Tag: Workouts
Derek Lunsford Shares Back Workout That Will Make You “Respect The Weight”
Derek Lunsford looks ready to defend his 212 Olympia title come December.
Derek Lunsford has put in tons of work over the years in order to climb to the top of the 212 division. He was able to win the 2021 Olympia title and will look to defend his title come December. Lunsford has been putting together huge workouts and showed it off in a recent YouTube video where he is crushing back.
Lunsford has put on incredible size this offseason. So much so that there have been talks of him taking the next step toward Men’s Open. These discussions intensified following his guest posing appearance at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro, where he went toe-to-toe with other mass monsters in bodybuilding.
In October, Lunsford was able to upset Shaun Clarida and win his first Olympia title. In 2018 and 2019, Lunsford won silver before falling to fourth in 2020. It is clear that he is one of the best in the sport and will continue to show it off moving forward.
Lunsford shared a huge back workout that is used to create more size and width. In the video, he urges gym-goers to “respect the weight” as you continue to lift.
“You always have to respect the weight. I don’t care how tough or how strong you think you are, you must respect the weight.”
Derek Lunsford Back Workout
The exact number of sets and reps was not disclosed in the video. What we did see was Lunsford go through seven different exercises that work the back in different ways.
Back Extensions (warmup)
Hammer Strength Hip Thrust Machine
Barbell Rows
Hammer Strength Chest Supported Back Rows
Seated High Row Machine
Standing Cable Rope Pushdown
Standing Cable High Row
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Derek Lunsford encountered Nick Walker during this workout. The two were both on stage in Pittsburgh and discussed their plans for the rest of the year. Lunsford continued his workout following a warmup of back extensions.
Lunsford dove into the workout with barbell rows and hammer strength chest supported rows. From here, Lunsford made sure to hit the hip thrust machine as he works all parts of the body on back day.
“When I say full back workout, I mean hamstrings, glutes, lower back, traps, lats, we did it all. Made up for a little missed exercises from last workout, so we did them today.”
Derek Lunsford finished the workout with standing cable rope pushdowns and standing high cable rows. In the video, it is clear that Lunsford still has the size needed to compete. He will likely enter the Olympia as the favorite to repeat. This will bring up the question on whether or not Lunsford will make the switch or continue to defend his title.
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Jay Cutler Shares “Meditation” Back Workout: ‘Training Is A Sense Of Relief For Me’
Jay Cutler continues to share some huge workouts for viewers to try in the gym.
Jay Cutler has been retired from bodybuilding for quite some time now. This does not mean that he is done training in the gym. Instead, he just focuses his training in different ways. In a recent YouTube video, Cutler shared a back workout and explained some of his thoughts on training in retirement.
“What do I have to do to maintain a decent physique at my age?
Training is a sense of relief for me.”
During his legendary career, Cutler was one of the biggest mass monsters in the sport and won the Olympia four times. Now, he remains in great shape but is not training to win a championship on stage. Instead, he is doing maintenance on his body and maintaining his physique.
Cutler arrived at the gym in the midday to take on a back workout. Below, you can find a breakdown of the exercises that Cutler performed.
Jay Cutler Back Workout
Jay Cutler did not exactly share how many sets and reps that he performed in each exercise. Once the workout was complete, Cutler did say that he did between 18-20 sets in total. With six exercises, this is an average of three per movement, along with some warmup sets. Cutler rested 45-60 seconds in between sets.
Lat Pulldown Machine
Chest-Supported Row Machine
Bent-Over Barbell Row
Lat Pulldown x Seated Cable Row Superset
Dumbbell Pullover
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Lat Pulldown Machine
Jay Cutler begins this workout with one of his favorite machines for back. He explains that this version gives a pull allowing the lats to be worked in a different way. He performs three working sets of 12 reps after two warm-ups.
“The reason I like this one though, Techno Gym, I really like the pull on this. We talk about popping the lats for the front double bicep. So, I’m kind of duplicating, even though my lats are a lot smaller now.”
Chest-Supported Row Machine
The chest-supported row machine was the second movement. Cutler began with three 45-pound plates on each side but shed one for the final sets. Before the workout, he explained the difference in grips on this machine. Cutler believes that it is easier to perform when the grip is higher. Because of this, he likes to use the middle grip.
“The difference with this, sometimes I do it one arm, I’m going to use both handles. This, once again, is a different pull than hammer strength. I’m not going to keep my feet here because I feel like I use too much legs. I’m going to keep my feet here and loose so I actually pull with my lats. The motion is to really get a contraction and I’m going to grip this in the middle.”
Bent-over Barbell Row
Jay Cutler has always been a fan of the bent-over barbell row. When performing this movement, Cutler kept his upper body a bit more upright. Following this exercise, Cutler performed a superset of lat pulldowns and seated cable rows.
“I’m going to focus on doing a 45 stance here. So a little more upright with the upper body.”
Dumbbell Pullover
This is a workout that can be used to work either the lats or chest. It depends on the grip that is being used. Jay Cutler discusses how a diamond grip will hit the chest while he likes to overlap his hands in order to stretch the lats. This is the final movement of the workout, totaling six different exercises during this back day.
“Pay attention to that grip. If I was going to do chest, I would grip the dumbbell like this, like a diamond. For back, I actually grip it like this, so my hand goes around so that it pulls on the lats.”
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Top 4 Back Exercises To Protect Your Lower Back
Take a look at a guide on how to work your back with little discomfort!
How often have you seen people performing improper form, and putting their lower back at certain risk?
Well, one of the easiest body parts to injure is the lower back, or lumbar area.
One study from 2020 studied 93 patients from the ages of 16-26, ‘all of whom partook in weightlifting’. 43 of them had pain in the back area. With ‘pain radiating to the left side was found in 31 patients (33%), while pain radiating to the right was found in 19 patients (21%).
All the participants (100%) reported their pain to be initiated during or after weightlifting maneuvers. The table below provides more details.
Sex
Pain Characteristics
Surgery
Lumbar Level
Male
Female
Localized
Left
Right
Yes
No
L3-L4
L4-L5
L5-S1
87
6
43
31
19
23
70
6
44
43
Table credit below *
The importance of protecting your lower back:
In fact ‘out of all 291 conditions studied in the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study, Lower Back Pain (LBP), ranked highest in terms of disability, and sixth in terms of overall burden Prevalence and burden increased with age’
Back pain is also one of the leading reasons as to why people miss work, as a ‘sample stud(y) included 220 persons between the ages of 16-65, who had either acutely declared themselves unable to work because of low back pain (acute patients, n = 50) or who had been ill because of low back pain for one month (subacute patients, n = 50) or for three months (chronic patients, n = 70).’ The remaining 50 patients included,had not been absent for work.
The figures here equate to one half of all working Americans.
And lower back pain does not discriminate, as the mayo clinic ‘estimated that 15% to 20% of adults have back pain during a single year and 50% to 80% experience at least one episode of back pain during a lifetime.’
So what is the solution?
Working out with correct form will always be crucial and also building up strength in the lower back area will also be beneficial.
However if you have never exercised your lower back you’ll want to go in with caution. Start off lifting with a light weight, maybe even the bar just so that you can get a feel on how the exercise feels on your lower back.
What exercises should I do?
To significantly lower your chances of back injury and gain strength in your lower back, consider incorporating these isolation exercises into your lower back workout.
1. Deficit Deadlift
How To Do It:
Start by standing on a platform, 1-5 inches in height
Make sure that your feet are hip width apart.
Bend at the hip to grip the bar at shoulder width, allowing your shoulder blades to protract.
Lower your hips and bend knees until your shins contact the bar.
Look forward, keep chest up and back arched, and begin driving through the heels to move the weight upward.
After the bar passes the knees, aggressively pull it back, bringing your shoulder blades together as you drive your hips forward into the bar.
Lower the bar by bending at the hips and guiding it to the floor.
Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps
2. Good Mornings
How To Do It:
Set up a bar (with sufficient weight) on a rack that best matches your height.
Step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
Step away from the rack and position your legs using a medium, shoulder-width stance.
Keep your head up at all times and maintain a straight back.
Lower your torso forward by bending at the hips until it is parallel with the floor.
Elevate torso back to starting position.
Perform 4 sets of 15-20 reps
3. Hyperextensions
How to Do it:
Lie face down on a hyperextension bench.
Ensure your upper thighs lie flat across the wide pad, leaving enough room for you to bend at the waist.
With your body straight, cross your arms in front of you (or place behind your head).
Then start to bend forward slowly at the waist as far as you can while keeping your back flat.
Without rounding your back, keep moving forward until you feel a nice stretch on the hamstrings and you can no longer keep going without a rounding of the back.
Slowly raise your torso back to the initial position without arching your back.
Perform 4 sets of 15-20 reps
4. Supermans
How To Do It:
Lie on your stomach with the arms extended in front of you, and with the feet straight
Lift your hands and feet off the ground at the same time by about 6 inches, so it looks like you are mimicking superman as he is flying (hence the name), at this point you will feel an contraction in your lower back area
Hold this position for a few seconds
Then return to the starting position
Perform 4 sets of 10 reps
So there you have it, use this guide to keep your back nice and protected while building strength.
So until next time, keep pumping!
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7417116/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7417116/table/TAB1/?report=objectonly *
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/patient-caregiver-education/fact-sheets/low-back-pain-fact-sheet
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3099170/
https://sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40798-019-0199-7
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/216507999003800703
https://www.umms.org/ummc/health-services/orthopedics/services/spine/patient-guides/low-back-pain-athletes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24665116/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3161177/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17445733/
How to Perform the Preacher Curl
The Ultimate Bicep Building Resistance Exercise
When it comes to bicep development, there are a number of curling variations that can prove to be highly useful – the preacher curl is one great example of an effective curling variation.While the preacher curl should not replace the conventional bicep curl entirely, it should be used alongside it as it targets the biceps in a different manner.In order to perform the preacher curl, you will need a preacher bench – most gyms will have one and some even have a preacher curl machine. The preacher bench and machine have been designed to isolate the biceps entirely by placing the upper arms in firm contact with the sloping bench. There are multiple pieces of resistance kit that can be when performing the preacher curl – dumbbells, barbells or EZ-bars.
Preacher Curl Form
Due to the position that the arms are placed in, it is crucial that the movements are kept smooth, slow and under control. As a result, when performing the preacher curl, it is important that you use a lighter weight than you use for conventional bicep curls. Excessively heavy weights will not facilitate safe, controlled movement thus failing to maximize the benefits of the exercise and increasing the risk of injury.To perform the preacher curl, work through the following steps.1) Adjust the seat on the preacher bench so that your armpits align with the top of the bench when the arms are placed on the bench.2) Ensure that the upper arms are fully in contact with the bench and extend the arms entirely. Grip the weight using a supinated grip (palms up).3) From this position, curl the weight upward while keeping the upper arms in contact with the bench. Bring the bar up until the forearms are in a vertical position.4) At the top of the movement, pause for a second and actively squeeze the biceps. Drop the weight back down in a controlled manner counting for three seconds until the arms are fully extended once again.Throughout the entire exercise, ensure that the feet remain pressed into the floor, chest lifted and the shoulders held in the same position.
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Preacher Curl Benefits
There are a number of benefits associated with regularly performing the preacher curl. The preacher curl should predominantly be used as an accessory exercise in your training.When considering the number of sets and reps to complete, for maximal growth it is recommended to complete between 6 – 12 reps per set (1).If your goal is to build significant muscle size in the arms, consider your training volume and perform arm exercises regularly. Training volume has been found to be the most influential factor for muscle growth (2).
1) Biceps Activation
There have been many studies completed on the effectiveness of the preacher curl. It has been found that preacher curls highly activate the biceps and is, therefore, an excellent exercise choice.In addition, it is recommended that an EZ-bar is used when performing the preacher curl as this will lead to maximal activation of the biceps (3).This high degree of bicep activation places a great degree of stress on the muscle. This application of stress will cause the biceps to adapt rapidly and increase in size and strength.
2) Isolating the Biceps
The biceps are activated highly in the preacher curl primarily because the exercise effectively isolates the biceps by placing the upper arm directly on the bench; this prevents movement around the shoulder.For the all bicep isolation exercises movement should only occur around the elbow joint considering that the contraction of the biceps causes elbow flexion. However, for a number of these exercises, form can become compromised, especially as fatigue increases. Individuals may find that the shoulders or hips begin to move to assist in the movement.Allowing movement to occur in any other joint out with the biceps will reduce the amount of stress on the biceps and place it on other muscles.Reducing the amount of stress placed on the muscle is less than ideal as it will not facilitate maximal muscle growth.With the preacher curl, due to the design of the bench, it is practically impossible to move through the shoulder and the seat position negates assistance from the lower body thus maximizing bicep stress.
3) Facilitating Compound Lifts
A further benefit of the preacher curl is that it can facilitate an improved performance for a number of compound exercises.Specifically, there are a number of back exercises that use the biceps – lat pulldowns, rows and chin-ups, for example. This explains why back and biceps are commonly exercised on the same day.While the biceps play a secondary role in a number of these exercises, increasing the amount of force that the biceps can produce may allow you to lift a greater amount of weight.The greater the amount of weight that can be lifted, the greater the adaptation is likely to be. Therefore, increasing bicep strength may have a consequent impact on a number of other muscles.
4) Promoting Elbow Health
Finally, regularly performing the preacher curl and consequently building strength and size in the biceps will not only improve aesthetics but will also promote the function and health of the elbow joint. The biceps must concentrically contract in order to bring about elbow flexion. They also have an accessory role as they lengthen to assist the triceps during elbow extension. By strengthening the arm muscles through exercises such as the preacher curl, the risk of sustaining an injury to the elbow joint is much reduced.This is extremely important when it comes to heavy lifting, especially with compound exercises, where the elbow joints may be subjected to a substantial amount of force.
Preacher Curl Variations
1) Thumbless Overhand Preacher Curl
Removing the involvement of the thumbs in any curling exercise places a greater demand on grip strength. Not only will grip strength develop with this variation, but forearm strength and size too.Before advancing onto this variation, it is important that you are proficient with the conventional preacher curl.Ideally, use an EZ-bar for the thumbless variation, however, if you do not have an EZ-bar available a barbell or dumbbells will suffice.The set-up for this variation is the same as the conventional curl, the only difference being the grip that is used on the weight.Instead of a supinated grip, this time grip the bar using an overhand, pronated grip using only the fingers.In terms of execution, the movement is identical. When the bar reaches the top of the movement, squeeze the bar with the fingers and squeeze the biceps before lowering.
2) Zottman Preacher Curl
A second variation that also effectively works the biceps and forearm muscles is the zottman preacher curl.The conventional zottman curl uses a rotating grip to apply stress to the arms. When placing the arms on a preacher bench, the forearms must still work but the focus moves primarily to the biceps.Considering that a rotatable grip is not possible on a bar, dumbbells must be used for this variation.Start by setting up on the preacher bench as normal while holding two dumbbells at top position by the shoulders.Starting with the dumbbells in a supinated grip, lower the weights under control until the arm is fully extended. Upon reaching the bottom position, rotate the grip so that the hands become protonated.Drive the dumbbells back up to the starting position. Remember to pause for a second at the top of every rep and lower the load back down in a three-second period.
3) Unilateral Preacher Curl
There is great benefit to be found in performing unilateral exercises when it comes to muscle growth and strength development (4).Furthermore, unilateral exercises can be used to effectively identify and remove any imbalances in strength that may exist.Humans typically have a dominant side and therefore, imbalances between the right and left side are not uncommon. In addition, injury can also cause lead to an imbalance between sides.Bilateral exercises will not work to iron out these imbalances and may actually contribute towards the imbalance. This is because the stronger side can actually mask the imbalance.Unilateral exercise allows you to work either side individually and remove interference from the strong side. If an imbalance is evident, unilateral exercises can then be used to rectify it.For the unilateral preacher curl, use a dumbbell. Set up as normal on the preacher bench and complete a number of reps using one arm. Swap the dumbbell to the other arm and then look to complete the same number of reps.Another option would be to hold dumbbells in both hands and alternate between right and left arm until the prescribed number of reps have been completed.
Final Word
When it comes to comprehensive bicep development, it is important that a range of curling exercises are selected. The preacher curl is one example of a bicep curling variation that will effectively bring about changes in muscle strength and size.
References:
1 -Mangine, Gerald T; Hoffman, Jay R; Gonzalez, Adam M; Townsend, Jeremy R; Wells, Adam J; Jajtner, Adam R; Beyer, Kyle S; Boone, Carleigh H; Miramonti, Amelia A; Wang, Ran; LaMonica, Michael B (August 13, 2015). “The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men”. Physiological Reports. 3 (8). doi:10.14814/phy2.12472. ISSN 2051-817X. PMC 4562558. PMID 26272733.
2 – SCHOENFELD, BRAD J.; CONTRERAS, BRET; KRIEGER, JAMES; GRGIC, JOZO; DELCASTILLO, KENNETH; BELLIARD, RAMON; ALTO, ANDREW (2019-1). “Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men”. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 51 (1): 94–103. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764. ISSN 0195-9131. PMC 6303131. PMID 30153194.
3 – Marcolin, Giuseppe; Panizzolo, Fausto Antonio; Petrone, Nicola; Moro, Tatiana; Grigoletto, Davide; Piccolo, Davide; Paoli, Antonio (July 13, 2018). “Differences in electromyographic activity of biceps brachii and brachioradialis while performing three variants of curl”. PeerJ. 6. doi:10.7717/peerj.5165. ISSN 2167-8359. PMC 6047503. PMID 30013836.
4 – Paoli, Antonio; Gentil, Paulo; Moro, Tatiana; Marcolin, Giuseppe; Bianco, Antonino (December 22, 2017). “Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength”. Frontiers in Physiology. 8. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.01105. ISSN 1664-042X. PMC 5744434. PMID 29312007.
The Rock Displays High-Volume Finisher To Add Into Your Next Leg Day
The Rock finished a leg day workout with a huge finisher to exhaust.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has always been interested in sharing fitness advice and workouts on social media to his massive following. As one of the biggest actors in Hollywood, The Rock has become known for his parts in movies along with his massive physique. It is clear that Johnson does not skip leg day. In a recent update, he shared a leg-day finisher that pushes your legs to the limit at the end of a workout.
The Rock is preparing for a role in DC’s Black Adam. This role requires Johnson to play a massive superhero, which should not be difficult. Johnson continues to put himself through huge workouts in his home gym named “Iron Paradise.” Recently, it was a high-volume squat workout to end a leg day.
“F’n burn.Excellent high volume finisher for me with all my crazy football and wrestling injuries.
5th and final Giant Set of doing 5 exercises in a row with no rest.
Final burner is Pit Shark squats with 3 second negatives til FAILURE.Slow and controlled.”
Image via Instagram @therock
The Rock Leg-Day Finisher
In the video, The Rock is performing five consecutive exercises with no rest on the fifth set of his workout. The final one is Pit Shark squats with a three-second negative. These are performed until failure. Johnson makes sure to focus on slow and controlled reps. This is a trend in his workouts.
“I like saving my most grueling workout of the week for my last (usually falls on Sat or Sun).It becomes a forcing mechanism all week because I know the storm of leg training is coming ?☄️”
The Rock burst onto the scene in professional wrestling as one of the biggest stars in the WWE. He is still considered one of the greatest talents to ever go through the industry. Now, he has kept up with his physique during his career on the big screen.
Johnson really focuses on slow and controlled reps in order to build muscle. This helps the muscle grow under constant tension. He believes this is the best way to end any workout, whether it be leg day or any other body part.
If you are looking for a guide on social media while in the gym, there are few better than the The Rock. At the end of the day, results speak for themselves and Johnson continues to improve his physique in many ways.
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‘A Day In Paradise’: Jay Cutler Shares Latest Back Workout
Jay Cutler took down a huge back day during his time in Las Vegas.
Jay Cutler remains a massive voice in bodybuilding in retirement. He built one of the best careers of all-time winning the Olympia four times. He continues to share his knowledge in the gym. Recently, Cutler shared a back workout during his time in Las Vegas.
Cutler went to the Fit Club gym for back day looking to build size and width. The full workout consists of six exercises and Cutler shared it to his YouTube page. This was a workout featuring one of the top minds in the sport giving tips and tricks to his viewers.
Below, you can find the full video of the workout along with some wisdom from Cutler himself.
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Jay Cutler Back Workout
Reverse Grip RealLeader Machine – 5 sets
One-Armed Dumbbell Rows – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Lat Pulldowns – 3 sets
T-Bar Rows – 4 sets of 12 reps
RealLeader Pullover Machine – 4 sets of 10-12 reps
Hyperextensions – 3 sets
Reverse Grip RealLeader Machine – 5 sets
Jay Cutler began his workout on the RealLeader machine. This is a machine that is typically in any gym. Cutler explains that he began using this machine when training to save some strain on his wrists. It accomplishes the same goal and lessens the pressure.
“The function of that makes it a little easier. I used to do that with a bar and it actually hurt my wrists, especially as it got bigger.”
One-Armed Dumbbell Rows – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
The one-armed dumbbell row is a very basic, effective exercise when training back. There are different ways to change grips and angles when lifting the weight. This will target different areas in the back and build width. Jay Cutler completed three sets of 10-12 reps. He stuck with 80-pound dumbbells over the course of the exercise.
Lat Pulldowns – 3 sets
The lat pulldown is another exercise that can be done in many ways. There are wider bars that can be used or lifters can use a neutral or close grip.
“Not super wide. I did kind of like an inner grip or neutral. Three working sets there. I talk about these feel sets, I only do those on the first exercise. I call them feel sets but there more so-so warmups.”
Jay Cutler used a neutral grip during the exercise. This is a compound movement because it helps support the back by hitting the lats. The elbows can be flared out and it also hits the rear delts.
T-Bar Rows – 4 sets of 12 reps
Cutler moved onto T-Bar rows, which is an exercise that he did not think that he would do in retirement. This is an exercise that can be used with a barbell or on a machine. This allows gym goers to work the back despite soreness in different areas. Other variations of rows will trigger hamstring or lower back soreness.
“Those feel really good. I said I’d never do a T-Bar row once I retired but here I am deadlifting and doing a T-Bar row on a standard. Felt pretty good.”
RealLeader Pullover Machine – 4 sets of 10-12 reps
This is a substitution for the dumbbell pullover. This is not a machine that is found in every gym but if there is one, it is beneficial. Cutler added 225 pounds on each side for this movement. He explained how he planned to do seated cable rows but never got to it.
Hyperextensions – 3 sets
The final exercise was hyperextensions. Jay Cutler grabbed a 25-pound weight to complete the workout. Once the workout was over, he discussed how he was spotting a gym goer who happened to be in town from Pennsylvania.
“A lot of people venture to Fit Club. I welcome everyone to come out and check it out. They like to see the gyms that we train at.”
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Three Heads Are Better Than One: How To Hit Different Parts Of The Tricep
There are different ways to work the different heads of your triceps.
Three beads are better than one, right? Before I continue get your mind out of the gutter, as I am obviously referring to the tricep muscle. As the tricep is composed of three heads.
It is comprised of the long head, the lateral head and the medial head.
Now let’s look at each head in more depth:
Long Head
The long is attached to the shoulder and elbow joints (hence the long head), and is located at the back of your arm.
Best Workouts:
The optimal workouts for the long head would be exercises that consist of a full range of contraction and with the arms overhead, so the best workouts would be overhead extensions and skullcrushers.
Lateral Head
The lateral head is the most visible and sits on the outside of your arm.
Best workouts:
The optimal workouts would be the ones with your arms by your side with a pronated grip (overhand). So exercises such as bench dips, cable extensions, kickbacks and overhand grip press downs are ideal.
Medial Head
This is the least visible of the three and sits lower down than the long head closer to the torso.
Best Workouts:
The optimal workouts would be ones with the hands by your side with a supinated grip (underhand), so exercises such as reverse grip press downs would be best suited.
Now some exercises will undoubtedly target more than one head at one time, so exercises such as skull crushers actually target the long head and lateral head, and exercises such as close grip bench press, kickbacks, press downs (pushdowns) and even diamond push ups will actually hit all 3 heads.
So now you know how the triceps are broken down, and below I have listed a series of exercises that will ensure all 3 heads are hit during your next triceps workout.
Close Grip Bench
Now this is a multi joint (compound) exercise that will hit all 3 heads and will allow you to build up more strength as you can go heavier.
Tip: Position the hands approx 7-8 inches away from each other, so just a bit further apart than the centre knurl on the barbell (which is usually about 5 inches), as going too close could risk injury.
Dips
This is another compound exercise and great when done with weights (either dipping belt or dumbbell in between your feet). This will also help you build more strength and also hits all 3 heads simultaneously, with the medial head being activated at the top of the extension.
Tip: Keep the body upright, as leaning forward will put more emphasis on the chest.
Cable Tricep Pushdown/ Press Down
This exercise will hit all 3 heads, but by changing the cable attachment you can and stress to specific heads.
Tip: Do not stand too close to the cable tower, take a step away and lean forward into the pulley, and then begin your set with the arms away from the torso.
You want to make sure that your forearm and triceps are at a right angle (90 degrees) at the loading phase of the movement.
Attachment variations
Wide grip bar attachment: This grip would be a wider than shoulder width grip and would focus on the medial head.
Rope attachment: This grip would add stress to the medial and lateral heads.
Straight bar attachment: The bar will add stress on the long head of the triceps.
V bar attachment: This bar will add more stress on the lateral head of the triceps.
French Press
Some of you may think the french press is the same as the lying down tricep extension, but the difference is that the french press is done either seated or standing up, and is preferably done with an EZ bar.
The french press also targets the long head, as it is done overhead.
Tip: Try to perform the reps without shifting stress into the elbows or shoulders and do not lock out at the top of the movement.
Reverse Grip Press Down
The reverse grip press down may not be as popular but it is great for targeting the medial head.
Tip: Similar to the standard version, keep the elbow and triceps at 90 degrees at the eccentric portion of the movement and try to eliminate your elbows from flaring out.
Common Mistakes
Elbow movement:
Some common mistakes people make when doing the standard version pushdown and reverse grip press down, is too much elbow movement. Keep the elbows nice and tight and close to the body and eliminate that motion, this will allow the triceps to do more of the work.
Elbow Flare:
For overhead movements like the french press or the overhead dumbbell tricep extension or even skull crushers, minimise elbow flare, as this takes away stress from the triceps and adds more stress to the chest. If your elbows are flaring then the weight may be too heavy.
Fatiguing too soon:
Start the workout strong and start the workout with compound exercises like the weighted dips and close grip bench and then move onto the isolation moves. This will allow you to get the most from your workout.
Not Targeting All 3 heads
After reading this you have zero excuse now, so be sure to target all 3 heads of the tricep muscle, so the long, lateral, and medial are all hit.
Be sure to add the overhead and reverse grip movements into your routine.
So there you have it, by the time summer comes around your triceps should be bursting through your Generation Iron tee’s.
So until next time, keep pumping!
3 Bodyweight Exercises For Powerful Back & Arms
Build muscle and improve power with bodyweight exercises.
Building up the body can be as simple as getting into the gym and hitting the weights with relish. Most bodybuilders are going to naturally gravitate towards using weight training to maximize their growth. It’s the most effective way to grow muscle mass. Lifting massive weight in efforts to see those muscles grow in both strength and size. Plus, it’s fun to lift big weight and show off your strength.
But it’s not the only way to build muscle. For building up biceps there’s no better option than the dumbbell biceps curls. But not everyone has access to a gym after all and there are those with no equipment at home workouts to help promote growth.
So, what’s to be done? Body weight exercises that’s what. If you’re looking to blow up your arms, then try these body weight exercises to great effect. Using bodyweight exercises gives you the chance to see effective growth while also working with exercises that are a bit easier on those joints. By not feeling so strained with weights, bodyweight exercises allow you to focus on certain things like mind-muscle connection while also seeing great gains.
Let’s take a look at these bodyweight exercises and see just what’s up with them. For you to abandon weights on certain days will take some convincing but we are sure with these bodyweight exercises that you will be more than willing to at least try.
Benefits Of Bodyweight Exercises
Knowing the benefits of bodyweight exercises can go a long way, especially as you look to see the most effective gains possible for functional or sport specific movements. The benefits may be enough to convince you to put these into your routine to see great gains to muscle growth and other important workout factors.
Related: 5 Bodyweight Exercises To Build A Ripped Chest
Benefits of bodyweight exercises include:
Full body workout: Most bodyweight exercises require your full body and many muscles to actually get the most out of that exercise. This will culminate in a nice full body workout.
Better mind-muscle connection: With bodyweight exercises you start to develop better mind-muscle connection which will greatly enhance those lifts once you go back to weights.
Helps with flexibility: Focusing on just the movement will enhance flexibility and allow better range of motion since you no longer have to deal with weights restricting you.
Can be done anywhere: Bodyweight exercises can be done anywhere! You don’t have to worry about a gym or weights or anything since these can be done anywhere and at anytime for your convenience.
3 Bodyweight Exercises For Powerful Back & Arms
Let’s take a look at 3 great bodyweight exercises that can work to enhance those gains. Knowing the right exercises to try and perform can go a long way and with the right approach, you can produce powerful back and arms for the best results possible.
1. Towel Pull-Ups
Normal pull ups are great for tightening up and strengthening the upper body. Pull ups alone can be great for building up the lats and the arms as well. The towel pull up variation, however, targets not only your arms but also increases grip strength which is going to translate over to your lifts when you’re able to get into the gym. Greater grip strength means hauling greater weight and are one of the intangibles that should be mastered.
This is a challenging exercise in that it targets and requires strict grip strength but also really works those muscles. It may look easy, but at first attempt, you will feel like you need to put in more work. But it will come in time.
Perform this as you would a traditional pull-up but grab that towel and rely on your grip strength to take you all the way.
2. Dips
The dips are a bodyweight exercise that was promoted strongly by bodybuilding guru Vince Gironda back in the day. While he utilized the exercise primarily to build up his chest, dips can also help to build up the arms including the biceps, triceps, and shoulders. If you’re looking for an exercise for multiple purposes then dips are certainly right up your alley.
There are good variations to perform with dips and this will determine if you are targeting your chest or triceps. While your grip strength is important with dips, it is more a matter of stability and here is where your core will come into play big time. Really engaging the core and making sure you stay as stable as possible will go a long way and you will see those arms increase in size and produce more power.
Related: Want The Ultimate Upper Body? Dips And Pull Ups Are The Trick
3. Diamond Push-Ups
Push ups can target multiple muscle groups including the back, core, chest, and triceps. But strength training is all about challenging yourself and if you’re looking to perform more difficult push ups then the diamond variation is a great option. The added stress of the position will mean challenging the muscles so more growth is possible.
These are great as a stand alone exercise to challenge both your chest and triceps, but what you will find with these are an effective end of workout punisher on those push days. Working your triceps and chest on the same day makes sense given the nature of the pushing movement. But in efforts to increase strength and power in your arms, working to explode up as you perform this exercise can go a long way.
Wrap Up
Using bodyweight exercises in your routine can be a game changer and allow you versatility in those workouts. With the right approach, you can better tackle anything that comes your way and knowing the right steps can better prepare you for what can come. Placing these exercises above into your routine is something to not take for granted for what they can do so look into boosting those bodyweight workouts today and give yourself the best chance at improving strength and power in your back and arms.
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
Chris Bumstead & Iain Valliere Put Together A Huge Quad Workout
Iain Valliere continues to prepare for the Vancouver Pro and Chris Bumstead decided to join in.
Chris Bumstead was recently joined by his brother-in-law Iain Valliere for a quad workout to build incredible size in the legs. The two got together at the Revive Gym in Stuart, FL for the session.
Bumstead has been spending time in Florida as he prepares for yet another Olympia competition. He has been at the top of Classic Physique for years now. Bumstead is the reigning three-time Classic Physique Olympia champion and will be the favorite to win yet another title.
For Valliere, he is preparing to make his 2022 debut at the Vancouver Pro. The 2021 season was a busy one for Valliere. He won the Texas Pro and Tampa Pro in back-to-back weekend before the Arnold Classic, where he finished second to Nick Walker. Valliere then competed at the Olympia and ended in seventh place.
At this point, both competitors are making sure that all body parts are in top shape and ready to hit the stage. Below, you can find a full breakdown of the quad workout from Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere.
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Chris Bumstead & Iain Valliere Quad Workout
Adductors Machine – 3 sets of 15-20
Leg Extension Machine – 4 sets of 15-20
Hack Squats – 4 sets of 12-20
Leg Press Machine – 3 sets of 8-12
Sissy Squat – 1 set to failure
Calf Raise Machine – 2 sets of 10-15, drop set to failure
Beginning Exercises
This workout consisted of six exercises and seemed to be broken down in three parts. The beginning exercises acted as a warmup in a way for Bumstead and Valliere. It began with the adductor machine, where the two were able to bang out 15-20 light reps to get going.
The quad portion began with leg extensions. This is one of the best movements to isolate the quad muscle. The duo was able to load up the machine with seven plates toward the end hitting 15-20 reps.
“For anyone wondering why I’ve been doing this one too. I find this one is just the easiest for me to get the most amount of deflection with the least amount of strain to my back and my ankles,” Valliere said.
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Hard-Hitting Quads
The second potion is where Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere took on the hard-hitting exercises to target quads. They plan to hit hamstrings later in the week but focused on the front of the leg here.
“9 weeks out Van Pro, going back to Canada to for his first Pro show. He’s peeled, he’s strong, all that good shit. I’m fat, weak and all that other good shit. We are going to hammer some legs. This is purely a quad day. Hamstrings later on in the week,” Bumstead said.
The hack squat machine was next. This is one of the best exercises to perform if you want to build some tru size in the quads. Bumstead began by putting seven plates on the machine and performing 12 reps. Valliere was next and reached 20 reps.
The duo then performed three sets on the leg press machine. Bumstead performed to failure and completed eight reps. Valliere was able to get to 12. They continued on to finish the workout with exercises to failure.
Sets To Failure
The failure portion began with sissy squats, which the duo performed just one set of.
At the very end, there’s a quad push because it’s quad day. Just to strategize using the fancy equipment…When I was pushing, I feel like they were opening up, I’m getting deeper. I can keep my knees in front of me,” Bumstead said.
Finally, Chris Bumstead and Iain Valliere took on the calf raise machine. Calves are one of the most important body parts to train but often get overlooked. It is important that bodybuilders put the necessary time into them.
“I’m trying to suck my waist in and hold in right there, and just do calf raises like that, just to build the tight waist. Sometimes I forget, that’s why I wear a belt so I can keep my waist tight on everything because the belt makes you think about everything,” Bumstead said.
Iain Valliere is prepared to make his 2022 debut at the Vancouver Pro. Chris Bumstead is in the bulking portion of his Olympia prep, looking for his fourth consecutive title. The duo seems to be right where they want to as we creep into late May.
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Breon Ansley Deep Into Training For Tampa Pro With Huge Arm Day
Breon Ansley is looking to win the Tampa Pro and gain momentum into the Olympia.
Breon Ansley is a former two-time Classic Physique Olympia champion. He is currently preparing to compete in the Tampa Pro and put together a massive arm day during one of his training sessions.
Ansley has finished third in each of the last two Olympia competitions. In 2019, he saw his two-year win streak come to an end at the hands of Chris Bumstead. Most recently, Ansley finished fourth at the Arnold Classic and was unhappy with his performance.
Classic Physique is a division that is gaining popularity and seeing many elite athletes emerge. Ansley is still at the top of his game and wants to show it off on the biggest stage once again. Before this happens, Ansley is looking to win the Tampa Pro and is full or dedication and motivation.
“I’m trying to win this damn thing this year.”
Below, you can find a full guide through Breon Ansley’s arm workout, along with some tips from the champion himself.
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Breon Ansley Arm Day
Machine Triceps Extensions
Rope Pressdown
Overhead Rope Extension
Dip Machine
Dumbbell Kickback
Alternate Dumbbell Curl
EZ-Bar Curl
Hammer Curl
Breon Ansley took down this workout at the legendary Gold’s Gym in Venice, CA. Ansley begins the video by explaining how it is important to focus on recovery and training smart.
“Be careful, guys, with everything. Be careful but be smart. Train smart. Train hard but train that ass to be smart so you can come in here the next day and the next day and the next day and the next day. Who cares about what you’re doing for that one damn day if it puts you out?”
Triceps Training
Breon Ansley begins his workout with machine tricep extensions, the first of five consecutive triceps exercises. This is the way Ansley likes to train arms so you have a constant pump in the muscles targeted.
“I like to train triceps all in one and then start with the biceps. I don’t like to mix up, some guys like to do biceps triceps, biceps triceps and alternate like that. I don’t like to do that because you lose the blood flow, you lose the pump, in between moving one muscle group to the next.”
Ansley moves onto rope pressdowns. He reveals that he likes to use the rope because it allows for his hands to turn out for a better contraction of the muscle. Ansley continued with the rope but with a different movement during overhead tricep extensions.
The final exercise of the tricep portion of the workout was weighted dips. Ansley performed sets with a 35, 40, and 50-pound dumbbell.
“Anytime you’re doing any tricep exercise the is extended over the head, you are working on the short head of the tricep. That is the shorthand in here. Anytime you are pressing something down, doing a pressing movement like we did here, you are working on the long head.
“Remember, the tricep has three heads. The short head, long head, and medium head. That is going to make the arm look that much bigger…make sure you have great tri’s.”
Biceps Training
Breon Ansley focused on triceps over the course of this workout and believes that they are sometimes overlooked. To begin his short stint on biceps, Ansley hit alternating dumbbell curls. He began with 45-pound weights and eventually moved up to 50 pounds.
“I was twisting it at the top to get a little bit more of your inner bi here. Now, we’re going to go outer half…We’re going to hit this more with an outer grip. Obviously, we’re going to hit the brachialis here, for the thickness of the bicep, with the hammer curls, which is one of my favorite exercises.”
Ansley continued with EZ-bar curls and hammer curls to finish out the workout. He admitted to favoring hammer curls because he is strongest while performing them. Ansley began with 55-pound dumbbells before making his way up to 75 pounds.
““If you isolate it, keep the shoulders back and down, and keeping this hinge here, kind of like a drag curl…same principles.”
Breon Ansley is focused on the Tampa Pro and gaining momentum heading into December. After falling back a bit in recent competitions, Ansley looks determined to show that he is still one of the best competitors in Classic Physique.
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