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THE ESSENTIAL MOVE TO LIFT HEAVIER WEIGHT OVERHEAD

By
GI Team
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Generation Iron Overhead Weight

Generation Iron Overhead Weight

It’s all in the shoulders.

As bodybuilders we know that strength is only as good as the mobility behind it. Everyone has a story of a big for nothing dude taken to task in the school yard by a smaller scrappier opponent because he was too big to throw a proper punch. But despite being on the embarrassing end of a world star video, mobility can limit the amount of weight you can push, that’s right, true story.

When your lifting heavy ass weights, your back needs to perform 2 functions. One is to act as a sturdy base to allow you to control the weights overhead and the second is to move those weights, mobility. Your thoracic spine needs to be able to extend and push your chest forward for stability moves like squats but also rotate as your shoulders rotate. When your back and shoulders are tight that means the movement must come from somewhere else – this is usually the thicker vertebrate of the lower back, and that’s a no no. The range of motion there is limited to a few degrees, any more can spell big trouble. So, what’s a bodybuilder to do?


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In this latest video, Men’s Health Fitness director B.J. Gaddour takes us through some stretches to increase mobility for both the upper back and shoulders. Leading you with a pain free lower back as well as massive gains on the weight rack. The video starts out simple in the beginning but gets a little trickier as it goes along. Ideally the end position is what you would be in for an overhead snatch or squat but stick to it if you don’t get it the first part, the aim is progression not perfection.

Do this drill 5-10 times before any overhead lifts for ideal results. Check out the video below:

TRANSFORMATION: FROM SKINNY KID TO MIND BLOWING MASS MONSTER OF YOUR NIGHTMARES

By
GI Team
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Generation Iron The Nightmare Bodybuilder

Generation Iron The Nightmare Bodybuilder

The nightmare becomes a reality.

Everyone has a journey that has led them down the road of building muscle. Whether you were stick skinny and looking to pack on muscle or it you were overweight and looking to burn fat and look more aesthetic, everyone has a motivating factor that has made them want to make a change in their life. Coming to that realization is the first step on the journey and it doesn’t end there. If you’re planning to see continued improvement then you have to stick with it and push yourself continuously in order to see the results you desire.

Martyn Ford was a skinny professional cricket hopeful whose dreams of making the sport he loved into a career were dashed with an unforeseen injury. After his dreams crumbled, Ford turned towards running as his training method but after losing a tremendous amount of weight and dropping to unhealthy four percent body fat realized that he needed to educate himself and find a new way to train. That was the beginning of the journey that would lead to him becoming the 325 lbs behemoth, nicknamed ‘The Nightmare’, that he is today.


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“I never really had a goal as such, I just wanted to be bigger. 12 years on I seem to be that for sure, but there’s still more to achieve with my physique. The initial transformation I would say took two to three years. You were definitely looking at two different people then for sure.”

Generation Iron The Nightmare bodybuilding transformation

He not only made some major gains in his physique, but was also able to take his body transformation and utilize it in his favor, turning it into a promising acting career.

“Acting came about by chance to be fair. It was something I had always had in the back of my mind. People always said ‘you should be in films’ etc but that’s as far as it went. Then one day, a friend of mine – a great actor who has been in Hollywood films himself – suggested I went for the role of the bad guy in the latest James Bond film. His agent sorted out the casting, and before you know it I was sat in a huge, posh lounge in London waiting to audition. Unfortunately I never got that role but it kickstarted my acting career to date. I signed up to a great agent in London, got myself into acting school and before you know it I’d managed to secure my first job. It was a pilot which was filmed in South Africa for an American TV channel. Ray Winston was the lead man and it was an incredible experience.”

Ford’s story is inspirational and shows how bodybuilding can truly have a positive effect on a person’s life. Ford is looking to use his experience to provide inspiration to other youths that may be in the position that he once found himself. So what’s the advice that he would give to newbies looking to make gains?

“The best advice I could give to young lads is to research! There are so many kids who jump into training and just presume by moving weights and working hard that results will automatically come. Knowledge is an amazing tool, and with so much out there don’t be a fool. Give yourself every opportunity to be a success and also be safe.”

Generation Iron The Nightmare Choke

Have you experienced a body transformation like Martyn ‘The Nightmare’ Ford? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: The Lad Bible

4 More Exercises For Menacing Forearms

By
GI Team
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Generation Iron Forearms
Strength Wars Movie

Bulk up those forearms.

The forearms are muscles that many bodybuilders wish to improve, but for whatever reason have a hard time getting it done. It’s one of those muscle groups that aesthetically are truly impressive, yet aren’t included in the normal training split. There are a number of exercises to work the muscle group of course, but they’re few and far between, especially when you compare them to other more major muscle groups in the arm like the biceps and triceps.

By training your arms there’s a good chance that your forearms will be getting a great pump as well. The time the muscles in your arms spend under tension will likely translate gains in the forearms as well. But what if it’s leg day and you want to target your forearms specifically? Does that mean you have to wait to train your arms again? Not at all. We’ve given you some must-have exercises before – but take a look at these additional exercises that will get your forearms into massive shape and add some diversity to your routine.

Plate Curls

Generation Iron Plate CurlsPhoto courtesy of Bodybuilding.com

Forget curling with a dumbbell and choose the plate curl instead. It’s the same motion as a regular dumbbell curl but requires you to grab onto the end of a plate by your fingertips which will engage your forearm muscles. This exercise is great because it functions on multiple different levels. For one thing it can work your biceps and it also is great at building grip strength.

MCGREGOR vs. DOS ANJOS AND HOLM vs. TATE SET FOR UFC 197

By
Robbie Durand
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Generation Iron MMA Short Notice Fights
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - OCTOBER 25: (L-R) Chad Mendes punches Jose Aldo of Brazil in their featherweight championship bout during the UFC 179 event at Maracanazinho on October 25, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

UFC 197

UFC The Matchmaking Machine

Well that was fast – less than a month after Conor Mcgregor’s record setting :13 second K.O. of former king Jose Aldo, he’s on course to make good on his record setting promise to unify the featherweight and lightweight titles against current champ Rafael Dos Anjos. The co-main event of the UFC 197 Vegas – set for March 5  – will be featuring bantamweight champ Holly Holm vs. number one contender Miesha Tate. While UFC has yet to officially announce the fights, multiple sources have confirmed that the ink is dry on the deal. RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - OCTOBER 25: (L-R) Chad Mendes punches Jose Aldo of Brazil in their featherweight championship bout during the UFC 179 event at Maracanazinho on October 25, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Much to the adu of Frankie Edgar, who was promised the next featherweight title shot by UFC president Dana White, the champion is moving onwards and upwards to the heavier weight class of 155 in an attempt to unify the belt in a never before seen move from a UFC star. What this fight will look like exactly? I have no idea. Some people are already stating that Conor will get crushed by the power that put fan favorite Donald Cowboy Cerrone down for good just over in a minute in the first roundof their title bout. Dos Anjos has also put the lights out on Ben Henderson, a fight known for his chin and toughness (he fights with a toothpick in his mouth for God sakes) which is no easy feat. Despite all that though I’ve gotta go with Conor. I know you think I’m crazy but this guy has done everything he said he would and looking to put to put a stamp on his biggest promise on March 5th. At it’s really hard to doubt that this guy can do anything he puts his mind to – he simply sees things we don’t. I will say this – Dos Anjos is mostly a stationary fighter that uses his power and pressure to get off first and hurt you in the dirty exchanges. I’m not sure if he’ll be able to do that against Conor. We all know about Conor’s movement and a stationary target for him is pretty much a sitting duck. He maybe be able to light him up from the outside and then move in for the kill. As far as Dos Anjos, he’ll definitely be able to have the power advantage as well as an advantage on the ground. If he can back Conor up and some how make it ugly – similar to the Pettis fight – things could get interesting. The real question is will Conor’s power carry over to the larger weight class? Only time will tell. Holm punch As far as Holm vs. Tate this one is less of a mystery. Honestly, I see the bigger, stronger Holly Holm steamrolling over the (17-5) UFC vet. Don’t get me wrong Meisha definitely has a dog. She’s a brawler that doesn’t shy away from a slug fest and a natural striker. If she can make the fight ugly and eat a couple of hard shots trying to come in I could see her hurting the current undefeated champion and possibly ending the fight as we did see the champion wobble from the few good shots Ronda Rousey did have in UFC 193 domination that was put on her back in November. Also, Tate will most likely have the advantage on the ground. As we saw in the Sarah McMann fight, she’s no slouch off her back and could take Holms in deep water if she can find a way to get her to the  mat. Meisha-Tate-Reinhold-Matay-AP Most likely however it will be a stand up bout in which Holm will proceed to pick her apart with her superior striking – using her reach and footwork to keep the smaller Tate from coming in and dominating the fight. UFC 197 is set for March 5, 2016 and will either take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena or Mandalay Bay Events Center. So what do you guys think? Am I off the my head or what? Are these intriguing match ups or do you see both fights being a landslide? Hit us up below and be sure to follow us on Fbook, Twitter, Instagram  

FAN OF STRIKING? THEN WHY AREN’T YOU WATCHING KICKBOXING?

By
Jonathan Salmon
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kickboxing header

The sweet science…with kicks!

I’ve heard it time and again. “I hate MMA. Who wants to see two grown men roll around on the ground together?” It’s a pretty invalid point, particularly since those men are trying to either break one or more of their opponents limbs or disconnect them for their consciousness with a choke while they’re “rolling around” on the ground, but that’s neither here nor there. But lets face it, not everyone is going to appreciate the grappling aspect of mixed martial arts and no one is forcing them to. “I like it better when they’re striking,” is another gripe often echoed by detractors of MMA. Often times, specifically at a bar or other space for social gathering, when I hear this brought up usually I ask a pretty simple question: “Do you watch kickboxing?” You can imagine what the answer is. A resounding no. In terms of full contact stand up striking, kickboxing is certainly the most intriguing sport to witness, even more so than boxing. That’s right boxing purests. Though boxing is the sweet science and a great sport, the fact that a combatant can’t use kicks, knees, or elbow strikes kind of takes away from the legitimacy of boxing being the ultimate striking art. For those very same reasons, kickboxing is definitely a sport that fans of striking should be partaking in. 20150208120357_GLORY19_Fights_Stetcurenko_vs_Holzken4 So many casual MMA fans love the stand up aspect of the sport yet never find their way to watching some quality kickboxing. If I’m being honest, kickboxing events aren’t exactly readily available for American fans, but there’s a little thing called the internet that should be able to provide what television can not. With kickboxing you get all the great action from a stand up fight in mixed martial arts with none of the ground work to “muddle” things up. The wrestling and grappling aspects of MMA certainly make things much more interesting, simply because you’ll never know exactly how a fight will conclude. Striking sports can end in only a few ways: either a knockout, technical knockout from accumulated damage to a nasty cut, or judges decision, all of which is induced by an individual striking a blow against their opponent. B7pdQg9CQAANp3t The fact that there can be submissions, knockouts both standing and on the ground, and many other methods of victory within MMA make the sport more tantalizing. But if you’re adamant about seeing some terrific striking then try your hand at some kickboxing and maybe you’ll second guess buying that next over priced boxing match. In fact, since I’m trying so hard to convince you, check out this fight below and try and tell me you wouldn’t consider watching more kickboxing. https://youtu.be/ZK_5_EfTSAg?t=127 Thinking about becoming a kickboxing fan? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter.

IRON CINEMA: KAI GREENE MOVING PAST BODYBUILDING

By
GI Team
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Generation Iron Kai Greene BELIEVE making of

Behind-the-scenes of Kai Greene’s revealing BELIEVE.

Every week, Iron Cinema will connect you with Generation Iron director Vlad Yudin. Giving you unprecedented inside access to the creative process behind his the Generation Iron Fitness Network. Get a first hand look at the entire journey of taking Vlad’s creative ideas to the big screen – from stories on set of films like Generation Iron and CT Fletcher all the way to exclusive behind-the-scene looks at our newest GI news and films. This week Vlad gives us an inside look into the making of Kai Greene’s latest feature event – BELIEVE.

When Kai Greene first teamed up with us at Generation Iron – I knew we would be creating more than just bodybuilding fitness and lifestyle shows. Yes, of course – we will be doing those sort of things… bodybuilding is a large part of Kai’s life. But there is so much more to Kai. That’s why we BELIEVE was such a fantastic project. A very personal and revealing portrait of the events that made Kai Greene the icon we know today.

It’s a large leap and an emotionally risky one. Putting himself out there wide open. I wanted to get inside the mentality of what it was like for Kai to reveal his dark past for the first time in such a daring way. That’s why I’ve put together this behind-the-scenes look from BELIEVE. You can watch it in the video above.
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You can also watch BELIEVE today by clicking on the banner below or right here!

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BODYBUILDING MOTIVATION: THE BEST OF GENERATION IRON 2015

By
GI Team
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Generation Iron 2015 Year in Review

A look back at our films, shows, and viral videos in 2015.

We’re already hitting it hard in this new year. 2016 has arrived and it’s full of new opportunities. But before anyone can become a stronger mentally or physically – before achieving the next level of greatness – it’s important to look back and learn from the past. Our past (specifically this past year) has been quite the exciting journey. New films, new shows, and some real growth as we become more and more a strong part of the bodybuilding community. It’s pretty motivating actually – which is why we’ve put together a mash up of the greatest moments of the Generation Iron Fitness Network. A year in review that will get any GI fan – hell, any bodybuilding fan, pumped for what is to come. Check it out. Get ready for 2016 with us by watching the video above.
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Like what you see? Make sure to subscribe to our official YouTube channel for daily updates on our latest and greatest videos. Stay pumped.

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The Ultimate Finisher For A Huge Chest

By
GI Team
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Generation Iron Finisher Huge Chest
Strength Wars Movie

Top off your chest workout in the best way.

The pecs are perhaps the most popular muscle group for a beginner to work. It’s a muscle group that can definitely make or break a physique, specifically because most guys want to avoid the dreaded man boobs that have plague so many men. The only way to get rid of the man boob problem is to be diligent with your diet as well as having an adequate workout plan that will attack the chest muscles with vigor.

When it comes to training you can’t simply do the same thing over and over again. Besides the fact that it’s pretty boring to perform the same movements all the time. You have to keep things fresh and look to continuously update your repertoire of exercises. But just as having a wide range of go to exercises are important to making muscle gains, you must also have some great finishers to ensure a great pump.

If you’re looking to get a great chest pump and make some significant gains, then take a look at these awesome workout finishers that should have your pecs seeing hypertrophy in no time.

Push Ups

Generation Iron Push Up

The first on this list is perhaps the most basic, but still pretty damn effective. The whole idea behind utilizing push ups as one of your finishers is to perform the movement until failure. It will burn like crazy and get the blood pumping to your chest in no time. After a fifteen second rest, move on to the next movement.

Machine Gun Press

Generation Iron Dumbbell Press

This exercise requires that the lifter adjusts the bench for an incline motion. Utilizing dumbbells of manageable weight, perform the incline dumbbell press. Be sure to keep a steady and swift pace, but remain in control of the dumbbells while performing the movement (this is why the weight shouldn’t be to heavy). The goal for this exercise is to do one set with one hundred reps! If you can get through this then your chest should be dead. But we’re not finished yet.

The Ben Pakulski Method

The IFBB pro bodybuilder has his own chest day finisher that should be familiar to everyone. But the exercise wouldn’t be recommended by Ben Pakulski if there wasn’t some kind of tweak to the whole endeavor. Take a look.

What exercises do you use for chest finishers? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

BREAKING: HOLLY HOLM’S FIRST TITLE DEFENSIVE WILL NOT BE VS RONDA ROUSEY

By
Robbie Durand
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Generation Iron Holly Holm MMA

Generation Iron Holly Holm

Breaking MMA news bulletin:

Dana white has just confirmed that women’s bantamweight champ will not be against Ronda Rousey on UFC tonight. She will take another fight before the much anticipated re-match. Meisha Tate, we’re looking at you. We’ll be sure to have a follow up with more details and exactly what this means (and what we think) in the following days. Stick around Generation Iron MMA as we continue to expand our coverage and provide you with everything MMA and fighting.

NO FLEX ZONE EPISODE 8: AMAZING LIFTS, DEVASTATING FAILS

By
GI Team
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Generation Iron No Flex Zone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyoQBM2cKOo

Light weight, heavy pain.

NO FLEX ZONE – is a new weekly series showing the best and craziest user generated fitness footage on the web every Wednesday.

Another week, another clip show of amazing fitness videos. We have glamour workouts from strong & sexy women, we have crazy fitness stunts, and of course… we have a few major fails. Really, really devastating fails. You know it’s getting bad when you make the entire ceiling fall down. Make sure to catch it all in the video 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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No Flex Zone airs every Wednesday right here on the Generation Iron Fitness Network. Make sure to subscribe to our official YouTube channel to get daily updates on our latest and greatest shows. Stay pumped.

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