Hunter Labrada, the scion of the legendary Lee Labrada, is back in action and determined to make his mark at the 2023 Olympia.
After a brief hiatus post-competition, Hunter Labrada is pushing himself to the limit to prepare for the prestigious event.
The Rise of Hunter Labrada
Hunter Labrada is an American professional bodybuilder who competes in the Men’s Open division of the IFBB Pro League.
He’s not just any bodybuilder; he’s the son of the iconic Lee Labrada, and he inherited his father’s passion for bodybuilding.
His journey to prominence in the professional bodybuilding circuit has been swift, with multiple appearances at the Olympia, including a fourth-place finish in 2021.
However, the 2022 season didn’t go as planned for the Hunter Labrada scion. Despite addressing sleep apnea and making changes to his training routine, he ended up finishing seventh at the Olympia 2022.
Instead of dwelling on his setback, Hunter Labrada faced it head-on, acknowledging his shortcomings.
Determined to rebuild himself, he announced plans to compete in two Pro shows in 2023 before heading to the Olympia.
During the off-season, the 31-year-old made significant changes to his diet and introduced a new training routine.
His focus shifted from merely chasing size to emphasizing aesthetics and conditioning.
The results became evident at the 2023 Tampa Pro in August, where Hunter Labrada dominated the stage, securing a direct qualification to the 2023 Olympia.
He followed this up with a strong showing at the 2023 Texas Pro, finishing second behind the defending champion, Andrew Jacked.
Resuming Training with a Push-Day Workout
After competing at the 2022 Texas Pro, Hunter Labrada took a brief break, allowing himself to recover and rejuvenate.
He then returned to his home gym, eager to regain focus and prepare for the 2023 Olympia.
A video of his intense push-day workout was posted on Hunter Labrada‘s YouTube channel. Let’s delve into the details of how Hunter Labrada is gearing up for the Olympia.
Seated Cable Chest Press
Hunter Labrada kicked off his workout with a seated cable chest press. This exercise keeps the muscles under constant tension throughout the range of motion, making it effective for hypertrophy.
The uniform tension ensures a great start to the session, targeting the chest muscles.
Machine Incline Chest Press
Next, Hunter Labrada performed heavy sets of incline chest presses on a plate-loaded machine.
This exercise targets the chest and anterior deltoid muscles. Labrada gradually increased the weight as he progressed through his sets.
He used elbow and wrist wraps to protect his joints and applied chalk to ensure a secure grip during the heavy lifts.
Pec Deck Flyes
Hunter Labrada incorporated pec deck flies into his routine, an effective movement for pectoral muscle activation.
These flies improve upper body adduction strength, a critical aspect of complete chest development.
Hunter Labrada executed flawless sets of pec deck flyes to provide the finishing touch to his chest workout.
Seated Machine Shoulder Press
To shift his focus to shoulder training, Labrada started with a seated machine overhead press.
This compound movement primarily targets the anterior deltoids.
Hunter Labrada positioned himself at a high incline, engaging the clavicular head of the pectoral muscles more than a traditional upright overhead press.
He progressively increased the weight for a few heavy sets.
Machine Lateral Raises
Hunter Labrada emphasized lateral deltoid training with machine lateral raises.
These exercises isolate the lateral deltoid, creating the desired broad-shoulder appearance.
Hunter Labrada incorporated several sets of machine lateral raises into his routine to target the lateral delts effectively.
Crossover Cable Triceps Extensions
Hunter Labrada has long argued that crossover cable triceps extensions are one of the best exercises for tricep development.
Full elbow flexion and shoulder joint stability are essential for complete tricep contraction, making this movement highly effective.
Hunter Labrada completed sets using both hands and unilaterally.
Notably, he used a banded attachment to isolate the triceps further, emphasizing their development.
Hanging Leg Raises and Crunches
Incorporating core work into his routine, Labrada performed hanging leg raises and crunches between his triceps exercises.
These exercises contributed to overall core strength and stability.
Triceps Dips
Hunter Labrada concluded his workout with triceps dips. After several sets to engage the triceps effectively, the training session came to an end, marking another day of hard work in the gym.
Labrada’s push-day workout comprised the following exercises:
- Seated Cable Chest Press
- Machine Incline Chest Press
- Pec Deck Flyes
- Seated Machine Shoulder Press
- Machine Lateral Raises
- Crossover Cable Triceps Extensions
- Triceps Dips
- Hanging Leg Raises
- Crunches
Hunter Labrada‘s journey to redemption after the 2022 Olympia setback is characterized by relentless determination and a commitment to improvement.
While the road to the top five of the 2023 Olympia is long, Labrada’s experience competing against Andrew Jacked has positioned him as a top contender once again.
As he continues to pivot in the right direction, there’s no doubt that this 31-year-old bodybuilder is poised for a spectacular return to the Olympia stage.
The Takeaways
In conclusion, Hunter Labrada‘s intense post-show push-day workout provides a glimpse into the dedication and hard work required to compete at the highest level of professional bodybuilding.
His journey is a testament to the enduring spirit of athletes who refuse to let setbacks define their careers, and instead, use them as stepping stones to success.
With the 2023 Olympia on the horizon, all eyes will be on Hunter Labrada as he strives to make his mark on the iconic stage once again.