Tag: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger Releases Newsletter Ahead Of The Holidays
Arnold Schwarzenegger has posted a new newsletter asking for comments from fans.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is considered to be the best bodybuilder of all-time. This means that when he talks, people listen. Schwarzenegger has done interviews, different appearances, and has started his own newsletter. In his most recent edition, Schwarzenegger is asking others to do god deeds around the holidays.
Schwarzenegger has spoken out recently about different topics within the sport of bodybuilding. Since it is the holiday season, he has taken his newsletter and used it in a bit of a different way.
“The best thing about my newsletter is connecting with my subscribers and seeing how contagious optimism can be. It’s our little positive corner of the internet. This month I issued a challenge, and I LOVED hearing these responses. Merry Christmas! Subscribe at the link in my bio!” Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote in his caption on Instagram.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has issued a challenge in his recent newsletter entitled My Challenge for You. He has also urged fans to comment on the section so he can read what impact it has made during this time of the year.
“Since this is the giving time of year, I want to challenge all of you to do something for someone else. It doesn’t have to be big. But this is a season of miracles, and you can be the miracle in someone’s life by reading to an after-school program or just stopping by to have a normal conversation with someone who is going through hard times. You can still post all of your meals and your pets on social media, but take an hour or two during the holidays and give it to someone else,” Schwarzenegger wrote.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is planning to host the Arnold Classic from March 3-6 in Columbus, OH. The event will once again mark the beginning of the bodybuilding season and return to its normal time. This year’s competition was forced to move to September due to the pandemic.
Before we get to that point of 2022, Schwarzenegger wants to make sure that his readers and fans remember what is important during this time of year.
“Tell me what you did for others by relying, and make the subject line “Giving back” so I can be sure to read them all. you might feel weird about “bragging”, but I really believe that good deeds inspire more good deeds, so share away. I am already proud of all of you!”
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
5 Exercises For Building A Cobra Back
5 Exercises For Building A Cobra Back.
Your back is the biggest muscle group after your legs. It can also be one of the hardest muscle groups to train since you can’t see your back directly in the mirror and hence it can be comparatively hard to establish a mind-muscle connection.
If done right, a good back workout should be as grilling as a brutal leg workout. You should be running on fumes when you’re done with your back workout. Building a cobra back can take a lot of effort, patience, and persistence. It is no surprise only a few people have a jacked back.
1. Pull-Ups – 50 Reps
You need to have a broad back if your goal is to build a shredded back. Pull-ups are one of the most efficient exercises when it comes to building a wide back and giving you a V-taper. Arnold performed 50 reps of this exercise at the beginning of his back workouts.
There are no fixed number of sets you need to complete these 50 reps in. Try to take as few sets as possible. As you get better at this exercise, you can start using weights to make it harder for yourself. If you’ve just started working out, use a pull-up assistance machine or ask for a spot from someone at your gym.
2. Deadlifts – 3 Sets 5 Reps
Deadlifts are a complete back builder. It’s a compound (multi joint) exercise which works your entire body. It is better to perform this exercise at the beginning of your back workout when you’re at your strongest.
You don’t need to do a lot of reps to get the most out of deadlifts. Lifting heavy weights with an explosive movement can get you better results. Deadlifts can help you gain muscle mass and strength which can make you stronger at every other exercise.
3. Dumbbell Bent Over Row – 3 Sets 12 Reps
While overhead pulling movements can add to the width of your back, rowing movements will add the much-needed thickness. You need to have a combination of both these movements to build a Cobra back.
Dumbbell bent over rows help isolate your back and will give you an incredible pump. Have a full range of motion to recruit all the muscle fibers in your back. Hold and squeeze your back at the top of the movement.
4. Lat Pull Downs – 3 Sets 12 Reps
Lat pull downs are incredibly effective at targeting your lats. Many people make the mistake of using momentum while performing this exercise. Make sure you don’t swing yourself and use momentum to lift the weights.
Try bringing the bar close to your chin while sitting straight. Hold and squeeze your lats at the bottom of the movement. Use lifting gear like straps to eliminate recruiting your forearms. Doing this will also help in lifting more weight and performing more reps.
5. Ground Pulley – 3 Sets 12 Reps
The ground pulley is a great exercise when it comes to developing a V-taper. Use weights you can comfortably lift for 12 reps. Lifting heavier weights can lead to leaning way too far at the bottom and the top of the movement.
Keep your reps slow and deliberate to completely annihilate your back. You can try variations of this exercise by using different handle bars. Each new grip will target your back from a different angle and will recruit different muscle tissues.
Which is your favourite back exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes to Keep You Motivated
Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes to Keep You Motivated
It’s safe to say Arnold brought bodybuilding to the mainstream. If it was not for Arnie and his Greek god-like physique in Conan the Barbarian, Terminator, Commando etc., bodybuilding probably wouldn’t have flourished throughout the world.
Who would have thought a guy from Austria would end up marrying a Kennedy and become the Governor of California? The Governator is no ordinary human. His thought process, hard work, discipline, and visualization techniques have helped him get where he is. When Arnie talks, we should all listen.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Rules of Success
Make it Count
“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.”
Chase the Pump
“Not many people understand what a pump is. It must be experienced to be understood. It is the greatest feeling that I get. I search for this pump because it means that that my muscles will grow when I get it. I get a pump when the blood is running into my muscles. They become really tight with blood. Like the skin is going to explode any minute. It’s like someone putting air in my muscles. It blows up. It feels fantastic.”
Resistance is Your Friend
“The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character.”
If It’s Not Fun, You’re Doing it Wrong
“Bodybuilding should be fun because you get a feeling of satisfaction which is very hard to explain. A bodybuilder knows when he pumps up his muscles it means growth. The muscles grow. So, therefore, he knows when he pumps up well, that is progress. And that satisfies him because he feels the progress in his body. Therefore the pump feels good. It’s actually the best feeling a bodybuilder can have. It’s a difficult thing to explain. Like sometimes we joke around and we get a good pump and we say you have to admit that a good pump is better than coming. Somebody off the street wouldn’t understand that, but sometimes a pump is the best feeling you can have.”
“The best activities for your health are pumping and humping.”
Shock Your Muscles
“A beginner does eight repetitions of a certain exercise with his maximum weight on the barbell. As soon as it hurts, he thinks about stopping. I work beyond this point, which means I tell my mind that as soon as it starts aching it is growing. Growing is something unusual for the body when you are over eighteen. The body isn’t used to ten, eleven, or twelve reps with a maximum weight. Then I do ten or fifteen sets of this in a row. No human body was ever prepared for this and suddenly it is making itself grow to handle this new challenge, growing through this pain area. Experiencing this pain in my muscles and aching and going on is my challenge. The last three or four reps is what makes the muscles grow. This area of pain divides a champion from someone who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens. I have no fear of fainting. I do squats until I fall over and pass out. So what? It’s not going to kill me. I wake up five minutes later and I’m OK. A lot of other athletes are afraid of this. So they don’t pass out. They don’t go on.”
Stay True to Yourself
“What I’m doing is the thing I want to do. I don’t care what other people think. If the rest of disagrees and says I shouldn’t waste my time, I still will be a bodybuilder. I love it. I love the feeling in my muscles, I love the competition, and I love the things it gives me. I have never really had to work in my whole life. I’ve never had an eight to six job. I’ve always made good money. I’ve traveled all over the world competing and giving exhibitions. I‘ve made a profession out of a pastime, which perhaps only five percent of the population can do. The other ninety-five percent are frustrated office workers, working for someone else. I’m totally independent. So, I…..feel…if I would live again or if I would be born again, I would do exactly the same thing.”
Never Be Afraid of Failure
“Just like in bodybuilding, failure is also a necessary experience for growth in our own lives, for if we’re never tested to our limits, how will we know how strong we really are? How will we ever grow?”
Be the Sculptor of Your Physique
“You don’t really see a muscle as a part of you, in a way. You see it as a thing. You look at it as a thing and you say well this thing has to be built a little longer, the bicep has to be longer, or the tricep has to be thicker here in the elbow area. And you look at it and it doesn’t even seem to belong to you. Like a sculpture. Then after looking at it a sculptor goes in with his thing and works a little bit, and you do maybe then some extra forced reps to get this lower part out. You form it. Just like a sculpture.”
Struggles Develop Real Strength
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
Visualization is the Key
“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.”
“As a kid, I always idolized the winning athletes. It is one thing to idolize heroes. It is quite another to visualize yourself in their place. When I saw great people, I said to myself: I can be there.”
“We all have great inner power. The power is self-faith. There’s really an attitude to winning. You have to see yourself winning before you win. And you have to be hungry. You have to want to conquer.”
Be Yourself
“The worst thing I can be is the same as everybody else. I hate that.”
Never Settle
“When I was ten years old I got this thing that I wanted to be the best in something, so I started swimming. I won championships, but I felt I couldn’t be the best. I tried skiing, but there I felt I didn’t have potential. I played soccer, but I didn’t like that to well because there I didn’t get the credit alone if I did something special. I just avoided team sports from then on. Then I started lifting through the other sports and I enjoyed it the most. I won the Austrian championship in 1964 but found out I was too tall. So I quit that and went into bodybuilding. Two years later I found out that that’s it that’s what I can be the best in.”
Food for Thought
“You have to remember something: Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you have to earn.”
Which is your favorite Arnold quote? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
How To Reduce Your Waist Size Without Doing Ab Exercises
Reduce Your Waist Size With This One Trick
Let’s face it; many people get a gym membership to lose weight and to fit into smaller clothes. Following the advice of the broscientists, these people spend most of their time on the cardio equipment. Since you’re reading this article, chances are you’re one of them.
It isn’t long before they lose the motivation and return to their old ways. They blame their genetics for their inability to lose the excess body fat. The ‘too busy to workout’ excuse follows.
The others don’t like spending their time on the dreaded treadmill or doing crunches. Hardly do they know, it’s not their genetics. It’s the lack of knowledge which makes them quit working out altogether.
Changes In Bodybuilding In The Recent Eras
Have you wondered how bodybuilders in the golden era had small waists even when there was no fancy electronic cardio equipment? They used techniques which are long forgotten but were way more efficient than the ones employed by the pros now.
Unlike the bodybuilders today, the golden era bodybuilder focused primarily on symmetry and maintaining a narrow and tight midsection. Most of the current pro bodybuilders focus on getting big and turning into mass monsters.
The Vacuum Pose
If you haven’t heard of this, you’re already missing out. Frank Zane brought this technique into the mainstream by performing this pose on the stage. Before him, the athletes usually performed this pose in the gym as an exercise.
In this pose, you have to suck in your stomach to your spine to make it look like it has completely disappeared. When you hit the vacuum pose, you’re contracting your transverse abdominis (TVA).
The TVA runs across your waist just like a weight belt. It works like a weight belt in your daily operation. You can only perform this kind of thing with your belly.
TVA lies under the rectus abdominis and obliques and is one of the deepest abdominal muscles. Unlike most other muscles, it doesn’t connect to or move bones closer together. Many of TVA’s fibers don’t attach to the bone at all.
You need to take baby steps when it comes to performing this exercise. It will also need a lot of patience and persistence if you have never tried hitting this pose before.
There are four steps to mastering this exercise. In this article, we will take you through each step assuming you’ve never tried this exercise at this point. Each step will be harder than the previous one.
Don’t get intimidated by the four steps; you need to take one step at a time. Once you master one level the next will be relatively easy to perform and will be more efficient than the previous step in achieving your goal of a narrow waist.
Supine Vacuum
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This is the first step in performing the vacuum. It’s also the easiest way to suck in your stomach since the gravity will be your friend in this exercise. Confused? Let us explain.
Lie on your back with your knees bent, so your feet are touching the floor. This will help you isolate and focus on your abdominal. Once you’ve assumed this position, exhale all the air you can. This will raise your diaphragm and shrink your stomach.
This is where your TVA will have the maximum contraction, and you’ll be able to hit the vacuum pose. In the beginning, you might be unable to see or feel the vacuum, but it will come with time.
Hold your breath and perform this exercise for 15 seconds in the beginning. As you get better with time, increase the contraction time to 60 seconds. Take small breaths in between if you’re unable to hold your breath.
Quadruped Vacuum
Once you’re confident with your abilities at the supine vacuum and can perform it at will with no problems, it is time to the move on to the quadruped vacuum. If you’re performing each variation every day, it should take you a couple of weeks at most to perform them optimally.
The quadruped vacuum is called so because you perform them while having four touch points with the ground. In this exercise, you’ll be working against the gravity, and this makes this exercise harder than the previous variation.
Begin in a knee push up position so your shoulders are vertically over your elbows and your wrists and hips are over your knees. Follow the same steps as in the supine vacuum; exhale and suck in your abdominal.
This exercise is harder than the supine vacuum. So, if you were doing 60 seconds on the supine version, you should start with 30 seconds and work up to the 60 seconds mark.
Seated Vacuum
We know what you’re thinking. Isn’t the anti-gravitational version harder than the sitting on your ass version? No, it’s not because many stabilizing muscles come into play while performing this exercise.
Sit on a stable surface without leaning on to anything. Taking the support of a wall or any other surface will reduce the effectiveness of this exercise.
Exhale, pull in your navel and hold it for 30 seconds. Work your way up to 60 seconds as you get better at this exercise. Also, use unstable surfaces like a swiss ball to make this exercise harder.
Functional Vacuum
This is when you become a pro at hitting the vacuum pose. You’ll be so good you could perform it at any time, anywhere. Functional vacuum is the real life variation of this exercise.
You could be performing the vacuum pose in a subway, on your office desk or anywhere else without the people beside you knowing it. As you get better at the vacuum poses, you’ll be able to hold them for long durations.
This can result in a tighter, narrower and firmer midsection. Once you’re at this stage, you’ll find yourself vacuuming throughout the day. You won’t have to wait for long before your waist size drops.
Which ab tightening technique works the best for you? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
The 10 Best Back Exercises For Men
The Ultimate Back Exercises
A shredded back is what separates the men from the boys. A good back training session should be as brutal as a hardcore leg day. You should be running on fumes by the end of your back workouts.
If you want a cobra back, you need to constantly shock your muscles with different exercises. Your back is one of the biggest muscle groups and you need to target it from every angle for optimal results. We have put together the list of back exercises you can try during your next workout.
1. Pull-Ups
Pull-ups are one of the best back workouts. Arnold Schwarzenegger swore by them and performed 50 reps of pull-ups at the beginning of his back workouts. If bodyweight pull-ups are too easy for you, try the weighted version.
2. Seal Rows
Seal rows are an isolation exercise which works your lats. Lie facedown on a bench and perform barbell rows. Doing so will keep you from using your secondary muscles and momentum to lift the weights. You can also perform this exercise on an incline bench to target your lower lats.
3. Pull-Overs
Pull-overs are one of the most underutilized exercises. This exercise is incredibly effective in building a V-taper. Keep your elbows locked out throughout the movement and maintain a full range of motion.
4. T-Bar Rows
Rowing exercises like the T-bar rows help in building the thickness in your back while exercises like pull-ups and lat pull-downs help with broadening your back. If you don’t have an access to a T-bar row machine at your gym, use a barbell for this exercise.
5. Lat Pulldowns
Lat pulldown is a textbook back exercise. It is great at targetting your lats. Most people make the mistake of going too heavy on this exercise. Make sure you sit straight and don’t use momentum to bring the bar down.
6. One Arm Cable Rows
Using cables in your exercises help you in maintaining constant tension on your target muscles. One arm cable rows will help you in isolating your lats. You can perform this exercise while standing or seated.
7. Barbell Rows
Barbell rows are a compound exercise and will help in building muscle mass and strength in your back. Keep an arch in your back while performing this exercise. Bring the bar to your lower abs at the top of the movement.
8. Wide Grip Seated Cable Rows
Wide grip seated cable rows will add to the width of your back. Don’t lean back while performing this exercise. You could also try the underhand grip or a different cable attachment.
9. Dumbbell Rows
Dumbbell rows are incredibly effective at building size, definition, and thickness in your lats. You can perform the single-arm or the double-arm variation of this exercise. Using lifting gear like lifting straps can help you lift more weights as it eliminates your grip.
10. Deadlifts
We saved the best for the last. Deadlift is a compound exercise which should be a part of your back workouts. It is best to perform this exercise at the beginning of your workouts when you’re fresh.
Which is your favorite back exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
9 Things Perpetually Fit People Do Which Unhealthy People Don’t
9 Things Which Separate the Fit from the Unfit
Fitness is a lifestyle and not something you can do for a couple of days and expect to see results. There is a stark difference between the lifestyle of a fit and an unhealthy person. There are a few things which the fit people do that the unfit don’t which make all the difference.
The term ‘fit’ is subjective and can mean different things to different people. In this article, we will be talking about how to stay in good shape and health for life by making small changes to your lifestyle.
1. Workouts
If you want to stay in shape, you have to get your body moving. The human body was made to hunt and gather, and yet most of us use it to sit on a chair and order food online. Do a 30-45 minute workout daily. You don’t have to hit the gym to do this workout. Go for a walk, hike or a swimming session.
2. Diet
Planning your meals can make a big difference in how you look and feel. Eating 4-6 small meals a day will keep your metabolism rate high and will help you burn fat even when you’re sitting ideal.
3. Sleep
Sleep is where all the magic happens. If you are working to build muscle or lose weight, you need to give your body time to rest and recover from your workouts. You should be sleeping for 6-8 hours every night to see the best results.
4. Discipline
Transforming your physique and staying that way needs military-like discipline. You need to be working out, sleeping and eating at the same times every day. Following a disciplined approach helps your body to subconsciously get ready for what you’re about to do.
5. Tracking
Most fit people have a habit of tracking their workouts, diet, sleep and many other things. The habit of tracking helps in setting targets and comparing them with the final results. Apps on your phone make it easier to track your most important metrics.
6. Planning in Advance
If you’re failing to plan, you’re planning to fail. Planning your workouts, meals, rest and your day in advance will make you more productive. You might be a spontaneous individual but planning in advance will pay its dividends in the long run.
7. Visualization
Arnold Schwarzenegger made the technique of visualization popular. You should visualize having achieved your goals even when you’re just starting out. Visualize your days, workouts, and you will eventually turn thoughts into things.
8. In it for the Long Run
There are no overnight successes, especially in the world of fitness. If you’re looking to transform your physique, you need to commit for the long run. There are no shortcuts, hacks or cheat codes. You will need to put in the hard work.
9. Accept Failures and Setbacks
You will face failures and setbacks as you get on the journey of transformation. There might be days when you don’t feel like working out or following a routine. You might incur an injury and be out of the game for weeks. No matter what happens, you should never think about giving up.
What is your fitness goal? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Issues Statement Following Passing Of Dave Draper
Arnold Schwarzenegger recently issued a statement on the passing of one of his idols.
It was announced on Tuesday that legendary bodybuilder Dave Draper had passed away. This is news that impacted many around the sport of bodybuilding and that includes Arnold Schwarzenegger. After receiving the news, the legendary bodybuilder took to Instagram to issue a statement on the passing of another.
Schwarzenegger discussed how Draper impacted his career when he first came to America. He was familiar with Draper’s work and even kept his magazine cover for inspiration. Schwarzenegger posted a heartfelt caption on social media along with a picture of the two of them.
“Dave Draper was an inspiration to millions of people all over the world, including me. He was one of my idols. In Austria, I kept his cover of Muscle Builder magazine on the wall above my bed for motivation, and when I saw him starring in “Don’t Make Waves”, I thought, “My dreams are possible.” When I got to America and finally met Dave, I learned his heart was as big as his pecs. He even hand-built my first furniture when I moved to Santa Monica, and let me tell you, he was talented.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger came to America and quickly became one of the best bodybuilders in the world. He connected with Draper in Santa Monica, CA. Draper had moved out West from New Jersey in order to train at a higher level. While out there, Draper connected with many of the top bodybuilders such as Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu.
“Can you imagine meeting your idol and becoming his training partner and traveling all over the world together? I was in heaven. He couldn’t have been more welcoming, and he was a fantastic training partner who always pushed everyone around him in the gym to be better. He was an amazing writer and a great family man. I will miss the Blond Bomber, but his memory will always be with me. My thoughts are with Laree and the whole family.”
Draper made an impact on many throughout his career. Arnold Schwarzenegger is another bodybuilder who transitioned to the big screen and began a newsletter of his own. He shared plenty of experiences in his Instagram post and let his following in on the impact that Draper has early on in his career.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
5 Ways to Break the Plateau and Achieve New Gains
Break the Plateau and Achieve New Gains
Bodybuilding is always going to be challenging whether you’re a beginner or have spent years in the gym. Most advanced lifters at some point in their bodybuilding careers hit a plateau which can be frustrating.
A plateau is when you have been working out and following a diet plan but don’t see improvement in your physique. If you don’t know how to break the plateau, you might be stuck in the limbo forever.
Use Advanced Training Technique
Our bodies are really smart and can adapt to our workouts quickly. If you have been following the same bodybuilding program, you should add advanced training techniques like supersets, drop sets, intraset stretching, force sets, etc. in your workouts.
Your goal should be to keep your muscles guessing by shocking them with a new variation with every workout. As Arnold used to say, “Shock your muscles so they don’t know what hit them, this is the only way to grow.”
A Combination of Mind-Muscle Connection and Visualization
The art of visualization includes looking at yourself in the mirror and imagining how you want your muscle to look. You are the sculptor of your physique. If you don’t already have an aesthetic goal for yourself, this is the right time to set one.
Bodybuilding isn’t about lifting heavy weights or just going through the motions. You need to focus on your muscle while you’re training them. Contract and squeeze your muscles with every rep, so they’re filled with blood and lactic acid giving you a muscle-tearing pump.
Mix Up Your Workouts
If you perform compound exercises like the squats, bench press, deadlifts at the beginning of your workouts, and isolation exercises at the end, you should try switching the order and start your workouts with isolation exercises.
If you train one muscle a day, you can try working out two muscle groups in a day. Doing so will give you two days to train every muscle group in a week. On a two muscle workout day, train the weaker muscle group before the stronger one.
Switch the Volume and Intensity
Most people follow the vanilla training programs where they perform 3 sets for 12 reps of every exercise. If you don’t spice up your workouts, your body will hit a plateau. Try changing the number of sets and reps you perform in every workout.
You can also switch between high volume – high intensity or low volume – high-intensity workouts. The high volume workouts have a higher number of sets and intensity refers to the number of reps and time for rest between sets.
Recovery Plays a Big Role
Breaking the plateau isn’t limited to working out. Your diet and recovery play a major role. If you don’t give your body enough time to recuperate, you won’t see the results no matter how hard you workout.
Design a diet plan according to your goals and follow it religiously. 6-8 hours of sleep every night is essential if you want to see positive changes in your body. Always remember, you break your muscles inside the gym, and your muscles grow while you’re asleep.
Are you satisfied with your gains? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
5 Exercises You Should Be Doing For Boulder Shoulders
5 Exercises You Should Be Doing For Boulder Shoulders
Bodybuilding is a sport of illusion. The athletes you see on stage aren’t as big as they appear. Symmetry holds a significant importance in bodybuilding for this very reason. Your shoulders determine your structure and shape your V-taper.
Broad shoulders are seen as a symbol of strength and authority. Look around your gym and you’ll see many people with big biceps and chest but slouching shoulders. You need to train your shoulders from every angle to ensure an overall development.
Your shoulders are made of three heads; front, medial and posterior deltoids. You need to be following a training program which focuses on developing all the three heads.
1. Military Presses
There is no going around this exercise. Military presses is a compound exercise which helps in building muscle mass while increasing your overall strength. You should start your shoulder workouts with this exercise.
Many people make the mistake of using momentum while performing this exercise. It’s called military press for a reason, you need to be completely disciplined and not use a jerk or momentum. Use moderate weights and have a complete range of motion.
2. Side Lateral Raises
The roundness of the shoulders is achieved with side lateral raises. Performing this exercise with strict form can add size and definition in your shoulder caps. You can try the cable variation of this exercise for a deeper and more intense pump.
Start by keeping the dumbbells at your side with a slight bend in your elbows. Lift your arms so they are parallel to the floor. Keep the movement slow and deliberate. Avoid using momentum or bending and bringing the dumbbells in front of your thighs.
3. Arnold Presses
Arnold himself was the man behind this exercise. You need to hit your shoulders from all the angles for a balanced growth and Arnold Presses do just that. Only a few other shoulder exercises can work your shoulders like this exercise can.
Hold the dumbells with a supinated grip in front of your shoulders. As you elevate the dumbbells, rotate your hands so your palms are facing outwards at the top of the movement. Return to the starting position while slowly rotating the dumbbells.
4. Bent Over Rear Delt Raises
Rear delts are a genetically weak muscle group for most people. Not training them can make matters worse as your stronger shoulder heads might take over while you train your rear delts.
Since you can’t directly see your rear delts while training them, it can be a little hard to establish a mind-muscle connection. Use moderate dumbbells and keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the exercise.
5. Shrugs
Shrugs target the trapezius muscle (traps). A solid pair of shoulders can never be deemed complete without developed traps. You can perform shrugs with dumbbells or a barbell. Dumbbells can offer you a better contraction while the barbell can help you lift more weights.
Always have a full range of motion while performing this exercise. Drop your ego while you’re performing this exercise. Moving your shoulders an inch won’t do anything for you. Try touching your ears with your shoulders, hold at the top of the movement and squeeze the hell out of your traps.
Which is your favorite shoulder exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
George Butler, ‘Pumping Iron’ Director And Producer, Has Died At 78
Pumping Iron director and producer George Butler has passed away.
George Butler, a bodybuilding icon and director of the classic documentary Pumping Iron has died at 78 years old. Butler and his films helped launch the careers of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno – while also bringing the sport of bodybuilding as a whole into the mainstream. He helped inspire multiple generations of fans and athletes to this day.
The news was acknowledged by Arnold Schwarzenegger on his official Instagram page – where he paid tribute to the iconic filmmaker. Sources claim that his health was in rapid decline over the past year. A specific cause of death has not been revealed at this time.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s post on Instagram was brief – but also written within the image post included a more in-depth reaction and reflection on the man who helped bring his career into the spotlight.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Tribute To George Butler
“When I think about all of the people who were responsible for the growth of bodybuilding and the sport’s crossover to the mainstream, two of the first people to come to mind are, without any doubt, George Butler and Charles Gaines. ‘Pumping Iron’, the book and the movie, drew the general public in to our strange little niche sport and brought fitness – and the Austrian with an unpronounceable name and a funny accent – to the masses. I was saddened to hear the news of George’s passing. He was such a talent, he had a fantastic eye, and he was a force for the sport of bodybuilding and the fitness crusade. My thoughts are with his family.”
– Arnold Schwarzenegger
George Butler, Pumping Iron, and Bodybuilding
It’s hard to imagine a time before Pumping Iron. While the sport today is still niche in comparison to mainstream sports as a whole – there was a time when bodybuilding was so underground that no one even knew about it. Pumping Iron changed all of that. Not only did it help launch Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career into a blockbuster action icon – it brought bodybuilding into the mainstream and helped make the sport what it is today.
This is all thanks to George Butler, the man who produced and directed the film. Butler alongside his friend Charles Gaines, first published the book Pumping Iron introducing the world to a number of now bodybuilding legends such as the aforementioned Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Ed Corney, Franco Columbu, and many more.
Shortly after the book was published, George Butler and Charles Gaines worked together to produce a documentary of the same name. The film focused on the 1975 Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia competitions. As we all know now, the film primarily focused on Arnold Schwarzenegger battling for his sixth Mr. Olympia title. The film also posited Lou Ferrigno as his rival to knock him away from victory.
The inception of Pumping Iron started when George Butler, along with Charles Gaines, were assigned to cover niche sports – including bodybuilding. Butler met and spoke with Arnold Schwarzenegger who’s personality was so charismatic that Butler and Gaines conceived the idea of a book and film.
The rest, as they say, is history. Pumping Iron is now a pinnacle film in the sport’s history. This media company’s very existence is due in part to George Butler and Pumping Iron. Our original bodybuilding documentary film, Generation Iron, was a spiritual sequel and attempted to recapture the spirit but for the modern era of athletes. Generation Iron’s success paved the way for the entire GI media network – that has now been running since 2013.
George Butler’s Filmography
Pumping Iron (1977)
Pumping Iron II: The Women (1985)
In the Blood (1989)
The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition (2000)
Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001)
Going Upriver (2004)
Roving Mars (2006)
The Lord God Bird (2008)
The Good Fight (2010)
Tiger, Tiger (2015)
Tiger, Tiger: The IMAX Experience
There are no words for how essential George Butler was to the world of bodybuilding. He has inspired millions of fans and athletes. He is part of the bedrock from which modern bodybuilding as it is today exists. The entire staff of Generation Iron sends condolences to the friends and family of George Butler.