MR. Olympia Archives | Page 2 of 2

From Arnie to Ronnie: how 30 years of ‘evolution’ rewrote the rules of muscle

May 29, 2010 by GoldenMuscles

Bodybuilders are getting bigger than ever. Jon Hotten on the freakish world of rippling abs and exploding quads

There’s an undeniable thrill in standing next to the biggest man in the world. Of the six billion bodies on the planet, the vastest, the baddest, the most extreme, is just inches away, oiled and clad in sparkly posing trunks.

Ronnie Coleman, 41 years old, the reigning and seven-time Mr Olympia, comes from Texas and he’s as huge as the state, with comic-book arms, a superhero’s chest, widescreen thighs. When he fires up his six pack, the cuts in his abs are so deep you could slide a pound coin into one and never see it again.

The bare facts are impressive enough. In contest shape, he weighs 295lb (21st) with four-per-cent body fat (David Beckham has about 10 per cent). His upper arms have a circumference of 25 inches, one thigh is three feet around, several inches greater than his waist. His muscle dwarfs the bits of his body that refuse to grow. His head, his hands and his feet look like they belong to someone else, someone smaller.

Ask Mr. Olympia

May 22, 2010 by GoldenMuscles

Written by: By Ronnie Coleman, Seven-time Mr. Olympia

Q: My biceps are big, but my triceps are underdeveloped, even though I’ve spent plenty of time training them. What should I do?

A: Underdeveloped triceps are one of the most common problems among beginning and intermediate bodybuilders, but one that is accompanied with a 100% cure rate for those who are serious about solving it. In order for that to happen, however, keep the following in mind.

Bodybuilders don’t train what they can’t see. At the next contest you watch, notice that the most neglected bodyparts among competitors are their lats, erectors, upper back and traps, rear delts, biceps brachialis, hamstrings, calves and triceps. That’s because they tend to train hardest those bodyparts they see in the mirror when they pose, namely, biceps, chest, front delts and quads.

Biceps and triceps should not be trained alike. The assumption is that since biceps and triceps are on opposite sides of the same limb, they are equals and should therefore be trained equally. I shouldn’t have to tell you that every muscle group in your body is unique and should be trained accordingly. Triceps, as a larger muscle group than biceps, need to be trained much harder and heavier, and with more volume and compound movements, if you expect them to grow at the same rate.

ASK MR. O: REP SPEED

May 1, 2010 by GoldenMuscles

Q: I’ve been bodybuilding for four years and I’m still not sure how fast or slow I should perform my repetitions. I often read that the reps should be slow, controlled and steady, only to turn the page to find another pro who says the reps should be fast and explosive. Who’s right, who’s wrong, and why?

A: Both are right. The speed, smoothness, consistency and control of reps vary according to the exercise, its purpose, the bodypart and the ordinal position of the set in your workout.

THE EXERCISE

Repetition speed will vary, depending upon whether the exercise is performed with cables, free weights or a machine. Since resistance with cables is consistent over the entire range of motion, the most effective use of cables is by means of slower repetitions, with a pace that is consistent through both the contraction and extension phases.

With free weights, the moment of force, or resistance, varies through the arc of the movement: At some points, the weight feels heavier than at others, just the opposite of the sensation associated with cables. You have to apply more power at those higher resistance points than at others, which means you have to accelerate or decelerate your repetition. Free weights are thus more effectively employed by repetitions that are controlled but slightly more explosive.

Breaking News: Coleman Comeback Confirmed for 2010

April 29, 2010April 21, 2010 by GoldenMuscles

As heard first on today’s episode of MuscleSport Radio, Ronnie Coleman will make his comeback at the 2010 Mr. Olympia. The eight-time Sandow winner said in a live interview that he just made up his mind “a few days ago.”

Coleman originally intended on competing in this year’s Olympia but his travel commitments with BSN proved to be too much and would have affected his preparation.

The back injury that caused him to finish in fourth place at the 2007 Mr. Olympia and subsequent surgery that made him sit out 2008 is 100 percent and was not a factor in Coleman putting off his comeback by a year. Coleman feels that the time off will be an advantage for him, as far as the back recuperation and not putting his body through contest prep for the past few years.