Despite being a good guy, today’s training inspiration was considered the villain of professional bodybuilding for several years, for the sole reason that he hid rival Mike Katz’s shirt before the Mr. Universe posedown in order to throw off his focus…and it was all captured on film in the landmark documentary Pumping Iron.

The documentary followed what was going to be the final competition for Arnold Schwarzenegger and the race to unseat the champion before his retirement, with competitors Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu and today’s inspiration – former Mr. Universe winner Ken Waller – among the rivals in pursuit of bodybuilding’s highest honor.

As one of the key players in the 1970s bodybuilding scene – known now as the Golden Age of the sport – Ken Waller played a significant role in the rise of bodybuilding to the forefront of popular culture. One of the top competitors of his era, he was part of a small family of elite competitors who pushed each other to ever-greater heights and, in doing so, brought much of the world with them decades later in terms of weight training, body shaping and overall fitness.

In addition to multiple Mr. Universe and Mr. World victories, Ken Waller won the heavyweight division of the Mr. Olympia competition in 1976, also finishing 2nd in the Tall Division one year later.

HAMMERING THE ANVIL…

It is back day. Targeting the back is one of the focus areas of the current program. I am hoping to cover some ground in that area today. Let’s see if we can channel some Ken Waller.

TODAY: BACK (5-1-5)

SUPINE SUSPENDED (HORIZONTAL BODY) PULL-UPS (3 sets)
- Fast Tempo
Body x 4
Body x 5
Body x 3

WIDE GRIP CABLE LAT PULLDOWNS (5 sets) (fast tempo)
- Fast Tempo
150 x 10
180 x 8
195 x 6
210 x 5
225 x 2 / 180 x 3

CLOSE GRIP LAT PULLDOWNS (MACHINE) (5 sets)
- 5-1-5 Tempo
150 x 8
180 x 6
180 x 5
200 x 5
250 x 3 / 180 x 2

CLOSE GRIP ROW (SEATED MACHINE) (5 sets)
- 5-1-5 Tempo
100 x 8
100 x 8
120 x 6
120 x 5
150 x 3 / 100 x 3

TRAINING NOTES

Total Sets (Back): 18

This day was terrible. I feel bad even writing about today’s workout in the same page as referencing Ken Waller. I got to the gym and just had nothing. Sometimes, every now and again, you have a day like that and you just do what you can and roll with the punches. I also made the dumb mistake of opening with the supine suspended pull-ups and either wearing out my arms, throwing off my rhythm or who knows what… I’ll make up for it on the next back day.

I was going to do normal supine rows, with my feet on a bench instead of keeping my body horizontal in the air like I did at the start, but a dude was occupying both the only Smith machine and the only squat rack (the only viable places to do the supine rows) for some kind of shoulder workout. Oh well…

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