All of these illustrious achievements aside, the NFL legend still has a lot to learn when it comes to training in the gym. That’s where seven-time Mr. Olympia (2011-2017) Phil Heath recently came in.

On Dec. 13, 2022, Club Shay Shay posted a video to their YouTube channel that features Heath walking Sharpe through a back and triceps workout while also giving him short posing lessons. Being someone who tries to maintain a high level of fitness in retirement, Sharpe seemed to hold his own. Even still, it was apparent that Heath’s pointers were effective and left a mark on a fellow sports legend.

Here’s an overview of the strength-training routine Heath and Sharpe worked through together.

Lat Pulldown (Overhand/Underhand)

The icons’ session began with some overhand grip lat pulldowns. Heath’s main note of advice for Sharpe here was to hold the weight for a little longer on each rep so as to contract his muscles more.

“… We want to focus on the technique,” Heath told Sharpe. “We want to focus on the tempo. So we’re not going super fast because this has got momentum. We want to keep muscles under tension for a longer duration.”

After they finished the overhand lat pulldowns, Heath and Sharpe transitioned to an underhand grip variation. According to Heath, performing underhand pulldowns is necessary for bodybuilders because it helps round out the back muscles.

“A lot of people say, ‘Why would I do underhand lat pulldowns?’ Heath asked rhetorically. “Because we want to work on the sweeping of the lats. The lats can actually insert very, very low. You see a lot of guys that have it very up top, very high, and in bodybuilding, we want it to start so low, it looks like the Cobra.”

After finishing off these back exercises, Sharpe clarified how his preparation as an elite football player was very different from Heath’s physique focus as an elite bodybuilder.

“As a football player, you’re not really focusing on that [body aesthetic],” Sharpe said. “You’re focusing on functional strength. We did one-arm rows and dumbbell rows. That was the only thing we did for the back […] I don’t do curls because my thing was to push people off me.”

One-Arm Triceps Extension

After the heavy back portion of their workout, the pair implemented some one-arm triceps extensions, a cable pushdown variation. Heath had Sharpe focus on keeping his shoulder stable while he used his free handle to keep himself level during his reps. The purpose of this emphasized stability was to better isolate the triceps muscle.

Seated Cable Row

To top off their back work, Heath and Sharpe leaned on some seated cable rows as the last back movement in their routine. The duo had minimal corrections or new emphases on this exercise as they powered through a few quality sets.

Dumbbell Incline Triceps Extension

To close the overall workout, Heath and Sharpe performed sets of dumbbell incline triceps extensions. In a slight change-up, Heath suggested moving the dumbbells and elbows at the time. Per Heath, not keeping the elbows stationary helps lessen any potential elbow pain during this movement. Along those same lines, Heath noted the wrists can also be rotated during reps to ease tension on them.

Their meeting of the minds in the gym behind them, Heath and Sharpe will return to their usual spheres. Heath will be a color commentator on the lead 2022 Mr. Olympia broadcast team. Meanwhile, when not working out, Sharpe is a media personality on Skip and Shannon: Undisputed — a daily sports talk show on Fox Sports 1.

If this duo ever gets together to train again, they’ll likely have even more wise words of gym wisdom for each other.

Featured image: Club Shay Shay on YouTube

The post Phil Heath Guides NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe Through a Bodybuilding Training Session appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On August 5, 2022, the 54-year-old shared a clip on his Instagram where he completed a 365-pound (165.5-kilogram) bench press for six reps. The retired football legend wore gloves and a lifting belt during this display of upper body strength. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Shannon Sharpe (@shannonsharpe84)

[Related: How to Do the Goblet Squat for Lower Body Size and Mobility]

While it’s been a while since he last strapped on shoulder pads and a helmet, Sharpe makes sure to stay physically active. From time to time, he shares training clips and physique updates on his social media. For example, the football Hall of Famer’s arms and chest look shredded in a post shared on June 26 this year — his birthday. 

Sharpe’s long-term goals in the gym have a noteworthy tinge of ambition. Per the caption of his most recent training post, the football icon says his “bench press numbers are going up rapidly.” By the end of the 2022 calendar year, Sharpe thinks he “can get to 450 [pounds]” and apparently plans to aim for that impressive benchmark. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Shannon Sharpe (@shannonsharpe84)

[Related: The Best Sled Workouts for Muscle, Strength, Fat Loss, and Recovery]

Sharpe’s Background

Between 12 seasons with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens (1990-2003), Sharpe amassed one of the most prolific careers in the NFL. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Sharpe held the tight end record for touchdowns (62), receiving yards (10,060), and receptions (815) at the time of his retirement in 2003. He was also a key cog on two Super Bowl-winning teams in Denver (1997-1998) and another championship squad with Baltimore (2000). 

These days, when he’s not challenging himself in the gym, Sharpe is a sports pundit for Fox Sports 1’s daily debate show, Skip and Shannon: Undisputed. With his platform as a commentator and retired Hall of Famer, he doesn’t appear shy in sharing his opinions as a prominent voice in the football sphere overall. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Shannon Sharpe (@shannonsharpe84)

[Related: How to Do the Bulgarian Split Squat for Leg Size, Strength, and Mobility]

As a media professional, Sharpe is undoubtedly preparing to talk about the upcoming 2022 NFL season, which will begin on Thursday, September 8. In the meantime, whenever he’s not in front of a camera, it’s fair to assume that Sharpe will continue pushing himself in his strength training. At the same time, he might very well defy expectations of what a “retired” athlete is supposed to be capable of. 

Featured image: @shannonsharpe84 on Instagram

The post NFL Legend Shannon Sharpe Coasts Through a 365-Pound Bench Press at 54-Years-Old appeared first on Breaking Muscle.