Tag: nEWS
Hafthor Bjornsson Offers New Bench Press Challenge To Larry Wheels
Hafthor Bjornsson commented on Larry Wheels’ post with a new challenge.
You can take the competitor away from powerlifting but cannot take powerlifting out of the competitor. Even after transitioning to the boxing ring, Hafthor Bjornsson still shows interest in weightlifting. Recently, he was seen in the comments’ section of one of Larry Wheels’ feats of strength. Bjornsson offered a new challenge for Wheels to take on while bench pressing.
Wheels has been on a tear in the gym in recent months. He has been setting many personal records and repping huge amounts of weight in different exercises. This bench press session was no different. Wheels took to Instagram to share another impressive lift.
It began when Wheels took on a 529-pound bench press and competed six reps. He then powered through 21 reps of 396.8 pounds.
“240kg x 6180kg x21@teampersonalrecord@mikethurston••@teampersonalrecord wrist and elbow wraps being used”
Larry Wheels gains much attention from his Instagram videos. This time, it was Hafthor Bjornsson who commented with a new challenge on how to go a bit further.
“That’s insane! I challenge you to do 200kg for 20 reps!”
Bjornsson continues to be an influential name in powerlifting. He has transitioned to boxing and is planning to take on fellow strongman turned boxer Eddie Hall. Since his days of powerlifting, Bjornsson has lost a significant amount of weight and is as shredded as ever. This does not the way what he was able to do during his prime.
In 2020, Bjornsson completed the heaviest deadlift in history at 501kg (1,104.5lb). In the ring, Bjornsson has completed two exhibition fights against Steven Ward and Simon Vallily. He was scheduled to take on Hall in September but it had to be cancelled. Devon Larratt stepped in and was defeated by the strongman.
Larratt is a professional arm wrestler and this is a sport that Larry Wheels has ventured into recently. He has continued training for arm wrestling while continuing to do some incredible things while weight lifting.
Hafthor Bjornsson has trained with Wheels before during his time as a powerlifter. Since making the successful transition, the two have not joined forces but remain close. That is clear by the comment on Wheels’ video. It will be interesting to see if Wheels takes on the challenge given by Bjornsson. If he does, it will certainly be a must-see post.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
WATCH: Bodybuilder Joe Mackey Deadlifts 800 Pounds For An Easy Triple
Joe Mackey made 800 pounds look easy in a recent training session.
It is not everyday that bodybuilders make lifts look as easy as powerlifters do. Last week, Joe Mackey did just that. The Men’s Open competitor completed an 800-pound deadlift for three easy reps during a training session.
Mackey shred the video to Instagram and is seen making the reps look easy. Over the years, Mackey has been known for his incredible size and it is because of lifts like this one. It is unknown when he is planning to step on stage but Mackey has not taken time off from training and continues to open eyes in the gym.
“Just 800 lbs for 3 reps tonight. Nothing too crazy. ???♂️
Last week was a light week so I was expecting a larger number this week with my program since I pulled 840 lbs 2 weeks ago.
Once I saw the workout today was only 800 lbs, Honestly speaking, I was not and didn’t have to get in the zone with this pull.”
Joe Mackey stepped up to the 800-pound lift with a lifting belt and plenty of confidence. He explained how he pulled 840 pounds two weeks ago, which was a personal record. Mackey decided to add on another rep as he has done two reps of 800 before.
“I’ve done 800 so many times and the plan only called for 2 reps. I’ve done 800 for 2 before so I figured I’d go ahead and do a extra rep.Sticking with the plan +1 with @jailhousestrong
I know the big number is coming and I’m ready.”
Joe Mackey earned his IFBB Pro Card in 2016 by placing second in the super-heavyweight division at NPC Nationals. He has competed in five competitions to this point of his career. Mackey’s highest finish came during the 2020 Tampa Pro, where he finished eighth. Mackey competed just once in 2021, during the Chicago Pro, and it is unknown when he will step on stage next.
Mackey is not slated to appear at the 2022 Arnold Classic. This means he will continue to lift heavy. By the looks of his recent ventures and his most recent Instagram caption, Mackey has his eye on an even bigger number moving forward.
Joe Mackey follows a line of great bodybuilders who are mass monsters. There is great hype around him moving forward and it will be interesting to see when he takes the stage once again. For now, Mackey will continue to impress with massive lifts.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Patrick Schwarzenegger Shows Off Physique After Body Transformation
Patrick Schwarzenegger has gone through a change in physique and is not shy about showing it off.
When the last name ‘Schwarzenegger’ is attached, it is expected that an impressive physique comes with the entire package. This is something that Patrick Schwarzenegger has been working on and has built an impressive physique.
During a recent trip, Schwarzenegger is seen kayaking and shows off his ripped physique. This is the result of some new techniques that he implemented at the beginning of 2021.
Patrick Schwarzenegger began a workout challenge in January where he was waking up at 5 a.m. to begin his day with exercise. This was meant to provide motivation for the rest of the day. Schwarzenegger began the challenge at 163 pounds and 13% body fat. In May, he shared a physique update where he gained weight due to muscle gain and lost 5% body fat.
Not only did Schwarzenegger take on the challenge, he inspired others to do so as well and received some positive feedback.
“We had 413 people finish the challenge. Pretty wild. Some of the results were amazing. Found a Sense of purpose. Increased energy. Better sleeping habits. Some Lost 15-30 lbs. People ate better throughout the day. More productive at work. Found time for extra activities. Check out some of the texts I got. So inspiring.”
Patrick Schwarzenegger shared a long caption to Instagram explaining this method. Also, he provided reasons to get up and workout early in the morning.
“WHY 5am Challenge ?
1. starts your day with a form of “success” & builds momentum for the rest of your day2. Shows your mind/body your capable of doing something you don’t want to3. Allows you to form small morning rituals/habits that lead to big results over time.”
This is not something that is easy to do but it has shown great results. Now, Patrick Schwarzenegger is able to show off his impressive physique while on vacation. This time, it was in Hawaii.
There is no doubt that muscle growth and tone is in Schwarzenegger’s genes. It is amazing to see the work he has done over the past year and makes us excited to see where it will go from here. One thing we do know is that the Schwarzenegger family has taken over methods used by the best bodybuilder of all-time.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Kai Greene Reveals Secret Weapon for Insane Leg Development
Kai Greene reveals one of the greatest exercises for lower body development.
Kai Greene explains the importance of the Jefferson Squat for maxing out lower body gains. He details just exactly why the movement can take your leg gains to a whole new level.
Often times it’s the most unconventional things that can take us to the next level. In order to be the 1% you have to do the things 99% of people won’t do. That being the case, if you’re a bodybuilder looking to bring something different to the table then doing things the same old way. By following a new way, a new system, a new workout, a new exercise, one may be able to unlock a new level of greatness.
Kai Greene has proven that being unorthodox can be to your benefit. His unorthodox approach to bodybuilding has made him the sensation that he is today. From his physique to his posing routine, Kai is a unique figure in the bodybuilding world and that has helped to set him apart from the pack.
One of the things that sets Kai Greene apart is his approach to preparation. Kai doesn’t train like every other bodybuilder out there. Take training legs for instance. Kai does exercises many other bodybuilders don’t. One such movement is the Jefferson Squat, an exercise many old school bodybuilders performed to develop their legs.
Kai Greene Gives Details on Secret Weapon
In fact Kai Greene recently went in depth about why the Jefferson Squat can take a bodybuilder’s leg development to the next level.
A secret of mine that you don’t see many people do anymore is the Jefferson Squat. It works your lower body in a unique way, to perform this movement take a wide stance and hold the bar between your legs with one hand in front of your body and one hand behind it.
Keep your glutes tensed while you squat down in the bucket (below parallel).
Use smaller plates on the bar, no more than 25s, so you can get down deep enough.
The key is to force your knees out—when you do that, it activates your glutes so you keep them under continuous contraction throughout the set.
The better I became at doing Jeffersons, the more proficient I got at squatting. I learned how to activate my qlutes, hams, and quads better. Doing Jeffersons then the adduction machine one after the other has been crucial to my glute and hip-flexor development.
Give it a try and let me know what you think ??
Kai Greene is one of the most popular bodybuilders on the scene for a reason. Imparting knowledge like this to up and coming bodybuilders can really take them to the next level.
What do you think of Kai Greene and the Jefferson Squat?
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.
John Haack Sets Two 100kg World Records During the Hybrid Showdown 4
John Haack continues to dominate powerlifting and set two world records in his last competition.
At the end of 2021, John Haack was sharing some massive lifts on social media preparing for the new year. Now, he has competed in his first competition of 2022 and put on a memorable performance. During the Hybrid Showdown 4, Haack competed in the 100kg category and set two new world records.
The first record came on the bench press. Haack completed all three attempts with his third being the heaviest. It began with a 523.6-pound lift followed by a 562.2-pounder. Haack’s third attempt was 589.7 pounds and this set a new record.
John Haack usually competes in the 90kg category but was unable to get below this weight before the competition. He entered the competition at 93kg bodyweight. This means he still had plenty of room to be able to compete in the 100kg category. Haack is not done competing at 90kg but this competition showed that he can still dominate at a heavier weight.
Haack’s next world record came at the end of the competition. He already holds the total world record in 90kg and added the 100kg record as well. Haack finished with a total of 990kg (2,182.6lb) when it was all said and done. He breezed past the previous record, which was 972.5kg (2,144lb) held by Yury Belkin.
“Got down to 205 lbs (93 kg) yesterday around 5pm and just didn’t have the desire to keep going. I’m not done as a 90 kg lifter.”
The competition began with squat and Haack began with ease. He completed a 683.4-pound lift before completing his meet max on his second attempt. This was 733 pounds and he attempted to up the weight even more. Haack failed his third attempt, which was 755.1 pounds.
Haack entered the final event looking for a total world record. He crushed an 859.8-pound deadlift and he made it with ease. He tried to beat this number with a 903.9-pound lift but was unable to complete it.
The feat that John Haack was able to pull off during The Hybrid Showdown 4 shows just how strong he is as a competitor. This was the beginning to the year that we were all expecting after seeing his latest triumphs on social media. Now, we can all look forward to what he has in store for the rest of 2022.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Natural Bodybuilder’s Ultimate 2022 Goal: Look Super Saiyan
INBA PNBA natural bodybuilder Bobby Fotheringham’s goal for 2022 is to look Super Saiyan.
Dragon Ball Z (DBZ) is pretty popular in the bodybuilding community. And when you look at Dragon Ball Z character’s physique and bodybuilder’s physique, it’s not surprising. International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) competitor Bobby Fotheringham’s New Year’s resolution is to build the body of a Super Saiyan. Admittedly, Fotheringham says he doesn’t plan to rock the Super Saiyan hairstyle, though. On Instagram (IG), Fotheringham stated:
“My aim this year is to look like these 2, #supersaiyan here we come, never gonna have the hair though”
You can see the DBZ character Fotheringham specifically would like to portray below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYuGn8jA5GZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
If you’re a DBZ fan, you’ll likely recognize the Saiyan – the potent fusion of Goku and Vegeta, Gogeta.
Bobby Fotheringham is a British INBA PNBA natural bodybuilder who competes in the Men’s Physique division. And he contended in 2021 Natural Olympia. The Prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta, aka William Long, is the reigning and 3x pro Men’s Physique champ at Natural Olympia.
British bodybuilding ended 2021 in stellar fashion in the INBA PNBA league. At Natural Olympia, 2x United Kingdom Drug Free Bodybuilding Association (UKDFBA) champion Michael Boyle took home a bronze medal in the Men’s Bodybuilding Masters division. And British contender Claire Burton won the Women’s Physique Masters division.
Natural Olympia and Men’s Physique Class
Below, we’ll be covering a brief overview of Natural Olympia and the Men’s Physique class in the INBA PNBA league.
Natural Olympia
Natural Olympia is the biggest natural bodybuilding competition globally hosted by the INBA PNBA. In natural bodybuilding, it’s equivalent to Mr. Olympia in the International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro league. Competitors compete from over 60 countries, and this past year Natural Olympia had contenders from 15 different countries. All competitors are subject to in-season and out-of-season drug testing through World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) compliant laboratories and must not screen any banned substances. Any contestant who fails to uphold this will be banned from competing.
Natural Olympia and INBA PNBA have continued to progress, including adding a new bodybuilding category for women in this year’s Natural Olympia.
Men’s Physique
The Men’s Physique class is a competitive division with eminent natural bodybuilding athletes such as William Long (reigning and 3x champ), Colin Congo (former champion), and Jonathan Tsiu (3x winner and Natural Hall of Fame inductee).
Athletes are judged on their symmetry, muscularity, definition (conditioning), and stage presence. Although, Men’s Physique contenders won’t hold as much muscle mass as the Men’s Bodybuilding division. Competitors in this division wear boardshorts. Therefore, legs aren’t as important as the upper body, except for your calves since they’re visible. According to an IG post by William Long, “you are wearing boardshorts and cannot display your hamstrings and quads so there’s no reason to squat down with your legs together.”
If there’s one thing for sure, building the physique of a Super Saiyan may potentially land you a multi-media contract with Generation Iron, Iron Magazine, and INBA PNBA, and of course, a gold medal at Natural Olympia.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to see how INBA PNBA athletes plan to accomplish their goals this year!
Ripped Toddler Amir The Hulk Being Compared To ‘Mini Hercules’
Amir The Hulk has a rare condition that has caused him to show some serious muscle.
We all remember when Richard Sandrak took the world by storm as ‘Mini Hercules.‘ showing off his incredible physique at a young age. Now, another child sensation has been gaining comparisons to Sandrak. He is known as Amir the Hulk and he went viral in 2019 after a YouTube video was shared by his uncle.
In the video, Amir The Hulk is seen parading around the room showing off his chiseled physique. Amir is flexing and hitting some poses while his abs and shoulders look ripped. At such a young age, this type of muscle definition is rare. Amir’s uncle made it clear that the child was not on any type of steroid. Instead, he suffers from Berardinelli Seip and a lack of Myostatin.
Berardinelli Seip is a rare genetic disorder. This is when a child nearly loses all body fat at birth, which results in an unusual muscle tone. Myostatin is. protein that stops humans from developing too much muscle mass. If a person lacks some, it leads to the over-development of muscles. It has been speculated that Amir The Hulk has as low as one percent body fat, which is dangerously low.
The look of Amir’s physique has drawn comparisons to Sandrak. Mini Hercules began working out and participating in martial arts at a young age. By age six, Sandrak was able to bench press 180 pounds and upped that number to 210 pounds by eight years old. Mini Hercules was pushed hard by his father but claims that he was never forced into anything.
This is when he began traveling to participate in competitions and for promotional reasons. It is no surprise that a child who was as ripped as Sandrak gained attention across the country. As he got older, Sandrak steered away from bodybuilding but is still well-known in the fitness world.
Amir the Hulk is not old enough to begin lifting weights and it is unknown if he will want to go down this avenue. Because of his disease, Amir will have to get as healthy as possible before taking on major physical activities. One thing that is undeniable is that he has shown off some serious size at a young age.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Stanimal Opens Up About Shawn Rhoden’s Death
[embedded content]
A training partner, roommate, and close friend, Stanimal De Longeaux speaks on Shawn Rhoden’s passing.
The bodybuilding world went into complete shock after news of Shawn Rhoden’s tragic death made headlines. Rhoden was a pro bodybuilding legend, Mr. Olympia champion, and a figure followed by controversy up to his passing. As of the time of this writing, there has been no medical announcement regarding the cause of his death – leaving bodybuilding fans to speculate based on comments made by those close to him. We had the opportunity to reconnect with Stanimal De Longeaux – a longtime close friend, training partner, and even roommate to Rhoden. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Stanimal opens up completely about Shawn Rhoden’s death and the events leading up to his tragic passing.
For quite some time, Stanimal De Longeaux has been a bodybuilder often seen with Shawn Rhoden. They were often seen together in training video updates on social media – as well as our digital series All Eyes On Olympia starring Stanimal’s pro bodybuilding prep. He also appeared in training sessions in the feature film Flexatron: Becoming Shawn Rhoden – a documentary chronicling Rhoden’s rise to winning the Mr. Olympia in 2018. But beyond just caught on film – anyone who knew either Shawn Rhoden or Stanimal understood that they held a close friendship. Before his much-too-soon passing, they were even roommates.
So of course it goes without saying that the shocking death of Shawn Rhoden hit Stanimal very hard. He not only lost a legend in the sport like all of us in the industry. And he not only lost a training partner. Stanimal lost a close friend. While challenging to reflect on, Stanimal was open to speaking about Rhoden and his passing during our most recent video interview.
Stanimal seems to make it clear that while his death was shocking for even those closest to him – in retrospect there were warning signs cropping up over the past two years. Most notably, Stanimal reveals that Rhoden likely suffered a heart attack in 2020 as well. First a smaller “silent heart attack that left him feeling weak and sick – only to give way to a more severe heart attack a few weeks later. He was hospitalized and recovered. After this moment, he became much more focused on monitoring his health.
Sadly, a year later Shawn Rhoden would pass away. While it was not officially or medically announced that he died from a heart attack – this is the most commonly held speculation. Given his past struggles with heart attacks in 2020, this would seem likely. Though Stanimal himself is not 100% sure – as to his knowledge an autopsy was not conducted.
While pure speculation, Stanimal ultimately believes that a variety of factors came together to create a sort of “perfect storm” that led to Rhoden’s passing.
“Honestly, it’s only speculation but it seems like it was just a perfect storm,” Stanimal states in our interview. He continues:
“He was doing a lot, he had like some pre-existing condition. He was traveling. He was tired. Stress. It was late at night, that’s usually when a heart attack happens. And then he got some type of sickness that I think I got after him. And that was pretty hard even for me who was healthy so I can’t even imagine… It was some type of flu but not COVID because he got tested and he was negative. I got tested and was negative.”
Stanimal went on to speak in even more detail about the stress factors that were weighing on Shawn Rhoden over the past two years:
“I mean he was stressed. It was a lot of things to be honest. Of course his case which kept dragging because of Covid. He was supposed to have another hearing in September and that got postponed because they didn’t have enough staff. I mean, he also broke up with his wife. That was stressful… he was somebody who was never really outspoken about his own issues, his own struggles. That’s why I think it was really bad because we talked a lot about all of this stuff his last few months… just the fact that he was speaking about this all so much just shows, I think to me, how much this was on his mind. It was definitely a lot of stress.”
Stanimal goes into great detail not only discussing the specifics of the year leading up to his death – but also celebrating his life. It’s a conversation that might provide some answers to fans in the sport. But more than that it’s a personal account and touching tribute to an athlete who left us far too soon.
It was an emotional conversation and one we hope brings more light to the man behind the muscle and the tragedy of his passing. You can watch Stanimal speak openly about Shawn Rhoden’s passing in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
WATCH: Tom Stoltman Accidentally Breaks Gym Wall During 2021 Training Session
Tom Stoltman was training with his brother, Luke, and Eddie Hall at the time.
Strongman competitions feature many different ways for competitors to show off their brute strength. One we have not seen is the athlete taking down a wall. This is what happened when Tom Stoltman joined his brother, Luke Stoltman, and Eddie Hall for a training session back in 2021.
A recent video has gained popularity from a training session involving this trio. They were preparing for the 2021 Britain’s Strongest Man Competition at the time. This video can be found on the Giants Live STRONGMAN YouTube page. The session includes four major workouts but the highlight of the video was Tom Stoltman breaking a wall at the gym.
Hall explained that they were not training using full competition weight because it was more important to get the proper motions down. This was a session involving form but the strongmen still lift much more than the average person.
The final leg of their session involved a 90kg tire. Following his turn, Stoltman let the tire go but was too close to the wall. The impact of the tire hitting the wall left a big crack in it. To make matters worse, Stoltman was unable to beat his brother in the loading session.
“Tom, I wouldn’t be angry at you for this mate but you didn’t even beat Luke. You got one second less,” Eddie Hall joked.
“I think Tom going for the wall like a juggernaut has put a little bit of a damper on the session.”
All three competitors have made major strides since this session. Tom Stoltman is the reigning World’s Strongest Man while Luke Stoltman won the 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man competition. Eddie Hall has returned from a triceps injury and is continuing to work his way to the boxing ring.
The Stoltman Brothers are already in line to compete at two major events. First, they will be present during the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic, which will take place from Mach 3-6 in Columbus. Next, they are slated to compete at the 2022 Shaw Classic on Aug. 13-14 in Loveland, CO.
This is an old video but there is still plenty of entertainment value to it. Both Tom and Luke Stoltman continue to be huge names in powerlifting and will continue to build their legacy with a busy 2022.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Nick Walker Does Epic Back Training With Quinton Eriya
Nick Walker and Quinton Eriya team up for epic back day training.
Nick Walker and Quinton Eriya recently joined forces with Quinton Eriya for an epic back training. Both Walker and Eriya could very well be the future of bodybuilding.
The old adage iron sharpens iron has held true forever for a reason. As an athlete it’s necessary to have the best training possible. At the highest levels that means teaming with training partners that are on a similar trajectory. An athlete must be pushed in order to unlock their full potential. A great training partner can do exactly that.
Nick Walker has already proven that he had the potential to take over the Men’s Open division. Quinton Eriya is also looking like a potential conqueror in the division. In order for both men to level up they’ve decided to join forces and help each other to further unlock their full potential.
Trained with @quintbeastwood good workout today.
Recently Nick Walker and Quinton Eriya collaborated together for an intense back training session. The two pushed themselves hard in training as can be seen in the Instagram post below.
Back training with @quintbeastwoodgoing live tomorrow!!!!!!! This was deff a good workout for sure.
Below you can find details of their full back training session.
Nick Walker and Quinton Eriya’s Back Workout
Cable Lat Pull-downs – 3 sets (20 reps each)
Cable Stiff Arm Pull-downs – 1 failure set to double drop
Seated Magnum Row – 2 sets (12 to 15 reps each)
Seated Wide Cable Row – 2 working sets and a single drop set
Rack Deads – 1 hard set of 6 to 8 reps and one back-off set of 10 to 12 reps
Seated Leg Curls – 3 hard sets of 8 to 10 reps and a double drop set
For the full training session click here.
What do you think of Nick Walker and Quinton Eriya joining forces?
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.