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PNBA Emma Currivan Gives Crucial Tip for Training in a Caloric Deficit to Maintain Muscle Mass

By
Terry Ramos
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Emma Currivan tip for caloric deficit
Image via Instagram @emma.currivan

PNBA Figure athlete Emma Currivan explains how to train in a caloric deficit without losing muscle. 

Building muscle in a caloric deficit is tough. That’s why bodybuilders have periods for bulking and cutting. So when they’re in a caloric deficit, they try to maintain the muscle they’ve built from bulking. However, if you don’t follow the correct approach, you’ll lose muscle when you cut calories. Fortunately, Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) athlete Emma Currivan has a critical tip that you can follow to preserve muscle while in a caloric deficit. 

According to Emma Currivan’s recent social media post, she turned pro after winning the European Open Figure division. Currivan explained the mistake she used to make when entering a cutting phase. She said:

“This is a massive mistake I used to make when I was training during fat loss phases 

I used to do MORE during my sessions – adding on sets, doing intensifiers, drop sets, high reps, you name it – in an effort to burn more calories 

And while I may have burnt a smudge more calories, it had a huge detriment on my muscle retention 

I would end up getting so weak because of how much fluff volume I was doing, that my muscle simply left the chat 

I’d come to the end of dieting phases with a pancake bum and looking like a weed 

And when you work so hard to build muscle in the first place, you don’t want to just lose it all in your dieting phases because of the way you train 

Don’t view your resistance training sessions as aiding towards your fat loss goal 

Focus on everything you do OUTSIDE the gym for that – your nutrition, your steps, cardio, sleep etc 

And when you’re in the gym training, focus on simply doing everything you can to maintain that muscle tissue that you’ve likely worked so hard to build 

Aim to keep intensity or strength as high as possible 

And sometimes, this may mean reducing your overall total number of sets, as recovery starts to dip slightly 

Prioritise intensity over volume in order to maximise muscle retention in a dieting phase and you will look so much better by the end”

Training When Cutting 

Emma Currivan says not to increase your training volume by performing more reps and sets when you’re in a caloric deficit. From experience, Currivan speaks that doing too much volume during a cut resulted in losing the muscle she worked hard for. Instead, Currivan recommends lowering your training volume and focusing on your training intensity by focusing on strength. 

She noted that when you do resistance training, your goal shouldn’t be to burn calories; it should be to build muscle. She pointed to research showing that the amount of calories you burn from training is relatively low compared to how many total calories you burn throughout the day. So Currivan says to focus on your nutrition, steps, cardio, and sleep to aid your progress in a caloric deficit. 

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more fitness tips from professional natural bodybuilders!

Mitchell Hooper And Kevin Faires Set New Strongman World Records At The 2022 Rogue Invitational

By
Greg Patuto
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World Records

The 2022 Rogue Invitational saw three world records set new marks.

The 2022 Rogue Invitational is one of the best strongman events of the year where competitors have a chance to compete and even set some new world records.

The competition took place on Sunday at the Dell Diamond Stadium in Austin, TX. Oleksii Novikov won the overall prize but Mitchell Hooper and Kevin Faires also put on quite a performance with record-setting days. Both strongmen set new world records in different events.

World Records

Mitchell Hooper Sets Dinnie Stone Hold Record At 39.85 Seconds

Mitchell Hooper finished third at the 2022 Rogue Invitational and highlighted his performance by setting a new mark in the Dinnie Stone Hold.

Hooper stepped up to the stones, weighing a total of 332kg (723lb) and was able to hold them for 39.85 seconds using a hook grip.

Kevin Faires Sets Thor’s Hammer Deadlift Record Of 325 Pounds

Kevin Faires placed last during the 2022 Rogue Invitational but he was able to make it a memorable weekend by setting a new mark in Thor’s Hammer Deadlift.

Because of the unique shape and nature of the lift, grip strength is put on display and Faires was able to make it count. The hammer weighed 147.4kg (325lb) and was able to get it off the ground to set a new mark. Faires’ record beats the previous mark by 11.4kg. Just one year ago, Martins Licis completed a 136kg (300lb) lift.

The 2022 Rogue Invitational was one for the record books, both literally and figuratively. Mitchell Hooper and Kevin Faires now put their names in the history books with record-setting lifts.

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

After Defeating Anderson Silva, Will Jake Paul Finally Get Some Respect?

By
Jonathan Salmon
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Jake Paul had an epic battle with Anderson Silva this past weekend.

Jake Paul defeated UFC legend Anderson Silva this past weekend and has sparked the question: will the social media personality finally get some credit? With the performance Paul put in, he should be given his due.

The fight game is truly interesting. You can perform well do everything necessary to prove to the masses that you are legitimate and still end up on the wrong side of vitriol. While many are giving Jake Paul plenty of credit for defeating UFC legend Anderson Silva this past weekend, they are plenty of others who still believe that the YouTube and social media star isn’t deserving of any accolades.

His performance against Anderson Silva over this past weekend was truly impressive, one Jake Paul should be proud of. Despite Silva being 47 years old they are very few fighters who could legitimately hurt the former UFC middleweight champion. So when Paul knocked down Silva in the last round of their boxing match it was a truly impressive sight to behold.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jake Paul (@jakepaul)

After the fight even Anderson Silva showed respect to Jake Paul for his victory. If the UFC legend was willing to do that then maybe the rest of the community is capable.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jake Paul (@jakepaul)

The Future

So what is next for Jake Paul? After having defeated former UFC champions Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva, it’s likely we see Paul once again challenge a UFC veteran. Based on the drama that occurred with former UFC fighter Nate Diaz, it would perhaps be a match that the fight community may want to see.

Nate Diaz was Escorted from the venue by the authorities after an altercation.

With so much drama unfolding at the Jake Paul vs Anderson Silva match, this could prove to be some great publicity for a future matchup with Nate Diaz. For now only time will tell.

Did you turn in for the Jake Paul vs Anderson Silva boxing match?

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

News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.

Big Ramy Appears As Guest Poser During Dennis James Classic Ahead Of 2022 Olympia

By
Greg Patuto
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Guest Posing

Big Ramy showed off his physique just seven weeks out of the 2022 Olympia.

Big Ramy is preparing to take the stage in attempts to win his third consecutive Olympia title. Just seven weeks out of the biggest competition of the year, Ramy is looking incredible and showed off his physique during the 2022 Dennis James Classic over the weekend.

On Saturday, the Dennis James Classic Pro Qualifier took place in Frankfurt, Germany. Ramy appeared as a guest where he announced a new sponsorship and hit some poses for the crowd.

Following his 2021 victory, Ramy quickly began preparing for this year. This came after he did not bring his best package to the stage because of a condensed training plan. Even with just a few months of prep under his belt, Ramy was victorious last October. Now, there are many who believe that he will win once again because of his pure size and improved conditioning.

Big Ramy Hits The Stage As A Guest Poser

Big Ramy was scheduled to take the stage as a guest poser during the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro back in May but was unable to make the show. He received criticism for this but spoke out to apology for his absence. Since then, Ramy has been active on social media sharing many physique updates to keep fans in the loop.

At the Dennis James Classic, Ramy showed off the package that could bring him another Sandow Trophy.

At this point, there are not many who have another competitor winning the 2022 Olympia. Both Dennis James and Chad Nicholls have guaranteed that this will be the “best Ramy ever” in 2022.

Eight-time Olympia champion Ronnie Coleman has also given different predictions about the competition. When he laid out his top 10, Coleman “congratulated” Ramy on his third consecutive title. He has also claimed that Ramy is “too far ahead” of everyone else.

What we do know is that the Olympia is approaching quickly and all questions will be answered.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mr Olympia Big Ramy (@big_ramy)

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

A Full Body Workout Reserved For Legends

By
Vidur Saini
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A Full Body Workout Reserved For Legends

The Best Full Body Workout You Can Do

If you have been wondering why you don’t look like the pros, it’s because you’re not training like them. you can’t follow a vanilla five exercises, three sets each routine and expect to get in the best shape of your life.

To achieve extraordinary gains, you need to do extraordinary things in the gym. Fully body workouts can be the hardest as you need to annihilate all your muscles in a short amount of time.

Clean and Press – 3 Sets 15 Reps

You’ll be starting the workout with the clean and presses. You must give these exercises all you’ve got as you’ll be performing one exercise each for every muscle group. You don’t want to be leaving gains on the table by half-assing any of these exercises.

The clean and presses are a great full-body exercise to do at the beginning of your workout. Make sure you’re following a full range of motion and are not using any momentum while performing the exercises.

Superset

Bench Press – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps

Tricep Cable Pressdowns – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps

In a full-body workout, we make use of supersets to target the helping (secondary) muscles to make the workouts more effective. You’ll be performing the bench press in this workout to train your chest.

After the bench press, you’ll go straight into the tricep cable pressdowns and make the most of the existing tension on your triceps caused by the benching. You need to contract your muscles with every rep to fill your muscles with blood and lactic acid.

Squats – 3 Sets 20 Reps

Squats are the ultimate leg builders. As you reach the squat rack, fatigue should start to creep in. The goal with the squats is not to lift heavy weights, but to get the 20 repetitions with the perfect form.

Focus on getting a pump in your quads as you do the squats. If you have problems (read – injury) in performing the orthodox barbell squats, you can instead do the goblet or hack squats.

Seated Arnold Press – 3 Sets 15-12-10 Reps

Arnold presses were invented by the Governator. The Arnold presses are better and more effective than most of the shoulder exercises as they work the medial and anterior deltoids.

Keep your ego in check and use weights that you can lift with a full range of motion. Your palms should be supinated and in front of your shoulder at the bottom of the movement. Turn your wrists outwards as your lift the dumbbell over your head so that your palms are pronated at the top of the movement.

Superset

Bent-Over Barbell Rows – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps

Dumbbell Curls – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps

You need to hit your back with the right intensity and form to get the most out of your exercises. Focus on squeezing your lats together as you lift the barbell to your abdomen. Stretch and expand your back as you return to the starting position.

We have saved the best for the last as dumbbell curls are arguably the most loved exercise in bodybuilding. Pro tip: rotate your wrist outwards at the top of the movement to work on the peak of your bicep.

How often do you perform full-body workouts? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Header image courtesy of Envato Elements

How To Tell If You’re Overtraining

By
Vidur Saini
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overtrained-bodybuilder-header.jpg

Symptoms of Overtraining

Overtraining is one of the most misunderstood concepts in bodybuilding. The word ‘overtraining’ is casually thrown around in gyms by broscientists warning people who are working too hard.

Most of these broscientists don’t understand what overtraining means. You don’t have to worry about overtraining if you perform a few more reps and sets once in a while. Overtraining isn’t easy, you have to push yourself to the limits to overtrain your body. Your body can take much more than you can imagine.

Weak Nervous System

Here is the Wikipedia definition of overtraining; “Overtraining is the result of giving your body more work or stress than it can handle. Overtraining occurs when a person experiences stress and physical trauma from exercising faster than their body can repair the damage.”

Your central nervous system takes a big hit if you overtrain. You will find yourself falling sick often as your immune system weakens. If you are keeping ill and can’t understand the reason, you should consult a doctor.

Prolonged Muscle Soreness

Your recovery takes a big hit if you’re overtraining. Your muscles might be sore even after a relatively light workout. The soreness might remain for more than a couple of days which can affect your other workouts.

Taking recovery supplements is a good way of handling muscle soreness. Your muscles only repair when they are properly rested. Soreness is a sign that your muscles aren’t recovering, which can set you back on your muscle-building journey.

Exhaustion

Overtraining can make you feel exhausted all the time. If you have been overtraining, you will feel tired even when you wake up in the morning. Extended exhaustion periods can lead to many other problems like loss of concentration, motivation, and depression.

If you’ve been feeling exhausted for no particular reason, it’s a good idea to stay away from the gym for a couple of days. You definitely will return to the gym feeling more motivated than ever before.

Altered Heart Rate

In cases of overtraining, you might also experience altered heart rates. It is a good idea to use a heart rate monitor to analyze your heart rate while working out and throughout the day.

It is normal to have a high heart rate while you’re doing a HIIT workout. But if you’re experiencing an unusually high or low resting heart rate, it is a matter of concern, and you should consult a doctor at the earliest.

Injuries

Overtraining can make you weak which can lead to weaker muscle tissue and joints. If you are overtraining, your body doesn’t get enough time to recover and recuperate from your workouts which can re-aggravating old injuries.

Lifting heavy weights or pushing yourself too hard in the gym can cause frequent injuries. Muscle rehab is your only option if you find yourself in a place like this. Try adding forced rest periods into your routine and change the intensity of your training. If you’re into the active lifestyle, you could try switching to active recuperation sports which are low intensity.

Do you have any symptoms of overtraining? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

The Non-Stop Mass Building Method For Giant Size

By
GI Team
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Giant Mass Building Exercises bodybuilding

Giant sets for giant gains.

Bodybuilding training isn’t a roller coaster of excitement. In fact, bodybuilding workouts can be completely boring, especially if you don’t have that drive for perfection. It’s one of the reasons why pro bodybuilders get so much damn respect. To train hard, day in and day out, utilizing practically the same movements over and over again can be tedious to say the least. No one said training was supposed to be an exciting experience.

Still, if you’re going to be spending your time trying to perfect and sculpt your body then you’re going to want some variations to your routine to keep things fresh. There’s nothing worse than letting things become stale, so a new program every now and then is beneficial to break up the monotony. For a true bodybuilder, the best way to make a training session more exhilarating is to ramp up the intensity. Classic bodybuilder’s see great gains with with a classic workout to develop their physiques.

This is where Giant Sets come in handy. Where a superset requires you to perform two exercises with no rest in between exercises and a triset requires you to perform three – a giant set ups the number to four ensuring that you’ll definitely get a pump out of the exercise. Like supersets and trisets, when performing a giant set you’re going to want to work the same muscle if not the entire muscle groups surrounding the area being worked on for the day. So if you are focusing on bicep development then you’re going to want to perform exercises that target the bicep itself or the antagonizing triceps muscle group.

Though giant sets are great for changing up your routine, it can be a bit of nightmare logistically. If your gym is filled to the brim with other avid lifters then you’re going to have a bit of a hard time trying to utilize all the machines needed for a the massive set. The idea is to pick the right opportunity to use this training method. The problem is once you perform giant sets and start seeing results you may not want to try any other program.

Back

Bent Over Barbell Row 3 sets, 8, 10, 12 reps
Lat Pull Down 3 sets, 12, 15, 20 reps
Dumbbell Row 3 sets, 8, 10, 12 reps
Pull Ups 3 sets, 10, 12, To Failure

 

Legs

Leg Extensions 3 sets, 12, 13, 15 reps
Leg Curl 3 sets, 12, 13, 15 reps
Stiff Legged Deadlift 3 sets, 8, 10, 12 reps
Squats 3 sets, 6, 8, 10 reps

 

Are giant sets apart of your routine? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

2022 EVLS Prague Pro Results

By
Greg Patuto
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Olympia

Here are the full results from the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro!

The 2022 EVLS Prague Pro took place on Saturday in Probrenzi, Prague. Competitors from six divisions were showcasing their physiques on stage hoping to qualify for the 2022 Olympia.

Michal Krizo is considered one of the up-and-coming stars in Men’s Open and it did not take long for him to qualify for the Olympia. He made the jump to NPC in July and was able to earn his Pro Card and win a show in the course of one month.

The full results from the show have been announced. Below, checkout the full results from the event, along with official score cards.

2022 EVLS Prague Pro: All Division Winners

  • Men’s Open: Michal Krizo
  • Classic Physique: Patrik Herczik
  • 212 Bodybuilding: Peter Molnar
  • Men’s Physique: Abisai Pietrsz
  • Bikini: Valeria Kord
  • Wellness: Mari Carvalho

2022 EVLS Prague Pro Breakdown

Men’s Open

  • First Place — Michal Krizo
  • Second Place — Jan Turek
  • Third Place — Kokeny Bela
  • Fourth Place — Milan Sadek
  • Fifth Place — Maik Ciesla
  • Sixth Place — Enrico Hoffmann

Men’s 212

  • First Place — Peter Molnar
  • Second Place — Dawid Cnota
  • Third Place — Jorge Zamorano
  • Fourth Place — Daniel Sticco
  • Fifth Place — Steve Benthin

Men’s Physique

  • First Place — Abisai Pietersz
  • Second Place — Furkan Er
  • Third Place — Mohamed Magdy
  • Fourth Place — Miroslav Juricek
  • Fifth Place — Andrea Mosti
  • Sixth Place — Davide Mazzolari

Classic Physique

  • First Place — Patrik Herczik
  • Second Place — Kelvin Hinde
  • Third Place — Sebastian Guncik
  • Fourth Place — Petar Duper
  • Fifth Place — George Acheampong
  • Sixth Place — Jakub Kolinek

Bikini

  • First Place — Valeria Kord
  • Second Place — Zsofia Reka Molnar
  • Third Place — Eszter Oczella
  • Fourth Place — Allison Testu
  • Fifth Place — Tatiana Lanovenko
  • Sixth Place — Ottavia Mazza

Wellness

  • First Place — Mari Carvalho
  • Second Place — Danai Theodoropoulou
  • Third Place — Maria Paulette
  • Fourth Place — Anna Mroczkovska
  • Fifth Place — Aline Machado Galvao Freitas

2022 EVLS Prague Pro Official Score Cards

Coming soon!

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

5 Training Tips For Steroid-Free Lifters

By
Vidur Saini
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Best Advice For Natty Lifters

Many people fail to realize there needs to be a difference in the training styles of people on gear and the natties. Steroid-free lifters hold themselves back by following the programs designed for people on juice.

People on steroids can seem to grow in spite of what they do in the weight room but the steroid-free lifters don’t have it so easy. If you’re a natty who is trying to build up muscle mass, following the tips mentioned below will set you on the fast-track to gains.

Recovery Is The Key

Recovery is one of the biggest areas of improvement for people on steroids. They recover faster and efficiently between sets and workouts. If you’re a natty, you need to make sure your recovery game is on point.

After you have your diet figured out, use inter and intra-workout supplements to take your gains to the next level. Always remember that you break muscle while you’re training and build muscle while you’re resting.

Form Over Ego Lifting

While people on juice can seem to gain muscle mass just by sniffing weights, relying solely on the amount of weight you lift isn’t going to do much for you if you’re not taking the drugs.

Bodybuilding is different from powerlifting. In bodybuilding, it doesn’t matter how much weight is on the bar, the quality and the form of the rep is what gets you the results. Establishing a mind-muscle connection during your sets will improve your muscle recruitment and pumps.

Change-Up The Number of Reps

Most natties make the mistake of following a vanilla training program. You need to constantly shock your muscles if you want to stay on the gains-train. The day your muscles get used to your training style, it’s game over for you.

Experiment with the number of repetitions and sets you perform in your workouts and figure out the combination which works the best. Don’t be afraid of going up to 50 reps and 10 sets while performing an exercise.

Don’t Train To Failure

Many people wear the “I train to failure” badge with pride. While training to failure on every set, exercise, and workout can be great for people on gear, this practice can be a roadblock for natties.

You should pick a weight that is challenging for your muscles but avoid going to failure. While performing a set, leave 1-2 reps in the tank on every set, and it can greatly reduce your chances of overtraining.

Think Outside The Big-3

There is no questioning the effectiveness of the three main compound movements i.e. the bench press, deadlift, and squats but you need to add variety to your workouts by performing other compound and isolation exercises.

Sticking to performing the compound exercises while overlooking the isolation exercises can deprive your physique of conditioning. You need to strike a balance between both types of exercises to get the best of both worlds.

Who is your favorite bodybuilder of all time? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Header image courtesy of Envato Elements

Hunter Labrada Shows Off Crazy Wide Back In Physique Update

By
Greg Patuto
-
Physique Update

Hunter Labrada has added plenty of mass and width to his frame ahead of the 2022 Olympia.

Hunter Labrada has stayed out of competitions this year in order to put together a championship physique for the 2022 Olympia. Recently, he shared another physique update displaying cozy width in his back.

Labrada won the 2021 Chicago Pro to punch his ticket to the Olympia. He quickly became one of the young stars in the Men’s Open division, finishing fourth at the biggest show of the year. Labrada was beaten by Big Ramy, Brandon Curry, and Hadi Choopan. Outside of the top three, Labrada reigned supreme and will look to catapult into that rank.

During his preparation, Labrada has let fans into his workouts. In July, Labrada shared his full eight-week training split and discussed the important of “low volume, high intensity” training. On Thursday, he shared the product of all of his hard work this offseason.

Hunter Labrada

Hunter Labrada Physique Update

Hunter Labrada shared his current weight of 280 pounds. He has made it a point to put on some extra mass and will now focus on bringing the right conditioning to stage.

“Back home, locked in, and changing daily👊🏻
–
Good thing, cause the ⭕️ is in 51 days🤯
–
280 fasted this morning for those that will ask👌🏻”

Big Ramy is considered the favorite to win the Olympia once again this season. That is because there are many who believe that no one can compete with his pure size. At this point, the Men’s Open division has become deep and Labrada seems to be a forgotten name.

The emergence of some new stars like Andrew Jacked and potentially Michal Krizo, if he is able to qualify, have taken over headlines. Hunter Labrada is out to show that he is still one of the best in the division and can crack the top five once again.

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

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