Tag: nEWS
James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere Say They’ll Retire From Bodybuilding Soon
James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere to retire from bodybuilding soon.
Top modern bodybuilders James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere discuss retiring early from competition. The two standout athletes recently discussed their thoughts on the subject on Foud Abiad’s podcast.
No athlete can compete forever. After all no human is immortal. Certain athletes have an expiration date depending on their chosen sport. For combat sports athletes that expiration date is usually sooner rather than later. Bodybuilding on the other hand has seen athletes compete well into their fifties…or at least Dexter Jackson has. It’s a sport where many athletes compete into their forties on the regular. But some high level bodybuilders choose to call it quits at an earlier age.
James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere both seem to fall in that latter category. They both recently indicated that they are choosing to retire sooner rather than later.
Retirement Talk
While on a recent podcast hosted by Fouad Abiad and featuring Evan Centopani, James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere indicated that their future plans are not to push their physiques past their limits. Hollingshead in particular went into some details as to why he’s choosing to stop competing by age 35.
“When you think about everything involved in bodybuilding, sometimes I’m reluctant. Sometimes I’m like, I don’t want to go down that road, because that road doesn’t lead to the end that I want and the end that I want, like you say, is a long and healthy one.”
So it’s clear that James Hollingshead views competing in bodybuilding as a massive risk to his health. At the end of the day our well-being must definitely be paramount. Without our health we pretty much have nothing.
Still it comes as a bit of a shock that James Hollingshead, who has a tremendous upside, is choosing to call it quits sooner rather than later.
To see and hear everything that James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere had to say about retiring from bodybuilding check out the full video here.
What do you think of James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere considering early retirement?
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.
INBA PNBA Releases New Natural Bodybuilding Category for the 2022 Season
The INBA PNBA added a new natural bodybuilding category to the women’s amateur division for the 2022 season.
You may be eager to know what the new category is, especially if you’re a raving natural bodybuilding fan. So what is it? Drumroll… it’s Wellness! Wellness is an exclusive female category available for INBA PNBA amateur athletes. It’s an Open division – no age limit – and will be at all 2022 INBA events, including Natural Olympia.
New Natural Bodybuilding Category
Below is an overview of the outfit and scoring in the Wellness division.
Required Suit
Competitors will dress in a two-piece decorative competition suit with a traditional suit bottom that’s V-shaped in the front, all one material without connectors, and sits high on the hips. No thongs or T-backs are allowed, and the bottom cut from the back is standard to the Bikini Divas division. Although, competition Bikini Divas style suit bottoms with connectors is an alternative option. Each athlete will also be wearing acrylic heels and complimentary jewelry.
Judging Criteria
As most bodybuilding categories are judged, athletes will need muscularity, definition (conditioning), and a good stage presence to be competitive in this division. Judges scoring the Wellness division will focus more on women with more muscle development in the hips, glutes, and thighs than the upper body. Although, some degree of upper body muscularity is important. It’s also good for the contestants to be developed and lean, but the judges will be looking for less developed physiques – some muscle separation but no striation – in this category compared to Women’s Figure or Women’s Physique.
INBA PNBA Provides a Safe and Just League for Aspiring Natural Bodybuilders
Natural bodybuilding displays the boundaries the human body can break mentally and physically. As the famous Greek philosopher, Socrates once said, “No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” Since the dawn of time, we’ve witnessed the power and beauty our body is capable of naturally.
Fast forward millennia later, drug use is prevalent to push your physique to peak performance. Not so fast, though. Drug use is prohibited in natural bodybuilding leagues. And if you do get caught at any time failing a drug test in the INBA PNBA league, you’ll be stripped of your title and publicly ridiculed on the Hall of Shame.
After the recent surge of 2021 bodybuilding deaths, bodybuilding fans are worried about bodybuilding’s health and safety measures. Conversely, they shame natural bodybuilding. But hopefully, with the rise of multi-media contracts with Generation Iron, Iron Man Magazine, and INBA PNBA, we can see more expansion and support of natural bodybuilding.
What Will the Next Category Be?
The next category remains a mystery, but contemplating the thought is exciting. The INBA PNBA league is progressively growing so seeing new classes pop up wouldn’t be surprising. The Bikini Angels is a fun division, and we’re sure fans and competitors alike would love to see more creative divisions. For example, after William Long went Super Saiyan at L.A.’s Comic-Con, he expressed interest in a cosplay natural bodybuilding category in an Instagram post.
Not going to lie; a cosplay category does sound amusing!
Let us know a category idea you think would be suitable for the INBA PNBA to implement. Leave us a comment on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
P.S. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for the latest INBA PNBA news!
Brian Shaw Announces Competitors For Shaw Classic, Plan For Podcast
Brian Shaw reveals the athletes that will take part in this year’s event.
Brian Shaw is starting the new year with a bang. In a recent YouTube video posted to his page, the strongman shared some big news regarding many different areas.
First, Shaw shared an early list of competitors that will take part in the Shaw Classic 2022. There is still time for other competitors to qualify for the event. Also, Shaw is planning to relaunch his “SHAWSTRENGTH” podcast. The Shaw Classic is scheduled for Aug. 13-14 in Loveland, CO. Below, you can find the early list of competitors.
Shaw Classic Lineup
Maxime Boudreau
J.F. Carron
Kevin Farris
Graham Hicks
Konstantine Janashia
Trey Mitchel
Jerry Pritchett
Zydrunas Savickas
Evan Singleton
Brian Shaw
Aivars Smaukstelis
Luke Stoltman
Tom Stoltman
Bobby Thompson
The Stoltman Brothers
The Stoltman Brothers have taken over strongman and turned into two of the best in the world. Tom Stoltman is the reigning World’s Strongest Man while Luke Stoltman won last year’s Europe’s Strongest Man competition. They will both be participating at the Arnold Strongman Classic and will continue to dominate.
Brian Shaw
Shaw began this event in 2020 and Shaw was victorious. This is one of many victories he has compiled over the years. Shaw is one of the biggest names in strongman and has plenty of records to his name over the years. He has won the World’s Strongest Man competition four times. In 2011, Shaw became the first competitor to win the WSM and Arnold Strongman Classic in the same year and did it once again in 2015.
Konstantine Janashia
Janashia has become a force in Georgia and is known as the “Georgia Bull.” He has won the Georgia’s Strongest Man competition five times in a row. This is in addition to many top finishes at competitions he enters. Janashia is a dark-horse competitor entering the Shaw Classic and has a chance to take home the prize.
Zydrunas Savickas
Big Z has been a force in strongman for over a decade now. He thrives in the log lift and has set many records. Savickas still has plenty to offer despite being one of the longest-tenured athletes. He is considered by some to be the best strength athlete of all-time. He has a chance to add another title to his resume in this one.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
Milos Sarcev Shares Rare Footage of 1997 Night of Champions
Milos Sarcev has released rare footage of the 1997 Night of Champions.
It appears that bodybuilding legend Milos Sarcev has released rare footage of the 1997 Night of Champions. The video features some classic bodybuilding battles at one of bodybuildings most prestigious shows that ran from 1978 to 2004.
There’s nothing quite like the best facing the best. In any sporting endeavor watching a superior competitor over one inferior opposition can be exhilarating. But you know what’s even more entertaining? Watching the best athletes compete against others on the same level to determine who is number one. Many bodybuilding shows represent this very notion. Of course there’s the Olympia and the Arnold Classic. But years ago there was another event that celebrated champions facing champions.
It was dubbed the Night of Champions.
Champion Versus Champion
The Night of Champions featured some of bodybuilding’s best and brightest. The event took place from 1978 to 2004.
The event would eventually come to be known as the NY Pro. Before then however the illustrious event gave us top champions like Robby Robinson, Chris Dickerson, Lee Haney, Lee Labrada, Dorian Yates, Kevin Levrone, Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, and Victor Martinez just to name several. The winner of the shows gave a good indicator of how high level a competitor was. Many of those athletes would go on to win the Olympia.
The competition at the Night of Champions was fierce. It’s what made the title so meaningful in the first place. The athletes who competed at the show were some of the best of the best. One such competitor was bodybuilding legend Milos Sarcev.
Always bringing a great physique to the stage Milos Sarcev was a tough out for every bodybuilder in his day. That fact was showcased in 1997 when he went head to head with another bodybuilding great Chris Cormier. The two battled it out for top honors, but it would be Cormier who reigned supreme.
Despite coming in second in 1997, Milos Sarcev gave Chris Cormier all he could handle. In fact Sarcev recently released rare footage of the event on his YouTube channel.
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What do think of this rare footage of the Night of Champions?
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.
Natalie Richards Crushes PR With 385.8-Pound Squat
Natalie Richards continues to set some new personal marks in the gym.
The list of up-and-coming names in powerlifting keeps getting longer and Natalie Richards is one to keep an eye on in 2022. She continues to show that she is a force and that continued on Monday. This is when she shared another PR that she has been working to improve.
Richards shared a video on Instagram of a 385.8-pound squat. This was good enough to take down her previous record and start the year off with a bang.
“Okay based on how 165 moved I did not think I was about to grossly overshoot my single ahaaaaa ?? once I figure out my 45 problems with squat it’ll be fine. It is cool to bust out a random PR mid volume, but also I’m so angry with this grind ? ?Eh, 175/387 @ 58/129 body weight@anchor_power we shall take it for now”
Natalie Richards explains in her caption that she believes there is work to be done. It is not a bad start to hit a new PR despite being unhappy with how the session went. Richards also disclosed that she weighed 129 pounds at the time of the lift.
This is the weight that Richards was while competing during the 2021 USAPL Virginia Pro. At this event, she was able to put on a record-setting performance. She finished as one of the top lifters at the event.
During this training session, Natalie Richards stepped up to the bar with knee sleeves and a lifting belt. This lift came in the middle of her routine. Richards Bega with two sets of three of 320 pounds and finished with two sets of five with 287 pounds. This was an impressive feat and shows that there could be some more big things coming.
Richards has captured four gold medals in her career to this point. The first came during the 2019 USAPL Fall Festival of Power. In 2020, Richards won two during the USAPL North Carolina Qualifier and USAPL SC State Championship. Finally, her most recent came during the 2021 USAPL Carolina Primetime.
It is unknown which competitions Natalie Richards plans to take part in this year but she has already set a new PR in one lift. There could be some more personal records going down soon. This will be before she takes the stage to potentially build on other records she currently holds.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Chris Bumstead Wins Gymshark’s “STRENGTH TEST” Against Other Elite Athletes
Chris Bumstead completed the heaviest shoulder press in the end.
It is no secret that Chris Bumstead has incredible strength and it is always entertaining to see it in action. The three-time Classic Physique Olympia champion recently participated in a Strength Challenge against other Gymshark athletes. In the end, it was Bumstead who was victorious.
A group of big name fitness athletes took place in the challenge. This includes bodybuilding and CrossFit competitors. Because of their different backgrounds, the athletes agreed to use the standing push press as the exercise. David Laid explained at the beginning of the video that this is an exercise that is the perfect middle ground between bodybuilding and CrossFit.
Athletes took turns completing a one-rep max lift with the weight being increased each round until there was one left standing. The lift had to be performed in a singular motion with elbows locked out at the top. The full results from the competition can be seen below and the video is posted to Gymshark’s YouTube page.
Full Results
Chris Bumstead – 120 kilograms (264.5 lbs)
Noah Ohlsen – 110 kilograms (242.5 lbs)
George Bamfo Jr – 110 kilograms (242.5 lbs)
Julian Marquez – 110 kilograms (242.5 lbs)
Ashton Hall – 110 kilograms (242.5 lbs)
Will Tennyson – 100 kilograms (220.5 lbs)
Jah’Son Patterson – 80 kilograms (176.4 lbs)
Elika Bang – 60 kilograms (132.3 lbs)
David Laid – 50 kilograms (110.2 lbs)
Chris Bumstead entered as the favorite to win this competition and even joked about his advantage in weight.
“I only have like 80 pounds on everyone so I really hope I don’t lose this.”
Bumstead recently returned to training after battling COVID-19. He is carrying less weight this offseason than he usually does because of the virus but his muscle tone and body fat percentage remain at a normal level. It is clear that his strength has not wavered either.
Other Competitors
David Laid has built site the following on social media and this has helped him grow in the fitness industry. He was battling an injured elbow during this contest that he hurt while arm wrestling. Noah Ohlsen is one of the best CrossFit competitors in the sport. He finished second to Bumstead by completing a 110kg lift.
George Bamfo Jr. and Ashton Hall are other big names that have gained recognition on social media because of their shredded physiques. Both were able to complete the 110kg lift, along with Julian Marquez, but could not reach 120kg and take down Bumstead.
Will Tennyson has made a name for himself on YouTube performing different challenges and workouts. Tennyson has a great mind for fitness and always performs lifts with great form. He bowed out after competing a 100kg lift. Trainers Jah’Son Patterson and Elika Bang round out the list of competitors who were seen in the video.
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WATCH: Larry Wheels Sets PR With 44 Reps Of 308 Pounds On Bench Press
Larry Wheels hit another huge personal record in a recent training session.
Larry Wheels is known for his incredible feats of strength. Recently, that has been being put to good use accomplishing different personal records. On Monday, Wheels loaded up 308 pounds on bench press and hit an amazing PR of 44 reps.
Wheels can add this to his recent list of PRs in training. This includes 17 shoulder press reps with a 140-pound dumbbell. In September, Wheels completed a massive 950-pound squat, which was also a personal best. Wheels shared the video on Instagram where he is seen moving 308 pounds with ease.
“308lbs/140kg x44 reps PR.2 days ago had arm wrestling practice which lit up my bicep brachialis to 10/10•Slapped on some @teampersonalrecord elbow wraps and the pain went to 2/10@_jamesenglish“
In his caption, Larry Wheels explains how he was dealing with pain in his bicep just days before. This came after arm-wrestling training that fired up his bicep brachialis. Wheels threw on some elbow wraps and this helps the pain enough for him to accomplish this incredible feat.
Wheels is still training for arm wrestling. This is an avenue he has been down recently and has competed in two matches to this point. The first came when Wheels was taken down by Aleksandr Toproll, better known as Schoolboy. In December, Wheels lost to Brandon Allen in a best-of-six match. It is unknown when Wheels will compete again but he is training to improve his game.
Larry Wheels has returned to powerlifting after some time off training as an arm wrestler. This was mainly to focus on improving grip strength, which is important when competing in the sport. Wheels has decided to continue training while returning to his roots as a powerlifter.
There was another minor setback when Wheels injured his quad during a heavy-squat session. This came at the end of 2020 but Wheels quickly returned to the gym and has been healthy since. It is clear that his strength is better than ever in all areas. While Wheels continues to train as an arm wrestler, it is clear that his best work is done moving heavy weights in the gym.
Larry Wheels will continue to impress with different PRs. If you want any motivation to be the best version of yourself, watch Wheels and how effortless he makes some lifts look. This is exactly what happened when he completed 44 reps on bench press recently.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Huck Finn Reflects On His 40 Beers Deep Workout With Mike O’Hearn & Shares Hangover Cure
Huck Finn looks back at the most beers he ever drank in a single day before his workout (with Mike O’Hearn).
You may have heard of the viral stunt bodybuilder Huck Finn. And if you haven’t, you’re missing out on some hilarious and shocking entertainment. Reminiscent of the show Jackass but with a bodybuilding twist – Finn performs insane and dangerous stunts revolved around feats of strength. We spoke with him previously – but decided to catch up to learn about his latest antics. In our latest GI Exclusive, Huck Finn shares the most beers he ever drank before a workout… which happened to be with Mike O’Hearn.
Viral bodybuilder Huck Finn is all about two things – beer and hardcore weightlifting stunts. In fact, he somewhat recently injured himself in his attempt of a recent stunt involving fire and a human ramp. You can check it out below:
While this particular stunt didn’t involve heavy lifting, a quick glance through Huck Finn’s Instagram page will show a man who very often drinks heavy amounts of alcohol before or even while lifting massive weight. It’ dangerous. It shouldn’t be done at home. But it’s damn fun to watch.
During our recent video conversation with Huck Finn, we asked him to detail the most he ever drank in a single day before a workout or stunt. To no surprise, his answer would be shocking to most casual drinkers and lifters.
Huck Finn reflected back to a day where he went to an event at a Dallas gym and drank over forty beers. After the event, he decided he was still in good enough shape to train in the gym. It turned out this training session involved natural bodybuilder Mike O’Hearn. While many of the bodybuilders and lifters at the event thought it would be impossible for Finn to start training – he went ahead with it anyway.
Ultimately, Huck Finn managed to bench 500 pounds that training session. And in some predictable outcome for Finn – he also ended up having a chair crushed over his head by Mike O’Hearn (all in good fun of course). This is the kind of mentality and lifestyle that Huck Finn leads in the bodybuilding industry.
Huck Finn also discusses with us how he manages to stay somewhat lean despite consuming so much alcohol. He also shares his hangover cure for the day after heavy drinking. He can’t let a hangover prevent him from hitting the gym and keeping his strength and physique up.
You can watch Huck Finn talk about his recent injury, his heavy drinking stunt with Mike O’Hearn, and his hangover cure in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Chris Bumstead Shares Bulking Diet To Prepare For 2022 Olympia
Chris Bumstead has his plan set for the offseason preparing for the 2022 Olympia.
Chris Bumstead is back in the gym and that means his preparation for the 2022 Olympia is in full swing. Bumstead missed some time in the gym after battling COVID-19 and lost a significant amount of weight. He revealed that he was 28 pounds lighter than his normal offseason weight to this point. Now that he is back in the gym, Bumstead took viewers through his diet plan to bulk up.
Bumstead is preparing for the 2022 Olympia, which is scheduled to take place from Dec. 16-18 in Las Vegas. Bumstead is the reigning three-time Classic Physique champion and could make it four in a row this year. Bumstead is organized when putting together his plan and he does this using the CBum Fitness app. He begins by calculating his calorie intake. He will be eating 4,161 calories, 139 grams of fat, 488 grams of carbs, and 240 grams of protein.
Chris Bumstead took to YouTube to show off his meal plan. He explains how he prefers to eat two larger meals with pre- and post-workout meals in between. His final meal comes before going to sleep.
Breakfast
Bumstead begins his meal with a smoothie before making his breakfast. This meal will consist of 1,037 calories. The smoothie consists of the following ingredients:
Blueberries
Raspberries
Half banana
Glutamine
Greens
Fiber
One scoop Whey protein
70 grams oatmeal
This is the first of five meals that Bumstead will eat throughout the day. This number might rise up to six if he wants to add a smaller meal to improve digestion. In his smoothie, Bumstead decides to use water rather than milk. He then moves onto making breakfast.
Three eggs
Three slices of toast
Half avocado
Ketchup
Pre- and Post-Workout
Bumstead cooks his pre-workout meal with coconut aminos. It is a total of 623 calories. Now that his taste has recovered, Bumstead can enjoy spices once again rather than just feeling the heat.
280 grams white rice
175 grams ground turkey
Shredded lettuce
Broccoli sprouts
After his workout, Bumstead eats 510 calories. This is a meal consisting of 100 grams of white rice and MegaFit Keto sesame chicken.
Dinner
Chris Bumstead added revised glucose to his higher-carb meals. This contains berberine and chromium. This dinner is a total of 1,177 calories and is a simple meal. Bumstead prefers pasta and sweet potatoes when trying to add carbs.
160 grams brown rice
225 grams ground beer
Pasta sauce
Final Meal
The final meal of the day for Chris Bumstead is chocolate chip protein pancakes. He uses Birch Benders pancake mix because it has more protein than regular mix. Alongside the pancakes, Bumstead makes a protein shake with one and a half scoops of Whey protein and glutamine in water.
This completes a full day of eating for Chris Bumstead as he prepares for the 2022 Olympia at the end of the year. If he keeps up his routine with his normal dedication, Bumstead could be looking at his fourth title in a row.
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Tony Huge: “I May Have Just Had A Heart Attack”
Tony Huge was diagnosed with different issues in his heart.
Tony Huge has been an influential name in bodybuilding for years now because of the work he does to study the sport. He has conducted plenty of experiments involving anabolic steroids and other supplements. Recently, Huge contracted the flu and this caused some issues in his chest. He also battled the COVID Delta variant back in August. He revealed that he thought he was having a heart attack.
On Saturday, Tony Huge posted a video to his YouTube page explaining what was happening.
“I think I may have had a heart attack. At least I was having a lot of pain, a lot of pressure, in my chest. I didn’t have the symptoms like the numb arm or any other symptoms but I talked to some friends who have had heart attacks and they said that sometimes they didn’t have any of those symptoms and that the symptom of just the pressure on the chest was enough to indicate that you maybe have had a heart attack,” Tony Huge said.
Tony Huge went in for multiple tests on his heart and they found that his levels were well above the normal range. This includes his D-Dimer score being over 2,500. The normal range is under 500. Also, Huge’s CPK was 1,379, which is almost seven times the normal level.
Huge referenced his lack of cardio done to strengthen the heart. He was supposed to implement cardio into his routine but found himself doing it about once or twice a month. In the end, Huge was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse. This is a condition in which your heart’s mitral valve does not close properly. It allows blood to flow backwards into the heart rather than keeping it going forward.
“I have to get more testing to see if I need a heart surgery to fix the valve…I had the flu really bad. I almost died. I didn’t realize that it could damage the heart directly and indirectly. It damages the lungs and because the lungs get damaged, the heart pressure gets backed up and it damages the heart.”
Tony Huge will undergo more tests to see how to proceed with this issue. It may require surgery to repair but this has not been determined just yet. the pressure that Huge was feeling was making him feel like he was having a heart attack but that was not the case. Hopefully this issue can be resolved with tests and a strong course of action.
“I am diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse with blood flow regurgitation, chest pain, heart working too hard, critical value heart inflammation.
Doctor suggestion: Further testing and possible surgical repair of the mitral valve in the heart. There are so many deaths and heart problems in bodybuilding recently. Time to get to the bottom of it,” Tony Huge wrote as his caption to the video.
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