During his competitive career, Australian bodybuilder Lee Priest clinched the NABBA Mr. Universe title in 2013 and the IFBB Ironman Pro title in 2006. “The Blonde Myth” is a six-time Olympian, finishing sixth in his debut at the 1997 Olympia. On May 30, 2022, Muscle Beach honored Priest with an induction into the Muscle Beach Hall of Fame in Venice, CA.
On Sept. 9, 2024, Priest delved into muscle separation, sharing his insights on how cardio, dieting, and training contribute to achieving more muscle separation.
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Priest Explains the Importance of Dieting for Muscle Separation
Priest discusses muscle separation with an example involving the upper biceps and shoulders that emphasizes the importance of diet.
When you’re really bulked up, your shoulder and arm blend into one. The more you diet down, [separation] gets deeper.
While the actual visual separation between the muscles becomes more apparent at lower body fat percentage, Priest seemed to accept that the aesthetic gave spectators an illusion that the separation was even deeper to the eye.
It gives the illusion of a more rounded shoulder. As that gets deeper…it makes the biceps look bigger.
Research indicates a proper diet can significantly enhance muscle mass and overall muscle function. (1) Besides dieting, Priest recognizes the importance of cardio for improving muscle separation.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology reveals that combining regular cardio with resistance training can lead to greater muscle hypertrophy than relying solely on resistance exercises. (2)
Priest explains how one can’t be too specific in training each muscle. For instance, one can’t target the inner chest. The pecs’ muscle fibers work harmoniously, so any chest exercise affects them collectively.
Lee Priest’s Thoughts on Lagging Body Parts
Priest states that training a lagging body part more intensively won’t necessarily lead to greater growth. He believes everyone has at least one lagging area in their physique. He advises lifters not to worry about underdeveloped body parts but to instead train diligently and follow a proper diet for improved muscle separation.
Some [muscles], like your chest, might grow quickly…biceps, arms, and legs will always be slightly behind.
Ultimately, Priest’s views on muscle separation are grounded in science — consistency in training, diet, and cardio to achieve a well-sculpted physique.
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References
- Davis, J. A., Mohebbi, M., Collier, F., Loughman, A., Staudacher, H., Shivappa, N., Hébert, J. R., Pasco, J. A., & Jacka, F. N. (2021). The role of diet quality and dietary patterns in predicting muscle mass and function in men over a 15-year period. Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 32(11), 2193–2203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-021-06012-3
- Lundberg, T. R., Fernandez-Gonzalo, R., Gustafsson, T., & Tesch, P. A. (2013). Aerobic exercise does not compromise muscle hypertrophy response to short-term resistance training. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 114(1), 81–89. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01013.2012
Featured image: @leepriestofficial72 on Instagram
