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By now, many in the bodybuilding community understand the annual Pittsburgh Pro to be more than a major qualifying event on the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League calendar. In recent years, some of the most popular Mr. Olympia contenders in the Men’s Open division have appeared at the annual May contest to guest pose and offer a preview of their training progress in anticipation of the flagship Olympia later that fall. The 2023 iteration was no different.
On May 12-13, 2023, while champions like Michael Daboul (Classic Physique) were crowned during the official Pittsburgh Pro, Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, Samson Dauda, Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, Hunter Labrada, and Shaun Clarida all guest-posed during the contest. The only notable absence, especially in the current Men’s Open pantheon, was defending Mr. Olympia champion Hadi Choopan. With nothing officially on the line for the slate of elite competitors, these six men still appeared on stage to tease how their sterling physiques are coming along for the 2023 Mr. Olympia in Orlando, FL, this early November.
Walker’s faith in Lunsford is notable, given his status as one of bodybuilding’s top modern stars. Walker finished in third place at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and followed that up with a runner-up result at the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC). If anyone finally seems poised to break through from this field, it might be Walker.
Meanwhile, the 2023 AC victor, Samson Dauda, has started to receive hype as a legitimate Olympia titan. Icons like Jay Cutler have expressed that Dauda could be one of bodybuilding’s next big stars. It’s a label of high expectations that Dauda has not taken lightly. There’s also Elssbiay, who is coming off a disappointing sixth-place result at the 2022 Mr. Olympia after vying for a historic three-peat. The former two-time defending Olympia champion (2021, 2022) had previously skipped guest-posing at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro and now appeared to be trying to build momentum toward another Olympia victory this November.
To round out this guest-posing group, Clarida, a two-time 212 champion (2020, 2022), will not be competing in the Men’s Open division at the 2023 Olympia. The athlete wishes to eventually break James “Flex” Lewis’s record of seven 212 Olympia titles (2012-2018) and will exclusively focus his efforts on that mission moving forward.
Discerning the precise favorites for the 2023 Mr. Olympia would likely be impossible off one guest-posing appearance. Nonetheless, some of the top contenders for the tentpole contest made it a point to appear in Pittsburgh and show off what they might bring to the table in November.
With that, one of the unofficial first significant steps en route to this year’s Olympia is now in the rearview mirror.
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Late last month, Mitchell Hooper ascended strongman’s tallest mountain for the first time when he won the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM). After capping a meteoric rise to become the biggest name in the sport, the Canadian powerhouse is showing little signs of slowing down.
On May 14, 2023, Hooper shared an Instagram clip of himself capturing a 210.9-kilogram (465-pound) back squat for 20 reps. The display of endurance appears to be a smooth exercise of ease for a true superstar in strength sports. It might even be a preview of what’s to come for an already elite competitor sanding off the perceived rough edges in his overall strength profile.
As Hooper himself details in the caption of his post, he characterized himself as lacking in conditioning before his wins at the 2023 WSM and the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC). Aside from the victories themselves, a person observing this extended squat set from Hooper would never know he had any apparent drawbacks. The same could be said of a recent 200-kilogram (440-kilogram) overhead press with bands for reps, where Hooper attempted to start polishing up his upper body stamina.
Hooper is evidently focused on improving his endurance and conditioning even though he seemingly didn’t really need it en route to his recent dominance of the professional strongman scene. Given Hooper’s success at this stage, this ambitious mission could make him even more dangerous in future strongman endeavors down the line.
“I wasn’t happy with the direction my conditioning was heading through the Arnold [Strongman Classic] and the Worlds [Strongest Man],” Hooper wrote. “It didn’t cost me, but I know I could be better.”
At the time of this article’s publication, Hooper’s short-term competitive plans for 2023 appear to be lined up. The athlete was announced to compete at the 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC) in July, and he is expected follow that with an appearance at the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) later this summer, as well as the 2023 Strongman Rogue Invitational (SRI) sometime in the fall. Hooper placed second in the 2022 GLSC and finished in third place in the 2022 editions of the other two contests. Beyond those, any other potential goals to stand at the top of a podium again might be up in the air.
Per his page on Strongman Archives, Hooper has stood on a podium in nine consecutive contests and won his last three competitions, including that climactic 2023 WSM triumph. At this rate, whenever he does lift an Atlas Stone again in an official capacity, it would be fair to assume Hooper thrives amongst his powerful peers.
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Konstantine Janashia is the champion of the 2023 Georgia’s Strongest Man (GSM). The contest took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 6-7, 2023. Janashia’s victory in the 2023 GSM marks his second career triumph (2020, 2023) in his home country’s premier individual strongman competition.
Rounding out the podium at the 2023 GSM were Nikoloz Lekaidze (second place) and Chabuka Chigladze (third place). According to his personal page on Strongman Archives, the 2023 GSM was Lekaidze’s professional strongman debut. Meanwhile, Chigladze attains this podium result after taking home a runner-up finish to Janashia during the 2020 edition of the GSM.
Here’s an overview of the final standings from the 2023 GSM, which featured six competitors and Janashia eventually coming out triumphant.
Note: Not every specific weight or event structure has been clarified at the time of this article’s publication.
To capture his second career GSM title, Janashia won three of five events — the Log Lift (eight reps), Super Yoke (9.91 seconds), and Arm Over Arm Pull (24.66 seconds). Janashia finished in at least third place in each of the contest’s remaining events.
A seasoned strongman veteran, Janashia’s GSM victory is merely the latest cherry on top of a relatively prolific resume that dates back to his debut in September 2011 at the World’s Strongest Federation (WSF) World Cup Belarus.
According to his resume on Strongman Archives, Janashia has been especially busy of late. The Georgian strongman has participated in seven strongman contests over the last 13 months, dating back to the 2022 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) in April 2022 where he finished in third place. Janashia’s two wins at the GSM aside, his two third-place results and one runner-up placing at the ESM (2019, 2022, and 2018 respectively) might be the most notable results of his career. A testament to Janashia’s competitive power, in the 2018 ESM, he was second only to Hafthor Björnsson who would go on to win the WSM title just three weeks later.
Janashia can boast seven appearances in the annual World’s Strongest Man (WSM), including five berths in the Finals (2016-2019, 2021). Janashia finished in fourth place in Group 1 during the 2023 iteration of the WSM in Myrtle Beach, SC.
At the time of this article’s publication, Janashia’s upcoming competitive plans in 2023 are unclear and unconfirmed. If the athlete is to follow recent precedent, he will be a likely factor at the 2023 Shaw Classic before trying his hand at the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic UK. Janashia could even utilize his GSM victory as momentum to parlay further success.
Featured image: @konstantine_janashia on Instagram
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2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) and 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic champion Mitchell Hooper wasted no time getting back to work and preparing for his next contest. Hooper will be one of 12 men competing in the 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC), at the iconic Royal Albert Hall in London, England on July 8, 2023. By all accounts, Hooper appeared to be healthy and locked in mentally when he shared a recent training video.
On May 15, 2023, Hooper posted an Instagram Reel of himself performing standing barbell overhead presses in a squat rack with resistance bands attached to the bar and rack.
Hooper revealed in the post comments that he measured the resistance applied by the bands and confirmed that he was working with a total weight of 184 kilograms (405.7 pounds) at the bottom of the rep and 200 kilograms (440 pounds) in the lockout position. That weight includes the barbell itself, which was loaded to 174.6 kilograms (385 pounds).
In the video, he is seen taking a wide stance inside the rack while wearing a weightlifting belt, wrist wraps, and elbow sleeves. Hooper performed three reps and held the final repetition locked overhead for a few extra moments before returning the bar to the rack. In the post caption, Hooper shared why he was using this particular exercise — to build triceps-focused lockout strength.
“Working on good, solid lockouts. Time to keep pushing.”
This approach may be a wise one for the Canadian strongman because one of the events listed for the upcoming GLSC is the Viking Press, which calls for competitors to perform a standing shoulder press with handles at shoulder-level and heavy objects set on an apparatus behind them. The athlete must be able to perform the press and lockout their elbows without having to bend their knees to generate extra force — also known as “double dipping.”
Hooper was strategically using bands on the barbell, which offered more resistance as he pressed the weight upward. This forced him to work harder to achieve the lockout. Since the bands applied less tension at the bottom, they weren’t impacting Hooper’s shoulders as much, making this a more efficient way to train while emphasizing strength in the final lockout phase of the lift.
With both the Arnold and World’s Strongest Man titles under his belt, Hooper may be going into the Giants Live Strongman Classic as a favorite. He will be facing stiff competition in the form of Oleksii Novikov, the 2020 WSM champion who has won the previous two editions of the GLSC in 2021 and 2022, as well as two-time WSM winner Tom Stoltman, and nine other elite strongmen who look to win the title for themselves.
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The 2023 World’s Strongest Nation (WSN) contest is set to take place on Nov. 18, 2023 in Liverpool, England. It will be the second edition of this unique contest that includes both strongmen and strongwomen competing on behalf of their countries.
On May 12, 2023, Giants Live announced the captains for Team UK and Team USA, and they are the same captains as the 2022 contest — 2017 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) winner Eddie Hall will lead Team UK and the 2019 WSM champion Martins Licis will be at the head of Team USA.
At the time of this article’s publication, neither Hall nor Licis made any statements or shared their thoughts about the announcement. It will be the second time that Hall and Licis face off as captains for their respective nations.
Licis was a replacement captain after Robert Oberst bowed out for undisclosed reasons. Neither man has competed in strongman since the first matchup in the inaugural World’s Strongest Nation event, which was held on Nov. 26, 2022 in Liverpool. The UK team won that contest, but Hall suffered a torn teres minor when competing in the Viking Press.
One of the main highlights of that show came from neither of the WSM champions. Gabi Dixson of Team USA dominated the Hercules Hold event by holding on to the pillars for a time of one minute, 8.61 seconds, which was the longest of any woman and only behind Team UK’s Mark Felix, who managed to maintain his grip for nearly 20 more seconds.
Hall’s and Licis’ teammates — four men and four women on each team — have not been announced as of this writing, but their own accolades make this contest a must-see. Hall was the first man to deadlift 500 kilograms (1,102 pounds) in 2016, and he followed that up by winning the 2017 WSM title.
After winning the 2018 Britain’s Strongest Man contest, he retired from competition. His appearance in the World’s Strongest Nation was his first sanctioned strongman event since. He stayed involved with the sport in a media-based role, rather than directly competing, as well as being one of the stars of the History Channel’s series, Strongest Men in History.
Licis made one of his earliest big impacts on the sport when he won the 2019 Arnold Strongman USA contest, and he finished second in the Arnold Strongman Classic to Hafthor Björnsson. That same year, he won the WSM title. After taking over a year off to recover from injuries, he won the 2021 Rogue Invitational Strongman contest, and he claimed the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic six months later. Licis finished as the runner-up in that year’s WSM to Tom Stoltman.
Featured Images: @giantslivestrongman on Instagram
“Great article Mark. I would boil down my approach to life and fitness by saying I don’t let anything stop me from trying to do the things I want to do. At 54 years old I’m taking up mountain biking for the first time. A lot of people would call me crazy but my answer is why? I also race drones, a hobby I didn’t start until 48 years old. If there is something you want to do why would you let anything, even age, stop you? Sure there are risks but it’s more risky in my opinion not to take the risks. I take a very similar approach to eating but it’s a bit more nuanced. I eat low carb and only eat when I feel the need to eat. I’ve found that my health and level of fitness is best when I follow those guidelines I’ve set for myself. Again, thanks for the article and all the inspiration.“
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Four-time Mr. Olympia winner Jay Cutler posted a physique update photo on his Instagram page on Friday, May 12, 2023. The photo features Cutler hitting a crab most muscular pose. It serves as the before picture of what he is calling his “Fit for 50” transformation.
Cutler reported in the caption of the post that he weighed 239.5 pounds at the time of the photo. The 49-year-old bodybuilding icon appears quite lean, displaying a lot of quality muscle for an athlete who has not been on a competitive stage since the 2013 Mr. Olympia contest when he placed sixth overall. Check out Cutler’s “before” photo below:
Cutler’sintention is to endure a physique transformation culminating on his 50th birthday — Aug. 3, 2023. He referenced this transformation several times on his social media and on his YouTube channel. Those mentions led to speculation that he might come out of retirement to compete in the 2023 Masters Olympia contest, scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 25-27, 2023, in Romania — three weeks after Cutler’s birthday and conclusion of his personal challenge.
However, the Las Vegas, NV, native made it clear in various posts that he would not come out of retirement and that while he will be in Romania for the Masters Olympia, it will be as a guest, not a competitor. He remains committed to updating fans and supporters on his progress throughout this transformation.
Cutler is considered by many to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time and one of the most popular. He competed in the IFBB Pro League from 1999 until his retirement in 2013. Aside from his four Mr. Olympia titles (2006-07, 2009-10), he also won the Arnold Classic on three occasions (2002-04).
Cutler is also the only Men’s Open bodybuilder to place second at the Mr. Olympia 10 different times. He is also the only Men’s Open athlete to win the Olympia after losing the title. Even though it has been nine seasons since Cutler last competed, he remains an admired figure in the sport. He stays active in the bodybuilding community via his supplement line, YouTube channel, and podcast.
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IFBB Pro League Men’s Open bodybuilder Hunter Labrada is prepping for two shows in 2023 season prior to the 2023 Olympia in November. He kicks off his season at the Tampa Pro on the weekend of Aug. 3-5, and intends to enter the Texas Pro on the weekend of Aug. 19. That gives the second-generation competitor at least two opportunities to qualify for the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, scheduled for Nov. 2-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL
Labrada has openly shared his prep with fans and followers, as he did on a recent pull session workout published on his YouTube channel on May 8, 2023. He was 16 weeks out of the Tampa contest when that workout was filmed. Check it out below:
This was the first workout of Labrada’s contest prep. His back and hamstrings were the focus of this workout. The volume for his first few training sessions during this prep is higher than he is typically accustomed to and will decrease the volume as the contest approaches.
Seated Machine Row
Labrada started with a Rogers brand seated row machine. His heaviest set was with five 45-pound weight plates and a 25-pound plate on each side. By the last set, he was down to four 45s per side. Portions of three sets were shown, with the final one apparently a rest-pause set.
Why He Does It: Labrada started with a heavy rowing movement to help develop back thickness, specifically in his lower lats. This helps him increase his overall width and make his waist appear smaller.
How to Do It: Sit on a machine and position yourself so a stretch is necessary to grip the handles. Sit straight and tall with the handles in hand and arms outstretched. Pull the handles in toward the chest by contracting lats as the scapulae are depressed and engaged. Squeeze and hold this position briefly before easing the handles back to the starting position. Allow the lats to stretch before performing the next rep.
Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown
The 2021 Chicago Pro winner moved to a lat pulldown for his second exercise. He attached two single handles to a connecting bar and sat on an adjustable bench with his chest against the back pad. Portions of three sets were shown, but the fourth one was shown in its entirety. Labrada performed 10 reps plus one assisted rep.
Why He Does It: Even though Labrada pulled in a different direction, his target for the second movement was also the lower lats. It’s likely he feels the need to bring up his lower lats because he devoted his first two movements of the session to them.
How to Do It: Position an adjustable bench with the back pad on the highest position next to a pulldown station. Grab the handles and sit on the bench with the chest on the back pad. Pull the handle down towards your upper chest by contracting the lats.
Squeeze and hold this position for a moment before releasing the tension slowly. There should be a stretch in the lats without allowing the pinned weight to touch the stack.
High Seated Machine Row
Labrada’s third back movement was another seated row but on a Magnum machine with multiple handles. He used two of them, with the majority of the reps performed with an underhand grip. This exercise biased the upper back.
Why He Does It: Labrada targeted the upper lats, rear delts, and rhomboids, and his underhand grip allowed him to pull farther back.
How to Do It: Sit on the machine and grab the handles with the preferred grip. The arms should be able to stretch while holding the handles without the pinned weight touching the weight stack. Pull the handles in and contract by drawing the elbows back. After a brief hold, allow the arms to return to the starting position. Repeat for the desired reps.
Lat Pulldown Machine
Labrada’s fourth movement was similar to his second as it was another lat pulldown. He used an overhand grip while lying back at an angle and pulling towards his chest, biasing the mid-back.
Why He Does It: The Nautilus machine Labrada used targeted his mid-to-upper back. That is a vital area for muscle separation as a back double biceps pose for the judges is a requisite in competition.
How to Do It: If you don’t have access to a Nautilus machine, a traditional lat pulldown station will work. Sit with the knees under the knee pads while holding the handles for the machine or attachment if on a cable station. Drive the elbows down and pull the handle towards the shoulders. Contract the upper back at the bottom before slowly returning to the starting position. Repeat for the desired reps.
Lying Leg Curl
Labrada shifted focus to his hamstrings with the lying leg curl. The specific machine he used let him emphasize the portion of the rep closer to peak contraction. Labrada highlighted three sets; the heaviest weight used was one 45-pound plate and three 25s.
Why He Does It: Labrada wants denser, thicker hamstrings. Doing a paused contraction and controlled negative help him control the weight.
“Not moving the weight with the muscle is wasted energy and wear and tear on your body.”
How to Do It: Lie face down on the bench and place the feet under the foot pad. The knees should connect to the pad on the machine. Bend the legs and lift the foot pad toward the glutes by contracting the hamstrings. Once at the top of the exercise, slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
Deadlifts
Labrada said he’s been deadlifting regularly for four months. He started pulling from blocks until he had the flexibility to pull from the ground. His heaviest weight was 224.4 kilograms (495 pounds). Portions of five total sets were shown.
Labrada’s final set was with 206.3 kilograms (455 pounds). He wore a weight belt and used lifting straps to support his grip.
Why He Does It: Deadlifts work the entire posterior chain, but Labrada appeared to bias his erectors and hamstrings because of his slower motion from the floor to near lockout. Since the exercise was last in his routine, he didn’t use as much weight.
How to Do It: If you’re using a conventional stance as Labrada did, stand behind the barbell with the feet at shoulder-width. Bend the knees and lower the upper body to secure a grip on the bar. Bend the knees and position the bar as close as possible to stack the shoulders over the ankles. Don’t allow the feet to move, keep arms straight, and keep the chest up and proud with the shoulders back.
Keep the spine and neck neutral after bracing before the initial pull. Think of driving the feet through the floor when beginning the ascent. Once the bar reaches the knees, think of driving the hips forward to stand tall with the weight. Once at lockout, flex the lower back by bringing the hips forward slightly. Slowly lower the weight back to the floor and repeat for the desired reps.
Sample Back Workout
A general sample workout that you can try is below.
Low Seated Row — 2-3 x 8-12
Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown — 2-3 x 8-12
High Seated Row — 2-3 x 8-12
Lat Pulldown — 2-3 x 10-12
Lying LegCurl — 2-3 x 10-12
Deadlift — 3-4 x 8-12
Labrada finished seventh at the 2022 Mr. Olympia, three spots below where he placed in the 2021 contest. Since he finished out of the top five in 2022, he needs to win a pro show to qualify for the 2023 Olympia.
Labrada appeared confident he can win either or both the Tampa and Texas shows to clinch his 2023 Olympia invite. He was the 2020 Tampa Pro winner, so he knows how to perform on that stage. If he competes in the Texas Pro, it will be his debut in that contest.
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The 2011 and 2012 CrossFit Games women’s champion, Annie Thorisdottir, has returned to Individual CrossFit competition and is poised to make another run at becoming FIttest Women on Earth®. Thorisdottir spoke as a guest on the Talking Elite Fitness podcast, where she spoke about the 2023 season and the mental aspect of competition. Thorisdottir discussed overcoming self-doubt and finding ways to bet on herself.
“Daring to bet on myself and knowing, realizing what’s the worst thing that can happen? And knowing that it’s just worth that risk if that makes sense.”
The Instagram clip below was shared by Thorisdottir and the podcast’s account, highlighting those messages. Check it out:
Those who don’t compete may be inspired by the physiques and incredible fitness feats of the two-time Fittest Women on Earth®. Still, the Icelandic legend expressed that, like everyone else, her confidence may not always be there when it’s needed.
“We all have self-doubts and things that we struggle with, but it’s knowing that it’s just thoughts that come into our head. It doesn’t change anything.”
“Iceland Annie” has been competing at the CrossFit Games since she first qualified in 2009. She didn’t finish that year, but she came in second to champion Kristan Clever one year later.
After winning her two titles in 2011 and 2012, Thorisdottir missed the 2013 Games. She returned in 2014, placing second again to then-champion Camille Leblanc-Bazinet. Thorisdottir competed every year from 2015 to 2019. Her best result during that span was third-place in 2017 to six-time Fittest Woman on Earth® Tia-Clair Toomey.
Thorisdottir forewent the 2020 Games to become a mother but came back in 2021 to finish in third place again. She moved into the Teams division from the 2022 Games, finishing fourth overall with Team CrossFit Reykjavik. She is set to compete next in the 2023 Semifinals with a chance to qualify for the 2023 CrossFit Games, held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI, on Aug. 1-6, 2023.
The Talking Elite Fitness podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Castbox, Spotify, and the Talking Elite Fitness podcast YouTube channel.
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How do you develop killer lats? First, you need to do lat pulldowns. Then you need to do pull-ups. After you’re done with that, try some rows, and then finish off with some pullovers. Or… you could just perform the reverse-grip bent-over row and get nearly the same results as combining a series of back-focused exercises.
Credit: lunamarina / Shutterstock
Efficient programming and exercise choice can drastically improve the quality of your back workouts. Follow these steps to learn how to perform the reverse-grip bent-over row, and how you should incorporate it into your routine to make the most out of your back day.
How to Do the Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Row Step By Step
Approaching the reverse-grip bent-over row for the first time doesn’t need to be an intimidating experience. Follow these steps for a picture-perfect lift.
Step 1 — Setting Up
Credit: Rocher Möllenkamp / YouTube
When you initially approach the bar, setting up for the reverse-grip bent-over row feels a bit like setting up for a deadlift. With the barbell over your midfoot, grab the bar slightly outside shoulder-width, using a double-underhand (supinated) grip — this is the “reverse grip” compared to the double-overhand (pronated) grip of the standard barbell row.
Brace your core, keep your spine neutral (not rounded or excessively arched), and drive through your feet to lift the weight off the floor.
Form Tip: Experiment with your grip width to see what results in feeling the highest degree of lat (back) activation. Most likely, setting up with your grip just past shoulder width apart will yield the best results.But depending on your limb and torso length, you may feel more comfortable slightly closer or wider.
Step 2 — Find Your Trunk Angle and Brace Your Core
Credit: Rocher Möllenkamp / YouTube
Hinge forward at your hips and stop when your trunk is pitched at roughly a 45-degree angle. Bend your knees slightly and maintain that angle throughout the movement. Keep your arms straight and allow the barbell to shift slightly forward. Take a deep breath and brace your core as you prepare to perform the row.
Form Tip: Consistency is key. Keep your arms at a dead-hang while you set up. This will reinforce the position you want to hold at the beginning and end of each rep.
Step 3 — Pull From Your Elbows
Credit: Rocher Möllenkamp / YouTube
Squeeze and depress your scapula (pull your shoulder blades together and “down” toward your tailbone), then pull your elbows back. As you lift the weight, consciously engage your back muscles before you contract your biceps.
Continue pulling the weight toward your trunk until the barbell makes contact with your torso. To specifically target your lats rather than your upper back muscles, make the bar contact closer to your belly button than your sternum.
Form Tip: Don’t be concerned if your bar path isn’t a perfectly straight line. Pulling towards your belly button may feel awkward at first, but you should quickly notice increased lat activation when lifting this way.
Step 4 — Lower the Weight
Credit: Rocher Möllenkamp / YouTube
Squeeze your back muscles at the top of the lift and consider holding the weight there for a moment. Keeping your back flat and your core tight, lower the weight back to the stretched position until your arms are fully extended.
Maintain the forward hinge position throughout the entire set. To perform the next repetition, pull the barbell toward your belly button again.
Form Tip: Keep the movement relatively slow and controlled. This helps to avoid using momentum from one repetition to another to lift the weight.
Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Row Mistakes to Avoid
If you have a passing familiarity with the traditional bent-over row, or hinge movements as a whole, you could probably jump right into using the reverse-grip bent-over row to build your back and biceps without thinking too hard about form. Nevertheless, slipshod technique could mean you’re leaving gains on the table, or even putting yourself at an increased risk of injury.
Setting Up With a High Torso Angle
Either tight hips and hamstrings, a weak core, or a combination of the two could make it difficult for you to hold your trunk at a 45-degree angle across an entire set of rows. As a result, you could end up performing more of an upright row than you intend.
Credit: SOK Studio / Shutterstock
Setting up with a higher torso angle can result in increased muscular activation in your trapezius and your rhomboids, which means less isolation for your lats.
Avoid it: When you setup to perform the row, be sure to hinge forward and shoot your hips back to create a strong pulling position. Add hinge movements like the deadlift, Romanian deadlift, and the good morning into your training plan to develop greater levels of strength, balance, and mobility. This will help you build the strength needed to maintain the angle in your torso for your entire set.
Lower Back Rounding
For your spinal health and your longevity in the gym, for goodness sake, keep a flat back whenever you perform hinge movements like the row. While lower back rounding may be the result of a lack of mobility, you could also experience this just by going too heavy.
Credit: Gabriel Sey / YouTube
Avoid it: If you find your lower back rounding while you perform the reverse-grip bent-over row, set your ego aside. Either practice hinge movements until you’re capable of maintaining an isometric hinge or reduce the weights significantly and start over.
Engaging Your Biceps First
Since your biceps are a wrist supinator — responsible for turning your hand into a palm-up position — they engage the moment you “reverse” your grip on a bent-over row. In addition to being a secondary mover to perform the exercise, they also stabilize your elbow.
Credit: MercolaPeakFitness / YouTube
But your biceps should not be the primary mover in the reverse-grip bent-over row. That job falls to your lats, and trying to use your biceps to lift heavy loads meant for your lats might not end well for the much smaller biceps muscle.
Avoid it: Consciously think about pulling your shoulders back to engage your back muscles before pulling with your elbows. Don’t try to curl the bar to move the weight.
Utilizing Momentum From Rep to Rep
If you fail to maintain a consistent angle in your torso across each repetition, you might be generating momentum with your hips that decreases the load on your lats and biceps. This can be a sign of going too heavy, but you might also be doing this for ego lifting or simply because you’re not paying attention.
Credit: Maui Athletics / YouTube
Avoid it: If the weight is too heavy for you to keep under control, lower it. Otherwise, consider focusing on the eccentric (lowering) portion of the lift to guarantee you keep the weight moving in a slow and controlled fashion to prevent momentum from building.
How to Progress the Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Row
If you have trouble performing the reverse-grip bent-over row right off the bat, here’s how you can approach it as a beginner and how to increase the difficulty as you continue to get stronger and progress in the gym.
Yates Row
The Yates row is the cousin of the reverse-grip bent-over row, the difference between the two being the angle of your torso. While you perform a reverse-grip bent-over row with your torso at roughly a 45-degree angle, the Yates row is performed from a more upright position.
The resulting lift targets your rhomboids and your traps in addition to your lats and biceps. It may not be as good of a lat builder, but it makes up for it by hitting your entire back. What was a “mistake” for the reverse-grip row can be used deliberately for a strategic purpose.
As you develop strength performing the Yates Row, you can slowly transition towards the reverse-grip bent-over row by experimenting with your torso angle. Sinking deeper into the hinge position will let you feel your lats working harder as you get closer to the 45-degree angle.
Add Isometric Holds or Timed Eccentrics
At a certain point, implementing basic linear progression — adding more repetitions or more weight — stops being as useful for lifts like the reverse-grip bent-over row. Rather than continuously increasing the load on the bar, which can eventually create a higher risk than reward and may decrease stress on the target muscle, you can add isometric holds or timed eccentrics.
With isometrics, squeeze your back and shoulders at the top of each repetition for one, two, or even three seconds while the bar is in contact with your abdomen. For timed eccentrics, focus on making the negative (lowering) phase of each rep take two, three, or four full seconds. This can help to maximize your gains and develop your mind-muscle connection.
Reverse-Grip Pendlay Row
If you’re looking to add an extra level of difficulty, swap out the reverse-grip bent-over row for a reverse-grip pendlay row. Since each rep starts and finishes on the ground, there’s no way for you to build momentum from rep to rep, which makes it a great lift to isolate your muscles and focus on pure pulling strength.
The reverse-grip pendlay row requires more hamstring flexibility than the reverse-grip bent-over row, because you’re in a steep forward-leaning position. However, it’s relatively easier on your core and lower back since you don’t have to hold an isometric hinge for the duration of your set.
Benefits of the Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Row
When you step into the gym, you come face-to-face with a wide range of tools and movements that you can use to sculpt your biceps and your lats. Here are some of the unique benefits of the reverse-grip bent-over row that make it worth adding to your routine.
Increased Lat Activation
Switching from a pronated grip to a supinated grip puts your arms and shoulders into a different position and changes the pulling angle, which is why it’s easier to draw the weight closer to your belly button than your sternum. This results in increased lat activation when compared to the traditional bent-over row.
Additionally, your rhomboids and traps play much less of a role in the reverse-grip bent-over row than they do when you perform the lift with an overhand grip.
Improved Balance and Core Strength
Holding an isometric hinge isn’t easy. Your core muscles work overtime to maintain a consistent angle under heavy loads. Simultaneously, your hamstrings stay active and engaged at a lengthened position, which can help build strength in your posterior chain while also improving your overall mobility.
Unparalleled Rowing Strength
The reverse-grip bent-over row cuts down on a number of variables and limiting factors posed by many other row variations. Generally speaking, you can lift heavier loads with a barbell than you can with a dumbbell.
Flipping your grip from overhand to underhand means your grip strength won’t hold you back as you increase loads over time because your wrists and forearms are in a stronger position. Finally, range of motion tends to be more efficient than with a traditional bent-over row, since you have improved leverage when tracking the bar closer to your center of gravity.
When you put all these factors together, what you get is a lift that lets you lift heavy weights with your lats, without so many of the variables that get in the way when performing other types of rows.
Muscles Worked by the Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Row
As a compound exercise, the reverse-grip bent-over row targets muscles across numerous joints. Here’s a list of the largest muscle groups worked by the lift.
Latissimus Dorsi
With some back exercises, you feel “your back” working. That’s not the case with the reverse-grip bent-over row. When performed correctly, you should be able to feel and, later specifically target, your lats in particular.
Your lats are the biggest muscle group in your upper body — running along each side of the back half of your torso. Your lats are also the primary muscle group working in the reverse-grip bent-over row. A rock-solid pair of lats make your upper body and shoulders appear broader and your waist look more narrow in comparison, which makes them an important part of developing an aesthetic physique.
Biceps
As secondary movers — muscles which assist the primary target muscles during a given exercise — your biceps and your brachialis muscles play two separate roles during the reverse-grip bent-over row. Since your biceps are a wrist supinator, they get direct stimulation to maintain the palm-up position during the lift. More importantly, they’re responsible for stabilizing your elbow during flexion to support the joint as the muscle contracts.
Abdominals
With a barbell held out in front of you and your torso held in an isometric hinge, your abs provide the strength and stability necessary to keep you from buckling over while performing the reverse-grip bent-over row. Especially as you get to heavier loads, you’ll find that your core plays a crucial role — keeping your torso held at the desired angle and stabilizing your spine to prevent rounding.
Hamstrings
As with any hinge movement, the reverse-grip bent-over row provides stimulus to your hamstrings. By developing strength in the fully lengthened (stretched) position, the exercise promotes muscular balance and flexibility in your hamstrings.
How to Program the Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Row
Building an effective training routine can be challenging. When you’re in the gym, you want to make the most of your time and energy to maximize your gains. If you’re not sure how to incorporate the reverse-grip bent-over row into your workout plan, here are a few options that you might consider.
As an Accessory for the Deadlift
For powerlifters, who specialize in performing the squat, bench press, and deadlift, finding efficient compound (multi-joint) exercises that complement your primary lifts can be a bit of a chore or simply confusing. The reverse-grip bent-over row builds strong lats while performing an isometric hinge, which can improve both strength and mobility across your posterior chain.
Following the deadlift, consider incorporating three to five sets of six reps, using a weight that lets you keep your torso angle solid across the length of the set.
As a Main Movement For Bodybuilders
In the interest of both exercise economy, and the hormonal response that compound movements provide, many bodybuilders prefer to start their workouts with heavy compound exercises before they get to their isolation movements. (1)(2) When you’re carving a statue from stone, use the dynamite before you get started with the hammer and chisel.
If your training split has a back and biceps day, the reverse-grip bent-over row lets you isolate your lats and warm-up your biceps, while also stimulating a hormonal response which may support muscle growth. Early in your workout, hit at least three sets of eight, focusing on the eccentric portion of the lift to maximize your hypertrophy gains. (3)
As a High Volume Accessory Lift
If you spend a significant amount of time in a squat rack or on a weight platform, adding the reverse-grip bent-over row as an accessory after the classic bent-over row can be as much about convenience as anything else. All you have to do is flip your wrists around and you have a lift that lets you engage and isolate your lats while also dialing in your rowing technique after the related muscles are thoroughly warmed up and pre-trained.
If you want to implement the reverse-grip bent-over row as a high volume accessory movement, consider performing three sets of 15 following other row variations.
Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Row Variations
Maybe you don’t have access to a barbell. Maybe you’re dealing with nagging shoulder or back pain. Maybe you just want to mix things up. Regardless of your reasons, here are a few different lifts that let you target your back like the reverse-grip bent-over row.
Seal Row
As with all chest-supported rows, the seal row provides unique stimulus by preventing you from developing momentum or engaging your hips. Unlike other chest-supported rows, you perform the seal row by lying face down on a flat bench.
The resulting lift can target your lats and your rhomboids without having to concern yourself with keeping a flat back. The full bench support also removes strain from the lower back and makes it virtually impossible to move the weight using momentum.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Single-arm dumbbell rows are a relatively easy-to-learn introductory lift that keeps paying dividends as you grow in the gym. To get started, just kneel on a bench and row.
The single-arm row provides some advantages over barbell rows. Kneeling on a bench limits the amount of stress on your spine. Since the lift is performed one side at a time, you can isolate your lats and correct any muscular imbalances that may develop if you tend to exclusively use barbell row variations.
Inverted Row
Advanced pull-ups aren’t the only way to utilize your body weight for back-building. Inverted rows can be performed in a number of different ways — whether that be with suspension straps, on a Smith machine, a barbell set in a power rack, or any other stable surface that lets you get under it, and keeping your body in a straight line, pulling upwards.
To modulate the level of difficulty, simply increase or decrease the angle of your body relative to the floor. Either elevate your feet (for increased difficulty) or create a steep angle with an elevated upper body (to decrease the challenge).
FAQs
Should I perform the reverse-grip bent-over row instead of the bent-over row?
If you’re specifically interested in targeting your lats, the reverse-grip bent-over row would be a good addition to your routine. It isn’t necessarily a replacement for the bent-over row which, in addition to targeting your lats, also hits your rhomboids and helps develop grip strength.
Why am I feeling my biceps more than my back while performing the reverse-grip bent-over row?
If you feel your biceps more than your back during the reverse-grip bent-over row, you’re probably leading with your arms. Think about squeezing your back and shoulder muscles before pulling with your elbows.
What should I do if my mobility keeps me from performing the reverse-grip bent-over row?
No lift is strictly necessary to get a good workout, but improving your mobility can be a crucial part of joint health and longevity in the gym. Consider incorporating movements that both strengthen your posterior chain and improve your mobility into your routine. Some examples of these include Romanian deadlifts and good mornings.
References
Vingren JL, Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA, Anderson JM, Volek JS, Maresh CM. Testosterone physiology in resistance exercise and training: the up-stream regulatory elements. Sports Med. 2010 Dec 1;40(12):1037-53. doi: 10.2165/11536910-000000000-00000. PMID: 21058750.
Shaner AA, Vingren JL, Hatfield DL, Budnar RG Jr, Duplanty AA, Hill DW. The acute hormonal response to free weight and machine weight resistance exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2014 Apr;28(4):1032-40. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000317. PMID: 24276305.
Hody S, Croisier JL, Bury T, Rogister B, Leprince P. Eccentric Muscle Contractions: Risks and Benefits. Front Physiol. 2019 May 3;10:536. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00536. PMID: 31130877; PMCID: PMC6510035.
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