Big Ramy, the IFBB pro league bodybuilder, has sculpted his awe-inspiring muscular physique through years of dedication to hypertrophy training and optimal nutrition.
I thoroughly researched Big Ramy's back workout training, diet, and supplement principles, leveraging my extensive experience and expertise in exercise physiology.
Applying the same principles to my clients' fitness plans has produced significant improvements in their performance.
Quick Summary
- Mamdouh Elssbiay, also known as Big Ramy, is an Egyptian IFBB professional bodybuilder and two-time Mr. Olympia champion.
- Big Ramy’s workout routine includes machine row, one-arm dumbbell row, seated cable row, V-handle pulldown, hammer strength pulldown, and stiff arm pulldown to work the back and shoulder muscles.
- He consumes a highly nutritious diet packed with protein and drinks plenty of water to support muscle growth.
Big Ramy Stats
Mamdouh Mohammed Hassan Elssbiay, popularly known as "Big Ramy," has gained recognition for his remarkable size in the bodybuilding world, with his massive rear lat spread striking a chord with bodybuilding fans and contributing to his success.
Originally from Egypt, he first entered the world of bodybuilding in 2009, when he was working as a fisherman in Kuwait City.
- Date of birth: September 16, 1984 (37 years)
- Height: 5’9’’
- Weight: 240 lb
- Waist: 36 in
- Chest: 54 in
Big Ramy’s Back Workout Routine
Big Ramy’s training approach consists of heavy-weight training and high-intensity resistance exercises. He focuses on back and shoulder workouts.
Machine Row
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 6–15
Mamdouh Elssbiay performs machine rows using a machine that simulates a rowing motion with resistance provided by weights or hydraulic cylinders.
He grips the handles with an overhand or underhand grip and sits with his back straight and his legs slightly bent.
He then pulls the handles towards his torso, slightly angled, as he engages his back muscles.
Read more: Machine High Row Alternatives
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 15, 12, 10, 8, 6
Elssbiay maximizes his balance by placing one arm on a knee pad on the pulldown machine. He ensures a strong bicep grip by wrapping a strap around the dumbbell handle.
He starts a one-arm dumbbell row with the weight hanging straight. He lifts the dumbbell towards his flank while rotating the shoulder blade inward and exhaling.
He then lowers the weight and continues the workout for the other arm after shoulder shifting.
Seated Cable Row
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 6–15 reps
Ramy would ensure the close-grip V-bar handle is properly attached to the seated row cable machine.
He’ll surely lean back and sit upright, facing the weight stack, with feet against the platform and knees slightly bent.
To perform seated cable rows, he pulls the handle towards the middle chest, flexing elbows, and keeping the handles close to the body.
He squeezes his shoulder blades backward, exhales, holds briefly, then flexes his lats and middle back to return to the starting position, and finally inhales.
V-Handle Pulldowns
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 6–15
Elssbiay adjusts his hand positioning throughout the V-handle pulldown exercise, keeping his palms close together at the stretch and moving the handles apart during the contraction.
He leans slightly backward during the concentric half of each rep for greater mobility.
Using D-handles instead of a traditional V-handle allows for longer stretches and stronger contractions.
Ramy finds this modification beneficial for freer motion and an improved squeeze.
Hammer-Strength Pulldowns
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 6–15
Ramy uses the Hammer Strength machine to maintain an upright position with his abdomen against the support pad.
He emphasizes full ranges of motion with maximum stretches and contractions.
Elssbiay aims to pull his elbows back at the shoulder joint as far as possible to engage his inner back.
His trainer provides assistance with a few forced reps on his last set.
Rear Lat Pulldowns
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 6–15
Elssbiay grips the bar a few inches past the downward-angled sides.
He sits in the seat, legs tucked underneath the kneepads, feet flat on the floor, while relying on a weight belt to keep his lower back tight.
With his elbows extended and the weight stack lifted, he tightens his core, angles his torso forward, and pulls the bar down to the back of his neck, bending his elbows.
He squeezes his shoulder blades and back muscles, then reverses the motion, keeping the weight stack off the ground between reps.
Stiff Arm Pulldowns
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 6–15
For this exercise, Mamdouh Elssbiay keeps his torso slightly angled forward with his upper body at a 9 o'clock angle.
He pulls the bar down in an arc from his blue Nike cap to his quads, using his arms as levers.
Then he holds each contraction for a second, squeezing his lats while focusing on strict form.
“It’s a good way to both stretch out and contract the lats at the end of a back workout. The weight isn’t so important. What’s important is strict form and really focusing on your lats.”
- Big Ramy
Also read: Straight Arm Lat Pulldown Guide
Workout Principles
Some personal workout principles Elssbiay follows include:
- High sets and reps: Big Ramy sticks to a high-rep approach to bodybuilding, focusing on muscle hypertrophy. He performs sets with 8 or more reps, with an average rep range of 12 reps.
- Progressive training: This is Big Ramy’s valuable training tip and involves varying rep ranges from 15 to 6 over a five-week cycle, with decreasing reps each week. As reps decrease, weights increase.
- Customized approach: He works with his trainer, Ahmad Alaqi, to tailor his training program to his individual needs, goals, and progress, with adjustments made as needed to optimize results.
Big Ramy’s Diet Principles
Mamdouh Elssbiay consumes 4000 calories every day, broken down into 6–8 different meals that include a balanced diet of protein, carbs, and healthy fats.
Highly Nutritious Food
Elssbiay consumes a nutrient-dense diet consisting of high-quality, highly nutritious foods, which amounts to double the calories of an average person's intake.
His nutrition plan is designed to provide him with 4,000 calories, carefully balanced with healthy and fresh macros.
Protein-Packed Diet
Elssbiay consumes a significant amount of protein daily, with a minimum of 500 grams.
On rest days, he takes around 400 grams, while on training days, he increases it to as much as 600 grams.
According to him, maintaining muscle mass requires at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight [1].
Big Ramy's preferred protein sources include eggs, chicken breast, turkey, and his favorite whey protein.
Plenty of Water
In addition to his 4000-calorie daily intake, Big Ramy prioritizes proper hydration.
He believes that staying well-hydrated helps maintain energy levels during intense workouts, prevents muscle loss, and combats fatigue and exhaustion post-training [2].
His Meal Plan
Mamdouh Elssbiay follows a strict meal plan consisting of multiple smaller portions.
They include:
- Breakfast: 12 egg whites, 3 whole eggs, and sweet potato
- Morning snack: protein shake
- Lunch: chicken breast and brown rice
- Mid-day snack: 4 whole eggs and sweet potato
- Afternoon snack: 8 oz chicken breast, 1 cup brown rice, and 1 cup sliced pineapple
- Dinner: Salmon and half a cup of white rice
- Post-dinner snack: Steak salad
- Midnight snack: Protein shake with peanut butter
What Supplements Does He Take?
He takes protein powder, multivitamins, fish oil, creatine, and essential amino acids.
These five elements complete his routine, ensuring there are no deficiencies and maintaining his health and performance at a high level.
He is also a strong advocate of pre-workouts, even creating his own pre-workout product named Ramy's Rage.
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FAQs
How Much Does Big Ramy Workout?
Big Ramy works out five days a week. He dedicates one day per week to training his upper back. His workout contains 5–6 exercises, mainly pulldowns and rows, with a rep range of 10–15 per set.
Is Big Ramy a Natural Bodybuilder?
No, Big Ramy is not a natural bodybuilder. He admits to using performance-enhancing drugs during the time he was bulking up. However, his genetics, intense workout schedules, and strict diet played a huge role in building his enormous body.
How To Get a Body Like Big Ramy?
To get a body like Big Ramy, follow a high-volume, intense training routine that focuses on hypertrophy. Consume whole, nutrient-rich meals with enough protein to support muscle growth.
The Ramy Way to a Massive Back
The extensive effort put into sculpting a back like Big Ramy's and his ability to maintain and refine his physique over the years are truly remarkable.
He performs high-intensity exercise training to work his back muscles until fatigued.
This approach requires sufficient nutrition, which is why he advocates taking pre-workouts before back exercises.
After our analysis of multiple pre-workouts, we created a list of the best pre-workouts to power up your training:
Pick one and start working your way up to a massive back.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852756
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8336541/
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