Chad Hollmer's Wide-Back, Boulder-Shoulder
Chad Hollmer's Wide-Back, Boulder-Shoulder Workout
Build strength and an impressive V-taper with Chad Hollmer's killer back-and-shoulder workout!
No well-developed physique would be complete without a proper
V-taper. A wide upper back and broad shoulders that taper down to a
narrow waist is the very definition of aesthetics. I've worked hard to
achieve this look, and have found the best strength and hypertrophy
gains by working back and shoulders twice per week.
Chad Hollmer's Wide-Back, Boulder-Shoulder Workout
Watch the video - 7:20
My Wide-Back, Boulder-Shoulder Workout is usually the second
back-and-shoulder workout in my split. The primary goal for this workout
is to build strength, but of course I throw in a little hypertrophy
work, too! I like to hit my back first, and then move into the shoulder
exercises after a short break.
This is a fast-paced workout though, so don't worry about being in the gym too long.
This is a fast-paced workout though, so don't worry about being in the gym too long.
The workout starts off light to pump some blood into the muscles and
get them warmed up. As we move along, we'll work up to heavier weights
and more strenuous movements. By the time we're though, you're back and
shoulders will be screaming for mercy.
Ready to get to work? Let's do it!
Chad Hollmer's Wide-Back, Boulder-Shoulder Workout
Back workout
Superset
1
Pull-up
3 sets of 5 reps
Dumbbell pull-over
3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
2
Single-arm bent-over dumbbell row
3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps per arm
3
Seated Underhand Pull-down
3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
4
Seated Close-grip Cable Row
2 sets of 8, 6 reps
Shoulder workout
Superset
5
Side Lateral Raise
3 sets of 12, 10, 8 reps
Single-Arm Upright Row
3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps per arm
6
Alternating dumbbell front raise
3 sets of 8 reps per arm
7
Standing Arnold press
3 sets of 8 reps
Back Workout
Superset: Pull-up/dumbbell pull-over
Superset: Pull-up/dumbbell pull-over
The first thing we'll do today is a superset. Perform 5 pull-ups,
then immediately move to a set of dumbbell pull-overs with no rest
between movements. Do the first set of pull-ups with a wide grip, switch
to a closer, neutral grip for the second set, and finish with an
underhand grip for the final set.
While performing the dumbbell pull-over, slow down. I want you to
feel the weight and know you're really doing the work rather than
blowing through the reps as quickly as possible. This means you'll need
to grab a dumbbell you can move in a slow, controlled manner.
Because you're contracting your lats on every rep of this superset,
they're going to be pumped by the time you're done. I promise you'll
feel it tomorrow when you wake up!
Single-arm bent-over dumbbell row
Single-arm bent-over dumbbell row
Begin with a lighter weight for your first set of dumbbell rows,
and get heavier as the reps go down. Get a good grip on the dumbbell and
focus on squeezing your elbow back to your hip—don't let it swing wide.
Squeeze at the top and lower the weight back down slowly.
Seated underhand pull-down
Seated underhand pull-down
As with the dumbbell row, you'll use lighter weight to start, and
move the pin down with each set. You'll also change your grip slightly
as you go along: Use a wide grip on the first set, bring your hands in a
bit for the second set, and finish with a narrow grip.
With back movements, I've found the negative portion (eccentric) is
more important than the concentric (lifting). Think about it: If you
want a muscle to grow, you have to stretch it out. On back movements,
the stretch occurs when you're lowering the weight. So, take your time
through the eccentric part of the lifts.
Seated close-grip cable row
Seated close-grip cable row
Using a close grip on this exercise enables you to get a good,
strong contraction on each rep. These sets should be fairly heavy.
Choose a weight that's heavy enough so you fail at about 8 reps. If you
still have a few more reps in the tank, you're not going heavy enough.
By now you should be feeling pretty tired. Power through the last 2
sets and then take a quick break before you move on to shoulders.
Shoulder Workout
Take a drink, walk around for a minute, and get ready to transition into your shoulder workout.
Superset: standing lateral raise/single-arm upright row
Superset: standing lateral raise/single-arm upright row
Once again, we'll start with a superset to pump blood into the
muscles. You've already warmed up your shoulders quite a bit during the
back workout, so it won't take much. Be sure to do lateral raises with
control. Don't swing or heave the weights up using momentum. Your
shoulders should be doing all the work.
I like to do single-arm rows so I can focus on contracting the
muscles one arm at a time. It's a great way to help muscles develop
evenly. The motion is meant to emulate using a Smith machine, so keep
the weight close to your body and glide the dumbbell up. Complete the
prescribed number of reps for each arm before returning to the lateral
raise.
Alternating dumbbell front raise
Alternating dumbbell front raise
I like to change up my grip each set: neutral grip for the first
set, overhand on the second set, and underhand for the last set. The
underhand raises will come slightly across your body, bringing in a bit
of your upper back as well.
Standing Arnold press
Standing Arnold press
I'm typically pretty tired by the end of this workout, so I like to
do a bilateral exercise that lets me train both arms at once and get in
one last good squeeze. Try to increase the weight each set.
