Top athletes not only want to improve themselves, but also help others to improve. On a recent episode of Femme Flex Friday, three-time Ms. Olympia Andrea Shaw and six-time Figure Olympian Cydney Gillon met with host Alina Popa at a gym to share secrets that helped them become world champions in their respective divisions . Gillon was up first and shared that she stresses her back when it comes to preparing for competitions.
"Everyone knows that a V-Taper is extremely, extremely important," Gillon said. She went on to say that the importance of this rejuvenation stems from the division in which she competes. Figure athletes look forward, sideways, and back. That's all they do for the judges. To maximize this V-taper, Gillon likes to use both pull-ups and wide-grip lat pulldowns.
“Everything focused on the outside, pulling down and out. t necessarily on the inside because I didn't need that kind of depth and breadth.”
Shaw was next, and the three-time Rising Phoenix Champion teamed up with eight-time Ms. Olympia Lenda Murray at the gym to show off her own favorite moves. Shaw focused on the shoulders and specifically the rear deltoids with the rear delt fly.
"When done correctly, the hamstrings are involved as well as some of the upper back muscles," she explained. While demonstrating the move, Shaw shared why she thinks this can be a problematic area for some competitors and fitness enthusiasts.
“Most people tend to train what they can see in the mirror. So it definitely takes a little more effort to really look for the things you can't see," Shaw said. "Keep a high posture and control the weight."
Both Gillon and Shaw have a lot more in common than just focusing on form. So watch the entire show to learn what it takes to improve your back. Femme Flex Friday airs every Friday on Olympia TV. You can also follow @femmeflexfriday on Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
