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Developing A Better Back
by Tim Wescott
(To learn more about Tim Wescott & Weights on the Web please click on the above banner. )
The back is a very complex muscle group. It seems to somehow resist improvement at times, in spite of your best efforts, at least for me anyway. It is also an area that we are unable to see while training, therefore at times you may slack up a bit in favor of training a more "showy" area, such as the chest or the biceps.
You know what they say, "Out of sight.......out of mind" !!
Another problem that a lot of trainees encounter in their quest for a wider thicker back, is feeling the muscles working, and achieving a good pump in the area.
I realize that "the pump" in bodybuilding is not the best indicator of having had a productive training session, but the lack of a tight pumped up feeling can become a factor in whether you enjoy training the back, or just work on it as an afterthought.
It can also indicate that you have affected the area in question in a favorable productive manner, by having stimulated the target muscles.
Let's face it, getting a pump is a good feeling, and if it feels good you are more apt to put that much more intensity into your back workouts. Personally I never used to achieve a pump in my lats or traps, and this was simply due to the fact that I was training far too heavy!
Too heavy you ask?
How can you train too heavy, when everyone knows that heavy hard training will increase muscle size?
Well in my case, and I'm sure in the case of many others who are not genetically gifted in this area, heaving big weights around does little more than cause you to wake up with a sore lower back, or even an injured back, and that's something that can set you back for a very long time depending on the severity of the injury.
Using too much momentum or "body English",during back training can severely nullify the effectiveness of the training session. In some exercises a certain amount of "controlled cheating" is fine, and will actually help you advance, and make size and strength gains. In a back workout this is not always the case in my opinion, for most people anyway, except on the last rep or two, if you are an advanced trainee and then only certain exercises lend themselves to cheating in a productive way. You can only find this out by years of training experience, and feedback from your workouts.
To really work the back properly, in my opinion, you must try to "feel" the muscles working by adding little nuances into your back workouts.
For instance, pulling with the lats as opposed to making the biceps take the brunt of the load. Start your rows, or pull down type movements by contracting the upper back and shrugging the shoulders back first before letting the arms come into play. You will also want to make a concerted effort to squeeze the shoulder blades together in the contracted portion of the exercises, and to get a really good stretch at the starting point.
The old cliche` in all the muscle mags, is that "the arms should act merely as hooks" and the back should be doing the majority of the work, and it's true!!
One more thing to consider, and it is of utmost importance in training any body part, is the "mind / muscle connection".
You must strongly concentrate on feeling the exercise and all of the back muscles doing their job.
If you look around your gym, at times you may see people actually carrying on a conversation right in the middle of their sets. This is a prime example of NOT employing the mind to muscle connection and is also a good way to get injured.
Concentrate on a full contraction and extension while going as heavy as possible for the prescribed number of reps......in perfect form!!
On your lighter sets, try holding the barbell or cable handle at your chest for a second or two, and make a conscience effort to squeeze the shoulder blades together!!
You can also have a training partner put his or her hand in between your shoulder blades while performing an exercise, as this will help you in getting that "feel", and making you more aware of squeezing for all you've got!!
Now when it comes to devising a good routine for the back, you must include some exercises for thickness and some for width.
Rowing exercises, in their various forms, will help develop both back width and thickness, but are unparalleled when it comes to adding thick muscle to the upper back. A lot of guys have wide backs, but when they turn to the side, they look like cardboard cutouts.............rowing will help prevent this look, and add a three dimensional look to your back!
Pull downs are fairly easy, and far more comfortable than rows, so everyone does them in one variation or another, but do not neglect rows by following this beginners mistake, or you'll regret it in the long run, and end up playing a game of catch up!!
Pull downs, chins, and pullovers, will increase the width of your back, so a mixture of both rowing movements, and a pulling type exercise or two, is the best way to set up a decent workout regimen for building an impressive back.
The core of any back routine should be centered around deadlifts, as they are THE ONE exercise that will build the entire back from neck to hips, and will impart a rugged look to your entire physique, as the whole body will benefit from performing them on a regular basis.
I also train my trapezius on back day, since it is one of the biggest muscles of the back. Some prefer training traps with shoulders, as it is part of the shoulder girdle, but it is technically a back muscle so I advocate doing it on back day, it's just a matter of personal preference!!
I also don't think you should go overboard on trap development, unless you are extremely deficient in this area, and are lacking good size.
The traps get hit indirectly when doing most rowing exercises, laterals for shoulders, upright rows, and deadlifts, among other exercises............so it can be very easy for some to overdevelop them, thus detracting from the illusion of wide delts, giving you a sloped shouldered look, as opposed to a wide V-taper, so don't go "trap crazy" if creating the illusion of wide shoulders is a goal!!
You can also use straps to help out your grip, and to enable you to use heavier weights while still maintaining good form..............heavier weights with good form = more muscle.
Below are a few good back programs you can try to see if you can build a better back!!
Routine A
Deadlifts- 4 sets, 5-8 reps
Chins-4 sets, reps to failure
Barbell Rowing- 4 sets, 8-12 reps
These are three of the best back exercises, and make for a perfect routine !!
Routine B
V-Bar Chins- 3 sets, to failure
Cable Rows- 3 sets, 8-12
Dumbell Rows- 3 sets, 5-10
Pulldowns- 3 sets, 8-12
Deadlifts- 3 sets, 8-10
Lots of variety in this one!!
Routine C
Wide Grip Pulldowns- 4 sets, 6-12
Barbell rows To Waist-4 sets, 6-12 (underhand grip)
Dumbell pullovers- 4 sets, 6-12
Weighted Hyperextensions- 4 sets, 8-20
Give these workouts a shot for 4-6 weeks a piece, or do a different one weekly, alternating the three, and when you're done I guarantee you that your back will be much improved from neck to hips!!
STAY PUMPED!
Weights On The Web
http://www.geocities.com/timbuktuweights/
My Forum
http://timwescott.proboards18.com/index.cgi/
E-Mail me if you want free training advice at:
twescott2003@yahoo.com
or twescott@tds.net
* Article by Tim Wescott.
* Back to This Issue's Frontpage
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