Home | Store | Products | Careers | Help | Contact Us | Terms of Use | About Us | Checkout | Site Map | Advertise With Us | Affiliates

© 2014 Bodybuilding.com, LLC. All rights reserved. Bodybuilding.comsm and BodySpace® are trademarks of Bodybuilding.com, LLC.

© Bodybuilding.com, 5777 N. Meeker Ave, Boise, ID 83713 USA – 1-866-236-8417

Back | Main | Next

Looking to press heavy weights today? The answer had better be yes! See if you can press a few more pounds than you did last week. If you can, that means you’re making progress. Be sure to take ample rest before working up to a new PR, though. You want to be fully recovered before handling a maximal load.

Back | Main | Next

Recommended For You

Working Class Man: Marc Megna Workout

There are a million reasons why Muscletech performance

coach Marc Megna shouldn’t be living his dreams. But

they’re not stopping him.

Fitness 360: Marc Megna, Dream Big, Never Quit

Marc Megna played in the NFL and coached pro athletes after he left the game. Now, he’s an elite trainer and fitness model. Follow his fitness plan!

Marc Megna’s Weekend Warrior Workout

Can’t spend hours in the gym every day? You don’t have to! This twice-per-week, full-body workout will help you weekend warriors do better in sports and live healthier lives.

Back | Main | Next

Phase Three’s coming to a close. Finish it strong. Push hard and max out on every 30-second sprint. Your heart might be beating rapidly, you might feel out of breath, but you can keep going.

Think about how you felt when you first started week one, and how much stronger you are now. Think about how your lifts have gone up, how you’ve gained confidence in performing cardio, and how the confidence you’ve gained in the gym has translated into other parts of your life. What’s a better motivator than positive change?

Back | Main | Next

Recommended For You

Working Class Man: Marc Megna Workout

There are a million reasons why Muscletech performance

coach Marc Megna shouldn’t be living his dreams. But

they’re not stopping him.

Fitness 360: Marc Megna, Dream Big, Never Quit

Marc Megna played in the NFL and coached pro athletes after he left the game. Now, he’s an elite trainer and fitness model. Follow his fitness plan!

Marc Megna’s Weekend Warrior Workout

Can’t spend hours in the gym every day? You don’t have to! This twice-per-week, full-body workout will help you weekend warriors do better in sports and live healthier lives.

Back | Main | Next

Don’t forget that your muscles won’t grow unless they have time to recover. You break down muscle tissue in the gym, damaging it and causing metabolic stress. Growth doesn’t happen until you can rest and offer your body ample nutrition. It might be tempting to go on a long run or get back in the gym today, but let the program work as it’s designed. Trust me, you’ll have some long-distance cardio in your near future.

Back | Main | Next

Recommended For You

Working Class Man: Marc Megna Workout

There are a million reasons why Muscletech performance

coach Marc Megna shouldn’t be living his dreams. But

they’re not stopping him.

Fitness 360: Marc Megna, Dream Big, Never Quit

Marc Megna played in the NFL and coached pro athletes after he left the game. Now, he’s an elite trainer and fitness model. Follow his fitness plan!

Marc Megna’s Weekend Warrior Workout

Can’t spend hours in the gym every day? You don’t have to! This twice-per-week, full-body workout will help you weekend warriors do better in sports and live healthier lives.

Iris Kyle is the winningest bodybuilder in history. No other person—man or woman—has won 10 Olympia titles. It’s a record that may never be broken. As she announced today, her 10th win will also be her last.

Tonight, Iris took her final win looking flawlessly conditioned. Her upper body—especially her back—showed a tremendous amount of detail. To put it simply, she looked amazing. In her post-win interview, Iris said that she would be retiring from the competition stage. Although it’s a sad day for bodybuilding fans everywhere, Iris’s legendary status will still serve as inspiration for many up-and-coming bodybuilders.

“Bodybuilding is a gift, it is an honor, and it is a privilege,” Iris said to a standing ovation. “Although I’m hanging up my belt, I still want to be an ambassador for the sport and health and fitness.”

Iris Kyle

MS. O TOP 6

1. Iris Kyle
2. Alina Popa
3. Debi Laszewski
4. Alana Shipp
5. Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia
6. Anne Freitas

Although Iris earned the Olympia gold medal, she didn’t do it easily. Alina Popa’s balance, symmetry, and conditioning were perfectly on point. There was more than one person in the audience who thought Alina should have taken home the trophy. Iris’s retirement may be just what Alina needs to continue her steady climb up the Ms. Olympia ladder and finally earn her own win.

The rest of the top six was complete with a mix of new and familiar faces. Debi Laszewski earned third for the second year in a row, and Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia fell back a spot to 5th. That’s nothing to disregard, though. Throughout her career, Yaxeni has demonstrated tremendous staying power, and has always been in the mix for a top spot. Tonight was her 17th Olympia, and her 13th finish in the top five.

Relative newcomer Alana Shipp stole the 4th place spot. She just turned pro in 2013 and has been steadily making a name for herself on the competition circuit. She has great conditioning, but might need to put on more muscle if she wants to place higher. I think we’ll be seeing a lot more from her.

Alina Popa, Debi Laszewski, Alana Shipp, Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia

The top six was rounded out by Anne Freitas. The Brazilian bodybuilder, who worked her way up from being the Brazilian Figure champ in 2008, came in 9th at the Olympia last year. Her three-place jump is a huge improvement and should be a great motivating factor as she readies herself for next year’s show.

Congrats to all the Ms. O competitors. We’ll miss you, Iris!

2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

Recommended For You

2014 IFBB Bikini Olympia Preview And Predictions

Ashley Kaltwasser’s the only Bikini Olympia champ competing this year. Will she win again, or will history repeat itself and leave a new lady to be crowned queen of the bikini field?

2014 Women’s Physique Olympia Preview

Can Dana Linn Bailey defend her crown? Or will the title fall to one of this year’s top contenders? Support your favorite, and watch the event live!

2014 Figure Olympia Preview: Who Will Take The Figure Crown?

This weekend, 23 women will vie for the title of 2014 Figure Olympia. Can Wilkins make history as the only woman to win four times, or will Keene, or a wildcard competitor, come out on top?

The 50th Mr. Olympia competition did not need any artificial hype. Without question, a half-century of this contest has produced the most dramatic and intense moments in bodybuilding history. The storylines always seem to write themselves. This year, the major question on most people’s minds was, “Will Phil Heath make it a four-peat? Or will Kai Greene finally break through and dethrone Phil?”

While there was no extra drama needed this weekend, we got it anyway when the press conference became quite heated. To be frank, things were awkward and uncomfortable at times between Greene and Heath. Most rivalries in bodybuilding have included some trash talk, but much of it has been tongue in cheek, with friendly handshakes and back-slaps backstage. This was not the situation with Heath and Greene; fans witnessed two top-level competitors who genuinely do not like each other.

While Heath and Greene dominated the stage, Dennis Wolf loomed over the top spots as well, having improved yearly. Shawn Rhoden could also push for a chance at the win, having possibly the only aesthetics that can rival the champ. And Dexter Jackson is impossible to write off; he simply refuses to go quietly.

The action did not disappoint.

Kai Greene

First Callout

First thing first. Kai Greene has always been up and down on his conditioning, but tonight he absolutely brought it. One could argue he was the leanest guy in the building, and I would agree. But, despite his abs seeming a bit smoother in his initial posing routine, Phil Heath was a close second.

Phil Heath

Shawn Rhoden looked great, but from the beginning it was clear this was a two-horse race between Heath and Greene. In my opinion it’s extremely close and difficult to call. However, I still lean towards the reigning champ because of his structure, aesthetics, and conditioning.

Second Callout

This callout brought back memories circa 2007 when Dex, Branch, Wolf, and Victor all shared the same callout. I favored Dexter in this callout because of his symmetry and tightness coupled with a slight increase in size from the previous year. Wolf looked good—maybe even improved—but these guys always push to improve. Big Ramy looked better earlier in the night but seemed to fade during the callouts. This was also a nice resurgence for Branch and Victor, both of whom had a rough year and are now all but assured a top-eight placing.

Shown Rhoden

Branch Warren

Dexter Jackson

Third Callout

In my opinion, this was Morel’s group. Good size, symmetry, and great conditioning. I was surprised to see Johnnie Jackson in this group instead of William Bonac, who I thought was clearly better. Kuclo was big and tight, but seemed much flatter than in previous years. Roelly Winklaar was tight and had crazy, full muscle bellies, but his stomach protruded terribly and it hurt him in scoring. Fred Smalls and Jon Delarosa looked great conditioning-wise, but unfortunately needed more size to be competitive in this lineup. Delarosa looked very flat in particular.

After one round of posing, Kuclo and Morel were removed from this group, and William Bonac, Ibrahim Fahim, and Jojo Ntiforo were added. I was surprised to see Bonac fall short of my predicted tenth finish. Fahim and Ntiforo are great competitors, but this lineup was too much for them. Still, they came in good condition and did well.

Fourth Callout

I honestly would have put Dexter in this group, but I ‘m not going to say he was robbed by any means. I just favor conditioning over mass, but Wolf definitely carries more mass. Not a whole lot was settled in this callout. If you liked Greene, you still liked Greene to win. If you liked Heath, you still liked Heath to win.

Who will take it? It’s too close to call at this point. I think it will honestly come down to the final posedown tomorrow night. Catch all the play-by-play action on bodybuilding.com!

2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

Recommended For You

2014 Mr. Olympia Preview: Battle Of The Beasts

The 2014 Olympia will be a contest for the ages. Read who we think will come out on top!

Mr. Olympia Press Conference Replay, Part 3

Replay available now! Watch as Phil Heath and Kai Greene share some heated verbal jabs. Can’t wait to see them on stage!

2014 Mr. Olympia 212 Preview: Battle Of The Giant Killers

The light heavyweights of the 212 division vie for Olympia immortality! Can Lewis win again? Or will a newcomer steal his thunder?

In a gorgeous lineup full of the world’s best physiques, one woman rose to the top. That was Brazilian beauty Juliana Malacarne. Malacarne looked full, balanced, and perfectly conditioned. Even the most diehard DLB fans had to admit that Malacarne was the right choice for first place.

“Seven years ago I came to the USA with $3,000, a pro-card, and a dream. Today, that dream came true,” said an emotional Malacarne in her post-win interview.

Juliana Malacarne

The judges made it clear that the race was between Malacarne and DLB—and they had a difficult time making the final decision. Both women performed stunning routines, and both demonstrated poise and grace throughout the entire competition. But ultimately, Malacarne’s slight advantage in terms of size and shape gave her the edge.

PHYSIQUE TOP 5

1. Juliana Malacarne
2. Dana Linn Bailey
3. Tycie Coppett
4. Karina Nascimento
5. Sabrina Taylor

View Complete Women’s Physique Results

Dana Linn Bailey

Tycie Coppett

Karina Nascimento

Sabrina Taylor

In the confirmation round, Coppett, Bailey, and Malacarne were called first. Bailey looked stunning, as always. Her abs, hams, and glutes were the best in the class. Coppett looked every bit as good as she did last year. Although she was ultimately handed the third-place trophy, she should be proud to stand out among such an intensely competitive elite group of women.

This was Malacarne’s third victory of the year, after she took home top honors at the Europa Dallas and the New York Pro. Conversely, both Coppett and Bailey took 2014 off from competition in preparation of the Olympia Weekend—an increasingly common tactic that, in this case, didn’t pay off.

The other ladies in the first callout were Karina Nascimento, Sabrina Taylor, and Mindi O’Brien. Nascimento made a huge jump from 8th place last year into the 4th position, and Taylor made huge adjustments to her training and nutrition to jump eight spots up from her 13th place finish in 2013.

Mindi O’Brien, although not part of the top five, also improved immensely from last year’s 15th-place finish, taking sixth place. Her physique showed dramatic improvement, and she just needs a little bit more size and shape to crack the top tier.

The physique category is here to stay. It’s clear that the fans of the sport can’t get enough of these awesome ladies!

2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

Recommended For You

2014 Olympia Weekend: Women’s Prejudging Report

This afternoon, the Vegas Expo Center played host to the prejudging portion of the women’s shows. Find out who rocked the first callouts and what the finals could bring!

2014 IFBB Bikini Olympia Preview And Predictions

Ashley Kaltwasser’s the only Bikini Olympia champ competing this year. Will she win again, or will history repeat itself and leave a new lady to be crowned queen of the bikini field?

2014 Women’s Physique Olympia Preview

Can Dana Linn Bailey defend her crown? Or will the title fall to one of this year’s top contenders? Support your favorite, and watch the event live!

While the action at the Mr. Olympia prejudging on Friday night was one for the history books, anyone who has watched a 212 Olympia showdown knows that the most riveting competition often comes from the lighter weight class.

For several years James “Flex” Lewis had to endure watching the crown go to Kevin English before he finally broke through in 2012. Lewis then not only repeated in 2013, but absolutely decimated the competition with a combination of size, symmetry, and condition that no one had seen in the 212 class.

Coming into the 2014 Olympia the questions are numerous. Can Flex tie Kevin English’s record of three 212 crowns in a row? Or will challengers like Jose Raymond and Eduardo Correa emerge to claim the crown as their own? Can David Henry—a past champion who has finished second to Flex the past two years—rise up and reclaim what was once his?

Of course, former open-class regular Hidetada Yamagishi, who has stepped down to 212 and took fourth at this year’s Arnold Classic, has the potential to throw a wrench in everyone’s plans in his 212 Olympia debut.

First Callout

Flex Lewis was immediately moved to the center, as it quickly became clear that no one possessed the same combination of size, symmetry, and aesthetics. He is the benchmark, and everyone else is being compared to him. In my opinion, he crushed it. His back in particular is far improved from last year’s Olympia.

James “Flex” Lewis

Eduardo Correa

The story of the morning was Eduardo Correa, who seemingly had a lock on second place. Third place seemed to be a battle between Yamagishi and Raymond, with Clark in fifth. I personally had Clark in the top 10, but not the top 5.

Second Callout

Aaron Clark appeared to fade as the judging went on, and the story became Baito Abbaspour apparently leapfrogging him and David Henry. Then it was between Yamagishi and Clark for 5th and 6th.

Dixon and Henry seemed to be vying for 7th and 8th. What a shock to see David Henry on the outside looking in! But subpar conditioning compared to years past really seemed to hurt him.

Jose Raymond

Hidetada Yamagishi

Baito Abbaspour

Third Callout

I was surprised to see Guy Cisternino this low. As conditioned and full as he was, I would have had him in the top eight. Sami Al-Haddad was way off from last year’s outing, looking less lean and very flat in the lats. The real story here was seeing David Henry so far down, seemingly fighting to stay in the top 10!

Fourth Callout

All of these guys are quality bodybuilders who just happened to be off today, and at a big show like the Olympia, that puts you on the outside looking in. Mark Dugdale was especially disappointing, since he’s placed so well here before, but unfortunately he was quite a bit off from his typical spectacular conditioning. Since he does not carry as much size as the other competitors, that was a big problem.

Heading into tonight’s finals, I have my scoreboard as:

1. Flex Lewis
2. Eduardo Correa
3. Jose Raymond
4. Hidetada Yamagishi
5. Baito Abbaspour

As we know, anything can happen in this competiton, so watch it all unfold live tonight!

2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

Recommended For You

2014 Mr. Olympia 212 Preview: Battle Of The Giant Killers

The light heavyweights of the 212 division vie for Olympia immortality! Can Lewis win again? Or will a newcomer steal his thunder?

2014 Olympia: Mr. Olympia Prejudging Report

Tonight, the 50th Mr. Olympia kicked off with controversy and stiff competition. Stay tuned to see how it all pans out!

2014 Mr. Olympia Preview: Battle Of The Beasts

The 2014 Olympia will be a contest for the ages. Read who we think will come out on top!

The 50th Mr. Olympia competition kicked off Friday night with a stellar and contentious prejudging that featured great showings by Dexter Jackson, Shawn Rhoden, and Dennis Wolf—not just the two competitors who produced the most sparks at Thursday’s press conference. There were whispers that maybe one of these three could do what no one in this decade has done since Jay Cutler in 2011: squeeze in between Phil Heath and Kai Greene.

But in the end, this was a two-man contest between two competitors who no longer need last names in bodybuilding debates. They’re just Phil and Kai, and at the end of the evening, they stood alone.

The Top 6

1st Phil Heath

Phil Heath was very tight and brought great aesthetics as always, but for some reason his abs seemed less defined and almost bloated in some poses. He was very good, but not at his best ever. That said, I thought the competition was very close, and—as with the 212—would likely come down to the final posedown. I had Heath with a razor-thin edge heading into finals, and that ended up being enough.

Phil Heath

2nd Kai Greene

Kai Greene brought his best conditioning to date, pushing Phil Heath to the absolute edge. I would argue that Greene was actually the leanest competitor onstage, outshining even Heath in this regard. The fans seemed to agree, as he ran away with the Fan’s Choice Award by a large margin. This was as great an opportunity as Greene has had, but Heath ended up holding the 50th Sandow. Next year will once again be fascinating to watch.

Kai Greene

3rd Shawn Rhoden

Last year’s drop to 4th place wasn’t the sign of a decline. If anything, “Flexatron” was more impressive than ever at age 39 in his 4th Olympia. Bigger, fuller, and more defined than any previous version we’ve seen on this stage or any other, Rhoden certainly brought his best. His best just wasn’t quite enough with Phil and Kai on point.

4th Dennis Wolf

A fascinating rivalry is blossoming between Wolf and Shawn Rhoden. They’ve gone back and forth in recent years in both the Olympia and the Arnold Classic, with each man figuring out how to gain an edge on the other from competition to competition. Wolf was as huge and defined as ever, and you could see his mixed feelings in his face as he walked up to accept the 4th-place check.

Shawn Rhoden

Dennis Wolf

Dexter Jackson

5th Dexter Jackson

The ageless Jackson continues to amaze—or is it even surprising anymore?—with his peerless conditioning and world-class symmetry. This was his 15th appearance on the Olympia stage, having won the competition in 2008, and he hasn’t been outside of the top six since 2001. Let that sink in for a second. He cemented his place as one of the all-time greats of this competition long ago, regardless of how many Sandows he has in his trophy case.

6th Branch Warren

Warren’s re-entry into the top six was one of the great stories of the night. His 9th-place finish last year had many fans wondering how much he had left in the tank. He answered conclusively tonight: plenty. His incredible conditioning was reminiscent of the Branch Warren of old, and he was as big as ever.

Top 7-10

7. Mamdouh Elssbiay
8. Victor Martinez
9. Steve Kuclo
10. Juan Morel

2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

Recommended For You

There’s No Stopping Flex Lewis!

There was never a doubt. On a historic night, Flex Lewis blew away the competition to win his third consecutive 212 showdown!

Nicole Wilkins Makes History

Nicole Wilkins broke her every-other-year victory pattern to become the first woman ever to win four Olympia Figure titles. Next stop: number five!

2014 Ms. O Report: Iris Kyle Wins Again

For the 10th time in her life, Iris Kyle defeats a lineup of impressive competitors to win the Ms. O gold medal!

The 212 Showdown prejudging certainly produced some great discussion points, perhaps none as shocking as the absence of David Henry from the top callouts. But the real story—just as it has been for the last two years—was James “Flex” Lewis versus everyone else.

In the end it was a two-horse race, with Lewis vying for a three-peat and challenger Eduardo Correa vying for his first title in five attempts. Flex brought a great package with a much-improved back and his textbook stellar conditioning, but Correa was up to the challenge. After prejudging, I learned from a source that the judging was quite close, and it would likely come down to the final pose.

All of the competitors seemed to tighten up from the morning show, with the exception of perhaps Correa, who seemed maybe just a hair softer. That said, he was still one of the most conditioned men onstage.

Flex Lewis

1st James “Flex” Lewis

Flex got a bit of a scare from Correa, but in the end his combination of size, symmetry, aesthetics, and conditioning were enough to overcome everyone. He will need to continue to make improvements like he did with his back in order to hold off challengers like Correa.

In a post-competition interview, Flex put to rest rumors that he would be switching to open class, saying that he wants to “create a legacy.” This is good news for 212 fans, but it also means Correa will have to bring his A-game next year if he hopes to grab the win.

Flex’s victory was even more impressive given that, as he admitted onstage after accepting the trophy, he has battled stomach illness this weekend. Nevertheless, he was clearheaded enough to know that his victory had special meaning tonight. “I wanted to win this Olympia more than any, ever,” he told the crowd. “We’re all part of history.”

2nd Eduardo Correa

Don’t act too surprised. After all, this is a man who has never finished outside of the top five in his four previous trips to the Olympia stage. Correa pushed Flex to the edge, but in the end fading from prejudging to finals appeared to cost him a shot at the title. It was still an amazing showing and he will likely be challenging for the title for some time.

3rd Jose Raymond

Say whatever you want about his aesthetics. Jose is freaky as hell and always comes in as lean as possible. His is a well-deserved third-place finish.

Eduardo Correa

Jose Raymond

Hidetada Yamagishi

Baito Abbaspour

4th Hidetada Yamagishi

Hide’s 212 Showdown debut had much fanfare, but in the end it came up a bit short. He was slightly flat—unlike the incredible conditioning that he brought in the past as an open-class competitor—and that cost him a spot in the top three.

5th Baito Abbaspour

A combination of great size and conditioning moved Abbaspour into the top five. He has some aesthetic problems, but he will likely be a perennial top-five finisher if he can keep bringing the conditioning he showed tonight.

6th Aaron Clark

Clark has great muscle bellies and symmetry, but to really make a dent into the top three he will need to nail his conditioning better than he did this year.

2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

Recommended For You

2014 Olympia: 212 Prejudging

Flex Lewis continued to set the bar in 212 prejudging. What happened in the other positions and callouts is the story of the day!

2014 Mr. Olympia 212 Preview: Battle Of The Giant Killers

The light heavyweights of the 212 division vie for Olympia immortality! Can Lewis win again? Or will a newcomer steal his thunder?

Victory For Jeremy Buendia

Jeremy Buendia took his body and his career to the next level, unseating Mark Anthony Wingson to earn the 2014 Men’s Physique Olympia crown. Here’s how it went down!

Las Vegas’s bodybuilding population increased tenfold this weekend as fitness buffs from all over the world flew in to witness the 50th anniversary of Joe Wieder’s Mr. Olympia contest. An important part of the night’s festivities was an incredibly competitive Figure contest. Each woman looked stunning on stage, but it was Nicole Wilkins who added a 2014 crown to her already impressive list of Figure Olympia wins.

Nicole Wilkins came to Vegas with an absolutely perfect package. She was lean, hard, and wonderfully proportioned. She looked every bit as good—if not better—as she did last year. Her win tonight makes her the all-time winningest Figure Olympia champion.

Nicole Wilkins

“Coming into this I wanted to make history, and I did,” said Wilkins. She tearfully thanked her friends, family, and fans for all of the love and support she received throughout her journey. “Let’s see if we can make it five next year,” she said.

Figure Finalists

1. Nicole Wilkins
2. Candice Keene
3. Candice Lewis
4. Ann Titone
5. Latorya Watts
6. Gennifer Strobo

View Complete Figure Results

Candice Keene

Candice Lewis

Ann Titone

Latorya Watts

Candice Keene’s second-place finish was a testament to just how good Wilkins looked. Keene’s shape and conditioning were as good as they’ve ever been. It’s just a matter of time before she gets out of the lower spots on the podium and up to the top.

Coming in third was Candice Lewis, who had her best-ever finish. Last year, she came in 9th. For the last few years, she’s been climbing up the excellence ladder of the pro Figure circuit, and she’s finally landed in one of the top positions. In 4th was Ann Titone, who came screaming up into one of the best spots all the way from 12th last year.

Latorya Watts was a new face in this super-fit lineup. She earned her pro card in 2013, and looks like she’ll be a competitor to watch in upcoming contests. Rounding out the top six was Gennifer Strobo. Strobo took 8th last year and has had an excellent year of competition. She’s nipping at the high heels of the women ahead of her.

2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

Recommended For You

2014 Olympia Weekend: Women’s Prejudging Report

This afternoon, the Vegas Expo Center played host to the prejudging portion of the women’s shows. Find out who rocked the first callouts and what the finals could bring!

Juliana Malacarne Wins Women’s Physique Olympia!

In a fiercely tight battle between Juliana Malacarne and defending champion Dana Linn Bailey, the Brazilian Malacarne emerged victorious. Find out how it all went down!

Ashley Kaltwasser Repeats

Tonight, Ashley Kaltwasser made Olympia history by becoming the first Bikini competitor to win the title two consecutive years!

The Olympia Weekend’s Men’s Physique category returned in full force today, showcasing a powerhouse lineup of familiar names and bodies, with many holdovers from last year’s inaugural competition. As with the women’s division, the 18 guys who lined the stage showed that the division is truly coming into its own both with the standards that it sets and the results it brings. Everyone came in well-conditioned but not too dry, muscular but not gigantic, and perfectly symmetrical from shoulders to board shorts.

Although all the men on stage looked like they belonged on the cover of a magazine, Jeremy Buendia’s insane V-taper and excellent front pose brought him the trophy. Buendia obviously used what he learned from his runner-up finish last year to improve upon his already-great physique.

Jeremy Buendia

Sadik Hadzovic

“It was a long year,” said Buendia to emcee Bob Cicherillo. “Coming off last year’s second place, I had one thing on my mind, and that was to win.”

Men’s Physique Top 5

1. Jeremy Buendia
2. Sadik Hadzovic
3. Jason Poston
4. Matt Acton
5. Steve Cook

View All Men’s Physique Results

During prejudging, the first callout brought Matt Acton, Jeremy Buendia, Sadik Hadzovic, Steve Cook, Jason Poston, and Mark Anthony Wingson to center stage. The judges took plenty of time reconfiguring the competitors’ positions so they could get a look at each guy in side-by-side comparisons.

Hadzovic looked fantastic, as he always does. The competition between him and Buendia was tough, as the two were placed next to each other in the center for the majority of the round.

Cook also looked great just a month out from his victory at the Dallas Pro, but he couldn’t match the broad shoulders and small waist that Hadzovic and Buendia offered. Although he—and the crowd—may not have been thrilled with that decision, it was a big improvement from his 8th-place finish last year.

Jason Poston

Matt Acton

Steve Cook

Mark A. Wingson

Poston and Acton both brought great packages to the competition. They’ve both competed really well this year, and with each having a pair of IFBB victories to their name since last year’s Olympia, expectations were clearly high. Poston’s finish was two spots better than he earned last year, whereas Acton slipped down a place. Wingson—last year’s champ—managed to squeeze into the first callout, but was ultimately on the outside of the top five looking in.

Michael Anderson, Anton Antipov, Tyler Anderson, Tory Woodward, and Xavisus Gayden came forward for the second callout. All five of the guys presented physiques that could easily have won other shows. But this is the Olympia, and only the absolute best make it to the top tier.

After a long confirmation round, the judges brought back Buendia and Hadzovic for another round of side-by-side posing. That one last round gave the audience a peek at who the judges would put in the top two positions. After a few tense moments of anticipation, the judges called out Hadzovic for second. Buendia took his honors, with big cheers from the crowd.

2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

Recommended For You

2014 Men’s Physique Preview: Battle Of The Aesthetics

The Men’s Physique division will be part of the Mr. Olympia festivities for the second time. Find out who will win!

2014 Olympia: Mr. Olympia Prejudging

Tonight, the 50th Mr. Olympia kicked off with controversy and stiff competition. Stay tuned to see how it all pans out!

2014 Mr. Olympia 212 Preview: Battle Of The Giant Killers

The light heavyweights of the 212 division vie for Olympia immortality! Can Lewis win again? Or will a newcomer steal his thunder?

Vital Stats

Name: Lindsey Bond
Email: lindseymbond@gmail.com
Location: Milton, Vermont

Why I decided to transform

I have always been a competitive, athletic person. When I was young I was a sprinter, then in high school I found competitive rock climbing. Rock climbing became my passion and I competed for five years. I was ranked No. 1 in my region for three consecutive years and No. 18 in the nation for two years.

I lost touch with rock climbing when I went away for college. My competitive drive never died but it took many years to find a new fitness outlet I was passionate about. A few years after college, I got married. Young love began to take a toll on my waistline and I reached my heaviest weight in 2012. I weighed 140 pounds and I was extremely uncomfortable in my body. I knew I had to change but I didn’t have the knowledge or the mental strength to take control.

I had joined the Air National Guard in 2009, but I didn’t start to get fit until 2013 when I was deployed overseas. I decided to make small steps to a better me. It started with the 1-mile walk from my tent on base to the dining facility. I walked that 2-mile round trip three times every day.

Halfway through my deployment I started feeling healthier, so I added running to my daily routine. I even got a small group of runners from my shop together to come with me. When I got home from the deployment, I was amazed how easy it was to run in weather that wasn’t 110 dry degrees. I signed up for 5ks and ran a leg of the Burlington City Marathon with my relay team. Running wasn’t my passion, but I loved the way it made me feel and I loved being healthy again.

My husband suggested we start weight training together. He had lifted since he was young and is extremely knowledgeable. He was overweight as well and ready to join the weight loss path I had taken. We started slow, with a weight bench in our basement. It wasn’t long before I realized that this was my true passion!

Post To Fitboard

We joined a gym based on a referral by a fellow guard member who competes in bikini competitions. I asked her everything I could about how to get into the amazing shape she was in. She was so helpful and happy to inspire others with her knowledge. She told me I should start training with her trainer, Danika Johnson.

Danika is an IFPA Pro bikini competitor and she has shown me everything I could possibly need to know about the world of bikini competitions. She is the shining example and inspiration of how I would want my career in the fitness industry to be.

My first season has been an amazing success and I owe that to Danika’s guidance and support and to my own dedication and will.

How I accomplished my goals

I embraced the good times and endured the bad. I never gave up, no matter how difficult it got. The hardest time for me was two weeks out from a show. I was depleted of fuel and I still had to make it to the gym twice and survive a 10-hour work day. It was not only the most physically challenging, but the most mentally challenging thing I have ever been through.

“My inspiration was always to be better than myself.”

When I wanted to give up, I thought about my husband and my trainer. They were both cheering for me to succeed and I couldn’t stand the thought of letting them down. I made my daily weigh-ins a challenge. Every morning I woke up and was excited to see how much I lost. It was a competition to beat myself each day. I knew if I cheated on my diet I wasn’t going to be happy with the results on the scale.

My inspiration was always to be better than myself. At first, I thought about the other girls I would compete against but after I won my first show, I only thought about being leaner and stronger than I was at the previous show.

Apply Here To Be A Transformation
Of The Week!

Bodybuilding.com honors people across all transformation categories for their hard work and dedication. Learn how our featured transformers overcame obstacles and hit their goals!

Supplements that helped me through the journey

Diet plan that guided my transformation

The most effective way I found to lose weight and build muscle in my competition prep has been to find a good coach I trust, and follow every word she says! It is imperative that you have someone monitor your macro intake and guide your weight loss in a safe and effective way. Someone with experience will look at your body and see something completely different than what we see in ourselves.

I eat clean whole foods. I eat six times per day in small portions with a healthy balance of protein and carbs and a small amount of healthy fat. I focus my carb intake around my lifts; that way I have plenty of fuel to fire through a tough workout.

I eat the same types of food in my offseason as well as my pre-contest season; I just change my intake level. During my offseason, I eat 1,600 calories per day with a re-feed once each week. In my competition season I eat around 1,300 calories.

I have been lucky with the way my body has responded to fat loss. I have been able to keep my carbs and my calorie intake fairly high throughout my prep as compared to what I have heard other bikini competitors experience.

Training regimen that kept me on track

Double up on a body part you want to improve on.
Ex: I like doing 2 shoulder days a week because I’m trying to build my shoulders.

What aspect challenged me the most

“I skipped a lot of parties and social events but looking back now, I was not missing out. I would never trade my accomplishments for any piece of food.”

The diet has been the most challenging part of my transformation. I was decreasing my carb intake as I got closer to my show and it seemed like I was always hungry. I never had a problem with eating the same thing every day because I knew I was giving my body the best fuel I possibly could. The biggest problem for me was the cravings I had for sweets. I have a really bad sweet tooth and I was constantly thinking about cupcakes and candy.

Walking away from treats in my office at work was really difficult. I skipped a lot of parties and social events but looking back now, I was not missing out. I would never trade my accomplishments for any piece of food. The food will always be there but how many times in a lifetime does a person get to truly live out their dreams?

My future fitness plans

Competing has inspired me to continue my healthy lifestyle and use my example to try to help others get healthy. In the future, I plan to take a year off from competing to work on my physique.

I always made it a point to ask the judges after each show what I could improve on. The general consensus is that I need to tighten my glutes and build stronger legs. I plan on tackling this by continuing to train legs twice a week and sticking to a good mass building diet.

I am hoping to compete again in the spring of 2015. My plan is to take my new and improved physique back to the OCB stage in hopes of a pro card and I would also like to make my debut in the NPC. I hope to build my career in the fitness industry. I am studying to take my personal trainer exam and I would love to own my own gym one day.

I am always anxious to get involved any way I can by attending shows, training with other competitors and doing photo shoots. I would love to find a sponsor and build my name in the bikini world!

Suggestions for aspiring transformers

For anyone who doesn’t believe they could achieve fitness greatness, if you change your belief and tell yourself you can, even if you don’t believe it at first, eventually you will prove yourself right. It is scary to look at someone’s before and after picture and envision yourself making the same journey. The transformation doesn’t happen overnight, it might not even happen in a year or two.

Every step you take towards achieving a healthy, fit lifestyle is a gift you are giving your body. One small change is something you can make today and before you know it, you will look in the mirror one morning and say to yourself “I did it”. Enjoy the journey, be patient, congratulate the little victories, set micro goals and never tell yourself you can’t do anything!

For those that are already transforming; congratulations on putting your health first. You started this journey for a reason, never lose sight of that. It is so easy to focus on the end goal, whether it be a competition or a certain weight. Don’t forget to soak in every little goal you achieve on your path. Those little victories will hold you over and keep you motivated until you make it to that big reward.

How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals

Bodybuilding.com has been my go-to source for inspiration, diet advice and lifting plans. I would spend hours going through the athlete profiles in the “fitness 360″ section. I love seeing what top competitors do for their training regimen and compare it to what I am doing. Whenever I was getting tired of what I was eating I would log on and get fresh new ideas from the nutrition section of the site.

On days that I was feeling unmotivated I would explore the articles in the motivation section and watch videos on how other people pushed through the tough times to achieve their goals. Bodybuilding.com has been such a big part of my fitness life. I don’t know how I could ever have achieved everything I have without the advice and inspiration from the site.

Lindsey’s Top 5 Gym Tracks

1. “Guilt” by Nero
2. “Hungry” by Rob Bailey and the Hustle Standard
3. “What I live For” by Rob Bailey and the Hustle Standard
4. “Work Bitch” by Britney Spears
5. “Turn Down For What” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon

Competition History

• OCB Green Mountain Thaw 2nd Bikini Debut, 1st in Bikini Novice B and first in Bikini Open B.
• OCB Liberty State Natural 1st in Bikini Open C.
• OCB Big East 3rd in Bikini Open C.

Trainer’s Credit

I would like to pay credit to my trainer, Danika Johnson. Danika is an IFPA Pro Bikini Competitor and a Personal Trainer. She is my inspiration and has dedicated so much of her time and knowledge to get me where I am today! Without Danika, I would not have had the amazing success I have had competing in my first season!

Photography Credit

I would like to thank Marie Agan for my professional photos!

Recommended For You

Body Transformation: Karin Caldwell Makes Things Happen No Matter What

Karin didn’t let anything get in the way of her commitment to training and her diet, even if she had to eat cold chicken and fish in the car.

Body Transformation: Paula Knaley Is In The Shape Of Her Life!

When the going got tough, Paula turned to her new healthy lifestyle for strength, and it paid off!

Body Transformation: From Punk Rocker To Fit Body Rocker

Becca is a total rock star around her family and friends, as her transformation has inspired them and left them all in awe.

Home | Store | Products | Careers | Help | Contact Us | Terms of Use | About Us | Checkout | Site Map | Advertise With Us | Affiliates

© 2014 Bodybuilding.com, LLC. All rights reserved. Bodybuilding.comsm and BodySpace® are trademarks of Bodybuilding.com, LLC.

© Bodybuilding.com, 5777 N. Meeker Ave, Boise, ID 83713 USA – 1-866-236-8417

A lot of people will tell you that Mondays are the worst day of the week. They’re wrong; leg day is actually the worst. Besides the overwhelming sense that everything you ate for lunch is comin’ up after a heavy set of squats, chances are you’ll be rewarded for your effort by having trouble walking—for days afterward.

But if you think your leg days are tough, consider a guy like IFBB pro Branch Warren, who’s known for wheels that even a guy like Tom Platz could appreciate. And when the two-time Arnold Classic winner talks about a total annihilation leg workout, we can’t help but want to know more. It’s enough to make Freddy Krueger pull up a chair.

THE CURRENCY OF MUSCLE

Branch must have a masochistic gene in his DNA. Even though he’s already endowed with some of the best legs in the sport, he doesn’t look for any easy ways out. To wit, he trains with Johnnie Jackson, another IFBB pro known for his highly intense training methods. The duo works out in the epitome of dungeon gyms: none other than Metroflex in Arlington, Texas. Yeah, the one that doesn’t have air conditioning in that god-awful Texas heat.

Branch may be strong as hell but he plays it smart when starting out, choosing progressively heavier warm-up movements for his quads before tackling the serious weights. Three high-rep sets on the leg extension machine get the quads warm, and then he shifts his workout into another gear.

He’ll follow that up with a set of 20 extensions with the entire stack, and then does another with multiple dropsets. After hitting 20 with the full stack, he’ll do a dropset with three-quarters of the stack for 20 reps before finishing off with half the stack for another 20 reps.

Warm-ups aside, Branch starts his workout with single-joint leg extensions rather than a multijoint movement for two reasons. “Besides warming up my knees and joints, it also pre-exhausts my quads so I don’t have to squat as heavy,” he says.

Branch may be strong as hell but he plays it smart when starting out.

A pre-exhaust is done by flip-flopping the single-joint exercise with a multijoint one, doing it first rather than later. Essentially, it makes everything you do after the single-joint movement harder because the quadriceps muscles are now prefatigued before you even get to the squat rack. With the glutes and hamstrings still fresh—both of which also get worked in squatting-type exercises but not in leg extensions—you’re better able to take the quads to the point of complete muscle failure. Furthermore, as Branch indicates, he won’t have to use as much weight with squats to achieve the desired degree of muscle failure. The fact is, he doesn’t always want to be pushing his maximal weights with squats because, over time, they take a toll on joints.

With his quads prefatigued, Branch heads over to the squat rack. Squats, he insists, are both a basic movement and total-body exercise, given that highly demanding moves like squats are most responsible for endogenous hormone release. He proceeds to use a strict pyramid scheme with this free-weight move, first with one plate on each side of the bar, then two, then three, and then four—all for 10 reps. Payoff comes on the last set, one that’s twice his off-season body weight—500 pounds—again for 10 reps.

For Branch, pain is nothing more than a necessary byproduct of Newton’s second law in action. Its currency is measured not only in pounds but also in rings of sweat. You don’t avoid confrontations with your personal weaknesses and limits—you aggressively pursue them because you know that the only thing holding you back isn’t your strength. Rather, it’s your mind. For Branch, reaching muscle failure is the point at which the real gains begin, a point at which most others put the bar down. With Johnnie’s boundless encouragement, he pursues a grueling rep, its difficulty exceeded only by the next one, and that by the next one still.

RISE OF THE MACHINES

While the hack squat provides a degree of stability, the Gaspari Nutrition-sponsored athlete isn’t looking to mail it in at this point. He opts for deep reps here, ensuring that his glutes and hamstrings now have to dig deep on both the positive and negative reps. With the quads already afire, Branch exacerbates the pump by going slightly higher-rep here, taking all sets to 15. But 15 shouldn’t be confused with light weights; starting with four plates on each side of the apparatus, he pyramids up one plate at a time until there’s eight on each side. Those last few reps are as much a battle of the mind as they are a battle of the muscle.

You’ve no doubt seen one of those behemoths in the gym who load up every single 45-pound plate when it comes to leg presses. Yeah, well that’s still not enough for this Texan, who turns 40 next February. Age surely isn’t holding him back; it’s a lack of room to add more wheels. He opts for another rep target that works the lower leg musculature with a different relative intensity, a strategy that many pros use to more thoroughly work a target body part from multiple rep ranges. Even with all those plates, Branch manages to take each of his three working sets very deep, all to 20 reps.

What separates guys who are the real deal from the wannabes? Branch’s final set of leg presses would cripple mere mortals: a double dropset of 20 reps each. It’s a site to behold as he illustrates his power to recruit every last muscle fiber into action.

“I do dropsets year-round; my training doesn’t change from precontest to offseason,” he says. “The biggest benefit of dropsets is that you work that muscle to complete failure and exhaustion.”

Any bodybuilder who can stand unaided at this point has been slacking. Branch’s decision to continue the assault with the Smith machine when he’s barely able to stand any longer attests to the complete devastation he’s seeking on his muscle fibers. While a load of 225 pounds may seem pedestrian for three sets of 10 lunges, it serves to amplify the degree of insanity that only a man possessed could harbor. Folks, he’s still got three movements to go!

HAMMING IT UP

Some bodybuilders split hamstrings from their quad/glute workout, training it on a different day, but not Branch. For one thing, when you’re descending into the squat position—whether you’re doing free-weight squats, hacks, or leg presses—you have to control the negative motion. During that negative the quad is being stretched, but controlling the movement better engages the hamstrings. When you’re doing heavy weights with a high-volume approach like Branch’s, the hams are indeed going through a thrashing. What he’s doing next, though, are single-joint (isolation) movements that take out all glute and quad assistance.

Branch’s first two hamstring movements are cousins: the flat-bench lying leg curl and the angled-bench curl. They differ in that, with the angled bench, the hips are in a more favorable position, placing the hamstrings on stretch (and thus enabling them to contract more strongly). Doing leg curls on a flat bench requires hyperextension of the lumbar spine to elevate the hips so that the hamstrings can fully stretch.

Limited once again only by the maximum capacity of the machine, Branch does the entire stack for three sets of 12, again finishing with a two-step dropset on his fourth and final set of each movement. Then it’s on to the standing leg curl, where he hammers the entire stack for three sets of 10 for each leg.

When you’ve got arguably the best legs in pro bodybuilding, you don’t stand still; you keep making improvements and training a little harder than everybody else. Branch insists his high-volume/high-intensity approach is rooted among the very top bodybuilders in the history of the sport.

“Every athlete that has ever had the best quads has taken this kind of approach with sets and reps,” says Branch. “That includes Tom Platz, Ronnie Coleman, and myself. It’s total annihilation because, by the end of the workout, you shouldn’t be able to do anything else—nothing! As far as training through the pain, you have to man up.”

The way Branch sees it, if you can’t embrace the deep physical pain that accompanies a great workout like this, you’re simply in the wrong business.

You can order Branch Warren’s and Johnnie Jackson’s new DVD “Total Annihilation”, which journals the pair four weeks out from the 2014 Olympia, at www.thebranchwarren.com.

2014 Olympia Weekend Coverage

Recommended For You

Summer Shred Tips: 16 Ways To Burn Fat Faster

The heat is on, which means your clothes will be coming off. Are you looking your best? Here are 16 ways to burn fat faster this summer.

Burn Up To 300 Calories In Minutes

Tip the scales in your favor! Learn different ways to burn calories in your everyday life. Little changes make big goals a reality.

8 Unusual Arm Exercises You Have To Try!

Building a set of killer arms takes more than standard barbell curls and triceps press-downs. Try these 8 unique arms exercises to blow your sleeves apart!

Vital Stats

Name: Tyra Rickman
Job Title: Merchandising Project Coordinator
BodySpace: triplthreattyra
Date of Hire: June 24, 2013
Age: 25
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 155 lbs
Athletic Background: NGA figure competitor, college basketball

Tyra Rickman grew up riding horses and doing chores on a ranch in Oregon. She came to Idaho to play collegiate basketball, but after getting her feet wet in the weight room she became a personal trainer. We’re happy that this passion led her to our doors, where she helped to change the lives of real people as one of Bodybuilding.com’s customer service reps.

Now Tyra’s talents have moved her into merchandising and onto the competitive figure stage. See how she inspires others through her work ethic in the office, on the stage, and in the weight room. Tyra is a triple threat!

QPlease tell us what you do in your merchandising position!

I request promotional banners from vendors and assist with promotion quality assurance. I ensure that all promotions run on time, are built right on the site, and that we have enough stock for promotions to run.

Merchandising is cool, because you get to talk with all the vendors about promotions and what you’re going to do for the customers. However, you don’t have that one-on-one customer interaction, which I miss.

What did you learn from your CS position that helps you in merchandising?

I answered emails, phone calls, and honestly, I helped change people’s lives. In our customer interactions we were allowed to talk about those things. We’re not just trying to sell people a product. There’s no thought in the back of your mind asking, “How can I upsell this person?”

When you start from the bottom, you see how everything trickles down. In merchandising, if a banner we throw up on the site is incorrect—say, a “buy one, get one free” is supposed to read “buy two, get one free”—that little change can cause a lot of stress for a customer service rep.

It humbled me in that position. I constantly make sure everything is correct before I put it on the site. I could only get that perspective from working in customer service.

What sort of background do you have in athletics and fitness?

I grew up on a ranch in Oregon, so exercise was instilled from the beginning—whether I liked it or not. My family rode horses, hunted, and played backyard gravel basketball games. I didn’t have much choice but to be a tomboy. Most tasks performed around a ranch lifestyle aren’t exactly feminine.

I played volleyball, softball, track, and tennis in high school, and then I went on to play basketball at the College of Idaho. After college, I was a personal trainer for two years, and then I began my career at Bodybuilding.com. Recently, my yearning for competitiveness brought me to compete in natural figure competitions. I don’t stay idle for long.

“I grew up on a ranch in Oregon, so exercise was instilled from the beginning—whether I liked it or not.”

Which is more important to you: strength or aesthetics?

I believe that with strength comes aesthetics. When I think of strength I don’t think of this term solely in physical terms. Strength comes in both physical and mental forms.

Since I switched my overall training to aesthetics, I realized that in order to create a more aesthetic look, you have to be extremely strong mentally. You have to be disciplined with your diet and exercise program, and that can be taxing mentally. But, put it all together, and aesthetics are your reward.

How does the Bodybuilding.com environment influence your health, fitness, and appearance goals?

This is a unique environment. We’re all on the same page as far as changing lives and living a healthy lifestyle. Recipes, supplements, and exercise routines are constantly exchanged and are the focus of the majority of the social conversations around here.

The best experience for me was the time of the companywide transformation challenge.

The 2014 challenge—my first—conveniently ran at the same time I was training for my first figure competition. The challenge completely changed my outlook on this company. It created team unity among all my coworkers. I loved having someone to share in my challenges. Many of us experienced the same hardships that come with creating change in your life. It was nice to know I wasn’t the only one.

It is easy to stay on track when most of your coworkers participate. It gets competitive, though! I love the healthy competition this creates.

It takes guts to put yourself on display out on the stage. How do you find the balance between being confident and critical?

That’s a huge feat, to put yourself out there. I mean, that’s me! It’s not a project I worked on; it’s who I am—my body. You have to disconnect with that, because it’s easy to be hard on yourself, based on what the judges have to say.

I compare it to performance in basketball. How I compete simply reflects my performance. The judges can tell you to make your shoulders bigger, or to be leaner in some areas. It’s a game. Your assignment is to figure out what works best for you. Not everyone is going to be the same.

Look at it logically. Your body isn’t who you are as a person, and the judges aren’t judging you as a person. They are judging you on your aesthetics.

“The judges can tell you to make your shoulders bigger, or to be leaner in some areas. It’s a game. Your assignment is to figure out what works best for you.”

What is your favorite feature on the Bodybuilding.com website?

Fitboard! I’m a huge advocate of this feature.

How is the gym environment in our building different from others?

This is a welcoming community. You see people you know, and everyone is respected because everyone is in it for the same reason.

Sometimes in other gyms, women get scared by the big guys in there lifting. They push you around a little. At Bodybuilding.com, nobody is going to look down on you if you’re just trying to change something.

When I was a personal trainer, I’d see my clients’ lack of self-confidence. They didn’t want to seem like they didn’t know what they were doing. As soon as they started seeing changes and their body started becoming more acceptable to them, they seemed happier, and they realized they could do this. That’s when they come out of their shell and realize they can lift with the guys.

When did you break that threshold?

“I am blown away when someone tells me I inspired them to better themselves. Most of the time I just do it for me, but I do want to inspire other people.”

In college I was an athlete, so we were shown how to properly lift without hurting ourselves. Once I had that knowledge base, I became more confident. I wanted to become a trainer and teach other women and expand their knowledge. Once I transitioned into weightlifting and aesthetics training, though, I had that “aha” moment when I learned how to do a power clean.

Do you think the Olympic lifts are more empowering than other movements?

By far, yeah. The power clean is such a powerful movement! It’s a big attention draw in the gym. The Olympic lifts are also kind of scary, because if you do them wrong you can hurt yourself. The process of learning the big lifts is empowering for women.

How does a fit person convince an unfit person to change?

I’ve helped a few people along the way and am blown away when someone tells me I inspired them to better themselves. You don’t necessarily talk to people about those things. Most of the time I just do it for me, but I do want to inspire other people.

I would never want someone to follow the same path as I do, though. Everyone is different. No one person is going to have the exact same results from eating the same food or having the exact same exercise routine as I do. Injuries, allergies, and other factors come into play. That said, obtaining a healthy lifestyle is a lot easier than you think. Subtle changes and differences can create a world of difference.

To convince someone to change their lifestyle I would list the positive changes this lifestyle created for me. You can tell someone the reasons to change a thousand times and explain how important it is, but this will do nothing until that change is ready to come from within.

When someone reaches out to you, they are ready. Then, they just need the confidence boost and knowledge base to do it. Until then, lie in the weeds, wait for that initiation, and then flood them with benefits.

Tyra’s Top 5 Gym Tracks

1. Hungry: Rob Bailey
2. Kraddy: Android Porn
3. What I Live For: Rob Bailey
4. Sail: Awolnation
5. Pass the Courvoisier Part II: Busta Rhymes

Tyra’s Offseason Training Regimen

• Rest 60-90 seconds between sets
• Reps change every week: alternate 5, 8, 10

Tyra’s Nutrition Plan

I drink at least one gallon of water every day.

Tyra’s Supplement Program

Where to begin? C’mon, I work at Bodybuilding.com!

Recommended For You

Fit Team Member Spotlight: Brock Braden, BIONIC BROCK

Brock had made the rounds in the gym. Once he dialed in his diet and began working at Bodybuilding.com, his competitive dreams became a reality!

Fit Team Member Of The Month: Shay Massey

In the gym, in the ring, and in the office, this engineer lives the fit life Bodybuilding.com supports. Shay recently won best physique in our annual transformation challenge. See how she did it!

Bodybuilding.com Fit Team Member Spotlight: Derek Sanders

Derek used his design skills and sports background to craft a new body and healthy lifestyle. The results were impressive enough to win him the title of Bodybuilding.com’s best employee transformation!

I love eating at restaurants. The food is delicious, and usually much different than my typical at-home fare. However, I’m a fit, calorie-conscious person, and eating at restaurants isn’t something I do very often. I say that with some regret because eating a restaurant meal means I didn’t have to plan, cook, or clean up after myself!

Instead of wallowing in my linen-napkinless life, I decided to bring the restaurant to my kitchen. By reworking the ingredients and restructuring the recipes, I have completely remodeled five of my favorite restaurant meals.

Each of these recipes is gluten-free, contains no added sugar, and comes complete with zero guilt. They’re all 175 calories or fewer and packed with all-natural, nutrient-dense ingredients. Your healthy diet does not mean you’ll be stuck with microscopic portions of bland food.

With these ideas in your fit-recipes stash, you’ll be able to add more yum into your diet!

1 COCONUT SHRIMP WITH SWEET AND SPICY DIPPING SAUCE

This recipe was a serious hit with my taste tester. With under a third of the calories found in your standard restaurant version and none of the gluten, this recipe is perfect for any fit kitchen. Because the recipe is super simple, it’s doable for even the most novice cook. It’s great for an appetizer, party snack, or main dish!

• 3 egg whites
• 2 tbsp Stevia
• 6 rounded tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
• 24 raw, peeled tail-on shrimp
• 3 rounded tbsp corn starch
• 4 tbsp sugar-free orange marmalade
• 1/2 tsp Sriracha chili sauce (use 1 tsp for spicier sauce)
• Water

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form.
3. In a separate bowl, add Stevia to unsweetened coconut flakes and mix well.
4. One at a time, coat shrimp in cornstarch, then coat in whipped egg whites. The more volume the better.
5. Coat the shrimp in coconut flakes, and place on parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, turning over after about 7 minutes. Because there is no flour on the shrimp, they will not turn golden brown like a typical breaded shrimp. When they are done, the coconut will be toasted and the tail will be pink. The egg white, if exposed, will still be white.
7. While the shrimp are in the oven, mix marmalade with Sriracha. More chili sauce will give it more heat. Add a little water to thin out the dipping sauce. The entire amount of dipping sauce is only 40 calories, so dip to your heart’s content!

COCONUT SHRIMP WITH SWEET AND SPICY DIPPING SAUCE PDF (28.5 KB)

2 CRISPY CHICKEN WITH SWEET MUSTARD DIP

If you’re missing the crispy goodness of fried chicken, this recipe will fill the void. A typical serving of fried chicken has about 325 calories. This recipe has only half the calories—with just as much crunch and flavor! I listed the spices I like to use, but you could easily omit some or add your own to personalize the flavor.

• 1-1/2 cup crisp rice cereal
• 1/4 cup dried minced onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground red pepper
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tbsp water
• 20 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat and cut into strips
• Olive oil spray

• 1 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Stevia or Splenda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place cereal in a bag. Use a rolling pin or can to crush into small pieces. Be careful not to turn it into a powder.
3. Place crushed cereal in a large bowl and add onion, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the egg whites and water, and stir well.
5. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
6. Dip a piece of chicken into the egg whites and allow the excess to run off.
7. Dip chicken in the cereal mixture. Press down to help it stick. Coat thoroughly.
8. Place chicken on a baking sheet and lightly spray each piece with olive oil spray.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 min. Flip the chicken and spray lightly. Bake another 8-10 min.
10. As chicken bakes, mix together Greek yogurt, mustard, and sweetener to make dipping sauce.

CRISPY CHICKEN WITH SWEET MUSTARD DIP PDF (28.9 KB)

3 SPICY TURKEY STIR-FRY

I made this variation to replace the Mongolian BBQ I missed so much after giving up gluten. Sadly, soy sauce and noodles have gluten. I promise this is filling and yummy, even without the noodles!

• 1 lb 99% lean ground turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp minced garlic
• Red chili pepper
• 1 large eggplant, chopped
• Gluten-free Szechuan sauce, to taste
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained
• 8 oz. can sliced bamboo, drained
• 1 oz. can sprouts, drained
• Liquid aminos or gluten-free soy sauce, to taste

1. Add turkey, onion, garlic, and pepper to a large wok or pan and cook over medium heat until turkey is lightly browned.
2. Add eggplant and Szechuan sauce. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is browned.
3. Add bamboo, water chestnuts, sprouts, cilantro, and liquid aminos or soy sauce.
4. Cover and let simmer for about 8 more minutes.

SPICY TURKEY STIR-FRY PDF (27.4 KB)

4 PULLED CHICKEN

This recipe has a Tex-Mex-inspired flavor. Once the chicken is prepared, you can use it in tacos, serve it over rice, or even try it in burritos. This is by far one of the easiest things in the world to cook; you can use your rice cooker or crock pot to make it. It only has a handful of ingredients and is a healthy and delicious way to eat chicken.

This recipe can feed an army; it will make 12 4-ounce servings. I usually prepare a week’s worth at once. If you want to make less, divide all the ingredients accordingly.

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 whole large onion, chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups salsa
• 1/4 cup red chili peppers (optional)

1. Put all ingredients in the slow cooker, and mix by folding them over a few times.
2. Set the cooker for 4 hours or more. From my experience, you can’t really overcook this recipe. I’ve set it for 6 hours and it turned out the same. I’ve even put in frozen chicken and cooked for 7 hours. It still turned out great.
3. When it’s finished, stir the contents. The chicken should fall apart without much effort on your part. This is a sign it is done.
4. Serve how you like! My personal favorite is on black rice with a little avocado and lime juice.

PULLED CHICKEN PDF (27.2 KB)

5 TURKEY BURGER ON EGGPLANT BUN

This is a great way to satisfy your craving for a delicious, juicy burger without having to worry about the extra carbs or calories you’d get with a regular bun. These burgers are moist and full of flavor. I hope you like them!

• 2 large eggplants
• 2 tbsp salt
• Olive oil

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup diced shallots
• 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
• 2 tbsp of milled flaxseed
• 1 tbsp minced garlic

1. Put eggplants into large bowl and fill with water. Add salt.
2. Stir until salt is completely dissolved. Trim ends off eggplant and slice into pieces about 3/4 inch thick.
3. Soak eggplant in salt water for at least 20 minutes. They will float, so cover with something heavy to keep the slices of eggplant submerged.
4. Remove from salt water and pat dry. Lightly spray or brush with olive oil and place on an oven tray. I find that a tray with slits works best.
5. Broil the eggplant 8 inches from heat for 5-7 minutes, or until slightly browned. Flip, lightly oil, and broil for another 5-7 minutes.
6. While eggplant cooks, combine turkey, egg whites, flaxseed, bell peppers, shallots, and garlic in a bowl. Mix well.
7. Form 7 patties from the meat and place them on a cookie sheet.
8. Broil patties about 8 inches from heat until they are slightly brown. Flip over and broil another 5-7 minutes. You can also grill them if you prefer, but I find they hold together better on the cookie sheet.
9. Place a patty between two slices of eggplant. Add condiments of your choice, but keep in mind they will add calories not calculated in my total. I like to eat these with some nutritional yeast sprinkled on top for a cheesy taste and some kale for texture.

TURKEY BURGER ON EGGPLANT BUN PDF (29 KB)

Recommended For You

11 From Heaven: The Top Fitness Snacks!

Got the munchies? Here’s our pick for the 11 best healthy snack options so you won’t bust your physique.

5 High-Protein Snacks To Fire Up Your Muscles

Working hard at the gym doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of things like muffins, crepes, or even frosting! Make these high-protein recipes work hard for your muscles.

Healthy Summer Picnic Guide!

Trade the dining room table for the picnic blanket and break out this collection of ridiculously delicious muscle-building recipes!

There’s no doubt that working one or two muscle groups per training session produces tangible results. However, if your schedule suddenly gets so busy that you can only manage a couple of workouts per week, then one muscle group is bound to get overlooked. The solution? A full-body workout that incorporates all of your muscles while keeping your strength and power at optimum levels.

This workout implements supersets, which means you move from one exercise to the next without rest, then take a 1-2 minute rest after completing all the reps for both moves.

Complete this workout 1-3 times a week when you don’t have the time to give each muscle group its own workout.

Superset 1

Barbell Upright Row

Barbell Back Squat

Barbell Upright Row

Directions

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip in front of you.
2. Raise the weight straight up, keeping your palms facing your body until they’re in line with the base of your chest. Pause, then lower.

Barbell Back Squat

Directions

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Rest a barbell on the back of your shoulders.
2. Break at the hips and bend your knees until the bottom of your thighs become parallel with the floor. You can go deeper if it feels comfortable. Keep your back straight and your knees in line with your feet. Rise to the starting position.

Superset 2

Flat bench dumbbell chest press

Bent-over dumbbell lat row

Flat Bench Dumbbell Chest Press

Directions

1. Lie on a flat bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand above you at arm’s length. Keep your head, torso, and hips pressed into the bench.
2. Bend your elbows and take 2-3 seconds to lower the dumbbells to either side of your chest. Pause, then straighten your elbows to press the weights up.

Bent-Over Dumbbell Lat Row

Directions

1. Stand while holding a pair of dumbbells with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back flat, bend forward at the hips until your back is almost parallel to the floor. Your legs should be straight but unlocked, your arms straight under your shoulders, and your palms should be facing each other.
2. Draw the weights toward your hips. Stop when your shoulder blades are pursed together. Pause, then slowly lower the weights.

Superset 3

Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curl

Triceps Push-Down

Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curl

Directions

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Your palms should be facing each other.
2. Bend your elbows one at a time to curl the weights to a point that’s just below your shoulders. Press back up.

Triceps Pushdown

Directions

1. Attach a straight bar to the high pulley of a cable crossover machine so it rests just below your chest. Hold the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip.
2. Tuck your elbows at your sides, and push the bar toward the floor until your arms are completely straight. Tense your triceps, then slowly release the bar back to the starting position.

Superset 4

Decline sit-up

Calf press

Decline Sit-Up

Directions

1. Lie back on a decline bench with your feet beneath the footpads.
2. Lift your upper body by using your abs to flex your spine. Bring your chest toward your knees. Roll back down—slowly and with control.

Calf Press

Directions

1. Slot yourself in a leg-press machine with your back and glutes flat against the back pad. Place the balls of your feet on the push pad with your heels hanging off the edge.
2. Release the support bar and bend your ankles back. Then push the pad away from you in the form of a calf press.

Recommended For You

Leg Workout From Hell: Kris Gethin’s Quad Radical Equation

This is the most difficult workout I do. Think you have what it takes to keep up? Swallow your fear, swallow your bile, swallow your pride, and start lifting.

12 Week Daily Trainer With Kris Gethin!

Get mind-blowing and body-altering results in only 12 weeks with Kris Gethin’s Hardcore Daily Video Trainer. Build muscle, cut fat, and get ripped with Gethin as your guide.

Pumping Iron: Kris Gethin’s Top 3 Triceps Exercises

The biceps are great, but the triceps are the true mass monsters of your upper arms. Carve killer horseshoes with Kris Gethin’s favorite exercises!

Back | Main | Next

The first workout of Phase Four is a heavy leg day. That means you’re going to load deadlifts and front squats with heavy iron, and then hit them with focus and effort. If you feel good about trying for a max, then go for it! Work up to a big weight, and then do progressively heavier singles until you hit your max.

These compound exercises will put the muscles you’ve developed to good use. Remember, this isn’t just about looking good. These lifts will result in great looks and direct boosts to your strength and performance in and out of the gym. Work hard, push yourself, and think about the payoff!

In Phase Four, the nutritional habit you’re going to pick up might me more challenging than what you’ve previously been doing. Except for certain supplements like protein shakes and the occasional pre-workout, I want you to drink water and green tea—and that’s it. No more soda, no more energy drinks, no more juice. Weaning yourself off unhealthy drinks filled with empty calories will dramatically improve how you look and feel.

Back | Main | Next

Recommended For You

Working Class Man: Marc Megna Workout

There are a million reasons why Muscletech performance

coach Marc Megna shouldn’t be living his dreams. But

they’re not stopping him.

Fitness 360: Marc Megna, Dream Big, Never Quit

Marc Megna played in the NFL and coached pro athletes after he left the game. Now, he’s an elite trainer and fitness model. Follow his fitness plan!

Marc Megna’s Weekend Warrior Workout

Can’t spend hours in the gym every day? You don’t have to! This twice-per-week, full-body workout will help you weekend warriors do better in sports and live healthier lives.