Everyone knows that ancient Egypt was one of the first advanced civilizations on earth, enduring for over 30 centuries and leaving behind incredible architecture and monuments such as the great Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, the Luxor Temple and the temple of Karnak.
Bodybuilding historians also know that some of the best champions of our sport hailed from this North African nation on the Nile River. There was Mohamed Makkawy, who at just 5 foot 5 and 170 pounds routinely beat much larger men throughout the 1980s, including a rookie Lee Haney, and was runner-up at the Mr. Olympia (all one open class at the time) in both 1983 to Samir Bannout and again to Haney in 1984. A name most of you probably don’t know is El Shahat Mabrouk, possibly the most accomplished amateur bodybuilder of all time. He earned his pro card not once but seven times, with five wins at the IFBB World Amateur as a middleweight, once as a welterweight where he also took the overall, and one last time as a light heavyweight. And though he is associated with Kuwait, since it’s where his entire bodybuilding career has taken place, Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay was born and raised in Egypt. Finally, special mention does have to go to the late Nasser El Sonbaty, Arnold Classic champ and Mr. Olympia runner-up, who was born in Yugoslavia to Egyptian parents. Now, Egypt has given us another exceptional physique in the form of Mahmoud Al Durrah, or simply “Durrah” as he is known to both friends and fans. And when I say fans, he’s got quite a few in the Arabic-speaking world. His YouTube channel passed 500,000 subscribers a few months ago, his Instagram has 195K followers, and I can personally attest to the diehard loyalty of his fans. At the recent Toronto Pro, any time I would hop on the MD Instagram or Facebook pages to do some live streaming, the comments and questions were mostly about Durrah, regardless of who or what was on screen at the time. This is only his second season as a pro, and now the rest of the bodybuilding world is sitting up and taking notice of this 212 competitor with the combination of mass, aesthetics and condition to go far in the sport. CARVING OUT MUSCLES IN CAIRO
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2019-Ausgabe von Muscular Development.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2019-Ausgabe von Muscular Development.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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Best Cardio for Fat Loss - High Intensity vs. Low Intensity
Low-intensity cardiovascular exercise is the most common way to reduce body fat, despite mounting scientific evidence showing this form of cardiovascular training may not burn body fat as effectively as high-intensity cardio. In addition, low-intensity cardio has also been shown to inhibit muscle growth¹2, making the use of this approach to enhance your physique even more questionable.
Are Unilateral Exercises More Effective Than Bilateral Exercises?
Bilateral exercises simultaneously use both limbs to lift the weight, so that the resistance is being shared between each limb.
THE AMAZING POWER OF JULIA DI POMPEO
Pro Figure Champ and Pro Powerlifter!
BRYAN JONES: THE LORD OF CLASSIC RETURNS!
It seems like a decade has passed since the pandemic began in 2020. That was a chaotic year for all of us. MD sent me to Atlanta to cover the Chicago Pro, because restrictions in Illinois made it impossible to hold Tim Gardner's annual extravaganza there. The athletes still showed up in force to compete, and the Classic Physique division alone featured 30 men. When they came out to be adjudicated, one man stood out in a flash as the one to beat. I had never heard of Bryan Jones until that point aside from a vague recollection that he'd won the USA a couple of years before. With his braided and colored hair piled on top of his head in a gathered bun with the ends appearing to be some type of bizarre plant, I dubbed him \"The Kai Greene of Classic.\" That didn't stick, thankfully, because Bryan \"Lord\" Jones is a unique athlete in his own right. I knew I was looking at a man who was going to make waves in that division. A few months later he did just that, placing fifth in his first Olympia appearance. But we only saw him twice more after that, at the Arnold Classic and once again at the Olympia at the end of 2021. Since then, Jones has been working hard to build the additional size needed to successfully transition to the Open category. I spoke with him about his brief but notable time in Classic, and how he plans to make a big splash in Open.
Andrew vs. Hunter: THE BATTLE FOR TEXAS!
A BATTLE IS BREWING
GET A CLASSIC SUMMER PHYSIQUE WITH LOGAN FRANKLIN
Summer is in full swing, and for the vast majority of bodybuilders that don't compete, this is our showtime! All the many months of toiling away covered up while the sky was dark and gray and icy temperatures had you shivering have led to this. Last month we provided you with eight excellent tips to get ripped and ready, but let's take it a step further. This month, we enlisted the help of Classic Physique superstar and GAT Sport athlete Logan Franklin to come up with his best advice on how to make sure you have the most Classic-looking physique possible to show off on the beaches or at the pool. Here's what he has to say about the Classic look, areas of the physique to emphasize and how, and his best nutrition tips to make sure you turn plenty of heads this summer!
SUCCESS STORY: YANIV ZUR
BALANCING BUSINESS, FAMILY, AND ELITE FITNESS
HOW MUCH REST IS BEST?
Getting enough rest after weight training is essential for optimal muscle growth and performance. Unfortunately, many get insufficient rest because they simply disregard the fact that weightlifting breaks down muscle tissue, creating the requirement for adequate rest to fully recuperate.
Get Peeled With Extra Virgin Olive Oil
As you know, pathologic fat accretion results in obesity. The medical community and pharmaceutical industry have been struggling to address this burgeoning condition in the Western culture - particularly in the United States. Obviously, individuals have also been struggling in their attempts to avoid or correct unsightly or unhealthy fat gain. Imagine the shame these professionals and people must feel when they realize they may have been ignoring a risk-free, health-promoting, inexpensive dietary ingredient that can enhance fat loss. Bodybuilders seek potent drugs or supplements to force the metabolism to strip body fat to low single-digit percentages, but failing to acknowledge the foundation of diet can sabotage even their extreme measures.
CREATINE: THE BEST FORMS
New products and formulations are introduced to the supplement market every day. However, it is very rare for a product or especially an ingredient to create noteworthy evolution in supplement performance. Arguably, the greatest leap up this axiomatic evolutionary ladder occurred with the advent of creatine supplements in the 1990s. Creatine has proven over and over to be \"the real deal\" in clinical research and broscience. It's a muscle-building, performance-enhancing supplement that nearly all athletes should use.
