🏋️ 6 simple tips for a bigger bench press

Not to sound too cranky on a beautiful Friday, but have you seen the price of eggs recently? This inflation is hitting us right in the gains...

Oleksii Novikov went on an absolute tear in 2022. Now the Ukrainian strongman wants to build on it by breaking his 1,210-pound Hummer tire deadlift record later this year.

It's been about a quarter-century since six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates stood at the top of the bodybuilding world. At age 60, he's clearly still keeping in tip-top shape.

If you're reading our newsletter, we'll assume you'd be interested in beefing up your bench press numbers. And we just so happen to have some tips for you.

Strongman

Oleksii Novikov's Ambitious 2023 Plans

Last year, Oleksii Novikov won three separate strongman contests: The 2022 Europe's Strongest Man, Giants Live Strongman Classic, and Rogue Invitational Strongman. At the 2022 Shaw Classic, he even broke the all-time Hummer deadlift world record with a pull of 549 kilograms (1,210 pounds). This reads like a resume many strongman athletes would be content with over an entire career, let alone over 12 months.

But Novikov is not like most strongmen, so he's planning to (rather incredibly) make 2023 even better.

During a Q&A on his YouTube channel last week, Novikov clarified he would try to defend each of his reigning competition titles this year. A lofty goal but not necessarily a surprise. We're not done. He also said he wants to add over 112 pounds (!) to his Hummer tire deadlift mark at the 2023 Shaw Classic.

Bodybuilding

Dorian Yates Looks Content and Ripped in Retirement

At a time when Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls dominated the basketball world, Dorian Yates carved out his own dynasty in the 1990s. From 1992-1997, the legend captured six consecutive Mr. Olympia titles, forever cementing his place in the sport's lore. After winning his final Olympia, Yates formally retired to another kind of life.

But it doesn't seem like the now 60-year-old has entirely stopped his commitment to fitness.

Earlier this month, Yates shared a picture of himself getting drenched under a waterfall in an urban forest in Rio de Janeiro. And if you don't know who Yates was or how old he was before seeing the image, you'd think this was one jacked man "washing away" the negativity. As he stays busy in the workout industry, it's clear that Yates remains a man who wants to stay in impeccable shape.

Training Tips

Max Out Your Bench With Ease

If you're like us, you're always seeking seamless "hacks" to improve your bench press. And then, when you get to a certain point, you hit that pesky plateau and sink into a pit of training despair. (Just kidding. Well, kind of. Is that only us?)

Having been there and felt that, we're here to help ensure you never feel the pain of a bench that simply won't budge. From picking the proper accessory exercises to tips on improving your breathing technique, our handy guide will have you pressing even more weight off your chest in no time.

Everything Else

Two Key Withdrawals From Britain's Strongest Man

• The 2023 Britain's Strongest Man is one of the first significant strongman contests of the year. Unfortunately, news recently broke that Luke Richardson and Terry Hollands have withdrawn from the show.

• The 2023 Buttery Games are in the books, and it was Justin Medeiros and Sophia Rose claiming the glory as victors.

• Our top CrossFit performance this week features Roman Khrennikov getting not one, but two runner-up finishes at the 2023 Wodapalooza.