Tag: GI News
Robert Oberst Shares Plan To Retire Following 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Robert Oberst will “ride off into the sunset” after the 2023 WSM competition.
Robert Oberst has become one of the most well-known strongmen during his career. Beginning in 2012, Oberst has competed in nay big-time competitions and has a plan to appear in one more before calling it a career. Oberst recently shared his plan to return to the World’s Strongest Man competition in 2023 and then calling it a career.
Oberst posted a video to his YouTube page discussing his retirement plans along with plans for the 2022 World’s Strongest Nation, which he will be a captain in. Oberst will miss the 2022 World’s Strongest Man event before returning in 2023. After that show, he will “ride off into the sunset.”
“It’ll be hard to sit this one out. For those of you who don’t know, I will be sitting this one out. I will be back next year. I will be back competing in the 2023 World’s Strongest Man once I prove myself at the Giants’ Live. After that, I will be done. This will be my riding off into the sunset. I will be doing one more big show. It is time for me to thank God that I have not beaten up and torn up anymore than I already have.”
Robert Oberst will be the captain of Team USA during the first-annual World’s Strongest Nation competition. This will feature Team USA taking on Team UK, which will feature the return to strongman for Eddie Hall.
Oberst suffered a shoulder injury last year that kept him out of competition. He has decided to skip the 2022 WSM and will train for next year. Later in the video, Oberst continues to talk about his plans for retirement, which include building a ranch and continuing his love for the outdoors.
“I’m building a race. I’m super excited about. I’m going to spend my time out there. We’re going to have hunting and training and courses for kids and stuff like that. I was in the Boy Scouts as a kid and it meant a lot to me to be around positive adults and to learn so much cool stuff about being in the wilderness and survival. It’s something that meant a lot to me for a long time.”
Robert Oberst has appeared in eight World’s Strongest Man competitions over the course of his career. He earned runner-up finishes during the 2013 and 2014 America’s Strongest Man shows. Oberst’s career has spanned over a decade and he will remain an influential voice in strongman even once his competition days are over.
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Kali Muscle Believes Bodybuilding Must Stop: ‘You Are Gonna Die, Young’
Kali Muscle has a strong message for all athletes in the sport of bodybuilding.
Kali Muscle is a former bodybuilder who has been through it all to this point. After a successful career on stage building an elite physique, Kali dealt with health risks of his own from all supplements that were taken. This is the reason that he believes the sport of bodybuilding has to stop and will eventually fall off.
Kali Muscle was in great shape from the time he was young. He was a three-sport athlete who earned a football scholarship to Fresno State. During his time in college, Kali was arrested for robbery and sentenced to 11 years in prison. Despite a poor diet, the natural athlete was able to keep up his incredible physique. This is why he decided to take up bodybuilding.
In 2009, Kali Muscle began competing in bodybuilding and saw great success early on. This led to more supplements being used to keep up a championship physique. After suffering a heart attack of his own in retirement, Kali Muscle has a simple message for bodybuilders.
“All y’all bodybuilders out there, quit. You’re gonna die, young. Simple as that.”
Kali Muscle suffered a heart attack in November of 2021. It came on the same day that Shawn Rhoden passed away. Rhoden’s death, among others, opened the eyes of many around bodybuilding including Kali Muscle.
READ MORE: Bodybuilders Are Dying: An Investigation Into Modern Bodybuilding, Health, & PED Use
In his recent YouTube video, Kali referenced specific bodybuilders such as Rhoden, Cedric McMillan, George Peterson, and John Meadows. These are deaths that Kali Muscle believes could have been avoided if they were not in bodybuilding.
“Taking all these health risks and as we see, they dying in their 40’s. I almost died. I didn’t know about roids until I was 34. I was a late bloomer so I thought maybe it wouldn’t happen to me because like I said, I was a late bloomer. Now you got guys 15 and 16 taking steroids, which is stupid to me.”
Kali Muscle explained that he suffered from different issues growing up as well. From the age of 15-31, Kali dealt with severe migraines which he described as feeling like “mini strokes.”
“It’s the most unhealthy sport there is, if you want to call it a sport. It’s just terrible. There’s no purpose for it, bro. I see bodybuilding on its way out, phasing out. And I agree. Too many people die.”
The recent string of deaths has hit the bodybuilding world hard. Whether it is steroids causing the problems or something else, Kali Muscle believes that it is an issues that has to find a solution.
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Larry Wheels Shares Deadlift Workout Featuring Different Variations
Larry Wheels continues to train for his appearance during the Middle East’s Strongest Man Competition.
Larry Wheels has gained major popularity as a powerlifter because of his incredible feats of strength shared on social media. This time around, Wheels is preparing to take the stage and did so with a huge deadlift workout sharing some of his favorite variation.
Wheels will compete in the Middle East’s Strongest Man competition and this is one of the reasons he went back to the beginning when looking at deadlifts. He took to YouTube to share his most recent workout.
“For the longest time since I have been a hardcore powerlifter, I have not done any deficit pulls or any block pulls, any speed pulls. These are the building blocks of a huge deadlift,” Wheels said.
Larry Wheels took it back to the beginning when it comes to deadlifts. Below, you can find his workout plan that he used to work on areas of the deadlift.
Larry Wheels Deadlift Workout
Block Pulls
Wheels began this workout with block pulls using explosive motions to get the weight in the air. While performing these reps, Wheels kept his arms long in order to reduce the range of motion. He began with warmup sets before moving toward nine working sets.
During warmups, Wheels ranged from 135 pounds to 365 pounds. During his nine working sets, Wheels kept 405 pounds on the bar and banged out eight reps per set.
“What do you think will be more effective for building strength? Me hitting 700 pounds for three to five reps for one set or hitting 72 reps with 405 pounds over nine sets. So this is why working with lighter weight, high volume is so effective. You can not get that kind of volume with 80-90 percent of your max for one set,” Wheels said.
Below, you can find how Wheels navigated his sets during block pulls:
Warm-Ups
5 reps of 135lbs
4 reps of 185lbs
2 reps of 225lbs
1 rep of 275lbs
1 rep of 315 lbs
1 rep of 365lbs
Working
9 sets of 8 reps of 405 pounds
Deficit Pulls
Larry Wheels then moved onto deficit pulls, which is a different variation because Wheels is on a two-inch thick pad, not the weight itself. He began by completing five sets of eight reps with 405 pounds. After the block pulls, Wheels did not take as much of a warmup and was able to jump right into working sets.
“When you’re starting from roughly an inch or an inch and a half lower than you would in a block pull. So when you pull from the floor, you’ll find it easier. You’ll find more confidence, more explosively from deficit pulls,” Wheels said.
High-Volume Training
Larry Wheels continued his workout with three different movements that showed high-volume strategy. He moved onto leg presses following his two different deadlift variations. Next, Wheels took on some grip-strength training. He began with a 2.5 certified captain of crush grippers. He moved onto 3 calibre gripper before taking a shot at 3.5, which he was unable to crush.
The final workout of the day was box jumps. This was completed in a few sets before taking on an arm wrestling match to end the video.
Larry Wheels continues to be one of the most-exciting powerlifters and has an excellent presence on social media. When he releases a workout, it is something that will have to be taken seriously and is a great way for lifters to find new ways to train.
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Aryan Pasha: The First Transman Bodybuilder Continues To Inspire Others
Aryan Pasha is a lawyer and renowned bodybuilder in India known for breaking barriers.
It began early for Aryan Pasha. Born a female named Naiyla, Pasha knew from a young age that she was meant to be a boy. Now, he is continuing to inspire others as a lawyer and the first transman bodybuilder.
At six years old, Pasha did not want to wear the female uniform to school and insisted on wearing the male’s clothing. The journey was not easy for Pasha but at 18 years old, he went though major surgeries that allowed him to begin identifying as a male. This is when he began accepting himself.
“As a child, I hated being called Naiyla but it’s your typical Indian name and my identity was not questioned because of the way I looked,” Aryan Pasha said.
Growing up in India, Pasha began playing sports at a young age. He explained that this allowed him to hide his identity from others because of the name that he was being called.
“I turned to sports when I was 10. In this community, you’re usually referred to by your last name. So I spent most of my childhood on the playground with other boys who were comfortable around me because they didn’t know I was a girl. I underwent sex-reassignment surgery at 19, but it wasn’t until my 25th birthday that I came out as transgender to even my closest friends, and eventually, in public.”
In 2017, Aryan Pasha began training for Trans Fit Con but was denied eligibility because of his age. This was around the time he gained a true passion for fitness. Pasha began training as a bodybuilder and has built a successful career in the sport.
Aryan Pasha Bodybuilding Career
Since 2019, Pasha has appeared in leagues such as the IFBB, International Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, and International Health, Sports & Fitness Festival. He has appeared in multiple shows with top-five finishes in three over the years. This includes a first-place finish in the IHFF in 2020 and a sliver medal at Musclemania in 2018.
Aryan Pasha began competing in Female categories of bodybuilding and it was a big accomplish when he was able to switch over to Men’s categories.
“This is what I wanted in my life, to compete with other men. I enjoyed every second when I was on stage because this is what I dreamt of. I was not nervous at all and just anted to complete poses like a champion.”
Aryan Pasha continues to train as a bodybuilder and compete on stage in Men’s categories. His story is an inspiration to those who have been told that they cannot do something or reach a goal. Pasha is living proof that it is possible.
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Boxer Amir Khan Robbed At Gunpoint While In London
Amir Khan revealed that he and his wife are safe after being robbed in East London.
Boxer Amir Khan revealed that he was robbed at gunpoint in London while walking with his wife, Faryal Makhdoom on Monday. The fighter took to Twitter to make the announcement.
“Just had my watch taken off me at gun point in East London, Leyton,” Khan wrote.
“I tossed the road with Faryal, luckily she was few steps behind me. 2 men ran to me, he asked for my watch whist having a gun pointed in my face. The main thing is we’re both safe.”
Khan explained what happened during the incident and that they are both safe. The Metropolitan Police released a statement that they were called just after 9 P.M. on Monday night.
“A man aged in his 30s is alleged to have been approached by two males who threatened him with a firearm before stealing his watch and fleeing,” the statement read.
To this point, there have been no arrests made. Police responded to the call and conducted a search following the incident, which did not see any shots fired.
“An investigation has begun and place are following a number of enquiries.”
Amir Khan is known for winning a silver medal in the Olympic for Great Britain in 2004 when he was 17 years old. He was a professional fighter crowned world champion winning the WBA light-welterweight title in 2009. Khan last fought in February when he was defeated by Kell Brook.
This was Khan’s first fight since defeating Billy Dib in 2019. He burst onto the scene in 2005 winning his first 19 professional fights. Khan did not suffer a loss until 2008. He held the WBC Silver welterweight title from 2014-2016. In his career, Khan is 34-6 with 21 victories by KO.
This is an ongoing investigation where the police are still looking for the men that confronted Amir Khan before stealing his watch. There will be updates provided once the men are found and arrested.
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Ronnie Coleman To Launch NFT Collection On May 2
Ronnie Coleman is one of the top bodybuilders of all-time and will now take on a new avenue.
Ronnie Coleman put together a career on stage that has him up their with the all-time greats. Now, he is taking a new path off the stage. Coleman is preparing to launch his new NFT collection on May 2nd that will offer many perks and sweepstakes to owners.
The general collection will offer 1,410 limited edition NFTs that grant access into Ronnie Coleman’s private fitness club. Other utilities will include a chance to won a Tesla Model 3, a private group chat with Coleman, and exclusive content for NFT holders.
There will also be different collections based on the years that Coleman won his Olympia competitions. From 1998-2005, Coleman logged eight consecutive Mr. Olympia victories, which is tied for the most all-time.
The name of the collections can be found below:
1998: That Cobra Back
1999: Well Rounded
2000: 4-Dimensional Muscle
2001: Life Or Death
2002: Fly Birdie, Fly
2003: Meat Market
2004: Super Human
2005: Game Over
The presale Whitelist only will begin on Saturday, April 30 at 10 A.M. PDT.
“The King, Ronnie Coleman, has created an NFT Series consisting of 1,419 limited edition NFTs which include his 9 most iconic poses over his eight consecutive years as reigning Mr. Olympia,” stated on the official website of Ronnie Coleman’s NFTs.
“The NFT will come with many perks and will grant the owner access to exclusive fitness community only accessible through ownership of the NFT.”
Ronnie Coleman is the latest fitness figure to launch an NFT line. Men’s Physique Olympia champion Brandon Hendrickson recently created his own NFT line to help others reach their fitness goals. Generation Iron also has its own collection, that features athletes such as Kai Greene.
Coleman is beginning to spread the word about this collection and will offer a presale option for those who want to get in early. When looking for a fitness NFT, it is hard to go against the man who has the most Olympia victories in the history of bodybuilding.
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‘Joocy’ Chest Day: Chris Bumstead Shares Technique On How To Build Size
Chris Bumstead shared wisdom on how he has built one of the best chests in bodybuilding.
Chris Bumstead continues to dominate the gym during his prep for the Olympia. He is the reigning three-time Classic Physique champion and will enter as the favorite to win four in a row come December. On his YouTube channel, Bumstead shared a video revealing different techniques and tips during chest day.
Bumstead walked viewers through his chest workout during bulking phase. This is where Bumstead has been in his prep for a few weeks now. Bumstead battled COVID-19 at the beginning of the year but is back in the gym and looking strong once again.
Chris Bumstead is down in Florida and took down this workout at The Revive gym.
Smith Machine Incline Press
The workout began with incline presses on the Smith machine. Bumstead used this as a warmup for the rest of the workout. He likes to use the Smith machine for different reasons. He explained that he likes to squeeze the shoulder blades and it allows the chest to remain engaged on the way down.
“Hurts your shoulders less, it’ll hurt your shoulders less in the long term and it’s effective for your pec.”
Seated Cable Fly
Seated cable flyer were next and the most important part of this workout is to keep the elbows aligned with the cable. This allows the lifter to get the best results and not put as much strain on the shoulders. Cable flies are meant to hit the upper chest and this is done effectively if everything is in line.
Bumstead performed two sets with a drop set before moving on.
“ou get a full range of motion. Full stretch, you’re strong in the pressing movement. But you also have the fly together with the cable still having tension for the contraction.”
Incline Machine Press
Chris Bumstead continued with three sets of 10 reps with three plates on the incline press machine. Bumstead skipped out on push-ups and decided to take on this machine. He lowered the seat in order to press higher and get a bigger range of motion.
Pec Deck Fly
The pec deck fly was the final exercise of this workout. Bumstead crushed three sets before ending the day.
“After a set where you fail, you stop for a second and push as far as you can. Hopefully you can get half a rep, contract whatever muscle i.e. pec in this instance and just squeeze in hard flexing your muscle as hard as you can – at least like ten seconds.”
Chris Bumstead continues to make improvements in the gym despite being at the top of Classic Physique. To this point, he has been unbeatable on stage and it will be interesting to see if this trend continues.
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Joe Mackey Crushes 900-Pound Raw Deadlift, Dedicates Lift To Late Cedric McMillan
Joe Mackey is a bodybuilder that has shown off extremely brute strength during his career.
Joe Mackey is an IFBB professional bodybuilder with the strength of a powerlifter. During his career, Mackey has maintained a strong physique while trying to accomplish goals in the gym. Recently, he reached one of his goals deadlifting 900 pounds.
Mackey stepped up to the bar with wrist wraps and a lifting belt. This is considered a raw lift because of the equipment used and this was a long journey for Mackey in the gym. Mackey shared the lift to Instagram and dedicated it to Cedric McMillan.
“This one was for you too @cedricmcmillan Rest in paradise big bro”
Joe Mackey has been chasing this personal record for quite some time now. He made it clear that he wanted to get to the 900-pound mark and was able to do it on Saturday. Even after completing the feat of strength, Mackey had to acknowledge that it was no easy task.
“It was not the prettiest but told you and myself I was going to do it and I did just that!
I know I don’t say this often, but Holy shit, that was heavy!
If you look midway thru the lift you’ll see I shake my head no because doubt kicked in and said drop it, but that wasn’t going to happen without a fight.”
To build physiques like those in bodybuilding, there has to be some massive weight being moved in the gym. When looking at the sport as a whole, Joe Mackey continues to be one of the strongest competitors in the world. Along with Kyle Kirvay, the term powerbuilding has been used to describe those who excel in both bodybuilding and powerlifting.
Mackey earned his Pro Card in 2016 when he finished second in the super-heavyweight division at the 2016 NPC Nationals. He has not won a competition yet but has been featured in five since 2016. His best finish came during the 2020 Tampa Pro when he placed eighth.
After reaching his 900-pound deadlift goal, Mackey will now look to check off his next venture — winning a professional bodybuilding show. It has been a record-setting year for Mackey and it could lead to a victory on stage. If this happens, he will officially take the next step in many avenues in his career.
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Big Ramy Shares Physique Update, Announces Guest Posing Appearance At Pittsburgh Pro
Big Ramy vows to bring the best version of himself to this year’s Olympia.
The race for No. 3 is on for Big Ramy and he believes he will bring the best version of himself to the 2022 Olympia. The reigning two-time Olympia champion is not one for social media but recently shared a physique update to show off his progress to this point. Big Ramy also announced that he will be at the Pittsburgh Pro as a guest poser.
Big Ramy took to Instagram to share this update and speak to his fans. He outlined how it is difficult to keep up some of this progress during Ramadan but that is something he has dealt with for years now. He has done it successfully winning back-to-back Olympia titles in 2020 and 2021. The show will return to Las Vegas in December and this is where Big Ramy will go for the three-peat.
The Pittsburgh Pro will take place on May 7 this year. Big Ramy also explained how he is excited to return to the United States and appear on stage during the show as a guest.
“New Update from April 17th! I know I haven’t been very active on social media lately and I apologize to all of you for that. From now on you’ll see more of me I promise you guys. This update is from yesterday and I want to post them to let you all know I’m training and putting in the work,” big ramy wrote in his caption.
“It’s not easy during Ramadan but I know my job is to get it done regardless of not eating and drinking as much as usual. My goal for this years Olympia is to present the best Big Ramy ever and that is why I’m working very hard. I’m looking forward to coming to the USA to guest pose at the Pittsburg Pro May 7th 2022. Thank you all for your continued support I really appreciate it so much. Now let’s go for No 3.”
The Men’s Open division has been dominated by the likes of Big Ramy, Brandon Curry, and Hadi Choopan. This was the top three in last year’s competition. Up-and-comers like Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada also have their eyes on making a jump and taking down Big Ramy.
Entering the 2021 show, Big Ramy was seen as unbeatable because of his pure size and conditioning. Now, he continues to be a mass monster and believes that he can show up to Vegas even better than he looked in Orlando. If this happens, it will be tough once again for competitors to top his physique.
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Jeremy Buendia Physique Update: Will There Be A Return To Classic Physique?
Jeremy Buendia hinted at a possible return during his latest physique update.
Jeremy Buendia knows a thing or two about competing at the Olympia. From 2014-2017, Buendia reigned as the Men’s Physique champion. He has taken some time off during retirement but is back to training hard in the gym. During a recent physique update, Buendia might have hinted as a return to Classic Physique.
Buendia finished fourth during the 2018 Olympia before announcing his retirement. He announced a return in 2020 but was unable to make it back to the stage. Now, while this is not an official announcement, he seems to be discussing the possibilities on social media.
“Feeling more motivated than ever to get to work and keep making more improvements. I know I’m still capable of being a lot better than this. Im going to anchor down on my diet and really focus on making this comeback happen. Appreciate all the support & encouragement today. Feels good to be back you guys. I’ve learned from my past, and I’m looking forward to doing it the right this time around. ???”
This post, along with others, have gained the attention of athletes in the world of bodybuilding.
When asking if he will appear in Classic Physique in the comments, Jeremy Buendia kept the door open.
“We’ll see in the future. I’ve always been a bodybuilder at heart & I love to pose. So let’s see if I can pack on the mass needed without going over my weight limit. I think my weight cut off is 180, & i competed in 2017 at 184, & I’m bigger now,” Buendia commented.
Jeremy Buendia is a decorated competitor in bodybuilding but might not be done yet. He explained how he was bigger than he used to be and could make the switch to Classic Physique.
If this happens, there will be plenty of eyes on his performance. What we know is that he has the experience and drive needed to make a successful return.
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