Iain Valliere only had six weeks between the Texas Pro and the Arnold Classic – here’s how he prepped to improve his physique.
Last week, we talked to Iain Valliere about his risky strategy for the 2021 bodybuilding season. Instead of putting all of his eggs in one basket (the Arnold Classic 2021), he competed in many shows throughout the year. Not only that – but he gave himself very little time between competitions. After his latest win at the Texas Pro, he only had six weeks before the Arnold Classic. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Iain Valliere details exactly how he prepped in just six weeks for the Arnold Classic to improve even further from his impressive showcase at the Texas Pro.
Prepping for a bodybuilding competition is a length and challenging endeavor. It’s usually the reason why a bodybuilder will only compete in a small number of shows per year. They don’t want to run the risk of burn out or ill timing for bigger shows that matter. It’s part of the reason why the Olympia champion only competes at the Olympia the following year. With no need to qualify – they focus solely on being perfect for the biggest event in the sport.
Iain Valliere chose to handle things differently this year. He competed in multiple shows in the tail end of the 2021 season. In fact, he only gave himself six months between the Texas Pro (which he won) and the Arnold Classic. Not only that – but following the Arnold Classic, he only has two weeks before he competes again in the Mr. Olympia.
Some find this too risky – but Iain Valliere finds that he improves with each passing competition. He prefers the short gaps in between to keep him eternally on point. So now with only a few days until this weekend’s Arnold Classic – we’ll see just how on point his physique really is.
Of course, the Arnold Classic is a totally different beast from the Texas Pro. He’ll need to show improvements in order to stay in line with the biggest names in the sport. That’s why we asked Valliere exactly how he strategized to improve in such a short amount of time.
Iain Valliere was well aware of his tight turnaround – so improvements aren’t expected to be massive in terms of increased size. But he did challenge himself to put on a few extra pounds of muscle. Instead of bulking up 15-20 pounds between shows, he kept his goals smaller. He bulked up six or seven pounds and then quickly switched over to cutting down for prime conditioning.
He also received some notes from the judges as the Texas Pro about his posing. Posing is something that can improve without risk of damaging the quality of a bodybuilder’s physique. So he made sure to put improved focus on posing over the past six weeks. If he can further manipulate his physique on stage for the judges – it can give him the edge he needs.
Ultimately, Iain Valliere enjoys staying focused and on point with quick turnarounds between shows. Instead of falling into a slower rhythm looking towards a competition months away – he can stay in competition mode directly after the Texas Pro and straight through the Arnold Classic and to the Olympia.
With a positive outlook by fans with each competition he’s appeared in – he also has the mental momentum on his side. We can’t wait to see what he brings to the stage this weekend and beyond.
You can watch Iain Valliere detail his six week Arnold Classic training prep in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!