Forty-one-year-old Venezuelan native Yaxeni Oriquen has won three pro shows, including the 2005 Ms. Olympia. She was third in the 2009 Ms. International. She tells us why the rep sweet spot for her is in the moderate-to-high range, and she lays out a biceps routine that incorporates her rep philosophy.

ORIQUEN ON REPS

“I like to do at least 12 reps. To me, you can really feel the muscles working if you use a weight you can get 12-15 reps with. That’s the sweet spot, enough to use a pretty heavy weight but also light enough to get in a lot of quality reps. The weight, though, is secondary. What matters most to me is how much I make the muscles work.”

ORIQUEN’S BICEPS ROUTINE
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Barbell curls 4 12-15
Alternate dumbbell curls 3 12-15
Cambered bar preacher curls 3 12-15