@Nurpur India,
Published on November 26, 2025,
By Pawan,
Fresh off his 2025 Japan Pro victory, Shaun “The Giant Killer” Clarida has locked in his 2026 Mr. Olympia qualification and revealed the exact chest-and-shoulder workout he used to sharpen his physique in Japan, packed with heavy machine presses, fly variations, and delt finishers you can plug straight into your own push day.muscleandfitness+1
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| Giant Killer’ Shaun Clarida Destroys Japan Pro |
Highlight key points:
- Shaun Clarida wins the 2025 Japan Pro Open division and officially qualifies for the 2026 Mr. Olympia, adding to his legacy as a 2x 212 Olympia champion.ifbbpro+1
- He is now qualified for both the Men’s Open and Men’s 212 Olympia categories for 2026, giving him a unique strategic edge heading into bodybuilding’s biggest stage.instagram+1
- Clarida’s Japan Pro–winning prep featured a “super fly” chest and shoulder workout dominated by machine presses and flyes to maximize tension and muscle detail.muscleandfitness
- His workout sequence hits flat and incline chest presses, multiple fly variations, and side and rear delt machines, with 3 sets of 8–12 slow, controlled reps to keep constant tension.muscleandfitness
- Fans can adapt his routine by using dumbbells instead of machines where needed while following his focus on time under tension, precise form, and upper-chest and delt emphasis.fitnessvolt+1
“‘Giant Killer’ Shaun Clarida Destroys Japan Pro – Try His Mr. Olympia‑Level Chest & Shoulder Workout That Built a Champion Physique”
Shaun Clarida qualifies for the 2026 Mr. Olympia after winning the Japan Pro and shares his intense, machine-heavy chest and shoulder workout you can try today.muscleandfitness+1
Fresh off his 2025 Japan Pro victory, Shaun “The Giant Killer” Clarida has locked in his 2026 Mr. Olympia qualification and revealed the exact chest-and-shoulder workout he used to sharpen his physique in Japan, packed with heavy machine presses, fly variations, and delt finishers you can plug straight into your own push day.muscleandfitness+1
“Giant Killer” Shaun Clarida Dominates Japan Pro And Drops His Mr. Olympia‑Level Chest & Shoulder Workout
Shaun “The Giant Killer” Clarida has once again shaken up the bodybuilding world, this time by winning the 2025 Japan Pro in the Open division and locking in his qualification for the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
The 2x 212 Olympia champion, already known for defying height and size expectations with outrageous conditioning and density, stepped into Japan, beat a stacked lineup of bigger men, and walked away with the win and a coveted Olympia invite.muscleandfitness+1
The Japan Pro was more than just another show for Clarida;
The Japan Pro was more than just another show for Clarida; it was a high‑stakes statement that he can still battle with the “big boys” in the Open while remaining a dominant force in the 212 class.
Reports from the event highlight that he out‑muscled and out‑conditioned rising talents such as Joan Pradells and established names like James Hollingshead and Marc Hector, securing the judges’ nod with what many fans called a “perfect peak.”muscleandfitness
What makes this victory even more significant is that Clarida is now officially qualified for both the Men’s Open and Men’s 212 divisions at the 2026 Mr. Olympia, a rare dual qualification that gives him unique strategic options.
Social posts from major bodybuilding outlets confirm that after winning the Japan Pro, Clarida joined the list of 2026 Olympia Open qualifiers while remaining on the 212 radar thanks to his previous titles.facebook+2
Clarida himself has openly embraced the challenge of competing against larger Open athletes
Clarida himself has openly embraced the challenge of competing against larger Open athletes, referencing his previous trip to Japan in 2018 when he placed second in the same show’s 212 division and vowing to return and prove himself in the Open.
His 2025 performance delivered on that promise, reinforcing his “Giant Killer” nickname and showing that smart programming, precision nutrition, and ruthless work ethic can close the size gap on stage.muscleandfitness
In the lead‑up to the Japan Pro,
In the lead‑up to the Japan Pro, Clarida shared a key chest and shoulder session from Metro Flex Gym Japan, describing it as his final push workout before stepping on stage.
He explained in an Instagram caption that it was his “last session in the books” before the contest and that he brought along two younger lifters who were eager to learn and endure the intense workout with him.muscleandfitness
The session, later detailed by Muscle & Fitness, was described as a “super fly” chest and shoulder workout that leaned heavily on machines to keep tension locked onto the target muscles.
This approach reflects a trend among high‑level bodybuilders who increasingly use machines and cables to reduce the role of stabilizers and focus on pure hypertrophy stimulus and safe overload during contest prep.muscleandfitness+2
Workout Breakdown: Chest First, Then Delts
Clarida’s Japan Pro–ready push day started with a flat chest press machine, a move that hammers the pectorals while also heavily involving the anterior delts and triceps.
By using a machine instead of a free‑weight barbell press, he could drive near‑failure sets with heavy loads while keeping his form strict and his risk of injury low so close to show day.muscleandfitness
Observers noted that Clarida emphasized slow, controlled repetitions on the flat chest press, resisting the temptation to bounce or rush through the weight.
This time‑under‑tension strategy magnifies muscle damage and metabolic stress within each set, which is crucial for preserving size and fullness during the intense dieting phase of contest prep.muscleandfitness
After the flat press, Clarida moved to an incline fly machine, targeting the upper portion of the chest for that “top shelf” upper‑pec look that judges reward from the front double biceps and most muscular poses.
For lifters without access to an incline fly machine, experts recommend substituting incline dumbbell flyes, which similarly stretch the clavicular head of the pectorals while allowing a deep, controlled range of motion.fitnessvolt+1
Clarida then continued to attack the upper chest with an incline chest press machine, layering mechanical tension on top of the fly work while still engaging the front deltoids.
This combination of incline fly followed by incline press is a classic hypertrophy pairing: the fly pre‑exhausts the chest, and the press then drives it deeper into fatigue under heavier loads.youtubemuscleandfitness
To make sure the mid‑pecs were also fully lit up, Clarida added a flat pec fly machine as the next movement in his sequence.
The flat fly, whether done on a machine or with dumbbells, challenges both the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor through a wide arc, giving the chest a fuller, rounder appearance when viewed from the front and side.fitnessvolt+1
Delts: Side And Rear Finishing Work
With chest thoroughly taxed, Clarida turned his attention to the shoulders, starting with a side lateral raise machine to build width in the side delts.
Side laterals are crucial for creating that coveted “3D” look on stage, widening the shoulders relative to the waist and giving his already compact frame an even more dramatic V‑taper.menshealth+1
Clarida’s technique on the side lateral machine was reported as very precise, with a focus on keeping the arms level with the shoulders and not allowing them to rise too high.
Going too high tends to recruit the upper traps and biceps, so this cue helps isolate the middle deltoids, ensuring the delts—not the traps—are doing the bulk of the work.menshealth+1
To finish the session, Clarida moved to a rear delt fly machine, which hits the rear delts along with supporting upper‑back muscles like the trapezius and rhomboids.
This rear‑delt work is essential for balanced shoulder development and plays a major role in back double biceps, rear lat spread, and side‑chest poses where rear‑delt fullness enhances the overall silhouette.barbend+1
Clarida teased his conditioning by posting a rear‑view clip during this rear‑delt work, showing off grainy detail across his back and shoulders that would soon translate into his winning Japan Pro stage look.
The combination of heavy chest work and detailed delt training meant he brought a dense, separated upper body that stood out even against larger competitors.muscleandfitness+1
Sets, Reps, And Intensity Guidelines
Coverage of the workout recommends that anyone trying Clarida’s routine aim for 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions for each exercise, pushing heavy but maintaining strict control.
That rep range is a classic hypertrophy zone that allows enough load to build strength while keeping volume adequate for muscle growth.muscleandfitness
A key theme in Clarida’s session is time under tension—each rep is performed in a deliberate, controlled manner rather than bounced or thrown.
This means slower eccentrics, a firm squeeze at the peak where safe, and no locking out in a way that removes tension from the muscles, which collectively drives metabolic stress and muscle fiber recruitment.youtubemuscleandfitness
Another important takeaway for general lifters is Clarida’s heavy reliance on machines instead of free weights in this specific workout.
By letting the machines handle stability, he could safely push close to failure, controlling the path of the movement and reducing the odds of an injury that could derail a prep so close to stage day.muscleandfitness+1
How to Adapt Shaun Clarida’s Workout to Your Gym
Not every gym has the exact machines Clarida used in Japan, but the movement patterns are easy to replicate with common equipment.
Flat and incline chest presses can be done with barbells or dumbbells on adjustable benches, while fly movements can be replicated with dumbbells or cable crossovers set at appropriate angles.youtubefitnessvolt+1
For side delts, a simple pair of dumbbells or cable lateral raises can simulate the side lateral machine if your gym lacks the specific equipment. Rear delt flyes can be performed with reverse pec‑deck machines,
bent‑over dumbbell reverse flyes, or cable reverse flyes, all of which target the same rear‑shoulder region Clarida emphasizes.barbend+1
Recreational lifters should also note that Clarida operates at an elite level with years of training experience, so intensity and volume should be scaled to individual recovery and joint health.
Beginners can start with 2 sets instead of 3 per exercise and focus on perfecting technique before pushing loads closer to their own limits.muscleandfitness+2
The Bigger Picture: Clarida’s Training Philosophy
Clarida’s Japan Pro chest and shoulder workout fits neatly into a broader training philosophy he has shared in other sessions, where he favors a combination of heavy presses, targeted isolation, and smart exercise order.
In previous arm and shoulder features, he often starts with rear‑delt or isolation work before big compound movements, ensuring under‑trained muscles are not neglected.menshealth+2
What Clarida’s Win Means for the 2026 Mr. Olympia
With his Japan Pro victory, Clarida not only secured his 2026 Olympia qualification but also injected new intrigue into both the Open and 212 conversations for next year.
Fans and analysts are now speculating whether he will choose to compete in the Open, the 212, or potentially position himself to impact the narrative in both divisions.instagram+3
His recent runner‑up finish in the 212 at the 2025 Olympia, where Keone Pearson captured a third straight title, shows that Clarida remains at the very top of that division’s competitive landscape.
At the same time, his Open showings—including his Japan Pro win—demonstrate that he can and will beat larger athletes when conditioning, proportions, and presentation peak perfectly.muscleandfitness
For fans, this creates one of the most exciting storylines heading into 2026: will the “Giant Killer” chase a third 212 crown, gamble for Open glory, or use his dual qualification as leverage to keep both divisions on notice?
Whichever path he chooses, his Japan Pro–winning chest and shoulder workout offers a rare look behind the curtain at the kind of meticulous training that fuels his success.instagram+2
Read more information for Giant Killer’ Shaun Clarida Destroys Japan Pro – Try His Mr. Olympia‑Level Chest & Shoulder Workout That Built a Champion Physique,
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