Chris Bumstead’s Brutal Back Workout for Maximum Back Growth with Sam Sulek and David Laid

If your goal is to grow lats and build a wider, thicker back, this workout delivers exactly that. Combining mechanical drop sets, slow negatives, and high-effort rowing variations, the routine targets the lats, upper back, and rear delts from multiple angles to maximize muscle growth. More importantly, it emphasizes intensity and quality execution—two factors that often matter more than simply doing more exercises.

Introduction

Most people think building a bigger back requires dozens of exercises and endless sets.

But after watching Sam Sulek and David Laid train back alongside six-time Mr. Olympia Chris Bumstead, I was reminded that intensity often matters more than complexity.

What stood out wasn’t just the exercises they chose. It was how they approached effort, progression, and getting the most out of every set.

The Workout Overview

Exercise 1: Mechanical Drop Set Lat Pulldown

Set 1

• Wide Grip Pulldown
• 8 reps
• 4-second negative on every rep

Immediately followed by

Set 2

• Medium Grip Pulldown
• AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible)

Immediately followed by

Set 3

• Underhand Grip Pulldown
• AMRAP

Perform 2-3 rounds total

Exercise 2: Cable Pullover

• 2-3 working sets
• 10-15 reps per set
• Controlled 3-second negative
• Focus on stretching and contracting the lats

Exercise 3: Seated Cable Row

• 2-3 working sets
• 8-12 reps per set
• Pause briefly at peak contraction
• Control the eccentric

Exercise 4: Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row

• 2-3 working sets
• 8-12 reps per set
• Full range of motion
• Train close to failure

Optional Finisher

• Additional pulldown variation
• 1-2 high-rep sets
• 15-20 reps

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Weekly Recommendation

Beginners

• Perform this workout once per week
• Focus on learning technique

Intermediate Lifters

• Perform once every 4-5 days
• Progress weight or reps gradually

Advanced Lifters

• Can perform twice weekly using different loading schemes
• One heavy session
• One moderate/high-volume session

Key Training Principles

The Workout Breakdown

The session started with a lat pulldown variation that quickly turned into a brutal mechanical drop set.

The structure looked like this:

Lat Pulldown Mechanical Drop Set

• Wide Grip Pulldown – 8 reps with a 4-second negative
• Medium Grip Pulldown – AMRAP (as many reps as possible)
• Underhand Grip Pulldown – AMRAP

Without changing the weight, they simply changed hand position to continue extending the set.

This is a great example of increasing training stimulus without needing more weight.

For intermediate lifters, mechanical drop sets can be an effective way to increase intensity while keeping workouts efficient.

Why Slow Negatives Work

One thing repeatedly emphasized during the workout was controlling the lowering phase of the movement.

Most gym-goers focus entirely on lifting the weight.

The real muscle-building magic often happens during the eccentric phase—the lowering portion of the rep.

Using a controlled 3–4 second negative:

• Increases time under tension
• Improves mind-muscle connection
• Reduces momentum
• Creates a stronger growth stimulus

If your goal is hypertrophy rather than simply moving the most weight possible, slowing down your reps can be a game changer.

Training Hard Still Matters

One of my favorite parts of the session was seeing experienced lifters push sets close to failure.

In today’s fitness world, many people spend more time talking about optimization than actually training hard.

The reality is that effort still matters.

No advanced technique can replace:

• Consistent progression
• Proper execution
• Training close enough to failure

The lifters in this session weren’t counting every tiny variable.

They were focused on making each working set count.

The Rest of the Back Workout

After pulldowns, the workout moved into:

Cable Pullovers

Excellent for targeting the lats without excessive bicep involvement.

Seated Cable Rows

A controlled rowing movement that allows you to focus on upper-back development while reducing lower-back fatigue.

Chest-Supported Rows

One of my favorite back exercises for hypertrophy.

The chest support removes momentum and lower-back involvement, allowing you to focus entirely on the muscles doing the work.

For many lifters, chest-supported rows are a smarter long-term option than constantly loading heavy bent-over rows.

How Much Volume Do You Really Need?

An interesting discussion during the workout centered around training volume.

The consensus?

You don’t always need six or seven sets per exercise.

Many advanced lifters get excellent results from:

• 2–3 hard working sets
• High effort
• Good exercise selection
• Consistent progression

This is something beginners often overlook.

More sets doesn’t automatically mean more growth.

Better execution usually beats more volume.

What Beginners Can Learn

If you’re new to lifting, don’t worry about copying every advanced technique.

Instead, focus on these fundamentals:

• Train each muscle group consistently.
• Use controlled form.
• Progressively add reps or weight.
• Train close to failure safely.
• Prioritize recovery and nutrition.

The workout may look intense, but the principles are surprisingly simple.

My Final Thoughts

The biggest lesson from this back workout wasn’t the exercises.

It was the mindset.

The best physiques are rarely built through secret exercises or complicated programs.

They’re built through years of consistent effort, intelligent training, and a willingness to push hard when it matters.

Whether you’re a beginner trying to build your first impressive back or an intermediate lifter looking to break through a plateau, remember this:

You don’t need more tricks.

You need more quality work.

Train hard, recover well, and let time do the rest.

— H.S. Dhillon

Watch the full video from Chris Bumstead’s YouTube channel below: