If you haven’t seen Ryan Terry before, you must be living under a rock. For years, the Englishman has been at the top of the fitness food chain, consistently placing in the top five of Mr. Olympia competitions. Then, this spring, he brought home the gold at the 2017 Arnold Classic in the men’s physique category. He shared his favorite exercises that help him stay jacked—and we’re sharing them with you.Pro tip: Don’t neglect training the transversus abdominis. These non-visible muscles are found deep in your core, and provide trunk stability and help minimize injury risk when strengthened. All plank variations hit the transversus abdominis.
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
Legs: Squats
“Squats are great for building leg muscles. The calves, quadriceps, and hamstrings all get worked. They also create an anabolic effect that promotes muscle-building and strength in the entire body.”
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Chest: Incline Bench Press
“Having the bar at an incline activates the upper chest in particular, but it also works the entire pec area, so it’s a key move.”
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MRBIG_PHOTOGRAPHY / Getty
Biceps: Single-arm Biceps Curl
“It really isolates the biceps’ peak, adding height to the arms. I structure my arm training by curling heavy first, then I finish with some more isolation exercises, and I find that effective.”
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Neustockimages / Getty
Back: Deadlift
“Deadlifts work more muscles simultaneously and contribute to greater strength and size gains than any other exercise in my training plan. It’s the one move I cannot afford to miss if I want a bigger back.”
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Jay Sullivan / M+F Magazine
Shoulders: Dumbbell Shoulder Press
“It hits all three heads—medial, posterior, and anterior—of the deltoids at once, and I really feel the shoulders working every inch of the way up and down.”
If you haven’t seen Ryan Terry before, you must be living under a rock. For years, the Englishman has been at the top of the fitness food chain, consistently placing in the top five of Mr. Olympia competitions. Then, this spring, he brought home the gold at the 2017 Arnold Classic in the men’s physique category. He shared his favorite exercises that help him stay jacked—and we’re sharing them with you.
Pro tip: Don’t neglect training the transversus abdominis. These non-visible muscles are found deep in your core, and provide trunk stability and help minimize injury risk when strengthened. All plank variations hit the transversus abdominis.
Legs: Squats
“Squats are great for building leg muscles. The calves, quadriceps, and hamstrings all get worked. They also create an anabolic effect that promotes muscle-building and strength in the entire body.”
Chest: Incline Bench Press
“Having the bar at an incline activates the upper chest in particular, but it also works the entire pec area, so it’s a key move.”
Biceps: Single-arm Biceps Curl
“It really isolates the biceps’ peak, adding height to the arms. I structure my arm training by curling heavy first, then I finish with some more isolation exercises, and I find that effective.”
Back: Deadlift
“Deadlifts work more muscles simultaneously and contribute to greater strength and size gains than any other exercise in my training plan. It’s the one move I cannot afford to miss if I want a bigger back.”
Shoulders: Dumbbell Shoulder Press
“It hits all three heads—medial, posterior, and anterior—of the deltoids at once, and I really feel the shoulders working every inch of the way up and down.”
