Tag: Iain Valliere
Chris Bumstead Teams Up With Iain Valliere For A ‘Big Boi’ Shoulder Workout
Chris Bumstead teamed up with longtime friend and former head coach Iain Valliere for a ‘big boi’ shoulder and arms workout.
Bumstead is the finest active professional bodybuilder to come from Canada. He is the face of IFBB Pro League’s Classic Physique division and has helped put it on the must watch list of bodybuilding fans. Since dethroning former champion Breon Ansley at the 2019 Olympia, Chris Bumstead has remained the Classic Physique Olympia champion by successfully defending the title at the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Olympia.
He has pushed through some adverse situations like injuries and coaching changes to achieve this success. CBum was trained by fellow Canadian bodybuilder and longtime friend Iain Valliere for the majority of his bodybuilding career and achieved greatness under the latter’s tutelage. However, the duo decided to end the coach-client relationship before 2022 Olympia for Valliere to be able to focus on his own career.
Bumstead appointed Hany Rambod as the head coach after Valliere’s departure and still managed to secure the third successful defense of his Classic Physique Olympia title at the 2022 Olympia. He is now looking forward to winning a few more Olympia titles before calling it a career.
Meanwhile, Iain Valliere is also a top Men’s Open contender from Canada. After starting out the 2022 competitive season with a dominant win at the 2022 Vancouver Pro, he wrapped it up with a 11th place finish at the 2022 Olympia. Valliere worked hard after the show to bring his best version to the stage and qualify for the 2023 Olympia. After a closely-contested battle against Hassan Mostafa at the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow, Iain Valliere earned the victory and direct qualification to the 2023 Olympia. He now aims to bring best triceps to the Olympia stage.
Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere push through a shoulder workout
Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere recently teamed up for an intense shoulders and arms workout as a part of their off-season training routine. The workout included several free weight and machine exercises and the duo ensured to get the most out of their training. So without further delay, let’s check out how the former client and coach stimulated their muscles for off-season growth.
Cable Lateral Raises
The duo started the training session with cable lateral raises to work the lateral deltoid muscles and also to warm up the shoulder joint. Using a cable machine keeps the muscles under tension throughout the range of motion. Also, this helps with sufficient warming up of the muscles at the very beginning of the session. The duo performed a few sets of this isolation exercise to set the tone for the rest of the workout.
Seated Shoulder Press
This served as the first heavy compound exercise of the training session. CBum and Valliere performed seated shoulder press on a plate-loaded machine next to primarily target the anterior deltoid muscles. However, this compound exercise also targets the upper pecs and triceps as well, resulting in overall upper body strength and muscle gain.
After doing away with some heavy sets of the exercise, the former coach-client duo turned up the heat with a superset.
Superset – Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises and Reverse Pec Deck Flyes
Supersets are a great way to work different muscle groups simultaneously. Additionally, they reduce the overall workout time. Bumstead and Valliere next took to this superset that included lateral and posterior delt-specific exercises.
Seated dumbbell lateral raise is an isolation exercise that targets the lateral deltoid muscles. It is essential for achieving a broad shouldered look that caps the upper body neatly. Doing the exercise from a seated position eliminates the role of stabilizing muscles. Therefore seated lateral raises help focus more on the lateral delts.
The duo superset lateral raises with reverse pec deck flyes. This exercise helps isolate the posterior deltoid muscles. It is a small muscle group on the rear side and extremely difficult to isolate with most other shoulder exercises.
Valliere and Bumstead performed all the sets within this superset at a fast pace. They kept the aerobic intensity of the workout high and jumped into another shoulder exercise next.
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Barbell overhead press is an excellent compound movement that can yield muscle and strength gain. Although anterior deltoid is the primary target muscle of the exercise, it also engages the clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscles, triceps, serratus anterior, and triceps during various phases.
Bumstead and his former coach annihilated a few solid sets of overhead press using a barbell and took to a tricep exercise next.
EZ Bar Skull Crushers
Most gym-goers are creative about choosing biceps, chest or back exercises. However, they stick to basic movements like pushdowns or overhead extensions when it comes to triceps. Skull crushers work the triceps through a wide range of motion and stimulate all three tricep heads.
Valliere and Bumstead annihilated some good sets of skull crushers using an EZ bar next to work the triceps and moved on to the next exercise.
Standing Dumbbell Curls
The duo next took to the standard dumbbell curls to stimulate the biceps further. Before moving further, they got a few sets of the exercise under their belts.
Triceps Dips
This bodyweight compound exercise served as the final triceps movement of the day. Triceps dips work all three triceps heads effectively. Additionally, they engage the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and latissimus dorsi muscles to a great extent. As a result, they are an effective strength and muscle builder for the entire upper body.
The training partners pushed through a few sets of triceps dips to absolute failure before taking up the finisher of the day.
Machine Preacher Curls
Preacher curls are probably the most efficacious way to stimulate the biceps. Also known as Scott curls, it is a great way to engage brachialis and brachioradialis as the secondary muscles. Performing this movement on a machine means keeping the muscles under tension for a longer duration. As a result, it gives greater hypertrophy benefits.
Bumstead and Valliere wrapped up the training session with a few sets of preacher curls to add the last bit of stimulus to the biceps.
Overall, the workout included:
Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere are not training together officially. However, the duo pledged their support for each other while ending their coach-client relationship last year. If they continue to push each other, the Canadians can definitely elevate their careers to even taller heights.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Chris Bumstead’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 20 July, 2023 | 2:04 PM EDT
Iain Valliere: ‘Bodybuilders Don’t Want to Face Vitaliy “Good Vito” Ugolnikov He’s An Absolute Fuc**ng Freak’
Vitaliy Ugolnikov, well known as ‘Good Vito,’ continues to gain momentum despite having yet to earn an invite to 2023 Mr. Olympia. In a recent Bro Chat Podcast, Iain Valliere and Fouad Abiad discussed Vito’s potential in the IFBB Pro League and his chances against other Olympia contenders.
Ugolnikov’s entrance into bodybuilding was filled with excitement. He came from the IFBB Elite Pro League last year and switched to the NPC, similar to the path Michal Krizo took. His impact was immediately felt as he claimed his IFBB Pro card at the 2022 Musclecontest International Brazil Nationals. At the event, Vito displayed a stunning display of mass, conditioning, and fullness.
Good Vito’s huge arms and quads also set him apart from his peers. His physique has gone viral online as a result of some impressive updates. And with the hype he’s gained over the past several months, fans continue to back him as a legitimate wild card at Olympia, assuming he earns his invitation.
Currently, Ugolnikov is in preparation to bring his best at the upcoming 2023 European Pro Championships. In addition to progress videos and photos, Vito has kept fans up to date on his journey by showing off posing routines as well.
Iain Valliere, Fouad Abiad Debate Potential of Vitaliy ‘Good Vito’ Ugolnikov
According to Valliere, bodybuilders in North America don’t want to stand against Good Vito on stage.
“Every bodybuilder in North America thinks that exact same thing [I don’t want to go against this guy],” said Iain Valliere
“Vito is kind of that same build as Hadi…” said Fouad Abiad.
As for possible weaknesses, Valliere and Abiad agree Vito needs to strengthen his back.
“Yeah, but Vito is not nearly as strong in the back and the conditioning department as some of those guys you just named. Look, from the front double, is this guy an absolute fuc**ng freak,” replied Iain Valliere.
“If he has a shallower back than the others that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t stand with them,” Abiad explained.
“I don’t think he has a bad back, but it’s definitely one of the more important factors. I’m not saying this guy doesn’t have a back, I’m just saying in the context of being in that top five, you know,” Valliere shared.
Vito must earn an invite for 2023 Olympia by winning a pro show. If he’s successful, Abiad believes he can threaten contenders at the competition with improved conditioning.
“I would like him to stand up more on that though [side chest pose],” Iain added. “Not a bad back. Fuc**ng shit, fuc**ng crap. I meant back double but that’s still a really good back lat spread.”
“The only thing I would say is he looks like he has enough muscularity, but he looks like he has to get his condition up to stand up [on the Olympia stage],” shared Abiad.
“His legs are just outrageous,” added Valliere. “Look at the fuc**ng muscularity on that guy. Yeah, [he’s] very young.”
Having credited Vito’s back, arms, and quads, Valliere and Abiad agree he’s a dark horse at the 2023 Olympia should he earn an invitation.
“Well, honestly, that’s my dark horse at the Olympia,” said Abiad.
“Could be, for sure,” replied Valliere. “He’s 12 weeks out, he’s doing one of the later European shows I think. At least I think. He just posted an update.”
While Vito has yet to test himself on an IFBB Pro League stage, he’ll get the chance very soon. His presence in the league has already generated a lot of chatter. In a recent Olympia TV video, bodybuilding judge Terrick El Guindy pointed out a few rising stars in the Open. One of them was Ugolnikov. Chris Cormier also praised Good Vito for his youth and potential, predicting that he’d shake up the category in the future.
Considering Vito’s monstrous build, fans online have accused him of doctoring or photoshopping pictures. In response to the allegations, Ugolnikov shared a follow-up video where he went on to disprove the unfounded remarks.
Even though he’s yet to make waves in North America, it appears it’s only a matter of time until fans see Good Vito on the sport’s biggest stages. He has until Oct. 9 to earn his invite to the 2023 Mr. Olympia competition. As for Iain Valliere, he qualified after his win against Hassan Mostafa at the recent Toronto Pro Supershow in June.
RELATED: Bodybuilder ‘Good Vito’ Vitaliy Ugolnikov Moves to Brazil, Continues Offseason Prep
You can watch the full video from the Fouad Abiad Media YouTube channel below:
Published: 5 July, 2023 | 11:54 AM EDT
Iain Valliere To Improve Triceps for 2023 Mr. Olympia, Talks Big Ramy’s Future & Samson Dauda
Anticipation for the upcoming Mr. Olympia continues to build as fans await the contest in less than five months. In a recent Olympia TV interview, Bob Cicherillo and Iain Valliere discussed the Men’s Open division. During the video, Valliere said he doesn’t believe Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay will win back his Mr. Olympia title.
“It’s all a mind game when it gets to this level. If Iain brings his A-game there, he’ll be right back up there, no question about it,” said Bob Cicherillo.
Iain Valliere is one of the most popular bodybuilders from Canada. In a career lasting almost a decade, Valliere has shown great promise, courtesy of his exceptional conditioning and detailed back. He started the 2022 season with an impressive victory at the Vancouver Pro, where he defeated Antoine Vaillant for first. This earned him passage to the season’s biggest show of the year.
The 2022 Mr. Olympia lineup was strong as many debutants planned to make statements. New names on the stage such as Andrew Jacked, Michal Krizo, and Samson Dauda were all labeled dark hoses ahead of the show. And while Ramy dominated the landscape from 2020-2021, a new champion arrived last December to take his title away. Hadi Choopan won gold. Ramy placed fifth, a harsh drop from the year prior.
Without a qualification to 2023 Mr. Olympia, Valliere worked in the off-season to bring his best look to date. He mapped out improvements and detailed his shredding diet for the new season. He targeted this year’s Toronto Pro Supershow. At the event, he battled with Hassan Mostafa in what many fans described as a close contest. Nevertheless, Valliere presented some of his best conditioning and earned his invite.
Iain Valliere Plans to Improve Triceps for 2023 Olympia, Talks Big Ramy’s Future
According to Valliere, Big Ramy won’t win back his Mr. Olympia title but he still believes he can be competitive on other stages like the Arnold Classic.
“I don’t believe Ramy will win the Olympia again. Do I think Ramy has a career ahead of him making money and being a competitive pro bodybuilder? Absolutely. I don’t think you need to be winning the Mr. Olympia to get six-figure contracts or to be a competitive bodybuilder. He can still win shows. He can still do well at the Arnolds.
Like, he was still a top five guy at the Arnold he’s getting a good paycheck he’s still getting good contracts. And look: even when he was off he was still top five at the Olympia. That’s nothing to snuff at right? I still think Ramy is absolutely a top-tier bodybuilder and will continue to be for a few years. But do I think he’s going to win the Olympia again, I do not,” said Iain Valliere.
Admittedly, Valliere says expectations and new talent might have factored into his last Mr. Olympia performance.
“When you had two years of seventh prior, look, the Olympia linup last year was not the same as 2020 or 2021. It was absolutely improved, there was a lot of new guys there, Samson there, Andrew there, Derek in the mix now,” said Iain Valliere. “Obviously there probably was some looming fear in my head that, ‘Shit I’m going to slip places I’m going to slip places,’ and that was shown in my presentation,” explained Valliere.
Looking ahead, Valliere plans to focus on his triceps which he believes will improve at least two of his side poses.
“There are some things still that I think need to be improved here. I had a little bit of loss of volume on my triceps that I think hurt me in the side chest and the side tri that can definitely be improved from a little bit of a nagging elbow issue I was having on that side specifically which is I think going to be a lot better come the Olympia. If we make some small tweaks there, I’m very confident in my shot to be in that group at the Olympia, for sure,” added Valliere.
Valliere & Bob Cicherillo Talk Samson Dauda, Nick Walker, Hunter Labrada, and Derek Lunsford
In a recent HD Muscle YouTube video, Nick Walker said Samson Dauda’s back was ‘shit’ and ‘flat as a board.’ However, Valliere disagrees. He believes Dauda can establish himself as a true Mr. Olympia contender with improved conditioning, not just back improvements.
“I don’t think I agree with that,” Valliere said. “Samson is making show to show year to year, I don’t think that’s going to be the case for a long time. Even when you look from – bring the conditioning in a little bit more from the Olympia to the Arnold it did show his back a lot better. For a back to look good, your conditioning must be excellent.”
In Bob’s opinion, Dauda’s back isn’t flat and even if it was, Samson still defeated Walker at the Arnold.
“Listen, Nick is being Nick and I appreciate that because I love these guys especially him, he’s not shy about making comments. Listen, is he literally flat as a board? No. And he better hope he’s not flat as a board because he beat him with that flat as a board back,” Cicherillo said.
Since Lunsford no longer abides by a weight restriction, Valliere suspects he’ll improve his conditioning and muscle density.
“In the case of Derek, I think him and Hany played his cards right for the Olympia but now as he gets more muscle maturity and more density to that muscle and he’s held on to it longer because he’s not pushing down to 212 and doing off-seasons, I think we’ll see that conditioning come up more and more and more,” Valliere said.
Lastly, Cicherillo offered Hunter Labrada some words of encouragement ahead of his latest Olympia campaign that starts with the 2023 Tampa Pro in August.
“He’s going to have his cut out for him. Hunter will have to be 100% and more importantly, Hunter has a habit of coming out – and he is just pouring water. He’s got to figure out notably, what he has to do to not be releasing so much water in that first round.”
This isn’t the first time Bob Cicherillo has taken a close look at the Men’s Open bodybuilders expected to compete in Nov. Following Dauda’s 2023 Arnold Classic victory, Bob labeled him alongside Lunsford as Choopan’s two biggest threats.
Big Ramy is also determined to become the only bodybuilder in the Open aside from Jay Cutler to win back an Olympia title. Despite recommendations from Bob and head judge Steve Weinberger to take a break, Ramy has made it clear he’s working ‘angry’ and harder than ever to bring his best physique possible later this year.
Given the number of potential contenders, 2023 Mr. Olympia is shaping up to be an unforgettable event. With his eyes on the first call-out, Iain Valliere plans to improve his triceps and sharpen his posing skills.
You can watch the full Olympia TV YouTube video below:
Find complete coverage of the 2022 Mr. Olympia, including pre-judging, event recaps, analysis, and final results at our Olympia coverage hub: FitnessVolt.com/olympia
Published: 29 June, 2023 | 5:48 PM EDT
Iain Valliere Fires Back at Critics after 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow Win
Canadian bodybuilder Iain Valliere is coming off a sensational performance at the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow, which wrapped up this past weekend. After dropping a step at the last Mr. Olympia, he managed to get back to his winning ways. In a recent Instagram story, Valliere issued a fiery response to critics for taking issue with his latest win.
Iain Valliere first gained attention for his impressive muscle mass, size, and symmetry as a Men’s Open competitor in 2015. He kicked off his run in the IFBB Pro League with a top-five finish at the Toronto Pro Supershow and continued to work his way up the ranks. In 2020, Valliere scored his first win at the 2020 New York Pro and cracked the top ten at the 2020 Mr. Olympia. He extended his run further by securing back-to-back gold at the 2021 Tampa Pro and Texas Pro en route to taking seventh at the Mr. Olympia competition.
Last year, Valliere missed the mark at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and fell out of the top ten. Following the contest, he revealed there were problems peaking for the show, which resulted in his physique looking visibly off on the stage in Las Vegas last December.
Valliere was determined to turn things around and got to work in the off-season. He parted ways with former coach Patrick Tuor to reunite with coach Matt Jansen for the season. Then, he targeted a return at the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow earlier this year.
Iain Valliere / Instagram
Three months ago, Valliere gave fans a look into the changes and progress he made under Jansen. He revealed he tipped the scales at a lean 280-pounds. Also, he incorporated deadlifts and started following a high-protein diet in prep for the contest.
Iain Valliere reported positive updates nine weeks from the Toronto Pro Supershow. He was following a low-calorie diet in prep and was confident he could shed over 25 pounds in four weeks as he inched closer to the event since he kept his off-season weight at a reasonable level.
Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy heaped praises on Valliere’s immense potential in the sport last month. Guindy called on him to work on his back and calves development to improve his chances of being a major threat at any competition.
Valliere laid out the diet and supplements he utilized to get ready in the final two weeks before the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow. Then, he sent warning shots to his competition with a ripped physique update days later.
In the end, Valliere’s hard work paid off as he came out on top of the contest with a stunning performance on June 4. He managed to defeat the likes of Hassan Mostafa and Ross Flanagan to punch his ticket to the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia show.
Iain Valliere fires back at critics after the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow win
The organizers of the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow uploaded the results on Instagram. Many took to the comments section to voice their disapproval of the outcome and criticized Valliere.
“Hassan was robbed of this one,” wrote a user.
Another chimed in, “Hassan looked way better and I’m an iain fan. Of course they’d give it to the Canadian if it was close though.”
“Hassan should be the winner wtf,” commented another.
“Wow.. i am a fan of Iain but I really thought Hassan would take the W. I do think Iain makes a better competitor for the Olympia though,” a user wrote.
“Okay he won because he is a canadian ! no calves no lower lat no chest no tricep!!???” responded another.
In a recent Instagram story, Iain Valliere issued a fiery response to haters criticizing his victory at the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow. He followed up with another story showing the scorecards and declared his ambitions to get back in the top eight at Mr. Olympia.
Credit: Iain Valliere (via Instagram story)
Credit: Iain Valliere (via Instagram story)
Iain Valliere’s coach Matt Jansen gave his take on the result and his student’s progression on Instagram.
“I want to put this weekend for @iainvalliere into perspective,” wrote Jansen. “
Iain and I started first working together first with training only in the fall of 2015, this then transitioned into full coaching in early 2016.
When I recall Iain’s goals at that time, sure he wanted to be an Olympian…go on to place well there and all that but I clearly remember his main goal being to win Toronto one day.
2016 his physical body wasn’t yet there and I believe he placed 7th that year in our first attempt.
2018 was Iain’s first pro win but still no Toronto pro title.
In 2019 we returned now with a pro win and an Olympia under his belt and he placed second. Here I fumbled the peak and this loss I hold on me, one that eats me up to this day or at least through this past weekend knowing we left one on the table and more importantly one that was very important to Iain.
Shortly there after Iain and I stopped working together, athletes come and go but I’ve had a few athletes leave that really stung and this was one of them. I was going through some personal things at the time and I really felt us no longer working together could have really been avoided if I were able to be more present but I just simply wasn’t.
Now we enter into this season, after the Olympia Iain and I spoke and we committed to getting back to what we used to do that worked so well. We discussed two qualifiers for this year pros and cons of both (the biggest con being less time to improve as we took a true health phase) but in my heart I knew what Iain’s choice would be. So about 12 weeks out of Toronto we committed to this show after a very brief off season.
This win wasn’t just another win. It was accomplishing a goal, checking off a mark that we set out to do in 2016 that was left unfinished and also building back confidence in an athlete whose confidence had been lost. Iain has won bigger shows than what was won this weekend, he’s placed high at the two most important bodybuilding shows of the year, but sometimes you just can’t put a price on what accomplishing a goal to do for an athlete regardless of how long it took. Iain you did it this weekend and you did it with straight 1s.”
RELATED: Samir Bannout: Iain Valliere Denying Calf Injections Is ‘Bullsh** It Totally Damages The Area’
Whether some agree with the decision or not, Iain Valliere has guaranteed his right to perform at 2023 Mr. Olympia where he will look to redeem himself among the very best of the Men’s Open category.
Published: 6 June, 2023 | 4:09 PM EDT
Iain Valliere & Hassan Mostafa Show Off Peeled Updates Before 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow
The bodybuilding season is in full swing as competitors have until October 9 to earn a Mr. Olympia invitation. In a pair of Instagram posts, Iain Valliere and Hassan Mostafa showed off their latest progress just days before competing at this weekend’s 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow.
As a Men’s Open talent, Iain Valliere quickly garnered attention in the league courtesy of his dry conditioning and wide back. Last year, Valliere earned his Mr. Olympia invite following an intense battle with fellow standout Antoine Vaillant at the 2022 Vancouver Pro.
Holding on to 280 pounds, Valliere targeted his best look at last year’s Mr. Olympia but was met with heavy resistance in 11th place. In the aftermath, Valliere was open about his performance and said problems with sodium contributed to the lackluster showing. Nevertheless, Valliere made it clear he would come back stronger.
With improvements being his number one priority, Valliere has taken measures in the gym, such as reintroducing deadlifts into his workout routine. He also rejoined his former coach Matt Jansen, who is responsible for training a host of top-tier athletes some of which include Nick Walker, Shaun Clarida, and Quinton Eriya.
If Valliere wants to earn his 2023 Mr. Olympia invite, he’ll need to get past Hassan Mostafa this weekend. Mostafa is riding momentum following a successful season last year. He earned back-to-back first-place finishes at the 2022 Orlando Pro and Puerto Rico Pro.
Before getting the chance to step on the Olympia stage, Mostafa was forced to withdraw due to a health scare. He told fans that another prep could have caused further damage to his kidneys so he didn’t want to risk his wellbeing. While he wasn’t able to perform at Olympia last December, Hassan plans to make up for lost time this year if he earns his qualification.
Iain Valliere and Hassan Mostafa Look Absolutely Shredded Days from 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow This Weekend
In two posts, Valliere updated fans on his current condition less than a week before taking to the stage. Given his hardness and muscle detail, many fans have labeled Valliere the frontrunner this weekend. He enters the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow as the highest-raking Olympian.
Mostafa continues to improve year to year. Given his success in 2022, the bodybuilding community wouldn’t be surprised if Mostafa secured the win. Considering his vascularity and detail, it appears the show in Toronto will come down to who brings the best balance of conditioning and symmetry.
Aside from training, both men have kept followers updated on their nutrition. Last week, Valliere shared a shredding diet he’s using to bring his best package possible to his home country. It consisted of six meals, which were all high in protein.
Whether it’s the off-season or Ramadan, Hassan is solely dedicated to improving as a bodybuilder. He’s also working with Chad Nicholls, a bodybuilding coach who trained legends like eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and two-time winner Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay.
RELATED: Bodybuilder Hassan Mostafa Shares Killer Quads Workout
With the 2023 Mr. Olympia show in less than six months, athletes are focused on prepping for the event or qualifying. Should Hassan Mostafa or Iain Valliere earn their invite this weekend, they will have a shot at knocking Hadi Choopan off the throne in November.
Published: 31 May, 2023 | 11:46 AM EDT
Iain Valliere Shares Shredding Diet 2 Weeks from 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow
Canadian bodybuilder Iain Valliere is a promising Men’s Open contender who many believe to be in the mix of Olympia title contention. Although he missed a step in his last appearance, he’s determined to turn things around and get back on track. In a recent YouTube video, Valliere shared his shredding diet two weeks from the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow.
Iain Valliere started competing as a Men’s Open contender in the IFBB Pro League in 2015. He turned in several strong performances in national competitions such as the 2016 Vancouver Pro and Toronto Pro Supershow. In 2018, Valliere extended his run with back-to-back fourth-place finishes at the Indy Pro and Vancouver Pro. The victories earned him an invite to the Mr. Olympia contest, where he placed 14th.
Valliere continued to work his way up the ranks. He narrowly missed out on gold at the 2019 Toronto Pro Supershow. While he did not make it to the Olympia in 2019, he maintained his consistency with top-four placings at the Vancouver Pro and Tampa Pro. He scored the top prize at the 2020 New York Pro and finished seventh at the Mr. Olympia. Then he earned the 2021 Texas Pro and 2021 Tampa Pro titles and got seventh at the Olympia.
Last season, Valliere came out on top of the 2022 Vancouver Pro and entered the Mr. Olympia brimming with confidence. However, he missed the mark on stage in Las Vegas last December. He finished 11th. Following the result, he opened up on his challenges with peaking for the show.
Valliere made the case for eliminating the Men’s 212 division earlier this year. He explained that the 212 should be absorbed by the Open class given the rise in contenders switching divisions as some have found success including former 212 Olympia champ and Open runner-up Derek Lunsford and Shaun Clarida.
Iain Valliere revealed he left Patrick Tuor to rejoin coach Matt Jansen two months ago. He believes the reforged partnership would put him in a better place for his return at the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow. Then, he showed off a jacked physique update where he weighed 280 pounds and detailed his new diet and training plan under Jansen.
Iain Valliere shares the full day of eating 2 weeks out from the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow
In a recent YouTube video, Iain Valliere shared his full day of eating and supplements he’s using two weeks out from the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow.
“We’re just about to have meal one getting all my digestive supplements and we got our betaine, digestive enzymes, digestive gut health and the zinc,” said Valliere. “I’m taking all these with my first and last meal. Two caps and the zinc carnosine. I’ve been doing one of these with every meal. Then dosing this tube instead of doing two once or twice a day I’m just taking one with all six of my meals.”
Valliere’s full day of eating
Meal 1: 220g extra lean ground beef, 140g rice
Meal 2: 220g chicken, 140g rice, green beans
Meal 3 (pre-workout): 250g fish, 100g rice, kale with RTD pre-workout
Intra-workout: 2 scoops of EAAs
Meal 4 (post-workout): 250g white fish, 150g Yukon or yellow potato, kale with 10g of glutamine, 5g creatine
Meal 5: 250g fish, greens (broccoli and green beans), 10g oil
Meal 6: 250g steak, asparagus, and cucumber
Iain Valliere is certain he’s in a good spot going into the upcoming contest. He revealed not much had changed in his preparations under Jansen but hinted at the possibility of a revamped drug protocol in the final stages of prep.
Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy praised Valliere for his impressive physique and work ethic earlier this month. Guindy highlighted a need for Valliere to level up his back and calves along with his posing skills. Meanwhile, the 32-year-old has focused on keeping his weight under control in the 2023 off-season. Valliere gave fans an update on his progress going into his next outing where he promised his best look yet.
Valliere appears confident about his chances at the upcoming 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow. He will aim to earn an invite to Olympia, taking place November 2-5 later this year.
You can watch the full video below.
RELATED: Iain Valliere Talks Atrophy in Lats, Says Big Ramy’s ‘Muscle Volume’ Led to ‘Severe’ Nerve Damage
Published: 26 May, 2023 | 11:33 PM EDT
Chris Cormier & Olympia Judge Discuss Potential of Iain Valliere, Michal Krizo, And ‘Good Vito’
The 2023 bodybuilding season is underway, prompting Terrick El Guindy and Chris Cormier to discuss the potential Mr. Olympia lineup. In a recent episode of Prime Time Muscle, Cormier and El Guindy assessed the Olympia-winning potential of Iain Valliere, Michal Krizo Križánek, and Good Vito (Vitaliy Ugolnikov).
As a consistent top-seven finisher at Olympia, Iain Valliere came up short at the event last December. He earned 11th place though pushed through adversity during prejudging and finals. Reflecting on his last show, Valliere admits some mistakes were made regarding his nutrition, posing, and training. When the dust settled, Hadi Choopan claimed gold, and Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay was knocked down to fifth.
Fellow mass monster Krizo made his way to the Mr. Olympia stage following a historic bodybuilding season. He switched to the NPC, won a pro show, and earned his Olympia invite in the span of a few months. He proved himself in his Olympia debut with a 12th-place finish, just one spot behind Valliere.
Vitaliy Ugolnikov, well known as ‘Good Vito,’ continues to grow in popularity among the bodybuilding community. He boasts an impressive level of size and conditioning. Fans have also praised his biceps and flaring quads. Last November, Good Vito earned his IFBB Pro card after winning the Musclecontest International Brazil Nationals.
Chris Cormier and Olympia Judge on Iain Valliere: ‘He Needs to Bring Up His Calves & Back’
When all is said and done, El Guindy is convinced Valliere will be considered an all-time great Canadian bodybuilder.
“He’s a great bodybuilder. Iain is a great bodybuilder. He’s won plenty of pro shows. He’s going to go down in history as one of the best Canadian bodybuilders of all time; I got to give him credit for that. Was this performance his best performance? No. It wasn’t a good performance, he’ll be the first one to tell you, ‘I missed my peak, I’m going to be better next time.’”
El Guindy advised Valliere to improve his back and calves.
“The biggest issue here is his back. His back double biceps, his back lat spread, because look at this: this is one of his best poses [side triceps] this is how he won in Texas; this is how he won a lot of shows. Look at the hamstrings, the legs, he’s massive on top, he’s a mass monster. From the back here, this is not a good back double biceps,” said Terrick El Guindy.
“Let me tell you then: he needs to bring up his calves, his back, here’s the thing, I had a chance to talk to Iain Valliere. Sometimes, we look at the posing and maybe he needs to practice his back posing. I’m not saying he’s pinching his back on the back double biceps but on the back lat spread, I just don’t like it. He needs to fix that. If he fixes that and he becomes as good as that side chest, this guy is formidable.”.
Cormier on Michal Krizo: ‘Everything About Him is Raw, But He Has So Much Upside’
Chris Cormier believes Michal Krizo is still ‘raw’ or inexperienced in many aspects of bodybuilding such as posing. Given his mass and conditioning, Cormier predicted that the Slovakian native will give competitors problems on the horizon.
“He wanted to go up against the big boys, he wanted to be considered the best or one of the best in the world and I mean… he could have placed better but I was really impressed when he took that shirt off and hit that crab [during the presser]. The big old arms, he’s very raw as I noticed, very raw. Everything he does, from the posing, the training, everything is raw with him but he has so much upside. I think he’s going to give some people some real headaches pretty soon. I’m really impressed with what he can bring in the future. Those arms — they are gigantic,” said Chris Cormier.
“He might have some of the biggest arms in the history [of the sport]. To make it more disproportionate, he doesn’t have a big head. His head is kind of small so his arms look even bigger,” said El Guindy. “He’s just so impressive.”
‘He’s Another One That Will Shock A Lot of People’: Cormier Talks Good Vito’s Potential
According to ‘The Real Deal,’ Good Vito also has the capabilities to make major waves in the Men’s Open this year.
“Good Vito, he’s very young, big flaring quads. The back is not too bad for his age. I mean, at that age, you don’t expect someone to have that type of back development. I had a tough time building it for a long time. Just his depth to his body is pretty good,” said Chris Cormier.
“When that comes, you got to get around someone that’s actually done that shit [bodybuilding]. But he has so much upside, I was looking forward to trying to see if he was going to be able to get into a pro show and try to get to the Olympia but you know, there’s always time for that. He’s a young guy. He has a lot of road ahead of him. As long as he stays doing everything smart — I think he’s another one that can shock a lot of people pretty soon.”
El Guindy said he heard a rumor that Good Vito plans to compete at the 2024 Arnold Classic South America contest.
“I think he is in his late 20s. So, he’s a guy that was with the other federation,” El Guindy said. “I was able to connect him with some guys in Brazil who were looking for a bodybuilder [to sponsor]. He’s been training in Brazil. He’s massive. Now, the thing about [him], we have not seen him compete in the IFBB Pro League. Rumor has it he’s going to make his pro debut at the Arnold Classic in Brazil.”
In addition to those mentioned above, Andrew Jacked is another new contender who recently emerged as a Men’s Open threat. He recorded a spectacular season last year, where he claimed victories at the 2022 Texas Pro and Arnold Classic UK shows. He finished eighth in his debut at Mr. Olympia and earned third place in a close affair at the 2023 Arnold Classic.
It should be noted that this video and an Instagram post promoting this episode were initially deleted after offending fans online. They used words like ‘failure’ and bust’ to describe a few of the Men’s Open competitors that were unable to find success on the Olympia stage. In response to the backlash, El Guindy issued an apology and stressed he’d be more careful with his word choice in the future.
RELATED: Iain Valliere on Next Show: ‘I’m Not in A Big Sluggish Off-Season, I Could Go from 285 to 265 in 4 Weeks’
With such a talent-rich division, fans are excited to see which athletes earn invites to compete later this year. El Guindy and Cormier are confident Valliere, Good Vito, and Krizo have the potential to shake up the 2023 Mr. Olympia assuming they earn qualifications.
You can watch the full video below courtesy of the Olympia TV YouTube channel:
Published: 2 May, 2023 | 6:52 PM EDT
“There Are No Rules in Bodybuilding”: Iain Valliere Gives Hot Take on Steroids & Synthol
Iain Valliere‘s progress is on track for his next appearance at the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow this June. In a recent Bro Chat podcast with Fouad Abiad, Valliere talked about his current season and the use of steroids and site enhancement oils like Synthol in bodybuilding.
As a Men’s Open pro, Valliere quickly earned the respect of his peers with popping muscle hardness and granite conditioning. Last year, he earned his invitation to the Mr. Olympia contest by defeating popular Open class standout Antoine Vaillant at the Vancouver Pro.
Tipping the scales at over 280 pounds, Iain Valliere brought his best package possible to Las Vegas. However, the 2022 Olympia lineup proved challenging as the Canadian native dropped out of the first callout in 11th place. Meanwhile, Hadi Choopan won gold with Nick Walker and Derek Lunsford earning silver and bronze, respectively.
After his lackluster Olympia bid, Iain Valliere began working with coach Matt Jansen again, who also trains Walker, Charles Griffen, Shaun Clarida, Quinton Eriya, and many other top-tier pros. Setting his sights on a 2023 Mr. Olympia invitation, Valliere sat down to discuss his future. In addition, he debated the role of gear and synthol use in bodybuilding.
Iain Valliere Talks Prep for Toronto Pro Supershow: “I’m in a Good Spot”
Valliere says his preparations are on schedule and believes he’s in a ‘good spot’ leading up to his next show.
“Yeah, [everything is going good in prep]. Physically, no I feel good. No, I’m not ahead [in prep] I’m right in a good spot and I think that’s good for me. I think to be too ahead is like sometimes like the wheels come off with that, I think we have a good base and I think I’m holding a lot of really good size, which I’m really happy with. I’ve had literally almost – in most of my lifts – I’m still progressing in my lifts. I’ve had no drop-off in strength and I haven’t had to reduce volume yet. So, it’s not like I reduce volume to maintain that, it’s still getting progressions in training so yeah, I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
“It’s small things [with new trainer Matt Jansen] I talked about this once, from the diet perspective, my protein intake is definitely a lot higher which it definitely does make you look different. I don’t know what the look difference will be on stage but I definitely look different, I don’t know how to describe it,” said Iain Valliere.
According to Valliere, his schedule hasn’t drastically changed despite rejoining Matt Jansen. He shared that his prep drugs haven’t been altered either but he expects new modifications the closer they get to a contest.
“I just do what’s written,” added Iain Valliere. “Look, he says eat food, and that’s what I do. Either way, yeah, right now, that’s really all the differences you can notice at this point. Small differences in the diet and stuff like that. I’m doing cardio like I was always doing cardio. Our prep drugs are kind of always the same. You get to the level and you might change a dose by a little bit or use a different this or that, but it’s all pretty much the same shit.”
Valliere Talks Using Steroids for Fat Loss & Synthol in Bodybuilding: ‘25% of Guys Use It’
Valliere said most anabolic compounds have fat-burning properties but they can’t substitute training and dieting.
“They [drugs] can aid in fat loss but you really couldn’t just take drugs and get rid of fat like that, you’re still going to have to push the diet and cardio.”
“I’ve never used DMP but you feel terrible on DMP,” added Valliere. “Look obviously anabolics – a good chunk of the anabolics you use have good fat-burning properties but like you said, it’s not enough to outweigh what you eat.”
Iain Valliere disagrees with the use of Synthol and site enhancement oils. However, he specified that it’s a useful tool for adding volume to the biceps and other smaller body parts.
“This is always such a hard question, people ask me this on my Q&A all the time, they ask questions like, ‘What do you think the average amount of drugs is for a pro, or how many pros do you think use SEOs?’ I have no fuc**ng idea, there’s a range you know,” Valliere shared. “I don’t think SEO use is talked about [the same] as gear use or gear dosages. It’s a little more hush-hush, but it’s so hard to say, also how would we know, like you said, how many pros use SEO? Like, I don’t know.”
“It’s good for the arms,” Valliere explained. “I think the thing is like, if you don’t notice, it doesn’t matter. I think we only notice the ones that look bad and then it gives it a bad name. So then people are like, this is what it is and what it looks like. Look, as a whole, I think we should disagree with the use of it but I bet you there’s some amazing bodybuilders [that use it].”
After comparing gear and Synthol use, Valliere highlighted that there are no rules in bodybuilding. Moreover, he suggested all athletes use ‘fake bullshi*’ to enhance their physiques.
“I don’t care but I’m saying as a whole if we just – if it didn’t exist, it would not make the sport worse. I wouldn’t care. So, I care. That would be wrong. I don’t disagree with it because I don’t give a fuc* what everybody else does in bodybuilding. If it’s making you look better, there’s no rules in bodybuilding. It’s not like steroids are okay but SEOs aren’t. It’s all fake bullshit we’re doing to enhance ourselves anyway. But I think if you’re doing it and it’s obvious then I think it should definitely be detracted in a judging capacity.”
“I don’t fuc**ng know [if it’s used a lot],” Valliere said. “I would think guys using a little metformin in their arms is probably like 20-25% of guys, who have maybe used it here or there. Do I think it’s rampant? No.”
Plenty of bodybuilders have been suspected of using site enhancement oils. Last year, reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan’s ex-managers accused him of shooting the substance into his shoulders. Bodybuilding veteran Samir Bannout ripped Valliere recently for allegedly using Synthol in his calves at the last Mr. Olympia.
RELATED: Bodybuilding Veteran Chris Cormier Warns Others of Synthol Use: ‘I Actually Used It in My Calves, The Damage is Real’
Steroids and site enhancement oil use remain controversial topics in the sport of bodybuilding. The last athlete to approach the subject was Chris Cormier, who underlined that using Synthol/implants in any capacity is a form of cheating.
Check out the full video below:
Published: 27 April, 2023 | 6:06 PM EDT
Iain Valliere Criticizes Derek Lunsford’s Special Invite, Claims “There Is No Excuse Not To” Qualify During A Show
Iain Valliere shared his thoughts on Derek Lunsford receiving a special invitation to the 2022 Olympia.
Derek Lunsford officially received a special invitation to compete in Men’s Open at the 2022 Olympia. Naturally, this decision was going to ruffle some feathers from those who disagree with the decision. Iain Valliere decided to share his opinion and criticize the process claiming that Lunsford could have competed in a show.
On Instagram, Bi’s and Tri’s shared the news of Lunsford receiving an invitation. Valliere appeared in the comments section of the post sharing his thoughts on the decision.
“My main issue with it here is absolutely no effort was made to qualify and go through the proper channels like everyone else competing there, and there is still plenty of shows, so there is really no excuse not to. He was in good shape all the way back in Pittsburgh for the guest posing, he easily could have done a show and qualified, but instead he used the extra time to be better for the O and rely on an invite. Just not a kosher move imo.”
Derek Lunsford and the 2022 Olympia
Derek Lunsford appeared as a guest poser during the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro. This is when he got the initial chance to show off the size that he put on next to other mass monsters in Men’s Open. The event in Pittsburgh took place during the first week of May so Iain Valliere believes Lunsford should have entered a show over the summer to qualify for the Olympia.
Valliere was victorious at the 2021 Texas Pro and Tampa Pro in back-to-back weeks to qualify for the Olympia. This year, he won the Vancouver Pro and will now appear at the biggest show once again. As for Lunsford, he is the reigning 212 Olympia champion and will now have a chance to compete in the biggest division.
There were many who believed that Derek Lunsford would miss the Olympia if he did not receive this invite. The size that he put on would be difficult to lose to get back down to 212. At the same time, he was not qualified for Men’s Open.
Nonetheless, we will see what Derek Lunsford has to offer in Men’s Open come December. Do you believe that Iain Valliere is right to criticize the decision? This will be an added storyline heading into the event.
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Iain Valliere Speaks On Andrew Jacked’s Physique, Says It Is “Highly Likely” He Makes First Callout During 2022 Olympia
Iain Valliere believes that Andrew Jacked will surprise some on the Olympia stage.
Iain Valliere is an elite bodybuilder and has an eye for talent around the sport. On the Bro Chat podcast, Valliere had some praise for Andrew Jacked, who is looking to surprise some people during his first Olympia competition. According to Valliere, this is very possible come December.
Jacked earned his Pro Card during the 2022 Arnold Classic Amateur and did not waste time qualifying for the biggest competition of the year. Jacked won the 2022 Texas Pro, looking shredded on stage and displaying a physique with great symmetry. He was prepared to return to the stage during the Arnold Classic UK but is having issues with his Visa that might force him to miss the competition. This would give Jacked more time to get this issue figured out and prepare for the Olympia.
Valliere will make another appearance on the Olympia stage having won the Vancouver Pro this year. He finished seventh at the competition last year after picking up back-to-back victories at the Texas Pro and Tampa Pro.
Now, Iain Valliere is giving his opinion on Andrew Jacked, who has been one of the up-and-coming talents in bodybuilding.
Andrew Jacked Could Be Part Of The First Callout?
Andrew Jacked was impressive in Texas but the Olympia is a different animal. Iain Valliere is experience on the biggest stage and gave some thoughts on Jacked during his first appearance.
“I think it’s highly likely that he’ll be up in that first call out,” Iain Valliere said.
“He can definitely be in better condition in the rear half, you know. I don’t know. I’ve only seen him compete once at that kind of level. I don’t know if that’s like a 75 percent effort or if that’s full-fledged. At the Olympia, you gotta be peeled man.”
There are many who believe Big Ramy will come in shredded at 300+ pounds. If this is the case, he will be difficult to beat but Valliere says that Jacked can matchup in certain ways — but there are also ways he does not stack up.
“He could put his chest or his arms against Ramy’s any day but if it’s his quads or his back, no, not quite.”
Who Can Andrew Jacked Beat At The Olympia?
Brandon Curry and Hadi Choopan finished behind Big Ramy at the 2021 Olympia. This is thought to be the top tier once again, along with Hunter Labrada and Nick Walker. so, when looking at the field, it is important to think about who Andrew Jacked could possibly take down.
“It’s tough man. I need to see them all next to each other. I really can’t tell. That’s why I said it’s highly likely. I think his height and structure and size is gonna expose a lot of people’s structural flaws in that top six,” Iain Valliere said.
Iain Valliere highlighted the matchup between Andrew Jacked and Hadi Choopan.
“Hadi is tough to beat because his conditioning is f***ing just ridiculous. Look, he’ll be a little bigger and his conditioning, his conditioning makes it hard for anyone. His shape and his front double is actually very pleasing. He’s very filled in.”
At the very least, Andrew Jacked will be on stage at the Olympia. It is unknown to this point if he will be able to make his appearance at the Arnold Classic UK. Iain Valliere believes that Jacked has a chance to turn some heads on the biggest stage.
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