PERSONAL TRAINER and IFBB physique pro Tonnell Rodrigue had an ambitious game plan back in 2016: compete in the Arnold Men’s Physique and the first IFBB Classic Physique show. To bring a new package, the co-star of the film The Perfect Physique says he’d focused on size by going heavy. “My goal was to lift more each week during heavy sets,” says Rodrigue. “By bringing up my upper chest and legs.” Rodrigue carb-cycles with two 30-minute steady-state cardio sessions on low-carb days and no cardio on high days so he can emphasize maximum muscle building.
RODRIGUE’S CHEST AND BICEPS WORKOUT
DIRECTIONS: Rest 30–60 seconds between sets. Set 1 is 12–15 reps, Set 2 is 10–12, Set 3 is 8–10, Set 4 is 6–8, and Set 5 is a dropset with at least 25 reps. Do dips and diamond pushups to failure for all sets.
| EXERCISE | SETS |
| Incline Dumbbell Flye | 5 |
| Machine Chest Flye | 5 |
| Low to High Cable Flye | 5 |
| Wide-grip Decline Barbell Pullover | 5 |
| Dip | 5 |
| Diamond Pushup | 5 |
| Barbell Curl | 5 |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | 5 |
| Machine Preacher Curl | 5 |
| Dumbbell Concentration Cur | 5 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | 5 |
ATHLETIC CARDIO
“To lean out before a show, I use battling ropes, run stairs, sprint, and do cone agility drills.”
RODRIGUE’S TOP 3 TRAINING TIPS
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
| NO PARTIALS Using a full range of motion provides more contraction in the muscle that you’re working. Ever since I started doing a full range of motion in chest exercises, I’ve been seeing more size gains |
USE A BELT I threw my back out right before Olympia in 2015 by not using a belt. A belt keeps your back stable and in alignment during legs and back workouts so you prevent injury. Use it only when you go heavy. |
ASK FOR A SPOT A spotter will amp you up and give you more reps, even if they don’t touch the bar, which leads to more muscle gains. If you don’t have a spotter, having a good playlist can really hype you up. |
