Muscle Chemistry Archive
Nick Walker Reveals Insane Legs 2 Weeks Out From NY Pro
Nick Walker shows some truly incredible leg development ahead of the NY Pro.
The next generation of bodybuilders are proving to be truly impressive. As the New York Pro steadily approaches the competitors are fine tuning their physiques. One competitor in particular is drumming up a ton of interest. Nick Walker is looking absolutely insane ahead of the NY Pro with some monstrous legs.
Leading up to the NY Pro, Nick Walker has been engaging in a war of words against rival Blessing Awodibu. The two have clashed over social media many times during the lead up to the show. While Blessing has showcased an incredible upper body, he has been criticized for his lack of leg development. That’s exactly where Nick Walker excels.
Insane Legs
For a man with the moniker “Mutant Muscle” Walker has been living up to the name. He has built an extraordinary amount of muscle during his young bodybuilding career. With the NY Pro just 2 weeks away, Walker hopes to prove that all the hype is real. His recent leg progress pic showcases just how impressive his physique has become.
One more leg session to go, making every workout count to the best of my abilities.
Nick Walker certainly has the potential to wow a lot of people at the NY Pro. The work ethic he’s shown during his prep has been truly impressive. Here he is working his legs in hopes of taking his physique to the next level.
This is how you train!!!!
2 weeks out, energy low, fatigue is high but we still push hard till the f***ing end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With 2 weeks until the NY Pro, Nick Walker is proving that he is certainly one of the best up and coming prospects in the game. Can Walker win at the NY Pro?
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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.
Melle Mel Answers: Why Would A Bodybuilder Want To Lie About Being Natural?
Melle Mel shares his opinion on why a bodybuilder would take steroids but claim to be all natural.
In the bodybuilding world, there are occasional athletes with impressive and massive physiques who claim to be all natural. When this happens, immediate rumors begin to circulate that the bodybuilder is a liar. While no real investigations take place regarding this – the reputation sticks. According to the public, if you look impressive enough, there’s no way you can be an all natural bodybuilder. But in a sport where steroids are widely accepted by fans, why would a bodybuilder even want to lie about it in the first place? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Melle Mel shares his thoughts as to why a bodybuilder would lie about being natural.
Melle Mel may not be a competitive bodybuilder but he certainly lives the bodybuilding lifestyle. Since he has no desire to compete, he maintains a completely natural lifestyle when it comes to building muscle. Of course, there are always fans who don’t believe him based on the size of his muscle and physique.
That’s why during our recent video conversation, we asked Melle Mel why a bodybuilder would even want to lie about being all natural. What could possibly be the benefit of pretending to be a natural athlete in a sport where PEDs are mostly accepted by fans?
Melle Mel believes that it’s simply a psychological response to using powerful drugs as “help.” Basically, he thinks that some bodybuilders are simply ashamed to admit that they turned to steroids in order to build muscle faster and larger. So long as they deny it, there will always be doubt, even if most believe the person is a liar. That doubt means that no one can prove they “cheated” for better results.
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Check out our latest GI Exclusive segment with Melle Mel above!
Mell Mel relates it to a man using Viagra or some other erectile dysfunction medication. If a person needs to result to using Viagra, they will most likely not admit it. There’s a shame to getting help to further improve sexual performance. Or to admit that your genitalia is not working as it should. It’s part of the perceived masculinity that most men grow up being told they need to attain.
Of course, there are also more logistical reasons why an athlete might lie about being natural. If a bodybuilder is sponsored by a big company, admitting to steroid use might affect their bottom line. The image connected to steroid use can hurt big brands. That can break sponsorships. So from a pure business perspective, it’s best for an athlete to stay mum on the subject.
You can watch Melle Mel go into more detail about his natural bodybuilding regimen and why he thinks bodybuilders would lie about steroid use. Check it out in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Swolverine Multivitamin Review For Optimal Wellness & Essentials
This once-daily multi can pack you with those essential vitamins and minerals for optimal wellness and support.
Table of Contents
Product Overview
As athletes always on the go and constantly depleting our bodies of those valuable essential nutrients, it is important for us to realize that a good quality multivitamin is exactly what we need to continue to thrive inside and out of the gym. The constant grind on our bodies can start to wear us down and on top of our busy schedules consisting of work and valuable personal time, the chance for us to get all those vital nutrients back into our bodies sometimes just isn’t there. This is where a high quality multivitamin can come into play for it will work to boost all areas of our health and wellness while keeping us moving as efficiently as possible. Swolverine Multivitamin is one such product to continue to advance our daily and long term goals.
What a good multivitamin like Swolverine Multivitamin can do is work to cover a wide range of areas that deal with overall health and wellness including health functions, cognitive abilities, and physical maintenance of our bodies. Benefits of a multivitamin range from anything like increased energy, better immunity, muscle maintenance, nutritional support, and cognitive assistance, all things used to better yourself, your training, and performance.
Shop at Swolverine
Swolverine is a lifestyle brand designed for endurance athletes and those always staying active. With products designed to fuel athletic performance, elite athletes and those seeking a goal flock to Swolverine for their top of line products and supplements. They live by the belief that everyone can optimize their athletic performance and human potential through transparency and honest products including those with proven ingredients and effective doses. As an honest and hard working company, Swolverine is there is to improve your human potential, and your athletic performance is just one piece of that larger mission.
Swolverine Multivitamin Highlights
Swolverine Multivitamin is a once-daily, power-packed multivitamin supplement designed to deliver a number of essential nutrients to your body as efficiently as possible to boost your optimal wellness. It contains a complex variety of essential micronutrients to maximize absorption and replenish key ingredients so it hits your body much faster. With an easy to take capsule, you don’t have to worry about digestion or the absorbing properties of this supplement. It can be easy to fall short of the essential nutrients we need most and this multivitamin is created to help avoid that.
With 25+ ingredients to pack you with all the essentials you need most, this multivitamin can benefit you in a number of ways from boosting immune health to keeping that immune system running on full, increasing energy to help fuel performance, and cover your overall health and wellness by delivering optimal levels of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. All in all, Swolverine Multivitamin has what you need to continue to succeed inside and out of the gym.
Ingredients
Vitamin A: Can support your immune system, protect eye health, and reduce risk of acne.
Vitamin C: Will influence growth and repair of body tissues while working as an antioxidant to fight oxidative damage. Boosts immune response to really build up the immune system (1).
Vitamin K: Aids in blood sugar regulation and helps to strengthen bones. Boosts immunity and digestive health as well (2).
Folic Acid: Helps produce and maintain new cells, as well as helping with digestive health and nutrient uptake.
Pantothenic Acid: Stimulates hormones and works to relieve stress. Can improve heart health and increase stamina, especially in those endurance athletes.
Calcium: Essential for building and strengthening bones and plays and important role in the movement of muscles (3).
Iron: Improves cognitive function and works to circulate oxygen. Helps boost your immune system as well as metabolic functions (4).
Chromium: Helps with blood sugar levels and glycemic control, and can help with weight management.
Potassium: Reduces cramping and works to improve muscle functions, as well as improving the nervous system (5).
Other Ingredients
Vitamin D3, vitamin E, vitamin B-1, vitamin B-2, niacin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, biotin, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, chloride, boron, dicalcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, vegetable magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, croscarmellose sodium, Designer Food Active Base, bromelain, papain, pharmaceutical glaze
Price & Effectiveness
Swolverine Multivitamin is that once-daily supplement to boost immune health, increase energy, and deliver key nutrients to provide for your overall health and wellness. With 30 servings per container, 2 capsules is a serving size of these easy to take capsules.
Pros: Great ingredients that are effective and dosed clinically. Benefits are perfect for keeping up with our overall health and wellness. Easy to take capsules make for optimal absorption. From a reputable company in Swolverine.
Cons: N/A
Price: $18.99
Check out our list of the Best Multivitamin Supplement here!
Overall Value
Swolverine Multivitamin is that once-daily, multivitamin supplement that can really work to boost your overall health and wellness while also boosting training and performance. A good quality multivitamin can boost a number of bodily functions while also filling in those gaps of any missing nutrients you may need. With great ingredients at clinically effective doses and a reputable company backing you up, this supplement is one to really optimize everything you’re looking for. What you are really getting is a high quality multivitamin with great ingredients and proven benefits from an honest and transparent company. Try Swolverine Multivitamin today and see what this can do for your health and wellness goals.
Try Swolverine Multivitamin Today
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*Images courtesy of Swolverine and Envato
References
Carr, Anitra C.; Maggini, Silvia (2017). “Vitamin C and Immune Function”. (source)
DiNicolantonio, James J.; Bhutani, Jaikrit; O’Keefe, James H. (2015). “The health benefits of vitamin K”. (source)
Tai, Vicky; Leung, William; Grey, Andrew; Reid, Ian R.; Bolland, Mark J. (2015). “Calcium intake and bone mineral density: systematic review and meta-analysis”. (source)
European Food Safety Authority (2016). “Iron and contribution to the normal function of the immune system: evaluation of a health claim pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006”. (source)
Karaki, H.; Urakawa, N.; Kutsky, P. (1984). “Potassium-induced contraction in smooth muscle”. (source)
James Hollingshead Profile & Stats
Check out this in depth coverage of bodybuilder James Hollingshead.
James Hollinshead is a professional bodybuilder from London who started training at the age of 14-years old. Since then, he has walked the stage with some of the greatest in the sport and has made a name for himself in the pro bodybuilding circuit as an elite bodybuilder seeking the top podium spot.
Below is a complete breakdown of his profile, stats, biography, training and diet regimens.
Full Name: James Hollingshead (IFBB Professional Bodybuilder)
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
245-255 lbs.
5’11”
3/17/1989
Division
Era
Nationality
Heavyweight
2010
British
BIOGRAPHY
At the age of 14, James entered the gym for the first time. He was fascinated with all of the possibilities in front of him. His goal was to build a ripped physique, one to rival the best of them. He was a boxer at one point and Mike Tyson was his idol. James loved Tyson’s build and it inspired him to push to be bigger. Boxers at his gym competed in knighted divisions and James knew he had to hit the gym.
Being that his main goal was to gain in size, he believed the best way to achieve his goal would be by eating as many calories as possible. Sometimes James would intake food so much to a point of him almost becoming sick. He later realized that it is not about how much you eat, but about how much you actually absorb.
After many months of trial and error, James started to see some progress in his growth which motivated him to keep going and training hard so he could achieve an even better physique. As time passed by, James’ fascination with bodybuilding grew deeper. Eventually, he decided to start a career in the sport – becoming a men’s bodybuilding contestant.
He took an inspiration from one of his close friends and bodybuilding expert who helped him start off his competitive career. It didn’t take James long for him to become fully involved in his bodybuilding career. He started competing regularly and each show he became more and more confident.
James’ first major title came at the UKBFF Jr. British Championships, where he took 1st place. Not too long after, he outdid himself by winning the UKBFF Heavyweight Championships. With both victories, James established himself as a formidable athlete and a rising icon in British bodybuilding.
TRAINING
James trains six days a week. He focuses on separate muscle groups each day and will often split his training into two daily sessions, having a workout in the morning and one in the evening.
After his evening workouts, he enjoys a long walk. The walk helps him de-stress, along with improving blood flow and fat loss.
His top three go-to exercises are: Dips, T-bar rows, and Squats. Here’s some of his training workouts throughout the week:
Monday – Chest in the morning, biceps in the evening, followed by a light walk
Tuesday – Back in the morning, calves in the evening, followed by a light walk
Wednesday – Delts in the morning, triceps in the evening, followed by a light walk
Thursday – Rest day
Friday – Chest in the morning, biceps in the evening, followed by a light walk outdoors
Saturday – Back in the morning, calves in the evening
Sunday – Legs
NUTRITION
James’ pre-season diet is strict. His main protein sources during prep for a contest are chicken and fish.
As for his carb intake, he might eat some brown rice and sweet potatoes, along with some minimal fats. Even though James restricts some carbs, he never cuts back on vegetables. He eat vegetables in big amounts and continues through contest prep.
James says that vegetables are rich in fiber and help keep him satiated, along with providing him with the vital nutrients.
COMPETITION HISTORY
2020 Europa Pro Bodybuilding Contest – 1st Place
2019 IFBB Toronto Pro Open Bodybuilding – 6th Place
2019 IFBB New York Pro Open Bodybuilding – 8th Place
2019 IFBB Bigman Weekend Open Bodybuilding – 3rd Place
2018 IFBB Prague Pro Open Bodybuilding – 6th Place
2017 UKBFF British Championships Men’s Bodybuilding Over 100 kg – 1st Place PRO CARD OVERALL CHAMPION
2016 UKBFF British Championships Men’s Bodybuilding Over 100 kg – 5th Place
2014 UKBFF British Championships Men’s Bodybuilding Over 100 kg – 1st Place
2013 UKBFF British Championships Men’s Bodybuilding Over 100 kg – 3rd Place
2012 UKBFF British Championships Junior Bodybuilding – 2nd Place
2009 UKBFF British Championships Junior Bodybuilding – 1st Place
2009 UKBFF Leamington Spa Junior Bodybuilding – 1st Place
5 Tips For More Effective Cardio
Running is one of the cornerstones of fitness, but are you sure you’re doing it correctly?
It seems like something almost too obvious to point out, but it’s true. Even though everybody runs, there are easy ways to maximize your cardio and make sure your burning the maximum amount of calories and giving your muscles the best chance to develop. Sometimes we brush off the simple things as not needing any explanation.
The truth is, it’s important for any bodybuilder or person who’s serious about fitness to understand the basic mechanics of exercise. There are lots of ways you can improve even the most basic of exercises because the way we generally move isn’t always geared to burn the most calories. Here are five easy tips that will help you improve the quality of your cardio workouts.
1. Listening to music can help you run faster.
Processing auditory input distracts our brain from the “burn” we associate with gaining muscle mass. If you want to maximize your endurance, try listening to music on a jog or watching your favorite TV show while you’re on the treadmill. You will be shocked at how much longer and harder you can run for when you’re paying attention to something you’re listening to.
2. Training variety is more important that pushing yourself
One massive blowout cardio session is not going to give you the huge gains of a bodybuilder. Increasing the intensity of your workouts is what helps you gain mass, and in the case of cardio, that means training variety is key. That means running on the treadmill, running uphill at the park, running on a mild hike, and running flat laps around a track. The variety in terrains, textures, and inclines will prevent your leg muscles from “getting used” to your workouts and you will increase muscle mass every time.
3. Cardio is most effective on an empty stomach.
This seems like an obvious one, but you would be surprised. You burn the most fat and gain the most weight when you work out on an empty stomach. So, if you’re looking to make serious gains, make sure to hit the gym before breakfast, not after.
4. You have to stretch before cardio. Every time.
The elasticity of your muscles makes a huge difference in your workout. Your chances of injury are much higher if you don’t stretch. Injuries aside, if you don’t stretch before cardio you are putting yourself at a huge disadvantage because your muscles will not be able to fully extend. Your ability to really push yourself to make gains will be limited, not to mention you’ll be a lot more sore afterwards.
5. Always put cardio after weight training when organizing your workouts.
Cardio burns a ton of calories, so if you do it before weight training, you have essentially eaten up your body’s entire store of calories that were going to help it work out. Always do cardio after weight training, and with a decent interval in between. If you jump straight into intense cardio after weight training you will most likely pass out. Make sure to take time in between the two to fuel yourself for your next workout.
Darth Vader: The Most Iconic Screen Villain Was Also A Bodybuilder
“He’s more bodybuilder than man… twisted and evil.”
Many people often ask the question of whether or not bodybuilders can make it into popular culture. It’s something that has been a constant since Arnold Schwarzenegger’s star making role in the classic bodybuilding documentary Pumping Iron. The movie propelled Arnold from talented bodybuilding champion to the man he’s become today: actor, politician, and generally an all around successful entrepreneur. It’s truly an astounding accomplishment especially when considering most bodybuilders never end up securing crossover success. But did you know there was a bodybuilding connection to Star Wars in the form of actor David Prowse?
For many people bodybuilding is such a niche sport that the likelihood of turning from an athlete who poses on stage in a pair of trunks into a celebrity hailed worldwide is highly unlikely. But with the advent of the internet the general public is learning more and more that the trend of turning from bodybuilder to Hollywood superstar wasn’t so far fetched. In fact, it seems like it was one of the many avenues that current Hollywood royalty utilized to attain fame and fortune.
Actor David Prowse during his bodybuilding years (above).
Besides Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sean Connery was a man who broke into acting through being discovered at a bodybuilding competition. You could say that there would have been no James Bond without bodybuilding (though that could be stretching it a little bit). But Connery wasn’t as seasoned a competitor as Arnold was. But before the Austrian had the opportunity to become a household name with his portrayal of the T-800 in The Terminator, there was another accomplished bodybuilder that reached the silver screen to great acclaim.
With the new trilogy completed – we were happy to find this amazing nugget of information. When most people think of Star Wars they think of Darth Vader. When most people hear the name Darth Vader they think of James Earl Jones. But Jones wasn’t the man wearing the iconic black suit that so many fans have grown to associate with the character.
The man within that black leather suit was none other than former bodybuilder David Prowse. When people think of imposing figures in everyday life they think of a massively muscled and particularly tall individual. When looking for someone to play Darth Vader the producers needed a man who could be a terrifying physical presence and they found that in the bodybuilder Prowse.
Prowse’s physical presence was as important to making Darth Vader as memorable a presence on the big screen as James Earl Jones’ voice was to breathing life into the dynamic character. The combination proved to be beneficial to the franchise and made Darth Vader one of the most recognizable and popular characters to ever hit the silver screen.
Jones made have had the voice, but it was a bodybuilder inside the suit that help made Vader into one of the most beloved characters in film history. Too bad in the end only the mask comes off – and we didn’t get to see any of that powerful muscle.
Sadly, David Prowse passed away in 2020 at the age of 85. But the way his bodybuilding lifestyle contributed to one of the most enduring pop culture and movie franchises of all time will always be remembered.
Know of any other bodybuilders that used their massive muscle to become film stars? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of The-JMG under the CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license. It was modified with an image courtesy of Instagram.
Lasha Talakhadze Hits The Heaviest Snatch And Clean & Jerk Ever
The super heavyweight weightlifter, Lasha Talakhadze, pulled off a 225kg snatch and 270kg clean & jerk making them the heaviest lifts to be caught on camera. These lifts will surely have ruffled some feathers in the weightlifting world.
A 225 kilograms (496 pounds) snatch and 270 kilograms (595 pounds) clean and jerk combined total a massive 495 kilograms (1,093 pounds). 495 kilograms! Even writing this feels insane.
Monstrosity at Display
The 27-year old Georgian posted videos of himself doing these lifts on Instagram. Since these lifts are performed in training sessions, they don’t count as world records. Nonetheless, these lifts are nothing short of insanity.
Although Lasha didn’t specify the weights he was lifting in the captions, the doctor of the Georgian Weightlifting team, Giorgi Tchintcharauli, verified them on his Instagram account.
Dr. Giorgi first posted the video of Lasha performing the 225 kg snatch. To be honest, the kind of ease Lasha snatches that monster weight with is scary. He makes it look like a walk in the park.
Lasha then sends chills down the spines of his competitors with a video of him clean and jerking 270 kgs. It’s a known fact that people tend to lift and perform better in front of a live crowd. We can’t wait to see what Talakhadze does in his next competition.
If Lasha had executed these lifts in a competition he would have broken his own clean and jerk world record which currently stands at 264 kilograms. He has beaten his own snatch and clean and jerk world records by a massive 3 kgs and 7 kgs, respectively.
World Record Destroying Machine
Breaking world records isn’t something new for Lasha Talakhadze. He crushed an unofficial world record snatch at a Georgian weightlifting meet in 2020. The Olympic gold medalist pulled a massive 222 kg (489 lbs) snatch on his fourth attempt after hitting 205, 212, and 218 kg prior.
Lasha made the snatch world official last month at the European Weightlifting Championship when he scored a 222kg (489lb) snatch. The +109-kilogram weightlifter has been turning heads ever since he stepped foot inside the gym.
It doesn’t stop here. Lasha Talakhadze is bringing glory to his country, Georgia. In 2016, he won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rio at +105-kilograms. We can only wonder what the champ has in store for the world at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Eyeing Bigger Goals
Talakhade doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Some people start to get comfortable after they set world records but that’s not Lasha. He has gone on the record saying he has a goal of totaling 500 kilograms (1,102 pounds). That is 5 kgs more than what he crushes in his recent videos on Instagram.
Beyond the competitive lifts, the beast has a 180-kilogram bench press for three reps, a 310-kilogram clean pull, and a 230-kilogram snatch balance under his belt.
With the potential Lasha has, we can only imagine the destruction this 27-year old will cause in the coming years.
Ending Thoughts
Apart from breaking the physical barriers, Lasha Talakhade has taken down the mental blocks as well. We can’t help but think about the 100-meter race where 10 seconds was thought to be the physical barrier but then Jin Hines came along and changed it all in 1968. It’d be interesting to see if weightlifting produces its own Usain Bolt in the coming Olympics.
For the latest news and updates, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Jose Raymond: How To Build Massive Muscle Without Getting Fat And Sloppy
Jose Raymond shares his personal tactics for building muscle while avoiding as much fat as possible.
Bodybuilders often go through a cycle during the year. That cycle is bulking and and cutting. Bulking is when you focus on building muscle to be as large as possible. Cutting is when you shred down to transform that mass into a sculpted conditioned physique. The problem is – the more fat you gain during bulking the harder cutting becomes. So how do you build mass without gaining too much fat? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Jose Raymond shares his tactics for building muscle and avoiding fat.
While we spoke with Jose Raymond in our recent interview, we asked him how aspiring bodybuilders can learn to improve their bulking phase. How does one avoid getting too fat and sloppy while they build mass? Jose Raymond admits that each body is different. Genetics can take someone a long way. But for the sake of insight, he shares his personal tactics that work for him.
In one sense, Jose Raymond doesn’t have an exact strict science during his bulking phase. He instead goes with his gut. Literally. He looks towards his stomach and makes sure that no matter how much weight he’s gaining – that his abs are still visible. If his abs start to fade, then he’s going to far with his bulking diet and gaining too much fat.
This is Jose Raymond’s general rule of thumb that works for him. It’s a guiding principle that works because he understands his body and where he gains fat as he bulks. So what kind of nutritional diet does he follow in order to avoid fading away his abs?
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Check out our latest GI Exclusive segment with Jose Raymond above!
Jose Raymond focuses on clean foods. Some bodybuilders, when the bulk, will eat anything to put on the pounds. This is partially because they have favorable genetics that allow for more dirty foods in their diet. Other bodybuilders can’t get away with this. It makes for a much more grueling cutting phase. It opens up the chance that you won’t dial in your conditioning enough or time it correctly with your show.
In terms of nutrition stats, that means Jose Raymond avoids carbs. He typically will eat no more than 100 carbs a day during his bulking phase. This helps him avoid putting on unnecessary fat as he bulks.
Jose Raymond is also a bodybuilder who has been known to not have an offseason. The offseason is usually when the hardcore bulking occurs. When bodybuilders beef up but also get a little soft. Jose Raymond avoids this. The funny thing is – this wasn’t specifically a tactic. It was a product of him doing so many shows throughout the year.
Jose Raymond admits that his reputation for avoiding offseason has little to do with a specific tactic. He’s never had enough time to truly go offseason because of the large number of shows he does throughout the year. When he finishes one show, his next one is right around the corner. So he can’t afford to cut loose with an offseason phase. He’s not against full on bulking or an offseason. He’s just hardly ever been able to find the time to make it work for him.
You can watch Jose Raymond go into full detail about his bulking tactics in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Viral Fitness Challenges: UFC Fighter vs Bodybuilder!
UFC star Stephen Thompson and bodybuilder Houston Jones try out viral fitness challenges.
Viral fitness challenges are all over the internet these days. These challenges are so prevalent in fact that they have caught the eye of UFC fighter Stephen Thompson and bodybuilder Houston Jones. Both men have caught the viral challenge bug and look to see who can come out on top as the fitter man.
Houston Jones is a self proclaimed human punching bag. There’s no doubt that he is an expert at taking terrible punishment. Jones is serious about his bodybuilding, almost as serious as he is about putting himself through torture.
There you can see UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson dishing out some punishment to Jones. Thompson, a karate blackbelt and undefeated kickboxer, knows a thing or two about throwing some powerful kicks. Thompson is virtuoso in striking, so Jones allowing himself to be kicked by the man is either very brave or potentially very foolish.
It may be safe to say that Houston Jones is a bit of a masochist. He clearly revels in taking punishment and doesn’t seem to be slowing down whatsoever. And Thompson being a UFC fighter isn’t shy about giving out some punishing strikes to a training partner.
A New Challenge
Now it seems that both men are challenging themselves, this time in a more (semi) conventional manner. Stephen Thompson and Houston Jones decided to try out some viral fitness challenges to prove their mettle. Both men battle to see which can win at these challenges on a whole. To see them compete in these challenges, check out the video below.
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What do you think of Stephen Thompson, Houston Jones, and their fitness challenge journey?
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.
Why These Exercises Are A Great Alternative To Dips
Can’t do dips? No problem. These alternatives will work just as well to give you the same benefits.
For those looking to boost their chest and triceps growth, dips are that number one way people do that. As a great bodyweight exercise with a lot of potential to maximize growth, dips are a popular exercise performed by those serious about lifting and getting big. For many of us, our chest and triceps can make our physique pop, giving us those well-rounded pecs and that horseshoe-shaped arm we want to see most.
But for some of us, performing dips can be a challenge, making us feel like we’re missing out on some great potential for growth and gains. That’s where good alternative exercises come into play to give us similar benefits to dips without having to perform that specific exercise. It can be hard to find which exercises are the right one’s to perform because with so many out there, the options are endless. But fear not, for we have you covered. These alternative exercises can boost your growth and aid in that desired physique you want most. And you won’t be disappointed with the results.
Let’s jump into dips and see what these alternative exercises are all about. Working multiple muscle groups while focusing on your chest and triceps is great for enhancing many muscle to aid in strength, size, and stability.
What Are Dips?
Dips are a bodyweight exercise that works your upper body muscles to aid in strength and building that desired physique. The two main groups targeted will be your chest and triceps, both of which can really give you a well-rounded and shredded look. These are typically performed on a dip bar or a set of rings and require proper and engaged form to really maximize the effectiveness (1).
Benefits Of Dips
The benefits of dips include:
Build muscle: Work to enhance strength and size by really working your muscles.
Functional exercise: The movement of the dip works to build functional strength that can pay off in the long run.
Build stability: Stability should not be overlooked and dips can help give you that grounded support for all your big lifts.
Great alternatives exist: We’ll talk about the alternatives but having a variety to choose from is great for changing up your workouts.
How To Perform Dips
Grab the handles and let your feet hang, bending slightly at the knee. Engage your core and slowly lower to the ground, keeping your elbows tucked in to avoid flaring. Once at the bottom, hold for a brief pause and push back to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Great Alternative Exercises
Here are some of the best alternative exercise for dips. Each will provide similar benefits while giving you a chance to see the desired growth you want most out of your exercise.
Diamond Push-Up
What makes the diamond push-up a good exercise is that it will work your triceps and chest and is more challenging that a regular push-up. Since this requires more triceps engagement due to the closer grip, it will provide similar benefits to the diamond push-up.
How To: Starting in a regular push-up position, bring your hands into a diamond shape. Keeping your elbows tucked in and your core engaged, lower to the ground and push back to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Close Grip Bench Press
This exercise is similar to the push-up in that your grip is about the same. With the closer grip, you target the triceps more, and of course, have more room to really give your chest a good workout (2).
How To: Place your hands on the bar slightly more narrow than shoulder width apart. As you brace your core, keep your elbows tucked in and lower the bar to your chest in a controlled motion. Drive through your feet and push the bar back to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Pec Deck Fly
While this doesn’t have as much triceps engagement, it is a good alternative for beginners to work the chest in a controlled manner. With slow and engaged movements, you work to get the most out of this workout.
How To: Adjust the machine to how you want it and position yourself so your arms rest against the pads. Slowly bring your arms forward, push the weight, and really feel a good squeeze in your pecs. As you return to the starting position, keep a good, controlled motion.
Kickbacks
This is an effective exercise for working your triceps and will also target range of motion with the extension portion. For the best stability, use an incline bench, but it is also fine to bend over a bench and extend out using a flat back.
How To: Lay on an incline bench with your feet on the ground and core engaged. Taking the weight, slowly straighten your arms so they are parallel with your body. Pause for a moment once they are extended. Slowly bring the weight back to the starting position and repeat for your desired number of reps.
Wrap Up
When it comes to building our chest and triceps, both muscles are vital in not only boosting strength for sport specific movements and functionality, but also aiding in that desired physique. Dips are a great way to work both and should not be overlooked as an essential exercise to have in your routine. But sometimes we can’t physically perform dips, or want a little variety in our workouts. That’s where these alternative exercises come into play. What they can do for us is really boost all areas of our training and performance to give us the most when it comes our workouts. Give these alternative exercises a try and see what they can do for your goals. You won’t be disappointed with the results and the gains you seek are right around the corner.
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*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Langton, Becky; King, John (2018). “Utilizing Body Weight Training With Your Personal Training Clients”. (source)
Lockie, Robert G.; Moreno, Matthew (2017). “The Close-Grip Bench Press”. (source)