Tag: Bodybuilding
Larry Wheels Hospitalized With Rhabdomyolysis
Larry Wheels has been going through a lot lately, focusing on developing his strength, building an incredible physique, and as of recently, launching his first public gym. Unfortunately, all the time Larry invested in his gym, aiming to better himself, led to a significant setback. In fact, it was even something that could develop into a fatal hazard. On July 25th, Larry shared a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed, with IV’s connected to his veins. Furthermore, in the post’s caption, Larry disclosed that he has been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that has been fatal in some cases.
“I fked around and got Rhabdo. light headed af”
Rhabdomyolysis is most often caused by overtraining, and its symptoms are similar to muscle inflammation, but often develop into much more severe pains. Basically, when a person suffers from rhabdomyolysis, their injured muscles can break down, releasing the Myoglobin protein into the bloodstream.
In turn, Myoglobin can damage the kidneys, affecting their work rate or potentially even causing kidney failure. In the worst cases, rhabdomyolysis has even caused the deaths of people who had it.
The symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include weakness, muscle pain, darkening of the urine, and lightheadedness. However, rhabdo is curable, so Larry Wheels should be back to his best after some treatments.
Related: Larry Wheels Cranks Out 405 Lbs Bench Press In A Joint Training Session With Stefi Cohen
Interestingly, rhabdo is a fairly rare disease, as approximately 26,000 cases are reported in the USA each year. So, it is something that should be paid attention to, but not overly scared of it.
CrossFit and UFC athletes are some of the most frequent people who get rhabdo due to their highly-intense training sessions. So, as a result of his intense gym efforts, Larry Wheels ended up with rhabdomyolysis. However, it does not come as a huge surprise, since he has been going all out in preparation for his Classic Bodybuilding debut. He recently revealed what exactly attracted him to this division of bodybuilding as well.
In preparation for his Classic Bodybuilding debut, Larry Wheels partnered up with William Bonac in order to get some posing tips. Larry then also revealed that his coach assured him that nothing apart from TRT would be needed for him to be competitive in the Classic Bodybuilding division. This seemed to be correct, as Larry’s physique looked incredible in every update that he shared.
It is a known fact by now that Larry Wheels has stopped using PEDs and Steroids. However, since then, he has looked like a brand new person. He began looking younger and healthier, while also slimming down to an incredibly shredded physique. His strength has also been impressive, as Larry tested his limits in a powerlifting mock meet.
The fact that he is enjoying his current fitness journey makes it obvious that he will continue to enjoy it after he recovers from rhabdomyolysis.
Related: Larry Wheels Sporting Crazy Bicep Peak in Classic Physique Posing Before Big Debut
It is currently not clear how rhabdomyolysis will affect Larry Wheels’ plans moving forward, but he will most likely provide a detailed update when he is back to full health. Until then, we wish Larry a quick recovery from the unfortunate situation that he has found himself in.
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 10:37 AM EDT
Bodybuilder Seth Feroce ‘Exposes’ 12 Most Famous Influencers in the Fitness Industry: ‘Natty or Not’
The ‘Natty or Not’ debate has remained one of the most talked about fitness subjects in the industry. Recently, retired bodybuilder Seth Feroce posted a YouTube video where he examined the bodies of some popular influencers in the industry. He also gave his opinion on whether they use steroids or not.
“We’re not doing one person, you said everybody,” Feroce shared.
Feroce is a highly respected bodybuilder who made a name for himself in the Men’s Open and 212 Bodybuilding divisions. During his tenure, which occurred mostly in the 2000s, Feroce displayed exceptional conditioning, balance, and symmetry. He was led by Hany Rambod, a decorated trainer who is currently responsible for guiding top-tier athletes such as Hadi Choopan, Derek Lunsford, and Andre Deiu.
Over the last few years, ‘Natty or Not’ disputes have become the center of online discussions in the fitness world. Influencers are known for tackling these sensitive topics like Kenny KO. He’s discussed Mike O’Hearn’s natural status with him face-to-face. O’Hearn claims to be a lifetime natural athlete, who continues to defy age with a ripped physique and powerful lifts.
Joe Rogan has insinuated that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Chris Hemsworth should come clean and admit their gear use as well. This revelation came after Derek of More Plates More Dates’ infamous exposé of Liver King’s (Real name: Brian Johnson) leaked steroid cycle. Meanwhile, Bradley Martyn also suspects that The Rock uses steroids.
The latest to take part in the controversial discussion was Seth Feroce. He systematically broke down 12 of the most popular influencers’ physiques and determined whether or not they are using PEDs.
Alex Eubank – Not Natty
“He is on the fucking border. I like Alex I’ve talked to him a handful of times on IG. He seems like a good kid. He says he’s natty. I know he’s made a lot of videos about him possibly transitioning over to the dark side, it looks like he takes something. He does have good genetics,” said Seth Feroce.
Shizzylifts – Not Natty
“They’re saying this dude is natural? There’s no fucking way. Is this an edited photo? Dude, this dude has got some serious arms. He trains hard, doesn’t he? I’ve seen these training videos of him.”
Sam Sulek – Not Natty
“That’s like asking if I’m natural. I just found him maybe a couple of weeks ago because it just popped up on my YouTube. He’s young too, isn’t he? This is all I see. This is the reason I like this kid. I see parts of me in him. This guy is definitely fucking batshit crazy. He has his shit together. In his videos, he’s calm, cool, and collected. Does his own thing.”
“He is fucking in it. You can’t pass judgment upon people for what they want to do with their lives because Sam seems to be having a massive impact on the fitness community,” said Seth Feroce. “A lot of people want to focus on the bad which would be his acne, the issues with steroid abuse, the long-term effects. But then at the same time, nobody would give two flying fucks about who Sam is if he wasn’t being who he is now.”
Jesse James West – Natty
“I could say that he’s natural. He seems like a decent guy. He seems like he loves what he’s doing. That’s all you can ask for for people that are doing things like this. I’d say out of everyone so far, he’s the one that I would say is natural.”
Tristyn Lee – Natty
“He seems like an actual genuine good guy, him and his brothers. Stupid genetics run in his family, stupid genetics. Dude, it’s [his conditioning] always around with him. But I’ve seen the videos that Doucette did on him about the being too skinny or too shredded all the time. You know that this young man is going through his own battles. Because if he’s training like he’s doing those things and eating like he is, he is obsessed.”
“I don’t know man. I think he’s probably dabbled with a few things. More recently in the past couple of years simply because he loves the gym. At the same time, you can throw in an oral for six weeks and notice a difference, especially if you’re on point like he is with everything he does. Why would you do such a thing? To learn and have fun. He could be natural because he has crazy genetics.”
“He’s had such steady progress, I could say that he’s natural because he’s never made massive jumps in weight, never. He is stronger than a motherfucker though.”
Tren Twins – Not Natty
“Obviously they’re not natural but by no means do I think these two take as much as people think they do. Their name was catchy they called themselves the Tren Twins. It’s awesome, it’s fun, it’s entertaining. They’re big, swole as fuck right here.”
Greg Doucette – Not Natty
“Greg is not on Tren no way. He’s on TRT obviously, he talks about it regularly. Yeah, dude, Greg is always in shape. He’s always in shape. Greg has been around, he’s older than I am and I can tell you right now if I cut peanut butter pretzels out of my diet, I’ll lose weight.”
“Greg has been like, ‘I rolled out of bed this is what I look like.’ We’re like yeah, you look like you’re on TRT. And post-workout, yeah, Greg you look like you’re taking Tren because the veins on your legs look paper thin.”
Mike O’Hearn – Natty
“Do I think he’s natty? I do think that he is natty but I do not think he’s human. I say Mike is an alien. Mike is an alien, he’s not a real human being. I think he’s from a different planet. There’s no reason, no amount of gear that still says you being a 50-plus-year-old man, that you should be able to bench 405 pounds for reps and do all the crazy wild fucked up shit he does. No fucking way. Why are you doing that? How are you doing that? Not from earth.”
Liver King – Not Natty
“The thing is Omnitrope, that growth hormone is some of the wildest growth hormone I’ve ever taken. There’s different levels of growth hormone, you can get the Chinese, and that’s some fucking knock-off bullshit, does it work, yeah sure. I could take ten IUs of it and be pretty good.”
Jeff Seid – Not Natty
“I think that he dabbled. Put him in the category of like Alex. If everything was off, he might be like ‘No, I just never have.’ But I wouldn’t be surprised if he was like, ‘Yeah, I took some stuff, I took Anavar, I took some SARMs.”
David Laid – Not Natty
“These people in person are probably not as big as they look on here,” said Seth Feroce. “These guys work, they’re not not doing shit. That’s not what this video is, but I don’t think he’s natural. It’s a little too much to claim natural.”
Lexx Little – Natty
“He’s probably strong but then you tell me he benches 405, that’s a strong lift for a little man. I mean, he’s got a great physique. He’s using the camera angle and the lends and the twisting waist. His upper body, I’d say you could achieve this naturally yes.”
Parting Thoughts
“Whenever you’re young you’re supposed to experience life and chase after things that are unique and special. You don’t get to be elite or great without intensity or passion okay? It just doesn’t fucking occur,” said Feroce.
“Most of the people on the list have a following that is very intense. My hats off to you young gentlemen, I hope you continue to do cool shit but keep living. It’s okay, you will be scrutinized for anything you do.”
This won’t be the last fans hear of ‘Natty or Not’ discussions. Just recently, former kickboxing champion and controversial influencer Andrew Tate was the center of the debate due to his built physique. According to Tate, he’s never touched testosterone replacement therapy or steroids in his life. In response to the claim, Derek of More Plates More Dates examined his body and determined that the evidence ‘leaned toward’ Tate being natural.
RELATED: Dan Bilzerian Shares His Opinions About ‘Natty Greek God’ Mike O’Hearn
As for Seth Feroce, he believes no matter what athletes do, if they find any sort of success, scrutiny will follow them. Even though he suspected that many of these influencers used PEDs, Feroce refused to discount the hard work that went into achieving such impressive physiques.
Watch the full video from the Seth Feroce YouTube channel below:
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 11:50 AM EDT
Blessing Awodibu Recaps 2023 Chicago Pro Showing w/ Bob Cicherillo: ‘I Was Soft, It Really Hurts’
Blessing Awodibu is aiming to rebound after failing to secure his Olympia qualification at the 2023 Chicago Pro, won by Justin Shier. In a recent YouTube video with Bob Cicherillo, Awodibu opened up about his lack of conditioning on stage and set his sights on the nearing Texas Pro.
Known for his boisterous personality, Blessing Awodibu quickly established himself as a legitimate contender in the IFBB Pro League. His narrow waist and aesthetic features guided him to success last year, where he commanded gold at two shows: the 2022 Indy Pro and the 2022 New York Pro. His first win secured him a qualification to last year’s Olympia, which would serve as his debut on the sport’s biggest stage.
Considering his success last year, Awodibu entered the Olympia contest last December brimming with confidence. Hours before competing, he stole the show at the Olympia Press Conference, where he and Nick Walker exchanged in a memorable back and forth.
However, on the Olympia stage, Blessing struggled against a historic lineup that featured several new threats such as Andrew Jacked, Samson Dauda, Michal Krizo, and Rafael Brandao. In the end, ‘The Boogieman’ placed outside of the top 15. And while he had hoped to lock down his passage to Olympia last weekend, fan-favorite Awodibu was unable to bring his best. As a result, he walked away in fourth place. To recap the experience, he joined athletes rep Bob Cicherillo.
Blessing Awodibu on 2023 Chicago Pro Performance: ‘I Was Soft, It Was a Really, Really Tough Prep’
Despite his status as a pre-contest favorite, Awodibu explained that outside pressures affected his ability to shred down for the competition.
“Came in as the pre-contest favorite, didn’t look like it went your way my friend, what happened out there man?” Bob Cicherillo asked.
“What happened out there, man? I mean, shit. I mean, I don’t know I couldn’t tell you, man. It was a really really tough prep man. Especially mentally and there was a lot on the line for me and a lot of pressure. It was a lot of pressure. And tonight, I was soft man, I was soft,” Blessing Awodibu shared.
“You looked big as a house, it looks like you put on some good muscle, meaning you were big, full, a lot of muscle, but just didn’t wring out that last bit of water,” said Cicherillo.
Awodibu revealed that he was ten pounds heavier than last year. Next, Awodibu announced his plans for the 2023 Texas Pro next month.
“Yes. That tightening wasn’t there. I was a little bit too wet. I just – I just got to figure it out man. I know when I do figure it out man it’s like – I feel like I’m in a whole different league. I just got to find that faith and that’s another one for me now. That’s two in a row. This should not be happening. This should not be happening.”
“Honestly I’m 10 pounds heavier, I thought it would have been a good thing,” said Awodibu. “I will figure it out guys. Because I know man, I deserve to be one of the best. When I miss like this, it really hurts. This should not be happening. You know, it’s bodybuilding, it’s a journey. You learn from these things and you can only get better as long as you keep moving.”
“We still got Texas,” said Awodibu.
In a separate Instagram post, Awodibu elaborated on his preparations and what went wrong.
“We nicely brought the body down from 306 to 276 keeping the fullness & roundness, the condition was definitely behind but honestly I was so damn excited with the way things were going until shit start to go iffy leading to Chicago.But right now I’m getting the wheels back on track with coach @cameron_cheek Road to O continues” Blessing Awodibu shared.
If Awodibu enters the upcoming Texas Pro, he’ll have plenty of top-tier talent to worry about. Defending 2022 Texas Pro champ Andrew Jacked will aim to earn his Olympia entry at this event. In addition, Hunter Labrada is slated to compete in Texas. He’s on a mission to redeem himself after falling to seventh place on the Mr. Olympia stage last year.
In addition to the above frontrunners, fans, and the bodybuilding community are excited to see mass monster Carlos Thomas Jr. make a splash on an IFBB Pro Open stage. While Carlos had to pull out of the New York Pro, he’s making it his mission to defeat Andrew Jacked and Hunter Labrada in Texas. The show takes place August 18-19.
As Bob Cicherillo suggested, Awodibu has clearly put on quality size. Should he manage to dial in his conditioning next month, with or without a coach, he’d be a definite title threat on the 2023 Texas Pro stage.
RELATED: Jay Cutler, Milos Sarcev Talk Hassan Mostafa & Blessing Awodibu’s Potential + Lack of Athletes Entering Shows
Watch the full video from the Voice of Bodybuilding YouTube channel below:
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 3:45 PM EDT
Canadian Bodybuilder with Down Syndrome Inspires Fitness World
Working out can seem like a daunting task for some who may have special needs. While it’s not common everywhere, there is no shortage of inspirational stories in the fitness world. Canadian bodybuilder Kyle Landi, who has Down syndrome, is one such story that continues to inspire the community with his insane resilience.
Hitting the gym is not simply about lifting weights or burning calories on the treadmill. Improving one’s fitness levels or enhancing their physique is a desired goal but for some, it’s a lifestyle, that demands dedication and discipline.
In Oct. 2019, Shirley Webb made headlines for her incredible feats of strength at the age of 82. Although she struggled with daily life tasks before joining the gym at age 77, Webb gained a passion for lifting weights and got into powerlifting. She left the fans stunned by scoring gold with her age-defying strength at the 2015 USAPL MO State/Midwest Open.
Legendary strongman Eddie Hall has cemented his status as one of the strongest men on the planet but his journey wasn’t always smooth. The former World’s Strongest Man winner opened up about his struggle with depression, alcoholism, and drug addiction in Apr. 2020 to motivate fans for turning their life around no matter what.
Even Tom Stoltman has been transparent about the obstacles he faced at World’s Strongest Man competitions. He remembered using the power of his autism diagnosis to help him through some of the more difficult aspects of the events.
A high school student with Down syndrome, Garret Alcaraz, went viral for crushing a heavy 355-pound (161-kg) bench press in May 2020. Alcaraz proved no obstacle is too big as he recorded the heaviest bench press at his school.
Former Ms. Bikini Olympia Elisa Pecini is renowned for her insane symmetry and overall physique. As incredible as her physique is, her story of overcoming an eating disorder to secure the most prestigious Bikini title in the world is even more impressive. She laid out her battle with the disorder and credited the sport for helping turn her life around. Powerlifting sensation Serena Abweh detailed a similar challenge in her journey of beating anorexia to become a powerlifting champion in her teenage years.
Legendary bodybuilder Flex Wheeler reached the highest heights in the sport and continued to inspire the fans even after a leg amputation. He was honored with the first-ever Olympia Inspiration and Courage Award for his positive spirit despite the challenges. He also received the 2022 Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award.
Canadian Bodybuilder with Down Syndrome Inspires Fitness World
Kyle Landi has inspired the fitness community several times in his journey of becoming the first-ever Canadian bodybuilder with Down syndrome. He gained attention for his impressive condition and unmatched resilience. He even got the chance to display his physique as a special guest at the 2023 Arnold Classic four months ago. Then, he turned heads with another incredible showing with Nick Walker and Antoine Valliant at the Pure Muscle Championships.
Landi has teamed up with some notable figures in the industry, including Larry Wheels and Tristyn Lee. He also got the chance to interact with legendary bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Flex Wheeler, and Breon Ansley.
The 23-year-old Ontario native grew up with a passion for working out and started lifting with the goal to become a pro in his early years. His priority is to compete on stage next year. Besides bodybuilding, he’s working on earning a black belt in karate in the same timeframe.
Landi’s parents, Joseph and Kimberley, opened up about the benefits Kyle reaped from training regularly.
“Prior to bodybuilding, Kyle walked with a slouch with his head down,” Joseph told Daily Mail. “Today, he carries himself differently. He is humble but very confident in himself and his mindset is that of a champion.”
Iconic bodybuilder Kai Greene is another inspiring tale in the sport. He was a perennial contender at Mr. Olympia competitions and connected with fans courtesy of his muscle mass, size, and posing finesse. Having grown up in an institutional facility, he credited his success to the challenge he faced early in life.
Legendary bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger took notice of Kevin Cantrell’s insane deadlift of 501 pounds at the 2022 Special Olympics. He amplified Cantrell’s message to his audience and lauded him as his inspiration.
RELATED: Mitchell Hooper Speaks Out About His Struggle With Mental Health And Suicidal Thoughts
Kyle Landi has proved that nothing is impossible and one can achieve anything they put their mind to. It’s only a matter of time before he steps on stage for competition and adds another feather to his cap.
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 3:55 PM EDT
Erin Stern Shares 5-Step Plan to Figure Out Daily Calories & Macros
American bodybuilder Erin Stern has been a dominant force in the women’s Figure and Bikini division. Having been a part of the sport for over a decade, she amassed a plethora of knowledge about fitness. In a recent video uploaded on YouTube, Stern shared a simple five-step plan to figure out daily calories and macros.
Hailing from Tampa, Florida, Erin Stern comes from a family of athletes. She began competing in sports from a young age and developed a passion for weight training during her athletic days in college. After narrowly missing out on the qualification for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Stern turned her attention to bodybuilding and decided to pursue a career.
Stern’s potential was clear from the start as she emerged victorious in her debut contest at the 2008 NPC National Bodybuilding and Figure Championships. The win paved the way for her to participate in the IFBB Pro League.
Stern kicked off her career with several impressive performances, taking silver at the Arnold Classic in 2010 and 2011. She secured the coveted Figure Olympia title in 2010 and reclaimed it by exacting revenge on former champion Nicole Wilkins in a dominant showing in 2012. She also claimed two Valenti Classic Pro Figure wins.
The 43-year-old was at the height of her power between 2010 and 2013. She proved to be one of the most consistent and disciplined athletes in the sport, never placing below third in any contest during those three years. Following an outing at the 2014 Australia Pro Grand Prix XIV, Stern took to the sidelines for over six years.
In 2020, Erin Stern marked her return to action, but in the women’s Bikini division instead of Figure. She took silver to Daraja Hill at the 2021 Republic of Texas Pro and scored her first win in the category at the 2021 Tahoe Show.
Stern delivered a stunning season last year. She finished runner-up at the 2022 Miami Muscle Beach Pro and came out on top of the 2022 Republic of Texas Pro before concluding it with a strong showing at the Mr. Olympia show.
Erin Stern Shares 5-Step Plan to Figure Out Daily Calories & Macros
In a recent Youtube video, Erin Stern shared a straightforward 5-step plan to figure out daily calories and macros.
“A good diet can either help you along with your progress or it can seriously hinder it,” said Stern. “There’s so much information out there. Where do you turn? The more you learn, the more confusing things can be. I wanted to break it down into five simple ways to calculate your calories and macros.”
These five steps are:
1. Goal setting:
Looking at your starting point. Be really honest here. I want you to think about what your current body fat percentage is, how much muscle mass you’re carrying, and if you need to go get calipers or do body fat testing, really good idea. You can also get a DEXA scan if you’d like.
Take progress pictures, and measurements, then figure out what your goals are going to be for let’s say the next 90 days. It can be really helpful to focus on one goal such as building muscle or leaning down.
2. Calculate maintenance calories:
We’re going to calculate maintenance calories. There are several different ways you can do this. You’ve got some online calculators that can be pretty effective. You can also track your food for about two weeks, do a food log, keep track of your weights, and if things don’t change you’ve got maintenance calories. This is one of my favorite ways although it takes a little bit more time you know exactly what your maintenance calories are and therefore have an easier time adjusting from there. If you don’t want to wait… you can take your body weight, multiply it by a coefficient from 11 to 15.
So, if you’re highly active and want to gain muscle, maybe you’re on the leaner side of things and have a high metabolism, go for body weight times 14 or 15.
3. Calculate protein:
The reason I don’t do a ratio or percentage is because I want you to think about protein as the building block of muscle. This is a rather fixed number. The protein isn’t going to drastically increase or decrease. You’re typically going to be somewhere in that body weight times 0.8 to 1.2. Use our protein calculator.
4. Calculate fats:
Think about how you like to eat and your goals. You’re looking at your body weight multiplied by 0.2 to 0.6
If you enjoy low fat/higher carbs, choose somewhere around 0.2 – 0.3. If you like higher fats and lower carbs, choose somewhere around 0.5 – 0.6. Let’s go with 150 x 0.2 = 30g of fat. This gives us (30g x 9 calories per gram) 270 calories for fats.
The remaining calories are for carbs. So, 1,800 – 600 – 270 = 930 calories.
5. Calculate carbs:
We’re really just filling in those missing calories with carbs. Let’s get our grams of carbs, or (930 / 4 calories per gram), 232.5g of carbs So, we have: 1,800 calories 150g protein 30g fats 232.5g carbs.
“When making adjustments, think about making small changes every 1-2 weeks. This would be an increase or decrease of around 10% of your daily caloric intake or around 100-300 calories. Give your body 1-2 weeks to see how the adjustment works and then decide to stay at your current intake, or adjust intake again.”
Erin Stern gave fans a look into her customized high-intensity low-impact training to build muscle with minimal wear and tear on the body two weeks ago.
Her latest offering provides fans with an effective and simple way to calculate and track daily calories and macros to stay on track with their diet. It will certainly help many improve their results.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 27 July, 2023 | 1:55 AM EDT
Brett Wilkin Shares Keys To Build Massive Biceps And Symmetrical Arms
All of us wish to have attractive physiques but most of us don’t have the discipline or the knowledge to achieve it. Bodybuilder Brett Wilkin made the job a little bit easier for us by sharing some insightful information on biceps training.
Brett Wilkin’s career trajectory has been rather interesting. He earned the IFBB Pro card in the Classic Physique division by winning the 2018 Junior National Championships. However, ‘The Butcher’ never competed in the division professionally. He made the pro debut in the 212 division but lackluster performances at the 2019 Puerto Rico Pro and the 2019 Toronto Pro Supershow prompted him to reevaluate the way forward.
Wilkin took time off from competition and worked on improving his physique during the extended break. He returned as a Men’s Open competitor and impressed the bodybuilding community with the overwhelming progress at the 2021 Chicago Pro, finishing second. In spite of high expectations heading into the 2022 Arnold Classic, Wilkin could only secure a sixth place at the show. A runner-up finish at the 2022 Romania Muscle Fest Pro concluded the 2022 competitive season for him as Wilkin did not have enough points to qualify for the 2022 Olympia.
However, he registered a thumping victory at the 2022 Bigman Weekend Pro, becoming one of the early competitors to qualify for the 2023 Olympia. He now trains with renewed vigor under ‘Hypertrophy Coach’ Joe Bennett’s guidance with the goal to secure a top ten finish in his Olympia debut.
Recently, Wilkin shared his list of five best biceps exercises on his YouTube channel to help fitness enthusiasts and budding bodybuilders achieve their fitness goals. So let’s check out the list to see how Wilkin has built those massive arms.
Brett Wilkin shares five best biceps exercises
Biceps are one of the most important muscle groups for appearance as well as function. But developing this small muscle is easier said than done. It requires time commitment and knowledge to get the biceps that look good and function at the elite level. Brett Wilkin made the job a little bit easier by sharing some of his go-to exercises and training tips to build the biceps.
Standing Cable Curls
Jumping right into heavy exercises without a warm-up is a recipe for disaster and training related injuries. Brett Wilkin addressed this issue in the beginning and shared standing cable curls as the first important biceps exercise. Cable machines put uniform stress on the muscles and help them warm up sufficiently for an intense training day. Additionally, they are a good alternative for warming up crucial joints like elbows.
“Main focus is just on that bicep head with no cheating. This cable unit is awesome because it creates that tension all the way through the bottom and then all the way through the top. So constant tension on the biceps, a lot of blood, a lot of pre-exhaust and we’ll keep moving into the bigger ones,” Wilkin stated.
Single Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curls
Preacher curls are hailed by many as the king of bicep exercises. They isolate the biceps muscles better than most other movements. Therefore it’s no wonder that they find a place in Brett Wilkin’s list of best biceps exercises. Wilkin explained the key to getting the most out of this exercise and said:
“I want to solely use that bicep head obviously. So how do you do that is you want to elbow drive back into the pad. So I’m driving back into the pad and at the same time I am curling up.”
Since the pad is a stationary object and we drive our elbow into it during curling, the bicep is the only muscle that gets activated according to Wilkin. ‘The Butcher’ advised to lower the dumbbell at a slow pace to create more tension in the biceps.
“The main thing is you don’t need too much (weight) here if you’re doing it right. So it’s the big squeeze with the drive and then the slow release letting it go out really stretching that bicep,” Wilkin concluded.
Hammer Strength Preacher Curls
Once again, the machine variation of preacher curl helps put constant tension on the muscles throughout the full range of motion. This helps tremendously in bodybuilding where muscle hypertrophy is the primary goal.
But working with a method that Wilkin calls ‘Partner Resistance’ can help with making gains. In this training style, Wilkin typically works his way to the top set. After this, the person holds the weight at the end of the concentric phase while a training partner tries to pull the weight down, adding more resistance to the person doing an exercise.
“This is just working that eccentric portion, that lengthening phase with resistance,” Wilkin explained.
Cable Curls – 21s Set
The next bicep exercise on Brett Wilkin’s list is not necessarily a unique exercise but a training method known as 21s set. This method involves breaking down a set of 21 reps into three parts of seven reps each. For the first seven reps, the person is expected to perform partial reps conforming to the bottom half range of motion. The next seven reps are the partials at the top half range of motion. The last seven reps are full reps with a complete range of motion from bottom to top.
“I just love this because you really slow it down and you feel each rep. So you’re not hurting through this, you’re not throwing your back in it – you’re staying strict. You’re really feeling that each curl and you finish it off with seven really hard full motion reps,” Wilkin concluded.
Reverse Grip Cable Curls
Big biceps and skinny forearms are not really a beautiful combination to look at. The last exercise in Wilkin’s list addresses this problem with slight modifications to the cable curls. Reverse grip cable curls put more emphasis on the brachialis and the Brachioradialis muscles in the arm to get strong and muscular forearms.
“We’re trying to be symmetrical here… Triceps matching the biceps matching the forearms. So this is going to tie it all together,” Wilkin stated.
The 35-year-old advices doing this exercise when you are tired and want to get the final bit of forearm pump before heading home.
To summarize, the five best biceps exercises according to Brett Wilkin are:
In spite of being one of the highly touted prospects in the IFBB Pro League, Brett Wilkin has not been able to produce a breakout performance so far. However, the 2023 Olympia qualification has given him all the incentive in the world to perform to the best of his abilities and take his career to the next level. It will be interesting to see how he performs at the 2023 Olympia.
You can watch the full video here, courtesy of Brett Wilkin’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 27 July, 2023 | 9:04 AM EDT
Nick Walker Smashes 150-lb Incline Dumbbell Bench Press for 8 Reps in Prep for 2023 Mr. Olympia
American bodybuilder Nick Walker has quickly become a powerhouse in the Men’s Open division with his freaky muscularity. He’s currently gearing up to challenge for the Mr. Olympia title later this year. In a recent post made on Instagram, Walker smashed a 150-lb incline dumbbell bench press for eight reps in a push day workout.
Nick Walker gained attention for his crazy muscle mass, size, and conditioning after dominating the competition at the 2021 New York Pro. He scored back-to-back gold medals at the Arnold Classic before rounding up his rookie season with an impressive fifth-place finish at the 2021 Mr. Olympia. His insanely jacked physique earned him the nickname, ‘The Mutant.’
Walker improved his standing to the top three in his second Mr. Olympia appearance last December. He made a quick turnaround for the 2023 Arnold Classic to reclaim the title but fell short of the winner Samson Dauda in a narrowly-fought contest. Following the outcome, Walker argued against the decision and made the case for himself to have defeated Dauda in Ohio.
Three months ago, Walker predicted 2022 Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan would not win another title at the next edition. He expects a showdown with former 212 Olympia king and Mr. Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford for the top prize. Then, he opened up on amping up his training intensity in the off-season to get ready for the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
Walker received pushback on an epic body transformation post he shared on his social media channels last month. Fans rushed to criticize him for using steroids to achieve the massive difference in his physique.
Nick Walker / Instagram
‘The Mutant’ gave his breakdown of the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia weeks ago. He believes Choopan, Lunsford, Dauda, and he will form the top five along with Hunter Labrada, who’s seeking redemption after a lackluster showing. He also counted out former two-time champion Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay’s chances of winning another Sandow trophy unless he took some time off to recover and make adjustments.
Nick Walker is confident about his place in the mix of title contention. While he believes he would win this year, he extended his support for Lunsford as a future Mr. Olympia. He also revealed he got up to 293 pounds while being about 19 weeks away from the show three weeks ago.
Walker offered his take on how to build monstrous quads in a lower body workout two weeks ago. He dialed back on consuming any stimulants, including coffee, to get ready for the biggest stage in bodybuilding. He followed up by detailing his secrets to developing a massive chest in a push-day workout.
Nick Walker Smashes 150-lb Incline Dumbbell Bench Press for 8 Reps in Prep for 2023 Mr. Olympia
In a recent Instagram post, Nick Walker smashed a grueling set of 150-pound incline dumbbell bench press for eight reps in a push day workout while in prep for the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
“Nice push day today!” Walker wrote. “Incline the 150s for set of 8 reps.”
Renowned coach Chris Aceto heaped praises on Nick Walker for his immense growth in the sport. He admitted he was wrong to doubt Walker and went as far as to call his changes “the most improved terrible body” in the history of bodybuilding.
Walker laid out the only top ten exercises he would choose if he had to for building muscle earlier this week.
Based on the latest update, Walker is determined to secure the coveted Sandow trophy and is leaving nothing to chance in his preparations.
Published: 23 July, 2023 | 11:52 AM EDT
Clenbuterol Cycle Guide
Clenbuterol Cycle Guide: Introduction Clenbuterol is a powerful and popular thermogenic compound that belongs to the category of beta-2 adrenergic agonists. Although originally developed as a bronchodilator to treat respiratory conditions, it has become highly sought after by bodybuilders for its fat-burning and performance-enhancing properties. When used responsibly, Clenbuterol can aid in sculpting a lean and…
Dana Linn Bailey Shares ‘Hamstring-Glute-Focused’ Workout for Leg Gains
Dana Linn Bailey (DLB) is a pioneer of the Women’s Physique division who remains in stellar shape years after retirement. In a recent YouTube video, Bailey walked fans through a brutal hamstring-glutes-focused training session for growing muscle and building strength.
“So today, we’re focusing on hamstrings and glutes. I like to separate my leg days so I can really focus on quads one day and hamstrings and glutes [the next],” Dana Linn Bailey shared.
In the 2000s, DLB established herself as an all-time great in the Women’s Physique category. Her capped and striated shoulders helped her reach the top of the sport in 2013 when she claimed the inaugural Women’s Physique Olympia title. All signs pointed to utter dominance until Dana returned in 2014 when she was ousted from the throne by Juliana Malacarne.
Bailey’s love for the sport still fuels her today. While she’s stepped away from competing, Dana is a famous online influencer known for sharing fitness-related content such as workouts, nutrition information, and physique transformations.
In one of her latest endeavors, Bailey decided to revamp her physique in June. In what she’s titled the ‘Summer Shredded 4.0’ challenge, Dana plans to get ripped and lean at the same time in the months to come.
It remains uncertain if Dana Bailey will entertain a competitive return. Questions about her competing again were raised during her recent Cutler Cast Podcast appearance. Bailey even mentioned that she would undergo drug tests to prove her natural status if she did announce a comeback. With her attention shifting to a new physique goal, DLB updated fans with one of her leg day workouts.
Check Out Dana Linn Bailey’s Hamstring Glute-Focused Leg Day Workout
“We are doing a hamstring and glute-focused leg day. This is one of my favorite days of the week as far as legs go, you know. But today’s focus, we’re hitting that posterior, DLB said.
Sumo deadlifts – 12, 10, 8, 8 rep pattern 4 sets
Hip thrust machine (banded) – 10-12 reps with 5-8 pulse reps 4 sets
Abductions – 20 reps 4 sets
Toes-Elevated dumbbell Romanian deadlifts – 12 reps 4 sets
Sumo Squats – 12 reps 4 sets
Reverse squat – 10-12 reps 4 sets
banded/bodyweight hyperextensions – to failure
Sumo deadlifts
“We are starting off with sumo deadlifts. I love sumo deadlifts. I’m much stronger in them and I feel them not so much in my back, I feel it all in my legs and hamstrings. So, when I do deadlifts, I tend to not do deadlifts on back day, I tend to do my deadlifts on ham and glute day. So, we’re doing a sumo stance, the reps, I generally stay a little bit higher.”
“When you come up, I want you to really focus on thrusting those hips forward. When you do that, your butt will squeeze.”
Hip Thrust machine (banded)
“The whole point of this is it’s pushing your knees in. So, you actually have to engage your glutes even more by keeping your knees out. So, it’s just adding more tension to the glutes, which we’re always hitting a glute exercise so we’re going to go 10 to 12 reps on the hip thrust with the hip band. Once you get 10, we’re going to add let’s say five to eight pulses at the top. Just little half reps.”
Dana Linn Bailey shared that if you don’t have access to a hip thrust machine, try a barbell variation.
“If you don’t have a hip thrust machine, you can do this all on a barbell,” said DLB.
Abductions
“Abductions. So, now we’re trying to get our knees as far away as we possibly can. 20 reps here, holding for a good two-second count on each one. And your butt will be on fire.”
Toes-Elevated dumbbell Romanian deadlifts
“A little superset. One of my other favorite little supersets I do. We’re going toes elevated dumbbell RDLs. The reason we have our toes elevated if you’re like me – I’m pretty flexible, most girls, we’re pretty flexible. If you’re not as flexible, do it with your feet flat. This is just going to add a little more stretch in your calf, Achilles, and a little more stretch in the hamstrings. 12 reps here.”
Sumo Squats
“Sumo squats. So, the way I do it, if you prefer holding it this way [vertical] this isn’t going to be much of a squat, you would have to elevate yourself. So I keep the dumbbell that way [horizontal]. I want you to have a forward lean in your torso just like we talked with Bulgarians.”
Reverse squat
“Hamstring and glute day is all about your basically hinged at the hips the whole time. So we’re going to be facing away and the first part of the movement is you’re going to push your butt back just like you did with those RDLs, push your butt back then you’re going to squat down and you’re going to stay in that leaning torso position instead of being more upright. Upright quads, lean in is hamstring and glutes.”
Banded/bodyweight hyperextensions
“Then, I’m going to go over and do hypers. If you can’t do them at the same time that’s fine. I do this just to save time. We’re doing banded hypers and then drop set to just bodyweight hypers to failure.”
DLB isn’t opposed to working with high-profile names in the sport. Given her status as a former Olympia winner, she loves testing her strength in the company of other bodybuilding veterans. She recently joined hands with trainer Hany Rambod for a brutal FST-7 shoulders workout.
Bailey also teamed up with four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. Last July, they took part in a tough chest and triceps training session. By the end of the workout, Cutler was not only impressed with Dana’s strength but her endurance as well.
Despite having reached 40 years old, DLB doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Fortunately for her fans, she’s offered a consistent look at her physique as she aims to transform her body. Days ago, Dana revealed that she likely gained muscle ‘if anything.’ However, she plans to increase her cardio in the next few weeks to lean down.
Even though she’s long retired, DLB still attacks training sessions with the same attitude that saw her reach the top of the sport. She encourages anyone watching her videos to follow along as she enters the next stage of her ‘Summer Shredded 4.0’ body transformation challenge.
Watch the full video from DLB’s YouTube channel below:
More Leg Day Workouts:
Published: 23 July, 2023 | 9:30 AM EDT
2023 Musclecontest Zhanna Rotar Pro Results and Scorecard
The 2023 Musclecontest Zhanna Rotar Pro took place on July 22 and served as a qualifying event for this year’s Olympia contest. Competitors from the Figure category met in Anaheim, California to battle for supremacy.
Time is running out to guarantee entry to the 2023 Mr. Olympia competition. Athletes have until Oct. 9 to secure their spots, which can only be achieved by winning a pro show. Unlike in 2022, bodybuilders haven’t had the opportunity to earn points for an Olympia invite, therefore only Pro show winners will have a chance to shine on the Olympia stage.
The 2023 Mr. Olympia show will take over Orlando, Florida from Nov. 2-5, inside the Orange County Convention Center. After a series of close comparisons during prejudging and the finals this weekend, Ericka Morales Morgan emerged victorious. Therefore, she will battle with the reigning six-time Figure Olympia Cydney Gillon later this year.
2023 Musclecontest Zhanna Rotar Pro Results
Figure
Winner — Ericka Morales Morgan
Second Place — Paula Rojo
Third Place — Wendy Fortino
Fourth Place — Zulfiya Bitiyeva
Fifth Place — Oyku Basar
Sixth Place — Osiris Trumpe
Seventh Place — Desiree Alferes
Eighth Place — Jessica Baltazar
Ninth Place — Xin Qi
Tenth Place — Jossie Alarcon
Figure Competitors List
Jossie Alarcon Tustin, California
Desiree Alferes Sacramento, California
Jessica Baltazar La Quinta, California
Oyku Basar Turkey
Kara Bennitt Fontana, California
Zulfiya Bitiyeva Kazakhstan
Christine Cave Concord, California
Jennifer Delgado-Martin Boulder City, Nevada
Wendy Fortino Oceanside, California
Dr. Adrienne Matthews Chaska, Minnesota
Ericka Morales Morgan Guatemala
Xin Qi Monterey Park, California
Paula Rojo Parkland, Florida
Osiris Trumpe San Marcos, California
2023 Musclecontest Zhanna Rotar Pro Scorecard
Fitness Volt congratulates the winner! We look forward to seeing you perform under the bright lights on the Olympia stage in Nov.
Published: 23 July, 2023 | 3:02 AM EDT