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đď¸ââď¸ 12 best upper back exercises to test your rhomboids
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Hereâs whatâs on tap for today:
Upper back exercises to blast your rhomboids
Calf training for size and support
Inside Lou Ferrignoâs Hulking feats of strength
Exercise Tips
Rhomboid-a-licious
The shirtless back of someone who has dialed in their training for years is kind of like looking at a topographical map of the Alps, crammed full of rugged peaks and valleys.
Two of the most prominent protrusions jutting out are the powerful and visually interesting rhomboids. While upper- and mid-back training can often (mistakenly) just focus on the lats, learning to train the rhomboids with the 12 exercises weâve rounded up today will give you eye-popping gains and increase your capacity for overall strength.
In simple terms, the lats make you wide, and the rhomboids make you thick (think about a Ninja Turtle). Rhomboid training means lots of heavy rows that force you to focus on contracting your shoulder blades together. Inverted rows and band pull-ups may be the simplest way to feel this focus, but they are far from the only exercises available to you.
If youâve been neglecting this vital back muscle, youâre going to be entering into a whole new world of size and strength by learning to grind out these reps for your rhomboids.
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Workouts
Grow Your Calves
If you struggle with your calves, donât fret â youâre in good company. The great Arnold Schwarzenegger is among many who possess a great physique, genetics, and discipline but still have difficulty with their calf muscles.
The âbiceps of the legsâ may sometimes be tricky to deal with, but with these eight different ways to train calves, you have more chances than ever to impress when wearing golf shorts at the cabana.
You can use classic calf-building movements, like the donkey raise or seated calf raise, or get creative (and functional) by understanding how to use sled drags and farmerâs walks to beef up your lower legs. There are fewer excuses than ever to ignore this important stabilizing muscle, so pick your favorite calf workouts from this list below and start going to town.
Bodybuilding
The Tale of Sweet Lou
Lou Ferrigno has spent a lot of his life walking around on camera without wearing a shirt (and then, later, with a shirt on). A huge human being who was successful in a sport that can often reward bodybuilders who max out smaller frames, Ferrigno literally stood head and shoulders above his competition.
Tall, broad, and athletic, looking like a late-â90s strongman competitor, youâd naturally think Ferrigno would have some serious strength to back up his size. And you would be right.
Ferrignoâs feats of strength were indeed impressive, and he even put his power on full display by competing in the first-ever Worldâs Strongest Man contest (alongside Franco Columbu). Leaving for Hollywood never cost Ferrigno his physique, and he still looks great today. See how he stacks up in the strength game and learn about his all-time best lifts.
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Everything Else
Cross Fire
Give your feet a treat by checking out our list of the 14 best cross-training sneakers.
Top CrossFitter Mal OâBrien walks you through a day of her intuitive eating with the warning disclaimer of âno discussions of macros allowed.â
Paul Mescal talks about the arm routine he did to get the sweet pipes needed to wield the stubby Gladius in his upcoming role in Gladiator 2.