Shaun Clarida shares his leg day just 9 weeks out from the 2023 Olympia
The 2023 Mr. Olympia is right around the corner, and the competitors are gearing up to bring some of the best physiques we’ve seen. The two-time reigning 212 champion, Shaun Clarida, is coming back to try and win his third title in the division. He intends to win 5 more titles and surpass James “Flex” Lewis, who holds the record of seven 212 Olympia title wins from 2012-2018. Recently, Shaun shared his quad focused leg workout, just 9 weeks out from the 2023 Olympia.
Let’s break it down.
Who is Shaun Clarida?
First and foremost, Shaun Clarida was born on September 5, 1982 in New Jersey. He grew up with an athletic childhood, participating in competitive sports like wrestling, gymnastics, baseball, and basketball. He stands at 5’2” and weighs around 165-175 lbs depending on how lean he gets.
The Leg Workout
Shaun’s leg workout this close to the Olympia prioritizes conditioning. With prep being in full effect, there is certainly a decline in energy levels, but Shaun uses high volume workouts to maintain as much muscle mass as possible, while in a caloric deficit.
Here is what the leg day consisted of:
- Adductor Machine
- Seated Hamstring Curl
- Leg Extension
- Leg Press
- Reverse Banded Hack Squat
- Hip Press
Let’s dissect this.
Adductor Machine and Seated Hamstring Curl
The adductor machine was a warm up for Shaun, to get blood flowing and the muscles and joints loose. He followed this up with three sets of seated hamstring curls, as the adductors and hamstrings have been a primary focus for Shaun during his offseason. He trains the inner thighs two or three times a week.
Actually, Shaun trains lagging muscle groups multiple times per week from all different angles. For example, he has three different calf machines in his home gym.
Leg Extensions
Next on the leg day menu were leg extensions, an isolation exercise for the quads. He uses isolation work at the beginning of his workouts to develop a better mind-muscle connection, as well as prepare the joints and muscles for heavier work with better form. For this exercise, Shaun performed 12 to 15 leg extensions with four 45 lb plates (he was on a plate loaded leg extension).
Higher reps on this exercise can help to improve the conditioning of the quads, giving them the “feathered” look. It also lowers the risk of injury, as it prepares them for higher intensity workouts.
Leg Press
The first compound movement of Shaun’s leg workout was the leg press. He planted his feet at the bottom to obtain a better emphasis on the quads. He started out with four 45 lb plates on each side, before going to 11 per side for his final working set. From there, he performs back down sets with six plates on each side until he reaches failure.
Reverse Banded Hack Squat and Hip Press
Throwing a resistance band on the hack squat will tweak the machine’s resistance profile. At the bottom of the movement, the band will fully stretch at the bottom of the movement to assist with getting out of the “hole”. On the way back up, it will offer less assistance, as it returns to its original shape.
He then performed three sets of unilateral hip presses to finish off the leg workout. Unilateral movements help to develop weak points and eliminate muscular imbalances.
Recovery
When it comes to your training, recovery should be a priority, especially for someone like Shaun who is just 9 weeks out from the Mr. Olympia. That being said, supplementation is huge for recovery. Shaun is a MUTANT athlete, so let’s take a look at some of the supplements he uses.
MUTANT MADNESS
MUTANT MADNESS ALL-IN is one of the most powerful pre-workouts ever. MUTANT is the supplier of this trailblazing pre-workout. MUTANT only creates supplements that are clinically proven to get results.
Shaun combines MUTANT MADNESS and MUTANT CreaKONG ad MUTANT BCAA about 30 minutes before his workout. He mixes them in his shaker bottle for a nice energy boost and increased focus during his workouts.
MUTANT PUMP
Maximize your muscle pumps and blood flow with an effective nitric oxide booster, MUTANT PUMP.
Shaun includes MUTANT PUMP as part of his pre-workout to promote better blood flow, which helps with nutrient delivery and achieving muscular pumps during the workouts.
MUTANT BCAA and MUTANT GEAAR
MUTANT GEAAR is one of the better amino acid supplements on the market. Not only do they contain all 9 essential amino acids that your body can’t produce on its own, but they also have arginine, which is critical to include to optimize muscle-building and recovery which is great because of how it plays an important role in the metabolism of an organism.
During his workout, Shaun takes in a mix of MUTANT BCAA and MUTANT GEAAR, which are branched chain amino acids and essential amino acids. These help with muscular recovery.
MUTANT ISO SURGE
Maximize your gains with a great tasting and effective whey protein isolate, MUTANT ISOSURGE.
For his post workout, Shaun consumes 50g of MUTANT ISO SURGE, a whey protein isolate which is fast-digesting and quickly absorbed. It helps greatly with muscle repair.
Wrap Up
Overall, Shaun Clarida is a top contender for the 212 Mr. Olympia this year. Despite prep definitely being in full swing and Shaun’s energy levels declining, he certainly is still putting in the work.
Do you think Shaun will win the 212 Olympia this year?
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