Tag: Off-Season
Derek Lunsford Destroys An Off-Season Leg Workout Before Demolishing a 3300-Calorie ‘Meal’
Derek Lunsford is keeping himself busy in the gym this off-season. The former 212 division champ will return to competition at the 2023 Olympia and he is putting in work to bring home the sandows trophy. However, he is also trying out new things and keeping life interesting. Recently, Lunsford went through a quad-dominant leg day workout in the gym and also challenged himself in a unique way to test his body’s limits.
After winning the 212 Olympia title at 2021 Olympia, Derek Lunsford was perceived as the next dominant force in the 212 division that has seen a long-reigning champion like Flex Lewis reign supreme for an unusually long period of time. However, Lunsford’s physique outgrew the weight class as was evident at the guest posing of the 2022 Pittsburg Pro.
The Olympia management accepted his request for a special invitation to compete in the Men’s Open division at the 2022 Olympia and he officially made a switch to the Men’s Open division. While most people knew that Lunsford had the potential to shake up the division, no one could gauge the impact he would make.
Lunsford ended up dominating the stage alongside Hadi Choopan and Nick Walker from prejudging to the finals and snatched a runner-up finish behind Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan. He is now working hard to tighten the loose ends and bring home the Mr. Olympia trophy home. He has been active in the gym and has looked insanely muscular and stage ready in recent appearances.
In a recent video posted on Lunsford’s YouTube channel, he went through a leg workout in the gym and participated in a hotdog eating challenge against a pro. So let’s take a deep dive into Lunsford’s adventure and see if he won the challenge.
Derek Lunsford tackles a quad-dominant leg day in the gym
Lying Leg Curls
Derek Lunsford started the training session with lying leg curls. Even on a quad-dominant leg day, the former 212 Olympia champion prefers to get all the muscles like quads, hamstrings, and abductors warmed up nice and clean.
“Even though it’s a quad-dominant day, I still want to get a bit of blood in the hamstrings first. I really like to be able to warm up the hamstrings and the quads and sometimes the abductors too before I go into any bigger movements. I just think it’s good because you get all loosened up and feeling good in your body before you push the crazy weight and stuff like that,” Lunsford said.
Additionally, leg curls are a great exercise to warm up the knee joints which are crucial in performing most of the lower body movements. Lunsford performed a few sets of this isolation exercise and took to the next isolation movement.
Leg Extensions
Although they can be harsh on the knees if not done with proper technique and weight, nobody can deny that leg extensions are an excellent way to target the quadriceps. Lunsford got a few sets of this quad isolation exercise under his belt and took to the first heavy compound exercise of the day.
Belt Squats
This simple squat variation greatly reduces the stress on the back muscles. When a person performs regular barbell squats, the back muscles have to work really hard to maintain the upper body posture under the weight of the barbell and plates. However, switching the barbell squats with belt squats maximizes leg muscle engagement and significantly reduces the stress on the lower back.
Although belt squats are not a replacement exercise for barbell squats (unless a person cannot perform barbell squats due to medical reasons), they can be an excellent addition to the lower body training routine. Similar to other squat variations, belt squats target all the major muscles – quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes as well as calves.
Lunsford and team pushed through a few heavy sets of this exercise and took to the finisher of the day next.
Pendulum Squats
Lunsford and company packed up after performing this compound movement next. When it comes to developing functional strength, free weights might be the best option you have. However, machines can be every bit beneficial and then some for bodybuilders and yield amazing results in the long run.
Pendulum squats are another creative way of performing squats in a way that you can continue to work until your legs allow you to without necessarily worrying about your lower back, core, or glutes giving up. While it targets all the major muscle groups in the lower body, quads are the primary focus of pendulum squats. Lunsford and his training partners cranked out a few sets of pendulum squats. They called it a day in the gym following this exercise.
Overall, the workout consisted of:
Derek tries out a friendly hotdog eating contest
Lunsford’s friend and training partner for this workout, Bartley Weaver, is a competitive eater. He will participate in Nathan’s hotdog eating contest in a couple of weeks’ time. Derek, along with others, gave a shot at eating as many hotdogs as possible after finishing the leg training session.
All four men set out to fill their stomachs with hotdogs. After trying their level best, Derek Lunsford was able to down 11 hotdogs. On the other hand, Adam and Trevor were close behind with a count of 10 hotdogs each.
However, Bartley left the three men far behind and finished a whopping 42 hotdogs! Even the combined total of the other three men could not come close to Bartley Weaver’s total.
“I ate 11 hotdogs in 10 minutes and I’m stuffed. I don’t want to eat this last one. I’ll be honest. I wanted to finish 12, I really did but I was like, dude, this isn’t happening! Holy Crap!” Lunsford exclaimed after the time was up.
In total, Bartley gulped down 42 hotdogs and buns. The macronutrient intake of this crazy amount of food was:
Energy – 12,600 KCal
Carbohydrates – 1008 grams
Fats – 735 grams
Protein – 420 grams
Lunsford, who gulped down 11 hotdogs and buns, ended up consuming:
Energy – 3299.94 KCal
Carbohydrates – 263.99 grams
Fats – 192.49 grams
Protein – 109.99 grams
Bartley ended up gaining a whopping 13.5 lbs weight over those ten minutes and weighed 263.5 lbs. That’s some increase in 10 minutes!
Derek Lunsford is one of the favorites heading into the 2023 Olympia competition that will take place in November. He is working hard but if he beats Hadi Choopan and rising contenders like Samson Dauda and Nick Walker to it, he can sit alongside the handful of competitors that have achieved the feat of winning Mr. Olympia title.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Derek Lunsford’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 28 June, 2023 | 12:16 AM EDT
Jeremy Buendia Shares 4,000-Calorie Bulking Diet in Preparation for 2023 Mr. Olympia Comeback
Preparations for Jeremy Buendia’s anticipated return to action are heating up. In a recent YouTube video, Buendia showcased his massive seven-meal diet consisting of over 4,000 calories as he inches closer to 2023 Mr. Olympia.
Competing actively, Jeremy Buendia reached the top of the sport with exceptional balance, conditioning, and a symmetrical upper body. At the time of his reign, he was known for his confidence and outspoken nature, which was often misinterpreted as arrogance.
“I don’t have any excuse this time, I better be in shape,” shared Buendia.
The fan-favorite dominated the Olympia stage in his respective category for four years straight from 2014-2017. He made a play for a fifth Men’s Physique title in 2018 but was unable to stop three-time winner Brandon Hendrickson.
While he’s remained away from the stage, Buendia never took his foot off the gas, especially in the training room. Comeback rumors swirled for years, and in 2020, it appeared fans were on the brink of seeing Jeremy compete again. However, the return never materialized.
Last September, Buendia announced that he would finally return to the Mr. Olympia stage. Before last year’s mega-event took place, Buendia and Erin Banks got into a heated argument on Olympia TV. Suffice it to say, cooler heads did not prevail. Angst, aggression, and hostility took over their discussion, further exciting fans about their impending showdown in Orlando, Florida this Nov.
Jeremy Buendia Talks 2023 Mr. Olympia Comeback Progress, Sitting at 201 Lbs, Shows Off 7-Meal Diet
According to Buendia, he and his team are now pushing hard to ensure he consumes seven meals a day. His latest diet saw him consume over 4,000 calories in a 24-hour period.
“Slowly [I’ve] increased the calories as we go along. I started at 3,500 calories, worked to 4,000 calories, now past the 4,500 calories. Been watching my weight go up and down slightly, woke up about 201 this morning. That’s actually the same weight I was four weeks ago but my body fat is significantly less.”
“Today, we’re really going to push to get that seventh meal in to really get all those calories in to help put me in that surplus to help me pack on some quality muscle.”
Find the full seven-meal plan below:
Meal 1 – 88.2 grams carbs, 75.6 grams protein, 18.25 grams of fat
10 oz of liquid egg whites
2 whole scrambled eggs
50 grams of chicken breast
1 slice of sourdough
85 grams of oats
100 grams of strawberries
2 packets of Stevia
Energy Drink
Green Tobasco hot sauce
margarin
total: 785.5 calories
Meal 2 – 108 grams carbs, 65.2 grams of protein, 11.5 grams of fat
200 grams of chicken breast (seasoned with garlic, salt, onion powder, and barbecue sauce)
yams sweet potato
pickle
total: 796 calories
Meal 3 – 91.3 grams carbs, 60 grams of protein, 11.2 grams of fat,
Rice
200 grams of lean red meat
2 whole eggs
8 oz of pineapple
total: 706 calories
“I don’t have any excuse this time. I better be in shape. I’m my toughest critic, I never think I look as good as I actually do and I think people like to tell me what I want to hear,” said Jeremy Buendia. “I’m not going to get that one in before leg day, so we’re going to switch it up.”
Protein Shake
Bagel
Tablespoon of peanut butter
Meal 4 – post-workout – 108 grams carbs, 59.5 grams of protein, 23.9 grams of fat
300 grams of sweet potato
egg white
chicken breast
total: 885.1 calories
Meal 5 – 88 grams carbs, 47.5 grams of protein, 17.9 saturated 17.95 grams of fat
Flank steak
white rice
one whole egg
total: 703 calories
Meal 6 – 88 grams carbs, 66.5 grams of protein, 25 grams of fat
garlic salt
onion poweder
chicken breast
barbeque sauce
white rice
total: 843 calories
Meal 7 – 57 grams of carbs, 33.8 grams of protein, 9.5 grams of fat
Cream of rice
chocolate brownie
5 oz of egg whites
total: 449.5 calories
Buendia touched on his upcoming back workout in an Olympia TV collaboration with reigning Men’s Physique Olympia Erin Banks. After traveling internationally, Buendia says his focus is on a ‘body recomp’ and getting his diet locked in on a more consistent schedule.
Months ago, Buendia appeared in a Straight Outta the Lair podcast with seven-time 212 Olympia kingpin Flex Lewis. During the open and honest discussion, Jeremy said the only way he overtakes Banks on the Olympia stage is if he brings a ‘flawless package.’
“I’m in preparation for my Olympia battle with Erin Banks next week in Phoenix, Arizona. We’re doing a back workout for Olympia TV. I was doing a body recomp, taking some time off a few months ago, cleaned up, and really healthy to prepared for my Olympia prep.
Had a trip international with one of my sponsors, came back and my physique was not where I wanted it to be or where I needed it to be. My metabolism wasn’t operating very efficiently, I wasn’t eating regularly. The past four weeks has been a body recomp, trying to re-establish the food in my diet and get back on a consistent schedule.”
With less than five months until the biggest event of the year, Buendia is wasting no time during preparations. In addition to showing off impressive physique updates, the 32-year-old continues to turn heads with extreme training sessions. The last time fans saw him pumping iron, he annihilated a push-day workout.
With one of the most exciting rivalries in the sport against Erin Banks, Jeremy’s comeback could end up being the most memorable affair at 2023 Mr. Olympia. Should he upset Banks and take home the title, it would bolster Jeremy’s status as the greatest Men’s Physique competitor of all time.
RELATED: 4x Physique Champion Jeremy Buendia Gives Tips For Rear Delts
Watch the full video from Jeremy Buendia’s YouTube channel:
Published: 7 June, 2023 | 12:00 PM EDT
Quinton Eriya Shares Near 3,500-Calorie Bulking Cheat Meal in 2023 Off-Season
Canadian bodybuilder Quinton Eriya emerged as a promising Men’s Open contender with a strong season in 2019. In a recent YouTube video, Eriya consumed a massive helping of about 3,500 calories. In addition, he mentioned that he implements cheat meals like this one five times per week in the 2023 off-season.
Quinton Eriya boasts a physique with impressive muscle mass, shape, and genetics along with a tight waist. He made his IFBB Pro debut at the 2019 Toronto Pro Supershow and finished fifth. He followed up with a sixth-place finish at the 2019 Vancouver Pro. In 2020, Eriya made his way to the New York Pro and took eighth in a competitive lineup.
Eriya left the fans stunned with a crazy aesthetic physique update in Nov. 2021. He turned in a strong performance at the Romania Muscle Fest Pro and placed fifth. He declared his ambitions to earn an invite to the 2022 Mr. Olympia competition with a win at the Toronto Pro Supershow. Ultimately, he narrowly missed out on the top prize to Joel Thomas and took silver in Canada.
Men’s Open standout Nick Walker joined forces with Eriya for a brutal back workout in Jan. 2022. Eriya revealed he enjoyed using high reps for every body part other than the chest while performing the training session with the former Arnold Classic winner.
Last year, Quinton Eriya displayed significant improvements to his physique at the 2022 Tampa Pro. He scored bronze behind former 212 Olympia champion Kamal Elgargni and winner Akim Williams. He was last seen in action at the 2022 Texas Pro, where he placed fifth. Following the event, Eriya received major praise from Mark Anthony and bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler. Cutler lauded the rising athlete as a potential Olympia title contender.
RELATED: Bulking Calculator to help your weight gain / bulking journey!
Quinton Eriya destroys nearly 3,500 cals in a cheat meal
In a recent YouTube video, Quinton Eriya devoured about 3,500 calories in a single cheat meal and says he consumes similar helpings five times a week on the days he works out.
“I have five cheat meals or free meals, whatever you wanna call them, I have five of them every week and they’re only on training days,” said Eriya. “So, normally I have it for my fifth meal. However, sometimes I swap it out just depending on what I have going on during the day.”
He ate the following items along with some ketchup:
2 hamburgers = 1,680 cals
Regular fries = 960 cals
Chocolate Oreo Milkshake = 670 cals
Total = 3,310 calories.
Quinton Eriya and Nick Walker collaborated for a grueling push-day workout a month ago. Walker joined the budding talent during his trip to Canada and smashed a challenging workout targeting the chest, delts, and triceps.
Eriya took to the stage with Walker in a guest-posing appearance at the 2023 Pure Muscle Championships last month. The duo delivered a memorable pose down with Down syndrome bodybuilder Kyle Landi. Based on Eriya’s latest offering, it appears he’s focused on making the most of the off-season as he eyes his ticket to the Mr. Olympia contest.
You can watch the full video below:
RELATED: Liver King: ‘If The Rock Can Have a F*cking Mammoth Cheat Day Every Week, So Can Liver King’
Published: 24 May, 2023 | 2:40 AM EDT
Hadi Choopan & Andrew Jacked Give Huge Off-Season Updates, Jacked Reveals Weight of 301.6-lb (136.8-kg)
Reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan and rising sensation Andrew Jacked are some of the biggest names in the Men’s Open division. Choopan created history by winning his maiden Sandow trophy at the 2022 Mr. Olympia while Andrew Jacked, real name Chinedu Andrew Obiekea, took the bodybuilding world by storm last year. In a recent Instagram post, Jacked shared an impressive physique update revealing he’s tipping the scales at a gigantic 301.6 pounds (136.8 kilograms).
Andrew Jacked emerged as a promising Men’s Open prospect with an incredible combination of muscularity, shape, and proportions. Dubbed the ‘Mona Lisa of bodybuilding,’ Jacked kicked off last season with a dominant win at the 2022 Texas Pro, beating the likes of Martin Fitzwater, Steve Kuclo, and former 212 Olympia champ Kamal Elgargni. He followed up with another impressive performance at the 2022 Arnold Classic UK to score back-to-back wins. Though, it only took his win in Texas to guarantee his spot on the Olympia stage.
There was a lot of hype behind Andrew going into the 2022 Mr. Olympia. He presented a stellar package and cracked the top ten in his maiden performance, finishing eighth. Following the result, his coach George Farah revealed that Jacked nearly withdrew from the contest due to illness.
Specifically, George Farah explained that Andrew was suffering from bronchitis and a 102-degree fever but refused to use it as an excuse while performing atop the Olympia stage. Instead, Jacked fought through adversity and finished 8th. Fellow Men’s Open standout Nick Walker later praised Jacked’s performance and backed him as a potential title contender in the future.
Earlier this year, Jacked signed up for the 2023 Arnold Classic. He enlisted the help of renowned gurus Chris Aceto and Chris ‘Psycho’ Lewis to get ready for the competition. Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler extended his support for Andrew to come out on top of the contest. In the end, Andrew finished third behind Walker and champ Samson Dauda.
Andrew Jacked shares a massive physique update weighing 301.6-lb (136.8-kg)
In a recent Instagram post, Andrew Jacked shared a gigantic physique update where he tipped the scales at a shocking 301.6 pounds (136.8 kilograms).
“10days into the offseason,” wrote Andrew. “301.6Lbs/136.8kgs still maintaining leanness whilst putting on decent mass.”
Two months ago, Andrew Jacked reported positive results after getting his blood work completed. He also spilled the beans on his first meeting with IFBB head judge Steve Weinberger, who regularly officiates the biggest contests in the world such as the Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic shows.
Jacked announced his return to action for the upcoming 2023 Texas Pro, where he will look to win and earn an invite to the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia. He plans to defend his title successfully as this contest served as his first pro show victory in the IFBB Pro League.
Meanwhile, Iranian bodybuilder Hadi Choopan first gained attention for his insane muscle mass, definition, and conditioning in 2019. He won the Vancouver Pro and secured an invite to the Mr. Olympia show, where he made a statement with a third-place finish. He has proven to be one of the most consistent athletes in the sport as he never placed below fourth in any of his Mr. Olympia appearances.
Last season, Choopan dethroned former two-time champ Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Former 212 Olympia champ Derek Lunsford came close but fell to Choopan, who became the first Iranian-born champion in the history of the sport. Upon his reentry back home, he received a warm welcome back as a ten-foot-tall statue was built to honor Choopan’s achievement.
After Dauda’s win at the 2023 AC, coach Milos Sarcev backed him to potentially beat Choopan and Lunsford if he kept improving. IFBB athletes’ representative Bob Cicherillo voiced a similar sentiment in his analysis of the frontrunners for the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia. Legendary bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman picked Lunsford to win the title as well. On the other hand, bodybuilding veteran William Bonac is confident Choopan could add a second Sandow trophy to his collection.
Hadi Choopan shares jacked off-season physique update
In a recent Instagram post, Hadi Choopan shared a shredded physique update in the off-season.
“Run go home run,” cautioned Choopan.
Hadi Choopan gave fans a look into his training in the 2023 off-season two weeks ago. He laid out an intense lower-body workout routine that he’s utilizing to get ready for the next Olympia.
RELATED: Samson Dauda, Milos Sarcev Say Back Thickness Key to Defeating Hadi Choopan: ‘No Breaks from Training’
Choopan is leaving no stone unturned to defend the title successfully when he returns to the stage. However, it will be no easy task as he faces danger from Lunsford, Jacked, Dauda, and a slew of other hungry contenders.
Published: 16 May, 2023 | 7:04 PM EDT
Bodybuilder Breon Ansley Shares Full Day of Eating in 2023 Off-Season with 1 Meal of Choice A Day
American bodybuilder Breon Ansley reached the pinnacle of the Classic Physique division as a two-time Olympia champion. He’s getting ready to switch to the Men’s 212 division this season. In a recent video uploaded on YouTube, Ansley shared his full day of eating in the off-season and chooses one meal of his liking a day.
IFBB Pro competitor Breon Ansley first rose to prominence for his impressive physique in the Classic Physique class in 2016. He handily dispatched the competition at the 2016 Prestige Crystal Cup and won gold to earn an invite to the Mr. Olympia competition. He earned fourth place in his first-ever Olympia appearance.
The next year, Ansley brought a significantly improved package on the stages of the 2017 New York Pro. He won the contest and made his way to the 2017 Mr. Olympia, where he battled with reigning four-time Classic Physique Olympia king Chris Bumstead for the top prize. In the end, Ansley managed to ward off the budding Canadian sensation.
Ansley kicked off the 2018 season with a commanding victory at the Arnold Sports Festival en route to a successful title defense at Mr. Olympia. Bumstead inched closer but could not do enough to overwhelm the two-time champion. In 2019, Ansley finally got dethroned by ‘CBum’ in a close-fought battle and took silver. Bumstead held on to the title ever since.
The 43-year-old missed the mark at the 2022 Arnold Sports Festival, settling for a fourth-place finish last year. He expressed his disappointment at the result but ensured he would return stronger than ever following the show. Then, Ansley declared it would be his last run in the Classic Physique class due to the weight cap. He gave fans a look into his intense high-volume lower-body training session for building muscle weeks later.
There was a lot of speculation about whether Breon Ansley would join the Men’s 212 division. The rumors were fueled after he presented a bigger package in a guest-posing appearance at the NPC AL State Championships last September. Ansley collaborated with fitness sensation Mike O’Hearn for a sleeve-busting arms workout in preparation for the 2022 Mr. Olympia. He followed up the session with a brutal upper body workout using rest-pause training methods last October.
‘The Black Swan’ smoked a challenging legs workout in the build-up to the Olympia in December 2022. He confirmed his plans to move two the 212 category and revealed that Olympia would mark his final competition as a Classic Physique competitor days before the event.
Breon Ansley shares the full day of eating (with 1 meal of choice)
In a recent YouTube video, Breon Ansley shared his full day of eating while choosing one meal of his choice per day.
Meal 1 (8 am): 4 whole eggs & 150g cream of rice (sometimes, he mixes in 25g of ISO whey protein).
Meal 2: 10pc chicken nuggets, medium fries, crispy chicken plain burger.
Snacks: cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, or rice cakes with peanut butter.
Meal 3: 7oz salmon and 150g of cream of rice.
Meal 4: 6oz chicken and 150g cream of rice.
Protein shake (25.5g protein).
Meal 5: 6oz bison and 120-130g sweet potatoes.
Breon Ansley had a heartfelt conversation with Chris Bumstead following the 2022 Mr. Olympia, where he placed fourth while Bumstead secured his fourth title. They both lauded each other as Ansley passed on the torch to Bumstead, bringing a decisive end to their competitive rivalry.
Ansley is focused on adding more muscle mass to his frame now that he has a higher weight limit for competition. Fans will be excited to see him make a splash in the 212 division.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 11 May, 2023 | 8:58 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
Chris Bumstead Builds A Beastly Back In Off-Season Training
Chris Bumstead is making the most of his time in the gym to stay ahead in the Classic Physique division. Recently, he annihilated a back training session in the gym with the goal to bring ‘a thick back this year’.
The Canadian IFBB Pro bodybuilder has risen to the status of the greatest active bodybuilders with a string of dominant wins on the grandest stage of bodybuilding – The Olympia. After snatching the Classic Physique Olympia title from rival Breon Ansley at the 2019 Olympia, Bumstead has defended it successfully in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The 28-year-old has been undeterred in the face of adversity and persevered over difficult situations. Fellow Canadian bodybuilder and long-time friend Iain Valliere has coached CBum for the majority of his career. However, the duo mutually decided to end the client-coach relationship before 2022 Olympia so Valliere to focus on his own career in the Men’s Open division.
Even if it was difficult, they swallowed the bitter pill and CBum entered the 2022 Olympia under famed coach Hany Rambod’s guidance. In spite of having suffered a bicep tear, Bumstead managed to bring the Sandows trophy home for the fourth consecutive time.
The champ took his own sweet time after the show and went through the treatment to heal the bicep completely. Having recovered, he is now slowly intensifying the off-season training for the 2023 competitive season.
His recent back training session was a part of this effort and Bumstead tackled it with furious intensity. The video of this session was posted on CBum’s personal YouTube channel. So let’s end the wait and take a look at the exercises he did to build a thick and wide back.
Chris Bumstead goes through a back workout
Bumstead usually prefers to start the training session with cable lat pulldowns or dumbbell exercises to warm up the back muscles before doing the heavy work. However, it was an unusually busy day in the gym and he had to stay away from the cable machine or dumbbell area to save on time. As a result, he started the training session with an unusual warm-up movement.
Hammer Strength Underhand Grip Pulldown
The 28-year-old headed to the machine area. He then went on to do the underhand grip pulldown on the plate loaded machine to warm up the lats before jumping into the heavy movements.
“Avoiding the cable dumbbell area for now. For the first time in my life I’m warming up on something other than cable pulldowns,” Cbum stated.
Bumstead performed multiple warm-up sets of this exercise unilaterally and tackled other heavy movements in the workout as he went along.
Incline Dumbbell Rows
Incline dumbbell rows are among the most effective ways to focus on the muscles and build a thick back. The exercise uses gravity to avoid other muscles from compensating for the back muscles during the lift. Since the chest is supported on the backrest of the bench toward gravity, the back muscles are forced to do all the work required for lifting the dumbbells. Hence, it helps with back development more effectively.
“I’m doing these with 85 (lbs dumbbells) right now given that I am weaker but it’s also lighter… And just squeezing full like deep range of motion like arching my back and pulling back further and pulling my elbows back as far as I can feel good. (The back’s) going to be thick this year…” CBum said.
CBum performed some solid sets of this exercise to get a good pump in the back muscles. He then jumped into the next one.
Machine Rows – 2 variations
Bumstead next performed rows on the Hammer Strength Iso-lateral rows machine. Both weight horns of the machine move independently. This enables removing strength imbalances, if any. CBum pushed through a few sets of the movement using slow and controlled motion. He then took to another variation of machine rows. He performed the exercise on a selectorized machine with a swivel handle and pushed through a few sets of the movement.
Superset – Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown and Bent Over Straight Arm Pulldowns
CBum wrapped up the training session with this superset. He performed the neutral grip lat pulldowns first and superset the movement with bent-over lat pulldowns. Bumstead used a band attachment for doing the bent-over straight-arm pulldowns. Lat pulldowns primarily focus on the latissimus dorsi muscles. On the other hand, straight-arm pulldowns target the latissimus dorsi and the teres minor muscles. Both these muscles are responsible for extending the arm, which happens to be the primary action of this movement.
Chris Bumstead performed all the sets of these exercises in rapid succession with minimal rest periods. Following this, CBum wrapped up the training session and headed back home with exhausted back muscles.
Overall, the workout included:
Chris Bumstead plans to defend the Classic Physique Olympia title a few more times and walk into the sunset. As a result, he is training hard to stay ahead of the curve and fight off hungry, young contenders like Ramon Rocha Queiroz and Urs Kalecinski. If he continues to get better, he can definitely retire as a reigning champion of the world when it is time to walk away.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Chris Bumstead’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 22 April, 2023 | 9:03 AM EDT
Michal Krizo Tackles An Off-Season Leg Workout For Bulking
Bodybuilder Michal Krizo is utilising the off-season for bulking up. Recently, he went through a lower body workout to add more bulk to his girthy legs.
After a series of dominant performances in the IFBB Elite Pro League, Slovakia’s own Michal Krizo started his Olympia campaign by switching over to the NPC. He earned the IFBB Pro card with a dominant win at the 2022 Amateur Olympia Italy.
Making a return at the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro a few weeks later, Krizo managed to pull off a win in his Pro debut. However, his conditioning at the show became a big point of criticism. Undeterred by the negative feedback, Krizo went back to the drawing board and started preparing for the biggest challenge of his bodybuilding career as the win earned him a direct qualification to the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
The Men’s Open division at the 2022 Olympia boasted the most difficult line-up in recent memory. Krizo held his ground for the most part nevertheless and managed to finish in the top 15 on the grandest stage of bodybuilding.
Having received the necessary experience of competing at the elite level within a year of turning Pro, Krizo now readies himself to tackle the next competitive season. He is set to make a return at the 2023 Arnold Classic UK. The Slovak’s recent leg workout was a part of his effort to prepare his physique for the upcoming competitive season.
The short training session consisted of a few compound movements coupled with isolation movements for targeting major muscle groups in the lower body. The video of this session was posted on Krizo’s personal YouTube channel. So let’s jump right into it and see how Krizo is adding more bulk to his legs.
Michal Krizo goes through a leg workout
Hack Squats
Krizo kicked off the workout with this compound movement. Hack Squats offer similar benefits that traditional barbell squats offer in terms of primary muscle activation and strength gain. Just like the Barbell squats, Hack Squats target the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, calves and core muscles. However, they are generally safer than traditional squats and put far less stress on the lower back.
Krizo got a few good sets of this movement under his belt and took to a quad-focused exercise afterwards.
Leg Extensions
The Slovakian bodybuilder performed this quad isolation exercise next to stimulate the quadriceps further. After pushing through all the sets of leg extensions, Krizo went back to working with a heavy compound exercise.
Leg Press
Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, adductor and abductor muscles are the primary target muscles of leg press. It is a compound movement that can really help build bigger legs when done with correct form and technique. Krizo did a few reps of leg press in each set unilaterally and switched over to working with both legs for the last few reps. After working his way through some punishing sets, the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro winner took to the second isolation movement of the day.
Lying Leg Curls
Krizo next performed the lying leg curls which is a hamstrings isolation movement. Apart from working the hamstrings, leg curls are an excellent way to warm up the knee joints which are crucial in performing most of the lower body movements. Hence they make for a perfect first exercise as well. Krizo cranked out some solid sets of lying leg curls and took to the final exercise of the day.
Seated Calf Raises
Michal Krizo wrapped up the training session with a few sets of seated calf raises. This variation of calf raises works the soleus muscle that lies underneath the gastrocnemius muscle in the calf region.
Krizo pushed through a few heavy sets of the movement and called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
Michal Krizo is one of the young up-and-coming contenders in the Men’s Open division of the IFBB Pro League. If he puts the right amount of work in and improves his physique enough, the Slovak can certainly push aside the older generation of bodybuilders and dominate the sport in the years to come.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Michal Krizo’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 16 April, 2023 | 11:00 PM EDT