Tag: Originals
Did Mohamed El Emam Compete In Too Many Bodybuilding Shows In 2021?
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Mohamed El Emam reflects back on his 2021 season and examines how doing six shows in a year hurt his chances more than helped.
Mohamed El Emam had quite the active bodybuilding season in 2021. He competed in six shows over the course of the year. This included some major shows such as the New York Pro and the Arnold Classic. He did consistently well, often placing in the top five for each competition. Yet he was never able to land that first place victory. In our latest GI Exclusive, Mohamed El Emam looks back on how competing in six shows might have hurt his chances for victory more than helped him.
Mohamed El Emam had an incredible drive to qualify and compete in the Mr. Olympia 2021. his drive was so fierce that he ended up coming in six competitions throughout the year. Ultimately, he did not compete at the Olympia competition. What was most frustrating is that El Emam’s physique is extremely promising and earned him a top five spot in nearly every competition of 2021. Still, the Mr. Olympia alluded him.
Looking back, Mohamed El Emam believes that he ultimately competed in too many shows. This left him less time for recovery and growth. It also gave him less time to reflect and adjust his methods properly for real change. The end result was a powerful physique but not necessarily the best one on stage. He stayed in the top five just enough times to keep hype and attention on him – but could not rise up for a victory.
This vicious cycle not only kept the fans hyped for each next competition – it kept Mohamed El Emam hyped as well. He was so close to earning the victory each time that he continued to jump back into the fray – believing that the very next one would be his shot.
In pro bodybuilding, competing in this many competitions is rare. While it does sometimes happen, there’s a reason why the top bodybuilding pros only compete twice – and often times only once – per year. Consider Big Ramy, the current Mr. Olympia champion. He has the ability to focus all year on one goal. One competition. Whereas someone like Mohamed El Emam has shorter term goals for each new competition he competed in. This splits up his focus.
Of course, the Mr. Olympia champion has the luxury of only competing once a year. He does not need to qualify, nor does he need to worry about prize money due to the heavy pay out of winning the previous year. Not to mention sponsorship opportunities that open up when you are the best in the world. Other rising bodybuilders don’t have that same luxury.
Looking back, Mohamed El Emam states that he probably should have started slowing down after the New York Pro. Given himself more time to adjust, grow, recover, and focus on something like the Arnold Classic. Ultimately, El Emam placed seventh at the Arnold Classic 2021. This was one of the few times he landed outside of the top five. This might be due to burnout from the previous five competitions. Although, it could also be due to a higher caliber lineup at the second biggest show of the year.
In either case, Mohamed El Emam has now learned his lesson and intends to slow things down. Sadly, he was also forced into slowing things down after a car accident in November put him into the hospital. While he is alive and well – he had stated he would be unable to compete for at least six months. An unexpected turn for sure and one that will certainly set him back.
But perhaps after recovery and a new found outlook on his bodybuilding plans and prep – he will return a new version of the Mohamed El Emam fans grew to love. It may not be in 2022 (we’ll see), but perhaps in 2023 El Emam will rise up with a new physique that places him as a threat in the Arnold Classic or Mr. Olympia. Only time will tell.
You can watch Mohamed El Emam’s full comments about his jam-packed year of competing by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Hard Truth With Johnnie O. Jackson | EP 1: What Is The Best Age To Start Lifting Weight?
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Pro bodybuilder and powerlifter Johnnie O. Jackson shares the hard truth on the right age to start lifting weights.
Welcome to the Hard Truth With Johnnie O. Jackson – 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. For our premiere episode, Johnnie O. Jackson goes in depth on the right time in life to start training. How young is too young? Is there too old an age to keep lifting? And the surprising benefits of weightlifting at a young age.
There’s no denying that lifting weights contains a basic level of danger to it. Even with the correct form, a spotter, and safety equipment – you are still lifting heavy weights around your body. Due to this – some parents have been nervous regarding how young a kid should start lifting. This nervousness can occasionally turn into hysteria whenever a young child goes viral for lifting weights under 10 years old and showcasing a shredded physique.
There is a well circulated myth that lifting too young can stunt your growth but no study has ever been able to effectively proof that. In fact, instilling weightlifting habits into a child can be beneficial. It can lead to better long term health and also teach kids at a very malleable age better health habits that will stick with them in the long run. Many adults hate to exercise – perhaps this is because it wasn’t instilled in them at a young age.
That’s why Johnnie O. Jackson is dedicating today’s episode to breaking down weightlifting and age. He uses his own experience along with the knowledge he’s built in his bodybuilding and powerlifting career to help inform a new generation. Let’s jump into it.
What is the best age to start lifting weights?
The exact age you start lifting weights will depend on genuine interest of the individual. But if a child is interested in fitness, bodybuilding, or sports – Johnnie O. Jackson believes that 10 years old is a great place to start with simple gym weightlifting. This is the perfect age due to two major factors.
First, the child will start to develop good health and focus habits on his own. By learning the process of lifting weights at such a young age, it helps prepare them for a dedicated routine in teen years and adult hood. This is a time when the brain is absorbing everything – and the more good habits the more likely they are to stick. It’s the same way that learning a second language is easier when you are younger.
The second factor is that this provides parents a perfect opportunity to teach proper lifting techniques. A 10 year old kid should not be training alone. Instead, this can be a family group activity and teachable sessions. If the parent or family member helps teach proper form and safety measures – these habits will also stick long term. Johnnie O. Jackson has seen far too many adult bodybuilders who have terrible form and deem it unimportant. Johnnie believes that instilling these proper habits early through teaching will go a long way for young boys and girls who have an interest in sports or weighlifting.
Can you be too old to lift weights?
Johnnie O. Jackson also spends a brief portion of the episode talking about the other end of the lifespan. Are you ever too old to start lifting? The answer is no. Johnnie has worked with many 50 and 60 year old individuals who pick up weightlifting later in life. The results are spectacular. You might not be able to become a Mr. Oylmpia champion bodybuilder – but you will feel healthier and younger. Both cardio and weightlifting are key to feeling more energized, younger, and healthier.
Of course, you must also know your limits. This goes for both very young and very old lifters. Injuries can always occur and it’s important to start slow and learn what your body can and cannot take.
Nutrition Alongside Weightlifting
Johnnie O. Jackson also takes some time to share advice on proper nutrition as you build strength and muscle. As we stated earlier, training at a young age can help develop good habits that subconsciously stick in the long run. So it would also be important to learn proper diet and nutrition during this time of exploration into strength and muscle building.
Hard work in the gym accomplishes nothing without the right fuel in your system. This affects everything from energy, to strength, to conditioning. A young individual’s goals may change a lot over the course of aging – but teaching the fundamentals of a proper diet will do wonders.
Wrap Up
We can break down all of Johnnie O. Jackson’s advice here in a more in-depth article – but why not just learn it from the man himself? Learn about weightlifting young, old, and everything in between in the premiere episode of Hardcore Truth With Johnnie O. Jackson above. And make sure to rate, like, and subscribe to the series either on YouTube or your preferred podcasting platform. We’ll be back with new episodes every Thursday. See you in the gym.
Andrea Shaw On Women’s Bodybuilding Criticism: “Without It There Are No Other Female Divisions”
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Andrea Shaw discusses her rise to Ms. Olympia and the ups and downs of the Women’s Bodybuilding division.
For the past two years, Andrea Shaw has proven herself to be the new standout and reigning Ms. Olympia champion in Women’s Bodybuilding. After a five year gap of the division no longer appearing at the Olympia weekend – Shaw exploded onto the scene with Ms. Olympia’s return in 2020. Since then she has been the star to beat in the prestigious but often criticized division. In our latest GI Exclusive, Andrea Shaw discusses her rise in Women’s Bodybuilding and responds to the criticism and struggles of the division.
Before Andrea Shaw, Iris Kyle was the unstoppable Women’s Bodybuilding competitor. She earned 10 Ms. Olympia victories during her career – before the division itself was dropped from the Olympia weekend. There was a five year gap where Women’s Bodybuilding was no longer supported by the Arnold Classic or the Olympia weekend. During this time – competitors in the division had little to work towards. With one exception – the Wings of Strength Women’s Bodybuilding competition.
It was during this strange time in Women’s Bodybuilding that Andrea Shaw rose up through the ranks and became an all-star competitor. Starting out in Women’s Physique, she eventually moved up to Women’s Bodybuilding. Of course, there was no Ms. Olympia to work towards. Thankfully – she found support at Wings of Strength. This allowed her to continue to find motivation and improve into a challenging competitor in the league.
Fast forward to 2020, Jake Wood now owns the Olympia event (he is also the man who ran the Wings of Strength competitions) and brought Women’s Bodybuilding and Ms. Olympia back into the fold. Andrea Shaw now had a new goal to work towards – which she earned both in 2020 and 2021 with two Ms. Olympia victories.
We connected with Andrea Shaw for a video interview to recap her rise through the years from Women’s Physique, into Women’s Bodybuilding, and through to the champion she is today. As mentioned above, her career grew during one of the most tumultuous times for Women’s Bodybuilding. We asked Shaw for her thoughts on the lack of support over the years at major shows such as the Olympia weekend and Arnold Classic.
The common reasoning behind dropping Women’s Bodybuilding from competition was simply that there was not enough popularity to keep it running. We asked for Andrea Shaw’s reaction to that kind of mentality. Did that excuse ever make sense to her?
“No. Only because it’s always been popular. Because without Women’s Bodybuilding there are no other female divisions. None,” Andrea Shaw stated in our interview. She continued:
“So it doesn’t matter if you’re in Figure, whether you’re in Fitness – it all started with Women’s Bodybuilding. I firmly believe that was just a call AMI made. Because Jim Manion, the NPC, the IFBB, they kept the contests going. There were so many contests that still had Women’s Bodybuilding. But that was a direct call from Arnold’s staff. You know, and I’m speculating because I wasn’t competing at that time but again Arnold pulled it first and then AMI followed suit. Whether it was unpopular – I think it was unpopular to them.”
Andrea Shaw goes on to also comment on the concept of “femininity” in Women’s Bodybuilding vs the pure athleticism of the sport. She’s well aware of the history behind the division. With athletes like Bev Francis being pulled back in forth for either being too masculine or not muscular enough.
“A lot of it are usually men. They are usually men. When you break most of it down, some of these men are insecure because they don’t have muscle and they wish they could. So then the target becomes the woman… but it’s bodybuilding. What difference does it make if it’s a man or a woman?”
You can watch Andrea Shaw’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Milos Sarcev On His Plan To Transform Regan Grimes Into Mr. Olympia
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How Milos Sarcev completely overhauled Regan Grimes’ prep to transform him into a real threat to the Mr. Olympia throne.
Over the past month or so, Regan Grimes has been making headlines for his impressive physique updates. These came shortly after it was announced he would be working with Milos Sarcev as his coach. The plan? To upgrade Grimes’ physique into the next Mr. Olympia champion. The early results certainly look promising. In our latest GI Exclusive, Milos Sarcev explains his plan step-by-step on how he’s radically transforming Regan Grimes into a more powerful Mr. Olympia contender.
Milos Sarcev is a legendary bodybuilder in his own right and in his later years has become known as a legendary trainer and coach. It was announced in 2021 that he would be taking on Regan Grimes as one of his athletes. This caused quite some buzz as Grimes is already considered a promising athlete in the sport. The buzz only intensified after physique update videos and images started popping up at the end of the year. Regan Grimes appeared to improve his mass drastically.
We had an opportunity to reconnect with Milos Sarcev via video chat recently – and we dove in deep about his decision to start training Regan Grimes. As previously mentioned, Grimes has had much hype behind him over the past few years. He was also earlier featured in our feature film Generation Iron 3. Yet despite this hype, he found himself placing 15th at the Mr. Olympia in 2021 and 2020. What happened? And what needs to change?
A major shake up in coaches seems to signal Regan Grimes is ready to overhaul his tactics. And Milos Sarcev seems to agree that a lot needs to change. Not because Grimes is disappointing in his current state. On the contrary, he shows so much promise – it simply needs new direction towards success.
“Many coaches, many bodybuilders, accept mediocrity or just doing what is expected of what they [judges] think,” Milos Sarcev states in our interview regarding bodybuilding prep and coaches. He continues, “They never really give a thought how to maximize every aspect. Every aspect.”
Milos Sarcev then reveals that upon starting to coach Regan Grimes, he asked what his posing routine plan was. Grimes admitted he had no prepared posing routine. He just did the mandatories. This both shocked and did not shock Milos. He believes that majority of Men’s Open bodybuilders simply do the mandatories. Which means Grimes certainly needs to take advantage of that and wow the judges with a pre-planned posing routine.
This is the kind of “maximize everything” mentality that Milos Sarcev plans to bring to Regan Grimes’ bodybuilding career. Sarcev gets even more granular – asking Grimes to explain how much he knows how to properly hit an ab pose and how to showcase legs properly. Not just the general mandatories – but the technical skill down to the very last detail.
Milos Sarcev provides another example of how he’s overhauling Regan Grimes’ bodybuilding prep. Sarcev deeply questioned Grimes about his diet and explains that most bodybuilders follow the same basic philosophy behind dieting. But bodybuilders can get tested to know much more specific detail about their body and their metabolic rate. It’s that kind of maximized detail that Sarcev will ensure Grimes focuses on under his training.
It’s often said that a successful bodybuilder runs their body like a high end powerful car or machine. Milos Sarcev seems to take this nearly literally. Every aspect of Regan Grimes’ training, dieting, and posing are being examined under a microscope. No stone is being left unturned. And Sarcev believes this tactic will turn Regan Grimes into a true Mr. Olympia champion within the upcoming years.
You can watch Milos Sarcev go into in-depth detail about his plans for Regan Grimes in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Jordan Shallow: Bodybuilding Would Need Less PEDs With Deeper Exercise Execution Knowledge
Jordan Shallow comments on recent deaths in bodybuilding, growing drug use, and the massive shift in physiques of modern bodybuilding.
While bodybuilding has always been somewhat taboo in the mainstream public due to perceived steroid use, the topic has become even more heated within the modern bodybuilding industry. Many coaches, experts, and past iconic athletes have gone on record stating they believe drug use has gone too far in modern bodybuilding. A recent string of tragic bodybuilding deaths, though unconnected, have further stoked the flames focusing on drug use and health in the sport. In our latest GI Exclusive, The Muscle Doc Jordan Shallow offers his opinion on PED usage in bodybuilding.
There is no doubt that PEDs are used in the sport of bodybuilding. In fact, this is true of nearly all professional sports. Those who want to achieve greatness are willing to do anything to reach that goal. This can also create a slippery slope. If athletes know the top pros are using PEDs, then they will feel they have to use them in order to stay in the same playing field. Then the cycle continues.
But perhaps it doesn’t have to be this way. During our conversation with Jordan Shallow, we fell onto the topic of health in bodybuilding and the recent deaths that have tragically plagued the sport. It should be pointed out that causes of death have not been revealed for nearly all of these cases. Regardless, it has caused a wave of bodybuilding icons, experts, and coaches to weigh in on drug use in the sport. Jordan Shallow believes there is a world where the same muscular results can be achieved while using less PEDs.
The common understand is this – if bodybuilding became more healthy, it would become less exciting with smaller physiques. While it’s true that bodybuilding will always demand some level of extreme risk taking – Jordan Shallow believes that the risks do not need to be anywhere near as high as they are today.
“Obviously it’s multifactorial and I don’t want to defame anyone or do anything like that,” Jordan Shallow states in our interview. He continues:
“But I think, you know, if we look deeper at exercise execution and we can set up exercises to maximally challenge muscle and get the greatest amount of return. We wouldn’t have to augment recovery the way we do with performance enhancing drugs and we can maybe expedite the ability for us to garner proper stimulus.”
It should be note that many pro bodybuilders have a vast understanding of exercise and how it works. That’s their job. But Jordan Shallow seems to believe that modern bodybuilding is taking a turn towards chemical solutions rather than deeper physical ones. Shallow admits that his statement is based purely on anecdotal evidence. But in his personal experience, he’s claimed that over the past 10 years or so – he’s had more conversations with bodybuilders about augmenting training with PEDs and less about further and deeper study of maximizing exercise.
This statement seems to also match others we have heard from older bodybuilding legends in the sport. Occasionally throughout our GI Exclusive interviews, veteran bodybuilders have claimed younger bodybuilders start turning towards PEDs much earlier. The common belief is that old school bodybuilders trained naturally much longer into their careers. They only turned to PEDs when they hit the maximum they could possibly push naturally.
Today, many veteran bodybuilders worry that young athletes turn to PEDs like steroids right away – before they even get a full understanding of what they can accomplish naturally. It must be noted that all of these statements are based on here-say. It’s anecdotal stories based on personal experiences. This can in part be classic rose-tinted nostalgia. A “my era is better than yours” mentality. But there also might be some truth to it.
The internet and advancements in science have changed the way PEDs are used by athletes (and even regular fitness enthusiasts) significantly. The drug world in bodybuilding is certainly not the same as it was 30 years ago. Perhaps Jordan Shallow is simply pointing out the same thing. That we are getting too much information and too many advancements too fast. That detailed knowledge is falling to the wayside in replacement of quick internet facts and easy to obtain PEDs.
What do you think? Watch Jordan Shallow’s statements in our latest GI Exclusive segment above and let us know your thoughts!
Iain Valliere Answers: Are Romantic Relationships Kryptonite For Bodybuilding Success?
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Iain Valliere debunks the concept of a romantic partner or spouse distracting from bodybuilding greatness.
Iain Valliere is a bodybuilder who is happily married. He’s also a successful pro bodybuilder – a sport that demands quite a bit of time. So much time, in fact, that many legendary pro bodybuilders have claimed that romantic relationships and families are too distracting for bodybuilding success. In order to become a champion, you need the kind of full focus that would either destroy the relationship or destroy your champion chances. But for Valliere, he finds the exact opposite to be true. In our latest GI Exclusive, Iain Valliere explains how his wife is a vital part of his bodybuilding success – instead of a distraction.
During our time interviewing a wide variety of bodybuilding legends and champions. We’ve seen a common sentiment among elite competitive bodybuilders. Dating, romantic relationships, and marriage are too challenging of a dedication to coincide with bodybuilding success. Most notably, 8x Mr. Olympia Lee Haney stated this during the filming of Generation Iron 2.
The idea here is that bodybuilding on a pro level requires so much focus and time – it’s impossible to share it with a romantic partner. During our conversation with Iain Valliere, we decided to ask him for his take on this concept. Valliere is happily married to Chris Bumstead’s sister – Melissa Valliere. She is a competitor in her own right – and according to Iain – has been a vital part of his success. Not a detriment to it.
Iain Valliere acknowledges that bodybuilding is a major time commitment both mentally and physically. But he also points out that kind of commitment is very challenging to do alone. Having a partner by his side through the ups and down of bodybuilding prep is a major support. It helps him remain more focused and achieve better results.
Iain Valliere uses an example to drive this point home. In 2020, Valliere competed in the Tampa Pro and reveals that during this contest prep he had a “mental breakdown” in his own words. He attributes this to his wife not being by his side for that particular competition.
“I had a mental breakdown. I really couldn’t handle all of the pressures and the stress being by myself,” Iain Valliere states in our interview – speaking of the Tampa Pro 2020. He continued:
“And you know, I was running around trying to get food. And worried about doing this, and worried about doing this. As well as, you know, when you are alone in your thoughts too much, you’re looking at social media and all of these things and I really got in my head.”
Iain Valliere goes on to say that having his wife by his side alleviates these issues. She is his support system. Being a fellow competitor, she can also provide much more pointed and empathetic support as she is more than familiar with the process.
And perhaps that is another key element for Iain Valliere’s success in both bodybuilding and marriage. If not a fellow competitor, finding someone who fully understands what the bodybuilding process really entails is key. If not, resentment can grow. Stress can come from resentment. And then both a bodybuilding career and a relationship can implode.
Iain Valliere also shares some tips and tactics that have worked to keep his marriage a focus while also putting his all into pro bodybuilding. Perhaps some of these tips can be helpful for those looking to find balance in the hectic life of competitive bodybuilding and relationships.
You can watch Iain Valliere’s take on relationships and bodybuilding – as well as tips to finding balance – in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Patrick Moore: You Will Not Make Money In Bodybuilding If You Avoid This Vital Tactic
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Patrick Moore explains how the “eat, sleep, train” mentality is not enough to earn money in bodybuilding. Marketability is now vital.
Patrick Moore is not simply a pro bodybuilder. He’s a pro bodybuilder that started over from one sport to the next. Originally a boxer, he eventually restarted from the ground up in competitive bodybuilding. Now he’s a highlight athlete with much promise to become a legendary champion.
Seeking athletic success is hard from the start, doing it twice by starting over in a different sport is even harder. That’s why we asked Moore to share his advice on how to be successful starting out in bodybuilding. In our latest GI exclusive, Patrick Moore explains that excelling at building muscle and shred is not enough. It is now necessary to sell yourself, and sell yourself well, as a marketable personality.
There is no doubt that the internet age has changed bodybuilding significantly. Not only has it changed the way fans interact with the sport and its athletes. It’s also completely revolutionized how sponsorships work. Gone are the days of the Weider contract. This is something that many bodybuilders and industry professionals have spoken about over the past decade. Patrick Moore believes it hasn’t been stated enough. He cannot express just how important it is to become marketable as a personality in order to earn financial success in bodybuilding.
During our conversation with Patrick Moore, he makes one thing very clear. Essentially, being good at just bodybuilding is no longer enough to succeed financially in the sport. Only a select few of competitions award high level prize money. And even then, statistically your odds of being that champion to win the $400,000 Olympia prize money is very slim. It’s not something that can be relied on.
The internet era and social media has put the tools directly in the athlete’s hands now. Massive multi-year contracts don’t get offered the same way anymore. Now, it’s just as vital to have an online presence as it is to win bodybuilding shows. This doesn’t mean you have to be a schmoozing online influencer. But it does mean you need to find a way to market your personality into engagement online.
Of course, marketability is not a replacement for passion and hard work in the sport. But it just might be a more vital aspect of being a pro bodybuilder than most people realize going into the sport.
“The first thing you have to do is love the sport or the training,” Patrick Moore states in our interview. He continues:
“Because anything that comes subsequently from that is going to be based off of your placing at shows. The amount of attention you are able to generate online. You have to be an athlete. You have to be a representative of the sport. And you have to marketable. And I say that because marketability is one thing I think a lot of people do not realize has to be present in this day and age.”
Patrick Moore continues to express that the old school days of only focusing on training and dieting are gone.
“You can’t just be the guy who goes into the gym with your hoodie on and train and then leave out and then think that you’re going to make money. It just doesn’t happen like that. Because you have to think what generates ticket sales, merchandise sales, whatever it is – you have to be a hard worker. So I would tell new guys coming up. don’t expect the sponsorships, don’t expect anything… you have brands that monitor. They’ll watch how you interact online so if they see that you get a lot of engagement, they may then be inclined to extend your sponsorship. So where guys will say I’m not going to do online stuff because that’s stupid and it’s a waste of time. Okay, well you’re just leaving an opportunity on the table for an athlete who is willing to do that… you can’t just eat, sleep, and train. That’s a dream. That’s not going to happen. Not if you want to be successful.”
Ultimately, there are various paths to success. No one single mold will be the mandatory subset needed to 100% succeed. But it’s also foolish to believe that investing time and energy into these strategies is a waste of time. A person passionate about bodybuilding should be willing to do whatever it takes to become successful and a champion.
To leave an entire option on the table, as Patrick Moore puts it, is lowering your odds. If bodybuilding is your life – even if you hate social media – you might have to make that kind of sacrifice and learn to engage with these tools. Otherwise, you’ll be significantly cutting your chances short in the modern playing field.
You can watch Patrick Moore go into full detail on his experiences building his brand in bodybuilding and his vital tips in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Cedric McMillan Reveals New Details On His Near-Death Experience & Heart Issues
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Cedric McMillan opens up with new details on his heart issues, developing pneumonia, long COVID, and being put on life support.
Earlier in November, Cedric McMillan performed a guest posing and also provided an update on his rocky bodybuilding season. It turned out, he revealed, that he was dealing with breathing and heart issues likely caused by contracting COVID-19 in the previous year. With cases rising across the world at a rapid pace due to Omicron, Generation Iron decided to sit down with McMillan and talk in further detail about his experience with the virus and his near death experience in the hospital. In our latest GI Exclusive, Cedric McMillan goes into full detail about contracting COVID-19, developing pneumonia, and being put on life support.
For a short period of time in 2021, fans were confused as to what was happening with Cedric McMillan. After much delay he was set to compete at the Legion Sports Fest Pro 2021, only for him to disappear after the pre-judging and not show up at the finals. There was silence and mystery for a few weeks. Then suddenly McMillan reappeared during a guest posing and revealed a series of medical issues that threw off his bodybuilding season.
It turned out that Cedric McMillan had developed COVID-19 in 2020 right after the Arnold Classic. He recovered. He was fine. But many months later he started having trouble breathing. This breathing issue eventually took him to the hospital – where he found out he had pneumonia. Shortly after he found himself on life support in the hospital. “I was almost dead.” He stated during his guest posing speech.
Now with more time to recover and reflect on the entire experience, Generation Iron Brasil’s Aretha Luz at down with Cedric McMillan to get an in-depth account of the entire experience. McMillan opened up with complete honesty about the slow building of events that eventually left him intubated and on life support.
Cedric McMillan was noticing shortness of breath for quite some time. As early as May or July of 2021. But McMillan attributed this to his massive size. He was over 300 pounds and as any pro bodybuilder would attest – it puts some strain on cardio and breathing. But then the symptoms didn’t subside. For weeks and weeks his breathing became worse. Eventually he knew that he had to seek medical advice. Upon going to the doctors, it was discovered his heart rate was dangerously low. He was rushed to the hospital.
It was at this point that the doctors drew a connection between his current medical issues and COVID-19. They asked McMillan if he had COVID-19. Cedric McMillan confirmed that much earlier in 2020 he had gotten the virus. But was fine after recovering. The doctors informed him he now has pneumonia. And while it can’t be confirmed with 100% accuracy, it was likely that his lung were very slowly building up with fluid for months after having the virus.
After spending a few days in the hospital and still struggling to breath, Cedric McMillan grew impatient. He wanted to leave. He felt that he was not in immediate life or death danger. He jokes that he stood up and pulled off the wires from his body, “like a movie.” The doctors tried to stop him. Before he knew it. He was sedated and woke up three days later.
It turns out shortly after being sedated, his condition grew worse. He was put on a ventilator and life support. The hospital called his family as they were concerned that there was a likely chance that Cedric McMillan would die. Luckily, this was not the case
Cedric McMillan is now recovered. After leaving the hospital, he took some time to recoup, and after some false starts, he finally felt healthy enough to step back on stage. This was when he decided to guest pose at the Armed Forces Nationals 2021.
Cedric McMillan realized that he needed time to recover after such an ordeal. Now that he’s taken that time, he feels prepared to compete at the Arnold Classic 2022 in March and then shortly after compete in the Arnold Classic South America. McMillan’s plans were derailed in 2021. But the pro bodybuilder has always been a focused competitor hungry for victory. Perhaps 2022 will be a true comeback for the much hyped athlete.
You can watch Cedric McMillan go into full detail about his entire near-death experience in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
The Anabolic Doc: Bodybuilding Is Not Worth The Steroid Use Required To Succeed
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The Anabolic Doc believes bodybuilding success requires good genetics and steroid use – and advises reassessing your goals away from the sport.
Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc, has always maintained an empathy and understanding of bodybuilders and strength athletes who use steroids. The doc was “bitten by the bug” himself – as he puts it. He understands that an athlete will always want to do whatever it takes to succeed.
But if he were to give advice to a young aspiring bodybuilder before they become passionate and embedded into the sport. His advice would be to “reassess” their goals and back away from bodybuilding. This is because he believes that steroids are mandatory to succeed in the sport. And he sees the damage to health it causes too severe to ever recommend. In our latest GI Exclusive, the Anabolic Doc explains why he feels bodybuilding is not worth the steroid use that comes with it.
We recently had a very lengthly video conversation with Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc. This conversation has been released in segments over the past few weeks. As always, the doctor provides very empathetic and educated information about drug use in the sport and its long term consequences. So we decided to ask him – what advice would he give to a young aspiring bodybuilder who is interested in going pro?
Many amateur bodybuilders feel the pressure to use steroids to succeed. It’s a slippery slope. If one person is winning on steroids, then others feel the need to use to be on an even playing field. Before you know it – steroid use becomes the norm. This is the world that many amateur bodybuilders are entering. While not literally mandatory, it’s a pressure that can manifest in aspiring athletes.
That’s why The Anabolic Doc, while emphatic to athletes and their passions, would strongly advise that aspiring bodybuilders back away. He whole heartedly believes the steroid use is not worth it. He’s seen the data and he’s worked with enough bodybuilders post-retirement to know the suffering they go through. If a bodybuilder believes that steroid use is necessary to succeed in the sport, the doctor believes that the athlete should simply find another goal completely.
“You have to have great genetics and then you have to do steroids,” the Anabolic Doc states in our interview in regards to competitive bodybuilding. He continues:
“I would advise 100% to reassess your dreams and goals and not to do it [bodybuilding].”
The Anabolic Doc understands that a person, regardless of sport or even goal, will do whatever it takes to succeed if they are passionate about the subject. This is unavoidable. So for those on the fence and not fully embedded into the sport – Dr. O’Connor seems to see this as a way out. Jump ship before you get sucked in and start making sacrifices that can lead to health issues in the long term. As much as the doctor is a strength athlete at heart himself – he knows too much of the data and experiences to ever fully recommend going down that path.
Do you agree with the Anabolic Doc? And do you think that steroids are necessary to succeed in the sport? Watch his full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above – and then decide for yourself!
Ryan Crowley Gets Extremely Honest On How Social Media Hate Emotionally Affects Him
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Ryan Crowley gets surprisingly candid about his relationship with social media and online hate.
Ryan Crowley, in part, discovered bodybuilding due to being bullied as a child. It’s a story we’ve heard countless times before in the sport. He sought to become physically strong to avoid being bullied in his future. Now Crowley is a promising bodybuilder (recovering from a major injury) and looking to make a big splash in the industry. Yet somehow he still faces the same kind of bullying he remembers from childhood. This time in the form of hateful online comments. Has his past experiences helped him develop thicker skin? In our latest GI Exclusive, Ryan Crowley opens up about how he interacts with social media online bullying – and how it still emotionally affects him.
Whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay. It’s also a big part of modern bodybuilding. No longer do pro competitors need magazines to display their stunning physiques. They can each amass followings on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. They can directly engage fans. They can share updates whenever they want. There is no longer a gatekeeper between the athlete and the audience.
In many ways this is fantastic. It opens the doors wide open for new kinds of success. But it also brings a very ugly side of the internet front and center into every bodybuilder’s inboxes. Bullying and hate from anonymous users can mount across comments and DMs. There’s a lot of positivity too, which must be acknowledged, but the hate comes through in a way that was otherwise impossible before the web. This is something Ryan Crowley is all too familiar with.
We’ve spoken with others about the vitriol that can come through online commenting. In the case of Chef Rush, for example, it took the form of hate speech. Joey Swoll also revealed to us the death threats he would receive. It can get very dark. Ryan Crowley is a bodybuilder who has experienced bullying far before the internet. As a chubby child, he was often the butt of many jokes. This certainly emotionally affected him. To combat the sadness – he sough to become strong and eventually discovered bodybuilding.
Now an adult, he strangely finds himself, in some ways, back where he started. While he is no longer overweight, he faces hateful comments online due to having a rather large social media following. During our video conversation, Crowley became extremely candid and open about how this affects him. In some ways, he becomes the same young boy that he was being bullied in his past. He admits to reading the hurtful comments and letting them deeply affect his mood.
He tells us this with a smile on his face in the moment. It’s as if he is completely aware how silly it is to let strangers have such a hold over him. But he’s also aware that he can’t help his gut emotional response to these kinds of comments. We’re all human after all. He knows he should simply not read the comments. Just ignore them. But he reads through them anyway.
He also admits that being so easily affected by the comments triggers more comments:
“I wear my heart on my sleeve and I’m very sensitive. And they know this. This is why they say this stuff because they know it gets to me. It’s just something I get on with, you know? It gets to me and then I get on with it.”
This is classic bullying. The more the bully knows that they are triggering a response. The more they continue to push harder. Of course, Ryan Crowley is not disabled by these hateful comments. They do not freeze up his life into misery. As he states, he’s able to move on. But he also comes back for more. He pours over his comments, gets upset by certain hateful statements, uses his girlfriend for support, and then tries to shake it off and go one with his day.
There have been many reports in the bigger picture beyond bodybuilding of how social media affects anxiety and happiness. Recent whistleblowers at Facebook even stated that there are mounds of data showcasing the psychological damage it can cause – but they chose to bury those facts and move forward with their policies anyways. It’s a problem bigger than Ryan Crowley or bodybuilding. But it’s refreshing to see a public figure in the sport speak so honestly about it.
You can watch Ryan Crowley discuss his interaction with online hate – as well as his future plans for recovery and his bodybuilding career – in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.