Big Lats, Massive Back Workout Routine
Back in Action
Carrying on to keep us invested in our training through the seasons, I offer two worthy routines for building our back, that part of the anatomy that so bravely bears the burdens of the world. Today we put forward that loyal and unseen region that follows us everywhere we go. The back, the place upon which we sleep and dream, and, with a yawning stretch of the imagination something about which Arnold spoke so decisively in his interpretation of the Terminator.
A strong back, broad and deeply muscled sounds good to me but may not be the goal of every female bodybuilder - slash - athlete. Still, the exercises listed here and performed as indicated will achieve an awesome power and appealing shape that radiates inborn sureness and physical control, a basic human/animal bearing which has become as remote as our instincts.
Let's stir them up. Let's get to work. Tapered muscular mass for men and women, the back.
To assure muscular might throughout the body, the torso or midsection should be worked regularly and preferably at the onset of your workout. Three supersets of crunches and hyperextensions to maximum reps with minimum rest is a cool pre-back midsection routine. This will warm up your muscles, mind and spirit, sculpt your abs, protect your lower back and prepare you for high performance in your back training.
RTG - ready to go.
MASS ROUTINE:
Medium-wide
grip bentover barbell row, warm-up
x15, 5 sets x 10-8-6-6-4
Wide grip pulldown, warm-up x15, 4x8-10
Seated lat row, 4x10-8-6-6 supersetted with
Pullover (stiff arm or bent arm), your choice depending on shoulder structure
and health, 4x10-6-6-6
REMARKS
The
Bentover Barbell Row:
The barbell row is a powerful systemic movement that, like squats and deads,
puts demand on the total body. Build your muscle and might over an extended
period with minor weight increments and solid well-formed reps. Small thrusts
are okay, but will take their toll on the low back which bears the extreme
load of the highly stressed fulcrum. Be aware. Let the lumbar and erectors
build in power as you slowly progress. Choose a shoulder-width stance, with
your hands grasping the bar 8-12 inches to the left and right of each shoulder.
Keep your back flat and rest your ribcage somewhat on the quads for some
support to help relieve low back overload. Pull bar to the chest at a medium
speed: high chest works upper back, mid chest - mid back, low pull toward
gut - low back. Find your favorite target or vary as needed. Deep breath,
stay tight. Major work, hard hat area. For
more on bentover barbell rows, click here.
Medium-Wide
Grip Pulldown:
Positioned directly below the overhead pulley with your arms near fully extended,
pull the bar to your chin or just below as you look upward. Your back should
be arched, your chest straining toward the bar with your elbows back, not
forward, all positioned to fully recruit the entire lat complex - width and
length.
Allow a sufficient lean and tug to accomplish your well formed reps, but no excessive thrusts. Don't cheat - no momentum - you loose. Feel, locate, pump, burn and grow.
If chins are your challenge these days, by all means do them instead.
Seated
Lat Row or Long Pull (exercise 1 of
superset):
The knees are out of the way, your favorite close grip handle is extended
fully forward as you reach forward. Now pull the handle tightly into the
waist as you arch your back to contract the rhomboids, ending in a seated
upright position - very slight 5-10% lean. Very nice, have fun with the purposeful
negative. No thrusting, no momentum - strictly muscle power and form. This
is to be supersetted with your stiff arm or bent arm pullovers.
Pullovers
(exercise 2 of superset):
The stiff arm pullover can be performed with a barbell or a dumbbell. It's
a feel-good power stretch that engages the lats, the underside of the bis
and tris and minor pec as it puts the rotator cuff through its ranges. Longitudinal
abdominal muscles come into play to stabilize the torso.
Ok. You're lying on your back, head on one end of the bench, your feet up on the other end and a dumbbell or barbell is grasped in your hands straight overhead - your starting position. Now, take in a deep breath as you slowly lower the dumbbell with stiff arms/straight arms (elbows locked) behind your head till your arms are in line with your torso - or, parallel to the floor - now reverse the motion and return to the starting position, exhaling as you do. Pause momentarily and repeat. Great stretch, great lat pump, great relief movement that promotes posture awareness. Lots of blood circulating oxygen and nutrients to Wake up, Stimulate, Revive and Refresh.
This routine is to be performed twice a week.
Once a week at the end of your heavy leg workout, add 4 sets of power deadlifts, warmup x15, 5 sets x 10-8-6-4 reps, incrementing each set enough to make it tough, but don't draw blood.
Adds sweep, muscle mass and power packs the body.
FIT & LEAN WORKOUT:
Muscularizing is our goal and we intend to keep the pace keen and the reps tight. Moderate weight is our choice as focus, form and feel are in our sights.
Pulldowns,
4 sets x 12 reps - superset with…
Wide-grip machine dips, 4 sets x 8-12 reps
One arm dumbbell row, 4 sets x 10 reps
One arm overhead cable pull, 4 sets x 12-15 reps
This routine also is done twice a week.
REMARKS:
The
Pulldown:
Tightly contract the upper back muscles as you pull the bar to the base of
the skull for six reps. Use the negative return for full muscle recruitment
- lats, scapula, etc. Position yourself so there will be no need to dangerously
thrust your head forward to allow the passage of the bar. Continue final
six reps to the chin as described in the mass workout with sufficient tug
to overload the back - you're flying.
Wide-Grip
Machine Dips:
Superset these wing wackers with wide-grip machine dips. Lean forward, round
the back and direct the effort toward mid-back via partial reps. 4 sets x
8-12 reps for action, burn and pump.
One
Arm Dumbbell Row:
This potent exercise stands alongside barbell rows in mass and power building
seriousness. Executed with the same intensity, they are wisely done as alternatives
to the wide grips. Stabilized in a powerful tripod stance - none of this
knee on bench stuff - one arm rows remove the load from the lower back, enabling
you to tough your way through lumbar overload. Relief in this overworked
area is priceless. In all your exercises focus, form, and practice yield
perfection.
One
Arm Overhead Cable Pull:
The one arm overhead cable pull is
odd and rarely practiced, yet has a
sharpening effect on the linear lat
- from insertion A to Z (so much for
physiology - 've must 'av imagination).
Tough explanation: grasp the single
handle of the overhead cable crossover
in your right hand. Position yourself
in a wide footed stance, right side
away from the machine. Extend your
arm over your head and pull to the
right as you stabilize yourself against
the resistance. The resistance will
travel through your hand, arm and into
the entire length of the lat as you
tug. Lean and tug, return, lean and
tug…This is
one of those improvising, adapting, shifting, locating movements that challenge
our training talents and create sweet touches to the muscular system. Practice
and stick it out.
Deadlifts:
Continue power deads on the leg day of choice. 4 x 10-12 reps, medium weight
for a healthy pace. Mean yet serene.
For another intense back workout for the truly twisted, here's the back workout I designed for my friend Henrik "The House" from Denmark.
Click here for more sample back workouts
Here's a slumpbuster workout routine page for you
Try this Mass Blast back workout
Or can we answer any back training questions for you in our forum?