There are few bodybuilders more inspired than Lewis.
After excellent first places in the Texas Pro 2022 and the 2022 Arnold Classic United KingdomChinedu Andrew Obiekea aka “Andrew Jacked” is no doubt hoping to make a brilliant debut at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. already thinks he’s destined for greatness. In light of this, the athlete seems to understand the value of learning from those who have been there and done it.
On November 23, 2022, Jacked posted a video on his YouTube channel where he works through a back workout while being guided by the seven-time 212 Olympia champion James “Flex” Lewis. The video is aptly titled “Attention to Detail,” given that it takes place during the final stages of Jacked’s preparation for the Olympia, which will be held December 16-18, 2022 in Las Vegas, NV.
Here’s a look at the back routine Lewis performs with Jacked as he prepares for the biggest competitive moment of his young career so far.
Go back up
Under Lewis’ guidance, Jacked begins his workout by warming up with a few standard bodyweight sets. pull-ups. Jacked uses a “suicide grip” – where one does not wrap their thumb around a bar or dumbbell — to perform pull-ups. The purpose of this change was to focus more on refining his back rather than strengthening his armswhile disengaging Jacked’s forearms after mentioning having a slight muscle strain.
Low row supported by chest
Jacked and Lewis then move on to chest support low ranks at high volume. The goal of this specific movement was to gain thickness in the back while forcing the athletes to isolate their back muscles. It was here that Lewis emphasized “attention to detail” beyond just lifting heavy weights.
“For me right now it’s about trying to bring out those little details,” says Lewis. “Because we all know you can train and put [expletive] six plates on the machine but to get good detail that’s why you pose, pose and pose. There’s no weight to put down, is there? You just hold the pose, and when you’ve been doing this for weeks, you see all these [details].”
Rower leaning on the chest and pulling the right arm bent (superset)
Lewis wanted to challenge Jacked’s lattisimus dorsi muscles a bit more, in particular, by doing a superset chest-supported rows and straight-arm pulldowns with cables, a natural step in this workout. Lying face down on an incline, the lower lats of Jacked were challenged with the rows, while the pulldown variation worked the muscle more without help from the surrounding body parts. Lewis emphasized using slow motion for both strokes and little rest between sets.
Kneeling Lat Pulldown
Lewis and Jacked choose to do a variation of the traditional lat pulldown performing it from a kneeling position while using a narrower grip. The lats are still engaged and stretched considerably, while the kneeling position and different grip also allow the core and pectoral muscles to get some measure of work as well.
Row of seated machines
To wrap up their workout, Lewis and Jacked kick off another lat-oriented move with some seated rows. This rapprochement, in addition to improving the back strength and height, can also accentuate better posture for the athlete.
Knowing what Lewis has accomplished in his career, Jacked feels the icon has a lot to offer someone who is still looking to make his mark. Although he really knows how to take care of his body, Jacked seemed to appreciate Lewis taking the time to guide him through this workout. As the most important performance of Jacked’s career looms on the horizon, learning from the best could be the best way to prepare.
” The thrust [Lewis gave me] was crazy,” Jacked said. “That’s why I need someone who can take over. I’m just working according to my preferences, and that’s why I’m still in the maintenance phase. I need someone who can take me beyond my limits, which I will definitely work on during my off-season after Olympia 2022. Because to be the best, I have to work with the best.
Featured Image: andrewjacked on Instagram