The goal of every athlete in the IFBB Pro League is to be the best, or at least among the best in his or her division. One sign of positive progress is if you get invited to compete at the Arnold Classic. IFBB Bikini Pro Romina Basualdo will be gracing that stage for the third time when she competes at the 2021 Bikini International on Saturday, Sept. 25 in Columbus, OH. Even though she’s been in this show before, the opportunity still means a lot to her.
“I feel very blessed because the Arnold is the first international competition I took part in when I came to the US as an amateur,” Basualdo said. “So now that I am a pro, that stage is always special.”
Her commitment to training began after she lost her son. She joined a gym where a bodybuilding coach discovered her. He would eventually talk her into trying to compete.
“Before that, I never knew about fitness, competing, NPC, IFBB, none of it,” she says. “After a year, I said, ‘OK, I will try.’ In 2013, I did my first show in Argentina. I was low with everything. I went on to do five shows, and then I competed in the Arnold (Amateur) and won. So I became a pro.”
Romina Basualdo’s Tips For Sexy Shoulders
Courtesy of Wings of Strength
The native of Argentina is now in her sixth year as a pro, and she has won six shows in her career, including the 2018 New York Pro. When it comes to training for the Arnold, she determined that one area she had to focus on was her shoulders. “Each year, I want to add more quality muscle. My trainer and I want to work on my shoulders and glutes. So that is where a lot of our focus is.”
That focus includes a lot of high volume. Basualdo stated that she is training shoulders three days a week. That may appear to be a lot for most people, but this strategy has success behind it. “This is what I did for the New York Pro, and it worked very well. So we’re doing it again for the Arnold.”
Basualdo knows what works for her body, and there are three exercises that she found helps her build wide and round shoulders. She also doesn’t waste time in the gym. Her rest in between sets is brief.
“Rest between sets is 40 seconds. That’s it. Then I get right into the next set or exercise,” she explained.
The rear delts are what she places the most emphasis on. When she turns around and shows her back to the judges, she wants to showcase a developed and round look. Give this shoulder workout a try for yourself if you feel the rear delts need brought up. Then watch Basualdo compete with nine other elite athletes in the Bikini International at the Arnold Classic this September.
