Tag: Bodybuilding
WATCH: This Bodybuilder Eats An Entire 20 Pound Turkey For Thanksgiving
This bodybuilder goes all out for a massive Thanksgiving cheat day.
It’s Thanksgiving and while it might be a bit different this year – many around the country are still gathering with family and friends to sit down and gorge on food until they fall asleep. But for fitness obsessives this time of the year is a challenging crossroad. Do you give in and have a cheat day or do you play it smart and eat healthy on this big food holiday?
For bodybuilders this can be a little less challenging if it’s the off season. This is the perfect time to bulk up anyways. That seems to be how bodybuilder Houston Jones sees things in this epic video of him preparing and eating an entire 20 pound turkey by himself. It’s the ultimate Thanksgiving cheat meal and one that might make you sick just to watch.
But perhaps if you are starving yourself this holiday, watching Jones scarf down this massive bird is the perfect way to feel a little bit better about the food your not eating. Check it out above!
OPINION: 5 Reasons Not To Compete in Bodybuilding Shows
5 Reasons/Excuses to Not Compete in Bodybuilding Shows
Many people who are serious about bodybuilding have a dream of stepping onto the stage one day. Competing in a bodybuilding show is a certificate in itself that you’re serious about your craft. On the other hand, there are people who would do anything to escape the idea of stepping onto a stage with ripped guys.
Since you’re reading this article, we’re assuming you’re from the latter group. Once you’re done with this article, you’ll have enough things to say to people who suggest you should compete in bodybuilding shows.
1. Genetics
Not everyone is born to be a bodybuilder. Genetics play a major role in shaping your muscles. If you have a genetically weak muscle group, don’t bother getting on stage and wasting your, your competitor’s, the audience’s and the judge’s time.
No matter how hard you workout, someone genetically superior will always beat you. You can’t overlook your muscle proportions while preparing for a contest. Even if one of your muscle groups is lagging, you should consider dropping out of the competition.
2. Conditioning
Bodybuilding shows are supposed to be freak shows. People fill up auditoriums to look at muscular giants. If you’re planning to compete, make sure you do justice to these people and give them their money’s worth.
If your muscles aren’t in their peak conditions and the lines and striations don’t show, you should save yourself the trouble of getting up on the stage. Do everyone a favor, get a seat in the audience and enjoy the show.
3. Stage Fright
Not everyone can handle the pressure which comes with getting on a stage. If you’re good enough, you’ll be asked to perform your routine which means you’ll have to handle the stage and the audience single-handedly.
Posing is easier said than done. Legends like Arnold and Kai Greene have been documented taking posing classes, and you might need one (or many) as well. If you can’t think of showing off your ripped physique without getting overwhelmed, bodybuilding shows aren’t for you.
4. Someone is Pushing You
We appreciate the fact you have supportive friends and family, but this shouldn’t be the only reason for you to compete. Take a long and close look at your physique before deciding to sign the competition contract.
Run through the list of athletes competing in the show and make sure you stand a chance against them. Having an experienced coach will pay dividends when it comes to having honest opinion and feedback about your physique.
5. Bad Skin
If your body is full of acne or other marks, it is better to stay off the stage. Some people also consider tattoos to be a setback. Tattoos which don’t take up a lot of real estate on your body can cause no harm.
Choosing the right tan can make a big impact on how you look onstage. An expert eye can always catch the difference between a healthy and bad skin. Getting on the dermatologist table before the stage will be a smarter decision.
Are you planning to compete in a bodybuilding show? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
How To Perform The Kirk Shrug
Develop Your Back and Traps With This Shrugging Variation
The kirk shrug is an exercise that was developed by 7-time USPF national powerlifting champion, Kirk Karwoski or “Captain Kirk”.
It is thought that the exercise was used to help Karwoski improve his pulling strength and allow him to lift heavier with the deadlift. The exercise is performed to primarily bring about changes in upper back and trap size, along with an improvement in grip strength.This article will cover the kirk shrug in detail, providing a breakdown of the technique and highlighting a number of benefits associated with the movement.
Kirk Shrug Technique
The differences between the kirk shrug and standard barbell shrug are not huge, therefore pay close attention to the following coaching points.In terms of the weight on the bar, use approximately 25% of your normal working weight for a barbell shrug.
Step One
Start with the loaded barbell on a rack as you would with a standard shrug. Place the feet directly under the hips and grasp the bar at shoulder-width using a thumbless grip. Before lifting the bar from the rack, push the chest up, pull the shoulders back and down and brace the core muscles.
Step Two
Shrug the barbell upward by contracting your lats and traps, imagining that you are attempting to pull the shoulders up to the ears.Remember that movement should only be initiated from the shoulders. The arms should bend slightly to bring the bar up to the belly button, however, ensure that the hips and legs do not assist in any way.Throughout the shrugging motion, ensure that the shoulder blades are pulled back and down. Squeezing tightly between the shoulder blades throughout should help.
Step Three
Once the bar has reached the belly button, perform a static hold for one second while maintaining the contraction of the lats and traps.As far as possible, keep the shoulders shrugged for the full second before controlling the descent of the bar back down to the hips. Resist the weight as far as possible and avoid dropping the bar too quickly.
Kirk Shrug Muscles Worked
The kirk shrug will typically work the same musculature as the standard barbell shrug but in a slightly different manner.
Traps
The trapezius muscle is often seen as the muscle that sticks out from the top of the shoulder. However, this is just the upper portion of the trap muscle. The muscle actually originates from the thoracic (mid) spine and stretches upward attaching to the shoulder blades, collarbones, cervical (upper) spine, and skull.Considering the number of connections that the traps have, they contract to cause a range of shoulder, neck and head movements.The traps are highly active during shrugs as they contract to retract, elevate and depress the shoulder blades.
Lats
The lats are the large wing-like muscles that stretch from the low back up to the shoulders. These muscles contract to cause a variety of movements around the shoulders and spine.The lats insert onto the scapula and when the muscles contract they pull the shoulder blades down. In addition, the lats work to stabilize both the shoulder joint and spine.Therefore, while the lats are not the primary movers during the kirk shrug, they do assist in the depression on the scapula and engage to increase shoulders stability.
Forearm Muscles
The thumbless grip that is used in the kirk shrug places a great demand on grip. By removing the thumb’s involvement, it immediately becomes more challenging to hold the bar.As a result, the muscles of the forearms that control the fingers must work extremely hard to keep the bar in the hands.
Kirk Shrug Benefits
Regardless of whether you are a bodybuilder, powerlifter, sports athlete or are simply just looking to improve your fitness, the kirk shrug can have a substantial impact on the body.This section will detail three of the biggest benefits associated with the kirk shrug.
1) Increases Strength and Stability
Considering the actions and muscle activated during the exercise, the kirk shrug can bring about significant improvements in the upper back and grip strength, as well as improved shoulder stability.Building upper body strength, shoulder stability, and grip strength can help to enhance your workouts, reduce the risk of injury, and simplify a number of everyday tasks.The upper back and shoulders are an area of the body that is commonly affected by poor posture with weakness and instability often being the primary causes.Therefore, a further benefit associated with building upper back and shoulder strength is that poor posture may be rectified (1).
2) Enhanced Performance
If you have reached a plateau with your deadlift or wish to accelerate deadlift progress, the kirk shrug will be valuable.Improving the upper back strength and shoulder stability can allow you to drive the bar more powerfully from the floor and allow you to move beyond any sticking points. If you find grip to be an issue during the deadlift, especially when lifting heavy, consider using the kirk shrug to develop your grip strength.The thumbless grip that is used in the kirk shrug will cause grip strength to substantially improve as the bar is difficult to grip. Increasing your grip strength may contribute to a better deadlift.As well as facilitating deadlift performance, improving your grip has the potential to improve performance with other pulling exercises such as pull-ups, chin-ups, rows, and lat pulldowns.
3) Building Trap Size
In the world of bodybuilding, aesthetics are everything. One thing that is often very eye-catching with top-level bodybuilders is the sheer size of their traps.Considering that the shrugging exercises place the highest amount of stress on the traps (2), there is great trap-building potential.If you have noticed that barbell shrugs aren’t really doing it for you anymore, changing to the kirk shrug may be beneficial. The change of stimulus should allow the traps to begin increasing in size once again.
Why Powerlifters Should Perform Kirk Shrugs
While it is true that shrugs are more commonly in bodybuilding, the kirk shrug can prove to be invaluable for powerlifters.
Using the kirk shrugs as an accessory exercise can facilitate an improved performance with all three lifts – the squat, deadlift, and bench. As highlighted, regularly performing the kirk shrug can significantly build upper back and grip strength and improve performance with pulling exercises such as the deadlift.
However, it can also lead to improvements with the bench and squat too.Firstly with the bench, a large degree of shoulder stability is required. Additionally, increasing the size of the upper back and shoulder can give you a larger, more solid base to bench press from.A combination of increased upper back and shoulder size, strength and stability will ultimately have a positive impact on how much weight you can lift for bench press.Finally, for squats, by building the size of your back, the barbell will have a better “shelf” to sit on. This may improve leverage and confidence when handling heavier loads.
Back Size and Grip Strength Workout
For those who wish to develop upper body muscle size and strength, consider using the following workout that incorporates the kirk shrug.
Exercise 1:
Barbell Rows 3 sets x 10 – 15 reps
One of the best exercises around for back and grip development. To maximize the demand on grip, use an overhand grip and avoid using wrist straps as they will reduce the need for grip strength (#).Once in the bent-over position, avoid moving the trunk or hips and focus on pulling the bar into the body through movement of the shoulders and elbows only.
Exercise 2:
Towel Chin-Ups3 sets x failureFor this exercise, drape a towel over chin-up bars and pull on the towel. The towel will make grip very challenging which will lead to significant grip strength development.Complete as many reps as you possibly can and look to hold the top position of the exercise for as long as possible during the last set.
Exercise 3:
Kirk Shrugs2 sets x 8 repsProgramming 8 reps will give you the opportunity to lift heavy and maximize improvements in the upper back strength and grip strength.
Exercise 4:
Standing Cable Crunch5 sets x 10 – 20 repsYou may be wondering why there is an abdominal exercise incorporated into an upper back session. The abdominals are a key antagonist muscle to the back which means that, when the back is working, the abs generate force to assist in the control of the movement. Therefore, it is important that the abdominals develop at a similar rate to the back muscles so that they can effectively assist the muscles of the back (4).With each rep, hold the contracted position for one full second.
Final Word
There is no doubt that the barbell shrug is an effective exercise for upper back, shoulders, and grip development. The addition of the static hold and increased range of motion in the kirk shrug increases the intensity of the exercise and therefore, may help to accelerate the strength-building process.
References:
1 – Kim, DeokJu; Cho, MiLim; Park, YunHee; Yang, YeongAe (2015-6). “Effect of an exercise program for posture correction on musculoskeletal pain”. Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 27 (6): 1791–1794. doi:10.1589/jpts.27.1791. ISSN 0915-5287. PMC 4499985. PMID 26180322.
2 – Schory, Abbey; Bidinger, Erik; Wolf, Joshua; Murray, Leigh (2016-6). “A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE EXERCISES THAT PRODUCE OPTIMAL MUSCLE RATIOS OF THE SCAPULAR STABILIZERS IN NORMAL SHOULDERS”. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 11 (3): 321–336. ISSN 2159-2896. PMC 4886800. PMID 27274418.
3 – Coswig, Victor S.; Machado Freitas, Diogo Felipe; Gentil, Paulo; Fukuda, David H.; Del Vecchio, Fabrício Boscolo (2015-12). “Kinematics and Kinetics of Multiple Sets Using Lifting Straps During Deadlift Training”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 29 (12): 3399–3404. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000986. ISSN 1533-4287. PMID 26595133.
4 – Hirai, Hiroaki; Miyazaki, Fumio; Naritomi, Hiroaki; Koba, Keitaro; Oku, Takanori; Uno, Kanna; Uemura, Mitsunori; Nishi, Tomoki; Kageyama, Masayuki; Krebs, Hermano Igo (2015). “On the Origin of Muscle Synergies: Invariant Balance in the Co-activation of Agonist and Antagonist Muscle Pairs”. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 3: 192. doi:10.3389/fbioe.2015.00192. ISSN 2296-4185. PMC 4656836. PMID 26636079.
Welcome to the Hall of Shame: The Wall INBA/PNBA Athletes Avoid Like the Plague
Everyone wants a slice of the Hall of Fame, but no one wants to be clumped in the Hall of Shame.
The Hall of Shame/Wall of Shame is a list garnered by the International Bodybuilding Association/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA/PNBA) showcasing natural bodybuilders busted for performance-enhancing drugs like steroids and diuretics. However, instead of celebrating each athletes’ accolades, it condemns them for using drugs.
On the list, you’ll find the athlete’s name, the event they used performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), what drug(s) they tested positive for, the date they tested positive, and their decree. The list of the athletes is in order, from the most recent to the oldest failed drug test.
For the athletes that decide not to get tested, well, they are automatically disqualified from the competition. Moreover, the competitor is stripped from any titles. The INBA/PNBA doesn’t mess around when it comes to each athlete’s punishment. Contenders are also banned for life from ever competing in a natural bodybuilding competition again.
It differs from show to show how they perform these tests. For example, some shows will have their athletes go backstage in the bathrooms to get drug-tested before the competition.
Of course, this level of drug testing is costly. That’s why it’s hard to crack down on all bodybuilders that are doping completely. However, contenders like Rob Terry – two times Natural Mr. Olympia and professional wrestler – randomly drug test themselves for transparency and quieting skeptics. Other natural bodybuilding leagues perform drug tests, but the dividing factor is that the INBA/PNBA does in-season and off-season testing.
Below, you can watch an exclusive clip from Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life diving into the meticulous drug testing INBA/PNBA undertakes their athletes.
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Bodybuilding and Alleged Drug Use
Bodybuilding leagues don’t endorse the use of drugs. However, they don’t test for drugs such as steroids or PEDs either. Omitting to drug test gives athletes lots of room to partake in these performance enhancers if they choose to do so.
In the digital age we live in, steroids and other PEDs aren’t behind closed doors anymore, and bodybuilders such as Dorian Yates – former Mr. Olympia – are upfront about their use of drugs to enhance their physique.
There’s no denying that performance enhancers improve your body composition. And because of the high-level competition, many athletes feel they won’t be able to compete with top contenders unless they get an edge, AKA steroids.
Natural Bodybuilding
Some athletes compete in natural bodybuilding leagues, such as INBA/PNBA, instead of the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB). In these leagues, athletes undergo state-of-the-art drug testing from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – the most elite drug testing for professional athletes. Every year WADA comes up with all banned substances.
Testing contestants levels the playing field and ensures all athletes competing don’t get an unfair advantage. But at the same time, it protects competitors and their health. Colin Congo, 2018 Mr. Natural Olympia, gave his two cents in an exclusive GI interview below.
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Furthermore, Brandon Wadas, a professional natural bodybuilder, has been outspoken about the issues in a post published on October 27th, 2021, stating, “Someone is going to literally have to die on stage before something changes in bodybuilding.”
The Hall of Shame is a wall of natural bodybuilders who have failed drug tests. As you’d imagine, this public humiliation prevents natural bodybuilders from engaging in drugs, which protects the integrity of INBA/PNBA.
Generation Iron would like to congratulate natural bodybuilders who aren’t on the Hall of Shame. We look forward to seeing you in future competitions!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay updated on the latest natural bodybuilding news!
Bader Boodai Interview: The Man Who Unleashed Big Ramy Unto The World
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Who really brought Big Ramy into the big leagues?
Every week, Iron Cinema will connect you with Generation Iron director Vlad Yudin. Giving you unprecedented inside access to the creative process behind his the Generation Iron Fitness Network. Get a first hand look at the entire journey of taking Vlad’s creative ideas to the big screen – from stories on set of films like Generation Iron and CT Fletcher all the way to exclusive behind-the-scene looks at our newest GI news and films. This week Vlad talks with Bader Boodai, owner of Oxygen gym and the man who claims to have discovered Big Ramy. As of late, Dennis James and Bader have been taking shots at each other over Big Ramy. Bader attempts to set the record straight.
Whenever I see Big Ramy step up on stage, I’m immediately amazed. Hardly ever have we seen a bodybuilder with such sheer mass compete in the IFBB. It’s no wonder many begin to place bets as to when will Big Ramy take over as Olympia champion. It seems like only a matter of time as his career is still young and he has plenty of time to hone in his conditioning. But when it comes to Big Ramy’s past and who first discovered him, there seems to be much heated debate. Particularly between Bader Boodai and Dennis James. The two have recently been at odds with each other – trading insults on separate interview shows. Though I haven’t had a chance to speak with Dennis James just yet… it’s time to hear Bader’s side of the story regarding all this. Who discovered Big Ramy? And will he truly become the unstoppable champion fans want him to be? Find out in my latest interview above.
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Cedric McMillan Speaks On Near-Death Experience Due To Heart Issues
Cedric McMillan opened up in an interview after an appearance as a guest poser.
There has been plenty of speculation recently about the health of Cedric McMillan. He did not compete at the Arnold Classic back in September and missed the finals during the Legion Sports Fest. While McMillan usually keeps information quiet, he recently spoke out on his health after an appearance as a guest poser.
McMillan took the stage during the 2021 NPC Armed Forces Nationals to show off a routine. Following the event, McMillan shared some information on his health, including how he almost passed away from complications with his heart.
“Back in July, I was almost dead. Like almost notify the next of kin. My wife was with me but I was out of here. But I didn’t see no white light so I don’t know if I was that close but looking at me from the outside, I was that close,” McMillan said.
“I was the hospital for about three weeks. I lost about 30 pounds. I was getting ready to go to the Arnold. I spent all of August trying to gain weight back — ignoring the doctor’s advice. then I spent about four weeks trying to get ready while I’m still sick. That lets you know how damn crazy we are.”
Cedric McMillan revealed that he was quickly trying to put back on the weight that he lost. This was in an attempt to get back in proper shape to compete in the Arnold Classic.
McMillan continued by discussing how COVID impacts bodybuilders. After contracting the virus back in March of 2020, McMillan began feeling the long-tern effects on his heart over a year later.
“The virus makes protein levels spike in your heart. It makes us bodybuilders and fitness people particularly sensitive. You would think because we exercise that we would be less sensitive but it’s something about the protein levels. Also, most athletes have an enlarged heart.”
McMillan did drop a subtle bomb by saying he plans to compete during the 2022 Arnold Classic. This is a show that McMillan won back in 2017 and has made a point to make every year.
“I’ll definitely be doing the Arnold Classic, for sure. I try to hit it every year.”
Like many have done recently, Cedric McMillan provided a call-to-action for bodybuilders. This time, he was discussing time and how important it is to give as much as possible to loved ones.
“What I do know is that at the end of the day, you guys don’t care about how many muscles we have or how many trophies we won. You just want that lost time back. All that I ask is to be patient with us.”
“When you get a chance, I guess I would say sacrifice yourself to the people that love you. We give so much of ourselves to the gym and prep and work. Give yourself to your family and the people who love you while you still have a chance.”
Cedric McMillan looks like he is back in elite shape and that will only improve as time goes on. It is always good to hear that McMillan’s health is improving and he is back to doing what he loves. Fans can now look forward to the next time he steps on stage.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
WATCH: An Inside Look At The Natural Olympia 2021 | Backstage, Posing Routines, & Awards
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A visual deep dive into the Natural Olympia 2021 competition.
November 11-13th, 2021 held the Pinnacle of Natural Bodybuilding – the Natural Olympia. This is the biggest event of the year for the INBA/PNBA natural bodybuilding league. Much like the IFBB Pro’s Mr. Olympia – it showcases the best athletes from across the world who have fought to qualify for this yearly event. With strict WADA drug testing guidelines to ensure that all athletes are natural – this event is the biggest weekend of the year for natural bodybuilders across the world.
Generation Iron was on the ground floor reporting on the event as well as capturing footage with our camera crew. We captured a behind the scenes and on stage look to give a full encapsulation of the event. With 20 divisions across both traditional and masters categories – this is one of the most super-sized bodybuilding events in the world.
You can watch our full behind the scenes look at the event above. Read on to get a full break down on the details of the Natural Olympia 2021. You can also check out our official results from the event right here.
What Defines INBA/PNBA Natural Bodybuilding?
There are many natural bodybuilding leagues – but the INBA/PNBA is certainly the biggest – reaching across the country and having athletes representing over 15 different countries across the globe. While nearly all pro bodybuilding leagues claim to condemn steroids – only certain leagues dedicate themselves to drug testing athletes before every competition. The INBA/PNBA leads in this regard. They use the most technically advanced drug test system (WADA – which is used by the Olympics) to ensure fairness across all athletes and competitions.
How The Drug Testing Works
The INBA/PNBA league uses the most sophisticated and advanced drug testing system in professional sports – the World Anti-Doping Agency (also known as WADA). WADA testing is the same system used for the Olympics every four years – and is known for it’s accuracy and quality.
The INBA/PNBA league uses WADA testing before every major competition. If a pro natural bodybuilder should fail the test, their titles are revoked and they are placed on the INBA/PNBA Wall Of Shame – a virtual list of competitors who have attempted to cheat the competitions and drug tests.
How The Judging Works
The Natural Olympia is a natural show which means that there are some differences from the IFBB shows. The biggest distinction when it comes to judging is the size of the athletes. There is not as much muscle mass for natural athletes as opposed to IFBB competitors, specifically Men’s Open. Despite the difference in size, athletes compete in similar categories.
In the Men’s Physique division, competitors perform bodybuilding poses and a T-walk. The judges have to adjust because the muscle mass is smaller despite the level of conditioning remaining high. Athletes can qualify for the Natural Olympia by competing in one PNBA competition. This has to be a professional show and they do not need to win a specific placing.
The Divisions
While there are a lot of similarities – the INBA/PNBA features a wider array of divisions that might seem familiar but with a slight twist on the typical formula you see in an IFBB Pro show. Below is a quick list of the full divisions (please note that each division also has a masters counterpart for ages 40+.
Men’s Bodybuilding Open
Men’s Classic Physique Open
PNBA Angels
Figure Classic
Men’s Sport Model Open
Women’s Sport Model Open
Women’s Physique Open
Figure Open
Bikini Divas Open
Men’s Physique Open
Women’s Bodybuilding Open
The goal for the INBA/PNBA is to provide as many opportunities for athletes to compete. Whichever physique type goal an athlete might desire there is a division for it – so long as there are enough competitors interested in competing.
Creativity is also rewarded across these divisions. The PNBA Angels must showcase custom made costumes as part of their routines. Other divisions such as the Men’s Classic Physique also usually feature some element of a costume to coincide with the posing routines.
Wrap Up
There’s no doubt that the INBA/PNBA’s Pinnacle Of Natural Bodybuilding Natural Olympia is the biggest natural bodybuilding event on the planet. This year’s showcase was no different – and we were excited to provide a deeper inside look than traditionally seen over the years. You can watch our full recap and behind the scenes look in our GI Exclusive video above.
How to Build Muscle and Stay Fit on Any Diet
How to Build Muscle and Stay Fit on Any Diet
Although there are so many different types of diets out there, building muscles and staying fit is usually on the top of everyone’s dieting agenda. No matter the type of diet you choose to follow, there are many different ways you can build muscles and get rid of unwanted fat. While you build muscle, you lose fat. This does not only make you look better, but it can also make you feel more confident and help you live a longer, healthier life. Here are some of the ways you can build muscles and stay fit on any type of diet.
Eat Lots of Protein
Protein is the number one thing you need to eat when working to build muscles. Protein can help you bulk up and is an important element for building muscles. Make sure to eat foods such as lean meats, fish, eggs, and cheese. While your diet should include protein to help build muscles, be sure to eat a variety of foods that include fruits, vegetables, grains, and carbs, which are all important to staying fit and losing weight while you continue to build muscle. In addition, eating protein before bed can help your body to continue building muscle while you sleep.
Don’t Neglect Your Veggies
While a lot of people consider heightening their intake of protein and fats, they tend to neglect eating vegetables for muscle building. When people think of building muscles, they often think of protein. Protein is not the only important building block for muscles. If you are building muscles, you should eat about 5-6 servings of vegetables a day.
Try having some kind of vegetable at every meal and for a snack. You can also double up to make sure you get enough throughout the day. Since you will be eating a higher amount of protein, vegetables can also help to ensure your digestive system is working properly.
Eat Less Calories Daily
Some diets may have you on a strict calorie intake. Eating less calories per day can help you to build muscle. Some diets may have you eating less carbs, like the Atkins Diet. Others may have you reducing carbs and increasing fat intake, like the Keto Diet. Some diets, like Weight Watchers, require you to count calories or points.
Overall, a decrease in the number of calories can help your body to burn more fat and increase muscle. While decreasing calories can help, it is important you maintain a balanced diet to keep your body moving and free from injury.
Get Plenty of Vitamins and Antioxidants
Our bodies need vitamins and antioxidants. You can get plenty by supplementing to make sure your body has what it needs for building muscle. Glutamine is one amino acid that you can take as a supplement to help build muscles. Also consider getting a good mixture of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and selenium each day. Eating fruits, vegetables, and foods that are high in antioxidants will also help you to build muscles. Even if you take a daily multivitamin, add to it calcium, magnesium, and potassium to support your growing muscles.
Get Plenty of Sleep
You might be wondering what sleep has to do with muscle building. If you don’t sleep enough, your body will not build muscle or lose fat. While some people think of sleep as a nuisance, it is actually very important not only to your health, but for staying fit as well. Getting too little sleep can increase hormone levels and decrease the amount of muscle gained after a workout. Make sure to get about 7-8 hours of sleep per night to build muscles and stay fit.
Give High-Intensity Interval Training a Try
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be beneficial to building muscles and losing fat. HIIT involves pushing your body hard for a time and then resting. It can burn a lot more fat than when you exercise at the same pace the whole time. This supports the levels of oxidation in your muscles and allows them to grow. It can help to maintain the muscles you are gaining and should be included in your exercise routine for at least 2 days per week.
Use Heavier Weights for Fewer Reps
Whether you go to the gym or use home exercise equipment, try out heavier weights for fewer reps. It is not about the number of times you lift a weight, but it is more about using heavier weights, even if you only lift it once or twice. It can be more beneficial to body-building than doing a lot of reps. This will help you to gain muscles and lose fat more quickly. It will help you to become stronger quicker and also to gain more lean muscle.
Make Sure to Rest and Recover
Some people believe that in order to build plenty of muscles, they need to be at the gym every single day. While this is ambitious, it might not be as helpful as you would think. Giving your body time to rest and recover from an activity is very important to building muscles, losing fat and staying healthy. Taking a day or two off here and there will actually be more beneficial for you in the long run than working out every day. Your body needs time to reset and take a break from activity. Resting is just as important as working out.
These are some of the most natural ways you can build muscles and stay fit no matter what kind of diet you follow. When following a diet, it is important that you take care of yourself and do more good than harm to your body. Losing weight is not as important as maintaining your health. Other options would be to take work out supplements along with your diet. These natural ways can help you to maintain your health, stay fit, and even build muscles quicker. They can also help to ensure you are leading a healthy and happy life.
Amanda Maurois is a proud fit mom, entrepreneur and lifestyle blogger who loves to write about healthy lifestyle, fitness and entrepreneurship. Co-founder at HowTonight.com lifestyle blog. Also, be sure to follow her on Twitter.
Set Your Calves on Fire with This Workout
Set Your Calves on Fire with This Workout
Calves can be one of the most stubborn muscle groups. Most people treat their calves as accessory muscles and throw in a couple of exercises to train them at the end of their workouts. It’s going to take much more if you want to turn your calves into bulls.
You need to train your calves like all your other muscle groups and hit them from all the angles. Your calves are made up of gastrocnemius and soleus muscles which can be targeted with different exercises.
The standing (knees extended) calf exercises work the gastrocnemius muscle while the sitting (knees bent) exercises target the shorter soleus muscle. You need to constantly shock your calves by switching the intensity, volume, and exercises.
Changing your feet placement while performing the calf exercises can also spark new gains. Performing the exercises with a normal foot placement (parallel) targets the medial calves.
Keeping your toes together and heels facing outwards will work the outer calves. If you want to target your inner calves, you should keep your heels together and toes facing outwards.
Calves Blaster Workout
Standing Calf Raises – 3 Sets 30 Reps
A complete range of motion is one of the most important aspects of training calves. Many people make the mistake of overloading the machine and can only move the weights a few inches. You should try to go as deep as you can so your heels are almost touching the floor.
At the top of the movement, your feet should look like a Ballerina standing on her toes. Contract your calves at full extension with every rep. Your calves should have a muscle-ripping pump by the end of this set.
Seated Calf Raises (Changing Feet Placements) – 3 Sets 10-10-10 Reps
Since your knees are bent in the seated calf raises this exercise targets the soleus muscle. In this exercise, you’ll be changing your feet placement to target the three heads of your calves.
Start the exercise with a neutral foot placement and perform 10 reps. Rack the weights and switch your foot placement so your toes are pointing inwards. After completing 10 reps, point your toes outwards and complete the last 10 reps.
Leg Press Calf Raises – 3 Sets 10 Reps
Leg press calf raises are a great exercise as they isolate your calves. You should be able to have a better range of motion in this exercise as this is one of the few calf exercises where your feet will be placed higher than your upper body. This foot placement can give your toes leverage to extend more than the other calf exercises.
Since you’ll only be doing 10 reps on this exercise, you should try going heavier without compromising your form. Use rep tempos and take three seconds to lower the weights, and hold the weight at the bottom for a second. Take two seconds to extend your feet and hold for three seconds at the top of the movement.
Single Leg Standing Smith Machine Calf Raises – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Unilateral exercises are a great way to bring up lagging muscle groups as it gets easier to establish a mind-muscle connection. Training one side of a muscle group at a time also helps in fixing muscle imbalances.
Stand on your right foot at the edge of an aerobics exercise step or a weight plate with your left foot elevated. Perform the 15 reps on the right leg and then switch to your left leg.
Donkey Calf Raises – 3 Sets 20 Reps
Donkey calf raises were one of Arnold’s favorite exercises to train his calves. If you don’t have a donkey calf raise machine at your gym, bend over on a raised platform and ask someone to sit on your back.
Since your knees are bent in the donkey calf raises, they target your soleus muscle. By the end of this exercise and this workout, your calves should be filled with lactic acid and blood and should be begging you for mercy.
Which is your favorite calf exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Rebekah Rasmussen Details Her Year Long Journey to Natural Olympia Champion
Rebekah Rasmussen returned to Natural Olympia with a goal in mind and left with a gold medal.
Rebekah Rasmussen’s first time competing professionally as a natural bodybuilder was at the 2020 Natural Olympia. She ended that competition as the runner-up in the Bikini Divas Masters division. Afterward, she dialed in on specific goals and went to work. Fast forward one year later, she proudly held the American flag on the podium with a gold necklace draped around her neck (in Bikini Divas Masters) at 2021 Natural Olympia. In an Instagram (IG) post the day after her victory on November 14th, 2021, this is what Rasmussen had to say:
“This time last year, Olympia 2020 was my first Pro Show. It was such an incredible experience, took 2nd place and of course wanted to return for a win one day. @fit_with_tiff_stosich and I had buckled down for a solid year with specific goals. I’m beyond stoked to fulfill my dream, holding that flag, on the podium with a GOLD medal to our National Anthem. Couldn’t keep my composure, and was a very emotional and powerful moment for me.”
You can see the complete caption below.
Before 2021 Natural Olympia, Rebekah Rasmussen took home first place in Pro Bikini at 2021 Mr. America in the Open and Masters division. It’s an impressive win in bodybuilding shows when you don’t let age decide your fate in the open division. So it’s no surprise Called Out ranked her amongst the top 10 in America in the Pro Bikini class.
Her on-stage presence was one of Rebekah Rasmussen’s significant improvements in this previous Natural Olympia compared to the competition in 2020. She’s learned that it’s equally important to work on posing as you do your strength and toning goals.
Natural Bodybuilding
Natural bodybuilding leagues such as International Bodybuilding Association/ Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA/PNBA) put their athletes through modern drug testing via World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Other bodybuilding leagues don’t condone drug use. Still, INBA/PNBA requires their athletes to get a complete evaluation from the best drug-testing company in the industry before competing – not only does this make the competition fair, but it’s protecting all competitors.
Here’s a take on what eminent natural bodybuilder, Colin Congo, had to say on the matter in this exclusive GI interview:
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Athlete From a Young Age
Rebekah Rasmussen’s quest to bodybuilding champion started at a young age. On IG, she states that she was a competitive runner for over 20 years, which ruined her knees. And she credits weightlifting for keeping her in shape in her 40s.
As her IG username suggests – heavyweights_n_proteinshakes – she believes heavy lifting is the key to building a stunning physique as you age. In the IG post below, she shows her transformation from her teens, 20s, and 30s to her 40s.
Thanks to weightlifting, Rasmussen expresses that she can now eat more foods and get abs as a middle-aged woman compared to running for miles on end during her younger years. Now, she aims for strength, not skinny.
Outside of being a natural bodybuilding champion and keen weightlifter, Rebekah Rasmussen is a proud mother of three daughters.
Generation Iron would like to congratulate Rebekah Rasmussen for her Bikini Divas Masters win at the 2021 Natural Olympia. And to other elite competitors, including Arely Ayala, who was the runner-up in Bikini Divas and first place winner in Bikini Angels.
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