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Arnold Classic 2021 Preview: Men’s Open Lineup Breakdown And Predictions
Who are the names to watch for in the Arnold Classic 2021?
The Arnold Classic 2021 is just days away. It will take place on Saturday in Columbus, OH after being pushed back due to COVID-19. There are four total divisions that will be on display during the event — Men’s Open, Classic Physique, Fitness, and Bikini.
To begin, we will break down the Men’s Open division. This is a deep group this year but there have been some changes to the lineup. Cedric McMillan was forced to withdraw with an injury while Lionel Beyeke will not be able to travel to the event because of restrictions.
Most recently, Roelly Winklaar was left off the competitors list. It is rumored that he will not be participating because of an undisclosed medical issue. Even with the lack of these big names, there are plenty others that will make the event exciting and a bit unpredictable.
Below, we will be breaking down the Men’s Open division. Here is the full lineup and some analysis about the competitors at the Arnold Classic 2021.
Arnold Classic 2021 Men’s Open
William Bonac
Maxx Charles
Seung Chul Lee
Mohamed El Emam
Steve Kuclo
Hassan Mostafa
Sergio Oliva Jr.
Justin Rodriguez
Iain Valliere
Nick Walker
Akim Williams
William Bonac
On paper, William Bonac is in the best position heading into the Arnold Classic. He is the reigning champion from 2020 and has another title in 2018. Sandwiched inn-between is a second-place finish in 2019. Bonac also finished second in the Olympia in 2019. To summarize, he has seen plenty of success at the biggest shows. Bonac knows the Arnold Classic well and the judges have shown that they like him on stage. Will he be victorious again? It would not be surprising to see another top-two finish from Bonac on Saturday.
Maxx Charles
Maxx Charles has put together an impressive career. He is still performing at a high level and this includes a fourth-place finish at the Tampa Pro this year. This will be Charles’ fifth appearance at the Arnold Classic. In 2017, he placed third and marked his best finish at the event. Charles can improve upon what was an eighth place finish in 2020.
Seung Chul Lee
Seung Chul Lee is looking to make a name for himself on the biggest stage. This will be his debut in the Arnold Classic after placing 12th in the 2020 Olympia. The big events have not been kind to newcomers when looking at the history. Lee could change the course with a strong performance in Columbus on Saturday.
Mohamed El Emam
Mohamed El Emam has built plenty of noise and hype around himself this year. He placed top five in three major competitions this year in America. The Russian bodybuilder has built the necessary experience to compete in a competition like the Arnold Classic. El Emam has been hard at work training for the Arnold Classic, both in the gym and in his diet plan. During the 2021 season, El Emam has competed against other top competitors in the country and he saw what he needed to do to stack up.
Steve Kuclo
Steve Kuclo finished fourth in last year’s Arnold Classic and it might be difficult to improve with the lineup this year. At the Texas Pro, Kuclo finished second and could be better conditioned heading into Saturday. If this is the case, Kuclo has a chance to sneak into the top five but if not, he could struggle to place in the top half. Kuclo has competed in the last three Arnold Classic events, with last year being his highest finish.
Hassan Mostafa
Hassan Mostafa is another competitor making his debut at the Arnold Classic 2021 this year. Mostafa has appeared on stage many times this year looking for qualification to the Olympia. He has come on over the last two years and become a staple at competitions. Mostafa has all the makings of a successful bodybuilder and this is the year that he can show it off on the biggest stages.
Sergio Oliva Jr.
Sergio Oliva Jr. is one of the dark-horse competitors in this event. Oliva won the New York Pro back in 2017 but there has not been that dominant victory since. After a difficult year filled with different issues that held him out of competition, Oliva is set to return in Columbus and could make an impact. He placed fifth in the Arnold Classic in 2020 and has a chance to be a top-three finisher this year.
Justin Rodriguez
Justin Rodriguez appeared in his first and only Arnold Classic back in 2018, where he finished seventh. Since then, he has appeared in two Olympia’s and notched two second-place finishes in 2020. Rodriguez is beginning to hit his stride and that makes him a dark-horse contender in this year’s show. With a stacked lineup like this, it will be difficult for Rodriguez to crack the top five but there is a chance if he comes in with the right conditioning.
Iain Valliere
It has been quite the year for Iain Valliere. He is the only athlete this year to win competitions in back-to-back weeks. It began when he finished first at the Tampa Pro and followed it up with topping Kuclo at the Texas Pro. Valliere is qualified and will be competing in the Olympia this year. This is his first appearance in the Arnold Classic and a top-five finish would be impressive. This all depends on conditioning but Valliere has certainly built up plenty of momentum heading into the biggest competitions of the year.
Nick Walker
Nick Walker is one of the biggest up-and-comers in the sport and is getting plenty of attention as the potential winner of the show. Walker has shown off his crazy physique and size on social media leading up to the event. Walker was victorious at the New York Pro and will have a chance to show off at the two biggest events of the year. At his height, Walker has incredible mass. He is preparing for his first Arnold Classic and a win would be extraordinary. This is a difficult feat for any competitor but Walker has what it takes to be a top-three finisher at worst.
Akim Williams
Akim Williams has all the tools to win this show. He is coming into his own after being an underrated competitor for a few years. After a win at the Puerto Rico Pro, Williams will have another chance to compete at the Olympia, where he placed sixth in 2020. Williams has what it takes to finish higher this year and potentially win the Arnold Classic 2021. He has incredible size and a small waist. His overall physique is impressive and if conditioned, Williams will be difficult to beat. He might not have the experience, competing in just two Arnold Classics with no higher than a seventh-place finish, but he has all the physical tools.
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INTERVIEW: How Iain Valliere Improved His Physique Just Six Weeks Between Shows For The Arnold Classic 2021
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Iain Valliere only had six weeks between the Texas Pro and the Arnold Classic – here’s how he prepped to improve his physique.
Last week, we talked to Iain Valliere about his risky strategy for the 2021 bodybuilding season. Instead of putting all of his eggs in one basket (the Arnold Classic 2021), he competed in many shows throughout the year. Not only that – but he gave himself very little time between competitions. After his latest win at the Texas Pro, he only had six weeks before the Arnold Classic. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Iain Valliere details exactly how he prepped in just six weeks for the Arnold Classic to improve even further from his impressive showcase at the Texas Pro.
Prepping for a bodybuilding competition is a length and challenging endeavor. It’s usually the reason why a bodybuilder will only compete in a small number of shows per year. They don’t want to run the risk of burn out or ill timing for bigger shows that matter. It’s part of the reason why the Olympia champion only competes at the Olympia the following year. With no need to qualify – they focus solely on being perfect for the biggest event in the sport.
Iain Valliere chose to handle things differently this year. He competed in multiple shows in the tail end of the 2021 season. In fact, he only gave himself six months between the Texas Pro (which he won) and the Arnold Classic. Not only that – but following the Arnold Classic, he only has two weeks before he competes again in the Mr. Olympia.
Some find this too risky – but Iain Valliere finds that he improves with each passing competition. He prefers the short gaps in between to keep him eternally on point. So now with only a few days until this weekend’s Arnold Classic – we’ll see just how on point his physique really is.
Of course, the Arnold Classic is a totally different beast from the Texas Pro. He’ll need to show improvements in order to stay in line with the biggest names in the sport. That’s why we asked Valliere exactly how he strategized to improve in such a short amount of time.
Iain Valliere was well aware of his tight turnaround – so improvements aren’t expected to be massive in terms of increased size. But he did challenge himself to put on a few extra pounds of muscle. Instead of bulking up 15-20 pounds between shows, he kept his goals smaller. He bulked up six or seven pounds and then quickly switched over to cutting down for prime conditioning.
He also received some notes from the judges as the Texas Pro about his posing. Posing is something that can improve without risk of damaging the quality of a bodybuilder’s physique. So he made sure to put improved focus on posing over the past six weeks. If he can further manipulate his physique on stage for the judges – it can give him the edge he needs.
Ultimately, Iain Valliere enjoys staying focused and on point with quick turnarounds between shows. Instead of falling into a slower rhythm looking towards a competition months away – he can stay in competition mode directly after the Texas Pro and straight through the Arnold Classic and to the Olympia.
With a positive outlook by fans with each competition he’s appeared in – he also has the mental momentum on his side. We can’t wait to see what he brings to the stage this weekend and beyond.
You can watch Iain Valliere detail his six week Arnold Classic training prep in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
INTERVIEW: Inside Mohamed El Emam’s Contest Prep Plan To Dominate At The Arnold Classic 2021
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Mohamed El Emam breaks down his training and diet plan to compete in the Arnold Classic 2021 more on point than ever before.
Mohamed El Emam is a pro bodybuilder who has building a lot of hype in 2021. This is in part due to the large swath of US bodybuilding events he competed in this year. He took part in the California Pro, Indy Pro, and New York Pro – and placed in the top five for each one. Now he’s set to face off against the best in the world at the Arnold Classic 2021 this weekend. In our latest GI Exclusive, Mohamed El Emam details how he’s changed his contest prep to bring his best ever package to the Arnold Classic 2021 stage.
Mohamed El Emam participated in a sort of bodybuilding marathon during the 2021 season. He battled in multiple bodybuilding events nearly back to back. His goal was to earn himself Olympia qualification. But even more important than that – he wanted to get as much experience competing in the states before the Arnold Classic 2021.
El Emam is an Egyptian bodybuilder who resides in Russia. He’s been improving his physique and rising in popularity throughout the past few years. In 2021, he decided to go into overdrive and really leave an impression. It worked. We connected with Mohamed El Emam over a video call to discuss his 2021 season and his contest prep lading up to this weekend’s Arnold Classic.
During our conversation, Mohamed El Emam details his methodology behind competing in so many shows. He wanted to come to the states and get as much experience as possible. He’s taken what he’s learned from the California Pro, Indy Pro, and New York Pro to tweak his contest prep and bring an upgraded physique to the Arnold Classic.
By competing in the New York Pro, for example, he’s already pitted himself against Nick Walker – one of the most anticipated athletes set to compete at the Arnold Classic. Having stood on stage next to Walker, El Emam can now know what he’s going into this weekend. This is just one example of how he’s been mentally and physically preparing.
Mohamed El Emam has also changed up his coach. He’s now working with Milos Sarcev in order to push his training and diet tactics out of his comfort zone and up to new levels. During our conversation – El Emam goes into detail about specific muscle groups that he he has been targeting as well as an overall focus on improved conditioning. He’s saying all of the right things and has been doing everything within his power to improve from what we’ve seen earlier in the bodybuilding season.
Of course, by competing in so many shows earlier in the year – El Emam runs the risk of burning out and missing his physique timing on the Arnold Classic stage. That’s a risk he seems willing to take. El Emam has taken the safe path before. It’s led to slow but consistent progress. Now he wants to boost into champion status. That takes extra risk for the bigger reward. We can’t wait to see what he has in store this weekend.
You can watch Mohamed El Emam break down his full Arnold Classic 2021 prep in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Ryan Crowley Answers: Can Flex Lewis Match Up To The Size Of Men’s Open?
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Ryan Crowley shares his thoughts on Flex Lewis’ future in the Men’s Open division and going up against mass monsters like Big Ramy.
Flex Lewis announced in 2018 that he was going to retire from Men’s 212 and move into the Men’s Open division. Since then, we have sadly not seen him compete due to unforeseen circumstances. After over a year of training for the transition, he dropped out of the Olympia 2020 due to injury. He then dropped out of the Olympia this year due to focusing on starting his own gym and having another child. Needless to say – fans are on the edge of their seats waiting for his official reveal in Men’s Open when it finally happens. Until then, all we can do is speculate how he will match up to the larger size competitors. In our latest GI Exclusive, bodybuilder Ryan Crowley weighs in on how Flex Wheeler will compare in the Men’s Open division.
Ryan Crowley is an up and coming bodybuilder who made headlines this year due to a gruesome injury that went viral. Crowley tore his pec severely – which threatened his entire bodybuilding future. He is in recovery now and optimistic he will return better than ever – but it will take some time. We connected with Crowley via video chat this month to discuss his injury and also his thoughts on the latest trending topics in the sport.
In today’s segment, we asked Ryan Crowley to name his favorite bodybuilder physiques in the sport. There was no question – he placed Jay Cutler, Dallas McCarver, and Flex Lewis as his favorite bodybuilders. In fact, Flex Lewis specifically provided him much of his inspiration to become a competitive bodybuilder. Much like Crowley, Lewis is a UK bodybuilder – and Lewis’ enormous success in the Men’s 212 league is of create motivation for Crowley to follow in his footsteps.
Upon mentioning his admiration and respect for Flex Lewis, we ask Ryan Crowley for his thoughts on Lewis’ transition to the Men’s Open division. Does Crowley think Lewis can bring the same level of champion status to the Mr. Olympia proper? There’s no doubt that Lewis has one of the most finely crafted physiques in history – but can the size difference put him at a disadvantage.
Ryan Crowley struggles to answer this question. He respects Flex Lewis so much that he doesn’t want to cast negativity over his transition to Men’s Open. That being said, Crowley can’t help but wonder how the size change will effect Lewis’ chances. Even if Flex Lewis brought his best physique of his entire life – could it stand up to the pure mass of Big Ramy?
We make mention that Hadi Choopan made a similar transition from Men’s 212 to Men’s Open. While he hasn’t won the Mr. Olympia yet – he has placed in the top five both years upon competing in Men’s Open. It was a shocking success story – and one that could pave the way for Flex Lewis.
Ryan Crowley agrees – but also states that until we see Flex Lewis next to the other competitors at Mr. Olympia, it’s impossible to really know for sure. There are many factors at play. What will Lewis look like with added pounds on his frame? Will he lose the sharp conditioning that made his Men’s 212 reign so iconic? We can’t know these answers – and the extended delay before seeing Lewis compete only makes the tension stronger.
Ryan Crowley has the highest hopes for Flex Lewis to succeed – but the realist in him worries about the various factors that can be hurdles in Lewis’ first year in a new division. For now – only time will tell.
You can watch Ryan Crowley talk about Flex Lewis’ Men’s Open future in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Roelly Winklaar Allegedly Out Of Arnold Classic 2021
There have been rumors that Roelly Winklaar will not compete at the 2021 Arnold Classic.
Roelly Winklaar was set to be one of the biggest names on stage on Saturday at the 2021 Arnold Classic but that might not be the case. Winklaar is allegedly going to miss the contest with an undisclosed medical issue.
On Tuesday, a list of competitors was released on the official website of the Arnold Classic. Winklaar was not one of the athletes listed. This event will take place on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. Winklaar has not yet officially said that he is out but an Instagram post on Tuesday could be telling.
“As the saying goes: “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.”.I believe there’s a higher purpose and a far bigger reason for everything in life. Notwithstanding that, I am far from done ? @yamamotonutrition“
Roelly Winklaar officially joined the list of competitors for the Arnold Classic on June 29, along with New York Pro winner Nick Walker. With less than a week until competition, Winklaar appears to be out and there has not been a replacement named.
Winklaar is now the third name to withdraw from the competition. 2017 AC champion Cedric McMillan pulled out of the competition with an injury while Lionel Beyeke was forced to dropout because of travel restrictions due to COVID-19.
Over the years, Winklaar has put together an impressive career with 11 total victories. He has appeared in the Arnold Classic five times and is a nine-time Olympia competitor.
Winklaar is qualified to compete in this year’s Olympia. He will look to return to the biggest stage after a difficult year. Winklaar pulled out of the 2020 Arnold Classic to train for the 2020 Olympia. He was forced to miss that as well after testing positive for COVID. Winklaar was able to return during the Chicago Pro, where he placed fifth, and finished second to Nathan De Asha during the Europa Pro.
As of now, there are still 11 names set to compete on Saturday. Here is the full lineup as of Tuesday afternoon:
William Bonac
Maxx Charles
Seung Chul Lee
Mohamed El Eman
Steve Kuclo
Hassan Mostafa
Sergio Oliva Jr.
Justin Rodriguez
Iain Valliere
Akim Williams
Nick Walker
We will have to wait and see if Winklaar is able to get healthy in order to step on the biggest stage in 2021. The Olympia is set for Oct. 7-10 in Orlando.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Russian ‘Popeye’ Kirill Tereshin Risks Death If Jelly Is Not Removed From Biceps
Kirill Tereshin will have to undergo surgery to have substances removed from his arms.
Kirill Tereshin, an MMA fighter from Russia, has been better known as the ‘Russian Popeye’ because of his freakishly large biceps. This work has not been done naturally and Tereshin could risk death if the large amounts of jelly in his arms are not removed.
Tereshin has been stuffing his arms with oils and petroleum jelly to get the mass that he has shown. The substances are meant to harden inside the skin and stretch into great size. This is not the first time that Tereshin has had problems with his arms.
In March, Tereshin underwent a surgery to have some of the oils removed from his arms. It might seem like a silly choice to begin with but Tereshin was focused on adding size and did not think about the long-term effects.
Kirill Tereshin was a featured subject in “BIGOREXIA”. The film was a documentary exploring the psychological condition known as Muscle Dysmorphia – or Bigorexia. It’s a condition where no matter how large a person becomes (whether it’s fat, muscle, etc), they believe they are too small. So they go to extreme lengths to keep adding on weight.
Tereshin was featured for his use of synthol to artificially expand his muscle. This is an oil that hardens inside the body and can create cartoonish looking muscles — like the biceps of Tereshin. He was filmed in Russia and interviewed about his lifestyle and mindset using synthol.
Alana Mamaeva, who is a leading campaigner against cosmetic surgery abuses, advised Tereshin to have the large amounts of jelly removed from his arms in an attempt to save his life. These have become poisonous and could do more damage than just impact his arms.
Kirill Tereshin will have to go through many procedures in order to save both his life and his arms. This can be used as a lesson for young bodybuilders in the beginning stages.
We will continue to provide updates as this story goes on. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
James Hollingshead is Looking Unreal Weeks Out From the 2021 Olympia
James Hollingshead looking incredible weeks out from the Olympia.
It appears that James Hollingshead is in top form heading into the 2021 Olympia. Hollingshead qualified for the Olympia for quite some time now and he’s used the time wisely. He’s been prepping hard for the big show and his recent update shows a man that is capable of toppling the top of the division.
With Big Ramy upsetting the balance in the Men’s Bodybuilding division at the 2020 Olympia all bets are off. The division is wide open now and there are plenty of contenders ready to seize power. James Hollingshead is among one of these up and comers who has the potential to take over the division.
James Hollingshead Does Some Next Level Training
With impressive genetics, massive size and incredible conditioning, James Hollingshead has all the ingredients necessary to potentially pull off the upset in 2021. His showing at the 2020 British Grand Prix proved that he has what it takes to contend with the best of the best. Hollingshead dominated at that show and from his recent training updates it’s clear that he’s taken thing to the next level.
Today I had one of the most accurate quad sessions ever
Partly due to the specific exercise choices and how they apply emphasis on the desired muscle
Also in the way of which position and setup are nailed down
I did some horrible stuff off camera on some of these but needed @janickesophie to assist me as I reached failure a number of times today
I preceded these three with leg extensions then proceeded to hit some more glute, abductor and adductor work
Oh and calves and 20 minutes of @ptuor favourite stairs lol
Back at the apartment now and going to chill
New low weight today on prep and today we pulled carbohydrates back a touch more
As Pat has said to me, this is a decisive week
So let’s work and not stop ✋
Big love to @binous1 for having me and what a gym…has it all
Hard Work No Excuses
Nothing changes
The show draws closer but the meat and potatoes remain in place
Big exercises build dense physiques
Hard exercises build concrete looking muscle
You got to do the tough stuff until the end
This was one of many back exercises performed today and let me just say it was a great session with tones of energy expended throughout
Put in the effort ?
Next Level Physique
Hollingshead is looking in incredible shape. Just weeks out from the show he’s looking like he could contend for top five in the division.
James Hollingshead has clearly hit his stride and shows no signs of slowing.
Do you think James Hollingshead can win at the 2021 Olympia?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
Lil Uzi Vert Is Looking Shredded In Recent Video Showing Off Deadlifts
Lil Uzi Vert has been busy in the gym recently and the results are visible.
Lil Uzi Vert is a rapper that has become known for many things, and that includes having a 10-carat diamond embedded into his forehead. Recently while working on his latest project, The Pink Tape, the rapper has been putting in some big-time work in the gym.
A video shared on his Instagram for his 15.6 million followers, Lil Uzi Vert showed off a workout that included 262lb deadlifts for a triple.
Uzi stands at 5-foot-4 and is figured to weigh around 150 pounds. The video shows the rapper deadlifting almost twice his bodyweight and by the looks of it, there was plenty left in the tank. He was able to pull off the lift three times with the weight being moved relatively easily in each rep. Prior to each lift, Uzi took a second to gather himself and keep good form.
Uzi is using a hex bar to perform the lift. This bar actually improves spinal positioning and helps capture full-body power. This is because of the shape of the bar and the fact that the lifter stands in the middle. The bar works well for pushing, pulling, lifting, and loaded carries.
This was clearly the preferred method of training for Lil Uzi Vert. There has clearly been some progress made since he began training. There were also some videos shown of Uzi performing curls and hanging body work. Once he removed his shirt, there was a shredded six-pack revealed.
Lil Uzi Vert has built up an exceptional worth creating songs like XO Tour Llif3 and The Way Life Goes. He is working on a new project, both in the studio and in the gym. We have seen that his work in the gym has been paying off to this point.
Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
Joseph Baena Shows Some Impressive Leg Gains
Joseph Baena is showing some improvements in the leg department.
Joseph Baena shows some impressive leg gains in a recent update. The son of the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger has been hard at work in the gym and it clearly shows in the recent physique update.
A chip off the old block indeed, Joseph Baena is doing Arnold Schwarzenegger proud. The son of the legendary bodybuilder, Baena has been on a mission to transform himself physique and become a professional competitor. While it’s a long road to become an IFBB pro, Baena is taking it all in stride and going with the flow.
Wiry designs on competing in the Classic Physique division, Joseph Baena has been hard at work perfecting his physique. With the genetics of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Baena was always going to show at least a bit of aptitude at building muscle. But with those incredible genetics come some liability.
Arnold never had the most incredible legs, particularly he calf development. It stands to reason that Joseph Baena could have the very same issue with his legs. That said, Baena has been hard at work sculpting his wheels and building some quality muscle as a result. The young bodybuilder recently revealed some incredible leg gains and his improvements are nothing short of impressive.
Friyay legs! What did you workout today?
While may not be as massive as modern bodybuilders, Joseph Baena clearly has an impressive physique. His genetics coupled with his work ethic has helped bring Baena to another level.
If he continues on this trejectory there’s no telling how far he could go.
What do think of this physique update by Joseph Baena? Do you think he has what it takes to be the second-coming of Arnold Schwarzenegger?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
The Anabolic Doc Answers: Are There Comparable Safe Alternatives To Steroids?
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Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka The Anabolic Doc, breaks down safer alternatives to steroids.
Dr. Thomas O’Connor, also known as the Anabolic Doc, has dedicated his entire life to helping those affected by long term anabolic use. As a former strength athlete himself, he sympathizes with the plight of an athlete who has used steroids or other PEDs to become the best… and start seeing negative side affects down the road. But is it possible to a safer, healthier substance, and get the same results as steroids? In our latest GI Exclusive, the Anabolic Doc explains which substances are comparable to steroids but also safer.
With great risk comes great reward. That’s the key mentality behind steroid and PED use. The Anabolic Doc does admit that there is no drug quite like steroids when it comes to results. But the negative health effects in the long term are also very serious as well. So is there a middle ground? Can there be a safe substance that helps boost athletic performance and muscle growth?
The truth is – nothing will hit the same as steroids or perhaps SARMS. But both steroids and SARMS have dangerous long term health effects. You can’t get something for nothing. The great improvements these substances provide will come at a cost. There’s simply no way around that.
But the Anabolic Doc also wants to list off other athlete performance boosting substances that are effective. A sort of middle ground between the massive boost of PEDs vs nothing at all. These drugs will not bring you to mass monster levels – but will certainly boost your results. If you value your health – it might be the better path to take while readjusting expectations for your physique.
First off, the Anabolic Doc breaks down testosterone boosters. Perfectly legal and largely safe – these supplements can help boost performance and muscle growth. Admittedly, this will have the least effect. Creatine, on the other hand, is a very powerful supplement. It’s healthy and it does help give a noticeable boost to muscle growth.
Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs), on the other hand, are an extremely powerful alternative to steroids. This is why they’ve caught on in popularity over the years. But much like steroids – they seem to have serious health effects in the long term. Even worse, since the drug is not regulated, you might not even be getting what you’re paying for.
There have been studies done into SARMS that show many products are not what they claim to be. More specifically, many SARM products are not SARMs at all. At that point – what are you putting into your body? And how will it effect your health? It’s a big risk – and one that makes this group of substances a very dangerous direction to take.
The Anabolic Doc even goes as far so to compare heavy steroid use to light steroid use – or “microdosing.” The doctor explains that even an athlete who uses small amounts of steroids will face long term health issues (if the drug is done consistently). There is no free lunch.
Ultimately, Dr. O’Connor is not going to tell an athlete not to use these substances. He simply wants to educate about what the real effects are so that an athlete can make an educated decision. And if the athlete needs medical help (such as TRT) down the road – Dr. O’Connor will be there to provide relief. No war on drugs has ever been effective. But education can be a powerful tool to prevent ignorant and accidental decisions.
You can watch The Anabolic Doc go into full detail about steroid alternatives in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
*DISCLAIMER: Generation Iron does not recommend or condone the use of steroids or other PEDs. The views and opinions expressed in this video are not that of Generation Iron.