Tag: nEWS
Aaron Reed Appears As Ryan Reynolds’ Body Double In ‘Free Guy’
Aaron Reed has appeared in bodybuilding and WWE wrestling and now — the big screen.
On Aug. 13, Ryan Reynolds made his latest appearance on the big screen. ‘Free Guy’ was finally released after being pushed back multiple times due to COVID-19. If you have seen the film and are wondering why Reynolds looks larger than life, there is a reason. Former bodybuilder and WWE wrestler Aaron Reed served as Reynolds’ body double for the action-comedy.
In the film, Reynolds plays a bank teller who finds out he is a background player in an open-world video game. When he decides to become the superhero of his own story, Reed can be seen. He said on his Instagram page that the movie was “worth the wait.”
Aaron Reed is known as the tallest bodybuilder ever to win a Men’s Physique competition. He has found great success but the road was not easy. Reed battled leukemia and spent time in hospitals trying to recover. Once his health was back, Reed began working out at 12 years old. He fell in love with lifting and quickly burst onto the scene as a bodybuilder at 19.
At 6-foot-7, Reed was much taller than the competition but this did not take away from his physical stature. In his career, Reed has been named the 2010 NPC Greater Gainesville Overall Champion and 2011 NPC Orlando Metropolitan Men’s Physique Overall Champion. Reed was successful on stage during his time. At 29 years old, he signed a contract with the WWE but his stint did not last long. Reed suffered an injury that forced him to back away.
Aaron Reed is an accomplished individual who has found success in many lanes. He has become a nutrition coach and even is a published author on the subject. This is a reason that Reed has been able to maintain his impressive physique that has been seen on the big screen.
There are stunt doubles and now we have body doubles. In a movie featuring a bank teller turned superhero, it needed a bit more muscle and that is what Reed provides. Now, all that is left to do is to go see the movie and watch the performance of Reed.
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Victor Martinez Launches SuperHero Labz After Leaving MHP
Victor Martinez is entering a new phase of his career with a new supplement company.
It appears that things are changing for bodybuilding veteran Victor Martinez. The long time popular bodybuilder is entering a new phase of his career. Rather than stepping on stage solely as a competitor, Martinez is looking to get into a new sector of the bodybuilding sphere. That’s right, Martinez has decided to do some more work behind the scenes and has started a new supplement brand.
A long time ambassador for MHP, Victor Martinez had no skin in the game in regards to developing original supplements. Instead he was the face of the company and proudly represented MHP for many years. All that time he spent on under the respected supplement banner, Martinez cultivated his own knowledge on supplements and has decided to throw his hat into the ring. With his tons of experience and knowledge of bodybuilding, there’s no doubt that Martinez will provide some solid products.
New Supplement Brand
The new brand is named SuperHero Labz. The brand launched with a pretty strong opening campaign.
The news is here! We are finally able to announce bodybuilding legend Victor Martinez as an owner of SuperHero Labz. This is massive news considering Victor has been with his previous company nearly his entire bodybuilding career. Now he is taking the next step in his bodybuilding journey – creating a supplement company built for superheroes. SuperHero Labz is not your ordinary supplement company. You will see us at all the bodybuilding shows, in your favorite stores and supporting your favorite events. With Victor’s incredible connection to the bodybuilding world and our team of amazing individuals who do amazing things, superhero will be a household name very soon.
We have been waiting for this moment and are so excited to share the news with customers and Victor’s fans. Oh yeah – we are also running a 50% (YES FIFTY) sale on the entire store. On top of this, we have discounted bundles that give you more value than even 50% off. We want you all to try it before it’s sold out. Once Victor’s ebooks are released, the first customers will be gifted these for showing their support. You won’t be disappointed when you try any of our products from the delicious Muscle Food to the anti-crash preworkout
Premiere Products
The products SuperHero Labz will provide range from vitamins to pre-workout. The Pre-Workout Anti-Crash product is one of the premiere supplements:
“This pre workout is not made to overwhelm you with the jitters and give you a placebo effect. We don’t need to fill you with toxic stuff like that. What we need to do, though, is give you a preworkout that makes sure you are getting to your full potential. So, we created a formula that gives you a crazy pump and great focus. This preworkout is designed in such a way that you won’t have an awful crash or have to rush to the restroom in the middle of your workout. We never hide anything, so whatever you see on the bottle, you get. Our ingredients come from high line sources, so you will not have any crashing or disgusting side effects.”
A New Phase
Victor Martinez posted a long form video on his Instagram page. He explained his intentions and plans for the future, why he left MHP and why he decided to start SuperHero Labz.
New beginnings start with making big choices. Thank you everyone that stood by me all these years and continue on doing so.
It’s a new era for Victor Martinez and it appears to be a bright chapter in the making. The Generation Iron team is excited to see how far SuperHero Labz can go.
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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Melvin Anthony Answers: Is Bodybuilding Less Lucrative Today?
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Melvin Anthony discusses financial opportunities in bodybuilding during his era vs today.
Those who follow bodybuilding history know of the coveted Weider contract. Back when Joe Weider was still alive – he would offer lucrative sponsorship contracts to the top bodybuilders in the sport. It was at once a sort of confirmation of a bodybuilder’s talent as well as a consistent pay day. In a sense, it was how an athlete became a career bodybuilder. Today contracts like Joe Weider’s are unheard of. Instead, social media influencer sponsorships and affiliate rates provide opportunity for income. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Melvin Anthony debates on whether or not bodybuilding was more lucrative in the past model compared to today’s model.
Melvin Anthony’s bodybuilding career happened just at the tail end of a massive cultural shift in the world. By the time he was done with pro bodybuilding, social media had just begun blowing up. Now ten years later – it’s almost a way of life for younger generations.
The rise of the internet, and more specifically social media, completely changed how bodybuilding worked. The competitions, of course, remained the same. But how the fans interacted with key athletes and followed the sport shifted. Magazines were no longer king and fans could get daily updates instead of monthly.
In many ways, this has helped bodybuilding grow. Bodybuilders can now promote themselves without a middleman. Live streams can be broadcast to those who can’t attend shows in person. Exposure is at an all time high. But has the financial opportunities for athletes grown with it?
Melvin Anthony is at odds with bodybuilding revenue opportunities of today vs yesteryear. He’s old enough to remember what the 90s paydays were like. Prize money might have been down – but supplement contracts were massive. Today, it’s common to hear that athletes are only paid in free supplements an affiliate percentage rates. Meaning – the more the bodybuilder can sell the more money they can make. This can be lucrative for some – but is vastly different than a consistent monthly paycheck.
Melvin Anthony at first claims that bodybuilding in the past was more lucrative. The lack of exposure made the niche sport even more “elite.” A bodybuilder could sell merch at expos – and they became collectors items. On top of this, earning a supplement contract or a Weider contract, was only for the best of the best. When it was earned – it was like winning the lottery.
At the same time, Melvin Anthony admits he doesn’t understand fully the new model of sponsorships for bodybuilders. He feels as though it’s less impressive of a payday – but he also understands that social media provides so many more options for exposure. Exposure can equal big money for those who know how to harness it.
The reality probably falls somewhere in between. It seems as if, in the past, the paydays were higher but dispersed to smaller number of athletes. Today, even a bodybuilder who places low on stage can make big money if they build a brand on social media. Many more bodybuilders have gone on to become entrepreneurs. While this isn’t direct money from bodybuilding proper – they used their physique and social media to help kick start a business.
The old vs new debates will always rage on in sports and in culture at large. The only true fact we know for sure is that there are more fans of bodybuilding today than ever before. So there is plenty of opportunity to succeed with that kind of exposure. Perhaps it’s simply different but not better or worse in that regard.
You can watch Melvin Anthony break down his thoughts on bodybuilding revenue in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Mir Mostafa Javadi Completes Unofficial World Record Of 208kg Clean & Jerk
Mir Mostafa Javadi posted a video completing a lift that would qualify as a world record in competition.
Mir Mostafa Javadi is not a name that you might have heard before but that will change moving forward. On Monday, the Iranian weightlifter posted a video on Instagram showing off his incredible strength. Javadi completed a 208kg (458.5lb) clean & jerk, which is an unofficial world record.
This lift is a single kilogram more than the world record currently held by Lu Xiaojun. The lift can be seen below and if you navigate through Javadi’s page, this is not the first time he has impressed with a lift. In his caption, Javadi kept it nice and simple.
“208kg clean and jerk1kg above the world record✌️✌️?”
Mir Mostafa Javadi has completed a 260kg (572lb) back squat and a 147kg (323.4lb) snatch as well. This lift proves that he has what it takes to compete with some of the best and Javadi might not be flying under the radar anymore.
At 18 years old, Javadi set a Junior Iranian record by snatching 154kg (339lb) at the 2019 Asian Weightlifting Championships. He placed sixth overall at the event. This was his first International competition and competed at the 81-kg division. Javadi returned to the same competition in 2021 in the 73-kg division. He was able to place fifth overall and even earn a medal. Javadi finished third in the snatch behind Yuan Chengfei and Shi Zhiyong.
It is unknown when Javadi will compete again but this is a good sign if he is looking to overtake Xiaojun’s world record. To complete this lift in the way that he did was impressive. When thinking about the weight, it makes even more eye-opening.
The 2022 World Weightlifting Championships will take place in Chongqing, China. This could be a chance for Mir Mostafa Javadi to stop on stage and show what he can do. If he attempts to break a world record, there will be plenty of eyes on the competition.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Dennis James Answers: Is The Men’s Open Bodybuilding Talent Pool Shrinking?
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Dennis James shares his thoughts on the future of Men’s Open bodybuilding in the wake of so many new and growing divisions.
When it comes to excitement, Men’s Open bodybuilding is still king in terms of popularity. It’s always the featured event, it always has the highest prize money, and it always gets the most talk from fans. But with so many new divisions offering athletes different kinds of physique goals – will we see a shrinking of the talent pool of athletes interested in Men’s Open? In our latest GI Exclusive, Dennis James breaks down his analysis of athlete interest in Men’s Open in the coming years.
Whenever a new division enters the IFBB arena, there are those that speculate if it could become the new most popular category. Nothing has ever toppled the Men’s Open division. It may be true that there is too much history and “freak factor” excitement to ever topple Men’s Open for fans. But the bigger question is not about fan interest but athlete interest. With so many divisions to choose from – will we simply have less Men’s Open bodybuilders competing?
We asked this to Dennis James in our video conversation from 2020. James is a former pro bodybuilder and current coach and commentator for the sport. Due to this he has his ear to the ground regarding upcoming talent in bodybuilding. That’s why we asked him what his thoughts were for the future of Men’s Open – from an athlete roster perspective.
At this moment in time, Dennis James is not concerned with Men’s Open bodybuilding dwindling in the future. In fact, he thinks that the recent negative criticism Men’s Open has been getting will be fuel for a new generation to prove themselves. So perhaps we’ll actually have an influx of more, or at least perhaps hungrier, athletes competing in the Men’s Open division.
Dennis James may very well be correct about that assessment. He also notes that Men’s Open has always been the most challenging category to compete in – and it never stopped athletes before. The difference now, of course, is there are a wider number of options available. That mixed with an increased focus on health with each passing generation – could the Men’s Open one day (much further down the line) dwindle similar to Women’s Open? Not from lack of fan interest but simply lack of athletes who wouldn’t rather do a different division.
For now it’s impossible to say. It’s already confirmed that some divisions have many more athletes than Men’s Open. Men’s Physique or Bikini, for example, have an extremely large pool of athletes year after year. Men’s Open is comparatively smaller – but it never needed to be 100 pros strong. The problem would be if it dips to such a low point that there aren’t enough competitors on the stage. At this point in time that’s not the case – but what will the sport look like in 30 more years?
You can watch Dennis James go into full detail about his predictions for Men’s Open in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Chris Bumstead Shows Some Insane Legs Ahead of the Olympia
In preparation for the 2021 Olympia, Chris Bumstead has developed some insane legs.
In bodybuilding it’s sometimes the one with the best legs that can conquer a show. Chris Bumstead appears to be taking this adage to heart as he’s built some incredible legs. Bumstead revealed his vastly improved wheels in a recent post to his social media.
It can be hard to tell what body parts can win a bodybuilding show. Every athlete has a particular gift that allows them to shine on stage. For Chris Bumstead it’s his undeniably well balanced and symmetrical physique.
The Classic Physique Olympia champion dominated the competition at the 2020. While there were still questions remaining about whether or not he could defend his title, Bumstead made it abundantly clear that he would likely rule over the division for years to come.
But Chris Bumstead isn’t content with just being a great champion. It’s clear that Bumstead wishes to leave no stone unturned to be the greatest Classic Physique champion ever.
Incredible Legs
His most recent Instagram post has the bodybuilding world buzzing. Ahead of his title defense at the 2021 Olympia, Chris Bumstead has been building up his legs. Bumstead has cultivated some incredibly impressive wheels that easily outshine any other bodybuilder in the division.
Same, same this year. Just better??
It should come as no surprise that Chris Bumstead has built some impressive legs. His training heading into the 2021 Olympia looks to be be paying off.
Well damn this hack squat was a lot heavier than expected, I almost tapped out until I saw @mattjansen8running over to save my life for another rep?
What do you think of Chris Bumstead and his newly developed legs?
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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Devon Larratt To Replace Eddie Hall In Match Against Hafthor Bjornsson
Hafthor Bjornsson has a new opponent and it is arm wrestler Devon Larratt.
Hafthor Bjornsson has a new opponent. The news broke on July 25 that Eddie Hall would have to bow out of his boxing match against Bjornsson after suffering a torn biceps. Since that day, there was plenty of speculation on who would replace Hall in the fight. On Monday, we got our answer.
Matt Rhodes announced on his Instagram and YouTube page that arm wrestler Devon Larratt would replace Hall and take on Bjornsson in the ring. The fight will take place in Dubai on Sept. 18.
“Some rumours Devon has experience from his special forces career. He’s also been training with @mrlennoxlewis! What’s your thoughts?!”
Devon Larratt will enter this bout at 46 years old. He has a competitive arm wrestling record of 53-8 since making his debut in 1999. There is a strategy when arm wrestling and the same can be said about boxing — even though it is in different ways.
Larratt will not enter the fight blind. He has been training with Lennox Lewis and will be in a position to compete come fight night.
When looking at this matchup on paper, Bjornsson seems to have a bit of an edge. He stands at 6-foot-9 compared to Larratt, who is 6-foot-5. Bjornsson is about 51 pounds heavier and 14 years younger than Larratt. Bjornsson has a couple exhibition fights under his belt against Steven Ward and Simon Vallily. Larratt is used to head-to-head competition but it is in the sport of arm wrestling and not boxing.
This boxing match will take place the night before World’s Ultimate Strongman contest, and the first-ever strong woman competition. The undercard for the night will have CrossFit Games veterans Josh Bridges vs. Jacob Heppner and powerlifter Stefi Cohen vs. Avril Mathie.
The match between Bjornsson and Hall has not been rescheduled just yet. If social media is any indication, it could happen once Hall is healthy. He has been posting updates on his Instagram page throughout rehab performing different boxing exercises. Until that time comes, Bjornsson will continue to gain experience and Larratt is the next opponent on the list.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
REDCON1 Drops Sponsorship To Arnold Classic In Response To Recent Comments
REDCON1 has decided to drop sponsorship of the Arnold Classic following comments made by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The 2021 Arnold Classic is set for Sept. 25 in Columbus, Ohio. Just weeks before the event, one of its biggest sponsors, REDCON1 decided to cut ties.
On Monday, REDCON1 announced that it will no longer be a sponsor for the Arnold Classic. This decision came after comments made by Arnold Schwarzenegger regarding anti-maskers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After much deliberation, we have decided at REDCON1 to no longer sponsor the Arnold Classic or any of the Arnold events around the world,” Aaron Singerman, the founder of REDCON1, said in an Instagram post on Monday.
In a recent interview with CNN’s Bianna Golodryga, Schwarzenegger spoke out against people who do not wear masks during this time. Schwarzenegger referred to the anti-maskers as “schmucks.”
“There is a virus here,” Schwarzenegger said. “It kills people and the only way we prevent it is: get vaccinated, wear masks, do social distancing, washing your hands all the time, and not just to think about, ‘well my freedom is being kind of disturbed here.’ No, screw your freedom.”
These comments did not sit well with REDCON1 and this is why they have decided to make a move.
“Anyone who says “screw your freedoms” is un-American, and REDCON1 is a patriotic pro-freedom brand,” Singerman wrote in his caption on Instagram. “We support freedom of choice.”
This is a decision that will cause many to form an opinion. This includes Patrick Bet-David, who commented on Singerman’s Instagram post.
“Both your position and your approach is far and respectful,” Bet-David wrote. “Sometimes when a person is so distanced from what it meant for them to come to America as an immigrant, they forget the values and principles this great nation offered them. It sounds like that’s what’s happening to Arnold. A man that’s been on the walls of my military barracks and gyms for the last 25 years. Out of touch comment he made.”
Bet-David is referring to Schwarzenegger’s journey from Austria to become a bodybuilding icon who has also made an impact on the movie screen and in politics.
“A guy who had nothing and no advantages, who never made an excuse, and created tremendous success,” Singerman said. “He became an icon based on his work ethic, his charisma, and his grit.”
It will be interesting to see if other sponsors follow suit after the comments made by Schwarzenegger. The Arnold Classic is just five weeks away and it will have a bit of a different feel this year. Singerman finished by saying that they do not feel that Schwarzenegger should be cancelled.
“We don’t want Arnold censored or cancelled. We just can’t support his opinion with our dollars.”
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Evan Singleton Wins 2021 World Open Championship (Full Results)
Evan Singleton came out on top in England against some other major competitors in the World.
The 2021 World Open and World Deadlift Championship took place on Aug. 14 in Manchester, England. Giants Live hosted the event for strongman competitors to earn qualification to the 2022 World’s Strongest Man. In the end, it was Evan Singleton who was crowned champion.
Singleton stood at the top of the podium as Adam Bishop finished as the runner-up and 2020’s World’s Strongest Man Oleksii Novikov came in third place. The top three finishers in the competition earned qualification to the 2022 World’s Strongest Man. For Bishop, this was his chance. Singleton and Novikov already qualified by finishing as the top two in the 2021 Strongman Classic.
Evan Singleton earned 43 points while Bishop finished with 40.5 and Novikov earned 39.5. Singleton won two of the five events at the competition.
It began with a stellar performance in the Carry and Drag Medley. Singleton logged a time of 27.38 seconds. Next, it was the Viking Press that was dominated by Singleton. He pressed 160kg (352lb) 12 times. Singleton turned in other strong performances by finishing tied for second in the Max Deadlift and third in the Castle Stones.
Evan Singleton will look to continue to gain momentum heading into the World’s Strongest man, which will take place in Sacramento. Below is the full breakdown of the five events at the World Open.
Full Results
Final
First Place – Evan Singleton, 43 points
Second Place – Adam Bishop, 40.5 points
Third Place – Oleksii Novikov, 39.5 points
Fourth Place – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 29.5 points
Fifth Place – Gabriela Peña, 26 points
Sixth Place – Gavin Bilton, 21.5 points
Seventh Place – Andy Black, 20 points
Eighth Place – Rauno Heinla, 19 points
Ninth Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 18.5 points
Tenth Place – Ivan Makarov, 17.5 points
Max Deadlift
First Place – Ivan Makarov, 475 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Nedzmin Ambeskovic, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Adam Bishop, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Evan Singleton, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Oleksii Novikov, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Gabriel Peña, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 453.5 kilograms
Eighth Place (tie) – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 425 kilograms
Eighth Place (tie) – Rauno Heinla, 425 kilograms
Eighth Place (tie) – Andy Black, 425 kilograms
Carry and Drag
First Place – Evan Singleton, 27.38 seconds
Second Place – Adam Bishop, 31.17 seconds
Third Place – Oleksii Novikov, 31.59 seconds
Fourth Place – Andy Black, 36.05 seconds
Fifth Place – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 36.91 seconds
Sixth Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 40.66 seconds
Seventh Place – Gabriel Peña, 33.4 meters
Eighth Place – Ivan Makarov, 29.2 meters
Ninth Place – Gavin Bilton, 24.1 meters
Tenth Place – Rauno Heinla, 22 meters
Viking Press
First Place – Evan Singleton, 12 reps
Second Place (tie) – Adam Bishop, 11 reps
Second Place (tie) – Oleksii Novikov, 11 reps
Fourth Place – Gavin Bilton, 10 reps
Fifth Place (tie) – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 9 reps
Fifth Place (tie) – Rauno Heinla, 9 reps
Seventh Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 8 reps
Eighth Place (tie) – Ivan Makarov, 4 reps
Eighth Place (tie) – Andy Black, 4 reps
Tenth Place – Gabriel Peña, 1 rep
Hammer Hold
First Place – Gabriel Peña, 46.85 seconds
Second Place – Oleksii Novikov, 43.93 seconds
Third Place – Evan Singleton, 41.91 seconds
Fourth Place – Rauno Heinla , 36.91 seconds
Fifth Place – Adam Bishop, 35.85 seconds
Sixth Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 32.46 seconds
Seventh Place – Gavin Bilton, 29.95 seconds
Eighth Place – Andy Black, 27.26 seconds
Ninth Place – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 27.00 seconds
Tenth Place – Ivan Makarov, 20.38 seconds
Castle Stones
First Place – Adam Bishop, 18.81 seconds
Second Place – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 19.75 seconds
Third Place – Evan Singleton, 20.1 seconds
Fourth Place – Oleksii Novikov, 20.9 seconds
Fifth Place – Gavin Bilton, 22.76 seconds
Sixth Place – Andy Black, 24.28 seconds
Seventh Place – Gabriel Peña, 25.96 seconds
Eighth Place – Rauno Heinla, 28.72 seconds
Ninth Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 29.76 seconds
Tenth Place – Ivan Makarov, 4 in 48.4 seconds
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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.