Mark Dugdale

www.markdugdale.com

Mark Dugdale is an IFBB Professional Bodybuilder via an overall win at the 2004 NPC USA and to-date competed in over 35 pro contests including 5 Olympia appearances. Mark and his wife Christina enjoy 21 years of marriage and three daughters – 19, 17 and 15. Aside from his passion for training he is the sole owner of Garden Fresh Foods which operates out of a 42,000 square foot building and employs over 80 people while providing fresh-cut produce solutions to foodservice and food manufacturers in the greater NW region. Highly engaged in running Garden Fresh Foods alongside Christina, his future competitive plans remain uncertain at present. To maintain his sanity raising daughters and running a business he continues to challenge himself in the gym as evidenced by his active training log. His overarching goal is to display the fingerprints of Jesus in all areas of his life.

 
Low Volume, High Effort, Big Results: Mark Dugdale's HIT Split
Low Volume, High Effort, Big Results: Mark Dugdale's HIT Split
  The Good A number of benefits correlate with HIT training. First, brief workouts mean less time in the gym for those pressed for time. Sure maximum intensity is required, but 43% of the training week is an off day which reduces the chances for CNS burnout. With one or two working sets per exercise […]
Best Training Methods for Biceps Growth
Best Training Methods for Biceps Growth

In this 5-week program, I include training modalities that your biceps respond to by growing. We’ll cover peak contraction, isotension, giant sets, extended sets, plus a great bonus finisher to encourage a biceps stretch!

4 Weeks on a Plant-Based Diet
4 Weeks on a Plant-Based Diet

Hey, calorie restriction is tough, but excluding meat should be a piece of vegan cake. Right? Here is a real-world examination of a former professional bodybuilder who went plant-based.

Relationship Roadblocks to Overcome
Relationship Roadblocks to Overcome

Relationships aren’t always a walk in the park. It’s all too easy to avoid talking about issues because they make us uncomfortable. However, when we face the discomfort, we become stronger.

5-Week Triceps Program for Bigger Arms
5-Week Triceps Program for Bigger Arms

This five-week program provides a balanced approach to adding triceps size. Get ready to stretch those sleeves.

In What Are You Investing?
In What Are You Investing?

When you think of “investment,” you usually think of money. For this article, think about other types of investments: time, effort, and energy. Now, answer this question: What are you investing in?

5 Weeks to Goblet Squat Dominance
5 Weeks to Goblet Squat Dominance

Think goblet squats are wimpy exercises? Follow this program for five weeks, and you’ll change your mind. You’ll likely improve your squat mechanics, too.

What's Changed at Age 45
What's Changed at Age 45

As I approach my 45th birthday in December, people keep asking me what things are like now that I’m in this life stage. Some things change; some things don’t. But the things that change are important, and I’m going to talk about them here.

4 Mistakes Fallen Leaders Are Prone To
4 Mistakes Fallen Leaders Are Prone To

Wealth, power, and fame. Some might say those are inherently negative characteristics. I, however, believe the way those characteristics are wielded determines whether they are good or bad.

4 Things I Learned in Prison
4 Things I Learned in Prison

My bodybuilding mentor invited me to run a training seminar for inmates at the second-largest prison in Washington state. Let’s say I learned a few things while I did my time… teaching inmates, that is.

For the Fathers and the Fatherless on Father's Day
For the Fathers and the Fatherless on Father's Day

For many, bearing the title of “father” is a great blessing. But even if you aren’t on good terms with your father, just know that there is another father somewhere out there who is willing to take you in as his son.

How to Use Blood Flow Restriction with a Knee Injury
How to Use Blood Flow Restriction with a Knee Injury

Indoor soccer took a toll on my knee, so my training has been a bit limited. But that didn’t stop me from using Blood Flow Restriction on leg day, which I highly recommend using when working around injuries that force you to use lighter weights.

Back and Biceps Workout of the Day with Kneeling Biceps Cable Curls
Back and Biceps Workout of the Day with Kneeling Biceps Cable Curls

There are no cheat days here. Naturally, this workout of the day includes a movement that makes it harder to cheat. Go grab your kettlebells, dumbbells, and cable attachments so we can get started.

A Workout of the Day That'll Hammer Your Chest, Shoulder, and Tris
A Workout of the Day That'll Hammer Your Chest, Shoulder, and Tris

This workout left me hammered. Part of that’s on me for joining a co-ed indoor soccer team, and let’s just say bodybuilding and soccer don’t exactly mix. But that didn’t stop me from doing my Workout of the Day.

6 Strategies to Advancement
6 Strategies to Advancement

Consider this me throwing you a lifesaver in the vast sea of information. This will help you figure out how to improve yourself by seeking out the best information possible… and how to best find that information.

Introduce Blood Flow Restriction to Your Leg Workout of the Day
Introduce Blood Flow Restriction to Your Leg Workout of the Day

This leg workout of the day was brief, but let me tell you something: it kicked my ass. You don’t have to be new to Blood Flow Restriction Training for it to do that, let me tell you!

Back and Bis Workout of the Day with Decline Dumbbell Pullovers Supersetted with Farmer's Carry
Back and Bis Workout of the Day with Decline Dumbbell Pullovers Superset...

The big takeaway from this workout is that I have poor grip strength stamina. After this back and bis Workout of the Day, your forearms should be SMASHED.

Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps Workout of the Day with 30-10-30 Cable Presses
Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps Workout of the Day with 30-10-30 Cable Presses

There are only two sets here but with a significant emphasis on the eccentric on the first and last rep. Select a weight in which you can get 12-14 reps. Begin each set with a 30-second negative, followed by 10 normal tempo reps, finishing with a final 30-second negative.

Leg Workout of the Day with Cambered Bar and Ground Base Squats
Leg Workout of the Day with Cambered Bar and Ground Base Squats

If you’ve got lower back issues and want to up difficulty without adding pounds like I do, then this is the Workout of the Day for you. Today, the goal was to increase time under tension.

A Pro's Post-Contest Advice for a Safe Transition to the Off-Season
A Pro's Post-Contest Advice for a Safe Transition to the Off-Season

Your motivation is sky-high because you either won your competition and want to reach the next rung on the ladder, or you bombed and want the sweet taste of redemption, so you want to jump back into it. Slow down, kid, or you’ll hurt yourself.

Back and Bis Workout of the Day with Banded Pullovers and Spider Crawl Superset
Back and Bis Workout of the Day with Banded Pullovers and Spider Crawl S...

Don’t let those creepy eight-legged critters stop you from getting a good workout. Instead, use them as inspiration as you do spider crawls and spider curls in this workout of the day. Or pretend to smash them. Yeah, that’ll work.

Leg Workout of the Day with a Goblet Squat Death Drop
Leg Workout of the Day with a Goblet Squat Death Drop

It’s not all that often you can say you made up a type of exercise… but that’s exactly what I did. Enter the Goblet Squat Death Drop, a Mark Dugdale Original. Or exclusive. Whichever one you prefer to call it, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that it’s brutal and will complete your leg workout.

Back Workout of the Day with Rows, Pulldowns, and Pullovers
Back Workout of the Day with Rows, Pulldowns, and Pullovers

Another day, another back and bis workout. This one includes one of my favorite pulldown variations: Alternating Hammer Strength Pulldowns. You can do it from a stretched position or from a fully contracted position. Click to find out which one I chose and watch me do it in action.

Leg Workout of the Day with 8x8x8 Banded Leg Extensions
Leg Workout of the Day with 8x8x8 Banded Leg Extensions

No, you’re not seeing deja vu. This workout features: 1. Lying Leg Curls 2. Leg Extensions 3. Cambered Bar Squats 4. Banded Leg Extensions 5. Dumbbell Stiff-Legged Deads. Per the usual, click to see the sets, reps, equipment used for this leg workout, and find out what’s super-setted.

Workout of the Day: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps with Mark Dugdale
Workout of the Day: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps with Mark Dugdale

1. Incline Bench Press 2. Banded Dumbbell Flat Bench 3. Dips with Chains and Machine Flyes 4. Shoulder Press and High Lateral Plate Raises 5. Machine Laterals 6. Rear Delt Swings and Close Grip Bench — click to see the sets, reps, and equipment I used for this chest, shoulders, and triceps workout.

A Snapshot of My Off-Season Diet — Health, Recovery, and Efficiency
A Snapshot of My Off-Season Diet — Health, Recovery, and Efficiency

Despite my absence from the stage, I often get emails asking about my diet. Yes, it’s different and much looser than my approach when I’m highly focused on professional bodybuilding. In fact, that makes this article more applicable to the majority of people.

Workout of the Day: Back and Bis with Mark Dugdale
Workout of the Day: Back and Bis with Mark Dugdale

1. MAG Scapula Retraction Pulldowns 2. Max Tension Hammer Strength Rows 3. Decline Banded Pullover 4. Away Facing Pulldowns 5. Isolation Curls 6. Incline Dumbbell Curls — click to see the sets, reps, and equipment I used for this back and biceps workout.

Workout of the Day: Legs with Mark Dugdale
Workout of the Day: Legs with Mark Dugdale

1. Unilateral Leg Curls 2. Cambered Bar Squats with Chains 3. Blood-flow Restriction Leg Extensions and Goblet Squats 4. Cable Pull-Through — click to see the sets, reps, and equipment I used for this leg workout so you can enjoy the same pump.

Feet Mindfulness
Feet Mindfulness

I pose the following questions: How mindful are you of your feet? Do you think about where you want to go versus where you are heading? Are your feet on the right path, and if not, why? These questions and the wisdom you can obtain from them extend far beyond chalk and iron.

Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
HBT and a lot of supersets today.
Saturday Leg Session
Saturday Leg Session
Blood flow restriction and timed sets from hell!
Chest, Shoulder & Triceps Workout
Chest, Shoulder & Triceps Workout
Eccentric focus, rest-pause, bands and supersets today.
Leg Training
Leg Training
Continuous tension and supersets today!
Back & Biceps
Back & Biceps
Deadstops, bands and continuous tension.
Leg Day
Leg Day
Isotension and a new squat variation for me today.
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Max tension, sets to failure and superset in this workout session.
Grow BIG Quads Without Lower Back Pain
Grow BIG Quads Without Lower Back Pain

Due to a few low back tweaks, while squatting 700 pounds in my early 30s, I’ve had to completely revamp the way I train legs. This article lays out the foundation in which I continue to stimulate quad development in the absence of big pounds.

Leg Workout
Leg Workout
Max TUT, BFR and Isotension all destroyed my legs today!
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
New Years Day training session!
Legs
Legs
Isotension, BFR training and lower volume as I planned to head up to the mountains snow skiing.
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Short on time, I completed this workout in 60 minutes.
Leg Training
Leg Training
Supersets as I continue to recover from a chest cold - ugh!
Back & Biceps
Back & Biceps
Still feeling under the weather today, so I stuck to the basics.
Legs!
Legs!
Giant Sets were today's theme!
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Isoholds, giant sets and alternative angles today.
Back & Biceps
Back & Biceps
Isoholds, bands and sets to failure today.
Saturday Leg Assault
Saturday Leg Assault
Blood flow restriction and isotension were today's themes.
Six Weeks to Bigger Biceps
Six Weeks to Bigger Biceps

In this article, I can’t promise you Lee Priest-proportioned bicep development, but I will share some ideas to unlocking new growth over a six-week period of time.

Chest, Shoulder & Triceps
Chest, Shoulder & Triceps
Chains, drops and supersets today!
Leg Training
Leg Training
Multiple squat variations today along with bands and drop sets.
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Supersets and alternating sets today for efficiency sake.
Leg Training
Leg Training
Back with the nasty blood flow restriction combination!
Back & Biceps Workout
Back & Biceps Workout
Decided to use a T-Nation Dead-Squat bar today!
Back & Biceps
Back & Biceps
Loving the Hammer Strength Ground Base rows.
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Crazy pump from the giant set today.
Leg Workout
Leg Workout
Limited on time, drop sets were today's theme.
Back & Biceps
Back & Biceps
Pump and stretch with a good measure of rows today.
Leg Workout
Leg Workout
Supersets were the theme of today's training session.
Mental Considerations for Bodybuilding
Mental Considerations for Bodybuilding

Hear me on this one. If you’re running from your past or managing it in secrecy, bodybuilding isn’t the answer.

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