Tag: Originals
Tony Pearson: “I Spent My Whole Career Trying To Prove Something” To Joe Weider
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Tony Pearson opens up about his relationship with Joe Weider, being banned from the IFBB Pro League, and later getting reinstated.
Tony Pearson is a pro bodybuilder known for his impressive physique in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even some Masters competitions to this day. He also went viral (pre-internet version of viral, anyway) for being the bodybuilder that looked like Michael Jackson. But what some may not know is the rollercoaster history and relationship Pearson had with Joe Weider. In our latest GI Exclusive, Tony Pearson speaks openly about his complicated relationship with Joe Weider and how he was banned (and later reinstated) from the IFBB Pro league.
In our previous interview segment with Tony Pearson, we discussed his traumatic upbringing and how he discovered bodybuilding as an escape from poverty and abuse. After confirming his passion and making some progress as an amateur bodybuilder – he decided to move to Los Angeles to take the next step towards pro status. When Pearson landed in LA, he barely had any money to his name. He made his way to Gold’s Gym and simply sat there watching legends train. He couldn’t even afford a pass to actually train there.
What Tony Pearson could afford was a weekly pass to the Venice Beach outdoor training pen. This was his outlet for improving and making gains towards becoming pro. Eventually, he earned his first major victory at the Mr. Venice Beach. Shortly after, Arnold Schwarzenegger approached Pearson while he was training. Schwarzenegger acknowledged his accomplishments and was impressed by Pearson’s work ethic. He claimed that Pearson had what it took to become a true champion.
How Tony Pearson Met Joe Weider
Tony Pearson was only 19 years old at this point. This was a dream come true. The biggest legend in bodybuilding just gave Pearson a critique – and it was one that offered a glimpse to a future as a champion. Not only that, but Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to connect Pearson with Joe Weider for a meeting. As any bodybuilder knows, Joe Weider at that time was the king of the sport. He could provide a “Weider Contract” – essentially providing a yearly salary as a career bodybuilder.
While nearly all bodybuilders knew of Joe Weider’s reputation, Tony Pearson didn’t know who he was at the time. But he met with Weider anyways – knowing that if it was set up by Schwarzenegger, it must be important. But upon arriving at the meeting, Joe Weider was unimpressed. He gave Pearson a quick look, was seemingly surprised that Schwarzenegger suggested Pearson, and then walked away asking one of his employees to write a short article on Pearson.
“It didn’t go very well with Joe. First thing he said was, ‘Arnold sent you here’ in that voice,” Tony Pearson stated in our interview. He impersonated a sarcastic or skeptical look when impersonating Joe Weider. He then continued:
“And he turned away and said Jack… write an article on this kid, Arnold sent him. And then he just walked away. So from that day forward, Joe and I never got along. He never accepted me. I spent my whole career trying to prove something.”
Vlad Yudin follows up by asking if he was specifically trying to prove something to Joe Weider. Tony Pearson confirms that yes – that moment hang onto his consciousness and motivated him to improve every step of the way.
Tony Pearson’s Ban From The IFBB Pro League
Later down the road, Tony Pearson was finding himself continuing to improve in the sport – but he was still unable to earn enough money to survive. He was offered a guest posing routine abroad – but the event was not sanctioned by the IFBB. Pearson found himself torn between loyalty and earning a living financially. He made the decision to guest pose. Shortly after that he was banned for life by the IFBB.
Perhaps somewhat ironically, this ultimately led to a successful path for Tony Pearson. He continued to compete in other leagues and also had free rein to guest pose in any league that wanted him – without worry of sanctions. He gained popularity and became a pro bodybuilder.
How Does Tony Pearson See Joe Weider’s Legacy?
After his success, it was suggested to him that he write a letter to Jim Manion and the IFBB Pro league – asking to be reinstated. He took the advice and the letter worked. Pearson found himself back in the IFBB and able to compete in the biggest league in the sport. Despite this, throughout his entire career, Tony Pearson never got on 100% good terms with Joe Weider up until his passing.
Looking back, Tony Pearson regrets nothing and holds nothing personal against Joe Weider. He is aware that beyond his personal relationship with him, Weider transformed bodybuilding into what it is today. Without him – there would be no size and scope behind the sport as there is now.
You can watch Tony Pearson’s full comments on Joe Weider and his rollercoaster ride through the IFBB Pro league in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Jim Stoppani: Contralateral & Pre-Exhaust Training, Explained
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Jim Stoppani breaks down the the effects and benefits of contralateral and pre-exhaust training in this in-depth guide.
Jim Stoppani is a deeply experienced and well educated member of the bodybuilding and fitness community. As an exercise physiologist, he understands the science behind the various training techniques and tactics in the bodybuilding world. Stoppani provided some valuable insight in the original Generation Iron feature film documentary. That’s why we decided to reconnected for a new GI Exclusive mini-series breaking down the science, tactics, and explanations behind bodybuilding and fitness concepts – presented in partnership with Barbend. In our latest GI Exclusive, Jim Stoppani provides a complete breakdown on the benefits and effects of contralateral training and pre-exhaust training.
Contralateral training and pre-exhaust training are two completely different techniques – but bother can be vital tools in your arsenal to reach your fitness goals. Both of these training tactics are a bit less covered compared to the most popular of workout styles. While many bodybuilders may understand how to do both contralateral and pre-exhaust training – it’s important to understand the why behind it in order to fully excel at these techniques. Let’s jump into it.
What is Contralateral Training?
In most simple terms, contralateral training is the concept that training one side of the body can increase the strength of muscles on the other side of the body. It is also known as cross-training although that term has expanded to broader uses over time.
The very concept of this might sound silly. How can training my right arm make my left arm stronger? While this isn’t some sort of miracle concept to save your time and energy on exercising one half of your body – contralateral training can be a valuable tool in fitness and bodybuilding. This is especially true if the athlete faces an injury preventing full training.
How Contralateral Training Works
Jim Stoppani breaks down contralateral training as such. The human body has one heart and one brain. That single brain sends electrical signals to both sides of the body. And that single heart pumps blood to both sides of the body. So when you are training, for example, your right arm – the increased blood flow and brain activity still sends blood and signals to the other side of your body. So in this case – also your left arm.
Stoppani explains that studies have proven, while this will not largely lead to a noticeable change in strength or size for the opposite muscle, it can help prevent or slow atrophy. This makes contralateral training a key technique when an athlete is injured. If you are unable to train your left arm – you should not avoid training your right out of fear of uneven muscle size. In fact, training your right arm will help slow atrophy on the left. Making for less gains to recover after fully surpassing the injury.
What is Pre-Exhaust Training?
Pre-exhaust training is a technique designed to fully stimulate larger muscle parts. More specifically, it’s to help fully exhaust a large muscle part that might otherwise be held back by weaker body parts around it during compound exercises.
Jim Stoppani first explains the how of pre-exhaust training. A typical example of this technique is to do a single joint isolated exercise followed by a multi-joint compound exercise. But why do we do this? What is the added benefit?
By starting with an isolated exercise, you guarantee to focus on exhausting that muscle. This then guarantees that the muscle will also be fully exhauseted afterwards when doing a compound movement.
Jim Stoppani uses this example – if you have weak triceps and only do the bench press exercise, your triceps will exhaust before your pecs do. So you will never full stimulate as much muscle growth as desired via this exercise. By using pre-exhaust training, you ensure that the main muscle being targeted – in this case pecs – gets fully exhausted. Full exhaustion, of course, leads to optimal muscle growth during the recovery period after training.
Does Pre-Exhaust Training Work?
This training technique has been under some scrutiny. Jim Stoppani mentions two studies published concluding that pre-exhaust training doesn’t work. But Stoppani believes that these studies are misleading. The study concluded that the second exercise in pre-exhaust training didn’t work because it led to less muscle activity. But really – that actually proves the technique works. It’s proof that the muscle has been exhausted. An exhausted muscle fires less electrical activity because it’s exhausted.
Jim Stoppani also mentions two longer term studies that analyzed pre-exhaust training. One did not see a difference between the two exercise styles of traditional vs pre-exhaust. While the second study concluded that the technique led to increased strength and muscle growth.
Again, Stoppani believes the first long term study mentioned here is misleading – as the best exercise for a person is, as Stoppani puts it, “The one you’re not doing.” Depending on what training technique you are using – at some point you need to update the variety of your training techniques. This is essential for preventing plateaus.
So in general, when Jim Stoppani is asked what the best training technique is – that wholly depends on the individual. What their body type is, what their experience level is, and what kind of training they have been currently doing. Training techniques are not one and done plans – they have to constantly evolve to what your body needs most depending not he current situation.
Wrap Up
And this is exactly what Jim Stoppani wants to ensure that those in the fitness and bodybuilding community truly understand concepts such as contralateral and pre-exhaust training. These are two techniques that are not meant to be your single and only training style. They are tools that you can include into an ever changing cycle of workout plans.
A training style should never be static. Variety is key to preventing plateaus and pushing to new limits. What works for your body now might not work for your body a year from now. You need to adapt and change to further your growth and strength. These tools can now be added into your arsenal for times when these just might be your best option.
You can watch Jim Stoppani go into full detail about both contralateral and pre-exhaust training in our latest GI Exclusive interview above!
East Coast Mecca: Dexter Jackson and Kai Greene Training (Season 2, Episode 8)
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EAST COAST MECCA: SEASON 2 – Generation Iron returns to the beast coast with an inside look at the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym one week before the New York Pro 2016. Known as the East Coast Mecca of bodybuilding, Bev Francis’ gym attracts today’s most elite athletes. In season 2 we’ll follow the likes of Kai Greene, Dexter Jackson, Roelly Winklaar, Sadik Hadzovic, and many more.
The third and final part of our 3-part Kai Greene arc is finally coming to a close – and what better way to end with a bang than Kai training with the ageless legend Dexter Jackson. Watch these two bodybuilding powerhouses train in the East Coast Mecca and also trade tips and stories that they have learned over the course of a long and prosperous bodybuilding career.
To be a fly on the wall during a conversation and training session like this brings invaluable insight to anyone who is a fan of bodybuilding. Check it out in our latest episode of East Coast Mecca above.
East Coast Mecca: Nathan De Asha Hardcore Training To Eat The Competition Alive
EAST COAST MECCA: SEASON 3 – Generation Iron returns to the beast coast with an inside look at the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym one week before the New York Pro 2018. Known as the East Coast Mecca of bodybuilding, Bev Francis’ gym attracts today’s most elite athletes. Featuring superstars and up and comers such as Regan Grimes, Nathan De Asha, Arash Rahbar, Rich Gaspari, and many more! New episodes air every Thursday!
Nathan De Asha is a competitor who is not afraid to speak his mind. Not only that, but he’s not afraid to ruffle some feathers with intense (and very entertaining) trash talk about his fellow competitors. With just 2 days left before the New York Pro 2018, Nathan headed over to the East Coast Mecca to get some heavy training in and some face time with Steve Weinberger. They discuss how his trash talk has caused problems in the past (he recently got kicked out of his gym because “everyone hates him”) and how he plans to open his own gym and move permanently.
Frida Paulsen Stern and Kim Gutierrez also stop by the East Coast Mecca to hit the weights and also the posing room to get final impressions from the head judge himself, Steve Weinberger. With only 2 days before the big show, final advice from Steve could be vital in how their ultimate performance on stage will play out. Check the full episode out above!
East Coast Mecca: Charles Glass & Bev Francis Talk Old School Bodybuilding & Training Tips
EAST COAST MECCA: SEASON 3 – Generation Iron returns to the beast coast with an inside look at the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym one week before the New York Pro 2018. Known as the East Coast Mecca of bodybuilding, Bev Francis’ gym attracts today’s most elite athletes. Featuring superstars and up and comers such as Regan Grimes, Nathan De Asha, Arash Rahbar, Rich Gaspari, and many more! New episodes air every Thursday!
While many know Bev Francis as the owner of the East Coast Mecca along with Steve Weinberger – it’s important to also remember that she is one of the most legendary female bodybuilders to ever hit the stage. You wouldn’t know it by looking at her now – but Bev held one of the most impressive female physique only challenged by 10x Ms. Olympia champion Iris Kyle (albeit many years later).
In this episode of East Coast Mecca, Bev Francis gives us an inside look at her training insights as she coaches Liz Montalbano towards Women’s Physique glory. She also runs into Charles Glass – a legendary bodybuilding trainer & guru in his own right. The two of them talk about their favorite bodybuilding memories… but more importantly, talk about what it takes to become a bodybuilding champion. They’ve seen hundreds of competitors come in and out of their wing – and there is one quality they can both agree on that is always held within a champion.
Check out the full episode of East Coast Mecca above!
Victor Martinez: “Fans In Bodybuilding Are The Most Disloyal”
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Victor Martinez reacts to bodybuilding fandom of social media age.
Victor Martinez has always been a pro bodybuilder unafraid to speak his mind in a casual and candid way. So after the past year saw a major backlash against bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger due to his “freedom” comments, Martinez was not afraid to speak his mind on not Schwarzenegger’s comments but rather the fan reaction. In fact, Martinez knows all too well what it’s like when fans that supported you suddenly turn on you due to unforeseen circumstances. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez explains why he thinks bodybuilding fans might be the most disloyal compared to other sports.
Victor Martinez previously commented on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “freedom” comments back when it was making viral headlines across the internet. But in our latest interview segment he goes into an even deeper reaction beyond the Schwarzenegger situation. Martinez sees these kind of hyper-reactionary fan comments as a sign of something bigger in the bodybuilding community.
While not the exact same situation per se, Victor Martinez is familiar with bodybuilding fans suddenly turning their backs on him. Unlike Schwarzenegger, this was less due to his direct comments and more due to something outside of his control. Martinez was incarcerated for some time right when his bodybuilding career was flourishing. This put a screeching halt on his progress. He lost a massive amount of weight. Upon returning to the free world, he faced massive criticism due to the state of his physique as he tried to return to his prime shape in the sport.
It’s this kind of reactionary commenting that turns Victor Martinez off. He quickly learned to treat it as white noise and ignore the comments. It was the only way he could confidently march forward and focus on his career. He ignored most of the comments – but from what he was told by friends and fellow athletes – he was nearly betrayed by the loyal fanbase he once had.
This this kind of mob reactionary mentality that Victor Martinez sees more and more in bodybuilding fandom. It’s something that he believes has been accelerated by social media (this of course is true beyond sports and has affected culture as a whole). But it’s also something that he thinks is particularly bad in pro bodybuilding. Perhaps because of the emphasis on judging the aesthetic of physiques.
“Maybe other sports do have better fans than bodybuilding,” Victor Martinez stated in our interview. He continued to explain:
“That’s what brings me to the now of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of how the fans in bodybuilding are the most unloyal [sic] fans, you know? They can be with you today but come war tomorrow, they’re gone. They aren’t the most stick by you die-hard fans.”
Victor Martinez goes on to say that bodybuilding fans are more focused on “how great you are now” and can quickly change “how they are going to treat you later. It’s very subjective to where you are.”
It’s this kind of reactionary in the moment thinking that taught Victor Martinez to stop caring what other people think. Instead he only focused on the comments that mattered – the comments of judges scoring his physique. It might also explain why he’s willing to be so candid during interviews. He doesn’t worry about the backlash that may come.
You can watch Victor Martinez talk in detail about the reactionary core of bodybuilding fandom in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Hardcore Truth: Johnnie O. Jackson’s Arnold Classic 2022 Predictions
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Johnnie O. Jackson shares the hardcore truth on who has the best shot for top placings at the Arnold Classic 2022.
Welcome to the Hardcore Truth – our new podcast and digital series staring one of the strongest pro bodybuilders in the world – Johnnie O. Jackson. Known for his incredible physique, strength, and hardcore training sessions with Branch Warren, Johnnie is gearing up with a mic and camera to share his most valuable lessons from a career in bodybuilding and strength training. This week, Johnnie O. Jackson breaks down the Arnold Classic 2022 lineup and predicts who will land the top 5 placings.
After a wild and confusing two years, the Arnold Classic has returned to its traditional date with a full fledged weekend of competition in 2022. The Arnold Classic 2022 will be held in Columbus, Ohio on March 3-6 and kick off the bodybuilding season with a bang. There’s quite a stacked lineup, with some unfortunate last minute dropouts. That’s why Johnnie O. Jackson decided to dedicate this week’s episode of Hardcore Truth to breaking down the competitor lineup and predicting who will take the top five spots. Let’s jump into it.
The Arnold Classic 2022 Will Be A Battle Between Brandon Curry and William Bonac
Johnnie O. Jackson isn’t just a couch critic giving his unsolicited opinions on the Arnold Classic, he’s a pro bodybuilder and powerlifter with first hand experience in the sport. His critical eye is able to break down the finer details of what we can expect from the top competitors going into the Arnold Classic 2022. And it’s that level of insight that predicts Brandon Curry will likely win first place.
But it won’t be a clear and easy victory. Johnnie O. Jackson sees William Bonac as the biggest threat to Curry’s throne. Bonac seems to have a fire in his stomach after his somewhat lackluster placing at sixth place at the Mr. Olympia 2021. Jackson believes it’s this fire in combination with his impressive physique that might up the ante for the Arnold Classic.
Of course, Brandon Curry is a former Mr. Olympia champion and also placed second at the Olympia 2021. He’s seen constant improvements each year with hardly any setbacks. So Johnnie O. Jackson still gives the tip of first place to Curry at this moment. But the beauty of a live competition is that anything can happen – and the truth is that these two competitors are going to have a battle for the ages.
Akim Williams, Brett Wilkin, and Steve Kuclo To Likely Round Out The Top 5
Beyond the top two placing, Johnnie O. Jackson predicts that Akim Williams will likely rise up to earn third place in the competition. Williams has had an explosive couple few years bringing him into the conversation of threats for both the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia. With the current lineup as it stands – Jackson sees a clear path to third place for Williams.
Another notable bodybuilder turning heads is Brett Wilkin. A relative rookie in the sport, he has been shocking fans and experts alike with his physique updates. Based on what he’s seen, Johnnie O. Jackson believes that Wilkin can earn a solid fourth place spot. This nothing to slouch at – as it will put him truly in the spotlight for the rest of the season. He has some impressive potential to possibly be a future champion one day.
And bringing up the rear of the top five is Steve Kuclo. Kuclo has been a consistent and solid competitor over his entire career. His recent placings in 2021 seem to indicate that he can bring a powerful package to the Arnold Classic 2022.
Wrap Up
Johnnie O. Jackson goes into more detail about each competitor than we can cover here in this article. That’s why you should make sure to watch or listen to the full episode of Hardcore Truth above. Do you agree with Jackson’s predictions? Let us know by leaving your thoughts in the comments of the video or on our social channels!
Straight Facts: Everything You Need To Know About Muscle Hypertrophy
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Jerry Brainum shares the straight facts on the three key factors involved in muscle hypertrophy – aka muscle growth.
If you are even a casual bodybuilder you have likely heard the term muscle hypertrophy. In simplest terms, muscle hypertrophy is the growth of muscle fibers. It’s a key factor in bodybuilding and sculpting a physique. While any gym goer has likely activated muscle hypertrophy through the act of weightlifting – there is a lot of science behind how this muscle growth actually occurs. Understanding the key factors behind this science can help you optimize your training for better muscle growth. In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum breaks down everything you need to know about muscle hypertrophy.
So how does one achieve muscle hypertrophy? Resistance exercises, aka weightlifting exercises, are the number one best way to grow muscles. This may seem obvious – but it’s important for beginners to understand that resistance is what activates muscle hypertrophy. It can’t be avoided if you want to build bigger muscle and strength.
So how does this exactly work? When resistance is put on your muscles to the point of overload, muscle fibers are damaged. At this point, satellite cells, which largely remain dormant otherwise, activate to help repair the muscle fibers. During this action of repair – the fibers are built back thicker. Thus, muscle growth occurs.
Another interesting fact is that muscle fibers contain cells with multiple nuclei, which is scientifically called myonuclei. Typically, a cell has one nucleus – but this is not the case for muscle cells. What does this mean? It means that your muscle fibers can atrophy if not consistently kept in a cycle of being overloaded. This is why your muscles shrink if you stop working out.
But a fascinating aspect of myonuclei in muscle cells is that despite atrophy, the number of nuclei does not decrease. This means after taking a break from training, it’s much easier afterwards to build muscle back up when you begin training again.
Ways To Overload Muscle For Hypertrophy
So how does one effectively overload muscle for optimal hypertrophy? There are multiple factors at play that can help you achieve hypertrophy and muscle growth. The first tactic, and most commonly understood, is lifting heavy weight. The definition of heavy weight of course is different for each person and their current strength level. So while we cannot suggest a specific weight to achieve “heavy lifting” – the best way to ensure you are lifting heavy is to lift weight that exhausts you after 6-8 reps per set.
But for those who do not want to lift heavy, there is a way to achieve muscle hypertrophy through lifting light weight. This is done through lifting to failure. Jerry Brainum went into full detail on training to failure in our last week’s episode. Training with lower eight but at a higher volume has been proven to help build muscle. But this is only if you train to failure. Many believe they are training to failure – but do not actually achieve it. Which may lead to hitting a plateau. Often training to failure involves pushing past your perceived limit. It’s challenging and often takes time and experience to fully understand and achieve.
Lastly, you can also achieve muscle hypertrophy by adjusting the rest time between sets. Shortening your rest time puts more stress on your muscle. This leads to muscle growth. However, it should be noted that shorter rest times between sets do not help you build strength. A minimum of 2 minutes between sets are required to recover energy needed to slowly build your strength level. While short rest periods may help muscles grow – you will find your strength plateauing.
The 3 Main Factors Involved in Muscle Hypertrophy
Now that we know how to achieve muscle hypertrophy, what are the actual scientific factors at play behind the actions? Jerry Brainum breaks it down into three main factors. Understanding these factors can help you improve your training regimen for more optimal growth.
The first and easiest to understand is mechanical tension. This is simply the amount of stress or resistance you physically put onto your muscle. This is the underlying factor as to why resistance training is the number one activity for building muscle.
The second factor is metabolic stress. This is when the muscle fatigue byproducts, such as lactate, help stimulate muscle growth. However, this is a debatable issue. While many fitness experts believe there is enough evidence to prove metabolic stress is a real factor in hypertrophy, there are scientists who believe this has yet to be undisputedly proven. For those who wish to achieve a better metabolic stress during muscle hypertrophy – the key tactic to focus on is time under tension. This is how long you are contracting your muscle during a lift.
Lastly, muscle damage is the last factor contributing to muscle hypertrophy. As explained at the top of this article, damage to your muscle fibers lead to satellite cells repairing the fibers. This causes the fibers to be rebuilt thicker. Thus causing growth. But this factor is also under debate in the scientific community. There are those who believe that muscle fibers can be split via muscle damage. These split fibers then become separate fibers that also grow. While this has been observed scientifically in other animals – it has yet to be proven in humans. Though it remains a theory that many believe in.
Wrap Up
As you can see, Jerry Brainum has put together an exhaustive breakdown of everything you need to know about muscle hypertrophy. There are details that we couldn’t fully cover in this article – so be sure to watch the full Straight Facts podcast episode above for full guidance on this important core concept in bodybuilding. Also make sure to stop by every Wednesday for new episodes of the podcast!
Jordan Shallow’s Analysis: What Regan Grimes Needs To Become Olympia Champion
Jordan Shallow believes that Regan Grimes simply needs one thing to become an Olympia champion… time and patience.
Regan Grimes has been a promising bodybuilder with an extremely focused mission to become an Olympia champion. His recent move to working with Milos Sarcev signaled just how serious he is about pushing his physique to the next level. There’s no doubt that Regan has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue over the past years – but he has yet to upgrade to that next level. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, The Muscle Doc, Jordan Shallow, shares his analysis on what Regan Grimes needs to become an Olympia champion.
Jordan Shallow is called The Muscle Doc for a reason. And that’s because he is a very knowledgable individual on all things muscle, weightlifting, and bodybuilding. While he’s not a bodybuilding guru per se, he has been an avid fan of professional bodybuilding for quite some time. That combined with his health and fitness knowledge make him a valuable resource of analysis for the present and future of bodybuilding. That’s why we decided to ask him about the hype behind Regan Grimes – and what the future may hold for his career.
Regan Grimes is a pro bodybuilder who has been on an extended hype train. In some ways, his journey is similar to Big Ramy. He continues to turn heads with each year – but ultimately fails to upgrade to that next level when it really counts – at the Mr. Olympia. That’s not to say he is a slouch of a competitor. In fact, the constant hype behind him shows just how impressive his physique is – it just needs that final push into champion status. The same was said for years with Big Ramy until his victories in 2020 and 2021.
So what does Regan Grimes need to go to the next level. With Big Ramy it was always clear – he needed to improve his conditioning. For Grimes it may be the opposite. His conditioning is often fantastic – but his size might not match up to the likes of someone reigning as champion the size of Big Ramy.
Jordan Shallow believes that there is not one specific thing Regan Grimes is doing wrong that needs improvement. In fact, he believes that Grimes is doing everything right. His latest decision to train under Milos Sarcev further proves that point. It shows that – A: Milos sees enough promise in him to spend time training Regan and B: that Regan is ready to push himself to the next level with a legendary trainer such as Milos.
So with that in mind, Jordan Shallow believes that Regan Grimes simply needs time. He’s young, still in his twenties and has plenty of time to gain further muscle maturity, experience, and growth. Big Ramy, by contrast, is in his late thirties. Shallow believes that time will simply benefit Grimes’ physique. Not only that, but the sport itself may also change over the coming years. Eventually Big Ramy will either step down or be taken down from Olympia champion status. Perhaps Grimes will not be the first one to do that. But perhaps when he is ready – the sport will look different than it does today.
ABOVE: Regan Grimes showcasing his recent physique three weeks out from the Arnold Classic 2022.
In that regard, Jordan Shallow doesn’t believe that Regan Grimes needs to pack on 300 pounds of muscle in order to win the Olympia. He just needs patience, focus, and continued hard work with someone like Milos Sarcev. In time, just like with Ramy over the past decade, Grimes’ strengths will become unstoppable.
You can watch Jordan Shallow’s full analysis of Regan Grimes’ physique in our latest GI Exclusive interview above.
Santi Aragon Reveals The Worst Experience With Diuretics That Almost Hospitalized Him
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Santi Aragon continues to speak out on just how prevalent diuretic use is in bodybuilding… and how consistently dangerous they can be.
It’s no secret that diuretics can be a powerful drug when done incorrectly. It’s also well known that diuretics are used by bodybuilders during contest prep for a show. While there are very few proven incidents with diuretics in bodybuilding leading to death or hospitalization – Santi Aragon believes this is a very dangerous aspect of bodybuilding and a serious health risk for individuals in the sport. That’s why after his retirement he has dedicated himself to speaking openly about the risks many avoid discussing in bodybuilding. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Santi Aragon details the worst experience he had using diuretics and how it nearly put him into the hospital.
After a quite tragic year for bodybuilding in 2021 due to many too-soon athlete deaths, the discussion about health has been highlighted in the sport. While many of these deaths are possibly coincidental – there have been those who have started speaking out about the often unspoken dangers in the sport. Perhaps these recent deaths are unconnected – but the event has spurred a bigger openness in bodybuilding.
The discussion of diuretics in bodybuilding is one aspect that has opened up in recent years. Many big names in the sport have spoken with Generation Iron – including Victor Martinez, Milos Sarcev, and even 8x Olympia legend Ronnie Coleman – on just how dangerous these drugs can be. Now we can also add Santi Aragon to that list.
Santi Aragon made headlines late last year when he announced he would be retiring from bodybuilding at only 33 years old. His reasons were not because of any injury or current health issue – but because he wanted to leave the sport before it started damaging his health long term. Since then – he has been extremely open about the dangers he’s learned about from being a career bodybuilder.
In terms of diuretics, Santi Aragon admits that he has countess stories he’s heard and experienced himself showcasing just how frequent these drugs are used – and how often they can lead to harm. While it may be a small percentage that end up in the hospital or dead – Santi claims there are many close calls that the public never learn about.
One close call was experienced by Santi Aragon himself. He described to us the worst experience using diuretics during his bodybuilding career. He was much younger, 22 years old, and was blindly following whatever his coach directed him to do during contest prep. He removed salt completely from his diet – only boiling his food – and cut down to an incredibly peeled and conditioned physique. To help further get shredded, Santi also took a diuretic.
Santi Aragon was completely dehydrated – but still not at the weight desired for the competition. So one night before the show, his coach advised him to load with food but no water. This brought salt back into his system without hydrating himself. At the same time, he was still being dehydrated from the diuretic he took as well.
By the time Santi Aragon stepped on stage for prejudging, he was lightheaded and seeing trailing cloudy lights. He was one inch away from passing out. He made it through prejudging – but then found his body overheating. Without any water in his system, he could cool down. He had to sit with his feet in buckets of ice water to regulate his temperature.
Ultimately, Santi Aragon recovered without major issue. But looking back, he realizes that he should have certainly went to the hospital. The situation could have gone far worse. He was lucky. And Santi believes this kind of story happens all the time in bodybuilding. The near-misses that never get publicized. He believes that the issue with diuretics is actually far worse than the public even realizes at this moment. That’s why he wants to speak out about it. It’s reasons like these that made him decide to retire early.
You can watch Santi Aragon go into full detail about his experience with diuretics in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.