Training

More in Training

_"When you're around people that can help develop you, listen to them."

Joe Mackey trains chest here and admits that now that he has been training back with Branch and Johnnie, when ever they say something, he is all ears and takes what they say in.

_"They have been there and done that. I am just here to take in their knowledge. The main thing that I am trying to relay is to be coachable and surround yourself with people that want to see you succeed. Bad company corrupts good character."

It is a recurring theme here but is always worth repeating: surround yourself with people on the level that you want to get to i.e successful people. Do that and you'll succeed.

Video: Be Coachable, Listen and Apply It - Joe Mackey

Results are evident when you have before and after proof.

Hunter Labrada is a prime example of what proper back training i.e proper exercise selection, perfect execution and CONSISTENCY can do for development.

The details were not spared in this video which was shot completely by Hunter and Bryan themselves.

From exercise selection to explicit details on joint and limb placement - EVERYTHING is explained here. Follow Hunter and Bryan's full routine along with the cues. Stay tuned for more extreme in depth training brought to you 100% by Hunter and Bryan.

Video: Back Training Explained - Hunter Labrada and Bryan Troianello

Know where you're going, why and with steps to get there a.k.a have a plan.

Johnnie Jackson explains the risk of going in circles and never getting anywhere if you don't have a clear vision and a plan with strategic steps to get there.

This is a typical blood volume "OLD SCHOOL" chest workout with all the basic exercises in the beginning and what most would call "metabolic" or "pump" exercises and supersets towards the end.

Branch and Johnnie add in the floor presses here in an effort to build back up pressing power and the sticking point commonly reached before lockout of any press.

Warm up: laterals, rear laterals, rotator cuff laterals x 2-3 sets

Flat dumbbell presses: 2 x 12 with lighter weight

Flat dumbbell presses: 3 x 10 - 15 reps (last set push past failure)

Incline barbell presses: 135 x 15 (warm up) 3 sets x 10 - 15 reps

Floor presses: 2 x 8 - 10 reps (1 second hold on the floor)

Converging chest press: 3 x 10 - 15 (double drop set on the last set)

Superset: Gymleco fly with elevated push-ups (3 rounds x 15)

Video: OLD SCHOOL and RAW - Chest Training with Branch and Johnnie

Stay ready so you don't have to get ready!

This is the motto for those of you who might be new to Josh Bryant and his out-of-the-box training and personality. In addition to being a world renowned strength coach and established author on strength and conditioning Josh has lived and breathed the essence of being ready for whatever life throws at him in the form of physical altercations or emergencies where life might depend on how strong, fast and conditioned you are.

Here he puts himself to the test with extremely heavy and explosive lifts coupled every set with sand sprints.

Josh Bryant holds a Master of Science degree but more importantly has all the miles of application.

Pay attention to what each lift does physically and physiologically and give it a try yourself.

Sand Sprints & Strength with Josh Bryant

This is IFBB Classic Physique Pro Bernardo Costa. Bernardo adopts a methodical approach to training i.e. form coupled with function before adding in the intensity. He turned pro at the 2019 NPC USA and is preparing for his pro debut here in 2020.

Check out Bernardo's approach to back training.

The back is comprised of many different muscles. Probably one of the hardest areas to

I like to categorize my movements on back day by several different planes of motion; Horizontal pulling motions, vertical pulling motions, and transverse pulling motions. Transverse can probably be fit into horizontal, if you so choose. This allows me to make sure I’m thoroughly stimulating the entirety of my back.

2x a week back training has always seemed to be the sweet spot for me. One day focuses on including more horizontal pulling motions, while the second day will focus on more vertical pulling emphasis. Furthermore, we can also include our grip to further organize our pulling motions; supinated, neutral and overhand grips.

On a horizontal pull day, I will usually begin with 2 initial horizontal pulling motions. The first will usually include a barbell horizontal movement that is the most fatiguing and intense. Something like a barbell row, that requires a lot of overall energy due to its high axial loading compared to most other back exercises.

Then I’ll follow up with a similar rowing movement, but a different grip, for example a seated supinated cable row. Since it changes the emphasis of the movement via your hand position and also requires a little less energy to maintain position due to its seated nature. Next, I’ll move onto an isolated vertical pulling motion, and finish off with a more transverse pulling motion. For example; a cable pull over followed by a pec deck reverse fly. This ensures

I’ve hit the entirety of my back with all the different angles.

On the second day, I will simply reverse the order of my pulling motions, but apply the same logic. I’ll start with a vertical pull motion, such as assisted pull ups, or just pull ups themselves. Followed by a cable lat pull down with either a neutral or underhand grip (assuming I did an overhand grip on my pull ups). I’ll the go into a more horizontal pull motion that is more isolated. Such as maybe a hammer strength low row machine, followed by a transverse movement such as a cable reverse fly.

By organizing and incorporating a variety of different grips and angles I’m attempting to ensure I can fully develop every back muscle through the course of those two sessions. You’ll notice I don’t really do the same exact exercise between those two sessions, just movements that are similar.

It’s important, in my opinion, to apply a logical and organizational approach to a such a complex group because it is very easy to overlook certain movements that might result in over development of certain areas, and under development of others.

Training Method: Back by Bernardo Costa 

Hunter Labrada and Bryan Troianello utilize minimal equipment here (barbell, weights and bands) but with a great understanding of the function of the back musculature and how to target it, a band barbell and weights are all you need.

This video is not for those looking for entertainment value. Hunter and Bryan intermittently offer up some humor BUT they really over deliver in the form of extremely detailed cues and how to for every exercise they feature here.

This is no joke and worth taking notes on and revisiting.

Video: Bands and Barbells Back Day - Hunter Labrada and Bryan Troianello

This is Joe Robinson's method now vs his blood volume "till the wheels fall off" method he's implemented in the past.

Since implementing less work sets is the name of the game Joe has to warm up properly to ensure proper cues and connection with the target muscle are established before the heaviest weights of his top sets.

Joe spells out his chest training here and gives great cues if you want to try it out.

Incline dumbbell press: 3 warm up sets (45lb, 70lb, 100lb)

- 2 all out sets. second set is a triple drop set to failure

Champagnes: 1 lighter set and 2 work sets

Video: Super Heavyweight Chest Training with Joe Robinson

Hunter Labrada won Nationals in 2018 Matt Schmidt won Nationals in 2019. They link up with Bryan Troianello and have a real proper leg day.

"Last week we squatted with the spider bar with 4 plates a side for 10 reps. This week we are going to go for 4 plates and a 10 each side and go for 12."

THE NAME OF THE GAME IS PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD.

Hunter mentions a couple of very important things to remember.

1. You will never be able to train as hard by yourself as you can with legit training partners

2. You have to progressively overload if you want any kind of hypertrophy

Check out the full video and see what you can learn from these three. Get your notepads again and share with anyone looking for legit info to build off of.

Video: Overload Leg Day with Hunter Labrada, Bryan Troianello and Matt Schmidt

In life and in bodybuilding, you cant get traction without a specific direction and fully executing the steps to make a process happen.

The same applies to lifting with intention. Believe it or not, a heavier weight is NOT the end all be all to progressive overload and making progress with your physique. Sometimes you have to re learn movements and then intentionally execute to get the desired stimulus.

Today with Joe Mackey and Eugene Torrence the desired stimulus is back... more specifically the smaller muscles like the rhomboids that need special attention since "contests are won from the back."

Check out the accessory and "primer" movements and stretches that Eugene Torrence (follow him on instagram at stretchingstation) puts Joe through and how Joe then follows up with his usual heavy movements while incorporating the re learned movement and after priming the rhomboids and smaller muscles of the back.

Video: Lit Up Back Training - Joe Mackey and Eugene Torrence

When you get to professional status, the details are going to be what separates the best of the best.

Joe Mackey has been lifting monster weights for a long time. The circumference of his limbs are evidence of that. In the IFBB Pro ranks however, details are what separates an amateur from a pro and a pro from a top tier pro who wins.

Teaming up here again with Joe Mackey is therapist Eugene Torrence. Eugene explains that they activate the glutes first and then really warm up with several movements first to be able to get the desired stimulus out of todays leg session.

"We want to activate the glutes, push with the heels to stimulate the outer quads."

Commenting on the double banded barbell squats Joe says, "i guess its time to start loving the pain."

Joe Mackey is still planning on competing at the Tampa pro this year along with Hunter Labrada making his pro debut.

Double Banded Squats - Joe Mackey Training Legs

Nothing worth while ever came easy. If you want something great, you will most certainly have to bust your ass for it.

Here Jonathan Irizarry, national level bodybuilder and prep coach, takes us through one of his typical back training sessions. Exercise for exercise and set for set with Jon complete with some instruction on the exercises where people generally need some cues on how to perform.

Neutral grip pulldowns 4 sets x 10-12 reps

Real & Raw Back Training with Jonathan Irizarry

Rows are common with any back workout. This session with Branch Warren and Johnnie Jackson and Butch Steinle consisted of 90% row.

After starting with neutral grip pull-downs it went 1) Overhand gripped rows with the horizontal leg press 2) Seal rows with a barbell 3) Low cable rows 4) Selectorized rows

The tempo is always explosive but ranges of motion differ based on the make and model of each machine hence the extreme variety.

Check out the full workout and how eccentric and concentric portions of every lift change with free weights, with and without chest support and with/without cables.