Tag: Iain Valliere
Brewing Beef! Iain Valliere Versus Antoine Vaillant and Blessing Awodibu
Iain Valliere appears to be waging a war of words with Antoine Vaillant and Blessing Awodibu.
It appears that top bodybuilders Iain Valliere, Antoine Vaillant, and Blessing Awodibu are embroiled in some online beef. Things started with a simple post made by Vaillant. The post was a comparison picture between Vaillant and Valliere from the recent Vancouver Pro. Valliere would end up beating Vaillant by one point at the show, which likely left a bad taste for the Quebec based bodybuilder.
Everyone enjoys a good rivalry in sports. It brings another level of vested interest in the outcome of events. While competing with honor and integrity is always a great thing to see, it’s even more exciting to see when two or more individuals are invested in the defeat of the other. It appears that a healthy new rivalry is brewing between Ian Valliere, Antoine Vaillant, and Blessing Awodibu.
Antoine Vaillant posted a back comparison pic of he and Iain Valliere at the Vancouver Pro show. Vaillant clearly implies that he beat Valliere from the back at the show. As such, it appears that Vaillant is out for revenge at the 2022 Olympia where he’ll encounter Valliere once again.
What do you guys think?.Me and @iainvalliere from the @vanproshow … #20weeksout Mr. ⭕️ round 2?
Valliere Responds, Blessing Chimes In
Iain Valliere made a comment of his own on the post stating the following.
Oh you want a 4th whooping I see ?
To make matters even more interesting, it appears that Awodibu is getting in on the action as well.
@antoinev87 this’s not even close ?, you smoked this dude , zero back details just size , that’s why he thinks bodybuilding is all about size now , and even when it’s come to size you made him look like a child lol and where’s the damn calves on this guy ?.
Valliere’s Harsh Words for Blessing
Blessing Awodibu would essentially inject himself in the middle of the conversation. Awodibu believes that Vaillant deserved the win over Iain Valliere. Suffice it to say, Valliere disagreed with Awodibu’s assessment of the situation.
@blessing_awodibu you’re about as good a judge as you are a bodybuilder. No wonder your physique looks like a child made it out of playdoh.
All of this from one post. Judging from the silence of Antoine Vaillant, he doesn’t want any kind of serious beef. He did, however, spark a great deal of interest in the outcome at the 2022 Olympia.
Are you more or less excited to see Antoine Vaillant, Iain Valliere, and Blessing Awodibu at the 2022 Olympia?
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News and Editorial Writer 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.
Iain Valliere Defends Hadi Choopan On Synthol News, Alleged Hany Rambod Texts Emerge: “Don’t Inject The Shoulders”
Iain Valliere commented on a recent Instagram post to defend fellow bodybuilder Hadi Choopan.
On Friday, pro bodybuilder Hadi Choopan’s former manager, Hadi Parsafar, claimed that Choopan has injected his muscles with synthol over the course of his career. Parsafar described Choopan as the “Synthol People’s Champion.” Now it seems like fellow pro bodybuilders are reacting to the claims. In a recent comment, Iain Valliere seems to be defending Choopan amid the synthol rumors.
Parsafar, and his brother Mahdi, made statements on Friday regarding this topic. Choopan and the Parsafar brothers parted ways when they were fired by the bodybuilder. Bi’s and Tri’s Instagram shared a post explaining the incident and a comment from Valliere can be found defending Choopan.
“Lol like all everyone’s favourite 90’s bodybuilders weren’t filled to the absolute gills with esisclene, nolitol and SEO’s. This is bodybuilding, literally nothing about it is natural, and even lots of guys who aren’t obviously using it, still likely are.”
Iain Valliere has not earned his qualification to the 2022 Olympia just yet but is preparing to take the stage at the Vancouver Pro on July 17. He finished seventh in October at the biggest competition of the year. Valliere continues to explain in his comment how bodybuilding is a visual sport and Hadi Choopan is one of the best there is.
“This is a visual sport, there’s no bonus points for how hard you work or how you attain the look. Hadi is clearly one of the top bodybuilders on the planet, and one of the most popular. An ex manager trying to ruin his good name with this nonsense is petty and pathetic.”
Hadi Choopan has been a threat to the Olympia title since 2019, when he earned third place. He finished with the bronze once again last year, despite some believing he arrived with the best conditioning. There were many who believed that Choopan should have been crowned champion and he will work for that goal once again this year.
Hany Rambod Allegedly Tried To Stop Synthol Use
Hadi Parsafar also shared alleged messages between Choopan and Hany Rambod showing the coach asking to stop injecting the bodybuilder with this substance. Rambod has been quite instrumental in Choopan’s career as of late as his training coach – which coincide with his latest string of high placing Mr. Olympia showings.
“Team, Please tell Hadi to stop injecting his shoulders!
His right shoulder looks very swollen and bad.
The judges will mark him down!,” Hany Rambod wrote.
Rambod continues to ask to stop injections because the look will force the judges to deduct points. This comes after a response, which looks like an audio message.
“I have said this so many times. Don’t inject the shoulders.”
This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Chris Bumstead & Iain Valliere Put Together A Huge Quad Workout
Iain Valliere continues to prepare for the Vancouver Pro and Chris Bumstead decided to join in.
Chris Bumstead was recently joined by his brother-in-law Iain Valliere for a quad workout to build incredible size in the legs. The two got together at the Revive Gym in Stuart, FL for the session.
Bumstead has been spending time in Florida as he prepares for yet another Olympia competition. He has been at the top of Classic Physique for years now. Bumstead is the reigning three-time Classic Physique Olympia champion and will be the favorite to win yet another title.
For Valliere, he is preparing to make his 2022 debut at the Vancouver Pro. The 2021 season was a busy one for Valliere. He won the Texas Pro and Tampa Pro in back-to-back weekend before the Arnold Classic, where he finished second to Nick Walker. Valliere then competed at the Olympia and ended in seventh place.
At this point, both competitors are making sure that all body parts are in top shape and ready to hit the stage. Below, you can find a full breakdown of the quad workout from Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere.
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Chris Bumstead & Iain Valliere Quad Workout
Adductors Machine – 3 sets of 15-20
Leg Extension Machine – 4 sets of 15-20
Hack Squats – 4 sets of 12-20
Leg Press Machine – 3 sets of 8-12
Sissy Squat – 1 set to failure
Calf Raise Machine – 2 sets of 10-15, drop set to failure
Beginning Exercises
This workout consisted of six exercises and seemed to be broken down in three parts. The beginning exercises acted as a warmup in a way for Bumstead and Valliere. It began with the adductor machine, where the two were able to bang out 15-20 light reps to get going.
The quad portion began with leg extensions. This is one of the best movements to isolate the quad muscle. The duo was able to load up the machine with seven plates toward the end hitting 15-20 reps.
“For anyone wondering why I’ve been doing this one too. I find this one is just the easiest for me to get the most amount of deflection with the least amount of strain to my back and my ankles,” Valliere said.
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Hard-Hitting Quads
The second potion is where Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere took on the hard-hitting exercises to target quads. They plan to hit hamstrings later in the week but focused on the front of the leg here.
“9 weeks out Van Pro, going back to Canada to for his first Pro show. He’s peeled, he’s strong, all that good shit. I’m fat, weak and all that other good shit. We are going to hammer some legs. This is purely a quad day. Hamstrings later on in the week,” Bumstead said.
The hack squat machine was next. This is one of the best exercises to perform if you want to build some tru size in the quads. Bumstead began by putting seven plates on the machine and performing 12 reps. Valliere was next and reached 20 reps.
The duo then performed three sets on the leg press machine. Bumstead performed to failure and completed eight reps. Valliere was able to get to 12. They continued on to finish the workout with exercises to failure.
Sets To Failure
The failure portion began with sissy squats, which the duo performed just one set of.
At the very end, there’s a quad push because it’s quad day. Just to strategize using the fancy equipment…When I was pushing, I feel like they were opening up, I’m getting deeper. I can keep my knees in front of me,” Bumstead said.
Finally, Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere took on the calf raise machine. Calves are one of the most important body parts to train but often get overlooked. It is important that bodybuilders put the necessary time into them.
“I’m trying to suck my waist in and hold in right there, and just do calf raises like that, just to build the tight waist. Sometimes I forget, that’s why I wear a belt so I can keep my waist tight on everything because the belt makes you think about everything,” Bumstead said.
Iain Valliere is prepared to make his 2022 debut at the Vancouver Pro. Chris Bumstead is in the bulking portion of his Olympia prep, looking for his fourth consecutive title. The duo seems to be right where they want to as we creep into late May.
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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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Iain Valliere Workout & Diet Program To Dominate The Stage
Get in the best shape of your life with the Iain Valliere transformation program.
Iain Valliere is a Canadian pro bodybuilder and internet fitness celebrity. He started his bodybuilding career in 2010 and has been steadily climbing the ranks in the pro circuit over the last few years.
Valliere is currently one of the strongest bodybuilders in the competitive circuit and is known to deadlift ginormous amounts of weights leading up to contests. He is also one of the most transparent athletes and regularly shares his opinions, training, and nutrition tips with his followers.
Related: Iain Valliere Deadlifts 675lb Five Times Ahead Of 2021 Arnold Classic
Iain Valliere Stats
Name: Iain Valliere
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 260 pounds
Birthdate: November 27, 1990
Birthplace: Canada
In his younger years, Valliere was stronger and faster than most kids his age. He ran track and field in high school and excelled at it. Interestingly, Iain participated in football but dropped out soon as he was not interested in team sports. The Canadian bodybuilder prefers sports where he is in total control and doesn’t have to rely on anyone else.
“I was always someone who was into the individuality of what work I put in, and what results I got out of it. I’m not depending on the success of other people. It was completely what I put in.” — Iain Valliere
Iain Valliere is passionate about helping other bodybuilders and regularly shares training tips and advice on his Instagram page. In fact, he introduced his brother-in-law, Chris Bumstead — now 3X Classic Physique Olympia champion — to competitive bodybuilding. CBum credits his success to Valliere and recognizes him as one of his biggest idols and influences.
Valliere won his Pro card in 2014 at the Amateur Olympia. 2015 Toronto Pro Supershow was his first pro show, where he placed a respectable fifth. He qualified for his first Mr. Olympia contest in 2018 by winning the Big Man Weekend Pro show.
Iain was dealt a disappointment in 2019 when he could not qualify for the Olympia. However, he bounced back strongly by punching his ticket to the 2020 Olympia after conquering the 2020 New York Pro contest. He qualified for the 2021 Olympia by winning the Tampa Pro.
*Note: As per the Olympia Qualification System (OQS), winners of each division in a pro bodybuilding show earn a direct qualification for the Olympia.
A Career Altering Injury
Valliere faced a major setback in 2012 after he broke his arm while arm wrestling the legendary Devon Larratt at a local competition in Ottawa. As per the Canadian bodybuilder, the moment his bones popped, it sounded like a gunshot or explosion.
Iain was later informed at a local hospital that he had incurred a spiral fracture — it happens when one of your bones is broken with a twisting motion.
When long bones are broken at an angle, they often separate into two parts that do not align and have rough, uneven edges. This fracture can make it difficult to put the bone back together. However, six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair his arm, Iain was back training in the gym. His arm size was back to normal after 12 weeks of hard work.
Check Out: Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead Do Epic Leg Day Training
Iain Valliere Competition History
2015 Toronto Pro Supershow, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding — 5th place
2016 Toronto Pro Supershow, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding — 7th place
2016 Vancouver Pro, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding — 9th place
2018 Indy Pro — 4th place
2018 Vancouver Pro — 4th place
2018 Big Man Weekend Pro Men’s Bodybuilding — 1st place
2018 Olympia — 14th place
2019 Toronto pro Men’s Bodybuilding — 2nd place
2019 Vancouver Pro Men’s Bodybuilding — 4th place
2019 Portugal Pro Bodybuilding — 3rd place
2019 Tampa Pro Men’s Bodybuilding — 3rd place
2020 Tampa Pro Men’s Bodybuilding — 2nd place
2020 New York Pro Men’s Bodybuilding — 1st place
2020 Mr. Olympia — 7th place
2021 Tampa Pro — 1st place
Texas Pro 2021 — 1st place
2021 Arnold Classic Ohio — 2nd place
2021 Mr. Olympia — 7th place
Valliere has competed in 18 IFBB Pro League shows until Mar. 2022, winning four. Valliere has competed in three Mr. Olympia contests, the seventh place being his highest ranking.
However, one should not dismiss Valliere after a glance at his Olympia finishes. He has been improving his physique and bringing a better package to the stage every year.
His most recent pro title win came in 2021 at the Texas Pro. Additionally, Valliere took a second-place finish behind Nick Walker at the 2021 Arnold Classic USA — the second-biggest bodybuilding show after the prestigious Mr. O.
Check Out: Iain Valliere: There Are Only Two Ways To Beat Big Ramy At Mr. Olympia
Iain Valliere Diet Program
Valliere likes to keep his diet simple and easy to follow. He eats the same foods all year-round, avoiding any friction in meal prep. The Canadian bodybuilder switches between a cutting and bulking diet depending on if he’s prepping for a show.
Iain reduced his carb and fat consumption while keeping the protein up while preparing for a show. On the other hand, he ramps up his carb and fat intake significantly during his off-season. He has previously revealed that he spends anywhere between $250-300 per week on his groceries.
Meal 1
200 grams egg whites
2 whole eggs
100 grams oats w/ 30 grams whey isolate powder
Meal 2
200 grams sweet potato
300 grams chicken breast
Meal 3 (postworkout)
100 grams Jasmine rice
400 grams white fish
Meal 4
100 grams Jasmine rice
400 grams white fish
Meal 5
200 grams potato
200 grams salmon
Meal 6 (no-carb meal)
200 grams egg whites
2 whole eggs
100 grams beef
30 grams walnuts
Total Macronutrient Value: 3,697 calories, 412-gram protein, 81-gram fats, and 327-gram carbs.
Iain Valliere Training Program
Iain Valliere is a beast in the gym. He throws around big-boy weights like it’s no one’s business. He follows a high-volume training approach and is known to perform up to 10 exercises in a workout to ensure he is training the target muscle from all angles.
Valliere is a proponent of progressive overloading and is constantly finding ways to challenge his muscles.
Iain Valliere’s Training Split
Day 1: Chest / Triceps
Day 2: Back / Biceps
Day 3: Quads
Day 4: Shoulders
Day 5: Arms
Day 6: Hamstrings
Day 7: Rest Day
Iain uses a six-day training split, where he trains his arms and legs twice a week. He uses a high-volume and high-intensity training regimen to get the best bang for his buck.
Valliere follows the same strategy for all his workouts — he performs a couple of all-out working sets to failure for each exercise. He uses relatively heavier weights in the first set and performs 8-10 reps of an exercise. The final set is a back-off set in the 12-15 rep range.
Additionally, he employs different advanced training techniques in each set like forced reps, rest-pause sets, and drop sets to make sure he isn’t leaving gains on the table.
“The top set is usually 8-10 reps, then we do a back-off set and throw in high-intensity techniques like forced reps or drop sets as needed.”
Related: This is How Your Training Should Change as You Get Advanced
Iain Valliere Workout Plan
Here is what Valliere’s training program looks like:
Day 1: Chest and Triceps
30-degree incline Smith machine press: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Hammer strength incline press: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Incline machine fly: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Flat DB press: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Flat cable fly/press: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
V-bar dips (forward-leaning torso): 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Cable pushdowns (dual handles): 2 sets of 8-15 reps
One-arm cable overhead extension (high pulley): 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Cable pushdown (pronated grip): 2 sets of 8-15 reps
The Smith machine is one of Iain’s favorite training equipment. He utilizes it in most of his push training sessions. Valliere performs two to three forced reps with the help of his training partner after reaching muscle failure on the 30-degree incline Smith machine press.
Iain performs two to three forced reps on the first set of incline machine fly. He follows it up with a double drop set on the second set.
“I love the smith press. It’s always the staple in my chest training. I just find it’s a little easier to keep that stability in the line that you want vs the barbell press.”
Day 2: Back / Biceps
Cable pullover (straight bar): 2 sets of 8-20 reps
Hammer strength low row: 2 sets of 8-20 reps
Machine chest supported row: 2 sets of 8-20 reps
Seated cable row (dual-handle): 2 sets of 8-20 reps
Lat pulldown (medium / neutral grip): 2 sets of 8-20 reps
Assisted pull up machine (wide/overhand grip): 2 sets of 8-20 reps
Standing cable curl (dual handle / supinated grip): 2 sets of 8-20 reps
Standing alternating DB curl (hammer grip): 2 sets of 8-20 reps
One-arm preacher DB curl (supinated grip): 2 sets of 8-20 reps
Standing barbell curl (reverse grip): 2 sets of 8-20 reps
Valliere starts his back workout with cable pullovers to pre-exhaust his lats. At the end of his back workout, Iain performs three to four biceps exercises to annihilate his guns.
On exercises two, three, and five, the Canadian pro bodybuilder performs the first set to failure. On the final set, he uses a weight that makes him hit failure between 10-12 reps. He then performs four mini-sets of four reps with 15 seconds of rest between them.
“[The cable pullover] gives you that full range of motion with a full stretch and a full contraction. I found this exercise made a huge difference in my lats from my front shots.”
Day 3: Quads
One-leg machine leg extension: 2 sets of 10-20 reps
Machine hack squat: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Horizontal leg press: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Pendulum horizontal leg press: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Hip adduction machine: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Not that he has to, but Iain Valliere trains his quads on their own separate training day. He believes he gets better results training his hams and quads separately as he can give more attention to each muscle group.
Day 4: Shoulders
Smith machine overhead press: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Standing DB lateral raise: 2 sets of 10-20 reps
Cable rear delt fly: 2 sets of 10-20 reps
Machine overhead press: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Machine lateral raise: 2 sets of 10-20 reps
30-degree incline cable fly: 2 sets of 10-20 reps
Hammer strength incline press: 2 sets of 10-20 reps
Valliere hits his deltoids from different angles to ensure the overall development of the three delt heads. He uses advanced training principles like dropsets, forced reps, supersets with every set for maximal muscle fiber activation and recruitment.
Day 5: Arms
Cable rope pushdown: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Bench press (shoulder-width grip): 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Machine overhead triceps extension: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Standing cable curl (dual handles / supinated grip): 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Standing alternating DB curl (hammer grip): 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Preacher cable curl (supinated grip): 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Although this is Iain’s third arm session of the week, day five is when he steps on the gas. He performs a double drop set on the cable rope pushdown to kick off his workout.
“Stopping 2-3 inches off your chest [on the close-grip bench press] will work your triceps harder and take the stress off your shoulders.”
Day 6: Hamstrings
Lying leg curl: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Seated leg curl: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Kneeling leg curl: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Conventional deadlift: 2 sets of 6-12 reps
One-arm cable pulldown’ 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Cable pulldown (supinated grip): 2 sets of 8-15 reps
45 degree back extensions: 2 sets of 8-15 reps
Since the hamstrings are a posterior muscle group, it is harder to establish a mind-muscle connection while training them than the quads. Iain Valliere recommends training your hamstrings on a separate day if they are lagging.
Day 7: Rest Day
Iain takes one day off the week to allow his muscles time to recuperate from his high-intensity and high-volume workouts.
Before you go, check out:
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Wrapping Up
Iain Valliere shows us that a person can build an incredible physique without overcomplicating their diet and training. He has had an impactful past couple of years, and we can’t wait to see him back on stage in 2022.
We hope you find this training and diet program useful and it helps you achieve your dream physique. Looking forward to seeing your transformation pictures. Best of luck!
Who is your favorite Men’s Open division bodybuilder? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Iain Valliere And Brett Wilkin Share Crushing Leg Workout
Iain Valliere and Brett Wilkin got together for what was a massive leg workout.
If you are not a fan of leg day, you have to take a look at some of the workouts that Open bodybuilders put themselves through. Iain Valliere and Brett Wilkin recently joined coach Matt Jansen at Revive Gym in Stuart, FL for a crushing quad workout that is destined to build size.
Valliere is more proven in Men’s Open at the moment. Wilkin has transitioned from Men’s 212 by putting on the necessary size needed to compete. At 27 years old, Wilkin is one of the most-promising up-and-comers that has built a great following. This workout took place in Florida, where Wilkin plans to move in the near future.
Leg Extensions
Leg extensions began the workout. This is a good exercise to begin leg day because it can pump blood into the quads to prepare for the rest of the workout. Brett Wilkin and Iain Valliere worked up to the heaviest top set. they began completing 10-12 reps before resting 15 seconds then going until failure. After this, they rested 15 more seconds before another set to failure.
Inner Thigh Squeezes
Inner thigh squeezes are also important to do early to get a good stretch in the legs. Wilkin and Valliere did not spend much time on this machine but made sure to put in work. Just a few quick sets working adductors was needed before moving onto some bigger weight.
Leg Press
Brett Wilkin and Iain Valliere then moved onto the Cyber leg press machine. They stressed the importance of flexing your knees to get the best stretch possible in the quads. They added 10-11 plates on each side for 20 reps during the top set. After performing a few sets, the bodybuilders continued to the next workout.
“Quad day! You know we made it hurt!@brett_wilkin”
Hack Squats
The weight used performing hack squats is not as heavy as that of a regular squat or leg press. Iain Valliere and Brett Wilkin paused at the bottom of the rep to gain control before exploding up. This adds a new dynamic to hack squats rather than performing a continuous motion.
Bodyweight Walking Lunges
The final workout of the day was bodyweight walking lunges. This is an exercise that can build strength in the quads but is also used frequently as a stretch. The bodybuilders performed these lunes with bodyweight to finish the day.
Both Iain Valliere and Brett Wilkin have high hopes for the bodybuilding season in 2022. After looking at some of the work they have done in the gym, they will certainly be competition ready next time out.
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Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead Do Epic Leg Day Training
Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead put in some epic work in the gym.
It looks like in-laws Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead are putting in some serious leg training at the gym. The two top competitors are looking to get 2022 started off with a bang as they prep for the season.
There’s nothing like a good leg day to bring together your physique. A bodybuilder with poor leg development won’t be much of a contender for long. If a competitor wants to be a champion working on their wheels is absolutely paramount. This fact is why most champions put an emphasis on training their legs. Iain Valliere and Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead understand this well and put in some serious training in the gym.
Chris Bumstead has a tight stranglehold on the Classic Physique division. He has defended his Olympia title two straight years in a row cementing himself as the king of the division. One thing that has helped him defend the throne is constantly looking to improve himself.
Iain Valliere himself is becoming a real top flight contender. Coming in seventh place at the 2021 Olympia, Valliere is climbing up the rankings and could prove to be even more of force at time moves on.
Epic Leg Day
Now the two brothers-in-law are looking push themselves with an intense leg day session. Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead both hit legs with a vengeance as they prep for the 2022 season. A video of the training was posted to Valliere’s YouTube channel where he has this to say.
“What’s up guys, we’re here today training a little quads,” said Iain Valliere. “We got CBum here. It’s been a while since Chris has done a hard workout. Yeah like I said, we will do some quads today, start with some hacks, then going to move on to the leg press and all that kind of fun stuff. Yeah, so we’re going to get into it here, and start warming up and get into hacks.
“Okay, so we finished five sets there. Two sets, we worked up to a top set. We were aiming for 8-10 but I think we were all in the 10-12 range which is good. An average of 10. Now we’re moving on to the leg press. We only have one set here. Working up to a set of 15 with a very small pause, then pushing up five more, after failure. So re-rack, actually I think we can keep it unracked, keep the tension on, a couple seconds try to get another 5. Fifteen pushing 20, so we’re going to work up here and hammer out that one top set.”
It’s clear that Iain Valliere and Chris Bumstead are working hard to improve themselves. 2022 is looking to be a great year for the two brothers.
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News and Editorial Writer 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.
James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere Say They’ll Retire From Bodybuilding Soon
James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere to retire from bodybuilding soon.
Top modern bodybuilders James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere discuss retiring early from competition. The two standout athletes recently discussed their thoughts on the subject on Foud Abiad’s podcast.
No athlete can compete forever. After all no human is immortal. Certain athletes have an expiration date depending on their chosen sport. For combat sports athletes that expiration date is usually sooner rather than later. Bodybuilding on the other hand has seen athletes compete well into their fifties…or at least Dexter Jackson has. It’s a sport where many athletes compete into their forties on the regular. But some high level bodybuilders choose to call it quits at an earlier age.
James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere both seem to fall in that latter category. They both recently indicated that they are choosing to retire sooner rather than later.
Retirement Talk
While on a recent podcast hosted by Fouad Abiad and featuring Evan Centopani, James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere indicated that their future plans are not to push their physiques past their limits. Hollingshead in particular went into some details as to why he’s choosing to stop competing by age 35.
“When you think about everything involved in bodybuilding, sometimes I’m reluctant. Sometimes I’m like, I don’t want to go down that road, because that road doesn’t lead to the end that I want and the end that I want, like you say, is a long and healthy one.”
So it’s clear that James Hollingshead views competing in bodybuilding as a massive risk to his health. At the end of the day our well-being must definitely be paramount. Without our health we pretty much have nothing.
Still it comes as a bit of a shock that James Hollingshead, who has a tremendous upside, is choosing to call it quits sooner rather than later.
To see and hear everything that James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere had to say about retiring from bodybuilding check out the full video here.
What do you think of James Hollingshead and Iain Valliere considering early retirement?
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News and Editorial Writer 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.
Iain Valliere Answers: Are Romantic Relationships Kryptonite For Bodybuilding Success?
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Iain Valliere debunks the concept of a romantic partner or spouse distracting from bodybuilding greatness.
Iain Valliere is a bodybuilder who is happily married. He’s also a successful pro bodybuilder – a sport that demands quite a bit of time. So much time, in fact, that many legendary pro bodybuilders have claimed that romantic relationships and families are too distracting for bodybuilding success. In order to become a champion, you need the kind of full focus that would either destroy the relationship or destroy your champion chances. But for Valliere, he finds the exact opposite to be true. In our latest GI Exclusive, Iain Valliere explains how his wife is a vital part of his bodybuilding success – instead of a distraction.
During our time interviewing a wide variety of bodybuilding legends and champions. We’ve seen a common sentiment among elite competitive bodybuilders. Dating, romantic relationships, and marriage are too challenging of a dedication to coincide with bodybuilding success. Most notably, 8x Mr. Olympia Lee Haney stated this during the filming of Generation Iron 2.
The idea here is that bodybuilding on a pro level requires so much focus and time – it’s impossible to share it with a romantic partner. During our conversation with Iain Valliere, we decided to ask him for his take on this concept. Valliere is happily married to Chris Bumstead’s sister – Melissa Valliere. She is a competitor in her own right – and according to Iain – has been a vital part of his success. Not a detriment to it.
Iain Valliere acknowledges that bodybuilding is a major time commitment both mentally and physically. But he also points out that kind of commitment is very challenging to do alone. Having a partner by his side through the ups and down of bodybuilding prep is a major support. It helps him remain more focused and achieve better results.
Iain Valliere uses an example to drive this point home. In 2020, Valliere competed in the Tampa Pro and reveals that during this contest prep he had a “mental breakdown” in his own words. He attributes this to his wife not being by his side for that particular competition.
“I had a mental breakdown. I really couldn’t handle all of the pressures and the stress being by myself,” Iain Valliere states in our interview – speaking of the Tampa Pro 2020. He continued:
“And you know, I was running around trying to get food. And worried about doing this, and worried about doing this. As well as, you know, when you are alone in your thoughts too much, you’re looking at social media and all of these things and I really got in my head.”
Iain Valliere goes on to say that having his wife by his side alleviates these issues. She is his support system. Being a fellow competitor, she can also provide much more pointed and empathetic support as she is more than familiar with the process.
And perhaps that is another key element for Iain Valliere’s success in both bodybuilding and marriage. If not a fellow competitor, finding someone who fully understands what the bodybuilding process really entails is key. If not, resentment can grow. Stress can come from resentment. And then both a bodybuilding career and a relationship can implode.
Iain Valliere also shares some tips and tactics that have worked to keep his marriage a focus while also putting his all into pro bodybuilding. Perhaps some of these tips can be helpful for those looking to find balance in the hectic life of competitive bodybuilding and relationships.
You can watch Iain Valliere’s take on relationships and bodybuilding – as well as tips to finding balance – in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Iain Valliere: How Progress Pictures Can Be A Double-Edged Sword For Bodybuilders
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Iain Valliere shares his opinions of pro bodybuilders sharing progress pictures leading up to a competition – and how it can both help and hurt the athlete.
Back in the day, bodybuilding fans had to wait for magazines to see updates on their favorite bodybuilders. This meant that we couldn’t get the kind of moment to moment physique updates that we see in today’s bodybuilding world. Now fans can see what an athlete’s physique looks like mere hours before they step on stage. But how does this affect the mindset of the athlete going into a competition? In our latest GI Exclusive, Iain Valliere breaks down the pros and cons of sharing progress pictures before a bodybuilding show.
Dorian Yates was known as The Shadow due to the mysterious nature of his training. Partially because of being located in the UK – he would hide all updates about his training and physique until the day of the show. His massive and shocking physique shocked audiences and judges alike. Today, that notion of withholding information is foreign for most of the bodybuilding industry. This is due to social media and direct updates from the athletes.
Iain Valliere points this out early in our discussion about progress pictures. He explains that for some athletes – mystery and anticipation work in their favor. For many others, progress pictures have become part of an athlete’s brand. Transparency, interaction with fans, and constant updates help keep a bodybuilder’s following engaged right up to the moment of the competition.
But Iain Valliere doesn’t think it’s necessarily a better thing. Ultimately, it depends on what works best for the athlete at the center of it. Post progress pictures invites not only fan feedback but also feedback from fellow athletes and coaches. That wave of feedback can get into a bodybuilder’s head. It sounds silly – but competitive bodybuilding is a sport about looks and judging looks. If comments start to cause mental turmoil – it can affect a bodybuilder’s prep.
That’s why Iain Valliere believes that a bodybuilder needs to take a deep look into what really works for each individual. If a bodybuilder has tough skin against comments online and can focus on the prep without issue – then progress pictures can be a great way to build a following and keep engagement fresh.
For others, it can lead to second guessing prep decisions. Even worse, it can lead to a bodybuilder putting energy into reacting and responding to criticism that takes away from the actual work needed to improve. If a toxic environment grows from progress pictures – it can create a mental headspace that leads to less motivation and less fruitful contest prep.
Iain Valliere admits there is no right answer as to whether instant progress pictures are better or worse than the former way of bodybuilding life. But what is important during this transitioning time of technology is for each athlete to really understand his or herself. What is the ultimate goal of posting a progress picture? Will the benefits outweigh the detriments? That depends on each person’s headspace.
While the decision is seemingly flippant – studies have increasingly shown how addictive social media can be – and how affecting it is on a person’s mood. Iain Valliere believes that, while simple on the surface, the decision to post your physique on social media should be a well thought over business decision. It can have small effects that eventually add up to hurt or help an athlete’s entire career. The decision should be treated as such.
You an watch Iain Valliere go into detail about progress pictures in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.