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When hitting the road, there's a certain level of being agile and hostile that you have to adopt.

Ben Chow along with the GASP crew including Branch Warren, Keone Pearson and Martin Fitzwater hit the road to Austin, Texas to Big Tex Gym. Big Ed Brown trains all over Austin and Big Tex is one of his main training homes for Ed. Ben and Ed end up having a gnarly heavy back day with included pulldowns with a 300lb stack, 250 lb dumbbell rows and a 200lb back off set of dumbbell rows, more rows for upper back, pullovers and finished off with heavy t-bar rows.

Admittedly, Ben is more of a "control freak" meaning his usual training set up is fixed and more or less perfect when it comes to variables such as equipment, atmosphere and timing of his training BUT as mentioned above Ben was agile and accommodated this crazy back session with Ed.

Lots more from Ed and Ben Chow coming up.

If you haven't made plans to visit Destination August 7-15 think about doing so. We have a massive week coming up and everyone is invited.

Ben Chow & Ed Brown | BACK at Big Tex Gym

More in Ambassadors

Having that "killer instinct" where you are eager to make the play, put in the work or make big moves without looking back usually cant be taught. USUALLY.

That particular killer instinct is a daily urge that isn't dependent on energy or motivation levels. It is born in the pit of your stomach and takes up the most space in your conscious mind. The killer instinct can only be satisfied with legit progress towards what you really want in life and it takes a real hunger to progress because its never easy.

Branch Warren and Martin Fitzwater link up for shoulder training at Gym One in Austin, Texas.

"I have been curious what it would be like to train with my 20 year old self."

Admittedly, Branch has been a role model for Martin as he grew up in the amateur ranks of bodybuilding so it was an awesome time to get to train with one of the real original "train insane" pioneers.

The non stop pace paired with blood volume and do more or die trying approach to training is what created physiques like Branch, Johnnie, Ronnie and even 80's era train insane advocates like Tom Platz sported the same hard earned and freaky look.

To put in this kind of work you have to be hungry and stay hungry even after you ate. So can this killer instinct be cultivated or do you have to be born with it? You decide...

Get Hungry! Branch Warren & Martin Fitzwater RAW Shoulder Training

Sometime a break in the monotony can produce monumental results. In this video Martin Fitzwater and Keone Pearson go head to head for an insane leg day at BigTex Gym in Austin Texas. Watch this video to see Martin and Keone take press until you puke, literally.

Martin Fitzwater and Keone Pearson Train Legs at Big Tex Gym

We checked in with Jon Irizarry, now that he is 8 weeks out from competing at the 2021 NPC USA Bodybuilding Championship, to see how his training is going, the amount of food he's eating and other insights to his prep.

Leg Training and Food Prep | Bodybuilding Reboot with Jonathan Irizarry

Train, eat AND compete together. Sounds like we are in the good days again and why shouldn't we be. We write our own story and make it happen now.

Keone Pearson moved to Texas. He is taking 2021 and "doing the most." Here he links up with Jason Hebert aka the American Bully on instagram.

Jason and Keone have different approaches to training, more specifically Keone being more ballistic and explosive as opposed to Jason's stricter and controlled methodology. The point is that even these differences and the fact that they're both preparing for the Chicago pro didn't stop them from linking up and gripping and ripping some iron.

"Ive always had nothing but respect for GASP. With all the athletes, every one knows each other, every one gets along really well and every one has the same mindset. Thats really important in this sport."

We get to know Jason Hebert in an intermittent interview/training style video along with some clanging, one liners and training cues from Keone.

These guys will be at the Chicago Pro along with some of the inner team and other ambassadors and athletes like Hunter, Brett, Liv, Ivana, Martin, and Olivia.

ROW TO GROW - Keone Pearson and Jason Hebert trains back

More in Motivation

Letting your emotions rule your actions can and WILL lead to anything other than your desired outcome.

Noel Adame started his career in bodybuilding as a hobby. It was the thing he liked to spend most of his time on as a favorite past time. He quickly excelled in it, as is the case when most people experience success and progress, when he started seeing results and changes in his physique.

"I never had it in my mind to become a professional bodybuilder. This all started as a hobby."

Noel is preparing for the Indy pro and his main objective is to improve from his last presentation. He attributes his continuous improvement to his consistency of giving 100% every time he trains.

"Every time I hit the gym and cross the threshold, I leave everything that could effect my performance outside."

Emotions, whether it be the fatigue from competition prep, or problems outside of bodybuilding can lead you astray from your primary objective. It is a slippery sloe to act on emotions versus your logical side of your brain that understands why you want any goal in the first place.

Long story short is to check your emotions. Understand them, don't mask them And then still do the damn thing.

Check Your Emotions - Improve Everytime | Noel Adame

From origins to upbringing, everyone has a unique story and circumstances that made them realize the importance of eliminating excuses and taking charge of their lives. With Center Stage, we bring some wildly diverse excerpts from great people in and around our community.

At the end of the day IT IS UP TO YOU. Mike Newkirk realized it's up to himself when he lived in Illinois and wasn't happy with certain things going on up to that point in his life.

One day he visited Texas and destination and you could say the rest is history.

Check out how being decisive and hauling ass to a state he's never been to and setting up a new gym home changed his life thus far.

Center Stage - Mike Newkirk

More in Other

On my recent trip to Las Vegas for the official grand opening of (7x 212 Mr. Olympia) Flex Lewis’s DRAGON’S LAIR gym, I got to meet one of the fastest rising 212 bodybuilders in the IFBB – Austin Karr. His physique is literally packed with muscle (his legs are freaky), combined with a tiny waist and rock-hard conditioning that makes Austin an immediate standout in any

lineup. His goal is very clear for 2021 – qualify for the Olympia and instantly make his presence known as a dominant force on the world’s biggest bodybuilding stage.

I knew I could not leave Vegas without accomplishing a couple of goals of my own! First was to take Austin through a Broser-style chest-crushing workout, and second, to sit down with him for an exclusive GASP interview! Check and check! Hope you all enjoy!

 So, Austin, give us a little background info. How old are you? Where are you from? What do you do?

 I am 37 years old and was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. I’m am retired from the Police department where I worked for over ten years as an officer. A few years ago, I inherited my father’s business - promoting NPC local regional shows here in Las Vegas. I’m also a full-time coach and IFBB Professional bodybuilder.

 When did you start bodybuilding and what got you into the gym? How long did it take for you to do your first show?

 I have always played sports my whole life - particularly football.  I have worked out for as long as I can remember and my dad was a high-level national bodybuilder, who also was the NPC Nevada Chairman for 30 years. So, I was kind of “born into” the bodybuilding world. My first actual competition was in 2016 where I won the novice overall as a light heavyweight.

 What year did you turn pro and at what show? How did it feel to accomplish this?

 I turned pro at the 2018 NPC North Americans, which was my first national show. It felt absolutely amazing and solidified to me that this was my true calling in life. Truth is, I

was always told I had the potential to be a top Olympian - even before I started competing.

 As of right now I believe you have competed in two pro shows and are now preparing for your 3rd. What are you doing differently now to try and improve over your first couple of outings?

 I really haven’t changed much in the way I prepare for competitions because I do not believe in fixing something that isn’t broken.  However, as the time has passed, I have altered my training style somewhat, in that I am much more focused and pay more attention to the technique and execution of every movement. I have also added more fats to my diet as I feel it gives my muscles a more full and round appearance.

 Bro, your legs are freaky. Obviously, you have great genetics, especially for quads – but you must also bust your ass to get that kind of development. What are your mainstay exercises for legs, and can you give us a typical workout?

 (Laughing) Thanks! My legs were always a dominant body part for me. Even as a kid I had huge legs and glutes. I did a lot of squats in my younger years and got really strong in

that department. Today I focus on a lot of volume training for legs and I split up my workouts, training quads alone on one day and hamstring/glutes on another. My leg training is rather simple in that I generally perform just two compound movements for both quads and hamstrings. I also pay a lot of attention to creating more “refinement” in my legs via leg curls, leg extensions, various lunges and hyperextensions. I believe in extended levels of time under tension, performing anywhere between 12 and 25 reps for all lower body exercises.

 You and I were supposed to get in a training session on film a couple of years ago, but it never worked out. However, we finally were able to do chest together the other day, and I know I put you through a workout that was unlike anything you had done previously. Tell me

your thoughts about it. You said the pump was your craziest ever!

 I was DEFINITELY feeling that workout after leaving the gym. I really enjoyed the thought process involved in it.  I loved the extended time under tension techniques had me utilize, and the many different angles you worked the muscle from. I felt as if your methods really stretch and expanded the muscle and traumatized the fibers! I really liked that we didn’t have to go “crazy heavy” to get the muscle massively pumped and focused on my technique and various sections of each repetition. I feel training like this can definitely grow new muscle tissue.

 Like I mentioned above, your goal this year is absolutely crystal clear: Win your next show and qualify for the Olympia. After working with you and viewing your physique I don’t think it’s out of the question for you to not only get to that stage, but to crack the top 5. What are your thoughts?

 You are 100% correct. I plan on winning my show in just a few short weeks and

immediately qualifying for the Olympia. I have tremendous respect for every single champion that will be on that stage but believe in my heart I can break into the top 5.

 Interestingly, something else we talked about is the fact that you seem to be quickly growing out of the 212 class and may have to soon think about switching to the open division. Do you see this happening? In what timeframe? What happens if you end up top 5 at the 212 Olympia?

 Yes 212 is an amazing division and like I said, I respect all of the awesome competitors in the class. Being over 5’8, however, I feel that my frame has so much more room to grow - especially in the back and chest regions. I have the clavicle width of an open pro and my wheels are definitely up to par. When I make top 5 at the Mr. Olympia, I want to see how I compare with the other competitors. I want to figure out if 212 is right for me and whether I have the potential to become the best. For sure I would like to try the open class to see how I stack up there as well. I want to be smart about my career and what direction I take. I know my body wants to grow, and I don’t want to derail that process by constantly forcing my weight down to 212. I guess I will just wait and see how this year goes first before making and decisions.

 I know you are actually not just a pro bodybuilder, but also a promoter. You are in charge of the NPC Las Vegas Classic, which has been one of the biggest shows in the West for many years. What does it mean to you to promote this show and how hard is it to balance this along with everything else you do?

 I absolutely love promoting the show because I renamed it after my father who passed away in 2017. It is an honor to be in charge of a show with such a great legacy and tradition.  I plan to keep making it better and better every year. I take a lot of pride in it because my dad put in years of gut-busting work to make it the best contest in Las Vegas for over 30 years. And honestly, it’s not hard for me to balance everything simply because I love all that I do. I enjoy interacting with all of the athletes – both in person and through social media, as well also being on the judging panel at local NPC competitions. It’s a perfect fit for me and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

 Before I close out my interviews I always like to ask if there is anyone you wish to thank. The “floor’ is yours.”

 Eric, I would like to thank you for the interview and training session. I look forward to more!  Of course, I must thank my two biggest supporters - my wife and my diet coach Justin Miller.  I am so grateful to compete and do what I love to do. This sport inspires me, motivates me, drives me, and gives a goal to constantly strive for.  Thanks also goes to my sponsor, HD Muscle, and to the great Flex Lewis for opening up the Dragons Lair here in Vegas. Thank you to Dave Bourlet and 4x Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler, for featuring me on their channel. And I cannot forget to say thank you to Jim Manion and JM Manion for running such a great organization. Last but not least- thank you God for all things!

 That was awesome brother. Thank YOU for taking the time to sit down and chat with me. I know your future in the sport is extremely bright. I also know that you and I will likely be seeing a lot more of each other very soon!

 I know the sky is the limit for my career and I work harder and harder every day to perfect my craft.  I’m again so thankful for everything in my life. My wife and my two kids are of the utmost importance to me and I strive to be the best in the world so I can GIVE them the world. I look forward to continuing my competitive career and expanding and growing my business ventures. Just make sure to remember my name - because I will be a force this year.

West Coast Update With Eric Broser - Austin Karr

Johnnie Jackson in classic full throttle mode at the Original Metroflex in Arlington shows out a bit with his shoulder training with Branch Warren. Competition always gets Johnnie fired up and there is something great in the works for this year.

Johnnie finishes the workout and explains why he values competition and deadlines that competition creates to zone in on his target, eliminate noise and distractions and to keep him ultra accountable for what he is busting his ass for.

"Competition helps me to get to my goal faster. You end up leaving all the noise outside and allows me to better control my environment and atmosphere and focus on the things I really want in life. Set that competition as your goal and it'll help you focus and study and figure out the things you have been missing to make you better than ever before."

Put some pressure on yourself and set deadlines in any way you can.

Competition Accelerates To The Goal - Johnnie Jackson

We catch up with 212 Mr. Olympia Shaun Clarida, Samir Troudi and Derek Lunsford to get a brief raw take on what's going on.

Last time we had Samir in Orlando with GASP and Better Bodies crew while Derek and Shaun were competing. This year Samir is competing and trying to secure the Olympia qualification. We will have the same digs in Orlando but will no doubt have an ultra packed agenda to catch up with all these guys competing.

This is the first time Shaun is coming into his off season as Mr. Olympia. He gives a brief run down of how that feels and of course what's good with his training. Last year was a shocker at how much improvement Shaun made BUT him and Matt Jansen have yet another plan to improve for this year.

Derek Lunsford made it out to Destination recently and was crazy huge and in condition which lead to wondering if he's doing open at the Olympia. His offseason is in full swing and he "surprised himself" with the poundages he's gotten up to during training.

We will catch up with more friends and athletes next week. Stay disciplined!

How's Your Training Going - Shaun Clarida, Samir Troudi, Derek Lunsford

Divine Master is setting a different standard when it comes to pro bodybuilding and elite pro bodybuilding at that.

Right off of a great finish at the Olympia, Divine missed no time in examining his own physique and went to work on what he decided needed to come up, namely his quad sweep, lat width and even more caps to his shoulders.

"I have already improved so much in these areas and I have 14lbs. to lose with a week to go. It is tougher than last time but should be."

Divine is quickly becoming known for his balanced approach to pro bodybuilding competition. Its not too often you hear of top competitors enjoying life, going out, hitting up music festivals etc and showing up in top form.

This all stems from Divine "staying ready" knowing what his body can and cant do, and putting in the requisite work in the years prior to turning pro and competing with the best.

"I like to be abnormal. I don't want to do thing show other do them. I want to do it my way."

My Way with Divine Masters

More in Center Stage

Inside Destination Dallas, if you hear the sound of a bag getting the sh%+ beat out of it, it's most likely our community member Nav.

Nav is currently in the middle of his clinical rotations, and spends whatever free time he has in the gym - like the guy will choose the gym over sleep. Dedicated as hell and quite the social butterfly, we wanted to sit down with Nav to hear his story and his love for MMA.