Home Blog Page 1516

TOP EXCUSES PEOPLE USE TO STAY OUT OF THE GYM

Generation Iron Excuses Gym

Generation Iron Excuses Gym

No more excuses.

Let’s face it. There are days when even thinking about going to the gym is effort enough to make you exhausted. Whether you had a crappy nights sleep or you’re just not feeling motivated, there are times that we make excuses for getting to the gym. Many people will tell you that it’s your body sending you a message, that it can’t push any longer and requires rest. But in reality that’s all just a lie we like to tell ourselves in hopes of avoiding the whole practice altogether.

Chalk it up to a weak will or just being a lazy bastard, but something is blocking you from becoming your ultimate self, keeping you out of the one place that should be considered a sanctuary. The truth is, that’s just your mind playing tricks on you. Even if you yourself are strong willed enough to get into the gym rain or shine, you probably have friends and training partners that sound a lot like this. So here are the top excuses we always hear to avoid the gym. Take note of them so if you ever hear them coming out of your own mouth – you can shut up, get up, and hit those weights.
.

No Pre-Workout

Generation Iron Pre Workout

Saying you have no pre-workout as an excuse is like saying your gas tank is half full, but you refuse to drive down the block from fear of running out of gas. It’s a cop out. You don’t need pre-workout to have an intense training session in the gym so using it as an excuse is pretty much a pointless. You’re better off admitting to yourself that you’re lazy.

Heavy Vs Light Weight: Which Benefits You More?

generation iron
Strength Wars Movie

Which lift will improve your gains?

As bodybuilders and lifters there seems to be an emphasis on lifting heavy in order to see some major gains. This game is all about size and definition and less about strength and endurance. Bodybuilding isn’t the same as competing in powerlifting or a strong man competition. It’s about the development of the human form through sculpting your body into well defined and striated muscle groups. Heavy weights are going to definitely get you to your shredded best. So where the hell do light weights fit into the equation?

Over the years there’s been a notion that if you want to get absolutely ripped then you better lift lighter weights with higher reps. For those people who live their lives by this school of thought, sorry to say that you’ve got things backwards. Light weight is not the key to building massive muscle or even shredding your muscle. There are a some factors behind seeing your hard work translate into muscle definition. Firstly you have to grow your muscles and the only way you can manage that is by lifting some heavy weights. The second is by lowering your body fat. Many people think that by lifting weights alone that you’ll be shredded in no time. Whether you want to see your pecs or ripped abs, the reality is that you have to get your body fat down if you want to see the results of working with those heavy weights.

Light weights aren’t without merit though. We’re not totally denouncing light weight workouts, however you’ve gotta know the difference before jumping to conclusions. Lifting light weights for high reps are perhaps better used in building muscle endurance than bulking muscles. It can be great supplementary exercise in between your heavy lifts. This endurance will ultimately pay dividends when you’re performing those heavier lifts.

So ultimately it’s not about which is better, heavy or light. The difference between the two types of lifts is how and when to use them. Combining both methods will only improve your overall ability.

So do you incorporate both heavy and light weights into your routine? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

BEAST MODE MOTIVATION: NEVER GONNA STOP

Generation Iron Never Gonna Stop

Beast Mode Activated.

Sometimes you just need some raw energy to help you go completely berserk in the gym. Slay the weights, pump some iron, destroy the entire gym for all we care. This video is going to get you so hyped, so insane, so energized that you’ll be putting up the best lifts of your life. Never stop living like a beast. Watch the video above to go into full beast mode!

.

You can get even more bodybuilding motivation by subscribing to our official YouTube channel. Catch up on all of our latest and greatest shows right here on our website by clicking on the Watch tab above.

KRYSTAL LAVENNE BIKINI DIARIES: DOMINATING THE WEIGHTS

Generation Iron Bikini Diaries Domination

Krystal is back in action.

After a week of feeling a little under the weather – the Body Bawse is back and better than ever. In this week’s video diary Krystal hits the gym hard and tries to fit a little bit of fun in between. Get motivated, get inspired, get in the gym after you watch this video above!

.

Subscribe to our official YouTube channel and get immediate updates on our latest shows. You can check them all out right here on our website by clicking on the Watch tab.

Rare Footage: Watch Dennis Wolf Transform From Rookie To Pro

Strength Wars Movie

All the rewards of the present can be traced back to the past.

When it comes to bodybuilding, fans and practitioners alike are concerned mostly with the end results of their arduous training. That’s not to say that they don’t appreciate the journey to making the ultimate physique, but the practice of bodybuilding is in reality a results based endeavor. If you don’t have an idea about what you want to look like then the whole endeavor could prove to be futile. Being a bodybuilder means scrutinizing your physical form and making the improvements necessary. The same rings true for the pros as well.

Dennis “The Big Bad” Wolf has become a staple in the bodybuilding world. The German born bodybuilder is one of the top 5 bodybuilders in the world and is a perennial contender on the Olympia stage. After coming in 4th place at the 2014 Mr. Olympia, Wolf went on to take top honors at the Arnold Classic Europe out dueling Shawn Rhoden. With the win big things are on the horizon for the German superstar.

Strength Wars Movie

But before Wolf became a bodybuilding dynamo, not even he was free from the notion of having to start from scratch. All bodybuilders have to start somewhere. You don’t roll out of bed and become a shredded beast over night. It takes hard work, dedication, and consistency to transition your average Joe Schmo to ripped athlete. Dennis Wolf was no different than any bodybuilder in the beginning. Nothing highlights that more than the rare footage above. (Note: The  video is in German with no English closed captions)

It’s pretty awesome to see the bodybuilder’s transformation through the years and makes his rise to bodybuilding super stardom all the more impressive. For anyone out there who is considering taking part in a bodybuilding competition but doesn’t think they have what it takes, just take a look at Dennis Wolf and the progress he’s made. He didn’t get to the top by wondering what to do, but by doing something in the first place and sticking to it.

What’s your opinion on Dennis Wolf’s transformation? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

WATCH DA HULK AND RHODEN SMASH THROUGH THE ARNOLD CLASSIC 2015

Generation Iron Da Hulk and Shawn Rhoden

One on One Interview with Shawn Rhoden and Da Hulk.

Shawn Rhoden steals the Generation Iron cameras and hits up the new and improved Keven “Da Hulk” Washington at the Arnold Sports Festival Expo. Check it out in the video above and make sure to stick around for more updates from the Arnold Classic 2015!

THE ESSENTIALS FOR THE ULTIMATE HOME GYM

Generation Iron Essential Home Gym

Generation Iron Essential Home Gym

Make your own dream gym.

Let’s face it, not everyone is racking in the kind of dough required to have a gym membership all year round. It’s an unfortunate truth that if you want to get into some great shape it’s not only going to cost you time, but money as well. If you can’t pay for a gym membership there’s no shame in your game. But you shouldn’t allow it to become an excuse for not training.

There’s a reason why the saying “there’s other ways to catch fish” rings so true, because there isn’t just one way to do things. Can’t afford to go to the gym? Fine. If you have the means and the space, then why not set up your own gym. It’ll be cost effective and become your sacred sanctuary for gains. Here are some of the essentials you’ll need to have a great yet simple home gym.
.

Setting

Generation Iron Home Gym

When it comes to setting up your home gym you’ll obviously need the space to fit the equipment. We understand that not everyone has a mansion to place a ton of equipment in, but if you do have the space then you’ve got to utilize it well. Mirrors are a great addition to any gym paid for or not. The mirror allows you to actively critique your physique before, during, and after a training session. It’s not a must, but it’s certainly a nice touch that can fuel your workout. What is a must is some good sturdy flooring. You’re gym isn’t going to be like Planet Fitness. There’s going to be times when you drop a barbell or dumbbells on the ground simply because you can hold it anymore and for that you’ll need the proper flooring to take the impact. Invest in some interlocking foam mat squares for some great flooring for your gym.

One-on-One With Jim Stoppani: Finding Your Balance

How to get the perfect balance in your physique and your life.

Jim Stoppani is a bodybuilder, lifter, doctor, and editor – basically he’s done a sh*t ton of stuff. He’s forged a massive physique and also a massively fulfilling life. Sometimes in the bodybuilding world – it can all become a grind. But don’t let that spoil your passion. Bodybuilding should always be a joy as much as it is hard work. In this episode, Jim Stoppani talks about his personal experiences living the bodybuilding lifestyle and shares tips of how the new generation can continue to stay passionate and break new bodybuilding ground.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for immediate updates on our daily videos. You can also check out our entire video library by clicking the Watch tab above. Stay pumped.

ARE YOUR PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS ONLY GIVING HALF OF WHAT’S PROMISED?

Generation Iron Protein Supplements

Generation Iron Protein Supplements

Are you getting enough bang for your buck?

It’s a reality that many people can’t ingest the level of protein they require out of the day with what little time they have. Whether it’s work, school, or some other obligation, sometimes you just can’t get the level of proteins that fit your macronutrient percentage. No big deal because you have protein shakes to help with all that. Problem solved right? Well apparently it seems that the protein that you thought you were getting may actually be something else entirely.

Recent lawsuits have been filed against some of your favorite supplement companies. What are the charges being brought against the defendants? Many of the supplement companies implicated in the lawsuits are alleged to have knowingly added cheap fillers to their products in the hopes of passing said products, powders in particular, as legitimate protein.

It’s a real shock to those who have relied on protein powders to give them the protein they’ve been missing from their diet. The fillers added to the supplements ultimate mean that half of the protein listed on the labels of the product are some other substance entirely. The third party lab tests conducted on many whey protein products showed that the fillers, including creatine monohydrate, glycine, taurine, and other such amino acids, were added to the supplements in hopes of being passed off as protein grams.

Currently the case is still open at this time, but even the allegations are sure to hurt many of the accused supplement companies and if found guilty could potential do crippling damage to their sales. The accusations alone are damaging, but one can only guess how bad things could get if the allegations turn out to be true. Only time will tell what the outcome will be.

What’s your thoughts on this lawsuit? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

For more specific details, head over to Forbes.

Bodybuilder Vs Powerlifter: How One Style Benefits The Other

Bodybuilder Vs Powerlifter Generation Iron
Strength Wars Movie

You have to understand the differences to see the similarities.

It’s a comparison that many people make. The bodybuilder versus the powerlifter. Many people are unaware of the differences and similarities and have a tendency to lump them together in one group. When all else fails, rely on the laziness of the general observer to come to unfounded conclusions. There’s no doubt that bodybuilders and powerlifters share some similarities, there’s no avoiding it. But really, are they that much alike? Are they that much different? Well the answer is yes and no.

Like their title would indicate, powerlifters are individuals whose main goal and focus in training is to lift a considerable amount of weight in one sitting. They’re not hung up on form as much as their bodybuilder counterparts, neither are they concerned about working specific muscle groups. The whole idea behind the powerlifter is to acquire a great deal of strength through their training. Then there’s bodybuilders whose goals are different. Bodybuilders also lift a tremendous amount of weight in their training, but the difference here is that they focus more on technique and form. Why? So that they’re able to target specific muscles in the body to be sculpted to perfection. Every lift they perform is with a specific purpose. They lift heavier weights to put on bulk, but they have specific repetitions in order to build muscle mass, which in turn will build muscle definition.

But of the two athletes who is really lifting more weight? Well there are two things to take under consideration. The amount of reps that are performed as well as the resting period. The idea behind powerlifting is to not only lift heavy weight but maintain that gathered strength. The physique is taken out of the equation and instead the core idea of gaining strength remains at the forefront. Because of this powerlifters traditionally will perform less reps and have a longer rest period than a bodybuilder. The bodybuilder realizes that in order to sculpt muscle they’ll have to have perform higher reps and will also need to have a short resting period. They have to attack the muscle group over and over, break it down and allow it to build up in order to see results.

For instance, if a powerlifter and bodybuilder were to each bench 225 lbs the powerlifter may perform a set of five reps with a two minute resting period afterwards, while the bodybuilder on the other hand will perform ten reps with a one minute resting period between sets. In a one lift max out situation the powerlifter would ultimately beat out a bodybuilder because the focus is in the strength department. But essentially the bodybuilder is lifting more weight. The powerlifter’s five reps of 225 lbs equals out to 1,125 lbs while the bodybuilder’s ten reps are tallied at 2,250 lbs. Now this is merely an example in terms of the amount of weight lifted by each party and solely for comparison. Powerlifters in reality will usually lift much heavier weight than 225 lbs, but the comparison shows the basic priority of the two athletes. For powerlifters it’s less about reps and more about functional strength. For bodybuilders, powerful as they may be, it’s less about functional strength and more about form and reps. They’re sculpting the ultimate body not trying to lift a car over their heads.

So how can a bodybuilder benefit from doing powerlifting? Well for starters powerlifting will definitely help to gain bulk. In the current landscape of professional bodybuilding you’re not going to make any waves unless you have the size to compete against the current generation of mass monsters. Lifting heavy like a powerlifter will undoubtedly give you the size necessary for competition. But stray to far and you’ll find yourself focusing too much on strength and not enough on sculpting.

The training may be somewhat different, but that doesn’t mean these athletes don’t have their similarities in their training. Powerlifters do also target muscle groups much like a bodybuilder albeit in a different way. They target the groups that will improve their lifting ability, like their legs and abs. They may not be trying sculpt these muscle groups, but they must be trained rigorously as well. Even if they were performing the exact same workouts the bodybuilder is concerned with burning fat and building muscle for not only strength, but aesthetics. In truth there are a lot of things that both athletes could teach each other to greatly enhance their training.

Any other similarities or differences you can find? Let us know in the comments below or follow us on Facebook and Twitter to share your thoughts.

REVIEWS

RECENT POSTS