Tag: nEWS
Natural Bodybuilder Suffers After Foregoing Rest and Recovery
Dan Sutcliffe learns the importance of rest and recovery the hard way.
Earlier this year (2021), Dan Sutcliffe – a natural bodybuilder – made his country – Romania – proud after walking away World Champion at International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) World Championships. That was a competition in the late months of October 2021, but it wasn’t until just recently – early December 2021 – that Sutcliffe opened up about what happened the events after winning gold. On Instagram (IG), here’s what Sutcliffe had to say below:
“In the first couple of weeks post Worlds I didn’t give my body an opportunity to rest/recover. This may have contributed to the problems I’ve experienced over the last few weeks.
I recently came down with a pretty nasty stomach virus which lasted 10 days and meant I completely lost my appetite (I know right ) and training became impossible. This is very unusual for me. A coincidence considering the timing? Probably not.”
You can view his complete statement below:
Dan Sutcliffe plans to use the off-season of 2021-2022 to implement a better balance of rest and recovery. But, he stated, “A little reminder that more does not always mean better!”
Drug Testing
Sutcliffe prides the natural bodybuilding competitions he competes in. Because they require a urine analysis test and polygraph lie detector test to ensure the athletes aren’t doping. Other bodybuilding leagues don’t advocate drug use, but they don’t have a system in place to prevent it. For example, the INBA/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) requires all athletes to undergo top-of-the-notch drug testing via World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Click the link to learn what that all entails.
Importance of Rest and Recovery
As a natural bodybuilder, it’s even more important to make sure to get plenty of rest and recovery. That’s because drugs like steroids allow your body to handle more volume and loads than you would be capable of lifting without performance-enhancing drugs.
Bodybuilders and gym-goers alike often forget how important – and for newbie gym-goers, unaware – rest and recovery are for progress. Of course, to compete with the top competition, you’ll have to put in the work and do enough volume and intensity to maximize muscle growth. However, muscle growth takes place while you’re resting. Therefore, weightlifters must have some deload weeks and take some days off to allow their body adequate rest and recovery.
Dan Sutcliffe has been competing since 2018, although he’s been lifting for about ten years and comes from a sports science background – sports science grad, personal trainer, and performance nutritionist specialist. Immediately after starting competing, he was able to win a British world title and place in the top three of a world final. Sutcliffe plans to spend some time with his family and friends, then work to earn pro status in the upcoming years.
Whether you’re a bodybuilder or average gym-bro, don’t omit rest and recovery. Rest and recovery are essential for making progress and preventing injuries and illness.
Generation Iron wishes nothing but the best for Dan Sutcliffe. We hope to see you more in the future!
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Flex Lewis Shares Massive Chest Day Workout
Former 212 Olympia champion Flex Lewis recently shared a huge workout for chest day.
Flex Lewis is one of the best bodybuilders in the history of the 212 division. He has taken some time away from competition but still destroys the gym on a regular basis. Recently, Lewis shared a massive chest workout to his YouTube page.
Lewis let viewers into a chest day of his. The amount of work that has been put in recently shows that the bodybuilder could be close to returning to competition. There have been talks of special things coming in 2022 for Lewis. This is especially true since he is reunited with coach Neil Hill. This is something that fans have been waiting for since Lewis last competed in the 2018 Olympia.
Lewis captured seven consecutive Olympia 212 titles from 2012-2018. The 2018 competition was the last time he competed before stepping away due to personal matters and different injuries. With 2021 coming to an end, Lewis should be back on stage soon and has been training hard.
This particular chest workout from Lewis is one that did not feature many exercises but plenty of reps. He went to work in his Dragon’s Lair Gym, along with Dom Cardone. Below, you can find the full list of workouts along with the rep count that Lewis completed for each one.
Standing Cable Chest Fly
Lewis began his chest workout with an exercise that stretches muscles and helps reach a full range of motion. This loosens up chest muscles and maximizes potential to build muscle. Lewis completed 22 reps of this exercise as a warmup before getting into heavier weight.
Seated Strength Machine Chest Press
The chest press machine helps target many upper body muscles and this is a reason it is one of the best exercises to work on chest day. Chest press hits pectoral muscles hard but also shoulders and triceps in the process. Lewis continued his workout by competing 21 reps on this machine.
Dumbbell Press
Lewis then went onto dumbbell press. He grabbed two 60-pound dumbbells and went over the the flat bench. He completed 16 reps while laying down followed by nine on the next set. The dumbbell press boosts overall strength. This is works the same muscles as the chest press machine but is a different variation. The dumbbell press requires a bit more control than a regular bench press.
Seated Machine Chest Press
The final exercise in Lewis’ workout is the seated machine chest press. He completes 27 reps on the machine. Lewis increased the number of sets throughout the workout. This specific exercise helps avoid errors in form and allows the lifter to keep control throughout the motion.
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Method Man Eyes Marvel Role Following Physique Transformation
Method Man has made great strides in the gym and feels ready for a Marvel role.
Time and time again there have been actors on the big screen showing off an impressive physique. There is a lot of work that gets put in behind the scenes, both in the gym and with nutrition. Method Man has recently gone through a incredible transformation and has built a physique that is ready to be shown off.
In a recent interview, Method Man discussed his fitness journey over the last two years. With the progress he has made, there might be an action hero role coming in the future and this is something that he is aiming for. Method Man specifically references Marvel in his comments.
“This whole journey wasn’t necessarily for acting. It was for myself, but I think I’m ready. I got the shirt-off action film thing. I could run, stoic, face straight, running with your shirt off kinda thing. You know, I’m ready, man. Come on Marvel. Come on Russo brothers, I’m here.”
Method Man begins by expressing that his journey was for himself, not to build a career in acting. Also, there is no official offer from Marvel but it is clearly something that he is interested in. Method Man has appeared in other films in his career, such as Trainwreck and How High.
Most recently, Method Man has been enjoying a role in 50 Cent’s Power Book II: Ghost. He has appeared in the Luke Cage series as himself. He appears in a convince store and is held up at gunpoint. This is when Luke Cage, played by Mike Colter, enters the store to defuse the situation.
Method Man made a call-to-action to the Russo brothers in his comments. Anthony and Joseph Russo have directed four Marvel films — 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
The fitness journey that Method Man put himself through was an eye-opening experience. He hopes that he can inspire the next generation to do the same.
“Maturity is when you look in the mirror and you get tired of your own BS. And that was it for me, you know, I was just wanting to change. I wanted to do something for myself instead of for everybody else. I can only be responsible for my actions and hope it inspires the next generation to do the same.”
While it is obviously unknown if Method Man will ever appear in a Marvel movie, the interest is there and he has built a physique that is ready to show off on the big screen.
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Regan Grimes Gets High Level Posing Advice From Jay Cutler and Iris Kyle
Regan Grimes gets advice from Jay Cutler and Iris Kyle.
One of the top bodybuilders in the world, Regan Grimes received some posing advice from Olympia champions and veterans Jay Cutler and Iris Kyle. The three along with bodybuilding veteran Milos Sarcev trained together at the Powerhouse Gym in Las Vegas.
Regan Grimes has shown the kind of championship potential to take over Men’s Open Bodybuilding. Along his journey he’s changed divisions as well as coaches. His recent change in coaches has already been paying dividends.
Milos Sarcev has taken over coaching duties for Regan Grimes recently and we’ve already seen the young bodybuilder make some serious gains. Grimes has shown some much improved conditioning and fuller muscle bellies. Sarcev is confident that he could help Grimes become Olympia champion in just a few years. With his incredible improvements in such a short period of time, the claim isn’t at all far fetched.
Recently Regan Grimes has received even more help from other talented bodybuilding veterans. Jay Cutler and Iris Kyle are both multiple-time Olympia champions. Both Cutler and Kyle know a thing or two about presenting their muscle in a artistic and beautiful fashion. Both veterans imparted Grimes with some great posing tips to help him level up.
Receiving Sage Advice
At the Powerhouse Gym in Las Vegas, Regan Grimes received some great tips from Jay Cutler and Iris Kyle. It was no doubt a learning experience that will shape Grimes’ future.
Posing sessions in Vegas with some of the greatest to ever do it. ? So thankful for opportunities like this to learn from the best!
There’s no doubt that this takes Regan Grimes to a whole new level.
What do you think of Regan Grimes and his potential to become an Olympia champion?
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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.
Hwang Chul-Soon Apologizes And Reconciles With Victim Of Assault
Bodybuilder Hwang Chul-Soon took to social media to address the incident.
Hwang Chul-Soon has created a large following during his bodybuilding career. He has sculpted an impressive physique but has been involved in some incidents over the years. Recently, a report came out that he slapped a woman in an attempt to stop her from taking pictures. The woman was taking pictures on her cell phone at the time. Chul-Soon has apologized for the incident.
The initial report stated that Chul-Soon pushed the women after they wanted to get a picture with him. The bodybuilder recently took to social media to address the inexcusable incident.
“Hello. This is Hwang Chul-soon. First of all, we sincerely apologize for causing inconvenience to many people.Most of all, we decided to reconcile with the parties involved and to stay as brothers and sisters. The assault charge was also closed. We know that violence cannot be justified under any circumstances, and we admit our wrongdoing and sincerely reflect on it. Separately, many articles are distorted from the facts and exaggerated. On the 30th, around 1:30 a.m., I sent my companions out in front of the restaurant located in Yeoksam-dong, and I was alone waiting for the driver. At that time, I saw someone filming me, and I asked if I was filming in a situation where I was clearly aware of the filming. If I had accepted the filming, I could have simply requested to delete it and finished it, but when I said no, I took my phone and checked it, and as a result, I had my image intact. I am very sorry for the responsibility for the broken cell phone in the process. And when the acquaintances of the person concerned stubbornly protested, he had an argument with acquaintances of the other party. In the process, I burst into tears and slapped a friend on the cheek.”
Last month, it was reported that Hwang Chul-Soon was arrested in Gangnam-gu, Seoul after allegedly assaulting two men. The acts of Chul-Soon come after his recent success and fame. It seems as though he has not been handling it well.
This is not a surprise. In Asia, there is much attention drawn to someone like Chul-Soon. This is not an excuse for the reports that are coming out, especially when it comes to treating women. Chul-Soon has apologized to the woman and hopefully this means incidents will no longer happen.
“Again, I am aware that this is a big mistake, and I bow my head a hundred times and apologize to the person concerned. I was not able to control myself even more because I was in the midst of going through trauma from voyeurs and malicious comments. I’m really sorry for causing a scandal. There were similar cases in the past, so we were careful in everything. There were problems during the brawl, but I’m not really the ignorant person who assaults the apologizing fan as in the news. The day before, he gladly took photos of the fans who asked for photos in the same place and paid for the food as well.”
Hwang Chul-Soon has built a physique thanks to his ability to mix nutrition and exercise. He is a well-known Korean bodybuilder with many fans all over the world. This is reason alone to stay out of trouble and remain on stage.
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Alondra Chatman is Nominated for the Award of Excellence
San Leandro Mayor nominates The Inner Athlete – Alondra Chatman’s personal training company – the 2021 Award of Excellence.
Alondra Chatman is the defending and 2x champion of the Figure Open at Natural Olympia (2019 and 2021). She’s also a Professional Natural Bodybuilder Association (PNBA) Hall of Fame Inductee, the better half of its evil counterpart, the notorious Hall of Shame. In addition, she was featured in Generation Iron’s installment – Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life.
Alondra Chatman’s hard work this year has paid off since not only did she collect another gold medal at the most significant event in natural bodybuilding – Natural Olympia -, but she also was nominated for the 2021 Mayor’s Award of Excellence for The Inner Athlete – her personal training company – in San Leandro, CA. On Instagram (IG), Chatman stated:
“On this eve of Thanksgiving, i am honored and grateful to be nominated for this Award of Excellence. Excellence is always my goal, but this is the 2nd Award of Excellence I’ve received in 2 weeks, so I’ll claim that as my theme for 2021 and beyond.”
In her most recent IG post on November 24, 2021, Chatman said:
“I’m still celebrating 2021 as my year of excellence. If you’re free at 6:30 PM PST tonight, you can tune in to watch the city council meeting where I’ll be receiving the Award of Excellence for The Inner Athlete.”
You can view her full IG post below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXKUSsZvmpO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Natural Bodybuilding
Natural bodybuilding leagues strive to hold the safest and fairest competitions for bodybuilders. Although, most bodybuilding leagues don’t support performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). At that same notion, many don’t test for them.
Natural bodybuilding leagues such as International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/PNBA test their athletes via World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – the utmost professional drug testing. Although some natural bodybuilders such as Colin Congo address their concern for the accuracy of the tests, having things like the Hall of Shame in place further prevents athletes from doping.
Of course, if INBA/PNBA bodybuilders fail a drug test, they end up on the Hall of Shame and have all their titles confiscated and are never allowed to compete in the sport again. And let’s face it, no one wants that public ridicule.
The Inner Athlete
Alondra Chatman is a legend in female natural bodybuilding, but she’s also a successful personal trainer. She’s the owner of The Inner Athlete – a personal training and fitness studio located at the East Bay. They serve people in-person and online. As the name suggests, Chatman and the team of trainers at The Inner Athlete work together to help people – ordinary people and competitors prepping for shows – build an athlete’s body. In her over 20 years of personal training experience, she’s managed to work with 1,000s of clients.
Below is a clip from IG of her client’s training at The Inner Athlete:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CXEwnbZMclm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
There’s no doubt Alondra Chatman is extremely hard working. Yet, she’s been able to juggle being a natural bodybuilding champion and successful fitness entrepreneur. And arguably the most demanding job of them all, a mother of two and a wife.
Alondra Chatman leads by example and accomplishes her mission of striving to be “a walking advertisement of how a sensible diet and a combination of aerobic exercise and a smart weight training program can work for anyone.”
Generation Iron would like to congratulate Alondra Chatman on winning the Figure Open at the 2021 Natural Olympia. And on being bestowed the Award of Excellence.
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YouTuber Derek Discusses Bodybuilding Dangers On ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’
Derek joined Joe Rogan to discuss different dangers of bodybuilding as you age.
Joe Rogan has built up one of the top podcasts in the world today. When he has a guest on, the topics can cover a wide range. In a recent episode, Rogan was joined by Derek, who is a popular media figure himself.
Derek created a YouTube Chanel discussing different fitness and diets called More Plates More Dates. He joined Rogan to discuss some of the risks and dangers in bodybuilding as an athlete begins to get older. This began with Derek speaking on the physical stress that the body is under when athletes perform at this level.
“With bodybuilders, it’s wild too, because it’s almost like the opposite extreme where you, you actually are aware that you’re killing yourself very quickly while you’re doing it. yeah. like you still want to walk around at like 260 plus even though you know how stressful it is on all your organ systems your heart.”
The work that bodybuilders have to put in has only grown over the years. Athletes are being judged on the size of their physique along with overall conditioning. This requires athletes to put themselves through strenuous workouts and preparation leading up to an event.
Joe Rogan continued the conversation by bringing up the amount of surgeries that Ronnie Coleman had throughout his career. This can be caused as the body goes through plenty of impact during lifts such as bench press and squat.
Yeah that’s the brutal thing too, when you get to that size is, progressive overload. You get to a point where you’re forced to a point where you use weights that are so exorbitant to overload because you’re way too strong that’s impossible not to literally fuckin dismantle your entire infrastructure while you’re supporting those loads.”
“Your squatting 100s and 100s of pounds, benching 100s and 100s, this and this, and your bones can’t just adapt and be totally fine.”
Bodybuilders have built themselves up on stage based on appearance. The overall goal is to build a better physique than the other guy. This becomes more difficult as an athlete gets older and that might force them to put themselves through more.
Rich Piana was used as an example. Derek and Joe Rogan spoke on how bodybuilding impacted the 40-year-old. Piana passed away from cardiac arrest in 2017.
“The guys who try to retain their size trying to fo 40+ almost always end up kicking the can real quick. He tried competing to become a pro. And he just doesn’t have the genetics from a structural aspect. So Even though he’s a massive fuckin dude, on stage he doesn’t you know have the proportions the symmetry, etc to make it far. But he just loved, loved the lifestyle so much. And his brand was built around it.”
This is a topic that has come up recently after an unfortunate string of deaths has impacted the sport. Derek went into detail with Joe Rogan and broke down some of the dangers.
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Lukas Osladil Shares The Most Influential Bodybuilders That Modeled His Physique
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The most influential bodybuilders that helped shape Lukas Osladil’s physique.
Lukas Osladil is a bodybuilder with an incredible physique that has been competing as a pro since 2011. Beyond being pro, he’s been focusing on bodybuilding since he was 10 years old. Now Osladil is primed to be a true threat in the coming years of the sport. While there is a lot for Osladil to look forward towards – he is also looking back at the athletes who helped shape his physique. In our latest GI Exclusive, Lukas Osladil details the most influential bodybuilders that inspired his bodybuilding career.
Lukas Osladil might not be a household name yet – but his physique is starting to get noticed by many fans as he slowly rises through the ranks of pro bodybuilding. As we continue to move through a transitional passing of the guard between generations – Osladil is a name that stands out and will likely continue to place high in more and more competitions within the coming years.
That’s why during our latest video conversation, we wanted to dig deeper into his influences that shaped Osladil into the kind of bodybuilder we see on stage today. Less a list of the best bodybuilders of all time – and more a list of the specific pro bodybuilders that influenced the kind of physique Osladil wanted to create on his own body.
While not extremely surprising, first and foremost Lukas Osladil was most inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger. In fact, he is still continually inspired by Schwarzenegger to this day. Perhaps no longer for his physique – but for the kind of brand and career he made for himself using bodybuilding. But Schwarzenegger will be the only name from the Golden Era on Osladil’s list.
In fact, Osladil goes on to say that the 90s was the best era of pro bodybuilding. Typically known by many fans today as the second Golden Era, Osladil mentions Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, and Kevin Levrone as big influences on his journey through bodybuilding. He details how he would read through bodybuilding magazines every single day to absorb as much information and motivation as possible.
These influences would prove paramount to Lukas Osladil turning pro. He had no trainer to work with for the entirety of his amateur career. Osladil mentions he always wanted a coach to confer with – but if he waited to find a suitable trainer, he would have never gotten started. So he took matters into his own hands, using magazines and pure passion, and sculpted his own physique using his own methods. It wasn’t until after going pro that he finally landed a coach to help him further improve.
It would seem that Lukas Osladil’s inspirations were so influential that it gave him the courage to jump into bodybuilding despite conditions not being perfect. This is a good lesson for aspiring bodybuilders. If you wait for the perfect moment to start – you might not ever really get going and miss your opportunity. Take matters into your own hands, use trial and error alongside research to forge your own path.
You can watch Lukas Osladil talk in more detail about his bodybuilding influences in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Patrick Moore Reveals Weight Limit For Potential Classic Physique Move
Patrick Moore shares his weight limit for Classic Physique.
Patrick Moore just revealed the weight limit for his potential move to the Classic Physique division. The weight limit criteria is tied to a competitors height.
Change can be a great thing indeed. With that change comes criteria. In order to bring about change it obviously means committing yourself to doing things differently all for the sake of growth.
It appears that Patrick Moore knows what weight he’d have to weigh for his potential Classic Physique move. Apparently it appears that Moore would have to weigh in at no more than 215lbs. Because of his height, 5’10” – 5’11”, Moore would be in the up to and including 215lbs.
According to a recent story on Instagram, Patrick Moore revealed not only what weight limit he’d operate under, but how close he was to that limit just a couple years ago. Moore revealed that he was only 9lbs shy of the Classic Physique weight limit at the 2019 California Pro.
While the move has yet to be confirmed it seems more and more likely that Patrick Moore is going to switch divisions. Firstly it just seems like the smart idea to do. While Moore has been competitive in the Men’s Open bodybuilding division, he hasn’t been able to crack the top five at the Olympia. While he is certainly capable of doing so there’s really nothing wrong with getting a different look. It could be exactly what Moore needs to pump some new life into his career.
As the Instagram story shows above it’s clear that Patrick Moore can make the weight for the Classic Physique division. Being just 9lbs away is a good enough indicator that Moore has what it takes to make the weight. Seeing him drop that extra weight, particularly in fat and water weight, we could see an even more shredded, more dynamic Patrick Moore than we’ve ever seen step on stage.
This is chess, not checkers…..IFYKYK
Clearly Patrick Moore has the kind of potential that could see him challenge Chris Bumstead and the others at the top of the division.
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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.
Big Ramy Guest Poses At Shreru Classic
Big Ramy made a recent appearance on stage as a guest poser during the Sheru Classic.
It has been a busy offseason for Big Ramy since repeating as champion during the 2021 Olympia. He received a huge welcome back when he returned home to Egypt after retaining his title and immediately began training for the 2022 show. Big Ramy recently made his second guest posing appearance since the Olympia during the Sheru Classic.
Big Ramy was scheduled to make an appearance on day three of the Sheru Classic in India. He closed out the weekend on stage after an event full of other big names as well. This was his second time on stage since the Olympia with the first coming during the KO Egypt Pro.
The Sheru Classic took place from Dec. 3-5 in Mumbai. Sheru Aangrish is an influential name in the sport of bodybuilding hailing from India. The former bodybuilder took to his official Instagram to share a video of Big Ramy during the event.
“?DAY 3??IHFF SHERU CLASSIC AMATEUR OLYMPIA .India ,we will be back again . Till than stay fit ,strong and healthy and follow all safety measures as much as you can ??.#sheruclassic #ihff #india #stayfit#borntodo #olympia2021 #2021#mrolympia“
When Big Ramy appears on stage, it is a big event but he was not the only notable at the Sheru Classic. Akim Williams was the guest poser on day one and returned for the second day as well. On Day two, Williams joined Sergio Oliva and Bhuwan Chauhan. Day three was the biggest one headlined by Big Ramy, with Williams and Oliva returning once again.
As usual, Big Ramy showed off his incredible size and conditioning during this guest posing appearance. His level of conditioning was brought into question after this year’s Olympia as many thought that Hadi Choopan entered the competition in the best shape. Choopa took home the bronze while Brandon Curry was the runner-up for the second consecutive year. Early in the offseason, it seems as though Big Ramy does not want this question asked next year.
It came out that preparation for the 2021 show did not begin until three months before. That changed drastically this time around as Big Ramy began training just weeks after winning on stage.
We are officially in December which means the 2022 Olympia will take place in one year. This gives Big Ramy plenty of time to keep up the level of his championship-winning physique. By the looks of his two guest posing appearances, Big Ramy looks primed and ready to make a run at a three-peat.
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