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More in Motivation

 joined long time GASP/Better Bodies athlete 

 on their Tyngre Old School Podcast where the three discussed Bodybuilding's past a present.

Listen in on this interview to hear more about what Shaun thinks about the bodybuilding now versus the sport in the 1990's, as well as get to learn a little more about he champ himself.

Tyngre Old School Podcast with Shaun Clarida

Living is not mediocre, it's not doing the bare minimum, it's not keeping the training wheels on and never red lining it.

You live when you get an adrenaline rush, when you press on the gas, when you're truly IN the moment and when you're in a state of zen from being truly lost in your element.

Dr. Kaleb Redden is a sports medicine physician and one of the doctors who facilitated Michael Johansson's speedy shoulder repair.

The doctors we encountered on the Boise excursion are living their passion and purpose and have found that athletes and people who train and live life are quicker to heal because of their positive outlook on any situation. These kinds of people attract the best from their own recovery capabilities because they want to get back to living to the fullest.

 is also a huge advocate to the benefits of weight lifting for mental health and also the physiological advantages such as bone density and muscle and connective tissue integrity.

Living Is Not Pain Free - Dr. Kaleb Redden

More in Events

Athlete meet-up at the newly opened Fitness Force in Trelleborg! A day that offered a lot of laughter and a wonderful time with some of our athletes in southern Sweden who had the opportunity to come! Occasions like this that have become extra important and appreciated in these times.

The newly built gym Fitness Force is owned by our athlete Oliver Adzievski. Oliver has been with GASP since the very beginning and is still actively competing. He shares the following:

Our athletes Ahmad Ahmad, Pierre Ericsson, Martin Troive, Dino Cordic, Samir Troudi, Marcus Salomonsson and our badass ambassador Malin Nilsson joined us this day.

We started the day with a gym workout together. There is a mutual appreciation in getting

together with like-minded people over a common passion! To push each other, learn from each other and above all have fun together and just enjoy each other’s company.  And it's always exciting to try out new gyms, machines and equipment.

Fitness Force did not disappoint any of us, as Oliver has invested in having really good machines and equipment on site. For example, the lying leg press model at Fitness Force, is

Then a nutritious lunch was served! Grilled chicken and/or salmon with rice, sweet potatoes or bulgur and salad, served with fresh sauces or oil. A moment to recharge with energy and talk about everything from training and fitness to life in general.

And we recharged our batteries for the upcoming paddle tournament. Fitness Force doesn't only offer a high-class gym for everyone, but also paddle court! Something that has become extremely popular in Sweden. Of course we wanted to test our athletes and see if they are as good with ball and rack as they are with dumbbells! Impressively enough, everyone delivered their A-game! Nothing less was expected, however, as we are dealing with a bunch of winner mentality people. The athletes who can now call themselves the team's reigning paddle champions were Dino and Marcus! (Maybe expected as they alternate their gym training with continuous paddle).

CEO Michael Johansson popped in from Dallas, USA through Facetime, which brightened the day even more! Later, the evening was rounded off with a LIVE Q&A with Samir Troudi and Martin Troive on Instagram via our account @ironworldsweden.

They answered questions that concerned everything from exercise, diet and mindset to life in general. Stay tuned for more LIVE Q & A’s in the future by following @ironworldsweden.

Big thanks for a packed day filled with a lot of energy, stronger relationships and a great portion of passion! And an extra thank you to you Oliver for the warmest welcome at Fitness Force. If you are ever in Trelleborg, you should definitely go by and try out the gym!

Athlete Meet Up At Fitness Force Trelleborg

How do you define "win" or success? For each individual it has to be how you yourself define it, NOT how society identifies it.

In the context of this video with the likes of Shaun Clarida, Keone Pearson, Derek Lunsford, Hunter Labrada, Brett, Ivana, Jo and Ben, winning absolutely refers to being the best bodybuilder on the planet. For yourself, defining success has to come intrinsically which is a tad more complicated because (excuse the philosophical talk) it has to be cultivated for you by you and who you surround yourself with.

Here we just encourage you to find your passion and purpose and then to give everything you have to pursue it without regrets or excuses.

The month of March was action packed which you've seen if you've been keeping up with the content. We had a ton of our athletes including Shaun Clarida, Keon Pearson, Jon Irizarry, Jen & Chase Peterson, Ben Chow, Brett & Ivana Wilkin, and a few more come to Destination Dallas to get crazy pumps and be photographed by the famous Per Bernal.

Meanwhile this was happening, our CEO Michael Johansson was dealing with a shoulder injury he sustained while riding his dirt bike. Eager to get back in action, MJ stepped outside his comfort zone and booked a trip to see specialist Dr. Curtin and Dr. Kaleb Redden in Boise, Idaho to repair his shoulder and document it all.

"I don't think life is meant to be lived pain free between a safety net."

Finding your own version of winning and success wont be easy and acquiring it wont be without struggle, some bumps bruises and pain BUT you have to "Die trying. You have to be willing to burn the boats and have no plan B and give it all you have."

No Pain No Gain, Just Keep Pushing | March Mash-Up

What stands the test of time? That which separates itself from he rest.

Photos are great because they help document moments in time. Stories could then be illustrated and brought to life with birth of photography. Nowadays they are a part of every day life in the digital age and there is absolutely no novelty outside of maybe a new filter here and there.

Bodybuilding has been documented through the years from the lenses of the likes of Art Zeller, Bill Dobbins, Better Bodies creator Brian Moss and more recently Chris Lund, Alex Ardenti and Jason Ellis.

Per Bernal came onto the scene and consistently captured amazing moment after amazing moment and rapidly created a reputation of producing awe inspiring photographs that stood the test of time and illicit the same emotion today as 20-30 years ago.

Per first shot with Branch Warren and Johnnie Jackson in the early 2000's and captured the raw grit and energy that they have become known for and one of the main core values that we stand by - hard work and truly enjoying the process.

"We used to shoot for hours and hours. Then we had the idea that maybe Per should just follow us through a session and just capture it raw (instead of staging shots)."

 Those images helped sell out several editions of magazines for years.

Here are some stories direct from Branch Warren, Johnnie Jackson and Per Bernal as recalled from 20 years ago. One story continues to be true and will ALWAYS remain true - real and raw will always beat fake contrived material in any context.

Can't Beat Real and Raw - Johnnie Jackson & Branch Warren with Per Bernal

More in Ambassadors

Brett Wilkin and Keone Pearson chime in to discuss their week at Destination Dallas, shooting with Per Bernal, and future plans.

After taking two years away from the stage, Brett is planning to make a return, but in the open class rather than classic physique. Putting on more size was needed for Brett and he reached his heaviest weighing in at 282. Proud of the size he put on, he now heads into his 15 week prep alongside his wife Ivana Wilkin. Brett continues to train with his friend and competitor Martin Fitzwater in Denver, Colorado and be coached by Matt Jansen.

Keone Pearson is set to compete in his first show this year at the Chicago Pro. Unfortunately, depression prevented Keone from competing in the 212 Mr. Olympia last year, but now he's feeling 100%, and he can't wait to show his hard work during the off season on stage.

Brett Wilkin & Keone Pearson Discuss Their Time at Destination and Future Plans

One person's crazy is another person's day to day.

Branch Warren, Johnnie Jackson, Kyle Cavnar and former navy seal Ryan Parrott link up for a crazy back training session.

When someone calls someone crazy its because they are doing something you cant do. Really and truly people say that because its something that person cant and wont do.

What is Crazy? Branch Warren and Johnnie Jackson

_Here is a quick video with memories from my 2 weeks in Boise. Glimpses of both fun and challenging times as I prepare for my first big surgery and a fast recovery. Nothing better than sharing passion and purpose with amazing people while we go out of our comfort zone.

A special thanks goes out to my wife Helena for some next level nursing.. And to Nick for putting this video together for me.. (I promise to not do this again lol).

My First Big Surgery 

More in Training

Limits, rules, boundaries etc. are ALWAYS meant to be push, bent and broken in the name of self improvement and realizing goals and potentials.

A common barrier or filter in the bodybuilding realm is leg development for the sheer intense, humbling realness it takes to know what you have to do to get your legs to respond, sucking it up and doing it.

Here new IFBB Pros Martin Fitzwater and Keone Pearson grit and bear a hell of a quadricep focused training session at Destination.

These young guns really push the competitive envelope going set for set. It is the type of symbiotic training camaraderie that produced the championship physiques in the likes of Branch Warren and Johnnie Jackson. When Keone is going Martin is pushing him past limits and vice versa when Martin is doing his top set.

You have to go to a dark place sometimes. Then you turn the switch and just go for it.

Martin and Keone explain their routine here and further explain the mindset it takes to properly train legs.

That's How You Get Big Legs - Keone Pearson and Martin Fitzwater

What do we do when there's no cameras? Work

What do we do when there's cameras in our face? WORK

Joe Mackey posted about his ailment 3 weeks prior to the Tampa Pro. He refused to give in and by sheer determination pushed all the way to a very respectable showing on stage. Now Joe is linked up with Animal Nutrition, got plans to mix things up with Larry Wheels all the way in Dubai and is committed to deadlift at the Battle of Texas this December.

Jonathan Irizarry took his bench press up from 450lbs PR to over a hundred pound gain after the 12 week program he ran through with Josh Bryant. Now Jon has his sights set on continuing to grow and then shredding it all down in 2021.

Here is the epitome of Real and Raw. They both have the big picture goal in mind and are plain and simple GETTING SHIT DONE!

Minimal talking here and all lifting on this shoulder day at destination.

Raw Delt Deal - Joe Mackey & Jon Irizarry

More in Other

I have spent the better part of my life as a gym owner, bodybuilder, trainer and coach -and have lived in NY, Florida and now Southern California (since 2011). I have worked with,

and trained with, some amazing athletes, but ever since I ventured west, everything has reached an entirely new level. And while I have had the honor (since making Marina del Rey my home – 10 minutes from Gold’s Venice) to coach many IFBB pro’s, I also have had the opportunity to assist so many awesome amateurs to progress through the “ranks.” Mark Durando is one such athlete.

Several years ago Mark came to me - big, but overweight, and without much shape – and asked if I could help him become a successful competitive bodybuilder. The potential I recognized in him was not necessarily “physical,” but shined most brightly via his passion, dedication, discipline and true “coach-ability.”

Just recently I had a back workout with Mark in his hometown, who is still training his rear off while under quarantine, as he continues to pursue the possibility of competing in 2020. After our session, I sat down with him and asked him a series of questions, so you can learn more about this rising classic physique competitor, who also is a long time GASP ambassador.

How old are you and where are you from? Where do you reside now?

I am 30 years old and born and raised in Bakersfield, CA. – where I still reside.

I got into bodybuilding after I graduated from Personal Training School up in Dublin, Ca. in 2014.

My first show took place 2014 here in Bakersfield. It was a local NGA show that was drug-tested. Because I already had a foundation of muscle from powerlifting and sports I was

4. When did you and I start working together and what made you contact me?

I started working with you (Merlin) in 2015 as I wanted to take my body to the next level with the guidance from a real professional coach. I had seen what you had done with other clients and read about your methods and knew I had to work with you.

5. How did I change your diet and training from what you were used to?

You had me do a 180 turn around to my whole way of working out, AND most of all my nutrition, which was a huge game changer, especially with my body type.

6. What is the biggest show you have done?

The biggest show I’ve ever done was the 2018 NPC USA - my first ever National level show. This was the best experience one could ever ask for as an athlete. While I did not make the top 6, I looked around and knew I belonged up there.

7. What show are your working towards now?

I am hoping to do the NPC West Coast Classic promoted by Center Podium. This would be my 3rd appearance at this show, which is one of my all-time favorites.

8. What made you choose classic bodybuilding?

I chose classic bodybuilding because I LOVE the look and the presentation of the athletes. Lee Labrada and Mohamed Makkawy are my main inspirations – both for the look of their physiques and their incredible posing routines.

9. What are your goals for this year and in the future?

My goals for this year are to place top 5 at the West Coast Classic and to once again compete at the NPC USA (if it is held) – hopefully improving my placing.

10. What advice do you have for others that want to get into competing?

The advice I feel is the most important are two simple things: TRUST IN THE PROCESS and YOUR COACH.