UNBREAKABLE UPPER BACK: The Complete Guide to Building a Bigger, Stronger, Competition-Ready Upper Back For Strongman

UNBREAKABLE UPPER BACK: The Complete Guide to Building a Bigger, Stronger, Competition-Ready Upper Back For Strongman

When it comes to strongman performance, one thing holds true across every athlete, every level, and every event:

Your upper back will make or break you.

It doesn’t matter how strong your legs are, how powerful your press is, or how explosive your deadlift feels. If your upper back is weak, you will eventually hit a wall. And that wall will come fast.

That’s why I created this article. What you’re reading now is the full breakdown - everything you need to understand why your upper back is failing you, how to fix it, and the exact systems I use with athletes to build a strong, unbreakable upper back that holds up under serious loads.

Upper back strength used to be one of my biggest weaknesses in strongman. Any time my deadlift climbed past 200 kg, my upper back would round hard. During both front and back squats, my chest collapsed, capping the numbers I could hit.

This year has been different. I identified my upper back as one of - if not the - main limiting factors across my events, and I made it a priority. Using the same protocols I’m about to share in this article, I’ve built the most stable log rack I’ve ever had, hit a front-squat PB, and pulled a deadlift PB.

The methods you’ll learn here are the exact ones I used leading into my most recent push-pull competition.

Let’s get into it.

Why Your Upper Back Is Holding You Back

Most strongman athletes walk around thinking their weakness is hips, legs, or conditioning. But when you dig deeper into performance issues, the root problem is almost always the same:

The thoracic spine and mid-scapular region can’t hold shape long enough for the hips and legs to transfer force through them. That breakdown is what kills most strongman lifts.

Here’s what that can look like:

Your elbows drop during log press

This is the classic upper-back collapse. If your thoracic spine and mid traps can’t stay locked in, the log rolls forward, elbows crash, and the press dies before you even try to drive.

Your deadlift rounds above 90%

A weak upper back folds first - not the hips, not the glutes, not the grip. Once the upper back rounds, the bar path changes and the hips lose their lever advantage. Power output drops not because the legs fail, but because the torso can’t transmit force. This will start to make the lockout portion of the deadlift harder to complete, leaving you to hitch the lockout. 

Your front squat chest collapses

This is the most obvious sign. If your upper back can’t stay extended, the bar position fails long before your legs struggle. Your chest collapses and your upper back

rounds as it can’t stabilise the load it's under during the concentric phase of the front squat. 

There are plenty of other places where a weak upper back makes its presence known in strongman. You see it in the yoke when the crossbar starts to sway and the hips compensate for what should have been controlled higher up the chain. You see it in sandbag carries when the bag drifts away from the torso because the upper back can’t keep the object pinned in tight. It shows up during stone loading if the lifter cannot maintain height through the chest long enough to clear the platform. It shows up on frame or shield carries when the shoulders roll forward and the whole position collapses into the forearms. Any event that asks you to keep height, keep tension, and keep a load fixed to the body will expose the same pattern. If the upper back gives way, the rest of the lift becomes a recovery job rather than efficient force transfer.

The Front Squat Protocol

A front squat only builds the upper back when you force the torso to hold a position it would otherwise abandon. Most lifters lose height in the thoracic spine long before their legs struggle, which means the bar drifts, the elbows drop, and the entire lift becomes a fight to reclaim posture. The value of this protocol is that it teaches you to hold that position under time, tension, and fatigue. The double isometric hold makes your thoracic extensors work at the point they normally collapse and then challenges your torso rigidity again at the top where people relax too early. When you can keep the chest high, elbows through, and the spine stable in both phases, everything that relies on a solid rack or strong upper back improves. This is why the progression below works so consistently for strongman and why it sets up reliable progress in log, deadlift, and any event that punishes a soft torso.

This modified Travis Mash protocol is one of the hardest - and most effective - systems I’ve ever used for upper-back strength.

The secret is the double isometric hold.

You’re going to pause just above full depth, and then again at the top of the rep. This is where most lifters lose height. The pauses force you to hold the shape rather than fall back into your normal compensation.

Here’s the breakdown:

Week 1

7-sec bottom pause15-sec top hold - Then drop 25% → 3×3 same pauses

Week 2

5-sec bottom12-sec top - Drop 30% → 3×3

Week 3

3-sec bottom10-sec top - Drop 30% → 3×3

Week 4

1-sec bottom8-sec top - Drop 30% → 3×3

Week 5

Build to a 1RM - no pauses

What this develops

• Huge upper back strength improvements

• Better bar position

• Better rack for log

• Better bracing

• Dramatic upper-back hypertrophy

If you run this before a log or deadlift peak, you will hit PBs - guaranteed.

The Stiff Leg Deadlift Volume Block (6 Weeks to Upper Back Density)

What follows is the kind of training that builds capacity if you stay with it.You’re going to build reps, volume, and tolerance.

The goal:

Keep the bar path tight, use the “glass floor” cue to control the eccentric, and make the upper back actually do its job.

Week 1

Build to 15RM @ RPE 7Then 2×8 with the same weight

Week 2

Build to 15RM @ RPE 9Then 2×8

Week 3

Build to 12RM @ RPE 9Then 2×6

Week 4

Use Week 3 weight for 3×6

Week 5

Build to 10RM @ RPE 9Then 2×5

Week 6

Build to a 5RM - full send

What this develops

• Huge posterior chain involvement

• High-time-under-tension for the upper back

• Raw strength + hypertrophy in a single phase

• Helps deadlift lockout and stone pickups massively

GHD Zerchers: The Most Underrated Upper Back Builder in Strongman

If you want to know how strong your upper back really is, try GHD Zerchers.

They expose every weakness in your midline and thoracic extension.

The Zercher pattern is one of the best ways to test whether your upper back can hold shape under awkward, front-loaded stress. Strongman rewards the ability to keep height through the chest while the load tries to pull you forward or fold you in half. That is the exact position the GHD Zercher recreates. The curve of the pad forces you to fight for thoracic extension from the moment you pick the weight up and the anterior load makes any lapse in posture immediately obvious. If you can stay tall here, you can stay tall under a stone, a sandbag, a yoke, or any event that punishes a soft upper back.

Not every gym has a GHD, but the pattern can be recreated in other ways. A Zercher back extension on a standard glute-ham developer or a 45 degree hyper achieves a similar goal by combining an anterior load with a lever that wants to pull your spine out of position. You can also set a barbell in the crook of the elbows for Zercher good mornings or use a sandbag held high and tight if equipment is limited. The aim is always the same. Put the load in front of you, hinge from a fixed point, and force the upper back to hold its shape without drifting. When you train it consistently, the carryover to strongman events is immediate and reliable.

The Key Cue: Chest Proud, Always

Any loss in chest height shifts the load into the wrong part of the spine. Most lifters feel this instantly because the thoracic extensors stop doing their job. That’s why this exercise is so brutally effective.

8-Week Progression

Week 1: 3×8 (RPE 7)

Week 2: 4×7 (+5%)

Week 3: 5×6 (+5%)

Week 4: 2×5 (+5%)

Week 5: 3×8 (+5% from Week 1)

Week 6: 4×7–11 (+5% from Week 5)

Week 7: 5×6–10 (+5% from Week 6)

Week 8: Build to a 5RM

Increase the load across the block, but only when you can keep height through the chest. These jumps aren’t strict. They’re based on posture, not percentages.

What you’ll get out of this:

• Forces posture under fatigue

• Teaches bracing under awkward loads

• Massive growth in traps, rhomboids, and upper erectors

• Carries over directly to deadlift, yoke, and atlas stones

Chaos & Control Sets - One of the Fastest Ways to Grow the Upper Back

This is where hypertrophy meets explosiveness. You’ll build muscle and power in one method.

How it works

Each set combines:

• Controlled reps (slow, high tension)

• Chaos reps (fast, explosive)

Example:3×10 (4 controlled + 6 explosive)

What this develops

• Builds mind–muscle connection

• Adds metabolic stress

• Trains explosiveness under fatigue

• Works perfectly with rows, pulldowns, shrugs, machines

  
  

How to progress it

Run it for 4 weeks → Add weight

Then shift the ratio:4 controlled becomes 2, chaos reps increase.

Simple, Effective & Brutal.

How Nutrition Fits Into Upper Back Development

You can train perfectly and still build nothing if your nutrition is trash.

Strongman isn’t bodybuilding, but the rules for growth still apply:

1. Eat 2g of protein per kg of bodyweight

This isn’t optional. If you want more muscle, you need the building blocks.

2. Keep fats moderate

Strongman needs fuel, not heaviness. Too much fat slows digestion and kills performance.

3. Carbs are king

They fill you out, fuel your sessions, boost performance, and give you the size and fullness you need to actually grow.

If your nutrition isn’t sorted, don’t expect your upper back to grow.

Fuel the work.

How These Protocols Fit Inside a Strongman Week

Each of these systems works because it targets a different aspect of upper back strength. The key is placing them in the week where they support the main work rather than compromise it. Strongman is already demanding on the spine, so you need structure, not chaos. A good week keeps posture work close to the lifts it improves and avoids stacking too much axial fatigue in one place.

The front squat protocol belongs early in the week, usually on a lower body strength day. It reinforces thoracic height, rack position, and torso rigidity before the rest of the week adds fatigue. The long isometric holds are demanding on the mid traps and spinal erectors, so you want them as a primary movement rather than something tagged on after events. When front squats are done here, log and axle work later in the week benefits immediately.

The stiff leg deadlift volume block fits best on a hinge-focused day, often paired with dynamic work or mid-week posterior chain training. The volume builds density in the upper back without conflicting with the front squat work done earlier. It also sets up better deadlift positioning for event days. When placed mid-week, there is enough time before heavy stones, sandbags, or frame work for the spine to settle without losing the training effect.

GHD Zerchers and Zercher variations sit perfectly on the events or conditioning day. They bridge the gap between gym movements and the positions strongman demands under load. Stones, carries, and sandbag work all rely on the exact pattern the GHD Zercher develops. Placing these after the main events strengthens the upper back at the point where posture is most likely to falter. It also avoids interfering with the barbell positions required for squatting or pressing earlier in the week.

Chaos and control sets work well on upper body days as part of back accessories. They build tension, explosiveness, and shoulder position without overwhelming the erectors. You can use them after overhead work or as part of a dedicated pulling section. They bring in hypertrophy without disrupting recovery for the more demanding hinge and squat patterns. They also scale well across a training cycle because the ratios can be adjusted without altering the rest of the week.

A typical layout looks like this:

Lower body strength: Front squat protocol as the main lift Mid-week posterior chain: Stiff leg deadlift volume block Events day: GHD Zerchers or Zercher variations after events Upper body day: Chaos and control sets as back accessories

Each piece reinforces the others. Front squats improve rack height, stiff legs add the density needed for deadlift and stones, Zerchers tighten posture under awkward loads, and chaos work fills any remaining gaps. When placed inside a structured week, the whole system builds an upper back that stays rigid under pressure and supports every major event.

How These Protocols Fit Inside a Classic Conjugate Strongman Split

Strongman Conjugate has its own weekly rhythm. The lifts are arranged to balance maximum force output, speed, posture work, and inevitable event fatigue. The aim is always the same. Build the strength to move weight and build the structure to survive it.

Here is how each protocol fits cleanly inside the classic four day Conjugate strongman template.

Max Effort Lower

This is where the front squat protocol sits for most lifters. It can be the primary movement when the goal is posture, rack height, or torso rigidity. If the main ME lift is something else, it can be placed as the secondary movement directly after. It carries over to log, axle, stones, sandbags, and any event where the spine must stay tall under load. If the main ME lift is something else, the front squat protocol becomes the secondary but still carries the same posture objective.

Dynamic Effort Lower

Stiff leg deadlifts fit neatly here as a replacement for conventional deadlifts. They work well after your speed squats and speed deadlifts because the positions match the hinge patterns you want to reinforce without pushing intensity too high. Zercher back extensions can also sit at the end of this session as an accessory for anyone who needs more direct upper back work in hinge patterns. The goal isn’t just to pull fast but to maintain tension through the upper back while the bar passes the knee.

Max Effort Upper

Chaos and control sets work well as part of the back accessories here. They support overhead work, build shoulder position, and reinforce the posture needed for a strong rack. These sets add volume without compromising the heavy overhead work that this day prioritises.

Dynamic Effort Upper and Loading

If the session includes a loading event, Zercher back extensions can be rotated in instead of stones or bags for athletes who need a break from heavy implements or who are working on upper back posture. If the session is more speed and pressing focused, Zerchers sit neatly at the end without disrupting the main work.

Five Day Split and Events Day

For athletes running a five day structure or anyone with a standalone events day, GHD Zerchers fit perfectly after the main event work. This is where posture is most fatigued and where carrying, picking and loading patterns create the exact demand the Zercher pattern strengthens. Chaos and control sets can also be added here as a short extra workout or as a finisher.

Extra Workouts

Chaos and control sets are ideal for short, low-impact extras. They build lats, traps, and scapular position without the spinal loading that the barbell variations demand. These can be added anywhere in the week when recovery is managed well.

Again, these are the exact protocols I’ve just used to have my log press back matching my old lifetime PB’s, despite taking 2 years off the log. It’s taken less than 6 months to get back to that place. They also helped me hit a deadlift PB in my recent push–pull competition.

But as you’ll see, these methods don’t just improve your log and deadlift. The upper back is the linchpin of almost every strongman event. The stronger and bigger it is, the better you perform across the board.

The Blueprint for an Unbreakable Upper Back

When you combine all these systems - front squats, stiff-leg deadlifts, GHD Zerchers, and chaos/control work - you attack the upper back from every angle.

You’ll build:

• Stability

• Thickness

• Strength endurance

• Explosive power

• Density that carries over to every event

  
  

This is how you stop your upper back from failing. This is how you hit new PBs. This is how you build a strongman frame that holds up under serious weight.

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About the Author: Liam Heaney

Shaped by Strong Coaching

Liam is an up-and-coming British strongman athlete who has been involved in strength training since 2019 and competing in strongman since 2021. Beginning at local beginner and novice shows, he has steadily progressed through the ranks and now competes in the u105kg category, with goals set firmly on England’s Naturals in 2026.

Alongside his competitive career, Liam is a qualified personal trainer with over two years of coaching experience, working with both general population clients and strength-focused athletes. His coaching suits strongman competitors who are newer to the sport, particularly beginners, novices, and inters looking for a coach who understands their stage of development first hand.

Liam’s approach blends his own competitive insight with practical, accessible strength training principles. He writes and coaches from the perspective of someone who has lived through the early progression stages of strongman, making his guidance especially useful for athletes building their foundation in the sport.

You can find out more about getting coached by Liam on his website HERE.

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