Julian Arroyuelo breaks down his full-body training mindset, recovery strategy and favorite chest exercise
📍 Men’s Fitness Exclusive | Interview by @MensFitnessOnline Editorial Team
Actor. Martial Artist. Krav Maga Instructor. And one of the most complete physiques on the fitness scene. With over 316K followers, Julian Arroyuelo is known for blending aesthetics, performance, and discipline like few others.
In this no-BS, ultra-focused Q&A, Julian breaks down his entire training philosophy—from his split to his mindset, nutrition, recovery, and favorite lifts.
1. Do you train arms and chest on the same day or do you split them?
“No, my training split is push, pull, legs.”
Julian avoids outdated bro-splits. His go-to method is the Push/Pull/Legs routine—perfect for building muscle and strength while maximizing weekly volume and recovery.
2. How important is the mind-muscle connection in your training?
“I believe that once you master that, it’s the biggest step you can take as an athlete.”
He sees this as a turning point in anyone’s evolution. The ability to feel, control, and isolate each muscle makes your training deeper, smarter, and far more efficient.
3. Do you use a specific nutrition strategy to add upper body mass?
“Not really. You can’t add mass in specific areas.”
Julian trains with science in mind—you grow as a whole, not in isolated zones. His nutrition supports total development with clean foods, smart fueling, and consistency.
4. What kind of recovery do you use to stay big without overtraining?
“I train based on feel nowadays. That’s it. But I’ve never been one to set limits.”
Forget cookie-cutter plans—Julian listens to his body. His secret to long-term size? Autoregulation, freedom, and consistency. No burnout, no excuses.
5. If you could pick only one: incline dumbbell press or dips?
“Dumbbell press.”
6. Why?
“I think even though dips are great, the press is more complete for chest development.”
The incline dumbbell press gives him range, isolation, and upper chest growth, making it his top pick for building a thick, proportionate torso.
7. What’s your training philosophy today?
“Training by sensation. That’s what guides me now.”
Gone are the days of rigid schedules. Julian thrives by adapting intensity to his energy, mindset, and muscle feedback—training smarter, not just harder.
8. What’s one myth about muscle building you’d like to debunk?
“You can’t build mass in specific body parts only. That’s not how it works.”
He emphasizes the reality of full-body development, and warns athletes not to fall into the trap of trying to “target grow” isolated areas.
9. Do you ever limit yourself during training?
“Never. I’ve never believed in setting limits.”
His mindset is clear: go as far as your discipline takes you. Julian refuses to cap his potential and instead focuses on progression without fear.
🧠 TAKEAWAY
Julian Arroyuelo is proof that elite performance isn’t about fancy hacks—it’s about structure, connection, and limitless intent. He trains by feel, recovers with intuition, and commits with full intensity. No shortcuts, no gimmicks. Just results.
🔗 Follow Julian: @julian.arroyuelo
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