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Johnnie Jackson is training solo in this shoulder session and spells out his routine, how certain accessory lifts complement other movements and delves into concepts like "not over analyzing the details at the expense of intensity."

Something Johnnie highlights here is intensity. You can have perfect for and dot your I's and cross your T's but if you're lacking in the intensity department, you will always be stuck at an entry level when it comes to development.

Check out Johnnie's training session and his order of exercises and see what you can learn from it.

Johnnie Jackson | Intensity & Shoulder Training

Maintaining a competitive edge in the case of retaining valuable information in the form of training advice or cues that could help a fellow competitor out is short sighted and definitely not good in the bigger picture of our sport.

Here Hunter Labrada and Liv Roth link up with Derek Lunsford for a biceps and triceps session. Issues arose for Derek when they got to the heavier sets of the dumbbell preacher curls.

Seeing Derek's form, Liv and Hunter gave some cues to accommodate for the massive tricep mass that impeded what used to be optimal form.

Check out what Derek and Hunter have to say and the rest of their favorite arm day lifts and when you can, pay it forward to any new lifters when the opportunity arises.

Pro's Helping Pro's | Hunter Labrada Liv Roth Derek Lunsford

Contrary to what the internet will undoubtedly brew up, there will never be beef between true competitors and real professionals in this sport.

212 Mr. Olympia Shaun Clarida and Keone Pearson both arrives in Texas and hauled ass to Destination to link up for a chest and shoulders workout on a crazy packed and epic week of team building and training. Deep in the offseason, Shaun is preparing to defend his title and every Tom Dick and Harry is coming after him... including Keone.

Shaun and Keone are kicking off a great week and will be linking up with the likes of Branch Warren, Johnnie Jackson, Brett Wilkin Ben Chow, Ivana Wilkin, Olivia Gravengaard, Christina Heath, Joe Mackey to all shoot some timeless photos with the one and only Per Bernal.

Stay tuned for more jam packed and LIT sessions with these ladies and gents.

BEEF - Shaun Clarida VS Keone Pearson

No matter where you are or your circumstances, goals, or obstacles, the core values here are ALWAYS to get it done no matter what. No Excuses!

212 Mr. Olympia champion Shaun Clarida is in town along with Keone Pearson and Per Bernal and they all link up with Jon Irizarry for several training sessions along with lots and lots of meetings, food and team building.

Shaun is planning on defending his title this year and Keone is keen on becoming his best and pushing Shaun to the limit to try to earn his own place in history.

Jon Irizarry burst onto the bodybuilding scene a while back but like most trajectories to success, his rise to professional status was anything but a straight line. Jon had a ton of success as a national teenage champion, then collegiate champion and top ranked national level competitor. Life came into play and Jon ended up traveling the world, went on a journey of self discovery and growing his business. Now he is ultra committed to making it happen this year.

Per Bernal needs no introduction to most bodybuilding aficionados. Tons of magazine covers and (a safe bet to say) most timeless/epic shots that stand the test of time have been shot by Per. These guys team up and train and Per captures everything in real time with very real weights. No bullshit staging here. What you see is for sure what you get.

Stay tuned for more of these guys getting it done. Get it done yourself too!

We Get It Done - Shaun Clarida Keone Pearson Jon Irizarry

More in Motivation

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

More in Other

The door to our office and home base in Stockholm has had a transformation with the help of Brani Oparusic. It is a frosted foliation that symbolizes us and what we stand for: Getting home to our Iron World, GASP, Better Bodies and Destination. The "Work hard play

hard" that drives us in everything we do. This is not just a door - it is a statement that will remind us and all visitors of our purpose and passion.

Brani runs the company Oparusic Reklambyrå AB which is located on Sveavägen in Stockholm. Here you can get help with everything related to advertising, events and marketing in print. Posters, car foliation, decor jobs, printed material, 3D logos, signing cards, showcases etc. With 22 years in the industry and self-employed for the past 12 years, Brani has a good eye for everything. Of these +8 years, we have had the privilege of working with Brani and he has helped us with all sorts of missions. Brani himself has been active in the training and fitness industry since he was a teenager and has competed in both bench press and bodybuilding.

My best memories with GASP & Better Bodies when it comes to work are definitely when I was involved in creating your booths at events. It was a good and intense challenge where I had to be really solution-oriented. So much fun and it always ended up really well.

As a young and hungry person in the sport, I remember how I flipped through the "Bodybuilding & Power Sports" magazines. Inspired by the athletes on the front page and all

the interviews. Saw these ads with athletes and well-built physiques, wearing Better Bodies. And I remembered that I thought - one day I will also be in these magazines! On the cover, having photoshoots and doing interviews . I started training when I was 16-17 years old and at 19 I took silver in bench press. I competed in this until I turned 20 years old. My training took a slightly different turn and between 2009-2013 I competed in Bodybuilding.

In 2010, I was called to your office to talk about a potential athlete collaboration. We ended up talking about everything else in life! We never got to a deal, I probably let that slip away, but it was also at the same time as I invested everything in building my company. Our collaboration thus took a slightly different turn and it has been fun to have the opportunity to work with you over the years!

And yes, I have saved those magazines of course - where I front the magazine! With spreads, pictures and interviews with me. Quite cool and a nice thing to look back on and what you have achieved!

A Decade Long Relationship

Brett Wilkin and Ben Chow go hard training shoulders and chest. Even though bodybuilding is a individual sport, the two express how the camaraderie of athletes fuel the energy of their workout session and gives them that extra bit of pump.

Aside from training hard in the gym, recovery is also very important for the two, since they are reaching new sizes and weight they have never been. Deep tissue massages and quality nutrition is a must for the two as they set sights for their first show of the 2021 season.

No Backing Down | Chest and Shoulders with Brett Wilkin & Ben Chow

For our community February was full of inspiration and left many filled with a new motivation and re-invigorated passion that solidified their purpose. If we were to give February a theme, it would have to been "refocus".

Check out this video and see how the members of our community find way to eliminate their distractions, get out of their own way, and get to work.

Eliminating Distractions To Get The Job Done | February Monthly Recap

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

Q. So give us a little background on you. How old are you? Where are you from? What do you do?

A. Sure, I am 29 years old from Bakersfield, California.  I am an online coach for fitness competitors and lifestyle clients.  I also do some in person training at the National Academy of Strength and Power, a local gym here in Bakersfield.

Q. When did you first start working out and what motivated you in the first place?

A. I started consistently working out in 2009, which was the summer going into my senior year of high school.  It’s hard to think back and pin point exactly what was my motivation, however.  I’m sure it partly had something to do with looking cool in order to impress girls - but I remember that a portion of my friends on the football team started putting on a good amount of size around that time as well. Obviously I did not want to get left behind!

Q. I know you are a well-respected personal trainer/coach in the Bakersfield, CA area. What do you enjoy most about your work? What are the main ideals you try to instill in your clients?

A. I appreciate that.  The most enjoyable part of coaching and training is helping people reach their goals. I want to see all of my clients improve and get better; whether that is physically, mentally, or emotionally.  With each of my clients I try to instill discipline, the ability to train with intensity, and most importantly, patience.  I want them to understand that building a fit, strong, muscular and healthy body takes time, dedication, and a solid work ethic.

Q. In terms of your work, what eventual aspirations do you have? Do you want to own a gym? How do you envision expanding your career?

A. Man, I would love to own a gym.  I'm a “gear head” when it comes to workout equipment, so I have (in my mind) all of these specific pieces of equipment that I’d like to have -  one’s that you rarely see in typical commercial gyms. When I figure out a way to profit from this kind of gym, then I will make it happen! For now, I will keep grinding and bettering myself as a coach. I want to work hard to build up my clientele and start working with more competitor as well.

Q. You have built a very symmetrical, muscular and proportionate physique. Are there any bodybuilders who serve as your inspiration?

A. Thank you Eric. Those are exactly the words I’d use to describe my “goal physique.”  There are a lot of bodybuilders who inspire me. Some that come to mind are  Dorian Yates, Flex

Lewis, Jay Cutler, and Jordan Peters. I’d say that these guys are at the top of my list - but not necessarily because of their physiques, per se, but more so for their work ethic, and what each has accomplished in the fitness/bodybuilding industry.

Q. Tell me a bit about your philosophy on training. Do you favor heavy weights and low reps? Or do you prefer medium to high rep ranges? Are you a high or low volume lifter? Is your form/technique very strict or do you like to utilize a “looser” style of performing your movements?

A. As you might assume from the list of bodybuilders I mentioned above, I subscribe and

firmly believe in, lower volume training, moderate frequency, along with high intensity. This usually means that my training split is always some variation of Push/Pull/Legs in order to

achieve the necessary frequency per muscle group. Strict form is a must in my training! While there are times I will allow for looser form, this would only occur on the last rep or two of a working set (when strict rep failure has been reached).

Q. I know you have competed once before. What show was it? What division did you enter? How did you do?

A. I competed at the 2019 NPC Muscle Contest Excalibur in Classic Physique division. I placed 9th out of nineteen competitors in Open Class B. I didn’t peak well for the show, but regardless, I had a great time. The experience of prepping myself for the show and being up on that stage was one that brought me a lot of joy. I felt very accomplished afterward even if I did not place as well as I had hoped. I had actually planned to compete at the Excalibur way

back in 2012 in the men's physique division, but never ended up going through with it. So coming back and finishing what I started really felt amazing.

Q. What did you like and dislike most about preparing for competition? Tell me more about the experience of being onstage?

A. When I decided to compete, I was very nervous about being on stage. I’m not normally

someone who wants to be in the spotlight, but surprisingly enough, I really enjoyed being on stage. What I liked best about prepping and competing was the strict schedule I had to adhere to in order to get everything done day to day. I really thrive on structure. As far as dislikes, may only complaint would be about how fatigued I felt once the show started getting close. You know, that level of lethargy that makes it hard just to get out of a chair!

Q. What is up next? Are you going to prepare for any shows in 2021? What do you feel are the main areas you need to improve upon?

A. Great question Eric. A lot will be determined by what's going on with the pandemic. However, I definitely would like to compete again at the NPC Excalibur this December. Other then nailing my peak and bringing up overall size, I need to build up back thickness,

hamstrings, and biceps. The other aspect of competing that I need to definitely improve upon is my posing and presentation. I would be lying if said I prioritized this very important aspect of competing during my last prep. I won’t make that mistake again.

Q. Where does Eric Frapwell see himself in 5 years in terms of the bodybuilding/fitness industry?

A. In 5 years I want to be even more established as a coach and trainer, with a far bigger following. A lot of my passion is in education, so I'd like to be able to travel and give seminars on nutrition, training, and supplementation. I still want to be training intensely, progressing and building my physique exactly the way I want. I could also very well still be competing. I love the sport, and getting on stage is a great outlet to showcase the hard work put I in at the gym.

Q. Well Eric, I really enjoyed talking with you and only wish you the very best for your future. Thank you for taking the time to chat. See you in the gym!

A. Been great talking with you Eric. I appreciate you reaching out to me and offering this opportunity to me. We will need to catch a workout soon!

West Coast Update With Eric Broser - Eric Frapwell

In bodybuilding training or exercise where muscular growth is the goal and priority, sensation or feeling the target muscle is heavily emphasized hence the term "mind muscle connection." This connection and the strength or lack there of has been attributed to how developed and how easy to develop any muscle group is.

Olivia Gravengaard admittedly has a very hard time "feeling" her medial deltoid during training and the lateral delt is extremely important when it comes to figure competition given its role in making a more extreme X-frame illusion and more tapered "figure."

Luke Miller designs Olivia's push routine to prioritize back to back lateral exercises and makes a lot of good points when it comes to sensation and action of the target muscle.

In classic Luke fashion, a ton of cues and tips are given in this push session. We will be continuing this series as Olivia and Luke continue their offseason and prep respectively. If you have questions ASK AWAY!