Men’s Open bodybuilder Nathan De Asha has been absent from the Mr. Olympia stage since 2018 due to visa issues and injuries. However, he earned his qualification for the 2024 Olympia scheduled for Oct. 10-13, in Las Vegas, NV, by winning the 2024 Mr. Big Evolution Pro.
De Asha’s next goal was to score gold at the 2024 Dubai Pro on July 28, 2024, and bag the $100,000 winner’s check. He ultimately settled for bronze behind William Bonac in second and champion Behrooz Tabani.
In a YouTube video published on July 23, 2024, De Asha teamed up with Classic Physique division’s Urs Kalecinski for a chest workout to add the finishing touches to his physique one week before taking the Dubai stage.
Nathan De Asha’s 2024 Dubai Pro Chest Workout
- Incline Machine Chest Press
- Machine Chest Press
- Decline Chest Press
- Pec Deck Flye
Check out the video below:
[Related: Dorian Yates’ 10 Go-To Exercises To Get Extra Jacked]
Incline Machine Chest Press
De Asha retracts and depresses his scapula, maintaining a proud chest throughout the exercise. He employs tempo reps — three-second negatives with a brief pause at both ends of his range of motion (ROM) to increase the time under tension and promote hypertrophy. (1)
The duo performed five sets of eight to 10 reps, pushing the final set to failure.
Machine Chest Press
De Asha prioritizes new machines. Competitive bodybuilders often favor machines as a contest nears, as machines don’t require the athlete to stabilize the weight. This helps deepen the mind-muscle connection while in a deep calorie deficit during peek week.
Kalecinski opines that single-arm chest exercises are not as effective as bilateral movements for maximizing muscle growth. He drives his elbows past his midline during eccentrics and locks out at the top for peak contraction.
Decline Chest Press
The pair transitioned to decline presses to train lower chest. The machine’s converging line of pull ensured a deep stretch in the bottom position and a sharp contraction at the top.
Pec Deck Flye
De Asha and Kalecinski concluded the workout with pec deck flyes to help build the coveted chest separation.
Maintaining slight elbow flexion, De Asha used slow, controlled eccentrics, pulling his elbows past his midline and pausing at full extension. He drove his elbows together at the the concentric to max his pump. (2)
2024 Dubai Pro
Bonac defeated Tabani at the 2024 Empro Classic Pro in but was then bested by De Asha at the 2024 Mr. Big Evolution Pro in early July. De Asha and Bonac share the same coach, Stefan Kienzl. Tabani, Bonac, and De Asha have each won at least one pro show thus far in the 2024 season and are all qualified for the 2024 Mr. Olympia contest.
Kalecinski is qualified for the 2024 Classic Physique Olympia due to his bronze medal finish at the 2023 Olympia.
More Bodybuilding Content
- Will Big Ramy Compete at the 2024 Mr. Olympia Contest?
- Watch Men’s Open Bodybuilder Brett Wilkin’s Leg Day During 2024 Legion Sports Fest Prep
- Wesley Vissers’ Near-4,000-Calorie Full Day of Eating During 2024 Olympia Prep
References
- Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, et al. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012;590(2):351-362. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
- Hirono, T., Ikezoe, T., Taniguchi, M., Tanaka, H., Saeki, J., Yagi, M., Umehara, J., & Ichihashi, N. (2022). Relationship Between Muscle Swelling and Hypertrophy Induced by Resistance Training. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 36(2), 359–364.
Featured Image: @nathandeasha2 on Instagram
