CBum and Coach Rambod say time under tension and mind-muscle connection trump heavy weights.
Training your back will enhance your posture and alleviate neck and lower back pain. As a bodybuilder, a strong back will contribute to your overall aesthetics. And incorporating movements like the barbell row will help with key exercises like rows and deadlifts. We’re looking at Chris Bumstead’s recent back workout routine to prep for Olympia.
There’s no better person to get tips from when training your back than Chris Bumstead. He’s the current Olympia Classic Physique title holder and has won it four times in a row. His muscular back plays a huge role in his success.
| Full Name: Chris Bumstead | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| 215-270lbs | 6’1” | 2/2/1995 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| Classic Physique | 2010s – Till Date | Canadian |
As part of his prep for Mr. Olympia 2023, Bumstead has been sharing his diet, workout, and, recently, his routines with the help of coach Hany Rambod. You can check out what he does for chest day and the massive leg day workouts that form part of his Olympia preparations. Bumstead is very popular on social media and uploads his workouts and tips on his YouTube channel.
CBum’s back workout is a robust mix of exercises, and we also get to see some great exercise equipment that he uses as support. But most of all, we’ll learn invaluable tips on the form that coach Hany Rambod shares that you can apply to maximize your gains too. Read on for more.
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CBum’s Back Workout
Chris Bumstead does eight exercises for this back workout, including machine and free weight exercises. He uses two of these specific warmups to prepare his back muscles for the hard work ahead. This study says warmups that use body parts you’ll use in your subsequent activity are great to prime you for the workout (1).
Coach Hany Rambod says that form is most important in training. Before increasing weight, you must improve your form and build a good mind-muscle connection. This is one of the ways to avoid getting injuries.
“It’s all about time under tension and mind muscle connection and not just throwing around heavy stupid weight. So, you got to be really smart about your training how it feels. Good form and then intensity, that’s right, perfect form, then you can add intensity. Yeah, then you can add weight as you’re able to get stronger instead of just trying to do it all backwards. You go heavy, your form’s falling apart, you’re more likely to get hurt, and you’re not going to be able to grow.”
Below are the exercises Chris Bumstead does and how you can use them to train your back.
| Exercises |
| Lat Pulldowns |
| Chin Ups |
| Bent Over Barbell Rows |
| Chest Supported Dumbbell Rows |
| Machine High Rows |
| Straight Arm Pulldowns |
| Hyperextensions |
| Machine Seated Calf Raises |
Lat Pulldowns
The lat pulldown is a popular compound exercise for building back muscles. This exercise also engages your abs since you use them and your hip flexors to stabilize yourself. CBum did multiple sets of lat pulldowns using a neutral grip for this back workout as a warmup. While doing some reps, coach Rambod asked him to arch his back a bit more for better results. He also guided Bumstead through doing a five-second iso hold.
Chin Ups
Chin ups also target your back, but the supinated grip this exercise requires engages more of your biceps than pull-ups. They’re the second warmup routine that CBum does for his back day workout. Coach Rambod asks that he cross his ankles and bend his knees while doing this exercise to help stabilize his body each rep.
Barbell Bent Over Rows
The barbell bent over row is one of the best rows you can do for your back. According to research, between the inverted row, bent over barbell row, and a 1-arm standing cable row, the bent over row produced large symmetrical activation from the upper to the lower back (2). The bent over barbell row builds your lats, rhomboids, traps, and biceps. And the hinge it requires gets your glutes involved.
Bent over barbell rows was CBum’s first main exercise in this back workout. He starts with a reverse grip before Coach Rambod advises him to switch to an overhand grip when increasing the weight because he doesn’t want him to activate his biceps too much. He also says to control the barbell, keep the elbows in to feel the contraction and squeeze the back. Chris Bumstead uses a weight lifting belt and straps when doing this routine for support.
Chest Supported Dumbbell Rows
Next on Chris Bumstead’s itinerary are chest supported dumbbell rows that primarily target your lats. But it also recruits your traps, biceps, and rhomboids. Bumstead uses dumbbells for this routine, and coach Rambod asks that he pause at the top of the movement for better results.
Machine High Rows
Chris Bumstead then moves to machine high rows to further build his back muscles. This exercise primarily targets the lats but also works on your teres major and minor, rhomboids, delts, and traps. Coach Rambod shows how changing the angle when using this machine can target your muscles differently.
Straight Arm Pulldowns
The straight arm pulldown is another back exercise that targets the lats but also builds the rhomboids, delts, teres major, and triceps. Chris Bumstead does three sets of this movement with Hany Rambod advising him to stretch when going up to maximize gains.
Hyperextensions
Hyperextensions target your glutes, hamstrings, and the erector spinae in the lower back. You also use your abs for stabilization when doing them. Chris Bumstead does three sets of hyperextensions and adds a kettlebell to add resistance.
Machine Seated Calf Raises
The last exercise that Chris Bumstead does for this workout isn’t a back exercise but rather targets the calves, although Coach Rambod asks him to arch his back when doing it. Machine seated calf raises primarily target leg muscles like your soleus and gastrocnemius. This exercise is also great for your Achilles tendon and strengthens your foot which helps with stability and balance.
You can watch CBum’s complete back workout below:
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References
- Shellock, F. G., & Prentice, W. E. (1985). Warming-up and stretching for improved physical performance and prevention of sports-related injuries. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2(4), 267–278. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-198502040-00004
- Fenwick, C. M., Brown, S. H., & McGill, S. M. (2009). Comparison of different rowing exercises: trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load, and stiffness. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 23(2), 350–358. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181942019
