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2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford has his sights set on becoming the 18th man to win the title at the 2023 Olympia Weekend in Orlando, FL on Nov. 2-5, 2023. The former NPC USA winner (2017) and 212 Olympia champion (2021) will have to be his all-time best if he wants to win the world championship of his sport.
Lunsford has been keeping his fans up to date on his progress leading up to that contest on social media, including training videos like the one he released documenting a shoulder workout at MI40 Gym in Tampa, FL just 11 weeks before the big show. The video below was shared on his YouTube channel on Aug. 21, 2023.
Lunsford began the session with machine lateral raises to focus on his side delts. He’s already lean enough that you can see the muscles working as he lifted the handles of the machine. The weight he was working with wasn’t shown, but he appeared to be in full control throughout his sets.
He would occasionally perform poses between sets to analyze his physique and prepare for the multiple rounds of posing he’ll have to do on stage at the contest. He gave the fans extra details about his training at this stage of his prep.
“I like to train six days in a row, take the seventh day off,” he said. “Occasionally in the offseason, I’ll take two days rest but, pretty much between here and the Olympia, six days a week. Today’s day five. Shoulders today. Yesterday I did legs.”
The camera briefly showed the pin set on the weight stack at 190 pounds (86.2 kilograms), which Lunsford performs for 12 reps on his third set. He ultimately pinned the entire stack of 250 pounds (113.4 kilograms) and worked a final set to failure plus several partial reps, which he counted as 15 total reps. After five total sets, he moved on to the next exercise.
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The second movement was another lateral raise, this time using a free weight version with classic standing dumbbell laterals. Five total sets were shown on camera, with the third set shown in its entirety for 12 reps. His fourth set was for 12 full range reps plus partials, and he showed the camera that the gym’s 33-kilogram dumbbells he used are equivalent to 72.7 pounds, indicating that he’s feeling strong at this phase of his prep.
“Not my best ever, but it’s still over 70 pounds.”
Lunsford then finished with a back-off set using 28 kilograms (61.7 pounds), so he could better control the weight, before moving on.
Seated Smith Machine Press
With two lateral delt-focused movements completed, Lunsford focused on the front delts with seated overhead presses on a Smith machine. Lunsford used a moderately wide grip and lowered the bar to about chin-height before pressing it up. He would also stop short of lockout to keep tension on the working muscles. He had elbows sleeves on, as well.
Lunsford began with one 45-pound plate per side, then went up to two. He would eventually add a 25-pound plate per side for a third set with a spotter providing assistance at the end. He would remove those 25s for two additional sets, keeping with his training philosophy of using back-down sets.
“I like to do back-off sets periodically in my training … you do a couple of warm-up sets, do a top set or two, and then that last set. Do one more set but back it down and try to get better control and get as many reps as you can … So instead of, ‘Well, I got 15 reps. Might not have been controlled, but I still got 15 reps, let me go heavier,’ Actually, let’s get better time under tension. Let’s get better control of the weight. Let’s get a few more reps that are clean. What is that gonna do? That’s going to stimulate the muscle more and prevent injury. Smarter.”
Front Raises
Lunsford’s next exercise was an isolation movement with a twist. He would perform three sets of front raises with his palms facing each other, followed by three more sets with his palms facing down. He told the camera that each set would be done for 10 to 12 reps. However, he would keep the rest to no more than 40 seconds between each set. He saved even more time by working both shoulders simultaneously.
Reverse Pec-Deck
The bodybuilder then shifted focus to his rear delts, beginning with a reverse pec-deck. The former Olympia 212 champion would use the horizontal handles for a palms-down grip, and the camera panned over to Lunsford’s side, where you could see the rear delts working. Not all sets were shown, but he later said he did three sets in total.
Rear Lateral Raise
Following that exercise, Lunsford opted for a free weight movement. He sat on the end of a bench with dumbbells in his hands and performed bent-over lateral raises to target the rear delts again. He progressed to doing sets standing, with his torso bent at a 45-degree angle. Like the front raises, he deliberately changed his hand position with the two rear delt movements — having his palms facing down during the reverse pec-deck and facing his palms together with the bent-over lateral raises. He explained why these details matter.
“Switching up the hand positioning is going to help you target a little bit different portion of the delts.”
Cable Lateral Raise and Cable Upright Row
Lunsford felt the need to target the side delts one last time. So, he went to a seated cable row station with two cables and performed a unique cable lateral raise variation. He lied back on the pad and pulled the cable handles out to his sides, as if he was doing a standing lateral raise. He performed one set in this manner, followed by the final exercise of the day — three sets of a cable upright row in the same reclined position on the seated row bench.
If you want to give Lunsford’s style of training a try for yourself, you can follow the sample workout below.
Machine Lateral Raise — 5 x 12-15
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise — 5 x 12-15 (Final set with reduced weight)
Seated Smith Machine Press — 5 x 10-12 (Final set with reduced weight)
Front Raise — 6 x 10-12 (30-40 seconds rest, 3 sets palms-in/3 sets palms-down)
Reverse Pec-Deck — 3 x 10-12 (Palms-down)
Rear Lateral Raise — 3 x 10-12 (Palms-in)
Cable Lateral Raise — 1 x 12
Cable Upright Row — 3 x 10-12
Lunsford finished one spot behind champion Hadi Choopan at the 2022 Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, NV. He will look to take that final step toward the prestigious Sandow trophy and Olympia title in November.
If he’s able to defeat Choopan, as well as fellow top contenders including Nick Walker, Samson Dauda, and former champions Brandon Curry (2019 Mr. Olympia) and Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (2020-2021 Mr. Olympia), then Lunsford will be the first man in history to have won the Olympia in two different divisions — the 212 and Men’s Open. This is an exciting time for Lunsford, on and off the stage, because he recently revealed that he and his wife are expecting their first child together.
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Many lifters that squat in the gym don’t simply want to “train their legs,” they want to get stronger and move serious weight, as well. Jesus Olivares knows a thing or two about squatting a lot of weight. As a matter of fact, he knows at least three things.
Not only has Olivares squatted over 1,000 pounds three times in powerlifting competition — always lifting raw, breaking the barrier twice in the same meet — but he’s willing to share his knowledge with his 138,000 plus followers on Instagram. In a recent post, he shared a total of four tips that he applies to every squat he performs in training or competition.
When Olivares referred to the shelf, he’s talking about where the bar would be sitting on his upper back and shoulders.
“The “shelf” is the first point of contact between you and the bar. It’s going to determine a lot such as bar placement and bar path … Whatever you decide, I urge [you] to find the perfect combo between stability and comfort, sometimes you can’t have both. So pick whichever you prioritize!”
He went on to talk about three positions that the barbell could be placed on the shoulders — low, mid, and high. Olivares could be considered a low-bar squatter based on his personal lifting style. He explained that the goal should be to flex your back around that placement for comfort and stability.
He also emphasized hand placement so the bar can be kept in place throughout the lift. The goal should be a balance between comfort and stability. You may have to compromise one to emphasize the other, according to the 120-kilogram-plus athlete who holds the All-Time World Record powerlifting total.
Have a Strong, Stable Walkout
Wasting time and energy is counterproductive when it comes to the squat. Lifting the bar from the rack, and then taking several steps to walk it out, and then trying to adjust while the weight settles can not only make the attempt harder, it could lead to injury.
Olivares advocates for a short and sweet pick and settling of the weight before going down into the hole. Take no more than four steps to get into position and make sure the bar is stable on your back.
“This is a game of efficiency and proficiency. Be patient but do not take any more time than what you need … Practice makes improvement.”
If you’re making an attempt in competition, then you don’t have much time to do this. Practicing with lighter weights in training would be a wise move.
Breathe and Brace Correctly
The squat is always associated with leg training, but it really is a full-body movement. Your legs are the primary driver, but Olivares emphasized the importance of a strong and dependable core to transfer power and improve overall technique.
“Bracing isn’t just flexing your abs but also incorporating obliques and mid/low back. The action of engaging your entire midsection is what will protect your low back while also creating the rigidity you require.”
Bonus Tip: Time Your Descent to Explode Out of the Hole
Whether you’re in the gym or on the platform, you don’t want to be under the bar any longer than necessary. Taking a long negative can show control, but it can also zap the body of energy. Olivares isn’t getting paid by the hour when he competes. Even though he wants to be in control throughout the rep, he wants to get down and up as quickly as possible so he builds tightness as he lowers into the bottom position before “blowing up” to rise out of the hold.
” … you feel your internal pressure increase as you go into the hole of the squat and at your lowest and deepest point is where you’ll feel the most pressure. It is at this point where you want to time the reversal of momentum to help you on your way up!”
Jesus Olivares — All-Time Raw Competition Bests (+120KG)
Squat — 470 kilograms (1036.1 pounds)
Bench — 272.5 kilograms (600.7 pounds)
Deadlift — 410 kilograms (903.9 pounds) — IPF World Record
Total — 1,152.5 kilograms (2,540.8 pounds) — IPF All-Time World Record
Olivares last competed in June 2023 at the 2023 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships, where he won the 120-plus kilogram championship with a World Record total of 1,080 kilograms (2,381 pounds), including a 455-kilogram (1,003.1-pound) squat. His personal best competition squat is 470 kilograms (1,036.1 pounds), which he achieved at the 2023 IPF Sheffield Powerlifting Championships in March. As of this writing, there is no word on when he will compete again.
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The 2023 Shaw Classic, which took place August 19-20 in Loveland, CO, was notable not only because it’s become one of the most prestigious contests in the pro strongman circuit, nor because this year was its first time delivering the title of “The Strongest Man on Earth” to the winner. It was extra-special to fans of the sport because it marked the final competitive appearance of the show’s namesake, organizer, promoter, and eventual winner — Brian Shaw.
In February 2023, Shaw announced that this year’s Shaw Classic would mark his retirement from competing in professional strongman contests. Shaw won the inaugural Shaw Classic in 2020 and was runner-up to Trey Mitchell in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the contest.
The 2023 Shaw Classic saw athletes compete in eight events over the two-day contest: Log Medley, Max Hummer Tire Deadlift, Wheelbarrow/Arm-Over-Arm Medley, Bag Toss, Car Leg Press, Atlas Stones, Standing Bench Press, and Fingal’s Fingers/Power Stairs Medley.
Shaw claimed victory by winning both the Car Leg Press and Standing Bench Press, while placing second in the Atlas Stones and Max Hummer Tire Deadlift. The 2023 Shaw Classic podium was rounded out with runner-up Mitchell Hooper (2023 World’s Strongest Man) and third place contestant Tom Stoltman (2021-2022 World’s Strongest Man).
Shaw began as a strongman winning his first amateur contest, the 2005 Denver’s Strongest Man. He would go on to have a legendary professional career spanning 16 years, from 2007 to 2023, while tallying up a total of 29 wins and 15 runner-up placings across 68 competitions.
Brian Shaw Strongman Career Highlights
World’s Strongest Man — Four-time winner: 2011, 2013, 2015-2016
Arnold Pro Strongman World Series — Four-time winner: 2015-2018
Strongman Super Series — Four-time winner: 2009-2010 (two contests per year)
Arnold Strongman Classic — Three-time winner: 2011, 2015, 2017
Forca Bruta — Three-time winner: 2013, 2015-2016
Shaw Classic — Two-time winner: 2020, 2023
America’s Strongest Man — Two-time winner: 2013, 2016
At 41 years old, Shaw’s competition days may be over, but it’s clear he’s going to be a mainstay in Strongman. He’s made it clear that he plans to continue organizing his eponymous contest each year, helping to grow the strength sport by offering a stage for elite athletes. No doubt he’ll also carry on as an example for strongmen and strongwomen competitors looking to follow in his massive footprints.
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Something magical happens near the beginning of every dedicated lifter’s love affair with resistance training. There’s a period of unprecedented gains in strength and size. Some refer to the muscular adaptations realized during this stage as “newbie gains.”
Don’t let the derogatory connotation fool you. Newbie gains are awesome. You’ll hit frequent personal bests, stack on pounds of lean muscle mass, and dial-in natural lifting technique.
Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock
What’s the best way for a new lifter to take advantage of this honeymoon period of gains? Easy. Get your hands on a weight set and train consistently with the basic barbell lifts. Built around barbell basics, this program provides everything you need for serious muscle.
Starting a workout cold may lead to reduced performance, so learn good habits from the start. Don’t skip your warm-up. Warm-ups typically begin with a four-to-six-minute session of cardio to increase body temperature and circulation, ultimately improving oxygen delivery to your muscles and improving metabolite clearance. Common options for the cardio warm-up include skipping rope, riding a stationary bike, or taking a quick jog.
Next, mobilize and activate the joints and muscles of the body involved in the upcoming workout. Since you’re warming up for a full-body workout, you could burn a lot of gym time here, so it’s best to focus on a few key areas such as your hips, shoulders, and spine. Below is a two-movement mobility and activation sequence for these regions. Perform three rounds of following movements:
Plank to Pike with Alternating Reach: Assume a “high plank” position — the top position of a push-up — then use your upper body to push your hips back over your heels until you feel a hamstring stretch. This “upside down V” is called the pike position. Maintain the pike position and reach your right hand toward your left foot, return your hand to center, then reach your left hand toward your right foot. Return to a high plank by lowering your hips. That’s one repetition. Perform 8 repetitions.
Plank to Deep Lunge with Rotations: Begin in the high plank position and drive your left leg forward and plant your foot as close to the outside of your hand as your mobility allows. Then, lift your left hand and reach out and up toward the ceiling as you rotate your trunk to the left as far as you can. Rotate back and return your hand to the floor, then step back to high plank. Repeat on the right side. That’s one repetition. Perform 8 repetitions.
Once you finally get your hands on the barbell, remember to perform several “work-up sets” of each exercise using lighter weights. Work-up sets allow you to dial-in technique and help you to identify appropriate weights for the sets that count.
Barbell Basics for Size and Strength
A barbell with plates is possibly the most versatile tool for resistance training. In addition to being the requisite piece of equipment for common exercises, it’s loadable, allowing you to scale the intensity of your training to your current level of strength. Paired with an adjustable bench and sturdy rack, a barbell set gives you the means to train your entire body.
Fortunately, beginner lifters don’t need to live at the gym to experience newbie gains. A large meta-analysis compared the effects of less than five weekly sets per muscle group, five to nine weekly sets, and ten or more. (1) For hypertrophy and strength results, this analysis concluded beginners and novice lifters should target five to nine sets per week per major muscle group. (1)
Of course, this recommendation does not imply all sets should be performed in the same workout. Full-body workouts help to maximize training frequency, or the number of times each muscle group is trained per week. Higher frequency training allows for greater weekly sets while avoiding marathon-length workouts.
The workout below consists of 15 sets of barbell exercises. If repeated two or three times per week, this workout puts beginner and novice lifters squarely into the target range for weekly sets. (1) It might be the only resistance training program you need to take your physique from entry-level to next-level.
Barbell Basics Workout Plan
Front Squat — 3 x 6-10
Bench-Supported Barbell Row — 3 x 8-12
Romanian Deadlift — 2 x 8-12
Incline Bench Press — 3 x 6-10
Barbell Rollout — 2 x 12-16
Barbell Curl — 2 x 8-12
Front Squat
Set the tone of your workout by hitting squats first. Specifically, front squats, which hammer your thighs and glutes. The front squat differs from the back squat in several ways. First, as the name implies, the front squat requires carriage of the bar in front of the body, while back squats are performed with the bar across the upper back.
The front carriage or “front rack” position may be more forgiving for those with shoulder instability, and it tends to promote a more upright trunk position. Compared to back squat, the front squat also tends to require relatively less weight to elicit a similar training effect. (2)
Why favor an exercise that uses less weight? This is a full-body workout, and we are just getting started. Less load spares the body from excessive fatigue accumulation, which might interfere with subsequent exercises. Front squats will toast your quads without burning through all your matches.
How to Do it: Set up for the front squat by placing the bar at chest height in the rack. For safety, set the spotter arms to approximately one increment below the lowest point you anticipate the bar reaching during the movement. Place your fingers over the bar, slightly outside shoulder-width and dip under the bar as you point your elbows straight ahead. Step back a half step from the rack, place your feet approximately shoulder width, and squat down, keeping your elbows high and chest up. Descend as far as possible while remaining upright with heels on the floor, then return to standing.
Sets and Repetitions: 3 x 6-10
Rest time: Rest three minutes between sets .
Benefits of the Front Squat
The “front rack” bar position promotes an upright trunk, which may be beneficial for lifters who tend to fold excessively forward during squats.
Front squats build big, strong quadriceps. Quadriceps can be further biased by placing wedges or small plates under the heels.
The exercise promotes athleticism. Front squats have direct carryover to Olympic weightlifting movements (i.e., clean & jerk) and are shown to improve vertical jump performance more effectively than heavy hip thrusts. (3)
Bench-Supported Barbell Row
The next exercise is an upper body pulling movement. Barbell rows are known to build wide lats. This bench-supported variation spares your spinal erectors (the lower back muscles that support your back) for the next exercise. (4) Spoiler alert: deadlifts are next, so you’ll need a fresh set of erectors. In addition to your latissimus dorsi, barbell rows hit your rear deltoids and trapezius. (4)
The bench support also allows you to dial-in natural rowing technique because you do not have to worry about maintaining trunk or hip positions as in the bent over row. Rows should involve the entire shoulder complex, not just the ball and socket joint of the shoulder. Meaning when you pull, your shoulder blades out to retract, or squeeze together. To re-enforce proper shoulder blade movement, focus on creating more space between the front of your shoulders and floor as you row the barbell. (5)
How to Do it: Set an adjustable bench to a roughly 35-to-45-degree angle. Lie on your stomach with your chest supported by the top several inches of the bench. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip slightly beyond shoulder-width. Draw the bar toward the underside of the bench, then return to the bottom position, ensuring motion comes from the shoulder joint and shoulder blades.
Sets and Repetitions: 3 x 8-12
Rest time: Rest two minutes between sets.
Benefits of the Bench-Supported Barbell Row
The bench support prevents unnecessary fatigue and allows for greater focus and emphasis on the target muscles — lats, mid-back, and rear delts.
Using a moderate-width, overhand grip promotes balanced development of mid-back and lat muscles for back thickness and width.
The bench-supported row is great for shoulder health. In addition to building your back, rows train the rotator cuff, namely the subscapularis, as a dynamic stabilizer. (6)
Romanian Deadlift
When programmed earnestly, conventional deadlifts tend to be unforgiving. They place heavy demands on your grip, trunk, and legs. The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is a deadlift variation beginning at the top position of the lift and executed with minimal bend at the knees. It’s a smarter barbell lift for targeting hamstrings at this stage of the workout.
Following the same rationale as programming front squats rather than back squats to reduce systemic demand and ensuing fatigue, the RDL is favored for this full-body workout. At 70% of one-repetition maximum, conventional deadlifts and RDLs place similar mechanical demands on the hips and show similar hamstring muscle activity. (7)
However, the RDL one-repetition maximum is substantially lower than the conventional deadlift. Sure, conventional deadlifts are shown to hit the quadriceps harder than RDLs, but you’ve already toasted your quads with the front squat. (7) Savor the stretch of RDLs as you build an impressive set of “hanging hamstrings.”
How to Do it: Stand with either an overhand or mixed (“over/under”) grip on the barbell. Maintain a slight bend in your knees as you lower the bar by bending at the hips. Lower the weight until you feel a strong stretch behind your thighs in the bottom position, then return to standing. Keep your torso stiff as you bend at the hips and avoid curving your back forward.
Sets and Repetitions: 2 x 8-12
Rest time: Rest three minutes between sets.
Benefits of the Romanian Deadlift
The RDL builds “strength at length.” By keeping your knees relatively straight while you bend forward at the hips, you stretch the hamstrings under load, which promotes simultaneous gains in hypertrophy and flexibility. (8)(9)
Romanian deadlifts activate the hamstrings to similar levels as conventional deadlift. (7) RDLs likely exposes the hamstrings to greater tension due the increases stretch across three of the four hamstring muscles — semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris long head.
Incline Bench Press
No full-body barbell workout is complete without a press. Rather than default to the ever popular bench press or classic military press, we’re striking middle ground by programming the incline bench. The incline bench press not only hits the middle and lower fibers of your pectoralis major — the largest and most prominent chest muscles — but it also hammers the upper (clavicular) fibers. (10) Since your shoulders are trained through a larger range of motion, the incline bench press is also an effective choice for building your deltoids, specifically the front portion.
Still not convinced the incline bench is the right press for you? Results of an eight-week training study showed similar gains in muscle thickness in the middle and lower regions of pectoralis between a group training exclusively traditional bench press and a group training exclusively incline bench press. (11) However, the thickness gains were significantly greater in the upper pectoral region for the incline bench group. (11)
Most surprisingly, improvements in a lab-based test of horizontal pressing strength at the end of the study were similar between groups. (11) As a disclaimer, those looking to compete in the sport of powerlifting should still program traditional bench press, as the principle of training specificity still applies.
How to Do it: Set an adjustable bench to the 45-degree incline position. Retract your shoulder blades so they lie flat when you lean against the pad with an arched back. Ensure the spotter arms are positioned one notch lower than your anticipated range of motion. Take a closed overhand grip on the bar, ensuring the bar rests on the heels of your hands. Keep your forearms vertical and bend at the elbows to lower the bar to your mid or upper chest. Avoid bouncing the bar off your chest before driving it back up to the lockout position.
Sets and Repetitions: 3 x 6-10
Rest time: Rest two minutes between sets.
Benefits of the Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press delivers robust chest training by hitting all parts of your pectoralis major, as well as your front deltoids and triceps. (10)
Incline pressing builds mid and lower pec size (sternocostal head) while also building strength similarly to the traditional flat bench press, with the added benefit of stacking on more upper pec muscle (clavicular head). (11)
Working on an incline delivered efficient results while requiring about 20% lower weights than traditional bench press. (12)
Barbell Rollout
The front squat and RDL have already trained your spinal erectors (the core muscles on the back of the trunk), but no exercise so far has directly targeted the anterior core, or abdominals. Enter the barbell rollout exercise. Essentially, it’s an ab wheel rollout performed with a barbell and plates. Sure, you could use the cheap plastic, purpose-built device, but wouldn’t you rather chisel your abs with steel rather than something that looks like it was lifted from a toddler’s tricycle?
Exercise biomechanics of the barbell rollout are virtually identical to the classic ab wheel rollout. The ab wheel rollout is known to produce higher upper abdominal, lower abdominal, and external oblique muscle activity that crunches and reverse crunches. (13) In addition to training your anterior core, the rollout also hits your shoulder extensors. (13)
Since these shoulder muscles are trained through a relatively long range of motion, the rollout may provide added benefits of shoulder mobility and latissimus dorsi flexibility. (9) Ultimately, if you are not accustomed to this style of core training, get ready for serious delayed onset abdominal soreness.
How to Do it: Load a plate and a collar on each side of the barbell. Kneel in front of the barbell and take a shoulder-width overhand grip. Use your abdominals to draw your rib cage slightly downward and tilt your pelvis slightly back — “tuck your tail.” Keeping your hips extended and without allowing your spine to arch, roll the bar forward as far as you can comfortably control. Use your shoulders to pull yourself back to an upright position.
Sets and Repetitions: 2 x 12-16
Rest time: Rest 30 to 60 seconds between sets.
Benefits of the Barbell Rollout
The rollout is an anti-extension abdominal exercise that also builds shoulder strength and mobility.
Barbell rollouts tend to be more challenging than other common core exercises, such as crunches and reverse crunches.
Rather than adjusting the weight, the barbell rollout can be made less difficult by limiting your range of motion forward.
Barbell Curl
No weight training workout is complete without “pump work” for the glamor muscles. Everyone’s favorite showcase muscle, the biceps brachii, will have received some training stimulus during the row, but you cannot earnestly count those as three sets of biceps training. (14)
As old school as it may feel, the straight barbell is an effective choice for building big strong arms. During the downward movement phase of the exercise, the barbell curl elicits more biceps brachii activity than the dumbbell curl. (15) During the upward movement phase, the barbell curl is more effective than the dumbbell curl for stimulating muscle activity in the brachioradialis muscle, the thumb-side muscle that crosses in front of your elbow. (15)
Finally, from a practical standpoint, the straight barbell always stays in front of your body during curls, which keeps tension on the target muscles. Compared to dumbbell curls, it is much more difficult to “cheat” on barbell biceps curls by swinging the weight.
How to Do it: Stand upright with an underhand shoulder-width grip on the barbell. Keeping your arms at your sides or slightly in front of your ribs, curl the barbell by flexing your elbow. Maintain a vertical torso and don’t use your hips to swing the weight. Return to the bottom position with control.
Sets and Repetitions: 2 x 8-12
Rest time: Rest 30 to 60 seconds between sets.
Benefits of the Barbell Curl
Barbell curls are equally effective to EZ-bar curls for activating the biceps brachii. (15) However, barbell curls require full forearm supination throughout the movement, which may further emphasize your biceps brachii. (16)
For those interested in forearm training, barbell curls appear better suited for training brachioradialis than the dumbbell curl. (15)
Maximizing Your Iron Investment
This 15-set, barbell-only workout hits all major muscle groups. For best results, perform it two or three times per week with at least one full day of recovery between sessions.
As your strength and muscularity steadily increase, you might come to realize your weight set (or gym membership) was the best investment you’ve ever made. But there’s no such thing as passive return on this investment. Even “newbie gains” require regular deposits of sweat and effort.
References
Ralston, G. W., et al. (2017). The effect of weekly set volume on strength gain: a meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 47, 2585-2601.
Bird, S. P., & Casey, S. (2012). Exploring the front squat. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 34(2), 27-33.
Contreras, B., et al. (2017). Effects of a six-week hip thrust vs. front squat resistance training program on performance in adolescent males: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(4), 999-1008.
García-Jaén, M., et al. (2021). Electromyographical responses of the lumbar, dorsal and shoulder musculature during the bent-over row exercise: a comparison between standing and bench postures (a preliminary study). Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 21(4), 1871-1877.
Lincoln, M. A., et al. (2023). Exercise technique: The landmine row. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 45(3), 371-378.
Wattanaprakornkul, D., et al. (2011). Direction-specific recruitment of rotator cuff muscles during bench press and row. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 21(6), 1041-1049.
Lee, S., Schultz, J., Timgren, J., Staelgraeve, K., Miller, M., & Liu, Y. (2018). An electromyographic and kinetic comparison of conventional and Romanian deadlifts. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, 16(3), 87-93.
Wolf, M., Androulakis-Korakakis, P., Fisher, J., Schoenfeld, B., & Steele, J. (2023). Partial vs full range of motion resistance training: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 3(1).
Afonso, J., et al. (2021). Strength training versus stretching for improving range of motion: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Healthcare 9(4), 427.
dos Santos Albarello, et al. (2022). Non-uniform excitation of pectoralis major induced by changes in bench press inclination leads to uneven variations in the cross-sectional area measured by panoramic ultrasonography. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 67, 102722.
Chaves, S. F., et al. (2020). Effects of horizontal and incline bench press on neuromuscular adaptations in untrained young men. International Journal of Exercise Science, 13(6), 859-872.
Saeterbakken, A. H., et al. (2017). The effects of bench press variations in competitive athletes on muscle activity and performance. Journal of Human Kinetics, 57(1), 61-71.
Escamilla, R. F., et al. (2006). Electromyographic analysis of traditional and nontraditional abdominal exercises: implications for rehabilitation and training. Physical Therapy, 86(5), 656-671.
Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Haun, C., Itagaki, T., & Helms, E. R. (2019). Calculating set-volume for the limb muscles with the performance of multi-joint exercises: implications for resistance training prescription. Sports, 7(7), 177.
Marcolin, G., et al. (2018). Differences in electromyographic activity of biceps brachii and brachioradialis while performing three variants of curl. PeerJ, 6, e5165.
Murray, W. M., Delp, S. L., & Buchanan, T. S. (1995). Variation of muscle moment arms with elbow and forearm position. Journal of Biomechanics, 28(5), 513-525.
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Four-time World’s Strongest Man (2011, 2012, 2015-2016) and Shaw Classic promoter Brian Shaw is in the final stages of preparing for his final competitive appearance. The 2023 Shaw Classic, taking place on Aug. 19-20, 2023 in Loveland, CO, will determine “The Strongest Man on Earth.”
With the contest approaching, Shaw posted a video on his YouTube channel, and he both gave sneak peeks into the events, as well as reflected on his run as one of the most accomplished athletes in the sport’s history.
After a behind the scenes glimpse of what the fans can expect the contest, such as the unique standing chest press machine and the classic Fingal’s Fingers, Shaw is seen sitting in a chair and sharing his thoughts about the process and contest itself.
“It’s becoming very real now, that this is my last opportunity to step on that competitive stage and I’ve really been trying to make the absolute most of it … It’s kind of surreal at this moment because on Saturday we will be starting the Shaw Classic and The Strongest Man on Earth, and we will be finding out who the Strongest Man on Earth is. That is so exciting for me and it almost doesn’t seem real at this moment.”
Shaw also took time to appreciate where he began — Shaw’s first amateur strongman contest was a victory in the 2005 Denver’s Strongest Man — all the way through his current standing in the sport. Shaw has tallied 28 professional victories throughout 67 competitions from 2007 to 2023 including four World’s Strongest Man titles, three Arnold Strongman Classic wins (2011, 2015, 2017), and a victory at the inaugural Shaw Classic (2020).
“As I was climbing the ranks, I fell in love with the sport of strongman and every component of it. I love the challenge, I love the training, I love the preparation. I love just stepping out there and competing and only being able to look at yourself in the mirror, whether you were successful or not successful. There was always room to improve and I think that’s what kept me coming back for all of the years that I’ve competed in strongman.”
While Shaw has had to maintain promoter duties for the upcoming Shaw Classic, he also has been preparing for this contest as an athlete, and he likes where he is leading up to the start of the competition.
“I’m coming in bigger than I have in a long, long time and I think that has really benefited me and my training leading up to it. I’m stronger than I have been, I’m more prepared, and I think when it comes to my performance, I want to go out with that [title].”
Shaw won the inaugural Shaw Classic in 2020, but Trey Mitchell was champion in 2021 and 2022. Shaw hopes to end his athletic career with a second title while transitioning to a full-time promoter going forward. The roster for the 2023 Shaw Classic is below.
Fans that can’t attend the 2023 Shaw Strength in person can still watch the event on pay-per-view, courtesy of ADLPRO.live. Shaw explained that revenue from the stream will go to the athletes’ payout.
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When Shaun Clarida steps onstage at the 2023 Olympia Weekend in Orlando, FL on Nov. 2-5, 2023, he will look to win his second consecutive, and third overall, 212 Olympia title. If he does, he will join Kevin English and Flex Lewis as the only men to have won three titles since the division began in 2008 as the 202-pound division. The New Jersey native has had a busy year that included becoming a father and relocating to Texas, but now his sights are set on the task at hand.
On Aug. 14, 2023, Clarida shared an arm training video he did at Destination in Dallas, TX, that gave fans a glimpse at how he’s preparing to defend his world championship in Orlando.
This workout featured nine total exercises and he performed the workout by alternating movements for the triceps and biceps. Many lifters have trained their arms using supersets, with exercises alternated back-to-back without rest. Clarida opts to train them individually, training multiple sets of one exercise before working the other body part, so one muscle group could partially recover while the other was working.
Rope Triceps Pushdown
Clarida started with rope triceps pushdowns, which both worked the triceps and prepared his elbows for the work to come. After warming up, he did sets of 12 to 15 reps while keeping his upper arms braced to his sides and performing slow eccentric movements (negatives) for the reps. The final set was a double drop set, where he reduced the weight to keep performing extra reps.
Cable Biceps Curl
He then switched to biceps with the EZ-curl attachment and did cable curls with a relatively wide grip. Clarida shared that he wanted to get three or four sets of 12-15 reps at this point in the workout. The goal for this specific exercise was to begin his biceps work the same way he used extensions to begin his triceps training.
“Just like triceps: do a good warm-up, do a feeder [set] where it feels comfortable, feels good. Now I’m going to start adding a little bit more weight to get some more challenging reps.”
He added weight for each set, but it wasn’t clear about exactly how much he was lifting on the stack.
Close-Grip Triceps Pushdown
Clarida went back to triceps for his third exercise of the day. He used the EZ-curl attachment for this version of pushdowns, choosing a closer grip than his previous curls. He shared that he did a feeder set (a transition between a warm-up and a working weight) with 140 pounds (63.5 kilograms) before moving up to 170 pounds (77 kilograms) for 12 reps.
His third set was with 190 pounds (86.2 kilograms), but he acknowledged that was still “too light,” so we would take on the entire stack for his fourth set. He said he was getting stronger, which he is pleased with.
“I shouldn’t be getting stronger during prep. That’s a good thing. That’s called prep done right.”
After getting eight reps with the stack, he did one more set with a lighter weight.
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
The second biceps movement was a cross-body hammer curl. Clarida started with 60-pound (27.2-kilogram) dumbbells, alternating arms with each rep. His goal rep range was eight to 10 reps, but he felt that weight wasn’t challenging enough. So, he went to the 70s (31.8 kilogram) for his next set, and he got eight reps for each arm.
Single-Arm Overhead Triceps Extension
He stayed in the dumbbell rack area for overhead extensions with a dumbbell. Not all sets were shown in their entirety, but you could tell he felt confident in the work he put in. Three sets for each arm were completed before he switched back to biceps.
Single-Arm Machine Preacher Curl
Clarida called this exercise one of his favorites for biceps. He performed the exercise on a machine that allowed him to use one arm at a time. He emphasized the importance of both the stretch and contraction with this movement. He maintained a rep range of 10 to 12 reps for all three sets. He gave himself time to rest between both arms so he could give max effort to each one.
Single-Arm Triceps Pushdown and Overhead Cable Curls
The next triceps exercise was another pushdown variation, putting his wrist through a leg cuff attachment. Going across his body for these extensions allowed Clarida to get a greater stretch at the top of the rep. Only one set was shown before Clarida said what he would do next for his biceps finisher.
The overhead cable curls were performed similar to performing a front double biceps pose. Clarida said that, even though he used to believe that you could change the peak of a bicep, he now knows that you can only make the most out of what you already have.
“If you were born with flat biceps, meaning there’s no peak, you really can’t develop that,” he said. “If you have a flat biceps, you have a flat biceps.”
Once he reached failure with both arms simultaneously, he switched to doing each side one at a time to finish the biceps off.
Triceps Machine Dips
He had five triceps movements in this workout because the triceps are typically bigger than the biceps, in terms of their anatomical location on the body. The final movement for this workout was machine dips. He once again emphasized the importance of the stretch at the top as well as the contraction on the bottom of each rep. After three sets of this exercise, he was finished for the day.
If you want to perform a workout like this for yourself, you can follow the sample workout below.
Giant Killer-Style Giant Arm Workout
Rope Triceps Extension — 3 x 12-15
Cable Biceps Curl — 3 x 12-15
Cable Triceps Pushdown — 3 x 8-10
Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curl — 3 x 8-10 per arm
Single-Arm Overhead Triceps Extension — 3 x 10 per arm
Machine Single-Arm Preacher Curl — 3 x 10 per arm
Cross-Body Triceps Extension — 3 x 12 per arm
Overhead Cable Curl — 3 x 12-15 (reach total muscular failure on last set)
Triceps Machine Dip — 3 x 12-15
Clarida hopes to be the first Olympia 212 champion to successfully defend his title since Lewis’ last win in 2018. Kamal Elgargni won in 2019, Clarida claimed his first in 2020, and Derek Lunsford was champion in 2021. Lunsford moved to the Men’s Open division in 2022, and Clarida managed to reclaim the title.
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Powerlifter Jamal Browner is set to make his debut in the world of strongman at the 2023 World Deadlift Championships, which is part of the 2023 Giants Live Strongman World Open on Sept. 2, 2023 in Cardiff, Wales.
Browner has been a sumo deadlifter in his regular sport, but he’s had to transition into using a conventional stance for strongman, which doesn’t allow lifters to use the wide stance. Based on the looks of his training, he’s adapting pretty well. On Aug. 3, 2023, Browner posted an Instagram Reel of a short, intense set where he pulls 435 kilograms (959 pounds) for a double.
Browner used lifting straps and was wearing a weightlifting belt for this set, both of which are allowed in strongman. He pulled the first rep up to a lockout with no trouble. He then returned the barbell to the floor to begin rep number two. Although it was a little slower than the first, there was no doubt whether or not he could lock it out. He made an attempt at a third rep, but he was unable to bring the bar to knee-height.
Browner referred to this as a personal record, but he’s been showing steady improvement on the conventional version of the deadlift for months. This lift came less than six weeks after he had pulled 410 kilograms (903 pounds) for four reps. Prior to that, he had celebrated pulling the 435 kilograms for a single in April 2023 — now adding an additional rep to that PR.
Besides the use of his figure-eight straps and belt, Browner will also be allowed to wear a deadlift suit, but it is unknown whether or not he will. Even though this is his first time in strongman, he’s already considered one of the world’s renowned deadlifters. He is one of five men to have deadlifted 500 kilograms (1,102 pounds), which he did in September 2022. The others are former World’s Strongest Man winners Eddie Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson, and powerlifters Danny Grigsby and Krzysztof Wierzbicki — Wierzbicki actually pulled 502.5 kilograms (1,107 pounds) to capture the heaviest deadlift of all-time, albeit in training not on a competition platform.
Browner has been very successful on the platform as well. In September 2022, he set the world record for the raw total in the 110-kilogram category with a combined total of 1,052.5 kilograms (2,320 pounds), which included a 455-kilogram (1,003-pound) deadlift. As of August 2023, that record still stands.
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“Based on a 2,000 calorie diet.” If you’ve bought pre-packaged food in the past 25 years, you’ve probably seen a nutrition label with that phrase or something similar. Beginning in the mid-1990s, government regulations around the world began requiring food manufacturers to provide consumers with a basic nutritional breakdown of whatever they’re about to eat.
This information typically includes macronutrients like protein, carbohydrates, and fats; micronutrients like vitamins and minerals; and total calories. While the intention might’ve been good, it ended up potentially raising more questions than answers. One of the biggest questions being, why 2,000 calories?
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The bad news is that the number was pulled from a survey of Americans more than 30 years ago and has managed to remain the default reference point. The good news is that, just a few years ago, labels in the US changed the phrasing to clarify, “2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.” It’s a better step, but it still doesn’t address the 2,000-dollar question.
Here’s a more useful guide to figuring out an individualized, effective calorie intake whether you’re a college rugby player looking to build some muscular armor, a hopeful vacationer who wants to hit the beach with six-pack abs, or a mother of three aiming to increase her deadlift.
Every food can be a combination of three basic macronutrients — protein (which contains amino acids), carbohydrates (which covers complex carbs, fiber, and sugar), and fats (saturated and unsaturated). These nutrients are the composite building blocks of a food’s caloric payload.
On a per-gram basis, one gram of protein delivers four calories, one gram of carbohydrates also delivers four calories whether it’s complex, fiber, or sugar, and one gram of fat brings in a dense nine calories.
In terms of their effects on the body, protein is the only nutrient responsible for repairing and creating new muscle tissue. Carbohydrates and fats are, generally speaking, considered “energy providers” and can be burned by your body to fuel activity whether it’s walking, sprinting, lifting weights, or playing tennis.
While total daily/weekly calorie intake will determine any loss or gain in general body weight, the ratio of macronutrients will more specifically determine the change in lean muscle tissue and body fat.
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In broad terms, nutrition plans that are relatively lower in protein will compromise muscle development, strength gains, and overall energy levels. (1) Meanwhile, eating plans that are relatively lower in carbohydrates and/or fats may or may not affect energy levels significantly, as long as you’re eating enough of the “other” energy source — low-carb diets can provide energy via a relatively high fat intake, while low-fat plans meet energy needs with ample carbs.
By manipulating these three macronutrients, you can not only adjust your overall calorie intake but, with strategic planning, you can maintain a given calorie level while fine-tuning the macronutrients to achieve particular goals.
For example, a 2,500-calorie diet which provides 250 grams of protein, 190 grams of carbohydrates, and 80 grams of fat will yield drastically different physique and performance results compared to the same person following a 2,500-calorie diet consisting of 50 grams of protein, 375 grams of carbs, and 90 grams of fat.
Adjusting your macros is an overlooked “diet hack” that can be used as an alternative to simply increasing or decreasing total calories. Matching both your calorie intake and your macronutrient profile to your specific goals will be the most effective approach.
Muscle-Building Calorie Goals
When it’s time to build muscle, many people focus on designing the most effective workout plan, but that’s only half the story. The right training stimulus will politely ask your body to build more muscle, but nutrition is what determines whether or not your body actually grants the request. Here’s how to literally and figuratively tip the scales in your favor.
Nutrient Targets
Your number one priority for adding muscle is getting enough of the only nutrient responsible for creating muscle tissue — protein. Aim to get a minimum of .74 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.62 grams per kilogram). (2)
Because .74 is a seemingly random and mathematically tricky number to work with, rounding up to a long-touted “one gram per pound of body weight” is equally effective. Notably, higher protein intake is not directly associated with increased muscle growth. (2) Fortunately, excess calories from protein are less likely to be stored as body fat, so more protein may not necessarily help, but it certainly won’t hurt. (3)
After your target protein intake is determined, fill the caloric gap with a balance of carbohydrates depending largely on your activity level. Aim for two to three grams of carbohydrates per pound of bodyweight (4.5 to 6.5 grams per kilogram), with relatively high volume and/or high frequency training calling for an appropriately higher carb intake to fuel performance and recovery. (4)
Fat intake can complete the remaining calorie balance. For optimal health, immune system function, and overall recovery, fats should ideally provide at least 25% of the total daily calories. (5) This intake can be nudged higher toward 30 to 35% of daily calories as long as you accommodate by reducing either carbohydrates or protein.
Because fats are much more calorically dense than protein and carbs, a little goes a long way, so make adjustments on a small scale.
Calorie Guidelines
Setting your macronutrients in place will naturally end up providing a caloric total, but you need to ensure it’s still enough calories to support muscle growth. Just be sure to find the line between “enough” and “too much.” When it’s time to eat for size, it’s all too easy to cross into full-blown gorging territory.
When it comes to increasing your calories, there’s a point where more isn’t better because your body can slide right past muscle gains and end up creating only body fat. If you’re currently tracking your calorie intake, you can promote muscle gain by adding 350 to 500 calories per day. (6)
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That relatively small increase could be as simple as adding a basic afternoon snack, like a small turkey and cheese sandwich with a piece of fruit or a single serving of a high-quality mass gainer shake, to your current daily diet.
If you’re not currently tracking your calories, give yourself a starting calorie intake equal to your current body weight x 20. So, if you currently weigh 180 pounds, aim for 3,600 calories per day. Of that, you’ll apply the macronutrient targets previously listed: 180 grams of protein, 270 grams of carbs, and 80 grams of fat.
Here’s the tricky part: the macro targets in this example only tally up to 2,520 calories, so you’d actually fall short of your intended calories. Fill in the difference primarily from protein sources to potentially reduce fat gain, but include a combination of carbohydrates and fats to make the plan simpler and more practical to implement.
Be sure to hit the target every day, not just on training days. You’re still recovering and growing on rest days, so don’t reduce your meals just because you’re not working out.
How to Adjust
For maximum results, you need to fine-tune your nutrition plan as you go along depending on the results you see. You can’t simply follow one rigid plan for weeks or months on end without adjustment and expect great results.
It’d be like trying to drive down a highway without ever changing lanes — you’re going to be miserable the entire time and you still probably won’t end up where you want to be. Instead, track your muscle gain results by monitoring your strength in the gym. You should be steadily progressing in performance (more weight and/or more repetitions each week). Having better workouts is a clue that you’re recovering well and feeding your body enough nutrients.
Most notably, monitor your body weight each week and expect gains of roughly two to four pounds per month. Yes, per month. (7) That’s about as much muscle tissue as the body can build in that timeframe. Gaining significant body weight faster is an indicator that you’re likely creating more body fat than lean muscle tissue.
However, variables such as your age and overall training experience can be factors that determine your individual rate of muscle gains. Lifters relatively new to the gym typically gain more muscle, more quickly, while veteran lifters take more time to respond to the muscle-building stimulus with new muscle mass.
If the scale doesn’t increase in two to three weeks, add roughly 250 calories per day and continue monitoring. Repeat as needed, being aware that cooking and chewing are as important as lifting when it comes to adding size.
Calorie Deficit for Fat Loss
The words “fat loss diet” have sent countless shivers down countless spines over the years. Fad diets based on extreme and unsustainable behaviors are largely to blame. These unrealistic, niche plans have become so commonplace that they’re often considered the standard way of reshaping your physique.
Fortunately, you can skip over the fads and rely on time-tested nutrition principles to support your fat loss goals. No gimmicks necessary. While diet plans to build muscle are all generally similar (eat plenty of calories and don’t skimp on the protein), fat loss diet plans can vary in nutrient breakdown without significantly compromising results.
Nutrient Targets
Fat loss diet plans typically come in two primary flavors, no pun intended. Diets can either be relatively low carb or relatively low fat. Both have been shown to be equally effective, so it’s essentially a matter of which can best suit your individual preferences, while also supporting your overall training plan. (8)
In a relatively low carb diet, carbohydrates typically provide no more than 25% of your daily calories. This includes carbs from all sources — complex carbs, sugars, and fiber. Contrary to some carb-focused nutrition influencers, “net carbs” (the carbohydrate number after fiber is subtracted) isn’t really a thing. It’s a term that has more to do with food-product marketing than actually nutrition.
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Some low-carb dieters take this approach to an extreme by adopting a ketogenic diet, or extremely low-carb dieting (typically less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day). While keto diets can spur quick weight loss initially, it’s been shown to not deliver significantly better results than other alternatives, while also being notably difficult to adhere to. (9)
In a relatively low fat diet, fats deliver less than 25% of your total calories each day. Because each gram of fat carries nine calories, reducing fat sources in your diet is a quick and efficient way to reduce your total calories.
However, fats are essential for your body’s natural function and they play a role in everything from supporting a strong immune system to general hormone function. (10) Keeping your fat intake too low for too long can potentially lead to health issues, so be aware of possible issues if following this approach.
In either plan, protein intake should remain a priority. Maintaining high protein levels has been shown to support fat loss, encourage muscle preservation, and improve overall body composition. (11)
Calorie Guidelines
Significant fat loss can’t happen without a caloric deficit. If you’re not burning more calories than you take in, you won’t see any major progress. While some misguided dieters take this advice to the extreme by severely restricting calories, drastically increasing their calorie expenditure through excessive exercise, or doing both, a more moderate approach will yield better overall results.
Follow a well-designed training plan, incorporating both resistance training for muscle preservation and cardiovascular exercise for overall health, improved recovery, and moderately increased calorie expenditure. Pair that training with a nutrition plan that provides slightly restricted calories.
If you’re currently tracking your calories, decrease each day’s intake by 500 to 750 calories. (12) Focus on primarily reducing either your carbohydrate or fat sources, while keeping your protein levels relatively high.
If you’re not currently tracking calories, aim to take in your current body weight x 12 in total calories. For example, if you currently weigh 195 pounds, set your daily calorie goal at roughly 2,300 calories.
One popular, however inefficient, approach is to “eat for the body you want,” or set calorie intake using your “goal weight.” Not only does this technique rely on guesstimating your future self’s body weight, which may or may not end up accurate, but it provides your current self with insufficient calories to fuel training and recovery. Instead, stay in the present and feed the body you’re working with.
Whether you choose to follow a lower carb or lower fat plan can come down to individual preference and overall training style — if you have a high volume of training, lifting five days per week with several additional cardio sessions, you may perform and recover better with a lower fat plan which allows relatively higher carb intake to fuel intense workouts.
How to Adjust
It’s important to differentiate between fat loss (reduced body fat) and weight loss (reduced body weight). Anyone who’s endured an outdoor adventure and ended up drenched in sweat has experienced “weight loss.” It’s transient, almost always from water loss, and it’s regained almost immediately. More drastically, bed-ridden patients under long-term medical care also experience “weight loss” as muscle tissue wastes away.
When most people set a goal of losing weight, they (hopefully) mean to specify fat loss — reducing stored body fat to create a healthier and more aesthetic physique. For that reason, it’s important not to overfocus on just reducing your body weight (making the scale read a progressively lower number) during a fat loss plan.
Credit: Andrej Safaric / Shutterstock
The scale should, typically, trend down over the course of weeks or months, but body recomposition (the addition of lean muscle while reducing body fat) can make progress on the scale unreliable, at best.
Consider also relying on more tangible criteria such as your performance in the gym (weight lifted, reps performed, and general energy during training), as well as objective measures like the fit of your clothes or tape measurements of key body parts like your thighs, upper arms, or waist.
Losing two pounds of body weight per week while also improving other metrics would be considered excellent progress. Dropping one pound per week while improving the other benchmarks is also an effective and sustainable rate of progress. Variables that can sometimes lead to faster short-term results would include having a relatively larger starting point or following a very low carb diet plan.
If you’re not seeing weekly results with objective measures (gym performance and clothes/measurements) and scale weight, you can either reduce your calories by 150 to 200 per day or manipulate your macronutrient intake while keeping overall calories the same, such as decreasing carbs while increasing protein or fat.
Even though restricting calories is necessary for fat loss, it’s important to not reduce your intake too low. (13) To avoid “stalling out” and sending your body into panic mode (where fat loss ceases regardless of calorie reduction), avoid reducing calories below your current body weight x 10. To continue safely and effectively performing regular training while supporting general health, consider this limit the “do not cross”-zone.
Eat for Strength and Recovery
Physique-based goals aren’t the only time you should pay attention to nutrition. For optimal performance and long-term results, even lifters who prioritize their PRs over their arm size or ab development can benefit from targeted nutrition practices. The right diet plan will fuel strength-focused workouts while also delivering much needed nutrients for recovery between sessions. (14)
For the most part, a nutrition plan that supports strength gains and one that supports muscle gains will appear fairly similar because the two goals are closely related. One of the most counterproductive approaches, however, is to “train for strength while eating for fat loss.” Restricting your energy intake while asking your body for high-performance output will only lead to poor progress on both fronts.
Nutrient Targets
Protein is essential for muscle growth as well as repair, so keeping the one-gram-per-pound target in sight is (still) the best approach. Even if you’re not interested in building wide lats or massive quads, you’ll appreciate the muscle-sparing benefits of a high protein intake once you notice reduced post-workout muscle soreness.
Carbohydrate intake can be up to three grams per pound of body weight per day. (15) This will allow optimal performance during high volume and/or high frequency training. While it’s technically possible to train with high intensity on a relatively lower carb intake, it’s fitting a square peg in a round nutritional hole.
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The body’s innate physiological preference is to fuel intense activity, like hard training, with carbs. Investing time and energy into “retraining” your body to burn dietary fats for energy will compromise short-term progress for minimal, if any, long-term benefit.
Aim for 30% of your daily calories from fats. This range should support overall health, hormonal function, metabolism, immune system benefit, and general recovery. (16) A relatively higher percentage of dietary fats will also help to avoid a calorie deficit, which would significantly impact training results.
Calorie Guidelines
When your goal isn’t to specifically add muscle or reduce body fat, your overall calorie intake doesn’t need to be excessive as long as it provides the target nutrients. Set a daily calorie target of your current body weight x 15. So, if you weigh 210 pounds, aim for roughly 3,100 to 3,200 calories per day with enough protein, carbs, and fats. If you’re 130 pounds, you’re looking at around 1,900 calories each day.
As with the muscle-building nutrition plan, keep your daily calories the same whether it’s a training day or a rest day. This will allow you to recover from your most recent workout while also preparing to fuel your upcoming training session.
Some lifters may instinctively eat less on days they don’t train, either due to a reduced appetite or the thought that they’re not “putting the calories to use.” However, the body is still repairing and recovering from previous training, so restricting calories is inefficient.
What you could do, however, to adjust your diet plan without compromising results is to steal a page from the fat loss playbook and manipulate your macronutrients on rest days. Consider decreasing carb intake while increasing protein and fats, to maintain the same total calorie intake. This can support recovery while potentially minimizing fat gain, if you’re into that sort of thing.
How to Adjust
When your goal is to hit PRs, performance in the gym is the number one priority. Your nutrition plan should allow you to step into the gym feeling ready to attack each session with full energy and minimal residual soreness from the previous workout.
Weights and repetitions should move steadily upward in each workout throughout the week. While strength plateaus are a natural occurrence in any training plan, they should be relatively few and far between when a well-designed training routine is supported by strategic nutrition.
Your body weight may hold steady or increase slightly over time, roughly one pound per week, which is an indicator that your calorie intake is sufficient. If you’re losing body weight consistently, increase your daily plan by 250 calories.
Some lifters consider changing their nutrition around the most challenging session of their training week (typically a brutal leg day) by going above and beyond their calorie target prior to the workout. The usual thinking is that they can supercompensate or “overfuel” themselves into having an incredibly productive workout.
However, if your consistent nutrition provides ample macronutrients and calories, there’s little physical benefit to having an epic gorge the day before (or morning of) an extra-intense workout.
You might find some psychological benefit from believing those extra pancakes will add reps to your squat, but unless you’ve been inadvertently restricting your nutrition or not hitting your daily target, it’s not going to help.
Kitchen Beats Gym
You hopefully wouldn’t show up at work every day, put in your eight or nine hours, and then forget to cash your paycheck at the end of the week. If you did, then all that hard work was for nothing and you never actually reap the benefits. That’s exactly what so many lifters do when they overemphasize their training program while giving bare-minimum attention to their nutrition. Instead, set yourself up for success by following the kind of eating plan that lets you cash in on all that in-gym effort.
References
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Morton, R. W., Murphy, K. T., McKellar, S. R., Schoenfeld, B. J., Henselmans, M., Helms, E., Aragon, A. A., Devries, M. C., Banfield, L., Krieger, J. W., & Phillips, S. M. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British journal of sports medicine, 52(6), 376–384. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
Leaf, A., & Antonio, J. (2017). The Effects of Overfeeding on Body Composition: The Role of Macronutrient Composition – A Narrative Review. International journal of exercise science, 10(8), 1275–1296.
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While Labor Day may not be as big of a shopping holiday as Black Friday or Prime Day, you can still score significant discounts on home gym equipment and nutrition supplements.
This year, Labor Day is Monday, September 5, 2023. If you’ve been wanting to replace your rusty barbell, refresh your wardrobe with gym leggings, or buy a treadmill so you don’t have to run outdoors when it starts getting cold and gloomy, check out our favorite Labor Day fitness equipment sales below. We found discounts on everything from high-quality adjustable dumbbells to top-rated cardio machines. We even found deals on the best protein powders and other supplements to help you stay on top of your nutrition as the holiday season approaches.
Don’t forget to check back often — we’ll update this page as we find more deals to share.
These deals are based on the information we have as of the time of this writing and are subject to change.
The Best Labor Day Fitness Sales
Here’s a roundup of the best Labor Day fitness deals from some of our favorite brands:
Echelon: Save up to $1,000 on outlet cardio machines
Horizon Fitness: Save up to $500 on select ellipticals and exercise bikes
REP Fitness: Save up to $150 on functional trainers, weight benches, bumper plates, and more
Titan Fitness: Save up to 40% plus get free shipping
TrueForm: Save $1,000 or more on curved treadmills
There are plenty of ways you can save money on workout equipment this Labor Day. To maximize your savings, follow the tips below.
Make a Plan
If you’re a fitness junkie like me, you’ll want to buy all the things at once, especially when brands offer steep discounts. But you likely also have bills to pay and families and pets to care for, and you probably want to keep some money stashed away for unexpected emergencies.
It helps to make a plan and stick to it when plotting your purchases during shopping holidays. This way, you won’t fall victim to “shiny object syndrome” and spend more money than you budgeted for. You’ll also be less likely to experience buyer’s remorse when a new exercise bike or barbell that you really didn’t need shows up at your door.
Research the Pricing History
Retailers are notorious for inflating the original prices of their products right before a major holiday to make their discounts look even better. To ensure you get a good deal, keep tabs on your desired item’s price in the weeks leading up to Labor Day. If it doesn’t change but then drops by a significant percentage for Labor Day weekend, you’re probably getting a good deal. But if the price goes up by 20 percent the week before Labor Day and then the brand offers a 20 percent discount for the holiday weekend, you won’t save any money.
CamelCamelCamel is an excellent price history checker for products on Amazon. Chrome extensions like Honey or SlickDeals work well for Amazon and other retailers. Honey allows you to create Droplists of the items you want to track and will send you notifications when prices drop. SlickDeals functions similarly and lets you create alerts for your desired products. SlickDeals doesn’t provide historical prices, though — this extension only starts tracking an item’s price once you create an alert for it.
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
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Warrior Fit Testimonials
First, I want to say thank you for convincing me to do Tabata! I was struggling to lose weight and Finally I found something that helped! I really appreciate your coaching! - Craig T.
Ever since I was convinced to do Tabata I have seen huge results, I lost 6 pounds and gained energy in the first 3 weeks. I have been working out for 3 months before I decided to do Tabata and I struggled to lose weight.
At first I thought "How am I losing weight by bringing my heart rate up then cooling down then bringing it up again?" I don’t know how it works but it does!
Thank you!! - Theresa F.
The first day of Tabata, I wondered WHAT AM I DOING - I AM 56 !! Five weeks later I knew that it was what I needed. I learned that I could push myself well beyond my comfort zone and feel good later. I have a marked improvement in physical as well as emotional endurance. - Lyn C.
When I was first told about Tabata I was very excited from the word go, however that excitement stemmed from the fact that I had no clue what it meant. I missed the first week of class b/c I was traveling for work so when I came in during the 2nd week I had some making it up to do.
It was hard at first b/c my body wasn't used to working out at such a fast pace, but once I got into a rhythm I started to feel very good. These classes are no joke. If you stick with it you will leave there feeling stronger, healthier and overall better about yourself and what you've accomplished.
I would recommend these classes to anyone. Darrin is a great trainer and he'll keep you going with his energy.
- Jami L.
Warriors Fit Audio
Warrior Fit uses High Intensity Music to get ya Moooovin' So we can all "Get Our Sweat On"
The link below will give ya a freeee shot at Audible plus a couple audio books just to try it out and if you haven't used audio books on your commutes you are missing out. Get pumped up before you get to where you are going and exercise your mind. I use it Everyday. Go get yours now!
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
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