Tag: GI News
Big Ramy Shares Offseason Weight Is Currently 341 Pounds
Big Ramy is training for what could be a third consecutive Olympia title in 2022.
Big Ramy is not one to share information in the offseason regarding his plans or training. On Thursday, the reigning two-time Olympia champion joined his coach, Dennis James, to discuss the upcoming bodybuilding season. Big Ramy also revealed that his current offseason weight is 341 pounds.
The Olympia was held in Orlando the last two years and Big Ramy took home gold in each event. The show will be moving back to Las Vegas in December this year. The bodybuilder joined his coach to discuss different topics around the sport but it began with his current weight.
“I don’t like to tell people my weight but maybe I tell you, friend. Right now, I’m 155kg, (341lbs) with abs huh. You know I don’t stop anything, I do my cardio for the day. I feel I’m very healthy. I train every day. I need to train every single day. I don’t like to lift one day, I don’t like to do something for next year, I like for this year. We need to do many things before Ramadan, you know Ramadan we don’t have enough food. So that’s why I need a small break for us, but after I’m done yeah. Then, back to Vegas,” Big Ramy explained.
Big Ramy defeated Brandon Curry, who finished as the runner-up in each of the last two Olympia competitions, in 2021. Hadi Choopan finished third followed by Hunter Labrada and Nick Walker. This was a controversial victory as many thought that Choopan was in the best shape at the time of the show.
Unlike Big Ramy, there are many bodybuilders who believe in showing off recent progress on social media. This has become a craze where athletes give frequent physique updates to keep fans involved on their day-to-day activities. This can be done on social media platforms such as Instagram or YouTube.
Big Ramy has never been into this but he spoke candidly with James, who is a retired bodybuilder himself. Despite his current weight, Big Ramy continues to show abs and is as muscular as ever. Big Ramy did not begin training last year until a couple months before the Olympia. This year has been different. He returned to the gym in October shortly after winning his second title.
“This year, because last year we didn’t have time to change many things in our prep but this year I think we can make something different. I’m excited. I hope, we can make something different for the fans. People keep waiting for us, I know I’m working very hard but we can do many things more.”
This new training regimen and program could make for a big year for Big Ramy. With the Olympia being moved back to December, bodybuilders will have more time to prepare. Big Ramy will look to complete the three-peat at this year’s event.
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Eric The Trainer Discusses The Fitness Legend That Inspired Him To Do 40,000 Push Ups
Eric The Trainer pays tribute to fitness legend Jack Lalanne.
Eric The Trainer is a rare sight to behold in the bodybuilding and fitness world. He’s a fusion of celebrity trainer, personal trainer, and social media influencer. Most importantly, he brings a level of optimism and kindness not often seen in the industry – and in recent times – not often seen in the world. Eric credits a big part of this to his mentor and idol, Jack Lalanne – one of the earliest and most legendary fitness icons in history. In our lastest GI Exclusive interview, Eric The Trainer explains how Jack Lalanne inspired him to do 40,000 push ups for charity.
Earlier in the year, we spoke with Chef Rush about his dedication to doing 2,222 push ups every single day. He did it for veteran suicide awareness but the feat is also a shocking display of strength and dicipline. Similarly, Eric The Trainer also commited to an incredible feat of strength for charity. He did 40,000 push ups in a row. It’s a shocking display and one not for the faint of heart.
But the idea to do 40,000 push ups in one go didn’t come out of thin air. In fact, Eric The Trainer was inspired by one of the most legendary fitness icons in history – Jack Lalanne. Born in 1914, Lalanne was an American fitness and nutrition guru and motivational speaker. He was known for bringing fitness to the mainstream and also for his feats of strength.
Eric The Trainer was lucky enough to meet him before Lalanne passed in 2011. The relationship they built helped Eric become the man he is today. One that is not only focused on fitness but also on helping the community around him.
Eric goes into detail about just how far Lalanne’s influence inspired Eric’s entire persona and future in the fitness world. He also talks about the kinds of feats of strength Frank Lalanne was known for doing – such as pulling ships in the ocean from a nearby dock. It was the kind of old school strongman spectacles that are rarely seen today.
It was a combination of Lalanne’s feats of strength mixed with his dedication towards helping people that inspired Eric The Trainer to do 40,000 push ups for charity. It combines two amazing tings – stunt spectacle with doing good for mankind.
Check out Eric The Trainers full comments on Jack Lalanne and the power of optimism in fitness by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Aaron Singerman: Bodybuilding Today Is “More Swelling, Less Definition”
Aaron Singerman shares his gut feelings about the modern era of bodybuilding compared to previous decades.
Aaron Singerman has been making some major moves in the bodybuilding space with the recent announcement that Kai Greene has become a Redcon1 sponsored athlete. Being a man so focused on preparing today for the future, we wanted to know his thoughts on the current state of bodybuilding. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Aaron Singerman gives his critique of today’s bodybuilders and looks towards a hopeful future.
One of Redcon1’s biggest sponsored athletes (besides the recent acquisition of Kai) is Cedric McMillan. In a sense, this tells you everything you need to know about Aaron Singerman’s preferred look in bodybuilding. So Aaron’s thoughts on modern bodybuilding might not come to a surprise – he thinks the conditioning is lacking.
He makes sure to clarify that the athletes competing today are talented and hard working. In fact, he doesn’t paint the difference in conditioning as an objectively bad thing. He just finds it different.
Aaron Singerman is also not quite sure why the conditioning is different today. He’s heard all of the possible reasons – evolution of drugs, change in drug culture, or perhaps the rise of social media having an effect. At the end of the day, Aaron doesn’t know what causes it. He also doesn’t know if it’s better or worse. But for his personal opinion, he has a preference to what he grew up with in the 90s era.
Aaron Singerman uses Kevin Levrone as the prime example of what a bodybuilder should look like in his opinion. He thinks bodybuilders today focus “more on swelling, less on definition.” This concept is what has plagued some of the most promising athletes such as Big Ramy and Roelly Winklaar. Truly mammoth competitors that falter in the small details.
Overall, Aaron Singerman has a positive outlook about bodybuilding as a whole – especially for the future. The new ownership of the Olympia brand gives him increased hope for the sport to continue to thrive. Unlike AMI, Jake Wood has been a passionate fan of the sport.
Aaron Singerman believes that if AMI still had ownership fo Olympia, it would have already been full cancelled due to the pandemic. While safety is important, having faith in finding an alternative safe way to continue on in the name of the athletes is paramount. Aaron believes that beyond safety, the livelihood of the sport most be protected during these challenging times.
So while this year has had its drawbacks, Aaron Singerman sees these decisions during hard times as proof that the Olympia and bodybuilding will continue to thrive in the future. Perhaps the fresh Olympia ownership might also lead to a change in physiques for the new generation. Once we’re out of the weeds we’ll soon find out.
You can watch Aaron Singerman’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Aaron Singerman Reveals The Future Supplement Trends That Will Take Over Bodybuilding
Aaron Singerman discusses what changes appear to be trending in big ways in the supplement industry.
Supplementation is a big industry even outside of bodybuilding proper. As society has become more educated and focused on health, supplements have become common in nearly every household. But much like any industry, the technology, culture, and trends change from decade to decade. What does the future have in store for supplements? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Aaron Singerman shares insight into what future trends will take over the supplement industry and how it will affect bodybuilding.
Aaron Singerman has been in charge of RedCon1 for quite a long time. It’s become a heavy hitter in the bodybuilding and supplement industry. So during our video conversation, we wanted to see what the future holds for supplements. What changes are on the way and what trends will become the norm? Most importantly, how will it affect bodybuilding and the future of the sport?
Aaron Singerman sees the biggest trend growing right now is consuming supplements on the go. Making supplements more mobile is booming right now in the industry. Singerman can see it become the main way that we all relate to and consume supplements. Does this mean no more giant tubs of protein powder? Probably not – but it might mean that they become less common as we see easy to care single use products.
On top of that, Aaron Singerman believes that the recent pandemic has accelerated another big change happening in the supplement world. The direct-to-consumer market was already growing slowly due to the rise of the internet. Now with the pandemic causing superstores to be held closed or vacant, direct to consumer is more important than ever.
The pandemic has forced companies to adapt to that model faster than they otherwise would have. This could have a huge impact on the future of supplements. It can cause a sea change in what brands or distributors are the most common and popular.
Ultimately, this would be a win-win. Consumers can get more direct access to the brands they love without a middleman. Brands can get direct sales without big superstores taking a cut.
Of course, there will always be big online marketplaces like Amazon to fill in the gap. But with the model changing, if a brand is powerful enough, they won’t have to rely majority on distributors like Amazon. Instead their own website would be a central hub.
Vlad Yudin and Aaron Singerman also touch upon some other smaller trends that have popped up in supplements such as protein ice cream and the further rise of supplement bars and meal replacements. While popular – the cost for these kinds of items is enormous and thus prevents them from ever becoming truly mainstream.
You can watch Aaron Singerman break it all down in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
WATCH: Nora Langdon Deadlifts 335 Pounds At 78 Years Old
Nora Langdon continues to accomplish incredible feats of strength at age 78.
They say that it gets difficult to maintain strength and perform in the sport of powerlifting as one gets older. Nora Langdon is proving that this is not always the case. The 78-year-old powerlifter continues to put up impressive numbers in the gym and will be back on stage competing in 2022.
Recently, Langdon has been sharing some lifts on Instagram. On Wednesday, she completed three reps of a 265-pound squat. Last week, Langdon impressed with a 335-pound deadlift for a triple. In her caption, Langdon says that she is in training for her first competition of the year.
“Rack pulls 335 x 4
Started out training for the State Meet 3/13/22, only 9 weeks out!”
Nora Langdon is not sponsored but currently has a GoFundMe page setup so she can receive hep financing her competitions. So far, she has raised over $3,000 that will help her appear on stage this year. Langdon is planning to compete during the USAPL National Championships in June and the 2022 WPC World Championships in November.
Langdon has been dominant in the Masters 70-79 division. Her numbers are difficult to best and she is only getting stronger. Langdon has expressed that she wants to reach the 500-pound mark in her lifts.
Langdon did not spend her lift dedicated to powerlifting despite her incredible strength. She worked as a real estate agent for 35 years before discovering the gym. She wanted to get in better shape and this is when she began training with Art Little, a trainer at Royal Oak Gym in Royal Oak, MI.
After her first training session, there was a bit of skepticism coming from Nora Langdon but she continued to work and fell in love with the craft. In 2006, Langdon made her powerlifting debut at age 64. She won gold in the equipped division by lifting a total of 556.9 pounds. This came during the 2006 USAPL State Championships. This is one of three competitions that Langdon has competed in yearly, along with Nationals and World Championships.
So far, Langdon has competed in 25 sanctioned meets and has won 23 of them. Her competition best lifts include a 413.3-pound squat, 203.9-pound bench press, and 381.4-pound deadlift. These are all numbers that Langdon is committed to breaking at some point.
Nora Langdon is not only a competitive powerlifter. She has turned into an inspiration for all at any age. She hopes that her work will continue to inspire others to go out and accomplish their goals, regardless of age. Langdon will be competing this year and hoping to add some more medals to her trophy case.
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Lou Ferrigno Takes Tour Of Fitness Icon Jack LaLanne’s Home Gym
Lou Ferrigno was shown around by LaLanne’s wife, Elaine LaLanne.
Lou Ferrigno is known for his massive physique and is considered one of the pioneers of the sport of bodybuilding. Recently, Ferrigno took some time and shared his experience touring the gym of another fitness legend — Jack LaLanne.
The bodybuilder joined LaLanne’s wife, Elaine, for a special look at his home gym that is equipped with machines from the 1930’s. LaLanne was a fitness and nutrition guru and also worked as a motivational speaker. LaLanne began inspiring others to invest in their own health before it was mainstream. After his death in 2011, Arnold Schwarzenegger credited LaLanne for his work. This is something Ferrigno hit on early as well.
“Jack was way ahead of his time. Way ahead. In the late 1930s, people condoned weight training, they said you workout with weights, you get stiff and muscle unbalance,” Lou Ferrigno said.
“They didn’t understand what nutrition was. Back in World War II, a lot of people were smoking. People were going home having a drink and smoking but Jack was a pioneer. He knew about this.”
Lou Ferrigno began his tour by showing off some machines that Jack LaLanne innovated himself. This is before the new gym technology was founded. The machine that is showed off is an earlier version of machines used today where the pin can be inserted into the person’s desired weight.
This is just one example of how bodybuilding and weight training have come a long way. In the early 1900s, the methods were much different and LaLanne is credited with helping take some big steps forward.
“This one is an old-fashioned. This is before Smith invented a Smith machine. Jack’s idea, with two pipes and two simple leg presses, with these weights. Amazing, and she said these were from back in the 30s.”
Lou Ferrigno is one bodybuilder that has reaped the benefits of weight training over the years. He built a physique that is still iconic today on the bodybuilding stage and the big screen.
Ferrigno developed a rivalry with Schwarzenegger during the crux of their careers. This includes some battles during Mr. Olympia competitions. Ferrigno won Mr. America and Mr. Universe titles during his career before moving to acting. He is best known for his role as The Incredible Hulk. Ferrigno quickly became one of the biggest names in bodybuilding and was known for his incredible strength.
“What an incredible woman, inspiration and legend @jackandelaine_lalanne is.
I’m honored to have been able to call her my friend for decades now.
It’s amazing how positive and energetic Elaine is. Though Jack has been gone from us for a while now I know he’s smiling down watching us in his home gym.
Miss you Jack,” Ferrigno wrote on Instagram.
Lou Ferrigno is an important member of the history of bodybuilding. Jack LaLanne is another influential figure in fitness and has been for many years. It is amazing to see some of the early equipment that was used while weight training and how it has enhanced over the years. LaLanne certainly helped pave the way for today’s generation.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Terrence Ruffin Shows Off Massive Back And Biceps Workout
Terrence Ruffin is primed and ready for a big 2022 season.
There has been a clear top tier in Classic Physique bodybuilding and Terrence Ruffin is right near the top of the list. The reigning Arnold Classic champion looks as determined as ever to take the next step toward winning his first Olympia title. That is the ultimate goal for Ruffin and he recently shared a huge back and bicep workout during a recent training session.
Ruffin shared the video on his YouTube page for viewers to check out. He began by eating oats and peanut butter for breakfast before heading to the gym. Ruffin was training was Westside Barbell gym in Columbus, OH.
Terrence Ruffin began the workout with single-arm lat pulldowns before moving to chest-supported rows and T-bar rows. During a back day, rows are clearly highlighted and Ruffin explained the importance of maximizing each lift.
Ruffin’s next exercise featured resistance bands in order to utilize shoulder mobility. After this movement, Ruffin began hitting arms. He began with preacher curls followed by rope hammer curls. Ruffin then complete bicep curls while leaning to stretch out the muscle before ending his workout with a posing routine.
Terrence Ruffin implements a high-volume style when working out. He likes to complete a high number of reps in order to build up the muscles. This, combined with focusing on form, has helped Ruffin build a championship physique.
Ruffin is coming off an Arnold Classic title in 2021. He was the runner-up in this event to Alex Cambronero in 2020. Now that he has climbed one mountain, it is time to conquer another.
Terrence Ruffin is coming off two consecutive second-place finishes at the Olympia. Chris Bumstead has three-seated at the Olympia with Breon Ansley finishing third in the previous two years. Ruffin has trained legs with Bumstead before as the two have built a relationship while competing.
There is no doubt that Ruffin is one of the best competitors in Classic Physique. The 2022 Olympia will take place from Dec. 16-18 in Las Vegas. Before aiming for this event, Ruffin will defend his title at the Arnold Classic.
Arnold Classic – Classic Physique Roster
Below, you can find the full list of competitors that will be looking to take home the Arnold Classic title. The event will take place from March 3-6 in Columbus, OH.
Breon Ansley
Michael Daboul
Urs Kalecinski
Peter Molnar
Terrence Ruffin
Ramon Rocha Quieroz
Darwin Uribe
Lenny Wicks
Divine Wilson
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Brian Shaw Announces Competitors For Shaw Classic, Plan For Podcast
Brian Shaw reveals the athletes that will take part in this year’s event.
Brian Shaw is starting the new year with a bang. In a recent YouTube video posted to his page, the strongman shared some big news regarding many different areas.
First, Shaw shared an early list of competitors that will take part in the Shaw Classic 2022. There is still time for other competitors to qualify for the event. Also, Shaw is planning to relaunch his “SHAWSTRENGTH” podcast. The Shaw Classic is scheduled for Aug. 13-14 in Loveland, CO. Below, you can find the early list of competitors.
Shaw Classic Lineup
Maxime Boudreau
J.F. Carron
Kevin Farris
Graham Hicks
Konstantine Janashia
Trey Mitchel
Jerry Pritchett
Zydrunas Savickas
Evan Singleton
Brian Shaw
Aivars Smaukstelis
Luke Stoltman
Tom Stoltman
Bobby Thompson
The Stoltman Brothers
The Stoltman Brothers have taken over strongman and turned into two of the best in the world. Tom Stoltman is the reigning World’s Strongest Man while Luke Stoltman won last year’s Europe’s Strongest Man competition. They will both be participating at the Arnold Strongman Classic and will continue to dominate.
Brian Shaw
Shaw began this event in 2020 and Shaw was victorious. This is one of many victories he has compiled over the years. Shaw is one of the biggest names in strongman and has plenty of records to his name over the years. He has won the World’s Strongest Man competition four times. In 2011, Shaw became the first competitor to win the WSM and Arnold Strongman Classic in the same year and did it once again in 2015.
Konstantine Janashia
Janashia has become a force in Georgia and is known as the “Georgia Bull.” He has won the Georgia’s Strongest Man competition five times in a row. This is in addition to many top finishes at competitions he enters. Janashia is a dark-horse competitor entering the Shaw Classic and has a chance to take home the prize.
Zydrunas Savickas
Big Z has been a force in strongman for over a decade now. He thrives in the log lift and has set many records. Savickas still has plenty to offer despite being one of the longest-tenured athletes. He is considered by some to be the best strength athlete of all-time. He has a chance to add another title to his resume in this one.
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.
Natalie Richards Crushes PR With 385.8-Pound Squat
Natalie Richards continues to set some new personal marks in the gym.
The list of up-and-coming names in powerlifting keeps getting longer and Natalie Richards is one to keep an eye on in 2022. She continues to show that she is a force and that continued on Monday. This is when she shared another PR that she has been working to improve.
Richards shared a video on Instagram of a 385.8-pound squat. This was good enough to take down her previous record and start the year off with a bang.
“Okay based on how 165 moved I did not think I was about to grossly overshoot my single ahaaaaa ?? once I figure out my 45 problems with squat it’ll be fine. It is cool to bust out a random PR mid volume, but also I’m so angry with this grind ? ?Eh, 175/387 @ 58/129 body weight@anchor_power we shall take it for now”
Natalie Richards explains in her caption that she believes there is work to be done. It is not a bad start to hit a new PR despite being unhappy with how the session went. Richards also disclosed that she weighed 129 pounds at the time of the lift.
This is the weight that Richards was while competing during the 2021 USAPL Virginia Pro. At this event, she was able to put on a record-setting performance. She finished as one of the top lifters at the event.
During this training session, Natalie Richards stepped up to the bar with knee sleeves and a lifting belt. This lift came in the middle of her routine. Richards Bega with two sets of three of 320 pounds and finished with two sets of five with 287 pounds. This was an impressive feat and shows that there could be some more big things coming.
Richards has captured four gold medals in her career to this point. The first came during the 2019 USAPL Fall Festival of Power. In 2020, Richards won two during the USAPL North Carolina Qualifier and USAPL SC State Championship. Finally, her most recent came during the 2021 USAPL Carolina Primetime.
It is unknown which competitions Natalie Richards plans to take part in this year but she has already set a new PR in one lift. There could be some more personal records going down soon. This will be before she takes the stage to potentially build on other records she currently holds.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Chris Bumstead Wins Gymshark’s “STRENGTH TEST” Against Other Elite Athletes
Chris Bumstead completed the heaviest shoulder press in the end.
It is no secret that Chris Bumstead has incredible strength and it is always entertaining to see it in action. The three-time Classic Physique Olympia champion recently participated in a Strength Challenge against other Gymshark athletes. In the end, it was Bumstead who was victorious.
A group of big name fitness athletes took place in the challenge. This includes bodybuilding and CrossFit competitors. Because of their different backgrounds, the athletes agreed to use the standing push press as the exercise. David Laid explained at the beginning of the video that this is an exercise that is the perfect middle ground between bodybuilding and CrossFit.
Athletes took turns completing a one-rep max lift with the weight being increased each round until there was one left standing. The lift had to be performed in a singular motion with elbows locked out at the top. The full results from the competition can be seen below and the video is posted to Gymshark’s YouTube page.
Full Results
Chris Bumstead – 120 kilograms (264.5 lbs)
Noah Ohlsen – 110 kilograms (242.5 lbs)
George Bamfo Jr – 110 kilograms (242.5 lbs)
Julian Marquez – 110 kilograms (242.5 lbs)
Ashton Hall – 110 kilograms (242.5 lbs)
Will Tennyson – 100 kilograms (220.5 lbs)
Jah’Son Patterson – 80 kilograms (176.4 lbs)
Elika Bang – 60 kilograms (132.3 lbs)
David Laid – 50 kilograms (110.2 lbs)
Chris Bumstead entered as the favorite to win this competition and even joked about his advantage in weight.
“I only have like 80 pounds on everyone so I really hope I don’t lose this.”
Bumstead recently returned to training after battling COVID-19. He is carrying less weight this offseason than he usually does because of the virus but his muscle tone and body fat percentage remain at a normal level. It is clear that his strength has not wavered either.
Other Competitors
David Laid has built site the following on social media and this has helped him grow in the fitness industry. He was battling an injured elbow during this contest that he hurt while arm wrestling. Noah Ohlsen is one of the best CrossFit competitors in the sport. He finished second to Bumstead by completing a 110kg lift.
George Bamfo Jr. and Ashton Hall are other big names that have gained recognition on social media because of their shredded physiques. Both were able to complete the 110kg lift, along with Julian Marquez, but could not reach 120kg and take down Bumstead.
Will Tennyson has made a name for himself on YouTube performing different challenges and workouts. Tennyson has a great mind for fitness and always performs lifts with great form. He bowed out after competing a 100kg lift. Trainers Jah’Son Patterson and Elika Bang round out the list of competitors who were seen in the video.
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