Back workout of the week (BWOW) – Competition Training Kickoff

This week’s back workout captures the commencement of my training for the 2011 USA Powerlifting Masters National Championships. As I’ve stated in earlier editions a strong back is key to your big lifts, particularly those executed in a powerlifting competition – the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Because of this, week one will be a fairly intense workout, although it may not take you to the level of the last workout (smokededness).

BWOW – Week 4:

Goal: Medium Intensity and Volume/Horizontal Pulling

Barbell Row/Dumbbell Row Supersets

  • Warm up to your working set with barbell rows
  • 4 super sets/8 repetitions on barbell rows/rep to failure on dumbbell rows
  • Superset barbell rows and dumbbell rows – perform a set of barbell rows, then supported dumbbell rows no rest period between them
  • On each set, alternate which arm you start with for your dumbbell rows
  • For your barbell rows, select a weight that  you can perform 8 reps without cheating (ie swinging upper body to use momentum to complete the repletion); you should be within 2-3 reps of failure at the end of the set
  • Select dumbbells that you can complete 8 reps with when performing dumbbell rows separately; perform your dumbbell rows to failure
  • Use wrist wraps if necessary to hold the bar and dumbbells
  • Rest 3-5 minutes between sets so that you are fully recovered

Cable  Rows

  • 3 sets/12 repetitions per set
  • You should be within 1 rep of failure at the end of each set
  • Minimize cheating, use little or upper body momentum to complete your reps
  • Squeeze your lats hard and pause for a moment at the top of the movement
  • Rest around 3 minutes between sets so that you are mostly recovered

Upright Rows

  • 3 sets/10 repetitions per set
  • You should be within 2-3 reps of failure at the end of each set
  • If you train your shoulders in a separate workout, you may eliminate this exercise
  • Rest around 3 minutes between sets so that you are mostly recovered

Pull-ups

  • 3 sets/6 reps
  • Perform each set to failure; use spotter assistance or an assisted pull-up machine if you cannot complete 6 reps
  • If you can complete more than 8 reps, complete them with extra weight

Biceps are important to powerlifting as a stabilizer muscle. It helps you to control the weight at your chest during the bench press. For this reason, this week I have two bicep exercises.

Preacher Curls

  • 3 sets/8reps per set
  • Use of the preacher curl should isolate the bicep completely
  • Select a weight that you are within one rep of failure at the end of each set

Standing Hammer Curls

  • 3 sets/8 reps per set
  • Select a weight that you are within 1 reps of failure at the end of each set
  • Minimize movement of the upper body to cheat during the exercise

Coming Attraction: Next week we continue competition training for the USA Powerlifting Masters National Championships.

Free download of this workout:

Back Workout of the Week BWOW4 – Competition Training Week 1

If you want to start at the beginning, you can check out Back Workout of the Week #1 – BWOW1



Back workout of the week (BWOW) – Vertical Pulling Smokdedness

I received this text from a friend last week: “Yo Ken, I was wondering if you could send me an insane back workout plan for today. I want to hit it hella hard on my back, and you’re the man to talk to about it”.

Of course I can, and did, send him an insane back workout plan. I thought that you would love to share his pain, and that it was perfect for this week’s back workout of the week.  Also it is right in line with our training schedule. This week we are going to shift from a basic strength building workout that focuses on horizontal rowing, to a high intensity  workout that emphasizes vertical pulling. That being said, you can blame Jordan for your smokdedness at the end of this one!

BWOW – Week 3:

Goal: High Intensity/Vertical Pulls

Pull-up / Lat Pulldown Supersets

  • Warm up using lat pulldowns
  • Superset Pull-ups and Lat Pulldowns – perform your pull-up set, then lat pulldowns with no break between them
  • Perform at least 6 pull-ups – use spotter assistance, or an assisted pull-up machine if you cannot complete 6 unassisted pull-ups; if you can do more than 6 pullups, perform weighted pull-ups
  • Select a weight that  you can perform 12 reps of lat pulldowns without cheating (ie swinging backwards as you pull the weight down); be aware that these will be much more difficult after pull-ups; you should be within 1 rep of failure at the end of each set
  • Rest 3-5 minutes between sets so that you are fully recovered

Barbell Rows

  • 3 sets/8 repetitions per set
  • You should be within 1 rep of failure at the end of each set
  • Minimize cheating, use as little upper body momentum as possible; if you cannot complete the sets without cheating reduce  your weight
  • Use wrist straps if necessary to hold the bar
  • Rest around 3 minutes between sets so that you are mostly recovered

Barbell Rows – Drop Set

  • 1 drop set/3 rounds
  • Select a weight you can complete about 6 reps without excessive cheating
  • Complete your first round to failure, reduce the weight, and keep rowing with no rest, repeat for your third round
  • Set up your bar so your drops are quick:
    • If your first round is in the 185-300lb range, drop a 25lb plate from each side per round
    • If your first round is under 185lbs, drop a 10lb plate from each side per round
    • Use a spotter on each side to remove the plates quickly between rounds
    • If you’re using wrist straps, don’t unwrap them between rounds

Dumbbell Rows – Supported

  • Each set of dumbbell rows will be to failure, and weight should increase for each set; select the appropriate weights for the following sets:
    • Set 1: 15 reps
    • Set 2: 10 reps
    • Set 3: 8 reps
  • Minimize cheating, use of momentum to complete your reps
  • Use wrist straps if necessary to hold dumbbells
  • Rest around 3 minutes between sets so that you’re mostly recovered
  • Note: if the dumbbells in your gym aren’t heavy enough, I have discovered that you can use chains with dumbbell rows!

Hammer Strength Rows

  • 3 sets/12 reps per set
  • Select a weight that you are within one rep of failure at the end of each set
  • I like the way you can really squeeze the lats at the end of the rep on the hammer strength; squeeze them tightly and pause for a moment on each rep before lowering the weight
  • Your lats and biceps should be burning at the end of each set
  • Rest around 3 minutes per set so that you are mostly recovered
  • If your gym has multiple rowing machines that function at different angles, use a different machine for each set
  • If you don’t have hammer strength at your gym, you can substitute a different rowing machine
  • Finally, if your back and biceps are not completely smoked at this point, perform a drop set for your last set of Hammer Strength rows – this is done just like the barbell row drop set you just did

Standing  Barbell Curls

  • 3 sets/10 reps per set
  • Select a weight that you are within 2-3 reps of failure at the end of each set – note that at this point in the workout, that weight should be embarrassingly small
  • Minimize cheating – bicep curls are meant to isolate your biceps, don’t turn them into an entire upper body workout
  • Don’t curl in the squat rack!!!

Seated Hammer Curls

  • 3 sets/10 reps per set
  • Select a weight that you are within 2-3 reps of failure at the end of each set

For a printable copy of this workout: Back Workout of the Week BWOW-3

Coming Attraction: Next week is my first week in training for the USA Powerlifting Masters National Championships. The next eight weeks of back training will be built around my training cycle for that competition.

Note: I do reserve the right to make up words, such as smokdedness as dictated by the situation.

If you want to start at the beginning, you can check out Back Workout of the Week #1 – BWOW1

 



Back Workout of the Week (BWOW): Week 2 Building Your Back Strength

Last week I introduced you briefly to why training your back is so important (training balance, support your squat, deadlift and bench press, creating the classical ‘V-shaped’ upper body). In my own experience, a heavy emphasis on rowing exercises has led to a very strong bench press (two Washington State records, one USA Powerlifting national meet record, and a gold medal at the IPF masters world championships).
Week 2 training is very similar to week 1. We are still focused on building your strength foundation. Although the overall plan is very similar, we change the exercise selection to prevent your body from adjusting to the stimulus.

BWOW – Week 2:

Goal:Building Your Strength Base

T-bar Rows:

  • Warm up to your working sets
  • 5 sets/4 repetitions per set
  • Select a weight where you are using nearly maximum effort to complete your reps, additional reps would require cheating
  • Minimize cheating – avoid using upper body momentum to complete your reps; one of the reasons to switch from barbell rows to t-bar rows this week to reduce the tendency to cheat on the lift
  • Use wrist straps if necessary to hold the bar
  • Rest between sets should be sufficient to fully recover (3-5 minutes); emphasis is on building strength, not conditioning

Dumbbell Rows – Unsupported:

  • 3 sets/6 reps per set
  • Select a weight where you are using maximum effort to complete the set, you should be unable to complete more than the specified reps
  • While we switched to the t-bar to reduce cheating on your primary exercise, the dumbbell row is performed unsupported to allow slightly more cheating; you should be able to pull more weight than last week when using the bench for support – force your back and biceps to move a little more weight than you normally would during your dumbbell rows
  • Use wrist straps if necessary to hold the dumbbells
  • Rest between sets should be sufficient to fully recover

Hammer Strength Rows:

  • 3 sets/12 reps per set
  • Select a weight where you are using maximum effort to complete the set
  • Pull your elbows straight back and really squeeze your lats tightly to finish each rep; you really want your muscles burning when you finish each set
  • Rest between sets should be sufficient to fully recover

Pull-ups:

  • 3 sets to failure; use spotter assistance or an assisted pull-up machine if you cannot complete 6 reps
  • Pull-ups should be extremely challenging after hammering your back and biceps
  • If you can still complete more than 8 reps, complete your pull-ups with extra weight (and add more weight to your t-bar and dumbbell rows next time you do this workout)

Hammer Curls:
I know we did hammer curls last week, but to quote Louie Simmons (West Side Barbell) hammer curls are “something that should always be done” (Dynamic  Bench Press)

  • 3 sets/10 reps per set
  • As with pull-ups, you will have to drop the weight from your normal bicep workout, your biceps should be spent by now
  • Hammer curls are meant to work your biceps – don’t use your whole body to complete the reps; if you can’t do the work with your biceps drop the weight

Back Workout of the Week BWOW2

If you want to start at the beginning, you can check out Back Workout of the Week #1 – BWOW1



Back Workout of the Week (BWOW): Week 1 – Building the Strength Base

Why is strengthening my back important? To the less educated, a big upper body means large pecs and (unfortunately) large biceps. In fact, your back consists of a larger group of muscles than your chest, and quite frankly it is a massive back that lets you blot out the sun as you step through a doorway.

But that’s not why we emphasize the back at Brute Force. If you read What Is Brute Force, you recall that rule #2 is to follow a balanced training program. Your back (pulling exercises) needs to balance out your pecs (pushing exercises). More importantly a strong back results in bigger lifts.

Bench Press: Your lats are the foundation you press from. Build strong lats and you’ll feel like you’re pressing off a granite table.

Squat: A strong back will help prevent you from crumpling when you hit the hole with a massive load on your back. Although a leg exercise, where does the bar rest during the squat? On your back!

Deadlift: Your back anchors the weight and is the transition point between the weight hanging from your arms and your power base driving down through the floor.

Brute Force approach to back training:

As with other Brute Force workouts, working your back is meant to be simple and straightforward.  Focus is on the horizontal/transverse plane, and emphasis is on your basic compound lifts (again, rule #2) – lots of rows. This workout is intended to maximize the carryover to your bench press.

BWOW – Week 1:

Goal: Building a Strength Base – move as much weight as you can with good form

Barbell Rows/Bent-over Rows:

  • Warm up to your working sets
  • 5 sets/4 repetitions per set
  • Select a weight where you are using nearly maximum effort to complete your reps, additional reps would require cheating
  • Minimize cheating – avoid using upper body momentum to complete your reps
  • Use wrist straps if necessary to hold the bar
  • Rest between sets should be sufficient to fully recover (3-5 minutes); emphasis is on building strength, not conditioning

Dumbbell Rows – Supported:

  • 3 sets/6 reps per set
  • Select a weight where you are using maximum effort to complete the set, you should be unable to complete more than the specified reps
  • Use wrist straps if necessary to hold the dumbbells
  • Rest between sets should be sufficient to fully recover

Cable Rows:

  • 3 sets/6 reps per set
  • Select a weight where you are using maximum effort to complete the set
  • Minimize cheating – rocking back using momentum to complete the reps
  • Squeeze the weight tightly with your back at the top for a moment before lowering it between reps
  • Rest between sets should be sufficient to fully recover

Pull-ups:

  • 3 sets to failure; use spotter assistance or an assisted pull-up machine if you cannot complete 6 reps
  • Pull-ups should be extremely challenging after smoking your back and biceps with 11 sets of rows at a high intensity
  • If you can still complete more than 8 reps, either you are a hero, or you didn’t push yourself hard enough on your rows; in either case do your pull-ups with extra weight

Hammer Curls:

  • 3 sets/10 reps per set
  • As with pull-ups, you will have to drop the weight from your normal bicep workout, your biceps should be spent by now
  • Hammer curls are meant to work your biceps – don’t use your whole body to complete the reps; if you can’t do the work with your biceps drop the weight
Week 1 is just a start. You may not be darkening the doorways yet, but I think you’ll find progress is remarkably quick. Next week we’ll continue building the strength foundation.
BWOW Workout Plan:  Back Workout of the Week BWOW1