Nick Walker continues to prepare for the 2024 New York Pro with a huge back workout.
Nick Walkeris back to full strength and just weeks away from his return to the stage during the 2024 New York Pro. He has recovered from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the 2023 Olympia and is looking to punch his tickets to this year’s show. During a recent YouTube video, Walker showed off his latest back workout.
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.
“I’m a big advocate of the Dorian Yates style approach but we’re going to ease off of that in terms of training to failure. Not necessarily going to failure on sets but I may add a set or two on exercises to create a volume approach.”
The workout consisted of eight exercises used to perfect his physique ahead of one of the biggest shows of the year.
Nick Walker Instagram
Nick Walker Back Workout
Nick Walker hit back for the extent of this workout before finishing with some work on his hamstrings.
Walker has shared physique updates during the calendar year showing off his latest progress. Since his injury, Walker has worked on cutting weight and tightening up his physique.
“The weight is going down now. Things are starting to get really tight in terms of my body fat. It’s getting tight. Everything is getting tighter now. I can definitely tell we are getting leaner.”
As lean as he is, Walker remains one of the most-muscular athletes in the IFBB Pro League to this point. Many believe he would have competed for an Olympia title last year and he can do the same once qualified in 2024.
“We are hitting that four-week mark. This is grind time, this is the final stage. This is where we separate the men from the boys, the lions from the sheep.
We all know I always prevail from setbacks. I expect nothing less but to have another ring around my neck.”
Labrada suggests training your lagging muscle group first to help strengthen it.
Lee Labrada offers his profound and educational perspectives on maximizing workout efficiency. His induction into the IFBB Pro Bodybuilding Hall of Fame in 2004 is a testament to his expertise. In a recent YouTube video, Lee Labrada and his long-term training partner and friend, Craig, provide valuable and actionable advice on leg training. This video is packed with insights, explicitly targeting the quads, hamstrings, and calves, and underscores the importance of leg training in achieving overall balance, strength, and power. Explore the insightful tips shared by Lee Labrada in the content below.
Lee Labrada states he likes to start with bodyweight squats when doing leg exercises. Labrada emphasizes the importance of warmups and stretches before the major exercise. He has this to say:
“You know a lot of times people are in a rush, and they don’t do that properly. And you know the fact of the matter is that getting blood into the muscle is going to make the muscle tissue more elastic. It’s going to help to warm up the tendons and make them more elastic, and it’s going to make you less prone to injury. So a little bit of a warm up getting blood in there and then uh some stretching, and we’ll be ready to get into the meat of the program here.”
This study shows how warm-up exercises help boost athletic performance by up to 79% (1). During their warm-ups, they discuss how much weight they squat. Lee Labrada also points out how much he hated training his legs because he always fell sick but eventually got used to it. He says he trained his legs about three times a week then, but these days, he does it once a week as maintenance workouts.
Split Squat
Lee Labrada starts his leg training workout with an isolation exercise called the split squats. He gives the following essential tips:
“I want the knee to travel over the foot. That’s important to keep the joint aligned with the toe of the corresponding foot. I’m trying to keep the knee not so much going forward. I’m trying to keep it basically as perpendicular as I can and then just dropping my body. It throws more of the emphasis on the glute.”
Labrada shows that performing split squats with the right form targets the quads and glutes. He also had to get a chair to help Craig avoid falling over when trying to balance. Split squats are a type of unilateral exercise that can greatly improve your jump power (2).
Labrada and Craig bonded over the old times when they did leg presses in the 90s, training their legs to failure. He also talks about how you can get the most out of your workouts with limited time.
“Even when you’re on limited time, you can get a great workout; it doesn’t take long. In fact, sometimes when you set a timeframe deadline to do it and I finished it in 15 minutes, or I got to finish it in 20 minutes, you’re a lot more focused. So less talking and more working out.”
Performing leg presses targets your glutes, hamstrings, and quad muscles.
Leg Extension
Performing the leg extensions constantly puts tension on your quads. Lee Labrada takes advantage of this, showing his impressive quads as you see Craig spotting him. Leg extensions are one of the few leg routines focusing on your quads without recruiting other muscles.
Hack Squat
The hack squats work the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Lee Labrada explains that he can’t do them and draws a lesson for his fans.
“I’m going to be fully transparent with you guys because I think that it’s a learning lesson in not pushing something where you can set yourself up for an injury. When I came in here today, I have my right hip flexor slightly tweaked. That’s why I’m not doing these hack squats today. I want to be fully transparent with you guys and just use that to emphasize the point that if something is bothering you, work around it; pick another exercise that’s really important whether you’re training legs, your back, or your chest. Whatever it is, if a certain exercise hurts you or you have a tweaked muscle, work around it or avoid it because you want to live to fight another day.”
Labrada acts as Craig’s spotter during this exercise, explaining the importance of compound movements over isolated movements when building leg mass.
Lying Leg Curl
Labrada explains why using your hamstrings when doing lying leg curls is important. He also advises against cheating by swinging your legs. This exercise targets your calf muscles and puts constant tension on your hamstrings, stimulating hypertrophy. Swinging your legs generates momentum and limits muscle use.
Hyperextension
Lee Labrada gives tips on the proper way to perform the hyperextension. This is by placing your hips in front of the pad, pivoting the hips, and putting more emphasis on the hamstrings. You’ll get more tension in your hamstrings this way. Hyperextensions work on the glutes, lower back, and hamstrings.
Seated Calf Raise
The men move next to some calf exercises, and Lee Labrada and Craig reminisce about their time in the golden era of bodybuilding at Gold’s Gym and World Gym. They talk about how bodybuilding in those days was a community and how things seem different now.
Next, Labrada explains the seated calf raise exercise and how it works the soleus muscle and surrounding muscles. He had this to say:
“Seated position, you inactivate the gastrocnemius, which is what you see from the back of the calf. And it helps to train the soleus and all of the other muscles that you’ll find there in the calf.”
Standing Calf Raise
Labrada explains the secret to developing good calves is always to train them early and not at the end of your workouts when you’re too tired.
“Anytime you have a weak body part, train it early in your routine while you still have energy and focus.”
He points out that when doing this exercise, keep your knees slightly bent to get maximum tension in your gastrocnemius muscle. This position also minimizes the involvement of the soleus muscle.
Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(1), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0
Zhang, W., Chen, X., Xu, K., Xie, H., Li, D., Ding, S., & Sun, J. (2023). Effect of unilateral training and bilateral training on physical performance: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in physiology, 14, 1128250. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1128250
Samson Dauda took Sam Sulek through a chest workout and shared some insight on weight.
Samson Daudahas established himself as one of the top competitors in Men’s Open over the last two years. He has built an elite physique in the gym and knows exactly what needs to be done to improve. During a recent chest day, he spoke with Sam Sulek about using less weight to focus on muscle contraction rather than moving the most amount of weight possible.
Hosstile’s YouTube account shared a video of a chest day between Dauda and Sulek. During the workout, the two discussed some benefits of different workouts and what works best to hit a specific area. Sulek grabbed 150-pound dumbbells for his second set of incline presses. Dauda had a simple question and began a conversation.
“Why are you pushing so heavy?
When I say that, it’s not cause you’re not freaking strong enough to lift 200. That’s not ideal Remember, it’s one thing to power lift. It’s another thing to body build.”
Dauda continued to explain that it is beneficial to use less weight on certain exercises to focus on contraction rather than simply moving the weight.
“You gotta understand, you’re not using the muscle you’re supposed to be using. You’re concerned so much about lifting so heavy, that you’re not actually pushing your chest out of it.”
Samson Dauda Instagram
Samson Dauda Talks Benefits Of Using Lighter Weight
Samson Dauda hit his set before continuing the discussion about why he uses lighter weight on some exercises. This includes lowering the risk of injury as well.
“You gotta think about it. You’re lifting a lot of heavy weight in your second set. When you’re moving that weight up, you have more risk, especially doing free weight dumbbell, to cause an injury instead of bringing it down and slowing it down where you actually get that contraction.”
Sam Sulek asked a follow-up question about weight limits.
“What do you think the limit is on necessary weight?
I don’t ever think I need to do like 200’s or anything like that. But I do think the mechanical tension is a factor.”
Dauda discussed the body’s response to what is happening rather than the mental side of it.
“That’s the biggest factor. Remember, the body have no idea what weight you’re lifting. It only knows the resistance you’re putting through it. When you start focusing on the numbers you lift, you try to move the weight so much, you lose the actual idea of what you’re trying to do. The idea is you’re trying to build the muscle.
The muscle doesn’t care about the weight. It cares about the tension you’re putting it through. When you can contract it as tight as it can without resistance and release it and contract it again, that pushes blood flow and causes growth.”
For his final set, Sam Sulek dropped from 150-pound dumbbells to 100 pounds. He joked that this was a difficult change.
“Let’s see what kind of set I can get with the 100’s instead of the 150’s. I’ll tell you what though, I’m still an ego lifter at heart so this is hard for me to hear.”
Lat Pulldown workouts that will build wing-like lats while also boosting other upper body muscle growth.
When seeking the perfect and symmetrical physique, we all want to those wide lats to really give us that wing-like physique. The benefit to this is that it gives a physique to enhance all those upper body muscles. With wing-like lats, it gives off the appearance of a wide upper body, making our arms pop, shoulders appear more rounded, and of course, your waist will look smaller than ever. One of the most prominent exercises to grow the lats is the lat pulldown, making its way into bodybuilding and powerlifting workout routines all around. While the lat pulldown is typically associated with an overhand grip, the underhand lat pulldown is not something to ignore.
Let’s break down the underhand lat pulldown, and how it can benefit your workout routine.
The Importance of Lats
Many people think that the lats are just for the looks, but this is not true at all. Having strong lats is something often overlooked and it shouldn’t be. Aside from the obvious aid to our overall physique by giving off that wide aesthetic, what wide lats can do is aid in number of other ways to really boost your overall physical health and wellness.
Stronger lats can help with posture by helping to keep your shoulders pulled back, so you do not look hunched over. This will work to alleviate pain and help boost confidence. Any pulling motion you look to perform, whether it be sport specific or more functional, will be greatly enhanced with strong lats, as well as balance for those big lifts and overall everyday support.
Let’s take a look at the underhand lat pulldown and really see what this can do for our gains. From what it is, to muscles worked, the many benefits, and how to perform it, you may just want to throw this into your routine and see what it can do for those gains. Plus, we’ll talk about the difference between the overhand and underhand lat pulldown so you can decide for yourself which one is best for you.
What Is The Underhand Lat Pulldown?
The underhand lat pulldown, also referred to as the reverse grip pulldown, is a great exercise for building strength by targeting the lats and other back muscles, as well as your biceps and forearms for that added engagement. Your shoulders do get some work done as a result of the downward rotation of the shoulder joints.
As a compound exercise, this is great for working multiple muscle groups at once and you only really need an adjustable lat pulldown machine (1). For those who may not have access, you can receive similar benefits with chin ups or pull ups as a bodyweight exercise.
Muscles Worked
Looking at the muscles worked with the underhand lat pulldown, we see it is a great upper body enhancer for multiple groups. The primary muscles targeted are the lats, aiding in that wide physique and great pulling strength. Along with the lats, other muscle groups that see good work are the forearms, biceps, delts, and other back muscles, all working for optimal engagement.
Image via Instagram @sam_sulek
Benefits Of The Underhand Lat Pulldown
The benefits of the underhand lat pulldown can help with sport specific movements or those that are more functional. Benefits include:
Increased Strength: This exercise is great for increasing strength and will work to effectively build muscle for any pulling motions (2).
Enhanced Stability: Strong lats and an equally strong upper body can give you great stability and work to keep you grounded for those bigger lifts.
Great Upper Body Compound Exercise: Working multiple muscle groups at once, this exercise is a great upper body compound exercise giving you the best chance at seeing serious growth.
Wide Lats & Great Physique: The ultimate goal of this exercise is to build those wide lats in order to increase your chances at a great physique. With a wide upper body, other muscle groups are greatly enhanced and you will start to see that desired physique seriously come to life.
How To Perform Underhand Lat Pulldowns
Here are the steps for performing the underhand lat pulldown exercise.
Set yourself up on the pulldown machine and adjust for the right height.
With an underhand grip, grab the bar and fully extend your arms.
With an engaged core and your feet firmly planted on the ground, pull the bar towards your chest with your elbows close to your body.
Pause at the bottom for a brief moment and slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Differences Between The Overhand & Underhand Lat Pulldown
When it comes to the differences between the overhand and underhand lat pulldowns, they may be slightly different but it will potentially influence which option you choose to work out with. The overhand grip will target specific muscle groups slightly more than the underhand grip. What you’ll find is that the overhand grip will also offer less range of motion in terms of pulling the weight to your chest.
The underhand grip will allow you to pull the weight farther down than you normally would which results in maximizing contractions to help build stronger muscles. As mentioned before, the underhand grip will also allow you to work more upper body muscles for increased growth and more benefits to that physique.
Ultimately, the choice between these two is up to you for you should decide what you want most of your lat workout. More isolation vs. more muscle groups, as well as more or less range of motion for contractions are some things to consider (3).
Wrap Up
The underhand lat pulldown is a great exercise to boost not only growth in your lats and other back muscles, but also for other upper body muscles that give you a well-rounded and shredded physique. Having strong lats and a strong back can give you aesthetic benefits, as well as physical ones including stability and increased strength and the underhand grip should not be an overlooked exercise.
Compared to the overhand grip pulldown you do get more bang for the buck, but ultimately the choice is yours for whatever you decide to go with depending on your goals. Look to add the underhand lat pulldown to your routine and see what it can do for your overall goals, as well as those wide lats.
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
Newton, Harvey; Kinzey, Stephen (1998). “The Lat Pulldown”. (source)
Andersen, Vidar; Fimland, Marius S.; Wiik, Espen; Skoglund, Anders; Saeterbakken, Atle H. (2014). “Effects of grip width on muscle strength and activation in the lat pull-down”. (source)
Sutton, Brian. “The Biomechanics of the Lat Pulldown: Grips and Form”. (source)
Here are the full results from the 2024 Wasatch Warrior Pro!
The 2024 Wasatch Warrior Pro took place on Saturday in Salt Lake City, UT. There were three divisions on display with winners earning a spot in the 2024 Olympia.
Jason Huynh was victorious in Men’s Physique during the show. This will be his fifth consecutive appearance at the Olympia. Aimee Leann Delgado will also be making her return to the biggest stage in the sport after winning Bikini. Megan Sylvester-Cielen won her second Figure show of the year. She was also victorious during the Tri-City Pro earlier in the year.
The full results from the show have been announced. Below, check out the full breakdown, along with an official scorecard.
These three compound exercises that will help build massive biceps and triceps.
For many people, the size of their arms is directly proportional to their self-esteem, they want to fill out their sleeves. Arms are one of the first places people look to pack on muscle mass on when they start working out, and one of the first features someone will notice out in public. While it may seem like a daunting task to get those bulging biceps and horseshoe-shaped triceps, knowing exactly what to do to challenge your muscles to see growth is imperative in actually achieving that.
In this post, we will take a look at three compound exercises that will help build biceps and tricep muscles into something almost stage worthy. Whether it be a compound bicep exercise or a compound tricep exercise, your entire arm will start to see great definition and something you can be proud of.
Benefits Of Strong Arms
Aside from the obvious benefit of adding to your aesthetic, strong arms play an important role in both sport specific and functional movements, meaning that they are not just for looks. The ability to provide stability to those vulnerable joints like your shoulders and elbows is something we shouldn’t take for granted. Also, by working those arms, you will start to see increased grip strength (1) as a results of those exercises you are performing. This will greatly increase the output you do during training of other exercises, for those results during performance.
What Are Compound Exercises?
Compound exercises are multi-joint movements which help in building size and strength and can increase your volume and intensity for all exercises (2). Isolation exercises (involving single joint), on the other hand, help in building muscle definition and separation. If you’re just starting out or have hit a plateau, compound exercises will help take your gains to the next level. By performing compound exercises, you will work multiple muscles with just one exercise to save time while also building better mind-muscle connection.
For those looking to shed some weight, by working more muscle groups, you are burning more calories, thus leading to a decrease in weight for a more shredded aesthetic.
Compound Tricep Exercises
Let’s take a look at some of the best compound tricep exercises to really put some meat on your bones.
Close Grip Bench Press
Majority of the people have weaker triceps as compared to their biceps. This is why we like starting our workouts with triceps. Close grip bench press is one of the best exercises to build size and strength in your triceps.
Make sure you maintain a full range of motion while performing this exercise. Your triceps consist of three heads; lateral, medial and long. You need to train them equally to ensure an overall growth. The close grip bench press works the medial and lateral triceps heads.
Barbell Skullcrushers
Overhead movements like the barbell skull crushers work the long head of your triceps. The long head is the hardest to develop as only a few exercises target it. If you haven’t done this exercise in the past, ask for a spot from someone at your gym.
Lie on a flat bench with your arms stretched outwards while holding a barbell. Keep your elbows fixed at a position as your lower the barbell so it is a couple of inches away from your forehead. Return to the starting position and squeeze your triceps at the top of the movement.
Dips
You don’t always need to use additional weights to build muscle. Bodyweight dips are a great exercise to add mass to your triceps. If the bodyweight variation feels too easy, feel free to add resistance by using weights. A good weight belt can help with this, or even a dumbbell between the feet.
You don’t need to lift heavy weight to build muscle mass in your arms. Pumping blood into the muscle by performing higher reps and following a full range of motion will do the trick. Your chest should be parallel to your hands at the bottom of the movement and your elbows should be locked out at the top of the movement.
Compound Bicep Exercises
Now that we have addressed the best compound tricep exercise, let’s look at some ones for the biceps.
Barbell Curls
Barbell bicep curls are one of the most effective bicep building exercises. Take a five-minute rest after you finish your triceps workout so the blood leaves your triceps. Muscle pumps occur when blood enters your target muscle group.
Use an Olympic barbell for the barbell curls. Maintain a strict form as you curl the barbell. Don’t swing your back or use momentum to lift the weights. Using improper form can lead to an injury.
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Alternating dumbbell curls are a textbook bicep exercise. This exercise helps you in establishing a mind-muscle connection with your biceps as you’re targeting one bicep at a time. Maintain a full range of motion and avoid using momentum.
Pause and squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement. Stand with the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing each other. Your palms should be supinated at the top of the movement.
Underhand Pull-Ups
Underhand pull-ups are the ultimate bicep finisher. This exercise is incredibly effective as you lift your entire bodyweight using your biceps. If you can’t perform bodyweight pull-ups, use an assisted pull-up machine or a spotter.
By the end of this exercise, your pythons will be filled with lactic acid. Holding the pull-up bar with a wide grip will focus on your inner biceps and a narrow grip will work your outer biceps.
Compound Exercises For Arms
These exercises above will greatly influence your arm growth so you start to see some real muscle definition and shredded arms you want most. To help with increase energy and muscle pumps, look towards using a great pre-workout supplement to really provide for a solid workout. On top of that, check out a high-quality protein supplement in order to advance muscle growth and help with recovery so you bounce back faster for that next workout. Remember, recovery is where the muscles repair and grow!
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Close Grip Bench Press
3
12
Barbell Skullcrushers
3
12
Dips
3
20
Barbell Curls
3
12
Alternate Dumbbell Curls
3
15
Underhand Pull-Ups
3
20
Wrap Up
For those looking get those shredded arms, compound exercises are where you want to look. These will work multiple muscle groups while also giving you the edge when it comes to burning calories and saving time in the gym. Whether it be a compound bicep exercise or a compound tricep exercise, knowing which compound exercises for arms to perform will prove to be worthwhile for those gains. Give these exercises a try and be confident in showing off those absolutely shredded arms.
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
Lee, Julia-Ann; Sechachalam, Sreedharan (2016). “The Effect of Wrist Position on Grip Endurance and Grip Strength”. (source)
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)
Here are the full results from the 2024 Vancouver Island Showdown Pro!
The 2024 Vancouver Island Showdown Pro took place on Saturday in Victoria, BC, Canada. Three Women’s divisions in bodybuilding were on display with winners earning a spot in the 2024 Olympia.
Julia Whitesel headlined the competition with a victory in Women’s Bodybuilding. She finished second at this show last year before winning the Toronto Pro Supershow to qualify for the 2024 Olympia, where she finished in the Top 10.
Both Marianne Von Gierke (Women’s Physique) and Emily Azzarello (Wellness) will be making their debuts at the Olympia after being victorious in their respective divisions.
2024 Vancouver Island Showdown Pro: All Division Winners
When it comes to the sport of bodybuilding, there are plenty of legendary names out there that people who aren’t even die hard fans of the sport still know by heart, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Phil Heath. However, one of the most popular and legendary bodybuilders of all time, as well as an 8x Mr. Olympiachampion, is Ronnie Coleman.
Below is a full breakdown of Ronnie Coleman’s stats, training, and diet regimens.
Full Name: Ronnie Coleman (Men’s Open Bodybuilder)
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
297 lbs
5’11″
5/13/1964
Division
Era
Nationality
Men’s Open
1990s, 2000s
American
Ronnie Coleman Biography
Arguably one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, Ronnie Coleman is the definition of a living legend. Born and raised in Monroe, Louisiana, he graduated cum laude from Grambling State University in 1984 with a degree in accounting, but he wanted nothing to do with accounting. He then served from 1989 to 2000 as a police officer in Arlington, Texas, and as a reserve police officer until 2003.
At the recommendation of a friend, Coleman joined the Metroflex Gym, run by Brian Dobson. The two became fast friends and Dobson offered him free lifetime membership if he could train Coleman for the Mr. Texas bodybuilding title that year. Coleman was undeniably the overall winner of the Mr. Texas title in 1990 and this victory inspired him to go continue the bodybuilding journey and go pro.
His professional debut was in 1991 at the IFBB World Amateur Championships and his first win as a professional was at the 1995 Canada Pro Cup. Then after his first place win at the Canada Pro Cup, Coleman’s meteoric rise to fame could not be stopped. He currently holds the record for most wins of the Mr. Olympia title (8 times, tied with Lee Haney) and the most overall wins for any IFBB professional (26 wins).
The Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman Rivalry
Perhaps one of the biggest rivalries in bodybuilding, aside from Phil Heath and Kai Greene, was Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler. Jay has gone on record to state that he was consistently chasing Ronnie Coleman during his reign as Mr. Olympia, and he was always right on Ronnie’s heels. Even when Jay dethroned Ronnie in 2006, he stated that he “didn’t beat the best version of Ronnie Coleman”.
Competition History
Ronnie Coleman has quite the extensive competition history, with plenty of wins.
1990 NPC Nationals, 3rd place (Heavyweight class)
1991 NPC Nationals, 4th place (Heavyweight class)
1991 NPC USA Championships, 14th place (Heavyweight class)
1991 IFBB World Amateur Championships, 1st place (Heavyweight class)
1992 Chicago Pro Championships, 11th place
1992 Night of Champions, 14th place
1992 Mr. Olympia, Did not place
1993 Chicago Pro Championships, 6th place
1993 IFBB Grand Prix France, 4th place
1993 IFBB Grand Prix Germany, 6th place
1993 Niagara Falls Pro, 6th place
1994 IFBB Grand Prix France, 3rd place
1994 IFBB Grand Prix Germany, 3rd place
1994 Mr. Olympia, 15th place
1994 San Jose Pro Invitational, 4th place
1995 Canada Pro Cup, 1st place
1995 IFBB Grand Prix France, 4th place
1995 IFBB Grand Prix Russia, 6th place
1995 IFBB Grand Prix Ukraine, 3rd place
1995 Houston Pro Championships, 6th place
1995 Night of Champions, 3rd place
1995 Mr. Olympia, 11th place
1996 Canada Pro Cup, 1st place
1996 Florida Pro Invitational, 2nd place
1996 IFBB Grand Prix England, 5th place
1996 IFBB Grand Prix Germany, 5th place
1996 IFBB Grand Prix Spain, 5th place
1996 Night of Champions, 2nd place
1996 Mr. Olympia, 6th place
1997 Arnold Classic, 4th place
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Czech Republic, 4th place
1997 IFBB Grand Prix England, 5th place
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Finland, 3rd place
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Germany, 5th place
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Hungary, 6th place
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Russia, 1st place
1997 IFBB Grand Prix Spain, 7th place
1997 Ironman Pro Invitational, 3rd place
1997 Mr. Olympia, 9th place
1997 San Jose Pro Invitational, 6th place
1998 IFBB Grand Prix Finland, 1st place
1998 IFBB Grand Prix Germany, 1st place
1998 San Francisco Pro, 2nd place
1998 Night of Champions, 1st place
1998 Mr. Olympia, 1st place
1998 Toronto Pro, 1st place
1999 IFBB Grand Prix England, 1st place
1999 Mr. Olympia, 1st place
1999 World Pro Championships, 1st place
2000 IFBB Grand Prix England, 1st place
2000 Mr. Olympia, 1st place
2000 World Pro Championships, 1st place
2001 Arnold Classic, 1st place
2001 IFBB Grand Prix New Zealand, 1st place
2001 Mr. Olympia, 1st place
2002 IFBB Grand Prix Holland, 1st place
2002 Mr. Olympia, 1st place
2002 Show of Strength Pro Championships, 2nd place
2003 IFBB Grand Prix Russia, 1st place
2003 Mr. Olympia, 1st place
2004 IFBB Grand Prix England, 1st place
2004 IFBB Grand Prix Holland, 1st place
2004 IFBB Grand Prix Russia, 1st place
2004 Mr. Olympia, 1st place
2005 Mr. Olympia, 1st place
2006 IFBB Grand Prix Austria, 2nd place
2006 IFBB Grand Prix Holland, 2nd place
2006 IFBB Grand Prix Romania, 2nd place
2006 Mr. Olympia, 2nd place
2007 Mr. Olympia, 4th place
Ronnie Coleman’s Injury
Unfortunately, in 1996, Ronnie had suffered a serious backinjury that happened during squatting routine. Ronnie had 800 pounds loaded on the barbell during squats, and it was not just for one rep, he hit it for two. Even though he hit an 800 pound squat for 2 reps, this was what led him to dislocate a disk. He didn’t seek medical attention immediately, instead he decided he would just go over to the leg press, which would change his life forever.
As a result, Ronnie has suffered a very serious spinal problem and also severely injured his back, shoulder, hips, and neck due to heavy weightlifting, and ended up leading to 13 total surgeries. The injury is what really caused him to retire from bodybuilding, as it got to the point where Ronnie says he was in too much pain to continue.
Training of Ronnie Coleman
Though he was known for screaming “light weight baby” before and during each set in the hot Metroflex gym, Ronnie Coleman did not get to the Olympia by lifting baby weight. Ronnie was a powerlifter before a bodybuilder, and he moved some seriously heavy weight.
Ronnie was a big fan of high volume and heavy weight. As far as his workout split, Ronnie actually favored the push/pull/legs split, which is a very popular split to this day, but he had his own take on it, which was pull/legs/push. Here is what that looked like:
Day 1: Back/Biceps/Shoulders (focusing on back thickness, so an emphasis on movements such as rows)
Day 2: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, and Calves (Full leg day)
Ronnie also liked to use different exercises on each day, and not just on the back thickness and width days. For example, if he barbell bench pressed on the first chest/triceps day, then on the next one he might have used dumbbells.
Ronnie Coleman Details Diet
Aside from training, diet was another huge part of what really led Ronnie Coleman to the success that he had in the sport of bodybuilding. The amount of sheer muscle mass he had presented on stage, combined with his conditioning, were things that had never been seen before. So, what did he eat to get to that level?
For starters, Ronnie always ate clean foods, with not really any cheat meals. He mainly stuck to lean beef, chicken, eggs, potatoes, rice, beans, and vegetables. And in terms of serving size, he would consume a ridiculous amount of each, but in a very structured way. Sure, for a lot of people this would be too much, but if you want to get big, you have to eat big.
So how much food did Ronnie eat throughout a single day? Six meals a day. And before we do a little more in depth on what his meals consisted of, you also must understand Ronnie’s targeted calories and macros before you try to replicate it. His typical total daily calories were 5,562, almost 3x the suggested caloric intake. As far as macros, these were 546 grams of protein, 474 grams of carbs, and 150 grams of fat.
That is quite a lot of food, and the body can only handle so much at a time, especially of protein, as if you consume too much protein in one sitting it will just go to waste. As a result, Ronnie had to split his food up into six meals a day. Each meal consisted of 927 calories, 94 grams of protein, 79 grams of carbs, and 25 grams of fats. Nutrition is a science, and while this may seem like too much food, you have to remember that Ronnie Coleman put himself through intense physical training, as well as his bodyweight being around 300 lbs.
With all of that being said, the chances are you are not 300 lbs of straight muscle mass, so we would recommend that you try to use a total daily energy expenditure formula/calculator to figure out exactly how much you need to eat to put on muscle without too much body fat.
Personal Life
Ronnie’s success as a bodybuilder has led to many endorsement deals and business ventures as well. He has released several weightlifting training videos and in 2011 started his own wellness and nutrition line, Ronnie Coleman Nutrition.
He married personal trainer Susan Williamson in 2016. As of 2009, he is retired from professional bodybuilding. Although he is retired, Ronnie still stays up to date with modern bodybuilding, and gives his opinion every now and then.
Ronnie Coleman: The King Film Trailer
The Generation Iron team was fortunate enough to spend some time with Ronnie Coleman to film the official documentary of Ronnie Coleman’s life, Ronnie Coleman: The King (2018). This documentary details the life of the 8x Mr. Olympia champion, before, during, and after his domination of bodybuilding.
Aside from that, Generation Iron has had the pleasure of sitting down with Ronnie Coleman on several occasions. Check them out.
Ronnie Coleman Talks About His Career with Generation Iron
In this clip, the Generation Iron team had an exclusive interview with Ronnie Coleman, where he detailed some aspects of his life.
Ronnie Coleman Exclusive Interview: “No One Trains Like I Did”
In this clip, Vlad Yudin talked with Ronnie a little bit further with Ronnie Coleman to go in more detail about how much physical strength played a roll in his success as a bodybuilder and as a legend
Ronnie Coleman Details How The Arnold Classic Stopped Him From Quitting
Ronnie Coleman had a serious injury right before the Mr. Olympia, and the recovery that lasted months right up to the Arnold Classic competition. Landing low at competitions in between, such as the Iron Man competition, Ronnie believed that it was time for him to give up bodybuilding. Then he stepped onto the Arnold Classic stage and everything changed. Hear the full story from the man himself in the video above.
Ronnie Coleman Wrap Up
Overall, Ronnie Coleman is a household name when it comes to bodybuilding, as he is seen as the king of the sport. With 8 Olympia wins under his belt, and the sheer size that he brought to the stage, it is no secret that he dedicated his life to the sport.
What do you think of Ronnie Coleman?
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This may be the best BCAA for your repair and recovery needs.
How often do you get bored of just drinking water during your workouts? Often, right? You want something to drink mid-workout that you know will taste great while also benefiting you and helping you progress. This is where you would use something like BCAA intra-workout supplements. A great way to fuel your body to grow and repair itself, these bodybuilding supplements are exactly what you need for that mid-workout boost. There are so many options on the market, but Transparent Labs CoreSeries BCAA Glutamine is a fantastic BCAA product designed to give you loads of benefits with a highly transparent and honest label.
What any good BCAA supplement will do is increase muscle growth, reduce fatigue, decrease soreness, and prevent muscle wasting in efforts to keep all your gains intact. By working with a great ratio of BCAAs, along with these other added ingredients, Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine can do this and much more while optimizing your health and performance.
Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine is designed for repair and recovery and is a 100% clean formula. With 5 great ingredients, the added glutamine works for better growth and reduced fatigue.
Transparent Labs is a solid company who prides themselves on transparency and honesty when it comes to their labels and ingredients. With no added artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives, Transparent Labs works to bring you the top-of-the-line ingredients at clinically effective doses with no hidden formulas. Transparent Labs products are manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility in Utah that is certified current good manufacturing processes (CGMP) and registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Each product is third party tested to keep the quality as high as possible and the buying experience as easy as possible.
Transparent Labs CoreSeries BCAA Glutamine offers all the benefits of a BCAA supplement with the added benefit of L-glutamine in the formula. Designed for the best BCAA for repair and recovery, Transparent Labs has crafted a 100% clean formula with a transparent label so you know exactly what you are getting. Each serving of 14 grams is designed to stimulate protein synthesis, reduce muscle fatigue, and enhance your overall performance, all while aiding in recovery and repair.
With 5 active ingredients, CoreSeries BCAA Glutamine works with a 2:1:1 ratio of BCAAs for all of the intended effects and benefits. The added bonus of this supplement is 5,000mg of glutamine. Glutamine is a naturally occurring nonessential amino acid and is the most abundant free amino acid in human muscle. It plays a major role in protein synthesis, inhibiting protein breakdown and muscle degradation, and reducing fatigue while providing immune health. Placed into this great formula is coconut water powder which is a rich source of electrolytes with a host of other overall health benefits.
Ingredients
BCAAs: Being Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine, these can increase muscle growth, reduce fatigue, decrease soreness, and prevent muscle wasting for overall great gains (1,2).
L-Glutamine: A nonessential amino acid, this plays a role in protein synthesis while also reducing protein breakdown and fatigue (3).
Coconut Water Powder: Will work to promote better hydration while also serving as a rich source of electrolytes (4).
Other Ingredients
Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Stevia
Total BCAAs
8,000mg
Calories
10
Carbs
2g
Number Of Servings
30
Serving Size
1 scoop
Best Way To Take
Take 1 scoop with 10-12 oz. of water before or during your workout.
Price, Flavors & Effectiveness
Transparent Labs CoreSeries BCAA Glutamine is a great supplement for growth and repair to ensure nothing you work for goes to waste. With 30 servings per container, 1 scoop of this amazing BCAA powder will pump you with all those vital nutrients. This supplement also comes in 5 great flavors including: Green Apple, Orange, Strawberry Lemonade, Blue Raspberry, and Tropical Punch.
Pros
Fully transparent label and honest ingredients
From a reputable company in Transparent Labs
Clinically dosed ingredients with no harmful additives
High amount of glutamine and additional coconut water powder are great
Cons
Premium priced option
Only available through their website
Must mix it well to avoid grittiness
Price: $39.00
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
With all of that being said, you still may have a few questions that you want answered, so let’s take a look.
What are the Side Effects?
As far as side effects, there are a few when taken in high doses. With glutamine the side effects are generally mild and might include bloating, nausea, dizziness, heartburn, and stomach pain. With BCAAs, the similar side effects of stomach discomfort can occur when taken in too high of amounts.
Are BCAAs and Glutamine Safe?
When it comes to if something is harmful or not, BCAAs and glutamine supplements are regarded as safe. However, it is always good to consult with a physician before taking supplements of any kind.
Are they even worth it?
This question is very subjective, as it all depends on your goals and what you want to put in your body. You cannot just take BCAAs and Glutamine once, and expect to have amazing increases in muscle mass. These supplements are designed to help you train harder, so you still need to do that and eat properly to notice results.
How long do BCAAs take to kick in?
They are an intra workout supplement, so they get to work almost immediately in terms of lowering levels of fatigue during your workout. However, they also help you even after your workouts with recovery.
Check out our list of the Best BCAA Supplements for more great muscle building and recovery products!
Overall Value
Transparent Labs CoreSeries BCAA Glutamine is that supplement you need most to really boost your overall health and wellness while taking it to new heights. The right ingredients at effective dosages, along with a transparent label, ensures you get only the best product for your intra-workout needs. What you are really getting is a premium BCAA supplement with top tier ingredients from a company who knows the needs of athletes. Try Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine today and see what this can do for all your growth and recovery goals.
Generation Iron may receive commissions on purchases made through our links. See our disclosure page for more information.
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 Transparent Labs and Envato
References
Blomstrand, E.; et al. (2006). “Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise. (source)
Wolfe, R. (2017). “Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality?”. (source)
Gleeson, M. (2008). “Dosing and efficacy of glutamine supplementation in human exercise and sport training”. (source)
Saat, M.; et al. (2002). “Rehydration after exercise with fresh young coconut water, carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage and plain water”. (source)
Even without stimulants, a quality pre-workout can boost all your gains with similar benefits.
We all know we take supplements like a good pre-workout to boost our energy and help us hit overall goals by pumping us with effective ingredients to boost training and performance. Whether it be increased energy, insane muscle pumps, or better focus and concentration, stim-free pre-workout supplements that contain zero stimulants can still provide the same benefits as those that do. For those of us athletes sensitive to caffeine and other stimulants, or for those of us looking to avoid the unwanted side effects that can come along with using it, it is important to know there are alternatives that will work wonders for all of our gains.
Stimulants in pre-workout supplements tend to be the selling point and the main appeal for many companies. It’s come down to a competition of who can pump their products with the most caffeine or other stimulants to give you, the athlete, the most insane workout experience ever. But how often have you taken a crazy strong pre-workout and feel like you’re bouncing off the walls? It’s uncomfortable and can honestly be debilitating for your workout, as you can’t focus and may even feel sick.
That being said, if you are sensitive to caffeine, don’t worry, because stim-free options do exist and they will work absolute wonders for your gains. Let’s take a look at stim-free pre-workouts and see just what these supplements can do for us. With clean and effective ingredients, packed into a powerful formula, all of those pre-workout needs are much closer than they seem.
What Are Stim-Free Pre-Workouts?
Stim-free pre-workout supplements are those pre-workouts that don’t contain any caffeine or other stimulants. Since pre-workout products with high amounts of stimulants tend to greatly affect your central nervous system by jacking up your heart rate and intensifying your focus, it might sound counterproductive to have a pre-workout with no stimulants. However, a good quality stim-free pre-workout can allow for the same benefits without all the negative side effects. These supplements are perfect for those sensitive to caffeine or who want to avoid stimulants.
Benefits Of Stim-Free Pre-Workouts
Now, you may think that a stim-free pre is pointless and won’t do anything for you, but that is wrong. Stim-free pre-workouts provide for a host of benefits that are similar to those with stimulants (1). Without the unwanted side effects, having a top tier product working on your behalf is exactly what you need to succeed. Looking to these benefits, they include:
Increased energy and endurance: Boost all energy needs without the use of stimulants.
Better pumps and blood flow: Still get the most out of your muscles and blood flow with a great stim-free option that can provide a great pump.
Promote muscle growth and recovery: The benefits we all want to see the changes we want most, increased recovery and the growth of muscle mass.
Boost hydration and muscle fullness: Give those muscles that more full look while keeping them as hydrated as possible.
NO jitters or crashing often associated with stimulants: No more suffering from the negative side effects that those stim-filled pre-workouts can cause, such as jitters, crashes, upset stomach, etc.
Put yourself in a better place to succeed without relying on those stimulants that can negatively affect your body. The benefits and everything you want out of a good stim-free pre-workout are much closer than you think.
Key Stim-Free Ingredients
Aside from containing no stimulants, stim-free pre-workouts do have some key ingredients to keep an eye out for.
Citrulline Malate: Helps improve strength and increase power output. Also works to delay muscle fatigue and increase muscle endurance (2).
Beta Alanine: Can improve exercise performance and muscle endurance by working on building lean muscle massand improving physical function.
Creatine Monohydrate: Increase strength, power, and total output while boosting protein synthesis and athletic performance (3).
BCAAs: You may not think that BCAAs belong in a pre-workout, but they can decrease muscle breakdown, reduce muscle soreness, and increase muscle growth (4).
Taurine: Has effects on endurance and performance, overall work capacity, and reducing muscle soreness (5).
Agmatine Sulfate: Support nitric oxide in the blood and improves muscle function and recovery. Can also assist in developing better cognitive functioning.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine: Increases things like dopamine and adrenaline which helps with motivation and focus while also boosting exercise performance.
How A Stim-Free Pre-Workout Will Boost Your Workouts
Like any other pre-workout, a stim-free pre-workout will work to help tackle any and all of your pre-workout needs. From providing vital energy boosts, to enhancing muscle pumps, and assisting in bettering cognitive function for increased focus and reaction time, a stimulant-free pre-workout can work wonders for your gains. While the main draw for many pre-workouts are the insane amounts of stimulants, at the end of the day, you can drink a healthy cup of coffee for that.
The other ingredients involved will help with everything you need from reducing muscle soreness, promoting muscle growth, keeping your focus and attention high, and giving you the best chance at optimizing your athletic and exercise performance. At the end of the day, a stim-free pre-workout has everything you want and more and will take your workouts to new heights.
Featured Stim-Free Pre-Workout
We would not leave you guessing which stim-free pre-workout is the best.
The Nutricost Stim-Free Pre-Workout comes in a convenient 30-serving container, designed for users who want to avoid the stimulating effects of caffeine or other stimulants. Aimed at providing a balanced and jitter-free boost, the formula focuses on key ingredients to enhance energy, endurance, and mental clarity during workouts, all without breaking the bank.
Not to mention, Nutricost Stim-Free Pre-Workout comes in three great flavors:
Blue Raspberry
Peach Mango
Pink Lemonade
The best part is, they will mix perfectly in your shaker cup. Also, it is worth mentioning that just about all of the ingredients that are recommended for a stim-free pre-workout are included in Nutricost Stim-Free, such as l-citrulline, beta-alanine, and taurine.
A stim-free pre-workout has the potential to be a game changer for all of your performance goals. Able to assist you with muscle pumps, energy boosts, cognitive development, and exercise performance, all of your pre-workout needs can be met and greatly enhanced with the right product. While many pre-workouts rely on the amount of stimulants as their main selling point, a stim-free pre-workout will give you great ingredients without the need for stimulants to power you through.
Great for those sensitive or who are just looking to avoid caffeine, these products are what you absolutely need. Check out some great stim-free pre-workout options today and see what these can do for all your athletic 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
Kedia, A.; Hofheins, Jennifer; Habowsi, Scott; Ferrando, Arny; et al. (2014). “Effects of a Pre-workout Supplement on Lean Mass, Muscular Performanec, Subjective Workout Experience and Biomarkers of Safety”. (source)
Perez-Guisado, Joaquin; Jakeman, Philip M. (2010). “Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness”. (source)
Kreider, Richard B. (2003). “Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations”. (source)
Blomstrand, Eva; Eliasson, Jorgen; Karlsson, Hakan; Kohnke, Rickard (2006). “Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise”. (source)
Waldron, Mark; Patterson, Stephen; Tallent, Jamie; Jeffries, Owen (2018). “The Effects of an Oral Taurine Dose and Supplementation Period on Endurance Exercise Performance in Humans: A Meta-Analysis”. (source)
