Known for his balanced and aesthetic physique, bodybuilding great Lee Labrada took a calculated approach to his training. Despite retiring decades ago, Labrada’s knowledge of fitness is on constant display. In a recent YouTube video published on January 10, 2024, Labrada unveiled his three steps for burning fat off the chest.
“If you’re struggling with unwanted body fat on your chest those dreaded man boobs, chances are you have body fat in other areas that you need to get rid of also,” Lee Labrada shared.
As a Mr. Universe winner and a perennial Mr. Olympia contender, Lee Labrada led a one-of-a-kind bodybuilding tenure throughout the 1980s and 90s. Testing his skillset against names like former eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney, Rich Gaspari, and Shawn Ray, Labrada’s seamless posing abilities and dry conditioning still fuel his legacy today.
His son, Hunter Labrada, took the reigns from his father, having embarked on his own IFBB Pro League career. In addition to serving as a mentor to Hunter, Lee Labrada offers his fans regular pointers on workouts, nutrition, and general wellness.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
3 Key Points for Burning Fat Off The Chest with Lee Labrada
While there is no way to ‘spot-reduce’ specific parts of the body, Labrada explains that a combination of weight training, cardio, and nutrition has proven to be effective for sculpting a more defined chest.
“While there’s no such thing as spot-reducing just one area of your body, the good news is that by combining weight training with cardio and a good nutrition program you can burn off unwanted body fat including that fat on your chest.”
- Stimulate muscles with weight training
- High-protein diet combined with enough complex carbohydrates
- Implement cardio to burn additional fat
Point #1 – Stimulate Muscles with Weight Training
First, Labrada underlined the importance of weight training, explaining that muscle is ‘very metabolically intensive tissue.’
“The key points to remember, number one: you want to stimulate your muscles by using weight training. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn even at rest. Muscle is very metabolically intensive tissue.”
Point #2 – High-Protein Diet Combined with Enough Complex Carbohydrates
For his second tip, Labrada outlined why high-protein diets with enough complex carbohydrates can further someone’s chest progress.
“Number two, you want to eat a high-protein diet combined with just enough complex carbohydrates and good fats to provide fuel for your workouts and daily activity. It’s important to get into a slight caloric deficit, meaning that you’re eating less calories than you are burning. This is going to cause your body to dip into the fat stores.”
Point #3 – Implement Cardio to Burn Additional Fat
Labrada also shared how cardio training can burn additional fat in the chest.
“Number three: you want to do some cardio to supplement your weight training program and help you burn additional fat.
This can take the form of an exercise bike, a rowing machine, a stairstepper, or any other form of uninterrupted low-intensity exercise.”
What Exercises Would Lee Labrada Use to Shred Unwanted Fat Off His Chest?
According to Labrada, flat flyes/incline flye movements combined with pressing exercises like the machine press will help develop the muscles in the chest. The credentialed Pro advised lifters to stick to three sets of each exercise.
“I like using flat flyes and incline flye movements combined with a pressing movement such as a machine press to develop the muscles in my chest.
If you’re starting out I recommend you do three sets of flyes combined with three sets of machine bench press twice a week,” Lee Labrada shared.
This wasn’t Lee Labrada’s first time offering fitness tips in 2024. He recently gave insight on building leaner muscle to achieve a tighter midsection. Most notably, Labrada underscored how crucial it is for lifters to eat five to six small meals daily to avoid spiking insulin levels.
As a retired Pro, Labrada continues to give back to the bodybuilding community. He encourages anyone to try his chest-shredding routine and stands by these training principles.
“Now, while this is a simplification of the process that goes into getting leaner and building muscle, if you will remember these three critical steps, then you’re going to be on your way to getting leaner including losing fat on your chest.”
RELATED: Lee Labrada Shares The Key To Reduce The Chances Of Heart Disease By A Staggering 96 Percent