Tag: Bodybuilding
Robert Timms’ Physique Will “Blow The Hardness & Tightness Out Of The Water At This Olympia”
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Robert Timms promises something different and next level in his physique at the Olympia 2021.
With just a few days until the Olympia 2021, fans and athletes are getting hyped up for the biggest bodybuilding event of the year. Competitors are in process of tightening in their peak week timing to present the ultimate physique on stage. Robert Timms is a Classic Physique competitor aiming to make big waves at this year’s Olympia. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Robert Timms claims fans should expect “something different” and a next level physique at Olympia 2021.
When it comes to preparing for a competition, Robert Timms washes out all of the white noise. He doesn’t worry about what comments on social media say. He doesn’t care what rival competitors look like in their physique update photos. He only cares about the opinion of two people – his coach and his father.
This is the mindset Robert Timms informed us about during our recent video interview just weeks before the Olympia 2021. Timms has been a top tier Classic Physique competitor – and in its earliest inception as a division – Timms was one of the first pinnacles showcasing what Classic Physique should look like. It makes sense then that his Instagram handle and nickname is “Mr. Classic Physique.”
Despite this, he has yet to win a Classic Physique Olympia title for himself. This isn’t for lack of promise – the Classic Physique division sports some of the most competitive physiques in the entire sport. That’s why this year Robert Timms has adjusted his prep to transform his physique into “something different” – to use his own words. He plans to show a physique that his fans have never seen before in his career.
We asked Robert Timms what his strategy was going into the Olympia 2021. He answered by claiming his goal was to bring something special. A different physique than he’s brought to the stage in years past. To do this – he focused on really bringing in his conditioning. He wants to “blow the hardness and tightness out of the water” as he puts it confidently.
And this isn’t simply confident pre-competition cockiness. Robert Timms has shown some physique updates on his social media in weeks past – and the results are looking spectacular. Many fans have already noticed that he can be a real big threat to the returning champion Chris Bumstead – as well as other high profile competitors such as Breon Ansley and Terrence Ruffin.
Just a few weeks ago, Arnold Schwarzenegger boldly claimed during his Arnold Classic commentary that Classic Physique was the best division of the sport. While many might take offense to his dismissal of Men’s Open, his excitement for Classic Physique is shared by many. The division has proven to be a rousing success.
It’s pleased fans who miss the Golden Era of Physique. It’s also pleasing fans by the sheer competitiveness of the athletes in the division. There’s no doubt that Classic Physique sports some of the most electric face offs on stage. Each year – the Olympia champion is can be seen as a crapshoot. No one competitor, even Chris Bumstead, is a shoe in for the prize. Robert Timms seems to be yet another to throw into the mix.
You can watch Robert Timms go into full detail about his Olympia 2021 strategy in our latest GI exclusive interview segment above!
Big Ramy Weighs In At 305 LBS (With Clothes) During Olympia 2021 Press Conference
Olympia 2021 press conference: Big Ramy jumps on the scale weighing in at 305 pounds.
The Olympia 2021 press conference is always an exciting tip of the iceberg for bodybuilding’s biggest event of the year. Rivals trade barbs, hype builds to an amazing level, and there’s always a surprise or two. For example, this year – a scale was brought on stage for an impromptu weigh-in. Big Ramy stepped on the scale and weighed in at 305 pounds.
The Olympia 2021 press conference was a bit different this year. Instead of the entire roster of athletes sitting at tables with mics – the competitors were brought out in groups based on division. One of the most exciting moments of the conference was the Men’s Open group – which brought out Brandon Curry, Hadi Choopan, William Bonac, and returning champion Big Ramy.
Big Ramy, of course, is best known for his signature size. The question on many fans minds going into this competition – will Ramy bring in even more size? Or will he trim down in order to further improve conditioning? The question was put to rest Thursday afternoon – as conference host Bob Cicherillo brought out a literal scale to weight Ramy on the spot.
Big Ramy, for his credit, was candid about his size before the scale was brought out. He claims to be weighing in at 290 pounds. Definitely the higher end of the spectrum for Men’s Open – but nothing limit breaking. Bob Cicherillo wanted to put Ramy’s words to the test. A scale was brought out onto the stage and an impromptu weigh-in was conducted.
The scale revealed Big Ramy weighing in at 305 pounds. Of course, he was still wearing a full suit, shoes, and holding a microphone. Can that account for 15 extra pounds? That might be a bit much – but it lands him close to where he claims to be regarding his weight.
While this might not be an official 100% accurate weigh-in – it does show us that Big Ramy is still holding onto his signature size. Will this hurt his conditioning this year? We’ll soon find out on Friday night’s pre-judging. Ramy’s conditioning has been inconsistent in years past. Perhaps his Olympia 2020 showcase was the key that unlocked his struggles. But we won’t know for sure until he wins another Sandow trophy. That’s what makes this year so important for Ramy. He needs to prove that he is not a one time fluke but a reigning champion.
Upon revealing his clothed weight of 305 pounds, William Bonac had some strong opinions to share. “Let’s see if the weight can help you,” Bonac chimed in as Ramy was stepping off the scale. Bonac is known for his smaller stature compared to the likes of Brandon Curry or Big Ramy. This has always been a sticking point for critics – could Bonac ever beat Ramy (while on point) due to the limitations of his size? Bonac doesn’t seem worried. His words seem to imply he thinks he can out-condition the returning champ.
But all of this is just talk. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it gets the crowd going. But until we see them side by side on stage tomorrow night – we won’t know the true chances each of these athletes have.
Generation Iron will continue to cover the Olympia 2021 all weekend – including tonight’s Meet The Olympians alongside the pre-judging and finals both Friday and Saturday. Stay tuned and make sure to visit our official Olympia 2021 coverage page.
Breon Ansley Strips Down And Shows Sneak Peek Of Physique At Olympia Press Conference
Former Classic Physique champion Breon Ansley did not wait until Saturday to show off his physique.
Breon Ansley is one of the best Classic Physique competitors in the sport. He is a two-time Olympia champion and is looking to get his title back from reigning champion Chris Bumstead. Ansley started off the Olympia press conference with some fire, confidence, and even a sneak peek.
Ansley and Terrence Ruffin started out the press conference before being joined by Bumstead on stage. There was a confidence from Ansley that believes he can get his title back at this year’s competition. He even chose to show off his physique earlier than expected.
Breon Ansley stated that no one had to wait until the weekend to show any progress made from last year’s competition. He did so by removing his shirt and posing down a bit early.
Ansley went through a stretch where he was difficult to defeat. He took home back-to-back titles in Classic Physique at the Olympia in 2017 and 2018. Ansley also won the Arnold Classic is 2018. At 41 years old, Ansley is still competing at a high level and wants to show that he is not regressing.
Bumstead has won back-to-back competitions and it began in 2019. Ansley finished second at this competition and fell to third in 2020. Ruffin was able to jump Ansley in last year’s competition for a second-place finish. Ansley believes that he was not at his best and this is why he fell to third.
Breon Ansley was up on stage posing on his own as Bumstead and Ruffin did not participate. Bumstead believes that the other competitors are fighting for second place and he will make it three in a row. He has been active on social media showing off his recent physique. As for Ruffin, he is coming off an Arnold Classic win two weeks ago and is in the best shape of his career.
The Classic Physique competition is one that will be exciting on Saturday. With the athletes at the top, it should be as good as it gets.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
WATCH: Berry De Mey’s Olympia 2021 Predictions & Analysis
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Berry De Mey breaks down the Mr. Olympia 2021 lineup and makes his predictions.
Berry De Mey is a former pro bodybuilder and an iconic bodybuilding coach. That’s why with only a few days before the Mr. Olympia 2021, we connected with him to get his insight and analysis about the line up. This year is set to be one of the more competitive rosters we’ve seen in quite some time. A clash of the old and the new generations make for what is expected to be an intense and exciting show. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Berry De Mey makes his predictions for the Olympia 2021.
The pro bodybuilding world has been in somewhat of a transition over the past decade. The current generation is getting, well, older and young up-and-coming bodybuilders are starting to hone their skills into formidable opponents. That’s what makes this year’s Mr. Olympia so exciting. We have the likes of Hunter Labrada, Nick Walker, and Iain Valliere going up against veterans such as Big Ramy, William Bonac, and Brandon Curry.
This week, we connected with world famous bodybuilder and trainer Berry De Mey via video chat. With just a few days before this epic Olympia showdown, we asked for his thoughts on the lineup and his predictions for the Men’s Open division. Berry De Mey has his own criteria of what the ideal Men’s Open physique should look like. So he gives his personal opinion – and then a more objective analysis what to expect at Olympia 2021.
Berry De Mey doesn’t sugarcoat it. The hype is real, Big Ramy is a top contender for the Mr. Olympia as returning champion. The truth is that many of the competitors, no matter how much they try, can match Ramy’s size. So long as Ramy keeps up his conditioning and comes in slightly better than last year – he’s a shoe in for the first spot.
That being said, Berry De Mey personally favors bodybuilder Patrick Moore. He believes that Moore hits all of the marks of what he wishes all Men’s Open bodybuilders looked like. He wishes judging would appreciate that kind of aesthetic over mass and size. Rather than a compliment to it.
But this doesn’t mean Berry De Mey thinks Patrick Moore will win the Mr. Olympia 2021. He knows all change happens slow – and so long as most bodybuilders focus more on mass, Moore will look like an outlier in a way that hurts his chances rather than helps. He hopes to see Moore one day become the Olympia champion.
Berry De Mey also points out that there are a lot of hungry talented competitors rising in the ranks competing at the Olympia 2021. Veteran bodybuilders like Brandon Curry and William Bonac are not necessarily guaranteed top 3 spots. If Hunter Labrada, Hadi Choopan, and Nick Walker bring their best – they can overtake the top 5 positions knocking down former champion Brandon Curry into a lower spot.
All in all, this is to say that nothing is guaranteed at the Olympia 2021. This should be one of the more exciting years of the event in quite some time. Will Big Ramy cement himself as a reigning champion for years to come? Or will we have yet another new champion this year. We’ll soon find out this weekend.
You can watch Berry De Mey’s full analysis and breakdown of the Olympia 2021 in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Watch The Mr. Olympia 2021 Press Conference (LIVE)
The Olympia 2021 weekend officially kicks off with the much anticipated press conference.
This weekend holds the biggest event of the bodybuilding season – the Mr. Olympia 2021. After a somewhat abridged and adjusted event last year, things still haven’t 100% returned to normal just yet. The event is yet again happening in Orlando, Florida and instead of the typical September scheduling – the event is happening in October. Perhaps this will become the new normal as we move ahead into future Olympia competitions.
Regardless, the sport of bodybuilding continues to persevere and we have an Olympia lineup that should be one for the ages. Not only that, but there is an entire PPV streaming option for fans to get a full virtual experience of the show.
And it all starts with the Mr. Olympia 2021 press conference. It’s kicking off right now and is available to live stream completely free. While the other streams of the competition on Friday and Saturday come at a one time cost – fans can enjoy the initial hype up moments from the press conference right now free of charge.
Watch the Mr. Olympia 2021 Press Conference Live
For those interested in watching some trash talk, hype, and clashes between rivals – you can watch the full live stream of the Olympia 2021 press conference right here.
For those who won’t be spending the cash on the premium stream of the pre-judging and finals, we have good news for you. The free live stream also includes other events beyond the press conference. Check out the details about the Free Fan Channel below:
Free Fan Channel: Free Live Stream
As many bodybuilding fans who have attended the Olympia weekend in person know, there are other events around the competitions themselves that bring insight into the top bodybuilders of the year. The ‘Meet The Olympians’ event and the Olympia expo.
Due to the success of the fan channel live stream last year, the virtual experience is making a return for the Olympia 2021. Here are the events included in the free live stream fan channel:
Press conference
Meet the Olympians event
Olympia World Fitness Festival (Expo)
Much like last year – those who want to get the full experience will have to drop a bit of cash. You can check out the paid streaming options below.
Premium package & Mr. Olympia Schedule (Price: $59.95)
Friday, October 8, 2021
Fitness Olympia Pre-Judging
212 Olympia Pre-Judging
Figure Olympia Pre-Judging
Women’s Physique Olympia Pre-Judging
Ms. Olympia Pre-Judging
Wellness Olympia Pre-Judging
Olympia 212 Finals
Fitness Olympia Finals
Figure Olympia Finals
Women’s Physique Olympia Finals
Ms. Olympia Finals
Mr. Olympia Pre-Judging
Saturday, October 9, 2021
Classic Physique Olympia Pre-judging
Men’s Physique Olympia Pre-judging
Bikini Olympia Pre-judging
Wellness Olympia Finals
Wheelchair Olympia Finals
Mr. Olympia Finals
Men’s Physique Olympia Finals
Bikini Olympia Finals
Classic Physique Olympia Finals
Sunday, October 10, 2021
Olympia SuperStar Seminar
Note: The Premium package does not include the Amateur events.
Amateur package (Price: $29.95)
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Open Women’s Physique
Masters Figure 35+
Open Figure
Masters Bikini 35+
Open Bikini Women’s
Wellness
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Masters Bodybuilding 35+
Open Bodybuilding
Open Classic Physique
Open Men’s Physique
Masters Men’s Physique 35+
Note: This package only features the Amateur events and does not include IFBB Pro events.
Devices To Watch Mr. Olympia 2021
The Olympia 2021 weekend is also getting a bit of an upgrade in terms of flexibility with watching the event live streams. There are a wide variety of TV and mobile devices you can watch. That means if you’re on the go or want to have a full TV experience – there are options for you.
See the different devices available for the Mr. Olympia 2021 live stream below:
iPhone
Apple TV
Android
Android TV
Fire TV
Roku
How To Get Rid Of Muscle Soreness
DOMS Happen Due To New Workouts
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can be one of the most irritating things, especially for people with physically demanding jobs. Muscle soreness can occur on the next day of a workout or the day after. These are a few facts about muscle soreness.
It doesn’t matter if you’re in good shape or not, muscle soreness can happen when you start a new workout program or perform new exercises. New exercises shock your muscles and break them down.
High Chances of Muscle Soreness When You Workout After Long Layoffs
If you’ve been out of the gym for a long time, you can expect to face muscle soreness after your first hard workout. You can minimize the muscle soreness by gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts.
You Can’t Avoid Muscle Soreness
You can’t control DOMS. There are chances you might not experience DOMS after a hard workout and have them after a relatively light workout. Your level of fitness doesn’t affect if your muscles will be sore after a workout or not.
This is How To Get Rid of Muscle Soreness
1. Nutrition
Muscle soreness happens when your muscles are broken down after a strenuous workout. Right after your workouts is also the perfect time to feed your muscles. Your muscles will absorb the most amount of nutrients at this time.
After a workout, have a protein shake or a protein rich diet. Protein is the main building block of your muscles and will help in the quick recovery from muscle soreness. Apart from the protein, follow a balanced diet to meet your macro and micronutrient requirements.
2. Massage
Getting a massage is another effective way of releasing the tension in your muscles. Massage the affected muscle for up to 30 minutes to reduce the soreness. Deep tissue massage or ART (Active Release Technique) is effective at recuperating from sore muscles.
If you don’t want to go for a professional massage therapy, you can ask your spouse or a friend to massage the tense muscles. You can also massage the sore muscles yourself with the help of an electric massager or a foam roller.
3. Rest
Rest is one of the most important aspects of recovery after a workout. No matter how hard you workout, you won’t grow while you’re inside the gym. Your muscles repair themselves and grow while you’re sleeping.
You need at least six hours of sleep every night to recover from your workouts. If your muscles are sore for most of the week, this could be a sign of overtraining. You should take an additional day off from training to recover from your workouts.
4. Active Recovery
On your days off, you don’t have to sit on the couch all day long. You will not be working out and doing the same things which got you sore. Staying active by doing cardio helps in regulating blood throughout your muscles.
Blood carries nutrients to your muscles which help with recovery. Make sure you don’t over-exert your muscles. You can also perform exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and squats to get a pump without exerting your muscles.
5. Cold and Hot Treatments
Cold and hot treatments can help you with recovery from muscle soreness. Taking a cold shower after a workout is known to help with recovery. You can also apply ice and hot water bags to your sore muscles to speed up the recovery process.
Alternating between applying ice and hot water bags is also an incredibly effective way to get rid of muscle soreness. Using the alternating technique helps you get the best of both worlds. Just make sure you start with the ice treatment and make the hot water bag treatment last twice as long as the ice treatment.
What do you do to get rid of muscle soreness? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
How To Perform the Nordic Hamstring Curl
Understanding The Benefits and Uses of This Multi-Functional Exercise
It’s not uncommon for exercises to go through popular phases. Right now, the nordic ham curl appears to be one of those exercises.From top athletes to the general population, the nordic hamstring curl (sometimes referred to as the Russian hamstring curl) is forming part of training sessions. So, why exactly has the nordic ham curl rapidly grown in popularity?This article will detail how to perform the Nordic ham curl, discuss the many reasons behind why it is such an effective resistance exercise and detail considerations to be made in regards to the exercise.
50Performing the Nordic Hamstring Curl
The Nordic hamstring curl is primarily an isolation exercise for the hamstrings. The exercise involves starting from a kneeling position and hinging forward from the knees. While the conventional method requires a partner to anchor you, it can still be performed without the need for a partner.This section will detail how to execute the Nordic hamstring curl safely and effectively.
Step One: Start by kneeling down and anchor the feet to the floor. This can be done using a partner or by using weight or appropriate apparatus. Anything that has an opening a few inches from the floor and allows you to lock the feet in position will suffice. Place something soft under your knees to protect them.Step Two: Prior to hinging forward, push the chest high, pull the shoulders back and squeeze the abs to ensure that the trunk of the body is held upright.Step Three: Begin to fall towards the floor by moving through the knees only. Resist gravity for as long as you can as you hinge forward.
Step Four: As you near the floor, place both hands on the floor and then perform an explosive push-up to propel the body back up to the starting position.
Nordic Hamstring Curl Benefits
The main reason that the nordic hamstring curl has become so popular in recent times is that there have been a vast number of studies looking at the benefits of the exercise.The results have indicated that there are many benefits associated with regularly performing the Nordic ham curl.The exercise has been linked to significantly improving the strength of the hamstrings. More specifically, the eccentric strength of the hamstring has been found to significantly increase (1).A concentric contraction occurs when muscle contracts and shortens whereas an eccentric contraction refers to the contraction that occurs when a muscle lengthens.During the nordic ham curl, the hamstring muscles slowly eccentrically contract under tension as the body drops towards the floor. This helps to explain why the hamstring eccentric strength is significantly improved through performing the Nordic ham curl.This increase in eccentric strength has a direct impact on reducing the risk of injury to the hamstring (2). Considering that hamstring is a commonly injured site, performing the Nordic ham curl regularly is particularly recommended for athletes and sportspeople.As well as enhancing strength, further studies have indicated that the exercise can also bring about substantial hamstring growth (3).Lastly, the nordic can serve as an excellent exercise for developing sprinting ability (4) and therefore, should be used by those who participate in sports that demand short, sharp bursts of sprinting.
Nordic Ham Curls vs Glute Ham Raises
Another common posterior strengthening exercise is the glute-ham raise and there are a number of similarities between the two exercises.Both are bodyweight-based resistance exercises that focus primarily on knee flexion. The difference between the two is the equipment used.While Nordics don’t typically require any equipment, the glute-ham raise uses something known as a GHD (glute-ham developer). This piece of equipment puts the body at a more optimal angle for working the hamstrings (and glutes) and increases the range of motion.While the glute-ham raise may be slightly more effective, it’s important to recognize that both exercises are effective for developing strength and can be used to fulfill different needs and demands.
Can Nordics Improve Deadlift Performance?
Many may conclude that strengthening the hamstrings through Nordic ham curls will increase deadlift performance as the hamstrings play a major role in the deadlift. However, this is not necessarily the case.While Nordics are associated with an array of benefits, it may not directly impact your ability to lift heavy.The reason for this is that the nordic ham curl primarily develops hamstring eccentric strength. When it comes to heavy deadlifts, it is concentric strength that is most important.Therefore, increasing the eccentric strength of the hamstrings will have little to no impact on the amount of weight that you can pull from the floor.
Another consideration to make is that the nordic ham curl is knee-dominant exercise whereas deadlifts are hip-dominant exercises. Consequently, Nordics are not really specific to strength sports as they train the hamstrings in a different manner.If you are looking to increasing hamstring in a sport-specific manner, hip-dominant exercises such as stiff-leg deadlifts, back extensions, and reverse hypers, are recommended. However, be aware that there are occasions where poor hamstring eccentric strength can hinder your performance.When performing nordic ham curls, if you find that you are struggling to resist gravity and drop immediately you may have poor hamstring eccentric strength.
If this is the case, it may be beneficial to perform Nordics to increase eccentric strength.
Final Word
If you are an athlete, the nordic ham curl can serve as a practical and effective exercise for enhancing eccentric strength, improving muscle size and reducing the risk of injury. However, it may not be the most optimal choice for improving powerlifting performance.
References:
1 – Ditroilo, Massimiliano; De Vito, Giuseppe; Delahunt, Eamonn (2013-10). “Kinematic and electromyographic analysis of the Nordic Hamstring Exercise”. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology: Official Journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology. 23 (5): 1111–1118. doi:10.1016/j.jelekin.2013.05.008. ISSN 1873-5711. PMID 23809430.
2 – Ribeiro-Alvares, João Breno; Marques, Vanessa B.; Vaz, Marco A.; Baroni, Bruno M. (2018-05). “Four Weeks of Nordic Hamstring Exercise Reduce Muscle Injury Risk Factors in Young Adults”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 32 (5): 1254–1262. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001975. ISSN 1533-4287. PMID 28459795.
3 – Seymore, Kayla D.; Domire, Zachary J.; DeVita, Paul; Rider, Patrick M.; Kulas, Anthony S. (2017-05). “The effect of Nordic hamstring strength training on muscle architecture, stiffness, and strength”. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 117 (5): 943–953. doi:10.1007/s00421-017-3583-3. ISSN 1439-6327. PMID 28280975.
4 – Ishøi, Lasse; Hölmich, Per; Aagaard, Per; Thorborg, Kristian; Bandholm, Thomas; Serner, Andreas (2018-07). “Effects of the Nordic Hamstring exercise on sprint capacity in male football players: a randomized controlled trial”. Journal of Sports Sciences. 36 (14): 1663–1672. doi:10.1080/02640414.2017.1409609. ISSN 1466-447X. PMID 29192837.
George Peterson’s Coach Makes Emotional Statement On Peterson’s Passing
Justin Miller, George Peterson’s coach, shares statement and update on Peterson’s death.
The bodybuilding world is in mourning after hearing of the tragic passing of pro bodybuilder George Peterson. A beloved, talented, and passionate competitor – he was set to compete at the Mr. Olympia 2021 just days away. There has been very little information about his sudden death. In a recent social media post, George Peterson’s coach, Justin Miller, has issued a statement providing his reaction, tribute, and more information about his passing.
Coach Justin Miller was working closely and preparing George Peterson for the Men’s 212 Olympia – which is happening this weekend Oct. 8-10th. Peterson and Miller had already traveled to Orlando, Florida earlier this week in order to get settled and make final preparations for the show. It came as a complete shock to the bodybuilding world that Peterson is now no longer with us.
This shock seems to be shared with Justin Miller himself – who was not with George Peterson at the moment of his death but was the first to find him after he had passed away. Peterson was in his hotel room and not responding to calls or messages. After some time of radio silence, Miller became worried and was able to get security to open Peterson’s room. Upon entering his hotel room, Miller found Peterson face down on the ground and unresponsive. His body was cold – so Miller called 911.
There was some initial confusion and lack of information about George Peterson’s passing. But now Justin Miller has made an Instagram post sharing his emotional reaction to the news as well as giving a beat by beat breakdown of the passing in question. There is still much we do not know – such as the cause of death. But now more of the details have come to light in Miller’s very raw, emotional, and candid social media post.
Justin Miller, still in shock, took time to share with the bodybuilding community his experience – and what information we do know about George Peterson’s passing:
“I’m in shock. I’m scared. I’m sad. I’m in disbelief. Freaked out. I’m completely devasted [sic]. My hands are trembling as I type this. It feels like a nightmare…but at the same time I know its real.”
Miller then went on to give us a detailed break down of the facts – as he knows them so far. First, he expressed that there were no known health issues or warning signs as far as Miller was aware of:
“Here is what we know. George looked amazing! Felt amazing! He was so inspiring last night. Said things both on and off camera that gave Ricky and I chills. He was so on point mentally and physically. George was energetic, strong lifting the whole gym last night. Inspired. Passionate. Focused. The best version of George at any contest both mentally and physically I have ever seen.”
Justin Miller then details that he left George Peterson to go check out the Amateur pre-judging early. When he came back – something was off and Miller was unable to get a hold of Peterson:
“I arrived back at noon and couldn’t reach George. He wouldn’t answer his door. We got a security guard to open his room and we found him face down mostly cold. Called 911 and followed their instructions did chest compressions until more security came and took over CPR, followed minutes later by the EMT’s. They couldn’t save him….apparently it had been several hours he was gone.”
Miller then ended his message with a moment of love and tribute for the late George Peterson:
“I wish I knew what to say.Please keep his soul and his family in your prayers. ?I love you George! ❤I’ll live with you in my heart for the rest of my days on this Earth.”
This is truly an emotional time for not only Justin Miller – but the family, loved ones, and friends who were close to George Peterson. It cannot be overstated just how tragic this loss is. Peterson was a bodybuilder just hitting the prime of his career. More importantly than that – he was a kind, generous individual. At only 37 years old – he had much more life to live and left us too soon.
Generation Iron once again sends out condolences to friends and family during this trying time. As more information becomes available, Generation Iron will continue to report. Stay tuned.
Mohamed El Emam: Big Ramy Will Be Even Better At Olympia 2021
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Mohamed El Emam answers: Can Big Ramy win again at Olympia 2021?
With less than a week to go before the Olympia 2021, we will soon see if returning champion Big Ramy can retain his title. Ramy has been known for inconsistency in his conditioning from year to year (at least in his past showings over the past decade). Will he be able to remain consistent and show an even more improved physique on stage this weekend? Rising competitor Mohamed El Emam seems to think so. In our latest GI Exclusive, Mohamed El Emam explains why he thinks Big Ramy will appear even better at Olympia 2021.
Mohamed El Emam has been a rising athlete on the pro bodybuilding stage this past year. He battled it out in a number of competitions to earn Olympia qualification. Unfortunately, he fell short – but not for a lack of impressive physique. The competition was fierce and despite some top 5 placings, it wasn’t enough to earn a spot in this weekend’s Olympia.
That’s why during our recent conversation with Mohamed, we asked him as an observer, if he thought Big Ramy can win again. Mohamed El Emam does believe that Big Ramy can pull off a repeat win. The reason he thinks this – is that he believes Big Ramy will have an even better physique than the previous year.
It’s common knowledge among pro bodybuilding fans that judges have a laser focus on the returning champion for Mr. Olympia. It’s not enough for the champion to bring the same winning physique. The judges expect to see an improved physique. This is the challenge an Olympia champion must face. What if they’ve hit a plateau – no matter how perfect? An equal quality physique might get slightly overlooked compared to a hungry competitor that made some incredible progress.
Mohamed El Emam believes that Big Ramy has made that kind of progress. He’s strictly judging based off of physique update photos and video that Ramy has been posting in recent months. From what he can tell – Ramy has not only widened his back and increased his arm size – he’s also tapered in his waist. Of course, physique update photos can be misleading. What’s most important is that Ramy times his peak perfectly with the Olympia weekend.
This is where the excitement comes in. Even the most perfect athlete can run into problems if their timing is even slightly off. When fans watch the pre-judging on Friday night, they’re also aware the competitors have a full 24 hours to try and make adjustments before finals. That 24 hour period is crucial and makes the finals a truly electric event. Some have improved, some have faded. For example, Phil Heath was often known as “Mr. Saturday Night” due to surprising improvements he would make between pre-judging and finals.
Mohamed El Emam has a point though. It’s clear that Big Ramy was the superior physique in 2020. If no other competitor can close that gap and Ramy improves himself – the odds of him coming in off peak this weekend seems unlikely. Ramy’s sheer size gives him an incredible advantage.
You can watch Mohamed El Emam break down his Big Ramy predictions in more detail by watching our GI Exclusive interview segment above!
2021 Olympia: Classic Physique Preview & Predictions
Here is a breakdown and predictions in the Classic Physique division at the 2021 Olympia.
The 2021 Olympia will take place this weekend in Orlando. This is the biggest competition of the year and many of the top bodybuilders in the world will be on stage competing. This includes the Classic Physique division.
Chris Bumstead highlights the group as the winner of the previous two Olympia competitions. He has taken over the division from Breon Ansley, who will also be on stage this weekend. Terrence Ruffin is coming off a victory at the Arnold Classic and could be one of the top contenders to take down Bumstead.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has said that he believes Classic Physique is the future of bodybuilding. There is certainly enough star power and talent for it to take over. This will be a must-watch competition this weekend. Below, you can find a full list of competitors along with predictions for the top six.
2021 Classic Physique List of Competitors
Zeek Andrews (USA)
Breon Ansley (USA)
Jose Maria Mete Bueriberi (Spain)
Chris Bumstead (Canada)
Alex Cambronero (Costa Rica)
Tommy Clark (USA)
German Pastor Cueto (Spain)
Neil Currey (UK)
Sabur Favors (USA)
Bryan Jones (USA)
Urs Kalecinski (Germany)
George Kawalawu (USA)
Seonghwan Kim (South Korea)
Brady King (USA)
Laszlo Kiraly (Hungary)
Gabriel Zancanelli Machado (Brazil)
Fabian Mayr (Austria)
Peter Molnar (Hungary)
Courage Opara (USA)
Ramon Rocha Querioz (Brazil)
Terrence Ruffin (USA)
Abtin Shekarabi (IRAN)
Mike Sommerfeld (Germany)
Tony Taveras (USA)
Robert Timms (USA)
Darwin Andres Uribe (Colombia)
Wesley Vissers (Netherlands)
Divine Wilson (USA)
In Seong You (South Korea)
Dani Younan (USA)
Classic Physique Top 6
6. Bryan Jones
It was a fifth place finish at the Arnold Classic for Bryan Jones this year. This was the same place he finished at last year’s Olympia. Jones has an intriguing physique because of his size and height. He has a strong presence on stage and is one of the up-and-coming stars in the sport. He has a chance to be a first callout competitor and it would build some consistency in Classic Physique until he is able to take that next step toward victory.
5. Courage Opara
Courage Opara is one of the dark-horse athletes in this competition. He put on a strong showing at the Arnold Classic with a fourth-place finish and is looking to keep up the momentum heading into the biggest event of the year. He is not one of the tallest competitors but the judges seem to like his physique. This has made him a name to watch from this point on.
4. Breon Ansley
Breon Ansley was the name to beat for years in Classic Physique. He won back-to-back Olympia titles in 2017 and 2018. Since then, he has fallen one spot over the last two years. Ansley finished third in last year’s Olympia and might continue this trend in 2021. Ansley is 41 years old. He still shows an incredible physique but might be getting passed by some of the younger competitors. With that being said, Ansley can still put on a show and has a chance to potentially finish in the top three or four.
3. Alex Cambronero
Over the last five years, Alex Cambronero has been a model of consistency in this division. Cambronero finished second in this year’s Arnold Classic after winning it in 2020. He also finished fourth at the Olympia last year. Now, he could climb into the top three and continue to impress. Cambronero has been competing consistently since 2016 and has failed to make the top six just twice.
2. Terrence Ruffin
Terrence Ruffin had a year full of second-place finishes in 2020. He finished as the runner-up in both the Arnold Classic and Olympia. This time around, he is looking to change his fortune. Ruffin bested Cambronero in this year’s Arnold Classic and now has his eyes on the prize on the biggest stage. Ruffin showed up in incredible shape at the Arnold Classic and his posing routine was top notch. He is a true contender for the title at this year’s event.
1. Chris Bumstead
Chris Bumstead is the reigning two-time champion at the Olympia and is the favorite to make it three in a row. There is not much. to dislike about the Canadian bodybuilder — and he has been showing it in his physique updates. Bumstead is massive with great conditioning. He has been the name to beat over the last two years and that might not change in this year’s competition.
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