Motivation

More in Motivation

Branch Warren & Johnnie Jackson sit down and explain the impact social media has made on the body building world.

Since their pro debuts back in the early 2000's, both Branch and Johnnie reflect on how they adapted through the rise of social media, staying relevant after their professional careers, and share some advice for other aspiring body builders in this new age.

Embracing Change with Branch Warren and Johnnie Jackson

Have questions on the winning formula for Shaun Clarida, Matt Jansen and Shaun's fiancé Rosangela?

Here are some in depth answers to everything from how did it feel to win to what it took to commit for years and win!

So great to be able to have Shaun in house here at destination and to celebrate this HUGE win with Matt and Rosangela!

Q&A With 212 Mr. Olympia Champion Shaun Clarida

Branch Warren takes us through and intense shoulder work out and drops knowledge on how you should know your worth and not settle for less. He recommends using today's platforms such as social media and competitions/shows to grow your worth and find your niche.

"A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. You're never going to look how you want to look, you're never going to be exactly where you want to be -- in life most likely, so if you keep putting it off until you get there, your'e never going to get anything done."

Know Your Worth & Never Settle | Branch Warren Trains Shoulders

Time flies. It waits for no one! Get up and get after what you want TODAY!

No free rides. Nothing given. Everything earned.

We had an epic kick off to the new year and huge plans going forward in 2021. Here is a condensed recap of the athletes and ambassadors we have had here at Destination bringing a reminder to what we all stand for... work for what you want in life. Don't hesitate, believe in yourself and your passion and to hell with any naysayers who don't understand your vision. Do you... NO EXCUSES NO COMPROMISES.

Check this video out. Everyone featured here has a vision backed by a plan backed by relentless execution towards said vision/goal. Get a vision and go.

January Monthly Mash-Up | NO EXCUSES & NO COMPROMISES

There will always be someone willing to give more than you IF you don't consistently give 100%.

Martin Fitzwater explains the 24/7/365 aspect of the sport of bodybuilding and especially on the world class competitive arena as an IFBB professional.

"You have all seen pro ball players able to dick around and then make the game saving touch down. You can have gamer moments in some sports. Not in bodybuilding."

Sure, you can be near perfect with nutrition 97%

You can go to true failure on 3/4 movements 75%

You can recover near perfectly with adequate sleep 90%

Then you always have that someone who refuses to give excuses and gives 100% instead.

Be Perfect - Hard Work Wins

Army Veteran Matthew O'Connor made the trek to Destination...

Having read the above statement you wouldn't think it to be a huge breakthrough and a massive personal accountability win for Matthew.

Matthew O'Connor is a United States Army Veteran. While deployed in Iraq his platoon was hit with an IED which caused several traumatic injuries which ultimately took him out of commission and he wasn't able to serve anymore.

Matthews road back to normal civilian life would be anything but easy and over the course of several years it would get much worse. "I had nightmares the first night back at home."

Matthew had severe PTSD along with traumatic brain injuries which caused many facets of his life to unravel. Through more than a few dark and darker years Matthew saw no light in sight and thoughts started circulating around ending his life.

Finally a corner was turned and Matthew started to dig himself out of the vicious mental and physical cycle that had become his life.

After feeling like he was alone to face all of his hurdles by himself for so many years Matthew found a place where he could reach out for community and purpose. He was quick to dive in more and more and then finally (in less than 18 months) he made the trip to Destination to meet up with Michael Johansson, Jake Brucker and the GASP and Better Bodies team.

Matthew's story is far more in depth than what can be put into words here.

Life Is Worth The Risk - Matthew O'Connor

Jon Irizarry is ready to make a come back in the sport. Jon took a break from the sport to travel the world and explore life. Now re-charged and focused, he's set to take the stage at the 2021 NPC USA Championship.

Jon traveled to Tampa, Florida to visit Chris Barakat and his team to conduct a full body analysis. Chris plans to track Jon's 16 week prep and study how his body changes from day 1 to show day.

We plan to follow Jon's journey throughout his prep, so stay tuned for more lifestyle type content with Jon and others coming soon.

Bodybuilding Re-Boot with Jonathan Irizarry

If you know anything about the GASP and Better Bodies CEO 

 then you should know that he truly subscribes to the "Work Hard, Play Hard" methodology of life.

The unfortunate truth is that some times when you play hard, things don't always go as planned, and for Michael that came in the form of a Motocross accident a few days after he returned from a 3 week trip to visit the Swedish office.

For the most part and considering the mechanism of injury, Michael is OK following his crash, with the exception of his right shoulder. A little banged up all around and with a shoulder that will require extensive surgery to repair the damage, Michael's attitude never changed and his positive outlook hasn't waned.

Wanting to be sure he could return to his "Work Hard Play Hard" way of life Michael set out to find a doctor that felt would best suit his needs and get him back to himself as soon as possible. With the help of long time friend and GASP/Better Bodies athlete 

 of Boise Idaho, who quickly set him up with a surgeon who would take on Michaels injured shoulder.

Last Thursday Michael and his wife Helena boarded a flight together with Nick Del Toro and set out to Boise to start Michael's journey to a full recovery. Early this morning Michael reported to the hospital to have his shoulder repaired so he can continue to fulfill his purpose and enjoy his passion for training and motorsports. Get well soon Michael and stay relentless, we can't wait to have you back!

Down But Not Out...

It is like die trying with what ever passion and purpose you have and you don't need to be afraid of it because you're going to end up in Valhalla where the food is endless and they have a pig there that gets reborn every time you feast on it.

And of course I don't mean that we are going to die trying for real, but you kind of need to die trying because that will make you much more successful in life. There is no plan B.

You need to burn your boats. You need to have no plan B because that brings out the best in yourself.

The best in yourself will help you succeed in life no matter what you choose to do. So you don't need to be afraid.

Don't be afraid to try the NO COMPROMISE feeling. Don't be afraid to be RELENTLESS.

That is what I feel for some people, they are not going to make it to the top. I am not in my rights to tell them that. There are only a few that can make it to the top in the sport, but because of their ambition of trying like a warrior, like there is no tomorrow, that itself will help them to be successful in life.

That is how I see it and that is how you get NO COMPROMISE, RELENTLESS, NO EXCUSES and you can bring on the best version of yourself as you're doing your passion and purpose.

GASP and Better Bodies CEO set out to Boise, Idaho to get out of his comfort zone as he prepares for a shoulder surgery after "pulverizing" 3 out of 4 muscles and tendons in his shoulder after a moto accident.

In classic Michael Johansson framing, he sees the good in any situation and truly is relishing this whole process. While in Idaho we all link up with Kris Gethin who is also on the mend from a triceps tear during snowboarding and wife Sybille for some MORE work hard play hard.

As this video is posted we are all still in Boise reaping the fruits of leaving the comforts of "home" and thinking next level concepts, ideas and planning moving forward as we lean even harder on the gas.

The title suggests something that people who play it safe would shy away from however when you think about it, if you are actually afraid of dying or failure and never take the risk and bet on yourself over and over and over again then that is actual death and you never live in the first place.

Huge shout out to Kris Gethin, Sybille (VisualChemistry on IG) and Dr. Kaleb Redden and Dr. Curten for the massive support and passion they have and share with us and everyone they come into contact with.

Die Trying - No Back Up Plan

 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

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.