The following is a comprehensive look at the various back exercises. I hope you find this information informative and inspiring.
Deadlifts Considered by many to be the most important and most difficult mass builder there is. Using a belt is highly recommended, because if performed wrong it can really do some damage.
Load up a barbell on the outside of squat rack handles so that you can pick up the weight and step back. Grab the weight with an overhand grip. Keep your arms straight throughout the movement. Make sure to look up. Keep your back straight. Bend your knees and lower the weight until it rests on the ground. Straighten your legs and bring your back up to a vertical position at the same time without leaning backward. Your arms should be straight at all times. Put the weight back down and do it again in the same manner. When done correctly you would have worked your lower back, quads, hamstrings and buttocks. Just remember this exercise is extremely difficult. If done properly you should be totally exhausted after you have finished your last set. Because this exercise is so taxing make sure to warm up properly. The deadlift and squats are the two most important mass building movements you will do. Make sure you give them your all.
Bent Over Rows
Crouch down so that your back forms a 45 to 60 degree angle with the floor. Bend your knees and flatten your back, tilting your chin up will help you avoid arching your back. With an over or underhand grip, pick up a moderately heavy barbell and let it hang just below your knees. Pull your elbows back as far as possible using your back muscle to lift the weight to your mid-rift. Lower and repeat. Keep your upper body as still as possible doing this movement. You won’t see any gains if you bring your chest down to the weight rather than the weight up to your chest. If done correctly you would have worked your upper back, trapezius, and biceps. This is a fantastic movement for building a wide, powerful back.
T-Bar Rows Execute this movement similar to the bent over row. Stand over the T-bar row machine with your back slightly arched up (almost as if you were in a skiing position. Grab the handles and pull the weight up towards your chest before slowly lowering it. I recommend using a belt on this one because of the strain the lower back. Unlike the bent over row, I tend to position my upper body much closer to horizontal when I perform this movement. The reason for this is that the machine you use for this exercise guides the weight along an arc that encourages that particular stance over any other. If done correctly you would have worked lower lats. This is a great width building movement, but it is extremely difficult
Low Pulley Row
Take a seat at the low pulley row machine and pickup the handle with both hands. A narrow grip will serve you better during this movement, so choose a grip accordingly. Keep your legs almost totally straight, but there’s no need to lock them. Start with your arms extended in front of you and your legs straight. The weight should be pulling your body so that it is folded over. Straighten your body to the point that it is perpendicular to the floor at the same time as you pull your arms back and bring the handle to your sternum. Roll your shoulders back and stick your chest out over the grip to maximize the contraction. Lower the weight slowly and allow the weight to stretch your lats at the bottom of the movement. If done correctly you would have worked lower lats.
Lat Pulldowns
This is an exercise that’s very easy to do, but very difficult to do effectively. You may have been doing lat pulls for years and been cheating yourself out of muscle growth by not heeding some simple, but seldom heard, guidelines. First, as with all pulling movements, your back should be slightly arched throught the entire movement. Lean back slightly on the seat once you’ve secured your legs. The reason for doing these things is so that you minimize the role of the biceps in the pulling motion. People who round the backs at the bottom of this movement tend to believe that they are accomplishing something by pulling the weight down another inch. Unfortunately, it is their abs and biceps that power the weight through that final inch and the fact of the matter is that they need to drop the weight to something their lats can pull on their own if they want to see any gains.
Take a shoulder width or narrow grip on your favorite handle. A popular misconception is that using a super wide grip equates to growing a super wide back. This is not the case. Growth is going to stimulated by total muscle contraction which can only be achieved by using a grip that lets you pull your elbows as far down and back as possible. If you feel your biceps are picking up too much of the stress during this movement, try putting your thumbs over the bar on the same side as your fingers. This “deactivates” the bicep and makes it harder to bring that muscle into play. If your grip is failing you, then you’ll have to use straps to get the most out of this. Once you understand all of this, the actual performance is almost trivial. Pull the weight as far down as you can. Squeeze your elbows back and pause for a moment before lowering the weight. I think the negative portion of the rep is the most important part of this exercise and I’m always sure to spend two to three times as much time bringing my arms up as I do pulling them down. . If done correctly you would have worked your upper lats.
Shrugs Grasp a barbell with both hands using an overhand grip about 24 inches apart. If using dumbbells, hold them with your palms facing inward and the weights hanging at arm’s length at your sides. Drop both shoulders down as far as possible and then raise your shoulders while rotating them in a circular motion from front to rear. Keep your spine straight throughout the exercise. You can do this exercise standing or seated at the end of a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor.
Pull-Up – Behind the Neck Hang from a chinning bar, using either a wide or medium spacing. Pull yourself upward until the back of your neck touches the bar. Return to the starting position with your body hanging at arm’s length. Strengthens the upper back and biceps.
Pull-Up – To Chest Hang from a chinning bar, with your hands spaced close, medium, or wide spacing. Pull yourself upward until your chest touches the bar. Return to the starting position with your body hanging at arm’s length. Strengthens the upper back and biceps.
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