Tag: nEWS
Joey Swoll Prompts Gym to Step In for Special Needs Man Targeted in ‘Very Disturbing’ Video
Social media fitness influencer Joey Swoll has carved his own space in the industry with his gym-positivity brand. He’s not afraid to call out poor gym etiquette, whether it be while working on machines or invading others’ space by recording irresponsibly. In a recent post made on Instagram, Swoll implored Planet Fitness to step in after a special needs gym member got targeted in a disturbing locker room video.
Joey Swoll is leading the charge against the rise in toxic gym culture stemming from the growth of social media platforms such as TikTok, where the content that goes viral isn’t necessarily healthy. Many aspiring influencers take to the short-form video channel in hopes of amassing fame and fortune with all different kinds of content. However, there comes a point where it no longer seems appropriate in the training room.
A female TikToker named Jessica Hernandez made headlines after hurling insults at a man who glanced in her direction earlier this year. Swoll bashed Hernandez for twisting the situation out of context and going as far as to say that he should die for being a pervert when he actually offered to help her set up the weights on the barbell. Hernandez realized her mistake after the call-out and issued an apology message crediting Swoll and his fanbase for the wake-up call.
Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger took notice of Swoll’s positive movement and joined forces with him for promoting the mission of making gyms a safe space for everyone five months ago.
IFBB Pro bodybuilder Mark Hunter Jr. recorded his experience of facing a hostile gym worker who falsely thought he did not re-rack the weights properly months ago. Swoll rebuked the employee for treating Hunter Jr. rudely and canceling his membership based on a misunderstanding.
Two months ago, Joey Swoll took issue with Chelsea soccer player Mykhailo Mudryk for making fun of a man whose pants dropped while working out. He called on Mudryk to reflect on his actions and work on setting a better example as a professional athlete.
Swoll criticized a female TikToker for improperly recording a fellow male gym-goer without his consent in between sets last month. He argued not everyone feels comfortable being recorded in the gym and urged her to be more considerate of others next time.
Joey Swoll Implores Gym to Step In for Special Needs Man Targeted in a ‘Very Disturbing’ Video
In a recent Instagram post, Joey Swoll requested Planet Fitness to do something after he found a video of a special-needs man getting mocked in the gym’s locker room.
“Today I was sent a very disturbing video of someone filming a special needs man in the gym locker room to post on social media and make fun of him. I’m not going to share the video. Instead, I sent it to @PlanetFitness in hopes they do the right thing and take appropriate action.”
“It’s very sad what people will do to others just for attention on social media,” he captioned.
Joey Swoll voiced his disapproval of a woman who refused to share machines while performing supersets over two weeks ago. He reproached her for rudely slamming a man who tried to use one of the four machines she was hogging and encouraged her to work on her gym etiquette.
Swoll put social media influencers on blast for getting upset over people walking in the frame of their videos working out earlier this week. He argued such an expectation can’t be set while training at public gyms and called on her to get a private gym instead.
His latest message takes his movement a step forward in making gyms a positive and welcoming space for everyone.
Published: 7 July, 2023 | 4:05 PM EDT
Nick Walker Shares Proven Strategies for Building Huge Quad Muscles Ahead of 2023 Olympia
Two weeks into his 2023 Olympia competition prep, Nick Walker is looking in phenomenal shape. While becoming Mr. Olympia is the primary focus of his life at the moment, Walker took time out to educate his followers about some minute details of leg training.
Nick Walker is an American bodybuilder that competes in the IFBB Pro League’s Men’s Open division. After earning the IFBB Pro card in 2020, Walker quickly rose through the ranks and became a top contender. He is the winner of the 2021 New York Pro and the 2021 Arnold Classic. Both the wins came within a year of The Mutant turning pro and imparted to him an aura of invincibility. The NY Pro win earned the 28-year-old a direct qualification to the 2021 Olympia. He did well at his Olympia debut but had to be satisfied with fifth place when faced with the top crop of the division.
The performance gave Nick Walker a realistic idea about his standing in the bigger picture and he decided to take time off to improve his physique. The off-season efforts showed their effect when Walker dominated the stage at the 2022 Olympia and achieved a third-place finish. He made a quick turnaround and competed at the 2023 Arnold Classic next, finishing second. He will now attempt to win the Mr. Olympia trophy by getting past Derek Lunsford and reigning champ Hadi Choopan.
Nick Walker is officially two weeks into his 2023 Olympia prep. He recently trained legs at the Dragon’s Lair gym to get a step closer to the Olympia version of his physique. So let’s check out how the Mutant trained his legs in the gym and what message he wanted to convey through this session.
Nick Walker goes through a quad-focused leg workout in the gym
The purpose of the training session was to educate the viewers about the reasons behind having smaller legs. Walker did not overload the weight but maintained a good intensity in the exercises. His message through this workout was simple:
“Just because you stack the entire machine and can do it, doesn’t mean you’re strong and going to grow. Drop the ego!” Walker wrote in the video description.
Lying Leg Curls
Walker started the training session with this hamstring isolation exercise although it was a quad-focused leg day. Leg curls are effective in warming up the knee joints without putting too much stress on them. Since knees are involved in most lower body movements, warming them up is essential for avoiding injuries. As a result, Walker did a few sets of this exercise to get things started.
Leg Press
This served as the first heavy compound exercise of the day. Leg press works all the muscles in the lower body like quads, hamstrings and glutes. Walker started out with a warm-up set using three plates on each side. He applied a progressive overload principle to the working sets and moved on to the next exercise after doing the top set with eight plates on each side.
Hack Squats
While this machine exercise has similar benefits as the traditional barbell squat, it varies in a crucial aspect. Barbell squats are a free-weight movement that engages different supporting muscles. However, they can be a little harsh on the lower back. Hack squats remove this drawback and still retain the benefits that you get from a barbell squat. Walker annihilated a few sets of this exercise before taking up a compound bodyweight movement.
Walking Lunges
This movement served as the finisher of Nick Walker’s leg workout. After pushing through some solid sets with controlled movement, Walker finished the workout but sprinkled a little bit of adductor muscle work before leaving the gym.
Machine Hip Adduction
Hip adductors are a group of muscles on the inner side of the thigh. They are responsible for adduction (bringing together) the legs. The Mutant performed a few sets of this exercise on the machine and called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
‘Mutant’ gives crucial tips for building huge quads
Walker gave a valuable lesson about leg training during the workout. While concepts like ‘training to failure’, or ‘progressive overload’ come to our mind, Walker’s suggestion is quite different:
“My number one tip that I think will help grow quads, which I think has drastically helped grow mine, is controlling the weight, contracting the muscle as hard as you can, doing some sort of full range of motion. But with that, it’s okay to do partial reps at the end.”
For instance, Walker did two sets with 315 lbs weight on the hack squats. After finishing the second set, he removed two plates from the weight stack and did the lighter set to failure. He employed a partial range of motion and squatted down to a level where his legs were bent at a 90-degree angle, not going all the way down.
“Another one and I think that will help contract the muscle, which in turn will give the muscle a bit of a bigger pump, which in my belief, a bigger pump means bigger muscle. Because now with that bigger pump you’re now gonna go home, feed the nutrients into that direct area where all that blood is and it’s going to grow…” Walker claimed.
The 2021 Arnold Classic winner observed that people usually overload the machines and perform the exercise with poor form and technique. While this can stimulate the muscles to a degree, Walker feels it is never going to produce the results that we hope for.
“You might have a big a**! But your quads didn’t get nothing out of it!” Walker joked.
“So lower the weight, contract the muscle as hard as you can and top trying to ego-lift,” he concluded.
‘You don’t need to use weights on walking lunges’ – Nick Walker explains why
Walker stated that he can contract his muscles really hard doing bodyweight exercises. As a result, his legs were far more pumped after doing lunges than they were after hack squats.
“So again, it’s not about the weight. It’s about control. That’s what grows. If I started with lunges, I might use weights for sure. But towards the end, there is no need for it. Your legs are already fried…”
“In my mind, I could use weight but I don’t really see a need for it, you know. If you’re contracting and training as hard as you are on the other exercises, really shouldn’t feel the need for weight on walking lunges,” Walker stated.
Even if you want to progressively overload, Walker warned that it is not going to help to carry heavy dumbbells on lunges toward the end of the workout.
“You’re not going to feel it and you put yourself at a high risk of injury. It is pointless,” Walker concluded.
Walker listed his learnings about growth and stated that if you know how to control the weight, you will not need high volume. Secondly, training the leg muscles more frequently is extremely beneficial as long as you have a proper way to recover.
Walker gives prep update
Nick Walker gave some important updates about his prep and stated that his weight hasn’t changed too much since starting the 2023 Olympia prep. He is hovering in the 290 to 294 lbs ( kg) territory. The Mutant was hoping to be in the 280 to 285 lbs range. However, he has experienced some noticeable changes in his body composition.
“But overall, things have been going really smooth, really well. Matt’s (Coach Matt Jansen) really happy with how we’re progressing with the training. He’s very happy…” Nick Walker said.
Nick Walker will have a third crack at the Olympia title in November 2023. If he continues to train with the same approach and intensity, he can very well become the next Mr. Olympia.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Nick Walker’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 7 July, 2023 | 2:08 PM EDT
Jeff Cavaliere Reacts to Chris Bumstead’s Top 10 List of Exercises for Life, Agrees with 9/10
Jeff Cavaliere is a fitness guru who has maintained an impressive physique since he arrived in the industry. In a video on the ATHLEAN-X YouTube channel, Cavaliere examined the 10 exercises Chris Bumstead chose to do forever if he had no other options.
Chris Bumstead took over the Classic Physique Olympia throne in 2019 after taking the honor from the then-two-time champ Breon Ansley. Since becoming a titleholder, Bumstead’s dominance in the IFBB Pro League has been impossible to ignore. He holds the all-time record for the most Classic Physique Olympia victories at four.
At his last Mr. Olympia show, Cbum won the judges over with exceptional conditioning, detail, and posing execution. He managed to take home another title despite suffering from a torn bicep in the weeks leading up to the competition. During the contest, Bumstead defeated contenders Urs Kalecinski and runner-up Ramon Queiroz in the finals.
In the off-season, Bumstead recently joined Chris Williamson for an interview regarding exercise selection. During the video, Bumstead was asked to list only 10 exercises he would perform for a lifetime. And considering his physique and overall dominance, it’s safe to say fans paid close attention to his answers.
The latest to attack the subject is Jeff Cavaliere. Cavaliere is a key figure in the ATHLEAN-X fitness company, which is known for encouraging wellness and staying fit. Cavaliere has trained celebrities, in 2006, he was the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the New York Metts and has a massive social media following. Jeff has gone to great lengths to keep fans informed and never shies away from technical discussions about exercise.
Below, you can find Jeff Cavaliere’s review of Bumstead’s exercise selections. For the majority of the list, Jeff agreed with Bumstead’s picks. In addition, Cavaliere offered a few other exercise variations that he believes deserve an honorable mention.
Squatting
“Again, If I’m critiquing it for me if this is my alterations to it… because squats are kind of rough on my knees for the reasons he said, I would have to go with a Bulgarian split squat, which I love love love. Also, I’m not limited to 10 in this rule, am I? I would also probably say a reverse barbell lunge. It takes away all the knee pains. Again for me, Bulgarian split squat and reverse barbell lunge is going to eliminate all those knee issues.”
Deadlifting
“Deadlift is an amazing hamstring builder. As someone who does more stiff-legged variations of it myself, I love it,” said Cavaliere. “The one thing that people might say if they’re doing them for a lifetime, but I’m a believer you can do the lift for a lifetime.”
Pull-ups
“We’re talking full reps, not those short, all lockout, no kipping, this is real pull-ups. Neutral grip is definitely the safest option for people who have any type of potential elbow issues. Chin-ups I believe would be very hard for a lifetime. People almost always for a lifetime will get some sort of medial elbow discomfort. I don’t see the problem with the pull-up itself, as long as you’re doing it properly.”
Incline dumbbell presses
“I love that exercise. We’ve put that on our list. A 30-degree angle on the incline bench, again I think it’s important. Plus it also gives you, I think if you do your incline at a low enough angle, it still gives you all the benefits of the flat bench press also. I don’t think you need to do both of them necessarily.”
“For me always, the dumbbells are better for me. I’ve got some bum shoulders and it makes me feel a hell of a lot better when I’m doing it.”
Seated dumbbell shoulder presses
“I love the dumbbell shoulder press, I don’t like doing them seated. Well, first of all, if you can get on your feet any opportunity you can get on your feet, you should take advantage of that. Now, I’m sort of putting my own personal bias on it, to train more athletically, I think being on your feet is something that’s going to carry over more.”
Close grip flat bench
“First time I’m going to disagree. The incline bench is going to cover a lot of ground. If it’s triceps that you’re going for, I love the lying triceps extension, not a skull crusher but further back behind because it gives you a more unique stimulus on the triceps. You get the stretch on the long head.”
Dumbbell curls
“I mean there’s not a person out there that’s not going to put curls [on their list]. I honestly think the enjoyment of my workouts would go down if I didn’t have a curl. One thing curls do, is they sort of give you instant feedback to know that what you’re doing is working.”
“If nothing else, it teaches you what a real good mind-muscle connection should feel like that you can then apply to other exercises in the gym.”
Barbell bent over rows
“Yeah. Honestly, the deadlift is there and it’s going to heavily hit your back but that’s a lot more isometrically. I think here if you’re going to go with a dynamic movement, the barbell bent over rows is great.”
Hanging leg raise
“That’s fine. Well, I actually think people need to train their core directly. I don’t believe training with exercises like the barbell bent over row or the deadlift, yeah there’s a lot of core demands to do the exercise right but I think you need to directly train your core. A lot of them can be very remedial if you don’t have the strength to do a hanging version then it should probably be some variation of a reverse curl.”
Lateral raises/triceps extensions
“I definitely think that the pressing is definitely great when you’re doing the dumbbell shoulder pressing but there’s no doubt if you want to get bigger medial delts that’s specifically going to contribute to the look or growth of the shoulders, you have to pick some variation of lateral raises.”
“I might pick the cheat lateral version,” added Cavaliere
In a recent collaborative effort, Jeff joined Dr. Andrew Huberman for a discussion on workout splits. While there is value in traditional bro splits, Cavaliere argued that there are more effective solutions available. Most importantly, Jeff highlighted that a split left incomplete isn’t an effective program for garnering results.
Regardless of their differences, fans and athletes can learn a ton from Jeff Cavaliere and Chris Bumstead’s exercise selection. Both men have reached incredible heights in fitness and agree on most of the movements listed above.
RELATED: Scott Herman Puts Jeff Cavaliere On Blast For Not Apologizing For Fake Weight Controversy
You can watch the full video from the ATHLEAN-X YouTube channel below:
Published: 7 July, 2023 | 11:15 AM EDT
Milos Sarcev Backs Derek Lunsford & Hadi Choopan as Favorites for 2023 Mr. Olympia
Iranian bodybuilder Hadi Choopan cemented his place in the history books with a sensational victory at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Along with Choopan, former 212 Olympia champion, Derek Lunsford received major praise for his debut performance in the Men’s Open class. In a recent episode of Cutler Cast, renowned bodybuilding coach Milos Sarcev backed Choopan and Lunsford as favorites going into the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
Fans witnessed one of the most competitive and exciting seasons of the last few years in 2022. Former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay was tasked with the challenge of facing veterans like former champion Brandon Curry, William Bonac, and the ever-consistent Hadi Choopan along with a plethora of other top-tier talents, including Nick Walker, Andrew Jacked, and Samson Dauda. Aside from the mass monsters of the Open, Derek Lunsford entered the show following a special invite.
In the end, Big Ramy got knocked off the top by Choopan, who became the first Iranian to win the coveted Sandow trophy. Lunsford made a statement in his Open debut by taking silver in a close-fought contest with Choopan. Then, Dauda asserted his place in the mix of title contention by dominating the competition at the 2023 Arnold Classic earlier this year.
The 2023 Pittsburgh Pro presented an opportunity for some of the top Open competitors to give fans a sneak peek at the looks they plan to bring for the 2023 Mr. Olympia. Following the guest posing appearances, many thought Lunsford and Dauda emerged as the frontrunners for the show. Although Choopan was not in attendance, he sent warning shots with a massive physique update in the days that would follow.
Lunsford received the backing of bodybuilding legend and eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, who also called him his favorite contemporary bodybuilder last month. Former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout voiced a similar sentiment in backing Lunsford as the biggest threat at this year’s Olympia.
As for Lunsford, he reported significant improvements in the off-season and expects to return to action stronger than ever. Hadi Choopan doesn’t seem too worried as he issued a fiery message showing off his monstrous physique in an update weeks ago.
Derek Lunsford teamed up with Dauda for a grueling back workout session over two weeks ago. Both men boasted their humongous frames and pushed each other to the limit under the guidance of Hall of Famer Chris Cormier.
Milos Sarcev backs Derek Lunsford & Hadi Choopan as favorites for 2023 Mr. Olympia
In a recent YouTube video, Milos Sarcev shared his thoughts on the frontrunners for the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
According to Sarcev, there’s a high chance Choopan retains the title this year and the next.
“I have all the respect for Hadi,” said Sarcev. “Hadi could be three times Mr. Olympia.”
He backed Lunsford and Choopan as the favorites entering the show and highlighted the danger that 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda brings.
“Derek & Hadi are frontrunners. Samson is going to the show to win and will do everything possible for him to win.”
Sarcev says Lunsford would be Mr. Olympia if it was judged from the back
Sarcev believes Derek Lunsford boasts one of the best backs in the game and is nearly unbeatable in front poses, like the front double bicep and front lat spread. For Sarcev, the deciding factor would be how convincingly Lunsford gets beaten in his weaker poses from the side.
“Derek would be Mr. Olympia if it was judged from the back already. He lost from the side a little bit and when you think front, front double biceps, front lat spread, he’s super dangerous because then you can really see the definition and hardness on the chest on those two poses and he had a crazy v-taper so you gotta give him. He has front double bicep, front lat spread, he looks crazy in all these poses. He’s super dangerous. From the back, he’s phenomenal. The other poses, he can be beaten. Can he be beaten in other poses convincingly enough? That remains to be seen. I still think Hadi Choopan is going to come [and be in the driver’s seat].”
Derek Lunsford showed off his huge legs in a heavy-duty off-season lower-body workout last week. He indulged in a friendly hot-dog eating contest, devouring 3,300 calories in a post-workout cheat meal. Then, he laid out a sleeve-busting arm workout to build jacked biceps earlier this week.
RELATED: Derek Lunsford Goes Through Title-Worthy Back Workout With Chris Bumstead
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 7 July, 2023 | 7:57 AM EDT
Hunter Labrada Shares Full Day of Eating, Physique Update & Push Day Workout for 2023 Tampa/Texas Pro
American bodybuilder Hunter Labrada is determined to redeem himself after missing the mark at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. He’s currently gearing up to make his comeback at the 2023 Texas Pro and Tampa Pro. In a recent YouTube video from his channel, Labrada showed off his beastly physique, laid out his full day of eating, and shared a push-day workout six and eight weeks out from his return.
Hunter Labrada, son of bodybuilding veteran Lee Labrada, first gained attention for his mass, size, and refined posing skills as a Men’s Open contender in 2020. He dominated the competition at the Tampa Pro to take home the top prize and concluded his season with a strong top-10 finish in his Mr. Olympia debut. Labrada extended his impressive run by scoring gold at the 2021 Chicago Pro and improved his standing to fourth place at the 2021 Mr. Olympia.
Last season, he chose to stay on the sidelines and focus only on the 2022 Mr. Olympia. However, he did not bring his best form on stage and dropped down to seventh place. Since he did not finish in the top five, he would need to earn a qualification for the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
Following the result, Labrada embarked on a mission to turn things around. He identified an issue with controlling his midsection and began incorporating vacuum poses into his regimen. He offered three ways to perform vacuums for the best results like pulling your belly button to the spine earlier this year. Then, he laid out a ‘gut health drink’ he’s utilizing to detoxify.
Labrada detailed some intensity techniques for breaking through any point of stalled progress in the training room two months ago. He also opened up on the difference in his training regimen in the off-season versus while in prep.
The 31-year-old left fans impressed with a shredded physique update where he tipped the scales at 277.6 pounds weeks out from the 2023 Tampa Pro and Texas Pro. He highlighted the importance of choosing the right exercises to avoid injuries and also discussed how to improve workouts for better gains.
Hunter Labrada turned heads in his latest guest-posing appearance at the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro two months ago. He regained confidence after the stellar showing and declared his ambitions to get back into the upper echelon of Men’s
Open competitors. Labrada amped up his training to get ready for the 2023 Tampa Pro. He recorded a new PR of 585 pounds (265.3 kilograms) for four reps on the deadlift in a training session weeks ago.
Hunter Labrada shows off his beastly physique after crushing a push-day workout
In a recent YouTube video, Hunter Labrada showed off his beastly physique after smashing past a heavy push-day workout.
He performed the following exercises targeting the chest, shoulders, triceps, and abs.
Pec Deck Fly Machine
Incline Press Machine
Machine Vertical Chest Press Nautilus
Cybex Plate Loaded Shoulder Press Machine
Lying Cuffed Lateral Raise
Abmat Crunches
Cross Body Dual Cable Triceps Extension
Hanging Leg Raise
Credit: Hunter Labrada (via YouTube)
Labrada lays out the full day of eating 6/8 weeks out from return
Hunter Labrada gave fans a look into the diet he’s following six and eight weeks out from his planned return at the 2023 Texas Pro and Tampa Pro.
Every morning he takes Revive supplements, a greens supplement, one for digestion, and a gut health drink while fasting.
Breakfast:
220g lean beef
180g rice
stir fried garlic and white onions with green onion
Sanchez flavor gang sauce
Meal 2 (Pre-workout):
280g rice
220g chicken
Meal 3 (Post-workout):
250g white fish
150g white rice
Meal 4:
220g chicken
150g rice (last carb meal of the day)
Meal 5:
Avocado
fish
Hunter Labrada appears to be making good progress in the off-season. He boasted his humongous build in an impressive physique update where he weighed 273 pounds eight to 10 weeks out from the contests last month. He followed up with another ripped physique update three weeks ago.
Based on the latest update, it’s evident Labrada is leaving no stone unturned on his road to getting back to Olympia title contention.
RELATED: Hunter Labrada: “I Am One of the Best in The World Left on the Table, I’ll Put that to the Test”
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 6 July, 2023 | 9:20 PM EDT
Tom Platz, 68, Shows Off Jaw-Dropping Ripped Quads in Latest Update
“The Quadfather” Tom Platz still maintains remarkable leg development at 68 years old. In an Instagram post, Platz showed off his quad definition to celebrate his recent birthday.
Platz was known for his powerful and sculpted legs as a Pro during his career. He built a following for himself in the AAU circuit. At that time, Platz began to showcase unique and diverse training methods, which inspired countless athletes after him. He honed his craft inside the famous Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California.
Some notable athletes have taken valuable lessons from Platz’s mentorship. Even six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates. Platz remembers teaching Yates about his training and diet during a seminar decades ago and he was happy to see ‘The Shadow’ take his teachings to heart.
In addition to his intense training techniques, Platz proved successful on stage, having claimed the Mr. Universe crown in 1980. Throughout an active tenure, Platz shared the stage with heavy hitters of past eras such as seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger and eight-time winner, Lee Haney.
A trailblazer of advanced leg training, Platz proved himself in and out of competitions. His popularity only grew after taking part in a squat contest against Fred Hatfield in the 90s, but he came up short. He later got revenge at the 1992 ‘The Great American Squat Off’ where he and Hatfield found success.
During the event in Essen Germany, Platz achieved a major feat when he squatted 525 pounds for 23 reps. He did this in a direct showdown with Hatfield, who managed 11 reps with the same weight. However, Platz’s legendary squat record was broken in May by the reigning World’s Strongest Man, Mitchell Hooper. Hooper completed 24 reps of 525 pounds.
Tom Platz Turns Back Clock With Impressive Quad Update for 68th Birthday
Check out Platz’s quad update below:
People online were blown away by Tom Platz’s legs.
Instagram @tomplatz
Fans respect Tom for his transparent nature regarding all aspects of the sport, including performance-enhancing drug use. Having competed in the Golden Era, Platz said he took the ‘very minimum’ and utilized a two-compound cycle, which consisted of Winstrol and Deca-Durabolin. While Platz admits he could get shredded without the use of anabolics, he emphasized that they were necessary for athletes attempting to achieve a ‘saran wrap look’ in his heyday.
Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger has also come out and talked about his Mr. Olympia-winning cycle. The 75-year-old icon stressed that he only used two compounds as well, which he said were testosterone and Dianabol.
According to other bodybuilding veterans, the steroid dosages have changed drastically since their last time on stage. Rich Gaspari who competed mostly in the 1990s, said athletes depend on drugs more than hardcore training nowadays. Meanwhile, Lee Haney has mentioned that Open competitors are ’60 pounds overweight’ because they’re consuming too much food.
This wasn’t Tom’s first quad update. He’s taken considerable measures to maintain muscularity and fullness in his lower body despite getting older. In April, he gave fans a sneak peek at his ‘work in progress.’
RELATED: WATCH: Tom Platz Shares His Secret To Historic Calves in Q&A
While the sport has certainly undergone changes since Platz’s era, he still treats his training sessions the same. His latest update serves as motivation for fans given that leg training is widely considered to be one of the most taxing forms of exercise.
Published: 6 July, 2023 | 5:47 PM EDT
Nick Walker Says His ‘Gut Feeling’ Is That He and Derek Lunsford Will Fight in Top 2 at 2023 Mr. Olympia
Nick Walker is ready to exact his revenge against fellow star Derek Lunsford at the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia. In a Mutant and the Mouth Podcast, Walker discussed his prep and chances against top contenders this November on the sport’s biggest stage.
The 2022 Mr. Olympia event served as one of the most surprising shake-ups to the Men’s Open division in recent years. In a stunning upset, former two-time champion Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay was ousted from his throne. Instead, Hadi Choopan, Derek Lunsford, and Nick Walker battled for gold.
Ultimately, Choopan emerged victorious and won his first Mr. Olympia title. Nick Walker, however, continued to improve on the big stage and took home a third-place finish. His rival, former 212 Olympia-turned-Open threat, Derek Lunsford, left Sin City with silver.
On the heels of his best Olympia performance, Walker entered the 2023 Arnold Classic on short notice. At the event, he faced Samson Dauda and Andrew Jacked in the finals. In the end, ‘The Nigerian Lion’ came out on top in a close affair. His victory prompted discussions online and in the community about judging standards.
Looking ahead, Walker is convinced Dauda won’t pose a threat to the Mr. Olympia title this Nov. Despite having taken runner-up to Dauda in March, ‘The Mutant’ insists the next Mr. Olympia trophy will be held by either himself or Lunsford.
With the massive event approaching, fans and bodybuilding veterans have named frontrunners. Former eight-time Mr. Olympia kingpin Ronnie Coleman is one of them. He argued Lunsford will defeat Hadi Choopan when the two meet for a second time later this year. Walker, on the other hand, believes 2023 will be his year to shine when the contest returns to Orlando, Florida.
“I Honestly Feel This Is My Year,” – Nick Walker Talks 2023 Olympia Prep & Derek Lunsford
In 2022, Walker was forced to navigate most of his off-season without his coach Matt Jansen. Given that Jansen oversees Walker’s diet, training, and supplementation, the 28-year-old said it impacted his results last year. However, that won’t be the case for his preparations in 2023.
“Yeah he [Derek Lunsford] beat me right, I kind of called that,” said Nick Walker. “Yeah, talking about having a half-ass off-season last year compared to how things have went this year. I personally feel… you know with the 20 weeks I’m going to have now, no travel, strictly just fucking focus, right? Knock on wood no hiccups, I honestly feel this is my year. I honestly do. I feel like everything is aligned and there’s always you know, Matt’s happy, I’m happy right? So he’s the one that has to look at me, so if he has no issues and everything keeps flowing the way it’s going, I personally feel this will be the year.”
Hadi Choopan vs. Derek Lunsford at 2023 Olympia? Walker Says Lunsford Wins.
Walker believes Lunsford would defeat Choopan in a rematch and added that it’s ‘inevitable’ that Derek wins a future Mr. Olympia show.
“If it came down to Hadi and Derek this year… and you’re a betting man, who do you bet on?” asks Guy Cisternino.
“Derek. And listen, I’ll probably get a lot of shit from the Hadi fans because I still get roasted,” said Walker. “He’s a Mr. Olympia, that’s it. He was slaying people when he was 212 in the Open. And he has some of the best conditioning, hands down, probably the best in my opinion. Not last year but the couple years prior, peeled to the bone.
But I think me and Derek are young, we’re fresh. I think – I don’t want to disrespect Hadi and say he’s getting older and the time clock is ticking here… but I think the only reason why Derek lost to Hadi was from the front. If Derek’s backside matched the front, Derek is going to win, it’s inevitable, Derek would have won,” said Walker.
“I just have a gut feeling that it will be me and him in the final two,” added Walker.
Walker Back Up to 294 Lbs, Talks Off-Season Updates & Cardio
Even though Walker dropped 10 pounds during his trip to Canada, he says his body has rebounded nicely as he’s now tipping the scales at 293 pounds.
“I actually think this weekend is 19 [weeks away from 2023 Olympia]. I believe so [we’re inside 20 weeks] yeah. Yeah, [cardio] is 20 minutes six days a week. That was my off-season cardio as well. With all the traveling I kind of slacked a little bit, it’s whatever. Now, it’s steady, it’s consistent so.”
“What I like to do in the mornings is all I’ll do my 20 minutes of cardio. I’ll turn it on [the sauna] and heat it up. I’ll train abs for a good 15 minutes or so or whatever. Yeah [at my house]. Right now, [crunches] if I don’t feel like doing them I’ll obviously go to the gym and after training hit them.”
He also specified that he’s eating less food compared to last year’s season.
“Yeah, I mean obviously, I don’t think the food if I can remember… because last year was a bad off-season, you know that. I don’t think I was eating as much this off-season compared to last off-season. But this is where I’ll say genetics plays a huge role. I think when you are able to just train the way you adapt, the way I’m adapting to this, I don’t need a shit ton of fucking food to grow.
Genetically, it’s just boom boom. I lost 10 pounds when I went to Canada for the Canadian tour. I was like 284-ish. And now I’m back up to 293 and I texted Matt and said, ‘Bro, I don’t know my weight is not – we’re not doing anything different I don’t know what’s going on.’ He’s like, ‘You’re not getting fat don’t worry about it.”
Derek Lunsford has given his thoughts on an impending showdown with Nick Walker. In a recent Muscular Development interview with Ron Harris, Lunsford was asked how he felt when media outlets said he was scared to face Walker at the 2023 Arnold Classic. The former 212 champ laughed off the comments and stressed that he’s ‘staying in his lane’ ahead of his next showing.
Walker, meanwhile, harshly evaluated some of his peers’ physiques during an HD Muscle video appearance. According to Walker, Samson Dauda’s back is ‘shit’ and added that Big Ramy is done. In addition, he said Andrew Jacked, who took third at the recent Arnold Classic, won’t sniff out a top-five placing at this year’s Olympia.
Having trained together in the past, Walker and Lunsford’s professional rivalry will be on full display later this year. If history dictates the future, Walker is slated to move up in placings at the Mr. Olympia contest in November.
You can watch the full video from The Mutant and the Mouth YouTube channel:
Published: 6 July, 2023 | 3:25 PM EDT
Fitness Community Reacts to Jo Linder’s Mysterious Death at 30, Questions Raised About Cause of Death
The world of fitness and bodybuilding has been shattered by the devastating death of Jo Linder, known as “Joesthetics,” who succumbed to a fatal aneurysm at 30 years old, according to his girlfriend. The latest to make sense of this tragedy is Greg Doucette, a popular coach and former bodybuilder.
Linder, known for charm, charisma, and a shredded physique, amassed a social media empire over the last several years with an eccentric personality and fun collaborations with other influencers, such as powerlifting great Larry Wheels. He grew his Instagram following to a staggering 8.4 million and often inspired fans with workouts, where they could see first-hand the dedication he had to stay extremely fit.
Following his tragic death, fans have questioned if steroids and performance-enhancing drugs played a role in his demise. Linder has been open online about his steroid cycles in the past, as he went over his regimen in detail with Wheels last October. During the candid interview, Jo said growth hormone never helped him during his days of bodybuilding, but added that insulin was looked at like a ‘magic sauce.’
While an autopsy has yet to be completed, others have pointed to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines as a possible culprit. These suspicions arose after Linder’s recent appearance on Bradley Martyn’s Raw Talk Podcast. Linder shared that he and doctors discovered ‘heavy metals,’ ‘particles,’ and clots in his blood, which led to him cleaning his blood with treatments of plasmapheresis.
“Did you get the vax?” asks Bradley Martyn.
“I got the vax yeah, yeah. Even four [of them]. It also, bro you know how it is… it’s the same like you go to a party and you hang with the wrong people all of a sudden you might do something on this party that you don’t want to do because there’s these people [nudging you], ‘You know, you should do it,”‘ said Jo Linder.
“I did blood cleaning twice after all this. I did plasmapheresis to take out heavy metals and all that stuff. I did all this. I don’t know if this is too controversial probably to say. I went to the doctor and I did my blood work again because I check my blood work all the time, I show it to the doctor and we kind of see these particles…I’m like what is this? This is from this [the vaccines]. I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ I show it to another one of my friends, there’s all kinds of websites you can’t get to and there’s some crazy conspiracies,” said Jo Linder.
According to Linder, a doctor told him that if he wanted to survive the vaccines he would need to undergo additional plasmapheresis treatments. Many have noted that Linder also suffered from rippling muscle disease, which he used to his benefit on social media. Meanwhile, other fans have suggested that his excessive coffee habit contributed to a heart attack from a caffeine overdose.
“The doctor was like you need to do it man if you want to survive after you took these shots, bro, that’s how it was actually,” said Linder. “I don’t know if the nurse did something weird. This was in Thailand obviously, when she took out the blood, there was a white thing in there. I’m like, ‘What the fu** is that?’ I’m like, ‘What the fuck is this?’ I show this to my friend, he’s into conspiracies.”
“He showed me all these websites, since they do this to people since so many, they found this in athletes and stuff and there’s a weird reason why people, they die, they have these wide blood clots, tons of them – in their blood – everywhere. He’s like, ‘Maybe this is what you have?’”
“There was no white thing, there was probably some air, the nurse didn’t do it right. But the [doctors], he’s said, ‘There’s some black particles, these are the heavy metals you have in your blood.’”
Community Reacts to Jo Linder’s Death at 30, Greg Doucette Discusses Tragedy and Explores Cause of Death
With the fitness and bodybuilding communities up-in-arms regarding Linder’s death, Greg Doucette took to a recent YouTube video to set the record straight. While some believe steroids could have been a factor, Greg says Jo stopped abusing PEDs and was only using hormone replacement therapy at the time of his death.
“Joe was very proactive with his health. Remember, he did in fact abuse PEDs when he was younger but he was only on HRT, and when he prepped for his various competitions, he hardly added anything to his cycle. I can promise you he was very concerned with his health, far more than the average person, was getting regular blood work and doing everything the right way.”
Doucette highlighted that autopsy details haven’t emerged and no one actually knows how Linder died.
“So because of that, many people are speculating that they know that the reason for Jo’s passing is because he did those four shots [COVID-19 vaccines and boosters]. Well, other people are speculating, no it has nothing to do with that, it absolutely has everything to do with that he was not 100% natural. Now remember, it’s only been a few days and an autopsy has not yet been performed. So people that are saying it’s a blood clot, that they know this for a fact, that it’s an aneurysm, that it’s a heart attack, nobody actually knows the exact answer,” said Doucette.
Following the tragedy, deaths in bodybuilding have been hurled back into the spotlight. Over the years, fans have taken notice of the risks as athletes like Shawn Rhoden, George Peterson, and Cedric McMillian all met their fates before turning 50 years old. The trend prompted retired IFBB Pro Seth Feroce to issue intense warnings about the dangers of steroid use last year.
Jo Linder’s passing has saddened the fitness and bodybuilding world, leaving behind many questions about the cause of his death. While some blame steroids, vaccines, or caffeine, it’s evident “Joesthetics” had a profound impact on those around him.
RELATED: Larry Wheels Takes Posing Lessons From Joe Linder aka Joesthetics
Check out Greg Doucette’s YouTube video below:
Published: 6 July, 2023 | 11:12 AM EDT
Strongwoman Lucy Underdown Crushes 280-kg (617.3-lb) Deadlift Four-Rep PR In Training
Lucy Underdown is easily the greatest deadlifter in the sport of Strongwoman, but one factor that makes her better than everyone is her hunger for improvement. Despite being on top of the deadlift charts, Lucy is still training harder than everyone. So, she often breaks records and sets new PRs, which was the case with her recent training session. Lucy landed a new 280-kilogram (617.3-pound) four-rep deadlift personal record (PR), and shared the video on Instagram.
Lucy Underdown performed the 280-kilogram (617.3-pound) four-rep deadlift with a conventional stance, as sumo is not allowed in Strongwoman. Regarding the equipment, she only used a lifting belt and a pair of lifting straps. Lucy did have some trouble placing all of the weight plates onto the barbell since the sleeves were loaded to their full capacity. However, she had spotters on each side of the bar to make sure that any plates that slide off are pushed back on.
“I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather and I’m going into a few days away so I’m very happy to have hit this as a PB”
Watch Lucy Underdown’s lift here:
Related: Lucy Underdown Pulls a 302.5-kg (667-lb) Unofficial Strongwoman Deadlift World Record in Training
Lucy Underdown has a very busy schedule ahead of her, since she plans on taking part in three competitions in the near future. The first one will be the 2023 Official Strongman Games European Championships on August 11-13. She will then take part in the 2023 Giants Live Britain’s Strongest Woman just over one month later, and wrap it up at the 2023 England’s Strongest Woman competition shortly after.
Lucy Underdown has already made one appearance this year at the 2023 UK’s Strongest Woman competition. She put up a sensational performance, despite narrowly losing the title to Rebecca Roberts in the final event of the competition. Regardless, she displayed one of the greatest lifts in the history of Strongwoman, having set a new Deadlift World Record of 305 kilograms (672.4 pounds).
Although Lucy Underdown is currently in great shape, she has also been one of the greatest athletes in the sport for some years now. She started competing in 2020 and got noticed for her impressive static strength. Still, she narrowly missed out on winning titles, but secured podium finishes in nearly all of her appearances.
However, in 2022 Lucy made quite a statement by winning Arnold’s UK Strongwoman Pro and England’s Strongest Woman. So, she now hopes to extend her list of titles and will have a few chances to do so this year already.
Related: Strongwoman Lucy Underdown Deadlifts 617lbs Ahead of 2022 UK’s Strongest Woman Contest
Judging by her new 280-kilogram (617.3-pound) four-rep deadlift PR, Lucy Underdown could soon reach a stage where she is able to perform multiple reps with 300 kilograms (661.4 pounds). Lucy’s remarkable improvement in deadlifts is evident, showcasing her dedication and potential for achieving even greater milestones in the future.
Published: 6 July, 2023 | 9:25 AM EDT
Jay Cutler Shares ‘Ultimate Back-Builder Exercise for Crazy Wide Lats’
Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler possesses a wealth of fitness knowledge stemming from years of competing in the sport. Although he stepped away from professional competition a decade ago, his passion for bodybuilding burns strong. In a recent video uploaded to YouTube, Cutler shared the ultimate back-builder exercise for developing crazy wide lats.
Jay Cutler first gained recognition for his freakish muscle mass, size, and conditioning as a Men’s Open competitor in the 2000s. His fierce rivalry with fellow legend Ronnie Coleman is considered to be one of the greatest in the history of the sport. He fell short of the eight-time Mr. Olympia champion on four occasions until he finally secured the coveted Sandow trophy in 2006. Cutler racked up four Mr. Olympia titles, and three Arnold Classic titles, and hung up his posing trunks with a record six runner-up finishes.
Cutler has maintained a high level of personal fitness post-retirement. He’s working towards transforming his physique as part of the ‘Fit for 50’ challenge. Earlier this year, he left the fans stunned with a shredded physique update and posing session where he weighed 240 pounds.
Cutler regularly educates his fanbase on ways to lead a healthy lifestyle. He offered an arm workout targeting the biceps and triceps for building muscle last month. Next, he laid out tips on carving a ripped midsection with three exercises. He suggested focusing on conditioning the abs rather than trying to build muscle in the area.
The 49-year-old crushed a high-volume lower body workout for optimizing muscle growth last month. He targeted quads and hamstrings in the training session to get ready before his 50th birthday.
Jay Cutler detailed the different types of exercises he’s utilizing to enhance his cardiovascular health and get in shape for the body transformation challenge. He suggested doing cardio while fasting in the morning or after a weight lifting session. Next, Cutler shared that he packed on 15 pounds since starting the challenge and declared his ambitions to get leaner over the next few weeks.
Cutler backed Open standouts Samson Dauda and Derek Lunsford as the favorites in his analysis of the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia two weeks ago. He also extended his support for Andrew Jacked to potentially shock the world with a strong performance.
Jay Cutler Shares His Best Back-Building Exercise for Wide Lats
In a recent YouTube video, Jay Cutler shared pull-ups as the ultimate back-builder exercise for attaining crazy wide lats.
“Is the standard pulldown with a machine the same thing as a pull-up?” said Cutler. “I would say not. I would say the ultimate back-builder you want to build crazy wide lats you got to stick to your pull-ups whether it’s body weight or adding some weight to your body, it depends on how heavy you are. More importantly, there’s nothing that would replace the standard pull-up. You see all the wide backs, all that v-taper, it comes from a wide pulldown movement and that is best done on a pull-up bar.
Not to say pulldowns on a machine don’t work but try to stick to the basics and do your pull-ups in your routine. Just make sure you focus on at least 10 repetitions. I know it gets heavy over time with set after set but remember repetitions are going to get the growth in the lats.”
Jay Cutler gave fans a look into his methods for building huge arms while crushing a heavy-duty workout last week. He went through the exercises that helped him develop 20-inch arms and offered helpful tips. Then, he showed off his insane physique in an impressive update seven weeks out from the challenge.
His latest offering will encourage his fans to try his go-to exercises for building a thicker and wider back.
RELATED: Milos Sarcev and Jay Cutler Talk Big Ramy’s Future: ‘He’s 100% Not Doing 2023 Mr. Olympia’
You can watch the full video below:
Published: 6 July, 2023 | 3:11 AM EDT