Tag: Back Workout
Urs Kalecinski Builds A Powerful Posterior Chain To Prepare For The 2023 Olympia
Urs Kalecinski has arrived in Vienna, Austria to train with coach Stefan Kienzl. He recently posted the video of a back and hamstrings training session under his longtime coach’s guidance and posted the video on his YouTube channel. Urs Kalecinski is a proud representative of the German bodybuilding community. He is a talented professional bodybuilder […]
The post Urs Kalecinski Builds A Powerful Posterior Chain To Prepare For The 2023 Olympia appeared first on Fitness Volt.
Ryan Terry Demolishes A Beastly Back Workout To Prepare For 2023 Olympia
Bodybuilder Ryan Terry is carrying immense drive and motivation in his 2023 Olympia prep. He is dedicating time in getting used to the regimented training and diet plan for the grandest stage of bodybuilding and recently shared a beastly back workout on his YouTube channel.
Ryan Terry is a multi-faceted personality and a renowned professional bodybuilder, fitness model and apparel ambassador from the UK. He emerged on the bodybuilding scene in the early 2010s, winning the Mr. Britain and Mr. International titles. He earned the IFBB Pro card in 2014 and became a contender in the Men’s Physique division of the IFBB Pro League.
The Brit is a five-time Olympia participant and came close to winning the Men’s Physique Olympia title at the 2016 Olympia when he finished second. But he has been a perennial contender and produced top seven finishes in every single one of his Olympia appearances. In 2022, Terry finished seventh at the Olympia to conclude the competitive season.
He is coming off a spectacular win at the 2023 New York Pro in his most recent stage appearance. He defeated the likes of Victor Chaves and Sidy Pouye to bring home the trophy and earn a direct invitation to the 2023 Olympia.
Ryan Terry’s prep for the 2023 Olympia started sixteen weeks out of the show. He is now training to improve from last year’s standing and establish himself as a legitimate threat to Erin Banks’ Men’s Physique Olympia title.
In the most recent video posted on his YouTube channel, Terry annihilated a back workout and gave his competition prep update. So let’s see what Terry’s plan of action is for the next 15 weeks and how he is getting ready to challenge the Men’s Physique division once again.
Ryan Terry gives 2023 Olympia prep update
Ryan Terry was set to welcome a baby three days after the video was recorded. Along with the 2023 Olympia prep, he is occupied with home improvement to make room for the new member of the family.
However, the focus on bodybuilding has remained unwavering. His prep started a week ago. 15 weeks out of the 2023 Olympia, the 34-year-old is not in a very comfortable spot. The first four weeks of the prep are crucial for getting used to a regimented six-meals-a-day diet and adapting to high food intake. It is not a very comfortable spot to be in.
“… Hoping my body composition will change, like, that way I’ll fill up, start to lose a bit of body fat but hold, maintain and even grow muscle in these four weeks,” Terry said.
The concept behind this style of competition prep is to make the body function in a more efficient manner before getting into the 12-week prep where food intake starts to reduce. Terry is currently weighing at 220 lbs. He has lost nearly 5 lbs since the start of the prep and will try to maintain this weight for the next three weeks.
Terry’s physique looks to be at the right stage of development at the moment. His wide lats, bulging shoulders, and quads immediately catch attention as the strongest parts of his physique. However, he admittedly has a lot of work to put in in the next 15 weeks to be able to perform well at the 2023 Olympia.
The British bodybuilder’s back workout
Terry’s current training split includes two back sessions every week. He tries to split the exercises between these two days in such a way that all parts of the back get a sufficient amount of work.
The 2023 New York Pro winner is now emphasizing free weight movements, acknowledging that he neglected them in the past couple of years. Terry hypothesized that the density in his back muscles started to wither away because of that. But once he incorporated them back in training before the 2023 New York Pro and the 2022 Olympia, he saw a massive difference.
The same trend now continues in Ryan Terry’s training routine where he employs a mix of machine and free weight exercises instead of relying solely on machines.
Superset – Weighted Hyperextensions and Deadlifts
Terry started the training session with this superset and explained the reason for including hyperextension as the first exercise.
“I’ve been hitting hyperextensions relatively early but trying to hit them every week. Honestly, I think this has brought a lot of thickness onto my lower back,” Terry said.
Growing age has made it difficult for Terry to do deadlifts in high volume. Hyperextensions have proven to be a great alternative to replace some of that volume. Combining both exercises in a superset is the middle-ground Terry has found. The superset includes 15 reps of weighted hyperextensions followed by 15 reps of simple deadlifts with moderate weights.
“The pump you get off this, makes that exercise, a deadlift, 10 times harder and it is unbelievable the pump you get,” He added.
Terry typically does four sets for 15 reps of each exercise in rapid succession to kick off the back workout.
Superset – High Rows and Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
Rhomboids is admittedly the weakest part of Ryan Terry’s back. He fired up this upper back muscle with high rows with pronated grip to get it at par with other back muscles. He superset this exercise with wide grip lat pulldown with a MAG bar and pushed through all the sets within this superset with high intensity.
T-Bar Rows
The Brit performed a few sets of T-bar rows with variable grips to emphasize different parts of the back muscles. After performing the first set with a wide pronated grip, he switched over to using a close neutral grip for the second set with the same amount of weight. He then increased the weight and repeated the sets with similar techniques.
Terry has had several lower back injuries in the past. Therefore the conventional form where the torso is horizontally aligned with the bar puts his lower back in a weak position. He explained:
“So I’m slightly less bent over where my back is always in that fixed position. So all I’m doing is pulling with my back. You’ve gotta find what’s best for you.”
After dealing with some high intensity T-bar row sets, Terry took to the final exercise of the day.
Bent Over Barbell Rows
The Brit finished the training session with bent over barbell rows. He performed a few solid sets of the exercise to work the major back muscles like latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, infraspinatus, trapezius, and teres muscles. Following this, Terry called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
2023 Olympia will take place from Nov. 2-5 in Orlando, Florida. Having a kid can change the way most people look at life and fill them up with motivation. Ryan Terry seems poised to elevate his career to the next level in 2023. It will be interesting to see how he does at the 2023 Olympia.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Ryan Terry’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 1 August, 2023 | 8:56 AM EDT
Rich Gaspari Shares Tips for Developing Back Thickness with Incline Dumbbell One-Arm Row
Bodybuilding veteran Rich Gaspari has developed a unique eye for the sport since stepping away from the bright lights. He’s known for providing valuable tips based on his years of competing against the best. In a recent Instagram post, Gaspari shared his technique for building the back using the incline dumbbell one-arm row.
Rich Gaspari led a decorated career in the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division with his insane muscle mass, definition, and conditioning. He started his career in the mid-80s and is widely credited for being the first athlete to display glute striations. He proved to be one of the most consistent competitors, racking up three silver medals in a row at Mr. Olympia contests from 1986 to 1988. Although he did not win the Sandow trophy, Gaspari created history by becoming the inaugural winner of the Arnold Classic. His final outing happened at the 1996 San Jose Pro Invitational.
Despite moving on from competition, Gaspari has kept his finger on the pulse of bodybuilding. He took issue with the rampant use of PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs) in female divisions such as Wellness and Bikini earlier this year. He suspected that coaches are to blame as they push clients to take steroids unnecessarily and as a result, risk their health.
Gaspari provided fans with some of his best tips for growing muscle in the lower body three months ago. He encouraged going to failure between 20 and 50 reps and offered techniques for training as hard as possible.
The bodybuilding veteran wants to see changes. Rich Gaspari fired shots at modern competitors for not paying attention to their calf muscle development weeks ago. He gave fans a look into the calf training he did in his days of competing on stage and admitted it was hard to grow the muscle group.
Gaspari has also shed light on the health risks of bodybuilding. He voiced his disapproval of the rise in Trenbolone use and laid out some of the adverse effects of taking the compound which included damage to the liver and the cardiovascular system.
Rich Gaspari Shares Tips for Developing Back Thickness with Incline One Arm Row
In a recent Instagram post, Rich Gaspari shared tips for developing back thickness with incline one-arm rows. He stressed using an incline bench and minimizing any swing in the movement.
“Here is a great way to do your one arm rows and do them strict with no swing,” said Gaspari. “Doing on the incline bench takes out the momentum of doing a DB row and makes them really work middle back thickness.”
Gaspari offered a brutal variation of the sumo squats for building strength in the lower body two months ago. He suggested using an elevated platform to extend the range of motion so as to feel the burn in the glutes.
Rich Gaspari opened up on the techniques he would use to carve out his abs during his prime a few weeks back. Whether it’s hypertrophy or slow-mo reps for muscle growth, Gaspari has a unique understanding of training mechanics following several wars on stage.
If you’re aiming to build a strong and muscular back while minimizing the risk of injury, the single-arm incline dumbbell row is an excellent choice. Whether you’re a beginner focusing on getting the form right or an experienced gym-goer seeking a fresh challenge, this exercise has got you covered.
RELATED: Rich Gaspari, Milos Sarcev Shed Light on Harsh Diuretics and the ‘Cost’ of Dangerous Dehydration
Gaspari is a living legend, who continues to contribute to the sport and its competitors with intense workouts. At 60 years old, he doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
Published: 19 July, 2023 | 10:10 PM EDT
Jay Cutler Shares ‘Ultimate Back-Builder Exercise for Crazy Wide Lats’
Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler possesses a wealth of fitness knowledge stemming from years of competing in the sport. Although he stepped away from professional competition a decade ago, his passion for bodybuilding burns strong. In a recent video uploaded to YouTube, Cutler shared the ultimate back-builder exercise for developing crazy wide lats.
Jay Cutler first gained recognition for his freakish muscle mass, size, and conditioning as a Men’s Open competitor in the 2000s. His fierce rivalry with fellow legend Ronnie Coleman is considered to be one of the greatest in the history of the sport. He fell short of the eight-time Mr. Olympia champion on four occasions until he finally secured the coveted Sandow trophy in 2006. Cutler racked up four Mr. Olympia titles, and three Arnold Classic titles, and hung up his posing trunks with a record six runner-up finishes.
Cutler has maintained a high level of personal fitness post-retirement. He’s working towards transforming his physique as part of the ‘Fit for 50’ challenge. Earlier this year, he left the fans stunned with a shredded physique update and posing session where he weighed 240 pounds.
Cutler regularly educates his fanbase on ways to lead a healthy lifestyle. He offered an arm workout targeting the biceps and triceps for building muscle last month. Next, he laid out tips on carving a ripped midsection with three exercises. He suggested focusing on conditioning the abs rather than trying to build muscle in the area.
The 49-year-old crushed a high-volume lower body workout for optimizing muscle growth last month. He targeted quads and hamstrings in the training session to get ready before his 50th birthday.
Jay Cutler detailed the different types of exercises he’s utilizing to enhance his cardiovascular health and get in shape for the body transformation challenge. He suggested doing cardio while fasting in the morning or after a weight lifting session. Next, Cutler shared that he packed on 15 pounds since starting the challenge and declared his ambitions to get leaner over the next few weeks.
Cutler backed Open standouts Samson Dauda and Derek Lunsford as the favorites in his analysis of the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia two weeks ago. He also extended his support for Andrew Jacked to potentially shock the world with a strong performance.
Jay Cutler Shares His Best Back-Building Exercise for Wide Lats
In a recent YouTube video, Jay Cutler shared pull-ups as the ultimate back-builder exercise for attaining crazy wide lats.
“Is the standard pulldown with a machine the same thing as a pull-up?” said Cutler. “I would say not. I would say the ultimate back-builder you want to build crazy wide lats you got to stick to your pull-ups whether it’s body weight or adding some weight to your body, it depends on how heavy you are. More importantly, there’s nothing that would replace the standard pull-up. You see all the wide backs, all that v-taper, it comes from a wide pulldown movement and that is best done on a pull-up bar.
Not to say pulldowns on a machine don’t work but try to stick to the basics and do your pull-ups in your routine. Just make sure you focus on at least 10 repetitions. I know it gets heavy over time with set after set but remember repetitions are going to get the growth in the lats.”
Jay Cutler gave fans a look into his methods for building huge arms while crushing a heavy-duty workout last week. He went through the exercises that helped him develop 20-inch arms and offered helpful tips. Then, he showed off his insane physique in an impressive update seven weeks out from the challenge.
His latest offering will encourage his fans to try his go-to exercises for building a thicker and wider back.
RELATED: Milos Sarcev and Jay Cutler Talk Big Ramy’s Future: ‘He’s 100% Not Doing 2023 Mr. Olympia’
You can watch the full video below:
Published: 6 July, 2023 | 3:11 AM EDT
Chris Bumstead All Excited To Train In His Private Gym – “Dreams Do Come True”
Chris Bumstead is all set to take his game a notch up with his personalized gym that is nearing completion. In a recent back workout video posted on his YouTube channel, CBum gave a tour of this gym and spoke about the potential benefits of having one for yourself.
Bumstead is the foremost representative of Canadian bodybuilding. He has a global appeal among bodybuilding fans due to his insanely aesthetic physique. Since winning the Classic Physique Olympia title in 2019, CBum has honed his physique further and further to defend his top spot at 2020, 2021, and 2022 Olympia.
While most champions would attempt maximum title defenses in their capacity, CBum has a very clear plan of action. He intends to win only a couple of more Classic Physique Olympia titles and move on from competing. A few other trophies like the prestigious Arnold Classic Physique would have looked good on the champion’s shelf. However, collecting Olympia trophies is the only competitive goal for the 28-year-old.
CBum is currently in the middle of his off-season and making gains before the start of his 2023 Olympia prep. Although he will be a massive favorite heading into the show, CBum will not leave any stone unturned.
Apart from his bodybuilding schedule, Bumstead is working on his new gym. He showed the progress they have made so far before the workout and gave a tour of the gym in making. So without a second’s delay, let’s see how Bumstead is achieving back growth this off-season.
Chris Bumstead shows his personal gym
At the beginning of the video, Chris Bumstead talked about the progress of his personal gym which is being built at the moment. He gave a brief tour of the place and stated that a personal space would really help him focus on training and content creation.
“Everyone has the dream to have their own gym. I didn’t think I would get one because I didn’t think I would ever want to run a gym… Coz I knew a lot of hell went into it and you don’t make a lot of money for it.”
He further stated:
“But I am super grateful right now to be in the opportunity to be able to build it for myself and literally, just like, use it for content and prepping for Olympia. So I think this is going to be something that, really like, puts me on a straight focus drive this year at the Olympia.”
Bumstead can do without the company of a lot of people when he is training. Additionally, he feels a lot more comfortable making videos and talking into a camera when there aren’t many people around. So he expects the training as well as the YouTube content to be far better when his gym becomes operational in a few weeks’ time.
“Super pumped, excited… Dreams do come true. There’s a lot of things I’ve wanted in my life but gym is one of those things where you come her, shut off, put everything away and just kill yourself in the gym,” CBum concluded.
A place customized to meet every personal requirement will definitely add more quality to Bumstead’s training sessions. So the task of dethroning the champ might be a little more difficult for the opponents as Bumstead intends to prep for the 2023 Olympia in his new personal gym. After showing the gym around, Chris Bumstead proceeded to perform the off-season back workout at the local gym.
CBum goes through a back workout
Lat Pulldown
CBum’s workout started with this lat-focused vertical pulling movement. This compound exercise primarily works the latissimus dorsi muscles in the back. It helps build a wide back and imparts that much desired ‘tapering down into the waist’ look as a result.
Bumstead used extremely heavy weights in the first set and tried to control the negative/eccentric phase of the rep as much as he could. He reduced the weight for the second set and paused at the bottom of the first five reps so as to get a good squeeze.
Another benefit of this method was that it helped him make the second set equally difficult in spite of using lighter weights. The 28-year-old felt a good pump in the muscles after ripping both sets and moved on to the second exercise.
Incline Dumbbell Rows
Bumstead next took to this free-weight horizontal pulling exercise. Incline dumbbell rows work all the major pulling muscles in the upper body like latissimus dorsi, teres major, teres minor, trapezius, and biceps brachii. Performing rows on an incline bench uses gravity to maintain focus on back muscles.
Since the person is in an inclined position with chest pressed against the bench, it is not possible to rely on momentum or sway back and forth to pull the weights when the reps get difficult. As a result, only back muscles have to be utilized to lift weights without any assistance.
CBum cranked out a few good sets of incline dumbbell rows and took to another highly effective rowing movement next.
T-Bar Rows
In a world where you were forced to incorporate only one rowing exercise in your training routine, T-bar rows would be your best bet. This compound movement is an effective back builder that enables growth in terms of muscle and strength gain as well as density.
Chris Bumstead warmed up with a couple of sets first. He then got a few heavy sets of T-bar rows under the belt and moved on to the next exercise.
Seated Rows
The Classic Physique Olympia champion took to one more rowing exercise and performed seated rows. He did the exercise on a Prime plate-loaded rows machine to add more stimulus to the back muscles. Seated rows work almost all the muscles in the middle back region and also help with improving upper body posture.
Bumstead demolished some good sets of seated rows and took to a lat pulldown variation next.
Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown
Bumstead took the next stop at the Hammer Strength plate-loaded machine and performed reverse grip lat pulldown. The reverse grip targets more of the lower lats as the upper arms are closer to the body. Additionally, this variation also engages the biceps due to a reverse grip and enables pulling heavier weights in comparison to the traditional lat pulldowns.
CBum performed this exercise maintaining a good tempo and jumped into a cable machine exercise next.
Superset – Banded Cable Lat Pullovers and Barbell Curls
Bumstead finished the back workout with this superset. He mentioned that he is working on improving mobility these days and also explained the reason for performing reverse grip lat pulldown instead of regular grip for the previous exercise.
“Underhand grip pulldown machine because sometimes the pulldown bar breaks my wrist. I am working on mobility. So I am doing 10 sets of superset – biceps curls and lat pullovers. Just going back and forth 10 reps ish… until I die. So hopefully getting a hundred reps of each and then that’s it,” CBum stated.
After pushing through all the sets within this superset in rapid succession and minimal rest periods, Chris Bumstead called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
Chris Bumstead is all set to start the competition prep for the 2023 Olympia soon. Training in his personal gym will definitely help him maintain focus and add more wrinkles to the game. If he stays healthy and continues to increase the training intensity, we will certainly see him wear the Classic Physique Olympia crown for the fifth time.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Chris Bumstead’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 2 July, 2023 | 9:05 AM EDT
Mike O’Hearn Shares Kai Greene-Inspired Back Training for Better Mind Muscle Connection
Mike O’Hearn understands training on a deep level and has possessed a shredded physique for most of his life. In a recent YouTube video, O’Hearn demonstrated two back exercises he learned from Kai Greene for improved mind-muscle connection.
For over 30 years, O’Hearn has been a juggernaut in the training room. He has built a reputation as one of the most dedicated and accomplished fitness personalities of all time. He won the Mr. Universe title as well, but O’Hearn’s talents extend far beyond bodybuilding. He has also been featured in numerous magazines, acted in movies, and even released his own fitness clothing line.
What is perhaps most impressive about O’Hearn is his longevity. At 54 years old, he is still in peak physical condition. He continues to train hard and has shown no signs of slowing down. Mike regularly collaborates with fitness influencers for workouts like Joseph Baena, the son of seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger.
With longevity a top priority for many, O’Hearn doesn’t mind sharing some of his trade secrets. The last time he teamed up with Baena, he led the aspiring actor through a back workout intended to strengthen joints and ligaments. During the training session, Mike said if Joseph followed his guidance, he’d be able to lift like his father well into his 70s.
Mike O’Hearn Shares 2-Exercise Training Routine for Enhancing Back Mind Muscle Connection
O’Hearn performed sets of GHD back extensions and dumbbell pullovers as part of his workout demonstration.
GHD Back Extension
Dumbbell Pullover
While training the back can be a daunting task, O’Hearn underlined its importance for overall longevity. He added that he trains back even when he’s stiff or sore.
“Like Robbie or Arnold or anybody… when you see them doing an exercise, you can see it working. It’s a beautiful thing to see. So hopefully you guys can see exactly where I’m rotating at and where I’m trying to develop. Again, I think I would have incorporated this in so much younger but I just thought it was always such a – that young mentality. The lesser exercise compared to the deadlifts and everything. Yeah, there really is no lesser exercise, they all do something. They all play a part. Here’s rotation and flexing contraction. Three great reasons to do it.”
“I want you guys to know at home if it’s stiff when you wake up, that’s so irrelevant to the day and the workout if your schedule is set up. Our back is sore and stiff. Doesn’t mean we’re not going to train back. We’re just warming up. As soon as your warm-ups are done and you start getting into it, everything loosens up.”
“I would not not force blood into that area. That seems to be what a lot of people think. What’s going on there if I’m not putting any blood into that which I think is a very weak mental state because blood heals. Just keep that in mind when you’re feeling like something is a little stiff when you wake up, we’re all stiff when we wake up.”
According to O’Hearn, he learned these exercise techniques from bodybuilding veteran Kai Greene. During the mid-2000s, Greene was a perennial Mr. Olympia contender who gave seven-time winner Phil Heath all he could handle on stage. Even though Greene never touched a Sandow trophy, he’s well respected for his mass, class, and posing routines.
“I got this one from Kai Greene. He was talking about, sometimes – I don’t want to mislead this – he said for me… to connect to the muscle and I agree with this, this is how I do squats and everything. To connect to the muscle, you can choose an exercise to start with, that’s a hard exercise, by connecting to that muscle using that exercise not fatiguing yourself, it sets you up for a good back workout for guys that maybe can’t connect.
And the back is maybe one of the hardest muscles to connect to. And pull overs is one of the hardest exercises of anything to connect that to the back or to the chest depending on what you’re training,” said Mike O’Hearn.
O’Hearn said he can achieve better mind-muscle connection with a thorough warm-up.
“What I’m trying to do is what Kai Greene talked about is to connect solely with the back and have that great connection between my mind and that muscle today, prior to getting to the workout. I’m not even considering this part of the workout right now. I think that’s and again, it’s a great statement for all you kids. When somebody says well pull overs are a chest exercise, well pull overs are a back exercise, pull overs can be a triceps exercise if you do it incorrectly.”
“My point is just to be focusing on that connection between the back which it’s doing. You’re getting a nice sweat going right now waking up the body especially coming off a leg day like I did. That’s the biggest thing.”
Range of motion is important for O’Hearn but keeping the mind-muscle connection in his back was the main reason he performed this particular workout.
“On this one today for me, I’m just trying to keep it connected to the back. And then the range of motion is – if I feel any hiccups, I’m going to try to work through the hiccups, but I’m feeling nothing like that. What I mean is when I feel like something is holding me back, that’s a red light to me, like an engine light. Wait a minute why is there something going on? But I don’t feel anything like that. So I’m just going a good range of motion and stretching the back.”
Regardless of age, fitness level, or injury, O’Hearn doesn’t miss a chance to impart wisdom to other athletes. Fans last saw him join hands with strongman star Hafthor Bjornsson for a Tom Platz-inspired training session. Mike guided an injured Thor through most of the leg day workout.
After countless hours of training in the gym, O’Hearn has a unique grasp on exercising whether it be for muscle, leanness, longevity, or strength. As for training the back, O’Hearn highly favors GHD back extensions and dumbbell pullovers.
You can watch the full video from the Mike O’Hearn YouTube channel:
RELATED: Mike O’Hearn Joins Hands With Strongman Brian Shaw For A Chest Workout
Published: 24 June, 2023 | 2:43 PM EDT
Nick Walker Teams Up With Tristyn Lee And Jared Feather To Build A Thick Back
Bodybuilder Nick Walker is all set to start his competition prep for 2023 Olympia and get ready take on the top contenders. He revealed the update during a back training session with Tristyn Lee and Jared Feather.
New Jersey native Nick Walker is one of the most talented bodybuilders in the IFBB Pro League’s Men’s Open division. After earning the IFBB pro card by winning the 2020 North American Championships, achieving the Olympia goal has been the singular focus of Walker’s professional life. He made the pro debut with a fourth place finish at the 2020 Chicago Pro. However, 2021 saw him elevate his career to a whole new year. The Mutant earned a direct qualification with a win at the 2021 New York Pro and also won the 2021 Arnold Classic shortly after. Interestingly, both wins came within a year of him earning the Pro card.
Walker surged past many top contenders en route to a fifth place finish at the 2021 Olympia. However, top five was not good enough for him and he took an extended break from competition to improve his physique further. The results showed when Walker dominated the stage alongside Derek Lunsford and Hadi Choopan to secure a third-place finish at the 2022 Olympia. He made a quick turnaround and competed at the 2023 Arnold Classic, finishing second. He is now all set to start the 2023 Olympia prep and go after Hadi Choopan for the most prestigious professional bodybuilding title.
For his recent back training session, Walker Partnered with fitness influencer Tristyn Lee. The 20-year-old shot to fame as a teenager. The shredded physique and immersive social media content have made Lee a popular figure in the YouTube fitness community. In recent weeks, Lee shared an insane 17000-calorie Carnivore Big Mac recipe and also appeared on Seth Feroce’s podcast where he teased bodybuilding ventures in 2024 and also reiterated the claim that he has been natty all his life.
Tristyn Lee and Nick Walker went through the back workout under coach and IFBB Pro Jared Feather’s guidance. So let’s see how this passionate trio of bodybuilders tackled the workout.
Nick Walker goes through a back workout with Tristyn Lee
Walker gave a glimpse of his training routine and spoke about the plan of action before starting with the workout. He said:
“This is almost the start of my Olympia prep. Travelling is now done, to my knowledge at least…”
“I was at the Canada tour, I took about four days off, did like two deload days before so now the body’s nice and fresh. So now we’re just gonna ease our way up in training, progress each week as we do it.”
With that, the team jumped right into the workout and performed every exercise with perfect technique and range of motion.
Cable Pullover
Walker and Lee started the training session with a cable lat pullover to get a ‘good nice stretch, nice warm-up’ for the back muscles before delving into the heavier and complex movements. Jared Feather also performed the workout but he watched others carefully to ensure the duo performed each rep with correct technique.
Feather prefers to be in the most disadvantageous position for the lats at the top of the movement. Therefore he bends down more than usual and lets the arms go high above at the beginning of the rep. He does not allow the elbows to sink down to compensate for the lats either.
“Take a bicep curl for example. People will say you should curl here (slightly closer to the body than perpendicular) because you are in the most advantageous position to produce force because the joints are stacked. But you actually get more out of it (the exercise) when you’re in a disadvantageous position. So it’s very similar to this,” He added.
After demolishing some solid sets of the exercise, the trio moved on to the next exercise.
Smith Machine Rows
The trio next took to the Smith machine variation of bent over barbell rows. Considered as the king of back building exercises, bent over rows primarily target the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, spinal erectors and trapezius muscles. However, they also engage the entire posterior chain of muscles and help with strength and muscle gain. Using the Smith machine eliminates the need to control the weight as the barbell moves along the fixed trajectory. Walker, Lee and Feather performed the exercise with slow and controlled motion. Walker started out light and worked his way up to 275 lbs weight for the top set. Following this, the training partners took to another rowing movement next.
Machine Seated Rows
Walker and team jumped into seated rows on the M-Torture plate-loaded machine next. Seated rows target all the back muscles like latissimus dorsi, spinal erectors, rhomboids and traps. They are an essential exercise to build a thick back. Additionally, seated rows are beneficial in improving the upper body posture. The training partners performed the movement unilaterally to focus on the movement. Feather instructed Walker to move slowly through the eccentric phase of the movement to keep the muscles under tension for a longer duration. After pushing through a few heavy sets of rows, Walker and company wrapped up the training session.
Overall, the workout consisted of following exercises:
The back workout with Tristyn Lee and Jared Feather had relatively fewer exercises than we are used to watching him perform traditionally. However, Walker shed light on Feather’s contribution to his training and spoke about his learnings about training volume.
“Jared helped me a lot with technique again today. Helped me more, you know, in getting the stretch, making sure I’m feeling it in the areas which is, cool. It’s like you realize you don’t need a ton of volume to wreck the muscle. If you directly hit the muscle the way you should be, one or two sets really, you’re good to go,” Walker said after the workout.
Nick Walker has a proven track record of advancing his physique every time he steps on the stage. As he gets ready to start the competition prep for the 2023 Olympia, one can’t help but wonder if this is the year when The Mutant wears the Olympia crown.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Nick Walker’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 23 June, 2023 | 12:26 AM EDT
Derek Lunsford, Samson Dauda Look Huge in Update During 2023 Mr. Olympia Battle Workout
Preparations for the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest are ramping up for Open class talent. In a special Olympia TV production, Derek Lunsford and Samson Dauda gave physique updates and pushed each other with a back workout battle/posedown.
“We’re going to have – we need some intensity guys. This is not going to be a show for powderpuff training. It’s going to be hardcore, I want to see everybody going all-out. I mean this – we got to bring it today. You guys ready?” Cormier said.
Many fans believe the Men’s Open division has never been more exciting. There have also been major shake-ups in the category over the last several months. At the 2022 Mr. Olympia contest, a new hierarchy was established after Hadi Choopan claimed gold. After receiving a special invite for the Open class, former 212 Olympia Derek Lunsford proved himself with a second-place finish. This event also served as Samson Dauda‘s Mr. Olympia debut where he placed sixth.
While Lunsford decided to sit out the 2023 Arnold Classic, Dauda had other plans. With momentum from Las Vegas, Dauda brought his best to Columbus, Ohio, and ultimately defeated finalists Nick Walker and Andrew Jacked to claim gold. Veterans and figureheads of the sport took notice of his Mr. Olympia-winning potential. Athletes rep Bob Cicherillo has gone on record saying that Choopan’s biggest threats are Lunsford and Dauda.
Ronnie Coleman, a name that carries a lot of weight in the IFBB Pro League, has suggested that Lunsford will become the next Mr. Olympia champion. He specified that the former 212 winner will likely dethrone Choopan later this year. When tasked with choosing his favorite bodybuilder of this generation, Coleman said it was a tie between Lunsford and Dauda.
Meanwhile, Nick Walker, who also aims to win Mr. Olympia, doesn’t see Dauda as a concern despite losing to him in March. In ‘The Mutant’s’ opinion, the next Sandow trophy will be awarded to himself or Lunsford, depending on who brings better improvements in November. Though, for Samson Dauda, he has never been more confident, and believes with a bigger back, he can become the number one bodybuilder in the world.
Derek Lunsford, Samson Dauda Give Physique Updates & Test Limits with Back Workout Battle
Led by Chris Cormier, Lunsford, and Dauda pushed each other through a series of back workouts. Lunsford believes his back is currently better than Dauda’s. Samson, on the other hand, said he would have won the 2023 Arnold Classic even if Lunsford entered the contest.
“Yeah man, I mean back has always been my strong point. So, I figured we’d get in here today and have some fun,” said Lunsford. “Like I said, I think my back shots are my strong points, so as of right now, I would say yes [my back shots will beat Samson Dauda at 2023 Olympia] and I’m prepared to improve it for this year.”
“Bodybuilding is judged on more than just a back shot right, it’s about who is the most complete and that’s what I bring. At the same time, I know I can learn a thing or two like I’ve always done in the past, I’ve taken my opponent’s strengths and made them my own, and use the same strengths to beat them,” said Dauda. “Oh yeah [if Derek Lunsford was at the 2023 Arnold I would have beat him] damn right. I don’t back down for no one.”
Cormier predicted that there would be palpable tension during the training session since they share the same goal of wanting to become Mr. Olympia.
“I think they’re going to have to show each other who is going to be the more dominant competitor on stage. And I think it’s all going to start right here with Olympia Battle 3. I think my man [Samson Dauda] is large and in charge and I think being second at the Olympia [for Derek Lunsford] there’s going to be some tension today,” Chris Cormier said.
Find their full back workout list below:
Lat Pulldown Machine – 4 sets
Barbell Rows – 5 sets
Seated Cable Row Machine – 4 sets
Stiff Arms Pulldown Aka Straight Arms – 4 sets
Chest Supported Low Row Machine – 4 sets
“That’s the bodybuilding mentality,” Lunsford shared. “This is fun for me to come out here, train with the Arnold Classic champion Samson. It’s a big back day.”
“This is the off-season. This is bodybuilding. This is a big man’s game,” said Dauda.
Following the workout, Lunsford and Dauda removed their pump covers for a posedown. They both hit mandatory poses on command before ending the battle.
Even though Choopan hasn’t been competing in the U.S. or guest posing doesn’t mean he’s not attacking his off-season with a chip on his shoulder. Last week, ‘The Persian Wolf’ gave fans a sneak peek into the off-season physique he’s been building. In addition, Choopan continues to push himself with heavy workouts posted on Instagram.
As for Derek Lunsford, he joined his coach Hany Rambod for The Truth Podcast recently. They sat down to discuss anxiety, depression, and obstacles in the way of his 2023 Mr. Olympia prep. Despite some setbacks during the off-season, Lunsford assured his fans that ‘everything is good’ as he eyes the next stage of his preparations.
Many believe Lunsford and Dauda cemented themselves as Mr. Olympia favorites during the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro guest-posing event. Given their dedication and work ethic, fans look forward to seeing how they fare in Orlando, Florida this November.
RELATED: Samson Dauda, Milos Sarcev Say Back Thickness Key to Defeating Hadi Choopan: ‘No Breaks from Training’
You can watch the full video from the Olympia TV YouTube channel below:
Published: 21 June, 2023 | 11:28 AM EDT
Michal Krizo Endures a Punishing Back Workout 3 Weeks From 2023 Empro Classic Pro Spain
Bodybuilder Michal ‘Krizo’ Krizanek is pushing his limits to bring home the 2023 IFBB Empro Classic Pro Spain trophy. The event is an Olympia qualifier, and Krizo will look forward to securing the direct invitation to the 2023 Olympia with a statement win at the show.
Krizo is a Slovakian bodybuilder that has captured the imagination of bodybuilding fans and emerged as a hot prospect in the Men’s Open division of the IFBB Pro League. After making a name for himself with a series of dominant performances in the IFBB Elite Pro League, Krizo switched to NPC to kick off his Olympia campaign. He became an instant sensation due to his massive and aesthetically appealing physique, musculature, and insane vascularity.
Krizo earned his IFBB Pro card with a thumping victory at the 2022 Amateur Olympia Italy and returned to the stage a few weeks later to compete at the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro. Although he won the pro debut and secured a direct qualification to the 2022 Olympia, the Slovak’s conditioning was heavily criticized.
He returned to the drawing board and worked hard to perform on the grandest stage of bodybuilding. Krizo finished 12th at the 2022 Olympia and admittedly failed to beat the most elite competitors the Men’s Open division had to offer.
However, he is now training hard to secure the second Olympia qualification of his Pro career within a year of turning pro. Under bodybuilding coach Alexander Hlobik’s watchful eye, Krizo performed an intense back workout to build his back. So without further delay, let’s see how the coach guided Krizo through the training session.
Michal Krizo goes through a back workout
Assisted Pull-Up
Krizo started the training session with this machine exercise. The pull-up is an excellent compound movement that helps improve upper body strength and muscle mass. While it is an advanced movement, a professional athlete like Krizo is expected to perform the exercise unassisted. However, the application of assisted pull-ups goes beyond just the inability to perform them unassisted.
Assisted pull-ups take the momentum out of play and help focus more on the back muscles. The two-time 212 Olympia champion Shaun Clarida is one of the huge proponents of performing assisted pull-ups over regular bodyweight pull-ups.
Krizo performed a few sets of assisted pull-ups under coach Hlobik’s guidance and got the blood flowing into the muscles for the heavy workout that followed.
Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown
The 2022 EVLS Prague Pro winner performed the reverse-grip lat pulldown as the next compound exercise of the day. A reverse grip engages the lower lats more since the arms are closer to the body. Additionally, you tend to pull the weight using your biceps, which allows you to lift more weight.
Krizo got a few sets of reverse-grip lat pulldowns under his belt and followed his coach to the next exercise.
Seated Row
Coach Hlobik instructed Krizo to perform the seated rows next, and he did this exercise to work the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, and erector spinae muscles. After doing some solid sets of rows, Krizo moved on to the next exercise.
Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded Low Row
Krizo took to the low rows on an iso-lateral plate-loaded machine next. Low rows work the rhomboid, lower trapezius, and latissimus dorsi muscles in the back. Focusing on these muscles is important not only for athletes but also for an average person who spends long hours at his work desk every day. (1) Together, the target muscles of low rows are important for maintaining a good upper body posture.
The mass monster performed a few unilateral sets of this exercise and jumped into the next exercise.
Reverse Pec Deck Fly
Posterior deltoids, or rear delts, are a small muscle group on your back. It is one of the most difficult muscles to activate as there is always a possibility that more dominant muscles like lats and rhomboids might take over the movement. Reverse pec deck flyes are one exercise that can target the rear delts effectively. Krizo got a few sets of this movement under the belt and went on to perform the next exercise.
Neutral-Grip Unilateral Lat Pulldown
This lat movement on a plate-loaded machine followed next. The close grip heavily stimulates the upper back muscles and rhomboids and also emphasizes arms and biceps brachii.
After pushing through some heavy sets of the movement to fatigue the lats and upper back muscles, the Slovakian bodybuilder moved on to the day’s final exercise.
Bent-Over Straight Arm Pulldown
Krizo put an end to his workout with this lat-building exercise. In addition to building the lat strength and size, straight arm pulldowns also increase scapular strength and stability. It is essential to maintain a safe lifting posture. (2) Apart from the lats, this exercise also works the posterior deltoid, teres major, and triceps muscles.
The 2022 EVLS Prague Pro winner annihilated some sets of bent-over straight-arm pulldowns with rope attachment to add the last bit of stimulus to the back muscles. Following this, he called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
Krizo will look forward to elevating his career to the next level in the 2023 competitive season. Empro Classic Pro Spain will take place on June 18th. It will be interesting to see how he paves the way to the top of the Men’s Open division.
You can watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Michal Krizo’s YouTube channel:
Published: 30 May, 2023 | 9:01 AM EDT
Derek Lunsford Goes Through Title-Worthy Back Workout With Chris Bumstead
Bodybuilders Derek Lunsford and Chris Bumstead are in the absolute prime of their physical and mental abilities. The duo are working hard to extend their competitive legacy under famed bodybuilding coach Hany Rambod’s guidance. Recently, they went through an off-season back workout to get ready for this year’s conquests.
Lunsford is an American professional bodybuilder that made a switch to the IFBB Pro League’s Men’s Open division in 2022. Prior to that, he competed in the 212 division and achieved the ultimate goal of winning the 212 Olympia title in 2021. However, the 30-year-old grew out of the division. Upon receiving the special invitation to compete in the Men’s Open division at the 2022 Olympia, the former 212 kingpin got in the gym to put in the work.
At 2022 Olympia, Lunsford dominated the stage and surged past elite competitors like former 2-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay, Nick Walker and Samson Dauda to secure a runner-up finish.
Lunsford’s training partner in this session, Chris Bumstead, is a Canadian IFBB Pro bodybuilder and arguably the most famous active bodybuilder in the world. CBum has established himself as the most successful competitor in the history of Classic Physique division with four consecutive Olympia wins. Since snatching the title from former champ Breon Ansley at the 2019 Olympia, CBum has fended off fierce competition to retain it at the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Olympia.
Both men have handed the reins of their training to famed coach Hany Rambod who is their head coach. Recently, they trained back under his guidance and the video of this session was posted on Lunsford’s personal YouTube channel. So without much ado, let’s see how Hany Rambod guided his pupils through the workout.
Derek Lunsford and Chris Bumstead go through the back workout
Derek Lunsford had to guest pose at the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro on the day of this back workout. As a result, he kept the workout relatively light and did not go overly heavy.
“Not gonna go crazy today because we’re doing the guest posing tonight. It’s not like we’re changing anything as far as the diet or workout… Nothing like that. We’re just gonna go in there and have fun tonight but also not trying to fill the stomach up a lot…” Lunsford said.
Iso-lateral Lat Pulldown
Rambod instructed CBum and Lunsford to start the training session with lat pulldown on an iso-lateral plate-loaded machine. He suggested using a reverse grip for the first few sets and switching over to the neutral grip for the subsequent sets.
Lat Pulldowns primarily target the latissimus dorsi and the upper back muscles. It is a great way to increase the back width. According to an ACE sponsored study, lat pulldowns, along with seated cable rows, are the second best exercise for lats after pull-ups and chin-ups (1). Lunsford and CBum pushed through a few sets of lat pulldowns to get things started and took to the next exercise.
T-Bar Rows
Lunsford and Bumstead then moved over to this classic back building exercise and cranked out a few sets. Bodybuilding experts swear by the muscle and strength building benefits of this movement. T-bar rows work the majority of the muscles in the upper and the middle back. This includes latissimus dorsi, trapezius, teres major, teres minor, posterior deltoid and infraspinatus muscles. Additionally, T-bar rows also work the brachialis and pectoralis major muscles as well.
Hany Rambod shed light on some of the common technical errors people make while doing the exercise and stated:
“What you’ve got to make sure is you’re pulling all the way… A lot of people just end up doing a really weird version of a shrug when they use heavy weight. Make sure that you’re being able to bring your elbows back and you’ll be able to contract your last to some degree. If you end up using too much weight, all you’re doing is a shrug.”
The bodybuilder duo performed some solid sets of T-bar rows with perfect technique before taking up the next exercise.
Seated Cable Rows
Seated cable rows not only help with muscle and strength building but also help improve the posture. CBum and Lunsford annihilated a few sets of seated cable rows under Coach Rambod’s watchful eye and took to the next exercise.
Incline Dumbbell Rows
This free weight exercise served as the finisher to Lunsford and Bumstead’s back workout. Incline dumbbell rows help emphasize more on the back muscles as the setup takes the need for muscle stabilization out of equation (2). The duo performed this exercise to stimulate the back muscles further and called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
Derek Lunsford’s physique looked stage ready and massively improved during guest posing at the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro. Experts suggest that he can beat reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan if he brings fuller pecs and quads. Looking at his progress in the gym, it does seem like he is a step closer to the goal for sure.
Watch Derek Lunsford and Chris Bumstead go through the back workout here, courtesy of Derek Lunsford’s personal YouTube channel:
Reference
What is the Best Back Exercise? (ACE Sponsored Research)
(Authors – Holly Edelburgh, John P. Porcari, Clayton Camic, Attila Kovacs, Carl Foster and Daniel J. Green)
14 Best Back Exercises to Build the Perfect Back
(Author – Jeremy Ethier)
Published: 24 May, 2023 | 3:28 AM EDT