Flex Lewis Coaches 2023 World’s Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper Through Shoulder Training

Muscle Insider

New member
The 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Mitchell Hooper earned his 10th consecutive podium finish by capturing bronze at the 2023 Strongman Classic. Since securing the prestigious title at the 2023 WSM, “The Moose” has collaborated with athletes from various strength sports disciplines to reach new audiences.
For his latest excursion, Hooper traveled to Las Vegas, NV, to train with the seven-time 212 Olympia champion, Flex Lewis. On July 13, 2023, Hooper shared a hypertrophy-biased shoulder training session on his YouTube channel. Check it out below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQviufgjfWM&ab_channel=MitchellHooper
[Related: How Men’s Physique Competitor Andrei Dieu Trains Back In His Off-Season]
Mitchell Hooper and Flex Lewis High-Intensity Shoulder Workout
Lewis took Hooper through the following four exercises in 30 minutes:

[Related: Strongwoman Lucy Underdown Hits 280-Kilogram Raw Deadlift Quadruple PR]
Standing Machine Lateral Raise
Lewis led the workout and opened with the standing lateral raise machine. “The Welsh Dragon” underscored the importance of controlling the negatives to increase time under tension.
“Is everything you do near failure?” asked Hooper between sets. “Yeah, when I get into the working sets,” replied Lewis.
Hooper highlighted the difference between bodybuilding and strongman training. After Lewis couldn’t complete a rep with a full range of motion, he performed partial reps to failure to maximize hypertrophy. “[Conversely,] as soon as I can’t do a full rep, [the set] is over for me,” said Hooper.

For the final set, the duo performed a double drop set to failure. They had 200 pounds on the stack for the first set, 140 pounds for the second, and 100 pounds for the final.
Machine Shoulder Press
Lewis and Hooper next did four sets on the machine shoulder press. They had two 45-pound weight plates on each side for the first set, three on the second, and four on the final two sets, which they pushed to failure.
Per the National Strength and Conditioning Association, “resistance training performed to failure showed a greater increase in muscle hypertrophy” than sets where a few reps were left in the tank. (1)
Superset: Reverse Pec Deck Flye & Pec Deck Shoulder Flye
Lewis recommends moving through a full range of motion on the reverse pec deck machine. The duo sat at the edge of the pec deck machine’s seat and leaned forward to place their chest against the back pad, eliminating the use of momentum.

Lewis and Hooper superset the reverse pec deck flye with a unique shoulder flye variation to isolate the deltoids. Lewis demonstrated the exercise on a pec deck flye machine by grabbing the handles with a neutral grip and a slight bend in his elbows. He then leaned his torso forward 45 degrees so the movement bias his anterior deltoids.
Road Forward
Hooper’s next contest is the 2023 Shaw Classic, scheduled for Aug. 19-20 in Loveland, CO. His prep is in full swing as he intends to dethrone the two-time defending champ Trey Mitchell.
References

Vieira AF, Umpierre D, Teodoro JL, Lisboa SC, Baroni BM, Izquierdo M, Cadore EL. Effects of Resistance Training Performed to Failure or Not to Failure on Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Power Output: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. J Strength Cond Res. 2021 Apr 1;35(4):1165-1175. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003936. PMID: 33555822.

Featured image: @flex_lewis on Instagram

The 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Mitchell Hooper earned his 10th consecutive podium finish by capturing bronze at the 2023 Strongman Classic. Since securing the prestigious title at the 2023 WSM, “The Moose” has collaborated with athletes from various strength sports disciplines to reach new audiences.


For his latest excursion, Hooper traveled to Las Vegas, NV, to train with the seven-time 212 Olympia champion, Flex Lewis. On July 13, 2023, Hooper shared a hypertrophy-biased shoulder training session on his YouTube channel. Check it out below:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQviufgjfWM&ab_channel=MitchellHooper


[Related: How Men’s Physique Competitor Andrei Dieu Trains Back In His Off-Season]


Mitchell Hooper and Flex Lewis High-Intensity Shoulder Workout
Lewis took Hooper through the following four exercises in 30 minutes:



[Related: Strongwoman Lucy Underdown Hits 280-Kilogram Raw Deadlift Quadruple PR]


Standing Machine Lateral Raise
Lewis led the workout and opened with the standing lateral raise machine. “The Welsh Dragon” underscored the importance of controlling the negatives to increase time under tension.


“Is everything you do near failure?” asked Hooper between sets. “Yeah, when I get into the working sets,” replied Lewis.


Hooper highlighted the difference between bodybuilding and strongman training. After Lewis couldn’t complete a rep with a full range of motion, he performed partial reps to failure to maximize hypertrophy. “[Conversely,] as soon as I can’t do a full rep, [the set] is over for me,” said Hooper.



For the final set, the duo performed a double drop set to failure. They had 200 pounds on the stack for the first set, 140 pounds for the second, and 100 pounds for the final.


Machine Shoulder Press
Lewis and Hooper next did four sets on the machine shoulder press. They had two 45-pound weight plates on each side for the first set, three on the second, and four on the final two sets, which they pushed to failure.


Per the National Strength and Conditioning Association, “resistance training performed to failure showed a greater increase in muscle hypertrophy” than sets where a few reps were left in the tank. (1)


Superset: Reverse Pec Deck Flye & Pec Deck Shoulder Flye
Lewis recommends moving through a full range of motion on the reverse pec deck machine. The duo sat at the edge of the pec deck machine’s seat and leaned forward to place their chest against the back pad, eliminating the use of momentum.



Lewis and Hooper superset the reverse pec deck flye with a unique shoulder flye variation to isolate the deltoids. Lewis demonstrated the exercise on a pec deck flye machine by grabbing the handles with a neutral grip and a slight bend in his elbows. He then leaned his torso forward 45 degrees so the movement bias his anterior deltoids.


Road Forward
Hooper’s next contest is the 2023 Shaw Classic, scheduled for Aug. 19-20 in Loveland, CO. His prep is in full swing as he intends to dethrone the two-time defending champ Trey Mitchell.


References

[*]Vieira AF, Umpierre D, Teodoro JL, Lisboa SC, Baroni BM, Izquierdo M, Cadore EL. Effects of Resistance Training Performed to Failure or Not to Failure on Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Power Output: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. J Strength Cond Res. 2021 Apr 1;35(4):1165-1175. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003936. PMID: 33555822.

Featured image: @flex_lewis on Instagram




Click here to view the article.
 
Back
Top