Tag: Originals
Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 3: Vegas New Mecca, Fitting On Plane, & Last Photo With Rich Piana
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Craig Golias talks on how bodybuilders are swarming to Las Vegas, how to not overeat while bulking, and his relationship with the late Rich Piana
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 Las Vegas becoming the new mecca of bodybuilding, his friendship with Rich Piana, how to not overeat while bulking, and his early days as an ectomorph.
While Craig Golias may have only had a short career as a competitive bodybuilder, he still love the sport and lifestyle passionately. During our time talking with Craig during this episode, he also recounts his very first time going to the Mr. Olympia competition as a fan. He also discusses his how much he enjoys going to the expo and meeting fans.
Are bodybuilders flocking to live in Las Vegas?
One of our main points of discussion this week is Las Vegas and how it’s suddenly booming with bodybuilding. It’s no secret that for decades the Mr. Olympia has been held in Las Vegas. Ironically, that has changed over the past two years due to COVID-19 – yet the bodybuilding culture seems to be thriving in Las Vegas regardless.
Craig Golias is one of those bodybuilders. He now lives in Las Vegas and hasn’t looked back. In fact, he despises California cities due to the immense traffic and expensive prices. According to Craig, he’s not alone. Many aspiring and pro bodybuilders are moving to Las Vegas. Not only that – but notable gyms are opening up in the area as well.
This combination of bodybuilding-focused gyms and bodybuilders seems to be early signs of a shift in the bodybuilding landscape. Will Las Vegas soon overshadow Los Angeles as the mecca of bodybuilding? Craig Golias believes so.
Vlad Yudin also discusses with Craig how a similar shift is happening on the east coast. Many bodybuilders and events have been moving to Florida. This was accelerated by the pandemic and the lax laws in the state. But this shift was happening even before COVID-19 consumed the world.
Craig Golias On Overeating And Life As An Ectomorph
The topic of bulking returns this week as Craig Golias gives advice on how to not overeat while trying to put on size. The key of course is to eat clean. But he also suggests that your tactics change depending on your current weight. If you are overweight and want to build muscle – Craig suggests focusing on dieting and cutting weight first. Drop the fat, then return to eating heavily – only this time with clean foods.
Craig Golias, while massive and nearly 300 pounds, was not a man who naturally carried weight during his younger years. In fact, he was skinny as twig. He describes himself as an ectomorph who could eat whatever he wanted without gaining weight.
So of course, when he decided to try and build massive muscle – he overindulged extremely. At first, this combined with training led to mostly muscle growth. But by the time he went from 150 pounds to 225 pounds, the weight gain started going from muscle to fat.
At the time, Craig Golias knew nothing about the protocols and tactics for being a successful bodybuilder. He was just playing it by ear and trying to emulate the physiques he saw in movies and magazines. For future generations – he warns against doing what he did at the start. The sooner you know about building muscle on a clean diet, the sooner you will find the kind of real bodybuilding success you are likely looking for.
Wrap Up
You can watch Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss Las Vegas bodybuilding, Rich Piana, overeating, and how to build muscle as an ectomorph in our latest episode above. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
Blessing Awodibu Full Interview | Trash Talk, New York Pro, & The Future Of Bodybuilding
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Watch the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Blessing Awodibu
Blessing Awodibu blew up on the pro bodybuilding scene in 2020 through to this year. This was due to two reasons. First, his physique updates on social media showcased a threatening package. Second, his personality and trash talk online spawned a rivalry with another up and coming bodybuilder in the spotlight – Nick Walker.
Since then, Blessing has competed in the Indy Pro and the New York Pro. While he didn’t win either of those competitions – his physique shows true promise. He placed third at the Indy Pro and sixth at the New York Pro. Disappointing compared to the hype behind him – but a respectable start for his pro career to be sure.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with Blessing Awodibu. Now we’re releasing the full length interview including topics such as his online hype & trash talk, the New York Pro, and how he plans to transform the future of bodybuilding.
Listen To Our Blessing Awodibu 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 Blessing Awodibu interview here:
Blessing on trash talk and his rivalry with Nick Walker
True to character, Blessing embraced the entire rivalry with Nick Walker in the lead up to the New York Pro 2021. He believed that this kind of beef is simply part of the entertainment of bodybuilding. He is doing it because he wants to put on a show. He thinks that the New York Pro would have the “highest pay-per-view streams” than any other IFBB show. He thinks this is solely due to the hype he helped create.
He also thinks that Nick Walker might have taken everything a bit too personally. Blessing believes that athletes understand an unspoken contract as pros – that the trash talk and rivalries are nothing personal. It’s simply the mindset of a confident athlete looking to win.
“I don’t think Nick understands it. He took it too personal, you know?”
Blessing expresses the importance of bodybuilders bringing entertaining personality to the sport.
Blessing Awodibu thinks the sport of bodybuilding has one major problem. It has nothing to do with the physiques or bubble guts. Blessing thinks we have a crisis of personality in bodybuilding. More specifically, he thinks that bodybuilding has stopped being entertaining.
Of course, Blessing is not referring to the actual competitions themselves. He understands that the drama of the Olympia or Arnold Classic or any other major IFBB pro show is still there with the quality of physiques on display. The problem is everything in between. There are not enough personalities, rivalries, and hype building up into the competitions.
Blessing Awodibu is already someone who is making headlines in the industry. Not only due to his massive physique but also due to his outspoken nature leading up to the New York Pro 2021. He’s called out Nick Walker and built anticipation with a temporary rivalry between the two leading up to the show.
Beyond that, Blessing Awodibu, has been making viral content online for years. He’s been dubbed the funniest bodybuilder in the sport. During our conversation, we asked him what other bodybuilders look to be matching him in terms of entertainment and personality. Blessing had a hard time coming up with any names.
That’s the problem. For every Kai Greene or Bradley Martyn, there are dozens of other bodybuilders that simply stay quiet. What makes this most frustrating for Blessing, is that he knows that there are tons of great bodybuilding personalities in the sport. He thinks there is a lot of talented bodybuilders who can create great hype and content. But in Blessing’s opinion – they are being lazy.
Of course, Blessing means this only on the personality or entertainment front. In fact, he points out that these pro bodybuilders are so good at training, dieting, and sculpting their physique – that they don’t make time to entertain the fans.
Wrap Up
Our conversation with Blessing Awodibu lasted just about an hour – so there are many other topics that we can’t discuss in full within this article. That’s why you can check out the full uncut GI Exclusive interview with Blessing above!
Danny Hester: Chris Hemsworth Can’t Use Muscle As An Excuse For Lack Of Acting Respect
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Danny Hester reacts to Chris Hemsworth’s statements of not being taken seriously as an actor due to his muscular physique.
Last month, Chris Hemsworth went on the record stating that he was taken less seriously as an actor due to his impressive physique. Of course, there’s no doubt that Hemsworth is beloved across the world due to his Hollywood roles – it seems here he is talking about more diverse and in-depth acting beyond Hollywood action roles. He feels typecast as the muscular action hero. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, pro bodybuilder and celebrity trainer Danny Hester reacts to Chris Hemsworth’s statements.
Danny Hester is not just an Olympia champion pro bodybuilder, he has also trained a select group of celebrities for their roles in major movies. He’s trained Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler among other notable names. So we thought he was the perfect person to ask about the recent statements made by Chris Hemsworth.
Chris Hemsworth went on record to claim that he is being typecast. He’s only seen as a muscular action hero for Hollywood and isn’t offered more meaty acting roles. While being typecast is certainly something that has happened to actors throughout the history of movies – is it the muscle to blame? Or more so the actual risks the actor is willing to take?
Danny Hester believes that Chris Hemsworth’s statements are simply an excuse. This isn’t to say that Hester believes Hemsworth to be a poor actor. Far from it. He simply believes that Hemsworth made his career path choices. He focused on action films first and hoped that it could be a platform to eventually get into more diverse roles. If that’s not happening now – it’s not the muscular physique to blame. It’s his career path and acting roles he took.
Danny Hester points towards Sylvester Stallone. He has been nominated for multiple Oscars among other awards. Yet in the pop culture space – he is known less as an amazing actor and more for his action films and muscular physique. Despite this – he has earned accolades and nominations for prestigious awards. To Danny Hester, this is proof that the movie industry will recognize talent despite stereotypes.
Danny Hester also pulls from his personal experience training celebrities. He recalls training Mickey Rourke before his career was revived by his role in The Wrestler. Rourke was building up muscle and his manager was worried. The reason? His manager thought that if Rourke kept getting larger and more muscular that he would have even more against him for being cast in serious roles.
Danny Hester pushed back and stated to Rourke’s manager that his obsession with fitness is saving his life from other vices. Over a year later, Mickey Rourke got cast in The Wrestler. While not simply due to his new muscular physique – it helped. He was able to act seriously and fulfill the role required for the store. The movie ultimately won Rourke some major awards and put himself back on the map.
Ultimately, Danny Hester points out that luck and timing have a lot to do with success in the film industry. He thinks that one single thing – like being too muscular – cannot be the sole excuse for failure. Hester thinks that Chris Hemsworth still has an entire future ahead of him to obtain more diverse and deeper roles. Perhaps the timing just hasn’t been right yet. Either way, Danny Hester refuses to believes it’s because of his physique.
You can watch Danny Hester’s full comments on Chris Hemsworth and muscle in Hollywood in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Gunter Schlierkamp Answers: How He Beat Ronnie Coleman In His Mr. Olympia Prime
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Pro bodybuilding Gunter Schlierkamp reflects on beating Ronnie Coleman in 2002 just three weeks after he won the Mr. Olympia.
It’s no secret that Ronnie Coleman is one of the biggest legends in the sport of bodybuilding. His eight-time Mr. Olympia reign is stuff of legend and his mass monster physique is touted as impossible to match – even decades after his prime. Yet somehow in 2002, Gunter Schlierkamp defeated Coleman at a bodybuilding show just three weeks after Coleman took his fifth Sandow trophy. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Gunter Schlierkamp details the moment he defeated Ronnie Coleman in his prime and just how he pulled it off.
Gunter Schlierkamp is a bodybuilder who is beloved by many fans in the history of the sport. He may not have earned an Olympia win – but his mass monster physique was impressive and earned him a spot as an icon in bodybuilding. But there is one fact that might be shocking to fans who don’t know Schlierkamp’s career in detail. In 2002, just three weeks after Ronnie Coleman won his fifth Mr. Olympia title, Schlierkamp defeated Ronnie Coleman.
Of course, Ronnie Coleman had been defeated before. It’s well known that Coleman struggled to place high initially before dominating the field. That being said, after he started winning the Mr. Olympia year after year – Gunter Schlierkamp is the only bodybuilder to have defeated him during his reign. How did he do it?
We asked this very question to Gunter Schlierkamp during our latest video interview. His answer has little to do with some sort of mysterious trick – and more to do with continued hard work mixed with a boost of extreme confidence.
Gunter Schlierkamp faced off against Ronnie Coleman at a pro show in New Orleans three weeks after the Mr. Olympia. During the Olympia show – Schlierkamp placed fifth. This his first time making it into the top five at Mr. Olympia. Afterwards, famous bodybuilding journalist Peter McGough came up to him backstage. With extreme excitement, McGough stated that Schlierkamp should have placed in the top five the previous year. His placing in 2002 was vindication of the mistake that the judges made sleeping on him last year.
This news from such a trusted voice in bodybuilding made Gunter Schlierkamp ecstatic. So when he went into the New Orleans show just three weeks later – he had extreme confidence in his own ability going into the show. Not only that but he felt the energy of the fans. Any self doubt was thrown out the window. Mix that with continued hard work – and Schlierkamp found himself with the best conditioned physique he ever had.
Contest timing is always important as well. We asked Schlierkamp if he felt that Ronnie might have peaked at the Olympia only to be off three weeks later. Gunter Schlierkamp dismissed this idea. In his opinion, Ronnie Coleman looked better at the New Orleans show compared to the Mr. Olympia. By that notion, Schlierkamp believes to not have won by luck – but by pure hard work and will power. He didn’t defeat Ronnie on an off day. He defeated Ronnie at the top of his game.
There’s many more fascinating details to this period of time that we can’t get into with this article. That’s why you should check out Gunter Schlierkamp explain it fully in our GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Victor Martinez: Hunter Labrada Has The Mass Of Nick Walker & The Shape Of Blessing
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Victor Martinez critiques three of the biggest up and coming pro bodybuilders – Nick Walker, Blessing Awodibu, and Hunter Labrada.
In late 2020 and through the first half of 2021, three names have stood out as rising stars in the pro league. Those three athletes are Nick Walker, Hunter Labrada, and Blessing Awodibu. With a few pro shows under each of their belts, they have showcased extremely promising physiques. That’s why we’ve turned to veteran Victor Martinez for his analysis on these three bodybuilders – and what we can expect from them in the future. In our latest GI Exclusive, Victor Martinez discusses how Hunter Labrada hits the sweet spot of size and shape – standing out above Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu.
Over the past few years, pro bodybuilding has been in a transitionary stage. We’ve had three different Mr. Olympia champions in three years. We’ve also seen a handful of new younger athletes rise into the spotlight. The torch is in the process of being passed – and a new generation of bodybuilders are ready to prove their worth.
Three standout athletes in particular are Nick Walker, Blessing Awodibu, and Hunter Labrada. Nick Walker just won first place at the New York Pro 2021, solidifying the hype surrounding his massive physique. Blessing Awodibu, while not winning any major competitions – remained in top placings with a threatening physique that simply needs some fine tuning.
Hunter Labrada has not yet competed in 2021, but his last appearances in 2020 caught a lot of attention. His aesthetic, conditioning reminded many of his father Lee Labrada. On top of that, he seems to be bringing in a more modern level of muscle mass. Will this make him a true contender to be a future Mr. Olympia champion?
We spoke with Victor Martinez during our video interview and asked him who he thought were the most interesting young bodybuilders rising in the ranks. Martinez gave immense praise to all three of these bodybuilders – but singled Hunter Labrada out as the one with most promise. The reason? He appears to hold the perfect combination of strengths between Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu.
Victor Martinez had this to say about Hunter Labrada during our interview:
“Labrada has the mass of Nick and the shape of Blessing. He’s like an in between of both of them. Because Blessing has great shape, the mass, keeps dieting and it’s going down. Nick Walker is just staying massive but he doesn’t have the shape.”
Of course, time can change a lot of things. Victor Martinez’s comments were made just before the New York Pro 2021. While his opinion might still stand – Nick Walker’s win will certainly give him confidence to continue improving.
Big Ramy was a bodybuilder who many thought would never be able to find the right balance of size and conditioning. He ultimately proved them wrong. Nick Walker is too early in his career for anyone to make permanent assumptions. We’ve yet to see the full potential of his abilities – but as Big Ramy proved – either way incredible things can happen.
As it stands now, Hunter Labrada simply has the work ethic and the genetics to truly impress Victor Martinez. And he’s not alone. Many fans and fellow bodybuilders are surprised at just how on point Hunter Labrada has looked the past year. We can’t wait to see what kind of damage he can do when he next steps on stage.
You can watch Victor Martinez’ full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
George Farah: I Could Have Gotten Big Ramy The Mr. Olympia Sooner
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George Farah reflects on Big Ramy’s Olympia win and his many coaching changes leading up to the victory.
Big Ramy’s Mr. Olympia win was a long time coming. So long, in fact, that many bodybuilding fans began to doubt if it would ever happen. His placings were a rollercoaster ride between the years. Regardless, in 2020, Ramy pulled it off. Throughout the years building towards this victory, Ramy changed coaches quite a bit. One of those coaches was George Farah. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, George Farah discusses his time training Big Ramy and claims that he could have gotten him the Mr. Olympia title sooner.
George Farah was Big Ramy’s on and off coach over the past few years of Big Ramy’s career. But like many other coaches along the way – Ramy refused to stay put. With each passing Olympia he didn’t win, Ramy tried out different coaches to find the best fit for victory. He found himself returning to Farah a few times during this period.
George Farah holds no ill will towards Big Ramy for these changes. “We are adults,” he claims in our interview. Farah understands that an athlete will ultimately do what he thinks is best for his career. While Farah enjoyed his time training Ramy – especially because of his potential – Farah understood that Ramy had to find his own path.
That being said, George Farah was extremely happy for Big Ramy to win the Mr. Olympia in 2020. He knew for years that if Ramy could get on point, he would be unstoppable. He still believes that now. Though he admits that anything can happen and it remains to be seen if Ramy will return on point again or continue his rollercoaster up and down career. Farah hopes to see him remain champion in the future.
We also asked George Farah why he thinks Big Ramy changed coaches so often throughout his career. As we briefly mentioned above, Farah thinks that Ramy needed to find his own path. He was hungry to win – and wanted to try out all options to see what worked best.
While George Farah is not angry about Big Ramy leaving him as a coach, he does admit that he finds himself somewhat sad. This is partially due to the fact that Farah finds Ramy to have one of the biggest hearts in bodybuilding. But it’s also because Farah strongly believes that he could have gotten Ramy the Mr. Olympia title sooner.
“Did it hurt me that he left? Yeah. But it didn’t hurt me that he left me. It hurt me because I saw what I could do with him,” George Farah stated in our interview. He continued:
“I saw that – I said, ‘Oh my god. Right now I knew how Ramy’s body is going to work.’ After Prague, it’s going to be a piece of cake. But he ended up going with Chris… I didn’t get mad. I got a little sad. Like I said, the only reason I got sad because I know what I could have done. I could have gotten him that Olympia before waiting four or five years.”
George Farah seems convinced that if Big Ramy stayed more consistent with his coaches that he could have found success at Olympia sooner. More specifically, Farah believes he fully understood Ramy’s body and could have gotten him the Sandow trophy years earlier.
You can watch George Farah go into full detail about Big Ramy and his Mr. Olympia win by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview above.
Mike O’Hearn: How Being Macho In Bodybuilding Can Backfire
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Mike O’Hearn talks about the dangers of hiding behind muscle and being “macho” in bodybuilding.
Nearly everyone at some point in their lives deals with anxiety or depressive thoughts. We all go through traumas and tragedies at some point or another. Some of us deal with a constant state of anxiety or depression. Fitness and bodybuilding can be a great tool to help combat these negative thoughts, feelings, and habits. But there can also be a darker side of the coin when it comes to bodybuilding, muscle, and “macho” behavior. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Mike O’Hearn shares his past experiences with tragedy, anxiety, and depression and how hiding behind muscle and being macho made things harder – not easier.
The past year and a half has been a trying time for nearly everyone in the world to some degree or another. Cases of depression and anxiety have risen as we all deal with a truly traumatic and unprecedented event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why during our conversation with Mike O’Hearn – we asked how he deals with stress, anxiety, and depression.
Mike O’Hearn is an extremely focused and proactive person. It’s been well documented and discussed how seriously he takes his bodybuilding lifestyle. He gets up at the crack of dawn to train every single morning. He never misses one day. On top of that, he’s stuck to an incredibly strict diet to obtain a physique that many think is impossible to build without steroids. O’Hearn has stayed consistent in his all natural claims. With the kind of intense routine he follows – he just might be one of the few to really pull that kind of natural physique off.
But behind all of that focus and strict routine – how does he deal with anxiety and depression? What does Mike O’Hearn do when life throws a tragic curveball? We asked this very question to O’Hearn during our latest interview.
Mike O’Hearn reflects back on two times in his life that were very painful. It was the moment his mother and father passed away. Both deaths occurred separate from each other. His father passed first. At the time, O’Hearn decided to push his emotions and grief down. He wanted to be strong and macho. The kind of strong man that mentally to mach his massive muscle.
It wasn’t until after Mike O’Hearn’s mother passed away that the pain and grief he was suppressing all poured out. Everything that he had avoided during his father’s death boiled up to the surface on top of his new grief upon his mother passing. O’Hearn spiraled into a depressed state. The only thing that brought consistency into his life was his ongoing training and nutrition schedule. It was the only thing he had control over.
Ultimately, Mike O’Hearn slowly recovered and pulled himself out of the hole. By facing his emotions and admitting to others that he was facing emotional struggles – he was able to finally face a series of grief that he had been avoiding for years.
Mike O’Hearn tops off the conversation with advice for others who are facing anxiety or depression. Speak out about it. Be open and don’t be afraid to reveal the pain you are going through. Whether that’s speaking to a family member, a friend, or getting professional help.
Many bodybuilders entered into the bodybuilding lifestyle because they wanted to be strong. Perhaps because they were bullied as a kid or simply unhappy with the way they looked. This creates a sort of macho mentality down the road. Bodybuilders will do anything possible to appear strong – not just physically but emotionally.
Mike O’Hearn wants the world to know that it’s okay to open up. That there is actual strength in admitting to grief or anxiety or depression. Instead of hiding behind muscle and a tough guy persona – be honest with not only yourself but also others. It will make you stronger in the end. It will also hopefully make you a happier and more fulfilled person in the big picture.
You can watch Mike O’Hearn discuss anxiety, depression, and bodybuilding in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Samir Bannout On Olympia 1984 Loss: “I Was Intentionally Robbed”
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After winning Mr. Olympia in 1983, Samir Bannout calls his loss in 1984 dirty and highway robbery.
Samir Bannout is a legendary bodybuilder who has the rare distinction of only winning the Mr. Olympia once. That puts him on a short list of pro bodybuilders including the likes of Dexter Jackson. This does not demean the accomplishment. Winning even one Mr. Olympia is a powerful feat. But why did Samir Bannout go from winning first place in 1984 down to sixth place the following year? According to Bannout, this was no accident or problem with his physique. It was an intentional plan to prevent him from victory. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Samir Bannout alleges how he was intentionally robbed out of winning the Mr. Olympia 1984.
Samir Bannout wants to make one thing clear when discussing his Mr. Olympia win and the fallout that came in the following years – he is not unhappy with his past career. Personally, Samir Bannout believes he should have won the Mr. Olympia in 1982. But he’s more than happy with the ultimate single Olympia win he got in 1983. He knows he cannot change the past.
The 1984 Mr. Olympia is a totally different story. Samir Bannout doesn’t simply believe that he should have won – he believes that he did in fact have the winning physique but was sabotaged by insiders in the league. Bannout reiterates that he has no ill will about the loss – but he also has no problem revealing what he believes to be the truth. He alleges that certain individuals intentionally altered the outcome of the Mr. Olympia 1984. This, according to Bannout, is main reason why he dropped down to sixth place.
During this segment of our conversation with Samir Bannout, we track his rise and eventual win at the Mr. Olympia 1983. We also track through his sudden drop off in the years that followed. Bannout discusses how he change up his tactics in order to go from 16th at the Mr. Olympia 1980 all the way to Olympia champion in 1983. He describes himself as trying too hard and creating a mental block on his progress. Once he realized “less is more” – he found a new path towards success.
Of course, that all came crashing down in 1984 when he suddenly dropped down to sixth place at the Mr. Olympia. While Bannout does not name names – he explains how specific individuals wanted to ruin Bannout’s reputation and prevent him from winning the Mr. Olympia again. This, according to Bannout, is the main reason he placed so much lower.
Samir Bannout points to photos of his physique as proof that he was better than a sixth place athlete. It was clear that Bannout and Lee Haney were neck and neck for first place. While Bannout does not completely line out exactly what happened – he implies that his close relationship with Joe Weider led to some jealously in the league. Those jealous individuals worked behind the scenes to take down Bannout as the then-current golden child of the sport.
You can watch Samir Bannout go into complete detail about his Mr. Olympia 1984 experience by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Brad Castleberry Reacts To Recent Videos Defending Against Ongoing Fake Weight Criticism
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Brad Castleberry talks about his new viral videos and reflects on recent big names such as Joe Rogan defending him against fake weight accusations.
Brad Castleberry has stepped slowly away from massive weightlifting viral videos. Instead, he now focuses on different kind of athletic feats beyond the weights. He focuses more on a calisthenic approach with videos that continue to go viral. Somewhat removed from his older videos, Castleberry spends some time with us reflecting on the fake weight criticism he has received over the years. In our latest GI Exclusive, Brad Castleberry reacts to recent videos, such as Joe Rogan, defending Brad against fake weight critics.
Brad Castleberry has alway brought controversy in the bodybuilding world. This is almost exclusively because of his viral weightlifting videos. Many fans in bodybuilding believe that his videos are staged with fake weights. Some YouTubers have even gone to great lengths to analyze the videos and prove that the weights are, indeed, fake.
Of course, due to these critics not being able to inspect the weights in person – there is no conclusive evidence that can prove Brad Castleberry lifts fake weights. This causes the criticism to continue in loops indefinitely. Bodybuilding fans criticize, Castleberry fans defend, and then repeat.
Over time, Brad Castleberry has moved away from the ego lifting viral videos of the past and move towards more calisthenic viral videos. These, of course, hard harder to fake and in general the criticism against him has subsided. Yet his reputation for lifting fake weights after criticism for years has stuck.
In fact, his reputation for fake weights has grown so much that larger online personalities have started to chime in – including Joe Rogan on his podcast. Most interestingly, Joe Rogan has defended Castleberry, believing that the lifts are most likely legitimate. Powerlifter Pitbull Torres has also gone on record to say he believes Castleberry’s lifts are very possible. He sees no reason why they would be fake.
Specifically, both of these men look towards where the videos are being filmed. Namely, these videos are happening largely in commercial gyms. How would Brad Castelberry be able to bring in fake weights to a commercial gym without being caught? Or even more so, without causing trouble with management.
Again, ultimately this is all speculation. We can’t know anything for certain without being there in person. Regardless, we asked Brad Castleberry his thoughts on the more recent videos discussing his weightlifting videos. He feels honored that there are finally credible larger names that are defending him.
While he finds these comments satisfying – he also stands by his original statements. He always knew, in his words, that his videos were not faked. He has grown over the years to learn how to not worry about comments. He simply does what not only makes him happy but what works for his loyal followers. It works for him. He avoids worrying about the criticism and continues to move on.
You can watch Brad Castleberry’s full reaction to defenders against fake weight criticism in our GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Lou Ferrigno Answers: Who Deserves To Be Called The Greatest Bodybuilder Of All Time?
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Lou Ferrigno debates who is truly the greatest bodybuilder of all time.
Lou Ferrigno is a bodybuilder who competed in the Golden Era of the sport alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu. Even after retiring, he has remained passionate about bodybuilding and fitness up until today. That’s why we asked him who he thinks is the best bodybuilder in the history of the sport. Of course, Ferrigno finds the answer not 100% easy to answer. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Lou Ferrigno answers – who truly deserves to be called the greatest bodybuilder of all time?
Lou Ferrigno competed alongside many greats in his time – and was inspired by legendary bodybuilders before him. He’s stood on stage next to Arnold Schwarzenegger and looked up to Steve Reeves – which inspired him to become a bodybuilder. So who does he think deserves to be called the greatest bodybuilder of all time?
That’s the very question we asked Lou Ferrigno when we sat down with him for a video interview about his latest hearing implant. As a true lover of bodybuilding – he can’t easily pick one name. He compares each legendary bodybuilder like a different type of muscle or sports car. They each stand tall as beautiful and beloved machines (or people). Neither is truly 100% better or worse than the other. It just depends on your preference.
For Lou Ferrigno – that preference might ultimately fall on Steve Reeves. To Ferrigno, Reeves had one of the greatest classic physiques of all time. His proportions, aesthetic, and conditioning all came together like a marble statue. He explains in our interview that it was Steve Reeves who inspired him to become a bodybuilder in the first place. Without Reeves, we wouldn’t have the Incredible Hulk – nor would we have the epic rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger seen in Pumping Iron.
Lou Ferrigno also of course mentions Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bodybuilder who stood tall with seven Mr. Olympia titles and ultimately became an international phenomenon through big screen movies. It’s impossible to deny that Schwarzenegger is in contention for the greatest of all time.
Interestingly enough, Lou Ferrigno does not mention the new school bodybuilders in his self debate trying to determine the best of all time. Perhaps this is due to his connection to the Golden Era. While he does pay attention to the modern sport – he finds the denser physiques less appealing than the Classic Physiques of the past. He enjoys that the sport has spread its wings with multiple divisions. But he does find it a completely different sport than the one he participated in all those years ago.
Ultimately, Lou Ferrigno doesn’t land on a particular name. He does find that the bodybuilders of the past had more camaraderie than bodybuilders today. This is something that he has stated much in the past as well. He also doesn’t completely discount his own name from the options for best of all time. He doesn’t go as far to say he is the greatest – but he believes that his placement and past shows – including the Mr. Universe – put him as an option (a type of sports car to go back to the analogy) that some would find preferable to the rest.
You can watch Lou Ferrigno go into full detail about the best bodybuilders of all time in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!