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WBFF Pro
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Eric Nelson Photography

FALL 2O14

44 Your Nine-Week Muscle Up Plan

Its a simple, universal goal among all men: more muscle.

Heres the no-BS, no-frills, no-excuses blueprint to help you add
up to 10 pounds of lean, powerful mass in nine weeks.
By Michael Berg, NSCA-CPT

58 The 48 Best Mass-Building Exercises

From legs to shoulders and every key muscle group in
between, the following cardstock-quality pages give you everything you need to maximize size, shape and detail.
By the MuscleMag Editors

108 Stacks To Get Jacked

Huge, lean and ripped or somewhere in between, these

targeted mass-gain supplement stacks are designed
for exactly what kind of physique you want.
By Dwayne N. Jackson, Ph.D.

MASS-GAIN
BLOWOUT!
Whether you want to get absolutely huge or just add a few
solid pounds of muscle, the special
section starting on Page 43 is your
ultimate guide complete with
every exercise, workout and
nutritional supplement you
need to pack on serious size.

FALL 2O14
114 Panda Express

In just over a year of competing, Simeon Panda has

rocketed up the Musclemania pro ranks, thanks to an
LPSUHVVLYH9WDSHUDQGDQHDUO\DZOHVVSK\VLTXH
Here he shares one of his best high-intensity shoulder
ZRUNRXWVGHVLJQHGH[FOXVLYHO\IRU0XVFOH0DJUHDGHUV
By Lara McGlashan, CPT

122 Burn Fat Like a Pro

7LSVWRJHWVKUHGGHGIURPVL[RIWKHEHVWLQWKHEXVL
ness: IFBB 212 competitors Mark Dugdale, Stan McQuay
DQG'HULN)DUQVZRUWKDQG)%%PHQVSK\VLTXH
FRQWHQGHUV$OH[&DUQHLUR;DYLXV*D\GHQDQG-HUHP\
%XHQGLD
By Allan Donnelly

132 Dial With the Deadlift

For ultimate mass and strength, nothing beats this

EUXWDOO\H
FLHQWSRZHUOLIWLQJVWDSOH
%\=\GUXQDV6DYLFNDV)RXU7LPH:RUOGV6WURQJHVW0DQ
Zydrunas Savickas

Departments
12

MUSCLEMAG
ONLINE

19

INTEL

28

10-MINUTE
MOBILITY

30

BEST ABS

32

CLEAN EATS

34

GET STRONG

36

HEAT: ASHLEY
KALTWASSER

40

SUPPLEMENT
REVIEW

136 UNBREAKABLE
138 MAKING GAINS
146 FINISHER

ON THE COVER
Simeon Panda

10

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

Brandan Fokken
by Robert Reiff

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Visit musclemag.com for exclusive

workouts, videos and more.

Kick It Old-School

Photo by Robert Reiff

Newer isnt always better. You

dont need a gym full of shiny
new machines to get strong. In
fact, you can build power,
strength and mass with nothing
more than a barbell and some
weight plates. This full-body
routine combines powerlifting
with Olympic and bodyweight
moves that will annihilate your
muscles from head to toe. These
old-school training techniques
have withstood the test of time.

Were HUGE on Facebook and

Twitter! Follow us and get in
on the conversation.

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Got Muscle?

MuscleMag.com is your place for

the latest in training, nutrition and
supplementation turn to us to bust
any workout rut, or just for that
added motivation when the going
gets tough. Read, watch, interact
and let us know what you think at
the email address below!

We want to hear your

success stories. Are you
bigger, stronger or
more shredded than
ever? Email us at
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You Tell Us: Have something you

want to tell us? Want to send
some love our way? Email us at
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YOUR AMBITION. OUR TEAM.

LAWRENCE BALLENGER
NPS BODYBUILDING COMPETITOR
TEAM DYMATIZE

Dymatize is launching the new PerformanceDriven line for athletes that that are driven to peform
at their best. Athletes that are focused, dedicated and ambitious. Athletes like you. In recognition of
your efforts, and in celebration of the PerformanceDriven line launch, we want you to join our team.
Apply to become a Dymatize athlete at Dymatize.com/AthleteSearch

YOUR AMBITION. OUR NUTRITION.TM

FALL 2014 ISSUE

GROUP PUBLISHER Cheryl Angelheart

GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR Alexander Norouzi
EDITOR-AT-LARGE Michael Berg
ART DIRECTORS Andrius Krasuckas, Paul Duarte, Dana Collins
GROUP ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Donna Diamond
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WEB EDITOR Maureen Farrar
COPY CHIEF Jeannine Santiago COPY EDITOR Gretchen Haas
CONTRIBUTORS
Jeff Alexander, Doug Balzarini, Josh Bryant, Jordana Brown, Allan Donnelly, Guillermo
Escalante, Maureen Farrar, Dwayne N. Jackson, Ph.D., Lara McGlashan, Jonathan Mike, Elke
Nelson, Carey Rossi, Mike Salazar, Steven Stiefel, Zydrunas Savickas

Efrem Zimbalist III Chairman & CEO

Andrew W. Clurman President & COO
Brian Sellstrom Executive Vice President & CFO
Patricia B. Fox Executive Vice President of Operations
Kim Paulsen Vice President General Manager Jason Brown Vice President of Digital
Nelson Saenz Vice President of IT

MuscleMag is
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2014 by Active
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All rights reserved.
Reproduction in
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The information
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THE SIMPLEST
IS STILL
THE BEST
If youve been tempted by
those late-night infomercials promising perfect abs,
put your credit card away turns out
the best exercise for a ripped middle
is free. When it comes to strengthening your rectus abdominis (the sixpack muscle that runs down the
front of your belly), the crunch beats
them all, says a study from the
American Council on Exercise (ACE).
Using electronic sensors, researchers tracked the muscle contractions of 16 volunteers while they
worked out their abs with crunches,
then the Ab Roller, Ab Wheel and Ab
Coaster. Despite the price tag and
high-volume promises of the three
latter pieces, the crunch outperformed them all in engaging the target muscle.
Of course, that doesnt necessarily mean the crunch is the best core
exercise, bar none for instance, in
our Best Abs department just a few
pages away, youll see a crunch-free
three-move routine that can roast
your midsection to a tight, crisp nish. But for a simple, no-frills approach, just remember that you
cant go wrong with the crunch.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

19

2:1

THE WORK TO REST INTERVAL RATIO THAT IS

CONSIDERED THE SWEET SPOT. IN OTHER WORDS, IF
YOURE SPRINTING FOR FOUR MINUTES, YOU SHOULD REST
FOR TWO BEFORE YOUR NEXT SPRINT. THIS WORK-REST
RATIO ALLOWS ENOUGH TIME FOR RECOVERY, ACCORDING TO
RESEARCH PUBLISHED IN THE APRIL 2014 EDITION OF THE
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH.

GRADE-A HAMS
WHAT ARE THE BEST MOVES
FOR BIGGER HAMSTRINGS?
According to researchers
from the University of
Memphis, the Romanian
deadlift and the glute-ham raise
are tops for maximizing hamstring involvement in the lift.
As published in the June 2014
issue of The Journal of Strength
and Conditioning Research, the
study examined the activity of the
hamstrings and surrounding
muscles in 12 weight-trained men
as they did four exercises: the leg
curl, good morning, glute-ham
raise and Romanian deadlift. The
men did duplicate trials of single
repetitions at 85 percent of their
one-repetition maximum for each

lift in random order, during which

surface electromyography and
joint angle data were obtained for
ive muscles: the erector spinae,
gluteus medius, semitendinosus,
biceps femoris and medial gastrocnemius. The result: The semitendinosus was substantially
more active than the biceps femoris among all exercises, while
hamstring activity was maximized during the Romanian and
glute-ham raise.
Youd certainly not discard
the curl and good morning based
on one study, but if youre looking
at which moves to prioritize,
think about doing the Romanian
deadlift and glute-ham early on
in your ham workout, when
youre at your strongest.

Romanian deadlift: Keep

your back straight and abs
tight to target the hams.

You Know
You're Training Too Much If ...
Tossing, turning,
wide awake as
the clock ticks
off the minutes you may
think lifes many stressors are
the culprit for your lack of
restful sleep. In reality, though,
it could be the one thing youve
used to get away from it all:
your time in the gym.
According to a study of 27
male triathletes published in
the April 2014 issue of Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise,
those who were overreaching
engaging in exercise that
caused physical overload
requiring more than 48 hours
of recovery did not see a

20

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

decline in performance, but did

experience a decrease in sleep
quality as measured by
duration, efciency and
amount of time they were
immobile. In addition, these
athletes had a higher
prevalence of upper
respiratory infections.
An overreached athlete can
easily become an overtrained
one. As you overreach, causing
your body to struggle to repair
itself, the fatigue builds up.
Soon, instead of recovering in
12 to 48 hours as you normally
would, your body simply
cannot keep up with the
training demand. Signs that you

are overreaching include

increased heart rate at rest and
when working with submaximal
loads, early fatigue while
training, and increased thirst,
especially at night. At that
point, a full recovery can take
anywhere from two weeks to
two months.
The key is to not let it get to
that point. If youve recently
bumped up your training
frequency or intensity, monitor
yourself closely, and dont be
afraid to add a few extra rest
days to your schedule. Better
too much rest now than months
of lost productivity later as you
slip into an overtrained state.

HOW YOUR LAST

BITE DETERMINES
WHEN YOULL EAT NEXT
THE BIGGER THE PORTION, THE LESS YOULL ENJOY THE
LAST FEW BITES, ACCORDING TO RESEARCH PUBLISHED
ONLINE BY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE. BUT HOW DO YOUR
PORTIONS AFFECT YOUR DESIRE FOR THAT FOOD AGAIN?

Researchers from Stanford and

Boston University asked 134
undergrads to try various
portions of Nut Thins crackers
and rate how much they
enjoyed each afterward.
Students who ate 15
crackers reported
signicantly lower
enjoyment than
those who ate
only three
crackers. More
importantly, the
enjoyment of the last cracker
seemed to inuence how soon
the students wanted to eat the
crackers again: Participants
who ate a small portion
typically opted to receive a
giveaway box of Nut Thins

sooner than did participants

who ate the larger portion.
The take home: The more you
eat of a food item, the less
youll enjoy it overall and crave
it again. Thats not what
food companies want
their large
portions may be
backring, causing
people to wait
longer to buy a
product again but
it also brings up an
interesting thought for tness
bus who occasionally cheat.
Should you eat more, thus
curbing future cravings of that
food, or just have a taste? This
research suggests opting for a
bigger binge (within reason).

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WANT
TO BUILD
BIGGER
BICEPS?
GET
SHAKING.
You know that vibration plate sitting in
the back of your gym, a
relic of a few years ago when the
new equipment had a moment in
the realm of itness Youll want to
dust it off. According to recent research in The Journal of Strength
and Conditioning Research, if you
perform your bicep curls using
the vibration machines cables,
youll activate more muscle ibers and increase your strength.
Researchers had 15 participants perform three different
arm exercises: biceps curl, triceps kickbacks and lateral raises using cables attached to a
vibration plate set at wide range of
accelerations (from 1.90 to 5.98 g)
and frequencies (from 25 to 40 Hz).
Muscular activation was recorded,
revealing that the vibration increased the activity of the biceps
brachii, triceps brachii, deltoid and
upper trapezius muscles signiicantly but, interestingly enough,
only when participants were doing
biceps curls.

NOT ALL PROTEIN

POWDERS ARE
THE SAME

Looking at a wall of protein powder

in your favorite supplement store
can be mind-blowing whey, casein,
soy, egg white and all sorts of blends
to boot. And theres a reason for the
variety: Your body processes each
type of protein dierently. Below is
your easy guide to which protein
powders might be best for you.
WHEY
Digests quickly, making it the optimal
postworkout drink.

CAS E I N

TH E TAKE HO ME :

Wh ile you don t wan t to buil d

you r bice ps rou tine aro und it
as you r anc hor exe rcis e, the
vibr atio n plate may be a goo d
stop as par t of a wellrou nde d arm rou tine.

[ONE WORD ANSWER]

SHOULD YOU BLEND YOUR

PROTEIN POWDERS?

YES

Each type of protein has its benefits, so

you dont want to rely exclusively on one.
Mixing gives you the best of all worlds
for instance, a whey and casein shake after workouts gives you
aminos that will act quickly as well as some that will take longer
to digest, feeding your recovery over a longer period.

22

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

Slows protein catabolism in the body

and the resulting muscle breakdown.
Takes longer to digest than whey protein does, making it good as a beforebed choice if youre in muscle-gain
mode.

S OY
Is a complete protein in plant form.
What that means is it has all the key
amino acids you need for growth, including leucine, isoleucine, valine, glutamine and arginine. Consider using it
if youre lactose-intolerant or a vegetarian. Like casein, it is also slow to digest, meaning it gets utilized by the
body over a longer period of time.

EG G W H I T E S
Is one of the best proteins you can consume. Its loaded with the all-important
branched-chain aminos and arginine,
and the body has an easy time breaking
it down and making use of the nutrients
it contains.

6 Things

To Know About Beta-Alanine

A relative newcomer to the sport
supplement aisle, beta-alanine
has held a lot of promise, but
what does it really do?
Researchers writing in The
Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research
decided to look at all the
available science to
nd out. Heres what
was uncovered:

While its not clear what eects

long-term beta-alanine
supplementation could have, the
popular belief is that it augments
intramuscular carnosine content.
The results are an increase in
muscle buer capacity a delay in
the onset of muscular fatigue and
leads to a better recovery during
repeated bouts of high-intensity
exercise.
2 Beta-alanine supplementation
appears to be most eective for
exercise tasks that test your
anarrobic threshold, such as highintensity intervals and Tabata-style
workouts.
3 It has shown signicant
enhancements in physical
performance, stamina and
recovery in untrained individuals.
4 Highly trained athletes
performing in competition
experience modest but potentially

worthwhile performance benets

from beta-alanine supplementation.
5 Recent data indicate that
athletes may also use beta-alanine
supplementation as a training aid to
augment bouts of high-intensity
training. It has also been shown to
increase resistance-training
performance and training volume
for team sport athletes, which may
allow for greater overload and
superior adaptations compared with
training alone.
6 The jury is still out about
beta-alaine supplementations
ergogenic potential (read:
performance, stamina and
recovery) for elite athletes
performing repeated high-intensity
exercise bouts, either during
training or during competition in
sports that require repeated
maximal eorts (e.g., rugby and
soccer).

ON SHELVES NOW

Free Yourself of Unwanted Fat

PHENBUTEROL FROM MUSCLEMEDS AIMS TO HELP BURN MORE BODY FAT.
ne relationship that
many people want to
end is the one they have
with excessive body fat. Unsightly and more than a little
clingy, its not always easy.
Phenbuterol from MuscleMeds contains multiple ingredients that generate uncoupling
protein 1 (UCP-1), which may
help target body fat in unique
ways, including supporting UCP1 with synergistic fat burners.
Heres why each ingredient was
chosen for this formulation.
Grains of Paradise, a key ingredient in Phenbuterol, boosts UCP1 because it contains 6-paradol, a
compound that upregulates UCP1 levels in your body. This protein
enhances fat burning in brown
adipose tissue (BAT), the good
type of stored body fat. While
most stored body fat is inert, BAT
is dynamic, feeding off the fat you
want to burn. This pathway is
unique, as most heat production

MuscleMeds
Phenbuterol is
formulated to
help ght fat
via two
metabolic
pathways.

and fat burning comes from ATP

production. Most supplements
stimulate fat burning by boosting
ATP production, which is effective, but combining these two
metabolic pathways is an even
better way to burn fat.
Phenbuterol also contains
Rauwolia serpentina, which
helps to boost the brain chemical norepinephrine, which may
allow your body to break down
more body fat. This supplement
then stimulates your central
nervous system (CNS), poten-

tially supporting greater fat

burning in problem areas such
as the glutes and abdomen. In
addition, Rauwolia boosts nitric oxide (NO) production, increasing blood low to muscle
tissue to drive better pumps.
Caffeine, another key ingredient in Phenbuterol, provides
central nervous system stimulation and boosts metabolism. In
addition, caffeine may increase
energy, blunt pain during workouts and improve strength and
focus.

REV UP WITH ANTIOXIDANTS

When it comes to eating for health, antioxidants are nutritional superstars. Found in fruits
and vegetables, these chemical compounds help our body heal from the stresses of life:
disease, pollution and training?
Turns out, yes. Antioxidants can help you recover from some of your hardest workout
sessions, according to a new study published in the Journal of the International Society of
Sports Nutrition. Researchers had 15 weight-trained men randomly take a proprietary
antioxidant supplement or a placebo four hours prior to workouts, which consisted of six
sets of 10 repetitions of 70 percent of a predicted one-rep-max load.
During the workout, concentric power signicantly decreased the rst set to the
sixth in the placebo group. Accumulated power output for the antioxidant group was
signicantly greater compared to the placebo. It seems taking an antioxidant
supplement prior to weight training improves muscle contraction performance
following completion of the resistance exercise.
Antioxidants have also been found to help ght off illness. So consider loading up
on them not only will they keep you lifting, they may help inrease your power, too.

24

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

Calorie

Burned
Are you devoted to your Fitbit,
Up24 or Nike FuelBand? If so, you
might want to read this. According to a study
published in February 2014 online before
publication in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the accuracy of these
activity monitors varies widely, with an error stat ranging from 9.3 percent to
a whopping 23.5 percent.
Iowa State University researchers compared the accuracy of eight
consumer tness trackers against lab equipment that also measures
energy expenditure. Sixty participants wore all eight of the trackers plus
the lab model while
performing 13 everyday
FITNESS TRACKER ERROR RATING
activities (from typing to
Fitbit Zip
10.1%
running) for 69 minutes.
Fitbit One
10.4%
Compared to the lab
Jawbone Up
12.2%
equipment, the
ActiGraph
12.6%
BodyMedia FIT was the
DirectLife
12.8%
best with a 9.3 percent
Nike
FuelBand
13%
error rating. Heres how
Basis Band
23.5%
the rest fared:

QUICK TRICK TO EAT BETTER

AFTER YOUR WORKOUT
A different outlook about
whether your training
is a chore or something that
you do for enjoyment might
motivate you to eat better
and therefore consume fewer
calories suggests a recent
study by Marketing Letters.
Fifty-six women were told to
either view a one-mile course

as exercise or as something
to just go out and enjoy. Those
who thought about it as exercise were more likely to reach
for junk food, consuming far
more calories than the other
group. When fitness itself is
rewarding and fun, food isnt
used as a postworkout reward,
the study suggests.

WHY YOUR PARENTS SHOULD

BE TAKING CREATINE
As we get older, sarcopenia (loss of muscle tissue) and
dynapenia (muscle-strength loss) can zap our ability to perform
everyday tasks. However, if you continue to weight train into old
age, creatine can help enhance your battle against these musclewasting conditions, suggests a meta-analysis published in Medicine & Science
in Sports & Exercise. Taking creatine during the ages of 58 to 69 while
following a resistance-training program enhances muscle mass gain, strength
and functional performance over resistance training alone. Looks like we
should be taking creatine in our golden years.

ON SHELVES NOW

GET READY TO GROW

 



DO IT:
Place one foot on a chair
ZKLOHVWDQGLQJRQWKHRRU'RD
VWDWLFVWUHWFKIRUVHFRQGV7KHQ
contract your hamstrings by pushing
LQWRWKHFKDLUDWSHUFHQWHRUWIRU
seconds, followed with another
VHFRQGVWDWLFVWUHWFK7KH
UHVHDUFKHUVIRXQGDVLJQLFDQWO\
greater range of motion in the hips
after the PNF stretching
compared to the static
VWUHWFKLQJ

26

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

contains beta-alanine, betaine

and others to boost strength and
sustain endurance.
Of course, as youd expect
from a preworkout product, it
also includes nitric oxide (NO)
boosters in its proprietary N.O.
Alpha usion blend, including citrulline, Salvia miltiorrhiza and
hawthorn extract.
NO is a gas molecule that allows blood vessels to relax so
that more blood, oxygen and
other nutrients are able to reach
your muscle tissue as youre
cranking out reps during your
most intense sets.
Thermic Energy supplies Nacetyl-tyrosine, caffeine and
grapefruit biolavonoids to stimulate body fat release, fueling

workouts. Caffeine also enhances

strength and blunts workout
pain.
Shock Composite contains
DMAE, lysine, and phenylalanine,
among others. DMAE supports
better mental function and supports strength and focus.
N.O.-plode comes in ive lavors: Fruit Punch, Blue Raz,
Watermelon, Grape and Green
Apple.

THE BEST STRETCH

YOU ARENT DOING
PROPRIOCEPTIVE
NEUROMUSCULAR
FACILITATION more
commonly referred to
as PNF is when you
contract the muscle
and then hold a stretch.
Turns out that the practice improves range
of motion better than
40 seconds of static
stretching, according to a study in The
Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research
published in January
2014. Whats more, the
researchers at William
Paterson University in

Wayne, New Jersey,

found that this normally partner-assisted
stretch methodology is
equally effective when
done solo.
USE IT RIGHT: Top off
your vigorous workouts
with PNF, since the
stretching protocol has
been shown to prevent
knots and realign muscle fi bers. Do it after
your workout three
times a week and focus
on two muscle groups
(see hamstrings at left)
a day to see improvements in flexibility.

WORKOUT ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL DUARTE

upplement industry researchers continue to

investigate the most eficacious combinations of ingredients and dosing to drive even
better gains and workout performance. BSN has taken advantage of these advances to deliver
a preworkout igniter that ires
on all cylinders. Heres a rundown of some key ingredients in
N.O.-plode and how they may
support your workouts.
The Myogenic Matrix uses
several forms of creatine, including monohydrate, anhydrous
and peptides from whey, taurine
and other ingredients to drive
ATP production for more intense
contractions when youre weight
training. The ndura Shot blend

10-MINUTE MOBILITY

QUAD ROLL STEP 1:

Begin by lying on your
stomach with a bumpy
roller under your thighs.

TAKING OUT
THE TRASH
FEELING ACHY AND TIGHT? YOUR MUSCLES
MAY NEED A CLEAN SWEEP TO RETURN
THEM TO OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE.

QUAD ROLL STEP 2: Slowly rotate your thighs to

the left and then right as far as is possible. Do not rotate
your hips, and keep your chest on the oor. Dont support
your body on your elbows. When you hold your torso off
the oor, you activate your hip exors, which includes
the center quadriceps muscle in the front of your thighs.
Relax your muscles as much as possible.

LAT ROLL STEP 1: Begin by lying on

your side with a roller under the back of your
shoulder, where your arm and body meet.

BY JEFF ALEXANDER

28

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

LAT ROLL STEP 2:

Slowly rotate your chest
toward the oor as you
breathe deeply.

LAT ROLL STEP 3:

Now rotate back toward
your shoulder blade as
you again breathe deeply.

LAT ROLL STEP 4:

Repeat three or more
rotations at the shoulder.

LAT ROLL STEP 5:

LAT ROLL STEP 6:

Roll 1 to 2 inches toward

your hips and repeat the
three lateral rolls.

Repeat the sequence all

the way down your side
and back.

PHOTOS BY JEFF ALEXANDER

Imagine your house if you never took out

the garbage. It would just keep piling up,
a hoarders paradise of trash, food scraps,
paper and used-up products. Soon it would be hard
to maneuver from room to room, and at some point,
all productive work would come to a halt.
Now picture that scene happening right now, inside your very own muscles.
Indeed, muscles build up all kinds of junk from
heavy weight training over time, including scar tissue, adhesions, trigger points and contraction knots.
At irst, they may not hinder you all that much especially in your younger years, when an amped-up
metabolism and a body geared for growth and repair
can outpace such damage but eventually, without
intervention, all that debris will compromise your
optimal muscle function.
Over time, your musculoskeletal system may
start to suffer from compartment syndrome, dysfunctional length-tension relationships and other
injuries that limit muscular growth.
Its time to take out the trash, physiologically
speaking. By practicing self-myofascial release
(SMR) i.e., self massage for ive to 10 minutes a day, you can start doing just that, optimizing your muscle function and clearing the path for
additional growth.
There are 0 speciic techniques in my Alexander Method of SMR, plus over 90 different stretches
and functional movements. You can learn more at
smrtips.com but to get started, Id suggest the
following four techniques.

QUAD ROLL STEP 4: After three or

more rotations, roll 2 to 3 inches higher on
your thighs to nd another spot.

QUAD ROLL STEP 3: :hen you nd a spot

of increased tension, hang out there for 3
seconds to a minute. Slowly bend and straighten
your knees to massage that tight spot.

This routine can

improYe circulation
and therefore deliYer
more nutrients to the
most important areas of
your body. t also helps
to haYe a knowledgeable
e[pert to turn to for
handson treatment
when you need it.
Nothing beats a licensed
bodywork professional
to clear out the junk you
cant handle by yourself.

PEC WALL
PRESS
STEP 1: %egin by

CALF ROLL STEP 1: Sit with your lower legs across a bumpy roller. 'ont
hold yourself up on your hands and roll lengthwise on your calYes this is the
most common mistake people make when rolling their calYes. When you do this,
you must support your weight with your lower leg muscles as you attempt to
massage the Yery muscles you are actiYating to support your weight. Rela[ and
this process works much better.

standing with your

chest against a
%eastie ball in its
base and pressed
against the wall.

PEC WALL PRESS

STEP 2: ([periment with

the e[act spot you need to

apply pressure to. t may take
a few pickupandplace
attempts before you nd it.

CALF ROLL STEP 2: Slowly rotate your legs left and right. )ind a tight spot

that doesnt want to rela[ and hold on that spot.

PEC WALL
PRESS
STEP 3: When

you nd a spot of
increased tension
itll probably hurt a
little, apply heaYy
pressure to it for 2
to 3 seconds by
leaning and using
your legs. %reathe
deeply and slowly.

CALF ROLL STEP 3: 0ake three slow clockwise and counterclockwise

circles with your foot. )eel that bumpy knot in your calf rolling oYer the knobs on
the roller as you moYe your foot. t should feel like thumbs working on your leg.
CALF ROLL STEP 4: Repeat steps two and three for three rounds.

PEC WALL
PRESS
STEP 4: Repeat

steps two and three

for up to si[ rounds.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

29

BEST ABS

Your Five-Minute Six-Pack Plan

RUNNING LOW ON TIME? NO

 
 

BY DOUG BALZARINI, CSCS, MMA-CC

30

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

START.
Allow your
body to hang
straight, head
to toe

ACTION. Flex
your abdominals
to bring your legs
up until theyre
straight out in
front of you

5-MINUTE ABS
EXERCISE
Hanging Leg Raise
Torso Rotation
Heavy Carries

dicular to a cable apparatus with a

D-handle aligned with your upper
abdominal area. Grasp the handle
in both hands and straighten your
arms out in front of you. Maintaining
a shoulder-width stance, rotate your
torso away from the resistance until
your hands line up with your outside
foot. Use your feet as boundaries
and keep the movement short from
foot to foot.
3) HEAVY CARRIES: Considering
the major mass builders like squats,
deadlifts and presses require a
tight, strong torso to do correctly,
heavy carries are quite possibly the
best exercise you arent doing right
now. Thats because they ratchet up
core strength in a unique way, forcing you to hold your torso solid as
you support a heavy weight while in
motion. To do it right, simply grab
two dumbbells or kettlebells, clean

SETS
2-3
2-3
2-3

REPS
10-12
10-12
40-50 paces

them up to the rack position at

shoulder level keeping your elbows in close to your body and in
front of you, your core lexed and
your torso upright and go for a
walk around the gym.
As youll see in the chart, we recommend three to four sets of the irst
two exercises, and two to three carries, but youll want to adjust as necessary beginners may need more
rest and take longer, and in that case
you can dial back the sets. There is
no magic number of sets and reps
its all about challenging your muscles and focusing on quality form,
and walking away knowing you gave
it everything youve got.

Doug Balzarini, CSCS, MMA-CC, has been the

strength coach for dozens of pro athletes
and was a coach on The Ultimate Fighter
reality show. DBstrength.com

PHOTO BY ROBERT REIFF

This issue features plenty

of mass-gain moves and
a nine-week workout designed for maximum muscle.
But man is not made on mass
alone. After all, we dont want to
simply be huge at all costs we
want diced abs, too. Thats where
the following workout comes in, allowing you to add a quick core session to the back end of at least one or
a handful of your weekly workouts.
Its just enough to keep your abs in
the game, without going off course
with additional attention they may
not need during size-up phases.
Attack the following three exercises in order, resting only enough
between sets to catch your breath
15 to 20 seconds at most if it
doesnt compromise your ability to
complete the next set.
1) HANGING LEG RAISE: For these,
you can either use a captains chair
(i.e., the upright bench built especially for abs, where your forearms
rest on pads and support your body),
Ab Slings if your gym has them or
you can go old-school and hang from
a pull-up bar. To start, let your legs
hang down and together, so your
body is straight head to toe. From
there, contract your abs to bring
your legs up in an arc in front of you
as high as you can, then slowly lower
them back to the start.
If your ab strength is lacking, you
can start with knee-ups, where you
bend your knees as you raise your
legs. As you get stronger, you can
add resistance by holding a medicine ball between your feet or knees.
2) TORSO ROTATION: Stand perpen-

CLEAN EATS

PALEO BLONDIES

DENSE TREAT THAT WILL HANDILY CRUSH EVEN THE MOST SAVAGE SWEET TOOTH.
BY ELKE NELSON, PH.D. / PHOTO BY ROBERT REIFF

INGREDIENTS:

MAKE IT:

3 eggs, room temperature

1 cup organic creamed coconut
1
/4 cup organic raw honey
11/2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
1
/2 teaspoon baking soda
1
/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt
1
/4 cup organic coconut our
1
/3 cup pecans, chopped
1
/3 cup dark chocolate chips/chunks
1 tablespoon coconut oil or coconut oil spray (for pan)
Optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Beat eggs in a medium/large mixing bowl. Melt
creamed coconut and add to the bowl, then mix in the remaining wet ingredients. In a
separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet
ingredients and mix. Spoon mixture into a greased 11-inch-by-7-inch brownie pan
and spread evenly across the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes
until the edges turn golden brown. Let cool and cut into squares. Store in the
refrigerator. Makes 15 squares/servings.

NUTRITION FACTS:
(per serving)
187 calories
3 grams protein
13 grams carbs
14 grams fat

32

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

GET STRONG

GOING THE
DISTANCE

STEP UP. Two plates can

PDNHDELJGLHUHQFHZKHQLW
comes to deadlifting.

FOR COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT, DONT

CUT YOURSELF SHORT IN THE GYM.
BY JOSH BRYANT

Every gym has at least one.

Youve seen him, but hopefully, you arent him.
Its the guy who lifts entirely too
much weight, allowing his ego to
overrun all rational thought. Hell
strain, hell sweat, hell rock and
contort his body and scream loudly,
all in an effort to move the bar or
dumbbells ... well, just a few measly
inches at best.
Stopping your reps short, of
course, allows you to lift more. You
can tell yourself how strong you
are, how you just crushed a new
personal best. And as long as you
dont have to prove it by demonstrating your heaps of strength to
others, all will be well.
Well, not really. Study after study
proves what is a relatively obvious
fact: A greater range of motion produces greater strength gains and
more robust amounts of muscle hypertrophy. Repping through a longer
range of motion, after all, means the
muscles are under stress longer
otherwise known as time under tension leading to greater amounts of
muscle damage and resulting repair
and growth.

LONGER EQUALS STRONGER

Mike MacDonald held the world
record in the bench press in the
242-pound weight class for close to
three decades. An interesting fact on
MacDonald is that he actually invented a specialized bar with a camber
in the middle to increase his bench
press range of motion. When asked
about it, he couldnt be more emphatic to me this bar is what helped him
build such hellacious pressing power.

34

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

Its not just benching. Virtually

every great deadlifter in powerlifting history has used extended range
of motion deadlifts to increase their
starting strength off the loor. Many
of the greatest squatters have used
deep pause squats, including legendary Ed Coan.
Many bodybuilders have used
longer range of motion to their advantage as well. Gustavo Badell, who
won three IFBB pro shows over a 14year career and came in third twice
at the Mr. Olympia, had impeccable
hamstring and back development in
his prime. His secret? I do my deadlifts standing on a deadlift platform,
he said, so I can get a much deeper
stretch and a better range of motion.
Whether youre main goal is
strength, stamina, size or function,
extending your range of motion pays
dividends. Here are a few ways to use
this tactic in your own training:
1. On back day, instead of using
conventional deadlifts, opt for

 For these, you

stand on a 1- to 3-inch elevated
surface to do your reps. If you
dont have a platform, trade out
your 45-pound plates for 25or 35-pound plates (which
allows you to get lower
to the loor in the down
position), or use a wider
snatch-grip
technique.
For hypertrophy, work in
a six- to 12-rep range, and for
strength, stick in a one- to ive-rep
range.
2. Trade your traditional barbell squat for an Olympic pause
Take a narrow stance with a
high bar position and squat as deep
as possible, pausing for one
second in the hole. For
hypertrophy, go for ive
to 10 reps each set, and
for strength, do one to ive
reps per set.
3. Trade the barbell for dumb Bench-pressing
with a barbell limits your range of
motion meaning youll want to
also include dumbbell pressing in
your chest routines. Instead of ixating on the weight of the dumbbells
youre handling, focus on the stretch
at the bottom of the movement.
4. For shoulders, opt for incline
dumbbell lateral raises over tra  Be sure to
accentuate the stretch at the bottom
of the movement. Aim for 10 to 15
reps per set.
5. To bomb your biceps, try incline dumbbell curls, emphasizing the stretch at the bottom of
 And for triceps, instead of
barbell skullcrushers, try neutralgrip dumbbell triceps extensions
to the side of your head, again emphasizing the stretch. Both of these
movements can be performed for
eight to 15 repetitions.

HEAT

HAVE BODY,
WILL TRAVEL
AS THE REIGNING BIKINI OLYMPIA
CHAMPION AND RECENTLY SIGNED
GASPARI NUTRITION ATHLETE, ASHLEY
KALTWASSER IS IN CONSTANT DEMAND.
HERES HOW SHE KEEPS HER PHYSIQUE
  

After discovering
the bikini division,
Kaltwasser did one
show and was
hooked.

BY CAREY ROSSI

BOOK A HOTEL ROOM WITH A MINI

I freeze my food and have a

small cooler to transport it, she says.
If I cant get a fridge in my room, I keep
illing the cooler with ice.
FRIDGE.

DO YOUR CARDIO OUTSIDE. Why run

on a treadmill in a tiny, uninspired
hotel gym when you could experience a
whole new environment? As altwasser
points out, running outdoors when
weather permits gives you a chance to
explore the area.

COMMIT TO THE CORE. Abdominal

training lends itself well to the outdoors. Ill do planks, V-ups and reverse
crunches when Im out for a run, altwasser says.
UP THE CALORIE BURN. Stairs are a potent cardio weapon, so if she comes by
a set, shell use them for anything from
simple up-and-down sprints to more
intense plyometrics like bunny hops,
single-leg hops and skip-step hops.

36

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

NAME:

Ashley
Kaltwasser
BIRTHDATE:

November
22, 1988
HOMETOWN:

Akron, Ohio
HEIGHT:

55
WEIGHT:

122 pounds
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

2014 Bikini
Olympia
Champion;
2014 Bikini Arnold
International
Champion
SPONSORS:

Gaspari Nutrition
Athlete; FMG
Fitness
Management
Group Athlete

PHOTO BY ROBERT REIFF

While shes out

on her run, altwasser keeps her eye
out for items that can double as gym
equipment, including scaffolding and
benches, where she can do anything
from pull-ups to incline push-ups to
dips. Just make sure the area is safe,
she adds. She sometimes brings along
a TRX Suspension Trainer one of her
favorite training tools to hook it up
to ixed objects, immediately expanding
her exercise arsenal.
WORKOUT ON THE GO.

-(:;,9
MARKUS PERNER
CEO/FOUNDER

9,:<3;:
Designed to optimize your training
for faster, more impressive results.
Every 1-serving scoop provides
ample compounds to accelerate
energy levels, build muscle
mass, reduce fatigue and
improve recovery time. Mix it
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andTHZZP]LNHPUZ

ENTER PROMO CODE

44:,7; AT CHECKOUT

^^^30-;(.:769;JVT
2014 LIFTAG SPORT All Rights Reserved. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Read all labels before using.

AVERAGE
HAS A DRAWER FULL
OF PARTICIPANT RIBBONS

THE BEST HARDCORE LINE JUST

GOT BETTER. GUARANTEED.

The undisputed leader in hardcore sports nutrition

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that crush the competition and fuel an insane physique
LEARN MORE AT GNC.COM/BEYONDRAW

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Call 1.800.477.4462 or visit GNC.com for the store nearest you. 2014 General Nutrition Corporation. May not be available outside the U.S.

SUPPLEMENT REVIEW

LINE DRIVE
TRY THESE THREE PERFORMANCE DRIVEN
PRODUCTS FOR BETTER RESULTS BEFORE,
DURING AND AFTER WORKOUTS.

The new
Performance Driven
line was created with
various physical
pursuits in mind,
from muscle building
to on-the-eld
athletic success.

BY DUANE ROWLAND

Your body has unique

needs before, during and
after workouts, so its
important that you address all of
these critical moments when your
goal is to maximize performance
and build muscle.
With that in mind, Dymatize
has created the new Performance
Driven line of products. With each
entry designed for a speciic workout phase, youll leave no nutritional
stone unturned in your quest for
gains. Heres how each supplement
in the Performance Driven line its
into a complete program:
PREWORKOUT: PREP WITH
AMINO ACIDS AND CENTRAL
NERVOUS SYSTEM STIMULATORS.

To get the most from your workouts, you want a preworkout product that supplies a range of amino
acids and compounds, including
beta-alanine, BCAAs and creatine.
Why?
Beta-alanine
boosts
strength and endurance, and creatine fuels ATP production. Studies show they work even better together. BCAAs provide aminos that
are available while youre training
because they are absorbed quickly.
In addition, look for nitric oxide (NO) boosters and energy enhancers. These include agmatine,
caffeine and beetroot extract.
Agmatine supports production of
NO, allowing greater blood low to
working muscle tissue. Beetroot
extract supports circulation and
endurance. Caffeine not only gives
you an instantaneous jolt, but it
also supports strength.
M.P.ACT from Dymatizes Perfor-

40

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

mance Driven line contains all these

ingredients. Take in one scoop of
M.P.ACT before workouts.
INTRAWORKOUT: CONTINUE
TO FUEL WITH ADDITIONAL
AMINOS TO SUSTAIN ENERGY AND
PERFORMANCE.

Many people overlook the importance of fueling their bodies while

they train. At this time, you likely
dont want to take in a lot of calories,
but you can support your workouts
by ingesting more BCAAs, electrolytes, taurine and citrulline.
BCAAs bypass the liver, going
directly to your working muscles
where they help minimize muscle
breakdown and drive repair while
youre training. Electrolytes, particularly sodium and potassium, help
keep your luid balances in check so
that you dont get dehydrated during
intense workouts.
Citrulline is an amino acid known
for boosting your bodys NO production. Citrulline converts to arginine,
another amino thats crucial for generating this gas molecule that delivers blood, oxygen and nutrients to
muscle tissue. Perhaps surprisingly,
research shows that supplementing
with citrulline is more effective for
boosting arginine levels than taking
arginine itself.
Taurine, another amino, improves endurance because it may

reduce lactic acid in muscle tissue,

keeping you energized for longer.
Amino Pro from Dymatize contains all these ingredients. Mix one
scoop of Amino Pro with water for
each 30 to 45 minutes of exercise,
and consume the beverage throughout your workout.
POSTWORKOUT: RECOVER
WITH BCAAS AND KEY
METABOLITES.

Immediately after workouts, you

want ingredients that help you recover and grow for better long-term
performance and muscle growth. At
this time, you want to support muscle-protein synthesis (anabolism)
and minimize muscle breakdown
(catabolism) caused by training.
Taking BCAAs, leucine metabolites
and whey protein can help you
achieve all of this.
BCAAs not only fuel workouts,
but they also help you recover more
quickly at the end of your training
sessions. Leucine is the most important of the BCAAs, so look for products that are higher in this amino
than other BCAAs (look for a 2:1:1 ratio speciically), and also opt for leucine metabolites, including HICA and
KIC. Whey, meanwhile, is a fast-digesting source of protein that starts
the recovery process more quickly
than many other proteins.

STRENGTHEN
YOUR
RESULTS
We all have that competitive drive. Whether you are stepping on stage, lifting heavy weight, or
trying to run a better time, you are always striving to be better than yesterday. To optimize your
results, it takes more than just hard work at the gym. You have to stay disciplined with your
training, nutrition, and supplementation.
Let HMB strengthen your results. Studies have shown that supplementing with HMB during
training is proven to increase strength, improve endurance, and aid in a faster recovery.
Check out HMB.org to see why so many elite athletes like you take HMB. Read about the science
behind the product. Then follow the links to purchase HMB to start strengthening your results.

Visit www.HMB.org/mm

HMB is developed, licensed, and marketed by Metabolic Technologies, Inc.

Individuals providing testimonies in ads are sponsored athletes or have received the
ingredient HMB as a gift from Metabolic Technologies Inc.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

#AimFitness

START

HERE

MUSCLEMAG
MASS-GAIN
SPECIAL
WHETHER YOU WA N T TO GET HUGE
OR JUST A DD A FEW SOLID POUNDS OF
MUSCLE, THE NEXT 70 PAGE S A RE FOR
YOU: AN ALL -I N-ONE TOOL K IT
FOR PACKING ON SERIOUS SIZE.
BY THE EDITORS

bodybuilders have used for decades into a twostep plan the irst ive weeks creating a foundation, while the inal four ramp up the intensity.
On the training front, youll also ind 48 pages
outlining the best muscle-building exercises ever
devised, one page each, all on heftier paper so
you can snip and save them for years of reference.
In addition, we outline a perfect day of
mass-gain nutrition for those who prefer a
complete one size its all solution as well as
a rundown of supplement stacks strategically
geared for various goals aimed at those who are
more do it yourself types.
Architecture starts when you carefully put
two bricks together, van der Rohe also said. So it
goes with building, it does with weightlifting: To
inish, you irst need to begin. Turn the page to do
just that.

Listen we could get cute here. Tell

you how building the human body is
a pursuit of the highest artistic order.
Point out the similarities between
architecture, the sculpting of buildings and the
sculpting of muscle. That both endeavors begin
with nothing more than a vision in the minds
eye, take root only with proper planning, require a solid foundation and, in the end, are a
product of what heart and soul we pour into it.
But philosophical musings are unnecessary.
As a famous architect youve never heard of
before, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, reminds us,
Less is more. So in the following special section of MuscleMag, we dispense with the niceties
and give you all the basic tools you need to grow.
It begins with nine weeks worth of mass-gain
workouts, assembling the proven techniques

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

43

OUR NINE-WEEK MUSCLE UP PLAN

ITS A SIMPLE, UNIVERSAL GOAL AMONG ALL MEN: MORE MUSCLE. HERES
THE NO-BS, NO-FRILLS, NO-EXCUSES BLUEPRINT TO HELP YOU ADD UP
TO 10 POUNDS OF LEAN, POWERFUL MASS IN NINE WEEKS.
BY MICHAEL BERG, NSCA-CPT | PHOTOS BY ROBERT RIEFF

LIFT, EAT, REST, REPEAT. Its the magic formula for

growth. Do those four things right, and theres no doubt
youll make gains.
That said, it helps to have a blueprint to follow in the
gym. Here, using a selection of the movements highlighted in the 48 Best Mass-Building Exercises section youll
ind starting on Page 58, along with a few variations
demonstrated in these pages by our cover athlete, Brandan Fokken, we have created a nine-week, two-phase
program. Its designed to build a foundation of strength
and muscle mass, and includes a split that focuses on various aspects of your structure the major bodyparts

that you need to develop for optimal results.

You can adjust the plan based on your needs. For instance, if youre newer to training, say, three to six months
of experience, you may want to go longer on Part 1, up to
three months or so, before transitioning to Part 2.
You can also cycle through the plan more than once, going back and forth between the two phases over time while
mixing in a higher-rep (12 to 20 per set) program to keep
your systems off-balance and responding.
Whatever route you choose, one thing is certain: Youll
be making use of the best exercises ever devised, putting
you on track to inishing your dream body on schedule.

<<<

DUMBBELL UPRIGHT ROW

This move is similar to the EZbar upright row, except
switching out the bar for
dumbbells. Keep the bells close
to your body on the way up and
down, and get your elbows high,
as Brandon Fokken
demonstrates here.

PART 1
(WEEKS 15):
SETTING THE FOUNDATION
Split the following four workouts
over a seven-day week. So you could
do Workouts 1 and 2 on Monday and
Tuesday, and Workouts 3 and 4 on
Thursday and Friday, for instance.
Focus on gaining strength, taking
advantage of the rest days. For abs,
see the Best Abs article on Page 30
of this issue for a ive-minute core
session you can tack to the end of
one to two workouts per week.

WORKOUT 01

WORKOUT 02
CHEST AND SHOULDERS

LEGS
EXERCISE
Barbell Squat
Leg Press
Romanian Deadlift
Leg Extension
Lying Leg Curl
Walking Lunge
Standing Calf Raise

46

FALL 2014

SETS
5
5
4
5
5
4
5

musclemag.com

REPS
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
12, 10, 8, 6
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
12, 12, 10, 10
20, 15, 12, 10, 8

EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Incline Barbell Press
5
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press
5
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Incline Flye
4
12, 10, 8, 6
Push-Up
3 25, 25, to failure
Standing Barbell Press
5
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Upright Row
4
12, 10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Bent-Over Dumbbell Raise
4
10, 10, 10, 10

<<<

ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW

On Page 74, this move is shown in
LWVWUDGLWLRQDOVW\OHRRIDDW
EHQFK%XWQRQHHGWRIRUWKH
EHQFK\RXFDQMXVWJRULJKWR
WKHUDFNHVSHFLDOO\KHOSIXODV\RX
work up to the heavier weights.

WORKOUT 03

WORKOUT 04

BACK

ARMS

EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Bent-Over Barbell Row
5
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
Barbell Deadlift
5
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
Pull-Up
5 20, 15, 12, 10, to failure
One-Arm Dumbbell Row 5
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Shrug
5
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
Back Extension*
4
to failure

EXERCISE
SETS
Close-Grip Bench Press
5
Lying EZ French Press
5
Cable Pushdown
4
Standing Barbell Curl
5
EZ-Bar Preacher Curl
5
Dumbbell Concentration Curl
4
Barbell Wrist Curl
4

* This move isnt in our 48 Best Mass Exercises, but its still a valuable corestrengthening move. Perform on a back extension bench put your heels
behind the ankle pads for support and lower yourself at the hips from a bodystraight position until your torso and legs form a 90-degree angle.

REPS
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
12, 10, 8, 6
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
15, 12, 10, 8, 6
12, 10, 8, 6
15, 12, 10, 8

Stand in front of a high cable pulley and grasp a short-bar attachment with
a neutral grip. With your knees slightly bent, lean forward a touch at the
waist and position your elbows close to your sides as your bring your lower
arms parallel to the oor. Flex your triceps and press the bar downward until
your arms are fully extended. Squeeze your triceps and hold for a brief count
before returning to an elbows-at-90-degrees position.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

47

WEEKS 69:
RAISING THE
STRUCTURE
In these inal four
weeks, youll bump up
the intensity by doing
ive workouts per week,
thus starting the cycle
over one day sooner and
hitting each bodypart
slightly more than once
per week on average.
So if you do Workout 1
on Monday, Workout 2
on Tuesday, Workout
3 on Thursday (after
a rest day), Workout 4
on Friday, youll start
over with Workout 1 on
Saturday before another
rest day, going right
back to it on Monday
with Workout 2.
The reps have
dropped a bit, but with
a reason: Youll be going heavier, choosing
weights that cause you
to fail at the listed rep
target. Never let up, and
push yourself as hard
as you can: The key is
the stronger you get,
the more growth youll
stimulate, especially if
you make sure to eat for
maximum mass (see the
article that follows on
Page 52).

WORKOUT 01

<<<

BACK
EXERCISE
Pull-Up
Barbell T-Bar Row
Deadlift
Pulldown to Front
Seated Cable Row
Dumbbell Pullover
Back Extension

48

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

SETS
5
5
5
5
4
4
4

REPS
20, 15, 12, 10, to failure
12, 10, 8, 6, 5
10, 10, 10, 8, 6
10, 10, 10, 8, to failure
10, 10, 8, to failure
10, 10, 8, 6
25, 25, 25, 25

BARBELL T-BAR ROW The T-bar

URZDSSDUDWXV\RXQGLQPRVWJ\PV
WKHVHGD\VGLGQWDOZD\VH[LVW%XWLI
\RXKDYHDEDUEHOODQGVRPHZHLJKW
SODWHV\RXGRQWQHHGLWMXVWVWLFN
RQHHQGRIWKHEDULQWRDFRUQHUORDG
WKHRWKHUVLGHXSVWUDGGOHLWJUDVSLW
ZLWKD9KDQGOHIURPDFDEOHDSSDUDWXV
LI\RXSUHIHUEXW\RXFDQVLPSO\GRD
KDQGRYHUKDQGJULSVW\OHWRRDQGURZ

CHEST, BICEPS & FOREARMS

EXERCISE
SETS
Flat-Bench Barbell Press
6
Incline Dumbbell Press
5
Decline Barbell Press
4
Flat-Bench Dumbbell Flye
4
Pec-Deck Flye
4
Standing EZ-Bar Curl
4
Dumbbell Preacher Curl
4
Dumbbell Concentration Curl
3
Barbell Behind-the-Back Wrist Curl 4

REPS
15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5
12, 10, 8, 6, 5
12, 10, 8, 6
10, 10, 8, 6
10, 10, 8, 6
12, 10, 8, 6
12, 10, 8, 6
10, 8, 6
15, 12, 10, 8

<<<

WORKOUT 02

STANDING EZ-BAR CURL Whether

you curl with a barbell or an EZ-bar
doesnt much matter with regard to
your biceps development, truth be
told, both are excellent mass builders.
7KDWVDLGWKH(=EDUPD\RHUVRPH
comfort for the wrists, and it ever-soslightly changes the muscle
recruitment pattern of the movement,
so youll want to keep both as regulars
in your exercise arsenal.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

49

<<<
WORKOUT 03

WORKOUT 04

LEGS

SHOULDERS, TRICEPS & FOREARMS

EXERCISE
Barbell Front Squat
Hack Squat
Dumbbell Step-Up
One-Leg Extension
Lying Leg Curl
Walking Lunge
Leg-Press Calf Raise
Seated Calf Raise

50

FALL 2014

ONE-LEG EXTENSION Doing leg

H[WHQVLRQVXQLODWHUDOO\LVEHQHFLDOIRU
one major reason: A dominant, stronger
TXDGULFHSVZRQWRYHUFRPSHQVDWHIRUD
ZHDNHURQH7KDWPHDQV\RXFDQSXVK
ERWKLQGLYLGXDOO\WRWKHLUIDLOXUHSRLQW
ZKLFKHYHQWXDOO\VKRXOGUHVXOWLQPRUH
HYHQGHYHORSPHQWRIERWKWKLJKV

SETS
6
5
4
5
5
4
4
4

musclemag.com

REPS
15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5
12, 10, 8, 6, 5
12, 10, 10, 8
12, 12, 10, 8, 6
12, 12, 10, 8, 6
15, 12, 10, 8
15, 12, 10, 8
15, 12, 10, 8

EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Seated Barbell Press
6 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5
Arnold Press
4
12, 10, 8, 6
EZ-Bar Upright Row
3
10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
4
10, 10, 8, 6
Bent-Over Dumbbell Raise
4
10, 10, 8, 6
Barbell Shrug
4
12, 10, 8, 6
Close-Grip Bench Press
5
12, 10, 8, 6, 5
Seated Two-Hand Overhead Extension 3
10, 8, 6
Parallel-Bar Dip
3 10, 8, to failure
Reverse-Grip EZ-Bar Curl
4
15, 12, 10, 8

THE

PERF
OK, so it wont happen
overnight, but using this daylong
guide as a template can help you
build a better, bigger body in the
course of a few months.
BY JORDANA BROWN

FECT
N
I
A
G
S
S
MA

ere all for autonomy, and were

deep believers in free will, but
sometimes theres nothing better
than being told what to do. Making your own
choices all the time is liberating and a huge
amount of work particularly when selfdoubt enters the picture. Am I doing the right
thing? Am I making the right choices? Well,
hardgainers and anyone else who wants to
add some quality mass get ready to take orders. In the next few pages, were going to take
all the guesswork out of gaining mass and will
give you the exact recipe for an average day:
what to eat, what to take and when to get big.
What follows is the ideal one-day meal plan
for a workout day on a mass-gain diet. (On
rest days, omit the preworkout and postworkout meals and replace with a midafternoon
snack similar in composition to the midmorning snack.) To make this plan easy to adopt,
weve included a breakdown of calories and

protein, carb and fat content for each meal,

though its more critical to meet the daily totals than make every meal match what weve
created. (There are two meals preworkout and postworkout that have stricter
guidelines. Also note that you should move
these two meals according to your particular
workout schedule.)
As a rule of thumb, you should be eating 20
calories per pound of bodyweight, and protein
and carb intake is calculated in a similar way.
Protein intake should be between 1.5 and 2
grams per pound (so 270 to 360 grams per
day for our hypothetical 180-pound person),
and carbs should be no more than 2 grams per
pound (360 grams per day for the same guy).
There is no harm in following a diet like this
one as long as it helps you reach your mass
goals, but deinitely stick with it for at least
two months to give yourself a chance to see
signiicant increases.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

53

WAKE UP

6 A.M.

EAT: Nothing
TAKE: 3 to 5 g nitric-oxide (NO) booster
NOTES: There are two reasons for having an NO booster waiting on your bedside table. One is that you need to take a lot of it
throughout the day, so starting early ensures that youll meet your
totals. And two, the amino acid arginine found in NO boosters is
required by other systems in the body. Taking it on an entirely
empty stomach increases the likelihood that more of it will be
available to do what it does best for muscles: dilate blood vessels to allow more nutrients to get to muscle tissue and improve
muscle recovery, muscle growth and strength.

PRE-BREAKFAST
EAT: 1 scoop whey protein,

1 banana (190 calories, 21 g protein, 28 g carbs, 0 g fat)

TAKE: 500 to 1,000 mg vitamin

C, 5 g branched-chain amino acids

(BCAAs), 3 to 5 g glutamine, 1 to
1.5 g carnitine
NOTES: After sleeping for (hopefully) seven-plus hours, your body
is in a fragile state. It has most likely
resorted to catabolism (breaking
down muscle mass) because you
havent eaten since the previous
night, so returning your body to
an anabolic state, in which it
builds up muscle mass,
is your top priority.
Two nutrients
will help

put an end to catabolism: fast-acting

amino acids and fructose. A whey
protein shake, being a liquid, doesnt
have to undergo much digestion
in the body before its aminos are
released and travel to muscle tissue.
Meanwhile, though the banana is
a whole food, and therefore does
require some digestion, it contains
large amounts of fructose, which unlike glucose needs to be metabolized
by the liver. Because catabolism is
controlled by the level of glycogen
stored in the liver (too low and
catabolism begins), sending fructose
there quickly reills glycogen stores
and ends catabolism.
On the supplement front, taking
vitamin C will protect the NO levels
you boosted a half-hour before.
BCAAs are the three

6:30 A.M.

aminos (leucine, isoleucine and

valine) most critical to promoting
anabolism, while glutamine also
promotes muscle growth (not to
mention immune function and
digestion) and carnitine boosts
the number of testosterone receptors on
muscle cells, meaning
your muscles can make
better use of the amount
of testosterone you already have circulating in your body.

BR EA K FA ST

8 A.M.

EAT: 3 eggs plus 3 egg whites (scrambled),

2 cups cooked oatmeal, 1 ounce almonds

(736 calories, 48 g protein, 56 g carbs, 34 g
fat)
TAKE: 1 multivitamin, 1,000 IU vitamin D, 2 to

3 g conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)

NOTES: Like all the rest of the days main
meals, breakfast is composed of high-quality
protein, whole-grain carbs and healthy fats.
Taking a multivitamin ensures that you meet all
your daily vitamin and mineral needs, but because theres a limit to how much of each that
companies can it in one pill, we recommend
taking supplemental doses of certain vitamins.
Take vitamin D, for example. Most multivitamins only include the Recommended Daily

Allowance of vitamin D, which scientists now

agree is well below what the body needs.
Vitamin D is implicated in improving bone
health and reducing the risk of diseases
like cancer and multiple sclerosis, but it
also binds to receptors on muscle tissue
and boosts protein synthesis and
how well muscles contract both of
which will have a positive effect
on mass. And CLA inluences
fat-burning and muscle
growth.

MIDMORNING SNACK

10 A.M.

EAT: 8 ounces low-fat (1%) cottage cheese, 1 cup sliced pineapple,

5 Ak-Mak whole-wheat crackers, 2 tablespoons peanut butter

(546 calories, 42 g protein, 51 g carbs, 20 g fat)
TAKE: Nothing
NOTES: With protein (cottage cheese), slow-digesting carbs (pineapple,
crackers) and healthy fats (peanut butter) all present and accounted for, this
snack may seem more like a meal. The goal, though, is not just to ill your
belly but also to get in the right kind of calories in the right amounts.

LUNCH

12 P.M.

EAT: 4 slices whole-wheat bread,

8 ounces deli turkey meat, 1 medium

sliced tomato, 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise, 2 cups salad, 1 tablespoon olive
oil and vinegar salad dressing, 1 medium
peach (714 calories, 61 g protein, 79 g
carbs, 17 g fat)
TAKE: 2 to 3 g CLA
NOTES: Youll see that CLA makes another appearance at this meal because it,
too, like nitric oxide, is a supplement that
is required in large doses and therefore
should be split up throughout the day. Its
known primarily for its ability to reduce
body fat (particularly in the abdominal area), but several studies have also
shown that taking CLA can increase lean
mass, i.e., grow muscles, too.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

55

90 MINUTES
PREWORKOUT

4 P.M.

EAT: Nothing
TAKE: 200 to 400 mg caffeine,

3 to 5 g NO booster
NOTES: The preworkout period is yet
another critical nutrition window. Preparing your body for the training to come can
be the difference between a killer workout
and a waste of time, and the prep starts
early. Caffeine not only increases alertness
but also increases strength and reduces
the pain that hard workouts can induce.
Equally important is another dose
of the NO booster, which
will dilate blood vessels
to allow protein and
other nutrients
to reach your
muscle tissue.

30 MINUTES
PREWORKOUT

5 P.M.

EAT: 1 scoop whey protein powder, 1/2 cup unsweetened

applesauce (186 calories, 20 g protein, 26 g carbs, 0 g fat)

TAKE: 1.5 to 3 g carnitine, 5 g glutamine, 5 to 10 g BCAAs, 500

to 1,000 mg vitamin C, 3 to 5 g creatine

NOTES: Thirty minutes before working out, feed your body
about 20 grams of fast-digesting protein and about 20 grams of
slow-digesting carbs. This will ensure that you have ample energy to complete the type of workout necessary to help build the
mass youre after and also that your muscles will be well-stocked
with protein. Weve already told you about most of the supplements youre taking here, but you should note that creatine increases the amount of luid in muscle cells, which actually spurs
them to grow permanently.

POST WOR K OU T
EAT: 1 scoop whey protein pow-

der, 1 scoop casein protein powder,

2 slices white bread, 2 tablespoons
jelly (449 calories, 47 g protein, 59
g carbs, 3 g fat)
TAKE: 5 to 10 g BCAAs, 1.5 to 3 g

carnitine, 5 g glutamine
NOTES: After workouts, your body
needs at least 40 grams of protein
and between 60 and 100 grams of
carbs. Contrary to every previously held exercise science belief,
slow-digesting casein protein is
now recommended as a postworkout protein because research has
shown that taking it in a 1:1 ratio
with whey protein after workouts

56

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

7 P.M.

increases lean mass. Meanwhile,

the postworkout period is the time
to get in all the fast-digesting carbs
youve been craving. They jack up
insulin levels, which in turn propel
all that protein
into the muscle
cells to begin the
work of ixing all
the micro-tears
your workout created. Our menu
here is fairly sedate, so substitute
angel food cake
or jelly beans if
youre looking

to quiet your sweet tooth while

promoting muscle recovery.
The supplements should look familiar by now, and taken after workouts, they will aid in recovery and
growth. Glutamine,
like creatine, adds
volume to muscle
cells, which will
increase their size.
BCAAs can add to the
insulin surge youll
get from the fast
carbs, and having a
surplus in your body
will further boost
muscle growth.

DINNER

8 P.M.

EAT: 8 ounces top sirloin, 1 large sweet potato,

1 cup chopped broccoli, 2 cups salad, 1 tablespoon

olive oil and vinegar salad dressing (595 calories,
58 g protein, 51 g carbs, 16 g fat)
TAKE: 2 to 3 g sh oil, 2 to 3 g CLA
NOTES: Like all the meals on this plan, dinner includes lean protein (yes, steak can be lean you just
have to be careful on which cuts to buy) and slowdigesting carbs. Sweet potatoes, unlike their white
counterpart, are not only slow-digesting but also full
of beneicial vitamins, like beta-carotene.
Taking healthy fats with meals is essential because they require fat to be absorbed. Fish oil, which
contains omega-3 fatty acids, promotes cardiovascular health, but it can also prevent muscle breakdown
and boost growth. CLA is also a healthy fat, so taking
more with meals ensures optimal absorption.

BEDTIME

11 P.M.

EAT: 1 scoop casein protein, 1 table-

spoon peanut butter (214 calories, 27 g

protein, 7 g carbs, 9 g fat)
TAKE: 5 to 10 g glutamine

At bedtime, the goal is to avoid

foods that may be stored as fat (i.e.,
carbs) while focusing on foods that will
prevent catabolism for as long as possible through the night (i.e., protein).
Protein is essential, and casein is the
primary choice because it is not immediately broken down by the body. Eating
healthy fats with it will further slow
digestion.
In addition to its other beneits,
glutamine can also increase growth-hormone levels, so taking it before bed can
maximize those levels overnight, when
theyre naturally highest.
NOTES:

AVOIDING ACHES
AND PAINS

ONE HOUR
BEFORE
BEDTIME 10 P.M.
EAT: Nothing

This mass-gain day constitutes a recipe of

sorts, one that if followed will yield major
mass gains. But theres one element
missing the training. Eating well is
critical, but without the gym, little mass
will be made. However, training hard is
associated with bumps and bruises on
top of the regular old soreness that
comes from a hard workout. Keeping a
KDQGOHRQLQDPPDWLRQDQGSDLQ
resulting from those types of everyday
injuries is critical to avoiding overtraining.

TAKE: 1 dose ZMA

NOTES: ZMA stands for zinc magnesium asparatate, and taking those two
minerals together replenishes any that
your body has lost through sweating. It
works best on an empty stomach, and magnesium promotes sleep, which is why you take it before bed. It also aids
recovery so that you dont risk overtraining, and boosts the
levels of key anabolic hormones, always good things to have
lowing through your circulatory system.

ONE SOLUTION: The centuries-old

homeopathic remedy arnica, which has
DQWLLQDPPDWRU\DQGDQWLVZHOOLQJ
HHFWVDQGFDQEHDFRXQWHULUULWDQW
GUDZLQJFLUFXODWLRQWRDHFWHGDUHDV
Whether used topically as an ointment or
dissolved under the tongue as a tablet,
arnica can keep you in the gym longer
and more consistently.

48

BEST MASS
BUILDING
EXERCISES

COMPILED BY
THE MUSCLEMAG EDITORS
PHOTOS BY
ROBERT REIFF

FROM LEGS TO
SHOULDERS
AND ALL KEY
MUSCLE GROUPS
IN BETWEEN, THE
FOLLOWING
PAGES GIVE YOU
EVERYTHING
YOU NEED TO
MAXIMIZE
SIZE, SHAPE
AND DETAIL.

THE LIST
1 Barbell Squat
2 Romanian Deadlift
3 Leg Press
4 Front Squat
5 Hack Squat
6 Dumbbell Step-Up
7 Leg Extension
8 Lying Leg Curl
9 Dumbbell Walking Lunge
10 Standing Calf Raise
11 Leg Press Calf Raise
12 Seated Calf Raise
13 Bent-Over Barbell Row
14 Pull-Up
15 Deadlift
16 One-Arm Dumbbell Row

58

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

17 T-Bar Row
18 Pulldown to Front
19 Seated Cable Row
20 Incline Barbell Press
21 Incline Dumbbell Press
22 Flat-Bench Barbell Press
23 Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press
24 Incline Dumbbell Flye
25 Decline Barbell Press
26 Pec-Deck Flye
27 Push-Up
28 Dumbbell Pullover
29 Standing Barbell Press
30 Seated Barbell Press
31 Arnold Press
32 Dumbbell Lateral Raise

33 Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise

34 EZ-Bar Upright Row
35 Barbell Shrug
36 Dumbbell Shrug
37 Close-Grip Bench Press
38 Lying EZ-Bar French Press
39 Parallel-Bar Dip
40 Seated Two-Hand Overhead Dumbbell Extension
41 Standing Barbell Curl
42 EZ-Bar Preacher Curl
43 Alternating Dumbbell Curl
44 Dumbbell Preacher Curl
45 Dumbbell Concentration Curl
46 Barbell Wrist Curl
47 Barbell Behind-the-Back Wrist Curl
48 Reverse-Grip EZ-Bar Curl

01

BARBELL SQUAT
The barbell squat has long been considered the king of exercises, and with good
reason. While its main target is the powerful prime movers of your lower half, it actually
stimulates muscle adaptation and growth throughout the body, calling on all areas of
your torso for stabilization while the gluteus maximus, quadriceps and hamstrings
activate at the knees and hips to drive the body from a squatting to standing position. If
you were told you could only do one exercise, this is the one youd want to choose.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Gluteus maximus, quadriceps
and hamstrings primarLO\ZLWKV\QHUJLVWLFHHFWV
throughout your musculoskeletal system.

DO:
Maintain the
protective arch
of your lower back
by holding your core
tight throughout.

DONT:
Shorten your range
RIPRWLRQLQDQHRUWWR
lift more weight. Quarter-rep
squats can be used as a method
to break through a sticking point,
but for regular squatting, you
want to at least get to parallel position your thighs
SDUDOOHOWRWKHRRU

VARIATIONS: Used too

often and it can become a
crutch, but doing squats
LQD6PLWKPDFKLQHRHUV
a relatively safe avenue to
learn the motion. You can
also do dumbbell squats
holding the dumbbells
at your sides if youre
training at home without a
spotter or a power rack.

USES: The barbell

squat is the best exercise
IRUWKHOHDGRSRVLWLRQ
of a thigh workout,
provided you do ample
warm-ups, which can
include a treadmill jog,
leg extensions and
lighter squat sets as
you pyramid up to your
working weights.

STARTING POSITION:
Stand upright holding a bar
across your upper back with
your feet about shoulderwidth apart, knees a little
bent (not locked out) and
your toes turned out a few degrees. The bar should sit comfortably on the ridge formed
across your lower back when
your elbows are elevated and
slightly behind you.
ACTION: Keeping your
head neutral, abs tight and
torso erect, initiate the move
at the knees and hips, lowering your body under control
as if you were going to sit
down in a chair. Pause when
your knees reach a 90-degree
angle or deeper as far as
you can go without losing
your balance or bringing your
KHHOVXSIURPWKHRRU
then forcefully drive through
your feet, extending at your
hips and knees until you arrive at the standing position.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Once

youre comfortable with the motion
and a strong squatter, you can try a
strip set to end a squat session. After
youve pyramided to your heaviest
weight and performed your reps, you
rack the weight and have partners strip
RDSODWHIURPHDFKVLGHDOORZLQJ\RX
to continue repping with the lighter
weight. For example, if your heaviest is
405, youd drop to 315, then to 225.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

59

02

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
It may sound daunting anytime you throw an Eastern European country in front of an
exercise, you immediately picture burly men in dungeon-like gyms performing brutish
feats of strength but the Romanian deadlift is actually a rather simple hamstrings
move. While most other popular ham exercises target the muscle from the knee joint,
Romanian deads hit it from the hip joint, essential for complete hamstring
development from the muscles origins to insertions.

MUSCLES WORKED: +DP

VWULQJVSULPDULO\ZLWKDVVLVWV
IURPWKHJOXWHXVPD[LPXVDQG
HUHFWRUVSLQDH
STARTING POSITION: 6WDQG
XSULJKWIHHWKLSZLGWKDSDUW
KROGLQJDEDUEHOOLQIURQWRI\RXU
XSSHUWKLJKVZLWKDQRYHUKDQG
JULS7LJKWHQ\RXUFRUHIRUVWDELO
LW\DQGNHHS\RXUNQHHVMXVW
VOLJKWO\EHQWQRWORFNHGRXW
ACTION: 0DLQWDLQWKHQDWXUDO
DUFKLQ\RXUORZEDFNLHDW
EDFNDV\RXOHDQIRUZDUGIURP
\RXUKLSVSXVKLQJWKHPUHDUZDUG
XQWLO\RXUWRUVRLVURXJKO\SDUDOOHO
WRWKHRRU$V\RXGRWKLVNHHS
\RXUDUPVVWUDLJKWDQGVOLGHWKH
EDUGRZQ\RXUWKLJKVWRZDUGWKH
RRUXQWLOLWUHDFKHV\RXUVKLQV
)URPWKHERWWRPSRVLWLRQFRQ
WUDFW\RXUKDPVWULQJVDQGJOXWHV
WROLIW\RXUWRUVRVKLIWLQJ\RXU
KLSVIRUZDUGXQWLO\RXEULQJWKH
EDUEDFNWRWKHVWDUWSRVLWLRQ

DO:
(OHYDWH\RXU
FKHVWDQGSXLW
RXWEHIRUH\RXVWDUW
DQGNHHSLWWKHUHDV\RX
UHSWKLVKHOSVNHHS\RXU
WRUVRLQWKHFRUUHFWSRVL
WLRQDQGSURWHFWV\RXU
ORZHUVSLQH

VARIATIONS: If you have good hamstrings

H[LELOLW\\RXFDQGR5RPDQLDQVRRIDSODW
IRUPZKLFKDOORZV\RXWRJRDOLWWOHGHHSHULQ
WKHERWWRPSRVLWLRQ-XVWGRQWDOORZ\RXUEDFN
WRURXQGLQDQHRUWWRH[WHQG\RXUUDQJHRI
PRWLRQ
USES: 7KH5RPDQLDQGHDGOLIWLVDVROLGSLFNDV
\RXUOHDGRH[HUFLVHLQDKDPVWULQJVIRFXVHG
ZRUNRXWRULQVHFRQGSRVLWLRQDVZHOO'RLQJLW
ODWHULQDQLQWHQVLYHURXWLQHPD\OHDYH\RXWRR
WLUHGWRH[HFXWHWKHIRUPSURSHUO\VRLI\RXWU\LW
DVDQLVKHUJROLJKWHUDQGUHDOO\IRFXVRQVORZ
VPRRWKUHSV

DONT:
/HWWKHEDUWUDFNout
IXUWKHUWKDQ\RXUPLG
IRRWZKLFKZRXOGSXW
WKHEDUWRRIDUDZD\IURP
\RXUFHQWHURIJUDYLW\
DQGFRPSURPLVH\RXU
ORZHUEDFN

60

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 3DLULQJGHDGVZLWK

VHDWHGRUO\LQJOHJFXUOVLVDSRWHQWZHDSRQLQ
\RXUJKWIRUELJJHUVWURQJHUKDPV-XVWEHVXUH
WRGRO\LQJFXUOVVHFRQGVLQFHWKHPDFKLQHRHUV
VRPHVDIHW\DV\RXWLUH7U\WKLVIRUWKUHHVHWV
LQ\RXUQH[WKDPZRUNRXW6WDUWZLWKWR
UHSVRI5RPDQLDQGHDGOLIWVIROORZHGE\FXUOVWR
IDLOXUHUHVWLQJRQHWRWZRPLQXWHVEHWZHHQVHWV

03

LEG PRESS
In most cases, machine exercises take a backseat to free weights for building mass. Not
so much with leg presses. Yes, the squat is king, but a leg press machine allows you to
overload your muscles with way more weight than on any other lower-body move, even
for sets of 15 to 20 reps the ideal hypertrophy-promoting range for legs.

MUSCLES WORKED: Gluteus maximus,

quadriceps and hamstrings.

DONT:
Settle for half-reps
on leg presses. Maximize range of motion
by lowering the weight
as far as it will go, stopping just before your
JOXWHVFRPHR
the bench.

STARTING POSITION: Sit on a leg press

machine and place your feet around shoulderwidth apart on the foot platform above you.
Press the weight up so your knees are extended but not locked out. Release the machines
safety catches and keep hold of the handles.
Tighten your core for stability.
ACTION: Keeping a slight arch in your back,
lower the weight under control until your knees
pass 90 degree angles. Press the weight back
up explosively by contracting your glutes and
quads to extend your hips and knees. Reach full
knee extension at the top without locking out.

DO:
Point your toes
out slightly on the
platform, just as when
squatting. This will keep
your joints safe and
ensure a proper
movement path.

VARIATIONS: Doing
leg presses one leg at a
time is great for eliminating muscular imbalances from side to side.
Keep the foot of your
non-working leg on the
RRULQVLGHWKHPDFKLQH
Complete all reps with
one leg before switching
to the other, as opposed
to alternating every rep.

USES: The sole purpose

of the leg press is to pack on
size to the lower body, so
do it early in your workout when you still have
the strength to use heavy
weight. But even when using big loads, dont think low
reps. Keep your sets to at
least eight reps, getting into
double digits (12 to 15, even
up to 20 reps) regularly.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE:
If youve got a willing partner
handy, do drop (aka strip)
sets of leg presses. Load up the
machine heavy, do a set close to
failure, then have your spotter
WDNHRQHSODWHRHDFKVLGH5HS
that lighter weight to fatigue,
WKHQVWULSSODWHVRDJDLQ.HHS
JRLQJRQHSODWHRSHUVLGH
each time until youre down to
only one per side.

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61

04

FRONT SQUAT
Like its big brother the back squat, this variation of a basic human movement builds
overall strength and size in the lower body while also providing invaluable core stability
when performed properly. Doing both forms of squats is key to ensuring a well-rounded
leg-training program. Before you step into the rack to do front squats, just remember: You
wont be able to use as much weight as with regular squats, so err on the lighter side.

MUSCLES WORKED: Gluteus maximus,

quadriceps, hamstrings and core, with a
particular emphasis on the quads.
STARTING POSITION: Approach a barbell on a squat rack and position it across the
fronts of your shoulders just below your collarbones. Cross your forearms in front of you
and grip the bar with your hands just inside
your shoulders. Lift the bar from the rack,
step back a foot or two and stand upright
with your feet about shoulder-width apart,
toes turned out and knees slightly bent.

DO:
Keep your elbows up throughout
the lift to avoid leaning
forward at the torso and
letting the bar slip down.
Your arms should remain
roughly parallel with
WKHRRU

ACTION: Keeping your eyes straight ahead

GRQWORRNGRZQEDFNDWDQGFRUHWLJKW
bend your hips and knees to squat straight
down as if sitting in a chair. When your quads
UHDFKSDUDOOHOWRWKHRRUSUHVVEDFNXS
through your heels to extend your hips and
knees, and return to the standing position.
Dont lock out your knees at the top.

DONT:
Let your weight
shift to your toes; this
will pull you forward and
cause your lower back
to round. Stay back on
your heels during
the lift.

62

FALL 2014

VARIATIONS: Any version

of squat where the weight is
in front of you as opposed
to on your back will work as
a front-squatting substitution. This includes Smith
machine front squats,
as well as goblet squats
holding either a dumbbell
or kettlebell in both hands
beneath your chin.

musclemag.com

USES: Compared to back squats,

front squats place greater emphasis
on the quads than the glutes, so those
ZLWKTXDGGHFLHQFLHVVKRXOGGRWKLV
exercise on a regular basis. Front
VTXDWVDUHDOVREHQHFLDOIRUHQKDQFing performance on Olympic lifts.
In the scope of a workout, front
squats should be done as one of the
UVWH[HUFLVHVLQ\RXUURXWLQHZKHQ
the legs are still fresh.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: The

other common bar placement for
front squats is the rack position,
where the arms dont cross; rather,
the bar is held in the top position of
a power clean throughout, with the
XSSHUDUPVSDUDOOHOZLWKWKHRRU
and elbows high. This version is
PRUHGLFXOWDVLWUHTXLUHVDJUHDWHU
GHJUHHRIZULVWH[LELOLW\WKDQWKH
arms-crossed position.

05

HACK SQUAT
Machines that mimic the motion of traditional squats (hip and knee extension) are
invaluable tools for individuals with knee and/or lower-back issues, and the hack squat
is one of the most popular among the barbell squat alternatives. For those with healthy
joints, hack squats provide a means of spurring new size gains in the quads and glutes
by allowing the user to overload these muscles with heavy weight or high reps without
having to worry so much about other stabilizers giving out early.

MUSCLES WORKED: *OXWHXVPD[LPXVTXDGULFHSVDQGKDPVWULQJV

DO:
.HHSWKHEDFNRI
\RXUKHDGLQFRQWDFW
ZLWKWKHSDGWKURXJKRXWWKHVHW7KLVZLOO
HQVXUHSURSHUVSLQDO
DOLJQPHQWDQG
VDIHW\

STARTING POSITION: 6WHSLQVLGH

DKDFNVTXDWPDFKLQHSODFLQJ\RXU
VKRXOGHUVXQGHUQHDWKWKHWRSSDGVDQG
\RXUEDFNDJDLQVWWKHODUJHDWSDG
3RVLWLRQ\RXUIHHWVKRXOGHUZLGWKDSDUW
DQGWRZDUGWKHWRSHGJHRIWKHSODWIRUP
WRHVSRLQWHGVOLJKWO\RXWZDUG$UFK\RXU
EDFNVOLJKWO\ZLWK\RXUFKHVWRXWDQG
FRUHWLJKW8QKRRNWKHVDIHW\ODWFKHV
DQGEHJLQZLWK\RXUOHJVH[WHQGHGEXW
QRWORFNHGRXW
ACTION: %HQG\RXUKLSVDQGNQHHV
WRVORZO\ORZHU\RXUVHOIGRZQDORQJ
WKHPDFKLQHV[HGSDWKRIPRWLRQ
:KHQ\RXUTXDGVUHDFKSDUDOOHOWRWKH
SODWIRUPRUVOLJKWO\ORZHUSUHVVEDFN
XSWKURXJK\RXUKHHOVWRUHYHUVHWKH
PRWLRQDQGUHWXUQWRWKHOHJVH[WHQGHG
SRVLWLRQZLWKRXWORFNLQJRXW\RXUNQHHV
DWWKHWRS

DONT:
$VVXPHWKDWWKH
PDFKLQHLVJRLQJWR
HQVXUHSURSHUIRUPRQLWV
RZQ<RXVWLOOKDYHWREH
PLQGIXORIHQJDJLQJ\RXU
FRUHDQGQRWOHWWLQJ
\RXUORZHUEDFN
URXQG

VARIATIONS: 'LHUHQWIRRWSRVLWLRQVRQWKH
SODWIRUPFDQEHXVHGWR
WDUJHWVSHFLFDUHDVRIWKH
ORZHUERG\)RUH[DPSOH
IHHWORZHURQWKHSODWIRUP
HPSKDVL]HVWKHTXDGVRYHU
WKHJOXWHVIHHWQDUURZHU
KLWVWKHRXWHUVZHHSVRIWKH
WKLJKVRUIHHWZLGHUWKDQ
VKRXOGHUZLGWKWDUJHWVWKH
LQQHUWKLJKV

USES: +DFN
VTXDWVDUH
W\SLFDOO\XVHGE\
SK\VLTXHDWKOHWHV
DVDKLJKUHSORZ
ZHLJKWPRYHPHQW
WRIXUWKHUIDWLJXH
WKHOHJVIROORZLQJ
IUHHZHLJKWH[HUFLVHVOLNHEDUEHOO
VTXDWVOXQJHV
DQGRUVWHSXSV

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE:
%HFDXVHPDFKLQHVRHUD
KLJKHUGHJUHHRIVDIHW\WKDQIUHH
ZHLJKWVWKHKDFNVTXDWLVDJUHDW
H[HUFLVHWRSHUIRUPXQLODWHUDOO\
RQHOHJDWDWLPH.HHSWKHQRQ
ZRUNLQJOHJLQWKHDLUXSLQIURQW
RI\RXDQGSHUIRUPDOOUHSVZLWK
RQHOHJEHIRUHVZLWFKLQJWRWKH
RWKHU3ODQRQXVLQJURXJKO\KDOI
WKHZHLJKW\RXZRXOGIRUWZR
OHJJHGKDFNVTXDWV

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FALL 2014

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06

DUMBBELL STEP-UP
The step-up is one of the few exercises that caters to the objectives of nearly all athletes
and training enthusiasts. It calls on balance, coordination and stability, deeming the
move useful for ballplayers and functional training advocates. Yet it also stimulates the
muscles of the lower body enough to appeal to those looking for bigger, stronger legs.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Gluteus maximus, quadriceps
and hamstrings.

DONT:
Rush through your
sets. Weighted step-ups
require a relatively high level
of balance and coordination
as you raise up to the box and
lower back down to a somewhat
blind landing. Extend your
hips and knees powerfully,
but go slow on the
return.

STARTING POSITION:
Select a box, bench or other
stable raised surface of a
height that when your foot
is on top of it, your thigh is
URXJKO\SDUDOOHOWRWKHRRU
For most people, this will be
somewhere around 12 and 18
inches. Stand upright about
a foot in front of the box
holding a pair of dumbbells
at your sides.
ACTION: Step onto the
box with one leg and plant
\RXUIRRWDWRQWRSRILW
Drive down through your
heel to extend your hip and
knee, and lift yourself up to
the box. When the foot of
your trail leg is next to the
other, carefully step back
GRZQWRWKHRRUZLWKHLWKHU
foot, then bring the other
down next to it. Repeat by
performing a step-up with
the opposite leg, alternating
legs every other rep.

DO:
Wear a pair
RIVKRHVWKDWRHU
good lateral support on
days youre doing stepups. You dont want to turn
an ankle when youre on a
raised surface holding
extra weight.

64

FALL 2014

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VARIATIONS: Step-ups
can also be performed with
bodyweight only (for beginners); with a barbell on your
back, as when squatting (for
advanced individuals); or
holding a dumbbell in only
one hand to create an unbalanced load and provide a
greater challenge to the core.

USES: The step-up is

typically used as a lighter,
secondary exercise to squats
and leg presses done earlier
in the workout. Its also interchangeable with lunges,
as the movements are very
similar, so consider alternating these two exercises
every other leg workout.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE:
Being a dumbbell exercise and
one commonly done late in a
workout makes step-ups particularly conducive to drop sets. After
reaching muscle failure (or close
to it) with the original weight, drop
WKHGXPEEHOOVWRWKHRRUDQGGR
DQRWKHUYHWRUHSVSHUOHJDVD
EXUQRXWQLVKHU

07

LEG EXTENSION
The extension provides a key tool in your bodybuilding arsenal: an isolation move for the
prominent quadriceps, the four-headed muscle that runs the front of your upper leg, from your
hips to your knee. Essentially, the exercise works the quads through their most basic function,
straightening your leg, adding resistance in the process. Just be wary because it puts the
knee in a vulnerable position, if not performed with care, the extension can lead to injury.

MUSCLES WORKED: Quadriceps femoris.

A

DO:
Try holding the
top position for a full
contraction, tightening your quads for
a strong, tight
squeeze.

STARTING POSITION: Adjust the seat for

your body frame and select your starting weight,
then sit squarely in the machine with your back
in contact with the pad, hooking your feet under
the padded rollers. Hold the handles alongside
the seat for stability, and look forward so your
head is aligned with your spine.
ACTION: With your feet pointed forward,
H[WHQG\RXUNQHHVE\H[LQJ\RXUTXDGULFHSV
powerfully until your legs are straight out in
front of you. Hold the contraction at the top for
a count, then slowly lower the weight until just
short of the stack touching down and repeat.

DONT:
Hyperextend your
knees on the ascent
by snapping your knees
into the top position the
lift should be done under
control to protect these
all-important
joints.

VARIATIONS: The traditional style is toes

pointed forward, but to slightly change the
emphasis of the exercise, you can turn your toes
out which will emphasize the inner quads, the
vastus medialis (the teardrop-shaped part of
the quad) or turn them slightly in which will
target the outer quads, or vastus lateralis.
USES: The leg extension is ideal when paired
with exercises like the squat, hack squat and leg
press in a complete routine. It can be used either
DVDOLJKWHUZDUPXSRUDWRIDLOXUHQLVKHUDW
the very end.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: The leg extension
is ideal for drop sets where you decrease the
weight every time you reach momentary failure
LQRQHORQJQDOVHWRUSDUWLDOUHSVZKHUH\RX
continue through a reduced range of motion
once you reach full range-of-motion failure.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

65

08

LYING LEG CURL

The hamstrings are worked in virtually every multi-joint lower-body exercise you
do squats, lunges, leg presses, step-ups, etc. But in these instances theyre never
the prime mover, just a valuable role player. Building the hams to their fullest growth
potential requires isolating them on a regular basis, nothing does this better than the
lying leg curl. The quads are deactivated, as are the glutes for the most part, letting the
hamstrings do all the work to get bigger and stronger.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Hamstrings.

DONT:
Let your pelvis
lift RWKHSDGDWDQ\
point during the movement. The hips need to
remain stationary for
maximal isolation.

STARTING POSITION:
Adjust the machine so the roller pad is on the backs of your
ankles and your knees are
directly in line with the cams
axis of rotation. Lie facedown,
grasp the handles and begin
with your legs straight and
the weight lifted a few inches
RWKHVWDFN.HHS\RXUKHDG
IDFLQJWKHRRUWRPDLQWDLQD
neutral spine.

ACTION: Contract your

hamstrings to bend your
knees and curl the roller pad
XSDORQJWKHPDFKLQHV[HG
path of motion. When the pad
reaches your glutes, squeeze
the contraction in your hamstrings for a count, then slowly
lower to the start position.

VARIATIONS: Doing leg curls unilaterally is a must for ensuring one side
doesnt overpower the other and cause
DQLPEDODQFH6WDUWROLJKWZKHQGRLQJ
one leg at a time, and keep the motion
steady and under control throughout.
Lying leg curls can be used interchangeably with seated or standing leg curls in
your routine.
USES: Being a true isolation exercise,
leg curls should fall near the end of your
leg workout, after all compound lowerERG\H[HUFLVHVIGRLQJVWLOHJJHGRU
Romanian deadlifts for hamstrings, do
leg curls after those.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Superset
lying leg curls with leg extensions, as the
two machines will likely be right next
to each other at your gym. Go back and
forth between the two with no delay
other than the time it takes to switch.
Do two bilateral sets of each, then do
two unilateral sets after that for four
total sets of each exercise.

DO:
Make sure
the pad touches
your glutes or upper
hamstrings on every
rep. If it doesnt, go
lighter.

66

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

09

DUMBBELL WALKING LUNGE

Just as no mass-gaining leg program would be complete without squats, nor can you
avoid lunges and call your lower-body regimen sufficient. The barbell walking lunge
represents the more hardcore version of this move, but you can still sub in dumbbells
without sacrificing much, if any, quad and glute development. Its a good idea to lunge
at least once a week for maximal size gains; switch between the barbell and dumbbells
from workout to workout to add variety to this demanding exercise.

MUSCLES WORKED: Gluteus

maximus, quadriceps and hamstrings.
DO:
Keep your chest big
and upper body vertical throughout the set.
Your torso shouldnt
come forward at any
point.

STARTING POSITION: Stand

holding a pair of dumbbells at your
sides with your feet together and
DORQJVWUHWFKRIRSHQRRUVSDFH
in front of you. Begin with your
shoulders back, chest out and head
facing forward, not looking down.
ACTION: Take a large step forward with one foot, plant it on the
RRULQIURQWRI\RXDQGEHQGWKDW
knee to lower yourself down. When
the back knee is just shy of touchLQJWKHRRUSUHVVIRUZDUGR\RXU
foot to bring your feet together
where the front one landed. Repeat
with the opposite leg. Continue
lunging forward, alternating legs
every rep, until youve completed
all planned reps with each leg.

DONT:
Let your front knee
pass over your toes at
the bottom of the rep.
If it does, it means you
need to take a larger
step forward.

VARIATIONS: As mentioned,
walking lunges can also be
performed with a barbell resting
on your back, which is typically
considered a more advanced
form of the exercise. Lunges dont
have to be done walking, though.
You can either step back to the
starting position on every rep or
do stationary lunges where you
set your feet in the down position
and move only down and up.

USES: Walking
lunges are a versatile
exercise in regards to
how theyre utilized in a
workout. If going heavy,
do them early in your
routine after squats.
For lighter, high-rep sets
that will also provide a
muscle-building spark,
use walking lunges as a
QLVKLQJPRYH

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: To
thoroughly exhaust the quads and
glutes, superset dumbbell walking
lunges with another multi-joint leg
exercise preferably something using a machine, like leg presses or hack
squats. Keep your dumbbells close by
the machine. After eight to 12 reps of,
say, leg presses, immediately get up,
grab the dumbbells and lunge with
them for at least 10 reps per leg. Do
two to three supersets total.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

67

10

STANDING CALF RAISE

Here we have the most popular exercise for arguably the most stubborn muscle group
to stimulate. When you want to add size to your calves, the standing calf raise should
be the first place you go, as it targets the meaty portion of the calf muscle group, the
gastrocnemius. It may not be an easy endeavor, but the overload this exercise allows you
to place on the lower legs will, in time, produce sizable results.

MUSCLES WORKED:
*DVWURFQHPLXVZLWKVRPH
VROHXVDFWLYDWLRQGHSHQGLQJ
RQNQHHSRVLWLRQ

DONT:
%RXQFHXSDQGGRZQ
Make the motion steady and
GHOLEHUDWHSDXVLQJDPRPHQW
DWWKHERWWRPZKLFKPDNHVWKH
JDVWURFZRUNKDUGHUIDVWHU
UHSVFUHDWHDQXQZDQWHGDVVLVW
from the energy generated
during the eccentric contraction.

STARTING POSITION:
6WHSRQWRWKHSODWIRUPRI
the machine so that only
the balls of your feet and
toes touch it and your heels
H[WHQGRWKHVXUIDFH
3ODFH\RXUVKRXOGHUV
snugly underneath the
SDGV6WDUWZLWK\RXUNQHHV
nearly locked and your heels
GURSSHGWRZDUGWKHRRU
EHORZWKHOHYHORIWKHSODWform so you feel a stretch in
your calves.
ACTION: Maintaining the
VDPHQHDUO\ORFNHGSRVLWLRQ
in your knees as bending
WRRPXFKZLOOVKLIWHPSKDVLV
to the smaller soleus muscle
extend your ankles to
SUHVVWKHZHLJKWXSDVIDU
DVSRVVLEOH$WWKHWRS\RXU
KHHOVVKRXOGEHSRLQWHG
XSZDUGDQGLQOLQHZLWK\RXU
shins. Hold the contraction
RQHRUWZRFRXQWVWKHQ
VORZO\ORZHUWKHZHLJKWEDFN
GRZQXQWLO\RXIHHODVWUHWFK
in your calves.

DO:
Lighten the
ZHLJKWLIWKDWVZKDWLW
WDNHVWRJRDOOWKHZD\XS
RQWR\RXUWRHVDWWKHWRSRI
HDFKUHS)XOOUDQJHRIPRWLRQLVPRUHLPSRUWDQWWKDQ
KHDY\ORDGVIRUJURZLQJ
your calves.

68

FALL 2014

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VARIATIONS: The standing calf raise

is an exercise that doesnt necessarily
require a machine. Recreate this move
E\QGLQJDUDLVHGVXUIDFHWRSXW\RXU
IHHWRQOLNHDVWHSRUZRRGHQEORFN
and either holding dumbbells at your
sides or a barbell across your back if in a
SRZHUUDFN<RXFDQDOVRZRUNRQHOHJDW
a time, holding a dumbbell in that same
side hand and bracing yourself against a
[HGREMHFWZLWK\RXUIUHHKDQG
USES: 8VHWKLVPRYHDV\RXUUVWRU
second exercise in your calf routine. Or
PL[VWDQGLQJFDOIUDLVHVLQWRDZRUNRXW
IRURWKHUERG\SDUWVE\GRLQJRQHWRWZR
VHWVDIWHUHYHU\H[HUFLVH)RUH[DPSOHLI
you do six exercises total for chest and
WULFHSV\RXGHQGXSGRLQJVL[WRVHWV
of calf raises through the course of that
ZRUNRXW
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: The calves
W\SLFDOO\UHVSRQGZHOOWRKLJKUHSV
and most standing calf raise machines
HPSOR\DZHLJKWVWDFNIRUUHVLVWDQFH
PDNLQJGURSVHWVDQHDV\RSWLRQIRUWKLV
H[HUFLVH2QFH\RXUHDFKWRIXOO
UDQJHRIPRWLRQUHSVZLWKWKHRULJLQDO
ZHLJKWGURSWKHSLQDFRXSOHVORWVDQG
UHSWRIDLOXUHDJDLQ3HUIRUPWZRWRIRXU
GURSVHWVWRWDORQ\RXUODVWRQHWRWZR
sets of this move.

11

LEG PRESS CALF RAISE

Variety is paramount for stimulating new muscle growth as well as keeping you mentally
engaged and training hard. And no other bodypart yearns for variety like the calves. With
such a small range of motion and only two movements that it initiates (plantarflexion and
dorsiflexion at the ankle), finding new training adventures for your calves takes some
creativity. Standing and seated raises are great exercises, but you should also be utilizing
the leg press machine to squeeze out every last bit of gastroc size.
DONT:
Do reps in a fast
pumping motion, which
nearly always translates to
reduced muscular growth
stimulation. Control the
weight on the negative
contraction.

MUSCLES WORKED: Gastrocnemius,

with some soleus activation depending on
knee position.
A

STARTING POSITION: Lie back in a leg

press machine and position the balls of your
feet around hip-width apart on the lower
HGJHRIWKHSODWIRUPVR\RXUKHHOVH[WHQGR
the surface. Extend your knees to press the
weight up, but dont unhook the machines
safety latches with such a limited range of
motion, you wont need to. Begin with your
NQHHVVOLJKWO\EHQWDQG\RXUDQNOHVH[HGVR
you feel a stretch in your calves.
ACTION: Maintaining the slight knee bend,
extend your ankles to press the weight up as
far as possible (even though it will only be a
matter of inches). At the top, your feet should
be pointed upward and in line with your
shins. Hold the contraction here for one or
two counts, then slowly lower the weight back
down until you feel a stretch in the calves.

DO:
Achieve full range
of motion (unless
youre doing partials as a
burnout). If you can only
push the platform up a
couple inches, drop
the weight.

VARIATIONS: Singleleg calf raises are always

good for ensuring balanced
development from leg to
leg. But you dont have to
choose one or the other
(bi- or unilateral); in a given
workout, do half of your
sets with both legs and the
other half one leg at a time,
making sure to drop your
weight in the latter case.

USES: Leg press calf raises can be used any place

in your lower-leg training
DVWKHUVWH[HUFLVHWKH
last or the one sandwiched
between standing and
seated raises. When doing
standard leg presses, it
also allows you to conveniently squeeze in sets of
calf work with your quad
and glute training.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Calves

respond well to high reps and pretty
much anything that increases the muscles time under tension (TUT). Drop
sets, and even partial reps, fall into this
category. On your last set or two of the
exercise, after reaching muscle failure
with the starting weight, immediately
have a partner take one or two plates
RHDFKVLGHDQGUHSRXWWRIDLOXUHRQFH
again. At this point, perform partial reps
until the muscle burn is unbearable.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

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12

SEATED CALF RAISE

The calves are made up of two muscles: the cool-looking one you see (the
gastrocnemius) and the one thats mostly hidden beneath it (the soleus). The gastrocs
get all the glory, but for maximizing overall calf size and thickness, the soleus
shouldnt be ignored. To truly attack this muscle, it needs to be isolated by performing
calf raises with the knees bent. For this reason, the seated calf raise machine has been
a mainstay in bodybuilding gyms for decades.

MUSCLES WORKED: Soleus primarily,

gastrocnemius to a lesser degree.

DONT:
/HDQ\RXUWRUVR
back LQDQHRUWWR
get the weight up via
momentum. This is a total
LVRODWLRQH[HUFLVHDV
such, the torso should
remain upright.

STARTING POSITION: Sit on the seat of

the machine and place your knees snugly
underneath the pads. Position the balls of
your feet on the edge of the platforms so your
KHHOVH[WHQGRWKHVXUIDFH/LIWWKHZHLJKWXS
slightly and release the catch. Begin in the down
position, with your heels below the platform so
you can feel a stretch in your calves.
ACTION: Contract your calves to press the
weight up as high as possible so that your shins
and feet form as close to a straight line as possible. Your heels should be well above the toe
platforms in the top position. Hold this contract
for one or two counts, then lower the weight
back down under control until you feel a stretch
in your calves.

DO:
Resist the
temptation to load
the machine up with
heavy weight. Start with
light weight and gain
strength using full range
of motion reps before
going heavier.

VARIATIONS: You can mimic a seated calf raise with free weights by sitting
RQDEHQFKSODFLQJWKHEDOOVRI\RXUIHHWRQDEORFNRUZHLJKWSODWHVRQWKHRRU
and resting a dumbbell on the top of each knee.
USES: Seated calf raises neednt take a backseat to standing raises. Feel free
WRVRPHWLPHVPDNHWKHVHDWHGYHUVLRQ\RXUUVWH[HUFLVHLQDFDOIZRUNRXW
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: To achieve more reps with a given weight, do
rest-pauses. On your last set or two of the movement, stop upon reaching
momentary muscle failure, rack the weight and rest 10 to 20 seconds. Then continue doing reps until reaching failure again. Do one or two more rest-pauses in
this manner.

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13

BENT-OVER BARBELL ROW

In terms of maximizing growth in the back muscles, it doesnt get much better than a good
old-fashioned barbell row. Whereas wide-grip pull-ups are the most effective means for
increasing back width, barbell rows are superior for enhancing thickness to the posterior
upper body. As an added bonus, heavy rows will also spark growth in the biceps. If you plan
to train back seriously (as any lifter should), bent-over rows need to be in your repertoire.

DO:
Position your
torso as close as possible to parallel with
WKHRRUHYHQLILW
means lightening
the weight.

VARIATIONS: Bent-over rows can

also be done using a pair of dumbbells
or a Smith machine. With the latter,
the machine will assist in stabilizing
the weight, which may allow you to go
heavier than on the barbell version for
greater overload of the back muscles.

MUSCLES WORKED: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, middle trapezius primarily; biceps, posterior
deltoids secondarily; erector spinae (lower back) for
stabilization.
STARTING POSITION: Stand holding a barbell
with a shoulder-width, overhand grip and keep your
knees slightly bent. Bend over at your waist until your
WRUVRLVEHWZHHQSDUDOOHODQGGHJUHHVWRWKHRRU
Start with the bar hanging straight down toward the
RRU\RXUDUPVH[WHQGHGFKHVWRXWDQGEDFNDW
ACTION: Contract your back muscles and bend your
elbows to pull the bar straight up to your abdomen.
Keep your torso in the same position throughout;
dont lift your chest up as you pull the weight. When
the bar makes contact with your body, achieve full
contraction by squeezing your shoulder blades
together for a count, then slowly lower the bar back to
WKHDUPVH[WHQGHGSRVLWLRQ

USES: Barbell rows should always

be done early in your back workout,
whether youre going heavy with lowrep counts or light with high reps.
Because it calls on large muscles like
the lats as well as stabilization from
WKHORZHUEDFNWKLVLVDQH[HUFLVH\RX
want to do when youre fresh.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: With
such a large degree of tension on the
lower back, bent-over rows arent ideal
for past-failure intensity methods like
drop sets and rest-pauses. However,
they do superset nicely with pressing
H[HUFLVHVIRUFKHVWDVZHOODVRWKHU
EDFNH[HUFLVHVOLNHODWSXOOGRZQV
straight-arm pulldowns or seated
FDEOHURZVQWKHODWWHUH[DPSOHVGR
\RXUEDUEHOOURZVUVWLQWKHSDLULQJ

DONT:
Look up during
the set. Maintain
proper spinal alignment by looking down
DWWKHRRUDWWKH
H[DFWDQJOHRI
your torso.

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14

PULL-UP
To craft his legendary back, Arnold Schwarzenegger relied heavily on an exercise
that didnt even require dumbbells or a barbell. Pull-ups, or chins, were a favorite
weapon in his training arsenal one that engages the back from the outer edges all
the way in through the muscles at its center. Employing different grip widths on the
bar, Schwarzenegger would stimulate his back in a variety of ways, sometimes just
setting a goal of 50 total reps and taking as many sets as needed to hit that target. Try
this simple yet potent exercise for yourself, and youll find its versatility an asset no
matter how you may integrate it into your back attack.

MUSCLES WORKED: The major

muscles of the back the latissimus
dorsi (i.e., the lats), teres major,
rhomboids and trapezius (or traps)
all chip in, along with the biceps
and brachialis of the upper arms. The
deltoids are also activated during
pull-ups.
STARTING POSITION: Grasp a
[HGRYHUKHDGEDUZLWKDZLGHRYHU
hand grip, a few inches outside shoulder width. Wrap your thumbs around
the bar to maximize your grip and
avoid slippage as you rep. Now hang
from the bar with your elbows fully
extended and shoulders relaxed this
is called the dead hang position. To
FOHDUWKHRRUVR\RXGRQWWRXFK
down during reps, youll want to bend
your knees; you can cross your ankles
behind you if you prefer.

DO:
Keep your
elbows pointing
outward think
about pulling them
down to your sides to
raise yourself.

ACTION: Contract your lats and

the muscles of your back as you bend
your arms, lifting yourself up until your
chin reaches the level of the bar. Hold
yourself momentarily in the peakcontracted position before lowering
yourself down to the starting dead
hang position.

DONT:
Generate momentum by swinging your
body back and forth
to complete your reps.
Momentum removes tension from the working
muscles.

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VARIATIONS: Technically, there is a difference between a pull-up and a chin-up,

although the terms are used interchangeably these days. For a pull-up, you take
an overhand grip on the bar (your palms
facing away from you), holding the bar at a
shoulder-width or wider position; for a chinup, your palms face you, and your grip on
the bar is generally within shoulder-width.
A third variation is a neutral-grip pull-up,
where your palms face each other. Youll
want to experiment with all of them over
time, since each stimulates the back in a
VOLJKWO\GLHUHQWZD\

USES: The pull-up can be a key player

anywhere in a workout, from the warm-up
WRWKHQLVKLQJWRXFKLQWKHODWWHUSRVL
tion, take every set to failure, thoroughly
exhausting your back before calling it quits.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Isometric
holds in the top or midpoint positions of
the pull-up can help strengthen the back.
You can also do negatives, where a partner
assists you at the feet to help you through
the positive portion of the rep and then
you lower yourself as slowly and as under
control as you can.

15

DEADLIFT
One of the true measures of absolute strength, the deadlift is also a potent mass
builder for the back, and to some extent the legs. In fact, this straightforward
movement lifting a heavy weight off the floor over and over again elicits a
growth-producing effect throughout the body akin to squatting. This is why deadlifts
arent just utilized by powerlifters, but bodybuilders as well.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings, upperand lower-back muscles
primarily, with synergistic
HHFWVWKURXJKRXW\RXU
musculoskeletal system.

DONT:
Let your back
round as you lift the
weight. This will put
you at risk for lower
spine injury.

STARTING POSITION:
Stand in front of a loaded
EDUEHOORQWKHRRUZLWK
your feet hip-width apart.
.HHSLQJ\RXUEDFNDWDQG
head up, bend your knees
and hips to grasp the bar
with a shoulder-width grip.
Begin with your butt low,
chest out and core tight.

DO:
Let the bar rest
RQWKHRRUEHWZHHQ
reps. Every rep
should be treated as
its own separate
lift.

VARIATIONS: Deadlifts can also be

performed using dumbbells or a hex
bar (a diamond-shaped bar with handles that you stand within); these tools
are good entry points for individuals
new to deadlifting. One popular variation is sumo style, where you widen
your stance outside of shoulder width
and turn your toes out 45 degrees.

USES: Occasionally workouts

will call for light deadlifts as a
means of conditioning, but more
than anything, this is an exercise
best utilized as a strength and
PDVVEXLOGHUGRQHUVWRUVHFRQG
in a given workout. When doing
deadlifts, give yourself plenty of
rest time between sets.

ACTION: Keeping your

EDFNDWWKURXJKRXWSUHVV
through your heels to
explosively extend your
knees and hips to stand up
so the bar travels straight
up your body. At the top of
the rep, your legs should
be fully extended with your
shoulders back, chest out
and bar in contact with
your upper thighs. Lower
WKHZHLJKWEDFNWRWKHRRU
under control.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Working up to heavy

sets of deadlifts is an advanced practice that will
raise your ceiling for gains in both overall full body
size and strength. Before you pile on big loads,
though, hone your deadlifting technique with
lighter sets to ensure proper body positioning and
reduce injury risk, particularly to the lower back.
+DYLQJDTXDOLHGVWUHQJWKFRDFKPRQLWRU\RXU
deadlift form in person is always a good idea.

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16

ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW

Theres no sidestepping it if you want a bigger, wider back, your back workout needs
to include two types of movements. One is a pulling motion from overhead downward,
such as in a pull-up or cable pulldown. The other is a row, where you pull against
resistance from a position in front of your body into your torso. When it comes to rowing,
the standing barbell row is a sturdy and valuable option, but dumbbells allow for a longer
range of motion, as well as the ability to apply intense focus to each side of your back. For
best results, youll want to schedule both for regular appearances in your workouts.

MUSCLES WORKED: The

fan-shaped latissimus dorsi
muscles running from underneath your arms down to
your lower back are the main
movers, with key assistance
from the rhomboids and
trapezius.

DO:
Allow your
shoulder to shift upward on the ascent and
downward on the descent.
If this action isnt occurring, the bicep is likely
taking on the brunt of
the load.

STARTING POSITION:
Bend at the hips and place
one knee and the same-side
KDQGRQDDWEHQFK.HHS
\RXURWKHUIRRWRQWKHRRU
beside the bench. Youll
hold a dumbbell in your free
hand, letting it hang straight
WRZDUGWKHRRUZLWK\RXU
elbow loose.
ACTION: Pull the weight
toward your hip, keeping
your elbow in close as you
H[\RXUEDFNEHQG\RXU
arm and bring your shoulder
upward. At the top, your
elbow should be pointed
toward the ceiling as you
squeeze your shoulder
blades together. Lower the
dumbbell under control
along the same path. Complete your reps for one side,
then switch arms and do the
same amount of reps for the
other thats one set.

DONT:
Turn the row into
a curl by bending your
elbow inside 90 degrees
as you lift. Think of your
arm as merely a hook to
connect the dumbbell
to your back.

VARIATIONS: The row is often

done as described here, with one
hand and one leg on a bench, but the
bench isnt required. You can also
NHHSERWKOHJVRQWKHRRUDQGEHQG
over, bracing yourself on the top of a
short-back bench or even the dumbbell rack as you row.

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USES: The dumbbell row is at

KRPHHLWKHUDVDQDQFKRUH[HUFLVHRU
an ancillary move. You can do it early
on in a back workout and go heavy,
GRZQLQWKHYHWRHLJKWUHSUDQJH
or save it until later in a workout and
DSSURDFKLWDVDGHWDLOH[HUFLVHJRLQJ
lighter for more overall reps.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE:
Because its easy to change weights, the dumbbell
row lends itself to drop sets, repping to failure and
WKHQGURSSLQJGRZQWRWKHQH[WGXPEEHOOFRQWLQX
ing until you can no longer rep with good form. For an
XQRUWKRGR[RSWLRQ\RXFDQDOVRWU\RQHDUPURZLQJ
ZLWKDEDUEHOOZKLFKLQWURGXFHVDORWRIH[WUDEDODQFH
challenges and unique lines of pull into the equation.

17

T-BAR ROW
Count this as one of your major mass-building back moves, along with pull-ups and heavy
barbell or dumbbell rows. Its technically a machine exercise, but the T-bar row feels and
functions like a free-weight movement. While pull-ups and pulldowns are great for adding
width to the lats, heavy rows are superior for thickening the back musculature.

DONT:
Stand up too tall
or it becomes more
of an upper-trap move.
The torso at 45 degrees
ZLWKWKHRRUVKRXOGEH
the highest angle you
allow.

MUSCLES WORKED: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, middle

trapezius primarily; biceps, posterior deltoids secondarily; erector
spinae (lower back) for stabilization.
STARTING POSITION: Stand on the platform of a T-bar row
apparatus with your feet about shoulder-width apart and knees
slightly bent. Lean forward, grab the handles with a shoulder-width,
RYHUKDQGJULSDQGEHJLQZLWK\RXUDUPVH[WHQGHGEDFNDWDQG
\RXUWRUVREHWZHHQGHJUHHVDQGSDUDOOHOWRWKHRRU
ACTION: .HHSLQJ\RXUEDFNDWDQGFKHVWRXWFRQWUDFW\RXUEDFN
muscles and bend your elbows to pull the weight in toward you. At
the top of the motion, squeeze your shoulder blades together and
hold the contraction for a count. Slowly lower the weight back to
the start position, reaching full elbow extension at the bottom of
each rep.

VARIATIONS: Not all gyms have a dedicated

T-bar apparatus. Not to worry this exercise can
be done the old fashioned way by securing one
end of an Olympic barbell in the corner of a room
or squat rack, loading up the opposite end with
weight plates and putting a neutral-grip cable attachment underneath the bar to hold onto.
USES: T-bar rows can be used interchangeably
with bent-over barbell rows (for instance, switching between them every other back workout) to
serve as a heavy, mass-building move early in your
workout. If back thickness is a particular weakness
for you (as opposed to width), consider doing this
H[HUFLVHUVWLQ\RXUURXWLQH

DO:
Change your grip
often to hit the muscles
IURPVOLJKWO\GLHUHQW
angles. Many T-bars allow
you to go narrow and
with a neutral hand
position.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Since this is an

exercise you may want to go heavy on, incorporate
rest-pauses on your last set to squeeze out a few
more quality reps. On the initial set, rep out until
you can no longer get the weight all the way to your
midsection. Rest for 10 to 20 seconds in the armsextended bottom position, then bang out a few
more full range of motion reps.

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18

PULLDOWN TO FRONT
As the pull-ups kid brother, the lat pulldown may not provide quite the functional
strength and mass-building benefits of the aforementioned classic, but the motion is
virtually identical. Plus, because youre able to go light (unlike with bodyweight pullups), rep counts on pulldowns are much more convenient to manipulate. If your goal is
to maximize upper-back width, pulldowns should be a staple in your program.

MUSCLES WORKED: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, middle trapezius primarily; biceps secondarily.
STARTING POSITION: Grasp a long lat pulldown
bar with an overhand grip outside shoulder width
and sit on the seat with your knees secured snugly
beneath the pads to keep your lower body stationary. Begin with your arms extended overhead, torso
HUHFWDQGIHHWDWRQWKHRRU
ACTION: Contract your back muscles and lead
with your elbows to pull the bar straight down until
it touches your upper chest. At this point, squeeze
your shoulder blades together and hold the contraction for a count. Your back should be slightly arched
with your chest out at the bottom of the rep. Slowly
return the bar to the start position, achieving full
elbow extension at the top. Keep constant tension
on the muscles throughout by not letting the weight
rest on the stack between reps.

DONT:
Lean back as you
initiate the movement
to create momentum.
The torso should remain
stationary to isolate the
lats, in a similar position as a pull-up.

VARIATIONS: A wide, overhand grip is the preferential hand position for

creating back width. But for variety, try one-handed pulldowns using a Dhandle. Pulling the handle to your chest is more of a rowing motion, whereas
pulling it out to the side better mimics a traditional pulldown.

DO:
Keep your upper body as upright
as possible to target
the lats. Lean back just
enough to allow the bar
to clear your face as
you pull down.

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USES: If back width is your primary goal, do pulldowns early in your workRXWHLWKHUDIWHUZLGHJULSSXOOXSVRUUVWLI\RXUHQRWGRLQJSXOOXSVWKDW
day. If you have general mass-gaining and strength objectives, you may want
to slide pulldowns to the end of your workout after free-weight exercises.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: For a change of pace that can spark new muscle
growth when done occasionally, try the popular technique called 100s, which
is essentially one very light set of 100 reps though not necessarily consecutive. Select a weight you can do for around 50 reps (something very light), and
go until you reach failure. Rest for as many seconds as you have reps remainLQJWRUHDFKHJLI\RXGLGUHSV\RXGUHVWVHFRQGV5HSRXWDJDLQ
to failure and rest in the same manner. Repeat until you reach 100 reps.

19

SEATED CABLE ROW

Since the invention of cable weight-training equipment, this exercise has been a mainstay in
gym-goers programs as a means of building thickness and creating detail in the back that
resembles the bumpy terrain of a topographical map. The machines seat and foot platforms
provide added stability, allowing you to load up on weight and reap the benefits of the
cables constant tension for serious hypertrophy gains.

DONT:
Let your torso
lean forward as you
lower the weight on
the negative. Stay
upright the entire
time.

MUSCLES WORKED: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids,

middle trapezius primarily; biceps, posterior deltoids
secondarily; erector spinae (lower back) for stabilization.
STARTING POSITION: Sit upright at a cable row staWLRQZLWK\RXUIHHWDWRQWKHSODWIRUPVLQIURQWRI\RX
Lean forward and grasp a narrow, neutral-grip attachment. Begin with your arms extended out in front of you
DQG\RXUWRUVRSHUSHQGLFXODUZLWKWKHRRU.HHS\RXU
NQHHVVOLJKWO\EHQWDQG\RXUEDFNDW
ACTION: Contract your back muscles and bend your elbows to pull the handle in toward you. When your hands
reach your abdomen, squeeze your shoulder blades
together for a count to achieve full contraction, then
slowly reverse the motion to return to the start position,
arms fully extended. Dont let the weight rest on the
stack between reps.

DO:
Experiment with
thumb placement on
the handle to decide what
feels best. You can either
wrap your thumbs around
the bars or leave them
behind in a false
grip.

VARIATIONS: Seated cable rows can be performed

ZLWKDYDULHW\RIJULSVWRKLWWKHPXVFOHVIURPGLHUHQW
angles including wide overhand and narrow underhand using a lat pulldown bar. You can also row one arm
at a time using a D-handle attachment.

USES: The seated cable row is ideal to use as a backthickening exercise done after free-weight moves like
pull-ups and/or barbell rows.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Near the end of your back
workout, try a nonstop, unilateral drop set (using a D-handle) to thoroughly exhaust the lats, rhomboids and traps.
Select a weight that you can do for 10 to 12 reps, and go to
failure with each arm. Rack the weight, immediately move
the pin up on the stack two or three slots, and again rep
out to failure with each arm at the lighter weight. Do one
or two more drop sets in this fashion without resting.

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20

INCLINE BARBELL PRESS

Flat-bench barbell presses will certainly add size to your chest, but not in any one
specific area; in fact, many feel that flat presses emphasize the lower pecs more than
anything. Incline presses, on the other hand, shift the tension to the upper chest.
Dumbbell presses do this, too, of course, but using a barbell means youll be able to
push more total weight, thus maximizing growth potential.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Pectoralis major and minor
primarily; anterior deltoids and
triceps secondarily.
STARTING POSITION: Lie
back on an incline bench with
UDFNDQGJUDVSWKHEDUEHOOZLWK
DQRYHUKDQGJULSRXWVLGHRI
shoulder width. Unrack the
EDUDQGEHJLQZLWKLWGLUHFWO\
over your upper chest, arms
H[WHQGHG.HHS\RXUIHHWDWRQ
WKHRRUDQGWKHEDFNRI\RXU
head in contact with the bench.
ACTION: Bend your elbows
to slowly lower the bar to your
upper chest. Your upper arms
VKRXOGEHDWURXJKO\GHJUHH
DQJOHVWR\RXUWRUVRQRWSRLQWHG
VWUDLJKWRXWWRWKHVLGHV7RXFK
WKHEDUOLJKWO\WR\RXUFKHVW
then forcefully press it back up
WRWKHVWDUWLQJSRVLWLRQVWRSSLQJ
just shy of full elbow lockout.

DONT:
/LIW\RXUEXWWR
the bench at any
SRLQWGXULQJWKHOLIW
<RXUWRUVRDQGOHJV
should remain
stationary.

DO:
Focus on
SUHVVLQJWKHEDUEHOO
MXVWVOLJKWO\EDFNZDUG
on the way up if you
QGLWQDWXUDOO\VKLIWLQJ
forward. If the bar ends up
RYHU\RXUIDFHVOLJKWO\LQ
WKHXSSRVLWLRQWKDWV
QH

VARIATIONS: Incline barbell presses can be done in a

Smith machine for variety. Simply slide an adjustable incline
bench into the machine so when you lie back, the bar is
directly over your upper chest. Because the machine stabilizes
WKHEDUIRU\RX\RXPD\QG\RXUHDEOHWRXVHPRUHZHLJKW
with the Smith version versus barbell inclines, which could
SRWHQWLDOO\OHDGWRJUHDWHUVL]HJDLQV
USES: %DUEHOOLQFOLQHVDUHDJUHDWH[HUFLVHWRVWDUWDFKHVW
URXWLQH)RUDJRRGRYHUDOOFKHVWSURJUDPDOWHUQDWHEHWZHHQ
OHDGLQJRZLWKDWDQGLQFOLQHSUHVVHVHYHU\RWKHUZRUNRXW
)RULQFOLQHSUHVVHVVSHFLFDOO\VZLWFKUHJXODUO\DPRQJWKH
barbell and dumbbell version.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: +LWHYHU\ODVWEHULQWKHXS
SHUSHFVE\VXSHUVHWWLQJLQFOLQHEDUEHOOSUHVVHVZLWKLQFOLQH
GXPEEHOO\HV:LWKDUHODWLYHO\OLJKWVHWRIGXPEEHOOVFORVH
E\GRDVHWRIHLJKWWRSUHVVHVQHDUIDLOXUH&DUHIXOO\UDFN
the bar, then immediately pick up the dumbbells without
JHWWLQJRWKHEHQFKDQGGR\HVWRIDLOXUH'RWKUHHWRIRXU
supersets in this manner.

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21

INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS

Dumbbell pressing is great for building mass in the pecs, and many men arent as
thick in the upper chest as theyd like to be. Both of these factors are precisely why the
incline dumbbell press is among the most popular upper-body gym exercises. Its great
for adding thickness as well as shape to the chest up around the collarbones. Do this
exercise early and often for superior upper-body development.

MUSCLES WORKED: 3HFWRUDOLVPDMRU

and minor primarily; anterior deltoids and
triceps secondarily.
DONT:
9LROHQWO\FODQNWKH
dumbbells together at
the top; this accomplishes nothing and is
potentially dangerous.
Lightly tap the weights
RUVWRSWKHPMXVWVK\
of touching.

STARTING POSITION: Sit on an

DGMXVWDEOHEHQFKVHWWRDWRGHJUHH
angle holding a pair of dumbbells resting
RQ\RXUWKLJKV/LHEDFNRQWKHEHQFK
while lifting the dumbbells up to your
shoulders. Begin with your elbows bent
DQGWKHZHLJKWVMXVWRXWVLGH\RXUVKRXO
GHUVSDOPVIDFLQJIRUZDUGWKHEDFNRI
your head in contact with the bench and
\RXUIHHWDWRQWKHRRU
ACTION: Press the dumbbells straight
up by contracting your pecs and extending
\RXUDUPVXQWLO\RXUHOERZVDUHMXVWVKRUW
RIORFNHGRXWDQGWKHZHLJKWVDUHGLUHFWO\
over your upper chest. Slowly lower the
GXPEEHOOVEDFNWRWKHVWDUWSRVLWLRQ

DO:
Vary the angle of
the EHQFKIURPZRUNRXW
WRZRUNRXWRUHYHQVHWWR
set to engage more muscle
EHUV'RQWJRPRUHXSULJKW
WKDQGHJUHHVEXWIHHO
IUHHWRWDNHLWGRZQWR
degrees or so.

VARIATIONS: To emphasize greater core stability, you can do this exercise one
arm at a time, holding the opposite dumbbell in either the up or down position.
For a change of equipment, slide the incline bench into a cable station and do
cable incline presses with D-handles attached to the low pulleys on either side.
USES: Because incline presses place greater emphasis on the upper pecs, do
WKHPUVWLQ\RXUFKHVWZRUNRXWLIWU\LQJWREULQJXSWKLVSDUWLFXODUDUHD$OWHU
QDWHEHWZHHQGXPEEHOODQGEDUEHOOLQFOLQHVHYHU\RWKHUZRUNRXW

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 8VHLQFOLQHGXPEEHOOSUHVVHVWRNLFNRDKLJK

intensity upper-chest-focused tri-set. Start with a challenging set of eight to 10
reps of inclines, then immediately drop the dumbbells and do feet-elevated (toes
RQWKHEHQFKKDQGVRQWKHRRUDGMXVWLQJWKHEHQFKWRWKHDWSRVLWLRQSXVK
XSVWRIDLOXUH)URPWKHUHJUDEDOLJKWSDLURIGXPEEHOOVJHWEDFNRQWKHEHQFK
DQGGRDQ\ZKHUHIURPWRLQFOLQHGXPEEHOO\HV&RPSOHWHWKLVWULVHWWZR
to four times total, resting one to two minutes between tri-sets.

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22

FLAT-BENCH BARBELL PRESS

The squat may be the best overall free-weight exercise, but the bench press always wins
the Mr. Popularity contest, at least where men are concerned. And while benching is
often blamed for shoulder injuries, when performed correctly its safe and a potent mass
builder for the chest. Not to mention, the bench press is still a staple move for maximizing
upper-body strength, which is why its still alive and well in powerlifting circles.

MUSCLES WORKED: 3HFWRUDOLVPDMRU

DQGPLQRUSULPDULO\DQWHULRUGHOWRLGVDQG
WULFHSVVHFRQGDULO\
STARTING POSITION: /LHEDFNRQ
DDWEHQFKZLWKDUDFNSODFLQJ\RXU
IHHWDWRQWKHRRU*UDVSWKHEDUZLWK
\RXUKDQGVMXVWRXWVLGHVKRXOGHUZLGWK
FDUHIXOO\XQUDFNWKHEDUDQGEHJLQZLWKLW
GLUHFWO\RYHU\RXUXSSHUSHFVZLWK\RXU
DUPVH[WHQGHG
ACTION: %HQG\RXUHOERZVWRVORZO\
ORZHUWKHEDUWRZDUG\RXUORZHUFKHVW
7RXFK\RXUFKHVWOLJKWO\ZLWKWKHEDUWKHQ
SUHVVLWEDFNXSLQDVOLJKWEDFNZDUGDUF
LQJPRWLRQVRWKHEDUHQGVXSRYHU\RXU
XSSHUFKHVWZLWK\RXUDUPVH[WHQGHGEXW
QRWORFNHGRXW.HHSERWKWKHEDFNRI\RXU
KHDGDQG\RXUJOXWHVLQFRQWDFWZLWKWKH
EHQFKWKHHQWLUHWLPH

DO:
.HHS\RXU
VKRXOGHUVDFWLYHO\
HQJDJHGWKURXJK
RXWWKHVHW'RWKLVE\
FRQWUDFWLQJ\RXUEDFN
PXVFOHVWRSXOO\RXU
VFDSXODHWRJHWKHU

VARIATIONS: 7KHPRVWFRPPRQRVKRRWRIWKLVH[HUFLVH
LVWKHFORVHJULSEHQFKSUHVVZKLFKWDUJHWVWKHWULFHSVWRD
JUHDWHUH[WHQWWKDQZLGHJULS)RUDPDFKLQHYHUVLRQWU\6PLWK
PDFKLQHDWEHQFKSUHVVHVRU+DPPHU6WUHQJWKSUHVVHV

DONT:
3RLQW\RXUHOERZV
VWUDLJKWRXWWRWKHVLGHV
DVLWSXWVXQGXHVWUHVVRQ
WKHVKRXOGHUMRLQWVQVWHDG
NHHS\RXUHOERZVDWD
GHJUHHDQJOHRUVR
WR\RXUWRUVR

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USES: 8WLOL]HWKHEHQFKSUHVVIRUVXEVWDQWLDOVL]HDQG
VWUHQJWKJDLQVLQWKHFKHVWVKRXOGHUVDQGWULFHSV2QGD\V\RX
EHQFKLWVLQ\RXUEHVWLQWHUHVWWRGRWKLVH[HUFLVHUVWZKLOH
\RXUHIUHVKDQGFDQSXVKPD[LPXPZHLJKW
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: %HFDXVH\RXOOQHHGDVSRWWHU
DQ\ZD\ZKHQJRLQJKHDY\WKHEHQFKSUHVVQDWXUDOO\OHQGV
LWVHOIWRIRUFHGUHSVZKHUHDIWHUUHDFKLQJIDLOXUHRQDVHWD
VSRWWHUSURYLGHVDOLWWOHH[WUDDVVLVWDQFHWRDOORZ\RXWRJHWRQH
WRWKUHHPRUHUHSV8VHIRUFHGUHSVFRQVHUYDWLYHO\WKRXJK
'RQWGRWKHPLQHYHU\EHQFKSUHVVZRUNRXWDQGZKHQ\RXGR
VDYHIRUFHGUHSVIRURQO\WKHODVWRQHRUWZRVHWV

23

DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS

With nothing more than dumbbells and an adjustable bench, you can blast the hell out
of your pectorals via presses and flyes with the dumbbell bench press leading the
way. This exercise has a couple of advantages over the traditional barbell bench press.
One, it allows for a deeper stretch at the bottom, which helps activate more fibers at the
outer edges of the fan-shaped muscles, and two, it doesnt allow a stronger-side pec to
dominate, meaning more balanced development overall. (The dumbbell press is also
great if youre training alone and dont have a spot.)

DONT:
/HW\RXUZULVWVVDJ
GXULQJWKHPRYH%\
NHHSLQJWKHGXPEEHOOV
VWUDLJKWDQGOHYHODQG\RXU
IRUHDUPVHQJDJHG\RX
protect the wrist joint
from strain.

STARTING POSITION:
/LHIDFHXSRQDDWEHQFK
with your feet planted
DWRQWKHRRUKROGLQJ
DGXPEEHOOLQHDFKKDQG
just outside your shoulGHUV<RXUHOERZVVKRXOG
EHEHQWDELWEH\RQG
GHJUHHVSRLQWHGRXWDQG
just under the level of
your torso. Your palms
VKRXOGEHLQWKHSDOPV
GRZQSRVLWLRQPHDQLQJ
WKH\UHIDFLQJWRZDUG\RXU
ORZHUERG\

DO:
Breathe in on the
GHVFHQWDQGEUHDWKH
out forcefully on
the ascent of each
repetition.

VARIATIONS: 2XWVLGHRIWKHREYLRXVPRGL
FDWLRQFKDQJLQJWKHDQJOHRIWKHRIWKHEHQFK
WRDQLQFOLQHRUGHFOLQHLI\RXUSDUWLFXODUEHQFK
DOORZV\RXFDQDOVRWU\SDOPVIDFLQJSUHVVHV
ZKLFKHYHUVRVOLJKWO\DOWHUVWKHVWLPXOXVRQWKH
SHFWRUDOV$QRWKHURSWLRQLVWRGRDOWHUQDWLQJ
SUHVVHVZKHUH\RXSUHVVRQHGXPEEHOOXSDWD
time instead of simultaneously for this, you
FDQHLWKHUOHDYHWKHQRQZRUNLQJDUPLQWKHWRS
position, or keep it at your side as you rep with
WKHRWKHUVWLFNLQJZLWKZKLFKHYHUPHWKRG\RX
FKRRVHWKURXJKRXWWKHVHW

MUSCLES WORKED:
Prime movers are the
pectoralis major, with a
secondary (yet important)
assist from your triceps.

USES: 7KHGXPEEHOODW
EHQFKSUHVVLVLGHDODVWKHUVW
RUVHFRQGH[HUFLVHLQDFKHVW
routine. If your upper pecs are
ODJJDUGVLQWKHGHYHORSPHQW
department, youll want to
lean toward incline presses as
\RXUOHDGRH[HUFLVHVR\RX
KLWWKHPZKHQ\RXUHQHUJ\LV
KLJKHVW2U\RXFDQDOWHUQDWH
the press you start with week
to week.

ACTION: PowerIXOO\SUHVVWKHGXPEEHOOV
WRZDUGWKHFHLOLQJE\
H[LQJ\RXUSHFVDQG
H[WHQGLQJ\RXUHOERZV
VWRSSLQJZKHQWKHLQQHU
SODWHVRIWKHZHLJKWVDUH
an inch or so away from
each other. Then slowly
UHWXUQWKHEHOOVWRWKH
start and repeat.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: The press can

EHSDLUHGLQDVXSHUVHWZLWKGXPEEHOO\HV
near the end of a workout. Youll start with
\HVGRLQJDVPDQ\DV\RXFDQEHIRUH\RXU
form falters, then immediately reorient
WKHZHLJKWVDW\RXUVLGHVSDOPVGRZQIRU
SUHVVHVUHSSLQJXQWLOPRPHQWDU\PXVFOH
IDLOXUH:K\\HVEHIRUHSUHVVHVLQWKLVFDVH"
Because the presses involve triceps as an
DFWLYHPRYHUWKHWULVJLYHDQDVVLVWPHDQ
LQJ\RXFDQHNHDIHZPRUHUHSVRXWRI\RXU
IDWLJXHGSHFWRUDOV

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24

DUMBBELL INCLINE FLYE

The muscles of the chest are best targeted in one of two ways when it comes to weight
training via a press, where the arms are actively involved at the elbow joint in
assisting the pectorals to move maximum tonnage, or a flye, where you keep your
elbows in a fixed position while flexing and extending the pectorals. Want a better
chest? Youll need to do both. For the latter, arguably the best flye of all is the incline
dumbbell version, which targets the harder-to-develop upper pectorals.

MUSCLES WORKED: The pectoralis

major is the primary muscle in action during
\HVZKLOHWKHWULFHSVDUHUHOHJDWHGWRD
VWDELOL]HUUROH
STARTING POSITION: Adjust a bench
so that the incline is 30 to 45 degrees
higher inclines bring more of the front delt
LQWRSOD\ZKLFKDOVRLVWKHFDVHZLWKLQFOLQH
SUHVVHV/LHIDFHXSRQWKHEHQFKZLWK\RXU
IHHWDWRQWKHRRUIRUEDODQFHSUHVVLQJ
WKHGXPEEHOOVLQWRSRVLWLRQGLUHFWO\DERYH
your upper chest, arms just slightly bent and
SDOPVIDFLQJHDFKRWKHULQDQHXWUDOJULS
VW\OH7KHGXPEEHOOVFDQEHWRXFKLQJHDFK
RWKHUWRVWDUW

ACTION: Maintaining that same slight

EHQGLQ\RXUHOERZVWKURXJKRXWVORZO\ORZHU
WKHGXPEEHOOVLQDQDUFRXWWRWKHVLGHV*HW
a nice stretch at the bottom, stopping around
WKHSRLQW\RXUHOERZVGURSDOLWWOHEHORZWKH
OHYHORI\RXUFKHVWDQGWKHZHLJKWVDUHDERXW
SDUDOOHOZLWK\RXUSHFV)URPWKHUHFRQWUDFW
WKURXJK\RXUSHFVWREULQJ\RXUDUPVEDFNXS
to the start, but stop an inch or so before the
ZHLJKWVFRQWDFWRQHDQRWKHU

DO:
Focus on
NHHSLQJ\RXUDUPV
ORFNHGLQDVOLJKWO\EHQW
SRVLWLRQ7KHUHVKRXOG
EHQRPRYHPHQWDW\RXU
HOERZWKHPRWLRQVKRXOG
be occurring only at the
VKRXOGHUMRLQW

VARIATIONS: Traditionally, the palms face each other

GXULQJDGXPEEHOO\HEXW\RXFDQDOVRVZLWFKWRDSDOPV
GRZQVW\OHWVDPLQRUFKDQJHEXWLWGRHVKLWWKHPXVFOH
EHUVLQDVOLJKWO\GLHUHQWZD\<RXFDQDOVRGR\HVZLWKLQ
a cable station, setting a bench in the center and using the
SXOOH\VIURPWKHLUERWWRPSRVLWLRQ&DEOHVRHUWKHEHQHW
RIFRQWLQXRXVUHVLVWDQFHWKURXJKRXWWKHUDQJHRIPRWLRQ

DONT:
5HSWRRTXLFNO\
letting momentum
WDNHRYHU7U\WRXFKLQJ
WKHZHLJKWVWRRQHDQ
other at the top, under
control, pressing them
WRJHWKHUIRUDRQH
FRXQW

USES: )O\HVVKRXOGEHGRQHDIWHUSUHVVHVLQDFKHVWURX
WLQHH[FHSWLQWKHFDVHRXWOLQHGEHORZ

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ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: I\RXWHQGWRKDYHVWURQJHU

SHFWRUDOVDQGZHDNOLQNWULFHSVWKDWFDXVH\RXWRWHUPL
QDWH\RXUVHWVRISUHVVHVWRRVRRQSUHH[KDXVWPD\EH
WKHDQVZHU7RXVHSUHH[KDXVW\RXVLPSO\IDWLJXH\RXU
SHFWRUDOVZLWK\HVUVWVRWKH\DUHSXVKHGFORVHUWRWKH
EULQNRIIDLOXUHDV\RXVWDUWSUHVVLQJ<RXZRQWEHDEOHWR
KDQGOHDVPXFKZHLJKWZKHQ\RXSUHVVRIFRXUVHEXW\RXU
SHFVVKRXOGUHDFKIDLOXUHEHIRUH\RXUWULVJLYHRXWPHDQLQJ
PRUHVWLPXODWLRQZKHUH\RXQHHGLW

25

DECLINE BARBELL PRESS

Admittedly, the decline press is not nearly as vital as the incline and flat-bench version, which
work the upper and middle pectorals the meatier, more aesthetically important areas. But
the decline press can round out the fan-shaped muscle through its lower third region. If youre
planning on competing in a bodybuilding show or simply after a well-rounded physique, youll
want to include a decline press at least occasionally in your chest routine.

MUSCLES WORKED: 3HFWRUDOLVPDMRUDQGPLQRUSULPDULO\

ZLWKDQHPSKDVLVRQWKHORZHUSRUWLRQRIWKHSHFVMXVWDERYHWKH
DEGRPLQDODUHDDQWHULRUGHOWRLGVDQGWULFHSVVHFRQGDULO\
STARTING POSITION: /LHIDFHXSRQDGHFOLQHEHQFKVHWDW
DERXWDGHJUHHDQJOH<RXUWRUVRVKRXOGEHIXOO\VXSSRUWHGIURP
\RXUKHDGWR\RXUKLSVZLWK\RXUNQHHVEHQWDQGIHHWVXSSRUWHG
*UDVSWKHEDUZLWKDJULSDWVKRXOGHUZLGWKRUVOLJKWO\ZLGHUDQGXQ
UDFNLWKROGLQJLWRYHUKHDGVR\RXUDUPVDUHDQJOHGGLUHFWO\WRZDUG
WKHFHLOLQJ

DO:
3UHVVWKHZHLJKW
VWUDLJKWXSWRZDUGWKH
FHLOLQJQRWDOORZLQJ\RXU
DUPVWRGULIWIRUZDUGRU
EDFNDQGNHHS\RXU
HOERZVRXWDZD\IURP
\RXUERG\

ACTION: %HQG\RXUDUPVDQGVORZO\ORZHUWKHEDUWRZDUG\RXU
ORZHUSHFWRUDOV:KHQWKHEDUEHOOOLJKWO\WRXFKHVGRZQWR\RXU
WRUVRIRUFHIXOO\H[WHQG\RXUHOERZVWRGULYHWKHEDUEDFNWRWKH
VWDUWLQJSRVLWLRQ&RQWUROWKHPRYHVR\RXUHOERZVGRQWVQDSLQWRD
ORFNHGSRVLWLRQDWWKHWRS

DONT:
&KRRVHDZHLJKW
WKDWVWRRKHDY\I\RX
QG\RXUVHOIVWUXJJOLQJ
DQGWKHEDULVQRWULVLQJ
HYHQO\RQERWKVLGHV
UDFNLWDQGVKHGVRPH
SRXQGVIRU\RXU
QH[WVHW

VARIATIONS: 'HFOLQHGXPEEHOO\HVDUHDQH[FHOOHQW
VXEVWLWXWLRQIRUWKHEDUEHOOYHUVLRQRHULQJDOLWWOHPRUHLQ
WKHZD\RIVWUHWFKDWWKHERWWRPRIHDFKUHS
USES: 7KHGHFOLQHSUHVVVKRXOGRQO\EHLQFOXGHGLQDURX
WLQHDIWHU\RXULQFOLQHDQGDWEHQFKSUHVVLQJLVFRPSOHWH
XQOHVV\RXUHVSHFLFDOO\WDUJHWLQJDQXQGHUGHYHORSHGORZHU
FKHVWDQGQHHGWRSULRULWL]HWKHDUHD

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: :LWKDQH[SHULHQFHGVSRWWHU\RXFDQ

DGGQHJDWLYHUHSVWRGHFOLQHSUHVVHVWRLQFUHDVHWKHRYHUDOOLQWHQVLW\
RIWKHH[HUFLVH7RGRQHJDWLYHUHSV\RXFRQWLQXH\RXUQDOVHWXQWLO
PRPHQWDU\PXVFXODUIDLOXUHDWWKDWSRLQW\RXUVSRWWHUSXWVKLV
KDQGVXQGHUWKHEDUWRKHOS\RXWKURXJKWKHSRVLWLYHSRUWLRQRIWKH
OLIWWKHQIROORZVDWWHQWLYHO\DV\RXORZHUWKHEDUVORZO\'RQRPRUH
WKDQWKUHHUHSVZLWKWKLVWHFKQLTXHDQGPDNHVXUH\RXUVSRWWHU
NHHSVKLVKDQGVRQRUEHORZWKHEDUWKURXJKRXW

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26

PEC-DECK FLYE
A well-rounded chest routine calls for more than just multi-joint presses. Isolation
exercises like this one are great for exhausting every last muscle fiber without having
to worry about the triceps giving out early. The pec-deck flye is typically thought of
as a shaping exercise, but it deserves more credit than that. Intense pec-deck sets
taken to exhaustion can certainly build size in the chest.

MUSCLES WORKED: Pectoralis major and minor primarily;

anterior deltoids secondarily.
B

STARTING POSITION: Adjust the seat of a pec-deck

machine so the handles are at chest level. Sit on the seat with
\RXUEDFNDWDJDLQVWWKHSDGDQG\RXUIHHWDWRQWKHRRU
Grasp the handles and begin with your arms straight out to
the sides and a slight bend in your elbows to keep undue pressure of the joints.
ACTION: Contract your pecs to pull your hands together in
a steady, deliberate motion. When your hands meet, squeeze
your pecs hard for a count or two, then slowly return to the start
position without letting the weight rest on the stack.

DONT:
Go fast with this
H[ercise. Flyes are intended to fully isolate the
pecs and keep constant
tension on them. Slowing
your rep speed will
help achieve this.

DO:
Use a challenging weight.
:KLOHSHFGHFN\HV
arent about going super
heavy, you dont want to
go too light and take
the easy road.

VARIATIONS: Most pec-deck machines allow you to do reps one

arm at a time. Utilize this feature for total isolation of each side. Alternate between bilateral and unilateral sets to keep your muscles
guessing. When working unilaterally, pull the handle as far over as
the machine will allow, past the midpoint of your body if possible.

USES: 'RSHFNGHFN\HVDV\RXUODVWH[HUFLVHRQFKHVWGD\DQG
keep the reps relatively high (12 to 15 or more per set). That said,
WKLVLVDOVRDJUHDWH[HUFLVHWRXVHHDUO\LQ\RXUURXWLQHDVDSUH
H[KDXVWEHIRUHDWRULQFOLQHSUHVVHV
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 3UHSDUHIRUDOLWWOHSDLQDQGQLVK
your chest workout with this grueling pec-deck drop set: Select the
heaviest weight you can do for eight to 10 quality reps. Go to failure,
then immediately drop the pin one slot and go to failure again. Keep
decreasing weight only one pin slot at a time until youre doing one
last set to failure with only one weight plate.

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27

PUSH-UP
If its good enough for the United States military and Rocky Balboa, its good enough for
anyone. Push-ups train muscles that everyone desires (chest, shoulders, arms) and can
be done anywhere at the gym, at home or in a hotel room while on vacation. Another
great benefit of the push-up: It also helps build size and shape in the pecs. If youre not
currently doing push-ups regularly, start now.

DONT:
Let your hips sag
WRZDUGWKHRRU
Your torso should
be tight and in a
straight line with
your legs.

MUSCLES WORKED: Pectoralis

major and minor primarily; anterior
deltoids and triceps secondarily; core
muscles for stabilization.
STARTING POSITION: Place your
hands about shoulder-width apart
with your body rigid and in a straight
line from your head to your heels,
SDOPVDQGWRHVRQWKHRRUWKH
classic push-up position. Begin with
your elbows extended and arms
SHUSHQGLFXODUWRWKHRRU\RXUFRUH
tight and neck in line with your spine.
ACTION: Bend your elbows to slowO\ORZHU\RXUVHOIWRWKHRRU:KHQ
your chest touches down, contract
your pecs and extend your arms to
forcefully press yourself back up to
the start position, stopping just shy
of full elbow lockout.

DO:
Touch your chest
WRWKHRRURQHYHU\
rep. Half range of motion reps are no more
acceptable on pushups than any other
exercise.

VARIATIONS: Feet-elevated push-ups

(with your feet up on a bench behind you) will
place greater emphasis on the upper pecs
and shoulders. Handstand push-ups (with
your feet directly above you leaned against a
wall) are an advanced variation that targets
the shoulders. Finally, plyometric push-ups
will increase power and explosiveness to
spark new gains in size and strength.

USES: Push-ups are particularly useful on days youre

unable to get to the gym but
VWLOOZDQWWRDFKLHYHDQHHF
tive upper-body or full-body
workout. In a traditional
bodybuilding gym workout,
SXVKXSVDUHDQHHFWLYH
KLJKUHSQLVKLQJPRYH

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Give your pecs

maximum stimulation throughout your workout by doing a set of push-ups to failure after
your last one or two sets of every chest exercise
\RXGRIRUH[DPSOHDVHWRISXVKXSVDIWHU
your last set of incline presses, another after
DWEHQFKSUHVVHVDQGDJDLQDIWHU\RXUODVW
WZRVHWVRI\HV7RUHDOO\FUDQNXSYROXPHGR
push-ups after every set.

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28

DUMBBELL PULLOVER
Arnold Schwarzenegger and his fellow 70s-era bodybuilding brethren popularized dumbbell
pullovers decades ago, citing its purported chest-expanding benefits as the source of their
affinity for the move. And while the pullover isnt nearly as trendy anymore, with a strong mindmuscle connection, gains can certainly be achieved using this unique isolation exercise.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Pectoralis major and minor,
serratus anterior and lats
primarily; long head of the
triceps secondarily.

DO:
Hold the
contraction in
your pecs for one to
two counts when the
dumbbell is over your
chest at the top of
each rep.

STARTING POSITION:
6LWRQWKHRRUDJDLQVWWKH
VLGHRIDDWEHQFKZKLOH
holding a dumbbell with
both hands. Place the backs
of your shoulders on the
bench with your knees bent
GHJUHHVDQGIHHWDWRQ
WKHRRU'URS\RXUKLSV
below the level of the bench
and begin holding the
dumbbell straight out over
your chest with your hands
clasping the plates on the
top side of the weight and
your arms extended.

ACTION: With your

elbows slightly bent, lower
the dumbbell back and
behind your head until you
feel a stretch in your pecs
and upper arms. Contract
your pecs to return the
dumbbell to the start
position, maintaining only
a slight bend in your elbows.

VARIATIONS: This exercise

can also be performed with a
barbell. In this case, hold the
bar with a grip shoulder width
or narrower. Fixed weight bars
(straight or EZ-curl) that are
shorter than Olympic bars are
recommended for practicality
and balance. Another option,
pullover machines are still
present in some gyms, though
not all.

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USES: Pullovers
arent typically used for
pre-exhaustion, so save
this exercise until late
in your chest workout.
'RLWHLWKHUODVWRUMXVW
EHIRUH\HV6LQFHWKH
pullover also hits the
lats to an extent, its a
good bridge exercise
when training chest and
back together.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE:
To challenge balance and core
stability, perform dumbbell
pullovers on an exercise ball.
Choose a lighter weight for
this version and keep the moWLRQXLGDQGHYHQO\SDFHG
throughout. When choosing
a ball, look for one thats fully
pumped up with air; a ball
WKDWVDWWHUZLOOOLPLW\RXU
range of motion.

DONT:
Reach too far back
or down at the bottom
of the rep. Lower the
dumbbell to the point
where you feel only a
slight stretch, then
reverse the
motion.

29

STANDING BARBELL PRESS

Also known as the military press, this exercise rivals the bench press in terms of iconic
upper-body moves that display raw strength and pack on slabs of lean muscle. Where
the shoulders are concerned, nothing beats the barbell press for overall bang for your
training buck. And its carryover to the real world is undeniable few human movements
are more natural than lifting a weight overhead.

DONT:
Arch your back
excessively. Your abs
should be contracted
throughout, which will
keep your chest pointed
straight ahead, not
angled upward.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Deltoids (anterior, middle and posterior heads)
primarily; triceps and upper
traps secondarily, as well as
the core for stabilization.
STARTING POSITION:
Grasp a bar in a squat rack
with a grip just outside
shoulder width. Rest the
bar across the front of
your shoulders and step
back a foot or two to clear
the rack. Bend your knees
slightly, tighten your core
and squeeze the bar hard in
your hands.
ACTION: Maintaining
a rigid torso, explosively
press the bar straight up
toward the ceiling. Immediately after it clears
your face, bring your head
slightly forward so the bar
ends up directly over your
head, not out in front of
it. Stop just short of elbow
lockout, then lower the bar
under control back to your
VKRXOGHUV3DXVHEULH\
with the bar at a complete
stop, then repeat.

DO:
Experiment with
GLHUHQWJULSZLGWKVWR
determine whats most
comfortable for you. You
PLJKWQGWKDWQDUURZLQJ
your grip slightly takes
SUHVVXUHRWKHURWDWRUFX

VARIATIONS: The basic motion involved here (pressing a weight overhead) can be
DFFRPSOLVKHGXVLQJDQXPEHURIGLHUHQWWRROV6HDWHGEDUEHOOSUHVVHVDUHDQRSWLRQ
as are dumbbell presses (either standing or seated, unilateral or bilateral), kettlebell
presses (typically standing, unilateral or bilateral) and machine presses (Smith machine,
Hammer Strength, etc.).
USES: :KHQGRLQJVWDQGLQJEDUEHOOSUHVVHVLQDZRUNRXWPDNHLWWKHUVWH[HUFLVH\RX
do. This is a movement best performed when the body is fresh and can handle maximum
weight. Treat militaries the same way you would bench press on chest days.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Being a foundational, powerlifting-type exercise, intensity
techniques like drop sets and rest-pauses are typically not recommended for barbell
overhead presses. A standard ascending pyramid rep and load scheme is as advanced
DV\RXQHHGWRJHW2YHUWKHFRXUVHRIWKUHHWRYHVHWVLQFUHDVHZHLJKWHYHU\VHWZKLOH
decreasing rep counts for example, four sets of 10, eight, six and four reps.

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30

SEATED BARBELL PRESS

The standing barbell press (aka military press) is considered the biggest, baddest
shoulder exercise on the block. But ironically, doing presses seated allows you to lift
significantly more weight, since you can use the back of the seat or bench to press off
of for more leverage. And a good rule of thumb is more weight for more reps equals
greater mass-building potential. Not that you should ditch standing presses by any
means just make sure you take a seat on a regular basis too for bigger delts.

MUSCLES WORKED: 'HOWRLGVDQWHULRUPLGGOH

and posterior heads) primarily; triceps and upper traps
VHFRQGDULO\
STARTING POSITION: Sit on an upright seat with
DUDFNDQGJUDVSWKHEDUMXVWRXWVLGHVKRXOGHUZLGWK
:LWK\RXUIHHWDWRQWKHRRUDQGORZHUEDFNLQFRQ
tact with the seat, unrack the bar and begin with it directly over your shoulders with your elbows extended
EXWQRWORFNHGRXW
ACTION: Bend your elbows to slowly lower the bar
GRZQLQIURQWRI\RXUIDFH:KHQLWUHDFKHVMXVWEHORZ
FKLQOHYHOIRUFHIXOO\SUHVVWKHZHLJKWEDFNXSWRWKH
VWDUWSRVLWLRQZLWKRXWORFNLQJRXW\RXUHOERZV$WWKH
WRSRIWKHPRYHPHQWWKHEDUVKRXOGEHGLUHFWO\RYHU
\RXUIDFHQRWEDFNEHKLQG\RXUKHDG

DONT:
*RDWLWDORQH$
spotter is highly recomPHQGHGLIQRWPDQGDWHG
When using dumbbells,
you can drop the weights
LI\RXQHHGWRZLWKD
EDU\RXFDQW

VARIATIONS: Mix things up by alternating barbell

and dumbbell seated presses the same basic movePHQWVMXVWZLWKVOLJKWO\GLHUHQWSDWKVRIPRWLRQ
Utilize the Smith machine as well by sliding a seat or
EHQFKXQGHUQHDWKWKHEDU
USES: When doing seated barbell presses in a workRXWGRLWHDUO\RQZKLOH\RXUPXVFOHVDUHVWLOOIUHVK
6HOGRPVKRXOGDQ\RWKHUH[HUFLVHFRPHEHIRUHWKLV
RQHXQOHVV\RXUHDQDGYDQFHGOLIWHUSUHH[KDXVWLQJ
WKHGHOWVZLWKODWHUDOUDLVHV
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 3XVK\RXUVHOIWRWKHOLPLW
E\GRLQJIRUFHGUHSVRIVHDWHGEDUEHOOSUHVVHV3LFN
DZHLJKWWKDW\RXFDQGRIRUVL[WRHLJKWUHSVRQ\RXU
RZQ$IWHUUHDFKLQJIDLOXUHKDYHDVSRWWHUKHOS\RXJHW
two or three more reps by providing light assistance;
LQRWKHUZRUGV\RXVKRXOGEHGRLQJDPDMRULW\RIWKH
ZRUNQRWWKHVSRWWHU'RIRUFHGUHSVVSDULQJO\OLPLWLQJ
WKHPWR\RXUODVWRQHRUWZRVHWVRISUHVVHVDWPRVW

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DO:
Keep your
elbows slightly in
IURQWRI\RXUVKRXOGHUV
DVRSSRVHGWRGLUHFWO\
alongside them) as you
SUHVVWKHEDUXS7KLV
will help increase
\RXUSRZHU

31

ARNOLD PRESS
Named after its inventor, the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger, this exercise is a dumbbell
overhead press with a twist literally that places added tension on the anterior deltoids.
Its considered a great mass-building move because it truly will add thickness (not to mention
detail) to the front part of the shoulders. In combination with standard overhead presses, this
variation will ensure your delts are big and dense front to back.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Deltoids (anterior head in particular) primarily; triceps and
upper traps secondarily.

DONT:
Pick too heavy of
a weight, especially
if youre new to Arnold
presses. You wont be
quite as strong with this
version as with standard presses.

STARTING POSITION:
Sit on a low-back seat or
adjustable bench set to a fully
upright position, holding a
pair of dumbbells resting on
your thighs. Lift the weights
up in front of your shoulders
and turn your palms in so
theyre facing you (forearms
supinated).

ACTION: Explosively press

the dumbbells straight up
overhead while simultaneously turning your wrists so
that by the top of the rep your
palms are facing forward. Stop
just short of full lockout at
the elbows. Slowly lower the
dumbbells to the start position, rotating your wrists back
to the supinated position as
you do so.

DO:
Keep your back in
contact with the seat
or bench throughout
the set. Dont let the
weights pull you
forward.

VARIATIONS: Being a variation of another

major movement, you may not want to modify
the Arnold press much further. That said, try
it one arm at a time, either while holding a
dumbbell in the non-working arm in the down
position or not holding a second dumbbell at
all. In the latter instance, hold onto the bench
with the non-working hand for stability.

USES: Do Arnold presses if

your anterior delts are a particularly weak area; in this case, lead
RZLWKWKLVH[HUFLVH2WKHUZLVH
work it into your shoulder routine
on occasion, either right after
standard presses or as the only
press you do in a given workout.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Run the rack for a

grueling drop set that will torch your front delts.
Start the set with a weight that allows you to
do 10 to 12 reps with good form. Do that, then
re-rack the weights and immediately grab a pair
RIGXPEEHOOVYHWRSRXQGVOLJKWHUDQGUHS
those out to failure. Continue in this fashion
until youre down to the 10-pound weights.

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32

DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE

Who says you cant build muscle with a lighter-weight, single-joint movement? Presses and
upright rows are great for packing on size, but the delts also respond well to isolation, which
is where lateral raises come into play. Include at least one variation of them in every shoulder
workout that is, if muscular hypertrophy and separation are of any importance to you.

MUSCLES WORKED: Deltoids

(middle head in particular).
STARTING POSITION: Stand
holding a relatively light pair of
dumbbells at your sides with your
DUPVH[WHQGHGWRZDUGWKHRRU
palms facing in and knees slightly
EHQW.HHS\RXUH\HV[HGVWUDLJKW
ahead and tighten your core.
DO:
Stop just
short of your arms
reaching perpendicular
WRWKHRRUDWWKHERWWRP
of the rep as an advanced
technique that ensures
full tension remains on
the delts.

ACTION: Maintaining a very

VOLJKWEHQGLQ\RXUHOERZVFRQ
tract your delt muscles to raise the
dumbbells up and out to the sides.
When your arms reach parallel
ZLWKWKHRRURUVOLJKWO\DERYH
SDXVHIRUDFRXQWWKHQVORZO\
lower the dumbbells back to the
start position.

DONT:
Bounce your knees
to assist during lateral
raises. The objective
KHUHLVWRWDOLVRODWLRQ
not generating momentum with other
bodyparts.

VARIATIONS: Lateral raises can also be done with cables by using D-handles and the
lowest pulley setting. Perform them one arm at a time or work both sides by crossing
your arms in front of you in a cable crossover station. The constant tension provided by
the cables is ideal for maximum muscle stimulation.
USES: /DWHUDOUDLVHVDUHW\SLFDOO\HPSOR\HGWRQLVKRDVKRXOGHUZRUNRXW7KLVZRUNV
QHEXWWKH\FDQDOVREHXWLOL]HGDVDQHHFWLYHPHDQVRISUHH[KDXVWLRQEHIRUHSUHVVHV
or upright rows.
A

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Put your delts to the test by pairing lateral raises with
YLUWXDOO\DQ\RWKHUVKRXOGHUH[HUFLVHDVSDUWRIDVXSHUVHWWULVHWRUJLDQWVHW'RVHDWHG
dumbbell presses followed immediately by dumbbell lateral raises for a superset. Make
LWDWULVHWE\VTXHH]LQJXSULJKWURZVLQEHWZHHQWKRVHWZRPRYHV7XUQWKDWLQWRDJLDQW
set (four or more exercises) by adding bent-over lateral raises to the end of the sequence.

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33

BENT-OVER DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE

From the front, your delts may look awesome big, rounded, full. Maybe the word cannonballs
comes to mind. But what happens when you turn around? Do your delts suddenly disappear from
that back angle, shriveled like a deflated balloon? You can thank all of that chest and shoulder
pressing you do, which calls upon lots of help from the anterior and middle delts, but doesnt do all
that much for the rear head of the deltoid muscle. To compensate, you need to give the rear angle
some direct attention, and theres no better place to begin than the bent-over lateral raise.

MUSCLES WORKED: Deltoids, with a primary emphasis on the

rear head of the three-headed muscle.

STARTING POSITION: Standing with a dumbbell in each hand,

bend over at the hips until your torso is just about parallel to the
RRU.HHS\RXUFKHVWRXWEDFNDWDQG\RXUNQHHVVOLJKWO\EHQW
and let the dumbbells hang directly beneath you with your elbows
VWUDLJKWEXWQRWORFNHGRXWSDOPVIDFLQJHDFKRWKHU
ACTION: Maintaining the same slightly bent position of your
elbows throughout, powerfully raise the dumbbells up and out to
\RXUVLGHVXQWLO\RXUXSSHUDUPVDUHDERXWSDUDOOHOZLWKWKHRRU
DQGDWWKHOHYHORI\RXUVKRXOGHUV$IWHUH[LQJ\RXUUHDUGHOWV
VWURQJO\DWWKHWRSVORZO\ORZHUWKHGXPEEHOOVEDFNWRZDUGWKH
start position, stopping just short to maintain tension on the musFOHVDQGUHYHUVHLQWRWKHQH[WUHS

DO:
Angle your wrists
slightly so your thumb
LVORZHUWKDQ\RXUSLQNLH
DVLI\RXUHOHWWLQJDVPDOO
RZRIZDWHURXWRIDMXJ
It accents the squeeze
on the rear delt.

DONT:
Bounce your
NQHHVDQGURFN
your upper body to
add momentum to
your reps.

VARIATIONS: The bent-over raise can also be done seated

VLWDWWKHHQGRIDDWEHQFKDQGEHQGRYHUVR\RXUFKHVWLVMXVW
above your lap. This option is helpful if you tend to cheat your reps
XSZLWKH[WUDERG\(QJOLVKZKLOHVWDQGLQJ<RXFDQDOVRGRODWHUDOV
one arm at a time.
USES: For most people, the development of the rear delt lags
the middle and front heads, meaning you may want to prioritize
the rear by inserting bent-over laterals right after presses as the
UVWUDLVHLQ\RXUURXWLQHGRLQJWKDW\RXOOKDYHSOHQW\RIHQHU
gy to hit them hard. Or you can also rotate which lateral move you
OHDGZLWKIURPZRUNRXWWRZRUNRXW6WDUWZLWKVWDQGLQJUDLVHVRQH
ZHHNWKHQEHQWRYHUUDLVHVWKHQH[WDQGIURQWUDLVHVWKHWKLUG
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: I\RXUHVKRUWRQWLPH\RXFDQVX
SHUVHWUHDUGHOWODWHUDOVZLWKVLGHUDLVHVGRLQJWKHPEDFNWREDFN
ZLWKQRUHVWLQEHWZHHQ/LNHPDQ\GXPEEHOOPRYHPHQWVUHDU
ODWHUDOUDLVHVDOVRLGHDOIRUUXQQLQJWKHUDFNHLWKHUS\UDPLGLQJ
XSRUGRZQWKHUDFNLQRUSRXQGLQFUHPHQWVZLWKPLQLPDO
rest between sets.

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34

EZ-BAR UPRIGHT ROW

Upright rows are a great middleman between overhead presses and lateral raises.
Like the former, this exercise is a multi-joint mover, which means you can go relatively
heavy with it and pack on size. Like the latter, it involves an upward pulling motion that
provides great deltoid isolation for enhanced muscular detail. Most shoulder workouts
in a mass-gaining program should include some variation of the upright row.

MUSCLES WORKED: Deltoids (anterior and

middle heads in particular), upper traps primarily;
biceps secondarily.

STARTING POSITION: 6WDQGKROGLQJDQ(=EDUZLWK

DQRYHUKDQGVKRXOGHUZLGWKJULSGRZQLQIURQWRI\RXU
WKLJKVZLWK\RXUDUPVH[WHQGHG.HHSDVOLJKWEHQGLQ
your knees and your eyes facing forward, not down.
ACTION: .HHSLQJ\RXUVKRXOGHUVGHSUHVVHGGRQW
shrug up), contract your deltoids and bend your
elbows to pull the bar up your body to chest height.
Your upper arms should be just past parallel to the
RRUDWWKLVSRLQW+ROGWKHFRQWUDFWLRQKHUHIRUD
count, then slowly lower the bar to the start position,
VWRSSLQJMXVWVKRUWRIIXOOHOERZH[WHQVLRQDWWKHERW
tom of each rep.

DONT:
Lose concentration
on the delts. Its easy
to let the biceps take
RYHULI\RXUHQRWIRFXV
ing on the target
muscles.

DO:
Focus on
pulling your shoulder
blades down throughout
to keep your shoulders
from shrugging up, which
is common on this
H[HUFLVH

VARIATIONS: Feel free to use a straight bar for upright rows if it provides
EHWWHUZULVWFRPIRUW7KH6PLWKPDFKLQHLVDOVRDQHHFWLYHYDULDWLRQIRUWKLV
PRYHPHQWDVLWDOORZV\RXWRORDGXSZHLJKWDQGSXOODORQJD[HGSDWKRIPR
tion without having to worry much about balance.
USES: 8SULJKWURZVDUHDJUHDWH[HUFLVHWRVDQGZLFKEHWZHHQSUHVVHVDQG
UDLVHV'RRQHWRWZRSUHVVLQJPRYHVWKHQXSULJKWURZVWKHQDIHZUDLVHYDULD
tions, and youll have attacked your delts from all angles.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 0D[LPL]HWHQVLRQRQWKHGHOWVWRVSXUQHZPXVFOH
growth by doing partial rep sets of upright rows where the partial distinction
comes from stopping short at the bottom, not the top, of each rep. After lifting
WKHEDUXSWRZKHUHWKHXSSHUDUPVDUHMXVWSDVWSDUDOOHOORZHULWRQO\WZRWKLUGV
of the way back down.

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35

BARBELL SHRUG
Few things distinguish a super strong, hard-training guy like a thick set of upper
trapezius muscles, which cover the tops of the shoulders and actually extend up into
the neck. And when it comes to acquiring the type of traps that pop out of your T-shirt,
nothing is more effective than shrugging a heavy barbell over and over. If you want to
display size, strength and power at all times, dont skip this exercise.

MUSCLES WORKED: Upper traps.

DONT:
Roll your shoulders back as you lift
the weight. The motion
should be straight up
and straight back
down.

STARTING POSITION: Stand upright

holding a barbell in front of your thighs with
your arms extended and a shoulder-width,
overhand grip. Bend your knees slightly,
tighten your core and keep your eyes focused
forward.
ACTION: Maintaining full elbow extension,
elevate (shrug) your shoulders straight up as
high as possible to move the bar up the front
of your body a short distance. Squeeze the
contraction at the top for one to two seconds,
then slowly drop your shoulders back down to
the start position.

DO:
Challenge yourself
with heavy weight on
shrugs. The small range
of motion allows for
substantial load to be
used, even for high
reps (15 to 20).

VARIATIONS: Behind-the-back shrugs can be used to target the muscles

IURPDVOLJKWO\GLHUHQWDQJOHDQGSXOOWKHVKRXOGHUVEDFNWRSURPRWHLGHDO
posture. Simply hold the barbell behind you, just below your glutes, when
you shrug. Shrugs can also be done on a Smith machine, either in front of or
behind the body.
USES: %HVLGHVWKLFNHQLQJWKHXSSHUWUDSVIRUDHVWKHWLFEHQHWVVKUXJVDUH
a good accessory move for enhancing shoulder stability and improving pulling
power on Olympic-style lifts like cleans and snatches.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: After two to three

VHWVRIVWDQGDUGUHSVQLVKR\RXUXSSHU
traps with a static shrug hold. Shrug the weight
up to the top position, then hold it there for at
least 20 to 30 seconds. You may need to lighten
the weight to achieve this. Over time, increase
the hold up to 60 seconds. Bump up the weight
thereafter and start back at 20 to 30 seconds in
the next workout.

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36

DUMBBELL SHRUG
The barbell version is the ultimate shoulder-topper, and the dumbbell shrug is a close second
in this regard. Lifting two independent weights offers a great range of motion at the top of each
shrug, making it preferable for some. You could make a case for giving dumbbells the nod
over a barbell, but youre better off including both regularly in your training protocol.

MUSCLES WORKED: Upper traps.

DO:
Visualize
pulling your shoulders up and in toward
your ears to maximize
range of motion at
the top.

STARTING POSITION: Stand upright holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with your
arms fully extended and palms facing in. Bend
your knees slightly, tighten your core and keep
your eyes pointed forward.
ACTION: Maintaining full elbow extension,
shrug your shoulders straight up as high as
possible to lift the dumbbells up the sides
of your body a short distance. Squeeze the
contraction at the top for one to two counts,
then slowly drop your shoulders back down to
the start position.

DONT:
Go up onto your
toes at the top of
WKHUHSLQDQHRUW
to pull the weight
higher.

VARIATIONS: Standard technique calls for the dumbbells to remain at the sides. But
you can also move your hands to the front of your thighs to better mimic a barbell shrug.
Another variation is the power shrug (with either dumbbells or a barbell), where your
legs assist by creating momentum. This allows you to use more weight.
USES: Utilize dumbbell shrugs for the same purposes you do the barbell version. If
upper-trap development isnt a high priority, choose one or the other to do at the end of
your shoulder workout. If youre looking to bring up the area, do both variations for three
to four sets each in your routine.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Switch things up by mixing bilateral and unilateral reps in
the same set. Start by shrugging up only the right arm and lowering it back down. Repeat
with the left arm. Then shrug up both sides together thats one rep. Shoot for 10 to 15
reps total per set.

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37

CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS

The standard bench press is as effective as any lift at building size in the chest. Move your hands
a little closer together on the bar, and youve got an exercise thats equally potent for beefing up
the triceps. Just that simple narrowing of the grip de-emphasizes the pec muscles and places that
much more tension on the tris. If you want bigger arms, this is a proven move.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Triceps (lateral head in particular) primarily; pecs and
deltoids secondarily.

DO:
Focus intently on the
mind-muscle connection
ZLWK\RXUWULFHSV%HLQJD
PXOWLMRLQWH[HUFLVHLWVHDV\
to rely too much upon the
pecs and shoulders to
SUHVVWKHZHLJKW
up.

STARTING POSITION: Lie

EDFNRQDDWEHQFKZLWKD
rack and grasp the barbell just
LQVLGHVKRXOGHUZLGWKSDOPV
IDFLQJIRUZDUG8QUDFNWKHEDU
DQGEHJLQZLWKLWRYHU\RXU
FKHVW\RXUDUPVH[WHQGHG
.HHS\RXUIHHWDWRQWKHRRU
and the back of your head in
FRQWDFWZLWKWKHEHQFK
ACTION: :LWK\RXUHOERZV
LQWLJKWWR\RXUERG\EHQG
\RXUDUPVWRVORZO\ORZHU
WKHEDUGRZQWR\RXUORZHU
FKHVW7RXFKGRZQOLJKWO\
then forcefully press the bar
EDFNXSZLWKRXWORFNLQJ\RXU
HOERZVDWWKHWRS$VZLWKD
VWDQGDUGJULSEHQFKSUHVV
the bars path of motion
should be a slight arc backZDUGVRLWHQGVXSGLUHFWO\
RYHU\RXUXSSHUQRW\RXU
ORZHUSHFV

VARIATIONS: 'RWKHFORVHJULSEHQFKLQD6PLWKPDFKLQHZKHQ\RXZDQWWRRYHUORDG
WKHWULFHSVWRDKLJKHUGHJUHHUHVLVWDQFHZLVH:LWKWKHIUHHZHLJKWYHUVLRQWKHQHHGWR
EDODQFHWKHEDUVLGHWRVLGHOLPLWVKRZKHDY\\RXFDQJR<RXFDQDOVRPLPLFWKLVPRYH
ZLWKGXPEEHOOVKROGLQJWKHPWRJHWKHURYHU\RXUFKHVWZLWKSDOPVIDFLQJHDFKRWKHU

DONT:
/LIW\RXUEXWWR
the bench at any point.
This can strain on the
ORZHUEDFNDQGZLOOWDNH
HPSKDVLVDZD\IURP
the triceps.

USES: 'RWKHFORVHJULSEHQFKUVWLQWKHWULFHSVSRUWLRQRI\RXUZRUNRXWVLQFHLWPD\
EHWKHRQO\FRPSRXQGH[HUFLVH\RXGRIRUWKHERG\SDUWIVXSHUVHWWLQJWULFHSVZLWK
ELFHSVSDLULWZLWKEDUEHOOFXUOVIRUDJUHDWPDVVEXLOGLQJGXR
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 6KRFN\RXUWULFHSVZLWKDKLJKUHSGURSVHWRIFORVHJULS
EHQFKSUHVVHV0DNHVXUH\RXKDYHDVSRWWHUSUHVHQWRUGRWKHPLQVLGHDSRZHUUDFN
ZLWKWKHVDIHW\SLQVVHWMXVWDERYHFKHVWOHYHO7RPDNHGURSSLQJWKHZHLJKWGXULQJWKH
VHWFRQYHQLHQWXVHSRXQGSODWHVIRUUHVLVWDQFHDQGKDYH\RXUSDUWQHUUHPRYHRQH
IURPHDFKVLGHHYHU\WLPH\RXUHDFKIDLOXUH*RDOOWKHZD\GRZQXQWLO\RXUHUHSSLQJRXW
ZLWKDQHPSW\EDUEHOO

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LYING EZ-BAR FRENCH PRESS

Among triceps exercises, you have exercises like cable pressdowns and kickbacks
that are used to carve detail into the horseshoe-shaped muscle, and then you have
mass-builders that help you fill out the sleeves of your T-shirts. The French press (aka
skullcrushers) falls into the latter category along with close-grip bench press and
dips. Hit it often and hit it heavy if bigger pipes are your objective.

MUSCLES WORKED: 7ULFHSVODWHUDODQGORQJKHDGVLQSDUWLFXODU

STARTING POSITION: 6LWDWWKHHQGRIDDWEHQFKZLWKDQ(=EDUUHVWLQJ
RQ\RXUWKLJKV*UDVSWKHEDUZLWKDQRYHUKDQGVKRXOGHUZLGWKJULSDQGOLH
back on the bench with the bar on your chest. Press it up until your arms are
H[WHQGHGVWUDLJKWXSWRZDUGWKHFHLOLQJWKHEDUGLUHFWO\RYHU\RXUIDFHDQG\RXU
IHHWDWRQWKHRRU
ACTION: .HHSLQJ\RXUHOERZVLQDQG\RXUXSSHUDUPVVWDWLRQDU\EHQG\RXU
DUPVWRVORZO\ORZHUWKHEDUWR\RXUIRUHKHDG-XVWEHIRUHLWWRXFKHVFRQWUDFW
\RXUWULFHSVWRH[WHQG\RXUH[WHQG\RXUHOERZVDQGUHWXUQWRWKHVWDUWSRVLWLRQ

DONT:
Let your elbows
DUHRXWHYHQLILW
seems to allow you to
JRKHDYLHU.HHSLQJWKH
elbows in tighter is
key to isolating the
triceps.

DO:
Use a spotWHURQWKLVH[HU
cise if possible. They
GRQWFDOOWKLVPRYH
skullcrushers for
nothing.

VARIATIONS: French presses can be done on a decline bench to change the

DQJOHRIPRWLRQVOLJKWO\.HHS\RXUXSSHUDUPVSHUSHQGLFXODUWRWKHRRUHYHQ
though your body position is changed. They can also be performed with a straight
EDUSURYLGHGLWVFRPIRUWDEOHIRU\RXUZULVWVRUZLWKGXPEEHOOVZKHUHWKHSDOPV
face in.
USES: %HLQJDPDMRUPDVVEXLOGHUIRUWKHWULFHSVGRWKLVH[HUFLVHHDUO\LQ\RXU
DUPURXWLQHHLWKHUUVWDPRQJWULFHSVH[HUFLVHVRUULJKWDIWHUFORVHJULSEHQFK
press or dips.

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ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: A great tricepsWRUFKLQJSUDFWLFHWKDWVEHHQDURXQGIRUHYHU

LQYROYHVQLVKLQJVHWVZLWKFORVHJULSEHQFK
SUHVVHVXVLQJWKHVDPHEDU$IWHUUHDFKLQJ
IDLOXUHRQ)UHQFKSUHVVHVLPPHGLDWHO\VKLIW
your hands inside shoulder width and do reps
RIFORVHJULSSUHVVHVXQWLOIDLOXUH7RDYRLGRYHU
WUDLQLQJGRWKLVRQRQO\WKHODVWRQHWRWZRVHWV
of French presses.

39

PARALLEL-BAR DIP
The dip is a classic, widely used upper-body exercise utilized in many different training
disciplines from bodybuilding to powerlifting to CrossFit. It calls the chest and
shoulders into play, no doubt, but the triceps tend to experience the greatest mass-building
benefits of dipping. When it comes to movements that allow you to place maximum load on
the tris, close-grip bench press and dips are neck and neck at the top of the list.

DO:
Contract and
squeeze your triceps
hard at the top of each
rep to fully stimulate
WKHEHUVRIWKH
target muscles.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Triceps (lateral and medial
heads in particular) primarily;
pecs and deltoids secondarily.
STARTING POSITION:
Seek a dip apparatus with a
relatively narrow grip (shoulder width at most). Grab
the bars with your thumbs
wrapped around them and
begin with your arms fully
H[WHQGHGDQG\RXUERG\VXV
pended in the air vertically.
ACTION: Bend your arms
to slowly lower yourself
down, keeping your body as
upright as possible. Bend
your knees as necessary
to keep your feet from
WRXFKLQJWKHRRUDQGIHHO
free to cross your ankles if
you like. When your elbows
reach 90 degrees or slightly
past, focus on contracting
\RXUWULFHSVWRH[SORVLYHO\
press yourself back up to the
DUPVH[WHQGHGSRVLWLRQ

DONT:
Lean too far
forward with your
torso. This will place
more emphasis on
the chest than the
triceps.

VARIATIONS: Assisted dip (and pull-up) machines are very common in

gyms these days. Utilize this tool whenever you want to shock your triceps
with higher rep counts than you can do unassisted.
USES: Being one of the best mass- and strength-building moves there is for
DUPVVORWGLSVDVRQHRI\RXUUVWWULFHSVH[HUFLVHVLQ\RXUZRUNRXWVI\RX
train triceps on the same day as chest and/or shoulders, dips are a no-brainer
in these sessions, as they hit all of those muscle groups.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Upper-body training

doesnt get much more advanced or hardcore than
when doing weighted dips. Provided you can do at
least 10 to 12 bodyweight dips on your own, add
additional weight by dangling a plate or dumbbell from a chain attached to a lifting belt secured
around your waist. Select a load that will cause you
WRUHDFKIDLOXUHLQWKHVL[WRUHSUDQJH

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40

SEATED TWO-HAND OVERHEAD DUMBBELL EXTENSION

Compared to the pecs or lats, the triceps brachii is a small muscle. But it still crosses
over two joints: the elbow (via all three heads) and the shoulder (via only the long
head). Targeting the long head, which adds impressive thickness up near the shoulder
when fully developed, requires doing extension exercises with the arms in an
overhead position. Seated overhead dumbbell extensions do the trick quite nicely.

MUSCLES WORKED: Triceps (long

head in particular).
STARTING POSITION: Sit on a lowback seat holding a relatively heavy dumbbell with both hands resting on your lap.
Lift the weight overhead and hold the top
plates of the dumbbell securely by overODSSLQJ\RXUWKXPEVDQGLQGH[QJHUVWR
form a diamond around the handle. Begin
with your arms fully extended up toward
the ceiling.

DO:
Focus on
keeping your elbows pointed forward
to maintain strict form
and triceps isolation.
Doing the exercise in
front of a mirror
helps.

ACTION: Without letting your elbows

DUHRXWWRRPXFKEHQG\RXUDUPVWRORZ
er the dumbbell behind your head. When
your forearms are past parallel to the
RRUFRQWUDFW\RXUWULFHSVWRH[WHQG\RXU
elbows and return to the start position.

DONT:
Look up at the dumbbell when its overhead
by bending your neck back.
Maintain a neutral spine
from your lower back up to
your head at all times to
protect against strain
or injury.

VARIATIONS: To eliminate muscular imbalance, do overhead extensions

one arm at a time, using around half the weight you would with both arms.
When training unilaterally, place the non-working hand either on your waist or
the seat for stability.
USES: Overhead triceps exercises like this one are all about zeroing in on the
long head to add size up high to the upper arm. Perform this exercise as either
the last one in your triceps routine or just before lighter moves like one-arm
pressdowns or kickbacks.
A

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ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: For added intensity, superset this exercise with

diamond (hands narrow) push-ups. After reaching failure on overhead extenVLRQVLPPHGLDWHO\GURSWRWKHRRUDQGGRDVPDQ\SXVKXSVZLWK\RXUKDQGV
inside shoulder width as possible. The overhead move will target the long head
of the triceps, while the narrow push-ups will emphasize the lateral head.

41

STANDING BARBELL CURL

If you want bigger biceps, do standing barbell curls. No questions asked. Its the most
iconic arm exercise there is for good reason: because no other biceps movement allows
you to go as heavy as this one while still maintaining superior isolation. More weight
means stronger muscles, and stronger biceps are nearly always bigger biceps.

MUSCLES WORKED: Biceps

and brachialis.
B

STARTING POSITION: Stand

holding a barbell with a shoulderwidth grip, hanging straight down
WRZDUGWKHRRULQIURQWRI\RXU
WKLJKVZLWK\RXUHOERZVIXOO\H[
WHQGHG%HQG\RXUNQHHVVOLJKWO\
ACTION: .HHSLQJ\RXUWRUVR
HUHFWGRQWOHDQEDFNZKLOHOLIWLQJ
WKHZHLJKWFRQWUDFW\RXUELFHSV
WREHQG\RXUDUPVDQGFXUOWKH
ZHLJKWXSDVIDUDVSRVVLEOH0DNH
VXUH\RXUHOERZVDUHLQWLJKWDW
\RXUVLGHVWKURXJKRXWGRQWOHW
WKHPDUHRXWRUOLIWXS$WWKHWRS
RIWKHUHSVTXHH]HWKHFRQWUDF
WLRQLQ\RXUELFHSVIRUDFRXQW
WKHQVORZO\ORZHUWKHZHLJKWEDFN
GRZQVWRSSLQJMXVWVKRUWRIIXOO
HOERZORFNRXWDWWKHERWWRP

DONT:
$UFK\RXUEDFNDW
WKHHQGRIWKHFXUOWR
WU\DQGFRPSOHWHWKH
PRWLRQ7KLVSXWVXQGXH
strain on the spine and
SURYLGHVQREHQ
HWWR\RXUELFHSV
training.

DO:
([SHULPHQWZLWK
SODFLQJ\RXUKDQGV
VOLJKWO\ZLGHURUFORVHU
together on the bar to
QGWKHPRVWFRP
IRUWDEOHJULS

VARIATIONS: 6WDQGLQJFXUOVFDQDOVREHGRQHXVLQJDQ(=EDULQVWHDGRIDVWUDLJKW
EDU6RPHLQGLYLGXDOVIHHOWKH(=EDUUHOLHYHVVWUDLQRQWKHZULVWVDQGHOERZVE\WXUQLQJ
WKHSDOPVVOLJKWO\LQZDUG7KHVWDQGLQJFDEOHFXUOXVLQJWKHORZHVWSXOOH\VHWWLQJLV
DQRWKHUYDULDWLRQRIWKLVPRYHPHQW
USES: I\RXUHSODQQLQJWRGREDUEHOOFXUOVLQ\RXUXSFRPLQJELFHSVZRUNRXWGRLW
DV\RXUUVWH[HUFLVHDQGJRDVKHDY\DVSRVVLEOHZKLOHVWLOOPDLQWDLQLQJVWULFWIRUPDQG
VWD\LQJLQWKHHLJKWWRUHSUDQJHWRPD[LPL]HK\SHUWURSK\
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: :KHQWKHZHLJKWVWDUWVJHWWLQJKHDYLHUUHSFRXQWVGURSLQ
DKXUU\2QHZD\WRJRKHDY\RQEDUEHOOFXUOVZKLOHVWLOOKLWWLQJGRXEOHGLJLWUHSVLVWRHP
SOR\WKHUHVWSDXVHWHFKQLTXH6HOHFWDZHLJKWWKDWRQO\DOORZV\RXWRGRYHWRVL[UHSV
EHIRUHUHDFKLQJIDLOXUH'RYHWRVL[UHSVUDFNWKHZHLJKWDQGUHVWWRVHFRQGV3LFN
LWEDFNXSDQGGRWZRWRWKUHHPRUHUHSV5HSHDWWKHUHVWSDXVHVHTXHQFHRQFHPRUH
VWULYLQJLQWKHODVWURXQGWREULQJ\RXUWRWDOUHSFRXQWIRUWKHIXOOVHWWRDWOHDVW

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42

EZ-BAR PREACHER CURL

The biceps are often working in conjunction with other muscles during your workouts
namely as a secondary mover to the lats on back exercises. But not with the
preacher curl, an exercise thats been popular among gym goers for more than 50
years. The biceps are fully isolated here (aside from the brachialis muscle in your arm
helping out), thanks to the preacher bench locking the arms in place, allowing you to
exhaust every last fiber to set the stage for impressive growth.

MUSCLES WORKED: Biceps and

brachialis.

STARTING POSITION: 6LWRQWKH

seat of a preacher curl bench and grasp
an EZ-bar with a shoulder-width or
slightly narrower grip. Grip width will be
somewhat dependent on the curvature
of the bar; your hands should be angled
slightly inward. Begin with the backs of
\RXUXSSHUDUPVDWDJDLQVWWKHSDGDQG
your elbows just short of fully extended.
ACTION: Keeping the backs of your
upper arms (triceps) against the pad the
entire time, curl the bar up as far as posVLEOH6TXHH]H\RXUELFHSVIRUDFRXQW
or two at the top of the rep, then slowly
lower the bar back down, stopping just
shy of full elbow extension.

DO:
Make sure
you adjust the seat
so that the top of the
pad is lightly touching
your armpits when
seated.

DONT:
/LIW\RXUEXWWR
the seat as you lower
the weight. The only
part of your body that
should be moving is
your forearms up
and down.

VARIATIONS: Mix things up by doing preachers with dumbbells

(with one arm at a time or bilaterally) or cables. With the latter,
youll probably need to slide a preacher bench over to the cable station and attach your bar of choice to a low pulley.
USES: 3UHDFKHUFXUOVFDQHHFWLYHO\WDQ\ZKHUHLQ\RXUELFHSV
URXWLQHWKHUVWH[HUFLVH\RXGRWKHODVWRULQWKHPLGGOH6XSHU
set it with a triceps exercise to fully stimulate the upper arms.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: The classic 21s set for biceps is particXODUO\HHFWLYHRQSUHDFKHUFXUOVGXHWRWKHVWULFWLVRODWLRQRIPRYH
ment involved. Using a lighter than normal weight, do seven reps in
only the bottom half of range of motion. Do the next seven in only
WKHWRSKDOI7KHQQLVKZLWKVHYHQIXOOUDQJHRIPRWLRQUHSV'RRQH
to three sets of this, but know going in that it will burn immensely.

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43

ALTERNATING DUMBBELL CURL

If the standing barbell curl is the reigning ruler of biceps bashing, the dumbbell curl is quietly
biding its time for the throne. It directly engages the biceps through its main action that is, to
bend the arm at the elbow. Unlike the barbell, dumbbells dont allow a weaker side to compensate
for a stronger one, making it a vital move to correct strength imbalances, and allows for grip
variations to vary the stress on the biceps muscle, all in the name of more complete development.

DONT:
Shift your hips or
contort your torso to
help swing the dumbbell.
If you need to cheat the
weight up, its too heavy
for you. Lighten the
load.

MUSCLES WORKED: Prime

PRYHUVbDUHWKHELFHSVEUDFKLLDQG
brachialis; secondary and stabilizing muscles include the brachioraGLDOLVDQGIRUHDUPH[RUV
STARTING POSITION: Assume a shoulder-width stance,
arms at your sides with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing
your hips. Your eyes should be
focused forward and your core
tight for balance.
ACTION: Holding your body
steady with the only movement
occurring at your elbow joint, curl
one dumbbell up in an arc toward
your same-side shoulder as you
twist your wrist to a palm-up position, lifting it as high as you can
without your elbow leaving your
side. Squeeze your biceps hard for
a one-count at the top, then lower
to the start and repeat with the
opposite arm. One curl per arm
equals one full repetition.

VARIATIONS: The twist of the wrist brings the brachialis into play
at the start of the motion, followed by the biceps brachii as your palms
turn up. You can attend to either muscle more directly throughout by
remaining in the hammer (palms facing you) grip or the palms-to-theceiling grip. You can also curl each dumbbell simultaneously rather
than one arm at a time.
USES: The dumbbell curl can be situated anywhere in a biceps
routine, but the sweet spot is around the middle, after barbell or
EZ-bar curls.

DO:
Pin your elbows
in place at your
sides an old mental
trick is to imagine a rod
running through your
torso and into each
elbow, holding it in
place.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Alternating curls lend themselves well to running the rack at the end of a workout
either going up in weight or down. For instance, one
HVSHFLDOO\FUXHOQLVKHUWDNHV\RXERWKGLUHFWLRQV6D\
you start with 20-pound dumbbells for 10 reps. You rack
those and immediately grab 25s for 10 more reps. Keep
going in the same pattern, increasing the poundage until
you reach a set where you cant complete all 10 reps, then
backtrack step by step down the rack, pushing to failure
at each weight.

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101

44

DUMBBELL PREACHER CURL

The aforementioned EZ-bar preacher curl isolates the biceps to a huge degree for
maximal muscle fiber stimulation. But turn that EZ-bar into a dumbbell and the
isolation is only increased now youre singling out each arm individually instead of
letting them work in conjunction. Placing your full attention on one side will help you
squeeze out every last bit of growth there is to be had.

MUSCLES WORKED: Biceps and brachialis.

STARTING POSITION: Sit on the seat of a
preacher curl bench and hold a dumbbell in one
hand with your other hand holding onto the pad for
stabilization. Begin with the back of your upper arm
WKHZRUNLQJDUPDWDJDLQVWWKHSDGDQG\RXUHOERZ
EHQWVR\RXUIRUHDUPLVSHUSHQGLFXODUWRWKHRRU

ACTION: Extend your working arm to slowly lower

the dumbbell down. Just before reaching full elbow
extension, curl the weight up, keeping the back of
\RXUXSSHUDUPDWDJDLQVWWKHSDGWKURXJKRXW
Squeeze the contraction for a count at the top, then
slowly reverse the motion to go into the next rep. Do
all reps with that arm, then switch arms.

DO:
Turn your
palm out and
pinkie up at the top
of each rep to achieve
full contraction of the
biceps via supination
of the wrist.

VARIATIONS: Dumbbell preacher curls dont have to be performed one

arm at a time. Feel free to curl up two dumbbells with every rep. To target the
brachialis and brachioradialis muscles, mix in hammer preacher curls, keeping your palm(s) facing inward (not up) the entire time.
USES: Dumbbell preacher curls can be placed early in your biceps workout
DIWHUVWDQGLQJEDUEHOOFXUOVIRUH[DPSOHRUDVDQLVKLQJPRYH0L[WKLQJVXS
by doing two sets of EZ-bar preacher curls followed by two sets with dumbbells.

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DONT:
/LIWRWKHVHDW
as you lower the
dumbbell. Your torso
and legs shouldnt
move at all during
the set.

musclemag.com

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Provide a new shock to

your biceps by doing negatives on dumbbell preacher
curls. Select a dumbbell thats considerably heavier
than youd normally use for this exercise. Starting at
the top of the rep, lower the weight very slowly, to a
FRXQWRIYHWRVHFRQGVWKHQXVH\RXURWKHUKDQG
to help return it to the up position. Repeat in this
manner for three to six negative reps total.

45

DUMBBELL CONCENTRATION CURL

The name of this move says it all youre concentrating fully on the biceps to maximize stimulation
(and hence hypertrophy) by locking the elbow in place with your leg. The degree of isolation here
is the same as with preachers, only that concentration curls are always done one arm at a time.

DO:
Turn your palm out
(supination) so your
SLQNLHQJHULVDERYH
your thumb at the top of
each rep to maximize
the contraction in the
biceps.

MUSCLES WORKED:
Biceps and brachialis.
STARTING POSITION:
6LWRQWKHHGJHRIDDW
bench or seat with your
IHHWDWRQWKHRRULQ
front of you. Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your
other hand on your leg for
support. Bend over at the
waist with your working
arm hanging down toward
WKHRRUEHWZHHQ\RXU
legs, your elbow fully extended and placed against
your inner thigh.
ACTION: Keeping your
elbow against your leg to
stabilize your upper arm,
curl the weight up as far
as possible with your palm
facing up throughout.
Squeeze your biceps for
a count or two at the top,
then return to the start position. Do all reps with that
arm, then switch arms.

DONT:
Worry about going
heavy on this exercise.
Concentration curls are
about achieving a strong
contraction in the
biceps, regardless of
load.

VARIATIONS: Concentration curls dont necessarily have to be done seated. You can
also do them on your feet, leaning over, perhaps bracing yourself on the dumbbell rack.
In this case, pay special attention to keeping your torso stationary to maintain isolation
in the biceps. For variety, try cable concentration curls using a D-handle attached to a
low pulley.
USES: Youre fully isolating here and weight will probably be relatively light, so save
concentration curls for the end of your biceps workout. If supersetting with triceps, pair it
with seated one-arm overhead extensions so you dont have to move between exercises.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Concentration curls are conducive to forced reps simply
EHFDXVH\RXFDQSURYLGHWKHH[WUDDVVLVWDQFH\RXUVHOILQVWHDGRIKDYLQJWRQGDVSRWWHU
After reaching failure on a given set, use your non-working hand to help lift the weight
just enough to curl it up slowly. Do two to three such reps, feeling an intense muscle burn
on each one as you train through fatigue.

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46

BARBELL WRIST CURL

Ask a lot of pro bodybuilders and theyll admit it they dont train their forearms too often,
if at all, claiming they generate plenty of forearm stimulation from their other pulling lifts.
That may work for them, certainly, but for beginners and intermediates who desire complete
arms, neglecting moves like the wrist curl is a mistake. The barbell wrist curl is a heavy,
basic mass builder that can be added to the tail end of a workout one or two times per week.

MUSCLES WORKED: )RUHDUPH[RUV

STARTING POSITION: Holding a barbell
with a close grip, sit at the end of a bench
and bend over so that you can lie your
IRUHDUPVDWRQWKHEHQFK\RXUZULVWVMXVW
over the edge. Alternatively, you can kneel
sideways against a bench and place your
IRUHDUPVDFURVVLWVR\RXUZULVWVMXVWFOHDU
the opposite side.
ACTION: With all movement only taking
SODFHDWWKHZULVWDQGQJHUVORZHUWKH
weight by extending your wrists and unfurlLQJ\RXUQJHUVDOORZLQJWKHEDUWRUROOWR
the end of them (without losing control of
it). Then return to the start by closing your
KDQGDQGH[LQJ\RXUZULVW
back to a straight position.

DO:
Strive for
failure on this
exercise, repping until
you cant close your hand.
Your forearms are built
for endurance, so you
need to push them
for results.

VARIATIONS: This exercise can also be done with dumbbells, one arm at a time. This
is better if you have one forearm thats particularly dominant versus the other, since the
stronger can compensate for the weaker during barbell wrist curls.
DONT:
Put your forearms
on your legs instead of
the bench. It can work,
but it also provides an uneven, unreliable surface,
limiting the weight
you can ultimately
handle.

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USES: The sensible time to train forearms is after biceps. Do all sets of wrist curls at
WKHHQGRI\RXUZRUNRXWZKHQ\RXUHFRPSOHWHO\QLVKHGZLWKVWDQGDUGFXUOV'RLQJ
isolated forearm work beforehand will compromise your biceps training.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: The tried-and-true drop-set technique is excellent for forearms, especially with dumbbells since theyre easier to switch out. You can also superset
wrist curls with an isometric exercise like a plate pinch, where you simply stand and hold
WZRSODWHVWRJHWKHUVPRRWKVLGHVRXWSLQFKLQJWKHPEHWZHHQ\RXUWKXPEDQGQJHUV
as long as you can stand it.

47

BARBELL BEHIND-THE-BACK WRIST CURL

Curling isnt just for the biceps and hamstrings. You can do it for your forearms, too. These
muscles will grow bigger and stronger as secondary movers on back and biceps exercises
but only to an extent. To maximize forearm size, they need to be sufficiently overloaded
while isolated. Behind-the-back wrist curls are one of the best ways to do this.

MUSCLES WORKED: )RUHDUPH[RUV

B

DONT:
Lean forward to try
and create momentum to move the bar
upward. The wrists
should be the only
joints moving.

STARTING POSITION: Grab a barbell behind

you from a low position on a squat rack. Lift it
RWKHUDFNDQGVWDQGKROGLQJWKHEDUMXVWEHORZ
your glutes with a shoulder-width grip, palms
facing back and your arms extended toward the
RRU8VHDQRSHQJULSZLWK\RXUWKXPERQWKH
VDPHVLGHRIWKHEDUDV\RXUQJHUV%HQG\RXU
knees slightly while keeping your torso upright.
ACTION: With your arms fully extended
WKURXJKRXWH[\RXUZULVWVWROLIWWKHEDUXSLQD
short range of motion so that your palms face the
ceiling at the top of the rep. Squeeze the contraction in your forearms for a count, then slowly
lower the bar down to the start position.

DO:
Experiment with different grip widths just
inside or outside shoulder
ZLGWKWRQGZKDWVPRVW
comfortable and what
provides the strongest
contraction.

VARIATIONS: You can easily replicate this exercise using a Smith machine. Set the safety catches down low, somewhere just above your knees,
so the bar doesnt hit them during the set.
USES: This exercise is interchangeable with the barbell wrist curl. You can
stick with the one you like best each time you train forearms, or you can
rotate between the two, along with a palms-down exercise (like the EZ-bar
reverse wrist curl on the following page) for complete development.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: Peak contractions may

be painful in the muscles, but theyre great for stimulating forearm growth. After two to three regular sets
of behind-the-back wrist curls, do one to two more
where at the top of each rep you hold and squeeze
WKHFRQWUDFWLRQIRUDWOHDVWYHVHFRQGV'XHWRWKH
LQWHQVHQDWXUHRIWKLVWHFKQLTXHYHWRHLJKWSHDN
FRQWUDFWLRQUHSVZLOOVX
FH

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48

REVERSE-GRIP EZ-BAR CURL

The intermediary between a standard biceps curl and a wrist curl is the reverse curl. This
variation takes much of the emphasis off the biceps and places it squarely on the brachialis
and brachioradialis. These muscles may be smaller and less revered than the bis, but
when fully developed they create aesthetically pleasing thickness around the outer and
upper portion of the forearm. No exercise targets this area for growth like the reverse curl.

MUSCLES WORKED: Brachialis, brachioUDGLDOLVSULPDULO\ELFHSVIRUHDUPH[WHQVRUV

secondarily.

STARTING POSITION: 6WDQGKROGLQJ

DQ(=EDUGRZQLQIURQWRI\RXUWKLJKVZLWK
DQRYHUKDQGJULSSDOPVIDFLQJEDFNWKDWV
around shoulder width. Keep your thumbs
wrapped around the bar and bend your
knees slightly.
ACTION: With your elbows in tight to
your sides and your upper arms stationary,
curl the weight up as high as possible; your
forearms should be well past parallel to the
RRUDWWKHWRS+ROGWKHFRQWUDFWLRQIRUD
count, then slowly the lower the bar to the
start position.

DO:
Keep your
torso perpendicular
WRWKHRRUWKURXJK
out the set. A common
mistake is to lean back
to try and lift the bar
higher avoid doing this.

DONT:
Let your elbows
travel forward or
up at any point. They
should remain
locked in at your
sides.

VARIATIONS: If it doesnt cause strain on your wrists, you can do reverse-grip curls
with a straight bar. They can also be done with dumbbells by simply holding them with
the same palms-down grip.
USES: 5HYHUVHJULSFXUOVWSHUIHFWO\EHWZHHQVWDQGDUGDQGZULVWFXUOVWREULGJHWKH
gap between biceps-focused work and isolated forearm training. Doing three to four
VHWVEHIRUHQLVKLQJZLWKZULVWFXUOVZLOOHQVXUHWKHDUPVDUHZRUNHGDOOWKHZD\GRZQWR
your hands.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: I\RXUJ\PKDVDUDFNRI[HGZHLJKW(=EDUVPRVWODUJH
WQHVVFOXEVGRFDPSRXWQHDULWIRUDJURZWKSURPRWLQJGURSVHW6WDUWRXWZLWKD
weight that allows you to get around eight reps before failing. Do a set of eight, then immediately rack the bar and pick up one 20 pounds lighter. Rep that weight to failure, then
go 20 pounds lighter and fail one more time. Do two to three of these drop sets total.

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Stacks
to get

JAC

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CKED
Huge, lean and ripped or
somewhere in between, these
targeted mass-gain supplement
stacks are designed for exactly
what kind of physique you want.
In the simplest sense, physical
strength is the ability to exert force
on objects using your various muscle
groups. And because of the human
bodys remarkable ability to adapt
through complex physiological and
biochemical processes, practicing
repetitive feats of strength results in
more muscle mass and the ability to
lift heavier loads.
Thats why we go to the gym. But
for even better results, our efforts
dont usually stop there. We eat for
performance, and (if were smart)

were also resting to allow recovery

and growth to take place.
As bodybuilders, we also have
science working hard on our behalf.
Supplement research and development teams tirelessly strive to bring
out new and effective substances and
products to augment the bodys ability to adapt. Over the past few decades, several compounds have been
scientiically proven to increase the
rate at which we develop strength
and increase lean body mass.
The problem and its a good

problem to have, dont get us wrong

is that this effort has resulted in
an avalanche of choices on the market. It can be daunting for someone
without a lab coat and a Ph.D. to sort
through all the options. What works
best for beginners? For intermediate
or advanced athletes? Which ones
combine for optimal synergy?
With that in mind, our own
resident supplement expert, Dr.
Dwayne N. Jackson, has developed four stacks, ranging from the
base stack for those relatively
new to training to a stack fit for the
most stubborn hardgainer. Save
time, eliminate the guesswork and
find out which supplements are
ideal for your own personal goals,
so you can finish shopping fast and
get back to your workouts.
The Editors

ONE:
THE BASE
STACK
FOR: Someone who has been training regularly for eight to 10 weeks,
has implemented a basic bodybuilding diet and is ready to augment that
plan with additional nutrients.
SUPPLEMENTS: Whey protein
isolate, creatine, beta-hydroxy-betamethylbutyrate (HMB), multivitamin
WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE: Regular
supplementation with a high-quality
whey protein powder will supply a
steady stream of amino acids to your
muscles. This helps keep your muscles
in an anabolic state and fully recovered from workout to workout. Whether youre a beginner or a Mr. Olympia
contender, whey protein isolate is one
product that should be a key component of your supplement regimen.
Whey protein isolate is unique because it is low in fat and carbs, high in
protein and has a near-perfect amino
acid proile (including an abundance
of muscle building leucine). Science
has shown that regular whey protein
ingestion results in faster and greater
gains in strength, power and muscularity it also boosts the immune
system and lowers body fat.
CREATINE: It cannot be overstated
how well creatine works to increase strength and mass. Boasting
over two decades of support from
scientists and bodybuilders, there is
no single mass-gaining supplement
that has received as much good
press as creatine.
Studies show that creatine
increases strength, power, lean body
mass and muscularity. These dramatic effects are achieved by several
mechanisms that go into overdrive
when one uses a creatine supplement
combined with weight training.
For instance, it has been reported
that creatine combined with weight
training augments highly anabolic
insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)
levels in skeletal muscle, a potent sig-

110

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nal for long-term muscular growth.

As well, creatine results in increased
muscle cell volume by driving water
into cells not only does this make
your muscles look bigger, but this
provides fuel for anabolism.
Finally, research has shown that
proper creatine supplementation
combined with strength training
lowers the bodys myostatin levels.
This is good because myostatin acts
like a brake to muscle growth;
with creatine on board, the brakes
are released and muscle growth is
enhanced.
HMB: HMB is a metabolite of the
amino acid leucine, and it prevents
muscle breakdown, allowing you
to see greater beneits from training in a shorter period of time. This

anti-catabolic effect of HMB has been

shown to be especially important in
people who are just starting to stress
their bodies with weight training. As
such, those who are in the beginning stages of regular training see
dramatic results with HMB.
MULTIVITAMIN: It may seem odd to
include a multivitamin in a massgain supplement article, but for the
newbie, the addition of micronutrients could mean a world of difference
for anything lacking in your diet. The
extra exercise stress associated with
your new workout regimen will call
for more vitamins and minerals to
catalyze metabolic reactions. This
addition ensures you have all the
micronutrients needed to carry out
body functions eficiently.

How to Stack Them

YOU SHOULD BE
DRINKING 25 TO 50
GRAMS OF WHEY
PROTEIN immediately
upon waking up in the
morning. Have another
shake 30 minutes before
and one immediately
after training.
TAKE 2 TO 5 GRAMS
OF CREATINE
MONOHYDRATE with

your pre- and

postworkout shake.
Creatine can cause
stomach upset in some,
so start with the lowest
dose and make slight
adjustments every two
days until you reach
your desired dose.
TAKE 2 TO 3 GRAMS
OF HMB with your
morning protein shake

and 30 minutes before

each subsequent meal
this may also aid in fat
loss. On training days,
make sure that you take
a larger dose (3 to 6
grams) with preworkout
and postworkout meals
to boost strength.
TAKE A
MULTIVITAMIN WITH
YOUR BREAKFAST
(use as directed).

TWO:
THE 212
STACK
FOR: Someone who has been working out about a year and is striving
for Physique-level or 212-level development, competitively speaking. Its
especially geared for someone who
may be hitting a plateau with his current base supplementation plan.
SUPPLEMENTS: Whey protein isolate, creatine, betaine, beta-alanine,
branched chain amino acids (BCAAs)
BETAINE: Also known as trimethylglycine, betaine is a derivative of
the amino acid glycine and exists
in foods like wheat, beets, spinach
and shellish. The body can also
synthesize its own betaine through
the oxidation of choline-containing
compounds to assist in several important physiological functions.
Some of the more important
roles of betaine in the body include
increased water retention (i.e., hydration) in cells, reduced inlammation,
maintenance of intestinal function,
DNA protection and buffering of
homocystine levels (from meat digestion). Most relevant to muscle building, betaine serves as a methyl donor
to aid in creatine synthesis in skeletal
muscle and the generation of methionine, which helps to maintain high
rates of muscle protein synthesis.
BETA-ALANINE: Beta-alanine is a
non-proteinogenic amino acid, meaning that it is non-protein-building.
It is one carnosine precursor (the
other is histidine) and is rate limiting
to carnosine synthesis. As such, betaalanine supplementation elevates
muscle carnosine levels, which has
been shown to increase strength
and power output from workout
to workout. Increased carnosine
levels increase strength by buffering
fatigue-related byproducts produced
when working out. The net result
is increased training volume and
intensity, which helps push through
plateaus in mass building.

BCAAS: The BCAAs are a special

set of aminos that share a branched
chain structure and are preferentially taken up by skeletal muscle.
We have known for years that
theyre a great anticatabolic agent
and aid in recovery. Recently, it has
been shown that BCAAs ingested

during exercise can increase energy and strength by central (brain)

mechanisms. In one study, subjects
reported 7 percent lower ratings of
perceived exertion and 15 percent
lower ratings of mental fatigue
during their workouts, compared
to placebo.

How to Stack Them

YOU SHOULD BE
DRINKING 25 TO 50
GRAMS OF WHEY
PROTEIN immediately
upon waking up in the
morning. Have another
shake 30 minutes before
and one immediately
after training. For those
who struggle to meet
their daily protein
needs, a shake before
bed is a great idea, as it
provides aminos during
your overnight fast.
TAKE 2 TO 5 GRAMS
OF CREATINE
MONOHYDRATE four
times daily, with doses
in your pre- and
postworkout shakes.
Creatine may cause

stomach upset in some,

so start with the lowest
dose and make slight
adjustments every two
days.
TAKE BETAINE TWICE
DAILY. On training
days, mix 1.5 to 2.5
grams of betaine into
your pre- and
postworkout shakes. On
non-training days, take
with your morning and
evening protein shakes.
TRY 2 TO 3 GRAMS OF
BETA-ALANINE
immediately before and
after training. On nontraining days, take 2 to 3
grams in the morning
with breakfast.
TAKE 5 TO 10 GRAMS

OF BCAA POWDER
four times daily good
products will contain at
least twice as much
leucine relative to the
other aminos
(isoleucine, leucine,
valine = 1:2:1 ratio).
Because it is a powder,
\RXPD\QGLWEHVWWR
mix it into your morning
protein shake, your
postworkout shake, and
with a shake or some
water in the evening. For
maximal strength and
energy gains, mix one
dose of BCAAs with an
energy drink (like
Gatorade) and sip
throughout your
workout.

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111

THREE:
THE PRO
STACK
FOR: You have over a year of serious training experience under your
weight belt and know your body
inside and out. You also have your
other ducks in a row, from workouts to diet to supplementation,
and are ready to kick the latter
efforts up a notch.
SUPPLEMENTS: Whey protein
hydrolysate, whey protein isolate,
micellar casein, dextrose, creatine,
glutamine, L-carnitine L-tartrate, citrulline malate, beta-alanine, caffeine
WHEY PROTEIN HYDROLYSATE: Whey
protein hydrolysate (whey hydro)
is made from whey isolate by a predigestion process. This processing
requires special enzymes that break
down the protein (hydrolyze it),
resulting in the production of peptide
fractions, which are short chains
of amino acids. These fractions are
low molecular weight and thus pass
through the digestive system quickly.
In fact, small di- and tripeptides absorb faster than any other protein or
amino acid supplement available.
As a result of rapid absorption,
whey hydro ingestion pushes water
into muscle cells (cell volumizing),
speeds recovery and signals for
increased anabolic drive. The most
recent research has shown that
whey hydro taken post-exercise
helps increase mass, while promoting fat loss. Just remember that the
hydrolyzing process is costly, so
whey hydro products tend to be
more expensive than other sources.
MICELLAR CASEIN: Casein is the
most abundant protein found in
whole milk. Micellar casein is casein
in its purest form, which is isolated
using microiltration and as a result
is undenatured and retains its native structural properties. Micellar
casein has the unique ability to form
a gel in the stomach, substantially
slowing absorption and making it a

112

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sustained supplier of amino acids. In

fact, research has shown that blood
amino acid levels remain elevated up
to seven hours after a single micellar
casein shake. With its slow digestion
and sustained amino acid release,
micellar casein is noted for its anticatabolic quality.
DEXTROSE: This is a monosaccharide (the simplest sugar) also
known as glucose. Dextrose enters
the blood stream very quickly and,
hence, has a glycemic index of 100.
Ingesting a large amount of dextrose
leads to a rapid and robust spike
in blood insulin, which is proven
to increase anabolism after a bout
of heavy exercise. The latest data
shows that supplementing dextrose
with your postworkout protein
shake helps to shunt amino acids
(and other substrates) into fatigued
muscles and keep cortisol low,
increasing protein synthesis and
lean mass, decreasing fat mass and
improving recovery.
GLUTAMINE: Glutamine has wellknown anti-catabolic or musclesparing effects. As well, ingesting
glutamine before a workout ener-

How to Stack Them

DRINK 25 TO 50
GRAMS OF WHEY
PROTEIN immediately
upon waking up in the
morning. Have another
shake 30 minutes before
and one immediately
after training.
DRINK 25 TO 30
GRAMS OF WHEY
PROTEIN
HYDROLYSATE mixed
with 25 to 60 grams of
dextrose immediately
after training as your
postworkout shake.
DRINK 40 TO 60
GRAMS OF MICELLAR
CASEIN instead of
whey just prior to
bedtime.
TAKE 2 TO 5 GRAMS
OF CREATINE
MONOHYDRATE four
times daily, with doses

in your pre- and

postworkout shakes.
Creatine is known to
cause stomach upset in
some, so start with the
lowest dose and make
slight adjustments
every two days.
TAKE YOUR
GLUTAMINE WITH
CREATINE. Take 2 to 5
grams in the morning, 2
to 5 grams after
working out, and 2 to 5
grams before bed.
Again, base the dose on
tolerance.
LCLT WORKS BEST
WHEN TAKEN WITH
FOODS THAT SPIKE
INSULIN. On training
days, take 2 grams of
LCLT with your
postworkout protein/
dextrose shake. On rest

days, take 2 grams of

LCLT with breakfast.
TAKE 3 TO 5 GRAMS
OF CITRULLINE
MALATE with your
preworkout shake.
TAKE 2 TO 3 GRAMS
OF BETA-ALANINE
immediately before and
after training. On nontraining days, take 2 to 3
grams in the morning
with breakfast.
TAKE 100 TO 300
MILLIGRAMS OF
CAFFEINE
ANHYDROUS (in tablet
form) one hour before
working out. Adjust the
GRVHIRUFDHLQH
tolerance and avoid if
\RXKDYHFDHLQH
sensitivity, cardiac
problems or are taking
antidepressants.

gizes and increases the buffering

capacity of your muscles. Glutamine
stimulates bicarbonate production,
which neutralizes acids that build
up in your muscles from intense contractions. The net result is increased
training volume and intensity.
L-CARNITINE L-TARTRATE (LCLT):

LCLT is the stable form of Lcarnitine and is thus more readily

absorbed by the body. L-carnitine
was originally isolated from beef
and was so named based on the
Latin word carni, meaning lesh.
Bodybuilders and athletes alike
have experimented with L-carnitine
supplements for years, boasting its
beneits as a fat burner. However,
recently scientists have managed
to exploit L-carnitines anabolic potential by enhancing bioavailability
with the LCLT compound.
Several years ago, researchers
from the University of Connecticut
reported that three weeks of LCLT
supplementation (2 grams per day)
increased androgen receptor content
in skeletal muscle. Androgen receptors are activated by testosterone,
and increased activation results in
greater anabolic drive. They also
suggested that luteinizing hormone
(LH) secretion is augmented with
LCLT ingestion, thus promoting
greater testosterone release.
CITRULLINE MALATE: Citrulline
malate is a potent and highly bioavailable form of citrulline (a non-essential
amino acid) that combats exercise
fatigue, increases time to exhaustion
and aids in the production of arginine
(a precursor to nitric oxide) to promote greater muscle blood low. All
of these factors add up to increased
strength and muscle building.
CAFFEINE: This central nervous
system stimulant has been shown to
increase focus, energy levels, wakefulness and sense of well-being. All
of these effects are necessary for
maximal effort and strength during
workouts. Caffeine has also proven
effective in increasing endurance
and diminishing pain sensation associated with training.

FOUR:
THE HARDGAINER
STACK
FOR: You workout hard and regularly, but your fast metabolism is really
holding back your muscular gains,
a problem exacerbated by trouble
consuming the high level of calories
needed for major mass building.
SUPPLEMENTS: Weight gainer, whey
protein isolate, creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine
WEIGHT GAINER: For obvious reasons, a high-quality weight gainer is
the backbone to this stack.
The most important thing to
keep in mind when taking a weight
gainer is that it is not a meal replacement, but should be used as
calories above and beyond what
youre already consuming. As a
hardgainer, you need to pack in as
many beneicial calories as possible,
and this is a good way to get 500
to 1,000 calories of supplemental
nutrition (on top of your meals) in
one sitting.
Make certain that the product
you choose is mainly composed of
high-quality proteins like whey
protein isolate. Weight-gain products
are generally high protein (50 to 60
grams grams per serving) and high
in carbohydrates with a notable
amount of fat. Avoid products with

The most
important
thing to Keep
in mind when
taking a weight
gainer is that it
Is not a meal
replacement,
but should be
used as calories
above and
beyond what
youre already
consuming.
more than 50 percent of carbs
derived from simple sugars (such
as high fructose corn syrup and
sucrose) and more than 5 grams of
saturated fat per serving.
Some advanced products may
have high fat contents (10 to 15
grams) because they include healthy
fats in their formula (like lax oil, ish
oil or medium chain triglycerides);
this is a great way to boost calories
and support anabolism.

How to Stack Them

Whenever you embark
on calorie increases for
lean mass gain, its best
to start slowly to avoid
packing on too much
fat.
START BY DRINKING
ONE 500-CALORIE
WEIGHT-GAIN SHAKE
DAILY upon waking or
with breakfast for the
UVWIHZZHHNVDQGDGG
shakes (with meals) as
needed. Remember not
to skip meals!
YOU SHOULD BE

DRINKING 25 TO 50
GRAMS OF WHEY
PROTEIN ISOLATE in a
shake 30 minutes before
and immediately after
training, and again
before bed. You may
substitute the
postworkout and/or
bedtime shake with a
weight-gain shake if
extra calories are
needed.
TAKE 2 TO 5 GRAMS
OF CREATINE
MONOHYDRATE four

times daily, with doses in

your pre- and
postworkout shakes.
Creatine is known to
cause stomach upset in
some, so start with the
lowest dose and make
slight adjustments every
two days.
TAKE 2 TO 3 GRAMS
OF BETA-ALANINE
immediately before and
after training. On nontraining days, take 2 to 3
grams in the morning
with breakfast.

musclemag.com

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113

Simeon Panda
BIRTHDATE:

May 28, 1986

BIRTHPLACE AND
CURRENT RESIDENCE:

London, England
HEIGHT:

61

WEIGHT:

222 pounds off-season, 215 contest

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

2013 Musclemania Europe,

heavyweight tall class and overall
winner (earned pro status); 2013
Musclemania Universe
Championships, heavyweight tall
class, fourth; 2013 Musclemania
World Championships, heavyweight
tall class, third.
SPONSOR:

Myprotein

ONLINE:

simeonpanda.com (website),
Twitter/Instagram @simeonpanda,
Facebook.com/SimeonPandaOfficial

EXPRESS

In just over a year, Simeon Panda has rocketed up the Musclemania pro ranks, thanks to an
impressive V-taper and a nearly awless physique. Here, he shares one of his BEST HIGHINTENSITY SHOULDER WORKOUTS, designed exclusively for MuscleMag readers.

BY LARA MCGLASHAN, CPT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT REIFF

ts early morning in London, England, and though its a temperate

64 degrees under light drizzle, its
downright cold for Simeon Panda.
Hes recently arrived home from Las
Vegas where thermometers toyed
with the 110-degree mark.
His visit to Sin City was all business shooting this article for
MuscleMag and taking back-to-back
meetings with promoters and sponsors. All part and parcel of his larger
ambitions. (Think itness empire.)
Now back across the pond, its
time to pull up the bootstraps and
get back to work. The Musclemania World Championships are four

SEATED
MILITARY
PRESS
SETUP: Position
yourself on a barbell military station with your feet
spread wide on
WKHRRUIRUVWDELOity. Take an overhand grasp on the
bar with your
hands just outside
shoulder width, elbows down and
torso upright.
ACTION: Clear
the bar from the
supports, then
lower it down slowly toward your clavicles. At the
bottom, breathe
out as you drive
the weight back
overhead, extending your elbows to
just shy of full extension.
TRAINING TIP:
Make sure your grip
is wide enough so
that when you
grasp the bar and
lower it your elbows form 90degree angles.

116

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months away, and though Panda

stays in shooting shape year round,
he wants to live up to his own high
standards. When I watch the footage, I always see laws that need to
be corrected, bodyparts that need
work, he says. But most of all, this
year I want to master the art of posing. At the pro level it really is an art,
and in order to present my physique
at its best, I want to get better at that.
To improve his onstage prowess,
Panda is kicking it old-school and studying videos of three-time Mr. Olympia
Frank Zane, who was the master when
it came to stage presence, luidity and
art. I am also learning a lot from my

friend [and fellow Musclemania pro]

Ulisses Jr., says Panda. Ulisses has a
number of videos and is also giving me
some one-on-one help.
Surely Panda will master his posing routine for the upcoming competition, for if history is any indication
of the future, he has proven to be a
very quick study when it comes to
bodybuilding. In fact, Panda has only
been competing one year and actually won and turned pro at his very
irst competition.

LIFT FOR LIFE

Panda came from athletic stock, excelling at speed-based sports while

growing up in London, such as rugby

and track and ield blessed with
fast-twitch muscle ibers in abundance, he admits. But as a skinny
16-year-old, he also wanted to add
some muscle, inding the lean body
of a sprinter, plus his 61 frame, was
working against him.
So he took up weightlifting to try
to ill out and, as many of these stories go, immediately fell hard for the
endeavor. From my irst day of training I knew it would be something I
would want to do for the rest of my
life, he recalls.
Nearly a decade later, Panda was
happily toiling away at the gym, get-

ting larger and more de ined. People

would always ask him if he was going to compete. Hed overhear his
friends talking about shows and who
won and whether the decision was
deserved or political, and hed think,
Who cares That wasnt his world.
Until one day it was.
I went to a show, and I spent almost as much time looking at the
crowd as I did the bodybuilders
onstage, he says. I was intrigued.
There was so much energy, and unlike back at the gym I wasnt just witnessing it, I felt it, too. After the show
I felt enthused to work even harder,
and I decided that I wanted to pre-

sent my own physique to the crowd.

The package he put together was
formidable, helping him nab irst
place in the heavyweight tall division and overall title at his introductory show, the Musclemania Europe
in June of 01 , which elevated him
to pro status. He went on to take
fourth in the heavyweight tall class
in his irst pro show, the Musclemania Universe Bodybuilding Championships in Miami that same month,
and third in the Musclemania World
Championships in Las Vegas in November 01 , thus chalking up a
not-too-shabby contest history in a
matter of months.

CABLE
UPRIGHT
ROW
SETUP: Attach a rope
to the lower cable pulley and grasp it with
both hands, palms facing your thighs. Stand
a few paces back from
the base of the machine with your torso
erect or slightly leaning back, and shift
your shoulders down
and back.
ACTION: Pull the rope
up toward your chin by
driving your elbows
skyward. Pause a moment at the top before
lowering slowly to the
start, stopping before
the stack touches down
between reps.
TRAINING TIP: Your
upper body should remain still and stationary; dont use
momentum to jerk the
weight up.

PANDAS GO-TO SUPPLEMENTS

I take BCAAs for recovery, as well as L-arginine, which is needed for
protein synthesis and which encourages the release of growth hormone.
I also take HMB, which has been shown to slow the breakdown of

muscle protein, and creatine to improve strength. Finally I take cod

liver oil, which alleviates joint stiffness and has a positive effect on the
cardiovascular system, as well as skin, hair and nails.

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117

REACHING OUT
Its clear that Panda has some ridiculous genetics, but that doesnt mean
he doesnt believe in hard work, too.
I never set out to be a bodybuilder
I just loved lifting so much that I
wanted to do it all the time, he says.
My consistency helped me build a
physique with enough mass to be
competitive. And I dont train to
compete I train because I love it.
The competitions are a distant second place. I just want to push myself

to be the best, and its exciting to see

the progress I make every year.
Panda is also taking his advocacy
to a new level with his Muscle Camp
Tour with Ulisses Jr. Ulisses and I
have so many fans around the world,
and understandably we cannot reply to every email, he says. So the
Muscle Camp Tour enables our fans
to have a one-to-one conversation
with us and ask us anything they
choose. The camps always start
with an in-depth revelation of ex-

actly what Ulisses and I have done

and do to achieve and build on our
physiques, which is followed by a
Q-and-A session.
Their next camp is in sunny
Florida something to look forward to, considering his current locale. With that, Panda excuses himself from the phone conversation.
He has a workout to attend to, cold
drizzle or otherwise, as part of his
continual quest to perfect a nearly
perfect physique.

CABLE
FRONT
RAISE
SETUP: Using the
same rope attachment as in the previous exercise, this time
grip the ends of the
rope with your palms
facing each other, elbows straight and
lowered so your
hands are in front of
your thighs.
ACTION: Keeping
your arms rigid, raise
them straight up in a
smooth arc to shoulder height or slightly
above. Pause a moment, then lower to
the start under control, resisting the
weight of the stack on
the return.
TRAINING TIP: This
is an anterior delt
focusedexercise,butyou
can also bring in some
middle delts by holding
the ends of the rope
apartfromoneanother.

PANDAS WEEKLY TRAINING SPLIT

118

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Chest

Back,
Calves

Legs,
Calves

Shoulders

Biceps,
Triceps,
Calves

Abs,
Calves

Legs,
Calves

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

SINGLEARM
CABLE
LATERAL
RAISE
SETUP: Attach a Dhandle to the lower cable pulley and stand
sideways to the machine with the handle
in your outside hand,
palm facing the weight
stack and hand in
front of your thigh.
Place your opposite
hand on your hip or on
the machine for stability, bend your elbows
slightly and draw your
shoulders back.
ACTION: Keeping
your elbow slightly
bent, slowly raise the
handle up and to the
side until it comes to
shoulder height or
slightly above. Pause a
split second, then lower to the start (again,
not letting the weight
stack touch down between reps). Complete
all reps on one side before switching.
TRAINING TIP:
Think about leading
this motion with your
elbow, not your wrist,
to emphasize the middle delts rather than
the traps.

PANDA-STYLE
SHOULDER TRAINING
This workout, designed by Panda
and detailed in the chart on the
next page, epitomizes his training
style: heavy, intense and somewhat
nauseating. It starts with a quadruple drop set of seated military
presses. Using a drop set for the
first exercise increases the stress
on the muscles being worked, he
explains. Since you are continuously working to fatigue without
a break, this should increase the
adaptive response from the body
and stimulate growth.

As if a quadruple drop set wasnt

hard enough, he adds a gut-kicking
twist. As the weight gets lighter, you
should increase your reps, he says.
Though you may be fatigued from
the prior set, you should technically
be able to perform more repetitions
the lighter the weight becomes.
Next comes a giant set of cable
moves upright rows, front raises
single-arm laterals and rear-delt
lyes designed to burn out all the
muscle ibers, 60 degrees around.
The moves are to be performed back
to back with no rest in between, and
only minimal rest (one to two min-

utes) between each giant set. This

[giant set] should be excruciatingly
painful with the idea being that you
shock your muscles into taking action, he says. The action they take
is the adaptation to these newfound
stresses in the way muscles know
how: repair and strengthen.
To wrap things up, Panda prescribes six sets of barbell shrugs to
fry your traps. I believe that high
volume is necessary to work a muscle group to its limit, he says. On
these, he advises using heavy weight
and decreasing reps as the load becomes immovable.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

119

REAR-DELT CABLE FLYE

SETUP: Attach handles to the lower cable
pulleys on a cable crossover machine and
stand in the center of the machine. Hold the
handles in opposite hands so the cables cross
in front of you, and bend forward from the
ZDLVWZKLOHPDLQWDLQLQJDDWEDFN%HQG\RXU
elbows slightly and keep them like that
throughout the movement.
ACTION: Open your arms out to the sides
and upward, pulling the cables across your
body your arms rise. When your wrists align
with your shoulders at a point parallel to the
RRUSDXVHDQGVTXHH]HEHIRUHVORZO\UHWXUQ
ing to the start. Dont let the stack touch down
between reps.
TRAINING TIP: If youre shifting your upper
body, generating momentum to move the
weight, or if your elbows are bending excessively during the exercise, youre going too heavy
stop the set, drop the pin a notch and try again.

BARBELL SHRUG
SETUP: Load a barbell in a power rack
and grasp it with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Pick it up and take a few steps
back, so youre holding the bar in front of
your thighs with your feet hip-width apart
or slightly wider.
ACTION: Keeping your arms straight and
torso upright, drive your shoulders up toward your ears and hold it there a split second. Lower to the start and get a good
stretch before beginning the next rep.
TRAINING TIP: Avoid bending your elbows, which engages the biceps. Instead,
keep your arms straight and shrug your
shoulders straight up and down no rolling to the front or back.

THE PLAYLIST

THE WORKOUT
EXERCISE
Seated Military Press
Giant Set^:
Cable Upright Row (with rope)
Cable Front Raise (with rope)
Single-Arm Cable Lateral Raise
Rear-Delt Cable Flye
Barbell Shrug

SETS
5*

REPS
20 (warm-up), 6, 8, 15, 20

4
4
4
4
6

6-8 per set

6-8 per set
6-8 per set
6-8 per set
20, 15, 12, 8, 6, 6

* These sets are done in a drop-set format: The rst set is a warm-up of 20 reps, and the following
four are the working sets. For the rst drop he hits six reps, the second gets eight, the third 15 and
the nal 20.
^ The four italicized moves are all done as part of one giant set. No rest should be taken between
moves, and one to two minutes should be taken between each giant set.

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Panda loves to listen

to music while he
trains.
Heres a
snapshot
of what
he was
listening
to while
training
for the
Musclemania World
Championships:

-(:;,9
MARKUS PERNER
CEO/FOUNDER

9,:<3;:
Designed to optimize your training
for faster, more impressive results.
Every 1-serving scoop provides
ample compounds to accelerate
energy levels, build muscle
mass, reduce fatigue and
improve recovery time. Mix it
up before every workout for
the\S[PTH[LW\TWPU[LUZP[`
andTHZZP]LNHPUZ

ENTER PROMO CODE

44:,7; AT CHECKOUT

^^^30-;(.:769;JVT
2014 LIFTAG SPORT All Rights Reserved. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Read all labels before using.

BURN

FAT

LIKE A PRO
TIPS TO GET SHREDDED FROM THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS
BY ALLAN DONNELLY | ILLUSTRATION BY MARK COTE

e know. You picked up this issue to nd out how to pack on thick,

dense slabs of muscle, preferably as fast as possible. If you follow
the blueprint weve laid out, were condent thats going to happen.

But once it does, youre going to want to show it off. And the best way to do that is
to chisel it down to rock-hard granite by peeling off all of that unwanted body fat.
To help with that next phase, we recruited six of the top competitors from the
IFBB Bodybuilding and Physique ranks and asked what they do to get shredded
when the stakes are at their highest. Heres what they had to say.

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STAN MCQUAY,
IFBB 212 Mens Bodybuilding
INTENSE AND HEAVY My intensity is
always high. Ive found over the years
that the less time I spend with weights
means the more time I can spend on diet
and getting rest. I try to keep my workouts to around 50 minutes and the rest
of the day I focus on what Im putting in
my body. I have to lift heavy even when
getting ready for a show to keep the
muscle fullness and density, so I keep
my reps in the 8 to 10 range. But I pick
up the pace on my rest periods, limiting
them to around 60 seconds and then get
right back on it.
PERFORMANCE CARDIO Im completely
different than most guys as far as what
I do for cardio. I just get bored with machines. I have them at my house, but I
would much rather jump rope nothing
gets my heart rate up faster than that
and follow that up by throwing on some
gloves and hitting the bag. I have an extensive martial arts background, so I still
like to keep a little athleticism in my repertoire. Ill do 60 seconds of jumping rope,
rest for 30 seconds, 60 seconds on the
bag, then rest for another 30 seconds and
just repeat that cycle for 25 to 30 minutes. During that, my heart rate is going
through the roof.
SECOND SESSION I am a believer of
doing a second daily cardio session, but
only to lose fat and not every day
maybe two or three days a week. Im not
a big eater, so Ive learned that the more
cardio I do, the more I can eat. Thats really the only way I can grow and keep
that muscle density. I have to eat seven
or eight meals when getting ready for
a show, and the only way I can do that
is by doing double sessions of cardio.
Plus, ramping up your metabolism again
is only going to help keep your body in
fat-burning mode throughout the day, or
while you sleep.

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123

W
WEIGHTS VS CARDIO The way I look
at it, lifting weights is anabolic. Doing
cardio is catabolic. I used to train four days
a week and do cardio up to seven leading
up to a contest. But if you can burn the
same amount of calories lifting weights and
actually recover, there is a better chance
you are going to hold on to the muscle
youve got. Muscle tends to burn calories
even when youre not in the gym.

W
EXPERT ADVICE The
three most common things
I tell people are one, change
up your training dont get
stuck in a rut. Two, lift
weights over cardio
whenever possible, because
if you can recover from
weights, you are going to
maintain more muscle. And
three, save cardio for when
you really need it. To me,
cardio is like a bullet, only to
be red when necessary.

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MARK DUGDALE,
IFBB 212 Mens Bodybuilding
PRIMARY VS SECONDARY When Im getting ready for a contest, I dont take
any days off. Ill train every bodypart twice a week and break those workouts
up into primary and secondary workouts. Primary workouts typically con
For a secondary workout, or pump day, I leave reps in the tank on every set.

All intensity-type techniques drop sets, forced reps, giant sets come on
primary days.
See Dugdales primary/secondary program below, along with a sample.

SAMPLE SPLIT
DAY
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

BODYPART(S) TRAINED
Primary Legs
Primary Chest/Shoulders
Primary Back
Secondary Legs
Secondary Chest/Shoulders
Secondary Back
Primary Arms

Note: Dugdale trains calves and abs twice a week, on non-leg days.

PRIMARY CHEST/SHOULDERS (SUNDAY)

BODYPART
Chest

EXERCISE
Incline Dumbbell Press
Incline Barbell Press
Barbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Flye

SETS
6
5
7
4

REPS
8*, 8*, 8, 8, 8, 7
6*, 6*, 6, 6, 6
6*, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
6+4**

Shoulders

Reverse Pec-Deck Flye

superset with
Dumbbell Lateral Raise

15, 15, 15, 15, 15

8, 8, 8, 8, 8

* Warm-up set.
** Drop sets, performing six reps then dropping the weight

SECONDARY CHEST/SHOULDER (WEDNESDAY)

BODYPART
Chest

EXERCISE
Cable Flye
Machine Chest Press
Stretch Bench Pushups

Shoulders

Bent-Over Dumbbell
Rear Delt Raise
Seated Dumbbell
Lateral Raise

* Warm-up set.

SETS
4
7
4

REPS
12, 12, 12, 12
12*, 12*, 12*, 12, 12, 12 ,12
15, 15, 15 ,15

30, 30, 30, 30

20, 20, 20, 20

ALEX CARNEIRO,
IFBB Mens Physique
FASTED CARDIO I always like to do



      
      

       
      


     


FAT-FREE WORKOUT    

 
       
       
     





   

REST CHANGE 

     
      

      
       
       
      


       
    
       
    




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JEREMY BUENDIA
SAMPLE DAILY
MEAL PLAN
(Low Carb Day)
UPON WAKING
(pre-morning fasted cardio)
1 scoop elite mass and
recovery complex (Cell KEM)
Fat burner supplement
MEAL 1
1 cup egg whites
cup oatmeal
RXQFHVFRHH
MEAL 2
8 ounces chicken breast
6 ounces sweet potato
5 ounces kale

JEREMY BUENDIA, IFBB Mens Physique

I like to start my workouts with FST-7 [Fascia Stretch Training], so that is automatically giving me a
pump and elevating my heart rate right
from the beginning. Its almost impossible not to get a pump from doing that
seven sets with 70 percent of your
max and minimal rest between sets. It
helps get my mind right for the rest of
the workout, gets my heart rate up and
blows me up right away.
FST STARTER

PUMP OPTIMIZER My rest periods

are anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds.
I do a lot of drop sets, supersets or
      
more cardiovascular, but at the same
time, the reason why Im doing that is

Im trying to optimize the pump by not

letting the muscle recover completely.
CARB COUNTER I used to be a real
carb-sensitive guy, but since I changed
up my cardio regimen and got my metabolism up Ive been able to handle
a lot more carbohydrates. I was pushing probably about 300 grams of
carbs and 280 grams of protein until
eight weeks out from my last show
and dropping consistently on that. Ill
cycle carbs as I get closer to a show
and drop down as low as 100 grams
a day, and I start leaning out really
fast when I do that. But my base day
is around 260 grams of carbs, which
is roughly 50 to 60 grams per meal.

MEAL 3
8 ounces tilapia
5 ounces broccoli
MEAL 4
8 ounces chicken breast
5 ounces kale
MEAL 5
8 ounces salmon
5 ounces broccoli
PREWORKOUT
Preworkout supplement
(EVP)
POSTWORKOUT
1 scoop elite mass and
recovery complex (Cell KEM)
MEAL 6
8 ounces tilapia
6 ounces sweet potato

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

127

XAVIUS GAYDEN, IFBB Mens Physique

TWO-TIMER I split up my training into two workouts a day anywhere from four to eight weeks out, depending on if Ive already
competed that year. For example, on chest day, Ill get in a full chest
workout during lunch break where I do more compound, heavier
exercises, then come back at night and do my isolation exercises. I
will also add in a few really light exercises for whatever bodypart
Im training the next day, almost like a warm-up.
SEMPER FIT I generally do cardio every day because Im a Marine,
so its always a minimum of 30 to 35 minutes and can go up to an
hour. We do all kinds of stuff football, beach runs with the entire

test and more. Most of it is a good mix of steady state and highintensity stuff. I will add in a second session as I get closer to a
show, usually in the evening, for anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes.
That is typically a hybrid of steady state and HIIT cardio.
THE CARB PLAN I keep my weight at around 200 to 205 pounds,
so my carb intake at that weight would be about 100 to 200 grams
a day. When I have carbs is pretty steady and spaced out throughout the day. As I get closer to a show, that could change, but I generally keep the same plan.

DERIK FARNSWORTH, IFBB 212 Mens Bodybuilding

CONTEST CARDIO Come contest time, diet usually does the job
for me, but Ill do cardio up to 40 minutes a day when I have to.
Never every day I might go three days at hard cardio for 40
minutes a day, then a couple days at 20 minutes. Ill do anywhere
from easy to medium intervals, to 40 minutes of easy, steady-state
cardio, to 40 minutes of more intense intervals. The biggest thing I
notice is it cant be the same. My body likes the shock, it responds
faster when I keep switching things up.
PLATEAU BUSTER Too much clean food for an extended period
of time can slow down the metabolism a little bit. Thats when you
hit a plateau. The high glycemic sugars and fats and all that can
shock the system if you use that cheat meal at the right time. It
can actually help speed up the metabolism and get you through
that plateau.
REST UP Rest for me is the biggest component that has helped
my body change, and change quickly. It is the most important
thing, for me, over any type of supplement change or food change.
I was able to do less cardio this year during contest prep because
of the rest I was getting. When Im getting six to eight hours of
sleep, I see a huge difference.

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WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN

By Zydrunas Savickas, Four-Time Worlds Strongest Man

DIAL IN WITH
THE DEADLIFT

PHOTOS BY JASON BREEZE

FOR ULTIMATE MASS AND

STRENGTH, NOTHING BEATS
THIS BRUTALLY EFFICIENT
POWERLIFTING STAPLE.

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You can work out religiously and eat like a

champ, but if your training efforts are missing
one key component, youll likely fall short of
maximizing your mass and strength potential.
That component? The deadlift. You may think of it as
a back exercise and it is but it is also the best single
move for working your whole body, from your shoulders
and traps through your arms and torso, and down to your
thighs and calves.
The synergistic action involved, calling upon all your
various muscle groups to coordinate the lift as you bring
the loaded barbell from the loor to a standing position,
loods your body with growth-inducing reactions, spurring anabolic growth. Perhaps only the squat is comparable in cultivating the
greatest possible generation of power and force in
a resistance exercise.
To increase your deadlift strength, you should
perform this lift no more
than once per week, because it requires a suficiently long recovery. If
performing particularly
taxing, heavy deadlift
workouts on an ongoing
basis, you may want to
go up to 10 days between
deadlift workouts. If your
deadlift results are not
improving, review your
exercise program, because it could mean youre
already overtraining.
Deadlift
workouts
will greatly stimulate
the upper- and middleback muscles such as the
rhomboids and trapezius,
along with the erector
spinae running down to
your lower back. To support your maximal effort in the deadlift, youll
want to seriously train
your whole body over the
course of each week.
Of course, technique
matters with deadlifts, to

make gains and to avoid injury. Back injuries especially

can be debilitating and require long, arduous recoveries.
Here are the steps to do it right:
1. Start with a proper stretching routine and warm-up,
getting your blood lowing and muscles warm.
2. Standing in front of a bar on the loor in front of you,
begin with your feet at about shoulder width or slightly
to the outside, but not much. Bend deep at the knees and
lower your hips so you can grasp the bar.
3. Your hand position on the bar should be slightly
wider than your feet. You can use lifting straps, but this
means there is less work for your ingers. If you are going
to compete (where straps are typically not allowed) or
you want to have a strong grip, its better not to use the
straps in the training. You
should, however, wear a
lifting belt.
4.
During a deadlift,
your back should remain
straight and upright.
Dont bend forward, as
trying to re-straighten
your torso causes stress
and possible injury.
5. The goal is to make
more use of your legs in
the initial stage of the
motion, because your legs
are much stronger than
your lower-back muscles. The overall effort
and lifting force should
be faithfully distributed
between your legs and
back. Do not do a deadlift
with straight legs with
heavy weight because it
is not only dangerous, but
also your strength will be
signiicantly lower than if
you perform a dead with
perfect technique.
6. Always start training with light weight
and gradually move to
higher poundage, step by
step pyramid style. For
deadlifting, its best to
do no more than two to
ive reps in your working

IN A TWO-DECADE
CAREER, BIG Z HAS
WON EVERY MAJOR
STRONGMAN TITLE.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

133

WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN

By Zydrunas Savickas, Four-Time Worlds Strongest Man

At the 2014 Arnold

Strongman Classic,
Savickas set a new
world record in the
Hummer tire
deadlift, hoisting
1,155 pounds.

sets. One-rep maxing is not recommended, because after

your max deadlift effort such as youd do in a contest
you need a three- to four-week layoff afterward for
full recovery. (It is okay a few times per year to test your
strength, but no more than that.)
But that doesnt mean your regular workouts arent
taxing. Every set from the start of my workout, I add
more weight until I reach my heavy training weight. I
strive for heavier weights in the inal sets each week for a
cycle of up to 10 weeks, at which point I either compete or
do a max lift test and then change up my routine.
7. Youll want to start deadlift training with the bar positioned on the loor, but consider including some deadlift training from the platform in each workout as well.

134

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This will help you get stronger in the upper portion of the
range of motion (the lockout), meaning youll get better
and better at inishing.
Using an adjustable power rack, you can set up with
a platform so that your starting point matches up with
your weakest link in the deadlift motion most likely
the very top of the motion or with the bar the around
knee position.
Try different platform heights. You can even use a
very high bar position and heavier weight, as it allows
you to overcome the fear of going extremely heavy with
a total that you might not be able to lift from the loor (at
least not yet).
If your weak spot is at the point where youre lift-

WORLDS STRONGEST MAN DEADLIFT, BACK & CORE WORKOUT

EXERCISE
Deadlift From Floor
Deadlift From Rack (Platforms)
Barbell Shrug
Lat Pulldown
Bent-Over Barbell Row
Seated Cable Row
Plank
Side Bridge

SETS
9
4
4
4
4
4
3
3 per side

REPS
12, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2
6, 4, 2, 2
10, 8, 6, 6
8, 8, 8, 8
6, 6, 6, 6
8, 8, 8, 8
To failure
To failure

ANCILLARY BENEFITS
For best results, perform
your upper and middle
back and core movements
on the same day you
perform deadlifts. I
believe this is superior for
strengthening your entire
body as a unit, which will
enhance your ability to
pull heavy deadlifts. But
begin with the deadlifts
before moving onto these
other exercises. (See the
chart above for my
workout.)

ing the bar from the loor, Id suggest deadlifting from a

deeper bar position. This is accomplished by standing on
a small podium to elevate your feet above the height of
the bar as it sits on the loor. I often do a few sets of these
after regular deadlifts from the loor.
Finally, to improve your deadlift starting power, you
can use bands attached to the ends of the bar. Using them
will increase your explosive power from the base and
your inishing strength at the top.

Zydrunas Savickas has won four Worlds Strongest Man titles and has




7KHQDOSLHFHRID
successful deadlift
program is nutrition. If
you are pulling heavy
weights on an ongoing
basis, your body can
easily slip into an
overtrained state, even if
your program is carefully
mapped out. Along with
getting enough sleep
every night an often
overlooked element
you must ingest adequate
calories and nutrients. I
eat balanced meals every
three hours to be certain
I have all the necessary
nutrients at the ready in
my body. I also use
protein and other
supplements to enhance
my recovery and growth.
My favorite is MHP Up

Your Mass weight gainer,

with 62 grams of protein
and 810 calories per
serving, to feed my
muscles. I also use MHPs
Dark Matter and ProbolicSR after every session,
and recently added the
companys Fit Trainer
preworkout product for
energy and power. With
these supplements and
enough food, I am able to
fuel my body to get
stronger and so can
you.
Remember, to do a max
deadlift in competition is
much easier when youve
mastered the proper
approach in your precompetition phases.
In addition, to be the
strongest you can
possibly be, theres one
rule you must follow as
you put in the time and
reps over weeks and
months believe in
yourself that you can and
will be able to lift the
weight youre striving for.
For anyone after a better,
more powerful physique,
deadlifts can make a huge
GLHUHQFHDQGSXVK\RX
faster and further toward
your ultimate goals.

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

135

UNBREAKABLE

By Guillermo Escalante, DsC, ATC

IN DEVELOPING YOUR PHYSIQUE,

EVERY MUSCLE GROUP

FIND BALANCE AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM INJURY.
The word equality usually arises when talking
issues best left for politicians, sociologists and community
activists. Here, were sidestepping
the more controversial aspects of
the concept for one that engenders
more unanimous agreement, at least
among exercise physiologists and
personal trainers.
The equality were talking about
focuses on workout design. And while

136

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

the idea of training equality hitting all your bodyparts in a balanced

approach is universally appealing, the actual practice is often found
lacking among most weight-training
enthusiasts. For proof, take a quick
glance around your gym. What youll
ind is a sea of well-developed mirror muscles of the chest, shoulders
and arms, always in sight and thus
never far out of mind, often perched
atop spindly legs and paired with a
lacking back, among other forgotten
reaches of the human frame.
The problem isnt simply limited to aesthetics. Developing some
muscle groups while paying less attention to others can create physi-

ological disparities that can lead to

signiicant injuries down the road.
If you ind yourself facing such
asymmetry, the irst step is to reassess your training plan. In the long
run, youll want to devise a program
that targets the agonist, antagonist
and auxiliary muscles uniformly.
And in the short run, if youre facing
some serious imbalances, youll need
to hit the lagging bodyparts with
more frequency or volume in order
to reestablish balance, while also attending to smaller, often overlooked
areas such as the rotator cuffs, rhomboids, lower traps and hamstrings.
The table on the next page identiies muscles that are commonly

PHOTO BY ROBERT REIFF

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY GAINS

THE EQUALIZERS: SIX COMMONLY

NEGLECTED AREAS AND HOW TO FIX THEM
while holding a cable pulley or
resistance band

1. HAMSTRINGS
VISUAL CUES OF A PROBLEM

Increased lordotic curve (a larger-thannormal curve in the lower back region)

4. RHOMBOIDS, MIDDLE
TRAPEZIUS

POTENTIAL INJURIES

Hamstring strains

VISUAL CUES OF A PROBLEM

EXERCISES TO IMPLEMENT

Romanian Deadlift, Lying Leg Curl,

Seated Leg Curl, Single-Leg Curl, Glute/
Ham Machine Raise
2. ROTATOR CUFF/EXTERNAL
ROTATORS (SUPRASPINATUS,
INFRASPINATUS, TERES MINOR)
VISUAL CUES OF A PROBLEM

Rounded/forward shoulders
POTENTIAL INJURIES

6KRXOGHULPSLQJHPHQWURWDWRUFX
WHDUURWDWRUFXWHQGRQLWLVWHQGRQLWLV
in biceps long head
EXERCISES TO IMPLEMENT

Rows and pulldowns, squeezing the

shoulder blades together
5. LOWER TRAPEZIUS

N/A
VISUAL CUES OF A PROBLEM

POTENTIAL INJURIES

6KRXOGHULPSLQJHPHQWURWDWRUFX
WHDUURWDWRUFXWHQGRQLWLV
EXERCISE TO IMPLEMENT

Keeping the shoulder down and elbow

by the side at a 90 degree angle, rotate
the hand from the midline outward
while holding a cable pulley or
resistance band
3. ROTATOR CUFF/INTERNAL
ROTATOR (SUBSCAPULARIS)

Small lower trap, which lies between

the middle back and the lower/inner
portion of the shoulder blades
POTENTIAL INJURIES

6KRXOGHULPSLQJHPHQWURWDWRUFX
WHDUURWDWRUFXWHQGRQLWLVWHQGRQLWLV
in long head of biceps
EXERCISE TO IMPLEMENT

Lying prone on a bench, form a V by

lifting your arms straight from the
RRUWRVKRXOGHUOHYHOZKLOHNHHSLQJ
your elbows locked

VISUAL CUES OF A PROBLEM

N/A

6. REAR DELTOIDS

POTENTIAL INJURIES

neglected and suggests exercises

that can help bring them up to par.
The next step, however, is up to you.
By assessing your current program
and physique, then acting on that
hard truth, youll protect yourself
from progress-derailing injuries.
Youll also be much more impressive
from all angles, not just those you
can see relecting back at you.

Guillermo Escalante, DSc, MBA, ATC, CSCS,

the 2013 NPC Los Angeles Middleweight
Champion, is co-owner of SportsPros Personal Training/Physical Therapy Center
(4sportspros.com) in Claremont, California,
and an assistant professor of kinesiology at
California State University-San Bernardino.

6KRXOGHULPSLQJHPHQWURWDWRUFX
WHDUURWDWRUFXWHQGRQLWLV
EXERCISES TO IMPLEMENT

Keeping the shoulder down and

elbow by the side and at a 90-degree
angle, rotate the hand from just
outside the body toward the midline

VISUAL CUES OF A PROBLEM

Rounded/forward shoulders
POTENTIAL INJURIES

N/A
EXERCISES TO IMPLEMENT

5HYHUVHGXPEEHOORUSHFGHFN\HV
with elbows elevated

TERMS YOU NEED TO KNOW

AGONIST
MUSCLES: The
prime movers of a
VSHFLFDFWLRQ)RU
instance, the agonist
muscles involved in
knee extension are
WKHTXDGULFHSV

ANTAGONIST
MUSCLES: These
produce the opposite
IXQFWLRQRIWKHVSHFLF
DFWLRQ7KHDQWDJRQLVW
muscles involved in
knee extension are
WKHKDPVWULQJV

AUXILIARY
MUSCLES: These assist
the agonists in doing the
VSHFLFDFWLRQ)RU
LQVWDQFHWKHURWDWRUFX
muscles are auxiliary to
the delts during an
RYHUKHDGSUHVV

musclemag.com

FALL 2014

137

MAKING GAINS

By The Editors

HAVE YOU CRUSHED YOUR TRAINING

GOALS AND MADE GAINS YOU ONCE
THOUGHT IMPOSSIBLE? Drop us a line on
Facebook or email us at feedback@musclemag.com and
let us know your incredible success story.

Andy
Thompson

Austin Harris
AGE: 23
HOMETOWN: Moline, IL

OLD-SCHOOL
MUSCLE
I was always very active
in high school, doing
sports like wrestling and
track, but I wanted a new
challenge. On my 17th
birthday, I started weight
training and havent
looked back. Its been
awesome watching my
progression over the past
six years. I do a threeday split push, pull, legs with a very old-school
approach, focusing on stimulating and not annihilating
the muscle groups. I stick to compound movements
and moderate volume and train each bodypart twice a
week. Ive also been focusing on mobility work to really
try to stay injury-free. I graduated from the University
of Iowa and moved to Atlanta for work, and this year I
started a YouTube channel. Using social media to connect with people to answer questions is very rewarding
for me and has helped me grow as a person. I want to
continue to inspire college students to make quality
gains inside the gym and also in their education.

AGE: 29
Hometown: Grand
Junction, CO

OVERCOMING
CHALLENGES
I began taking training and nutrition seriously at the
age of 16. I played sports, was in love with the weight
room and really enjoyed eating healthy. However,
at 23 I was in a major car accident that left me with
injuries to my lower spine and neck. Doctors said
that my day-to-day life would be a challenge going
forward and that working out was out of the question. I refused to accept that, and in 2009 I began a
vigorous rehab that lasted several years. After learning how to work around my injuries, I got into better
shape than I ever had been. In 2012 I reached my
goal of 200 pounds at 4 percent body fat and I havent
looked back. I plan on doing my irst NPC show in
September. I really want to show others that no matter the challenges you are facing you can overcome
anything with hard work, dedication and will.

138

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

Edwin Soto
AGE: 23
HOMETOWN: Jersey
City, NJ

WINNING
ATTITUDE
I started weight
training in high
school when I was
on the football team.
Since then, weight
training has been a
part of my life and
Ive never looked
back. At one point,
my life took a downturn. I was drinking every day,
smoking and getting in trouble with the law. I always
wanted to compete as a bodybuilder, and when they
introduced the mens physique competition, I decided
to take training seriously with the help of my cousin
Michael who worked for MHP supplements. I saw my
physique quickly change and so did my attitude toward
life. I did my irst show the Brooklyn Grand Prix
and although I didnt get irst place, I was a winner in
my own eyes, because I realized that being humble and
having a great attitude will get you far in life.

It Doesnt Stop At The Gym:

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Interested
In
ADVERTISING?

Contact
us NOW!

Laura Flores
(661) 257-0466
Ext: 1653
ORUHV#DLPPHGLDFRP

ANABOLIC ON THE MARKET

1 Month Supply
ONLY $59.95
Buy 2 Get 1 Free
3 Months For $119.90
Limit 3 bottles per individual per 30 day period

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National Collegiate Athletic Association, NBA, NFL & MLB.
Sorry, but ANDROBOLIC 50 is illegal to purchase in the states
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Mail Orders: Send Money Order to

Optimum Genetics Lab,
P.O.Box 622, Harrisburg, IL 62946

;;;OGLSPORTS.com
The information in this ad and website have not been evaluated by
the FDA. Optimum Genetics Lab does not condone the use of illegal
steroids. Androbolic 50 does not contain illegal steroids.

HARDCORE
PRODUCTS

NofancyB.S.Nosissycreatine.

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MUSCO-MXT

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primary component to your Post cycle regimen.


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Microorganisms to screen for bacteria including salmonella and e.coli as well as yeast and molds.
Heavy Metals to screen for lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and other toxic metals.

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Dept. 103
1730 S. Federal Hwy., Unit #270
Delray Beach, FL 33483-3309

MARKETPLACE

ANABOLICS

FINISHER

By Mike Salazar, ISSA-CPT, IKFF-L2

DESTRUCTIONPROOF DELTS
ONE OF THE GREATEST
ASSETS OF YOUR SHOULDERS

 

 




you can. Work your way to one minute, then add 15-second increments
over time. Once you reach two minutes, adjust your weights upward.

HALOS: Hold an Olympic plate at

face level, with feet planted and torso upright, a position youll maintain
throughout. Rotate your arms and
elbows as you maneuver the weight
around your head 180 degrees.

IYT RAISE: Holding a light pair of

dumbbells with a palms facing grip,
lie face down on a bench set at a 15
to 30 degree incline. Extend your
elbows to raise the dumbbells from
shoulder level to form an I over your
head. Then return to the start and extend the weights back up to form a
Y. Bring the weights back in toward
you, then extend them out to your
sides forming a T. Thats one rep.

OVERHEAD LOCKOUT: Using dumbbells or a loaded barbell, hoist and

hold the weight above your head,
locking your elbows out. Feel your
shoulders sink down. Maintain a tight
neutral spine and hold for as long as

EXTERNAL ROTATION: Attach a resistance band to an upright ixed object. Stand parallel to the object and
reach across your body to grasp the
handle. With your triceps against
your ribs, pull against the band as

THE EXERCISES

THE WORKOUT

Run through this regimen one or two times.

EXERCISE
Halos (with a plate)
Overhead Lockout
IYT Raise
External Rotation (with resistance band)
Dumbbell Turkish Get-Up
Scapular Retraction
* Hitting each of the three positions equals one rep.

146

FALL 2014

musclemag.com

REPS/TIME
30 sec. each direction
1 minute
10 reps*
1 minute per arm
alternate, 5 per side
1 minute

your arm rotates away from the body.

DUMBBELL TURKISH GET-UP: Lie on
the loor with legs extended, and
press a dumbbell to elbow lockout
with your right arm. Holding it there,
bend your right knee and slide your
right foot toward your right hip. Using your left hand and right foot as
support, roll toward your left side
until your torso is upright. Now, lift
your hips off the loor by supporting
yourself on your left hand and right
foot. While your hips are elevated,
slide your left knee underneath your
body and straighten up. You should
be in the bottom of a lunge position while holding the dumbbell in
your right hand, arm fully extended
overhead. Stand up. To return to the
start, reverse the steps and switch
the weight to your left hand to repeat the sequence.
SCAPULAR RETRACTION: Take an
overhand grip on a pull-up bar and
let your body sink completely until
you cannot stretch any further. Now
depress your shoulder blades you
should feel your shoulder blades pull
down and inward as your body rises
slightly. Repeat for reps, pausing for
a breath at each peak contraction.




PHOTO BY ROBERT REIFF

Are your shoulders a weak

link? Try this once-a-week
workout, meant as an ancillary to your regular training. You
just need a light-to-moderate resistance band, an adjustable bench, pullup bar and access to barbells and
dumbbells.

THE ORIGINAL PRE-WORKOUT IGNITER. RE-ENGINEERED.

Fuel your body with advanced ingredient technology
to help push you past your previous limits.
EXPLOSIVE ENERGY

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MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE

For more information and special offers, visit:

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
NOX-PR1 2014 BSN For best results supplements should be taken as directed over time,at maximum dosage
in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise program. Results may vary.