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Last Updated on January 7, 2021
Traditionally, rowing exercises have long been known for building thick backs and this move is no exception. The heavy pull blasts the lats as well as the other depth-building muscles of your middle back including your teres major and minor. Meadows recommends slightly kicking your hips away from the bar and emphasizing the stretch, you will feel this in the lower lats.
Instead of counting reps, pick a weight you could do 15 reps with. Start with your weakest arm by performing as many reps as possible in one minute, emphasizing stretch and technique; rest one minute and match this number of reps on the stronger arms. Rest one minute, then do the same thing for 45 seconds on the original arm; rest 45 seconds and follow suit on the weaker arm. Rest 45 seconds and the final set on the strong arm go for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds and finish for 30 seconds on the weaker arm.
3. STRAIGHT-ARM PULLDOWNS
In some pulling movements, the limiting factor is the biceps. Because they are involved and they fatigue before the back, straight-arm pulldowns are an isolation movement that work great for building back width and circumventing the biceps.
We are going to do this movement for two minutes straight! Pick a weight you can do 15-20 reps with. You are going to do three reps, slow and controlled and after the three reps are complete hold the weight in the top position emphasizing the stretch for five seconds. Repeat the process and do this for two minutes.
This move may be more width-first in your mind but after the heavy work early in the workout, these pulldowns will help to finish off your lats and flush them full of blood. To get a little extra depth-building “kick,” focus on trying to pull your elbows back and up at the bottom. Envision pulling the bar “through” your body for a little extra engagement of the middle back.
THE ROUTINE
|
Exercise |
Rest Interval | Intensity | Sets | Reps | Time |
|
Deadlift |
60 seconds | 8-10RM | Max | 1-5 |
12 min. |
|
Meadows Row |
60, 45, 30 Seconds | 15RM | 3 | Max |
— |
|
Straight-Arm Pulldown |
— | 15-20RM | Max | 3 |
— |
Josh Bryant, MFS, CSCS, PES, is the owner of JoshStrength.com and co-author (with Adam benShea) of the Amazon No. 1 seller Jailhouse Strong. His new book, Built to the Hilt, is now available at Amazon and EliteFTS. He is a strength coach at Metroflex Gym in Arlington, Texas, and holds 12 world records in powerlifting. You can connect with him on Twitter and Facebook or visit his website at www.joshstrength.com.
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