Ryan Terry is offering an inside look at how he structures his back training. In an August 13 video, he broke down five back exercises that turned him into a three-time Men’s Physique Olympia champion.
In 2023, Terry dethroned Erin Banks and took over the Olympia throne. It took years to reach the pinnacle of the Men’s Physique class, and he’s determined to make history. Thus far, Terry has secured three consecutive Olympia titles. His goal is to tie Jeremy Buendia’s record of four when he returns to Las Vegas.
From a strict dieting plan to high-intensity workouts, Terry intends to showcase new improvements onstage. With the Olympia less than seven weeks away, he walked through some of the non-negotiable exercises he’s used to sculpt a 3D back.
Ryan Terry’s 5 Back Exercises That Won Him the Olympia
- Bent Over Barbell Row
- Wide Grip Pull-Ups
- Plate-Loaded Lat Pulldown
- Seated Closed-Grip Row
- Rope Pullover
Bent Over Barbell Row
During the video, Terry explained that the bent-over barbell row was the single most important exercise for his back development.
“Pronated grip, focusing on getting that full contraction, putting some weight behind it as well, not being scared to put the weight on. That really did help that mid-rhomboid of the back. That, for me, was my favorite back exercise and still is my favorite back exercise for giving me that 3D look.”
Wide Grip Pull-Ups
Next, he advocated for wide-grip pull-ups and shared when it’s appropriate to use assisted variations.
“Body weight, and if you struggle doing body weight, go into a superset with assistance. Even if it’s three or four own body weight and then a set with assists, I’m fine with that just as long as you are getting a full contraction.”
Plate-Loaded Lat Pulldown
Terry opts for a plate-loaded lat pulldown, which he said helps with his mind-muscle connection more than a pin-loaded machine.
“If I don’t hit a lat pulldown early on in my session, I do struggle to get a good connection. It goes into my biceps, it goes into my shoulders, but with that machine, it just always stays in the lats.”
“It’s a great all-around exercise, and it’s very important to hit that type of movement in a back workout. That’s always been a staple in my training,” Ryan Terry said.
Seated Closed-Grip Row
He shared that the seated row machine is ideal because he’s more comfortable lifting heavier weight:
“It’s a machine where I feel like you can touch the heavier weight. You are getting constant tension throughout the whole movement, eccentric and the concentric part, because it’s on a cable so you have to control the movement the whole time.”
Rope Pullover
Lastly, he included the rope pullover. He credits it as an effective movement that pushes blood into the back before heavier compound lifts.
“It’s something you can implement at any part of your workout. You can do it at the start as a warm-up just to engage the lats and get some blood in there before you hit heavy compound lifts. You can do them in a middle of a superset, or you can do it as a finisher. I tend to do it as a warm-up or a finisher.”
Aside from back development, a strong midsection is essential in the Men’s Physique division. This led Terry to offer solutions for the most common hanging leg raise mistakes. He warned against using momentum and letting the hip flexors take over the movement.
Terry wants his back poses as strong as his signature ‘Superman’ shot when he competes again. The 2026 Mr. Olympia will take place from September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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