Urs Kalecinski's Workout Routine to Build a Wider and Thicker Back for 2022 Olympia

Urs Kalecinski
Urs Kalecinski has an exciting back routine preparing for Olympia 2022. (Image via Instagram/the.miraclebear)

At 24, the German-born IFBB Pro bodybuilder Urs Kalecinski aka “The Miracle Bear” is truly one of the most incredible Classic bodybuilders of this generation.

He started competing in the year 2016, and since then has appeared in several bodybuilding competitions, winning 3 major titles—the Iceland Open (Pro Qualifier) in 2019, the IFBB Pro Tampa Classic Men’s Physique in 2021, and the IFBB Boston Pro Show in 2022.

Kalecinski took a break after bagging the third place in the 2022 Arnold Classic and is now on his way to capturing the 2022 Olympia, for which the bodybuilder has already started his intense preparations under the guidance of IFBB Pro coach Stefan Kienzl. He is training hard to improve his overall physique, especially his back as he considers it to be the weakest part of his body.


Urs Kalecinski’s Back Workout Routine for the 2022 Olympia

What are the back exercises that he prefers? Here are the routines that Kalecinski is banking upon in preparation for the 2022 Olympia.

1. Single Arm Lat Pull-Down

A single arm lat pull-down is one of the best exercises to develop equal symmetry in the back muscles. It helps in unilateral training and further helps to maintain optimal symmetry throughout the back.

This exercise is Stefan Kienzl’s go-to move to build the lats. Urs prefers using a single arm for this exercise as he believes that it improves his muscle–mind connection. After performing a few reps for this exercise, he then goes on to his next workout.

2. Cable Pullovers

Cable pullovers are compound exercises that majorly target the lats. This exercise negates the use of the biceps in the pulling motion and targets the back effectively.

According to Stefan, Urs’s body is greatly adaptable to a cable machine and the equipment is a good choice for him. Using a cable machine also allows the bodybuilder to practice this exercise at any gym as it is available at almost every gym around the world.

3. Rows on a Plate-Loaded Machine

For back thickness, Urs generally prefers high rows, which is another essential compound exercise that targets the upper and middle back muscles. When performing this exercise, Kienzl suggests that it is important to keep the chest stable so that it doesn’t slouch forward because losing stability can cause overuse of the arms instead of the back muscles.

4. Pull-Ups

The next workout that Urs Kalecinski prefers for his back is pull-ups. They are another of the most productive exercises for developing massive back muscles and upper body strength. This is the only exercise in the bodybuilder’s workout routine that does not involve any weights or machines.

Kalecinski usually prefers performing pull-ups in limited sets and reps to avoid overuse of his muscles.

5. Seated Rows

The next exercise in Urs’s back workout routine is seated rows. He prefers this exercise for his lats and upper back muscles. It is an excellent strength training workout that also trains the upper arm and strengthens and tones the entire upper body muscle.

The Miracle Bear performs this exercise with a narrow grip to engage and target his muscles at a higher and more efficient rate.

6. Standing Rows

Standing rows are the final exercise in Urs Kalecinski’s back workout session.

According to coach Kienzl, Urs has a tendency to lift his shoulders while performing this exercise. This leads to his upper back muscles getting engaged while the other back muscles remain untargeted.

As a solution to this issue, Kienzl recommends performing this move on a plate-loaded seated rows machine but in a standing position. This small modification prevents the shoulders from lifting thus actively engaging the entire back muscle.


Takeaway

These are the exercises that Urs Kalecinski is doing to shape up his back muscles to prepare for the upcoming 2022 Olympia. He performs several sets of these exercises under his coach’s guidance on his back routine day.

Urs Kalecinski also recently shared a video of his training session on his personal YouTube channel.

You can watch the video here.

With the hard work and consistency that this young bodybuilder has shown toward achieving his goals, his fans and well-wishers are confident that they would see Urs Kalecinski on top of the 2022 Olympia.

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Edited by Ramaa Kishore