Page 50 - Muscle & Fitness (December 2019)

T R A I N S T R E N G T H

SQUEEZE YOUR
SHOULDER BLADES
Most guys think of just their chest as the
main driver in a bench—and it is—but your
back plays an equally important role. For
one, retracting your shoulder blades helps
keep your shoulders stable and activates
your lats. “Your lats store elasticity when the
bar descends,” Maddox says. “Your muscles
are like a rubber band. That’s why
I’m so explosive—I do 10 back
variations a week.”
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BENCH WARMER

Here’s the right way to bench-press, according to the man

with the strongest bench press in the world.

ulius Maddox knew just joking around, and I wrist wraps) bench press
that he was a bench- moved it for reps,” Maddox of 739.6 pounds.
pressing prodigy when says. The weight on the So we asked the world’s
he and his buddies, bar: 525 pounds. baddest bench presser
J who were in a treat- Since then, Maddox has to lay out a bench-press
ment facility for drugs and hired a coach, and with masterclass. Whether
alcohol, loaded up the bar proper programming you’re just a newbie or a
with all the weight that the he has worked up to a vet pushing four plates, it I A N S PA N I E R
center’s basement gym world-record raw (meaning would do you some good to

had and pressed. “We were only wearing a belt and heed Maddox’s advice.

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