Category: Fitness

Every now and then, a bodybuilder might have an unexpected rise in their division. After taking well to posing on competitive stages over time, it becomes apparent their efforts could be parlayed into a bright future. With a new training update about his current mass, that sentiment could soon apply to Neil Currey in the Classic Physique division this December.

On Oct. 3, 2022, Currey shared a glimpse at his latest physique with this year’s Mr. Olympia less than three months away. Per a later clarification from Currey’s coach, Ben Chow, the 5’10” bodybuilder weighs 235 pounds at the time of the picture and still plans to lose about 20 pounds to make reach the 215-pound limit for the Classic Physique competition at the Olympia.

[Related: The Best HIIT Workouts with Bodyweight, with Kettlebells, and More]

According to NPC News Online, the 2022 Mr. Olympia will be Currey’s debut at the prestigious bodybuilding competition. Though, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t amassed an impressive resume thus far.

Currey has been an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League member since a seventh-place Classic Physique debut at the 2019 Yamamoto Pro. He’s seemingly only improved ever since that initial top 10 flourish. In 2021, Currey would notch what was the top Pro League result of his career when he finished in second place in the Classic Physique category at the 2021 Tampa Pro.

In 2022, he bested himself when he took home third place at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro and scored his first career Pro victory at the 2022 New York Pro. In accordance with the IFBB qualification standards for the Olympia, the latter win gave Currey automatic qualification to the 2022 edition of the contest.

Here’s a rundown of Currey’s IFBB Pro League results to this point:

Neil Currey | IFBB Pro League Career Results

• 2019 Yamamoto Pro (Classic Physique) — Seventh place
• 2020 Europa Pro Championships (Classic Physique) — Ninth place
• 2021 Puerto Rico Pro (Classic Physique) — Third place
• 2021 Xtreme Bodybuilding and Fitness Pro (Classic Physique) — Seventh place
• 2021 Tampa Pro (Classic Physique) — Second place
• 2021 Texas Pro (Classic Physique) — Did not place
• 2022 Pittsburgh Pro (Classic Physique) — Third place
• 2022 New York Pro (Classic Physique) — First place

[Related: The Best Dumbbell Ab Workouts for a Stronger, Better-Looking Core]

Setting a bar of expectations might be difficult for Currey in his Olympia debut. The highest standard, though, would be toppling three-time reigning Classic Physique Olympia champion (2019-2021) Chris Bumstead. There’s also former two-time winner Breon Ansley (2017-2018) and perennial high-level contender Terrence Ruffin to compete with.

For Currey, a finish somewhere around the top would likely be a great way to burst onto the Olympia scene. He very well could surprise and achieve even more.

The 2022 Mr. Olympia will take place on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV.

Featured image: @neil_currey on Instagram

Russel Orhii might be one of the few truly elite names in powerlifting. It’s to the point where any he steps into a squat rack or onto a lifting platform; he’s likened to making some huge (pun intended) news. The two-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion recently lived up to that high standard again.

On Oct. 4, 2022, Orhii shared an Instagram video of himself capturing a 347-kilogram (765-pound) back squat during a workout. According to the caption of the athlete’s post, it’s an all-time personal record (PR). The squat in training is 24 kilograms (52.9 pounds) more than Orhii’s all-time raw competition best. He achieved that figure during a first-place performance at the 2021 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Raw Nationals contest. Orhii wore a lifting belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves to help with the successful lockout.

[Related: Back Squat Vs. Front Squat: Which, When, and Why]

In what is undoubtedly typical Orhii fashion, he approached the massive squat with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Even before Orhii stepped into the squat rack and under his barbell, his hopping around and dancing beforehand made it evident the powerlifter was quite confident about notching a new milestone.

Meanwhile, the comments of Orhii’s squat PR post featured one of his esteemed powerlifting peers, the prolific deadlifting extraordinaire Jamal Browner. At first, Browner, who is seen in the video spotting Orhii during the lift, notes that he was “scared” Orhii wouldn’t finish the squat once he saw some slight hesitation in the athlete’s launch. However, Browner then fittingly “remembered” Orhii usually completes massive lifts he sets out for.

Indeed, after winning the 2022 USAPL Mega Nationals in the 82-kilogram weight class in early June, it’s been quite a successful summer and early fall for Orhii. Before he scored this all-time squat PR, Orhii notched a 351.5 (775-pound) deadlift during a late September 2022 training session. Respective lifts like this appear connected to an upcoming (but unspecified) strength sports competition.

In some of Orhii’s previous posts, he had alluded to a foray into bodybuilding but never noted an exact time he planned to pose on a stage. At the time of this writing, he is approximately 11 weeks out from this powerlifting or bodybuilding contest as per Orhii’s comment on another recent Instagram post.

To put Orhii’s new squat and deadlift PRs into more context, here’s an overview of the powerlifter’s all-time raw competition bests:

Russel Orhii | All-Time Raw Competition Bests

• Squat — 323 kilograms (712.1 pounds)
• Bench Press — 195 kilograms (429.9 pounds)
• Deadlift — 333 kilograms (734.1 pounds)
• Total — 843 kilograms (1,858.5 pounds)

[Related: How to Do The Hack Squat — Benefits, Variations, and More]

With Orhii’s latest training achievement in the books and another competition on the horizon, it’s clear the superstar has a full plate. Not that this lifting dynamo would want it any other way.

Featured image: @russwole on Instagram

Teri Gehring doesn’t have your average powerlifter profile. A special education teacher by trade, according to her Instagram profile, the 52-year-old Gehring only started competitive powerlifting when she was 49 years old in May 2019 and has already notched several World Records. Yet, as a recent training feat demonstrates, her competitive fire shows no signs of slowing down.

On Oct. 1, 2022, Gehring shared a clip on her Instagram where the athlete successfully locks out a 165.5-kilogram (365-pound) deadlift. Per the post’s caption, it’s a new personal record (PR). Gehring wore a lifting belt to help with the milestone. Based on the angle and length of the video, Gehring does appear to fasten something around her loaded barbell before making her pull, but it’s not clear if Gehring wore any equipment around her wrists.

[Related: How to Do the Hack Squat — Benefits, Variations, and More]

Gehring’s massive deadlift is nothing new for a powerlifter that appears to have excelled in many sanctioned contests thus far.

From a debut victory with wraps in the Masters 45-49 division and 60-kilogram weight class at the 2019 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Lone Star Shootout to World Records in the squat, bench press, deadlift, and total at the 2022 American Powerlifting Federation (APF) National Championships, Gehring has thrived as a competitor.

Here’s a rundown of some of Gehring’s more notable career results:

Teri Gehring | Notable Career Results

• 2019 USPA Lone Star Shootout (Masters 45-49/Wraps) — First place
• 2019 Raw Iron Powerlifting League (RawIronPL) Mayter Mayhem (Masters 1/Wraps) — First place
• 2019 RawIronPL Battle of the Irons (Master 1/Raw) — First place
• 2019-2020 IPL Olympia Pro Powerlifting (Open/Raw) — First place
• 2020 RawIronPL Raw Iron Classic (Master 2/Raw) — First place
• 2021 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) National Championships (Masters 50-54/Raw) – First place | Bench press and deadlift National Records
• 2021 American Powerlifting Federation Lifting Spirits (Masters 2/Open/Raw/Wraps) — First place
• 2022 APF National Championships (Masters 2/Open/Wraps) — First place | Bench press World Record | Squat, bench press, deadlift, and total National Records

Here’s an overview of Gehring’s raw all-time competition best lifts

Teri Gehring | All-Time Raw Competition Bests

• Squat — 127.5 kilograms (281.1 pounds)
• Bench Press — 97.5 kilograms (214.9 pounds)
• Deadlift — 160.5 kilograms (353.8 pounds)
• Total — 382.4 kilograms (843.2 pounds)

[Related: The Best Dumbbell Ab Workouts for a Stronger, Better-Looking Core]

At the time of this writing, Gehring hasn’t clarified when she will compete in a powerlifting contest again. Much of her recent social media updates center around other new training accomplishments that don’t appear to be connected to any event. Notably, Gehring is coached by Josh Bryant, renowned powerlifting coach and author of the 2013 book detailing exercise routines in penitentiaries, entitled Jailhouse Strong.

For an athlete that is arguably still at the start of their powerlifting career, and with a whole host of other responsibilities, it appears Gehring is more than satisfied with huge PR lifts for the time being.

Featured image: @teri.ivey45 on Instagram

Andrea Thompson is one of the more prominent names in active strongwoman. As a professional competitor since March 2016, the athlete from the United Kingdom has amassed quite the competitive catalog. Thompson revealed her next grand ambition in a recent interview and training session with a strongman legend.

On Sept. 30, 2022, Laurence Shahlaei, 2016 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM), posted two videos to his YouTube channel where he trained shoulders and legs respectively with the athlete. In the former video, Thompson revealed she would soon make another attempt at the strongwoman Log Lift World Record at the 2022 World Log Lift Championships in Ipswich, UK. Notably, with a successful lockout, Thompson would be extending her own record mark of 135 kilograms (297.6 pounds) from the 2020 World’s Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength” Series.

[Related: How to Do the Hack Squat — Benefits, Variations, and More]

In the first legs video, after finishing some cardio (the treadmill for Shahlaei; an air bike for Thompson), the pair got after it with some safety bar squats. Thompson logged multiple high-rep sets of 150 kilograms (330.7 pounds). Afterward, the duo continued to seemingly center on endurance, powering through a leg curl and drop set leg press. To cap the routine, Thompson and Shahlaei decided to close with some high-rep leg extensions.

In the second video, it was all about overhead movements as Thompson announced her plans for the new World Record in the process.

To start, Thompson and Shahlaei did a few sets of respective log lifts together. They would finish the sequence by doing three one-rep sets of a massive 122-kilogram (269-pound) log lift. Here, Thompson emphatically noted that her record attempt would be for a significant milestone.

“I’m gonna break the record, then go for 140 kilograms (308.6 pounds),” Thompson told Shahlaei. “You heard it here first.”

Once they finished working through their log lifts, Thompson and Shahlaei shifted over to the viking press. The pair did not disclose what weight they were using, though Thompson capped the segment with an impressive set of 15 reps to showcase her shoulder power and endurance with the movement.

To close this workout, Thompson and Shahlaei focused on preventative maintenance training for different parts of the shoulders. With Thompson nearing a competition, keeping that part of her body healthy appeared imperative.

[Related: The 10 Best Dumbbell Exercises to Hit Your Lats]

The upcoming World Log Lift Championships aren’t the only competition Thompson has on her plate. The athlete will also feature in December’s 2022 World’s Strongest Woman (WSW). At the time of this writing, the precise date and location of the contest have not been announced. Per Strongman Archives, Thompson won the 2018 WSW and finished in third place at the 2019 edition — her last appearance at the competition.

The 2022 calendar year is starting to wind down, but for Thompson, it could be one for the record books by the time the clock strikes midnight in January 2023.

Featured image: Big Loz Official on YouTube

Stan Efferding built his strength sports career on a versatility. The 54-year-old athlete is a competitive powerlifter and is a member of the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) as a professional bodybuilder. It’s the former powerlifting niche where Efferding recently demonstrated his power.

On Oct. 3, 2022, Efferding posted a video to his Instagram page where he captured a raw 328.8-kilogram (725-pound) deadlift. The feat might be especially notable because Efferding used a speed pull, where the objective is to get the loaded barbell off the ground as fast as possible. For his deadlift, the athlete positioned his feet in a narrow stance, used a mixed grip, and did not have on any other equipment, though there may have been a lifting belt under his shirt.

[Related: The 10 Best Dumbbell Exercises to Hit Your Lats]

As a notable figure in the strength sports community, Efferding’s speed pull deadlift at 54 years old drew the attention of a few esteemed peers. The comments of his Instagram post feature varying complimentary words from 100-kilogram squat World Record holder Joe Sullivan, powerlifter Ernie Lillibridge Jr, and strongman/powerlifting legend Nick Best.

Efferding’s power shouldn’t be surprising to anyone who’s paid attention to his exploits over the years.

According to Open Powerlifting, Efferding started competing on sanctioned lifting platforms in some capacity in May 1995. Though the athlete hasn’t competed since the 2013 Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) March Madness, he can still boast eight wins in nine official powerlifting appearances. He is also the current Men’s 125-kilogram weight class and Masters 40-44 raw bench press and total World Record holder. Efferding notched that record press of 275 kilograms (606.3 pounds) and that record total of 1,010 kilograms (2,226.6 pounds) at the 2011 SPF California State Championships.

Here are the best raw lifts of Efferding’s powerlifting career:

Stan Efferding | All-Time Raw Competition Bests

• Squat — 388.3 kilograms (854.3 pounds)
• Bench Press — 275 kilograms (606.3 pounds)
• Deadlift — 380 kilograms (837.8 pounds)
• Total — 1,012 kilograms (2,226.6 pounds)

[Related: How to Do the Hack Squat — Benefits, Variations, and More]

As a bodybuilder, Efferding was no slouch either.

The early highlight of the Portland, OR native’s career might have been a win in the 1991 Mr. Oregon. He eventually followed that performance with back-to-back second-place results at the 1996-1997 Emerald Cup. After an almost 10-year hiatus, a 38-year-old Efferding would return to bodybuilding in 2006, when he won the 2006 Seattle Emerald Cup in the Superheavyweight class (over 225 pounds).

Efferding would finally earn his IFBB Pro Card in 2009, which he parlayed into a first-place performance in the Superheavyweight class at the 2009 Masters Nationals Bodybuilding Championships. The following year, in 2010, he earned the title of 2010 World’s Strongest Bodybuilder when he bench-pressed 285.4 kilograms (628 pounds) and deadlifted 363.6 kilograms (800 pounds) for a 649-kilogram (1,428-pound) push and pull total.

Efferding’s last competitive bodybuilding appearance was when he took 12th place in the Men’s Open division at the 2012 IFBB Flex Pro.

[Related: The Best Landmine Workouts for More Muscle and Better Conditioning]

These days, without competitions in the picture, Efferding spends much of his time on his personal strength training, as his social media is rife with clips of heavy lifts. He’s also the founder of “The Vertical Diet,” a book and nutrition approach he co-founded/co-wrote with Dr. Damon McCune in 2021.

Even in unofficial competitive retirement, Efferding, one of strength sports’ more prominent figures, has found a way to continue to make an impact.

Featured image: @stanefferding on Instagram

In the powerlifting ranks, Jalen Faulk might be one of the bigger up-and-coming names to keep an eye on. The 18-year-old athlete showed why with a recent phenomenal feat of leg strength.

On Oct. 1, 2022, Faulk posted a video on his Instagram where he completed a back squat of 300 kilograms (661.4 pounds) raw with wraps during a training session. Faulk also wore a lifting belt and knee sleeves. Per the caption of his post, the staggering squat is a new personal record (PR).

While an unofficial feat, this training squat is 19.8 kilograms (43.7 pounds) more than Faulk’s all-time raw competition best of 280 kilograms (617.3 pounds). The 100-kilogram athlete achieved that mark during a second-place performance in the Men’s Collegiate division at the 2022 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Collegiate Nationals.

[Related: Back Squat Vs. Front Squat: Which, When, and Why]

Faulk’s lofty squat is connected to his preparation for an upcoming mid-October 2022 competition. The same can be said for a 344.7-kilogram (760-pound) deadlift PR from late September 2022. The latter lift drew the attention of fellow 100-kilogram powerlifter and 2022 Mega Nationals champion Bobb Matthews, who wrote to Faulk in the comments of that post, telling him, “I think you are the next guy.”

Notably, for an athlete who has only ever lifted under the USAPL umbrella, Faulk has not specified which contest he will soon feature in at the time of this writing. There are a number of competitions on the USAPL calendar happening from Oct. 15-16, 2022 — the dates that line up with Faulk’s teasing caption of “14 days” and other recent social media posts.

According to Open Powerlifting, Faulk has been a competitive powerlifter since February 2021. As a then-93-kilogram competitor, Faulk won his debut at the 2021 USAPL High School Barbell Bash while competing in the Men’s Teenage division. At the time of this article’s publication, he has only ever competed raw and has won six times while finishing in second place in just one instance.

Here’s a rundown of Faulk’s complete career results to date:

Jalen Faulk | Complete Career Results

• 2021 USAPL High School Barbell Bash (Teenage) — First place
• 2021 USAPL High School and Teen National Championships (Teenage/Varsity) — First place
• 2021 USAPL Warrior Collegiate Open (Collegiate) — First place
• 2021 USAPL Midwest Collegiate Regionals (Collegiate) — First place
• 2022 USAPL Collegiate Nationals (Collegiate) — Second place
• 2022 USAPL Nebraska State Powerlifting Championships (Teenage) — First place

Here’s an overview of Faulk’s all-time raw competition bests:

Jalen Faulk | All-Time Raw Competition Bests

• Squat — 280 kilograms (617.3 pounds)
• Bench Press — 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds)
• Deadlift — 328.2 kilograms (722 pounds)
• Total — 784.1 kilograms (1,725.1 pounds)

[Related: Workout Splits Explained — How They Work and Why You Need Them]

Whichever contest Faulk does end up competing in this October, if it’s in line with his past performance, then this young powerlifter may well turn some more heads around the sport.

Featured image: @jj.fau1k on Instagram

Sharing some tips for easy meal planning for the busy moms out there + a template you can use.

Hi friends! How’s the day going so far? I hope you’re having a good morning! I’m getting things ready for Fit Team (join us here and get your new workouts on the 28th!) and have a podcast interview later today. Thank you so much for letting me know that you enjoy the old school more conversational type blog posts. I will definitely add them more frequently into the content rotation.

For today post, I wanted to chat a bit about meal planning because it is SAVIN.OUR.BACON right now. (Time-wise and money-wise!) We are in the thick of evening activities and events, and if I don’t know what we’re going to eat, it leads to random hodge lodge meals or takeout. It’s absolutely worth sitting down each week to plan our meals (at least our dinners) and making a list for one big grocery stop.

Taking some time to meal plan each week takes the guesswork and last-minute dinner stress out of the equation, and is a great way to save time, money and effort. Planning, preparing, and cooking healthy meals takes time, and meal planning in advance can help us make healthy meals for the family on a more consistent basis. It also maximizes trips to the grocery story and makes mom life a bit easier overall! I figured it was time I dedicated a post on practical meal planning for my busy mom friends out there.

Easy Meal Planning For Busy Moms

Setting aside time to make a weekly meal plan

Set aside 30 minutes or so each weekend to create your plan for the week. For us, dinners are the most important, but I also have an idea of what I’m going to pack in the girls’ lunches and make for breakfasts. Plan out as many meals as you’d like for the week, emphasizing dinner and weekly staples.

Create a master list

After you’ve planned out your meals, make a master grocery list including all of the ingredients. Take inventory of your pantry and fridge to avoid buying duplicates, unless you like having backups on hand.

Keep track of meals that work

If you find a meal that’s a home run for the family, hold it in your heart FOREVER. Until you make it again and they don’t like it the next time? (Kids can be a mystery sometimes, I tell ya.) I keep a running cheatsheet in my phone of meals the kids have really loved and will come back to them. We also have some staple dishes (like the ones in this post) that I know will always be a hit.

Asking help from family members

I like to ask the kids if there’s anything they’d like to have the following week and use their suggestions when I craft my list. I’ll also put a few cookbooks on the table for them to choose recipes that look good to them. Sometimes they surprise me with their selections and I love that helps to shake things up and prevent dinner ruts.

Create meal plans from items you have on hand

Before I start our meal plan for the week, I’ll think about any items I have on hand that I’d like to use. For example, we might have meat from ButcherBox or veggies from the garden that I want to use. I’ll search for recipes from my fave sources using these ingredients.

Creating themes on some days

This is huge if you have a schedule with extra-curricular and after-school activities that end up being around dinnertime. On soccer nights, I’ll specifically plan Instant Pot or slow cooker meals that can be ready quickly or already waiting for us. If we’re going to be home later that evening, I’ll choose meals that I can prep earlier in the day.

Bulk cooking

I’m a huge fan of making anything in bulk or doubling recipes, so we’re able to freeze or use leftovers later. I prefer to cook certain things only once per week, so if I know we’re having rice two times, I’ll make a large batch and save half of it. I’m also a huge fan of eating dinner leftovers for breakfast or lunch the following day, so it makes planning my lunches a little easier.

Order staples and faves online

This really streamlines the meal planning process for us, because usually I have meat and pantry essentials on hand. I order almost all of our meat from ButcherBox and I get most of our pantry staples from Thrive Market. (<— both of those links get you a discount if you decide to try it out! Thrive is 40% off your first order and ButcherBox is currently 30% off + free chicken for a year.)

This way, I only have to get fresh ingredients at the store, eggs, and dairy. Because Thrive Market and ButcherBox are significantly less expensive than grocery stores’ current prices, we save a lot of money by doing it this way. I also like shopping at Costco for any of our favorite brands they carry (like Rao’s pasta sauce, salad kids, organic veggies and berries, salsa, avocado oil, syrup, and almond butter).

Prep protein or anything you can in advance

I like to wash fresh fruit and veggies, chop anything I can for dinners and easy snacking, and prep a couple of protein staples. I’ll usually boil eggs and smoke chicken for the week. Anything you can do you set yourself up for advance: do it. I also like to mention that if you’re able to splurge on more convenience items that will make your life easier (like chicken that is already cooked and cut into pieces), do what you need to do to set yourself up for success.

Use a meal planning template

This helps a ton if you’re going to plan out meals for the week! Simply print, add in your meals, and write out your grocery list on the opposite side.

Free Weekly Meal Plan For Busy Moms

Here is a free weekly template I created for meal planning. If you need more help, enter your email address here and I’ll send you a free copy of meal prep blueprint! It has my exact strategy for meal planning, along with some new recipes.

Here’s a sample week of eats if you’re looking for ideas!

This is what we’re having this week:

Sunday: Steak, roasted asparagus, salad kit, homemade sourdough

Monday: Chili with gluten-free cornbread and salad

Tuesday: Taco Tuesday (out!)

Wednesday: Garlic-lime chicken thighs with sweet potatoes and zucchini

Thursday: Greek bowls (rice, chicken, grape leaves, hummus, tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, and olives)

Friday: Takeout

Saturday: Hodge podge (mix of leftovers and/or breakfast for dinner)

So, tell me, friends: do you plan your meals in advance? What’s on the menu this week?

xo

Gina

More:

Our go-to easy weeknight dinners

5 days of daytime eats in 1 hour

Hi friends! Happy Thursday! I have a new podcast episode and can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this one.

Today, I’m chatting with Lisa Moskovitz, RD, all about quieting the diet noise and why diets don’t work.

Here’s what we talk about on today’s episode:

How to quiet the diet noise: how become a more confident, autonomous, and intuitive eater, and improve your relationship with food

How to move the needle towards fitness and weight loss goals in a healthy way

Why  diets don’t work: how they actually bring you further away from finding your healthiest, happiest weight

How diets impact your metabolism

Her tips for being Healthy in Real Life

and so.much.more.

I LOVED today’s conversation and hope that you’ll take a listen!

111: Why diets don’t work with Lisa Moskovitz, RD

Here’s a bit more about Lisa and her background:

Lisa Moskovitz, RD, is a registered dietitian, the CEO of NY Nutrition Group, a large group nutrition practice and the author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan, a personalized, science-based guide to finding your healthiest, happiest weight. She received a BS in nutrition from Syracuse University and then went on to complete an intensive dietetic internship at NYPresbyterian Hospital. Since then, she has accumulated over a decade of experience in private practice, providing nutrition workshops and working with the media. Lisa is regularly featured in major publications such as Well + Good, Eat This Not That, Yahoo Health and is often interviewed for popular news channels such as Fox 5 NY, CBS News and Inside Edition.

Check out her website here, her Instagram here, and get a copy of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan (use Core20 for 20% off!).

Resources from this episode:

I love love love the meals from Sakara Life! Use this link and the code XOGINAH for 20% off their meal delivery and clean boutique items. This is something I do once a month as a lil treat to myself and the meals are always showstoppers.

Get 15% off Organifi with the code FITNESSISTA. I drink the green juice, red juice, gold, and Harmony! (Each day I might have something different, or have two different things. Everything I’ve tried is amazing.)

The weather is cooling down, and I’m still obsessed with my sauna blanket. It feels even BETTER when it’s chilly outside and you can use the code FITNESSISTA15 for 15% off! This is one of my favorite ways to relax and sweat it out. I find that it energizes me, helps with aches and pains, I sleep better on the days I use this, and it makes my skin glow. Link to check it out here. You can also use my discount for the PEMF Go Mat, which I use every day!

If any of my fellow health professional friends are looking for another way to help their clients, I highly recommend IHP. You can also use this information to heal yourself and then go one to heal others, which I think is a beautiful mission.

You can use my referral link here and the code FITNESSISTA for up to $250 off the Integrative Health Practitioner program. I just finished Level 1 and have started Level 2. I highly recommend it! You can check out my initial thoughts on IHP here!

Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support with the podcast! Please be sure to subscribe, and leave a rating or review if you enjoyed this episode. If you leave a rating, head to this page and you’ll get a little “thank you” gift from me to you. 

xo

You just completed a tough workout, and you’re so motivated that you want to do the next one right away? It may be tempting, but you won’t be doing your body or your progress any favors. You need to rest and recover from the hard work. That’s what workout rest days are for.

So what should you do on rest days? We’ll tell you which mistakes you should avoid and how to get the most out of your recovery days. 

Mistake # 1: You don’t schedule workout rest days 

Workout rest days should be a regular part of your training plan. This is when your body has the chance to recover and process the progress you’ve made. When you work out, your muscles are pushed to the limit, which stimulates growth. The muscles have to adapt to the increased effort, and your performance level improves. 

Mistake # 2: You don’t listen to your body 

The more experience you have with exercise, the more aware you become of what your body needs. Fatigue, lethargy, and muscle weakness are signs that you have overdone it and you’re already in the overtraining zone. This can be caused by working out too much without taking a break to give your body time for muscle recovery. At this point, your body can’t process the muscle stimulation anymore, and your performance drops. Your motivation to continue working out also starts to dissipate. Your body is crying out for a well-deserved break. If you want to keep making progress, you really need to tune in. This is true for both endurance and strength training. 

Recovery phases are just as important as your workout! 

Mistake #3: You squeeze in a workout just because 

Sometimes it’s hard to resist squeezing in a training session instead of taking a workout rest day or time for muscle recovery, but remember, you’re just putting the brakes on your progress. Your body needs a chance to recover to get stronger. Not taking the time to rest will only slow muscle growth, and over time, you’ll start wondering why you’re not seeing results. Another risk of spontaneous workouts is that you don’t do the exercises carefully enough or you overload certain muscle groups, which increases your risk of injury. That’s why it’s smart to follow a training plan with a goal.

Mistake #4: You don’t eat enough on rest days 

Obviously, you burn fewer calories on your recovery days than on the days you work out. But don’t start eating less because you’re afraid of putting on weight. You have to fuel your body with energy and nutrients on rest days so that your muscles have what they need to grow. Keep in mind: a balanced diet can boost your athletic performance. 

Mistake #5: You’re a couch potato 

Doing nothing at all for a day can definitely be relaxing and something you need from time to time. However, try using your rest day for active recovery by focussing on low-intensity activities like brisk walks, yoga, cycling, or swimming. 

***

Chinedu Andrew Obieaka, a.k.a. “Andrew Jacked,” has only been on the competitive bodybuilding circuit for a little while. Yet, after winning his first two International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League contests, the 2022 Texas Pro and 2022 Arnold Classic UK, Jacked is considered an ascending superstar. With a legendary bodybuilder on his side, the athlete will aim for one of the sport’s top challenges this December.

On Sept. 29, 2022, during an interview with Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy and Bob Cicherello (“Bob Chick”) on Olympia TV on YouTube, Jacked and his coach, four-time Arnold Classic champ Ken “Flex” Wheeler, discussed the upcoming 2022 Mr. Olympia. (Note: Jacked’s nutritionist George Farah was also in attendance as a subject.) Among the more pertinent topics were how Wheeler feels about the upcoming competition as well as Jacked’s chances against two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay.

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There was a time when Jacked was an unknown entity. Then he earned his Pro Card at the 2022 Arnold Classic Amateur in early March and won his first two IFBB Pro League contests. In such a short time, despite his inexperience, he’s already risen well through the ranks. This success, despite Jacked’s inexperience as an IFBB Pro League athlete, makes Wheeler believe Jacked is a budding bodybuilding titan.

“I competed probably over 40 times as an amateur before I even got into the National Physique Committee [NPC] because I was back in the Amateur Athletic Union [AAU] days. I was learning. I was developing,” Wheeler said, comparing his career to Jacked’s. “But if you look at Andrew [Jacked], one NPC show, that’s it. Look at how much he changed from his Arnold Amateur debut, and then look at how much he’s changed at the Texas show. Then, just in a matter of fewer than two months, a little bit over two months, how much he’s changed going into the Arnold Classic [UK].”

In the context of a stacked Olympia field featuring Elssbiay, Brandon Curry, Hadi Choopan, Nick Walker, Hunter Labrada, and Derek Lunsford, Wheeler thinks Jacked has another significant advantage — less wear and tear on his body.

“He [Jacked] has less mileage than any competitor that he’s ever competing against or ever going to compete against,” Wheeler explained. “That right there tells you this young man’s potential. Because no one, even myself, has done what he’s done in such a short period of time. That’s damn scary.”

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As for Jacked’s chances to actually win the Olympia and topple Elssbiay, Wheeler thinks there’s an opening under the right circumstances. Even with Elssbiay recently weighing in at a jaw-dropping 337 pounds at the end of his off-season, the door could be cracked open.

“Ramy is the person to beat,” Wheeler offered as a disclaimer. “But now you’re going to have guys competing against him that are taller than him and match his mass. I’m going to argue and say possibly, I’m being nice, but he [Jacked] possibly has better symmetry and balance that he [Elssbiay] has.”

Even if Jacked doesn’t reach high expectations this year by beating Elssbiay, there seems to be little doubt Wheeler thinks Jacked’s talent has him primed to be one of bodybuilding’s next main fixtures. In the long run, whether the competitor lives up to that promise is anyone’s best guess for now.

The 2022 Mr. Olympia will take place on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV.

Featured image: @andrewjacked on Instagram