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As the old adage goes, “shows are won from the back.” As part of Ruffin’s prep to defend his title, he is adding density to his back by training at Westside Barbell in Valley Heights, Columbus, OH. Check out the video below, wherein Ruffin performs a classic back and biceps day in the old-school environment of Louie Simmons’ legendary gym, courtesy of Ruffin’s YouTube channel:
[Related: Here’s the Leg Workout Brandon Curry Used to Grow for the 2021 Olympia]
The video opens with Ruffin preparing his first meal of the day, which appears to consist of oats and peanut butter. The high-caloric profile of the peanut butter might suggest that Ruffin’s diet puts him in a caloric surplus, meaning its gains season at the gym. Ruffin expressed some nerves before heading out to train at Westside Barbell, established in 1987.
Ruffin opens his workout with single-arm lat pulldowns while wearing hole-hand gloves to protect his hands. As the 2021 Arnold Classic champ warms up, clothes start to fall off. First, his shirt, then his tank top, until eventually he is encouraged by other lifters in the gym to show off his abs — he finishes his training session shirtless. After lat pulldowns, Ruffin hit chest-supported rows, followed by T-bar rows, as he explained to his training partners that his goal is to bring up his arms.
Following some shoulder mobility work with resistance bands, Ruffin attacked some preacher curls and rope hammer curls on the cable machine. The high-volume work didn’t stop as he dove right into seated biceps curls with the bench leaning back slightly to get a better stretch and work the long head of the biceps. Ruffin finished out the training session with a posing session where his V-taper was on full display.
[Related: Check Out Regan Grimes’ First Leg Day For His 2022 Arnold Classic Prep]
Arnold Classic — Classic Physique
The Classic Physique division at the Arnold Classic features eight other athletes vying to claim Ruffin’s Arnold Classic crown. Here’s the full nine-man roster:
- Breon Ansley (USA)
- Michael Daboul (United Kingdom)
- Urs Kalecinski (Germany)
- Peter Molnar (Hungary)
- Terrence Ruffin (USA)
- Ramon Rocha Queiroz (Brazil)
- Darwin Uribe (USA)
- Lenny Wicks (USA)
- Divine Wilson (USA)
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[Related: Exclusive: Ronnie Coleman on Recent Weight Gain, Current Strength, and Health Progress]
Road to the 2022 Olympia Weekend
One athlete noticeably absent from the 2022 Arnold Classic roster is three-time Classic Physique Olympia champion, Chris Bumstead. In 2020, Ruffin emerged from the Classic Physique ranks to score a runner-up finish at the Olympia, knocking two-time Olympia champ Breon Ansley into the bronze position as Bumstead retained the title. Bumstead and Ruffin clashed again in 2021, but the scorecards remained the same — Ruffin in second and Bumstead in first.
The height difference between Ruffin and Bumstead is pretty significant. Bumstead stands an inch over six feet while Ruffin is five-foot, five-inches tall. However, as five-foot, two-inch tall Shaun Clarida has proven with his 212 Olympia win in 2020 and his Open division win at the 2021 Legion Sports Fest, it is possible for a shorter athlete to triumph at bodybuilding’s highest levels. We’ll see if 2022 will be Ruffin’s year, and it will start with whether or not he becomes a two-time Arnold Classic champion.
Featured image: @ruff_diesel on Instagram
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