“Best back ever?”

That was the provocative question we asked on our December 2005 issue, and the article inside caused a sensation. That’s because the ridiculously wide back on the cover wasn’t Ronnie’s as most assumed at first glance. It belonged to a previously unknown rookie, a 6’3″ Bahamian pilot named Joel Stubbs.

Let’s look back at just how Stubbs built his wings.

STUBBS ON CHINS

“I like doing chins first and with different grips, because this really warms up the various back muscles and stretches them out. When I change my hand positions, I feel different muscles working in different ways. I feel more of my upper lats and rear delts working with the wide forward [overhand] grip. With the hammer [palms facing each other] grip, I feel more of the traps tying into the rhomboid area. With the reverse [underhand] grip, I feel more of my rhomboids and the lower part of the lats.”

JOEL STUBBS’ BACK WORKOUTS: HEAVY DAY

EXERCISE SETS REPS
Chins (wide, overhand) 2 10
Chins (narrow, palms-facing) 2 10
Chins (medium, underhand) 2 10
Deadlifts 5-6 15-6
Barbell rows 4-6 15-8
One-arm dumbbell rows 4 10-12
Back extensions 4 15

JOEL STUBBS’ BACK WORKOUTS: LIGHT DAY

EXERCISE SETS REPS
Chins (wide, overhand) 2 10
Chins (narrow, palms-facing) 2 10
Chins (medium, underhand) 2 10
T-bar rows 4-5 12-15
Seated cable rows 4-5 15
Pulldowns (wide, overhand) 4 15
Pulldowns (medium, underhand) 4 15
Back extensions 4 15