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Mike Thurston Workout And Diet Routine
Mike Thurston is a fitness influencer, personal trainer and entrepreneur from the United Kingdom. He is best known in the YouTube fitness community for sharing fitness and bodybuilding related content. Thurston is also the owner of a health and fitness company. This article summarizes Mike Thurston’s biography, diet and workout routine as well as statistics.
Mike Thurston Statistics
Full Name: Mike Thurston
Weight
Height
Age
210 lbs (95 kg)
6’0″ ( 183 cm)
32 years
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Nationality
August 9, 1990
England
British
Mike Thurston Biography
Mike Thurston was born in the United Kingdom and raised in Leeds, England. He was an active kid and participated in various sports like cricket, football and athletics while growing up. However, Rugby was his true passion at the time.
He lifted weights to build a stronger physique to be able to play the sports. But weight training became Mike’s passion and he started training in his school gym to get a dream physique.
Thurston graduated with a degree in economics and management and moved to Spain to promote nightclubs and bars as a job. He returned to England and worked as a retail store manager as well. However, these jobs did not allow him to focus on the diet and training that he was so passionate about. But great genetics allowed Mike to maintain the physique irrespective of an ideal routine.
At age 22, Mike Thurston decided to pursue fitness as a career and became a certified coach a year later. Along with his friends, Mike founded a health and fitness company in Newcastle. With hard work and a brief period of struggle, the Englishman finally succeeded in the business. He also started posting enriching content on his YouTube channel to help others achieve their fitness goals. At the time of this article’s publishing, Mike Thurston’s YouTube channel has 1.43 million followers.
Mike Thurston Workout
Mike Thurston’s training philosophy revolves around doing things the right way at the right time. Many people have speculated anabolic steroid use as the reason behind Thurston’s incredible physique. However, he claims that most of the gains in his physique were made in the early to mid-20s when it is incredibly easy. He has worked hard over the last few years to maintain it with proper diet and training.
Thurston trains six days per week and his current training split includes dedicated training sessions for chest, back, shoulders, legs and arms along with HIIT training. This enables him to focus on each and every muscle group in the body and make complete gains without any leaving weak areas.
The 32-year-old makes changes to his training plan at a four to six week frequency to ensure that his body is challenged constantly and does not get complacent staying in a certain routine for an extended period of time. He performs most of the exercises for three to four sets with an 8 to 12 rep range.
A typical training week in Mike Thurston’s routine looks like this:
Monday – Chest Workout
Tuesday – Back Workout
Wednesday – Shoulder Workout
Thursday – Leg Workout
Friday – Arms Workout
Saturday – HIIT Training Routine
Sunday – Rest
Mike Thurston’s Favorite exercises for each muscle group
Mike Thurston follows an excruciatingly elaborate training plan to grow and maintain his physique. But almost everyone finds asking that one question to themselves: If I could do only one exercise for every muscle, which ones would I choose? Thurston has an answer for this question and each one of his chosen exercises have a strong logic behind them.
Chest
It is common knowledge that pressing movements are the best for developing pushing strength of the upper body. However, Thurston is a little more specific about it and feels that incline dumbbell press is his favourite chest exercise. While explaining the reason for choosing this one, the 32-year-old said:
“It just allows you a little bit more freedom of movement particularly when it comes to hand positioning and also elbow positioning… Because there is a little bit more external rotation whenever you’re doing an incline press, it’s usually a little bit more joint friendly to the shoulder.”
Back
As the old saying goes – “If you want the back to grow, you’ve gotta row!” T-Bar rows are an excellent compound movement for building a strong and thick back. In Mike Thurston’s case, T-Bar rows offer chest support and enable training without putting a lot of stress on the spine. Therefore T-Bar row is his favourite back builder.
“The reason I would choose a T-bar row over anything else is mostly because of the chest support. So the T-bar row with chest support means that I can really take my back to complete failure without my spine giving up first. That’s usually the case I found typically at my level of training experience.”
Back is a large muscle group and therefore it is impossible to work it fully with only one exercise. Therefore, Thurston’s second favourite movement is the neutral underhand grip pulldown to focus on the latissimus dorsi / lats.
Shoulders
Shoulder muscles are crucial in performing most of the upper body movements like pushing, pulling, lifting to name a few. Additionally, they are a capping element aesthetically and underdeveloped shoulders can really bring down the aesthetic appeal of a muscular physique. Therefore, developing the deltoids, especially the medial deltoids is crucial.
Machine lateral raises are Mike Thurston’s personal favorite for developing this muscle group. Since the anterior and posterior deltoid muscles are stimulated during compound pushing and pulling movements, medial deltoid is the only part that would need specific exercise.
“What I would really want to work on is the mid-delts because the physique without the mid-delts looks kind of weird. mid delts help get that v-taper and most people have pretty sh***y mid delts to be honest. So don’t neglect them.”
Additionally, Thurston would prefer doing the exercise on the machine instead of dumbbells for the following reason:
“We’re training he delts where it’s relatively strongest in the lengthened position. This is something dumbbell lateral raises won’t do. There’s minimal resistance.”
Legs
When it comes to the lower body, Mike Thurston would include three exercises, one each for the quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings. For the quads, pendulum squats would be his go-to option. Because:
“The reason why it’s so good first of all, is because of the back support, okay? Whenever I do free weight squats, whether it be front squats, back squats, I usually find this when I’m loading myself with a lot of weight, there’s a lot of tension which is going on my lower back and it’s usually my lower back that gives away before my quads. Secondly, it’s very easy for almost everybody to get to the full depth to allow for the full range of motion to occur.”
While many people claim that compound movements can be made more hamstring focused by modifying the position, foot placement etc. Mike Thurston would include seated leg curls as the hamstring isolation movement in his routine.
“First of all, it will put your body in a position where your hamstrings are naturally fully lengthened, which is great. So whenever you’re training them, there’s resistance being applied in the lengthened position and the mid-range as well which is optimal.
And finally, the glutes. If Thurston was supposed to go with only one exercise to work the glutes, he would go with the Smith machine Bulgarian split squats. Using the Smith machine eliminates the need to control the weight as it moves along a fixed trajectory.
Arms – Single Arm Preacher Curls (Biceps) and Crossover Cable Triceps Extensions (Triceps)
Preacher curls are arguably the most effective movement for bicep isolation as the arm is firmly pressed against the pad. There are very few exercises that come anywhere close to this movement for bicep development. Needless to say, this is Thurston’s favorite bicep exercise as well. He says:
“The reason why I would choose a single arm is because it is more joint friendly… And I would choose preacher curl because it offers that support. It eliminates any cheating or any rocking or any of your torso or even movement of the elbow joint.”
Full elbow flexion and stability in the shoulder joint are two of the most important criteria for triceps activation. Crossover cable triceps extensions check both these boxes and occupy the spot of favorite triceps exercise in Thurston’s training routine.
“I like this because of the good profile, the good resistance profile. You train the triceps in the lengthened mid-position. The majority of the resistance is going to be here in the lengthened position, the mid position and then the resistance tapers off in the shortened position when it’s relatively weaker. So that’s ideal. And secondly, the angle at which I’m going to be pulling is a lot more joint friendly at the elbow.”
Mike Thurston Diet
Mike Thurston follows a strict diet plan and does not deviate from it unless there is a strong reason. He rarely indulges in cheat meals that do nothing beyond satisfying the taste buds. Needless to say, his muscular physique is an outcome of things done right in the gym as well as in the kitchen.
To fuel growth and avoid feeling too hungry or too full at any given time of the day, Mike Thurston eats six small meals spaced out throughout the day. His day starts fairly early but the 32-year-old avoids consuming anything other than plain water for the first three to four hours, especially coffee. He explained the reason for adapting this practise in one of the videos on his YouTube channel and said:
“If you have coffee the first thing in the morning when you wake up, you’re going to get an afternoon slump which actually makes a lot of sense because I was always getting a chronic afternoon slump and I think it most likely has been down to the fact that I would just crumble myself with coffee…” Thurston said, quoting noted neuroscientist Andrew Huberman.
Lan meats, eggs, vegetables and fresh fruits are the primary constituents of Mike Thurston’s diet. He avoids consuming dairy products and relies on almond milk, oat milk and peanut butter instead. When it comes to veggies, nothing is off the table.
“One of the most satisfying foods, Satiating is that feeling of fullness, is the white potato… The basic, boring white potato is the most satiating food. So get them into your diet, particularly if you are cutting and you’re hungry,” Mike Thurston advised in one of his YouTube videos.
A typical day of eating in Mike Thurston’s routine looks like this:
Meal 1
4-Egg Omelet
1 Slice of Bacon
½ Avocado
Veggies including Tomatoes, Onions and Mushrooms
Meal 2
1 cup of Oatmeal with Peanut Butter and Honey
Fresh Fruits Including Blueberries and Raspberries
1 Cup of Almond Milk
Meal 3
1 Scoop of Vegan Protein Powder with Oat Milk and Fruits
Meal 4
Teriyaki Salmon
Brown Rice
Steamed Broccoli
Meal 5
Brown Rice Cracker
1 Banana
Meal 6
Minced Beef
Baked Potatoes
Green Beans
To Conclude
Mike Thurston’s success story shows that you don’t have to get stuck doing things that don’t give you satisfaction. Pursuing your dreams is the risk worth taking if you are really passionate about doing something.
The Best Supraspinatus Stretching and Strengthening Exercises
Few things will disrupt your workouts like shoulder pain. Painful shoulders can stop you from training your upper body and even interfere with your lower body workouts. Benching and squatting with bad shoulders is especially unpleasant.
Painful shoulders can also affect your ability to perform everyday tasks, from brushing your teeth to pulling on your favorite T-shirt. And sleeping on your side when your shoulders hurt? Forget about it!
And yet, despite being so debilitating, a lot of lifters pound their joints with constant abuse and only worry about the health of their shoulders when they start to go wrong. Needless to say, if you have chronic shoulder pain, you have already neglected them for too long.
The good news is that it’s never too late to start working on your shoulder health, and many types of shoulder pain can be treated with targeted stretching and strengthening exercises.
In this article, we reveal the best stretching and strengthening exercises for the supraspinatus muscle, which is part of your rotator cuff.
Please Note: This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnosing or treating health problems or diseases. Those seeking medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.
Supraspinatus Anatomy Basics
The supraspinatus is one of four muscles that make up your rotator cuff. The other three muscles as the subscapularis, infraspinatus, and teres minor. The rotator cuff is found interior to (beneath) your deltoids and is responsible for stabilizing and controlling your shoulder joint.
Supraspinatus is located below the trapezius and toward the rear scapular region. It originates from the supraspinous fossa of the scapular and inserts onto the greater tubercle of the humerus. Its name reveals its position, and the supraspinatus lies along the superior (supra-) spine (-spinatus) of the scapula or shoulder blade.
During shoulder movements, the supraspinatus helps stabilize the head of the humerus in the glenoid fossa or socket. It also plays a role in the abduction of the arm and assists the medial deltoid in raising your arm up and away from the midline of your body.
Many rotator cuff injuries start with problems affecting the supraspinatus. As such, strengthening and stretching this muscle may help prevent future shoulder pain and may be necessary for rehabbing existing injuries – with medical supervision, of course!
5 Best Supraspinatus Stretches
A tight supraspinatus can cause shoulder pain and dysfunction. Common causes of supraspinatus tightness include using a keyboard for a long time, especially without supporting your arms, driving long distances, and repetitive overhead movements, such as painting a ceiling, swimming, or strength training.
Muscle tightness impedes blood flow, leading to an accumulation of waste products within the muscle, causing tension and pain.
Use the following exercises to stretch your supraspinatus and restore it to its correct resting length.
1. Pendulum stretch
The supraspinatus is located toward the rear of your shoulder. As such, pulling your arm forward will provide this muscle with a beneficial stretch. The pendulum stretch is good for your entire shoulder complex, especially the posterior compartment. This exercise is often part of rotator cuff rehab and prehab prescriptions.
Steps:
Rest one arm on a bench or chair and lean forward so your upper body is just above parallel to the floor.
Let your other arm hang down from your shoulder.
Keep your shoulder and arm relaxed and gently circle clockwise, counterclockwise, forward, and back.
Continue for 30-60 seconds, and then swap arms.
Muscles targeted:
Supraspinatus, posterior deltoid, rhomboids, trapezius.
Benefits:
A gentle, decompressing exercise for the entire posterior shoulder region.
Good for increasing general shoulder mobility.
Increases blood flow and synovial fluid production to ease shoulder pain and enhance healing.
Tips:
Increase your range of movement as your shoulder loosens up.
You can also do this exercise while holding a light dumbbell to achieve a deeper stretch.
Keep your neck and lower back neutral for comfort and safety.
2. Cross-body arm stretch
The cross-body arm stretch is a passive exercise that elongates your supraspinatus and other posterior shoulder and arm muscles. Pull gently to avoid overstretching your muscles and causing more harm than good. Constant pressure is always better than jerky movements.
Steps:
Seated or standing, place one hand on your opposite shoulder and lightly grip your arm just above your elbow joint.
Pull your arm across your body until you feel a mild stretch in the back of your shoulder.
Hold for 30-60 seconds, and then relax.
Repeat on the opposite aide for the same duration.
Muscles targeted:
Supraspinatus, posterior deltoid, rhomboids, trapezius, triceps.
Benefits:
A very convenient exercise that you can do almost anywhere and anytime.
A very gentle exercise that’s ideal for anyone suffering from shoulder pain.
A useful shoulder cool-down exercise.
Tips:
Do this stretch to break up long periods of sitting.
Increase the depth of the stretch as you feel your muscles relax.
Raise or lower your elbow to seek out areas of tightness.
3. Seated table slide
Prolonged sitting is one of the worst things you can do for your shoulder health. The longer you remain in a fixed position, e.g., while working at a computer, the tighter your muscles become. The good news is that you can release your shoulders and stretch your supraspinatus without leaving your desk.
Steps:
Sit at a table or desk.
Place a small towel on your desk and place your hand on it so your palm faces downward.
Lean forward and slide the towel as far away from you as possible.
Hold the deepest comfortable stretch for 30-60 seconds, and then relax.
Sit back up, swap sides, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Supraspinatus, deltoids, latissimus dorsi, triceps, trapezius, rhomboids.
Benefits:
An excellent way to break up long periods of sitting.
A deep yet relaxing upper body stretch.
Very good for improving posture and releasing tension from your shoulders.
Tips:
Move your chair backward if your desk is not big enough to get a full stretch.
You can also do this exercise with both arms at the same time.
Do this exercise standing at a kitchen countertop.
4. Arm behind the back supraspinatus stretch
This exercise is quite intense, so ease into it and don’t stretch too far too fast. However, the position of your arm means you’ll get a deep stretch in your supraspinatus, medial deltoid, and upper traps. Use your non-working arm to increase the depth of the stretch.
Steps:
Place the arm you want to stretch behind your back. Grip your wrist with your other hand.
Gently pull your arm across to increase the depth of the stretch.
Hold for 30-60 seconds, and then relax.
Swap sides and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Supraspinatus, deltoids, trapezius.
Benefits:
You can use your free arm to get a deeper, more intense stretch.
One of a few stretches to take your upper arm into adduction.
A good way to preferentially target the supraspinatus.
Tips:
Make sure you keep your shoulders down and relaxed throughout.
Tilt your head to the side you are pulling to increase the depth of the stretch.
Hold a towel or band behind you if you find gripping your wrist uncomfortable.
5. Seated hug shoulder stretch
The great thing about this simple stretch is that you can do it at your desk, while sitting in your car in traffic, or during a TV ad break. As such, you can do it anytime you feel your shoulders or upper back starting to tighten up. Do it whenever you want to release some tension but can’t get up and move around to do more complex stretches.
Steps:
Cross your arms over your chest like you are hugging yourself. Put your hands on your upper back. It doesn’t matter which hand is uppermost.
Walk your fingers toward the middle of your upper back to increase the stretch.
Hold for 30-60 seconds, and then relax.
Muscles targeted:
Supraspinatus, deltoids, trapezius, rhomboids.
Benefits:
A very accessible exercise that’s ideal for beginners.
Feels good!
Great for releasing tension from your upper back and shoulders.
Tips:
Raise or lower your elbows to seek out and treat areas of tightness.
Walk your hands further around your back as your muscles begin to relax.
Visualize spreading your shoulder blades to achieve a deeper stretch.
5 Best Supraspinatus Strengthening Exercises
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and for many lifters, their weakest link is the rotator cuff. This small but crucial group of muscles takes a lot of abuse and can easily become inflamed and damaged. Torn rotator cuffs can take months, if not years, to heal.
Needless to say, prevention is better than cure, and building a resilient rotator cuff could save you a lot of missed workouts.
Use the following exercises to beef up your supraspinatus. While this won’t add a lot to your physique, it will help keep you in the gym and out of your doctor’s office.
1. Side lying lateral raise
One of the main functions of the supraspinatus is the initiation of upper arm abduction. In other words, it’s the muscle that gets your arm moving away from your body. As your arm starts to move, the more powerful medial deltoids take over. This exercise puts more stress on the supraspinatus than it does on the medial delts.
Steps:
Lie on your side so your hips and shoulders are square. Hold a light dumbbell in your uppermost hand. Bend your elbow slightly, but then keep it rigid throughout.
Lift your arm up until it’s vertical.
Lower your arm and repeat.
Roll over and do the same number of reps on the opposite side.
Muscles targeted:
Supraspinatus, medial deltoid.
Benefits:
An effective way to strengthen the supraspinatus.
An excellent shoulder rehab/prehab exercise.
Low-tech but high-effect exercise that’s ideal for home use.
Tips:
Go light – this exercise is not suitable for heavy weights.
Use a single weight plate, water jug, wrist weight, etc., instead of a dumbbell.
You can also do this exercise on a slightly inclined bench if that’s more comfortable.
2. Behind the Back Single-Arm Cable lateral raise
Cable lateral raises put your deltoids under near-constant tension, making them potentially more effective than the same exercise done with dumbbells. But, as an added benefit, they also stress your supraspinatus more. Doing cable lateral raises behind the back is even more effective because it loads your supraspinatus more and uses a larger range of motion.
Steps:
Attach a D-shaped handle to a low pulley machine. Stand sideways onto the weight stack and pick up the handle. Hold it in your furthest hand so the cable runs behind your legs.
Bend your knees slightly, brace your core, and pull your shoulder back and down. Your elbow should be slightly bent but rigid.
Raise your arm up and away from your side until your arm is roughly parallel to the floor.
Lower your arm, taking your hand a little way behind you to increase the range of motion.
Do the desired number of reps and then swap sides.
Muscles targeted:
Supraspinatus, medial deltoids.
Benefits:
An effective way to develop your deltoids and supraspinatus simultaneously.
A very shoulder-friendly exercise.
Even more tension on the target muscles compared to dumbbell lateral raises.
Tips:
Use a light weight and move slowly with control to target the supraspinatus.
Do not raise your arm above shoulder height, as doing so could increase your risk of impingement.
Keep your thumb pointing forward throughout. Do not rotate your wrists or rotate your arm inward, as doing so could hurt your shoulder joint.
3. Resistance band lateral raise
The great thing about resistance band lateral raises is that you can do them almost anywhere – even at home. As such, they’re the perfect prehab/rehab exercise, and you can do them without adding extra time to your existing workouts. So keep a set of bands nearby so you can pump out a set of lateral raises whenever you have a few minutes spare.
Steps:
Stand on the middle of your resistance band and hold an end/handle in each hand. Bend your knees slightly, brace your core, and set your shoulders. Your arms should be slightly bent but rigid.
Raise your arms up and out to the sides to form a T-shape.
Lower your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Supraspinatus, medial deltoids.
Benefits:
A very accessible and convenient exercise for home workouts.
Joint-friendly and comfortable.
Easy to progress or regress by changing the length/strength of your band.
Tips:
You can also do this exercise by using one arm at a time.
Do this exercise seated if you want to put less pressure on your muscles.
Cross the bands so that the tension comes onto your muscles sooner.
4. Full can raises
Full can raises are a traditional supraspinatus exercise often prescribed by physical therapists. It provides a strengthening and mobilizing effect for the entire shoulder complex, especially the rear of the shoulders and the rotator cuff. Like all rotator cuff exercises, this move works best when done slowly and smoothly with light weights.
Steps:
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and, with your arms straight but not locked, hold them against your thighs with your thumbs pointing forward. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
Raise your arms forward and up to form a V-shape above your head.
Slowly and smoothly lower your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Supraspinatus, deltoids, trapezius, rhomboids.
Benefits:
A simple yet effective exercise.
An ideal warm-up before more demanding upper body exercises.
A great way to improve shoulder mobility and stability.
Tips:
Only raise your arms as high as your mobility/pain allows. Do not force your arms up if they don’t want to go that high.
You can also do this exercise with a resistance band instead of dumbbells.
Place a mini band around your wrists to increase supraspinatus activation, like this:
5. BOSU push-up
The supraspinatus is responsible for upper arm abduction but also plays a crucial role in shoulder joint stabilization. While all supraspinatus exercises will increase joint stability, using an unstable surface is arguably the best way to develop this function. Doing push-ups on a BOSU balance trainer is a great way to challenge and develop your shoulder stability.
Steps:
Place your BOSU on the floor, curved side down. Squat down and grip the side edges of the BOSU with your thumbs pointing forward.
Walk your feet out and back so your legs are straight. Brace your core and contract your legs.
Bend your arms and lower your chest down to within an inch of the top of the BOSU. Work hard to keep your hands level. However, some shaking is normal.
Push yourself back up and then repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps, rotator cuff, core.
Benefits:
A very functional rotator cuff exercise.
A great way to identify and fix strength imbalances.
Makes regular floor push-ups feel much easier.
Tips:
Bend your legs and rest on your knees to make this exercise easier.
Wear a weight vest or raise your feet to make it harder.
No BOSU? No problem! You can also use a medicine ball, stability ball, or balance board:
Supraspinatus Exercises – FAQs
Do you have a question about the best exercises for stretching and strengthening your supraspinatus? No worries because we’ve got the answers!
1. Will training my supraspinatus muscle give me bigger shoulders?
The supraspinatus is a small muscle that lies beneath several much bigger muscle. As such, you’ll never see it, and developing it won’t add anything to your physique. But before you dismiss supraspinatus training altogether, it’s important to stress that this little muscle has a significant impact on what exercises you can and cannot do and how well you perform those exercises.
For example, a weak or painful supraspinatus could prevent you from doing overhead presses or bench presses. It could make barbell back squats uncomfortable or even affect your ability to do biceps curls.
So, while training your supraspinatus won’t directly make your shoulders bigger, it will indirectly influence your ability to build muscle.
2. How do I know if my supraspinatus is weak?
The most common way to determine if your supraspinatus is weak is with the empty can test.
Raise your arm to the side and rotate your shoulder internally so your thumb points downward. Next, a training partner should gently push down on your outstretched hand. If you are unable to keep your arm up against mild to moderate pressure, your supraspinatus is probably weak and requires strengthening.
3. What should I do if I have sudden pain in my shoulder during training?
Acute or sudden pain could indicate that you have strained a muscle or sprained a ligament. In either case, you should stop what you’re doing to prevent things from worsening.
Depending on the severity of the injury, you may also need to use RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) to speed up recovery.
Do not return to training until the pain has subsided. If the pain is severe, or lasts more than a couple of days, get it checked out by a sports injury doctor. You may still be able to work out, but you must avoid aggravating the injured area.
Train around the injury and not through it! This will probably mean not training your upper body for a few days or even a week or two. Some lower body exercises may also be off-limits, such as barbell squats and deadlifts.
Once the pain begins to subside, you can start gently stretching, mobilizing, and strengthening the area with, for example, the exercises in this article.
4. How do I know if my supraspinatus is tight?
The easiest way to determine if your supraspinatus is tight is to do some of the stretching exercises from this article and see how they feel. If you don’t feel much tension during the stretches, your supraspinatus is probably as flexible as it needs to be. However, if the area feels uncomfortable or tight, you probably need to stretch more often.
5. What is the difference between maintenance and developmental stretching?
Maintenance and developmental refer to the duration of each stretch. For example, if you have good flexibility and just want to preserve or maintain it, you should hold each stretch for 10-20 seconds. That will be sufficient to prevent your muscles from shortening.
However, if your flexibility needs developing or improving, you’ll need to stretch for longer, typically 30-60 seconds. During this time, you’ll feel your muscles relax so you can ease into a deeper stretch.
Choose the right type of stretching for your goals. You will probably find that some muscles need stretching more than others. For example, it’s common to have tight hamstrings, pecs, and lats, while the triceps, biceps, and calves are usually naturally flexible. Of course, this pattern varies from person to person.
Program your stretches based on what you need to work on. Spend more time on the tightest muscles and less time on those that are sufficiently flexible.
Supraspinatus Exercises – Wrapping Up
There are over 600 muscles in the human body, and each one plays a critical role in how your body functions. Some muscles, like the gluteus maximus, are large and weigh several pounds. Others, like the supraspinatus, are much smaller and only weigh a few ounces.
However, muscle size does not determine importance, and in many cases, it’s the smallest muscles that need the most care and attention.
So, don’t let your supraspinatus become the weak link that holds you back. Instead, stretch and strengthen this small but critical muscle so your shoulders remain stable, strong, and pain-free.
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Hunter Labrada Shares Tips for Growing Weaker Calves: ‘Big Difference in Training to Pain & True Failure’
American bodybuilder Hunter Labrada, son of IFBB Hall of Famer Lee Labrada, made a name for himself in the Men’s Open division. Besides professional competition, Hunter maintains a strong presence in the community and regularly educates his fanbase on a range of topics related to fitness. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Labrada shared his thoughts on getting too lean for competitions and how to grow weak calves.
Hunter Labrada entered the Pro League with a lot of hype and backed it up by scoring gold at the 2020 Tampa Pro, which earned him a spot on the Mr. Olympia lineup. He managed to crack the top ten and placed eighth in his debut. The next year, Labrada came out on top of the 2021 Chicago Pro before making his way to the 2021 Mr. Olympia. He turned in a strong performance and improved his standing to fourth place.
Last season, Labrada decided to stay on the sidelines to get ready for the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Unfortunately, Labrada did not bring his best form on stage and slipped down to seventh place. Since he did not get a top-six finish, he would need to earn an invite to the next Olympia event. He expressed disappointment at the lackluster performance and pinned the blame on missing his peak.
Labrada revamped his diet and training regimen in order to improve his physique earlier this year. The mass monster was confident he had enough size. He focused on cutting down his waistline and developing stronger control in his midsection for the 2023 off-season.
Hunter Labrada via Instagram
Two months ago, Labrada helped his fans out with a tip on overcoming plateaus in the training room. He recommended taking advantage of A/B split variations to continue progressing while sharing some methods for more growth. Then, he followed up by laying out his full day of eating and supplement consumption a week later.
Hunter Labrada weighed in on the heated debate of whether to weigh your food raw or cooked last month. He believes both ways can work well depending on personal choices and stressed the need to stay consistent with the chosen method. In addition to weighing food, Labrada is a big proponent of balancing your overall daily nutrition instead of individual meals and timings. He encouraged his fans to space out their meals between two to four hours and not consume more than 60g of protein per meal.
The 30-year-old provided some of his favorite intensity techniques for working out and growing weak legs a few weeks ago. He added to his stance days later while performing an intense lower-body training session.
Labrada has been using vacuums in the morning for tightening his core. He listed three variations of the exercise he utilized to improve his control. He also encouraged standardizing the form of each exercise to better track workout progress.
Hunter Labrada talks about getting too lean for shows & how to grow weaker calves
In a recent YouTube video, Hunter Labrada shared his thoughts on getting too lean for competitions or coming close to the stage-ready look.
“I do think getting pretty damn lean within striking distance of stage lean does have its purpose, especially if you’ve been pushing up for a long time and you don’t think your sensitivity is as good as it could be you got a lot of excess body fat progress in the gym stalling out there’s a myriad of factors to consider but long story short is I do think there’s a lot to be said for either getting truly stage lean competing and then rebounding out of it or getting close to stage lean and then pushing out of that into your bulk.”
He offered tips for building calf muscle without making things too complicated.
“Calves are just like any other muscle. I believe in training them with two or three working sets maybe four in a single session with the total weekly volume, genetic seed like eight to ten sets if you’re training them twice. I don’t believe in a bunch of fancy exercises or weird foot position or anything like that. What I believe in is taking your calf through a full range of motion with everything else completely locked in. If calves are a weak point and they can’t seem to grow, it’s either they are not prioritizing them they’re like tacking them on to the end of legs and bullsh***ing through a couple sets or they really haven’t reached the point where they’re capable of mentally pushing where they need to in terms of a pain threshold. Calves are a very painful muscle to train. There’s a big difference in training to pain and true failure. It’s those true close failure reps that make any muscle grow.”
Hunter Labrada revealed he weighed in at 283 pounds while fasting and tweaked his diet earlier this month. He’s gearing up for the upcoming guest posing appearances at the Emerald Cup and the Pittsburgh Pro.
Being a professional bodybuilder comes with its own set of difficulties. Labrada opened up on the mindset it takes to make it as a top contender and encouraged lifters to practice kindness to themselves.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 30 April, 2023 | 3:21 PM EDT
Sylvester Stallone Cautions Against Working Out ‘Too Hard’ with Bruce Lee Reference: ‘Will Kill You’
Legendary filmmaker Sylvester Stallone boasted one of the best builds of any actor in Hollywood when he donned the role of boxer Rocky Balboa in the Rocky film franchise. His passion for fitness carried into his later years despite the health challenges. In a recent post made on Instagram, Stallone cautioned others against strenuous movements and working out too hard with a reference to martial arts icon Bruce Lee.
Sylvester Stallone started his career as an actor with side roles in films. It wasn’t until 1976 that he got to play the lead role in the first film of the cult classic Rocky series, which he also wrote the screenplay for. He pulled off an impressive body transformation to bring the boxing star to life. His portrayal received widespread acclaim and boosted his celebrity to new heights.
Besides the sports film franchise, Stallone established himself as one of the premier action heroes of the 1970s and 80s. He delivered several blockbuster projects, including the First Blood and other Rambo films. He developed a competitive rivalry with bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger based on the similarities between the two action stars. In Mar. 2020, Schwarzenegger opened up on the evolution of his relationship with Stallone over the years as the two buried the hatchet and became friends.
Stallone took a trip down memory lane recalling his leanest look on the silver screen of all time in Mar. 2021. Although he presented a ripped package across the board, he revealed he weighed 166 pounds at under 3 percent body fat as his peak for Rocky III.
In Jun. 2021, Sly came under fire after showing off his insane grip and shoulder strength in a clip online. He lifted 45-lb plates in each hand while getting up to his feet from the knees. However, there was speculation about whether he used fake weights to pull off the stunt. Fitness influencer Scott Herman was convinced Stallone used fake weights considering his over-the-top performance and theorized it was a publicity stunt.
The 76-year-old has kept a high level of personal fitness and maintains an impressive physique that even the younger gym-goers would envy. He showed off his gigantic arm muscle development in a post-workout snap in 2021. He also continues to practice his boxing abilities and sent his fans into a frenzy with a heavy bag training session update.
Sylvester Stallone references Bruce Lee in his warning against working out too hard
In a recent Instagram post, Sylvester Stallone issued a warning to his fans against pushing themselves too hard in the training room with a reference to Bruce Lee.
Lee is widely credited for bringing martial arts to the forefront and pioneering mixed martial arts with his fighting style called Jeet Kune Do. He was renowned for his superhero-like speed and athletic abilities.
Stallone combined a photo of Lee and himself performing the dragon flag exercise. He believes the movement contributed to his back pain.
“No wonder my back hurts.! When you WORKOUT remember EVERY exercise has long range consequences. Knees, elbows, shoulders, ankles, wrists, neck if you push too hard, these strenuous movements will come back to haunt you. That’s why I’ve always said getting in really great shape Will kill you!
Sylvester Stallone shared an inspiring message on never giving up on your dreams last April. He reflected on his decorated career by revisiting the place where his ambitions began to grow. Then, he delivered another motivational piece on staying strong despite the setbacks and obstacles along the way.
His latest offering might come as an unexpected one but it could help add clarity for those in a similar situation.
Published: 30 April, 2023 | 11:32 AM EDT
Cable Superset Workout: More Muscle in Less Time
Building muscle, getting stronger, losing body fat, improving your fitness – while these are all excellent training goals, they can also be time-consuming. That’s why most pros invariably achieve better results than amateurs; they get paid to train, so time is no object.
The average pro doesn’t have to balance their workouts with holding down a full-time job and all the demands that come with conventional employment. They don’t have to try and squeeze in a workout before going to the office, during a lunch break, or after work when they’d rather be chilling at home.
Pros can train when they want for as long as they want. Needless to say, this is a huge advantage. That’s why average folk should avoid following programs designed for pros; they were not the intended audience.
Because time is at such a premium, the average exerciser needs to learn how to train smarter and not longer. We must find ways to get more done in less time, maximizing our training results.
One way to do this is with supersets, and using a cable machine can also help.
So, for all of the people who have to balance their workouts with their careers, here is a cable superset workout designed to get you great results in less time.
Cables and Supersets – A Match Made in Heaven
Your muscles have a hard time differentiating between different types of training equipment. In truth, they don’t really know or care if you’re doing barbell or cable curls for your biceps. So long as you work hard and often enough, they’ll respond by getting stronger and bigger.
That said, using cables does have a few advantages over other types of training:
Quick exercise setup and weight adjustments
It’ll take you no more than a few seconds to attach the appropriate handle to a cable machine and slam in the selector pin to adjust the weight. Less time setting up means shorter workouts or that you can cram more exercises and sets into your training session.
Either way, cable machines make for a very time-efficient workout.
More constant muscle tension
Cable machines tend to keep your muscles under more constant tension compared to the same exercise done with freeweights. This makes each and every rep you perform more effective, so you won’t need to do as many sets per muscle group.
For example, compare cable crossovers with dumbbell flys. With dumbbell flys, the tension on your muscles peaks when your arms are far apart but almost vanishes when your arms come together. In contrast, cable crossovers keep your pecs under tension for the entire range of motion.
Perfect for drop sets
When time is of the essence, you may want to use intensity-boosting training systems so you can fatigue your muscles faster. One way to do this is with drop sets.
To do a drop set, rep out to failure, reduce (or drop) the weight by 10-20%, and then rep out again. The selectorized weight stack on most cable machines means you can reduce the weight in seconds, making your workout even more time-efficient.
This simple system lets you train well beyond your usual failure point. A couple of drop sets will soon fatigue your muscles, so you don’t have to do a long, time-consuming workout.
A safer, more joint-friendly workout
Training to failure with cables is a safe proposition. There are no bars to get pinned under, and dropping a weight will cause nothing more serious than a loud crash. The same cannot be said of most barbell and dumbbell exercises.
In addition, most cable exercises are easier on your joints than the same exercise performed with freeweights. There is less end-to-end joint compression, leading to less wear and tear. In addition, cable exercises can easily be modified to work around any aches, pains, or limitations you might have.
Finally, you can train to failure without a spotter, so you won’t have to wait for someone to help you when you just want to get on and train.
Perfect for supersets
Supersets and cable machines go together like peanut butter and jelly – they complement one another perfectly. Transitioning from one exercise to the next takes no more than a couple of seconds, and you can train your entire body on a single or double cable machine.
And speaking of supersets, their benefits include…
Less time spent resting
Most strength training workouts involve rest than actual training time. Lifters typically rest 60-90 seconds between every set they perform. Supersets involve doing two exercises back-to-back, eliminating half of your rests. With less resting, you’ll be in and out of the gym in half the time.
A structurally balanced workout
Using supersets makes it much easier to train opposing muscle groups equally. For example, by pairing biceps curls with triceps pushdowns, you ensure that both main upper arm muscles get the same volume of training.
Balancing your pushes and pulls will help develop an aesthetically and structurally balanced physique.
Cable Superset Workout – Program Overview
Short on time? Got access to a cable machine? Like supersets? Then this is the workout for you!
This program involves three workouts per week, performed on non-consecutive days, e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This provides a good balance between training and recovery and works well for most average trainees.
All exercises are to be performed as paired supersets. For example, do exercise 1a and immediately follow it with exercise 1b. Rest for the designated time and then repeat the pairing. Do the specified number of sets and then move on to the next pairing (2a and 2b). Simple, but effective!
Workout 1 – Horizontal Push/Pull & Arms
By working in the horizontal plane, this workout hits your chest and upper back, specifically your mid-traps and rhomboids, with a bit of lats thrown in for good measure. We close things out with some direct upper arms training because everyone wants a ticket to the gun show!
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Recovery
1a
Cable supine chest press
4
12-20
60-90 seconds
1b
Cable seated row
2a
Cable crossover
4
12-20
60-90 seconds
2b
Cable reverse fly
3a
Cable incline fly
3
12-20
60-90 seconds
3b
Cable face pull
4a
Cable biceps curl
3
12-20
60-90 seconds
4b
Cable triceps pushdown
Workout 2 – Legs and core
Friends don’t let friends skip leg day! Your legs make up at least 40% of your total muscle mass, and it would be a crime against bodybuilding not to give you a cable superset leg workout to try.
This workout focuses on your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, but there are some direct abs exercises at the end for you to enjoy.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Recovery
1a
Cable goblet squat
4
12-20
60-90 seconds
1b
Cable Romanian deadlift
2a
Cable standing leg extension
4
12-20
60-90 seconds
2b
Cable standing leg curl
3a
Cable hip abduction
3
12-20
60-90 seconds
3b
Cable hip adduction
4a
Cable woodchop
3
12-20
60-90 seconds
4b
Cable stability ball crunch
Workout 3 – Vertical Push/Pull & Arms
The workout emphasizes your shoulders and lats to build upper body width and hone your V-taper. And because no upper body workout is complete without some arm training, you’ll also work your biceps and triceps again.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Recovery
1a
Cable shoulder press
4
12-20
60-90 seconds
1b
Cable single-arm pulldown
2a
Cable lateral raise
4
12-20
60-90 seconds
2b
Cable straight arm pulldown
3a
Cable upright row
3
12-20
60-90 seconds
3b
Cable Y pulldown
4a
Cable preacher curl
3
12-20
60-90 seconds
4b
Cable skull crusher
Cable Superset Workout – Exercise Descriptions
Get the most from your cable workouts by performing each exercise with perfect form. Proper exercise technique keeps the tension on your workout muscles and away from your joints. In contrast, the wrong technique makes your workout less effective and more likely to cause injury.
Workout 1 – Horizontal Push/Pull & Arms
1a. Cable supine chest press
This unique exercise looks like a bench press but feels more like a chest fly. The result is a challenging movement that will really pump up your pecs.
Target Muscles:
Pectoralis major, triceps, anterior deltoids.
Steps:
Place a bench in the center of a cable crossover machine. Attach D-shaped handles to the low pulleys.
Sit on the bench and take a handle in each hand. Lie on your back and pull the handles into your armpits. Turn your wrists so your palms face down your body.
Press your hands up and together so they meet above your chest.
Return your hands to your shoulders and repeat.
Tips:
Drive your feet into the floor for increased stability.
Keep your wrists straight.
Focus on pushing your hands inward as much as pushing them up to maximally engage your chest.
1b. Cable seated row
Cable seated rows are an excellent exercise for building a thicker, broader back. Unlike freeweight bent-over rows, this horizontal rowing movement is very lower back-friendly.
Target Muscles:
Latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, biceps.
Steps:
Attach a neutral grip handle to a low pulley machine.
Sit with your legs outstretched and knees slightly bent. Grab the handle and sit up tall. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
Bend your arms and pull the handle into your abdomen. Keep your upper arms close to your sides.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Tips:
Drive your elbows back to maximize lat engagement.
Hinge forward slightly from your hips to stretch your lats but take care not to round your lower back.
Wear wrist straps or use gym chalk to enhance your grip if required.
2a. Cable crossover
Cable crossovers isolate your chest and hit all three heads of the pectoralis major. This exercise is great for creating shape and separation in your pecs.
Target Muscles:
Pectoralis major, anterior deltoids.
Steps:
Attach D-shaped handles to the high pulleys on a cable crossover machine.
Holding a handle in each hand, adopt a staggered stance and stand with your arms stretched out to the side.
Keeping your elbows slightly bent but rigid, sweep your arms forward and down so your hands meet in front of your hips.
Raise your arms, get a mild stretch in your chest, and repeat.
Tips:
Keep your torso upright to emphasize your chest and prevent turning this into a pressing exercise.
Keep your core braced throughout.
You can also do this exercise with your arms horizonal or moving from low to high.
2b. Cable reverse fly
This exercise works the muscles on the rear of your shoulders that oppose your chest. The trapezius, rhomboids, and posterior deltoids are critical for better posture and holding you upright against the pull of gravity.
Target Muscles:
Trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.
Steps:
Using a high cable machine, cross your hands and grip the balls/carabiners at the ends of the cables.
Move back 1-2 steps so your arms are extended in front of you, hands at about head height.
Keeping your elbows slightly bent but rigid, open your arms and pull the cables down and back to about hip height.
Raise your arms and repeat.
Tips:
You can also do this exercise with D-shaped handles if you don’t want to hold onto the cables directly.
Lead with your elbows and pull your shoulders back and down to make this exercise as effective as possible.
You can also do this exercise with your arms horizontal.
3a. Cable incline fly
Cable incline flys are so much more effective than the dumbbell variation that, once you try them, you’ll never go back to using freeweights to isolate your pecs. This exercise is VERY effective!
Target Muscles:
Pectoralis major, anterior deltoids.
Steps:
Place a bench in the center of a cable crossover machine. Raise the backrest to around 30 degrees. Attach D-shaped handles to the low pulleys.
Sit on the bench and take a handle in each hand. Lie on your back and extend your arms out so they’re roughly parallel to the floor.
Keeping your arms slightly bent but rigid, squeeze your hands up and together so they meet above your chest.
Lower your arms to get a stretch in your chest, and repeat.
Tips:
Experiment with different bench angles to see what feels most effective and comfortable.
The steeper the angle, the more you’ll hit your upper chest.
Imagine you are hugging a tree to perform this movement correctly.
3b. Cable face pull
Face pulls target your upper back, i.e., the mid-traps, rhomboids, and posterior deltoids. They’re an excellent exercise for improving your posture and will add some thickness to your upper back muscles. Face pulls are also good for your shoulder health and could prevent future shoulder joint pain.
Target Muscles:
Trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, biceps.
Steps:
Attach a rope handle to a head-high cable machine.
Take one end of the handle in each hand and, with straight arms, step back into a staggered stance.
Bend your elbows and pull the handles into either side of your head. Keep your elbows up to fully engage your upper back.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Tips:
Lead with your elbows and drive them back to emphasize your upper back muscles.
Don’t go too heavy, as doing so will make you lower your elbows and use your lats more than your upper back.
Raise your hands by externally rotating your shoulders to also work your rotator cuff (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis).
4a. Cable biceps curl
The cable biceps curl is a proven arm builder that keeps your arm flexors under near-constant tension to deliver a skin-splitting pump. Paired with triceps pushdowns, this final superset will leave you looking and feeling swole AF!
Target Muscles:
Biceps, brachialis, brachioradialis.
Steps:
Attach a straight bar to a low cable machine. Hold the bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip, upper arms by your sides.
Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
Bend your elbows and curl the handle up to your shoulders.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Tips:
Use a rope handle and do cable hammer curls to target your brachioradialis and brachialis muscles more.
Use an EZ bar to take pressure off your wrists and elbows.
Try a palms-down grip to challenge your forearms and improve your grip.
4b. Cable triceps pushdown
Cable pushdowns are one of the most popular triceps exercises. They’re simple, effective, and ideal for beginners and more experienced lifters. Supersetting them with cable biceps curls provides a great way to pump up your arms without having to switch machines.
Muscles Worked:
Triceps.
Steps:
Attach a straight bar to a high cable pulley. Grip the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip.
Pull your upper arms into your sides, brace your core, and set your shoulders down and back.
Extend your arms and press the bar down to your thighs. Pause for 1-2 seconds.
Bend your arms as far as possible without letting your upper arms move away from your sides.
Continue for the specified number of reps.
Tips:
You can also perform this exercise with a V-bar or a rope handle.
For variation, try using an underhand grip.
Keep your torso uptight so you don’t turn this into a pressing exercise.
Workout 2 – Legs and Core
1a. Cable goblet squat
Muscles worked:
Most people are more than familiar with kettlebell and dumbbell goblet squats. After all, they’re an excellent lower body exercise. However, the cable variation is just as effective and could be a better option for some people as it’s even more lower back-friendly than the original version.
Steps:
Attach a straight bar to a low pulley. Hold it in front of your chest, just below your chin. Pull your shoulders back and down and brace your core.
Take a small step back and stand with your feet about shoulder-distance apart, toes turned slightly outward.
Bend your legs and descend until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor. Do not round your lower back.
Stand upright and repeat.
Tips:
Work your glutes harder by wearing a booty band around your knees.
Increase quads engagement by resting your heels on weight plates.
Experiment with your stance (wider, closer) to see which feels the most comfortable.
1b. Cable Romanian deadlift
Romanian deadlifts are one of the best posterior chain exercises around. Not only are they a great muscle developer, but they’re also an effective move for mobilizing and stretching your hips and hamstrings. Cable Romanian deadlifts are easier on your lower back than the barbell or dumbbell variations.
Muscles Worked:
Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core.
Steps:
Attach a bar or rope handle to a low pulley. Hold the handle and stand up, taking 1-2 steps back to tension the cable.
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent. Brace your core and set your shoulders.
Bend over from your hips and reach forward with your arms. Do not round your lower back, as doing so could lead to injury.
Drive your hips forward and stand back up.
Continue for the specified number of reps.
Tips:
Move further back from the weight stack to make this exercise more hip-centric.
Vary your stance width to see what works best and feels more comfortable.
Make this exercise harder by standing on one leg – single-leg cable stiff-legged deadlifts.
2a. Cable standing leg extension
While regular leg extensions are an effective quadriceps exercise, one of the four quad muscles doesn’t get such a great workout – the rectus femoris. That’s because this muscle crosses your hips and knees, and sitting with your hip flexed puts the rectus femoris into a relaxed position, so it cannot contract very well. This standing variation fixes that problem.
Muscles worked:
Quadriceps, hip flexors, core.
Wearing an ankle strap, stand with your back to the weight stack. Take 1-2 steps forward. Bend your knee and move your hip backward.
Drive your knee forward and extend your leg.
Return to the starting position and repeat.
Switch legs and do the same number of reps on the other side.
Tips:
Keep your supporting knee slightly bent for balance.
Brace your core to prevent unwanted hip and lumbar spine movement.
You can also do this exercise with a resistance band.
2b. Cable standing leg curl
The hamstrings are a biaxial muscle, meaning they cross two joints – your hips and knees. As such, they are responsible for two movements; knee flexion and hip extension. Cable standing leg curls are one of the few exercises to address both of these functions simultaneously.
Muscles Worked:
Hamstrings, gluteus maximus, core.
Steps:
Wearing an ankle cuff, attach it to a low pulley machine and stand facing the weight stack. Shift your weight onto the other leg and brace your core. Use your arms for balance.
Extend your leg to the rear and bend your knee, curling your foot up toward your butt.
Lower your foot and repeat.
Tips:
Extend your hip more or less to change the feel of this exercise.
Keep your calf relaxed so your hamstrings do most of the work during this exercise.
Home exercisers can do this move with a resistance band.
3a. Cable hip abduction
Cable hip abductions work the muscles on the outside of your hips. Strengthening these muscles will improve lateral hip stability and help you sculpt a better-looking butt.
Muscles Worked:
Gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, tensor fascia latae.
Steps:
Put on an ankle cuff and attach it to a low pulley machine. Stand sideways-on to the weight stack with the cable running in front of your feet. Brace your core and hold on to the machine for balance.
Raise your leg out to the side as high as possible without twisting your hips.
Lower your leg and repeat.
Switch legs and do the same number of reps on the other side.
Tips:
Rotate your hip inward slightly to emphasize the hip abductor muscles.
Keep your supporting leg slightly bent for better stability and balance.
You can also do this exercise with a resistance band.
3b. Cable hip adduction
The adductor muscles are located on the inside of your thighs and hips. Like the abductors, these muscles help stabilize your hips. Stronger hip adductors will lower your risk of groin strain during activities that involve running, sprinting, lunging, and kicking.
Muscles Worked:
Adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus.
Steps:
Put on an ankle cuff and attach it to a low pulley machine. Stand sideways-on to the weight stack with the cuff on your innermost leg.
Cross your leg in front of the other without twisting your hips.
Lower your leg and repeat.
Switch legs and do the same number of reps on the other side.
Tips:
Brace your core to stabilize your lumbar spine and prevent unwanted movement.
Bend your supporting knee slightly for better balance.
Home exercisers can replicate this move with a resistance band.
4a. Cable woodchop
The cable woodchop is so called because it looks and feels a little like you are swinging an axe and cutting down a tress. This core rotation exercise will develop your obliques and strengthen your abs.
Muscles Worked:
Obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae.
Steps:
Attach a D-shaped handle to a high cable pulley. Hold the handle in both hands and then stand sideways onto the weight stack. Extend your arms and brace your core.
Rotate your upper body through 180 degrees, drawing a diagonal line with your hands.
Return to the starting position and repeat.
Turn around and do the same number of reps on the opposite side.
Tips:
Keep your arms slightly bent but rigid throughout.
You can also do this exercise in a half-kneeling position to stop you from using your legs.
For variety, use a low cable and raise your arms upward.
4b. Cable stability ball crunch
Bodyweight crunches are a great exercise, but once you’ve been training for a while, they often become too easy. Doing crunches on a stability ball with a cable makes them much more challenging and effective. High-rep crunches? Just say no!
Muscles Worked:
Rectus abdominis.
Steps:
Attach a rope handle to a low pulley machine. Place your stability ball on the floor next to your cable machine.
Sit on the ball and hold the handle over your shoulders so the cable is behind you.
Walk your feet forward and lean back so the ball sits in the natural curve of your lower back.
Contract your abs, flex your spine, and curl your shoulders toward your hips.
Lie back down, get a mild stretch on your abs, and repeat.
Tips:
Anchor your feet to prevent being pulled backward over the ball.
Exhale as you lift your shoulders to increase abs engagement.
Move your feet further apart to increase stability and make this exercise easier. Bring your feet closer together to decrease stability and make it more challenging.
Workout 3 – Vertical Push/Pull & Arms
1a. Cable shoulder press
Cable shoulder presses look like any other overhead pressing exercise but feel very different. The angle of the load changes how your deltoids are recruited, hitting your shoulders in an entirely new way. This is a unique exercise, and you’re going to love it!
Muscles Worked:
Deltoids, triceps.
Steps:
Attach a straight bar to a low pulley machine.
Pick up the handle and hold it in front of your shoulders so your elbows are below your wrists. Set your shoulders and brace your core. Take 1-2 small steps backward.
Press the handle upward and slightly back until your arms are extended.
Return to the starting position and repeat.
Tips:
Step back just enough that the cable doesn’t touch your face when your arms are overhead.
You can also do this exercise with a neutral grip.
Experiment with the width of your grip to see what feels most comfortable.
1b. Cable single-arm pulldown
Lat pulldowns are a popular lat-building exercise. However, training both sides of your back at the same time could lead to muscle imbalances. This unilateral version hits one side of your back at a time and will also enhance your mind-muscle connection.
Muscles Worked:
Latissimus dorsi, biceps, trapezius.
Steps:
Attach a D-shaped handle to a high pulley.
Hold the handle with one hand and sit or knee beneath it with your arm extended above you.
Leading with your elbow, bend your arm and pull the handle down to the front of your shoulder.
Extend your arm and repeat.
Do the same number of repetitions with the opposite arm.
Tips:
Use an overhand, underhand, or neutral grip as preferred.
Brace your core to keep your torso upright and balanced throughout.
Drive your elbow down and back to maximize lat engagement.
2a. Cable lateral raise
Lateral raises target the medial head of your deltoids, which is the part of your shoulders that give them their width. Doing this exercise with give you bigger, broader, more rounded shoulders.
Muscles Worked:
Deltoids.
Steps:
Attach a D-shaped handle to a low cable machine. Stand sideways onto the weight stack and hold the handle in your outside hand so the cable runs in front of your body.
Keeping your arm slightly bent but rigid, raise it up and out until it’s roughly parallel to the floor.
Lower the handle to the front of your hips and repeat.
Tips:
Hold onto the cable machine with your non-working arm for balance if required.
Lead with your elbows (and not your hands) to get more from this exercise.
You can also do this exercise with both arms at the same time if you wish:
2b. Cable straight arm pulldown
When it comes to training the lats, most people tend to focus on pulldowns and rows. While these are effective exercises, the lats can also be worked with straight arm extensions. This move hits your upper lats, and you should really feel it in your armpits. It also works the long head of your triceps.
Muscles worked:
Latissimus dorsi, triceps, posterior deltoid.
Steps:
Attach a straight bar to a high cable machine.
Hold the handle with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Brace your abs and set your shoulders
With your arms slightly bent but rigid, push the bar down to your thighs.
Raise your arms, get a stretch in your lats, and repeat.
Tips:
You can do this exercise on a cable crossover or a lat pulldown machine.
Pause at the bottom of each rep to maximize muscle engagement.
Lead with your elbows, and avoid pressing the bar down with your triceps.
3a. Cable upright row
Upright rows are a slightly controversial exercise, and some coaches believe they’re bad for your shoulders. While that may be true for the straight barbell version, cable upright rows are more shoulder-friendly and usually better tolerated. Using a rope handle also allows for more comfortable movement.
Muscles Worked:
Deltoids, trapezius, biceps.
Steps:
Attach a rope handle to a low cable machine. Hold one end in each hand and stand up straight. Take a small step back, brace your abs, and set your shoulders.
Bend your arms and pull your elbows up until they’re above your hands.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Tips:
Keep your knees slightly bent for better balance and stability.
Squeeze your shoulders back to maximize mid-trap engagement.
Only pull your arms up as high as your shoulders comfortably allow.
3b. Cable Y pulldown
This unique exercise hits your lats from a very unusual angle. You should feel it in the middle of your back as well as the sides. Avoid going too heavy with this exercise. Instead, focus on contracting your lats as hard as possible.
Muscles Worked:
Latissimus dorsi, biceps, trapezius.
Steps:
Attach D-shaped handles to the high pulleys of a cable crossover machine. Hold a handle in each hand and kneel between the pulleys, arms raised to form a Y-shape.
Bend your arms and pull your elbows down and into your sides. Squeeze your shoulders down and back.
Extend your arms up and out and repeat.
Tips:
Try using an underhand, overhand, or neutral grip to see which you prefer.
Kneel on a folded exercise mat or foam pad for comfort.
Think about leading with your elbows rather than pulling with your hands to maximize lat engagement.
4a. Cable preacher curl
Preacher curls are usually done using a barbell or dumbbells. However, that means there is very little tension on your muscles at the top of each rep. Using a cable ensures there is tension on your biceps throughout the movement.
Muscles Worked:
Biceps, brachialis, brachioradialis.
Steps:
Move a preacher curl bench over to a low cable machine. Attach a straight bar to the low pulley.
Hold the bar with an underhand grip and rest your upper arms against the bench.
Bend your arms and curl the handle up until your forearms are roughly vertical.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Tips:
Use an EZ bar to make this exercise more comfortable.
You can also do this exercise using one arm at a time with a single D-shaped handle.
No preacher curl bench? No problem! Just use the inclined backrest of an adjustable exercise bench:
4b. Cable skull crusher
Cable skull crushers might sound like an MMA knockout move, but they’re actually a very effective triceps exercise. Utilizing a large range of motion, they take your triceps into a deep stretch, ensuring your arms get a great workout and an intense pump.
Muscles Worked:
Triceps.
Steps:
Place a flat bench next to your cable machine and attach a straight bar to the lowest pulley.
Lie on the bench with your head nearest the weight stack and hold the handle above your chest.
Keeping your upper arms stationary, bend your elbows and lower the bar to your forehead.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Tips:
You can also do this exercise while lying on the floor instead of a bench.
Use a rope handle to hit your triceps from a different angle.
Extend your shoulders backward to get an even deeper stretch in your triceps.
Cable Superset Workout – FAQs
Do you have a question about this workout, training with cables, or superset in general? No worries because we’ve got the answers!
1. Is this a cutting or a bulking program?
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not your workout that determines if you are cutting or bulking, but your diet. Bulking invariably involves consuming a surplus of calories, leading to rapid weight and muscle gain.
In contrast, cutting involves eating fewer calories, and this deficit leads to fat burning and weight loss.
Consequently, you can use this workout plan for bulking or cutting; you just need to adjust your diet according to your goals.
Read more about cutting vs. bulking here.
2. Can I change some of the exercises?
You are very welcome to make changes to any of these programs. However, make sure that whatever new exercises you choose are similar and work the same muscles. For example, while cable reverse lunges are an acceptable replacement for cable goblet squats, cable biceps curls are not.
Stick to the spirit of the program, and you’ll be fine. However, avoid making changes just for the sake of it or swapping out an exercise just because it’s hard. When it comes to building muscle, harder exercises are usually the most effective.
3. How should I warm up before these workouts?
Warming up prepares your muscles, joints, and mind for the workout you are about to do. It helps lower your risk of injury and also gets your muscles firing properly so you can work harder.
Warming up is usually a three-stage process:
Pulse raiser – 5-10 minutes of light cardio.
Dynamic flexibility and mobility – loosen up those muscles and joints.
Practice sets – a couple of light sets of your first 1-2 movements to prepare your body for the exercises you’re about to do.
It’s beyond the scope of this short Q&A to tell you how to warm up, but this in-depth guide should provide you with all the answers you seek.
4. What weights should I use for these workouts?
Because we don’t know how strong or experienced you are, we cannot tell you how much weight you should lift. Instead, you need to self-select your weights based on your performance.
If you can do more than 20 reps or any exercise, the load is too light. In contrast, if you are unable to do 12 reps, it’s too heavy. Pick weights that keep you in the sweet spot of 12-20 reps for all the exercises.
Remember, though, that you also need to make the workouts progressively more challenging by either increasing the weights or doing more reps whenever you feel you are able. It’s this progressive overload that keeps you moving forward.
5. Are there any supplements I can take that will enhance my progress?
While you don’t have to take supplements to get good results from your workouts, there are a few products that may help. However, even the most exotic or expensive substance won’t do anything for you if you aren’t training hard, eating right, and getting enough sleep.
Supplements that may be helpful include:
Closing Thoughts
While there is no need to use just cables or supersets in your workouts, doing so could be just the change you need to reignite your gains and bust out of your current training rut. Cable exercises are very joint-friendly and stress your muscles in a unique way. Supersets make great use of your training time and will save you from having to do two-hour workouts.
Cable machines and supersets? We think they’re a match made in heaven!
Intermittent Fasting and Collagen Production: How Fasting Can Enhance Your Skin and Health!
Intermittent fasting is fast becoming the go-to diet for achieving different health goals, most importantly, weight loss. Many celebrities, business tycoons, and famous entrepreneurs have endorsed this transformative fasting strategy as the sure-shot way to a healthier mind and body.
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you fast for a certain number of hours a day and reserve calorie intake to a small eating window. When you do this, in the fasting period, your body uses up the glycogen stores it utilizes for energy and undergoes a “metabolic switch.” With this metabolic switch, the body enters a state known as ketosis, where the liver produces ketones from the stored fat reserves to use as an energy source.
There are several intermittent fasting techniques, the most common being 16/8, where you fast for 16 hours and eat calories in the eight-hour feeding window. Some fasters like to do the 5/2 fasting schedule, where they eat normally for five days of the week, and on two non-consecutive days, they limit calorie intake to 500-600 calories. Yet more advanced fasters prefer to go for OMAD fasting (one meal a day), 36-hour fasts, and monk fasts, with extreme fasters also taking it as far as a 60-hour fast.
Many variants of intermittent fasting exist, like water fasting and fat fasting, each with its own special benefits. People also work out towards the end of the fasting period to lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously.
Despite its growing popularity, one of the most overlooked benefits of intermittent fasting is its significant impact on collagen production within the body. We need collagen, a protein, for healthy skin, nails, joints, and hair. Recent research suggests that intermittent fasting can assist in stimulating the body’s production of collagen. This article examines the relationship between intermittent fasting and collagen production, supporting the theory with scientific studies and research. Keep reading to discover the connection between intermittent fasting and collagen synthesis.
What is Collagen?
Among the different kinds of proteins in the human body, collagen is the most abundant, accounting for 30% of the total protein composition. It is a building block for muscles, skin, tendons, bones, ligaments, and other kinds of connective tissue. You can also find collagen in the blood, intestinal lining, and organs.
All proteins are made from amino acids, and collagen is no exception. Proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline are collagen’s main amino acids. These three amino acids are grouped to form protein fibrils in the famous triple helix structure.
Role of Collagen in the Body
The main role of collagen is to provide strength, structure, and support to the body. Its specific roles are:
Helping the formation of fibroblasts in the dermis, thereby helping the formation of new skin cells.
Replacement of dead skin cells.
Giving a protective covering to the different vital organs in the body.
Providing skin strength, structure, and elasticity.
Blood clotting.
What are the Different Types of Collagen in the Body?
To date, researchers have identified 28 types of collagen. The differentiation is based on the molecule assembly, the cell components, and the location of the collagen in the body. All these different collagen fibrils consist of a triple helix structure.
Here are the main types of collagen as well as their various functions:
Type I: This consists of 90% of the collagen in the body, and it is densely packed, providing structure to ligaments, tendons, bones, and skin.
Type II: It is found in the elastic cartilage that supports joints.
Type III: It is found in organs, arteries, and muscles.
Type IV: This can be found in the different layers of the skin.
Type V: It is found in the cornea, some skin layers, and the hair and tissue of the placenta.
What Factors Affect Collagen Production?
Here are the different factors that can affect collagen production in the body:
Age: With age, collagen production naturally diminishes, which leads to sagging skin, wrinkles, as well as pain in the joints.
Nutrition: Consumption of proteins and vitamin C can help produce collagen in the body.
Sun Exposure: Collagen fibers can get damaged from prolonged exposure to UV rays, which can cause skin damage and premature aging.
Smoking: Collagen production reduces if you smoke, causing skin damage and premature aging.
Stress: Chronic stress causes increased production of the stress hormone cortisol, which can potentially inhibit collagen production.
Exercise: If you exercise regularly, collagen production increases.
Sleep: If you can get enough quality sleep, your body’s production of collagen increases. This is because the body repairs and regenerates itself when you sleep.
Apart from these factors, it has also been found that fasting, especially intermittent fasting, can increase collagen production. We shall take a look at this phenomenon now.
What is the Relationship Between Intermittent Fasting and Collagen Production in the Body?
Intermittent fasting can stimulate collagen synthesis in multiple ways. Check them out here:
Intermittent Fasting Increases Human Growth Hormone Secretion
It has been proven that intermittent fasting can increase and enhance the secretion of an important hormone, Human Growth Hormone (HGH). HGH is a very important regulator of collagen production in the body. HGH stimulates collagen production in two ways. Firstly, it helps the fibroblasts differentiate into myofibroblasts, cells that produce collagen. Secondly, HGH upregulates collagen gene expression.
A study published in the Nutrition Research journal revealed that 24-hour intermittent fasting led to an immense increase in HGH levels in both women and men [1]. Another study proved that a 37.5-hour fast elevated basal HGH concentration by 10-fold and additionally reduced the metabolic clearance of HGH. [2]
As we know, HGH is essential for collagen synthesis. This increase in HGH levels during intermittent fasting suggests that the latter is a very useful tool for increasing collagen production in the human body.
Intermittent Fasting Induces Autophagy
Cancer.gov defines autophagy as “ A process by which a cell breaks down and destroys old, damaged, or abnormal proteins and other substances in its cytoplasm (the fluid inside a cell). The breakdown products are then recycled for important cell functions, especially during periods of stress or starvation.”
As the body ages, it gets increasingly exposed to free radicals from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the different products we use daily. This stresses out the individual cells and causes them to get damaged faster than normal. These damaged cells can linger in connective tissues and organs, causing inflammation and disease. Autophagy removes the task of maintaining these useless and inefficient cells in the body. It frees it to fight inflammation, deter diseases, and line the body up for optimal functioning.
After age 30, the fibroblasts in the skin begin to store more waste, slowing down the collagen-producing and autophagy rates. This then causes a deterioration of the fragility and integrity of the skin and leads to sagging and wrinkled skin. Hence, an increased autophagy rate will help clean the fibroblasts, removing unwanted cellular debris and slowing down the signs of skin aging.
A study found that intermittent fasting induced autophagy in mice, helping remove dead and damaged cells and produce healthy and new cells. [3]
As we know, autophagy is crucial for collagen synthesis, and increased autophagy rates brought about by intermittent fasting lead to improved and increased collagen synthesis by inference.
Intermittent Fasting Reduces Inflammation
Intermittent fasting can reduce body inflammation in many ways. It reduces oxidative stress by producing antioxidants, promotes autophagy, lowers insulin levels, activates anti-inflammatory pathways, and modulates the gut microbiome, all contributing to reduced inflammation.
A study found that intermittent fasting reduces chronic inflammation in mice by activating an anti-inflammatory pathway known as the Nrf2 pathway. [4]
As we know, inflammation is a big cause of collagen breakdown. Hence, the above reduction in inflammation in the mice suggests that intermittent fasting can help protect collagen.
Intermittent Fasting Improves Gut Microbiome
There are several ways in which intermittent fasting can improve gut health. Firstly, it improves the motility of the gut, helping the digestive system move food through the GI tract. Secondly, it improves the gut microbiota, modulating the composition of the trillions of microorganisms residing in the gut. Thirdly, it refines the gut barrier function by increasing mucus formation, reducing inflammation, and finally enhancing the absorption of nutrients from the gut.
A study has conclusively shown that intermittent fasting improves overall gut health. [5]
Now, the gut is where most of the nutrients necessary for collagen synthesis get absorbed. Hence, a healthy gut can ensure that the body has all the ingredients it needs for the production of collagen, and this can be made possible through intermittent fasting.
Can I Use Collagen as a Protein Source While Fasting For Weight Loss?
Collagen is a great way to help you achieve your weight loss goals, but you’re probably using it wrong. When used correctly, it can help prevent snacking, reduce cravings, and help you get to your weight loss goals.
The biggest mistake that you are making is that you are using collagen as your main protein source. If you do this, you will lose weight, but it will be in the form of a loss in muscle and bone mass, leading to a decrease in metabolism, which you do not want.
To achieve healthy weight loss, use collagen supplements in tandem with a rich protein source. Suppose you are making a collagen supplement smoothie. We suggest you reinforce this smoothie with a rich source of protein, like Greek yogurt or even another protein supplement.
If you use bone broth, you can sip on it but do not use it as a replacement for protein. Rather, use it as an add-on to a meal. For example, you can sip on bone broth while relishing a chicken salad. This gives you collagen and a complex protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will collagen intake interrupt my fast?
Strictly speaking, yes. Collagen intake during fasting periods will break your fast. Even if you eat hydrolyzed and unflavored collagen peptides, remember that each scoop of collagen contains 30 calories.
2. What slows down the production of collagen in our body?
The collagen tissues in our body are responsible for forming tendons, ligaments, and bones. However, you can lose collagen in your body if you are exposed to UV rays, if you consume tobacco, or if you take excessive sugar, as well as with age. Additionally, chronic stress can make you lose collagen.
3. How long does it take to generate collagen?
It has been observed that new collagen growth can take anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks to complete.
4. Why is collagen important for weight loss?
Collagen supplements can make you feel satiated. This helps with weight loss and the prevention of hunger pangs when you are doing intermittent fasting. Collagen has this effect because it is a form of protein.
5. Which foods are rich in collagen?
The top foods rich in collagen are bone broth, eggs, meat, fish, and spirulina.
Conclusion
The link between intermittent fasting and collagen production is multi-faceted and complex. Collagen is a crucial protein that is indispensable to the human body as it maintains the function and structure of different organs and tissues. Studies have shown that fasting can increase the secretion of human growth hormone and promote the process of autophagy, both of which directly or indirectly influence the production of collagen.
The intricate relationship between collagen synthesis and intermittent fasting impacts longevity and health. If we can increase collagen production by fasting intermittently, it could help arrest age-related issues with skin, joint health, and the density of our bones. Again, nowadays, collagen supplements are quite popular, and their efficacy can be increased if we better understand the relationship between fasting and collagen production.
Collagen production is influenced by various factors, including lifestyle, exercise, and nutrition; intermittent fasting is one of many ways collagen synthesis can be promoted. The fascinating link between intermittent fasting and collagen production needs further exploration and study so that we can come to a better understanding of their complex relationship.
References
Ho, K. Y., et al. “Fasting Enhances Growth Hormone Secretion and Amplifies the Complex Rhythms of Growth Hormone Secretion in Man.” PubMed Central (PMC), https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI113450.
Ho, K. Y., et al. “Fasting Enhances Growth Hormone Secretion and Amplifies the Complex Rhythms of Growth Hormone Secretion in Man.” PubMed Central (PMC), https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI113450.
“Time-restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Resistance and Hepatic Steatosis in a Mouse Model of Postmenopausal Obesity – PubMed.” PubMed, 1 Dec. 2016, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2016.09.006.
Zhang, Yu-Kun Jennifer, et al. “Genetic Activation of Nrf2 Protects Against Fasting-Induced Oxidative Stress in Livers of Mice.” PubMed Central (PMC), 18 Mar. 2013, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0059122.
“Intermittent Fasting Promotes White Adipose Browning and Decreases Obesity by Shaping the Gut Microbiota – PubMed.” PubMed, 3 Oct. 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2017.08.019.
Cite this page: Byakodi, D. (2023) ‘Intermittent Fasting and Collagen Production: How Fasting Can Enhance Your Skin and Health!’, Fitness Volt. Available at: https://fitnessvolt.com/intermittent-fasting-collagen-production/ (Accessed: 30 April 2023).
Scott Herman Workout And Diet Routine
Scott Herman is an American fitness YouTuber, actor, entrepreneur and model. He is best known for sharing motivational fitness content on his YouTube channel ScottHermanFitness. He has also appeared in reality TV shows and a number of photoshoots for brands. This is his complete profile, biography, diet and workout routine as well as statistics.
Scott Herman Statistics
Full Name: Scott Herman
Weight
Height
Age
87 kg (191.8 lbs)
5’10” (178 cm)
38 years
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Nationality
October 18, 1984
Lawrence, Massachusetts
American
Scott Herman Biography
Early Life
Scott Herman was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts on October 18, 2023. He spent his childhood in Lawrence and played various sports like football and wrestling during school days. Although he had a very normal family life and upbringing, little Scott was bullied as a kid and felt the need to get physically stronger. Watching superhero serials on the television gave him the motivation to take first steps in the fitness journey with his father’s weight training set in the house basement.
Scott Herman’s father became his first coach and he ensured that his son learned the basics of weight training in a proper way. Scott outgrew his dad’s weight set after training for a while. To get a free membership of Gold’s gym, the teenager applied to clean there for three hours every Saturday. He soon developed the passion for weightlifting. Although weight training was initially a way to channel his anger against bullying, it soon became an integral part of his life.
He obtained a college degree in business from Merimack college while managing his training and a small DJ business.
Career
As his training journey progressed, Scott Herman got more and more confident with his physique. He then moved to New York to find work in the television industry. The Massachusetts native soon bagged a role in the show The Real World that filmed strangers as they lived together. He enjoyed his time on the show and was chosen because of his perfect physique.
He then entered the Iron Abs competition hosted by Men’s Health and managed to pull off a win. This increased his popularity and he rode high on the wave of this success. Scott Herman was invited for many fitness events and many high-profile brands sponsored him for photoshoots as well.
Scott’s journey through the fitness and television industry gave him a lot of exposure and a boost of confidence. He soon started a YouTube channel to help others reach their fitness goals. The success of the channel skyrocketed over time and at the time of this article’s publishing, Scott Herman’s YouTube channel ScottHermanFitness has 2.77 million subscribers.
Scott Herman Workout
Scott Herman believes in making consistent and steady progress at a moderate rate, especially if you are new in the fitness journey. For those taking their first steps in free weights training, Herman advises to build a strong foundation by building muscle endurance through compound lifts like bench press, deadlifts and squats.
Herman recommends starting the weight training journey with as many free weights as possible to improve functional strength and balance. Machines eliminate or significantly reduce the need to control the weight which may not engage the stabilizing muscles that support the target muscles. Also, the weights on machines move along a fixed trajectory. Therefore, using free weights initially is essential to build a proper form and to engage stabilizing muscles.
Herman firmly believes in training frequency and states that he has never taken an off-season in his fitness journey. Additionally, he does not have separate bulking and cutting phases either. The only downside to this method is the pace. Herman believes that gains are made at a relatively slower rate with his method.
The 39-year-old does not necessarily use one exercise more than the other. However, overhead dumbbell extensions, dumbbell bench press and deadlifts are his favorite exercises. He feels that dumbbell exercises are some of the best options for building a toned physique. Therefore, no wonder that the two dumbbell exercises found their way on the list of Herman’s favorite exercises. The third one, deadlift, is without a doubt the king of all lifts and its efficacy in building overall strength.
Scott Herman’s personal training routine
Scott Herman’s personal training routine focuses on high-volume training. He trains for five days every week and gives his body rest on Saturday and Sunday. High-volume training coupled with high-frequency training is one of the most effective ways to make maximum strength and muscle gains.
Apart from abs exercises, he does not use machines too much and mostly relies on free weights, preferably dumbbells. His training splits focus on targeting every muscle group in the body and has dedicated days for chest, shoulder and back, legs, arms and abs training.
Monday – Chest Workout
Herman starts his training week with chest training. His chest day combines presses and flyers. While compound pressing movements like dumbbell press improve the pushing strength of the upper body, movements like cable crossover improve the chest and arms’ ability to adduct (bring together the muscles). As a result, it is advisable to incorporate both types of movements in the chest training routine for complete development. Herman performs dumbbell bench press and cable crossover variations to work the pectoral muscles from different angles and positions to emphasize different parts of the muscle.
His chest training session includes:
Tuesday – Shoulders and Back Workout
After working the pushing muscles on Monday, Herman targets the major upper body pulling muscles – back – on Tuesday. Once again, back exercises can be broadly divided into two categories. While vertical pulls like pull-ups and lat pulldowns help build a wide back, horizontal pulls like rows help add thickness to the back. Hence, a combination of these two movement patterns enable overall, complete development of the back.
Herman combines the back training with shoulders. He ensures that anterior and medial deltoids get sufficient work with movements like shoulder press, front and lateral raises. Since the posterior deltoid / rear delt muscles get activated during other compound lifts Herman does not necessarily include rear delt specific movements in every training session.
His back and shoulder workout consists of:
Back Exercises
Shoulder Exercises
Wednesday – Leg Workout
Neglecting legs is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in the fitness journey. Afterall, it is not wise to ignore literally one half of the body that forms a strong foundation. Scott Heman is obviously not among that lot and approaches his lower body training with utmost sincerity. Squat is the primary compound movement of his leg training. It works all the major muscles in the lower body including quads, hamstrings, glutes and even calves. In many ways, squats are the ultimate lower body exercise. In addition to squats, Herman performs isolation movements like leg curls, leg extensions, calves raises and machine hip adduction to target the lower body muscles individually.
The training session includes:
Thursday – Arms Workout
Arms are the most visible muscle group on the physique. As a result, having toned and muscular arms is a must for an aesthetically good physique. However, aesthetics is a secondary goal as having strong arms is essential for performing a majority of everyday activities. Scott Herman works his arms with a variety of exercises to work from different angles and in different positions to target different parts of the muscles. Biceps and triceps respond best to moderate weights and high volume.
The 39-year-old’s arms training routine looks like this:
Friday – Shoulder and Abs Workout
Herman wraps up the training week with this split. Abs are the primary target muscles in this workout and he sprinkles a few shoulder movements as well. As mentioned before, Scott Herman uses a cable machine for crunches and includes other core exercises like side planks, russian twists and hanging leg raises to work different parts of abdominal muscles from different angles.The Friday training session looks like this:
Saturday – Rest
There is no better way to recover from the stressful training sessions than simply allowing the body to rest and heal itself. Scott Herman believes that good quality sleep is the number one remedy for recovery. Therefore he takes Saturday off to get rejuvenated for the next week’s training.
Sunday – Cardio
To maintain and improve the cardiovascular health and to burn calories, Scott Herman does cardio two to three days per week in addition to his free weight training routine. Typically, he does only cardio on Sundays and the training session includes:
Footwork warm-up to maintain ankle strength
20-minute run on a treadmill at a 3% incline and 8 mph speed
Scott Herman Diet
Scott does not like to leave any loose ends when it comes to his nutrition. After all, a perfect physique is a combination of training and diet. Things can take a hit if one of these two aspects are neglected.
Scott Herman prefers to plan his full day of eating well in advance. He decides the macronutrient intake for the day and ensures that it is met through healthy and home cooked whole foods. He does not make changes to his diet frequently and eats pretty much the same food everyday to ensure the macronutrient intake is sufficient.
Herman includes protein in each one of his meals and also incorporates a healthy portion of vegetables in the diet. While his diet does not necessarily contain ‘delicious’ foods, Scott Herman believes that it is a cost you have to pay for having a god-like physique. After all, you can’t be a couch potato with a pack of nachos and expect to have a physique like Scott Herman’s, can you?
That being said, the 39-year-old YouTuber does indulge in his favorite foods once in a while BUT in moderation. His caloric intake and micronutrient profile for a typical day looks like this:
Energy – 2800 to 3100 Calories
Protein – 200 to 220 Grams
Carbohydrates – 250 to 350 Grams
Fats – 80 to 100 Grams
Full Day of Eating in Scott Herman’s Diet
Herman starts the day with a wholesome breakfast that is high in protein. The rest of his meals also focus on sufficient protein and vegetables. Chicken, eggs, fish and Whey protein are the primary sources of protein in Scott Herman’s diet. On the other hand, brown rice, whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bread provide sufficient carbohydrates. Milk, egg yolk and a variety of vegetables provide fats, vitamins and other essential nutrients. His typical meal plan for a day looks like this:
Breakfast
Rolled Oats
Whole Wheat Toast
Whole Eggs
Milk
Whey Protein
Lunch
Grilled Chicken
Brown Rice
Vegetables
Dinner
Fish
Mixed Vegetables
Whole Wheat Pasta
To Conclude
Scott Herman’s training approach and reliance on free weights might seem regressive to many as new evolved training methods promise far better and quicker results. However, his journey shows that if you believe in your training principles and stick to them without wavering, it is possible to reach your fitness goals slowly but surely.
2023 Grl Pwr Championships Results — Romina Basualdo Wins
The 2023 Grl Pwr Championships took place on Saturday, April 29 in Orlando Florida. This weekend’s competition featured the Bikini division and served as a qualifier for the Olympia competition later this year.
The 2023 Mr. Olympia contest is scheduled for November 2-5, in Orlando Florida inside the Orange County Convention Center. Athletes have until October 9 to earn their respective invitations. Aside from the Men’s Open class, all other division’s top three finishers from the 2022 Olympia show are automatically invited back to this year’s event.
There have been significant changes to the Olympia Qualification System this year. Unlike in 2022, the point system has been removed. With that in mind, bodybuilders must win a pro show to guarantee their Olympia appearance in a few months.
As it stands, 2022 Bikini Olympia 10th place finisher Romina Basualdo will be in attendance looking to stamp her ticket. Meanwhile, fans expect Kathy Setiz and Reijuana Harley to push for gold given their consistency and stage presentation.
2023 Grl Pwr Bikini Championships Results
Winner — Romina Basualdo
Second Place — Reijuana Harley
Third Place — Jessica Machado
Fourth Place — Janine Herrera
Fifth Place — Kimberly Bonilla
Sixth Place — Carlee Stevenson
Seventh Place — Carolina Collazos
Eighth Place — Kathy Seitz
Ninth Place — Sophia Bernard
Tenth Place — Shey Webb
2023 Grl Pwr Pro Scorecard
2023 Grl Pwr Pro Bikini Scorecard
Fitness Volt congratulates the winner!
Published: 30 April, 2023 | 12:15 AM EDT
2023 Grl Pwr Pro Scorecards
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