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On June 6, 2023, Samantha Eugenie shared an Instagram video of herself capturing a 122.5-kilogram (270-pound) raw bench press during a training session. According to the caption of the 20-year-old powerlifter’s post, the strength mark is a personal record (PR). Eugenie utilized just wrist wraps to help her with the achievement, which would qualify as raw in an official powerlifting competition.
Per Eugenie’s personal page on Open Powerlifting, if this training lift occurred in a sanctioned competition, it would’ve eclipsed Eugenie’s all-time raw competition best of 109.9 kilograms (242.5 pounds) by 12.4 kilograms (27.5 pounds). Eugenie scored that mark at her most recent meet in early April — the 2023 Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Championnats de France Juniors de Force de Athletique in a first-place performance for the 69-kilogram weight class. The contest was just the second appearance for Eugenie in the 69-kilogram division.
Remarkable milestones like this are nothing new for Eugenie, based on her standards. In fact, a 110-kilogram (242.5-pound) easy raw bench press double shared over her Instagram profile roughly only a week earlier might have teased Eugenie’s latest upper body breakthrough.
Since becoming a competitive powerlifter in October 2018, Eugenie has seemingly only grown in strength and appropriate reputation. To date, as a Sub-Juniors, Juniors, and occasional Open athlete, Eugenie has won nine of 12 career contests. The most notable result of her career might be a 63-kilogram title at the 2022 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships. Eugenie has won three of her last four competitions, including the previously mentioned 2023 FFForce Championnats de France Juniors de Force.
On an official records basis, Eugenie holds the IPF Junior World Record raw deadlift of 216 kilograms (476.2 pounds) in the 63-kilogram class. The athlete captured that record number at the 2023 IPF World Juniors.
Here’s an overview of Eugenie’s all-time competition bests as they stand before the next phase of her competitive outlook unfolds:
At the time of this article’s publication, it is unclear where and when Eugenie will take her strength talents next. All that seems apparent is that the athlete is ready to smash some of her established precedents very soon.
Eugenie has seemingly only begun her career and already become a household name. With that kind of distinction, the stratosphere appears to be the limit for this young phenom.
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As the 212 Olympia champion in 2021 and the 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up, Derek Lunsford doesn’t necessarily need endorsements from anyone on the outside looking in. He’s a bona fide modern superstar and seems destined for a prolific bodybuilding career. That said, if there were a person to talk Lunsford’s talents up, there probably isn’t a better pick than eight-time Mr. Olympia champion (1998-2005) Ronnie Coleman.
On June 5, 2023, Coleman posted a video to his YouTube channel where he called Lunsford his “favorite bodybuilder” of this currently stacked generation. (Note: Coleman maintained that he also appreciated the exploits of 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) winner Samson Dauda.) Coming from a legend like Coleman, it’s quite the shining qualifier for Lunsford, especially after the pair’s shared training session in early April 2023.
Coleman didn’t mince his words endorsing both Lunsford and Dauda. While discussing the state of the sport, he dove right into his appreciation for the two high-profile fitness stars.
“My favorite bodybuilder at the moment, let’s see, hmm, Derek Lunsford is probably my No. 1 favorite,” Coleman mused. “Probably my No. 2 favorite … I kind of like that guy that won the last [2023] Arnold Classic, his name is Samson Dauda. If I had to pick any favorite, it’d be [one of] those two.”
As for Coleman’s reflection on bodybuilding as a whole, especially where the Men’s Open class stands, the icon thinks the sport is in a healthy place when it comes to training, nutrition, and dedication to their craft. Given some of the athletes’ staggering physiques on display while guest posing at the recent 2023 Pittsburgh Pro, Coleman’s wide-spanning assessment certainly appears to be on the mark.
“I see every generation has its own era,” Coleman began. “Mostly, all of us have to work extremely hard and diet extremely hard and make the biggest sacrifices ever. So, I think that the next generation of bodybuilders is a pretty good class of guys. They work extremely hard. They train hard. They diet hard. I think the new generation is a pretty good generation.”
Finally, after some health scares over the past year, Coleman turned his attention to himself. The retired legend maintained he’s on the upswing and appears to be progressing well after all the surgeries he’s had on his neck and back over the years.
“I’m doing pretty good,” Coleman said. “I’m in great health and my last check-up was back in March [2023]. I had a really good, clean bill of health as far as my last check-up goes. Now, I have another one, probably in a couple of months. So, we’ll see how that goes. But for now, I’m doing pretty good.”
Even in his deserved retirement, Coleman remains a significant and influential voice in bodybuilding. Whether athletes like Lunsford and Dauda maintain their grip on Coleman’s favor remains to be seen. Though, if they’re keeping the pedal to the metal, Coleman will likely continue to sing their praises.
In today’s world, we pretty much always have to wear shoes. But the majority of shoes people wear run directly counter to the way our feet and lower bodies are designed to function. Tall heels, thick padding, restrictive material that allows no movement, heavy sole that prevents us from feeling the ground—modern shoes are monstrosities that cut us off from the world around us and inhibit our ability to navigate it pain-free. Shoes that emulate the barefoot experience on the other hand offer tangible benefits to your health, wellness, athletic performance, and overall well-being by recreating the environment under which the human foot evolved.
Here are 9 tangible reasons to wear barefoot shoes.
Improved proprioception.
Proprioception describes the bodily awareness we have as we move throughout the world. Do we know where our limbs are in relation to the environment? Do we have intuitive understanding of what our head, shoulders, hips, and arms are doing as we run, jump, move, or even just walk around? All of these contribute to our overall sense of proprioception and regulate the speed, strength, and safety of our interactions with the outside world. If you have better proprioception, you will be a better athlete. You’ll be more effective in every physical capacity. You’ll be smoother.
The first and arguably most important way we establish proprioceptive awareness is with our feet touching the ground. The simple exposure of the millions of nerves on our feet to the ground—the textures, the slopes, the rocks and twigs underfoot, the slipperiness—gives our nervous system an incredible amount of actionable information about where we are and how we’re moving. Barefoot is obviously best if the environment is forgiving, but barefoot minimalist shoes with a thin sole are second best and provide almost as much information—and they can be worn everywhere.
Better rootedness to the ground. Stability.
The closer you are to the ground, the more stable you are. The less material you have between you and the ground, the more rooted you are. Barefoot shoes give you better ground feel and ground control by minimizing the amount of shoe material between you and the world.
Studies on athletes show this. Those wearing the most supportive shoes, particularly those with ankle support, have the worst balance and stability when performing. Those in bare feet (or wearing minimalist shoes that provide no support and mimic the barefoot experience) have the best balance and stability. In fact, ankle stability studies often use barefoot athletes as the control group against which the various ankle taping methods and high top shoes are compared. The control group always wins in these studies.
Better foot landing mechanics and fewer injuries.
When you run in a raised heel shoe, you tend to land on your heel. When you run in a zero heel drop barefoot shoe, you land more naturally—on the mid to fore foot. This can have huge implications for your risk of repetitive stress injury. Forefoot striking in general tends to place far less loading on the knee joint.1 In a forefoot landing, the knee is slightly bent, allowing the muscles to help absorb the impact. In a heel strike, the knee is fully extended, forcing the joint itself to absorb the impact.
A study from 2012 found that among endurance runners, the heel strikers had twice the rate of injury.2 The mid/forefoot strikers were much less likely to incur any injuries.. having a zero heel drop shoe without a raised heel allows your feet to land according to natural mechanics. Rather than a heel striker, you become
Better posture.
Even just a half inch of padded heel throws off your entire posture up the line. It’s like standing on a slant, and in order to maintain an upright head position your lower back is thrown into lordosis, your knees jut forward, your ankle angle shortens. Instead of a straight stack of joints and tissues from top to bottom, you’re more like a wobbly Jenga tower.
More accurate biofeedback.
I won’t try to claim that running in barefoot shoes allows you to go farther and longer. It doesn’t. The “clouds” that are modern fluffy padded running shoes do allow you to run greater distances in comfort, but this isn’t a good thing for most people. Most people should be getting the biofeedback, aka discomfort, that you receive from minimalist shoes. They tell you when your body has had enough running. If you sever that connection and bypass the natural biofeedback with padded shoes, you run the risk of overtraining and taxing your joints and other tissues.
Barefoot shoes give you accurate biofeedback about how much more stress your feet—and body overall—can handle.
Stronger feet.
The feet aren’t just wedges of flesh and bone. They are active limbs with dozens of muscles that require engagement and stimulation. If you stick them inside stiff shoes, the muscles in your feet atrophy and weaken. If you wear minimalist barefoot shoes that allow full range of motion through every foot muscle and every toe, your feet and toes get stronger, healthier, and more resilient.
Wider toe boxes.
Narrow footwear squeezes the toes together, reshaping them and forcing them into an unnatural position. The natural position of the toes is splayed out, providing a broader distribution of weight through movement and loading. The more compacted your feet and toes, the more concentrated the weight rests on certain areas, promoting stress fractures and bunions. The wider the shoe, the more evenly distributed the forces across the foot. Toes should also be a lot more prehensile than we’ve been made to think, and a wide toe box barefoot shoe can help us achieve that.
Getting comfortable with being the weird one.
This is no small thing. I often tell you guys to “let your freak flag fly” because that’s what it takes to be a healthy, happy human in this world. If you don’t agree with the way things are going, the way most people live their lives, the way people eat and exercise (or don’t), then why wouldn’t you get a little weird? I’m not talking about being the bearded man screaming on a street corner. I mean you should be comfortable diverting from the norm if it’s what you truly need and desire.
Wearing shoes that divert from the norm is an easy low-level entry point to “weirdness.”
It’s a return to the way we came into this world.
On several levels barefoot shoes return us to the purest state of all—how we came into this world.
It’s how we as hominids came into this world 2 million years ago: walking upright on bare feet.
It’s how modern humans spread across the globe: walking upright on bare feet or in the flimsiest of moccasins or sandals.
It’s how we as individuals were born: as babies without shoes on.
The onus is on those wearing and selling big padded protective shoes to prove that their footwear is safe. The default position is that the oldest, most natural mode of upright barefoot bipedalism is also the safest and most effective. You have to prove that it’s not.
Tips to Prepare for Wearing Barefoot Shoes
Once you’ve got your first pair of barefoot shoes, be careful. If you resume full activity levels in the new shoes, you might risk injuring yourself. You need to acclimate your lower body to the new situation.
Spend as much time barefoot. Go barefoot at home, in the park, in the yard, at the beach. Really
Train your feet. Do toe spreads against a tight rubber band, squeeze pencils between your toes, pick up objects with your feet, go walking in deep soft sand, alternate pointing at objects in the distance and then at your own face using your toes, walk around on the sides of your feet.
Start taking shorter strides when walking and running. Walk and run softly, try to be silent.
Start slow. From short walks to longer walks to brisker walks to easy jogs to runs to sprints. Don’t skip a step.
Stop when you get sore. Don’t push through the soreness. Stop right away and come back tomorrow.
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There is one rather simple but very effective way to distinguish one’s self in the strongman sphere: lift extremely heavy objects — from the floor, above your head, any way you can. That’s precisely what Leon Miroshnik recently accomplished, in turn distinguishing himself among his strength peers.
On June 5, 2023, Julian Howard (@worldsstrongestfan on Instagram) shared a clip of Miroshnik successfully deadlifting 410 kilograms (903.9 pounds) during a training session. At the time of this writing, it is unclear precisely when the lift occurred, but based on Miroshnik’s own Instagram profile of training progress, it appears to have occurred at some point from May 2023 to early June 2023.
Miroshnik had a body weight of under 105 kilograms (231 pounds) at the time of the lift — his usual strongman competitive class — meaning this deadlift was approximately 3.9 times his body weight. Miroshnik wore a lifting belt and lifting suit, and utilized lifting straps and knee sleeves to assist him with the monstrous pull.
A glance at Miroshnik’s own social media will inform one of almost everything that they need to know about his deadlift power and upcoming plans.
For example, there is a video of Miroshnik showing off his endurance by scoring a 300-kilogram (661.3-pound) deadlift for nine reps during the 2023 Siberian Power Show (SPS) in early April 2023. Miroshnik did not participate in the main event competition in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, but appeared to come and show out his deadlift prowess anyway. Before that, in early March 2023, Miroshnik detailed the “biggest pull in his arsenal” when he successfully deadlifted 420 kilograms (925.9 pounds) with the bar elevated on low mats while using roughly the same equipment setup as his recent feat.
Miroshnik’s most recent update is the athlete pulling 350 kilograms (771 pounds) for three reps, without a lifting suit, in early June 2023. In the post’s caption, Miroshnik makes a point “shout out” the 440-kilogram (970-pound) deadlift performed by his Russian countryman and seven-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competitor Mikhail Shivlyakov during the 2016 Arnold Asia strongman contest. At the time of this publication, it is unclear if Miroshnik is using Shivlyakov’s accomplishment for context or teasing a future attempt at reaching another impressive benchmark.
According to his page on Strongman Archives, Miroshnik has participated in three sanctioned competitions during his career. His best placing was a seventh-place result at the 2019 U105 Strongman World Championships.
There are a lot of prolific and talented deadlifters in the world of strength sports, but it’s still an exclusive club. Miroshnik undoubtedly has a membership and, down the line, could be known as one of the globe’s more famous and strongest pullers. That is, if he doesn’t already have that reputation.
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In some gym circles, you’re not considered a “true” lifter if nobody has ever asked you, “How much do you bench?” This fundamental exercise is the archetypal test of upper body strength and size.
Yet, you might’ve seen this scene happen in person or in a viral video: a powerlifter marches toward a bench press station, folds themselves like a Cirque du Soleil acrobat, and proceeds to lift a seemingly impossible weight using the shortest possible range of motion. On the other side, you see big lifters moving big weights while lying on the bench as flat as a flounder.
Credit: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV / Shutterstock
So, who’s right or wrong? Is one of these lifters even “wrong?” Here’s a review of the benefits and risks of performing the bench press with an arch, as well as how and when to use this modified technique to reach your goals.
The bench press arch refers to the deliberate extension and curvature of your spine when lying on the flat bench. A little arch is natural with most people, as it simply follows the natural curve of the spine, which isn’t flat.
You can easily spot an arch, as the lower back of the lifter is not touching the bench. If someone has an exaggerated spine curvature — for instance, a lordosis — they are forced to arch. Some lifters, especially powerlifters in competition, try to amplify this curvature and have as big an arch as possible. Why? It has several benefits, especially if you want to get stronger.
More Weight Lifted
With a bigger arch, the lower portion of your chest is in a higher position. This means that the point of contact with the barbell will be higher and, as such, the range of motion will be shorter. For the same amount of force produced, you can lift more weight. If you want to increase your bench press, then learning how to arch is an excellent way of improving the efficiency of your lift.
This method became so effective that some powerlifters would seem to barely make the barbell move more than a few inches and, as result, would set incredible records. Many would even say it’s cheating, ridiculous, and defeats the purpose of the sport.
As such, some powerlifting federations, like the International Powerlifting Federation — the biggest tested powerlifting federation in the world — updated their competition rules to limit arching. The goal was to ensure that performance is primarily based on a lifter’s strength, and not their mobility.
Safer on the Shoulders
Your shoulders are some of the most mobile and most fragile joints in your body. They are put under a lot of stress with the bench press. Arching your back allows you to better squeeze your shoulders blades together and down, and maintain them in place during execution of the exercise.
Because the range of motion is shorter with an arched bench press, your elbows travel a shorter distance into the bottom position and will not go as far beneath your shoulder joint. This prevents excessive stretching in your shoulders and chest muscles, while avoiding a relatively weaker position that might result in injuries or joint strain. This is especially important if you have longer arms, as these effects are amplified.
More Overall Stability
Arching your back makes your upper body more “compact” and creates more full-body tension by strongly activating your upper back, lat, hips, and core muscles, compared to lying flat on the bench.
Credit: Real Sports Photos / Shutterstock
This way, you can properly distribute the energy from your legs through your torso to your shoulders and into the barbell. If your whole body is tensed, you will provide a more stable surface from which to press.
It’s the same principle that makes squatting with your feet on the floor easier than standing on a stability ball — you can generate more force without having to balance your body. If your torso wiggles on the bench with each repetition, you’re bound to leak strength and decrease your rate of technical adaptation.
More Muscle Growth
This is perhaps the most surprising benefit, as most gym veterans swear that the arched bench press should only be used by powerlifters focused on strength, and that a flatter version is better for muscle mass. But studies have shown more back and triceps activation during the arched bench press. (1) That’s logical, as the lats help arch the back, and a shorter range of motion will put more stress on your arms.
But what about building your chest? People have claimed that the arched bench turns the lift into some sort of decline bench press and that’s somewhat true, as lower chest activation is slightly greater. But upper chest activation remained the same, so muscle recruitment is still net-positive, likely because you can use more weight. So overall, you activate more muscle mass and stimulate more growth.
Risks of Using an Arch
With all these perks, arching seems too good to be true. There might be some risks, though, especially if you exaggerate it too much. You can have too much of a good thing.
Lower Back Strain
Your spine is naturally extended because of its curvature, but extreme extension will put the disks and nerves at a greater risk of injury. Sure, there’s no axial loading or shear forces, but the technique will still put some stress on your lower back, especially if you then use leg drive to generate full-body tension. The probabilities of injuries may be relatively low, but you should keep them in mind, especially if you have pre-existing back issues.
Credit: Real Sports Photos / Shutterstock
A hernia could even potentially happen, even though it usually occurs during spinal flexion (bending forward at the waist). If you already have lower back troubles or injuries, arching might prove very painful and counterproductive. If you’re such a lifter, you should refrain from using a powerlifting arch and stick to maintaining your natural arch or pressing with a flatter back, depending on which is least painful.
Less Muscle Mass
But, didn’t we just say that an arched back recruits more muscle mass? Indeed, but there’s arching and there’s arching. If you cut the range of motion too much, some muscles will be less stimulated. The more a muscle is stretched, the more it responds to training. (2) And if there’s almost no stretch due to an extremely limited range of motion, the stimulus will be much lower.
Using some partial movements here and there is not a problem, but they shouldn’t make up the bulk of your training. If your training is minimalist — using a limited variety of exercises or very low volume — you should probably abstain from using a big arch. Or, if you do bench with an arch, make sure you’re also including full-range exercises like the incline bench press and overhead press to really complete your training and fill out your physique.
How to Arch
Most people already have a natural arch, this is just how they’re built. If you want to stick to a natural arch when performing a bench press, simply squeeze your shoulders blades together and down, and puff your chest up and high. But if you want to maximize your arch (either because you naturally don’t have one or you want to lift as heavy as possible), follow these steps.
Step 1 — Setup on the Bench
Lay down on the bench, grab the barbell, and grip the bar outside of shoulder-width. Your eyes or eyebrows should be directly in line with the bar. Squeeze your shoulders blades together and down (toward your glutes) as far as possible. Try to feel your traps dig into the bench. Focus on arching your upper back as much as possible, not necessarily your lower back.
Credit: BarBend / YouTube
If you want to take things to the max and really optimize your position, you can even put your feet on the bench while setting up your initial position. This will put as much weight as possible on your traps and will help to leverage your body into position.
Step 2 — Set Your Stance
If they were up on the bench, put your feet on the floor while keeping your arch. Position your feet as close to your shoulders as possible. Start “digging” your heels backward as far as you comfortably can.
Credit: BarBend / YouTube
Push your toes into the ground “down and away” from your body. This lower body pushing motion will help you prevent your glutes from rising off the bench.
Step 3 — Unrack the Bar, Lower, and Press
Maintain pressure through your feet. Unrack the barbell, with the help of a spotter if possible. Once the bar is set at the midway point, just above your chest, pause very briefly to confirm proper positioning.
Credit: Serghei Starus / Shutterstock
Keep applying full-body tension from your traps to your toes. Lower the barbell until it gently touches your chest. Feel tension in your upper body at all times and hold your chest high. Move the weight deliberately and cautiously because the range of motion will be less than what you may be used to. As you feel the bar make contact, press powerfully to lockout.
How to Improve Your Arch
The bench press is an unnatural movement in itself — lying on a short platform while repeatedly moving a long, heavy bar above your rib cage and several vital organs. Intentionally arching your upper body during the exercise can feel even more unnatural.
Your first attempts to use an arch will likely feel awkward and certainly won’t be perfect. Also, unfortunately for the stiffer lifters out there, there’s a dose of mobility involved. Some will never develop a really big arch, but you can still improve it following these suggestions.
Dynamic Foam Rolling
Before you lift, after a general warm-up, grab a foam roller and start hammering your mid-back for a minute. This upper body drill is key for thoracic mobility.
Loosening your spinal erectors, running the full length of your back, will also help tremendously with improving your arch position. Don’t forget to also, carefully, roll your lower back. This will help hold your position when your lower body is set and creating tension.
Knee Raises or Leg Raises
Why should you do a few sets of an ab exercise before benching? Well, these movements also greatly stimulate your hips flexors. If you perform ab work with a full, smooth range of motion, those hip flexors will loosen. Tight hips flexors will prevent you from pulling your feet into position on the floor, which will prevent you from getting into a deep arch position.
Face Pulls and Postural Exercises
Because of the generally sedentary modern lifestyle, most people are more prone to a kyphotic (rounded shoulder), caveman-style posture. This can increase the risk of bench press injuries, but also prevent you from adopting a great arch. You simply won’t be able to open your chest as much.
A great warm-up before benching would be to grab a light resistance band and perform face pulls, pull-aparts, and the over-and-back (sometimes intimidatingly called “shoulder dislocates”). These exercises will strengthen your rotator cuff and, more importantly, improve your posture which carries over to your arch.
Bench Thoracic Spine Stretch
Stretching after your session is never a bad idea, but you could even do some static stretching before your bench. This can be especially useful in the most extreme cases of bad posture or mobility restrictions. There are several options available, but here’s one of the most effective.
Kneel down in front of a flat bench or a box. Place your elbows on the bench and bend your elbows to aim hands up in the air. Slowly lean your body down until your head passes between, and under, your upper arms. Move as far as comfortably possible.
To accentuate the stretch, bring your hands towards your traps or the back of your neck (without pressing down). Hold the stretch for 45 to 60 seconds.
Big Arch for a Big Bench
Prejudice, misinformation, and a few bad apples have given the bench press arch a bad rep, but there are actually many benefits. If you can ignore the comments you might get from other lifters about “the right way” to bench, give it a try and watch your performance improve, your muscles grow, and your shoulder pain diminish.
References
Alan C. Cudlip, Jacquelyn M. Maciukiewicz, Brendan L. Pinto & Clark R Dickerson (2022) Upper extremity muscle activity and joint loading changes between the standard and powerlifting bench press techniques, Journal of Sports Sciences, 40:9, 1055-1063, DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2046937
Alan C. Cudlip, Jacquelyn M. Maciukiewicz, Brendan L. Pinto & Clark R Dickerson (2022) Upper extremity muscle activity and joint loading changes between the standard and powerlifting bench press techniques, Journal of Sports Sciences, 40:9, 1055-1063, DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2046937
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Dexter Jackson won’t be competing in any professional context like the returning Masters Olympia any time soon. However, that doesn’t mean the 2008 Mr. Olympia isn’t keeping up with a disciplined nutrition and training plan. If anything, the 53-year-old legend seems to be chugging along in the gym just like he did in his prime.
On June 2, 2023, Jackson shared a demanding arm workout over his YouTube channel as he continued to disclose details about his overall training process to anyone wise enough to listen.
Here’s a quick rundown of Jackson’s latest arm routine that centered around his biceps and triceps. Note: The precise number of repetitions, sets, and weights were not necessarily documented to a precise degree for each segment.
Drag Curl
Jackson professed that drag curls are one of his favorite exercises, making it fitting that he began this routine with them. A variation of barbell curls, Jackson diagrammed how an athlete can perform drag curls properly.
“The reason you call it drag curls is because you wanna drag the bar up your stomach, okay?” Jackson said. “And you’re curling like this [with the bar sliding up the front of the body] … Elbows way back, as far as they can go. You’re squeezing it up top. You want a good peaking exercise? This is it, right here.”
The bodybuilder performed a high number of repetitions on each of his four sets before moving on accordingly.
Seated Cable Overhead Curl
The next portion of Jackson’s workout involved the icon implementing cables into some biceps curls while seated with his arms extended to each side. The contracted position resembled a bodybuilder’s signature “front double biceps pose.” He emphasized an overhead positioning to give attention to the short head of his biceps. Jackson once again ran through four sets before shifting to another movement.
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
A tried and true biceps staple, Jackson worked in some traditional dumbbell hammer curls to improve the overall size of his biceps. Once more, four sets at a high-rep volume were his standard focus.
To conclude his workout, Jackson performs a “quad” superset of sorts where he does movements with cable triceps pushdowns, seated dips on a cable machine, pushdowns using the seat of an assisted dip machine, and triceps pushdowns with a rope in three circuits. Jackson maintained that he had used this format for his triceps workouts for roughly a decade at the time of the video.
Here’s an overview of Jackson’s overall biceps and triceps routine:
Dexter Jackson | June 2023 Biceps, Triceps Workout
Drag Curl — 4 x 10
Seated Cable Overhead Curl — 4 x 10
Dumbbell Hammer Curl — 4 x 10
(Superset) Cable Triceps Pushdown, Seated Dip, Assisted Dip Machine Pushdown, Triceps Rope Pushdown — 3-4 x 10, each movement without rest
Just because Jackson isn’t stepping on stage in the near future doesn’t mean he can’t, or apparently won’t, continue working on his massive physique. For legends like him, the training grind is seemingly part of the passion and joy they continue cultivating long after competing.
To eat fruit or not to eat fruit. That is the question.
It turns out that fruit is a contentious and sometimes confusing topic within the low-carb community. Some low-carb advocates argue that fruit should be strictly limited or avoided altogether, both because of the carbs and because they’re wary of fructose. Yet some of the staunchest carnivore diet proponents are now incorporating fruit and promoting a “meat and fruit” approach. That’s right, carnivore—billed as the ultimate zero-carb diet—now allows fruit (depending on who you ask).
Even for folks who have no particular philosophical sway against or in favor of fruit consumption, it can be hard to decide which fruits, and how much, to include if they’re aiming to reduce carbs.
My stance has always been that fruit is a natural but not necessary part of the human diet. Sure, it’s higher in carbs than meat or vegetables (on average), but fruits also come packaged with fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants that do a body good. Fruit can be a great way to add carbs around workouts if you so desire. Biting into the first perfectly ripe peach of the summer is a wholly hedonic experience.
But for folks watching their carb intake, and especially for those following a very low-carb ketogenic diet, it won’t do to chow down on massive bowls of fruit salad for breakfast. Here’s how I weigh the relative merits of different fruit options.
Choosing the Best Low-Carb Fruits
There’s no definitive algorithm that can spit out a low-carb acceptability rating for a given fruit, but the factors below are the ones I consider relevant to this question.
1. Start with the amount of carbohydrates and fiber in a typical serving.
Carbohydrates because… obviously, and fiber because fiber doesn’t get absorbed and converted into glucose. Instead, it mostly travels through the gut, where commensal microbes “feed” on certain types. That’s why some people only count net carbs, which is total carbs minus fiber.
I don’t bother getting that granular. Counting total carbs is less work and avoids debates about whether to subtract fiber from all sources or only certain ones. Just understand that if you’re comparing two pieces of fruits with similar carb content, the higher fiber one will probably have less of an impact on blood sugar.
You can stop there, or you could also…
2. Consider the antioxidant value.
Antioxidants are compounds that help mitigate cellular damage due to free radicals, and fruit happens to be a terrific source of antioxidants (although herbs and spices are even better). But not all fruit is created equal here. The antioxidant power of different foods is measured by Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, or ORAC.1 Higher is better.
3. Consider the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL).
Glycemic index measures how much individual foods raise blood sugar when you eat a certain amount of carbohydrate—50 grams of carbs from pineapple or 50 grams of carbohydrates from cantaloupe, for example, compared to 50 grams of carbohydrates from pure glucose. Glycemic load takes into account a typical serving size of each food item, making it more useful. Watermelon, for instance, has a GI in the medium range but a relatively low GL because it’s mostly water.
GI below 55 is considered low, 56 to 69 medium, and 70 or above high.
Low GL is 10 or below, medium is 11 to 19, and high is 20 or greater.
All else being equal, select lower GI/GL fruits.
4. Nutrient profile.
Finally, you might consider what specific nutrients a given fruit is particularly rich in. If you’re trying to boost potassium intake, you might go for avocado, guava, or kiwi. For B6, opt for durian (hold your nose).
Top 8 Low-Carb Fruits
Without further ado, this is my not-entirely-scientific top 8 fruits that I’d recommend for carb-conscious Primal eaters.
Note that the values below are approximate. Depending on what sources you use, you might arrive at slightly different values.
Berries
Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries—they’re all good! Berries are going to deliver the most antioxidants (highest ORAC scores) of all the fruits on this list.
Carbs per ½-cup serving: 7 to 11 grams (2 to 4 grams of fiber)
ORAC: >4000 (wild blueberries clock in at 9621)
GI: 25 (blackberries, raspberries) to 53 (wild blueberries)
GL: 2 to 4
Cherries
Cherries are up there with berries in terms of their antioxidant value.
Carbs per ½ cup (about 10 cherries): 12 grams (2 grams fiber)
ORAC: 3747
GI: 25
GL: 4
Kiwi
Kiwis are underappreciated, probably because of their hairy skin and, let’s face it, seedy interior. But one kiwi delivers around 85 percent of your daily vitamin C requirements (almost twice as much as an orange, ounce for ounce) and 31 percent of daily vitamin K.
Carbs per kiwi: 10 grams (2 grams fiber)
ORAC: 862
GI: 50
GL: 7.3
Grapefruit
Half a grapefruit, which boasts a low glycemic load, will net you around half your vitamin C for the day. Just don’t ruin it by sprinkling sugar on top.
Carbs per ½ medium grapefruit: 14 grams (2 grams fiber)
ORAC: 483
GI: 22
GL: 2.4
Apricots
If you’re looking for a bite-sized fruit morsel to satisfy a small sweet craving, look no further.
Carbs per apricot: 4 grams (1 gram fiber)
ORAC: 1100
GI: 34
GL: 3.8
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is similar in potassium to banana for about half the carbs. It’s also delicious when wrapped in prosciutto. Not every fruit can say that.
Carbs per 1 cup serving: 13 grams (1.5 grams fiber)
ORAC: 319
GI: 65
GL: 4
Guava
You might be surprised to see a tropical fruit on this list since they tend to be high in carbs. (Indeed, this is the highest-carb option here, though it’s not astronomical by any means.) But guava has a low GI and GL and, more importantly, it is a nutritional powerhouse. One cup of guava blows other fruits out of the water, delivering 500 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C (five times as much as a medium orange), 688 mg of potassium (about 1.5 medium bananas, which would come packaged with 40 grams of carbs), and 42 percent of the daily value for copper.
Carbs per 1 cup serving: 24 grams (9 grams fiber)
ORAC: 1422 to 2550
GI: 24
GL: 5
Avocado
Of course, we couldn’t have a best fruits list that omitted the avocado. Besides its healthy fat content—one of the reasons avocado is the darling of the keto world—it packs respectable amounts of B vitamins, folate, vitamin K, potassium, copper, and antioxidants to boot.
Carbs per 1 avocado: 12 grams (9 grams fiber)
ORAC: 1922
GI: 10
GL: 9
Do You Like What You See?
I’m guessing I just angered or bewildered some of you. Rest assured, just because your favorite fruit doesn’t appear here doesn’t mean it’s not “Mark approved.” All of this is somewhat subjective.
I don’t want you overthinking this stuff anyway. The goal is to be mindful about what goes in your body, not to obsess about the relative merits of one plum versus three apricots. That kind of obsessing is worse for your health than any amount of fruit ever could be. Any fruit is going to be a better, more Primal-friendly option than the hyperprocessed junk lining your supermarket shelves.
Ok, that’s it for today. What fruits would have made your list? Any favorites that you feel I overlooked here? Let me know in the comments.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
On June 2-3, 2023, during the 2023 Powerlifting America (AMP) Masters Raw Nationals, 72-year-old competitor Shelly Stettnerscored two all-time raw competition personal records (PR). The first milestone was a 117.5-kilogram (259-pound) back squat on her second attempt. The second was a 327.5-kilogram (722-pound) raw total. Stettner competed in the 63-kilogram weight class as a Masters 4 athlete to successfully defend her AMP title from June 2022, earning her sixth straight first-place result since June 2021. To date, Stettner has lost just once in a career that began in late 2019.
Stettner wore a lifting belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves for her squat — which counts as raw in a sanctioned powerlifting environment. Meanwhile, she wore just a lifting belt during her deadlifts. At the time of this article’s publication, without a clip of her bench press, it is unclear what equipment Stettner had adorned for this upper body portion of the competition.
According to Stettner’s page on Open Powerlifting (where the results have not yet been logged at the time of this writing), Stettner’s squat surpasses her previous all-time best by 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds). Her new top raw total is better than her past best by 2.4 kilograms (5.4 pounds).
Here’s an overview of Stettner’s top stats from the 2023 AMP Masters Raw Nationals:
Shelly Stettner (63KG) | 2023 AMP Masters Raw Nationals Top Stats
Total — 327.5 kilograms (722 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition PR
This contest performance isn’t the first time Stettner has made headlines of late.
In mid-May 2022, the athlete logged a 106.6-kilogram (235-pound) raw squat triple for three sets for a PR. That training milestone seemed to portend Stettner breaking four raw Masters International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Records at the 2022 IPF World Classic Masters Powerlifting Championships in October of that same year.
Now, Stettner has a seemingly firm place at the top of her sport in both her weight class and usual competition division. Naturally, her Instagram remains rife with various training updates showcasing her strength progress in the gym.
In Stettner’s Instagram post recapping her Masters Nationals performance, the athlete was understandably appreciative of her latest achievements. Her characterization made it seem like this star could’ve lifted even more. That could be a scary development for anyone standing in Stettner’s way in the future.
“Overall, very happy with the results and surprised, too …” Stettner began. “This meet [the 2023 AMP Masters Raw Nationals] was smooth, fast and well-run with hero spotters and loaders too! I love this sport and the powerlifting community.”
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Some unscrupulous supplement marketers are sometimes more focused on catching attention than delivering results, and it can be hard to avoid potentially questionable claims. It’s important to know which foods, nutrients, and nutritional supplements can actually offer reasonably measured health, psychological, or performance benefits.
Credit: RHJPhtotos / Shutterstock
Many lifters know that protein is a critical nutrient for building muscle. Some lifters also know that protein is composed of amino acids. But one specific type of aminos — branched-chain amino acids — could play a particularly significant role in supporting your training program. Here’s a closer look at this often discussed, rarely understood, power-packed trio.
Amino acids are organic compounds that serve as the building blocks of proteins. We need 20 different amino acids for a properly functioning, well-performing body. Of these amino acids, nine are considered essential because our bodies cannot form them on their own. We must consume them from protein-rich foods such as meat, dairy, and eggs, or from specific nutritional supplementation.
Phenylalanine
Valine
Tryptophan
Threonine
Isoleucine
Methionine
Histidine
Leucine
Lysine
Three of these essential amino acids — leucine, isoleucine, and valine – are considered “branched-chain amino acids” (BCAAs) because of their unique structure and roles in the body. BCAA supplementation, in particular, may be extremely useful for lifters looking to train harder, recover faster, and push themselves toward better overall results.
4 BCAA Benefits
Because nutrition information spreads quickly and frequently on the Internet, sometimes without regard to factual accuracy, it’s useful to refer to academic literature for the benefits of consuming specific nutrients or supplements.
It’s important to acquire a well-rounded understanding of the available data if you want to make the most well-informed decision before investing your time, money, and health. Here’s a look at some of the research-based benefits of BCAAs.
Reduced Muscle Soreness
BCAAs have been shown to lessen muscle soreness by mitigating muscular damage after exercise. In one study, subjects had reported significantly less muscle soreness and showed less decrease in muscular force two and three days after a squat session. (1) Other research has shown that delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), range of motion, and indicators of muscle damage were all significantly improved in subjects who consumed BCAAs before or after training, compared with those who ingested a placebo.
Credit: Adamov_d / Shutterstock
Interestingly, stronger benefits were shown in those who consumed them before exercise. (2) With that in mind, it could make sense to choose a pre-workout (if you use one) which includes BCAAs.
Improved Muscle Growth and Maintenance
Another benefit provided by BCAAs is increased muscle protein synthesis — the process in which muscle is built or maintained. Jackman et al. (2017) had young resistance-trained men complete two trials in which they performed a leg workout consisting of leg extensions and leg presses, ingesting either BCAAs or a placebo immediately after training. (3)
Muscle biopsies taken one and four hours after each session showed that BCAAs ingested after exercising resulted in a significant increase in stimulation of myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis. In other words, having BCAAs after training may lead to more muscle growth.
Increased Endurance
BCAAs have also been shown to increase endurance. Research showed that subjects who consumed BCAAs before an incremental treadmill workout had “times to exhaustion” significantly lengthier than those who received a placebo. (4)
Runners taking BCAAs were able to stay on the treadmill for longer periods, while running at higher intensities, compared to running without BCAAs. Cumulatively, performing cardio at a higher intensity and longer duration can contribute to improved conditioning, increased endurance, and a stronger training stimulus (for example, more calories burned per training session).
Reduced Mental Fatigue During Exercise
Ingestion of BCAAs have been shown to offer a psychological benefit during exercise, which can possibly aid in exercise compliance or “persistence” in competitive performance. One study had subjects complete a 60-minute stationary bike workout in the morning, after performing an exercise session the previous night in an attempt to lower glycogen stores — making the morning session that much more challenging. (5)
Subjects consumed BCAAs or a placebo before morning exercise sessions. Every ten minutes during the workout, they provided their rates of perceived exertion and mental fatigue — self-reported methods of gauging effort, fatigue, and overall difficulty of a workout.
Credit: ZoranOrcik / Shutterstock
Although both the placebo group and the BCAA group completed the same amount of work, those who consumed BCAAs reported significantly lower levels of perceived exertion and mental fatigue. In a previous study, researchers had subjects in long distance runners consume BCAAs or a placebo.
Results showed that mental well-being was improved for runners who consumed BCAAs. The data also showed that relatively slower runners had faster completion times than slower runners who had consumed a placebo. (6)
How to Use BCAAs
With any supplement, including BCAAs, dosing and timing can be make-or-break factors that determine whether or not they actually deliver the intended benefits. In the literature reviewed, anywhere from six to 20 grams of BCAAs were used per serving. BCAAs were typically consumed one hour before, during, or immediately after exercise.
From this, we can conclude that it would be effective to follow these guidelines for the benefits discussed. You can experiment with doses in the aforesaid range to see what works for your particular situation based on your training plan, overall nutrition, workout timing, and other individual variables.
Credit: Albina Gavrilovic / Shutterstock
For example, you could spend several weeks using six grams before training, while monitoring your rate of progress, general feeling during workouts, and recovery between sessions, before changing to supplementation during workouts. You might also experiment with higher doses, 10 to 15 grams, around workouts that involve higher training volume (more exercises or more sets/reps) or higher training intensities.
During a fat loss phase, higher doses of BCAAs may also be beneficial to support muscle growth and recovery during periods of calorie restriction. (7)
FAQs
As with other nutritional supplements and dietary approaches, there are some misunderstandings that can, and have, arisen regarding BCAAs. Here are some of the most common points of confusion.
I take BCAAs, so I don’t have to pay attention to my total protein intake or protein quality, right?
Some people might believe that, as long as a BCAA supplement is consumed, they can neglect other aspects of their diet, such as total protein intake, protein quality, and caloric amount. Such is not the case, as all elements of a diet are important for proper function, physical performance, and body composition. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking an effective supplement like BCAAs can counteract a suboptimal nutrition plan — that unbalanced approach will lead to wasted money, general frustration, and a lack of results.
As long as I supplement with BCAAs, can I train full throttle without periodically scaling back on training intensity or volume?
BCAAs can be effective under many conditions, but they are not a panacea. Although studies have shown that they aid in cognitive well-being, muscle recovery, protein synthesis, and decreased muscle soreness, adequate exercise programming is vital for health and performance. Following a well-designed training program, supported by a goal-focused nutrition plan, can yield plenty of results. While BCAAs can help support muscle growth and recovery, they’re not an effective substitute for strategic deloads from training as a way to avoid overtraining.
If I consume enough high-quality, protein-rich foods, is there any benefit to also using BCAAs?
Although the academic literature reviewed did not include dietary control, the available research indicates that BCAA supplementation can aid in a number of nutritional situations. Instances in which BCAA supplementation may be beneficial include: diets lacking in adequate nutritional value (for example, a diet dense in highly processed foods); vegan diets with insufficient total protein intake; periods of high training volume which can demand greater recovery; athletes training in a caloric deficit to qualify for, or maintain, a given weight class; and the intentional underfeeding (calorie deficit) required during bodybuilding contest preparation.
The ABCs of BCAAs
There’s significant evidence that BCAAs have been shown to provide several key benefits for gym-goers looking to increase muscle, strength, and/or endurance. Although BCAAs shouldn’t used as a “crutch” for a poorly planned diet, they can deliver an extra edge for situations when your nutrition plan falls short on some nutrients or when your training volume/intensity is high. For reinforced muscle recovery, or even to help fight off any diet or training-related brain fog, consider adding BCAAs to your sports supplement arsenal.
References
Shimomura, Y., Inaguma, A., Watanabe, S., Yamamoto, Y., Muramatsu, Y., Bajotto, G., Sato, J., Shimomura, N., Kobayashi, H., & Mawatari, K. (2010). Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation Before Squat Exercise and Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness, International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 20(3), 236-244. Retrieved Jun 5, 2023, from https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.20.3.236
Ra, S. G., Miyazaki, T., Kojima, R., Komine, S., Ishikura, K., Kawanaka, K., Honda, A., Matsuzaki, Y., & Ohmori, H. (2018). Effect of BCAA supplement timing on exercise-induced muscle soreness and damage: a pilot placebo-controlled double-blind study. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 58(11), 1582–1591. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0022-4707.17.07638-1
Jackman, S. R., Witard, O. C., Philp, A., Wallis, G. A., Baar, K., & Tipton, K. D. (2017). Branched-Chain Amino Acid Ingestion Stimulates Muscle Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis following Resistance Exercise in Humans. Frontiers in physiology, 8, 390. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00390
AbuMoh’d, M. F., Matalqah, L., & Al-Abdulla, Z. (2020). Effects of Oral Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Intake on Muscular and Central Fatigue During an Incremental Exercise. Journal of human kinetics, 72, 69–78. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2019-0099
BLOMSTRAND, E., HASSMÉN, P., EK, S., EKBLOM, B. and NEWSHOLME, E.A. (1997), Influence of ingesting a solution of branched-chain amino acids on perceived exertion during exercise. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 159: 41-49. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-201X.1997.547327000.x
Blomstrand, E., Hassmén, P., Ekblom, B., & Newsholme, E. A. (1991). Administration of branched-chain amino acids during sustained exercise–effects on performance and on plasma concentration of some amino acids. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology, 63(2), 83–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235174
Wesley David Dudgeon, Elizabeth Page Kelley & Timothy Paul Scheett (2016) In a single-blind, matched group design: branched-chain amino acid supplementation and resistance training maintains lean body mass during a caloric restricted diet, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13:1, DOI: 10.1186/s12970-015-0112-9
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As the bodybuilding world continues to rumble toward the 2023 Olympia in Orlando, FL, this November, it first had to make a stop at the 2023 Toronto Pro. In one of the more significant steps for this year’s Olympia qualification, the contest that took place on June 4, 2023, in Toronto, Canada, did not disappoint.
Ten divisions competed at the 2023 Toronto Pro, with the respective winners earning their roster spots at the 2023 Olympia. Because of the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’s (IFBB) changes to the qualification system, any competitor who is not a previous Olympia winner or who did not finish in the previous edition’s top five, must win a sanctioned 2023 contest, like the Toronto Pro, to qualify.
That is no longer a point of contention for the athletes who enjoyed success in Toronto.
2023 Toronto Pro Results
Here are the winners and final standings from each of the participating divisions at the 2023 Toronto Pro, including a headlining victory for Canadian native Iain Valliere in the Men’s Open class. According to Valliere’s page on NPC News Online, it is the athlete’s second career victory on his home soil after winning the 2022 Vancouver Pro. Valliere will now enter the 2023 Olympia looking to improve upon an 11th-place result from 2022.
The 2023 Olympia is just about five months away, which means the official IFBB contest calendar is staying hot and ready. Over this summer alone, bodybuilders without Olympia berths will have the opportunity to earn their roster spots at contests like the 2023 Texas Pro, the 2023 Chicago Pro, and the 2023 Tampa Pro.
The race seemingly never stops in a chase to the top of the Olympia mountain.
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In today’s world, we pretty much always have to wear shoes. But the majority of shoes people wear run directly counter to the way our feet and lower bodies are designed to function. Tall heels, thick padding, restrictive material that allows no movement, heavy sole that prevents us from feeling the ground—modern shoes are monstrosities that cut us off from the world around us and inhibit our ability to navigate it pain-free. Shoes that emulate the barefoot experience on the other hand offer tangible benefits to your health, wellness, athletic performance, and overall well-being by recreating the environment under which the human foot evolved.
To eat fruit or not to eat fruit. That is the question. 
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