Tom Venuto's BodybuildingSecrets.com - A Really "Dense" Back Workout

A Really “Dense” Back Workout

Tom Venuto, CSCS, CPT

Our back workout today might look like an enormous amount of training (9 back exercises are listed, if you count the 5 different types of pullups). Your first impression might be, “Too many… isn’t that overtraining?” However, it really wasn’t as much volume as it appears at first glance, because there was a lot of exercise variation, short rest intervals and a lot of density. What the heck is “density?” Glad you asked, because it’s a legitimate way to build more muscle in less time and an important part of my pre contest training.

BACK

A1 wide grip pull-ups pronated (palms front) grip: 1 set X bodyweight (201.5 lbs) X 21 reps X 2010 tempo, then 4 partial reps
B1 Close neutral grip (palms facing) pull up: 1 set X bodyweight X 10 reps; 10 seconds rest
B2 wide grip pull ups pronated (palms front) grip: 1 set X bodyweight X 8 reps; 10 seconds rest
B3 Shoulder width neutral grip (palms facing) pull up: 1 set X bodyweight X 8 reps; 10 seconds rest
B4 reverse grip (supinated/curl grip) pullup: 1 set X bodyweight X 6 reps + 4 forced reps
C1 wide grip pull ups pronated (palms front) grip, strict reps: 1 set X 25 lbs (weighted belt), X 6 reps + 2 forced reps X 5022 tempo
D1 Reverse grip (supinated/curl grip) pulldown, strict 10 second reps: 2 sets X 190, 170 lbs X 6 + 2 forced reps, 8 + 2 forced reps X 4122 tempo
D2 Very wide grip pulldown (pronated/palms front grip, strict 10 second reps: 2 sets X 140, 130 lbs X 10 reps, 8 + 2 forced reps X 4132 tempo, then 5 more quick reps 1010 tempo
D3 Cross Bench Dumbbell Pullover: 2 setx X 80 lbs X 10 reps, 9 reps X 3121
E1 Hammer Strength Seated Iso-lateral rowing, wide neutral grip, strict: 3 sets X 140 lbs, 160 lbs, 160 lbs X 12 reps, 12 reps, 10 reps, 3022 tempo

CALVES (light day)

A1 calf press on Cybex Supine Leg Press: 3 X 140 lbs X 20, 20, 16 reps
A2 Standing Calf Machine: 3 sets X 400 lbs X 20, 16, 14 reps
B1 seated Calf Machine: 3 sets X 90 lbs (2 plates) X 30, 25, 25 reps)

Workout Commentary

“Density” is the amount of muscular work you complete in a given period of time. I like to cram a lot of training into a brief period because it is a powerful method of progressive overload for adding muscle mass and for keeping hard earned muscle while dieting. It’s also a safe and joint-friendly method of training. Workouts are made denser by supersetting, tri-setting and reducing rest intervals between sets in a progressive fashion. It can work with or independently of increases in weights, although by it’s very nature, it tends to limit the amount of weight you can use.

If you count the sets individually (a superset as two sets, tri set as three sets, etc), this was a 15 set back workout and it only took 35 minutes to complete. Finishing up with 15 or 20 minutes of calves had us done in less than an hour. That’s a fairly dense workout, although I’ve been known to cram much more into even less time.

Today I picked lower back friendly exercises, which meant laying off the rows this week, and focusing on pull-ups, pulldowns, pullovers and supported rows.

We started with the “pullup medley”… aka “The killer pullup routine from hell!”

Set one was the “go for as many reps as you can do” set. My goal was at least 25. I did 21. Mike spotted me for 4 more forced reps to make 25. Why so many reps? As I’ll repeat often in these journals, I prefer to mix heavy, moderate, and light training rather than always heavy. High rep pull ups are also a good warm up.

Set two was actually four sets in one (a “giant set” or “quad set.”). We did four different types of pull-ups, each with a different grip, with only about 10 seconds (15 max) between each set.

Set three was a set with 25 lbs strapped around my waist, with slow negatives and a contract/squeeze/hold at the top.. Notice the tempo on that set: Pullup in 2 seconds (1 second on the forced reps), HOLD at the top for 2 seconds, then SLOWLY lower myself down on a 5 second negative. Very challenging and very effective.

Today, we lightened the loads on the pulldowns, and tightened up the form, focusing on slower tempos and really squeezing and contracting the lats and upper back muscles as much as possible on every repetition. I like to mix up heavy work and moderate/light work with stricter form for best results. (check out my article on FORM for more details. After the pulldowns, it was quickly into dumbbell pullovers to finish the tri-set.

Back training takes a lot out of you - it’s second in physical and mental energy demand only to legs. That’s why we pair our back workouts with a small body part like calves. To hit another large muscle after back would be too much, but it’s not hard to get an excellent calf workout because calf training, although notoriously painful (that lactic acid “burn”), is not particularly taxing otherwise.

We train calves on a heavy-light rotation with one workout of very heavy straight sets, and the next high reps and or supersets or trisets. Great calves are rare, not just because they’re hard to develop, but because too many bodybuilders don’t take them as seriously as their chest or biceps.

The name of this game is symmetry and balance. Every body part must be developed completely - even the not so glamorous ones like calves. There’s no slacking on calves - we hit them hard… when it’s time for calves, we’re saying to each other “Just as hard as biceps!”

By the way, the Hammer Strength Company didn’t pay me to wear that T-shirt (although I love their equipment, and they can feel free to sponsor me if they want to, hint hint). I just happened to be getting down to the bottom of my workout clothes drawer and it was the only thing left! When you work out twice a day (weights and cardio in separate sessions), do you have any idea how much laundry there is? Time for some … uggghhh… “clothes shopping” … that dreaded chore most of us men loathe..

Wait… I have an idea! YOU can “sponsor me” and send me cool T-shirts, Tank Tops and sweatshirts! If it’s “cool” enough, especially cool gym logos and cool “sayings” (no supplement companies, please), I’ll wear it and post pics for thousands of people to see on the Internet…

Yeah, I know… shame on me… cheapskate way to get free clothes (and avoid shopping!)… but hey - never hurts to ask - and you’ll be supporting this website and helping to keep it free for a while longer!

Mail them to:

Bodybuilding Secrets.Com

C/O Tom Venuto

1132 Clinton Street

Suite #305

Hoboken, NJ 07030

USA

Until next time, train hard, train “dense” and work those calves so you don’t look like a pair of pliers in shorts!

Posted 30 June, 2005 in Workouts

Comments

Rich said:

Tom, quick question

When you did the D1-D2-D3 triset, did you do set 1 of D1 then go right into set 1 of D2 right into set 1 of D3 or did you do both sets of D1 right into both sets of D2 and finishing it off with 2 sets of D3? Just wanted to clarify that.

Thanks

Posted on Jul 02, 2005 07:14 PM

Tom Venuto said:

D1, D2, D3 means that is a tri-set. A tri set is three exercises in a row with NO rest in between exercises except the time it takes to change machines/equipment. So it's D1 straight into D2, straight into D3, THEN I get to rest a minute or so, then repeat the tri set.

Posted on Jul 02, 2005 08:54 PM

Madison said:

tom,

What kind of macro nutrient split do you use while cutting? How do you do the carb cycling? So many people do it differently. Thought you might be able to give an example through ure diet.

Posted on Jul 03, 2005 05:20 PM

Tom Venuto said:

check out the Saturday, July 2nd blog entry for details on my contest diet, 13 weeks out.

Posted on Jul 03, 2005 06:53 PM

Audra Michalek said:

Okay, so you say to send shirts, sweatshirts, etc. but you don't say what size.

Posted on Jul 08, 2005 05:33 PM

Tom Venuto said:

EXTRA LARGE, EXTRA LARGE!!!! (Even if we "muscle-heads" were actually smalls, mediums, or larges, we could never admit it - LOL!)

Posted on Jul 08, 2005 05:43 PM

Jessica Britt said:

Hey. On this blog in the picture of you doing the pulldown I see that you were wearing wrist wraps or wrist bands I don't know what they're called. What do you wear them for and what do they do?

Posted on Jul 24, 2005 04:22 PM

Tom Venuto said:

I use wrist straps on almost all my back exercises - pull ups, pulldowns, and rows - to re-inforce my grip. They're a bitch to learn how to use, but once you learn to strap yourself in tightly to the bar with those suckers - they're good for an extra 3-4 reps every time because your grip will never give out on you. I also use them on stiff legged deads and upright rows, etc.

Posted on Jul 24, 2005 09:02 PM