The only thing more incredible than Any Haman is the hundreds upon hundreds of magazine covers that James Ellis has shown off his physique. Not to mention his explosive social media following over the past year or so – James Ellis is a skyrocketing star in the physique world. That’s why it’s truly explosive when Andy Haman gets in the same room as James to catch up. Check it out in the video above!
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Let us know your thoughts on our official GI Forums and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for immediate updates on our latest videos. You could also hit up James Ellis on his official Facebook page here. Stay pumped.
We’ve officially released the very first look at what our new feature film, CT Fletcher: My Magnificent Obsession’ is going to look like. This isn’t just a two hour long workout. It’s not just a day in the life. This is raw, uncut, and up close into the life and times of CT Fletcher like you’ve never seen before. Do you think you can handle the truth behind one of weightlifting’s most motivational and inspirational lifters out there?
For now, you just get a taste:
Synopsis:
For the first time ever get an inside look at the hardships, pain, and struggles that helped CT rise up and find a master plan to transform his life and himself into a stronger lifter and man. The film follows how his troubled upbringing and encounter with death have lead him to push through all obstacles to achieve his dream of greatness. Gaining mental focus and toughness from surviving an abusive home and a strict religious father CT Fletcher now works to support others through hardcore motivation and training. Changing lives across the world.
If you were to ask most men and women what their problem area is, the part of their body that they want to get in shape more than anything else, you’d find a decent amount of diversity. Many guys will say they want to have a chiseled chest or a bigger back, while women may focus more on their glutes and legs. If there was a particular area that both men and women would agree needs some much needed attention then there’s no doubt that it would be the belly.
Belly fat is keeping you from realizing your full potential. You can chisel your chest all you want, get your legs and glutes in order, but if you have love handles and a muffin top then it won’t really matter all that much. The thing about belly fat is that no matter what other body parts you build up, the waist will always be the most important. Why? It’s the epicenter of the body, the place that connects the upper and lower body. There’s a reason it’s called the midsection after all.
If you want to get your waistline shrinking then you’re going to have to workout, that’s just common knowledge. But a change in your eating habits could help burn away your stubborn belly fat and give you a more aesthetic physique.
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Fish
Besides being a great protein source, the omega-3s in fish, particularly salmon, can be great for not just your heart and brain health but also boosts metabolism.
Competition is the life’s blood of any sporting endeavor. It’s been mentioned before, without rivalries sports would get boring pretty damn fast. There’s nothing like a bit of drama to make things interesting. But even if the two competitors don’t hate each others guts, having a person that will give you tough competition is always a great thing. The point of entering any sport is to prove you’re the best in the world, whether that be in mixed martial arts, soccer, basketball, or bodybuilding. Being the number one guy only means something if you’ve beaten worthy opponents that give you a true challenge.
Rivalry between well matched competitors is what made movies like Pumping Iron and Generation Iron so intriguing. You had individuals all with their own motivations and desires, the whole lot of them looking to be the number one bodybuilders in the world. Where Generation Iron featured the modern greats like Phil Heath, Kai Greene, and Branch Warren to name a few, Pumping Iron highlighted the contrast between the confident champion Arnold Schwarzenegger and the mild-mannered Lou Ferrigno. Their difference in personality gave proceedings a much more weighty gravity. Whether you enjoyed Arnold’s cocky attitude or Lou’s blue collared demeanor, in the end you ended up rooting for one man or the other. What made things even more compelling was that both men were at the top of their game and both worthy opponents.
It’s been years since Pumping Iron and the 1975 Mr. Olympia competition and the rivalry that helped to jump start the careers of both Schwarzenegger and Ferrigno has been since put to bed. It seems that these days the two once fierce rivals are on friendly terms. Nothing illustrates that more than this video that Arnold just recently posted up on YouTube.
What other rivalries have elevated the sport of bodybuilding? Let us know what you think in the comments and forums. Be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter for all you bodybuilding and entertainment needs.
These days it looks like Mister Bautista is on the upswing. He’s no longer just a popular wrestling figure, but has made the transition over to the mainstream. First it was Guardians of the Galaxy and now he will be co-starring in the upcoming James Bond film SPECTRE. Dave is getting things done on the Hollywood front but despite his success, the talented former wrestler still remembers what got him to this point.
It’s Bautista’s massive and shredded form that has garnered him much of the attention and praise he’s been showered with. In the film industry it’s easy to be typecast into a role, especially for athletic figures. Nevertheless, Bautista’s performance in Guardians opened quite a few eyes and it looks like the former wrestler is going nowhere.
Despite his constantly improving acting abilities, Bautista still recalls what got him to this stage in his career. With such a well built and massive form, Bautista is hard pressed to keep up appearances and stay in the impeccable shape that has garnered him fans the world over. We’ve already touched on how the actor keeps his upper body strong and defined. But building up the perfect body is all about having symmetry – whether it’s your left or right sides or if it’s your upper or lower body. Check out this list of exercises Bautista uses to thrash his legs into tremendous shape.
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[su_table]
Standing Calf Raises
4 sets, 10-15 reps
Seated Calf Raises
4 sets, 10-15 reps
Standing Leg Curls
4 sets, 10-15 reps
Seated Leg Curls
4 sets, 10-15 reps
Lying Leg Curls
4 sets, 10-15 reps
Leg Extensions
4 sets, 15 reps
Hack Squats
4 sets, 10-15 reps
Sets of Leg Presses
4 sets, 10-15 reps
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Are you impressed with Bautista’s leg training regimen? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
The battle for gains doesn’t end after you leave the gym.
Post workout activities are perhaps the most underrated time of the day for the fitness fiend. Many people tend to focus on what they eat and how they conduct themselves before getting into the gym and during their workout, rather than afterwards. Being prepared for a workout is important for sure, but what you do after your training is equally important to maximize muscle gains. So if you want to hold onto your gains after a hard days work, then avoid the following mistakes after your session…
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Not Enough Sleep
Rest, rest, rest. This is probably one of the big mistakes that many people make after a tough workout. Whether it’s because you want to see your favorite TV show or you’re attacking some additional work you never finished at the office, if you lose sleep then you’re setting yourself up for a fall. Put all that stuff to the side and make sure you get some rest. It’s the best way to recover physically from a hard workout not to mention mental healing for the muscle that counts most.
Stress
Sometimes we go to the gym to escape from the other hardships that plague our existence. But once we leave the gym, sometimes the stresses of life once again take hold and cause us grief. That’s a trap that you can’t allow yourself to fall into. Believe or not, avoiding stress is a big part of seeing your gains come to fruition. Once you leave the gym, don’t allow the stresses of life to steal away all your hard work.
We have two more practices for you to check on page 2!
Steve Weinberger might be the owner of one of bodybuilding’s best gyms in the world – but he’s also a IFBB head judge and a very valuable opinion when it comes to who’s got enough goods to be a standout bodybuilder. You’ve seen the inside of East Coast Mecca but now get an inside look at what goes into judging the pros on such a major level. Meanwhile, world famous kickboxer Derek Panza shows us the importance that the East Coast Mecca has had on his career and personal training goals. Check it all out in the latest episode above!
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Never miss an episode of East Coast Mecca! Subscribe to our official YouTube page today for daily updates. Stay pumped.
Some weeks ago you may have came across an article featuring powerlifting champion and bodybuilder Matt “Kroc” Kroczaleski. The inventor of the Kroc row, the powerlifter has gained respect and prominence over the years for his impressive strength and hulking physique. But now it seems Kroczaleski is giving the fitness world a whole other reason to focus their attention on the powerlifter. Recently Kroc revealed that he is in fact transgender and has transitioned from Matthew Kroczaleski to Janae Marie Kroc. It’s a startling revelation that Kroc confirmed yesterday on a popular forum. Kroc’s official statement can be read below.
“First, yes this is really me and yes I am transgender. Second, one does not “become” transgender you are or you aren’t. I have known this since I was five years old and it has been a very heavy burden to carry. I never asked for nor did I want this. For most of my life I would have given anything to not feel the way I do and at one point it drove me to consider suicide. Now I am perfectly comfortable with who I am and have been very open about this for many years. I told Wendler and Dave Tate at Elitefts when I first signed on and they were and still are very supportive of me as are nearly all of my close friends which comprise the majority of the top lifters in the sport. Ed Coan even recently reached out to me to offer his support.
At this point I do live my life in both genders but I am still undecided about whether or not to fully transition to living as a female full time. It would solve many of the most difficult issues I have struggled with but would also be a huge sacrifice as I would have to give up much of what I have worked so hard for. I also have three amazing sons that fully support whatever decision I make but I feel that I need to be there for them as I am at least until they’re adults even if it means a great deal of sacrifice for myself.
One thing that I am 100% certain of is that if I do eventually decide to transition I would never compete in powerlifting again. I feel that would be a no-win situation and I would never want to do anything that would reflect negatively on the transgender or powerlifting communities.
If you have respectful questions ask away. I am an open book.”
In the wake of Bruce Jenner’s transformation into Caitlyn, it would seem that more and more high profile individuals have been finding the courage to come out and express their true feelings and identities. For the bodybuilder and powerlifting community, a culture dominated by the male gender, it may come as quite the shock. But in reality who are we to deny Kroc the right to express herself in the way that she chooses. It’s certainly unprecedented, but as we move farther into the future, it’s entirely likely that this kind of situation will become more and more common.
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What do you think of this breaking news? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Last night on WWE Raw, John Cena suffered a horrible nose break after Seth Rollins kneed him straight in the face. Look, we all know that wrestling is staged – but injuries do happen. Just check out any match with the iconic Mankind for proof. But it’s rare that we see these kind of cringing injuries in the world of wrestling.
Yet dispite the obvious pain John Cena was probably feeling during this very real injury… the show went on. Cena refused to leave the ring and simply kept the match going – battling on to defeat Rollins and retain his US title. All of this with an exploded nose that looked like a lump of putty. Missed the match? Well now you can watch the breaking moment on repeat right here:
Or if you’d rather see a nice clear photo of the aftermath – you can check out this picture on Twitter:
From the looks of that picture – you’d think he just came out of a boxing or MMA match rather than the entertainment Wrestling we’ve all come to know and watch over the years. But John Cena has always had the “never give up” mentality and we can’t help but feel motivated from his bad ass fight yesterday. Just like the song from Generation Iron – John Cena is “Never Gonna Stop.” And we couldn’t be happier about that.
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Most bodybuilders have the stigma of being considered steroids freaks. It’s an unfortunate viewpoint that people in the fitness industry have to deal with. It can’t be avoided, it won’t go away. Steroids in fitness and bodybuilding will forever be a constant. But the truth of the matter is that not everyone is on steroids. Many people just train hard and bust their ass in the gym. Some people love to throw labels around simply because they see improvement in others, athletes or otherwise. Steroids accusations these days are becoming more of a reason to make excuses for not achieving personal improvement and people in the fitness industry are taking note.
Mike Rashid is a pretty well respected individual in the fitness community. A natural bodybuilder with a great work ethic, functional strength, as well as skills in multiple disciplines outside of bodybuilding, boxing included. Recently Rashid took to his YouTube page and posted a video on steroid usage within the fitness community.
It seems that these days everyone in the fitness world is looking to share their opinion on the subject. Is their apparent passion for the subject matter highlight the fact that there’s a steroid abuse issue? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
