Tag: Danny Hester
Danny Hester Returns Full Interview | Analyzing Nick Walker, Hunter Labrada, & Chris Bumstead
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Danny Hester returns for another full uncut GI Exclusive interview.
Danny Hester is a top level bodybuilder who has been around for a long time. He’s lived and competed through multiple eras of the sport, eventually earned an Olympia title, and trained numerous celebrities on the side. It’s safe to say that he has an in-depth perspective on bodybuilding over the past few generations.
Over a year ago, before the pandemic, we were able to sit down with Danny Hester and talk with him at length about all things bodybuilding. A lot has changed since then – and we had the opportunity to reconnect via video for another full length interview.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with Danny Hester. This uncut full length interview including topics such as whether or not bodybuilding is a selfish sport, the future of bodybuilding in the form of Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada, and a critical analysis of Chris Bumstead’s Olympia 2020 win plus more!
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Listen to the full Danny Hester interview here:
Danny Hester Answers: Are Nick Walker & Hunter Labrada Leading Towards A New Golden Era?
Danny Hester is extremely impressed by both Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada. Interestingly enough, he originally thought it would be a bad idea for Hunter to enter the world of competitive bodybuilding. He felt that the effort and sacrifice required would be wasted on an era that wouldn’t favor the Labrada gene pool. Hester admits he was wrong – as the competition appearances of Hunter have truly impressed him.
In fact, Danny Hester believes (or at least hopes) that this is a sign of a new upswing in bodybuilding. Perhaps the new era rising up will be more iconic after nearly a decade of controversial opinions on the current crop of athletes. Hester is hopeful that social media’s influence is finally reaping what was sown over the past decade. A new generation of people who were inspired by icons on social media are now old enough to compete.
Danny Hester hopes that social media will bring in more talented young bodybuilders. Perhaps athletes like Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada are a product of that very generation. It will be a like a new “boom” of bodybuilders changing the landscape more dramatically than we’ve seen in recent years.
Danny Hester: Chris Bumstead Won Olympia Due To Improvements But Not Perfection
Danny Hester doesn’t give his personal opinion on who had the best physique at the Classic Physique Olympia 2020. But he does suggest that the physique quality was very close between Chris Bumstead and Breon Ansley.
“Now even with the improvements, was it enough for him [Chris Bumstead] to beat Breon? That’s a whole different story,” Danny Hester states in our interview. While not confirmed -this seems to imply that Hester doesn’t view Bumstead’s physique as breakaway superior from Ansley.
He does understand, and truly believes, that Chris Bumstead won purely on his vast improvements. Hester himself gives Bumstead credit. He admits that the amount of improvements in Bumstead’s physique from the Olympia 2019 to 2020 was incredible. It’s hard for any pro bodybuilder to get that kind of improvement in one year. Bumstead pulled it off. The judges noticed. That gave Bumstead the edge.
Danny Hester relates this to his experience competing. He recalls a competition he competed in just three weeks before winning the Classic Olympia. He placed third due to feeling slightly sick on the night of the show. He was frustrated. So he worked extra hard in the final three weeks leading up to Olympia.
Ultimately, he won the Classic Physique Olympia. He thinks this is partially due to the extra effort he put in after feeling defeated. But he also thinks it’s because some of the same judges were at the earlier show and also judging at Olympia. They saw his improvements. They directly noticed how he changed. That helped him get an edge and win that year.
Wrap Up
We discuss many more topics with Danny Hester in our full hour long interview than what can be covered here in this article. Other topics include whether or not bodybuilding is a uniquely selfish sport, the biggest mistake bodybuilders make when trying to get six-pack abs, and if Hollywood typecasts actors with mass monster muscle. You can watch the full GI Exclusive interview with Danny Hester above.
Danny Hester: Chris Hemsworth Can’t Use Muscle As An Excuse For Lack Of Acting Respect
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Danny Hester reacts to Chris Hemsworth’s statements of not being taken seriously as an actor due to his muscular physique.
Last month, Chris Hemsworth went on the record stating that he was taken less seriously as an actor due to his impressive physique. Of course, there’s no doubt that Hemsworth is beloved across the world due to his Hollywood roles – it seems here he is talking about more diverse and in-depth acting beyond Hollywood action roles. He feels typecast as the muscular action hero. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, pro bodybuilder and celebrity trainer Danny Hester reacts to Chris Hemsworth’s statements.
Danny Hester is not just an Olympia champion pro bodybuilder, he has also trained a select group of celebrities for their roles in major movies. He’s trained Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler among other notable names. So we thought he was the perfect person to ask about the recent statements made by Chris Hemsworth.
Chris Hemsworth went on record to claim that he is being typecast. He’s only seen as a muscular action hero for Hollywood and isn’t offered more meaty acting roles. While being typecast is certainly something that has happened to actors throughout the history of movies – is it the muscle to blame? Or more so the actual risks the actor is willing to take?
Danny Hester believes that Chris Hemsworth’s statements are simply an excuse. This isn’t to say that Hester believes Hemsworth to be a poor actor. Far from it. He simply believes that Hemsworth made his career path choices. He focused on action films first and hoped that it could be a platform to eventually get into more diverse roles. If that’s not happening now – it’s not the muscular physique to blame. It’s his career path and acting roles he took.
Danny Hester points towards Sylvester Stallone. He has been nominated for multiple Oscars among other awards. Yet in the pop culture space – he is known less as an amazing actor and more for his action films and muscular physique. Despite this – he has earned accolades and nominations for prestigious awards. To Danny Hester, this is proof that the movie industry will recognize talent despite stereotypes.
Danny Hester also pulls from his personal experience training celebrities. He recalls training Mickey Rourke before his career was revived by his role in The Wrestler. Rourke was building up muscle and his manager was worried. The reason? His manager thought that if Rourke kept getting larger and more muscular that he would have even more against him for being cast in serious roles.
Danny Hester pushed back and stated to Rourke’s manager that his obsession with fitness is saving his life from other vices. Over a year later, Mickey Rourke got cast in The Wrestler. While not simply due to his new muscular physique – it helped. He was able to act seriously and fulfill the role required for the store. The movie ultimately won Rourke some major awards and put himself back on the map.
Ultimately, Danny Hester points out that luck and timing have a lot to do with success in the film industry. He thinks that one single thing – like being too muscular – cannot be the sole excuse for failure. Hester thinks that Chris Hemsworth still has an entire future ahead of him to obtain more diverse and deeper roles. Perhaps the timing just hasn’t been right yet. Either way, Danny Hester refuses to believes it’s because of his physique.
You can watch Danny Hester’s full comments on Chris Hemsworth and muscle in Hollywood in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Danny Hester: The Biggest Mistake People Make Trying To Get Shredded Abs
Danny Hester cuts through the fat and gets real on how to truly get six pack abs.
With summer just around the corner, people are starting to focus again on obtaining the perfect beach body. For many, shredded six pack abs are the ideal. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the hardest things to obtain even for people with a focused fitness routine. Why is it so hard? And what are some tips to help achieve the goal of a shredded abs? In our latest GI Exclusive, Danny Hester shares the most important factor for getting shredded six pack abs.
Obtaining sick pack abs is probably one of the hardest things for most people right next to building up legs. This is largely due to your belly being one of the core places fat stores when you start gaining weight. Even for a typically healthy and fit individual – shredded abs can be hard to come by.
That’s why we connected with pro bodybuilder and former Olympia champion Danny Hester. Hester is the kind of bodybuilder who stays lean all year round. You’ll rarely ever see him with bloated bulk. And you’ll almost always see him sporting a six pack. So what’s the secret? Why is it so hard for even fit individuals to showcase conditioned abs?
While there is no trick to get shredded abs fast, there are some key tactics that must be done in order to succeed at earning that six pack. Danny Hester wants to make it clear that there is no way to spot check fat away from your abs. Doing 100 crunches per day can certainly be helpful – but it won’t cut more fat in your stomach area.
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Check out our GI Exclusive segment with Danny Hester above!
It goes without saying that a very strict and clean diet are essential to getting a six pack. On top of that, cardio is a must. As we mentioned, you can’t spot check fat but you can reduce fat overall by upping your cardio. As Danny Hester states, “You can’t see abs if you have fat on them, no matter what you do.”
But there are, in fact, ways to train abs to really bring them out and make them pop. One of the biggest mistakes that people make while training abs is doing too much weight. This ultimately makes your waist thicker. You don’t want that. It makes it harder to see your abs.
Danny Hester explains that you want your abs to be really strong and really deep. So training specifically with that in mind and avoiding massive weight will help bring out your abs alongside a good diet and cardio. For example, range of motion is key to really stretching abs. Hester often recommends his clients do crunches beyond the typical range of motion for a longer and harder stretch. Over time, this helps really build your abs into deep cut muscle.
Danny Hester suggests this tip alongside higher reps with less weight. He also explains that whenever doing any sort of ab exercise, it’s important to keep your stomach sucked in and your abs flexed tight. That way you’re guaranteeing that your abs are doing the work. Avoid momentum or other parts of your body doing the heavy lifting. That won’t help your abs.
You can watch Danny Hester explain in deeper detail the biggest dos and don’ts about getting shredded six pack abs in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Danny Hester: Chris Bumstead Won Olympia Due To Improvements But Not Perfection
Danny Hester believes that Chris Bumstead’s physique was very close to Breon Ansley – but it was his massive improvements that earned him the win.
Chris Bumstead vs Breon Ansley was one of the most hyped up battles of the Classic Physique Olympia 2020. Ultimately, Chris Bumstead solidified his status as champion with a second win. Surprisingly, Breon Ansley fell down to third place. But Danny Hester believes that Bumstead and Ansley’s physiques were actually very close in quality. What made the difference was Bumstead’s massive improvements since last year.
The same can be said of Terrence Ruffin, who slipped up into second ahead of Breon Ansley. These three competitors were neck and neck. It’s Danny Hester’s belief that comparisons to previous years and how much they each improved decided the ultimate placings. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Danny Hester explains how judges consistently reward improvements – and that’s the main reason Chris Bumstead won Olympia 2020.
Danny Hester wants to make one thing clear during our latest interview segment. When a bodybuilder competes on stage, they are being not only compared to the other competitors but also their past self. Pro bodybuilding and judges cannot help but be somewhat subjective. Despite scores and a set of guidelines to follow – judging a physique will always be skewed by subjective opinion.
That’s why there are multiple judges on the panel instead of just one. To help bring in a consensus among multiple perspectives. Danny Hester also believes that comparisons to previous competitions also helps keep the judges guided. That it’s an unwritten guiding principle with scoring. If a bodybuilder shows incredible improvement from one competition to the next – the judges take notice. That affects the overall score and placing.
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Watch our GI Exclusive segment with Danny Hester above!
Danny Hester doesn’t give his personal opinion on who had the best physique at the Classic Physique Olympia 2020. But he does suggest that the physique quality was very close between Chris Bumstead and Breon Ansley.
“Now even with the improvements, was it enough for him [Chris Bumstead] to beat Breon? That’s a whole different story,” Danny Hester states in our interview. While not confirmed -this seems to imply that Hester doesn’t view Bumstead’s physique as breakaway superior from Ansley.
He does understand, and truly believes, that Chris Bumstead won purely on his vast improvements. Hester himself gives Bumstead credit. He admits that the amount of improvements in Bumstead’s physique from the Olympia 2019 to 2020 was incredible. It’s hard for any pro bodybuilder to get that kind of improvement in one year. Bumstead pulled it off. The judges noticed. That gave Bumstead the edge.
Danny Hester relates this to his experience competing. He recalls a competition he competed in just three weeks before winning the Classic Olympia. He placed third due to feeling slightly sick on the night of the show. He was frustrated. So he worked extra hard in the final three weeks leading up to Olympia.
Ultimately, he won the Classic Physique Olympia. He thinks this is partially due to the extra effort he put in after feeling defeated. But he also thinks it’s because some of the same judges were at the earlier show and also judging at Olympia. They saw his improvements. They directly noticed how he changed. That helped him get an edge and win that year.
So what does that mean for Chris Bumstead going into 2021? There are always improvements to be made – but can he surprise with such vast improvements like the year before? And if he can’t will it be enough for him to stay on top? Only time will tell. Perhaps Breon Ansley will be the one to bring in improvements and get the edge.
You can watch Danny Hester go into more detail about his thoughts of the Classic Physique Olympia results by watching our latest GI Exclusive above!
Danny Hester Answers: Are Nick Walker & Hunter Labrada Leading Towards A New Golden Era?
Nick Walker & Hunter Labrada Analysis: Danny Hester gives his thoughts on the new school bodybuilders rising in the ranks.
Danny Hester is a Classic Physique Olympia champion and a competitor who has been in bodybuilding for quite some time. With his years of experience, we wanted to know what his thoughts were of the new school bodybuilders rising up in the pro league. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Danny Hester talks about Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada and what they might mean for the future of pro bodybuilding.
Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada are two young bodybuilders that are gaining a lot of attention as they make waves in pro bodybuilding. Walker in particular just won the New York Pro 2021 to much acclaim. That’s why we turned to Danny Hester to get his thoughts on these new school bodybuilders. Is this all just hype? Or are we witnessing up and coming future legends?
Danny Hester is extremely impressed by both Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada. Interestingly enough, he originally thought it would be a bad idea for Hunter to enter the world of competitive bodybuilding. He felt that the effort and sacrifice required would be wasted on an era that wouldn’t favor the Labrada gene pool. Hester admits he was wrong – as the competition appearances of Hunter have truly impressed him.
In fact, Danny Hester believes (or at least hopes) that this is a sign of a new upswing in bodybuilding. Perhaps the new era rising up will be more iconic after nearly a decade of controversial opinions on the current crop of athletes. Hester is hopeful that social media’s influence is finally reaping what was sown over the past decade. A new generation of people who were inspired by icons on social media are now old enough to compete.
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Check out our GI Exclusive segment with Danny Hester above!
Danny Hester hopes that social media will bring in more talented young bodybuilders. Perhaps athletes like Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada are a product of that very generation. It will be a like a new “boom” of bodybuilders changing the landscape more dramatically than we’ve seen in recent years.
Of course, it’s still early to tell. What is certain is that the past few years have been a transitionary period for the sport. We’ve now had three different Mr. Olympia champions three years in a row. It’s been a while since that has happened compared to seven years straight of domination from Phil Heath.
Eventually, a reigning champion will reveal himself (perhaps it is even Big Ramy). When that happens, the landscape will be very different than it was. New names. New physiques. New icons. It’s an exciting time and we can’t wait to see who sticks around to become top talent.
You can watch Danny Hester’s full comments on the new school era of bodybuilders in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Danny Hester: Stop Calling Bodybuilding A Selfish Sport
Danny Hester debunks the persistent myth that bodybuilding and bodybuilders are inherently selfish
Danny Hester is a top level bodybuilder who has been around for a long time. He’s lived and competed through multiple eras of the sport, eventually earned an Olympia title, and trained numerous celebrities on the side. It’s safe to say that he has an in-depth perspective on bodybuilding over the past few generations. That’s why he is angered when people consider bodybuilding a selfish sport. Sometimes even bodybuilders themselves make this statement. In our latest GI Exclusive, Danny Hester explains why bodybuilding is not a selfish sport and how debunking this thinking can lead to more success for aspiring bodybuilders.
On the surface, bodybuilding on a pro level seems to be a passion of vanity. It’s about obsessing over each and every inch of your body and perfecting it. While that may be true, there is also a deep comradery and spirit between bodybuilders who compete in the sport. Not only that – but a bodybuilder is made up of a team – dietitians, trainers, and coaches.
This is the point Danny Hester wants to get across during our new video conversation. He is tired of people, even fellow bodybuilders, calling the sport selfish. Being a niche sport, Hester sees a true connection and togetherness among bodybuilders. Though he does understand where the “selfish” sentiment first came from.
Our discussion started off specifically discussing money in bodybuilding. How hard is it to make a living as a full time bodybuilder? Is it easier today than it was in the past due to online and social media? Ultimately, Danny Hester believes it evens out. It’s not better or worse – just very different.
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Check out our latest GI Exclusive segment with Danny Hester above!
So when it comes to bodybuilders leaving their hometowns, coming to California, and trying to start a life as a bodybuilder – it can be financially hard. This is where the selfish part comes into play. For bodybuilders starting out, the sport and lifestyle can seem selfish. The coast of supplements, gym memberships, and sacrifice in a traditional social life can all amount to an isolated life.
The reality, though, is that bodybuilding is a close knit community. When starting out and facing tough times – it might be easy to become isolated and see selfishness in the sport. So what Danny Hester wants young bodybuilders to know is this. Ask for help more than you do. Don’t be afraid to connect and put yourself out there with other bodybuilders. Don’t assume they all have it figured out because they look successful on social media.
Social media can be a trick. A classic, grass is always greener, scenario. The truth is behind the photos are more real lives with deeper problems than they are letting on. So Danny Hester wants to promote the comradery of bodybuilding. He wants to inspire young bodybuilders to connect more and see the non-selfish side of the sport.
It can be a real revelation. It can help bodybuilders from burning out. It can change the entire perception of bodybuilding at a time when it’s most important. Ultimately, it can make you a better bodybuilder.
You can watch Danny Hester go into more detail in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!