IFBB Pro bodybuilder Hunter Labrada recently cranked out 17 reps of 495lbs banded squats with heel elevated. The purpose of heel elevated squats is to increase the squat depth, emphasizing the quads, lesser back compression, and less weight pressure on the hips and ankles. The set-up for this session was different from the traditional banded barbell squats. The resistance bands were attached to the top beam of the barbell rack and looped around the barbell. Hunter Labrada heated up his off-session training by performing all the 17 reps with perfect controlled motion. He used lifting straps, a lifting belt, knee wraps, and lifting shoes for this session.
In his caption, Labrada mentioned that he had attempted 585lbs squats with this set-up a few days ago. However, he strained the quad and cautiously completed 10 reps with 485lbs in one of his more recent training sessions. Labrada plans to progress the loads here onwards and keep going as long as he can do it. Courtesy of Hunter Labrada’s personal Instagram account, you can watch him accomplish this lift here:
“495 X 17
Mentioned this the last time I posted a leg day, but 3 leg sessions ago I strained my quad on the 11th rep with 585 on this setup. The next session I did very light loading that didn’t hurt it at all. The session before todays I got back under the bar and did a very cautious/gunshy 10 reps with 495.
Today I was still a little gunshy, not going to lie, but there wasn’t any pain like last session, just a little awareness in the previously injured area. From here I will start to progress the load again as long as everything feels good to go next session!
Big shoutout to @theryanbrown_88 and @muscular.recovery for helping me not miss a beat,” Hunter Labrada wrote in the caption to his post.
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About Hunter Labrada
29-year-old Hunter Labrada is an IFBB Pro bodybuilder that competes in the Open Pro division. He is the son of bodybuilding legend Lee Labrada. Lee is one of the greatest Open Pro bodybuilders of all time. He won the 1985 Mr. Universe and was placed in the top four of Mr. Olympia seven consecutive times. He was inducted into the IFBB Pro bodybuilding Hall of Fame in 2004. Hunter Labrada’s mother, Robin Labrada is also a bodybuilder and has been by her son’s side throughout his bodybuilding journey.
Hunter Labrada earned his IFBB Pro card with a win at the 2018 NPC National Championships in the Super heavyweight division and overall. Since turning Pro, he has won the 2020 IFBB Tampa Pro and 2021 IFBB Chicago Pro. He made his Olympia debut in 2020 and finished eighth, certainly not a result he was hoping for.
However, the 2021 Olympia was a different story altogether. Hunter Labrada improved his standing by four spots and finished 4th at the 2021 Olympia and beat the 2021 Arnold Classic winner Nick Walker in the process.
Hunter Labrada plans to retire from professional bodybuilding at 35 years of age if he is not the champion or in the position to win the championship by that age. However, looking at the efforts he is putting in, it certainly seems that Lee Labrada’s son will certainly be able to achieve his goals by that time.
He is currently prepping for 2022 Mr. Olympia set to take place from December 16-18 in Las Vegas, NV.
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