely you are if you’re reading this). You’re going to love William Long’s AKA “The OG” outfit at the Los Angeles Comic Con that took place over the weekend from December 3, 2021 – to December 5, 2021. William Long depicted none other than Vegeta while cosplaying. Long stated on Instagram (IG):
“Though brief, it was a fun time at @comicconla with the family @calichica951. I do enjoy cosplaying and wish I could do it more often and as well as @sd_cosplayfitand @glee702 do. Glad we were able to meet up with them along with @gi.janedoe . I got to meet Thee voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman, @kevinconroypage . Definitely going to up my cos0lay game for the next con.”
Long continues to say, “Definitely going to up my cos0lay game for the next con. There will be no greater Vegeta than me. I am The Prince of all Saiyans, Prince Vegeta. Also, will someone acknowledge my quads?”
There will likely be no better Vegeta than Wiliam Long (or one with bigger quads at least) at the next LA Comic Con, but will there be a challenger around at the following Natural Olympia – the GOAT of natural bodybuilding competitions – perhaps Goku?
*Note: You can see next year’s initial International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/ Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) 2022 natural bodybuilding schedule here.
Super Saiyan Natural Bodybuilder
William Long dressed up as Vegeta in the IG post below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXGCcRLLLc-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Aside from cosplaying your favorite anime characters, William Long has a compelling natural bodybuilding resume. He’s the reigning 3x champ of the Men’s Physique division at Natural Olympia. Not to mention, he’s a natural bodybuilding Hall of Fame Inductee. They don’t call him “The OG” for nothing. His nickname sprout to life after being the first PNBA Men’s Physique Natural Olympia champion. In 2017, he made history again by being the first to win a whopping $10,000 cash prize at the 2017 Natural Olympia.
After seeing his Vegeta depiction, any competitor that stands a chance at overthrowing this behemoth is going to need to match Goku’s power level (yes, over 9,000).
Men’s Physique
The Men’s Physique class in natural bodybuilding is relatively new. It first came to surface in 2012 when the International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB) league launched it. And the INBA/PNBA followed suit.
In the Men’s Physique division, judges don’t base an athlete purely on their size. Instead, the dominant competitor will be the most athletic looking – less muscularity, more conditioning. But, of course, poise is crucial as well.
According to Long, you shouldn’t pose like a bodybuilder in Men’s Physique. On an IG post posted on June 3, 2021 Long gave his followers a posing tip in this class. Long voiced, “Don’t focus on looking as big as possible but instead, on displaying your conditioning. Here you should take notice that I’m not trying to expand my ribcage and puff out my chest. Instead, I’m flexing and crunching down on my abs and obliques. That’s why my arms are low at around my waist so that my midsection is visible.” He also expressed that you shouldn’t squat down to flex your hamstring and quads since they can’t be seen when you’re wearing board shorts. Instead, he says you should stand in an open stance to look more powerful and display your V-taper.
Generation Iron would like to congratulate William Long for winning another title in Men’s Physique at Natural Olympia! We’d also like to thank you for your service – he’s an active member of the United States Air Force!
PS We loved your Vegeta outfit!
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Bodybuilding Vs. Powerlifting Diet: Differences, What To Know & More
Each requires strict attention, but in different ways.
As the athlete you are, you may have found yourself with the choice of being a bodybuilder or a powerlifter but the idea around the bodybuilding vs. powerlifting diet has you stumped. While it is possible to be both, the approach to each is very different, for the end goal is different. We know you get it. But sometimes people still think they can get away with certain things only to find that comes back to bite them. With two sports that require attention to detail, just with different elements, you can no longer escape the idea that the crossover is an easy one.
With that said, we know you want to try. But at the core of the issue is the end result of both bodybuilding and powerlifting. Bodybuilding is for those seeking that shredded aesthetic and well-rounded appearance. Not a single muscle imbalance visible. While on the other hand, powerlifters aren’t as concerned about appearance as they are performance, being able bench, squat, and deadlift insane amounts of weights. So, yes, both athletes can lift big. We aren’t trying to be insulting. But what we are saying is that for those wanting to walk the stage in a bodybuilding show, your goal is drastically different than a powerlifter and it comes from diet.
Let’s take a look at these two sports and nail down the difference between the bodybuilding and powerlifting diet. You won’t be disappointed by the results once you know exactly what you’re looking for. And you may find crossover that allows you the opportunity to do both and do well in both sports.
Bodybuilding Vs. Powerlifting Differences
The overall difference between these two sports is strength vs. aesthetic. Now this is not to say that bodybuilders aren’t strong or powerlifters aren’t shredded, but the point is that the end goal is different. Bodybuilders are seeking that perfect symmetry, which is built on sculpting and increasing size, but at the end of the day, there is no weight to lift to determine a winner. Top prize is in the eye of the beholder. For powerlifters, the desire is to be as strong as possible and to lift as much weight as possible, so while they may care about their appearance, the only thing they are judged on is their raw strength and mental will to lift massive amounts of weight.
In order to achieve this, training is different as well as diet. Of course, there is crossover with certain exercises but at the end of the day, there needs to be a structured plan for getting what you want. So, said differences between these two lie in approach and the intended overall goal.
Bodybuilding Diet Vs. Powerlifting Diet
Jumping into the diets for these two, as this may be the crux of the issue. Bodybuilders need to make sure they are getting enough fuel to power them through their workouts, while still limiting carbs and fats so they can be as lean as possible. A powerlifter is trying to find the right balance of macronutrients to continue to build strength and overall mass to not lose any strength gains whatsoever (1).
The foods are most likely the same for both bodybuilding and powerlifting, as both kinds of athletes are looking to take optimal care of their bodies. Protein would consist of lean meats, fish, eggs, and even beef once in a while to mix things up. Carbs may see sweet potato, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and whole wheat toast. As for those fats, maybe nuts or nut butters, avocados, and certain oils may make it into the mix.
The difference herein lies with the amount of macronutrients and balancing out calories so you don’t gain weight as a bodybuilder and still have enough energy as a powerlifter. So, a bodybuilder will prioritize protein over all else, making sure they get adequate amounts to keep them full and build lean muscle (2). Carbs and fats will be present, but depending on the time of year, in much smaller quantities.
Powerlifters will seek an optimal balance of all three as they need them to thrive. Their training is depleting and ensuring their energy stores are restored can work wonders for their gains. Ultimately, we’ve found that it is about the balance and how each athlete structures their plan.
What Supplements To Take For Each
Supplements are a huge part of the game and can greatly affect our training, performance, health, and wellness. By working with premium and top-tier products, you get the most out those hard workouts as you seek to see great results. Many of the supplements out there can be used by both bodybuilders and powerlifters which allows both kinds of athletes the option to take charge and thrive in their respective sport.
When looking at great supplements to add to your routine as either a bodybuilder or powerlifter definitely consider the three main ones being pre-workout, intra-workout BCAAs, and protein powders as these will cover all the needs of your pre-, mid-, and post-workout routines. Creatine is also a big one for increasing strength and size and can work wonders for absolutely all your strength training goals (3). For health and wellness, both athletes can benefit from an omega-3 supplement, a super greens product, and of course, a multivitamin.
Supplements that may differ, for example, are fat burners and mass gainers. A bodybuilder may be more inclined to take a fat burner to help shed calories and burn that unwanted fat to add to that shredded aesthetic while a powerlifter will look more towards a mass gainer to pack on mass and increase size.
Wrap Up
The bodybuilding vs. powerlifting diet debate seems to truly lie in how much is needed for each respective athlete. Both athletes take care of themselves and seek to put the best foods and supplements in their bodies. With different goals and the end result needing to be different, what matters is quantity and knowing how many calories to put into your body. For those looking to succeed, know your limit and work hard to hit it, for the results of a quality diet are hard to ignore.
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
References
Oliver, J.; et al. (2010). “Macronutrient intake in Collegiate powerlifters participating in off season training”. (source)
Pasiakos, S.; et al. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
Francaux, M.; et al. (1999). “Effects of training and creatine supplement on muscle strength and body mass”. (source)