Is Direct Trap Work Necessary?
It seems like a lot of pros don’t do any direct trap work. They feel their traps get enough work from back and shoulder training. Is this just because you guys are so genetically gifted, or do you think it also applies to the average bodybuilder? Should we bother training traps or not?
If you have pretty good traps without doing anything specific for them, which is my situation, it makes no sense to spend time working them. If you’ve ever seen my crab most muscular shot, you know my traps are one of my more eye-catching body parts. At least that’s what a lot of people have said. But you would know after a couple of years of training if you need to train yours. If they are a weak body part or just not up to where you want them to be, by all means train them. You can do shrugs with a barbell, dumbbells or a machine. Don’t do short, bouncy reps. Get a full range of motion and stop at the top of each rep to contract your traps. Another really effective exercise that hits the traps hard is close-grip barbell upright rows. Set your hands about six inches apart, and pull to your lower chest while keeping your elbows high and trying to aim them upward. I’ve seen plenty of guys turn weak traps into a pretty decent body part, so I think they tend to grow pretty easily once you put the work in.
Will I Stay This Big After I Retire? No Way!
After you retire, do you still plan on staying the same size, or do you think you might trim down? There seems to be a lot of pressure for retired pro bodybuilders to maintain the same physique they had in their prime, forever. Would it bother you if so-called fans in a few years made fun of you if you were say, 200 pounds instead of 235? Or would you be secure in knowing that you won the Mr. Olympia and five Arnold Classic titles, and therefore have nothing to prove by staying huge until the day you die?
Will I stay this big and heavy? No way! I want to get as small as I can, which will still be pretty muscular and athletic, I bet. I don’t enjoy eating six times a day. That’s going out the window the minute I retire. I can get by on two or three meals a day with a couple of snacks, no problem.
And it’s true that I have nothing to prove. Take a look at any other retired professional athlete. How many of them stay in shape? Very few. A lot of them get fat and way out of shape. They only worked out and did all those grueling practices because it was the job they were being paid to do. That’s how I see it. I train my butt off and eat all that food now because it’s my job to look like this while I am an IFBB Pro who still competes. Once that’s not my job anymore, I might drop down to 200 pounds and it won’t bother me one bit. If others have a problem with it, oh well! It’s my body and my life.
Right Angle for Incline Chest Pressing
What do you feel is the right angle for incline pressing for the chest? Some guys set the bench pretty low, not much higher than flat, while I see others who set it at such a high angle it looks like they’re getting close to a shoulder press.
It really depends on the person. Some guys really do feel their upper pecs working the hardest when they have the bench set at a high angle. I feel that all in my delts. I remember when I first started training with Charles Glass, he had me try that high angle because some of his clients preferred it. All it took was one set and we brought the bench down a few notches. You really do need to try a couple of different angles at least to figure out what your structure dictates will be best for you.
Also visit Dexter’s official website: www.dextertheblade.com. Follow Dexter on Twitter: @MrOlympia08 and on Instagram: mrolympia08
It seems like a lot of pros don’t do any direct trap work. They feel their traps get enough work from back and shoulder training. Is this just because you guys are so genetically gifted, or do you think it also applies to the average bodybuilder? Should we bother training traps or not?
If you have pretty good traps without doing anything specific for them, which is my situation, it makes no sense to spend time working them. If you’ve ever seen my crab most muscular shot, you know my traps are one of my more eye-catching body parts. At least that’s what a lot of people have said. But you would know after a couple of years of training if you need to train yours. If they are a weak body part or just not up to where you want them to be, by all means train them. You can do shrugs with a barbell, dumbbells or a machine. Don’t do short, bouncy reps. Get a full range of motion and stop at the top of each rep to contract your traps. Another really effective exercise that hits the traps hard is close-grip barbell upright rows. Set your hands about six inches apart, and pull to your lower chest while keeping your elbows high and trying to aim them upward. I’ve seen plenty of guys turn weak traps into a pretty decent body part, so I think they tend to grow pretty easily once you put the work in.
Will I Stay This Big After I Retire? No Way!
After you retire, do you still plan on staying the same size, or do you think you might trim down? There seems to be a lot of pressure for retired pro bodybuilders to maintain the same physique they had in their prime, forever. Would it bother you if so-called fans in a few years made fun of you if you were say, 200 pounds instead of 235? Or would you be secure in knowing that you won the Mr. Olympia and five Arnold Classic titles, and therefore have nothing to prove by staying huge until the day you die?
Will I stay this big and heavy? No way! I want to get as small as I can, which will still be pretty muscular and athletic, I bet. I don’t enjoy eating six times a day. That’s going out the window the minute I retire. I can get by on two or three meals a day with a couple of snacks, no problem.
And it’s true that I have nothing to prove. Take a look at any other retired professional athlete. How many of them stay in shape? Very few. A lot of them get fat and way out of shape. They only worked out and did all those grueling practices because it was the job they were being paid to do. That’s how I see it. I train my butt off and eat all that food now because it’s my job to look like this while I am an IFBB Pro who still competes. Once that’s not my job anymore, I might drop down to 200 pounds and it won’t bother me one bit. If others have a problem with it, oh well! It’s my body and my life.
Right Angle for Incline Chest Pressing
What do you feel is the right angle for incline pressing for the chest? Some guys set the bench pretty low, not much higher than flat, while I see others who set it at such a high angle it looks like they’re getting close to a shoulder press.
It really depends on the person. Some guys really do feel their upper pecs working the hardest when they have the bench set at a high angle. I feel that all in my delts. I remember when I first started training with Charles Glass, he had me try that high angle because some of his clients preferred it. All it took was one set and we brought the bench down a few notches. You really do need to try a couple of different angles at least to figure out what your structure dictates will be best for you.
Also visit Dexter’s official website: www.dextertheblade.com. Follow Dexter on Twitter: @MrOlympia08 and on Instagram: mrolympia08
