Tag: nEWS
Iain Valliere Gives Physique Update Ahead Of Tampa Pro 2021
Iain Valliere has been active on social media showing progress ahead of the Tampa Pro 2021.
Iain Valliere has been on a roll over the last few years. He has been a force in the bodybuilding game and it seems like that is going to continue moving forward. Valliere has been active on Instagram posting updates on his physique ahead of his next major competition.
The Tampa Pro 2021 is less than two weeks away. It will begin on Aug. 5 at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. Valliere has been giving his 245k followers on Instagram an update on his progress ahead of the competition for nearly two months now. It has intensified recently and Valliere looks ready to go.
“Save a spot for me ? @mrolympiallc #2weeksout @ptuor”
The Tampa Pro is a show that Iain Valliere has had success in. He placed third in 2019 and earned a second-place finish at the show in 2020. Valliere looks primed to get his first victory at the Tampa Pro 2021.
Iain Valliere burst onto the scene with his pro card in 2014 and began competing in 2015. He has earned 10 top-five finishes since becoming a pro. This was highlighted with a victory at the New York Pro 2020. This earned Valliere an automatic qualification for the Olympia. He has appeared just one time at the biggest competition of the season. This came in 2018 when Valliere finished 14th.
The Tampa Pro 2021 will be the 14th anniversary of the competition. Hunter Labrada, who just took home first place at the Chicago Pro 2021, was the only competitor to beat out Valliere at last year’s competition. Labrada has earned his qualification to the 2021 Olympia with his victory in Chicago.
Iain Valliere will enter Tampa Bay as one of the favorites in the competition. If Instagram is any indication, he certainly looks ready to make a splash on Aug. 5 and in future competitions.
Make sure to check out the full results of the Tampa Pro 2021 next weekend at Generation Iron. For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
Antoine Vaillant Appears Downsized After Bicep Injury
Antoine Vaillant appears to have lost a significant amount of size after his bicep injury.
Antoine Vaillant recently posted some images showcasing his downsized physique. Vaillant’s recent bicep injury has hindered his progress and has in fact taken a toll on his physique. He lost a significant amount of size after being unable to train. Now the bodybuilder is hoping to battle his way back.
Injuries absolutely suck. There’s no reason to sugarcoat things. Anyone who’s been sidelined with an injury understands the true woes of how debilitating it can be. It can slow progress, halt it even. In the worse case scenario it can result in reversing all the hard work an athlete has put into bettering themselves and taking things to the next level. There’s nothing worse than that feeling.
It’s something that Antoine Vaillant has had to suffer through.
The talented bodybuilder was on the rise, pushing himself to the next level. Antoine Vaillant had built up a pretty significant physique, regularly weighing in at over 300lbs. But that all changed when he suffered a terrible bicep injury.
Downsized
Since suffering the injury it appears that Antoine Vaillant has lost a significant amount of size. He went from weighing over 300lbs to dropping to 279lbs. You can tell that he’s lost a significant amount of weight in his recent Instagram posts.
Bicep update : 2 months post surgery!
You can tell my left bicep is smaller, but I actually did my first curls yesterday. 12.5 lbs dumbells curls baby in yo face. The attachement seems to have went well, once the bicep is full again it should look good enough! What do you guys think?
Weight : 279 lbs
Another post demonstrates perfectly just how much smaller Antoine Vaillant is. The bodybuilder looks undersized in his recent updates.
The Road Back
That said Antoine Vaillant has been training hard to get back to his former glory. He’s been acquitting himself well in doing so.
I am now 2 months post surgery. I got bicep tendon reattachment surgery at the end of May right before going into my fifth rehab centre for addiction. Before the relapse I was 310 lbs, went down below 270, went back up to 275-280 in rehab, came out, stopped snacking and started eating my meals and doing cardio fasted every morning.
I am between 277 and 282 right now with less body fat. I lost 40+ lbs and gained about a dozen back. Here I am today with a subpar physique compared to the bodybuilding elites. I used to care about how big or small I was, but brushing death a few times really puts things into perspective ha ha! Plus I think it’s interesting how the body can change and adapt to things. That’s why I don’t care posting even when looking “small”, it makes the comeback more interesting.
Training to Return to Form
Antoine Vaillant has plotted out some great training to build back better. Below he details his recent training.
I am currently priming my body for the next off season push for mass, to get ready for the 2022 season. Yesterday was my first real back workout where I could use enough weight to at least get a pump! Here is what I did :
Superset A : Wycked cable pull : 4×15
Superset A : Seated cable row : 4×12
Superset B : Panatta supported T-bar : 4×12
Superset B : M-Torture low lat row : 4×12
Panatta high row : 4×12
Supported bent over row with weird bar : 4×10
Mars bar good morning : 4×10
These are all done with light weight as you saw, but I heed to listen to what my bicep is telling me. For example, it felt weird when doing the Panatta t-bar with 1 plate a side so I had to go down to a quarter. I like deadlifts and rack pulls but these can’t be done right now so I used a comfortable version of the conventional good mornings to activate somewhat the same muscles. Mars bar felt great for that! Injuries suck but you can work around them, there is no excuses. I always say : “AS LONG AS I AM GOING TO MOVE I AM GOING TO TRAIN!”
The good part is that Vaillant is making a solid recovery and ready to push his body again. Antoine Vaillant is ready to get himself back in top condition. While it can’t be known if he’ll return to his previous condition, what is certain is that he’ll be pushing himself hard to make a return to form.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
Keone Pearson Full Interview | Last Year’s Lockdown Prep, Genetic Phenom Claims, & More!
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Watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Keone Pearson.
Keone Pearson’s first competition was in 2017. Only three years later and he’s been dubbed a genetic phenom with big possibilities in his future. During his early years, Keone also had the distinction of being trained briefly by Flex Wheeler. He became an “it” competitor and all eyes were on every move he made. This past weekend, he won the Chicago Pro 2021, reigniting the hype behind his name.
Just last year, we were able to connect with Keone Pearson to talk about his rising star status among other topics about his training, nutrition, and future plans during an uncertain time for the world. With his recent win – we decided to now release the full uncut interview.
Over the past year we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with George Peterson. This uncut full length interview including topics such as his early status as a genetic phenom, the pressures that come with it, and how he trained during the uncertainty of the lockdown in 2020 and other topics.
Listen To Our Keone Pearson Interview On The Generation Iron Podcast
Our full length interviews are now also in podcast form! Subscribe to the Generation Iron Podcast for candid, full length interviews with the biggest names in bodybuilding, fitness, combat, and strength sports.
Listen to the full Keone Pearson interview here:
On The Pressures Of Being Dubbed A Genetic Phenom
Keone Pearson details what it was like to suddenly be a name in headlines across the web. It certainly made him nervous. It also threatened to distract his focus away from the most important thing – training his physique to perfection so he can live up to the hype.
Ultimately, he received some good advice from his coach at the time. He was told to simply avoid social media and the web. Don’t look at the comments or the posts. Just do what you need to do quick for your sponsors… then put your head down and get back to training.
This helped Keone block out the stress and anxiety and focus on competing. With each passing year and each competition under his belt, Keone becomes more experienced. Perhaps soon he will become no longer a promising young phenom and instead a proven champion.
So far his fondest moment has been winning the New York Pro. It’s his proudest accomplishment to stand tall on Steve Weinberger’s very own stage. Now poised to compete in the Men’s 212 division – perhaps he will make a new greater memory in the form of a major win. Only time will tell – but Keone hopes to prove himself worthy of the prodigy title bestowed upon him.
Keone Pearson Details His 2020 Lockdown Training
In an interesting window into the past of the pandemic, we spoke with Keone Pearson about the lockdowns that spread across the country mid-2020. At the time, we were only a few weeks into the lockdwon. It’s an interesting look into how Pearson was planning to keep his body in pro shape despite gyms closing.
Keone Pearson discusses how, initially, the lockdowns provided a good break for recovery. He makes mention of the legendary Flex Wheeler and how he would typically take 2-3 weeks off after a big show. This kind of mental and physical recovery is what Keone was looking for. By being forced upon him – it allowed him to bring himself to a reset.
Of course, the lockdowns and pandemic have lasted much longer than a few weeks. Luckily, gym openings did eventually return. And it seems like his reset break helped. He just won the Chicago Pro 2021. Keone Pearson has long been seen as a future champion in the sport. This win further builds that hype. We can’t wait to see what he has in store after a more traditional year when this pandemic is behind us.
Wrap Up
Keone Pearson is a powerhouse bodybuilder who is also open to going in-depth on some of the most vital topics in bodybuilding. That’s why you should check out the full GI Exclusive interview above! He shares his personal experience and tips for training, nutrition, and more.
Steve Kuclo Looks Insane 3 Weeks Out at 285Lbs
Steve Kuclo is looking beastly at 285lbs.
Steve Kuclo has packed on some massive muscle during his off season. The bodybuilding vet is tipping the scales at a whopping 285lbs. As he preps for the Texas Pro, it’s clear that Kuclo is pushing himself to a new level.
Steve Kuclo is looking like an absolute beast three weeks out from his next show. The former fireman has looked pretty impressive in recent shows. Now that his next competition is on the horizon, Kuclo is showing some top flight condition.
After sitting out 2016 and 2017, Steve Kuclo made his return to action at the 2018 Olympia where he would come in tenth place. Since then the former fireman has been keeping busy and rising through the ranks. At last year’s Arnold Classic Steve Kuclo came in a respectable sixth place and was able to replicate is success at the 2019 Olympia in the same position. At the 2020 Arnold Classic, Kuclo took fourth place, not exactly top honors, but certainly an impressive feat.
Now the veteran bodybuilder hopes to put on an impressive performance in three weeks time. Steve Kuclo recently made a post to Instagram talking about his upcoming competition at the Texas Pro. In the post Kuclo looks to be in top shape, his physique looking hard and grainy.
Everything is bigger in Texas! Don’t be sleeping on this Texas Boy ????just under 3 weeks until show timeWt: 285lbs
Steve Kuclo is bringing his top form to the the Texas Pro. With his chance to compete at thr 2021 Olympia, Kuclo is looking to bring his all in the upcoming pro show. Will he secure victory or will his efforts be all for naught?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
Gunter Schlierkamp Debates: Sylvester Stallone Movies Vs Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies
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Which muscle action star has better movies: Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger? Gunter Schlierkamp answers.
There was a golden era of muscle-bound action movies in the 80s. Two of the biggest stars from that era were Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. Both brought powerful physiques to the mainstream via blockbuster films. But of these two shredded actors – who had the best movies? We asked that very question to Gunter Schlierkamp. In our latest GI Exclusive, Gunter Schlierkamp makes his pick between Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger movies.
While majority of our interview segments deal directly with bodybuilding and strength sprots trends – we sometimes like to throw a few curveball fun questions into the mix. That’s why during our conversation with Gunter Schlierkamp we asked him to pick his favorite action star – Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Both of these actors were significant in bringing chiseled muscle onto the mainstream blockbuster circuit. Schwarzenegger was, of course, a pro bodybuilder himself. While Stallone didn’t match his size – he brought an unprecedented amount of muscle to the screen compared to majority of Hollywood actors. It was a golden era of sorts for muscle in Hollywood.
So who does Gunter Schlierkamp prefer more? He was torn – he didn’t want to directly choose one over the other. Instead, he focused on the things that made each actor different and why he liked those qualities.
For Sylvester Stallone, Schlierkamp felt that his films brought more of a message behind the stories. Films like Rocky and First Blood had something to say beyond being fun action films. On the other hand, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s films focused more on flash and bang. The cartoonish nature of his action films are entertaining in their own right.
Gunter Schlierkamp also makes mention of Schwarzenegger’s comedic side. With films like True Lies, Jingle All The Way, and Kindergarten Cop – Schwarzenegger showcased that he had comedic chops to match his action muscle. It’s a big part of what allowed him to stay relevant in Hollywood. While he was not a Shakespearean level actor – he had true versatility in his roles.
Ultimately, Gunter Schlierkamp enjoys the work of both actors equally. He finds a different thing to enjoy about each muscle-bound actor’s films. Which films do you prefer? You can watch Schlierkamp go into full detail by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Adaptive Athlete Logan Aldridge Deadlifts 502 Pounds During 2021 CrossFit Games
Logan Aldridge put on a show during day one of the 2021 CrossFit Games.
Logan Aldridge can be viewed as motivation and an inspiration to many in all walks of life. On Tuesday during the 2021 CrossFit Games at the Allianz Energy Center in Madison, WI, Aldridge continued to show his incredible strength by performing a 502-pound deadlift as part of the Adaptive Division.
Aldridge, who is missing most of his left arm, completed the lift with a strap around the bar that connected to his left shoulder. This was a PR-best by 12 pounds for Aldridge and he did it on day one of the competition. Aldridge set a new personal best for the second time in the span of one month. In June, Aldridge completed a 225-pound clean and jerk at the 2021 Bacon Beatdown competition.
“This is the way: deadlift PR of 502 babyyyyyyy!! HYPED UP AGAIN!! ??,” Aldridge wrote on Instagram.
Not only is Logan Aldridge a competitor but he is the Director of Training at the Adaptive Training Academy. He played a big role in an Adaptive Division being added to the CrossFit Games. This is the first year that it has been included in the Games. In December, CrossFit announced some significant changes and that included the addition of the Adaptive Division.
Adaptive athletes across eight classes, for both men and women, were cleared to compete in the Open but would have to wait until 2022 to compete in the Games. That notion was softened on May 5 when CrossFit announced that the top five men and women from the Open would have a chance to compete in the Games. These five men and women were spread out over three categories in the Adaptive Division. These divisions are Upper Extremity, Lower Extremity, and Neuromuscular.
The 2021 CrossFit Games will take place from July 27-Aug.1. After the first three events, Logan Aldridge currently sits in third place. He is behind Casey Acree and Jose Maldonado.
Aldridge has had a big hand in progressing CrossFit to include many athletes in many different situations. He is proving that anything is possible and there should not be excuses made. In fact, Aldridge used the hashtags “YourExcuseIsNotValid” and his saying “ThisIsTheWay.”
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Shi Zhiyong Sets New World Record With 364kg Total Lift At 2020 Olympics
Shi Zhiyong won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after setting a world record in the 73kg category.
The Olympics is a time for athletes to showcase their skills on the biggest stage while competing for their country. That is exactly what Chinese weightlifter Shi Zhiyong has been doing during these games. On Wednesday, Zhiyong won the gold medal in the Men’s 73kg category and set a new world record by lifting a total of 364kg (802.4lb).
Shi Zhiyong grabbed the fourth gold medal of China in weightlifting. You Zhihui (49kg), Li Fabin (61kg), and Chen Lijun (67kg) have all come out on top in their respective categories. Zhiyong joined them with yet another record performance. He previously held the Olympic record from his performance at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Zhiyong began his performance with a 166kg snatch. He currently holds the world record of 169kg but did not attempt to break it here. Zhiyong followed that up by going for the world record of 198kg in the clean and jerk. This is a record he already set at 192kg during the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships. Zhiyong successfully performed the lift and this also clinched the overall world record.
Venezuela’s Julio Reben Mayora Pernia took home the silver medal but finished an eye-popping 18kg behind Zhiyong. Indonesia’s Rahmat Abdullah too home the bronze medal as a competitor in the Group B session. USA’s CJ Cummings attempted a 198kg clean and jerk that would have landed him in third place but the lift was failed.
Shi Zhiyong continues to rack up the medals. Since 2012, Zhiyong has totaled 10 gold medals in International competition. He was won four golds at the Asian Championships and three at the World Championships. Zhiyong also won gold at the IWF World Cup in 2019 and Olympic Games in 2016 and 2020.
At 27 years old, Zhiyong has plenty left in the tank to keep competing internationally moving forward. The sport of weight lifting is in a good place when looking at the young talent and that includes Mayora and Cummings. All other competitors have been vying for the top spot that has been held by Zhiyong for years now. He has not been defeated in international competition since his debut back in 2012.
Shi Zhiyong is now a two-time defending champion at the Olympic Games. With the competition being held in Paris in 2024, Zhiyong will have a chance to defend his title once again.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Melvin Anthony: Bodybuilders Today Train Hard, But They Can Train Harder
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Melvin Anthony talks about new school bodybuilders and their training ethic.
Melvin Anthony is a bodybuilder that was in his prime between the second Golden Era of the 90s and the modern era we see today. He competed from the late 90s through to 2008. So he brings an interesting perspective on the recent debate about modern bodybuilding. Is the quality not up to par with the 90s and earlier? Or is this an unfair criticism? Do bodybuilders today not train as hard as earlier eras? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Melvin Anthony believes that bodybuilders train very hard today… but thinks they can also train harder.
Melvin Anthony doesn’t want to to knock the new school era of bodybuilders. He understands how general sweeping statements can paint a broad stroke on a very diverse group of athletes. That’s why when we asked him about the current state of bodybuilding – he was very careful with his words. He doesn’t think that there is a bad training ethic in bodybuilders today – but he does think that it could push to the next level to match the greats of yesteryear.
In fact, history is very important to Melvin Anthony. He worries that we are not focusing enough on the history of bodybuilding to learn from what was done in the past. Anthony thinks that social media and short attention spans might be preventing bodybuilders today from reaching their best.
“I’m not saying they’re not training hard,” Melvin Anthony states in our interview. He continues:
“I’m not saying that they are not worthy of what they are getting on stage. But there’s a level that they can get to that they haven’t tapped into yet. And I believe they will. Hopefully they’ll get it. Hopefully they’ll start talking to a Flex Wheeler or a Jay Cutler – ‘Hey man, how did you train. Can you show me what you did?’ Watch how those guys train… I’m not saying they’re not training as hard. I just think they can train harder.”
Melvin Anthony stresses the difference between training hard and training beyond hard in a similar manner as past legends. He thinks that the immediacy of the internet has changed the attention span of everyone – including bodybuilders. He worries that they don’t deeply learn enough about the past and actually engage with it.
But Melvin Anthony also makes a point to say he’s hopefully that this will pass. The current era of bodybuilding seems to be almost a transitional one. We still have some greats of the early aughts competing such as Phil Heath and Roelly Winklaar among others. The new crop of bodybuilders, such as Hunter Labrada or Nick Walker, are only just now exploding onto the scene.
Melvin Anthony is optimistic that these bodybuilders are only on the beginning of their journey – and that their training will become even more focused as they continue to grow as athletes. He hopes that the new generation will learn from the past greats and become the next legends of the sport.
You can watch Melvin Anthony’s full comments about new school bodybuilding and training in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Former UFC Fighter Chad Mendes Channels Canelo, Mike Tyson in Savage Training
Could Chad Mendes be training for a potential UFC comeback?
It appears that Chad Mendes is prepping for something big. The former top UFC featherweight appears to be getting the itch for competition. While he may have retired from competition, the fire is still burning and Mendes looks more than capable for a comeback.
A former rival of Conor McGregor and current featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski, Chad Mendes has a ton of experience in high level competition. He had one of the greatest battles of all-time again former featherweight king Jose Aldo. Mendes possessed the kind of raw potential to become a champion. But after his battle with Volkanovski, he decided to call it quits.
Since then Chad Mendes has embraced his love of hunting and being a rugged outdoorsman. He has shown incredible proficiency with a compound bow and an impressive savvy when it comes to hunting.
That said, Chad Mendes still continues to train like a top athlete. When you truly love something it can be hard to let it go, especially when it’s been in your life for so long. Still performing like an absolute beast, it appears that Mendes is starting to get that itch for competition once again.
In a recent training video, Chad Mendes channeled boxing greats Canelo Alvarez and Mike Tyson. In doing so, Mendes has looked tremendous. Not only has his physique improved, but his boxing skills as well thanks to his new boxing coach Joey Rodriguez.
Another hard boxing session with @joey_rodriguez916 crushed!!
The timing, power, footwork and speed have been coming together the last few weeks! Been loving the @miketyson and @canelo style of boxing baby!
The itch is getting stronger and stronger! Might have to start talking some numbers soon…..??♂️????
That post in itself shows that Chad Mendes is thinking about a comeback. In all honesty, if he still has the juice, he should definitely give competing another go. His training shows that he is more than capable of performing at a high level.
Besides the strength and conditioning, the lifelong wrestler has also been showing much improved striking. He was already a great striker before, but now Chad Mendes looks even more clean than ever.
What do you think of Chad Mendes, his training and a potential comeback?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
Fergus Crawley Completes Triathlon, 1,200-Pound Powerlifting Total On Same Day
Fergus Crawley accomplished an incredible feat of strength in many ways.
Fergus Crawley is known as a hybrid athlete. This means he specializes in both strength and endurance. On Monday, Crawley took to Instagram to show his latest feat of both strength and endurance. It is known as the “1200TWELVE.”
Crawley completed a 1,200-pound powerlifting total and an Iron distance triathlon in under 12 hours. This came exactly one year after Crawley became only the second person ever to record the “500FIVE” — which is squatting 500 pounds and completing a mile run in under five minutes.
“1200lb powerlifting total, and a sub-12 Iron distance triathlon, in the same day,” Crawley wrote.
“Exactly 1 year since 500FIVE, where I managed to squat 500lb, and run a sub-5 minute mile in the same day – so what better way to honour the occasion?”
Fergus Crawley began his day at 3 a.m. at the Nottingham Strong, a powerlifting club in Nottingham, U.K. This is where his quest for 1,200 pounds began. Crawley tackled a 205kg (452lb) squat, a 121kg (266.8lb) bench press, and a 220kg (485lb) deadlift during his hour at the gym. This was a total of 546kg (1,203.7lb) and the first leg of his journey was complete.
After being able to rest for two hours, Crawley began his triathlon at 6 a.m. An Outlaw Triathlon Ironman is made up of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run. Crawley was able to finish in 11 hours, 53 minutes, and 38 seconds. After his day was finally finished, Crawley described it as “one of the longest, most challenging days of my life. No doubt.”
When compared to the average of other participants, Crawley was above average. An analysis was done of 41,000 runners and it found that the average time it took to complete this was 12 hours and 35 minutes.
Fergus Crawley continued by saying there will be a video released next week documenting his tremendous journey.
“Match report to follow in the next few days ✌?and YouTube video dropping a week today!
Thank you for everyone’s messages of support, as always, enormously appreciated!
#HybridAF”
There was no worry that Crawley would finish the triathlon but he had to hit it in under 12 hours, which was the time he set for himself. In the end, he was able to cross the finish line with six minutes and 22 seconds to spare.
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