Nick Walker entered the 2022 Mr. Olympia with legitimate aspirations of capturing bodybuilding’s most illustrious title. A top-five finisher in his debut in 2021, many presumed Walker would improve upon that result and push former two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay for the crown. As it turns out, Elssbiay would fall short of defending his title, but…
The post Nick Walker Reflects on 2022 Mr. Olympia Performance, Thinks He Could’ve Fared Better appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Larry “Wheels” Williams has been very forthcoming about his decision to stop using steroids and transition to Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). The powerlifter/strongman/influencer has officially been training with TRT for almost half a year now. In the process, he’s documented several steps of this strength journey —perhaps most notably sharing a massive squat from November 2022 and his…
The post Larry Wheels Crushes a Full Mock Powerlifting Meet on TRT appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Sharing the top reader favorites that I’ve recommended here on the blog in 2022!  Hi hi! How are you? I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We spent the weekend celebrating Liv’s birthday! I’ll share some more pics in Friday Faves but we had an awesome dinner with her friends, saw Annie yesterday with my mom…
The post Top 10 reader purchases of 2022 appeared first on The Fitnessista.

The front squat is a staple movement for Olympic weightlifters, CrossFit athletes, and countless other strength-focused lifters. However, some find the unique bar position to be a limiting factor because it requires ample shoulder and wrist mobility. Other lifters shy away from the front squat because they can move relatively more weight with other squat variations. Regardless of…
The post Try These 11 Front Squat Alternatives for Powerful Legs and a Stronger Core appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

To be blunt, deadlifting is awesome. Once you get hooked, you are hooked for life. It is arguably the best test of full-body strength, and the deadlift will never lie to you. You can either grip it and rip it from the floor… or not. Getting better and stronger at the deadlift is a lifelong pursuit for many…
The post 12 Common Deadlift Mistakes and How to Fix Them appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

To close the 2022 calendar year, the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) revealed the standards for the 2023 Olympia qualification process. The contest’s next iteration will occur sometime in November 2023 in Orlando, FL. Before that competitive moment arrives, a former Mr. Olympia (1983) champion, Samir Bannout, recently discussed what he feels are issues concerning bodybuilding’s…
The post Former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout Believes Contest Qualification Should Be More Selective appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

As is often the case, there are sure to be ascending powerlifting stars and previous unknowns who will rise to prominence in 2023. Though, one name that will likely soldier on as a mainstay is the prolific Heather Connor. As the strength dynamo looks ahead to another ideally productive year, she capped 2022 in a manner all too…
The post Heather Connor Looks Ahead to 2023 After a 391.3-Pound Six-Rep Deadlift PR appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Hellooooo. Happy Friday! How are you? I hope you’ve had a wonderful week so far! The kids headed back to school this week and as much I want to say YAY I finally got work done and we’re back in a routine, nope. I missed them like crazy and I hate waking up early, so…
The post Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

Larry “Wheels” Williams has never been one to shy away from sharing his ambitious goals. Of late, the powerlifter/strongman/influencer extraordinaire has been on a fresh training journey while using Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). As he neared a “mock” powerlifting meet of one-rep maxes for competitive lifts like the bench press and squat, Wheels shared the latest update on…
The post Larry Wheels Deadlifts 360 Kilograms (793.6 Pounds) for His Heaviest Pull While on TRT appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Derek Lunsford, a former 212 Olympia champion (2021), competed for the first time in the Men’s Open at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. After a sterling second-place finish to eventual champion Hadi Choopan, Lunsford certainly maximized his debut on stage in the sport’s flagship division. As the 2023 calendar year starts to unfold, Lunsford is already setting up his…
The post Derek Lunsford Sets Sights on 2023 Olympia, Won’t Compete at Arnold Classic appeared first on Breaking Muscle.