Mike Rashid meets up with Cory G at Old School Gym, aka The Midwest Mecca, while in Columbus for the Arnold Classic.
To keep each other on their toes, they take turns picking out lifts for a workout. Cory tries to stump Mike by choosing endurance based lifts, while Mike retaliates by choosing heavier lifts. The combination is perfect for muscle confusion.
Together they come up with a killer back workout that has them both leaving the gym with a serious pump.
1. Pullups
Cory first pick is neutral-grip pullups to pre-exhaust the back. Mike and Cory both believe that it's essential to be able to control your own bodyweight. Even if you don't have a gym, you should be doing bodyweight classics like pullups and pushups.
2. Seated Dumbbell Rows
Mike selects seated dumbbell rows on an incline bench. Although he often does heavy bent-over barbell rows with dropsets, he still likes to incorporate lighter exercises. As Mike gets older, he stops lifting for ego and focuses on staying injury free. Using the bench not only emphasizes the upper back, but also helps protect the lower back.
3. Dumbbell Pullovers
Cory picks an old school classic that Mike has never done before. Arnold and Zane relied on dumbbell pullovers for their signature lat striations. Cory stresses the importance of doing them the way Arnold did - with your upper back wrapped around the bench and your hips low. Even though the lift is new for Mike, he thinks the stretch down the side is just what he needed.
Related: Why Arnold Loved Dumbbell Pullovers
4. Underhand Pulldowns
Mike selects underhand pulldowns, but Cory mixes things up with a thick bar to blast the forearms. Mike has his own twist on this bodybuilding classic. He faces away from the cable station so that can't use the leverage from the knee pads. This forces him to engage his core and keeps the focus on the upper back.
5. One Arm Row Burnouts
Cory finishes things off with a brutal back finisher. They tacke one arm dumbbell rows with three different grips: overhand, neutral, and underhand. These 21s put so much blood in the muscle creating a massive pump. It really fatigues the muscle, which is when true gains are made.
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