Tag: Videos
Keone Pearson Takes Up A 3500-Calorie Diet, Getting Ready For The 2023 Texas Pro
Keone Pearson is getting ready to make a statement in the 2023 competitive season. The prodigy is set to return to the stage and has a new diet plan that will take his physique to the next level. The 28-year-old has enjoyed a certain degree of success in the Classic Physique as well as the 212 division of the IFBB Pro League throughout his career. His first ever Olympia appearance came in the Classic Physique division at the 2019 Olympia where he finished fourth. However, Pearson decided to make the 212 division home for the rest of his career.
The divisional debut saw him take home the 2020 Chicago Pro trophy which ultimately qualified him for the 2020 Olympia. Unfortunately, Pearson had to pull out of the competition owing to personal troubles.
He returned the following year and finished 14th at the 2021 Olympia. A dominant win at the 2022 Tampa Pro gave Keone the fourth opportunity to prove his mettle at the grandest stage of bodybuilding. The bodybuilding community was impressed by his progress and many expected him to give top contenders like Shaun Clarida and Kamal Elgargni a lot of issues. Pearson put up a fierce fight and surged into the top seven, finishing sixth at the 2022 Olympia.
The Prodigy will compete at the 2023 Texas Pro that is scheduled to take place on August 18-19. 16 weeks out of the show, his competition prep has officially started. On the first day of prep, Keone shared what he would be eating throughout the day to get the right body composition for the show. So let’s see how Keone Pearson is fueling his body to rock the 2023 competitive season.
Keone Pearson’s full day of eating for 2023 Texas Pro competition prep
Meal 1
A usual day during the competition prep starts with a 45-minute cardio session in a fasted state. An abs workout followed it on the day of recording the video. Pearson then rushes back home to fuel his body after the calorie-intensive activity and eats the first meal. It consists of:
Oats – 80 grams
Banana – 1 full
Beef – 100 grams
Whey Protein – 30 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 718 cal, Protein – 66.6 grams, Fats – 18.1 grams, Carbohydrates – 83 grams
Tip: Find your daily protein intake
Meal 2
As a couple of hours pass by, it’s time to go and train hard in the gym. But before that, Pearson has to fuel his body with a good pre-workout meal. His current diet plan has him consume a rice and chicken-based meal before hitting the gym. The 2022 Tampa Pro winner’s pre-workout meal includes:
Chicken – 200 grams
Jasmine Rice – 75 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 426 cal, Protein – 64.8 grams, Fats – 7.6 grams, Carbohydrates – 20.8 grams
While Keone Pearson likes to eat rice in 75-gram portions, he is not opposed to varying them according to personal preferences.
“Honestly, you can do it however you want it. If you wanna eat it in one sitting for your one meal or three just do it as you get the same food,” he said.
Keone savors the meal and then heads over to the kitchen to prepare his pre-workout and intra-workout drinks.
Pre-workout and intra-workout shake
As a professional bodybuilder, Keone Pearson has to ensure that his workouts yield the best results. To fuel the workout and get the most pump out of the training, the 212 competitor consumes a pre-workout drink that has the following ingredients:
Pre-Workout Drink
Stimulant-free Pump Pre-Workout Supplement with 5 grams L-Citrulline, 3 grams GlycerPump, 1 gram Agmatine Sulphate, 1 gram L-Tyrosine – 2 scoops
Caffeine – 1 scoop
Sea Salt
Related: Best pre-workout supplements ranked
Intra-workout drink that keeps the energy high during the training session consists of:
EAA + BCAA formula
On the day of recording the video, Keone trained chest and it was his high day where his caloric intake was higher than it is on a leg day.
“Today is actually considered a high day because I have a high day for chest and back, not on legs, which is pretty surprising. Those are my low days. I guess he wants me to push harder for that…” Pearson stated.
After pushing through an intense workout in the gym, Pearson returns home to have the post-workout meal.
Meal 3
To enable muscle recovery and growth in the arduous training routine, Pearson downs the protein shake and fruits. The post-workout meal is a hefty one and comprises of:
Whey Protein Isolate – 1 scoop / 30 grams
Pineapple – 50 grams
Jasmine Rice – 75 grams
Lean Ground Beef – 200 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 756.7 cal, Protein – 80.9 grams, Fats – 18.3 grams, Carbohydrates – 35.8 grams
Meal 4 and 5
The next two meals in Pearson’s full day of eating consist of high-quality protein sources like chicken and Salmon complimented with cream of rice and Potatoes.
Meal 4 consists of:
Cream of Rice Cereals- 75 grams
Chicken – 200 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 588 cal, Protein – 67.2 grams, Fats – 3.9 grams, Carbohydrates – 58.5 grams
The next one, meal 5, is the last meat/fish based meal that includes:
Salmon – 200 grams
Potatoes – 200 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 598 cal, Protein – 49 grams, Fats – 24.2 grams, Carbohydrates – 42 grams
Meal 6
This bedtime snack is the final bit of food that Pearson puts in his body every day. Rich in protein, healthy fats, and Complex carbohydrates, it keeps late night hunger pangs at bay and promotes muscle growth. Additionally, nut butters like peanut butter or almond butter contain tryptophan which can promote sound sleep.
The meal includes:
Oats – 50 grams
Whey Protein Isolate – 30 grams
Almond Butter – 30 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 466 cal, Protein – 41.2 grams, Fats – 22.3 grams, Carbohydrates – 41 grams
Total caloric intake and macronutrient profile for the day
Energy – 3509 calories
Protein – 303.2 grams
Fats – 81.7 grams
Carbohydrates – 390.4 grams
Keone Pearson has found his footing in the 212 division after a successful 2022. While he has to prove his mettle against the likes of reigning champion Shaun Clarida and former champ Kamal Elgargni, he still has a lot of mileage left. If he shows patience and focuses on making incremental gains, the 28-year-old can dominate the 212 division in the years to come.
Watch Keone Pearson share the diet here, courtesy of his personal YouTube channel:
Published: 13 May, 2023 | 9:19 AM EDT
Kali Muscle Gets Honest About 13 Years of Heavy Gear Use: ‘I Really Didn’t Stop Till the Heart Attack’
Fitness influencer and former bodybuilder Chuck “Kali Muscle” Kirkendall continues to issue warnings about the dangers of steroids. In a recent YouTube video, Kali Muscle discussed performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and the repercussions that follow sustained abuse.
Over the last three years, the foundation of the bodybuilding community was rocked by multiple deaths. In 2021, former Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden suddenly passed away from suspected heart troubles. Meanwhile, George Peterson, a standout 212 bodybuilder, also met his untimely fate face down in a hotel room, once again, from heart complications.
Last April, less than one month before the 2022 Arnold Classic, Cedric McMillan died at 44. In addition to the former Arnold Classic champion, the sport mourned the deaths of IFBB judge Jerry Ward and German IFBB pro Andreas Frey.
Considering the trend, multiple bodybuilding personalities have underlined the dangers associated with PEDs. Among them was Kali Muscle, who shared a cautionary tale that saw him suffer a heart attack around the same time Rhoden passed away. In an effort to deter PED abuse, Kali Muscle is again highlighting the dangers in a recent YouTube appearance.
Kali Muscle Reflects on 13 Yrs of Steroid Abuse, Takes ‘Small Dose’ Now to ‘Sustain’ Physique
Kirkendall admits he ignored warning signs from doctors regarding his use of PEDs.
“You clogging everything up then I was getting warnings… doctors would be telling me, ‘Your blood pressure elevated for years.’ I’m like, ‘Man, look at me I’m fine.’ Then would use the electrical blood pressure machine, I’m like, ‘No you have to use that manual,’ right? I kept on just putting it off.”
“My feet and ankles swelled up and would just stay swollen, I’m talking abnormal. So I would wear compression socks and all that, just my right foot, so I’m like, I blamed it on Vegas, it’s got to be the heat or something in this air man. I lived in Vegas four years going through this.”
In addition to blood pressure issues, Kali Muscle noticed his body was retaining extra water only on his left side.
“When we did IBF, I went to the doctor and got a physical and all that, they told me that blood pressure is elevated and I just shunned it off. I’m like, but I was always scared of that; I knew something was wrong with my body because I was puffy.
Even when I did bodybuilding shows I would take diuretics and my left side would dry out but my right side was still holding a film of water. So, I was always weary of that, you know. Always scared of that. Yeah, I just didn’t take action on the signs,” said Kali Muscle.
Kali Muscle states that he’s used steroids for 12-13 years straight but finally stopped following his heart attack. He listed trenbolone as the worst compound he’s used but also said ‘deca, anadrol, and dbol’ clogged up his arteries over time.
“When I was 34 I started, 34… to when did I do my last show, no, so I really didn’t stop until the heart attack. Yeah, but all those years I would get off three to four months. So I caught myself cycling off and I’m thinking I’m not doing what these other guys are doing because I was already genetically gifted but you had times bro – that’s why that HGH, IGF fuc**ng Insulin, bro that’s clogging you up. They tell you, you know what I mean, that hardens your arteries or whatever they used to say.”
“Yeah, 34 till when I had my heart attack, so 13 years off and on… 12 years off and on,” added Kali. “If you don’ty get a EKG or a PET scan to look at your arteries, you don’t know what’s going on. That’s what I recommend to everybody. Getting an EKG, a PET test at least once a year when you’re hitting 40 at least once a year.”
“Tren is the worst. Tren, deca, anadrol, dbol, they the worst. They clog you up so fast. Insulin will kill you! I remember I tried that and damn-near died. You got to eat like a 1,000 grams of carbs on it. I was about to fall out and have a diabetic coma. Just experimenting too, don’t know what the hell you doing. It’s all an experiment, that’s what I tell people in videos, you’re giving data to my kids’ generation on what to do and what not to do.”
According to Kali Muscle, steroids have value in society because they can help people suffering from AIDs and cancer. He specified that he’s taking a small dose of testosterone which amounts to 250 milligrams per month.
“Roids help people, AIDs, cancer patients — it helps them. But when you abuse it, that’s when the problems arise,” added Kali. “A small dosage [is what I take now] I do a half a CC every other week. So, you’re looking at I do about 250 migs a month. That’s just to sustain.”
“I don’t do it for big muscles or nothing because I want to live bro. I’d get off totally if they tell me to. Yeah [testosterone], just some test. I feel great.”
Looking ahead, Kali Muscle is excited about new anti-aging measures.
“Keeping people young… they have a lot of new research. I love it. I look at it like this, if we didn’t have what we have in place now, I would be dead. Back in the day, they wouldn’t of been able to figure out as fast as they did what was wrong with me. By that time, the blood would of shut down to my brain and organs.”
Kali Muscle isn’t the only former bodybuilder keen on reversing the anti-aging process. Recently, 1990s Open athlete Rich Gaspari took to Instagram and revealed a peptide stack he uses to preserve his health. He’s also taken aim at Open bodybuilders today who he believes are overusing drugs instead of utilizing proper training.
Given the consequences he’s endured from years of steroid abuse, Kali Muscle hopes to inspire safer practices, especially for those who intend to pursue a career in bodybuilding.
Watch the full video below from the Escape Fitness YouTube channel:
Published: 12 May, 2023 | 11:21 AM EDT
Michal Krizo Builds Shredded Chest And Shoulders Six Weeks Out
Michal Krizo is all set to dominate the 2023 competitive season with a massively improved physique. The Slovakian mass monster recently tackled a shoulder and chest workout. Interestingly, he also named the show he will next compete in.
Michal Krizo grabbed the imagination of the bodybuilding community because of his muscular physique and insane size. After dominating the competition in the IFBB Elite Pro League for years, he decided to switch over to the NPC in late 2021 to kick start the Olympia campaign. He soon turned into a hot prospect as bodybuilding experts like4-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler spoke highly about his chances in the Men’s Open division.
Krizo earned the IFBB Pro Card with a clean victory at the 2022 Amateur Olympia Italy. He returned after a few weeks to compete at the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro and emerged victorious, earning a direct qualification to the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
In spite of a win, the 32-year-old was heavily scrutinized for the lackluster conditioning. However, he continued to push himself day after day. Although he brought a much improved physique to the Olympia contest, Krizo failed to break into the top tier of the division and had to be content with the 12th place finish on the grandest stage of bodybuilding.
Having gained the experience and knowledge of his own limitations, Krizo is busy sculpting his physique the right way for taking on the big names in 2023. His recent chest and shoulder workout was a part of this effort and Krizo went through some heavy exercises with grit and determination of a champion six weeks out of the show. So let’s take a closer look at the proceedings of this training session and hear from Krizo about his next show.
Michal Krizo’s Chest and Shoulder Workout
Incline Barbell Bench Press
The Slovak’s training began with incline barbell bench press. This compound movement works all the pushing muscles in the upper body. However, the incline position puts more emphasis on the clavicular head of the pectoral muscles or simply put, the upper pecs. Krizo did a few solid sets of the exercise using the progressive overload principle and took up a shoulder exercise next.
Cable Front Raises
This anterior deltoid movement followed next and the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro winner used a rope attachment to do it. Cable machine variations of exercises keep the muscles under tension for a longer duration and help bring about hypertrophy. After doing a few sets with slow and controlled motion, the Slovakian bodybuilder jumped into a free weight exercise next.
Flat Bench Dumbbell Chest Flyes
Building the adduction strength of the upper body muscles is as important as building the pushing strength. This is where chest flyes come into play. The next exercise in Krizo’s training session was the flat bench dumbbell fly. He cranked out some meaningful sets of the exercise using incrementally heavier dumbbells.
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
The 32-year-old bodybuilder continued the work in the dumbbell segment and got a few sets of dumbbell lateral raises under his belt. This exercise focuses on the lateral/medial deltoid muscles.
Machine Chest Press
After working the chest and shoulders with free weight movements for the most part, the rising contender called a stop to the workout with the machine chest press. He did the exercise on a plate-loaded machine. After cranking out a few sets with controlled movements, the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro winner wrapped up the training session.
Overall, the workout consisted of following exercises:
2023 Empro Classic Pro Spain to Mark his Return
In a physique update a couple of weeks ago, Michal Krizo had hinted at competing at a surprise contest in eight weeks. However, he had not revealed the details of the contest. At the end of his chest and shoulders workout, the Slovak stated that he will return to the stage at the 2023 IFBB Pro League Empro Classic Pro Spain.
“Michal Krizo, when are you competing next?” The videographer asked Krizo.
“In Spain… Empro Classic…” Krizo replied.
The event is an Olympia qualifier and it will take place on June 18, 2023. While the 2022 edition of the show did not have the Men’s Open competition, this year will be a different story. Competitors from Men’s Open, Classic Physique, Women’s Physique, Figure, Bikini, and Wellness categories will attempt to take home the Empro Classic trophy.
Krizo’s rise in the Men’s Open division has been quick as he made his Olympia debut within six months of earning the IFBB Pro card. If he wins the Empro Classic Pro and secures a direct qualification to the 2023 Olympia, he can dedicate sufficient time to improve his physique and break into the top echelons of the division this competitive season.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Michal Krizo’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 12 May, 2023 | 9:11 AM EDT
65-YO Bodybuilder Reflects on 36-Year Long Career Ahead of 2023 Masters Olympia
The 2023 Masters Olympia is set to return this year after a lengthy 11-year-long break on Aug. 25-27 at the Arena in Cluj Napoca, Romania. It will provide a platform for the older bodybuilding competitors to compete on stage. In a recent video uploaded on YouTube, Michelle Brent reflected on her 36-year-long career in bodybuilding ahead of her appearance at the 2023 Masters Olympia.
The Masters Olympia was first introduced in 1994 to allow the competitors of yesteryears among other older bodybuilding professionals to showcase their talents in front of fans. Bodybuilding veteran Robby Robinson emerged as the inaugural champion. The event continued annually till 2003 and returned for a single edition in 2012, where bodybuilding legend Dexter Jackson took home the top prize.
It is set to make a comeback this season. While many are excited about the show’s return, others are not on board with the decision. Renowned bodybuilding coach Milos Sarcev dismissed the possibility of his participation and pushed back against the competition due to concerns surrounding athletes’ health earlier this year.
On the other hand, Australian bodybuilder Lee Priest expressed his excitement at the event but ruled out his participation as well. Although Priest would’ve liked to sign up for the contest, his chest atrophy would keep him on the sidelines.
Victor Martinez indicated his interest in potentially competing at the show three months ago. However, he was still on the fence about throwing his name in the hat as he wanted to check whether the prize money would justify his efforts. The organizers announced the overall prize money at $229,000 for all the divisions at the 2023 Masters Olympia weeks later.
Being the last winner, there was a lot of speculation about whether Dexter Jackson would join the roster. He added fuel to the fire with an insane workout update showing off his huge biceps two months ago. Along with Jackson, iconic bodybuilder Jay Cutler generated a lot of buzz for potentially returning to competition. Coach Chris Aceto argued against the return of the four-time Mr. Olympia and the show itself last month.
Japanese 212 and Open competitor Hidetada Yamagishi declared his comeback to competition for the 2023 Masters Olympia weeks ago. He would take to the stage at the age of 50 with the belief he could win one final title. Last month, he left the fans stunned with a ripped physique update 18 weeks out of the event.
Cutler and IFBB head judge Steve Weinberger revealed the full roster for each of the 10 divisions of the show two weeks ago.
65-YO Bodybuilder Reflects on 36-Year Long Career Ahead of 2023 Masters Olympia
In a recent YouTube video, Michelle Brent opened up about her nearly four-decade-long career going into the 2023 Masters Olympia at the age of 65.
“This is actually into my 36th year,” said Brent. “In 1985 I did an unsanctioned NPC show so technically I started in 1986 when I won the San Jose Super Bowl. It was Paul Love the promoter back then. Technically it would really be 37 but it would really be 38 if you count 1985.”
“I was always an athlete, did every sport. In 1985, I joined a gym and then my first husband had noticed me. There was a couple that used to come at the time and it was when the couples were popular. They noticed me and said hey you could get into bodybuilding, do shows, these things. I tried for three weeks and it was my start.”
Brent discussed how she manages to compete into her mid-60s along with how dancing helped refine her posing skills.
“Finally my little dream will come true. 25 years it took me to turn Pro. Crazy with only three years off in that 25 to get it. I get seconds, thirds, so I went to the Universe. I trained smart, never trained beyond getting a tweak or twinge. I never would go do 10 more reps or whatever. Literally never injured myself in the gym, nutrition wise always been pretty good. I didn’t get too crazy in the off-season, ate good, never had metabolic damage. I’ve just been very blessed.”
“I love to dance. If I didn’t discover bodybuilding I always wanted to be one of those troop dancers like a background, the whole learning, the steps, and all that but so I just love to dance. Ironically the first show in 1985, they had said you get this one minute to do whatever you want but you have to put some poses in bodybuilding poses really. I had the best time ever. It was like I found my niche. I know well I could be muscular and work out but yeah that could be entertaining and do what I love to do ‘part dance.’”
She’s targeting her first trophy at the 2023 Masters Olympia and revealed it would mark her last year in competition.
“I knew it was in the works, it wasn’t just a rumor. I knew Jake had wanted to get the Masters. But I never thought there was going to be some point there was going to be a championship for our Masters. All these people are able to turn pro now. Jake Wood came up with bringing back the Masters National Olympia but let’s make it all the divisions. Let’s make it legit, not just the men. I just kept on hanging in there hoping that at some point I was going to be able to end my career with at least one championship under my belt.”
“I truly have to admit that this is thank the Lord that I got this because I really truly believe this is my last year because I do have a little bit of just old age. I’d say old age but wear and tear, things my wrist is really bothering me, my hip joints so it’s starting to tell me and I’m smart.”
Brent called for a change in the qualification criteria of the contest.
“I think they need to at least bring it back to say 45 and then in the qualification if they do a qualifying thing at the show. This is my criteria. They always do something when you scratch your head. It needs to be 45 and over division is the only division you could get that qualification. If there’s an over 50 and 60, fine and dandy but you just get prize money but that 45 and over is the only class. If I want to take the chance I would add 65 go into that 45 and over to get the qualification for 2024 and no crossovers because there’s so many. It doesn’t make it legit. You have to pick your division because if you want to do a crossover fine but that division doesn’t get a qualification that’s how I see it clear and cut for qualifiers.”
Lee Priest voiced a similar sentiment as Brent in urging the organizers to bump up the minimum age for qualifying to 50 and above last month.
IFBB Pro League athletes’ representative Bob Cicherillo believes all eyes would be on former 212 Olympia champ Kamal Elgargni as he enters as the betting favorite to win the 2023 Masters Olympia later this year.
You can watch the full video below.
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Published: 11 May, 2023 | 10:17 PM EDT
Jose Raymond Shares the Biggest Mistakes to Avoid in Contest Prep
Bodybuilding veteran Jose Raymond has a ton of experience based on years of competing professionally. Although he excelled in the Men’s 212 division, Raymond also made a splash in the Men’s Open category. In a recent video uploaded to YouTube, Raymond shared some of the biggest mistakes competitors and coaches make while in prep for contests.
Jose Raymond first rose to prominence for his incredible muscle shape, definition, and lower body development as a Men’s 212 competitor in the early 2010s. He turned in a strong performance at the 2011 Mr. Olympia, where he cracked the top three and proved himself to be one of the most consistent and disciplined athletes in the game. Being a regular feature of the 212 Olympia, Raymond never placed outside of the top five in any of his eight appearances from 2011 to 2018.
Raymond came close to picking up the ultimate title but eventually took silver after falling short of legendary 212 competitor Flex Lewis in 2015. He also battled with the likes of Hidetada Yamagishi, former champions Derek Lunsford and Kamal Elgargni as well as Ahmad Ashkanani.
In April 2021, Raymond and bodybuilding legend Flex Wheeler teamed up for a collaborative training session with Egyptian IFBB Pro Hassan Mostafa. The pair mentored the budding Men’s Open prospect through a tough workout to get him ready for the New York Pro contest.
‘The Boston Mass’ chimed in on the passing of former Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden in Nov. 2021. Raymond expressed his disappointment that Rhoden wasn’t able to clear his name in a legal matter. He also argued Rhoden should have won more Mr. Olympia titles following the first victory.
Jose Raymond shares the biggest mistakes to avoid in prep
In a recent YouTube video, Jose Raymond shared some of the biggest mistakes to avoid while in preparation for bodybuilding contests.
Raymond started by highlighting the error of pushing too hard in an attempt to get striated glutes.
“What I realized is that people push and push like oh don’t have striated glutes yet, got to keep pushing, two hours on the step mill, zero carbs, keep going, and then the body disappears,” said Raymond. “Well, maybe he just doesn’t have genetics to have striated glutes. Maybe he’s got small muscles, there’s not a whole lot of muscle there to strike but they keep pushing and pushing thinking that it was going to help. He’d end up 20 pounds to light just all in the search of getting striated glutes.
“Now next week this kid won’t have striated glutes but he’ll be the hardest guy in the show. He’ll have separation, lines in his hamstring, striated lower back, lats everything, crazy abs, midsection. He just doesn’t have striated glutes. Is he going to go on to win the Olympia or the Nationals or New York Pro? I don’t know maybe he can make some adjustments but right now he’s at the best his body can be. That’s a mistake that not only competitors do but coaches do by pushing too far in the holy grail of striated glutes and you’re destroying a guy’s physique in that quest for glutes.”
Raymond argued against following a low-carb diet for long periods of time.
“They hit panic mode and try to overdo everything. They’ll overdo the fat burners, low carb or zero carb days like if your coach tells you to have zero carbs for three to five days straight and three hours of cardio, you gotta question their motive like what is going on here. There’s no way that can be beneficial.”
The 48-year-old dismissed some common myths that prevail in the sport.
“In the last three weeks, I’ve had at least four clients say to me and they’re relatively new to competing but they are like hey should I bring honey, jam, and peanut butter backstage for my rice cakes? Backstage is not a time to binge. They think they are supposed to eat a ton backstage. No, you get up early, eat your breakfast, have another small meal and get on stage. If you’re back there like at the Olympia for four or five hours, yeah have your meal or some granola or rice cakes or something ready to go just in case.
“I’m like no don’t pay attention to those people. Do not listen to them lathering up big scoops of peanut butter. Then they go on stage, get a bloated stomach, ripping farts backstage like it’s disgusting. There’s no benefit to that.”
Jose Raymond offered his experience of coaching competitors who refuse to follow instructions.
“I get these weird messages like when you’re prepping someone and for six to eight weeks you’re not seeing the progress you think you should be really. Then they’ll see that and be like can I keep drinking the Yoo-hoo that I have with my last meal? I’m like wait what? When did I tell you to do that?
“They’ll be like I don’t know I’ve always been doing that. But I wrote you up a diet exactly what I want you to have and you’re adding a Yoo-hoo. That’s what your physique looks like, a Yoo-hoo.”
“I just say I don’t know under what context your coach is having you do this so I can’t guess to tell you what to do. They may have you doing this for a certain reason so I have no idea and I don’t want to know. If you want help from me, you talk to your coach and next show or off-season, we’ll get together and have a discussion. But I’m not going to get into this. I just tell people hit me up at some other time but you gotta trust your coach until it’s over and see how that goes.”
“You can’t just put everyone on the same plan with tons of fat burners, tons of cardio, and low carbs. It’s not going to work. It’ll work for the select few that are freaks but the rest of the people, you’ll literally ruin their physique or worse and then they’re completely wasted and exhausted by the time the show comes. It’s important to have enough fuel to be able to train like an animal all the way up to the show.”
Jose Raymond weighed in on the scuffle between Shawn Ray and Dominic Nicholls, son of renowned bodybuilding guru Chad Nicholls, recently. He criticized Ray for his role in the incident and labeled him as a bad guy in the industry.
RELATED: All 212 Olympia Winners Since 2008 (and History of the Division)
You can watch the full video below.
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Published: 11 May, 2023 | 6:14 PM EDT
Hany Rambod Teases Big Package from Derek Lunsford at 2023 Pittsburgh Pro Guest Posing
Excitement for the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro continues to build as a star-studded lineup is expected to guest pose at the event this weekend. In a recent The Truth Podcast, Hany Rambod previewed the show and provided off-season updates from Derek Lunsford, Hadi Choopan, and Chris Bumstead.
Months before last year’s Mr. Olympia contest, Rambod’s pupil Derek Lunsford stole the show at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro. He guest posed alongside other Open class talents without appearing undersized, having gone toe-to-toe against the likes of Brandon Curry, Nick Walker, and Hunter Labrada.
In light of Derek’s dominant showing in Pittsburgh, many believe it prompted Olympia officials to award him with a special invitation to compete in the Open category. After accepting the honor last September, Lunsford wasted no time in asserting himself as a title contender.
At the 2022 Mr. Olympia event, Hadi Choopan claimed gold after finally blending together an immaculate balance of size, muscularity, and hard conditioning. Unlike in years prior, champion Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay fell short on stage in fifth while Lunsford, who debuted in the Open class, walked away in second.
With the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro guest posing show taking place this weekend (May 13-14), Rambod took a closer look at the gathering. In addition, he discussed the off-season progress of Lunsford, Choopan, and Bumstead.
Hany Rambod Talks Hadi Choopan Training at 100% & Derek Lunsford Not Having Size Limitations
Before starting a prep, Rambod mentioned that he sometimes implements a ‘dry run’ where he manipulates water, sodium, and carbohydrate intake. He added that Lunsford was attempting to keep his weight controlled last year, but that won’t be the case this weekend.
“Now, if you’re four or six weeks out, that’s a whole different story. I have done that in the past, where it’s four to six weeks out and someone is guest posing and we do what we call a dry run. What we do is a manipulation of maybe water, carbs, sodium, to get to know the person’s body. I have done that in the past.”
“Like I said, [last year] it was definitely low calories, low carbs, and all of the things that made him in better shape. Theoretically, he’s not going to be in as good of shape because he’s not trying to keep his weight down. Where last year, they’re like why did he look so good, it was because he was trying to keep his weight down. No weight control [now].”
Hany says the Pittsburgh Pro sets up the rest of the bodybuilding calendar. Following the guest posing obligation, Rambod plans to lay out more aggressive game plans for Lunford, Choopan, and Bumstead.
“Pittsburgh is a whole different story, the great thing about Pittsburgh, with Phil, Jay, Ronnie, I’ve been going to Pittsburgh for 25 years. It’s one of the places where you get to see guys that are getting ready for shows that just want to jump on stage or you have people that are just the top five, you see Gunter, Ronnie, Jay, Kai, and you’re just like, ‘Whoa.’”
“Yes, Derek is guest posing. Yes, he is guest posing. He’s been doing a lot of appearances but he hasn’t guest posed. I think he’s ready to take his shirt off finally,” says Hany Rambod. “Not usually, but because of where we’re at in the season, I do like my athletes looking a certain way by this time in terms of where we’re at and we reverse-engineer from the Olympia backward, and now that the Olympia is a little sooner this year, four or five weeks… it is something I use as a gauge.”
“Derek is going to be coming out here so we can kick off the season and we will see where he’s at when he gets to guest pose and see what everyone looks at and be able to assess where we need to be from here and how we can make adjustments but so far everything is going very well with his previous check-ins, same with Chris. I think it was the first time he [Bumstead] has never done off-season check-ins before,” added Rambod.
According to Rambod, the reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan is now training at 100% intensity.
“I’ve spoken to Hadi, he’s now back to training 100% or what I consider 100%, he’s really pushing himself hard, can’t wait to get together with him again.”
Rambod Says Chris Bumstead’s Bicep is Healed and They Are Looking to Hit New ‘Milestones’
Rambod believes Bumstead’s stem cell therapy treatment helped his torn bicep. He finished the conversation by stressing the need to keep all of his athletes within striking distance for the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia competition.
“I just don’t think he trained. I don’t think he trained period. I think he literally took months and months off before he was able to train,” said Rambod. “He did stem cells and a bunch of therapy on it [his biceps] and he trained and was able to get back up to 100% fairly quickly even then I told him to take it easy, you don’t want to reinjure yourself. But getting all the guys in striking distance to start the prep is really what it’s all about at this point.”
“You need to hit those milestones and make sure you’re tracking it properly.”
In a previous appearance on his podcast, Rambod discussed Nick Walker’s potential as an IFBB Pro. Speaking with Fouad Abiad, Rambod underlined Walker’s love and loyalty for bodybuilding, expressing that he ‘lives the sport 24/7.’
Fellow coach and guru, Chris Aceto, rendered his thoughts on the guest posing gathering in Pittsburgh. He anticipates an on-stage battle between Lunsford and Big Ramy given the strengths of their respective physiques. Regardless, he stressed that the Pittsburgh guest posing event is an opportunity to leave an impression with judges months from Olympia.
A packed lineup will take over Pittsburgh this weekend, including Nick Walker, Hunter Labrada, Samson Dauda, Derek Lunsford, Big Ramy, and Shaun Clarida. If the spectacle is anything like last year, bodybuilding fans will have a lot to talk about in the lead-up to 2023 Mr. Olympia.
RELATED: Hany Rambod: Coaching Hadi Choopan/Derek Lunsford at 2022 Olympia Felt Same As Training Jay Cutler/Phil Heath
Watch the full video below from Hany Rambod’s YouTube channel:
Published: 11 May, 2023 | 5:01 PM EDT
Jay Cutler Shares Legendary Quad-Stomp-Inspired Leg Workout, Targets ‘6-8% Body Fat’ in 2023
Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler continues to work toward a physique transformation before turning 50. In a recent YouTube video, Cutler detailed a 10-exercise leg day training session and compared body fat ratios from now versus when he was the reigning Mr. Olympia.
Cutler is a titan of the bodybuilding industry, having staked his claim against greats when mass monsters ruled the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division. In addition to pushing mainstays such as Dennis Wolf, Johnnie Jackson, and Branch Warren, Cutler succeeded in winning the sport’s most prestigious title on four occasions at Mr. Olympia (2006-2007, 2009-2010).
In 2006, the Massachusetts native served up one of the biggest upsets the sport had seen when he dethroned eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. In order to defeat ‘The King,’ Cutler said he adopted many of his adversary’s training practices to cultivate an undeniable physique.
Perhaps Cutler’s most powerful attribute was his lower body, which he used to set himself apart from his peers. His stage presence and dominance shined bright in 2009 when he cemented his name in bodybuilding history with an iconic quad stomp pose en route to becoming the first man to regain a Mr. Olympia title that was lost.
In 2009, Cutler’s quadriceps became the talk of the town as they became his secret weapon to reclaim his physique’s glory. With his arch-nemesis, Jackson, beside him, who had taken the title away from him the previous year, Cutler had a point to prove.
Cutler’s quad stomp is now part of bodybuilding history! It’s amazing to think that no one else had ever come back to win the Olympia after falling down the ranks. But Cutler did it! Even though he had some tough competition from guys like Jackson and Warren, that quad stomp gave him the edge he needed to come out on top. What a moment!
Even though Cutler stepped away from the sport in 2013, his passion for working out remained steady. Late last year, he revealed that he was transforming his body to fulfill a personal goal, which he’s titled the ‘Fit-for-50’ challenge. Targeting his best physique in over 10 years, Cutler shared his latest leg day workout for fans to try out.
Jay Cutler Brutal Leg Day Training Session
Below you can find a full list of Cutler’s workouts for leg day.
After the training session, Cutler once again highlighted that he’s not taking on any heavy drug cycles for his current transformation nor will he partake in low-carb days.
“Leg day, I’m not going to hit poses, next week starts the posing actually. Like I mentioned, I think we’re 13 weeks from the ultimate – which I don’t know what that ultimate is… once again I’m in uncharted territory because I’m going to do this prep without the contracts, without a big prize pot at the end, there’s not going to be a $400,000 or $200,000 purse; this is for me, the fans, so I’m going to put a leisurely effort in. When I say leisurely, we are not going full tilt, no heavy drug cycles, no crazy low-carb days.”
Cutler specified that he carried only 3% body fat during his time as a Mr. Olympia champion. However, for his current look, he feels sticking with a 6-8% range would be best. In addition, he intends to maintain a weight of 235 pounds.
What I’m trying to do, is I want to be able to showcase this transformation. This is a lifestyle transformation. Someone who is already in good shape, I think I’m around 12-14% body fat and to get right to the 8-6% range, which would be relatively lean, not the 3% that you saw on the Olympia stage that required the last six weeks of drastic dieting. Although, I am looking forward to trying to turn it up in the last six weeks and seeing how far I can push myself and maintain 235: that is the goal,” said Jay Cutler.
Given his recent undertaking, Cutler has been open and honest about his physique goals. He took part in a CutlerTV interview recently, where he laid out the high-protein diet he’s employed to fuel his fitness demands.
While he won’t be appearing on a contest stage anytime soon, the world is excited to see Jay Cutler’s latest transformation. Surely more physique updates will follow when he makes a special appearance in Romania for the 2023 Masters Olympia contest in August.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Talks ‘Fit for 50’ Transformation Challenge: ‘Strictly Testosterone, No Tren’
Watch the full video below from the JayCutlerTV YouTube channel:
Published: 11 May, 2023 | 11:29 AM EDT
Bodybuilder Breon Ansley Shares Full Day of Eating in 2023 Off-Season with 1 Meal of Choice A Day
American bodybuilder Breon Ansley reached the pinnacle of the Classic Physique division as a two-time Olympia champion. He’s getting ready to switch to the Men’s 212 division this season. In a recent video uploaded on YouTube, Ansley shared his full day of eating in the off-season and chooses one meal of his liking a day.
IFBB Pro competitor Breon Ansley first rose to prominence for his impressive physique in the Classic Physique class in 2016. He handily dispatched the competition at the 2016 Prestige Crystal Cup and won gold to earn an invite to the Mr. Olympia competition. He earned fourth place in his first-ever Olympia appearance.
The next year, Ansley brought a significantly improved package on the stages of the 2017 New York Pro. He won the contest and made his way to the 2017 Mr. Olympia, where he battled with reigning four-time Classic Physique Olympia king Chris Bumstead for the top prize. In the end, Ansley managed to ward off the budding Canadian sensation.
Ansley kicked off the 2018 season with a commanding victory at the Arnold Sports Festival en route to a successful title defense at Mr. Olympia. Bumstead inched closer but could not do enough to overwhelm the two-time champion. In 2019, Ansley finally got dethroned by ‘CBum’ in a close-fought battle and took silver. Bumstead held on to the title ever since.
The 43-year-old missed the mark at the 2022 Arnold Sports Festival, settling for a fourth-place finish last year. He expressed his disappointment at the result but ensured he would return stronger than ever following the show. Then, Ansley declared it would be his last run in the Classic Physique class due to the weight cap. He gave fans a look into his intense high-volume lower-body training session for building muscle weeks later.
There was a lot of speculation about whether Breon Ansley would join the Men’s 212 division. The rumors were fueled after he presented a bigger package in a guest-posing appearance at the NPC AL State Championships last September. Ansley collaborated with fitness sensation Mike O’Hearn for a sleeve-busting arms workout in preparation for the 2022 Mr. Olympia. He followed up the session with a brutal upper body workout using rest-pause training methods last October.
‘The Black Swan’ smoked a challenging legs workout in the build-up to the Olympia in December 2022. He confirmed his plans to move two the 212 category and revealed that Olympia would mark his final competition as a Classic Physique competitor days before the event.
Breon Ansley shares the full day of eating (with 1 meal of choice)
In a recent YouTube video, Breon Ansley shared his full day of eating while choosing one meal of his choice per day.
Meal 1 (8 am): 4 whole eggs & 150g cream of rice (sometimes, he mixes in 25g of ISO whey protein).
Meal 2: 10pc chicken nuggets, medium fries, crispy chicken plain burger.
Snacks: cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, or rice cakes with peanut butter.
Meal 3: 7oz salmon and 150g of cream of rice.
Meal 4: 6oz chicken and 150g cream of rice.
Protein shake (25.5g protein).
Meal 5: 6oz bison and 120-130g sweet potatoes.
Breon Ansley had a heartfelt conversation with Chris Bumstead following the 2022 Mr. Olympia, where he placed fourth while Bumstead secured his fourth title. They both lauded each other as Ansley passed on the torch to Bumstead, bringing a decisive end to their competitive rivalry.
Ansley is focused on adding more muscle mass to his frame now that he has a higher weight limit for competition. Fans will be excited to see him make a splash in the 212 division.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 11 May, 2023 | 8:58 AM EDT
Rocky Star Dolph Lundgren Discloses 8-Year Cancer Battle: Suspects Steroids Are to Blame
Swedish actor, filmmaker and martial artist Dolph Lundgren is well known across the world for his roles in action movies of the 1980s and 1990s era. With a dashing personality that best suited a Viking, Lundgren fit in the idea of an action star really well at the time. In a shocking revelation, the 65-year-old actor has stated that he has been fighting with cancer for eight years now.
Lundgren visited the In Depth With Graham Bensinger show recently. During the conversation, The Rocky IV star said he was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. He continues to fight with it and has undergone several treatments to keep it in check.
“They found a tumor. They didn’t know what it was – just a tumor in my kidney. And they took it out here in LA in 2015 but then they did a biopsy and it was cancerous,” Lundgren said.
The next few years were the toughest of Dolph Lundgren’s life as he had to deal with cancer and live with the constant fear of losing the most precious gift of life. However, he sought different treatments, fought through the disease and paved the way to near full recovery.
Dolph Lundgren shares a detailed account of his battle with cancer
The Rocky IV actor continued to do the scans every six months to track his health after the initial battle but the cancer had grown back in 2020. He underwent a surgery to remove the tumors. In the video clip recorded a day after the surgery, Lundgren said:
“It’s the day after my surgery. They took out one tumor, then they took out another two they found and another three small ones. Hopefully it’s cleaned out. If it dies, it dies!”
Lundgren never lost hope and kept the fighting spirit alive. The final sentence, ‘if it dies, it dies’, is a famous dialogue from the movie Rocky IV and only shows the Swede’s resolve to keep fighting.
In addition to the tumors in the kidneys, Lundgren had developed a ‘lemon-sized’ tumor in the liver which the doctors said they could not take out.
“If they can’t take it out, that means you have to do systemic therapy. But then I started to get side effects, I got diarrhea and I lost a lot of weight.”
The doctors gave him a maximum two to three years to live but Lundgren sought a second opinion and additional treatment to curb the decline. Under Santa Monica-based oncologist Dr. Alexandra Drakaki’s guidance, Dolph Lundgren went through another round of biopsy. The procedure helped uncover the mutation which allowed him to heal through medication.
“So 2022 is watching these medications do their thing and finally, the thing had shrunk by 90 percent. Now I am in the process of taking out the remaining scar tissue of these tumors,” Lundgren revealed.
He continued:
“The prognosis is that hopefully when they take these out, there’s no cancer activity and the medication I am taking is going to suppress everything else.”
‘Drago’ ponders over the potential causes of cancer
Dolph Lundgren is not sure what led his body to get cancer. He had an on and off relationship with steroids in the 1980s and 1990s depending upon the kind of physique his roles demanded.
“I tried steroids back in the 1980s, 1990s… I don’t know if it has anything to do with cancer. Of course it struck me it could have had something to do with it.”
Lundgren feels that neglecting health could be one of the reasons why people get cancer. Although he does not blame steroids for causing it, he feels that there could be a correlation between steroid use and cancer.
“Maybe it’s just me but you kind of blame yourself to some degree for it. I think maybe, there is some connection between testosterone therapy, HGH therapy and cancer in some people.”
Lundgren is on his way to full recovery. While nobody should have to deal with the health issue as serious as cancer, every grey cloud has a silver lining. The cancer taught the Rocky IV star to appreciate life more as he said:
“You know, you appreciate life a lot more. You appreciate every day. Every day I can be with people I love. You just appreciate being lucky enough to be alive and appreciate every moment there is.”
‘Drago’s’ secret battle with cancer is nearing its end. Fitness Volt wishes Dolph Lundgren a healthy and happy life.
You can watch the interview clips of Dolph Lundgren detailing his battle with cancer here, courtesy of Graham Bensinger’s YouTube channel:
Published: 11 May, 2023 | 1:52 AM EDT
Flex Lewis and Strongman Eddie Hall Destroy Brutal Arm Workout & Share Physique Updates
Known for some of the biggest biceps and triceps the 212 division has seen, Flex Lewis joined strongman Eddie Hall for a vicious arm workout. During the YouTube collaboration, Lewis guided Hall through a four-exercise routine that focused on technique and proper form.
Having led a career lasting over a decade in the IFBB Pro League, Flex Lewis separated himself from his peers with shocking muscle volume and granite conditioning. Employing grit and sheer determination, Lewis would capture a total of seven 212 Olympia titles consecutively. He proved himself against some of the division’s top names, such as Derek Lunsford, Shaun Clarida, and Jose Raymond.
Even though Lewis has redirected his focus away from bodybuilding, he still loves the sport and what it stands for. He routinely shares unique and thought-provoking training tips and sessions online. Given the footprint he left on the 212 division, fans listen when Lewis has something to say regarding exercise.
Eddie Hall, on the other hand, is a famous strongman competitor who built his career having attained a number of accolades and records. Hall was the 2017 World’s Strongest Man winner and temporarily held the all-time world deadlifting record of 500 kilograms until his nemesis Hafthor Bjornsson broke it with 501 kilograms in 2020.
In their latest undertaking, Lewis and Hall joined hands for a demanding arm workout, where the former seven-time 212 Olympia offered the strongman legend pointers on growing the biceps/triceps.
Flex Lewis & Eddie Hall Arm Workout List
“I think we’re going to smash arms — biceps and triceps — I’ve actually not done an arms session in a bodybuilding format yet, so this will be a good one,” said Eddie Hall.
After pushing through multiple sets of cable triceps pushdowns, Lewis gave his thoughts on training with Hall.
“Whatever you go from there, you already got 3 or 400 reps and this is – fu** I don’t care who it is, I’ve trained with Brian Shaw, a lot of strongmen, it’s just a different style of training,” said Lewis.
Next, the duo moved on to incline dumbbell skull crushers.
“Try and get your neutral grip, and fire in a really good stretch, I come off my shoulders, but start off with the front delts but then gradually take it as far back as you can,” explained Lewis.
Flex and Eddie followed up the session with machine triceps extensions.
For their final movement, Lewis and Hall performed a few sets of dumbbell biceps curls, a common staple in most arm workouts.
“Well, what you’re trying to do is just neutral to the side, pinky up, pinky up as much as you can and squeeze and just think of cupping like you’ve got nothing there right now, you’re just trying to squeeze like a nut in between, squeeze that gap. You’re trying to squeeze that bicep as much as you can.”
“Power, hit the neutral button, come up, and squeeze and slow down on the descent,” added Lewis. “Turn that wrist [to maximize the contraction].”
“He’s put more size on me in 30 minutes than I would have in two hours, to be honest,” said Hall.
“He’s the only guy probably in 10 years plus to see my top off, am I right?” said Flex Lewis.
After the two pushed each other throughout the session, the pump covers came off, and Lewis still appears to be in fantastic shape despite retiring one year ago. In a special one-on-one sit down with Steve Kuclo, Lewis said he would only follow through with a competitive return for a seven-figure deal.
Meanwhile, Eddie Hall continues to train while creating YouTube content. The last time fans heard from ‘The Beast,’ he took part in a fun reaction video where he offered his two cents on a handful of crazy gym fails.
Given the latest collaboration, it’s safe to say Flex Lewis hasn’t completely shut the door on a possible return. As for Hall, he’s appreciative of the techniques Lewis shared because they differ from the methods he would often use in strongman.
RELATED: Flex Lewis Gives Inside Look of his Stem Cell Treatment and ‘Path of Recovery’
Watch the full YouTube video from Flex Lewis’ channel below:
Published: 10 May, 2023 | 5:31 PM EDT