Michal Krizo, the Slovakian professional bodybuilder, has been relentlessly working on adding muscle to his already impressive frame in the off-season. As part of his bulking phase, Krizo recently annihilated a back and arms workout in the gym, and it’s worth taking a closer look at what he did.
Krizo rose to fame as a prominent IFBB Elite Pro League competitor during the initial years of his bodybuilding career. However, he transitioned to the NPC to kickstart his Olympia campaign, and following a dominant win at the 2022 Amateur Olympia Italy that earned him the IFBB Pro card, the 32-year-old bodybuilder returned to the stage at the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro. While his impressive physique had created a lot of hype around his name in the few months leading up to the show, his conditioning at the Prague Pro received a lot of criticism. But Krizo was not disheartened and continued to work hard toward the Olympia, finishing 12th at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and gaining the necessary experience of competing at the highest level. Now, he’s getting ready to compete at the 2023 Arnold Classic UK.
The Off-Season Workout of a Champion
Krizo recently shared his off-season workout routine on his personal YouTube channel, giving fans a glimpse into how he trains to maintain his impressive physique. The workout routine focused on his back and arms, with Krizo taking on some of the most challenging exercises in the sport to build muscle mass and improve his overall strength.
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The Anatomy of a Killer Back and Arms Workout
Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown
Michal Krizo started the training session with the reverse grip lat pulldown, a movement that targets the latissimus dorsi muscles in the back. The reverse grip emphasizes the lower lats more as the arms are a little closer to the body, and you tend to pull the weight down with your biceps, enabling you to lift heavier loads compared to the standard lat pulldown. Krizo cranked out a few solid sets of reverse grip lat pulldowns to set the tone of the workout and take on the next exercise.
Seated Rows
Vertical pulls like lat pulldowns help you build a wide back, but horizontal pulls or rows impart thickness to the back. Therefore it is essential to incorporate both types of movements in the back training routine for complete development of the back. Seated rows work almost all major muscles in the back, including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, and spinal erectors. Also, seated rows are an excellent movement to improve the upper body posture. Krizo pushed through a few heavy sets of seated rows before taking up to the next exercise.
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Underhand Grip Bent Over Barbell Rows
The underhand grip barbell row is a compound exercise that has benefits not only for the back but also to improve overall upper body strength. This movement works the latissimus dorsi, traps, rhomboids, deltoids, biceps brachii as well as core muscles in the upper body. As the old bodybuilding saying goes – If you want to grow, you gotta row. Krizo totally understands this and took on the second rowing movement of the day next. This served as the final back exercise of the day as Krizo annihilated a few good sets of this movement and jumped into the arms exercises next.
Seated EZ Bar Curls
Krizo started the arms training with seated EZ bar curls, a biceps curl variation that provides a variety of benefits due to the curved shape of the bar. It enables a more natural wrist position which elevates wrist pain and discomfort that may arise with a straight barbell. Krizo took on this movement to work the biceps, brachialis, and Brachioradialis muscles in the arm and performed a few sets.
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Cable Curls
The 2022 EVLS Prague Pro winner then jumped into another biceps curls variation and performed the alternating cable curls. Unlike free weights, cable machines keep the muscles under tension throughout the full range of motion and help bring about hypertrophy more effectively. Krizanek did a few sets of alternating cable curls with slow and controlled movements and took to a traps.
“Dumbbell Shrugs: The Ultimate Exercise for Building Strong Trapezius Muscles”
When it comes to building a strong and well-defined upper body, it’s important not to neglect the trapezius muscles. These muscles, which span from the base of the skull to the middle of the back, play a crucial role in shoulder blade function and help to stabilize the neck.
One of the most effective exercises for targeting the trapezius muscles is the dumbbell shrug. This simple but powerful exercise involves lifting a pair of dumbbells with your shoulders, shrugging them up towards your ears, and then slowly lowering them back down again.
By performing dumbbell shrugs regularly, you can help to strengthen both the upper and lower trapezius muscles, which can improve your posture and help to prevent neck and shoulder injuries.
Recently, fitness enthusiast Krizo demonstrated the power of this exercise by pushing through some heavy sets of dumbbell shrugs to finish off his training session. Despite the challenging weight, Krizo remained focused and determined, reaping the benefits of this effective trap-building exercise.
If you’re looking to add some serious muscle to your upper body, don’t overlook the power of the dumbbell shrug. Incorporate this exercise into your regular workout routine and you’ll soon start to see impressive results.
Courtesy of Michal Krizo’s Streaming Below:
Overview:
Krizo’s workout routine is comprehensive and well-rounded, targeting all major muscle groups in the back and arms. Krizo’s experience competing at a high level during the 2022 season has bolstered his confidence, and he is preparing to compete at the 2023 Arnold Classic UK. With his dedication to training and hard work, Krizo is sure to continue making strides in his bodybuilding career.
Courtesy Streaming @Krizo (Youtube)
Courtesy Image @ifbb_pro_michalkrizokrizanek (Instagram)