Most of my workouts include a heavy powerlifter-esque movement followed by accessories and functional movements for hypertrophy, muscle and joint health, and building up weak points.

I also want to note some of my biggest strength gains have come after stepping away from these types of workouts for a bit and doing full body workouts that build up my smaller stabilizer muscles and condition my central nervous system.

With that said here are 4 pull workouts for a bigger and stronger back.

Note for those not familiar. A number followed by ‘x’ followed by another number ex. 3 × 10, is saying 3 sets with 10 reps per set.

1. Deadlift Workout

This workout is extremely taxing on the CNS, not recommended for beginners and even some intermediate level lifters, and I wouldn’t recommend doing it more then once every week and a half.

Deadlifts: 1 heavy single Followed by 4 × 8.

Pause Deadlifts: 3 × 5.

Barbell Shrugs 3 × 10.

Pendley Rows 3 × 10.

Pull ups 3 × 8 - 12 (use weight if necessary)

2. Strength and Size

This is essentially the type of workout I was talking about in the intro.

Deadlift: 5 × 5

Pullups: 3 × 8-10 (use weight if necessary)

Single arm dumbbell row: 3 × 10

Close grip Lat pull down: 3 × 12

Close grip seated cable row: 3 × 12

Cable Lat pull over: 4 × 12-15

Face pulls: 3 × 15

3. Power and Size

I’ve always hated doing bent over barbell rows (in all forms). But lately I’ve been enjoying Pendley rows which are a great way to build power. This is a chiller workout with less exercises and more about maximizing good movements.

Pendley Rows: 4 × 6

Pull ups: 4 × 8 (should be decent challenge add weight if necessary)

Seated cable row: 3 × 10

Single arm Lat pull downs: 3 × 12 each side

(try to get full stretch by leaning to opposite side while at full extension)

Cable Lat pullovers: 4 × 12-15

4. Bulletproof Back

This one includes three exercises I learned from Ben Patrick (Knees over toes guy) I highly recommend you check him out. I am going to type out the workout then put the explanations on how to do the movements at the bottom.

Pull ups: 4 × 8 (add weight if necessary)

Jefferson curls: 3 × 10

Seated cable row: 3 × 10

Reverse Y-Flys: 4 × 12

Side hyperextensions: 3 × 15 per side

Weighted hyperextensions: 3 × 20

Jefferson Curls:

Before you get scared because of some old wives tales saying deadlifting and using your back is dangerous. You need to realize the reason people injure their backs (most of the time) is because they avoid using it. So it atrophies and becomes weak. Then they pick something up and use it beyond it’s capabilities.

Specifically people tend to avoid spinal flexion and injure themselves when loading their back in that position.

Imagine walking up to a barbell with 185 and giving it your all to cheat curl that. Your likely gonna get injured. However if you train for it eventually you’ll be able to curl that without injuring yourself.

The Jefferson curl is the perfect way to bulletproof you lower back against injury.

Assuming you do it properly and put your ego aside (goes for all lifts).

Here’s a good video.

Please practice the technique before loading this exercise.

Reverse Y-Flys:

I wasn’t able to find a video of just this exercise however if you watch the short video below it is the third exercise and the one in the thumbnail.

A key point of this exercise is to not shrug you shoulders up but rather have them relaxed.

Also I personally prefer to set up a bench at the same angle as a hyperextension and sit facing the back rest instead of doing these on the hyperextension. Especially since this workout includes hyperextensions.

Side Hyperextension:

As the name suggest do a hyperextension but on either side.

Your front leg should be the leg closest to the hyperextension.

Wrapping it up:

Try these out your next pull day.

See what works for you and adapt it to your goals and personal weak points.

You’ll notice I didn’t add in any bicep movements.

I honestly have always found doing arms boring and don’t have a goal of getting huge arms.

So I’m content with the stimulus I get from all the pulling. However I’ll throw in a quick 3 sets here and there as I feel like it.

Again adapt these to yourself.

Until next time.

-Xan