As a personal fitness and strength coach, I follow the careers of many bodybuilders. And one of my favorite ways to find new ideas for workout routines is to look at what bodybuilders did in the 80s and 90s.
Kevin Levrone is one of my favorite bodybuilders, and our team decided to do some research into how he managed to shape his back muscles.
Fortunately, Kevin has shared many ideas and approaches in interviews, and after a day of going through dozens of videos, we had a routine that we tested out with a few clients.
Quick Summary
- Kevin Levrone spent a lot of time on compound exercises like rows and reverse flys to target his massive back muscles.
- He focuses on gradually increasing the weight load from set to set to add the maximum amount of strain when he gets to the end of an exercise.
- He spends a lot of time on mental preparedness and relies on supplements for better performance and recovery times.
Kevin Levrone Stats
- Born: July 16, 1964
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 240 lbs.
- Waist: 29”
- Chest: 27”
Kevin Levrone’s Back Workout Routine
Kevin has posted numerous videos of training sessions, and his goal for each set is to do six to eight reps maximum.
That means the last two sets need to be tough as hell.
He also increases the weight for each set so that the resistance becomes gradually tougher.
Here are some of his favorites for sculpting huge back muscles:
- T-Bar Rows: This is an old-school exercise on the cable machine, and doing t-back rows a great way to trigger your traps [1].
- Shrugs: For these, you want to load up a barbell as much as possible, as the movement is short. But when you pull up your shoulders and hold the strain at the top, you’ll make a huge impact on your shoulders and upper back.
- Lat Pulldowns: You simply can’t go wrong with this exercise, and I suggest that you switch the hand position from wide to narrow on different training days. But it’s a great compound exercise for your entire upper back.
- One-Arm Dumbbell Rows: If you’ve built up a lot of back strength, this is a great dumbbell exercise. And if you want to focus on achieving a better muscle size balance, then increasing weight sets with one-arm rows is a great option.
- Reverse Flys: I generally advise people not to use a machine for this. Simply head over to a flat workout bench and grab two heavy dumbbells. Lie down flat on your stomach and try to lift the weight up while keeping your arms as straight as possible.
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What’s His Diet Plan?
Kevin Levrone’s diet plan is all about calories and protein. But unlike many other bodybuilders, he doesn’t go through long bulking phases.
Because he takes shorter steps toward his goals, he has more flexibility with how much he eats.
Most of his food involves chicken and fish for protein, and then loads of vegetables for carbs.
The less processed and clean the food is, the more likely it will be to find a place on his plate.
“I hate red meat. My diet is low in carbs, with lots of fish and chicken. Everything is very clean. I love vegetables and right now I’m cutting.”
- Kevin Levrone
Kevin’s Supplement Approach
Kevin is a big proponent of eating healthy and getting as many of your nutrients through healthy food for muscle building.
But the volume of protein he needs can be very difficult to fit in with food alone.
That’s why the first thing he’ll take multiple times a day during bulking phases is a high-quality protein shake.
The better the quality of the source ingredients, the more nutrient dense the amino acids will be for boosting muscle recovery.
And in order to push himself just a bit further in each session, Kevin will also take pre-workout supplements to increase his strength and reduce fatigue.
FAQs
How Much Can Kevin Levrone Bench Press?
Kevin Levrone can bench press over 450 pounds. He has shared on social media that he was able to complete four reps of 455 pounds, which makes you wonder if he’s preparing for another major event.
Did Kevin Levrone Win Mr. Olympia?
No, Kevin Levrone never won a Mr. Olympia title. But despite falling short on several occasions, he has won 20 different professional bodybuilding titles during his successful, and still ongoing, career.
Start Reshaping Your Back Muscles In A More Effective Way
The secret to following Kevin’s approach to back muscle training is to load up the weights and make sure every set is more difficult than the previous one.
That kind of hypertrophy will have a huge impact on muscle growth.
And to help you get a bit more strength and endurance, I would recommend taking one of the top-quality pre-workouts we tested:
These can provide just enough endurance boosts to add a few more pounds to your sets, and that will add up over the months ahead.
References:
- https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/trapezius-muscle
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