It’s very likely that if you follow the sport of bodybuilding, the name Frank Zane has come up. He’s a former three-time Mr. Olympia winner and is considered one of the godfathers of aesthetic physiques. In a recent episode of the Hyper Guy Motivational Podcast, Zane shared his training split, diet, supplementation, and top seven muscle-building exercises.
Frank Zane is a bodybuilding legend whose reputation was defined by calculated training, strict nutrition, and a bulletproof mindset. His efforts away from the stage turned him into a formidable bodybuilding champion. Not only did he win the prestigious Mr. Olympia contest three times (1977-1979) but Zane captured the world’s attention with masterful posing routines.
Zane utilized any weapon he could find to defeat his adversaries on stage. Whether it was sunbathing or using visualization, Zane’s attention to detail ensured his lasting success. Having shared the stage with names such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu, Zane’s legacy is even more impressive considering he defeated men who routinely outweighed him.
Frank Zane Reveals Training Split, Nutrition, and Supplements Used During Prime
According to Zane, he trained two hours a day for two one-hour sessions.
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“Usually about two hours a day, an hour in the morning, an hour in the afternoon, split routine. It wasn’t anything unusual,” added Zane.“I followed a three-way split routine where I worked out muscles day one, legs day two, and pushing muscles day three, and rest day four. I just continued with that. It worked very well for me.”
“It wasn’t difficult, I just didn’t show off in the gym. I always trained covered up. And then when I competed, then you know, all the wraps came off.”
“It was always important and I always supplemented in my diet. I took protein supplements, vitamins and minerals, amino acid supplements the whole time.”
He added that he never had problems bringing up any body parts.
“They are all – they weren’t that challenging. I looked at it equally. They all responded pretty well when I put my attention on them. I worked them on a regular basis. My legs were always really good so I tended to downplay them a little bit.”
“I did enough. I didn’t overdo it. I did about ideally, I would run a mile and a half after workouts. So I’d go to the high school track and I’d run six laps. That’s what worked the best for me,” Frank Zane shared.
Zane’s Top 7 Exercises for Muscle Growth
- Squats
- Calf raises
- Front pull downs
- Bent over rows
- Curls (barbell or dumbbell)
- Close grip bench press
- Lying triceps extension
“Those are the ones I’d rely on.”
Zane Touches on First Show Ever, ‘Posing Clinics’ w/ Arnold Schwarzenegger & Franco Columbu
Zane balanced being a school teacher and bodybuilder during his prime athletic years. However, the former three-time Sandow-holder says “it wasn’t difficult.”
“It wasn’t difficult. I mean I taught school during the day. I was finished by 3 o’clock in the afternoon and then worked out after that. I had the summers and holidays free so it really wasn’t that difficult to maintain that, so I did.”
“It was in Pennsylvania and I remember I met Bob Hoffman back there and he said to me, ‘Young man, if I had a physique like yours I’d walk around with my shirt off all the time.’ So when I heard this I was really inspired and it just kept me going.”
“We were all friendly. We trained together at the gym and actually, we didn’t compete in the same contests so there was no reason for us not to be friends. And we helped each other out.”
“We were in the gym at the same time so you might say we trained together though we did have different scheduled routines. I basically trained alone most of the time. I didn’t have a steady training partner.”“No, we had what we call posing clinics between Arnold, Franco Columbu, and myself. And we’d get together and pose and critique each other’s routine. It worked very well.”
“Well maybe the first one was. Winning in ’77 then it got progressively easier after that. ’77 was challenging, ’78 was easier, and ’79 you might say was the easiest because I had a track record.”
Watch the full video from Facebook below:
Watch The Hyper Guy Motivational Podcast with Martin Figueroa and 3X Mr. Olympia winner Frank Zane. frankzane.com
Posted by Frank Zane – 3X Mr. Olympia on Monday, October 23, 2023
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