Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Whenever one checks in on Phillip Herndon, the mammoth powerlifter is likely pulling off some incredible feat of strength. As a usual 110-kilogram competitor, Herndon has amassed a reputation for seemingly impossible displays of power the moment he gets a barbell within his grasp. Herndon’s latest in-gym achievements, as one of his first notable benchmarks of 2023, is undoubtedly one of the athlete’s best to date.
On Feb. 4, 2023, Herndon posted a video to his Instagram page of himself capturing a 412.7-kilogram (910-pound) back squat raw during a recent training session. According to the caption of Herndon’s post, the demonstration of leg poweris an all-time personal record (PR). Herndon had wrist wraps, a lifting belt, and knee sleeves adorned during the squat — which is considered a raw lift by sanctioned powerlifting standards.
In the same post, the athlete revealed he weighs 265 pounds, meaning, after gaining more muscle, he may compete in the 125-kilogram (275-pound) weight class moving forward. The athlete’s next competitive appearance would officially be his first time competing in the division after beginning his competitive career in the 82-kilogram (181-pound) class in 2013 and spending the past four years at 110 kilograms (242 pounds).
While unofficial, Herndon’s squat is 2.7 kilograms (6.1 pounds) more than the all-time raw World Record in the 125-kilogram weight class, according to Open Powerlifting. That record mark belongs to Dennis Cornelius, who squatted 410 kilograms (903.9 pounds) at the 2017 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Freedom Fitness Classic. Herdon currently holds the all-time raw world record in the 110-kilogram class, with a 395-kilogram (870.8-pound) squat, as well as the 110-kilogram class all-time world record squat with wraps at 435 kilograms (959 pounds).
“Best numbers of prep and lifetime PRs. Just getting started.”
Herndon’s squat PR is likely connected to his ongoing preparation for the 2023 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Ghost Clash 2. The contest is scheduled to take place on Feb. 18-19, 2023, in Miami, FL, and will feature other notable powerlifting stars.
Independent of weight class, here’s an overview of Herndon’s all-time raw competition bests:
Phillip Herndon All-Time Raw Competition Bests
Squat — 395 kilograms (870.8 pounds) | 110-kilogram All-Time World Record
Herndon has been alluding to his place in the WRPF Ghost Clash 2 competition for several weeks now, as most of his Instagram posts have included some reference to it. In that respect, he appears to be a lifter on a mission.
It’s barely been a month into 2023, and Herndon already looks locked and loaded for impressive achievements in the gym and on official lifting platforms. Should he transfer his newest strength accomplishment to Southern Florida later this month, it’ll likely only be one of many significant appearances from the record-setting powerlifter.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
In the history of the CrossFit Games, Justin Medeiros has already entered rare air. As the two-time reigning Fittest Man on Earth®, the 23-year-old has joined the legendary Rich Froning Jr. (2011-2014) and Mat Fraser (2016-2020) as only the third Men’s CrossFit athlete to win the title on at least two occasions. Now, as the start of the 2023 CrossFit Open nears on Feb. 16, 2023 — while Medeiros prepares for his next hopeful title defense — he gave a recent intimate look at his training process.
On Feb. 4, 2023, Medeiros posted a video on his YouTube channel where he gives a full tour of his custom home gym. The facility appears to be appropriately adorned with the requisite equipment Medeiros needs to excel as an elite CrossFitter at the top of his game.
After a short, lighthearted back-and-forth, with girlfriend CrossFit athlete Ellie Turner, about what constitutes a pull-up bar in Medeiros’ home gym, the athlete jumps right into the tour.
Steel Rig
The steel rig in Medeiros’s gym would likely be impossible to miss. After all, the multi-faceted implement comprises an entire wall. Per Medeiros, the athlete seems to utilize it as a storage device, like for his resistance bands. Most often, though, it lets Medeiros factor in various kinds of bars for different movements, such as pull-ups and muscle-ups.
“We have all the pull-up bars set to the height like they have at the CrossFit Games …,” Medeiros said. “We have the boards just to do, like, different types of grips, to do hangs, pull-ups …”
Squat Rack, Storage
Just below Medeiros’s steel rig is a squat rack that has a full set of bumper plates and dumbbells adjacent to one another, including a range of dumbbells from five pounds to 125 pounds. If that weren’t enough, there’s a shelf of kettlebells, up to 70 pounds, and even more bumper plates right next to this additional storage.
Steel Arch
According to Medeiros, where he has his steel arch is the “coolest part of the gym.” The arch connects both ends of his steel rig and lets him hang tools like Olympic rings and ropes over it.
“I’ve never been on a rig that is this sturdy,” Medeiros explained. “It is crazy. It’s not bolted onto any of the walls and it doesn’t shake.”
Belt Squat
Per Medeiros, he has a belt squat machine in his gym — fashioned underneath a pull-up bar — that assists in body maintenance and injury prevention. The athlete maintains he can use it for pull-up and squat movements interchangeably.
In another corner of his gym, Medeiros has set aside space for various barbells like the EZ-curl bar, Axle Bar, and cambered bar. There are also some heavier-weighted dumbbells, a Log Lift tool, and a multipurpose lat pulldown machine.
Cardio
In a fundamental section of Medeiros’s gym, he has all of his cardio work in one place. Most everything from row machines and Assault bikes is represented in this star CrossFitter’s cardio space.
Steel Rig, Continued
On the other side of Medeiros’s steel rig is a reverse hyper attachment, a pad that helps stretch the back and hamstrings, building strength and easing pain. Alongside it are more bumper plates, some medicine balls and sandbags (including a 150-pound medicine ball and 300-pound sandbag), as well as various jump ropes. If that weren’t enough, there is yet another squat rack in this portion of Medeiros’s gym.
Peg Board
In the final main portion of Medeiros’s gym sits a peg board, fashioned with a plexiglass backing to mimic the set-up during many CrossFit competitions. A plyometrics section, along with jerk blocks, also sits next to this last wall.
“My dad came out and installed the plexiglass. We got our pegboard in here. We wanted to make sure we had plexiglass because that’s what we use in competition … The spot where your feet go is different in every gym, I’ve done it on brick, I’ve done it on wood, I’ve done it on plexiglass …” Medeiros said. “So we really tried to replicate everything we do at competition, the best we can, when we train.”
Should Medeiros once again repeat as the Fittest Man on Earth®, he would still have to work to do to catch respective legends like Fraser (five titles) and Froning (four titles). Though, at Medeiros’s rapid pace, with this sort of sport-specific equipment elevating him, it might only be a matter of time before he sits at the top of the Men’s side of CrossFit all-time legends.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
When it comes to some of the most powerful lifts in recorded history, powerlifter Jimmy Kolb now stands alone. On Feb. 4, 2023, during the 2023 International Powerlifting Association (IPA) Hillbilly Havoc in Hurricane, WV, Kolb captured a 612.5-kilogram (1,350.3-pound) equipped bench press. The mark is an all-time World Record and is officially the heaviest lift ever achieved in a sanctioned competition. According to Open Powerlifting, Kolb surpassed his own previous World Record of 598.7 kilograms (1,320 pounds) from the 2022 IPA State Championships. The equipped press is also the first lift over 600 kilograms in any powerlifting division or category ever.
In addition to being adorned with appropriate wrist wraps and a lifting belt during his monumental feat, Kolb utilized a bench press shirt. The specialized equipment gives an athlete an assist in getting their weight off their chest while also “resisting” as the weight lowers toward the athlete. Kolb competed in the 140-plus-kilogram weight class, which he has maintained since January 2021, weighing in at an official 147.8 kilograms (326 pounds) for the most recent record-setting contest.
The video of Kolb’s massive lift features several spotters on hand, giving him requisite support. The athlete lowered his loaded barbell to his chest and struggled into position, fighting against the durable bench press shirt, before receiving the judge’s command to lift up. There appeared to be a measure of a strain for Kolb, but he successfully locked out the rep eventually. Once in lockout position, the athlete held the weight securely before the official on hand finally allowed him to re-rack it.
In the same video post, Kolb’s pride in logging his record achievement was evident in displaying his official scorecard with a smile.
“Today was a good day.”
Before Kolb’s new bench press accomplishment, Nathan Baptist was the closest athlete to the 600-kilogram barrier on any single lift, per Open Powerlifting. Baptist successfully squatted 594.7 kilograms (1,311.7 pounds) for a 140-kilogram-plus World Record at the 2021 United Powerlifting Association’s (UPA) Utah Kickoff.
Notably, Kolb mainly participates in bench-press-only meets. Kolb has won his last nine contests dating back to February 2020, only one of which was a full-power meet in the 2022 IPA 814 Strength Spectacular. Ultimately, in a relatively prolific career that began in April 2009, Kolb has only fallen short of a first-place result on eight occasions.
Now, as he notches another legendary mark, Kolb can know all his hard work led to him making history once again.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Pairing your back and biceps in one workout has been a classic muscle-building session for decades. It’s a time-tested approach that’s reliable, effective, and it simply makes sense — the majority of rowing and pulling-type movements that target your back also recruit your biceps.
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock
Even when your biceps aren’t getting a major stimulus from some back exercises, they’re getting warmed up and slightly pre-fatigued for the latter part of the workout, when you can finish them off with some direct biceps training.
It’s a match made in heaven and many body part split programs would be incomplete without a solid back and biceps day. Here are some of the best back and biceps workouts to add size and strength whether you’re new to the gym or think you’ve tried it all.
The goal with beginner-level training is to get strong and do so with a low barrier of entry, using exercises that can be relatively easily mastered. Many lifters who are new to the gym gravitate toward training their back using barbell rows. While the barbell can be a great tool for back training, it’s often skill-intensive and highly fatiguing, especially for beginners.
Base-Building Back and Biceps
This back and biceps workout routine uses exercises that are relatively simple to learn and more appropriate for establishing a base of strength and muscle. When you focus on the target muscles and apply strict technique, you’ll also give your pulling muscles a gnarly pump by the end of the session. Technically, if you had to label your workout in detail, it could be considered a “back, biceps, and shoulders workout” because you’re also giving some direct attention to the rear head of the shoulder muscle.
Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
The bent-over dumbbell row delivers a strong back-building stimulus without taxing your spinal erectors (lower back) like a barbell row often can. Avoid swinging your torso to move the weight.
How to Do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms straight down by your sides. Bend your legs slightly and hinge forward at your hips while keeping your back neutral, not rounded. Let the weights reach toward your toes with your hands facing each other. Drive your elbow back past your ribs and try to feel a contraction in your back muscles. Return the weights to the stretched position before repeating. Maintain the same hip angle throughout the exercise.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
Rest Time: 60 to 90 seconds between sets
Close-Grip Lat Pulldown
The close-grip lat pulldown will help stretch your lats and hit them in a way the row didn’t. Mixing vertical pulling (like the lat pulldown) with horizontal pulling (like rows) is a very effective way to target the multiple muscles of your back.
How to Do it: Attach a neutral-grip (palms facing each other) to the pulldown cable. Grab the handles and sit, allowing your arms to straighten and stretch overhead. Plant your feet flat and secure your knees under any available pad. Keep your upper body nearly vertical, with a slight backward lean. Drive your elbows down until the bar is generally near your face or chin. Control the stretch as you return to the arms-overhead position.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
Rest Time: 60 to 90 seconds between sets
Machine Reverse Flye
The machine reverse flye will torch your rear deltoids. Although the rear delts are technically part of your shoulder muscle, the rear muscle head is involved in many back exercises. Training them directly as part of a back and biceps routine makes sense because your rear delts, like your biceps, are pre-fatigued after training your back.
How to Do it: Sit with your chest braced against the pad in a reverse flye (or “reverse pec-deck”) machine. Grab the handles with a thumbs-up grip with your hands at shoulder-level in front of you. Keep a slight bend in your elbows. Pull your hands back until they’re in line with your shoulders to the side. Don’t “overpull” to reach your hands behind your body. Return your hands to the forward position without letting the weights slam onto the stack.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
Rest Time: One minute between sets
Alternating Dumbbell Curl
The alternating dumbbell curl lets you focus on each arm individually, so you get some serious bang for your biceps training buck. The slight supination (turning of the wrist) helps to recruit more overall biceps muscle, including your brachioradialis, making the exercise a top notch biceps-builder.
How to Do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging down at your sides. Bring your left hand up in a thumbs-up position. As your hand passes your hips, turn your hand palm up and continue curling until the weight is near shoulder-level. Reverse the motion to return the weight to your side. Repeat the movement with your right hand. Alternate arms with each repetition.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-20 per arm
Rest Time: 45 to 60 seconds between sets
How to Progress
As a beginner, your goal is to learn proper form with simple movements while getting stronger. As long as your compound (multi-joint) exercises get stronger while using good technique, you should be building muscle in all the right places.
Keep pushing each set until you eventually reach the end of the rep range. Once you reach that ceiling, increase the load and repeat the process, but only do so if your form remains strict. Don’t develop a habit of cheating just to move the weight. Once your loads have increased significantly, roughly 30% or more, you can jump into the next program.
Intermediate Back and Biceps Workout
Once you’ve reached the intermediate stage — you’re feeling more skilled in the gym and your shirts have filled out with a bit of muscle — it can be tempting to start “ego lifting,” especially if you start to notice the bigger lifters in the gym swinging around weights when they row. Don’t do that. It can get you injured and, actually, doesn’t stimulate your back well as using crisp, strict technique.
Keep your form dialed in and you should feel your back working deeply across the targeted muscle fibers, allowing you to trigger growth. The same principle applies to your biceps — no swinging. Let your biceps do the work, not your ego. Elbow flexion, not momentum, will grow arms.
Back and Biceps Workout with New Angles
As you transition to an intermediate lifter, you can likely handle some more volume as long as you’re eating enough nutrients to recover and grow. It’s also a good time to introduce some variety to prevent overuse injuries while also stimulating muscle regions in different ways. (1) This back and biceps gym workout uses a few different movements to target your muscles.
The chest-supported row is a great first exercise of the day. It’s stable and doesn’t require as much warming up as a free-standing row. The stability helps you focus on your back. The single-arm rows allow you to take advantage of unilateral (single-arm) strength-building, because you can lift more with one arm than trying to lift two dumbbells together. This unilateral focus also helps to correct any imbalances you may have.
The incline dumbbell curl stretches your biceps more than the standing movement, which elicits a large growth response. (2) The stretched movement may also impose more soreness due to the increased range of motion, but you should be able to handle that now that you’ve got more experience under your belt.
Chest-Supported Row
This movement fully supports your upper body and essentially removes your lower back from the equation, making it a strict back-building exercise with few limitations. The chest-supported row is an excellent way to begin a back-focused training day because your lats and larger back muscles are doing the work without fatiguing your low back.
How to Do it: Lay chest-down on a supported bench and grab the handles with a palm-down grip. Unrack the weight before pulling the bar up as high as possible. Pause briefly in the contracted position before lowering the weight to a full stretch.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
Rest Time: 60 to 90 seconds between sets
Wide-Grip Pulldown
This movement is one of the most fundamental pulldown variations. The emphasis on a long overhead stretch with a strong contraction makes the wide-grip pulldown an essential player is many back workouts.
How to Do it: Attach a long bar to a pulldown station. Take a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width and sit down. Secure your knees under any pads and allow your arms to extend straight overhead. Keep your torso mostly upright and drive your elbows down, pulling the bar to nearly chin level. Pause briefly before returning to an overhead position.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
Rest Time: 60 to 90 seconds between sets
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
The single-arm dumbbell row is a classic back-training exercise. Mastering this movement is an essential for long-term back development. It allows you to target your back muscles, one side at at time, while drastically reducing lower back stress.
How to Do it: Grab a dumbbell in one hand, with your palm facing in toward your body. Brace your non-working hand on a flat bench or on the same side knee. Drive your arm up and back until the dumbbell is near your ribs. Pause briefly for a maximum contraction before lowering to a full stretch. Perform all reps with one arm before switching sides.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
Rest Time: No rest between arms, one minute between sets
Cable Rear Delt Flye
Targeting your rear delts with cables instead of a machine increases the time under tension, which can improve the muscle-building stimulus. (3) This unique movement lets you get more benefit from relatively less weight.
How to Do it: Stand in the middle of a double cable station with a high pulley with each hand grabbing the cable from the opposite side. Flex your abs and bend your knees slightly. Keep a slight bend in your arms as you draw your elbows down and back. In the full contraction, your arms should be slightly behind your torso. Return to the stretched position, with your arms crossed in front of your body.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
Rest Time: 45 to 60 seconds between sets
Incline Dumbbell Curl
The incline dumbbell curl is a powerful choice for a biceps exercise. The intense stretch and focused contraction creates a major trigger for muscle growth. Be sure to prioritize technique over heavy loads — if done properly, relatively light weights can feel extremely heavy. Resist the urge to cheat.
How to Do it: Set an adjustable bench to roughly 45-degrees. Lay back while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Rest your head, shoulders, and back on the bench pad. Allow your arms to hang straight with your palms facing forward. Curl the weight up while moving only your hand and the dumbbell — don’t let your elbow, upper arm, or head move. When you’ve reach the highest position possible without moving your elbow or upper arm, slower lower the weight to a full stretch.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
Rest Time: 45 to 60 seconds between sets
How to Progress
Once you are able to hit the end of the rep range for an exercise, increase the load in the next workout. It’s basic, bread and butter progression. There’s no need to overcomplicate things. You keep form strict and, as long as you eat enough while getting stronger, your arms will expand and your back will eventually get its own zip code.
Advanced Back and Biceps Workout
Now that you are even stronger, you need to periodize to new variations along with adding lifting straps. What often happens with advanced lifters is that their grip and forearms can become a limiting factor during back exercises, leaving progress-building reps untapped in each set.
At this stage of development, your back should be significantly stronger than your smaller forearm muscles. Strategically using lifting straps can prevent your forearms from fatiguing while allowing you to impose more stimulating reps to your back and biceps.
Back and Bi’s for Experienced Lifters
As an advanced lifter, you need to be more specific about hitting all regions of your back. The barbell row is extremely comprehensive and skill-intensive, so it becomes the first exercise in the workout. Vertical pulling is next to more thoroughly target your lats. At this point, you should be strong enough to do at least five strict pull-ups. If not, stick to lat pulldowns and figure out whether it’s a lack of strength or an excess of body weight hindering your pull-up progress.
The Jefferson curl is a unique movement added to train your spinal erectors from top to bottom. This unconventional exercise sometimes gets a bad rap because it requires a rounded back, which is usually warned against, but your spine was designed to move and these types of controlled, dynamic contractions grow your muscles best.
If you want a thick, back-dominant look in both your upper and lower back, Jefferson curls can be a secret weapon. It should go without saying, do them with control and don’t load your ego. The workout wraps up with the addition of the barbell wrist curl. Since you’ll be using straps, which supplements your gripping strength, your forearms will benefit from some isolation to keep them growing.
Barbell Row
Sometimes considered the definitive back exercise, the bent-over barbell row can be a key player in building size and strength. Don’t let the ability to move heavy weight tempt you into cheating the technique. Keep your form strict and don’t bounce or swing weight.
How to Do it: Stand in front of a loaded barbell with a stable shoulder-width stance. Hinge at your hips and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width. Brace your core and explode the weight up toward your lower ab region, below your belly button. Try to pause very briefly before lowering the weight with control.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
Rest Time: Two minutes between sets
Pull-Up
The pull-up is a classic bodyweight exercise. In many training circles, your pull-up performance is second only to your bench press ability as a measure of your true experience and aptitude in the gym.
How to Do it: Grab an overhead pull-up bar using a shoulder-width grip, with your palms facing away from your body. Flex your abs and keep your body in a generally straight line — resist the urge to “kick” your legs up as you lift. Pull your chest toward the bar and lean slightly back. When your mouth or chin is near bar-level, lower yourself to full extension (a straight-arm stretched position) with control. Don’t free fall into the bottom.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 5-10
Rest Time: Two minutes between sets
Jefferson Curl
The Jeferson curl is performed contrary to one overriding weight training rule — here, you’re supposed to allow your back to round during the exercise. During most other movements like squats, deadlifts, and rows, proper technique usually involves keeping a stiff and neutral spine. During the Jefferson curl, the goal is to deliberately round your spine (under full control, of course).
How to Do it: Stand with a light barbell in your hands, with straight arms resting in front of your body. Lean forward at the waist and imagine curling each individual vertebrae down as you reach toward your feet. Keep your arms straight and keep the bar close to your legs. When you’ve reached the end of your flexibility, “uncurl” slowly to return to a standing position.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 5-10
Rest Time: One minute between sets
Cable Rear Delt Flye
The cable rear delt flye remains a reliable, high-intensity way to finish off your rear deltoids at the end of your workout for back and biceps. Keep your form strict and focus on feeling your delts doing the work.
How to Do it: Stand in the middle of a double cable station with a high pulley with each hand grabbing the cable from the opposite side. Flex your abs and bend your knees slightly. Keep a slight bend in your arms as you draw your elbows down and back. In the full contraction, your arms should be slightly behind your torso. Return to the stretched position, with your arms crossed in front of your body.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
Rest Time: One minute between sets
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Blast your biceps with the incline dumbbell curl. The intense stretch and hard contraction make it an excellent choice for zeroing in on your arms.
How to Do it: Set an adjustable bench to roughly 45-degrees. Lay back while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Rest your head, shoulders, and back on the bench pad. Allow your arms to hang straight with your palms facing forward. Curl the weight up while moving only your hand and the dumbbell — don’t let your elbow, upper arm, or head move. When you’ve reach the highest position possible without moving your elbow or upper arm, slower lower the weight to a full stretch.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
Rest Time: One minute between sets
Barbell Wrist Curl
Work your forearms (specifically, your wrist flexors) with the barbell wrist curl. The targeted movement will give some attention to your forearm muscles, which could potentially be understimulated when using lifting straps during heavier back exercises.
How to Do it: Set up on a flat bench with an underhand (palm-up) grip on a barbell. Support your forearms across the bench. Extend your wrists down to lower the weight, allowing the bar to roll toward your fingertips. Curl your hand closed and bring your wrists up without lifting your forearms from the bench. It’s a relatively short range of motion, so focus on applying tension without swinging.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
Rest Time: 45 to 60 seconds between sets
How to Progress
Progression is the same as before — Train hard, don’t swing any weights, and add reps or load each week.
If you can match or beat your rep performance, that’s great. Once you get to the highest end of the rep range, add load the following week. If you’re lifting heavy, but find yourself getting fatigued and losing performance, you may need to deload at some point.
But for the most part, continual growth comes down to continual strength increase with constant nutrient intake. Just be cautious when it comes to progressing pull-ups. It’s tempting to justify reps that swing around, which can end up adding load hastily.
Focus on your form most weeks and only count reps that are performed under controlled. Once you get to 10 strict pull-up reps, add five to 10 pounds, reduce the reps back to five, and keep going.
Benefits of a Back and Biceps Workout
While each type of body part split or potential workout setup can have its own benefits, there are a few distinct reasons to consider planning a back and biceps day in your weekly training split.
Happier Joints and Better Posture
People with strong backs who do more pulling exercises have happier, healthier joints. When you bench or overhead press excessively and don’t balance your musculature with rows, pulldowns, or pull-ups, your shoulders can get cranky. (4)
Credit: Natalie magic / Shutterstock
Your joints and connective tissues begin to beg for more rowing and a stronger back. This can create a healthier spine, improve joint function, and promote better posture.
You Get Good at Moving Stuff
Sure, nobody wants to be “that friend” everyone in the group hits up when they need help moving, but the alternative is worse — being the friend nobody contacts to help them move because they’re scared you’ll snap in half.
That’s where a consistent back and biceps day comes in. You’ll simply be more capable through everyday life, and moving furniture will feel like child’s play. Beyond the practical benefits, building strength in your back, biceps, and grip can carry over to boost performance in the gym — everything from more obvious exercises like farmer’s walks and deadlifts to overhead pressing, where a stronger back helps to provide upper body stability.
Build Some Eye-Catching Muscle
Many people rightly associate biceps training as being essential for a more aesthetic physique. While the chest, abs, and even shoulders are often considered other contenders for attention-grabbing body parts, a well-muscled back can take your muscularity to the next level and create an undeniably athletic and powerful look.
By training your back and arms, you fill out any T-shirt better, as opposed to looking like a malnourished college freshman swimming in baggy clothes. A big back can also make your waist look relatively smaller in comparison, in case you’re still working to shed a bit of extra fluff.
Back and Biceps Basic Anatomy
Here’s a brief rundown of all the muscles you’ll be hitting with each back and biceps workout. Yes, you’re training “the back” and “the biceps,” but there’s a bit more detail to consider.
Trapezius
The traps are a diamond-shaped muscle that takes up a large part of your upper back. It spans from your mid-neck to just below your shoulder blades. The trapezius has many muscle fibers and several “sections” — the upper traps, mid-traps and lower traps — but a variety of horizontal and vertical pulling will hit the muscle in its entirety. The main function is scapular retraction (pulling your shoulder blades together), so rowing exercises will be particularly useful.
Lats
The latissimus dorsi, or lats, are another big muscle group. It takes up the outer parts of your mid-back, spanning up to your armpits and down toward the start of your lower back. The lats are often notorious for giving you that wide look.
Credit: martvisionlk / Shutterstock
Some lifters regard the lats as the wingspan muscle because people can see your back gains from the front thanks to your lats. Not to mention, it makes your waist look smaller as well. Any vertical pulling exercises, like all pulldown exercises, hit the lats with a strong contraction and long stretch.
Spinal Erectors
These are two long, thick beams that run from the top of your back to the bottom, including what’s typically referred to as your “lower back”. Similar to the traps, your spinal erectors get stimulated with nearly every back exercise because they’re involved in controlling posture near the hips. They’re trained directly as the primary focus during Jefferson curls or any pulling or hip hinging exercise where you are actively arching your back.
Rhomboids
Your rhomboids are relatively smaller back muscles that attach at your mid-spine and sit partially under your scapula, creating part of your upper back musculature. The rhomboids aid in scapular retraction, in a similar role to the traps, and they help your posture look better. All horizontal rowing will hit the rhomboids well, especially if you focus on pulling your elbows back to allow your scapulae to squeeze together.
Rear Deltoids
The rear deltoids are the back head of your shoulders. Developing this relatively smaller muscle can makes your overall back look more complete, along with “rounding out” the appearance of your shoulders.
People who often ignore or underappreciate back training usually have lagging shoulders, as well. All pulling exercises where your elbow travels behind your body, like many types of rows, will hit the rear delts.
Some lifters argue that the rear delts don’t really need direct training as long as you have enough back volume each week, but well-planned isolation work never hurts, especially if you want to focus on building a specific body part.
Biceps
Your “biceps” actually consists of three related muscles: the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis.
The biceps brachii is the spotlight “biceps” muscle consisting of two heads, a long head and short head. Both are visible and create what most people consider the biceps on their upper arm. You can’t see any distinct separation between the two heads unless you’re incredibly lean or incredibly muscled.
The brachialis is a smaller muscle that sits between your biceps and triceps. It’s rarely ever visible due to its anatomical location, but it creates arm size by “lifting” your biceps. Unless you’re very heavily muscles or as lean as a competitive bodybuilder, you’re not likely to see the muscle itself.
The last big player in the biceps game is the brachioradialis. It sits at the top of your upper forearms and rotates your wrists to a neutral (thumbs up) position, along with helping to flex your elbows. It’s more visible than the brachialis and, when developed, can help to fill out your sleeves, especially near the forearm area.
All of the aforementioned biceps muscles primarily work at elbow flexion (bending your arms), so these muscles get trained with every row and pulldown, as well as with any type of curl. This is why, if you’re getting stronger on a variety of back exercises and adding some hard curls, you don’t need many sets of biceps training to see big results.
Time For Some Back and Biceps
Time to start applying these workouts for back and biceps. Take an honest assessment of your experience level and get working on your rows, pulldowns, and curls. You’ve seen the most efficient ways to plan these back and biceps exercises, so get into the gym and get growing. Your back will widen and your arms will expand. Your upper body will look more impressive, and you might even notice that your physique is getting a few you extra admirers as a side effect.
References
Kassiano, Witalo1; Nunes, João Pedro1; Costa, Bruna1; Ribeiro, Alex S.1,2; Schoenfeld, Brad J.3; Cyrino, Edilson S.1. Does Varying Resistance Exercises Promote Superior Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains? A Systematic Review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 36(6):p 1753-1762, June 2022. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004258
Oranchuk, D. J., Storey, A. G., Nelson, A. R., & Cronin, J. B. (2019). Isometric training and long-term adaptations: Effects of muscle length, intensity, and intent: A systematic review. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 29(4), 484–503. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13375
Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
Cools, A. M., Witvrouw, E. E., Mahieu, N. N., & Danneels, L. A. (2005). Isokinetic Scapular Muscle Performance in Overhead Athletes With and Without Impingement Symptoms. Journal of athletic training, 40(2), 104–110.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Hafthor Björnsson is best known in the strength sports world for his stellar work with Atlas Stones, log lifts, and deadlifts. Such a steadfast commitment to the former 2018 World’s Strongest Man champion’s strength work has earned him a deserved spot among some of the greatest athletes in history.
On Jan. 31, 2023, it was revealed that Björnsson would be a part of the International Sports Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Class of 2023. Björnsson will enter the ISHOF alongside fellow luminaries like two-time judo Olympic gold medalist (2012, 2016) Kayla Harrison and four-time Super Bowl champion (1981, 1984, 1988-1989) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. Dr. Robert Goldman initially created the ISHOF in 2012.
Björnsson is the third professional strongman to be recognized by the ISHOF.
Mark Henry, the inaugural 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) winner and a former WWE World Heavyweight champion, was inducted into the ISHOF as a part of the first class in 2012. Three-time WSM champion (1980-1982) Bill Kazmaier would join Henry in 2017. Now Björnsson can count himself among their exclusive company.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee: Six-time Olympic track and field medalist (spread between 1984 and 1996, including three gold medals)
Richard Sorin: Founder of Sorinex Exercise Equipment, grip strength icon
In addition to Björnsson’s sterling competitive record — which also includes noteworthy achievements such as five Europe’s Strongest Man titles (2014-2015, 2017-2019) and three WSM runner-up finishes (2014, 2016-2017) — he possesses an assortment of strength records.
The most recognizable might be Björnsson’s 501-kilogram (1,104.5 pounds) World Record deadlift from the 2020 World’s Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength” series. Another is the Weight Over Bar World Record from the 2022 Strongman Rogue Invitational. The athlete threw a 25.4-kilogram (56-pound) weight over a 20-foot, three-inch high bar to extend his own previous record mark.
In terms of recent athletic exploits outside of a strongman context, Björnsson defeated former strongman rival and 2017 WSM winner Eddie Hall in a March 2022 boxing match. In a December 2022 return to professional powerlifting at the 2022 Thor’s Christmas Powerlifting Meet, the athlete attained a 970-kilogram (2,138.5-pound) total in the 140-kilogram-plus weight class.
Björnsson’s ISHOF honor might be even more noteworthy, considering he likely isn’t done as a strongman or powerlifting competitor. In October 2022, the Icelander alluded to a potential future where he’s moonlighting as both an elite strongman and powerlifter while continuing to pursue new World Records. In this case, the 34-year-old’s Hall of Fame honor and resume could only shine brighter in the coming years.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
From the end of 2022 to the start of 2023, various notable figures in and around bodybuilding have had frank thoughts about the state of the sport. There was the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger expressing his fandom of reigning four-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead while noting the division should be the Olympia weekend’s main event. There was 1983 Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout lamenting that the Olympia qualification isn’t rigid enough and allows too many competitors. Now, Iain Valliere, an active bodybuilder, shared some recent strong thoughts on a prominent modern competitive category.
On Feb. 2, 2023, Valliere appeared in a podcast episode with Fouad Abiad Media, discussing some of the latest pertinent bodybuilding topics like the 2023 Arnold Classic. Among the more notable revelations was that the 2022 Vancouver Pro championbelieves the 212 division should no longer be a viable professional division.
As standards for training and quality nutrition continue to grow, Valliere professed that he doesn’t see a place for 212 bodybuilders in the long run. He maintained that recent successful examples of 212 competitors like Derek Lunsford and Shaun Clarida, who have transitioned to and competed well in the Men’s Open, demonstrate that there isn’t much of a need for the 212 anymore.
As such, the athlete said the division’s existence is redundant and that it should be absorbed into the Men’s Open.
“If a 175 or 180-pound Shaun [Clarida] comes in and is beating 290-pound, 6-feet guys, you really have no [expletive] case for keeping the 212 [division], to be honest.” Valliere said. “Because I still think the guys that are really [expletive] driven to be the best, would stick out a few years of getting [expletive] on if they believed in their heart. Like the Derek’s (Lunsford] of the world, would have stuck that [expletive] out and been in the Men’s Open and would have ended up where they are.”
After receiving pushback and counterarguments from his fellow podcasters, including retired 212 bodybuilder Guy Cisternio and retired Men’s Open competitor Fouad Abiad, Valliere made a reasonable analogy between basketball and bodybuilding, pointing out how the cream usually rises to the top without accommodations.
“That’s the same thing as saying guys that are, like, 5-foot-10 shouldn’t pursue basketball and that we should make a shorter net for the guys that are shorter. It’s stupid.” Valliere explained. “With 212, I just think a lot of those guys could end up in the [Men’s] Open just like it used to be, and be fine.”
Ultimately, to Valliere, nixing the 212 division is about the more talented athletes winning out and allowing them to compete in the most elite circumstances.
“No matter how much I train, I’m not going to be as big as Ramy [Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay] or as fast as Usain Bolt,” Valliere said. “Some guys won’t be as good as Derek [Lunsford], some guys won’t be as tall as Yao Ming, it’s just the [expletive] reality. People are not all created equally and just because they aren’t, it doesn’t mean we should fill the gap.”
Valliere might have a right to possess his strong opinion on the future of the 212, but, at the time of this writing, competitive organizers don’t appear to have any meaningful plans toward falling in lockstep with his idea.
As for Valliere’s individual exploits, the Men’s Open bodybuilder is coming off an 11th-place finish at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. According to NPC News Online, the result was the second-lowest of his career, with a 14th-place finish at the 2018 iteration standing as his worst. To this day, Valliere’s best Mr. Olympia output was back-to-back placings in seventh in 2020 and 2021.
With the 2023 competitive season still in its early stages, if he qualifies for the contest, he’ll undoubtedly be seeking a rebound during the 2023 edition, November 3-5 in Orlando, FL.
“Eggs are still pretty easy to find here but a curious thing has happened. The price of local, pastured eggs has not gone up much at all – 0-50 cents a dozen. But low quality factory eggs have skyrocketed. Eggs from the local factory farms are pushing 8 bucks a dozen while organic/pastured eggs are the $6 – $6.50 they have been the last several years. Not sure how to explain this. Maybe the more responsible producers are not having the disease issues that factory farms are seeing. Not affecting my near-daily egg consumption at all, especially since a couple of our ducks started laying due to the freakishly warm winter this year.“
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Bodybuilder Ryan Terry entered the 2022 Olympia with hopes of a landmark victory. Unfortunately, while he brought his personal best to the stage, the Men’s Physique competitor and 2016 Olympia runner-up would fall short, dropping off to seventh place. In the midst of a landmark off-season for this seasoned veteran, Terry recently revealed his unique strategy to try and make up for his disappointing Olympia result.
On Jan. 29, 2023, Terry posted a video to his YouTube channel where he breaks down one of his apparent strategies for bulking and building mass. The recording features the athlete walking through what’s in his massive (pun not intended) 1,874-calorie protein shake.
Here’s an overview of what Terry puts into this large protein shake:
Ryan Terry’s 1,874-Calorie “Mass-Building” Protein Shake
Oats: 180 grams — 584 calories
Full-Fat Milk: 300 milliliters — 198 calories
OrganicHoney: 40 grams — 135 calories
Nut Butter: 50 grams — 310 calories
Frozen Mixed Berries: 80 grams — 27 calories
Whey Protein: two scoops — 200 calories
Two Bananas: sliced — 220 calories
Cyclic Dextrin: two scoops — 200 calories
Total — 1,874 calories
It’s apparent Terry’s nutritional plan for the protein shake is methodical. He seems to have accounted for every step of the process, the way one would expect from an established bodybuilder attuned to the minute details of his fitness.
Terry adds in a pair of bananas which have the benefit of a bevy of potassium. Then the oats he includes feature a healthy amount of fiber. Elements like the cyclic dextrin comprise an easy dose of digestible carbohydrates for the mix. The two scoops of whey protein — Terry’s favorite flavor is chocolate mint, in this case — add density and texture, as well as a critical nutrient for muscle growth, while the frozen berries can be seen as a source of antioxidants. Throwing in a combination of cashew butter, peanut butter, and almond butter is Terry adding flavors he likes to this monster shake while bumping up the total calories from this rich source.
Aside from his 2016 Men’s Physique Olympia runner-up finish, Terry might be most known for respective wins in the 2015 Pittsburgh Pro, the 2017 Asia Grand Prix, and the 2021 Arnold Classic UK. While winning these contests was undoubtedly impressive, it’s clear Terry has his aims set a bit higher within the confines of his extended career: winning the Men’s Physique Olympia title.
A comprehensive nutritional benchmark like this sizable protein shake is one demonstrative step in Terry preparing to reach his long-term goals on that front.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
When a constellation of some of bodybuilding’s biggest stars align at the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC), most will understand who to point their “telescope” toward. Some of the usual suspects like 2021 AC winner Nick Walker, former two-time Mr. Olympia (2020-2021) Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, and two-time 212 Olympia king (2020, 2022) Shaun Clarida figure to maximize their time in the Columbus, OH, limelight on Mar. 2-5, 2023.
However, some believe reigning 2022 Texas Pro and 2022 Arnold Classic UK champion Chinedu Andrew Obiekea, a.k.a. “Andrew Jacked,” will lay claim to a dominant performance at the 2023 AC. After a recent addition to his training plans by working with Chris “Psycho” Lewis, such an assertion might not be out of the realm of possibility. On Feb. 1, 2023, Jacked’s other primary trainer, Chris Aceto, appeared on a podcast episode with RxMuscle. While updating Jacked’s ongoing work for the 2023 AC, the trainer maintained that the athlete would appear in tip-top form in Central Ohio.
According to Aceto, Jacked is taking well to a new strength regimen that Lewis is putting him through. Lewis appears to have a mission to break Jacked down before building him back up, but the bodybuilder doesn’t sound fazed by such goals.
” … Andrew [Jacked] is pushing back against Chris ‘Psycho’ Lewis,” Aceto explained. “I know Chris. Chris wants to just absolutely crush him and part of it is to see where he’s at mentally. Then, the other part is to see, can he [Jacked] really handle the training Chris wants to put him through? On both of those accounts, I would say Chris would grade him as an ‘A.’ He takes the training and he pushes back. Chris is pushing him as far as Chris thinks he needs to be pushed.”
With the 2023 AC still weeks away, Aceto maintained that Jacked is already in an optimal position to capture his first title at the contest. Though, with so much time left to prepare, the trainer isn’t putting a ceiling on what the bodybuilder could accomplish soon enough.
“I think his [Jacked’s] best is coming up in five weeks [at the 2023 Arnold Classic],” Aceto said. “I think his best look so far was today [the day of the interview]. It is probably the best look. That includes having been on an Olympia stage. I think he’s better now than he was on stage at the Olympia. … If the [2023] Olympia was tomorrow, and he brought this package, I think he’d be a little bit fuller and tighter than he was the day of the show. That’s just everyday training sessions.”
Time will tell how Jacked fares on the 2023 AC stage. The athlete may have simultaneously enlisted the help of two expert trainers in Aceto and Lewis, knowing there’s quite a gauntlet of experienced competitors to overcome. If these hints of Jacked’s ongoing process are to be interpreted correctly, early March should be quite the showcase.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Before the onset of the annual Olympia, there is often a small spate of surprising last-minute withdrawals. One of the bodybuilders who surprisingly bowed out of the 2022 iteration was Classic Physique competitor Logan “The Texas Oak” Franklin. Perhaps best known for his Men’s Physique victories in the 2020 New York Pro and 2018 Tampa Pro, it seemed like Franklin would try to build on a ninth-place Olympia finish from 2020. Instead, the athlete had to disappointingly step away from his potential second chance at bodybuilding’s highest title.
On Jan. 31, 2023, during an interview with Muscular Development, Franklin discussed the aftermath of his difficult decision to withdraw from the 2022 Olympia. While the athlete didn’t specifically disclose why he decided to not compete, he maintained he’s already prepared to look forward and try to make 2023 another productive year in his career.
After stopping short of the finish line of an entire competitive year, Franklin shared that he was understandably shaken by his choice. To be so close to a high-profile athletic endeavor but ultimately not participate might be hard on any competitive personality.
It made Franklin rather emotional.
“It sucked. The whole ordeal was very disappointing.” Franklin said. “I cried for three days after it. I couldn’t stop crying, just all the work that goes in, thinking about a whole year’s worth. … Putting all that work in and all that effort, creating a routine that I was very excited to present, and just how I was feeling about my progress leading into the show. I was very disappointed and having to make that decision. But we have to make very hard decisions to move ahead in life.”
With murmurs abounding of who might compete in the upcoming 2023 Arnold Classic, Franklin clarified his next competitive appearance won’t be in Columbus, OH. It appears to be too fast of a turnaround after his latest ventures, which wouldn’t let him recover enough as he pleases.
“The Arnold [Classic] is just too close, I need to take a break,” Franklin explained. “I actually have trained only four times in the last five to six weeks. Going to the Arnold just wasn’t in the cards for me. Having a full long year, I need to allow my body to rest. I’m not one of these guys that’s just going to keep going show to show, and do this for years and years and years. That’s how you run your body down and you eventually fall off. I want longevity.”
As for what lies ahead in the long term, Franklin noted he will now coach himself during his training routine for the time being. He had previously worked with experienced coaches like Miloš Šarčev. Franklin elaborated that this path will have him “betting on himself” as he works toward his contest return at the 2023 Texas Pro on Aug. 19, 2023, in Irving, TX. For this Texas native, who fell just short of the said competition’s title in 2021, there might not be a better place to show off his hard work and mass again.
It seems to be only the first step of his grand ambitions this year.
“I plan on winning the [2023] Texas Pro,” Franklin said. “It’s right here, not my home town but the home state, in Dallas. I lost that show by one point back in 2021, so it would be a good show to go back there and get some redemption. The [2023] Olympia will be 11 weeks after the Texas Pro, and then I’ll be doing the [2023] Hawaii Pro on Nov. 20. That’ll be two weeks after the Mr. Olympia, so I can basically just prep for those three shows and knock them out, bam-bam.”
Some athletes might take more time to recalibrate and figure out what’s next after halting their professional plans. That’s because such decisions usually carry a ton of weight and can weigh on the mind. For Franklin, it looks like he’s already healthily compartmentalizing what happened because and is now ready to shine on stage once more.
First, I want to say thank you for convincing me to do Tabata! I was struggling to lose weight and Finally I found something that helped! I really appreciate your coaching! - Craig T.
Ever since I was convinced to do Tabata I have seen huge results, I lost 6 pounds and gained energy in the first 3 weeks. I have been working out for 3 months before I decided to do Tabata and I struggled to lose weight.
At first I thought "How am I losing weight by bringing my heart rate up then cooling down then bringing it up again?" I don’t know how it works but it does!
Thank you!! - Theresa F.
The first day of Tabata, I wondered WHAT AM I DOING - I AM 56 !! Five weeks later I knew that it was what I needed. I learned that I could push myself well beyond my comfort zone and feel good later. I have a marked improvement in physical as well as emotional endurance. - Lyn C.
When I was first told about Tabata I was very excited from the word go, however that excitement stemmed from the fact that I had no clue what it meant. I missed the first week of class b/c I was traveling for work so when I came in during the 2nd week I had some making it up to do.
It was hard at first b/c my body wasn't used to working out at such a fast pace, but once I got into a rhythm I started to feel very good. These classes are no joke. If you stick with it you will leave there feeling stronger, healthier and overall better about yourself and what you've accomplished.
I would recommend these classes to anyone. Darrin is a great trainer and he'll keep you going with his energy.
- Jami L.
Warriors Fit Audio
Warrior Fit uses High Intensity Music to get ya Moooovin' So we can all "Get Our Sweat On"
The link below will give ya a freeee shot at Audible plus a couple audio books just to try it out and if you haven't used audio books on your commutes you are missing out. Get pumped up before you get to where you are going and exercise your mind. I use it Everyday. Go get yours now!
(@ryanjterry)
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
click this ==>
