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Jay Cutler Believes Derek Lunsford Can Thrive In Men’s Open: ‘He’s Young Enough Where I Think He’s Very Dangerous’

By
Greg Patuto
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Open Bodybuilding

Jay Cutler believes Derek Lunsford could be a top-three finisher at the Olympia.

There has been plenty of discussion abut Derek Lunsford making a move to Men’s Open after his guest posing appearance at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro. While nothing is set in stone, the idea remains in the mind of many around bodybuilding. Recently, Jay Cutler weighed in on the topic and believes that the 212 champion could thrive in Open bodybuilding.

Cutler might be done on stage but he remains extremely active in the gym and in the sport of bodybuilding. In a recent interview on Muscle and Fitness’ YouTube page, Cutler discussed his impression of Lunsford in Pittsburgh.

“This [Derek] Lunsford guy is the real deal. If you asked me who I was most impressed with, for sure Lunsford because I hadn’t seen that before. I never saw him guest pose like that. I saw him in the gym that day. He’s got the width, but he also has separation that, and he’s young enough where I think he’s very dangerous.”

Jay Cutler and Chris Cormier continued to discuss the Olympia competition. After two consecutive titles, Big Ramy might be the competitor to beat but both former athletes believe that is might be Brandon Curry’s show to lose.

“He’s won second or first for how many? He won Arnold, second, first. He has the best track record. How do you not put him as a contender right? He’s been right there. He either won it or been second for a few years so nothing against the other guys,” jay cutler said.

Derek Lunsford Guest Posing Pittsburgh Pro 2022

Should Derek Lunsford Make The Move?

Derek Lunsford was able to get over the hump during the 2021 Olympia and win the 212 title. This has been his goal for years and was able to reach the pinnacle of the sport. It is clear that his goal at the moment is to defend his title but this does not mean that he will not make the move eventually.

Lunsford stepped in for Big Ramy, who was unable to get to Pittsburgh to be a guest poser at the show. He stepped on stage next to other elite competitors such as Curry, Hunter Labrada, and Nick Walker. This gave Lunsford a chance to compare his physique to those at the top of Men’s Open.

“He had told me honestly that he of course wants to defend 212. But I agree with you, I think it’s going to come down to let’s see how his body is coming together as he gets into August and September, see where he’s at. Remember, Hany keeps his food down. For that guest posing, he was on 150 grams of carbs a day. Think about if he actually ate. He was definitely over 250-pounds, I don’t know exactly how much over.”

Men’s Open continues to be the biggest division in bodybuilding. This means there is more publicity and a larger prize pool. A change for Derek Lunsford might not be coming this year but it could be in the cards moving forward.

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

Daniella Melo Breaks American Bench Press Record In Raw-90kg Division With 304.2-Pound Lift

By
Greg Patuto
-
Bench Press World Record

Daniella Melo continues to make noise in the powerlifting game.

Daniella Melo added to her long history at the USAPL Nationals over the weekend. She appeared in Las Vegas to compete in the 2022 USAPL Mega Nationals, where she was able to win the raw-90kg division. On her way to victory, Melo also set a new American bench press world record with a 138kg (304.2lb) lift.

Melo has won at the USAPL Nationals five times before. Her last one came in 2018 and this was the last time she appeared at the competition. Melo is back on top at the event and is continuing to put up eye-popping numbers within the division. This record was previously held by LeAnn Ramirez. She completed a 137.5kg (303.1lb) lift during the 2021 USAPL TBS Summer Open.

Melo’s lift can be seen below, courtesy of GOOD LIFT!’s YouTube page:

Daniella Melo at Nationals

Daniella Melo entered the competition with high hopes and was able to complete all nine lifts she attempted. She weighed in at 193.7 pounds at the time of the competition allowing her to remain in her division. At the end of the event, she finished 15.5kg (34.2lb) over the second-place lifter.

Melo’s performance began with her squat reaching 457.5 pounds on her final attempt. This is less than her competition PR of 507 pounds, which was set during the 2019 IPF World Classic Championships. This is also where she set her deadlift competition PR of 542.4 pounds. On her third attempt, Melo was able to reach 496 pounds.

Daniella Melo shined on the bench press setting a new world record on her third and final lift. She added 12.1 pounds onto the bar from her second lift and completed it to set a new mark. Obviously, this was also a competition PR for Melo.

“6x National Champ ????”

 

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Daniella Melo continues to impress in powerlifting and made a statement by winning Nationals for the sixth time. After setting a bench press record, Melo could have other numbers in mind to reach next time she steps on stage.

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

Martin Fitzwater Speaks on “Beef” With Nick Walker

By
Jonathan Salmon
-

Martin Fitzwater talks about his past rivalry with Nick Walker.

Young up and coming bodybuilder Martin Fitzwater speaks on his rivalry with Nick Walker in a recent interview. The bodybuilding hopeful has a great deal of potential and it appears that his past run ins with Nick Walker is giving him some extra motivation.

Every athlete needs a good rival to get their fires stoked. If you aren’t looking to compare yourself to the best in the world then you’re aiming too low. While not everyone will reach the summit, aiming for it should be a serious competitive athlete’s goal. It’s the exact mindset that up and coming bodybuilder Martin Fitzwater has in regards to Nick Walker.

As both young bodybuilders rise through the ranks, it’s been Nick Walker who has exploded onto the scene and taken the bodybuilding world by storm. Martin Fitzwater had competed against Walker in the past and the two have even traded some heated words.

In a recent interview Martin Fitzwater addressed the apparent “beef” that he has with Nick Walker. When asked about his conflict with Walker, Fitwater had this to say.

The thing between me and Nick is just bodybuilders, being bodybuilders, if you will. We’re both guys that have potential to be Mr. Olympia someday. We’re both very young. And then we both kinda always clashed heads because I think we both see each other as competition.

I respect the hell out of Nick. I think he’s one of the best bodybuilders we have in the world right now. That being said, my plan is to become a better bodybuilder than him.

I don’t want to have any issues with Nick or anything like that anymore. I just like to put my nose down, keep my head in Texas, here in the heat and show everybody what I can do this year and then people can talk about us competing against each other or this and that.

Martin Fitzwater was very candid about where he sizes up against Nick Walker. Fitzwater gave an honest assessment of his current standing when compared to Walker.

Right now, I’m not in his league, to be honest with you. He did some very big things last year and I just have something that I need to prove. So, until then, you know, each to their own and you know, good on Nick, keep doing his thing and I wish him the best man.

So, while it seemed like they had some bad blood in the past, it at least seems that Martin Fitzwater has come to grips with his rivalry with Nick Walker.

To see the full clip, click here.

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.

5 Training Tips For Massive Muscle Growth

By
GI Team
-
A Full Body Workout Reserved For Legends

The goal is growth. And we’re here to help.

Many bodybuilders spend so much time in the gym but just don’t get the kind of results they want. Sure, they start seeing some growth – but not serious muscle growth. So they spend even more time in the gym – racking up the hours hoping to make some serious gains. But still nothing. Why?

We’re here to help. Below you will find five tips to help increase your muscle growth that you may be overlooking.

Big Compound Lifts

Compound exercises are great for building overall muscle size – as they hit multiple muscles in a body part at once. This is especially important during the off season – where your goal is to bulk up as much as possible.

Be warned, compound exercises will increase muscle mass for your stronger muscles – but the weaker ones in a muscle group will need to later be focused on by isolating them. This is the only way to maximize your physique at every inch of your body. Don’t ignore core isolation work.

Boost Your 1 Rep Max

This is a quick little technique that help track your progress as well as give you a more physical idea of whether or not your workout is effective. Every so often put on as much weight on an exercise as possible and see what your max rep is. This number should increase as the weeks of lifting go by. If you’re not seeing a significant increase, then you know you have to start working harder.

Perform Dropsets

After you pull off some heavy lifting for one exercise – naturally you’ll move onto the next one, right? Wrong. If you want to get some major gains, try lightening the load around 15% and try to lift another three sets. If you’re feeling really good during these reps, do all three. If you are feeling weak and tired, just keep it to one set or two. This will do wonders for adding volume.

Front Squat No Wrist Pain Generation Iron

Don’t Over Train

More weight lifting does not always mean better – we’re talking about daily here. While old school magazines and interviews would always talk about how the pros would hit the gym for 4-5 hours a day – this will not double your gains.

The same goes for your rest days. Skipping out on a rest day to get more lifting in does more harm than good. Think of it like drinking alcohol. You have a few beers and you start to feel good – but if you keep drinking eventually you are just sick with vomit all over the floor. Work hard – but in moderation.

Low Intensity Cardio

This might be an obvious one – but you’d be surprised how many people ignore this aspect of bodybuilding. Low intensity cardio provides two things for bodybuilders. The first is that it keeps fat at bay without cutting down on muscle size. The second, and less recognized aspect, is that it strengthens your vascular network.

Why is this important? Because your blood and veins are what transport all of the valuable protein you’ve been consuming to the rest of your body. The stronger your vascular network is the more effect your body will provide your muscles with the protein it needs to rebuild and go stronger. So don’t skip out on the cardio.

That’s about it. Try some of these training tips when the off season kicks in to see if you can get some improvements in bulking up. Have any other tips for us? Let us know in the comments section below and make sure to comment on our Facebook and Twitter pages as well!

6 Most Common Leg Press Mistakes Everyone Makes – Including You

By
Vidur Saini
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6 Most Common Leg Press Mistakes Everyone Makes - Including You

Leg Press Mistakes You Need To Stop Making

For many people, their self-respect is directly proportional to the amount of weight they can lift. Gym bros try to outdo each other by competing against one another in the gym, and the leg press is usually at the center of the abuse.

Although the leg press is a fairly easy exercise, many people still manage to screw it up. Our goal with this article is not to shame anyone. We’re listing out the mistakes so that other people can learn from them and avoid injury.

Going Too Heavy

We propose a strict ego-test before anyone can get onto the leg press machine. We don’t mean it figuratively, we literally want someone to question the lifter about his PR on the squat and deadlift before he can put on more than four plates on the machine.

The ego-lifters move the sled a couple of inches every rep before calling it a set. If you’re not able to maintain a complete range of motion (thighs touching the torso), you’d be better of lowering the weights.

Using Arms

Most people spot themselves by pushing their legs with their hands. The self-spot is acceptable if you’re training for failure and need a little assistance towards the end of the set. But if you need to push through your arms from the first rep, you have some soul searching to do.

On the other hand, some people leave a lot of gains on the table by raising their arms in the air or crossing them over their chest. Holding onto the sidebars or the pads can help you in generating thoracic pressure and keeping your core tight. You can also utilize these kettlebells, and dumbbells for squats.

Generation Iron Leg Press

Lower Back

Some people make the mistake of lifting off their lower back from the pad. After your legs, your lower back is the muscle that is put under the most stress while performing the leg press.

If you feel pain or stress in your lower back while performing the exercise, you need to fix your posture. You can try adjusting the angle of the pad if you don’t see relief after making sure your lower back is not elevated.

Feet Placement

It’s not uncommon to see people performing the exercise with a messed up feet placement. In a normal stance, your feet should be placed at a shoulder-width on the platform. Your toes should be pointing out slightly (11 and 1 o’clock).

If you’re targeting the inner sweep of the quads, your feet will be wider than shoulder-width and the toes will be pointing farther outwards. And while training the outer sweep, your toes will be placed parallel and next to each other.

Knee Movement

Performing the leg press correctly requires you to learn the proper technique. While lowering the sled, your knees shouldn’t fold-in. You need to push-out your knees as you bring them closer to your chest.

In an orthodox position, your legs should be at the sides of your torso at the bottom of the movement. You also need to make sure your heels don’t come off the platform as you lower it down.

Back Placed Flat Against The Pad

This can get a little confusing as we just told you that your lower back shouldn’t be elevated. Remember – while, your upper and lower back should be placed against the pad, your mid-back should be slightly elevated.

You should maintain a big-enough arch so that your hand could pass between the pad and your back. Placing your mid-back on the pad will put unnecessary tension on your back and you won’t be able to maintain a full range of motion.

Which is your favorite exercise? Make sure to let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.

2022 Clash of the Titanz Pro-Am Results

By
Greg Patuto
-
2022 Clash Of Titans Pro-Am Results
Image courtesy of Instagram @danrayphoto

Daisha Johnson wins the 2022 Clash of the Titanz Pro-Am!

The 2022 Clash of the Titanz Pro-Am took place in Atlanta on Saturday with Figure and Wellness taking precedent. This competition handed out two qualifications to the biggest show of the year taking place in December. In the end, Daisha Johnson was victorious in their respective divisions.

The Clash of Titanz bodybuilding competition only featured one division, Wellness, over the weekend – but was truly a clash as the title of the show suggests. 10 Wellness athletes competed for the top spot in an impressive showcase of physiques. Diasha Johnson ended up taking the top spot followed by Jasmine Payne in second place and Leticia Allen in third.

The winner of the Clash of Titanz event qualified for this year’s Olympia 2022 weekend – earning Johnson a chance to compete against the best in the world for the most prestigious title in the sport of bodybuilding.

The full results from the show have been announced. Below, you can find the full breakdown from the event along with official score cards!

2022 Clash of the Titanz Pro-Am Breakdown

Wellness

  • First Place – Daisha Johnson
  • Second Place – Jasmine Payne
  • Third Place – Leticia Allen
  • Fourth Place – Melitza Guerrero
  • Fifth Place – Rachel Lee
  • Sixth Place – Victoria J. Puentes

 

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2022 Clash of the Titanz Pro-Am Official Score Cards

2022 Clash of the Titanz Pro-Am score card

Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the IFBB Clash of the Titanz Pro-Am 2021. Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!

UFC 275 Glover Teixeira vs Jiri Prochazka Preview and Results

By
Jonathan Salmon
-

Who wins at UFC 275?

UFC 275 promises to be an electric event. The card features a main event title fight between light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira versus the enigmatic Jiri Prochazka. The Co main event will feature women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko versus Taila Santos. Each matchup offers it’s own intriguing questions to be answered. Can the wily veteran Teixeira outduel the awkward yet authentic Prochazka? Does Santos have the goods to dethrone the nigh unbeatable Shevchenko? Let’s take a deeper look and see what we can find out.

Valentina Shevchenko vs Taila Santos

The reigning UFC women’s flyweight champion for 3 ½ years now, Valentina Shevchenko has shown her dominance with wins over the division’s best. Taila Santos has also shown that she is more than capable in a fight. The unfortunate part for the Brazilian is that she’s up against Shevchenko whose weaknesses are nearly nonexistent. From striking to wrestling to grappling, Shevchenko has a distinct advantage everywhere the fight goes. With that said, Santos does appear to possess superior strength for the weight class.

 

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If Taila Santos hopes to defeat Valentina Shevchenko, she’ll have to pressure forward and close the distance against the champion. That, of course, is easier said than done, as pressuring Shevchenko could prove to be like running straight into a buzz saw. Shevchenko is a master of distance and will likely use her superior footwork jab and bread and butter kicks to keep Santos on the outside. Is Santos does get ahold of Shevchenko, she could try to bully the champion in the clinch and potentially get her down to the ground. Santos does have strong ground control and good elbows from top position. However, don’t be surprised if Shevchenko is able to secure submission from bottom should the fight reach the ground.

Glover Teixeira vs Jiri Prochazka

It’s youth versus experience in the UFC 275 main event. Glover Teixeira is a tough veteran who rose through the ranks and fought a who’s who in the light heavyweight division. Jiri Prochazka, on the other hand exploded onto the scene and picked up three devastating knockouts in as many UFC appearances to earn this title shot. Where Teixeira employs a more traditional approach with pressure boxing, strong wrestling, and superior grappling, Prochazka is an awkward striking who also likes to come forward with unorthodox techniques.

 

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Glover Teixeira should definitely look to take this to the ground and look for submission with ground and pound in between. Jiri Prochazka doesn’t seem like one for gameplans, but the uppercut is definitely a punch he should be looking for. The deciding factor of the fight will be determined by whichever man can impose their will.

Fight Results

Get full fight results tonight!

Valentina Shevchenko vs Talia Santos

Valentina Shevchenko defeats Talia Santos by decision.

Glover Teixeira vs Jiri Prochazka

Jiri Prochazka defeats Glover Teixeira by submission.

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.

2022 Omaha Pro Results & Scorecards

By
Greg Patuto
-

Danielle Willis, Chelsey Worster took home prizes during the 2022 Omaha Pro!

The 2022 Omaha Pro took place on Saturday with competitors in Women’s Physique and Women’s Bodybuilding looking to punch their ticket to the Olympia in December. In the end, Danielle Willis and Chelsey Worster were victorious and will appear in the biggest show of the year.

Heading into the event, there were two competitors on the roster for Women’s Bodybuilding. Danielle Willis appeared on stage just once last year after taking the 2020 season off. She finished first during the 2019 North American Championships in the Light Heavyweight Division.

The full results from the show have been announced. Checkout the full event breakdown, along with official score cards from the night!

2022 Omaha Pro Results: All Division Winners

  • Women’s Bodybuilding: Danielle Willis
  • Women’s Physique: Chelsey Worster

2022 Omaha Pro Breakdown

Women’s Bodybuilding

  • First Place – Danielle Willis
  • Second Place – Kelly Lefevre

Women’s Physique

  • First Place – Chelsey Worster 
  • Second Place – Jonquil Baugh
  • Third Place – Amanda Machado
  • Fourth Place – Maria Barba
  • Fifth Place – Natalie Rae Wolfe
  • Sixth Place – Marianne Von Gierke

2022 Omaha Pro Official Score Cards

2022 Omaha Pro Score card2022 Omaha Pro Score card

Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the IFBB Omaha Pro 2022. Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!

2022 DC Pro-Am Results & Scorecards

By
Greg Patuto
-

Vitor Chaves, Eli Fernandez are victorious during the 2022 DC Pro-Am!

The 2022 DC Pro-Am came to McLean, VA on Saturday headlined by the Bikini and Men’s Physique divisions. This was a busy weekend around bodybuilding with many shows giving out tickets to the Olympia to winners. In Virginia, Vitor Chaves and Eli Fernandez were able to take home prizes in their respective divisions.

The Bikini division might be as deep as it has ever been at this point. During this show, there were two competitors who appeared in the Olympia last year. Eli Fernandez earned her spot in 2021 by winning this very show. Sierra Swann notched six top-five finishes a year ago and was able to qualify for the biggest show of the year.

In Men’s Physique, Daniel Ammons had a chance to go up against the best last season after victories at the Hurricane Pro and Miami Muscle Beach Pro.

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

2022 DC Pro-Am: All Division Winners

  • Men’s Physique: Vitor Chaves
  • Bikini: Eli Fernandez

2022 DC Pro-Am Breakdown

Men’s Physique

  • First Place – Vitor Chaves
  • Second Place – Montae Bailey
  • Third Place – John Sarmiento
  • Fourth Place – Bryan Blackman
  • Fifth Place – Gary Cooper
  • Sixth Place – Napoleon Amos

 

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Bikini

  • First Place – Eli Fernandez
  • Second Place – Sierra Swann
  • Third Place – Gabriella Mohamed
  • Fourth Place – Jessica Teles Machado
  • Fifth Place – Karene Gonzalez
  • Sixth Place – Jodie Yuncker

2022 DC Pro-Am Official Score Cards

2022 DC Pro-Am score card2022 DC Pro-Am score card

Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the IFBB DC Pro-Am 2022. Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!

2022 Mile High Pro Results & Scorecards

By
Greg Patuto
-

Elisa Pecini, Steven Cao are victorious during the 2022 Mile High Pro!

The 2022 Mile High Pro took place on Saturday highlighted by the Bikini and Men’s Physique divisions. Competitors gathered to Denver in hopes of qualifying for the Olympia if they have not already. In the end, Elisa Pecini and Steven Cao headlined the show with victories in their respective divisions.

Ashley Kaltwasser has been active on stage in recent years. She notched seven victories in 2021 before finishing third at the Olympia. This season is no different. Coming off a victory in Toronto last week, Kaltwasser was looking to keep momentum going. Elisa Pecini was a threat to the title as well. She was also a top-five finisher at the Olympia last season.

The full results from the 2022 Mile High Pro have been announced. Checkout the full breakdown of the show below, along with official scorecards from the night!

2022 Mile High Pro: All Division Winners

  • Men’s Physique: Steven Cao
  • Bikini: Elisa Pecini

2022 Mile High Pro Breakdown

Men’s Physique

  • First Place – Steven Cao
  • Second Place – Reuben Glass
  • Third Place – Frank Worley
  • Fourth Place – Tony Chinakwe
  • Fifth Place – Burak King
  • Sixth Place – Eric Lisboa

 

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Bikini

  • First Place – Elisa Pecini
  • Second Place – Ashley Kaltwasser
  • Third Place – Liana Giannamore
  • Fourth Place – Carla Garthwalte
  • Fifth Place – Shanae DiCicco
  • Sixth Place – Taryn Flanagan

 

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2022 Mile High Pro Official Score Cards

2022 Mile High Pro score card2022 Mile High Pro score card2022 Mile High Pro score card2022 Mile High Pro score card

Generation Iron wishes to congratulate all the great athletes who earned a win at the IFBB Mile High Pro 2022. Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!

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