Tag: nEWS
Natural Bodybuilder Ricky Fernandez Utilized Unilateral Training for a Total Body Transformation
Image via @acslater_85
PNBA natural athlete Ricky Fernandez transforms his physique through discipline, effort, consistency, and unilateral training.
We all know that it takes discipline, effort, and consistency to reach any health and fitness endeavor. However, some people want to blame genetics for their poor physiques. And although your body type does play a part in your overall body composition, the principles you follow are the most essential. One effective training style is unilateral training – training one limb at a time—for example, Bulgarian dumbbell split squat, single-arm dumbbell bench press, and single-arm dumbbell rows.
International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) natural athlete Ricky Fernandez showcases how much you can transform your physique when you put in the work and add some unilateral training to your routine.
Ricky Fernandez had a seemingly average physique before going through a total body makeover. On Instagram (IG), Fernandez stated:
“You can do it… yes You! I believe in you! We can all achieve our perspective goals through discipline, effort and consistency. Stay the course my friends”
Below you can see Ricky Fernandez’s complete transformation.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYErzF_F1Vh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Unilateral Training
Of course, to make a physique transformation like Fernandez, you have to incorporate the correct movements into your training plan. On social media, it’s apparent Ricky Fernandez likes to perform unilateral training.
Unilateral training has benefits compared to bilateral exercises – working out both sides of your muscles simultaneously—for example, barbell squat, barbell bench press, and smith machine bench press.
Unilateral Training Benefits
Unilateral movements are best for engaging your core and stabilizing muscles. And bilateral movements are perfect for gaining strength since it enables you to use heavier loads.
Ricky Fernandez’s Workouts
A lower body workout Ricky Fernandez makes sure to include in his program is barbell lunges. And for an isolation exercise for his triceps, he likes single-arm tricep extensions. Fernandez also includes other workouts to add volume to his triceps, such as triceps pulldowns and incline skull crushers. Additionally, to add some volume to his chest, he’ll do as many weighted push-ups as he can for 30 seconds.
Fernandez keeps the volume and intensity high. He performs barbell lunges for six sets until failure. Below, you can view an IG training video of him performing barbell lunges.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ScKXzpKf6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Men’s Physique
After undergoing an astonishing physique transformation, Ricky Fernandez competes in the PNBA Men’s Physique class. In the summer of 2021, Fernandez earned his PNBA pro card at the INBA PNBA Kern County show.
William Long is the reigning champ of the Men’s Physique division at Natural Olympia. The judges score this competition based on an athlete’s symmetry, muscularity, definition (conditioning), and stage presence. Although, legs won’t be a big factor in this class since contenders wear board shorts. And Men’s Physique athletes will hold onto less muscle mass than Men’s Bodybuilding.
Recap
Unilateral movements are an essential aspect of any training plan. They increase your stability and allow you to fix any muscular imbalances. Unilateral training is best when combined with bilateral exercises. For absolute strength (total strength), bilateral movements are better since you’ll be able to use heavier loads.
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Jean-Claude Van Damme Announces Retirement, Reveals Final Movie Role
Jean-Claude Van Damme will retire after his final movie role.
All good things must come to an end. Action superstar Jean-Claude Van Damme has decided to call it a career and will be retiring. He will appear on the big screen one more time before ending a career that has spanned over the course of four decades.
Van Damme’s final moment role in a movie will be playing none other than himself. In the movie entitled What’s My Name?, Van Damme will portray himself waking up from a coma after a car accident. This will cause amnesia leaving everyone unrecognizable. This is where he will begin to find a new identity.
Van Damme discussed this role and his decision to retire with Deadline and believes he has done all that he has wanted in movies.
“I wanted to leave the stage but with a revisit of my career, starting with Bloodsport, the one where I started to become famous. I want this to be a new Bloodsport but on a higher level. In the film, I am on my way down in terms of career, and as I come out of a premiere of another action movie, I am not happy because I’ve been living in hotels the past 30 years, which is actually true. We’re going to bring real elements from my real life and what happened to me.”
Jean-Claude Van Damme quickly became known for his acting skills and good looks on the big screen. He was often seen in action movies, playing some sort of skilled fighter, and was not shy about showing off his chiseled physique. He was one of the pioneers in this genre that paved the way for other fighters and fitness enthusiasts to show themselves off.
Van Damme continued his conversation by discussing his path to Hollywood. Also, he takes the time to go into a bit of detail about his character in the movie. Even though he will portray himself, the role will have plenty of distinct characteristics.
“I came from Belgium, all the way to Hollywood. I succeeded, I failed, I came back. So I’m walking out on the street after the premiere, and boom! — a car hits me because I’m drunk. When I wake up from the impact, I don’t know what’s my name, and no one recognizes me.
I’m canceling everything to get in shape, and after this movie, I’ve bought a small boat. Not a big boat — that’s not for me — but I want to go around the world, and relax. I work all my life, I live all my life in hotels for 30 years.”
The end of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s career marks the end of a legendary one that has made many classic movies. Whether on the big screen or not, the actor will remain an influential voice but there are many that will be upset to see his time as an actor come to an end.
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PJ Braun Sentenced To 4.5 Years In Prison, Guy Cisternino Steps Up At Blackstone Labs
Image via Instagram @pjbraunfitness
After a slight delay, PJ Braun has been sentenced to 54 months in prison and announces increased role of Guy Cisternino at Blackstone Labs during his absence.
On Thursday, February 17, 2022, Blackstone Labs president PJ Braun was officially sentenced to 54 months in prison after a slight delay in the courts. A day after the sentencing, Braun made his last official announcement as president announcing that Guy Cisternino will step up in an increased role at Blackstone Labs. This news comes just under one month after Aaron Singerman’s sentencing.
Both PJ Braun and Aaron Singerman were convicted of selling illegal anabolic steroids and other unlawful controlled substances marketed as dietary supplements. During the case, both defendants pleaded guilty.
In addition to the 54 months in prison, PJ Braun also had to forfeit $3 million alongside Blackstone Labs forfeiting $1.2 million. Despite these events, Braun seems to remain confident that Blackstone Labs will continue to not only stay stable but grow during his absence.
In his last official statement as president posted to Instagram, PJ Braun also announced that Guy Cisternino will be “taking over” during his time in prison. While this does not go into exact detail of what this means – it is clear that Cisternino will take on an increased responsibility within the company. Cisternino is already a sponsored athlete of Blackstone Labs.
PJ Braun also took some time to explain his actions and the court sentencing in the video. He claimed that the two illegal substance Blackstone Labs sold were a pro hormone and SARMs. He also claims that neither he nor Aaron Singerman were aware that they should not be selling them. Despite this, he takes full responsibility for his actions and accepts the time he will serve in prison.
You can watch the full video below:
In the lead up to the sentencing, Aaron Singerman made many headlines due to some erratic actions. This included two DUIs – one in a boat and one in a car. PJ Braun’s sentencing was originally set to be the same day as Singerman’s but was postponed. Reports claim that this postponement was due to unspecified medical issues that needed to be reviewed before the final sentencing.
Both PJ Braun and Aaron Singerman had spoken with Generation Iron previously across various digital series we have produced. PJ Braun was featured in our Muscle Moguls series – which had an entire episode dedicated to the original raid of Blackstone Labs.
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Aaron Singerman also spoke with Generation Iron via our GI Exclusive interview series. In one particular segment, Singerman discussed his relationship with PJ Braun and the legal action taken against Blackstone Labs.
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At this time it is unclear if either PJ Braun or Aaron Singerman will serve the full 4.5 year sentence. It’s likely that they will be able to earn reduced sentencing for good behavior among other factors.
Regardless, at this moment PJ Braun seems optimistic that Blackstone Labs will still be flourishing upon his return. With many other employees and athletes involved in the 22 year long running business – hopefully the company will be able to survive the turmoil of the case.
For more updates on all things bodybuilding, fitness, and strength sports – make sure to stay tuned to the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
Victor Martinez: “Fans In Bodybuilding Are The Most Disloyal”
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Victor Martinez reacts to bodybuilding fandom of social media age.
Victor Martinez has always been a pro bodybuilder unafraid to speak his mind in a casual and candid way. So after the past year saw a major backlash against bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger due to his “freedom” comments, Martinez was not afraid to speak his mind on not Schwarzenegger’s comments but rather the fan reaction. In fact, Martinez knows all too well what it’s like when fans that supported you suddenly turn on you due to unforeseen circumstances. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez explains why he thinks bodybuilding fans might be the most disloyal compared to other sports.
Victor Martinez previously commented on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “freedom” comments back when it was making viral headlines across the internet. But in our latest interview segment he goes into an even deeper reaction beyond the Schwarzenegger situation. Martinez sees these kind of hyper-reactionary fan comments as a sign of something bigger in the bodybuilding community.
While not the exact same situation per se, Victor Martinez is familiar with bodybuilding fans suddenly turning their backs on him. Unlike Schwarzenegger, this was less due to his direct comments and more due to something outside of his control. Martinez was incarcerated for some time right when his bodybuilding career was flourishing. This put a screeching halt on his progress. He lost a massive amount of weight. Upon returning to the free world, he faced massive criticism due to the state of his physique as he tried to return to his prime shape in the sport.
It’s this kind of reactionary commenting that turns Victor Martinez off. He quickly learned to treat it as white noise and ignore the comments. It was the only way he could confidently march forward and focus on his career. He ignored most of the comments – but from what he was told by friends and fellow athletes – he was nearly betrayed by the loyal fanbase he once had.
This this kind of mob reactionary mentality that Victor Martinez sees more and more in bodybuilding fandom. It’s something that he believes has been accelerated by social media (this of course is true beyond sports and has affected culture as a whole). But it’s also something that he thinks is particularly bad in pro bodybuilding. Perhaps because of the emphasis on judging the aesthetic of physiques.
“Maybe other sports do have better fans than bodybuilding,” Victor Martinez stated in our interview. He continued to explain:
“That’s what brings me to the now of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of how the fans in bodybuilding are the most unloyal [sic] fans, you know? They can be with you today but come war tomorrow, they’re gone. They aren’t the most stick by you die-hard fans.”
Victor Martinez goes on to say that bodybuilding fans are more focused on “how great you are now” and can quickly change “how they are going to treat you later. It’s very subjective to where you are.”
It’s this kind of reactionary in the moment thinking that taught Victor Martinez to stop caring what other people think. Instead he only focused on the comments that mattered – the comments of judges scoring his physique. It might also explain why he’s willing to be so candid during interviews. He doesn’t worry about the backlash that may come.
You can watch Victor Martinez talk in detail about the reactionary core of bodybuilding fandom in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Discusses Plant-Based Diet He Has Been On For Five Years
Arnold Schwarzenegger has mainly followed this diet plan for half a decade.
Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to be a huge voice in bodybuilding and fitness. He sculpted one of the best physiques of all-time in the gym using some massive lifts. Out of the gym, his lifestyle was up for the challenge and he has continued some of his diet tricks to this day. Schwarzenegger recently discussed his plant-based diet, which he has been following for the last five years.
Schwarzenegger has been standing by this diet plan at an 80% clip. In his recent newsletter, the legendary bodybuilder discussed the benefits of this diet along with some of the foods that are difficult to turn down.
““I have been about 80% plant-based for the past 5 years of my life. Even though I still eat meat sometimes, because I can’t resist a juicy steak when I have friends over or a crispy wiener schnitzel in Austria, I mostly eat plant-based because it is better for my overall health, and as my friend Jim Cameron taught me, better for the environment because the clearing of forests and the raising of animals for meat causes so much pollution,” Arnold Schwarzenegger said.
Arnold Schwarzenegger made it clear that he is not only following this diet plan because of his health. He is also interested in the impact that it has on the environment. He mentions that pollution is a major factor in the United States. Schwarzenegger claims that eating less meat means that less and less forests will be cleared, ultimately creating more food for animals.
Along with the impact that it has on the environment, Schwarzenegger discussed what the diet has done for his health. His cholesterol is very low because of it and this has helped him feel better all-around.
“My bad cholesterol number is so low that my Doctor thought I might be a different person and feel healthier and younger overall. If any of you have recently gone vegan, what are your favorite recipes? And if any of you are thinking about going vegan, what’s stopping you? Send me an email with the subject VEGAN and let me know!”
This is not a diet that Arnold Schwarzenegger followed during his competition days. There are some critics who believe this would not work for active athletes. Now that Schwarzenegger has been off the stage for years and years now, it is the perfect time to give this diet a shot. It seems to be working for him.
This is the perfect diet for a person looking to take in less meat and drop cholesterol levels. For an athlete who wants to maintain mass, specifically bodybuilders, this might not be the direction to go while competing.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Akim Williams Reportedly Out Of 2022 Arnold Classic
Akim Williams has not yet commented on reports of his withdrawal.
Akim Williams is one of the quickest-rising bodybuilders in Men’s Open. He was preparing to compete in his fourth Arnold Classic competition but fans might have to wait until next year. Williams has reportedly taken his name out of the 2022 Arnold Classic, according to multiple outlets.
Williams has not yet made an official statement on his status for the competition. The Arnold Classic is scheduled for March 3-6 in Columbus, OH.
Akim Williams has continued to share workout videos on social media but has been short with his captions.
With Williams pulling his name out of the competition, this leave 10 bodybuilders vying for the Arnold Classic title in Men’s Open. It became with 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.
2022 Arnold Classic Lineup
William Bonac
Maxx Charles
Brandon Curry
Samson Dauda
Regam Grimes
Steve Kuclo
Cedric McMillan
Fabio Giga Rezende
Justin Rodriguez
Brett Wilkin
It is still a lineup full of big names despite four competitors withdrawing. Curry continues to be one of the favorites to win the event after back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Olympia. McMillan will also make his return to the stage while Kuclo is looking to build off a third-place finish last year. Wilkin is considered a dark-horse to win the show and jumpstart his 2022 campaign.
Akim Williams finished fifth during the 2021 Arnold Classic. During his career, he has won three shows and continues to improve as time goes on. Williams’ first victory came during the 2016 Tampa Pro. In 2020, he was victorious during the 2020 Chicago Pro followed by a win during the 2021 Puerto Rico Pro. He has competed at the Olympia four times, including a sixth place finish in 2020.
After withdrawing from the Arnold Classic, Williams will have to find another way to qualify for the 2022 Olympia. He can do this by winning another show or earning system points. There is still plenty of time as the Arnold Classic typically begins the bodybuilding season.
Fans were looking forward to watching Williams perform in Columbus but they will have to wait a bit longer. It will be interesting to hear the reason for his withdrawal once the bodybuilder makes an official statement.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Olympia Expo Heads to THE VENETIAN Expo & Convention Center
THE SPECTACULAR VENETIAN SET TO HOST 2022 OLYMPIA EXPO They often say, “No one sleeps in Las Vegas”. Apparently the same holds true for the team that runs the fitness industry’s most prestigious event. After two SOLD OUT years in Orlando, overcoming a global pandemic, the Olympia team is showing no signs of slowing down,…
Martyn Ford vs. Iranian Hulk Undercard Has Been Announced
Martyn Ford and the Iranian Hulk will headline the show but there are other fights to watch.
There is a set date, a location, and now we have an undercard. Martyn Ford and Sajad Gharibi, knows as the Iranian Hulk, will square off on April 2 at the O2 Arena in London. On Thursday, the full fight card for the night was released.
This fight is years in the making. The much-anticipated event has gotten personal at times and it should make for a memorable night of boxing. Other fighters looking to be apart of the event will have a chance to show what they can do as well.
Below, you can find the full fight card that will take place on April 2 in London.
Martyn Ford vs. Iranian Hulk Undercard
Martyn Ford vs Iranian Hulk (Main Event)
Patrice Evra vs TBC
Jamie O’Hara vs Kris Boyson
Jack Fincham vs TBC
James English vs TBC
Jess Bays vs TBC
Elijah Niko vs Keegan Hirst
Theo Campbell vs Connagh Howard
Brad Scott MMA vs Conan Barbaru
AJ Bunker vs Carla Jade
Ventour vs Jacques Fraser
Jamie O’Hara vs Kris Boyson
Frank London vs TBC
It is clear that both behemoths want to get the better of the other in the ring. Martyn Ford recently trained with champion kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in order to fine tune his skills heading into the event. He enters the match with experience in MMA and Brazialian jiu-jitsu.
While the Iranian Hulk does not have experience in the ring, he will have a distinct weight advantage. The bodybuilder is expected to come into the match weighing around 390 pounds. Ford weighs around 300 pounds but has seven inches of height on Gharibi at 6-foot-9. This makes it an extremely interesting matchup on paper.
It can all be thrown out in the ring when two fighters want to come out on top. Some believe that the Iranian Hulk might be able to gain an advantage because of his weight as the fight gets deeper and deeper.
Regardless of the outcome, what we do know is that there will be a full night of boxing in the famous O2 Arena in London come April 2. There is expected to be around 20,000 fans in attendance to watch what could be a special night of fighting.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Natural Bodybuilder Erika Sweeney Gives Strong Reasons to Take a Vitamin D Supplement
PNBA Figure pro competitor Erika Sweeney has solid reasons you should start taking a vitamin D supplement.
The bulk of your fitness results will come from your diet and workouts. However, taking the right supplements can work wonders for your health. A supplement that is sure to do this is vitamin D, and International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) Figure pro Erika Sweeney says why. Erika Sweeney placed well at 2021 Natural Olympia in the Figure division. She received third place in Figure Classic and second in Figure Masters. Regarding vitamin D supplementation, Sweeney stated:
“Look up the side effects of vitamin D deficiency. Feel all of them? Simple addition to relieve the body pain, lethargy and depression. Gummies every day!”
According to Sweeney, not getting enough of this vitamin can lead to many problems, including pain, fatigue, and mental health issues.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is responsible for building and strengthening your bones. And it’s essential for your immune health and energy levels. Without adequate levels, your chances of illness are increased, and excessive fatigue is a common side effect. Furthermore, your mental and bone health can take a toll if you’re low on vitamin D.
You get vitamin D from the sun and certain foods, including salmon, tuna, orange juice, and milk. However, suppose you aren’t consuming enough of these foods or spending enough time in the sun. In that case, it’s recommended that you take a vitamin D supplement to avoid a deficiency.
In fact, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in the United States. (1)
Below is Erika Sweeney’s entire social media post on the matter.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYpt4Znu81E/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Better Your Health
Aside from Erika Sweeney mentioning solid reasons to take a vitamin D supplement, she informed people of more health tips about diet and exercise. Sweeney said:
“diet: add veggies to every meal, cut down the sugars and avoid processed and fried food most of the time. Consider it a chance to learn about how your body reacts to food rather than the deprivation.
Exercise: find something you enjoy to get active. Go for hikes, yoga , 20 min work outs. Just get it started.”
Of course, exercise and nutrition are the most important things you can do for your health and fitness. Sweeney recommends cutting down on sugar and avoiding processed foods and fried food. And for workouts, she says to move and find an activity you like.
Natural Bodybuilding
Natural bodybuilding is an excellent sport for people with a competitive nature that like to compete, build relationships, and above all, protect their health. Of course, exercise and nutrition play a crucial role in your health. However, certain lifestyle habits, such as doping, can be horrendous for your health.
Natural bodybuilding allows you to exercise and eat right while avoiding drugs. That’s because if you get caught doping in natural bodybuilding leagues, you’re out. For instance, the INBA PNBA bans competitors for competing, strips them of their titles, and uploads them to the Hall of Shame.
Recap
Vitamin D is vital for your health. A deficiency can lead to all sorts of issues, including anxiety and depression, brittle bones, and a weak immune system. If you aren’t getting enough vitamin D from foods and sunlight, opt for a quality vitamin D supplement.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more health tips from PNBA pros!
Reference
Parva, N. R., Tadepalli, S., Singh, P., Qian, A., Joshi, R., Kandala, H., Nookala, V. K., & Cheriyath, P. (2018). Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk Factors in the US Population (2011-2012). Cureus, 10(6), e2741. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.2741
Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead Do Epic Leg Day Training
Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead put in some epic work in the gym.
It looks like in-laws Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead are putting in some serious leg training at the gym. The two top competitors are looking to get 2022 started off with a bang as they prep for the season.
There’s nothing like a good leg day to bring together your physique. A bodybuilder with poor leg development won’t be much of a contender for long. If a competitor wants to be a champion working on their wheels is absolutely paramount. This fact is why most champions put an emphasis on training their legs. Iain Valliere and Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead understand this well and put in some serious training in the gym.
Chris Bumstead has a tight stranglehold on the Classic Physique division. He has defended his Olympia title two straight years in a row cementing himself as the king of the division. One thing that has helped him defend the throne is constantly looking to improve himself.
Iain Valliere himself is becoming a real top flight contender. Coming in seventh place at the 2021 Olympia, Valliere is climbing up the rankings and could prove to be even more of force at time moves on.
Epic Leg Day
Now the two brothers-in-law are looking push themselves with an intense leg day session. Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead both hit legs with a vengeance as they prep for the 2022 season. A video of the training was posted to Valliere’s YouTube channel where he has this to say.
“What’s up guys, we’re here today training a little quads,” said Iain Valliere. “We got CBum here. It’s been a while since Chris has done a hard workout. Yeah like I said, we will do some quads today, start with some hacks, then going to move on to the leg press and all that kind of fun stuff. Yeah, so we’re going to get into it here, and start warming up and get into hacks.
“Okay, so we finished five sets there. Two sets, we worked up to a top set. We were aiming for 8-10 but I think we were all in the 10-12 range which is good. An average of 10. Now we’re moving on to the leg press. We only have one set here. Working up to a set of 15 with a very small pause, then pushing up five more, after failure. So re-rack, actually I think we can keep it unracked, keep the tension on, a couple seconds try to get another 5. Fifteen pushing 20, so we’re going to work up here and hammer out that one top set.”
It’s clear that Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead are working hard to improve themselves. 2022 is looking to be a great year for the two brothers.
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.