Tag: nEWS
Chris Hemsworth Reveals Intense Full-Body Workout To Build Explosive Strength
Chris Hemsworth is back at it again with some intense workouts to try.
Chris Hemsworth has been on a fitness journey recently that includes putting together different workouts and improving strength in many ways. This includes a new full-body workout that he recently shared, along with trainer Luke Zocchi.
Hemsworth took to Instagram to share the workout with his 53.6 million followers. The Australian actor has been known for his shredded physique on the big screen and he is continuing to take it to the next level. This particular workout featured a medicine ball as the only piece of equipment. There was a total of seven movements used followed by two minutes of rest. This circuit was repeated four times.
“A great full body workout to help build explosive power and strength @centrfit ??????”
Chris Hemsworth began the workout with wall slams to the right and left. All movements were completed with five reps. Hemsworth completed with slams on the ground and front squats. These are all workouts to improve and build explosive power and strength.
Hemsworth then focused on some core work. He completed five pushups alternating each hand on the medicine ball. The circuit ended with sit ups and Russian twists. The rest period lasted two minutes followed by three more rounds. There are different ways to modify this circuit. This includes using a lighter medicine ball or adding recovery time if needed.
For Chris Hemsworth, this is the type of workout that has helped him transform his physique over time. He is knowns for his roles in Thor and Extraction where he has had to be in top physical shape. This has led to Hemsworth creating a fitness app called CentrFit. This has held him create different workouts to help others accomplish their goals. CentrFit took off during the COVID-19 pandemic when gyms were closed.
In recent months, Hemsworth has been active on social media sharing different workouts and movements to build strength. This is how he has transformed his body over time and that is going to continue over the course of his career. One thing we have seen is that Hemsworth’s workouts are no joke and can be used by anyone to break a sweat.
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Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
Interview: How Colts LB Darius Leonard Went From Worst Pick To Top Linebacker In The NFL
Darius Leonard, aka The Maniac, discusses his journey to the top of the NFL and his lockdown training routine.
When Darius Leonard first entered the NFL, he was labeled by many sports news outlets as the worst pick of the year. That’s not the kind of attention you want going into your first year in the pro leagues. Fast forward to the end of the season and suddenly Leonard is ranked as one of the best. He was awarded Rookie Of The Year and is now considered one of the top linebackers in the NFL. Certainly a big change in a short amount of time – and a well deserved one at that. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Colts Linebacker Darius Leonard describes his journey from worst pick to Rookie Of The Year and details how he’s training during the countrywide lockdown.
Speaking with Darius Leonard via our video interview call, you wouldn’t expect him to be the kind of player with the nickname Maniac. He’s causal and relaxed despite being on of the best linebackers currently playing in the NFL.
“I have two different personas,” Darius Leonard states in our interview. “When I’m on the field, I’m just that wild and crazy guy who’s just a competitor. And then when I’m off the field I’m just a polite guy, respectful, who’s going to talk to anyone he can.”
That’s the kind of class you want in a top NFL player. He’s aggressive on the field and gets impressive results – but he also represents himself and the sport with candor and respect. But don’t let that fool you, he’s a freight train on the field that seems truly unstoppable. He has a career combined total of 244 tackles and he’s only now just about to start his third year. He’s parlayed his success on the field into a successful social media presence with hundreds of thousands of followers. He’s ready to take over the world.
A celebratory pose of Darius Leonard on the field (above).
Of course 2020 is no longer an ordinary year. With the world in crises and the current state of nearly all professional sports in jeopardy for the year, things are still very uncertain for what will happen come the fall and the start of the new NFL season. As of right now, there are no official plans to stop or slow down the season. The NFL has the luxury of not starting until much later this year – so a lot can change.
That being said, this period of time is still an important one for the players and certainly for Darius Leonard. With facilities and gyms closed around the country – how is Leonard keeping himself on point for the upcoming season? How will The Maniac maintain his momentum of becoming the best in the NFL if the entire world is stunted by a society halting crisis?
Again, Leonard keeps his cool and maintains his casual and logical demeanor, not very befitting of the name Maniac. He understands that people’s health comes first and that whatever happens with this season, he will understand that world healing comes before the NFL.
On top of that, he’s honestly not too worried as he’s still able to train at his home. The NFL has sent some equipment for him to train with. He honestly see this as returning to his roots of how he prepped and trained back before his time in the NFL. It’s what got him there in the first place. So he’ll certainly be ready to go whenever things return back to normal.
“The NFL sent some weights and stuff for us to use. And you know I’m from the country so that’s nothing new to me,” Leonard casually states.
“I didn’t have much equipment growing up anyway. I just went back to everything that – my foundation. Pulling tires, pushing tires, flipping tires, running around the field. Working in the yard. That’s the stuff that built me into who I am now. So I just went back to it.”
Darius continues to go into detail about his training regimen and how strength and athletic training differs from the kind of training bodybuilders focus on for competitions. This may be an obvious difference in training tactics – but it’s certainly fascinating to see how one of the top pros in the NFL handles training and prep compared to the top pros of bodybuilding.
We also touch upon a few other topics such as what year a football player hits his prime int the NFL compared to other sports and about the controversial topic of concussions in the sport. Specifically after the film Concussion brought a lot of scrutiny onto the NFL upon its release in theaters.
Ultimately, Darius Leonard ends off our interview focusing on the positives. How grateful he is to be an all star football plater in the NFL only about to start his third year. The younger version of himself would never believe it to be true – as it’s all he ever wanted for his future. He made that future a reality – and how he has his eyes on the Super Bowl. Based on how he’s handled everything else so far – we wouldn’t be surprised to see that coming some time soon.
You can check out our full GI Exclusive interview with Darius Leonard above.
Liver King Slams Critics Who Claim He Is On Steroids, Reiterates He Is All Natural
Brian Johnson, aka Liver King, addresses natty or not speculations.
After much fan speculation, Brian Johnson, also known as Liver King, has officially responded to whether or not he is natural or using steroids. Over the past year, Liver King exploded onto the scene. As of the time of this writing, he has 1.1 million followers on Instagram. Liver King’s key to viral success? He promotes an “ancestral” lifestyle – meaning he tries to live like our ancient forefathers by hunting for his meals, eating raw organ meat, and living purely off the land.
Of course, his massive physique alongside his “ancient all-natural” way of living has drawn some criticism and speculation throughout the bodybuilding community. Is it truly possible that Liver King has amassed such muscle without the use of PEDs? Not only has the Liver King responded to such speculation – he also mocks the entire “natty or not” culture in a recent Instagram video.
Derek Dufour has been managing all digital operations on the Generation Iron Network for over six years. He currently manages a team of editors, writers, and designers to provide up-to-date content across the GI Network.
Super Bowl Challenge: Bodybuilder VS Football Players Face Off On Bench Press
In honor of the Super Bowl this coming weekend, we are republishing this archived story showcasing a bodybuilder vs football players facing off on the bench press.
The Test Football Academy is back with another edition of their Bodybuilder vs Football Player bench press challenge. IFBB pro Joel Thomas will be facing off against Test Football Academy graduate Terron Beckham and Utah State Offensive lineman Kevin Whimpey. The challenge is simple: 315lbs for reps.
In previous years, Joel was very dominant and he seemed to be the favorite among most of the staff heading into this competition. All the athletes completed their warm ups, then, since Joel is reigning champ, Kevin and Terron did rock-paper-scissors to decide who would go first. Terron loses and is first up on the bench.
Terron starts repping and immediately it’s clear that 1. He’s very strong 2. This competition is being juded by a ‘soft lockout’ system – no IPF judges here. But strict repetition criteria are no fun anyways, and Terron reps out an impressive 17, the last of which was a real grinder towards lockout.
Next up on the bench is Kevin. He knows he needs to beat 17 reps. When he begins repping, he presses so explosively that the weight is literally bouncing off his chest. This serves as a creative advantage for as long as he can maintain it. Kevin knocks out an impressive 25 before failure. Last up on the bench comes the reigning champ Joel. He mows through a shocking 36 reps, resting at lockout before each of the last two.
Everyone was in good spirits after, the football players teased Joel on his shorter reps, and without a doubt, long football arms do drastically increase the range of motion.
Of course, at the end of the day this is a supplement ad, not a serious competition but it is fascinating to witness different elite athletes measured under one criteria. The difference in quality of repetitions was clear- with the football players being far faster and more explosive- but with the bodybuilder clearly more used to moving barbells under consistent tension for an extended duration.
For the full video of the competition, take a look below.
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Evan Singleton Makes An 855-Pound Deadlift Look Easy For A Double
Evan Singleton is healthy and back to moving some huge weight in the gym.
Evan Singleton suffered a bicep tear in 2020 that kept him out of action for quite some time. It looks as though “T-Rex” is back to full strength and he recently showed it off with some massive deadlifts. Singleton completed two reps of an 855-pound deadlift and made it look easy.
Singleton joined Nick Best for a training session where the two were moving some serious weight. He stepped up to the bar with a lifting belt, knee sleeves, and wrist straps. The plates had to be secured with resistance bands because of the number on each side. Singleton not only completed two reps, he did it with relative ease.
“I can’t express how much I love training with nick. The man is such an inspiration and it’s seriously humbling hearing so e of the kind and motivational words he says to me. They’re appreciated more than you know and I’ll take them all to heart. Thank you so much nick for inviting me out here.P.s. again, the hype up is real and not for the cameras. Proof that I’m kinda hitting g my head really hard lol. Haven’t busted myself open in a while.”
Evan Singleton is not preparing for any competitions in the upcoming months. He is still putting the finishing touches on gaining his regular strength back. Singleton is scheduled to appear at the 2022 World’s Strongest Man competition, which will take place from May 24-29 in Sacramento.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2018, Singleton has won three major competitions. He is a former professional wrestler who got a late start in powerlifting. It is clear that he has elite strength and is a threat at each competition. His career began at the 2018 Giants Live North American Open. Singleton won his first major show at this event in 2019.
In 2021, Singleton had his best year winning the Arnold Strongman Classic UK and Giants Live World Open.
Evan Singleton will not compete until the WSM competition but he will attempt to break the Circus Dumbbell world record at the Clash on the Coast Record Breakers on April 22. This is a chance for Singleton to gain some momentum heading into the summer months.
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Talking Huge With Craig Golias: Will Ronnie Coleman Ever Stop Training?
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Craig Golias reacts to Ronnie Coleman’s latest training video and muses over whether or not he will ever stop training in his life.
Welcome to another episode of Talking Huge – a weekly digital series in which Craig Golias talks in-depth with Vlad Yudin on the latest trending topics in bodybuilding. Raw, honest, and uncut – Craig Golias shares his opinions on all things bodybuilding. In this episode, Craig Golias reacts to the recent deaths in bodybuilding, Big Ramy vs Larry Wheels armwrestling, and Ronnie Coleman’s latest training video update.
Unfortunately, there were reports of three bodybuilding deaths since the last time we recorded Talking Huge. So we start off this episode on a somber note to reflect on those we lost and to get Craig Golias’ reaction. After that we jump into more viral topics such as Big Ramy’s recent arm wrestling match against Larry Wheels. Was it legit or just a staged video for fun? We also talk about Blessing Awodibu working with George Farah. And we cover the recent viral video of Ronnie Coleman training. It’s a jam packed episode so let’s jump right into it.
Blessing Awodibu teams up with George Farah
George Farah is considered by most to be a legendary guru and coach in the sport – including Craig Golias. He has had his hands behind many champion bodybuilders. In his more recent years, he also updated his coaching style to focus more on longevity and health. His argument is that he can still help build massive bodybuilding champions without taking some of the more modern risks that we see in today’s bodybuilders.
Blessing Awodibu is a bodybuilder who has a lot of hype and potential behind him – but ultimately fell a bit short when he finally appeared at the New York Pro 2021. He’s now taking a short break to focus on building up better and coming back to the stage with a vengeance. It seems that George Farah is a part of that plan.
Craig Golias sees this as nothing but a very good thing for the rising star. Blessing Awodibu can see some major improvements with the help of a legend like George Farah. It will be interesting to see how he stacks up the next time he competes.
Ronnie Coleman’s latest training video – will he ever stop?
Ronnie Coleman made waves this past week by posting a new training video showcasing some seemingly increased gains. This is, in some ways, surprising due to not only his age but also the many injuries and issues he suffers in his back and hips. Which begs the question – will a legend like Ronnie ever stop training?
Craig Golias reacts to this idea. Can someone as in love with lifting ever hang up the towel for good? Will we ever see legends such as Jay Cutler, Ronnie Coleman or Dorian Yates stop training completely? Craig believes that it’s too deep in their DNA to ever fully stop. Of course many of these athletes have trimmed down – but they don’t pull away from the gym completely.
Craig Golias himself can’t imagine ever fully stopping. Having dealt with his recent injury over the past year or so – he’s had to pull back. But he can’t imagine ever pumping the breaks completely.
Wrap Up
You can check out the full conversation in the latest episode of Talking Huge above. Watch Craig go into full detail about additional topics such as Big Ramy vs Larry Wheels and the recent deaths in bodybuilding this past week plus more! Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
Jay Cutler Reflects On Who Is The Greatest Mr. Olympia Of All-Time
Jay Cutler decided to discuss the debate when it comes to the Olympia.
No matter the sport, there is a fascination on who the greatest of all-time is. Tm Brady or Jim Brown, Barry Bonds or Babe Ruth — it does not matter the era or position of the athlete. The same can be said about bodybuilding. The Olympia is the biggest event in bodybuilding. This is an honor that many have held and many more are vying for. When thinking about the history of the competition, it is normal to think on who the greatest champion is. Jay Cutler recently weighed in on this topic and gave his opinions.
Cutler is a four-time Olympia champion and one of the legendary bodybuilders in the history of the sport. On a recent episode of Cutler Cast on his YouTube page, Cutler discussed the topic and began with the greatest bodybuilder of all-time, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Despite his greatness, Cutler explains how some may be losing sight because of the times changing.
“There was no one better but obviously Coleman broke the record from Lee Haney. As we get further down the road, people lose track of the original generation.”
When Schwarzenegger was at his peak, he displayed a physique that no one had seen before. He did so without the phenomenon that is social media. Bodybuilders like Cutler himself, along with Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath, were able to take advantage and gain a larger following because of social media sites.
Schwarzenegger was unbeatable from 1970-1975 winning six consecutive Olympia titles. He added another in 1980 to make it seven for his career. Schwarzenegger was one of the pioneers of bodybuilding and really brought it into the light. Cutler also discussed the level of competition and how he would like to hear it from someone who was there.
“At the time, he was pretty damn good, dude. To win seven, you know. I mean the competition I’ve heard at that time, Arnold didn’t have to defend his title against anyone. People don’t know that. I would love the historians to chime in on this and tell me how many Olympias Arnold won without a competitor against him.”
Coleman and Haney are tied for the most Olympia victories in history with eight a piece. Despite the great success, Cutler is a fan of Dorian Yates and what he was able to bring to the table.
Yates won six consecutive Olympia titles from 1992-1997. On stage, he displayed a well-rounded physique where it was difficult to find any flaws.
“Dorian Yates, I would say, he freaked me out more than Ronnie Coleman did,” Jay Cutler said.
“When I saw Dorian Yates and how big his back was and the calves and everything, I remember seeing him and thinking ‘gosh, how can someone get this big.’”
Cutler continues by explaining the freak that Coleman was but believes Yates was larger on stage and it began with his lats.
“Ronnie Coleman’s probably the biggest specimen. Let’s put it this way. Ronnie had the best back, the best double bicep,” Cutler said.
“Dorian Yates was so wide. His lats bro were, there was nothing like it. I couldn’t believe how developed they were. If you compared their lats, Dorian Yates’ lats blew away Ronnie’s, in my opinion. Ronnie Coleman had more detail, which is just like Phil Heath did.”
Jay Cutler did not give a definitive answer when talking about the greatest Olympia winner of all-time. It is a subjective topic that has many divisions because some athletes are stronger in certain areas on stage. It is clear that Cutler was a fan of Yates and acknowledged the behemoth that was Coleman. Also, Schwarzenegger always has to be brought up in the discussion.
As for a definitive answer, there is not one. This will remain a conversation for bodybuilding fans around the world to have for years to come.
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Brandon Curry Shows Improved Leg Development 4 Weeks Out
Brandon Curry shows impressive leg development.
Brandon Curry shows some pretty impressive leg development 4 weeks out from the Arnold Classic. The former Olympia champion recently dropped a video showing off his much improved wheels.
It appears that the 2019 Olympia champion is looking to show that he’s still top flight competition. Brandon Curry has always been an impressive competitor and athlete, yet it seems some people have have forgotten. Big Ramy’s victories at the 2020 and 2022 Olympia have solidified him as the man to beat in bodybuilding. But not too long ago that honor belonged to Curry. Now he’s hoping to remind everyone who he is at the Arnold Classic.
Brandon Curry has been hard at work prepping for his return to the stage. It’s obvious that in order to topple Big Ramy, Curry will have to make some adjustments to his physique. While putting on muscle isn’t the only key to defeating the reigning Olympia champion, it can’t hurt for Ramy to add some mass on his frame. From his recent Instagram post it appears that Curry has taken that notion to heart.
Improved Leg Development
I’m his most recent post Brandon Curry showcased his physique while in camp for the Arnold Classic. While the exact date of the video has yet to be confirmed, Curry clarified that it was indeed taken during his prep for the upcoming mega event in March. From what can be seen in the video post Curry has done well to improve upon his leg development.
?UNDER CONSTRUCTION ?
Alright alright…I won’t say exactly when this video was from, but I will say that it’s from this prep. When this video was taken it was on an empty stomach post morning cardio so I was flat. ?
@arnoldsports I’LL BE BACK
Brandon Curry isn’t going anywhere and he still has great potential for improvement. Could he be a favorite to win the 2022 Arnold Classic?
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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.
Natural Bodybuilding Legend Philip Ricardo Jr. Signs Multi-media Contract
INBA PNBA natural bodybuilding legend Philip Ricardo Jr. signs a multi-media deal with Generation and Iron Man Magazine.
Phiip Ricardo Jr. is the next natural athlete to sign a multi-media contract. Everyone in natural bodybuilding knows icon Philip Ricardo Jr. This legend has been in the sport of natural bodybuilding for decades and has accomplished incredible feats. He’s been with the INBA PNBA since 1988, and since then, Ricardo Jr. has won Natural Olympia on multiple occasions – 2007, 2008, 2015, and 2019. And he’s the reigning champion of the Men’s Bodybuilding Grand Masters division.
Further, he’s the next INBA PNBA natural bodybuilder to sign a multi-media contract with Generation Iron, Iron Man Magazine, and the International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA). In an Instagram (IG) post, Philip Ricardo Jr. expressed his gratitude:
“Truly blessed to be given a multi-media contract with @ironmanmagazine and @generationiron [sic] This opportunity will bless me with a bigger platform to bring more recognition to the sport of natural bodybuilding. I am truly honored and grateful to the @inbapnbaglobal_official family [sic]”
In the IG clip, Ricardo Jr. voiced:
“For me to receive this at the age of 50, unbelievable. I’m just grateful that these contracts are going out to the natural athletes. That is something that is unheard of and unprecedented. A lot of natural athletes don’t get the kind of notoriety they need. But the INBA PNBA always looks after their athletes and has been taken care of us for all these years since 1988.”
You can see Philip Ricardo Jr.’s complete IG statement and a clip of him signing the contract below.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZx8go3lzGm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
More on Philip Ricardo Jr.
Aside from gold medals and multi-media deals with powerhouse companies, Philip Ricardo Jr. won the Harley-Davison grand prize at 2021 Natural Olympia!
People regard him to have one of the best natural physiques on the planet. Despite skeptics calling him a “fake natty.” Although, Ricardo Jr. doesn’t take offense to these comments and takes pride in these shameful remarks. Below is a Generation Iron Interview of Ricardo Jr. expressing his feelings.
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Outside of competing under the biggest stage in natural bodybuilding, Philip Ricardo Jr. is a man of God, a U.S. Marine veteran, and a family man.
Multi-media Contract Details
The natural athletes worthy enough to land a contract receive exclusive perks. Below is a breakdown of what each INBA PNBA athlete can expect.
Promotion
Brand building – digital media write-ups, social media posts, photoshoots
Special guest appearances, posing, and seminar sessions
Iron Man Magazine nutrition ads and endorsements
The INBA PNBA stated the deal is:
“An opportunity for a natural bodybuilding athlete to acquire renown and recognition in the sport of Natural Bodybuilding, exploiting Association’s promotional campaign via the Iron Man Magazine, news and events, and the Generation Iron platform.”
The natural bodybuilders bound to a contract are looking for professional growth opportunities and must be in good standing with the INBA PNBA. In addition, of course, the athletes will need to be cooperative with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines.
Philip Ricardo Jr. is well-respected in the INBA PNBA league and sport of natural bodybuilding and has done spectacularly in his natural bodybuilding career thus far.
Generation Iron wishes him much success in the rest of his INBA PNBA career! Also, congratulations on the contract!
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Steve Kuclo Shows Inhuman Vascularity Heading Into The Arnold Classic
Steve Kuclo may be the most vascular athlete competing at the 2022 Arnold Classic.
Steve Kuclo shows off some truly insane vascularity in his most recent post to social media. The bodybuilding veteran is looking to bring his most beastly form to the 2022 Arnold Classic.
When it comes to bodybuilding aesthetics it can’t be denied that vascularity is extremely appealing. The freak factor is something that can not be divorced from high level bodybuilding. Competitors hope to look their monstrous best heading into a show. The countless reps in the gym, the dieting, the cardio, all of it is to produce a look that is truly inhuman.
Steve Kuclo seems poised and ready to bring that inhuman factor to the stage at the Arnold Classic.
It looks like Steve Kuclo is taking his prep for the Arnold Classic super serious. The veteran bodybuilding has always had a great physique and great potential to go along with it. Kuclo has always had the goods but it appears that this training camp is producing a truly insane look for the veteran.
Crazy Vascularity
A recent post to Instagram shows Steve Kuclo looking at his vascular best in the midst of training.
Just under 4 weeks out to @arnoldsports
Let’s Go , Let’s Grow, Let’s Win!
Steve Kuclo looks truly insane in this image. He may be the most vascular athlete that will step on the Arnold Classic stage in March. He has the size, the musculature, and the vascularity to standout amount his competitors.
Kuclo’s training shows that he is motivated, a man possessed in his mission to bring his best to the Arnold.
Leg day finisher going old school with barbell squats 405×20 reps.
What do you think about Steve Kuclo and his insane vascularity?
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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.