Tag: FITNESS
How A Thick Neck Can Boost Aesthetic & Release Tension
A thick neck can work to add to a massive physique while also providing for other physical benefits as well.
While many of us associate a massive physique with muscles starting at our shoulders down, having a thick neck is something to not exactly throw out the window. While we don’t necessarily want to look like we have no neck, having a thick neck is something many bodybuilders and athletes alike have transitioned away from. Strong traps and an increased focus on the trap muscles have taken its place for it can make you look even bigger and add to that massive, V-shaped physique. But a thick neck is nothing to overlook for its aesthetic benefits as well as physical ones.
Your neck is made up of many muscles all falling into three main groups: anterior, lateral, and posterior. These muscles work to determine a number of movements and functions allowing our head to not only connect to our body but also allow for stability from our shoulders up (1). Believe it or not, your neck muscles are closely related to certain systems in your body like the respiratory and gastrointestinal since it includes all major blood vessels, nerves, and other elements important to these bodily systems (2). So, having a strong neck is vital for more than you may think.
Let’s take a look at what having a thick neck entails. From the benefits, to some exercises to help get there, and helpful tips to ensure this is done properly, you might be surprised by what happens when you focus on this overlooked body part.
Benefits Of A Thick Neck
The benefits of a thick neck work towards your aesthetic but also more physical functions and important aspects that will prove to pay off in the long run for your training and performance.
Benefits include:
Release tension: With the right exercises, you can work to release tension and tightness to get rid of any stiff feeling (3).
Increase flexibility: By working to reduce pain and get more movement, your flexibility will increase even with a thicker neck. This would be a result of certain exercises.
Improve range of motion: Work to optimize your movement by really working hard with range of motion (4).
Promote more stability: Increase stability and a more solid positioning from your shoulders on up.
Add to aesthetic: A thick neck can give your aesthetic that massive look to really make others envious.
Exercises For A Thick Neck
Here are some great exercises to help get a thicker neck. Be super cautious and make you sure you maintain proper form. The neck is a valuable and vulnerable part of our body so taking care of it is vital to maintain overall physical health and proper movements.
Neck Side Raises
Lying on a bench on your side, place a towel or cushion on the side of your head before loading an appropriate amount of weight on top. Slowly raise and lower your neck only going as far as your range of motion will allow. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Neck Plate Curls
Lay down frontwards on a bench so your head is hanging over the edge. Your shoulders will be aligned at the end of the bench. Hold the weight at the back of your head with both hands and slowly tilt your head upward before lowering back down. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Rotational Resistance
Place one hand on the side of your head and try to rotate your head to the side towards your shoulder. Press your head into your hands and try to resist as you bring your shoulder to your chin. Hold for a brief pause and repeat for your desired number of reps.
Shrugs
With your feet shoulder width apart, grab a dumbbell and slowly raise and lower your shoulders, really feeling a good squeeze in your neck and traps. Hold at the top for a few seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Important Tips & Advice
When it comes to building a thick neck, we need to be more than cautious, especially with those exercise that require us to use weight. Our necks are strong, resilient, and can handle pressure, but it would be unwise to forget how vulnerable they can be. Make sure to use proper form and really take care of each rep. If you are using weight, don’t go heavier than you need to. There is no point in trying to one-up someone because it will only lead to injury.
It may go without saying, but always warm-up before performing any of these neck exercises (5). Too often do we jump into workouts cold, but some of these larger muscle groups can handle it better than our more fragile necks. Work on some bodyweight or banded exercises before tossing weight around and it will pay off in the long run.
Featured Supplement
Working out any muscle group requires a solid supplementation routine. Working on getting a thick neck requires that we don’t lose all the gains we’ve worked so hard to get. While a pre-workout, creatine, or intra-workout supplement will all work wonders, you can’t go wrong with a great protein supplement to really boost those gains and aid in recovery.
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Wrap Up
When it comes to building a thick neck, it’s important to really work on the basics and ensure we are doing so properly. Able to aid in a massive aesthetic and work on stability, strength, and pain relief, a thick neck is not something to be taken for granted. Look into these exercises and supplements to really boost your growth because you won’t be disappointed with the results.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Johnston, V.; Jull, G.; Jimmieson, N. (2008). “Neck Movement and Muscle Activity Characteristics in Female Office Workers With Neck Pain”. (source)
Fice, Jason B.; Siegmund, Gunter P.; Blouin, Jean-Sebastien (2018). “Neck muscle biomechanics and neural control”. (source)
Ajimsha, M. S.; Al-Mudahka, Noora R.; Al-Madzhar, J. A. (2015). “Effectiveness of myofascial release: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials”. (source)
Zhou, Chaochao; Wang, Haiming; Wnag, Cong; Tsai, Tsung-Yuan; et al. (2020). “Intervertebral range of motion characteristics of normal cervical spinal segments (C0-T1) during in vivo neck motions”. (source)
Fradkin, Andrea J.; Zazryn, Tsharni R.; Smoglia, James M. (2010). “Effects of Warming-up on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis”. (source)
How To Improve Your Mobility For Maximum Gains and Functionality
Take Your Gains To The Next Level With Better Mobility
Have you ever noticed almost every single person has a different way of performing the same exercise? Let’s take squats for example. While John might be able to squat with a full range of motion (ass to the grass), Tom might only be able to go 3/4th of the way down.
Let’s assume both these people have the same height, weight, coach, train in the same gym, use the same weights, and have approximately the same strength. What do you think is causing the squat depth discrepancy? No, little Tommie is not a sissy.
Mobility is the culprit here. Squats are a compound lift and involve the recruitment of multiple muscles. A stiffness in any muscle group like the arms, upper or lower back, quads, hamstrings, knees, shins, calves, or ankles could limit the mobility on the squats.
What is Mobility?
Mobility is the ability to move a muscle group through a range of motion in the joint socket with control. Mobility is how well and efficiently we move. When we talk about mobility we’re usually referring to joint mobility.
Joint mobility is the degree to which an articulation (where two bones meet) can move before being restricted by surrounding tissues- ligaments/tendons/muscles. Joint mobility directly determines your posture and movement.
Mobility is Not Flexibility
It’s crazy how many people confuse mobility with flexibility. Flexibility is your connective tissues’ ability to temporarily elongate. It is an element of mobility just like strength, coordination, and body awareness.
Flexibility can help improve your mobility but extreme flexibility (like you see in some manly videos) doesn’t boost your performance. So, stop trying the dwi pada sirsasana and be content with practicing the full splits.
Benefits of Optimal Mobility
Reduces Chances of Injury
Sadly, people get injured in the gym way too frequently. While there are various reasons why people get hurt, most of it could be boiled down to not being able to perform an exercise correctly due to a lack of mobility.
If you ask people what they felt during the exercise they got injured, most of them will tell you that they were uncomfortable right from the beginning of the exercise. Optimal mobility ensures that there is an equal distribution of stress throughout your working muscles which reduces your chances of an injury.
Improves Joint Health & Reduces Joint Pain
Regular mobility exercises act as lubricants for your joints, ligaments, and tendons and keep them working in optimal condition. The more you work on improving your joint mobility, the healthier and stronger the surrounding muscle tissues will get – helping boost joint health and elevating pain.
Ignites Muscle Growth
Joint immobility hurts your gains in more ways than you can imagine. There is always at least one exercise you feel uncomfortable performing or can’t perform with the full range of motion. It is a sign that you lack mobility in that area.
For a long time, I had trouble performing behind-the-neck exercises like the lat pulldowns and military presses. After I worked on my posterior muscle mobility, I saw my strength, muscle size, and quality shoot through the roof.
Improves Posture
Thanks to the modern lifestyle and now the WFH culture, we spend most of our time hunched over a laptop or looking down at our phone screens. It could be doing a lot for our career, but it surely isn’t helping improve our posture.
Constantly sitting causes your hip flexors to shorten, and your hamstrings to lengthen. This starts a chain reaction that causes anterior pelvic tilt and kyphosis. The next time you feel like Netflix and chilling, remind yourself – we are born hunters and gatherers.
How To Improve Your Mobility
Stretching
Active and static stretching exercises are some of the best ways of improving your mobility.
Static stretching (aka passive stretching) is the common type of stretching that most people are familiar with. It’s what comes to mind when someone talks about stretching.
It involves the use of an external force to elongate or stretch a muscle. In this type of stretching, force is usually generated through your own body weight or by pulling with your arms.
Active stretching is a dynamic form of stretching that involves the contraction of a muscle that is opposite to the muscle that is being targeted for the stretch. As an example, kicking your leg straight out in front of you would actively stretch the hamstrings in the leg that is moving. Most yoga poses are a form of active stretching.
Improve Your Breathing
Ever wondered why breathing is such a big part of almost all kinds of physically intensive activities? Start playing football or tennis, and you’ll be asked to learn to breathe to improve your endurance, join a gym, and you’re told to breathe in sync with your reps, and let’s just not begin talking about yoga.
Connecting your breath with your movement is thought to affect how efficiently you move. Slow and controlled breathing can increase the parasympathetic response which can help in relaxing your body and reducing overall tension.
Self-Myofascial Release
Self-myofascial release is a practice that uses tools like the foam roller and lacrosse balls to target the fascia. A fascia is a band or sheet of connective tissue beneath the skin which acts like a spider web around the muscles that attaches, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs and helps the muscles retain their shape.
The muscle fascia is also what keeps your muscles from growing bigger. The sensation of a muscle pump is actually your muscle fibers pushing against the fascia and trying to expand it. Tightly packed fascia can also be the reason behind tight joints and limited mobility.
Mobility Exercises
If you’re having trouble performing specific exercises, it’d be best to work your joints and tendons in that same position. For example, little Tommie should hold a squat at the bottom of the movement and slowly move his knees and hip in circular motions to work on his ROM. He should then rock-and-roll while holding the squat to loosen up his shins, calves, and ankle joints.
A few other effective mobility exercises include walking hip openers, thoracic spine windmills on the floor, shoulder pass-throughs, and neck half circles. You should have at least one mobility day a week in your workout schedule to keep your joints, ligaments, and tendons in optimal condition.
Are you facing any mobility issues? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
How The Zottman Curl Can Build Bigger Arms & Enhance Gains
This exercise is a killer arm builder to really give you strength and size.
We all seek to have the arms the size of cannons. Working both our biceps and triceps are crucial for that overall development of our arms. While that horseshoe shape we all desire comes from working mainly our triceps, it is important to remember that working our biceps should never go unnoticed. While traditional curls and a host of other biceps exercise variations exist, there is one that you may be neglecting, or may not have heard about.
The Zottman Curl is a beastly exercise that can build not only your biceps, but also your forearms, making this a serious gains maker without adding unwanted strain and stress on your biceps or forearms. Named after legendary strongman George Zottman, this exercise can help you see record breaking lifts like it did for him some century or so ago. Standing the test of time, the Zottman curls are really a solid exercise to build those beastly arms.
Putting this exercise into your workout routine can not only increase strength and size, but also give you a new variation to mix in so the monotony of working out doesn’t deter you from seeing those gains come to life. By hitting your biceps on the way up and really hammering your forearms on the way down, this curl is something that will really enhance your overall strength and aesthetic.
Benefits Of The Zottman Curl
Since this works both you’re forearms and biceps, many of the benefits do provide for crossover, but there are some unique to only your forearms or biceps that are worth noting.
Time Efficient & Convenience: By working both your biceps and forearms, this allows for more efficient workouts and less time in the gym. Less time in the gym is not a bad thing, for it could be spent recovering, where muscle is built, or spending time away doing more things you love.
Change Of Pace: Doing the same old exercises can be boring and can also lead to you hitting a plateau. Don’t let your gains stop and throw in this exercise to really shake things up with your muscles. Adding in a fresh workout can enhance growth and keep your training sessions interesting.
Enhanced Grip: Grip strength is something we all take for granted and while we may not need a monster grip to deadlift an ungodly amount of weight, having functional grip strength for everyday tasks is important to have. Through the reverse part of this exercise, you strengthen your grip and hit all the muscles associated with it (1).
Forearm Activation: Finding good exercises to target your forearms can be challenging and many of them can actually hurt (2). This is a perfect exercise to work the forearms without pain while also getting the added benefit of working your biceps too.
Bigger Aesthetic: The Zottman curl is a great exercise to see growth in your biceps to really add more shape and development to enhance your aesthetic and increase your confidence in knowing you are working towards bigger arms.
How To Perform The Zottman Curl
Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them with your palms facing upwards.
Perform a normal curl, flexing your bicep and really feeling a good squeeze at the top.
Once at the top, rotate your wrist so your palms now face away from you.
Lower towards the ground in the reverse of a curl and feel the stretch in your forearms as you gently guide the weight to the floor.
Once at the bottom, rotate your wrists back so your palms are facing upwards and repeat for desired number of reps.
Zottman Curl Tips
Using lighter weights to start with this exercise will prove more beneficial than jumping right into heavier ones. While you may be able to curl a solid amount of weight, you have to remember that your forearms may not be as strong as your biceps. Forcing more weight on your forearms than they can take will only lead to unwanted pain and stress that can lead to injury.
Performing these nice and slow will also really work on the time under tension you put your muscle through while also enhancing mind-muscle connection to really work on seeing great gains.
How It Differs From The Bicep Curl
While the traditional bicep curl is a great exercise, and one that works well when performed doing drops sets, the Zottman differs in that it provides that extra element by rotating at the top to really hit the forearms on the way down (3). You get all the benefits of a bicep curl with the bonus of targeting more muscles, and even smaller muscles that are often overlooked, while still performing a safe and effective lift. You can do these seated or standing, as well as alternating arms, so all of what you can do with a traditional bicep curl can be done with the Zottman curl and then some.
Wrap Up
Trying to diversify our workouts can be a challenge and one that we often times overlook since we tend to stick to one program and not change anything up. Adding the Zottman curl to your workouts will be a time saver and strength builder by working your biceps and your forearms resulting in huge arm gains. With many variations and helpful tips out there on how to properly and effectively perform the Zottman curl, your chances of seeing huge gains is within your grasp. Unlock all the benefits of this exercise and keep elevating your workouts to new heights with a safe and effective lift in the Zottman curl. You won’t be disappointed with the results of this century’s old exercise.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Incel, Nurgul A.; Ceceli, Esma; Durukan, Pinar B.; Erdem, H. R.; Yorgancioglu, Z. R. (2002). “Grip strength: effect of hand dominance”. (source)
Axelsson, Peter; Sollerman, Christer; Karrholm, Johan (2020). “Validity and Responsiveness of Forearm Strength Measurements in the Evaluation of Distal Radioulnar Joint Implant Arthroplasty”. (source)
Melrose, Don (2014). “Exercise Technique: The Zottman Curl”. (source)
The Eight Best Bodyweight Exercises for the Chest
Most guys can’t imagine a chest workout that doesn’t include a bench and a set of dumbbells or kettlebells. A bodyweight chest workout? Please. There are only so many pushups you can do.
But in a time-crunched, mobile world – pandemic or no pandemic – it’s important to have an effective go-to workout that’s portable and can be done with little or no equipment. That way you can train wherever, whenever. Studies suggest it’s possible to get results without investing in equipment or a gym membership, just your body weight.
8 Bodyweight Chest Exercises
This 8-exercise, two-set circuit will challenge your chest with only your body as resistance. We’ll alternate pushing and pulling movements so you keep moving without rest, providing an aerobic component to your training as well.
Cat/Cow
What it does: This familiar compound yoga move improves flexibility to the lumbar and cervical spine but it also opens up the chest, which is especially important if you’re training after a long day of sitting.
How to do it: Start on all fours with hands beneath your shoulders and knees on the ground. Inhale, dropping your chest as you push your hips and shoulder blades back into cow position. Lift your chin and chest and gaze forward. For cat, exhale as you draw your belly button to your spine and round your back toward the ceiling like a cat.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
Dips
What it does: You use your chest, along with your triceps and biceps, to lift your entire body weight.
How to do it: Position yourself above and between parallel bars, grabbing them with an overhand grip. Cross your ankles behind you. Lower yourself slowly and push back up in a controlled manner. Bodyweight workouts tend to be done without equipment or at least outside the gym. So, this can be performed on steps, a stable chair, or even the floor.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
90/90 Stretch
What it does: Like Cat/Cow, this move opens up the chest but more from a rotational standpoint. It serves as an effective warm-up for this or any other chest workout.
How to do it: Lie on the ground on your left side with legs tucked into the torso at a 90-degree angle. Keep both arms straight parallel to your knees. Keeping the knees together and on the ground, rotate your chest and right arm to the right, putting your back on the ground. Hold for two seconds and return to starting position.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps to each side.
Plank-to-Pushup
What it does: This combines two effective chest-blasting, core-strengthening moves in one.
How to do it: Begin in a forearm plank position. Push from your triceps, placing your right hand on the ground and then your left hand, gradually rising to pushup position. Return to the forearm plank by placing your right forearm down and then your left.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
Straight Leg Lowering
What it does: This hamstring stretch also challenges the muscles of the chest and torso.
How to do it: Lie flat on your back with arms at your sides and legs straight up above your hips. Keeping one leg straight, slowly lower the other to just above the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat. The key is to keep toes pointed toward your shins and back flat on the floor. Do 10 per side.
How many? 2 sets of 10 per side with 30 seconds rest between sets.
3-Way Pushups
What it does: By doing three sets of 10 pushups in three different positions consecutively, we’re ramping up this workout quickly while challenging our chest and shoulders from three angles.
How to do it: Do 10 traditional pushups (hands directly below the shoulders) followed by 10 “diamond” pushups (index fingers and triceps touching), followed by 10 wide-grip pushups (hands wider than the shoulders)
How many? 10 reps of each.
Plank
What it does: This promotes overall core stability, but your chest and biceps are keeping you in the proper position.
How to do it: Lie in a prone pushup position with hands on the floor, elbows under shoulders and bent 90 degrees. Push up off the elbows, tucking your chin so your head is in line with your body. Keep head in line with spine and belly button drawn in. Hold for one minute.
How many? 2 sets of 60 seconds with 60 seconds rest between sets.
Burpees
What it does: It’s a full-body push-up-like exercise that gives you all the benefits of pushups while also challenging your cardiovascular system and ratcheting up the intensity of your workout, which is especially important when you only have 15 minutes.
How to do it: From a standing position, squat, place your hands on the ground, and “jump” your feet out into a push-up position. Perform a pushup and then jump your feet to your hands. Then jump as high as you can, throwing your hands over your head.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
Pete Williams is a NASM-CPT and the author or co-author of several fitness books, including Core Performance and Every Day is Game Day. His work has appeared in publications such as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, and USA Today.
The Most Underrated Leg Exercise
You’ve been going to the gym for years. Your upper body looks alright, but your lower body looks like a malnourished fifth grader. Legs look like toothpicks and your butt is flatter than a pancake.
You’re frustrated with the scrawny legs not filling out your jeans, so you stop skipping leg day and start squatting your face off.
Now your legs are as sore as if a kickboxer nailed them with a few hundred kicks. But even with all this soreness, your lower body doesn’t grow much.
Rough dilemma ain’t it? Squats are great, but there are some common issues with squats that might be limiting your chopstick limbs from becoming tree trunks.
Issues With Squats
Squats are highly affected by human anatomy. Depending on your hip structure and femur/tibia ratios, different squats won’t hit certain parts of your legs with enough stimulation. Potentially you could end up doing a squat variation that doesn’t pair well with your body structure. It’s alos quite common for low back, core, or spinal fatigue to limit squat performance.
You’ve grown accustomed to squats. Most guys squat all the time, but the human body likes to adapt. Something as simple as taking a break from squats and changing exercises might be what you need to grow your legs.
Squats train both legs at the same time. This is problematic because one leg/glute tends to do more work while the weaker side gets neglected or becomes a limiting factor to how many reps you can do.
Squats are technically hard. I don’t care how long you’ve been squatting, it’s actually one of the most technical exercises from head to toe. Most people’s form aren’t as good as they think.
Just because most guys do squats doesn’t mean you have to. You’re different, you not only clicked on this article to improve your ways, but you’ve read up to this point without clicking off even after I told you traditional squats might be limiting your growth, so I applaud you and your determined legs.
Now the exercise you probably need for your lower body muscles to expand like a hot air balloon are split squats. They’re effective, underrated, and you’ve probably been avoiding them because they also suck, but mechanically they should grow more muscle for a many people.
Below are a few different variations. For all of them keep a neutral spine, brace your core, and have a slight lean forward. The more vertical your front knee is, the more you’ll hit your glutes. As the knee travels forward, you will hit slightly more quads, so it’s up to you how you allow your knee to move. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with letting your knee travel past your toes. That’s a myth that doesn’t seem to vanish.
Anyways, a more forward lean will hit your glutes more while a more upright torso will hit your quads more. Hamstrings don’t really get trained with split squats, but they do contribute more than bilateral squats.
Your adductors also get some solid stimulation from spilt squats.
Regardless move steady and at a controlled forceful tempo on the way up and a slow and controlled tempo on the way down.
While there are many variations of split squats, they only differ in range of motion and weight placement. The general mechanics of all split squats are the same.
Split Squat Mechanics
Start in a comfortable stance. Your feet should be on separate lines instead right behind each other like walking on a tight rope.
Lower yourself as the front foot stays flat. The back heel should come up. You can tap your knee lightly on the ground or stop a bit short. I prefer the latter.
Maintain stability and keep your hips neutral. Don’t let your knee collapse inwards. Let it track towards your toe naturally. If your knee goes past your toes, that’s perfectly fine as long as your front foot stays planted on the ground.
As you come back up, be sure not to round your back. Keep your spine neutral.
DB Split Squat
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Goblet Split Squat
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Barbell Split Squat
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DB Bulgarian Split Squat
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Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
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Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
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Benefits of Split Squats
Split squats allow you to train your legs unilaterally which helps with muscle and strength asymmetries and allow your nervous system to focus on one leg at a time. It’s arguably more natural too as you walk and move through daily life one leg at a time.
As for the main benefit you’re after, split squats will make your lower body look and feel epic. The strength gains are beastly and the muscle growth is powerful (yet painful). If you’re not used to them, you will likely be sore for a few days.
Lastly, they’re also great for various sport performance from cycling, soccer, sprinting, or even mixed martial arts.
That being said, they’re perfectly useful and still extremely beneficial for everyday population looking to stay fit and not allow their butts to sag as they approach 40 or 50.
Programming
To program these start by choosing a split squat variation. The Bulgarian and barbell variations will be harder, so I would avoid those if you’re a beginner. For your workout you can should do them for 5-12 reps per leg for 3-4 sets. If you do them as your main leg movement, do them at the beginning of the workout and use heavier loads. If you do them after doing your typical traditional squats, use slightly lighter loads and aim to knock out more reps.
Regardless be sure to add more weight or do more reps over time and the muscle tissue surrounding your booty and quads will explode in growth. You’ll fix the strength difference between legs, smash through a plateau, and have legs a centaur would be proud of.
Enhanced Labs Expands With India Distribution Announcement
Enhanced Labs has made big moves and continues to do so.
Enhanced Labs has been on a mission to bring their supplements and high-quality products to athletes everywhere. Whatever state, region, or country, Enhanced Labs wants athletes everywhere to have the best when it comes to working out and seeing gains. Now, with this new announcement of them expanding distribution into India, Enhanced Labs has once again taken the supplement and bodybuilding world by storm with yet again another monster announcement.
With amazing athletes already involved with their company, Enhanced Labs has built up a resume of serious bodybuilders and athletes to promote their products so fitness folks everywhere can get the most out of their own training. While it can be difficult to find worthwhile products that are safe and effective, Enhanced Labs has done everything they can to make that happen. We at Generation Iron have been watching Enhanced Labs closely as the updates and announcements continue to roll in and start quite the conversation.
Over the last few months alone, Enhanced Labs has announced a series of initiatives, new partnerships, and big moves they’ve made as they seek to build a worldwide supplements company people everywhere will love. From Big Ramy joining their team, to them launching a new line of Big Ramy products, and now this announcement of expansion into India, it seems that nothing can slow Enhanced Labs down.
Big Ramy Signing
Just after Big Ramy won Mr. Olympia, he and his coach, Dennis James, shocked the bodybuilding world by signing with Enhanced Labs. Big Ramy had quite the showing at the 2020 Mr. Olympia contest, coming in at around 290 lbs. yet showing off a high level of conditioning and a monster physique that everyone envied. With the new partnership, both parties are looking to make history and continue to design, create, and promote some seriously stellar products.
Big Ramy Product Line Launched
Within 90 days of this partnership, Enhanced launched its first of four Big Ramy products as part of a new supplements line coming from this partnership. Three more Big Ramy products are expected to drop and a Dennis James product is also on the way, making this supplements line one to absolutely check out.
The first product was Ramy’s Rage Pump, a powerful pre-workout with 12 clinically dosed ingredients designed to increase blood flow to your muscles, enhance focus, and improve endurance and energy. The smart pump matrix and Enhanced Labs’ mission to creating amazing products are all shown with this first product, making us excited about what is coming down the pipe.
Expansion Into India
This latest announcement about expanding distribution into India is huge for Enhanced Labs and having Big Ramy on board only makes this even better. Today, Enhanced Labs announced the launch of local international distribution to the citizens of India and will now sell their supplements directly to Indian citizens from the center in New Delhi. The announcement on Big Ramy’s social media was exactly what Enhanced Labs needed to really spark some excitement.
Enhanced Labs now has local fulfillment centers in England and India, with a company-stated target of an EU fulfillment/customer service center launch in Bulgaria by June 15th, and a MENA/GCC center by August 1st. That would mean within 9 months of signing Big Ramy, Enhanced Labs, all before the 2021 Olympia contest, would have opened international retail distribution from inside of the UK, India, the EU, and the Middle East all while releasing five new products with Big Ramy and Dennis James.
For areas where Enhanced is not opening retail locations, they have announced major distribution agreements. Discussing the product line with CSO Trevor Kouritzin, the rise of Enhanced Labs probably was based in the culture of science-based, high efficacy products: “When I lead a team to formulate a new product we want to make sure two things are true: 1) are the ingredients backed in science by multiple peer reviewed studies and 2) are we providing better dosing or servings than our competitors for the same or less in cost… This is the same for the whole lineup of Enhanced products.”
Wrap Up
Looking towards the future with Enhanced Labs will be interesting as they clearly have a path and a vision for where they want to take their company. Bringing Big Ramy and Dennis James on board was a great decision and one Enhanced Labs does not regret one bit. With great products coming out and a real push to spread their supplements all around the world, Enhanced Labs continues to work tirelessly to bring the best supplements to athletes everywhere. Keep an eye out for Enhanced Labs, make sure to check out their Big Ramy product line, and let’s see what their next big announcement will be.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Big Ramy Instagram and Enhanced Labs Instagram
How Hunter Labrada Works Out For Serious Muscle Growth
This workout from Hunter Labrada will surely fire up those muscles to only grow.
Hunter Labrada is a American bodybuilder and entrepreneur and the son of IFBB Hall of Fame member Lee Labrada. Following in his father’s footsteps, he has now become a well known bodybuilder and online presence.
Many of us are always looking for new workouts as we know how important it is to constantly challenge ourselves and work to confuse our muscles to grow. It can be difficult to find the right workouts and ones that fit for our style, but looking to professionals is a great way to get that done. With so many people online claiming to know everything, it can be difficult to tell just who is telling the truth and who is full of it. At the end of the day, why not look to professionals and those who have gone before us to really give us the best chance at seeing the growth we want most.
Hunter Labrada has made a name for himself in the bodybuilding world and has chosen to follow the footsteps of his Hall of Fame father. His workouts are a serious test of strength as he looks to build an absolutely massive physique.
Full Name: Hunter Labrada (IFBB Pro Bodybuilder)
Weight
Height
Date Of Birth
235-245 lbs.
5’9’’
05/17/1992
Division
Era
Nationality
Open
2010
American
Hunter Labrada sought an approach to lift huge weight with as many reps as possible early on. While that worked in the short term to give him huge gains, what he realized was that he needed to change things up. His progress began to plateau slightly and he sought a change. It was exactly what he needed to get back on track. These workouts will surely fire your muscles as they did for him and give you a massive physique you want most.
About Hunter Labrada
As a young kid, Labrada was always active, especially as a young football star. But after he suffered a serious injury, he was forced to stop football and find another means to stay active. With his father being Lee Labrada, a legend and member of the IFBB Hall of Fame, Hunter began working out as a way to strengthen his muscles to rehab quicker. Soon enough, he was on the same path as his father, building up his massive physique in order to become the best in the bodybuilding world. Now as a young professional, he is chasing down his father to prove he has what it takes to be a serious contender in the bodybuilding world.
Hunter Labrada Training Routine
This training program from Labrada is designed to really give you the best chance at growth and to aid in building that absolutely massive physique. By working his sets and reps to a manageable level and allowing his body to recover more efficiently, his gains have begun to return and he is at a size he’s never been at before. Mixed into this routine are cardio days and off days to allow his body to rest and keep up with the wear and tear of such heavy lifts but what you’ll find is a great assortment of exercises designed to boost growth and give you what you want most out of your own training and performance goals.
Workout #1: Chest & Triceps
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Incline Dumbbell Press
3
12
Incline Dumbbell Fly
3
12
Cable Crossovers
3
12
Dumbbell Pullovers
3
15
Incline Hammer Press
3
15
Weighted Dips
3
15
Triceps Pushdowns
3
12
Skull Crushers
3
12
Workout #2: Hamstrings & Calves
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Seated Calf Raise
3
12
Standing Calf Raise
3
12
Lying Hamstring Curls
3
15
Stiff Legged Deadlift
3
15
Walking Barbell Lunges
3
12
Workout #3: Back & Biceps
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Weighted Chin-Ups
3
15
Underhand Pulldown
3
12
Bent Over Underhand Row
3
12
T Bar Machine Rows
3
15
Deadlift
3
10
Straight Bar Curl
3
12
Hammer Strength Curl
3
12
Alternating Hammer Curls
3
15
Workout #4: Shoulders & Traps
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3
12
Standing Side Laterals
3
12
Machine Shoulder Press
3
15
Seated Side Laterals
3
15
Rear Pec Deck
3
12
Bent Over Lateral Raise
3
10
Behind The Back Shrugs
3
10
Dumbbell Shrug
3
12
Workout #5: Quads & Calves
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Squats
3
8
Leg Press
3
10
Leg Extensions
3
12
Seated Calf Raise
3
15
Standing Calf Raise
3
15
Featured Supplement
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Transparent Labs ProteinSeries Mass Gainer
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Wrap Up
For those of looking to build strength and size, looking to professional workouts can be a real boost in getting there. This workout from Hunter Labrada is exactly what you need to build that massive physique and allow yourself to see the gains you want most out of each and every workout. Give this workout a try and see what it can do for your gains today. You won’t be disappointed with the results.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Hunter Labrada Instagram and Envato
Best Supersets to Build Muscle
Best Supersets to Build Muscle
You might be stuck in the rut of doing the same 3 sets of 10 every workout. After a while, your training can get monotonous and stale. To continually elicit adaptation, you need to introduce new stresses to your muscles.
Insert supersets.
A superset is when you perform two exercises back to back with little to no rest in between. Here’s why you should do them:
Time efficiency: Train more muscles in the same amount of time by pairing exercises together.
Time under tension: Supersets can increase the total TUT to stimulate greater hypertrophy effects.
Increased intensity.
Improved work capacity and recovery: Your conditioning and recovery in between sets skyrockets.
They keep your workouts fun and motivating.
Have I sold you yet?
That last point is critical. Most people lose motivation in the gym because they’re bored. They’re bored because they do the same routine day after day, week after week, month after month. With no results to show for it.
Your muscles need new stresses to adapt, and supersets can help.
Here are five of the best types of supersets to build muscle.
Opposing Superset
Perform two exercises that target opposing muscle groups (ex. bi’s and tri’s; chest and back; quads and hamstrings).
Opposing supersets are great because you can train more muscle groups in the same amount of time. Since both exercises focus on different muscles, you can minimize your rest in between sets. So instead of just scrolling Instagram until your next set, you can perform a second exercise to target the opposing muscle. Ah, time efficiency.
Rep and Set Guidelines
All things considered, the amount of reps and sets you do depends on your goals.
Sets: 3-4
Reps: 6-15 each exercise
Rest: 1-2 min after both exercises have been completed
Note: For the best results, don’t rush into the second exercise. Take your time and “stroll” your way to the second set so you’re recovered and can perform the exercise with optimal technique.
Examples of Opposing Supersets
Push/Pull
(Choose one exercise from category A and one exercise from category B)
Category A (Push)
Flat Bench Press
Inclined Bench Press
Push-Ups
Arnold Press
Floor Press
Category B (Pull)
Bent Over Barbell Row
Lat Pulldown
Inverted Row
Dumbbell Row
Face Pull
Bi’s/Tri’s
(Choose one exercise from category A and one exercise from category B)
Category A (Biceps)
Barbell Curl
Rope Cable Curl
Seated Hammer Curl
Isometric Dumbbell Curl
Zottmann Curl
Category B (Triceps)
Skull Crushers
Triceps Rope Extension
Dumbbell Tate Press
Overhead Dumbbell Extension
Close Grip Push-Ups
Quads/Hamstrings
(Choose one exercise from category A and one exercise from category B)
Category A (Quads)
Goblet Squat
Front Squat
Hack Squat
Sissy Squat
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
Category B (Hamstrings)
Dumbbell RDL
Kettlebell Deadlift
Hack Squat Good Morning
Swiss Ball Leg Curl
Single Leg RDL
Compound
Perform a multi-joint (compound) exercise followed by a single-joint (isolation) exercise that targets the same muscle (ex. bench press and chest fly’s).
You build muscle by creating tension. Compound sets are a great way to increase your muscles’ total time under tension. What’s more, they establish a stronger mind-muscle connection.
You ever do a bench press and feel your chest light up? That’s because blood rushes to your pecs as you do the press. Pair the press with an isolation exercise (ex. chest fly) and you’ll feel a greater contraction than if you were to do them on their own.
Rep and Set Guidelines
Sets: 3-4
Reps: 6-15 each exercise
Rest: 2-3 min after both exercises have been completed
Examples of Compound Sets
Chest
(Choose one exercise from category A and one exercise from category B)
Category A (Compound)
Flat Bench Press
Inclined Dumbbell Press
Push-Ups
Category B (Isolation)
Dumbbell Chest Fly
Inclined Chest Fly
Cable Chest Fly
Biceps
(Choose one exercise from category A and one exercise from category B)
Category A (Compound)
Underhand Barbell Row
Chin-Ups
Prone Dumbbell Row
Category B (Isolation)
Barbell Curl
Hammer Curl
Zottmann Curl
Glutes
(Choose one exercise from category A and one exercise from category B)
Category A (Compound)
Back Squat
Romanian Deadlift
Reverse Lunge
Category B (Isolation)
Hip Thrust
Glute Bridge
Cable Kickback
Pre-Exhaust
A pre-exhaust superset is pretty much a compound set in reverse. Perform a single-joint exercise followed by a multi-joint exercise that targets the same muscle(s).
This technique is common among bodybuilders seeking to enhance the development of a target muscle. Performing a single joint exercise first fatigues the agonist in isolation, placing greater stress on the agonist and increasing it’s activation during the multi-joint exercise and potentiating it’s hypertrophy (1).
Perform 12-20 reps with moderately light weight for the single-joint exercise. Then perform 8-15 reps of the compound lift immediately after.
Contrast
Perform a heavy compound lift followed by a dynamic/explosive exercise of the same movement pattern. The goal is to increase total power potential and maximize muscle growth.
You can my full article on contrast sets HERE.
Mobility/Corrective Fillers
I know, mobility isn’t the most exciting thing in the world. But that doesn’t mean it’s not important. Actually, it’s one of the most important things you should be doing.
Perform a mobility drill after each exercise in between sets. Mobility is your joints’ ability to actively travel through their intended ranges of motion. Without it, you’re increasing your risk of injury and minimizing your potential to build muscle and get stronger.
Why you should do mobility filler supersets:
Time efficiency. Instead of sitting on your ass in between sets, kill two birds with one stone and do some mobility.
Better recovery, which means more muscle.
Better posture. Low back pain and postural issues are a dime a dozen among lifters and bodybuilders. Train better and incorporate mobility to reverse this issue.
Reduced pain. You can’t train if you’re always hurt.
Better range of motion. Increased ROM means increased time under tension and greater muscle fibre stimulation.
Do you like lifting? Do your mobility work and you’ll be able to lift for a long time.
Summary
Supersets are one of the best ways to elicit adaptation so you can continually build muscle. You have tons of options to keep your workouts fun and motivating.
References
Fleck S.J., Kraemer W.J. Designing Resistance Training Programs.4th ed. Human Kinetics; Champaign, IL, USA: 2014.
Best Rhomboid Exercises To Really Define Your Back
These exercises will work to add size and definition to your back.
Too often do we focus on our front and unfortunately neglect a seriously vital component to the make-up of our entire body. We love pushing our pecs to pop, rounding out those boulder shoulders, working on those bulging biceps and horseshoe-shaped triceps, and leaning down to expose a shredded six-pack. But our backs need love to and working on back muscles can have real effect on our physique but other areas of our physical health and wellness that can boost our gains and performance results to the next level.
Your back muscles are beyond important when it comes to things like balance, support, and posture. So many of us suffer from rounded shoulders, caving in towards our chest as a result of slumping and slouching and not standing up straight. We all know how important posture is. So why do we continue to neglect the muscle groups that can help us? Back strength and the development and definition of our backs is so important for many of our physical functions, so let’s stop and take a second and look at some awesome back exercises.
In this case, we’ll focus on rhomboid exercises as we tell you what they are, some of the great benefits, and exercises to really work those muscles to grow. Able to help in a number of ways, your rhomboids will prove to be quite helpful.
What Exactly Are Your Rhomboids?
Your rhomboids are two fairly small back muscles located in the upper back. These two are called the rhomboid major and rhomboid minor. They run diagonally and work to connect your shoulder blades to your spine. So, while they may be small, their role is quite important. Other back muscles like your traps and lats tends to pop more and add to your physique, but your rhomboids are humble muscles, far less prominent in your back than it’s larger counterparts. What your rhomboids do is they work to bring your shoulder blades together, as well as raising and lowering your shoulders. Essentially, they are connectors but also great supporters and stabilizers for muscles and movements within your back (1).
Benefits Of Strong Rhomboids
The benefits of rhomboids may be a bit more subtle and not as noticeable, but they are still incredibly important nonetheless. The goal is to keep you physically healthy and safe and training your rhomboids can prove to be very much worth your while.
Benefits include:
Support movement: These muscles work to connect and support your shoulder blades, as well as other movements so each exercise and activity can be done smoothly (2).
Promote better posture: Posture is so key in keeping us engaged and lifting big while also boosting our confidence. Having solid rhomboids will really work to pull those shoulders back and down to improve posture.
Help prevent injury: Like many strong muscles, having them can prevent injury. When the muscle is weak, it leaves the door open for minor pains and strains to grow leading to injury. Don’t let the vulnerability affect your goals (3).
Strengthen back: Working any muscle in the back will enhance strength and this is very important when looking to maximize gains.
Best Rhomboid Exercises For Growth & Definition
Warm-Up
Front Raise Thumbs Up
Lying on your stomach, put your arms out above you with your thumbs into the air. Keeping your torso and lower body on the ground, engage your core and raise your arms overhead, really feeling a squeeze in your shoulder blades. Pause at the top and lower back to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Prone Lateral Raise
Lie on your stomach and hold a dumbbell in your hands. The weight should be fairly light. With your arms extended out beside you, lift and squeeze your shoulder blades keeping your arms perpendicular to your torso. Pause at the top and lower back to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Workout
Face Pulls
Set your rope attachment to the cable machine and stand in a neutral stance. Take some steps back until your arms are completely straight and engage your core. With your chest high, pull the weight towards your face and don’t let your elbows drop. When the rope is close to your forehead, pause for a moment and return to the starting position.
Barbell Bent Over Rows
Hold the barbell in a pronated position and slightly bend your knees. Bend at the waist until your back is parallel to the floor. Lift the barbell to your chest, really feeling a squeeze in your back muscles and return to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Stretches
Wall Slides
Stand against a wall ensuring your butt, back, arms, and head are all touching the wall. In a controlled manner, raise your arms over your head without breaking contact on the wall. Only go as far as your body will let you and gently slide up and down your desired amount of reps.
Arm Across The Chest
A classic stretch for all athletes, stand tall and cross one arm across your chest. With your other arm, slide it under and grab your shoulder, cupping it with your hand. Really give a squeeze as you extend the arm out and repeat with the other side.
Wrap Up
Having a strong back is essential and something we absolutely cannot overlook. The benefits to our physical health being stability and support on top of a massive physique and increased confidence should be enough to get you to want to work these muscles hard. Your rhomboids may be small but you cannot overlook them. Give these rhomboids exercise a try and see what they can do for you. From warm-ups, to workouts, to stretches, all of your bases are covered with some great and worthwhile exercises to see great growth.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Fennell, Jeremy; Phadke, Chetan P.; Mochizuki, George; Ismail, Farooq; Boulias, Chris (2016). “Shoulder Retractor Strengthening Exercise to Minimize Rhomboid Muscle Activity and Subacromial Impingement”. (source)
Williams, Martin R. Jr.; Hendricks, Dustin S.; Dannen, Michael J.; Arnold, Andrea M.; Lawrence, Michael A. (2020). “Activity of Shoulder Stabilizers and Prime Movers During an Unstable Overhead Press”. (source)
Lieberman, Raquel L.; Wolfe, Michael S. (2007). “From rhomboid function to structure and back again”. (source)
5 Foam Rolling Mistakes Most People Make
Foam Rolling Mistakes to Avoid
Foam rolling is a method of self-myofascial release. Regular foam rolling can help with increasing flexibility, reducing soreness, and eliminating muscle knots. A foam roller is a lightweight, cylindrical tube made of compressed foam.
Your muscles are tightly wrapped around with fascia which holds them together and gives them shape. In brief, foam rolling can help with loosening and warming up the fascia so it can give your muscle fibers room to grow bigger and stronger.
Not Applying the Right Pressure
Most people don’t know how much pressure to apply when they’re foam rolling. They either apply too much or too little pressure and make the process of foam rolling ineffective. If you’re rolling too lightly, it might not have much impact on your tense muscles.
Roll too hard, and you might add to the pain and end up tensing up your muscles. Different rollers put a different amount of pressure on your muscles. The hollow foam rollers apply more pressure as compared to the full cylinders, so choose your rollers accordingly.
Rolling the Joints
Not the joints you’re thinking about. We’re talking about the bone joints here. You should avoid rolling the joints and other boney areas like the shoulder blades, ankles, and parts of the hips and legs (like the knees and shins). Foam rolling these areas will cause nothing more than pain and discomfort.
Rolling the bones doesn’t help in loosening up the bones and tendons. You need to roll the muscles and tissues beneath. You should also avoid rolling the IT band (the tendon that runs along the outside of your thigh from the top of the pelvis to the shin bone) and instead focus on the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
You’re Not Rolling the Upper Body
Since foam rolling was brought to the spotlight by runners, most people assume that this method of self-myofascial release is only for the lower body. Foam rolling the upper body can be a little tricky and you might need a lacrosse ball for the hard-to-reach muscles.
You should be foam rolling your pectoral muscles, lats, triceps and the muscles around the shoulder blades. The movement of the foam roller while rolling the upper body will be different as compared to the lower body and can take some practice to master.
Spending Too Much Time on Trigger Points
Many people think that spending a lot of time on tense spots will release muscle knots. On the contrary, putting too much pressure on the trigger points can lead to an increase in pain and irritation, and can sore up injured muscle tissues.
If you want to loosen up a tense area, you should start with rolling the general larger surface area around the muscle for 60 to 90 seconds and spend 30 to 60 seconds targetting the knotted tissues.
As you loosen up the area around a trigger point, you’ll likely indirectly decrease the stress and tension you feel in the problematic area.
Rolling the Lower Back and Other Delicate Muscles
While it’s okay to foam roll your upper and middle back, you shouldn’t be working your lower back with a roller. Since it’s difficult to balance a foam roller on your lower back, you might over-reach your spine while getting in the right position to roll out the muscle.
Foam rolling can be especially dangerous for your lower back if you have an exaggerated arch or any other pre-existing lower back issues. If you have a stiff lower back, use a lacrosse ball to target the tense muscles instead of a foam roller.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
How often do you foam roll? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.