How to ace the pressure cooker challenge
Looking for a total body metabolic burner? Try the pressure cooker challenge. Here's how to nail it with strict form for the ultimate burn.
But Licis is already the best in the world at what he does. The genial joker might not fit the image you have of an elite strongman—until you see him doing remarkable things like busting out easy reps of squats at 274 kilograms and lifting former NFL star and fellow large human Rob Gronkowski aloft for some overhead squats. Licis is more serious about his craft than he might appear, too, as he moved from Massachusetts to California and dedicated himself to training with strongman icon Odd E. Haugen at age 20 after being introduced to lifting stones in Latvia as a teenager.
Licis welcomed the Men’s Health crew to The Training Hall as he prepped for the Arnold Classic Santa Monica (taking place later this month on January 18). Licis showed off one of his pull and leg day workouts, giving us a look at exactly what it takes to build maximum strength.
If you want to give Licis’ workout a try, remember that he’s training for a very specific goal: Lifting as much weight as possible in one particular discipline. That might not be your goal, so this might not be the plan for you—but you can still learn from what he says in the video.
Even as the reigning World’s Strongest Man, Licis keeps his workouts in perspective. He knows he’s not going to hit a massive PR on a big lift every single workout—but he’s happy when he feels like he’s improved in any way. “Every single session should be a slight step forward,” he says. “If you don’t have the strength that day or you don’t have the energy to push more weight, push more repetitions. If you don’t have the energy for that, at least improve your technique and form. Always be improving something.”
RELATED: This Lower Body Workout Will Send Your Body Into Fat-Blasting Overdrive
3 reps per set up to target weight, rest 2 to 3 minutes between sets
3 sets of 3 reps (final set for max reps)
2 sets of 5 reps on each leg
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
3 sets of 5 reps
3 reps per side for 15 to 30 seconds
This article originally appeared on Men’s Health US
More From
Looking for a total body metabolic burner? Try the pressure cooker challenge. Here's how to nail it with strict form for the ultimate burn.
AO 2024 sees the best players in the world do battle for the first grand slam title of the new season.
Live better, longer, stronger with the best tech of the year.
With the K-Wave having spilled across music, fashion, food, books, cosmetics and cinema, we look at why car design is next and how Kia is helping forge a new national design identity.
With a look at how legendary Aussie muso Pete Murray got ripped at 53, a chance to get ahead of the top health trends of 2023 and a peak inside Alex Volkanovski’s journey to a career defining bout, the March issue of Men’s Health is not one to miss.
After breaking the Internet with news he will reprise his role as Superman, it’s been announced Henry Cavill will also team up with Guy Ritchie for an upcoming War War II spy-action movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
Everyone’s favourite Aussie braved the elements as he stripped down for a cold plunge in the freezing cold ocean.