Two-time 212 Olympia champion Shaun Clarida’s training routine has been redesigned. He tapped IFBB Pro and former rival John Jewett to run his programming for the rest of the 2025 season, a bold move he believes will pay off at the 2025 212 Olympia.
I’ve found the right person. [Jewett] reminiscent of John Meadows.
—Shaun Clarida
Jewett is Clarida’s first training coach in seven years since working with the late John Meadows. “A lot has changed,” Clarida shared. With time to recover after placing seventh at the 2025 Arnold Classic Men’s Open contest, “The Giant Killer” is ditching his instinctual workout tendencies for a more concrete philosophy.
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High Volume and Recovery
While Clarida clawed his way to success without a trainer for years, he suggested the change could give him new life atop the title picture, where he’s struggled the past two Olympias to overcome Keone Pearson’s density, and conditioning.
The change of pace and focus on recovery has already yielded results three weeks in, as Clarida stated, “My body is slowly getting stronger, bigger, and my numbers are going up at the gym.” More sets equal greater time under tension to capitalize on progressive overload gains. (1)
In addition to a higher set volume, Clarida said Jewett puts more stock into fundamental movements rather than shocking the system with six or seven different exercises. It translates into shorter gym sessions. Clarida finishes workouts in an hour instead of almost two.
I’m getting into a groove.
—Shaun Clarida
Jewett’s system includes Clarida keeping a training journal to log his lifts and progress, which they believe will be the difference in his training trajectory.
Bodybuilding is often considered an individual sport, but a well-balanced team is likelier to garner success at the highest level of competition. Clarida’s nutrition and supplementation remain captained by Stefan Kienzl. With Jewett by his side, Clarida’s optimistic he could bring a new look to the 2025 Mr. Olympia, scheduled for October 9-12 in Las Vegas, NV.
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Reference
- Bernárdez-Vázquez R, Raya-González J, Castillo D, Beato M. Resistance Training Variables for Optimization of Muscle Hypertrophy: An Umbrella Review. Front Sports Act Living. 2022 Jul 4;4:949021. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.949021. PMID: 35873210; PMCID: PMC9302196. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9302196/
Featured image: @shaunclarida on Instagram
