A recent YouTube video featuring K-pop group BTS members training with their personal trainer, Ma Sun Ho, has offered insights into their intense fitness routine. The video highlights specific techniques used by the global superstars to build muscle, attracting attention from fitness experts and fans alike. This glimpse into their workouts follows their return from mandatory military service in South Korea.
Key Takeaways
- BTS members engage in training to failure and forced reps for muscle growth.
- They focus on slow, controlled movements to maximize muscle activation.
- Their routine combines both free weights and machine exercises for comprehensive training.
- Eccentric (negative) phases of exercises are emphasized for increased strength and size.
- Varying the range of motion and group workouts contribute to effectiveness and motivation.
Understanding the BTS Workout Philosophy
The K-pop group BTS has achieved significant global success, earning a spot in the Guinness World Records Hall of Fame for their music. Beyond their musical accomplishments, recent observations suggest the members have also focused on their physical conditioning. A YouTube vlog from their personal trainer, Ma Sun Ho, showcased their training methods.
To understand these techniques, celebrity trainer Kirk Myers, founder of Dogpound, provided expert analysis. Myers, who has trained prominent figures like Tom Holland and Taylor Swift, broke down the key elements of the BTS workout. His insights reveal a strategic approach to muscle development.
Background on BTS Military Service
In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to complete mandatory military service. BTS members Jimin and Jungkook were discharged from their service in June. This period often involves rigorous physical training, which can contribute to significant changes in physique.
Training to Muscle Failure and Beyond
One notable aspect of the BTS workout video is the members' approach to repetitions. They are seen performing numerous dumbbell hammer curls. Instead of stopping at a set number of reps, they appear to train until muscle fatigue prevents further completion. Kirk Myers explains that this method, known as training to failure, is crucial for muscle growth stimulation.
A study published in the journal Medicina Sportiva supports this. It indicates that training to, or near, failure activates what scientists call “mechanical tension.” This tension is a significant factor in driving muscle growth. It can be identified by the natural slowing of reps as muscles become fatigued, a phenomenon trainers refer to as “effective reps.”
"Training to failure will help stimulate muscle growth," says Myers.
Even when a member cannot complete another repetition, trainer Ma Sun Ho assists by lightly nudging the dumbbells upwards. Myers points out this technique as forced reps. "Not only are they going to failure, but they’re doing what's called ‘forced reps,’" Myers states. "That's another technique that can stimulate greater muscle growth, and it can also help you break through plateaus." This aggressive approach pushes muscles past their typical limits.
Emphasizing Controlled Movements
The video also shows Ho instructing band member V to pause briefly at the top and bottom of each curl. This action effectively eliminates momentum. Myers highlights the importance of this control. He notes that such slow and controlled movements are highly effective for muscle gains.
"What I think they're doing a great job of is the movements they're doing are slow and controlled," Myers explains. "That's a very effective way to train—and super effective for gains." Swinging dumbbells, he adds, does not fully activate the target muscle. It often involves other muscles and momentum.
Mind-Muscle Connection
Moving weight with intention helps establish a stronger mind-muscle connection. This connection can lead to greater muscle activation and bigger gains. Research in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that subjects focusing intently on their triceps during bench presses increased muscle activation.
This focus ensures that the biceps are doing the primary work, rather than relying on momentum or assistance from other muscle groups like the front deltoids. The emphasis on form over sheer weight is a cornerstone of effective hypertrophy training.
Integrating Free Weights and Machines
Throughout their workout, BTS members utilize a combination of free weights and various machines. While some fitness enthusiasts prefer free weights exclusively, both types of equipment offer distinct benefits. Free weights, such as dumbbells and barbells, are known for recruiting stabilizer muscles. This leads to the activation of more muscle tissue overall.
However, machines offer a more direct path to muscle growth. They largely remove supporting muscles from the equation, shifting the load primarily onto the target muscle. "Machines help to keep your form in check, and you can really laser-focus on the muscle you're trying to target," says Myers.
According to Myers, the best strategy is to incorporate both. This appears to be trainer Ho's philosophy for BTS. For example, during abdominal exercises, one member performs knee-ups in a Roman chair, while another does crunches in a machine. "I think they're doing a really good job of mixing it up and hitting the muscles from different angles, which is just going to stimulate more hypertrophy, or muscle growth," Myers concludes.
Focusing on the Eccentric Phase
During shoulder exercises, such as barbell military presses and dumbbell lateral raises, the BTS members are observed performing the eccentric, or negative, portion of their reps slowly. This means they are carefully lowering the weights, rather than letting gravity take over. This controlled descent is a deliberate technique.
A study review published in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology highlighted the benefits of emphasizing the eccentric phase. Researchers found that this focus can help spur significant gains in muscle strength and size. It increases the time under tension for the muscle, which is a key factor in growth.
"It’s a great way to do hypertrophy training," Myers states. "If you're able to control the negative, you're just making the movement more effective, as opposed to driving the weight up and dropping it down."
This method ensures that the muscle is working throughout the entire movement, maximizing the effectiveness of each repetition. It is a more advanced technique that can lead to substantial progress in muscle development.
Varying the Range of Motion
The workout video illustrates instances where the range of motion is intentionally altered. For example, Jung Kook performs dumbbell lateral raises, extending his arms overhead rather than stopping parallel to the floor. Later, V is instructed to cut his range of motion in half during dumbbell hammer curls, lifting only to a 90-degree bend at the elbow.
Myers links this to the concept behind "21s," an old-school bodybuilding exercise. In 21s, a set of biceps curls is broken into three phases: seven reps in the lower range, seven in the upper range, and seven full-range reps. "It’s just about doing a familiar movement differently, and hitting it from different angles," he explains.
While an extended range of motion on lateral raises might be seen as risky for some, Myers notes that if there are no pre-existing shoulder injuries, it could be a deliberate choice. He points out that bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger famously performed shoulder raises with a full range of motion. This variation challenges the muscle in different ways, promoting comprehensive development.
The Power of Group Workouts
Beyond the technical aspects of their training, the BTS members' group dynamic also plays a role. Myers emphasizes the benefits of working out with others. "I also think it's great that they're working out as a group," he says, encouraging people to train with a partner or small group.
A study published in the journal Management Science supports this idea. Participants who exercised with a partner attended the gym 35 percent more frequently than those who trained alone. This increase occurred even when both groups were offered cash incentives for each visit. The presence of others provides accountability and motivation.
"It just adds that accountability, and it also makes it fun," Myers concludes. Watching the video, he observes that the BTS members appear to be enjoying their training sessions. This element of camaraderie can make intense workouts more sustainable and effective over time, contributing to consistent progress.