Tag: Video
East Coast Mecca: Dexter Jackson and Kai Greene Training (Season 2, Episode 8)
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EAST COAST MECCA: SEASON 2 – Generation Iron returns to the beast coast with an inside look at the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym one week before the New York Pro 2016. Known as the East Coast Mecca of bodybuilding, Bev Francis’ gym attracts today’s most elite athletes. In season 2 we’ll follow the likes of Kai Greene, Dexter Jackson, Roelly Winklaar, Sadik Hadzovic, and many more.
The third and final part of our 3-part Kai Greene arc is finally coming to a close – and what better way to end with a bang than Kai training with the ageless legend Dexter Jackson. Watch these two bodybuilding powerhouses train in the East Coast Mecca and also trade tips and stories that they have learned over the course of a long and prosperous bodybuilding career.
To be a fly on the wall during a conversation and training session like this brings invaluable insight to anyone who is a fan of bodybuilding. Check it out in our latest episode of East Coast Mecca above.
East Coast Mecca: Nathan De Asha Hardcore Training To Eat The Competition Alive
EAST COAST MECCA: SEASON 3 – Generation Iron returns to the beast coast with an inside look at the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym one week before the New York Pro 2018. Known as the East Coast Mecca of bodybuilding, Bev Francis’ gym attracts today’s most elite athletes. Featuring superstars and up and comers such as Regan Grimes, Nathan De Asha, Arash Rahbar, Rich Gaspari, and many more! New episodes air every Thursday!
Nathan De Asha is a competitor who is not afraid to speak his mind. Not only that, but he’s not afraid to ruffle some feathers with intense (and very entertaining) trash talk about his fellow competitors. With just 2 days left before the New York Pro 2018, Nathan headed over to the East Coast Mecca to get some heavy training in and some face time with Steve Weinberger. They discuss how his trash talk has caused problems in the past (he recently got kicked out of his gym because “everyone hates him”) and how he plans to open his own gym and move permanently.
Frida Paulsen Stern and Kim Gutierrez also stop by the East Coast Mecca to hit the weights and also the posing room to get final impressions from the head judge himself, Steve Weinberger. With only 2 days before the big show, final advice from Steve could be vital in how their ultimate performance on stage will play out. Check the full episode out above!
East Coast Mecca: Charles Glass & Bev Francis Talk Old School Bodybuilding & Training Tips
EAST COAST MECCA: SEASON 3 – Generation Iron returns to the beast coast with an inside look at the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym one week before the New York Pro 2018. Known as the East Coast Mecca of bodybuilding, Bev Francis’ gym attracts today’s most elite athletes. Featuring superstars and up and comers such as Regan Grimes, Nathan De Asha, Arash Rahbar, Rich Gaspari, and many more! New episodes air every Thursday!
While many know Bev Francis as the owner of the East Coast Mecca along with Steve Weinberger – it’s important to also remember that she is one of the most legendary female bodybuilders to ever hit the stage. You wouldn’t know it by looking at her now – but Bev held one of the most impressive female physique only challenged by 10x Ms. Olympia champion Iris Kyle (albeit many years later).
In this episode of East Coast Mecca, Bev Francis gives us an inside look at her training insights as she coaches Liz Montalbano towards Women’s Physique glory. She also runs into Charles Glass – a legendary bodybuilding trainer & guru in his own right. The two of them talk about their favorite bodybuilding memories… but more importantly, talk about what it takes to become a bodybuilding champion. They’ve seen hundreds of competitors come in and out of their wing – and there is one quality they can both agree on that is always held within a champion.
Check out the full episode of East Coast Mecca above!
Victor Martinez: “Fans In Bodybuilding Are The Most Disloyal”
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Victor Martinez reacts to bodybuilding fandom of social media age.
Victor Martinez has always been a pro bodybuilder unafraid to speak his mind in a casual and candid way. So after the past year saw a major backlash against bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger due to his “freedom” comments, Martinez was not afraid to speak his mind on not Schwarzenegger’s comments but rather the fan reaction. In fact, Martinez knows all too well what it’s like when fans that supported you suddenly turn on you due to unforeseen circumstances. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez explains why he thinks bodybuilding fans might be the most disloyal compared to other sports.
Victor Martinez previously commented on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “freedom” comments back when it was making viral headlines across the internet. But in our latest interview segment he goes into an even deeper reaction beyond the Schwarzenegger situation. Martinez sees these kind of hyper-reactionary fan comments as a sign of something bigger in the bodybuilding community.
While not the exact same situation per se, Victor Martinez is familiar with bodybuilding fans suddenly turning their backs on him. Unlike Schwarzenegger, this was less due to his direct comments and more due to something outside of his control. Martinez was incarcerated for some time right when his bodybuilding career was flourishing. This put a screeching halt on his progress. He lost a massive amount of weight. Upon returning to the free world, he faced massive criticism due to the state of his physique as he tried to return to his prime shape in the sport.
It’s this kind of reactionary commenting that turns Victor Martinez off. He quickly learned to treat it as white noise and ignore the comments. It was the only way he could confidently march forward and focus on his career. He ignored most of the comments – but from what he was told by friends and fellow athletes – he was nearly betrayed by the loyal fanbase he once had.
This this kind of mob reactionary mentality that Victor Martinez sees more and more in bodybuilding fandom. It’s something that he believes has been accelerated by social media (this of course is true beyond sports and has affected culture as a whole). But it’s also something that he thinks is particularly bad in pro bodybuilding. Perhaps because of the emphasis on judging the aesthetic of physiques.
“Maybe other sports do have better fans than bodybuilding,” Victor Martinez stated in our interview. He continued to explain:
“That’s what brings me to the now of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of how the fans in bodybuilding are the most unloyal [sic] fans, you know? They can be with you today but come war tomorrow, they’re gone. They aren’t the most stick by you die-hard fans.”
Victor Martinez goes on to say that bodybuilding fans are more focused on “how great you are now” and can quickly change “how they are going to treat you later. It’s very subjective to where you are.”
It’s this kind of reactionary in the moment thinking that taught Victor Martinez to stop caring what other people think. Instead he only focused on the comments that mattered – the comments of judges scoring his physique. It might also explain why he’s willing to be so candid during interviews. He doesn’t worry about the backlash that may come.
You can watch Victor Martinez talk in detail about the reactionary core of bodybuilding fandom in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Hardcore Truth: Johnnie O. Jackson’s Arnold Classic 2022 Predictions
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Johnnie O. Jackson shares the hardcore truth on who has the best shot for top placings at the Arnold Classic 2022.
Welcome to the Hardcore Truth – our new podcast and digital series staring one of the strongest pro bodybuilders in the world – Johnnie O. Jackson. Known for his incredible physique, strength, and hardcore training sessions with Branch Warren, Johnnie is gearing up with a mic and camera to share his most valuable lessons from a career in bodybuilding and strength training. This week, Johnnie O. Jackson breaks down the Arnold Classic 2022 lineup and predicts who will land the top 5 placings.
After a wild and confusing two years, the Arnold Classic has returned to its traditional date with a full fledged weekend of competition in 2022. The Arnold Classic 2022 will be held in Columbus, Ohio on March 3-6 and kick off the bodybuilding season with a bang. There’s quite a stacked lineup, with some unfortunate last minute dropouts. That’s why Johnnie O. Jackson decided to dedicate this week’s episode of Hardcore Truth to breaking down the competitor lineup and predicting who will take the top five spots. Let’s jump into it.
The Arnold Classic 2022 Will Be A Battle Between Brandon Curry and William Bonac
Johnnie O. Jackson isn’t just a couch critic giving his unsolicited opinions on the Arnold Classic, he’s a pro bodybuilder and powerlifter with first hand experience in the sport. His critical eye is able to break down the finer details of what we can expect from the top competitors going into the Arnold Classic 2022. And it’s that level of insight that predicts Brandon Curry will likely win first place.
But it won’t be a clear and easy victory. Johnnie O. Jackson sees William Bonac as the biggest threat to Curry’s throne. Bonac seems to have a fire in his stomach after his somewhat lackluster placing at sixth place at the Mr. Olympia 2021. Jackson believes it’s this fire in combination with his impressive physique that might up the ante for the Arnold Classic.
Of course, Brandon Curry is a former Mr. Olympia champion and also placed second at the Olympia 2021. He’s seen constant improvements each year with hardly any setbacks. So Johnnie O. Jackson still gives the tip of first place to Curry at this moment. But the beauty of a live competition is that anything can happen – and the truth is that these two competitors are going to have a battle for the ages.
Akim Williams, Brett Wilkin, and Steve Kuclo To Likely Round Out The Top 5
Beyond the top two placing, Johnnie O. Jackson predicts that Akim Williams will likely rise up to earn third place in the competition. Williams has had an explosive couple few years bringing him into the conversation of threats for both the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia. With the current lineup as it stands – Jackson sees a clear path to third place for Williams.
Another notable bodybuilder turning heads is Brett Wilkin. A relative rookie in the sport, he has been shocking fans and experts alike with his physique updates. Based on what he’s seen, Johnnie O. Jackson believes that Wilkin can earn a solid fourth place spot. This nothing to slouch at – as it will put him truly in the spotlight for the rest of the season. He has some impressive potential to possibly be a future champion one day.
And bringing up the rear of the top five is Steve Kuclo. Kuclo has been a consistent and solid competitor over his entire career. His recent placings in 2021 seem to indicate that he can bring a powerful package to the Arnold Classic 2022.
Wrap Up
Johnnie O. Jackson goes into more detail about each competitor than we can cover here in this article. That’s why you should make sure to watch or listen to the full episode of Hardcore Truth above. Do you agree with Jackson’s predictions? Let us know by leaving your thoughts in the comments of the video or on our social channels!
Straight Facts: Everything You Need To Know About Muscle Hypertrophy
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Jerry Brainum shares the straight facts on the three key factors involved in muscle hypertrophy – aka muscle growth.
If you are even a casual bodybuilder you have likely heard the term muscle hypertrophy. In simplest terms, muscle hypertrophy is the growth of muscle fibers. It’s a key factor in bodybuilding and sculpting a physique. While any gym goer has likely activated muscle hypertrophy through the act of weightlifting – there is a lot of science behind how this muscle growth actually occurs. Understanding the key factors behind this science can help you optimize your training for better muscle growth. In our latest episode of Straight Facts, Jerry Brainum breaks down everything you need to know about muscle hypertrophy.
So how does one achieve muscle hypertrophy? Resistance exercises, aka weightlifting exercises, are the number one best way to grow muscles. This may seem obvious – but it’s important for beginners to understand that resistance is what activates muscle hypertrophy. It can’t be avoided if you want to build bigger muscle and strength.
So how does this exactly work? When resistance is put on your muscles to the point of overload, muscle fibers are damaged. At this point, satellite cells, which largely remain dormant otherwise, activate to help repair the muscle fibers. During this action of repair – the fibers are built back thicker. Thus, muscle growth occurs.
Another interesting fact is that muscle fibers contain cells with multiple nuclei, which is scientifically called myonuclei. Typically, a cell has one nucleus – but this is not the case for muscle cells. What does this mean? It means that your muscle fibers can atrophy if not consistently kept in a cycle of being overloaded. This is why your muscles shrink if you stop working out.
But a fascinating aspect of myonuclei in muscle cells is that despite atrophy, the number of nuclei does not decrease. This means after taking a break from training, it’s much easier afterwards to build muscle back up when you begin training again.
Ways To Overload Muscle For Hypertrophy
So how does one effectively overload muscle for optimal hypertrophy? There are multiple factors at play that can help you achieve hypertrophy and muscle growth. The first tactic, and most commonly understood, is lifting heavy weight. The definition of heavy weight of course is different for each person and their current strength level. So while we cannot suggest a specific weight to achieve “heavy lifting” – the best way to ensure you are lifting heavy is to lift weight that exhausts you after 6-8 reps per set.
But for those who do not want to lift heavy, there is a way to achieve muscle hypertrophy through lifting light weight. This is done through lifting to failure. Jerry Brainum went into full detail on training to failure in our last week’s episode. Training with lower eight but at a higher volume has been proven to help build muscle. But this is only if you train to failure. Many believe they are training to failure – but do not actually achieve it. Which may lead to hitting a plateau. Often training to failure involves pushing past your perceived limit. It’s challenging and often takes time and experience to fully understand and achieve.
Lastly, you can also achieve muscle hypertrophy by adjusting the rest time between sets. Shortening your rest time puts more stress on your muscle. This leads to muscle growth. However, it should be noted that shorter rest times between sets do not help you build strength. A minimum of 2 minutes between sets are required to recover energy needed to slowly build your strength level. While short rest periods may help muscles grow – you will find your strength plateauing.
The 3 Main Factors Involved in Muscle Hypertrophy
Now that we know how to achieve muscle hypertrophy, what are the actual scientific factors at play behind the actions? Jerry Brainum breaks it down into three main factors. Understanding these factors can help you improve your training regimen for more optimal growth.
The first and easiest to understand is mechanical tension. This is simply the amount of stress or resistance you physically put onto your muscle. This is the underlying factor as to why resistance training is the number one activity for building muscle.
The second factor is metabolic stress. This is when the muscle fatigue byproducts, such as lactate, help stimulate muscle growth. However, this is a debatable issue. While many fitness experts believe there is enough evidence to prove metabolic stress is a real factor in hypertrophy, there are scientists who believe this has yet to be undisputedly proven. For those who wish to achieve a better metabolic stress during muscle hypertrophy – the key tactic to focus on is time under tension. This is how long you are contracting your muscle during a lift.
Lastly, muscle damage is the last factor contributing to muscle hypertrophy. As explained at the top of this article, damage to your muscle fibers lead to satellite cells repairing the fibers. This causes the fibers to be rebuilt thicker. Thus causing growth. But this factor is also under debate in the scientific community. There are those who believe that muscle fibers can be split via muscle damage. These split fibers then become separate fibers that also grow. While this has been observed scientifically in other animals – it has yet to be proven in humans. Though it remains a theory that many believe in.
Wrap Up
As you can see, Jerry Brainum has put together an exhaustive breakdown of everything you need to know about muscle hypertrophy. There are details that we couldn’t fully cover in this article – so be sure to watch the full Straight Facts podcast episode above for full guidance on this important core concept in bodybuilding. Also make sure to stop by every Wednesday for new episodes of the podcast!
Jordan Shallow’s Analysis: What Regan Grimes Needs To Become Olympia Champion
Jordan Shallow believes that Regan Grimes simply needs one thing to become an Olympia champion… time and patience.
Regan Grimes has been a promising bodybuilder with an extremely focused mission to become an Olympia champion. His recent move to working with Milos Sarcev signaled just how serious he is about pushing his physique to the next level. There’s no doubt that Regan has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue over the past years – but he has yet to upgrade to that next level. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, The Muscle Doc, Jordan Shallow, shares his analysis on what Regan Grimes needs to become an Olympia champion.
Jordan Shallow is called The Muscle Doc for a reason. And that’s because he is a very knowledgable individual on all things muscle, weightlifting, and bodybuilding. While he’s not a bodybuilding guru per se, he has been an avid fan of professional bodybuilding for quite some time. That combined with his health and fitness knowledge make him a valuable resource of analysis for the present and future of bodybuilding. That’s why we decided to ask him about the hype behind Regan Grimes – and what the future may hold for his career.
Regan Grimes is a pro bodybuilder who has been on an extended hype train. In some ways, his journey is similar to Big Ramy. He continues to turn heads with each year – but ultimately fails to upgrade to that next level when it really counts – at the Mr. Olympia. That’s not to say he is a slouch of a competitor. In fact, the constant hype behind him shows just how impressive his physique is – it just needs that final push into champion status. The same was said for years with Big Ramy until his victories in 2020 and 2021.
So what does Regan Grimes need to go to the next level. With Big Ramy it was always clear – he needed to improve his conditioning. For Grimes it may be the opposite. His conditioning is often fantastic – but his size might not match up to the likes of someone reigning as champion the size of Big Ramy.
Jordan Shallow believes that there is not one specific thing Regan Grimes is doing wrong that needs improvement. In fact, he believes that Grimes is doing everything right. His latest decision to train under Milos Sarcev further proves that point. It shows that – A: Milos sees enough promise in him to spend time training Regan and B: that Regan is ready to push himself to the next level with a legendary trainer such as Milos.
So with that in mind, Jordan Shallow believes that Regan Grimes simply needs time. He’s young, still in his twenties and has plenty of time to gain further muscle maturity, experience, and growth. Big Ramy, by contrast, is in his late thirties. Shallow believes that time will simply benefit Grimes’ physique. Not only that, but the sport itself may also change over the coming years. Eventually Big Ramy will either step down or be taken down from Olympia champion status. Perhaps Grimes will not be the first one to do that. But perhaps when he is ready – the sport will look different than it does today.
ABOVE: Regan Grimes showcasing his recent physique three weeks out from the Arnold Classic 2022.
In that regard, Jordan Shallow doesn’t believe that Regan Grimes needs to pack on 300 pounds of muscle in order to win the Olympia. He just needs patience, focus, and continued hard work with someone like Milos Sarcev. In time, just like with Ramy over the past decade, Grimes’ strengths will become unstoppable.
You can watch Jordan Shallow’s full analysis of Regan Grimes’ physique in our latest GI Exclusive interview above.
Interview: How Colts LB Darius Leonard Went From Worst Pick To Top Linebacker In The NFL
Darius Leonard, aka The Maniac, discusses his journey to the top of the NFL and his lockdown training routine.
When Darius Leonard first entered the NFL, he was labeled by many sports news outlets as the worst pick of the year. That’s not the kind of attention you want going into your first year in the pro leagues. Fast forward to the end of the season and suddenly Leonard is ranked as one of the best. He was awarded Rookie Of The Year and is now considered one of the top linebackers in the NFL. Certainly a big change in a short amount of time – and a well deserved one at that. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Colts Linebacker Darius Leonard describes his journey from worst pick to Rookie Of The Year and details how he’s training during the countrywide lockdown.
Speaking with Darius Leonard via our video interview call, you wouldn’t expect him to be the kind of player with the nickname Maniac. He’s causal and relaxed despite being on of the best linebackers currently playing in the NFL.
“I have two different personas,” Darius Leonard states in our interview. “When I’m on the field, I’m just that wild and crazy guy who’s just a competitor. And then when I’m off the field I’m just a polite guy, respectful, who’s going to talk to anyone he can.”
That’s the kind of class you want in a top NFL player. He’s aggressive on the field and gets impressive results – but he also represents himself and the sport with candor and respect. But don’t let that fool you, he’s a freight train on the field that seems truly unstoppable. He has a career combined total of 244 tackles and he’s only now just about to start his third year. He’s parlayed his success on the field into a successful social media presence with hundreds of thousands of followers. He’s ready to take over the world.
A celebratory pose of Darius Leonard on the field (above).
Of course 2020 is no longer an ordinary year. With the world in crises and the current state of nearly all professional sports in jeopardy for the year, things are still very uncertain for what will happen come the fall and the start of the new NFL season. As of right now, there are no official plans to stop or slow down the season. The NFL has the luxury of not starting until much later this year – so a lot can change.
That being said, this period of time is still an important one for the players and certainly for Darius Leonard. With facilities and gyms closed around the country – how is Leonard keeping himself on point for the upcoming season? How will The Maniac maintain his momentum of becoming the best in the NFL if the entire world is stunted by a society halting crisis?
Again, Leonard keeps his cool and maintains his casual and logical demeanor, not very befitting of the name Maniac. He understands that people’s health comes first and that whatever happens with this season, he will understand that world healing comes before the NFL.
On top of that, he’s honestly not too worried as he’s still able to train at his home. The NFL has sent some equipment for him to train with. He honestly see this as returning to his roots of how he prepped and trained back before his time in the NFL. It’s what got him there in the first place. So he’ll certainly be ready to go whenever things return back to normal.
“The NFL sent some weights and stuff for us to use. And you know I’m from the country so that’s nothing new to me,” Leonard casually states.
“I didn’t have much equipment growing up anyway. I just went back to everything that – my foundation. Pulling tires, pushing tires, flipping tires, running around the field. Working in the yard. That’s the stuff that built me into who I am now. So I just went back to it.”
Darius continues to go into detail about his training regimen and how strength and athletic training differs from the kind of training bodybuilders focus on for competitions. This may be an obvious difference in training tactics – but it’s certainly fascinating to see how one of the top pros in the NFL handles training and prep compared to the top pros of bodybuilding.
We also touch upon a few other topics such as what year a football player hits his prime int the NFL compared to other sports and about the controversial topic of concussions in the sport. Specifically after the film Concussion brought a lot of scrutiny onto the NFL upon its release in theaters.
Ultimately, Darius Leonard ends off our interview focusing on the positives. How grateful he is to be an all star football plater in the NFL only about to start his third year. The younger version of himself would never believe it to be true – as it’s all he ever wanted for his future. He made that future a reality – and how he has his eyes on the Super Bowl. Based on how he’s handled everything else so far – we wouldn’t be surprised to see that coming some time soon.
You can check out our full GI Exclusive interview with Darius Leonard above.
Talking Huge With Craig Golias: Will Ronnie Coleman Ever Stop Training?
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Craig Golias reacts to Ronnie Coleman’s latest training video and muses over whether or not he will ever stop training in his life.
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 reacts to the recent deaths in bodybuilding, Big Ramy vs Larry Wheels armwrestling, and Ronnie Coleman’s latest training video update.
Unfortunately, there were reports of three bodybuilding deaths since the last time we recorded Talking Huge. So we start off this episode on a somber note to reflect on those we lost and to get Craig Golias’ reaction. After that we jump into more viral topics such as Big Ramy’s recent arm wrestling match against Larry Wheels. Was it legit or just a staged video for fun? We also talk about Blessing Awodibu working with George Farah. And we cover the recent viral video of Ronnie Coleman training. It’s a jam packed episode so let’s jump right into it.
Blessing Awodibu teams up with George Farah
George Farah is considered by most to be a legendary guru and coach in the sport – including Craig Golias. He has had his hands behind many champion bodybuilders. In his more recent years, he also updated his coaching style to focus more on longevity and health. His argument is that he can still help build massive bodybuilding champions without taking some of the more modern risks that we see in today’s bodybuilders.
Blessing Awodibu is a bodybuilder who has a lot of hype and potential behind him – but ultimately fell a bit short when he finally appeared at the New York Pro 2021. He’s now taking a short break to focus on building up better and coming back to the stage with a vengeance. It seems that George Farah is a part of that plan.
Craig Golias sees this as nothing but a very good thing for the rising star. Blessing Awodibu can see some major improvements with the help of a legend like George Farah. It will be interesting to see how he stacks up the next time he competes.
Ronnie Coleman’s latest training video – will he ever stop?
Ronnie Coleman made waves this past week by posting a new training video showcasing some seemingly increased gains. This is, in some ways, surprising due to not only his age but also the many injuries and issues he suffers in his back and hips. Which begs the question – will a legend like Ronnie ever stop training?
Craig Golias reacts to this idea. Can someone as in love with lifting ever hang up the towel for good? Will we ever see legends such as Jay Cutler, Ronnie Coleman or Dorian Yates stop training completely? Craig believes that it’s too deep in their DNA to ever fully stop. Of course many of these athletes have trimmed down – but they don’t pull away from the gym completely.
Craig Golias himself can’t imagine ever fully stopping. Having dealt with his recent injury over the past year or so – he’s had to pull back. But he can’t imagine ever pumping the breaks completely.
Wrap Up
You can check out the full conversation in the latest episode of Talking Huge above. Watch Craig go into full detail about additional topics such as Big Ramy vs Larry Wheels and the recent deaths in bodybuilding this past week plus more! Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
Hardcore Truth With Johnnie O. Jackson: Nutrition Tips For Better Health In Bodybuilding
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Johnnie O. Jackson shares the hardcore truth about foundational nutrition tips for improved health in bodybuilding.
Welcome to the Hardcore Truth – our new podcast and digital series staring one of the strongest pro bodybuilders in the world – Johnnie O. Jackson. Known for his incredible physique, strength, and hardcore training sessions with Branch Warren, Johnnie is gearing up with a mic and camera to share his most valuable lessons from a career in bodybuilding and strength training. This week, Johnnie O. Jackson goes into detail on how to properly build a healthy nutritional foundation for your bodybuilding needs.
A bodybuilding physique isn’t built in the gym, it’s built in the kitchen. This is a tried and true statement in the bodybuilding and fitness world. But proper nutrition is also more important than just shaping your physique. Nutrition is the foundation of your health – both mentally and physically. In this day and age of vaccines and pandemics – health is certainly on people’s mind. On top of this, the many tragic deaths that have been reported in the bodybuilding industry have also highlighted a bigger focus on athlete health. That’s why in this week’s episode – Johnnie O. Jackson decided to dive head first into the most important aspects of foundational nutrition.
Johnnie O. Jackson says it best at the top of the episode. In this day and age, people simply don’t know how to properly eat. This is due to an entire system of processed foods, snacks, and (admittedly delicious) options available more than ever before. Many people eat unhealthy without even realize they are eating unhealthy. This is why Johnnie hopes to share some key foundational facts to help start changing your concept on proper nutrition.
Johnnie O. Jackson’s experience isn’t too different from many bodybuilders in the sport. He started lifting heavy in the gym, seeing results, and learned through trial and error. Due to this – he initially had no idea what he was doing when it came to nutrition and diet. Over time, he was lucky enough to make connections, work with coaches, and learn in detail the key elements needed to be a successful pro bodybuilder.
From these experiences – he also learned the importance of nutrition in general. Having a healthy diet deeply effects not only your life longevity but also your energy and your mental health. These things all contribute towards success in your other goals – whether they are bodybuilding or something else. So proper nutrition is not only important for building a big physique directly – but also indirectly via improved mood and energy as well.
In this episode, Johnnie O. Jackson does not break down a specific bodybuilding optimized diet for becoming a champion. Instead, he focuses on the core elements of nutrition to improve your health. These tips should be underneath and consistent as you also optimize your own bodybuilding diet. Johnnie discusses his personal experiences of how he breaks up percentages of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and so on. He also focuses on the importance of hydration, and finally the importance of vitamins.
Sadly, humans in today’s world often don’t get the vitamins they need via all natural means. So supplements can be very important. For example, the average adult gets much less vitamin D due to our lives (mostly) taking place more and more inside. So there is an extreme importance in ensuring we have enough vitamin D in our diets. This is just one example Johnnie goes over in this episode.
You can watch Johnnie O. Jackson go into full detail about his nutrition and diet tips by watching the latest episode of Hardcore Truth above. Make sure to stick around every Thursday for new episodes!