Ask Merlin

Q I STARTED WORKING OUT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND IMMEDIATELY FELL IN LOVE WITH TRAINING AND THE SPORT OF BODYBUILDING. MY GOAL IS TO STEP ONSTAGE BY 2018 IN THE CLASSIC PHYSIQUE DIVISION, WHICH I FEEL BEST SUITS MY PHYSIQUE. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT EXERCISES I SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE “X FRAME” THAT CLASSIC SEEMS TO DEMAND?

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This is truly an excellent question that all aspiring classic physique athletes should be asking. You are correct when you say that an X frame is vital for this division and thus needs to be addressed when planning every training session. Building a physique along the lines of a Frank Zane or Lee Labrada takes a combination of favorable genetics and meticulously planned workouts based around movements that help create width, shape, symmetry, proportion, and just the right amount of mass. Here is a list that should help keep you on track toward your goal.