Urs Kalecinski discussed what it will take to defeat Chris Bumstead and others at the 2024 Olympia.

Urs Kalecinski has been one of the top competitors in Classic Physique over the last two years but the talent continues to grow within the division. During a recent interview, Kalecinski spoke on what it would take for him to win the 2024 Olympia.

The Classic Physique division continues to grow but is still dominated by Chris Bumstead, who has won four consecutive Olympia titles. Kalecinski is looking to improve upon his standing from his last two times out.

“I’m the guy. I’m going to prove it at the end of the year.”

Kalecinski finished third at the 2022 Olympia and the runner-up at the Arnold Classicback in March. This means he has been behind Bumstead and Ramon Rocha Queirozover the last year. The goal for this year is to change the guard in the Classic Physique division and take down Bumstead.

Kalecinski fell to third during the 2024 Arnold Classic, behind Ramon Dino and champion Wesley Vissers. In Columbus, Vissers took a major step forward to take down the rest of the division.

“He brought his A-game. I would say it was his conditioning and his fullness because we all saw me and Ramon at the evening and we had a different level of fullness and that was also the feedback from the judges that told me in prejudging. The fullness wasn’t there 100%.”

Urs Kalecinski Talks 2024 Olympia

Urs Kalecinski is working to make improvements ahead of the biggest show of the year. He shared that he weighed 225 pounds during the Arnold Classic, which is two pounds under his weight cap of 227 pounds.

Kalecinski knows what he needs to improve and keyed in on his arms and back.

“My head is very focused on the big shows to get a big impact over there. Body part wise, my arms and my back, I always try to get my feet back and every time they say it matches more, it matches more, that’s definitely a good direction.”

 

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Kalecinski is one of the best posers in bodybuilding. He is often rewarded for his work on stage in terms of posing. This is what made him love bodybuilding and what he works to improve.

“I try to bring up a super aesthetic and balanced physique. That’s bodybuilding for me. That’s always what I wanted to achieve and always what I loved about bodybuilding. That, combined with super good posing with spot-on conditioning, then the right peak, that’s going to be a deadly package.

That’s what makes me the next Mr. Olympia.”

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Fabiana Veras was found by a co-worker after being attacked by a strange man.

Female bodybuilder Fabiana Veras was found dead at her place of work in Assu, Brazil on Tuesday night.

Veras, who worked at a clinic as a psychologist, was found by a co-worker around 6pm local time. She had been bound and gagged and had clear cuts on her hands and all over her body. The Sun reported that CCTV showed footage of a man entering the clinic around 5pm. He was wearing a face mask, glasses, gloves, and a covering on his head.

Veras was seen speaking to the man before he entered the building, which also doubled as her home address. This is where the attack occurred. Police believe the man stabbed Veras and washed his hands in the kitchen after. He was in the building for another 15 minutes before fleeing in a getaway car.

Police reported that the man took Veras’ phone with him. It was found destroyed, along with three knives, two brass knuckles, and a pistol that was stained with blood. João Carvalho was arrested on Wednesday at his home in Natal, which is over 140 miles away from where the crime was committed.

Fabiana Veras Shared Suspicious Post On Social Media

The Sun also reported that police chief Valerio Kurten believes Fabiana Veras knew the man but was surprised with his appearance.

“She hugs him so you can see that there is an affectionate gesture. She was surprised by his clothing but she responded, took him, and then we saw the image of him leaving with a hand full of blood.”

Despite assuming relationship, police do not know the extent of how the two knew each other. They will continue to get information from his phone that might help find a reason for the attack.

Fabiana Veras was a psychologist who doubled as a bodybuilder. She gained an impressive following on social media due to her incredible physique and dedication to fitness. She also shared mental health tips to her followers. In September, Veras shared a post speaking about an abusive relationship.

“There are several telltale signs of a toxic relationship, such as a lack of mutual support, harmful communication patters, constant anxiety and fear, as well as jealousy, attempts at control, threats, criticisms disguised as compliments, and other harmful behaviors.”

GI sends condolences to family and friends of Fabiana Veras. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Lee Priest won a bet in a big way by hitting over 1,000 reps on leg press.

Lee Priest put together one of the most memorable physiques at a young age. He burst onto the bodybuilding stage due to his size and conditioning. In the gym, he crushed some insane workouts and this includes a massive 1,000-rep set on leg press.

During a leg day, Priest found himself in the midst of a bet where he was challenged to take on 200 reps on the press machine. He cruised past that and just didn’t stop.

“Everyone was there and they were like ‘bet you can’t do 200.’ I did 200. ‘Bet you can’t do three.’ It just kept going. I got to the point where around the 500 mark, I couldn’t even feel my feet. It’s just numb.”

Priest enjoyed a career on stage that spanned into three decades. He has had the chance to compete against legendary bodybuilders like Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, and Chris Cormier. Before calling it a career in 2013, Priest won the NABBA Mr. Universe competition. Priest quickly became known for his incredible conditioning and massive biceps.

Lee Priest Talks 1,000-Rep Set On Leg Press

During his career, Lee Priest built one of the most aesthetically-pleasing physiques in the world. He trained with some of the best and that includes Tom Platz. He described this as one of the most intense workouts he ever went through. It is clear that Priest had great lower-body strength and showed it during this set.

“I could lift one leg off and just shake it and do that but I couldn’t re-reack it. So even if I just held it for a couple seconds and shook my legs but then I got to 1,017 and said f*ck it, that’s enough.”

 

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Priest was asked about the amount of weight on the leg press machine. He added it up to be about 500 pounds, which was much less than his usual set but enough to feel heavy during the workout.

“It added up with the sled itself and the plates on it, it was like around 500 so it wasn’t a huge amount…If it’s medium weight, even if you had a five-pound dumbbell curl for biceps, you can keep going even though it’s burning like crazy.”

From my feet to my quad went numb so it was the weirdest feeling that I was pushing the weight but I couldn’t feel it, almost like you can’t feel your feet on the plate. That was just a bet for like $100, $200.”

Lee Priest has been open about his career on stage and workouts since his competitive days ended. One of his most memorable sets came on the leg press machine during a bet that he surpassed with ease.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger breaks down how to improve your sleep-strength relationship.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has released a daily newsletter where he is able to speak to fans sharing different tips. This time, the bodybuilding legend spoke about how to improve sleep and the relationship that it has with strength.

“Resistance training improves overall sleep quality and could effectively treat those struggling with insomnia.”

Schwarzenegger shared research from Science Direct that explained people who lift weights have an easier time falling and staying asleep.

“People who lift weights have an easier time falling asleep, have fewer sleep disturbances, wake up less at night, have deeper restorative rest, and tend to sleep longer. Aerobic exercise is also beneficial, but one study found that resistance training was more effective than cardio and helped people sleep longer and deeper.”

How Can This Be Done?

Arnold Schwarzenegger has shared many different fitness tips and talks. This time, it is about how to improve your sleep-strength relationship.

The bodybuilding legend shared a detailed checklist to follow to improve your sleeping habits, which will directly impact your ability to train:

• Go to bed and wake up at a similar time.

• Cut off food and drink approximately 2-3 hours before you rest.

• Exercise during the day

• Limit screen time 1-hour before you sleep

• Keep your room as dark as possible

• Make your room cooler, or use a temperature-controlled mattress

 

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After coming over from Austria, Schwarzenegger caught eyes because of his insane physique and turned it into a legendary career on stage. On his way to seven Olympia titles, Arnold did great things for the sport of bodybuilding as a whole.

In retirement, Schwarzenegger has prioritized his health in many ways. After his heart surgery in 1997, doctors advised him to stop lifting heavy weights because it would not be good for the valves. This is when he began cutting back on weight but continues to train in the gym on a consistent basis.

“Getting a good night’s sleep is about winding down. But revving up your heart rate during the day is also important.”

Arnold continues to be one of the biggest names in the fitness world and is working to improve the sport of bodybuilding each day.

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Rob Kearney shared that the 2024 WSM will be his final competition.

Strongman Rob Kearney has been competing in Strongman for 15 years. Recently, ‘The World’s Strongest Gay’ announced that his illustrious career will be coming to an end this year. Kearney officially shared that he plans to retire from competitive action following the 2024 World’s Strongest Man competition.

The 32-year-old Strongman took to Instagram to discuss the news while also joining Big Loz for an interview.

“I’m retiring. It sounds weird to say out loud but this year’s 2024 World’s Strongest Man will be my final competition as a professional Strongman.

I have done more in this sport than I could have ever imagined when I started 15 years Aho but I am at a point in my life and career where I feel good, where I can walk away with my head held high and be proud of everything that I have done.”

 

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Rob Kearney began powerlifting when he was just 17 years old and found an immediate passion for the sport. He began competing at a young age and totaled 26 appearances over the course of his career.

Kearney has two victories under his belt. He was victorious during the 2017 Giants Live North American Open and 2019 Arnold Australia. Kearney has made waves in recent years as he has four appearances at the World’s Strongest Man competition. Aside from his work in competition, Kearney has been an inspiration to all athletes.

“I have been so fortunate to live the life I have as a Professional Strongman and honestly have achieved more in this sport than I could have ever dreamed. Starting this sport as a 17 year old in 2009, I never imagined I would one day call my self one of the worlds strongest men. Through perseverance and consistency I worked my way to the biggest competitions in the world by the motto “Train to be the person they said you’d never become.””

Rob Kearney will leave Strongman as an incredible inspiration to many in and out of the fitness community. He was able to compete at the highest level and secure victories while also accomplishing a great amount outside of competition.

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Jay Cutler discusses the classic debate of flat bench against incline.

Jay Cutler has weighed in on many fitness debates over the years and shared his opinion. Recently, he explored yet another famous one. Cutler broke down the differences between flat bench and incline bench and explained why he prefers one over the other.

“Flat bench vs. incline bench. I focus more on the incline bench. Now, everybody wants to develop their upper pecs. It’s the hardest area to develop but I feel any kind of bench pressing whether it’s dumbbells, barbells, machines, even your fly movements, I feel you’re going to develop your chest all-around.”

Cutler has shared many fitness tips since his days on stage ended. This includes workouts, diet plans, and has even been open about his steroid use. He has discussed the advantages and disadvantages of bench press before and added more thoughts.

Jay Cutler Discusses Flat vs. Incline Bench

Jay Cutler began with the urge that many gym goers have to build their upper pecs. Because of the overall engagement, Cutler believes it helps build the area.

“Does the incline bench actually develop your upper pecs? I believe it definitely can engage more of the front delts and the pecs but more importantly, the incline bench can be a little bit more of a safer movement because you are using a little bit more of the shoulders.”

 

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Jay Cutler rose to popularity after challenging bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman for the Mr. Olympia title 2001. Coleman had been winning since 1998, and a fierce rivalry began between the two, which ended in Jay Cutler finally winning the top prize in 2006. He went on to win Mr. Olympia three more times but hasn’t officially competed since 2013.

Cutler has recently discussed the risk of bench pressing because of injuries. This is one of the reasons that he prefers to use incline bench.

“I prefer to use more of the incline bench over a flat bench just because of the comfortability of that movement. It definitely puts less strain on the shoulder joint in that position.”

Jay Cutler continues to train at a high level in retirement and this includes during his chest days. He continues to be one of the biggest voices in the fitness world to this day.

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The 2024 World’s Strongest Man field took another hit with two more competitors pulling out with injuries.

The 2024 World’s Strongest Man roster has seen some overhaul over the last few weeks. The competition is set for May 1-5 in Myrtle Beach, SC and there is still changes coming. Recently, both Shane Flowers and Kristjan Jon Haraldsson have pulled out of the event with different injuries.

Previously, both Martins Licis and Mateusz Kieliszkowski have withdrawn from the 2024 World’s Strongest Man competition. 2020 WSM champion Oleksii Novikov also announced that he will not compete in this year’s competition. There have been three replacements named for the talent that will not compete. They are Kevin Faires, Pa O’Dwyer, and Ondrej Fojtu.

Flowers and Jon Haraldsson suffer injuries while performing the same lift. On Wednesday, the World’s Strongest Man Instagram page announced that Adam Roszkowski and Tristain Hoath will now compete.

 

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Shane Flowers & Kristjan Jon Haraldsson Withdraw

Shane Flowers will be forced to miss the competition after suffering a torn bicep tendon. The injury occurred during a training session when Flowers was attempting an Axle Press. Once he lifted the bar from the floor, he suffered the injury that will keep him sidelined in 2024.

This is the second time Flowers will pull out of the WSM, with the first coming back in 2022 during group stages.

 

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Kristjan Jon Haraldsson injured his knee while also attempting an Axle Press. He took to his Instagram story to explain the injury.

“During my last press session last week I felt a huge crack on my left knee during axle clean and press And the days after that my knee has been super swollen and I’m still not walking normally yet, still waiting for MRI results but if I had to guess I think I had a knee subluxation.

Instead of forcing my way into competing and possibly injuring my knee even more I decided to withdraw from this year’s World Strongest Man competition.”

Full World’s Strongest Man Lineup

The full 30-man lineup includes replacements and former champions, led by reigning and defending champ Mitchell Hooper.

• Austin Andrade
• Evans Nana Aryee
• Gavin Bilton
• Adam Bishop
• Nicolas Cambi
• Marcus Crowder
• Wesley Derwinsky
• Thomas Evans
• Kevin Faires
• Ondrej Fojtu
• Kane Francis
• Nathan Goltry
• Rauno Heinla
• Tristain Hoath
• Mitchell Hooper
• Rob Kearney
• Paolo Kordiyaka
• Trey Mitchell
• Pa O’Dwyer
• Matthew Ragg
• Spenser Remick
• Adam Roszkowski
• Jaco Schoonwinkel
• Evan Singleton
• Aivars Smaukstelis
• Luke Stoltman
• Tom Stoltman
• Bobby Thompson
• Eddie Williams

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A former World’s Strongest Man believes Ronnie Coleman would have had a chance at the title.

Ronnie Coleman built an incredible physique that made him an all-time great in bodybuilding. As he was winning title after title on the Olympia stage, Coleman was also making a name for himself in the gym with his insane strength during workouts.

Coleman won eight Olympia titles during his career but the question is, could his strength have led him to a World’s Strongest Man victory? Reigning WSM champion Mitchell Hooper answered that question and compared Coleman to five-time champion Mariusz Pudzianowski.

“Do you think Ronnie Coleman could have stolen one of those titles from Mariusz? We’re going to look at Ronnie Coleman and we’re going to look at Mariusz Pudzianowski and we’re going to compare.”

Hooper shared a video on YouTube discussing the best known lifts for both Coleman and Pudzianowski.

Mitchell Hooper Talks Athlete’s Best Lifts

Hooper began with deadlifts, which is one of the major lifts in Strongman today. Athletes have gone above and beyond training for max deadlift and this has led to 1,000-pound lifts at times. Coleman hit 800 pounds during his career, which would not be close in competition.

“Ronnie, 800 pounds by two reps for deadlift. That is good. Nowadays, that is not competitive. Mariusz’s best deadlift was 415 kilos. That unfortunately, Ronnie, not really close.”

 

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Coleman excelled on the squat rack and this is where he would be able to make up some ground.

“We have seen that video of him squatting 800 pounds for reps. That is an 800-pound double squat. The best-listed squat by Mariusz is 380 kilos. That is 840 pounds so that’s really quite close.”

Bench press, Ronnie Coleman, 500-pound bench press for five reps. I could not do that. That would not be possible for me. For squats, I would be close. I could probably do three or four at 800 pounds without knee wraps on.”

Hooper believes that Ronnie Coleman could have competed in the traditional Strongman events as well.

“I think Ronnie could get through them all. I don’t think that’s a problem at all, a 300-pound stone. I think he can pick that up relatively easily.”

Mitchell Hooper Answers If Ronnie Coleman Could Have Won WSM

Pudzianowski won five WSM titles in seven years from 2002-08. Hooper highlighted the 2005 competition as one that Ronnie Coleman could have competed in and potentially won.

“I think if Ronnie Coleman competed in shape with some moderate level of directed Strongman training, I think 2005 World’s Strongest Man is possible that Ronnie Coleman could have been crowned. Big statement to say that he could have dethroned the best of all-time when it comes to World’s Strongest Man.”

 

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It goes to show how insane Coleman was in the prime of his career. Not only was his physique among the best in the world but his strength could have been as well — and that is coming from the reigning champion in Hooper.

“I genuinely think as someone who has won World’s Strongest Man, I genuinely think it would have been possible. He was a genetic freak.”

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The post Mitchell Hooper Answers If Ronnie Coleman Could Have Won WSM: “I Genuinely Think It Could Have Been Possible” appeared first on Generation Iron Fitness & Strength Sports Network.

Hunter Labrada led Sam Sulek through a leg workout that will burn the next day.

Hunter Labrada is looking to make an impact on stage once again this year. He wants to climb up the scorecard during the Olympia and continues to work to make improvements. Recently, he was joined by Sam Sulek for a burning leg workout.

Hunter Labrada continues to make improvements to his physique and it has shown on stage. He recently guest posed at the 2024 NPC Jay Cutler Desert Classic.

In 2022, Labrada fell to seventh on the scorecard. He was victorious during the 2023 Tampa Pro before finishing as the runner-up at the Texas Pro. Labrada hit the Olympia stage once again and finished sixth in 2023. Labrada showed off his physique once again during the NPC Western Michigan Bodybuilding Championships. He looked well-conditioned on stage. This was one of the major improvements he made during the year to prepare for the 2023 Olympia.

 

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In a YouTube video shares by Hosstile, Labrada and Sulek hit a leg day featuring some major exercises.

Hunter Labrada & Sam Sulek Leg Workout

The full workout featured six exercises. The first first were two sets each before finishing with one final set.

• Machine Leg Curls
• Romanian Deadlifts
• Smith Machine Romanian Deadlifts
• Machine Leg Extension
• Machine Hack Squats

The day began with machine leg curls before hitting two variations of Romanian Deadlifts. The first was to hit hamstrings and the second focused on lower back. Sulek lifted a bit heavier than usual but did not put as much on as Labrada.

“I might end up having to do an extra set of hamstring curls to make up for it.

His was very, very isolated. I am pulling a more traditional RDL because I want some good lower back stimulation too.”

 

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Romanian Deadlifts on the Smith Machine hit hamstrings harder during this workout. Sam Sulek discussed his preference on the Smith Machine because of this level of tension.

“Some hamstring curling has been done as well as some hip hinging. Some of us with a greater degree of tension than others but hamstrings are cooked. Doesn’t take too long, man.”

The hamstring portion of the workout ended and the duo moved onto quads. This consisted of machine leg extensions and hack squats to end it.

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There are still two slots available for the 2024 Strongest Man On Earth.

Legendary strength athlete Brian Shaw will once again host the 2024 Shaw Classic Expo. During this weekend, the Strongest Man on Earth competition will take place. Over the weekend, the four-time World Strongest Man (WSM) champion, Brian Shaw took to YouTube to share the full competitor list for this event..

The 2024 Strongest Man on Earth will take place from Aug. 17-18 in Loveland, CO. There will be a total of eight events that competitors will take part in over two days. A total of 16 competitors will enter with a chance to win the title.

“I do not take this lightly at all when sending out an invite to these guys. There are a lot of factors that come into play here when deciding who actually gets invited.”

In 2023, Shaw acquired the trademark of “Strongest Man on Earth.” from Paul Ohl, who was the organizer of Fortissimus. This was a Strongman competition held in 2008 and 2009 before it was suspended due to a lack of sponsors. Ohl held onto the trademark for all of these years. Now, Shaw has the trademark and crowned his first winner in 2023.

This is an event that Shaw works hard to run and wants to make sure that there is the best lineup possible.

“The contest integrity if by far and away the most important thing.”

2024 Strongest Man On Earth Lineup

There will be a total of 16 competitors at this event. As of now, Brian Shaw announced 14 athletes that will be present as two spots remain open.

• Austin Andrade
• Hafthor Bjornsson
• Thomas Evans
• Lucas Hatton
• Mitchell Hooper
• Pavlo Kordiyaka
• Trey Mitchell
• Oleksii Novikov
• Matt Ragg
• Evan Singleton
• Aivars Smaukstelis
• Luke Stoltman
• Tom Stoltman
• Bobby Thompson

 

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The roster is headlined by Mitchell Hooper. He has taken over the Strongman scene over the last two years. Hooper will defend his World’s Strongest Man title in 2024 and is coming off a victory during the Arnold Strongman Classic in Columbus and the UK.

Hafthor Bjornsson made his return to Strongman back in March during the Arnold Strongman Classic. He finished fourth during the event and will look to finish even higher. The Stoltman Brothers will also take part in this event. Luke Stoltman is coming off a victory in the Europe’s Strongest Man competition while Tom Stoltman is a former WSM champ.

Oleksii Novikov is featured on this list as well. He was forced to withdraw from the 2024 WSM competition due to an unknown reason. Novikov has been dealing with injuries but never officially announced a reason.

Brian Shaw has officially announced the lineup and will look to fill two spots as well. This will be another show where the best competitors in the world take the stage to fight for a title.

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