Bodybuilder Lee Priest may have retired from the sport but still approaches his training endeavors with calculated intensity. In his latest YouTube offering published on August 15, 2024, Priest offered tips for safely performing upright rows and laid out why you should lift lighter weights on back day to emphasize mind muscle connection.
Although he wasn’t the tallest IFBB Pro competitor, Lee Priest made up for his lack of stature with cartoonish muscle density and huge arms. He boasts decades of experience in the Open class, having shared the stage with former Olympia winners like Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman.
But his legacy was defined by more than just his on stage contributions. Priest became a fan-favorite in bodybuilding thanks to his wit, work ethic, and willingness to take part in grueling workouts (like when Tom Platz almost gave him a heart attack after leg day). Before calling it a career, he walked away with three victories in a row at the 2006 NOC New York, the PDI Night of Champions, and the 2013 NABBA Mr. Universe.
In retirement, Priest continues to give back to the bodybuilding community, whether he’s offering technique insight or routines he used to reach the upper echelon of the Open division. Safe and effective lifting were hallmarks of his success, which has led him to break down how to make gains with shoulder and back training without sustaining injuries.
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Lee Priest Reveals If Upright Rows Are Bad for Shoulder Health, Discusses How to Maximize Back Training With Lighter Weight
First and foremost, Priest underlined that if you’re using proper form, such as on the upright row exercise, you shouldn’t have problems with injuries.
“If you’re using good form on anything, you shouldn’t have problems. Like if you’re doing upright rows and I see people start doing this [using body English] jerky movements going too heavy, you’re probably going to get problems because you’re not in control.”
Instead of loose and jerky movements that can cause tweaks and injuries, Priest says to keep the body locked into a tight position for upright rows.
“They throw it up and it goes down and you try to catch it. So if you start doing jerky movements whereas you’re locked into a tight position, and you’re just doing that [good form] you’re really not going to have a problem. Your body goes loose if you start doing this [bad form]. So yeah, if you’re using good form and just using the muscles your meant to be using, you shouldn’t get injured at all,” shares Priest.
As for back training, Priest believes the arms are recruited heavily if the weight is too high. He adds that back ‘is one of those things you really got to feel it and squeeze it’ with mind muscle connection.
“With back, if you start going super heavy, you’re using your arms. I see a lot of guys doing seated rows like that [using forearms] or leaning way back or pulldowns. They are just using more arms.
Back is one of those things you really got to feel it and squeeze it. That’s the thing too, of course, you can’t see it. Chest, you can see your chest squeezing. Arms, legs, but because it’s behind you it’s hard to get that mind-muscle connection.”
Another challenge of back training is not being able to see the muscles being worked. He states that lighter weights on back day could help enhance mind muscle connection.
“If you’re looking at your bicep flexing, you can sort of get more into it or your chest but with your back, it’s got to be all feel. Don’t try to impress at the gym, just use the weight you can handle. Everyone I’ve known over the years who have gone super heavy, yeah heavy weights will help but everyone I know when they say they’ve lightened it, they feel it in their back more. Like I said, you got to take your arm movements out of it but your arms are going to be pulling but not to the extent,” shares Priest.
This isn’t the first time Priest has sat down to offer aspiring lifters useful pointers. Recently, he revealed if it was possible to gain 40 pounds of muscle in eight weeks, emphasizing that a pump isn’t mandatory for those looking to acquire extra gains inside the gym.
As a 1990s bodybuilding mainstay, Priest learned from the best of his era. Feel free to try out his tips the next time you’re attempting upright rows or back training.
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