Gustavo Badell's Olympia-Level Shoulder & Tricep Workout
As a young boxer in his hometown of Puerto Rico, The Freak'n Rican - Gustavo Badell - began weight training to put on size and become more powerful, which he did quickly.
As one of the hardest working pro bodybuilders, Gustavo's sanctuary is in the gym building the muscle that has defeated some of pro bodybuilding's best. Today, Gustavo continues to add pounds of freaky muscle onto his sleeve-splitting 22-inch arms and his 290-pound frame.
Gustavo's intense, hardcore training style helped him develop a massive upper body with the thick muscles that he proudly showcases at every show he competes in.
Take one look at Gustavo and you'll see why his jaw-dropping delt and tricep development stands out among the sport's most elite pros. And that's why Gustavo has revealed his complete delt and tricep-blasting program for you, so you too can build the biggest cannonball delts and sleeve-stretching tris humanly possible!
Shoulders
Seated Dumbbell Presses - 4 Sets, 8-12 Reps:
Notes: This basic movement is a staple in Gustavo's training arsenal so he can continue to build more freaky thickness to his delts. If performed correctly, this old-school movement ranks above all for adding inches to your front (anterior) delts. Adding serious mass to this area will build huge rounded shoulders that will make you look more powerful from the front.
Technique: With dumbbells in each hand, sit with your back firmly against a straight back chair. Lower the weight under control and stop just above the top of your chest. When pushing the weight back up, stop short of locking out at the top. This will ensure maximum tension on your delts. Also, keep your hands shoulder-width apart as you explode up, forcing your shoulders to move the weight, not your arms.
Barbell Shoulder Press - 3 Sets, 10-12 Reps:
Notes: Gustavo utilizes this movement to add more mass to his sculpted delts. The dumbbells are a great warm-up and add serious definition, but Gustavo hits his delts right away with the barbell to gain the jaw-dropping thickness he displays at every competition. Barbell shoulder presses will really make your upper chest and shoulders surge out of your shirt to add dominance to your upper body.
Technique: This can be performed seated or while standing. Load the bar with weight and grip it with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing forward. Lower the weight slowly to the point where the bar is just below chin level. Pause at the bottom of the movement before returning to the starting position. Squeeze your traps when forcing the weight up to support your shoulders from costly injuries. Be careful not to lock your elbows out at the top of the movement as this will strain the joints.
Lateral Cable Raises - 4 Sets, 12-15 Reps:
Notes: Gustavo finds this training movement to be one of the best ways to build more width and shape to his side (medial) delts. When viewed from the front, well-developed medial delts help create the illusion of a more awe-inspiring V-taper that every bodybuilder strives for.
The cables provide constant tension so that the workload remains the same throughout the movement. Choose a weight that allows you to maintain strict form, but heavy enough so that you'll force more blood into the area giving you a huge shirt-stretching pump after the first set.
Gustavo performs this movement with the cable in front of his body. Don't perform the movement with the cable passing behind your body. This common mistake can put a lot of stress on your rotator cuff (shoulder joint). You'll notice the striations pushing through the skin in your delts as the tension builds. The pump you feel also forces more vascularity to be exposed with every rep. Watch in the mirror as your delts begin to swell!
Technique: If your traps are getting sore after this movement you may be engaging your traps too much which will take the tension off your medial deltoids. Stand up straight and keep your abs tight for greater stability. Grab the weight with your palms facing the floor and lower your center of gravity by maintaining a slight bend in the knees for balance. Keep your arms as straight as possible throughout the entire movement.
Shrugs - 4 Sets, 12-15 Reps:
Notes: Gustavo uses this movement in his training regimen for developing thick traps. Concentrate on keeping proper form. Don't roll your shoulders during the movement. The weight should be heavy but make sure you aren't sacrificing proper form for heavier weights. To fully develop huge rounded traps you need to perform a full range of motion. If done correctly, this will add serious size to your traps.
Technique: Stand up straight and grasp the barbell with two hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing your body. For massive traps that cap off your huge upper body just like Gustavo's, use a barbell.
Let the bar hang down in front of you and shrug your shoulders upwards, as if you were bringing your traps up to touch your ears. Keep your body and wrists straight for maximum muscle growth stimulation. Pause at the top to feel the intense contraction before lowering the weight. Concentrate on shrugging the weight up with your traps and not your arms.
Tricep
Cable Pressdowns - 4 Sets, 12 Reps:
Notes: By now your tris should be pumped and warmed up from the shoulder workout above. Gustavo uses cable press-downs as an isolation movement that not only adds more size, but more definition as well.
He performs this movement with strict form to maximize the muscle fiber recruitment. This movement is essential for adding bone-crushing strength to your big bench when it comes time to blast your pecs! And don't forget, your tricep muscles make up two-thirds of your upper arm development. Train them hard and you'll build arm size that gets noticed in the gym, or everywhere you go for that matter!
Gustavo Badell Performing Cable Pressdowns.
Technique: Attach a rope to the cable machine and grasp the ropes firmly with both hands, palms facing in. Bring the elbows in tight to your sides and keep them there throughout the entire movement. Press down and focus on flexing the tricep as you get close to the bottom of the movement. Pause at the bottom for a two count before slowly allowing the weight to come back to the starting position. To induce an even greater muscle pump, flare your wrists out at the bottom of the movement.
EZ Curl Extensions/Skull Crushers - 4 Sets, 10-12 Reps:
Notes: This movement is a staple in Gustavo's training cycle because it forces a ton of thickness to each head of the tricep. His technique is what adds to the pro-caliber development of his arms that stands out from any angle.
Technique: Lay down on a flat bench with your head at the end of the bench. Hold the EZ curl bar with palms facing up. Your arms should be pointing almost straight up, but tilted a little toward your head. While keeping your arms and elbows completely still, lower the bar until it is above your forehead.
You can also challenge your tricep further by lowering the bar a few inches below the bench line while keeping your elbows from flaring outward. Slowly extend the bar back to the starting position where your elbows are nearly locked.
Dumbbell Kickbacks - 3 Sets, 12 Reps:
Notes: Gustavo powers through this ultimate training movement to issue the final blow to his tris. This movement forces your triceps to bulge outward like your biceps, displaying sheer size.
Perform this movement with a weight that allows you to get 12 reps out of each set. Using higher reps will help push your triceps development to the point where you'll be able to see the vascularity in your arms pushing through your skin!
Technique: Stand to the right of a flat bench. Resting your left knee on the bench, place your left hand ahead of you on the bench for balance. Holding a dumbbell in your right hand while keeping your back as straight as possible, bend your arm and raise your elbow up to shoulder height.
Let the dumbbell hang down while keeping your elbows close to the side of your body. Press the weight back behind you until your forearm is parallel to the floor. Squeeze your tricep and then slowly return to the starting position. After you finish the set, switch sides. To avoid swinging the weight for momentum, keep your shoulder stable, moving only at the elbow.
Conclusion
By now you should have a full onslaught of blood pounding its way through your pumped muscles, tightening the skin that surrounds your delts and triceps. Keep up this training regimen exactly as directed. Your delts and tris will continue stretching the seams of your shirt, getting you noticed by everyone in your gym!