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Lee Labrada is a former professional bodybuilder in the 1980s and 1990s, weighing between 185 and 195 pounds.
His physique was similar to that of Frank Zane, who was known for his classic bodybuilding. Labrada came in fourth at the Mr. Olympia seven times in a row.
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Although he never won the Mr. Olympia, Labrada did win several IFBB Grand Prix wins during his career. Now over 60, he still trains regularly but has changed his workout routine significantly from what it was when he competed on stage.
Lee Labrada's Workout Routine
Labrada was a big believer in high volume training, and he often trained with as many as 20 sets per body part.
He would typically work out for two hours at a time but would switch up his workout routines to keep things fresh. While Mike Mentzer made news by using a low-volume approach, Labrada stuck with high intensity training.
Labrada switched his routine from time to time to prevent boredom and training plateaus.
His go-to split included chest and shoulders on Mondays, back and biceps on Tuesdays, legs on Wednesdays, and abs and rest on Thursdays. On Fridays, he would focus on chest and shoulders again, and repeat the cycle with back and biceps, legs, abs, and rest.
To train each muscle group from multiple angles, Labrada performed several exercises per muscle group.
For example, he used 12-16 different exercises for his legs and back, 10-12 for his shoulders and chest, and 6-9 for his biceps and triceps. In addition to varying the exercises he performed, Labrada varied the number of sets he did for each muscle group as well.
Lee Labrada's Diet Plan
Lee Labrada was an extremely disciplined person. He made sure he weighed everything he ate and drank and recorded how many calories he consumed every day.
Labrada kept a log of his diet and exercise programme, which was stored in a vault at his home. These logs were valuable, as they detailed the changes in his diet and other factors that helped him make huge physical improvements.
He turned training and nutrition into a science, gathering data over time and developing a system that allowed him to precisely follow a pre-determined path to success. It was like connecting the dots in his quest for a perfect physique.
Throughout the off-season, Labrada would eat five to six small meals a day including 40 grams of protein at each meal.
His diet consisted largely of complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, yams, rice, and beans, along with some fruit and yogurt. Today, his diet contains more calories from fat, mostly from good fats, such as fish oil and olive oil.
Takeaway
Lee Labrada’s philosophy fit in well with the “less is more” approach to training (especially true for an aging bodybuilder).
His exercises were basic and targeted, and he did them diligently. If you are just starting out with weight training, it may be a good idea to consider skipping some of these exercises first. Add them as you progress.
