Mike O’Hearn led an injured Hafthor Bjornsson through a workout inspired by Tom Platz.
Hafthor Bjornssonis battling a pec injury but it has not kept him out of the gym. Recently, the legendary strongman joined Mike O’Hearnfor a workout that builds strength in different ways.
Bjornsson is back training for Strongman after dabbling in boxing. The former World’s Strongest Man winner went through a complete physique transformation during his training to get in the ring. Bjornsson changed his diet and workout plans to fit what he needed to succeed as a boxer. This was all in preparation to take on fellow Strongman Eddie Hall, a fight that Bjornsson won by unanimous decision.
After attempting a 556.7-pound bench press, Bjornsson tore his pec off the bone. He has not been able to train upper body but has not took time off completely.
O’Hearn recently led Bjornsson through a workout inspired by Tom Platz. At 53 years old, O’Hearn continues to maintain a shredded physique while guiding others as well. He is an influential voice in many things fitness related and Bjornsson took some time to join in a workout.
Mike O’Hearn: “Stress Done Right Will Strengthen Your Body”
The duo went through a quad workout that was inspired by Platz. Mike O’Hearn began by using the hack squat machine and explaining philosophies that he learned from Platz.
“The muscle is only so strong. The joint is God’s gift. I’m trying to force it, the joints and ligaments around the knee to be so strong. I learned this in 1989. Tom Platz, training with him from ’89 to the early ’90s. This is something he lived with.
That is a quad. That’s a teardrop at the knee. Keep it healthy, they’re going to freak out.”
While performing sets on the hack squat machine, O’Hearn used a wedge so that his feet were at a different angle. This allowed him to train the muscle in a different way.
“The difference between, you’re still leading with the quads compared to leading with the hip. So the way he was doing it, first of all, he was great for the first time going it but it was still a hack squat because it wasn’t leading with the ass. The last couple of reps were beautiful because he was rotating the ass up, stretching the quads, and getting more isolation.”
Hafthor Bjornsson picked the brain of Mike O’Hearn about weight being used while training. He wondered if the pro liked to add more weight or focused on form and stress with lighter weight.
Bjornsson, being a Strongman, focuses on heavy weight during his prep. Over the course of the video, he was impressed with the work ethic of O’Hearn. He explained how he likes to add more weight but focuses on range of motion as well.
“I do add more and more but I want to try to get a better range of motion. On this one, this would be like a finisher for me. I’d hit my quads, I’d do like a leg press or similarity squat, some kid of moderation.
Stress done right will strength your body. The possibility of you being like this in 30 years, it’s a possibility, it really is. Where most people will go ‘I hit 30, I hit 35, I’m done. I’m only going to get older and weaker,’ but that’s not the mentality you have.”
Family of Billy Graham confirmed the news on Wednesday.
WWE Hall of Famer “Superstar” Billy Graham passed away at 79 years old. Graham’s family confirmed the news with TMZ. Graham built a legendary career in professional wrestling and was beloved by both fans and colleagues.
Graham, whose real name is Eldridge Wayne Coleman, was put on life support in the ICU earlier in the month. This was to treat multiple infections, organ failure, and diabetes. Graham had been dealing with health issues for awhile now but it began to take a turn for the worse in February.
Ric Flair shared a tribute to Graham on Twitter on Wednesday night.
“The Superstar Billy Graham Just Left Us THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INFLUENCE On My Career!”
The Superstar Billy Graham Just Left Us 🙏🏻 THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INFLUENCE On My Career! pic.twitter.com/YH0eT2NM4p
Billy Graham was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004. He was a three-time World Champion over the course of his career. Graham held the title in the WWWF in 1977-78. This is a promotion that would turn into WWE.
Graham had a passion for fitness from a young age. He dabbled in bodybuilding early on and because friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger because of this.
Billy Graham began wrestling in the late 1960s in Stew Hart’s Stampede Wrestling. Over the course of his career that spanned across three different decades, Graham wrestled for WWF, AWA, NWA, and WWWF. Graham went head-to-head with many elite wrestlers at all levels.
In 1977, Graham defeated fellow Hall-of-Famer Bruno Sammartino to win the WWWF title. He would hold the belt for close to 10 months before losing it to Bob Backlund.
“SUPERSTAR BILLY GRAHAM. ONE OF MY FIRST TEACHERS OF THE HEAT. THE REAL LEGEND BUBBA. HE LOVE ME I LOVE HIM. TOGETHER WE HIT THE GYM AND SHOCK THE EARTH. I LOVE YOU FOREVER BROTHER. RIP,” The Iron Sheik via Twitter.
Billy Graham became a spokesperson against drugs and steroids after a career of using different substances. This has become an issue in bodybuilding, which is an area that Graham was familiar with from when he was young.
Graham was able to build a great career in the ring and made an impact on many athletes for decades after he decided to retire.
Generation Iron sends condolences to family and friends during this time. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Is Ramon Queiroz ready to take over Classic Physique at the 2023 Olympia?!
Ramon Queirozhas established himself as one of the top competitors in the Classic Physique division. Earlier in the week, he shared a huge physique update at 251 pounds following a chest workout.
Ramon Dino is on his way to the top of Classic Physique but still has one major roadblock. During the 2022 Olympia, Queiroz pushed four-time champ Chris Bumsteadto the limit but fell behind when it was all said and done. Bumstead was able to comfortably win another title but Dino looks determined to improve and just up another level.
Queiroz began gaining a large following after the 2021 Olympia, where he placed fifth in his first appearance. He would continue into Columbus to compete in the 2022 Arnold Classic and was bested by two-time champion Terrence Ruffin. Now, he continues to move up the division and could be a threat to the throne once again this year.
Ramon Queiroz has been considered one of the up-and-comers in bodybuilding for two years now. Queiroz, along with Urs Kalecinski, are young competitors that have Classic Physique in a great spot moving forward. On YouTube, Dino showed off a chest workout before hitting some poses.
Ramon Queiroz Physique Update & Chest Workout
On the Max TitaniumYouTube page, Ramon Queiroz was featured during his prep for the 2023 Olympia.
The Olympia is gearing up to be exciting once again with another battle between Ramon Queiroz and Chris Bumstead. If the four-time champ is going to be taken down, others will have to come in at the top of their game. That is what Queiroz is working toward.
“Today I had the honor of being the first to train in our new home”
Ramon Queiroz took the stage during the 2023 Arnold Classic and was able to win the show. He bested Kalecinski and former Arnold champion Alex Cambronero. Bumstead was not present in Columbus, adding even more steam to a potential showdown once again.
After his victory back in March, Ramon Queiroz can now set his sights on winning the 2023 Olympia.
You’re not officially a fitness and nutrition enthusiast until you learn to track macros. I’m obviously kidding, well sort of.
You see, tracking macros is that thing the in-crowd does. Amateurs and gym newbies don’t really track their macros. But people who track their macros are usually taking their fitness and nutrition seriously or at least, it comes off that way.
But anyways, you might be standing on the outside of the inner circle and you want in. You want to be cool like the fit people and more importantly, you want to master tracking macros so you can achieve a fitter physique. Plus, many trainers have proven you can lose weight without tracking macros.
However, many people never learn to track macros because they fail to properly maintain a fat loss nutrition training plan. I don’t blame you at all. It can be intimidating seeing jacked joey or big booty Brittany talk about all these numbers and weighing their food constantly.
It seems like so much work and that everyone else is so good at it. I’m here to tell you that tracking macros is far simpler than you think and getting really good doesn’t take long. Let me simplify it for you so you can join the inner circle of fitness/nutrition and more importantly, reach your goals.
How Macros Work
The first step in all of this is understanding how macros work. Some people have tracked calories before, but not macros. If that’s you, you’re already way better than you think because tracking macros is essentially tracking calories.
Calories are the energy you consume from food and burn off from your body. It’s the most important number in making sure you’re reaching your goals. For most people, they desire fat loss which means they need to consistently eat fewer calories than they burn off over time (caloric deficit).
Where does macros come into all of this? Well macros are simply the 3 main nutrients (protein, fat, and carbs) that contain calories. So if you’re aiming to eat at a certain caloric target, aiming for a certain set of macros can put you at the same target.
Protein is 4 calories per gram
Carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram
Fat is 9 calories per gram
By tracking macros, you’re able to stay at a certain caloric limit, but also be in control of how much you eat of specific macronutrients that can have differing effects on your body. For example, Protein builds muscle, carbs give you energy, and fat regulates hormones.
All 3 macros do a bunch of other stuff too, but we don’t need to care about that. The goal is to keep it simple, so you can start tracking like a champ.
Setting Your Macro Targets
First, you need to find your caloric intake. There are many formulas out there and they’re all valid, but many can be needlessly complicated.
For most people, their maintenance calories is likely their bodyweight multiplied by 13 or 14. So if you desire to lose weight, you’ll need to set your calories below your maintenance which will likely be at bodyweight times 10 – 12.
You can subtract and add 50 calories to this number to give yourself a range of calories. This makes it easier to stay around your calories without worrying about having to hit one exact number on the dot. So, if your targeted calories is 1800, your caloric range can be 1750 – 1850.
Now, let’s figure out your protein. Your protein should be set at 0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight. So a 200 lb person should be chowing down 160 grams of protein daily.
Once you figure out your protein, take your protein and multiply it by 4 because protein is 4 calories per gram and subtract that from your targeted calories. The number you have remaining is what’s left for your carbs and fat.
And despite what you might hear from the endless people, your carb and fat ratio simply does not matter for most people. It will make no difference in your results.
You can focus on staying within your calories and hitting your minimum protein target daily and be perfectly fine no matter how much your carbs and fat fluctuate each day.
If you want to keep overthinking your carbs and fat, you can, but for those who are actually ready to get started, let’s move on.
The First Steps to Tracking
The first thing you will need is a food scale. No, you don’t have to weigh every little morsel out, but having it is still extremely important.
Next you will need a tracking app. Any of them will work and they all more or less do the same thing. The most popular one is Myfitnesspal, but mymacros+, fatsecret, or chronometer are all great too. Just choose one and stick with it. Now it’s time start tracking what you eat.
Tracking Foods With a Label
Most food will have a label. You simply track how much of that food you ate according to any serving size you desire. If you want to be an overachiever, weighing things out and tracking it in grams will be most accurate. Otherwise, using ounces, cups, or serving sizes is fine too.
Some foods will have to be weighed out though like if you buy a big bag of rice or pasta that you are portioning out. In addition, weighing your food dry or raw is most accurate. So, meat is weighed raw. Things like oats and rice is weighed dry.
Once you are consistent with a specific serving size, you can start eyeballing the same foods, but makes sure you are being diligent first.
Tracking Foods Without a Label
Some basic foods like apples and avocados don’t typically come with labels. Not a problem though. You can look up their nutrition info on any verified database like the USDA food database or nutritiondata.self.com.
Google is fine too. If you happen to get an inaccurate entry every now and again, it’s not the end of the world.
Tracking Recipes/Batch Foods
It’s easy to track eggs, turkey bacon, apples, chicken breast, or a spinach salad. But what if you’re making a chili for your family and you are only eating a portion of it. Or what if you are batch cooking some chicken stir fry for the week, now what do you do?
Tracking multi-ingredient recipes is a bit more nuanced, but I promise it’s still quite simple after you do it a few times. There are actually 2 ways to do so.
Method 1 (More Accurate)
Have all your ingredient entries ready.
Use the recipe function in your app.
Under ingredients, log all of your ingredients.
Cook the dish.
Weigh your final product (with the container tared off obviously)
Take the final weight and list the servings in grams. So if your chili is 1000 grams, you would make the recipe 1000 servings in grams.
When you eat your portion, you will log the recipe you made in the number of grams your portion weighs.
Method 2 (Less Accurate, but easier for some people)
Have all your ingredient entries ready.
Use the recipe function in your app.
Under ingredients, log all of your ingredients.
Cook the dish.
Split your dish into relatively even portions. Just eyeballing is fine.
Log the recipe servings as the number of servings you made.
How to Track at Restaurants
Some restaurants like chain restaurants make tracking easy for you. They will provide you the nutrition facts for menu items on their official website. Use this to make your own custom entry.
If you are eating at a non-chain restaurant, things get a bit trickier. However, if you are eating a common dish, you can simply use the entry from a popular chain restaurant. Overestimating is smart as well.
If you are eating at restaurants that are too difficult to track, you will need to either estimate or simply not track it which is ok!
When you don’t track one social meal, you can still make progress even if your body knows it might have went over for the day. You can cut back the calories on your earlier meals to be extra safe, but ultimately, one day without a caloric deficit is not going to ruin things.
That being said, I generally recommend you stick to simpler foods most days and save complex restaurant dishes for special occasions or a once per week treat.
Now Start Tracking
Consistency will be your best friend. The more consistent you are, the more practice you will get. You will also get more reliable data to adjust. For example, if you are not seeing any progress in a few weeks of consistent tracking, you should drop your calories a bit.
But most people do not need to worry about that. They need to focus on getting started, planning their meals out, and nailing at least 2 weeks of consistent tracking. It will be eye-opening, but highly beneficial.
Calves are one of the most underrated body parts. A pair of chiseled calves can arguably overshadow shirt-ripping arms. But it’s easier said than done, lower legs can be a stubborn muscle group to develop.
Look around your gym, and you’ll see many guys flexing their arms and pecs in their mirror, but you’ll hardly see anyone showing off their calves. Turning your calves into full-grown bulls tests your grit and mettle. It’s also what separates the men from the boys.
Don’t get us wrong, this article is not meant to discourage you. We have put together a list of reasons why most people fail to build their calves. Avoid committing these mistakes, and you’ll be the owner of two big and beautiful cows.
10 Reasons Why You’ll Never Have Big Calves
Treating Calf Workouts Like Accessory Work
If we got a dollar every time someone called it a day after completing two exercises in a calf workout, we’d have our own Bitcoin fund by now. Some people think that since calves are a relatively small muscle group, they don’t need to go too hard on them.
Your lower legs are used to carrying around your bodyweight throughout the day. If you want them to grow, you’ll have to do more than just a few sets on the seated calf raises. Treat your calves like accessories, and they are going to remain that way.
Using Too Much Weight
Most people let their egos get the better of them in the gym. They put on more weights on the bar than they can handle. A limited range of motion is one of the most common mistakes people make while training their little toothpicks.
Range of motion is the name of the game when it comes to calf development. You should be on your toes (just like a ballerina) at the top of the movement and your heels should be a few centimeters off the floor at the bottom of the lift.
Overtraining is one of the most misunderstood concepts in bodybuilding. Gym bros love to flaunt their broscience on the subject whenever they get a chance. Noobs are advised by the bros to not train their muscles more than twice a week.
The sad news here is that most people can’t train, if they wanted to, with the intensity and volumes required to hit the state of overtraining. There is a big difference between being sore and being overtrained.
Overtraining can impact your CNS (central nervous system) and immunity. How many people do you think can train with the fervor required to overtrain in every single workout? Since your calves are used to taking a beating, the rule of thumb for calf training should be to train them every day if they aren’t sore.
Training in the State of Exhaustion
Many people train their calves after they have been exhausted by a leg workout. These people follow their intuitions and get to the lower leg workout without any planning due to which they end up doing the exercises they’re comfortable performing.
If your calves are lagging, you should train them at the beginning of your workouts. Your other option would be to train them along with your upper legs using super-sets. You can’t expect to build monster calves while you’re out of gas and running on fumes.
Not Hitting Failure
Not training to failure is the extension of the overtraining mentality. Calves get the nastiest of pumps when you train to failure. Not everyone can handle the pain and hence people fall off after doing 10-12 reps.
You aren’t going to see any gains in that rep range. Your calves are used to taking a lot more workload as compared to what you do in your workouts. Training until muscle annihilation and then pushing through it is where the gains lie.
Low Intensity
When it comes to training calves, it’s best to avoid the intensity and volume debate. You need to get the best of both worlds and should be doing high reps with lower weights as well as lower reps with higher weights.
You can add a new dimension to your workouts by using time stops for your sets instead of the usual repetition stops. Instead of doing 12-15 reps of a calf exercise, perform a set straight for two minutes without any rest.
Time under tension (TuT) can also play a major role in developing your calves. Follow the 5:2:2:2 rep tempo (five seconds while lowering the weights, a two-second hold at the bottom, two seconds on the way up, and a two-second contraction at the top) to annihilate your calves.
Training Calves as Single Muscles
You’ll never be able to develop the inverted heart-shaped muscle on the back of your lower leg if you treat it as a single muscle. Your calves consist of three heads and you need to target each head separately.
On a calf raise exercise, keep your feet parallel to each other on the platform to target the medial head. Keeping your toes together and heels apart (forming an ‘A’) will target your outer calf head, and placing your toes apart and heels together (forming a ‘V’) will hit the inner head.
If your calf exercise arsenal consists only of seated and standing calf raises, you’re not going too far in the lower leg game. The stubborn calf muscles will get used to your workouts soon and stop responding if you don’t keep switching your exercises frequently.
Donkey, smith machine, bodyweight, leg press calf raises, to name a few, should be a part of your lower leg workouts. Your goal should be to not repeat the lower leg exercises before a couple of weeks if you train your lower legs four times a week.
Recovery – massages
Every person has a different muscle composition. Most people with tiny calves have a tight fascia which can require some extra work other than the workouts. Visiting a physiotherapist and getting deep-tissue massages every week can help ignite growth in your calves.
Not Deploying Different Training Principles
Most people use advanced training principles like dropsets, supersets, intraset stretching, BFR training for every muscle group except their calves. Calves are a muscle group that needs these advanced techniques for breaking the plateau.
If you’re serious about building your lower legs, you’ll have to stop this step-motherly behavior. It’d be great if you showed your calves the love they deserve and made up for all the times you screwed up.
How often do you train your calves? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
When it comes to hitting your biceps, chances are you are going to do some bicep curls to really blast them. While there are compound movements such as deadlifts that can hit your biceps too, there is nothing like good old-fashioned bicep curls to really isolate the muscles. However, you may find yourself incorporating a little sway in your elbows when you are performing your curls, and that can get in the way of really maximizing your bicep gains. This is where things like arm blasters come in, to help stop the sway, but what are some good arm blaster workouts?
What is an Arm Blaster?
Image courtesy of Instagram (@schwarzenegger)
You may not have heard of an arm blaster before, they are not as common in gyms as they once were. An arm blaster is a piece of wearable fitness equipment, and they have been around for a long time, they were heavily utilized by bodybuilders in the Golden Era. Typically, it will consist of a strap, which is meant to be wrapped around the back of the neck, and then it will also have a curved metal board, which is meant to support the elbows and stop them from swaying as the wearer performs their bicep curls. Sometimes, an arm blaster can even have elbow pads on it for extra comfort.
Arm blasters force you to utilize good form and they really isolate the biceps like no other piece of equipment. However, due to the forced isolation and focus on form, you will need to drop the weight a bit to perform your curls. There is no shame in lighter weight when it means more quality repetitions.
You can see some big names in the fitness industry utilizing an arm blaster in their workouts. To name a few, Bradley Martyn and Calum Von Moger have worn them during their bicep workouts, as well as 7x Mr. Olympia winner and bodybuilding legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Benefits of an Arm Blaster
A piece of equipment like this has been in the industry for so long for good reason. Arm blasters bring a load of benefits to the table.
Better Form
For starters, incorporating an arm blaster into your workout forces you to maintain good form, and good form leads to better gains.
Isolation
Almost going hand in hand with the good form aspect, is isolation of the muscle. By using an arm blaster, you are eliminating elbow sway and the risk of incorporating different muscles into the movement. You can easily isolate your bicep muscles so that they can be hit more effectively.
Strength Gains
By isolating the muscle, you are breaking it down more than you normally would. The increased breakdown of the muscle combined with a proper recovery protocol, you’ll be holding heavier weights in no time.
How to Maximize Your Workout
While it may seem simple to use, there are actually two different approaches you can take when it comes to an arm blaster workout, the elbows-in method, and the elbows-out method. The method that you choose largely depends on what type of curl you are doing.
The elbows-in approach means that your elbows are angled more towards your torso while you are performing your curls. If you are looking to achieve bigger arms and some better muscular definition, then the elbows-in approach is what you will want to go with.
The elbows-out approach has your elbows angled out slightly, and is more helpful with bringing more overall volume to the bicep.
Arm Blaster Exercises
Image courtesy of Envato
So, with all this talk about arm blasters, what are the best arm blaster workouts? There are so many different variations of the bicep curl that you might not know what to choose. So, let’s dive in.
Hammer Curls
The first arm blaster exercise is none other than hammer curls. Hammer curls are great for improving the width and thickness of the biceps, rather than the peaks. Throw on your arm blaster and pick up your dumbbells, and rep out some hammer curls to really hit the forearms and add some size to your biceps.
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
When it comes to an arm blaster workout, you cannot leave out the classic alternating dumbbell curls. They will help build the peaks of your biceps.
Barbell Curls
Another classic exercise for the biceps, barbell curls. They are a staple for adding some size to your peaks, and with the arm blaster they are only going to yield better results.
Cable Curls
You can use just about any attachment here, ropes, a straight bar, d-handle, whatever you feel is right. But, the cable curls are great to pair with an arm blaster, as they keep constant tension on the biceps throughout the entire movement.
Sample Arm Blaster Bicep Workout
While there are plenty of curl variations to choose from, narrowing down to a few exercises can help. Keep in mind that you do not need to do every type of bicep curl when you are in the gym. Just focus on getting in quality sets and reps, and of course avoid overtraining, that is the way to go.
Here is a quick and easy arm blasting bicep workout:
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
4
10-12
Barbell Curls
4
8-10
Straight Bar Cable Curls
4
12
Arm Blaster for Triceps?
While it is not overly common, arm blasters can be used for triceps as well. Unfortunately, an arm blaster will not work for movements like overhead extensions or skull crushers, you can certainly incorporate an arm blaster into movements such as cable pushdowns.
The arm blaster works for tricep movements in the same way as it would with bicep curls, where it prevents the elbows from swaying backwards during the pushdown movement.
Arm Blaster Workouts Wrap Up
Image courtesy of Envato
Overall, when it comes to blowing up your biceps, you are probably going to be utilizing movements like bicep curls. The only issue with that is when you are performing movements like the bicep curl, many times you may find your elbows swaying a little bit which can take away from the biceps. Arm blasters come into play, and they make a world of a difference for isolating your arms.
They force you to focus on form and really squeeze, maximizing your gains. But, they aren’t just for biceps, as you can utilize them for triceps to isolate them as well on movements like pushdowns.
Erin Banks will look to fine tune his physique before defending his Olympia title.
Reigning Men’s Physique Olympia champion Erin Bankswill compete during the 2023 Legion Sports Fest Pro. He plans to put the finishing touches on his physique and give it a test run before defending his title on the biggest stage in the sport.
Banks shared the news with BarBend during the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro. The Legion Sports Fest Pro will take place in Reno, NV on Oct. 7, which is just a few weeks before the Olympia.
Banks decided to compete at the 2023 Arnold Classic despite having already qualified for the Olympia. He was victorious, marking his second straight win in Columbus. If Banks is able to win the Olympia in November, he would accomplish something that no Men’s Physique competitor has ever done. This is win the Arnold and Olympia in the same year twice.
The Men’s Physique division is one that could be gaining some steam in 2023 for multiple reasons.
Image via Instagram @e_bankssss
Is Men’s Physique Gearing Up For A Big Year?
Earlier in the month, Jeremy Buendiashared that he is “all in” for a return to the Olympia in 2023. The former Men’s Physique Olympia champ shared his plan on Instagram, along with an announcement that he will be battling Erin Banks in June.
Buendia was at the top of Men’s Physique during his prime and will be looking to return. In 2014, Buendia reached the top of the division and won his first Olympia title. Over the next three years, he was unbeatable and logged four consecutive wins.
Buendia defended his title once again in 2018 but was bested by Brandon Hendrickson. This began a stretch of three wins in four years for Hendrickson before Banks won his first in 2022.
Erin Banks has been preparing to take over the division and has done it over the last two years on the biggest stages. Now, he will have a chance to continue momentum but the competition seems to be improving year to year. Fans will get a chance to see the progress he has made since March during the Legion Sports Fest Pro.
Michele Umezu saw her sex drive increase while using steroids during her bodybuilding career.
NPC Bikini bodybuilder Michele Umezu and ex-girlfriend of soccer legend Ronaldo opened up about her “insatiable” sex drive caused by her use of anabolic steroids. Now 41 years old, Umezu admits to having dabbled in steroid use to get her physique in top shape. She also admits that during this time she was unaware of how to properly utilize PEDs, leading to many side effects, including a major increase in her libido.
As reported by The Sun, Michele Umezu spoke with local media detailing the various side effects caused by her improper steroid usage. This included issues with acne and hair loss, among other side effects.
“I didn’t understand much about the subject during that period. My ex administered everything incorrectly and I had acne, thicker body hair, hair loss, and my voice changed at the time.”
Michele MUmezu is a fitness enthusiast that has focused on bodybuilding in recent years. She has built an Instagram following over 200k due to her impressive physique. On her social media pages, Umezu shares different workout posts to show off her progress.
Umezu has been open about her steroid use and shared details of her experiences.
Photo via Instagram @micheleumezu
Michele Umezu Experienced Increased Sex Drive
Michele Umezu, who has a child with soccer player Ronaldo Nazario de Lima, saw a major increase in he sex drive due to steroids.
“In fact, there are hormones like testosterone that increase libido and usually women who use them have a high libido. I became insatiable.”
Increased sex drive is a well understood side effect of anabolic steroids. In fact, Generation Iron has previously spoken with anabolic medical expert, Dr. Thomas O’Connor, on how the increased testosterone and sex drive are often an addictive feature of steroids.
But after long-term use of steroids, the body becomes less capable of producing testosterone naturally. This leads to various side effects when a bodybuilder or individual decides to stop using steroids. For men, erectile dysfunction is common but it can also lead to an overall lack of arousal for any individual whose hormones have faded.
This is largely why Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)has grown in popularity for those retiring from pro sports. TRT helps bring testosterone levels back to normal – where the body otherwise would be unable to produce it.
Below is our interview with Dr. Thomas O’Connor discussing steroids, sex drive, and arousal:
After years of steroid use, Michele Umezu believes that it is a health issue and that she has had difficulties since.
“This is not healthy. It was already a collateral problem of the hormone as well. They say testosterone is a youth hormone drug.”
In a recent interview, six-time Olympia champion and IFBB Pro, Dorian Yates broke down some of his contest prep and discussed his reasoning for using TRT. Dorian Yates put together one of the best bodybuilding careers of all-time. In retirement, he has dabbled in many areas but remains interested in his fitness. The use of steroids in bodybuilding has become an issue in recent years. There was an unfortunate string of deaths at the end of 2021. Former Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden and George Peterson passed away due to complications with their heart. In April 2022, Cedric McMillan also tragically passed away.
Chul Soon Hwang uses a machine for lateral raises to broaden his shoulder and physique.
Have you heard of Chul Soon Hwang? This Korean bodybuilding star is a sensation known for his classic and balanced physique. People are amazed by his unique old-school body. Ultimately, building his physique revolves around a structured workout plan that targets multiple muscles and a healthy diet. If you want a well-rounded and aesthetic physique, take a page from Chul Soon Hwang’s book and follow the exclusive Generation Iron shoulder workout – which includes the lateral raise – we filmed of him in his private gym.
Recently GI got an exclusive look at how Chul Soon Hwang builds his impressive lats. First, the fitness model and celebrity fitness trainer showed his machine lat pulldown and single-arm dumbbell row forms. This time, he shares with us some invaluable shoulder-building movements.
Building your shoulders is essential because they’re crucial in all your upper body exercises. So to get those rock-solid biceps, wing-like lats, horseshoe triceps, and massive chest, you need strong shoulders. Plus, big shoulders signal a well-developed physique by broadening your body and improving the X-frame.
Is it shoulder day, or are you planning to work on your shoulders so you can bench press heavier? Then you’ll benefit from this Chul Soon Hwang exclusive shoulder workout. Check out his takes on the dumbbell seated shoulder raise, machine lateral raise, and other shoulder workouts he recommends.
Chul Soon Hwang majorly uses compound exercises to target multiple muscles simultaneously and save time. However, when he needs to focus on specific muscles, he does some isolation exercises too. So even though these are shoulder movements, you’ll find that you can still build up your triceps since they help press the weight. Let’s investigate his shoulder routine below.
Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press
The dumbbell seated shoulder press is one routine that must be a part of your workout if you’re training for stronger shoulders. In addition, it majorly works your delts and triceps.
This exercise is carried out in a seated position. The benefit of pressing weight overhead in a seated position is that it’ll take your core out of the movement to engage more of your shoulders. In addition, since it’s a unilateral press, you can strengthen your weaker shoulder muscles.
Machine Lateral Raise
Machine lateral raises are isolation exercises that focus on your lateral deltoids. If you want to build boulder shoulders, this will surely widen your upper body. Research shows that lateral raises are influential shoulder muscle builders(1).
You sit at a machine to isolate the deltoids to perform the lateral raise. The machine removes the use of momentum that can shift the focus of your exercise to other muscles. For example, with the machine, you can’t jerk your knees or swing your torso to cheat and make the movement easier.
Chul Soon Hwang Other Shoulder Exercises
Chul Soon Hwang also credits his impressive shoulders to other shoulder workouts than the ones above. In a previous article, he added other movements to shoulder day for maximum growth. The “Korean Arnold” does about 10-12 reps in each set. Studies prove that doing 8-12 reps is adequate for optimum muscle hypertrophy(2).
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Standing Overhead Press
3
10
Dumbell Alternating Front Raises
3
12
Reverse Pec Deck Machine
3
10
Dumbbell Rows
3
10
Standing Overhead Press
The standing overhead press is a compound exercise that can add massive size to your shoulders. This exercise activates your abs and lower back to maintain balance and stability as you press the load overhead. In addition, it gets your whole body involved since you use your glutes and leg muscles to balance when standing.
You can do a standing overhead press with barbells, kettlebells, or dumbbells. If you opt for a barbell, you can use heavier weights and gain impressive shoulder strength. In addition, the standing overhead press can improve performance in other pressing routines like the bench press.
Dumbbell Alternating Front Raise
Dumbbell alternating front raises are isolation exercises that majorly target your anterior delts. As a result, this movement helps to build more definition in your shoulders. However, it also works on your traps.
To do this exercise, you hold a dumbbell in each hand and lift it until parallel to the ground while keeping your back straight. It’s essential to control the weight during this exercise and avoid swaying back and forth. Dumbbell alternating front raises are a remendous unilateral exercise. 2018 research shows that unilateral exercises offer more benefits than using both hands simultaneously (3).
Reverse Pec Deck Machine
Doing a reverse pec deck, aka reverse fly machine, with a machine is a great way to isolate your rear delts, which are often hard to train. In addition, you can use this movement to build your upper back as it involves scapular adduction.
The reverse pec deck machine is a great accessory shoulder exercise to add volume to your delts. Since you’re seated, you won’t have to use your stabilizing muscles, which can be distracting and less effective. In addition, this exercise will carry over to compound pressing movements like the overhead standing press.
Dumbbell Rows
Dumbbell rows are another exercise Chul Soon Hwang performs to work the posterior delts. This exercise is a compound exercise, so it builds your lats, traps, rhomboids, and biceps. It even increases strength in your core since it’s required to stabilize the pull.
Dumbbell rows are a common upper-body exercise with variations like the single-arm dumbbell and barbell rows. Ultimately, though, it’s a go-to exercise to sculpt a V-taper.
Coratella, G., Tornatore, G., Longo, S., Esposito, F., & Cè, E. (2020). An Electromyographic Analysis of Lateral Raise Variations and Frontal Raise in Competitive Bodybuilders. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(17), 6015. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176015
Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Van Every, D. W., & Plotkin, D. L. (2021). Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 9(2), 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020032
Núñez, F. J., Santalla, A., Carrasquila, I., Asian, J. A., Reina, J. I., & Suarez-Arrones, L. J. (2018). The effects of unilateral and bilateral eccentric overload training on hypertrophy, muscle power and COD performance, and its determinants, in team sport players. PloS one, 13(3), e0193841. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193841
Hair loss, or male pattern baldness, is an issue that many men may face throughout their lives. It can be caused by a variety of factors including anabolic steroid use, genetics or stress, and more. Although hair loss is something that is fairly common, it still can be fairly embarrassing for men. There are plenty of drugs and products that can be used to help treat it, but they can cause hormonal issues and may not be effective, this is where hair transplants come into play. What are the benefits of hair transplants?
Sure, men can typically go for the totally bald look, or try to style their hair so it covers up the thinning or bald patches, but is that really worth it? There is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to hair loss, but it certainly can affect a man’s self esteem and how he presents himself. While there are plenty of over the counter treatment options such as topical creams, drugs, and so on, they always run the risk of not working, or even causing hormonal damage.
So let’s take a look at hair transplants.
What is a Hair Transplant?
Hair transplants are surgical procedures that move hair to bald or thinning areas of the scalp, also known as hair restoration or hair replacement. Hair transplants, many times, are for people who have already tried other hair loss treatments, but had no luck.
The way a hair transplant works is that healthcare workers will take grafts of skin from areas of the body already containing hair, also known as the “donor site”. Typically these spots are on your head, at the back of your scalp, as this is where hair tends to be thickest. From there, the surgeon moves the grafts to hairless or balding parts of the scalp. After the transplanted skin heals, it should continue to grow hair.
The bottom line is, hair transplants have a load of benefits to your overall appearance, confidence, and hair health.
Benefits of Hair Transplants
What are the benefits of hair transplants for men? Well, typically hair transplants are for men who have tried all other options for growing their hair back, creams, shampoos, drugs, but none worked. Hair transplants are a permanent solution to get rid of, or decrease balding areas of your head,
Another benefit is an increase in confidence. Hair loss is nothing to be ashamed of, but it certainly is something that affects a man’s self esteem. Sure a lot of men can pull off the bald look, but getting to that point can be a struggle for many men, as their hair may come out in patches, leaving some spots just thinned out and looking unhealthy. A man’s appearance has a direct impact on his performance and how he presents himself, and hair transplants can help bring back that confidence.
Risks and Side Effects Associated With Hair Transplants
While these surgeries typically go very well, there are always risks and side effects that you may come across. Let’s take a look.
Risks of Hair Transplants
Allergic reaction to anesthesia
Failed grafts or flaps.
Infection of the grafted areas
Loss of feeling on your scalp
Scarring
Risks are something that comes with just about any procedure, and they are always worth addressing. These risks are something that would usually occur with a clinic that is inexperienced or unprofessional with their procedures. Do not let the risks completely turn you off from getting a hair transplant!
Side Effects of Hair Transplants
Crust or scabs
Itching
Loss of feeling
Pain or throbbing
Swelling
Tightness
Side effects are usually temporary, and if you experience them it is most likely a normal reaction and they happen around the donor site or where the new hair has been placed.
How Long is the Recovery?
Although they may be somewhat intimidating, these procedures are also fairly simple, and you can usually go home the same day, and many times you will be washing your hair within a day or two after the surgery! Within the week you should be able to be back to work and doing light activities.
It is also worth noting that many times it may take up to a full year to see the results that you want from a hair transplant surgery, and sometimes you may have to get “touch-ups”.
Where to Get a Hair Transplant
Many times, you can go to a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon to receive a hair transplant, however our team at Generation Iron has a different recommendation.
Vera Clinic has been providing hair transplant operations for a decade and is staffed with the best hair transplant doctors in Turkey. The Clinic has been on the rise, being the best hair transplant clinic in Turkey since it was established.
Over at Generation Iron, one clinic that we can firmly recommend and specializes in hair transplants is Vera Clinic, a place for hair transplant in Turkey. Now, you might not think of going to Turkey for a hair transplant, but if you want the best of the best, a good option is this Turkey hair transplant clinic.
Vera Clinic is an international hospital collaborating with highly accomplished specialists. Their team is full of top notch dentists, hair transplant and plastic surgeons, and surgeons in Turkey. Not to mention, they have been providing hair transplant operations for about a decade, and are staffed with the best hair transplant doctors in Turkey.
With hair transplants becoming more common, Vera Clinic is also rising in popularity and their reputation is growing. Plus, they have been known as the best hair transplant clinic in Turkey since they were established.
It is also worth mentioning that Vera Clinic has performed over 30,000 successful surgeries since they were founded, which is another factor that makes them the best hair transplant clinic in Turkey. Also, Vera Clinic has earned recognition from the European Awards in Medicine 2021 as the Best Hair Transplant Clinic of Europe.
Hair Transplant Wrap Up
Overall, hair loss is a very natural thing that is common amongst men. It is nothing to be ashamed about, however we completely understand that sometimes it may be embarrassing. There are plenty of products on the market designed to bring back your hair, but many have hormonal side effects or just flat out do not work.
Hair transplants for men are a great option, but always know where you are going to get your procedures done. One place for hair transplants we can stand by confidently, is Vera Clinic, known as the best hair transplant clinic in Turkey. Sure, you might not have thought of getting a hair transplant there, but it is the best hair transplant clinic in Turkey, and one that we can highly recommend.
Will you be opting for a hair transplant any time soon?
