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Sphinx Push Up Exercise Guide — How to, Muscles Worked, & Alternatives

By
Terry Ramos
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tabata push ups

The sphinx push up variation puts the tension on your triceps muscles. 

Push-ups are an exceptional exercise for core and upper-body strengthening, favored by fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders. Interestingly, they also serve as a powerful indicator of health. A 2019 study revealed that the ability to perform push-ups significantly lowers the risk of heart attacks or strokes (1).

Among the many push-up variations, the sphinx push-up commands our attention in this discussion. Ideal for home workouts, this variation focuses on tricep development and introduces a unique stance that sets it apart from the traditional push-up.

This exercise guide illuminates the sphinx push-up’s distinctive qualities and provides a detailed tutorial on executing it precisely. Continue reading to uncover the advantages of incorporating this exercise into your routine and explore alternative tricep exercises for a well-rounded fitness regimen.

Techniques & Muscles Worked

The sphinx push-up mainly targets your triceps, forearms, chest, and shoulders while engaging other muscles like your core and legs for stabilization. You can conveniently do this exercise anywhere, making it the perfect home workout. Compared to regular push-ups, your triceps take on more load when doing sphinx push-ups. 

Sphinx push-ups can be part of your high-intensity interval training (HIIT), strength, hypertrophy, or circuit training. This is impressive for an exercise that requires only your bodyweight. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to do the sphinx exercise with the correct form. 

  1. Get your body down into a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. Your forearms should be flat on the floor, with your elbows tucked behind your shoulders at 90 degrees. In this position, ensure your knees and hips do not touch the floor.
  3. Keep your legs and back straight, and squeeze your arms, glutes, and core to help with your stabilization. This is your starting position.
  4. Next, contract your triceps to push your upper body upwards and straighten your arms.
  5. After fully extending your elbows and arms, bend your elbows to drop your upper body and return to the starting position to complete the rep.
  6. Repeat for multiple reps.

Benefits

The sphinx push-up is an effective push-up variation for training your arms. When people think of the best triceps exercise, they think of diamond push-ups. The sphinx push-up offers a greater range of motion and a unique dynamic that explodes your triceps. Below are more benefits of this exercise.

Build Bigger & Stronger Triceps 

The way the sphinx push up loads up your triceps induces and impresses muscle hypertrophy in that muscle. This is important as most athletes focus on the biceps too much, causing an imbalance.

Reinforce Elbow Mechanics

Your triceps are responsible for movement in your elbows. If your triceps are weak, this movement can become limited and weak, leaving you more prone to injuries. Strengthening them with the sphinx push-up can help reinforce elbow mechanics and improve elbow mobility. 

Target the Core

Due to the higher placement of your hands, sphinx push-ups require more mobility from upper body muscles, including the core. As a result, your abs and obliques grow stronger to meet the isometric contraction that this exercise requires. It’s a great way to build your core while training your triceps. 

Better Push-Up Form

If you have poor push-up form due to tricep fatigue, the sphinx push-up can help. Regularly doing this exercise will help build and strengthen your triceps, improving your form for other push-ups. 

Carryover to Other Triceps Exercises

Many tricep-building exercises require strong triceps and core stability. The sphinx push-up strengthens these muscles and helps you improve your form for these exercises. 

Sphinx Push Up Alternatives

While the sphinx push-up is one of the best exercises for your triceps, it shouldn’t be your only routine. Research shows that varying your exercises can help you break out of a plateau and prevent training monotony (2). Below are three other exercises you can use to build your triceps. 

Diamond Pushups

Due to their stance, diamond pushups also activate your triceps. This routine is also great for your pecs and delts. They’re easier, too, so you can use them as a progression to the sphinx pushup. 

Bench Dips

Bench dips are a great way to train your triceps without necessarily having too much upper body strength. This bodyweight exercise requires a bench, but you can do it at home with a chair. However, they’re significantly easier and won’t challenge your triceps like sphinx pushups.

Skull Crushers

The skull crusher is another excellent exercise with mechanics similar to the sphinx pushup. This movement, however, requires equipment, and you can use a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebells. Choose a weight that allows you to use the correct form rather than trying to overload on this exercise.

FAQs

What are sphinx push-ups good for?

Sphinx push-ups are among the most effective exercises for building size and strength in your triceps. For more benefits of this routine, check the exercise guide above.

Is the sphinx push-up harder than conventional push ups?

The sphinx push-up is more challenging than your regular push-up. It’s one of the hardest variations of push-ups. However, the rewards this exercise offers your triceps and arms make it worth it.

What are the three main muscles used during a push-up?

The three main muscles used during a push-up are the pecs, delts, and triceps. The triceps do the most work for the sphinx push-up in this guide, but the other two muscles are also recruited.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more exercise guides! 

References

  1. Yang, J., Christophi, C. A., Farioli, A., Baur, D. M., Moffatt, S., Zollinger, T. W., & Kales, S. N. (2019). Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men. JAMA network open, 2(2), e188341. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341
  2. Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(24), 4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897

Suns Out, Guns Out: The Role of Vitamin D in Bodybuilding

By
James Tognarini
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What does this vitamin do for your physique?

It’s probably good practice to make sure that besides smashing protein shakes and creatine, and chowing down a few pounds of chicken and rice each day that you curb what you’re not getting from food with a good supplement protocol. When choosing which supplements are actually going to be effective versus which supplements big companies want you to buy you just need to ask yourself one question: Is this a gimmick, or will this actually do anything for me? This goes for any supplement, from your pre-workout down to vitamin D.

That is actually what we are here to talk about, vitamin D. Of the several different types of vitamin supplements you can take, vitamin D3 is probably going to be the one that helps you progress the most in the gym. First of all, it’s actually one that you don’t need a supplement for if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere with tropical climates all year round, but for guys like me up in the Great White North (eh?) we would be lucky to be able to absorb vitamin D naturally for even 3 months out of the year. The reason why you want to make sure you are getting enough of this awesome vitamin is that the receptor (to which active vitamin d binds) is responsible for synthesizing hundreds of proteins and is also present in almost every cell in your body [1].

This is exciting because some of these receptors are also present in skeletal muscle, linked to processes involved in recovery, and (drum roll please) testosterone levels. Of course, it also plays a major role in immune function, but hey we’re here to get jacked.

What Vitamin D Helps With

Let’s take a look at the different things that vitamin D helps with.

Hypertrophy

vitamin d for hypertrophy

It’s unclear at this time if vitamin D has a direct effect on muscle hypertrophy, but several studies have shown there is potential for a noticeable increase in force and power production in athletes. The few studies that have shown some ability for vitamin d to help with hypertrophy have all been done in older, sedentary populations. Although a more recent 2020 study showed the positive role vitamin D receptor expression in skeletal muscle plays on “AKT/mTOR anabolic signaling, muscle protein synthesis, ribosomal biogenesis, and satellite cell activation.” all of which correlate with hypertrophy, and that “Based on these data, VDR expression maybe a robust marker of the hypertrophic response to resistance exercise.”[3].

This is a very exciting finding because the expression of vitamin D receptor expression and related enzymes were found without the use of vitamin d supplementation. That is also why I have a tough time right now saying that vitamin D supplementation can improve hypertrophy since we are just seeing a mechanism at work and have no idea if taking this vitamin would increase that expression or leave it unchanged. It is still very exciting for future research.

Vitamin D for Force & Power Production

So it looks like we’re still on the fence about whether we can see any significant hypertrophy benefits with vitamin D, but what is interesting is that there seems to be some evidence to support an increase in strength and power. You might not see a difference in 1 rep maxes after taking it, but it does look like there is still a significant improvement especially in the lower body [2].

It would be very interesting to see if what the results would be in highly trained populations – I would think we could still have positive results depending on the vitamin D status of the individual. Especially in a sport like bodybuilding where a significant amount of time is dedicated to being indoors, however even in a scenario where a bodybuilding athlete does spend time outdoors, as I mentioned above, location is everything. In fact, it seems like over 77% of the population in America is vitamin D deficient [4].

That fact alone (which is most likely even a conservative figure) would be enough to assume that most people reading this could benefit from taking a vitamin D supplement. Also, the papers that we have showing the benefits on strength and power in athletes was done in those that had low levels previous to the test which as we saw is not that uncommon. Unfortunately, these tests weren’t done directly on lifts – even though all of us would love to read that taking this supplement would skyrocket your bench or squat up, but the results are still widely applicable.

Several studies have shown a direct benefit to correcting athletes’ levels of vitamin D and the improvements on vertical jump as well as 10 meter sprint times [5]. These improvements are very exciting as most athletes are tested on these metrics a few times per year, and the vertical jump specifically has been used as a way to measure central fatigue from one workout to the next and is often used by coaches at the beginning of training to determine training volume and intensity for the day [6].

Vitamin D for Recovery & Testosterone

vitamin D recovery and testosterone

The reason I’ve grouped these two together is because your ability to recover is influenced by several factors, and an inability to recovery adequately can lead to a drop in testosterone along with a rise in estradiol and changes in immune function [7]. Vitamin D becomes an interesting topic in this context because it has both an effect on the immune system as well as an apparent effect on several markers of testosterone.

In terms of recovery, this is where I think we can make an argument for increased gains while supplementing with vitamin D. Keep in mind that if you can recover faster and more efficiently, you can also have, on average, higher effort workouts which then can lead to more significant progress. Inflammation post workout is a normal process and in general we want this to happen in order to carry vital nutrients to the damaged muscle, however, too much inflammation (which is an immune response) can do the opposite.

Too much damage can create a net loss of protein in which muscle-protein breakdown is higher than muscle-protein synthesis. However, it seems that while taking 4,000 iu/day of vitamin D, the inflammatory response was reduced immediately post training in participants performing a workout of 10 sets of 10 reps of peak isometric force eccentric-concentric jumps [8]. What would be great is if the research gets far enough were we can test it in advanced lifters.

vitamin d for testosteroneAlright, I think this is where most of you will start to perk up; can vitamin D3 raise testosterone naturally. It looks like there are actual positive benefits on testosterone! With this hormone there are a few things to consider before jumping the gun on the benefits: Are you within standard lab ranges, is the circulating testosterone bound up or free (and therefore biologically active), and are you converting it to estradiol through aromatization. In each of these circumstances, vitamin D seems to have a benefit being able to increase total testosterone, bioactive testosterone, as well as free testosterone [9].

Now, this won’t increase testosterone passed physiological levels like testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) or steroids would, but the fact that an increase in circulating vitamin D and testosterone both correlate well is an incredible find. What we are still unsure about is if the increase in testosterone is direct or indirect, through animal studies we have also found that the increase in testosterone can be explained by two potential reasons: a decrease in aromatization and enhanced androgen binding which in either case can be hugely positive to both recreational and high level bodybuilding [10].

Final Word

If you didn’t think so before, you might want to start considering vitamin D3 as a regular part of your supplement routine. That’s not to say that it is some kind of miracle vitamin and you should understand that there are also toxicity concerns that come with taking too much of any fat-soluable vitamin (A,D,E,K).

In the studies referenced above most doses were within 3,000 – 5,000 IU/day, but these participants were followed thoroughly during the studies. It looks like vitamin D3 has some some positive effects on force and power output, but nothing in the realm of lifting power has been tested yet. In terms of hypertrophy, the paper released this year by Bass et al. has some very promising results that we can hope to see pursued in the future. Finally, the effect vitamin D3 shows on attenuation of inflammation and the possibility of naturally increasing testosterone levels while potentially decreasing aromatization is probably one of the main reasons I personally take this vitamin.

As with anything else you might take, please do your research and speak to a healthcare professional in order to find out of this vitamin is right for you to take.*

References:

[1] Norman, Anthony W. “From vitamin D to hormone D: fundamentals of the vitamin D endocrine system essential for good health.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 88, no. 2 (2008): 491S-499S.

[2] Beaudart, Charlotte, Fanny Buckinx, Véronique Rabenda, Sophie Gillain, Etienne Cavalier, Justine Slomian, Jean Petermans, Jean-Yves Reginster, and Olivier Bruyère. “The effects of vitamin D on skeletal muscle strength, muscle mass, and muscle power: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 99, no. 11 (2014): 4336-4345.

[3] Bass, Joseph J., Asif Nakhuda, Colleen S. Deane, Matthew S. Brook, Daniel J. Wilkinson, Bethan E. Phillips, Andrew Philp et al. “Overexpression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) induces skeletal muscle hypertrophy.” Molecular metabolism 42 (2020): 101059.

[4] Ogan, Dana, and Kelly Pritchett. “Vitamin D and the athlete: risks, recommendations, and benefits.” Nutrients 5, no. 6 (2013): 1856-1868.

[5] Close GL, Russell J, Cobley JN, Owens DJ, Wilson G, Fraser WD, et al. “Assessment of vitamin D concentration in non-supplemented professional athletes and healthy adults during the winter months in the UK: implications for skeletal muscle function.” J Sports Sci. 2013;31:344–53.

[6] Watkins, Casey M., Saldiam R. Barillas, Megan A. Wong, David C. Archer, Ian J. Dobbs, Robert G. Lockie, Jared W. Coburn, Tai T. Tran, and Lee E. Brown. “Determination of vertical jump as a measure of neuromuscular readiness and fatigue.” The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 31, no. 12 (2017): 3305-3310.

[7] Cadegiani, Flavio A., and Claudio E. Kater. “Basal hormones and biochemical markers as predictors of overtraining syndrome in male athletes: the EROS-BASAL study.” Journal of athletic training 54, no. 8 (2019): 906-914.

[8] Barker T, Schneider ED, Dixon BM, Henriksen VT, Weaver LK. “Supplemental vitamin D enhances the recovery in peak isometric force shortly after intense exercise.” Nutr Metab (Lond). 2013;10:69.

[9] Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, Kuhn J, Dreier J, Obermayer-Pietsch B, et al. “Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men.” Horm Metab Res. 2011;43:223–5.

[10] Kinuta K, Tanaka H, Moriwake T, Aya K, Kato S, Seino Y. “Vitamin D is an important factor in estrogen biosynthesis of both female and male gonads*.” Endocrinology 200AD, 141:1317–324.

James Tognarini is an n.d and not a physician or registered dietitian. The contents of this article should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health

Phil Heath Talks Men’s Open Division, Believes He Can Still Comeback: “Yeah Easily But For What?”

By
Greg Patuto
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PED & Testosterone
Phil Heath Instagram (@philheath)

Phil Heath questions reasons to return to bodybuilding, discusses the state of Men’s Open.

Phil Heath is one of the all-time great bodybuilders. His overall knowledge of fitness tactics allowed him build a physique that won many championships on stage. In retirement, he has kept up with the happenings in bodybuilding and recently discussed the Men’s Open division.

Heath totaled seven Olympia titles over the course of his career. Just like Ronnie and Jay, Phil Heath had an intense rivalry with Kai Greene. In 2020, he stepped on stage for the what seems to be the final time, but has been active in the gym ever since. During the 2020 show, Heath finished third and fans have been waiting for his return ever since. As of now, Heath is tied with Schwarzenegger with seven Olympia victories.

Many have waited for Heath to return in search of that eighth title that will tie him with Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney for the most all-time. There is no plan as of now for Heath to return and he might not at all.

“Recovery is just, you know, it was painful for me. I could still come back now. Yeah I could but, it’s just what f*cking for? Some things you just have to let go.”

Heath was able to maintain his elite physique due to a workout and diet plan that he knew would work for his body.

“If you lived in this body, you would be like ‘yeah because of the fact that I know what modalities work.’ I know what medications work as well. I have the data to prove what works.

You got to have an end at some point. You have got to say goodbye and that’s where I feel like a lot of athletes, especially in bodybuilding, they don’t know when.”

Phil Heath comeback

Phil Heath Discusses Men’s Open Division

There has been many opinions thrown around since Arnold Schwarzenegger shared that he would increase his prize money to $500,000 at his event. The Men’s Open division remains the money maker in bodybuilding and prizes reflect it.

“Arnold put up $200,000 extra for Open so it ain’t dying. Open is still the king. It will be. Case and point, if you took CBum out of it, would you still have the excitement?”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Phil Heath (@philheath)

Heath commented on Hadi Choopan’s physique over the last month and believes that the rematch with Derek Lunsford will be one to watch.

“Hadi Choopan looked sick. I think him and Derek are going to. I’m very excited for the 60th let’s put it that way.”

Finally, bodybuilding has come into the new age where cameras catch competitors in many ways. This allows them to make incredible improvements by seeing their physiques in many ways.

“It makes the competitors better. Who knows if it makes them more depressed or not or more narcissistic, you know, because you got to be a little bit crazy to just accept that reality of people always freeze framing your sh*t.”

For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Jake Gyllenhaal Shows Off Shredded Physique During ‘Road House’ Workout

By
Greg Patuto
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Jake Gyllenhaal takes on MMA workout.
Men's Health YouTube

Jake Gyllenhaal shared his full workout to build his physique for ‘Road House.’

Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal has trained in many ways to build a shredded physique for his role in the upcoming film, ‘Road House.’ This includes stepping in the ring to train with Conor McGregor, something that not many people would willingly do. Now, he decided to show off his full workout routine that built not only a ripped physique, but also some overall mobility and athleticism.

Part remake, part reimagining of the 80’s classic film that originally starred Patrick Swayze, – the upcoming Road House feature follows a former UFC fighter (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) who “takes a job as a bouncer at a rough-and-tumble roadhouse in the Florida Keys, but soon discovers that not everything is what it seems in this tropical paradise,” according to the official press release. If you saw the original, it was a similar plot to this!

Gyllenhaal was joined by his longtime trainer, Jason Walsh, who explained their overall goals.

“Not only did Jake need aesthetics but he needed to performa stunts across from Conor McGregor, a professional athlete in the UFC, who has also never performed stunts on screen.

Jake needed athleticism, resiliency, and overall strength. This would also help feed the mind and mentality he would need to get up after a fall, a potential punch, or a kick.”

While Jake Gyllenhaal has often been in some sort of shape for majority of his adult career, his transformation is shocking compared to the skinny young actor when he first started. Most notable for playing the title role in the film Donnie Darko, Gyllenhall appeared a goofy scrawny kid caught up in some sci-fi nonsense that eventually found a cult following. He also starred in other films as well, such as Nightcrawler and Southpaw, a movie also about fighting where Gyllenhaal showed off some shreds, but did not have the muscle mass that he does now.

Jake Gyllenhaal Road House workout
Image via Instagram @rottentomatoes

Jake Gyllenhaal Takes On MMA-Style Workout

Jake Gyllenhaal begins his workout with proper warmups to make sure he is prepared for the full intensity.

Walsh continued to discuss how Jake Gyllenhaal needed to proper athleticism and mobility needed to perform some of the moves for his role, as he is playing a fighter!

“We spend a few minutes each session moving trying to get the core body to mature up before moving into some sort of mobility, which you see here with the stick, which is a great tool to increase range of motion.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jake Gyllenhaal (@jakegyllenhaal)

“We still want the head stimulus so we do a lot of heavy sled work. We always keep the heavy primitive work one-way shape or form whether it’s squats or deadlifts and the variations there of. We want to keep the muscle coordination at a high.”

Jake Gyllenhaal has made sure that he is fully prepared for this role and has done it in many ways, which has been made very clear.

Wrap Up

Overall, Jake Gyllenhaal is looking absolutely muscular and ripped, and it really shows that he has put in the work for the upcoming Roadhouse film. What do you think of Gyllenhaal’s physique? Do you think he is a good fit for the role?

Let us know your thoughts! And for more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Nick Walker “All In” On Returning To Arnold Classic: “Abso-f*cking-lutely. $500k says otherwise.”

By
Greg Patuto
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Nick Walker's leg training
Nick Walker Instagram

Nick Walker is preparing to return to the Arnold Classic after the prize money increase.

The plan to increase prize money in bodybuilding will likely persuade competitors to take the stage more often. We saw that to a degree during the 2024 Arnold Classic when the prize was set at $300,000. Now, it will be half a million dollars in 2025. This is enough to convince former champion Nick Walker to return to the stage in Columbus.

This year, Hadi Choopan was crowned champion at the Arnold Classic. Moments after he received his award, Arnold Schwarzenegger shared the incredible news that the prize for next year will be raised to $500,000. During a recent episode of The Mutant & The Mouth, Walker was asked if he would consider doing the Arnold after the Olympia again.

“Abso-f*cking-lutely. $500k says otherwise. I’m all in on that. As soon as he said that, no joke, I looked at Matt and said ‘we ready?’ and he said ‘let’s do it.'”

The Arnold Classic continues to improve and challenge the Olympia. Walker is a fan of the competition and hopes to see this happen in other shows as well.

Nick Walker Instagram

Nick Walker: “I Would Like To Do All The Arnolds”

Walker was a spectator this year in Columbus but plans to take the stage again.

“It was cool to kind of be a spectator for a little bit. I don’t wanna do it again. I wanna compete in it.”

Not only does Walker want to return to Columbus, he has aspirations of traveling to the other shows as well.

“Honestly bro, I would like at some point to do all the Arnolds. Ohio, Brazil, and UK I believe. I just think for me, to put that in stone, it would just be a day by day. Make sure the body feels good, everything is rolling like it needs to. But I would like to do all of them.”

 

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A post shared by Louis Walker (@_walker.media)

Walker quickly rose to the top of the Men’s Open division in a relatively short amount of time. This includes winning the New York Pro during his rookie year. In 2021, he was crowned champion of the Arnold Classic before hitting the Olympia. He has two top-five finishes in each of the last two years and was a hopeful for this year as well.

Nick Walker will take the stage once again at the New York Pro this year. He will look to become a two-time champion of the event and will go all out, as usual.

“I’m going all out. I don’t ever like going to a show, whatever show I do, I go all out no matter what. I’ll go all out for this. I’m gonna go all out for the Olympia and I’m gonna go all out for the Arnold.”

For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Build Healthy Shoulders With A Pec Stick

By
Vidur Saini
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pec stick for shoulder health

Healthy shoulders are essential for advancing your fitness career

Most bodybuilders possess a significant aversion to anything other than dumbbells and barbells and cable machines. While standard gym equipment is undeniably the foundation of packing on muscle mass through bodybuilding training, some interesting tools have come into vogue recently that have legitimate application. On the recovery side of things, methods like hyperbaric and graston have exploded in popularity, yet there has been a remarkable lack of enthusiasm for new training tools. That being said, something for your shoulder health is absolutely essential, as your shoulders responsible for a lot of other exercises, as well as functionality. While you have your resistance bands and other basic exercises to get the blood flowing and get you warmed up, have you heard of a pec stick?

Let’s take a look at the importance of healthy shoulders, as well as why the pec stick is crucial for helping to build them.

Importance of Healthy Shoulders

shoulder health

Your shoulders are responsible for much more than you think. Yes you need them for your push day movements such as the bench press and the overhead press, but your shoulder is a very functional joint. Without proper and smooth movement of the shoulders, you risk injury during your exercises, as well as limitations in your day to day tasks. That being said, you absolutely need healthy shoulders.

The Issues With Your Shoulders

A big weakness of bodybuilding training is that it focuses on primarily across two planes of movement – frontal and horizontal (think bench press and bicep curl). Now this is balanced when compared to something like CrossFit which is almost exclusively horizontal (think Olympic lifting and muscle ups), but still neglects one of the primary dimensions of movement- saggital. Of course there are many causes of joint pain, but taxing a joint repeatedly in unbalanced ways is a reliable method to develop it.

You can take your supplements and continue to incorporate progressive overload in order to make your muscles stronger, but if you do not focus on making sure your shoulder joints are in check, then you are only going to get hurt.

The Pec Stick

pec stick
Image courtesy of Amazon

Introducing the Pec Stick. The most basic way to use the pec stick is with an under or overhand grip. You bend it inwards, either for repetition or a static hold. Because the pec stick essentially functions like a spring, it gives active feedback into the muscles even during isolation, creating a massive pump. Just make sure that whatever brand of stick you chose, you also select a weight resistance that’s right for your goals.

The pec stick will train your shoulders through the saggital plane, offering them more balanced function and potentially appearance. To be clear, shoulder is the joint it works through, but it primarily taxes the pec rather than the delt, specifically the sterno-costal (lower) head, as opposed to the clavicular (upper head) that causes so much shoulder pathology.

It also encourages recruitment of stabilizer muscles like the teres major and inside head of the bicep. Have you ever noticed, that the more weight you bicep curl, the more you need to engage your chest? This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, muscles can be trained in groups too – it’s how they were designed to work. The pec stick will help create healthy shoulders and a big lower chest. It’s cheap and a great tool for the home of any bodybuilder.

Pec Stick Wrap Up

When it comes to your bodybuilding career, shoulder health is one of the most important aspects of making sure you stay in the game. A Pec Stick is one of the best ways to keep your shoulders functioning properly and painlessly.

Do you have a pec stick?

For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Katy O’Brian’s “Love Lies Bleeding” Bulking Story

By
Dylan Wolf
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katy o'brian
Image courtesy of Instagram (thekatyo)

See how the actress got ready to play a female bodybuilder in the new “Love Lies Bleeding Film”

A24 is a studio that is climbing to the top of the game with their films, and another one is the “Love Lies Bleeding” film, starring Katy O’Brian as a female bodybuilder. But, how did she bulk up for this film? It is not often that you see female bodybuilding movies, nor do you see female actresses that have so much muscle mass that they could double as bodybuilders, so what is O’Brian’s secret? Well, she recently opened up to Men’s Health regarding her journey, and it was nothing short of interesting! Let’s check it out.

Katy O’Brian Height, Weight, and Age

Full Name: Katy O’Brian (Actress)
Weight Height Date Of Birth
150 lbs 5’7″ 2/12/1989
Division Era Nationality
None 2010s, 2020s American

What is “Love Lies Bleeding”? 

The film is set in 1980s New Mexico, it hinges on a reclusive gym owner named Lou (played by Kristen Stewart), who strikes up a relationship with Jackie played by Katy O’Brian. Jackie is a Midwest drifter who is on her way to Las Vegas to compete in a bodybuilding contest, no it is not the Olympia. However, as the two grow closer, Jackie’s loyal instincts (and her steroid usage) initiate a supernatural act of violence. From there, she uncovers Lou’s criminal family and its secret history.

Katy O’Brian’s Bodybuilding Career

love lies bleeding
Image courtesy of Instagram (thekatyo)

Now, we have established that Katy O’Brian is playing a female bodybuilder, and she certainly fits the role. What you may not know is that O’Brian spent a good portion of her 20’s competing in the bodybuilding world, so the role was a perfect fit. She told Men’s Health that she was somewhat annoyed that the movie was not on her radar, and when she found out about it she actually put together a PowerPoint showing her bodybuilding experience off.

She compiled:

  • Competition photos
  • Competitions she entered
  • Training experiences

From there, O’Brian sent that to A24 and when she got a copy of the script, she felt as though that was how she actually spoke. She relied on her acting skills and her ability to bulk up to prove that she could get the part, and through a six-part audition process she eventually got the part.

Katy O’Brian’s Diet and Training

 

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A post shared by Katy O’Brian (@thekatyo)

 For those who have seen the film, it is clear that Katy O’Brian put some serious work in as far as the gym and her diet. She had actually been very physically active all of her life, taking martial arts classes at the age of five so she could defend herself against the elementary school bullies, even becoming a police officer outside of Indianapolis. 

To get into shape for Love Lies Bleeding, O’Brian enrolled in a taxing training regimen two weeks before production began, working out six days a week in three-hour spurts, which some might say is overtraining. This was all after long days of shooting. Her training was done with Hollywood trainer Steve Zim, whose clients have included Jessica Biel and Ashley Judd. O’Brian stated that Zim knows how to sculpt the muscle for the camera, which is different than for a competition. 

Her workouts were customized every day, as they were based on soreness levels of each muscle group. While this can work for some people, this style of training is often not recommended for most bodybuilders or athletes, as the recovery process is absolutely crucial and it is recommended that you allow your body enough time to fully recover from each training session before hitting that muscle group again.

Anyway, as far as her diet, the studio had supplied her with a meal prep service and nutritionist that would measure out each meal, which made it very easy for her to do. Each meal contained a good balance of the main macronutrients, and was enough to fuel her through not only her training sessions, but also each day.

Dehydration and Posing

There is a scene in the movie where O’Brian’s character is in an actual competition, on stage. That being said, she had to cut water weight as well to show more striations and vascularity, and thankfully this was the last few scenes to be filmed. Water was cut over a period of several days and she ultimately cut about 10 pounds, but due to O’Brian’s background in bodybuilding she was familiar with the process. 

She stated that the biggest challenge was actually flexing and posing amongst other bodybuilders on stage. For those who compete, you know that being dehydrated, carb starved, and coming out on stage several times to pose can be grueling. It also causes the body to change visually, and this was a challenge for Katy O’Brian.

Workout Programs to Bulk Up or Cut Down

When it comes to putting on muscle mass and bulking up or shedding body fat and cutting down, following a workout regimen can be extremely beneficial. However, a lot of the “fitness gurus” that you see on the internet are selling cookie-cutter programs that don’t do much for you, so where do you go for workout programs?

Boostcamp

Boostcamp App

Boostcamp App

Boostcamp is a freemium app with over 50 free programs from renowned coaches for bodybuilding and strength training, or you can create your own.
Check out Boostcamp

The Boostcamp App is a “freemium” workout app that gives you the opportunity to choose from well over 50 free workout programs for various different goals. Whether you are aiming for strength training, explosiveness, or hypertrophy, these programs are designed to help with your progress in the gym, and are all written by renowned coaches such as Alex Bromley and Hadyn Wiseman to name a few. There are plenty of programs to choose from, no matter your skill set, as Boostcamp allows you to choose from Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert programs, so you can continue to push yourself and really progress as someone who is seeking to change their physique. 

However, if you do not want to choose from a pre-written program, that is not a problem, as Boostcamp also allows you to create your own workout plans and track your progress, so you know exactly where you were, where you are, and where you should be by the end of each program. 

Wrap Up

Overall, the “Love Lies Bleeding” film is now in theaters, and it really shows off the hard work that Katy O’Brian put in. That being said, do you think you could train like Katy O’Brian?

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more insight into bodybuilder’s training and diet!

Sam Sulek Shares Plan To Compete In Classic Physique Bodybuilding In “A Year, Year And A Half”

By
Greg Patuto
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Sam Sulek shares Classic Physique plans
Sam Sulek Instagram

Sam Sulek has not competed in bodybuilding just yet but shared his plans moving forward.

Sam Sulek has become one of the biggest names in bodybuilding and has done so without stepping on stage to this point. Sulek has created an incredible following on social media. He lets fans into his training and diet regimens on a daily basis. Now, he shared his latest plans involving the sport of bodybuilding.

During a recent interview with Antic Fitness India at the Arnold Sports Festival UK, Sulek shared his plans to compete on the bodybuilding stage in Classic Physique within two years.

“The plan is going to be Classic. I’ve keep hearing words I’m trying to gain weight into the Open but you got to remember, a real Open bodybuilder, that’s a lot of mass.

There is no way imaginable in my vocabulary where I’m going to say ‘I’m too big, that’s just impossible.’ But probably within a year, a year and a half. We’ll just see.”

Sulek continued to explain his plans and thought process used when deciding between Classic and Men’s Open.

Sam Sulek performs seated hamstring curl
Image courtesy of YouTube (@sam_sulek)

Sam Sulek’s Classic Physique Plan

Sam Sulek has displayed great size in different videos and physique updates on social media. He has trained with many bodybuilders early in his career and has been able to use this as a measuring stick.

“I think I’m kind of big but when I train with them, I’m like oh jeez, I’ve got some room to grow. I think the plan at first is going to be Classic but if I get big enough that I don’t fit the weight class, then just move up.”

 

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A post shared by Sam Sulek (@sam_sulek)

During the interview, Sulek talked about his mindset in the gym and it was a very old-school approach.

“If you want to go to the gym and get the best results that you can, you would want to try to do every set absolutely perfectly and stimulate every fiber in the most scientifically-based way but just by thinking about it with such a complex thought process. You’re totally losing sight that you just need to get really hyped up to a Metallica song and just go crazy.”

Finally, Sam Sulek discussed some of his inspirations and those who he can resonate with in the gym. Sulek has become an extremely entertaining figure in bodybuilding and fans will be excited to see him take the stage.

“The people that I like the most that I can resonate with the most are the guys that I know if there were no cameras, no expos. They would still be trying to squat until their nose bled and throw around as much weight as possible and go hard. Guys like that, I sort of pick up from.”

For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Overhead Bar Extension Exercise Guide — Muscles Worked, Benefits, & Alternatives

By
Terry Ramos
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overhead bar extensions

Using an EZ bar to perform overhead bar extensions will reduce wrist strain and optimize the range of motion. 

Numerous exercises can be performed using various gym equipment. Take the overhead extension exercise, for example. It can be executed with kettlebells, dumbbells, EZ bars, resistance bands, cables, or barbells. The overhead bar extension variation is a potent exercise for isolating the arms. The overhead position primarily focuses on the long head of the triceps, leading to significant muscle growth. Furthermore, it enhances the definition of the triceps, thereby refining the overall appearance of your arms.

When performing overhead bar extensions with barbells, discomfort in the shoulders, wrists, and elbows may arise. The barbell accentuates any mobility challenges during the full overhead extension. Conversely, using an EZ bar can significantly ease wrist strain and enhance your range of motion.

This article explicitly uses the EZ bar to maximize gains through overhead bar extensions. It explores the significance of this exercise, delves into techniques, and identifies the muscles engaged. Additionally, the guide presents intriguing alternatives for effectively targeting your triceps.

Techniques & Muscles Worked

The overhead tricep extension is an isolation exercise for the triceps. It specifically works on the long head of the triceps, which helps improve shoulder stability. Using an EZ bar for this routine also helps increase the range of motion, as your wrists will be in a natural position.  

You can do overhead bar extensions sitting or standing, but in this guide, we’ll focus on the standing variation. This variation also targets core muscles like the abs and obliques, which keep your body stable as you lift. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to do overhead bar extensions correctly.

  1. With your feet shoulder-width apart, grab the EZ bar with a neutral grip. Ensure that you use a grip closer than the shoulder-width length.
  2. Lift the EZ bar well above your head until you fully extend your elbows and arms. This is your starting position.
  3. Next, slowly lower the EZ bar behind your head. Control your elbows as they bend to a 90-degree angle, then pause. At this position, your forearms should touch your biceps.
  4. Remain in this position for about 1 to 2 seconds, then slowly return the EZ bar to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for as many reps as you desire.

Benefits

Overhead bar extensions can help you build bigger arms and triceps. However, you must ensure you’re doing them with the correct form. Below are other benefits of this exercise.

Build Bigger Triceps

The triceps are important stabilizers for the shoulder joints. Overhead bar extensions primarily target the triceps, which helps develop them. As an isolation exercise, the focus on the load helps build and increase the triceps’ size. This study shows increased muscle hypertrophy in the triceps when you do overhead bar extensions (1).

Arm Hypertrophy

When doing overhead bar extensions, your arms grow significantly. As shown above, this exercise targets the triceps, leading to greater muscle hypertrophy. The triceps make up as much as two-thirds of your arms, so increasing their size will lead to bigger arms. 

Versatility

If you find the overhead bar extensions exercise in the standing position too challenging, you can do it sitting. The only downside is that it almost eliminates your core muscles, but you still achieve the same results on the primary targeted muscles. Also, if you still find using the EZ bar too hard, you can use dumbbells, kettlebells, or even resistance bands. 

Improves Posture

You’ll need a lot of balance and coordination when raising the EZ bar over and behind your head in the standing position. This is how the overhead bar extension builds your core muscles. It also strengthens the muscles that affect your posture, improving your posture.

Carryover to Other Exercises

Overhead bar extensions are an effective way to build arm muscles. Stronger arm muscles, specifically the triceps, increase upper body strength on push-ups and bench presses.

Overhead Bar Extension Alternatives

Overhead bar extensions increase the range of motion and induce arm muscle hypertrophy. However, they shouldn’t be the only routine in arm-building exercises. Studies show that athletes need to vary their exercises to prevent training monotony and a plateau (2). Below are some other alternatives.

Close-Grip Bench Presses

The close-grip bench press is a compound exercise that works your shoulders, chest, and triceps. However, the closer grip biases the triceps. Lie on a flat bench with your hands tightly gripping the barbell to perform it. Then, lift the barbell from the rack and move it up and down to load the target muscles.

Triceps Kickbacks

The triceps kickback is an isolation exercise for the triceps that helps build strength in the arms. You need dumbbells, which you hold using a neutral grip to do this exercise. Then, leaning towards the bench on a knee, extend your arms by lifting the dumbbells. Repeat this movement multiple times.

Cable Tricep Pushdowns

Cable tricep pushdowns target the triceps. To do this exercise, you stand at the cable machine and pull the cable downward with the required weight, extending your elbows. Repeat this movement for as many reps as possible to grow your arms.

FAQs

What do overhead extensions workout?

Overhead extensions are arm exercises. They work your triceps, focusing on the long head, which helps with stability. For more information, check the exercise guide above.

How do you do overhead barbell tricep exercises?

To do overhead barbell triceps exercises, ensure the barbell is over your head with your arms and elbows fully extended. Then, slowly drop the barbell behind your head. Look at the guide above for an extensive guide, but replace the EZ bar with a barbell.

What muscles does the EZ bar overhead extension work?

EZ bar overhead extensions work on and strengthen your shoulders and triceps muscles. This variation is more accessible for mobility, as wrist positions are more natural on the EZ bar than the straight bar. If you do the EZ bar overhead extension standing, it could also build your core. 

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more exercise guides! 

References

  1. Maeo, S., Wu, Y., Huang, M., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2023). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European journal of sport science, 23(7), 1240–1250. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279
  2. Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(24), 4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897

WATCH – ‘Code Red: Diaries Of Madness’ Official Trailer

By
Derek Dufour
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Watch the first official trailer for Code Red: Diaries Of Madness – available on digital April 12th

Generation Iron Network has released the official trailer for the new upcoming documentary, Code Red: Diaries Of Madness. This come shortly after the film’s release date was announced last week alongside the official poster. Code Red: Diaries of Madness is slated to release on all major digital platforms on Friday, April 12, 2024.

Cristy “Code Red” Nickel not only transformed her own life – but the life of others over the past numerous decades of her fitness and health career. Starting as a Figure bodybuilding competitor only to give up after one failed amateur competition – Cristy eventually turned to boxing where she became a champion pro boxer and dubbed one of the most dangerous women in the sport.

After retiring from pro boxing, Cristy Nickel used her vast knowledge and focus to create the Code Red Lifestyle program. A nutrition plan that has helped thousands transform their physiques, lose weight, and all without relying on fat burners, shakes, or supplements.

Known for her “scared straight” approach to working with clients, Cristy Nickel’s hardcore persona is a staple of changing lives. However, in recent years, Cristy has found that her own physique has been lacking. She has, in fact, looked worse than any other time in her fitness life. Realizing that she needed a change, Cristy set a goal for herself to completely transform her life, health, and physique.

And of course, true to her personality, her goal was set to an incredible, perhaps near-impossible, deadline. To completely transform her physique in only six months and step back on the Figure bodybuilding stage and win a competition.

An Inside Look Into Cristy Nickel’s Transformation

Code Red: Diaries of Madness follows Cristy Nickel on this journey as she spends six months completely changing her life and transforming her body. Utilizing a combination of the Generation Iron film crew cameras and Cristy’s own personal video diaries – Code Red: Diaries of Madness showcases a level of intimacy, both highs and lows, of her shocking lifestyle change and transformation.

The film also tracks Cristy Nickel as she continues to coach three Code Red Lifestyle clients – transforming their bodies as she pushes through her own transformation. Providing a glimpse into her hardcore coaching approach.

You can catch a preview of all of this and more by watching the brand new trailer for Code Red: Diaries of Madness above.

How To Watch Code Red: Diaries of Madness

Code Red: Diaries of Madness is directed by Vlad Yudin (Generation Iron, The Hurt Business, Ronnie Coleman: The King) and produced by both Yudin and Edwin Mejia Jr. (Generation Iron, Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer, The Hurt Business, Ronnie Coleman: The King).

Code Red: Diaries of Madness will be on all major digital platforms including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Vimeo On Demand on April 12, 2024. For more information about the film, including ways to watch and pre-order, visit the official documentary website right here or click the banner below.

Code Red Diaries Of Madness Trailer

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