Why: “Locking your hips in position and being supported on the bench leaves no room for cheating,” says Kemp. By grounding your upper body on the bench, it isolates your upper body and stops any other muscles from switching on subconsciously during the rep to help you out when things get tough. Focus on dragging the dumbbells in, pulling your elbows towards your waist to develop a strong mind-to-muscle connection. The more you can sense your back muscle engaging mentally, the larger the physical payoff.

Meadows Barbell Row

How: Position yourself over the end of the barbell landmine, hinged forward at the hip and with a flat back. Brace your abdominals to keep a solid posture and reach for the barbell end. Grip the barbell and drag the bar into your hip. Pause for a moment at the top of the rep focusing on the max contraction. Return to the start position getting a full stretch in the lat.

Why: This modified version of a single-arm dumbbell row positioned will allow for a great stretch and involvement of the entire lower lat while also challenging your grip,” says Kemp. “Although, if you struggle with your grip don’t let this limit you from how much weight you can lift, use wraps – this meant to be a back exercise, after all.” Again, you’ll benefit from working one side at a time, too, so be mindful of any imbalances if one side is stronger than the other.

Rope Pull-Ups

How: The aim is to use a full range of motion on this exercise, so climb high enough so you can fully lengthen your arms at the bottom of the rep. Hold the ropes with feet off the floor. Drive your elbows down and contract your back to lift up your chest until it rises to in line with your hands. Pause at this position, focusing on a maximum squeeze in your back. Slowly lower yourself down and mentally prepare yourself for the burn in your forearms.