Tag: GI News
World’s Strongest Man 2021 Finals Results (LIVE UPDATES)
A complete breakdown of the World’s Strongest Man 2021 finals results day one.
The World’s Strongest Man 2021 is nearing an end as the day one finals have come to a close. After a grueling three days of qualifiers – 10 strongman competitors are battling it out to win the title of World’s Strongest Man. Read on for our full recap and breakdown of the day one finals.
The World’s Strongest Man 2021 runs from June 15-20th in Sacramento, California. This is first time in seven years that the event has taken place in California and Generation Iron has been working with WSM’s IMG team to bring you direct coverage. The strongman competitors have been giving their all throughout the entirety of the event – which has also brought in some dramatic turns of events.
Luke Richardson and Graham Hicks have pulled out of the competition early on in the qualifier rounds. Hicks first announced dropping out via his Instagram on June 14. Ervin Toots from Estonia replaced Hicks – who also switched qualifier group spots with Gavin Bilton.
Terry Hollands also suffered an injury during the first round of qualifiers and later announced that he would be officially retiring from the World’s Strongest Man competition completely. Additionally, last year’s champion Oleksii Novikov had some trouble early on with the loading medley event and was unable to finish. This put him at a disadvantage going into the rest of the competition.
After three great days of competition, notable names to watch have begun to emerge. Brian Shaw remains rather dominate along with Trey Mitchell, JF Caron, and Konstantine Janashia. Moving into the final stages and last chances for these athletes to stake their claims, all eyes will be on the finalists as they test their strength and sheer will to be crowned champion.
World’s Strongest Man 2021 Finalists
Ultimately, only 10 competitors were able to move onto the finals this Saturday and Sunday. Below are the ten competitors who are battling it out for the first place spot this weekend.
Brian Shaw
Trey Mitchell
JF Caron
Konstantine Janashia
Bobby Thompson
Maxime Boudreault
Tom Stoltman
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted
Adam Bishop
Luke Stoltman
World’s Strongest Man 2021 Finals Day 1 Events
Giant’s Medley
Titan’s Turntable
Reign Keg Toss
With the day one finals coming to a close, here are the results and current standings.
World’s Strongest Man 2021 Leaderboard
No.
Name
Points
1
Tom Stoltman
10
2
Konstantine Janashia
9
3
Brian Shaw
8
4
Luke Stoltman
7
5
JF Caron
6
6
Adam Bishop
5
7
Bobby Thompson
4
8
Maxime Boudreault
3
9
Trey Mitchell
2
10
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted
1
World’s Strongest Man 2021 Finals Day One Results
After a hot start to the finals round, these 10 athletes have begun competition with serious force. To begin with the Giant’s Medley, Tom Stoltman won the event with a time of 18.36 seconds with Konstantine Janashia and Brian Shaw closely behind.
Giant’s Medley
Tom Stoltman – 18.36 seconds
Konstantine Janashia – 20.31 seconds
Brian Shaw – 20.53 seconds
Luke Stoltman – 20.72 seconds
JF Caron – 21.31 seconds
Adam Bishop – 22.39 seconds
Bobby Thompson – 25.06 seconds
Maxime Boudreault – 31.43 seconds
Trey Mitchell – 45.61 seconds
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted – 12.75 meters
Titan’s Turntable
Results for the Titan’s Turntable will be available shortly.
Reign Keg Toss
Results for the Reign Keg Toss will be available shortly.
World’s Strongest Man Finals Day 2 Preview
With only one more day of the finals we can expect a lot more exciting events to take place as each athlete pushes through their last chance to win the title of World’s Strongest Man. Below is what to expect for tomorrow’s final showcase.
Finals Day 2 – Finals Day 2: Sunday, June 20th
LOG LIFT
KNAACK DEADLIFT
ATLAS STONES
2021 SBD WSM AWARDS
Continue to tune in to our coverage of the 2021 World’s Strongest Man event for more updates. For more news, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Photo credit: Joe Martinez/ World’s Strongest Man
Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 3: Vegas New Mecca, Fitting On Plane, & Last Photo With Rich Piana
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Craig Golias talks on how bodybuilders are swarming to Las Vegas, how to not overeat while bulking, and his relationship with the late Rich Piana
Welcome to another episode of Talking Huge – a 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 this episode, Craig Golias talks about Las Vegas becoming the new mecca of bodybuilding, his friendship with Rich Piana, how to not overeat while bulking, and his early days as an ectomorph.
While Craig Golias may have only had a short career as a competitive bodybuilder, he still love the sport and lifestyle passionately. During our time talking with Craig during this episode, he also recounts his very first time going to the Mr. Olympia competition as a fan. He also discusses his how much he enjoys going to the expo and meeting fans.
Are bodybuilders flocking to live in Las Vegas?
One of our main points of discussion this week is Las Vegas and how it’s suddenly booming with bodybuilding. It’s no secret that for decades the Mr. Olympia has been held in Las Vegas. Ironically, that has changed over the past two years due to COVID-19 – yet the bodybuilding culture seems to be thriving in Las Vegas regardless.
Craig Golias is one of those bodybuilders. He now lives in Las Vegas and hasn’t looked back. In fact, he despises California cities due to the immense traffic and expensive prices. According to Craig, he’s not alone. Many aspiring and pro bodybuilders are moving to Las Vegas. Not only that – but notable gyms are opening up in the area as well.
This combination of bodybuilding-focused gyms and bodybuilders seems to be early signs of a shift in the bodybuilding landscape. Will Las Vegas soon overshadow Los Angeles as the mecca of bodybuilding? Craig Golias believes so.
Vlad Yudin also discusses with Craig how a similar shift is happening on the east coast. Many bodybuilders and events have been moving to Florida. This was accelerated by the pandemic and the lax laws in the state. But this shift was happening even before COVID-19 consumed the world.
Craig Golias On Overeating And Life As An Ectomorph
The topic of bulking returns this week as Craig Golias gives advice on how to not overeat while trying to put on size. The key of course is to eat clean. But he also suggests that your tactics change depending on your current weight. If you are overweight and want to build muscle – Craig suggests focusing on dieting and cutting weight first. Drop the fat, then return to eating heavily – only this time with clean foods.
Craig Golias, while massive and nearly 300 pounds, was not a man who naturally carried weight during his younger years. In fact, he was skinny as twig. He describes himself as an ectomorph who could eat whatever he wanted without gaining weight.
So of course, when he decided to try and build massive muscle – he overindulged extremely. At first, this combined with training led to mostly muscle growth. But by the time he went from 150 pounds to 225 pounds, the weight gain started going from muscle to fat.
At the time, Craig Golias knew nothing about the protocols and tactics for being a successful bodybuilder. He was just playing it by ear and trying to emulate the physiques he saw in movies and magazines. For future generations – he warns against doing what he did at the start. The sooner you know about building muscle on a clean diet, the sooner you will find the kind of real bodybuilding success you are likely looking for.
Wrap Up
You can watch Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss Las Vegas bodybuilding, Rich Piana, overeating, and how to build muscle as an ectomorph in our latest episode above. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
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.
Gunter Schlierkamp Answers: How He Beat Ronnie Coleman In His Mr. Olympia Prime
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Pro bodybuilding Gunter Schlierkamp reflects on beating Ronnie Coleman in 2002 just three weeks after he won the Mr. Olympia.
It’s no secret that Ronnie Coleman is one of the biggest legends in the sport of bodybuilding. His eight-time Mr. Olympia reign is stuff of legend and his mass monster physique is touted as impossible to match – even decades after his prime. Yet somehow in 2002, Gunter Schlierkamp defeated Coleman at a bodybuilding show just three weeks after Coleman took his fifth Sandow trophy. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Gunter Schlierkamp details the moment he defeated Ronnie Coleman in his prime and just how he pulled it off.
Gunter Schlierkamp is a bodybuilder who is beloved by many fans in the history of the sport. He may not have earned an Olympia win – but his mass monster physique was impressive and earned him a spot as an icon in bodybuilding. But there is one fact that might be shocking to fans who don’t know Schlierkamp’s career in detail. In 2002, just three weeks after Ronnie Coleman won his fifth Mr. Olympia title, Schlierkamp defeated Ronnie Coleman.
Of course, Ronnie Coleman had been defeated before. It’s well known that Coleman struggled to place high initially before dominating the field. That being said, after he started winning the Mr. Olympia year after year – Gunter Schlierkamp is the only bodybuilder to have defeated him during his reign. How did he do it?
We asked this very question to Gunter Schlierkamp during our latest video interview. His answer has little to do with some sort of mysterious trick – and more to do with continued hard work mixed with a boost of extreme confidence.
Gunter Schlierkamp faced off against Ronnie Coleman at a pro show in New Orleans three weeks after the Mr. Olympia. During the Olympia show – Schlierkamp placed fifth. This his first time making it into the top five at Mr. Olympia. Afterwards, famous bodybuilding journalist Peter McGough came up to him backstage. With extreme excitement, McGough stated that Schlierkamp should have placed in the top five the previous year. His placing in 2002 was vindication of the mistake that the judges made sleeping on him last year.
This news from such a trusted voice in bodybuilding made Gunter Schlierkamp ecstatic. So when he went into the New Orleans show just three weeks later – he had extreme confidence in his own ability going into the show. Not only that but he felt the energy of the fans. Any self doubt was thrown out the window. Mix that with continued hard work – and Schlierkamp found himself with the best conditioned physique he ever had.
Contest timing is always important as well. We asked Schlierkamp if he felt that Ronnie might have peaked at the Olympia only to be off three weeks later. Gunter Schlierkamp dismissed this idea. In his opinion, Ronnie Coleman looked better at the New Orleans show compared to the Mr. Olympia. By that notion, Schlierkamp believes to not have won by luck – but by pure hard work and will power. He didn’t defeat Ronnie on an off day. He defeated Ronnie at the top of his game.
There’s many more fascinating details to this period of time that we can’t get into with this article. That’s why you should check out Gunter Schlierkamp explain it fully in our GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Victor Martinez: Hunter Labrada Has The Mass Of Nick Walker & The Shape Of Blessing
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Victor Martinez critiques three of the biggest up and coming pro bodybuilders – Nick Walker, Blessing Awodibu, and Hunter Labrada.
In late 2020 and through the first half of 2021, three names have stood out as rising stars in the pro league. Those three athletes are Nick Walker, Hunter Labrada, and Blessing Awodibu. With a few pro shows under each of their belts, they have showcased extremely promising physiques. That’s why we’ve turned to veteran Victor Martinez for his analysis on these three bodybuilders – and what we can expect from them in the future. In our latest GI Exclusive, Victor Martinez discusses how Hunter Labrada hits the sweet spot of size and shape – standing out above Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu.
Over the past few years, pro bodybuilding has been in a transitionary stage. We’ve had three different Mr. Olympia champions in three years. We’ve also seen a handful of new younger athletes rise into the spotlight. The torch is in the process of being passed – and a new generation of bodybuilders are ready to prove their worth.
Three standout athletes in particular are Nick Walker, Blessing Awodibu, and Hunter Labrada. Nick Walker just won first place at the New York Pro 2021, solidifying the hype surrounding his massive physique. Blessing Awodibu, while not winning any major competitions – remained in top placings with a threatening physique that simply needs some fine tuning.
Hunter Labrada has not yet competed in 2021, but his last appearances in 2020 caught a lot of attention. His aesthetic, conditioning reminded many of his father Lee Labrada. On top of that, he seems to be bringing in a more modern level of muscle mass. Will this make him a true contender to be a future Mr. Olympia champion?
We spoke with Victor Martinez during our video interview and asked him who he thought were the most interesting young bodybuilders rising in the ranks. Martinez gave immense praise to all three of these bodybuilders – but singled Hunter Labrada out as the one with most promise. The reason? He appears to hold the perfect combination of strengths between Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu.
Victor Martinez had this to say about Hunter Labrada during our interview:
“Labrada has the mass of Nick and the shape of Blessing. He’s like an in between of both of them. Because Blessing has great shape, the mass, keeps dieting and it’s going down. Nick Walker is just staying massive but he doesn’t have the shape.”
Of course, time can change a lot of things. Victor Martinez’s comments were made just before the New York Pro 2021. While his opinion might still stand – Nick Walker’s win will certainly give him confidence to continue improving.
Big Ramy was a bodybuilder who many thought would never be able to find the right balance of size and conditioning. He ultimately proved them wrong. Nick Walker is too early in his career for anyone to make permanent assumptions. We’ve yet to see the full potential of his abilities – but as Big Ramy proved – either way incredible things can happen.
As it stands now, Hunter Labrada simply has the work ethic and the genetics to truly impress Victor Martinez. And he’s not alone. Many fans and fellow bodybuilders are surprised at just how on point Hunter Labrada has looked the past year. We can’t wait to see what kind of damage he can do when he next steps on stage.
You can watch Victor Martinez’ full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
George Farah: I Could Have Gotten Big Ramy The Mr. Olympia Sooner
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George Farah reflects on Big Ramy’s Olympia win and his many coaching changes leading up to the victory.
Big Ramy’s Mr. Olympia win was a long time coming. So long, in fact, that many bodybuilding fans began to doubt if it would ever happen. His placings were a rollercoaster ride between the years. Regardless, in 2020, Ramy pulled it off. Throughout the years building towards this victory, Ramy changed coaches quite a bit. One of those coaches was George Farah. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, George Farah discusses his time training Big Ramy and claims that he could have gotten him the Mr. Olympia title sooner.
George Farah was Big Ramy’s on and off coach over the past few years of Big Ramy’s career. But like many other coaches along the way – Ramy refused to stay put. With each passing Olympia he didn’t win, Ramy tried out different coaches to find the best fit for victory. He found himself returning to Farah a few times during this period.
George Farah holds no ill will towards Big Ramy for these changes. “We are adults,” he claims in our interview. Farah understands that an athlete will ultimately do what he thinks is best for his career. While Farah enjoyed his time training Ramy – especially because of his potential – Farah understood that Ramy had to find his own path.
That being said, George Farah was extremely happy for Big Ramy to win the Mr. Olympia in 2020. He knew for years that if Ramy could get on point, he would be unstoppable. He still believes that now. Though he admits that anything can happen and it remains to be seen if Ramy will return on point again or continue his rollercoaster up and down career. Farah hopes to see him remain champion in the future.
We also asked George Farah why he thinks Big Ramy changed coaches so often throughout his career. As we briefly mentioned above, Farah thinks that Ramy needed to find his own path. He was hungry to win – and wanted to try out all options to see what worked best.
While George Farah is not angry about Big Ramy leaving him as a coach, he does admit that he finds himself somewhat sad. This is partially due to the fact that Farah finds Ramy to have one of the biggest hearts in bodybuilding. But it’s also because Farah strongly believes that he could have gotten Ramy the Mr. Olympia title sooner.
“Did it hurt me that he left? Yeah. But it didn’t hurt me that he left me. It hurt me because I saw what I could do with him,” George Farah stated in our interview. He continued:
“I saw that – I said, ‘Oh my god. Right now I knew how Ramy’s body is going to work.’ After Prague, it’s going to be a piece of cake. But he ended up going with Chris… I didn’t get mad. I got a little sad. Like I said, the only reason I got sad because I know what I could have done. I could have gotten him that Olympia before waiting four or five years.”
George Farah seems convinced that if Big Ramy stayed more consistent with his coaches that he could have found success at Olympia sooner. More specifically, Farah believes he fully understood Ramy’s body and could have gotten him the Sandow trophy years earlier.
You can watch George Farah go into full detail about Big Ramy and his Mr. Olympia win by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview above.
World’s Strongest Man 2021 Day 1 Qualifier Results
A complete breakdown of the World’s Strongest Man 2021 Day 1 Qualifier
The World’s Strongest Man 2021 is underway and the competitors are attacking the events with gusto. The first day of competition featured three separate events, each that tested the mettle of the athletes.
Not every group will be competing in all three events. Some of the groups were shuffled to keep the competitors on their toes. That meant the athletes needed to be ready for anything that was thrown their way.
World’s Strongest Man 2021 Day 1 Events
Loading Medley — All groups
Squat Lift — Groups One and Three
Deadlift — Groups Two, Four, and Five
With day one of the event coming to a close, here are the results and current standings.
World’s Strongest Man 2021 Leaderboard
Rank
Name
Points
Group 1
1
Brian Shaw
8.5
2
Maxime Boudreault
8
3
Aivars Smaukstelis
5.5
4
Gavin Bilton
4
5
Travis Ortmayer
4
Group 2
1
Tom Stoltman
5
2
Mark Felix
4
3
Evan Singleton
3
4
Johnny Hansson
2
5
Trey Mitchell
1
Group 3
1
JF Caron
9
2
Mikhail Shivlyakov
7
3
Robert Oberst
5
4
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted
5
5
Luke Richardson
1
Group 4
1
Konstantine Janashia
5
2
Terry Hollands
4
3
Jerry Pritchett
3
4
Chris van der Linde
2
5
Adam Bishop
1
Group 5
1
Kevin Faires
5
2
Luke Stoltman
4
3
Bobby Thompson
3
4
Oleksii Novikov
2
5
Ervin Toots
1
World’s Strongest Man 2021 Day 1 Qualifier Results
During the first day qualifiers, each athlete competed in two events – a loading medley and then either a squat or deadlift event depending on their group.
World’s Strongest Man has confirmed that competitors Luke Richardson and Graham Hicks have pulled out of the competition. Hicks first announced dropping out via his Instagram on June 14. Ervin Toots from Estonia replaced Hicks – who also switched qualifier group spots with Gavin Bilton. This means that Bilton moved to Group One and Toots moved to Group Five.
Loading Medley
This event required each athlete to load two 225 pound barrels and a 275 pound anvil to a platform. They then raced to complete a 825 pound frame carry. The event itself appeared to be extremely brutal with some athletes unable to finish. This included last year’s World’s Strongest Man winner Oleksii Novikov.
Group 1
Maxime Boudreault — 4 in 1:00.40
Brian Shaw — 4 in 1:05.44
Travis Ortmayer — 3 and 8.18 meters
Gavin Bilton — 3 and 1.94 meters
Aivars Smaukstelis — 3 in 0:36.38
Group 2
Tom Stoltman — 4 in 0:46.69
Mark Felix — 4 in 1:05.87
Evan Singleton — 3 and 6.10 meters
Johnny Hansson — 3 and 1.33 meters
Trey Mitchell — 3 in 0:31.40
Group 3
Robert Oberst — 3 and 11 meters
JF Caron — 3 and 10.55 meters
Mikhail Shivlyakov — 3 and 2.71 meters
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 3 in 0:39.81
Luke Richardson — 3 in 0:17.99
Group 4
Konstantine Janashia — 3 and 7.44 meters
Terry Hollands — 3 and 5.31 meters
Jerry Pritchett — 3 and 1.57 meters
Chris van der Linde — 3 and 0.20 meters
Adam Bishop — 3 in 0:40.91
Group 5
Kevin Faires — 0:59.64
Luke Stoltman — 1:10.98
Bobby Thompson — 1:27.19
Oleksii Novikov — 3 and 9.30 meters
Ervin Toots — 3 and 2.93 meters
Squat Lift
In comparison the medley event, the squat lift was fairly simple. Two groups of the bunch has to lift this 700 pound squat for max reps.
Group 1
Brian Shaw — 10 reps
Aivars Smaukstelis — 10 reps
Maxime Boudreault — six reps
Gavin Bilton — five reps
Travis Ortmayer — three reps
Group 3
JF Caron — 11 reps
Mikhail Shivlyakov — 10 reps
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — seven reps
Robert Oberst — zero reps
Luke Richardson — Withdrew due to injury
Deadlift (Coming Soon)
The deadlift event is still underway with no results reported as of the time of this writing. This will be later updated as soon as more information becomes available. Below are the groups that are set to compete in the event.
Group 2
Mark Felix —
Johnny Hansson —
Trey Mitchell —
Evan Singleton —
Tom Stoltman —
Group 4
Adam Bishop —
Terry Hollands —
Jerry Pritchett —
Konstantine Janashia —
Chris van der Linde —
Group 5
Ervin Toots —
Kevin Faires —
Oleksii Novikov —
Luke Stoltman —
Bobby Thompson —
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
*Photo credit:Joe Martinez / World’s Strongest Man
The Arnold Classic 2021 Competitor List Has Been Announced
A breakdown of the full Arnold Classic 2021 competitor list for all divisions.
After a long wait, we are getting ever closer to the return of the Arnold Classic 2021, which will take place in Columbus, Ohio on September 25th. Traditionally taking place in March, the event was postponed due to complications due to COVID-19. Now with just three months to go before the big event – the official Arnold Classic 2021 competitor list has been revealed for all divisions.
Due to the delay, the Arnold Classic 2021 will be an official qualifier for the Olympia weekend 2022 and not for this year’s Olympia event. This makes sense, as the Olympia was also postponed again this year. This time the Olympia was pushed to October 2021. With less than a month between the competitions, the Arnold Sports Festival team decided to save qualifications for next year.
The Arnold Classic is always a competition that brings in some of the biggest pro bodybuilders in the sport. So now with the competition looming ever closer – the big question on everyone’s minds is – who will be competing this year?
We now have an answer with the official competitor list revealed for all divisions. You can check it out below:
Derek Dufour has been managing all digital operations on the Generation Iron Network for over six years. He currently manages a team of editors, writers, and designers to provide up-to-date content across the GI Network.
Mike O’Hearn: How Being Macho In Bodybuilding Can Backfire
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Mike O’Hearn talks about the dangers of hiding behind muscle and being “macho” in bodybuilding.
Nearly everyone at some point in their lives deals with anxiety or depressive thoughts. We all go through traumas and tragedies at some point or another. Some of us deal with a constant state of anxiety or depression. Fitness and bodybuilding can be a great tool to help combat these negative thoughts, feelings, and habits. But there can also be a darker side of the coin when it comes to bodybuilding, muscle, and “macho” behavior. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Mike O’Hearn shares his past experiences with tragedy, anxiety, and depression and how hiding behind muscle and being macho made things harder – not easier.
The past year and a half has been a trying time for nearly everyone in the world to some degree or another. Cases of depression and anxiety have risen as we all deal with a truly traumatic and unprecedented event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why during our conversation with Mike O’Hearn – we asked how he deals with stress, anxiety, and depression.
Mike O’Hearn is an extremely focused and proactive person. It’s been well documented and discussed how seriously he takes his bodybuilding lifestyle. He gets up at the crack of dawn to train every single morning. He never misses one day. On top of that, he’s stuck to an incredibly strict diet to obtain a physique that many think is impossible to build without steroids. O’Hearn has stayed consistent in his all natural claims. With the kind of intense routine he follows – he just might be one of the few to really pull that kind of natural physique off.
But behind all of that focus and strict routine – how does he deal with anxiety and depression? What does Mike O’Hearn do when life throws a tragic curveball? We asked this very question to O’Hearn during our latest interview.
Mike O’Hearn reflects back on two times in his life that were very painful. It was the moment his mother and father passed away. Both deaths occurred separate from each other. His father passed first. At the time, O’Hearn decided to push his emotions and grief down. He wanted to be strong and macho. The kind of strong man that mentally to mach his massive muscle.
It wasn’t until after Mike O’Hearn’s mother passed away that the pain and grief he was suppressing all poured out. Everything that he had avoided during his father’s death boiled up to the surface on top of his new grief upon his mother passing. O’Hearn spiraled into a depressed state. The only thing that brought consistency into his life was his ongoing training and nutrition schedule. It was the only thing he had control over.
Ultimately, Mike O’Hearn slowly recovered and pulled himself out of the hole. By facing his emotions and admitting to others that he was facing emotional struggles – he was able to finally face a series of grief that he had been avoiding for years.
Mike O’Hearn tops off the conversation with advice for others who are facing anxiety or depression. Speak out about it. Be open and don’t be afraid to reveal the pain you are going through. Whether that’s speaking to a family member, a friend, or getting professional help.
Many bodybuilders entered into the bodybuilding lifestyle because they wanted to be strong. Perhaps because they were bullied as a kid or simply unhappy with the way they looked. This creates a sort of macho mentality down the road. Bodybuilders will do anything possible to appear strong – not just physically but emotionally.
Mike O’Hearn wants the world to know that it’s okay to open up. That there is actual strength in admitting to grief or anxiety or depression. Instead of hiding behind muscle and a tough guy persona – be honest with not only yourself but also others. It will make you stronger in the end. It will also hopefully make you a happier and more fulfilled person in the big picture.
You can watch Mike O’Hearn discuss anxiety, depression, and bodybuilding in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Samir Bannout On Olympia 1984 Loss: “I Was Intentionally Robbed”
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After winning Mr. Olympia in 1983, Samir Bannout calls his loss in 1984 dirty and highway robbery.
Samir Bannout is a legendary bodybuilder who has the rare distinction of only winning the Mr. Olympia once. That puts him on a short list of pro bodybuilders including the likes of Dexter Jackson. This does not demean the accomplishment. Winning even one Mr. Olympia is a powerful feat. But why did Samir Bannout go from winning first place in 1984 down to sixth place the following year? According to Bannout, this was no accident or problem with his physique. It was an intentional plan to prevent him from victory. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Samir Bannout alleges how he was intentionally robbed out of winning the Mr. Olympia 1984.
Samir Bannout wants to make one thing clear when discussing his Mr. Olympia win and the fallout that came in the following years – he is not unhappy with his past career. Personally, Samir Bannout believes he should have won the Mr. Olympia in 1982. But he’s more than happy with the ultimate single Olympia win he got in 1983. He knows he cannot change the past.
The 1984 Mr. Olympia is a totally different story. Samir Bannout doesn’t simply believe that he should have won – he believes that he did in fact have the winning physique but was sabotaged by insiders in the league. Bannout reiterates that he has no ill will about the loss – but he also has no problem revealing what he believes to be the truth. He alleges that certain individuals intentionally altered the outcome of the Mr. Olympia 1984. This, according to Bannout, is main reason why he dropped down to sixth place.
During this segment of our conversation with Samir Bannout, we track his rise and eventual win at the Mr. Olympia 1983. We also track through his sudden drop off in the years that followed. Bannout discusses how he change up his tactics in order to go from 16th at the Mr. Olympia 1980 all the way to Olympia champion in 1983. He describes himself as trying too hard and creating a mental block on his progress. Once he realized “less is more” – he found a new path towards success.
Of course, that all came crashing down in 1984 when he suddenly dropped down to sixth place at the Mr. Olympia. While Bannout does not name names – he explains how specific individuals wanted to ruin Bannout’s reputation and prevent him from winning the Mr. Olympia again. This, according to Bannout, is the main reason he placed so much lower.
Samir Bannout points to photos of his physique as proof that he was better than a sixth place athlete. It was clear that Bannout and Lee Haney were neck and neck for first place. While Bannout does not completely line out exactly what happened – he implies that his close relationship with Joe Weider led to some jealously in the league. Those jealous individuals worked behind the scenes to take down Bannout as the then-current golden child of the sport.
You can watch Samir Bannout go into complete detail about his Mr. Olympia 1984 experience by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.