Perfectly Prepared Delts

Tired of your steady diet of presses and laterals? Two-time Arnold Classic Figure champ CANDICE LEWIS-CARTER dishes up a five-move delt routine to break your shoulder rut.

- Michael Berg

As important as great shoulders are to a beautiful physique, the workouts that craft them can be pretty mundane. Just like the monotony of a leaning-out diet—“Chicken breast, rice, and vegetables, again?”—advice on training delts has always revolved around seated presses and lateral raises, ad nauseam. If you’re sick of it all, Candice Lewis-Carter has an exciting new recipe for you. The 2017–18 Arnold Classic Figure champ and all-time winningest figure pro—who recently announced that she was stepping away from competition to start a family—has her own delt routine that doesn’t rely on any of those traditional moves. Here, she serves up a five-course delt developer that she’s used to perfect her showcase body part. Ready to give it a try?

CANDICE GETS CANDID

After the 2018 Figure Olympia, Candice Lewis-Carter let the world in on a secret—the 34-yearold, 13-time champ in the IFBB Professional League was stepping away from competition to try to start a family with her husband, Wahhab Carter. Four years ago, she received a stunning diagnosis: polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a disease that can cause fertility issues. Recently, she spoke with M&F about her decision and what comes next.

Did you know you were retiring before competing at the 2018 Figure Olympia?

I knew beforehand—I kept it between my husband and closest friends and family. It’s why I was so emotional backstage. To get so close to the mountaintop and end up losing by one point was disappointing, but at the same time, I’ve always been taught to count my blessings and take everything in stride.

How did knowing it was your last show affect your preparation?