Lee Priest reveals how to achieve a brutal back pump

Legendary bodybuilder Lee Priest shares his know-how on how to properly target the broad back muscle and achieve the maximum pumping that eludes many exercisers.

Lee Priest was one of the most notable bodybuilders of the 90s. Although he wasn't the tallest, he was able to beat even such giants as eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman thanks to his granite hardness and incredible bulk. One of his dominant parts was always his back.

Training the back is a tricky thing for many people. It's a complex set of muscles and unlike the biceps or chest, you can't see them directly when exercising. This often leads to not feeling the right muscle work. Priest recently explained how to solve this problem and force the latissimus (wings) in particular to grow.

The secret is in the first movement

In his video, Priest points out a fundamental mistake: most people pull the weight primarily with their arms (biceps) without engaging their back when they pull the pulley or deadlift.

His advice is simple but effective: first, pull the shoulder blades/shoulders down and "lock out" the latissimus. Only then start pulling the weight in with your arms.

"You need to feel the pumping. How can you exercise and not feel the pump? If you're doing pulley pull-ups, grab the adaptor and do a shoulder-down (shrug) movement first to lock the muscle. Only then pull. A lot of people pull with just their arms and their back doesn't even contract," explains Priest.

Hands like hooks and no swinging

Another key to success is to eliminate momentum. Priest warns against excessive "throwing" with the weight. If you lean and swing your body too much with an exercise, the muscles don't work as they should.

• Hands as hooks: Imagine your hands are just hooks that hold the weights. Don't cramp the bar and pull with your biceps.
• Elbows back: Concentrate on driving the movement with your elbows backward and toward you.
• Controlled movement: Slight bending with heavier weights is fine, but don't swing the weight. Constant tension in the muscles is important.

For example, if you are doing seated pull-ups (rowing), try to press your shoulder blades together and push your elbows back as far as possible in the final phase.

Leave the ego in the locker room

Lee Priest points out that to get a better back feel, it's often necessary to lower the weight. With a lighter weight, it's easier to hold the muscle in the down position and give it a good 'squeeze'.

"A lot of guys throw the weight back and forth, but their back doesn't move. They're just exercising their arms. If you lower the weight a little and really focus on squeezing the latissimus, you'll feel the difference," Priestadvises .

Since you can't see your back during a set, you have to rely on what's called the mind-muscle connection. If you can't feel the muscle working, you're probably using poor technique or too much weight.

Try Lee's technique of "locking" your shoulders at the beginning of each repetition during your next back workout and watch the difference in pumping.