Tag: GI News
PHOTOS: Derek Lunsford Stole The Show During His Guest Posing At The 2022 Pittsburgh Pro
Derek Lunsford shocked fans with a massive guest posing at the star studded 2022 Pittsburgh Pro.
Derek Lunsford gave us an up close and personal look at his latest physique during his guest posing at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro – which commenced on May 7, 2022. This is Lunsford’s first on stage appearance of 2022. While this is still a strong seven months away from the Mr. Olympia, it provides fans with some insight into his offseason physique as he trains to potentially win his third Olympia title later this year.
The Pittsburgh Pro is a notable pro bodybuilding competition for being run by IFBB Pro and NPC president Jim Manion himself. Due to this, the Pittsburgh Pro always has a star studded roster of elite IFBB Pro competitors take the stage to guest pose. Beyond Derek Lunsford, Brandon Curry, Nick Walker, and Hunter Labrada all took the stage to guest pose as well.
Many fans were expecting to see Big Ramy take the stage at the Pittsburgh Pro – but he ended up being a no-show. Instead, Derek Lunsford made a surprise appearance and looked truly massive. In fact, many fans were pointing out that he looked as large or even larger than many of the Men’s Open competitors who guest posed alongside him that night.
Derek Lunsford is the current Men’s 212 Olympia champion – but his physique here showed that he could truly hold an impressive and controlled physique weighing well over the 212 limit.
Derek Lunsford is the number one competitor to beat at the 2022 Men’s 212 Olympia. Lunsford truly shocked and impressed at the 2021 Olympia, knocking out the returning champion Shaun Clarida. After many years of impressive showings, Lunsford transformed into perfection that night with a shock and awe performance. Many believe that if he could keep that kind of consistency, he will be an Olympia champion for years to come.
Most notable this weekend was the fact that Derek Lunsford was the only non-Men’s Open competitor guest posing. Derek Lunsford took the stage alongside Brandon Curry, Nick Walker, and Hunter Labrada. Not only did Lunsford look impressive in his own right – he looked fantastic standing side by side with the other Men’s Open competitors. This spurred many fans to wonder if he will one day transition into the Men’s Open division.
Many Men’s 212 competitors have transitioned to Men’s Open over the past few years. Most notable is Hadi Choopan – who has placed in the top five consistently in Men’s Open at the Olympia. Perhaps Lunsford can have the same kind of success if he transitioned upwards. He can hold much more size and height that Choopan – which might give him an even better advantage based on what we saw during the guest posing this weekend.
This is all just speculation though. For now, the main takeaway is that Derek Lunsford is still the number one competitor to beat at the Men’s 212 Olympia later this year. A lot can change over the next seven months, so nothing is set in stone. But this offseason physique was so impressive – many will hype Lunsford further for the rest of this season.
PHOTOS: Nick Walker Looks Massive Guest Posing At The 2022 Pittsburgh Pro
Nick Walker impressed with a massive guest posing routine at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro
Nick Walker showcased a phenomenal and massive offseason physique during his guest posing at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro – which was held this weekend on May 7, 2022. Walker’s guest posing is notable after switching coaches and not competing at the 2022 Arnold Classic – despite expressing interest in appearing at the show. He is now training towards the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
The Pittsburgh Pro is known for its star studded guest posing routines. The competition is run by IFBB Pro and NPC president Jim Manion, making it one of the more exciting events of the season each year. Alongside Nick Walker, Brandon Curry, Hunter Labrada, and current Mr. Olympia champion Big Ramy also guest posed.
There has been much hype and anticipation for Nick Walker’s appearance at the 2022 Mr. Olympia after his 2021 Arnold Classic win. This is the first on stage appearance of 2022 and an early indicator of his offseason progress. Walker’s consistent social media photo updates have showcased an incredibly on-point physique – but this is the first time of the year he appeared under the hot lights of the stage.
You can watch the video of Nick Walker guest posing at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro right here:
Nick Walker’s career has skyrocketed since 2020. At just 27 years old, Walker has sculpted a truly enormous and detailed physique. His win at the 2022 Arnold Classic cemented his iconic status – and many fans now hope to see him take aim at the Mr. Olympia throne. Walker placed fifth place a the 2021 Mr. Olympia. For a competitor still in his 20s, this is a phenomenal feat.
Nick Walker has often been compared to Olympia legend Dorian Yates in terms of his mass monster size and the shape of his physique. During a GI Exclusive interview in 2021, we discussed with Walker about the comparison and what his plans for the future hold. It’s clear that his vision has been on track thus far.
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With so much time ahead of him in his career, Nick Walker might just be the next phenom to take over the Olympia throne for years to come. He just needs to finalize the small details and take down the likes of legends such as Big Ramy and Brandon Curry. Time will soon tell how fast he can accomplish this feat.
Until then, make sure to stay tuned to the Generation Iron Fitness Network for more updates on Nick Walker and all other things bodybuilding, fitness, and strength sports.
PHOTOS: Brandon Curry Guest Posing At The 2022 Pittsburgh Pro
Photo via Instagram @mindtomuscle.in
Brandon Curry gives fans a first look preview of his physique since the 2022 Arnold Classic
Brandon Curry took the stage for an epic guest posing routine at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro – which was held this past weekend on May 7, 2022. The posing routine gave fans their first on-stage look of Curry since his victory at the 2022 Arnold Classic. Curry posed alongside Nick Walker, Hunter Labrada, and current Mr. Olympia champion Big Ramy.
The Pittsburgh Pro is one of the more notable pro bodybuilding competitions of the year. This is due to the star studded guest posing routines that grace the stage in celebration of Jim Manion – president of the IFBB Pro and NPC league. Typically the biggest names in bodybuilding showcase their physiques on stage – including the current Mr. Olympia champion. This weekend was no different.
Most notable about Brandon Curry’s guest posing routine is that he would be showcasing his physique on the same night as Big Ramy. Ramy narrowly defeated Curry at the 2021 Mr. Olympia competition. So this is our first time seeing both Curry and Ramy on stage back to back. While they are both still in the off season – this gives fans a progress update on their training leading into the Olympia later this year.
You can see photos of Brandon Curry’s guest posing routine here:
Brandon Curry won the Mr. Olympia title in 2019 but has been since shut out by Big Ramy over the past two years. However, with each competition Curry has slowly but steadily improved. In fact, his 2021 Mr. Olympia appearance might have been his beast yet – but was unable to edge past Big Ramy’s massive size.
Earlier this year, Brandon Curry competed in the 2022 Arnold Classic – where he faced off against William Bonac. The two were neck and neck for the entire weekend. Many predicted the win would go to Bonac. Ultimately, Curry took the first place prize. Since then, he has been focusing on prepping for the Mr. Olympia later this year in December. Of course, with a pitstop appearance at the Pittsburgh Pro.
Brandon Curry is one of the top names in contention to defeat Big Ramy at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. His consistency of his physique leaves fans confident that he can still be a true threat – especially if he further improves by this winter.
With the Mr. Olympia still seven months away, a lot can change from this guest posing routine and the final product. Only time will tell if Brandon Curry will step up and overcome Big Ramy or not. And that’s not accounting for the rising tide of younger athletes turning heads such as Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada. It will certainly be an interesting and exciting season of bodybuilding as it continues to unfold.
Make sure to stay tuned to the Generation Iron Fitness Network for more updates on all things bodybuilding, fitness, and strength sports!
Ronnie Coleman Discusses Issues In Bodybuilding: ‘This Sport Is Not Worth Dying For’
Ronnie Coleman recently addressed the deaths in bodybuilding and reflected on an experience of his own.
Ronnie Coleman is one of the best bodybuilders to ever step on stage and his resume backs it up. Coleman is an eight-time Olympia champion, which is tied for the most all-time with Lee Haney. To this day, Coleman remains an influential voice in bodybuilding because of his knowledge of the sport. Coleman recently discussed the recent deaths in bodybuilding and reflected on an experience of his own.
Coleman joined Bradley Martyn to discuss the recent happenings around bodybuilding. Unfortunately, there has been a string of deaths that has hit the world hard. Shawn Rhoden and George Peterson passed away last year. Recently, Cedric McMillan suddenly died and this shifted conversations further toward the health concerns in bodybuilding.
Ronnie Coleman knows a thing or two about preparing for shows and what it takes to be the best in the world. During his time, there was not this many deaths and it is because there used to be testing for substances such as diuretics.
“It’s kind of hard, you know when I was coming up, we had one guy die and they started drug testing every show. He died of diuretics of course, you know. So they started drug testing for diuretics every show, and nobody died or nothing, until they stopped. I’ll never forget when they stopped. He died in 1996 I think. (Mohammed) Benaziza, he died on the European Tour. I know I wasn’t there, I wasn’t Mr. Olympia back then. They drug tested every single show after that in the IFBB.”
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Following this death, Ronnie Coleman explained that the IFBB began testing doe diuretics and there were not many deaths in the sport. This changed once Jay Cutler threatened to sue the league after testing positive. Coleman explained that Cutler got testing outlawed.
“When Jay failed the test, they, because Jay told them he was going to sue them. They was like, okay, well we won’t keep testing, and you get the chance to keep your prize money too. We will just do away with the testing. Jay changed that. They didn’t test no more after that.”
Ronnie Coleman and the 2001 Olympia
Ronnie Coleman knows the dangers of diuretics firsthand and it was at its worst in 2001. This is the season Coleman became the first competitor to win the Arnold Classic and Olympia in the same year. Despite his success, the Olympia victory almost didn’t happen.
Coleman reflects on waking up the morning of the Olympia competition feeling extremely dehydrated and wanting to go to the hospital.
“When you start dying, this sport is not worth dying for. Ronnie laughs. Not at all. I remember back in 2001, I’ll never forget it like it was yesterday. I woke up the morning of the Olympia and I felt awful. I was totally dehydrated, you know, you have to be kind of a little dehydrated to get up there on stage,” Coleman explained.
But this morning, I felt awful, I felt real bad. I was to the point where I felt like I was kind of dying. It scared the living hell out of me. I called my nutritionist, and said hey, dude I feel awful. Forget this show, I’m going to the hospital. I’m not going to die for this sport. I’m going to the hospital.”
Ronnie Coleman was able to hydrate enough to get on stage and defeated Cutler to keep his Olympia streak going. This opened Coleman’s eyes and he did not want to have this problem again moving forward.
Many have discussed how to improve the health of bodybuilding. Since McMillan passed away, competitors and powerlifters have been going to get checked out to make sure their health is in a good position. This is a growing problem and it will be interesting to see how it is handled moving forward.
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Calum Von Moger Allegedly Jumped Through Second Story Window, Currently In ICU
Early reports allege that Calum Von Moger has jumped through a second story window, injured his spine, and is currently in the ICU.
Calum Von Moger has reportedly jumped through a second story window, received serious injuries, and is currently in the ICU. Undisclosed sources and various online outlets reported the news Friday afternoon on May 6th. At the time of this writing, there is no confirmation from Calum Von Moger, family, friends, or representation nor from any authorities or local news outlets.
According to initial reports, Calum Von Moger was recently kicked out of his family’s house in Australia. Previous reports have also showcased Von Moger getting into issues with the law including incidents of road rage and carrying a weapon. While not confirmed – there have also been rumors that Von Moger has been suffering from drug addiction to meth amphetamine.
This story is currently developing, so details are scares and Generation Iron is reaching out to local Australian sources for confirmation and more detail. As of now, statements suggest that Calum Von Moger was under the influence of drugs and jumped through a second story window receiving a large number of cuts from the glass. He then sustained spinal injury upon falling to the ground – requiring emergency medical attention. He is reportedly currently in the ICU.
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ABOVE: Calum Von Moger showcasing his at-home workout.
Calum Von Moger has been off the bodybuilding map for the past year after moving back to his home country of Australia – where he soon faced various legal issues. Shortly after, Von Moger posted a video apologizing for his behavior and claiming that he would be receiving help and working towards recovery.
This story is still developing. Generation Iron will provide updates as soon as they become available. Generation Iron would also like to send well wishes, thoughts, and prayers for Calum Von Moger, family, and friends during this difficult time.
Jacob Ladon is a staff writer and former amateur bodybuilder. He has been passionate about bodybuilding since he was 15 years old and discovered the joys of training in the gym. He reports and comments on all bodybuilding related matters.
Martins Licis Crushes 805-Pound Deadlifts For Five Reps During Training
Martins Licis continues to be one of the contenders to be the 2022 World’s Strongest Man.
Martins Licis is back to his best and that has been clear during some recent performances. Licis will enter the 2022 World’s Strongest Man competition as one of the favorites to claim the title and that is even more apparent after watching some training videos. Recently, Licis completed five reps of 805 pounds while deadlifting.
The World’s Strongest Man competition will take place from May 24-29 in Sacramento. The full roster and list of events has been released. Licis looks to be back at full strength after being forced to miss the biggest competition of the year over the last couple years. In his recent Instagram post, Licis is seen completing massive deadlifts using a deadlift suit, lifting belt, a knee straps.
“Hookgrip 805lb 366kg deadlift for reps ? Just wanted three, but didn’t get the lockout I wanted on the second rep, got mad, kept going to makeup for it. I’ve got @reignbodyfuelto thank for the ⚡️ boost! One more deadlift session remaining to lock this in before @theworldsstrongestman ! Thank you @wreckitgym crew for cheering me on!”
The max deadlift is one of the events in the upcoming competition. Martins Licis is seen in the video using a conventional stance and hook grip. He was going for three reps but was able to get five. With the competition three weeks away, Licis will have one final deadlift session before heading to Sacramento.
Martins Licis won the World’s Strongest Man crown in 2019 before suffering some bad luck that kept him out of competition. He was able to return to prominence in 2021 by winning the Rogue Invitation. This year, he is already off to a hot start.
Licis won the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic in Columbus, OH. This was a competition that featured many of the top strongmen in the world, such as the Stoltman Brothers and Oleksii Novikov. The Ukrainian strongman finished second to Licis and is another competitor to watch come the end of May.
The 2022 World’s Strongest Man competition has a full roster of 30 with some former champions. Reigning champ Tom Stoltman will be looking to make it two in a row while four-time champion Brian Shaw will also be featured. Novikov won the title back in 2020 as well.
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Martins Licis seems to be back at full strength and this could lead to another title come the end of May.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Peiman Maheripourehir Out Of World’s Strongest Man, Manuel Angulo Named Replacement
Peiman Maheripourehir becomes third competitor to drop out.
Peiman Maheripourehir has become the third competitor to drop out of the 2022 World’s Strongest Man competition since the roster was finalized. Shortly after the announcement was made, Manuel Angulo was named as his replacement. The 2022 WSM is scheduled for May 24-29 in Sacramento.
Maheripourehir made the announcement via Instagram. He shared that he is withdrawing from the competition due to issues with his visa. The World’s Strongest Man Instagram account also shared the new and Maheripourehir commented “Damn the visa.”
Peiman Maheripourehir now joins Rauno Heinla and Mateusz Kieliszkowski as competitors who have withdrawn from the competition. There have been other who declined competition in the first place like J.F. Caron, Iron Baby, Graham Hicks and Zydrunas Savickas.
Maheripourehir qualified for the World’s Strongest Man in 2017 and 2018. He was looking to make his third appearance in the biggest show of the year and first in four years. Now, Angulo has a chance to make his debut.
Manuel Angulo is a strongman who hails from Chile. The 45-year-old has never appeared in the World’s Strongest Man competition. His most recent international contest came during the 2021 Official Strongman Games in Daytona, FL, where he competed in the Master’s Men Over 40 division. He did not finish in the top 10 of this competition. Now, Angulo will have a chance to redeem himself against some of the best strongmen in the world.
2022 World’s Strongest Man Roster
Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine)
Rob Kearney (USA)
Gabriel Peña (Mexico)
Kelvin de Ruiter (Netherlands)
Kim Ujarak (Greenland)
Maxime Boudreault (Canada)
Mark Felix (UK)
Pa O’Dwyer (Ireland)
Shane Flowers (UK)
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf (Australia)
Bobby Thompson (USA)
Aivars Smaukstelis (Latvia)
Adam Bishop (UK)
Evan Singleton (USA)
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted (Iceland)
Konstantine Janashia (Georgia)
Trey Mitchell (USA)
Mika Törrö (Finland)
Luke Stoltman (UK)
Brian Shaw (USA)
Tom Stoltman (UK) — Reigning WSM Champion
Gabriel Rheaume (Canada)
Martins Licis (USA)
Gavin Bilton (UK)
Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
Kevin Faires (USA)
Nedžmin Ambešković (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Grzegorz Szymanski
Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
Manuel Angulo (Chile)
The 2022 World’s Strongest Man competition will feature four previous champions. This includes defending champion Tom Stoltman. 2020 winner Oleksii Novikov and 2019 winner Martins Licis will also be present. Brian Shaw enters the competition as a four-time champion at the event.
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Larry Wheels Announces Deadlift PR Attempt Date Following 425kg Lift
Larry Wheels will take on a new deadlift challenge in August.
Larry Wheels has become known for his massive feats of strength. He has built a huge following on social media and this is where he shared his latest deadlift and made a big announcement. In August, Wheels will be taking on a new PR deadlift.
On Tuesday, Wheels posted a video of a 425kg (937lb) deadlift on Instagram. This is when revealed his plan to hit a new PR in August. With this announcement coming in May and Wheels already hitting 937 pounds, what could this PR be when the time comes?
“925/425kg.Preparing for a deadlift PR in august. Can you guess what it’ll be?”
While Larry Wheels did not reveal what the lift would be, he left it up for followers to guess in the comments. It would not be surprising to see Wheels target the 1,000-pound mark when the time comes.
Wheels has a long history as a powerlifter but has recently taken on different ventures, such as arm wrestling. He is planning to return to the stage during the 2022 Middle East’s Strongest Man competition, which is set to take place on Aug. 27-28. At this event, the max deadlift is one of the events and this is where Wheels will take on his new PR.
READ MORE: Larry Wheels Shares Exercise To Build A Massive Back
Larry Wheels Competition History
Larry Wheels competed in sanctioned powerlifting for seven years. During this time, he competed in 16 shows and finished with 11 victories. He also holds the all-time raw world record for total weight and bench press in the U140kg division.
Wheels has continued to train like a powerlifter and has his numbers at massive heights. It is clear that Wheels is continuing to build strength and will likely have a shot at winning his competition in August.
Larry Wheels Competition PRs
Squat: 394.6 kilograms (870 pounds)
Deadlift: 387.2 kilograms (855 pounds)
Bench press: 293 kilograms (645 pounds)
Total: 1,075 kilograms (2,370 pounds)
When Larry Wheels takes the stage, there will certainly be plenty of eyes on him. He has built an Instagram following of 3.3 million and counting. He has already teased a deadlift PR attempt and this will only bring more attention to his performance. Can Wheels be the next to officially deadlift 1,000 pounds?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Liver King Details Barbarian Exercise, Diet Plan With GQ Magazine That Includes Bull Testicles
Liver King was featured in GQ Magazine discussing his exercise and diet that includes bull testicles.
Brian Johnson, better known as Liver King, has a lifestyle that includes crazy workouts and diet plans, including bull testicles. The word is out and many are talking about the physique Johnson has been able to build with this lifestyle. Recently, Liver King was featured in a piece for GQ Magazine discussing this lifestyle.
Liver King has developed this “ancestral” lifestyle following nine tenets — sleep, eat, move, shield, connect, cold, sun, fight, and bond. This, paired with brutal workouts and raw meat, have built the beast that is Liver King.
Johnson has said that he eats close to a pound of raw liver each day. This is a quantity that too much for organ novices but he can handle the meat because he knows the science behind it.
“I’m not a hospital, I’m not a doctor, this is not medical advice. I do, however, have a degree in biochemistry,” Liver King claims on his website.
It is clear that liver will be Johnson’s first love but he has tried many different meats to see which have the best benefits. This includes bone marrow, tongue, and testicles.
“Why eat vegetables when you can eat testicles?”
“Vegetables don’t have the raw material required to produce a healthy set of testicles. Testicles do have everything required to produce and support and strengthen them.”
Liver King has been able to build a shredded physique using this lifestyle, which he claims is all natural. This is a claim that has many questioning how it is possible. This includes Joe Rogan, who refuted the statement on an episode of his podcast. Rogan believes that Liver King “has got an ass filled with steroids” and that his body is not a natural one.
In his discussion with GQ, Liver King spoke on the comments made by Rogan and said that he would be happy to go on an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.
“I don’t touch the stuff. I’m grateful to Joe Rogan for bringing me into his ecosystem.”
Liver King also detailed his workouts, which includes “The Barbarian.” This is an exercise that Johnson designed where he holds a 70-pound kettlebell in each hand, straps 20-pound ankle weights on each leg, carries a 70-pound backpack, and drags 120 pounds on a sled for one mile.
Liver King has built an empire using his insane diet plans and workout programs. Whether he is all natural or not, there is no denying the physique that Johnson has been able to build using his methods.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Iain Valliere Shares Plan To Compete In 2022 Vancouver Pro
Iain Valliere will return to his home country to make his debut this season.
Iain Valliere had a successful 2021 season leading up to the Olympia in October. He has yet to make his debut this year but recently shared his plan to compete at the 2022 Vancouver Pro in his home country.
Valliere, who hails from Ottawa, moved to Florida last year in order to take his preparation up a notch. He joined an episode of Bro Chat | Real Bodybuilding Podcast with Fouad Abiad to speak on his future plans, including shows and preparation.
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There is about 10 weeks until the Vancouver Pro is scheduled to take place. Iain Valliere began his prep about six weeks ago and weighed 302 pounds. At this point, he has slimmed down to between 282-285 pounds. The plan was to start bigger in order to keep size longer heading into the show.
“I’m at home and into my schedule every day; it feels good for sure. I’m getting into the swing of things with the prep faster,” Iain Valliere said.
“Last year, I started at 285. I think my legs have probably improved the most, like the quads and adductors, things like that.”
The current state of Men’s Open is full of mass monsters and this is the reason Valliere has focused on putting on size heading into this season. This is where improvements are coming from compared to last season.
Iain Valliere’s 2021 Season
Iain Valliere burst onto the scene a bit in 2021. He qualified for the Olympia in his first competition by winning the Tampa Pro. Valliere decided to return to the stage the very next week and earned his second victory in as many weeks during the Texas Pro. This put Valliere higher up on the map for the biggest shows of the year.
The pandemic forced the Arnold Classic and Olympia to be moved to the end of the year and Valliere was ready for both. He finished second to Nick Walker at the Arnold Classic in September. Two weeks later, Valliere put on a strong showing at the Olympia and finished in seventh place.
This year, Iain Valliere must win a show or finish in the top three of the qualification points system in order to earn a spot at the Olympia. The full roster for the Vancouver Pro has not been released to this point but Valliere will be present looking to earn a victory in his first show for the second consecutive year.
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