💪 Who Has a Shot at Mr. Olympia?

We hope you enjoyed all the sales this week. Any tips on what to do with 1,500 pounds of bulk whey protein sitting in your living room? Asking for a friend, of course.

With Olympia Weekend creeping up, we have the ultimate preview for bodybuilding's biggest event at its biggest show.

Barbells are great, but everyone knows dumbbells are where most hypertrophy magic happens. (Well, at least a lot of it — let's not get into that debate right now.) We've got the 10 best dumbbell exercises for bodybuilding.

Forced reps sound grueling, can be grueling, and generally require a lifting buddy to make them work. Are they worth all that hassle (and coordinating training times with a friend)?

This isn't the newsletter we deserve, but it sure is the one we need right now. Happy Friday, brothers and sisters in gains!

OLYMPIA 2022

2022 Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding Show Preview

A two-time defending champ. Another former champ looking to regain the crown. And more oh-so-close greats than we can list in this blurb.

The biggest bodybuilding weekend of the year is almost upon us. The 2022 Olympia Weekend is scheduled to take place on the weekend of Dec. 16-18, 2022, at the Zappos Theater in Las Vegas, NV. Eleven pro divisions will determine their world champions for 2022 throughout that weekend.

The main event is the 58th Mr. Olympia (Men’s Open), which will take place over two nights. The prejudging will be on Friday, December 16, and the finals are on Saturday. We've got a complete preview of what to expect from the show and the top athletes you need to keep an eye on.

TRAINING

The 10 Best Dumbbell Exercises for Bodybuilding

We like curls, and we love incline presses. But the trusty dumbbell can do so much more than THAT, friends.

Bodybuilders work with whatever equipment they have to in order to build muscle. Some prefer the barbell for its high loading capacity; others rightfully revere the cable tree for its constant tension and versatility.

The humble dumbbell rack is a find-it-everywhere fixture in commercial gyms for good reason. Dumbbells serve as a phenomenal middle ground between the go-hard-and-heavy barbell and the precision offered by cables or machines. And to start you off on the right foot, we've compiled a list of the best dumbbell exercises to tackle in your training routine.

EXERCISE TIPS

May the Force*d Reps Be With You

“Good things come after failure. You just have to keep working.”

(There's probably a good Star Wars joke here as well, but we're low on pre-workout, so bear with us.)

In any other context, this statement reads as banal self-help advice. But relative to lifting, it’s sage wisdom gleaned from bodybuilders and the ever-growing science of muscle hypertrophy.

Forced reps, also known as “assisted reps,” are a popular intensification technique performed by lifters to extend an exercise set past muscular failure. By forcing you to work past your limit, forced reps have the potential to unlock new muscle growth. But as with any form of advanced training, this technique must be used appropriately. Here, you will find practical and evidence-based recommendations for integrating forced reps into your lifting routine.

THE DROPSET

Don't Forget About 212!

• The big fellas get their share of eyeballs, but don't forget about one weight category down! Check out our preview of the 212 Olympia contest.

• At 49 years old, four-time Mr. O Jay Cutler is still crushing it in the gym and giving us shoulder day inspiration. And with some of the greatest shoulders of all time, we're still paying attention.

• 100-pound dumbbell lateral raises? Yeah, 100-pound dumbbell lateral raises.