Lee Priest was asked about his favorite back exercises and chose two that he prefers.
Bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest remains active in the fitness world since his competition days ended. While there are rumors about a return, Priest has continued to train at a high level while also sharing his wisdom with others looking to better their physiques. During a recent interview, Priest was asked about the top two back exercises and he targeted two used to build thickness.
[RELATED: Lee Priest Renews IFBB Pro Card For 2025]
“Chins and either a seated row or barbell row. That’s what I’d do. Bodyweight chins or add weight while you’re doing chins and some sort of rowing movement for the thickness.”
Priest enjoyed a career on stage that spanned into three decades. He has had the chance to compete against legendary bodybuilders like Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, and Chris Cormier. Before calling it a career in 2013, Priest won the NABBA Mr. Universe competition. Priest quickly became known for his incredible conditioning and massive biceps.
Lee Priest Targets Top Two Back Exercises
Priest was asked about the top exercises to add thickness to your back. His answer was clear:
- Chin-Ups
- Barbell/Seated Row
With the addition of chin-ups, Priest shared that there would be no need for lat pulldowns since it is a similar movement.
“You’re doing chins for that. Normally, chins are harder than lat pulldowns. I see guys that might weigh 180 pounds and they can’t do a chin but they are pulling 300 pounds down on the lat pulldown. There’d be no use in doing the chin and a pulldown type because it’s pretty much the same.”
The IFBB Pro League recently made a rule change where competitors who are inactive for three years will lose their pro status if membership is not renewed. Priest commented on this rule when it was first put into place and has now renewed his membership. This has sparked plenty conversation around Priest and how he could be looking to get back on stage in 2025.
Benefits of Close Grip Pull-Ups
The close grip chin up is a tremendous upper body routine and should be a part of your workouts. Below are the benefits of this exercise.
Overload & Grow Your Biceps
Due to the close and underhand grip used for the close grip chin up, the biceps get activated more. This is because your lats are put in a position that doesn’t let them do the bulk of the work.
Strengthen Your Back
Close grip chin ups recruit your rhomboids, traps, and lat muscles. These are the big muscles in the back, and strengthening them can improve the strength of your back, too. As a result, your posture also benefits, as a stronger back leads to a better posture.
Improve Grip Strength
In general, chin ups are great for your grip strength because you must hold onto the bar. The close grip further improves that by activating your forearms and biceps more.
Functional Training
The close grip chin up is a functional exercise. That means it trains and strengthens muscles you use in everyday activities, thus giving you an edge and preventing injuries. Research shows that functional training affects adults’ speed, balance, and muscular strength.
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