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2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man Results — Konstantine Janashia Wins
Just a few weeks ago, the world witnessed the biggest Strongman competition, the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM). However, Konstantine Janashia, also known as the ‘Georgian Bull,’ didn’t stop there. Just days after WSM, he competed in another Strongman event. The 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man competition took place on May 5-6, in Tbilisi, gathering six of the country’s greatest Strongman athletes. However, only one was able to emerge victorious after five events, and Konstantine Janashia was dominant once again.
Konstantine Janashia won three out of the five events and finished up with a three point lead ahead of the second-place finisher Nikoloz Lekaidze. Another few points behind Nikoloz was Chabuka Chigladze who also set one new National record.
2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man Results
Konstantine Janashia — 27 points
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 24 points
Chabuka Chigladze — 20 points
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 14 points
Shota Gogoberishvili — 7 points
Jason Kamashidze — 3 points
Related: Oleksii Novikov Discusses Elbow Injury’s Impact on 2023 WSM Performance: “My Signature Event Became an Achilles Heel”
Max Axle Press
During the Max Axle Press event, the athletes tested their one-rep max in the hopes of getting as many points as possible.
Chabuka Chigladze started off strong, winning the event with a 10-kilogram (22-pound) heavier lift than anyone else. Chabuka lifted 190 kilograms and set a new Axle Press Georgia National Record. Konstantine Janashia was the second place finisher with 180 kilograms, while Nikoloz Lekaidze settled for third with 160 kilograms.
Chabuka Chigladze — 190 kilograms
Konstantine Janashia — 180 kilograms
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 160 kilograms
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 150 kilograms
Shota Gogoberishvili — 140 kilograms
Jason Kamashidze — 90 kilograms
Log Lift
Moving on to the second event of the 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man competition, the athletes were tasked with performing as many reps on a Log of undeclared weight.
Obviously, as the current Georgia National Record holder in the Log Lift, Konstantine Janashia dominated his rivals and completed eight reps.
With two reps less than him, three men tied for second place. Those were Nikoloz Lekaidze, Chabuka Chigladze, and Avtandil Karmazanashvili.
Konstantine Janashia — 8 reps
Chabuka Chigladze — 6 reps (Tied-Second)
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 6 reps (Tied-Second)
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 6 reps (Tied-Second)
Shota Gogoberishvili — 0 reps
Jason Kamashidze — 0 reps
Super Yoke
For the third event of the competition, the athletes had to carry a 400-kilogram Super Yoke for a distance of 15 meters as quickly as possible.
Konstantine Janashia is one of the quickest Strongmen in the world, let alone Georgia. So, this event was once again great for him. He clocked a time of 9.91 seconds and took max points.
The battle for the runner up was within a fraction of a second. However, Nikoloz Lekaidze’s time of 11.59 turned out to be 0.69 seconds faster than Chabuka Chigladze’s time.
Konstantine Janashia — 9.91 seconds
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 11.59 seconds
Chabuka Chigladze — 12.28 seconds
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 19.53 seconds
Shota Gogoberishvili — 3.8 meters
Jason Kamashidze — 0 meters
Arm Over Arm Pull
Arm Over Arm Pull was the penultimate event of the 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man competition. The task was to pull an SUV attached with a rope for a distance of 20 meters.
Konstantine Janashia has once again won this event, completing the task in just 25.66 seconds. His closest rival, Nikoloz Lekaidze, finished a massive 10 seconds behind him.
Konstantine Janashia — 24.66 seconds
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 34.12 seconds
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 36.41 seconds
Shota Gogoberishvili — 39.79 seconds
Chabuka Chigladze — 46 seconds
Jason Kamashidze — 46.81 seconds
Squat Lift
To wrap up the 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man, the athletes took on a machine which resembled the motion of a squat. It weighed 280 kilograms and the task was to perform as many reps as possible.
Konstantine Janashia had already secured his overall victory by the time of this event. So, he only walked out and performed one repetition. On the other hand, Nikoloz Lekaidze still gave his all and won the event with 12 reps.
Nikoloz Lekaidze — 12 reps
Chabuka Chigladze — 11 reps
Konstantine Janashia — 1 rep
Avtandil Karmazanashvili — 0 reps
Shota Gogoberishvili — 0 reps
Jason Kamashidze — 0 reps
Related: Strongman Brian Shaw Shows Off Superhuman Strength By Rolling Up Frying Pan
The 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man proved that Konstantine Janashia is still one of the strongest men in the world, despite the fact that he wasn’t able to secure a place for himself in the 2023 WSM. Konstantine certainly gained a significant amount of confidence by winning this competition, and will endeavor to win more competitions in the future.
Published: 13 May, 2023 | 1:06 PM EDT
Dana Linn Bailey Joins Jay Cutler, Defends Natural Status, Talks Health Scares & Thyroid Issues
Dana Linn-Bailey is a pioneer of the growing Women’s Physique division. In a recent Cutler Cast podcast, Linn-Bailey discussed a number of topics including breast implants, competing drug-free, thyroid issues, and Kai Greene’s influence on her posing routines.
Despite struggling to find her footing in the IFBB Pro League, Dana Linn-Bailey would eventually carve out a successful career, having graced the stage with a unique balance of muscularity, conditioning, and detail. Her striated chest and shoulders helped her reach the pinnacle of bodybuilding in 2013 when she claimed her lone Olympia title in the newly created Women’s Physique category.
While she would surrender gold to Juliana Malacarne in 2014, Dana continues to prove herself in the training room and online. Since stepping away from the sport, she’s built a successful empire, boasting over 2 million followers on Instagram and half a million on YouTube.
Dana’s ability to create engaging content online has only bolstered her name recognition within the bodybuilding and fitness communities. She has taken part in brutal workouts with four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, as well as Hany Rambod, who coached Derek Lunsford and Hadi Choopan to first and second at last year’s 2022 Olympia.
Sitting down with Cutler, DLB spoke about breast implants and whether or not she uses steroids. In addition, she discussed health problems stemming from a Rhabdomyolysis infection and a thyroid condition.
Dana Linn-Bailey Looks Back on Breast Implant Pressures and Talks ‘Natty or Not’ Status
Linn Bailey ultimately decided that she didn’t want the procedure despite what it could have done to further her career.
“As a competitor, you want – your wanting to do, like what if I stopped training the way I trained and I became a pro Figure girl, I wouldn’t have been the first Physique winner; I followed what I wanted and I just think it’s such a weird decision to even think, just not getting boob implants.”
“We sat down because I wanted to do this thing, and I wasn’t doing well. I thought, ‘Cool, I’m not going to get sponsored, none of this is going to be happening, I won’t be there unless I do well in this sport.’ So I sat down, ‘Do I get them so I actually do well?’ He’s like [her husband] he just asked me, ‘Do you want them?’ I’m like, ‘Not really.’ Because again, I went back to, ‘How am I going to bench?’” said Bailey.
“We just sort of moved forward with it [not getting implants], he’s like, ‘You’re perfect the way you are, you’re getting attention no one else is getting by being you. So there’s something there.’”
According to Dana, she suffers from hyperthyroidism. Having considered a comeback, Dana said if she followed through, she would prove her natural status by receiving drug tests in the weeks leading up to the show.
“If I travel a lot my labs will be off because stress messes with your thyroid, the thyroid messes up everything. It’s something I have to regulate all the time. Every year, I was always like, yeah, I was like maybe I’ll come back, I feel like I need to do something. And Rob’s always been the one like, ‘No don’t do it.’ He’s so… I just felt like it would be great for business.”
“There’s a part of me that just wants to see what the heck I would look like on stage but I don’t want to see myself next to the girls that are winning now,” laughs Bailey.
“Cool, I’m going to use this, if I’m going to compete, I’ll get drug tested every single week leading up to the show to just be like, ‘Suck it guys.’ They’ll probably just say I had a doctor alter it, it’s okay I’ll never win it’s fine. That was going to be my, ‘Okay, if I do compete I’m going to do it at a different angle.’ Only to prove, that hey you can do this. It takes 30 weeks for me [a prep drug-free].”
Linn-Bailey Details Health Struggles, Names Kai Greene As Biggest Posing Inspiration
In addition to problems with her thyroid, Dana revealed that she contracted Rhabdomyolysis and said it caused her liver to fail.
“Usually with Rhabdomyolysis it affects your liver your pee will be like brown a brownish, it will be discolored because it’s breaking everything down, but my pee was fine, and she thought that was so weird and but she said, ‘I’m pretty sure you have rhabdo.’ Like, ‘You shouldn’t have done the GHDs it’s a huge no-no in the CrossFit world, they shouldn’t have let you do that.”
“I went to the doctor probably by Friday, they took my labs, Saturday or finally got them back a day or two, this is like a week later, my labs were astronomical. I can only imagine what they probably were on Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday. So literally, my liver was not – I was in liver failure.”
Even though she didn’t have a lot of female bodybuilding idols, Dana was inspired by the detail and artistry of Kai Greene’s posing skills.
“I’m such a meathead. All my favorite bodybuilders were all men, I never looked at women. Like Kai [Greene] as far as posing and stuff – like a lot of my routines I used to just watch videos of him posing and a lot of the moves and lot of my poses are from him.”
Given her decorated career and active lifestyle, there’s a lot to learn from DLB. From building bigger biceps to her three favorite squat tips, she makes her fans feel included. She also shares her personal struggles and achievements, inspiring others to overcome their own challenges and pursue their goals.
Unafraid to speak her mind, Dana Linn-Bailey is a trailblazer of the sport who paved the way in helping make the Women’s Physique division one of the most exciting in the IFBB Pro League.
Watch the full video below, from the Cutler Cast YouTube channel:
Published: 13 May, 2023 | 11:50 AM EDT
Martyn Ford Shows Off Jacked Physique While Crushing Workout
Bodybuilder and actor Martyn Ford boasts one of the best builds of any celebrity in the entertainment world. Although he grew up playing different sports, it was bodybuilding where he found his passion. In a recent post made on Instagram, Ford showed off his monstrous physique while crushing several workouts.
Martyn Ford first made headlines for his gigantic build online a few years ago. He displayed impressive athletic talents with an insane work ethic that found him opportunities in a range of fields related to entertainment. His mythical stature garnered attention in the world of fitness and acting. He was lined up to face fellow internet sensation Sajad Gharibi, popularly known as The Iranian Hulk, in a boxing match last year.
Ford issued a warning to Gharibi while giving fans a look into his footwork training ahead of the anticipated showdown in Mar. 2022. Standing at 6’8”, the 320-pound Brit towered over Gharibi when the two collided with each other in the face-offs. Ford shoved his opponent with ease, resulting in the Iranian lifter’s family disowning him a month later.
In Apr. 2022, the boxing match got scrapped. Ford pinned the blame on Gharibi for the bout falling through. He explained health concerns and misrepresentation surrounding Gharibi as the reason for the investors pulling the plug on the fight.
Martyn Ford / Instagram
Ford revealed he shed about 58 pounds in preparation for the canceled boxing match. Although he couldn’t test out his boxing chops, he reports feeling healthier than ever. He offered a freakishly jacked physique update following a boxing training session. In May 2022, Ford opened up on his worries about Gharibi potentially committing suicide if he lost in the contest. He made his way to Gharibi in Dubai to bury the hatchet but realized a positive outcome may not be in the cards.
Martyn Ford was eyeing a move to mixed martial arts competition under the KSW banner a year ago. He left the fans stunned by gaining 6 pounds in only an hour of weight training. Then, he dropped a big physique update while getting ready for his combat sports debut.
Martyn Ford shows off his jacked physique while crushing workouts
In recent Instagram posts, Martyn Ford showed off his monstrous physique while performing a series of workouts.
Martyn Ford teamed up with former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping for a brutal upper-body training session last September. He guided Bisping through a monster chest workout using giant sets.
Published: 13 May, 2023 | 11:15 AM EDT
Keone Pearson Takes Up A 3500-Calorie Diet, Getting Ready For The 2023 Texas Pro
Keone Pearson is getting ready to make a statement in the 2023 competitive season. The prodigy is set to return to the stage and has a new diet plan that will take his physique to the next level. The 28-year-old has enjoyed a certain degree of success in the Classic Physique as well as the 212 division of the IFBB Pro League throughout his career. His first ever Olympia appearance came in the Classic Physique division at the 2019 Olympia where he finished fourth. However, Pearson decided to make the 212 division home for the rest of his career.
The divisional debut saw him take home the 2020 Chicago Pro trophy which ultimately qualified him for the 2020 Olympia. Unfortunately, Pearson had to pull out of the competition owing to personal troubles.
He returned the following year and finished 14th at the 2021 Olympia. A dominant win at the 2022 Tampa Pro gave Keone the fourth opportunity to prove his mettle at the grandest stage of bodybuilding. The bodybuilding community was impressed by his progress and many expected him to give top contenders like Shaun Clarida and Kamal Elgargni a lot of issues. Pearson put up a fierce fight and surged into the top seven, finishing sixth at the 2022 Olympia.
The Prodigy will compete at the 2023 Texas Pro that is scheduled to take place on August 18-19. 16 weeks out of the show, his competition prep has officially started. On the first day of prep, Keone shared what he would be eating throughout the day to get the right body composition for the show. So let’s see how Keone Pearson is fueling his body to rock the 2023 competitive season.
Keone Pearson’s full day of eating for 2023 Texas Pro competition prep
Meal 1
A usual day during the competition prep starts with a 45-minute cardio session in a fasted state. An abs workout followed it on the day of recording the video. Pearson then rushes back home to fuel his body after the calorie-intensive activity and eats the first meal. It consists of:
Oats – 80 grams
Banana – 1 full
Beef – 100 grams
Whey Protein – 30 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 718 cal, Protein – 66.6 grams, Fats – 18.1 grams, Carbohydrates – 83 grams
Tip: Find your daily protein intake
Meal 2
As a couple of hours pass by, it’s time to go and train hard in the gym. But before that, Pearson has to fuel his body with a good pre-workout meal. His current diet plan has him consume a rice and chicken-based meal before hitting the gym. The 2022 Tampa Pro winner’s pre-workout meal includes:
Chicken – 200 grams
Jasmine Rice – 75 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 426 cal, Protein – 64.8 grams, Fats – 7.6 grams, Carbohydrates – 20.8 grams
While Keone Pearson likes to eat rice in 75-gram portions, he is not opposed to varying them according to personal preferences.
“Honestly, you can do it however you want it. If you wanna eat it in one sitting for your one meal or three just do it as you get the same food,” he said.
Keone savors the meal and then heads over to the kitchen to prepare his pre-workout and intra-workout drinks.
Pre-workout and intra-workout shake
As a professional bodybuilder, Keone Pearson has to ensure that his workouts yield the best results. To fuel the workout and get the most pump out of the training, the 212 competitor consumes a pre-workout drink that has the following ingredients:
Pre-Workout Drink
Stimulant-free Pump Pre-Workout Supplement with 5 grams L-Citrulline, 3 grams GlycerPump, 1 gram Agmatine Sulphate, 1 gram L-Tyrosine – 2 scoops
Caffeine – 1 scoop
Sea Salt
Related: Best pre-workout supplements ranked
Intra-workout drink that keeps the energy high during the training session consists of:
EAA + BCAA formula
On the day of recording the video, Keone trained chest and it was his high day where his caloric intake was higher than it is on a leg day.
“Today is actually considered a high day because I have a high day for chest and back, not on legs, which is pretty surprising. Those are my low days. I guess he wants me to push harder for that…” Pearson stated.
After pushing through an intense workout in the gym, Pearson returns home to have the post-workout meal.
Meal 3
To enable muscle recovery and growth in the arduous training routine, Pearson downs the protein shake and fruits. The post-workout meal is a hefty one and comprises of:
Whey Protein Isolate – 1 scoop / 30 grams
Pineapple – 50 grams
Jasmine Rice – 75 grams
Lean Ground Beef – 200 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 756.7 cal, Protein – 80.9 grams, Fats – 18.3 grams, Carbohydrates – 35.8 grams
Meal 4 and 5
The next two meals in Pearson’s full day of eating consist of high-quality protein sources like chicken and Salmon complimented with cream of rice and Potatoes.
Meal 4 consists of:
Cream of Rice Cereals- 75 grams
Chicken – 200 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 588 cal, Protein – 67.2 grams, Fats – 3.9 grams, Carbohydrates – 58.5 grams
The next one, meal 5, is the last meat/fish based meal that includes:
Salmon – 200 grams
Potatoes – 200 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 598 cal, Protein – 49 grams, Fats – 24.2 grams, Carbohydrates – 42 grams
Meal 6
This bedtime snack is the final bit of food that Pearson puts in his body every day. Rich in protein, healthy fats, and Complex carbohydrates, it keeps late night hunger pangs at bay and promotes muscle growth. Additionally, nut butters like peanut butter or almond butter contain tryptophan which can promote sound sleep.
The meal includes:
Oats – 50 grams
Whey Protein Isolate – 30 grams
Almond Butter – 30 grams
Approximate Nutritional Values
Energy – 466 cal, Protein – 41.2 grams, Fats – 22.3 grams, Carbohydrates – 41 grams
Total caloric intake and macronutrient profile for the day
Energy – 3509 calories
Protein – 303.2 grams
Fats – 81.7 grams
Carbohydrates – 390.4 grams
Keone Pearson has found his footing in the 212 division after a successful 2022. While he has to prove his mettle against the likes of reigning champion Shaun Clarida and former champ Kamal Elgargni, he still has a lot of mileage left. If he shows patience and focuses on making incremental gains, the 28-year-old can dominate the 212 division in the years to come.
Watch Keone Pearson share the diet here, courtesy of his personal YouTube channel:
Published: 13 May, 2023 | 9:19 AM EDT
Workout Split For Women: The Ultimate Guide To Get Fit and Fabulous
Over the last decade, women have been cozying up to weight training. However, this has led us into a unique situation; the ladies look like deers caught in headlights as soon as they enter the weight room.
Although girls no longer need to be convinced to start lifting weights, only a handful of these women follow a structured workout split. Performing a few dumbbell curls one day, a couple of sets of squats the next day, and a little of everything every other day isn’t going to do you any good.
Finding the right workout split can be daunting. Furthermore, stepping inside the free-weight section of a gym for a newbie can be overwhelming, especially if they have no idea what they are doing.
A balanced training program is key to achieving your dream figure. Furthermore, the ideal workout regimen for an individual can change depending on their preferences, schedules, goals, and experience levels. Following an incompatible training split increases your risk of injury.
In this article, we dive into the meaning of workout splits, the factors and tips to consider while choosing a workout split for women, its benefits, and the five best workout splits for women at different experience levels. We have a lot to cover. So, sit tight.
What are Workout Splits?
A workout split refers to how you divide your training into different muscle groups or body parts. Many exercisers avoid picking a workout split as they find it too restrictive. Although a workout split requires you to train a specific muscle group on a particular day of the week, you are free to choose the exercises you perform in each training session.
Notably, programming a workout is best left to advanced lifters or personal trainers. Each muscle consists of different heads that must be trained from multiple angles for optimal growth. Performing similar movements can lead you to a muscle and strength plateau. For example, the deltoid muscle has three heads — anterior, lateral, and posterior. If you only perform shoulder press and front raise exercises in your training regimen, you’ll have substandard lateral and posterior deltoid head development. Does this sound like too much work? Don’t worry; we have included a sample workout plan for overall muscle and strength development with each workout split.
Many people think the ‘bro split’ is the only workout program. A bro split includes training chest on Mondays, back on Tuesdays, shoulders on Wednesdays, and so on. While there is nothing wrong with this split, most exercisers can get better results by following a more focused workout split.
For example, ladies with lagging lower bodies would want to train their legs twice a week. However, the bro split has no provisions for accommodating a second leg workout. An upper and lower body workout split will be a better fit in this case.
Benefits of Following a Structured Workout Split For Women
Here are the advantages of selecting a structured workout split for women:
Makes Your Workouts More Efficient
Many lifters treat the gym as a restaurant, and their training split as an à la carte menu. They enter the iron paradise without a plan and tackle their workout on the fly; these lifters perform the exercises that feel the most comfortable and put the least strain on their muscles. As you could have guessed, these folks see little to no progress and are most likely to drop off.
A structured workout split leaves nothing to chance. Here, you plan your workouts weeks in advance. Everything from the exercises, sets, and reps is determined before entering the gym. Having an action plan ensures you make the most of your time in the gym.
Built-in Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is indispensable if you want to make strength or muscle gains. It includes placing ever-increasing stress on your muscles by increasing the intensity and volume of your workouts. You could achieve this by doing more sets, reps, and exercises, reducing rest between sets, or incorporating advanced training principles in your workouts, such as super sets, drop sets, intra-set stretching, etc. [1]
A balanced workout split will help progressively overload your muscles and reduce your risk of hitting a plateau by shocking your muscles with varying training intensity and volume. Furthermore, an efficient workout split also allows your muscles to rest and recuperate between workouts, reducing your risk of injury.
Fix Muscle and Strength Imbalances
An effective workout split can aid in fixing muscle and strength imbalances by allowing you to work on your weaknesses multiple times a week. At the same time, it will help you polish your strengths.
Monitor Progress
You must stick to a workout split for at least 12 weeks before arriving at conclusions about its effectiveness. Since you’ll perform the same exercises, number of sets, and reps in each workout for the entire duration, it’ll make it convenient for you to track your progress.
Additionally, following a workout split and tracking your progress will help you stay accountable. Sharing your progress with your friends and family can be a potent motivator.
Keeps You Interested
Choosing a workout program is like choosing a life partner — you want someone who compliments your strengths and weaknesses.
Although the workout splits below define the exercises you’ll perform in each training session, you are free to perform their variations instead. You must, however, ensure that the replacement exercises target the same muscle groups. For example, you could do the cable side lateral raise instead of the dumbbell side lateral raise. You must, however, not replace side lateral raises with shrugs.
Knowing the exercises you’ll perform in a workout in advance can allow you time to prepare for a workout, which can improve your performance. Plus, tracking your progress will keep you hooked to your workout split.
5 Best Workout Splits For Women
Depending on your current physique and experience level, you can choose a workout split that aligns with your goals. Each workout split has its unique benefits and allows you to focus on particular muscles to fix imbalances and take you to your objectives.
Below, you’ll find five workout splits for women that involve training up to three muscle groups per training session twice a week.
Full-Body Workout Split For Women
The basic full-body workout split for women is a two-day-a-week training regimen. It is perfect for beginners and ladies with busy schedules who can only make time for a couple of weekly training sessions.
In the full-body training split, you could work all your muscle groups in a single workout or divide them into two sessions.
Since this workout split involves training most of your muscle groups in a single workout, you must follow a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) method for these workouts to get a lot of work done in a short period. Women aiming to shed weight must engage in full-body cardio exercises.
Day 1
Full-Body Workout
Day 2
Rest
Day 3
Rest
Day 4
Full-Body Workout
Day 5
Rest
Day 6
Rest
Day 7
Rest
As you gain more experience, you could go from performing two weekly full-body training sessions to doing four weekly workouts. Perform variations of the exercises listed in the sample workout below on the two additional days to add variety to your training regimen.
Full-Body Workout 1:
Beginners must seek expert help to drill the movements. It will help you make the most of the exercises while limiting your risk of injury.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Bench Press
3
8-12
Barbell Bent-Over Row
3
8-12
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3
8-12
Barbell Biceps Curl
3
8-12
Cable Triceps Extension
3
8-12
Barbell Squat
3
8-12
Crunch
3
8-12
Full-Body Workout 2:
Since these workouts are programmed to induce hypertrophy, avoid resting for more than 60 seconds between sets, as it can significantly hamper your training intensity.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Chest Fly
3
8-12
Dumbbell Deadlift
3
8-12
Barbell Skull Crusher
3
8-12
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise
3
8-12
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
3
8-12
Barbell Sumo Squat
3
8-12
Hanging Leg Raise
3
8-12
Full-Body HIIT Cardio Workout
The HIIT cardio workout below includes nine exercises; perform two rounds of this circuit. You must perform each exercise for 45 seconds. Rest 15 seconds between exercises. Plus, you are allowed a two-minute rest after completing a round.
Exercise
Time (in seconds)
Rest (in seconds)
Lunge
45
15
Push-Up
45
15
Burpee
45
15
Star Jump
45
15
Leg Raise
45
15
Squat Jump
45
15
Bicep Curl
45
15
Lateral Shuffles
45
120
Use appropriate dumbbells for exercises like bicep curls and lunges. Feel free to use additional resistance in the squat jump. However, you must ensure you are not compromising your form to lift heavy weights.
Benefits of Full-Body Workout Splits
Here are the advantages of doing a full-body workout split for women:
The full-body workout split is excellent for beginners as it helps them acclimatize to weight training.
This workout regimen is great for ladies on a tight schedule, as the most basic version of the full-body split requires hitting the gym twice a week.
Since you’ll do only one exercise per muscle group, we’ll mostly stick to compound lifts for this workout program. Besides helping you build muscle and strength, multi-joint exercises improve your overall functionality.
Training twice weekly gives your body enough time to rest and recuperate between workouts.
Drawbacks of Full-Body Workout Splits
Here are the cons of doing a full-body workout split for women:
As you’ll be training all your muscles in a single workout, it can be incredibly exhausting, especially as you graduate to training four days a week.
Full-body strength training workouts can take longer to complete. Expect to spend 60-120 minutes in the gym.
The full-body workout split is not the best for fixing strength and muscle imbalances unless you want to boost your training volume significantly.
Upper Lower Body Workout Split For Women
The upper lower body is the perfect next step for ladies wanting to move up from a two-day training regimen. It is a four-day workout split that involves training half of your body on a single day.
Notably, you should ideally start the training week by training your weaker half. Lifters with lagging lower bodies should start the week with a leg workout instead of hitting an upper body training session.
Many lifters go all-out on their stronger muscle group training day, leaving them tired and sore for their weaker muscle group workouts. Since this is a four days a week workout split, you can also rest after each workout to allow your muscles enough time to rest and recuperate between training sessions.
Day 1
Upper Body
Day 2
Lower Body
Day 3
Rest
Day 4
Upper Body
Day 5
Lower Body
Day 6
Rest
Day 7
Rest
As this workout regimen involves training all your muscles twice a week, you shouldn’t add more training days to this training split. Instead, you could increase your training volume and intensity to get the best bang for your buck.
A study found that an upper and lower body workout split is more effective at helping you build muscle strength and size over 10 weeks than a full body workout regimen done thrice a week. [2]
Upper Body Workout:
The upper and lower body workouts primarily consist of functional (multi-joint) exercises to maximize your muscle and strength-building potential. Focus on contracting your muscles with each rep to induce hypertrophy.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Bench Press
3
8-12
Dumbbell Bent-Over Row
3
8-12
Arnold Press
3
8-12
Barbell Biceps Curl
3
8-12
Close-Grip Bench Press
3
8-12
Russian Twist
3
8-12
Lower Body Workout:
You could change the order of the exercises depending on your preferences. If you have lagging calves, we recommend starting your leg workout with the standing calf raise. Use a weight that helps you achieve muscle failure between the eighth and 12th rep.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Squat
3
8-12
Walking Lunge
3
8-12
Romanian Deadlift
3
8-12
Goblet Squat
3
8-12
Leg Curl
3
8-12
Standing Calf Raise
3
8-12
Benefits of Upper Lower Body Workout Splits
The pros of the upper-lower body workout split include the following:
It allows you to train all your muscle groups twice a week.
Training your upper and lower body muscles separately can help you fix muscle and strength imbalances, improving your overall physique proportions and symmetry.
The upper-lower body workout split will help you build a solid foundation. You could easily pivot to a powerlifting or bodybuilding-focused workout program after following this workout split for 12 weeks.
This workout split for women allows sufficient recovery time between workouts, which can fast-track results and reduce your risk of injury.
Training four days a week allows you the flexibility to program your workouts according to your schedule. You could take an off day after each workout or reshuffle the training days.
Drawbacks of Upper Lower Body Workout Splits
The cons of the upper-lower body workout split include the following:
The upper-lower body workout split is volume heavy since you’ll be training all your muscles twice weekly, which is not the best for newbie lifters.
On the other hand, although you’ll be training all your muscles twice a week, the training volume for each muscle group can be limiting.
Since you’ll be training half of your body in a single workout, these workouts can take a lot of time to complete. Expect to spend 60-120 minutes in the gym during your upper-lower body workouts.
Push-Pull Workout Split For Women
The push-pull workout split for women is the perfect middle ground between full-body workouts and upper-lower body workouts. Gym exercises can be broken into two main categories — push and pull.
As the name suggests, the pushing exercises involve pressing weights away from your body, for example, the bench press, overhead triceps extension, and leg extension. On the flip side, the pulling exercises include pulling the weights toward your body, such as the deadlift, biceps curl, and seated cable row.
Push-pull workouts are popular among bodybuilders and powerlifters as they help focus on a single movement pattern. This workout split can help you achieve muscle-ripping pumps and ensure you’ve got nothing left in the tank by the end of a workout.
Day 1
Push
Day 2
Pull
Day 3
Rest
Day 4
Push
Day 5
Pull
Day 6
Rest
Day 7
Rest
Although the push-pull workout split is a four-day training program, you could increase your training volume by adding a couple of workout sessions to the split — one for each movement pattern. Also, you could increase your training volume gradually by alternating between an additional push and pull workout for the initial 4-6 weeks.
Push Workout
In the push-pull workouts, the first two exercises of the training schedule are the big lifts. The remaining four to six exercises are considered accessory lifts, which help improve your performance in the main lifts.
The ladies training for hypertrophy should stay in the 8-12 rep range and perform three sets with a moderate weight. On the other hand, lifters trying to maximize strength should do 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps with 80-90% of their one-rep max. [3]
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Squat
3
8-12
Bench Press
3
8-12
Cable Triceps Extension
3
8-12
Dumbbell Chest Fly
3
8-12
Machine Shoulder Press
3
8-12
Seated Calf Raise
3
8-12
Keep the main lifts, such as the squat, bench press, and deadlift, constant throughout the 12 weeks. However, you could change the accessory lifts each week to keep your workouts interesting.
Pull Workout
The deadlift is the main lift in the pull workout. All the other movements in this workout are accessory lifts. We recommend using weightlifting accessories, such as a weightlifting belt, lifting straps, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves, in these workout splits, as they help maximize your performance and reduce your risk of injury.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Deadlift
3
8-12
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
3
8-12
Barbell Biceps Curl
3
8-12
Lying Leg Curl
3
8-12
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
3
8-12
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise
3
8-12
Benefits of Push-Pull Workout Splits
Using the push-pull workout split entails the following benefits:
The push-pull workout split for women is great for building strength and muscle mass. Change the number of reps on the three big lifts (squat, bench press, and deadlift) to 1-5 and the number of sets to five to focus on building strength.
Training a specific movement pattern can help you achieve a better mind-muscle connection, improving hypertrophy.
Since this workout split involves training the same muscle group at least twice, the high volume will speed up your results.
This training split is great for powerlifters that want to improve their performance on the big three lifts.
It allows you to further boost your training volume by doing up to two more weekly workouts.
The push-pull workouts involve a healthy balance of compound and isolation exercises, which can help develop a balanced, proportionate, and conditioned physique.
The four-day push-pull training split allows you ample time to recover between workouts.
Drawbacks of Push-Pull Workout Splits
Using the push-pull workout split entails the following disadvantages:
Since this workout split involves compound and isolation exercises and requires training multiple muscle groups, the push-pull workouts can take longer to complete than the conventional workouts.
The push-pull split is not ideal for beginners.
This training split can be exhausting, as the push workouts include high-demanding exercises, such as the bench press, squat, and overhead shoulder press in the same workout.
Push, Pull, Legs Workout Split For Women
This training split takes the push-pull workout program up a notch. Although the push-pull routine was originally designed for powerlifters, many lifters didn’t appreciate training for the bench press and squat on the same day; hence, the push, pull, and leg workout split was born.
The push, pull, and leg split is a six-day workout program. It increases the training volume of the basic push-pull regimen by a massive 50%. This training split is best suited for advanced female lifters, as the trainers will only get one day to recover from their workouts.
Although you could do the push, pull, and leg split three days a week, you would have to increase the volume and intensity significantly, which will not only make the workouts more exhausting but would also considerably increase your risk of injury.
Day 1
Push
Day 2
Pull
Day 3
Legs
Day 4
Push
Day 5
Pull
Day 6
Legs
Day 7
Rest
Since you have two training sessions in this workout split for each muscle group, you don’t have to do the three big lifts in each workout. Do them at the beginning of the training week and resort to accessory movements for the remaining three workout sessions.
Pay close attention to the number of sets and reps in the workouts below.
Push Workout 1
The first exercises of the first three training days of the week will be strength-focused, meaning you’ll be doing one to five reps of the exercises for three to five sets using 80-90% of your one-rep max. You must only perform these big lifts with a spotter.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Bench Press
3-5
1-5
Incline Dumbbell Press
3
8-12
Cable Crossover
3
8-12
Behind-the-Neck Shoulder Press
3
8-12
Weighted Dips
3
8-12
Lying Leg Raise
3
8-12
Rest for three to five minutes for the strength-focused exercises. You must, however, limit the rest between sets to 60 seconds for the remaining lifts to ensure optimal training intensity for inducing hypertrophy.
Pull Workout 1
You are allowed a five-minute rest after the strength-focused exercise to reset and prepare for the high-rep workout. Track your workouts (sets, reps, and weights) in a journal to ensure you’re hitting your goals and are progressively overloading your muscles in each training session.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Deadlift
3-5
1-5
Dumbbell Curl
3
8-12
Lat Pulldown
3
8-12
Bent-Over Barbell Row
3
8-12
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise
3
8-12
Upright Row
3
8-12
Leg Workout 1
You could rejig the exercises in this workout if you prefer doing quad-focused accessory lifts before the hamstring-focused movements.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Squat
3-5
1-5
Leg Extension
3
8-12
Leg Curl
3
8-12
Romanian Deadlift
3
8-12
Leg Press
3
8-12
Leg Press Calf Raise
3
8-12
Push Workout 2
Use advanced training principles, such as super sets, drop sets, and intra-set stretching in the second half of the push, pull, and leg training split to push up your training intensity. You must use a weight that allows you to perform each exercise with a picture-perfect form.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Bench Press
3
8-12
Decline Barbell Press
3
8-12
Pec Deck Fly
3
8-12
Arnold Press
3
8-12
Barbell Skull Crusher
3
8-12
Cable Crunch
3
8-12
Pull Workout 2
We encourage using different hand grips on these exercises each week (supinated, pronated, and neutral) to train your muscles from different angles. It will help induce hypertrophy and keep your workouts interesting.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Deficit Deadlift
3
8-12
Cable Biceps Curl
3
8-12
Seated Cable Row
3
8-12
Inverted Row
3
8-12
Dumbbell Front Raise
3
8-12
Barbell Shrug
3
8-12
Leg Workout 2
Feel free to swap the accessory exercises in the second workouts for the week to address any lagging muscle groups.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Box Squat
3
8-12
Walking Lunge
3
8-12
Leg Curl
3
8-12
Stiff-Legged Deadlift
3
8-12
Hip Thrust
3
8-12
Standing Calf Raise
3
8-12
Benefits of Push-Pull-Legs Workout Splits
Performing the push-pull-legs training split has the following pros:
It is one of the best workout splits for powerlifting enthusiasts. Furthermore, bodybuilders can use this 12-week program to improve their overall strength without compromising on their muscle mass.
This six-day training split allows you to focus on each muscle group twice a week.
A high-volume and intensity training regimen that is incredibly effective for breaking through plateaus.
The push-pull-legs training split can accommodate many modifications to suit the lifter.
Drawbacks of Push-Pull-Legs Workout Splits
Performing the push-pull-legs training split has the following cons:
A six-day training regimen that is best left to advanced lifters.
Not enough recovery time, especially for lifters pushing their limits on this training regimen.
The push-pull-legs workout split can take longer to complete than all the other training splits listed in this article.
Bro-Split Workout Split For Women
We know what you are thinking. Yes, we were kind of dissing the bro-split at the beginning of this article. However, if your goal is to build muscle mass, you cannot go wrong with this training split.
The standard bro-split is a six-day training program that includes training each muscle group once weekly. It allows you to train each muscle with ample volume and intensity to induce hypertrophy.
You could modify the workout split depending on your personal goals and preferences. For example, ladies with weaker lower bodies should begin their training week with a leg workout instead of a chest session. Restructure your workouts according to your needs.
Day 1
Chest
Day 2
Back
Day 3
Shoulders
Day 4
Biceps
Day 5
Triceps
Day 6
Legs
Day 7
Rest
Avoid training two large muscle groups on consecutive days, such as legs and back. Have at least 48 hours between large muscle group workouts to ensure optimal rest and recovery. It also reduces your risk of injury.
Chest Workout
Many lifters leave gains on the table by following a restricted range of motion. It limits your muscle fiber engagement and leads to suboptimal gains. Use a weight that allows you to follow a full ROM.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Barbell Bench Press
3
8-12
Incline Dumbbell Press
3
8-12
Decline Dumbbell Fly
3
8-12
Dips
3
8-12
Cable Crossover
3
8-12
Decline Crunch
3
8-12
Back Workout
During your back workouts, focus on driving through your elbows. Pulling the weight using your biceps can remove tension from your back and put it on your guns. Use a false (thumbless) grip where possible to limit biceps engagement. You could also experiment with using lifting straps to limit forearm stimulation.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Deadlift
3
8-12
Bent-Over Barbell Row
3
8-12
Lat Pulldown
3
8-12
Seated Cable Row
3
8-12
Hyperextension
3
8-12
Seated Calf Raise
5
8-12
Shoulders Workout
You must include exercises for all three shoulder heads (anterior, lateral, and posterior) and the trapezius muscle to ensure overall growth.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Military Press
3
8-12
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise
3
8-12
Barbell Front Raise
3
8-12
Bent-Over Rear Delt Fly
3
8-12
Barbell Shrug
3
8-12
Cable Crunch
3
8-12
Biceps Workout
You’ll use pronated, supinated, and neutral grips in the biceps workout to ensure optimal biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis development. The forearm exercises at the end of the workout ensure you don’t leave any stone unturned.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Barbell Biceps Curl
3
8-12
Alternating Hammer Curl
3
8-12
Cable Reverse Curl
3
8-12
Machine Preacher Curl
3
8-12
Concentration Curl
3
8-12
Wrist Curl
3
8-12
Reverse Wrist Curl
3
8-12
Triceps Workout
The triceps workout in the bro-split targets all three triceps heads (long, lateral, and medial) for building horseshoe triceps.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Cable Triceps Pushdown
3
8-12
Dumbbell Overhead Extension
3
8-12
Dumbbell Kickback
3
8-12
EZ Bar Skull Crusher
3
8-12
Reverse-Grip Triceps Pushdown
3
8-12
Cable Wood Chopper
3
8-12
Legs Workout
Since this training session involves performing the squat and deadlift, you’ll have to go extra hard on this one. Ensure your pre-training nutrition is on point to make the most of these workouts.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Barbell Squat
3
8-12
Leg Extension
3
8-12
Leg Curl
3
8-12
Barbell Walking Lunge
3
8-12
Romanian Deadlift
3
8-12
Standing Calf Raise
5
8-12
Benefits of a Bro-Split Workout Regimen
Sticking to the bro-split allows you to:
This workout split for women allows you to focus on a single muscle group in a training session, which can help boost your strength and muscle mass gains.
The bro-split is highly customizable and allows you to modify it according to your needs.
Since this workout focuses on a single muscle, it requires lesser time to complete than the multiple muscle group training sessions.
This is a versatile training split that can be used by beginners and advanced athletes alike.
Drawbacks of a Bro-Split Workout Regimen
The bro-split regimen has the following cons:
Since you’ll be training six days a week, it gives your muscles limited time to recover.
Folks with a busy schedule might have difficulty sticking to the six days a week training split.
Factors To Consider While Choosing a Workout Split For Women
You must consider the following factors before choosing a workout split:
Experience Levels
You must always choose a training split that is fitting for your experience level. For example, beginners should stay away from the push, pull, and leg training split and instead favor the full-body training regimen.
Further; you must adjust your training intensity and volume based on your experience. Choosing a training split based on your experience level helps streamline your progress and reduces your risk of injury in the gym.
Goals
Setting a goal before starting a training program gives you a road map. Lifters that want to build strength should opt for the push, pull, and legs training split, ladies that want to build a chiseled figure should go for the bro-split, and the women that want to hit the gym for overall fitness should stick to the full-body workouts.
Time
You should choose a training program that will fit into your lifestyle. Choosing a workout split that necessitates you to go to the gym six times a week, but you can only fit in four workouts per week is a recipe for failure. You will likely lose motivation and drop out before achieving your fitness goals.
Focus Muscle Groups
Many exercisers join a gym to improve a particular muscle group. Some ladies want a bigger booty, whereas others might want shapely arms. If you want bigger muscles, you’ll be better off choosing a training split that allows you to focus on a particular muscle group, like the bro split.
Other training splits that involve training a muscle group twice weekly, such as the push-pull regimen, can also come in handy for fixing muscle and strength imbalances.
Tips For Workout Split For Women
The following tips will help you maximize your results:
Be Open to Trial and Error
Even after you spend days reviewing the pros and cons of a workout split, the program you choose might not work for you — which is perfectly fine. Choosing the right workout split requires trial and error. Give your training split 12 weeks to work its magic. If you’re unhappy with your results, move on to something different. Ensure that you implement the learning from the previous workout split into the new one.
Nutrition and Recovery
Whether you want to build strength or carve a Greek goddess-like figure, you must back up your workout regimen with a balanced and proven nutrition and recovery program. Follow a macronutrient-focused diet to ensure you are meeting your daily protein, carbs, and fat goals. Ladies trying to gain muscle should stay in a calorie surplus, whereas those trying to shed the spare tire should be in a calorie deficit.
Plus, you must ensure you are giving your muscles enough time to rest and recuperate from your workouts. Sleep seven to eight hours each night to ensure you are properly rested for your upcoming workouts. We recommend using sports nutrition supplements to speed up your recovery process between workouts. Alternatively, you could lower your training frequency if you experience chronic muscular fatigue or soreness.
Seek Guidance
Starting a workout split can be intimidating, especially for beginners. Plus, performing the exercises with an incorrect form can increase your risk of injury. Hiring a personal trainer can help shorten your learning curve and fast-track your progress.
Stay Consistent
Consistency is key in any training program. You must stick to a suitable workout split for at least 12 weeks to achieve your desired results. Avoid skipping training sessions unless absolutely necessary.
Warm Up and Cool Down
Spend 5-10 minutes performing a mix of dynamic and static stretching exercises before each training session. It helps improves your flexibility and mobility and reduces your risk of injury. Furthermore, spend 5-10 minutes cooling down after a workout to kickstart your recovery process.
More Workout Splits:
FAQs
What is the ideal workout split for women?The ideal workout split will depend on your training goal, experience, time availability, and if you have any muscle groups that you want to focus on. With that said, beginner trainers will be better off starting with a full-body workout regimen; intermediate lifters can try the push-pull workout split, and advanced lifters should go for the push, pull, and legs regimen.
Can you alter a workout split?You could switch the exercises in the workout splits mentioned above to better suit your training needs. However, we advise against tinkering with the foundations of a workout split. For example, you should not combine the push and pulls workouts in the push, pull, and leg routine.
Which workout split for women is best for weight loss?Ladies trying to shed excess body fat should opt for the full-body HIIT workout listed in this article. HIIT workouts force your body to use energy from fat instead of carbs, making losing fat more efficient.
Wrapping Up
Congratulations, ladies! You are now equipped with everything you need to know to pick the most effective workout split for yourself and begin your journey to get fit and fabulous. We have also included a sample workout with each workout split, making starting your workout regimen as frictionless as possible.
Nonetheless, fine-tuning a training split to fit your needs might require some trial and error. Stay patient and consistent; work hard, and the results will follow. Best of luck!
References
Yue FL, Karsten B, Larumbe-Zabala E, Seijo M, Naclerio F. Comparison of 2 weekly-equalized volume resistance-training routines using different frequencies on body composition and performance in trained males. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2018 May;43(5):475-481. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0575. Epub 2017 Dec 7. PMID: 29216446.
Lasevicius T, Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Laurentino G, Tavares LD, Tricoli V. Similar Muscular Adaptations in Resistance Training Performed Two Versus Three Days Per Week. J Hum Kinet. 2019 Aug 21;68:135-143. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2019-0062. PMID: 31531139; PMCID: PMC6724585.
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
Quadriceps Stretch Guide: How-To, Muscles Involved, Benefits, and Variations
Pesty tight quads can wreak havoc not just on the front thigh but the effects can also be felt in the lower back, knees, and even the hip flexors. It’s an issue that many of us ignore but the good news is the quadriceps stretch is one way to prevent, combat, and reverse those ailing pains and aches.
Consisting of five individual muscles, the quadriceps are a complex, yet powerful muscle group crucial for performance, posture, and well-being. So you don’t want to be caught with stiff quads, and it’s even more imperative with our modern minimally active lifestyles.
Check out our prime quadriceps example, and the best variations for all experience levels.
Muscles Involved During Quadriceps Stretches
While not a muscle-building or strengthening exercise, the goal of quadriceps stretch is to create healthier and more functional leg muscles. Here’s some anatomy on the quadriceps thigh muscles.
Quadriceps
The quadriceps is a significant muscle group covering the front part of your upper leg between the hips and knees. Although, the quad fibers cross both of the aformentioned joints, of which the quads muscle group performs functions such as knee extension and hip flexion.
It was previously believed that the quadriceps was made up of four individual heads, hence the word ‘quad’. However, more recently, a fifth muscle was identified as part of the quadriceps.
Five quad muscles
Rectus femoris
Vastus lateralis
Vastus medialis
Vastus intermedius
Tensor of the vastus intermedius
How To Do The Quadriceps Stretch
While it may appear easy in a video instructional, or seem simple in your mind, the quadriceps stretch is actually a little challenging, but worth the effort.
Below we’ll show you one version of the quadriceps stretch, but keep in mind there are several ways to achieve a nice stretch in your anterior thigh muscles.
Steps
Drop down on your knees and keep your body tall and upright (tall kneeling position).
Keep one knee down, then bring the other leg forward at a 90-degree angle, and plant your foot flat on the floor.
Reach behind and grab your rear foot, then pull it into your butt. Keep your body upright, and don’t lean forward. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then relax and repeat a few more times. You should feel a nice stretch in your quadriceps!
Don’t forget to alternate your leg position, and make sure to stretch both sides equally.
Watch the following video example to see a demonstration of the quadriceps stretch.
Tips
Use a looped resistance band, belt, or similar object if flexibility is an issue.
Try to keep your body upright or only slightly leaned forward, but do not lean too far forward.
If this variation doesn’t suit you, try some of the other variations.
This Exercise
Target Muscle Group/s: Quadriceps
Type: Stretch
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Cushioned surface, exercise mat
Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
Benefits of Quadriceps Stretch
Stretching, in general, has many proven benefits. In fact, it’s necessary that we all do some form of stretching.
Reverse tight quads from prolonged sitting
With our modern, tech heavy lifestyles, we do more sitting than ever before. Too much and we risk the quads becoming tight and even shortened. This can cause injuries, and will most certainly affect maximal physical performance.
Prevent or fix lower back and knee pain
Tense front thigh muscles can cause lower back as well as knee pain. In fact, not stretching often causes many issues that people have, but they never realize what’s causing it. Better to stretch regularly to stave off future problems.
Avoid or correct muscle imbalances
You probably didn’t know that tight quads can weaken the opposite hamstring muscles on the rear thigh, creating muscle imbalances that affect both function and appearance. This will also ramp up the chance of injury, and limit mobility. You may also notice discomfort in your hips like tightness and pain.
Stronger legs
Muscle tightness can lead to muscle weakness. When it comes to the quadriceps it’s not only the quads that are affected but so are the hamstrings on the rear thigh.
Maintain healthy posture
Tight muscles can limit our ability to maintain a good posture for obvious reasons. It limits our natural range of movement, and how we move and perform. The muscles in our bodies flex and move the joints, allowing us to move.
Drawbacks of Quadriceps Stretch
Here are some potential negatives of the quadriceps stretch.
More challenging than meets the eye
Even people who exercise regularly may underestimate the quads stretch. In fact, if it’s not something you do often, get down on the floor and try it… not so easy eh? That’s because the quads stretch requires a little balance, and flexibility. It may even feel a little painful, if you have tight quads, or do the movement on a hard surface.
Of course, as suggested, you can also use a looped resistance band, which is always handy to have around anyway!
Should follow warm-up activities
While it’s shouldn’t be a huge deal, we do always recommend warming up your muscles before stretching. That means 5-10 minutes of light activity such as walking at a decent pace, or doing your workout first before stretching. This could be an inconvenience for those who want to hop right into stretching.
Common Mistakes When Performing Quadriceps Stretch
There are lots of things you can do wrong when performing a quadriceps stretch. Here are some quick tips on technique dont’s.
Stretching cold quads
Many health publications agree that it’s better to stretch a muscle, especially intensively, following warmup activities (1, 2). A cold muscle that’s suddenly and intensely stretched could cause injury. So it’s better to do some walking, or workout first, then stretch your quads.
Pulling the leg out
While it may not be dangerous, and you’ll still stretch the quads, it’s better to pull the leg straight back, not out sideways to your body. You’ll also get a deeper stretch in the meatier part of the quads this way, and it’s just the recommend technique.
Arching your lower back
While you may get the same depth of stretch if you arch your back, this just places a lot of unnecessary stress on your lower back. It may not be intentional, but you want to avoid doing this.
Not stretching evenly
You should take stretching seriously, as you would other forms of training techniques. That means you should aim to stretch each leg with the same pressure, and duration. So, if you stretch one side for twenty seconds, make sure to do the same on the other side. And apply an equal amount of pressure.
Bounce stretching
Also known as ballistic stretching, we don’t recommend bouncy, jerking stretch motions for the quads, or any muscle. There’s too much injury risk and it’s not necessary for general stretching. Instead, static stretching is a better option, pulling the muscle into a stretched position, and holding it there (3).
Quadriceps Stretch Variations
If you don’t like the quadriceps variation shown as the primary example for this guide, or if you like to change things up, check out these other options.
We also included this top 5 quads stretch video below that demonstrates and explains many of the variations in this section.
Standing Quadriceps Stretch
Perhaps the most popular variation, the standing quadriceps stretch is also the most convenient. It’s a great way to stretch between workout sets, while you’re moving about, after a run, or during sports play. You can do it wherever you’re standing, which we can’t say about the following quad stretch exercises.
Steps
Stand up straight with your feet close together. You can hold onto something for balance support, if needed.
Lift one foot up behind you and grab it with the same side hand. You should be standing on one leg.
Pull straight back and feel the stretch in your quads!
Switch and repeat.
Side Lying Quadriceps Stretch
If balance is a problem, or you just prefer to stretch in a more relaxed position without thinking, the side lying quads stretch is best. It basically replicates the standing quads stretch except you’re on the floor now.
Steps
Grab a foam roller, pillow, or something to rest your head on for neck support.
Lie on your side with your head propped up, and bottom arm in a comfortable position, not laying on it.
Bend the top leg, reach back and grab your foot and pull it back.
Turn to the other side and so the same thing.
Prone Quads Stretch
This time we’re going face down to get a soothing thigh stretch. Sometimes, changing your body position can be therapeutic in itself, encouraging regular stretching, or being the preferred quadriceps stretch method.
Steps
Grab a light resistance band, belt, dog leash, sheet, or something similar that’s long enough to wrap around your foot while holding the other end in a prone position.
Get down on your knees, then loop the band around the top of one foot. Hold the other end of the band in the same side hand, then as you lie face down, pull the band over your shoulder and hold it there.
Pull the band to stretch your quads, using both hands if needed. Hold the position for 10 seconds, relax, and repeat a few more times.
Repeat the previous steps on the other leg, wrapping the band around the opposite foot.
Make sure to alternate sides to stretch both legs.
Quads Wall / Couch Stretch
To hit more of the rectus femoris quad muscle, this hip flexor stretch commonly performed against the wall or on a bench height object works great.
Steps
Set up in front of an object about level with the lower part of your butt. A bench, stacked mats, couch, box or even a wall can work.
Assume a half kneeling position with one knee on the floor and the same side foot propped up on the object. Place your other leg in front of you with your foot flat on the ground.
Keep your body tall and upright, and simply feel the stretch. The closer your knee is to the object, the more pronounced the stretch in your anterior thigh.
Wrapping Up
If you read through this training guide, you’re probably in need of a good quadriceps stretch. But you’ve also learned about the benefits, what causes tight quads, side effects of tense thigh muscles, and how to maximize the stretch to become a healthier and more functional individual.
Stretching is a non-negotiable form of body maintenance and we all need more of it to keep doing what we enjoy whether that’s performing, or maintaining physical mobility.
2023 Pittsburgh Pro Results and Scorecards (Live Updates)
One of the most celebrated contests on the IFBB Pro League schedule, the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro, takes place on May 12-13 in Pittsburgh PA. This show holds special significance due to NPC President and IFBB Pro League Chairman Jim Manion’s name being attached to it.
The Pittsburgh Pro serves as a qualifier for 2023 Mr. Olympia, taking place Nov. 2-5, in Orlando, Florida. Six divisions were featured at the event this weekend: Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Women’s Physique, Figure, Bikini, and Wellness.
There are a number of returning champions eager to prove themselves once again. Among them is Natalia Abraham Coelho, the current 2022 Women’s Physique Olympia who recently dethroned Sarah Villegas.
Bikini legend Ashley Kaltwasser will look to make it four titles in Pittsburgh. She recently placed third at 2022 Olympia and is a three-time Olympia Bikini titleholder. Fans also expect an exciting performance from Kassandra Gillis, who is the current Arnold Classic Wellness champion.
A comprehensive preview of the event can be found here. With a star-studded guest-posing lineup on deck, this weekend promises to be a memorable one.
Check out the results of the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro below:
2023 Pittsburgh Pro Winners
Classic Physique: Michael Daboul
Men’s Physique: Coming Soon!
Women’s Physique: Natalia Abraham Coelho
Figure: Cherish Richardson
Bikini: Coming Soon!
Wellness: Gisele Machado
2023 Pittsburgh Pro Results
Classic Physique
During prejudging and finals, Michael Deboul and Eric Wildberger Lisboa cemented themselves as frontrunners. Both men brought exceptional upper body development and top-notch conditioning. While many fans online deemed it a toss-up, the judges awarded Michael Daboul with the victory.
Winner — Michael Daboul
Second Place — Eric Wildberger
Third Place — Alexander Westermeier
Fourth Place — Daniil Famponte
Fifth Place — Camilo Diaz
Sixth Place — Tomas Adame-Hernandez
Seventh Place — Brandon Cooper
Eighth Place — Rob Van Sant
Ninth Place — Kendahl Richmond
Tenth Place — Munkhsaruul Altangerel
Women’s Physique
Winner — Natalia Abraham Coelho
Second Place — Emily Schubert
Third Place — Amandine Kolly
Fourth Place — Joseli Schoenherr
Fifth Place — Marie-Solange Essoh
Sixth Place —
Seventh Place —
Eighth Place —
Ninth Place —
Tenth Place —
Figure
Winner — Cherish Richardson
Second Place — Natalia Soltero
Third Place — Maria Luisa Baeza Diaz Pereira
Fourth Place — Erika Morales Morgan
Fifth Place — Madison Dinges
Sixth Place — Manon Dutilly
Seventh Place — Jennifer Zienert
Eighth Place — Ashley Howells
Ninth Place — Ashley Radiance Fuller
Tenth Place — Paula Ranta
Wellness
Winner — Gisele Machado
Second Place — Kassandra Gillis
Third Place — Lili Dong
Fourth Place — Tefani-Sam Razhi
Fifth Place — Jennifer Zollars
Sixth Place —
Seventh Place —
Eighth Place —
Ninth Place —
Tenth Place —
Men’s Physique
Coming Soon!
Bikini
Coming Soon!
2023 Pittsburgh Pro Scorecards
Coming Soon!
Fitness Volt congratulates the winners on their major victories!
Published: 12 May, 2023 | 9:42 PM EDT
2023 Pittsburgh Pro Scorecards
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Strongman Brian Shaw Shows Off Superhuman Strength By Rolling Up Frying Pan
Legendary Strongman veteran Brian Shaw is nearing the end of his professional career after making his final appearance at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man last month. During his career which has lasted over a decade, Brian has displayed some incredible feats of strength. However, he just decided to play around with some cooking utensils and amaze everyone with his strength once again. So, in a recent post made on Instagram, Shaw showed off his incredible power by banding and folding a frying pan with his bare hands.
Brian Shaw is one of the most successful athletes in the history of Strongman competition. However, it all started on the regional circuit in late 2005. Following this, Brian continued to work his way up, finally qualifying for the World’s Strongest Man show in 2008. His debut was not particularly successful, but Brian turned in a strong performance at his second WSM in 2009 having taken the bronze medal. Just two years later in 2011, Shaw cemented his place in the record books as the first man to win both the Arnold Strongman Classic and the WSM contest in the same year. He repeated the feat by winning both trophies once again in 2015. To this day, only Hafthor Bjornsson and Mitchell Hooper have managed to replicate this feat.
Brian Shaw (Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man)
In July 2022, Shaw unveiled the humongous gym he designed to train for Strongman events. The facility consisted of custom-made equipment to allow for the larger athletes to fit into the machines. Another purpose of the custom machinery was to be able to add more weight as well. While he made space for cardio equipment, he favored spending more time working on the weights. Then, after some practice, he left the fans in awe of his crazy strength by pushing a 2,000 pound (907.18-kg) car on the leg press in preparation for the 2022 Shaw Classic.
Shaw switched gears to test out a vegan diet last September. He managed to devour over 9,000 calories solely from vegan food items in a single day. Since he had been consuming a red meat-based diet, he reported trouble digesting the different plant-based items.
Earlier this year, Brian Shaw announced that the 2023 World’s Strongest Man would mark his final WSM appearance. He was confident going into the show and targeted adding another title under his belt to equal the record for the winningest athlete in the history of the competition. Then, he declared he would step away from professional competition after competing at the 2023 Shaw Classic.
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Unfortunately, Shaw revealed he suffered a harsh leg injury while gearing up for the 2023 World’s Strongest Man last month. He had picked up a severe infection that risked him losing his leg. Fortunately, the infection got operated on in time before it spread too much.
Eventually, Shaw finished seventh at the WSM, which concluded with the win of Mitchell Hooper. Shaw, however, set a new record on the stone-offs and appeared content with the performance.
Brian Shaw rolled up a frying pan with his bare hands
In a recent Instagram post, Brian Shaw destroyed a frying pan using only his bare hands. Brian performed this feat of strength in front of a bunch of school kids, hoping to inspire them to chase their goals. In addition, judging by the caption of his post, Brian folded multiple frying pans and gave them to the kids as a souvenir.
Brian Shaw opened up on completing his last WSM showing last week. He gave his experience of going through each event and urged the organizers to change the standards for refereeing.
Published: 12 May, 2023 | 6:25 PM EDT
6x Fittest Woman On Earth Tia-Clair Toomey Announces Arrival of Baby Girl
Although it appears that Tia-Clair Toomey just announced her pregnancy yesterday, many months have passed since that announcement. Toomey grew increasingly excited with each passing month leading up to this moment, and now she has finally reached what many consider to be the best day of their lives. On May 9th, 2023 Tia-Clair Toomey gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and became a mother.
Tia-Clair Toomey shared the exciting news on her Instagram on May 12th alongside a picture of her newborn. She revealed that the baby girl’s name is Willow Clair Orr and pointed out how much of her father’s facial features she already has. In addition, Tia-Clair pointed out just how emotional she got while holding her daughter for the first time.
“On Tuesday, the 9th of May, our lives were forever changed as we welcomed our precious baby girl, Willow Clair Orr.
From the moment we held her in our arms, we were overwhelmed with emotions. The joy and awe we felt are indescribable. Yes, there were moments of pain during the labor stage, but as the saying goes, nothing great comes without pain.”
Related: Tia-Clair Toomey Unveils Full Day of Eating During Pregnancy
Tia-Clair Toomey’s Future In CrossFit
Shortly before announcing her pregnancy, Tia-Clair Toomey made it clear that she wants to get her seventh CrossFit Games title. So, that had to be put on pause, but many hope that Tia-Clair will continue chasing this goal next season.
While she did not confirm anything yet, judging by the caption of her Instagram post, Tia-Clair Toomey seems even more inspired after giving birth to her daughter.
“This remarkable experience has brought about a newfound clarity and an extra drive within me.
Her arrival has filled my heart with an overwhelming love and renewed purpose, igniting a fire within me to pursue my goals with even greater determination.”
It’s clear that Tia-Clair Toomey is now entering a new chapter in her life as a parent. She’ll need some time to adjust and focus on her new role, so it may be a while before she can make plans for her athletic future. Parenthood can be a demanding and rewarding journey, and we wish her all the best in this new adventure.
Tia-Clair Toomey At a Glance
When Tia-Clair Toomey has her baby girl by her side, she may become even more driven, and her performances will undoubtedly be a magnificent sight to behold. She has already won six Individual CrossFit Games titles and was thus crowned the Fittest Woman On Earth. No one has ever managed to achieve this before her in either women’s or men’s divisions, as Mat Fraser was the closest with 5x Individual CrossFit Games titles.
Tia-Clair Toomey’s performances in the Rogue Invitational serve as further evidence that she is one of the greatest female athletes to ever compete in CrossFit. This is a new competition, established in 2019, but it is already one of the biggest in the sport. So, Tia-Clair has managed to win the 2019, 2020, and 2021 editions of the competition. However, she did not appear in 2022 and her title was claimed by Laura Horvath.
In addition, Tia-Clair appeared in the Rio Olympics back in 2016 in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting. So, it is obvious that there is nothing she can’t do and that she will also succeed in being a great mother.
Related: Tia-Clair Toomey Crushes a CrossFit Workout While Pregnant
Now that Tia-Clair Toomey won’t be competing this season, we will have a new women’s CrossFit Games champion for the first time since 2016. The athletes know this and are giving their all to seize the opportunity. The best one so far seems to be Mal O’Brien who won the 2023 CrossFit Open and Quarterfinals. Tia-Clair is not the only woman to withdraw from the 2023 season due to pregnancy, as Kara Saunders is also expecting a baby.
The Fitness Volt team congratulates Tia-Clair Toomey on becoming a mother and wishes her the best as she embarks on a new chapter in her life.
Published: 12 May, 2023 | 2:47 PM EDT
