Tag: Originals
Hardcore Truth: Johnnie O. Jackson Reviews The 2022 Indy Pro Top 5 Physiques
[embedded content]
Johnnie O. Jackson shares his analysis of the top five placing pro bodybuilders at the 2022 Indy Pro.
This past weekend held the 2022 Indy Pro – one of the bigger and more exciting IFBB Pro competitions in the spring. For fans of Blessing Awodibu, stakes were high. Would he improve after some lackluster showings and reclaim the hype as threat to the Mr. Olympia? Johnnie O. Jackson watched the entire show and has put together his official review of Blessing and the other top five athletes from this weekend. In our latest episode of Hardcore Truth, Johnnie O. Jackson gives a complete analysis and recap of the 2022 Indy Pro.
The 2022 Indy Pro was a powerhouse of a show featuring some much hyped pro bodybuilders facing off on stage. Ultimately, the top five placings in the Men’s Open division came down to – Brent Swansen, Justin Rodriguez, Maxx Charles, Charles Griffen, and Blessing Awodibu. In our latest Straight Facts episode, Johnnie O. Jackson breaks down the physiques of these five competitors and recaps the event. Let’s jump into it.
5. Brent Swansen
Johnnie O. Jackson admits that he has heard and seen very little of Brent Swansen. So he was extremely surprised and impressed by the package he brought to the stage. Jackson wouldn’t be surprised if Swansen starts becoming more of a household name as he continues to compete and improve.
Jackson agreed with the five place victory for Brent Swansen. He believed that his conditioning and aesthetic is on point – but he needs to work more on bringing up his overall size and maintaining that level of conditioning while heavier.
4. Justin Rodriguez
Justin Rodriguez is an extremely promising bodybuilder with an incredible physique and incredible genetics. However, Johnnie O. Jackson was a bit disappointed in his physique and showing at the Indy Pro. After seeing what he can accomplish during his last competition at the Arnold Classic – his physique on the stage this weekend looked like a step back.
Johnnie O. Jackson isn’t sure what might have caused this backtracking. Perhaps he did not have enough time between the Arnold Classic and the Indy Pro to best be on point. Different pros have different rev up windows – and maybe this was just slightly too close for Rodriguez.
3. Maxx Charles
Johnnie O. Jackson looks at Maxx Charles’ physique at the Indy Pro as part of a comeback for him. Jackson has previously competed with Charles and knows just how much effort he can put into his contest prep and physique come showtime. After some rocky years – Jackson is seeing real improvement in Charles’ physique and the Indy Pro furthered that improvement.
If he remains consistent, Jackson believes that Maxx Charles can place even higher in future shows and become even more competitive with athletes such as Blessing and Charles Griffen. But that being said…
2. Charles Griffen
Charles Griffen and Blessing Awodibu were incredibly close in competition at the 2022 Indy Pro. Johnnie O. Jackson honestly saw very little difference between these two competitors. But he does understand how Awodibu got the edge with some small details.
In either case, Griffen showcased an incredible physique and is excited to see what he brings at his next show. To nitpick, Jackson thinks that Griffen could have increased his upper body size to match his massive legs for a more fully even aesthetic.
1. Blessing Awodibu
Blessing Awodibu, to Johnnie O. Jackson, had the slightly prettier physique that ultimately gave him the edge – particular his muscle bellies. On top of this, Awodibu made quite the improvement since his last competition – which is always a plus in how the judges evaluate your performance.
Jackson was particularly and personally shocked and impressed with just how much Blessing Awodibu improved over the past year. If he can keep that kind of focus – he will be a true threat for the remainder of this season and beyond.
Wrap Up
Johnie O. Jackson goes into great detail on all five of these stellar bodybuilders. You can watch his full recap and analysis of the 2022 Indy Pro by watching our latest episode of Hardcore Truth above. Make sure to stick around each Thursday for new episodes every week!
Straight Facts: What Determines How Much Fat You Burn During A Workout?
[embedded content]
Jerry Brainum breaks down optimizing fat oxidation during a workout in this week’s Straight Facts.
Diet is the most important factor to losing weight. But that doesn’t mean you can’t help improve your fat burning capabilities via workouts and aerobic exercise. Yes, exercising can help you add a bit more fat loss into your goals – but it’s not always easy. Basic exercise does not guarantee fat loss. This is a fact that has frustrated many across the globe as they try to lose pounds. In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum breaks down the key factors that help increase fat oxidation and improve fat loss during a workout.
Jerry Brainum starts today’s episode with a very important reminder. What you eat is the key determining factor in how much fat you burn or gain. While exercise can help burn fat – even the most perfectly performed aerobic training routine will only bring minimum fat loss. If you’re looking to truly transform your body and weight – a lifestyle change in your diet is necessary.
With that being said, fat loss via exercise can also be very helpful alongside a proper diet. Which is why Jerry Brainum uses research studies to help break down the key determining factors in burning fat during a workout. Let’s jump into the main points.
Carbohydrates, workouts, and fat loss
The key to losing fat while exercising is fat oxidization. So for the entirety of this episode, Jerry Brainum breaks down the best ways to improve fat oxidization during your training routine. One of the most important factors to consider is how many carbohydrates you consume before a workout. Carbs provide fuel and energy for your body. So when you exercise while loaded on carbs, your body will chose the carbs over fat to fuel your workout.
On basic terms, this means that if you exercise while loaded up on carbohydrates, you will burn less fat. However, in practice this seems to make little difference. Studies have shown that fasted cardio does not help increase fat loss.
HIIT training and fat loss
Nearly everyone knows that aerobic exercise is the key to burning fat through exercise. But there are various ways to train aerobically. Which training style or strategy is best to burn the most fat? Typically, studies have shown that your body starts truly oxidizing fat over carbs after exercising for more than 60-90 minutes. Jerry Brainum wouldn’t recommend that individuals train every day for over 90 minutes though.
Instead, High Intensity Interval Training (aka HIIT) has shown to bring the best benefit to weight loss. HIIT training is so high intensity, that your body wants fast fuel. This would come from carbs. That sounds bad, right? However, studies have shown that HIIT training increases your metabolism for hours after you finish exercising. This leads to fat oxidation and fat loss for a few hours throughout your day.
The key with this, though, is to ensure you are truly performing HIIT training correctly. The goal of HIIT is to bring up your heart rate to 90% of its max. If you aren’t pushing hard enough to hit that point – you won’t see those same fat burning boosts.
An additional note for those focusing on aerobic exercise. Studies have shown that standing exercises burn fat better than sitting. So it’s best to move from cycling to running if possible.
How Your Environment Helps You Lose Fat
Studies have shown that if you are training under very hot temperatures, that your body will oxidize fat less. This is only slight – but something of note. On the flip side, Jerry Brainum explains that some studies have shown extremely cold environments help boost fat loss. This is due to your body using fat and turning it into heat for your body.
Fat Burner Supplements and Workouts
Fat Burner supplements are everywhere these days. But do they really work? Jerry Brainum warns that fat burners are not miracle pills. They do not burn fat at all. Instead, they help mobilize fat. So in order for a fat burner to work – you absolutely need to exercise. Taking a fat burner but not exercising will do absolutely nothing for your fat loss journey.
In addition to fat burner supplements, caffeine is also a great substance to help mobilize fat. This is good news for all those coffee drinkers out there. Studies have shown that approx. 3-4 cups of coffee per day can help improve fat loss when you exercise.
Wrap Up
Jerry Brainum goes into far more detail about the best factors to help improve fat loss during a workout. However, as he states at the very top – exercise is the least effective way to lose weight. A proper diet and lifestyle change is most important to meeting your weight loss goals.
However, if you want to give yourself an extra edge alongside your diet – Jerry Brainum’s guide using past research studies will help you optimize your fat loss during a workout. Make sure to watch the entire episode of Straight Facts for the full details above. And don’t forget to visit Generation Iron every Wednesday for new episodes each week!
Hardcore Truth: Should NPC Bodybuilder Winners Receive Prize Money?
[embedded content]
Johnnie O. Jackson opens the question: Are we rewarding NPC bodybuilders enough?
Beyond being an IFBB Pro bodybuilder and notable athlete in the sport, Johnnie O. Jackson also runs and promotes his own NPC bodybuilding competition. Due to this he is familiar with the ins and outs of the rules, guidelines, and regulations for NPC competitions. Recently, he was asked by a bodybuilder – why do NPC shows not provide prize money for winners? This led Jackson to wonder if NPC competitors are rewarded enough before turning pro. In our latest episode of Hardcore Truth, Johnnie O. Jackson debates the idea of prize money for NPC bodybuilders.
All IFBB Pro bodybuilders start of as amateurs. The battle to earn a pro card is an exciting and challenging one. Bodybuilders need to earn their way into the pro ranks – it’s not something given as a handout. Many aspiring bodybuilders never make it to the pro league. However, during the period competing as an NPC bodybuilder – the expenses are largely the same. Entry fees, supplements, meal prep, possible travel to important competitions – these are all large costs that might not necessarily end in a pro card. Currently, there is no real cash-in hand prize money offered for NPC competitions.
In this week’s episode of Hardcore Truth – Johnnie O. Jackson takes a hard look at the current culture behind NPC competitions. Jackson, of course, went through the NPC league himself. But he is also now a promoter for a NPC competition. He understands both sides of the coin. But until recently being asked, Jackson did not ever question the status quo of no prize money for NPC winners.
Johnnie O. Jackson understands that there are heavy costs on the promotion side – and providing prize money to top place athletes would add to the cost. However, he also understands the cost of being an amateur athlete. Jackson muses that perhaps, at the very least, a prize comping the cost of entry can be rewarded to the winner. Or perhaps, if it’s Nationals qualifier, travel and entry fees can be comped for entering the NPC National Championships.
Johnnie O. Jackson makes a good point. Perhaps there are talented young individuals who simply cannot afford to be a competitive bodybuilder before turning pro. Are there young phenom talents who simply never have a shot due to monetary issues?
For quite a long time, college athletes were not allowed to earn sponsorship money while competing in college leagues. This has recently changed, allowing athletes to earn money off of their talent, hard work, and attention gained via America’s love of college sports.
Currently, there are no rules against gaining sponsorship as an NPC bodybuilder. However, perhaps opening up this guideline further to NPC prize money should also be considered. Johnnie O. Jackson points out that this isn’t a handout. It’s earned. The work that a NPC bodybuilder puts in is valid.
However, Jackson also understands the counterpoints. Bodybuilding competitions are already expensive to run – adding prize money might ultimately put too much pressure on promoters and hurt the overall sport. Some might also argue that adding prize money on the amateur level will remove the “edge” or “passion” of the young athletes.
This second argument might not hold water. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle and niche sport. Prize money or not – passion will be the key factor in an amateur bodybuilder going pro. Jackson doesn’t believe money will hurt the quality or intent of athletes.
Currently, the NPC league is seen more as a proving ground compared to the pros. This is not just in terms of on-stage battles but also in terms of personal commitment. Are you willing to invest money into this with little reward? Are you willing to invest so much time into something that might not work out?
But bodybuilding leagues should also take care of their athletes. Perhaps an NPC amateur is not the same as a pro competitor – but the leagues could not exist without the athletes. Perhaps some middle ground option for prize money can be discussed to help motivate less fortunate aspiring bodybuilders rise up to pro status.
Johnnie O. Jackson doesn’t see this as a pressing or issue that requires mandates – but for the first time in his career, he questioned what should change and what should stay the same for the NPC league guidelines.
What do you think? Watch Johnnie O. Jackson’s full comments in the latest episode of Hardcore Truth above and let us now your opinion! Don’t forget to check back every Thursday for new episodes each week!
Straight Facts: Should Competitive Bodybuilders Have Tattoos?
[embedded content]
Jerry Brainum breaks down the risks of having extensive tattoos as a competitive bodybuilder.
Tattoos are far more accepted today than they once were. This is also clear in the world of bodybuilding – where it’s become more common for a competitor to step on stage with more extensive tattoos covering their physique. But do extensive tattoos end up hurting their chances for a victory on stage? And are there other less known risks as a bodybuilder? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum discusses the potential health risks and competition risks of extensive tattoos in bodybuilding.
Jerry Brainum doesn’t want to upset people. He also doesn’t want to be overly critical of those who decide to express themselves with tattoos. That’s why before Brainum dives deep into this episode, he makes a point to not condemn those with tattoos. Brainum does not believe that value or personality of a person should be judged based on what someone has on their body.
However, in the world of competitive bodybuilding, tattoos have a more direct effect on how a physique is perceived. So rather than try to judge the morality of tattoos – Brainum wants to focus the more objective effect they can have on competitive bodybuilders. Let’s break it down.
Can extensive tattoos negatively impact competitive bodybuilders?
Jerry Brainum first explains the distinct difference between getting a simple tattoo and getting extensive one. Brainum does not believe having one or two tattoos on your body will have a drastic effect on a bodybuilder. However, extensive ones such as full body or “sleeves” covering large portions of the physique can, theoretically, cause more of a problem.
Jerry Brainum points out that the goal of competitive bodybuilding is showcase your physique and compare it to others. Extensive tattoos can make it harder for a bodybuilder’s definition to be seen. They can hide or obscure muscle definition – especially dark tattoos with plenty of fillings with black ink. This is less a personal taste argument and more a logical one. If a judge cannot see the details of your physique – the judge can’t score you as high as others standing next to you on stage.
Are there possible health risks from tattoos?
Beyond the competitive bodybuilding stage, there are other small but possibly dangerous risks to consider before getting extensive tattoos. Much as Jerry Brainum explained how they can obscure conditioning, they can also obscure or hide early signs of skin cancer. Skin discoloration or moles are warning signs that should always be checked out. This might be harder to notice with extensive dark tattoos obscuring the skin.
Jerry Brainum also points to a study that shows extensive tattoos can decrease your sweat rate by 50%. For bodybuilders, this can be a more damaging issue. Less sweat might make workouts more difficult. Not only that – but on competition day the hot lights and long periods of comparison rounds can become more challenging.
Lastly, Jerry Brainum points out some studies that showcase the toxic risks of tattoos. While Brainum himself points out there are very few anecdotal stories of people getting sick from them – it’s not impossible.
Many studies have shown that risks of infection or disease can occur if the tattoo artist does not follow proper cleaning procedures on the needle while tattooing. In addition to this, other studies have shown certain inks having contaminants including carcinogens. Again, the risk is extremely low for traditional or simple tattoos. But for those covering large portions of their body with heavy filling of color – the risk increases.
Wrap Up
Ultimately, Jerry Brainum reiterates that he doesn’t want to use scare tactics to villainize tattoos. While he thinks society should not consider tattoo inking as benign, it is extremely low risk overall. However, a competitive bodybuilder should think a bit harder as to whether or not to get extensive tattoos. It can potentially affect your sweat rate and make training more challenging. But worst of all, it can make your conditioning harder to see on the stage.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into full detail about tattoos and bodybuilding in our latest episode of Straight Facts above. Make sure to check back every Wednesday for new episodes of Straight Facts!
Tony Pearson: Bodybuilders Should Stay Natural As Long As Possible Before Turning To Steroids
[embedded content]
Tony Pearson reacts to the current state of steroid use in competitive bodybuilding and compares it to his era of the sport.
The past two years have been challenging in the sport of bodybuilding. Not only due to a pandemic that ground the sport to a temporary halt but also due to a long line of tragic too-soon athlete deaths. While the cause of death for many of these athletes remain unknown – many have started to put deeper focus on drug use in the sport and its affect on health. During our interviews with old school bodybuilding legends – we have been asking their take on modern steroid use compared to their era. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Tony Pearson reflects on steroid use during his time competing – and urges competitors to stay natural for as long as possible before using PEDs.
During our conversation with Tony Pearson, we asked him if he felt that steroids and other PEDs should be removed entirely from the sport of bodybuilding. With such a focus on health and the dangers of PEDs lately – should pro leagues start getting serious about testing?
Tony Pearson believes this could never happen due to how prevalent steroids are in the sport and how necessary they are in the late stage of pro competition. However, he does believe that the culture around steroid and PED use has changed for modern athletes specifically. Namely, now steroids are the first go-to option from the get go. In Tony Pearson’s time – pro athletes would stay natural as long as possible to determine their peak natural limit. Only then would they enhance with PEDs. Even then, it was much less than the doses Pearson hears about today.
Looking back at our first documentary, Generation Iron, great emphasis was placed by both athletes and experts that steroids are not a miracle muscle drug. Behind the enhancements, hard work is still required. Essentially, the drugs do not take away from the work put in by these miraculous athletes.
That still remains true today, but Tony Pearson points out, as many others have as well, that the culture has changed. Modern bodybuilders jump into steroids at a very young age and at an early point in their career. The hard work is still present – but the drugs seem to take center stage ahead of the hard work. A young competitive bodybuilder is more concerned with perfecting a steroid cycle or drug protocol than perfecting their training routine.
Tony Pearson explains that staying natural as long as possible should be the goal. Not simply to stay healthier – but to truly know your limits without the drugs. Only when an athlete reaches 100% all-natural should a competitor move onto PEDs and steroids. Competitors would be amazed at just how much progress can be made before PEDs are needed.
The internet has changed a lot of things across the globe. Information is faster than ever before. This makes competitive bodybuilders more able to learn about and obtain steroids sooner and faster. Perhaps this is the main culprit behind the culture shift in bodybuilding. Or perhaps this is the natural progression as physiques continue to get bigger and bigger inspiring new generations to top it. In either case, Tony Pearson joins a growing chorus of legends warning the new generation to slow down.
You can watch Tony Pearson’s full comments on steroids and PEDs in bodybuilding by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Hardcore Truth: Women’s Bodybuilding Is Still Underrepresented Despite Ms. Olympia Return
[embedded content]
Johnnie O. Jackson believes that the Women’s Bodybuilding division is still being snubbed by the pro league.
In 2020, the bodybuilding world rejoiced upon the return of the Ms. Olympia competition to the Olympia weekend. This came after the competition was discontinued for six years – with many believing it would never return. This is all part of Jake Wood’s passion and respect for Women’s Bodybuilding – and his plan to bring it back into popularity across the sport. While this is a great start, other massive competitions, such as the Arnold Classic, still refuse to put on a Women’s Bodybuilding competition. In our latest episode of Hardcore Truth, Johnnie O. Jackson comments on the lack of representation for Women’s Bodybuilding and the Ms. Olympia not being enough.
Johnnie O. Jackson was very pleased when the Ms. Olympia returned to the Olympia weekend back in 2020. But he was also disappointed in himself for not realizing that Women’s Bodybuilding has yet to return to the Arnold Classic stage. He literally didn’t even realize it was missing until he had a conversation with a Women’s Bodybuilding competitor this past week.
This exact situation represents the issue Johnnie O. Jackson sees with Women’s Bodybuilding in the IFBB pro league. Jackson even accepts that he is a passive part of the problem – which is why he spent this week’s episode advocating for more Women’s Bodybuilding competitions across the year.
Johnnie O. Jackson believes that the pro league still has a long way to go in order to full support the Women’s Bodybuilding division. The Ms. Olympia is not enough if nearly every other high profile show of the year does not include them. The Arnold Classic, Indy Pro, Boston Pro, and many other major shows still do not feature Women’s Bodybuilding. The Arnold Classic in particular is the second biggest show of the year and contains the largest expo in the sport. Why do we not see Women’s Bodybuilders on stage?
It should also be noted that Johnnie O. Jackson also mentions the New York Pro in his argument. In fact, the New York Pro does feature Women’s Bodybuilding in their lineup of competitions. While Jackson may have misspoke on including the NY Pro in his argument – the overall sentiment still stands.
Johnnie O. Jackson believes that part of the reason the division slowly fell in popularity was due to a dislike of the massive physiques. Much like some of (but certainly less damaging) criticism about Men’s Open getting too big. Jackson believes that, overall, the judges are responsible for what kind of physiques they want to reward. Jackson states – if the fans are unhappy with the state of physiques for Women’s Bodybuilding – it’s the judges responsibility to ensure the right kind of physique is rewarded to bend the trajectory of the division.
Of course, the solution is never quite as simple as it sounds. While putting responsibility on the judges is part of the puzzle – there may be a wider variety of factors at play here. Judges should not always 100% bend to the demand of fans – that’s a dangerous precedent. Also – the criticism of Women’s Bodybuilding physiques could also be based in unfair expectations outside of the judges control.
Many have stated that Women’s Bodybuilding is “too masculine” but there is also a point to be made that the show is not a beauty pageant. The women should be judges the exact same way the men are – femininity should not be a criteria at all.
Another problem may be pure roster issues. Perhaps many of these larger shows cannot get enough competitors to sign up for competition. This is a snake eating it’s own tail type situation. If there is not enough support for Women’s Bodybuilding – there will be less interest by the athletes. Thus less sign ups for the few shows that exist. Thus less shows across the year to build interest. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Regardless, Johnnie O. Jackson’s main sentiment remains true. The Women’s Bodybuilders that do compete are sisters in iron. They deserve the exact same respect and opportunities as the Men’s Open division. Jackson believes a concerted effort must be made to prioritize getting Women’s Bodybuilding back to the Arnold Classic and other major shows across the year.
You can watch Johnnie O. Jackson’s full argument in our latest episode of Hardcore Truth above. Make sure to visit each Thursday for new episodes every week! What do you think? Does the IFBB Pro league need to prioritize more Women’s Bodybuilding representation?
Straight Facts: Pros and Cons Of The Most Popular Bodybuilding Diets
[embedded content]
Jerry Brainum shares the straight facts on the most popular diets in bodybuilding – which is the best?
The benefit of living in a true information era is the vast amount of variety we can access. Today, the average person is able to know so much more about nutrition, health, and diets than ever before – if they choose to. The downside, of course, is that there can be too much information. The boom of diet trends begs the question – which are legit and which are the best? In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum uses a combination of vigorous research and personal anecdotes to break down the pros and cons of today’s most popular bodybuilding diet systems.
The common perception is that dieting is easy in theory but hard in practice. The key aspect of losing weight is to consume less calories than your resting metabolic rate. But the hard part is to actually pull it off and not lose your willpower. Even worse, this simplified mentality turns out to be not necessarily true. Modern nutrition science has shown that losing weight can become vastly complicated depending on your genetics. Many struggle to eat well and not give into cravings – but there are also those who diet correctly but seem to still struggle.
In today’s internet era, it’s easier to research and discover a wide variety of diets. Many of them work – but only when done correctly. Others are scams looking to take a dollar out of your wallet. It can be hard to decide what works and what doesn’t. That’s why we turned to Jerry Brainum to break down and rank the most popular diet trends currently in bodybuilding and fitness. Let’s jump into it.
Paleolithic Diet
The Paleolithic diet is a bit of a gimmick named diet plan. The goal is to “eat like the cavemen did.” Jerry Brainum explains that the reasoning behind this diet is that the human race, despite its many evolutionary accomplishments, are still very similar genetically to the cavemen of eras past. So if we go back to the simplicity of a caveman diet – we’ll be healthier and leaner.
Despite the gimmick of it’s name, Jerry Brainum believes that this diet is actually pretty decent in keeping you health and lean. The diet focuses on meat, nuts, and berries. Foraging foods plus hunting foods. No grain. No wheat. No diary. No processed foods.
Jerry Brianum explains that the biggest downside is getting the full spectrum of nutrition for your long term health. Calcium can be hard to come by without dairy, for example.
Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet focuses on only eating protein. No fruits or vegetables. Jerry Brainum points out that the biggest issue with this diet is the lack of dietary fiber from veggies. Fiber is a big part of our microbiome in our stomach. While this was less considered in decades past, modern science has shown that our microbiome plays a massive role in our health and our weight loss/gain.
Jerry Brainum explains that most recent studies have also drawn a direct link between a healthy microbiome and immunity to illness. Healthier stomaches have been proven to show more resiliency against disease and getting sick.
Low Carb/High Fat Diet (Keto Diet)
This diet focuses on cutting carbs from your diet and increasing dietary fat. While this might sound wrong (where do you get your energy? Isn’t fat bad?). Ultimately this is a rather powerful and successful diet.
Jerry Brainum has gone into extreme detail in a previous episode discussing keto diets. Keto diets are an extreme form of a general low card/high fat diet. The key here is that with a lack of carbs in your system, the extra fat is transformed into energy. Thus this is not stored as fat in your body and you lose weight.
Jerry Brainum believes this to be a strong diet – but only in the short term. He does not recommend this kind of diet to be year-long. It can also be a hard diet for bodybuilders looking to bulk up. Rather, this diet is best for bodybuilders in contest prep mode looking to get lean.
Jerry Brainum believes that the keto diet is likely the best diet for losing body fat percentage.
Vegan Diet
Growing extremely in popularity over the past decade, the vegan diet has many positives in terms of ethical food choices and healthy food options. The only problem, as Jerry Brainum explains, is that a vegan diet can be very unhealthy if you don’t do it right. There are many vegan friendly foods that are simply empty of nutrients. So it’s important that a person interested in veganism focuses on doing it the right way.
On top of this, many supplements are needed to further get the full spectrum of nutrients for long term health. Jerry Brainum explains that avoiding all meat with no supplements is ultimately bad for your health.
In addition to this, a vegan diet can be very challenging for bodybuilding. Jerry Brainum does not find it impossible, but it adds a new level of challenge that can put you at a disadvantage against others not on the same diet.
Mediterranean Diet
A mediterranean diet has a focus on extra virgin olive oil in meals and cooking. It also focuses on moderate drinking of red wine. In addition to this – the main food courses are usually fruit and vegetable heavy with only minimal fish and meat.
Jerry Brainum beileves that the mediterranean diet is the healthiest diet you can commit to in the long term. It’s a realistic year-long diet providing a full spectrum of nutrients to keep you health and, if done correctly, you’ll stay lean and heart healthy as well.
The mediterranean diet can also work for bodybuilding if adjusted to include more protein.
Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is what you likely hear a lot about in commercials. It’s the recommended diet by most doctors. Basically, it asks that you ensure you have a healthy dose of each kind of food type to accrue all the necessary nutrients without needing supplementation.
However, Jerry Brainum points out that a balanced diet is so inclusive that it can be hard to stick to. In theory, this diet is perfectly healthy, but it’s rare for a person to regularly fit the entire food pyramid into their daily diet without issue.
Meal Replacement Diet
This last one is a bit extreme, but Jerry Brainum wanted to touch upon it as he also tried this kind of diet when he was younger. A meal replacement diet is when you replace all of your meals with a meal replacement product. This is usually some sort of shake or a diet bar.
Jerry Brainum explains that there are many meal replacements out there that can be scams or crammed with sugar. So research is necessary to find a more formidable healthy option. But on top of this, replacing all of your meals (or even consistently some of your meals) with a product like this is not advised in the long term.
Jerry Brainum explains a product he tried when he was younger which lost him 40 pounds very quickly. It was effective – but to use this as a forever diet is extremely ill advised. Brainum also jokes that the version he took decades ago was likely pumped with an appetite suppressing drug that was not allowed to the larger market.
A meal replacement can be good for short term crash dieting or for moments when you are traveling and need a quick but healthy option for eating on the go. But it should not be seen as a viable diet in the long run.
Wrap Up
The key takeaway here is that no diet is perfect. But most importantly, the biggest error that happens with diets is on the user side. It’s very easy to commit to a diet and not follow it fully. Some even cheat on their diets without realizing it. Jerry Brainum’s breakdown of the biggest diets in bodybuilding today can help you stay more focused and find the right diet that works best for you.
You can watch Jerry Brainum go into full detail in our latest Straight Facts episode above. Make sure to swing by each Wednesday for new episodes every week!
Jim Stoppani: Full Body Vs Full Split Training, Explained
[embedded content]
Jim Stoppani breaks down full body training compared to his hybrid model, full split training. Which is best for your fitness goals?
In 2007, Jim Stoppani suffered an injury that made him reevaluate how he would continue his training. Now in his 50s, Stoppani can no longer train with the exact same high energy that he used to when he was young without facing even more injuries that slow him down in the gym. So he turned to full body training – a method that is great for overall fitness but not exactly ideal for massive muscle growth. This led Stoppani to invent his own hybrid training method – full split training – to focus a bit more on muscle growth while also avoiding further serious injury. In our latest GI Exclusive in collaboration with Barbend, Jim Stoppani compares full body training to full split training and explains which technique is best for your fitness needs.
A typical competitive bodybuilder normally avoids a typical full body training routine. This is due to it’s inability to really grow muscle on a level of a mass monster. However, most do not desire to or are not able to train at that extreme level. That’s why full body training is a great method for those looking to stay in shape, get a bit lean, and remain healthy.
However, even non-competitive bodybuilders might want to pack on a bit more muscle than full body training can provide. That’s why Jim Stoppani invented a hybrid method called full split training – combining the benefits of full body training with a typical bodybuilder split training method. Let’s break it down.
What is full body training?
In simplest terms, full body training is the act of training each body part during one workout each day. Typically this takes the form of doing one exercise per body part – then repeating the next day. Jim Stoppani explains that for the average person, this method is perfectly fine. It helps prevent injuries in the gym and provides benefits both for cardiovascular health and in terms of strength and muscle.
But Jim Stoppani also admits that full body training will rarely help build you into a mass monster – or even a medium sized muscular person. Those looking for the pump and beefing up have to look elsewhere in terms of workout methods.
Ultimately, full body training is a great way to help lose weight while also building muscle and strength. It’s perfect for building a lean and fit body. But Jim Stoppani has been a passionate fan of bodybuilding for most of his life. Typical full body training was not enough to suit his physique goals. That’s why he invented his own hybrid approach.
RELATED: Check out our review guide of the best home gym equipment of 2022 under $100.
What is full split training?
Jim Stoppani’s full split training technique combines a typical full body workout with a typical bodybuilding split training workout. The ultimate goal is to find a way to build more muscle and strength without going so far as to possibly injure yourself. This is a great method for those growing older in age that want to focus on size but can’t go all out like they used to in younger years.
At this moment, we’d like to pause and make something clear. Jim Stoppani doesn’t mince words when he makes this point. For those who are still competitively bodybuilding and holding mass monster size well into their 40s and 50s – if that’s still working there’s no need to pull back on workout intensity. But majority of individuals do not actively compete in bodybuilding. Which is why Stoppani’s full split training is a great middle ground for keeping muscle without pushing the body past its limit.
So how does full split training work? Jim Stoppani explains that you simply do a typical full body workout for the day – but each day of the week you pick one specific body part to additionally focus on. So in action – you do a full body workout of all body parts, but add an extra set of exercises to one body part to ensure that one is being pushed harder.
Then the next day, you pick a different body part to focus on and repeat. By the end of the week, each major body part will have gotten some extra attention – while also maintaining a full body workout style across the week.
Jim Stoppani sees this as meeting half way between the benefits and drawbacks of full body training vs the benefits and drawbacks of split training.
Wrap Up
Jim Stoppani tops off our conversation in this segment discussing injury during workouts and how age affects these kinds of injuries. While consistent fitness throughout an individual’s lifetime will help prevent injuries as we age – we cannot ignore that growing older raises new challenges. We all become more injury prone as we get older.
As Jim Stoppani puts it, “There’s no way around it. As you get older you are degenerating… we were not meant to live this long.”
It’s with that in mind (due to his own personal experiences with injury) that he developed the full split training technique. We must be honest with our aging bodies and do what is best to avoid serious injury – or even worse – irreversible injuries that further keep us out of the gym.
You can watch Jim Stoppani go into full detail about full body training and full split training in our latest GI Exclusive explainer video segment above!
Hardcore Truth: Are Misleading Supplement Companies Hurting Natural Bodybuilder Careers?
[embedded content]
Johnnie O. Jackson discusses what it really means to be a natural bodybuilder in a world with misleading supplement companies and unknown banned substances.
While not as popular as major untested leagues such as the IFBB Pro or Elite Pro leagues – natural bodybuilding has been seeing a resurgence, possibly due to the increased fears around athlete health. The leading league in the natural bodybuilding space, the INBA/PNBA, has touted the most rigorous testing to ensure a fair and natural competitive space to great success. But being natural today might be more complicated than in any other time in bodybuilding history. Why? In our latest episode of Hardcore Truth, Johnnie O. Jackson discusses misleading supplement labels and how that may undercut the goals of a natural bodybuilder.
Johnnie O. Jackson is a lover of bodybuilding whether it is natural or untested. So he’s followed and seen interviews with natural bodybuilders to get a better understanding of their world. Jackson notes that most natural bodybuilders like to wear their natural status as a badge of honor. There’s nothing wrong with that, Jackson argues, but he does worry about what it means to be natural in the modern fitness space.
Are misleading supplements hurting natural bodybuilders?
Specifically, Johnnie O. Jackson is worried about the transparency of supplement products and what ingredients are really included. As many may know, the supplement industry has a bit of a grey area in regards to banned substances. It’s a companies responsibility to ensure all ingredients are legal and not banned. But this list is changing literally every year A popular substance for a company can suddenly be banned due to a change in regulations for a certain ingredient.
Most companies comply, but there has been proof that this is not always the case. The recent major headlines involving Blackstone Labs selling products with banned substances is an example of this. Beyond the legality and the massive sentencing that came with this case – there are also millions of customers who consumed the products trusting the brand. Not knowing they were ingesting banned substances.
Take this notion over to natural bodybuilding – and you can see the problem. These athletes are not trying to break the rules but perhaps they are unknowingly due to misleading labels and misleading companies. Johnnie O. Jackson wonders how many natural bodybuilders walk around truly believing to be natural only to unknowingly be ingesting banned substances. Even worse, how many natural bodybuilders end up testing out of a competition due to unknown banned substances in a product?
This issue is larger than just natural bodybuilding. In MMA, there have been a small handful of athletes who later fail drug tests – seemingly due to a banned ingredient that they were unaware was in an over the counter supplement. Some of this is not illegal either. Some supplements that are banned in the MMA might not be banned by the government. If a label is not truly transparent, an athlete may accidentally take a legal substance that is banned in their sport.
For natural bodybuilding, most leagues simply do a lie detector test. These are not very effective, and by Johnie O. Jackson’s logic, could lead to many bodybuilders passing and competing with unknown banned substances in their system. Again – not on purpose but via misleading supplements.
However, the leading natural bodybuilding league, INBA/PNBA, is aware of the limitations of a lie detector test. Which is why they do WADA approved drug testing for every competition to ensure all athletes are natural. While this may prevent an unfair competition – the same misleading supplement issue can still derail honest bodybuilder careers. If an INBA or PNBA bodybuilder was using Blackstone Labs because it contained “no banned substances” – they would later fail out of competition due to the tests discovering it. In the INBA/PNBA, not only are you dropped out of the competition, you are also banned for life.
While Johnnie O. Jackson has a legitimate worry for natural bodybuilders due to the grey area of supplements – this is a fear and issue that many pro natural bodybuilders are familiar with. In fact, many pro natural bodybuilders are very vigilant for this exact reason. They are very detailed on what supplements they put into their system and do vigorous research to ensure their career (and way of life) is not derailed.
It’s a challenge, and one that shows the extreme dedication, focus, and passion of natural bodybuilders. It’s that same focus and dedication that goes into training and dieting across all of professional bodybuilding – regardless of testing status.
Wrap Up
Johnnie O. Jackson brings up a very good point that should be brought into the mainstream discussion more often. But his worry also showcases an extra layer of how dedicated bodybuilders can be depending on their goals. Hopefully this video will help educate aspiring natural bodybuilders from avoiding certain mistakes as they start their journey.
You can watch Johnnie O. Jackson’s full comments on natural bodybuilding and supplements by watching the latest episode of Hardcore Truth above. Make sure to swing by every Thursday for new episodes each week!
Milos Sarcev: The Biggest Weaknesses Roelly Winklaar Must Improve To Dominate
[embedded content]
Milos Sarcev reflects on Roelly Winklaar’s struggles in 2021 and what he needs to do to dominate on the bodybuilding stage once again.
Roelly Winklaar is a beloved pro bodybuilder and often called the people’s champ by many fans. This is due to Winklaar’s enormous mass monster size that nearly shakes the earth whenever he steps on stage. Though he’s gotten close, the competitor has never earned a Mr. Olympia title. However, he has often been a top 5 competitor that many hoped would rise up to win one day. These hopes were somewhat dashed in 2021, with Roelly Winklaar placing lower than expected and also dropping out of select shows. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Milos Sarcev breaks down Roelly Winklaar’s 2021 physique and explains what needs to improve for success in 2022.
Many fans were shocked when Roelly Winklaar placed 11th at the 2021 Mr. Olympia. It was a large drop down for the elite competitor – who placed 5th in 2019 and 3rd in 2018 at the Mr. Olympia. However, the moment Winklaar stepped on stage last year, it was clear something was off. It wasn’t the people’s champ mass monster physique fans were used to.
That’s why we turned to bodybuilding coach and guru Milos Sarcev to give his thoughts on Roelly Winklaar’s 2021 physique. He pinpointed the two biggest weaknesses Winklaar is facing – and how he needs to improve them to become a dominant force on the stage once again. Milos believes it’s possible and even spoke briefly with Winklaar sharing his advice.
Roelly Winlaar’s biggest weaknesses
Milos Sarcev starts off by stating one big weakness that Roelly Winklaar has always suffered from – his conditioning. Much like Big Ramy, Winklaar is one of the biggest mass monster in the Men’s Open division. And also like Big Ramy, Winklaar often suffers from controlling his stomach and maintaining dry shredded conditioning. This was still evident in 2021, perhaps even slightly worse than in previous years. That lack of conditioning – in combination with another weak lagging body part – was the key element to his lower placing.
So what was that second weakness? Milos Sarcev believes that Roelly Winklaar’s legs were lacking. Of course, bringing up legs is always the hardest body part for most pro Men’s Open competitors. But when you are competing on the elite stage and battling the top five in the world – lacking in the leg department will knock you out of the top 5 or even top 10 at Mr. Olympia. That’s what seemed to happen here.
Milos Sarcev reveals during our interview that Roelly Winklaar spoke to him after his low placing at the Chicago Pro. According to Sarcev, Winklaar was actually worried that his size had gotten too small which is why he was placing low. Sarcev admitted that Winklaar had downsized slightly – but this was not in fact his weakness.
“He asked me what is my opinion and he thought he was much smaller. I said like, yeah. As smaller as he was he was still big enough. That wasn’t the problem. But he needed conditioning and he needed legs. So in other shows that he entered he tried to put size back on and by Prague he was humongous… but still the conditioning was not there.”
– Milos Sarcev
Milos Sarcev went on to say that Roelly Winklaar putting back on more size might have actually hurt him for the rest of his competitive season that year. Sarcev explains that for him to put on so much size so quickly – he lost even more control of his midsection.
Roelly Winklaar may have had a tough year – but we wouldn’t count him out just yet. Yes, he has been competing for quite some time and comes from an older era of the sport. But athletes like Dexter Jackson have proved that age is just a number. And while Big Ramy is somewhat younger – it did take him nearly a decade to become the Mr. Olympia champion. Winklaar is an experienced competitor with a passion for the sport. We are excited to see what he brings to the stage in 2022.
You can watch Milos Sarcev’s full comments on Roelly Winklaar (and some talk abotu Chris Bumstead’s dominance as well) in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.