Back Contraction and Scapular Control for a Bigger Bench

One of the things I’ve been working on really hard the last few weeks is intensifying the contraction of my lats and the scapular musculature when performing Rows and Presses, in order to improve my back development and increase pressing power.

By doing so, my Barbell Bench Press has never felt better, and it’s almost completely pain free right now, for my shoulder.

I recently shot a video to help understand what I’ve been working on, and the feeling I’m going for when performing a lot of my Row movements.

There’s a million ways to do this, and one way is with Recline Rows, which we just happened to be doing recently.

Shoulder Blades Into Your Pickets

This video also talks about the idea of Shoulder Blades Into Your Pockets. This is exactly what I’m trying to do whenever I do a Seated Row, a Pull-down, and many other pulling/rowing movements.

I think if you try to implement this kind of contraction when you Row, you’ll gradually develop a better mental connection between your lats and scapular muscles, and this will lead a much more stable and stronger Bench Press.

If you have any questions on this, please leave a comment below, and make sure to subscribe to my youtube channel.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

This past Thursday, Luke and I used Thick Bar Handles for just about everything on our Back Day, please we went pretty darn heavy, as well.

Here’s how the workout went:

Rolling Thunder Pull-ups with Weight Added – 3 sets of 3

Luke (203lbs) went with a 24-kg kettlebell added

Jedd (255lbs) went with 90lbs in plates added

I had to re-grip for all my 3rd reps. We also threw in some holds at the top of some of the reps.

Narrow Handle Thick Grip Pull-downs

We worked up to 305lbs and did 6 to 10 reps per set. These were extremely heavy, and resulted in some partial reps, as well as holds. We focused on controlling the weight, not throwing it.

Thick Handled Loadable Dumbbell Rows

I used a plate loadable handle with a 2.5″ grip. I started with 165lbs, then dropped it down to 150lbs.

Luke used the 120lb shot loadable dumbbell. Aimed for 5 reps per hand. We did 3 work sets.

Banded Straight Arm Lat Pulls

These might have a different name, but I’m drawing a blank. They hit your lats, teres major, posterior deltoids, rhomboids, and your glutes & hamstrings as well. They’re VICIOUS. 4 sets. 2 with black bands, 2 with purple bands.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

I wanted to share this workout with you that I did last Friday morning.

This was the second time I’ve done it (with just a couple of modifications), and I’m telling you, this workout is awesome.

It involves 4 separate blocks (A,B,C,D), each with 3 exercises (1,2,3), done with minimal rest between sets for a maximized pump and engorgement of the muscles.

If you’re not familiar with the exercises, watch this video:

Big Back Workout

A1. Pull-ups – 3×10
A2. Dips – 3x 10-20
A3. Ab Wheel – 3×10

B1. Pull-downs – 3×10-12
B2. Front Laterals – 3×10
B3. Crucifix – 3x15sec

C1. Reverse Curl – 3×8-12
C2. Prone Pull-downs – 3×12-15
C3. Band Face Pulls – 3×15

D1. Unilateral Pull-aparts – 3x10each side
D2. Belly Pull-ups – 3×5
D3. Chain Hammer Curls – 3×15

As you’ll notice, there’s a lot more than “Back” exercises in there. I had to modify this workout quite a bit because my Chest/Shoulder/Biceps workout got interrupted last week, and I wasn’t able to get my Biceps or Deltoid work in. I added these in where I’d normally have my other Triceps exercises (I only did one pure Triceps exercise, Dips).

I’m gonna be straight up with you here – you can’t mess around between sets with this workout, or you won’t get it all done.

A lot of people will not be able to get this workout done inside of an hour, like my buddy Mark and I did.

In fact, a lot of people are not in shape enough to do all of this PERIOD, let alone inside an hour.

If you can’t finish the workout, don’t worry about it. Work on it.

We’ve been training this way for a while, and while it’s intense, I truly feel this is a great way to train, especially on days when you don’t have strength-specific work (requires longer rest periods), and are only looking at building slabs of muscle all over your body.

Like I said, if you don’t know the exercises, check out this video, because all of them but 2 are in there:

Any questions, please let me know.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

P.S. I just completed something I worked on all last week. It’s a complete Catalog Page of all my products, many of which you might never have heard of, so I wanted to share it with you: Full Diesel Product Catalog

Many of the prices on that page are newly reduced, so be sure to check them out.

Last year, in May, I performed a Strongman Show during the Bodybuilding Contest at the Empire Classic Fitness Expo in Spokane, Washington.

I also assisted with several other events that were part of the Expo, including a Strongman contest, and that’s where I met Luke Ehlis, one of the competitors in the Strongman Contest.

Luke had been a bodybuilder prior to the Strongman Comp, and I was extremely impressed with his prowess in Strongman.

Let’s face it – you don’t often see competitive bodybuilders who are able to crossover in Strongman competition and excel, but Luke did.

What’s even more impressive, to me, about Luke is that he trains primarily in his garage, not some giant warehouse gym, not some fancy fitness center, but his own garage gym at his home.

I’ve stayed in touch with Luke since the contest and have an interview with him planned, and since then, I’ve enjoyed watching Luke’s videos on Instagram and Facebook, because the dude is an innovator.

One of the things I saw him do recently was what I refer to as a Pendulum Row. In a recent video, he attached a Bar to his Reverse Hyper device, and used the hanging weight as the resistance for his Bent Over Rows.

I thought that was awesome, because I knew it would feel completely different from a regular Bent Over Row.

This past weekend, my lifting partner, Lucas Raymond, and I got the chance to try out these Pendulum Rows, and they are KILLER!

Build Your Back with Pendulum Rows

These are so stinkin’ Intense, brotherrr! The swinging action of the Reverse Hyper makes the weight pull away from you at the highest point of the Row. What I was trying to do was to get a good, solid pause at the top of the movement, but it was HARD!

To challenge our grip more, we used the FBBC Crusher, which is a free-spinning thick bar handle, much more difficult to use than the Rolling Thunder, plus, we were flexing our wrist into a partial gooseneck position, which made these even more difficult to do.

I’m telling you right now, these are a WINNER for your back training. The way you have to brace your core on these is just plain sinister. You feel them BIG TIME in your back. Try them if you dare.

Stay tuned for an interview with Luke Ehlis, as soon as I can get my act together.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

P.S. August of Arms is coming. GET READY.

P.P.S. If you want even more cool ideas to build a bigger upper back and thicker set of traps, check out YOKETOBER: