Shasta
04-16-2008, 08:27 AM
I figured i would dedicate this thread to those whom have any questions or need a reference on back workouts.
This has been a popular topic among beginner and intermediate weightlifters and bodybuilders. So i secided to make a reference point for anyone interested in a new back workout routine or trying to change a current routine. Or if you simply just dont understand how important it is to have a well developed back.
ENJOY!
I do all my workouts in four week cycles which is made up of three weeks of free weights and one week of machines movements. I split my muscle groups to one a day.
EVERYONE AND THEIR BROTHER (or sister) knows how to do a chest workout or arm workouts . But quite a few fail to understand the concept and the importants of the back.
The back
We all know that the back helps us stand up streight (well most of us). It is also responsible for all of our pulling movements, whether it is pulling from infront, or up above.
The back is made up of Lats, traps, rhomboids, terres major and minor, and teh spinal erectors. I also include the posterior deltoids as well.
The Importantce of the Back
I can not stress how important it is to develop your back! It will prevent you from slouching over from a well developed chest. It will prevent injuries if performed correctly on all your other workouts. It will even help with later life back pain if your core is even. Not only that, but who wants to be the goon to take off your shirt at the beech, and look like you got tits because your chest is more developed than your back. What I mean is it is better for your body all around from aiding in strength on workouts, to proper spinal alignment, to a killer proportioned physique.
The back workout in depth
These excersizes are primarily for your upper back
Pullups
Nothing urks me more than when I go to the gym and i watch people on the pulldown machine or the low rowing machine and watching them jerk themselfs up and down to move the weight. I kjow everyone wants to start somewhere and they think that they are stronger than they are or let their ego get in the way. Now these are also the people that if you ask them to go do a pull up they will act like they are beyond normal pullups but in reality they cannot do normal pullups.
While It can be difficult to start off doing normal bodyweight pullups it is ok to start with a lat pulldown machine and work your way up to body weight as with all workouts.
But can't I just use machines to build my back and skip the pullups?....
Of course not! If you had to ask that, do me a favor... Smack your self and read on.
Pullups are the second most important compund movement for your body as to squats and deadlifts due to testosterone and gh release. Your back is the second largest musclegroup in your entire body. Pull ups are done for back width and aid in all around back development They effect just about every muscle in your back. It is imperitive that if you start with levers for pullups you keep your back streight, and use proper form or you will hardly see results and can seriously injure yourself. You should strive to move on to bodyweight pullups or even weighted pullups with a dipping chained belt.
Bent over barbell
Bent over rows are the most underated excersize (well at least at my gym). If you want to grow a thicker back nothing will hit it like the bentover barbell row and all veriations (i.e. tbar row, Dumbell row) pictire it as a reverse benchpress but better. This excersize hits the lats and the rhomboids. For all you people that love curls this excersize will hit your biceps pretty well too. Now I would STRONGLY advize you start with extremely light weight to get proper form because if this excersize is done improperly you can throw out your lower back.
You can also start off building up your muscles with the machines as well such as the low row lever or any variation, but like I said with the pullups you should not replace any free weight movements permenantly with a machine unless you absolutly have to.
Single arm dumbell rows are awesome for back thickness and builds up your stabalization as well. These can be performed two ways, with a bench and without a bench. I prefer without a bench but once again I strongly advise starting with the bench. Once again use light weight untill you get forms.
Bent over flys
These are great for hitting your posterior deltoids. As with all other excersizes Start out light and get the form first. You can also use the chest fly machine by to build up your strenght first, by sitting facing the chair. This area takes time to gain strength and if you are new to working out this area dont expect to be able to rock out nearly as much as you can chest fly!
Bent over shoulder rows
Now I have never personally seen anyone use this movement before but I have just started using it and notice a huge difference in my all around shoulder development. I use it primarily for posterior delts and medius delts. ( I hit anterior delts enough with chest) I also believe it is alot safer than the upright row.
**KEEP YOUR BACK STREIGHT AS POSSIBLE FOR ANY BENT OVER MOVEMENT! USE OF A BELT IS STRONGLY ADVISED IF LIFTING HEAVY**
Shoulder shrugs barbell or dumbell
This excersize is one of the most simple but one of the most commonly misperformed excersizes. This excersize will aid in the development in the Traps which extend from the central upper back to the neck.
This excersize should be performed by shrugging your shoulders up to your ears and than bring down about three fourths of the way because by letting them hang you risk shoulder seperation and rotator problems. This can be started by using a light barbell or light dumbels.
These excersizes are Primarily for lower back
Deadlifts
Squats
Stiff leg deadlifts
Roman Deadlifts
Hyper extensions
Good mornings
I Strongly feel that lowerback should be worked with legs because you hit it plenty when you hit your legs.
If you feel it absolutly necessary to do lower back with upper, I would do Stiffleg deadlifts, roman deadlifts or goodmornings, and i would keep it minimal because you get a good lower back workout on the upper back movements as well.
Final Thaughts
The back is my favorite group to workout. By having a truly developed back it will aid in all of your excersizes from deadlifts, to benchpressing to skullkrushers etc. Nothing defines a mans masculinity like his back and neck. Same as how nothing defines a womans beutiful form like a well developed back to complement her natural hour glass shape.
I think that once you achieve a connection with your back and truly start to develop it you can control anything in your body because that is the group you can not see in the mirror while you are working it. I love to picture what my muscles are doing as I am performing my back workouts. There is nothing more amazing to me in the gym than actually feeling my back muscles contracting and completing the movement just by visualizing!
Thank you all very much for taking the time to read my article and I hope it helps you on your quest for a killer back!
- Shasta
Please note. I am a certified personal trainer. Use any advice in this article with caution and care and please see a doctor before attempting to change a workout routine. I am not Liable for any use of these movements. I am just Informing of these.[hr]This is what i designed for a beginner starting strength. It has worked for people whom i have trained
I would hit for 12 reps so you get the form down. once you start moving up in weight I would try and hit for 8 reps.
Barbells. I would really try and start with the barbell! even if it is only a 20lb.
get the form down and keep your back streight! I would do this one for 15 reps untill you can move up in weight as well.
here woould be a good starting strength workout.
wk 1
Assisted pullups or lat pull down (normal grip)
12 reps at x weight for 3 sets
single arm dumbell rows for 3 sets at 12 reps.
bent over shoulder rows 3 sets at 15 reps.
(arm workout optional)
wk 2
3 sets of 15 with a barbell, Practice perfect form.
3 sets of 12 pulldowns (hammer grip) assisted
3 sets of reverse dumbell (or machine) flys.
Arm workout optional
wk 3
repeat
Remember if you can not perform any freeweight movement properly practice form on a machine to build up strength as well. It does really help but just dont grow too attached!
Once you start moing in weight you can lower the rep range, but make sure you gt proper rest and have proper form. you may also adjust the number of sets but make sure you know what is good and what is too much!
This has been a popular topic among beginner and intermediate weightlifters and bodybuilders. So i secided to make a reference point for anyone interested in a new back workout routine or trying to change a current routine. Or if you simply just dont understand how important it is to have a well developed back.
ENJOY!
I do all my workouts in four week cycles which is made up of three weeks of free weights and one week of machines movements. I split my muscle groups to one a day.
EVERYONE AND THEIR BROTHER (or sister) knows how to do a chest workout or arm workouts . But quite a few fail to understand the concept and the importants of the back.
The back
We all know that the back helps us stand up streight (well most of us). It is also responsible for all of our pulling movements, whether it is pulling from infront, or up above.
The back is made up of Lats, traps, rhomboids, terres major and minor, and teh spinal erectors. I also include the posterior deltoids as well.
The Importantce of the Back
I can not stress how important it is to develop your back! It will prevent you from slouching over from a well developed chest. It will prevent injuries if performed correctly on all your other workouts. It will even help with later life back pain if your core is even. Not only that, but who wants to be the goon to take off your shirt at the beech, and look like you got tits because your chest is more developed than your back. What I mean is it is better for your body all around from aiding in strength on workouts, to proper spinal alignment, to a killer proportioned physique.
The back workout in depth
These excersizes are primarily for your upper back
Pullups
Nothing urks me more than when I go to the gym and i watch people on the pulldown machine or the low rowing machine and watching them jerk themselfs up and down to move the weight. I kjow everyone wants to start somewhere and they think that they are stronger than they are or let their ego get in the way. Now these are also the people that if you ask them to go do a pull up they will act like they are beyond normal pullups but in reality they cannot do normal pullups.
While It can be difficult to start off doing normal bodyweight pullups it is ok to start with a lat pulldown machine and work your way up to body weight as with all workouts.
But can't I just use machines to build my back and skip the pullups?....
Of course not! If you had to ask that, do me a favor... Smack your self and read on.
Pullups are the second most important compund movement for your body as to squats and deadlifts due to testosterone and gh release. Your back is the second largest musclegroup in your entire body. Pull ups are done for back width and aid in all around back development They effect just about every muscle in your back. It is imperitive that if you start with levers for pullups you keep your back streight, and use proper form or you will hardly see results and can seriously injure yourself. You should strive to move on to bodyweight pullups or even weighted pullups with a dipping chained belt.
Bent over barbell
Bent over rows are the most underated excersize (well at least at my gym). If you want to grow a thicker back nothing will hit it like the bentover barbell row and all veriations (i.e. tbar row, Dumbell row) pictire it as a reverse benchpress but better. This excersize hits the lats and the rhomboids. For all you people that love curls this excersize will hit your biceps pretty well too. Now I would STRONGLY advize you start with extremely light weight to get proper form because if this excersize is done improperly you can throw out your lower back.
You can also start off building up your muscles with the machines as well such as the low row lever or any variation, but like I said with the pullups you should not replace any free weight movements permenantly with a machine unless you absolutly have to.
Single arm dumbell rows are awesome for back thickness and builds up your stabalization as well. These can be performed two ways, with a bench and without a bench. I prefer without a bench but once again I strongly advise starting with the bench. Once again use light weight untill you get forms.
Bent over flys
These are great for hitting your posterior deltoids. As with all other excersizes Start out light and get the form first. You can also use the chest fly machine by to build up your strenght first, by sitting facing the chair. This area takes time to gain strength and if you are new to working out this area dont expect to be able to rock out nearly as much as you can chest fly!
Bent over shoulder rows
Now I have never personally seen anyone use this movement before but I have just started using it and notice a huge difference in my all around shoulder development. I use it primarily for posterior delts and medius delts. ( I hit anterior delts enough with chest) I also believe it is alot safer than the upright row.
**KEEP YOUR BACK STREIGHT AS POSSIBLE FOR ANY BENT OVER MOVEMENT! USE OF A BELT IS STRONGLY ADVISED IF LIFTING HEAVY**
Shoulder shrugs barbell or dumbell
This excersize is one of the most simple but one of the most commonly misperformed excersizes. This excersize will aid in the development in the Traps which extend from the central upper back to the neck.
This excersize should be performed by shrugging your shoulders up to your ears and than bring down about three fourths of the way because by letting them hang you risk shoulder seperation and rotator problems. This can be started by using a light barbell or light dumbels.
These excersizes are Primarily for lower back
Deadlifts
Squats
Stiff leg deadlifts
Roman Deadlifts
Hyper extensions
Good mornings
I Strongly feel that lowerback should be worked with legs because you hit it plenty when you hit your legs.
If you feel it absolutly necessary to do lower back with upper, I would do Stiffleg deadlifts, roman deadlifts or goodmornings, and i would keep it minimal because you get a good lower back workout on the upper back movements as well.
Final Thaughts
The back is my favorite group to workout. By having a truly developed back it will aid in all of your excersizes from deadlifts, to benchpressing to skullkrushers etc. Nothing defines a mans masculinity like his back and neck. Same as how nothing defines a womans beutiful form like a well developed back to complement her natural hour glass shape.
I think that once you achieve a connection with your back and truly start to develop it you can control anything in your body because that is the group you can not see in the mirror while you are working it. I love to picture what my muscles are doing as I am performing my back workouts. There is nothing more amazing to me in the gym than actually feeling my back muscles contracting and completing the movement just by visualizing!
Thank you all very much for taking the time to read my article and I hope it helps you on your quest for a killer back!
- Shasta
Please note. I am a certified personal trainer. Use any advice in this article with caution and care and please see a doctor before attempting to change a workout routine. I am not Liable for any use of these movements. I am just Informing of these.[hr]This is what i designed for a beginner starting strength. It has worked for people whom i have trained
I would hit for 12 reps so you get the form down. once you start moving up in weight I would try and hit for 8 reps.
Barbells. I would really try and start with the barbell! even if it is only a 20lb.
get the form down and keep your back streight! I would do this one for 15 reps untill you can move up in weight as well.
here woould be a good starting strength workout.
wk 1
Assisted pullups or lat pull down (normal grip)
12 reps at x weight for 3 sets
single arm dumbell rows for 3 sets at 12 reps.
bent over shoulder rows 3 sets at 15 reps.
(arm workout optional)
wk 2
3 sets of 15 with a barbell, Practice perfect form.
3 sets of 12 pulldowns (hammer grip) assisted
3 sets of reverse dumbell (or machine) flys.
Arm workout optional
wk 3
repeat
Remember if you can not perform any freeweight movement properly practice form on a machine to build up strength as well. It does really help but just dont grow too attached!
Once you start moing in weight you can lower the rep range, but make sure you gt proper rest and have proper form. you may also adjust the number of sets but make sure you know what is good and what is too much!