Brandon Curry’s Full Upper Body Workout for Olympia 2025

Brandon Curry, American bodybuilding icon and Gorilla Wear athlete, is in full prep mode for Mr. Olympia 2025 in Las Vegas — the biggest event in professional bodybuilding. Whether you’re a serious lifter or just starting your strength journey, this blog gives you a full breakdown of how an Olympia champion trains for greatness.

Watch the full workout

Watch Brandon Curry’s upper body routine in this exclusive video:

Phase 1 – Chest and Back Pairing Sets

Brandon starts with pairing sets — supersets that work opposing muscle groups, like chest and back. This method boosts workout efficiency and builds push-pull balance, which is critical for symmetry.

Combination 1

• Wide Chest Press Machine
• High Row Machine

Tip: Do 2–3 working sets of 10–12 reps per exercise. Add a pause at the stretch position for extra muscle tension.

Combination 2

• Upright Chest Press
• T-bar Row (chest supported)

Tip: Same here — 2–3 working sets of 10–12 reps. Stretch pauses are a key part of Brandon’s Olympia prep style.

Phase 2 – Shoulder Supersets

This superset targets shoulder width and definition — key to that signature V-taper physique.

Combination 3

• Rear Delt Raise (machine)
• Lateral Raise (machine)

Tip: Complete 3 working sets of 15 reps. Perfect for isolating rear and side delts.

Phase 3 – Upper Body Isolation

Brandon wraps up with a mix of isolation movements, fine-tuning each part of the upper body. Some exercises are paired, others done solo.

• Lat Pulldown (machine)
• Pec Deck (padded)
• Single Arm Supinated Machine Row
• Padded Lateral Raise

Tip: Do 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps. Stretch pauses are used throughout, except on the padded lateral raise.

Brandon’s Olympia Prep Strategy – Key Takeaways

1. Push–Pull Supersets: Efficient and well-balanced upper body development.
2. Stretch Pauses: Keep muscles under tension longer for greater hypertrophy.
3. Smart structure: Each phase builds on the last — from compound to isolation.

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