Tag: Bodybuilding
Arnold Schwarzenegger Shares Workout of the Week Using Intense Cluster Sets
Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to inspire generations after an astounding career. In a recent edition of The Daily Pump Newsletter, Schwarzenegger shared an intense workout of the week using cluster sets for added difficulty.
Arnold Schwarzenegger first gained attention in the 1970s and early 80s for his impressive muscle mass, symmetry, and conditioning in the Men’s Open division. He dominated the stages of the IFBB Pro League, winning seven Mr. Olympia titles, and is remembered for epic battles against three-time champion Sergio Oliva, three-time winner Frank Zane, former champ Samir Bannout, and Franco Columbu.
Schwarzenegger emerged as an international superstar following his bodybuilding career. His dynamic personality was on full display in the 1977 docudrama Pumping Iron alongside Lou Ferrigno. The film found mainstream success and elevated the sport to a new level.
Schwarzenegger continued to expand his creative footprint in the world of entertainment after stepping away from bodybuilding. Using the same discipline and work ethic he developed as a competitor, Schwarzenegger established himself as a bona fide Hollywood sensation with lead roles in several blockbuster franchises.
‘The Austrian Oak’ commands a huge following of 23.6 million followers on Instagram. He has not lost his passion for working out and encourages his fans to lead a healthy lifestyle. He suggested the use of about 200-300 milligrams of caffeine as a pre-workout to boost your performance in training sessions.
He added the caveat of not consuming caffeine at least nine hours before sleep to avoid any disturbances. Then, Schwarzenegger detailed a simple yet effective tip to shed pounds by incorporating meal replacement shakes instead of whole foods.
Schwarzenegger recommended the use of wave training to push through plateaus in the gym a few weeks ago. He credited the intensity technique for breaking through training obstacles. He followed that up with a brutal nine-minute core workout that required no equipment. As of late, Arnie detailed the benefits of using bodyweight workouts to build leg strength and improve cardiovascular health.
The 75-year-old gave fans a look into his bodyweight workout of the week to build muscle last month. He stressed the importance of focusing on resistance as opposed to weights for achieving muscle growth. His next workout used Myo-Reps, a training method used by Norwegian strength coach Borge Fagerli, to pack on the pounds.
Arnold Schwarzenegger shares workout of the week using cluster sets
In a recent edition of The Daily Pump Newsletter, Arnold Schwarzenegger shared a grueling workout of the week that utilized cluster sets.
“When time is short, one of the best ways to get in a great workout is by supersetting exercises. That means performing one exercise after another with little rest,” explained Schwarzenegger. “You might have seen Arnold train like this when he performed a chest exercise followed by a back exercise.
“But we like to throw in a little wrinkle to help make you stronger. That’s where cluster sets come in. Cluster sets are just like supersets, but you do multiple supersets within one cluster. This technique allows you to use a heavier weight than you normally would because of how you’re staging the reps and sets.”
Here’s how it works:
Select a weight you can lift for 4 to 5 reps for a push exercise (like a chest press) and 6 to 8 reps for a pulling exercise (like rows). Then do the following,
Set 1: 2 reps of push + 4 reps of pull (no rest)
Set 2: 1 rep of push + 2 reps of pull (no rest)
Set 3: 3 reps of push + 6 reps of pull (rest 3 min)
That’s one cluster. You’ll repeat this a total of two to three times, and then you’re done. Two exercises and you’ll be pumped, your heart rate will be up, and you should feel stronger.
Do the math, and you’re doing 6 reps (with your 4-rep maximum weight) on pushing exercises and 12 reps (with your 6 to 8 rep maximum weight) for pulling exercises.
Cluster 2: Pair a lower-body push exercise (like a squat) with a lower-body hinge exercise (like a deadlift).
Here’s how it works:
Select a weight you can lift for 6 to 8 reps for the lower body push exercise and 12 to 15 reps for the hinge exercise. Then do the following,
Set 1: 4 reps of push + 8 reps of hinge (no rest)
Set 2: 3 reps of push + 6 reps of hinge (no rest)
Set 3: 5 reps of push + 10 reps of hinge(rest 3 min)
That’s one cluster. Just like the upper body workout, do two to three total clusters and call it a day.
Arnold Schwarzenegger offered an alternate version using the same technique for those who prefer bodyweight training routines.
If you’re doing bodyweight exercises, here’s how you can make this plan work for you.
Bodyweight Version
The bodyweight idea is very similar. The cluster sets will help you be able to do more reps than usual. But, because no weight is involved, you’re going to do higher reps. And, we’re going to pair an upper body and a lower body exercise. Here’s how it worksCluster Example: Assume you do pushups for your upper body movements and squats for your lower body movement.
Set 1: 7 reps of an upper body exercise + 7 reps of a lower body exercise
Set 2: 6 reps of an upper body exercise + 6 reps of a lower body exercise
Set 3: 8 reps of an upper body exercise + 8 reps of a lower body exercise (rest 3 minutes)
That’s one cluster. You’ll repeat this a total of two to three times, and you’re done with the first cluster.Then, for the second cluster, you would select two new movements such as bodyweight row and lunges and repeat the process, and then call it a day.
NOTE: You’ll want to do a warmup and build up to these weights with 3 sets of each movement. In all, each cluster should take about 20-25 minutes. So, a cluster can be its own workout. Or, set aside 45 minutes to an hour and have an amazing full-body workout with just four exercises.
Arnold Schwarzenegger provided a convenient 5-minute workout routine that could be performed anywhere earlier this month. He suggested using the workout in the morning to start your day or as a warm-up for a more comprehensive training routine.
RELATED: Arnold Schwarzenegger Shares 5-Min No-Equipment Workout of the Week: ‘Get Your Blood Flowing’
Despite hanging up his posing trunks decades ago, Schwarzenegger’s influence on the sport is palpable to this day. Samir Bannout credited him as the greatest bodybuilder of all time and believes he would dispatch the elite contenders of the modern era.
Published: 18 April, 2023 | 11:38 PM EDT
Jay Cutler Compares His Workout Tempo to Dorian Yates’ Heavy Duty Training Intensity
Mr. Olympia winners like Jay Culter and Dorian Yates reached the top of the sport utilizing different training methods. In a recent JayCutlerTV appearance, Cutler examined Yates’ intense training style and revealed some of his goals for later this year. Before Cutler’s rise in the IFBB Pro League, Dorian Yates dominated the 1990s with stunning…
Tom Platz Shows Off Shredded Quads in Latest Update at 67
Golden Era bodybuilder Tom Platz elevated the sport during the 1970s and 80s with several Mr. Olympia appearances. In a recent Instagram post, Platz showed off his signature quad definition at 67 years old.
Platz, a Detroit native, was known for his spectacular leg strength and development as a professional. He built a successful career competing in AAU bodybuilding shows. While Platz wasn’t famous for titles or awards, he received praise for his varied and exhaustive workout routines which have influenced generations of competitors since his last competition.
Platz trained at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach and eventually switched to the IFBB. He went on to win the Mr. Universe title in 1980. During his eight Olympia shows, Platz tested his resolve against huge names in the sport like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lee Haney.
Given his remarkable lower body strength, many consider Platz a pioneer of advanced leg training. He took part in a squat contest against Fred Hatfield in 1992 but lost. He returned at the Great American Squat Off in Germany, where he and Hatfield both enjoyed success.
His last Olympia appearance came in 1986, but Platz’s dedication to the sport persists in retirement. He continues to train his legs and is now showing off the results at 67 years old.
Tom Platz Shares Jacked Quad Update at 67 After ‘Tweaks’ to His Training/Eating Lifestyle
Platz shared a few pictures of his quads and thanked his doctor for the changes to his training and nutritional regimen. He gave fans a look at his impressive midsection as well.
“Okay, guys, never been great at selfies, but a work in progress! lol*My amazing doctor, Dr Cha @cha_dikito has placed me on another healing journey, once again! Have been under the weather the last few weeks. Her evaluation was spot on! Cha tweaked my training days and Eating Lifestyle while I recover.*In two weeks, this happened! Nearing 68 years old in June. Thank you, Cha! You did say “with Gods foods, expect great results!” Tom Platz wrote.
Having competed during a different era, Platz believes the sport has undergone some dramatic changes. Most notably, he took issue with the way in which the Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic contests operate. According to Platz, Mr. Olympia has lost its identity, and the Arnold Classic surrendered its reputation. He added that bodybuilding should encompass more than just pursuing prestigious titles.
Platz also touched on his experiences with performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) during his tenure. He explained that there was ‘muscle he could only acquire with anabolics’ while competing actively. The 67-year-old shared that he was able to achieve dry conditioning without steroids, but had to use a few compounds to display a ‘saran wrap’ look on stage.
Tom isn’t the only Golden Era bodybuilder sharing shredded updates. Robby Robinson continues to defy Father Time at 76 with a ripped physique. Looking back on his illustrious career, Robinson stressed that his body was built with hard work and proper dieting, not with steroids.
RELATED: Top 11 Bodybuilders to Maintain Jacked Physiques In Retirement
While Tom’s career in bodybuilding was certainly noteworthy, his lasting legacy can be attributed to his once-in-a-generation quadriceps growth that has inspired countless fitness enthusiasts worldwide.
For those aspiring to achieve similar success, Tom’s approach is simple yet profound: become a disciple of the “Quadfather” and emulate his unwavering commitment to the grind.
Reflecting on his use of PEDs, Tom Platz said he took the ‘minimum’ and that it worked for him and helped with longevity. At 67 years old, Platz continues to inspire his fanbase with hard work and dedication.
Published: 18 April, 2023 | 1:58 PM EDT
Average Shoulder Width For Men and Women
What do Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain Marvel have in common? They have broad and chiseled shoulders. Big and round shoulders are associated with power and dominance.
Wide shoulders can improve your physique aesthetics by making your waist look smaller and accentuating your V-taper. It is no surprise bodybuilding enthusiasts spend a considerable amount of time working on their shoulders.
The shoulder muscle, also known as the deltoids, consists of three heads — anterior, lateral, and posterior. You must work on all three heads from multiple angles to ensure overall development.
In this article, we cover why you should know about your shoulder width, the average male and female shoulder size, how to measure your shoulder width, factors that affect your shoulder size, and how to increase or reduce your shoulder width. There is a lot to cover, so sit tight.
Why is Shoulder Width Important?
Any fitness freak can tell you that building big shoulders is important. Only a few, however, can tell you why that is so.
If you are a sportsperson, knowing the average shoulder width of the top athletes in your sport can help you compare your biomechanics with theirs and design a diet and training program to maximize your potential. Shoulder width and strength can play a crucial role in sports such as bodybuilding, CrossFit, strongman, swimming, boxing, and weightlifting.
On the other hand, knowing your shoulder width can help you purchase clothes that look and fit better. Folks looking to create a new wardrobe after a physique transformation should measure their shoulders to avoid buying ill-fitting clothes. You don’t want to wear baggy clothes after spending months slimming down.
What is the Average Shoulder Width For Men?
According to the CDC data based on 7,476 American men, the average male shoulder width is 16.2 inches or 41.1 cm. Notably, these measurements refer to the biacromial breadth, which is measured between the outermost bony points on the top of each shoulder. [1]
The average shoulder width for men stays almost the same in the 20-59 age group and tapers off gradually as they enter their 60s.
Men, on average, have a 16.3-inch biacromial breadth in the 20-29 age group. It remains the same until they turn 50. Men see a 0.2-inch drop in their shoulder width as they enter the 50-59 age group.
Furthermore, men between 60-69 have a 15.9-inch shoulder width, which further shrinks to 15.6 inches in their 70s. According to American anthropometric data, an average American male in his 80s has a 15.4-inch shoulder span.
Age
Average Shoulder Width (inches)
Average Shoulder Width (cms)
20-29
16.3
41.5
30-39
16.3
41.5
40-49
16.3
41.3
50-59
16.1
41
60-69
15.9
40.5
70-79
15.6
39.7
80+
15.4
39
Notably, the average shoulder width can vary according to ethnicity, genetics, weight, body type, diet, exercise, and family history. People of the same origin tend to have a similar physical structure.
What is the Average Shoulder Width For Women?
According to the same CDC report, the average shoulder width for American females is 14.4 inches or 36.7 cm. This data is based on 8,411 women aged 20 and above.
The average shoulder width for women in the 20-29 age group is 14.5 inches; it increases slightly to 14.6 inches for women in the 30-39 age group. However, women see a slight decrease in their shoulder width in the 40-59 age group as their shoulder size reverses to 14.5 inches.
Ladies, on average, see another fall in their shoulder size as their shoulder width falls to 14.3 inches in the 60-69 age bracket. The downward trajectory continues as the average shoulder width slips to 14.1 inches for women in their 70s. Finally, the biggest drop comes after women turn 80, as their shoulder size drops by 0.4 inches to 13.7 inches.
Age
Average Shoulder Width (inches)
Average Shoulder Width (cms)
20-29
14.5
36.9
30-39
14.6
37
40-49
14.5
36.9
50-59
14.5
36.9
60-69
14.3
36.4
70-79
14.1
35.7
80+
13.7
34.8
What is the Average Shoulder Circumference For Men?
Are you confused already? You are not alone. Many people confuse shoulder width with shoulder circumference.
Here’s an easy way to remember the difference. A tailor takes your shoulder length measurement for making custom suits by placing a measuring tape across your shoulders.
On the other hand, shoulder circumference is measured by wrapping a tape around your shoulders. It is like taking a chest measurement, but a few inches above your pectoral muscles. Wrapping the tape around the middle of the deltoids gives you your shoulder circumference.
According to the anthropometric data published by the US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, the average male shoulder circumference is 46.25 inches or 117.5 cm. [2]
Notably, this data is based on US Army soldiers, who tend to be fitter than ordinary folks. Furthermore, the average shoulder circumference tends to change with height. Taller folks generally have a bigger shoulder circumference.
What is the Average Shoulder Circumference For Women?
As per a 2016 study, the average shoulder circumference for adult females is 39.4 inches or 100 cm. The subjects of this study were, on average, around 21 years old, 5’7″ tall, and had a 20-21 BMI. [3]
Shorter women, on average, will have a smaller shoulder circumference than 39.4 inches. Similarly, some shorter ladies might have a bigger shoulder circumference because of their genetics and broader shoulder structure.
Differences in skeletal structure and hormones lead to different shoulder widths in men and women. This difference can result in discrepancies in physical performance, especially in athletics. Since men have broader shoulders, male athletes have more upper body strength than their female counterparts in the same weight category. On the flip side, smaller clavicle bones give women an edge in sports that require flexibility and range of motion, such as gymnastics and dance.
4 Ways To Measure Your Shoulders
If measuring your shoulders was so easy, there would be no ill-fitting clothes in this world. The fact that this article shows four methods of measuring your shoulders should tell you that it is much more complex than what most people assume.
However, we have broken down these three methods into easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions to help you determine your exact shoulder width.
How To Measure Your Shoulder Length
This method is most commonly used by tailors. You need a tape measure and another person’s help for this method; it helps you determine your clavicle width and upper back size.
Steps:
Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance and your arms at your sides.
Ask your friend to run a tape measure across your upper back (shoulder to shoulder).
Instead of running the tape straight across your shoulders, curve the tape slightly upward to factor in the size of your upper back.
Place each end of the tape on the edges of your shoulders, where they begin to curve down.
Note down your shoulder measurement.
How To Measure Your Shoulder Circumference
To measure your shoulder circumference, you must wrap the tape measure around your shoulders. You’ll need a friend’s help to determine your shoulder size in this method.
Steps:
Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
Have your friend wrap the tape around your shoulders. The tape should be parallel to the floor and wrap around the meatiest part of your deltoids. A tilted tape will give you an incorrect reading.
Avoid pushing out your chest or rounding your shoulders during shoulder measurement.
Record the number where the tape overlaps.
How To Measure Your Biacromial Breadth
This is the most accurate method of measuring your shoulder breadth. This method is used in the military and in scientific research, where they depend on accurate data.
This method involves using a large bone caliper to record the distance between your acromia, which is the bony part on the ends of your shoulders; hence this method measures your bone structure breadth and disregards your muscle mass.
Steps:
Take the biacromial breadth measurement shirtless for the most accurate results.
Use a bone caliper and adjust the edges above your shoulder joints, where the shoulder caps begin.
Note down the reading.
How To Measure Your Shoulders Yourself
The three methods listed above require a friend’s help, which might not be possible for everyone. To this effect, we are including a technique you can use to measure your shoulder width on your own. Notably, this method is not as effective and accurate as the three mentioned above as it includes shoulder and arm muscle mass and overlooks the back.
This method is also known as the triceps-to-triceps shoulder measurement. You will need a pencil for this measurement, and since it involves marking the surface, you want to do it on a wall that you don’t mind spoiling or stick a piece of paper on the wall before doing this.
Steps:
Stand upright with your back against a wall.
Your head, shoulders, upper back, hips, and feet should be in contact with the wall.
Grab a pencil in your right hand.
Turn to your left side and mark the wall just outside the meatiest part of your left deltoid.
Repeat on the right side.
Use a tape measure or a scale to measure the distance between the two points on the wall.
How To Measure Your Shoulder Width For Bodybuilding
The sport of bodybuilding is all about aesthetics. You must have the perfect size, structure, balance, proportions, and conditioning to win a bodybuilding show. In short, it requires a holistic approach to developing your physique.
In this regard, you must measure your shoulder circumference to ensure you are on the right track. Measuring your shoulder circumference instead of your shoulder width helps you track your body fat, muscle mass, and shoulder development. On the other hand, measuring your shoulder width will only give you your clavicle width.
Using your shoulder circumference measurements will give you more data points, which can help you work toward your goal physique. Nonetheless, you can also use the shoulder width and biacromial breadth measurements for a holistic approach. However, if you want to limit yourself to only one measurement, it should be the shoulder circumference.
Factors that Affect Shoulder Width
Shoulder width depends on a mix of factors. Some, such as diet, exercise, and body weight, are under our control, whereas others, like gender at birth, ethnicity, genetics, and hormones, are beyond us. Let’s take a closer look at these factors:
Gender
Men tend to have wider shoulders than their female counterparts. Wider shoulders are one of the reasons why males have greater upper-body strength than women, which translates to better performance in activities that require upper-body muscle power.
Ethnicity
Shoulder sizes among people of different ethnicities in the same age and weight group can vary because of a difference in skeletal structure and body composition. Notably, the shoulder size difference between different ethnicities is relatively small.
Genetics
Genetics plays a crucial role in determining your shoulder width. Our genes determine the skeletal structure of our shoulders, including the size and shape of the clavicle, scapula, and humerus bones.
Hormones
Your shoulder width greatly depends on your hormones. With that said, testosterone is the main hormone responsible for muscle and strength gains. Testosterone is the primary sex hormone and anabolic steroid in males. It is also the primary reason men have broader and stronger shoulders than women.
Lifestyle Factors
This is one of the often overlooked aspects that affect shoulder width. Your lifestyle can majorly impact your shoulder width. Your diet, exercise, and sleeping schedule dictate your strength and muscle gains and can affect the shape and size of your shoulders.
Following a balanced diet and training program is one of the most effective ways of building bigger and stronger shoulders. Furthermore, you must sleep for at least 7-8 hours each night to give your body enough time to recover from your workouts.
Conversely, following a sedentary lifestyle can result in muscle atrophy, leading to smaller and slanting shoulders over time.
Medical Conditions
Medical conditions like scoliosis, which causes the spine to curve sideways, can cause uneven shoulder height and affect shoulder width. Other medical conditions that lead to overall health deterioration can also reduce your shoulder width. Plus, injuries can also affect shoulder width by causing muscle atrophy.
Check also: Find Your Body Type Endomorph, Ectomorph, or Mesomorph?
The Ideal Shoulder Width
Bodybuilding enthusiasts and folks chasing aesthetics chase muscular symmetry and balance. Knowing the ideal shoulder width can help them design a workout program to achieve the magic number.
The ideal shoulder width will be subjective. It is based on the factors listed above. Furthermore, the two ratios mentioned below will help you arrive at a number that will aid you in carving a more balanced and aesthetically appealing physique.
Shoulder-To-Waist Ratio
Broad shoulders and a narrow waist can accentuate your V-taper and add to the illusion of a bigger physique. It can make your waist look smaller and give you a commanding and authoritative presence.
The shoulder-to-waist ratio compares your shoulder and waist circumference. It is a great tool for assessing your body composition and gives an overall view of your health and fitness levels. Furthermore, it can help you arrive at the ideal shoulder width to improve your physique aesthetics.
Dividing your shoulder’s widest part’s circumference by the circumference of the narrowest part of the waist will give you your shoulder-to-waist ratio. For example, if you have a 32-inch waist and your shoulder circumference is 46 inches, your shoulder-to-waist ratio would be 1.4375 (46 divided by 32).
Routinely measuring your shoulder-to-waist ratio can be an incredibly effective way of tracking your transformation progress.
Generally, a higher shoulder-to-waist ratio is considered desirable for men as it is associated with a more athletic and powerful physique. A shoulder-to-waist ratio of 1.6 or greater is typically considered ideal for men. Conversely, a shoulder-to-waist ratio of 0.7 or lower is desirable for women.
Remember, these are just ideal numbers. Don’t beat yourself up if you cannot get close to these numbers. In his prime, the legendary bodybuilder Steve Reeves had a shoulder-to-waist ratio of 1.47, and he was considered to have the best structure in the business.
Use our Shoulder-to-Waist Ratio Calculator to learn more about achieving your dream physique.
Grecian Ideal Ratio
The Grecian ideal ratio is great for bodybuilding enthusiasts. It is easy to use and gives you all the data you need to build a Greek god-like physique. This calculator uses your wrist circumference to calculate your ideal muscle group proportions.
The Grecian ideal measurements include:
Shoulders: 1.618x larger than waist
Flexed arm: 2.5x larger than non-dominant wrist
Flexed calves: Same size as flexed arms
Chest: 6.5x larger than non-dominant wrist
Upper leg: 1.75x larger than knee
Frank Zane / Instagram
Eugen Sandow, also known as the “Father of Modern Bodybuilding,” is credited with creating the Grecian ideal ratio. He visited museums and measured the proportions of the statues to create the Grecian ideal ratio. Bodybuilders like Steve Reeves, Reg Park, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, and Lee Labrada followed the Grecian ideal to build their iconic physiques.
You shouldn’t, however, look at the shoulder-to-waist ratio or the Grecian ideal ratio in isolation to assess your fitness levels. Combine them with your body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and body fat percentage to get a holistic view of your overall health.
Check out our Grecian Ideal Calculator to determine your ideal body measurements.
How To Increase Shoulder Width?
Now that you’ve learned about the average shoulder width, the ideal shoulder width and the shoulder-to-waist ratio, and the Grecian ideal ratio, it’s time to put all this knowledge to work.
Let’s say you now know you are an inch away from your ideal shoulder width but have no idea how to get there. This section is for you!
Below is how to add meat to your shoulders:
Improve Your Posture
Poor posture is one of the biggest reasons behind smaller shoulders. Most people spend a good part of their day hunched over their phone or laptop. This leads to a rounded back and shoulders, which can make your delts look smaller.
Improving your posture will enhance your physique aesthetics and instantly make your shoulders look wider. Pull your shoulder back and push out your chest. You must monitor your sitting and standing posture throughout the day.
Doing resistance training exercises and actively correcting your posture throughout the day will be your first step toward broader shoulders.
Resistance Training
Non-trainers must start lifting weights to build wider and stronger shoulders. On the other hand, exercisers must perform a dedicated shoulder training session in their weekly training regimen to build a more aesthetically appealing physique.
Your shoulder workouts should have a mix of compound (multi-joint) and isolation (single-joint) exercises and should target all three deltoid heads (anterior, lateral, and posterior) from multiple angles to ensure overall development.
Furthermore, you must include advanced training principles like dropsets, supersets, intraset stretching, and rest-pause sets to progressively overload your muscles and induce hypertrophy. Switch up your training intensity, volume, and frequency to keep your muscles guessing and avoid hitting a plateau.
Alternating between strength-focused and hypertrophy-focused workouts can help build thick and dense muscles. Perform 1-5 reps per set to build strength. On the other hand, stay in the 8-12 rep range to induce hypertrophy. [4]
Also, you must work on your supporting muscles, such as the triceps and core, to improve your pressing performance. Perform all exercises with the perfect form to get the best bang for your buck and reduce your risk of injury.
Proper Nutrition
It doesn’t matter how hard you train; you cannot out-train a bad diet. You must back your workout regimen with a balanced diet with the right proportions of macro and micronutrients. Eat a protein-rich diet to build muscle mass and strength and improve your recovery. Plus, eat a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates to support your energy levels during workouts.
When you eat a balanced diet, you are in a better position to lose weight, which can help you lose the spare tire and improve your physique aesthetics. Ir will make your shoulders look wider and stronger.
Rest
You must give your muscles enough time between workouts to ensure optimal recovery. Sleeping for 7-8 hours each night puts you in the sweet spot. It fastens your muscle recovery and boosts growth hormone production, which can aid in boosting muscle and strength gains. [5]
Dress To Impress
Dressing according to your body shape can make all the difference in boosting your aesthetics. If you have small shoulders, wearing clothing with shoulder pads like blazers and coats can make your shoulders look wider.
On the flip side, donning fitting clothing can make your shoulders pop during the summer. Folks with narrow shoulders should avoid baggy clothing, as they can make their delts look small, slanting, and weak — a trio you want to avoid.
Wearing horizontal stripes can make your shoulders look wider. Overweight folks, however, should avoid horizontal stripes as they can make them appear larger.
How To Reduce Shoulder Width?
Reducing your shoulder size can be harder than gaining shoulder width. Your genetics, gender, hormones, and ethnicity generally determine your shoulder width. It can be challenging to lose shoulder width if you have a normal BMI and have never engaged in strength training.
On the other hand, overweight folks might find some success in losing shoulder width by adjusting their diet and training program. Furthermore, you could influence your physique aesthetics and make your shoulders look smaller by working on your lower body.
Here are some ways to reduce shoulder width:
Do More Cardio
This tip is primarily for overweight people. Losing weight is one of the most effective ways to shed shoulder width. Do two cardio sessions daily to prioritize weight loss. The first should be a 15-20 minute high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout done on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.
You should then do a 30-40 minute low-intensity steady state (LISS) cardio session later in the evening. Doing two cardio workouts in a day will help you enter a calorie deficit and spike your metabolic rate, which will ensure you are burning calories throughout the day, even when you are physically inactive.
Modify Your Workout Routine
If you are a regular lifter, you must make significant changes to your workout training regimen to lose shoulder width. You must begin by cutting out shoulder workouts from your training routine. That’s right, no more shoulder presses, lateral raises, upright rows, or shrugs.
Cutting out shoulder workouts will ensure that you are not building new muscle tissue in your shoulders, making them bigger and denser. Plus, you must recomp your training program and add another leg workout into your schedule instead of the shoulder workout.
Building bigger legs can take away the attention from your shoulders and contribute to developing a more balanced physique.
Change Your Diet
Folks trying to lose weight should enter a calorie deficit, meaning they should burn more calories daily than they consume. Additionally, you must rejig your diet by lowering your calorie intake or adjusting your macronutrient ratios.
You must, however, ensure that you are eating enough protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to support muscle maintenance and recovery. Hiring a professional with a proven track record can save you time, effort, and money in your goal of reducing your shoulder width. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, especially if you are a beginner and aren’t equipped to complete a physique recomp.
Avoid Lifting Heavy
Some lifters develop physique imbalances by overemphasizing a certain muscle group. If you are one of them, you must take your foot off the pedal and lower your training intensity and volume.
Besides cutting out shoulder workouts from your training regimen, you must lower the weight you lift on other compound movements, such as the incline chest press. After achieving your body structure goals, you can ramp up your training intensity, volume, and weight.
Must read: Quick Guide to Reducing Broad Shoulders
FAQs
How many inches is a broad shoulder?
This is a subjective question, the answer to which depends on your height, weight, and gender. Generally speaking, you can consider folks with wider-than-average shoulders (according to the tables above) to have broad shoulders.
Are shoulder width and shoulder length the same thing?
Yes, you can use shoulder width and shoulder length interchangeably to refer to the clavicle width. Measuring your shoulder width using a tape measure (the first method in this article) and the bone caliper (the third method) will give you your shoulder length.
Can I measure shoulder width without a tape measure?
Yes, you could use the fourth method mentioned in this article to measure your shoulder width without a tape. Plus, you don’t need a friend’s help with this method. You will, however, need a scale and a pencil for this method. The bone caliper method also doesn’t require a tape measure, but you will need someone’s help for it.
Wrapping Up
This article gives you the average shoulder width for men and women across age groups. You can use this data to determine how you stack up against your peers. However, you must remember that there is nothing like the perfect or ideal shoulder width. Your shoulder width will vary based on your ethnicity, genetics, weight, body type, diet, exercise, and family history.
Use the tips in this article to build muscle mass or reduce your overall body fat. Your shoulder size will depend on your clavicle width, and it might take some time before you begin to see the needle budge in the right direction. Be patient, and the results will follow. Best of luck!
References
McDowell MA, Fryar CD, Ogden CL. Anthropometric reference data for children and adults: United States, 1988–1994. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 11(249). 2009
Mitchell, K. B., Choi, H. J., & Garlie, T. N. (2017). Anthropometry And Range Of Motion Of The Encumbered Soldier. U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1028746.pdf
Keizer A, van Elburg A, Helms R, Dijkerman HC (2016) A Virtual Reality Full Body Illusion Improves Body Image Disturbance in Anorexia Nervosa. PLoS ONE 11(10): e0163921. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0163921
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
Dattilo M, Antunes HK, Medeiros A, Mônico Neto M, Souza HS, Tufik S, de Mello MT. Sleep and muscle recovery: endocrinological and molecular basis for a new and promising hypothesis. Med Hypotheses. 2011 Aug;77(2):220-2. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.04.017. Epub 2011 May 7. PMID: 21550729.
Big Ramy Casts Doubt on Competing This Year, Might Sit Out 2023 Olympia
It appears Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay‘s contest plans have yet to be finalized. In a recent YouTube video with Bob Cicherillo, Ramy suggested that he might take the year off and return at the 2024 Mr. Olympia competition. As a two-time Mr. Olympia, many in the sport suspected Ramy’s reign would last a few more…
Bicep Curl Drop Set: Pump Your Guns and Maximize Muscle Gain!
The biceps are arguably the most loved muscle group. It is common to hear people skip leg days, but you’ll never hear of anyone missing arm day. Although the biceps curl ranks high on every lifter’s favorite exercise list, only a few have guns worth showing off.
The biceps is a small muscle group, and most lifters rely on curls (an isolation exercise) to add inches to their arms. Nonetheless, only a few succeed.
Usually, exercisers oscillate between doing too little and too much in their arms training regimen. While the first technique lacks training intensity to spark new muscle tissue growth, the latter leads to overtraining. Furthermore, both these techniques lead to a training plateau.
This is where the drop sets come in. Drop sets help increase your training intensity by adding more sets and reps to your training regimen, helping ignite new muscle growth and break through plateaus. Drop sets boost muscle growth by significantly enhancing your target muscle’s time under tension.
To build biceps that surpass people’s imagination, you must put in the work that most people cannot fathom. The bicep curl drop set is a step in the right direction.
The drop set is an advanced training technique that is not for the faint of heart. “Muscle-ripping pump” is a popular term in training jargon. Most lifters throw it around like it’s nobody’s business. The truth is that most trainers have never experienced a “muscle-ripping pump,” unless that is, they try the drop set.
In this article, we go over everything you need to learn about the biceps curl drop set to build bigger and stronger pythons, including the definition, step-by-step instructions, sample biceps drop set workout, its benefits, and tips to make the most of them.
What is a Drop Set?
A drop set is an advanced resistance training technique that helps spark hypertrophy by shocking your muscles through an uptick in training intensity. In a drop set, you perform an exercise with an appropriate weight for the desired number of repetitions, then lighten the load by 10–30% and perform another set to failure without pausing for rest between sets.
The number of reps you will perform will depend on your training objectives. Research has shown that performing 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps of an exercise with an appropriate weight is optimal for building muscle mass. On the other hand, 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps are ideal for building strength. [1]
Training for muscle failure in two non-stop sets fills your muscles with blood and lactic acid, which stretches the fascia and supplies your muscle fibers with the required nutrients for muscle growth.
You could also do a double drop set to take your muscle pumps to the next level. A double drop set involves dropping weights twice in the same set. To do a double drop set, complete a set to failure, lighten the load by 10-30%, and do another set; complete the round by doing another set after reducing the load by 10-30%.
Here is a sample barbell biceps curl double drop set using 95 pounds:
Set 1: 12 reps [95 pounds]
Set 2: Failure (8-12 reps) [85 pounds]
Set 3: Failure (8-12 reps) [65 pounds]
While performing a drop set, you must ensure that you’re following a picture-perfect form. Using momentum or a sleazy form increases your risk of injury as your muscles are already fatigued. You must stop your set as soon as you notice your form slipping.
How to Perform a Biceps Curl Drop Set
The drop set technique can be used for any biceps curl exercise. For the sake of this article, we’ll consider the dumbbell biceps curl. Drop sets require more logistical planning than traditional dumbbell curl sets. Hence, you must ensure that you already have everything you need by your side before you begin the drop set. Stopping to look for weights drops your training intensity and will hamper your muscle-building potential.
Use the following pointers to incorporate the biceps curl into your training schedule:
Choose The Weight
Most lifters are confused about the weights they should be lifting on the biceps curl drop set. While some people bite off more than they can chew, exposing themselves to an injury, others undersell themselves, leaving gains on the table.
As a rule of thumb, you should start your drop set with a weight that allows you to complete 8-12 reps of an exercise with the perfect form. Then, you must not lighten the load by more than 30% for the drop set to ensure optimal small-twitch muscle fiber stimulation. You must choose a weight that allows you to complete 8-12 reps in the drop sets.
For example, if you perform the first set of a dumbbell bicep curl with 45-pound dumbbells, you can only drop the weight to 30 pounds for the drop set. You can then use 20-pound dumbbells for the double-drop set.
Decreasing the weight in small increments (5-10%) can limit the number of repetitions you can perform. You must, however, ensure that you fail in the 8-12 rep range to induce hypertrophy and improve your muscle endurance.
Setup
Many lifters make the mistake of starting the bicep curl drop set without the proper engagement. While doing the dumbbell bicep curl drop set, you should have the 2-3 sets of dumbbells you will use around you and in your reach before starting the exercise.
Looking for dumbbells for your drop sets in the middle of your set will hamper your training intensity. If you wait too long between sets, you’ll end up recruiting your fast-twitch muscle fibers instead of the slow-twitch fibers, beating the purpose of this advanced training technique.
Plan
To make the most of drop sets, you must program them into your workouts strategically. Plan your workouts a week in advance so that you don’t end up using drop sets more than once in a workout and twice a week. Using this training technique too frequently can result in overtraining, increasing your risk of injury and leading you to a plateau.
Training Experience
The ‘advanced’ in advance resistance training technique exists for a reason. Beginners must resist the temptation of using drop sets in their workouts. Furthermore, you should only use it in exercises you have mastered. Experimenting with drop sets in a lift you are still learning increases your risk of injury.
Sample Bicep Curl Drop Set Workout
Given below is a biceps workout that involves a superset of dumbbell biceps curls:
In this workout, we have programmed the drop sets at the end to end the workout on a high. Start with the heaviest dumbbells and do as many reps as possible. Without resting between sets, switch to lighter dumbbells and curl to failure. Lighten the weights again, and work to failure without stopping for rest.
Benefits of Drop Set
Adding the drop set advanced training technique to your exercise regimen entails the following advantages:
Helps Build Muscle Mass
A 2018 study found that drop sets delivered more muscle gains by stimulating slow-twitch muscle fiber growth than the conventional sets during a six-week resistance training protocol. [2]
Drop sets are an incredibly versatile training principle. You could use them in any workout and for any exercise. You can do a drop set at the start of a workout to pre-exhaust your muscles, in the middle of the workout, or at the end to finish your training session with a mind-numbing pump.
Drop sets fill your muscles with blood and lactic acid, which stretches the fascia around the muscle and delivers the required nutrients to the muscle tissue for growth.
Improves Muscle Endurance
Our muscles consist of two types of muscle fibers — slow and fast-twitch. Although conventional strength training exercises are great for engaging fast-twitch muscle fibers, they do little to nothing for the slow-twitch fibers. The slow-twitch muscle fibers are endurance-based, meaning they require a greater time under tension than the fast-twitch fibers to fire up, and this is exactly what the drop sets deliver.
A study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that a single set of drop set can lead to better muscle gains than three sets of a conventional resistance training exercise. [3]
Time Effective
Drop sets are a great way to get a lot of work done in a short period. Folks that have hit a plateau and need to up their training volume but cannot afford to spend another 30-45 minutes in the gym should turn to drop sets.
Most drop sets take 15-20 seconds to complete. Lifters that generally do 15 sets in a workout can boost their training volume by 20% just by doing three drop sets of an exercise. Not to mention the insane training intensity that can be achieved using this training principle.
Bicep Curl Drop Set Tips
Here are some bicep curl drop set tips to get the best bang for your buck:
Exercise Type
Prefer doing drop sets in isolation exercises like the biceps curl that focus on a single muscle group. Since compound exercises have multiple moving parts, the risk of injury is significantly higher while doing drop sets.
Lifters tend to compromise on their form on compound lifts like the squat when fatigue starts to set in, increasing their odds of injury. It is easier to bail on a bicep curl drop set rep than to get out of a squat mid-rep.
Sets
You should not do drop sets for more than one exercise in a workout, as it can cause muscle overexertion, increasing your risk of injury. Furthermore, avoid doing more than double drop sets at a time.
Notably, ‘run the rack’ is another advanced training technique that is growing in popularity and involves lightening the load until you lift the lightest weight on the rack. It is a drop set variation that should be reserved for advanced athletes. The high volume and intensity of multiple drop sets can result in a lousy form and an unprecedented strain on your muscles, multiplying your injury odds.
Frequency
Since drop sets are so effective in delivering a muscle pump, many lifters tend to overdo them, increasing overtraining risk. Overtraining affects your central nervous system, and depending on your genetics and recovery program, it might take you months to come out of this phase.
You must limit drop set use to one exercise per workout. Furthermore, avoid performing drop sets more than twice weekly to allow your muscle enough time to recover from your high-intensity workouts.
Are Bicep Curl Drop Sets Safe?
Drop sets are an advanced resistance training technique and should not be used by newbies and rookie lifters. As you start incorporating drop sets into your training regimen, it should be done under an expert’s supervision to minimize the risk of injury.
You must then choose an appropriate weight and exercise for the drop set. Use a weight you can control for 8-12 reps per set and an exercise you have mastered. Doing drop sets on an unfamiliar exercise puts you in a delicate position, and a slight misstep can lead to an injury.
Wrapping Up
The bicep curl drop set is an advanced resistance training technique that will push your limits and challenge your muscles like never before. It will increase your training intensity by increasing the time under tension, helping you avoid and break through a training plateau.
Rookie lifters should start with the conventional drop sets, whereas more advanced lifters can utilize the double drop sets to fill their guns with blood and lactic acid. Finally, you must strategically program the drop sets into your biceps training routine. Doing too much too soon can lead to overtraining, which can stall your growth.
References
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
Fink J, Schoenfeld BJ, Kikuchi N, Nakazato K. Effects of drop set resistance training on acute stress indicators and long-term muscle hypertrophy and strength. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2018 May;58(5):597-605. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.17.06838-4. Epub 2017 Apr 26. PMID: 28474868.
Fink, Julius & Schoenfeld, Brad & Kikuchi, Naoki & Nakazato, Koichi. (2017). Effects of drop set resistance training on acute stress indicators and long-term muscle hypertrophy and strength. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness. 58. 10.23736/S0022-4707.17.06838-4.
Nick Walker Eyes Derek Lunsford Battle at 2023 Olympia: ‘I Don’t See Hadi Choopan Repeating’
Bodybuilder Nick Walker has ambitious plans for the rest of his current season. In a recent Mutant and the Mouth Podcast, Walker addressed whether or not legs are a weak point and envisioned a showdown against Derek Lunsford at the 2023 Olympia contest.
“The goal for me into this Olympia is to have the Olympia fullness to match the Arnold condition. If I can do that, I think I win hands down,” said Nick Walker.
At last year’s Mr. Olympia, Hadi Choopan claimed gold after his fourth attempt at the event. He dethroned two-time winner Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay, who finished fifth and defeated Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker en route to securing the sport’s most notable achievement.
Walker made a quick turnaround in Columbus, Ohio at the 2023 Arnold Classic, however, was unsuccessful in his quest for a second title. While the outcome was deemed controversial in the eyes of many professionals, Samson Dauda pulled off the victory nonetheless and earned his invitation to the next Olympia. Meanwhile, Walker still believes he should have gotten his hand raised.
Having placed runner-up to Dauda, Walker opened up on results. Even though he thought he brought a winning package, the 28-year-old plans to use the judges’ criticism as fuel for his next competition. With this year’s Olympia taking place November 2-5, Walker set his sights on another battle with Lunsford as he doesn’t believe Hadi Choopan will repeat as champion.
Nick Walker Says He Has Solid Shot of Defeating ‘Comparable’ Hadi Choopan, Derek Lunsford at 2023 Olympia
According to Walker, Choopan won’t be champion by the end of the next Olympia competition. He insisted that the show will be determined following a battle with Lunsford.
“Yeah. I mean look, I think I have a shot of winning any show that I do, for the Olympia, yeah, I mean the two people that were in front of me were Hadi and Derek, and I think they are very comparable; I think that’s why they were one and two.
Listen, I love Hadi but I don’t see him repeating in my opinion and Derek, you know… he could continue to beat me now that he has a full off-season actually to put the work in and put size on now, so we’ll see. But everyone knows I improve drastically show to show. So, it’s just going to really come down to what me and him look like and who is in better shape, honestly,” shared Walker.
“People don’t understand, Derek is not small by any means. Like, he’s a big guy and he’s got great shape right? You know, so, what I was trying to do even for the Olympia and for the Arnold was improve the shape. That’s what I was trying to do. And I think it worked in my favor for the Olympia because I was still very very full, but I think when I came into the Arnold, I wasn’t as full, a lot more conditioned, and the waist was definitely more streamlined but I just didn’t have the pop that everyone likes, I guess.”
Walker Reveals If Legs Are a ‘Weak Point,’ Talks Training Tactics and Useful PEDs in Prep
Reflecting on his last show, Walker said his legs lost volume, which he believes might have been a by-product of over-training.
“Everyone says that my legs are my weak point right? I connect probably the best with my legs. So, I never have to do a ton of volume. I did legs yesterday. I did one set with four different exercises, four sets total, my legs are trashed, like fuc**ng trashed. I’m sore as fu** bro. I just know how to – in my mind, when people say, ‘Oh your legs are small.’ Well, maybe I’m just doing too much. Everyone was like, ‘Oh you need to do legs twice a week.’ It’s like, if I’m getting that sore and connecting so well with just that, I don’t need it; I don’t think I need another [session].”
He explained going ‘too hard’ during cardio could have resulted in his legs being downsized in Ohio.
“I think what happens for me, is when I do cardio, I think I go too hard as well. We’re the same. We go that’s it, we’re cranking. I think when you get in a calorie deficit for so long, you’re cranking the cardio hard – the legs are going to go. It’s the only body part that’s going to go. I think that with training legs and connecting as well as I do on a frequent basis, on top of the hard cardio. The legs are going to go if you’re in a calorie deficit.”
While making improvements in the off-season, Walker credited Romanian deadlifts for being more beneficial than conventional deadlifting. He added that pull-ups are an underrated exercise for building a world-class back.
“I think what’s more beneficial than a deadlift in my opinion… is RDLs [Romanian deadlifts],” said Walker. “You know what I think is the most underrated back exercise, pull-ups. I think in my opinion, pull-ups can build one of the best backs in the world.”
Before calling it a day, Walker revealed he uses T3 as necessary when he encounters a stall point in prep progress. He shared that he’s now taking MPP (nandrolone phenylpropionate) and routinely changes around his stack.
“Needed [T3 use] if necessary. It’s [for] the end of a prep or maybe you hit a stall point – you kind of just – a little dose and it’ll go a long way,” Walker shared. “No, not really [I don’t use peptides].”
“Over the years, you try different shit, you use different – you know. What I use throughout my past four or five years, I don’t really have [acne] breakouts,” Walker said. “I’m pretty good with my joints so knock on wood. I think it [MPP] helps, I do.”
With the next Olympia on the horizon, eight-time winner Ronnie Coleman has kept an eye on the show’s contenders. Earlier today, Coleman backed Lunsford to defeat Hadi Choopan at the 2023 Olympia, stressing that it’s only a matter of time before the former 212 Olympia takes the number one spot.
Since winning his first Sandow, Choopan has been quietly training in Iran. Walker is confident that a balance of fullness and conditioning will be the key to taking out Choopan and Lunsford at his next Mr. Olympia show.
You can watch the full video below:
Published: 17 April, 2023 | 7:00 PM EDT
Ronnie Coleman Predicts Derek Lunsford Will Defeat Hadi Choopan at 2023 Mr. Olympia
Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman still follows the sport in retirement. In a recent YouTube video, Coleman predicted Derek Lunsford will defeat Hadi Choopan when they rematch at the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest scheduled for November 2-5, in Orlando, Florida.
Coleman, who reigned over the Men’s Open division, amassed eight Mr. Olympia titles before calling it a career. He used every bit of his muscle mass and size to remain a dominant champion, having defeated some of his era’s best, like Jay Cutler, Flex Wheeler, and Kevin Levrone.
The Open class has undergone seismic shifts following two major contests. Last year, the 2022 Olympia competition awarded Hadi Choopan the victory after a close battle with 212-turned-Open star Derek Lunsford. Some in the sport such as Shawn Ray and Wheeler criticized Choopan’s victory, arguing that Lunsford’s back was more defined.
To complicate matters at the top of the Open class, sixth-place Olympia finisher Samson Dauda won the recent Arnold Classic. As a result of his performance, event announcer Bob Cicherillo named Dauda and Lunsford as equal threats to Choopan’s title in November.
Ronnie Coleman Predicts Derek Lunsford Defeats Hadi Choopan at 2023 Olympia, Says CBum’s Physique ‘Best He’s Ever Seen’
Coleman didn’t mince words during the ‘Ask Me Anything’ (AMA) segment and believes Derek Lunsford will defeat Choopan to become the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
“Yes, I do [think Derek Lunsford will 2023 Mr. Olympia]. Now, let’s see what’s going to happen,” said Ronnie Coleman.
During the AMA, Coleman also touched on four-time Classic Physique Olympia Chris Bumstead‘s career and package. Despite competing in different divisions, Coleman says CBum has one of the best physiques he’s ever seen ‘period.’
“Well, I think Chris Bumstead is one of the greatest Classic bodybuilders of all time. Absolutely, the best physique I’ve ever seen in Classic Physique, he’s got to be the best physique I’ve ever seen period.”
Over the past few months, fans and even Chris Bumstead, have entertained the idea of a move into the Open class. In a recent The Truth Podcast with Hany Rambod, Bumstead hinted at a possible contest in 2024 and added that he’d compete at the Arnold Classic in the Open if organizers moved the show a few weeks after the Olympia.
Given Bumstead’s growing popularity (over 16.9M followers on Instagram), veterans of the sport like Levrone believe CBum’s physique ushered in a new era of aesthetics in Open bodybuilding. He credited Bumstead’s impact in Classic Physique for helping pave the way for other shapely athletes like Dauda and Andrew Jacked.
RELATED: Derek Lunsford Builds Huge Back and Biceps With Legend Ronnie Coleman
As for Lunsford, he’s remaining busy in the off-season with strenuous training sessions ahead of the Pittsburgh Pro guest posing show. Coleman is confident that the former 212 Olympia winner will have the tools to defeat Choopan and other contenders at the upcoming Olympia.
Watch the full video below, courtesy of Ronnie Coleman’s YouTube channel:
Published: 17 April, 2023 | 2:03 PM EDT
Branch Warren Talks Competing Natural as a Teenager and Achieving Grainy Muscle Maturity
Bodybuilding veteran Branch Warren touts an impressive résumé, having last competed in 2015. He recently joined Dennis James on The Menace Podcast to discuss a host of topics, like how he achieved grainy conditioning, what it’s like training with Johnnie Jackson, and competing naturally as a teenager.
During the 2000s, Warren emerged as Men’s Open threat in the IFBB Pro League. He asserted himself among the best in the world when he won two consecutive Arnold Classic contests in 2011 and 2012. Additionally, Warren narrowly lost to Jay Cutler in 2009 at Mr. Olympia. Looking back on the close call, Warren admitted the outcome was difficult to accept because he placed ahead of Dexter Jackson, who dethroned Cutler the previous year.
Widely respected for his work ethic and grainy muscle detail, Warren and his teammate Johnnie Jackson always pushed the limits as active competitors. While some have suggested their training methods were too extreme, Warren stands behind the sacrifices that guided him through a successful career.
At 48 years old, Warren remains in spectacular shape, especially his lower body. In retirement, Warren occasionally shares training footage. Recently, fans were privy to a massive barbell back squat workout, and given his shape, some believe Branch Warren could do well at the upcoming 2023 Masters Olympia. However, Warren has publicly stated he’s stopped and won’t return to the sport.
Branch Warren Talks Training with Johnnie Jackson and How He Achieved Grainy Muscle Detail
According to Warren, bodybuilders usually don’t peak with muscle maturity until the mid-30s, late 30s, and sometimes in the 40s.
“I think the graininess just comes with – I think everybody – I was in my 20s when I did that first show and I think as a bodybuilder we don’t really mature until we’re in our mid-30s, late 30s when you mature and peak out- maybe even 40 for some people. As far as conditioning, I don’t think I can get fat. I mean seriously, I was always the lean kid. Even now.”
Warren credited genetics for staying lean and mentioned he wouldn’t become overweight even if he exclusively ate junk food.
“Right now, you could step on the Masters Olympia stage right now, I don’t even think you would have to diet,” said Dennis James.
“I don’t, dude, even if I started eating junk food every day, I don’t think I could get fat. That’s just my metabolism and the genetics. When you combine eating right with training and all that stuff, you get that look.”
In 2001, Warren and Johnnie Jackson began training together. Unlike today’s era of bodybuilders, Warren stressed that earning a pro card was once far more difficult than how the process unfolds today.
“I hooked up with Johnnie in 2001. Johnnie was out of the military. He got out of the military a few years earlier. We competed against each other several times as amateurs, he always beat me. We did the nationals, USA, the USA, for all our listeners just getting into bodybuilding, back then, it was really hard to turn pro. At the USA, they had like one pro card, so they’re might be 100 or 200 guys in the Open division, and in the different classes, they just gave out one pro card. You could win your class at the USA Championships and not go pro.”
“That’s how we learned. I mean, Ronnie didn’t have good form right, all these guys. I’m always in control of the weight and I never once, never once, did I tell people they need to train the way I train. If you can take something I do and incorporate it into your program, that’s a win for me. I do what works for me. I don’t ever criticize what somebody else does. You know, a 100 pounds is a 100 pounds. That’s the way I learned how to train. My thing was go to failure and get as much blood into the muscle as you can, rest and repeat.”
After sharing thousands of training sessions together, Branch said he could out-bench press Jackson but couldn’t come close to his training partner’s deadlift max records.
“I can out-bench him, but on max deadlift, he’d kill me man. I mean, he’d beat me by almost 100 pounds. He could pull, 38, 40, I think he got almost 850 in the gym one day. He’s a legitimate deadlifter. Squat, probably about the same,” Warren said. “Everyone talked about his legs, but he was doing the exact same workouts I did for 20 years. That motherfuc**r would get it, that just shows you genetics play a part man.”
“I don’t think he’s doing it,” said Branch Warren. “He’s still got all that muscle. Man, he could legitimately win that show if he gets ready for it. You know, I don’t think he is because his contest is the say day here in Texas; I think that’s kind of a dealbreaker for him.”
Warren Opens Up on Decision to Retire and Competing Naturally as Teenager
Warren kept it simple regarding his decision to retire, and mentioned he didn’t want to be ‘forced out.’.
“I think I know when to say when. What I didn’t want to do is hang around too long and get forced out, you know what I mean,” Branch Warren explained. “
In a trip down memory lane, Warren told Dennis James, Milos Sarcev, and Chris Cormier a story about trying to get steroids when he was 19 competing naturally. He shared that his coach disallowed anyone from talking to him about the substances until he was older.
“I was 21, 22, so, I tried to. I remember I’ll tell you a quick story, so I’m 19, and I’m getting ready for this show, and I’m like, I want to take stuff because everyone else is in the gym taking this stuff. So, Mark went, I asked Mark about it, he said, ‘You’re young man, you need to stay off that stuff, you’re not old enough yet.’ I’m like, ‘Fu** that.’ I started asking everybody to get something; he went and told everybody, I mean everybody, to not give me anything.”
In a recent Straight Outta the Lair podcast with Flex Lewis, Warren reflected on stepping away from the sport and wishes he could have called it a career with at least one Olympia title. Even though he never accomplished that goal, he was thankful to end his career with no major injuries.
Following a tenure of highs and lows, Branch Warren is a valued member of the bodybuilding community who continues to share training insight and knowledge with the newer generation of talent.
Watch the full video below, courtesy of the Muscle and Fitness YouTube channel:
Published: 17 April, 2023 | 11:42 AM EDT
Jeff Nippard Destroys A Killer Leg Day Workout
Fitness expert Jeff Nippard never ceases to amaze the fitness community with his science backed insights on training and nutrition. Recently, Nippard tackled a lower body training session and shared some insightful tips as he went along.
Jeff Nippard is a Canadian natural bodybuilder, powerlifter, fitness expert and personal trainer. He has carved a niche for himself in the YouTube fitness community with science backed content. Apart from years of training, Nippard’s knowledge comes from a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry.
Over the years, the Canadian has trained many natural bodybuilders and powerlifters. Nippard himself held the 2012 Mr. Junior Canada title and also had the Canadian national record for bench press attached to his name.
Nippard’s YouTube content revolves around sustainable and scientifically proven methods of training and diet. Over the last few months, he has shed light on topics like minimalist training principles and common nutrition mistakes. His six-part Push Pull Leg series based on minimalist training philosophy is also underway on his YouTube channel.
In his recent leg training session, Nippard trained with Layne Norton. He is a professional natural bodybuilder and a powerlifter who has led successful careers in both disciplines. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a PhD in Nutritional Sciences. As a result, the 38-year-old has also made significant contributions to the community with several publications. Norton guided Nippard to winning the Canadian National Gold Medal in 2012.
“He’s the first person who convinced me that you don’t actually need to eat clean to get shredded as long as you hit your macros,” Nippard stated.
Nippard attributes his knowledge of training and nutrition to Norton. So, let’s check out how the coach and student turned the clock back and got a good day’s work in.
Jeff Nippard goes through a science-based lower body training session
Warm-Up
Nippard and Nortan warmed themselves up with a few dynamic warm-up drills before jumping into the workout. They performed bird dogs and hip-Back opener for 5 reps per side and started the workout.
Exercise 1: Deadlifts
The duo took to the deadlifts next and worked their way up to one heavy top set of two reps (a heavy double). Nippard reiterated that one heavy set per week is enough to get most out of an exercise if you want to keep the volume low for injury prevention or if you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the gym.
“People confuse ‘what works’ with ‘optimal’. Is a single set per week ideal for strength? Probably not. However, for me it is much more important to be able to continuously and consistently be in the gym. If that means I should do a little bit less volume on the main lift so that I can stay healthy and stay in the gym, then that’s still better practically than what might be optimal in theory,” Dr. Layne Norton said.
Nippard and Lane performed a full warm-up pyramid to work their way up to the heavy top set. After performing the working set for two reps at 7 to 8 RPE, the duo moved on to the next exercise.
Exercise 2: Pendulum Squats
Nippard and Layne performed pendulum Squats as the second exercise of the lower body training session.
The pendulum Squats machine in Nippard’s gym offers great support to the lower back which is the reason it’s his favourite machine.
“And I find it offers a smoother movement path than a hack Squat. The counter balance is also behind you which I find makes it a little easier to get out of the hole and a little harder at the lockout. So that makes the strength curve feel very unique,” Nippard stated.
Additionally, the pendulum squat machine enables pushing close to failure safely which makes it a good hypertrophy exercise.
After a few warm-up sets, Nippard got a working set of 8 to 10 reps under his belt with an RPE of 9. Following this set, he moved on to the next exercise of the day.
Exercise 3: Glute-Hamstring Raises
This hamstring focused exercise followed the pendulum Squats. Nippard and Norton performed this movement on the glute hamstrings raise machine. It uses weight for assistance and not for resistance. Therefore, the less weight you use, the harder the movement gets.
The duo performed three sets of this movement for 8 to 10 reps and jumped into the next exercise.
Leg Extensions
Nippard and Layne Norton performed this quad isolation movement next to the Prime Fitness leg extensions machine. The machine has three plate horns and loading the plates on different weight horns emphasizes different aspects of the range of motion.
Loading the weight on the top horn emphasizes the stretch aspect while loading it on the middle horn spreads the load more evenly throughout the range of motion. However, using the bottom horn can help emphasize the contracted position at the top of the movement.
“If you think about where you are strongest in a leg extension, you are actually strongest at the beginning. So you’re strongest in the stretched position,” Norton said.
He added:
“Another point I like to make about leg extensions is you really want to get the leg Extensions so that the pad goes under the seat as far as possible. The further back this pad goes, the more stretch you get in the quads. There is pretty conclusive literature demonstrating that the stretched position is really critical for hypertrophy.”
Nippard and Norton performed three sets of leg extensions and focused more on the stretched position of the calves. They performed a few partial reps in the stretched position at the end of the set as an advanced intensity technique and took to the final exercise of the day.
Leg Press Toe Press
Jeff and Layne wrapped up the training session with this exercise to train the calves. They performed 3 sets of this exercise for 12 to 15 reps and called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
Warm-up
Bird Dogs – 5 to 10 reps per side
Hip and Back Opener – 5 reps per side
Workout
Exercise 1: Deadlifts
First warm-up set – 4 to 5 reps with 45 percent of the weight you intend to use for the working set
Second warm-up set – 3 to 4 reps with 65 percent of the weight you intend to use for the working set
Third warm-up set – 1 to 2 reps with 85 percent of the weight you intend to use for the working set
Working set – 1 set of 2 reps (Heavy Double) @ RPE 7 to 8
Exercise 2: Pendulum Squats
Warm-up sets – 2 to 4 sets of 2 to 5 reps (gradually add more weight)
Working set – 1 set of 8 to 10 reps @ 8 to 10 RPE
Exercise 3: Glute-Hamstring Raises
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Exercise 4: Leg Extensions
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
Exercise 5: Leg Press Toe Press
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
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You can watch the full video here, courtesy of Jeff Nippard’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 17 April, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT