Shawn Ray’s Leg Routine

Alina Popa’s Quad Routine

So far, Romania’s Alina Popa is the biggest bodybuilding surprise of 2011. After a distant eighth in her only other pro show, she rocketed into third place at March’s Ms. International behind legends Iris Kyle and Yaxeni Oriquen, setting herself up as a posedown probable for this year’s Ms. Olympia. Popa told FLEXONLINE how she got the wheels that propelled her rapidly through the pro ranks--to the top three and, perhaps, next time, even higher.

Phil Heath’s Hamstrings Routine

After a stunning Mr. Olympia debut in 2008 when many thought he should have won it all; after the illness that kept him out of contention at last year’s Olympia prejudging and his shocking transformation before the finals where he was, with Jay Cutler, one of the two best bodybuilders on stage; after his controversial runner-up finish to Kai Greene at this year’s Arnold Classic and his best-ever placing at the O — second only to Cutler — we felt there was no better time to take a closer look at two of the weapons that help separate Phil Heath from the rest: his phenomenal hamstrings.