Tag: GI News
Silver Era Bodybuilder Marvin Eder Dies At 90 Years Old
Marvin Eder, aka Biceps From The Bronx, has passed away.
Silver Era bodybuilder and icon Marvin Eder passed away on February 1, 2022 at 90 years old. Eder, known as the “Biceps From The Bronx” was known not only for his aesthetic physique but also for his impressive feats of strength. He was a both a bodybuilder and a weightlifter.
Jacob Ladon is a staff writer and former amateur bodybuilder. He has been passionate about bodybuilding since he was 15 years old and discovered the joys of training in the gym. He reports and comments on all bodybuilding related matters.
Nick Walker & Blessing Awodibu Look Monstrous Together In Latest Hardcore Workout
Triceps Workout
Rope push-down – 3 sets to failure
Flat bench triceps extensions with bar – 2 sets
Inclined triceps extensions with dumbbell – 2 sets
Reverse-grip cable triceps press-down – 1 set & 1 drop set to failure
Nick Walker was one of the biggest names to come out of the 2021 Mr. Olympia – and many believe he will show further improvements this year. So the entire industry has been watching Walker with a close eye with each and every update.
Blessing Awodibu, on the other hand, has a lot of hype and potential behind him. Many hope that 2022 will show him improve on his weaknesses to become more of a threat on the stage.
Make sure to stay tuned to the Generation Iron Fitness Network for more bodybuilding, strength sports, and fitness updates!
Singer India.Arie Shares Clips Of Joe Rogan Calling Black People “Apes”
Images via Instagram @ indiaarie and @joerogan
Joe Rogan falls into more controversy after leaked audio of racist comments is leaked by India.Arie.
MMA commentator and podcast superstar Joe Rogan finds himself in more hot water after singer India.Arie shared clips of Rogan referring to black neighborhoods as “Planet of the Apes.” This reveal comes shortly after many musicians such as Neil Young boycotted Spotify due to Rogan’s podcast allegedly spreading misinformation.
The leaked footage comes shortly after India.Arie announced that she would also be removing her music from Spotify. She cited that Joe Rogan’s podcast alongside his “language around race” were the reasons why she would be pulling her music from the platform.
After the announcement, Arie shared more detail about her decision by posting a video clip containing audio of Joe Rogan using racially insensitive language.
“He shouldn’t even be uttering the word. Don’t even say it, under any context. Don’t say it. That’s where I stand. I have always stood there,” India.Arie stated in her post.
India.Arie’s decision and comments came after other musicians had also boycotted Spotify – removing their music from the streaming platform. In fact, Arie stated that Neil Young’s decision to pull his music and voicing his concern about Joe Rogan is what encouraged her to come forward with her complaints.
After musicians such as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and India.Arie pulling their music from Spotify, the streaming platform lost $2 billion in market value.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek responded to the controversy in an official statement on January 30, 2022. He claimed that Spotify would be adding COVID-19 content advisories to all relevant podcast episodes.
Daniel Ek went on to state:
“This advisory will direct listeners to our dedicated COVID-19 Hub, a resource that provides easy access to data-driven facts, up-to-date information as shared by scientists, physicians, academics and public health authorities around the world, as well as links to trusted sources.”
On January 31, 2022, Joe Rogan responded on social media to the backlash – though notably this was before India.Arie released the footage of Rogan’s past statements on black individuals.
In his post, Rogan stated “I don’t always get it right. I will do my best to try to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people perspectives so we can maybe find a better point of view.”
His apology was met with mixed responses – though notably Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson defended Rogan – commenting, “Great stuff here brother. Perfectly articulated. Look forward to coming on one day and breaking out the tequila with you.”
As of the time of this writing, Joe Rogan has yet to respond to India.Arie’s claims and the footage that she had released on social media.
This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available. Stay tuned to the Generation Iron Fitness Network for more updates on all things bodybuilding, strength sports, and fitness.
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.
Terrence Ruffin Continues Arnold Classic Prep With Huge Push Day
Terrence Ruffin is preparing to defend his Classic Physique title at the 2022 Arnold Classic.
The 2022 Arnold Classic is just four weeks away and competitors are in the final stretch of their preparation. Terrence Ruffin was victorious in Classic Physique during the 2021 event and will defend his title in Columbus in March. Before he hits the stage, Ruffin has put in the work and showed it off with a recent push day session.
Ruffin completed the workout at his home gym, Westside Barbell, with hypertrophy coach Joe Bennett present. This was a workout to build his check and he used multiple machines and exercises. Ruffin shared the workout to his YouTube page.
Terrence Ruffin began the workout with a warmup of incline bench presses. He sported wrist wraps while competing the sets, increasing the weight each time. Ruffin reached 315 pounds before moving onto seated cable flyes. This is where he really started to get that necessary pump.
“If you can get that cable…to be straight across, that’s your best bet because it’ll be heaviest there.”
Ruffin triple-set cable flyes with more presses on the incline bench and laying Y-raises. This also helped work his shoulders over the course of the workout. During the routine, Bennett continues to discuss the position of the workouts and how it will hit different muscles. When Ruffin was performing triceps extensions, his arm position performs the concentric part of the rep where his arm is at its natural position.
Terrence Ruffin continues to be one of the best competitors in Classic Physique. He was able to get over the hump and take home the 2021 Arnold Classic title after finishing as the runner-up in 2020. At the Olympia, Ruffin finished with the silver medal behind Chris Bumstead, who has won the last three Classic Physique Olympia titles.
Classic Physique has taken huge strides recently and it is because of athletes like Ruffin. At the Arnold Classic, four of the top-five finishers from the Olympia will be present. Ruffin leads the way, along with Breon Ansley, Urs Kalecinski, and Ramon Rocha Queiroz.
The Arnold Classic will begin what is bound to be an exciting year in Classic Physique. Terrence Ruffin has been preparing to retain his title and will have a chance to end Bumstead’s reign at the Olympia in December.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
‘The World’s Strongest Child’ Who Lifted 300 Pounds At Age 14 Has Changed Dramatically
Jake Schellenschlager, who became known as ‘The World’s Strongest Child’ has continued to excel in fitness.
Jake Schellenschlager became known early for his incredible feats of strength at a young age. The 14-year-old powerlifter was setting records for his age and weight from his early days of competing. Schellenschlager, known as ‘The World’s Strongest Kid,’ has continued his fitness journey over the years and has changed dramatically.
Schellenschlager began weightlifting when he was 12 years old. He would see his father working out in the garage and wanted to be part of it. It did not take Schellenschlager long to develop incredible strength and do something great with it.
By age 14, the world’s strongest child was able to deadlift 300 pounds. He began competing that year and set new world records for his weight and age during the Powerlifting Bench Press Championships. This was his goal when he first started working out.
Jake Schellenschlager began training with Mike Sarni and this is when he officially Tok the next step. His overall strength was impressive and it was almost unstoppable when combined with his mental toughness and drive.
The World’s Strongest Child follows a long line of children who have made headlines because of their incredible strength or physique.
Richard Sandrak quickly became known as ‘Mini Hercules.’ He began training at a young age and displayed a shredded physique from the time he was a child. Mini Hercules began working out and participating in martial arts at a young age. By age six, Sandrak was able to bench press 180 pounds and upped that number to 210 pounds by eight years old. Mini Hercules was pushed hard by his father but claims that he was never forced into anything.
In recent years, another video has surfaced of Amir the Hulk, a young boy who does not have much body fat because of his condition called Berardinelli Seip. This is a rare condition that sees a child lose all body fat at birth.
Jake Schellenschlager’s drive is different than others. He began lifting at a young age and has remained interested and focused on building a strong physique. He will continue to build that strength and add more size to an already impressive physique.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Talking Huge With Craig Golias: Are Big Name Bodybuilders Cheating Clients With Their Coaching Plans?
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Craig Golias reacts to famous bodybuilders hiring staff to create coaching plans for clients.
Welcome to another episode of Talking Huge – a weekly digital series in which Craig Golias talks in-depth with Vlad Yudin on the latest trending topics in bodybuilding. Raw, honest, and uncut – Craig Golias shares his opinions on all things bodybuilding. In this episode, Craig Golias shares his thoughts on bodybuilding coaching plans, Aaron Singerman’s sentencing, and Mark Wahlberg’s recent physique update at 50 years old.
This was another news-packed week in the world of bodybuilding and strength sports. So we broke down the top news stories with Craig Golias to get his thoughts, reactions, and insight on the most engaging moments in bodybuilding this past week. Our key topics discussed cover Aaron Singerman’s 4.5 year prison sentence and whether he will serve a full sentence. Craig also provides insight as a fellow bodybuilding coach about top tier coaching plans. Is it okay for a big name bodybuilder to hire staff to help write their plans and coach clients? Lastly, Craig reacts to Mark Wahlberg’s recent physique transformation. Let’s jump into it.
Aaron Singerman’s Prison Sentence
It was announced over the past week that Aaron Singerman was finally sentenced after a long legal battle regarding his previously owned company Blackstone Labs. He ultimately plead guilty for conspiracy to sell anabolic steroids and other banned substances in his Blackstone Labs products – as well as promoting misinformation on said projects.
Craig Golias holds a pretty stern stance here. Do things the right way and you won’t have to worry about getting caught. Craig doesn’t understand why Aaron Singerman and Blackstone Labs felt the need to include banned substances in their products. Would it really lead to that many more sales?
How legitimate are famous bodybuilder coaching plans?
This week’s biggest topic covers the concept of bodybuilding training plans. Is it fair for a big name bodybuilder or coach to hire a team to help guide clients? If a training plan is promoted as directly from the mind of a famous coach or athlete? Is the client getting cheated if the person messaging them is actually a staff member and not the legend himself?
Craig Golias initially thinks that this is a cheat. That bodybuilders and coaches should always directly train their clients. Blanket training plans don’t account for the individual needs of a client. A major bodybuilding legend or guru should understand this. If they take a clients money only to have a staff member give a cookie cutter plan (perhaps overseen by the legend), it’s not the same thing as direct coaching.
That being said, Craig Golias warns that you get what you pay for. If you are paying lower towards $100 for coaching, you’ll probably get a bad training plan. There are no bargain coaches that are truly worth paying for. Invest in good coaching and you’ll get a good experience.
But what about famous bodybuilders who receive likely thousands of requests? How do they upscale to successfully train a larger clientele? Craig Golias considers this and starts to backtrack slightly. Perhaps there is a fair way to hire staff to help so long as the bodybuild or guru is also very hands on. But ultimately, if a person simply uses their name to sell a program made by others – it’s a scam.
Wrap Up
You can check out the full conversation in the latest episode of Talking Huge above. Watch Craig go into full detail about additional topics such as Mark Wahlberg’s latest physique and answer fan questions. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
PFL Announces Multi-Year Deal With RedCon1 As Nutrition And Supplement Partner
RedCon1 will sponsor all PFL season events in this new deal.
The Professional Fighters League has announced a multi-year deal with REDCON1 as the Official Performance, Active Nutrition, and Supplement Partner.
In this deal, REDCON1 will sponsor all PFL regular season events on ESPN and PFL Challenger Series events on Fubo TV. REDCON1 will also now be able to provide PFL athletes with supplements.
“The Professional Fighters League is excited to partner with REDCON1 beginning with the upcoming Season and PFL Challenger Series,” said PFL CRO Jon Tuck in a recent press release. “REDCON1 and the PFL are two energetic brands which share a passion for the health and wellness of world-class athletes.”
“REDCON1 is the fastest growing sports nutrition brand, and through this multi-year partnership, we’re focused on extending our brand’s message and reach to new consumers looking to get the most out of their workout and workday,” said Eric Hart, President and co-owner of REDCON1.
The PFL is one of the fastest growing sports’ leagues. This gives fighters a chance to compete in a regular season format, along with playoffs and a championship. It was streamed live to 160 countries around the world last year. This is only going to continue to grow and that is the plan as this agreement is made.
REDCON1 continues to be a mission-based brand founded to create high quality supplements for people that need to get the most out of their day, whether it be in the gym or daily life. REDCON1 supplements are available at many stores in 80 countries around the world.
“As a tech-enabled active nutrition company, we’re excited to create interactive, immersive experiences in collaboration with the PFL’s technology-enhanced SMARTCAGE backed by notable investors Kevin Hart, Tony Robbins, and Wiz Khalifa,” said Ryan Monahan, Chief Marketing Officer of REDCON1.
The terms of the deal between REDCON1 and the PFL were not disclosed in the press release but it will be a multi-year agreement. This will allow both companies to help the other when it comes to promotion and exposure.
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.
Frank Zane Shows Mike O’Hearn Great Exercise That Is Not Done Much Today
Mike O’Hearn joined Frank Zane for a workout including movements that are not done as frequently.
Frank Zane is one of the all-time great bodybuilders. At 79 years old, he has not stopped training in the gym and continues to share some of his knowledge with others. Recently, Zane was joined by Mike O’Hearn where the two went through some exercises that you might not see much today.
O’Hearn continues to show off a strong physique at 52 years old. He is a former Mr. Universe champion who has built an incredible following. O’Hearn has appeared on many magazine covers because of his natural physique.
Zane is known for being one of the pioneers of bodybuilding. He had battles with Arnold Schwarzenegger and even defeated the best to ever do it back in 1968. Zane went onto win the Mr. America and Mr. Universe title that same year. Over 50 years later, Zane still trains in his home gym and is not shy about helping others.
Mike O’Hearn has taken the same path as Frank Zane in recent years and shared a recent video to his YouTube page showing the encounter.
In the video, Zane is seen coaching O’Hearn during a set of dumbbell pullovers. Zane explains that this is a great exercise that is not performed much anymore. O’Hearn continues with a question to Zane asking what he would say if someone said that the lift causes injury.
“Maybe they would (get hurt), but that’s not me. So who cares anyway you know? I never was concerned with what people say. When I was in the gym, I never even talked to people. I just go in there and train,” Frank zane responded.
“Why don’t you go on social media and show them how to do it the right way? We don’t even have to mention them. Instead of going after people’s natives and criticizing, that’s just giving them attention. Just go out with something positive and say ‘ this is the way you do it.”
Mike O’Hearn went through movements and techniques of Frank Zane and likes hi mentality. He has been training for over 60 years and this mindset has not wavered one bit.
“You’ve got an old-school mentality that I just love. Because I feel like that it’s around the ones I came up with and everything. It’s like ‘yeah, great response it’ll hurt you it won’t hurt me’ it’ll enhance me. It was a minor change but I loved it better than what I do. It was more of a stretch than an over-exaggeration of technique.” Mike O’Hearn said.
Both Mike O’Hearn and Frank Zane have remained in great shape over the years. Contrary to belief, just because a motion is unorthodox or awkward, it does not mean that it will cause injury. This is exactly what Zane was showing here. In fact, it might be the most effective.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Graham Hicks Will Miss 2022 Britain’s Strongest Man Due To Groin Injury
Graham Hicks will be forced to miss some time after suffering a groin injury.
Graham Hicks is no stranger to the Britain’s Strongest Man competition. He was victorious in 2019 but has been dealing with injuries since. The strongman will be forced to miss the 2022 Britain’s Strongest Man with a groin injury.
Hicks suffered the same injury prior to the 2021 World’s Strongest Man contest and was sidelined. He shared an explanation on his YouTube page. This is the reason Hicks will miss the show and you can even see when the discomfort began.
Graham Hicks explained that it was difficult to go through any of the movements necessary to a strongman. He quickly went to a doctor to check out the injury and figure out just how serious it was.
“At the moment, I’m not able to train in any of the events without significant discomfort.
I’m going to do everything that Stuart [the doctor] said, I’m going to really try to train smart and be patient, and hopefully it will pay off.”
This is a nagging injury that Hicks has been dealing with for over a year now. He has discovered different ways to train around the injury and has competed through it. Because the injury has not completely healed, Hicks will be forced to miss time while the groin strengthens.
After being victorious at the 2019 Britain’s Strongest Man event, Hicks missed the 2020 show with an undisclosed injury. In 2021, he won bronze and finished behind Tom Stoltman and Adam Bishop. Stoltman is the reigning champion while Bishop won the event in 2020. Both competitors will be present at the 2022 show and will highlight a group of 10 competitors.
2022 Britain’s Strongest Man Roster
Gavin Bilton
Adam Bishop
Andy Black
Mark Felix
Shane Flowers
Desmond Gahan
Pa O’Dwyer
Paul Smith
Luke Stoltman
Tom Stoltman
Graham Hicks was one of the contenders to win this event heading in. With his name out of the lineup, there will be another spot open for someone to slide into.
There is no timetable on Hicks’ return or when he will be able to compete again. It is likely that he will do what it takes to return quickly, especially since he has been training with the injury for a year now. The 2022 Britain’s Strongest Man competition is set to take place on Feb. 26 at the Utility Arena in Sheffield, England.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Luke Stoltman Sets New PR Squat Double With 738-Pound Lift
Luke Stoltman continues to impress and put up huge numbers in the gym preparing for competition.
The Stoltman Brothers have made a huge impact as strongmen in their career and have only improved over the last year or two. Luke Stoltman is the reigning Europe’s Strongest Man champion and could have his eyes on some more prizes in 2022. In a recent training session, Stoltman set a new PR squat double by dominating 355kg (738lbs) for two reps.
Stoltman was joined by his brother Tom, reigning World’s Strongest Man, and Dr. Dan Managi of The Strength Game. He is joining the Stoltman brothers to help them during training. Both Luke and Tom have been announced as competitors in multiple competitions already. It begins with the 2022 Britain’s Strongest Man competition, which will take place on Feb. 26 in Sheffield, England.
Just a week after, both brothers will appear at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic. The max squat will be the first lift and it looks like Luke Stoltman is doing all he can to get his numbers up.
The Stoltman brothers went through a squat workout that was meant to feature working sets and heavy doubles. It began when they added 75kg (165lb) pounds on the bar and increased by 50kg each set. Both Luke and Tom added knee straps before attempting the 225kg (496lb) lift. From then on, the weight just kept increasing.
Luke Stoltman began his heavy squat doubles with a 315kg (694lb) attempt. These two reps were effortless, just like the two with 325kg (716lb) on the bar. This is when he decided to try and hit a new PR.
“It felt good, it was the same weight as last week, but for a double… We’ve ordered a couple of single ply suits… We’ll see if that adds an extra bit.
“We’re trying to get everything working properly, and these are a safe way of really f***ing yourself up.”
The massive leg day ended with hamstring curls and a variety of calf exercises. The max squat is an event that is important during events and Luke Stoltman is preparing to take down some of the competition. Both Stoltman brothers continue to be a force and will be top competitors at each event they take place in. This could be a special year if all goes right.
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