The 2023 Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford embarked on his inaugural journey to South Korea, where he teamed up with fellow Men’s Open bodybuilder Regan Grimes and several Korean bodybuilders for a back workout. In a video documenting their workout in front of a live crowd, Lunsford shares his insights on utilizing machines to build a massive back.
Lunsford’s Back Workout
- Lat Pulldown
- Plate-Loaded Machine Row
- Chest-Supported Machine Row
- Seated Cable Row
- Superset: Cable Pullover & Machine Assisted Pull-Up
Watch Lunsford’s back workout below, published on his YouTube channel on March 9, 2024:
[Related: How Hadi Choopan Trains Back After Winning the 2024 Arnold Classic]
Lat Pulldown
Lunsford uses a medium-width neutral grip on the lat pulldown machine. Lunsford often struggles with wrist supination, particularly during reverse-grip lat pulldowns, but the new machine he was using simplifies that process. Lunsford prefers beginning his workouts with a lower-back focus.
Grimes highlights that training the upper back using this routine is achieved by merely adjusting the position of the elbows:
We can hit the upper back by keeping our elbows elevated when we drive down. I like this grip; you can tuck the elbows.
Lunsford appreciates the machine’s natural arc, effectively stretching the lats in their extended position. He performs four sets of 12 repetitions. Grimes uses wrist wraps for additional support during pulldowns.
When training, Lunsford envisions the anatomy of the muscle being worked to strengthen his mind-muscle connection, a technique supported by research for its muscle growth effectiveness. (1) Lunsford shifts to a wide grip, completing several sets ranging from eight to 15 repetitions.
Plate-Loaded Row & Chest-Supported Row
Lunsford outlines three key contact points to correctly perform the plate-load machine row: the palm, front leg, and supporting arm. He recommends a split stance for stability while rowing on the same side as the front leg. Maintain an elevated chest position for the low-to-high plate rows.
Lunsford switches focus from the lower lats to the traps by performing the chest-supported machine row. Altering tempo when training is a strategic approach to muscle stimulation. As Lunsford explains, muscle growth can be achieved by increasing the weight, adding more repetitions, or varying the tempo.
“Instead of adding more weight, we change the tempo; going a little faster, going a little slower, going a little faster, going a little slower,” Lunsford explains. “I occasionally throw that in, especially whenever I’m traveling, so I don’t have to go max weight and risk injury after a long flight.”
Seated Cable Row
Lunsford enjoys rowing machines with adjustable cable and foot positions to target specific back muscles precisely. Pulling the cable at different angles engages different parts of the back.
“If you pull low, it’s lower lats. If you pull toward the middle of your stomach, it’s mid-back,” says Lunsford. “If you pull high, more to your chest, it’s your upper traps and rear delts.”
Superset — Cable Pullover & Machine Assisted Pullup
There is slight triceps activation when performing cable pullovers. Lunsford emphasizes keeping the chest elevated and pushing the bar toward the ground rather than pulling it toward oneself to engage the lats.
References
- Calatayud, J., Vinstrup, J., Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., Brandt, M., Jay, K., Colado, J. C., & Andersen, L. L. (2016). Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European journal of applied physiology, 116(3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7
Featured image: @dereklunsford_ on Instagram
