Tag: GI News
Luke Stoltman Crushes 661-Pound Pause Deadlifts For A Triple
Strongman Luke Stoltman continues to put up some huge numbers preparing for 2022.
The Stoltman brothers have climbed to the top of the powerlifting game. Both have recently been invited to participate in the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic and this is just one event for what could be a packed year in 2022. This is especially true for Luke Stoltman if he is able to continue this level of training.
Luke Stoltman seems determined to increase his numbers heading into the new year. This was made clear when Europe’s Strongest Man loaded 661 pounds on the bar and completed three reps while pausing in between. Stoltman completed this lift without a belt. This has gone with Stoltman’s recent trend of lifting heavy in order to reach his max.
Luke Stoltman entered a training session with his brother Tom, who has been more focused on high volume speed reps. In a recent video posted to the Stoltman Brothers YouTube page, you can see how Luke completed these deadlifts and the form he used to do so.
[embedded content]
During the 2021 Rogue Invitation, Luke Stoltman struggled with deadlifts and this was his weakest lift at the event. It is clear that he wats to bump up those numbers and has been doing so by lifting extremely heavy.
Despite this performance at the Rogue Invitation, Stoltman was able to put up a big year in 2021. He won the 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man and 2021 Giants Live World Tour Finals. At the Giants Live, Tom Stoltman finished second to his brother. Stoltman is known for massive lifts and thrives in log lift.
In 2020, Stoltman set the British record with a 221kg (487lb) log lift. It seems as though he could attempt the world record in the coming year. This is currently held by Iron Biby at 229kg (504.8lb). For the time being, Stoltman seems to have his focus on deadlifts and strengthening a part of his craft that has been down recently.
If Luke Stoltman is able to get his numbers up, there is no telling what levels he will be able to reach. Stoltman already has one show on tap for 2022 at the Arnold Strongman Classic. It will be interesting to see when he competes next and what he decides to attempt. There is no doubt that he continues to be one of the top strongmen in the world and lifts like this remind us all.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Vitaliy ‘Good Vito’ Ugolnikov Makes Switch Over To NPC
Good Vito will have a chance to compete in an NPC competition moving forward.
Vitaliy Ugolnikov, better known as Good Vito, has built quite a following and fanbase on social media. He has posted many physique updates to show off progress and he will not have a chance to show it off at a different level.
Good Vito has been competing in the IFBB Pro Elite Circuit and fans were wondering when he was going to work his way up. That seems to be happening as Ugolnikov is making the switch to NPC. This could allow Good Vito to eventually earn his pro card and move up to IFBB competition.
This is a decision that has been in the works for about a year now. Good Vito wanted to win a major international tournament, such as a European or World Championship. Now, he will have the chance to matchup against some competition at a higher level to see whee he stacks up. According to some physique updates, Ugolnikov should hold his own and then some.
At the beginning of November, Good Vito shared a picture and an achievement of winning another championship in Russia.
“3x Time Champion of Russia! So what?! Time for a bigger land?”
Good Vito is a 24-year-old bodybuilder who has made some serious progress in recent years. This has been done on social media and on stage. The time has come for Ugolnikov to join NPC competition and it can only go up from here. He certainly has built a physique that can compete at the highest level and he will have a chance to do so.
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.
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic Roster Has Been Announced
Here are the strongmen who received invitations to the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic!
The 2022 Arnold Sports Festival is set to take place from March 3-6, 2022 in Columbus, OH. This is the first time that this event is preparing to take place in full in over two years. The festivities from 2020 and 2021 saw cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because this was disrupted last year, there was not a chance for athletes to qualify for the 2022 competition.
The roster has been announced for the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic. This was an invitational contest. Like the 2021 Rogue Invitational, strongmen had to receive an invitation to compete in the event. There was not a need to qualify for this specific competition.
The official roster of strongmen was announced on Thursday. Bobby Thompson will act as an alternate in the case that any competitor is forced to withdraw for any reason. Check out the full list of athletes below, along with the breakdown of prize money.
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic Roster
Maxime Boudreault
JF Caron
Rob Kearney
Mateusz Kieliszkowski
Martins Licis
Evgeny Markov
Trey Mitchell
Oleksii Novikov
Luke Stoltman
Tom Stoltman
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic Prize Breakdown
First Place — $80,000
Second Place — $25,000
Third Place — $20,000
Fourth Place — $15,000
Fifth Place — $13,000
Sixth Place — $8,000
Seventh Place — $7,000
Eighth Place — $6,000
Ninth Place — $5,000
10th Place — $3,000
There are many World’s Strongest Man titles, along with other victories, that will be present during the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic. With this being the first full event in over two years, there is bound to be plenty of excitement that comes with each show. The strongmen will certainly put on a display that will be must-see action.
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.
John Haack Completes Massive 600-Pound Bench Press In Training
John Haack continues to put up huge numbers during training sessions.
There is no doubt that John Haack is one of the top powerlifters in the 90kg division. He has been on a tear recently — both in competition and in training. Recently, Haack completed another monstrous lift in the gym.
Haack continues to get stronger and stronger each time he shares a lift on social media. He recently took to Instagram to share his latest accomplishment on the bench. Haack accomplished a 600-pound bench press, which is more than his heaviest competition lift.
“Joining the 600lb bench clubs feels oh so good.”
John Haack’s heaviest bench press in competition is 579.8 pounds. Here, he was able to unofficially beat his own record with a 600.8-pound lift. Haack competes in the 90kg division but his weight at the time of this lift was not specified.
Haack has set many records in this division. He currently holds the world record and became the only 90kg competitor to total over 1,000kg in competition. During the Bucked Up Showdown, Haack totaled 1,005.5kg (2,216.8lb), including breaking the deadlift world record of 410kg (903.9lb). This is where he really solidified himself as one of the best in the world.
There has been plenty of reactions to John Haack’s recent lift. It is always special when the all-time record holder acknowledges a lift. Julius Maddox currently holds the raw bench press world record. He is looking to become the first person to ever bench press 800 pounds raw. He took the time to comment on Haack’s recent Instagram post showing off his lift. Maddox simply said “This is crazy.”
Crazy indeed. Haack has made a huge name for himself in powerlifting but 2022 could hold much more. There has been talks about Haack preparing for a massive year going up. With just three weeks left in 2021, Haack is beginning to heat up in the gym and this gives some hints that he is preparing for something special.
This would not be the first time that John Haack made some noise on stage. Haack has been seen competing some massive deadlifts and now he is adding huge bench press numbers to the list. Do not be surprised to see even more weight being put on the barbell moving forward.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Muscle Doc Jordan Shallow On The Stigma And Vast Misconceptions Of Chiropractors
[embedded content]
Jordan Shallow, aka The Muscle Doc, breaks down the realities behind chiropractors and their place for bodybuilders.
Dr. Jordan Shallow is probably best known in media as The Muscle Doc. He’s a Chiropractor, Strength and Conditioning Coach, and hosts the RX’D RADIO podcast. He’s a vastly knowledgable person when it comes to fitness, bodybuilding, and strength sports. Which is why we connected with him to discuss a wide range of topics. In our latest GI Exclusive, Jordan Shallow debunks myths about chiropractors and evaluates their relationship with pro bodybuilding.
The world seems to have a love/hate relationship with Chiropractors. Some people believe they are a total scam, while others swear by them. And even those in the middle seem to be disappointed if a chiropractor can’t accomplish the healing that a patient is looking for. Dr. Jordan Shallow is a chiropractor himself – and spent some time during our GI Exclusive interview detailing the realities behind the profession. He also explains why the public has such a complicated relationship to it.
During our discussion about Chiropractors, Jordan Shallow was hesitant to give any blanket advice. The reason for this, is that every patient’s body is different. There is no general rule of how, when, or why to use a chiropractor. In fact, he wouldn’t want to trust any chiropractor that did provide black and white general advice.
This is because chiropractors are a form of manual therapy vs traditional medicine. Traditional medicine is often consistent. You know what you will get when you go to a typical doctor’s visit. But a chiropractor visit can be vastly different depending on who is your doctor and what your specific needs are.
“Say what you want about conventional medicine – I know what I’m going to get when I got to a doctor’s office,” Jordan Shallow states in our interview. He continues:
“For better or worse, at least it’s consistent. Which I think is one thing people are always hesitant with when approaching manual therapies of any kind. Is the relative inconsistency, especially at the level of chiropractor, of wha the treatment is going to look like.”
Jordan Shallow points out that the consistency of a traditional doctor can be a blessing and a curse. It means both successes and failures for your ailment will be relatively consistent. Whereas manual therapies like a chiropractor can open your options and provide relief where a traditional doctor might otherwise not be able to.
That being said, there is such a wide variety of approaches a chiropractor can take – which can lead to trial and error for a patient’s experience. This can often lead to frustration for the patient. On top of this, there are pop culture references that often depict chiropractors a certain way – which might flavor the opinion of a potential patient before ever even visiting a chiropractor.
On top of this, the advent of social media has also allowed for viral videos to mislead people on chiropractors as well. Jordan Shallow mentions Tik Tok chiropractors that “Jean Claude Van Damme people’s heads off” that are more stunt than they are realistic therapies that should be used in a professional environment.
So where do chiropractors come in for bodybuilding? We’ve seen across many pro bodybuilders’ socials and also many time in our very own films that top pros often go to chiropractors. Jordan Shallow had some words on that as well. Most specifically the instrument assist soft tissue mobilization (aka the metal bar you see make pro bodybuilders scream like babies).
Jordan Shallow thinks this is a case where it’s become over-popular. That many bodybuilders believe that it’s breaking up scar tissue – which in Shallow’s opinion is impossible. If it were breaking up scar tissue, the pressure needed would also break the person’s bones. So what he’s seeing here with this popular chiropractic tactic is that a little of this bar probably helps somehow on a neurological or vascular level.
The reason it has become so popular seems to be tied into something called “dose dependent relationships.” It’s a concept that Jordan Shallow believes bodybuilders are predisposed to getting tied up into. He explains in our interview –
“Bodybuilders get tied into what’s called a dose dependent relationship. If some is good, more is better. And we’ve seen this play out to the detriment over the last six months it seems but we all fall victim to it man. When I first started training I was like, ‘Wait creatine can make me bigger? So if 20 grams is good, 40 grams must be better – you’re an idiot.”
Jordan Shallow doesn’t see this as a problem unless it gets out of hand. In fact, as is mentioned in the quote above, he thinks it’s a part of what everyone goes through as they learn more about strength and fitness.
So it would see that chiropractors, like most things, is far more complicated than can be explained in pop culture or in broad media profiling. Ultimately, it depends on each individual to decide what is right for them. And as with any medical profession – doing your own personal due diligence to ensure the person you are working with is an actual professional.
You can watch Jordan Shallow’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above. And make sure to stick around in the coming weeks for more excerpts from our in-depth conversation with The Muscle Doc!
Breon Ansley Speaks On Oxygen Gym: ‘My Personal Experience Was Incredible’
Breon Ansley had positive things to say about his experience at Oxygen Gym in Kuwait.
It seems as though opinions on Oxygen Gym in Kuwait will vary depending on which athlete you ask. The gym has received criticism from some who have trained there because of its intense nature. This is an establishment that is known for rushing the limits. This training style is not right for everyone but it is hard to argue with some of the results.
Oxygen Gym, which is owned by Bader Budai, has produced some elite competitors in the sport of bodybuilding. Recently, two-time Olympia Classic Physique champion Breon Ansley sang the praises of the gym. In a recent interview, Ansley described his experiences, which he described as “positive.”
“I would say my experience, my personal experience was incredible. I had the utmost support from Bader. I had Chris out there. You know, all of the guys. You know that trained in the gym. All of the competitors and just regular gym-goers, they were all great and all supportive. Yeah, everything was great. Everything was absolutely wonderful.”
There have been plenty of contrary statements made about the gym. Regan Grimes recently spoke about his experiences in Kuwait. He explained how he gained 40 pounds in a short amount of time and the trainers were not thrilled about him going home. Grimes admitted that the style of training works but he was not for him. Also, reigning two-time Olympia champion Big Ramy left the gym back in 2018 after exercise regiments and increased supplements kept getting pushed harder and harder.
On the other end is Brandon Curry. The former Olympia champ and two-time runner-up still trains at Oxygen Gym. Breon Ansley explained how he used to room with Curry in Kuwait and how the presence of other bodybuilders adds to the overall energy.
“Yeah and the energy with Rolly in there and Ramy at the time, Ahmad was in there training. Ahmad Axomoni, yeah and Brandon, and shit, I was roommates with Brandon. We stayed together so that was really cool. So yeah nothing but great things for me to say about the experience there in Kuwait at the Oxygen Gym. My ears haven’t been on the streets to what’s going on, so I don’t know what happened.”
Breon Ansley continues to train hard at age 42. He continues to be one of the top competitors in Classic Physique. Ansley is a two-time champion and has three consecutive top-three finishes, including back-to-back bronze medals.
The 2021 Olympia saw many young competitors stop up and finish in the top five. Ansley does not feel like his age is a disadvantage. In fact, quit the opposite.
““Oh, I feel it’s an advantage. Because it’s just as well, we were talking about, the maturity. The quality of the muscle, you know. I feel now that, even with, even with certain little nagging stuff I have, when I am close to 100% my strength, my strength stride is the highest that it’s ever been.”
The overall confidence and mindset of Breon Ansley is a key factor in remaining near the top. Of course, this does along with an elite physique. Despite some recent heat that Oxygen Gym has been under, Ansley remains an advocate of the gym.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Hafthor Bjornsson Meets Tyson Fury During Speaking Event
Hafthor Bjornsson and Tyson fury took time to take some pictures prior to the event.
It is not everyday that two men standing 6-foot-9 get a chance to measure up against each other.
On Wednesday, that is what we saw when Hafthor Bjornsson got the chance to meet WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. The duo got together for a photo session during an event where Fury was speaking. The two compared height to see who was taller and posed for some shirtless photos.
Bjornsson took to Instagram to shared a slideshow of pictures that were taken.
“Peak performance male athletic body shape vs me… all jokes aside what an honour meeting @gypsyking101 tonight and going to one of his shows! Looking forward to learning more from the champ himself in the near future! ?”
Hafthor Bjornsson has gone through an incredible physique transformation as he has gone from strongman to boxing. The former World’s Strongest Man hs lost a significant amount of weight and now sports a shredded physique. As he continues to prepare for his fight against Eddie Hall, Bjornsson met Tyson Fury, who could share some pointers.
Bjornsson and Hall are expected to meet early in 2022. This was a bout that was supposed to take place back in September but Hall was forced to postpone after suffering a torn triceps. Bjornsson has appeared in the ring three times this year in preparation for his match against Hall.
It began with a bout against Irish cruiserweight Steven Ward followed by English heavyweight Simon Vallily. Bjornsson handled the exhibition fights well before entering September. Devon Larratt stepped in for Hall to face Bjornsson in their scheduled match. This was another victory for Bjornsson as he continues to prepare for Hall.
Tyson Fury is the right man to meet. He is considered the best heavyweight in the world and currently holds the WBC title. Fury had been hoping to face Oleksandr Usyk next but has been ordered to defend his title against Dillan Whyte.
Fury is coming off a victory via knockout in the 11th round during his trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder. He will return to the ring soon to defend his title and keep his standing as the best heavyweight right now.
This was a great moment for Hafthor Bjornsson as he got a chance to meet one of his favorite boxers. Tyson Fury is a huge name in boxing and Bjornsson is trying to make an impact as well. One thing that we know is that there was a lot of size and muscle in that room when the two got together.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Flex Lewis Shares Massive Chest Day Workout
Former 212 Olympia champion Flex Lewis recently shared a huge workout for chest day.
Flex Lewis is one of the best bodybuilders in the history of the 212 division. He has taken some time away from competition but still destroys the gym on a regular basis. Recently, Lewis shared a massive chest workout to his YouTube page.
Lewis let viewers into a chest day of his. The amount of work that has been put in recently shows that the bodybuilder could be close to returning to competition. There have been talks of special things coming in 2022 for Lewis. This is especially true since he is reunited with coach Neil Hill. This is something that fans have been waiting for since Lewis last competed in the 2018 Olympia.
Lewis captured seven consecutive Olympia 212 titles from 2012-2018. The 2018 competition was the last time he competed before stepping away due to personal matters and different injuries. With 2021 coming to an end, Lewis should be back on stage soon and has been training hard.
This particular chest workout from Lewis is one that did not feature many exercises but plenty of reps. He went to work in his Dragon’s Lair Gym, along with Dom Cardone. Below, you can find the full list of workouts along with the rep count that Lewis completed for each one.
Standing Cable Chest Fly
Lewis began his chest workout with an exercise that stretches muscles and helps reach a full range of motion. This loosens up chest muscles and maximizes potential to build muscle. Lewis completed 22 reps of this exercise as a warmup before getting into heavier weight.
Seated Strength Machine Chest Press
The chest press machine helps target many upper body muscles and this is a reason it is one of the best exercises to work on chest day. Chest press hits pectoral muscles hard but also shoulders and triceps in the process. Lewis continued his workout by competing 21 reps on this machine.
Dumbbell Press
Lewis then went onto dumbbell press. He grabbed two 60-pound dumbbells and went over the the flat bench. He completed 16 reps while laying down followed by nine on the next set. The dumbbell press boosts overall strength. This is works the same muscles as the chest press machine but is a different variation. The dumbbell press requires a bit more control than a regular bench press.
Seated Machine Chest Press
The final exercise in Lewis’ workout is the seated machine chest press. He completes 27 reps on the machine. Lewis increased the number of sets throughout the workout. This specific exercise helps avoid errors in form and allows the lifter to keep control throughout the motion.
[embedded content]
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Method Man Eyes Marvel Role Following Physique Transformation
Method Man has made great strides in the gym and feels ready for a Marvel role.
Time and time again there have been actors on the big screen showing off an impressive physique. There is a lot of work that gets put in behind the scenes, both in the gym and with nutrition. Method Man has recently gone through a incredible transformation and has built a physique that is ready to be shown off.
In a recent interview, Method Man discussed his fitness journey over the last two years. With the progress he has made, there might be an action hero role coming in the future and this is something that he is aiming for. Method Man specifically references Marvel in his comments.
“This whole journey wasn’t necessarily for acting. It was for myself, but I think I’m ready. I got the shirt-off action film thing. I could run, stoic, face straight, running with your shirt off kinda thing. You know, I’m ready, man. Come on Marvel. Come on Russo brothers, I’m here.”
Method Man begins by expressing that his journey was for himself, not to build a career in acting. Also, there is no official offer from Marvel but it is clearly something that he is interested in. Method Man has appeared in other films in his career, such as Trainwreck and How High.
Most recently, Method Man has been enjoying a role in 50 Cent’s Power Book II: Ghost. He has appeared in the Luke Cage series as himself. He appears in a convince store and is held up at gunpoint. This is when Luke Cage, played by Mike Colter, enters the store to defuse the situation.
Method Man made a call-to-action to the Russo brothers in his comments. Anthony and Joseph Russo have directed four Marvel films — 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
The fitness journey that Method Man put himself through was an eye-opening experience. He hopes that he can inspire the next generation to do the same.
“Maturity is when you look in the mirror and you get tired of your own BS. And that was it for me, you know, I was just wanting to change. I wanted to do something for myself instead of for everybody else. I can only be responsible for my actions and hope it inspires the next generation to do the same.”
While it is obviously unknown if Method Man will ever appear in a Marvel movie, the interest is there and he has built a physique that is ready to show off on the big screen.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Hwang Chul-Soon Apologizes And Reconciles With Victim Of Assault
Bodybuilder Hwang Chul-Soon took to social media to address the incident.
Hwang Chul-Soon has created a large following during his bodybuilding career. He has sculpted an impressive physique but has been involved in some incidents over the years. Recently, a report came out that he slapped a woman in an attempt to stop her from taking pictures. The woman was taking pictures on her cell phone at the time. Chul-Soon has apologized for the incident.
The initial report stated that Chul-Soon pushed the women after they wanted to get a picture with him. The bodybuilder recently took to social media to address the inexcusable incident.
“Hello. This is Hwang Chul-soon. First of all, we sincerely apologize for causing inconvenience to many people.Most of all, we decided to reconcile with the parties involved and to stay as brothers and sisters. The assault charge was also closed. We know that violence cannot be justified under any circumstances, and we admit our wrongdoing and sincerely reflect on it. Separately, many articles are distorted from the facts and exaggerated. On the 30th, around 1:30 a.m., I sent my companions out in front of the restaurant located in Yeoksam-dong, and I was alone waiting for the driver. At that time, I saw someone filming me, and I asked if I was filming in a situation where I was clearly aware of the filming. If I had accepted the filming, I could have simply requested to delete it and finished it, but when I said no, I took my phone and checked it, and as a result, I had my image intact. I am very sorry for the responsibility for the broken cell phone in the process. And when the acquaintances of the person concerned stubbornly protested, he had an argument with acquaintances of the other party. In the process, I burst into tears and slapped a friend on the cheek.”
Last month, it was reported that Hwang Chul-Soon was arrested in Gangnam-gu, Seoul after allegedly assaulting two men. The acts of Chul-Soon come after his recent success and fame. It seems as though he has not been handling it well.
This is not a surprise. In Asia, there is much attention drawn to someone like Chul-Soon. This is not an excuse for the reports that are coming out, especially when it comes to treating women. Chul-Soon has apologized to the woman and hopefully this means incidents will no longer happen.
“Again, I am aware that this is a big mistake, and I bow my head a hundred times and apologize to the person concerned. I was not able to control myself even more because I was in the midst of going through trauma from voyeurs and malicious comments. I’m really sorry for causing a scandal. There were similar cases in the past, so we were careful in everything. There were problems during the brawl, but I’m not really the ignorant person who assaults the apologizing fan as in the news. The day before, he gladly took photos of the fans who asked for photos in the same place and paid for the food as well.”
Hwang Chul-Soon has built a physique thanks to his ability to mix nutrition and exercise. He is a well-known Korean bodybuilder with many fans all over the world. This is reason alone to stay out of trouble and remain on stage.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.