Tag: GI News
Jordan Shallow’s Analysis: What Regan Grimes Needs To Become Olympia Champion
Jordan Shallow believes that Regan Grimes simply needs one thing to become an Olympia champion… time and patience.
Regan Grimes has been a promising bodybuilder with an extremely focused mission to become an Olympia champion. His recent move to working with Milos Sarcev signaled just how serious he is about pushing his physique to the next level. There’s no doubt that Regan has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue over the past years – but he has yet to upgrade to that next level. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, The Muscle Doc, Jordan Shallow, shares his analysis on what Regan Grimes needs to become an Olympia champion.
Jordan Shallow is called The Muscle Doc for a reason. And that’s because he is a very knowledgable individual on all things muscle, weightlifting, and bodybuilding. While he’s not a bodybuilding guru per se, he has been an avid fan of professional bodybuilding for quite some time. That combined with his health and fitness knowledge make him a valuable resource of analysis for the present and future of bodybuilding. That’s why we decided to ask him about the hype behind Regan Grimes – and what the future may hold for his career.
Regan Grimes is a pro bodybuilder who has been on an extended hype train. In some ways, his journey is similar to Big Ramy. He continues to turn heads with each year – but ultimately fails to upgrade to that next level when it really counts – at the Mr. Olympia. That’s not to say he is a slouch of a competitor. In fact, the constant hype behind him shows just how impressive his physique is – it just needs that final push into champion status. The same was said for years with Big Ramy until his victories in 2020 and 2021.
So what does Regan Grimes need to go to the next level. With Big Ramy it was always clear – he needed to improve his conditioning. For Grimes it may be the opposite. His conditioning is often fantastic – but his size might not match up to the likes of someone reigning as champion the size of Big Ramy.
Jordan Shallow believes that there is not one specific thing Regan Grimes is doing wrong that needs improvement. In fact, he believes that Grimes is doing everything right. His latest decision to train under Milos Sarcev further proves that point. It shows that – A: Milos sees enough promise in him to spend time training Regan and B: that Regan is ready to push himself to the next level with a legendary trainer such as Milos.
So with that in mind, Jordan Shallow believes that Regan Grimes simply needs time. He’s young, still in his twenties and has plenty of time to gain further muscle maturity, experience, and growth. Big Ramy, by contrast, is in his late thirties. Shallow believes that time will simply benefit Grimes’ physique. Not only that, but the sport itself may also change over the coming years. Eventually Big Ramy will either step down or be taken down from Olympia champion status. Perhaps Grimes will not be the first one to do that. But perhaps when he is ready – the sport will look different than it does today.
ABOVE: Regan Grimes showcasing his recent physique three weeks out from the Arnold Classic 2022.
In that regard, Jordan Shallow doesn’t believe that Regan Grimes needs to pack on 300 pounds of muscle in order to win the Olympia. He just needs patience, focus, and continued hard work with someone like Milos Sarcev. In time, just like with Ramy over the past decade, Grimes’ strengths will become unstoppable.
You can watch Jordan Shallow’s full analysis of Regan Grimes’ physique in our latest GI Exclusive interview above.
50 Cent Body-Shamed After Super Bowl LVI Halftime Performance
50 Cent was a surprise guest during the Super Bowl halftime show and critics pointed out more than his performance.
The Super Bowl LVI halftime show was one of the best in recent memory. It was headlined by Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar. With a lineup like this, it is only right that there was a surprise addition and it was 50 Cent. After the legendary rapper was seen sporting a classic look of his, there were some comments on social media about his overall build.
Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg opened the show before pointing down below where 50 Cent was seen hanging from the ceiling to perform his hit “In Da Club.” This was a surprise appearance but one that was well received by the crowd and fans of the rapper. In today’s age where social media is king, there are also plenty of trolls who want to point out some issues that they create.
Eminem taking a knee became controversial and the weight of 50 Cent was also brought into question. The current look of the 46-year-old star was pointed out while he was wearing his famous white tank top and headband. 50 Cent too to Instagram to acknowledge the memes that were being created on his behalf.
“?who the fvck did this? ?catch FORCE episode 2 @bransoncognac@lecheminduroi“
The fact remains that 50 Cent did not look bad during his Super Bowl performance. At the high point of his career, he was known for his incredible music along with a shredded physique. 50 Cent often performed without a shirt and was not shy about showing off his chiseled body. As he has gotten older, he has filled out but should not be considered “fat” by any means.
This incident comes two months after 50 Cent began a feud with Madonna after a comment on an Instagram picture of hers. Madonna responded with a video of her own calling out 50 Cent for his comments, which have since been deleted. He apologized for his comments but the pop star did not believe it was genuine.
“You were trying to shame me. Your apology is fake, it’s bullshit, and it’s not valid…An apology is not valid if you don’t know what you’re apologizing for. What you should be apologizing for is your misogynistic, sexist, ageist behavior and remarks,” Madonna said.
Many fans came to the defense of 50 Cent on social media after some comments were made about his appearance.
The Super Bowl performance was a blast to the past for many fans of the top artists from that generation of hip hop and rap music. Some took it as a chance to take shots at 50 Cent. Regardless, the performance itself will be remembered for quite some time as one of the best in Super Bowl history.
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Olympia President Jake Wood Confirms Return Of Masters Olympia in 2023
Jake Wood wanted to bring the show back this year but will definitely have it in 2023.
It has been a decade since the Masters Olympia competition was seen on stage. On Sunday, Olympia President Jake Wood confirmed that the competition is coming back and it will take place in 2023.
The Masters Olympia began in 1994 where Robby Robinson took home the first title. It was stopped in 2012 and Dexter Jackson was the final champion. This came after the competition was paused from 2004-2011. Now, it will return for the 2023 year and it could have been even sooner.
Wood joined The Menace Podcast on the Muscle & Fitness YouTube page to discuss the topic. He admitted there were plans to bring the competition back this year but it was unable to happen.
“Absolutely yeah, as a matter of fact, we had started plans to have the Masters Olympia in Romania this upcoming year. After looking at the immigration policies of people actually getting in, we decided it’s too risky for such a big event,” Jake wood said.
Wood continues by claiming that this event deserves its own weekend rather than being included during the Olympia weekend. The event will be held in Romania. The age requirement for the event is something that is important but unknown at the moment.
When asked about a timeframe, Wood said “definitely by 2023.”
“I think that would be too much at the Olympia weekend. No, I think it deserves better treatment than that. We definitely want to have it. It’s going to start happening here, something has to happen,” jake wood said.
The age requirement of the event will be interesting because many top bodybuilders in Men’s Open are around 40 years old. Brandon Curry is 39 while reigning two-time Olympia champion Big Ramy is 37. The magic number cold be 45 yers old when thinking of the requirement.
“Well, what do you change? You change the age requirement. Where do you set the bar as far as the age? At first, we said we would like it to be at forty and above. Wood stated. Well, there’s still a lot of the top guys who are right there. So, you know, the men’s open, and all the other classes too. I think maybe 45, might be the mark.”
This is an exciting announcement coming from Jake Wood. After the competition has been absent for a decade, it will have a chance to return and give competitors a chance to compete no matter their age.
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Santi Aragon Reveals The Worst Experience With Diuretics That Almost Hospitalized Him
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Santi Aragon continues to speak out on just how prevalent diuretic use is in bodybuilding… and how consistently dangerous they can be.
It’s no secret that diuretics can be a powerful drug when done incorrectly. It’s also well known that diuretics are used by bodybuilders during contest prep for a show. While there are very few proven incidents with diuretics in bodybuilding leading to death or hospitalization – Santi Aragon believes this is a very dangerous aspect of bodybuilding and a serious health risk for individuals in the sport. That’s why after his retirement he has dedicated himself to speaking openly about the risks many avoid discussing in bodybuilding. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Santi Aragon details the worst experience he had using diuretics and how it nearly put him into the hospital.
After a quite tragic year for bodybuilding in 2021 due to many too-soon athlete deaths, the discussion about health has been highlighted in the sport. While many of these deaths are possibly coincidental – there have been those who have started speaking out about the often unspoken dangers in the sport. Perhaps these recent deaths are unconnected – but the event has spurred a bigger openness in bodybuilding.
The discussion of diuretics in bodybuilding is one aspect that has opened up in recent years. Many big names in the sport have spoken with Generation Iron – including Victor Martinez, Milos Sarcev, and even 8x Olympia legend Ronnie Coleman – on just how dangerous these drugs can be. Now we can also add Santi Aragon to that list.
Santi Aragon made headlines late last year when he announced he would be retiring from bodybuilding at only 33 years old. His reasons were not because of any injury or current health issue – but because he wanted to leave the sport before it started damaging his health long term. Since then – he has been extremely open about the dangers he’s learned about from being a career bodybuilder.
In terms of diuretics, Santi Aragon admits that he has countess stories he’s heard and experienced himself showcasing just how frequent these drugs are used – and how often they can lead to harm. While it may be a small percentage that end up in the hospital or dead – Santi claims there are many close calls that the public never learn about.
One close call was experienced by Santi Aragon himself. He described to us the worst experience using diuretics during his bodybuilding career. He was much younger, 22 years old, and was blindly following whatever his coach directed him to do during contest prep. He removed salt completely from his diet – only boiling his food – and cut down to an incredibly peeled and conditioned physique. To help further get shredded, Santi also took a diuretic.
Santi Aragon was completely dehydrated – but still not at the weight desired for the competition. So one night before the show, his coach advised him to load with food but no water. This brought salt back into his system without hydrating himself. At the same time, he was still being dehydrated from the diuretic he took as well.
By the time Santi Aragon stepped on stage for prejudging, he was lightheaded and seeing trailing cloudy lights. He was one inch away from passing out. He made it through prejudging – but then found his body overheating. Without any water in his system, he could cool down. He had to sit with his feet in buckets of ice water to regulate his temperature.
Ultimately, Santi Aragon recovered without major issue. But looking back, he realizes that he should have certainly went to the hospital. The situation could have gone far worse. He was lucky. And Santi believes this kind of story happens all the time in bodybuilding. The near-misses that never get publicized. He believes that the issue with diuretics is actually far worse than the public even realizes at this moment. That’s why he wants to speak out about it. It’s reasons like these that made him decide to retire early.
You can watch Santi Aragon go into full detail about his experience with diuretics in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
2022 Boston Pro Lineup Has Been Announced: Regan Grimes, Steve Kuclo Headline The Group
The 2022 Boston Pro is less than a month away with some big names expected to appear.
The 2022 bodybuilding season is preparing to heat up and it begins with the 2022 Arnold Classic, which will take place from March 3-6 in Columbus, OH. Shortly after, competitors will take the stage in Boston for the 2022 Boston Pro on March 12. The full lineup has been announced for the show and it will feature seven divisions from around the sport.
Men’s Bodybuilding will highlight the event and it will also feature Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Fitness, Bikini, Figure, and Wellness.
The bodybuilding show will take place on the Saturday but there will be plenty of actions for fans to see. There will be a meet and greet with some of the best bodybuilders of all-time. Ronnie Coleman, Dexter Jackson, Jay Cutler, Flex Wheeler, and Phil Heath will be present to meet the fans. Brandon Curry and Andre Ferguson will also be part of the meet and greet.
The winners from each division will automatically qualify for the 2022 Olympia and get their season off to a hot start. The full lineup has been announced from each division and it can be found below.
Men’s Bodybuilding
Phil Clahar
Douglas Fruchey
Regan Grimes
Steve Kuclo
Justin Maki
Eslam Mohamed
Justin Rodriguez
Nathan Spear
Classic Physique
Abdelkarim Ammari
Michael Bell
Antonio Cummings
Jared Keys
Ricardo Martinez
Laconia Seymour
Lamar Shaw
Darwin Uribe
Bartley Weaver IV
Andrew Wilson
Men’s Physique
Erin Banks
Riccardo Croci
Daniele D’Onofrio
Xavisus Gayden
Joshua Guidry
Lee Harvey
Jeremy Henry
Drelyn Hunt
Julian Ibes
Alexander James
Daniel Leone
Diogo Montenegro
Puwanat Putoya
Sharif Reid
Jerome Shanklin
Franklin Turner
Antoine Weatherspoon
Fitness
Jaclyn Baker
Missy Truscott
Aurika Tyrgale
Figure
Maude Exantus
Nicole Zenobia Grahm
Carparelli Luana
Neli Mitreva
Kiah Tiller
Ronshende Whittington
Wellness
Yarishna Ayala
Vanessa Bernardo
Casey Delong
Daisha Johnson
Ladonna Jones
Celeste Morales
Lorena Ragusa
Tracy Williams
Bikini
Maureen Blanquisco
Jessica Nicole Dolias
Alessia Facchin
Eli Fernandez
Nittaya Kongthun
Crystal Leigh
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.
Fitness Influencer Brittany Dawn Davis Being Sued By Texas For Misleading Followers With Eating Disorders
Brittany Dawn Davis turned to religious content in 2019 but is still facing trouble in the fitness industry.
Brittany Dawn Davis is being sued by the state of Texas after a former fitness plan claims that it misled followers and clients with eating disorders. Dawn Davis built a large following on social media as an influencer and used this platform to offer different services. Now, it is being claimed that she violated consumer protection laws.
In 2014, Davis was selling packages that ranged anywhere up to $300 promising certain things with the plan. The lawsuit was filed at the Dallas County Court on Feb. 1 and the Dallas Morning News obtained the documents. In these docs, it says that the plans were not individualized and Davis “failed to provide the promised coaching and check-ins.”
“At least 14 consumers who sought refunds from Defendants mentioned eating disorders n their complaints. One consumer on her initial survey states “I truly need guidance, help, the right information and support right now. I currently have an eating disorder, horrible body image views . . . I am underweight for my height.””
“Defendants proceeded to provide cardio exercises and low-calorie macronutrient suggestions that would only be suitable for someone who needed to lsoe weight, not put it on.”
Brittany Dawn Davis built a following of 465k on Instagram. In 2019, she was accused of fraud after some thought she was engaging in unlawful and immoral business practices. This is not the first time that Davis has been in some legal trouble and this seems to be a bit more serious.
Davis has since transitioned to religious-based content. This was explained in a YouTube video where she apologized for any wrongdoings. She now leads She Lives Freed, a religious conference. Clients can join and have to pay a fee of $125 to join. The attorney general’s office is seeking $1 million in penalties and court fees.
The lawsuit continued by explaining the role of Brittany Dawn Davis and how she failed to uphold her end.
“She was described as ‘your coach, your confidant, your biggest supporter & friend,’ there to ‘push you, mold you, and to help you find that person that you’ve always wanted to become.’”
It was later revealed that Davis violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act. She has made it clear that she will continue to believe in her religious views as she deals with the lawsuit. The state of Texas has laid out what it is looking for moving forward.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Joseph Baena Shares His Old School Workout Inspired By Arnold Schwarzenegger
Joseph Baena takes more inspiration from his father, Arnold Schwarzenegger, as he shows off his old school bodybuilding workout.
Over the years, Joseph Baena has been turning heads in the bodybuilding world. Perhaps initially known best simply for being Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s son, Baena has been building even more attention as he’s slowly sculpted an impressive bodybuilding physique of his own. Certainly the genetics are working in his favor – as his physique has begged the question: will we ever see Joseph Baena compete in bodybuilding.
We may not have an answer to that at the moment. But we do know that Joseph Baena has continued to build his identity as a bodybuilder and lover of fitness. Physique updates often grab attention and headlines. And while Baena certainly gained some genetic graces from his father, he is certainly putting in the hard work on his own merits.
So it’s even more exciting that Joseph Baena recently shared his workout routine with Men’s Health in an extensive cover story. Taking a page from his father, the workout is clearly inspired by the Golden Era of bodybuilding. Let’s break down Baena’s journey towards a muscular physique and his workout below.
How Joseph Baena Discovered Bodybuilding
Joseph Baena first found an interest in weightlifting and bodybuilding through competitive swimming. Shortly after, Arnold Schwarzenegger gifted Baena a copy of The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding – which, of course, was written by Schwarzenegger himself. The two then started training in the gym together. What better training partner can you ask for than 7x Olympia champion Arnold Schwarzenegger?
And while his father is a major inspiration and motivational factor in Joseph Baena’s growing physique – he also clearly is looking to put his own modern spin as he continues to train. In speaking with Men’s Health, he had this to say about his journey into bodybuilding:
“My father really inspires me… he kind of created the ideal physique for most people… do I want to have the same physique? I don’t know if I can.”
It’s clear the Joseph Baena has a bit of humorous self-deprecation in talking about his own physique. A clear difference between his father’s cocky attitude as seen in Pumping Iron. Regardless, the true message is in the physique and the hard work put into training.
Regardless of being Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son – this workout and his latest physique updates prove that he is a man who is willing to put in the hard work for impressive muscle. And more than that – he’s bodybuilder in the truest sense of the word. He has a passion for weightlifting.
Chris Hemsworth Reveals Intense Full-Body Workout To Build Explosive Strength
Chris Hemsworth is back at it again with some intense workouts to try.
Chris Hemsworth has been on a fitness journey recently that includes putting together different workouts and improving strength in many ways. This includes a new full-body workout that he recently shared, along with trainer Luke Zocchi.
Hemsworth took to Instagram to share the workout with his 53.6 million followers. The Australian actor has been known for his shredded physique on the big screen and he is continuing to take it to the next level. This particular workout featured a medicine ball as the only piece of equipment. There was a total of seven movements used followed by two minutes of rest. This circuit was repeated four times.
“A great full body workout to help build explosive power and strength @centrfit ??????”
Chris Hemsworth began the workout with wall slams to the right and left. All movements were completed with five reps. Hemsworth completed with slams on the ground and front squats. These are all workouts to improve and build explosive power and strength.
Hemsworth then focused on some core work. He completed five pushups alternating each hand on the medicine ball. The circuit ended with sit ups and Russian twists. The rest period lasted two minutes followed by three more rounds. There are different ways to modify this circuit. This includes using a lighter medicine ball or adding recovery time if needed.
For Chris Hemsworth, this is the type of workout that has helped him transform his physique over time. He is knowns for his roles in Thor and Extraction where he has had to be in top physical shape. This has led to Hemsworth creating a fitness app called CentrFit. This has held him create different workouts to help others accomplish their goals. CentrFit took off during the COVID-19 pandemic when gyms were closed.
In recent months, Hemsworth has been active on social media sharing different workouts and movements to build strength. This is how he has transformed his body over time and that is going to continue over the course of his career. One thing we have seen is that Hemsworth’s workouts are no joke and can be used by anyone to break a sweat.
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.
Interview: How Colts LB Darius Leonard Went From Worst Pick To Top Linebacker In The NFL
Darius Leonard, aka The Maniac, discusses his journey to the top of the NFL and his lockdown training routine.
When Darius Leonard first entered the NFL, he was labeled by many sports news outlets as the worst pick of the year. That’s not the kind of attention you want going into your first year in the pro leagues. Fast forward to the end of the season and suddenly Leonard is ranked as one of the best. He was awarded Rookie Of The Year and is now considered one of the top linebackers in the NFL. Certainly a big change in a short amount of time – and a well deserved one at that. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Colts Linebacker Darius Leonard describes his journey from worst pick to Rookie Of The Year and details how he’s training during the countrywide lockdown.
Speaking with Darius Leonard via our video interview call, you wouldn’t expect him to be the kind of player with the nickname Maniac. He’s causal and relaxed despite being on of the best linebackers currently playing in the NFL.
“I have two different personas,” Darius Leonard states in our interview. “When I’m on the field, I’m just that wild and crazy guy who’s just a competitor. And then when I’m off the field I’m just a polite guy, respectful, who’s going to talk to anyone he can.”
That’s the kind of class you want in a top NFL player. He’s aggressive on the field and gets impressive results – but he also represents himself and the sport with candor and respect. But don’t let that fool you, he’s a freight train on the field that seems truly unstoppable. He has a career combined total of 244 tackles and he’s only now just about to start his third year. He’s parlayed his success on the field into a successful social media presence with hundreds of thousands of followers. He’s ready to take over the world.
A celebratory pose of Darius Leonard on the field (above).
Of course 2020 is no longer an ordinary year. With the world in crises and the current state of nearly all professional sports in jeopardy for the year, things are still very uncertain for what will happen come the fall and the start of the new NFL season. As of right now, there are no official plans to stop or slow down the season. The NFL has the luxury of not starting until much later this year – so a lot can change.
That being said, this period of time is still an important one for the players and certainly for Darius Leonard. With facilities and gyms closed around the country – how is Leonard keeping himself on point for the upcoming season? How will The Maniac maintain his momentum of becoming the best in the NFL if the entire world is stunted by a society halting crisis?
Again, Leonard keeps his cool and maintains his casual and logical demeanor, not very befitting of the name Maniac. He understands that people’s health comes first and that whatever happens with this season, he will understand that world healing comes before the NFL.
On top of that, he’s honestly not too worried as he’s still able to train at his home. The NFL has sent some equipment for him to train with. He honestly see this as returning to his roots of how he prepped and trained back before his time in the NFL. It’s what got him there in the first place. So he’ll certainly be ready to go whenever things return back to normal.
“The NFL sent some weights and stuff for us to use. And you know I’m from the country so that’s nothing new to me,” Leonard casually states.
“I didn’t have much equipment growing up anyway. I just went back to everything that – my foundation. Pulling tires, pushing tires, flipping tires, running around the field. Working in the yard. That’s the stuff that built me into who I am now. So I just went back to it.”
Darius continues to go into detail about his training regimen and how strength and athletic training differs from the kind of training bodybuilders focus on for competitions. This may be an obvious difference in training tactics – but it’s certainly fascinating to see how one of the top pros in the NFL handles training and prep compared to the top pros of bodybuilding.
We also touch upon a few other topics such as what year a football player hits his prime int the NFL compared to other sports and about the controversial topic of concussions in the sport. Specifically after the film Concussion brought a lot of scrutiny onto the NFL upon its release in theaters.
Ultimately, Darius Leonard ends off our interview focusing on the positives. How grateful he is to be an all star football plater in the NFL only about to start his third year. The younger version of himself would never believe it to be true – as it’s all he ever wanted for his future. He made that future a reality – and how he has his eyes on the Super Bowl. Based on how he’s handled everything else so far – we wouldn’t be surprised to see that coming some time soon.
You can check out our full GI Exclusive interview with Darius Leonard above.
Liver King Slams Critics Who Claim He Is On Steroids, Reiterates He Is All Natural
Brian Johnson, aka Liver King, addresses natty or not speculations.
After much fan speculation, Brian Johnson, also known as Liver King, has officially responded to whether or not he is natural or using steroids. Over the past year, Liver King exploded onto the scene. As of the time of this writing, he has 1.1 million followers on Instagram. Liver King’s key to viral success? He promotes an “ancestral” lifestyle – meaning he tries to live like our ancient forefathers by hunting for his meals, eating raw organ meat, and living purely off the land.
Of course, his massive physique alongside his “ancient all-natural” way of living has drawn some criticism and speculation throughout the bodybuilding community. Is it truly possible that Liver King has amassed such muscle without the use of PEDs? Not only has the Liver King responded to such speculation – he also mocks the entire “natty or not” culture in a recent Instagram video.
Derek Dufour has been managing all digital operations on the Generation Iron Network for over six years. He currently manages a team of editors, writers, and designers to provide up-to-date content across the GI Network.