Two-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Breon Ansley and bodybuilder Tristyn Lee united for a wicked deltoid and biceps training session in early February 2025. Ansley plans to return to the 212 division, where he first competed as a pro, in the fall of 2025.
“[2024] and 2022 I think were better than my winning looks,” Ansley told Lee. “That’s how quickly the Classic division is growing.”
Meanwhile, fans eagerly await Lee’s long-anticipated bodybuilding debut. When asked when he’ll step on stage, Lee responded, “I don’t have an answer. It’s instinctive; I don’t want to keep saying when I’m ready, and it never happens.”
During their session, Ansley was wowed by Lee’s strength and technique:
The Delt & Biceps Workout
- Warm-up
- Machine Incline Shoulder Press x 4 Sets
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise x 4 Sets
- Pec Deck Reverse Flye
- Dumbbell Bent-Over Reverse Flye
- EZ Barbell Curls
- Dumbbell Hammer Curls
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Ansley must pack on more muscle tissue before challenging the top athletes in the 212 division, including reigning, two-time reigning 212 Olympia champ Keone Pearson and former two-time Olympia winner Shaun Clarida.
“They’re saying [Pearson] is untouchable,” Ansley expressed. “I see why, he’s really strong”. Ansley gained three to four pounds, noting that he has to put on muscle “slow and methodically to keep it clean, as much as I can naturally.”
Muscle Maturity & Optimal Rep Tempo
Ansley and Lee began with machine incline converging shoulder presses. Their arms start wider in front, then track back as the grip narrows. “The rotation gets the front and lateral delts,” Ansley commented. (1)
Ansley highlited Lee’s dense, quality muscle due to controlling the negatives and squeezing the contractions. “That’s how you develop your body years ahead of [your age],” Ansley commended.
Lee credits Ansley and reigning seven-time Classic Physique Olympia champ Chris Bumstead for adopting explosive contractions and slow eccentrics into his training. “That took my training to a whole new level,” Lee claimed.
Fast concentrics paired with slower eccentrics, and a rep tempo between half a second to eight seconds is considered the sweet spot for hypertrophy. (2) “For bodybuilding, that style is probably the best,” Ansley reported.
Lateral Raises for V-Taper
Ansley praised Lee’s strict, controlled form during dumbbell lateral raises. “When he gets fatigued, he doesn’t change the speed or form,” Ansley lauded. “That’s how you maximize your physique.”
As the weights increased, Lee shifted his arms slightly forward, allowing his front delts to assist with little momentum and forcing reps to maximize gains. Conversely, Ansley leaned laterally for leverage, pausing at the bottom to avoid momentum.
They optimized the stimulus with a neutral grip so the palms face down at the top.
Lee topped at 50-pound dumbbells for eight reps. Ansley managed 10-plus reps with the 55’s. A proper warm-up and progressive sets are crucial before handling these loads. Lee also used gripping straps.
Workout partners help take you to the next level.
—Breon Ansley
During pec deck flyes, the duo employed overhand grips to target the rear delts, though a neutral grip may be better. (3) They led with their pickies during dumbbell reverse flyes — a technique endorsed by elite trainer Hany Rambod, for improved rear delts. (4) Be careful not to load this technique too heavy for shoulder safety.
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References
- Campos YAC, Vianna JM, Guimarães MP, Oliveira JLD, Hernández-Mosqueira C, da Silva SF, Marchetti PH. Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals. J Hum Kinet. 2020 Oct 31;75:5-14. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2020-0033. PMID: 33312291; PMCID: PMC7706677.
- Wilk M, Zajac A, Tufano JJ. The Influence of Movement Tempo During Resistance Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy Responses: A Review. Sports Med. 2021 Aug;51(8):1629-1650. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01465-2. Epub 2021 May 27. PMID: 34043184; PMCID: PMC8310485.
- Schoenfeld, B., Sonmez, R. G., Kolber, M. J., Contreras, B., Harris, R., & Ozen, S. (2013). Effect of hand position on EMG activity of the posterior shoulder musculature during a horizontal abduction exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 27(10), 2644–2649. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e318281e1e9
- Coratella G, Tornatore G, Longo S, Esposito F, Cè E. An Electromyographic Analysis of Lateral Raise Variations and Frontal Raise in Competitive Bodybuilders. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Aug 19;17(17):6015. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17176015. PMID: 32824894; PMCID: PMC7503819.
Featured image: @breonma_ on Instagram
