Lee Labrada hasn’t let retiring from the bodybuilding stage slow him down. In a recent YouTube video, Labrada reveals how to increase muscle growth using constant tension while also reducing the risk of injury.
“Getting older doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying a great workout.”
Lee Labrada etched himself into bodybuilding history as he competed against legends such as eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney and six-time titleholder Dorian Yates, all while vying for the coveted Sandow trophy. Having brought a competitive edge with his toned physique, Labrada continuously proved himself a daunting opponent by placing in the top four at the Mr. Olympia for seven years in a row.
While Lee Labrada has stepped away from the competitive stage, he hasn’t given up on his commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. At 64, Labrada continues to train daily and follows a strict and clean diet. However, he truly credits bodybuilding for his longevity, claiming it to be the fountain of youth.
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Lee Labrada Reveals Constant Tension As The Key To Muscle Growth
Labrada continues to give back to the fitness community, sharing his vast knowledge with his followers. He specifically helps the older community adjust their workouts to their changing bodies. In a recent YouTube video, Lee Labrada explains how using constant tension helps increase muscle growth while decreasing the risk of injury.
“While you may experience a few more aches and pain than you did when you were younger, there’s a lot to be said about the benefits fo training thats not only intense but safe as well.”
“No matter what your fitness goals are there are many ways to increase training intensity such as increasing the weight you use, shortening the rest periods between sets, or super-setting two exercises just to name a few. While these methods are tried-and-true, they obviously have their limitations.”
Lee Labrada explains that finding ways to increase the intensity of a workout isn’t always as straightforward as increasing weights and describes exactly what to look for when trying to build more muscle.
“We can’t increase the weights on every workout indefinitely, for instance, as your body isn’t just capable of that. Not to mention, that there is a progressive increase of risk of injury such as muscle strains or joint issues. What we’re really looking for is an answer to this question. What’s the best, most efficient, and safest way long term to create a stimulus for muscle growth and conditioning?”
“We want techniques that are effective, sustainable, and those that have a low risk of injury and we want maximum fiber recruitment in muscles to create the contraction, the stimulation, and the metabolic effects that forces the muscles to adapt and grow.”
Labrada gives his best technique to achieve not only a more intense workout but also reduce the risk of injury in the process.
“To be clear, answering this question is not a one size fits all proposition. There is a number of ways to accomplish this but for this segment I want to focus on a technique that checks all those boxes and has a great track record for producing results.”
This technique allows us to train with a lot of intensity with minimal strain on the joints and connective tissue and it’s called continuous tension. When we look at muscle physiology, muscle contractions is all about the cross-bridging of two key proteins, actin and myosin” Labrada explained.
By moving the weights slowly, he says you’ll create incredible intensity.
“When training we want to stimulate as much cross-bridging as possible in the targeted muscle in order to stimulate growth. By moving the weights very slowly in both the positive and the negative parts of an exercise, you’ll create incredible intensity while at the same time keeping the risk of injury at a minimum.”
Lee Labrada encourages his followers to try his technique but emphasizes the importance of reducing the length of the workout since the intensity has gone up.
“Try this working to failure for a set and you’ll see what I mean. It improves the mind and body connections but remember when training intensity goes up training duration should go down. While this is not a one set to failure program, it does mean you’ll need to reduce workout volume significantly because you are going to be tired. A couple of sets per exercise with a few exercises per body part can yield amazing results.”
Before ending the video, Lee Labrada shares one more helpful reminder that it is important to also focus on rest and recovery outside the gym because that is where the most growth happens.
“One final word. Remember that the goal of training is to create a stimulus for growth and conditioning. Once that stimulus has been delivered get out of the gym. Growth and recovery happen outside of the gym not in the gym.”
Lee Labrada is not only taking his age in stride but he is showing others how they can as well. Previously, he shared a back and bicep workout suited for those over the age of 50, understanding that the body has different needs as it ages.
His constant dedication to fitness and health has inspired countless individuals to pursue their own journey to better themselves. His personal experience provides tried-and-true tips for people of all ages, continuing to cement his invaluable worth in the fitness community.
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