If you’re aiming to build a strong, muscular back that commands attention, this comprehensive pull-focused workout is designed to help you achieve that goal. By targeting the lats, traps, and rhomboids, you’ll develop width, thickness, and definition for a well-rounded physique
We start this meal with pull-ups.
Now real quick just before we start, my name is Shimmy, I’ve been training for 16 years, God that sounds like a lot, was an in-person coach for 9 years and have been an online fitness coach for 3 years. I make content surrounding health and wellness, mostly leaning towards physique improvement, and you never know, you might just see me in Costco buying golden kiwis if they’re fairly priced or at a dog park with no dog to speak of, just for the love of it. My IG is @shimmy93 and my YT is theshimshow. Follow me there because following me around in real life is odd.
shimmy93/Instagram
shimmy93/Instagram
ANYWAY…..
The grip you select w pull ups isn’t too important, as we’re really just pulling all the way up and down, so pick a grip that you like, that offers you no joint pain, and of course that you feel most in your lats.
Now pull-ups aren’t the end all be all like many might have you think, but they’re surely a great vertical pulling option, easy to set up, load, progress, and learn, but sadly of course are incredibly hard to do as they require a ton of strength with perfect technique. What is perfect technique? Watch the video above, I think that hunk of beef explains it.
After pull-ups, we move onto a seated overhand row for the upper back. Now I know, I KNOW, that exercise looks wacky, or cool, depending on how you’re feeling, and most gyms don’t have it. Don’t Keith that though (Keith Sweat, he’s an RNB legend, do your Googles if you’re a rock dweller), you can perform a regular seated overhand row here and it works swimmingly.
Post pull ups and rows, we mosey on over to the rack for some shrugs. Now since we’re only training our traps here, I’d recommend setting the rack settings at a height where your arms don’t hit them at the bottom of the movement pattern but end up hanging JUST above, this way we minimize unnecessary hinging to pick the bar up and put it down. This may seem lazy and pedantic, maybe it is, but if you’re anything like me and train quite often, chances are you need your lower back as fresh as you can keep it, so why waste energy squatting or hinging down to grab the bar?
And that’s it for today.
The Ultimate Back Workout for Size and Strength
Pullups (Vertical Pull)
Sets: 3-4
Reps: 7-10
Rest: 1 minute
Seated Overhead Cable Row (Horizontal Pull)
Sets: 4
Reps: 10-15
Rest: 1 minute
Barbell Shrugs (Trap Isolation)
Sets: 3
Reps: 10-15
Rest: 1 minute
A pretty wide coverage back day if I do say so myself.
Thank you for spending time with me today. I hope to see you on the next one!
