Michal “Krizo” Krizanek One Week Out: Arm Session with Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea and Mike Sommerfeld Signals New York Pro Strategy

Table of Contents

1. Key Highlights:
2. Introduction
3. The Session: A Closer Look at Krizo’s Pre-Show Arm Workout
4. Nutrition and Peaking: Krizo’s Carb-Up Strategy and Food Shifts
5. Strategic Positioning: Why Coaches Call Krizo “Dangerous”
6. Stage Presence and Judges’ Feedback: Samir Bannout’s Posing Prescription
7. Training with Peers: The Role of Andrew “Jacked” and Mike Sommerfeld
8. Recovery, Sleep, and Last-Minute Tapering Protocols
9. Potential Weaknesses and Opportunities on Stage
10. What to Expect at the 2026 New York Pro: Competitor Landscape and Stakes
11. Training and Nutrition Templates Inspired by Krizo’s Final Week (Practical Plans)
12. The Media Angle: How Training Videos Shape Perception and Sponsorship Value
13. Final Countdown: Mental Game, Appetite and Rituals
14. FAQ

Key Highlights:

• Michal “Krizo” Krizanek completed a targeted arm and shoulder session with Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea and Mike Sommerfeld days before the 2026 New York Pro, revealing a measured taper and a deliberate carb-up plan that shifts his diet toward red meat and added fats.
• Coaches and veterans single out Krizo’s size and width as major assets; refinement in posing, conditioning, and stage presentation will determine whether his mass converts to a title at the May 8–9 event in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Introduction

Michal Krizanek, known in the bodybuilding world as Krizo, opened his last full week of preparation for the 2026 New York Pro by pushing through a focused arm session alongside Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea and Mike Sommerfeld. The footage, posted to Krizo’s channel, reveals more than a workout routine; it exposes the contours of a final-week strategy that balances preservation of muscle, a controlled carb refeed and stage readiness. Krizo’s tone in the video—hungry, measured, intent—aligns with his recent competitive arc: bronze at the 2025 New York Pro and momentum from a British Grand Prix Pro victory that secured his 2026 Mr. Olympia qualification. With judges such as Steve Weinberger presiding and a field that includes established names, the next few days will be decisive. The session and Krizo’s comments give a clear signal: he intends to arrive full, conditioned and physically imposing. Whether he converts that promise into a New York Pro title will depend on conditioning, symmetry and the polish of his stagecraft.

The Session: A Closer Look at Krizo’s Pre-Show Arm Workout

The training video opens with Krizo framing the session as “an easier biceps and triceps, and shoulder workout.” That description matches the exercise selection: machine-based pressing and curling movements designed to stimulate muscle without extreme metabolic drain or risk of injury in the final days before the show.

Recorded exercises:

• Seated Shoulder Press Machine
• Cable Triceps Pressdowns
• Dependent Curl Machine (Alternating Arms)
• Smith Machine Close-Grip Bench Press
• Cable Curls
• Dip Machine

Why this selection makes sense one week out

• Machine and cable work controls load and joint stress. Seated shoulder press machines provide shoulder stimulus while stabilizing the scapula and limiting injury risk from heavy free-weight pressing. Cable and dependent curl machines keep constant tension on the biceps and triceps across range of motion, encouraging pump without extreme eccentric damage.
• Alternating-arm dependent curls and cable curls allow Krizo to target individual latencies of peak contraction and maintain detail in the biceps’ peak and brachialis separation—areas that judges scrutinize under stage lights.
• Close-grip bench and dip machines preserve triceps mass and pressing power without the systemic fatigue that heavy free-weight bench sets impose. The Smith machine, in particular, offers safety and a reproducible bar path crucial when maximal strength lifts are being avoided in the final taper.

Rep schemes and intensity considerations Krizo described the session as “easier,” but easier does not mean casual. Contests demand sharp aesthetics, and pre-show training typically favors moderate-high rep ranges (8–15) with a focus on tempo control, peak contraction and pump. Sets might look like:

• 3–4 sets of 8–12 on the seated shoulder press with controlled 2–1–2 tempo (two seconds concentric, one-second peak squeeze, two seconds eccentric).
• 3–4 sets of 12–15 on cable triceps pressdowns to accumulate metabolite load and detail.
• 3 sets each arm on dependent curl machine, 10–12 reps alternating arms to keep movement quality high.
• 3 sets of 6–10 on Smith close-grip bench for targeted triceps overload but with limited eccentric damage.
• Drop sets or triple-drop finishes on cable curls and final dips to leave muscles “full” for photos and stage lines.

Training notes from elite preps Bodybuilders in the final week commonly reduce systemic volume but maintain intensity that signals neural readiness. Sessions emphasize muscle shape, symmetry and control rather than raw overload. Krizo’s choice to train with peers like Andrew Jacked and Mike Sommerfeld likely increased intensity through competitive stimulus, while the equipment choice kept recovery risk low.

Nutrition and Peaking: Krizo’s Carb-Up Strategy and Food Shifts

Krizo disclosed a deliberate change in his pre-show nutrition: his appetite has remained robust and his coach recently increased his food intake. He stated, “Starting today, I have slightly higher carbs. I am having around 520 grams of carbs. I had salmon before, but now I have steak, olive oil, avocado, so some fats too. We’re basically starting to slowly carb up, and probably starting Thursday, we’ll increase it even further.”

Breaking down that approach

• Baseline calories and glycogen: Contest preps typically deplete carbohydrate to reach low body-fat levels. A slow, staged carb increase—often called a gradual carb-up—aims to refill muscle glycogen stores without producing unwanted water retention under the skin or spiking subcutaneous fullness asymmetrically.
• 520 grams of carbs is substantial. For a competitor with Krizo’s mass, such numbers are consistent with a slow repletion strategy that seeks to maximize muscle fiber volumization while allowing the body to adapt slowly to higher insulin and glycogen levels.
• Food quality and fats: Replacing salmon with red meat increases heme iron and can change water balance and satiety. Introducing olive oil and avocado adds monounsaturated fats that support smoothness in appearance and caloric density. That pairing—starchy carbs plus fats—helps create a fuller look during the final days without an abrupt insulin-driven water shift.

Physiology behind the slow carb-up Carbohydrate loading restores intramuscular glycogen, increasing muscle volume and the tightness of muscle bellies under skin. Done carefully, it improves muscle separation, hardness and the illusion of size. If mismanaged, it can produce subcutaneous water that blurs detail. Krizo’s plan to incrementally increase carbs several days out, then again Thursday before a May 8–9 show, mirrors approaches used by competitors who want controlled fullness.

Examples from elite competitors

• Phil Heath often used strategic carbohydrate manipulations and sodium cycling in the final 48–72 hours to optimize fullness and striations.
• Competitors with massive mass, such as Mamdouh “Big Ramy,” have historically had to balance volume and conditioning; larger athletes sometimes carb-up earlier and more gradually to avoid the “overfull” look that hides separation.

Sodium and water considerations Carb repletion and sodium management are interconnected. Increased carbs raise muscle glycogen, which binds water. Many athletes stagger sodium intake to encourage intracellular water retention (muscle fullness) while reducing extracellular water (under-skin smoothness). Krizo did not discuss sodium directly, but the controlled, staged carbohydrate increases suggest his team is managing electrolytes and fluid to prevent bloating.

Practical meal examples for Krizo’s reported approach

• Breakfast: Oats, rice, or sweet potatoes + steak + avocado + olive oil dressing.
• Midday: Large rice plate + lean steak + green vegetables + olive oil.
• Pre-training: Rice cakes or white rice + small portion of steak or lean protein.
• Evening: Rice + steak + avocado + vegetables. The inclusion of healthy fats increases caloric density and satiety, helping a large athlete maintain energy and muscle fullness while ramping carbohydrates.

Strategic Positioning: Why Coaches Call Krizo “Dangerous”

Coach Chris Aceto labeled Krizo the “most dangerous competitor in the lineup,” highlighting width and stature as advantages. Those attributes translate into few targeted benefits on stage:

• Visual dominance: Width across the lats and upper torso creates an imposing V-taper. Judges reward an athlete who appears larger in the upper body while maintaining a narrow waist.
• Frame for conditioning: A large frame that achieves conditioning provides a visual contrast rivals find hard to match. When mass comes with separations and vascularity, it can be decisive.
• Contest experience: Coming off a podium finish at the 2025 New York Pro and a victory at the British Grand Prix Pro, Krizo has momentum and the psychological advantage of recent success.

Counterpoints and competitive landscape

• Conditioning trade-offs: Size alone does not guarantee a win. New York Pro judges weigh symmetry, definition and presentation. Competitors who marry crisp conditioning with balance (good shoulders, back detail, leg separation) will score well against even larger athletes.
• Opponents’ strengths: William Bonac and Nick Walker—who finished ahead of Krizo in 2025—bring their own strengths. Bonac’s symmetry and conditioning and Walker’s density and thickness create matchups where Krizo must not only show size but deliver matching leg detail and proportionality.

Historical perspective New York Pro winners often proceed to Mr. Olympia podiums, indicating judges expect a level of professional polish and completeness. Previous winners like Phil Heath and Big Ramy demonstrate that champions can come from diverse physiques: precision and aesthetics in Heath’s case, sheer mass with improving conditioning in Big Ramy’s case. Krizo’s path must balance both.

Stage Presence and Judges’ Feedback: Samir Bannout’s Posing Prescription

Samir Bannout, 1983 Mr. Olympia, urged Krizo to refine his posing and stage presentation to enhance symmetry. Posing is not mere ornamentation; it is the lens through which judges read a physique.

Areas to address based on veteran feedback

• Transitions: Smooth, confident transitions between mandatory poses preserve attention on muscular detail rather than awkward shifts. Slow, deliberate quarter turns highlight symmetry.
• Posing holds: Hitting the lat spread with full diaphragmatic control, flexing with precise hand placement, and presenting hamstring detail during back poses all clarify judges’ perspectives.
• Routine composition: The posing routine is an athlete’s narrative. Krizo must structure it to emphasize his wide back, thick shoulders and leg detail while de-emphasizing any waist flairs or asymmetries.
• Presentation polish: Facial expression, posture and stagewalk complement physique. An athlete exuding control appears more refined.

Concrete posing drills to implement in final days

• Mirror tempo work: Cycle through mandatory poses at contest pace to muscle memory. Emphasize breathing patterns that preserve vascularity and fullness.
• Video feedback loops: Record posing under stage-like lighting to identify where skin catches light and where transitions flatten the silhouette.
• Holding practice: Hold poses for competition-length durations to train the muscles and reduce tremor, focusing on contraction depth rather than mere flexion.
• Placement and angles: Small wrist or elbow adjustments can dramatically alter lat width or chest thickness on stage. Experiment off-stage to discover optimal angles.

Real-world examples of posing impact

• Phil Heath refined his routines through iterative tweaks, often winning rounds where muscular details were decisive.
• Athletes who have historically lost despite size often did so because posing failed to present their best angles or hid their proportional strengths.

Training with Peers: The Role of Andrew “Jacked” and Mike Sommerfeld

Krizo chose to train with Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea and Mike Sommerfeld in a final-week session. Those partnerships matter beyond simple company.

Psychological and performance benefits

• Competitive stimulus: Training alongside peers pushes intensity higher in short sessions, even when volume is reduced. That mental edge keeps the athlete sharp.
• Technical exchange: Observing others’ form, cues and breathing patterns can enhance one’s own technique. Jacked, known for his conditioning and upper-body aesthetics, may offer cues on how to emphasize cuts; Sommerfeld brings his own strengths in mechanical efficiency.
• Confidence and narrative: Publicly training with notable peers builds a storyline pre-show. Competitors who post high-quality training clips project readiness and can sway public perception and judge attention.

Potential pitfalls

• Over-arousal risk: Training with rivals can escalate intensity beyond what’s safe in a taper, risking muscle damage or nervous-system fatigue. Krizo mitigated this by choosing machine/cable work.
• Comparison stress: Watching others’ conditioning can create mental stress if not handled professionally. Top athletes compartmentalize training feedback into actionable changes rather than emotionally reactive comparisons.

Practical recommendations for athletes training with peers pre-show

• Agree on session parameters: Keep sets/reps and intensity within a conservative preset.
• Focus on posing and pump: Use sessions to rehearse poses after work to see how muscle fullness affects stage lines.
• Use peers as posing partners: Hands-on adjustments from training partners can improve presentation faster than solo practice.

Recovery, Sleep, and Last-Minute Tapering Protocols

The final week of prep is a balance between maintaining muscle and avoiding the damage that prevents optimal appearance. Krizo’s “easier” session reflects an overarching strategy: protect the work done over months.

Tapering principles

• Volume down, intensity preserved: For neural readiness, retain heavy-ish sets of 2–3 reps in earlier days if needed, but primarily maintain tension and muscle activation with submaximal loads.
• Shorter sessions: Reduce session length to avoid systemic inflammation and cortisol spikes. Krizo’s workout appears to respect that principle.
• Active recovery: Light mobility work, walking, and contrast showers help circulation and reduce stiffness without taxing recovery resources.

Sleep and stress management

• Prioritize 7–9 hours nightly: Sleep is when hormonal recovery—testosterone and growth-hormone-mediated processes—occurs.
• Manage cortisol with breathing, cold exposure control and limited stimulants. The pre-show media wave can elevate stress; disciplined sleep hygiene counters this.

Supplementation considerations

• Creatine: Many athletes continue creatine through the final week to preserve intramuscular phosphate stores, aiding perceived muscle fullness. The decision rests with individual coaches due to water retention concerns.
• Caffeine: Use as a performance and appearance aid selectively. Caffeine tightens muscle and reduces perception of fatigue but can disrupt sleep if timed poorly.
• Diuretics: Prescription diuretics carry risk. Many coaches use benign measures—water loading with strategic taper, controlled sodium cycling—rather than pharmacological diuretics.

Sauna and heat stress Sauna and heat exposure accelerate water loss but also risk muscle cramping and fatigue. If used, keep sessions brief and closely monitor electrolyte status.

Potential Weaknesses and Opportunities on Stage

Krizo’s strengths are clear: size, width and a confident mass that fills stage presence. The following analysis breaks down what could swing judges’ minds in either direction.

Opportunities

• Lat and upper-back width: When displayed with crisp back conditioning, width translates to front and rear double biceps dominance.
• Shoulder mass: Broad, capped delts create illusion of upper-body dominance that enhances a tiny waist.
• Improved posing: Rapid improvements in routine polish can flip a close judging panel.

Weaknesses to address

• Waist and lower midsection: Large athletes must maintain waist tightness to preserve the V-taper. Small adjustments to obliques and posing lines mitigate any doughy appearance.
• Leg detail: Quads and hamstrings need to match upper-body size. Judges penalize if lower halves appear underdeveloped relative to torso mass.
• Conditioning: Too soft and the mass reads as blunted. Too dry and muscular fullness decreases. The sweet spot is a tight, full look.

Tactical adjustments

• Focus posing on concealment and emphasis: Quarter-turns that push scant protrusions away from the judges’ view.
• Stage tanning and oiling: Subtle factors. Understage lights, proper color and sheen enhance striations and muscle depth.
• Lighting practice: Rehearse posing under venue-like lighting to detect where shadows and highlights emphasize or hide detail.

What to Expect at the 2026 New York Pro: Competitor Landscape and Stakes

Dates and setting

• The 2026 New York Pro runs May 8–9 in Teaneck, New Jersey. The contest, hosted by head judge Steve Weinberger, attracts top-level Open competitors and typically serves as a springboard to Olympia qualification and momentum.

Fields and stakes

• The contest has historically produced champions who went on to dominate at the Mr. Olympia stage. That history raises the stakes: judges will be looking for athletes who can represent the division internationally.
• Known athletes in the mix include William Bonac and Nick Walker, both of whom finished ahead of Krizo in 2025. Each brings a unique threat: Bonac with refinement and balance, Walker with thickness and density.

Judging criteria and likely determinants

• Symmetry and proportion: Balanced development from shoulders to calves.
• Muscularity and conditioning: Depth, separation and striation, especially under stage lights.
• Presentation and confidence: Posing routines and stagewalk make an outsized difference in the scoring of a tight field.
• Overall package: The athlete who combines mass, conditioning and symmetrical presentation usually wins.

How Krizo can tip the scale

• Turn size into detail: If Krizo’s carb strategy yields full, striated muscle bellies without subcutaneous water, his width could dominate.
• Polish stagecraft: Bannout’s feedback points to a clear route—better posing will magnify Krizo’s physical assets and hide weaknesses.
• Match conditioning to competitor standards: If Krizo arrives at the same conditioning level as Bonac and Walker while preserving superior size, he becomes the favorite.

Training and Nutrition Templates Inspired by Krizo’s Final Week (Practical Plans)

Below are two sample templates—one for peptide-style preps and one conservative approach—tailored to athletes around Krizo’s phase. These are illustrative and meant for experienced competitors working with coaches.

Seven-day conservative pre-show template (for large-mass athletes) Day -7: Moderate upper-body pump

• AM: Seated shoulder press machine 3x10; cable triceps 3x12; dependent curls 3x10/arm.
• PM: Light cardio 20–30 min.
• Food: 400–450 g carbs, higher protein, moderate fats.

Day -6: Lower-body tune

• AM: Leg presses 3x10, hamstring curls 3x12, calf machine 3x15.
• PM: Posing practice 30–45 min.
• Food: 420–480 g carbs, higher water.

Day -5: Upper-body emphasis

• AM: Smith close-grip bench 3x8, cable curls 3x12 (drops on last set), dip machine 3x10.
• PM: Short walk, mobility.
• Food: 480–520 g carbs; add olive oil/avocado.

Day -4: Recovery

• Stretching, sauna 10 min, posing.
• Food: 500–520 g carbs.

Day -3: Light pump session

• AM: Machine shoulders and light cable arms 2–3 sets each.
• PM: Posing on stage if possible.
• Food: 520–560 g carbs.

Day -2: Tightening

• Reduce water slightly per coach’s plan; maintain carbs.
• Posing rehearsals; mental visualization.

Day -1: Pre-judging routine

• Minimal training, walk-through posing.
• Carb level may be highest depending on protocol; adjust sodium and fluids per coach.

Conservative training tips:

• Limit eccentric overload.
• Keep sessions under 60 minutes.
• Prioritize rest and sleep.

Template for photogenic fullness (higher carb emphasis)

• Days -7 to -5: Gradual ramp from 420 → 520 g carbs with steady protein and moderate fats.
• Day -4: Peak carbs 560 g with controlled sodium.
• Day -3 to -2: Maintain carbs 520–560 g, reduce water slightly while monitoring skin appearance.
• Day -1: Strategic carb timing—high-carbohydrate meals spaced across the day with monitoring of fullness and vascularity.

Caveats

• These templates are best executed with a coach who monitors hydration, sodium and muscle response. Individual differences in glycogen storage and water balance require personalization.

The Media Angle: How Training Videos Shape Perception and Sponsorship Value

Krizo’s decision to publish a training video at one week out is both tactical and commercial.

Perception management

• Confidence signaling: Posting a controlled, executed session communicates readiness to fans and competitors.
• Transparency with fans: Showing meals and numbers (like “520 grams of carbs”) demystifies prep and builds engagement.

Sponsorship and marketing

• Sponsors value consistent content that demonstrates professionalism and reach. Last-week videos often generate high views because fans crave final-week narratives.
• A strong social-media presence can indirectly influence judges by raising an athlete’s profile, though not their raw judging score. The sponsorship benefits fund travel and prep, easing logistical pressure.

Risk management

• Overexposure can prematurely reveal weaknesses in conditioning. Krizo managed this by showing a controlled training session rather than a full posing routine, keeping some strategic elements private.

Examples of effective timing

• Athletes who reveal staged glimpses of their prep in final days can control narratives, attract media coverage and build ticket sales for the event. Properly timed disclosure—heavy on training clips, light on final condition—maintains intrigue.

Final Countdown: Mental Game, Appetite and Rituals

Krizo’s repeated comments about hunger—“I’ve been hungry for a pretty long time… I am hungry. I am looking forward to every meal”—reveal a psychological asset: positive appetite signals adherence and energetic readiness. Beyond physiology, appetite carries psychological benefits:

• Mealtime as ritual: Eating multiple planned meals anchors the day, promoting structure and confidence.
• Positive body cues: Hunger suggests the athlete is in a caloric deficit appropriate for prep but not depleted to the point of cognitive fatigue.

Mental strategies to stay sharp

• Visualization: Rehearsal of the entire onstage routine under imagined lights helps avoid surprises.
• Micro-goals: Each meal, each session and each rest period becomes a win, dissipating the stress of overall results.
• Media pacing: Limit interviews and high-stress promotions in the last 72 hours unless they serve a clear psychological benefit.

Krizo’s social posture—focused, hungry, yet measured—indicates that his psychological state matches the tactical direction signaled by his training and nutrition choices.

FAQ

Q: Who is Michal “Krizo” Krizanek? A: Michal Krizanek, known as Krizo, is an Open-class professional bodybuilder from Slovakia. He placed third at the 2025 New York Pro and earned qualification to the 2026 Mr. Olympia by winning the British Grand Prix Pro.

Q: When and where is the 2026 New York Pro? A: The 2026 New York Pro takes place May 8–9 in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Q: What did Krizo do in his arm workout one week out? A: Krizo performed a lower-volume, machine and cable–focused session including seated shoulder press machine, cable triceps pressdowns, dependent curl machine (alternating arms), Smith close-grip bench press, cable curls and dip machine work. He described the workout as easier, aimed at stimulation without causing damage.

Q: Why is Krizo increasing carbs to around 520 grams? A: He’s implementing a slow carb-up to restore muscle glycogen and create fullness without causing unwanted subcutaneous water retention. The slow approach reduces the risk of a sudden water shift that could mask muscle detail.

Q: Why did Krizo switch from salmon to red meat and add fats like olive oil and avocado? A: Red meat provides different macronutrient and micronutrient profiles—including heme iron—and pairing it with fats raises energy density and satiety. The mix helps create a fuller, tighter muscle appearance during the final refeed.

Q: What did coaches and veterans say about Krizo’s chances? A: Coach Chris Aceto described Krizo as the most dangerous competitor due to his width and stature. Samir Bannout advised improving posing and stage presentation to enhance symmetry, which could be the deciding factor in a close lineup.

Q: Is training with peers like Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea and Mike Sommerfeld smart one week out? A: Yes, if the session is controlled. Training with peers raises intensity and serves as a mental primer. Krizo’s choice of machine-based work kept the session productive and low-risk. Athletes should avoid heavy eccentric work and curtail volume.

Q: What is the biggest determinant for Krizo to win the New York Pro? A: Successful translation of size into conditioned, symmetrical presentation. If Krizo arrives full, dry enough for separation and polished in posing, his size and width make him a formidable favorite. Flaws in conditioning, posing or leg detail could swing judging against him.

Q: How do last-week strategies vary by athlete size? A: Larger athletes often prefer gradual carb repletion and carefully managed sodium to avoid masking detail. Smaller athletes may use more aggressive carb loading to add fullness. Both approaches require monitoring and coach-led adjustments.

Q: How should an amateur competitor adapt Krizo’s tactics? A: Amateurs should scale carbohydrate numbers and training volumes to body mass, prioritize recovery and work closely with a coach to manage water and sodium. Use machine and cable work in the final days to preserve muscle while avoiding damage, and refine posing daily.

Q: Where can I watch Krizo’s full training video? A: Krizo’s training video—titled “Training ARMS with Mike Sommerfeld & Andrew Jacked - 1 Week Out!”—is available on his YouTube channel. The video includes the session and Krizo’s comments on appetite and nutrition.

Michal Krizo’s last-week footage lays out a coherent plan: preserve the work, increase carbs carefully, and polish presentation. He arrives in Teaneck with size and pedigree. The New York Pro judges will weigh balance, conditioning and presentation against raw mass. If Krizo’s team executes the nuanced choreography of volume reduction, glycogen repletion and stagecraft, the Slovakian mass monster could be positioned not simply to compete but to win.