Tag: Hunter Labrada
Hunter Labrada Shares Stacked Physique Update 8-10 Weeks from 2023 Tampa & Texas Pro
Hunter Labrada, son of bodybuilding icon Lee Labrada, is ready to set the record straight on the Mr. Olympia stage later this year. However, to accomplish that goal, he must qualify, thus his focus is on the 2023 Tampa Pro in eight weeks. In a recent Instagram video, Labrada shared a detailed posing routine, as well as the diet and training changes he’s employed for future success.
“Feeling focused and ready to push,” Labrada shared.
From the moment he entered the IFBB Pro League, lofty expectations were the norm for Hunter Labrada considering his father Lee’s legacy. Nevertheless, it didn’t take long for Hunter to establish himself in the Open class. His breakout year came in 2021 when he snagged the Chicago Pro title before finishing a career-best fourth at the Olympia competition.
Given his performance, he started 2022 as a leading favorite heading into the next Mr. Olympia show. With time to focus on progress, size, and other improvements, Hunter used the majority of the year for preparations but also made guest posing appearances. On the big O stage, however, he found himself in seventh. He was devastated by the result, though he vowed to return better than ever.
In February, news surfaced that Labrada would enter the upcoming Tampa Pro and Texas Pro. He also said regardless of the first contest’s outcome, he still intended to compete in the Lone Star State. Labrada, who appears more fired up than in past seasons, is ready to once again insert himself in the Olympia title discussions.
Hunter Labrada Promises ‘Overhauled Presentation’ at 2023 Tampa & Texas Pro In Recent Update
In his latest post, Hunter admits he reduced his meals from six a day to five. He says the change has allowed him a better night’s sleep. As for training, Labrada is following a split of two days on, one day off, three days on, and one day off. It appears his efforts are paying off as his arms and legs look bigger.
At 273 pounds fasted, Labrada mentioned ‘his look is changing daily.’ With extra sleep and less food, Labrada feels energized heading into the next stage of contest prep approaching.
Find his post below:
“8 & 10 weeks out from the Tampa Pro and Texas Pro 273lbs fasted–Well, the proverbial hammer got dropped this week! After a week of deload-ed training while in Florida with my family last week, I hit the ground running this weekend/week, and am watching my look change daily!–One of the biggest changes I want to highlight is I went from 6 meals a day to 5! Reason: I get 2 hours more sleep! I found myself just staying up to eat a lot recently, and now that the food was low enough for it not to mess with my digestion, I told @squatlikechow I wanted to give it a try and I’m glad I did! The meals are more satiating, and I’m recovering even better with the extra sleep!–Also started posing with @kj_centerstage / @joey1belt twice a week, and I’m sure y’all can see the difference that’s made already. Looking forward to my presentation being completely overhauled for this season
Nutrition:
Meal 1220g Lean Beef180g Rice50g Green Veg
Meal 2220g Chicken Breast180g Rice50g Green Veg
Meal 3- Post260g Lean White Fish/Cod180g Rice50g Green Veg
*On rest days please repeat MEAL 5 here instead of post*
Meal 4220g Chicken Breast180g Rice50g Green Veg
Meal 5260g Lean White Fish/Cod110g Rich70g Avocado50g Green Veg
Cardio:
40 min level 5 stairmaster fasted20 min level 5 stairmaster PM–Training:
Back and hamsPush aOffLegsBack and bisPush bOffRepeat, Labrada wrote
Labrada has not been idle in-between shows, as he has graced the stage as a guest poser at a number of contests around the United States. He first flew to Washington to wow the crowd at the Emerald Cup and then joined a star-studded lineup of Men’s Open pros at Jim Manion’s 2023 Pittsburgh Pro. At the gathering, he posed alongside Olympia-runner-up Derek Lunsford, 2023 Arnold Classic champ Samson Dauda, Nick Walker, former two-time Mr. O Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay, and reigning two-time 212 Olympia Shaun Clarida.
RELATED: Bodybuilder Hunter Labrada Shares Detoxifying ‘Gut Health Drink’ for Optimal Digestion
If his growing strength is an indicator of his progress, Labrada is on track for an explosive season. Time will tell if he can take down other athletes entering these contests like Blessing Awodibu (in Tampa, Florida) and Andrew Jacked (in Texas).
Published: 8 June, 2023 | 11:28 AM EDT
Hunter Labrada Scores New 585-lb (265.3-kg) Deadlift PR for 4 Reps in Contest Prep for 2023 Tampa Pro
American bodybuilder Hunter Labrada is determined to earn an invite to the Mr. Olympia competition after dropping out of the top six at the last event. In a recent post made on Instagram, Labrada shared a new PR (personal record) on the 585-pound (265.3-kg) deadlift for four reps.
Hunter Labrada, son of IFBB Hall of Famer Lee Labrada, joined the ranks of the Men’s Open division as a legacy competitor with a lot of hype. He displayed a huge physique with impressive muscle mass, size, and posing abilities that won him his IFBB Pro debut show, the 2020 Tampa Pro. He finished the season with an eight-place finish in his maiden Mr. Olympia participation.
Labrada scored gold at the 2021 Chicago Pro before improving his standing to fourth place at the 2021 Mr. Olympia. His rivalry with fellow Open standout Nick Walker became one of the main talking points as Walker slotted in fifth behind him in a close-fought contest. Last year, Labrada missed the mark at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. He came in a bit watery and settled with a seventh-place finish, meaning he’d need to qualify for the next edition of the show since only the top five get an automatic qualification. Meanwhile, Walker placed third.
Hunter modified his training and diet program after the disappointing result. He offered a jacked off-season physique update where he weighed 280 pounds fasted three months ago. Then, he opened up on his ambitions to figure out his peak for contests, which he understands will take a calculated effort.
Hunter Labrada via Instagram
The 31-year-old aims to bring a high level of conditioning, similar to his father Lee. He believes trimming down his midsection would enhance his aesthetic quality and get him closer to his goal. With these ambitions on his mind, Hunter has been practicing vacuum poses which are effective for midsection control, especially when posing on stage.
Aside from training and goals for this year, Hunter Labrada detailed his full day of eating in the current off-season. He also detailed the supplements he used to improve his physique before returning to competition. Then, the Open star smashed a heavy off-season lower-body training session days later.
Labrada gave fans a look into his preparations for guest posing appearances at the Emerald Cup and the Pittsburgh Pro last month. He showed off his bulked-up physique where he weighed 283 pounds fasted. About two weeks later, Labrada provided some of his best tips for building muscle on weaker calves. He encouraged training the muscle group to failure and said not to complicate things.
Hunter Labrada scores new PR of 585-lb deadlift for 4 reps
In a recent Instagram post, Hunter Labrada shared that he set a new PR of a 585-lb deadlift for four reps in a 2023 training session.
Labrada used a lifting belt and wrist straps with no shoes for the lift. He performed the set at a consistent pace with proper form for the first three reps. He struggled slightly on the final rep but managed to pull it off.
“Pretty stoked on this! This was a lifetime PR for me,” wrote Labrada. “Seeing these translate in my physique and progressing them in the gym has been fun, and that’s what it’s all about!
585 x 4.”
RELATED: What Does PR Mean in Gym?
As of late, Labrada left fans stunned with a shredded physique update weeks out from the 2023 Tampa Pro. He tipped the scales at a lean 277.6 pounds and gave his opinion on exercise selection.
Labrada turned in a strong performance at the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro guest-posing appearance earlier this month. Based on the latest update, it’s evident why he’s brimming with confidence going into the upcoming Tampa Pro and Texas Pro.
RELATED: Hunter Labrada Recommends Best A/B Split Variations to ‘Break Through Your Plateaus’
Published: 24 May, 2023 | 8:21 PM EDT
Hunter Labrada: “I Am One of the Best in The World Left on the Table, I’ll Put that to the Test”
Men’s Open pro Hunter Labrada is eager to step back on a competitive stage in 2023. In a recent Instagram video, Labrada updated fans on his mental outlook roughly 15 weeks out from his next competition, the 2023 Tampa Pro.
Hunter, son of IFBB Pro bodybuilding legend Lee Labrada, is one of the sport’s most exciting stars. His muscularity, tight waist, and full chest made him an instant standout on stage. Given his father’s long-standing success as an Olympian, many fans are hopeful that Hunter could one day win the sport’s most prestigious title.
Last year, Labrada was considered a heavy favorite heading into the 2022 Mr. Olympia show. However, at the event, he faced a historic lineup of talent with several new faces making their mark on the category, such as Derek Lunsford, Andrew Jacked and Michal Krizo. Ultimately, Labrada took seventh place while Hadi Choopan went on to win gold.
The 31-year-old admitted mistakes were made during the prep and peak for his last Olympia show. In February, it was revealed that Hunter Labrada threw his name in the hat for the upcoming 2023 Tampa Pro and Texas Pro. A little over three months before he takes to the stage, Labrada updated fans on how he’s approaching contest prep this year.
Hunter Labrada ‘Confident’ Ahead of 2023 Tampa Pro: “I’m Perfectly Capable of Winning Them”
Looking at his upcoming season, Labrada is confident he’s one of the best in the world and believes he has the tools to win his next two contests.
“First and foremost this year is about making myself proud. I lost sight of why I was doing this a lot last year. It was especially hard with how much I was traveling, I got a very isolated feeling. I’ll be the first one to tell you: I’m training to win these next two shows, Tampa and Texas I am training to win them. I feel like I’m perfectly capable of winning them. Outside of the people that are already qualified for the. Olympia, I think I am one of the best in the world left on the table. I’ll put that to the test.”
I’m confident I can get that done. Outside of success on a bodybuilding stage and as I do this more and more, more, I realize it’s less and less and less important. It’s at the end of the day what I do for a living but the happiness and impact I’m able to make with it is far more important and paramount to me. One of my biggest goals this year outside of the competitive placings, which I’m not going to sit here and lie, I’m very competitive and I’ll be devastated if I don’t win. And I’m going to do everything in my power to win those shows,” said Hunter Labrada.
Given Labrada’s busy schedule year-to-year, the Open bodybuilder said his primary goal is to stay ‘mentally present’ moving forward.
“This year one of the biggest goals and one of the biggest things to me personally is to be mentally present, feel everything, experience everything, yes I’ll be tired but that doesn’t give me an excuse to not be a good husband, a good father, to not be a good friend, so to really place a lot emphasis on everything outside of the actual nuts and bolts of bodybuilding this year because I feel like if I do that, the nuts and bolts of bodybuilding will take care of itself too.”
“The biggest emphasis for me this year is to be present and have fun doing what I’m doing. From a very young age, I never really stopped and smelled the roses. Anytime, football, coming up as an amateur, winning nationals, it was always what’s next, what’s next what’s next? I really want to make sure I’m able to take some time and enjoy this year, I think it’ll be a good one. Regardless of the contest placings, the places I’ll get to go, the people that I’ll get to see, the things I’ll get to do, they are once-in-a-lifetime things that not everybody gets to do.”
Aside from contest appearances, Labrada has taken part in a few key guest posing obligations. First, he traveled to Washington for the Emerald Cup and then joined a slew of other top Men’s Open pros at Jim Manion’s 2023 Pittsburgh Pro. He shared the stage with Derek Lunsford, Samson Dauda, Nick Walker, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay, and Shaun Clarida.
RELATED: Hunter Labrada Shares 277.6-Lb Ripped Physique Weeks From 2023 Tampa Pro, Texas Pro; Gives Exercise Selection Tips
Hunter Labrada is confident that he can win the 2023 Tampa Pro and Texas Pro. He is also focused on staying mentally present and having fun during his bodybuilding journey.
Published: 18 May, 2023 | 9:15 AM EDT
Hunter Labrada Shares 277.6-Lb Ripped Physique Weeks From 2023 Tampa Pro, Texas Pro; Gives Exercise Selection Tips
Rising Men’s Open star Hunter Labrada is eager to redeem his 2022 Mr. Olympia performance after falling to seventh. In a recent YouTube video and Instagram post, Labrada revealed his weight of 277.6 pounds and offered fans tips on maximizing performance through exercise selection.
It’s been an exciting IFBB Pro League career thus far for Hunter, son of IFBB Hall of Famer Lee Labrada. Last year, fans deemed him an early Olympia favorite given his mass and conditioning levels displayed throughout the off-season. However, when he traveled to Las Vegas for the show, he was met with heavy resistance on stage in the form of his rival Nick Walker, Samson Dauda, and many others.
In the end, Labrada would secure seventh at 2022 Mr. Olympia, three spots below his performance the year prior. Processing the aftermath, he was transparent about the seemingly botched prep and peak. Labrada’s coach, Ben Chow, later suggested that Hunter carried excessive weight too close to contest prep which exacerbated the peaking process in the days leading up to the show.
While Hunter’s placement consumed him with anger, he says he’s now using the setback as fuel to further his success. Lee’s father spilled the beans in Feb. on The Menace Podcast with Dennis James and revealed his son Hunter was aiming to compete at two bodybuilding contests before even considering another Mr. Olympia. After throwing his hat into the 2023 Tampa Pro and Texas Pro, Labrada provided a recent update on his progress as well as some exercise selection tips.
Hunter Labrada Shares Impressive Update at 277.6 Lbs & Tips on Exercise Selection: ‘Avoid Joint Pain’
Labrada reported that he and his team have begun pulling food in preparation for the 2023 Tampa Pro, scheduled for Aug. 3-5. In addition, he provided a comprehensive diet plan consisting of six meals.
“Inside of 13 and 15 weeks out from Tampa and Texas, respectively?? 277.6 fasted this morning.–Made our first aggressive pull on food 3 days ago, so definitely just now starting to see/feel that! We also removed all whey protein from my diet, so we will finally see what that does??? Really looking forward to seeing what winning another week will look like running things more aggressively like we are!–Other than that, no real changes to report! Still training on the same split with no modifications to volume or intensity, and still doing 30 min on the stairs at level 5 fasted for cardio??–Really looking forward to seeing my @npcnewsonlineofficialpage / @ifbb_pro_league family this coming weekend in Pittsburgh, as well as all fans coming out to support all the incredible pro and amateur athletes competing!–Current nutrition:Meal 1170g Lean Beef220g Rice50g Green Veg
Meal 2170g Chicken Breast220g Rice50g Green Veg
Pre workout20g EAAs5g Creatine
Meal 3- Post220g Lean White Fish/Cod220g Rice50g Green Veg
Meal 4170g Chicken Breast220g Rice50g Green Veg
Meal 5220g Lean White Fish/Cod220g Rice50g Green Veg
Meal 6170g Lean Beef300g Potato50g Green Veg” Hunter Labrada wrote.
In a separate YouTube segment, Hunter Labrada discussed the significance of exercise selection. During the video, he said lifers should look through a metaphorical ‘lens’ while exercising. He demonstrated the process he follows for selecting his workout routine and when changes are necessary for advancing progress.
“The first thing that comes down to exercise selection in my mind, and this is going to be like a filter that we’re going to work our way through and pick – pick our exercises and why I would switch them out afterward. The first filter I’m looking through for exercise selection is what is the main priority for the day or what is you know the main bang for your buck that we could get out of that day. A smaller body part, something like arms or shoulders or something like that, there might not be a ton of variation to which you can do but a larger body part like the back or legs, quite a bit of prioritization that you could do, that’s where I would first start.”
“Let’s use back day for example and I’m trying to bring up my lower lats at all costs. Knowing that in my back session, I’m going to A prioritize exercises that hit my lower lats, and B prioritize them lower in the session. That’s the first lens I look through for the exercise selection what am I trying to bring up and improve the most on any given session in this day.”
“The next lens that I’m looking through is, what is the best exercise to accomplish this with? Best is a relative term and it’s one you can really define in a lot of ways; I’ve boiled it down to meeting criteria. A best exercise in my opinion is the one that offers the best alignment, the best resistance profile, and the best bracing ability. Alignment, everything is lined up there’s not any weird tork on any of the joints involved, resistance profile, it’s heaviest where it should be heaviest and drop off where it should drop off, and bracing this how well I can brace this.”
According to Labrada, once an exercise is no longer garnering results, it’s time to change movements to facilitate substantial progress.
“There’s telltale ones [signs of when you need to switch your workout] that I’ve gotten from my personal experience and talking with others. The first one is that your no longer making progress in it. You’re running it into the dirt a while, two or three sessions have gone by where you were not taking steps forward or even taking steps back, that’s a good sign that you’ve used that runway and progressed that lift as much as you can at that point,” Labrada said.
“The last reason and this is one that hopefully doesn’t surface a lot especially if you know, you’re doing your leg works on terms of looking at those exercises through the lens and meeting the criteria we talked about earlier. They’re starting to put you in pain, you’re doing exercise XYZ and it’s really making joint XYZ here, that needs to come out, the worst thing you can do is push through joint pain.”
This wasn’t the first time Labrada has offered guidance on pushing past workout plateaus. He shared that he encounters this problem during preps from time to time. In order to remedy the problem, Labarada implements a ‘plateau breaker’ or ‘intensity technique’ at the end of his workouts to maximize results.
RELATED: Bodybuilder Hunter Labrada Shares Detoxifying ‘Gut Health Drink’ for Optimal Digestion
Given his lineage, comprehensive nature, and work ethic, fans believe it’s only a matter of time before Hunter is pushing for Mr. Olympia gold. The bodybuilding community will get a sneak peek of his physique soon as Labrada is scheduled to guest pose at Jim Manion’s 2023 Pittsburgh Pro next weekend.
Watch the full video below from Hunter Labrada’s YouTube channel:
Published: 10 May, 2023 | 11:19 AM EDT
Hunter Labrada Shares Tips for Breaking Plateaus & Changes in Off-Season & Prep Training
American bodybuilder Hunter Labrada is on a mission to reassert himself in the mix of title contention after an uneventful Olympia showing. He did not get discouraged by the setback and got back to making the necessary changes. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Labrada shared his thoughts on how to break through plateaus and revealed the changes in his training in the off-season and prep.
Hunter Labrada, son of IFBB Hall of Famer Lee Labrada, entered the Men’s Open division as a legacy competitor in 2020. He dominated the competition at the Tampa Pro with his enormous muscle mass, size, and posing skills and took home the top prize in his maiden IFBB show. The win made way for him to join the lineup for Mr. Olympia, where he placed eighth in his first outing. He scored gold the following year at the 2021 Chicago Pro before improving his standing to fourth place at the 2021 Mr. Olympia.
Labrada’s latest appearance happened at the 2022 Mr. Olympia last December. He didn’t bring his best form on stage and dropped down to seventh place. Following the result, Labrada expressed his frustrations with his performance. His coach Ben Chow admitted he came in flatter than anticipated as there were troubles in timing his peak. Given that he was not in the top six, Labrada eyed competing in two shows for two reasons; to qualify for the Olympia contest and figure out his peak. He started a new diet and training routine for the off-season earlier this year.
Hunter Labrada via @hunterlabrada
Labrada regularly educates his fanbase on a variety of topics related to fitness and bodybuilding. He revealed his full day of eating along with the supplements he was consuming two months ago. Then, he followed up by offering tips on building lower body muscle and smoked a heavy leg workout. One of his biggest ambitions for the season is to lean out his midsection. He detailed three ways of using vacuums to enhance core control.
Last month, Labrada gave fans a look into his preparations for the upcoming guest posing appearances at the Emerald Cup and the Pittsburgh Pro. He weighed in at 283 pounds while fasting and listed the new diet he was utilizing to get ready for the shows.
Hunter Labrada shares tips on breaking through plateaus
In a recent video posted on YouTube, Hunter Labrada shared his thoughts on pushing past any point of stalled progress in the training room.
“If I am stuck on a set and I’ve gotten the same amount of reps more than two sessions in a row what I’m probably going to look to do is employ some kind of intensity technique or a plateau breaker if you will,” said Labrada. “That would probably be in that case the rest pause, doing it for as many reps as I can, which should be a tie for the amount of reps I got last week and the week before, taking 10 breaths resting 15ish seconds and then going as many as I can again aiming to get three or four more. Doing that a couple weeks in a row and then going back to building that straight set.”
Related: 4 Methods For Busting Through Lifting Plateaus
Labrada reveals the difference in training off-season and in prep
Labrada gave his take on the changes in training during the off-season and in prep.
“Not a damn thing. Regardless of the period of the year that I’m in whether it’s a contest prep, an off-season, a health phase, this that or another, I am still training the same way. Very much so logged progressive overload training. The only thing changing is the load and the volume so in the off-season obviously I’m stronger. I’m full of food, body fat’s a little higher, the load and volume might be a little higher although I’m very low volume even in the off-season as we go into the prep.
“The poundages will go down a bit because obviously strength takes a dip but the variable I like to play with a little more is reducing the volume. Heading into a prep I might be doing three working sets on half the exercises I’m doing and then two on others by the end of prep I might be down on two on a lot of them and even on legs days like down to one on most of the exercises.”
Hunter Labrada opened up on developing the gym and bodybuilding mindset last month. He encouraged the more experienced lifters to set realistic goals and allow themselves time to build the skill. A few weeks later, Labrada offered tips on growing weaker calves in a straightforward way. He also laid out a detox drink that helps boost gut health and improve digestion earlier this week.
His latest update will help fellow gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts get back on track for progress and adjust their training routine throughout the year accordingly.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 7 May, 2023 | 2:23 PM EDT
Bodybuilder Hunter Labrada Shares Detoxifying ‘Gut Health Drink’ for Optimal Digestion
Men’s Open bodybuilder Hunter Labrada is back with another Tuesday Tip for fans. In a recent YouTube video, Labrada revealed a gut-health drink recipe he’s using to keep his waistline down in preparation for his next bodybuilding contest.
Labrada is seeking redemption following his seventh-place finish at the 2022 Mr. Olympia show. Having reflected on his performance, Labrada highlighted a few areas that held him back on stage. Most notably, he and his coach Ben Chow encountered problems with the peaking process for the contest.
Hunter’s father, IFBB Pro League Hall of Famer Lee Labrada, announced that his son would be participating in two shows before the Olympia this year. Hunter later confirmed the news and specified that he’ll be taking his talents to the Tampa Pro and Texas Pro. Should he follow through in Texas, he’ll have the opportunity to compete against the reigning champ Andrew Jacked.
Aiming for back-to-back victories, Labrada has kept fans updated on his training progress. He said he’s not chasing size this year and plans to minimize his waistline. The Open standout intends to accomplish this goal by implementing vacuum poses and a new diet. In his latest endeavor, he offered fans a recipe for a go-to gut health drink he’s using for digestion benefits.
Hunter Labrada Shares ‘Gut Health/Digestion Drink’ for Keeping Tight Waist
Maintaining a near-300-pound physique requires a substantial diet, and Labrada says he’s taking this gut health drink every morning to aid with digestion.
“Gut health/digestion and what I am doing for it in the morning. So, it’s no secret after last year’s competitive season that I wanted to do everything in my power to minimize my waistline and a lot of that comes down to how well your body is digesting its food. That process starts before you’re taking digestive enzymes with each and every meal. Before you’re paying attention to what food sources you’re eating and this that and the other.
It starts with what you do when you get out of bed in the morning and what first hits your stomach. I wanted to go over what I do every single morning and have been doing for quite some time I’ve come to really enjoy this not because of how it tastes, I’m not going to lie it doesn’t taste that great but because of how it makes me feel and how its left my stomach feeling. As I do this the longer and longer that I do it, the flatter and flatter I feel I’m waking up in the morning in terms of any kind of bloat or distention and I just feel better throughout the day. At the end of the day, it’s not what you eat, it’s what you’re able to digest and assimilate.”
Labrada’s Signature Gut Health Drink
Labrada shared the contents of his gut health beverage, which you can find below:
“That is the morning digestion drink. I’m going to shake this up and throw it in the fridge. I like to make it — the night before sometimes if I’m not being lazy then I get to roll out of bed and be lazy in the morning. Throw this in the fridge. Anyways, that is the Tuesday Tip on my digestion/gut health drink,” added Labrada.
Start with 16 ounces of water to hydrate the body.
Add 2 ounces of Aloe Vera gel to soothe and heal the intestines.
Squeeze juice from one whole lemon for taste and detoxification benefits.
Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to create an acidic environment in the stomach and aid in detoxification.
Include 10 grams of glutamine powder to boost immune system function, promote recovery, and heal intestinal damage.
Finish with a quality greens powder for added nutrients.
In addition to nutrition, Labrada has consistently offered useful tips via YouTube. The last time fans heard from the 30-year-old, he shared a guide on how to grow weaker calves. Labrada underlined the importance of training intensity, emphasizing the difference between training to pain versus total failure.
RELATED: Hunter Labrada on Gym & Bodybuilding Mindset: ‘It’s a Practiced Skill’
The 2023 Tampa Pro kicks off August 3-5, where Hunter Labrada will aim to earn an invitation to the Mr. Olympia event. If he’s successful, he’ll have the chance to face off against the reigning champion Hadi Choopan.
You can find the full video below from Hunter Labrada’s YouTube channel:
Published: 3 May, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT
Hunter Labrada Shares Tips for Growing Weaker Calves: ‘Big Difference in Training to Pain & True Failure’
American bodybuilder Hunter Labrada, son of IFBB Hall of Famer Lee Labrada, made a name for himself in the Men’s Open division. Besides professional competition, Hunter maintains a strong presence in the community and regularly educates his fanbase on a range of topics related to fitness. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Labrada shared his thoughts on getting too lean for competitions and how to grow weak calves.
Hunter Labrada entered the Pro League with a lot of hype and backed it up by scoring gold at the 2020 Tampa Pro, which earned him a spot on the Mr. Olympia lineup. He managed to crack the top ten and placed eighth in his debut. The next year, Labrada came out on top of the 2021 Chicago Pro before making his way to the 2021 Mr. Olympia. He turned in a strong performance and improved his standing to fourth place.
Last season, Labrada decided to stay on the sidelines to get ready for the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Unfortunately, Labrada did not bring his best form on stage and slipped down to seventh place. Since he did not get a top-six finish, he would need to earn an invite to the next Olympia event. He expressed disappointment at the lackluster performance and pinned the blame on missing his peak.
Labrada revamped his diet and training regimen in order to improve his physique earlier this year. The mass monster was confident he had enough size. He focused on cutting down his waistline and developing stronger control in his midsection for the 2023 off-season.
Hunter Labrada via Instagram
Two months ago, Labrada helped his fans out with a tip on overcoming plateaus in the training room. He recommended taking advantage of A/B split variations to continue progressing while sharing some methods for more growth. Then, he followed up by laying out his full day of eating and supplement consumption a week later.
Hunter Labrada weighed in on the heated debate of whether to weigh your food raw or cooked last month. He believes both ways can work well depending on personal choices and stressed the need to stay consistent with the chosen method. In addition to weighing food, Labrada is a big proponent of balancing your overall daily nutrition instead of individual meals and timings. He encouraged his fans to space out their meals between two to four hours and not consume more than 60g of protein per meal.
The 30-year-old provided some of his favorite intensity techniques for working out and growing weak legs a few weeks ago. He added to his stance days later while performing an intense lower-body training session.
Labrada has been using vacuums in the morning for tightening his core. He listed three variations of the exercise he utilized to improve his control. He also encouraged standardizing the form of each exercise to better track workout progress.
Hunter Labrada talks about getting too lean for shows & how to grow weaker calves
In a recent YouTube video, Hunter Labrada shared his thoughts on getting too lean for competitions or coming close to the stage-ready look.
“I do think getting pretty damn lean within striking distance of stage lean does have its purpose, especially if you’ve been pushing up for a long time and you don’t think your sensitivity is as good as it could be you got a lot of excess body fat progress in the gym stalling out there’s a myriad of factors to consider but long story short is I do think there’s a lot to be said for either getting truly stage lean competing and then rebounding out of it or getting close to stage lean and then pushing out of that into your bulk.”
He offered tips for building calf muscle without making things too complicated.
“Calves are just like any other muscle. I believe in training them with two or three working sets maybe four in a single session with the total weekly volume, genetic seed like eight to ten sets if you’re training them twice. I don’t believe in a bunch of fancy exercises or weird foot position or anything like that. What I believe in is taking your calf through a full range of motion with everything else completely locked in. If calves are a weak point and they can’t seem to grow, it’s either they are not prioritizing them they’re like tacking them on to the end of legs and bullsh***ing through a couple sets or they really haven’t reached the point where they’re capable of mentally pushing where they need to in terms of a pain threshold. Calves are a very painful muscle to train. There’s a big difference in training to pain and true failure. It’s those true close failure reps that make any muscle grow.”
Hunter Labrada revealed he weighed in at 283 pounds while fasting and tweaked his diet earlier this month. He’s gearing up for the upcoming guest posing appearances at the Emerald Cup and the Pittsburgh Pro.
Being a professional bodybuilder comes with its own set of difficulties. Labrada opened up on the mindset it takes to make it as a top contender and encouraged lifters to practice kindness to themselves.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 30 April, 2023 | 3:21 PM EDT
Hunter Labrada Breaks Down Techniques of His Pull Day
Men’s Open bodybuilder Hunter Labrada fell short of the top sixth at the 2022 Olympia. He’s working this off-season to climb the Olympia ladder to compete against the top in the division, such as Hadi Choopan, Derek Lunsford, and Nick Walker, again. To do so he will have to win a pro show during the 2023 season.
Labrada feels one way to improve his physique is by thickening his back musculature and deepening their separation. He uploaded a YouTube video to his channel on April 2, 2023, breaking down training cues for his back and hamstrings day. Check it out below:
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[Related: How 3-Time Bikini Olympia Champion Ashley Kaltwasser Eats on Show Day]
Hunter Labrada’s Pull Workout
Here’s a breakdown of the back and hamstring exercises Hunter Labrada performed:
Warm Up — Face Pulls
Before getting into the pull movements, Labrada warmed up his shoulders via face pulls. He used straps as the handles to enable external rotation to target the rear deltoids. The external rotation should happen at the shoulders, not from the core or by moving the rib cage up.
Unilateral Pulldown
Labrada thinks it’s best to target the lower lats unilaterally, hence unilateral pulldowns. This movement can be done on a cable pulldown or Nautilus machine.
Pull the elbows straight down to the hips (not back) to engage the lower lats. Exertion for this movement is high. Labrada recommends resting before switching sides.
Unilateral Machine Seated Row
This exercise was done on a PRIME machine, targeting Labrada’s lower lats. “Think about keeping shoulder depression the whole time,” Labrada advised. “When we’re rowing, doing pulldowns, or anything targeting the lower lats, create an arching motion with our humerus.”
Rack Chins
This exercise is performed on a Smith machine with legs straightened and propped up on an incline bench, mimicking a wide-grip pull-up. Labrada believes rack chins are more effective than pull-ups for targeting the upper back because the legs are stabilized on the weight bench to keep the body upright, preventing the involvement of the lats.
Labrada incorporated a mechanical drop set on the second set. To do this, his training partner lowered the incline of the bench to flat. Having Labrada pull his weight up on the Smith machine while his legs are resting on a flat bench allows Labrada to eke out a couple more reps.
Any upper back work, whether it be a pulldown or a row, all we’re after is full protraction and retraction.
Labrada aims to raise the shoulder girdle as high as possible for protraction to get the scapula and elbows retracted down and back. This allows the traps, teres, and other back muscles to fully spread and contract.
Seated Machine Row
Labrada moved to bilateral movements and performed the seated row on a Magnum machine. Labrada remarked:
When I say protract on this one, I don’t mean to let your spine flop over. Your spine is beyond rigid and braced the whole time.
Labrada added another intensity set to this exercise by combining a rest-pause and drop set. He took a small break between sets, lowered the weight, and did as many reps as possible.
Lying Hamstring Curls
Labrada added lying hamstring curls to his routine to prime his hamstrings for deadlifts since they activate during the eccentric. Labrada’s tip is to treat these like preacher curls.
We’re trying to keep our hips, knees, and ankles straight with the pit of our knees.
The elbow and knees are hinge joints — they only move one way; not meant to move laterally. So the legs should be narrower than shoulder-width, and the ankles should be dorsiflexed — raising the foot towards the shin. Once the feet flare inward or outward, the knees are out of alignment.
Labrada thinks about driving his hips down to the bench and keeps his quads in contact with the pad. The shoulders are down and back, the hands firmly grasp the handles, and the lats engage to pull oneself into the pad to prevent the opposing weight from jerking the lifter back.
Barbell Deadlifts and Hyperextensions
To conclude his pull-day workout, Labrada hit deadlifts and hyperextensions. On the hypers, getting the hamstrings and glutes involved more than the lower back is the goal. To do this, Labrada sets the pad on the machine low — below the hips — to keep them mobile. Think about keeping the hips forward and driving the knees into the padding.
Hunter Labrada used wrist straps throughout his workout to pull heavier weights without worrying about grip as a limiting factor. Labrada typically does two pull workouts weekly — one back and biceps and one back and hamstrings. We’ll see if his back improvements help him capture another pro win and qualification to the 2023 Olympia.
Featured image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram
Hunter Labrada Smashes A Massive Leg Day Workout En Route To The 2022 Olympia
Hunter Labrada is switching things up in the last stretch of the 2022 Olympia prep to bring a fully conditioned physique to the stage. American professional bodybuilder Hunter Labrada is one of the top contenders of the IFBB Pro League’s Men’s Open division. He is the son of legendary bodybuilder Lee Labrada and has inherited his love for bodybuilding from his parents. The 30-year-old rose to prominence with wins at the 2020 Tampa Pro and the 2021 Chicago Pro. He last competed at the 2021 Olympia and achieved a fourth-place finish. Labrada will attempt to improve his standing at the 2022 Olympia where he is set to go up against a stacked roster.The efforts poured into the competition prep are bearing fruits as he looks to be in amazing shape in his recent physique updates. The 2020 Tampa Pro winner recently went through a full leg day workout. The video of this session was uploaded on Hunter Labrada’s personal YouTube channel. Let’s look at how he trained his legs now.Hunter Labrada goes through a demanding leg workoutLabrada is entering the final stage of his prep five weeks out of the 2022 Olympia.“Things have changed a little bit. We’re at a point where I am fragile enough that I am not fullsending sets into oblivion, especially on legs,” Labrada said about his present training regimen.The 30-year-old has added volume and intensity to his training with rest-pause methods and drop sets. The goal is to keep the output high and bring a fully conditioned physique to the stage. Labrada’s current training split includes:Push DayPull DayArms DayLegs DayRest DayPreviously, the 2020 Tampa Pro winner was training the legs once every nine days. However, he feels comfortable to train every muscle group once every five days as he is not going too heavy in the workouts.“We’re at a point right now where every time I touch (the legs) and they improve. So the increased frequency with a decreased amount of weight to lead to failure in ten sets… I think that’s good for my legs. So looking forward to pushing hard and finishing this out strong…”Seated Leg CurlsLabrada started the training session with this hamstring isolation movement. The seated leg curls are one of the most recognized lower body movements around the world. This exercise helps tremendously with warming up the knees. Therefore they make for an excellent first exercise in a lower body workout. The Labrada Scion did a few sets of this exercise and took to the next exercise.Leg ExtensionsAfter filling the hamstrings with blood, Labrada targeted the quadriceps with leg extensions next. Leg extensions are undoubtedly effective in developing quadriceps, but they can be detrimental to knee health if not performed correctly. Hunter Labrada cranked out a few solid sets of this exercise before taking up the first compound movement of the day.Pendulum SquatsThe pendulum squat is a compound movement that primarily focuses on developing quads and glutes. However, they can be made more hamstrings focused by modifying foot placement.Labrada got a few sets of this exercise under the belt to fire up the legs.Walking LungesThe 2021 Chicago Pro winner next took to the walking lunges. This compound movement strengthens the legs as well as the core, glutes, and hips. Labrada pushed through a few sets of walking lunges and jumped into the next one.Hip Adduction MachineThe adductors are a group of muscles in the inner thigh. They are responsible to adduct (bring together) the thighs and stabilizing the pelvis trunk when you stand on one leg.Hunter Labrada got a few good sets of this exercise under his belt and took to the final exercise of the day.Standing Calf RaisesLabrada wrapped up the training session by adding stimulus to the calves. The standing calf raise works the gastrocnemius muscles as seated calf raises that work the soleus muscle that lies underneath it. Labrada trained his gastrocnemius muscles with standing calf raises and wrapped up the training session.Overall, the workout included:Hunter Labrada’s father Lee Labrada recently stated that Hunter will retire from competitive bodybuilding once he wins the Mr. Olympia title and focus on his life after bodybuilding. However, winning the title this year is a Goliathan task for every competitor. The roster is filled to the brim with high-level talent working towards a common goal. Veteran bodybuilder Samir Bannout recently predicted the top five bodybuilders at the 2022 Olympia and Labrada’s name does not appear in that list. However, the 30-year-old is training hard to beat the competition. It will be interesting to see what the scorecards show on Dec. 18.You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Hunter Labrada’s personal YouTube channel:
Hunter Labrada Says “Low Volume, High Intensity” Training Benefits Enhanced And Natural Athletes
Hunter Labrada reveals his thoughts on enhanced and unenhanced lifting strategies.
Men’s Open bodybuilder Hunter Labrada has become one of the top competitors in the world. He is currently working to build a championship physique for the 2022 Olympia. During training, Labrada took some time to give viewers tips on how to train if you are an enhanced or unenhanced athlete.
Labrada has bodybuilding in his blood. His father, Lee Labrada, was an elite competitor during his career. Now, Hunter Labrada is working to capture the elusive Sandow Trophy. In 2021, Labrada won the Chicago Pro and qualified for the biggest show of the year. He finished fourth at the Olympia in October.
There are many who believe Big Ramy will win his third consecutive title come December. Labrada finished behind Ramy, Brandon Curry, and Hadi Choopan. It will be interesting to see if he can make a jump over any competitor he finished behind.
Hunter Labrada Believes Lifters Should Focus On Intensity
Hunter Labrada shared tips on how enhanced athletes should train compared to natural lifters. He believes the best way is to focus on intensity rather than volume.
“I’d like to say based off of people’s body of work and the people that are at the very top of the bodybuilding food chain right now, most of them are training in a relatively low volume, high intensity fashion.
Which, surprise — it’s the best way you can be training as a non-enhanced athlete. Why? For the exact reason that enhanced athletes recover better; you are not recovering better. You need to pick and choose your battles.”
Despite your status as an enhanced lifter or not, Hunter Labrada believes that all should focus on the same strategies in order to build muscle and speed up recovery.
“I know this might be surprising, but at the end of the day, the best thing that you can do as a non-enhanced lifter is to truly lift like an enhanced lifter. Bang caveat being that progressive overload training style.”
Hunter Labrada Explains The Purpose Of Steroids
The amount of weight that bodybuilders can move in the gym over the course of a workout is eye-opening. Labrada explained that the use of steroids helps during recovery and this helps do more in the gym.
“I want you to take a step back and think about what all of those steroids that we are taking do. They greatly enhance your recovery capabilities, meaning we can do more work in the gym versus someone who isn’t. So… what does that mean? That means the non-enhanced lifters should be at the level of volume or even a lower level of volume than the enhanced lifters.”
There are many athletes who claim to be natural because of the reputation that steroids have. This is something that Hunter Labrada spoke on in the beginning of the video. He believes that no matter if you are enhanced or natural, it is nothing to discuss or be ashamed of.
I’m going to preface this by saying: if you are natty, good for you. If you are enhanced, good for you. If you are either of them and you brag about it and take pride in the fact and tear others down who are the opposite, shame on you,” Hunter Labrada said.
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