Archive for the Training Category
By Ramsey Rodriguez – What do you hear when you ask someone, “What’s wrong with your shoulder?” The most common response is: “Well, the doctor thinks it’s my Rotator Cuff muscle, but that’s it.” Typically, rest followed by ice and/or aspirin is recommended. This might work if it’s the first time you have strained you Rotator Cuff(s); however, when it becomes a recurring condition, then it needs to be re-addressed beyond the ‘rest/ice/aspirin’ remedy.
There is a lot of information out there about Rotator Cuff injuries and the various methods for recovery. I too have experienced these problems, especially while doing extensive high intensity training and specifically during the Bench Press exercise. This article gives priority to several key aspects; first, how the Rotator Cuff muscles function during the performance of the Bench Press exercise. (more…)
Training | 08.5.10 | No Comments
How Phoenix Pro 202 winner Roc Shabazz motivates workouts
Roc Shabazz consistently climbs the ladder. In the NPC, he went from eighth in his class at the 2001 Nationals to fourth to second to first in subsequent years. The IFFB Pro League has been a similar journey. After failing to place in open contests his first two years, he found his stride in the 202 class in 2008, nabbing a runner-up finish. After staying off stages last year, he roared back this year, winning the Phoenix Pro 202 and adding a second at the Orlando Show of Champions 202. As one of Atlanta’s elite personal trainers and the long-time training partner of fellow IFBB Pro League athlete Jonathan Rowe, Shabazz has a unique perspective on teamwork in bodybuilding. He shares it with us as well as his marathon ab routine. (more…)
Training | 08.5.10 | No Comments
New Team Universe champ Vaughan Ettienne’s unique shoulder training
After New York City policeman Vaughan Ettienne placed fifth in the light-heavy class of last year’s NPC Nationals, we named him one of our four “Who’s Up” guys from that contest. Since then, he’s stayed up, for in his next contest, the recent NPC/IFBB Team Universe, he not only won the light-heavy class but the overall, securing the right to compete in the IFBB Pro League. His waist-to-shoulder differentia is among the best in the sport, so in the Gym Bag section of the June issue of FLEX we featured Ettienne’s unusual shoulder routine (delts and traps). In honor of his earning a pro card, we repeat it here and break down in greater detail what makes it so unique.
VAUGHAN’S UNIQUE SHOULDER TRAINING
* Superset of presses and laterals
Neither seated dumbbell presses nor seated dumbbell laterals are unusual, and supersetting them is hardly unprecedented. But note that Vaughan combines these two exercises after first doing seated dumbbell presses alone. (more…)
Training | 07.29.10 | No Comments
As soon as you mention big arms, the biceps are the first thing most people think of. While it’s true that to have huge guns the triceps should not be ignored since they make up more arm size, you have to have fully developed biceps to really stretch the tape.
Most people love to train biceps, flexing their arms with pride at the end of every set, yet not always seeing the kind of results they want to see. This article will tell you how to get the results you want from your biceps training.
It’s important to know the function of the muscle you’re training in order to design a routine that properly works that muscle. The biceps is properly known as the biceps brachii and is a two headed muscle. This muscle has two functions: Flexion – the action of bringing the arm up to the shoulder and Supination – the action of twisting the wrist, or turning the thumbs away from the body. The brachialis is a small muscle which lies just beneath the biceps. It is not really a part of the bicep muscle but is included in the discussion because an untrained brachialis muscle can add up to an inch to your current arm size. How cool is that?
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Training | 07.28.10 | No Comments
Bench pressing tips from the new PBW Championships winner
After languishing in the IFBB Pro League for his first two years, Ben White made a strong run for FLEX’s most improved bodybuilder of 2010 when he won the recent Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships in Tampa Bay, Florida. How much has he improved? Last year, he was fifth in the same contest, and that was his highest pro placing until this victory. One thing he has always excelled at is bench pressing, as he is one of the lightest men to bench press 600 or more raw.
We have a comprehensive look at White’s bench pressing philosophy, technique, assistance exercises and routines in our September issue (“See Ben Bench”). Here, we provide a sneak peak, serving up two of the 10 items on his bench press technique checklist as well as the off-season chest maintenance routine he uses to maintain bench strength but also maximize pec mass. It’s just a sampling of what you’ll find in our September issue. (more…)
Training | 07.24.10 | No Comments
When the average person thinks of big arms, the biceps is the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, many people train just the biceps in their quest for big guns forgetting that the triceps is the larger of the two and actually accounts for 2/3 of your upper arm size. What many people also forget is that both biceps and triceps should be trained so that you have big, but balanced, arms.
Lack of balance, or a focus on only biceps is one reason people have weak triceps. Weak triceps means weak arms, arms that are no where near their full size potential no matter how much you do for biceps. Now, those who read my articles know I review the anatomy of the muscle we are working, because it makes sense to know what the muscle is supposed to do, so here’s the anatomy of the triceps: (more…)
Training | 07.24.10 | No Comments
Kris Dim on shrugging strategies
After suffering a heart attack and life-threatening complications in 2007, Kris Dim made a successful comeback last year. The 2003 NPC Nationals light-heavy winner was third in his first contest back, the 2009 Europa Supershow 202, and then placed an eye-opening fourth in his hometown Sacramento Pro, an open contest, missing his third Olympia qualification by one slot. Dim gives us some pointers on trapezius training and serves up a typical traps routine. (more…)
Training | 07.23.10 | No Comments
Top 202 pro Eduardo Correa answers back training questions
Eduardo Correa lives in the capital of laid-back: Florianopolis, a resort island off the coast of Brazil. So we could all forgive E.C. if he chilled at the beach instead of killing it in the gym. But that’s not how he rolls.
Correa burst onto the scene last year, winning his pro debut at the 2009 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Invitational 202 as a 27 year old. Many thought he was the best 202er in the ‘09 Olympia 202 Showdown, where he placed third, and this year Correa has kept the momentum going, easily winning the 2010 IFBB Europa Show of Champions 202 in April.
We questioned Correa on back training and got his typical back routine to find out how he sculpted the thickness and width in his rear shots to come in and do serious damage in the 202 ranks. (more…)
Training | 07.22.10 | No Comments
How heavy basics built Charles Dixon’s quads
As you will soon see, there’s nothing fancy about Charles Dixon’s quad training. And that’s refreshing. Too many bodybuilders over-think leg day, coming up with pre-exhausting, supersetting, high-rep barrages. Not Dixon. The 5′5″ South Carolina resident beat twenty other pros when he landed in the runner-up spot in last years Europa Super Show 202, and two big reasons why were his left and right legs. He tells how he got those quads — the old fashioned way. (more…)
Training | 07.20.10 | No Comments
A classic chest workout from Arnold Schwarzenegger
Four Mr. Universe titles, seven Mr. Olympia titles, Conan, Terminator, Governor…does he really need an introduction? Arnold Schwarzenegger is the most famous bodybuilder of all time, an honor he’ll no doubt still hold a century from now. Partly this is because during his Olympia reign his two best bodyparts were biceps and pecs, and these are the two tank top showboats, the muscles that everyone associates with a bodybuilder’s physique. His chest in particular is widely considered the best ever. So let’s let Arnold describe how he built it with a classic quote and a classic routine from back in the day. (more…)
Training | 07.19.10 | No Comments
