💪 11 Best Pull Exercises for Beefy Lats and Traps

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Here’s what we’ve got going on today:

• The 11 best pull exercises to develop lat and trap size

• Five tried-and-true tips guaranteed to build boulder shoulders

• A full preview of the 2024 Arnold Classic Physique roster

EXERCISES

Posterior Power

While exercises targeting the chest or arms tend to garner more attention at the gym, the significance of a strong and stable back should always be considered. Your back muscles are crucial in maintaining proper posture, spine support, and overall upper-body strength. The issue is that push exercises, like the bench press, are relatively straightforward — that’s not always the case when you want to put together an effective pulling routine.

Not only do we feel your pain, but we actually did something about it by putting together a comprehensive guide on the 11 best pull exercises you need in your routine. From classics like deadlifts and pull-ups to underrated gems like face pulls and renegade rows, this compendium is the ultimate resource for turning your back muscles from afterthoughts into the main event. All you’ve got to do is follow along with the article below. 

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TRAINING TIPS

Shoulder the Load

Properly training your shoulders contributes to a strong and powerful physique, enabling you to excel in the bench press and maintain an impressive appearance. And while improper shoulder care can lead to an underwhelming physique, it can also increase your risk of injury, which can put a halt to any and all progress in the gym. Luckily, there are plenty of time-tested tips to make sure your shoulders both look good and feel good. 

One crucial tip we emphasize in the article below is the importance of balancing push and pull movements, ensuring equilibrium between the front and rear deltoids. (This dovetails nicely with the article above!) Additionally, we go over all the different grip variations, effective rep schemes, and tempos to follow for these key exercises. 

ARNOLD CLASSIC PREVIEW

Classic Physique Showdown

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Arnold Classic Physique in Columbus, Ohio, on March 1. Unlike the other IFBB Pro League shows, this event operates on an exclusive invite-only basis, leading to a stacked roster of big-time names.

In the upcoming Classic Physique competition in Columbus, 12 exceptional athletes have been granted the honor to compete, including two-time Olympia Classic Physique champ Breon Ansley and two-time Arnold Classic Physique champ Terrence Ruffin. Defending Arnold champ Ramon Rocha Queiroz and other up-and-comers will also take the stage in the hopes of securing a win and setting the stage for the Olympia later in the year.

Check out our full preview of the Classic Physique roster and catch up on the biggest storylines heading into this titanic showdown.

THE DROP SET

Reverse Physiology

• Are you using reverse curls to blow up your biceps? If not, follow our primer and make this move part of our regular rotation.

• Treadmills are excellent cardiovascular tools — but they can be pretty pricey. Check out this list of the top budget-friendly treadmills that’ll kick your cardio into gear. 

• Two former Mr. Olympias, Hadi Choopan and Phil Heath, unite to tackle a grueling back workout. See how they utilized slow, eccentric movements for enhanced back growth.