Small technical tweaks could make an enormous distinction.
Final up to date on October twenty fifth, 2024
With Chris Bumstead formally ceding his throne, one in all bodybuilding’s brightest rising stars might grow to be the brand new lord of the Traditional Physique division prior to later.
After falling from fifth in 2022 to eighth in 2023, Mike Sommerfeld catapulted himself into the championship dialog on the 2024 Olympia with a sculpted, well-balanced physique that finally earned him a silver medal and a $20,000 payday.
Coming off that spectacular exhibiting in Las Vegas, Sommerfeld wasted no time getting again to what he does finest: constructing muscle. On Oct. 19, 2024, the German athlete revealed a video on his YouTube channel of an intense chest exercise with coach Joe Bennett that exhibits why he must be a pressure to be reckoned with for years to come back.
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Mike Sommerfeld’s Chest Exercise
Lower than per week after ending forward of all of his friends besides the unbeatable “CBum,” Sommerfeld was again within the health club for a pec-focused strength training session. Taking cues from Bennet, who goes by @HypertrophyCoach on social media, the 2024 Traditional Physique Olympia runner-up crushed the next chest exercise:
Though Sommerfield didn’t carry out an extended record of workout routines, his coach paid shut consideration to the technical nuances of every motion, delivering helpful nuggets of weightlifting knowledge all through the exercise.
Elbow Positioning on the Incline Press
Sommerfeld began his session on a plate-loaded incline press machine, a superb software for constructing huge upper pecs and powerful triceps. With these targets in thoughts, Bennett reminded his shopper to convey his arms throughout and collectively reasonably than straight out to actually emphasize the pectoral contraction.
It didn’t take lengthy for Sommerfeld to really feel the impact.
“My chest nonetheless feels sore from posing,” he remarked mid-set.
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On the following set, Bennett inspired Sommerfeld to tweak his elbow place. As a substitute of getting them level barely behind him on the backside of the elevate, Sommerfeld introduced his elbows perpendicular to the ground, which raised his chest barely.
As soon as once more, it didn’t take lengthy to really feel the affect of one other key teaching level. Though Sommerfeld admitted the place felt “bizarre,” he acknowledged its efficacy.
I can really feel my chest contracting more durable doing it this fashion. I will probably be 20-25% weaker, however I can really feel that my chest is far more energetic like that.
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Vary Is Every little thing
Between units of incline press, Bennet and Sommerfeld mentioned the intricacies of a important muscle-building idea: vary of movement.
That gave the coach an opportunity to flex his data on the topic. Listed here are some key takeaways:
- Bennett believes biasing extra in direction of the mid and lengthened vary is “most likely the place you might have essentially the most alternative to develop.”
- Your muscular tissues are most weak within the quick place.
- Individuals make the error of evaluating positions with out controlling for joint torque.
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Sommerfeld Will get His Reply on Stretching
After hitting a number of units of sluggish, managed seated cable flyes, Sommerfeld wrapped up his exercise on the seated chest press machine. This gave him a last probability to problem his chest and obtain some steerage from Bennet on stretching.
“I don’t actually suppose you need to go to that deep, deep stretch to get maximal profit,” the coach defined.
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So, what’s Bennett’s technique for staying limber?
I love to do issues which are extra energetic end-range stuff. Some issues I’ll both do as my warm-up once I’m coaching, or I’ll do it at a separate time of the day, too.”
With a sport plan that features a morning mobility/cardio/stretching routine and extremely focused power coaching classes, Sommerfeld must be within the driver’s seat to make it to the highest of the Traditional Physique mountain when the 2025 Olympia rolls round.
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Featured picture: Mike Sommerfeld / YouTube