💪 6 Deltoid Exercises to Enhance Your V-Taper

Look, we’re not here to judge you on how many pumpkin coffees you’ve had since September 1. Just don’t neglect the protein, OK?

Here are the highlights today:

• Check out how bodybuilder Hunter Labrada trains his chest, shoulders, and triceps as he preps for this year’s Mr. Olympia.

• See which six shoulder exercises two-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Breon Ansley utilizes to accentuate his V-taper.

• The 20 ab exercises to do for core strength, definition, and stability.

BODYBUILDING

(Push) Day of the Hunter

Men's Open bodybuilder Hunter Labrada has qualified for the 2023 Olympia after his stellar victory at the Tampa Pro. Seeking to enhance his physique and move up in the rankings, he’s spent this off-season focusing on his push muscles — chest, shoulders, and triceps.

Labrada aims to improve upon his seventh-place finish at the 2022 Olympia following a commendable fourth-place finish in 2021. However, the path to victory will be challenging, as he faces tough competition from Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, and reigning champion, Hadi Choopan.

With Labrada's fourth appearance at the pinnacle of bodybuilding on the horizon, he shared his insightful machine-focused push day with his audience on YouTube. Watch as this potential top-five competitor demonstrates his comprehensive chest, shoulder, and triceps workout regimen.

WORKOUT

Get Yourself a V-Taper

A well-developed V-taper dramatically enhances your physique, creating the illusion of a narrower waist and providing bodybuilders with a competitive edge. This is precisely why Breon Ansley, a two-time Classic Physique champion, focuses on his deltoids so much.

While Ansley hasn’t announced whether he plans to move to the 212 division or remain in the Classic Physique division, he recognizes the importance of a broader frame to maintain competitiveness in either category — especially the 212 class with bigger athletes. As he prepares for his eighth Olympia appearance, he combines a variety of dumbbell and machine shoulder movements to sculpt his V-taper further.

You can simplify your training regimen by implementing the same exercises as this renowned champion. Watch and learn as Ansley demonstrates these exercises to optimize his physique for the upcoming Olympia.

EXERCISES

Hard Core

Although the end of summer is here, the desire to maintain toned abs never fades. But a shredded core isn’t just for glamour — it’s also helpful for mastering moves like the deadlift, squat, and bench press.

If you’re looking to reap all the benefits of defined abs, there’s a plethora of exercises to choose from. And since we always want to help our fellow readers, we’ve curated 20 top-tier moves that target your abs from multiple angles, hitting your rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, and obliques.

Read on to understand the benefits of these movements, how to do them, and how these underlying muscle groups function to maximize your abdominal training.

THE DROPSET

Valliere Signs Off

• Canadian bodybuilder Iain Valliere shocked the bodybuilding world on Thursday when he announced his retirement at the age of 32. Read the full story here.

• The triceps kickback is one of the most effective exercises for arm hypertrophy. Learn how to do this old-school movement.

• Meal replacement shakes can be effective for weight loss and building muscle due to it’s filling, protein-packed ingredients. Here are the best meal replacement shakes for bulking or cutting.