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On Apr. 26, 2023, Rhianon Lovelace shared an Instagram clip of herself capturing a 320-kilogram (705-pound) 15-inch Axle Deadlift. The strongwoman and powerlifting extraordinaire wrote that the number she pulled with her loaded barbell was five times her body weight at the time of the video. That means the athlete weighed roughly 64 kilograms (141 pounds). Lovelace utilized lifting straps, a lifting belt, and had a lifting suit adorned to help her with the strength feat.
The most important part of Lovelace’s latest training update might not have been the lift itself. The caption features the strength superstar revealing that she plans to accomplish an 18-inch Axle Deadlift of at least 363 kilograms (800 pounds) by the end of the 2023 calendar year.
When it comes to shining on sanctioned lifting platforms in major contests, and in individualized training sessions, Lovelace is largely unparalleled in the current strength sports pantheon. The last approximate year, dating back to spring 2022, has seen Lovelace dominate seemingly whenever possible.
One of Lovelace’s more notable accomplishments includes setting the Axle Deadlift World Record at 261.5 kilograms (576.5 pounds) at the 2022 Arnold Strongman UK. Before that achievement, Lovelace broke the strongwoman deadlift World Record with a pull of 282.5 kilograms (623 pounds) at the 2022 Berkshire’s Strongest competition.
According to Lovelace’s caption, she previously set the 18-inch Axle Deadlift World Record at just over 700 pounds in October 2022. At the time of this writing, it is unclear what contest she refers to. Nonetheless, by the end of 2023, Lovelace has lofty ambitions to add over 45.3 kilograms (100 pounds) to her all-time best.
Lovelace is the reigning U64 World’s Strongest Woman (WSW) champion and first captured that title in 2018. According to her page on Open Powerlifting, as a powerlifter, Lovelace has never lost a contest dating back to a career that began in May 2015.
As one of the more decorated strength athletes today, Lovelace probably has a lot on her plate at any given moment. The athlete has usually handled it with aplomb and, based on her high standard of strength excellence, will likely continue to do so.
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Mitchell Hooper needed barely one year to rise to the top of the sport of strongman. After winning the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), it’d be fair if the Canadian strongman decided to sit back and roost in his success. Such an achievement does not come lightly, after all. That’s not how this young strength superstar operates.
On Apr. 26, 2023, Hooper posted a video to his YouTube channel where he worked throughhis first official (filmed) workout after capturing the first WSM title of his career. At the time of the video, Hooper is still in Myrtle Beach, SC — the site of the 2023 WSM. In the workout, Hooper does not necessarily reinvent the wheel. Nor does he introduce any outlandish concepts. It’s still an exercise routine noteworthy for someone who is officially one of the strongest people on the planet.
Hooper characterizes his workout as one of a “bodybuilding” variety. As the athlete explains, he didn’t “feel sore” mere days after his WSM triumph and wanted to ratchet up the intensity as a result.
Throughout his workout, Hooper focuses heavily on his chest and upper body. While he doesn’t provide precise specifics on repetitions and weight on every single segment of his training session, it’s still evidently a routine that pushes some of the limits of the current face of strongman.
Hooper begins the day with a classic barbell bench press, and gradually works his way up to 142.8 kilograms (315 pounds) for a set of 15 reps. He would close this portion with a 15-rep set at 102 kilograms (225 pounds). Here, the strongman seemingly appeared to start feeling some of the fatigue from his resounding WSM performance.
“I feel good,” Hooper explained. “My muscular endurance is terrible though. I can already feel some fatigue setting in during that [the bench press].”
The next piece of his workout saw Hooper utilize a Standing Bench Press machine, which Hooper noted was an event recently announced to appear in the 2023 Shaw Classic, taking place Aug. 19-20, 2023.
While continuing to focus on his chest endurance, the athlete powered through a few high-rep sets with the inadvertent aim of scoring a muscle pump. The variation is apparently easier than a traditional bench press, but it still pushed Hooper to a level of fatigue.
“I am getting a severe pump at the moment, big time pump,” Hooper said. “It is easier [than a traditional bench press], but I am just so fatigued.”
After giving his chest significant attention, Hooper threw in a measure of high-rep neutral-grip lat pulldowns. After several sets, his attention turned to a young lifter across the gym performing deadlifts. Hooper offered some deadlift form tips and watched as the gym-goer hoisted 206.4 kilograms (455 pounds) for six repetitions. The WSM champion gave the fortunate fan more general training advice before returning to his workout.
Back on track, Hooper completed his pulldowns, followed by lateral raises, triceps extensions, and bicep curls on a machine. While assuredly not an endeavor that happened quickly, Hooper described his overall routine as something that almost felt unproductive due to its relative brevity and intensity.
Here’s an overview of Hooper’s complete first workout as the 2023 WSM champion.
Mitchell Hooper | First Workout As WSM Champion
Bench Press
Standing Bench Press Machine
Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown
Lateral Raise
Cable Triceps Extension
Machine Biceps Curl
Of course, for this strongman star with plenty on his plate, he still got a lot done.
“It is funny, you almost feel like you are in and out without doing anything,” Hooper clarified. “But, biceps are pumped, chest will be sore, triceps will be sore. Objective achieved.”
With his first WSM victory in tow, Hooper could be expected to continue be full steam ahead during the 2023 competitive calendar. The athlete will likely be a central fixture at the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) and the 2023 Strongman Rogue Invitational (SRI). The strongman finished in third place at the 2022 iterations of both contests.
At the time of this writing, Hooper has not clarified whether he has any other plans for strongman competition through the remainder of the year. Though, it’s likely he will add more to his docket. Hooper is now a definitive household name, taking in workouts when he can, looking for the next strongman podium to conquer.
On Apr. 19, 2023, Craig Richey of the TeamRICHEY YouTube channel toured Fraser’s new gym. In the process, Richey gave a comprehensive look at what the five-time CrossFit Men’s Individual champion (2016-2020) is now offering his athletes.
The main benefit of Fraser’s new HWPO facility is space. The headquarters for the preparation of Fraser’s CrossFit athletes has 6,500 square feet of space and 5,000 square feet of office space. What’s apparent is that if an athlete needs to tackle a multitude of training objectives for CrossFit competition, they won’t be short on options (or breathing room) at this gym.
Aside from sheer training space, there’s a studio for content creation, video, and management of social media platforms. Any athletes who have the pleasure of using the headquarters get the benefit of a “Recovery Zone” lounge, with a sauna and cold therapy. That’s in addition to standard personal lockers, of course.
In terms of CrossFit machinery and equipment offered, Fraser’s team appears to have pulled out all the stops. There is a full array of Concept2 machinery with multiple SkiERGs, BikeERGs, and rowers. A 55-foot-long strip of space defines a strength and conditioning area seemingly ideal for sled pushing, sprinting, and agility drills. There is also a massive competition rig for pull-ups, rope climbing, and muscle-ups. It has two 15-foot-tall uprights for that design. The massive facility also offers eight separate squat racks with an abundance of barbells and weight plates.
At the time of this article’s publication, Fraser’s new HWPO facility is still in its developmental stages. He and his team are figuring out what works and what doesn’t.
At the very least, Fraser seems ready for new ventures in CrossFit training at any time.
“Every gym I’ve moved into, I was like, ‘Oh, we’ll never run out of space here,’” Fraser said in the video. “I’m to the point now that I’m like, ‘No, I wanna outgrow these spaces,’ I want to build it bigger and better.”
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Bodybuilding is a lifelong venture. Whether you’re in it for competition or just in it for the lifestyle (and the size), it will be a labor of love. As a beginner, you can see some progress with almost any program, but actually going far will take a bit more planning.
It’s easy to get distracted seeking rapid gains without noticing plateaus closing in all around you. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know until it’s too late, especially when you’re new to the gym. Luckily, you don’t have to wade into training blindly.
Credit: Syda Productions / Shutterstock
Try this bodybuilding routine — specifically designed for beginners looking to build mass. But it’s not just for packing on size, it can also future-proof your body by building a foundation for every routine to come.
A push/pull/legs routine is one of the most common forms of splitting your training week, and for good reason. It focuses on synergistic movements (exercises that work overlapping muscles) that can build your physique extremely well as a beginner. From machines, calisthenics (bodyweight training), free weights, and cable work, you’ll catch a crazy pump and plenty of progress to show for it.
Push/pull/legs routines are often performed twice within the same week. Train each routine in order once before taking a rest day and starting the cycle again — three workouts, rest day, three workouts, rest day, repeat.
Credit: Nannupa / Shutterstock
With this approach, each muscle group will have three to four days of rest while also being worked with a double-dose of training per week. However, don’t fret if your schedule only allows you to train each routine once a week. As long as your total weekly training (the number of hard sets) is consistent, you should see generally equal muscle gain regardless of whether you do it all in one day or choose to spread over two sessions. (1)
To get the most out of your early bodybuilding stages, think about using exercises that will help carry over into future routines. Look to build a foundation of strength, stability, and muscle by incorporating multi-joint exercises such as presses, hinges (deadlift variations), and squatting patterns.
These exercises will also help efficiently approach your core development by not having to specifically add in abdominal training during your beginner stages. As you progress through each day and get deeper into your programs, you can get more specific with isolation-type core training.
The Push Workout
A solid push routine will kick off your push/pull/legs split with a bang. Building up your presses, upper body stability, and finishing with some pump work will set you on a great path for continued progress. A good rule of thumb is to prioritize your biggest or hardest exercises, so line up your presses and calisthenics first. After that, drop into some more moderate weight and repetition work. Isolation-type training can round out your day and leave you walking away ready for your next routine in the split.
Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock
Regardless of the exercise or set and repetitions you perform, get each set as close to muscle failure as possible. When you do, most repetition ranges can help deliver an effective dose of muscle-growing stimulus. (2)
Machine Chest Press
How to Do It: Take a seat on the chest press machine and tuck your shoulder blades together. Take a comfortable-width, palms-down grip on the pressing handles. Slowly lower the handles toward your body until you feel a light stretch across your chest. Press the handles back toward your starting position, stopping just shy of locking your elbows.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-12
Rest Time: Rest two minutes between sets.
Dip
How to Do It: Support yourself on an assisted dip machine or parallel dip station by gripping the handles with your palms facing in toward your body. Extend your arms, which allows you to begin each rep from a strong locked out position. Brace your entire body and bend your arms to slowly lower yourself. Allow your torso to lean slightly forward with your elbows aimed at an angle. Once you feel a light stretch in your chest or shoulders, press through your palms and push back toward lockout.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-12
Rest Time: Rest two minutes between sets.
Machine Pec Flye
How to Do It: Sit on the pec-deck machine with your entire back flat against the pad. Grab each handle with a slight bend in your elbows. Keep your arms “long” and nearly straight. Bring your palms together in front of your chest before returning to the stretched position.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-15
Rest Time: Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Cable Crossbody Triceps Extension
How to Do It: Stand in the center of a dual pulley station with the pulleys set at the highest level. Grab the carabiners on each side with the opposite hand — your left hand grabs the right pulley and your right hand grabs the left pulley. Take a small step backward, tuck your shoulder blades back and down, and lean forward slightly with a stable body. Squeeze your upper arms to your sides. Straighten your arms by flexing and extend to lift the weights. Move with a strict, controlled motion.
Sets and Reps: 2 x 12-15
Rest Time: Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Single-Arm Overhead Cable Triceps Extension
How to Do It: Set a cable pulley in the bottom position. Grab the carabiner or a single handle attachment in one hand and stand sideways to the stack with your non-working arm closest to the pulley. Get your arm overhead in a locked out position. Take a small step away from the machine, brace your body, and bend your elbow to lower the weight before extending your arm to lockout.
Sets and Reps: 2 x 12-15 per arm.
Rest Time: No rest between arms. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Muscles Trained in the Push Workout
The major muscle groups trained during a push workout will be your pectoralis major (chest), triceps, and anterior deltoids (shoulders).
Pectoralis Major
Your pectoralis major is the largest and most prominent muscle on the front side of your torso. This big patch of muscle is a huge contributor to a well-formed upper body and can help perform many of your upper body strength and muscle-building exercises. Specifically, your pecs help with presses, flyes, and many calisthenics.
Relatively larger muscles, such as your chest, may benefit from regional hypertrophy — where, even within a single muscle, you may get a bit more targeted growth in specific sections based upon your exercise choice and performance. (3) For example, adding an incline to your presses may be one thing to consider for long-term development. (4)
Triceps
Your triceps are a major contributor to arm size. The “tri” in the name triceps means that there are three individual muscle heads that make up the backside of your arm. Luckily for you, when an exercise extends your elbow and straightens your arm, all three triceps heads will make gains. Performing triceps exercises overhead is a great way to help with shoulder stability and recruit a bit more of the “long head” of triceps.
Anterior Deltoids
Your shoulders are the muscle group that caps your upper arm and can be split into three distinct major sections due to its multiple muscle heads and functions. The anterior deltoid, or front shoulder, is appropriately found on the front of your body near the upper part of your chest and it helps perform many similar tasks. Drawing your arm across your body during many pec exercises, such as pressing or flyes, will also hit your anterior deltoids to a large degree.
The Pull Workout
The pull workout will be a great second act in your split. While the muscles involved are arguably a little less “showy” than those worked in the pushing routine, the return on investment cannot be denied. Your physique will rapidly fill out and contribute to a sweet muscular frame to display your hard work. You’ll also hit biceps, which no one ever seems to mind. All in all, this session is a real winner.
Credit: Amnaj Khetsamtip / Shutterstock
You may struggle to feel specific muscles of the back working when you’re still a beginner. If this is the case, try using eccentric control — intentionally slowing down the lowering phase of each repetition. A two to three-second lowering portion can really help here. This shouldn’t have a negative impact on your growth, but may help you learn to execute each exercise more effectively for the long-term. (5)
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
How to Do It: Grab a dumbbell and a bench to help support your posture. Rest one knee and one hand on the bench as a brace while the other hand holds the dumbbell. Stand on your free leg and brace on the bench with the opposite side of your body on the. Row the dumbbell toward your body until your elbow is near your ribs, before lowering back to a full stretch.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-12 per arm
Rest Time: No rest between arms. Rest two minutes between sets.
Half-Kneeling Single-Arm Cable Pulldown
How to Do It: Attach a single handle to a high pulley on a cable pulldown station. Step into a reverse lunge, resting your rear knee comfortably on the floor. Holding the handle in the hand opposite your “forward” leg in the 90-degree lunge position. Brace your entire body and draw the cable toward the front of your shoulder. Control the weight and allow it to return to stretched position overhead without moving your feet. When you switch arms, switch your stance as well.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-15 per arm
Rest Time: No rest between arms. Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Chest-Supported T-Bar Row
How to Do It: Take the wide handles on a chest-supported T-bar row station. Lean your upper body against the chest support and brace your legs on the platform. Draw the weight toward your body while keeping your elbows flared out at a comfortable angle. Don’t allow your elbows to “pinch” inward. Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position for a full stretch.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-12
Rest Time: Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Cable Reverse Flye
How to Do It: Set two cable pulleys slightly above shoulder-height. Grab the carabiners or a single handle each side of the cable, using opposite hands. Keep your arms mostly straight and take a small step backwards. Tuck your shoulder blades back and down, assume a stable stance, and brace your core. Draw your arms back, creating a “standing T” posture, before returning your arms in front to lower the weight.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-15
Rest Time: Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Single-Arm Face-Away Cable Curl
How to Do It: Attach a single handle the lowed position of a cable pulley. Grab the handle and face away from the cable stack. Take a small step forward and keep the handle by your side — aim to feel a “pre-stretch” in your biceps muscle. Lean slightly forward at your waist and perform curls, flexing to the top and extending your arm into a full stretch at the bottom.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-15
Rest Time: No rest between arms. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Muscles Trained in the Pull Workout
Your pulling routine will cover a ton of muscular real estate, with many exercises crossing over to train several muscles at once. Working your pull muscles will recruit your latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, and biceps brachii — which is why this session would also be considered a back and biceps workout.
Latissimus Dorsi
The latissimus dorsi is of the largest muscles on your body. It is a big swath of muscle that spans most of your back and each side of your torso. Exercises that draw your arm from high to low and from front to back are going to be powered to, a huge degree, by your latissimus dorsi. This includes pulldowns and rows of all varieties but, particularly, variations that use an arm path close to your body (as opposed to extra-wide-grip rows), will be great here.
Trapezius
Your trapezius muscle is another relatively large, triangular-shaped muscle that spans from the back of your neck down toward your mid-back. Your trapezius is used in many different exercises because of how broadly it attaches to your body.
Credit: Wood Water Wall / Shutterstock
Most commonly, exercises that pull your arms back towards your body — especially with a flare-out elbow position and a double-overhand grip — will be best. Think about squeezing your shoulder blades together while using a double-overhand grip to better target the traps in any pulling exercise.
Rhomboids
Your rhomboids are a close neighbor of your traps and they will be smoked by many of the same types of pulling exercises. Movements that require you to protract and retract your shoulder blades (bringing them together and apart) will have a big carry over to building your rhomboids. Performing exercises from a slightly low-to-high arcing motion might also help you hit the rhomboids slightly better, such as upright row variations.
Posterior Deltoid
Much like your anterior deltoids are trained during the pushing workout, your posterior deltoids — on the backside of your shoulder — are heavily targeted during many pull routine exercises. Similar to you rhomboids and trapezius, most exercises that bring your arm backward, while using an overhand grip, can help build some well-developed posterior delts.
Keeping your shoulder blades locked in the same position during these movements will emphasize the posterior deltoids a bit more, because it will shift focus away from your trapezius and onto your rear delts.
Biceps Brachii
One of the benefits of a pulling workout is that your biceps brachii (those good ol’ biceps) get a double dose of love during pulling routine. Effectively, all of your back exercises will have some form of biceps involvement due to your arms connecting you to the weights. After some indirect work through the your entire session, it’s common to finish them off with a direct biceps exercise or two that really emphasize flexing your arm.
Inescapable Leg Day
For some, leg training can be a necessary evil. It can be a grueling day at the office, but a huge set of wheels is a prerequisite for bodybuilding and muscular legs complement any overall physique. Although barbell work can eventually be an asset here, building some quality muscle and slowly working it into place is likely a better plan for long-term results.
As a beginner, too much barbell work, too fast can be disproportionately fatiguing. In the long run, you’ll get more than your fair share of barbell training but, for now, ease in with machines and dumbbells.
Credit: Vladimir Sukhachev / Shutterstock
Your leg routine can be a great way to build full body strength in the long term as well. The goal will still be to safely perform each set to a high degree of difficulty (close to muscle failure). If you can, erring on the slightly heavier side of things can help with strength development development while still producing serious muscle gain. (2)
Hack Squat
How to Do It: Step onto the hack squat machine, resting your entire back — from your hips to shoulders — flat against the pad. Set your shoulders snugly into the shoulder pads, and lay your head flat against the support. Use a comfortable foot stance with your feet pointed slightly out. Brace your entire body, unrack the weight, and bend your legs to lower yourself as deeply as comfortably possible. Stand up to return to the starting position.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-10
Rest Time: Rest two to three minutes between sets.
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
How to Do It: Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with them comfortably alongside your body. Take a hip-width foot and slightly bend your knees. Brace your entire body and squeeze the dumbbells tight. Slowly slide your hips back while keeping your knees in the same position and keeping your back nearly straight. Keep shifting your hips back until you feel a slight stretch across your glutes and hamstrings before standing up.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-10
Rest Time: Rest two minutes between sets.
Glute Bridge
How to Do It: Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent to roughly 90-degrees. Place a dumbbell comfortably across your lap and support each end of the weight with your hands to secure it in place. Brace your core and extend your hips by driving through your feet and flexing your glutes. When your hips are raised to form a nearly straight line from your knees to your chest, hold a strong squeeze for one second before lowering yourself back to the starting position.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-15
Rest Time: Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Leg Extension
How to Do It: Sit on the leg extension machine, adjusting the seat so that the back of your knees rest comfortably against the pad. The ankle roller should also sit comfortably at the natural curve between your foot and shin. Grab the side handles for support before flexing your quadriceps to extend your knees. Squeeze in the top position for a solid second before slowly lowering your legs back to the starting position.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 12
Rest Time: Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Lying Hamstring Curl
How to Do It: Lie face down on the machine, placing your hips comfortably at the natural crease on the machine padding. The ankle roller should be adjusted to sit a few inches above your heels. Grab the handles and brace your core before squeezing your hamstrings to draw your feet toward your butt. Slowly lower your legs to a full stretch and repeat.
Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-15
Rest Time: Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Muscles Trained in the Leg Workout
This leg workout will target the major muscle groups of the lower body. While your calves and inner thighs also could be trained directly, they should get some good initial growth from this routine as-is. The main targets will be the quadriceps, gluteals, and hamstrings.
Quadriceps
The quadriceps are the big muscles that compose the front of your thighs. There are four distinct muscles that make up the same “muscle group” but they all contribute to straightening or extending your leg. Hitting a good squat pattern and knee/leg extension are the meat and potatoes of quadriceps training.
Gluteals
The gluteals, or “glutes,” are your butt. They are actually one of the biggest muscles on your body and they contribute to many powerful exercises. Squats, deadlifts, and Olympic lifting are all very glute-dominant movements. Basically, anything that extends your hip requires your glutes to perform.
Credit: MIGUEL MARTINEZ FRIAS / Shutterstock
Although big movements moving potentially heavy weights can be key to developing big glutes, relatively smaller movement patterns like a basic glute bridge can help build up some much sought after muscle mass, too.
Hamstrings
The hamstrings are the beefy back portion of your legs. They are made up of three large muscle “bellies,” but they generally perform knee flexion (curling) and hip extension (straightening). This means that your hinge-based movements like Romanian deadlifts and hamstring curls will hit them quite hard throughout your lower body routines.
How To Warm-Up for Stronger, Safer Training
Warming up for a bodybuilding routine can be as simple as hitting some lighter weight, higher repetition sets of your first exercise. Depending on your needs, it could also be a lightweight circuit that helps mobilize and stabilize your joints for the task at hand. Regardless, if you’re looking for a straightforward, general, and effective approach to warming up for your bodybuilding routine, try these.
Upper Body — Push and Pull Day
Warming up your upper body will be very centered upon your shoulders. Most issues arise from a lack of mobility or stability around the shoulders and it can negatively impact both your push and pull days.
As a general rule, a solid amount of band pull-aparts, face pulls, and single-arm bottoms-up kettlebell presses can prepare you for a hard day at the upper body office. If you feel particularly stiff on a given day, you can also throw in some pec or lat stretches first.
Lower Body
Your lower body warm-up will be all about hip mobility and stability. This gives you the leeway to use certain unweighted exercises such as lunges, split squats, or single-leg Romanian deadlifts to help prepare.
You can also get a good general warm-up from most cardio equipment. A moderate-incline power walk or, better yet, a few rounds on an air bike can be just the trick when you want to think less and work more. If you struggle with core positioning, a few planks can set you straight.
Get Gaining
The beginner stage of bodybuilding is a wonderful time. Your body is literally adapting to training as quickly as it ever will. This can be extremely motivating, but it can also be easy for an overzealous trainee to leave gaps in long-term development. Using this push/pull/legs split can be just the ticket. Its frequency will help you grow some serious muscle while also giving you the programming flexibility to leave no muscle-building stone unturned. Get started today, begin gaining some quality muscle, and build the foundation that will serve you far down the line.
References
Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., & Latella, C. (2019). Resistance training frequency and skeletal muscle hypertrophy: A review of available evidence. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 22(3), 361–370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2018.09.223
Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2017). Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 31(12), 3508–3523. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002200
Zabaleta-Korta, A; Fernández-Peña, E; Santos-Concejero, J. (2020) Regional Hypertrophy, the Inhomogeneous Muscle Growth: A Systematic Review. Strength and Conditioning Journal 42(5):p 94-101, DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000574
Chaves, S. F. N., Rocha-JÚnior, V. A., EncarnaÇÃo, I. G. A., Martins-Costa, H. C., Freitas, E. D. S., Coelho, D. B., Franco, F. S. C., Loenneke, J. P., Bottaro, M., & Ferreira-JÚnior, J. B. (2020). Effects of Horizontal and Incline Bench Press on Neuromuscular Adaptations in Untrained Young Men. International journal of exercise science, 13(6), 859–872.
Bernárdez-Vázquez, R., Raya-González, J., Castillo, D., & Beato, M. (2022). Resistance Training Variables for Optimization of Muscle Hypertrophy: An Umbrella Review. Frontiers in sports and active living, 4, 949021. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.949021
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This year, the Masters Olympia will return after an 11-year absence, taking place in Cluj-Napoca, Romania on Aug. 26-27, 2023. It will feature 10 competitive divisions and exclusively showcase bodybuilding athletes who are at least 40 years of age. With the early-April application process finished, it is now clear who will be traveling to Eastern Europe this coming summer.
On Apr. 25, 2023, an Olympia TV YouTube video featuring Jay Cutler and other bodybuilding figures like Terrick El Guindy, Steve Weinberger, and Alina Popa revealed the complete roster for the 2023 Masters Olympia. The overall prize purse for the participating competitors will be $229,000.
The headline division of the contest might be the Men’s Open class. Recent months have seen speculation about athletes such as Cutler, Johnnie Jackson, and Dexter Jackson (the last Masters Olympia champion in 2012) potentially joining the competition. As confirmed by this roster reveal, the seasoned veterans, who are in the midst of their respective retirements, will not feature at the 2023 Masters Olympia.
However, an established veteran and active titan in the main Olympia field, Kamal Elgargni, is now confirmed to be part of the Masters Olympia roster. Elgargni is most notably coming off a third-place result in the 212 division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. He will compete in the Men’s Open at the return of the Masters Olympia. Elgargni may maintain this competitive set-up to prepare for the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia. The athlete previously clarified this would be his plan to stay consistent with his training and nutrition.
2023 Masters Olympia Rosters | Overview
Here’s a complete rundown of every division’s roster at the 2023 Masters Olympia.
The return of the Masters Olympia means some of the more experienced bodybuilders in the sport get the chance to shine on a stage again. Who actually poses well and thrives won’t be determined until late August in Romania.
Featured Image: @ifbb_pro_kamal_elgargni on Instagram
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On Apr. 23, 2023, Hampton Morris shared an Instagram video of himself attempting a 175-kilogram (385.8-pound) clean & jerk during a rigorous training session. The strength feat is 14 kilograms (30.9 pounds) more than Morris’s Junior World Record in the 61-kilogram weight class. He succeeded in the clean and just missed the jerk, failing to secure an overhead lockout. According to Morris’s post, he had a body weight of 64.8 kilograms (142.8 pounds) at the time of the lift but plans to cut down to his usual 61-kilogram (134.5-pound) status by the time he officially competes again.
The weightlifter notched his record mark of 162 kilograms (357.1 pounds) during a Senior gold-medal winning performance at the 2022 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Pan-American Championships in Bogotá, Colombia. That lift remains Morris’ all-time competition best.
Morris’s most recent training clean & jerk is connected to his preparation for the 2023 IWF Grand Prix I. The contest takes place on Jun. 8-13, 2023, in Havana, Cuba, and is a qualifying event for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. A sterling performance there would be a sizable step forward for Morris to work toward earning his first-ever berth on Team USA’s Olympic weightlifting roster.
At the time of this article’s publication, Morris has three Senior gold medals in the 61-kilogram division to his name. He scored all of them at the last three iterations of the IWF Pan-American Championships (2021-2023). Morris is also in possession of a 61-kilogram gold medal from the 2021 IWF Junior World Championships and a 61-kilogram gold medal from the 2021 IWF Youth World Championships.
Even considering his age, the weightlifter is one of Team USA’s more decorated active competitors, boasting seven victories in international contests dating back to the IWF Pan-American Youth Championships in 2019. In that same time frame, the only instance Morris has ever fallen short of the top of the podium was a silver medal from the 2021 IWF Junior Pan-American Games in Cali and Valle, Colombia.
Here’s an overview of all seven of Morris’s international profile wins:
Hampton Morris (61KG) | International Victories 2019-2023
2019 Pan-American Youth Championships — First place
2020 Pan-American Junior Championships — First place
2021 Youth World Championships — First place
2021 Pan-American Championships — First place
2022 Junior World Championships — First place
2022 Pan-American Championships — First place
2023 Pan-American Championships — First place
What’s clear from this ledger is that Morris, still just 19, is already one of the biggest names in American weightlifting and otherwise.
A big few weeks await Morris as he tries to take the next step in his already prolific weightlifting career. Morris has proven himself on an international stage and evidently has the prerequisite strength and athleticism to thrive amongst the globe’s elite. The next step is doing it at the Olympic Games. That, too, might be an outright inevitability.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Daniel Bell was off to a raucous start in 2023. He had matched Hafthor Björnsson‘s deadlift of 395 kilograms (870.8 pounds) at the 2023 Arnold Sports Festival (ASF). Eventually, he had planned to extend his all-time raw with wraps World Record total of 1,182 kilograms (2,606.9 pounds) in the +140-kilogram weight class. For the time being, the athlete will seemingly have to put these plans on hold.
On Apr. 20, 2023, Bell revealed that he recently suffered a left leg injury while finishing a 425-kilogram (937-pound) back squat raw with wraps during the 2023 USA-UA Pioneer on the Beach. The powerlifter did not disclose the nature or severity of his ailment from the early April competition and mainly noted it felt like his “left glute was getting torn in half.” While the athlete persevered through his squat to a first-place performance in the +140-kilogram weight class, it seems likely that this injury will need some measure of attention.
In Bell’s Instagram post discussing his injury, he didn’t mince words. While he hasn’t (at the time of this article’s publication) provided more precise clarification on what exactly happened, Bell’s description makes this situation appear severe for one of the globe’s strongest powerlifters. The athlete has not posted an update to his social media platforms since revealing his health status.
Parts of the immediate aftermath didn’t sound pleasant, which revealed other underlying issues.
“Ten years in it’s bound to happen,” Bell wrote of his injury. “Woke up on Monday [April 17] unable to feel or move my toes. [It was] absolutely wild a week after. Moved forward with morphine and two different hospitals finding one of the largest MRI machines in Florida to find out my spine and six bulging discs have seen better days.”
According to Bell, his main goal is to avoid surgery. At the time of this writing, it is unclear what kind of surgery he would need or how long it would keep him out of training and sanctioned powerlifting competitions.
Nonetheless, it’s undoubtedly a setback for an athlete of his mold, and something he and his performance trainer Jacob Ross would prefer to steer clear of.
“Already in the process of working things out with [Jacob Ross] and avoiding surgery at all costs.”
Bell hasn’t lost in a powerlifting competition since 2019, according to Open Powerlifting.
To maintain his exemplary resume of late, and eventually break his own total World Record, Bell will likely need to take his time to fully recover from his injuries. It might be a while before anyone hears from the athlete again in an official capacity. Such a wait could be worth it for this strength star.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Tom Stoltman entered the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) with historic aspirations. Should the former two-time reigning champion (2021-2022) have beaten his elite strongman peers in Myrtle Beach, SC, he would have become only the third competitor to win three consecutive WSM titles. Instead, he fell short with a runner-up finish to eventual victor Mitchell Hooper. At the very least, the Scottish athlete seems to accept his shortcoming.
On Apr. 24, 2023, a day after the conclusion of the latest climactic WSM, Stoltman posted a reflection on his performance to his Instagram. While he didn’t make history, Stoltman already appears to be looking ahead to another title shot and more coming strongman greatness.
To date, only the United States’ Bill Kazmaier (1980-1982) and Iceland’s Magnús Ver Magnússon (1994-1996) have ever won three straight WSM titles. With a victory, Stoltman would’ve been the third and joined their very exclusive company in the contest’s illustrious 46-year history.
Alas, such an achievement wasn’t meant to be for one of modern’s strongman’s biggest names. It would’ve been understandable if Stoltman wanted to lament his misfortunes and missed opportunities. An athlete of his prowess, standing on the precipice of almost unprecedented greatness, taking the time to highlight went wrong likely wouldn’t have been stunning.
However, like a great competitor with a championship mentality, Stoltman instead showed graciousness in what he left in his latest WSM appearance. A British Record Max Dumbbell Press of 132.5 kilograms (292 pounds) likely helps his standing.
“I gave everything I had this year!” Stoltman wrote. “Hitting the big dumbbell was a personal goal for myself and I was consistent throughout. I’m very proud … I got told I wouldn’t be getting near the podium at [the 2023 WSM] due to my Arnold [Strongman Classic] performance. I worked hard and gave my all!”
Stoltman’s WSM title run officially ended with four podium appearances in the last four years. In both instances where Stoltman didn’t win, he was the runner-up to the champion — Hooper in 2023 and Oleksii Novikov in 2020. Stoltman finished ahead of the third-place Novikov at the 2023 WSM.
As for paying tribute to those who paved the way, Stoltman seemed remiss if he didn’t mention a more established strongman legend. After qualifying for his 15th WSM Finals, Brian Shaw will no longer be a fixture at the flagship strongman competition as he nears his retirement.
Stoltman made sure to pay his appropriate respects to the strength icon.
“Thank you to Brian Shaw for everything you have done for this sport and for myself.”
Stoltman’s excellent past precedent suggests that his 2023 WSM runner-up placing won’t be the last anyone sees of this superstar strongman. If anything, moving forward, he’ll likely channel it as motivation to complete a successful climb to the top again.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Renowned strongman commentator and 2016 Europe’s Strongest Man, Laurence “Big Loz” Shahlaei has worked as a coach for many high-level strength athletes, including the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), Mitchell Hooper. Following Hooper’s 2023 WSM victory, Shahlaei and wife Liz Shahlaei shared their thoughts and opinions about the news his YouTube channel.
The Shahlaei’s started the video with a recap of the last day of competition, beginning with the Circus Dumbbell. They noted that 2020 WSM winner Oleksii Novikov was expected to do well based his long string of dominating the event in past competitions, while Hooper and defending champion Tom Stoltman may likely lose points on the leaderboard.
Liz Shahlaei expressed her thoughts about the refereeing during this event, highlighting some potentially questionable lockout calls, while Big Loz noted that the calls were at least consistent with all the athletes.
He was most shocked that 2020 World’s Strongest Man Oleksii Novikov didn’t win the event — Novikov would tie for second place, along with Tom and Luke Stoltman, and Pavlo Kordiyaka. All four competitors completed a lift with the 132.5-kilogram (291-pound) dumbbell. Hooper and Evan Singleton tied for the win in that event, successfully lifting the 140.4-kilogram (309-pound) dumbbell.
Next up was the Truck Pull, and every man that was still in the competition finished in less than 40 seconds, which surprised Loz. Hooper won that event with a time of 30.24 seconds, which padded his overall lead over Stoltman going into the final event.
“I have to say, I’ve never seen the Truck Pull done so quickly at World’s Strongest Man.”
Indeed, the last time a vehicle pull was performed faster in a WSM Finals event was Manfred Hoberl’s blazing 29.64-second truck pull in the 1994 WSM contest.
Shahlaei also noted that he was glad there appeared to be no controversy over who won the event, as Hooper’s time exceeded the runner-up by more than two full seconds.
“The winner was a clear winner,” Big Loz said, while pointing out that Hooper’s previous performance in the event — 49.24 seconds in the 2022 WSM — wasn’t as competitive as his recent performance.
“He’s worked extremely hard at this. This whole competition has just been phenomenal. I’ve been blown away.”
The couple then covered the Atlas Stones, in which Hooper placed second behind Stoltman. However, Hooper’s collection of points on the leaderboard was still good enough to clinch the title. Loz and Liz even showed Loz’s live reaction as the results were shared online. The coach summed up his client’s performance as a dominant one.
“It’s been an emotional week. We’re so proud of Mitch Hooper. We’re proud of all the athletes. Obviously I’m coaching Mitch, and I’m invested in him.”
They concluded the video by recapping the top ten as a collective, and he saluted four-time World’s Strongest Man (2011, 2013, 2015-2016) Brian Shaw, who made his last appearance at the contest.
“It’s been a pleasure and a nightmare at times to compete against him in my career, but it’s been an honor, and I hope he goes on and does great things.”
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
57-year old strongman legend Mark Felix has competed in his final World’s Strongest Man contest. The Grenadian-born, British competitor announced in February 2023 that the most recent edition of the contest would be his last. He made his 18th and final appearance in the competition at the 2023 edition in Myrtle Beach, SC on the week of Apr. 19-23.
Felix failed to make the finals, and the competition was won by 27-year-old Mitchell Hooper. In a strange twist of coincidence, Hooper had his ninth birthday during the 2004 WSM where Felix made his debut in the competition, while Felix had his 57th birthday just two days before his final WSM appearance. On Apr. 22, 2023, Felix shared his thoughts about his expansive WSM career in an Instagram post.
“So many things I could say about my 18th and final WSM show, the opportunities Strongman and [The World’s Strongest Man] has given me over the last 18 years. I have traveled the world. I have competed with the best of the best … from athletes, organizers, crew, sponsors, coach and trainers, friends, family, and supporters, I want to thank you all. It’s been awesome.”
Even though Felix will no longer participate in the World’s Strongest Man contest, he made it clear that he is far from done in the sport itself.
“Strongman Sport is in my blood, it’s a family like no other, and I am looking forward to continuing competing in the [Giants Live] and [Official Strongman Games] shows … To everyone who supports me, thank you for the messages I read them all it means a lot … see you all soon at a show”
Felix has competed in every WSM contest from 2004 to 2023 with the exceptions of the 2005 and 2012 contests. He has reached the Finals on three occasions, with a highest-ever finish in fourth place at the 2006 WSM, followed in 2007 with a sixth-place finish.
In 2015, Felix achieved what would be his last Top 10 finish, reaching eighth place. That same year, Brian Shaw captured his third WSM title. In another coincidence, Shaw has also announced that the 2023 WSM would be his final appearance in the contest.
Felix has competed shoulder-to-shoulder with every WSM champion during that time, from Vasyl Virastyuk (2004) to Hooper (2023).
Outside of the WSM competition, Felix won titles including the 2016 World Strongman Federation’s (WSF) World Cup and the 2015 Ultimate Strongman Masters World Championships.
He may be best known for his incredible grip strength, which propelled him to a World Record in the Hercules Hold, where Felix held the 160-kilogram (352-pound) pillars for 92.37 seconds at the 2020 Europe’s Strongest Man contest. He also won the Vice Grip Viking Challenge in 2011 and 2012, as well as the Rolling Thunder competition in 2008 and 2009.
Even though Felix made it clear he will compete in other shows, as of this writing, there is no word on exactly what Felix’s next contest will be.
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