Tag: nEWS
Antoine Vaillant Reveals Heart Issues Are Keeping Him From Competing
Antoine Vaillant speaks on his heart health.
It appears that Antoine Vaillant is being forced out of bodybuilding competition due to heart issues. The bodybuilder talked about his recent issues and his frustrating journey to discover what’s going on with his heart.
Having health issues keep you from doing what you love can be a truly irritating prospect. Competitive athletes have to deal with injuries all the time that prevent them from performing. A torn muscle or a broken bone can be a truly debilitating injury that can keep you from training and executing when it’s game time. But what can be even worse is having a health issue that isn’t so easily fixed. For Antoine Vaillant that very issue is his heart health.
A talented bodybuilder with a ton of experience and up side, Antoine Vaillant has a great deal left in the tank. Unfortunately he’s been unable to return to the bodybuilding stage due to health issues revolving around his heart.
Heart Issues Explained
In a recent video, Antoine Vaillant explained what is going on with his heart issues and how it’s kept him from competing. Vaillant touched on the fact that his initial tests were favorable. Then he did the calcium scoring tests and things began to look grim.
“Then I did the calcium scoring test to see if there would be markers of possible, potential plaque buildup and clogged arteries and things of the sort. As Dr. Khan hooked me out with this and that, I went to this clinic and did this CT scan, it’s like a big donut, a big MRI thing, a deep one. I hate those.
“So it was just like a little donut you go in there, and it was without the dye for the contrast. It was just a scan to get the calcium score.
“He was kind of like; well, I was freaking out after. He wasn’t freaking out, but he told me after that we need to do further testing because I’m in the 99 percentile. I said, “what does that mean?” He said, for my age and gender, I’m into 99 percent, I’m in the 1 percent, so 99 percent of people that are my age and sex have a better result than me. So what the hell.
“Anyways, it said for my section of age or the 99 percentile or whatever, that I would have a heart attack possible, or a heart attack in 3-5 years.”
Truly frightening stuff for Vaillant.
To hear what else Antoine Vaillant had to say on his current predicament, see the video below.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Cedric McMillan Will Not Compete At 2022 Arnold Classic
Cedric McMillan becomes the latest bodybuilder to withdraw from the Arnold Classic.
The 2022 Arnold Classic is just over one week away but there continues to be some changes to the Men’s Open lineup. Cedric McMillan has become the latest bodybuilder to pull his name out of the event scheduled for March 3-6 in Columbus, OH. McMillan was preparing to appear on stage during the Arnold Classic but Milos Sarcev confirmed with Jay Cutler that he will not be ready in time.
McMillan is a former champion of the Arnold Classic in 2017 and was preparing to make a run at bringing back his title. In 2020, McMillan fell a bit placing sixth before he was forced to miss the show last year with an injury. McMillan still made the trip to Columbus in September to appear as part of the broadcast team.
As recently as last week, McMillan was posting former posing routines and fans were looking forward to seeing him on stage once again.
“Way back in 2009, on stage at about 252 (still too big for classic, so dont say that)… they said “stop posing like that, it’s not 1980!” And they said “get bigger!”Thanks to @blackskullusa for finding this, it brought back so many memories ❤”
Cedric McMillan has been dealing with different injuries and issues since the 2020 season. This includes a broken hand and broken collar bone. The injuries continued into 2021 and he was forced to miss the action in Columbus last year. McMillan also had complications with COVID-19 that impacted his heart and forced him to miss a significant amount of time.
McMillan now becomes the fifth competitor to pull his name out of the show dropping the number of athletes to nine.
2021 Arnold Classic Lineup
William Bonac (Netherlands)
Maxx Charles (United States)
Brandon Curry (United States)
Samson Dauda (United Kingdom)
Regan Grimes (Canada)
Steve Kuclo (United States)
Fabio Giga Rezende (Brazil)
Justin Rodriguez (United States)
Brett Wilkin (United States)
With Cedric McMillan pulling his name out of the competition, this leave nine bodybuilders vying for the Arnold Classic title in Men’s Open. It began when Rafael Brandao withdrew from the competition for undisclosed reasons. Then, both Nathan De Asha and Mohamed Shaaban were forced to pull out due to injuries. Akim Williams was the most recent to withdraw just last week.
After healing from the virus, McMillan returned to the stage during the Legion Sports Pro. McMillan was not part of the first callout and did not return for the finals. He was also scheduled to appear during the Egypt’s KO Pro show but did not make it. The Arnold Classic was supposed to be a return to stage but fans will have to wait a little longer.
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Hidetada Yamagishi Reveals He Has Retired From Bodybuilding
Hidetada Yamagishi has not competed since 2020 and will not return to the stage.
Hidetada Yamagishi is calling it a career after 17 years as a professional bodybuilder. The 212 competitor revealed that he has retired from competition.
Yamagishi has not competed since the 2020 Olympia. He recently joined the Muscle and Fitness show The Menace Podcast where he was asked about his future. This is when Yamagishi expressed that he is retired.
“Yeah, I am retired. I’ve done everything I wanted. The last show I did was 2000… I think it was 2020… Yeah I did it but you know… During the prep I knew this was going to be my last show. I was happy that I did but I was just there. I knew I wasn’t, I didn’t belong there Physique wise.”
Hidetada Yamagishi stepped on a professional stage for the first time in 2005 during the Ironman Pro. He finished second in the event and this jumpstarted his career. In 2007, Yamagishi was able to qualify for the Olympia and finished 13th. It was not until 2010 that Yamagishi won his first professional show at the Europa Show of Champions.
In 2014, Hidetada Yamagishi moved to the 212 division and won Tampa Pro that same year. This was one of five victories for Yamagishi during his career. He also competed at the Olympia 10 times. Yamagishi also won the Europa Pro Dallas and Monsterzym Pro in 2019. His biggest moment came in 2016 when he won the Arnold Classic in the 212 division.
The decision to retire is not one that should come as a surprise. Yamagishi has not competed since 2020 and has been thinking about retiring for a few years now. In 2021, Yamagishi sat down with Generation Iron and discussed his future in bodybuilding.
“Of course, I love being on stage. I love this lifestyle. People ask me when should I retire and I was thinking about it more a couple years ago. Now, to be honest, my physique is better 10 years ago. It’s not better. I was better 10 years ago, for sure,” Hidetada yamagishi told Generation iron.
Bodybuilding was my job. Of course, it still is my job professional bodybuilding, but it’s not making much money for me anymore. I spend more money training and all this stuff. Diet and everything else. I make money from other things. It’s not really my job anymore. It’s more of a hobby and a love. I keep on competing unless one day everything hurts too much to compete.”
Hidetada Yamagishi currently lives in Las Vegas and co-owns the Powerhouse gym with 10x Ms. Olympia Iris Kyle. Yamagishi enjoyed a career that was close to two decades and now he can focus on life off stage.
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Milos Sarcev Lists The Most Shocking Pro Bodybuilding Physique Transformations Ever
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Milos Sarcev talks about the most shocking physique transformations he has ever seen by a pro bodybuilder.
There are moments throughout the history of bodybuilding physiques that stand the test of time. Moments that fundamentally changed the future of the sport – perhaps known in the moment or understood later in retrospect. Dorian Yates‘ mass monster physique first appearing on stage is a great example. It shocked audiences and judges. It change the direction of physiques for the rest of the industry. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Milos Sarcev recounts the most shocking pro bodybuilder physique transformations he had ever seen.
Milos Sarcev has been deeply involved in bodybuilding for majority of his life. He was a powerful competitor during his prime years. He claims to have brought insulin into the sport (for better or worse). And after retiring from the stage, he put his efforts into being a coach and trainer for future generations. So it would stand to reason that his insights into the past, present, and future of the sport are valuable in light of his successes.
That’s why we asked a series of questions to Milos Sarcev during our latest interview – ranging from the hardest working bodybuilders today to the most genetically gifted. We also asked him, in his opinion, what was the most shocking physique transformation he had ever seen in pro bodybuilding.
Milos Sarcev brings up two key figures. First, he discusses Flex Wheeler going from 208 pounds to 245 pounds. While this might not seem on its face a drastic change – Wheeler’s 208 physique was “skinny fat” as Sarcev would call it. More importantly, this transformation happened in the matter of only three weeks.
For Flex Wheeler to transform from out of shape “skinny fat” into a titan of muscle and conditioning in just three weeks is astounding. Of course, it’s also not fully surprising for Wheeler. He has been known to be a truly genetically gifted athlete. Perhaps one of the most genetically gifted to ever step on stage. Milos Sarcev admits as much earlier during this interview segment.
Milos Sarcev also points out Ronnie Coleman‘s transformation between 2002 and 2003. Ronnie was Olympia champion in both 2002 and 2003 – and yet the change in his physique is known by fans far and wide. It’s the moment that Ronnie left planet earth and solidified himself as a true unmatched legend in the sport.
Proof of this can be seen in what happened between these two years. After Ronnie Coleman won the 2002 Mr. Olympia, he later competed and lost to Gunter Schlierkamp. A surprising turn of events for a current Olympia champion. Something like that would never happen again for The King. By the time he reappeared at the 2003 Mr. Olympia – there was no doubt that he would remain unstoppable.
You can watch Milos Sarcev go into more detail about both Flex Wheeler’s and Ronnie Coleman’s shocking pro bodybuilding transformations in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above. He also discusses the hardest working bodybuilders currently competing and the most genetically gifted bodybuilders of all time.
Bostin Loyd Interview: I Know Pros Use Synthol
*In tribute to the late Bostin Loyd, who sadly passed away at 29 years old, we are republishing an archived interview from our Iron Cinema series first conducted in 2016.
Every week, Iron Cinema will connect you with Generation Iron director Vlad Yudin. Giving you unprecedented inside access to the creative process behind his the Generation Iron Fitness Network. Get a first hand look at the entire journey of taking Vlad’s creative ideas to the big screen – from stories on set of films like Generation Iron and CT Fletcher all the way to exclusive behind-the-scene looks at our newest GI news and films. This week Vlad talks further with controversial bodybuilder Bostin Loyd about the use of Synthol and how it’s more commonly used at the top of the IFBB than you would ever imagine.
Bostin Loyd was another bodybuilder who had a lot to say – and so much of it was valuable that we needed to do a a second part of his interview as well. In part 2 I talk with Loyd in depth about the use of synthol and how it compares to the rampant use of steroids in the industry. Bostin Loyd has always been open and honest about all things – including steroids and synthol. So it’s good to get further clarification on how the industry really works beyond what active pros tell us. Synthol is normally frowned upon and considered a “cheat” – something that serious pros never partake in… but Bostin Loyd has a very different truth (according to him) about the use of Synthol. Hear it all in our latest interview above.
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Milos Sarcev Says He Regrets Using Synthol
Milos Sarcev talks about his history with synthol oil.
Milos Sarcev recently spoke about one of his biggest regrets in his bodybuilding career: his synthol usage. The veteran bodybuilder and coach talked about his synthol usage on Jay Cutler’s recent podcast episode.
When you’re competing at the highest level of your chosen sport there are many that will do almost anything to obtain victory. In the case of bodybuilding that can mean taking a number of different measures. Utilizing all different kinds of gear seems to be the number one choice.
For some bodybuilders utilizing synthol oil has been an option for helping to increase muscle mass. Many fans and avid bodybuilders frown upon its usage, especially by those who don’t do any kind of legit training whatsoever. But with that said, there are many pros who have used synthol oil in the past. One of them is Milos Sarcev who isn’t too proud of the point.
In a recent podcast Milos Sarcev spoke about one of his biggest regrets in his career. For Sarcev it was his apparent synthol usage. The veteran bodybuilder and coach spoke with Jay Cutler about his history with synthol.
“The biggest regret for me is using the Synthol in my arms,” said Milos Sarcev. “Okay, up until 97, I mean I was told many times, with the bigger arms you have a chance right. And we were using clan (Clenbuterol) back in the day. Then Kevin came to 97 Olympia, remember Flex was supposed to beat Dorian Yates, and then he pulled out of the show 2-weeks out.
“Then, you know Kevin was looking for him, and then said, ‘Milos can you please give this to Flex because he had to go back to England’ and so there was like 12 bottles of something. I said ‘what is it?’ He said Synthol, you inject it in small body parts, and I said ‘oh wow’. So just take half. So, you know of course I started, initially I was getting great results with that one. I don’t want to say great results because I never want to encourage anyone to do it. It’s the biggest mistake.”
While Milos Sarcev didn’t obtain his body solely by utilizing synthol, it is clearly something he isn’t proud of. To hear what else he had to say about his time in bodybuilding be sure to checkout the full podcast episode.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Bodybuilder Bostin Loyd Has Passed Away At 29 Years Old
Bostin Loyd was open about steroids and his kidney failure during his career.
Bodybuilder Bostin Loyd has passed away at the age of 29, according to sources close to Generation Iron. There has been no official cause of death confirmed at this time. Loyd passed out at his home in Springhill, FL before being taken to the hospital. This is where he was pronounced dead. The paramedics on scene believed it to be a heart attack but there is no official word just yet.
Early in his career, Bostin Loyd publicly discussed his use of steroids. He became the first competitive bodybuilder to openly reveal his steroid cycle. Loyd was 21 years old and had just won the 2013 NPC Contra Costa in Hayward, CA. This was a video that brought attention to his career at a young age.
Loyd was a bodybuilder who became known for sharing controversial stances around the sport. He was honest about his journeys and this includes his battle with Stage 5 kidney failure. The cause of this was likely due to the overall lifestyle of a bodybuilder. This could be the substances being taken or cutting weight through dehydration.
Bostin Loyd found out about his diagnosis in October 2020 and began studying about how to restore his kidney function. This could also be used to help and guide other athletes in the future. Loyd began undergoing many treatments such as recovery peptides, gluthithione, and stem cells.
Loyd’s final competition came in 2016 during the NPC Kevin Gore Border Klash. Aside from steroids, Loyd was also open about the number of pro cards being handed out by the IFBB at the time.
The career of Loyd will be remembered in different lights depending on your views. He received plenty of backlash over the course of his career for his views and beliefs. Also, his admittance to steroids cause a huge stir. the tragic news of Loyd’s passing comes shortly after Isaac Ghavidel passed away after a success career in Iran and Canada.
Bostin Loyd was always true to himself and believed in speaking on difficult issues. Generation Iron sends condolences to friends and family during this difficult time.
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Martyn Ford And Iranian Hulk Trade Blows After Heated Exchange During Staredown
The first staredown between Martyn Ford and the Iranian Hulk went as expected.
The anticipation and excitement around the boxing match between Martyn Ford and the Iranian Hulk is beginning to feel real. This was taken to the next level when the two rivals met face-to-face for the first time. The staredown took place in Dubai and was just as heated as expected. Ford and Sajad Gharibi came to blows on two occasions to set the stage for what already is a big-time fight.
The boxing match is scheduled to take place at the O2 Arena in London on April 2. The first staredown took place on Thursday morning about five weeks out of the fight.
During their first encounter, Gharibi attempted to take tackle Martyn Ford and take him to the ground. the two were separated before facing off once again. This is where Ford got even with a shove to the Iranian Hulk that sent him to the floor. Those who were filming the event were forced to help step in and break up the two behemoths.
This fight is scheduled to be a four-round bout which each being two minutes long. It is a Boxstar Celebrity Boxing event that is sanctioned by the Professional Boxing Association. This will be the headline event with 12 fights on the undercard. This makes for a great night of fighting at one of the most famous arenas in London.
When looking at the two fighters square off, you can notice the size differences. Martyn Ford holds a clear height advantage at 6-foot-9 compared to 6-foot-2 of the Iranian Hulk. Gharibi carries plenty of muscle mass and weighs around 390 pounds. This is 90 pounds more than Ford, who also carries great size at his extreme height. It will be interesting to see how this comes into play over the course of the night.
There is expected to be around 20,000 fans in attendance to watch this bout. They will have a chance to see the Iranian Hulk begin his boxing career against Ford, who has some experience in other areas. He has been training with some of the top fighters in the world to prepare. Ford has experience in MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
The plan for this fight was announced back in October. This means both fighters have had months to prepare and to think about their meeting. Both Martyn Ford and the Iranian Hulk are starting to gear up and that can be seen during their first staredown.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Natural Bodybuilder Melanie Pfeifer Is Ecstatic to Train Again Post Breast Cancer Surgery
Image via Instagram @inbapnbaglobal_official
Natural Olympia Pro Women’s Physique Open champion Melanie Pfeifer is ecstatic to start training for the upcoming 2022 natural bodybuilding season after successful breast cancer surgery.
The 2022 INBA PNBA season is approaching! The INBA PNBA Workshop competition plans to kickoff the INBA PNBA season in 2022, on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Corona, CA. With less than a month underway before the first INBA PNBA natural bodybuilding competition, many competitors have put it into high gear! Including Melanie Pfeifer, who is a 2021 Natural Olympia champion that’s undergone a recent successful post-surgery breast cancer recovery.
Melanie Pfeifer is inspirational and has a true heart of a champion. After receiving news of a breast cancer diagnosis two months before Natural Olympia 2021, Pfeifer stood firm and dominated the pro Women’s Physique Open division with a first-place finish. Moreover, she did this within 24 hours of winning the amateur Women’s Physique class.
Pfeifer’s surgery for breast cancer took place this past January. Her recovery has gone great, and she’s excited to start training again. The International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) released a complete statement on Instagram (IG). The INBA PNBA stated:
“Two months prior to the Natural Olympia Melanie was diagnosed with breast cancer and her surgery was scheduled for January 2022. @inbapnbaglobal_official and our global family are elated to hear that Melanie’s recovery has gone well and that she can’t wait to start training again.”
You can see the INBA PNBA’s complete statement below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CaVjON-vffu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Melanie Pfeifer Plans to Compete in 2022
It’s safe to say that Melanie Pfeifer made her country proud after taking back a gold medal and $1,000 prize. Natural Olympia 2021 was Melanie Pfeifer’s first Natural Olympia. So, of course, she traveled overseas from Italy to make this win happen.
Melanie Pfeifer’s glory doesn’t end in there though. The Natural Bodybuilding Federation Italy (NBFI) will be hosting the INBA PNBA World Championships on June 24-26th, where Pfeifer plans to compete. And as a reigning Natural Olympia gold medalist, that automatically qualifies her for 2022 Natural Olympia.
The INBA has the top natural physiques from all over the world who meet at Natural Olympia for a chance to win gold medals, cash, and prizes. This past year Natural Olympia represented athletes from over 15 countries, including champions from Britain (Claire Burton – Women’s Physique Masters), (Mexico (Arely Ayala – Bikini Angels), Germany (Mirco Burger – Men’s Bodybuilding Masters), and America (Rebekah Rasmussen – Bikini Divas Masters).
Women’s Physique Division
The Women’s Physique division is the class Melanie Pfeifer competes in. To place well in the Women’s Physique division, its critical competitors have a considerable amount of muscle mass. Judges will score them on symmetry, muscularity, definition (conditioning), and stage presence. Muscularity is essential in other divisions, such as Bikini Divas; however, Bikini athletes won’t need as much muscle to win. Although, the Women’s Bodybuilding division has the most muscular physiques in the women’s division.
Generation Iron is happy to hear Melanie Pfeifer’s post-surgery recovery has gone well. We look forward to seeing you in 2022!
Here you can find INBA PNBA’s initial schedule for the 2022 season!
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Serena And Venus Williams Say Bodybuilding Could Be Part Of Life After Tennis
Serena and Venus Williams have discussed the possibility of becoming bodybuilders after their tennis careers.
It is not crazy to say that Serena and Venus Williams are the two greatest female tennis players of all-time. They have had great success since becoming prodigies at a young age. While they have dominated tennis for two decades now, the duo might have some other goals to achieve off the court.
The sisters will grace the cover of Harper’s Bazaar’s Legacy Issue. During their time with the publication, both Serena and Venus Williams discussed their future plans. Neither was ready to call it quits on the court but they could use their fitness passion and skill to take on bodybuilding.
“Serena and I say we’re going to become bodybuilders after tennis. It might be extreme. It might not happen exactly like that, but you never know,” Venus Williams said.
“From such a young age, all we’ve done is work. So I think for Serena and I to explore that freedom is surreal. We’ve never been free.”
The tennis duo certainly has the freedom to do whatever they want after retiring from the sport that they have played all of their lives. Serena and Venus Williams have combined to win 30 Grand Slam titles as singles players and have won 14 Grand Slam titles as doubles partners. They have also added one Olympia gold medal each as singles players and combined to win three gold medals together as partners. These came in 2000 in Sydney, 2008 in Beijing, and 2012 in London.
The Williams’ sisters are also at the top of the career earnings’ list in terms of female players. They grew a passion for tennis at a young age and were trained hard by their parents. This is where they leaned plenty of lessons.
“My dad always told us to plan ahead. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” Serena Williams said.
“”We never planned to just only play tennis and just only be tennis players. We planned to do more.”
This is not to say that Serena and Venus Williams will take on the challenge of bodybuilding but it is a future plan that they have thought of. It would certainly be interesting to see how their training and overall lifestyle would change if they went from the tennis court to the bodybuilding stage. If there is a duo of athletes that could make the jump, it would be the Williams’ sisters.
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