“Bodybuilding shows are won from the back” is an adage most bodybuilding enthusiasts are familiar with. This expression rings true across all divisions — Men’s Open, Classic Physique, Women’s Open, and even Bikini. Competitors must have a thick, wide, and diced back with a V-taper that furthers the illusion of wide shoulders and a tight waist.
Erin Stern’s back helped her win two Figure Olympia titles (2010 and 2012). Despite transitioning to the Bikini division in 2020, the veteran bodybuilder approaches her back workouts with utmost dedication. On June 21, 2023, Stern took to her YouTube channel to share her six favorite exercises to “build an impressive back.” Check it out below:
[Related: 7 Exercises Jeff Nippard Uses to Build His Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps]
Erin Stern’s Back Workout
Here are the six exercises Stern performed in her back workout:
- Head-Supported Dumbbell Row
- Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
- Cable V-Bar Row
- Sideways Single-Arm Pulldown
- Dumbbell Pullover
- Face Pull
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Head-Supported Dumbbell Row
Stern opened with head-supported dumbbell rows on an incline weight bench set at a 45-degree angle. This setup allows her to stabilize her torso parallel to the floor. Setting the forehead on the edge of the incline bench prevents swinging of the torso during the movement, allowing the lifter to maintain the tension in the lats
[Read More: Best Upper Chest Exercises for Building Muscle]
Stern grabbed the dumbbells with a neutral grip and pulled them to her chest while driving through her elbows. She finished with her elbows above her back at the top of each rep.
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
The former Figure Olympia champ employed a two-step technique while performing wide-grip lat pulldowns to help establish a better mind-muscle connection. She initiated the movement by pulling her shoulder blades back and down, then pulled the bar to her upper chest by driving her elbows toward the floor. She paused and contracted her lats at the bottom before returning to the start position.
Stern grabbed the bar with a wider-than-shoulder-width overhand grip and maintained an upright torso throughout the movement.
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[Related: The 5 Best Lower Lat Exercises for a Denser Back]
Cable V-Bar Row
Stern leaned forward slightly to increase the range of motion without leaning back during the concentric. Doing so would remove tension from the lats. Stern pulled the V-bar handle to her midsection while pulling her elbows behind her torso. She paused and squeezed her lats at the top of each rep.
Sideways Single-Arm Pulldown
Stern performed this exercise seated sideways on a lat pulldown machine with a D-handle. She opined the unique movement trajectory of this exercise can help build a wider back.
Stern performed this unilateral exercise to fix strength imbalances, which can help improve symmetry. Her upper arm was next to her ear at the starting position. She pulled the bar down to her side in an arc while driving through her elbow to shorten the lat.
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[Related: 3 Training Rules Taken From Bodybuilding Legend “Hercules”]
Dumbbell Pullover
Stern implements the dumbbell pullover to add width to her back. She maintained a slight bend in her elbows through her full range of motion. The dumbbell was a few inches off the floor when the lats are fully lengthened. To ensure the tension stayed on the lats, Stern does not let her elbows flare out.
Face Pull
Face pulls focus on the rear deltoids, trapezius, and upper back muscles. Stern set the pulley at face height and grabbed the rope attachment with an overhand grip. She kept the rope handle pulled apart throughout each rep and pulled it as close to her face as possible while driving her elbows to her sides. Stern paused and contracted her rear delts at the top of each rep.
Looking Ahead
At the time of this article’s publication, Stern is not yet qualified for the 2023 Olympia, though she holds a lifetime invite in the Figure division as a former champion. At the 2022 Bikini Olympia, she ranked outside the top 15, though she ranked 15th in 2021. The 2023 Olympia is scheduled for Nov. 2-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL.
Featured image: @2x_ms_olympia on Instagram
