After wrapping up a long and exhilarating weekend at the FIBO Expo in Cologne, Germany, the focus shifted from expos and meet-and-greets to something far more familiar—training. The day concluded with a rare and inspiring upper body session led by none other than natural bodybuilding legend Alberto Núñez. For anyone who has followed the natural bodybuilding scene, this was a highly anticipated collaboration—and the session didn’t disappoint.
Pre-Workout Fuel: A Taste of Germany
Before hitting the weights, we grabbed a quick meal at the hotel—a turkey club sandwich topped with tomato, lettuce, a hard-boiled egg, and some crispy bacon, served with a side of chips. A local German Pilsner provided a unique twist on the traditional pre-workout drink. While alcohol isn’t usually part of a performance-driven nutrition plan, this was a lighthearted exception for the experience. The relaxed vibe and cultural immersion set the tone for an intense yet enjoyable session.
The Mindset Behind Training on the Road
Training while traveling presents a unique set of challenges—unfamiliar equipment, unpredictable schedules, and lingering fatigue from long days on your feet. However, as Alberto pointed out, it’s all about adapting with purpose. Instead of sticking rigidly to a predefined plan, we chose exercises that provided both practicality and stimulus. The result was a workout driven more by feel and execution than strict programming—a refreshing and effective approach.
Exercise 1: Dumbbell Seal Rows
We kicked off the workout with dumbbell seal rows—a favorite of Alberto’s for good reason. Lying flat on an incline bench ensures minimal momentum and complete upper-back isolation. This movement eliminates torso assistance, making it incredibly honest. If your form slips, it becomes obvious immediately.
Not only do seal rows provide a clean hypertrophy stimulus, but they’re also easy on the lower back—especially important for lifters who regularly squat or deadlift. We focused on higher reps (10–12) for full contraction and used scapular retraction as the key movement cue. For anyone unfamiliar, keeping your head neutral and initiating the movement with the shoulder blades ensures maximum engagement of the mid and upper back.
Exercise 2: Incline Chest Press with Cluster Sets
Next up was a slight incline chest press using machines available at the hotel gym. With energy levels slightly drained from the expo, we leaned into cluster sets—a training technique that allows you to push past fatigue using short rest intervals within a single working set.
The format was simple: perform 8–12 reps, rest 10–15 seconds, and repeat 3–4 more mini-sets within the cluster. This method is especially useful when you’re training under less-than-ideal circumstances, such as limited time or suboptimal equipment.
Cluster sets also help focus all effort into a single extended effort window. It’s time-efficient and particularly effective for pressing movements where strength fades quickly under fatigue.
Superset: Pull-Ups and Triceps Extensions
We then moved into a pull-push superset pairing: pull-ups combined with overhead triceps work. Pull-ups served as a compound vertical pulling movement that also heavily taxed the long head of the triceps (often overlooked). We used neutral grip to minimize shoulder strain and maximize lat engagement.
For triceps, we focused on a movement that emphasized the short head with arms positioned away from the body. This pairing allowed for a comprehensive upper-body pump without overcomplicating the workout.
We implemented a cluster approach again for the pull-ups—starting with a max-effort set and then following with smaller bouts of two to three reps after short pauses. This not only extended the set but kept intensity high across the board.
Exercise 4: Kettlebell Lateral Raises + Biceps Superset
For the finishing combo, we supersetted kettlebell lateral raises with kettlebell curls—an unconventional twist on standard isolation work.
Kettlebells were chosen for their unique load distribution, which kept constant tension on the delts throughout the range of motion. Instead of raising directly to the sides (which often limits range), we leaned slightly forward and lifted the weights slightly forward in the scapular plane—mimicking how machines typically guide the shoulder.
The descent was carefully controlled, and we kept our hands above the belly button to maintain tension through the mid-range. This subtle tweak eliminated “dead spots” and made for an intense deltoid burn.
The kettlebell curls followed the same cluster-style approach: start with a higher rep set (~15), take 3–4 deep breaths, and hit a few more reps before repeating. The continuous tension created one of the best biceps pumps in recent memory.
Training Insights from a Natural Bodybuilding Icon
What stood out most from training alongside Alberto wasn’t just his exercise selection or programming—but the execution. Every rep was deliberate, controlled, and purposeful. The intensity was undeniable, but never sloppy. There was a calculated rhythm to everything, which reflects decades of practice and refinement.
One major takeaway was how subtle changes in form—elbow positioning, angle of lean, rep tempo—can significantly enhance exercise effectiveness. Alberto’s coaching emphasized internal cues over external load, making each movement more productive regardless of the equipment available.
Final Thoughts: Maximum Impact in Minimal Time
This session was proof that with the right mindset and strategies, even a short training window in a hotel gym can yield exceptional results. From muscle-building techniques like cluster sets to biomechanically efficient isolation movements, the workout delivered across all fronts.
Not every workout needs to be meticulously programmed. Sometimes, it’s about adapting intelligently to your environment and leaning on foundational principles: controlled execution, full range of motion, and intensity.
For lifters traveling, limited on time, or just looking to break out of their training rut—this style of workout is a great example of how to maximize your effort in a minimal setup.