Tag: Videos
Hunter Labrada Shares Tips for Breaking Plateaus & Changes in Off-Season & Prep Training
American bodybuilder Hunter Labrada is on a mission to reassert himself in the mix of title contention after an uneventful Olympia showing. He did not get discouraged by the setback and got back to making the necessary changes. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Labrada shared his thoughts on how to break through plateaus and revealed the changes in his training in the off-season and prep.
Hunter Labrada, son of IFBB Hall of Famer Lee Labrada, entered the Men’s Open division as a legacy competitor in 2020. He dominated the competition at the Tampa Pro with his enormous muscle mass, size, and posing skills and took home the top prize in his maiden IFBB show. The win made way for him to join the lineup for Mr. Olympia, where he placed eighth in his first outing. He scored gold the following year at the 2021 Chicago Pro before improving his standing to fourth place at the 2021 Mr. Olympia.
Labrada’s latest appearance happened at the 2022 Mr. Olympia last December. He didn’t bring his best form on stage and dropped down to seventh place. Following the result, Labrada expressed his frustrations with his performance. His coach Ben Chow admitted he came in flatter than anticipated as there were troubles in timing his peak. Given that he was not in the top six, Labrada eyed competing in two shows for two reasons; to qualify for the Olympia contest and figure out his peak. He started a new diet and training routine for the off-season earlier this year.
Hunter Labrada via @hunterlabrada
Labrada regularly educates his fanbase on a variety of topics related to fitness and bodybuilding. He revealed his full day of eating along with the supplements he was consuming two months ago. Then, he followed up by offering tips on building lower body muscle and smoked a heavy leg workout. One of his biggest ambitions for the season is to lean out his midsection. He detailed three ways of using vacuums to enhance core control.
Last month, Labrada gave fans a look into his preparations for the upcoming guest posing appearances at the Emerald Cup and the Pittsburgh Pro. He weighed in at 283 pounds while fasting and listed the new diet he was utilizing to get ready for the shows.
Hunter Labrada shares tips on breaking through plateaus
In a recent video posted on YouTube, Hunter Labrada shared his thoughts on pushing past any point of stalled progress in the training room.
“If I am stuck on a set and I’ve gotten the same amount of reps more than two sessions in a row what I’m probably going to look to do is employ some kind of intensity technique or a plateau breaker if you will,” said Labrada. “That would probably be in that case the rest pause, doing it for as many reps as I can, which should be a tie for the amount of reps I got last week and the week before, taking 10 breaths resting 15ish seconds and then going as many as I can again aiming to get three or four more. Doing that a couple weeks in a row and then going back to building that straight set.”
Related: 4 Methods For Busting Through Lifting Plateaus
Labrada reveals the difference in training off-season and in prep
Labrada gave his take on the changes in training during the off-season and in prep.
“Not a damn thing. Regardless of the period of the year that I’m in whether it’s a contest prep, an off-season, a health phase, this that or another, I am still training the same way. Very much so logged progressive overload training. The only thing changing is the load and the volume so in the off-season obviously I’m stronger. I’m full of food, body fat’s a little higher, the load and volume might be a little higher although I’m very low volume even in the off-season as we go into the prep.
“The poundages will go down a bit because obviously strength takes a dip but the variable I like to play with a little more is reducing the volume. Heading into a prep I might be doing three working sets on half the exercises I’m doing and then two on others by the end of prep I might be down on two on a lot of them and even on legs days like down to one on most of the exercises.”
Hunter Labrada opened up on developing the gym and bodybuilding mindset last month. He encouraged the more experienced lifters to set realistic goals and allow themselves time to build the skill. A few weeks later, Labrada offered tips on growing weaker calves in a straightforward way. He also laid out a detox drink that helps boost gut health and improve digestion earlier this week.
His latest update will help fellow gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts get back on track for progress and adjust their training routine throughout the year accordingly.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 7 May, 2023 | 2:23 PM EDT
Lee Priest Reveals Changes in Training & Diet from His 20s to 50s
Australian bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest made a name for himself with his insane conditioning levels and longevity. He’s one of the few competitors who continued to perform even after stepping away from professional competition. In a recent video uploaded on YouTube, Priest shared the changes in his training and diet from when he was in his 20s to now that he’s in his 50s.
Lee Priest started his career in the IFBB Pro League as a Men’s Open contender in 1989. He became one of the youngest athletes to earn a Pro Card at the age of 20. Boasting gigantic arms with razor-sharp muscle detail, he worked his way up the ranks with frequent contest appearances. He secured an invite to the Mr. Olympia competition in 1997, where he placed sixth in his debut.
Priest was a regular feature of the Olympia shows with six participations between 1997 and 2003. While he did not win the Sandow trophy, he went up against the likes of eight-time champ Ronnie Coleman, six-time champ Dorian Yates, Shawn Ray, and four-time victor Jay Cutler. He scored his biggest win at the 2006 Ironman Pro and made his final IFBB appearance at the 2006 Grand Prix Australia.
Lee has not lost his passion for working out and maintains a high level of personal fitness. He opened up about taking Deca (Nandrolone) in his teenage years to build muscle and how he’s managed to retain it despite facing health challenges such as a neck injury last November. Then, he offered his expertise on performing the decline bench press for optimal chest muscle growth. He cautioned his fans against loading up too heavy as the decline motion could increase the risk of injuries.
Earlier this year, Priest gave fans a look into building gigantic forearms. He revealed he never trained the muscle group suggesting his refined forearms were down to genetics and overall training. He listed eight exercises that could help grow weak forearms. The 50-year-old went on the offensive against the Men’s 212 division a few months ago. He believes the 212 competitors could hold their own against some of the freakiest mass monsters of the Men’s Open class if they brought their best package.
Following the announcement of the returning 2023 Masters Olympia, Priest expressed a desire to complete the show had it not been for his chest atrophy. Two months ago, Priest laid out tips for effectively using preacher curls to maximize biceps gains and pump.
Priest weighed in on the Minnesota court’s ruling permitting transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports weeks ago. He bashed the decision for being unfair to women and urged the females to go on strike in protest.
Lee Priest reveals changes in his diet & training from his 20s to his 50s
In a recent YouTube video, Lee Priest shared how his training and diet protocols have changed over time from when he was in his 20s to now that he’s entering his 50s.
While he continues to train in a similar fashion, he needed to make some adjustments due to his injuries.
“The only thing that’s probably changed now is the weights,” said Priest. “Until I had this or the neck injury from the car accident, exactly the same. I’d still go as heavy as I could because I get good heavy days. But now with injuries I just gotta work around things. But overall still exactly the same as when I started really.”
“It’s good to focus on your form and also seated you can’t cheat as much and you can’t go as heavy. If you do have a back problem it’s probably easier to do it seated as well rather than just bending over but whatever feels comfortable for you. Don’t be one of those people where they go well he does them seated I have to do them seated when you could feel it better standing up. Everyone’s going to be different because their limbs are longer or shorter. That’s fine what works for you. I say do both if you can.
“[Recovery is] about the same really. I sometimes go sort of hard on leg still but not as heavy. I do a good amount of weight higher reps but really focus on the quads and it still might be sore for two or three days at the most after but still recover pretty quick as long as I’m getting the sleep, the food in. I can still train and not eat a lot of food and not sleep well and feel like sh*t.”
He theorized burning fat might be tougher but he manages to stay in good shape with cardio while being around 211-213 pounds currently.
“Now, maybe burning body fat gets harder as you get older. Metabolism might slow down but I still do lots of cardio so it’s good for burning fat and keeping healthy.”
“2 hours minimum of cardio. An hour in the morning and another in the afternoon. Then I’ll walk the dogs as well so anywhere between two to three hours a day.”
“I’m sitting around 96-97 kilos (211-213 pounds). It’s a comfortable weight. I’m not force feeding myself. Sometimes I only have two meals a day so I could probably go heavier but I can’t be bothered.”
Lee Priest voiced his disapproval of the qualification requirements for the 2023 Masters Olympia last month. He encouraged the organizers to raise the age criteria from 40 to 50+ with the condition that the athlete did not compete for at least two to three years.
Based on the latest update, it’s evident Priest continues to enjoy working out and leading a healthy lifestyle even without competition.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 7 May, 2023 | 11:07 AM EDT
Fouad Abiad, Hany Rambod Talk Nick Walker’s ‘Fuc**ng Crazy’ Mindset: ‘He Lives Bodybuilding 24/7’
Hany Rambod and Fouad Abiad joined forces for a special sit-down discussion recently. On The Truth Podcast, Rambod and Abiad examined Nick Walker‘s championship mentality and overall impact on the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division.
Nick Walker’s influence on the category was impossible to ignore from the moment he stepped on stage. In 2021, he gathered momentum with back-to-back victories at the New York Pro and Arnold Classic. In his first Mr. Olympia appearance, Walker proved his physique was more than just hype as he finished fifth.
Instead of defending his Arnold Classic title in 2022, Walker opted to make improvements on the sidelines, specifically to his waistline and v-taper. Before taking his talents to a second Mr. Olympia contest, Walker and Derek Lunsford stole the show at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro, where they guest posed alongside Brandon Curry and Hunter Labrada.
Despite his status as the overwhelming favorite, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay was unable to defend successfully. As a result, Hadi Choopan claimed the 2022 Mr. Olympia title with Lunsford and Walker leaving in second and third, respectively. Walker returned in March at the 2023 Arnold Classic but finished second behind Samson Dauda.
Even though he came up short in Ohio, Walker is confident months before his next Olympia. In a recent Mutant and the Mouth podcast, the 28-year-old made it clear he doesn’t think Choopan will repeat as champion. With the bodybuilding season picking up, Rambod and Abiad took a closer look at Nick Walker and his career trajectory.
Fouad Abiad and Hany Rambod on ‘Insane’ Nick Walker: ‘I Never Took His Confidence as Arrogance’
Abiad, who led a successful career himself, said he was shocked by Nick Walker’s determination and loyalty to the sport from the moment he met him.
“He can look at a lineup and really believe what he says when he says – some guys look at a lineup and they are like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to win.’ You’re thinking to yourself there’s no way you’re going to win. I feel like that’s disingenuous also, it’s great to be confident, but are you real with yourself? You know,” said Fouad Abiad.
“You have a relationship with Nick Walker, how do you feel about – what’s his personality do you feel compared to like an Iain?” asks Rambod.
“Here’s the thing, the first ever podcast I did with Nick was before I ever knew him and we did a one-on-one, and he was like, ‘I’m going to win the Mr. Olympia in two years.’ In my head, I was like this kid is fuc**ng crazy. But it was also what drew me to him, it didn’t seem arrogant. It just seemed like this kid’s got a lot of fuc**ng confidence, I don’t know if he’s insane but I like it, that’s kind of how I saw it,” replied Abiad.
“It was crazy for me to hear it. But then when he started competing and he won New York and then he fuc**ng won the Arnold, I’m like, ‘This kid could be fuc**ng right.’ That’s why I never took it as arrogance. I took it as a really firm belief in his own abilities.”
Given Walker’s accomplishments, Rambod believes the hype behind him was/is justified.
“I think that the bottom line is he’s backed it up,” said Rambod.
Rambod, Abiad Compare ‘WWE Character’ Blessing Awodibu & Nick Walker’s Mindsets
According to Abiad, Walker’s confidence is more genuine than Blessing Awodibu‘s. At times, Abiad suggested that ‘The Boogieman’ prefers to entertain whereas Walker is 100% committed to improving as a bodybuilder.
“On the flip side of that, do you feel Blessing does the same thing though, how is he different? Obviously, his placing isn’t there but because they’ve gone back and forth, he sounds very similar to that, but do you feel that it’s different and take aside the fact that he hasn’t been able to live up to that standard that he’s set. In general, do you feel like it was the same or that it was different?” asks Rambod.
“I hope Blessing doesn’t take any offense to this because I think Blessing is a very good bodybuilder. I think Nick lives bodybuilding 24/7 and nothing can interrupt that, not money, not girls, not work, nothing. It’s like, this is all I am here on earth to do, that’s Nick right? Blessing, is like, ‘I’m a really good bodybuilder and I think I can be great but I also like to be an entertainer.’ So, I think he’s playing a part to a certain degree. But also has a belief in himself.
But it’s not the same as Nick. At least from what he portrays, he’s not living the same way Nick is. Maybe this year, this last off season it looks like he’s made incredible progress, but more what I think Blessing is doing when he talks about winning Olympia, I think he’s kind of playing a WWE character to a certain degree,” added Abiad.
“Nick actually believes what he says, it’s not just an act.”
Following his second-place finish to Samson Dauda, Nick Walker has been open with fans about the outcome. He can understand why the judges favored Dauda’s package but underlined that his conditioning levels were enough to win on the scorecards. Walker later called for a revamp to the judging process and requested more transparency.
RELATED: Nick Walker Demolishes an Arduous Push Day Workout
Despite the setback, Nick Walker is focused on the 2023 Mr. Olympia competition, which is scheduled for November 2-5 in Orlando, Florida, where he will once again meet the two men who placed above him last year: Derek Lunsford and Hadi Choopan.
You can watch the full video below courtesy of Hany Rambod’s YouTube channel:
Published: 6 May, 2023 | 2:54 PM EDT
Chris Cormier Reflects on Gunter Schlierkamp Almost Defeating Ronnie Coleman at 2002 Mr. Olympia
Bodybuilding veteran Chris Cormier was a mainstay in the IFBB Pro League during the 1990s and 2000s. In a recent Prime Time Muscle podcast, Cormier looked back on 2002 Mr. Olympia where Gunter Schlierkamp pushed Ronnie Coleman with one of his career’s best packages.
German pro Gunter Schlierkamp led a successful tenure lasting over 15 years. He was well respected in the industry for his size and muscularity as many predicted he would be a future Mr. Olympia winner assuming his conditioning was on par with his contemporaries. He shared the stage with several big names in the sport like Flex Wheeler, Cormier, Coleman, and Jay Cutler.
Having reflected on past Mr. Olympia competitions, Schlierkamp believes he could have placed higher at a few contests but said winners weren’t hand-picked. His remarks came after Kevin Levrone took part in The Menace Podcast with Dennis James. Levrone suspected that outside factors and politics played a role in which bodybuilders ultimately won gold and represented the brand.
In a trip down memory lane, Cormier relived his 2002 Mr. Olympia experience when Gunter Schlierkamp was leading the show ahead of Coleman during prejudging. While Schlierkamp finished fifth, Cormier said it was one of his best looks of all time.
Chris Cormier on Gunter Schlierkamp at 2002 Mr. Olympia: ‘Joe Weider Told Us He Was Giving Ronnie Trouble’
According to Chris Cormier, Joe Weider warned him that Gunter Schlierkamp was on track to challenge for gold in 2002. It should be noted that Gunter Schlierkamp defeated Coleman at the 2002 GNC Show of Strength
“We were in Amsterdam, competed in Europe, myself, Ronnie, all the crew, Dexter, we’re all there and we were a little tired we were coming from a little tour in Europe. Then, we were in Amsterdam, so we were eating the cookies, and I was eating the cookies. Yup. I was in good shape. I wasn’t worried about it. We went there to New Orleans, on our way there, Joe Weider was talking to someone at the time on the tour and expressed to us how good Gunter was looking and that he’s possibly going to be giving Ronnie some trouble – that he was in that good of shape.
Getting over to the show, you know, we were like, ‘Okay, so,’ but it’s still Gunter, it’s not like a killer. But we were still banking on beating him. And it was a lot of money at stake. We were going in there guns a-blazing also, King Kamali was also there. But he [Gunter Schlierkamp] was in great shape. They did the first call out, they called out Ronnie, they called out Gunter, and they called myself out. It was us three in that call out there.”
Looking back on the contest, Cormier said he, Coleman, and Gunter all won some shots. He highlighted that shape and aesthetics were highly favored by judges at the time.
“I think they had Gunter in first place after the symmetry round, so I’m pissed, I kind of go off on him about it after the prejudging, ‘How the hell you get first place in the symmetry round?’ I’m just kind of like, ‘What the hell is going on here?’ He and his wife at the time was going back and forth with me in the lobby, I was pissed, don’t be telling me you’re winning the symmetry round, come on man, you know you don’t deserve that shit.”
“I would win some shots, Gunter would win some shots, Ronnie would win, but at that time, it was a lot of shape and a lot of aesthetics going on in the judging and the flavor of that type of year. It just kind of hit everyone by surprise. Kevin Levrone jumped on the stage and congratulated him and was so happy for Hunter, because he thought in his mind, now the blood is in the water, now I can get Ronnie too. If Gunter can beat him, I could beat him. I was pissed till I got my check that day.”
Given Schlierkamp’s combination of size, fullness, and conditioning, Cormier and Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy agree it was one of his most complete packages to date.
“It was a good place from him but it was the time, coming from Europe and all that stuff, but I’m not going to take anything away from him because he did look good that day,” added Cormier.
“Joe Weider approached Chris Cormier and he said, ‘Gunter is looking incredible, Ronnie might be in trouble.’ What he was referring to is, I took a gander at this guy and his conditioning has never been this good and credit to Joe and Gunter, this is his best conditioning. So, I still think he needed to be more large on top. But, if you look at the hamstrings and the glutes, we had never seen that before from Gunter, and here he shows something different to the judges, to the audience, at this event in 2002,” El Guindy said.
“I think he changed dieticians and something, he did something a lot different. I know he was training with Charles Glass back in the day. He came in a lot different in that show. That was probably the peak show of his career,” Cormier shared.
The last time fans heard from Schlierkamp, he joined Dennis Wolf for a workout at 52. Fans were taken aback by his jacked biceps in retirement. Despite his ability to push the pace with some of the biggest mass monsters the sport has seen, Gunter appears happy with his downsized physique since stepping away from bodybuilding.
RELATED: History of Mr. Olympia
After reminiscing about 2002 Mr. Olympia, Cormier who placed third ahead of Gunter Schlierkamp, still believes the German native brought one his best physiques of all time.
You can watch the video below from the Olympia TV YouTube channel:
Published: 6 May, 2023 | 11:06 AM EDT
Seth Feroce Joins Missy Truscott To Build Hulking Shoulders
Veteran bodybuilder Seth Feroce is following an arduous training regime a decade after retirement. He recently partnered with Fitness Olympia winner Missy Truscott for a shoulder workout and posted the video on his YouTube channel.
Feroce competed in the 2000s era and he is a prominent voice in the sport of bodybuilding. A vocal critic of the bodybuilding lifestyle and steroid use in the sport, the 39-year-old has leaned in to high-intensity functional training in recent years to be able to do the physical activities he loves doing. However, he has reinserted weight training in the routine for complete development. In recent months, Seth Feroce has opened up about a health scare and also teased a return to the competitive stage. However, he is yet to update about the further developments.
Feroce partnered with IFBB Pro bodybuilder Missy Truscott for his recent shoulder training session. One of the foremost names in the IFBB Pro League’s fitness division, Truscott has a solid resume to boast about. She is a two-time Fitness Olympia winner and secured the wins at the 2020 and the 2022 Olympia.
Her two other Olympia appearances in 2019 and 2021 resulted in a runner-up finish. Truscott has never finished below the top two in any of the Pro shows she participated in. She has the 2021 Arnold Classic, the 2022 Boston Pro as well as the 2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro wins on her record.
Feroce acquainted Truscott with his training methods and shared some unique tips to get round and muscular shoulders. So let’s get straight to the business and see what Feroce has in store for us.
Seth Feroce and Missy Truscott collaborate for a shoulder workout
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
The bodybuilders started off with the dumbbell shoulder press to work the anterior deltoid muscles. They pushed through some heavy sets of the exercise to pump the delts with blood and jumped into the next exercise.
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Feroce and Truscott performed this exercise to work the lateral / medial delts. While anterior and posterior deltoids are activated during most pushing and pulling exercises, medial delts need specific exercises to get activated.
Feroce admitted that he had the habit of swaying his upper body during the lateral raises but addressed this problem by slightly modifying the technique. He explained:
“So I hug a tree so that my arms are like this (bent in the elbow to form a circle) and they come down so they wouldn’t be straight, they’d be bent. Then I just come up.”
This way, Feroce ensured that he was doing the exercise the right way. Additionally, he feels that keeping straight arms never appealed to him because he wanted to ‘get jacked’.
The 39-year-old always wanted to push himself beyond failure to make more gains. However, he wanted to find ways other than drop sets to go beyond failure. His pursuit led him to this technique:
“I would pick a weight and I would go to absolute failure with it and then I would cut that weight in half and do double the reps.”
“Say I’m doing the incline dumbbell press with the 140s and I get 15 reps, now I go do the 70s for 30 reps. It doesn’t matter how long I take to do it but I got to do those 30 reps.”
While this method may not be the perfect way to work for everyone, it has definitely worked for Feroce. The training partners annihilated some heavy sets of dumbbell lateral raises and moved on to the posterior deltoid muscles next.
Superset – Bent Over Dumbbell Lateral Raises and Bent Over Cable Rear Delt Rows
The duo took to this superset for working the posterior deltoids / rear delts. Rear deltoids are a small muscle group. While most people advise utilizing a full range of motion on the rear delt exercises, Feroce has a completely different lookout to work this muscle group. He explained his idea of working the rear delts using bent over lateral raises as an example.
“I found out that whenever I do the bent over dumbbell lateral raises out here like this (doing only partial reps at the bottom with approximately 40 percent range of motion) using heavier weights but a small movement, I just got them to fire up.”
Feroce is not a fan of doing six to eight reps of any exercise as he loves to get in more volume. Therefore he supersets the bent over dumbbell lateral raises with the face pulls – BUT with a twist.
Unlike the standard face pulls, Feroce bends over to this exercise so that his head is exactly between the arms.
“Then I pull down like I am doing the rear double biceps,” Seth Feroce said.
He added:
“So this is that movement right here and I pull with my rear delts that are already full of blood from getting engaged from the bent over dumbbell lateral raises. So I pull back right here, hang out here and beat the sh** out of my rear delts.”
Feroce and Truscott performed all the sets within this superset in rapid succession and minimal rest periods to activate the posterior deltoid muscles. After this they took to the final exercise of the day.
Alternating Dumbbell Front Raises
The duo chose this anterior delt movement as the finisher to this training session. Feroce found a unique technique for doing this exercise by simply trying out different arm positions to figure out the one position where the anterior delts looked most muscular.
“So I’m like how can I position myself so that I see this nasty feathered front delt and it comes into its most muscular…” Feroce stated.
He realized that the anterior delts were most engaged when the dumbbells were raised in front while bending forward at the hips. However, Feroce does perform both variations of front raises – bent over and upright.
Truscott and Feroce cranked out some solid sets of alternating dumbbell front raises and wrapped up the training session.
Overall, the workout consisted of following exercises:
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Seth Feroce’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 6 May, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT
Brian Shaw Breaks Silence After His Final Appearance at 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Legendary Strongman Brian Shaw is widely considered to be one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. The four-time World’s Strongest Man recorded some insane lifts over the year, breaking multiple records and becoming an inspiration for many people. He was last seen in action at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, which took place on April 19-23, in South Carolina. It did not go as well as he hoped, but in a recent video posted on YouTube, Shaw shared his thoughts on his final appearance at the competition.
Brian Shaw grew up playing basketball in his younger years and found a passion for lifting heavy weights while training to succeed in one of the most famous ball sports in the World. He kicked off his professional career as a Strongman at the Denver Strongest Man show in 2005. His WSM debut, however, came in 2008, while he also managed to land the third place on the podium the next year. In 2011, Shaw won the coveted WSM title and created history by becoming the first athlete to win both the WSM and the Arnold Strongman Classic in the same year. He repeated the feat by winning both titles in 2015 as well.
Brian Shaw (Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man)
Shaw launched the inaugural Shaw Classic competition and scored gold in December 2020. He then started working on improving his training facilities and gave the fans a look into his massive new gym in July of last year. The equipment was modified to hold more weight and allow him and other contenders to fit in them. Then, he showed off his crazy strength by leg-pressing a 2,000-lb car in preparation for the 2022 Shaw Classic.
Brian Shaw also experimented with his eating process and switched out his usual diet to try a vegan one last September. Shaw wolfed down 9,000 calories from vegan food for a single day. He admitted he could never replace red meat from his diet and reported feeling uneasy due to the sudden change. A few weeks later, Shaw opened up about his reasons for not attempting a 500-kg (1,102.3-lb) deadlift at the height of his powers.
Speaking of Brian Shaw’s diet, the Trifecta CEO Greg Connolly spilled the beans on what it takes to feed the giant athlete. Connolly revealed it cost his firm over $60,000 per year to fuel Shaw.
Shaw teamed up with fellow icon Eddie Hall for a brutal shoulder workout last November. They collaborated again for a comical lower-body training session days later. However, as the start of a new season took place, Brian Shaw announced his plans to move on from elite competitions. He revealed the 2023 WSM would mark his last appearance at the competition. As for his final showing, Shaw will step away after participating in the upcoming 2023 Shaw Classic.
During the build-up to the contest, Shaw laid out how he nearly lost his leg after picking up an injury a few months ago. Fortunately, he was able to recover and get on track for the event. He detailed his battle with leg cellulitis that affected his ability to do basic tasks.
He completed his final appearance at the 2023 WSM, where he turned in a sensational performance at the stone-off and finished seventh overall.
Brian Shaw breaks silence on last appearance at 2023 World’s Strongest Man
In a recent YouTube video, Brian Shaw shared his thoughts on his final appearance at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man. He started by praising the other contenders before breaking down his performance.
“First and foremost I want to congratulate the guys that were at the top. Mitchell Hooper on winning, Tom Stoltman on second, and Oleksii Novikov on third,” said Shaw. “They performed very well and deserve to be up there on that podium. I know there were some questions about my leg, we put out some videos. I want to say my leg was not a factor as far as the competition goes on and really played no role. I did have to overcome that but it was in the rear view mirror by the time we competed so it did not play a role.
“I was ready to go I was dialed in, felt good, got my group definitely a tough group and I feel like all of these groups this year were tough in the qualifiers. I felt like I performed very well. I won two events, tied for first in the deadlift which I was happy about. The loading medley, third place really not that bad. I could’ve improved a couple different things maybe kinda got a couple seconds faster which may have changed one point there. In the end that might have been a big point but I really feel like the event I was disappointed with. The qualifiers was Conan’s Wheel, ended up in fifth place, I was going out last so I knew exactly what I had to do. I was so focused on getting my grip right and getting my feet in the right position and getting my pickup right. I just forgot to take that big breath that you need to take on a Conan’s wheel before you take off and start. I realized that about a quarter of the way into the first turn I just didn’t have much air. I opened myself up to not winning the group with that performance.”
Shaw talks about his historic stone-off & calls for a change in the format
He shared his mindset going into the stone-off battles for landing a spot in the finals. He argued against the current format as it puts those athletes at a disadvantage.
“I wish I could’ve found that extra half a point to win the group because I had to go into a stone off with Ronald. I knew he was one of the guys who you don’t want to get in a stone off situation. He can lift a lot so going into that stone off I had to really tap into a spot mentally and then get into a spot physically that I wanted to save for the final I did not want to tap into that in the qualifiers.”
“It was easy for me but the after effects of being in that stone off were probably more of a death sentence in this World’s Strongest Man competition. Then, I realized at the moment and I have to remember this is the first time that I’ve really been involved in a stone off. I obviously always disagreed with it. I always felt like it put the athletes that had to compete in the stone off at a massive disadvantage, especially if they had to do a big number of reps because your recovery before the final is challenging enough. Even with every effort I tried to put into recovering and being ready to go for the final. I just wasn’t able to recover. In hindsight, that’s really and truly what it kind of came down to for me. My training, the numbers I put up here were very good. I was very confident about walking into WSM and putting on a great show. I felt I was fully capable of winning WSM, especially with the events we had in the final.”
Brian Shaw believes his age may have factored in; analyzes day two
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Brian Shaw believes the age gap with other athletes may have played into his recovery. He also gave his take on the second day of the contest.
“My game plan was to set the tone in the fingers be able to know how many reps I needed to pull in the deadlift and then be able to kind of dictate my distance. Instead of going in that order because of the rain they put the shield carry out first and then we did deadlift and then Fingal fingers so I had to deal with but so did the others.”
“I’m not sure if it was a fatigue factor or just coming out of the gate a little bit quick but I feel I burned up pretty quick and was only able to make it to about 40 meters which I knew was not going to be good enough for a good result in that event. So, I definitely got frustrated with that and tried my best to kind of put that behind me.”
“So finished with four fingers and I knew at that moment that was a big blow to my chances of being toward the top of WSM finishing toward the top. So I just had to kind of take a moment, go out, and sit by myself a little bit, and know the frustration was high. The disappointment was high.”
“Looking back my sleep not as good as it should have been. That was definitely a thing. I was not sleeping well and don’t know if that was the bed, my brain not turning off me not calming down.”
“When I had to do that stone off obviously it hurt me from a recovery standpoint work output standpoint and the simple fact is I am for a lot of these guys that are in the final I’m more than 10 years older than them, some of them closer to 15 years older than them. As much as I hate to say and admit it, it’s probably going to be harder for me to recover in that condensed period.”
“Day two of the finals, I kinda had to regroup. My training results were good in the warm-up. I could definitely tell the dumbbells felt heavier and that’s never something you want to feel. For it to feel heavier than it should, it definitely was an indicator I was tired again you strap it on. You go out, do what you can do, result was not what I wanted.
“Going into the bus pull, I love any type of heavy pull so I was hoping it would be hard heavy and it was definitely was anything but that. There was seven competitors that were separated by less than a second so that’s a massive indicator that it was too light and especially for WSM, it’s not good, it has to be a lot heavier. That was a massive letdown.”
“Going into stones, with this being my last WSM, I wanted to go out and put on a great show, give it everything I had and I did do that. I could tell from the first stone it was just way harder than it should have been far as carrying the stones in getting them loaded. The glutes and hamstrings just were not there.”
Shaw urged for changing refereeing standards
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Brian Shaw called for a stricter standard for the head judge while criticizing the conduct in specific events.
“I truly hope they do in the future make it more of a pure competition. Another thing I wanted to talk about is the refereeing. It has not been at a standard that it should be at. A lot of people have pointed at the max dumbbell. It’s never the athlete’s fault. I think there needs to be a level in strongman and I’m certainly not the one that’s making the choices about who the head referee is. But if I was I’d be taking a hard look at the head referee.”
“I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t disappointed with my performance overall. I didn’t perform up to my capabilities but with everything that came with the competition what I had to fight through. I can honestly say that I gave it everything I had its was not for a lack of effort or trying. I think that at the end of the day I can only look at myself. If I say stone off took a lot out of me, I should’ve figured out a way in the qualifier to get another half point so I stayed out of that. I didn’t have to do that so again falls back completely on me. But it’s disappointing to go to WSM with that after the prep I had. I wasn’t able to fully put that on display and show everybody.”
He wasn’t satisfied with his performance and will be gearing up for the Shaw Classic.
“It’s tough to end my career at WSM with that performance but again it’s something that was special in so many different ways.”
“I am moving on. My next and final competition will be the Shaw Classic in Colorado in August. I’m excited about it.”
Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman reacted to some of Brian Shaw’s craziest lifts in Strongman competitions earlier this week. He was left stunned by Shaw’s unreal strength.
Brian Shaw stands as the fourth-winningest strongman with 26 international competition wins under his belt. He will look to add another accolade when he competes at the Shaw Classic later this year.
You can watch the full video below.
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 5 May, 2023 | 5:21 PM EDT
Nick Walker Demolishes an Arduous Push Day Workout
Nick Walker is training like a man possessed to take the 2023 competitive season head-on. “The Mutant” is constantly experimenting with new machines and trying to get the most out of his workouts.
Walker is one of the select few IFBB Pro bodybuilders who wasted no time running through the division and established themselves as top-notch competitors. The Men’s Open division bodybuilder won the 2021 New York Pro and secured a direct qualification to the 2021 Mr. Olympia. Shortly after, he returned to the stage and emerged victoriously at the 2021 Arnold Classic, considered the second most prestigious bodybuilding competition in the world after Mr. Olympia. Remarkably enough, Walker achieved this within a year of turning Pro.
Walker secured a fifth-place finish at his Olympia debut in 2021. However, he felt he needed to improve his physique further to compete against the top crop.
The longest off-season of The Mutant’s career followed. He returned to the 2022 Mr. Olympia in December, and a strong performance warranted him a third-place finish at the show.
The 2023 Arnold Classic was Walker’s most recent competitive appearance, and he missed the second Arnold’s title by a razor-thin margin to Samson Dauda. Walker now trains to achieve the ultimate goal of winning the Mr. Olympia title in 2023. Recently, he went through a push-day training session with an emphasis on shoulder training.
The workout video was posted on The Mutant’s YouTube channel. Walker walked the viewers through the workout and shared some important bodybuilding tips that would greatly benefit professionals as well as fitness enthusiasts. So let’s see what Walker has in store for us.
Nick Walker goes through a push-day workout
Walker shed light on the nature of this training session before starting and explained:
“There will be a lot more shoulder movement. We’re gonna do about three chest movements for this workout, probably do about three shoulder movements, and we’ll probably do one tricep for this one.”
He revealed that he is no longer doing too many arm exercises but is satisfied with the growth anyway. This explains the reason for having only one triceps exercise in the entire session.
Chest Workut
Pec Deck Fly
Walker started the training session with chest exercises first and performed pec deck flyes on the M Torture machine. According to Walker, doing chest flyes at the beginning of the workout helps him build a better mind-muscle connection. He explained:
“I always feel like I’m able to connect better throughout the rest of the workout with my chest. I know they say, ‘Oh, it’ll affect the pressing’ whatever… But in my opinion, I’m still pretty strong even when I do fatigue a little on the flyes… And again, I’m just worried about the contraction. So if I start with pressing, the contraction is not as strong for me if I started with the flyes to really get the blood flow.”
Walker did a few warm-up sets and then proceeded to do the working sets of pec deck flyes. Before moving on to the next exercise, The Mutant gave an essential chest training tip to budding bodybuilders and said:
“I’m a big believer… When you get in that stretch(ed position), you want to hold that for a quick minute because, in my opinion, when you hold the stretch even for the back, it helps you flare out even more and even for the chest… To hold the stretch creates the width within the chest as well. So those are the cues I always incorporate, including the very slow eccentric reps.”
Walker added that lifting heavy can get you to fatigue the muscles as well. However, lifting heavy is not everything that the bodybuilder should focus on.
“The goal is to contract as hard as we can and as fast as we can and get the f*** out to get the recovery process started,” He added.
Following this, Walker performed the working sets with a 10 to 12 rep range and moved on to do some free weight exercise giving in to popular demand from his fans.
Incline Dumbbell Press
This compound dumbbell exercise was the only free-weight movement in The Mutant’s training session. He performed the warm-up sets with 110-pound dumbbells and slowly worked his way up to the top set of eight to ten reps with 132 pounds. The 28-year-old hit a back-off set of 10 to 12 reps with 110-pound dumbbells to focus on the movement and took to the next exercise.
Machine Chest Press
Walker employed a Newtech plate-loaded machine next to perform the chest press. While speaking about the movement pattern of the machine and how it affects the pectoral muscles, Walker stated:
“The way this press is set up, it kind of goes down like a decline, but it closes in to really squeeze (the pecs). So we’re actually going to do more neutral grip on this one.”
By this time, Walker’s muscles had been sufficiently warmed up, and he did not need to do as many warm-up sets. Therefore he performed a heavy working set after one quick warm-up set.
Walker believes it is essential to recover completely before the next training session for the same muscle group. Therefore he would not train chest for at least the next two to three days. After wrapping up the chest exercises, he shifted his focus to working the shoulders.
Seated Machine Shoulder Press
Starting with the anterior/front deltoid movement, Walker performed the seated machine shoulder press. The Mutant shed light on his preferred volume to get the most out of shoulder exercises and stated:
“I think for me, the shoulders really get the most out of the 10 to 15 range. So as for the real delts and sides, I don’t like to go any lower than 12.”
After a couple of warm-up sets, Walker subjected himself to straight working sets of machine shoulder press, maintaining a 10 to 15-rep range. He continued further and annihilated a back-off set before taking up the next exercise.
Machine Seated Lateral Raise
This medial deltoid exercise followed next, and Walker used a plate-loaded machine to put in the work. Slight modifications in posture can drastically affect the outcome of this exercise. The Mutant voiced his opinion that leaning forward a little bit can engage the posterior deltoid muscles during machine lateral raises, and keeping your head low can activate the traps. Therefore, he assumed an upright stance and kept his head high to keep the focus on medial/lateral delts.
Conventional wisdom states that raising the arms above shoulder level defeats the purpose and engages other muscles. However, Walker feels:
“I get a better workout going a little higher with a little lighter weight than, kind of, just stopping here (at shoulder height).”
A few solid sets of machine lateral raises found their place in Walker’s workout. The 2021 Arnold Classic winner took to a posterior deltoid movement next.
Cable Rear Delt Fly
Posterior deltoids need a dedicated exercise to bring them to par with other shoulder muscles. Although they are activated during many back exercises, it is essential to include exercises that specifically target them. Walker performed his favorite rear delt exercise next — the cable rear delt fly.
His philosophy for shoulder development is fairly straightforward, and he laid it out while doing this exercise. The Mutant explained:
“I believe pressing plays a huge role in obviously huge shoulders but when you’re pressing for chest, especially on the incline, you’re incorporating the front delt a lot. So I think the main thing for shoulders is to really murder the side and the rear delts.”
The New York native cranked out two sets of the exercise and wrapped up shoulder training.
Walker shifts focus to triceps
Seated Machine Overhead Triceps Extension
Overhead exercises work the triceps from a lengthened/stretched position and put more emphasis on the long head of the tricep. Machine overhead triceps extension was the only triceps exercise in Walker’s workout, and he utilized a plate-loaded machine for the same.
After annihilating a working set of overhead triceps extensions of 15 reps, The Mutant finished the training session with the second set of nine reps to failure.
The entire chest, shoulder, and triceps training session saw Walker ‘push’ through these exercises:
Chest Workout
Shoulders Workout
Triceps Workout
Walker updated his fans about his weight during the workout and stated that he is gaining weight pretty effortlessly without retaining a lot of water.
“Weight is now starting to skyrocket pretty high. Woke up this morning (and weighed) 277 pounds, and I like to think this is probably my leanest without holding on a sh** tons of water too which is really good for me.”
Right now, the goal for the 28-year-old is to manage his diet and training in a way so that he feels energized. Therefore he is in a caloric surplus but not overdoing it.
Many experts believe Walker is a future Mr. Olympia. If he irons out a few things and continues on the path that he is on, it could very well become a reality sooner than later.
You can watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Nick Walker’s YouTube channel:
Published: 5 May, 2023 | 9:13 AM EDT
Eddie Hall Reacts to Hilarious Gym Fails: ‘Nearly Crushed Her Head & Died’
Strongman legend Eddie Hall carved his own space in strength sports and fitness-related activities. While he no longer competes professionally, he stays connected with the community as a revered figure. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Hall shared his reaction to some crazy gym fails.
Eddie Hall started out participating in regional and national Strongman shows in 2010. After coming out on top of his debut contest (England’s Strongest Man), Hall became confident about his chances in the sport. He dominated the British circuit, winning six UK’s Strongest Man titles and five Britain’s Strongest Man honors. He earned his maiden qualification to the World’s Strongest Man contest in 2012.
Hall set several World Records, including the 462-kg (1,019-lb) deadlift in Mar. 2015, the 465-kg (1,025-lb) Elephant Bar deadlift in Mar. 2016, and the epic 500-kg (1,102-lb) conventional deadlift in Strongman rules in Jul. 2016. He finally secured the World’s Strongest Man title by edging out fellow icon Hafthor Bjornsson in 2017. Following the win, Hall indicated his plans to move on from competition.
’The Beast’ switched to boxing for a single bout after getting challenged by Bjornsson, who broke his deadlift World Record. The rivals clashed inside the boxing ring with Bjornsson getting the nod on the judges’ scorecards. In Aug. 2022, Hall laid out his full day of eating ahead of a planned return for the 2022 Giants Live World’s Strongest Nation.
Earlier this year, Eddie Hall announced his ambitions to compete in bodybuilding in 2024 after taking inspiration from former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay and reigning four-time Classic Physique Olympia champ Chris Bumstead. He’s confident he could perform well if he cut down his body fat. He joined forces with Jamie Christian-Johal for an intense back training session weeks later. The duo struck a strong partnership and regrouped for another grueling chest workout three months ago. Then, he continued to improve his physique for bodybuilding with a fierce back workout.
Hall reflected on his glittering career a few weeks ago. He revealed consuming 20,000 calories in a single day while maintaining a diet of 12,500 to 15,000 calories every day at the height of his powers. He credited his recovery process for leading him to become the World’s Strongest Man.
Eddie Hall reacts to hilarious gym fails
In a recent YouTube video, Eddie Hall shared his reaction to some crazy gym fails, including accidents, mishaps, and dangerously improper reps.
“What’s going to happen here?” said Hall. “Oh my god! Literally her trainer came off the foot and she nearly crushed her head onto her knee, nearly died. That is horrendous.”
“Oh! Did you see that? Her whole knee broke. Her whole one came out the socket for a split second. I don’t know what went on there.”
“The most sketchy rep I’ve ever seen. Oh my god! Ewww, oh dear! Put it down. Put it down. Just put it down. No, let go!”
Eddie Hall partnered with bodybuilding legend and four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler for a brutal upper-body training session two months ago. Cutler lauded Hall for his work ethic while mentoring him through the back workout. Then, Hall collaborated with powerlifting sensation Larry Wheels for a taxing shoulder workout two months ago. Both strength sports veterans are gearing up to make a splash in bodybuilding.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 4 May, 2023 | 10:47 PM EDT
2023 WSM Mitchell Hooper Shares ‘Non-Negotiable’ Supplements, Alcohol & Sugar for Recovery
Canadian strongman star Mitchell Hooper is one of the fastest-growing athletes in the game. He’s coming off a sensational performance at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, where he won the coveted title two weeks ago. He managed to do that by optimizing his recovery and training process. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Hooper shared his thoughts on which supplements to consume and the effect of alcohol and sugar on recovery.
Mitchell Hooper first made headlines for his insane feats of strength in 2022. He got the opportunity to participate in that year’s World’s Strongest Man competition after veteran strongman Rauno Heinla pulled out. Hooper made the most of the chance as he defeated legend Brian Shaw in the qualifying stages of the event. Although he did not finish on the podium, his debut was a sign of things to come.
Hooper was working hard in the training room for other competitions following his maiden WSM appearance. He also got the chance to compete in other prestigious Strongman competitions due to this in insane debut performance. So, he also showed off his crazy strength by smoking a 695-pound squat for a 5-rep PR in preparation for the 2022 Rogue Invitational last September. He made a statement in his next showing at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic UK, where he defeated the likes of former champion Oleksii Novikov. Then, he scored gold at the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals a few weeks later.
In November 2022, Hooper set his eyes on the Rogue Invitational title. He turned in a dominant performance, setting the new Dinnie Stones Hold World Record on his way to victory. His first year of competition established him as one of the most promising contenders in the sport.
Mitchell Hooper (Credit: Todd Burandt / World’s Strongest Man)
Mitchell Hooper continued to improve in the gym and set a new two-rep PR of 350-kg (771.6-lb) on the raw squat earlier this year. He then kicked the season off with a commanding victory at the 2023 Australia’s Strongest International show weeks later. However, Hooper did not stop there, having recorded a raw deadlift PR of 420-kg (925.9-lb) in training a few days after the win.
The 27-year-old educated his audience on the technique of performing a loading medley and front carry exercises, thus becoming even more likeable among the fans. Then, Hooper gave fans a look into a lower body training session in preparation for the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic. His workouts were clearly very effective, seeing how Hooper extended his winning streak by securing the prestigious title in Colombus, Ohio.
Hooper was last seen in action at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, which took place Apr. 19-23 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He got the lead early on the first day and managed to retain his spot in a close-fought battle on day two. In the end, Hooper emerged victorious and won the title in only his second WSM appearance.
Mitchell Hooper offers tips on supplements & recovery
In a recent YouTube video, Mitchell Hooper shared his thoughts on the necessary supplements to take.
“Creatine, non-negotiable, protein powder, non-negotiable, if you can’t get it through food which most of us can’t, and pre workout if you’d like it, if it makes you feel energized go for it,” said Hooper. “But in terms of the multivitamins, I need or I’m minority deficient in this and macro doses of Vitamin C, it’s just not supported when it comes to performance all that much so focus on a varied diet.”
“After workout is best but we get to the point where it’s statistical significance versus practical significance. Meaning that they’ll have enough people in a study and study it long enough that they’ll report a difference but the difference is statistically significant but makes no difference to the actual reality of things. For me, I take it the first thing in the morning just because that’s when I remember to take it.”
He stressed the importance of optimizing recovery after intense training.
“It’s tough. Treat it as an individual and learn how to monitor yourself. For me, number one is I’ll get irritable and so if I notice I’m getting irritable, I know I need to sleep. I know if I don’t sleep I do really poorly. Sleep needs to be number one for me. Nutrition isn’t something that has to come and go. That’s not really a negotiation. Life stress, how much control do you have over that? It just becomes like how much sleep you can get and maximize it. If you’re not recovering well, think about taking a deload week, taking a couple of easy sessions.”
Hooper advocates moderate use of sugar & alcohol
Mitchell Hooper believes sugar and alcohol could fit into the athletes’ diet without any adverse effects if consumed in moderation. In fact, after one of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition days concluded, Hooper was seen with a bear in his hand since it helped him sleep better.
“I don’t think sugar is a particular vice per se because it’s some of the most useful fuel we can have. I think putting it always in the context of fuel is important because sugar during a workout can be highly useful if you can tolerate that. In terms of alcohol, from a health perspective, it’s more healthy to have up to 8 drinks a week than to not so long as those eight drinks are spread over the week. So how much of a vice is it really? It comes down to general responsibility. When it comes to the evidence, it’s not the end of the world. I drink probably more now than I ever have, not that much but still. Before carbs, I’ll have a couple of beers because that helps me get to sleep better.”
“If you drink alcohol and that stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system because you’re having a quiet night at home, having a glass of wine and that’s what you enjoy, it could actually benefit your recovery even though the alcohol itself is poor, which is a completely different conversation than you’re at the club having a piss up. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with moderation for either of those.”
Mitchell Hooper utilized a bodybuilding style training routine for his first workout after winning the 2023 WSM a week ago. While he did not feel terribly sore, he enjoyed the lower-intensity training that helped boost his endurance and pump.
He opened up about his experience competing at the show a few days ago. He identified a need to develop a proper ruleset while detailing his analysis of the competition.
Hooper made history by becoming the first Canadian to win the WSM title. Based on his track record, it certainly appears he has a bright future ahead in competition.
You can watch the full video below.
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 4 May, 2023 | 5:15 PM EDT
Fouad Abiad & Stu Sutherland Talk 2023 New York Pro and Hassan Mostafa’s Potential
Steve Weinberger’s 2023 New York Pro takes place May 20 and Stuart Sutherland is one of the current Men’s Open favorites. In a Bro Chat podcast appearance, Sutherland, joined by Fouad Abiad and Iain Valliere, previewed the lineup expected to compete in New York. In addition, the group discussed Hassan Mostafa teaming up with Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay‘s trainer Chad Nicholls.
The two biggest bodybuilding events of the year ended with surprising outcomes. Last December, Elssbiay was unable to replicate the success he enjoyed in 2020 and 2021. He lost the Mr. Olympia title to Hadi Choopan, which quickly transformed the Open landscape. Unlike in years prior, a mass monster no longer held the crown, instead, gold was fought for by two former 212 competitors.
Attention turned to the 2023 Arnold Classic next. Fans recognized Nick Walker as the obvious frontrunner given his third-place finish at 2022 Olympia months ago. In the end, Samson Dauda won the show, which ignited more discussions about whether or not the judging process was/is fair.
Given the unpredictable nature of the category, IFBB Pro League contests have never been more exciting. The bodybuilding world will head to the east coast in two weeks for the New York Pro, which was won by Blessing Awodibu last year.
Stuart Sutherland, Abiad, Iain Valliere Talk 2023 New York Pro: ‘There’s Not a Ton of Studs Doing It’
Sutherland said he’s feeling good ahead of his New York Pro appearance. He added that there are a number of competitors making their respective debuts. While it seems unlikely, Valliere teased the possibility of a surprise entrance.
“I feel pretty good [ahead of the New York Pro]. Yeah, one of the things I’m happy about with New York, there’s not like a ton of studs doing it. Like, ther’es a lot of new guys. There’s Carlos. There was going to be Justin [Shier] but he fuc**ng bailed. There’s Nate Spear, he competed last year, it’s not his debut,” said Stuart Sutherland.
“You know, Iain is not going to show up and just sweep the floor with us,” said Stu.
“Maybe I am,” teased Valliere.
“Yeah, you know there’s a chance for a lot of us to kind of show our faces and get recognized there, that we wouldn’t have at another show. You know, with just somebody who is just the odds-on guy to win,” said Sutherland.
Valliere said he’s excited as the show will serve as an opportunity for lesser-known bodybuilders to receive attention. Stuart mentioned a few names like Sergio Oliva Jr who were initially interested in the contest but later opted out.
“It makes it exciting for me. You see the dawn of a new crop coming up. Like you said, there’s no Olympia top five guys in there, where everyone is just talking about one singular person; it makes it interesting. It gives the opportunity for some guys to be seen and talked about and get their moment in the sun,” Valliere said.
Sutherland hopes to find success on the New York Pro stage in a few weeks. He recently guest posed in the company of Labrada and held his own.
“We’re inside of three weeks out and I still don’t know of everyone that’s doing it. I have a list with a white board where I try to keep a list and track it. Sergio might jump into it if he can make it over here.”
Fouad Abiad & Valliere Discuss Hassan Mostafa Now Working with Ramy/Bonac’s Coach, Chad Nicholls
Fouad Abiad and Iain Valliere confirmed that Hassan Mostafa is now working with Chad Nicholls. While competing actively, Fouad said Nicholls had him use substances with anti-estrogen qualities.
“I heard some horror stories about his preps previously about how low he went with food and everything. Then, he started working with AJ and he looked the best he ever looked,” Fouad Abiad said.
“He’s working with Chad [Nicholls],” said Iain Valliere. “He looks good right now though.”
“I don’t know – AJ is really big on anti-estrogens and that – that would scare me off, I mean it worked,” said Stuart Sutherland.
“I don’t think it will be a drastic difference. He’s a little bit like Chad. I don’t think it will be a drastic difference. Chad’s pretty big on – well he was when I worked with him, anti-estrogens too. I think the benefit to someone like Hassan working with Chad, is Chad is very extreme in his diets, and it works for somebody like Hassan because Hassan has so much muscle, he can afford [it]. Yeah, if he drops a couple pounds of muscle while he’s getting shredded, it’s not going to hurt his fuc**ng physique at all,” said Abiad.
Stuart said he doesn’t like the side effects caused by anti-estrogen drugs despite their utility.
“It’s not like the anti-estrogen thing doesn’t work, it just feels horrible,” replied Sutherland.
The last time fans heard from Fouad Abiad outside of his Bro Chat podcast, he joined seven-time 212 Olympia Flex Lewis for an honest conversation about his health. According to Abiad, he’s been suffering from extensive kidney damage and fears he’ll be on dialysis by the time he’s 55.
RELATED: Iain Valliere Breaks Down 2023 Arnold Classic, Says 212 ‘Has No Case’ For Sticking Around
Fans will get their first taste of what’s to come in the Men’s Open division next week at Jim Manion’s 2023 Pittsburgh Pro, where a star-studded lineup is expected to guest pose, featuring: Nick Walker, Derek Lunsford, Samson Dauda, Hunter Labrada, and Shaun Clarida.
Watch the full video below, courtesy of the Fouad Abiad Media YouTube channel:
Published: 4 May, 2023 | 2:13 PM EDT