Want to know how Phil Heath evolved into a 3x Olympia champion? All the answers are right here.
Phil Heath is the current reigning champion of the Mr. Olympia competition. He has claimed the title three times and very well might take a fourth Sandow next month. He has become the face of bodybuilding – and for good reason. The way his muscles and body have evolved over his career is nothing short of spectacular.
But how did he do it?
Phil has stated in the past that he hasn’t changed too much of his workout regimen over the course of his career – with one exception. He added the FST-7 training style into his routine.
What is the FST-7? It’s a creative way of training that was invented by Hany Rambod – who just so happens to be Phil Heath’s personal trainer. It stands for Fascia Stretch Training Seven and has been a key component for Olympia champions over the past couple of years. Before Phil Heath became a champion, Jay Cutler utilized this training technique and was able to grab the last two of his Sandow trophies because of it.
Intrigued? Here’s a quick and basic description of what the FST-7 exactly does. It’s a technique where the last exercise of a body part or muscle group is done in seven sets instead of the traditional 3 or 4. These seven sets are performed with a very minimal rest time at about 30-40 seconds between each set. During the rest periods, you alternate between stretching and holding an isometric contraction every other set. On top of that, sipping water between sets is recommended to help maintain the muscle pump.
The ultimate goal of this technique is to enhance the pump thus expanding the thin membranes around the muscle (aka fascia) from the inside out. Thus, the title. This relatively new training system is revolutionary in the sense that it’s not overly complicated and doesn’t require a person to learn a wealth of new and/or strange exercises. It keeps it simple – take the exercises you already understand and transform that last exercise into an ultra workout.
With most new inventions, there will always be skepticism – but you really can’t argue with the results. With both Jay Cutler and Phil Heath prescribing to this training system and finding truly incredible success – the FST-7 might transform from a workout secret into a training phenomenon.
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