Tag: All GI Exclusives
George Farah Returns Full Interview | Formerly Training Big Ramy, Phil Heath Comeback Opinion, & More
It’s been over a year since we last were able to connect with legendary bodybuilding trainer George Farah. We felt it was long overdue – so we invited him back to speak with us about the latest events in pro bodybuilding. This includes his take on the biggest shows and new champions crowned in 2020 – and what he expects for the remainder of 2021.That’s why in our follow up full length interview with George Farah – we dive into the Olympia 2020 and Big Ramy’s victory. Farah had previously trained Ramy so it was interesting to get his opinion now as an outsider looking in.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with George Farah. We are now releasing the full length interview. Beyond our discussion about the Olympia and Big Ramy, other topics include – Farah’s honest opinion on Phil Heath’s comeback, the biggest mistake bodybuilders make cutting weight, and more!
Listen To Our Mike O’Hearn Interview On The Generation Iron Podcast
Our full length interviews are now also in podcast form! Subscribe to the Generation Iron Podcast for candid, full length interviews with the biggest names in bodybuilding, fitness, combat, and strength sports.
Listen to the full Mike O’Hearn interview here:
George Farah was Big Ramy’s on and off coach over the past few years of Big Ramy’s career. But like many other coaches along the way – Ramy refused to stay put. With each passing Olympia he didn’t win, Ramy tried out different coaches to find the best fit for victory. He found himself returning to Farah a few times during this period.
George Farah holds no ill will towards Big Ramy for these changes. “We are adults,” he claims in our interview. Farah understands that an athlete will ultimately do what he thinks is best for his career. While Farah enjoyed his time training Ramy – especially because of his potential – Farah understood that Ramy had to find his own path.
That being said, George Farah was extremely happy for Big Ramy to win the Mr. Olympia in 2020. He knew for years that if Ramy could get on point, he would be unstoppable. He still believes that now. Though he admits that anything can happen and it remains to be seen if Ramy will return on point again or continue his rollercoaster up and down career. Farah hopes to see him remain champion in the future.
We also asked George Farah why he thinks Big Ramy changed coaches so often throughout his career. As we briefly mentioned above, Farah thinks that Ramy needed to find his own path. He was hungry to win – and wanted to try out all options to see what worked best.
While George Farah is not angry about Big Ramy leaving him as a coach, he does admit that he finds himself somewhat sad. This is partially due to the fact that Farah finds Ramy to have one of the biggest hearts in bodybuilding. But it’s also because Farah strongly believes that he could have gotten Ramy the Mr. Olympia title sooner.
Farah made a point to mention that Heath is still one of the greatest of modern bodybuilding. In fact, his physique was still impressive compared to most on stage. That’s why ultimately, George Farah 100% agrees with the final score given to Heath.
shape during the off season. While bulking and cutting is a typical cycle for competitive bodybuilders – the bulking phase should not get too out of control in order to avoid HGH bubble gut and abdonimal distention. Farah holds nothing back when explaining this during our interview:
“WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING, YOU’RE STILL GOING TO LOSE MUSCLE WHEN YOU DIET DOWN. ESPECIALLY IF YOU GAIN A LOT OF FAT. THAT’S WHY I TELL PEOPLE, LISTEN, DON’T CALL YOURSELF A BODYBUILDER IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR ABS IN THE OFF SEASON.”
George Farah goes on to say how he “never understands” how bodybuilders are so shocked when they start cutting and end up losing much more weight than expected. This is because they put on more fat than they think – and unfortunately – muscle is always lost as well during this process.
That’s why a dirty bulk is often frowned upon by serious competitive bodybuilders. Dirty bulk is when you eat any kind of unhealthy food simply to build weight while you are pumping up muscle in the gym. A clean bulk relies on healthier foods so that you have less fat during the bulking phase.
Wrap Up
George Farah provides a unique insight into the world of bodybuilding. A sort of insider breakdown of physiques, training, and nutrition. There are far many more topics we discussed in our hour plus interview that could be vital for anyone looking for insight into optimizing bodybuilding training. So make sure to watch our latest full length GI Exclusive interview with George Farah above!
INTERVIEW: Robert Timms Opens Up About His Previous Battle With Cancer
[embedded content]
Robert Timms looks back at his experience battling cancer that could have took away his leg.
Robert Timms is a pro Classic Physique competitor that is looking to be a real threat in upcoming competitions. But his entire bodybuilding future was threatened when he was 21 years old due to a cancer diagnosis. Ultimately, he recovered – but the cancer found in his shin bone could have led to a full amputation of his leg worst case scenario. Thankfully this didn’t happen. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Robert Timms recounts the experience of being diagnosed with cancer and the process of recovery.
In today’s world, cancer is seemingly everywhere. Nearly 1 in 3 people get cancer within their lifetime. Most likely, someone you know has had cancer or knows something who did. It’s a very scary disease that can cause significant suffering. Luckily, as we progress forward there have been serious progress towards more efficient cures and recoveries.
Robert Timms is a bodybuilder that had to face the grim reality of a cancer diagnosis at only 21 years old. He was already well on his way towards his bodybuilding goals when he noticed a sever pain in his shin. After a trial and error with doctors – it was discovered he had cancer in his shin bone. The worst case scenario of this situation would be to amputate his leg.
It was a very heavy diagnosis for anyone, let alone a young 21 year old man. In our recent video conversation, we talked with Robert Timms about the diagnosis and the process of recovery. Timms discusses the entire ordeal with optimism. He had survived the ordeal (with his leg in tact) and was able to continue his journey in bodybuilding.
Robert Timms is obviously thankful for modern medicine and his ability to fully recover. That being said, he was honest about the process and how it specifically affected him as a bodybuilder. Undergoing chemotherapy meant sidetracking his entire bodybuilding career. He lost a lot of weight and a lot of muscle. It set his progress back significantly.
Upon being in remission, Robert Timms slowly returned to training. It was a struggle at first. His body was still weak and not responding immediately to the training. But overtime he started to notice his old self come back. Soon he was fully back in action and ready to take on the Classic Physique division.
When it comes to something as seemingly insurmountable as cancer, Robert Timms had some advice for those dealing with the disease. While cancer can be very serious – he expressed the importance of being optimistic especially during this time in modern medicine.
“I think it was more so scary because I thought it was a death wish. But it’s not,” Robert Timms stated in our interview. He continued:
“My step sister right now, she has cancer… and she was broken. And I said, ‘Listen, you’re sick. There’s medicine. You’re going to be fine.’ Now when you think of it like that it makes it easier.”
You can watch Robert Timms recount his entire battle with cancer in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Victor Martinez’s Arnold Classic 2021 Predictions
[embedded content]
Victor Martinez breaks down the entire line up and makes predictions for the Arnold Classic 2021.
After a longer than usual wait, we are only a few days away from the Arnold Classic 2021! The event has been shortened to only one day with less divisions – but there are still some truly exceptional athletes to be excited about this weekend. That’s why we’ve turned to bodybuilding veteran Victor Martinez for his analysis of the line up. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez shares his analysis and predictions for the Arnold Classic 2021.
This year’s Arnold Classic is a special one. In a last minute decision, the winner of this competition also qualifies for this year’s Mr. Olympia. This might sound normal in any other year – but with the event taking place only two weeks before the Mr. Olympia, it can create a last minute wild card for the event. On top of this, we have some truly exceptional athletes, both old and new, hungry to show their best physiques yet.
We connected with Generation Iron alum Victor Martinez over video chat to go over the entire line up and get his predictions and thoughts on the Arnold Classic 2021. This interview was recorded shortly before the recent reported news that Roelly Winklaar will not be competing. Victor believed that Winklaar had a high chance of success. Despite Winklaar likely not being present, Martinez breaks down some other truly promising athletes who can take the crown.
Victor Martinez first touches on Iain Valliere, who has been on a roll with multiple wins over the course of this season. Martinez sees a lot of promise in the competitor, but also claims to have never seen someone peak three times in a year. Let alone four (with Valliere also competing in the Olympia after this weekend’s Arnold Classic). This casts a slight shadow of doubt for how he’ll fair this weekend.
Martinez is also extremely optimistic about Akim Williams at the Arnold Classic 2021. Williams has been on an upward trajectory over the past two years. Victor Martinez had the opportunity to see Williams recently – and what he saw impressed him. Martinez has high hopes for Williams at this event. He places Akim Williams as a possible top 3 contender.
Victor Martinez also shines a light on Justin Rodriguez and Nick Walker – two powerhouse athletes that can do big damage this weekend. Both competitors have shown incredible physiques – but this will be their first time competing against a bigger crop of the best athletes in the world. Both competitors are still on the younger side. It will be interesting to see how they stand up against the rest of the line up at the Arnold Classic 2021.
Then there’s William Bonac returning to defend his title at the Arnold Classic 2021. Bonac has always been a fan favorite and top tier athlete. He’s inched his way close to winning a Mr. Olympia title as well – but has yet to claim the Sandow trophy. From Victor Martinez’s perspective, the biggest challenge Bonac faces is his overall size. He’s a smaller bodybuilder compared to many in Men’s Open. In his quest for perfect conditioning he cannot afford to lose anymore weight. This is what threw him off at the Olympia 2020. If Bonac can keep his weight in check while also crushing his conditioning – he is still the man to beat for first place.
Victor Martinez goes into detail about other top athletes such as Steve Kuclo, Hassan Mostafa, and others. You can see Martinez’s full predictions for the Arnold Classic in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
WATCH – Inside Nutrabio: A Behind The Scenes Tour
[embedded content]
A deep dive into Nutrabio – one of the biggest bodybuilding and fitness supplement brands in the industry.
Supplements have become not only a major part of bodybuilding – but a major part of fitness and health across the world. The supplement industry has boomed over the past century and with that have come many companies that are looking to get a piece of the pie. With ever changing regulations, it can be hard for consumers to know what exactly they are putting into their bodies. Trust in a brand and trust in what is on the product label is paramount. That’s what supplement company Nutrabio prides themselves on – they go beyond FDA regulations to be the most trusted supplement brand on the market.
Nutrabio founder and CEO Mark Glazier invited Generation Iron to take the cameras behind the veil of the company. What followed was an in-depth tour of Nutrabio’s manufacturing and testing process. Nutrabio has always been transparent when it comes to their process – but now you can go even further with a complete visual tour of each step in Nutrabio’s process from start to finish.
Mark Glazier: The man behind Nutrabio
Mark Glazier has always held himself up to high standards of success. This was true even before the creation of Nutrabio. Before starting his company, Glazier was invested into martial arts since he was seven years old. He opened his first school when he was fourteen (unofficially) and later had a chain of studios.
A major part of martial arts is self discipline. It’s that kind of quality that he brought into the supplement world. Upon running his martial arts studios – Glazier became increasingly more interested in the nutrition side of fitness. He would suggest and recommend supplements to his students – and break down the science as to why they would need a certain product to improve their goals.
Eventually, this interest became so all-consuming that he decided to start his own supplement company. This is when Nutrabio was born. His goal was to not only be the best in the market – but to also provide consumers what he saw was severely lacking in supplements: trust and quality.
The Nutrabio Process
Nutrabio’s manufacturing process is bookended by testing. When the product creation process starts – all ingredients are tested for a variety of factors. When the manufacturing process is finished – the final product goes through those same tests again. The goal? To make sure that the quality and safety of every product has remained in tact from start to finish.
The FDA has a set of standards and regulations that all supplement manufacturers must abide by. Nutrabio goes beyond that with its own set of standards. These standards are even more strict than what the US government demands. That’s the kind of dedication to quality and safety Nutrabio gives to their product.
In addition to in house safety features, Nutrabio also provides a specific website to consumers. Each product has its own barcode. This can be submitted to a special site that breaks down the full safety and test results from manufacturing. Quite literally, a consumer can see the details on how their specific bottle of supplement was created. That’s just how dedicated the company is to trust and safety.
The End Result
When watching our behind-the-scenes tour of Nutrabio’s facilities – you get the feeling of walking through a secret government laboratory. As Mark Glazier himself details every step of the process – it becomes clear just how many small details must be considered. Nutrabio manufactures their own products rather than outsource to a third part manufacturing facility. This provides them with complete control. Not only that – they can provide fresh product directly to the consumer.
With many other brands, there’s no telling exactly how long a product has been bottled when you buy it off the shelves. With Nutrabio, you can be rest assured that the product is fresh to the consumer. Detail, control, and passion are key words to describe Mark Glazier and the Nutrabio process. That’s the end result. It’s the reason that Nutrabio stands in the top percentile of the supplement world.
Our recommended Nutrabio Products
Generation Iron has a dedicated review team to analyze all major supplement products that bodybuilders and athletes use. Over the past few years, Nutrabio products have been covered by our supplement critics. If this video tour impressed you – we have a top recommendation to add into your stack.
NutraBio Leg Day is that intra-workout supplement you need to power you through your workouts by providing serious fuel to aid in whatever your body needs.
You can check out our full in detail review for Nutrabio’s Leg Day right here.
Wrap up
If you’re interested in learning more about Mark Glazier and Nutrabio, make sure to head over to their official website to check out their offerings and their mission. You can also watch the full behind-the-scenes video tour above!
INTERVIEW: How Iain Valliere Improved His Physique Just Six Weeks Between Shows For The Arnold Classic 2021
[embedded content]
Iain Valliere only had six weeks between the Texas Pro and the Arnold Classic – here’s how he prepped to improve his physique.
Last week, we talked to Iain Valliere about his risky strategy for the 2021 bodybuilding season. Instead of putting all of his eggs in one basket (the Arnold Classic 2021), he competed in many shows throughout the year. Not only that – but he gave himself very little time between competitions. After his latest win at the Texas Pro, he only had six weeks before the Arnold Classic. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Iain Valliere details exactly how he prepped in just six weeks for the Arnold Classic to improve even further from his impressive showcase at the Texas Pro.
Prepping for a bodybuilding competition is a length and challenging endeavor. It’s usually the reason why a bodybuilder will only compete in a small number of shows per year. They don’t want to run the risk of burn out or ill timing for bigger shows that matter. It’s part of the reason why the Olympia champion only competes at the Olympia the following year. With no need to qualify – they focus solely on being perfect for the biggest event in the sport.
Iain Valliere chose to handle things differently this year. He competed in multiple shows in the tail end of the 2021 season. In fact, he only gave himself six months between the Texas Pro (which he won) and the Arnold Classic. Not only that – but following the Arnold Classic, he only has two weeks before he competes again in the Mr. Olympia.
Some find this too risky – but Iain Valliere finds that he improves with each passing competition. He prefers the short gaps in between to keep him eternally on point. So now with only a few days until this weekend’s Arnold Classic – we’ll see just how on point his physique really is.
Of course, the Arnold Classic is a totally different beast from the Texas Pro. He’ll need to show improvements in order to stay in line with the biggest names in the sport. That’s why we asked Valliere exactly how he strategized to improve in such a short amount of time.
Iain Valliere was well aware of his tight turnaround – so improvements aren’t expected to be massive in terms of increased size. But he did challenge himself to put on a few extra pounds of muscle. Instead of bulking up 15-20 pounds between shows, he kept his goals smaller. He bulked up six or seven pounds and then quickly switched over to cutting down for prime conditioning.
He also received some notes from the judges as the Texas Pro about his posing. Posing is something that can improve without risk of damaging the quality of a bodybuilder’s physique. So he made sure to put improved focus on posing over the past six weeks. If he can further manipulate his physique on stage for the judges – it can give him the edge he needs.
Ultimately, Iain Valliere enjoys staying focused and on point with quick turnarounds between shows. Instead of falling into a slower rhythm looking towards a competition months away – he can stay in competition mode directly after the Texas Pro and straight through the Arnold Classic and to the Olympia.
With a positive outlook by fans with each competition he’s appeared in – he also has the mental momentum on his side. We can’t wait to see what he brings to the stage this weekend and beyond.
You can watch Iain Valliere detail his six week Arnold Classic training prep in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
INTERVIEW: Inside Mohamed El Emam’s Contest Prep Plan To Dominate At The Arnold Classic 2021
[embedded content]
Mohamed El Emam breaks down his training and diet plan to compete in the Arnold Classic 2021 more on point than ever before.
Mohamed El Emam is a pro bodybuilder who has building a lot of hype in 2021. This is in part due to the large swath of US bodybuilding events he competed in this year. He took part in the California Pro, Indy Pro, and New York Pro – and placed in the top five for each one. Now he’s set to face off against the best in the world at the Arnold Classic 2021 this weekend. In our latest GI Exclusive, Mohamed El Emam details how he’s changed his contest prep to bring his best ever package to the Arnold Classic 2021 stage.
Mohamed El Emam participated in a sort of bodybuilding marathon during the 2021 season. He battled in multiple bodybuilding events nearly back to back. His goal was to earn himself Olympia qualification. But even more important than that – he wanted to get as much experience competing in the states before the Arnold Classic 2021.
El Emam is an Egyptian bodybuilder who resides in Russia. He’s been improving his physique and rising in popularity throughout the past few years. In 2021, he decided to go into overdrive and really leave an impression. It worked. We connected with Mohamed El Emam over a video call to discuss his 2021 season and his contest prep lading up to this weekend’s Arnold Classic.
During our conversation, Mohamed El Emam details his methodology behind competing in so many shows. He wanted to come to the states and get as much experience as possible. He’s taken what he’s learned from the California Pro, Indy Pro, and New York Pro to tweak his contest prep and bring an upgraded physique to the Arnold Classic.
By competing in the New York Pro, for example, he’s already pitted himself against Nick Walker – one of the most anticipated athletes set to compete at the Arnold Classic. Having stood on stage next to Walker, El Emam can now know what he’s going into this weekend. This is just one example of how he’s been mentally and physically preparing.
Mohamed El Emam has also changed up his coach. He’s now working with Milos Sarcev in order to push his training and diet tactics out of his comfort zone and up to new levels. During our conversation – El Emam goes into detail about specific muscle groups that he he has been targeting as well as an overall focus on improved conditioning. He’s saying all of the right things and has been doing everything within his power to improve from what we’ve seen earlier in the bodybuilding season.
Of course, by competing in so many shows earlier in the year – El Emam runs the risk of burning out and missing his physique timing on the Arnold Classic stage. That’s a risk he seems willing to take. El Emam has taken the safe path before. It’s led to slow but consistent progress. Now he wants to boost into champion status. That takes extra risk for the bigger reward. We can’t wait to see what he has in store this weekend.
You can watch Mohamed El Emam break down his full Arnold Classic 2021 prep in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Ryan Crowley Answers: Can Flex Lewis Match Up To The Size Of Men’s Open?
[embedded content]
Ryan Crowley shares his thoughts on Flex Lewis’ future in the Men’s Open division and going up against mass monsters like Big Ramy.
Flex Lewis announced in 2018 that he was going to retire from Men’s 212 and move into the Men’s Open division. Since then, we have sadly not seen him compete due to unforeseen circumstances. After over a year of training for the transition, he dropped out of the Olympia 2020 due to injury. He then dropped out of the Olympia this year due to focusing on starting his own gym and having another child. Needless to say – fans are on the edge of their seats waiting for his official reveal in Men’s Open when it finally happens. Until then, all we can do is speculate how he will match up to the larger size competitors. In our latest GI Exclusive, bodybuilder Ryan Crowley weighs in on how Flex Wheeler will compare in the Men’s Open division.
Ryan Crowley is an up and coming bodybuilder who made headlines this year due to a gruesome injury that went viral. Crowley tore his pec severely – which threatened his entire bodybuilding future. He is in recovery now and optimistic he will return better than ever – but it will take some time. We connected with Crowley via video chat this month to discuss his injury and also his thoughts on the latest trending topics in the sport.
In today’s segment, we asked Ryan Crowley to name his favorite bodybuilder physiques in the sport. There was no question – he placed Jay Cutler, Dallas McCarver, and Flex Lewis as his favorite bodybuilders. In fact, Flex Lewis specifically provided him much of his inspiration to become a competitive bodybuilder. Much like Crowley, Lewis is a UK bodybuilder – and Lewis’ enormous success in the Men’s 212 league is of create motivation for Crowley to follow in his footsteps.
Upon mentioning his admiration and respect for Flex Lewis, we ask Ryan Crowley for his thoughts on Lewis’ transition to the Men’s Open division. Does Crowley think Lewis can bring the same level of champion status to the Mr. Olympia proper? There’s no doubt that Lewis has one of the most finely crafted physiques in history – but can the size difference put him at a disadvantage.
Ryan Crowley struggles to answer this question. He respects Flex Lewis so much that he doesn’t want to cast negativity over his transition to Men’s Open. That being said, Crowley can’t help but wonder how the size change will effect Lewis’ chances. Even if Flex Lewis brought his best physique of his entire life – could it stand up to the pure mass of Big Ramy?
We make mention that Hadi Choopan made a similar transition from Men’s 212 to Men’s Open. While he hasn’t won the Mr. Olympia yet – he has placed in the top five both years upon competing in Men’s Open. It was a shocking success story – and one that could pave the way for Flex Lewis.
Ryan Crowley agrees – but also states that until we see Flex Lewis next to the other competitors at Mr. Olympia, it’s impossible to really know for sure. There are many factors at play. What will Lewis look like with added pounds on his frame? Will he lose the sharp conditioning that made his Men’s 212 reign so iconic? We can’t know these answers – and the extended delay before seeing Lewis compete only makes the tension stronger.
Ryan Crowley has the highest hopes for Flex Lewis to succeed – but the realist in him worries about the various factors that can be hurdles in Lewis’ first year in a new division. For now – only time will tell.
You can watch Ryan Crowley talk about Flex Lewis’ Men’s Open future in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
The Anabolic Doc Answers: Are There Comparable Safe Alternatives To Steroids?
[embedded content]
Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka The Anabolic Doc, breaks down safer alternatives to steroids.
Dr. Thomas O’Connor, also known as the Anabolic Doc, has dedicated his entire life to helping those affected by long term anabolic use. As a former strength athlete himself, he sympathizes with the plight of an athlete who has used steroids or other PEDs to become the best… and start seeing negative side affects down the road. But is it possible to a safer, healthier substance, and get the same results as steroids? In our latest GI Exclusive, the Anabolic Doc explains which substances are comparable to steroids but also safer.
With great risk comes great reward. That’s the key mentality behind steroid and PED use. The Anabolic Doc does admit that there is no drug quite like steroids when it comes to results. But the negative health effects in the long term are also very serious as well. So is there a middle ground? Can there be a safe substance that helps boost athletic performance and muscle growth?
The truth is – nothing will hit the same as steroids or perhaps SARMS. But both steroids and SARMS have dangerous long term health effects. You can’t get something for nothing. The great improvements these substances provide will come at a cost. There’s simply no way around that.
But the Anabolic Doc also wants to list off other athlete performance boosting substances that are effective. A sort of middle ground between the massive boost of PEDs vs nothing at all. These drugs will not bring you to mass monster levels – but will certainly boost your results. If you value your health – it might be the better path to take while readjusting expectations for your physique.
First off, the Anabolic Doc breaks down testosterone boosters. Perfectly legal and largely safe – these supplements can help boost performance and muscle growth. Admittedly, this will have the least effect. Creatine, on the other hand, is a very powerful supplement. It’s healthy and it does help give a noticeable boost to muscle growth.
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs), on the other hand, are an extremely powerful alternative to steroids. This is why they’ve caught on in popularity over the years. But much like steroids – they seem to have serious health effects in the long term. Even worse, since the drug is not regulated, you might not even be getting what you’re paying for.
There have been studies done into SARMS that show many products are not what they claim to be. More specifically, many SARM products are not SARMs at all. At that point – what are you putting into your body? And how will it effect your health? It’s a big risk – and one that makes this group of substances a very dangerous direction to take.
The Anabolic Doc even goes as far so to compare heavy steroid use to light steroid use – or “microdosing.” The doctor explains that even an athlete who uses small amounts of steroids will face long term health issues (if the drug is done consistently). There is no free lunch.
Ultimately, Dr. O’Connor is not going to tell an athlete not to use these substances. He simply wants to educate about what the real effects are so that an athlete can make an educated decision. And if the athlete needs medical help (such as TRT) down the road – Dr. O’Connor will be there to provide relief. No war on drugs has ever been effective. But education can be a powerful tool to prevent ignorant and accidental decisions.
You can watch The Anabolic Doc go into full detail about steroid alternatives in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
*DISCLAIMER: Generation Iron does not recommend or condone the use of steroids or other PEDs. The views and opinions expressed in this video are not that of Generation Iron.
Mike O’Hearn Returns Full Interview | Health & Bodybuilding, Macho Mentality, & More
That’s why in our follow up full length interview with Mike O’Hearn – we dig deep into the health side of bodybuilding. Is it possible to be a mass monster without taking health risks? Does the sport demand a base level of danger? O’Hearn has been dedicated to being all natural his entire career. He brings the kind of insight that’s rare in this industry.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with Mike O’Hearn. We are now releasing the full length interview including additional topics such as – how to be healthy in bodybuilding, the macho complex in lifting culture, and how having a baby changed O’Hearn’s bodybuilding lifestyle.
Listen To Our Mike O’Hearn Interview On The Generation Iron Podcast
Our full length interviews are now also in podcast form! Subscribe to the Generation Iron Podcast for candid, full length interviews with the biggest names in bodybuilding, fitness, combat, and strength sports.
Listen to the full Mike O’Hearn interview here:
Mike O’Hearn Answers: Is A Bodybuilding Lifestyle Bad For Your Heart & Blood Pressure?
Is that fully possible when carrying mass monster levels of muscle? We asked this question to Mike O’Hearn, specifically in regards to heart health and blood pressure. Vlad Yudin states that he had a conversation with a cardiologist claiming that heavy weightlifting and massive muscle is ultimately bad for your heart in the long term. The reasoning behind this is two fold. On one hand, you are still carrying a massive amount of weight on your body. This is harder for the heart to pump blood through. On the other hand, the heart can actually grow like a muscle. Heavy weightlifting can increase hearts size (this is ultimately a bad thing).
When asked about this, Mike O’Hearn had his own rebuttal. He recently visited a cardiologist for a routine check up. Not only is O’Hearn incredibly healthy for his age. He also discussed overall heart heath when it comes to heavy weightlifting. His conversation with a doctor revealed the opposite opinion. Lifting weights helps make the heart stronger. Mix that with a healthy diet and you avoid high blood pressure as well.
So what is the correct answer here? Two different doctors with two different opinions on bodybuilding and heart health. Mike O’Hearn chooses to then look at anecdotal evidence. O’Hearn looks back at pro bodybuilders from the golden era and what we know about their health now in their twilight years. According to O’Hearn, many of these older former bodybuilders are healthier and more able bodied than many people their age. This makes O’Hearn believe bodybuilding, when done correctly, is ultimately healthy for your heart.
Mike O’Hearn puts an important caveat on that statement. It’s very easy for a bodybuilder to abuse the techniques to make up an ultimately unhealthy lifestyle. Bodybuilders can eat crap to bulk up muscle. These “dirty” foods can lead to high blood pressure and ultimately heart problems. Heavy lifting can also go too far. Going hardcore each session in the short term does not look forward towards health in the long term.
O’Hearn also makes one more statement in regards to bodybuilding and heart health. Ultimately, there is a randomness to health as a whole. Some people smoke their whole lives but live to be 100. Some people are incredibly healthy-minded but die in their thirties. This doesn’t mean it’s not worth focusing on health – but it does mean that we shouldn’t accidentally assume coincidence is evidence of an actual statistical trend.
Mike O’Hearn: How Being Macho In Bodybuilding Can Backfire
Mike O’Hearn is an extremely focused and proactive person. It’s been well documented and discussed how seriously he takes his bodybuilding lifestyle in Generation Iron Natty 4 Life. He gets up at the crack of dawn to train every single morning. He never misses one day. On top of that, he’s stuck to an incredibly strict diet to obtain a physique that many think is impossible to build without steroids. O’Hearn has stayed consistent in his all natural claims. With the kind of intense routine he follows – he just might be one of the few to really pull that kind of natural physique off.
But behind all of that focus and strict routine – how does he deal with anxiety and depression? What does Mike O’Hearn do when life throws a tragic curveball? We asked this very question to O’Hearn during our latest interview.
Mike O’Hearn reflects back on two times in his life that were very painful. It was the moment his mother and father passed away. Both deaths occurred separate from each other. His father passed first. At the time, O’Hearn decided to push his emotions and grief down. He wanted to be strong and macho. The kind of strong man that mentally to mach his massive muscle.
It wasn’t until after Mike O’Hearn’s mother passed away that the pain and grief he was suppressing all poured out. Everything that he had avoided during his father’s death boiled up to the surface on top of his new grief upon his mother passing. O’Hearn spiraled into a depressed state. The only thing that brought consistency into his life was his ongoing training and nutrition schedule. It was the only thing he had control over.
Ultimately, Mike O’Hearn slowly recovered and pulled himself out of the hole. By facing his emotions and admitting to others that he was facing emotional struggles – he was able to finally face a series of grief that he had been avoiding for years.
Mike O’Hearn tops off the conversation with advice for others who are facing anxiety or depression. Speak out about it. Be open and don’t be afraid to reveal the pain you are going through. Whether that’s speaking to a family member, a friend, or getting professional help.
Many bodybuilders entered into the bodybuilding lifestyle because they wanted to be strong. Perhaps because they were bullied as a kid or simply unhappy with the way they looked. This creates a sort of macho mentality down the road. Bodybuilders will do anything possible to appear strong – not just physically but emotionally.
Mike O’Hearn wants the world to know that it’s okay to open up. That there is actual strength in admitting to grief or anxiety or depression. Instead of hiding behind muscle and a tough guy persona – be honest with not only yourself but also others. It will make you stronger in the end. It will also hopefully make you a happier and more fulfilled person in the big picture.
Wrap Up
Mike O’Hearn provides a unique insight into the world of natural bodybuilding – making this full conversation a must watch. There are far many more topics we discussed in our hour plus interview that could be vital for anyone looking for insight into optimizing bodybuilding training. So make sure to watch our latest full length GI Exclusive interview with Mike O’Hearn above!
Ryan Terry Answers: Is Men’s Physique Muscle Mass Getting Too Big?
[embedded content]
Ryan Terry reflects on the evolution of Men’s Physique since its inception and whether or not athletes are becoming too big.
Ryan Terry is a Men’s Physique competitor who has been competing for quite some time. So he’s been able to witness the evolution of physiques within the division throughout the past decade. If you were to look at Men’s Physique in 2013 and compare it today – the muscle mass on the athletes has grown significantly. It almost looks like a different division. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Ryan Terry weighs in on whether or not Men’s Physique muscle mass has gotten too big.
Whenever a new division is added into pro bodybuilding, there is a transition stage as the athletes and judges determine what the “perfect champion” looks like for the category. During this time, the sport evolves, the physiques change, and eventually the division settles into its own very unique look. During our recent interview with Ryan Terry, we asked him to look back at the inception of Men’s Physique and compare it to how physiques look today.
Ryan Terry admitted that the physiques are much larger than they used to be. He attributes this to athletes trying to continually push the envelope and one up each other. With each year, athletes will try to improve. How do they do that? By becoming more conditioned and building more mass to get a slight edge. It’s small – but over many years it slowly changed the division.
Ryan Terry actually thinks that the size has become so much larger – that it would be possible for a Classic Physique competitor to drop down into Men’s Physique if they don’t meet the height to weight requirements in Classic. This might not have happened, Terry admits, but the fact that it may be possible is worrying to him for the Men’s Physique division. Where is the line drawn? How much bigger will these athletes get?
Ultimately, Ryan Terry doesn’t have an answer. But he’s keenly aware of what is taking place and constantly trying to reevaluate his physique for success. He doesn’t want to become too large – but he wants to win. This is part of his challenge when going up against athletes like the current Olympia champion Brandon Hendrickson. Terry and Hendrickson’s physique are very structurally different. This poses a challenge for Terry – but he’s not worried. He keeps his eye on how the division is changing, how Hendrickson is changing, and is putting in steps to upgrade and become a champion himself.
You can watch Ryan Terry go into full detail about the growth of Men’s Physique and his tactic for taking on Brandon Hendrickson in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!