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Gunter Schlierkamp: I Competed In Bodybuilding When It Was At Its Best
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Gunter Schlierkamp details the excitement he had moving to America and training at Gold’s Gym in the 90s.
It’s often said that the 90s into the early 2000s is the new Golden Era of bodybuilding. Or perhaps the second coming of the Golden Era. With athletes like Flex Wheeler, Ronnie Coleman, Kevin Levrone, and Shawn Ray among others – it’s hard to disagree. It also seems that Gunter Schlierkamp shares this sentiment as well. Schlierkamp was an outsider who entered into American pro bodybuilding during this time. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Gunter Schlierkamp reflects on his journey to becoming pro and why he’s glad he was lucky enough to compete in what he calls the best era of bodybuilding.
No one is born a bodybuilder. If you were to look back at childhood photos of any famous bodybuilder – you would likely not expect how physically massive they would eventually become. That’s what makes origin stories so fascinating in this sport. There are millions of avenues and walks of life that eventually point towards pro bodybuilding. For Gunter Schlierkamp – his journal also involved leaving his home country to find his footing in the United States.
During our conversation with Gunter Schlierkamp, we asked him to reflect on how he discovered bodybuilding and what brought him to America. He details how quickly he saw growth once he fell in love with weightlifting. Eventually, his physique was so impressive – someone took him under his wing. That person insisted that he needs to go to America. He wanted him to compete with the greats at events like Night of Champions and, of course, the Mr. Olympia.
Gunter Schlierkamp’s journey to the United States was not an easy one. He describes first arriving and having to basically find places to sleep like a nomad. He would sleep in abandoned factories and in cars. He went head first into traveling to America and it took him some time to get his financial footing. Since he couldn’t get a bank account – he trusted someone to take his money and keep it in a bank for him. That ended poorly as he was taken advantage of.
Ultimately he made his way to California, got some financial footing, and started training at Gold’s Gym. He gushes at how lucky he was to be born at a time when he would compete and train in the 90s. Suddenly he went from idolizing athletes like Flex Wheeler to being in the same room and training alongside him. It was a dream come true.
He also believes that he competed at the best time in bodybuilding history because of the famous Joe Weider contracts. At a time before social media and over-saturation of supplement companies – Schlierkamp was able to land a Weider contract. It was like becoming a salary employee in bodybuilding. Suddenly his passion for bodybuilding was his full time career.
Today, those kind of contracts don’t happen. While there is more opportunity for profit – it’s more entrepreneurial. It relies on social media excellence (which also requires a little bit of luck) to obtain followers and generate revenue. There’s more control – but also more risk. Internet relevancy can turn on a dime.
You can watch Gunter Schlierkamp go into more detail about his bodybuilding origins and why he believes the 90s is the best era for competitive bodybuilding. Watch it all in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Best Bodybuilding Supplements For Performance (Updated 2021)
The best bodybuilding supplements will help build muscle, enhance performance, and boost recovery for all your gains and physique goals. You put yourself through constant physical and emotional stress every day. Family matters, personal issues, relationships, and balancing a job are coupled with your workouts that just take it all out of you. You eat […]
The post Best Bodybuilding Supplements For Performance (Updated 2021) appeared first on Generation Iron Fitness & Bodybuilding Network.
Does Cardio Kill Gains For Bodybuilders Seeking Growth?
We’ve all heard that cardio kills your gains, but how true is this?
It’s a common thing to hear. Cardio kills your gains. Cardio burns muscle that you’re trying to grow. Does cardio actually help me in my bodybuilding quest? We all hear these a lot. And for those of us looking to bulk up in mass and size, hearing this can deter us from doing cardio that we may actually need to benefit us. While our appearance is everything, knowing just what to do to get to that physique or maintain it can be challenging. With conflicting views like this flooding our heads, the choice to do cardio may actually be harder than we thought.
Cardio workouts are some of the most beneficial things we can do for our bodies. With many positive benefits surrounding cardio work, it would be negligent to skip out on a good cardio day. But again, what about my gains? Many have explored what happens when you mix cardio into your training routine and despite the legend of losing muscle and gains, the opposite might actually be true.
Let’s take a look at cardio and how you can strategically place into your routine to continue seeing gains while reaping the benefits of a good cardio workout. While you may still be skeptical, the benefits of giving this a try may just change your mind surrounding the myth of cardio and your bodybuilding gains.
Benefits Of Cardio For Your Health
While we all know many of these great benefits cardio can provide to our overall health and wellness, let’s first look at what cardio can do in general for us. From advancing our workouts to enhancing the quality of everyday life, cardio is something that is proven to be beneficial and effective.
Build endurance: Help enhance aerobic and anaerobic capacity for better breathing and stamina.
Strengthen your heart: Keep your heart pumping to encourage better flow and a healthier organ.
Aid in weight loss: Burn calories and control your appetite so unwanted fat starts to go away.
Increase mood: Release positive hormones to increase mood and help keep anxiety and depression at bay (1).
Prevent disease and long-term ailments: Work to manage high blood pressure and cholesterol while helping to prevent things like heart disease.
Where HIIT Come Into Play
While longer forms of cardio are great for enhancing the above benefits, there is another form of cardio training that has taken athletes by storm. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a fast-paced style of training where you perform intervals, alternating between high intensity and recovery-style. This will allow to work at maximum capacity without struggling to complete an hour long cardio workout after a lift. When on, working at around 90% of your maximum effort will surely get your heart rate high and once you hit the recovery portion, you will be somewhere around 55-60% of your max effort to give your body time to come down before hitting it again (2).
HIIT is great for a number of benefits including promoting fat loss and changing your body composition. By keeping your heart rate high, you burn more calories, while also increasing your metabolism to burn more fat for fuel. With shorter, more intense workouts, you don’t lose muscle tissue and enter a catabolic state, but still get an increase in your endurance capacity and oxygen consumption. This short and convenient yet highly beneficial form of training is something to heavily consider, especially as a bodybuilder.
Benefits Of Cardio On Your Bodybuilding Goals
Now that we know what cardio does in general, and that HIIT is a great option for those who want a shorter workout, the fateful question comes back around: Does cardio kill those bodybuilding gains?
When it comes down to it, cardio is very beneficial for a bodybuilder. Not only does this have the ability to increase your endurance capacity to keep you training longer in the gym, but it will keep you healthier overall to promote that longevity. In a sport where your body is put through grueling workouts, strict dietary restrictions, and a good supplementation routine, you’ll need this extra help to keep you training and competing for much longer.
Working to schedule certain cardio days with your weightlifting days is important for a number of reasons. You want your body to fully recover and unwanted muscle soreness is going to happen. The extent is dependent on how much you let your body recover in between sessions. You also don’t want too much cardio on certain days which can start to degrade those hard earned muscles, so knowing just how much to put in on a given day will preserve that muscle mass and also give you everything a cardio workout can offer. On days where you do lift, lower to moderate levels of cardio will not add too much stress and can keep you fired up and ready to go. On your off days of lifting, or at least lifting big, throw in some more higher intensity work. For those who enjoy running, while too much can be detrimental for you, a good run or two a week will get you outside and taking that fresh air. Or consider HIIT on this day to feel like you got a great burn while enhancing all areas of your training and performance (3).
What’s important to remember here is that cardio can hurt your gains if you do too much, but on the whole, it has the ability to seriously enhance all of your gains. Knowing when to do it and where to place it in your workout routine is what matters.
Wrap Up
We all know we need cardio. But we just don’t know how much. A common myth is that bodybuilders will lose out on muscle mass if they do cardio. But the truth is, cardio has the benefit of really enhancing our daily lives and giving us a great boost both inside and out of the gym. Look into strategically placing cardio into your routine and really see what can happen when properly used to your advantage.
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
University of Copenhagen (2018). “Cardio exercise and strength training affect hormones differently”. (source)
Laursen, Paul B.; Jenkins, David G. (2002). “The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training: optimising training programmes and maximising performance in highly trained endurance athletes”. (source)
Helms, Eric R.; Aragon, Alan A.; Fitschen, Peter J. (2014). “Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation”. (source)
A Killer Circuit Workout To Smoke Your Abs
Build Your Dream Abs With This Circuit Workout
Abs are one of the most desired muscles and yet only a few possess them. A set of aesthetically appealing washboard abs are the result of proper training, diet, and recovery. You can’t build the abs of your dreams if one of the components is out of proportion.
Performing a circuit training workout can be more effective in developing the shape and conditioning of your abs as compared to the vanilla training routine of 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Try this ab workout the next time you train your abs and let us know how it goes.
You’ll be performing a total of three circuits where each circuit will have five exercises. After each exercise, you’ll rest for 30-seconds before performing the next exercise. After completing a circuit, you’ll rest for a minute before starting the second round.
Reverse Crunches – 20 Reps
In this circuit workout, you’ll be training your midriff from all the angles to ensure overall development. The reverse crunches work the middle and lower abs and are one of the most underutilized exercises when it to abdominal development.
Lie down with your back on a floor mat and your arms placed at your sides. Keep your feet flat on the floor by bending at your knees. Bring your quads to your chest by lifting your hips off the floor while maintaining the bend in your knees. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat for the recommended reps.
Russian Twists – 20 Reps (Each Side)
Obliques are one of the most overlooked muscles when it comes to abdominal training. The obliques are the fish gill-like muscles at the side of your abs. Twisting and turning movements are the ones which target the obliques most effectively.
If you feel the bodyweight version of the exercise is too easy for you, feel free to add resistance by holding a weight plate in front of your chest with your arms extended over your knees.
Cable Crunches – 20 Reps
While you don’t need to use added resistance in every ab exercise, using weights can help bring out the definition and separation in your midriff. Make sure you’re following a full range of motion while performing all the exercises mentioned in the article.
If you want to do this ab workout at home, you can perform the orthodox crunches instead of the cable version. Controlled breathing plays an important role in abdominal training. You should be breathing out and squeezing your abs at the contraction point and breathing in while returning to the starting position.
Leg Raises To Heels To Heaven – 20 Reps
Leg raises to heels to heaven bring the goodness of two exercises into one. Lie down on an exercise mat with your arms extended at your sides. Perform a leg raise by elevating your legs off the floor while keeping your legs straight.
As you form a 90-degree angle with your legs and the floor, raises your legs towards the roof by lifting your hips off the floor. Return to the starting position in the same manner with a slow and controlled movement.
Planks – 1 Minute
Most people make the mistake of overlooking their core strength when it comes to ab training. Core strengthening exercises will not only help you in shaping your abs but will also improve your performance in functional exercises.
Perform the orthodox planks in the first set and switch to doing the side planks in the next two circuits. If you give your all in this circuit workout, your abs will be on fire by the end of the first circuit and asking for mercy by the last.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
How often do you train your abs? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
WATCH: Rae-Ann Coughenour-Miller Sets Female Bench Press World Record Of 274.4kg
Rae-Ann Coughenour-Miller recently set the all-time female bench press world record of 274.4kg.
Records are meant to be broken and over the weekend, a long-standing female record was surpassed. The 2021 Metal Militia (MM) National Power Lifting Invitational took place from July 17-18 at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, PA. Rae-Ann Coughenour-Miller stole the show when she set a new world record for female bench press with a 274.4kg (605lb) lift.
Becca Swanson held the previous record of 272.5kg (600.8lb). This was set back on March 8, 2008 at the 2008 American Powerlifting Federation Big Iron In-House Open. Swanson was at the top of the lift for an eye-opening 13 years and four months. Coughneour-Miller was able to set a new record with a lift that was 1.9kg more than Swanson.
Entering the weekend, Coughenour-Miller’s personal best at a competition was 258.5kg (570lb), which took place back in April at the 2020 MM Power Wars. The preparation for this event and eventual world record was not smooth sailing.
Rae-Ann Coughenour-Miller addressed some difficulties in her recent Instagram post.
It began with her husband undergoing multiple back surgeries. This forced her to miss out on some training time and when she did train, it was by herself. She skipped out on heavy days and struggled to lift 505lb. Coughenour-Miller’ opening lift at the MM National Power Lifting Invitational was 575lb. She ended up with the heaviest bench press of all-time and made sure to acknowledge Swanson.
“So with no expectations and no idea what to open with we set off for Erie. I decided to go with my original opener of 575. I ended up with 605 lbs. The biggest bench in history. I want to acknowledge @bigbeccaswanson. She has been in my corner for a long time. She was, is and always will be the strongest woman ever,” Coughenour-Miller wrote on instagram.
As part of the Anderson Powerlifting team, Rae-Ann Coughenour-Miller is featured with some of the other top lifters in the sport. This includes Jimmy Kolb, who holds the overall world record for heaviest bench press at 508kg (1,120lb).
Rae-Ann Coughenour-Miller is one of the top powerlifters going and has done a lot of winning since 2013. She has won gold in 18 of her last 22 sanctioned powerlifting competitions. There will certainly be more added to the collection in future competitions.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Best Grip Strengthener Exercises For Optimal Grip Strength
These grip strengthener exercises are perfect for enhancing grip so you never suffer through another big lift again.
Our ability to grip objects, both for sport specific movements and those that are more functional, is often overlooked but these best grip strengthener exercises can greatly affect the way you grip things. Working on increased grip strength will aid in our ability to build overall strength and is one of the most important tools we as athletes have.
We often times don’t think about the constant strain and pressure we put on our hands and finger muscles but every day we consistently rely on them for vital movements. Working on better grip will increase training and performance, but also aid in our overall physical health as we seek the best for our bodies. As a tool to increase physical performance and function, this will allow us to lift heavier thus giving us the best benefit to withstand any stress and strain caused by exercise and everyday movements (1).
Let’s take a look at the best grip strengthener exercises to enhance our grip as best we can. With the right exercise, your grip strength will improve beyond belief and you’ll never have to worry about a weak grip again. We all know the importance of it, so let’s start putting an emphasis on it.
Benefits Of Having A Strong Grip
Having a strong grip will ensure that you get the most out of each and every lift. Your ability to grip and the strength it requires to hold an object can greatly affect all sorts of exercises and ensure better functional movements as well. Something we take for granted, showing your muscles some love will allow them to grip objects better so you never sacrifice any gains.
Benefits of a strong grip includes:
Ability to perform many exercises: A strong grip will allow to perform a wide range of exercises so you aren’t limited to only those that you can grip well.
Larger forearms: Your forearms will ensure a better grip since these muscles are required to apply that grip (2).
Injury prevention: A strong grip will limit the number of other muscles required so as to use weaker ones as compensation (3).
Lift more weight: A good, strong, stable grip will allow you to lift more weight so you see those desired gains you want most.
Best Grip Strengthener Exercises
Grip Clench
Using a spring loaded grip trainer is great for it creates resistance and can be used at any time, either during your workout, at the office, or while watching your favorite show.
Grab the grip trainer in one hand and squeeze for your desired number of reps. You can also hold for your desired amount of time to really give your grip a test.
Plate Pinchers
These are great for increasing strength in a pinch grip, which is used mainly for those movements used with your thumb and fingers.
Hold plates between your thumb and fingers for a desired amount of time. Drop them to the floor and repeat for your desired number of reps.
Towel Pull-Ups
A great compound movement, this works upper body muscles with an emphasis on your grip. Similar to the traditional pull-up, it requires you to use a towel as your primary tool.
Wrap a towel around the bar and grab each side with each hand. Perform a pull-up with your desired amount of reps.
Farmer’s Carries
These will work your core strength and requires the utmost grip as you walk for whatever distance you desire. This will work your shoulders, forearms, and hips to give you a great exercise.
Grab either dumbbells, kettlebells, or a bar and set your desired weight. Engaging your core, walk for a set distance or period of time making sure to not lose form.
Band Extensions
For these, you can use a professional band or even a rubber band or thicker rubber bracelet.
Wrapping the band around your fingers, lengthen and contract your fingers spreading the band farther apart. You will feel the pressure and know you are getting a good workout.
Featured Supplement For Gains
When it comes to increasing our gains, having a good supplementation routine is vital for boosting all areas of our training and performance. Whether that be a pre-workout for energy and pumps or an intra-workout to continue that energy supply and burst through fatigue, supplements are vital for our growth. But a protein powder can ensure we see great growth and recovery (4), especially after some of these awesome grip strengthening exercises.
Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate
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Wrap Up
A good, strong grip means bigger gains. This is because we can tackle any and all exercises that may come our way so we don’t limit ourselves and rely on other muscles that may be weaker. Injury prevention matched with better overall physical performance should be an easy reason or two to work on tackling any grip strength goals. These best grip strengthener exercises can help us tackle all of our grip needs so we get the most out of each and every exercise. Give these a try and see what they can do for you as you look to really boost your grip strength.
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
Beyer, Sebastian E.; Sanghvi, Mihir M.; Aung, Nay; Hosking, Alice; Cooper, Jackie A.; Paiva, Jose Miguel; Lee, Aaron M.; Fung, Kenneth; Lukaschuk, Elena; Carapella, Valentina; Mittleman, Murray A.; Brage, Soren; Piechnik, Stefan K.; Neubauer, Stefan; Petersen, Steffan E. (2018). “Prospective association between handgrip strength and cardiac structure and function in UK adults”. (source)
Szymanski, David J.; Syzmanski, Jessica M.; Molloy, Joseph M.; Pascoe, David D. (2004). “Effect of 12 Weeks of Wrist and Forearms Training on High School Baseball Players”. (source)
Devich, Robert; Fowler, John (2019). “Preventing Overuse Hand, Arm, and Shoulder Injuries in EMS”. (source)
Pasiakos, Stefan M.; McLellan, Tom M.; Lieberman, Harris R. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
Melvin Anthony Defends Chad Nicholls & Other Gurus: It’s Not Their Fault If Bodybuilders Take Too Much
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Melvin Anthony shares his personal experience working with Chad Nicholls and defends against accusations that gurus are killing bodybuilders.
Chad Nicholls and other bodybuilding gurus have been subject to criticism in recent years. There have been claims that the kind of supplementation and protocols they advise is too risky. That gurus are not doctors and should not be providing athletes with drug protocols that could end up endangering the athlete. Melvin Anthony is a bodybuilder who worked directly with Chad Nicholls and believes that these accusations are false. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Melvin Anthony defends Chad Nicholls and other gurus – claiming that the risk comes from bodybuilders not following protocol.
In the world of pro bodybuilding, the human body is like a machine that needs the perfect set of elements to run perfectly. Bodybuilders will spend their entire lives trying to determine what works perfect for their own individual bodies. Not only that – but how to then push the limits and take their mass and physique to the next level. Bodybuilding gurus help aid in that process. They provide knowledgable insight into how to train, diet and supplement.
The unspoken truth is that this also involves advice on performance enhancing drugs and other substances. Over the years, these gurus have been praised for their knowledge and the results seen in their clients. They help bring athletes to new heights. But more recently, criticism has been laid at gurus for the dangers posed by their supplementation and protocol advice. Should a guru be held responsible if a health emergency happens to one of their clients because of the very protocol they recommended?
Melvin Anthony caught word of the recent allegations against gurus like Chad Nicholls. The claims go so far as to say he and other gurus like him are killing people. That they are drug dealers with no real medical experience. That they should be held responsible. Anthony disagrees. In fact, he has directly worked with Chad Nicholls. From his experience, Nicholls was nothing but knowledgable and responsible. He always took health into consideration when putting together a protocol for Anthony.
Melvin Anthony believes that the blame thrown towards bodybuilding gurus have been blown out of proportion. Yes, there is always an inherent risk in being a pro bodybuilder. But he also believes that many of the medical emergencies or tragic deaths are not due to the gurus – but the athletes themselves. A guru can only recommend a training program or drug protocol. When the bodybuilder goes home – there’s no telling whether or not that person really follows it. If the bodybuilder takes more than recommended and something bad happens, the guru is not directly responsible.
More than that, a bodybuilder can also not be transparent or truthful about their own lifestyle. A drug protocol might be recommended based on the current diet and training the athlete is doing. But if the athlete is actually not being truthful about their diet, or perhaps their own medical history, then the recommendation by the guru is based off of half truths. In this case, again, the guru is not responsible.
Melvin Anthony believes that this kind of miscommunication is what is largely to blame for medical issues with bodybuilders. He thinks that the responsibility lies with the athlete at the end of the day. No one is forcing them to do anything and, more importantly, if they don’t follow directions to a tee – it’s beyond the guru’s control.
You can watch Melvin Anthony go into detail about his experience with Chad Nicholls and his opinion on bodybuilding gurus in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Iraqi Heavyweight Champion Bodybuilder Salah Hussein Has Reportedly Died
Salah Hussein, famous bodybuilder from Iraq, has reportedly passed away.
Salah Hussein, the former heavyweight champion in Iraq, has reportedly passed away due to a brain stroke. The news has started to spread on social media and was first reported on Instagram by Bashir.Online.
“Salah Hussein, the famous Iraqi heavyweight champion, died of a brain stroke. He is a familiar name to Iranians because he once came to Tehran for participating in the Asian competition of the year and went on stage in the heavyweight category in freedom hall. Rest In Peace.”
Salah Hussein was one of the biggest names in bodybuilding in Iraq. He began making a name for himself in 2010 and worked his way up to being the IFBB Super Heavyweight World champion. During the Asian Games in 2010 in Tehran, Iran, Hussein helped Iraq place second in the competition behind Iran.
This is where Salah Hussein competed against Hassan Rahnamayyan and it sparked a friendly rivalry. Rahnamayyan, who is a champion from Iran, took to Instagram to tribute Hussein and express sadness.
“I can’t believe it,” Rahnamayyan wrote on Instagram. He continued:
“Our friendship began in 2010 competition on the stage of the Asian competition in Tehran, when I was invited by my dear friend Haitham Musavi and the presidency of Iraqi Federation as a guest to the Iraqi Technical Committee for the National Team Selection Competition. I was added and went to Iraqi Kurdistan in 2017, how much we messed with each other, he said if you are right, put a match again in Iraq, I will catch you this time, I said that I told you to get up for the Diamond Cup competition.”
“I’m writing these, my heart hurts, so that we can appreciate each other as long I will always remember you my friend. Rip my friend.”
Generation Iron will continue to update this piece as more information becomes available as no official source has confirmed the death or details at this time.
Generation Iron send out condolences to the friends and family of Salah Hussein during this difficult time. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Chris Bumstead Has Put On Some Serious Muscle in the Off Season
Chris Bumstead is looking impressive in his off season Olympia prep.
Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead has shown some incredible muscle gains in prep for the 2021 show. The gains he’s made in the office season have been truly impressive.
Just because you’re the champ doesn’t mean you should take things easy. In fact, once you become the champ it’s only the beginning of your journey. It’s harder to remain the champ than it is to become the champ in the first place. It’s all about refusing to rest on your laurels and continue to grind as if you were still an amateur working your way up the latter. Chris Bumstead has come to understand this well and has pushed his body and mind to the next level after becoming Classic Physique Olympia champion.
A student of the game with an undeniable passion for bodybuilding, Chris Bumstead has pushed the envelope in his training. Working alongside brother-in-law Iain Valliere, Bumstead was able to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming an Olympia champion. With achieving such a lofty goal his new mission has become very simple: continue to win for as long as possible.
With that in mind Chris Bumstead has pushed his training to the next level. He’s been prepping hard to defend his title at the 2021 Olympia this October and has shown clear signs of improvement. The Classic Physique Olympia champion has packed on a great deal of new muscle onto his frame and it could prove to be the biggest factor in a repeat performance this year.
Massive Gains
A recent post on Instagram showcased just how massive Chris Bumstead has become.
With this level of muscle added to his frame you can certainly bet that Chris Bumstead will have some impressive musculature on display when he cuts weight and steps on stage.
Are you impressed with Chris Bumstead and the gains he’s made in the off season.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Managing Editor 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.
George Farah Believes Being Shot Is A Main Reason He Got Cancer
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George Farah recounts the story of being shot and how he believes it relates to his later cancer diagnosis.
George Farah has lived many lives, almost literally. He’s nearly died twice. Once when he was shot in a bizarre wrong place, wrong time incident. And again later when he flatlined during a dramatic moment battling cancer. It’s at once tragic and miraculous what he’s been and survived through. That’s why we asked him to recount the story of being shot – which he surprisingly connects to later getting cancer. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, George Farah explains why he believes beings hot later led to him having cancer.
It’s well known at this point that George Farah was shot in an accidental mishap. It’s also well known that he was diagnosed with cancer and later (thankfully) recovered. He’s been through a lot. What’s great about Farah is that he’s a talker – and he’s completely open about discussing both the shooting incident and his diagnosis and battle with cancer. During our recent video conversation – we asked him to recount the moment he was shot and what that experience was like.
He briefly explained how he was misidentified as someone else – whom the shooter was gunning for. It was a “wrong place, wrong time” kind of situation. He also describes how traumatic the entire fallout was. He wouldn’t wish that kind of near death shooting experience to happen to anyone. Most people watching this video will likely agree. No one wants to be shot.
But the interesting bit of this story comes from what George Farah says afterwards. While he has no direct evidence, he believes that being shot is what eventually led to his later cancer diagnosis. He believes that having led pierce through your body as a foreign object is not good for your health (obviously).
But what he means more specifically, is that small fragments of the lead were most likely not able to be removed. That is then settling and flowing through his body in areas like his intestines. He thinks this kind of toxic and foreign material in his body is one of the main reasons he eventually had cancer.
“Because of that gunshot and because of those bullet fragments they left in me – that’s probably one of the main reasons I got cancer,” George Farah claims in our interview. He continues:
“I truly, truly believe, you know, just like you know lead is not good. That’s why if you have a house with lead, you have to paint it because it’s cancer, whatever, it’s not good… so imagine you have lead in your intestines and your rectum and all those places. They couldn’t take everything out. I think that’s one of the reasons.”
It’s an interesting theory and one that he whole hardily believes. Ultimately he tries not to dwell on it much. As he says it himself, he’s been “dead a couple of times.” He believes that there is a greater plan of fate that brings him through it. He’s grateful to be alive. It’s also a big reason why he’s changed his attitude about health in bodybuilding in our past interview segments. He knows what it’s like to almost lose life. Anything that one can do to extend life and avoid health risks should be taken seriously.
You can watch George Farah go into full detail about being shot and his cancer diagnosis in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!