Train like the Tank!
Want to train like IFBB pro Charles “Tank” Dixon? Look no further. Read below for details on perfect exercise execution. Let’s get started!
Incline Dumbbell Press
From the jump, you might be wondering, “why is Tank only using 55’s?” This is not by accident. Sure, he can use the heaviest dumbbells in the gym, and if the goal was to just move as much weight as possible, that would be the weight selected. This is the first exercise of the day, and in part, it serves as a primer for the rest of the workout. By selecting 55’s, Tank has enough weight to work the upper chest, and with controlled, deliberate movements, he can squeeze them with maximal mind-muscle connection. Take a second to watch every aspect of the lift. Take the dumbbells all the way down to work the muscle at its longest length, press up, do NOT bring the dumbbells together (tapping the dumbbells moves the weight from the muscle onto the bones. That’s not how we train the muscles to grow, and the clanging noise is an alert to everyone in the gym that the lifter doesn’t know what they’re doing.), let the weight down to the starting position slowly, pause 1 second, and repeat. 4 sets, 8-10 reps.
Hammer Strength Isolateral Incline Press
Use concepts similar to the incline dumbbell press. 4 sets, 8-10 reps. Start with a moderate weight that you can lift for 10 reps, and on the last one or two sets, increase weight to an 8 rep max. Some common mistakes are to set the weight down at the bottom of the rep. Keep the tension in the chest for the entire set by not allowing the weight to rest until you’re done kicking its ass.
Standing Cable Pec Fly
The pec fly is a chest training favorite. There are few better ways to isolate the chest. You’ll notice after you see the fourth exercise that this is the only exercise Tank uses that is not performed at an incline. Most of a bodybuilder’s chest development is desired in the upper pecs. Therefore, to get the most volume, Tank is doing 5 sets of 12-15 reps on this exercise. Pay attention to his elbows. Why his elbows? Because this is a chest fly, not a bicep curl. Take notice that Tank’s elbows do NOT move during his execution of the exercise. He’s keeping the tension in the chest, where it belongs. Now pay attention to the shoulder. There are two joints to consider here. The glenohumeral joint, which is where the arm meets the torso, and the scapulothoracic joint, where the scapula meets the torso. Both are active here. Take a look at how Tank is getting a full pec contraction by not just moving his arms back and forth, but by rolling his shoulders forward at the finish and rolling them back at the start of each rep. Make these burn!| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Hammer Strength Press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Standing Cable Fly | 5 | 12-15 |
| Fly Press Combo | 3 | 8-10 |
Dumbbell Fly-Press Combo
At the end of the session, the extreme focus ingredients in Tank’s HyperMax take full effect, keeping his mind-muscle connection in high gear! Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps on this finishing move. Start with the fly, using the same principles as the cable fly with a little more elbow movement to fully stretch the pecs at the bottom. Bring the dumbbells together this time and squeeze them into each other. Keep squeezing them together through a full range of motion in a chest press. During the press, bring the weight all the way down to the chest, touch it lightly, and press back up. Start over with the fly. Although you’ll use less weight on a chest fly than you would on a press, keeping more tension in the chest by squeezing the dumbbells into one another make this one hell of a finisher.
