If you’re not keeping up with bodybuilder Hunter Labrada’s YouTube channel, you’re missing out on a weekly crash course on general fitness and body-building. He already gave his opinion on training frequencyrice vs pasta, and the correct way to heating.
During a Q&A session with his more than 12,600 YouTube subscribers on August 6, 2022, Labrada went into detail about the best foot position for quad-focused feet. squatshow to optimally aim for the middle backand some tips on how to get enough protein during the working day. Check it out in the following video:
[Related: Bodybuilding Legend Lee Labrada Shows Off His Shredded Quads at Age 62]
As Labrada detailed during the Q&A session, foot placement alone will not provide the greatest yard stimulation during the performance of squats.
“All we’re looking for, if you’re looking for maximal quadruple stimulation, is to flex the knee as much as possible,” says Labrada. “A couple of things are going to do that: A.) foot placement [and] B.) the position of your whole body.”
Getting off the point about body position, Labrada says to make sure your chest is out and strong and your back is straight; both points illustrate that you should be braced and not allow your back to move in flexion. In a smith machine In the squat, in particular, Labrada says you should “break your knees,” rather than your hips, and bring your knees out over your toes.
Going back to foot position, Labrada says the general rule of thumb is to have “your heel below your shoulders as a starting point.” He emphasizes that “the further under your feet are for you, the more knee bend you can get in the hole.”
[Related: Try These 9 Squat Cues The Next Time You’re Under A Barbell]
How to build the middle traps and rhomboids
Another question that Labrada was asked was how to work the middle of the backspecifically the intermediate traps and rhomboids. For this, Labrada says to focus on getting the scapula to move more during row exercises. By bringing your elbows back as far as you can at the top of the row, you can maximize scapular retraction.
Labrada suggests sticking to the chest-mounted paddles so you don’t let your body come off the pad through the full range of motion. If she does, she reduces the extraneous movement of her back during the exercise and allows her to focus on pulling her elbows back.
[Related: 10 of the Best Back Exercises for Beginner to Advanced Weightlifters]
Reflections on Michal Križo Križánek Competing at the Olympia
Bodybuilder Michal Križo Križánek is certainly a big talking point in the bodybuilding world right now. Four-time Mr. O Jay Cutler recently said Križánek would be “dangerous” if he appeared in the Olympiaand now Labrada seems positive about the prospect of Križánek joining him on stage.
His physique is incredible – he will manage on his own on a professional stage. However, you first need to earn a pro card and qualify.
On his podcast, Cutler said that Križánek will compete in the EVLS Prague Amateur show at the end of August and could continue with the 2022 Prague Pro on October 29 in hopes of a official qualification of Olympia.
Get enough protein during the work day
When asked how he would get enough protein if you had a 9 to 5 job, Labrada was blunt: always be prepared. If you have an office job with some flexibility, prepare your meals ahead of time and eat them throughout the day. If you don’t have that luxury at work, he suggests sticking to smoothies that can be consumed quickly without needing to take a long break.
Far worse not eating than drinking half a cup of oatmeal and a tablespoon of buttermilk mixed with a little peanut butter and a banana.
Overall, though, he said his advice for anyone is to stick to blended foods that are easy to eat and digest during the workday, no matter what kind of job you have. For him, it’s a safe bet to get the protein he needs.
What’s next for Hunter Labrada?
The 2022 Mr. Olympia contest will be the third time Larbrada has stepped onto bodybuilding’s biggest stage. He placed eighth on his Olympia debut in 2020 and jumped to fourth place the following year. Labrada recently showed its new eight-week training split For him Olympia 2022with a renewed focus on improving his back before the big show.
Image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram
