I need the ultimate back workout!!!

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posted by Fez

Ok guys, i need to start focusing on my back. I work it as hard as i do any other body part but i want to start making some serious damage (not literally though ;) )

My objectives are basically the same as any person looking for a big back:

- Huge traps

- And some xtra width.

I was thinking about doing some circuit training, heavy weight, low reps.

Anyone got any advice?

posted by Miro

Hi,
I recently started this workout for my back and I actually got amazing gains form it.

Pull-ups 4 x 10 (if you can't do 10, just do as much as you can till 40)
Superset
Front Pull Down 4 x 10
T-bar Rows 4 x 8
Superset
Narrow-grip Seated Rows 4 x 10
Wide-grip Seated Rows 4 x 8

That's it

I change the first superset weekly. One week I do the pulls and the rows with a wide grip, the other week I do em with a narrow grip.
Wide grips are for back width, narrow grips are for back thickness.
Try it if you want and than let me now it works for you too.

posted by shortz

Where are the deads!??

Make sure you hit deads too. You can do them on another day if you like, maybe shoulder day. My back never lacked. I do 6 sets of back on back day, then 4 sets of deads on shoulder day.

posted by serious newbie

Use a variety of lifts. Anything where you pull the weight to your body generally works your back. The Gold's I go to has about 6 or 7 pull down/row variation hammerlift Iso machines. Thay all vary the angle or the grip slightly. Wide grip pull-ups(or pull downs) will work on the muscles that make your back wider and any pull down that moves the hands wider will do that. In order to get those muscles worked though you have to do a full range of motion.

Also make sure when you do your row type lifts to focus on moving your shoulder blades. A lot of people try to put on too much wieght and do this 6 inch half row and touch their stomache thing that doesn't work those muscles. This will work the center of your back and make that groove down your spine deaper.

Dead's and stiff legged lifts will get the lower back and the connectors to your ass. It is really nice when someone punches you in the kidney and you have some backup there.

Always vary the sets and reps. Always rotate to different lifts. And eat a lot of food. Sleep a lot. Sorry heard that before.

posted by Durabolin

Some great ideas, make sure to deadlift, do chin ups, and a heavy rowing movement - t-bar, bent barbell/dumbell row. Low pulley narrow rows are excellent for thickness too. A sample routine would be:

deadlifts 4 sets of 6

chin ups weighted if possible 4 sets of 6

T- bar rows 4 sets of 6

low pulley narrow rows 3 sets of 6.

Change things round to focus on the vertical ie chins/pulldowns occasionally then go back to working the rows more. Supersets and drop sets later down the line are excellent to get more growth.

I like stiff leg deads on leg day before ham curls. Add all this together and you have a very well rounded routine.

LAstly remember to have roughly equal volumes of vertical shoulder work, and horizontal pushing ie benching to prevent chest/back imbalances

posted by serious newbie

This is backwards... people usually bulk up the front and you have to remind them not to get overbalanced in the chest. Maybe thats just football players.

posted by Fez

i'm asking because when i started training, i concentrated on my chest way more than my back.....so now i need to turn the tables.

No one mentioned shrugs btw......any reason in particular?

posted by Durabolin

If you deadlift bro there's no need for shrugs IMO, although my traps grow quite easily if you deadlift heavy and regularly it's more than enough trap work

posted by Miro

The trapezius is a very large diamond-shaped muscle.
It's also involved in the rowing exercises.
I do one or two exercises on shoulder day.
But don't just focus on standing dumbell or barbell shrugs.
For variation set a bench at about 45°, grap two dumbells and lay down with your belly on the bench and do shrugs like this. Just try pulling your shoulderblades together, don't cheat by bending your elbows during the exercise.
And most of all, do them slowly.
Let your shoulders hang down, then pull them up using your traps, hold the contraction for 2 secs and then let your shoulder hang back down again SLOWLY
Doing this type of shrugs every other week will prevent you of building your upper traps "around a hole". I just don't know how to say it right, maybe someone can help me out.

posted by shortz

IMO, doing shrugs is simply to help build the traps enough to support heavy weight. If you do deads, then shrugs only need to be done to help prevent injury when holding heavy weight.

posted by Miro

Shortz,
I'm doing stiff-legged deadlifts, do I also have to do the regular then?
And one more question.
When I go to heavier weights, my grip comes loose when holding the dumbells or the bar after some time, but the muscle I'm working on isn't tired at all.
So, what can I do best to get a tighter grip? Somebody told me once Behind-the-back Wrist Curls.

posted by shortz

Some people will tell you not to use wrist straps, but if it means the difference in making sure a muscle is well worked, use them. For grip strength, reverse curls and using grippers are the best. Wrist curls really only work the forearms.

posted by serious newbie

I usually do traps on the same day I do cleans. Sucks doing cleans with sore traps. That goes along with lower back stuff. Traps are easy to work. These guys have it covered. Most of the rows that work traps will be upright type lifts that compound with the shoulders. If you have big hands you may be able to hold enough weight to shrug, but my hands are small and weak and I need grip wraps to get a trap workout.

posted by antihero

i do 340 lb. shrugs, and i have barley any traps, why? What can i do to increase them?

posted by shortz

The biggest culprit of this problem is few people do shrugs correctly. A 340lbs shrug with excellent form for several reps is nothing to shake a stick at.

Keep these things in mind when doing shrugs. Start light so you know what the form should feel like and when you feel form is not what it was when going light, then you're starting to go too heavy.

1. Shoulders should not "roll" forward or backwards. This is dangerous to your shoulders and doesn't do your traps any favors.

2. The movement is like trying to touch your shoulders to your ears. Yes, that's impossible you say, but the key is that you are trying to.

3. Watch yourself in the mirror. If you lok like a pigeon sticking his head out for every rep, you're not moving the weight. I have a buddy who swears he has a big shrug, but the weight does not move, only his head. It looks like he's trying to suck....well, let's not go there.

4. Any rep range under 8 is most likely not a good form shrug. Keep reps to 8-15.

5. Deads are a good one for traps. Most are just too lazy to do them. Don't be a wimp!

posted by antihero

thanx for the advice, but how about some help on my bicep thread?

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