Jeff Nippard, a leading figure in the YouTube fitness community, recently divulged a scientifically-backed, high-volume pull-day workout, focusing on enhancing back and bicep gains.
Hailing from Canada, Nippard, a lifelong natural bodybuilder, powerlifter, and personal coach, has carved a notable place for himself in the fitness realm. His journey in training began in his youth and culminated in winning the 2022 Mr. Junior Canada title at the age of 22. As a powerlifter, he’s demonstrated remarkable prowess, with records for a 502-lbs squat, 336-lbs bench press, and a 518-lbs deadlift. He also held the Canadian national record for bench press at one point in his career.
Nippard’s expertise is rooted in his biochemistry degree and his extensive years of training. A perpetual student of bodybuilding, he continues to assimilate and disseminate knowledge. His YouTube channel, boasting a staggering 3.8 million subscribers, frequently features engaging and informative videos. In addition, he’s trained numerous natural bodybuilders and powerlifters, helping them attain their fitness goals.
In recent times, Nippard has been exploring the minimalist training philosophy in depth. He’s in the midst of launching a six-part push-pull-leg training series based on minimalist training principles. The latest installment, a pull day workout, was recently unveiled on Nippard’s YouTube channel. Let’s delve into what Nippard has to offer in this episode.
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Jeff Nippard Unveils Pull-Day Workout Regimen and Insights
Kickstarting the Pull-Day: One-Arm Half Kneeling Lat Pulldown
The pull-day workout shared by Jeff Nippard commences with a lat-centric exercise: the One-Arm Half Kneeling Lat Pulldown. Nippard suggests an optimal technique: pulling the cable back until the upper arm is parallel to the body. Overextending the pull, with the arm moving beyond the torso, isn’t advised as it can reduce lat leverage.
Nippard also addressed a common alternative, the lat pull-in, where the weight is pulled down from the sides. However, he cautioned that during the pull-in, the teres muscles can potentially dominate the movement, resulting in inadequate stimulation of the lats.
Currently, there’s no scientific consensus that definitively ranks one exercise over the other in terms of hypertrophy benefits. Therefore, the choice between the two exercises boils down to individual preference without any unique benefits attached to either.
“I’d just say to roll with whatever one you feel hitting your lats harder. OR If you feel them both equally well, you can periodically rotate them in and out,” Nippard concluded.
Nippard recommends executing three sets of this exercise, adhering to a moderate repetition range of 12 to 15 reps per set. This strategy aims to optimally stimulate muscle growth while minimizing the risk of overexertion.
Building Strength: Pull-ups
Following the lat pulldowns, Nippard introduces an advanced bodyweight exercise: pull-ups. Although Nippard himself is fond of performing as many sets of pull-ups as possible, he acknowledges that the lats would have already been worked during the lat pulldowns. Therefore, he suggests that a single, all-out set of pull-ups should suffice for this training session.
Moreover, Nippard is cognizant of the diverse preferences among fitness enthusiasts. While fans of calisthenics might relish the prospect of pull-ups, many bodybuilders might not share the same enthusiasm. Balancing the workout to cater to a wide range of fitness levels and interests is a priority for Nippard.
“While I do think that it’s important that your training is enjoyable, I also think pull-ups are a great exercise worth including that you shouldn’t avoid just because they’re harder than lat pulldowns.”
Addressing these varying preferences while still incorporating this compound bodyweight exercise into the workout, Nippard proposes a balanced approach: performing one As Many Reps As Possible (AMRAP) set. The objective here is to incrementally increase the number of repetitions performed each week, while maintaining consistent and proper form. This approach ensures the inclusion of pull-ups in the regimen, while making the workout adaptable and engaging for a diverse range of fitness enthusiasts.
“If you’re bulking, just matching the number of reps should be enough to present an overloading stimulus because as you gain weight, you’re adding resistance. But if you’re cutting, you should try to add at least one rep each week because as you lose weight, you’ll be lowering the resistance,” Nippard explained.
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From a technique standpoint, Nippard suggests placing the arms approximately 1.5 times the shoulder width apart for optimal results. And for those in the early stages of their fitness journey, an assisted pull-up machine or a resistance band can be a valuable tool to help perform the movement correctly and safely. This approach ensures the exercise is accessible and effective for a wide range of fitness levels.
Blending Power and Control: Kroc Rows
Nippard introduces Kroc Rows as a somewhat more relaxed and slightly more upright version of the dumbbell rows, characterizing them as involving ‘controlled cheating.’ He underscores the importance of adhering strictly to form, particularly for novice lifters. However, the Canadian fitness expert also contends that adhering too rigidly to perfect technique could potentially hinder progress as you advance in your training journey. Thus, the introduction of controlled, intentional deviations like in Kroc Rows can help stimulate further muscle growth and strength gains.
“Once you’ve mastered the technique basics, I don’t think there is anything wrong with a little controlled body English on select movements, especially if it allows you to overload the target muscles more effectively.”
Nippard notes that many high-level professional bodybuilders incorporate a certain degree of body sway during exercises. However, he emphasizes that despite the apparent movement, these elite athletes maintain control over the weight throughout the exercise, especially during the eccentric or lowering phase. This approach provides an additional challenge and can stimulate further muscle engagement, but it requires a high level of skill and should be used with caution to avoid injury.
“The strength curve of the back exercises is actually very unique in that it’s super easy at the bottom and then much harder at the top. So if you stop at the first sign of any technique loss…”
Nippard summed up his thoughts as follows:
“…You may be stopping well shy of the point where your back is fully stimulated. So using just a little bit of momentum at the bottom can help your back approach that point of full exhaustion much more effectively.”
Nippard doesn’t advocate for cheating on exercises as a regular practice. However, he believes that, when used judiciously, it can serve as an effective strategy to intensify workouts in certain situations. For Kroc rows, he suggests that three sets of 10 to 12 reps should be sufficient to stimulate the back muscles effectively.
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Re-Imagining Shrugs: Cable Shrug-Ins
Next up in the pull-day workout, as proposed by Nippard, are Cable Shrug-Ins. This is a cable machine variation of the traditional shrug exercise. In contrast to dumbbell or barbell shrugs, where the weight is moved along a vertical axis, cable shrug-ins involve moving the weight upwards and towards the center.
Nippard posits that the direction of movement in cable shrug-ins aligns more closely with the orientation of the upper trap muscle fibers. Consequently, shrugging up and inward promotes more effective stimulation of the trap muscles, making cable shrug-ins a beneficial addition to the workout.
“That’s also why I generally recommend a slightly wider grip when doing barbell shrugs as it will force you to shrug up and in, and not just straight up and down,” Nippard concluded.
As with previous exercises, Nippard recommends performing three sets of Cable Shrug-Ins, adhering to a repetition range of 12 to 15 reps per set. Once completed, you can then proceed to the next exercise in the workout regimen.
Targeting Rear Delts: Reverse Pec Deck Flyes
Next in line in the workout is the Reverse Pec Deck Flyes, a movement specifically targeting the rear deltoids. The objective here is not merely to push the weight back but to focus on pushing it out and back. This technique places greater emphasis on the rear delts. As Nippard explains:
“If you just pull the weight back, you’re going to shift a lot of focus on the mid-traps which isn’t a big deal if that’s what you’re going for. But we’ve already smashed the mid-traps with pull-ups and Kroc rows. So I’d much rather isolate the rear delts here since they’re usually overpowered by the bigger back muscles in those compound movements.”
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Nippard advises experimenting with various grip styles – neutral, pronated, and internally rotated – to stimulate the rear delt muscles in diverse ways and maximize the benefits of this exercise. This adaptability caters to different comfort levels and ensures a comprehensive workout for the rear deltoid muscles.
Exploring New Movements: Overhead Cable Biceps Curls
While not typically a proponent of overhead biceps curls, Nippard has shown interest in an experiment conducted by natural bodybuilders Alberto Nunes and Brian Miner. They reported experiencing greater activation in the long head of the biceps when performing overhead curls.
While there is limited data to conclusively validate these findings, Nippard finds the prospect intriguing enough to warrant experimentation. He suggests performing three sets of 12 to 15 reps as a general guideline. However, for those looking for additional bicep stimulation, Nippard notes that incorporating a couple more bicep-specific exercises could be beneficial.
Table of Contents Jeff Nippard Includes:
- One-Arm Half Kneeling Lat Pulldown – 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
- Pull-ups – 1 AMRAP (as many reps as possible) set
- Kroc Rows – 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
- Cable Shrug-Ins – 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
- Reverse Pec Deck Flyes – 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
- Overhead Cable Biceps Curls – 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
Jeff Nippard’s fitness guidance is grounded in extensive research and experience, enhancing the likelihood of effective gains for those who follow his training routine. Thus, if you’re eager to enhance your pull-day performance and witness visible results, consider adopting this workout regimen. Remember, the journey to fitness is unique for everyone, so adapt the routine to suit your personal needs and capabilities. Now, all that’s left is for you to head to the gym and give this scientifically-backed pull-day workout a try!
Watch a Full Streaming Of Jeff Nippard’s Workout on His YouTube channel:
Overview
Canadian fitness expert and YouTube sensation, Jeff Nippard, shares a science-backed pull-day workout focused on boosting back and bicep growth. Known for his powerlifting records and extensive training experience, Nippard leverages his biochemistry degree and deep understanding of bodybuilding to create fitness regimens. This latest workout incorporates a range of exercises including One-Arm Half Kneeling Lat Pulldown, pull-ups, Kroc Rows, Cable Shrug-Ins, Reverse Pec Deck Flyes, and Overhead Cable Biceps Curls. Nippard’s advice, informed by research and practical experience, offers an effective workout regimen for those seeking to enhance their pull-day performance and muscle gains.
Featured Image @JeffNippard (Youtube)