Tag: Mr. Olympia
21 Famous Black Bodybuilders That Broke Stereotypes and Achieved Greatness
Bodybuilders of color are a dominating force in the professional bodybuilding circuit. However, this was not always the case.
Black bodybuilders emerged from diverse backgrounds and rewrote the narrative to enter the upper echelons of pro bodybuilding. In the face of historical prejudice and limited opportunities, these trailblazers not only made a mark in the sport but also paved the way for future generations.
Each bodybuilder on this list has a story to tell. Most came from humble beginnings and became household names in the bodybuilding industry thanks to their determination, resilience, and unwavering dedication. These bodybuilders inspire countless individuals to pursue their dreams, irrespective of the hurdles that lie ahead.
This article celebrates 21 black bodybuilders that challenged the status quo. We go over their accomplishments and legacies. Through this article, you will also learn about some landmark moments in professional competitive bodybuilding.
Note: Although many non-white bodybuilders have made it big in the IFBB Pro League (the biggest international bodybuilding federation), I will limit this list to black bodybuilders.
21 Most Prominent Black Bodybuilders of All Time
Here are the most famous black bodybuilders and why they deserve a place on this list:
Leroy Colbert
Like many other sports, competitive bodybuilding was a white man’s sport in the early days. That was until Colbert showed up. Born in 1933, Colbert competed in several amateur contests in the early 1950s.
Colbert was a trailblazer in numerous ventures. He was the first black man to be featured on the cover of the Muscle Power magazine. The African-American bodybuilder was also on the cover of several Weider magazines and won the Mr. New York City (1952) and Mr. Eastern America (1953) titles. Remember, this was all before the 1960 Civil Rights Movement.
Colbert is also credited with being the first man to develop 21-inch arms. The lifelong drug-free bodybuilder was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2003.
A bike accident that nearly severed his foot ended Colbert’s bodybuilding career. However, his experience working in a Weider warehouse equipped him with the knowledge to open his own supplement stores, where he made a small fortune for himself. He died at the age of 82.
Sergio Oliva
Oliva is one the most famous bodybuilders of all time. The Cuban bodybuilder was known for his immaculate muscle mass, symmetry, muscle separation, proportions, and density.
Oliva’s first major bodybuilding contest in the US was the 1964 AAU Mr America. However, Oliva had to switch from Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) to the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB), as it was clear that the former federation had racist undertones and would never allow Oliva to be crowned Mr. America.
The transition paid off as Oliva won the 1966 Mr. World and the coveted Mr. Olympia title in 1967, 1968, and 1969.
Interestingly, Oliva was one of three bodybuilders that defeated Arnold Schwarzenegger in a bodybuilding contest. The three-time Mr. Olympia champ Frank Zane and Chester Yorton are the other two bodybuilders.
Seven other black bodybuilders have won the Mr. Olympia crown ever since. At the time of writing, the eight black bodybuilders hold a total of 30 Sandow trophies among them from the possible 58, proving the dominance of black bodybuilders in the sport.
Oliva died at the age of 71 in 2012 due to an apparent kidney failure. He was the first Olympia champion to have died.
Chris Dickerson
Dickerson was one of the most controversial Mr. Olympia champions of all time. He was the first African-American AAU Mr. America (1970) and IFBB Mr. Olympia (1982) champion. Dickerson was also the first openly-gay bodybuilder to win these prestigious titles.
Although the crowd favorite to win the 1981 Mr. Olympia, Dickerson was denied the title in favor of an injured Franco Columbu, who had come out of retirement to compete at the show. Colombu’s win was “one of the worst decisions in bodybuilding,” said Frank Zane in an interview after the show. Dickerson later acknowledged that his sexual orientation and being black were barriers to his bodybuilding career.
He is also one of the two bodybuilders (besides Dexter Jackson) to win the Mr. Olympia and Masters Olympia titles. Dickerson was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2000. He died at the age of 82 due to heart failure.
Next Read: 21 Bodybuilders Who Died of Heart Attack
Lee Haney
Haney holds the record for winning the most Mr. Olympia titles. He won the Sandow trophy for eight consecutive years between 1984 and 1991. Haney is considered one of the most dominant Mr. Olympia champs of all time and is credited for introducing the mass monster era in the IFBB. He was hands-down the biggest bodybuilder of his generation and dwarfed his competitors on stage.
Haney was the chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during President Bill Clinton’s term. Haney was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
Ronnie Coleman
Although Coleman had a lukewarm start to his professional bodybuilding career, he turned around his physique within a few years. He matched Haney’s record of eight-consecutive Mr. Olympia title wins (1998-2005). His sheer size and dominating stage presence earned him the moniker “The King,” cementing his place in the all-time greats list.
Coleman was the first Mr. Olympia champion to break the 300-pound barrier. “Big Ron” was known for his high-volume and high-intensity workouts. He released six training DVDs, which were a hit among bodybuilding aficionados.
Coleman was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 for his bodybuilding legacy, a remarkable achievement for someone who worked at Domino’s Pizza after graduating from college. He served as a police officer from 1989 to 2000 and as a reserve officer until 2003.
Phil Heath
Phil Heath arguably has the best genetics of all time in pro bodybuilding. He was dubbed “The Gift” because of his perfect shape, symmetry, and proportions. His round and full muscle bellies added to his physique’s illusion and made him look bigger than he actually was.
Heath matched Schwarzenegger’s record of seven Mr. Olympia title wins. The Gift hoisted the Sandow trophy for seven consecutive years (2011-2017). Heath’s dynamic personality played a vital role in taking the sport of bodybuilding to a bigger audience.
Dexter Jackson
Jackon is arguably the most conditioned bodybuilder of the modern era. He is billed as “The Blade” for his deep and well-defined lines. Jackson made waves in the pro bodybuilding circuit by defeating the dominant mass monster Jay Cutler in 2008 to bag his maiden (and only) Olympia gold medal.
Jackson holds multiple bodybuilding records, making his legacy one of the hardest to beat. The Blade has 29 pro show wins to his name, the most for a male pro bodybuilder. Besides being one of the two bodybuilders to win Mr. Olympia and Masters Olympia titles, Jackson is the winningest Arnold Classic champion (the second-most prestigious bodybuilding title), having won the title in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015. Finally, Jackson has 20 Mr. Olympia appearances, the most for a male pro bodybuilder.
Shawn Rhoden
The late Shawn Rhoden of Jamaica unseated the seven-time Olympia champ Phil Heath to win the Sandow trophy in 2018. The package Rhoden brought to the Olympia stage that year made many bodybuilding pundits acknowledge that he was one of the most aesthetically appealing bodybuilders ever. Rhoden was 43 years old when he conquered the Olympia throne, making him the oldest bodybuilder to win the title.
The “Flexatron” passed away tragically in 2021 from a heart attack. In Jul. 2019, Rhoden was charged with sexually assaulting a female protege in 2018. The Olympia promoters at the time banned Rhoden from competing at the 2019 Mr. Olympia and future contests.
Shawn Ray
Shawn “Sugar” Ray was one of his era’s most balanced and conditioned bodybuilders. The 5-foot-6 bodybuilder only failed once to place in the top five in over 30 bodybuilding competitions. He beat bodybuilders much bigger than him in size, earning him the moniker “The Giant Killer.”
Ray won the 1990 Arnold Classic but was stripped of the title after he failed a doping test. However, he returned to the 1991 AC with a vengeance and won the gold medal. Ray has two Olympia runner-up finishes (1994 and 1996).
Flex Wheeler
Kenneth “Flex” Wheeler is arguably the most aesthetically appealing bodybuilder of all time. Schwarzenegger referred to Wheeler as the greater bodybuilder he had ever seen. Although Wheeler won the Arnold Classic title four times, he could never seize the Olympia throne, making him one of the greatest bodybuilders not to win the Sandow trophy.
Wheeler was born with a rare kidney disease called glomerulosclerosis. However, he learned about his condition in 1999 and retired from competitive bodybuilding in 2003. “The Sultan of Symmetry” made a comeback on the Olympia stage in 2017 in the Classic Physique division, finishing 15th.
In 2019, Wheeler underwent amputation of his lower right leg due to circulatory vascular system problems that had become life-threatening.
Must Read: 13 Best Bodybuilders Who Didn’t Win the Mr. Olympia Title
Kai Greene
Kai Greene is one of the most inspiring bodybuilders of all time. Greene came from humble beginnings and took up bodybuilding as a creative outlet. “Mr. Getting It Done” is one of the best posers the sport has ever seen.
Soon after starting his journey, Greene entered the upper echelons of pro bodybuilding. Greene has three runner-up finishes at the Mr. Olympia (2012, 2013, and 2014) behind Phil Heath. The Brooklyn native has won three Arnold Classic titles (2009, 2010, and 2016). The rivalry between Greene and Heath stands out as one of the fiercest battles in the history of bodybuilding.
Robby Robinson
Robby Robinson is one of the icons of the golden era of bodybuilding. Nicknamed “The Black Prince,” most bodybuilding fans remember him from his role in the cult classic Pumping Iron (1977). Robinson has won several bodybuilding contests, including Mr. America, IFBB Mr. World, Mr. Universe, Night of Champions, and Masters Olympia.
At the time of writing, Robinson is 77 years old. He still trains at the Mecca of Bodybuilding, Gold’s Gym, Venice Beach, CA, and is in incredible shape.
Chris Cormier
Chris Cormier was one of the biggest bodybuilders of his era. “The Real Deal” competed in over 72 IFBB pro shows, winning 12. He also finished runner-up six times at the Arnold Classic. Although a top-tier bodybuilder, Cormier was known for his hardcore partying lifestyle. He placed sixth at the 1994 Olympia, beating the likes of Nasser El Sonbaty and Ronnie Coleman.
Serge Nubret
Serge Nubret of France had a cameo in Pumping Iron (1977). “The Black Panther” amazed Arnie and Columbu with his jacked physique at the show. He placed runner-up behind The Austrian Oak at the 1975 Olympia, while Lou Ferrigno had to settle for a bronze medal.
Nubret has won several bodybuilding competitions, including the 1976 NABBA Mr. Universe and the 1977 WBBG Pro. Mr. World and Mr. Olympus. The Black Panther founded the World Amateur Body Building Association (WABBA) in 1975 to host amateur bodybuilding competitions.
Vince Taylor
Taylor won 22 IFBB competitions during his three-decade-long career, a record only beaten by the legendary Ronnie Coleman and Dexter Jackson. Taylor competed in six Mr. Olympia contests, finishing in the top six four times. He won the bronze medal at his debut Olympia appearance in 1989. He repeated his performance in his sophomore year at the O in 1991. With five titles under his belt, Taylor is also the winningest Master Olympia champ.
Albert Beckles
Albert “Al” Beckles is a Mr. Universe and three-time Night of Champions winner. Beckles competed at the Mr. Olympia 13 times, with a runner-up finish behind Lee Haney at the 1985 O being his best outing; Beckles was 55 years old then. He placed among the top five six times at the O. Beckles won the Niagara Falls Pro Invitational at the age of 61.
Michael Ashley
Michael Ashley was known for his insane symmetry, balance, conditioning, and presentation. Ashley’s career highlight has been winning the 1990 Arnold Classic. The most interesting part? Ashley claims to be a life-long natty. However, Ashley hung up his posing trunks after placing out of the top 10 at the 1991 AC. He believed he could only come this far while staying natural.
Harold Kelley
Harold “King Kong” Kelley is in a league of his own and is the most decorated Wheelchair bodybuilder of all time. He is a five-time Wheelchair Olympia champion. He has maintained a vice-like grip on the division since its introduction in 2018. Kelley is also a six-time Arnold Classic Pro Wheelchair champ.
Kelley ended up in a wheelchair at the age of 36 after a T11 & T12 spinal injury suffered in a car crash. He competed as a bodybuilder before his accident and resumed his competitive ambitions after he received a go-ahead from his doctors. The rest, as they say, is history.
Lenda Murray
Murray took the women’s bodybuilding division into a whole new stratosphere with her ungodly muscle mass and definition. Her physique was so outstanding that she won the Ms. Olympia title on her debut in 1990. She held onto the title for the next five years.
Murray retired after placing runner-up to Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls in 1996 and 1997. However, after a seven-year hiatus, she made a comeback in 2002 and surprised everyone by winning the Olympia gold medal. She retired after winning her eighth Ms. Olympia title in 2003.
Iris Kyle
With 10 Ms. Olympia title wins, Iris Kyle is the winningest pro female bodybuilder of all time. No other bodybuilder, male or female, has ever managed to match or beat Kyle’s Olympia win record. She has also won the Ms. International (Arnold Classic) title seven times.
Kyle ended Murray’s dream run in 2004 and bested her record to become the most successful female Open division bodybuilder of all time.
Cydney Gillon
At the time of writing, Cydney Gillon has won the Figure Olympia title six times (2017-2022) and is the only bodybuilder on this list who is actively competing, which tells you something about her potential. She also has won the Figure International (Arnold Classic) twice (2019 and 2022). Gillon is famous for her perfect figure proportions, muscle separation, size, balance, and flow. She also has some of the best presentation skills on stage.
FAQs
Are black bodybuilders more genetically gifted than white bodybuilders?
Many people believe that black bodybuilders have better genetics for building muscle than their white counterparts. Although black bodybuilders hold more Mr. Olympia titles than Caucasian athletes, most of these Sandow trophies are consolidated among three or four athletes. There is no scientific evidence to prove that bodybuilders of African descent have better genetics for bodybuilding than white athletes.
Is it easier for black bodybuilders to build muscle?
Besides genetics, building muscle mass depends on several factors, including diet, training, recovery, previous experience, and overall health. No research has been conducted to determine if black bodybuilders build muscle more easily than their peers.
Who is the biggest black bodybuilder of all time?
The eight-time Mr. Olympia champ Ronnie Coleman weighed over 310 pounds in the off-season and is arguably the biggest (and heaviest) black bodybuilder of all time. That said, Nigerian bodybuilder Victor Richards competed during the Dorian Yates era and weighed around 310 pounds. Richard got his IFBB Pro card in 1992 but never competed in a pro bodybuilding show.
Wrapping Up
These 21 bodybuilders prove that greatness knows no boundaries of race, ethnicity, or background. These famous black bodybuilders embody possibility, showing that you can turn your dreams into reality, irrespective of your skin color or where you come from.
I hope these bodybuilders’ courage, passion, and dedication inspire you to challenge stereotypes, strive for excellence, and embrace greatness, not just in bodybuilding but in your own fields.
Is there any other legendary black bodybuilder that should be on this list? Let me know in the comment section below.
Shaun Clarida kicks off the 2023 Olympia Prep With an Intense Back and Biceps Workout
Shaun Clarida has entered the prep for 2023 Olympia. He shared the news in a recent pull day workout posted on his YouTube channel and also shed light on the challenges of being on top of the division.
Shaun Clarida is an American professional builder that has competed in the Men’s Open and the 212 divisions of the IFBB Pro League. Although he has done the best of his work in the 212 division, the 40-year-old bodybuilder has maintained a strong presence in the Men’s Open division as well.
Winning the 212 Olympia title at the 2020 Olympia was the highlight of Shaun Clarida’s career. However, he was dethroned by Derek Lunsford at the 2021 Olympia, bringing the goal of a long title reign to an abrupt end. But Clarida turned up the heat and made the bold decision to move up to the Men’s Open division.
At 5ft-2in tall, Clarida is one of the shorter competitors. His decision to compete against the big boys was criticized as a result. But Clarida took the bodybuilding world by surprise when he emerged victoriously in his Men’s Open debut at the 2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro. The win earned him a direct qualification to compete in the division at the 2022 Olympia as well.
While he intended to create history by competing in both Men’s Open and 212 division at the show, Clarida eventually stayed in the 212 division, winning the second 212 Olympia title in 2022. He made a quick turnaround and attempted to score a win at the 2023 Arnold Classic in the Open division but managed to secure a fifth-place finish.
Shaun Clarida talks about the pressure of being an Olympia champion
Clarida will attempt the first defense of his 212 Olympia title in 2023 and started the competition prep 16 weeks out of the show. He made rapid progress in the off-season and feels comfortable at the current stage. Winning the third title is obviously the primary objective of the competition prep. While winning a title is probably the easier bit, defending it is the part where most people fail. Clarida has been in that situation before and highlighted the challenges of being on top of the division. He said:
“Much harder to stay on top, much harder! You’ve got a big a** target on your back. Everybody is coming to take you out. On the flip side everybody wants to see what kind of improvements you’re gonna make, how much better you can be. But if you follow my career for the past umpteen years, that’s what I’m known for… Improving year after year, bringing something new to the stage.”
The prospects of a competitive legacy are not the biggest motivating factor in his life. Clarida was blessed with a baby girl in 2022. He feels that being a father gives him the energy he needs to push through difficulties.
“Having that title is definitely motivating. But for me, what’s more motivating than that, aside from being Mr. Olympia, is being a dad, a father. Having this little human being in my hand to provide for, be an educator, be a leader…” He added.
The 40-year-old further stated that all the efforts are for his daughter and that’s one of the reasons he moved back to Texas. But he admits that being Mr. Olympia is a great feeling nevertheless. With that, Clarida jumped into the pull day workout and got a good day’s work in to get ready for the 2023 Olympia.
Shaun Clarida pushes through a high-volume back and biceps workout
Back Workout
Pull-Ups
Clarida kicked off the workout with assisted pull-ups. The regular bodyweight pull-up is one of the most effective compound exercises to build the upper body pulling muscles. Therefore it can be surprising to see an elite bodybuilder perform the assisted version, taking some resistance off. But Shaun Clarida has always preferred assisted pull-ups as they take the momentum out of play and help focus directly on the back muscles.
“I’m a big believer in pull-ups. I believe they are absolutely the bread and butter of growing that back.. For that back thickness and width…” Clarida exclaimed.
Clarida performed four to five sets of assisted pull-ups applying the progressive overload principle and setting the wheels in motion for an intense training session. He then jumped into the first official back exercise of the day.
Meadow’s Rows
‘The Giant Killer’ incorporated this exercise in his training routine around a year back when he started the training program to emphasize and improve the upper and outer areas of the latissimus dorsi muscles. But Clarida was introduced to the exercise back in the day by the late John Meadows himself ‘to really thicken up the lats’.
Clarida followed the training method taught to him by John Meadows to do this exercise. After doing a couple of warm-up sets without loading any weight on the bar, ‘The Giant Killer’ did two feeder sets to figure out a good weight that he could improve from. He uses 25lbs plates to do Meadows row as it enables him to get a better range of motion. There is a practical reason behind this as Shaun Clarida explained:
“I’m short. So if I’m short and I use the 45lbs plate, it’ll just be banging the whole time and I won’t be able to get the full (range of motion) which I want…”
The feeder sets were followed by working sets with incrementally heavier weights. Following this, the 212 Olympia champion took to the T-bar rows next.
Chest-Supported T-Bar Rows
T-bar rows are arguably the greatest exercise to impart thickness to the back. If you had to choose just one rowing movement for back, we would advise to go with T-bar rows. Clarida did the exercise on a chest-supported t-bar rows machine. Clarida prefers to have a grip that is in between the neutral grip and the overhand pronated grip. However, the machine did not have the option and Clarida improvised by attaching a D-handle.
Clarida did the warm-up set using a quarter plate and then proceeded to crank out the feeder sets. After working his way up to the top set of two full sets, ‘The Giant Killer’ took to another rowing movement.
Machine Rows
Shan Clarida next performed machine rows on the Prime Extreme Row machine. The machine has eight different adjustments for the bench. Clarida intended the exercise to simulate the bent-over dumbbell rows. He adjusted the seat accordingly and performed the rows unilaterally.
“By hovering over the bench and keeping one hand against the pad, I’m able to get a really good stretch in the lat,” Clarida said about the positioning.
He pushed through some solid sets of the exercise using a similar training method as the previous exercises – warm-up sets, feeder sets followed by working sets – and jumped into the next exercise.
Seated Rows
Most of the previous exercises primarily targeted the lats. Clarida shifted his focus on working the upper back and performed seated rows on a Prime selectorized machine next.
“(The machine) hits the upper back just right with the positioning of the chair. You’ll feel traps, rhomboids, a little bit of the rear delts but not too much,” Clarida explained.
The American bodybuilder annihilated some heavy sets of seated rows to work the upper back muscles before taking up a vertical pulling movement.
Close-Grip V-Bar Pulldowns
Vertical pulling movements help build a wide back. Clarida took to the v-bar lat pulldown next to build upper and middle back width. This variation of lat pulldowns heavily stimulates the rhomboids due to the close neutral grip. Also, biceps and forearms get a good workout as well. Clarida cranked out some solid sets of close grip v-bar pulldowns before taking up an isolation exercise next.
Standing Cable Pullovers
We can’t think of many isolation exercises when it comes to stimulating the back muscles. However, cable pullover is one isolation exercise that stands out for its benefits in back-building. It primarily works the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and posterior deltoid muscles.
“A lot of rowing, a lot of blood flow in those lats. Now we’re going to stretch them out the front lat spread, double bicep to make sure that width is there,” Clarida stated.
The 40-year-old pushed through four working sets of this exercise and jumped into the finisher of the day.
Weighted hyperextensions
Clarida capped the back workout with a variation of weighted hyperextensions that he learned from the late John Meadows. This lower back movement targets the lower back muscles, more specifically, the spinal erectors.
“We’re still 16 weeks out and I’m trying to maintain as much mass as I possibly can. I’m still taking a lot of food in so I’m able to push a good amount of weight. But at the same time, I’ve got to push that conditioning,” Clarida said.
However, he has two herniations in the lower back and needs to be extra careful with the weight.
“When you turn around and ride those elbows back, spread double biceps for that lat spread, you see that whole lower back… We call it the Christmas tree, right? We want to see all those lines, all the details. This movement is going to help with that,” Shaun Clarida explained.
He performed a few sets of hyperextensions using a barbell with 25lbs plates for weight and wrapped up back training.
Biceps Workout
Single-Arm Preacher Curls
Shaun Clarida shifted the focus to the next part of his pull day – the biceps. Preacher curls are by far the most effective isolation exercise for biceps and help massively with muscle hypertrophy by eliminating all the other muscles from the action. Clarida performed a few sets of the exercise unilaterally on a selectorized machine and jumped into the last exercise of the training session.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
Hammer curls target the brachioradialis and the brachialis muscles in the arms along with biceps brachii. Most of the arm muscles get sufficient work during most of the pulling movements. Therefore it is completely unnecessary to train them with excessively heavy weights. All they need is stimulation with a few sets done with proper form. Shaun Clarida did exactly that with dumbbell hammer curls next and wrapped up the training session.
Overall, the workout included:
2023 Olympia takes place from No.2-5 in Orlando, Florida. Shaun Clarida will be the obvious favorite heading into the show. However, he has to manage the resources well and bring a complete package to the stage. If he maintains the focus and unparalleled work ethic that he is known for, ‘The Giant Killer’ will certainly walk away with the third 212 Olympia title.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Shaun Clarida’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 9:26 AM EDT
Chris Bumstead Teams Up With Iain Valliere For A ‘Big Boi’ Shoulder Workout
Chris Bumstead teamed up with longtime friend and former head coach Iain Valliere for a ‘big boi’ shoulder and arms workout.
Bumstead is the finest active professional bodybuilder to come from Canada. He is the face of IFBB Pro League’s Classic Physique division and has helped put it on the must watch list of bodybuilding fans. Since dethroning former champion Breon Ansley at the 2019 Olympia, Chris Bumstead has remained the Classic Physique Olympia champion by successfully defending the title at the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Olympia.
He has pushed through some adverse situations like injuries and coaching changes to achieve this success. CBum was trained by fellow Canadian bodybuilder and longtime friend Iain Valliere for the majority of his bodybuilding career and achieved greatness under the latter’s tutelage. However, the duo decided to end the coach-client relationship before 2022 Olympia for Valliere to be able to focus on his own career.
Bumstead appointed Hany Rambod as the head coach after Valliere’s departure and still managed to secure the third successful defense of his Classic Physique Olympia title at the 2022 Olympia. He is now looking forward to winning a few more Olympia titles before calling it a career.
Meanwhile, Iain Valliere is also a top Men’s Open contender from Canada. After starting out the 2022 competitive season with a dominant win at the 2022 Vancouver Pro, he wrapped it up with a 11th place finish at the 2022 Olympia. Valliere worked hard after the show to bring his best version to the stage and qualify for the 2023 Olympia. After a closely-contested battle against Hassan Mostafa at the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow, Iain Valliere earned the victory and direct qualification to the 2023 Olympia. He now aims to bring best triceps to the Olympia stage.
Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere push through a shoulder workout
Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere recently teamed up for an intense shoulders and arms workout as a part of their off-season training routine. The workout included several free weight and machine exercises and the duo ensured to get the most out of their training. So without further delay, let’s check out how the former client and coach stimulated their muscles for off-season growth.
Cable Lateral Raises
The duo started the training session with cable lateral raises to work the lateral deltoid muscles and also to warm up the shoulder joint. Using a cable machine keeps the muscles under tension throughout the range of motion. Also, this helps with sufficient warming up of the muscles at the very beginning of the session. The duo performed a few sets of this isolation exercise to set the tone for the rest of the workout.
Seated Shoulder Press
This served as the first heavy compound exercise of the training session. CBum and Valliere performed seated shoulder press on a plate-loaded machine next to primarily target the anterior deltoid muscles. However, this compound exercise also targets the upper pecs and triceps as well, resulting in overall upper body strength and muscle gain.
After doing away with some heavy sets of the exercise, the former coach-client duo turned up the heat with a superset.
Superset – Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises and Reverse Pec Deck Flyes
Supersets are a great way to work different muscle groups simultaneously. Additionally, they reduce the overall workout time. Bumstead and Valliere next took to this superset that included lateral and posterior delt-specific exercises.
Seated dumbbell lateral raise is an isolation exercise that targets the lateral deltoid muscles. It is essential for achieving a broad shouldered look that caps the upper body neatly. Doing the exercise from a seated position eliminates the role of stabilizing muscles. Therefore seated lateral raises help focus more on the lateral delts.
The duo superset lateral raises with reverse pec deck flyes. This exercise helps isolate the posterior deltoid muscles. It is a small muscle group on the rear side and extremely difficult to isolate with most other shoulder exercises.
Valliere and Bumstead performed all the sets within this superset at a fast pace. They kept the aerobic intensity of the workout high and jumped into another shoulder exercise next.
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Barbell overhead press is an excellent compound movement that can yield muscle and strength gain. Although anterior deltoid is the primary target muscle of the exercise, it also engages the clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscles, triceps, serratus anterior, and triceps during various phases.
Bumstead and his former coach annihilated a few solid sets of overhead press using a barbell and took to a tricep exercise next.
EZ Bar Skull Crushers
Most gym-goers are creative about choosing biceps, chest or back exercises. However, they stick to basic movements like pushdowns or overhead extensions when it comes to triceps. Skull crushers work the triceps through a wide range of motion and stimulate all three tricep heads.
Valliere and Bumstead annihilated some good sets of skull crushers using an EZ bar next to work the triceps and moved on to the next exercise.
Standing Dumbbell Curls
The duo next took to the standard dumbbell curls to stimulate the biceps further. Before moving further, they got a few sets of the exercise under their belts.
Triceps Dips
This bodyweight compound exercise served as the final triceps movement of the day. Triceps dips work all three triceps heads effectively. Additionally, they engage the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and latissimus dorsi muscles to a great extent. As a result, they are an effective strength and muscle builder for the entire upper body.
The training partners pushed through a few sets of triceps dips to absolute failure before taking up the finisher of the day.
Machine Preacher Curls
Preacher curls are probably the most efficacious way to stimulate the biceps. Also known as Scott curls, it is a great way to engage brachialis and brachioradialis as the secondary muscles. Performing this movement on a machine means keeping the muscles under tension for a longer duration. As a result, it gives greater hypertrophy benefits.
Bumstead and Valliere wrapped up the training session with a few sets of preacher curls to add the last bit of stimulus to the biceps.
Overall, the workout included:
Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere are not training together officially. However, the duo pledged their support for each other while ending their coach-client relationship last year. If they continue to push each other, the Canadians can definitely elevate their careers to even taller heights.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Chris Bumstead’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 20 July, 2023 | 2:04 PM EDT
Breon Ansley Annihilates Pull day Workout With Tristyn Lee
Bodybuilder Breon Ansley recently teamed up with fitness influencer Tristyn Lee for an intense back and biceps workout. Ansley is readying himself to venture into the new division in 2023 and this workout was a step in the direction to get the right body composition.
Breon Ansley is an American professional bodybuilder that has competed in the IFBB Pro League’s Classic Physique division for the majority of his career. He is a former Classic Physique Olympia champion and won the title at the 2017 and 2018 Olympia. After getting dethroned by Chris Bumstead at the 2019 Olympia, the 43-year-old continued to hover around the title picture and finished in the top five at the 2020 and 2021 Olympia. However, the 4th place finish in 2022 prompted Ansley to bury the hatchet and pass on the torch to Chris Bumstead. As decided earlier, the 2022 Olympia proved to be Ansley’s final Classic Physique appearance and he made the decision to move on from the weight class.
Although he has competed in the 212 division during the early stage of his career, Ansley is once again working hard to get the necessary body composition to make a move to 212 division in 2023. Unlike the Classic Physique division, the 43-year-old would not have to sacrifice any muscle mass to compete in the new weight class. As a result, Breon Ansley is confident that he will win the 2023 Olympia.
As a part of this effort, Ansley teamed up with fitness influencer Tristyn Lee for a back and biceps workout. Lee became notorious in the YouTube fitness community for carrying minimal body fat. He is known for his ripped physique and maintains the stance that he has been natural his whole life. In recent months, Lee has teased a venture into competitive bodybuilding.
Breon Ansley and Tristyn Lee tackled a high-intensity back and biceps workout in the Dragon’s Lair gym. The video of this session was posted on Lee’s personal YouTube channel. So without further delay, let’s see how the duo survived this intense training session.
Breon Ansley and Tristyn Lee go through a back and biceps workout
Ansley and Lee utilized the rest pause training method for all the exercises in this training session. The duo performed only one working set per exercise but focused more on adding mass, width and depth to the back and biceps muscles.
Pull-ups
Being the more experienced of the two, Breon Ansley led the workout as Tristyn Lee followed in his footsteps. They started the training session with four sets of pull-ups to warm up the back and biceps.
“Pull-ups and dips always kick that a**. But it’s always a good measuring stick too as I am going up in body weight… To keep that strength up… Keep that strength up, keep those numbers up and keep those reps up,” Breon Ansley said about pull-ups.
After finishing all the sets of pull-ups, the duo took to the first heavy compound movement of the day.
Hammer Strength Low Rows
Ansley and Lee performed hammer strength low rows next to work the back muscles. This compound movement primarily targets the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, middle and upper trapezius muscles in the back. Apart from muscle building, it is an essential movement to improve the upper body posture.
“Don’t need to keep count as long as you’re confident you know you went till that very last drop. Just ensure that and you’re good,” Breon Ansley said about rep range.
The training partners cranked out solid sets of low rows next and took to another rowing movement next.
Cable High Rows
This cable machine rowing movement followed next as Ansley and Lee added more stimulus to the back muscles. Horizontal pulling movements/rows are effective in building a thick back and hence it is of utmost importance to include them in the training routine for complete back development.
In particular, cable high rows also work the latissimus dorsi, rhomboid as well as trapezius muscles in the back and they protect the shoulders while reducing the risk of injury during upper body exercises.
Ansley cranked out solid sets of cable high rows next as Lee followed the suit. The duo then took to a traps-focused exercise next.
Dumbbell Shrugs
This simple but effective exercise is an excellent mass and strength builder for the trapezius muscles. Apart from the bigger and stronger look, well-developed traps aid in scapular functions and help protect against neck injuries.
Ansley and Lee pushed through heavy sets of dumbbell shrugs next and shifted their focus to working the biceps.
EZ Bar Curls
EZ bar curl offers distinct advantages over standard barbell due to its curved shape as it enables a more natural and neutral wrist position. This exercise primarily targets the biceps brachii muscles and helps build strength and muscle mass. But it also activates the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles as well.
Ansley and Lee performed a few sets of EZ bar curls next and took to the final exercise of the day.
Dumbbell Preacher Curls
Dumbbell preacher curls are arguably the most effective exercise for biceps isolation. The triceps are firmly pressed against the pad during this exercise and the shoulder is neatly tucked against the edge of the pad. As a result, biceps are forced to lift the weight unassisted, increasing strength and muscle gain. The duo performed some solid sets of dumbbell preacher curls next and wrapped up the training session.
Overall, the workout included:
Breon Ansley will face a fresh set of challenges when he transitions to the 212 division this year. Reigning champion Shaun Clarida will be the main hurdle standing in Ansley’s way of winning the second division title. But if he can make the necessary adjustments, the former Classic Physique champion can definitely make history.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Tristyn Lee’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 19 July, 2023 | 1:18 PM EDT
The Story Behind Jay Cutler’s Iconic Quad Stomp
Four-time Mr. Olympia champion Jay Cutler is one of the most decorated bodybuilders of all time. His quad stomp pose at the 2009 Olympia is among the most iconic in the sport’s history. Gyms around the world have murals dedicated to the quad stomp.
Competitive bodybuilding is all about physique aesthetics. Judges reward athletes with the best shape, size, conditioning, symmetry, and balance. However, a critical aspect is often overlooked — posing. You could have the best size, separation, and lines, but the chances of winning the gold medal are bleak if you lack the skills to present your physique.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s three-quartern turn and double straight arm pose, Sergio Oliva’s victory pose, Bob Pari’s kneeling pose, Flex Wheeler’s full splits, and Frank Zane’s vacuum pose are some of the most iconic poses. However, none of these poses are as dominating as the quad stomp.
Cutler’s quad stomp at the 2009 Olympia was much more than a bodybuilding pose; it was a statement from the two-time O champ that he had returned to reclaim what was rightfully his. His message was heard — loud and clear.
Interestingly, the quad stomp was not a planned pose. Plus, it was not as innovative as the other iconic poses mentioned above. Technically, the quad stomp is a variation of the abs and thigh pose. But it isn’t the pose itself that made it so special. The moment, the context, the intensity, and Cutler himself made it one of the most special poses ever.
Jay Cutler’s Success Story
Jay Cutler / Facebook
The quad stomp is not just another pose — it is an emotion and a declaration. To understand the quad stomp, you must know Cutler’s story.
Cutler earned his IFBB Pro card by winning the Heavyweight Division at the National Physique Committee (NPC) Nationals in 1996 at the age of 23. The Massachusetts native entered his first pro show in 1997 — Night of Champions. Cutler had placed 12th at his debut pro show, while his future arch-rival Ronnie Coleman claimed the gold medal.
Coleman would place ninth at the 1997 Olympia, a three-place drop from his 1996 performance. However, the upper echelons of pro bodybuilding were up for a major rejig that year as Dorian Yates retired after winning his sixth-consecutive Sandow trophy.
Although most bodybuilding stakeholders expected Flex Wheeler to take the reigns at the 1998 Olympia, Coleman pulled off one of the biggest upsets in bodybuilding history to claim his maiden Sandow trophy. “The King” had placed ninth at the 1997 Olympia.
Cutler qualified for his first Olympia in 1999 and placed 14th out of the 16 contestants, whereas Coleman successfully defended his Olympia throne.
The lackluster performance at the 1999 Olympia didn’t dissuade Cutler. He claimed his maiden pro show win in 2000 — the Night of Champions. Many thought life had come full circle for Cutler, who won the Night of Champions four years after making his pro debut at the same show. However, no one could have imagined it was just the beginning and that the blonde-haired bodybuilder would win the coveted Sandow trophy four times. With the momentum behind him, Cutler entered the 2000 Olympia and jumped to the eighth spot.
First of Many
Cutler’s career took an upward trajectory after 2000. His physique had improved leaps and bounds after the Olympia, and bodybuilding fans expected him to break into the top five at the 2001 Olympia. However, Cutler almost pulled a Coleman on Coleman himself and took home a silver medal, beating bodybuilding veterans like Kevin Levrone and Shawn Ray. Ray would retire after the 2001 O.
Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman at Mr. Olympia 2001
Cutler holds an undesirable record. He has the most second-place finishes in Olympia history — six. Levrone comes in second with his four silver medals.
Although Cutler secured a second-place finish in his third Olympia outing, everything didn’t go in his favor. He was disqualified because of a failed diuretics test. The IFBB later dropped the charges after Cutler threatened to sue the organization for tampered results.
Cutler skipped the 2002 Olympia to add size to his frame and upend Coleman’s reign. Most bodybuilding pundits believe sitting out the 2002 O was a mistake on Cutler’s end, as this was the year Coleman was at his most vulnerable and had left the door open for Cutler to walk away with his maiden Sandow trophy.
As promised, Cutler showed up bigger and better at the 2003 Olympia looking to unseat the five-time O champ, Coleman. However, “Big Ron” had done his homework and had fixed all his weaknesses.
Coleman weighed a monstrous 287 pounds at the 2003 Olympia. He didn’t let his size ruin his conditioning and had striated glutes and feathered quads when he stepped on stage. Coleman’s competitors lived in his shadow at the 2003 O while he hoisted his sixth O title. Cutler reclaimed his second-place spot at the show.
Read also: History of Mr. Olympia
Turn of the Tide — Cutler’s First Olympia Victory
Jay Cutler / Instagram
Cutler finished second for two more years — 2004 and 2005. However, The King’s quest for size had thrown his proportions and symmetry for a toss, and many bodybuilding gurus had started critiquing his extended gut.
Things weren’t looking great for Cutler either. He was getting older, and it was assumed that he would go down the Levrone, Wheeler, and Ray route and join the ranks of the greatest bodybuilders to never win the Olympia title.
However, Cutler was hell-bent on dethroning Coleman, who was eyeing his ninth Olympia win at the 2006 Olympia. A win at the 2006 O would make him the winningest Olympia champ, beating Lee Haney’s record of eight O victories.
Known for his extravagant hairstyles, Cutler announced he would shave his head if he didn’t dethrone Coleman at the 2006 Olympia. The Massachusetts native turned heads the moment he stepped on stage at the 2006 O and comfortably beat Coleman to claim his first Sandow trophy.
Cutler did a repeat at the 2007 Olympia. However, it is one of the most controversial Olympias of all time. Many bodybuilding fans believe that the runner-up at the show, Victor Martinez, was robbed of the Sandow trophy, as he had a much better shape and conditioning than Cutler.
Veteran bodybuilding journalist Peter McGough later cleared the air about the contest. He opined that although Martinez was tied with Cutler on the first day, the reigning champ beat the challenger with his fuller and more crisp physique on the second day.
That said, Cutler’s physique had started showing the battle scars he endured while catching up to Coleman. His midsection had ballooned considerably, earning him the moniker “The Refridgerator.”
Must Read: 13 Best Bodybuilders Who Didn’t Win the Mr. Olympia Title
Losing the Olympia Title
The 2008 competitive season caught the bodybuilding community off guard. Coleman retired after placing fourth at the 2007 Olympia. Plus, the 2007 runner-up, Martinez, sat out the Olympia due to an injury.
With the main challenger out of the equation, Cutler was expected to win his third-consecutive Sandow trophy. However, Dexter “The Blade” Jackson had plans of his own. Although most pro bodybuilders were playing the mass game, Jackson stuck to his guns and capitalized on his conditioning. He had finished fourth at the 2006 Olympia and third in 2007.
Jackson’s razor-sharp conditioning on the 2008 Olympia stage made Cutler look like he was two weeks out of the show and needed more time to get in shape. Although Jackson was much smaller than the reigning O champ, the judges ruled in his favor, ending Cutler’s two-year reign.
Making History with the Quad Stomp
Jay Cutlers / Instagram
After the 2008 Olympia, most bodybuilding fans believed Cutler should hang his posing trunks while still at the top. The reason for this? No bodybuilder in the 44-year history of the competition had reclaimed the Sandow trophy after losing it. Legends like Oliva, Zane, and Coleman failed to do it; there was no chance that Cutler would become the first bodybuilder to achieve this feat.
Furthermore, no one believed that one year was enough time to fix all the issues that cost Cutler the title. No one except Cutler that is.
With the odds stacked against him, Cutler knew that sitting out for a year would make reclaiming his Olympia title impossible. He began his Olympia campaign right after finishing second at the 2008 Olympia. A young bodybuilder, Phil Heath, had placed third in his freshman year at the Super Bowl of Bodybuilding.
Cutler surprised everyone with the package he brought to the 2009 Olympia. He had improved his conditioning and midline and somehow managed to maintain his overall size. Furthermore, Cutler knew he was in total control of the competition from the moment he set foot on stage.
Besides his leaner, meaner, and bigger physique, Cutler had done his homework on his presentation and was keen on showing off his improvements. The two-time Olympia champ’s legs were one of his biggest assets, and Jackson’s size was no match for Cutler’s.
Moment of the Iconic Quad Stomp
The judges put Cutler and Jackson center stage in the final callout, making them the favorites to win the show. Cutler’s chiseled physique and 40-pound advantage over Jackson puts him in the driver’s seat during the confirmation round.
Cutler had the crowd cheering for him with each pose, and he was visibly more confident during the later half of the final comparison round. The second-to-last mandatory pose is the abdominal and thighs, which was Jackson’s strong suit. However, Cutler knew he had to do something extraordinary to draw attention toward him. What happened next went down in history as the most iconic bodybuilding pose of all time.
Cutler drew everyone’s attention to Jackson’s quads by gently patting them. He immediately started rattling his quads to reveal his insane quad striations. But Cutler didn’t leave it at that. He lifted his left leg off the floor and stomped it down while tensing all his muscles. Cutler finished the pose by pointing toward his quad with both hands while contracting his upper body, almost as if hitting a most-muscular pose.
Muscular Development magazine’s on-site photographer, Per Bernal, took the iconic photo of Cutler’s quad stomp. MD used the photo for its January 2010 cover.
“It wasn’t a planned pose, and now, of course, we kind of have this ‘quad stomp,’ and it sits as probably one of the greatest bodybuilding poses ever,” said Cutler reminiscing the iconic moment at the 2009 Olympia.
Must Read: 8 Bodybuilding Poses Every Pro Bodybuilder Needs To Master
2011 Olympia and Beyond
Not only did Cutler reclaim the Olympia title in 2010, but he also defended it in 2011, taking up his Sandow trophy tally to four, making him the fourth-winningest Mr. Olympia champion of all time. Cutler surrendered his O throne to Health in 2011, who would hold the title for another six-consecutive years, matching Schwarzenegger’s record.
Cutler couldn’t compete at the 2012 Olympia due to a biceps injury and drew the curtains on his glorious bodybuilding career after placing sixth at the 2013 O.
Wrapping Up
Jay Cutler’s quad stomp is much more than a pose — it’s an emotion, a war cry, a kick in the butt of the naysayers. The quad stomp announced Cutler’s return to the top of the roster and helped him reclaim his Olympia throne.
The quad stomp helped Cutler create history by becoming the only bodybuilder to reclaim the Sandow trophy after losing it. Many bodybuilders have copied the quad stomp on the Olympia stage since, but no one can ever replicate the emotions, intent, and chutzpah conveyed by Cutler.
Jay Cutler Competition History
1993 NPC Iron Bodies Invitational, Teenage & Men’s Heavyweight, 1st
1993 NPC Teen Nationals, 1st
1995 NPC U.S. Tournament of Champions, Men’s Heavyweight, 1st and Overall title
1996 NPC Nationals, Heavyweight, 1st (Pro Card)
1998 IFBB Night of Champions, 12th
1999 IFBB Arnold Classic 4th
1999 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational, 3rd
2000 IFBB Night of Champions, 1st
2000 Grand Prix England, 2nd
2000 Joe Weider’s World Pro Cup, 2nd
2000 Mr. Olympia 8th
2001 Mr. Olympia, 2nd
2002 Arnold Classic, 1st
2003 Arnold Classic, 1st
2003 Mr. Olympia, 2nd
2003 Ironman Pro Invitational, 1st
2003 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 1st
2003 Russian Grand Prix, 2nd
2003 GNC Show of Strength, 2nd
2003 Dutch Grand Prix, 1st
2003 British Grand Prix, 1st
2004 Arnold Classic, 1st
2004 Mr. Olympia, 2nd
2005 Mr. Olympia, 2nd
2006 Austrian Grand Prix, 1st
2006 Romanian Grand Prix, 1st
2006 Dutch Grand Prix, 1st
2006 Mr. Olympia, 1st
2007 Mr. Olympia, 1st
2008 Mr. Olympia, 2nd
2009 Mr. Olympia, 1st
2010 Mr. Olympia, 1st
2011 Mr. Olympia, 2nd
2011 Sheru Classic, 2nd
2013 Mr. Olympia, 6th
Milos Sarcev Backs Derek Lunsford & Hadi Choopan as Favorites for 2023 Mr. Olympia
Iranian bodybuilder Hadi Choopan cemented his place in the history books with a sensational victory at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Along with Choopan, former 212 Olympia champion, Derek Lunsford received major praise for his debut performance in the Men’s Open class. In a recent episode of Cutler Cast, renowned bodybuilding coach Milos Sarcev backed Choopan and Lunsford as favorites going into the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
Fans witnessed one of the most competitive and exciting seasons of the last few years in 2022. Former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay was tasked with the challenge of facing veterans like former champion Brandon Curry, William Bonac, and the ever-consistent Hadi Choopan along with a plethora of other top-tier talents, including Nick Walker, Andrew Jacked, and Samson Dauda. Aside from the mass monsters of the Open, Derek Lunsford entered the show following a special invite.
In the end, Big Ramy got knocked off the top by Choopan, who became the first Iranian to win the coveted Sandow trophy. Lunsford made a statement in his Open debut by taking silver in a close-fought contest with Choopan. Then, Dauda asserted his place in the mix of title contention by dominating the competition at the 2023 Arnold Classic earlier this year.
The 2023 Pittsburgh Pro presented an opportunity for some of the top Open competitors to give fans a sneak peek at the looks they plan to bring for the 2023 Mr. Olympia. Following the guest posing appearances, many thought Lunsford and Dauda emerged as the frontrunners for the show. Although Choopan was not in attendance, he sent warning shots with a massive physique update in the days that would follow.
Lunsford received the backing of bodybuilding legend and eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, who also called him his favorite contemporary bodybuilder last month. Former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout voiced a similar sentiment in backing Lunsford as the biggest threat at this year’s Olympia.
As for Lunsford, he reported significant improvements in the off-season and expects to return to action stronger than ever. Hadi Choopan doesn’t seem too worried as he issued a fiery message showing off his monstrous physique in an update weeks ago.
Derek Lunsford teamed up with Dauda for a grueling back workout session over two weeks ago. Both men boasted their humongous frames and pushed each other to the limit under the guidance of Hall of Famer Chris Cormier.
Milos Sarcev backs Derek Lunsford & Hadi Choopan as favorites for 2023 Mr. Olympia
In a recent YouTube video, Milos Sarcev shared his thoughts on the frontrunners for the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
According to Sarcev, there’s a high chance Choopan retains the title this year and the next.
“I have all the respect for Hadi,” said Sarcev. “Hadi could be three times Mr. Olympia.”
He backed Lunsford and Choopan as the favorites entering the show and highlighted the danger that 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda brings.
“Derek & Hadi are frontrunners. Samson is going to the show to win and will do everything possible for him to win.”
Sarcev says Lunsford would be Mr. Olympia if it was judged from the back
Sarcev believes Derek Lunsford boasts one of the best backs in the game and is nearly unbeatable in front poses, like the front double bicep and front lat spread. For Sarcev, the deciding factor would be how convincingly Lunsford gets beaten in his weaker poses from the side.
“Derek would be Mr. Olympia if it was judged from the back already. He lost from the side a little bit and when you think front, front double biceps, front lat spread, he’s super dangerous because then you can really see the definition and hardness on the chest on those two poses and he had a crazy v-taper so you gotta give him. He has front double bicep, front lat spread, he looks crazy in all these poses. He’s super dangerous. From the back, he’s phenomenal. The other poses, he can be beaten. Can he be beaten in other poses convincingly enough? That remains to be seen. I still think Hadi Choopan is going to come [and be in the driver’s seat].”
Derek Lunsford showed off his huge legs in a heavy-duty off-season lower-body workout last week. He indulged in a friendly hot-dog eating contest, devouring 3,300 calories in a post-workout cheat meal. Then, he laid out a sleeve-busting arm workout to build jacked biceps earlier this week.
RELATED: Derek Lunsford Goes Through Title-Worthy Back Workout With Chris Bumstead
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 7 July, 2023 | 7:57 AM EDT
Jay Cutler Breaks Down 2023 Mr. Olympia Top Contenders: ‘Can Andrew Jacked Shock the World?’
Legendary bodybuilder Jay Cutler led a highly decorated career that saw him become a four-time Mr. Olympia. Since moving on from professional competition, he’s turned into a revered figure known for his sharp eye for talent. In a recent episode of Cutler Cast, Cutler shared his breakdown of the top contenders for the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia competition.
Jay Cutler first made headlines for his monstrous muscle mass, size, and conditioning in the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division in the 2000s. He dominated the competition at the 2002 Arnold Classic and racked up two more AC titles in the following years. He developed an intense rivalry with eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, who kept him at bay from the top prize. After four runner-up finishes, Cutler finally dethroned his longtime foe and secured his maiden Sandow trophy. He hung up his posing trunks with four Mr. Olympia wins under his belt.
The Men’s Open division hosts some of the freakiest mass monsters in the world and serves as the marquee category at any bodybuilding event. The division’s landscape continues to evolve with a rise in talent joining the division from around the world.
Former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay got knocked off the top at the 2022 Mr. Olympia last season. Hadi Choopan reigned supreme as the new champion whereas former 212 Olympia king Derek Lunsford stunned the world with a silver in his Open debut. Nick Walker moved up the ranks and rounded out the top three. Meanwhile, Hunter Labrada missed the mark and fell out of the top six, meaning he would need to earn an invite to the competition this year.
Andrew Jacked / Instagram
Rising sensation Andrew Jacked is another contender who presented a major threat to the more experienced veterans. Samson Dauda emerged as a budding contender after placing sixth at the previous Olympia event. He further asserted his place in the mix by coming out on top of the 2023 Arnold Classic three months ago.
Slovakian bodybuilder Michal Krizo entered the group with a lot of hype behind him last year. He presented insane arm development along with freakish overall muscularity. He’s coming off a commanding performance in his last outing at the 2023 Empro Classic Pro that saw him score gold last week.
Jay Cutler breaks down top contenders of 2023 Mr. Olympia
In a recent YouTube video, Jay Cutler shared his analysis of the top contenders for the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
Cutler started by praising Krizo’s latest win and identified areas he would like to see improved.
“He was looking so paper thin, especially in the upper body, the arms are some of the best in the business and it looked like he made improvements, which I think he did improve from his prior showings. But I don’t know if he came down in size a little bit to gather the condition,” said Cutler. “I still feel like he’s still going to have trouble pushing the top spots at the Olympia.
“He still needs to get more density in the side of the leg, the hamstring, glutes, and the back’s improved but he still… arms are so big. When you have arms that big it kinda takes from the lats unless you’re like a Nick Walker.”
Cutler believes Dauda and Lunsford are the frontrunners for the contest. He also highlighted the danger Choopan and former champ Brandon Curry may present.
“I didn’t want to start counting places because I hated when people did that to me but there’s a lot of good guys. That six to ten is going to be… We just saw Derek and Samson too. They trained together a couple days ago and Derek looks tremendous which he always has and Samson looks tremendous which he has for the past few years. Obviously, the Arnold winner. Question is if Derek would’ve done the Arnold, we could keep talking about that.”
“Contention wise, Hadi’s been kind of shouting out ‘don’t forget about me.’ We’re also forgetting Brandon Curry.”
Derek Lunsford / Instagram
Cutler supports Big Ramy competing at the event
Jay Cutler extended his support for Big Ramy to return and compete at the 2023 Mr. Olympia. He believes Ramy doesn’t have enough time to sit out a year and could perform well if he came in his best form.
“Ramy sounds like he’s going to come back and compete, which I’m all for. He needs to possibly take a step away and I think it’s got a little misconstrued. I hate the fact that Steve Weinberger has kinda been put on the spot because he said basically go back to what you’re doing. I don’t think he ever said like he needs to take the whole year off. I don’t even know how it was said but there’s a lot of controversy right now.
“The point is he just needs to regroup and do what he does best and come in the best of his ability. There’s no real timeline on that. He’s 38, he can’t take a few years off, his health is really great. I hear his training is really great. He’s had some atrophy compared to years prior on the arms, triceps, I think he’s admitted to having some downsizing there. But he looked great at the Arnold. He could’ve probably placed a little better but I don’t want to discredit the people that did.”
‘Can Andrew Jacked win & shock the world?’ asks Cutler
The 49-year-old praised Andrew Jacked for his immense potential in the sport. He expressed his excitement about watching Andrew go up against Hunter Labrada and others at the nearing 2023 Texas Pro. For Cutler, the biggest question is if Jacked could do enough later this year to win the coveted Sandow trophy.
“I hear great things about Andrew too. The big showdown is going to be Texas. There’s going to be other guys too. I know there’s a lot of international shows but that’s going to be like what, who’s not going to qualify there. Those two guys [Andrew and Hunter] need to be in the lineup because they’re people we’re talking about and the question is, can Andrew come and win the Olympia and shock the world?”
Jay Cutler is currently on a mission to take his physique to the next level as part of the ‘Fit for 50’ body transformation challenge for his 50th birthday. He revealed he’s gained 15 pounds in preparation for the challenge earlier this week.
This year’s competition in the Men’s Open division is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and competitive. Fans will be waiting in anticipation to see which competitors qualify and who ultimately takes the crown of Mr. Olympia.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Offers Tips for Sculpting Abs: ‘Remember You’re Trying to Condition Them, Not Build Muscle’
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 24 June, 2023 | 10:24 AM EDT
Dorian Yates Shares Essential Chest Exercises He Used to Grow Into 6x Mr. Olympia
Legendary bodybuilder Dorian Yates carved out his own space in the sport with unconventional training methods and a massive physique. He reached the highest heights as a pro and keeps stellar level of fitness post-retirement. In a recent post made on Instagram, Yates shared his staple chest workout exercises that helped him win Mr. Olympia.
Dorian Yates stood out from the competition as a Men’s Open competitor with his impressive muscle mass, size, definition, and stellar back development. He emerged as a budding prospect from the UK who took silver in his maiden Mr. Olympia appearance in 1991.
After the exit of eight-time champion Lee Haney, Dorian came back with a vengeance and secured the coveted Sandow trophy at the 1992 Mr. Olympia. He proved to be a dominant champion who racked up six Mr. Olympia titles in a row, essentially going undefeated from 1992-1997, and stepped away after his final win in 1997.
Following his retirement, Yates continued to train regularly and promotes a healthy lifestyle. He often shares his decades of wisdom with fans so they too can level up their physiques. He revealed barbell rows with an underhand grip as his favorite exercise to craft a wide and thick back earlier this year. Then, he detailed tips on how to properly perform lat pulldowns to optimize back gains. He stressed the importance of pulling with your elbows to take the load off your biceps.
Dorian Yates / Instagram
During his career, Dorian Yates went against the grain in training philosophy. While many bodybuilders utilized the traditional regimen of working out for a set number of reps and sets, he pushed himself to near failure in every training session. ‘The Shadow’ offered some valuable high-intensity training (HIT) strategies to maximize the gains two months ago. He recommended using HIT training to push through any points of stalled progress.
Yates advocated for performing hamstring curls to boost muscle growth in the lower-body weeks ago. He focused on the need to use a full range of motion while performing each rep in a controlled manner with a slow negative. He followed up by revealing his training, steroid cycles, and diet while in prep for competition and talked about using TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) after hanging up his posing trunks.
Dorian Yates shares staple chest workout exercises
In a recent Instagram post, Dorian Yates shared some of his staple chest workout exercises that helped him win six Mr. Olympia titles.
He listed decline barbell bench presses, incline presses, and Smith machine presses along with the use of rest-pause reps
“Decline barbell bench press was a staple in my routine, roughly up until 1992
,” he wrote. “After this, I switched to more incline presses and didn’t really go back to decline.
I did do quite a lot of incline smith machine presses and felt a great connection with this exercise. It’s a fixed plane of motion and you can really put a lot of emphasis on your chest here. It’s safer to go to and beyond failure too, especially with rest pause reps where you’d rack the bar and take a few deep breaths, then aim for an extra one or two reps.”
Yates also shared that incline dumbbell flyes on a low incline, incline barbell press, and dumbbell shoulder press are a part of his go-to routine.
“
Incline dumbbell flyes was another tremendous exercise that I did consistently, working up to over 50kg dumbbells! But I always did this on a low incline, about 30 degrees as this puts the chest at the forefront and helps to minimise the delt involvement. I also later did a lot of incline barbell press, you can see the footage in Blood & Guts!
I was pretty much forced to utilise the smith machine for shoulder pressing near the start of my Olympia reign.
“My training partners in the early 90s, usually Kenny and @paulbaxendale, often had a challenge to pass the giant 160lb dumbbells up to me and it was a struggle to get them into position. I scrapped dumbbell shoulder press in favour of the smith machine for shoulder press and this was a lot easier to not only set up, but to go to failure too.
It’s about making adjustments to your training and trial & error… it’s all part of the process.”
Dorian Yates argued that squats are not necessary to build muscle while laying out his four-times-a-week training plan for Mr. Olympia contests last month. He underwent stem cell treatment for his injuries and reported positive updates. Then, he gave fans a look into his two-exercise ab workout routine two weeks ago.
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His latest offering provides insight into the high-quality training methods of a Mr. Olympia and will inspire fitness enthusiasts to incorporate them into their routines.
Published: 21 June, 2023 | 10:22 PM EDT
Nick Walker Crushes Push Day Workout, Emphasizes The Value of Avoiding Muscle Failure in Workouts
The gap between Nick Walker and Mr. Olympia title is narrowing each passing year. Having made it into the top three at the 2022 Olympia, Walker now trains to snatch it from reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan and recently went through a chest, shoulder and triceps workout as a part of this effort.
America’s own Nick Walker competes in the Men’s Open division of the IFBB Pro League. In a short span of three years, the 28-year-old has emerged to be a top Olympia contender. His resume includes impressive performances in six Pro bodybuilding shows. He holds dominant wins at the 2021 New York Pro and the 2021 Arnold Classic. The two Olympia appearances saw him secure fifth and third place finishes at the 2021 and the 2022 Olympia, respectively.
Making a quick turnaround after the 2022 Olympia, Nick Walker attempted to bring home the second Arnold Classic title in 2023. Walker was a massive favorite heading into the show. Experts in the bodybuilding community expected challengers like Andrew Jacked, Shaun Clarida and Samson Dauda to present a formidable challenge but rallied behind Walker to secure the win anyway. However, British bodybuilder Samson Dauda emerged as a dark horse and snatched the win from Walker after a neck-and-neck competition.
Nick Walker / Instagram
Although The Mutant had to be content with a runner-up finish, many people contested the result and opined that Walker deserved the judges’ nod. But he moved on from the argument quickly and started focusing his energies on improving the physique further to leave no doubt in judges’ minds the next time around.
As a part of his quest to win the Mr. Olympia title, Walker recently went through an off-season chest and triceps workout. So let’s check out how the 2021 Arnold Classic winner is pushing the limits to be the next Mr. Olympia.
Nick Walker goes through a push day workout
Pec Deck Flye
Nick Walker started the training session with pec deck flyes. Flye, an effective chest isolation movement, helps build adduction strength of the upper body. Additionally, the pec deck flye ranks high in terms of pectoral muscle activation, losing only to the bench press. As a result, it is a great exercise for achieving hypertrophy.
Walker stated that the angle of the machine used in this workout was slightly different, which presumably helped with muscle activation. The Mutant performed a couple of warm-up sets of this exercise and followed them up with two top sets to direct the blood into the chest. He stated that he does not need to push to failure every single time and only pushes to failure once in a while. Walker said:
“I have the size already so training to failure is good once in a while. But I’m also here for longevity. So doing an extra set of something rather than pushing one set to ultimate failure… Sometimes this isn’t a bad thing.”
He added:
“I still believe in training to failure. But I think utilizing reps from the reserve can also be beneficial in terms of growth. Because I feel like sometimes if you push the body too much and train to failure too often, you’re just fatiguing the body more… Not necessarily giving the rest your body truly needs, which is where reps in reserve come to play where instead of doing one or two sets to failure maybe do three sets of 12. But the reps… This is where you have to be really in tune with the muscle.”
Even though this method is less fatiguing, Walker feels it can lead to more growth. Following this, he took the first heavy compound exercise of the day.
Incline Dumbbell Press
Incline movements emphasize the clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscle and help build the upper chest by giving it a more fuller look. Walker took to the incline dumbbell press next and annihilated a few good sets. He started with the 40 lbs dumbbells for the warm-up set and slowly worked his way up, performing eight to ten rep in each set. Walker made sure that he performed the eccentric phase of each movement with really slow and controlled motion to keep the muscles under tension for a longer duration.
Machine Chest Press
After working with the free weights for the previous exercise, the New Jersey native jumped into the machine chest press. Weights on the machine move along a fixed trajectory and hence eliminate the need to control the weights. This results in overall reduced chances of injury.
The machine chest press served as the final chest exercise in Walker’s routine as he got a few sets of the exercise under his belt and shifted the focus on other muscle groups.
Lateral Raise – Machine and Cable
After wrapping up the chest routine, the 2021 Arnold Classic winner took up the shoulder exercises and performed machine lateral raises to work the medial deltoids. He cranked out 2 sets of 15 reps of the exercise on a machine.
Nick Walker’s shoulder routine typically consists of only medial and anterior deltoid exercises. For him, posterior deltoids deserve a place in the back workout. Walker explained:
“I normally always do two side delt exercises but I might start incorporating like maybe one press, one side or one side and one front. And I just think about side delts – they can never be too big in my opinion. I like to keep rear delts with back now. To me, I just feel like rear delts could be part of shoulders so if you train with shoulders, completely fine in my opinion. But for me it’s part of back.”
The Mutant then moved on to the cable machine variation of the same. Cable machines keep the muscles under tension throughout the range of motion and help bring about hypertrophy more effectively. While doing the lateral raises, Walker raises his hands higher than usual. Explaining the logic behind this, he said:
“I don’t really train the traps directly because I do feel like doing the side laterals really high, even though it really targets the side laterals really well, I do think no matter what, you’re going to engage a little bit of traps in there. So I really don’t think I need to directly hit traps.”
After pushing through a few sets of cable lateral raises next, Walker took to the final exercise of the day.
Smith Machine Skull Crushers
With chest and shoulder exercises in the books, it was time for the New Jersey native to target the next important muscle group for pushing – triceps. Walker first performed the skull crushers on a Smith machine to emphasize on the xx head of the triceps and then jumped into the final exercise of the day.
Machine Overhead Triceps Extensions
Walker wrapped up the training session with this exercise. Overhead triceps extensions work the muscles from a stretched position as well as a different angle. Hence they help emphasize the long head of triceps.
Walker did a few sets of the exercise with furious intensity to add the final bit of stimulus to the muscles and called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout consisted of:
Nick Walker has made tremendous progress in his career so far. When the 2023 Olympia weekend kicks off, Derek Lunsford and reigning champion Hadi Choopan will probably be the only competitors Standing in Walker’s way if he continues to train with similar intensity in the months to come. Whether he can get past them or not depends solely on his drive to push the limits of his body.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Nick Walker’s personal YouTube channel:
More on Push Day:
Published: 16 June, 2023 | 10:57 AM EDT
Bodybuilder Andrew Jacked Teams Up With Vlad Suhoruchko For A Rigorous Arm Workout
Andrew Jacked recently partnered with rising Men’s Open division bodybuilder Vlad Suhoruchko for an intense arms workout as he prepares to defend his title at the 2023 Texas Pro.
Chinedu Andrew Obiekea, also known as Andrew Jacked, is a Nigerian professional bodybuilder who shot to fame in 2022 due to his muscular physique, perfect V-taper, and excellent proportions. After earning his IFBB Pro card with a dominant win at the 2022 Arnold Classic Amateur, Jacked secured a direct qualification to the 2022 Olympia with a dominating victory at the 2022 Texas Pro. He added another feather to his cap with the 2022 Arnold Classic UK win before Olympia.
Jacked surged into the top ten and secured an eighth-place finish in his maiden Olympia appearance. What made the performance more impressive was the fact that Jacked was on the verge of pulling out of the event due to an illness and still managed to produce a stellar performance.
He made a quick turnaround and competed at the 2023 Arnold Classic next, finishing third. Andrew will return to the stage at the 2023 Texas Pro in hopes of registering his second consecutive victory at the Olympia qualifier. In his recent physique updates, the 38-year-old looks primed to dominate the stage once again.
Jacked joined Ukrainian IFBB Pro bodybuilder Suhoruchko for an arms workout. Vlad earned his IFBB Pro card with a win at the 2019 Dennis James Classic. He has competed at several Pro shows since and achieved his first victory at the 2022 IFBB Yamamoto Pro Show. He is a hot prospect and is perceived as a future top contender in the IFBB Pro League.
Andrew Jacked and Vlad Suhoruchko go through an arm workout
Jacked visited Suhoruchko for the training session and followed the latter’s lead for this session. The duo trained arms together, and the video of this training session was posted on Suhoruchko’s YouTube channel. So let’s go over this training session and see how the big men fired up their massive arms.
Biceps
Machine Preacher Curl
Preacher curls are arguably the best biceps isolation exercise. Since the triceps are firmly pressed against the pad and the shoulder is neatly placed on the edge of the pad, none of these muscles can take over the movement. As a result, the biceps get optimal stimulation. Also, the setup eliminates the possibility of using momentum. (1)
Jacked and Suhoruchko started the training session with preacher curls on a selectorized machine. They performed the exercise unilaterally using slow and controlled movements to build the mind-muscle connection.
EZ Bar Curl
The bodybuilder duo next took to the EZ bar curl to work the biceps. The EZ bar has a zig-zagged shape that enables an angled grip. Unlike a straight barbell, the EZ bar can be a lot easier for the shoulders, wrists, and elbows as it promotes a more natural angle of grip and movement. (2)
Jacked and Suhoruchko cranked out a few sets of EZ Bar curls next to add more stimulus to the biceps brachii muscles and jumped into another machine exercise.
Machine Biceps Curl on Matrix Curl Machine
Seated biceps curls eliminate the role of stabilizing muscles, and the lifter can focus a great deal on the biceps alone. Additionally, various machines add to the benefits of this variation as well. Andrew and Vlad took to the seated biceps curls on the Matrix curls machine next.
This machine works the biceps from a stretched position. Additionally, the machine has a pad to press the triceps against so that the biceps are forced to do the work, similar to the preacher curls.
The training partners pushed through some solid sets of unilateral biceps curls on the machine before moving on to a free weight exercise next.
Dumbbell Zottman Curl
While most of us want big biceps and triceps, we often ignore the forearms. However, it is possible to train the biceps and forearms together. Enter Zottman curls. Although it is primarily a biceps exercise, it helps improve forearms and grip strength, and muscles. (3)
Jacked and Suhoruchko pushed through a few sets of the Zottman curls and wrapped up the biceps exercises.
Triceps
Incline Cable Triceps Pushdown
This is an effective isolation exercise to work all three triceps heads. Additionally, it is excellent for getting a deep stretch in the muscle to stimulate growth. However, it is essential to use moderate weights to avoid excessive stress on the elbow joint. (4)
The bodybuilder duo carefully did some sets of the exercise to work the triceps and took to the next lift.
Machine Overhead Triceps Extension
The overhead triceps extension is a hypertrophy-inducing exercise that activates all three triceps heads. Additionally, studies show overhead triceps extensions induce nearly 40% more muscle growth than triceps pushdowns. (5)
Andrew and Vlad pushed through some heavy sets of the movement on a plate-loaded machine and took to the next exercise.
Reverse-Grip Cable Triceps Pushdown
Cable triceps pushdowns are a great exercise to train the triceps in totality, irrespective of the grip and other factors. However, using the reverse grip helps emphasize more on the outer triceps head. The training partners cranked out a few sets of this exercise and followed on to the day’s final exercise.
Triceps Dip Machine
Triceps dip is one of the most effective compound exercises to build muscle and strength. Jacked and Suhoruchko performed the machine press variation of this exercise to wrap up the show. The dip press machine allows you to reduce as well as increase the resistance beyond your body weight. This helps people at all fitness levels to utilize this equipment to achieve their goals.
The duo annihilated a few sets of triceps machine dip presses and called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
Biceps Exercises
Triceps Exercises
Jacked is one of the rising contenders in the Men’s Open division. Experts predict he can make a splash at the 2023 Olympia if he builds his legs up more. The Nigerian is doing the necessary work to achieve the desired results.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Vlad Suhoruchko’s YouTube channel:
References:
Preacher Curls for Biceps: The Good, the Bad and The Alternatives (Author – Taylor Stranaghan, BHK)
Four Benefits of Training With an EZ Curl Bar (Author – Olivier Poirier-Leroy, NASM-CPT)
Try The Zottman Curls To Grow Your Forearms And Build Stronger Arms (Author – Mike Dewar)
Incline Cable Triceps Extensions (Author – Dr. Malik)
Triceps Brachii Hypertrophy is Substantially Greater After Elbow Extensions Training Performed In The Overhead Versus Neutral Arm Position [Authors – Sumiaki Maeo, Yuhang Wu, Meng Huang, Hikaru Sakurai, Yuki Kusagawa, Takashi Sugiyama, Tadao Isaka (Affiliation – Faculty of Sport and Health Science, RItsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Japan), Hiroaki Kanehisa (Affiliation – National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Kanoya, Japan)]
Published: 5 June, 2023 | 9:11 AM EDT