Rich Piana Back Workout For Insane Muscle Gains

If you are looking for an amazing back workout, then the Rich Piana back workout routine is probably one of your best picks.

Now, you know for a fact that the best way to do something is to have the right information about it.

And when it comes to training, where can you get the best information?

Well, people who have already gone through the trial and error phase and can tell you what works and what doesn’t.

But Who’s Rich Piana?

If you’ve been in the fitness game for some time, you probably recognize this name.

Richard Eugene Piana is an american bodybuilder and businessman, who won a number of bodybuilding competitions and had his own nutrition company, called Rich Piana: 5% Nutrition.

Rich became famous in the bodybuilding world for his sheer size, persona and charisma, which he used to develop a popular YouTube channel where he’d share motivational videos, workouts and his daily life.

Now you get where this is going – This guy invested his whole being into fitness, so needless to say, he knows what’s up.

Without further ado, let’s check out this Rich Piana Back Workout, which will demolish every part of your back musculature.

Rich Piana Back Workout Routine

In this workout, Rich gives us an insight on his style of training for back width and thickness, which utilizes a mix of rowing and vertical pulling movements.

This makes sense, as vertical pulling movements engage the upper outer portion of the back, while rows engage the middle and lower portions of the back.

NOTE: This is an advanced workout, stacked with LOADS of volume (working sets) if you are a beginner, take 3-4 exercises from the list and create yourself a workout that will include 10 working sets at most. If you take on the entire 8 exercises from the workout, make sure to take sufficient rests (~150 seconds) between sets.

Exercise #1 – Lat Pulldowns

Sets: 5

Reps: 15,12,10,8,8

Rest times: 90 seconds between sets

This first exercise is a classical back-width movement, which will engage the upper outer portion of the back musculature, while also allowing you to squeeze the lower lats.

For this first movement, we do two warm-up sets of 15 and 12 repetitions, followed by 3 working sets of 10,8 and 8 repetitions.

Execution:

1. Grab the pulldown bar as wide as possible
2. Sit down comfortably
3. Lean back slightly without hunching
4. Look up slightly
5. Pull the bar down to the upper chest
6. Squeeze the back muscles hard and pause briefly
7. Go back up slowly
8. Repeat

Exercise #2 – Bent over rows

Sets: 3

Reps: 10

Rest times: 120 seconds between sets

Next up we have bent over barbell rows, which are one of the exercises where you can lift pretty heavy weights.

This possibility will grant sufficient stimulus for MASSIVE back growth, which is why the bent over row is one of the best picks for mass gains.

Execution:

1. Rack a barbell at knee level
2. Load the bar and stand in front of it
3. Un-rack the bar and take a step back
4. Place feet at shoulder width and bend knees slightly
5. Bend over without hunching your back
6. Row the barbell up to the lower abdomen
7. Contract the back and go back down slowly

Exercise #3 – Behind the neck pulldown

Sets: 2

Reps: 10

Rest times: 120 seconds between sets

If you are looking to develop sick details in your back musculature, this third movement is without a doubt one of your best choices.

The behind the neck pulldown is one of the strongest weapons in Rich’s arsenal, which he uses to bring up his back.

Execution:

1. Grab the barbell as wide as possible
2. Sit down comfortably
3. Lean forward a bit and look down
4. Pull the bar down and behind your neck
5. Squeeze, pause, release
6. Repeat

Exercise #4 – Seated cable rows

Sets: 3

Reps: 10

Rest times: 90 seconds between sets

The seated cable row will highly engage the middle and lower portion of your lats, while also activating the traps, biceps and forearms.

If you are looking for a rugged, masculine look, do include this movement in your workouts more often!

Execution:

1. Sit down comfortably and grab the v-shaped attachment
2. Extend your torso back to a 90-degree angle
3. Pull the bar to your lower abdomen
4. Squeeze the back hard go back down slowly
5. Repeat

Exercise #5 – Wide grip pull-up

Sets: 3

Reps: Until failure

Rest times: 120 seconds between sets

If there was one single bodyweight exercise for the back, which you could do for the rest of your life, the wide grip pull-up would definitely be the top dog.

This movement simply activates the entire back musculature, leaving no stones unturned for both back width and thickness.

Execution:

1. Hang on the pull-up bar with a wide grip
2. Keep feet together and straight
3. Look up and engage the scapula
4. Pull yourself up until your chin is at bar level
5. Go back down slowly, after contracting the back
6. Repeat

Exercise #6 – T-Bar Row

Sets: 3

Reps: 10

Rest times: 120 seconds between sets

The T-bar row is a variation of the bent over row, with the exceptions being the grip utilized, as well as the center of gravity.

If you have never done this exercise, do give it a shot.

This exercise can be done with bare hands, V-shaped attachment or a wide grip if you’re doing it on a machine.

Execution:

1. Stand on the platform and grab the bar
2. Bend knees slightly and bend over without hunching
3. Look forward and pull the bar up
4. Squeeze the back hard up top and go back down slowly, maintaining tension
5. Repeat

Exercise #7 – Standing cable row

Sets: 3

Reps: 12

Rest times: 90 seconds between sets

The standing cable row is one of the two finisher movements of this workout.

Due to the nature of this movement, the goal should be to go relatively lighter and increase repetitions, to get as much blood pumped into the back as possible

Execution:

1. Attach a V-shaped attachment on the lower pulley
2. Grab the attachment and take a step back
3. Bend knees slightly and bend over
4. Pull to your lower abdomen
5. Contract, pause, release
6. Repeat

Exercise #8 – Cable pullover

Sets: 5

Reps: 20,16,12,10,8

Rest times: 90 seconds between sets

If there was an exercise that would activate muscles you never knew even existed, the cable pullover is that exercise.

This second finisher movement will ensure that your back will be well-stretched, and filled with a last bit of blood before you leave the gym with a heavenly pump.

Execution:

1. Place a straight bar on the upper pulley
2. Grab the bar and take a step back
3. Bend knees slightly, bend over without hunching
4. Pull the bar down to your lower abdomen, without extending the elbow
5. Squeeze the back, then go back up slowly, maintaining tension

Conclusion

If you are relatively new to training, it is a good idea to follow the advice and workouts of people who have decades of experience in the field, just like Rich Piana.

The rich piana back workout routine we presented to you in this article is again, created for more advanced trainees who have already gotten used to a solid amount of weekly volume.

Beginners should consider taking 3-4 movements from this workout, to create their own routine that includes ~10 challenging, working sets.

Once you advance though, you can use this Rich Piana back workout to create the widest, thickest back your body is capable of.