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Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => Training Q&A => Topic started by: str8-T on January 04, 2008, 05:26:40 AM
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I'm wondering what kind of exercises you do to add to the thickness of your back... now my back seems to be wide enough but the problem is its not thick enough...any ideas? Anyone else with the same problem? Discuss.
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Bent-over barbell rows, dumbbell rows and deadlifts are all very effective when trying to thicken up your back.
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Bent over rows Dorian Yates style worked for me.
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In one word.........Deads. ;D
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I do all of those exercises...hmm...I guess I just need to be more patient ;D
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BB rows with a middle curl grip, pulling into the lower abs. Also try the 45 degree version, that some very big men do as a core back exercise. Power cleans from either a power rack or a hanging position. Do a search if not sure of the lifting style. Include Hi-Pulls also if cleans are not your thing. Or both in the same workout for that matter. Can also try heavy DB cleans and Hi-pulls (prefer one arm at a time) which a lot of folks seem to forget. It is a mass builder.
I would mention the DL but this exercise is not meant for every BB'er. With some, it can cause more harm than good, in the long run, when done from the floor. This is where partials comes in with regard to using very heavy weight. Starting from a higher position, less strain on the lower back is reduced for a lot of BB'ers. Actually I, on a personal note, prefer the SLDL. If doing any form of the DL, try a wider hand spacing, from time to time. Something like collar to collar for a different feel & stretch to the exercise. Good Luck.
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those db cleans those pretty good or what? and what if any + or - instead of doin bentover bb row using t bar or both? and what kind of hand grip you use on them? i currently for back do DL, tbar row, db row, lat pulldown, and straight arm pulldown....
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I do all of those exercises...hmm...I guess I just need to be more patient ;D
Where are you doing them in your workout?
If need be, try placing rows & DL’s at the beginning of your routine to prioritize working thickness over width.
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Where are you doing them in your workout?
If need be, try placing rows & DL’s at the beginning of your routine to prioritize working thickness over width.
I usually do deadlifts last...because they are the most intense...but I could do them first I guess..
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Try it for a while.
Move your bent over rows & db rows to the beginning of your routine as well.
Save the lat work for the end.
Wait about 8 or 9 weeks, then see if there’s a difference.
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One arm dumbbell rows are my choice for best thickness. But i don't like to use a bench to lean on, I lean my non-working arm on the same knee and let the dumbbell fall to just barely touch the floor before pulling it back up. You can feel it through your whole back.
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Try it for a while.
Move your bent over rows & db rows to the beginning of your routine as well.
Save the lat work for the end.
Wait about 8 or 9 weeks, then see if there’s a difference.
good advice
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Row, Row, and Row some more. That's really the only way to "thicken" the back.
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Genetics. Not much you can do about it.
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Bent over rows Dorian Yates style worked for me.
is that the over\under grip?
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No.
Yates used a double supinated (underhanded) grip for bent over rows.
He also tore a biceps, though I don’t know if it was from that, his super-hi intensity style of training, or something else.
If you wish to try this method, make certain you are thoroughly warmed up, and focus on pulling with the back – NOT THE BICEPS.
I believe that for many trainees, the tendency to use too much arm with this grip is greater than when using pronated. Remember this is still a back movement.
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yea...i dont know i use the double overhand and like it but one thing i do use underhand for is close grip pull downs...
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...one thing i do use underhand for is close grip pull downs...
That’s good.
Hits a different part of the lats.
Switch it up with wide overhand grip, close parallel grip & wide parallel grip.
I see too many people just doing one ALL OF THE TIME.
Gotta hit all of those lat fibers & from different angles.
Just remember to always pull with the back.
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My Olympic cleans and 90 degree BB rows are doing a good job.
Seriously though, these are two great exercises and they thicken the back from top to bottom. There are many other exercises that people like but these work for me.
The underhand BB row seems to have grown in popularity and most have taken Yates/Coleman form a little too far and are standing almost upright and jerk the weight rather than row it. Yates never moved his lower back when doing them but I see guys with straps and 225 on the bar who just build up their traps with the current form. Keep these things in mind.
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That’s good.
Hits a different part of the lats.
Switch it up with wide overhand grip, close parallel grip & wide parallel grip.
I see too many people just doing one ALL OF THE TIME.
Gotta hit all of those lat fibers & from different angles.
Just remember to always pull with the back.
yea as far as pull downs i got wide over and narrow under and palms facing in t-bar rows
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V-grip pull downs are great for width, not so much for thickness though. T-Bar rows, Yates (underhand rows) and dead lifts are all great back thickeners. And as someone else said, if you do Yates rows, it might be best to use straps to alleviate some of the stress on the arms, just remember to use your arms as hooks and pull with the back. Olympic cleans are great as well, have just started bringing those back into my routine.
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And as someone else said, if you do Yates rows, it might be best to use straps to alleviate some of the stress on the arms, just remember to use your arms as hooks and pull with the back.
Even when using moderate weight in my acclimation sets, I still prefer to use straps for back work because they help me focus more on pulling with the back muscles.
Having to rely solely on grip activates too much biceps for my taste.
You’ll never COMPLETELY take the arms out of back work because they are THE major secondary muscle used during those movements.
But I want my back to get as much as it can from rows, pull downs, etc.
The less you use your biceps, the more you work the back.
I’m probably sacrificing some strength gains by my (over)use of straps, but since I’m not - nor ever will be - a power lifter, I’m not overly concerned with those numbers.
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hey out of curiousity when you guys if you do lat pulldowns do you go to the back or front?
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I always go to the front.
That’s just my preference based on comfort and flexibility.
There are some arguments that going behind – especially with heavy weight – is dangerous.
But for the number of trainers I see using this technique, I should see a lot more injuries resulting.
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i also go to the front and have heard the same thing about going to the back being more injury prone so i avoided but yea alot of people do it to the back...idk maybe they arent going heavy like me ;)
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I always do lat pulldowns from the front, down the chest. I do the same with wide grip pull ups, come up to the front of the chest.
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I always do lat pulldowns from the front, down the chest. I do the same with wide grip pull ups, come up to the front of the chest.
Doesn't make any difference. Wasting your time.
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Doesn't make any difference. Wasting your time.
Your post makes zero sense, go play in the G&O section, gimmick.
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I always do lat pulldowns from the front, down the chest. I do the same with wide grip pull ups, come up to the front of the chest.
i feel that its your arms that take over to finish that movement.
I think you should look at your grip and how to do the movement then what movement to do. I've learned to use your arms as hooks and not just grip it. in other words, don't wrap your thumbs around the bar. you have to feel the back working.
one movement to avoid is the yates row/ underhand grip. b/c it does more bad then good. bad b/c its easy to tear your bicep. i does work the lower lats but, you should do an underhand movement on a safer movement like sea=ted rows or pull downs
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I think you should look at your grip and how to do the movement then what movement to do. I've learned to use your arms as hooks and not just grip it. in other words, don't wrap your thumbs around the bar. you have to feel the back working.
That's how I always do it, use my arms as hooks and have no problem finishing the movement with my lats with a nice squeeze at the contraction point. I will agree it is easy to use your arms a lot when you are starting out, but not really difficult once you've been doing it a while.
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all the exersizes mentioned are good back thickness exersizes but ill add a few. palms facing up chin ups hit the lower lats and back thickness if u pull with your whole back not just your lats. incline dumbell rows dumbells vertical work the back thickness well and u dont need alot of wieght 80 pounders 10-12 would be alot. also on v-handle pull downs the problem like yates said is that when guys work there lats they dont think they are working there back also. when u pull down let your lats stretch pulling all the way down till your squeezing your back and lats. seated v-handle cable rows is also awsome. t-bar rows with a v-handle done with good form. i see this exersize abused to much people are asking for a bicep injury.
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all the exersizes mentioned are good back thickness exersizes but ill add a few. palms facing up chin ups hit the lower lats and back thickness if u pull with your whole back not just your lats. incline dumbell rows dumbells vertical work the back thickness well and u dont need alot of wieght 80 pounders 10-12 would be alot. also on v-handle pull downs the problem like yates said is that when guys work there lats they dont think they are working there back also. when u pull down let your lats stretch pulling all the way down till your squeezing your back and lats. seated v-handle cable rows is also awsome. t-bar rows with a v-handle done with good form. i see this exersize abused to much people are asking for a bicep injury.
what are these??
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Those are wear you lay chest down on an incline and DB row.
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oh ok i got it...those are good moves?? ive never seen or heard of them...good for thickness?
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oh ok i got it...those are good moves?? ive never seen or heard of them...good for thickness?
As what I hear and experience, incline dumbbell rows are good for middle back thickness. I try to bring the dumbells as far up as possible and squeeze my back together as hard as I could.
What I found good for back thickness is barbell rows (Yates style).
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Is you back now ticker?
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As what I hear and experience, incline dumbbell rows are good for middle back thickness. I try to bring the dumbells as far up as possible and squeeze my back together as hard as I could.
What I found good for back thickness is barbell rows (Yates style).
I like to use straps on the DB's to totally remove the arms from the move to really get the back working, helps me quite a bit.
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DEADLIFTS.
that was easy
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if you've ever found yourself trying to "control" the weight and "squeeze" at the top of your rows, that's your problem. use some body english, get heavy weights moving. you can worry about "thinking the muscle" into the weight when you do your vertical pulling, when you're pulling horizontally, ESPECIALLY with a barbell, your goal should be to get that bar from below your knees to your stomach somewhere between the navel and the sternum.
and don't worry about "removing the arms", either. the more muscles you have firing, the more focus you're putting on moving the weight. so what if your biceps are involved? it just means that instead of using 245 you'll use 275, your back is still working at maximum capacity.
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BB rows....i also do one arm t-bars, only b/c i ran out of DB weight in my gym. I do it like DB row, its good b/c unlike DB that can be pulled to chest or waist, this always goes to same place.
T-bar rows are great, as are deadlifts.
davie