This article outlines a 6-day training split focused on bodybuilding, incorporating legs, push, and pull workouts. The program emphasizes a blend of hypertrophy, strength, and power training, targeting specific muscle groups with varied rep ranges.
Pull day begins with the pendulum row. This strict form barbell row, performed with a near-zero degree back angle, emphasizes control and progressive overload. It effectively targets scapular attractors like the lower and mid traps, and rhomboids. An underhand grip shifts the focus to the lats through shoulder extension.
Alt text: An athlete performing a pendulum row with a barbell.
Next are weighted pull-ups, a key exercise for lat and teres major development. The teres major, situated above the lats, contributes significantly to a complete back physique. While both muscles perform shoulder adduction, pull-ups offer a unique advantage by overloading this movement in the frontal plane. This promotes targeted muscle growth and enhances overall back definition.
Alt text: An athlete performing weighted pull-ups, showcasing lat and teres major engagement.
One-arm lat pulldowns follow, providing focused lat isolation and a strong mind-muscle connection. The constant tension from the cables contributes to a substantial pump. Visualizing the arm extending in line with the cable, emphasizing pure shoulder adduction, maximizes the effectiveness of this exercise. Adding a slight crunch towards the pull at the end further enhances lat contraction.
Alt text: A close-up view of an athlete performing a one-arm lat pulldown, demonstrating proper form and muscle engagement.
Rope face pulls, performed half-lying, offer a unique variation that minimizes cheating and promotes focused muscle engagement. Pulling from a high cable while retracting the shoulder blades targets the traps effectively.
Barbell shrugs are essential for scapular and clavicular elevation. Alternating between barbell and dumbbell shrugs provides variety and addresses the limitations of each. Dumbbells allow for external shoulder rotation, while barbells facilitate heavier loads for optimal overload.
Biceps training includes EZ bar curls to failure, followed by cheat reps to extend the set. Rope hammer curls and Bayesian cable curls further target the biceps. Bayesian cable curls, performed facing away from the cable machine with shoulder hyperextension, maximize bicep stretch and promote optimal strength curve matching. This ensures consistent resistance throughout the exercise, leading to balanced muscle development.
