A sculpted, muscular back enhances a physique’s aesthetics and can boost functionality and posture. In bodybuilding, a time-honored adage states, “Bodybuilding shows are won from the back.” This underlines prioritizing back training for aspiring, amateur, and elite bodybuilders. But what kind of programming does a top-tier bodybuilder use to build their back?
On Feb. 3, 2024, four-time Mr. Olympia champion Jay Cutler published a video on his YouTube channel, sharing a workout and tips for sculpting a barn door back (i.e., hypertrophy, hypertrophy, hypertrophy). Check it out below:
Cutler revealed that back workouts, following leg workouts, are his second favorite training day. His least favorite is arms. Cutler hit the gym after eating three meals and downing a pre-workout shake:
Jay Cutler’s Back Workout
- Reverse Lat Pulldown — Five sets (Two warm-ups, Three working)
- Plate-Loaded Machine Pullover — Three sets
- Lat Pulldown — Three sets
- T-Bar Row — Three sets
- Incline Dumbbell Row — Three sets
- Seated Cable Row — Three sets
- Deadlift — One set
[Related: Nick Walker’s First Back Training Day En Route to the 2024 New York Pro]
[Related: Jeff Nippard Ranks the Best and Worst Back Exercises for Muscle Growth]
Reverse Lat Pulldown & Plate-Loaded Machine Pullover
An underhand grip enables Cutler’s superior lat contractions compared to a pronated variation. Thicker and wider lats improve the front double bicep pose, which is a staple pose for Men’s Open competitors. Cutler performed a pair of feeder sets followed by three working sets of reverse lat pulldowns. A trio of working sets on machine pullovers further loaded the lats:
I’m pulling with the elbows like I’m doing the Christmas tree [pose].
Cutler stressed the significance of learning through observation and experimentation, recalling his early days in the gym when social media and online tutorials were nonexistent.
Lat Pulldown & T-Bar Row
The 50-year-old Cutler performed three sets of lat pulldowns in the 10-12 rep range. He progressed each rep through his full range of motion, stopping just shy of full elbow extension to maintain constant tension on the lats.
Cutler opened with 90 pounds on the machine T-bar rows, performing his final set with 115 pounds. He emphasized the importance of mind-muscle connection to appreciably contract the lats to their fully shortened position to promote hypertrophy. (1)
Cutler favors the standing T-bar row machine over the chest-supported variant. “[Standing T-bar row] is one of the hardest back exercises,” said Cutler, who has to maintain his torso at 45 degrees while pulling the elbows in tight to load his middle and upper back.
Incline Dumbbell Row & Seated Cable Row
The Massachusetts native set an incline bench at 45 degrees and positioned his lower chest over the edge of the back pad. He grabbed the J-bells with a pronated grip and externally rotated his wrists on concentrics, retracting his scapula at the top of each rep, and paused.
Cutler employed a shoulder-wide grip on seated cable rows. He pulled the bar to his belly button, driving through his elbows to bias the lower lats.
Deadlift
Cutler highlighted the importance of balancing the number of sets and reps with the weight used, suggesting that effective back training doesn’t always mean lifting the heaviest weights. Rather, muscle engagement and sufficient contraction will promote muscle growth.
“Deadlifts work the whole body,” said Cutler as he pulled 225 pounds for nine reps to close out his session.
More Bodybuilding Content
- New Study: Standing Calf Raises Grow More Than Twice as Much Muscle as Seated
- Try These 6 Unique Bodybuilding Arm Exercises to Spark New Muscle Growth
- The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Own Bodybuilding Workout Plan
References
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Vigotsky, A., Contreras, B., Golden, S., Alto, A., Larson, R., Winkelman, N., & Paoli, A. (2018). Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term resistance training. European journal of sport science, 18(5), 705–712. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1447020
Featured image: @jaycutler on Instagram
