Tag: nEWS
Comparing Bodybuilding’s Winningest Athletes – Dexter Jackson & Ashley Kaltwasser by Olympia Judge & Chris Cormier
Bodybuilding icon Ashley Kaltwasser trumped over fellow legend Dexter Jackson as the most winningest athlete in the history of the sport. In a recent Prime Time Muscle episode, Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy and bodybuilding Hall of Famer Chris Cormier shared their analysis and comparison of Jackson and Kaltwasser’s careers.
Dexter Jackson first gained attention for his insane muscle mass, detail, and conditioning levels in the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division. He made a splash in his debut at the 1999 Arnold Classic and placed seventh. He proved to be one of the most consistent and disciplined athletes in the game with regular competitive appearances.
In 2005, Jackson took home the top prize at the Arnold Classic. He successfully defended the title the following year in 2006. Besides the Arnold Classic, he was a mainstay of the Open class at the Olympia contests from 1999 to 2020. Jackson was at the height of his powers between 2002 and 2010, always placing in the top four at Olympias. After placing third at the 2007 event, many counted out Jackson’s chances at the win. However, Jackson came back stronger and dethroned former four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler in 2008 to win the coveted Sandow trophy.
‘The Blade’s final appearance came at the 2020 Mr. Olympia, where he placed ninth. He hung up his posing trunks with a record five Arnold Classic titles under his belt.
Dexter Jackson continues to work out regularly. He gave fans a look into a brutal back workout in April 2022. Then, he followed up with a jacked physique update showing off his biceps in an intense training session.
The 53-year-old left the fans in awe of his lean physique in another update last October. Last month, Jackson ignited rumors of a potential return for the Masters Olympia with a ripped workout update.
Olympia judge & Chris Cormier share analysis of Dexter Jackson’s insane career
Dexter Jackson
In a recent YouTube video, Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy, Tim Wilkins, and Chris Cormier lauded Dexter Jackson for his insanely successful career in a comparison with Ashley Kaltwasser.
“Ashley has just surpassed Dexter on the wins,” said Wilkins.
El Guindy: “She currently has 37 pro victories.”
“Now, Dexter was the winningest bodybuilder of all time with the male,” El Guindy said, “Obviously, we can look at it and say possibly male bodybuilding is a little bit of a harder enterprise than Bikini. You gotta come in with striated glutes like Dexter did. You gotta add a lot of muscle and Dexter has done that. But Ashley Kaltwasser has done something that… 37 pro victories.”
Cormier argued Jackson’s run was more impressive due to the nature of the competition he was in combined with a lack of as many shows as now.
Cormier: “If you’re talking Bikini, you’re talking more like the beauty, the aesthetic of the body. It’s not like you’re trying to force a lot of mass, forcing a lot of food down your throat, going through the grueling workouts, the posing rounds, all this stuff. But if you look at Dexter Jackson’s whole cabinet of wins is probably filled with eight Arnold Classics, he’s got Mr. Olympia title under his belt, competing all around the world from Australia to the Iron Man. I don’t know all his wins off the top of my head but I guarantee you he won the shows.”
“It’s a higher degree of difficulty and then even in the later part of his career, he was still beating some of the guys that’s actually competing at high level right now,” said Cormier. “He was beating those guys. I know he thinks he was looking the best but that wasn’t the same Dexter Jackson I was going against. That guy was etched out, that’s when we gave him the name ‘Blade.’ These guys then were still getting beat by Dexter and it wasn’t even the Dexter I went up against. I call him the Jordan of bodybuilding.”
El Guindy: “Dexter Jackson’s first bodybuilding show was in 1992. His last one was in 2020. That’s 28 years of bodybuilding.”
Cormier: “Just depending on how it’s going to play out but I don’t think anyone in this lifetime that we know of is going to be [breaking Dexter’s record].”
Last month, Dexter Jackson confirmed he had no intentions of making a comeback to competition. He reflected on his career and stressed the importance of recovery and machine training for longevity. Then, he crushed a brutal arm workout while teasing a mystery project.
Ashley Kaltwasser has been a force to reckon with in the Women’s Bikini division since conquering the Olympia title in her 2013 debut. She went on a dominant run over the next three years that saw her win the 2014 Arnold Sports Festival, and the 2014 Toronto Supershow, and extend her Olympia reign with two successful title defenses. In 2016, Kaltwasser lost the Olympia title and dropped down to the fourth place.
Having maintained a packed competitive schedule, Kaltwasser took to the sidelines for the 2017 season and returned in 2018. From 2018 to 2020, she slipped down the ranks in Olympia contests but continued to rack up trophies in other shows such as the 2018 Vancouver Pro and 2019 Mile High Pro.
In 2021, Kaltwasser put her foot to the gas as she competed in 14 shows throughout the year, winning eight and never placing out of the top four. Her impressive streak continued last season with another 12 contest participation. She scored gold in seven, including the 2022 Arnold Classic UK.
Kaltwasser opened up about her reasons for staying busy as a competitor last month. While many enjoy taking a longer off-season, she likes to be active to stay motivated for prep and not miss out on any opportunities.
The 34-year-old offered her expertise on improving contest preps a few weeks ago. She went over the common pain points of combating bloating, managing water and sodium intake, and hunger cravings.
Wilkins & Olympia judge says Ashley Kaltwasser can win another 15-20 shows
Wilkins and El Guindy heaped praises on Kaltwasser for her extraordinary track record and believe she could cement her status as the greatest with another dozen or more titles in the next few years.
“This competitor, Ashley Kaltwasser, she’s a track and field star in the state of Ohio,” El Guindy said. “Her ability to maintain the great conditioning weekend after weekend, display incredible physique, and continue to win shows is impressive. She is the winningest bodybuilder of all time. She’s got 37 titles.”
“Ashley Kaltwasser had the ability to do possibly 10 or 15 shows a year and win a lot of them. Dexter had to do it for a long period of time.”
Wilkins: “If she’s got five more years doing 3-4 shows a year plus the O, she’s a lock to win 3 or 4 of those shows. She could end up with another 15 to 20 wins and cement that untouchable.”
Guindy: “I think that’s the goal. I talked to her coach Adam Bonilla and he’s got great athletes but Ashley is the main horse there. His intention with her is to win as many as possible. She’s not slowing down guys. If she won 10 shows last year, she wants to win 15 this year.”
Ashley Kaltwasser offered some of her best tips on maintaining proper nutrition on show days earlier this month. She recommended eating light foods and not consuming too much protein to ensure an empty stomach.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 24 April, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT
Dana Linn Bailey Conquers Grueling Back-Building Workout
Dana Linn Bailey is the true embodiment of motivation and gym life. The Women’s Physique pioneer continues to inspire millions around the world with her fitness content and recently subjected herself to a harsh back workout.
Dana Bailey is credited with a win at the first ever Women’s Physique contest held at the 2011 Jr. USA. She also became the inaugural Women’s Physique Olympia champion in 2013 and etched her name with gold in the IFBB Pro League’s history. After retiring from competitive bodybuilding in 2015, DLB has ventured into multiple initiatives.
She started posting fitness related content on her YouTube channel and other social media platforms. Bailey also tried her hand at powerlifting at the 201 Arnold Sports Festival, lifting a total of 877 lbs (396.9 kg). The 39-year-old has become one of the foremost women fitness influencers on the internet with more than 2.6 million followers on YouTube and Instagram combined.
Dana along with her husband Rob Bailey founded the Warhouse Gym. It did well and became a very important part of the couple’s lives. However, they had to shut it down permanently due to financial issues brought in by the global pandemic of 2020. Bailey is going strong on YouTube and routinely posts workout videos, bodybuilding tips and collaborative content to engage a large follower base.
Recently, she tackled a back workout and posted the video on her YouTube channel. So let’s check out the details of the exercises she did to improve her already impressive physique further.
Dana Linn Bailey goes through a back workout
Bailey headed to the Redcon-1 gym for the workout and lauded the place for the state of the art equipment it houses. She did not have a premeditated workout plan ahead of time and went with the flow to experiment with different equipment to train the back.
“I like coming here. A lot of really cool equipment. So I have no plans today. I’d love to tell you what I am about to do. I’m gonna train back but I have no plans. I’m just gonna scoot around, find some really good equipment and then I’ll let you know the sets and reps. So follow along,” Dana Linn Bailey stated.
With that she jumped right into the workout and shared valuable insights and bodybuilding tips in the due course.
Seated High Face Pull and Chest Rows
Bailey wanted to get some rear delts and the upper traps action at the very beginning of the training session. So instead of working with elaborate machines, she favored the simple seated cable rows machine. But instead of doing the standard row, she used the band attachment and performed the seated high face pull to target the traps and rear delts.
“You could do this with the rope as well. The rope would actually work out really well,” DLB advised.
She clubbed this movement with chest rows. However, instead of doing both exercises as a part of superset where a person performs one full set of the first exercise and then follows it up with one full set of the second exercise with a short rest period, Bailey switched between the exercises mid-set. In every set, she did eight to ten reps of high face pull and immediately transitioned to the chest rows for the same number of reps, making it a full set of two exercises. The 39-year-old kept the elbows wide and away from the body to hit the lats as well.
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
The former Women’s Physique Olympia champion performed the wide grip lat pulldown on a plate-loaded machine next. This common vertical pulling movement primarily works the latissimus dorsi muscle in the back. It also engages other posterior muscles like teres major, teres minor, infraspinatus and trapezius as well as biceps muscles. The wide grip variation is effective for hitting all angles of the target muscle. Additionally, wide grip lat pulldown is a potent replacement to the pull-up which hits the same group of muscles.
“I’m gonna do this a little bit differently than I would normally go. Instead of just going through the reps, I’m gonna focus on the eccentric,” DLB explained.
She performed the concentric phase (Pulling down of the exercise at a regular speed but extended the time to three to four seconds in the eccentric phase (raising the handle back up).
The intention of the slow eccentric phase was to increase the time under tension. The Women’s Physique pioneer advised against using extremely heavy weights in this case to avoid exhausting the muscles too much.
Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
Performing this compound movement is an essential part of the process to build strong posterior muscles in the upper body. Bailey shared her experience with this exercise and shed light on some of the most common errors associated with it. She explained:
“I would really like to see this exercise be done better. I think a lot of people go way too heavy and you have a lot of (jerking) motion and your knees are bending.”
“So as I do it, I keep my feet squared in a more athletic stance. The motion instead of pulling (with the arms), it’s going to be pulling from your lats. So there’s more of an arch to it. It shouldn’t just go straight up and straight down.”
DLB further added that lightening the weight a little bit actually helps with the form and proceeded to perform the sets of eight to ten reps each.
Seated Mid Rows
The seated mid-rows on a selectorized machine followed the bent over dumbbell rows and DLB focused more on the eccentric phase again for this one. She executed the eccentric phase of the movement with slow and controlled movement to keep the muscles under tension for a longer duration. Each set of seated mid rows contained eight to ten reps.
Close-Grip Seated Rows
The retired bodybuilder then rounded off the training session by adding the last bit of stimulus to the back muscles with this exercise. The machine used for close-grip seated rows enabled a slight high to low movement during the concentric phase of the movement. Explaining the efficacy of this movement pattern, Bailey opined:
“Most seated cables you’re pulling (horizontally). So this one, you can kind of lean back and pull at an angle so you’re gonna push those shoulder blades down and back, hitting those lats a little bit more!”
She annihilated all the sets of the exercise with furious intensity. Although Bailey would have loved to add another movement to this workout, she had to wrap up reluctantly as it was a busy hour at the gym.
In totality, the back training session encompassed:
Dana Linn Bailey’s content is a potent source of pre-workout motivation for people around the world. What’s impressive is that the 39-year-old has not lost the passion for fitness and bodybuilding after retirement. Not only is she staying in good shape with her training routine, but she is also helping others achieve their fitness goals by motivating them to get up and head over to the gym for lifting some serious weight.
You can watch the full video here, courtesy of Dana Linn Bailey’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 10:47 PM EDT
Chad Nicholls: ‘If You’re Taking SARMs & Claiming Natty, Fuc**ng Get Real Man’
For decades, bodybuilding coach Chad Nicholls helped create Mr. Olympia champions. In a Desktop Bodybuilding interview, Nicholls discussed athletes pretending to be natural while taking selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs). In addition, he explained the utility of cortisol blockers and testosterone.
Guru Chad Nicholls shaped the Men’s Open division, having guided several high-profile names to gold. During the late 1990s and 2000s, an unproven Ronnie Coleman connected with Nicholls following the advice of his rival Flex Wheeler. Within a year of their bodybuilding partnership, Coleman won his first Mr. Olympia title in 1998. Under the tutelage of Nicholls, Coleman tied the all-time Sandow record with Lee Haney at eight.
In addition to working with ‘The King,’ Nicholls started training Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay, who went on to secure a pair of Mr. Olympia titles in 2020 and 2021. While Ramy came up short in fifth place last December, he made a quick turnaround at the recent Arnold Classic in fourth.
Taking a rest from contest preparations, Nicholls took part in a candid podcast to discuss the inner workings of a bodybuilding prep, most notably, the use of SARMs, testosterone, and cortisol blockers.
Chad Nicholls Takes Shot at Athletes Using SARMs Claiming Natural, Says Gear Hasn’t Changed Much Era-to-Era
According to Nicholls, athletes who use SARMs and claim natural aren’t ‘really natty.’ He argued that they might as well ‘jump to the dark side’ instead.
“I think the side effects that come with SARMs are relatively close to the side effects of what you would get from the real thing. I think there are a couple things out there as far as cutting agents that could definitely be added to a protocol as far as leanness and conditioning, but if you’re talking you know serious muscle gain and stuff like that, I know a lot of guys like to say they’re on SARMs and still claim natty or whatever, it’s – fuc**ng get real man. If you’re taking SARMs, I don’t care what you’re taking you’re not natty. You might as well make the jump to the dark side there.”
During the 90s, Nicholls shared that the purity of steroids was higher than it is today. He believes the doses haven’t changed much in the last 30 years, however.
“Pretty close. Pretty close. I mean there’s some things that have changed a little bit. Back in the 90s we’re talking about a lot of American pure gear. So, we’re talking about stuff that’s coming directly out of a hospital or a pharmacy versus now we’re talking about stuff that’s not as quite pure, still – those things all factor in, those things all change a little bit.
Purity, amount, how is everything going to be taken, but overall, when you’re talking about how much you’re going to use, it’s pretty close [from the 90s]. There’s always going to be guys that need a little bit more than others and other guys who don’t need very much. I think the key is finding out what is the least amount to get the biggest results right. It’s simple,” Chad Nicholls said.
Nicholls Says Best PED to Grow Muscle With Is Testosterone, Touches on Cortisol Blockers
Nicholls credits testosterone as the best PED for growing muscle in the shortest amount of time. He also said he’s seen athletes find great success micro-dosing testosterone.
“Testosterone. You know, but here’s the thing about testosterone, everybody thinks it’s this and that or whatever, but everybody is a little bit different. I think the key is, I’m big on using testosterone as a base. But you also have to see how your body responds to it, some people respond really really well to a slow Ester, so it could be Cypionate, but based off of how well your body metabolizes that and utilizes it within the system and how your body basically sets a baseline of testosterone; sometimes guys run better with that and a combination of like propionate, because of how it kind of spikes but then the one keeps it a little bit more steady.
Other people because of that spike, doesn’t respond well. The key is finding out where your body really gets the best benefit from the testosterone and which one of those esters or which combination of esters is best for you.”
“I’ve seen some guys make some really good progress over that way [testosterone] because you’re still stable. You’re using less but you’re taking it more often. The body is much more stable, especially if you’re just starting out like if you’re just getting started and stuff because a lot of the ups and downs can throw that body so far out of whack and the progression even slows down based off where you should be just natural.”
Next, Nicholls discussed the utility of cortisol blockers and mentioned some of his athletes currently use them.
“Ornithine, it was a cortisol blocker. It also blocked estrogen too, so it was utilized as – yeah, it would block estrogen a little bit, it would also block cortisol. The crazy thing about, it would basically it didn’t block it completely but what it did was regulated it. So there was never a high level of cortisol spiking in the system.”
“Some guys have access to it right now. I know, I’ve got some guys that have been using it a little bit and stuff. Again, it makes you feel pretty much like shit. You’re tired as fu**. It’s really hard on the stomach so you have to take it with food. Usually, no longer than four to five weeks, 250-milligram capsule usually, most people don’t go over 500.”
Nicholls says the dosages of steroids haven’t changed much since the 1990s, but there are some bodybuilding veterans from that era who disagree. Rich Gaspari recently took aim at Open Bodybuilding by suggesting that athletes are over-depending on drugs rather than quality training and nutrition.
Bodybuilding is a sport that requires dedication, discipline, and hard work. However, some athletes may utilize performance-enhancing drugs such as SARMs, to gain an edge over their competitors. Nicholls’ experience and knowledge can help aspiring bodybuilders make informed decisions about their respective careers.
You can watch the full video below, courtesy of the Desktop Bodybuilding YouTube channel:
RELATED: DEA Reveals Proposal to Change Telehealth Law, Threatening TRT Accessibility in U.S.
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 10:31 PM EDT
4x WSM Brian Shaw Completes His Final World’s Strongest Man Appearance; An End Of An Era
Every sport has its legends and Brian Shaw is without a doubt one of the greatest in Strongman. Having competed in the sport since 2007, Brian has dedicated almost two decades of his life to being as strong as possible. This required much sacrifice, but it paid off since he was the World’s Strongest Man four times. However, there won’t be any more titles for Shaw, as he has just made his final appearance at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man.
Brian Shaw was hoping to claim his fifth title at the 2023 WSM in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This would make him equal with Mariusz Pudzianowski, who is the only man to win five times. However, Brian faced setbacks for the entire season, even at the competition itself.
Brian Shaw first suffered a leg infection in January, which tied him to the hospital bed for over a week and almost resulted in amputation. So, getting prepared for the WSM after that was almost impossible. However, Brian still got the best out of it and got into contention for the title.
Unfortunately for Brian Shaw, he had to go into a Stone Off against Rauno Heinla in the qualifying stage, since he did not win his group which would have earned him direct qualification. In addition, Brian and Rauno then both lifted 11 stones in the Stone-Off, which is the most anyone has ever done. This made Brian significantly more fatigued than other athletes in the finals, which was evident in all six events.
Brian Shaw’s 2023 World’s Strongest Man Performances
Qualifying
Loading Race: 5 in 53.70 s (Third-Place)
Deadlift Machine: 8 reps (Tied-First)
Log Ladder: 4 in 33.99 s (First-Place
Conan’s Wheel: 411 ° (Fifth-Place)
Kettlebell Toss: 7 in 48.45 s (First-Place)
Stone-Off: 11 stones (Won / Qualified)
Finals
Reign Shield Carry: 39.1 m (Eight-Place)
Knaack Deadlift: 7 reps (Tied-Second)
Fingal’s Fingers: 4 in 26.61 s (Seventh-Place)
Max Dumbbell: 125 kg (Tied-Seventh)
Bus Pull: 32.65 s (Sixth-Place)
Atlas Stones: 4 in 35.88 s (Sixth-Place)
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Related: Strongman Brian Shaw Opens Up About Battle With Leg Cellulitis: “This Has Been Extremely Challenging For Me”
Brian Shaw achieved so many mind-blowing achievements at the WSM that it is almost impossible to list them all. He has now appeared in 16 World’s Strongest Man competitions, only failing to make the finals in his 2008 debut. So, Brian has been in 15 consecutive finals in each of the past 15 years, more than anyone else. In addition, he has stood on the podium ten times, which is a record tied with Zydrunas Savickas, another icon of the sport.
Apart from the World’s Strongest Man, Brian Shaw has competed in 66 International and National competitions overall. He has won an impressive 28 of them, including the 3x Arnold Strongman Classic titles as well.
Brian Shaw will also completely retire from professional Strongman later this summer. His final appearance will be at the 2023 Shaw Classic, which is the fourth edition of his own competition. So, this truly marks the end of an era, since we are witnessing Brian’s final moments in the sport.
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Full WSM 2023 Coverage
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 4:44 PM EDT
Mitchell Hooper Wins The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
The 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition took place from April 19-23, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In hopes of determining this year’s greatest Strongman, the organizers summoned 30 athletes who had proven themselves the most in the past season. These athletes were divided into five groups of six for qualifiers, which lasted for two days. After completing six events, the best two athletes from each group went on to the finals. In the finals, the ten athletes completed another ten events and Mitchell Hooper proved to be the best out of the bunch. So, Hooper earned the prestigious title of 2023 World’s Strongest Man..There was never any doubt that Mitchell Hooper could become the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, having put up very consistent performances in both the qualifying and the finals. He faced some fierce pressure from Tom Stoltman and Oleksii Novikov, as only one point separated the top three after day one of the finals. So, day two of the finals was crucial.
However, Mitchell Hooper entered the second day of the finals even better than the first one, winning two out of three events and solidifying his place at the top. He then went to perform the Atlas Stones and easily sealed the deal.
Mitchell Hooper 2023 WSM Finals Performances
Qualifying
Loading Race: 5 in 42.05 s (First-Place)
Deadlift Machine: 8 reps (First-Place)
Log Ladder: 5 in 39.51 s (First-Place)
Conan’s Wheel: 636 ° (First-Place)
Kettlebell Toss: 6 in 17.18 s (Second-Place)
Finals
Reign Shield Carry: 64.8 m (First-Place)
Knaack Deadlift: 8 reps (First-Place)
Fingal’s Fingers: 5 in 49.89 s (Sixth-Place)
Max Dumbbell: 140 kg (Tied-First)
Bus Pull: 30.24 s (First-Place)
Atlas Stones: 5 in 36.96 s (Second-Place)
Mitchell Hooper / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Mitchell Hooper had an unbelievable performance throughout the entire competition. He first won four out of the five events in the qualifiers, placing second in the fifth event as well. He then moved on to the finals and met up with the best performers from other groups as well. In the finals, Hooper managed to win another four events, more than anyone expected. So, it is evident that no one was more deserving of this title than Mitchell Hooper.
It is crazy to think how this was just the second appearance at the World’s Strongest Man competition for Mitchell Hooper. Moreover, his professional Strongman debut came in late may of 2022, when Hooper placed eight at the 2022 WSM. So, he has not even spent a year in the sport, but has already claimed the biggest title in the sport.
In the 11 months that Mitchell Hooper has been competing, he already took part in 10 International competitions and won five of them.
Mitchell Hoopers International Victories
Related: Brian Shaw Reveals How He Almost Lost His Leg In Preparation For 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Mitchell Hooper looks like the next man in line to reach the heights of Zydrunas Savickas and Brian Shaw, especially due to his consistency in every event. While we will learn soon whether he has the desire to do so, he has already made history by becoming the first Canadian to win the World’s Strongest Man competition.
Full WSM 2023 Coverage
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 4:01 PM EDT
![2023 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Finals [Live Updates]](https://www.musclechemistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-WSM-Result.jpg)
2023 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Finals [Live Updates]
The stage is set for the final day of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man contest, which has been taking place from April 19-23, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Only three more events remain until the competition concludes and we find out who the World’s Strongest Man this year is. Those events are the Max Dumbbell, Bus Pull, and Atlas Stones.
The day one of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals saw Mitchell Hooper take the lead with two event wins. However, he still has a very difficult task for day two, as Tom Stoltman and Oleksii Novikov, both previous WSM champions, are within one point of him.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals Results [Live]
Mitchell Hooper (Canada) — 34.5 points
Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — 31 points
Tom Stoltman (UK) — 30.5 points
Trey Mitchell (USA) — 25.5 points
Evan Singleton (USA) — 25 points
Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine) — 20.5 points
Brian Shaw (USA) — 17.5 points
Mathew Ragg (New Zealand) — 14.5 points
Luke Stoltman (UK) — 14.5 points
Jaco Schoonwinkel (South Africa) — 5.5 points (Withdrew)
Related: Eddie Hall Reveals His Top 3 Predictions For The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals Day Two Event Recap
Max Dumbbell
The second day of the finals began with the Max Dumbbell event, in which the athletes had to lift a dumbbell from the floor and onto one shoulder, then perform an overhead press with one hand. They had to find a comfortable position with the dumbbell before attempting the press.
Mitchell Hooper has once again won the event, marking his third victory in the finals. However, this time he had to share it with Evan Singleton, since both men lifted 140 kilograms. In addition, both attempted to lift even more, but were unsuccessful.
In regards to the third-place finish, four men ended up sharing the points, as both Stoltmans, Novikov, and Kordiyaka all lifted 132 kilograms. Unfortunately for these four competitors, sharing the points means they missed out on earning more points individually.
Jaco Schoonwinkel had the dumbbell fall back to his shoulder on his first attempt, which caused him to fall down. Although he did walk off, it was later announced that Jaco withdrew.
Mitchell Hooper — 140 kilograms
Evan Singleton — 140 kilograms
Tom Stoltman — 132 kilograms
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 132 kilograms
Luke Stoltman — 132 kilograms
Oleksii Novikov — 132 kilograms
Trey Mitchell — 125 kilograms
Brian Shaw — 125 kilograms
Mathew Ragg — 125 kilograms
Jaco Schoonwinkel — Withdrew
Bus Pull
In the second-to-last event of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, the athletes were tasked with pulling a bus a distance of 25 meters. Although the weight of the vehicle is unknown, the time limit for this event was 60 seconds.
*Results are coming soon
Atlas Stones
The Atlas Stones serve as the final event in most strongman competitions, including the 2023 World’s Strongest Man. However, this year’s competition features an exceptionally heavy set of Atlas Stones, with the five implements ranging from 150 kilograms (330.7 pounds) to 210 kilograms (463 pounds).
*Results are coming soon
Related: Mark Felix Retires From World’s Strongest Man Appearances; A Tribute to a Strongman Legend
Full WSM 2023 Coverage
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, event recaps, in-depth analysis, and results: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 11:00 AM EDT
Jaco Schoonwinkel Withdraws From 2023 World’s Strongest Man Competition
The final day of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man is underway in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, but it has proved to be very unlucky for one man. In the first event of the day, the Max Dumbbell, Jaco Schoonwinkel attempted to overhead press 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds). However, he was unsuccessful and ended up seemingly injuring himself on the attempt.
Jaco Schoonwinkel managed to lift the dumbbell onto his shoulder during the Max Dumbbell event but struggled to fully lock out the weight during the overhead press. As he attempted to lower the weight, he lost control, and it appeared to hit his shoulder. Jaco fell to the ground and remained lying down for a period before getting up and walking off. Fortunately, he seemed to be okay despite the incident.
However, Jaco Schoonwinkel was obviously not fine, as the World’s Strongest Man’s official Instagram page shared the news of his withdrawal from the competition. They did not reveal the exact reason why.
Related: Eddie Hall Reveals His Top 3 Predictions For The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Jaco Schoonwinkel really lacked luck in the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals, as he had another incident on day one. During the Reign Shield Carry event, Jaco started off well, but stumbled and fell after 15.92 meters. So, it is not clear if that incident has anything to do with his withdrawal today as well.
Jaco Schoonwinkel was one of the main surprises of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition. He was placed in a very tough group with Brian Shaw, Adam Bishop, and Rauno Heinla. Regardless, Jaco kept his cool and managed to win the group ahead of all these big names.
Jaco Schoonwinkel’s performances in the finals were less than desirable for him, but it is understandable as this was his debut at the WSM. Jaco is not too experienced in other competitions either, having only taken part in three more International competitions. Most notably, he finished second in both the 2021 Africa’s Strongest Man and 2022 Official Strongman Games.
Jaco Schoonwinkel’s 2023 WSM Performances
Qualifying
Loading Race: 5 in 47.10 s (First-Place)
Deadlift Machine: 6 reps (Fourth-Place)
Log Ladder: 4 in 34.77 s (Second-Place)
Conan’s Wheel: 713 ° (First-Place)
Kettlebell Toss: 6 in 47.32 s (Third-Place)
Finals
Reign Shield Carry: 15.92 m (Tenth-Place)
Knaack Deadlift: 5 reps (Tied-Seventh)
Fingal’s Fingers: 4 in 40.76 s (Tenth-Place)
Related: Mark Felix Retires From World’s Strongest Man Appearances; A Tribute to a Strongman Legend
Jaco Schoonwinkel is the first athlete to withdraw from the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals, and hopefully the only one. There was only one other withdrawal in the entire competition, and it was Iron Biby at the start of the competition.
2023 WSM Coverage Recap
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, event recaps, in-depth analysis, and results: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 10:48 AM EDT
2023 Los Angeles Grand Prix Pro Results — Carlos DeOliveira Wins
The Men’s Physique division headlined the 2023 Los Angeles Grand Prix Pro at the Anaheim Mariott in Anaheim, CA on April 22. Over 20 competitors battled on stage with hopes of earning a coveted invitation to the Mr. Olympia competition.
The bodybuilding calendar will welcome the next Mr. Olympia show from November 2-5, in Orlando, Florida inside the Orange County Convention Center. Athletes have until October 9 to qualify. The top three Men’s Physique finishers from 2022 Olympia are automatically invited back to compete again at this year’s event.
The Men’s Physique winner from this weekend will have a chance to take Olympia gold from Erin Banks – the man who just cemented himself as a two-time Arnold Classic champ.
Heading into SoCal, there were a few names fans expected fireworks from, like Carlos de Oliveira, who recently finished fifth at the 2023 Arnold Classic. In addition, Kevin Brown and Joseph Lee were eager to turn in statement-making performances.
2023 Los Angeles Grand Prix Pro Results
Men’s Physique
Winner — Carlos DeOliveira
Second Place — Joseph Lee
Third Place — Andres Ramos
Fourth Place — Kevin Brown
Fifth Place — Roberto Lima
Sixth Place — Aundre Benson
Seventh Place — Jorge Hernandez
Eighth Place — Damar Turner
Ninth Place — Steven Pham
Tenth Place — Franky Yan
2023 Los Angeles Grand Prix Pro Scorecard
Fitness Volt congratulates the winner!
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 4:03 AM EDT
2023 Charlotte Pro Results and Scorecards
On April 22-23, the 2023 Charlotte Pro was held in Charlotte, North Carolina. This show featured a total of five of the IFBB Pro League divisions, including Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Figure, Bikini, and Wellness.
The five winners of this weekend’s competition will earn an invite to compete at bodybuilding’s most celebrated event of the year, the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, which takes place in Orlando, Florida inside the Orange County Convention Center from November 2-5.
Currently, athletes have until October 9 to earn an invitation to this year’s Olympia. While there’s excitement about all divisions, fans have highlighted a few Classic Physique threats. Lemar Shaw, who placed outside the top 15 at the 2022 Olympia will be in attendance. Additionally, fans expect battles from Damien Patrick and David E. Kampfe Jr.
2023 Charlotte Pro Winners
Classic Physique: Daniil Famponte
Men’s Physique: Corey Morris
Figure: Madison Dinges
Bikini: Coming Soon
Wellness: Coming Soon
2023 Charlotte Pro Results
Classic Physique
Winner — Daniil Famponte
Second Place — Daniil Famponte
Third Place — Damien Patrick
Fourth Place — Tomas Adame-Hernandez
Fifth Place — Kelvin Ogbebor
Sixth Place — Lamar Shaw
Seventh Place — James “Jay” Yount
Eighth Place — Thomas Allen
Ninth Place — Barry Irving
Tenth Place — Tony A. Harris
Men’s Physique
Winner — Corey Morris
Second Place — Benquil Marigny
Third Place — Christopher Barr
Fourth Place — Dustin Alvis
Fifth Place — Puwanat Putoya
Sixth Place — Brett Mario Jackson
Seventh Place — John Murphy
Eighth Place — Roy Williams
Ninth Place — Brandon Elam
Tenth Place — Joshua Goforth
Figure
Winner — Madison Dinges
Second Place — Ericka Morgan
Third Place — Danielle Rose
Fourth Place — Constance Jones
Fifth Place — Amanda Houston
Sixth Place — Ashley Howells
Seventh Place — Deshane Price
Eighth Place — Sh’Nere Mattise Deas
Ninth Place — Nakeisha Scruggs
Tenth Place — Yukina Betz
Bikini
Coming Soon!
Wellness
Coming Soon!
2023 Charlotte Pro Scorecards
Fitness Volt congratulates the winners, and we look forward to seeing you compete on the Olympia stage.
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 3:29 AM EDT
Ric Flair Details Surviving Deadly Plane Crash to Joe Rogan: ‘They Didn’t Think I’d Ever Wrestle Again’
Pro wrestling icon Ric Flair is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time in the sport with a decorated career that spanned generations. In a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Flair detailed his experience of surviving a deadly plane crash that nearly ended his run in pro wrestling to Joe Rogan.
Ric Flair grew up with a passion for athletics and competed in a range of sports as a teenager. He chose to focus on wrestling after making a name for himself on the amateur circuit. In 1972, Flair made his debut under the American Wrestling Association (AWA) banner, where he went up against the likes of Dusty Rhodes and Andre the Giant. Then, he moved to the National Wrestling Allegiance (NWA) and became a titleholder. However, his wrestling career was at risk of collapsing after he got involved in a serious plane crash in 1975.
While he was told he would not be able to wrestle again, Flair managed to recover and got back in the ring in the first quarter of 1976. His star power skyrocketed over the next decade after he adopted the monk of ‘The Nature Boy.’ He ruled the heavyweight class of the NWA and established himself as the main draw of the organization, headlining the most prestigious annual card ten times.
Flair joined the roster of the WWF/WWE in 1991 and instantly became a popular star with his antics and charismatic persona. He turned in some of the most memorable performances in the company’s history, facing The Undertaker, Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and other fellow standouts.
In Jun. 2017, Flair endured a ghastly hand injury stemming from a suspected physical altercation with a Warriors fan. He hinted at the incident while defending his favorite team, Cleveland Cavaliers. He needed to undergo surgery for a health scare related to alcohol abuse a few months later. The news of his hospitalization drew messages of support from the community. Fortunately, he recovers and gave up drinking after the close call.
’The Nature Boy’ made headlines after being rushed to the hospital for health concerns in May 2019. His son-in-law Conrad Thompson later clarified the incident was not serious. Following heart surgery, Flair returned to social media to express gratitude for the support he received.
Ric Flair details surviving a deadly plane crash to Joe Rogan
In a recent YouTube video, Ric Flair opened up about his experience of surviving a horrific plane crash to Joe Rogan.
“We were going from Charlotte to Wilmington, North Carolina for outdoors show,” said Flair. “What happened ultimately is he took five of us on the plane and we didn’t know at the time he was carrying no fuel because we were 1400 pounds over gross. So, we get there and hit a little bit of a headwind or between seven to eight thousand, it’s not a pressurized plane so that’s not 310.
“He did what’s called past the point of no return. He should have landed in Raleigh and refilled but he’s looking and say it’s 100 miles. So unbeknownst to us the guy in front of me, Johnny Valentine, who got paralyzed kept looking at the gas gauge and looking back at me. I thought Johnny had that dry sense of humor.
“We’re flying along all of a sudden the right engine goes *boop boop* maybe like six times over and then bingo pinned. I went sh*t. He reaches down, pulls up the reserve, natural reaction there is no reserve gas, left engine went *boop* and boom *plane goes down*. Instead of flying into the Orchard trees, going to cartwheel a small aircraft, we were going so fast down anddd landed in a railroad makement stuck at the ground at 230 miles an hour. So we were probably going well over 300 and we were literally 200 yards from the runway.”
Flair shared the deadly aftermath of the crash that nearly ended his wrestling ambitions. Despite being told he’d never be able to wrestle again, Flair returned to action in six months.
“They tried,” he continued. “He died and never regained consciousness.”
“I broke my back in three places; T10, 11, and 12. Compression fracture. I used to be at 6’2”. No surgery at all. They just didn’t think I’d ever wrestle again. I was like what am I going to do, right. It was the October of 75 and I was back in the ring in March of 76. I went from 255 to 180 back to 218.
“But I never got myself to land flat on my back again ever. Everybody knows I land on my hip and my side. Just couldn’t get myself to land flat.”
Ric Flair motivated his followers with an intense workout video last June. The 73-year-old looked in impressive shape as he crushed the training routines in prep for his initially planned final outing.
Flair had an undeniable impact on the game. While he is past his best days of pro wrestling, it’s hard to imagine what the sport would have looked like had he not been able to continue due to the accident.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 22 April, 2023 | 6:00 PM EDT