Tag: Bodybuilding
Top Benefits Of Vitamin D & Ways To Prevent Deficiencies
The benefits of vitamin D, especially in delaying frailty, are enough to want to keep you away from deficiencies and reach your optimal daily intake.
We’ve all heard of vitamin D. A necessary building block for growing and maintaining healthy bones, it is the primary reason calcium can be absorbed by your body. While it isn’t found in many foods, vitamin D is certainly in many great multivitamins to avoid any unwanted deficiencies. While we all reach for the stars when it comes to our strength and fitness goals, vitamin D is one of those essential nutrients that we should not, and cannot, go without.
While the benefits of vitamin D can be great for a variety of daily bodily functions, one in particular has raised eyebrows as to the actual effectiveness of vitamin D. Studies have shown that a raised vitamin D intake can potentially delay the effects of frailty. Frailty strikes as we get older and older, but tackling this now before it has time to make your bones and joints its home can prove to be worthwhile in the long run.
Let’s dive into the “sunshine vitamin” and see just how vitamin D can benefit you when properly dosed and taken daily. As we all look to better ourselves and our overall health and fitness, these often neglected essential nutrients can be game changers when it comes to our supplementation routine.
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is produced when sunlight hits your skin and triggers vitamin D synthesis. This is where it gets its nickname as the “sunshine vitamin”. Able to be obtained from sun exposure, foods, and supplements, vitamin D can be an easy to get and worthwhile essential nutrient to receive. As a necessary builder and maintainer of healthy bones, it is important to have for its ability to allow calcium to be absorbed by your body. Since calcium is the main component of strong bones, having enough vitamin D is crucial (1).
Where people run into trouble with vitamin D and a deficiency with it is during different times of the year, especially if not exposed to enough sunlight. Depending on where you live, this can seriously affect your ability to properly obtain enough vitamin D for your body. Not enough sun or eating the wrong foods can severely limit the amount of vitamin D you have leading to an unwanted deficiency.
Benefits Of Vitamin D
Strengthens Bones & Muscles
Promoting the absorption of calcium, vitamin D allows for normal mineralization of your bones in order to prevent them from growing weak and brittle (2). Simply put, calcium can’t do its job without vitamin D. Through stronger bones, this influences your ability to strengthen your muscles to lift more and offer better stabilization in athletes, and prevent falls and unwanted pain as we age.
Support Immunity & Fight Inflammation
With properties to fight off bacteria and other unwanted viruses, vitamin D can lead to better immune health to keep you as healthy as possible, especially moving into these colder months. Vitamin D also helps activate your T cells which are vital for detecting and destroying any foreign pathogens that can strike and hurt your immune system (3). With a healthier immune system, your body is able to fight off inflammation and help regulate parts of your body to do so.
Suppress Appetite & Promote Weight Loss
Due to an appetite suppressing effect, vitamin D can aid in weight loss by curbing any unwanted cravings and snacking leading to a better chance at weight loss (4). By decreasing body fat and working to change your body composition, you are able to see that desired physique unfold.
Effects On Delaying Frailty
As we age, our risk of growing frail increases. That is just the natural process of aging. Frailty is defined by certain things like unexpected weight loss, weaker grip strength, lower levels of physical activity, and moving slower than we used to. But studies have shown that vitamin D can delay the effects of frailty especially as we age (5). By working to strengthen our bones and muscles, as well as aid in immune support and inflammation, this essential nutrient can work wonders for us when it comes to keeping us moving efficiently and seeing great gains inside and out of the gym.
Causes Of Vitamin D Deficiency
One of the main causes of a vitamin D deficiency is a lack of exposure to sunlight. As colder months move in and we are kept inside more and more, our ability to go outside and bask in the sunlight slowly starts to diminish. If we don’t get enough vitamin D from food, then we really start to hurt our daily intake. Taking a really great multivitamin supplement and working to incorporate more vitamin D rich foods in our diet can help with this greatly so we don’t suffer from any unwanted deficiency.
Ideal Vitamin D Intake & Sources
In order to avoid a vitamin D deficiency, it is important to meet our daily intake of vitamin D. For people aged 19-70, getting around 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D is sufficient. For those ages 70 and up, it rises to around 800 IU a day (6). The conversion of international units to milligrams is 0.015mg for 600 IU and 0.019mg for 800 IU.
While a multivitamin supplement is always good to have in your dietary regimen, receiving all vital nutrients from whole foods is always preferred. Some good food sources packed with vitamin D include:
Salmon & other fatty fish
Egg yolks
Mushrooms
Fortified foods (cow’s milk & soy milk, orange juice, oatmeal)
Swiss cheese
Wrap Up
Vitamin D is more than just a daily vitamin. It is essential for our overall growth in terms of bone strength and development, fighting off inflammation and promoting immune health, and aiding in weight loss. While it may seem easy to get vitamin D into our bodies, it’s more challenging than we may think. Taking a multivitamin, seeking it from whole foods, and working on getting more sunlight are all ways to obtain this without forming a deficiency. As we age, our risk of growing more frail increases, but studies are promising as to the effects vitamin D has on that as well. Work to get vitamin D into your nutrition regimen and really see these benefits boost your training and overall health to new heights.
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
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. “Vitamin D”. (source)
Burt, Lauren A.; Bilington, Emma O.; Rose, Marianne S.; Raymond, Duncan A.; Hanley, David A.; Boyd, Steven K. (2019). “Effect of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation on Volumetric Bone Density and Bone Strength: A Randomized Clinical Trial”. (source)
Aranow, Cynthia (2011). “Vitamin D and the immune system”. (source)
Thomson, Rebecca L. (2014). “The Impact of Vitamin D on Weight Loss”. (source)
Halfon, Matthieu; Phan, Olivier; Teta, Daniel (2015). “Vitamin D: A Review on Its Effects on Muscle Strength the Risk of Fall, and Frailty”. (source)
Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (2010). “Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D”. (source)
IFBB Mile High Pro 2021 Results
Full results for the IFBB Mile High Pro 2021.
Saturday, June 5th, held the IFBB Mile High Pro 2021. The event took place in Denver, Colorado at the Denver Airport Convention Center. In the highlight category of the night, BLANK won the Men’s Physique division. Read on for a full breakdown of the Mile High Pro 2021 results.
The Mile High Pro 2021 featured three divisions in competition including Men’s Physique, Bikini, and Men’s Physique Masters. While the first place winner does not receive automatic qualification for the Olympia, the top three earn points towards overall qualification.
The full results have now been announced. Check out our full breakdown of the Mile High Pro 2021 results below.
Mile High Pro 2021: All Division Winners
A quick breakdown of the winners in each division from the Miami Muscle Beach Pro 2021. The top three placing winners earn points towards qualifying or the Olympia 2021 weekend.
Men’s Physique: Jahvair Mullings
Bikini: Ashley Kaltwasser
Men’s Physique Masters: Napoleon Amos
IFBB Mile High Pro 2021 Breakdown:
Men’s Physique Results
First Place – Jahvair Mullings
Second Place – Joseph Lee
Third Place – Corey Morris
Fourth Place – Ismael Dominguez
Fifth Place – Jonathan Jimenez
Bikini Results
First Place – Ashley Kaltwasser
Second Place – Cory Hageman
Third Place – Jimi Marley
Fourth Place – Shelby Pierce
Fifth Place – Eli Fernandez
Men’s Physique Masters Results
First Place – Napoleon Amos
Second Place – Dani Dal
Third Place – Jermaine Jenkins
Fourth Place – Terrell Robertson
Fifth Place – Joshua Ohashi
Mile High Pro 2021 Official Scorecards
Make sure to check out our full IFBB Pro results page from this year and previous years right here to catch up on any action you may have missed!
The GI Team is here to provide top news and original content for the new generation. The generation of bodybuilders who are pushing the sport to bigger and better places. Join The Movement. Become a part of Generation Iron!
IFBB Miami Muscle Beach Pro 2021 Results
The GI Team is here to provide top news and original content for the new generation. The generation of bodybuilders who are pushing the sport to bigger and better places. Join The Movement. Become a part of Generation Iron!
Can You Handle The Wrath Of Frank McGrath’s Workout?
The Wrath of McGrath.
Bodybuilding is all about sacrifice. If you intend on being a pro bodybuilder it means time away from your family and friends, having a strict diet and training method. Essentially what you give to the sport will be what you get out of it. You have to want it bad enough to put up with the suffering that you must endure to see meaningful progress. Everyone has to endure trials and tribulations, but no matter what issues you are faced with it must not push you off the track to greatness. Each workout must be daring and push you not just to the limit but past it.
Frank “The Wrath” McGrath is a true inspiration for any athlete to admire. He’s a man who trains hard in the gym and gives his all in his endeavor to becoming a renowned pro bodybuilder. The Canadian IFBB Pro has faced his fair share of adversity during his career. Not only has he suffered numerous training injuries, including a torn triceps muscle, but McGrath was also involved in a car accident that left him severely injured.
Few men could come back from such a situation and still have the drive to push themselves hard in the gym. But The Wrath only used his dire situation as motivation to get back into pro shape. He didn’t let his injuries hold him back, instead choosing to push himself past his limits and attain an even more impressive form than ever before.
Looking at his training regimen it’s no secret as to why he was able to fight through the pain and anguish he endured to get himself back into exceptional shape. His tough training likely gave him the mental strength to come back from injury and make a return to form. Take a look at the proud Canadian’s training program that made him into the massive, vascular beast that he is today.
Day 1: Chest
Incline Barbell Press
4 sets x 12-6 reps
Flat Dumbbell Press
4 sets x 12-8 reps
Incline Dumbbell Flyes
3 sets x 12-8 reps
Dumbbell Pullovers
3 sets x 12-10 reps
Cable Crossovers
4 sets x 15-12 reps
Day 2: Back
Wide Grips Chins
4 sets x 10 reps
Barbell Rows
4 sets x 12-6 reps
T-Bar Rows
4 sets x 12-8 reps
Underhand Grip Pulldowns
3 sets x 12-10 reps
Day 3: Off
Day 4: Legs
Leg Extensions
4 sets x 20 reps (warm-up)
Leg Press
4 sets x 20-12 reps
Hack Squats
4 sets x 15-10 reps
Lunges
3 sets x 15-12 reps
Stiff-legged Deadlifts
4 sets x 12-8 reps
Lying Leg Curls
4 sets x 15-10 reps
Day 5: Delts
Barbell Military Press
4 sets x 12-6 reps
Seated Side DB Lateral Raises
4 sets x 12-8 reps
Bent Rear Delt Lateral Raises
4 sets x 12-10 reps
Hammer Strength Machine Press
3 sets x 12-10 reps
DB Shrugs
4 sets x 12-8 reps
Day 6: Arms
Barbell Curls
4 sets x 12-6 reps
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
4 sets x 12-8 reps
Preacher Machine Curls
4 sets x 15-10 reps
Close Grip Bench Press
4 sets x 15-8 reps
Skullcrushers
4 sets x 12-8 reps
Pushdowns
4 sets x 15-10 reps
Day 7: Off
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, one of the most important things a person can do to prevent plateaus is mix up the variations in their workout. While consistency is important, repeating the same exact workout for months or even years at a time will start to cause frustration when you start seeing less and less results.
This breakdown of Frank McGrath’s workout might be just the shot in the arm you need to start mixing things up, pushing you past your perceived limits, and into a new level of growth and strength.
Does your training program look anything like Frank McGrath’s? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
The Pros and Cons of the Push, Pull, Legs Training Split
The pros and cons of push, pull, legs.
Everyone is looking for the perfect training split that will completely revolutionize their gains and bring about the best results. For each individual the results will vary, but realistically there’s no wrong way to split your training. Most training splits are designed based on the individuals ability to train on a consistent basis.
Some people love total body training, especially if they’re strapped for time. Some individuals enjoy breaking up their training on two specific body parts per training session. Really, it’s all subjective and a matter of preference.
That said, each training split has its own benefits and drawbacks. For instance, a popular training split like push, pull, legs is one that many athletes conform to. While there may be some great benefits to this training method, there are also some drawbacks to look out for in order to get the most out your training.
Pro
One great thing about the push, pull, legs program is the emphasis on training specific muscle groups. Push days consist of training all the pushing muscles including the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Pull focuses on biceps, back and is usually paired with ab work as well. Leg day consists of training the collective lower half.
This kind of split allows for some very specific focus and in turn some great recovery time for every targeted muscle group. Because you’ll be working antagonist muscles every other day, it allows the muscles from the previous day to get some adequate rest and recovery, a major key to building quality muscle.
Con
Sounds great right? What could be the down side to training in this manner? Well, while the split still allows you to train the entire body, depending on the intensity of your training session and your lacking body parts, the split may not attack your weak points nearly as much as they should in order to allow them to improve.
For example. If you have lacking in the leg department, most of the split is focused on the upper body. The two days spent training the upper body is necessary to overall growth, but with one day to focus on your lagging legs, it can throw everything off. The split would require modification in order to give your weak points the attention that they need.
This can be compounded if your weaknesses are in multiple areas including the legs, biceps, back and triceps for example. That means additional time would be needed to be put on each aspect of the split. If the split isn’t handled properly you could easily burn yourself out, leaving little time for recovery.
Every training split is going to have its pros and cons. That’s not to say you shouldn’t be using the push, pull, legs program. It’s obvious that the training split has offered great success to many athletes, so it’s definitely something to be experiment with.
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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
The Ultimate Workout To Build Ripped Hamstrings
Build Jacked Hamstrings With This Workout
Want to know what ripped hamstrings look like? Imagine a few steel chains running under the paper thin skin at the back of your legs. These chains are what are used to lower and raise your torso when you bend forward to touch your toes or in exercises like the deadlifts.
Hamstrings can be a stubborn muscle group to develop. It’s hard to establish a mind-muscle connection with the hamstrings as they’re at the back of your legs and you can’t look at them in the mirror while training.
Lying Leg Curls – 4 Sets 15 Reps
You’ll be performing a combination of isolation and compound exercises in this workout to smoke your hams. The compound lifts help in building strength and size of the muscle and the isolation movements improve the conditioning.
You’ll start off with the lying leg curls (an isolation exercise) to activate and engage your hams. The concentric (upward) movement should be explosive, and the eccentric should be slow and controlled.
Sumo Squats – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps
The sumo squats target the hamstring and abductors primarily. Stand with your feet placed more than shoulder-width apart and point your toes outwards. You should go as deep as possible without leaning forward to target your hamstrings optimally.
If you have trouble performing the barbell sumo squats, you can use a dumbbell. Stand on an elevated platform (like aerobic steps) and take the same stance as you would during the barbell squats.
Hold a dumbbell with both your hands while your arms are fully extended towards and perpendicular to the floor. Your arms will remain in the same position throughout the exercise.
Dumbbell Deadlifts – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps
Remember the steel chain reference at the beginning of the article? You need to bring it in practice in the dumbbell deadlifts. Place your toes on quarter plates to better isolate and recruit your hamstrings.
Maintain a slight bend in your knees and lower your torso by bending at your hips while pushing them back and focusing on your hamstrings. Keep your back arched and go as low as you can without recruiting your lower back.
Supersets
Standing Hamstrings Curls – 3 Sets 20-15-12 Reps
Standing hamstrings curls are an isometric exercise which helps in building conditioning and fixing any muscle imbalances. If you don’t have access to a standing hamstring curl machine, you can use a leg extension machine.
GHD Hyperextensions – 3 Sets 10 Reps
Superset the standing hamstrings curls with the GHD hyperextensions. The GHD hyperextensions were brought into the mainstream by CrossFit athletes and are an incredibly effective exercise to annihilate your hamstrings.
Barbell Hip Thrusts – 3 Sets 12-10-8 Reps
Barbell hip thrusts are one of the most underutilized exercises when it comes to hamstring training. Although the hip thrusts can help you in building meaty hams, you should avoid them if you have an impending lower back injury.
Place your upper back on a flat bench while you have a barbell placed across your groin. Use padding around the barbell to avoid it from digging in when you thrust. Hold and contract your hams at the top of the movement for a couple of seconds before returning to the starting position.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
Do you train your hamstrings and quads on the same day? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 1: Dirty Bulking, Guy Flips Out, & Fasting Sucks
Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss health in bodybuilding and how to build muscle without getting fat.
Welcome to Talking Huge – a new weekly digital series in which Craig Golias talks in-depth with Vlad Yudin on the latest trending topics in bodybuilding. Raw, honest, and uncut – Craig Golias shares his opinions on all things bodybuilding. In our premiere episode, Craig and Vlad discuss Guy Cisternino’s angry gym outburst, dirty bulking vs clean bulking, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle as a mass monster bodybuilder.
Craig Golias only has one goal in life, to be as huge as possible. His obsession with being huge has made him a popular figure in the world of bodybuilding. Not only that, but it earned him a featured spot in our recent film Bigorexia – exploring the mindset of those who never feel big no matter how large they become.
But what is refreshing about Craig Golias is that he’s honest about his journey towards getting huge. He no longer competes in pro bodybuilding and is open to discussing more taboo topics about the sport. He’s also very open about the realities of his massive size when it comes to health and fitness.
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Watch the first episode of Talking Huge with Craig Golias above!
How To Be Healthy In Bodybuilding When Weighing Over 300 Pounds
Craig Golias is a true mass monster and aims to hover at around 300 pounds. With that amount of weight being carried on his body – does he fear long term health ramifications down the road? This is something that originally didn’t concern Craig, but as he’s gotten older, he has become more responsible in managing his health.
He visits a doctor regularly for bloodwork and an overview of his health. He recommends that any bodybuilder putting on large amounts of mass do the same. He’s focusing on taking care of his liver with medication – but beyond that he’s maintained a healthy lifestyle. This is largely due to him changing his habits after consulting a doctor more regularly.
He is honest about one painful detail. No matter what, when a person is carrying 300 pounds of weight – it’s a strain on the heart. Whether it’s fat or muscle – the human body is not meant to be so large. This is part of the reason why Craig takes going to the doctor regularly seriously. He knows it’s a risk. So being proactive with doctor visits can help in the long run.
How To Build Muscle Without Gaining Fat
Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin also discuss bulking. How does one build massive amounts of muscle like Craig without earning fat. The key is to make sure you do a clean bulk. The kinds of food you eat will effect how you gain wait. Yes, a bodybuilder needs to consume a massive amount of calories to build muscle. If you eat lean clean foods, that will turn into more muscle and less fat. If you’re stuffing your face with dirty foods – this will turn into muscle along side the fat.
Craig Golias also shares some stories of some of the worst dirty bulks he has ever seen in bodybuilding. He’s seen bodybuilders bulk so dirty that their waist goes up to 40 inches or more.
Guy Cisternino’s Gym Outburst
Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin also touch base on the viral video of Guy Cisternino. The video blew up and made headlines in May 2021. We also interviewed Cisternino about it to get his take on the whole situation. Ultimately, Cisternino admits he overreacted – but also believes that context matters.
Craig Golias agrees with this sentiment. Pro bodybuilders are in the zone when they are training in the gym. It’s their job. It’s not just a hobby like it is for most gym patrons. While Craig believes that positivity is always the better option – sometimes people overreact. This is especially true when a bodybuilder is training seriously in the gym.
Ultimately, it seems as if both parties overreacted. The younger men filming in the gym were being disrespectful and defensive. After Guy Cisternino asked for them to give him space politely – they got even more defensive. This caused Cisternino to go off the handle. It’s an unfortunate situation but not a damning one. The video itself removed context and led to some false conclusions. Sadly, that’s simply the nature of the internet attention span.
Wrap Up
You can watch Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss bulking, health in bodybuilding, and the entire Guy Cisternino viral video in our premiere episode of Talking Huge above. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
Milos Sarcev Full Interview | Steroids, Insulin, & PEDs In Bodybuilding
Watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Milos Sarcev.
Milos Sarcev is a former competitive bodybuilder turned coach who has had significant sway in the industry over the past few decades. He has been open about steroid use in the sport (even calling it healthy). He was also the first big proponent of insulin use in bodybuilding. This arguably was responsible for a massive shift in the sport – making the drug more commonly used in the industry.
That’s why we connected with Milos Sarcev for a long form interview to discuss in-depth all things bodybuilding including his controversial views on steroids, insulin, and synthol. Typical to Milos, he holds nothing back and gives his full in-depth opinion.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with Milos Sarcev. Now we’re releasing the full length interview including topics such as whether or not steroids are healthy, the proper use of insulin in bodybuilding, and the moment he almost died from using synthol.
Listen To Our Milos Sarcev 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 Milos Sarcev interview here:
Milos Sarcev: “Steroids Are Healthy For Bodybuilders”
When asked about the health of bodybuilders and their ability to recover from illness – Milos Sarcev jumped straight into the conversation about steroid use. He explains that steroids are used, when prescribed, for an amazing amount of things that help people become more healthy. Help them recover after major accidents. Help them maintain testosterone levels when they drop as they get older. They are used to help fight certain infections and illnesses. So Milos argues – why are steroids being called unhealthy when used for sports?
Milos goes on to argue that the side effects listed for a wide variety of other drugs available at pharmacies match if not exceed the kind of risks steroids might bring. But for some reason steroids are villainized. Athletes who use them are seen as druggies or dope fiends. Milos Sarcev finds this reputation unfounded. He thinks that bodybuilders and athletes who use steroids are likely healthier than most people.
Of course, Milos does concede that overuse can be dangerous. But this is true of any drug. It can be true of headache medication you get over the counter. And that’s part of the problem. By regulating and banning steroid use in sports – it makes information harder to find. It makes young athletes use these PEDs incorrectly and risk their health. If it was allowed for open use – athletes would be even healthier. There would be no increase in deaths or serious health issues.
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Check out the full uncut GI Exclusive with Milos Sarcev above!
Insulin Isn’t Dangerous, Uninformed People Are Dangerous
Milos Sarcev claims to be the man who brought insulin into the sport of bodybuilding. And he still stands by its use today. He believes it is a vital part of evolving the sport and allowing athletes to push the bar to the next level. In regards to health, he thinks the drug isn’t dangerous so long as the person using it is informed and educated about its use.
We’ve interviewed other coaches and gurus who disagree with Milos’ sentiments. In our previous conversation with George Farah – he admits that he regrets jumping on the insulin bandwagon when it was first introduced. Now looking back, Farah believes that insulin shouldn’t be used at all by bodybuilders.
Of course, it must be made clear that the way insulin is being used by bodybuilders is not how it was intended to be utilized. Insulin as a drug has very specific uses that can be prescribed by a doctor. Becoming a mass monster bodybuilder is not one of them.
Milos Sarcev couldn’t care less about what doctors believe. Milos used insulin throughout majority of his competitive career. He’s suggested it to many athletes as well. He understands that doctors must lean on the safe side when condoning or endorsing drugs for casual use. But Milos believes the reality is that it makes perfect scientific sense for a bodybuilder to use the drug. But like with any drug, it must be used correctly.
Wrap Up
Our conversation with Milos Sarcev covered far more topics than could be discussed in this article. We also discuss the dangers of diuretics, his near death experience with synthol, and the topic of bodybuilding gurus. You can watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Milos above!
Kai Greene’s Top 10 Training Tips
Kai Greene Workout Special – GET BIG!
Training for bodybuilding means having patience, dedication, and a true desire to want to change your physical form. That also means having a strong mental gain to go along with your physical prowess. The mental game is what sets an amateur apart from a pro. It many fields, athletic or otherwise, the mental game can be the absolute key to either victory or defeat. No one knows this better than Kai Greene.
But not everyone is going to have a powerful metal game right out of the gate. For many people it’s not as simple as waking up one morning with an epiphany. Sometimes it takes the wisdom of a mentor, the ideologies of a seasoned veteran to bolster your confidence and boost not only your mental game, but offer adequate knowledge to the mechanics of your physical game as well.
Well if you’re an avid bodybuilding fan then you should already know the name Kai Greene. The talented bodybuilder has a wealth of knowledge that few athletes possess and now he’s willing to share it to the masses in the hopes that it will improve everyone’s bodybuilding approach.
Kai Greene’s Current Stats
Nickname: The Predator, Mr. Getting It Done
Division: Men’s Open (currently not competing)
Birth date: 7/12/1975
Height: 5’8″
Competition Weight: 248 lbs
#1. First Things First – Mind Muscle Connection
The number one factor in training is the mind-muscle connection. Practicing your poses between sets will eventually have your mind and muscles speaking the same language. Kai used to do pushups everyday until he reached 100 a day. This method really helped him to connect his mind with the pecs because of the continuous resistance he put on the muscle group day in and day out.
The iso-tension effect of flexing the muscles between sets can help to hit the muscle fibers that a set may miss. This can help to target those muscle fibers in the next set. Posing isn’t just something you do on a stage in front of an audience. It should be part of your bodybuilding program in order to really hit all areas of a given muscle group.
#2. Reps, Reps, Reps
In regards to reps, Kai rarely goes under 10 and may do more than 20 depending on how he’s feeling on that particular day. Kai never tries to limit himself as far as rep ranges are concerned. Like mentioned before, he prefers to go by feel and let his muscles determine how many reps they can handle. Sometimes letting the muscles call the shots rather than the mind can yield even further growth as the muscles can take even more punishment than your mind can imagine.
#3. No Half Assing
Speaking of reps, when it comes to contracting and stretching the muscles, Kai avoids half reps. Rather than focus on getting the weight up it’s all about getting that perfect stretch at the bottom of the lift while getting the best contraction possible at the top of the lift. Stretch, hold, and squeeze. There might be an allure to hitting that higher weight – but you’re cheating yourself out of real hypertrophy.
#4. The Cure For Lagging Calves
Where training calves are concerned, Kai alternates his heels either in or out during calf raises as a means of attacking both the inner and outer parts of the calves. Rather than doing separate sets, Kai pauses during the set and changes the position rather than rest. He will alternate this position with pauses each time as a means to really thrash every part of the calf.
#5. Search Your Feelings
If you want to be able to really hit a muscle correctly then you have to go by feel. As Kai puts it, the weight is simply the tool that you utilize. Focusing on lifting the weight itself makes no sense. Just like it was stated before – you should be focusing entirely on the muscle being hit. Don’t focus on the weight! It’s important to know your body. To understand it. This is essential if you want to reach real size on a pro level.
6. It’s all about hypertrophy – not amount of weight.
It’s not about lifting more weight. It’s about bodybuilding not weightlifting. Bodybuilding is more concerned with contracting the muscles against consistently greater amounts of resistance to achieve hypertrophy. The number of weight is not important. The contraction and hypertrophy is. If you have to drop the weight to make better movements, so be it.
7. Warm ups are key.
A great, high paced warm up before hitting your chosen body part will help to give you great conditioning, to maintain lower body fat throughout the year and also helps with recovery time in between sets. This is an essential component to Kai’s workout regimen. The body will get used to this pace and help keep the body firing on all cylinders.
8. We know you hate running but…
Cardiovascular training should be maintained all year around in order to maintain a leaner physique throughout the year. It will also help the body operate efficiently under oxygen deficiency. Shorter rest periods will also help to improve the body’s functionality and conditioning through a hard workout.
9. Leg day, all day.
For Kai Greene – if he’s training his legs that’s the only muscle group he focuses on for the day. Why? Because he can’t physically muster up the power train anything else. That’s the key tip here: when you train your legs you should be putting them through so much hell that you can’t do anything else. Kai Greene has some of the best legs in the IFBB because in between exercises he is dead on the floor. A full blast of intensity from start to finish.
10. It’s all on you.
You’re responsible for your own success. You can’t allow yourself to rely on anyone or anything else to build your success. It’s the willingness to sacrifice and to motivate yourself that will lead you to the body that you seek. Many people focus on end results, but the real goal is to motivate yourself day in and day out to get into the gym and get to work. There’s no coach, no training partner, no well wisher that’s going to push you to train. It has to be on you and the passion you have for building what you perceive as the ultimate physical form.
Here below is a more detailed breakdown on his workouts, diet and supplementation.
On Monday’s, it’s Chest and Calves
Kai Greene performs 6 exercises in one day, for a total of 3 to 4 sets and 15 reps. He also adds calves into this routine with each exercise being performed for a minimum of 4 sets and 10-15 reps.
1. Full Bench Press (3 sets, 12 reps)
2. Dumbbell Fly (3 sets, 12-15 reps)
3. Arm Pullover (3 sets, 15 reps)
4. Decline Bench Press (3 sets, 15 reps)
5. Seated Calf Raise (4 sets, 15 reps)
6. Standing Calf Raise (4 sets, 15 reps)
On Tuesday’s, it’s Shoulders and Forearms
On Tuesday, Kai focuses on his shoulders and forearms workout routine. There are 8 exercises within Greene’s shoulders and forearms routine.
1. Arnold Press (3 sets, 10-12 reps)
2. Lateral Raise (3 sets, 10-12 reps)
3. Neck Press (3 sets, 10-12 reps)
4. Dumbbell Front Raise (3 sets, 10-12 reps)
5. Shrugs (3 sets, 15 reps)
6. Reverse Curls (3 sets, 8-12 reps)
8. Hammer Curls (3 sets, 13-15 reps)
On Wednesday’s, it’s Back day
Kai performs a back routine that focuses on 4 exercises. Every set is around 12-15 reps.
Lats Pulldown (3 sets, 12-15 reps)
2. Barbell Pullover (3 sets, 12-15 reps)
3. Seated Cable Rows (3 sets, 12-15 reps)
4. Bent-Over Barbell Rows (3 sets, 12-15 reps)
On Thursday, it’s Leg day
Kai Greene performs his bodybuilding leg routine for 6 exercises. Each exercise is performed for 3 to 4 sets and 10-15 reps.
1. Squats (3 sets, 10-12 reps)
2. Lying Leg Curls (3 sets, 10-12 reps)
3. Deadlifts (3 sets, 10-12 reps)
4. Lunges (3 sets, 10-15 reps)
5. Seated Calf Raise (4 sets, 10-15 reps)
6. Standing Calf Raise (4 sets, 10-15 reps)
On Friday, it’s Arm day
On Friday, Greene performs an arms workout routine by doing 6 different exercises varying between 10-15 reps.
Hammer Curls (4 sets, 12-15 reps)
2. Reverse Curls (4 sets, 12-15 reps)
3. Preacher Curls (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
4. Bicep Curls (4 sets, 10-12 reps)
5. Dumbbell Kickbacks (3 sets, 12-15 reps)
6. Triceps Pulldown (3 sets, 12-15 reps)
Saturday is cardio day
On Saturday, Greene performs an hour long cardio session on the stair master.
Kai Greene Diet
Kai Greene follows a strict bodybuilding diet that on and off season that comprises of 1.8 grams of protein for each pound of his body mass and 0.5 grams of healthy fats per pound of body weight. He takes his pre-workout at least thirty minutes before starting the workout. And he finishes off his workouts with a protein shake.
Here is Kai Greene’s diet:
Meal 1
6 ounces of grilled chicken
6 egg whites
¼ shredded cheddar cheese
Meal 2
2 scoops of Chocolate Protein Powder
2 cups of Almond Milk
Meal 3
6 ounces of grilled steak
1 teaspoon Flaxseed Oil
2 cups of Brown Rice
Meal 4
6 ounces of boneless Chicken Breast
4 stalks of Asparagus
1/3 cup of quinoa
Meal 5
7-ounces of Wild Salmon
2 medium-sized yams
5 ounces of baked potato
Suppplements
Kai Greene strictly uses the following supplements to help propel his gains:
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Avoid These Training Mistakes To Get The Most Out of Your Workouts
The Mistakes To Avoid In Your Workouts
As much as you would like to have perfect workouts, small mistakes can deprive you of that happiness, especially if you’re a beginner. Most people make the mistakes listed in the article and by doing so leave gains on the table.
Read the article and carefully critique yourself if you’re making the mentioned errors. You might be making the mistakes without realizing it. You’ll notice a substantial improvement in your physique over time by fixing these errors.
Quantity Over Quality
Some people make the mistake of lifting too heavy when they should be focusing on their form. Your muscles don’t know how much weight is on the bar, your ego does. Leave your ego on the door when you enter the gym. Ego lifting does nothing more than increase the chances of injury in the gym.
Focus on your form and contracting your muscles with every repetition. You should also have a strong mind-muscle connection during your workouts. Achieving a pump can be a good indicator if your mind-muscle connection and muscle contractions are on point.
Letting The Intensity Drop
Many people let all their hard work go in vain by letting the intensity drop after they are done with a set. If your goal is to lose weight or build muscle mass, you should keep the intensity of your workouts as high as possible.
Give yourself a deadline and complete the workout within the specified time. Don’t waste the time between sets by using your phone or talking to people. Use the rest time to pose and stretch out the muscle.
Unstructured Training
Some people follow a vanilla training program which isn’t designed for their body. Your workout program should cater to your strengths and weaknesses. You should focus on building up your weaknesses while polishing your strengths to build a symmetrical physique.
Thoroughly analyze your body and look for lagging muscle groups. Design your training so it follows a structured approach to all your muscle groups. You’ll see your weaknesses disappear and aesthetics improve as you follow a customized training plan.
No Warm-Ups Or Cool-Downs
Many people start working out as soon as they hit the gym and walk out right after their last exercise. You are leaving gains on the table by not giving your body the proper warm-up and cool-down.
Prime your muscles for your workout session by stretching them out and doing a couple of lightweight warm-ups. Your muscles are filled with lactic acid and many other toxins after a workout and you can flush them out with a cardio session or foam rolling.
No Tracking
It’s incredibly important to set goals before you start training. Starting training without a goal is like leaving your home without a pre-determined destination. Once you have a goal, write it down on paper and track your progress weekly to ensure you’re heading in the right direction.
Track your body measurements, workouts, and how much weight you use on certain exercises. If you’re improving in all the aspects, keep going or otherwise make the necessary adjustments.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
Are you making any of these mistakes? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.