Mitchell Hooper Tackles Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Again and Biceps Exercise

World’s Strongest Man places himself by way of powerful pull day session.

Written by Stephen Sheehan, CPT Final up to date on Nov 28, 2023

As if trying to match Ronnie Coleman’s greatest lifts wasn’t difficult sufficient, Mitchell Hooper additionally tried to maintain tempo with one other all-time nice’s signature exercise. Though the reigning World’s Strongest Man usually doesn’t give attention to getting a pump throughout his coaching, he had no selection however to embrace that satisfying feeling Arnold Schwarzenegger strived for throughout his legendary fitness center periods.

In a video posted on his YouTube web page on Nov. 13, 2023, Hooper tried the seven-time Mr. Olympia winner’s iconic again and biceps exercise. For sure, the high-volume model of coaching gave the Canadian strongman a fair deeper appreciation for Schwarzenegger’s accomplishments.

All the time up for a problem, Hooper examined his upper-body power and stamina by way of a collection of again and biceps workout routines that left his muscle mass totally taxed. Paying homage to arguably the most well-liked bodybuilder ever to stay, it didn’t take lengthy for the gifted strongman to know the variations between how athletes from every sport profit from their particular coaching modalities.

Hooper kicked off the session with 4 again workout routines earlier than ending up with a number of curl variations. The exercise begins about 40 seconds into the video.

Broad-Grip Pull-Up

Tipping the scales at about 6-foot-3, 320 kilos, Hooper recruited his lats to raise his sizable body to the highest of the assisted pull-up machine. Going with a large grip led to enhanced lat engagement and allowed the Ontario native to higher make the most of his rhomboids and trapezius muscle mass.

After finishing his second set, Hooper took a take a look at a few of Schwarzenegger’s greatest lifts, which included a 498-pound (226-kilogram) bench press and a 709.9-pound (322-kilogram) deadlift. Regardless of not being overly impressed by these numbers, Hooper acknowledged that bodybuilders have a definite benefit in a single key space.

“Higher physique power is disproportionally good in bodybuilders as a result of their muscle mass is so excessive up there,” he defined. “I don’t know what that’s. Possibly strongmen ought to do much more higher physique accent work than we do as a result of bodybuilders are so robust comparatively.

Following that transient relaxation interval, Hooper wrapped up the primary portion of the exercise by finishing three extra units of wide-grip pull-ups.

T-Bar Row

Subsequent, Hooper went with a variation of one in every of Schwarzenegger’s favourite workout routines: the T-bar row. Beginning with three 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plates, the large man explosively pulled and squeezed every rep, noting that his upper-body power isn’t on the identical degree as his decrease physique.

“Like 80 p.c of the whole lot we do is quad, hamstring, glute,” Hooper mentioned about strongmen. “Leg drive, when you’ve obtained that, you’re going to do very properly.”

Subsequent units of T-bar rows included heavier masses, which compelled the Canadian athlete to make use of his core and legs to keep up stability all through the motion.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Hooper then went over to the dumbbell part to carry out single-arm rows. A basic again train that’s nice for constructing thickness, he made fast work of 130-pound (59-kilogram) dumbbells for his first two units. Nevertheless, simply because it regarded straightforward doesn’t imply Hooper loved this a part of the exercise.

“I believe this is likely to be my least favourite train,” he defined. “The problem is lots in your core, not lots within the precise pulling. So it’s like a core exercise with an arbitrary dumbbell motion.”

Nonetheless, Hooper pushed (or on this case, pulled) on to complete two extra units with the identical weight, ensuring to keep up a impartial backbone as he accomplished the heavy dumbbell rows.

Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown

The ultimate again train of the exercise put Hooper’s lats to the final word check. Having already accepted the fact that he can be “sore as hell” the subsequent day, he mustered up the power to finish 4 units of close-grip lat pulldowns. Hooper leaned again barely throughout the motion, pulling the deal with down to only above chest degree.

As soon as he completed on the cable machine, he moved on to the second half of his session.

[Related: The Best Arm Workouts for Beginners, With Dumbbells, and More]

Biceps Circuit

With about 20 minutes left to coach, Hooper wrapped his biceps in blood restriction cuffs, which have been proven to assist improve hypertrophy. (1) Though he carried out fewer working units than Schwarzenegger’s protocol, Hooper nonetheless achieved a superb muscle-building stimulus.

Aiming to hit his biceps from a number of angles, the reigning WSM accomplished 4 rounds of a four-part circuit that included the next workout routines:

• Standing Barbell Curl — Used a 70-pound (31.8-kilogram) curl bar
• Barbell Preacher Curl — Used the identical 70-pound (31.8-kilogram) curl bar
• Alternating Dumbbell Curl — Used 50-pound (22.7-kilogram) dumbbells
• Focus Curl — Used 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) dumbbells

By the point he cranked out his closing rep, an exasperated and vascular model of Hooper appeared proud of the pump he achieved throughout the expedited biceps session.

Schwarzenegger-Type Again and Biceps Exercise

Right here’s an entire breakdown of the Arnold Schwarzenegger-inspired again and biceps exercise Hooper carried out.

• Broad-Grip Pull-Up — 5 x 8-12
• T-Bar Row — 5 x 8-12
• Single-Arm Dumbbell Row — 4 x 8-12
• Shut-Grip Lat Pulldown — 4 x 8-12
• Standing Barbell Curl — 4 x 8-12
• Barbell Preacher Curl — 4 x 8-12
• Alternating Dumbbell Curl — 4 x 8-12
• Focus Curl — 4 x 8-12

Whilst you shouldn’t anticipate to see Mitchell Hooper enter a bodybuilding present anytime quickly, the very fact he’s prepared to strive completely different types of coaching and share his sincere suggestions exhibits why he’s one of many extra well-respected and standard power athletes as we speak. Already a world-class strongman, something he does to enhance in different areas will solely make him a extra fierce competitor transferring ahead.

Featured Picture: Mitchell Hooper / YouTube

References

1. Wortman RJ, Brown SM, Savage-Elliott I, Finley ZJ, Mulcahey MK. Blood Circulation Restriction Coaching for Athletes: A Systematic Evaluation. Am J Sports activities Med. 2021 Jun;49(7):1938-1944. doi: 10.1177/0363546520964454. Epub 2020 Nov 16. PMID: 33196300.