When you own one of the biggest and best bodybuilding gyms in the world – you see a lot of greats train and power through the iron. And when you have so many pro bodybuilders and iron-lovers alike hitting the weights every single day… you also start to see and hear some truly insane stories. Some are hilarious; some are inspiring; others are just down right cringe worthy. You hear it all in the halls of the East Coast Mecca. Now you can hear some of these crazy stories even if you can’t visit the gym. In our latest episode of East Coast Mecca Dropsets – Steve Weinberger among others share the most memorable stories to come out of the gym. Watch it right now in the video above.
Bodybuilding has always been an endeavor that requires hard work, sacrifice, and a single-minded dedication to wanting to building quality muscle. Training methods have changed through the years. There are tons of different new equipment that have been utilized for astronomical gains. At least that’s what many onlookers have been led to believe. In reality most bodybuilders, especially the professionals, understand that the best way to build muscle and construct a powerful physique is by training in the old fashioned way.
There’s a reason that the Golden Era of bodybuilding is considered to have some of the best athletes the sport has ever produced. Men like Sergio Oliva never had a smith machine to workout with in order to build up his massive frames. All time greats like Arnold Schwarzenegger were built through the use of tried and true methods that would not only build a great physique, but functional strength as well. There’s no arguing the fact that the old school way of training was perhaps the best and most effective for a massive yet aesthetic physique.
You can even see the influence in the young talent that are becoming popular in the sport today. Men like Calum Von Moger have burst onto the scene and has won three Mr. Universe titles since taking his bodybuilding to the pro circuit. Von Moger has been compared to Schwarzenegger many times before, but besides what the two men look like physically, it’s perhaps the young man’s thought process that is the most alike with the “Austrian Oak”. Calum is an advocate for classic bodybuilding training, catering his methods to the reflect those that were used during the Golden Era of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. If you’re someone looking to build up a massive back in the classic style then check out the video below for some great tips from Calum von Moger.
What do you think of Calum von Moger’s classic method? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
If you ask most strength athletes what’s the one exercise they would do if they could only choose one – the answer is almost always the resounding deadlift. The deadlift (or dead if ya nasty) is a full body compound exercise that hits every major muscle group and if you master it can get you all around swole, injury free. That grown man muscle if know what I mean.
So now you’re probably thinking “Okay, you sold me” – the dead is awesome – end of story. But you’d be wrong. What if we were to tell you… or what if we were to SHOW you that we could make this quintessential exercise even better- maximizing your strength gains and lifting numbers in the process. Well with a little help from YouTube sensation Bradley Martyn we can make good on that promise – they’re called pause reps. Martyn lays out exactly what your goal should be when you’re deadlifting with pause reps as opposed to a regular dead which is slightly different. But he’s a much better training coach than I and you know what they about pictures. So without further adieu check out the video below! Keep your friends close and the bar closer…
Bodybuilding, just like many other sports, is well-known for the rare and consistent winning streaks achieved by a select-few athletes that have graced the competitive stages – dominating the competition and leaving a legacy that will be forever unrivaled. In basketball it was Michael Jordan, in baseball it was Babe Ruth, and Bodybuilding has Ronnie Coleman. There is no denying that Arnold Schwarzenegger made a huge impact on the sport as he basically helped build it, but Ronnie Coleman transformed it into something completely different.
Ronnie Dean Coleman, nicknamed “The Greatest of All Time” by fans, won the prestigious Mr. Olympia contest for eight consecutive years, dominating the field from 1998 to 2005. Each Bodybuilding era is special for its own reasons, Larry Scott popularized the sport/ movement in the 60’s, Arnold Schwarzenegger made it go mainstream, Dorian Yates gave bodybuilding a unique aura of dominance and Ronnie Coleman completely changed the game after he shocked the world in 1998.
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A Rocky Start
Ronnie Coleman, standing at 5’11 and weighing in at approximately 280lbs, dominated the Mr. Olympia contest for almost an entire decade, beating the likes of Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone, Jay Cutler and Shawn Ray for a whole era, surprisingly enough, it wasn’t always like that. Coleman, before having the big dream of winning the Olympia just like any other amateur bodybuilder, enjoyed working out, a hobby that is shared with thousands of people around the world; little did Ronnie know that he would one day be a legend among men.
Coleman didn’t always dominate the sport and even though he had a short but successful amateur career, which ended with his win at the 1991 IFBB World Amateur Championships, he previously got bested at the NPC Nationals by Kevin Levrone and Flex Wheeler, competitors that he would later move on to defeat at the Olympia stage. From the beginning of his career and once he decided to give Bodybuilding his all, it was clear that his potential was unheard-of but he was simply overshadowed by other competitors who “showed more promise”. Ronnie Coleman wasn’t always the invincible champion that we know now with millions of fans supporting his every move, he was once an underdog who dreamt of greatness.
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The Unbelievable
As a professional his career got off to a rocky start, Ronnie wasn’t placing bad but he wasn’t winning all of the shows he entered either, it’s highly likely that 90’s fans (and judges) favored other athletes as possible candidates to take over the Olympia throne once Dorian “The Shadow” Yates retired – but surprisingly enough the unexpected happened. After placing 15th at the 1994 Mr. Olympia and 11th at the 1995 event, Ronnie Coleman went on to consistently place top-six in all of the shows he entered in 1996, including the Mr. Olympia.
Coleman’s streak slowed down in 1997 after a disappointing 9th place at the Olympia, a 7th place at the Spanish Grand Prix and a 4th place at that year’s Arnold Classic. Just one year later, in 1998, Coleman completely changed the sport and won the 1998 Mr. Olympia, leaving the Bodybuilding world in complete and utter shock. The physique that Coleman presented on stage at the Madison Square Garden in New York City was unlike anything the fans or judges had ever seen before, his size and conditioning along with the symmetry and proportions were breathtaking. October 10th 1998 marked the day in which Ronnie Coleman left a permanent mark on Bodybuilding that will probably never be seen again, he truly did the unbelievable.
Head on over to page two as we entertain the ultimate question – can anyone today hold up to the greatness that is Ronnie Coleman? Find out by clicking page 2!
As fight fans we all love the sport. The athleticism, the mental toughness, the striving to be the best at your craft each and every day – the artistry if you will. But unlike most sports you’re directly trying to injury your opponent. Yeah don’t get me wrong there’s a point system but ultimately the goal is to inflict as much injury on your opponent as fast as you can without taking much damage in the process. While history is written by the victors, the warriors that come up short can definitely leave an indelible image on our psyches, inspiring a sense of awe – how much punishment can the human body take and keep on tickin? Below We’ve comprised a list of the 6 worst faces (in sometimes the best fights) of 2015 #6 In the main event fight of UFC FIGHT NIGHT 65 held on May 12, of 2015, heavyweight Mark Hunt fell to Stipe Miocic in the 5th round via TKO due to a flurry of ground strikes. After the fight, Hunt had to go to the hospital after a 5 round beating many thought should have been stopped earlier. Though his face was broken his spirit was not as he took pictures with fans shortly after the bout. #5 We don’t have to explain much on this one but in case you haven’t heard “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey was defeated via KO in the second round of her title bout against world renowned kickboxer Holly Holm. While the first round was a prequel to what seemed like the inevitable – the loss was made particularly poignant by the abrupt and vicious ending of this fight via head kick, Holly Holm style. Though her pride was hurt more than her face, just seeing the seemingly invincible champ in such a precarious position warrants a place on our top 5. #4 The man with the horse shoe up his a** seemed to run out of luck. Okay, that statement was unfair but you do have to admit whenever in trouble Chris Weidman seems to always pull a rabbit out of his magic hat and find a way to win. Unfortunately for him middleweight champ Luke Rockhold brought an end to the voodoo and beat him with cold, hard, skills. In the UFC 194 bout Rockhold defeated weidman via TKO in the 4th round of their championship bought. While many thought is should have been stopped in the 3rd, this is the result. #3 In probably the best fight of 2015 (up there with all time) Robbie Lawler defended his welterweight title against Rory Macdonald in a 5 round WAR. Though Robbie ended up getting the strap as you can see by the picture above he didn’t exactly come out unscathed. #2 You should’ve seen the other guy. Unfortunately for Rory “The Red King” Macdonald he was the other guy. In an effort so mighty he has cemented his name with the warrior gods. Rory Macdonald came up short in a war against the above Robbie Lawler. Even with a face full of blood and swollen tissue, the fight in this dogs eyes never faded for a second. Many claim to be willing to die for it, but few can actually live for it. #1 Honestly had a hard time with #1 and #2 and I’m sure I’ll get sh#t for it but they’re pretty much interchangeable. In her UFC FIGHT NIGHT 69 in Berlin, Germany against Joanna Jedrzejckzyk, Jessica Penne took a beating that was hard to watch. She proceeded to get pummelled for 3 rounds until the bout was finally stopped. While Joanna retained her title you’ve got to give it up to Penne for the heart and mental toughness to hangin in there.
Weight cutting sucks, but if you’re gonna do it, do it right.
It’s something that all professional, and some amateurs, go through. The arduous task of having to maintain a manageable fighting weight. These days it seems like you can’t compete at a high level without facing that fact that you’ll have to fight at a weight that will ensure you victory. Once you understand that then you’ll be forced to understand the inescapable truth: weight cutting sucks. Now some guys have no problem getting down to their fighting weight. Genetics can determine whether or not someone can get down to 155 lbs from 180 lbs. Some guys are lucky and can just get that water weight off with no problems at all. Then there’s the guy who finds trouble losing 10 lbs much less 25. So what the hell can you do if this is you? Well praying may be the first step to take above all else. After you finish that then you’re going to have to stop feeling sorry for yourself and start watching what you eat. Just like bodybuilding and other high level competitive sports, your nutrition will be the key to seeing your results come to fruition. Unless you’re a genetic freak like Georges St. Pierre, the likelihood that you’ll be able to eat McDonalds and cut 20 plus pounds is highly unlikely. So put down the burgers and pizza and bite the bullet. We all hate doing it, but if you’re looking to compete then you better get your diet in check and focus on your macro nutrient intake. (Meanwhile all I can think about are cheeseburgers and a nice Sicilian slice. I can’t wait until I’m reunited with the quarter pounder!!) So how do you handle your weight management? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter.
A one time amazing performance now available to the world.
On December 9th, 2015 – Kai Greene shocked the world with a one man/one night performance so completely unexpected, so incredibly unique, that bodybuilding fans watched in awe. Not a mere seminar or typical posing routine. Kai Greene completely exposed his inner self with an unforgettable performance to a crowd of fans in New York City.
Well we have good news to the thousands of fans who couldn’t make it to NYC. Kai Greene’s BELIEVE one man show is now available on VOD! More than just glimpse of Kai’s performance – this is an all access look into one of the most surprising bodybuilding events of the year. With complete access to the entire stage performance, sneak peeks backstage, and a deeper look into Kai Greene’s process with exclusive interviews. Check out the brand new trailer here:
Kai Greene’s Believe is available WORLD WIDE exclusively on Vimeo On Demand.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR DIGITAL COPY OF KAI GREENE’S BELIEVE RIGHT NOW!
From the mind of today’s most beloved bodybuilder in the world comes a motivating visual experience like you’ve never seen before.
Are you ready to BELIEVE?
Presented by the Generation Iron network and directed by Vlad Yudin, Kai Greene’s “BELIEVE” is a special one-man live show lifting the curtain and revealing the journey that made him bodybuilding’s most popular athlete today. Kai Greene is raw and uncut before a live theater audience in New York City. In an intimate autobiography, Kai shares the rise to his success and also plays numerous characters during his youth to document the darkest depths of his troubled past. Greene shares the deepest elements of his life for the first time ever in public. It is about fate, love, loss and perseverance.
And now for the first time ever, this one night event is available to own exclusively with Vimeo On Demand. Giving everyone across the world a front row seat into the past, present, and future of the most motivational and creative bodybuilder on the planet.
NO FLEX ZONE – is a new weekly series showing the best and craziest user generated fitness footage on the web every Wednesday.
When you see a gym packed with people you start to notice that it’s a lot like the basic survival elements of life. Some people are the alpha; some are the followers. It all comes down to survival of the fittest. No Flex Zone always combines the best and worst of fitness training/stunts on the internet – showing us who survives and who falls when it comes to physical fitness. Whether you laugh or get inspired by this latest entry – remember that this could be you. For better or worse. Watch it all in the latest episode above.
And don’t forget we want to see from YOU! Submit your most amazing fitness videos to us at [email protected] to have your clip featured in the next episode of No Flex Zone. Check out the first episode above.
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Do you listen to Christmas music when you work out?
By now you’re all probably used to one simple fact – holidays don’t change anything for a bodybuilder’s schedule. The diet, the training, the dedication all need to stay in tact. But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the holiday spirit. That’s why Krystal blasts some Christmas music and gets herself pumped up for the latest workout session just days before Christmas. Check it out in the latest bikini diary above.
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Bikini Diaries airs every Wednesday right here on the Generation Iron Fitness Network. Subscribe to our official YouTube channel for updates on all of our weekly shows. Stay pumped.
Everyone has to start somewhere. When bodybuilders or strength athletes choose to embark on a journey of discovery through muscle growth and physical change, the road does seem truly long indeed, especially in the beginning. Picking up your first dumbbell may feel as difficult as pulling a sword from a stone. But just like King Arthur did with Excalibur, that dumbbell signifies the beginning of something great, an adventure of self discovery that will have you pushing yourself to the limit in hopes of making a new and improved version of yourself.
Often times a fan will look on an athlete and admire them, perhaps even hoping to achieve the same physique as their hero. The funny thing about those athletes, bodybuilder or not, they all had to start somewhere, sometimes in positions that most people would have never even thought was possible. Many of the bodybuilders and strength athletes idolized today were either extremely skinny before picking up the weights or had a few more pounds on their frame than what fans are used to seeing. There’s no shame in their game. After all, they endeavored to make a change in themselves so judging them is the last thing that we should do. They should be praised for having the resolve to better themselves whether that be for aesthetic purposes or to compete in another athletic endeavor.
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For many, Hafthor Bjornson is simply the man known as “The Mountain” from Game of Thrones, a mammoth man with the strength to back up all that size. Hafthor has broken many different strength records through the years and as his story continues has managed to garner much attention within the bodybuilding and weightlifting scene. But Hafthor wasn’t always the hulking beast he is today. Far from it in fact. Before becoming a strongman he was a basketball player of far less size and strength. To see the young man in the past makes his transformation all the more alarming. Check out the video below to witness Hafthor Bjornson’s transformation.
What do you think of Hathor’s transformation into the musclebound Mountain that he is today? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
