3-time Mr. Olympia Chris Bumstead and Raw teammate Brett Wilkin link up for a back session built for one thing: a wider, thicker back. If your lats are the weak link or your “back day” is really just biceps day in disguise, this one is worth stealing.
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Chris Bumstead & Brett Wilkin Back Workout
If you want a back that looks wider from the front and thicker from the side, this is the kind of “simple, violent, effective” session to borrow. 3-time Mr. Olympia Chris Bumstead (CBUM) links up with Brett Wilkin (The Butcher) and they run a lat-heavy lineup built around clean reps, deep stretches, and hard working sets.
| Key Takeaways | What to do |
|---|---|
| Build width first, then thickness | Start with a vertical pull (pulldown or pull-up), then move into rows. |
| Elbows drive the back, not the hands | Keep wrists neutral, pull elbows down/back, and finish with a squeeze. |
| Slow eccentrics = more lats | Control the lowering phase for 2-3 seconds, especially on pulldowns and straight-arm work. |
| Quality working sets beat junk volume | Warm up as needed, then push 1-2 hard sets per move near technical failure. |
| Support your torso to isolate your back | Use chest-supported and machine rows to reduce cheating and keep tension where you want it. |
The video kicks off with CBUM sharing a few updates on Raw supplements, then it is straight to work. In the gym, he introduces Wilkin and jokes that he is the smaller guy, so he is letting Brett set the tone for the session.
Lat Pulldowns
They start with lat pulldowns using Prime-style rotating grips. That rotating handle setup is not just a gimmick. It helps keep the wrists comfortable and makes it easier to keep the elbows tucked as you drive down.
Wilkin cues CBUM to bring his elbows through at the bottom and squeeze. They also mention forearms lighting up around the 10-rep mark, which is a good reminder that your grip and brachialis can become the limiter on lat-focused work. Based on the pacing, this looks like roughly 2-3 sets in the 8-12 rep range.
Machine Rows
Next up is the machine row. Same theme: let the wrists move naturally, keep elbows close, and chase a big contraction instead of yanking weight. They alternate sets and push each other for extra clean reps. CBUM also talks about “posing” mentally at the squeeze to sharpen his mind-muscle connection.
Chest Supported Rows
Third is chest-supported rows with three 45-pound plates loaded. This is where you see coach Matt Jansen step in to spot and cue a bigger range of motion. Chest support keeps the torso honest so the back does the job. Reps look to land around the 8-15 range.
T-Bar Rows
Fourth is the T-bar row with five plates. The cue stays the same: controlled lowering for a stretch, then drive back into a strong squeeze. This is a good “mid-back thickness” builder when you do not turn it into a hip-hinge contest. The rep range appears to be about 10-15, likely for 1-2 quality sets after warm-ups.
Straight Arm Pulldown
Fifth is straight-arm pulldowns on a cable. This is the “lat isolation” slot. They focus on a hard contraction at the bottom and a slow negative (about 2-3 seconds) to keep tension on the lats instead of turning it into a triceps movement.
Seated Cable Rows
They finish with seated cable rows, and it looks like a burnout or failure-style set. This is a solid finisher because you can keep constant tension and end the session with a big pump without needing reckless loading.
Wrapping up, CBUM reinforces a point a lot of lifters miss: you do not need endless sets when your working sets are actually hard. For most people, 1-2 real working sets (after building up with warm-ups) is plenty when your form stays tight and you are pushing close to technical failure.
Sample Chris Bumstead & Brett Wilkin Back Workout
The goal here is maximum tension and range of motion with challenging loads. Treat the first 1-2 sets of each movement as ramps, then make your final set or two count.
- Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Machine Rows: 2 sets x 10-12 reps
- Chest Supported Rows: 2 sets x 12-15 reps
- T-bar Rows: 2 sets x 10-15 reps
- Straight Arm Pulldowns: 2 sets x 8-12 reps (3-second negative)
- Seated Cable Rows: 1 set x failure
Note: Keep rests between sets 45-90 seconds.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
It is fun watching CBUM hang with Wilkin, who competes in the Open division and brings that bigger-frame intensity. The bigger lesson is not “lift like them” but “train like them”: control the reps, earn the stretch, squeeze the contraction, and push your working sets hard.
If you run this workout, tell us which movement smoked your lats the most and which one made your grip quit first.
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