Intensity over volume; rows before pulldowns.
Last updated on June 24th, 2025
In June 2025, former IFBB pro open bodybuilder and coach Iain Valliere discussed the nuances of exercise order, tension curves, and mental approaches that transcend mechanics. A month prior, Valliere started his back days with pulldowns, but now favors Prime Rows over pulldowns and pullovers to kick off his sessions.
I feel like I get more out of the big rows. Starting with pulldowns doesn’t make sense.
—Iain Valliere
Iain Valliere’s Updated Pull Routine
Prioritization, Tension Curves, One Rep, & Volume
Since volume and intensity influence gains, prioritizing muscles with the most efficient techniques maximizes effort and stimulus. Lagging body parts should be trained first, though.
Valliere feels that seated upright rows with a neutral grip are more productive, as pulldowns primarily hit the lats or upper back, depending on the technique. (1) These exercises should be taken close to failure, with occasional failure sets. (2)
You can adjust the tension curve…I want it not as heavy at the top of the contraction to get deep into that squeeze.
—Iain Valliere
Higher mechanical tension during the muscle-lengthening phase and lighter concentric tension may be slightly more hypertrophic. This minimizes fatigue during the concentric squeeze.
One set, one rep…get the stimulus and move on.
—Iain Valliere
Rather than overloading via volume, Valliere sought a high-quality stimulus from a single, heavy rep before increasing loads. This is a valid preparation technique; start with a few progressive warm-up sets for several reps to help prevent injuries. (3)
“Two sets on the rows. Three sets on the pulldowns…15 sets total.” Current guidelines suggest five to 10 weekly sets per muscle optimizes hypertrophy, but going well beyond seems to produce continued gains, though an unclear ceiling exists. (4)(5) It’s hard to overtrain.
Programming should be centered around sleep, nutrition, and stress management, as recovery can vary.
Seal Rows
During seal rows, Valliere imagines pulling his chest into the bench, instead of lifting the chest, to maximize the range of motion. Though research favors the stretch for hypertrophic stimulus, concentric contractions are important. (6)
Seal rows substantially reduce trunk stability, allowing greater upper and mid-back isolation. They benefit those with lower back pain, but the extra setup is a drawback.
References
- Simão R, de Salles BF, Figueiredo T, Dias I, Willardson JM. Exercise order in resistance training. Sports Med. 2012 Mar 1;42(3):251-65. doi: 10.2165/11597240-000000000-00000. PMID: 22292516.
- Robinson ZP, Pelland JC, Remmert JF, Refalo MC, Jukic I, Steele J, Zourdos MC. Exploring the Dose-Response Relationship Between Estimated Resistance Training Proximity to Failure, Strength Gain, and Muscle Hypertrophy: A Series of Meta-Regressions. Sports Med. 2024 Sep;54(9):2209-2231. doi: 10.1007/s40279-024-02069-2. Epub 2024 Jul 6. PMID: 38970765.
- Lasevicius T, Ugrinowitsch C, Schoenfeld BJ, Roschel H, Tavares LD, De Souza EO, Laurentino G, Tricoli V. Effects of different intensities of resistance training with equated volume load on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018 Jul;18(6):772-780. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2018.1450898. Epub 2018 Mar 22. PMID: 29564973.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2017 Jun;35(11):1073-1082. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197. Epub 2016 Jul 19. PMID: 27433992.
Featured image: @iainvalliere on Instagram
