Eddie Hall continues to prepare to compete on stage as a bodybuilder.
Eddie Hallcontinues to train with the goal of hitting the stage as a bodybuilder in mind. After building a career as one of the best Strongmen in the world, Hall has taken on other fitness ventures and bodybuilding is next on the list. He recently showed off a physique update while posing after a workout.
During the 2016 World Deadlift Championships, Hall became the first person to deadlift 500kg (1,102.3lb). The very next year, he was crowned champion of the World’s Strongest Man event and solidified his spot as one of the best in Strongman. Hall took a step back from powerlifting to take on boxing. He made a significant physique transformation and took on fellow strongman Hafthor Bjornsson.
After being defeated by Bjornsson, Hall began training in a different way and put on more size. Now, he is preparing with bodybuilding in mind and shared that his cut is eight weeks away.
Eddie Hall Latest Physique Update
On Thursday, Eddie Hall shared a posing video after a workout. In the caption, he revealed his current weight of 385 and that he will begin his bodybuilding cut in eight weeks.
By the looks of his Instagram, Hall continues lift heavy in the gym. This includes a big deadlift day on Friday morning. To prepare for his cut, Hall will likely take on a new workout plan while cutting back on calories daily.
Eddie Hall announced his plan to compete in bodybuilding sometime in 2024. It is unknown what the exact timeframe is but he seems determined to take on another fitness journey.
Julius Maddox looks impressive after making a full recovery from his rotator cuff injury.
Fully recovered from his 2022 rotator cuff injury,Julius Maddox is back in the gym and recently performed an impressive 405 lb overhead press. The powerlifter is still growing in strength as he continues his journey to bench pressing 800 lbs.
Dealing with a serious injury can be a hassle for just about anyone. When you’re a professional athlete however it can be downright unbearable. Athletes need to use their bodies in order to generate their income. So a severe injury can hurt their earning potential. So when respected powerlifter, Julius Maddox injured his rotator cuff last year, it was a foregone conclusion that he’d be stuck on the sidelines for quite some time.
Known for his impressive strength in the bench press, Julius Maddox seeks to become one of the all-time greats at the legendary lift. While he already holds the world record in the raw bench press, a whopping 782.6 lbs, Maddox is not satisfied with his prior achievement. While setting the world record may have been his initial goal, his new goal is to outdo himself and benchpress 800 lbs.
It’s been a long road for Julius. Maddox in his attempt to surpass his own world record bench press. While he may have had attempts in the past, he has been unsuccessful in crossing his 800 lbs goal. Along the journey to accomplishing this new goal, Maddox would end up suffering, a rotator cuff injury. Back in July 2022, Maddox would injure himself so severely that attempting an 800 lbs bench press was simply out of the question.
Now nearly a year later, Julius Maddox has a fully healed rotator cuff and is intent on continuing the marathon toward 800. In a recent post to Instagram, Maddox showcase that his strength is returning with an impressive seated overhead press of 405 lbs.
405 ❌ 2 Seated OHP
I’m back. My rotator cuff feels back to 100%! Been a long humbling experience. 9 months ago minor tears to my bicep and 3 bands in my rotator cuff. Didn’t share much about it because I honestly did think I’d return. Well here I am still on the road to 800
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.
Attractive young muscular man keeping right hand on his back while pushing up on the left one during outdoor workout
Try these 10 bodyweight workouts below, and turn them into a circuit to get into amazing shape this summer.
Are you prepared to flaunt your beach bod under the sun? Look no further, we’ve got the perfect outdoor workouts to get shredded this summer! Bidding farewell to packed gym atmospheres, take advantage of the great outdoors and soak up some fun in the sun.
Why are we advocating for the outdoors? The gym is usually packed with many people getting ready for swimsuit season at this time. Plus, studies show that getting outdoors is great for your body and reduces your risks of cardiovascular diseases (1).
For the perfect outdoor workout this summer, we’ll advocate bodyweight training. We can’t quite picture you lugging out all that heavy gym machinery outdoors. You can also do bodyweight exercises anywhere, which means less incentive to skip your training. So get right on these and stay committed even if you go on vacation.
Are you ready to get that aesthetic physique and banging body this summer? Then check out the routines and other training tips below. Here’s our guide to the perfect outdoor workout to get shredded this summer.
Full Bodyweight Workout – Circuit
All you need is your own bodyweight to build muscle and burn fat to build your summer physique. This study shows bodyweight exercises are enough to get in stellar shape (2). After spending lots of days in the gym, it’s a great addition to mixing things up. Doing these routines outdoors also means you can soak up some much-needed vitamin D while burning those calories, which has many benefits, including strengthening your immune system.
This summer bodyweight workout circuit contains exercises that’ll hit every muscle, sculpting your physique. It’s also perfect for those who don’t have access to a gym. It consists of 10 different exercises with minimal rest in between movements. Do this workout 3-5 times a week alongside other great tips we share below, and you’ll see significant results.
Exercises
Pushups
Squats
Walking Lunges
Burpees
Planks
Chair Dips
Wall Sits
Lying Leg Raises
Mountain Climbers
Lying Glute Bridge
*Note: Do 1-5 sets for this circuit, doing each movement as many reps as possible for 30-second intervals. Beginners should only stick to one to two rounds. You can do four to five rounds at an advanced fitness level.
Pushups
Pushups are an effective upper body movement this summer for building strength and targeting your chest, core, abs, and lower back. They build your pecs, triceps, delts, abs, and other core muscles.
Squats
Squats target the muscles of your core and lower body. These include quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, abs, and hip adductors.
Walking Lunges
Walking lunges are great for your range of motion and build your core and lower body muscles, such as the quads, glutes, hamstrings, abs, hips, and calves.
Planks
Planks are a total body finisher; this routine will benefit your upper body, lower body, and core. The muscles affected include the abs, obliques, traps, rhomboids, lats, pecs, delts, triceps, biceps, quads, glutes, and hamstrings.
Burpees
Burpees are a mix between a pushup and a leap into the air. They help to improve your endurance and work on the muscles in your legs, butt, hips, abs, chest, arms, and shoulders.
Chair Dips
Chair dips are great for your upper arm; people sometimes call them tricep dips because they build your triceps. Chair dips also build your pecs and traps.
Wall Sits
Wall sits are wonderful quad burners and also target your glutes and calves. But ensure that you do this in proper form, with your hips and knees forming a 90-degree angle to get the most out of them. Your back should also be flat against the wall with your heels on the floor.
Lying Leg Raises
The lying leg raise is a compound exercise that targets the muscles in your core and legs. These include abs, quads, hip flexors, obliques, hamstrings, and erector spinae.
Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers work on your upper, core, and lower body muscles. These include your shoulders, abs, chest muscles, triceps, glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, and hip flexors.
Lying Glute Bridge
The lying glute bridge is a challenging exercise that targets your posterior chain muscles. These are your adductors, glutes, and hamstrings. The transversus abdominis of your core are also activated.
Other Summer Workout Tips
Alongside using the above outdoor workout to get your shredded summer body, here are other important tips to follow – since workouts aren’t everything!
Consume Protein
A diet high in protein is important for building lean body mass. It helps you build muscle while you burn fat. So while exercising, eat protein-rich meals like plenty of meat and fish. You could also take a post-workout shake high in protein since consuming enough protein from food alone can be challenging.
Cut Calories
The best way to get lean and shredded is to lose fat by getting into a caloric deficit. This means you have to burn more calories than you take in each day. You could also look into intermittent fasting, which research demonstrates could be an alternative to getting into a caloric deficit to lose weight (3).
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated during the summer is important but becomes even more imperative when doing a summer workout outdoors. It’s critical that you drink enough water to replace the electrolytes lost to prevent injuries such as cramping (common from being dehydrated) and for maximum athletic performance. A good pre-workout shake can also help with this.
Use Sun Block
Finally, always use good sunblock to protect yourself from sunburn and skin cancer. You should also ensure that you regulate your time in the sun. As aforementioned, getting sunlight in moderation is great for your health, but too much sun exposure without protection can lead to ailments.
Jimenez, M. P., DeVille, N. V., Elliott, E. G., Schiff, J. E., Wilt, G. E., Hart, J. E., & James, P. (2021). Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(9), 4790. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094790
Scoubeau, C., Carpentier, J., Baudry, S., Faoro, V., & Klass, M. (2023). Body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and neuromuscular adaptations induced by a home-based whole-body high intensity interval training. Journal of exercise science and fitness, 21(2), 226–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2023.02.004
Aragon, A. A., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2022). Does Timing Matter? A Narrative Review of Intermittent Fasting Variants and Their Effects on Bodyweight and Body Composition. Nutrients, 14(23), 5022. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14235022
Natural athlete, Clark Bartram talks in detail about raising testosterone levels naturally.
Peptides are growing in popularity in the bodybuilding and fitness world. Much like SARMs before them, peptides are seen as a possible alternative to steroid use. However, peptides are a very different substance than SARMs. It seems more and more bodybuilders are speaking out about using peptides – but is taking these substances consider natural? In Generation Iron and Barbend’s latest episode of The Mike O’Hearn Show, Clark Bartram explains the use of natural testosterone boosters and why he doesn’t use peptides.
Mike O’Hearn and Clark Bartram have known each other for a long time. They have also been brothers in arms when it comes to the natural bodybuilding lifestyle. In a previous episode of the podcast, Bartram spoke in detail about the reasons for becoming a bodybuilder and the wider variety of ways you can use your physique to become successful.
The episode received tremendous feedback, which is why Clark Bartram has returned to the Mike O’Hearn Show. This time to discuss peptides and the difference between training alone vs with a group. Let’s jump into it.
Is taking peptides a natural approach to bodybuilding?
During the podcast discussion, Clark Bartram talks about the importance of patience in bodybuilding and fitness. He believes that the rise in PED use within fitness is largely due to impatience. People want to get muscular fast and don’t worry about the burnout that will occur by 30 or 40 years old.
But this raises a question in Mike O’Hearn. As health science and technology keeps changing – so too are the possible strategies in bodybuilding. Peptides have become a popular talking point in recent years.
O’Hearn asks Clark Bartram whether or not he thinks that using peptides is still considered natural. What unfolds is a bit of a debate. Bartram has no interest in using peptides personally. He sees them as a substance that you can take to give you a shortcut towards athletic success. By those grounds, it’s not the natural path that he wants to take.
But Mike O’Hearn points out that peptides are not the same as steroids or SARMs. They are a full line of amino acids set up to provide certain benefits for your body. Amino acids are naturally occurring – so wouldn’t these substances be natural as well?
Clark Bartram agrees that, overall, these substances should be considered natural in athletic sports. However, he personally doesn’t want to give him that boost via these supplements.
Why? Because Bartram enjoys seeing how far he can push himself without “help.” He wants to see if he can keep his testosterone up and accomplish the same strength and physique as someone his age who does use peptides. It’s the kind of personal challenge he likes to give himself. The kind he has been giving himself throughout his entire life – and the reason why he’s accomplished as much success in fitness as he has today.
The pros and cons of weight training with a group
Mike O’Hearn and Clark Bartram also talk about the differences between training alone and training with a group of people. In general, weightlifting and bodybuilding are considered solitary sports. It requires consistency and focus. Often times going to the gym in early hours or late nights and pushing yourself on the weights.
Ultimately, this is how a large part of bodybuilding training will commence. Mostly alone in order to accomplish ones goals in a consistent way. But training with a partner or in a group does have benefits.
In fact, Clark Bartram thinks it is essential to have a social group training dynamic interspersed between solo training sessions. Because when you train with other passionate people in the gym – they help you push farther than you can ever do alone.
Mike O’Hearn and Clark Bartram refer to this as “leveling up.” The natural competition that occurs when training with other serious lifters is what pushes them past their limits. O’Hearn recalls a time he was able to train alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger – and he lifted weight that he could have never pulled off alone.
O’Hearn also talks about his time training with bodybuilding legend Robby Robinson. At 76 years old, Robinson is about 20 years older than O’Hearn. When they train together, Robinson finds himself inspired to try and lift heavier like O’Hearn. He admits he would never lift that heavy on his own – but gets inspired by O’Hearn.
This inspiration is two-fold. For Mike O’Hearn, seeing Robinson lift heavier at 76 years old provides a possible vision into his own future. O’Hearn gets excited knowing that he too will one day lift like a beast at 76 years old – and he will be inspired by those younger than him to keep pushing.
This is the true benefit of group training dynamics. While you must focus on your foundation in order to maintain strength and health well into older age – you can also find the motivation and excitement of reaching new highs when pushed by others in a group setting.
Wrap Up
Mike O’Hearn and Clark Bartram discuss a wider array of topics throughout this episode – so make sure to watch the full video above. And don’t forget to catch new episodes of The Mike O’Hearn Show every Friday only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network or wherever you listen and download podcasts.
Tom Morley, who lifts weights regularly, decided to add some cardio in the form of a 5k to his daily routine.
The addition of cardio is not something that is linked to bodybuilding. This is because of the thought that it helps lose weight and muscle overall. YouTuber Tom Morley decided to take on a cardio challenge to see what it would do to his body. Morley committed to running a 5k everyday for 30 days and track his progress.
Morley is an avid weightlifter that works out multiple times a week but does not implement cardio into his plan. He admitted to doing little to no cardio weekly so a challenge such as this would be starting from the bottom. Morley wanted to run a 5k, which is 3.1 miles in distance, each day to track his time and weight.
“I know it’s going to be a hard challenge, and I know I’m gonna want to quit at times, but if I can give it my all, if I can throw everything into this, I really think I can do it.”
Morley continued to explain that he will take measurements of his arms, chest, legs, and waist at the beginning and end of the challenge to see how they all reacted to the cardio level that significantly increased.
The idea of cardio in bodybuilding is frowned upon because how people believe that it helps lose weight and overall size. Instead, cardio burns away excess fat and speeds up your metabolism. With a diet plan of a bodybuilder, this would not impact muscle gains at all. Cardio also lowers blood pressure and strengthens the immune system. Whether cutting or bulking, cardio is beneficial.
Tom Morley Takes On 30-Day Challenge
Tom Morley began the challenge and was unhappy with his first time of 33 minutes. For the first few days, Morley’s time continued to increase because of the Ian in his body.
“Unfortunately, getting a bit slower each day was the pattern for about a week. The pain just got so bad in my calves and my knees obviously because I hadn’t been doing this level of intensity interns of cardio probably ever. My legs were starting to struggle with that.”
As the days rolled on, Morley’s body began getting used to the added pressure of the runs. He continued on and was motivated to finish the goal. In his third week, Morley set a new PR of 28:02.
Unfortunately, Morley had to skip out on the end due to a broken leg.
“It’s just so annoying when you try so hard and put so much time and so much energy into something and then something like this happens and it completely kills it.”
Tom Morley shared his results after 22 days. He lost a total of nine pounds and improved his time by nearly five minutes. He will continue to heal from his injury and added that he will attempt the challenge once healthy and looks forward to completing it.
Get the most out of your energy drink with key factors to look for.
Our lives can get busy, we can get tired, and we often turn to some form of beverage to push past that sluggish and fatigued feeling. Coffee can be boring and bland, pre-workouts may be a bit too much, so we may turn to energy drinks. But just how healthy and effective is our energy drink? With a market so saturated by products, finding the right one can be difficult.
Knowing what to look for in terms of ingredients can really give you a healthy and effective energy drink that is worth your time and money while boosting energy. Trusting a brand is important, but doing the right research can go a long way, especially for those looking to boost their overall health and gains.
Let’s take a look at energy drinks and see what makes these so great for working out as well as giving you that energy you need throughout the day. Knowing what to look for can better prepare you when looking through a saturated market of energy drinks. While there are plenty to choose from, having the right guidelines for you can take you a long way for a healthy and effective product.
Benefits Of Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are designed to give us energy and boost all areas of our gains, mental and physical. Knowing the benefits of energy drinks and what they can do will prove to be effective and will take our training and focus to new heights. Plus, they tend to have great flavors so you can actually enjoy the taste.
Increased energy: With ingredients like caffeine, energy drinks can increase your energy so you are ready to take on challenges and won’t feel sluggish after a long day (1).
Less Fatigue: Working to break fatigue, they can allow you to push through any barriers that may arise during exercise or throughout the day (2).
More focus: Ingredients will include those to enhance focus and mood for increased alertness and ability to get more out of your workouts or daily tasks.
Potential muscle growth and recovery: As a result of less fatigue and increased energy, you may be able to get more out of your workouts and work to build more muscle and enhance recovery.
Potential weight loss: Along with more energy, you may burn more calories potentially leading to increased fat loss for those sculpting goals.
What To Look For
When choosing your energy drink, there are a few things to look for that can make or break what a good product can do. Your energy drink should be healthy, but also effective, and knowing what to look for will make that decision just a bit easier, even with such a saturated market.
Reputation Of Brand
Like all supplements and health products, the reputation of the brand matters. You want to be sure your energy drink is coming from a trusted source. This just takes a little research and some reading on their website. Reading through the reviews of their products can be a good way to know they are a company looking to produce the best for consumers.
Amount Of Caffeine
Energy drinks do use plenty of caffeine to increase energy and enhanced focus, but for those sensitive to caffeine, this is a big factor to look for (3). On top of that, if you are someone who drinks a lot of caffeine or other caffeinated drinks, or who may take a pre-workout or fat burner supplement high in caffeine as well, this is something to consider so you don’t overload with caffeine. Too much caffeine can have some nasty side effects, but we will cover those later.
Added Ingredients
Energy will add other ingredients like taurine, B vitamins, and others to enhance the effects of energy and focus. Considering these and the amount in your energy drink may affect your purchase. If you are new to energy drinks, doing some research into these ingredients is a good idea. For those more advanced lifters and nutrition folks, you may have a preference depending on your needs.
Sugar comes up all the time when we talk supplements because often times companies will add sugar to enhance the taste. But it isn’t necessary, and while artificial sweeteners have taken over, so too have natural ones so consider this when looking at your energy drink. For those health conscious individuals, sugar can have an adverse effect your gains, so don’t fall victim to drinking unwanted calories.
Flavors & Taste
As stated before, coffee can be bland if you don’t pump it full of sweeteners or other things, which can be a little bit unhealthy. With that said, your energy drinks should taste good and you should never have to suffer through some bland tasting product. Thankfully, these companies have begun experimenting with new and interesting flavors so you never grow bored of the taste and can have a product you will love.
Overall Price & Effectiveness
Price matters and we know that. Supplements unfortunately can get expensive, but it is possible to find the right product at an affordable price. When it comes to effectiveness, considering other customer reviews is a good idea just to see how these energy drinks have affected them.
Why Use an Energy Drink?
Using an energy drinks as a supplement is a good idea if it fits your lifestyle. For those looking to increase energy and focus and get the most out of their workouts, considering this into your routine can be a game changer for your goals. If you can handle caffeine and want to get a great workout, then an energy drink may be right for you.
However, there are alternatives for those who don’t want an energy drink like pre-workout supplements or just a regular cup of coffee. And for those looking to avoid stimulants, even consider a stim-free pre-workout for those great ingredients minus any caffeine or other stimulants and the side effects they may cause.
With 200mg natural caffeine, focus factors and metabolism supporting ingredients, REDCON1 helsp you stay energized, ultra focused, and feeling good - no matter what the day throws at you. Every flavor is delicious, crips and refreshing so as you hustle hard each day, you never sacrifice taste for high performance.
REDCON1 Energy is not just a regular energy drink. It can be used to replace your pre-workout, give you a lunchtime energy boost, or it can be used by the people that do not enjoy coffee, you can consume REDCON1 Energy to replace that!
REDCON1 ENERGY packs in 200mg of natural caffeine, which is right around the perfect amount for many people. There are also the focus factors, and metabolism supporting ingredients that are put into this drink. All of these ingredients are included to help you stay energized, focused concentrated, and feeling good, no matter what might go on throughout your day. REDCON1 makes sure that every flavor is delicious, crisp, and refreshing so you not only get the benefits of a good performing energy drink, but also great taste.
One more thing that makes REDCON1 Energy stand out is that every can supports the military. Each can purchased helps support military organizations and families with a percentage of proceeds from each can going towards those who need it most. Who doesn’t love a little patriotism to accompany a great product?
Ingredients
So, what exactly is in REDCON1 Energy that makes it stand out from other energy drinks? Aside from the included 200mg of natural caffeine that come right from green coffee beans, there are no carbs, no fat, and no protein. REDCON1 Energy is 0 calories! There are 15mg of sodium, with 90mg of potassium, 1.7mg of Vitamin B6 and 24mcg of Vitamin B12, as well as 5mg of Pantothenic Acid.
With all these different ingredients, you may be wondering exactly what they do, so let’s take a look.
200mg Alpha GPC- This nootropic helps improve memory, concentration, and energy levels to aid in giving you the motivational boost.
1g L-Carnitine – This is a stimulant free fat burner that also helps preserve muscle mass.
Vitamins B6, B12, and B5- These vitamins are a natural way to help supercharge your mood.
200mg Natural Caffeine- This is to help promote alertness and wakefulness.
Keep in mind that with each flavor, the nutrition and supplement facts and ingredients may vary slightly.
You can pick up a 12 pack of REDCON1 Energy for $29.99! The flavors include Vice City, Freedom Frost, Sensationally Sour, Good Vibes Only, and Sour Peach Rings.
Caffeine is a great way to boost your energy, however it can effect your body in ways you wouldn’t think of. For one, caffeine has fat burning abilities, which maybe you are not opposed to. But there are other effects that are much more negative. These include headaches, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, frequent urination or inability to control urination,, fast heartbeat, and muscle tremors More than likely, you do not want these, so it is recommended to watch your caffeine intake closely.
Wrap Up
Energy drinks are great supplements for those looking to enhance their energy and focus to power through any fatigue or sluggish feeling throughout the day. Getting an effective workout is important and looking to a quality energy drink can make or break those gains for the better. Consider an energy drink for all your workout needs, and if it doesn’t fit your lifestyle, then look into those alternatives. Either way, the option for you to have a great workout is right around the corner.
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
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Energy Drinks”. (source)
Petrelli, F.; et al. (2018). “Mental and physical effects of energy drinks consumption in an Italian young people group: a pilot study”. (source)
McLellan, T.; et al. (2016). “A review of caffeine’s effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance”. (source)
We all know the old saying “work smarter, not harder”. But do you know how that applies to building muscle in the gym?
It’s true that amazing gains never come overnight, but there are still things you can be doing to maximize the amount of muscle you get out of your workouts. Of course, we know that taking certain supplements and focusing on our training can be sure fire ways to see those gains we want most, but sometimes figuring out the best steps can be challenging and ultimately may put us in an overwhelming hole as we try and figure it out. With so many options, it can be difficult to nail down the best ways to gain muscle, especially naturally, but it is possible.
While many of these ways tend to be self-explanatory and potentially obvious, our busy lives and schedules tend to keep us from fully realizing exactly what needs to be done to achieve this. Sometimes just reading it and hearing it again can be exactly what we need to make sure we hear it through and can tackle all of these muscle building needs in a safe, effective, and natural way. Working smarter is very much a true saying in the world of lifting and while working hard is important, doing so efficiently is the key to success.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 ways to naturally gain muscle faster so you never need to worry about that vital growth again. Not only will some of these ways benefit your lifting goals, but other areas of your lifestyle will change for the better as a result of taking better care of yourself.
Top 10 Ways To Naturally Gain Muscle Faster
1. Training Volume Is Key
Too many people get complacent in the gym and stop trying actively to push themselves. The fundamental key to muscle growth is progressive overload – meaning you increase the intensity of your workouts overtime (1). If you aren’t getting that burning feeling from overloading your muscles, it means you aren’t building them, period. Increase the amount of weight over time and make sure to increase the volume, too – that’s the number of sets and reps you do for each workout with weights.
2. Be Consistent
The second biggest thing to remember about making massive gains is that it’s also a game of consistency. There’s only so much muscle that can be put on by the body in a day; one huge workout, or even one huge workout once a week, will get you nowhere. Make a plan and stick to it but be in the gym three to five times a week and make sure to do that every week.
Muscle is gained incrementally. Even if you aren’t pushing yourself, it’s better for your body and overall muscle mass to do so after workouts five times a week than it is to really push yourself in the gym only once or twice a week. That’s a surefire way to lose gains.
3. Take Advantage Of Supplements
Depending on your unique needs as an athlete, different supplements will work for you. Creatine, and whey protein are the two cornerstone supplements that lead to huge gains (2). Your muscles need to consume food to grow and develop, so you need to make sure you’re giving them all the fuel they need. In some cases, eating casein before bed can actually provide the muscles with enough amino acids to literally grow overnight while you’re asleep. Imagine waking up with more gains than when you went to bed.
Other supplements to know are pre-workout, which can provide for energy and insane muscle pumps, BCAA intra-workout products to burst through fatigue and keep you going stronger, and fat burners, which can shed that unwanted fat while maintaining lean muscle mass (3). Having a good supplementation routine can really work wonders for all of your gains.
4. Be Strict About Form
This is an easy one to forget. Exercises like squats, barbell presses, and crunches are all considered staple exercises for a true gym rat. But exercises only help you gain muscle if they’re performed correctly. Are you leaning forward when you squat? It could be a sign you overloaded with too much weight.
When you do a sit-up, is your spine straight and your stomach flat? If not, it’s a sign you’re overloading a weak core. Take the time to do these exercises the right way. Otherwise, you’re only getting a fraction of the gains you set out to make.
5. Get A Full Night’s Sleep
This is another no-brainer people often don’t think about. Studies have shown that sleeping for eight hours instead of five can increase testosterone by 10 to 15%. That has a huge impact on how much you gain muscle when you work out (4). This is a really easy thing you can do to improve your performance in the gym and give yourself the best chance for a better tomorrow.
6. Recovery Is An Important Part Of The Process
If you go hard in the gym five nights a week every week for a year, you will absolutely destroy your body. Set aside cycles of rest so you can recover after tough workouts. Pushing yourself too hard will only lead to burnout. Trust me, your body will thank you. Recovery will also support things like mobility and an overall better mood, so don’t neglect this vital part of your workout and post-workout routine (5).
7. Stay Healthy Outside The Gym
It doesn’t mean you can’t drink or have fun with your buddies at the bar, but you should do your best to be generally healthy in your habits outside of the gym. This means no binge drinking and stay away from drugs and smoking, at the very minimum. You definitely won’t be maximizing gains in your workouts if you’re dehydrated and hungover from a long night out partying.
8. Keep Your Workouts Simple
You don’t need fancy equipment to get shredded. Remain focused on the basics and the tried-and-true exercises that have worked for bodybuilders for generations. Don’t get caught up in the promises of fancy equipment and “new breakthroughs” that offer shortcuts. There is no shortcut; just do the work.
9. Stay Organized & Manage Workouts
Huge gains are no easy task and getting organized definitely helps make the process smoother. Consider keeping a journal of your workouts and your meal plan. You’re less likely to slip up and cheat with a greasy cheeseburger at the end of a long day if you’ve already got a plan in place and food waiting prepared at home.
10. Lift Heavy While Being Safe
If you feel comfortable lifting, you probably aren’t pushing yourself hard enough. Lifting the heaviest amount of weight you can is a critical factor in making the most gains for it will work your muscles to grow, increase that time under tension, and allow for massive gains to your strength and size which is what you want most.
Wrap Up
While it may seem daunting to find natural ways to boost your muscle growth and gain that valuable muscle faster, following these simple yet highly effective steps can work wonders for you. Looking to the top ways to see gains while still making your life easier is a sure-fire way to get this done. Give these top 10 ways a try and see how your muscles grow bigger, faster, and stronger as you also promote a better lifestyle overall.
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
Mangine, Gerald T.; Hoffman, Jay R.; Gonzalez, Adam M.; Townsend, Jeremy R.; et al. (2015). “The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men”. (source)
Tipton, Kevin D.; Elliott, Tabatha A.; Cree, Melanie G.; Wolf, Steven E.; et al. (2004). “Ingestion of Casein and Whey Proteins Result in Muscle Anabolism after Resistance Exercise”. (source)
Jeukendrup, A. E.; Randell, R. (2011). “Fat burners: nutrition supplements that increase fat metabolism”. (source)
Dattilo, M.; Antunes, H. K. M.; Medeiros, A.; Neto, M. M.; et al. (2011). “Sleep and muscle recovery: endocrinological and molecular basis for a new and promising hypothesis”. (source)
Sands, William A.; McNeal, Jeni R.; Murray, Steven R.; Ramsey, Michael W.; et al. (2013). “Stretching and Its Effects on Recovery”. (source)
Here is something you may not have exactly expected the team at Generation Iron would be covering – Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. With the Fourth of July comes a few extra calories, and they sometimes come in the form of everyone’s favorite guilty pleasure, which is hot dogs. That’s right, even our team at Generation Iron takes a break from our protein shakes and pre-workout to enjoy some of those wieners. A cheat meal here and there is good for you. When it comes to hot dog loving, there are some people that take it to the next level, at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, which was first documented all the way back in 1967, is an annual tradition that is exactly how it sounds, it is the art of consuming an outrageous amount of processed meat in a very short amount of time. The people that compete in this have to have stomachs of steel, with insane digestion abilities.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has risen to notoriety through the big names in the competition, which include Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi, who have each won the event multiple times.
Origins of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
Image courtesy of Envato
Where did Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest even come from? Well, the legend says the first one took place on July 4, 1916. As the story goes, four immigrants gathered at the very first Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand in Coney Island, and wanted to see who was the most patriotic. The winner was determined by who could eat the most hot dogs.
However, it was not until later on, (1967) when Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest became a legitimate annual, competitive event. Nowadays, it attracts over 40,000 fans in person and draws in around 2 million viewers on ESPN.
The 2023 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest will take place on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, from 11am to right around 1pm. The location it will take place is 1310 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. You can view it on ESPN this year starting at 10:45am to the conclusion of the event, expected to be at 1:05 pm ET.
Every Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Winner
We have compiled a list of every winner of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, starting all the way from the beginning. Throughout the long standing event has seen many different competitors come in and win the whole thing, so let’s dive in.
Walter Paul (1967)
The first documented Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on June 30 1967, which was designated as the 100th anniversary of the invention of the hot dog. Paul Walter, a 400-pound, 32 year old truck driver, won the contest. His prize was a trophy proclaiming him the “world’s champion hot dog eater.” It was unclear if he ate the hot dogs with the buns or not, those extra carbs make a big difference, but it was done in a time period of “one hour flat”, and he ate 127 hot dogs.
Jason Schechter and Melody Andorfer (1972)
There were no Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contests documented from 1968 to 1971, but in 1972 the first contest was held on Memorial Day and was won by Brooklyn College student, Jason Schechter, who ate 14 hot dogs in 3 and a half minutes. His prize “was a book of certificates for forty more hot dogs.”
The second 1972 contest was held on Labor Day and was won by a 105-pound, 18-year-old female community activist from Astoria, Queens, Melody Andorfer, who ate 12 hot dogs in 5 minutes. Her prize was a just paper crown, but on July 2, 2021, however, she was presented a belt similar to that awarded to recent winners.
John Connolley and Roberto Muriel (1974)
The first 1974 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on April 7, which was opening day for Coney Island’s summer season activities. The first one was won by John Connolly, a 22 year old Manhattan Community College student from Astoria, Queens, who ate 9 hot dogs in 2 and a half minutes. He was granted a trophy.
The second 1974 contest was held on Independence Day and was won by Roberto Muriel, a 185-pound, 24 year old from Brooklyn, who ate 10 hot dogs in 3 and a half minutes. The prize was “a trophy with an emblazoned hot dog on it.”
Walter Paul and Paul Sirop (1974)
The third 1974 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on Labor Day and was tied by the original winner, Walter Paul, who at that point became the event’s first two-time winner—and Paul Sirop. They did not have a tie breaking contest. Their amount of hot dogs eaten is not documented.
Lonnie Brown and Sharlene Smith (1975)
An all-female Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was originally scheduled to be held on Memorial Day. The winner was to be declared “Miss Coney Island;” the contest was won by Sharlene Smith, a 30 year old market researcher from Manhattan. She ate 8 and a half hot dogs in 3 and a half minutes.
However, sources indicate that when the contest was held it was ultimately decided to allow men to participate as well. The top-finishing male, Lonnie Brown, was awarded a plaque. He was a 28 year old National Guardsman from Far Rockaway, Queens. Lonnie ate 8 hot dogs in 3 and a half minutes.
Kevin Sinclair and Manel Hollenback (1978)
The 1978 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on Memorial Day and was tied by Manel Hollenback, a 180-pound, 18 year old basketball player from Newark, New Jersey, and Kevin Sinclair, a 75-pound, 10-year-old student. There was apparently no tie-breaking event.
Jim Mather and Luther Frazier (1979)
The contest was tied by a 172-pound 17-year-old boy from Brooklyn, Luther Frazier, and a 205-pound, 35 year old bond dealer from Ozone Park, Queens Jim Mather. The two ate 10 hot dogs in 6 and a half minutes Then, during the tie-breaking contest, they tied again.
Joe Baldini and Paul Siderman (1980)
The 1981 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was tied by Joe Baldini, a 190-pound, 25 year old unemployed pharmacist, and Paul Siderman, a 260-pound, 21 year old unemployed actor. They ate 9 and ¾ hot dogs in 10 minutes, and when the tie-breaking contest was held each tied again with 3 and a half hot dogs in 3 minutes.
Thomas Deberry (1981)
The contest was won by Thomas Deberry, a 35 year old Housing Authority gardener from Coney Island, Brooklyn. Reports state that Thomas “downed 11 hot dogs in five minutes and then rushed off with his family to attend a barbecue”.
Steve Abrams (1982)
The 1982 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was held on Monday, July 5, which was the observed date of Independence Day, because July 4 fell on a Sunday that year. It was won by Steve Abrams, a 26 year old from Flushing, Queens, who ate 11 hot dogs in 5 minutes, and even took a bite of twelfth.
Emil Gomez (1983)
Emil Gomez was a 210-pound, 25 year old accountant from the Bronx, who ate 10 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes, beating his brother by half a hot dog.
Birgit Felden (1984)
The contest was won by Birgit Felden, a 130-pound, 17 year old West German women’s judo team member from Cologne. She had actually never eaten a hot dog before the competition, and she ate 9 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Oscar Rodriguez (1985)
Oscar Rodriguez was 21 years old when he won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest by consuming 11 ¾ hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Mark Heller (1986)
The contest was won by Mark Heller, a 245-pound man who managed to eat 15 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes. The prizes were a plaque and a year supply of hot dogs.
Don Wolfman (1987)
Don Wolfman consumed 13 and a half hot dogs in ten minutes at the 1987 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Jay Green (1988-1989)
30 year old limousine service manager from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Jay Green won in 1988 consuming 10 hot dogs in 12 minutes, and then again in 1989 consuming 15 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Jay Green and Mike DeVito (1990)
Reigning champ Jay Green tied with Mike DeVito, consuming 15 hot dogs in just 12 minutes.
Frankie Dellarosa (1991-1992)
At the 1991 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Frankie, 270-pound, 23 year old engineer and part-time Hofstra University football coach, consumed 21 hot dogs in just 12 minutes. The following year he returned to eat 19 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Mike DeVito (1993-1994)
Mike DeVito returned as the champ in 1993, but didn’t tie this time. He consumed 17 hot dogs in 12 minutes. Then, in October of that same year he went head to head with Japan and consumed 18 hot dogs in 30 minutes, taking the crown there as well.
In 1994, DeVito won by consuming 20 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Ed Krachie (1995-1996)
Ed Krachie, 350-pound NYNEX engineer from Queens, won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 1995 consuming 19 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes. He then won again in 1996 by consuming 22 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Hirofumi Nakajima (1997-1998)
The contest was won by Hirofumi Nakajima, who was actually the reigning champion because he won a December contest in 1996. He was a 135-pound, 22 year old furniture delivery worker from Kōfu, Japan and in 1997 at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest he consumed 24 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Then in 1998 he consumed 19 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Steve Keiner (1999)
The 1999 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was won by Steve Keiner, a 317-pound, 50-year-old man from Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. He consumed 21 and a half hot dogs in just 12 minutes.
Kazutoyo Arai (2000)
Kazutoyo Arai was a 100-pound 32 year old mattress salesman from Saitama, Japan, who consumed 25 and ⅛ hot dogs in 12 minutes.
Joey Chestnut took the crown from Takeru Kobayashi in 2007, and stayed on top all the way through 2014. Here are his numbers:
2007: 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes
2008: 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes (tied with Takeru Kobayashi) then 5 hot dogs in 50 seconds to take the prize
2009: 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2010: 54 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2011: 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2012: 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2013: 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2014: 61 hot dogs in 10 minutes
Sonya Thomas (Women’s 2011-2013)
Some of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contests are unisex events, so there are both male and female winners. Sonya Thomas was on top from 2011 through 2013. Here are her numbers:
The women’s champ from 2014 through 2020 was Mikki Sudo. Her numbers were as follows:
2014: 34 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2015: 38 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2016: 38 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes
2017: 41 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2018: 37 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2019: 31 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2020: 48 and a half hot dogs in 10 minutes
Michelle Lesco (Women’s 2021)
Staying on the topic of the women’s division of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Michelle Lesco took the crown in 2021 with 30 ¾ hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Joey Chestnut (2016-2022)
Back onto the men’s, Joey Chestnut took back his throne from 2016 through 2022, eating even more some years than he ever has. His numbers are:
2016: 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2017: 72 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2018: 74 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2019: 71 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2020: 75 hot dogs in 10 minutes
2021: 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes (record)
2022: 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes
Mikki Sudo (Women’s 2022)
Mikki Sudo took back her throne for the women’s division of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2022, consuming 40 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Wrap Up
Image courtesy of Envato
Overall, Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is a fun way to celebrate one of America’s favorite foods, and a staple of summertime. Though it certainly is a fun contest, these competitors are no joke and they diet and train for these events, just like bodybuilders or powerlifters train for their shows and meets.
Would you ever enter Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest?
The Ultimate Beginner Leg Exercise for Strength and Movement
The goblet squat is one of the best beginner exercises in existence and makes an effective choice for those who wish to learn how to squat effectively.
Learning how to goblet squat will have a positive impact on how you perform when it comes to heavier squatting exercises such as the barbell back and front squats.
In addition, it may also be used to facilitate changes in lower extremity strength & mobility as well as serve as a useful tool for cardio-based interval workouts.
This article will provide information on how to safely and effectively perform the goblet squat, review the associated benefits and provide a number of goblet squat variations and alternatives.
Goblet Squat Technique & Muscles Worked
The goblet squats primarily works the muscles of the legs, in particular, the quads, glutes, and calves. In addition, core muscles are recruited in order to maintain stability.
If you are new to resistance training or have never performed the goblet squats before, it is highly recommended that you start with a light weight and gradually work up to a heavier load.
Use the following 3 steps to help you perform the perfect goblet squats.
1) The Set-Up
When performing the goblet squats, the first thing that should be determined is your setup. If you can get this right, the rest of the exercise should become relatively straightforward.
Start by assuming a stance that is slightly wider than hip-width. Pick up the weight and pin it in tightly to the chest while ensuring that the elbows stay tucked in to the ribcage.
The way in which you hold the weight is dependant on the type of weight you are using – if using a dumbbell, hold both sides of the handle; if using a dumbbell, hold it vertically.
2) Squatting Down
Before you begin to lower yourself into the squat, push the chest up and squeeze the core muscles.
As you gradually lower, keep the elbows tucked so that they do not get in the way of the knees. In addition, ensure that the feet stay flat on the floor at all times.
If you find that the heels are lifting from the floor at the bottom of the squat, you are either dropping too far or need to spend some time improving your ankle mobility as poor ankle mobility can lead to excessive trunk lean (1).
3) Driving Up
After dropping down deeply, drive hard through your heels to bring the body back up to the starting position.
This section will highlight 3 of the biggest benefits that the beginner will experience by regularly practicing the goblet squats.
1) Improved Strength
The goblet squat may be a simple resistance exercise to perform, however, for the beginner, simple exercises are ideal as they are easy to master and still provide the body with ample stress to bring about significant adaptations in strength (2).
2) Improved Mobility
Because the weight is held to the front, it is possible to sit deeply into the squat. The weight serves as a counterbalance which facilitates a better trunk position and often allows for a deep squat.
3) Establishing Movement
As touched on, the goblet squat is the perfect exercise for any beginner who would like to progress onto heavy barbell squats. Practicing the goblet squats regularly will allow for neural pathways to be established thus improving squatting efficiency (3).
Common Goblet Squat Errors
There are 3 common errors that are associated with the goblet squats and should be avoided as far as possible.
The reason for pushing the chest up during the goblet squat is to keep your center of balance over your base of support (feet).
Failure to keep the chest high often leads to the center of balance moving forward and away from your base of support causing you to lean forward excessively and fall.
2) Falling Backwards
While less common than a forward lean, some individuals may find themselves falling backward rather than forwards.
It is possible that the problem originates from a lack of tightness in your lats (back). To rectify this, look to pin your elbows in even tighter to the rib cage before squatting.
Therefore, focus on squeezing the muscles in your trunk during each and every rep. This should keep you much more stable and allow you to move safely and more efficiently.
Goblet Squat Variations
If you are looking to increase the challenge of the goblet squats, consider any of the following variations.
Goblet Squat with Overhead Press
This variation will work the upper extremities as well as the lower – specifically working the shoulder, back and core muscles.
If you are running short of time, incorporating an overhead press at the top of the squat can be useful. It may also be an effective cardiovascular exercise and can easily be incorporated into a HIIT circuit.
For the press, it is possible to use both arms or to alternate arms with each rep.
The unilateral (one arm) version can be a useful tool for determining if one side is stronger than the other.
In addition, the unilateral press places a greater demand on the core as it must engage to keep the body upright and prevent any rotation from occurring.
Doing so will make the exercise very challenging as you must now resist the resistance band as it pulls your shins or knees inwards.
The goblet squats with resistance band is highly effective for strengthening the glute and quad muscles.
For the lifter who is struggling to keep the knees out during the squat, this method is highly recommended as the exercise forces the lifter to push the knees wide and activate key squatting muscles (4).
Double Kettlebell Front Squat
The double kettlebell front squat is probably the most challenging variation of the goblet squats as it doubles the load and requires precise technique.
To perform this variation, start with the two kettlebells in the front rack position. This is where the elbows are lifted slightly to allow the load to comfortably rest on the arms.
When assuming this position, ensure that the handles of the kettlebells are held beside each other and are in close proximity to your chin. This should allow the weight to sit comfortably on the forearms.
Once in a solid front rack position, begin squatting ensuring that the elbows are kept up and the core is braced throughout.
Because of the position of the weight, this goblet squat variation is highly challenging on the core as it must work to keep the trunk upright and maintain stability.
Tempo, Pause and Pulse Squats
The most obvious way of making the goblet squats more challenging is to add more weight. however, if you only have access to one weight this can be a problem.
The first thing that you can manipulate is the tempo of the goblet squats. Start by slowing down the descent so that it takes 3-5 seconds to reach the bottom of the squat.
It may also be worthwhile to add a pause in at the bottom of the squat. For this method, descend as normal until you reach the bottom, hold this position for a couple of seconds before driving up.
The final method that you may wish to consider is pulse squats. To perform pulse squats, firstly drop down deeply. From the bottom position, push up slightly and then drop down again.
Repeat this rising and dropping 5-10 times before driving all the way back up to standing. Keep the chest lifted throughout to ensure that you do not allow the back to round.
Final Word
For those who wish to progress on to heavy barbell squats, it is recommended to start with the goblet squats as it will allow you to learn the movement patterns for the squat and establish a base level of strength.
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:
1 – Fuglsang, Emil I.; Telling, Anders S.; Sørensen, Henrik (2017-11). “Effect of Ankle Mobility and Segment Ratios on Trunk Lean in the Barbell Back Squat”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 31 (11): 3024–3033. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001872. ISSN 1533-4287. PMID 28301442.
2 – Baker, J. S.; Davies, B.; Cooper, S. M.; Wong, D. P.; Buchan, D. S.; Kilgore, L. (2013). “Strength and Body Composition Changes in Recreationally Strength-Trained Individuals: Comparison of One versus Three Sets Resistance-Training Programmes”. BioMed Research International. 2013. doi:10.1155/2013/615901. ISSN 2314-6133. PMC 3780552. PMID 24083231.
3 – Sale, D. G. (1988-10). “Neural adaptation to resistance training”. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 20 (5 Suppl): S135–145. doi:10.1249/00005768-198810001-00009. ISSN 0195-9131. PMID 3057313.
4 – Foley, Ryan C.A.; Bulbrook, Brittany D.; Button, Duane C.; Holmes, Michael W.R. (2017-8). “EFFECTS OF A BAND LOOP ON LOWER EXTREMITY MUSCLE ACTIVITY AND KINEMATICS DURING THE BARBELL SQUAT”. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 12 (4): 550–559. ISSN 2159-2896. PMC 5534145. PMID 28900561.
Six-time Olympia champ Dorian Yates used many chest workouts to help build his physique.
Dorian Yatesis one of the greatest bodybuilders of all-time. He built an insanely massive physique that helped him reach the pinnacle of the sport on many occasions. While Yates became known for the size of his back, he also put together a symmetrical physique that impressed in many ways. Recently, Dorian Yates shared some of his favorite chest workouts over the course of his career.
In 1991, Yates completely burst onto the scene and finished as the runner-up in his first Olympia competition. The very next year, he reached the top and was able to win six-consecutive Sandow trophies. In 1997, Yates stopped competing and was able to go out on top.
Yates continues to train at a high level and shares his wisdom of bodybuilding. On Instagram, the bodybuilding legend shared some essential exercises he used to build his chest.
“Decline barbell bench press was a staple in my routine, roughly up until 1992.”
Following his first Olympia victory, Yates decided to switch it up a bit.
“After this, I switched to more incline presses and didn’t really go back to decline.
“I did do quite a lot of incline smith machine presses and felt a great connection with this exercise. It’s a fixed plane of motion and you can really put a lot of emphasis on your chest here. It’s safer to go to and beyond failure too, especially with rest pause reps where you’d rack the bar and take a few deep breaths, then aim for an extra one or two reps.”
Another workout Dorian Yates used to train his chest was dumbbell flyes.
“Incline dumbbell flyes was another tremendous exercise that I did consistently, working up to over 50kg dumbbells! But I always did this on a low incline, about 30 degrees as this puts the chest at the forefront and helps to minimise the delt involvement. I also later did a lot of incline barbell press, you can see the footage in Blood & Guts!”
During the start of his winning streak at the Olympia, Yates explained why he began using the Smith machine in favor of dumbbells when performing shoulder presses.
“I was pretty much forced to utilise the smith machine for shoulder pressing near the start of my Olympia reign.
My training partners in the early 90s, usually Kenny and @paulbaxendale, often had a challenge to pass the giant 160lb dumbbells up to me and it was a struggle to get them into position. I scrapped dumbbell shoulder press in favor of the smith machine for shoulder press and this was a lot easier to not only set up, but to go to failure too.”
Dorian Yates: The Original Mass Monster
Dorian Yates’ epic and massive physique alongside his famous Blood & Guts training routine are etched into history. Yates is often referred to as the “original mass monster” – ushering in a new era of titanic size that was cemented further by Ronnie Coleman’s eight Mr. Olympia wins.
A deeper look into Dorian Yates’ training routine, past, and bodybuilding career were put to film in the documentary Dorian Yates: The Original Mass Monster. The film chronicles his entire life story while also showcasing how his life has changed post-retirement. You can check out a trailer for the film below:
