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What's Taurine? Benefits and side effects of the energy drink supplement

2023-07-17T02:50:00.004-07:00

Sparkle, taurine, sparkle — it’s your turn in the spotlight.

The supplement, found in foods and many energy drinks, is getting lots of attention since a medical expert referred to it as “an elixir of life.”

That glowing reference came after new research revealed that taurine seems to slow the aging process and extend healthy lifespans.

But before you go chugging taurine-loaded energy drinks like Rockstar, Celsius and Red Bull, take a look at taurine and what it can — and can’t — do for you.

What is taurine?

“Taurine is an amino acid and is made by the body,” Lisa Young, Ph.D., R.D., a nutrition professor at New York University, told The Post in an email.

It’s important for infants and young children, and is abundant in breast milk, according to a 2020 report in the journal Amino Acids.

The compound performs several important roles in adults, too.

Taurine is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that helps with digestion, energy production, immune response, neurological development, brain functioning, eyesight, nerve and muscle conduction and more.

It’s not found in most plants — sorry, vegans — but it can be found in nori, the seaweed used to make sushi.

“While vegans may benefit from a supplement, we should proceed with caution until we have larger studies confirming its efficacy and safety,” said Dr. Young.

Most people get plenty of taurine from animal products, Dr. Young said, though levels of taurine in the body “decline as you age.”

Seafood, particularly shellfish, has plenty of taurine. Scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp, octopus, tuna, cod and oysters are rich sources of the compound.

Meats also have some taurine, including beef, chicken, turkey, salami, bologna, veal, ham and pork, according to a report published in the journal Atherosclerosis.

Dairy products, such as yogurt, ice cream and pasteurized milk, have smaller amounts of taurine.

Taurine benefits

There are some medical situations where taurine supplements can be helpful.

For example, a 2008 study in Experimental & Clinical Cardiology found that it might improve heart function in people with chronic heart failure and decrease blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.

A number of reports also suggest that taurine could potentially improve exercise performance, alleviate muscle cramps and improve overall cardiovascular health.

Taurine supplements

Taurine, in addition to powdered supplements and capsules, is found in varying quantities in the following energy drinks and energy bars:

3D Energy Drink
AMP Energy Drink
Celsius Live Fit
Cocaine Energy Drink
Energy Rush Stix
Full Throttle Energy Drink
Ghost Energy
Jaguar Fox Gaming Energy Bars
Juvee Rejuvenating Energy Drink
Launch Energy Bars
Monster Energy
Prime Energy Drink
PureBoost Clean Energy Drink
Red Bull Energy Drink
Red Tazz Energy Drink
Rockstar Energy Drinks
VOOM Pocket Rocket Caffeine Kick Energy Bars

Taurine side effects

There isn’t much information on safe dosages — or evidence that taurine can be dangerous in high amounts — but a 2019 study found that “the highest level of taurine is 3 [grams] per day, which did not show adverse effects.”

It’s also possible that taurine could interfere with certain medications, so it’s important to speak with a healthcare professional before taking taurine supplements if you’re also taking prescription drugs.

What most concerns health experts isn’t adding taurine to your diet through energy drinks, but the other ingredients in those drinks, including artificial sweeteners.

“These drinks tend to be high in caffeine and added sugar,” Dr. Young noted. “They also have other ingredients that could be harmful in large amounts.”

(bron: New York Post)

Fitness trends for 2023

2022-11-18T07:25:00.002-08:00

On the hunt for new and exciting ways to keep fit?

As part of their newly released annual Fitness Report, PureGym has once again revealed the workout trends set to take the new year by storm, and it looks like the viral 12-3-30 workout will be leading the way for this year’s fitness fanatics.

By analysing the current number of monthly Google searches for over 120 different fitness trends versus the same period one year ago, PureGym has detailed which have seen the biggest spikes in interest as we approach 2023.

The 12-3-30 workout takes the top spot as the fitness trend that has seen the biggest rise in searches as we reach the end of 2022, with a huge 309% spike in interest year-on-year.

The trend coming out on top won’t be a surprise to many, with the workout having gone viral on TikTok earlier this year when creator Lauren Giraldo revealed that she sets her treadmill to a 12% incline, and walks at a pace of 3 miles per hour, for 30 minutes, in a workout that is much harder than it sounds!

With over 119 million views on the platform alone, PureGym personal trainer Laura Eaton shared her thoughts on the workout, and her tips for following it safely: “Walking is already a fantastic cardiovascular activity, and adding the incline creates a bigger increase in heart rate – improving cardiovascular health and endurance.

This workout is also much gentler on the joints than running or jogging, making it an excellent choice for different age groups and fitness levels.

It’s also great for those who experience gym anxiety as you can walk through the door and hop straight onto a treadmill, and build up your confidence in the gym.

”I would recommend that anyone suffering from lower back pain or extremely tight calves avoids working at an incline on a treadmill, but for those who it is suitable for, avoid holding onto the handles so you can straighten your body and make this more challenging.”

With an impressive 173.21% increase in interest, Crossfit ranked as the second fastest-growing fitness trend, thanks to a recent resurgence in popularity.

A style of high-intensity functional training that has gained a cult following since its inception in California in 2000, Crossfit concentrates on 10 key physical traits; from things like stamina and strength, all the way to agility and balance. Crossfit also uses a group training setting that has created a community of like-minded fitness aficionados across the world.

Elsewhere, the top 20 includes some more niche workout trends, like twerking classes (+125% increase in interest) and Everesting (+83.33%) – a trend in which cyclists and runners shape their workouts so that they ascend and descend in equal amounts until they’ve ‘climbed’ the distance of the world’s tallest mountain. More traditional practices have also seen a return to form, with pilates up by 83.60% year-on-year and yoga up by 49.72%.

The 20 Fitness Trends With The Highest Growth In Interest For 2023

Rank	Trend	% Increase (Jul-Sept 2021 vs. Jul-Sept 2022)
1	12-3-30 workouts	+308.78%
2	Crossfit	+173.21%
3	Twerking class	+125%
4	75 soft	+124.24%
5	Hyrox	+123.75%
6	Jazzercise	+122.22%
7	Stroller fitness	+88.23%
8	Pilates	+83.60%
9	Incline walk	+83.33%
10	Everesting	+83.33%
11	Floating yoga	+60%
12	Indoor surfing	+50%
13	Hiking	+50%
14	Yoga	+49.72%
15	Rock climbing	+49.63%
16	Callisthenics	+49.63%
17	F45	+49.59%
18	Zuu	+49.58%
19	Breathwork	+49.44%
20	Outdoor fitness	+49.38%

Much the same as PureGym’s findings last year, the popularity of glute workouts is going nowhere fast, with interest growing year on year (+22%).

This crowns glutes as the body part global fitness fans are most interested in building, followed by shoulders and calves. On the other end of the scale, having sculpted abs looks to be less of a focus in 2023, with an 18% drop in interest over the last year.

For every new trend that comes in, an old trend must go. The world of virtual fitness continues to lose mainstream interest as we move further away from the pandemic, with virtual fitness challenges (-45.76%), outdoor personal trainers (-45.45%), and virtual fitness classes (-45.45%) all seeing the biggest falls in interest.

The 10 Fitness Trends On Their Way Out For 2023

Rank	Trend	% Decrease (Jul-Sept 2021 vs. Jul-Sept 2022)
1	Virtual fitness challenges	-45.76%
2	Outdoor personal trainers	-45.45%
3	Skipping workouts	-45.45%
4	Virtual fitness classes	-45.45%
5	Free weight training	-45%
6	100-rep challenge	-34.61%
7	Active video games	-33.33%
8	Online fitness programmes	-33.33%
9	Virtual training	-33.33%
10	Workout challenges	-33.33%

Stephen Rowe, Chief Marketing Officer at PureGym commented: “This is the second year we’ve explored fitness trends and it’s been interesting to see how they change over time and what influences them.

It’s clear that TikTok has an impressive ability to make viral trends, and that people are looking for new and novel ways to increase their activity – Twerking classes aren’t something we’ve seen an interest in before, but if it gets people moving and raising their heart rates – we’re all for it!

For the full fitness report, which includes current health and gym usage statistics for the UK, in addition to further information on the trends revealed in the research, visit: www.puregym.com/uk-fitness-report-gym

Fitness Trends That Will Completely Take Over 2022

2022-01-21T06:40:00.004-08:00

If you're wearing a smartwatch while engaging in a short HIIT workout at home or a cycling in-studio session, you may already be ahead of the curve for what's to come in the fitness world in 2022. More tech, shorter workouts, and hybrid gym experiences are just a few of the fitness trends you'll want to try, if you haven't already.

Between 2020 and 2021, gym-goers opted for virtual workout classes via fitness apps in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, as more and more people head back to the gym to enjoy the social aspect of working out, fitness coach Ariel Belgrave told Today she believes "the future of fitness will be a blend of in-person and virtual workouts."

Whether you love trying out the latest trend or are looking to find your ideal workout, slip into your sneakers and tighten your laces, and let's take a look at all the new and ongoing trends taking over the fitness world that'll inspire you to move in 2022.

Virtual workouts (with a hybrid option)
A workout is an experience that can be enjoyed from literally anywhere, thanks to technology. While the COVID-19 pandemic forced many gyms to close temporarily, causing gym-goers to work out from home, it appears the virtual workout trend isn't going anywhere in 2022, even as gyms reopen. "Prior to the pandemic, working out via an app or Zoom was a foreign concept," personal trainer Brady Dougherty told Today. That's not the case anymore, as more and more people embrace the virtual option via fitness apps and virtual programs.

But, as the demand for gyms and virtual options grows, fitness coach Ariel Belgrave told Today she's seen an increase in gyms offering hybrid options (in-person and virtual classes). "Many brick-and-mortar gyms are already finding that members have a preference for a hybrid experience of being able to attend classes in person and virtually," she added.

Virtual and hybrid workouts work because they're convenient, said fitness and retail analyst Randy Konik in an interview with CNBC. "People are going to realize they can work out at a gym three days a week, and then three or four days a week just do something at the house or in the basement," he said, adding, "It's all about convenience."

Fitting in mini workouts whenever possible
In 2022, mini workouts will be ultra-trendy in the fitness world. Gone are the days where you need to dedicate a specific amount of time to work out. A mini workout is perfect for people who want to stay fit but don't have the time for a 45-minute or hour-long workout. "This is because most people think of exercise as something that requires a lot of effort, time, and a change of clothing," Arizona State University exercise physiology professor Glenn Gaesser, PhD, told Healthline, adding that mini workouts appeal to people who don't have the time or motivation for "one big workout," just one of several fitness trends we're leaving behind in 2021.

Mini workouts, which combine cardio, strength, and mobility exercises, can be spread out throughout the day for five or 10 minutes each. To make it easier to add to your day, physical activity and lifestyle professor at the University of Sydney, Emmanuel Stamatakis, PhD, told Everyday Health that running errands could be a mini workout "even if it's 30 seconds of sprinting up a flight of stairs, carrying their shopping bags instead of using a cart, or just walking at a faster pace," he said.

The ever-popular smart home gym
A home gym may not be a new concept, but it has developed a new meaning as more and more people work out from home.

While an increasing number of people are returning to the gym since the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country and the world in 2020, demand for home gyms is strong, according to fitness and retail analyst Randy Konik. "What's likely going to happen is demand for gyms will accelerate pretty dramatically," he told CNBC in an interview. "But demand for [at-home] fitness equipment is likely to stay somewhat strong."

From a popular stationary bike with a virtual coach (Peloton) to a wall-mounted interactive experience (offered by companies like Mirror and Total), per CNET, home gyms aren't just popular but powered by tech in ways that will continue to evolve in the new year.

Brady Dougherty, a personal trainer, told Today she believes purchasing and using home gym equipment is a way people are practicing self-care. "I think purchasing fitness equipment is another way to invest in our health just like we would go to an annual physical or get a massage," she said.

More innovative wearable tech
Beyond home gym equipment, fitness pros and newbies alike are using wearable fitness products more and more to help track their workouts, improve their health, and stay focused on their goals – it's a fitness trend that's not letting up in 2022.

Personal trainer Brady Dougherty told Today that tech products, from fitness trackers to smartwatches, are the future of fitness. "By utilizing data from wearables such as Whoop and Apple Watch, fitness brands will be able to offer a truly unique and personalized experience for their clients," she added.

Wearable tech products not only track your fitness (including your daily steps), but they also help you reach your fitness goals and can accompany you in nearly every activity, from running to swimming (if it's waterproof), per The New York Times. According to the mag, one of the best fitness trackers is the Garmin Vivoactive 4S, meant to improve the wearer's exercise routine.

Walking, always a popular choice
No equipment or gym membership is necessary for walking, which is a growing trend also thanks to its social element. "Not only is walking something you can do together with a friend, but due to its low intensity, you can hold a conversation throughout," Dani Singer, Fit2Go Personal Training CEO, told Reebok. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused "mass isolation" since 2020, Singer added, has led to walking's trending status.

Although walking is considered a low-intensity exercise, just 15 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your health, according to cardiologist Michael Weinrauch, MD. "The take home point here is that even 15 minutes a day of walking, without stopping, provides benefit with regards to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality," he told Well + Good in an interview. Walking alone isn't enough if you're aiming for a well-rounded workout routine, so be sure to include cardio and strength training in addition to regular walks, Weinrauch added.

A holistic approach to exercise
The exercise mindset is moving further away from thinness and more toward overall health and wellness as the goal of any workout plan. Fitness influencer Cassey Ho says people should enjoy their workout routine. "If you're too focused on the vanity of fitness (getting a bigger butt, a six-pack, or thinner thighs), the experience becomes hollow," Ho told The Zoe Report. Exercise becomes a more "meaningful journey" when you find joy in a particular exercise(s) and live a healthy lifestyle, including eating right, Ho added.

A holistic fitness routine includes cardio and mindful exercises, such as incorporating yoga and rest days — in other words, it's all about balance. SoulCycle instructor Ross Ramone told TZR that his priority with every class he instructs is to help his students forget about the calories burned and focus on what feels good physically and mentally. "It's my goal to provide a safe space for riders to feel through what they need to heal through, to let go of the things that weigh them down, and to step into their courage," Ramone also said.

A rise in strength training
Don't overlook the free weights area of your home or neighborhood gym. According to Elise Young, NCSF-certified trainer, strength training is vital for a well-rounded exercise routine. "Strength training keeps us feeling strong and empowered," she told Women's Health. On top of that, it lessens the risk of injury, strengthens bones, helps you lose weight, and improves overall heart health.

There are a lot of myths associated with weight lifting, however, which include: You have to start when you're young, you need fancy equipment, and, if you do strength training, you'll look like a bodybuilder, all of which are wrong, according to a handful of trainers interviewed for an NPR story.

Those of all ages and fitness history can start weightlifting. "What's important is telling your trainer exactly what your fitness history is," trainer Aryan Siahpoushan told the outlet, adding, "and it's [okay] if the answer is 'none at all.'" As far as equipment goes, you can buy cheaper weights at big-box chains and thrift shops, and weight training doesn't cause huge muscles (unless you're on a specific diet and training regimen). Additionally, regular weight training can make you stronger and build lean muscles, Siahpoushan added.

Women-only gym
In 2021, women-only gyms experienced a resurgence, and it's a trend that's not slowing down in 2022.

Though it's not a new concept, first emerging in the 1930s, according to Women's Health, women's fitness clubs have gained more of a following in 2021 on TikTok with the trending hashtag #WomensOnlyGym, including videos and posts of women working out or promoting women-only gyms.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted Samaiyah Williams to open a gym, Her Flex Fitness, in Maryland, tailored to women. As Williams told Women's Health, she had owned a co-ed gym before, and when the world shut down during the pandemic and classes turned virtual, she saw women's attendance increase virtually. That's when she realized there was a market for women-only fitness. So, she opened a women-only gym to empower female gym-goers.

One of the appeals of gyms made for women is that women "can exercise free of the male gaze," history professor Natalia Petrzela, PhD, told Women's Health.

Exercising outdoors (and bringing your dog)
Mix up your exercise routine in 2022 and head outdoors with your dog to work out. The COVID-19 pandemic closed gyms temporarily in 2020, and, as a result, more and more people took to the outdoors for their workouts, a trend that hasn't slowed down since. "When you think about it all last year [2020] with the pandemic specifically, so many of my friends would say oh my gosh I haven't been outside in three days," Jess Sims, a Peloton instructor, told Prevention. "With dogs you have no choice, you're forced to take a break from work so it helps set boundaries. And it's just so nice to just go outside."

From enjoying a hike to a HIIT workout, dogs make the perfect companions and can make the time go by faster. If you're doing a bodyweight exercise, Sims recommends incorporating squats for this reason: "Do a squat countdown 3, 2, 1, and then stand up fast. And then every time you squat down you can call for your dog to jump up and give your dog a kiss." And, just like us, dogs need time to recover, so after a brisk walk or workout, hydrate and rest with your pup, Sims added.

Stretch and recover
Stretching is just as vital to your overall health as exercise, which is why it's one of the trends taking over the fitness industry in 2022. "I recommend people stretch every day," director of education at StretchLab, Austin Martinez, MS, CSCS, ATC, told Bustle. "It doesn't need to be a super long session, but even 10 minutes can make a huge difference in how you feel," Martinez added. Some of the benefits of stretching include improved posture and sleep, better athletic performance, less risk of injury, and a clearer mind.

According to Jennifer McCamish, the founder of Shape Method fitness studio, stretching has both mind and body benefits. "Stretching brings oxygen to the brain and body, which can help wake you up and feel refreshed," she told Bustle, adding that you need to devote at least 10 minutes at any given time to feel the benefits of stretching. And there is no one way to stretch. Although yoga is a great way to stretch your muscles, you can just as easily do a couple of stretch exercises while watching TV or before and after a workout.

Quality over quantity
It's all about quality over quantity with compound exercises. What is a compound movement? It's part of a well-rounded strength training workout that does more in less time (when compared to isolated movements) by incorporating single moves (like lunges and squats), as well as bicep curls, according to a Self article.

Founder of TS Fitness, Noam Tamir, CSCS, told Self that compound exercises can help you burn more calories and gain more muscle mass quicker when compared to other types of exercises. "The more muscles working, the more energy output required," he said, adding, "Putting more stress on the body [with compound exercises] has been shown to create higher hormonal responses" and promote muscle growth.

According to personal trainer Sivan Fagan, CPT, a compound workout needs at least four different movements. "I'm a huge believer in the minimum effective dose," Fagan told Self in another article. When you focus on the quality of your movements and work every major muscle group, Fagan said you get results that not only save time but decrease the risk of injury.

More inclusive fitness apps
As more people work out at home, fitness apps, from Future to Jefit, per Self, have become an integral part of exercise routines. However, the lack of diversity and inclusivity in some apps has led to newer fitness apps, like Joyn and Jabbie, entering the busy fitness app marketplace, according to HuffPost. In an interview with the outlet, activist Joy Cox, who researches race, body size, and health, said most workout apps and programs "set restrictions around how movement is defined and what counts as exercise."

However, now, more and more apps are redefining what it means to work out. Kakana, for instance, offers classes tailored to people with limited mobility, and Joyn features trainers with different ethnicities and body sizes. When it comes to body positive apps, as fitness enthusiast Anne Otterness told Healthline, "If weight or size wasn't the target, but different sizes were on my screen, it sends the powerful message that all types are included here and it's not a big deal."

HIIT training as part of a well-rounded workout
HIIT, also known as high-intensity interval training, is an ongoing fitness trend that's here to stay in 2022. According to an article for The New York Times, HIIT involves aerobic and resistance exercises done in bite-sized, but intense, increments. In a HIIT workout, each short sequence, which can last a few seconds or minutes, is repeated several times. Short breaks split up the workout.

To avoid injury and burnout, Ulrik Wisloff, a professor and cardiac exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, suggests adding HIIT to a regular exercise routine that includes other forms of exercise, like walking, swimming, or jogging. "I would say that everyone should aim for at least one HIIT session per week, for the sake of health," he told The New York Times.

HIIT is a pretty customizable workout most anyone can do. "So many people are intimidated, because they think HIIT has to be this all-out, hard-as-you-can-go, gut-busting workout," but that's not the case, Martin Gibala, PhD, a professor and HIIT researcher, told the outlet. Referencing the green-yellow-red spectrum, with red being the most intense, Gibala gave HIIT a "yellow."

(Source: http://www.thelist.com/)

What we know about Tom Brady’s extreme diet and fitness routines

2021-02-12T00:56:00.004-08:00

Back in 2014, questions were being asked about just how long then-37-year-old Tom Brady could carry on playing pro football — and the quarterback wasn’t happy. “When I suck, I’ll retire,” he said. “[But] I don’t plan on sucking for a long time.”

Nearly seven years on and Tom Brady will, on Sunday evening, attempt to break his own record as the oldest QB ever to win a Super Bowl when his Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the reigning champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, on the Bucs’ home turf.

Suffice to say, Brady is one of a kind, a phenomenon who shows no sign of slowing down any time soon in a sport where longevity is rare. That’s why he landed a two-year, $50 million deal with Tampa last March, making it likely he’ll still be playing when he’s 45.

Put simply, Brady is an obsessive — a man with a plan and the determination (and money) to execute it, as John Burns, CEO of Brady’s TB12 health and wellness organization, explains.

Source: NY Post

“Tom’s sustained success over the past 20-plus years is a testament to his incredible drive and his meticulous approach to everything he does.” Burns said. “It’s that mindset that allows him to keep going.”

When Brady in 2002 won the first of his record six Super Bowls, George W. Bush was president, Justin Timberlake was still a member of NSYNC, and Chiefs MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes was 6 years old.

But nearly two decades later, Brady is still there, doing what he does better than pretty much anyone else — at a remarkable 43 years old.

Here’s how he does it.

Daily schedule

5:30 a.m.: Wake up, drink electrolyte water and smoothie
7 a.m.: Breakfast with family
8 – 10:30 a.m.: Hit the gym for strengthening and conditioning
10 a.m: Beach time
11 a.m.: Review game footage
Noon: Lunch
3 -5 p.m.: Team practice or, in the off-season, surf and workout
5-6 p.m.: Post-workout pliability session
6 p.m: Dinner with family
7 p.m.: Review films, strategy w/ Coach, charity work
7:30 p.m.: Family time, including reading to kids
8:30 p.m.: Lights out and sleep

Fitness

Tom Brady and wife Gisele.

Source: Instagram

It’s been said that trainer Alex Guerrero knows Tom Brady’s body better than the QB’s wife, Gisele Bündchen. As well as being his business partner in the TB12 health-and-wellness brand — including a chain of fitness centers that they plan to expand across the US — Guerrero has been described by Brady as his “body engineer.”

He’s micromanaged the athlete’s training schedule months and even years in advance. An average day will begin early with a pre-workout “deep force” massage session with Guerrero. It only lasts four minutes but targets 20 muscle groups for around 20 seconds each. It helps prepare Brady’s body for an intense workout, beginning with 40 minutes of resistance bands, to make muscles more pliable, soft and resilient.

As the quarterback has aged, he works out less with weights, which could leave him prone to muscle tears. Now it’s all about planks, lunges and squats, followed by more pliability exercises, such as doing crunches with a vibrating roller beneath his back.

After, there’s another massage, this time with the focus of flushing out the lactic acid that builds up during exercise, to help improve muscle recovery time.

During the NFL season, he’ll work out with teammates in the afternoon. Off season, he might get in some surfing. There’s also another pliability session, to improve muscle recovery time, before bed.

Diet

While there’s no denying that Brady’s spartan diet has played a major part in prolonging his playing career, some of his former New England Patriots teammates thought it obsessive and unappetizing — or as one put it, “that birdseed s–t.”

Caffeine is off the table. So is white flour, white sugar, dairy products and anything with gluten. He steers clear of veggies — tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, mushrooms — that could cause inflammation. Everything has to be organic. Brady each day tries to drink “a couple of hundred ounces” of water, usually enhanced with electrolytes. (He sells those, along with various nutritional supplements, through his TB12 site.)

Allen Campbell was Brady’s personal chef from 2013 to 2016 and helped him to create the “TB12 Nutrition Manual,” published in 2017. He told The Post that, at this time of year, “We focused on dark leafy greens, some grass-fed animal protein as well as legumes and whole grains.”

But that’s not what Brady will eat before the Super Bowl. His game-day meals are even more basic: a smoothie and a sandwich of almond butter and jelly.

It’s all a far cry from his rookie season in 2000; Brady admitted that his pregame snack used to be nachos while his default lunch was ham-and-cheese subs with onion rings and a large orange soda.

So does he ever cheat on his diet now?

“If I’m craving bacon, I have a piece,” he told Men’s Health last year. Same goes for pizza. “What’s changed as I’ve gotten older is now if I want pizza, I want the best pizza,” Brady added. “I don’t eat a slice that tastes like shit and then wonder, ‘Why am I eating s–t pizza?’”

“Tom talks often of his love for a good burger and dark chocolate,” Campbell told The Post. Specifically, the QB has said he’s into Unreal Chocolate, a brand of vegan, gluten-free, low-sugar candies.

Brady sticks to an 80/20 (plant-based/animal protein) diet. Even his favorite ice cream is plant-based, made from avocado with a little cacao mixed in so it tastes like chocolate.

Mind

Besides having worked with a life coach in the past, Brady practices transcendental meditation, striving to become what Guerrero has described as “emotionally stable and spiritually nourished.”

He’s also had neuroscans so he can better understand the way his brain processes information and create strategies to improve that.

Brady exercises his brain using apps such as BrainHQ. Although the app was designed to help those with brain conditions such as cognitive damage or memory loss, Brady has used it to sharpen his reactions — working his way through two dozen brain games or more each day.

“Tom explained it like this,” said Henry Mahncke, CEO of the app’s creators, Posit Science. “When he gets the [ball], he remembers the play, then he has to scan the field, locate the receivers, figure out which ones are on their routes and which are open, and make the pass. All in about three seconds.”

Sleep

Brady loves sleeping. Before his first Super Bowl in 2002, he even took a nap in the locker room only to be woken up with just 12 minutes left before the Patriots were due on the field.

These days, he hits the hay at 8:30 each night and wakes at 5:30 a.m. But everything has to be right. From sleeping on a mattress with a layer of diamond memory foam to setting the bedroom thermostat to between 60 and 65 degrees and shutting down all digital distractions at least 30 minutes before he retires, Brady is as obsessive about sleep as he is about, well, everything else in his life.

And then there’s his magic pajamas: bioceramic-infused sleepwear made by Under Armour to increase energy, promote recovery and improve performance. And you can, too, can sleep like Tom, although a complete set will set you back nearly $200.

(source: NYPost)

Muscle motivation

2021-02-03T05:18:00.006-08:00

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The Top 20 Richest Bodybuilders in the World

2020-03-04T02:02:00.006-08:00

The net worth figures mentioned below have been compiled from various sources around the web. These are the 20 richest bodybuilders in the world, as of 2020:

20. Jeff Seid

Net Worth: $1.5 Million

Jeff Seid is an American professional IFBB bodybuilder, and he is the youngest bodybuilder on this list. Jeff started working out when he was of a very young age, and his teen transformation video has been viewed on YouTube by millions. Although he’s still only 23 years old, Jeff Seid’s net worth is $1.5 million, which makes him one of the richest bodybuilders worldwide.

19. Kai Greene

Net Worth: $1.6 Million

Kai Greene is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder, and most likely a name that even non-bodybuilding fans will know. He’s a former Mr. Olympia contestant and has won the Arnold Classic on several occasions.

Currently, Kai Greene’s net worth is estimated to be $1.6 million, putting him 19th on this list of the top 20 richest bodybuilders.

18. Steve Cook

Net Worth: $1.9 Million

Steve Cook is an American IFBB professional physique competitor. He’s won various IFBB and NPC competitions in the past 7 years.

Today, Steve Cook’s net worth is estimated to be $1.9 million, making him one of the richest bodybuilders worldwide.

17. Mike Chang

Net Worth: $2 Million

Mike Chang is the founder of Six Pack Shortcuts. The most likely place you stumbled upon him is on YouTube, where he has a very large channel, and regularly releases new workout videos.

He has received a lot of negativity in the past for his videos, but all you have to do is take one look at his body, and one look at his bank account to ignore the majority of that.

Mike Chang’s net worth is estimated to be $2 million.

16. Lazar Angelov

Net Worth: $2 Million

Lazar Angelov is a Bulgarian bodybuilder, fitness athlete and personal trainer. He’s a social media beast, will millions of followers across Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Lazar Angelov’s net worth is $2 million.

15. Calum Von Moger

Net Worth: $2 Million

Calum Von Moger is an Australian bodybuilder, YouTuber, and actor. He was recently cast to play the part of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie BIGGER; which is the story behind the founders of the Mr. Olympia contest.

I’m sure Calum Von Moger’s net worth will increase rapidly within the next few years; however, right now it’s estimated to be $2 million.

14. Christian Guzman

Net Worth: $2 Million

Christian Guzman is an American amateur bodybuilder, YouTuber and fitness entrepreneur. He’s the founder of Alphalete Athletics, UP energy drinks, and owner of the Alphalete gym in Texas.

Although Guzman doesn’t compete at the same levels as the likes of Kai Greene, Ronnie Coleman, Arnold Schwarzenegger and so on; he’s still a successful bodybuilder.

Christian Guzman’s net worth is $2 million.

13. Mike Rashid

Net Worth: $2.1 Million

Mike Rashid is an American bodybuilder, entrepreneur, boxer and YouTuber. Rashid owns Iron Addicts Gym in Miami and is also the CEO of IMSOALPHA.

His YouTube channel is extremely popular and receives millions of views. Currently, Mike Rashid’s net worth is estimated to be $2.1 million.

12. Mike O’Hearn

Net Worth: $2.5 Million

Mike O’Hearn is an American bodybuilder, actor, personal trainer and model. He’s also the founder of Power Bodybuilding, a strength, and hypertrophy training program.

At the time of writing this, O’Hearn is one of the richest bodybuilders in the world, with a net worth of $2.5 million.

11. Hodge Twins

Net Worth: $3.7 Million

The Hodge Twins made their name as comedians, recording some of the funniest discussions on bodybuilding.

They receive emails regularly containing questions about workouts, nutrition, supplements, dating and son on. Which they then record videos on, answering those questions.

If you haven’t heard about the Hodge Twins yet, you should probably go and check out their YouTube channel.

As of writing this, the Hodge Twins’ net worth is estimated to be $3.7 million.

10. Dorian Yates

Net Worth: $4 Million

Dorian Yates is an English former professional bodybuilder. He won the Mr. Olympia competition 6 years in a row, and has the 5th highest number of Mr. Olympia wins of all time.

Dorian Yates’ net worth is $4 million, making him one of the richest bodybuilders in the world.

9. Phil Heath

Net Worth: $5 Million

Phil Heath is an American bodybuilder who’s now tied with Arnold Schwarzenegger for the same number of Mr. Olympia contest wins. Heath has now won his 7th Mr. Olympia competition in his career.

Phil Heath’s net worth is $5 million, which may seem small considering he’s tied with Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, he’s still one of the richest bodybuilders in the world.

8. Lee Haney

Net Worth: $5.5 Million

Lee Haney is an American former IFBB professional bodybuilder. He shares the record for most Mr. Olympia wins of all time with Ronnie Coleman, and reach the bodybuilding hall of fame.

Lee Haney’s net worth is $5.5 million, making him one of the richest bodybuilders in the world.

7. Lou Ferrigno

Net Worth: $6 Million

Lou Ferrigno is an American actor, trainer, and former professional bodybuilder. He won 3 IFBB bodybuilding titles during his career: Mr. America, and 2 Mr. Universe competitions.

Ferrigno’s net worth is $6 million, making him one of the richest bodybuilders in the world.

6. Dexter Jackson

Net Worth: $7 Million

Dexter Jackson is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder, and has won more professional bodybuilding competitions than any other person in history.

In fact, just the shear number of competitions Jackson enters is impressive. In 2002, he competed in 8 professional competitions. Throughout his career, he’s competed in over 85 professional contests, which is insane!

Dexter Jackson’s net worth is $7 million.

5. Gary Strydom

Net Worth: $8 Million

Gary Strydom is an American former IFBB professional bodybuilder. Strydom competed mostly throughout the 1980’s, and early 1990’s, but he took a break from bodybuilding after the WBF disbanded.

His last competition was in 2006, a total of 10 years later than the one before. Gary Strydom’s net worth is $8 million.

4. Ronnie Coleman

Net Worth: $10 Million

Ronnie Coleman is an American retired professional bodybuilder, and another of the most notorious icons in bodybuilding. Coleman won the Mr Olympia contest 8 years in a row!

One of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, Ronnie Coleman’s net worth is $10 million. He’s one of the richest bodybuilders, but should be further up on this list.

3. Jay Cutler

Net Worth: $30 Million

Jay Cutler is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder, and former Mr. Olympia winner. Cutler has won the Mr. Olympia contest a total of 4 times.

Jay Cutler is the 3rd richest bodybuilder in the world, with a net worth of $30 million.

2. Rich Gaspari

Net Worth: $90 Million

Rich Gaspari is an American retired professional bodybuilder, who’s featured in the IFBB Hall of Fame. Rich has been involved in the fitness industry for over 30 years, and is the 2nd richest bodybuilder in the world.

Right now Rich Gaspari’s net worth is estimated to be $90 million.

1. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Net Worth: $300 Million

Arnold Schwarzenegger is the most legendary bodybuilding icon of all time. No wonder he appears at the top of this list. It’s important to mention that the majority of this net worth didn’t come from bodybuilding as such.

Arnie’s net worth came from his very successful acting career; starring in movies such as The Terminator, Predator, Commando, Total Recall, True Lies and many more.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is the richest bodybuilder in the world, with a net worth of $300 million.

Summary

Here’s a quick recap on the top 20 richest bodybuilders in 2020:

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Rich Gaspari
Jay Cutler
Ronnie Coleman
Gary Strydom
Dexter Jackson
Lou Ferrigno
Lee Haney
Phil Heath
Dorian Yates
Hodge Twins
Mike O’Hearn
Mike Rashid
Christian Guzman
Calum Von Moger
Lazar Angelov
Mike Chang
Steve Cook
Kai Greene
Jeff Seid

Muscle motivation

2019-11-27T02:27:00.002-08:00

Dmitry Averyanov

Facts about fats

2019-10-30T07:09:00.001-07:00

What is fat?

Fats are one of the three main macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and proteins. Fat molecules consist of primarily carbon and hydrogen atoms and are therefore hydrophobic and are soluble in organic solvents and insoluble in water.

Fat is an essential part of our diet and is important for good health. There are different types of fats, with some fats being healthier and others less healthy. To stay healthy, It is important to eat unsaturated fats in small amounts as part of a balanced diet.

Saturated fats

Eating greater amounts of saturated fat is linked with an increased risk of heart disease and high blood cholesterol levels. These fats are usually solid at room temperature and are found in animal food products and in most of the packed products. Some examples of saturated fats are fatty cuts of beef, pork and lamb and chicken (especially chicken skin), processed meats

Unsaturated fats

Unsaturated fats are an important part of a healthy diet. These fats help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels (among other health benefits) when they replace saturated fats in the diet.

There are two main types of unsaturated fats
1) Polyunsaturated fats
2) Monounsaturated fats

Trans fats

Trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been processed and as a result, behave like saturated fats. Eating trans fats increases the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol and decreases the levels of ‘good’ cholesterol in the body which is a major risk factor for heart disease. It is important to lower the amounts of trans fats you eat to help you stay healthy.

Trans fats are found in many packaged foods and also in butter and some margarines. Use food labels to compare foods and choose those with fewer trans fats.

It is great for health to replace saturated and trans fats with mono and polyunsaturated fats.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a type of fat found in food, but also in our blood. Cholesterol has many important functions in the body but having high levels of the wrong type of cholesterol in the blood increases heart disease risk.

It was once thought that eating too many cholesterol-containing foods (such as eggs) was the major dietary cause of high blood cholesterol level. But we now know that eating too many foods containing higher amounts of saturated and trans fats is a bigger problem and has a much greater influence on blood cholesterol levels.

5 Main Principles of muscle building

2019-10-30T06:37:00.001-07:00

1.Work for the large muscle groups

If you’re a beginner, just about any workout will be intense enough to increase protein synthesis. But if you’ve been lifting for a while, you’ll build the most muscle quickest if you focus on the large muscle groups, like the chest, back, and legs.
Add squats, deadlifts, pullups, bent-over rows, bench presses, dips, and military presses to your workout. Do two or three sets of eight to 12 repetitions, with about 60 seconds’ rest between sets

2. Eat whole healthy whole foods

Eating more of unprocessed healthy foods will nourish the body and will reduce unwanted waste products.Weight gain powders seem like an easy solution to a skinny guy’s problems. After all, they pack as many as 2,200 calories into one serving. But you’re not getting what you pay for.“High-calorie weight-gain drinks usually get more than 80 percent of their calories from sugar,” says Doug Kalman, R.D., And downing that much sugar can give you an upset stomach and diarrhea.So, in a sense, you’re flushing good money down the toilet. “You’ll get much better results by spreading your calories throughout the day,” says Kalman.

3.Eat more protein

The more protein your body stores in a process called protein synthesis .the larger your muscles grow. But your body is constantly draining its protein reserves for other uses—making hormones, for instance.
The result is less protein available for muscle building. To counteract that, you need to “build and store new proteins faster than your body breaks down old proteins,” says Michael Houston, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Virginia Tech University.

4.Eat more food

In addition to adequate protein, you need more calories. Use the following formula to calculate the number you need to take in daily to gain 1 pound a week. (Give yourself 2 weeks for results to show up on the bathroom scale. If you haven’t gained by then, increase your calories by 500 a day.)
-eat every 3 hours
“If you don’t eat often enough, you can limit the rate at which your body builds new proteins,” says Houston.
Take the number of calories you need in a day and divide by six. That’s roughly the number you should eat at each meal. Make sure you consume some protein—around 20 grams—every 3 hours.

5.Train every other day

Do a full-body workout followed by a day of rest. Studies show that a challenging weight workout increases protein synthesis for up to 48 hours immediately after your exercise session.
“Your muscles grow when you’re resting, not when you’re working out,” says Michael Mejia, C.S.C.S., Men’s Health exercise advisor and a former skinny guy who packed on 40 pounds of muscle using this very program.

Rapper IDK Lost 30 Pounds With This Training Plan

2019-10-30T06:06:00.001-07:00

In a world where your internet search volume can make or break you, rapper IDK flaunts naming conventions with a stage moniker that forces his fans to know exactly what they're looking for when they want to find his music. But there's no ambiguity when it comes to the 27-year-old artist's fitness regimen—he means business when it comes time to train.

That's the only way that IDK (which stands for "Ignorantly Delivering Knowledge," not the more commonly used text speak phrase for "I don't know") was able to drop nearly 30 pounds over the space of a few months recently, which sets him up to be in batter shape for his hour-long sets on tour. The rapper worked with coach Simon Carter, the head trainer at Further Than Fitness in Hollywood, to lose the weight and get himself into stage shape. He calls fitness the second most important thing in his life right now—behind his music, obviously.

"I work out in order to get my mind right," IDK told the Men's Healthcrew. "I work out so that when I tour I can keep up with a lot of my shows, I do hour long sets."

The rapper credits his trainer specifically for his drastic physique transformation. "What we really do is use fitness to work things out," Carter says. "That's our whole goal. Sometimes you got anxiety, stress, frustration, you've gotta work that out of you."

Carter then put the rapper through a super functional workout with plyometrics, boxing, and plenty of movement—there's not a traditional weight in sight. If you want to take on this routine, adjust it to the equipment you have on hand, like IDK does when he's on the road. Just make sure to work within your own fitness level.

Sticks and Bricks Jump Circuit to Pad Work
Rise and Spread (Concrete Block Pushups)
Toe Taps to Box Push
Embrace the Stair Case (Run Up, Bear Crawl Down)

Arnold Schwarzenegger Hates These Common Workout Mistakes

2019-10-30T05:47:00.001-07:00

As a former Mr. Universe and seven-time Mr. Olympia title holder, Arnold Schwarzenegger's gym technique is nothing short of excellent — and at the age of 72, he can still lift with the best of them. So he gets pretty irate when he sees people snoozing through their own workouts. Speaking to LADBible while promoting Terminator: Dark Fate, Arnold described himself as a "fanatic" when it comes to cultivating the proper technique, and revealed the bad habits and lazy form that he absolutely hates to see in the gym.

"When they do half a rep, or when they do chin-ups and they just go half way up," he said. "Or if they do a pull-down exercise or curls and they just sit there and do half a curl. You have to concentrate when you do everything. You've got to feel the bicep, you've got to squeeze it and do it the right way because then that rep really has an effect, otherwise it doesn't have any effect and therefore you're wasting your time."

"It drives me nuts when I see them in the gym," he continued. "I've been seeing this stuff for 50 years because I was always a fanatic about doing the movement the right way. Don't cheat on yourself, just do the exercise the right way. Even if you have a trainer and they don't look, you should still do it the right way. Those are the kind of things I see in the gym."

On some occasions, his secondhand cringe is so powerful that he feels compelled to correct people. "Sometimes I feel comfortable enough to walk over to someone and just say, 'I think you would be better off if you did full reps and if you do them the proper way,'" he said.

It would be a pretty surreal experience if you were just going about your workout and Arnold goddamn Schwarzenegger came over to offer you advice. If you're not lucky enough to have a membership at Arnie's gym, though, don't worry: he stopped by Men's Health recently to give us his six best tips for building muscle.

Can Daylight Saving Time Mess With Your Fitness?

2019-10-30T05:41:00.003-07:00

Don’t let the end of Daylight Saving Time put your fitness to sleep when the clocks roll back. When it hits your clocks will jump backward an hour, giving you some extra light on those morning runs. However, your runs after work will likely force you to be running with some extra lights as you’ll lose an hour of daylight in the evening.

Gaining 60 minutes of shuteye may not seem like much when it comes affecting your fitness, but it can take a toll on your running routine for several days if you don’t make some simple adjustments. Fortunately, you can keep the overall grogginess away with some prep and some extra motivation to not swat the snooze button before your long run the next morning (or race).

Just follow these five tips to keep your training on track.

1. Go for a run the night before.
Go to bed 30 minutes earlier on the night before daylight saving ends and sleep in 30 minutes later Sunday morning (unless you have a race like the New York City Marathon to get up for!), Breus recommends. “It takes the circadian clock in the body about a day to get used to the change,” he says.

Putting in the extra Z’s during the weekend time shift will help you feel less tired if you have to get a run in before work Monday morning.

1. Go for a run the night before.

A good night’s rest during this weekend is vital for your body’s clock to transition to the new weekday schedule. For starters, go for a run on Saturday because exercise will significantly improve your snooze quality. Michael Breus, Ph.D., a runner and sleep specialist also recommends reducing your alcohol and caffeine consumption this weekend.

“Alcohol keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep,” he says. “Calm your caffeine consumption down by 2 p.m. on Saturday—that will help get you into deeper stages of sleep that night.”

2. Adjust your sleep schedule.
Go to bed 30 minutes earlier on the night before daylight saving ends and sleep in 30 minutes later Sunday morning (unless you have a race like the New York City Marathon to get up for!), Breus recommends. “It takes the circadian clock in the body about a day to get used to the change,” he says.

Putting in the extra Z’s during the weekend time shift will help you feel less tired if you have to get a run in before work Monday morning.

3. You can still run at the same times you normally do...
Stick to your same weekday running schedule. If you normally run at 5:30 a.m., run at that time Monday morning even though it will feel (and appear outside) like it’s 6:30 a.m. for a few days. This will help you transition to the new schedule faster. (Plus, you can celebrate more light in the morning!).

Breus does warn that you still may feel a little groggy—and your workouts might feel harder—those first few days following the clock change. This will all feel worse in the spring when the clock jumps forward. “The more sleep deprived a person is, the more perceived exertion they’ll have,” he says. “You will feel like your workout isn’t as good but that might not be true—it just feels that way—so don’t get down on yourself on your run Monday.”

4. ...but you may want to run with the sunrise.
If you feel exceptionally off during those first few morning runs, try to head out when the sun comes up (around 6:30 a.m.) This is easier when the clock moves back in the fall when you get those early-morning rays. “When light hits the optic nerve, it tells your brain to stop producing melatonin,” Breus says.

That’s important because according to a recent study published in the journal Neuron, your body produces the hormone melatonin to induce sleep. Exposing your body to light will block its production helping you feel more awake.

5. Keep your alarm clock far away from your bed.
This is a simple but effective trick to get you out from under the covers when your internal clock isn’t fully adjusted, Breus says. “Really you’re just going to need extra motivation to wake up.” The key is to just get up and out the door. If you do that, after a few days your schedule will go right back to feeling normal, he says.

8 Best Bodybuilding Foods

2019-10-18T02:45:00.006-07:00

Ask anyone who’s been in the game long enough…muscle isn’t built in the gym, it’s built in the kitchen. That old saying may be a cliche, but it’s absolutely true. If you’re not eating some of the best bodybuilding foods out there, then you’re robbing yourself of gans.

Going to the gym breaks your muscles down. It tears them apart, but that’s only half the battle. The other half is when you build them back up by eating well and resting long enough. Interestingly enough, most guys actually mess up HERE rather than in the actual gym.

If you want to build that lean, shredded physique that everyone so desperately wants, you need to eat right. There’s no way around this—abs are built in the kitchen, not in the gym. Without the proper nutrition, all of that hard work you spent lifting weights will just go to waste.

So with that in mind, I have a specific “go to” list for all of my favorite muscle-building foods, and I always have every single one of these in my kitchen. With that in mind, and without further ado, here’s my seven best bodybuilding foods that should ALWAYS be in your kitchen.

The greatest performance diets may seem complicated and fancy, but they are all built on a foundation of basic principles and simple foods. Eat the right ones, and your body will respond accordingly. If your current regimen doesn't include the following body-builders, beeline to the grocery store and stock up on them, stat. Bonus: They're also all pretty delicious.

1. EGG WHITES

Ah, eggs—the old staple of bodybuilding classics. While it may be an exaggeration that you have to crack them open, blend them up, and drink them raw, having enough eggs in your diet is certainly beneficial. They’re jam-packed with the building blocks of muscle, making them one of the best bodybuilding foods out there.

Show us a bodybuilder without egg whites in his diet, and we'll show you someone who's missing out on the best protein money can buy. Paired with oatmeal, an egg-white omelet can turn your breakfast into a power meal to fuel the rest of your day.

BUY IT: When purchasing eggs, do the basics: Always check the date and open the carton to check for cracks. Also, be sure the eggs are refrigerated in the store and when you get home with them. Although eggs stored out of the refrigerator won't necessarily cause illness, they do lose a grade per day when not refrigerated.
PREPARE IT: Although many gadgets promise an easy way to separate the yolk from the white, the quickest, easiest method is to simply use your own clean hands. For this six-egg-white omelet recipe, crack six eggs into a medium-sized bowl. Next, using clean fingers, lightly grasp the yolks, lift them out one by one, and discard. With a fork or whisk, whisk the egg whites with salt, pepper and any of your favorite herbs until well combined and a few bubbles have formed on top. Spray a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place it over medium-high heat and add egg whites. After about 15 seconds, reduce heat to medium. Pull in on the edges of the omelet with a spatula and slightly tilt the pan so the uncooked egg runs under the cooked portion. Continue this around the perimeter until most of the uncooked egg disappears. Then fold the omelet in thirds, as if you're folding a letter to fit it into a business envelope. Using the spatula, carefully slide it from the pan to a plate and eat it immediately.
NUTRIENTS: 99 calories, 21 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber. Just one egg has a whopping eight grams of protein, and is a complete nutritional powerhouse. They’re filled to the brim with nutrients like vitamin B-12, healthy fats, essential amino acids, iron, lutein, and more. Don’t buy into that old myth that eggs are bad for you—in fact, they couldn’t get much better!

2. LONDON BROIL/TOP ROUND STEAK
Chicken breast may be the quintessential bodybuilding staple, but lean cuts of red meat are loaded with complete protein and pack the most punch when you're trying to pack more beef on your frame.

BUY IT: Always purchase London broil that's bright-red in color. If it has even the lightest tint of brown to it, it has started to spoil. Try to find a steak or roast that's at least 1 inch thick with as little visible fat as possible.
PREPARE IT: Preheat a grill to the highest heat setting. Remove all visible fat and cut the steak or roast into 4-6-ounce individual steaks. Season both sides of meat with salt, pepper and/or a spice rub or marinade. Place on grill and cook 3-6 minutes per side or until cooked to your liking.
NUTRIENTS: A 4-ounce (measured raw) lean top round steak has 138 calories, 24 g protein, 0 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, 0 g fiber.

NUTRIENTS: Just one egg has a whopping eight grams of protein, and is a complete nutritional powerhouse. They’re filled to the brim with nutrients like vitamin B-12, healthy fats, essential amino acids, iron, lutein, and more. Don’t buy into that old myth that eggs are bad for you—in fact, they couldn’t get much better!

3. SALMON

Salmon is another one of the best bodybuilding foods out there, and if you can afford it, you can never have enough. It contains extremely high amounts of healthy Omega 3 fats, which have been shown to have numerous health benefits, as well as muscle-building benefits.

NUTRIENTS: Just one serving of salmon (roughly 3.5 ounces) has 20 grams of protein, a ton of Vitamin D, and countless other micro nutrients that are good for your health. Be sure to opt for wild caught salmon, however—farmed salmon can be just as bad for you as any other junk food, due to the way they’re grown.

4. COTTAGE CHEESE

While everyone’s aware that you need protein to build muscles, what most people don’t know is that there’s numerous different types of protein. One major type of protein is whey protein, which is very fast digesting. Another is called casein, and cottage cheese is absolutely PACKED with casein. Why is this good? Here’s why.

NUTRIENTS: Casein is a very slow digesting protein, which can take hours longer to digest than say, the protein you’d get from a chicken breast. While normally this may not be a good thing, when taken right before bed time, a cup of cottage cheese can ensure your body has a constant IV-drip of slow-digesting protein all throughout the night.

5.BLUEBERRIES

While blueberries, and any other type of berry for that matter, aren’t filled with much protein, they do have their benefits. Many bodybuilders put their bodies under enormous amounts of stress—after all, when you’re bench pressing 500 pounds for reps, it’s kind of hard to avoid a lot of bodily breakdown.

NUTRIENTS: That’s where antioxidants come in—powerful little nutrients which can protect your body from free radical damage, and help repair it from the inside out. Blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant concentrations of any food out there, making them one of the best bodybuilding foods for both you and me.

So, if you’ve got a sweet tooth, and are craving something sweet, just have a handful of blueberries instead of a cheat day.

6. ALMONDS

While almonds aren’t extremely high in protein, they do have a good amount—almost 6 grams per handful. Where these powerful little nuts do shine however, is in their fat content. Almonds are absolutely PACKED to the brim with healthy monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to boost overall cardiovascular health (similar to certain SARMs).

NUTRIENTS: They’re also a great source of magnesium, Vitamin E, Manganese, Magnesium, Copper, Phosphorous, and Vitamin B2. Almonds are one of the best bodybuilding foods, in my opinion, also due to their ease of use—no cooking, no cleaning. Just pop a handful into your mouth and you’ve got yourself a snack!

7. SPINACH

“Spinach? How is that one of the best bodybuilding foods out there, Jon?” I can hear someone ask. Well, I know it doesn’t sound that appetizing, but raw spinach is actually great for you on so many levels. It has virtually zero protein, but where it does shine is in its micronutrient profile.

NUTRIENTS: Raw spinach contains tons of nitrate, a compound which helps to build muscles. It’s packed with folic acid, which helps repair DNA and build new red blood cells, which are crucial for pumping oxygen-rich blood to your muscles. On top of this, it’s rich in iron, which bodybuilders need more of than any other group.

8.SWEET POTATOE

For a while there was some myth going around about how sweet potatoes are “bad for you” because they’ve got “sugar.” While this may make sense on the surface, it’s actually completely false. Sweet potatoes are one of the best bodybuilding foods you could possibly have, for a multitude of reasons.

NUTRIENTS: Sweet potatoes have got an all star lineup of nutrients, which will thrust your body’s muscle production into overdrive. From Pantothenic Acid to Vitamin B6, and from Biotin to Vitamins B1 and B3, having just a sweet potato a day can be one of the best ways to improve your bulking diet.

The Calum Von Moger Workout: Does it Work?

2019-09-06T05:19:00.003-07:00

People call Calum von Moger the “Arnold Schwarzenegger” of his generation. The Australian bodybuilder — who is of Dutch and Austrian descent (like Arnie)— seems destined to follow in Arnold’s footsteps. Schwarzenegger won his first Mr. Universe at 23 and went on to win the competition 4 times!

A self-described skinny kid, Calum started out lifting rusty old weights in an empty warehouse, motivated by the goal of one day being as strong as his older brother. He has now taken it a lot further than that!

The Workout Routine Of Calum von Moger

Calum’s workout routine includes up to three hours of training each day. He does one hour of cardio and up to two hours of weights. He follow this workout routine six days a week and to fuel his performance in the gym he eats roughly every two hours.

When asked about the similarities he shares with Arnold Swartzenegger, Calum says: “I’ve looked up some pics and I can see why people say there are similarities. But I don’t want to be typecast as that or be in his shadow. The most important thing is to be yourself, whoever you are.”

Mad Desire: The Story of Calum von Moger

Need some inspiration for your workouts? Watch this short documentary on Calum von Moger’s rise to fame.

Day 1) Chest Workout

An excellent video from Bodybuilding.com that follows Calum’s full chest routine in the gym.

Flat Bench 5x 5-15 reps
Incline Dumbbell 4x 6-12
Flat Dumbbell fly 4x 10-15
Dumbbell Pullovers 3x 10-12
Dips 4x failure

Day 2) Back Workout

Follow Calum as he does his back workout in this short 2-minute video.

Chins 4x failure
Barbell Bent Over Rows 4x 8-12
Lat Pulldown 4x 8-12
One Arm Dumbbell Rows 4x 8-12
Close Grip Lat Pulldown 4x 8-12

Day 3) Rest Day

This is how Calum von Moger rolls on his rest days.

Day 4) Shoulders Workout

After a short introduction, this video follows Calum’s workouts at his gym in Venice Beach.

Seated Barbell Press 5x 6-12
Seated Dumbbell Press 4x 6-12
Side Lateral Raises 3x 10
Rear Cable Fly’s 3x 10
Barbell Shrugs 4x 6-12

Day 5) Legs Workout

A short video Calum recorded on his iPhone showing a quick overview of his legs workout.

Squat 6x 6-15
Leg Press 4x 8-12
Leg Extension 4 x 8-12
Stiff Leg Deadlifts 4x 8-12
Lying Leg Curls 4x 15
Standing Smith Machine 5x 20
Standing Calf Raises (free weight) 4x 50

Day 6) Arms Workout

A documentary-style video with an interview and instructions from Calum for how he works out his massive arms.

Barbell Curls 5x 6-12
Preacher Curls 4x 6-10
Concentration Curls 4x 6-10
Lying Skull Crushes 5x 6-12
Cable Extensions 4x 8-12
Rope Pulldowns 3x 10

Day 7) Biceps and Triceps Workout

Another great workout from Calum for your biceps and triceps that is worth watching.

People with higher optimism more likely to live 'exceptionally long lives'

2019-09-06T02:41:00.000-07:00

New research finds that individuals with higher optimism tend to live longer and also have greater odds of living 85 years and more.

Optimism may boost longevity, new research finds.

A recent PNAS paper describes how the researchers assessed the link between higher optimism and longer lifespan, with a particular focus on the chances of reaching "exceptional longevity."

The team carried out the study because most research on exceptional longevity has tended to focus on the effect of "biomedical factors."

More recently, however, scientists have become interested in the role of nonbiological factors.

"While research has identified many risk factors for diseases and premature death," says first and corresponding author Lewina O. Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine, "we know relatively less about positive psychosocial factors that can promote healthy aging."

She and her colleagues defined optimism as the "general expectation that good things will happen or the belief that the future will be favorable because one can control important outcomes."

They suggest that because it may be possible to alter optimism using relatively straightforward therapeutic techniques, their findings have strong implications for public health.

"Our study contributes to scientific knowledge on health assets that may protect against mortality risk and promote resilient aging," Lee adds.

What the study found

For the analysis, the team brought together data on 69,744 females in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and 1,429 males in the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study (NAS).

The NHS data covered 10 years of follow-up between 2004 and 2014, while the NAS data included 30 years of follow-up between 1986 and 2016.

As a routine part of both projects, all participants completed regular health surveys that included questions about diet, alcohol intake, smoking, and other health-related behaviors.

The questionnaires that they completed at the start of their respective follow-ups also included items on optimism. Although the two projects used different measures for assessing optimism, the authors note that "prior work has demonstrated [them] to be correlated."

As an example, one of the six questions on optimism that the NHS participants completed asked them to indicate, on a five-point scale, the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with statements such as, "Overall, I expect more good things to happen to me than bad."

Of the participants, 13% of the females died during the 10 years of their follow-up, and 71% of the males died in the 30 years of their follow-up.

When the researchers analyzed the data, they found that the females and males with the highest levels of optimism at the start of follow-up lived on average 11–15% longer than those with the lowest levels of optimism.

In addition, the females and males with the highest levels of optimism had a 50–70% greater likelihood of living until their 85th birthday and beyond.

The team found that the associations held even when they adjusted the results to account for the effects of age, educational achievement, persistent diseases, depression, physical activity, diet, use of alcohol, smoking, and visits to the doctor.

Potential reasons for the effect of optimism

Although the researchers did not investigate how optimism might help people live longer, they discuss some plausible reasons.

One potential reason is that people with higher optimism are more likely to engage in behaviors that promote health, such as not smoking and being more physically active. Both of these behaviors can lengthen lifespan.

Another factor that scientists have linked to higher optimism is the ability to regulate emotions more effectively. People who can do this recover from stressors more quickly.

"Considering psychosocial pathways, more optimistic individuals may experience less extreme emotional reactivity to, and faster recovery from, acute stressors," write the authors.

"Together with other work," they propose, "our findings suggest optimism serves as a psychological resource that promotes health and longevity."

Approaches that boost psychological resources would be a departure from the mainstream methods that often seek to reduce "or repair psychological deficits."

Some studies have shown that relatively short interventions can help people raise their level of optimism. These studies have looked at a range of interventions, including meditation, brief exercises that involve writing things down, and intensive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

The authors conclude that there is a need for further research that addresses the longer term effects of such interventions.

Could the resulting improvements in optimism lead to lasting changes in health behavior?

"We hope that our findings will inspire further research on interventions to enhance positive health assets that may improve the public's health with aging."

Lewina O. Lee, Ph.D.

What happens if you do pushups every day?

2019-09-04T02:14:00.000-07:00

Pushups are a popular exercise for strengthening the core and upper body. Many people incorporate pushups into their regular exercise routine. The benefits of daily pushups include improved muscle mass and cardiovascular health.

Pushups are a type of strength building exercise. Though they mainly activate muscles in the arms and shoulders, they also engage muscles in the core and legs. Therefore, pushups are beneficial for building strength throughout the body.

This article focuses on the effects of daily pushups on the body. We cover the benefits as well as the potential risks. We also discuss whether or not people should do pushups every day.

Increased joint support

Benefits of pushups include increased joint support, muscle tone, and strength.

Pushups are particularly effective at strengthening the muscles around the shoulder joints.

The muscles and tendons in the shoulder area are responsible for keeping the upper arm bone in the shoulder socket.

However, it is important to increase the number of pushups gradually to build up sufficient strength in the muscles. Overloading weak muscles can result in muscle and tendon injuries.

Increased muscle tone and strength

There are several different variations of pushups, and each type activates the muscles in different ways.

A small 2015 study involving eight volunteers looked at the following pushup variations and compared their effects on different muscle groups:

Standard pushup (SP): The hands are shoulder width apart and directly in line with the shoulders. The upper body, or trunk, lines up with the legs, and the body remains rigid throughout.

Wide pushup: The distance between the hands is twice that of in the SP.
Narrow pushup (NP): The hands are below the center of the breastbone, or sternum, with the thumb and forefinger of each hand touching.
Forward pushup (FP): The hands are shoulder width apart but 20 centimeters (cm) in front of the shoulders.
Backward pushup (BP): The hands are shoulder width apart but 20 cm behind the shoulders.

The study found the following:

NPs resulted in the greatest activation of the triceps and pectoralis major muscles, or pecs.
FPs and BPs resulted in the greatest activation of the abdominal and back muscles.
BPs activated the largest number of muscle groups overall.

The authors conclude that BPs might be the most beneficial pushup variation for improving upper body condition and strength.

NPs are best suited to people trying to increase the size, tone, or strength of their triceps and pecs.

Improved cardiovascular health

Increased muscular strength may reduce a person's risk of cardiovascular disease.

Several studies have linked muscular strength to a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.

A 2019 study investigated the link between the number of pushups a person can do and their risk of developing a cardiovascular health issue 10 years later. A total of 1,104 active, middle-aged males took part in the study.

The researchers found a significant difference between two groups of males; those who had been able to perform more than 40 pushups, and those who had been able to perform fewer than 10.

Males in the 40+ pushup group were 96% less likely to have experienced a cardiovascular problem than males in the 10- pushup group.

However, it is important to remember that this study included only active, middle-aged males. Further studies are necessary to determine if these associations are the same for females and for people who are older or inactive.

Risks

As with most exercises, pushups may increase the risk of certain injuries.

Many injuries result from using an improper technique. People should talk to a fitness instructor if they are unsure about how to perform the different variations of pushups.

Overall, the benefits of exercise tend to outweigh the risks. However, some potential risks of practicing daily pushups include:

Reaching a fitness plateau

People who repeat the same exercise daily will notice that it becomes less and less challenging over time. People refer to this as a fitness plateau. It indicates that the muscles are no longer developing.

To avoid reaching a fitness plateau, people should incorporate a wide range of exercises into their fitness routine. Doing so will activate many different sets of muscles.

People who are keen to maintain muscle may benefit from introducing aerobic exercise. A 2013 study found that people who do aerobic exercise tend to maintain greater muscle strength across their lifespan.

Ideally, a thorough workout routine should also incorporate the following types of exercise:

core development
balance training
stretching

Back pain

Certain pushup variants, such as the BP and the FP, increase activation of the lower back muscles. This may lead to lower back pain and discomfort.

Pushups also cause temporary compression of the intervertebral joints in the spine. An intervertebral joint is the point at which two sections of backbone come together.

A cushion of tissue called an intervertebral disc separates each section of the backbone. Excessive weight bearing exercises may contribute to wear and tear of these discs, resulting in pain and stiffness.

People with existing back conditions should talk to a doctor before incorporating pushups into their fitness routine.

Wrist pain

Some people experience pain in the wrists when performing weight bearing exercises such as pushups. Most pain occurs along the back part of the wrist when a person bends the hand backward.

A 2017 study found that 84% of people experiencing pain along the back of the wrist in response to weight bearing had a physical abnormality within the wrist. Around 76% of these cases were due to a small ganglion cyst. The second most common cause of pain was a partial ligament tear.

It is not clear if these abnormalities were the result of repeated weight bearing exercises.

Nonetheless, people who experience wrist pain during pushups should see a doctor. They can offer advice on how to support the wrist during exercise. Alternatively, a doctor may recommend a different exercise technique.

Elbow injury

Fast pushups may cause elbow strain.

A 2011 study investigated the effect of pushup speed on elbow joints. The researchers tested three different pushup speeds: fast, medium, and slow.

The study found that faster pushup speeds resulted in greater forces on the elbow joints, ligaments, and other surrounding tissues. They concluded that faster pushups could increase the risk of injury to these structures.

The study also showed that slower pushup speeds resulted in greater muscle activation.

Overall, these findings suggest that slower pushups are safer and more likely to result in improved muscle development.

Summary

Doing daily pushups can help build muscle tone and strength in the upper body. Other potential benefits include improved cardiovascular health and better support around the shoulder joints.

However, practicing pushups every day does come with some risks. These include lower back pain, wrist pain, and elbow injury. People can reduce these risks by learning the proper technique for the pushup variations they want to incorporate.

People who choose to practice pushups every day should also try to incorporate other forms of exercise. This is likely to provide a greater overall health benefit than pushups alone.

Muscle motivation

2019-09-04T01:51:00.002-07:00

Rogan o'Connor

Muscle motivation

2019-08-30T07:42:00.001-07:00

Muscle motivation

2019-08-18T06:54:00.002-07:00

Jamie LeRoyce

Top 10 Most Popular WWE Superstars of All Time

2019-07-25T07:41:00.002-07:00

10 greatest and best WWE Superstars of all time

Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock – two of the biggest names in WWE historyIn 2001, after years of competition with rival promotions, WWE finally became the King of pro wrestling (or ‘sports entertainment’, as they like to call it) in North America. Its two biggest competitors, WCW and ECW, both folded, as they were unable to compete with the superstars that Vince McMahon had on his roster. Though that was a major turning point in wrestling history, it wasn’t the first time the landscape of wrestling changed in a major way. Vince McMahon has been called a lot of things during his time in the wrestling business, and one of those words is ‘revolutionary’.Vince saw his promotion as something more than just another regional promotion keeping to the old order held by ageing promoters. He had a vision that his wrestlers could be true superstars, international draws and larger-than-life attractions that transcended beyond the realm of wrestling and into popular culture.Over the decades, Vince enjoyed considerable success in this venture. Several of his top stars have become household names and have been immortalised long after their wrestling careers ended. In this piece, we’ll look at the ten best WWE wrestlers of all time. We’re looking at those wrestlers that made their biggest impact and enjoyed the most success while working for Vince McMahon, even if they also found success elsewhere. We’re also looking at a combination of factors to determine who qualifies for this list, with drawing power and their legacies being the two most important factors.

#10 Andr the Giant

When it comes to being ‘larger than life’ it didn’t get any larger than André.

“The Eight Wonder of the World” was simply gigantic, towering over even the biggest wrestlers of his time. He was both a relic of wrestling origins when the performers were abnormally large humans, as well as a modern Superstar due to his unique stature.

André was arguably the first wrestler to become a ‘Superstar’. All he needed to do was arrive and audiences were drawn to his gigantic appeal. He didn’t have that much charisma or promo skills, but he didn’t need either of those things. He became a legendary figure and drew audiences to events due to his natural size alone.

Few other wrestlers, if any, could say that about their careers.

#9 Triple H

Triple H is one of the biggest WWE superstars of all time. A master heel, Triple H’s impact on WWE has been enormous. He was one of the founding fathers of D-Generation X and helped mastermind the series of events that would lead to the Attitude Era.

He was an expert in ring psychology, owing to his training by the legendary Killer Kowalski. Because of both his in-ring skills and his backstage dalliances, Triple H became one of the top heels in wrestling history. With so many people convinced that his main event push took place solely because of his relationship with the boss’s daughter, he became someone people simply loved to hate.

That aside, Triple H had the look, the drawing power, and the reputation to keep WWE relevant long after the Attitude Era ended. There’s no doubt that Triple H would’ve become a multi-time world champion even if he hadn’t married Stephanie McMahon. He was, and still is, that… damn… good.

#8 John Cena

John Cena is WWE’s biggest success story of the past fifteen years. First debuting in 2002, Cena is the perfect example of what WWE wants out of their top Superstars. He’s ridiculously strong, has the perfect look, is unfailingly loyal to the company, and does whatever he’s told, even if it goes against his own personal interests.

It’s because of these attributes that WWE has pushed Cena to the moon and back over the years, and this push culminated in a record-tying 16 world title reigns. More recently, John Cena has become an elder statesman for WWE, promoting the company in non-wrestling ventures and spending less time in the world title scene.

Even though he’s spending less and less time in WWE, he’s still WWE’s most popular star in terms of merchandise.

The reason Cena doesn’t rank higher, however, is that his rise to superstardom came at a time when WWE’s overall popularity declined. His overtly-childish gimmick and at times terrible comedy promos caused many casual fans and older diehard fans to turn away, which only exasperated WWE’s trouble when it came to staying popular and relevant.

#7 Bret \"The Hitman\" Hart

Bret Hart was one of the best technical wrestlers of all time. Trained by his legendary father Stu Hart, Bret was a catalyst to several changes in WWE, many of which are still felt to this day. When WWE was in major peril during the early and mid-1990s, Hart was one of the main stars to step up and carry the promotion during that dark period.

He was the exact opposite of the kinds of wrestlers WWE had pushed before him; he was a smaller yet a technically-superior grappler, while his predecessors were mostly giants with big muscles that couldn’t put on as good a match as Bret could. Because of this, the attitude of WWE fans began to shift away from the immobile muscular giants and more towards these smaller technicians, which changed WWE forever.

Bret himself also took part in several masterpiece wrestling matches against such opponents as his brother Owen, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, and Shawn Michaels, just to name a few.

#6 Shawn Michaels

It isn’t hard to see why “HBK” Shawn Michaels is still one of the most loved wrestlers; HBK was an outstanding wrestler in many different ways.

He was an excellent grappler, knew how to sell dramatically, had an excellent understanding of ring psychology, and had a natural mind for wrestling. Despite several backstage problems over the years, Michaels was instrumental in changing WWE’s presentation and storylines, ushering in the Attitude Era.

Indeed, there was something about his training and background that made his rivalries and matches feel so much bigger. He seemed to add an extra layer of personal desire into each match, making you, the viewer, want to see him succeed as much as possible.

There’s no doubt that WWE would’ve been a vastly different (read: less successful) place if Shawn Michaels never came along and wowed audiences with his abilities.

#5 Macho Man Randy Savage

It has been almost thirty years since the ‘Macho Man’ reached his peak in popularity in WWE, and he’s still considered one of the greatest superstars of all time. Macho Man was considered one of the most ‘complete’ performers ever, possessing outstanding physical qualities, the look and personality of a larger-than-life wrestler, excellent grappling skills and a unique and memorable voice.

Macho Man took part in some of the greatest matches in WWE history, such as his famous battle with Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat. His non-wrestling segments were just as memorable, including his on-screen relationship with his then-manager Miss Elizabeth. Macho Man was one of those wrestlers that one could definitely describe as ‘immortal’.

After all, many wrestlers, from CM Punk to Bayley to even Shawn Michaels, have all paid tribute to him through the continued use of the Diving Elbow Drop. But no matter how much they tried, none of them could ever match the Macho Man in terms of charisma.

#4 The Rock

The Rock was the most charismatic wrestler of all time. Everything he did had the audience cheering for him so wildly and loudly that at times you couldn’t hear him speaking into a microphone. The audience loved him that much.

The Rock was outstanding with the mic, the likes of which WWE hasn’t managed to find since. He found immense success as a heel, and over time his promo style became so incredibly popular that the audience simply could not boo him no matter what he said. On one occasion, The Rock was in Toronto and the audience kept cheering him, but the intent was for him to get booed.

So Rocky did what he did best: come up with excellent lines to change the crowd’s actions. He made so many classic insults and clever one-liners that the audience was booing him loudly in under ten minutes. He was, quite simply, a master.

Although The Rock’s wrestling career was relatively short, it was a critical part of their boom period. Rocky’s matches, rivalries and promos are still remembered today with fond nostalgia. Anytime The Rock spoke, he got people to laugh, and his entrance theme got the crowd to their feet in an instant.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has since found immense success as an actor, proving that his charisma could translate into other mediums as well. He is, indeed, one of the greatest Superstars of all time, and is a man worthy of all the success that he has received.

#3 Hulk Hogan

For many people unfamiliar with wrestling in its current form, Hulk Hogan is wrestling. He was the wrestler that, together with Vince McMahon’s revolutionary ideas, brought WWE out of the territorial system and into the forefront of pop culture.

Hogan was a symbol of the 1980s, and his image was everywhere. Sure, he wasn’t the best grappler, but that didn’t matter as much at that time. His charisma was off the charts, and he was a master of controlling the audience in front of him. People simply loved to see him, no matter what he was doing.

Hogan was the first WWE superstar to become a truly global draw. His involvement in the early days of WrestleMania helped propel WWE into its first golden age of success and popularity, a period that wouldn’t be replicated until the late 1990s.

Hogan was also instrumental in the evolution of the Monday Night Wars, as well. When he turned heel for the first time in years and helped create the New World Order, which shocked the wrestling world, bringing newfound interest to WWE’s archrival WCW. This, in turn, compelled WWE to go with grittier and more realistic characters, which led to one of the most interesting periods in wrestling history.

#2 The Undertaker

In terms of respect, reverence and longevity, no single WWE superstar can hold a candle to The Undertaker. In an industry that’s full of jealousy, politics and personal rivalries, ‘Taker is probably the only Superstar who the locker room respected and had no bad words to say about him. Everyone from WWE’s biggest superstars to outsiders coming to WWE for a short spell have praised The Undertaker in some way or another.

This praise comes from ‘Taker’s importance to wrestling history and his loyalty to the WWE. He’s still considered the longest-tenured wrestler in WWE history, and has done everything possible at that company. He stayed loyal to WWE, even as so many others came and went.

His legendary WrestleMania streak was so grandiose of an accomplishment that it was praised by many non-wrestling publications over the years, even though they knew that it was all scripted.

The Undertaker character was the only one that has managed to withstand the test of time and still stay popular. Though ‘Taker’s gimmick changed here and there over the decades, the core concept stayed more or less the same. After all, how many wrestlers can make an arena full of people lose their minds with the sound of a gong? None.

Everything about The Undertaker makes him a legendary figure in wrestling history: his gimmick, matches, entrance, rivalries, streak, and contributions to wrestling history have all been so profound that if WWE were to host his own retirement PPV, it would sell out like WrestleMania does. That many people would want to see the Undertaker retire formally.

#1 Stone Cold Steve Austin

Steve Austin is, financially speaking, the biggest WWE superstar of all time. He was a bigger star than John Cena, The Undertaker, The Rock and Hulk Hogan. Austin’s influence on pro wrestling can be seen not only in WWE’s financial success but also in how it influenced storylines and characters for years to come.

Steve Austin proved that realistic characters based on a wrestler’s own personality were much more relatable and interesting than over-the-top cartoon characters. Austin’s promos, rivalries, storylines and matches all had a personal edge to them because the narratives of these segments blurred the lines between scripted and reality.

Even if more and more fans knew that wrestling was scripted, that didn’t stop them from investing in Austin’s character and stories emotionally. Austin was the greatest anti-authority anti-hero character in wrestling history. His war with Vince McMahon and his various stooges and servants was instrumental in WWE defeating WCW in the Monday Night Wars and turning WWE into a pop culture phenomenon.

The fact that WWE was at its peak in popularity when Austin was on top, and that their creative department have tried several times to recreate the dynamic between evil authority figure and anti-authority hero to try and replicate Austin’s success, tells you exactly how big of a star Austin really was.