• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The BarBend Logo in white.

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • Strength
    • Best Home Gym Machines
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Budget Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Cable Machines
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Smith Machines
      • Best Smart Home Gyms
    • Best Barbells
      • Best Budget Exercise Bikes
      • Best Budget Barbells
      • Best Powerlifting Barbells
      • Best Barbells For Women
    • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Adjustable Kettlebells
    • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
    • More Strength Equipement
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Weight Plates
      • Best Bumper Plates
      • Best Slam Balls
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Best Weight Sleds
      • All Other Strength Equipment
    • Training
      • Exercise Guides
        • Deadlift
        • Bench Press
        • Back Squat
        • Overhead Press
        • Lat Pulldown
        • Shoulder Exercises
        • Chest Exercises
        • Ab Exercises
        • Quad Exercises
        • Biceps Exercises
      • Training Guides
        • Beginner’s Guide to the Gym
        • How to Build Muscle
        • Guide to Muscle Hypertrophy
        • How to Train on a Cut
      • Workouts
        • Back Workouts
        • At-Home Workouts
        • Chest & Back Workouts
        • Full-Body Workout
        • HIIT Workouts
        • Bodybuilding Workouts
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
      • Programs
        • 5×5 Program
        • Bodybuilding Programs
        • Push-Up Program
        • Pull-Up Program
        • 5/3/1 Program
        • Powerbuilding Program
        • German Volume Training
        • Build Your Own Program
    • News
      • CrossFit
      • Strongman
      • Bodybuilding
      • Powerlifting
      • Weightlifting
      • HYROX
    • Individual Strength Equipment Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Best Protein
      • Best Protein Powder for Men
      • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
      • Best Protein Powder For Women
      • Best Tasting Protein Powders
      • Best Protein Bars
      • Protein by Goal
        • Best Mass Gainer
        • Best Protein Powder for Weight Loss
        • Best Protein Powder for Weight Gain
        • Best Protein Powder for Muscle Gain
      • Protein by Diet
        • Best Egg White Protein Powder
        • Best Keto Protein Powder
        • Best Organic Protein Powder
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
    • Best BCAA’s
      • Best BCAA’s for Women
    • Best Fat Burners
      • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • Best Fat Burners For Men
      • Best Curved Treadmills
      • Best Fat Burners For Women
    • Best Pre-Workouts
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
      • Best Pre-Workout for Women
      • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
      • Strongest Pre-Workouts
    • Best Creatine
      • Best Creatine Gummies
      • Best Creatine For Women
      • Best Creatine for Men
    • Other Nutrition Products
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
        • Best Greens Powder for Pregnancy
      • Best Meal Delivery Services
        • Best Budget Meal Delivery Services
        • Best Vegan Meal Delivery Service
        • Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service
        • Best Meal Delivery Service for Weight Loss
        • Best Paleo Meal Delivery Services
        • Best Multivitamins for Women
        • Best Multivitamins for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
        • Best Multivitamins
    • Guides
      • Diets
        • Carb Cycling
        • Vertical Diet
        • Reverse Dieting
        • Carnivore Diet
        • Ketogenic Diet
        • Intermittent Fasting
        • IIFYM Diet
      • Muscle Gain
        • How to Dirty Bulk
        • Go From Cutting to Bulking
        • Eat These Carbs
        • How to Eat for Muscle
      • Fat Loss
        • Macros for Fat Loss
        • Calorie Deficits
        • Natural Fat Burners
        • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
      • Supplement Guides
        • Pre-Workout
        • Whey Protein
        • Mass Gainers
        • Greens Powders
        • Creatine
        • BCAAs
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
    • Individual Supplement Reviews
  • Conditioning
    • Best Treadmills
      • Best Manual Treadmills
      • Best Compact Treadmills
      • Best Budget Treadmills
      • Best Treadmills Under $2000
      • Best Treadmills Under $1000
      • Best Treadmills For Tall People
      • Best Commercial Treadmills
      • Best Under Desk Treadmills
    • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Water Rowing Machines
      • Best Budget Rowing Machines
      • Best Compact Rowing Machines
      • Best Foldable Rowing Machines
      • Best Air Rowing Machines
    • Best Exercise Bikes
      • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Best Folding Exercise Bikes
      • Best Exercise Bikes For Seniors
      • Best Air Bikes
    • Best Ellipticals
      • Best Budget Ellipticals
      • Best Compact Ellipticals
      • Best Rear Driving Ellipticals
      • Best Ellipticals For Seniors
      • Best Under Desk Ellipticals
      • Best Ellipticals Under $1000
    • Other Conditioning Products
      • Best Jump Ropes
      • Best Plyometric Boxes
      • Best Speed Sleds
      • Best Agility Ladders
      • Best Vertical Climbers
      • Best Commercial Stair Climbers
      • Best Affordable Stair Climbers
    • Individual Cardio Equipment Reviews
  • Recovery
    • Best Cold Plunges
    • Best Saunas
      • Best Infrared Sauna
    • Best Massage Guns
      • Best Mini-Massage Guns
    • Best Compression Boots
    • Best Back Massagers
    • Best Massage Chairs
    • Other Recovery Tools
      • Best Inversion Tables
      • Best Vibrating Massage Rollers
      • Best Massage Balls
      • Best Ice Wraps
      • Best Foam Rollers
    • Recovery Guides
  • Fitness Accessories
    • Fitness Tech
      • Best Fitness Apps
        • Best Weightlifting Apps
        • Best Workout Programs
        • Best Cycling Apps
        • Best Treadmills Apps
        • Best Workout Streaming Services
        • Best Workout Apps
        • Best Running Apps
    • Best Bluetooth Earbuds
    • Best Digital Scales
      • Best Smart Scales
    • Best Fitness Trackers
      • Best Heart Rate Monitors
      • Best Pedometers
      • Best Stopwatches
    • Apparel
      • Best Running Shoes
      • Best Weightlifting Shoes
      • Best Cross Training Shoes
      • Best Gym Shorts
      • Best Sports Bras
      • Best Trail Running Shoes
    • Support Gear
      • Best Lifting Straps
      • Best Gym Bags
      • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Best Wrist Wraps
      • Best Lifting Chalk
      • Best Dip Belts
      • Best Pull Up Assist Bands
      • Best Lifting Belts
  • Community Forum
Home » Bodybuilding News » Tom Haviland's Very Weird Back Workout

Tom Haviland’s Very Weird Back Workout

Here's how to follow along.

Written by Jake Dickson, NASM-CPT, USAW-L2
Last updated on November 19th, 2024

Tom Haviland would look very out of place at your local gym. Standing at 6’8″ tall and over 300 pounds with six-pack abs, the famously reclusive Haviland is the internet’s favorite blue-collar bodybuilder. Take one look at his weird back workout and you’ll see why.

  • Haviland has amassed a million-plus following on Instagram without showing his face or fussing around too much with anything other than brow-beating farm workouts.

Haviland’s lifting is a spectacle; his exercises are often unique, practical spins on bodybuilding classics. It helps a bit that he’s strong as an ox, too.

Tom Haviland’s Back Workout

Part of Haviland’s charm is built on his social media shtick; no air conditioning, fancy equipment, or matching spandex sets. Haviland is all flannel shirts, fresh air, and rusty steel weights that clang and bang as well as anything you can find in an LA Fitness.

Haviland broke down a back workout on Nov. 4, 2024, including his sets and reps plus some technique tips. Here are some of the moves Haviland uses to build his back:

  • Head-supported rows with a trap bar
  • Medusa pulls, popularized by now-deceased pioneer of backyard training online, Bud Jeffries
  • Medusa shrugs with the same setup and implement
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tom Haviland (@tom_haviland)

[Related: Best Pre-Workout Supplements]

At a glance, Haviland’s back workout looks bizarre (and brief). However, it’s much more practical than it appears — many of his training sessions involve loaded carry variations, strongman-styled keg work, and so on.

Haviland’s training session started with a compound exercise performed with few repetitions, moved on to a similar row variation with slightly different technique, and concluded with some isolation work.

That’s standard-issue powerbuilding training. Even if you don’t have the same equipment, you can follow in Haviland’s footsteps with some clever exercise swaps.

How To Do Tom Haviland’s Back Workout, Anywhere

If Haviland invited you up to his ranch for a back workout, job done. If you’re inspired by his training style but confined to a commercial gym, here’s what you can do instead.

This three-exercise back workout can be performed with the equipment you’d find in just about every big box gym:

  • Seal Row: 3 x 5-6
  • Close-Grip T-Bar Row: 2 x 5
  • Kelso Shrug: 2 x 10
Dumbbell Seal Row GIF

[Related: Best Supplements for Bodybuilding]

Haviland himself typically alternates back exercises on a regular basis. “[Head-supported rows] and seal rows are my primary movements in this phase and I’m currently alternating between these 2 movements every 4 days,” he remarked.

Don’t be afraid to switch things up. You’ll still make gains as long as you keep your intensity high and work your backside off — Haviland is a living, breathing, shirt-stretching proof of concept.

More Bodybuilding News

  • You Probably Can’t Do Nick Walker’s Favorite Chest Press — Do This Instead
  • Hany Rambod, Legendary Bodybuilding Coach, Announces Retirement
  • Lean Bulking Is Hard — Here Are 3 Tips to Get It Right

Featured Image: @tomhaviland / Instagram

About Jake Dickson, NASM-CPT, USAW-L2

Jake is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a B.S. in Exercise Science. He began his career as a weightlifting coach before transitioning into sports media to pursue his interest in journalism.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest Reviews

Featured image for the Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review

Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review (2025): Our Expert’s New Favorite FID Bench

Titan T3 Power Rack Review

Titan T3 Power Rack Review (2025): An Expert-Approved Rig Beckoning to Budget-Minded Athletes

Our tester works out at the beach in preparation for the Rogue Resistance Bands Review

Rogue Resistance Bands Review (2025): Tested by a Certified Personal Trainer

Barbend tester Jake Herod works out on a Force USA Trainer

Force USA G3 Review (2025): Our Experts Tested This Compact All-In-One Rack for Small Home Gyms

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2025 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap