Tag: Videos
Hunter Labrada Shares Tips for Growing Weaker Calves: ‘Big Difference in Training to Pain & True Failure’
American bodybuilder Hunter Labrada, son of IFBB Hall of Famer Lee Labrada, made a name for himself in the Men’s Open division. Besides professional competition, Hunter maintains a strong presence in the community and regularly educates his fanbase on a range of topics related to fitness. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Labrada shared his thoughts on getting too lean for competitions and how to grow weak calves.
Hunter Labrada entered the Pro League with a lot of hype and backed it up by scoring gold at the 2020 Tampa Pro, which earned him a spot on the Mr. Olympia lineup. He managed to crack the top ten and placed eighth in his debut. The next year, Labrada came out on top of the 2021 Chicago Pro before making his way to the 2021 Mr. Olympia. He turned in a strong performance and improved his standing to fourth place.
Last season, Labrada decided to stay on the sidelines to get ready for the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Unfortunately, Labrada did not bring his best form on stage and slipped down to seventh place. Since he did not get a top-six finish, he would need to earn an invite to the next Olympia event. He expressed disappointment at the lackluster performance and pinned the blame on missing his peak.
Labrada revamped his diet and training regimen in order to improve his physique earlier this year. The mass monster was confident he had enough size. He focused on cutting down his waistline and developing stronger control in his midsection for the 2023 off-season.
Hunter Labrada via Instagram
Two months ago, Labrada helped his fans out with a tip on overcoming plateaus in the training room. He recommended taking advantage of A/B split variations to continue progressing while sharing some methods for more growth. Then, he followed up by laying out his full day of eating and supplement consumption a week later.
Hunter Labrada weighed in on the heated debate of whether to weigh your food raw or cooked last month. He believes both ways can work well depending on personal choices and stressed the need to stay consistent with the chosen method. In addition to weighing food, Labrada is a big proponent of balancing your overall daily nutrition instead of individual meals and timings. He encouraged his fans to space out their meals between two to four hours and not consume more than 60g of protein per meal.
The 30-year-old provided some of his favorite intensity techniques for working out and growing weak legs a few weeks ago. He added to his stance days later while performing an intense lower-body training session.
Labrada has been using vacuums in the morning for tightening his core. He listed three variations of the exercise he utilized to improve his control. He also encouraged standardizing the form of each exercise to better track workout progress.
Hunter Labrada talks about getting too lean for shows & how to grow weaker calves
In a recent YouTube video, Hunter Labrada shared his thoughts on getting too lean for competitions or coming close to the stage-ready look.
“I do think getting pretty damn lean within striking distance of stage lean does have its purpose, especially if you’ve been pushing up for a long time and you don’t think your sensitivity is as good as it could be you got a lot of excess body fat progress in the gym stalling out there’s a myriad of factors to consider but long story short is I do think there’s a lot to be said for either getting truly stage lean competing and then rebounding out of it or getting close to stage lean and then pushing out of that into your bulk.”
He offered tips for building calf muscle without making things too complicated.
“Calves are just like any other muscle. I believe in training them with two or three working sets maybe four in a single session with the total weekly volume, genetic seed like eight to ten sets if you’re training them twice. I don’t believe in a bunch of fancy exercises or weird foot position or anything like that. What I believe in is taking your calf through a full range of motion with everything else completely locked in. If calves are a weak point and they can’t seem to grow, it’s either they are not prioritizing them they’re like tacking them on to the end of legs and bullsh***ing through a couple sets or they really haven’t reached the point where they’re capable of mentally pushing where they need to in terms of a pain threshold. Calves are a very painful muscle to train. There’s a big difference in training to pain and true failure. It’s those true close failure reps that make any muscle grow.”
Hunter Labrada revealed he weighed in at 283 pounds while fasting and tweaked his diet earlier this month. He’s gearing up for the upcoming guest posing appearances at the Emerald Cup and the Pittsburgh Pro.
Being a professional bodybuilder comes with its own set of difficulties. Labrada opened up on the mindset it takes to make it as a top contender and encouraged lifters to practice kindness to themselves.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 30 April, 2023 | 3:21 PM EDT
Dorian Yates Shares Keys to Happiness and Reflects on Ayahuasca Spiritual Journey
Dorian Yates is one of the most successful talents to emerge from the IFBB Pro League. In a recent interview with Rob Lipsett, Yates talked about his spiritual journey on ayahuasca, a psychoactive brewed drink chemically similar to DMT (dimethyltryptamine).
During a tenure that saw him compete mostly during the 1990s, Dorian Yates established himself as a frontrunner in the Men’s Open division. Following eight-time Olympia winner Lee Haney‘s reign, Yates ushered in a new era of mass monsters. He used dry conditioning, size, and impeccable detail to cement his dominance.
Yates adopted a unique training style en route to becoming one of the best bodybuilders in the world. He refused to tailor his workouts around reps or sets. Instead, Yates trained to near failure on the regular and pushed his body to extremes when he made time for the gym.
Dorian Yates / Instagram
While Yates left the sport on top in 1997, his love for bodybuilding is evident in retirement. At 61 years old, he maintains an incredible physique and often showcases training sessions and techniques online. In his latest endeavor, he discussed what it was like consuming ayahuasca at a retreat deep in the Amazon rainforest.
Dorian Yates Talks Hallucination on Ayahuasca Journey: ‘I Thought It Was Poisoning Me’
While staying in Brazil, Yates said he was introduced to ayahuasca by a local.
“We got a guide and went on a boat down on the Amazon [forest] for a couple of days to get out with nature. So, she came with me. We just met but I was still half in the party zone still there. I’m in Brazil, and I thought, ‘Wow I’m in the Amazon.’ I said to the guy, ‘Oh can we get some coke?’ He’s like, ‘Of course, it’s the best.’ It’s raw shit there, from the plant! I head there and we’re going out, do a bit of that, a bit of vodka, I don’t think I even knew, just keeping it quiet.”
“That’s where I was at. We’re out on the boat. I’m like, ‘Hey when we go out on the boat, can you get that stuff, I heard about that stuff ayahuasca, that drink stuff.’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, I’ll get it.’ You know, I don’t know what he got, whether it was ayahuasca or really strong ayahuasca, I don’t know you know. Please kids, don’t do this at home. It’s not a recommendation here. This was wild west stuff. I didn’t know what I was doing. He didn’t know what he was doing. He got me some ayahuasca, apparently, I believe it was.”
Yates said the ayahuasca caused him to violently throw up. Moments after, he could hear and feel a ‘female entity’ who told him to stop poisoning himself.
“I had a guide that was Indian, and the guy said to me, ‘So you’re doing the ayahuasca tonight?’ He said, ‘Don’t smoke any weed then today,’ because you’re not supposed to. I didn’t do any of that shit I was smoking and drinking vodka the night before.”
“I’ve gone and I’ve done the ayahuasca, I drank it; and I’m just being violently vomiting, violently sick [after taking it],” said Yates. “I thought this ayahuasca poisoning me but actually what it was was a female entity, something you can hear or feel [hallucinations], it’s talking to me, [saying], ‘Stop poisoning yourself.’ So that was that. That was my experience.”
Yates Defines Success and Breaks Down What Happiness Means
Yates defined success as having a positive impact on the world and said happiness is achieved by ‘loving yourself.’
“What’s success? How do you define success? I mean, some people define it by material possessions, ‘Oh that guy is very successful, he’s got a big yacht and this and that.’ But that’s not necessarily success, it’s not necessarily happiness because there’s a lot of rich people who are very miserable. So, what is happiness? I think it’s being comfortable and being in love with yourself.
And projecting that out to the world, and what success is that you learned a lot and ultimately you had a positive impact on the world and the people around you that you came in touch with during this life. So, when you check out of here, if somebody asks you or you ask yourself and I’ve spoken to a lot of other people who have clinically died because it was something I was interested in at some point, what happened to them? Normally, they go to this place of total peace and then they’ll see their life in front of them. But they don’t see it they feel it as well,” Dorian Yates said.
‘The Shadow’ isn’t the only bodybuilding icon from the 90s who uses hormones to stave off aging. Bodybuilding veteran Rich Gaspari, who built a legacy with conditioning and striated glutes, continues to share various anti-aging peptide stacks he takes to preserve his body.
RELATED: Dorian Yates Shares High-Intensity Training Strategies: ‘Make it Harder for Your Body to Recover
As of late, Yates gave an update on his health and revealed he was weighing 235 pounds. He used the update as an opportunity to underline the dangers associated with bodybuilding and said he was grateful to reap the benefits of hormone replacement therapies.
This wasn’t Dorian Yates’ first hallucinogenic experience. Last summer, the 61-year-old received a ‘new perspective on life’ after trying out the popular compound DMT, which he described as a ‘powerful life-changing medicine.’
Watch the full video below:
Published: 29 April, 2023 | 1:45 PM EDT
Kai Greene Powers Through A Massive Shoulder Workout
Although Bodybuilder Kai Greene‘s return to the stage is not warranted at the moment, the veteran bodybuilder continues to train hard and improve his massive physique further.
The 47-year-old bodybuilder competed for nearly two decades in the IFBB Pro League’s Men’s Open division. Greene won several Pro shows during his career, including three Arnold Classic wins. He is a six-time Olympia participant and finished in the top five in all but one of those instances.
A perfect antagonist in 7-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath‘s story, Greene gave the champ everything he could handle. However, he never won the prestigious title despite coming close to achieving it on multiple occasions. “The Predator” is among the greatest bodybuilders who never won the Mr. Olympia title.
The 2016 Arnold Classic Brazil was Greene’s last competitive appearance, and he walked away with a victory at the show. However, he has not retired from the sport officially. In a recent interview, Greene refused to close the door on a potential comeback.
The 47-year-old has a significant presence on the internet and routinely shares bodybuilding content on social media platforms. Recently, he tackled an intense shoulder workout in the gym with Pro Wrestler and AEW star Brian Cage.
The duo trained with furious intensity but in Greene’s usual playful manner. So let’s see which exercises they included in the training session.
Kai Greene’s back workout in the Elevation gym
Superset: Reverse Pec Deck Flye and Machine Lateral Raise
Greene and Cage kicked off the workout by targeting the medial and posterior deltoid muscles with this superset. Supersets can be very useful to increase the aerobic intensity of the workout and reduce the workout time.
The duo performed all the sets within this superset to warm up the deltoid muscles and took to a front delt exercise next.
Panatta Smith Machine Shoulder Press
The overhead press primarily targets the anterior deltoid muscles but also activates the pectoral and upper back muscles.
The training partners cranked out heavy sets of this compound movement and returned to working the lateral delts again.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
While the anterior and posterior deltoid muscles get sufficient work during push and pull movements, the lateral deltoids have to be activated with lateral movements. Therefore, it is essential to include those in the shoulder training routine for complete growth. The training partners next took to the dumbbell lateral raises, pushed through some heavy sets of the movement, and took to another anterior deltoid movement.
Machine Overhead Press
Another variation of overhead press followed the lateral raises. Greene and Cage started with a few sets and then interacted with each other about injury prevention.
“With a little bit more experience and mileage on my joints, I kind of have to become a little more conscious of how I do certain things. Joint health is something I think is a continuing learning process to help continue the longevity possibly,” Greene said.
The duo agreed that facing an injury can really change a person’s outlook toward longevity, and Green said:
“Everybody’s invincible until they’re not! Everybody’s a tough guy until this.”
A few intense sets later, the Titans jumped into the next movement.
Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Although posterior deltoid muscles get stimulated during many back exercises, activating them with other shoulder movements is difficult. Therefore it is essential to incorporate rear delt-specific movements in the shoulder training routine.
Greene and Cage annihilated a few sets of bent-over dumbbell lateral raises without compromising the technique and took to the next movement.
Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Front Raise
Dumbbell front raises almost exclusively target the anterior deltoid muscles, but they also activate the clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscles to an extent. Following some sets of the movement using a neutral grip, Greene moved on to another rear delt exercise.
Machine Rear Delt Raise
Free weight as well as machine variations of rear delt raises load all the muscles that make up the shoulder girdle. Although posterior deltoids are the primary target muscles of this movement, it also helps improve the posture by working several upper body muscles.
The training partners performed a few sets on a plate-loaded machine and took to the next exercise.
Cable Front Raise
Anterior deltoid muscles are utilized in heavy compound movements like the bench press. Developing them through various anterior deltoid movements can translate to heavier compound movements.
Cable machines keep the muscles under tension throughout the range of motion and hence help bring about hypertrophy and strength gains more effectively.
Greene and Cage powered through solid sets of cable front raises to work the anterior deltoids and switched to the day’s final exercise.
Cable Face Pull
This cable machine exercise helps with overall training and development as it targets the upper posterior chain muscles.
The duo cranked out a few sets of the cable face pulls to work the lateral delts, posterior deltoid, infraspinatus, trapezius, teres minor, and the brachialis and the brachioradialis muscles in the arm.
This movement served as the finisher of Kai Greene’s shoulder training session as he wrapped up the movement after some good sets.
The back workout followed this exercise sequence:
Greene has a wealth of bodybuilding knowledge and decades of training under his belt. It is always an enriching and motivating experience to watch him train.
Looking at his impressive physique after all those years away from competition, one can’t help but hope to see him compete again soon.
You can watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Kai Greene’s YouTube channel:
Published: 29 April, 2023 | 11:09 AM EDT
Bob Cicherillo Reacts to 2023 Masters Olympia Roster: ‘Kamal Elgargni Is Going to Be Very Difficult to Beat’
IFBB Pro League athletes rep Bob Cicherillo has become a leading voice in the bodybuilding community. In a recent Voice of Bodybuilding podcast, Cicherillo examined the newly released 2023 Masters Olympia roster and named Kamal Elgargni as a clear-cut favorite.
Cicherillo, who carved out his own career as a Men’s Open pro, remains connected with the sport in a variety of capacities. In addition to his duties as an athletes rep, Cicherillo serves as the commentator for the two biggest bodybuilding shows in the world, Mr. Olympia and the Arnold Classic.
Last year, the Masters Olympia competition announced its return following an 11-year absence. The show is scheduled for August 25-27 at the BT Arena in Cluj Napoca, Romania. Following Jake Wood’s confirmation of the contest, fans immediately began eying potential competitors.
There were suspicions that four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler was preparing for a possible return. However, in a Cutler Cast podcast, he dismissed the idea. Instead, Cutler admitted that he was transforming his physique as a personal goal before turning 50. Fan speculation about entries screeched to a halt on Tuesday when Cutler and head judge Steve Weinberger revealed a complete list of competitors from a total of 10 divisions.
Bob Cicherillo Says Masters Olympia Was Created for Lou Ferrigno: ‘It Was Put Together for Him to Win’
According to Cicherillo, the Masters Olympia was first created specifically for Lou Ferrigno, who was ultimately denied by Golden Era veteran Robby Robinson in 1994.
“That [Masters Olympia history] goes back to 1994. Interestingly, this show was pretty much set up for Lou Ferrigno to make his big comeback. It was no secret that Lou was a big Weider athlete at the time, the biggest if you get into physicalities. He was very close with Joe Weider and he was making a comeback.”
“This was literally put together for Lou to win and he would have won if not for Robby Robinson, The Black Prince who showed up on game day who put it all together, looked phenomenal and when the smoke cleared they just could not deny that Robby was the best on that day and at that show.”
Cicherillo credited Bob Paris as an early influence and gave an overview of former champions who found success on the Masters Olympia stage such as Vince Taylor and Don Youngblood.
“He [Bob Paris] was an early influence in my career and a lot of other people’s, generally regarded as one of the best posers of all time but also one of the best physiques, especially if you’re into the aesthetic look and that type of thing. Interestingly enough, Bob Paris never won a pro show. Ain’t that something?”
“The highest he ever got was a couple third place finishes and he never cracked the top five at the Olympia,” added Cicherillo.
“Alright, 96-2001, the great Vince Taylor, no disputing it, Vince was simply head and shoulders above the rest. What he produced out there, I wouldn’t say a Masters physique, it was a damn good physique whether he was in the Open or the Masters; he was the winningest bodybuilder of all time to that point before that record was ecliped by the great Ronnie Coleman and then eclipsed again by Dexter Jackson. That record will probably never be beat.”
“Don Youngblood spoiled Vince’s party.”
Before breaking down the current contenders slated to compete in August, Bob highlighted the impact Dexter Jackson left on the sport. He also clarified that the Masters Olympia show fell off for several years due to a lack of interest from fans.
“It’s amazing how much his name [Dexter Jackson] seems to come up when talking about bodybuilding history. Listen, Dexter was Dexter, nobody was going to beat him. Now, that was 11 years ago. Again, why are there big gaps in time, why hasn’t the Masters sustained? Well, the Masters is an interesting dichotomy of what the fans want to see versus what’s profitable, what has an ROI, what sells tickets, it’s still business at the end of the day.”
Cicherillo Says Kamal Elgargni Can Win 2023 Masters Olympia at a Lean 215 Lbs
Given his activity levels and current physique, Cicherillo recognizes Kamal Elgargni as a big favorite. However, he also expects Josh Lenartowicz to put on a stellar performance.
“Let’s get into the Open. Now, this is what I was waiting for. I was curious because we’ve heard some names, everybody from Jay Cutler to Johnnie Jackson, my good buddy Jimmy Mentis out there, big shout out Jimmy, a lot of names were going around as possibly coming back, Kai Greene, Phil Heath even right? But the list came out yesterday, none of those guys are in it.”
“But guess who is in it? How about Josh Lenartowicz? We haven’t seen Josh in six or seven years, I don’t know, it’s been a while,” said Cicherillo. “He’s going to present a physique that’s going to be very very competitive. But, he’s got Kamal Elgargni, now Kamal is obviously not one of the bigger guys, he’s a 212 Olympia champion — that goes a long way. That means he’s obviously the best at what he does against other guys in that range.
Now, can he put on a few pounds without losing that physique, because he tends to get a little square when he goes up in weight. He doesn’t need it; he should probably come in no higher than 215 and present a package that’s going to be very difficult to beat. He’s been competing as recently as just this last year, it’s not like he’s coming back after five or 10 years. Kamal is definitely going to be – he’s got a shot at the number one spot,” Bob Cicherillo shared.
The Olympia organizers revealed that $229,000 is on the line, which will be divided among all categories. Some in the sport, such as Victor Martinez, took issue with the prize money and said it would have taken at least $250,000 to entice him to enter.
RELATED: Bodybuilding Legend Dexter Jackson Shares Insane Back Workout, Looking Beastly in Retirement
Kamal Elgargni will aim to capture his first Masters Olympia title in late August. Bob Cicherillo believes Elgargni is the man to beat given his experience and status as a former 212 Olympia winner.
You can watch the full video below courtesy of the Voice of Bodybuilding YouTube channel:
Published: 28 April, 2023 | 1:20 PM EDT
Dexter Jackson Demolishes A Back Workout, Addresses A Health Problem
Veteran bodybuilder Dexter Jackson has created a lasting legacy in the sport with some spectacular performances throughout his competitive career. A few years into retirement, Jackson is still pushing himself in the gym to an extent where he has to remind himself it is not as serious anymore!
One of the most prominent names in the 2000s and 2010s bodybuilding era, “The Blade” has five Arnold Classic titles to his name, winning this second-most prestigious bodybuilding competition in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015. He was also a perennial Mr. Olympia contender that pushed dominant champions like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler the way only a handful of other competitors could. In 2008, Jackson even managed to push Cutler off the pedestal and take home the sole Mr. Olympia title of his bodybuilding career.
The 53-year-old is one of the rare athletes that have enjoyed performance longevity and competed well into his late forties before deciding to call it quits. A ninth-place finish at the 2020 Mr. Olympia marked the end of his 22-year-long pro career. Although there was speculation about him competing in the returning Masters Olympia competition, Jackson has made it clear that he has no intentions of wearing the posing trunks again.
Staying in shape and maintaining overall health is the primary goal of his training. However, he is a passionate bodybuilder all the way down to his core, and that nature was on full display in Jackson’s recent back training session. So let’s check out how he trained in this workout.
Dexter Jackson goes through a back workout
Hammer Strength Machine Low Row
Jackson admitted to not having trained his back seriously in quite some time. He started the training session with low rows on the Hammer Strength plate-loaded low-rows machine to get a good warm-up. After packing a few serious sets of the movement using incrementally heavier weights, Jackson went on to take on the heavier lifts of the session.
Seated Row
The five-time Arnold Classic champion next worked the back muscles on a plate-loaded machine with a swivel handle which enables a more natural movement of the arms during the exercise.
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
After putting up with the two horizontal pulling movements, the legendary bodybuilder trained his lats with this compound movement. After performing the first set of the exercise with furious intensity, Jackson made a conscious decision to tone it down a notch as he sometimes has to remind himself that it’s not competition anymore.
“Sometimes, I still find myself training too hard. I have to tell myself to back off a little bit homie – it ain’t that serious no more! But I’ve been doing it for so many years… over 30 years of training like this. So I get why some people can’t let certain things go, you know. I can let it go. That’s why I can tell myself to back off, and I listen to myself. Some people don’t listen to themselves,” Jackson said.
After getting a few sets of lat pulldowns under his belt, Jackson jumped into the next exercise.
Seated Cable Row
Another variation of rows followed next, and the 53-year-old bodybuilder performed the movement on the cable machine with swivel handles. This movement added the last bit of stimulus to the back, as Jackson called it a day in the gym after a few sets of the exercise.
In totality, Dexter Jackson’s back workout consisted of:
Jackson revealed that he has been suffering from arthritis of the back for a while now. However, he will head to Columbia soon to get stem cell therapy to address the problem.
“I’m gonna be 100 percent 20 again…!” Jackson stated.
Jackson has set a positive example for younger bodybuilders in his retirement. A huge and muscular physique is an integral part of a bodybuilder’s identity. Many of them carry the colossal muscle mass into the later years of life despite being aware of its health risks. However, The Blade has let go of the heavy physique and significantly downsized in favor of longevity and quality of life at this stage of his life. Fitness Volt wishes Jacson luck with his upcoming stem cell treatment.
You can watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Dexter Jackson’s YouTube channel:
Published: 28 April, 2023 | 10:22 AM EDT
Dorian Yates Reveals His Contest Prep, Training, Steroid Cycles & TRT Use after Retirement
Bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates stands out as a six-time Mr. Olympia champion with a distinct training philosophy. In a recent Rob Lipsett interview, Yates revealed his competition prep, training, and the steroid cycles he used as a competitor. He also opened up about his reasons for getting on TRT after stepping away from professional competition….
Lee Priest Critical of 2023 Masters Olympia Being Age 40 & Over: ‘To Me Masters is 50+’
Australian bodybuilder Lee Priest is celebrated for his longevity with over two decades of competitive experience. In a RxMuscle YouTube video, Priest called for changes to the eligibility criteria for the 2023 Masters Olympia by changing the age cap to 50 and over.
The Masters Olympia competition was started by former Olympia president Joe Weider in 1994. He created the event to provide a platform for older bodybuilders past their prime who still love to compete. Dexter ‘The Blade’ Jackson was the last man to win the Masters Olympia title when the show returned in 2012.
Jake Wood confirmed the contest would make a comeback this season after an 11-year break. The weekend of August 25 was announced as the official date for the three-day event scheduled to be hosted in Cluj Napoca, Romania. It is set to feature 10 divisions from the IFBB Pro League.
Some had mixed feelings about the event’s return. Renowned bodybuilding guru Milos Sarcev expressed his concerns about athletes’ risking their health by overusing steroids at an older age in preparation for the competition.
Bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest indicated his desire to compete at the show but ruled out his participation due to chest atrophy earlier this year. He speculated about the potential contenders and favored the chances of Victor Martinez to take the title if Dexter Jackson and four-time Mr. Ollympia Jay Cutler did not compete.
Two months ago, Martinez opened up about his ambitions to compete at the Masters Olympia. However, made it clear he wasn’t interested in the risks unless the prize money stood at $250,000. In the end, the organizers declared the overall prize money for the show at $229,000 days later.
Former 212 Olympia champ Kamal Elgargni was considering making his way to Romania for the event if the prize money was fit for his needs. And sure enough, the Masters Olympia roster was released and Kamal Elgargni will fight for the Open title in August.
Japanese bodybuilder Hidetada Yamagishi will come out of retirement to contend for the title at the age of 50 in the 212 division. Last week, he made headlines for a ripped physique update where he showed off his insane conditioning levels 18 weeks out.
Lee Priest calls for Masters Olympia to be over 50 & talks about top contenders
In a recent YouTube video, Lee Priest shared his thoughts on the upcoming 2023 Masters Olympia with Dave Palumbo. He called on the organizers to raise the age ceiling to 50.
“I’m still upset though it’s 40 and over,” said Priest. “To me, Masters should be 50 above and you haven’t competed for at least 2 or 3 years. Seeing that $229,000, $9,000 goes to the Masters.”
Priest and Palumbo gave their takes on the competitors and highlighted some missing names.
“A lot of these guys I don’t even know who they are,” said Palumbo. “I see Fred Biggie Smalls is on the list, he’s making a comeback. You’ll probably see some guy who we don’t even expect to do well probably win it. Someone who won the Masters Nationals at 40 years old, never competed their whole life, fresh-looking muscle.”
“Victor Martinez could do it and still do very well,” said Priest.
Palumbo responded, “I don’t know why he isn’t competing. He should. It’s actually a pretty weak lineup when you consider it’s only 40 and over. There are guys actively competing who are 40.
“I’d love to see Phil Heath do the show or Kai Greene.”
They believe Elgargni is the frontrunner to win the event.
“Kamal, who’s probably the highest rated guy in the lineup,” said Palumbo.
“I think Kamal is going to be very hard to beat just because he hasn’t been out of the sport. He’s been competing consistently. It’s going to be hard for guys that haven’t competed in a bunch of years to come back and look that great, especially at that age.”
On April 25, Cutler and IFBB head judge Steve Weinberger announced the full lineups for each division of the 2023 Masters Olympia with Elgargni, Maxx Charles, and Phillip Clahar entering as favorites in the Men’s Open division.
RELATED: 52-yo Johnnie Jackson Teases 2023 Masters Olympia Comeback: ‘I’m Leaning Towards Yes’
The show will offer fans an opportunity to see some of their favorite bodybuilders of the past take to the stage once again.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 28 April, 2023 | 12:02 AM EDT
“There Are No Rules in Bodybuilding”: Iain Valliere Gives Hot Take on Steroids & Synthol
Iain Valliere‘s progress is on track for his next appearance at the 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow this June. In a recent Bro Chat podcast with Fouad Abiad, Valliere talked about his current season and the use of steroids and site enhancement oils like Synthol in bodybuilding.
As a Men’s Open pro, Valliere quickly earned the respect of his peers with popping muscle hardness and granite conditioning. Last year, he earned his invitation to the Mr. Olympia contest by defeating popular Open class standout Antoine Vaillant at the Vancouver Pro.
Tipping the scales at over 280 pounds, Iain Valliere brought his best package possible to Las Vegas. However, the 2022 Olympia lineup proved challenging as the Canadian native dropped out of the first callout in 11th place. Meanwhile, Hadi Choopan won gold with Nick Walker and Derek Lunsford earning silver and bronze, respectively.
After his lackluster Olympia bid, Iain Valliere began working with coach Matt Jansen again, who also trains Walker, Charles Griffen, Shaun Clarida, Quinton Eriya, and many other top-tier pros. Setting his sights on a 2023 Mr. Olympia invitation, Valliere sat down to discuss his future. In addition, he debated the role of gear and synthol use in bodybuilding.
Iain Valliere Talks Prep for Toronto Pro Supershow: “I’m in a Good Spot”
Valliere says his preparations are on schedule and believes he’s in a ‘good spot’ leading up to his next show.
“Yeah, [everything is going good in prep]. Physically, no I feel good. No, I’m not ahead [in prep] I’m right in a good spot and I think that’s good for me. I think to be too ahead is like sometimes like the wheels come off with that, I think we have a good base and I think I’m holding a lot of really good size, which I’m really happy with. I’ve had literally almost – in most of my lifts – I’m still progressing in my lifts. I’ve had no drop-off in strength and I haven’t had to reduce volume yet. So, it’s not like I reduce volume to maintain that, it’s still getting progressions in training so yeah, I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
“It’s small things [with new trainer Matt Jansen] I talked about this once, from the diet perspective, my protein intake is definitely a lot higher which it definitely does make you look different. I don’t know what the look difference will be on stage but I definitely look different, I don’t know how to describe it,” said Iain Valliere.
According to Valliere, his schedule hasn’t drastically changed despite rejoining Matt Jansen. He shared that his prep drugs haven’t been altered either but he expects new modifications the closer they get to a contest.
“I just do what’s written,” added Iain Valliere. “Look, he says eat food, and that’s what I do. Either way, yeah, right now, that’s really all the differences you can notice at this point. Small differences in the diet and stuff like that. I’m doing cardio like I was always doing cardio. Our prep drugs are kind of always the same. You get to the level and you might change a dose by a little bit or use a different this or that, but it’s all pretty much the same shit.”
Valliere Talks Using Steroids for Fat Loss & Synthol in Bodybuilding: ‘25% of Guys Use It’
Valliere said most anabolic compounds have fat-burning properties but they can’t substitute training and dieting.
“They [drugs] can aid in fat loss but you really couldn’t just take drugs and get rid of fat like that, you’re still going to have to push the diet and cardio.”
“I’ve never used DMP but you feel terrible on DMP,” added Valliere. “Look obviously anabolics – a good chunk of the anabolics you use have good fat-burning properties but like you said, it’s not enough to outweigh what you eat.”
Iain Valliere disagrees with the use of Synthol and site enhancement oils. However, he specified that it’s a useful tool for adding volume to the biceps and other smaller body parts.
“This is always such a hard question, people ask me this on my Q&A all the time, they ask questions like, ‘What do you think the average amount of drugs is for a pro, or how many pros do you think use SEOs?’ I have no fuc**ng idea, there’s a range you know,” Valliere shared. “I don’t think SEO use is talked about [the same] as gear use or gear dosages. It’s a little more hush-hush, but it’s so hard to say, also how would we know, like you said, how many pros use SEO? Like, I don’t know.”
“It’s good for the arms,” Valliere explained. “I think the thing is like, if you don’t notice, it doesn’t matter. I think we only notice the ones that look bad and then it gives it a bad name. So then people are like, this is what it is and what it looks like. Look, as a whole, I think we should disagree with the use of it but I bet you there’s some amazing bodybuilders [that use it].”
After comparing gear and Synthol use, Valliere highlighted that there are no rules in bodybuilding. Moreover, he suggested all athletes use ‘fake bullshi*’ to enhance their physiques.
“I don’t care but I’m saying as a whole if we just – if it didn’t exist, it would not make the sport worse. I wouldn’t care. So, I care. That would be wrong. I don’t disagree with it because I don’t give a fuc* what everybody else does in bodybuilding. If it’s making you look better, there’s no rules in bodybuilding. It’s not like steroids are okay but SEOs aren’t. It’s all fake bullshit we’re doing to enhance ourselves anyway. But I think if you’re doing it and it’s obvious then I think it should definitely be detracted in a judging capacity.”
“I don’t fuc**ng know [if it’s used a lot],” Valliere said. “I would think guys using a little metformin in their arms is probably like 20-25% of guys, who have maybe used it here or there. Do I think it’s rampant? No.”
Plenty of bodybuilders have been suspected of using site enhancement oils. Last year, reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan’s ex-managers accused him of shooting the substance into his shoulders. Bodybuilding veteran Samir Bannout ripped Valliere recently for allegedly using Synthol in his calves at the last Mr. Olympia.
RELATED: Bodybuilding Veteran Chris Cormier Warns Others of Synthol Use: ‘I Actually Used It in My Calves, The Damage is Real’
Steroids and site enhancement oil use remain controversial topics in the sport of bodybuilding. The last athlete to approach the subject was Chris Cormier, who underlined that using Synthol/implants in any capacity is a form of cheating.
Check out the full video below:
Published: 27 April, 2023 | 6:06 PM EDT
Seth Feroce Says Nick Walker ‘Allowed to Be Fuc**ng Pissed’ After Samson Dauda Loss at 2023 Arnold Classic
Seth Feroce, a bodybuilding standout from the 2000s, is known for his boisterous personality on the microphone. In a recent HWMF Podcast, Feroce discussed the public reaction to Nick Walker‘s loss to Samson Dauda at the 2023 Arnold Classic.
The Men’s Open division underwent major shifts since last December. At the 2022 Mr. Olympia show, Hadi Choopan claimed gold. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay fell to fifth place whereas contenders Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker moved up to the podium in second and third.
Weeks after his Las Vegas performance, Nick Walker announced his entry into the Arnold Classic after the promoters increased the Men’s Open prize money to $300,000. Despite his status as a heavy favorite, ‘The Mutant’ was denied a second title in Ohio. Nigeria’s Samson Dauda ultimately won the show and secured his invitation to this year’s Olympia contest in November.
The results of the competition were met with controversy online. In a Mutant and the Mouth podcast, Walker, joined by Guy Cisternino, Seth Feroce, and Nick Trigili, discussed whether judging should be more transparent in the IFBB Pro League. While some fans disagreed with Walker losing to Dauda, athletes rep Bob Cicherillo cleared the air and highlighted that Dauda presented a better combination of aesthetics, size, conditioning, stage presentation, and shape.
Seth Feroce on Nick Walker’s Future: “He Is What I Believe Bodybuilding Is All About”
Seth Feroce thought Walker deserved to defeat Dauda in Ohio last month. He added that Walker is allowed to be ‘fuc**ng pissed’ following the outcome.
“At the end of the day, if you took second place and you gave your absolute best, and be like, ‘Not going to lie, I really fuc**ng wanted to win, I’m happy with where I’m at because I’m proud of myself I got to this point, however, I wanted the title.’ I think everybody feels like that. Everybody like Nick Walker when he lost to Samson at the Arnold; I thought Nick won personally.
I thought Nick won and I broke it down from a standpoint, I should have made a YouTube video about it and went off. But, it’s like, Nick is allowed to be fuc**ng pissed. Why would Nick be like, ‘Hey, great job, I’m so glad I took second place to you.’ No, he’s allowed to be mad. What the fuc* is going on with the community about not being pissed whenever Nick was at his – in my opinion, I think that was his best physique to date and people are like, ‘He looked better at the Olympia.’ He did not look fuc**ng better at the Olympia. I thought he looked watery and too full at the Olympia, gave him an awkward shape. I thought he looked incredible at the Arnold and beat Samson,” Seth Feroce shared.
“You’re allowed to say that. Why does everybody think that you have to be such an upstanding young gentlemen and be like, ‘Congratulations to Samson, I’m really happy with second place.’ It’s okay, Nick has a champion mentality, everybody knows that about Nick, you’re allowed to be mad. Don’t tell Samson he’s a fuc**ng piece of shit, you know what I mean, but be like, ‘Congratulations, I’m coming for your ass motherfu**er.”
“Nobody gets to the biggest stage in the world to compete for the top spot and isn’t excited about not being number one, nobody. I don’t think anyone. Whenever you were training, that level was also unique. Very few people even get to that level so to even be able to get inside those people’s heads, you can’t. Like, I use Nick as an example because I’ve been a fan of Nick whenever he was just in Jersey with Condemnned Labs.”
According to Feroce, Walker is an ideal ambassador for the sport because he uses hard work and sacrifice to defeat athletes with better genetic potential.
“He is what I believe bodybuilding is all about. Because Nick is not genetically gifted from a looks standpoint. He has the genetics to be a freak, but he’s not a flowing physique. And Nick is someone who is able to take this non-gifted aesthetic pretty physique and become a top professional. One of the best in the world at bodybuilding through work, through dedication, through sacrifice, that is what bodybuilding is all about.
He’s beaten people that are incredibly gifted and have beautiful flowing physiques with just work. That is work and sacrifice,” Feroce added.
“Nick Walker is a champion mentality person. It’s not a joke, it’s not a facade, and anybody that’s like, ‘Nick is fuc**ng arrogant.’ I’m like, yes, you should have that confidence in yourself when you are the best in the world.”
In addition to keeping tabs on the Men’s Open division, Seth Feroce recently dedicated himself to a physique transformation. Given his status as an elite 212 competitor, it didn’t take long for Feroce’s improvements to be noticed. He shared an intense arms workout and said his plan is to get ‘fuc**ng shredded’ in retirement.
RELATED: Bob Cicherillo Says Big Ramy Not Taking 2023 Off, Talks Nick Walker vs Hadi Choopan: ‘Hadi at 100% Wins’
Walker, who is expected to compete at the 2023 Mr. Olympia November 2-5, believes Hadi Choopan won’t repeat as champion. He anticipates a difficult battle against 212-turned-Open contender Derek Lunsford on stage later this year.
You can watch the full video below courtesy of HWMF Podcast YouTube channel:
Published: 27 April, 2023 | 1:49 PM EDT
Sergio Oliva Jr. Aiming for 2023 New York & Cali Pro, Fires Back at ‘Instagram Bodybuilder’ Label
Legacy bodybuilder Sergio Oliva Jr. is slowly inching his way back into competition after taking a brief hiatus. In a Bodybuilding University YouTube video, Oliva Jr. opened up on his comeback plans, criticized fans labeling him an ‘Instagram bodybuilder,’ and shared his thoughts on the future of Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay’s career. Being the son…