Hunter Labrada on Gym & Bodybuilding Mindset: ‘It’s a Practiced Skill’

Labrada called on the more experienced lifters to be realistic with their progress in the gym and encouraged treating yourself with kindness

Nikhil Sharma
By
Nikhil Sharma
Lifelong fitness & combat sports enthusiast and fan with a love for the community and everything related.
6 Min Read
Hunter Labrada
Credit: Hunter Labrada (via YouTube & Instagram)

Hunter Labrada educates his fanbase on an array of topics related to fitness and being a professional competitor. In a recent video, Labrada shared tips on developing a strong mindset for training and bodybuilding.

Hunter Labrada followed in the footsteps of his father Lee, an IFBB Hall of Famer, to become a pro bodybuilder. He first gained attention as a Men’s Open competitor with mass, shape, and overall symmetry. He made a statement in his IFBB Pro League debut with a commanding victory at the 2020 Tampa Pro. The win secured him an invite to the Mr. Olympia competition, where he placed eighth in his debut.

Labrada scored gold at the 2021 Chicago Pro. He concluded the season by placing fourth at the 2021 Mr. Olympia. However, he missed the mark in his latest appearance at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. He finished seventh and admitted to problems with his peak and prep. 

Following the event, Hunter voiced his disapproval of the performance and planned for a strong comeback. He’s looking to participate in two shows this year and revamped his diet and training protocols to reduce his waistline during the current season. 

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Hunter Labrada Off Season
Hunter Labrada Off Season

Labrada is tasked with earning an invite to the 2023 Mr. Olympia. He opened up leveling up his conditioning and incorporated vacuum poses to gain better control of his midsection.

The 30-year-old provides valuable insights into the life of a bodybuilder. Hunter Labrada encouraged his fans to take advantage of A/B split variations to push through plateaus in the training room.

In addition to training, Labrada took a closer look at dieting. Labrada weighed in on meal timing and frequency. He showed off his gigantic lower body days later in an impressive off-season leg workout.

Hunter Labrada talks about gym & bodybuilding mindset

In a recent YouTube video, Hunter Labrada shared his thoughts on developing a strong mindset for the gym and bodybuilding. 

“Framing everything that we do in the gym as being a practiced skill,” said Labrada. “Just like anything in life, you can’t expect to be good at something the first time you go it as nice as that would be. It doesn’t happen that way. Be kind to yourself whenever you’re getting into like if you’ve been out of the gym for a long time when you get back in the gym if everything’s feeling all wonky and all over the place. It’s a practiced skill.”

He said more advanced lifters need to be realistic with their goals. 

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“You got to be realistic once you get to a more advanced level. For all the bodybuilders or people that have been day in day out in the gym, they have gotten to the point where they can get really down on themselves or disappointed if they don’t perform up to their expectations. I’m a big progressive overload guy. I have my logbook, track everything, and it will legitimately ruin my day if I don’t perform according to my standards. The can especially show itself for advanced guys whenever we put new movements in wherever we move to new splits, new diets, whenever we change anything that we’ve been doing for a really long time. It’s going to take some time to get mentally and physically used to that. Just because a year ago before you took them out, put something else in, don’t expect to come back in the squat rack, everything feels normal, pick up exactly where you left off. That’s not how it works.”

He added that training in the gym is a practiced skill that takes effort and time to master. 

“Outside of the gym, gym is a practiced skill but bodybuilding is a practiced skill so anytime you experience shifts in your diet, keep in mind that you just spend five, six, or eight months eating in a surplus, it’s going to be mentally hard to feel hungry for a little bit. It’s a practiced skill. You just got done with the show and you’re peeled and you’re literally watching yourself put body fat on weekly. It’s supposed to happen it’s a practiced skill. You need to get your head wrapped around it.”

RELATED: Lee Labrada Reflects on Staying Fit at 62, Says Son Hunter Will Retire Young After Winning Mr. Olympia

Labrada left the fans in awe of his improved package with a huge diet update where he showed off his 283-pound physique while fasting. He’s preparing for his upcoming guest posing appearances at the Emerald Cup and Pittsburgh Pro.

You can watch the full video below.

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