Bodybuilder Michal Krizo has looked phenomenal in the recent physique updates which speaks volumes about the improvements he has made. However, he is still putting in intense work to get ready for the 2023 Olympia and dealt with a massive chest and back workout in the gym.
Michal ‘Krizo’ Krizanek is a leading name in the Eastern European bodybuilding scene. He was a foremost competitor of the IFBB Elite Pro League and won several pro shows during his time there. However, he chose to expand the horizon and kick off the Olympia campaign in 2021, making a switch to NPC.
Fast forward to 2023, Michal Krizo won the 2023 Empro Classic Pro Spain and earned a second Olympia qualification. His insane muscle mass and conditioning stood out on stage. However, that was not always the case. The Slovakian bodybuilder’s conditioning was heavily criticized at the 2022 Amateur Olympia Italy where he earned the IFBB Pro Card.
He failed to make any significant improvements until his pro debut at the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro but managed to secure a win and earn Olympia qualification. The 2022 Olympia was also a similar story as Krizo finished twelfth in the Men’s Open division on the back of less-than-ideal conditioning.
However, the 33-year-old took it upon himself to eliminate this flaw. He incorporated cardio in his training, increased training volume and most importantly, improved digestion to take his physique to the next level. The efforts yielded a positive outcome, culminating into the Empro Classic Pro win. Krizo is now making the most of his time to improve his standing on the Olympia stage.
Michal Krizo tackles a chest and back workout
Krizo significantly reduced his activity level after the 2023 Empro Classic Pro and trained three to four times per week. He kicked off the competition prep from the beginning of August and now trains six times a week. His rep volume has also increased accordingly.
9.5 weeks out of the 2023 Olympia, Michal Krizo went through a chest and back workout to take a step towards getting a more complete look for his physique.
Krizo’s training volume includes three to four exercises for each muscle group at the moment. He altered between chest and back exercises in the recent training session to give each muscle time to recover before hitting it again. So let’s check out how the Slovakian bodybuilder trained the antagonistic muscles.
Lat Pulldown
Krizo went over to the lat pulldown machine to get things started in the gym. He performed this latissimus dorsi focused exercise to add width to the already impressive back and cranked out a few sets.
Barbell Bench Press
This served as the first chest-focused compound exercise of the day. The 2023 Empro Classic Pro winner pushed through solid sets of the movement to develop the pectoral muscles along with anterior deltoids and triceps.
Incline Dumbell Rows
While vertical pulling movements like lat pulldowns or pull-ups are essential for building a wide back, horizontal pulling movements/rows are beneficial for giving thickness to the back. Krizo tackled a few good sets of incline dumbbell rows to stimulate the back muscles further and moved on to the next exercise.
Incline Barbell Chest Press
While it is impossible to work just one specific part of the muscle, you can put more emphasis on the part by modifying the grip and position. Incline pressing movements emphasize the clavicular head of the pectoral muscles, also known as the upper pecs. This is generally considered a difficult part to develop and incline barbell press helps tremendously with it.
Michal Krizo executed flawless sets of incline barbell chest press and advanced over to the final back exercise of the day.
Seated Cable Rows
This cable machine movement targets the upper and mid back muscles along with the latissimus dorsi. Additionally, seated rows are a great way to improve upper body posture. Krizo performed a few sets of the movement in the concluding part of back training and headed over to do the final exercise of the day.
Pec Deck Flyes
Michal Krizo finished the training session with this isolation movement. Pec Deck flyes rank high in terms of pectoral muscle activation. Krizo utilized it for adding the last bit of momentum to his pectoral muscles and called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout consisted of:
- Lat Pulldown
- Barbell Bench Press
- Incline Dumbbell Rows
- Incline Barbell Chest Press
- Seated Cable Rows
- Pec Deck Flyes
Michal Krizo has undoubtedly gotten better since competing at the 2022 Olympia. However, the task of surging into the top ten at the 2023 Mr. Olympia is extremely difficult given the line-up of tough competitors. Krizo has to work like a man possessed to push the competition aside and be the top contender.
You can watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Michal Krizo’s personal YouTube channel:
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