Flex F_UK_2018 | Page 89

WINNING BACK ROUTINE EXERCISE REPS SETS Lat Pulldown 10-12 4 Seated Low Pulley Row 12-15 3 Barbell Bent Over Row 8-10 4 High Hammer Row 12 3 12-15 3 Deadlift “I love bodybuilding and I wouldn’t give it up for the world, says Sam. “I always make sure I get plenty of sleep and I’ve developed lots of aesthetic tactics over the years to help me look my best. “My waist gets as small as 24 inches on stage, and coupled with my flaring lats that gives me a lovely tapered appear- ance. I think this illusion sets me apart from the other figure and body fitness girls for sure. In fact almost all of the compliments I receive pertain to my back.” I’m able to isolate my lats and really focus on technique and quality contractions under a good load. I also use a number of rowing movements. I believe the best are the seated row and single arm dumbbell rows. These exercises have helped me to develop the mid-area muscle groups and bring a dense look to my back on stage. Mixing things up using a combination of reps and focused contractions along with some heavier loading has yielded the best results for me.” Sam kindly agreed to share her bat wing tips with Flex readers. “I take a lot of pride in training my back and in the off-season, I adopt a DC style of training, which focuses on controlled negative reps, pro- gressively heavier weights and maximum intensity,” she reveals. “During competition season, I tend to use higher volume training to help bring my condition in better, harder and tighter. My favourite exercise for back is the lat pulldown, as I feel FEBRUARY 2018 | FLEX 87