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Mike O’Hearn & Clark Bartram Debate: Testosterone And Are You Natural If You Take Peptides?

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.

This Is What Happened To A Man’s Body When He Ran 5Ks 30 Days In A Row

Cardio Challenge

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.

READ MORE: Best Cardio For Bodybuilders Without Losing Muscle

“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.

READ MORE: Does Cardio Kill Gains For Bodybuilders Seeking Growth?

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.

For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

What To Look For In A Healthy & Effective Energy Drink

energy drinks

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.

energy drinks

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.

Related: Will Pre-Workouts Or Coffee Give You A Better Workout?

Benefits of energy drinks include:

  • 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.

Related: What To Look For On Nutrition Labels & Why It Matters

  • Amount of Sugar

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.

What is a Good Energy Drink Recommendation?

REDCON1 Energy

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

Redcon1 Energy

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.

Other Ingredients:Carbonated Water, Citric Acid, L-Carnitine, Taurine, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Potassium Citrate, Alpha Glycerylphosphorylcholine (Alpha GPC), Coffee Beans (Coffea arabica), Sucralose, Potassium Sorbate (preserves freshness), Sodium Benzoate (preserves freshness), Acesulfame Potassium, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine HCI, Methylcobalamin.

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.

Check out our individual review on REDCON1 ENERGY!

What Happens When You Take in Too Much Caffeine?

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

  1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Energy Drinks”. (source)
  2. Petrelli, F.; et al. (2018). “Mental and physical effects of energy drinks consumption in an Italian young people group: a pilot study”. (source)
  3. McLellan, T.; et al. (2016). “A review of caffeine’s effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance”. (source)

Top 10 Ways To Naturally Gain Muscle Faster For Optimal Growth

rope hammer curls

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.

protein powder

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.

sleeping

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.

strong man

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

  1. 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)
  2. 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)
  3. Jeukendrup, A. E.; Randell, R. (2011). “Fat burners: nutrition supplements that increase fat metabolism”. (source)
  4. 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)
  5. Sands, William A.; McNeal, Jeni R.; Murray, Steven R.; Ramsey, Michael W.; et al. (2013). “Stretching and Its Effects on Recovery”. (source)

Every Winner of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

A staple of summer celebrations

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.  

Takeru Kobayashi (2001-2006)

Takeru Kobayashi hit the scene in 2001 at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, and went on to win 5 years in a row. Here are his numbers:

  • 2001: 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes
  • 2002: 20 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes
  • 2003: 44 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes
  • 2004: 53 and a half hot dogs in 12 minutes
  • 2005: 49 hot dogs in 12 minutes
  • 2006: 53 and ¾ hot dogs in 12 minutes

Joey Chestnut (2007-2014)

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:

  • 2011: 40 hot dogs in 10 minutes
  • 2012: 45 hot dogs in 10 minutes
  • 2013: 36 ¾ hot dogs in 10 minutes

Matt Stonie (2015) 

Matt Stonie came to Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest and ended the 8 year winning streak of Joey Chestnut by eating 62 hot dogs to Joey’s 60.

Mikki Sudo (Women’s 2014-2020)

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?


For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

*Header image courtesy of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Facebook Group

How to Perfect the Goblet Squat

squat

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.

It is very important that the core remains braced and the chest lifted during this phase in order to facilitate stability and control.

Bodybuilding Exercises

3 Goblet Squat Benefits

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).

Bodybuilder Stretches

Common Goblet Squat Errors

There are 3 common errors that are associated with the goblet squats and should be avoided as far as possible.

These errors will not only cause the movement to become inefficient but may also increase the risk of sustaining an injury.

1) Falling Forwards

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.

3) Wobbling

The most common reason for wobbling during a goblet squat is a lack of core tension. Failure to keep the core engaged will have a detrimental impact on overall stability.

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.

legs

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.

The exercise involves completing a standard goblet squats and then moving straight into an overhead press as you reach the top phase of the squat.

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.

Goblet Squat with Resistance Band

To increase the stress placed on the leg muscles, use a resistance band, placing it either around the tops of the ankles or knees.

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).

strong man

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.

Therefore, exercise caution and be absolutely sure that your technique is solid before progressing onto this variation. As when learning the goblet squat, start light and build up to heavier loads.

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.

There are other ways that you can increase the intensity and challenge of the goblet squats without increasing the weight.

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.

You may even want to add in additional pauses at multiple stages as you drop and rise through the squat.

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.

Dorian Yates Shares Best Chest Exercises Used During Legendary Career

Chest Workout

Six-time Olympia champ Dorian Yates used many chest workouts to help build his physique.

Dorian Yates is 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.

Dorian Yates ab exercises

Dorian Yates’ Best Chest Workouts

Dorian Yates used many staple workouts to help build his insanely massive physique. This includes decline and incline bench presses, both free weight and on the Smith machine.

“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.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dorian Yates (@thedorianyates)

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

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:

WATCH: Stream or download Dorian Yates: The Original Mass Monster

Most recently, Yates shared his kettlebell rotational swing routine to develop strength and power for Generation Iron. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

MuscleMeds – Focused On Performance

MuscleMeds Carnivor Beef Protein Isolate
MuscleMeds Stemtropin supplement Akim Williams

MuscleMeds: Focused on Performance

MuscleMeds is a premiere sports nutrition supplement company that specializes in producing products aimed at bodybuilders, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts. MuscleMeds is a brand that has gained popularity in the fitness industry due to their commitment to producing high-quality supplements designed to enhance athletic performance, muscle growth, and overall physical well-being.

Is it time for you to upgrade your supplement stack? Here are key reasons why you should include MuscleMeds into your routine:

  1. Quality and Efficacy: MuscleMeds claims to use cutting-edge research and innovative technology to develop their products. They often highlight the scientific backing and clinically-studied ingredients used in their formulations, which can attract individuals seeking credible and effective supplements.
  2. Range of Products: MuscleMeds offers a wide range of supplements catering to various fitness goals. Their product line may include protein powders, pre-workouts, amino acids, recovery supplements, and more, providing customers with a diverse selection to support their specific training needs.
  3. Transparency: The company aims to be transparent about their ingredients and manufacturing processes, which can instill confidence in consumers about the safety and legitimacy of their products.
  4. Customer Reviews and Testimonials: Positive feedback and testimonials from satisfied customers can serve as an indicator of product efficacy and customer satisfaction.
  5. Brand Reputation: MuscleMeds’ brand reputation and recognition within the fitness community may also influence potential buyers who are looking for well-established and trusted supplement companies.

As with any supplement purchase, it’s essential to do your research, read product labels, and consult with a healthcare professional or certified nutritionist before adding any new supplements to your regimen.

Our editorial team of fitness experts at Generation Iron have vigorously tried and tested many of MuscleMeds’ top products. Get more information about our team’s ranking and review of MuscleMeds supplements below.

MuscleMeds Product Highlights

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MuscleMeds Stemtropin is the first natural dietary supplement that increases stem cell and GH production. A 72% increase in GH and a 20% increase in stem cells is a pretty drastic increase, so it should provide you with all the benefits GH and stem cells offer, including increased strength and muscle growth, muscle regeneration, and fighting age-related diseases.

Stemtropin is the first natural dietary supplement that increases stem cell and GH production. Some main takeaways include:

  • Stemtropin is a natural dietary stem cell and growth hormone booster that helps with muscle hypertrophy (growth) and prevents age-related muscle atrophy.
  • It increases your stem cell production by 20% and HGH by 72%.
  • Stem cells help with muscle regeneration to help athletes recover from injuries such as sprains and muscle tears.

Check out our review for Stemtropin!

Whether you’re a natural athlete or an enhanced athlete, if you want to get the best results and build hard dense muscle, you should understand a process known as aromatization, and how to gain control of it.

AROMATEST is a potent aromatase inhibitor that contains OctaPren, a proprietary prenyl flavonoid extract of Xanthohumol (XN) and 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN), formulated in a super-bioavailable lipophilic delivery system. AROMATEST reduces the conversion of testosterone to estrogen by binding to and disabling the aromatase enzyme.

Some key features of Aromatest are:

  • Leaner, drier physique
  • Increased sex drive
  • Higher libido

Check out our review on Aromatest!

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CARNIVOR SHRED helps activate brown adipose tissue (BAT) and boosts your metabolism to get you ripped. Reduce hunger, boost your energy levels, and build lean muscle tissue with this one of a kind product.

Carnivor Shred from MuscleMeds is a supplement that helps you get the right amount of protein needed to build muscle and contains the potent agents to stimulate fat loss at the same time. MuscleMeds focuses on producing the highest quality supplements to improve your peak performance, using quality ingredients and premium protein that’s easy to digest. In addition, it’s lactose, sugar, and fat-free.

Some highlights of MuscleMeds Carnivor Shred include:

  • Carnivor Shred builds muscle and burns fat simultaneously.
  • Carnivor Shred doesn’t contain lactose, sugar, gluten, or fat.
  • Carnivor Shred has a potent blend of beef protein isolate and creatine to supercharge muscle mass. And 6-paradol, green tea, yerba mate, and green coffee bean to burn fat.

Check out our individual review on Carnivor Shred!

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Carnivor is a 100% beef protein isolate that is fast digesting and great tasting for an effective non-dairy protein supplement.

MuscleMeds Carnivor Beef Protein Isolate is a non-dairy and fast digesting protein supplement that is changing the protein powder game. Some of the highlights of Carnivor Beef Protein Isolate include:

  • 23g of hydrolyzed beef protein that is fast digesting and easy on your stomach
  • Non-dairy to avoid dairy and unpleasant side effects
  • Great flavors

Check out our individual review on MuscleMeds Carnivor Beef Protein Isolate!

Mark Zuckerberg Accepts Elon Musk’s Vegas Cage Fight Challenge

The fight that the world wants to see: Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg in a cage.

We got to see Donald Trump and Vince McMahon have an on-screen rivalry within the WWE. Why not set up another battle of the billionaires? Mark Zuckerberg accepted Elon Musk’s Twitter challenge of a cage match.

The Twitter owner and Tesla CEO recently tweeted that he would be “up for a cage fight” with Zuckerberg. The CEO of Meta took to Instagram on Wednesday telling Musk to “send me location.” He shared a picture of Musk’s tweet and overlapped his response on the screen. Musk responded to a separate tweet saying “Vegas Octagon,” which would be the only way to do it.

By the looks of his tweets, it is clear that Musk is not serious about his challenge but it is extremely entertaining to think about what this would look like. One commenter even called for Joe Rogan to be the referee, which would add another entertainment factor to the fight.

Mark Zuckerberg

Elon Musk Shares Fighting Style: The Walrus

Naturally, this has been a topic that many on social media have had fun with over the days. Elon Musk is part of that group, responding to many about the topic. In one tweet, Musk shared his famous move.

“I have this great move that I call ‘The Walrus,’ where I just lie on top of my opponent & do nothing.”

According to CNN, a spokesperson told Verge that Meta said “the [Instagram] story speaks for itself” when discussing the challenge.

To this point, it is unknown Zuckerberg’s intentions but it is fair to assume to Musk is having fun with the idea. It brings up the question, who would win the hypothetical fight?

Elon Musk holds a significant advantage in size as he stands close to 6-foot-2, compared to 5-foot-7 of Mark Zuckerberg. The Meta chief has practiced jiu-jitsu and Brazilian martial arts. In fact, he competed during the BJJ Tour competition in California in May and won two medals.

The idea of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg engaging in a cage fight is very intriguing and something that the world would want to see.

For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

2023 Strongman Champions League Holland Results

Who won the 2023 Strongman Champions League Holland?

The 2023 Strongman Champions League Holland results are in. 14 strongman athletes took part in the competition which featured 6 events. Ultimately it would be Latvian native Aivars Šmaukstelis who would emerge victorious at the strongman competition.

The Strongman Champions League (SCL) features the best of the best in the sport. The 14 athletes taking part in the competition hail from all over the world and came together to prove their strength. Aivars Šmaukstelis would ultimately stand head and shoulders above the other world-class athletes. The Latvian strongman has once again proven that he’s one of the best in the world. Šmaukstelis earned 81 out of 84 possible points at the competition, showcasing his dominance.

While Kelvin de Ruiter and Kevin Hazeleger, who came in second and third respectively, tried their best to keep up with the front-runner, Aivars Šmaukstelis proved too impressive at this show leaving his competition in the dust. Below are the placing results for the 2023 SCL Holland show.

Pictured here at the 2023 WSM, strongman Aivars Šmaukstelis dominated the competition at 2023 SCL Holland
Pictured here at the 2023 WSM, strongman Aivars Šmaukstelis dominated the competition at 2023 SCL Holland.

2023 SCL Holland Results 

  1. Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia) — 81 points
  2. Kelvin de Ruiter (Netherlands) — 69 points
  3. Kevin Hazeleger (Netherlands) — 60.5 points
  4. Kane Francis (Great Britain) — 59 points
  5. Rongo Keene (Australia) — 54.5 points
  6. Evans Aryee (Belgium) — 45 points
  7. Mika Törrö (Finland) — 33.5 points
  8. Kevin de Jong (Netherlands) — 32.5 points
  9. Andrea Invernizzi (Italy) — 32.5 points
  10. Grzegorz Szymański (Poland) — 31 points
  11. Ayyub Mohammad (Germany) — 30 points
  12. Kelin Mills (South Africa) — 27.5 points
  13. Travis Ortmayer (USA) — 25 points
  14. Andy Black (Great Britain) — 14 points

The list of the above 14 competitors took part in 6 different events which included the Truck Pull, Super Yoke, Farmer’s Walk, Viking Press, Tire Flip, and Atlas Stones

Below is a list of the events and the results.

Truck Pull

Athletes had to pull a 15,000 KG truck down a 25-meter course for the fastest time possible in a 60-second time limit. This is one of the two events that Aivars Šmaukstelis did not get the top result.

  1. Kelvin de Ruiter — 31.50 seconds
  2. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 34.16 seconds
  3. Kelin Mills — 36.44 seconds
  4. Kevin de Jong — 37.78 seconds
  5. Kevin Hazeleger — 38.66 seconds
  6. Rongo Keene — 39.38 seconds
  7. Mika Törrö — 42.22 seconds
  8. Evans Aryee — 43.03 seconds
  9. Ayyub Mohammad — 43.07 seconds
  10. Andy Black — 45.44 seconds
  11. Grzegorz Szymański — 45.56 seconds
  12. Travis Ortmayer — 46.22 seconds
  13. Kane Francis — 54.48 seconds
  14. Andrea Invernizzi — 59 seconds

Super Yoke

Each strongman hefted a 425 KG yoke across a 25-meter course for the fastest time.

  1. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 10.75 seconds
  2. Kelvin de Ruiter — 12.78 seconds
  3. Kevin de Jong — 15.16 seconds
  4. Kevin Hazeleger — 15.44 seconds
  5. Evans Aryee — 15.53 seconds
  6. Kelin Mills — 16.34 seconds (T-fifth)
  7. Kane Francis — 16.34 seconds (T-fifth)
  8. Rongo Keene — 18.31 seconds
  9. Ayyub Mohammad — 18.71 seconds
  10. Andrea Invernizzi — 29.22 seconds
  11. Travis Ortmayer — 41.75 seconds
  12. Andy Black — One meter
  13. Mika Törrö — no result (no points)
  14. Grzegorz Szymański — no result (no points)

Farmer’s Walk

With 150 KG in each hand, each strongman is tasked to travel 40 meters for the fastest time.

  1. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 18.16 seconds
  2. Evans Aryee — 18.63 seconds
  3. Kane Francis — 19.09 seconds
  4. Kevin Hazeleger — 21.84 seconds
  5. Kelvin de Ruiter — 21.91 seconds
  6. Rongo Keene — 22.34 seconds
  7. Grzegorz Szymański — 22.87 seconds
  8. Mika Törrö — 23.90 seconds
  9. Andy Black — 24 seconds
  10. Andrea Invernizzi — 25.56 seconds
  11. Kelin Mills — 26.69 seconds
  12. Travis Ortmayer — 31.59 seconds
  13. Kevin de Jong — 32.5 meters
  14. Ayyub Mohammad — 8.35 meters

Viking Press

Each strongman Viking Pressed 160 KG within a 60-second time limit.

  1. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 15 reps
  2. Kane Francis — 14 reps (T-second)
  3. Rongo Keene — 14 reps (T-second)
  4. Kevin Hazeleger — 13 reps (T-fourth)
  5. Andrea Invernizzi — 13 reps (T-fourth)
  6. Ayyub Mohammad — 13 reps (T-fourth)
  7. Kelvin de Ruiter — 12 reps
  8. Evans Aryee — 10 reps
  9. Mika Törrö — Eight reps
  10. Grzegorz Szymański — Seven reps
  11. Kevin de Jong — Five reps
  12. Kelin Mills — no reps
  13. Travis Ortmayer — no reps
  14. Andy Black — withdrew

Tire Flip

Athletes had to flip a 425 KG tire eight times within a 75-second time limit.

  1. Mika Törrö — 30.63 seconds
  2. Kelvin de Ruiter — 33.44 seconds
  3. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 34.04 seconds
  4. Kane Francis — 42.22 seconds
  5. Grzegorz Szymański — 50.61 seconds
  6. Travis Ortmayer — 52.19 seconds
  7. Rongo Keene — 52.56 seconds
  8. Kevin Hazeleger — Seven flips (T-eighth)
  9. Evans Aryee — Seven flips (T-eighth)
  10. Andrea Invernizzi — Six flips (T-10th)
  11. Kevin de Jong — Six flips (T-10th)
  12. Kelin Mills — Five flips
  13. Ayyub Mohammad — Four flips
  14. Andy Black — withdrew

Atlas Stones

Within a 90-second time limit, each strongman attempted to load five Atlas Stones weighing 120 to 180 KG in the fastest time possible.

  1. Aivars Šmaukstelis — Five in 32.03 seconds
  2. Kane Francis — Five in 39.90 seconds
  3. Kevin Hazeleger — Five in 50.18 seconds
  4. Kelvin de Ruiter — Five in 52.97 seconds
  5. Mika Törrö — Five in 56.19 seconds
  6. Rongo Keene — Four in 54.43 seconds
  7. Evans Aryee — Three in 36.61 seconds
  8. Andrea Invernizzi — Three in 58.15 seconds
  9. Travis Ortmayer — Two in 26.61 seconds
  10. Ayyub Mohammad — Two in 49.56 seconds
  11. Grzegorz Szymański — One in 39.83 seconds
  12. Kevin de Jong — no lift
  13. Kelin Mills — no lift
  14. Andy Black — withdrew

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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.

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