Tag: Bodybuilding
Generation Iron Network To Produce Biopic On Legendary Pro Bodybuilder Robby Robinson
The documentary film will chronicle the iconic life story of Robby Robinson, his illustrious pro bodybuilding career, and his game changing 6-Step Blueprint to the best physique of your life.
Generation Iron Network in association with The Vladar Company have announced that they are set to produce a feature film documentary exploring the life story of pro bodybuilding legend Robby Robinson. An iconic athlete from the “Golden Era” of bodybuilding, Robinson is the first ever black man featured on the cover of a bodybuilding magazine. He is also well known for using his platform to advocate for equal rights in the sport.
Born and raised in Florida, Robby Robinson was one of 14 children – son to an illiterate mother and bootlegger father. He grew up facing extreme poverty and racism throughout his entire childhood. Overcoming the odds, Robinson discovered bodybuilding and competed in over 300 amateur competitions before entering the IFBB Pro league. He would go on to become a star competitor and eventually make history as the first ever Mr. Olympia Masters champion.
During the prime of his career, he was openly outspoken in bodybuilding over racism and unfairness in the sport – and even put his career on the line to promote change. His comments proved controversial at the time eventually landing him a double-lifetime ban from the IFBB Pro league forcing him into retirement. Despite no longer being able to compete, he remained in shockingly impressive shape well into his 60s and 70s – often being touted as finding the fountain of youth.
“It’s a rare opportunity to work on a film about one of the most interesting, unique and underrated figures in bodybuilding,” says director Vlad Yudin. “Robby Robinson’s film will not focus solely on his bodybuilding career. It will dive way beyond the sport and explore Robby’s struggle, purpose and legacy.”
The Robby Robinson biopic will chronicle his entire life story from struggling in childhood and through his illustrious yet controversial career. It will explore the nuance behind his claims of racism in the sport – including statements made against beloved bodybuilding figure and mogul Joe Weider and the subsequent backlash. A complicated yet inspiring figure in the sport, the film will unearth the man behind the myth and muscle.
The documentary will also follow Robby Robinson’s current life including the friendship he formed with Tim Taylor. A man who hired Robinson for a four day training session that led to Taylor befriending the notoriously private Robinson very late in his life. Robinson had never let anyone inside his private life until meeting Taylor.
Through their bond and trust – Robby Robinson transformed Tim Taylor’s life and physique at 56 years old using a 6-Step Blueprint. This transformative fitness program was not documented until Robinson and Taylor trained together for those 16 weeks. Taylor documented their training conversations into a journal every day and created the 6-Step Blueprint in order to replicate them long term. 50 years of Robinson’s wisdom and knowledge organized into a training system like never before.
Taylor now believes bringing this 6-Step Blueprint to the public eye will solidify the legacy of Robinson – the final crowning achievement that he can leave behind long after he is gone. Acting as a sort of window into the true Robby Robinson – audiences will witness a never before seen side of the legend.
The Robby Robinson biopic will be directed by Vlad Yudin (Generation Iron, Ronnie Coleman: The King, Dorian Yates: The Original Mass Monster) and produced by Edwin Mejia Jr. (Canyon Del Muerto, Generation Iron, The Hurt Business, Ronnie Coleman: The King) and Tim Taylor.
The Robby Robinson biopic is set to be released in 2022 on limited screens.
Photo courtesy of Jason Ellis Photography.
Generation Iron Network
Generation Iron is the first digital media company delivering health, fitness, bodybuilding and strength sports content worldwide. Since launch, Generation has been the leading publisher of original programming, films, and premium entertainment content with the biggest names in Strength Sports worldwide. Generation Iron today is dedicated to making the highest quality digital series aimed at educating and entertaining fans and athletes. Today, Generation Iron has a catalogue of over 30 titles and in depth docu-series which have built the backbone of its original programming.
The Vladar Company
The Vladar Company is a media and entertainment company, which focuses on developing, financing, and packaging a library of intellectual properties. Recent films include Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer, The Hurt Business, Medeas, and Generation Iron. The company has become a leading producer of many niche genres and multiple mediums in US and international markets, while also expanding into acquiring and distributing high quality content.
Vladar continues to develop, finance, and release projects in different formats as well as create and build media brands. Vladar also focuses on creating and developing new distribution models, and contributes to the success of independent film and TV production.
*Header image courtesy of Jason Ellis Photography
Mr. America Champ Corey Brown On His First Cheat Meal After A Momentous Victory
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Corey Brown Answers: What Will Be His First Cheat Meal After Winning Mr. America 2021?
This past October held one of the biggest and most historic bodybuilding events of the year – the Mr. America 2021. With its roots going back all the way to 1939 – the competition somewhat disappeared in the new millennium until 2020, when it was revived with the aim of going mainstream in the sport. Now in its second year of revival, the event has already received much attention, praise, and a featured broadcast on CBS Sports. We had a chance to chat with the Men’s Open champion from the event, Cory Brown immediately after his victory. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Cory Brown shares what his first cheat meal will be after being crowned Mr. America.
The Mr. America competition has a dedication to represent the purity of competition within bodybuilding. With that in mind, its revival decided to ensure that this was a natural show by committing to WADA standard drug testing. With a media coverage partnership with Generation Iron and CBS Sports Network broadcasting – it’s well on its way to reaching a wider audience and, hopefully, making bodybuilding more mainstream. Partially leading that charge will be the champion athletes – such as Mr. America 2021 winner Corey Brown.
Generation Iron had a chance to catch up with Corey Brown right after his victory. Still stunned by the weight of the victory, Brown showcased himself as a humble but confident athlete and champion. He shared insight into the kind of work he had to put in to earn the title and also his future plans for the coming year.
But competitive bodybuilding can also take a major strain on your psych when it comes to nutrition and dieting. After putting so much effort into being perfect for stage, it’s only natural for an athlete to indulge in a bit of a cheat meal. With Corey Brown being somewhat new to the public gaze – we wanted to help let fans get to know Brown a little better now that he’s Mr. America champion. We thought of the perfect way – what’s his ideal cheat meal to celebrate his big victory.
Still somewhat awe-struck from his victory, he claimed that he had a lot going on in his head. Ultimately, he landed on trying something delicious and new to him. Not being native to the east coast of the US, he had always heard New York pizza is the best in the country. He wants to put that to the test and grab a slice or two for himself.
“Since this is my first time on the east coast, I want to try something on the east coast that I’ve never ate,” Corey Brown stated during our interview. He continued:
“I don’t ant to go to no chain restaurant. One of my guys told me that if I ever tried pizza here or in New York that I’ll never want pizza again when I go back. So I wanna see how good their pizza is actually.”
The staff here at Generation Iron (a New York located business, by the way) wish Corey Brown the best on his pizza journey and hope it lives up to his expectations. It only makes sense to try the best pizza in America when you’re the Mr. America champion.
You can watch our full post-victory interview with Corey Brown in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Why You Should Stay Away From The Barbell
Stay Away From The Barbell
Barbell exercises have been a symbol of badassery for a long time. “How much do you bench?” is casually thrown around in the gyms all around the world. Many people are always on the quest to increase their 1RM (one rep max).
“Why?”, you ask? Because, as the broscientists put it; if the rod ain’t bending, you’re just pretending. Barbells are great if you’re just starting to lift weights because they can correct your form. Compound movements with barbell also help in increasing your core strength.
There is no doubt, barbell can be really helpful in building muscle mass and strength, but it comes with a price. This is why you should stay away from the barbell.
Increases The Chances Of Injury
Compound exercises using a barbell can shoot up your chances of an injury since multiple joints are involved. For eg – in an exercise like the squats, your legs are the focus muscle group but you might recruit your lower back while performing the movement.
Supporting muscles will always be weaker than the primary muscles. This puts you at the risk of an injury. The three exercises where most injuries happen are the barbell bench press, squats, and deadlifts.
It is especially important for a person with a record of injuries to stay away from the barbell. There is an alternative exercise or a variation of these exercises you can perform while significantly reducing the chances of an injury.
2. Play Safe With The Dumbbells
If you’re looking for a substitute for the barbell, dumbbells are your best bet. Dumbbells help you do all the exercises you perform with a barbell while reducing the chances of an injury.
Using dumbbells can also help you improve your range of motion resulting in a better development of muscles. If you’re suffering from joint pains or an injury, you should switch to using dumbbells.
Many pro athletes like Kris Gethin have almost eliminated the use of barbell in their training routines. If you plan on staying in the fit lifestyle for an extended period, do yourself and your joints a favor and start working with dumbbells.
3. Squeeze Your Way To Growth With Cables
Cables are an incredibly effective isolation exercise which can help in getting muscle ripping pumps. Apart from the good feeling, bodybuilders chase a pump because all the nutrients travel to your focus muscle group through blood.
The muscle building macronutrient, protein travels through the blood to your target muscle and helps in repairing and developing the muscle. Add a cable exercise in your workouts to optimize your muscle growth.
Using cables makes sure there is constant tension on your muscles throughout the movement. On the barbells and dumbbells, your muscles are worked on the concentric (flexing) movement and all the tension is released on the eccentric (downward) movement.
4. Avoid Muscle Imbalances
It is no secret one of your sides is stronger than the other. For a right-hander, his right side might be stronger than his left, and a left-hander might be stronger on his left side.
Using a barbell can make your muscle imbalances more prominent as your stronger side might take over while performing an exercise with the barbell. Your body does this to compensate for the weaker side.
Using dumbbells, on the other hand, makes sure both your sides are equally used. You can even work on your weaker side by performing unilateral exercises. Unilateral exercises involve working one side at a time. This helps in focusing on and developing the weaker side.
Do you agree with this approach of training? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Posterior Chain Training for Greater Gains
The Many Benefits of Posterior Chain Training
Strength training can be used for a multitude of reasons – to improve aesthetics, strength, performance or reduce the risk of injury.Perhaps you’ve been having some problems with your training programs and the results just don’t quite live up to your expectations.This article will look at the posterior chain and highlight the many benefits of regularly training it. In addition, the article will provide a fantastic posterior-chain training program for you to use.
Why It Is Vital To Train The Posterior Chain
Nowadays, people are sitting for long time periods and are generally less active than in years gone by. This can wreak havoc with our posture, alignment, and general movement.The biggest issue that many face is commuting to work and work itself. Many individuals work in an office and therefore often seated for the best part of the day. Being seated for many hours can lead us to forget about good posture and proper alignment which can apply a great deal of stress to our muscles and joints (1).As a result of this stress, our bodies adapt to accommodate long periods of sitting by shortening the hip flexors and hamstrings (leg) which adversely alters pelvic tilt. Furthermore, the shortening of the pectorals (chest) can pull the shoulders forward and consequently cause the rounding of the upper back & shoulders.Many individuals with forward shoulders have lost the ability to fully retract and depress the shoulders.
As a result of muscles shortening, tightening and being underutilized, the joints can become less mobile and stiffer.Many office workers display postural problems such as forward head, rounded back & shoulders, tight hamstrings & stiff hips.Not only is this not a good look, but it can significantly reduce performance and increase the chances of experiencing an injury.The combination of tightened muscles and muscular imbalances is dangerous and may significantly increase the chances of sustaining an injury.In addition to this, pain can be a real issue with shoulder, back, arm, wrist, and neck pain coming out on top in a recent study (2).Considering the role that the posterior chain plays in posture, movement, and performance, strengthening these muscles should be a top priority.
Feeding the Postural Problem
The issue with many strength training programs is that they fail to take into account postural starting points and how your work or daily habits may impact your posture.
Typically, strength & hypertrophy programs use a 1:1 push to pull ratio. Pushing exercises tend to develop the anterior chain whereas pulling exercises work the posterior chain.When starting strength training, the majority of beginners target all the anterior chain muscles as they are most visible. In fact, it’s not just beginners who do this – at some point, everyone will have been guilty of overdeveloping the anterior chain and neglecting the unseen posterior chain.The problem with developing the anterior muscles more quickly than the posterior muscles is that you are simply exacerbating any postural issues that may exist (3).Now, this is not to suggest that you should remove all anterior-focused exercises from your program, rather the overall volume should be adjusted so that more posterior chain work is performed.While it is important to adjust the volume to increase the amount of posterior work, it must be accompanied with appropriate mobility work to maintain joint health and promote efficient movement.As you will see in the program, there is a great emphasis on the posterior chain strength and mobility. There is a specific focus on the shoulder depressors, retractors & external rotators, the glutes & hamstrings, and core.When you consider the role that the core plays in maintaining good posture, strengthening muscles such as the multifidus, diaphragm, erectors spinae & transverse abdominis can have a huge impact on posture (4).Furthermore, increasing core strength can also lead to a better performance with a number of compound lifts, such as the squat, deadlift, bench, bent rows, and overhead press.
Work Considerations
If you are an individual who works in an office or spends a long portion of the day seated, look to increase your activity levels throughout the day.If you must sit for the majority of the day, aim to adjust your seated position every hour, if possible.As the day progresses, pay particular attention to your posture and how you are sat. Being aware of your own body position and adjusting yourself regularly can have a significant impact.Good posture involves keeping upright by extending the spine, pushing the chest high, pulling the shoulders back & down, and keeping the core engaged (5).Be very aware of your neck position too. It should be in a comfortable, neutral position with the head back and ever so slightly extended.Initially doing this may feel strange, however as with learning a new exercise, the more you practice, the better you become at it to the point where it is automatic.Ensure your desk is set up to allow you to sit with good posture. If you find that your posture is poor when seated, place a tennis ball between you and the chair to “remind” you to maintain good posture.
Posterior Chain Training Program
The following sample posterior chain program has two parts – warm-up and strength training. It has been designed to improve both posterior chain strength and movement.
Part 1: Warm-Up
As mentioned earlier, while strengthening the posterior chain muscles is crucial, it must be accompanied with appropriate mobility work.Ensure that you complete the following 4-stage warm-up prior to commencing the strength work.The warm-up is a key part of the session as it can help to increase range of motion, performance and reduce injury risk.It is recommended to complete the warm-up on rest days too as performing it more regularly will improve mobility and reduce fatigue & DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).
1. Soft Tissue Release (i.e foam rolling)
Focus primarily on the pec minor, lats, adductors and quads. Spend some time on any muscles that are tight or sore.
2. Stretches
Stretch out the levator scapulae, pecs, subscapularis, traps, lats, hip flexors, quads, adductors, and calves.
3. Mobility Work
Use the following exercises to mobilize a number of joints:
– Cat-cow to child’s pose (spine & pelvis)– Knee to wall drill (ankles)– Strider exercise, a worlds greatest stretch, 90-90 hip stretch and adductor stretch (hips)– T-spine foam roller extension and lying t-spine rotation stretch (thoracic spine)
4. Activation Exercises
Use the following muscle activation exercises and complete 1 set of 10-15 reps to adequately prep the muscles for lifting:
– Wall slides– Band pull aparts– Glute bridge
Part 2: Strength Training
For safe and effective exercise, good technique is vitally important. If you are unsure always consult an exercise professional.The exercises that have been selected work posterior muscles from a variety of positions and angles in order to stimulate muscle fibers efficiently to comprehensively develop strength and size.It’s important to remember that this is a sample program and therefore may not fit your goals or levels of experience. It can be adjusted to suit. For optimal back and shoulder development, use a number of rowing variations that use multiple angles and positions.Focus on hip-hinging movements along with single-leg squat variations, abduction work & bridges to effectively target the glutes.Finally, for core development, use exercises that require the body to resist extension, rotation, and lateral rotation.
Day 1: Upper Body
Exercise
Sets x Reps
1. Chest Supported Dumbbell Row2. Chest Supported Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly
3 x 10-123 x 12-15
1. Neutral Grip Dumbbell Chest Press2. Chest Supported W-Raise
3 x 10-123 x 12-20
1. Seated Machine Alternating Row2. Banded Y Raise (with 2-second holds)
2 x 12-152 x 6-12
1. Half-Kneeling Landmine Press2. Hollow Body Isometric Hold
2 x 10-121-2 sets
Day 2: Lower Body
Exercise
Sets x Reps
Barbell Romanian Deadlift
4 x 10-12
1. Reverse Lunges2. Seated Band Abduction3. Single-Leg Hip Thrust4. Pallof Press
3 x 10-123 x 15-203 x 8-122 sets
Day 3: Upper Body
Exercise
Sets x Reps
1. Seated High Cable Row2. Standing Band W Raise
4 x 10-124 x 12-15
1. Pull-Overs2. Prone Lower Trap Raise
3 x 12-153 x 12-15
1. Alternating Seal Row2. Push-Ups
3 x 8-123 x 12-15
1. Behind the Neck Pull Aparts (with 2-second holds)2. Long Lever Plank
2 x 12-151-2 sets
Day 4: Lower Body
Exercise
Sets x Reps
Barbell Sumo Deadlift
4 x 8-10
Bulgarian Split Squat to Romanian Deadlift
4 x 10-20
1. Feet-Elevated Banded Glute Bridge2. Banded Dead Bug3. Suitcase Carry
2 x 15-202 x 6-122 x 1-1.5 mins
Final Word
Having a strong posterior chain is highly beneficial for day-to-day activities. However, it is important that mobility is also prioritized in conjunction with all strength work.
The program outlined in this article is a surefire way to effectively develop the posterior chain and prevent or eliminate a whole host of postural issues.
References:
1-van Vledder, Nicole; Louw, Quinette (November 10, 2015). “The effect of a workstation chair and computer screen height adjustment on neck and upper back musculoskeletal pain and sitting comfort in office workers”. The South African Journal of Physiotherapy. 71 (1). doi:10.4102/sajp.v71i1.279. ISSN 0379-6175. PMC 6093093. PMID 30135880.
2-pubmeddev. “Office ergonomics: deficiencies in computer workstation design. – PubMed – NCBI”. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
3-Negrete, Rodney J.; Hanney, William J.; Pabian, Patrick; Kolber, Morey J. (2013-4). “UPPER BODY PUSH AND PULL STRENGTH RATIO IN RECREATIONALLY ACTIVE ADULTS”. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 8 (2): 138–144. ISSN 2159-2896. PMC 3625793. PMID 23593552.
4-Hsu, Shih-Lin; Oda, Harumi; Shirahata, Saya; Watanabe, Mana; Sasaki, Makoto (2018-8). “Effects of core strength training on core stability”. Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 30 (8): 1014–1018. doi:10.1589/jpts.30.1014. ISSN 0915-5287. PMC 6110226. PMID 30154592.
5-“Posture – Office Ergonomics – Grand Valley State University”. www.gvsu.edu.
Registration Is Now Open For The 2022 Mr. America
Bodybuilders can now sign up for the 2022 Mr. America competition.
This past October not only held the Mr. Olympia, but the Mr. America 2021. A historic event that dates back further than both the Olympia and Mr. Universe, Mr. America has been in a sort of revival since 2020’s comeback. The event has drawn attention due to it’s dedication to all-natural competition and being picked up to broadcast by CBS Sports Network. You can also catch Generation Iron’s full coverage and results of the event right here. Now the competition is making an open call to all bodybuilders across all divisions of the sport – the Mr. America 2022 registration window is now open.
The Mr. America competition is leading the charge to make pro bodybuilding a mainstream sport broadcast on national television. Ever since the historic event’s return in 2020, a major step was taken to help ensure that future. The CBS Sports Network has been broadcasting the event since 2020. With the event not holding competition in any single specific league – any competitive bodybuilder can register to be a part of this growing televised event. Information on registration for the 2022 Mr. America can be found at the official website here.
Recapping The Mr. America 2021
Generation Iron provided full reporting on the results from the Mr. America 2021 and was also on the ground for the full play-by-play experience. There were many returning winners looking to defend their title at the 2021 competition. Joe LaCerra returned to defend his title in the Pro Classic category while Dora Avila was the reigning champion in Pro Bikini. Johnny Dotson returned after a 2020 victory in Pro Men’s Physique and Jenna Bidoglio was the champion in Pro Figure.
In the end, it was Cory Brown who highlighted the show with a victory in Men’s Open. He appeared on stage in excellent shape with conditioning that was above the rest. Jeremiah Kenney-Wright was named the new champion in Pro Classic while Arius Norris won gold in Men’s Physique. Bidoglio was bested in Pro Figure but took home gold in Classic Figure.
History Of Mr. America
Mr. America has made great strides since its beginning in 1939. It was started by the Amateur Athletic Union when it championed the idea of Greek ideal that perfectly sculpted physiques. The IFBB was a challenger to Mr. America when it was founded. There was a slow decline of the original ideals when money became involved along with the idea that physiques and builds must be larger.
The AAU wold eventually stop hiding the contest and this caused it to fall out of the public eye a bit. Over the years, East Coast Fitness Concepts began taking over in an attempt to bring Mr. America back to prominence. Successful events over the last two years is beginning to accomplish this goal.
The 2021 event was broadcasted on CBS Sports Network. This is an important step for natural bodybuilding to gain an audience and continue to build a strong reputation. When it comes to all-natural competition, Mr. America is leading the way. This is the top competition in the natural bodybuilding scene and it will only continue to grow from here.
The 2021 competition was a rousing success and this was a huge step forward for a competition that continues to build momentum. It will be interesting and exciting to see how it continues to grow over the years.
The Future Of Mr. America
While there has not been much confirmation on the exact details for the Mr. America 2022, the official registration announcement promotes the return of CBS Sports providing a video broadcast of next year’s event. If you are a pro bodybuilder looking to get seen not only on the competition stage – but on the national stage – you can register for the event at their official website right here.
Generation Iron will also be releasing video interviews this month with the champions from the Mr. America 2021. So be sure to stick around and check out our GI Exclusives page for more updates on the Mr. America!
Ryan Crowley: The Pros and Cons Of Being An Endomorph Bodybuilder
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Ryan Crowley shares his personal experience on successful training techniques as a person who genetically gains weight easily.
A core school of thought when it comes to fitness and bodybuilding is that everyone falls into three body types. An Ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph. Ectomorphs have a heard time gaining weight with little body fat, mesomorphs have a natural high muscle to fat ratio, and endomorphs have a naturally higher fat to muscle ratio and gain weight easily. Ryan Crowley was bullied as a child for being an overweight kid and to this day falls in the endomorph category. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Ryan Terry shares his experiences and tips on how to keep his fat ratio low while building a successful bodybuilding technique.
In competitive bodybuilding, there are some who struggle with building size and forcing themselves to eat enough food. But some bodybuilders gain weight easily during bulking. Typically, these bodybuilders would fall under the endomorph category of genetic body type. This might seem like a blessing. Building weight and size is the first step towards becoming a competitive bodybuilder. But when a competitor ultimately steps on stage, they also want to be as lean as possible. That can be more challenging to pull off for endomorphs.
Ryan Crowley is one such bodybuilder who falls into that category. He has been open about being an overweight child and being bullied. This was part of the reason why he eventually discovered bodybuilding and started sculpting his physique. This doesn’t mean that his genetic predisposition to gain fat disappears. In fact, Crowley’s fans have often been in disbelief how easily he can maintain his weight at around 300 pounds.
It’s so easy for him to stay heavy, in fact, that his bulks can sometimes go too far in the wrong direction. He describes bulking up to near 320 pounds and feeling unhealthy carrying that much weight on his body. Not only that, but he eventually needs to cut back on the fat, try to maintain as much size as possible, and keep it all as lean muscle. This is much harder for endomorphs who gain fat much more easily.
While cardio is often seen as an enemy for bodybuilders (due to cutting muscle alongside the fat), Ryan Crowley finds himself sometimes doing three hours of cardio to keep himself at a respectable weight – even during bulk. This seems to be Crowley’s biggest takeaway about being an endomorph. Bodybuilders who fall under this category need to embrace cardio in order to stay lean.
At the end of the day, Ryan Crowley keeps on weight at lower calorie levels that would cause others to lose weight. This has led fans to call him a liar about his weight and demand he shows video of stepping on the scale. The plus side is that he can keep weight with eating less food and avoiding more carbs. But the downside is if he doesn’t keep an eye on it and add extensive cardio into his routine – he can fall too far into bulking and make his cutting phase a nightmare in prep for a show.
You can watch Ryan Crowley talk in more detail about the pros and cons of being an endomorph bodybuilder in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Big Ramy Poses For First Time Since Winning Olympia
Big Ramy made a recent appearance as a guest poser on stage.
A bodybuilding competition in Egypt would not be complete without the presence of the reigning two-time Olympia champion. The 2021 KO Pro Egypt took place on Sunday in Egypt and Big Ramy made an appearance on stage for the first time since winning the Olympia in October. He arrived as a guest poser and showed off his prize-winning physique.
Big Ramy took the stage with plenty of praise from the crowd and chants of his name. He performed a posing routine for close to two minutes for fans in his home country.
Leading up to the event, Big Ramy continued to be a big storyline because of the competition taking place in Egypt. He has become a superstar because of his work on the biggest stage. Big Ramy won the 2021 Olympia and successfully defended his title. This is something that he plans to do for years to come.
It is no surprise that fans in Egypt gave Big Ramy a warm welcome on stage. This has been the case since he took home the Olympia title. Big Ramy’s hometown of Kafr El Sheikh decided that the biggest square in the city would be named after him. Also, there was a huge welcome once Big Ramy returned from Orlando. There was staff waiting in the airport along with fans who wanted to catch a glimpse of the champion.
At the Egypt Pro, Regan Grimes took home the prize in Men’s Open. This earned him an automatic bid to the 2022 Olympia where he will have a chance to go up against Big Ramy. Grimes has displayed an incredible physique and has made progress in a short time since hiring a new coach.
Grimes finished first in this event after placing second last weekend during the 2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro. Now that he has his qualification, he can focus on preparing for the Olympia, which is set to take place in December 2022.
Big Ramy will not be an easy competitor to beat. It was confirmed last week that the reigning champion has already started training. This is about 14 months out from the Olympia. Heading into the 2021 show, Big Ramy had just three months of training after an extended period of time off. This is a scary sight for opponents if Big Ramy is preparing this far out in advance.
It is only right that Big Ramy made an appearance on stage this weekend. He showed why he is the Olympia champ and that fans are in for a treat next time he steps on stage. There is no doubt that there will be plenty of physique updates as training progresses.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The 4 Most Common Lagging Body Parts and How To Fix Them
The Four Most Common Lagging Muscle Groups
Most people have muscle imbalances due to their genetics. A couple of their muscle groups will be laggings as compared to the other muscles. These people make the situation worse by overlooking these muscles or by not training them optimally.
If you go to gyms looking for the most common lagging muscle groups, you are most likely to find a pattern. Since you’re reading this article, we assume you have a lagging muscle group or two which you want to bring up to par.
Calves
Calves are one of the most common weak muscle groups. They also make it to the top of the most stubborn muscle group list. Unlike your upper body muscles, hiding your weak legs is easy. Bros with chicken legs cover them up with baggy track pants.
Training your calves can be different from the other muscle groups. You stand on your calves for the entire day and use them for moving from one place to the other. Your calves can recover quickly from your workouts and you can train them multiple times a week.
Rear Delts
Rear delts are a weak muscle group for most people. We’re sure most people aren’t even aware of their existence. Since the rear deltoids are on your back, it is hard to establish a mind-muscle connection with them since you can’t look at them in the mirror while training.
Rear deltoids are a hard muscle to train. Most people stick to a single exercise for training their posterior delts. You should add variations and target your rear delts from different angles in every workout.
Forearms
Most people spend way too much time training their arms and completely ignore their forearms. Muscular forearms can add to the size of your arms. Your bicep and triceps workouts aren’t enough to develop your forearms.
You need to train your forearms with compound and isolation exercises. Add forearm exercises to your arm days. You could also get hand grippers to train your forearms while you’re sitting idle.
Neck
Only a few other things look more awkward than a guy with big muscles and a tiny neck. If you have never trained your neck, it is time you start. You need to be extra careful while training your neck since it is one of the more delicate muscles.
Lie facedown on a flat bench and use a strap to lift a quarter plate. Move up to heavier weights as your neck gets stronger. Watch the video below to learn a few neck building tips from Mike Tyson.
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Grow Your Weak Muscle With These Tips
1. Train Them At The Beginning of Your Workout
If you look closely, all these muscle groups are usually trained at the end of workouts. You are fatigued by the end of your workouts. You should train your weak muscles at the beginning of your workouts since you’re full of energy and stamina.
2. Train Them Twice a Week
Since these are small muscle groups, they take relatively shorter time to recover from your workouts as compared to the bigger muscles. Schedule your workouts so you have 48 hours before you train the same muscle again.
3. Use Advanced Training Techniques
Most people stick to the same exercises for the lagging muscle groups. You need to constantly change your exercises to shock your muscles and keep them guessing. Use advanced training techniques like supersets, drop sets, intraset stretching to take your workouts to the next level.
Do you have a weak muscle group? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
3 Tips To Smashing Through A Bodybuilding Plateau
Almost every experienced lifter has experienced the frustration of a plateau.
There are many potential causes of plateau thus many corresponding solutions. These three tips are an excellent place to start if you’re looking to break a plateau or even just steepen your rate of progress.
1. Set Goals
If asked, most people would declare that their time in the gym has a purpose. But it’s not enough to have a vague idea of a better body or stronger lifts. Empirical measurements and specific deadlines are some of the best ways to ensure you possess a conscious intent throughout the day.
Goals can be set for various time ranges, but the best way to start is with monthly, weekly or even daily goals. This helps initiate the habit of goal setting and fulfillment. A daily goal can be anything from a calorie count to concrete ‘in bed’ and ‘out of bed’ times. A weekly goal can be a total number of set’s accumulated on a weak bodypart. Goals should be personalized, purposeful, and WRITTEN DOWN.
2. Change The Stimulus
The Law Of Accommodation rules the gym. It basically states that any given stimulus over time will excite a diminishing result in the body. So one of the best ways to make sure that we are constantly optimizing growth is to vary our workouts. This doesn’t just mean vary the movements- set number, rep number, weight, rest time between reps, types of reps, types of resistance – can and should all be modified, both to change the stimulus, and to discover the optimal stimulus for your body.
Occasionally, something completely outside the box, like a day of kayaking, can torch your shoulders in a way that the gym can’t, simply because your body is unused to the movement. Don’t underestimate the power of the unfamiliar.
3. Recover
Offering this tip may be beating a dead horse at this point, but frankly it’s a horse that can’t be beaten enough. So often it is not our work in the gym that forestalls us, it is our ability to recover from our work in the gym. Recovery doesn’t just mean sleep and nutrition, although those practices must be refined. Most elite level lifters routinely get bodywork done, and there’s a reason for that- it makes a difference.
Of course the average lifter cant afford to get massage, dry needling, chiropractic, etc every week. But, for example, one sports massage every month or two can really do wonders to prevent and resolve injury, open up new ranges of muscle contraction and separation, and offer a deeper connection with the body.
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2021 KO Pro Egypt Results
Regan Grimes wins Men’s Open at the KO Pro Egypt!
Regan Grimes showed up and displayed an incredible physique that led him to the title at the 2021 KO Pro Egypt. Grimes earned the automatic qualification to the 2022 Olympia, along with three other divisions. This event took place in Egypt and some of the top competition in the world was present.
Grimes led the way by taking home the prize in the headlining division. Grimes hired a new coach after this year’s Olympia and it seems to be working right away. He finished second to Shaun Clarida last weekend at the 2021 Legion Sports Fest. Now, he was able to earn his qualification to the biggest competition of the year. This comes after a bit of a disappointing outing during the 2021 show.
Grimes had to compete with some other elite names in the sport. Cedric McMillan returned to the stage for the second straight weekend after he appeared at the Legion Sports Fest. McMillan returned from an injury and it is good to see him back in competition on a consistent basis. Mohamed Shaaban and Samson Dauda also appeared on stage in Egypt.
In the home country of Olympia champion Big Ramy, there was an exciting show to watch on Sunday. The sport of bodybuilding has become huge around the world and Egypt is one of the countries that is leading the charge. It is because of competitions like this that the sport is continuing to grow.
The full results from Egypt have been announced. There were a total of four major divisions where the winner earned qualification to the 2022 Olympia next December. Check out the full breakdown from the event below!
2021 KO Pro Egypt: All Division Winners
Men’s Open: Regan Grimes
Classic Physique:
Men’s 212:
Men’s Physique:
2021 KO Pro Egypt Breakdown
Men’s Open
Full results coming soon.
First Place – Regan Grimes
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
Classic Physique
Results coming soon.
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
Men’s 212
Results coming soon.
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
Men’s Physique
Results coming soon.
First Place –
Second Place –
Third Place –
Fourth Place –
Fifth Place –
Sixth Place –
Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the 2021 KO Pro Egypt. 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.