When the 2022 Mr. Olympia kicks off on Dec. 16, 2022, there will be a few expected contenders — two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, 2019 winner Brandon Curry, and Nick Walker, to name a few — vying for bodybuilding’s biggest title. However, there are also a few ascending newcomers to watch out for in Las Vegas, NV. After he made the transition to the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League in fall 2022 and earned his Olympia qualification by winning the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro, Michal Križánek is one of them. The athlete seems to be ensuring he won’t waste his debut opportunity.
On Dec. 2, 2022, Križánek shared a workout on his YouTube channel where he puts his hamstrings, calves, and abs through the wringer. With roughly two weeks to go before the Olympia, at the time the clip was posted, the routine paints the picture of Križánek crossing his t’s and dotting his i’s before he steps on the main stage.
Here’s a quick overview of Križánek’s recent workout as he continues the final stages of his Olympia preparation.
Hamstrings
Križánek begins the routine by tackling his hamstrings. He starts this portion with some seated leg curls to isolate that body part. Once Križánek performs a few sets, he transitions to lying leg curls and then closes with some kneeling single-leg curls. By performing these different variations of leg curls, Križánek seems to put a premium on challenging his hamstrings from different positions so as to balance out the different aspects of his leg muscles.
Calves
To give his calves some attention, Križánek mixes in some seated calf raises, which primarily focuses on improving the soleus muscle — which is most involved in standing and walking motions. After performing calf raises from the said seated position, Križánek shifts to standing calf raises. The standing variation of the calf raise accents the gastrocnemius muscle, which is just above the soleus. It is most involved in plantar flexing at the ankle joint and leg flexing at the knee joint.
Abs
To put a cap on his workout, Križánek pushes his abs and general core with machine crunches. Combined with a fat-loss focused diet, training the abs with a full range of motion using appropriate weight is a common way to help achieve a well-defined, stage-worthy set of abdominals.
Without past precedent on the Olympia stage, it’s difficult to predict how Križánek will ultimately fare. Notably, eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman (1998-2005) believes the athlete has “great arms,” but to seriously contend, he needs to make up ground with other aspects of his physique like his back. Should Križánek sand over areas where he apparently needs work, he may come in firing on all cylinders in Las Vegas.
Featured image: @ifbb_pro_michalkrizokrizanek on Instagram
