{"id":854011,"date":"2026-08-11T09:40:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T09:40:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/854011\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T09:40:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T09:40:17","slug":"arnold-schwarzeneggers-son-shares-the-4-old-school-exercises-he-uses-to-build-a-bigger-wider-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/854011\/","title":{"rendered":"Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Son Shares the 4 Old-School Exercises He Uses to Build a Bigger, Wider Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

Joseph Baena<\/a> has never tried to hide the bodybuilding influence of his dad, Arnold Schwarzenegger<\/a>. The actor and fitness fanatic regularly shares his old-school, Golden Era-inspired training sessions on social media \u2013 and his latest back day<\/a> looks like it could have been lifted straight from the Austrian Oak\u2019s own workout diary.<\/p>\n

Heavy rows, plenty of pull-ups<\/a>, a focus on stretching the lats and, most tellingly, a lot of chat about actually feeling the muscles working.<\/p>\n

No unnecessarily complicated movements, just four bodybuilding staples and a shedload of back-building volume.<\/p>\n

\u2018The back is my favourite body part to train,\u2019 Baena explained alongside the workout. \u2018Filling out the lats, rear delts and traps can completely change your physique.\u2019<\/p>\n

Hard to argue. If you\u2019re after a wider, thicker upper body, Baena\u2019s session covers pretty much every base.<\/p>\n

Joseph Baena\u2019s Back Workout1. Pull-Up<\/a> x 5 sets of 10 reps<\/p>\n

Baena kicks things off with 50 total pull-ups, using the movement almost as much to prepare his shoulders and back as he does to build his lats.<\/p>\n

\u2018I start with this to warm up. Pump up the lats and gives me a nice stretch for the shoulders,\u2019 he says. <\/p>\n

Rather than prescribing 5 sets every time, Baena\u2019s real target is simply 50 total reps, taking as many sets as necessary to get there.<\/p>\n

2. T-Bar Row<\/a> x 4 sets of 10 reps<\/p>\n

Next up, it\u2019s time to start shifting some serious tin.<\/p>\n

\u2018This is probably my favourite exercise ever,\u2019 says Baena. \u2018So good for building thickness in the back and it\u2019s an exercise you can really go heavy on.\u2019<\/p>\n

With the pull-ups taking care of plenty of vertical pulling, heavy T-bar rows add a horizontal pull, hammering the lats alongside the traps, rhomboids and rear delts.<\/p>\n

3. High Cable Row x 3 sets of 10-12 reps<\/p>\n

Baena changes the angle again, rowing high with his elbows flared to put more emphasis on the upper back.<\/p>\n

\u2018Traps and rear delts totally engaged,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

He also offers a warning for newer lifters: don\u2019t blindly imitate the exaggerated forward stretch he uses between reps. <\/p>\n

\u2018If you\u2019re a beginner, just stay upright and pull the weight with the elbows flaring up.\u2019<\/p>\n

Build the foundations first. Then you can freestyle.<\/p>\n

4. Single-Arm Pulldown x 3 sets of 10 reps each side<\/p>\n

Finally, Baena goes unilateral.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t normally do these, but feel it\u2019s necessary to even out the activation in the lat if I feel like one side is lacking in size or engagement,\u2019 he explains.<\/p>\n

Working each side of the body independently can help you concentrate on creating equal contractions on both sides rather than allowing your stronger side to dominate.<\/p>\n

And that concentration is a key part of Baena\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n

\u2018The mind muscle connection is a real thing and for bodybuilders it\u2019s a necessity,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

Even if stepping onto a bodybuilding stage isn\u2019t on your agenda, Baena argues that learning to deliberately flex and engage the muscles you\u2019re trying to train can help you recognise when your technique needs adjusting.<\/p>\n

Heavy weights, big stretches, plenty of volume and an unapologetic focus on the pump.<\/p>\n

Like father, like son.<\/p>\n

\"kori<\/a><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing Kori Sampson knows, it\u2019s how to optimise your body composition for performance. To tap into his knowledge as an elite athlete and coach, we asked him to create a 4-week plan to help you move faster, recover quicker and keep pushing when the fatigue sets in \u2013 all while improving your muscle-to-fat ratio.<\/p>\n

Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here<\/a> to get 14 days of free access to the plan via the Men\u2019s Health app.
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\"Headshot<\/p>\n

With almost 18 years in the health and fitness space as a personal trainer, nutritionist, breath coach and writer, Andrew has spent nearly half of his life exploring how to help people improve their bodies and minds. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

As our fitness editor he prides himself on keeping Men\u2019s Health at the forefront of reliable, relatable and credible fitness information, whether that\u2019s through writing and testing thousands of workouts each year, taking deep dives into the science behind muscle building and fat loss or exploring the psychology of performance and recovery. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Whilst constantly updating his knowledge base with seminars and courses, Andrew is a lover of the practical as much as the theory and regularly puts his training to the test tackling everything from Crossfit and strongman competitions, to ultra marathons, to multiple 24 hour workout stints and (extremely unofficial) world record attempts. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0You can find Andrew on Instagram at @theandrew.tracey, or simply hold up a sign for \u2018free pizza\u2019 and wait for him to appear.<\/p>\n