Tag: Originals
Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 4: Muscle Implants, Brad Castleberry Lifts, & Should Brian Shaw Retire?
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Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss the World’s Strongest Man 2021, muscle implants and synthol in bodybuilding, plus much more!
Welcome to another episode of Talking Huge – a weekly digital series in which Craig Golias talks in-depth with Vlad Yudin on the latest trending topics in bodybuilding. Raw, honest, and uncut – Craig Golias shares his opinions on all things bodybuilding. In this episode, Craig Golias talks about Tom Stoltman’s win at the World’s Strongest Man 2021, synthol injections, muscle implants, and the challenge of buying clothes as a mass monster.
This episode is jam packed with topics ranging from news, funny thoughts, and deep dives into bodybuilding culture. With this past weekend holding the World’s Strongest Man 2021 finals, Craig talks about not only Tom Stoltman’s win but Brian Shaw’s second place finish. Should he retire or keep pushing for another win? He also discuss shortcuts in bodybuilding – specifically synthol and muscle implants. Also discussed is financial planning in bodybuilding, how to buy clothes when you are huge, and Brad Castleberry’s supposed fake weight lifts. Let’s jump into it!
Does Brad Castleberry Lift Fake Weight?
This is a topic that has long been debated in the bodybuilding community. It’s true that Brad Castleberry has strayed away from his massive viral lifts in recent years. That being said, the fake weight reputation has stuck. Whenever his name is brought up in bodybuilding – a debate is likely to follow.
Vlad asked Craig Golias directly what he believes regarding Brad Castleberry and the fake weight accusations. Golias falls exactly 50/50 on the topic. He doesn’t know him personally. Some of the lifts to him seem too heavy to be real. But he does acknowledge that some of his videos take place in public gyms – where it would be harder to use fake weights.
Ultimately, Craig Golias doesn’t understand why he doesn’t just prove it once and for all. If it’s really not fake – have a live video with a trusted in-person spectator to prove the weights are real. Not only would it end the debate, it would likely get a lot of attention. A great way to get another viral video.
Synthol and Muscle Implants
Vlad Yudin also dives in deep with Craig Golias on the topic of synthol and muscle implants. First talking about synthol, Golias is completely against them. He believes they are trash and no real bodybuilder should use them. It goes against the real reason people live the bodybuilding lifestyle – to train and work hard for perfecting the body.
He does admit that he’s heard rumors a lot of pro bodybuilders used synthol in very small doses to perfect weak areas. Specifically, he heard rumor this was happening in the late 90s and early 2000s. Though he wasn’t present himself during that time – so he can’t claim it as a definite hard truth.
Vlad Yudin also brings up muscle implants. Less popular in the United States, other countries are more open to implants to improve the physique when it comes to muscle. Craig is more open to this idea – but certainly not for competitive bodybuilding. He also touches on traditional implants such as breast implants or butt implants. Craig finds it unfair that some cultures shame women for this. In his mind, if bodybuilders can use steroids to enhance their physique, why can’t women use implants to look how they want?
Wrap Up
There are far more topics discussed in this episode than we can cover in this article. You can watch Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss other topics such as clothing for bodybuilders, finances in bodybuilding, and more in our latest episode above. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
The Anabolic Doc Full Interview | Realities Of Steroids, Synthol, And Other PEDs In Bodybuilding
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Watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with The Anabolic Doc.
Dr. Thomas O’Connor has appeared in a selection of our Generation Iron original films over the years. This is due to the fact that he is a doctor that bridges the gap between muscle and medicine. He was strength athlete in his past, he has taken steroids, and he now has a medical license to treat people for after effects of long term steroid use. For this reason, he’s known as The Anabolic Doc.
That’s why we decided to sit down with him for an extensive interview going into detail all health aspects of bodybuilding. He sort of bridges the gap between the knowledge of medical science into the experience of what it actually takes to be a bodybuilder or strength athlete.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with the Anabolic Doc. Now we’re releasing the full length interview including topics such as the health risks of steroids, the realities of synthol abuse, and if it’s easy to cheat drug tests – among other topics.
Listen To Our Anabolic Doc 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 Anabolic Doc interview here:
There Is NO Safe Way To Use Steroids For Bodybuilding
What Dr. O’Connor won’t accept, is lies about the dangers of steroids. He won’t sit and let people believe that steroids are actually “not that bad” for your health. He makes it plain and clear – long term steroid use will have permanent effects on your heath. It will lower your testosterone to the point where it might never come back. This leads to needing testosterone replacement therapy (or TRT) for the rest of a person’s life. It can lead to enlarged arteries and enlarged hearts. This can then in turn lead to heart disease and death.
Dr. O’Connor will never step down from detailing the truly dangerous risks of steroids. But he leaves the decision to use up to the athlete afterwards. Just like cigarettes, people will make their own decision on how they want to handle long term health.
With all of that being said, we wanted Dr. O’Connor to clear the air. Is it possible to safely use steroids in bodybuilding at all? Is there some sort of tips or protocol that can help prevent these long term dangers of use?
The Anabolic Doc’s answer is a simple one. No. Each body is different. Each drug has different effects on different users. Some people might make it out clean – but that’s not due to a specific way of use. It’s due to luck. There is no medical way to condone the use of steroids safely for sports like bodybuilding. Dr. O’Connor believes that the research shows it’s simply impossible.
Realities Of What Happens After Synthol Use
Dr. Thomas O’Connor is a doctor who deals specifically with steroid users. That’s why he’s called the Anabolic Doc. So of course in his time treating patients he’s also ran past individuals who have used synthol or other site enhancement oils on their physiques. He admits it’s very rare – but it has happened on occasion.
We often see the results of using these kinds of oils on a bodybuilding physique. The freaks with bulging inhuman fake muscles or even more well trained bodybuilders with strange shaped peaks on certain muscles. But what happens to these people in the long term after injecting oils into their body? What are the actual health risks? How does the body absorb sythol after it expands in their body? Does it absorb it at all? These are all questions we wanted to ask Dr. O’Connor. As you can imagine, the answer isn’t pretty.
Yes, synthol does get absorbed in your body but this in itself can lead to certain complications. Some patients have had neurological complications leading numbness or even loss of motor ability. In rare cases the oil can infiltrate the blood stream and heart leading to potential deadly results. The most common negative side effect, though, seems to be infections. As seen in extreme cases when “synthol freaks” have such bad infections they need amputation. Yes, that’s an extreme case – but infections are certainly possible on a smaller scale for anyone who uses synthol.
The silver lining here seems to be that Dr. O’Connor truly receives very few patients who use synthol in the first place. While the freaks and the shocking headlines might bring a sense of urgency to the use of these substances – it doesn’t seem to take hold in a major way the same way drugs like steroids or insulin have been adopted into the bodybuilding and fitness world.
Wrap Up
Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka The Anabolic Doc, has an extreme wealth of knowledge that this article can only begin to scratch the surface. That’s why you should check out the full GI Exclusive interview with The Anabolic Doc above. His expertise, advice, and opinions on the world of health and bodybuilding could be a game changer.
Remember – the statements and opinions stated here are not the direct advice of a medical professional. This is general advice backed by research but is in no way meant to be taken as direct medical advice. Always consult your doctor.
Derek Dufour has been managing all digital operations on the Generation Iron Network for over six years. He currently manages a team of editors, writers, and designers to provide up-to-date content across the GI Network.
Zane Watson: Bodybuilding Doesn’t Have To Be 24/7 And 365 Days A Year
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Pro Bodybuilder Zane Watson explains why he’s not afraid to call bodybuilding a hobby.
Zane Watson is a Men’s 212 Pro Bodybuilder who takes his job as a competitor seriously. That being said, he has stated in the past that he considers bodybuilding a hobby. This can have negative connotations in a professional sport. The word hobby implies something less serious and certainly less competitive. This is a far cry from the mantras we hear from professional athletes. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Zane Watson explains why he calls bodybuilding a hobby and why it doesn’t need to be a 365 days a year obsession.
Often when speaking with pro bodybuilders, or any pro athlete for that matter, you hear certain advice. One major point often made is this – if you want to be successful in a professional sport, you have to make it your life. That means sacrificing other things in order to try and become the greatest.
This is a far cry from our conversation with pro bodybuilder Zane Watson. He wants to send a message out to aspiring bodybuilders – pro bodybuilding does not have to be the only thing in your life. But don’t be fooled. That doesn’t mean Watson is a bodybuilder who doesn’t take his sport and craft seriously. He simply wants the world to know – you can have more than one joy in your life and still succeed as a pro bodybuilder.
In our new interview with Zane Watson, we probe this idea a bit further. People can often take Watson’s words as not being serious enough about his success in the sport. Zane Watson argues that life is never really about putting all your eggs in one basket. Watson has a career, he’s an entrepreneur, and he has a family. In fact, a big part part of what brings him joy in bodybuilding is having his family by his side.
The truth of the matter is, Zane Watson has more than one thing that fulfills him in his life. He believes he can succeed as a pro bodybuilder without throwing those other things away. But he also doesn’t want people to accuse him of being lazy. When he dedicates himself to a show date – he will “disappear” for three to four months during his contest prep. He has a competitive spirit in him and he wants to win.
That being said, Zane Watson reiterates one final time, “eat, sleep, breathe bodybuilding 365 days a year is not something that I live by.” There is never one right way to do something and find success. Yes, some will live 24/7 bodybuilding and fully succeed – whether that’s through winning Mr. Olympia or building a following for lucrative sponsorship opportunities. But there are also workhorse bodybuilders who find success while also making time for other things in life.
There’s a fine line between passion and obsession. Each person needs to decide what ultimately works for them. But the key is to be honest. When reflecting on your life – decide what you really want and the “why” behind doing it.
You can watch Zane Watson go into full detail about his relationship with pro bodybuilding in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Gunter Schlierkamp: The Biggest Reason Lee Haney Should Be Considered Greatest Of All Time
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Gunter Schlierkamp goes into great detail as to why he believes Lee Haney is the undisputed greatest bodybuilder of all time.
There are only two people who earned the world record of most Mr. Olympia wins. Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman have yet to be matched in the years since their bodybuilding careers. But for the most part, it seems history has favored Ronnie Coleman of the two. He is often considered the greatest bodybuilder to ever live. This is due to his unfathomable mass monster size. A size that still has not been matched to this day. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Gunter Schlierkamp explains why Lee Haney, and not Ronnie Coleman, is the undisputed greatest bodybuilder of all time.
Gunter Schlierkamp is an old school kind of guy. That becomes clear in the beginning of our latest interview segment. We discuss bodybuilding’s popularity in mainstream culture and how the internet influenced it. Schlierkamp goes into detail as to why he feels something has been lost in all the technological change.
There are too many options for things and consumers seem to favor cheaper items over high quality items. It’s a quantity not quality world. He finds this to affect bodybuilding itself. It’s evident in the supplements people buy, the influencers people follow, and the number of divisions the sport now has.
So it makes sense that Gunter Schlierkamp considers Lee Haney his favorite bodybuilder of all time. Haney was the first bodybuilder to achieve a world record eight Mr. Olympia wins. This was later matched by Ronnie Coleman. Often times, Coleman gets more of the spotlight. This is due to his inhuman physique that would make Haney look small in comparison.
But Gunter Schlierkamp has very good reasons for favoring Lee Haney as the greatest of all time. Side note – he also puts Ronnie Coleman in his top five, just one notch behind Haney. We asked Schlierkamp why he felt Haney is the ultimate best bodybuilder of all time. In a refreshing move, he gave a very detailed answer. The answer is so convincing – that it might perhaps cause others to pause and reconsider their own “best of” list.
Gunter Schlierkamp first defines what, in his opinion, makes a bodybuilder the best. Who did it and was the most dominant at the end, who is still healthy today, and who did it the right way. These may seem like vague terms – but what he’s talking about here is the past, present, and future of a bodybuilding icon.
Lee Haney was the first to change the game of bodybuilding. He was the first to win eight Mr. Olympia competitions. Schlierkamp also believes that Haney could have won more if he hadn’t decided to retire. And that’s exactly the point, Haney went out on top instead of slowly dwindling down into a has-been. This is rare in the bodybuilding world.
Gunter Schlierkamp also points out the Lee Haney is healthy and active in his twilight years after bodybuilding. Ronnie Coleman, on the other hand, has had a massive amount of health issues – very possibly due to how hard he pushed his body. We covered it extensively in our documentary film Ronnie Coleman: The King.
Lastly, Gunter Schlierkamp believes that Lee Haney “did it right.” Meaning that he knew his own limitations, knew how to keep his achievements as healthy as possible, and still changed the game in memorable way. It’s the reason we still talk to him today. Perhaps by today’s standards, if you simply compare physique to physique – you would be more impressed by a mammoth like Ronnie Coleman. Again, Coleman’s achievements are incredible. But for Schlierkamp – Haney gets a notch above for doing everything perfectly right.
You can watch Gunter Schlierkamp go into full detail about Lee Haney in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
George Farah’s Honest Opinion On Phil Heath’s Olympia 2020 Comeback
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George Farah: “They put Phil Heath exactly where he belonged.”
Not too long ago, Phil Heath was the dominant champion with seven Mr. Olympia titles under his belt. He seemed unstoppable and many believed he would match, if not surpass, the 8x Olympia record set by both Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney. In the end, this didn’t happen. Heath was dethroned in 2018 by Shaun Rhoden. He then took a year off. Many thought he may never return.
But with a sudden burst of excitement, Phil Heath announced he would make his comeback just one year later in 2020. He seemed more confident than ever and was laser focused on matching Ronnie Coleman’s and Lee Haney’s eight title wins. The drama was set. It seemed to be the ultimate comeback story. Except it wasn’t. Instead, Phil Heath seemed plagued by the same problems he held in 2018. He ultimately placed third at the Olympia 2020. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, we turn to legendary trainer George Farah for his honest opinion on Phil Heath’s comeback physique.
George Farah has been behind some of the most legendary pro bodybuilders in history. His name is known for a reason. He is noted as one of the most legendary bodybuilding coaches in the history of the sport. A bodybuilding coach that had the magic touch. That’s why we asked him for his honest analysis of Phil Heath’s physique during the 2020 Mr. Olympia. Was he better than his 2018 performance and simply outmatched by young blood? Or was he missing the mark in terms of expectations?
George Farah felt a little disappointed by the physique we ultimately saw on Phil Heath. this was largely due to the perceived rejuvenated energy of Phil Heath leading into the show. He seemed rested after a year off and ready to bring a physique more matched to his prime years. Perhaps it was just the narrative that drummed up excitement – but Farah truly believed we would see Phil Heath back in pitch perfect form.
George Farah didn’t see that on stage. Instead, he believes that Phil Heath still had the same problems he suffered from in 2018. Not only that, but his stomach, in Farah’s opinion, looked worse than ever before.
“It’s a little disappointing. Honestly, I can say I’m a little disappointed because… the way he talked I was like, ‘Oh my god this is going to be his show.’ He really made us all believe he is right on the money. And Phil never said anything like that and he didn’t deliver, you know? But then as soon as he came out I was like, ‘Oh my god his stomach is worse.’ He didn’t even not fix it. It looked worse.”
Farah made a point to mention that Heath is still one of the greatest of modern bodybuilding. In fact, his physique was still impressive compared to most on stage. That’s why ultimately, George Farah 100% agrees with the final score given to Heath.
“And I love Phil as a person. I’m just saying as a bodybuilder, they placed him exactly where he belonged. That’s why I feel… because he deserves some respect. Because he still ahs one of the best double biceps, glutes were in, striated hamstring, everything. But that stomach man. It just took a lot off his brilliance.”
It’s commonly known at this point that Phil Heath was dealing with a few surgeries over the years that was affecting his ability to bring in his stomach. Some fans even noticed a difference in the symmetry of his abs due to the surgery. Unfortunately, it seemed as if Phil’s prime was behind him. That is, unless he can bring out something shocking the next time he competes – if he decided to return again.
You can watch George Farah’s full comments on Phil Heath’s Olympia 2020 physique in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Victor Martinez Is Open To Rematch Jay Cutler In A Special “Exhibition” Show
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Victor Martinez would be more than happy to have a bodybuilding rematch with Jay Cutler.
Most bodybuilding fans know the infamous Olympia 2007 battle between Victor Martinez and Jay Cutler. Many believed that Martinez was a shoe-in to defeat Cutler and become the new Mr. Olympia. That ultimately didn’t happen. In a major upset, Cutler retained his champion. To this day many fans and even athletes believe Martinez should have won that show. Now all these years later and with the rise of “super fights” in boxing – could we one day see a rematch between them? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez opens the possibility of an exhibition rematch with Jay Cutler.
For Victor Martinez, his bodybuilding career didn’t go as expected. By 2007, he was one of the biggest threats to the Mr. Olympia title. The controversial loss to Jay Cutler still stands out as a big moment in bodybuilding history. After that, Martinez found himself incarcerated, which completely removed his ability to maintain his superior physique. His attempt to return was chronicled in the original Generation Iron in 2013.
Since then, Victor Martinez has had some ups and downs in the sport. He’s found some success on major bodybuilding competitions – but never came as close to Olympia victory as he did in 2007. Most recently, he hardly competes.
That’s why during our most recent interview, we asked him what his future plans are in and out of bodybuilding. He is a man who has started a few businesses in the past. He has an entrepreneurial spirit – and is eyeing a few options ahead. But what about in terms of competitive bodybuilding?
Victor Martinez admitted he has little reason to return to seriously competing. But there was one catch. He discussed how he would be open to rematching Jay Cutler. Not in a tried and true IFBB league show – but instead as a sort of super match. Something similar to the recent super fight between Logan Paul and Floyd Mayweather.
“Now I’ll tell you one thing. The only way I will compete is that if we do some Mayweather or Connor stuff.,” Victor Martinez states in our interview. He continues:
“Let’s say Jay Cutler says, ‘Vic I want to challenge you’ or say I want to challenge Jay. Let’s go for a one on one pay per view, you know, and make it American Idol type – let them choose the winner. Let’s collect funds Jay.”
At this point, the entire conversation is completely theoretical. There is no match being prepared and not even a clue if Jay Cutler would be interested. But one thing that’s important to note – is that Martinez states this is the only way he would compete again.
It seems whether or not this dream rematch will come true – that Victor Martinez has little interest in competing within the traditional IFBB path. He’s moved onto other future plans. Whether or not that would include a special battle against Jay Cutler… well, maybe it will become a reality if the fans make enough noise after his statement.
You can watch Jay Cutler discuss his future plans and his dream rematch against Jay Cutler in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Brad Castleberry Bares All On How He Deals With Depression
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Brad Castleberry talks about the lowest moments of his life and how he deals with depression to this day – in hopes of inspiring and helping others.
In a previous interview we did with Brad Castleberry last year, we discussed the lowest moment in his life. It was a devastating moment of his business career that left him broke on Christmas day. Since then he’s recovered but he still struggles with anxiety and depression. The feeling of never being good enough often looms in his mind. Castleberry has found healthy coping mechanisms that have gotten him through low points. In our latest GI Exclusive, Brad Castleberry reveals all about his inner thoughts and how he overcomes depression and anxiety.
2020 was a tough year for nearly everyone in the world to different degrees. It’s been reported that depression and anxiety are on the rise after such a turbulent time. While things do seem to be getting better globally – the mental struggles of many individuals could continue to press on for quite some time.
That’s why we asked Brad Castleberry how he deals with depressive thoughts and anxiety. Castleberry has dealt with many past traumas in his life between a business partnership that left him penniless, personal family struggles, and being a controversial online persona that receives extensive online hate.
Over the past few years, Brad Castleberry has grown into a very different kind of bodybuilder and man. What used to be of value to him today is very different than just five years ago. Most notably, he is open to speaking about it candidly and at length. In our latest interview, Castleberry held nothing back discussing not only his past struggles – but how he continues to have be, in his own words, “crazy in my mind a lot of the time.”
Brad Castleberry starts off by expressing the importance of communication and finding help. He cannot stress enough how much unloading depressive thoughts can be towards finding stability. Keeping it bottled up inside can only lead to more torment and possible dangerous actions – including self harm.
Brad Castleberry also understands that some people are in tough situation. They may be lonely with no one to turn to for an open conversation. He presses that therapy or counseling should not be taboo. It should be something everyone has access to and should not be ashamed to engage in.
Brad Castleberry also shares some small habits that can help bring out more calming thoughts. When Castleberry faces darker thoughts of feeling unsuccessful or incomplete – he takes a walk, goes hiking, and simply makes sure to be outside in nature. While this isn’t medical advice – breaking bad habits and entering out into the world, even alone, could have healing affects on a moment of crisis. Or at least, that’s what works for Castleberry.
He also points out how even the most basic principles of bodybuilding are helpful in keeping a more stable foundation both mentally and physically. Eating healthy and finding a routine in training that betters your body can bring a sense of progress at times when a person might be feeling lost. Small incremental improvements day by day can make a big difference in dealing with anxiety and depression. Bodybuilding provides exactly that. Daily small improvements to your health and physique
But the true crux of Brad Castleberry’s advice doesn’t necessarily come from his specific tips – but more from how earnest and honest he is in this conversation. More than anything, he seems like a person who hopes to make some sort of connection through his transparency. A far cry from the viral bodybuilder who was often dodgy and accused of lifting fake weights.
You can watch Brad Castleberry bare all about his past experiences with depression and how he continues to find healthy ways to cope to this day. Watch it all in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Samir Bannout’s Critical Analysis Of Big Ramy’s Olympia 2020 Physique
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Samir Bannout reacts to Big Ramy’s physique at the Mr. Olympia 2020.
Samir Bannout is a legend in the world of bodybuilding. A competitor with an incredible physique, he eventually solidified his status by becoming Mr. Olympia in 1983. With an incredible reputation and successful pedigree, we decided to ask Bannout about his thoughts on the Mr. Olympia 2020. More specifically, his reaction to Big Ramy’s physique and big win. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Samir Bannout critiques Big Ramy’s Olympia-winning physique.
After many years of ups and downs, Big Ramy finally won the Mr. Olympia in 2020. It was quite a rollercoaster of a journey – with some fans unsure if he was ever going to actually pull it off. Then everything clicked and Big Ramy showcased one of the greatest physiques of his career. It earned him the title of Mr. Olympia 2021.
True to his name, Big Ramy represents the modern look of pro bodybuilding. He has incredibly massive size – sometimes weighing close to 300 pounds on stage. This size had always been a push-pull aspect of his success. His mass monster look was reminiscent of Ronnie Coleman – but it also took away from his conditioning. This ultimately put him on a path of falling short at the Olympia for nearly a decade.
Samir Bannout recognizes this when analyzing Big Ramy’s latest showing that earned him the gold. According to Bannout, Ramy had so much massive size on him – that he was easily able to take off some points to work on conditioning without losing his freak factor. In fact, this is the element that Bannout believes was off all these years. Ramy didn’t have the confidence, or perhaps the guidance, to cut off some weight.
Samir Bannout has been watching Big Ramy’s career from the start. He’s even, in fact, had some one on one conversations with Ramy throughout the years. From what Bannout can gather, there was some element of disconnect between Ramy’s talent and his training in Kuwait.
There’s no denying that the Oxygen Gym crew can help transform bodybuilders into mass monsters worth noting. Brandon Curry struggled through his mid-career only to completely change gears upon moving to Kuwait. He eventually won the Mr. Olympia title for himself in 2019. The training in Kuwait helped Big Ramy in this way too – but when it came to the finish line – something was off.
“I think Ramy with his coach was saying… that they are going back to the old school way with Big Ramy,” Samir Bannout states in our interview. “When Ramy was in Kuwait, he was trying very hard with the Camel Crew and sometimes they weren’t on the same page.”
Samir Bannout goes on to say that trainers and coaches are not solely responsible for Big Ramy’s success or failure. Bannout praises Big Ramy’s work ethic and heart for the sport.
“Everybody wants to get the credit… but come on, Ramy is working very hard.” Bannout continues to say in our conversation. “All he needs is the minor tweaking to make him pop.”
There is no one right way to win a Mr. Olympia show. The road to success is different for each individual. Big Ramy simply took some time to find what works best for him. In 2020, Samir Bannout saw a bodybuilder in complete form. His size and conditioning finally met in the middle for a superior physique.
You can watch Samir Bannout’s full comments and analysis of Big Ramy in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Guy Cisternino: Bodybuilding Today Needs More Intensity
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Guy Cisternino talks about his bad luck in 2020 and how he wishes young bodybuilders today had more intensity.
It’s an understatement to say that 2020 was a bad year. That’s especially true for Guy Cisternino – but in a way that you might not expect. Beyond the quarantine, Cisternino had a string of bizarre bad luck that made his 2020 bodybuilding career disappointing to himself. But he doesn’t let him get too down so long as he can still train in the gym and help inspire the younger generation of bodybuilders.
But as he faces a new generation coming up in the ranks, he does have one wish for the future of bodybuilding. He wants there to be more young bodybuilders that exhibit the kind of training intensity he brings into the gym. Bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Branch Warren, and Guy Cisternino are becoming a dying breed. According to Cisternino, there just aren’t that many bodybuilders who go truly hardcore in the gym. This goes beyond physique quality. It’s simply a mental attitude that Cisternino personally prefers. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Guy Cisternino details his hopes for a new crop of bodybuilders that bring intensity back to the sport.
Nick Walker is one of the biggest standout young bodybuilders coming into the pro league today. There’s no doubting that he has a massive frame and the promise to be a threatening competitor ranking in the top spots of competitions. Guy Cisternino has no doubt of that either. But what he’s noticed is that Walker is so powerful – that he can lift heavy weight with ease. He puts up a massive bench press without making a sound.
While this doesn’t affect Nick Walker’s physique at the end of the day – it does find Cisternino longing for an older era of bodybuilding. Guy Cisternino is similar to bodybuilders like Branch Warren. When he trains in the gym – he goes extremely intense and hardcore. Yelling, loud noises, and bursts of intensity are common. That’s because he puts every ounce of himself into ever rep.
While there is certainly some correlation between intensity in training and effectiveness of your workouts – it’s not necessary to scream in the gym to be a talented bodybuilder. Ultimately, Cisternino is not criticizing the younger generation for problems with the quality of their physique. Instead, he’s simply lamenting a dying breed of personality in the sport. The kind of personality that partially made him love bodybuilding in the first place.
“A part of me just hopes that, man, maybe a couple of these kids will just carry that intensity on because I just don’t see it that often,” Guy Cisternino states in our interview. He continues:
“I think bodybuilding needs some intensity sometimes. I think you need guys like Dorian, like Ronnie, like Branch, like Kai, like me, like Flex, like Jose Raymond. I think you need that, you know? I think it makes it a little more fun.”
At the end of the day bodybuilding is a sport. But you’d be a fool to think that part of what makes sports great is the culture behind them. For Guy Cisternino, that hardcore intensity is what made him love the sport to a large degree. As he gets older and as he sees that intensity slowly fall to the wayside – he misses it.
You can watch Guy Cisternino go into full detail about the new generation of bodybuilding and intensity within the sport by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview above!
INTERVIEW: Tom Stoltman “Went To Places No Human Being Wants To Go” For World’s Strongest Man 2021
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World’s Strongest Man 2021 champion Tom Stoltman opens up about taking his training to the next level for victory.
This past weekend, on June 20th 2021, Tom Stoltman became the World’s Strongest Man champion. It was an epic victory after a dramatic two-day finals. Stoltman was only one point ahead going into the final event. Four-time WSM champion Brian Shaw was right on his tale. Ultimately, Stoltman dominated in the last event and earned his first World’s Strongest Man title. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Tom Stoltman details his training, diet, and tactics leading up to the World’s Strongest Man 2021.
Tom Stoltman placed second at last year’s World’s Strongest Man 2020. So it seemed destined for him to rise up and become the new champion this year. Of course, in real life destiny doesn’t always play out. For Stoltman – it did. He’s now the new WSM 2021 champion. We had the opportunity to connect with him just after his victory for a quick video interview.
The competition was fierce and going into the final event of the finals – Tom Stoltman was only one point ahead of former champion Brian Shaw. According to Stoltman though, he wasn’t worried at all. The Atlas Stones are his favorite event. So he knew that he would dominate in the final event of the night. Not only that – but he felt that he could rely on Brian Shaw falling further behind in this event as well. His confidence paid off. Stoltman ultimately placed first in that final event – clinching his overall victory.
But what was the big difference between this year and last year? How did Tom Stoltman upgrade his performance to become the new champion? Stoltman told us that the minute he stepped off the plan after the WSM 2020, he immediately jumped back into training. Not only that – but he made additions to his team in order to take his success in 2020 and turn it into ultimate victory in 2021.
Tom Stoltman goes into great detail about the overhaul he committed to preparing for the WSM 2021:
“As soon as we got off the airplane last year, we got a warehouse and kind of got a specialist kit. So bigger yolks, fingal’s fingers… all that kind of stuff to help us get to that next level. I started working with someone to help me mentally and it all just paid off. I really put my heart and soul into this prep.”
Stoltman also explains further the specialist who helped him with his mental state. From the sound of it – he truly put both body and mind to the test. He brought himself on the verge of breaking. Knowing that it would all pay off in the end.
“So the lady that I had help me used a few words and helped me believe in myself. And helped me go past failure. You know that’s something I never, ever did before. When things got hard I would just give up or not be able to kind of push through that… she helped me kind of go to places where no human being wants to go. Just dark, dark places and you know it paid off this weekend because I went to some of those places.”
Tom Stoltman also shared some other fun facts about his experience preparing and competing at the World’s Strongest Man 2021. He would consume anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000 calories a day. That calorie count would increase as he got closer to the competition. He also admitted that his favorite food while he was competing here in the US was Five Guys burgers – claiming to have probably spent over one thousand dollars on the food during his time here.
And how does Tom Stoltman plan to celebrate? He’s going back to his home in Scottland to throw a massive party at his warehouse. He hasn’t had a beer in quite some time due to his training – so he’s excited to have a cold glass of beer to reward himself for his victory. The smile on his face on that last note during our interview says it all. Stoltman is on top of the world right now – and he put himself through the paces to truly earn it.
You can watch our full GI Exclusive interview with Tom Stoltman above!