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Across the board, in a historic Olympia weekend on Dec. 16-17, 2022, it was a very profitable competition for bodybuilding’s top superstars. For example, in capturing his first-ever Mr. Olympia title on the Las Vegas, NV, stage, Iranian athlete Hadi Choopan took home the grand prize of $400,000. Meanwhile, former 212 champion Derek Lunsford made $150,000 for finishing in second place in the Men’s Open division — triple his earnings from the 212 victory in 2021.

Overall, in an eventful Olympia featuring 11 divisions, only five athletes retained their title from the year prior. At the same time, six new champions (completely new or winners from previous years) stood on top of their respective podiums. Here is an overview of the awarded money awarded through each 2022 Olympia division.

Here is a breakdown of awarded money through every 2022 Olympia category. Note: The Wheelchair division’s respective financial rewards were not disclosed during the actual competition.

2022 Mr. Olympia Awarded Money

1. Hadi Choopan— $400,000
2. Derek Lunsford — $150,000
3. Nick Walker — $100,000
4. Brandon Curry — $40,000
5. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay — $30,000

2022 Classic Physique Awarded Money

1. Chris Bumstead — $50,000
2. Ramon Rocha Queiroz — $20,000
3. Urs Kalecinski — $10,000
4. Breon Ansley — $6,000
5. Mike Sommerfeld — $4,000

2022 Wellness Olympia Awarded Money

1. Francielle Mattos — $50,000
2. Isabelle Nunes — $20,000
3. Angela Borges — $12,000
4. Kassandra Gillis — $7,000
5. Rayane Fogal de Souza Santana — $6,000

2022 Bikini Olympia Awarded Money

1. Maureen Blanquisco — $50,000
2. Jennifer Dorie — $20,000
3. Ashley Kaltwasser — $12,000
4. Daraja Hill — $7,000
5. Lauralie Chapados — $6,000

2022 Men’s Physique Olympia Awarded Money

1. Erin Banks — $50,000
2. Brandon Hendrickson — $20,000
3. Diogo Montenegro — $10,000
4. Charjo Grant — $7,000
5. Edvan Palmeira — $4,000

2022 Ms. Olympia Awarded Money

1. Andrea Shaw — $50,000
2. Angela Yeo — $20,000
3. Helle Trevino — $12,000
4. Margie Martin — $7,000
5. Branka Njegovec — $6,000

2022 Fitness Olympia Awarded Money

1. Missy Truscott — $50,000
2. Jaclyn Baker — $20,000
3. Ariel Khadr — $12,000
4. Sarah Kovach — $7,000
5. Michelle Fredua-Mensah — $6,000

2022 Figure Olympia Awarded Money

1. Cydney Gillon — $50,000
2. Jessica Reyes Padilla — $20,000
3. Lola Montez — $12,000
4. Jossie Nathali Alarcon Becerra — $7,000
5. Natalia Soltero — $6,000

2022 212 Olympia Awarded Money

1. Shaun Clarida — $50,000
2. Angel Calderon Frias —$20,000
3. Kamal Elgargni — $10,000
4. Ahmad Ashkanani —$6,000
5. Oleh Kryvyi —$4,000

2022 Women’s Physique Awarded Money

1. Natalia Abraham Coelho — $50,000
2. Sarah Villegas — $20,000
3. Brooke Walker — $12,000
4. Barbara Menage — $7,000
5. Ivie Rhein — $6,000

Without the Wheelchair division factored in, the total awarded money for the 2022 Olympia was $1,561,000. Choopan, in particular, likely appreciates his Mr. Olympia victory from a financial perspective. He won $100,000 when finishing third in 2021. His first career Mr. Olympia title in 2022 saw him quadruple those earnings while simultaneously earning a place amongst bodybuilding’s greats.

Featured image: @mrolympiallc on Instagram

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Ahh, the mythical bench press. It holds a special place in many lifters’ hearts. The draw of a muscular chest, rounded shoulders, and bulging triceps is what makes many fall in love with benching, either with a barbell or a pair of dumbbells.

Whether you’re an athlete or just want to look good, bench pressing is the go-to pressing exercise to slap on upper body size and strength.  

The barbell bench press is an integral member of the powerlifting big three, along with the back squat and deadlift. The classic bench is even associated with its own day the week. Who hasn’t wanted to do the barbell bench press on a Monday only to find a dozen other gym members with the same idea?

Fortunately, it’s half-brother — the dumbbell bench press — is a similar movement, but it’s even more forgiving on the joints and you need to work harder overall to stabilize the weights. Here we’ll dive deep into both exercises so you can choose when to perform each according to your goals. Let’s get ready to bench press, one way or the other.

Dumbbell Bench Press and Barbell Bench Press

• Exercise Differences
• Exercise Similarities
• Technique Differences
• How to Dumbbell Bench Press
• How to Barbell Bench Press
• Programming the Right Press for Your Body and Goal

Dumbbell and Barbell Bench Press Differences

The key differences to the naked eye seem apparent — it’s the equipment, either one barbell or two dumbbells are used. But the press setup and other slight differences should also be noticed between these two fantastic pressing variations.

Muscle Recruitment

Both exercises recruit the pectorals (chest), deltoids (shoulder), and triceps to varying degrees depending on the variation used. The barbell locks your joints into a specific range of motion every time. Because it’s one connected unit, the barbell’s stability allows you to press more weight than dumbbells, which require each arm to work independently.

The pressing path with the dumbbells often varies slightly with each rep and requires more upper-body stabilizers because the range of motion (ROM) isn’t fixed — the weights tend to sway in all directions more than a barbell. This means your rotator cuff and shoulder stabilizers are turned on more to protect your shoulder joint.

Setup

Unless you have specialized equipment, there is no way to unrack and re-rack dumbbells like with the barbell bench press. Getting the dumbbells in position for the press requires effort and sound technique to avoid injury, and the same when you have finished your press. Getting the dumbbells into the starting position can become even more challenging as your working weights get heavier.

With a barbell, it’s a relatively simple matter of unracking the bar from the bench supports and replacing it at the end of the set. The process is identical regardless of the weight on the bar.

Grip

A barbell allows you to press using either a standard overhand grip, a false (thumbless) grip, or even an underhand grip. Each of these have their own benefits — the underhand grip recruits more of your shoulders and biceps for added stability, while the false grip can help to reduce shoulder joint strain. (1) However, the barbell doesn’t offer any freedom of movement at your wrists during the movement. Once you grip the bar, you’re locked into that position until the set ends.

Dumbbells allow much more variety of wrist movement, which can reduce strain on your elbows and shoulder joints. One key difference is that dumbbells allow you to press with a neutral (palms facing) grip. Not only does that put your shoulders and arms in the strongest leverage position, but it stresses the shoulder joint less because it is neither internally nor externally rotated.

Dumbbell and Barbell Bench Press Similarities

Both flat bench press variations are horizontal presses, where you lie on your back, press the weight up, and lower it down. In that vein, there are several similarities despite the equipment and setup differences. Here’s how you know the exercises are different branches of the same tree.

Training The Same Muscles

Because they’re both horizontal pressing movements, with your body in the same position relative to the weight, both the dumbbell press and and barbell bench press engage the chest as the primary working body part.

Both exercises are completed with assistance from your triceps and shoulders (particularly the anterior, or front, head of the muscle), while your upper back, core, and even your legs contribute to total-body stability.

Upper Body Pressing Power and Strength

The barbell bench press is the pressing variation where you’ll be able to use more overall weight, which lends itself to building serious upper pressing power and strength. It’s not uncommon for an experienced lifter to barbell bench press 300 or more pounds.

While the dumbbell bench press doesn’t allow for as much total load — using a pair of 100-pound dumbbells, or 200 total pounds, would be an achievement for gym veterans— the exercise still creates a tremendous strength-building stimulus. Both exercises involve horizontal adduction (bringing your arms together toward your centerline), and both can build muscle, strength, and power in the chest and triceps.

Key Technique Differences

The dumbbell bench press and the barbell bench press have specific technique differences influencing the results delivered. Here’s a closer look at exactly what makes them different.  

Pressing Path

With the dumbbell bench press, you’re coordinating the weights as you press each dumbbell individually. This can address muscular imbalances between your left and right sides, while the barbell requires you to push as a single unit with both hands. This changes the pressing path and range of motion in a few ways.

The dumbbells can move in a distinct arc and allow for more arm adduction — you can bring your arms close to each other in the top position, which cannot be done with a barbell.

The barbell’s range of motion is more fixed because your hand stays in place and the barbell stops at chest-level. The dumbbells aren’t blocked by your chest in the bottom position, which can allow for a little more range of motion and a more extensive stretch on the chest and shoulders.

Upper Body Position

It is common with the barbell bench press to see a significant lower back arch and a puffed-out chest to shorten the range of motion. This acts as a type of counterbalance and can especially happen when using heavier weight.

This is difficult to do with the dumbbell bench press, and this position isn’t as necessary because there is no need to meet your chest with the dumbbells. While you do still need to use your lower body to brace during the dumbbell bench press, your torso stays mostly flat on the bench.

Dumbbells are also relatively more difficult to stabilize throughout the exercise, meaning each rep will be very slightly different from the next because your shoulder stabilizers will be working harder than with the barbell movement.  

Grip Options

The barbell locks your hands into two basic types of grip: overhand or underhand (which can both be done with dumbbells). The barbell bench press allows you to vary the width of your grip to change the emphasis on the muscles trained. Pressing with your hands closer will prioritize your triceps, while a wider grip will emphasize your chest and shoulders.

The most significant difference between the traditional barbell and dumbbells is the ability to press with a neutral grip which stresses the wrists, elbows, and shoulder joints less, making it a better choice if discomfort or poor joint mobility is an issue.  

How to Dumbbell Bench Press

Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each knee. Lie back and raise your knees to drive the dumbbells back towards your shoulders while pressing the dumbbells up into a locked out position above your chest.

Slowly lower the weights, keeping your elbows angled out at roughly 45-degrees. In the bottom position, when your elbows are nearly level with your torso or when you’ve reached a comfortable stretch, push the dumbbells back up.

Form Tip: Because of the potentially increased range of motion when using dumbbells, some lifters have a tendency to think “more is better.” But when you drop your elbows below-level with your torso, your shoulders become more externally rotated which puts them in a more vulnerable position. Keep your elbows roughly even with your torso in the bottom position to reduce the risk of joint strain.

Benefits

• Lifting each dumbbell individually can help strengthen developmental imbalances between arms.
• The dumbbell bench press lets you train with a high intensity using a relatively lower weight, which can improve upper body size and strength without wear and tear from heavy loading.
• It gives your wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints a break from the barbell because of the ability to use a neutral grip.  

Dumbbell Bench Press Variations

The dumbbell offers better freedom of movement, allowing you to train the dumbbell bench press from varying angles and positions for better overall muscle development.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Floor Press

This single-arm floor press will train your core and shoulder stabilizers more due to the offset load that gets neglected during bilateral (two-arm) pressing.

It’s also a shoulder-saver because it eliminates the lower range of motion, which is where the shoulder is externally rotated and problems like shoulder impingement can happen.

Dumbbell Squeeze Press

When it comes to building strength and muscle, tension is king. (2) The squeeze press cranks up muscle tension to the next level. You perform this like a regular dumbbell bench press, but you press the hex dumbbells together (similar to the top of a dumbbell flye) throughout the entire repetition.

This extra tension provided by the constant contraction means you’ll need to use a lighter weight than a standard dumbbell bench press, but this variation will fire up your chest like few other exercises.

How To Barbell Bench Press

Lie down on a flat bench, slightly arch your lower back, and plant your feet on the floor. Pull your shoulder blades together and grip the bar with at a comfortable and powerful width, outside of your shoulders. For added control, squeeze your hands hard to flex your arms and gripping muscles.

Unrack the barbell and think about pulling it toward your body to touch near your sternum or the base of your chest. Press the bar up, keeping your upper back tight and your shoulder blades pulled together.

Form Tip: Many lifters think the barbell bench press is just an “upper body” exercise, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Creating tension with your lower body — pushing your feet back and down which flexes your calves, hamstrings, and glutes — is a counterbalance that builds total-body stability and helps you press more weight safely.

Benefits

• The barbell bench press recruits a number of upper body muscles including the chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, and lats, which helps to build more upper body size and strength.
• Compared to the dumbbell bench press, you can potentially load the bench press up with a very heavy weight. 
• It has direct carryover for powerlifters because it’s one of the three lifts judged in a competition.

Barbell Bench Press Variations

There are several effective barbell bench press variations, but the two below will particularly help build lockout strength in your triceps, which has a huge carryover to your barbell bench press performance.

Close Grip Bench Press

A close-grip bench press is the same in every respect as the standard bench press, but you set your hands roughly shoulder-width apart. This changes your leverage and shifts the load more to your triceps and less to your chest.

Because the arm position focuses more on the triceps, it takes some stress off the shoulder joints but places slightly more stress on the elbow joints. It’s a delicate balancing act, and it is best to vary your grip width to avoid overuse injuries.

Barbell Floor Press

Similar to the dumbbell floor press but a little harder to initially set up, the barbell floor press lets use more weight than the dumbbell variation. It is a shoulder-saver and focuses more on the triceps than the chest because of the reduced range of motion.

One of the most significant advantages of the barbell floor press is that it takes the lower body out of it to focus entirely on strict upper body pressing power. If you don’t have access to an adjustable squat rack with a low setting to place the bar, then finding a spotter to help get the bar into position is necessary.

When to Program the Dumbbell or Barbell Bench Press

Many lifters perform the barbell bench press and its variations because that is what they have always done. But don’t discount the dumbbell bench press, as both can be used to improve your upper body strength and size.

Competitive Powerlifting

The barbell bench press is one of the powerlifting “big three,” along with the barbell squat and deadlift, so it should always take priority in every competitive powerlifter’s program.

However, pressing with a barbell all the time may give rise to overuse injuries due to exaggerating strength imbalances and cumulative wear and tear on your joints from being locked into the same range of motion. Occasionally using the dumbbell bench press and its variations as “accessory exercises” will give your joints a break and reduce imbalances between arms.

General Strength

Either bench press variation can be effective for non-competitive lifters interested in building strength. With its increased stability and fixed ROM, the barbell bench press allows you to lift heavier weights than the dumbbell bench press. And dumbbells in most gyms only go so high and become awkward to get into position; the barbell bench press should form most of your strength work.

Use the dumbbell bench press to strengthen imbalances between sides and as a break for the barbell when your joints begin to bark at you. But both bench variations will deliver strength gains; it’s a matter of personal preference.  

Building Muscle

When building slabs of upper body muscle is your goal, both bench press variations can work hand in hand. Bilateral lifts like the barbell bench press allow you to lift heavier total weight, which may benefit a muscle-building program because heavy loads are one way to achieve muscle-building tension.

The dumbbells, being lighter individually, are better for higher rep training which can also deliver an increased muscle-building stimulus.

Lifters With Long Arms

Lifters with relatively long arms will have a longer range of motion when it comes to pressing compared those with shorter arms. Generally speaking, those with shorter arms can lift more weight due to shorter levers creating a favorable pressing position.

Lifters with long arms can use either variation, but should consider how their joints feel on any given day when choosing which to perform. To avoid aggravating joints, opt for the dumbbell bench press.

Let’s Get Ready To Press

There is no one-size-fits-all to determine which bench press variation you should use. Some lifters feel no discomfort and can efficiently press with only a barbell to their heart’s content. For other lifters, the barbells make their joints angry and not worth the trouble. The choice between the two sometimes comes down to comfort, personal preference, and goal. But if pain and discomfort are not an issue, both should be used in a comprehensive plan to improve your upper body size, strength, and flexing time.

Research

1. Lehman G. J. (2005). The influence of grip width and forearm pronation/supination on upper-body myoelectric activity during the flat bench press. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 19(3), 587–591. https://doi.org/10.1519/R-15024.1
2. Burd, Nicholas & Andrews, Richard & West, Daniel & Little, Jonathan & Cochran, Andrew & Hector, Amy & Cashaback, Joshua & Gibala, Martin & Potvin, James & Baker, Steven & Phillips, Stuart. (2011). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology. 590. 351-62. 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200.

Featured Image: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

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Humans have been using lavender as a culinary, cosmetic, aromatherapeutic, and hygienic herb for at least several thousands years. In the Bible, Mary uses lavender (“very costly”) to anoint the feet of Jesus. In ancient Egypt, embalmers used lavender in the mummification process. Roman bathhouses often scented the water with lavender petals and women throughout the Mediterranean—where it grows natively—used it in hair oils, perfumes, and makeup. It became so ubiquitous as a fragrance in cleansing agents and bathing that the name “lavender” itself comes from the root Latin word for washing—lavare. 

It turns out that the ancients were right about lavender. It is a valuable herb that you can use to enhance your health, sleep, cooking, baths, and overall quality of life by incorporating it into your daily routines and regimens.

Breathe in the aroma

Crush fresh lavender between your finger and take a big whiff, or rub lavender oil on your temples for a soothing dose of aromatherapy stress relief. If you’re not sensitive to it, you can apply a little bit of oil or fresh lavender to your upper lip, so you get a steady drip of soothing lavender scent throughout the day. Lavender aroma relieves anxiety and mental tension.

Drink lavender tea

Though it’s usually enjoyed for its aroma, lavender is also perfectly safe to consume and, as a tea, actually rather reminiscent of chamomile in its effects. Like chamomile, lavender tea improves sleep, reduces anxiety, and it can even lower depression scores.¹

To make lavender tea, steep a handful of fresh lavender flowers (or two grams of dried flowers) in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Strain and enjoy.

This is just as effective as chamomile for promoting sleep and helping to soothe frazzled nerves. You can even combine the two for synergistic effects.

Make perfume

Lavender oil makes a nice, chemical-free alternative to perfumes and colognes, especially combined with a more woody scent like sandalwood. Dab a little at the back of your neck or wrists to smell clean and light.

To make it last longer, dilute the oil in the fat of your choice. MCT oil, olive oil, avocado oil, or even beef tallow are excellent mediums.

You can also steep the fresh or dried lavender flowers in the fat using a double boiler to warm it up and speed up the extraction; strain before it cools.

Take a Roman lavender bath

The Romans would add fresh lavender to their public baths. They ruled much of the known world for over a thousand years, so they knew a thing or two. Adding either oil or fresh lavender buds to a hot bath will make an already-relaxing bath even more relaxing via two routes—topical absorption and aromatic absorption.

Use lavender at bedtime to sleep more deeply

Tie up fresh flowers and tuck them inside your pillow case, or just keep it beside your bed when you sleep. You can also do some inhalation before bed. Lavender also works well placed in a satchel, small pillow case, or reusable eye pillow.

Lavender helps you to sleep better, sleep faster, and sleep more deeply.

Topical lavender to soothe skin

Is your skin burned, chafed or irritated? Add some lavender oil to your moisturizer or a spray water bottle and apply or mist your skin generously. You can also steep fresh lavender in a carrier oil, then apply to irritated, burned, or chafed skin.

Make sweet, fresh-scented laundry

Instead of using chemical-laden dryer sheets, tie up a bundle of lavender blossoms in a cloth and add them to the dryer cycle when you do laundry. Be sure to shake out your clothes after they dry to get rid of any residue from the lavender. You’ll have to replace the lavender in between drying cycles.

Use lavender on cuts and scrapes

Lavender oil applied to wounds can actually improve and speed up wound healing. Add a few drops to carrier oil (coconut, olive, avocado) and apply it to wounds when they occur. Lavender has antiseptic properties, too, so the lavender oil blend can act as a comfortable alternative to more painful antiseptic sprays (great option for kids).

Use lavender on your scalp

When applied to the scalp, lavender may stimulate the growth of hair follicles. It also exhibits anti-dandruff activity.

An easy way to make a lavender “shampoo” is to add a few drops of lavender oil to a single raw egg yolk. Apply to wet hair and rub it in. Leave it in for a couple minutes, then rinse.

Another option is to steep lavender as you would to make tea; allow to cool and use as a rinse daily until dandruff clears up.

Cook with lavender

Lavender gives a unique floral accent to many dishes. It goes particularly well with lamb, grilled fruits, and higher fat cuts of meat. One really nice way to use it is to grill peach halves wrapped in bacon and then finish with fresh lavender flowers, crushed black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. Another way is to add lavender to your smoker or BBQ when cooking lamb; the fragrant smoke lends a powerful effect.

Do be warned: a little bit of culinary lavender goes a long way.

As it turns out, lavender is much more than just a nice smell.

The post 10 Natural Health Benefits and Healing Uses of Lavender appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Heading into the 2022 Mr. Olympia, Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay was considered the presumed heavy favorite. The former two-time defending champion (2020-2021) had ringing endorsements from Olympia icons like Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney. With various training updates showcasing his trademark mass, it seemed inevitable that the Egyptian bodybuilding titan would become only the eighth person to win the Mr. Olympia on at least three occasions. Instead, in a surprising upset that made Olympia history, Hadi Choopan captured his first career Olympia title, while Elssbiay notched a disappointing fifth-place result.

With the 2022 competitive calendar now in the rearview mirror, Elssbiay posted a reflection on his most recent Olympia performance in a Dec. 18, 2022, Instagram video. In the process, he looked ahead to the future and what might be next as someone who remains one of bodybuilding’s biggest names.

Before even discussing himself and his own prospects that lie ahead, Elssbiay made sure to congratulate Choopan for the Iranian athlete’s remarkable achievement in finally climbing bodybuilding’s tallest mountain. In particular, Elssbiay seemed to appreciate that Choopan likely won’t take the Olympia mantel lightly.

“From the beginning I have to say congratulations to Hadi [Choopan],” Elssbiay said. “He deserves it. He is the Mr. Olympia right now. He tried for many years to be in this place and I respect that. I am thankful for all the competitors who fought for one reason, to be a good representative of bodybuilding.”

As for why Elssbiay fell short of completing a legendary “three-peat,” he didn’t make excuses. He acknowledged the adverse circumstances in not attaining the result he wanted, while understanding things can happen with his passion that happens to be bodybuilding.

“It’s my game,” Elssbiay started. “I love this game from the beginning and I always tried to bring my best because it is my hobby. I loved everyone and loved my game and I need to say I have been broken many times in my life and this is not the first time. But I always came back stronger than ever.”

Ultimately, while it wasn’t the output he wanted, Elssbiay made a promise to come back on a mission. He noted that after finishing as the runner-up to Phil Heath during the 2017 Olympia, he had also fallen four spots to sixth place before eventually capturing a repeat to start the 2020s. Based on this reflective message in the aftermath of the 2022 Olympia — it seems apparent Elssbiay will try to replicate that past experience as best as he can in 2023.

“I promise you guys I will do my best to get back again stronger than ever,” Elssbiay said. “I don’t promise to win or to lose, I respect other people. But I will say I will do my best like I have done my whole life to be No. 1 again. I can say it to all the competitors in the Middle East, we can come back from this. I really appreciate all the people’s support around the world.”

Featured image: @big_ramy on Instagram

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Maureen Blanquisco is the 2022 Bikini Olympia champion. The athlete headed into the last callout of the Finals of the division, facing off with familiar faces in former champions Jennifer Dorie (2021) and Ashley Kaltwasser (2013-2015), as well as Jourdanne Lee. By the end of the evening, Blanquisco prevailed and had her first Bikini Olympia title within her grasp.

Here are the respective top five finishers at the 2022 Bikini Olympia and their respective monetary prizes:

2022 Bikini Olympia Results

1. Maureen Blanquisco — $50,000
2. Jennifer Dorie — $20,000
3. Ashley Kaltwasser — $12,000
4. Daraja Hill — $7,000
5. Lauralie Chapados — $6,000

The Bikini Olympia Finals was actually the start of the night’s final rounds, but the winner didn’t receive their title until Chris Bumstead won his fourth straight Classic Physique Olympia.

With comparisons out of the way, it was presumed that Blanquisco and Dorie were in the best spot to win the title. In an upset for the division, Blanquisco successfully knocked off the former defending champion to win the 2022 Bikini Olympia crown.

“I knew it was a matter of time, I just didn’t think it would be this time,” a surprised Blanquisco said in her post-victory interview. “I’m so thankful.”

Blanquisco’s ascendance isn’t necessarily wholly shocking. The athlete had steadily improved her results at the Bikini Olympia, going from ninth place in 2019 and fourth place in 2021 to a championship during the 2022 iteration. The last of which might be the cherry on top of a recent flourish from the top-notch competitor.

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Hadi Choopan is the winner of the 2022 Mr. Olympia. After a dynamite overall performance from all the top Men’s Open contenders in Las Vegas, NV, Choopan captured his first career Mr. Olympia title. Choopan had been on the doorstep of bodybuilding’s ultimate greatness for some time, finishing in at least the top four in each of the previous three years. The athlete finally broke through on the biggest stage and stood on top of the Olympia podium on Dec. 17, 2022.

Here are the top five athletes in the Men’s Open division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and the respective prize money they earned:

2022 Mr. Olympia Results

1. Hadi Choopan— $400,000 | 2022 Mr. Olympia Champion
2. Derek Lunsford — $150,000
3. Nick Walker — $100,000
4. Brandon Curry — $40,000
5. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay — $30,000

Choopan’s victory not only gives him his first career Mr. Olympia title, it also topples previous two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. The former defending champion finished in fifth place. Meanwhile, in his Men’s Open debut, Derek Lunsford took runner-up to Choopan’s Olympia championship.

With final comparisons made earlier in the night, here are how the callouts shook out in the Finals of the 2022 Mr. Olympia.

Callout 1

• Samson Dauda
• Nick Walker
• Hadi Choopan
• Derek Lunsford
• Brandon Curry
• Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay

Callout 2

• Iain Valliere
• Andrew Jacked
• William Bonac
• Hunter Labrada
• Rafael Brandao
• Michal “Krizo” Križánek

Callout 3

• Antoine Vaillant
• James Hollingshead
• Patrick Johnson
• Charles Griffen
• Justin Rodriguez
• Akim Williams

Callout 4

• Blessing Awodibu
• Mohamed Shaaban
• Joel Thomas
• Mohammad Alnsoor

Callout 5 

• Andrea Presti
• Theo Leguerrier
• Andrea Muzi

Callout 6

• Hadi Choopan
• Derek Lunsford
• Brandon Curry
• Nick Walker
• Samson Dauda
• Mamdouh Elssbiay

The top six athletes in both the first and last callouts saw themselves shifted on multiple occasions as they were compared. Eventually, the top contenders performed their posing routines in the order as follows:

• Hadi Choopan
• Andrew Jacked
• Derek Lunsford
• William Bonac
• Nick Walker
• Brandon Curry
• Hunter Labrada
• Rafael Brandao
• Samson Dauda
• Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay

Choopan’s first career Mr. Olympia title bookends a night that also saw champions crowned in the Bikini, Men’s Physique, Classic Physique, and Wheelchair divisions.

Amidst a torrent of relative hype for the other competitors, Choopan kept his nose to the grindstone and saw his hard work and commitment pay off. With his first Mr. Olympia title under his belt, Choopan can officially join the elite of the elite in bodybuilding’s all-time pantheon.

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After a round of pre-judging, the 2022 Men’s Physique competitors stepped onto the Las Vegas, NV stage to determine whether three-time champion Brandon Hendrickson would become the second man to win a fourth Olympia title.

Ultimately, Erin Banks interrupted the Hendrickson reign and capitalized after debuting on an Olympia stage in 2021.

2022 Men’s Physique Olympia Results

These are the top five Men’s Physique Olympia competitors of 2022, with their respective earnings.

1. Erin Banks ($50,000)
2. Brandon Hendrickson ($20,000)
3. Diogo Montenegro ($10,000)
4. Charjo Grant ($7,000)
5. Edvan Palmeira ($4,000)

Banks’ 2022 Men’s Physique Olympia win wraps up a successful competitive year. He won the 2022 Men’s Physique Arnold Classic in early March 2022. Having placed second second to now-former champion Hendrickson in the 2021 Men’s Physique Olympia, the roles were reversed as Hendrickson took home silver in 2022.

The final comparisons were called out in two groups before determining the eventual placings.

Comparison 1

• Andre Ferguson
• Ryan Terry
• Corey Morris
• Ali Bilal

Comparison 2

• Kyron Holden
• Charjo Grant
• Erin Banks
• Brandon Hendrickson
• Diogo Montenegro
• Edvan Palmeira

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Saturday’s Olympia prejudging on Dec. 17, 2022, saw three-time reigning champion Chris Bumstead in pole position to capture another Classic Physique division title. Ultimately, he only really faced significant resistance from challenger Ramon Rocha Queiroz, as the two were the last athletes standing in Las Vegas, NV. In the end, to no one’s surprise, Bumstead won the 2022 Classic Physique Olympia championship to extend his ongoing reign.

Here are the top five athletes in the Classic Physique division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and the respective prize money they earned:

2022 Classic Physique Olympia Results

1. Chris Bumstead — $50,000 | 2022 Classic Physique Olympia Champion
2. Ramon Rocha Queiroz — $20,000
3. Urs Kalecinski — $10,000
4. Breon Ansley — $6,000
5. Mike Sommerfeld — $4,000

Bumstead’s win gives him his fourth straight Classic Olympia title (2019-2022) as he continues to dominate a bodybuilding division that was only established in 2016. With such a timeline, that means Bumstead has won two-thirds of the available Classic Physique Olympia titles in history. Notably, in his last Classic Physique appearance before a transition to the 212 in the year 2023, former two-time champion (2017-2018) Breon Ansley notched a fourth-place result.

With the field narrowed down to 10 participating athletes, here are the results of the callouts from the Finals of the Classic Physique division at the 2022 Olympia:

Callout 1

• Michael Daboul
• Fabian Mayr
• Wesley Vissers
• Alex Cambronero

Callout 2

• Breon Ansley
• Urs Kalecinski
• Ramon Rocha Queiroz
• Terrence Ruffin
• Mike Sommerfeld
• Chris Bumstead

Bumstead and Rocha Queiroz held the center position in the last callout. The top five athletes would then work through their own usual individual posing routines to push for the Classic Physique Olympia title. Here was that group of five in no particular order:

• Breon Ansley
• Mike Sommerfeld
• Chris Bumstead
• Urs Kalecinski
• Ramon Rocha Queiroz

With the routines concluded, it was evident the title would come down to Bumstead and Rocha Queiroz. As a part of the lead commentary team, Phil Heath asserted he believed Bumstead would win his fourth straight title before the final judgment passed through, and that assertion, likely rooted in Heath’s own Olympia experience, came true.

Here is the entire Saturday Finals schedule for the 2022 Olympia weekend, and here’s how to keep up with the action. (Note: All listed times are in Pacific Standard time.)

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022

7:00 p.m. — Finals

• Mr. Olympia
• Men’s Physique Olympia
• Bikini Olympia
• Classic Physique Olympia

As the Olympia draws to a close in Las Vegas, with an exhilarating Finals on hand for the remaining divisions, Bumstead has written yet another illustrious chapter for himself in the lore of bodybuilding’s flagship competition.

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The final night of the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest is wrapping up after a pair of exciting rounds. Dec. 16-17, in Las Vegas, NV, will see more than 200 competitors across four separate divisions following up from the previous day’s pre-judging round.

The Mr. Olympia, Men’s Physique, Classic Physique, and Bikini divisions are each topped with defending champions looking to retain their titles against a packed field.

2022 Olympia Results

• Mr. Olympia
• Men’s Physique
• Classic Physique
• Bikini

Mr. Olympia

The contest is still underway and the Finals have not been determined. Results will be updated as they become available.

Men’s Physique

The contest is still underway and the Finals have not been determined. Results will be updated as they become available.

Classic Physique

The contest is still underway and the Finals have not been determined. Results will be updated as they become available.

Bikini

The contest is still underway and the Finals have not been determined. Results will be updated as they become available.

The Contest Concludes

That’s a wrap for the 58th annual Olympia contest, with a weekend packed full of on-stage theatrics, energy, and eventual victory. Missed the action? Replay contests by purchasing a pay-per-view premium package for $69.99 at the Olympia website — www.olympiaproductions.com.

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When it comes to developing an upper body that looks great and performs even better, the best coaches in powerlifting, strongman/strongwoman, weightlifting, bodybuilding, and sports performance all agree on one thing: a strong upper back is a must-have.

While it may not be as impressive-looking as strapping plates around your waist and doing pull-ups until the cows come home, the simple face pull is a staple exercise for building a set of strong, robust, and muscular shoulders while targeting the multiple muscles that makeup your entire upper back.

While most rowing movements target larger back muscles like the lats and most shoulder exercises involve pressing which may aggravate joint issues, the face pull gives attention where it’s most needed. Here’s how to get the very best out of this reliable movement. 

Face Pull

• How to Do the Face Pull
• Face Pull Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Face Pull
• Benefits of the Face Pull
• Muscles Worked by the Face Pull
• How to Program the Face Pull
• Face Pull Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Face Pull

The face pull is a type of rowing exercise, performed standing in front of an adjustable cable pulley. A successful and efficient face pull shares the workload between your traps and shoulders, while minimizing assistance from your biceps. To pull this off, you need to nail the grip, arm position, and cable path.

Step 1 — Proper Height with Proper Grip

Set a cable pulley at eye-level and attach a rope handle. Getting the proper cable height is critical to engage the target muscles. Grab the rope handle with your palms down, your palms facing back toward you, and your knuckles facing each other.

Form Tip: If the pulley is set too high or too low, you’ll change the focus of the exercise away with different muscle recruitment. This can sometimes be done deliberately, to intentionally recruit a variety of muscles, but the basic and most efficient setting is roughly in-line with your eyes.

Step 2 — Stretch to Start

Step back from the pulley far enough to allow your arms to fully straighten. The slack should be taken out of the cable without the weights lifting from the stack. Start with your shoulders protracted (rounded forward). This will put your traps and rhomboids (upper back muscles) into a stretch, which helps to build mobility and strength. (1)

Form Tip: If you feel yourself being pulled forward and you’re too unstable, you can use a staggered or split stance with one foot in front of the other, or put one foot up on a sturdy support like the edge of a bench. This will let you focus your energy on the pulling motion rather than fighting to stay upright.

Step 3 — Pull to Your Face

Pull the weight straight toward your face, at eye-level, by driving the dorsal (back) side of your hands and forearms back behind you. As you reach the top position, feel your shoulder blades naturally move down to your back pockets. Don’t let your shoulders shrug up. Do not overfocus on pulling with your shoulder blades or overexaggerate the motion, because other back muscles should be involved in the movement.

In the finished position, your fists should be beside your temples and your elbows should be level with your shoulders. You should look like a bodybuilder doing a “double biceps pose.” Focus on feeling your back and shoulders flexing, not your arms.

Form Tip: Do not let your trunk “tip backwards” as you pull. Your body should remain upright as you pull and reach the finished position. If you feel your glutes or lower back contracting significantly, you may be leaning too far backward.

Step 4 — Return to the Stretch

After a brief pause in the top position, control the weight as you straighten your arms and reach forward. Make sure to fully extend your arms and protract your shoulder blades toward the pulley. Keep your feet stationary and your upper body vertical.

Form Tip: Lower the weight at a slightly slower speed to keep control. Don’t allow the plates to slam onto the weight stack.

Face Pull Mistakes to Avoid

The face pull is often performed with some common errors which reduce its effectiveness. To keep tension on the target muscles and build strength and mobility, be sure to stay focused throughout each repetition.

Going Too Heavy

Trying to use too much load with a face pull will make it really hard to recruit the right muscles. Instead, it becomes a face pull/curl/body heave combo that misses a lot of the benefits of this exercise and adds unnecessary risk.

Turning the exercise into a momentum-based, full-body lift by swinging your torso only increases strain on your lower back and decreases tension on your relatively smaller upper back.

Avoid it: Don’t even think about using the full weight stack. Stick to a weight that’s challenging for at least 10 or more repetitions. That should allow you to target your back and shoulders without needing to swing your body or sacrifice technique to move the weight.

Pulling with Your Arms

Focusing only on the “face” part of “face pull” will usually result in doing a weird rope hammer curl to bring the handles toward your face. That will turn a very good upper back and shoulder exercise into a very awkward an inefficient biceps exercise.

If your biceps are fatiguing and reaching muscular failure before your back or shoulder muscles, reduce the weight and re-evaluate your technique.

Avoid it: Focus on pulling with your back and shoulders instead of “curling” the weight toward you. In the top position, make sure the dorsum (backs) of your hands and forearms are facing away from you, not up toward the ceiling.

Too Much Body Movement

It’s sometimes tempting to cheat the face pull and reduce the range of motion by leaning your body back to start the movement and quickly leaning forward to “meet” the weight, rather than keeping your body still and staying relatively strict.

This issue often occurs when the load of the cable is too much for your spine extensors (lower back) to resist. When you can’t keep a stable core, it’s not uncommon to recruit more muscles to make the exercise easier.

Avoid it: Either decrease the load to reduce the challenge to your core stability, brace your foot on a stable bench or box, or sit with your chest against a vertical support (like an upright bench) to provide a more stable pulling position.

How to Progress the Face Pull

The face pull is essentially a “horizontal” movement, with the cable set around face-height, which provides a effective upper back and rear shoulder stimulus. Adjusting the pulley’s angle can create changes to muscle recruitment which may be beneficial to people looking to address specific muscle weaknesses.

Low Anchor Face Pull

Setting the pulley anywhere from stomach-level to knee-level will significantly change the pulling angle, which increases the work done by your upper traps, external rotators, and middle deltoid.

Low anchor face pulls are a terrific modification for lifters trying to build a “yoked” look — wide, thick shoulders and muscular traps.

High Anchor Face Pull

Anchoring the cable higher than eye-level increases the work done by your lower traps and can begin to recruit your lats because, and the pulley gets higher, the movement becomes more similar to a type of lat pulldown.

High anchor face pulls are fantastic for lifters and athletes who need to get better at “setting” their shoulders for better upper body stability during movements like the bench press or low bar squat.

Benefits of the Face Pull

While it may not carry the esteem of a deadlift or squat, the face pull has built a steadily growing reputation as a versatile and efficient addition to nearly any lifter’s training plan.

Overall Shoulder Health

When it comes to improving or maintaining overall shoulder health, one general movement pattern often receives a lot of attention — horizontal pulling. This comes from a belief that a rowing motion “reverses” the joint stress from horizontal pushing like the bench press and push-up, and therefore provides structural balance to the body.

However, this overlooks the fact that the main muscles trained by horizontal pushes (the pecs) and horizontal pulls (the lats) both internally rotate the shoulder. Therefore, it is important that to regularly load shoulder external rotation in addition to horizontal pulling.

The face pull fits this requirement perfectly because your arms are externally rotated during the peak contraction of each rep. The movement should be included by anybody who regularly performs significant chest or shoulder pressing exercises in training.

Muscle Size

The face pull puts many muscles through a long time under tension, which is ideal for hypertrophy (muscle growth). (2) The trapezius, rhomboids, and deltoids (shoulders), especially the rear deltoid, are all key movers in the face pull.

These muscles are trained with constant tension from the cable, which helps to stimulate muscle growth. These muscles not only work together to help produce strength and stability, but they contribute to an aesthetic and athletic-looking physique.

Muscles Worked by the Face Pull

Face pulls will load and train your upper back and shoulders, which are comprised of several separate muscle groups sharing similar movements.

Trapezius

The trapezius, running along the majority of your upper and mid-back area, is a key player in shoulder blade movement.

All “divisions” of the traps (upper, middle, and lower) are worked by the face pull, but emphasis can be shifted by changing the height of the pulley — a higher angle recruits more lower traps and a lower angle recruits the upper traps more strongly.

Shoulders

Your shoulders are comprised of three separate muscle heads — the front, rear, and middle. These are often trained with overhead presses or different raises or flyes, but the face pull particularly recruits the middle and rear heads of the delts. These sections of the muscle are responsible for manipulating your upper arm during the pulling portion of the face pull.

Rhomboids and Rotator Cuff

The rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, and posterior muscles of the rotator cuff (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor) work together to keep the shoulder joint in a stable and powerful position. They are significantly recruited during the latter portion of the face pull, and your hands approach eye level.

Strengthening these muscles can be very useful to balance high amounts of pressing volume. They also contribute to maintaining the coveted and elusive “good posture” with your shoulders back and your chest up.

How to Program the Face Pull

Face pulls are best programmed like other relatively light, “pump”-type exercises (think lateral raises or dumbbell flyes), as opposed to big barbell exercises which are often more conducive to very heavy lifting (like deadlifts or barbell rows).

Light to Moderate Weight, Moderate to High Repetition

To keep the work focused on the target muscles without assistance from addition body parts, use a weight that allows at least 10-12 reps. when you start going heavier, other muscles begin contributing to move the weight and it can be tempting to use body English to start the movement.

Perform two to three sets of 10-15 reps at least once per week, ideally after a workout that included heavy pressing, to achieve a restorative-type effect from the face pulls. These also work fantastically as part of a low-intensity “extra workout” on a day off, or paired with your warm-up sets prior heavy pressing to ensure your shoulders and upper back are primed for optimal training.

Face Pull Variations

Whether you’re not able to stand while performing the face pull or if you don’t have access to a full cable stack, you can still benefit from similar movements. Try these alternatives.

Chest-Supported Face Pull

This variation is ideal for lifters who have trouble stabilizing themselves against the weight when standing. It’s also useful for lifters with pre-existing lower back problems who may want added support.

Because your upper body is braced against the pad, it also reduces your ability to “unintentionally” swing your body to initiate the lift, making it a much more strict movement.

Dumbbell Face Pull

This dumbbell-only option is ideal for lifters in home gyms who may not have access to a cable machine. By setting the angle and pulling appropriately, you can mimic the face pull movements and target the same back and shoulder muscles.

Don’t turn the exercise into a chest-supported dumbbell row. Keep you elbows in line with your shoulders and externally rotate your hands at the top instead of keeping your elbows close to your body. That’s an essential step for targeting the rotator cuff muscles.

FAQs

Build a Better Back and Shoulders

The face pull is the muscle-building, performance boosting staple exercise you didn’t know you needed. Make it a regular player in your weekly training and you should soon notice your upper body feeling stronger, moving more easily, and looking more muscular.

References

1. Afonso, J., Ramirez-Campillo, R., Moscão, J., Rocha, T., Zacca, R., Martins, A., Milheiro, A. A., Ferreira, J., Sarmento, H., & Clemente, F. M. (2021). Strength Training versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 9(4), 427. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9040427
2. Burd, Nicholas & Andrews, Richard & West, Daniel & Little, Jonathan & Cochran, Andrew & Hector, Amy & Cashaback, Joshua & Gibala, Martin & Potvin, James & Baker, Steven & Phillips, Stuart. (2011). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology. 590. 351-62. 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200.

Featured Image: Photo by Jason Aggarwal

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