Missy Truscott, the reigning Figure Olympia champion, has been ardently preparing to defend her title at the 2023 Olympia, scheduled for November 2-5, 2023. As a two-time Figure champion, with her first Olympia crown won in 2020, Truscott’s impressive track record also includes silver-medal finishes in 2019 and 2021.
In an effort to share her expertise and give fans a glimpse into her training regime, Truscott posted a shoulder and triceps workout video on her YouTube channel on October 1, 2023. The video showcases the six shoulder exercises she utilizes to build her delts just one month prior to the competition.
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Missy Truscott’s Shoulder Training
Single-Arm Rear Delt Flyes and Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
Missy starts her workout with single-arm machine reverse flyes targeting the posterior delts. She prefers standing single-arm variations so that her chest isn’t compressed as in chest-supported bilateral alternatives. This approach also helps address aesthetic and strength imbalances.
Immediately after the flyes, she moves on to dumbbell shoulder presses with a neutral grip, focusing on maintaining proper form to avoid injury. It is essential for Figure athletes because their performance round scores contribute more than their posing and physique. She progressed up to 60-pound dumbbells for her top set of seated shoulder presses.
Dumbbell Lateral Raises and Single-Arm Cable Lateral Raises
Missy targets her medial deltoids using dumbbell lateral raises. Since lateral raises challenge her grip, she uses lifting straps to control the weight during the eccentric parts of the movement. Afterward, she performs single-arm cable lateral raises, keeping her grip neutral and her elbow slightly bent, stabilizing her body to prioritize the delts.
During her workout, she uses a topical roll-on product and a red lacrosse ball for rolling out to prevent soreness and maximize her energy and muscle growth. She also drinks blue Powerade to supply electrolytes throughout the training session.
Cable Triceps Pushdown and Extensions
Moving on to triceps, Missy starts with cable bar pushdowns. High volume is important to her, even while consuming fewer calories. She ensures that each movement involves multiple sets with numerous reps to achieve the Fitness division’s desired aesthetic form.
Finally, she does cable triceps extensions, pulling the cable next to her head and away from the machine to stretch the long head of her triceps. This overhead position can lead to more effective hypertrophy in the triceps than pushdowns, even at lower weights, as the triceps cross the shoulder joint. This unilateral exercise allows her to focus on each arm with maximum intensity.
After completing her workout, Missy practices her posing.
Truscott’s Off-Season Approach & Olympia Preparation Guidance
Missy Truscott emphasizes the importance of achieving the right muscle development for the Fitness division. In order to concentrate on her training, maintaining metabolic health, and ensuring sufficient sleep, she steers clear of social media during the off-season.
Going to bed around 9 p.m., Truscott usually wakes up at 6 a.m. in the off-season. As the Olympia nears, she wakes up even earlier for cardio, stretching, and posing practice. To prevent cramping while rehearsing her routine, Truscott takes CBD and Himalayan salt.
Reference
In a recent study by Maeo et al. (2022) published in the European Journal of Sport Science, researchers found that triceps brachii muscle growth is significantly more pronounced after performing elbow extension exercises in an overhead position rather than a neutral arm position.
The study’s results highlight the importance of exercise variation for optimal muscle development. Incorporating various arm positions during elbow extension exercises may significantly influence triceps growth and contribute to better overall fitness outcomes.
Footnotes
- Maeo, S., Wu, Y., Huang, M., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2022). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European Journal of Sport Science, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279 ↩
