The 💯 Back Workout (MOST EFFECTIVE!) – ATHLEAN-X™

by YouTube Team

The hundred back workout requires all out effort, but the results are nothing short of amazing if you follow the back exercises and protocols shown here. As always a solid back workout should consist of exercises for your lats and upper back. That said, even that doesn’t make this workout for back complete. In order to round out your back with a well rounded workout you need to spend more time focusing on the reps that actually count to help you build a bigger back. That is what we do in this workout.

If you look at most arm workouts people perform, they usually consist of the same back exercises. The issue isn’t necessarily what you’re doing but how you’re doing them. In order to increase the intensity of the workouts you are doing you have to focus on increasing the intensity of each set you perform. Consider that in a normal set of 12 reps that only the last 2-3 are actually hard enough to provide enough stimulus for muscle growth.

What if you had a way that allowed you to more quickly tap into those harder, more growth producing reps more quickly? You do, by incorporating a rest pause technique into your training. Here, when the set is resumed you are instantly back to recruiting more type II fibers which are more easily able to respond to your hard work in the form of new size. The accumulation of these more difficult, effective reps is what can easily help you to increase the size of your arms while decreasing the length of your workout.

When it comes to training in the effective rep range, ask yourself a question. When you perform a set of any back exercise, do you take it to failure or close to failure? Likely, the only reps you feel that are challenging are the final 1 to 3 reps. This is because, it is only at the point after the muscle has been stressed enough to tap into the harder to reach type IIb muscle fibers that the task at hand becomes challenging enough to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

With the back workout technique shown here and in this series, you’re going to more quickly tap into these growth inducing type II fibers. The strategy is as follows:

Perform a set of the back exercises shown below to 12 rep failure. Choose a weight that will cause you to fail at or close to the 12 rep mark. This is called the ignition set. At this point, the real work begins. Rest for just 15 seconds as part of a somewhat prolonged rest/pause. As soon as these 15 seconds are up, get back into another set. You will instantly recognize that the reps will be challenging more quickly due to the decreased recovery time allowed.

You are still using the same load however, therefore your back is still being subjected to the same external load. However many reps you get after each of these rest/pause increments are all deemed to be effective reps. Each bout should be taken to failure. Accumulate 20 effective reps, even if you’re getting just 1 out at a time at some point, and your work on that exercise is complete.

If for some reason you are unable to complete any more reps on your way to 20, end your set and aim to complete all 20 the next time you perform this workout.

Here is how to construct the 100 back workout with that in mind.

– Barbell Row – Ignition Set then 20 Effective Reps as a Rest/Pause as a Dead Row
– Lat Pulldowns – Ignition Set then 20 Effective Reps as a Rest/Pause
– Seated Cable Row – Ignition Set then 20 Effective Reps as a Rest/Pause
– DB High Pulls – Ignition Set then 20 Effective Reps as a Rest/Pause
– Underhand Grip ROM Pulldowns – Ignition Set then 20 Effective Reps as a Rest/Pause

Optional: Inverted Rows x 20 reps using a 5 second isometric hold at the top of each rep (Rest/Pause)

All totaled, this will amount to 100 effective reps in this intense back workout.

If you have to adjust your weights down as the fatigue mounts, do so accordingly. You are not necessarily using your 12 rep max on an exercise, you are using a weight that will cause you to fail at the 12 rep mark in that given workout. Fatigue accumulating in the later back exercises of this workout may cause you to have to drop down a bit to make this happen throughout the workout.

This is just one example of how to apply science to your back workouts. If you want to put science back in every workout you do, head to athleanx.com and get started right away on building a ripped, muscular, athletic body.

For more back workout videos for the lats, traps and upper back, be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube at the link above and don’t forget to turn on notifications.

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50 comments

ATHLEAN-X™ December 1, 2022 - 7:08 pm

*THE GIVEAWAY IS BACK* – I’m giving away my brand new complete 90 Day Beaxst PPL program to 40 lucky clickers within the first hour this video is published! Remember, this is NOT THE FIRST 40, but those randomly selected within the first hour the video is published. Click the link to see if you’ve won. No strings attached! Clicking twice does nothing. Only one entry per video. Remember to watch to the end for more workouts.
https://giveaway.athleanx.com/ytg/100-back-workout

If you don’t win, no worries, you’re not going away empty handed. Just be sure you have your notifications turned on so you can get to my next video quickly and try again. Good luck and thanks for being a loyal subscriber…

Reply
Kevin Connolly December 3, 2022 - 2:07 am

Can't wait to do this. I've done the chest and shoulders the last 2 weeks. Love them. I could use more ab exercises for DDD in L5. I've been doing the stretch from your bulging disk video and it's helping immensely but get aggravated with some ab stuff. Thank you for what you do!

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Ricardo Fernando Sosa Rios December 3, 2022 - 3:33 am

Where are the pull ups? I love you videos, just a question

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jump body fitness JBF December 3, 2022 - 3:38 am

Jeff stop giving workout advice, you are good at body mechanisms so focus on the best chest exercises type of videos. Thx

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derickwd December 3, 2022 - 3:54 am

Calls it lat pull down, proceeds to pull with upper back

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martin iglesias December 3, 2022 - 4:15 am

Surprising no chin ups in this back workout..

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Franky Layman December 3, 2022 - 4:54 am

Jeff you are my teacher although we never connected directly. Lately I have some problem, my head always feels full after weight lifting. I checked my eyes, my minus eyes increase significant. Maybe you have some advices related to eyes health, breathing and weight lifting

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Alex Ng December 3, 2022 - 7:06 am

Thank you for such a hardwork.

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Mauricio Priego December 3, 2022 - 7:21 am

With what other 100 workout can i mix this in?

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Ethan Fitzpatrick December 3, 2022 - 8:07 am

Hey, what's the deal with time under tension with this kinda workout? Are the short rests short enough for it to still be a driver of growth or are we relying on metabolic stress?

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peter nagy December 3, 2022 - 11:35 am

This guy is crazy outta his god damned fcking mind

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Rosa & Antho December 3, 2022 - 1:00 pm

Would you recommend this structure for someone who's doing a PPL split?

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Mrwill December 3, 2022 - 1:23 pm

Sorry can you make a videos about good workouts without equipment

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colin dupre December 3, 2022 - 1:23 pm

Just wondering how you fit these workouts into your training week…..So you wouldnt do a PPL, or upper lower split….you would do 1 each of these workouts, and a legs one?

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sjtdxitditsitdurzirxur December 3, 2022 - 1:49 pm

Sorry, but the form on them rows is off. Way too much involvement from the upper traps

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Alex Hernandez December 3, 2022 - 2:35 pm

You seriously have to mention that's you do this WITH EQUIPMENT smart guy

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Sunil Hathi December 3, 2022 - 3:46 pm

Question, if you can’t hit even one rep after 15 sec break do you take a longer break? 12 rep max weight used initially . Thanks

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Mihailo Acimovic December 3, 2022 - 5:57 pm

Advice needed.

Day 1:
* work(12hours shift)

Day 2:
* Chest – 5 exercises, 3 set's, 8-10 reps per set.
* Triceps – 5 exercises, 3 set's, 8-10 reps per set.
* Abs – 3 exercises, 3 set's, 8-10 reps per set..

### between day 2 and day 3 there is 12 hours night shift###

Day 3:
* Back – 5 exercises, 3 set's, 8-10 reps per set.
* Biceps – 5 exercises, 3 set's, 8-10 reps per set.
* Forearms – 3 exercises, 3 set's, 8-10 reps per set.

Day 4:
* Legs + calf's 7 exercises, 3 set's, 8-10 reps per set.
* Shoulders 5 exercises, 3 set's, 8-10 reps per set.

After day 4 it starts cycle again, day1 -> day 2-> day3-> day4-> day1-> ect.

Now question is do i need more rest days?
After i started listening different chanel's on YouTube heard a lot of things and know i know that i don't know anything.
I heard a group of muscle is needed 24 hours of rest, some say 48, some 72 ect.
Also i heard that a complete body need rest.
A lot of people advocate for 3 days of training per week.

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Matteo Russo December 3, 2022 - 6:40 pm

Leg?

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Mario Britton December 3, 2022 - 8:05 pm

Nothing like science in your workout..

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XENDER XENDER December 3, 2022 - 9:42 pm

Sir I've lots of questions as I'm new to bodybuilding, I want to stay natural and I don't trust anyone except you.
Does whey protein powder counts natural?
I'm 5'10" With 80kg but I'm little skinny, I do 25 knuckle pushups in one go and 40 normal pushups, do exercise at home with 10kg and 20kg dumbbell and eat balanced diet, still I'm not gaining muscles, why?

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Ikki Fenix December 3, 2022 - 11:33 pm

Hello Jeff I am jareth I workout I have abs but I was wondering if you can make a abs workout how to get those muscles on your side if you can thank you Jeff.

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Thedudeabides803 December 4, 2022 - 1:24 am

Jeff isn’t jacked, he’s lean.

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Livin Lavish December 4, 2022 - 3:06 am

Please do a video on dowagers hump

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Tai Lung December 4, 2022 - 3:39 am

Loving this series👍💪👍

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ChangLong The Long dragon December 4, 2022 - 4:10 am

hey! If i want to do a push, pull, legs routine and incorporate the 100 ERs, what would you recommend! Would love to hear from you 🙂

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Muhammad Yousaf December 4, 2022 - 6:08 am

Thanks

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Cem Yardım December 4, 2022 - 7:19 am

Amazing !!!!!

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Derek Kolb December 4, 2022 - 1:31 pm

What about the Teres?

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Jizzy G December 4, 2022 - 1:41 pm

Is this method good to implement with full body workout? I do FB 3xweek, each day emphisizing on push/pull/full
monday – FB(4 excersize for back, and one for chest, shoulders, bicep, tricep)
wednesday – FB(3 excersize for chest, and one for back, shoulders, bic and tric)
friday – FB(2 for chest, 2 for back, 2 for shoulders, one for bic and tric)

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Captain Obvious December 4, 2022 - 3:33 pm

You look like Robert Lewandowski

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Aaron Combs December 4, 2022 - 6:14 pm

You are awesome. Always great videos. Thank you so much for all the content you put out. One question, can I replace the first lat pull down with pull ups?

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Paul Evans December 4, 2022 - 6:32 pm

🙏

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Two Bros December 4, 2022 - 6:44 pm

Really great video 🔥🔥🔥

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Hulkieus December 4, 2022 - 7:15 pm

Thanks a lot for this series Jeff. The shoulder workout is my fav, and one of my go to’s, I like to finish off with some wrist work after.

Keen to do more of the chest one, would have already but I injured my palm, so relegated to pushups only for a while, although the tendon has almost fully recovered so keen to get back into it.

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Emil Brandquist Philipsson December 4, 2022 - 8:06 pm

How long should I rest between the sets and the excersises?

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Tom O’Neill December 4, 2022 - 8:44 pm

Doing these Effective Rep workouts now and wow, they are great. Do you think these effective rep moves would be good for a Push/Pull split? Maybe combine these moves with others?

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Smoking Red December 4, 2022 - 10:57 pm

I wonder when we will get lower body and leg videos for the 💯series

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Choa Ichal December 5, 2022 - 8:18 am

Not back Small V-Taper muscle kids into have BodyBoulding significant fast to pack again.

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mark gibney December 5, 2022 - 12:00 pm

There is some one posing as athlenx offering prizes

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Al Jackson December 5, 2022 - 2:43 pm

I tried applying the ER principles for my leg workout. Fascinated to see what Jeff comes up with for legs, because without going to failure on squats like an absolute animal, I may have undercooked my workout a little bit!

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nicolaschalifour December 5, 2022 - 5:51 pm

If one started Jeff best push pull legs series a few month ago, how soon should one switch to the 100 series?
I'm still progressing in terms of additional weight but my physique is not changing fast enough 🙂

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Boi December 5, 2022 - 6:24 pm

Do you use this workout 2x a week? It was recommended to do 15-20 sets per week for each muscle group right?

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Thomas Villaflores December 5, 2022 - 7:14 pm

Can we have a more in depth look at the DB high pulls??.. Please?

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Big D Fitness December 5, 2022 - 8:49 pm

Asking everyone's opinion here; If you choose a weight that's too heavy for the 12 rep ignition set, do you rest pause your way to the 12 reps and still use the same weight for the 20 effective reps? If not, what do you do?

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Big D Fitness December 5, 2022 - 8:54 pm

Jeff and all his "optional" and "extra" work 😂😂 as if I'm not going to do it.

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Manuel L December 5, 2022 - 9:22 pm

is it smart to do that with squats, deadlift, HS pushups, dips and pullups.
This would be a CNS wipe out.

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Joseph Beavers December 5, 2022 - 9:24 pm

Where's the Legs Workout?

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MdMDmD December 6, 2022 - 2:01 am

Be careful with the barbell dead row though. If you're TOO enthusiastic about it you might not even realise until the next day that you busted your back for a good 2-3 weeks (speaking from experience)

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More gains No excuses December 6, 2022 - 5:19 am

You really feel the muscle contractions with these workouts 💪🏾

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