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Blessing Awodibu entered the 2022 Mr. Olympia with high hopes. A certifiable dark horse contender, some believed Awodibu would enjoy one of the better performances of his career on the Las Vegas, NV, stage. Instead, Awodibu finished outside the top 15 while watching Hadi Choopan get his long-awaited moment of glory as the champion who successfully beat Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. In the wake of such a humbling performance, it seems Awodibu would prefer to recalibrate first.

On Jan. 10, 2023, Awodibu used his Instagram to announce that he would be declining a formal invitation to the 2023 Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH.

Huge thanks to the [Arnold Sports Festival] for the invite, one of my all-time favourite shows, but, unfortunately, I will not be doing the Arnold [Classic] this year.

Awodibu’s main rationale for stepping down from the 2023 Arnold Classic is focusing on self-care before he can really try to achieve any ambitious goals in the coming months. In discussing why he’ll forgo one of bodybuilding’s top competitions, Awodibu didn’t overlook a detail. The winner of the 2022 International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Indy and New York Pro contests, Awodibu noted that he felt his schedule last year was too jam-packed.

Ultimately, it seemed to have a negative effect on his eventual performance and presented physique at the 2022 Mr. Olympia.

“Going off completely for almost three months after the Indy and New York [Pro] shows and traveling really affected my Olympia prep negatively,” Awodibu wrote. “I definitely lost some muscle mass, and I didn’t have enough time to fill out my physique before the Olympia. So, right now, I’m just giving my body the much-needed time to bring my shape back before any prep. Expect a crazy comeback later this year.”

Awodibu is not the first notable name to reveal he would not be competing in the 2023 Arnold Classic. Rather than divert his energy on preparation for another contest, Derek Lunsford, the 2022 Mr. Olympia second-place finisher, revealed he would also skip the Arnold Classic. Instead, he’ll be spending his 2023 entirely on trying to finish the Olympia job at the start of this new year. That contest will take place sometime in November 2023 in Orlando, FL.

As an elite athlete, it can understandably be a lot to admit one needs time to recuperate rather than keeping the foot on the gas 99% of the time. Such a patient approach for Awodibu is theoretically unconventional, but it might pay off for him in spades in 2023.

Featured image: @blessing_awodibu on Instagram

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In each new year, with roughly 12 months as their proverbial ball of training clay, some athletes prefer to take their time and ease into potential lofty goals. Such a sentiment would not apply to the young Jacob Green, who hit the ground running in 2023 with a recent staggering strength feat.

On Jan. 8, 2023, Green posted a video to his Instagram profile where he captured a 254.9-kilogram (562-pound) back squat with knee wraps. Per the caption of his post, the successful lift is an all-time personal record (PR). In addition to his knee wraps, Green utilized a lifting belt to help him attain the PR. Green also performed the squat with a slow and deliberate three-second eccentric, or descending phase.

A USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Juniors powerlifter of late, Green crushing it in the squat rack and throughout the gym is nothing new for this youthful dynamo. In fact, it’s in line with stellar precedence for a growing phenom.

Only two days after logging this one-rep max squat PR, Green shared a clip of himself finishing a 234.9-kilogram (518-pound) squat for a five-rep PR. When it comes to leg endurance, Green doesn’t appear to be a slouch, either. He captured a 200-kilogram (441-pound) squat AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) for 12 reps in November 2022. He had notably entered that session with a goal of finishing nine reps, but the weight on his stacked barbell “felt too easy,” so he proceeded to push himself further.

Approximately two weeks before showing off the newfound torque in his piston legs on the one-rep max, Green capped a 176.4-kilogram (385-pound) bench press for a three-rep PR in late December 2022. That specific lift apparently came as a moment of small redemption. He wrote that previously failing on a similar third rep in August 2022 was “out of character.” Naturally, coming back to the same weight and same setup and successfully pushing through on this occasion was a quality way for the athlete to “redeem” himself.

Green’s competitive history is a little all over the place as an athlete who has shifted weight classes and divisions while he’s matured in recent years. Per Open Powerlifting, he doesn’t appear to be a competitor loading his calendar with a cadre of events on a yearly basis. That said, his most recent appearance was a win in the 2022 USAPL Virginia Open State Championships in the Teenage division and 100-kilogram (220-pound) weight class.

With almost an entire year’s worth of time ahead of him, Green is free to make 2023 a tentpole moment in his strength career at a comfortable pace. Based on his start to the new year, he should have plenty to celebrate by New Year’s Eve this coming December.

Featured image: @j.g._kg on Instagram

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At the start of this century, Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler were arguably the two most prominent names in bodybuilding. En route to his legendary run of eight consecutive Mr. Olympia victories (1998-2005), Coleman relegated Cutler to second-place on four occasions (2001, 2003-2005). When push came to shove, and Cutler was ready for his long-awaited moment of glory, he would finally dethrone Coleman in 2006 and capture another title over his ripped peer in 2007.

Over a decade and a half later, Coleman and Cutler are two primary fixtures in the extended lore of bodybuilding history. The two former titans have a combined 12 Mr. Olympia titles (eight for Coleman, four for Cutler) and continue to be influential voices intimately concerned with the happenings of the modern sport. On Jan. 10, 2023, a video posted on Cutler’s YouTube channel features the two icons, joined by bodybuilding YouTube personality Jesse James West, plowing through a collaborative training session. Per the caption of Cutler’s video, the workout took place sometime during the 2022 Mr. Olympia weekend on Dec. 16-18, 2022.

The central focus of the three men’s joint workout was to chisel their respective back and biceps muscles. To commemorate the two legends he was training with, West had headbands and sleeveless flannels for everyone involved to adorn. A torn towel (reminiscent of these headbands) was a Cutler trademark look during the early parts of his career. Meanwhile, Coleman made wearing a sleeveless flannel his own staple during his dominant run as Mr. Olympia.

Once the workout got up and rolling, there was no stopping this whirlwind of strength and energy. The trio worked through respective sets of lat pulldowns, shifted to seated cable rows and single-arm machine rows, and implemented alternating traditional dumbbell curls throughout their routine. They did not specify the precise numbers and reps for each respective set.

In a treat for any spectating and diehard fans, Coleman and Cutler used the workout as an opportunity to swap unique anecdotes from Olympia legend to Olympia legend. It might have been an inside look at what it was like to be in the two men’s shoes while they were in their athletic primes.

Coleman and Cutler are certainly astute enough to know that what they have to offer bodybuilding now is more in line with their replete wisdom and experience. That’s what made their enthusiasm for watching Hadi Choopan finally climb the Olympia mountain post-workout palpable.

For a time, they were rivals. In the present, Coleman and Cutler can happily embrace their roles as stewards of bodybuilding’s past and future.

Featured image: JayCutlerTV on YouTube

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Imagine this: It’s peak hour at your gym and you’ve spent all day looking forward to attacking some front squats, but the wait for a squat rack is longer than the line at the smoothie bar on half-price day. Or maybe you’re trying to get a quality workout in a sparse hotel or still-growing home gym. Perhaps you just need a new squat variation for your program.

Consider the dumbbell front squat. It requires only a pair of dumbbells and minimal floor space. More importantly, it builds killer quadriceps, a strong upper back, and a solid core. This article teaches you how and why to perform and program the dumbbell front squat. 

Dumbbell Front Squat

• How to Do the Dumbbell Front Squat 
• Dumbbell Front Squat Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Dumbbell Front Squat
• Benefits of the Dumbbell Front Squat
• Muscles Worked by the Dumbbell Front Squat
• How to Program the Dumbbell Front Squat
• Dumbbell Front Squat Variations 
• Frequently Asked Questions

Complete Dumbbell Front Squat Tutorial

See the detailed dumbbell front squat video instructions from Dr. Merrick Lincoln, then check out the step-by-step breakdown below. 

How to Do the Dumbbell Front Squat Step By Step

The dumbbell front squat is a front squat alternative performed with a dumbbell racked on each shoulder. Follow these step-by-step instructions to ensure proper form. 

Step 1 — Clean the Dumbbells

Before you squat, you must “front rack” the dumbbells. In the front rack position, the ends of the dumbbells rest atop your shoulders and your elbows point straight ahead at shoulder-height.

To set up the front rack, perform a dumbbell clean — Start with the dumbbells at your sides. Drop into a mini-squat and rapidly extend your legs by driving your feet into the ground. Transfer the leg push into a powerful shrug. At the top of the shrug, draw your arms along your sides. Drop underneath the dumbbells by re-bending your legs and receive the weights atop your shoulders with your elbows high and bent. (1) 

Form Tip: When cleaning heavy dumbbells, it may be helpful to think about “jumping” up with the dumbbells to propel them into the front rack. Although you should barely leave the ground, “jumping” the dumbbells into position can improve output and fluidity of the clean. 

Step 2 — Set Your Stance and Brace

With dumbbells racked, place your feet at your preferred squat width and orientation. Typically, the front squat stance is shoulder-width or slightly wider. Your feet should point straight ahead or slightly outward. Brace your midsection by contracting your abdominals and back muscles at the same time. 

Form Tip: Set up a strong foundation by achieving pressure through your heel, the ball of your foot, your big toe, and the base of your fifth toe. Basically, keep weight on your entire foot throughout the exercise without overemphasizing either your heels or the ball of your foot.

Step 3 — Lower to the Bottom Position

While keeping a straight or slightly arched back position, lower yourself toward the floor by allowing your knees, hips, and ankles to bend. Descend with control. Resist bouncing out of the bottom of the squat. Also, avoid “cutting depth” (i.e. ending the descent before you’ve reached maximum comfortable knee bend with good control).

Form Tip: Achieve proper dumbbell front squat form by squatting “down” not “back.” This is not a powerlifting-style back squat that calls for a forward lean to improve leverage and move heavy weights. Your upper body should remain more upright. 

Step 4 — Stand Up to Lockout

Reverse the movement of your knees, hips, and ankles by standing tall. Keep the dumbbells balanced on your front delts throughout the movement. At the top, take a breath and re-brace your core before repeating another repetition. Don’t lower the weight from your shoulder until you’ve completed all reps.

Form Tip: As you push back to the standing position with forceful intent, think about driving the dumbbells toward the ceiling or sky but don’t actually lift them off your shoulders. This external cue can promote a strong front rack and improve power output. (2)

Dumbbell Front Squat Mistakes to Avoid

Steering clear of several common errors may help to maintain effectiveness and safety of the dumbbell front squat. 

Allowing Your Elbows or Chest to Drop 

The common barbell front squat cue applies just as well to the dumbbell front squat — “Chest up, elbows up.” Failure to maintain a high elbows position and a proud chest result in the dumbbells traveling forward. Too much forward movement of the dumbbells may result in compromised training stimulus for the quadriceps and even repetition failure with a loss of balance.

Avoid it: Most of the dumbbells’ weight should rest on your shoulders, not your hands. Keep the weight in contact with your shoulders throughout the exercise. Don’t try to support the weight “freely” by holding your hands in the top of a biceps curl. 

Low Back or Trunk Leaning Excessively Forward

Losing form at your hips or low back can cause all sorts of problems during the dumbbell front squat. These include, but are not limited to, loss of stability, your heels coming off the floor, and needlessly failed repetitions.

Avoid it: To correct or prevent this, reminding yourself to brace and squat down rather than back is a good start, but it might not be enough. Among lifters without orthopedic limitations (i.e. lifters without stiff joints or obvious weaknesses), a coordination deficit can be to blame for excessive forward motion of the trunk or low back. (3) Check out the “overhead squat RNT” exercise in the FAQs section for a potent corrective exercise. 

Insufficient Depth

Squats lacking depth? You can’t rely on your good looks and charm to fix this problem. If you are consistently cutting depth in the dumbbell front squat, your muscle development may suffer. Deep squatting has been shown to result in greater quadriceps muscle growth than shallow squatting. (4)

Furthermore, Kubo and colleagues reported full squat training resulted in more than twice the glute and adductor hypertrophy compared to half squatting. (5) 

Avoid it: Many lifters without orthopedic limitations can improve their squat depth by repetitive practice focused on achieving “hamstrings touching calves.” If ankle flexibility is limiting your squat depth, consider the heels-elevated variation discussed below. 

How to Progress the Dumbbell Front Squat

Lifters new the dumbbell front squat should begin with light weights to hone technique. Once this honeymoon phase is over, it’s time to go heavier and higher rep to promote strength and hypertrophy. 

Increase the Weight

Once the exercise form is familiar and consistent, load progression to a “working weight” is in order. Establishing your working weight does not necessarily require repetition maximum testing.

A simple progression method is to determine a repetition range target based on your goals (explained in the Programming section). Then, work up to a weight that results in a challenging set that allows you to complete a number of repetitions near the bottom end of your target range. For example, if your repetition target for hypertrophy training is 8 to 12 repetitions, identify a weight that allows less than 10 repetitions. 

Increase the Repetition Volume

As you get stronger with a particular pair of dumbbells, perform additional repetitions per set. Using the weight you identified above, you might be able to perform additional repetitions within a few weeks. Once you reach the upper end of your repetition target (e.g. 12 reps in the above example), it is time to increase weight again. 

Benefits of the Dumbbell Front Squat

The dumbbell front squat is a unique squat variation that biases the thigh muscles while requiring only light to moderately heavy loads, which are comfortably supported atop the shoulders.

Quadriceps Muscular Growth

The placement of the load in front of the body during the dumbbell front squat promotes a “knee dominant” squat by facilitating greater forward knee travel and a more upright trunk position. (6) (7) “Knee dominant” means this variation loads the quadriceps to a relatively greater extent than variations where the load is held on the back, such as traditional back squats.

Consistently performing a squat variation that biases the quadriceps will build the “quad sweep” many aesthetic-focused lifters are seeking. The dumbbell front squat may be a particularly effective quadriceps-builder, because it trains the quadriceps through a large range of motion. (4)(8)

Spares the Low Back

The dumbbell front squat might be a friendly option for those dealing with low back pain or local muscle fatigue. The upright trunk angle diverts load from the low back and hips to the knees. (7) Reduced overall load used during the dumbbell front squat is also likely to reduce mechanical demand on the low back compared to other common squat variations that use heavier loads.

For example, compared to back squats, barbell front squats resulted in reduced spinal compression forces when performed at the same relative intensity. (9) The difference may be partly attributed to differences in overall load, since participants in this research squatted more than 25% more weight during back squats than front squats. (9) Naturally, the heavier squat imposed more overall stress.

Dumbbell front squats undoubtedly have a lower loading capacity than barbell front squats, so the demand on the low back is likely even lower. Give this squat variation a try when you low back feels “fried.” 

A Forgiving Front Rack

Compared to the traditional front squat, the front rack position of the dumbbell front squat requires less shoulder, wrist, and elbow flexibility. Holding the barbell for the traditional front squat requires considerable shoulder external rotation, elbow flexion, and wrist extension.

Albeit barbell front squat variations such as gripless (i.e. “zombie”) front squats and cross-arm front squats avoid the challenging upper body positions of the barbell front squat. (10) But these gripless and cross-arm variations tend to place uncomfortable pressure on the deltoids or collarbones and may feel awkward. 

Muscles Worked by Dumbbell Front Squat

Like any squat, the primary lower body actions resisted by the dumbbell front squat are knee extension, hip extension, and ankle plantar flexion. However, the unique setup and execution of the dumbbell front squat may make this variation more “knee dominant,” biasing the quadriceps. (6) Trunk muscles deserve an honorable mention for their involvement in the dumbbell front squat, as these muscles facilitate proper form. 

Quadriceps

For aesthetics and function, the four muscles comprising the quadriceps are undoubtedly the most important muscles of the thigh. Although rectus femoris may experience little to no hypertrophy with squat training, squats promote substantial hypertrophy of the other three quad muscles: vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius. (5)(11) Fortunately, these muscles form the “quad sweep” many aesthetics-focused lifters desire. 

Glutes and Other Hip Extensors

The “glutes” — gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus — are trained as hip extensors during the dumbbell front squat. The hamstrings are marginally active during the squat as hip extensors and also act to counteract shear forces at the knee. (8)(9) Research suggests the adductors, or inner thigh muscles, are also trained as hip extensors during the squat. (5) 

Postural Muscles and Core

The dumbbell front squat hits postural muscles such as the spinal erectors, trapezius, and soleus (a deep calf muscle). To maintain a “braced” midsection during the squat, co-contraction of the abdominal muscles is necessary, which promotes a strong core.

How to Program the Dumbbell Front Squat

While it’s true the setup and execution of the dumbbell front squat limits maximum loading relative to barbell-based squats, appropriate programming of this exercise can deliver results. Specifically, lifters can program the dumbbell front squat for muscle gain (“hypertrophy”), strength, or as part of a deload from heavier squat variations. 

Low to Moderate Weight, Moderate to High Repetitions

An exciting feature of training for muscular hypertrophy and muscular strength is that high effort sets, or those carried to- or close to- the point of muscular failure, are effective using practically any weight. (12)(13)(14) This is particularly relevant for an exercise like the dumbbell front squat.

Due to the constraints of setup (the initial dumbbell clean) and equipment (dumbbells), the dumbbell front squat cannot be loaded particularly heavy, at least not relative to the capacity of the leg muscles of experienced lifters. Whether you’re training for strength or size, select dumbbells that allow safe setup and proper form, and then take that set to within two or three repetitions of failure. Two to four sets of eight or more repetitions will promote strength and size, if each set is taken to close proximity to failure.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetitions

A deload refers to temporary reduction in training to promote recovery. The dumbbell front squat simply cannot be loaded as heavy as a barbell-based squats. This is due, in part, to the use of dumbbells which offer less stability and lower loading potential than a barbell. Note: the front-loaded nature of the exercise also limits loading potential relative to back squats. (9)

Therefore, even a somewhat challenging dumbbell front squat workout is likely to provide some degree of reprieve or recovery for intermediate and advanced lifters. Two or three sets of four to eight repetitions might serve as a nice deload week squat protocol. 

Dumbbell Front Squat Variations

The dumbbell front squat isn’t the only way to perform an anteriorly loaded squat with dumbbells. Depending on your goals, preferences, and equipment, you might choose one of the following: 

Heels-Elevated Dumbbell Front Squat

Performing squats on a wedge can be helpful to further bias the quadriceps or work around ankle dorsiflexion range of motion issues. (6)(7)(15) The wedge or heel lift projects your lower leg forward at the ankle’s resting position, reducing the need for additional dorsiflexion. (15)

When squatting with your heels elevated, your trunk tends to stay more upright and your knees travel further forward. Together, these features promote greater focus on the quadriceps (due to increased knee action). (6)(7) 

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

Goblet squat — not “goblin” (this isn’t Middle Earth). The traditional goblet squat uses a kettlebell to reinforce deep squatting mechanics with an upright torso. If you don’t train with kettlebells, a dumbbell works just as well.

Goblet squats are performed with the weight held under the chin, as if it were a large drinking glass (“Lord of the Rings” fans, think of a vessel Dwarves would drink from in the Mines of Moria). Keep your elbows tight to your ribcage and squat down between your legs. 

Dumbbell Zercher Squat

This unique variation was popularized by strength coach Nick Nilsson. The term “Zercher” refers to the carriage position of the dumbbell. It rests on your arms at, or just in front of, your elbows.

Hold the dumbbell vertically with your arms in front of your body. If you are unable to squat deep enough to retrieve the dumbbell from the floor during setup, simply place the dumbbell on a stable bench or box and retrieve it from there. Your arms must remain close to your trunk with your elbows flexed. Like the dumbbell front squat, keep your trunk upright as you squat with your feet flat on the floor.

Dumbbell Squat

The dumbbell squat uses two dumbbells held with your arms hanging alongside your body. (8) While this variation avoids cleaning or muscling dumbbells to the rack position, it may not promote as upright of a trunk position as other front-loaded variations.

The dumbbell squat feels a little like a trap bar squat, albeit with a lower loading potential. Altogether, the dumbbell squat may be a great option for those looking for a user-friendly variation that promotes hip-, thigh-, and grip development.

FAQs

Just Another Anteriorly Loaded Thigh-Thickener?

Like its barbell-based brother, the dumbbell front squat places weight in front of the body. But unlike the barbell front squat, it doesn’t require extreme positions of the shoulders or wrists. And it doesn’t even require waiting for a squat rack. User-friendly and convenient, the dumbbell front squat is in a class of its own. 

References

1. Hedrick, A. (2015). Dumbbell power clean, front squat, and power jerk. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 37(3), 84-88. 
2. Nadzalan, A. M., et al. (2020). The effects of focus attention Instructions on the movement kinetics, muscle activation and performance during resistance exercise. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1529(2), 022008.
3. Bishop, C., & Turner, A. (2017). Integrated approach to correcting the high-bar back squat from “excessive forward leaning”. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 39(6), 46-53.
4. Bloomquist, K., et al. (2013). Effect of range of motion in heavy load squatting on muscle and tendon adaptations. European journal of applied physiology, 113(8), 2133-2142.
5. Kubo, K., Ikebukuro, T., & Yata, H. (2019). Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 119(9), 1933-1942.
6. Barrack, A. J., et al. (2021). The relative orientation of the trunk and tibia can be used to estimate the demands on the hip and knee extensors during the barbell back squat. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 16(4), 1004-1010.
7. Fry, A. C., Smith, J. C., & Schilling, B. K. (2003). Effect of knee position on hip and knee torques during the barbell squat. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 17(4), 629-633.
8. Graham, J. F. (2011). Exercise Technique: Dumbbell Squat, Dumbbell Split Squat, and Barbell Box Step-up. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 33(5), 76-78.
9. Gullett, J. C., et al. (2009). A biomechanical comparison of back and front squats in healthy trained individuals. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(1), 284-292.
10. Ronai, P. (2022). The Front Squat Exercise. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 26(2), 44-50.
11. Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). Squatting kinematics and kinetics and their application to exercise performance. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(12), 3497-3506.
12. Schoenfeld, B., Fisher, J., Grgic, J., et al. (2021). Resistance training recommendations to maximize muscle hypertrophy in an athletic population: Position stand of the IUSCA. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 1(1), 1-30.
13. Lasevicius, T., et al. (2018). Effects of different intensities of resistance training with equated volume load on muscle strength and hypertrophy. European journal of sport science, 18(6), 772-780.
14. Spiering, B. A., et al. (2022). Maximizing Strength: The Stimuli and Mediators of Strength Gains and Their Application to Training and Rehabilitation. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 10-1519.
15. Charlton, J. M., et al. (2017). The effects of a heel wedge on hip, pelvis and trunk biomechanics during squatting in resistance trained individuals. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31(6), 1678-1687.
16. Wu, H. W., et al. (2020). Effect of loading devices on muscle activation in squat and lunge. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 29(2), 200-205.
17. Guido Jr, J. A., & Stemm, J. (2007). Reactive neuromuscular training: a multi-level approach to rehabilitation of the unstable shoulder. North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy: NAJSPT, 2(2), 97-103.

Featured Image: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube

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Entering the 2022 Mr. Olympia, bodybuilder Hunter Labrada understandably set high expectations for himself. After he notched a fourth-place finish at the 2021 edition of the contest, Labrada aimed for the main throne in Las Vegas, NV, hoping to topple the mountain of a man in former two-time defending champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. Instead, Labrada not only failed to beat Elssbiay (that successful task ultimately came to eventual first-time champion Hadi Choopan), he fell off to seventh place in a disappointing finish.

On Jan. 9, 2023, Labrada appeared in a video on Iron World’s YouTube channel to personally recap his 2022 Olympia journey. Amidst a performance he clearly wasn’t happy with, Labrada discussed the emotions behind it and alluded to what’s next as he looks to rebound in 2023.

Labrada’s seventh-place result at the 2022 Olympia bothered him so much that he maintained he was staying away from social media platforms to avoid getting caught up in any discussion about the contest. In addition, the athlete usually makes a point to regularly share some sort of training or nutritional video on his YouTube channel. At the time of this writing, he has not posted anything there since Dec. 23, 2022.

“I have been off social media,” Labrada said. “I haven’t been shooting YouTube videos. I have been seeing my family and friends and keeping to myself because it shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of y’all by now, but I did not do what I was planning on doing at the Olympia this year. This is going to be the first time I kind of unpack that.” 

Because he placed in seventh, and with the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’s (IFBB) recent changes to its qualification system, Labrada no longer has an automatic berth in the 2023 Olympia. As a result, he shared that he expects to compete in at least two sanctioned IFBB Pro League contests before the next Olympia to try and earn his keep. He did not share which competitions he will aim to participate in before the 2023 Olympia occurs sometime in Nov. 2023 in Orlando, FL.

Perhaps more importantly, Labrada disclosed he’d use the new competitive opportunities to try and figure out where he stands physically after apparently messing something up in his final Olympia prep.

” … Regardless, if I win the first one [contests), which I am going to do,” Labrada said. “The fact of the matter is I need to figure my peak out. We have a very good idea of where we went wrong in those final five days.” 

Despite his most recent shortcoming, Labrada seemed optimistic about the future. As much as his 2022 Olympia performance bothered him, he has his eye on the prize in 2023.

“I’m really confident heading into this year,” Labrada said. I”n addition to that confidence heading into this year, I’m [expletive] pissed off, man. I put this timer up in my gym and worked every day for 342 days from last year’s Olympia [2021] to this Olympia. I came up short. Plain and simple. I came up short of what I wanted to do. At the end of the day, this is something I’ve always really preached throughout my preps, is to keep your peace of mind.”

Regardless of what happens next for Labrada, his positive mindset will likely serve him well. He might even channel his apparent shame over what happened at the 2022 Olympia into focused, quality energy as motivation.

“How you respond to adversity is what really makes you,” Labrada said. “I will never forget that [expletive] feeling of that first callout being called and me not being in it. It was in front of God knows how many people.” ” … I’m going to show you a much different Hunter at the two Pro shows I do and at the Olympia because I am going to qualify this year.”

Featured image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram

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Brian Shaw’s legacy is unquestionably secure in the pantheon of strongman greats. The 40-year-old living legend has been professionally carrying yokes and placing Atlas stones onto podiums for the better part of roughly 15 years. As he looks ahead to the next phase of his life that doesn’t involve lifting extremely large objects a few select times in the calendar, Shaw is ready to close an important chapter.

On Jan. 9, 2023, Shaw announced that the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) would be his last appearance in the famed international contest. When the latest edition rolls on Apr. 18-23, 2023, in Myrtle Beach, SC, Shaw will make “one more big push” for a historic fifth career WSM title.

When Shaw finally gets set to compete in the 2023 WSM, it will mark his 16th appearance in the illustrious contest. He has appeared in the WSM Finals, which comes after the heat stage cutoff, in 14 of his previous contests, only falling short of advancing in his WSM debut in 2008. To date, Shaw has never finished lower than sixth place (2019) in the WSM and can boast 10 podium results.

More impressively, when taking a historical context of wins, Shaw’s four WSM championships tie him for the second-most all-time with Žydrūnas Savickas, Magnús Ver Magnússon, and Jón Páll Sigmarsson. With five WSM titles, only Poland’s Mariusz Pudzianowski has more victories as he stands alone at the top of the sport. Shaw’s last WSM title happened in 2016 when he happened to overcome eventual 2017 WSM champion Eddie Hall (third place) and future 2018 WSM champion Hafthor Björnsson (second place).

When discussing what his last appearance will mean to him, Shaw was frank and seemingly optimistic about his prospects at the 2023 iteration of the competition.

“After taking some time to think about it, I want to give World’s Strongest Man one more big push.” Shaw said. “I feel like I’ve got it in me. My body feels great, and mentally, I think this year I can be in a much better spot. […] Now, there’s a lot of work to be done. I’m not going to skate around that fact. I don’t think this is going to be easy in any way, shape, or form. But the work can be put in and this can be awesome.”

To win his fifth career WSM title, Shaw faces a tall task in a stacked field of superstars. In addition to Shaw, the roster will likely include some form of reigning two-time champion Tom Stoltman, 2019 champion Martins Licis, and 2020 winner Oleksii Novikov.

One thing’s for sure: If Shaw can overcome this final gauntlet of talented peers, his status as a living strongman legend may only grow in scope in a WSM swan song.

Featured image: @shawstrength on Instagram

The post Brian Shaw Announces the 2023 World’s Strongest Man Will Be His Last appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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I’m lucky to live in warm climates with year-round access to fresh produce, but not everyone can pop over to their local farmer’s market or co-op whenever they want and grab the ingredients for a big-ass salad. Farm-to-table cuisine is great, the Primal ideal even, but the reality is that cooking with fresh, local ingredients requires access and time to shop and prepare food that not everyone enjoys, not always. Many people rely on preserved food for much or all of the year to meet their meat and produce needs, “preserved” meaning frozen, canned, dried, or fermented.

Whenever the topic of canned food comes up, I inevitably get questions about whether canned vegetables are nutritious, safe, or even Primal. (And I inevitably get comments about how we don’t need vegetables at all, which I discuss in my Definitive Guide to the carnivore diet.) Sure, Grok wouldn’t have eaten canned vegetables. But modern humans spend almost every minute of every day engaging with technology our ancestors couldn’t have imagined, from highly engineered mattresses topped with cooling pads to regulate our sleep temperature to air fryers to whatever device you’re reading this post on right now.

So I’m not too concerned about drawing some Primal line in the sand at food canning. The other questions are important, though. How does canned food stack up to fresh or frozen?

Are Canned Vegetables as Nutritious As Fresh or Frozen?

It depends on which vegetable and which nutrient you look at, but in general, canning tends to reduce nutrient content compared to fresh or frozen vegetables. But that’s not true across the board. Sometimes, specific nutrients are actually higher in canned offerings.^{1 2}

Furthermore—and this is a crucial point—nutrient losses due to canning often even out by the time the food makes it to your plate. Canning exposes food to high heat, so much of that nutrient loss is essentially due to the “cooking” that canned food undergoes. Most frozen vegetables only withstand a quick blanching before being flash frozen. Thus, if you compare fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables immediately after harvesting and processing, canned generally looks the worst, nutrient-wise. However, research shows that canned vegetables maintain their nutrient levels as they sit on the shelves, whereas the nutrients in frozen and fresh vegetables tend to degrade, bringing them more on par with canned. Once you factor in storing and then cooking fresh and frozen vegetables, you find that the initial disparities are much less pronounced as you’re forking it into your mouth.³

Clearly, the best choice is fresh vegetables consumed as close to harvesting as possible. The reality, though, is the produce at your supermarket may be many weeks out from when it was picked, making it less “fresh” than you might imagine. There’s also the whole issue of seasonal and regional availability to consider.

Overall, in terms of building a nutrient-dense diet, in most circumstances, canned vegetables are going to be just as good or nearly as good as grocery store or frozen vegetables.

BPA Concerns in Canned Foods

Nutrient content isn’t the only consideration when weighing canned versus fresh or frozen vegetables. There’s also the can itself. I have historically avoided canned vegetables in the store due to concerns over BPA in the can linings. (Home-canning in jars is different, of course. I’m all for home canning.) BPA is a known endocrine disruptor linked to immune system dysfunction, cancer, reproductive issues, and more. Since scientists and health watchdog groups have sounded the alarm about BPA in the past decade, industry reports suggest that almost all American manufacturers have moved away from BPA-lined cans.⁴

While that seems like a positive step, the BPA lining was there for a reason: to prevent corrosion and help preserve the food inside. Manufacturers replaced it, by necessity, with other types of materials that are supposed to be safer—“supposed to” being the operative words here. However, at this point, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what materials are being used by which manufacturers and, more importantly, how they are being tested for safety. Thus, I can’t say with any certainty that these new linings are better.

How Long Do Canned Foods Last?

Food waste is a massive global problem that is both economically and environmentally costly. One way we can reduce food waste is by learning what the expiration dates on our pantry items really mean. According to the USDA, “best by” dates aren’t about food safety but food quality.⁵ After those dates, the flavor and texture may start to take a hit, but canned foods are still perfectly edible.

There’s certainly no reason to throw canned food away simply because it is a week, a month, or even longer past its best by date. Canned foods stay good for up to five years in your cupboard, though you’ll want to use more acidic items like canned tomatoes within a year or so. Home-canned foods should be used within a year, ideally.

Just use common sense (and your nose). If a can looks damaged—rusted, bulging, or badly dented—it’s not worth taking a chance. Likewise if the food inside has a strange odor. Texture changes, slight discoloration, and crystallization are not signs that the food is spoiled.

Bottom Line

For the most part, I continue to opt for fresh, frozen, or shelved food in glass packaging when available. The notable exception is canned fish. The convenience of a canned sardine or anchovy, and the benefits of the omega-3s they deliver, means they still have a standing place in my cupboard.

Some items are hard to find outside a can, though. Cooked beans don’t come frozen (another argument for skipping legumes?), and while they’re easy and affordable to prepare from dried, that requires preplanning. If beans are a staple in your home, consider preparing big batches and freezing them in individual portions. Tetra Paks are becoming more common for things like stewed tomatoes and soups, but there are questions about their sustainability. They are technically recyclable, but many recycling facilities don’t have the proper machinery, so they end up in a landfill. And glass can be more expensive, which matters especially when the cost of groceries is on the rise.

If you’re going to choose canned foods for reasons of convenience or availability, still look for “BPA-free” on the label. Don’t leave canned tomatoes sitting on the shelf for months at a time. It gives the acidity more time to erode the lining. Buy them close to when you are ready to use them. Same goes for canned fruit. If you are laying up food for emergency preparedness, look at dehydrating as an option.

That about covers it. Anything I missed?

The post Are Canned Vegetables Healthy? appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Be honest…you have picked your nose and eaten a booger, right? I mean, even if you did it once, it counts. Some people are habitual pickers, some are pickers and eaters, and some are just pickers and flingers. But is eating boogers a good thing or a bad thing? Let’s dig to find out. Do […]

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Nick Walker entered the 2022 Mr. Olympia with legitimate aspirations of capturing bodybuilding’s most illustrious title. A top-five finisher in his debut in 2021, many presumed Walker would improve upon that result and push former two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay for the crown. As it turns out, Elssbiay would fall short of defending his title, but to Hadi Choopan instead. Walker would technically build upon his debut Olympia by finishing in third, but it still wasn’t exactly what he wanted.

On Jan. 1, 2023, Walker appeared in a YouTube podcast episode of The Mutant & The Mouth. The discussion saw him reflect on his 2022 Olympia performance and look ahead to potentially completing his ascent to the top of bodybuilding’s highest peak in 2023. (Note: There is NSFW language in the video.)

Walker doesn’t mince his words about his performance. In a frank assessment, the athlete admits he was pleased with his third-place result but thinks he probably should’ve and could’ve finished even higher in an ideal set-up. At the same time, he acknowledged that he, Derek Lunsford (second place), and Choopan might be duking it out at the top of the current Olympia pantheon for a little while. That is unless rising stars like Samson Dauda (sixth place) and Andrew Jacked (eighth place) break up the party.

“I’m very happy I took third [place],” Walker explained. “But I think, as an overall package, I think I could have been second. Derek [Lunsford], Hadi [Choopan], and I will probably be battling this out for years unless Samson [Dauda] comes out of the woodwork or if Andrew [Jacked] nails it one time. I do believe us three will be there for quite some time.”

It’s the latter two competitors in Dauda and Jacked that Walker seemed surprised by. The pair made enough of an impression on Walker for him to believe they could make some real noise with the proper refinements over the next approximate year.

“I arguably could have probably had Samson [Dauda] beating Ramy [Elssbiay] to be honest,” Walker said. “Samson’s a freak. I’m definitely excited to see what he can do at the Arnold [the Arnold Classic in March 2023], and what he can do at next year’s Olympia [in November 2023]. My personal opinion of Samson is I think he should sit out the Arnold and focus on making more improvements for the Olympia. He could cause a lot of havoc. His only downfall was he wasn’t conditioned enough. … Andrew [Jacked] made us look like amateurs. When this man was just chilling in his little Speedo, just relaxing, you’re just like, ‘What the [expletive] is that?’ He is one of the nicest guys.”

Walker himself will not be participating in the 2023 Arnold Classic. Much like the year 2022, he will center his efforts on training for the Olympia to optimize his best hopeful possible results.

The post Nick Walker Reflects on 2022 Mr. Olympia Performance, Thinks He Could’ve Fared Better appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Larry “Wheels” Williams has been very forthcoming about his decision to stop using steroids and transition to Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). The powerlifter/strongman/influencer has officially been training with TRT for almost half a year now. In the process, he’s documented several steps of this strength journey —perhaps most notably sharing a massive squat from November 2022 and his recent heaviest-ever deadlift while on the treatment to start 2023.

Wheels’ latest update from his foray into TRT and new strength life featured the athlete running through a full mock powerlifting meet. The idea was to test where his current one-rep maxes stand on the powerlifting staples of the squat, deadlift, and bench press. On Jan. 7, 2022, the athlete shared a video on his YouTube channel detailing said performance and his overall thought process.

Wheels performed his bench press and deadlift completely raw, save for a lifting belt, and used knee wraps for his squat. Here’s an overview of Wheels’ mock powerlifting performance:

Larry Wheels | Jan. 2023 Mock Powerlifting Meet Results

• Squat (W/Wraps) — 330 kilograms (727.5 pounds)
• Bench Press (Raw) — 230 kilograms (507.1 pounds)
• Deadlift (Raw) — 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds)
• Total (Raw W/Wraps) — 910 kilograms (2,006.2 pounds)

One of the other main reasons Wheels decided to conduct this meet was to compare his top TRT lifts with when he was on steroids and at a similar body weight. The athlete does possess higher personal records (PRs) for each of these lifts, but those were at a heavier body weight.

When it comes to Wheels’ TRT squat while using knee wraps, he actually lifted 1.1 kilograms (2.5 pounds) more than his previous squat with wraps PR from January 2014, per Open Powerlifting. According to Wheels in the video, in regard to his bench press, his lift of 230 kilograms (507.1 pounds) was 30 kilograms (66.1 pounds) less than his top bench press at a similar body weight while on steroids. Finally, Wheels didn’t hide his displeasure with his deadlift of 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds), but comparatively, it held up well to his previous steroid-assisted PR of 374.7 kilograms (826 pounds) (again at relatively the same body weight).

To close the meet (and the video), Wheels reflected on how far he’s come with TRT, this meet, and after stopping his extended steroid use. It seems as if one of the biggest names in strength sports is enjoying how his new personal endeavor is unfolding.

“This prep has been very enlightening, seeing what I’m capable of on TRT … I’m enjoying the process. I feel great. I think I look better than ever. Skin, sleep, mood, everything is stable.”

Featured image: Larry Wheels on YouTube

The post Larry Wheels Crushes a Full Mock Powerlifting Meet on TRT appeared first on Breaking Muscle.