Phil Heath questions reasons to return to bodybuilding, discusses the state of Men’s Open.
Phil Heathis one of the all-time great bodybuilders. His overall knowledge of fitness tactics allowed him build a physique that won many championships on stage. In retirement, he has kept up with the happenings in bodybuilding and recently discussed the Men’s Open division.
Heath totaled seven Olympia titles over the course of his career. Just like Ronnie and Jay, Phil Heath had an intense rivalry with Kai Greene. In 2020, he stepped on stage for the what seems to be the final time, but has been active in the gym ever since. During the 2020 show, Heath finished third and fans have been waiting for his return ever since. As of now, Heath is tied with Schwarzenegger with seven Olympia victories.
Many have waited for Heath to return in search of that eighth title that will tie him with Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney for the most all-time. There is no plan as of now for Heath to return and he might not at all.
“Recovery is just, you know, it was painful for me. I could still come back now. Yeah I could but, it’s just what f*cking for? Some things you just have to let go.”
Heath was able to maintain his elite physique due to a workout and diet plan that he knew would work for his body.
“If you lived in this body, you would be like ‘yeah because of the fact that I know what modalities work.’ I know what medications work as well. I have the data to prove what works.
You got to have an end at some point. You have got to say goodbye and that’s where I feel like a lot of athletes, especially in bodybuilding, they don’t know when.”
Phil Heath Discusses Men’s Open Division
There has been many opinions thrown around since Arnold Schwarzenegger shared that he would increase his prize money to $500,000 at his event. The Men’s Open division remains the money maker in bodybuilding and prizes reflect it.
“Arnold put up $200,000 extra for Open so it ain’t dying. Open is still the king. It will be. Case and point, if you took CBum out of it, would you still have the excitement?”
Heath commented on Hadi Choopan’s physique over the last month and believes that the rematch with Derek Lunsford will be one to watch.
“Hadi Choopan looked sick. I think him and Derek are going to. I’m very excited for the 60th let’s put it that way.”
Finally, bodybuilding has come into the new age where cameras catch competitors in many ways. This allows them to make incredible improvements by seeing their physiques in many ways.
“It makes the competitors better. Who knows if it makes them more depressed or not or more narcissistic, you know, because you got to be a little bit crazy to just accept that reality of people always freeze framing your sh*t.”
Jake Gyllenhaal shared his full workout to build his physique for ‘Road House.’
Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaalhas trained in many ways to build a shredded physique for his role in the upcoming film, ‘Road House.’ This includes stepping in the ring to train with Conor McGregor, something that not many people would willingly do. Now, he decided to show off his full workout routine that built not only a ripped physique, but also some overall mobility and athleticism.
Part remake, part reimagining of the 80’s classic film that originally starred Patrick Swayze, – the upcoming Road House feature follows a former UFC fighter(played by Jake Gyllenhaal) who “takes a job as a bouncer at a rough-and-tumble roadhouse in the Florida Keys, but soon discovers that not everything is what it seems in this tropical paradise,” according to the official press release. If you saw the original, it was a similar plot to this!
Gyllenhaal was joined by his longtime trainer, Jason Walsh, who explained their overall goals.
“Not only did Jake need aesthetics but he needed to performa stunts across from Conor McGregor, a professional athlete in the UFC, who has also never performed stunts on screen.
Jake needed athleticism, resiliency, and overall strength. This would also help feed the mind and mentality he would need to get up after a fall, a potential punch, or a kick.”
While Jake Gyllenhaal has often been in some sort of shape for majority of his adult career, his transformation is shocking compared to the skinny young actor when he first started. Most notable for playing the title role in the film Donnie Darko, Gyllenhall appeared a goofy scrawny kid caught up in some sci-fi nonsense that eventually found a cult following. He also starred in other films as well, such as Nightcrawler and Southpaw, a movie also about fighting where Gyllenhaal showed off some shreds, but did not have the muscle mass that he does now.
Image via Instagram @rottentomatoes
Jake Gyllenhaal Takes On MMA-Style Workout
Jake Gyllenhaal begins his workout with proper warmups to make sure he is prepared for the full intensity.
Walsh continued to discuss how Jake Gyllenhaal needed to proper athleticism and mobility needed to perform some of the moves for his role, as he is playing a fighter!
“We spend a few minutes each session moving trying to get the core body to mature up before moving into some sort of mobility, which you see here with the stick, which is a great tool to increase range of motion.”
“We still want the head stimulus so we do a lot of heavy sled work. We always keep the heavy primitive work one-way shape or form whether it’s squats or deadlifts and the variations there of. We want to keep the muscle coordination at a high.”
Jake Gyllenhaal has made sure that he is fully prepared for this role and has done it in many ways, which has been made very clear.
Wrap Up
Overall, Jake Gyllenhaal is looking absolutely muscular and ripped, and it really shows that he has put in the work for the upcoming Roadhouse film. What do you think of Gyllenhaal’s physique? Do you think he is a good fit for the role?
Let us know your thoughts! And for more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Nick Walker is preparing to return to the Arnold Classic after the prize money increase.
The plan to increase prize money in bodybuilding will likely persuade competitors to take the stage more often. We saw that to a degree during the 2024 Arnold Classic when the prize was set at $300,000. Now, it will be half a million dollars in 2025. This is enough to convince former champion Nick Walkerto return to the stage in Columbus.
This year, Hadi Choopan was crowned champion at the Arnold Classic. Moments after he received his award, Arnold Schwarzenegger shared the incredible news that the prize for next year will be raised to $500,000. During a recent episode of The Mutant & The Mouth, Walker was asked if he would consider doing the Arnold after the Olympia again.
“Abso-f*cking-lutely. $500k says otherwise. I’m all in on that. As soon as he said that, no joke, I looked at Matt and said ‘we ready?’ and he said ‘let’s do it.'”
The Arnold Classic continues to improve and challenge the Olympia. Walker is a fan of the competition and hopes to see this happen in other shows as well.
Nick Walker Instagram
Nick Walker: “I Would Like To Do All The Arnolds”
Walker was a spectator this year in Columbus but plans to take the stage again.
“It was cool to kind of be a spectator for a little bit. I don’t wanna do it again. I wanna compete in it.”
Not only does Walker want to return to Columbus, he has aspirations of traveling to the other shows as well.
“Honestly bro, I would like at some point to do all the Arnolds. Ohio, Brazil, and UK I believe. I just think for me, to put that in stone, it would just be a day by day. Make sure the body feels good, everything is rolling like it needs to. But I would like to do all of them.”
Walker quickly rose to the top of the Men’s Open division in a relatively short amount of time. This includes winning the New York Pro during his rookie year. In 2021, he was crowned champion of the Arnold Classic before hitting the Olympia. He has two top-five finishes in each of the last two years and was a hopeful for this year as well.
Nick Walker will take the stage once again at the New York Pro this year. He will look to become a two-time champion of the event and will go all out, as usual.
“I’m going all out. I don’t ever like going to a show, whatever show I do, I go all out no matter what. I’ll go all out for this. I’m gonna go all out for the Olympia and I’m gonna go all out for the Arnold.”
Healthy shoulders are essential for advancing your fitness career
Most bodybuilders possess a significant aversion to anything other than dumbbells and barbells and cable machines. While standard gym equipment is undeniably the foundation of packing on muscle mass through bodybuilding training, some interesting tools have come into vogue recently that have legitimate application. On the recovery side of things, methods like hyperbaric and graston have exploded in popularity, yet there has been a remarkable lack of enthusiasm for new training tools. That being said, something for your shoulder health is absolutely essential, as your shoulders responsible for a lot of other exercises, as well as functionality. While you have your resistance bands and other basic exercises to get the blood flowing and get you warmed up, have you heard of a pec stick?
Let’s take a look at the importance of healthy shoulders, as well as why the pec stick is crucial for helping to build them.
Importance of Healthy Shoulders
Your shoulders are responsible for much more than you think. Yes you need them for your push day movements such as the bench press and the overhead press, but your shoulder is a very functional joint. Without proper and smooth movement of the shoulders, you risk injury during your exercises, as well as limitations in your day to day tasks. That being said, you absolutely need healthy shoulders.
The Issues With Your Shoulders
A big weakness of bodybuilding training is that it focuses on primarily across two planes of movement – frontal and horizontal (think bench press and bicep curl). Now this is balanced when compared to something like CrossFit which is almost exclusively horizontal (think Olympic lifting and muscle ups), but still neglects one of the primary dimensions of movement- saggital. Of course there are many causes of joint pain, but taxing a joint repeatedly in unbalanced ways is a reliable method to develop it.
You can take your supplements and continue to incorporate progressive overload in order to make your muscles stronger, but if you do not focus on making sure your shoulder joints are in check, then you are only going to get hurt.
The Pec Stick
Image courtesy of Amazon
Introducing the Pec Stick. The most basic way to use the pec stick is with an under or overhand grip. You bend it inwards, either for repetition or a static hold. Because the pec stick essentially functions like a spring, it gives active feedback into the muscles even during isolation, creating a massive pump. Just make sure that whatever brand of stick you chose, you also select a weight resistance that’s right for your goals.
The pec stick will train your shoulders through the saggital plane, offering them more balanced function and potentially appearance. To be clear, shoulder is the joint it works through, but it primarily taxes the pec rather than the delt, specifically the sterno-costal (lower) head, as opposed to the clavicular (upper head) that causes so much shoulder pathology.
It also encourages recruitment of stabilizer muscles like the teres major and inside head of the bicep. Have you ever noticed, that the more weight you bicep curl, the more you need to engage your chest? This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, muscles can be trained in groups too – it’s how they were designed to work. The pec stick will help create healthy shoulders and a big lower chest. It’s cheap and a great tool for the home of any bodybuilder.
Pec Stick Wrap Up
When it comes to your bodybuilding career, shoulder health is one of the most important aspects of making sure you stay in the game. A Pec Stick is one of the best ways to keep your shoulders functioning properly and painlessly.
See how the actress got ready to play a female bodybuilder in the new “Love Lies Bleeding Film”
A24 is a studio that is climbing to the top of the game with their films, and another one is the “Love Lies Bleeding” film, starring Katy O’Brian as a female bodybuilder. But, how did she bulk up for this film? It is not often that you see female bodybuilding movies, nor do you see female actresses that have so much muscle mass that they could double as bodybuilders, so what is O’Brian’s secret? Well, she recently opened up to Men’s Health regarding her journey, and it was nothing short of interesting! Let’s check it out.
Katy O’Brian Height, Weight, and Age
Full Name: Katy O’Brian (Actress)
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
150 lbs
5’7″
2/12/1989
Division
Era
Nationality
None
2010s, 2020s
American
What is “Love Lies Bleeding”?
The film is set in 1980s New Mexico, it hinges on a reclusive gym owner named Lou (played by Kristen Stewart), who strikes up a relationship with Jackie played by Katy O’Brian. Jackie is a Midwest drifter who is on her way to Las Vegas to compete in a bodybuilding contest, no it is not the Olympia. However, as the two grow closer, Jackie’s loyal instincts (and her steroid usage) initiate a supernatural act of violence. From there, she uncovers Lou’s criminal family and its secret history.
Katy O’Brian’s Bodybuilding Career
Image courtesy of Instagram (thekatyo)
Now, we have established that Katy O’Brian is playing a female bodybuilder, and she certainly fits the role. What you may not know is that O’Brian spent a good portion of her 20’s competing in the bodybuilding world, so the role was a perfect fit. She told Men’s Health that she was somewhat annoyed that the movie was not on her radar, and when she found out about it she actually put together a PowerPoint showing her bodybuilding experience off.
She compiled:
Competition photos
Competitions she entered
Training experiences
From there, O’Brian sent that to A24 and when she got a copy of the script, she felt as though that was how she actually spoke. She relied on her acting skills and her ability to bulk up to prove that she could get the part, and through a six-part audition process she eventually got the part.
For those who have seen the film, it is clear that Katy O’Brian put some serious work in as far as the gym and her diet. She had actually been very physically active all of her life, taking martial arts classes at the age of five so she could defend herself against the elementary school bullies, even becoming a police officer outside of Indianapolis.
To get into shape for Love Lies Bleeding, O’Brian enrolled in a taxing training regimen two weeks before production began, working out six days a week in three-hour spurts, which some might say is overtraining. This was all after long days of shooting. Her training was done with Hollywood trainer Steve Zim, whose clients have included Jessica Biel and Ashley Judd. O’Brian stated that Zim knows how to sculpt the muscle for the camera, which is different than for a competition.
Her workouts were customized every day, as they were based on soreness levels of each muscle group. While this can work for some people, this style of training is often not recommended for most bodybuilders or athletes, as the recovery process is absolutely crucial and it is recommended that you allow your body enough time to fully recover from each training session before hitting that muscle group again.
Anyway, as far as her diet, the studio had supplied her with a meal prep service and nutritionist that would measure out each meal, which made it very easy for her to do. Each meal contained a good balance of the main macronutrients, and was enough to fuel her through not only her training sessions, but also each day.
Dehydration and Posing
There is a scene in the movie where O’Brian’s character is in an actual competition, on stage. That being said, she had to cut water weight as well to show more striations and vascularity, and thankfully this was the last few scenes to be filmed. Water was cut over a period of several days and she ultimately cut about 10 pounds, but due to O’Brian’s background in bodybuilding she was familiar with the process.
She stated that the biggest challenge was actually flexing and posing amongst other bodybuilders on stage. For those who compete, you know that being dehydrated, carb starved, and coming out on stage several times to pose can be grueling. It also causes the body to change visually, and this was a challenge for Katy O’Brian.
Workout Programs to Bulk Up or Cut Down
When it comes to putting on muscle mass and bulking up or shedding body fat and cutting down, following a workout regimen can be extremely beneficial. However, a lot of the “fitness gurus” that you see on the internet are selling cookie-cutter programs that don’t do much for you, so where do you go for workout programs?
The Boostcamp App is a “freemium” workout app that gives you the opportunity to choose from well over 50 free workout programs for various different goals. Whether you are aiming for strength training, explosiveness, or hypertrophy, these programs are designed to help with your progress in the gym, and are all written by renowned coaches such as Alex Bromley and Hadyn Wiseman to name a few. There are plenty of programs to choose from, no matter your skill set, as Boostcamp allows you to choose from Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert programs, so you can continue to push yourself and really progress as someone who is seeking to change their physique.
However, if you do not want to choose from a pre-written program, that is not a problem, as Boostcamp also allows you to create your own workout plans and track your progress, so you know exactly where you were, where you are, and where you should be by the end of each program.
Wrap Up
Overall, the “Love Lies Bleeding” film is now in theaters, and it really shows off the hard work that Katy O’Brian put in. That being said, do you think you could train like Katy O’Brian?
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more insight into bodybuilder’s training and diet!
Sam Sulek has not competed in bodybuilding just yet but shared his plans moving forward.
Sam Sulekhas become one of the biggest names in bodybuilding and has done so without stepping on stage to this point. Sulek has created an incredible following on social media. He lets fans into his training and diet regimens on a daily basis. Now, he shared his latest plans involving the sport of bodybuilding.
During a recent interview with Antic Fitness Indiaat the Arnold Sports Festival UK, Sulek shared his plans to compete on the bodybuilding stage in Classic Physique within two years.
“The plan is going to be Classic. I’ve keep hearing words I’m trying to gain weight into the Open but you got to remember, a real Open bodybuilder, that’s a lot of mass.
There is no way imaginable in my vocabulary where I’m going to say ‘I’m too big, that’s just impossible.’ But probably within a year, a year and a half. We’ll just see.”
Sulek continued to explain his plans and thought process used when deciding between Classic and Men’s Open.
Image courtesy of YouTube (@sam_sulek)
Sam Sulek’s Classic Physique Plan
Sam Sulek has displayed great size in different videos and physique updates on social media. He has trained with many bodybuilders early in his career and has been able to use this as a measuring stick.
“I think I’m kind of big but when I train with them, I’m like oh jeez, I’ve got some room to grow. I think the plan at first is going to be Classic but if I get big enough that I don’t fit the weight class, then just move up.”
During the interview, Sulek talked about his mindset in the gym and it was a very old-school approach.
“If you want to go to the gym and get the best results that you can, you would want to try to do every set absolutely perfectly and stimulate every fiber in the most scientifically-based way but just by thinking about it with such a complex thought process. You’re totally losing sight that you just need to get really hyped up to a Metallica song and just go crazy.”
Finally, Sam Sulek discussed some of his inspirations and those who he can resonate with in the gym. Sulek has become an extremely entertaining figure in bodybuilding and fans will be excited to see him take the stage.
“The people that I like the most that I can resonate with the most are the guys that I know if there were no cameras, no expos. They would still be trying to squat until their nose bled and throw around as much weight as possible and go hard. Guys like that, I sort of pick up from.”
Using an EZ bar to perform overhead bar extensions will reduce wrist strain and optimize the range of motion.
Numerous exercises can be performed using various gym equipment. Take the overhead extension exercise, for example. It can be executed with kettlebells, dumbbells, EZ bars, resistance bands, cables, or barbells. The overhead bar extension variation is a potent exercise for isolating the arms. The overhead position primarily focuses on the long head of the triceps, leading to significant muscle growth. Furthermore, it enhances the definition of the triceps, thereby refining the overall appearance of your arms.
When performing overhead bar extensions with barbells, discomfort in the shoulders, wrists, and elbows may arise. The barbell accentuates any mobility challenges during the full overhead extension. Conversely, using an EZ bar can significantly ease wrist strain and enhance your range of motion.
This article explicitly uses the EZ bar to maximize gains through overhead bar extensions. It explores the significance of this exercise, delves into techniques, and identifies the muscles engaged. Additionally, the guide presents intriguing alternatives for effectively targeting your triceps.
Techniques & Muscles Worked
The overhead tricep extension is an isolation exercise for the triceps. It specifically works on the long head of the triceps, which helps improve shoulder stability. Using an EZ bar for this routine also helps increase the range of motion, as your wrists will be in a natural position.
You can do overhead bar extensions sitting or standing, but in this guide, we’ll focus on the standing variation. This variation also targets core muscles like the abs and obliques, which keep your body stable as you lift. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to do overhead bar extensions correctly.
With your feet shoulder-width apart, grab the EZ bar with a neutral grip. Ensure that you use a grip closer than the shoulder-width length.
Lift the EZ bar well above your head until you fully extend your elbows and arms. This is your starting position.
Next, slowly lower the EZ bar behind your head. Control your elbows as they bend to a 90-degree angle, then pause. At this position, your forearms should touch your biceps.
Remain in this position for about 1 to 2 seconds, then slowly return the EZ bar to the starting position.
Overhead bar extensions can help you build bigger arms and triceps. However, you must ensure you’re doing them with the correct form. Below are other benefits of this exercise.
Build Bigger Triceps
The triceps are important stabilizers for the shoulder joints. Overhead bar extensions primarily target the triceps, which helps develop them. As an isolation exercise, the focus on the load helps build and increase the triceps’ size. This study shows increased muscle hypertrophy in the triceps when you do overhead bar extensions (1).
Arm Hypertrophy
When doing overhead bar extensions, your arms grow significantly. As shown above, this exercise targets the triceps, leading to greater muscle hypertrophy. The triceps make up as much as two-thirds of your arms, so increasing their size will lead to bigger arms.
Versatility
If you find the overhead bar extensions exercise in the standing position too challenging, you can do it sitting. The only downside is that it almost eliminates your core muscles, but you still achieve the same results on the primary targeted muscles. Also, if you still find using the EZ bar too hard, you can use dumbbells, kettlebells, or even resistance bands.
Improves Posture
You’ll need a lot of balance and coordination when raising the EZ bar over and behind your head in the standing position. This is how the overhead bar extension builds your core muscles. It also strengthens the muscles that affect your posture, improving your posture.
Carryover to Other Exercises
Overhead bar extensions are an effective way to build arm muscles. Stronger arm muscles, specifically the triceps, increase upper body strength onpush-ups and bench presses.
Overhead Bar Extension Alternatives
Overhead bar extensions increase the range of motion and induce arm muscle hypertrophy. However, they shouldn’t be the only routine in arm-building exercises. Studies show that athletes need to vary their exercises to prevent training monotony and a plateau(2). Below are some other alternatives.
Close-Grip Bench Presses
The close-grip bench press is a compound exercise that works your shoulders, chest, and triceps. However, the closer grip biases the triceps. Lie on a flat bench with your hands tightly gripping the barbell to perform it. Then, lift the barbell from the rack and move it up and down to load the target muscles.
Triceps Kickbacks
The triceps kickback is an isolation exercise for the triceps that helps build strength in the arms. You need dumbbells, which you hold using a neutral grip to do this exercise. Then, leaning towards the bench on a knee, extend your arms by lifting the dumbbells. Repeat this movement multiple times.
Cable Tricep Pushdowns
Cable tricep pushdowns target the triceps. To do this exercise, you stand at the cable machine and pull the cable downward with the required weight, extending your elbows. Repeat this movement for as many reps as possible to grow your arms.
FAQs
What do overhead extensions workout?
Overhead extensions are arm exercises. They work your triceps, focusing on the long head, which helps with stability. For more information, check the exercise guide above.
How do you do overhead barbell tricep exercises?
To do overhead barbell triceps exercises, ensure the barbell is over your head with your arms and elbows fully extended. Then, slowly drop the barbell behind your head. Look at the guide above for an extensive guide, but replace the EZ bar with a barbell.
What muscles does the EZ bar overhead extension work?
EZ bar overhead extensions work on and strengthen your shoulders and triceps muscles. This variation is more accessible for mobility, as wrist positions are more natural on the EZ bar than the straight bar. If you do the EZ bar overhead extension standing, it could also build your core.
Maeo, S., Wu, Y., Huang, M., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2023). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European journal of sport science, 23(7), 1240–1250. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279
Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(24), 4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897
Watch the first official trailer for Code Red: Diaries Of Madness – available on digital April 12th
Generation Iron Network has released the official trailer for the new upcoming documentary, Code Red: Diaries Of Madness. This come shortly after the film’s release date was announced last week alongside the official poster. Code Red: Diaries of Madness is slated to release on all major digital platforms on Friday, April 12, 2024.
Cristy “Code Red” Nickel not only transformed her own life – but the life of others over the past numerous decades of her fitness and health career. Starting as a Figure bodybuilding competitor only to give up after one failed amateur competition – Cristy eventually turned to boxing where she became a champion pro boxer and dubbed one of the most dangerous women in the sport.
After retiring from pro boxing, Cristy Nickel used her vast knowledge and focus to create the Code Red Lifestyle program. A nutrition plan that has helped thousands transform their physiques, lose weight, and all without relying on fat burners, shakes, or supplements.
Known for her “scared straight” approach to working with clients, Cristy Nickel’s hardcore persona is a staple of changing lives. However, in recent years, Cristy has found that her own physique has been lacking. She has, in fact, looked worse than any other time in her fitness life. Realizing that she needed a change, Cristy set a goal for herself to completely transform her life, health, and physique.
And of course, true to her personality, her goal was set to an incredible, perhaps near-impossible, deadline. To completely transform her physique in only six months and step back on the Figure bodybuilding stage and win a competition.
An Inside Look Into Cristy Nickel’s Transformation
Code Red: Diaries of Madness follows Cristy Nickel on this journey as she spends six months completely changing her life and transforming her body. Utilizing a combination of the Generation Iron film crew cameras and Cristy’s own personal video diaries – Code Red: Diaries of Madness showcases a level of intimacy, both highs and lows, of her shocking lifestyle change and transformation.
The film also tracks Cristy Nickel as she continues to coach three Code Red Lifestyle clients – transforming their bodies as she pushes through her own transformation. Providing a glimpse into her hardcore coaching approach.
You can catch a preview of all of this and more by watching the brand new trailer for Code Red: Diaries of Madness above.
How To Watch Code Red: Diaries of Madness
Code Red: Diaries of Madness is directed by Vlad Yudin (Generation Iron, The Hurt Business, Ronnie Coleman: The King) and produced by both Yudin and Edwin Mejia Jr. (Generation Iron, Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer, The Hurt Business, Ronnie Coleman: The King).
Code Red: Diaries of Madness will be on all major digital platforms including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Vimeo On Demand on April 12, 2024. For more information about the film, including ways to watch and pre-order, visit the official documentary website right here or click the banner below.
Chris Aceto discusses Hadi Choopan’s performance over the weekend.
The Arnold Classic UK is now officially in the books and Hadi Choopan earned his second victory in three weeks. He has made great improvements since the Olympia and seems to have his sights set on regaining the biggest title in sports.
Recently, Chris Aceto spoke on the action from this weekend. Choopan brought some of his best work to the stage, begging the question, can he be beaten moving forward?
“Yeah people can beat him. Derek has beat him so Derek can beat him. I think depending on how his offseason goes and stuff, I think Andrew Jacked can beat him. I think Samson. There are anomalies in the lineup who, because of their frame, can make improvements and make a big impact.”
Choopan defeated Samson Dauda at both the Arnold and Arnold Classic UK. Dauda finished third, behind Choopan and Derek Lunsford, at the 2023 Olympia. It will be a loaded show once again in Men’s Open with many contenders for Lunsford’s championship.
Image via Instagram @arnoldexpoUK
Chris Aceto Talks Hadi Choopan’s Performance
After Hadi Choopan’s performance in Columbus, there were talks of it being his best physique ever on stage. He followed it up with a victory in Birmingham, UK. Chris Aceto focused on Choopan’s vacuum and how his abs sit high.
“You know what, only his physique, he stands too wide but it works for him. And he sits on his abs and most people sit on their abs, they look shallow up front. They don’t have the width up top, that’s why you’d tell someone stand big. Why? So you can look big to the judges. He is the only guy, him and Brandon Curry, who can sit on their abs and look wide up top.”
Aceto continued to discuss how judges prioritize the midsection.
“The judge wants to see the midsection, right? You’re the judge. You want to see ‘oh they’re conditioned. They have leg separation. What’s their midsection look like?’ It’s all a tell-tale sign of being in condition and his midsection is fantastic but he can sit on his abs where a lot of people, where they sit on their abs, they just end up making themselves look small.”
Hadi Choopan seems to be back after losing the 2023 Olympia. He was in search of redemption and got a taste of it during his two Arnold victories. Now, Choopan can focus on the 2024 Olympia.
The Right Knee Sleeve equipment can save you a lot of pain.
We constantly put our muscles and joints under serious amounts of stress with heavy lifting, such as those dreaded barbell squats. Being in the squat rack and under a fully loaded barbell can certainly strain the knees, but knee sleeves can actually be a great alleviation tool. As bodybuilders, finding the perfectly sculpted physique requires hard work and serious dedication, does it not? With that comes a sense of pressure, both internal and external, to compete and be the best. Lifting massive amounts of weight to see our desired gains, while also moving with efficiency simply starts to beat up our joints and can lead us down a road we just don’t want to go.
Enter knee sleeves, a great piece of equipment to provide for comfort and support for those valuable, and often times vulnerable, joints to keep us as healthy and safe as possible during those big lifts. The right knee sleeve will prove to be a useful tool as you seek to alleviate much of the load that those heavy lifts cause. And as athletes seeking the most for balance and symmetry, protecting your entire body equally seems like a no brainer.
Let’s take a look at knee sleeves and their role in helping bodybuilders really achieve success. We’ll talk benefits. We’ll talk finding the right sleeve. We’ll talk why it matters for bodybuilders. And most importantly, we’ll give you some amazing options so you don’t have to sift through websites to find the right one. Your answers are below so let’s get into it.
Dylan Wolfinger Testing Best Knee Sleeves
Benefits Of Knee Sleeves For Bodybuilders
Knee sleeves have tons of benefits for athletes of all sports, but especially for those working with heavy weight and explosive movements. At the end of the day, a great knee sleeve will promote confidence in your lifts so you feel as though you can push it to the next level without hurting yourself, or something worse.
Benefits of a quality knee sleeve include:
Compression and comfort: Work to add nice compression with a comfortable feel to reduce pain and decrease swelling.
Support your muscles and joints: Knee sleeves will support your muscles and decrease muscular vibrations to help fight fatigue and improve athletic performance.
Prevent injury and unwanted pain: Protect those vulnerable joints from pain and unwanted soreness keeping you free from dreaded injuries (1).
Better recovery: By promoting better workouts, healthy oxygen and blood flow, and less lactic acid build-up, your recovery is even more heightened for faster bounce back.
Choosing The Best Bodybuilding Knee Sleeve
Like most equipment, choosing the best knee sleeve can be a challenge. Going into the search, having a rough idea of what you want in terms of size and level of comfort can help narrow down your search.
When it comes to size, typically knee sleeves come in 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm. A 3mm knee sleeve is typically best for those endurance athletesas it is lighter and can help with better movements. Those 5mm and 7mm knee sleeves are most likely more in line with what a bodybuilder needs for they are thicker to provide for better support, while still being functional enough to move if need be. A 7mm may be more for those heavy lifters, so getting into powerlifting territory, but a 5mm knee sleeve should be exactly what a bodybuilder needs for both support and comfort.
Other factors to consider for a bodybuilding knee sleeve are whether or not you want padding, which can add comfort but affect mobility, the type of material used to maximize comfort as best you can, and the fit in terms of how tight you want your sleeve to not restrict movement, but still offer a snug, supported feel (2).
Knowing When To Use Them
Often times, the question comes up of when to use a knee sleeve. If you are just starting out with bodybuilding, you most likely don’t need a sleeve for the amount of weight isn’t as stressful as it will get to be. However, if you have existing knee problems then a sleeve may be a good bet to help keep you as healthy as possible. You also want to be conscious of becoming reliant on a sleeve. Working on proper form and maximizing your technique without a knee sleeve can help prevent any of those unwanted injuries that may unfortunately arise and not keep you so dependent on using a knee sleeve.
Bodybuilders & Knee Sleeves
So, for us bodybuilders, a knee sleeve can help us greatly. In terms of our workouts, we tend to push our bodies to the absolute max and having that extra support is something we just absolutely need (3). While we look to build a sculpted physique, fix any imbalances, and push ourselves to the max, knowing we have the tools to help get things done is exactly what we need to give ourselves the best support for all those bodybuilding wants.
The Best Bodybuilding Knee Sleeves
As promised, we wanted to share some awesome knee sleeves that are well-designed and can offer only the best in terms of overall comfort and support, and that is Iron Bull Knee Sleeves.
Iron Bull knee sleeves are known for their thick neoprene material, which provides extra support and compression to the knee joint, but allows for a full range of motion and breathability. The contoured design of the sleeves ensures a snug fit, preventing them from slipping or sliding during heavy lifts, such as squats, lunges, or other leg movements. These knee sleeves are made with durable neoprene material, making them suitable for heavy use. They are versatile and can be used for powerlifting, weightlifting, CrossFit, and other heavy lifts. Iron Bull knee sleeves are available in various sizes, providing options for lifters of all body types.
Check out our list of the Best Knee Sleeves for more great products!
Wrap Up
Knee sleeves are one of those luxuries afforded to us bodybuilders for their ability to greatly impact all of our gains and offer comfort and support to any of our lifts. While we seek to improve in all areas of our training and performance, having things like knee sleeves can be comforting in knowing the more we lift, the more protection we indeed have. Check out a great pair of knee sleeves and see what this great piece of equipment can do for your bodybuilding goals.
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
Aasa, U.; et al. (2016). “Injuries among weightlifters and powerlifters: a systematic review”. (source)
Machek, S.; et al. (2021). “Neoprene Knee Sleeves of Varying Tightness Augment Barbell Squat One Repetition Maximum Performance Without Improving Other Indices of Muscular Strength, Power, or Endurance”. (source)
Sharif, N.; et al. (2017). “Biomechanical and functional efficacy of knee sleeves: A literature review”. (source)
