Bodybuilding veteran Rich Gaspari was renowned for his insane lower body muscle development, being the first athlete to showcase striations in his glutes. Having been in the sport for decades, he contributes his knowledge to the community. In a recent post made on Instagram, Gaspari shared the benefits of using Jefferson squats to build bigger legs.
Rich Gaspari made a name for himself with his insane muscle mass, size, and sharp conditioning in the Men’s Open division. He turned heads in his Mr. Olympia debut and took the bronze medal in 1985. He set a new standard for the division with his freakish legs and a dry look on stage. While he did not win the Sandow trophy, he was a consistent threat at the contests. He placed runner-up three times against eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney and created history by becoming the first Arnold Classic winner.
Since taking to the sidelines, Gaspari turned into a respected analyst. He believes bodybuilding is an art form and not a sport due to its subjective nature. He disapproves of the Men’s Open contenders neglecting posing skills in favor of sheer muscle mass in the last few years and praised the Classic Physique category for preserving the essence of bodybuilding.
Having competed for more than ten years, Gaspari understands the risk of taking steroids. He cautioned his followers against using harsh compounds like trenbolone, which has gained popularity amongst fitness enthusiasts. While he admitted the substance resulted in significant gains, he highlighted the damage it could have on the liver and cardiovascular system.
The 60-year-old reckons there has been a decline in the quality of calves presented in the Men’s Open division. He fired shots at modern bodybuilders for neglecting the muscle group and called on them to bring back enhanced lower bodies like the competitors of yesteryears for the stage. He also provided a look into the calves training routine he utilized in his heyday.
Rich Gaspari used a range of techniques to craft his insane glute muscles. Beyond the traditional exercises, he used special techniques like a variation of the sumo squats to get the best results. He performed the movement on an elevated platform to increase the range of motion for added load.
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Gaspari is a big proponent of high-intensity training. He used some crazy ways to motivate himself to go to the limit in the training room such as imagining his whole family would get killed if he didn’t complete the workout. He also took advantage of three movements to build strength in his midsection.
Rich Gaspari Shares Advice on Jefferson Squats for Impressive Leg Muscles
In a recent Instagram post, Rich Gaspari shared Jefferson Squats as an effective exercise to build muscle. He stressed focusing on going all the way down to target glutes.
“Another great exercise for working the Glutes and Legs is Jefferson Squats,” wrote Gaspari. “They are a little awkward in the movement as you have the bar in between your legs when doing it. Go all the way down with weight touching the ground to feel the glutes and use reps of at least 15-25.”
Among the many intensity techniques Rich Gaspari incorporated, he took advantage of slow-mo reps with five seconds on each contraction and expansion to boost muscle growth. For Gaspari, the most important thing is to control the weight in a slow manner to get the most out of the exercise.
Gaspari suggests performing the incline dumbbell one-arm row on a bench to eliminate momentum and keep the load on the back, which can help with building more thickness.
His latest update offers a way for fans to diversify their leg training routines and build strong glutes.