Andrew Jacked is entering the 2026 Arnold Classic as a strong competitor in the Open division, building on his remarkable fourth-place achievement at the 2025 Mr. Olympia. To dominate the stage alongside top athletes like Hadi Choopan, Nick Walker, and Martin Fitzwater, this Nigerian bodybuilding powerhouse must present a massive, well-conditioned physique when he steps up in Columbus, Ohio, this March. In preparation, he recently revealed a straightforward yet intensely heavy training session focused on developing his back and shoulders to impressive proportions.
Describing his approach, Andrew Jacked emphasized, “It’s all a controlled mission.” He shared this routine with his nearly one-million Instagram followers, adding, “Squeeze, reps, controlled, and keep everything right.” If you’re aiming for substantial muscle growth, this workout is worth incorporating into your regimen.
Andrew Jacked’s Back and Shoulders Workout
- Landmine Row
- Standing Plate Loaded Row
- Plate Loaded Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldowns
- Standing Straight Arm Lat Cable Pulldowns
Andrew Jacked’s Back and Shoulders Workout Breakdown
Kicking off his session, the imposing athlete started with the landmine row, commonly referred to as the T-bar row. Unlike traditional exercises like the bent-over barbell row, this variation reduces spinal stress by promoting a straighter upper body position through its unique arc of motion. This setup perfectly aligns with Jacked’s goal of executing reps with superior control, as the landmine row shifts the center of gravity to the peak of each repetition. This enables heightened precision, extended pauses under tension, and targeted development of the lats, traps, rear deltoids, core, and mid-to-lower back muscles.
Next in line was the standing plate loaded row, a dynamic compound movement that demands significantly more core activation compared to its seated version, thanks to the heightened stability challenges it presents. The main muscle groups engaged include the lats, rhomboids, and trapezius, with secondary involvement from the rear deltoids and biceps. Furthermore, it recruits stabilizing muscles in the core, lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, creating a comprehensive full-body stimulus that enhances overall strength and posture.
Moving to the iso-lateral front lat pulldowns, Jacked maintained unwavering tension across the entire range of motion during this pulling exercise. He ensured both arms worked in perfect harmony to address and correct any potential strength discrepancies between sides. Importantly, positioning the weight in front—regardless of the machine’s orientation—helps avoid excessive strain on the neck and shoulders that could arise from pulling behind the head. Opting for an underhand grip, he zeroed in on the lower and middle lats, executing powerful squeezes and full contractions at the bottom of each rep to maximize lat engagement and width.
Capping off the workout, Jacked transitioned to standing straight-arm lat cable pulldowns, once more prioritizing his lats as the primary drivers. The secret to optimizing lat and middle-back growth lies in adopting a wide grip, as demonstrated by the athlete. To mirror his technique, secure the bar with an overhand grip, maintain a slight elbow bend, inhale to brace, engage your core, and exhale while drawing the cable downward toward your lower torso. Observe how meticulously Jacked manages both the eccentric and concentric phases, resisting the cable’s tendency to recoil uncontrolled. This control also challenges stabilizing elements like the triceps and obliques, sculpting a formidable upper body poised to captivate judges at the Arnold Classic.
With only a few weeks remaining until the event, Andrew Jacked is pushing boundaries to sculpt his most awe-inspiring physique to date. To emulate his progress, structure your sessions around hypertrophy principles: perform approximately 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions per exercise, driving each set to failure or near-failure for optimal muscle-building results. This approach will help you forge the dense, powerful back and shoulders needed to stand out.
The Arnold Classic is slated to reach its peak on March 8 in Columbus, while the UK event finals are planned for March 29.
