To build muscle and strength, you’ll need to work with heavy weights. But working with the largest loads you can handle doesn’t always lend itself to volume. You’ll inevitably reach the upper limits of your strength quickly and hit task failure, meaning you can no longer complete reps with the picture perfect form you need to both target the muscle properly and finish the set safely. That’s where techniques like technical drop sets come in, which give you a chance to eke out even more work after your initial. You can also adjust your stance and mechanics to build in rest periods within a set so you can give every rep your all. This back-building exercise allows you to do both.
The move is called the EZ Bar Incline Row Drop Set, and Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. uses it on his back day training splits to work heavy and push volume in the same session.
Not only does the rep scheme allow you to pull big numbers, the position is also giving you a better starting point for clean reps than other row variations. You’re giving yourself an opportunity to train heavy while also protecting your lower back; since your chest is supported by the incline bench, you won’t be able to compensate by shifting your body as you might in a more traditional bent-over row position. And once you shift to the dead stop technique on the back half of the move, you’ll be forced to slow down and treat every single rep on its own, without any momentum or body English.
How to Do the EZ Bar Incline Row Drop Set
●Get into position incline bench facing forward, so you can rest your chest against the pad.
●Use a supinated (or underhand) grip to grabbing the EZ bar. Engage your glutes and abs, then squeeze your shoulder blades to create tension.
●Pull the weight up to the bench. Think about driving the EZ bar straight through the bench as quickly and explosively as possible. Continue performing reps without returning the weight to the ground until you can no longer use perfect form (this should be at 6 to 8 reps; if you aren’t struggling at 8 reps, add more weight).
●Return the bar to the ground, without allowing it to slam on the floor. Now, you’ll move on to dead stop reps. Row the weight up to your chest as quickly and explosively as possible, then return it to the ground under control.
●Pause between each rep to reset your position.
●Continue until technical failure. You should aim for half as many dead stop rows as standard reps (so 3 to 4 reps).
Samuel says you can use this drop set as an opener for your back day, or save it til the end to finish off a heavy pull session. Regardless of when you slot it in your routine, give yourself 90 seconds to rest between rounds so that you’re able to recover for the heavy work. Perform 3 sets total.
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