Ronnie Coleman spoke in detail about his earnings during a legendary career.
Ronnie Colemanis one of the best bodybuilders of all-time and remains active in the conversation today. He has been open about all happenings of his career since he retired from competition. During a recent interview, Coleman broke down his career earnings and explained how a lot of the money comes from off the stage.
During his career, Coleman totaled eight Olympia wins, which is tied for the most all-time with Lee Haney. He built a physique that was insanely muscular with great conditioning. The Men’s Open legend battled some other greats onstage, highlighted by his rivalry with Jay Cutler. Since retiring, Coleman has created a successful social media platform because of his combination of entertainment and interaction with fans.
Coleman is not the first to discuss the financial side of bodybuilding. Many have explained that unless you are near the top, it is not lucrative. Tom Platz recently talked about how bodybuilders are underpaid and compared it to the bottom golfer on the PGA Tour.
Image via Instagram @ronniecoleman8
Ronnie Coleman: “It Was Pretty Close To A Million”
Ronnie Coleman joined The Iced Coffee Hour for a discussion where he was able to breakdown the earnings of his career. He totaled eight Olympia victories and won prize money but he said that the real winning was from endorsements.
“The biggest thing I got from winning the Olympia was the endorsement. The prize money for winning the Olympia, $100,000. That’s nothing. I did use that to pay off my hours but the big money came from endorsements, you know. Other stuff that I did like I had a supplement contract, clothing contract, shoe contract, so all the money, all the real money comes from endorsements.”
This is commonplace across all athletics. There are many professional athletes that do not use game checks but rather live off all the money made from endorsement deals across the board.
Coleman continued to discuss his career earnings and pension as a police officer. Next year, Coleman will turn 60 and begin getting his retirement from the police force.
“It was pretty close to a million dollars, yeah. Well, I won my first Olympia in 1998. Of course, you know, I had quite a few endorsements though. Then, I had personal appearances that I was doing so it was in the millions.
I saved a lot and put it into retirement. Like I said, getting a retirement check at the end of this year. From one of those and when I turn 60 next year, I get my police retirement. Social security. I put a lot of money into that, also. I’ll be pretty much set for life.”
Ronnie Coleman enjoyed one of the best bodybuilding careers of all-time and was able to set himself up in a good position in retirement.
The results for the 2023 Strongman Champions League Poland are in. 12 strongman competitors from 8 different countries participated in the show. Each strongman had to compete in five different events and secure a possible 60 points in order to win the show.
When things were all said and done it would be the Netherlands’ Kevin Hazeleger who emerged victorious. Narrowly beating out Poland’s Oskar Ziółkowski by half a point, Hazeleger stood atop the podium as the champion of this tightly contested show. The full results are below.
So how was Kevin Hazeleger able to secure victory at the 2023 SCL Poland? The results for each of the five events at the competition explain it all.
Truck Push
Each strongman had one minute to push a 15,000 kg truck down a 20-meter course for the fastest time.
Dawid Pakulski — 19.34 seconds
Kane Francis — 21.25 seconds
Kevin Hazeleger — 21.78 seconds
Mika Törrö — 21.91 seconds
Péter Juhász — 22.15 seconds
Adam Roszkowski — 23.40 seconds
Aivars Šmaukstelis — 23.81 seconds
Evans Aryee — 23.91 seconds
Lucas Rogerio — 25.13 seconds
Oskar Ziółkowski — 25.37 seconds
Louis Jack — 25.72 seconds
Grzegorz Szymański — 27.04 seconds
Frame Carry
The competitors had to carry a 340 kg frame and traverse a 40-meter course for the fastest time within 60 seconds. If athletes didn’t complete the course they were scored by distance.
Kevin Hazeleger — 19.06 seconds
Evans Aryee — 21.38 seconds
Grzegorz Szymański — 24.28 seconds
Mika Törrö — 37.38 seconds
Oskar Ziółkowski — 20.2 meters
Kane Francis — 16.5 meters
Dawid Pakulski — 15.7 meters
Aivars Šmaukstelis — 12.3 meters
Lucas Rogerio — 12.2 meters
Péter Juhász — 11 meters
Adam Roszkowski — 10.9 meters
Louis Jack — 7.8 meters
Bag Over Bar
Strongman athletes had to toss five bags weighing between 20 and 28 kg over a bar 4.7 meters tall.
Adam Roszkowski — Five in 15.05 seconds
Oskar Ziółkowski — Five in 16.26 seconds
Aivars Šmaukstelis — Five in 34.22 seconds
Louis Jack — Four in 12.75 seconds
Mika Törrö — Four in 14.30 seconds
Kevin Hazeleger — Four in 16.32 seconds
Péter Juhász — Four in 30.35 seconds
Dawid Pakulski — Four in 32.95 seconds
Evans Aryee — Three in 11.01 seconds
Kane Francis — Three in 17.36 seconds
Grzegorz Szymański — Two in 15.14 seconds
Lucas Rogerio — One in 7.02 seconds
Log Lift
Athletes were tasked with lifting a 150 kg log overhead and performing as many reps as possible within a 60-second time limit.
Oskar Ziółkowski — Seven reps (T-first)
Adam Roszkowski — Seven reps (T-first)
Aivars Šmaukstelis — Six reps
Evans Aryee — Five reps
Kevin Hazeleger — Three reps (T-fifth)
Grzegorz Szymański — Three reps (T-fifth)
Péter Juhász — Three reps (T-fifth)
Lucas Rogerio — Three reps (T-fifth)
Dawid Pakulski — Two reps
Mika Törrö — One rep (T-10th)
Kane Francis — One rep (T-10th)
Louis Jack — One rep (T-10th)
Power Stairs
In the final event the strongman athletes had to lift three different implements weighing 225, 250, and 275 kgs respectively and scale 15 steps with each implement. The competitors were given a 90 second time limit for this event.
Grzegorz Szymański — 54 seconds
Oskar Ziółkowski — 82 seconds
Kevin Hazeleger — 12 stairs (T-third)
Adam Roszkowski — 12 stairs (T-third)
Mika Törrö — 10 stairs (T-fifth)
Péter Juhász — 10 stairs (T-fifth)
Aivars Šmaukstelis — Five stairs (T-seventh)
Evans Aryee — Five stairs (T-seventh)
Dawid Pakulski — Four stairs (T-ninth)
Kane Francis — Four stairs (T-ninth)
Lucas Rogerio — One stair
Louis Jack — no lift
In the end it would be his solid performance overall as well as his victory in the Frame Carry event that secured victory for Kevin Hazeleger.
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.
Victor Martinez opens up about a possible rematch with Jay Cutler as well as his thoughts on Nick Walker’s acting aspirations
On this week’s episode of the Generation Iron Podcast, hosted by bodybuilding legend Victor Martinez as well as Edwin Mejia Jr., and filmmaker Vlad Yudin, recently delved into a wide range of topics, from bodybuilding and competition to the world of acting. Most notably, Victor Martinez gets candid about a possible rematch with Jay Cutler now that he has gotten back into bodybuilding shape. In this recap, we’ll highlight the key takeaways from their insightful conversation.
This past weekend held the return of the Masters Olympia after an eleven year absence. Alongside the Masters Olympia return, Jay Cutler decided to go through a personal bodybuilding transformation challenge. He wanted to be “Fit For 50” – aka back in bodybuilding shape by his 50th birthday. Many believed that this was a sign he would compete at the Masters Olympia. This didn’t happen.
But it did spark memories of the famous face-off of Victor Martinez and Jay Cutler at the 2007 Mr. Olympia. While Cutler ultimately won the showdown, many believed and still do believe that Martinez deserved the Sandow trophy that year.
With Victor Martinez always keeping in shape, and Jay Cutler back in shape for his 50th birthday – could we one day see a rematch between the two competitors on a Masters stage?
Victor Martinez addresses the rumors (or perhaps collective desire to see the rematch). He also gives some advice on how to properly cycle creatine, the world of acting and bodybuilding, as well as Kali Muscle’s latest comments about steroid use in bodybuilding. Let’s dive in.
A fan question opened the discussion about creatine and its role in muscle growth. The question asked how to properly use creatine without “getting too big.” Victor Martinez reassured listeners that creatine won’t magically make you too big. He recommended high-quality (HCl) creatine over monohydrate and emphasized the importance of cycling it, typically 8-10 weeks on and 3 weeks off, to alleviate pressure on the liver. Victor advised against getting overly technical about creatine usage, making it clear that moderation is key.
Creatine HCl: Creatine Hydrochloride is known for its high solubility in water. This means it can dissolve easily in liquids, which may make it more convenient for some people to mix with their beverages.
Creatine Monohydrate: Creatine Monohydrate is also soluble in water, but it may not dissolve as readily as Creatine HCl. It might require more stirring or a little more time to fully dissolve in water.
2. Dosage:
Creatine HCl: Due to its increased solubility, some argue that you may need a smaller dose of Creatine HCl compared to Creatine Monohydrate to achieve similar results. Typically, a lower daily dose of Creatine HCl, such as 1-2 grams, is suggested.
Creatine Monohydrate: Creatine Monohydrate often requires a loading phase, where you take higher doses (around 20 grams per day) for a week, followed by a maintenance phase of around 3-5 grams per day. This loading phase is not necessary, but some people opt for it to saturate their muscles with creatine more quickly.
3. Potential Side Effects:
Creatine HCl: Creatine HCl is considered to be gentler on the stomach for some individuals. People who experience digestive discomfort with Creatine Monohydrate may find Creatine HCl more tolerable.
Creatine Monohydrate: While Creatine Monohydrate is generally safe for most people, some individuals may experience mild gastrointestinal discomfort, such as bloating or cramping. This is more common when taken in higher doses.
Rematch: Can Victor Martinez Beat Jay Cutler Today?
The hosts addressed rumors of Victor making a surprise appearance at the 2023 Masters Olympia. Victor swiftly dismissed the idea and speculated that fellow bodybuilding icon Jay Cutler would also avoid a surprise return – saying that Cutler was smart enough to know that he didn’t need to compete at the 2023 Masters Olympia due to his prestige being a 4x Mr. Olympia champion.
Clearly, Victor was correct in this assumption as we did not see Jay Cutler compete this past weekend. But it did beg the question – would we ever see Victor Martinez and Jay Cutler compete against each other for a rematch on the Masters stage? Edwin Mejia Jr. inquired about a potential rematch between Victor and Jay in their 50s. Victor expressed openness to a special pose-off if Jay Cutler showed interest but emphasized he didn’t want to chase former glory from their 2007 battle.
For Victor, he would need Jay Cutler to be naturally open to it – rather than badger Cutler into feeling pressure to compete again. He likened it to similar “super fights” in boxing where old legends come back, put pressure on social media, and the compete. Victor finds the whole thing a bit embarrassing.
Regardless of whether or not a rematch actually happens, Vlad Yudin probed whether Victor believed he could defeat Jay Cutler today, referencing Jay’s “Fit For 50” journey. Victor skillfully sidestepped the question, stating that he didn’t need to predict the outcome since he already believed he won in 2007, despite the judges’ decision.
Bodybuilders Transitioning to Acting
The hosts shifted the conversation to bodybuilders pursuing acting careers. Nick Walker’s aspiration to become an actor was highlighted. Walker recently made headlines by saying it was always his dream to act – and that he would drop competing if the opportunity to star in a film arose.
Victor Martinez raised concerns – claiming that the “Arnold Schwarzenegger model” is not as easy as it seems. He believes that Nick Walker would be quickly typecast. Drawing parallels to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s early career, Victor noted that Arnold overcame typecasting through his charisma and personality. It wasn’t only his physique that won him roles – it was his one-of-a-kind personality that he leveraged into becoming an A-list celebrity (and even later a politician). He questioned whether Nick Walker possesses that unique charisma to avoid being pigeonholed.
Victor Martinez also pointed out that hardly any other bodybuilder has been able to make a transition into acting – showcasing just how hard it was to actually pull it off. The hosts cited Martyn Ford’s success in action films and Kai Greene’s role in Stranger Things as examples of bodybuilders breaking into acting.
Ultimately, Victor Martinez believes that if acting is a true passion for Walker – in the same way bodybuilding is a passion – he should pursue it. But if he is just trying to copy Arnold it may be best left on the table. With that in mind, Victor suggested that Walker started with theater rather than movies. He believes that is a better test as to whether or not Walker has what it takes in to truly make acting his passion.
Kali Muscle’s comments: Are steroids really a “waste of time?”
The podcast delved into Kali Muscle’s statement that steroids – recently stating that they are a waste of time for bodybuilders. Victor Martinez understands that Kali Muscle went through quite a traumatic ordeal due to steroids. He understands that ultimately in terms of long term health – steroids are not a great substance to use.
However, he also believes it is misleading to call them a waste of time. If a bodybuilder is willing to take the risks – PEDs can bring about a higher level of muscle and size that is impossible naturally. That can’t be ignored and is important to many competitors. Ultimately, he stressed the importance of responsible steroid use (as best as possible considering the risks) and distinguishing between use and abuse.
The Generation Iron Podcast provided valuable insights into bodybuilding, acting aspirations, and the evolving landscape of fitness and substance use. Victor Martinez’s vast experience and wisdom were evident throughout, making this episode a must-listen for fans of the bodybuilding world.
You can watch the full episode above and make sure to catch new episodes every Tuesday only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network or wherever podcasts are downloaded!
Urs Kalecinski continues to improve in Classic and trained with Jay Cutler ahead of Olympia.
Urs Kalecinskiis one of the top competitors in Classic Physique, which has turned into a top-heavy division with a lot of talent. Kalecinski has been climbing and is looking to go even higher on the scorecard come the 2023 Olympia. Recently, he was seen sharing a physique update with Jay Cutlerfollowing a chest workout.
Kalecinski has been climbing up the division recently. He earned his highest finish at the Olympia in 2022, behind only Chris Bumstead and Ramon Rocha Queiroz. At the Arnold Classic in March, Ramon Dino topped Kalecinski again as the two battled in the final.
Kalecinski continues to work in Classic Physique but has put on size that has some questioning whether he will move to Men’s Open. At the end of June, Kalecinski was joined by Greg Doucette, who measured the bodybuilder’s body fat percentage. At the time, Kalecinski held 10.3% body fat at 275 pounds. This means that he would have to drop some weight to make the restrictions for Classic Physique.
On Monday, Kalecinski took to Instagram to share his latest update, which was alongside Cutler.
Image via Instagram @the.miraclebear
Urs Kalecinski Trains With Jay Cutler
Urs Kalecinski did not share videos of the workout but the two were seen working on the chest press machine in photos. These were sandwiched between physique updates from Kalecinski, where he is looking shredded during this stage of prep.
Jay Cutler has been focusing on his own fitness journey as well. He shared his plan to complete a “Fit-For-50” transformation at the beginning of 2023 and has made great strides as he recently hit 50 years old.
During this transformation, Cutler has focused on his diet and adding cardio. He does two sessions of cardio per day while upping his fasted cardio time. Cutler has been open about his bodybuilding journey, including discussing his steroid cycle. Now mind you, he insists he isn’t returning to actively competing, but he recently started a challenge to transform his physique for turning 50.
Jay Cutler quickly shut down the thought of returning to Masters Olympia this year. It seems as though he is not interested in stepping on a stage competitively but did not throw out the thought of guest posing. in fact, he appeared alongside Regan Grimes on stage recently, showing off his shredded build to fans.
Urs Kalecinski is taking all measures to make sure that he is in championship shape come November. He will have to be at his best to compete once again with Bumstead and Ramon Dino.
Ramon Rocha sets his eyes on CBum to overtake the Classic Physique title.
Leg training is about much more than just avoiding the “Johnny Bravo” look. When you work out your legs, your body releases hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH). Studies have shown that these hormones are crucial in muscle growth and hypertrophy(1). So, if you’ve been contemplating skipping leg day, let this be your reason to banish that thought. This post will examine Ramon Rocha Queiroz’s (Ramon Dino) leg workout.
Ramon Rocha is a Brazilian bodybuilder in the Classic Physique category with a huge following on social media. This leg workout is part of his preparation for the 2023 Mr. Olympia in November.
Full Name: Ramon Rocha Queiroz
Weight
Height
Date of Birth
222 – 250 lbs
5’11”
02/09/1995
Division
Era
Nationality
Classic Physique
2010s – Till Date
Brazillian
Ramon Dino earned his pro card by winning the Amateur Olympia Brazil 2018. He then stunned everyone by not competing for two years before returning to a runner-up finish at the Europa Pro. Since then, he’s had top-five and runner-up finishes in Mr. Olympia and the Arnold Classic before netting the top prize in the Classic Physique division at the 2023 Arnold Classic.
Ramon Dino hopes to dethrone four-time winner Chris Bumstead this year, and this leg workout is part of his prep. IFBB Men’s Open Pro Rafael Brandao joined him, and Fabricio Pacholok coached both of them. Here are their leg exercises and how to use them to build your leg muscles.
Before the intense leg-finishing workout, Ramon Rocha did some stretches. Research shows stretching before your routines could help muscle soreness(2). However, it’s best to save stretching for after your workouts unless it’s dynamic stretching, which can be done before.
Ramon Dino also took a pre-workout supplement before starting his training. Pre-workout supplements also help you reduce exercise fatigue and recover faster after training. The Brazilian bodybuilding pros used machines for all their exercises and rounded up by saying, “We’re going to bring the top 1 for Brazil, so let’s go get it.” Watch out, Chris Bumstead!
Exercises
Leg Extensions
Hack Squats
Seated Leg Curls
Hip Abductions
Leg Extensions
The leg extension is an isolation exercise that targets your quads. It uses the extension of your knee that contracts your thigh to build the quad muscles on a leg extension machine. With most exercises that target quads, your legs could get tired easily because multiple other muscle groups are involved. Leg extensions bypass this problem as they recruit only the quads. This lets you build that muscle to the max without secondary muscle stress.
Ramon Rocha and Rafael Brandao hopped on the leg extension machine for multiple heavy sets. Fabricio Pacholok coached both through using a full range of motion for their sets and then doing some sets with a partial range. They both took turns before heading to the first compound exercise in the leg day training.
Hack Squats
The hack squat is a compound lower body routine that targets the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves to build strength in your legs. To perform hack squats, you get on an angled machine that offers support and use your legs to move the weight up and down.
Hack squats are an alternative to the barbell squat, allowing you to lift more. This is because you get support from the machine, which reduces your need for core strength and stabilization. Athletes also use this exercise to improve their strength before doing the barbell squat.
Ramon Dino and Rafael Brandao took turns with the hack squat machine while being coached by Pacholok. Queiroz also put on a knee sleeve before lifting heavy with this exercise to protect his knees. Then, they both headed to the next routine for the day.
Seated Leg Curls
The seated leg curl is an effective way to build muscle in your legs and improve balance. This exercise targets your glutes, hamstrings, and adductor muscles. Research shows that the seated leg curl is slightly better at building your hamstrings than the lying leg curl(3).
In most athletes, the hamstring is usually weaker than the quads. This could lead to injuries like ACL ruptures. Using the seated leg curl to build your hamstring strengthens it so you can avoid these injuries.
Ramon Rocha and Rafael Brandao did seated leg curls as the second to the last routine for this leg day workout. They both pushed through heavy sets with advice from Fabricio Pacholok. Then, they headed to the hip abduction machine for the last exercise of the day.
Hip Abductions
Hip abductions are a great way to tone your backside and also help to reduce hip and knee pain. As a result, physical therapists often use this exercise in therapy. Bodybuilders use it to strengthen the muscles that help with stabilization, too.
When you use a hip abduction machine, it primarily targets your abductors but also recruits your glutes. This machine helps you to build all three glute muscles. To do this exercise, you sit in the machine with your knees against the machine pads and push your legs away from your body.
Ramon Rocha used the hip abduction machine for the last exercise of this leg workout. He did some solid leg-tasking sets under the coaching of Pacholok before ending the video, which was uploaded on his YouTube channel. You can watch Ramon Dino’s full leg workout below:
Fink, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., & Nakazato, K. (2018). The role of hormones in muscle hypertrophy. The Physician and sportsmedicine, 46(1), 129–134. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2018.1406778
Andersen J. C. (2005). Stretching before and after exercise: effect on muscle soreness and injury risk. Journal of athletic training, 40(3), 218–220.
Maeo, S., Huang, M., Wu, Y., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2021). Greater Hamstrings Muscle Hypertrophy but Similar Damage Protection after Training at Long versus Short Muscle Lengths. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 53(4), 825–837. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002523
Too much stress can have a negative effect on your workouts, and here is why
Our lives are filled with busy schedules. Between work, relationships, personal self care, and trying to stay active and healthy, stress can creep in and disrupt a healthy lifestyle. It can be overwhelming and hard to control much of the time and without knowing the proper ways to manage stress, easing our minds can be a difficult challenge.
Stress Overview
Your mind and body feed off of one another, working together to keep you both physically and mentally healthy. Exercise is a common and very beneficial stress relieving aid for being active works to boost endorphins to make you feel good (1).
Along with that, knowing you are actively building muscle mass or improving your cardio can really enhance confidence and self-image, thus improving your mood and allowing you to relax and start to settle those stressful thoughts.
Unfortunately, stress can work against us at times and although we may embark on our fitness journey as best we can, the effects of stress can negatively impact our workouts. As a serious de-motivator, it can be hard to lace up our shoes and go for even a short run, let alone a high intensity workout, so learning to manage stress as best we can goes a long way in improving all aspects of our fitness goals.
Negative Effects Of Stress
There are a lot of negative effects of stress on your body, so let’s take a look at some.
Hinders Recovery
Recovery is an essential part of seeing big gains and overall growth, as this is where the muscle repairs bigger and stronger. Being overly stressed can make for a longer time to recover. When you are left feeling tired and sore, your muscles will not have a chance to repair themselves (2).
A lack of recovery not only leaves you feeling fatigued, but it also increases your risk of injury potentially putting you out of the gym. Hydrating is key and adding in a good supplement like a whey protein can aid recovery but also ensure you get enough sleep so your muscles have time to fully recover. Sleep is actually where your body generates the most human growth hormone and testosterone, which are both crucial muscle building hormones.
Increases Muscle Tension
When you are stressed, your muscles tense up to protect against injury, and if not properly recovered, ironically this can lead to unfortunate injury and pain. With tight muscles, your room to grow is seriously diminished and if you are in a constant state of stress, your muscles never truly get a chance to relax. This can also affect posture and trigger increased levels of cortisol, which triggers a fight or flight response leaving you in a continued state of tension.
Working with a physical therapist or getting a massage can really help relieve a lot of this tension. Massage guns are also great at-home muscle relieving tools.
Affects Concentration
Stress forces your mind to wander and that loss of focus just makes you feel as if you are going through the motions. Working on mind-muscle connection in the gym will help you see growth and if a lack of concentration is present, you won’t perform to full potential.
Poor concentration also makes it easier for mistakes to occur with form and technique, also increasing your risk of injury. Yoga and other forms of meditation are healthy ways to really gain clarity when it comes to boosting your concentration and focus.
Increases Appetite and Body Fat
We’ve all experienced an unfortunate binge when we are stressed. That is the result of a hormone called cortisol which is considered the “stress hormone” but also performs functions like aiding metabolism, increasing blood sugar, and modulating the immune system (3). Cortisol can increase your cravings for more sugary foods and mix that with a stressed out person, it leads to binge eating causing an increase in your caloric intake and unfortunate weight gain.
Cortisol also causes your body to store fat, which increases your body fat and makes it hard to get that desired physique (4). This works in a vicious cycle of cortisol being released, increasing your cravings leading to a binge or just unhealthy eating, only to have cortisol then store fat to make it harder for you to lose weight. Working on stress relief and finding a good diet you can stay consistent with will help with this problem big time.
Ways To Reduce Stress
Stressors in our lives will always be present, so knowing how to deal with stress will prove to be huge for our overall health and wellness. One way to reduce stress is to keep in mind that exercise is key, so even when you feel down and out, find an excuse to get moving and get those endorphins flowing because you will feel better after (5).
Too much caffeine or other stimulants can cause stress so working to reduce your caffeine intake will also help. Yes, unfortunately to reduce stress you should try and cut back on pre-workouts and those delicious energy drinks.
Another way to reduce stress is to try things like meditation, yoga, or other mindfulness activities to really work to calm your mind and stay on top of your game.
But most importantly, reach out to people. Whether it be family or friends, talk about what’s going on and let them help you. Your fitness goals are important but so is your overall quality of life so don’t let stress take you down.
Wrap Up
We all deal with stress in different ways. For those of us who love fitness and take our health seriously, stress can unfortunately work against us and force us into deep holes of despair keeping us from what we love and hurting our fitness progress. Hindering recovery, increasing muscle tension, promoting poor concentration, and leading us to weight gain are all ways that stress hurts our fitness goals. Working to reduce stress through mindfulness activities, talking with family and friends, and of course, pushing ourselves to exercise, are great ways to combat stress so you always win. Don’t let your hard work be taken down by stress and work to reduce it for your overall health and wellness.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Jackson, Erica M. (2013). “Stress Relief: The Role of Exercise in Stress Management”. (source)
Stults-Kolehmainen, Matthew A.; Bartholomew, John B. (2012). “Psychological stress impairs short-term muscular recovery from resistance exercise”. (source)
Christiansen, Jens J.; Djurhuus, Christian B.; Gravholt, Claus H.; Iversen, Per; Christiansen, Jens S.; Schmits, Ole; Weeke, Jorgen; Jorgensen, Jens Otto Lunde; Moller, Niels (2007). “Effects of Cortisol on Carbohydrate, Lipid, and Protein Metabolism: Studies of Acute Cortisol Withdrawal in Adrenocortical Failure”. (source)
Kandhalu, Preethi. “Effects of Cortisol on Physical and Psychological Aspects of the Body and Effective Ways by Which One Can Reduce Stress”. (source)
Kim, Jong-Ho; McKenzie, Larry A. (2014). “The Impacts of Physical Exercise on Stress Coping and Well-Being in University Students in the Context of Leisure”. (source)
2022 Olympia Runner Up Derek Lunsford continues to work toward his goal of winning the 2023 Olympia title.
The 2022 Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford has hopes of reaching the top of the bodybuilding world in just his second Men’s Open show. Lunsford has been active on social media during his competition prep. Recently, Derek Lunsford shared another massive physique update and detailed a chest workout less than 10 weeks from the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
Lunsford received a special invitation to compete in Men’s Open during the biggest show of the year in 2022. After winning the 212 Olympia title in 2021, Lunsford put on an incredible amount of muscle mass, which in turn meant that he would be unable to return to make weight. He was able to show this off during the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro as a guest poser and stood out immediately. The plan quickly became to try to compete in Men’s Open after putting on incredible size.
In the early summer months last year, there were questions whether Lunsford would be able to compete at the Olympia because he did not have this special invitation. Also, he would be unable to compete in Men’s 212 because of the weight restrictions. He would not be able to cut down in time if he wanted to defend his title from the 2021 Olympia.
Lunsford has not become a threat to the Olympia title and will be one of the favorites come November.
Derek Lunsford Instagram (@dereklunsford_)
Derek Lunsford’s Chest Workout
Derek Lunsford shared his latest chest workout on his YouTube page and this is what it looked like:
Derek Lunsford focused on adding size to his chest, rather than strength during this workout. When it comes down to this close to a bodybuilding contest, most competitors will focus on adding size and improving conditioning rather than getting stronger. He even ended with some exercises to hit all sections of his abs, as the midsection is a big judging point for competitors. At this point of the summer, there are many predictions being made about the upcoming Olympia competition.
Lunsford was recently quoted during an interview discussing the top of the scorecard for the upcoming Olympia competition. He believes that his battle with Hadi Choopan will highlight the show once again, as the Persian Wolf will be back to defend his title, but Lunsford is coming back better than ever after he was bested by Choopan back in December 2022. He also believes that Nick Walker and Samson Dauda will battle for third place. Of course, this was the show during the 2023 Arnold Classic where Dauda gained an edge.
The Men’s Open division will have even more talent than it did last season so all competitors will have to be at the top of their game. By the looks of it, Lunsford is well on his way.
Who do you think will be winning the the Sandow this year? Will Lunsford be the 2023 Mr. Olympia? Or will someone else take the spot. Let us know!
Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals studies that show illegal ingredients in many supplements.
Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzeneggerhas gone from competing on stage and winning titles to becoming an influential voice off the stage. Recently, Schwarzenegger sat down for an interview and voiced his displeasure about illegal ingredients hiding in different products.
Schwarzenegger quickly became known in the bodybuilding world due to his insanely massive physique. He developed a passion for fitness at a young age and continued it over the course of his life.
Schwarzenegger built a career that has him known as the greatest bodybuilder of all-time. 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. He continues to be an influential figure in the sport.
Schwarzenegger regularly publishes his own newsletter, where he can share different workouts and diet tips. This time, he was featured on a Spotify podcast where was able to discuss ingredient labels.
Image via Instagram @schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger Discusses “Illegal Ingredients”
Arnold Schwarzenegger clearly showed that he was angry about this topic and he did not come empty-handed. He shared many studies about ingredient labels and how they can be difficult to trust.
“The next item really pissed me off. Even though I think many people rely too much on supplements and most are a waste of money, some of them really are fantastic. But the biggest problem with the supplement industry might be how little you can trust the ingredient labels.”
Schwarzenegger went on to read from recent studies that he found:
“A recent study found that 89% of supplements analyzed did not accurately list the ingredients and more than 10% of the supplements tested had illegal ingredients hiding in the product. A 2022 study showed that buying supplements from Amazon wasn’t a guarantee of quality either even though Amazon began requiring quality control documentation from supplement sellers in 2020.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger continued to say that he understands products cannot always be tested by those purchasing but he urges consumers to seek second opinions.
“It’s not realistic to test the supplements you buy but that doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself if you’re buying a supplement, please look for third-party certification. That means the brand pays for a reputable lab to verify the accuracy of labels and the safety of the product.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken up about many issues in and out of the fitness world. He has had a voice in politics and is also a well-known actor on the big screen. Schwarzenegger continues to preach different messages. This time, it was about proceeding with caution when buying different supplements.
Brian Shaw recaps the final performance of his strongman career.
Recently winning his final strongman show at the Shaw Classic, Brian Shaw recaps his performance and storybook ending to his career. The veteran strongman not only critiqued his performance throughout the show, but he also let people in on his injuries and emotions that made this final performance so special. As Shaw puts it, his final performance was like a “storybook ending” to his career.
Regarded as one of the greatest strongman athletes of all time, Brian Shaw recently went into retirement after a long and storied career. For fifteen years Shaw put on some of the greatest performances in strongman history. He won the World’s Strongest Man competition on four separate occasions. When he wasn’t winning the show Shaw remained a top contender, placing in the top five in almost every showing.
Now that his career has come to an end, Brian Shaw appears to be reflective of his past performances. In particular, Shaw recently recapped his final performance at the 2023 Shaw Classic. The show which took place on August 19-20, in Loveland, Colorado featured some of the best strongman athletes in the world. Among the competitors were World’s Strongest Man winners Mitchell Hooper, Tom Stoltman, and Oleksii Novikov. The roster was filled with many other talented strongman competitors as well all taking home some prize money after the event.
In his recap, Brian Shaw gave a layout of the prize money winnings for each of the competitors.
2023 Shaw Classic Prize Winnings
Brian Shaw — No Prize
Mitchell Hooper — $49,771
Tom Stoltman — $34,655
Evan Singleton — $24,830
Trey Mitchell — $19,540
Thomas Evans — $17,020
Bobby Thompson — $16,013
Maxime Boudreault — $15,005
Kevin Faires — $13,997
Oleksii Novikov — $12,990
Gavin Bilton — $11,982
Aivars Šmaukstelis — $9,967
Luke Stoltman — $8,959
AdamBishop — $8,203
Besides speaking about the prize money, Brian Shaw also spoke about his performance. Shaw spoke on the Car Leg Press where he would cement his lead in the event.
“I did not expect that the reps would be as high as they were in the contest… I had to dig deep to get those 14 reps.”
The four-time World’s Strongest Man also spoke about the chest injury he suffered at the show. Despite winning the Standing Chest Press event, Shaw suffered a pec tear that prevented him from pushing for more reps.
“I went for the 10th rep and felt my chest tearing a little bit. I felt it right off the bottom of the lift, and I just stopped at that moment. It was, at that time, certainly very highly concerning for me.”
While the injury could have potentially derailed his performance, Brian Shaw was adamant about pushing through to victory. His grit allowed him to overcome the Bag Over Bar, as well as the Fingal Fingers/Power Stairs medley.
“I said to myself, there is literally no way that I am stopping. Zero chance. If I am hurt really badly, it doesn’t matter, I am just going to do one stair at a time.”
Overall Brian Shaw would consider his final strongman performance as too good to be true.
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.
Bodybuilder Nathan De Asha sees himself calling it a career after the next 2-3 years.
Nathan De Ashais preparing to return to the bodybuilding stage. At this point in his career, De Asha is planning for the future as well and recently discussed his retirement plan during an interview.
De Asha became popular due to his insane size and symmetry on stage. He put together a strong year in 2021, winning the 2021 Europa Pro Championships. He followed that up with victories at the 2021 Arnold Classic UK and Yamamoto Cup. After his latest victory, there were injury issues that kept De Asha out of competitions.
De Asha was preparing to return to the Arnold Classic in 2022 but suffered a bicep injury that forced him to pull out of the competition. He finished seventh at the 2017 Olympia and was looking to return to the biggest show once again last year. He suffered a bicep tear that halted progress once again. Now, De Asha is putting together a physique that is competition ready.
During an appearance on The Menace Podcast, De Asha shared that he believes he has just two years left in bodybuilding.
Nathan De Asha Gives Retirement Timeline
Nathan De Asha is currently preparing to hit the stage this summer and qualify for the 2023 Olympia. This is the beginning as he plans to focus on this time before hanging it up.
“I give myself another two years doing this and then that’s it for me. I’m just going to push it, bro. Like these, next year and the year after, I’m gonna make sure I’m 100% and just focus on it.”
De Asha has followed his own routine for years but has recently switched to getting guidelines. This has helped him improve in many ways.
“This year, this was the first year I really stuck to a plan. I was given my diet and I stuck to it. That’s why I think I reached to as heavy as I got. Prior to that, I reached like 280-285, something like that. Just being given a guide has pushed me and obviously the supplements I was taking. When I was doing my own sh*t, I was just taking anything to get anything in me. Now that it’s more structured, I think where I can let a little bit longer time.
I dedicate myself to a lot longer period of time. I think we’ll see uneven better Nathan next year.”
De Asha also doubled down on his previous notion of taking Trenbolone year-round when discussing his supplement use. De Asha shared that he does not like taking many things but will continue on Tren to focus on his strength.
“I live on that sh*t. I have to get told not to use it,” De Asha said with a smile. “I get weaker. I just like to be strong. That’s it. I like bodybuilding, right, but I love to be strong.”
Nathan De Asha has a chance to make his return to the biggest show of the year. Dennis James urged him to do the Olympia if he qualifies, especially if his years are now limited.
