Training back 2 times per week

[Option D]

Im 6ft 240 natural with pretty good size. I have good development in every body part except for back and it is now very notice able. Im trying to build a back by Mayish

This is my current split

Mon- Hams Calves
Tues- Bis and Tris
Wed- Quads
Thurs- Chest
Fri- Back
Sat- Shoulders.

I was wondering if i should throw back in there once more to hasten up the process.

[blondmusclhunk]

Back is a large muscle.  Ive never done back more than once per week and I am also six foot 240 also but my back development is great. What do you do for back?

Heres my back work out:

Dead lifts heavy 4-5 sets
cable pull downs front of chest 4 sets heavy
upright rows 4 sets heavy
dumbell rows 3 sets heavy
I usually throw in a couple sets of seated rows at the end or close grip pull downs.

You could try one heavy day and one light day. Ive tried this for legs and gotten some results. I wouldnt do it all the time though.  If you go heavy enough on back on one day you should see results make sure your getting enough protein, glutamine etc:

[pumpster]

Definitely try 2 times a week at different times for each muscle, then decide. IMO it's more effective. Try doing the same workout, try light/heavy, try different exercises, try different rep ranges.

[Option D]

My back workout is as follows:

Pull ups (widegrip) 4x10
Pulldowns Wide 4*12
Pulldowns Narrow 4*12
Bentover Rows Wide 4*10
Bentover Rows Narrow 4*10
Chainsaws 4*8
Deads 4*8
Wide Low Seated Cable Rows 4*12

[pumpster]

Obviously this is a joke. The volume's ridiculous. No reason not to keep sets at 3 or 4 per exercise, total 10-13 sets, assuming good intensity.

Also, there is no pullover motion. Pullovers should be one of the 3 food groups, along with one pulldown/chin & one row motion. There's really no need to do more than one exercise per workout for each of these areas. Instead of doing all exercises in one workout, can rotate others in once in a while. Especially redundant is many sets of the same thing using different grips in the same workout. Change the grip every set, or every workout, every week or every month as per personal preference. No idea what chainsaws are.

Then again if everything else has been tried and only very high volume works, it's not wrong.

[Option D]

Oh ok cool
Chainsaws are bentover dumbbell rows/pulls. they look like you are starting a chainsaw i guess thats where the name comes from.
So less volume? The thing is that i going heavy really gives me no pump at times. Though i know it works because i went dumb heavy for chest and got huge. But my damn joints were shit after 3 months.
The workout blondmusclhunk suggested is better.

Thanks guys

[pumpster]

The workout blondmusclhunk suggested is better.

Without trying anything yet, that's stupid.

[Option D]

um....gotcha

[pumpster]

Your gratitude matches your eloquence. 

[Option D]

um....gotcha

Thanks

[Cavalier22]

My back workout is as follows:

Pull ups (widegrip) 4x10
Pulldowns Wide 4*12
Pulldowns Narrow 4*12
Bentover Rows Wide 4*10
Bentover Rows Narrow 4*10
Chainsaws 4*8
Deads 4*8
Wide Low Seated Cable Rows 4*12

'
limit 4 exercises 4 sets each(4 working sets).  swith grips every ohter workout. 

[Arnold jr]

I've been splitting my back training into 2 days for about 8wks now, and I love it. I'll do it 2x for 2wks and on the 3rd wk once, repeat.

Day 1
wide-grip chins 3 sets
DB-pullovers 3 sets
Close-grip chins or pull downs 3 sets

Day 2
wide-grip chins 3 sets
Deads 3 sets
Bent-over BB row 3 sets
Seated row (narrow or wide, depends on mood) 3 sets

Wk 3
Wide-grip chins 3 sets
T-bar row or bb row 3 sets
DB pull-over 3sets
Close-grip pull-downs 3 sets


*each set gets at least 1 warm up set, typically 2-3 though on the assisted pull-ups to get warmed up then I do regular ones. Deads also get 2-3 warm up sets to work up to heavy weight.

[pobrecito]

People make training way more complex than it needs to be.

Here's what I like to do:

Deadlift
Pulldown movement (or pullups)
barbell rows
T-bar rows

That right there is all you need to build up a solid back. Coleman and Yates, the two best backs of all-time, kept it very simple and basic. No need for "narrow" this..."wide" that....just get in there, do it, and be done with it.

[pumpster]

Deadlift
Pulldown movement (or pullups)
barbell rows
T-bar rows

That right there is all you need to build up a solid back. Coleman and Yates, the two best backs of all-time, kept it very simple and basic. No need for "narrow" this..."wide" that....just get in there, do it, and be done with it.

Variation's important & can be achieved through different means including different grips and/or different exercises. Yates did use variation by using different exercises.

Pullovers should be part of a back program, along with one pulldown/chin and one row motion. Especially and if possible, machine pullovers, one of Yates' faves.

Rowing can be any variation; doesn't have to be BB which as others have mentioned, don't necessarily work that well. T-bars or as Yates did, machine rows. 1-arm rows, etc.

[pobrecito]

Variation's important & can be achieved through different means including different grips and/or different exercises. Yates did use variation by using different exercises.

Pullovers should be part of a back program, along with one pulldown/chin and one row motion. Especially and if possible, machine pullovers, one of Yates' faves.

Rowing can be any variation; doesn't have to be BB which as others have mentioned, don't necessarily work that well. T-bars or as Yates did, machine rows. 1-arm rows, etc.

machine pullovers are extremely rare though, I've never even seen one

You are right variation CAN be important, but what you are forgetting is that Yates and Coleman ALWAYS maintained two basic exercises: deadlifts and barbell rows. The second you turn your back on those, you really have lost a lot of potential.

[pumpster]

You are right variation CAN be important, but what you are forgetting is that Yates and Coleman ALWAYS maintained two basic exercises: deadlifts and barbell rows. The second you turn your back on those, you really have lost a lot of potential.

Best not to hold too much to rules: Yates liked hammer rows so much they named a machine after him. BB rows aren't that effective for some.

[JPM]

As far as any style of traning goes, remember K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Ask yourself who, in all lifting, have the more impressive backs. If anyone is stuck for an answer, it should be Power and Olympic lifters. Unbelievable depth and thickness, along with width. Check out the basic exercises they do, DL's and heavy cleans/pull's.  May consider training for muscle mass first, with the focus being on these Big Boy exercises for packing on size. You will give the impression of raw power, just walking down the street.  You can work on refinement to the back with the usually pullovers, chins, row's, etc, after you gain the muscle mass. When you have to buy new shirts and jackets you know you have arrived. Or wind up wearing loose fitting island shirts.

DL's & cleans/hi-pulls need not be done in the usually 3X3's, 4's, 5's, etc. Treat them like a BB'ing exercise. Might try GVT, 6X6, 8X8, etc. One of the best methods  (other than 10X10's) for  a lot of people I know, are 7X7's. Seems to effect power and size at the same time, for me anyway.  Include Power Rack training also for a quick boost in back mass.

If anyone is wondering, cleans/hi-pulls give that extra thickness to the upper back (Traps, side & rear delts )  Even biceps  are involved. Train the back twice a week and make note of the results.

Or might want to do DL's one workout and Cleans/hi-pulls (take your pick..both are learning exercises and may need a little time to adjust to..but well worth it ) on another day. A lot of guy's can do DL's followed by cleans/hi-pulls in the same workout without too much trouble. Just keep the set's down to 3 or 4 an exercise. If doing advance training , like GVT, than surely have a different day for each exercise. Good Luck.

[Option D]

Your gratitude matches your eloquence. 

you called me a dick and i wasnt sure why. thats why i wrote that. U deleted it now so i guess its cool. But seriously. thanks for the info

[pumpster]

Anyone with class thanks those who take time to help. Instead, you made this mindless comment only minutes later, before trying anything.

The workout blondmusclhunk suggested is better

Unless english is your second language you're a dick.

Also, the amount of volume you're using is stupid.

[dontknowit]

Monsterback - monstervolume

The biggest problem with a decent back is decent equipment. You have to be able to row a couple of hundreds lbs without thinking snapping your back, and that's only possible with a levermachine. If there is one, make good advantage of it.

Warm-up with pull-ups.

Row with a barbell,
row with lever to finish,
deadlift,
c'est tout.

And again,
monsterback, monstervolume. The only way to achieve that is to keep the training short and intensive. Skip the other excersises for a while.

[Option D]

Anyone with class thanks those who try to help. Instead you made this mindless comment only minutes later, before trying anything.
Unless english is your second language you're a dick.

Also, the amount of volume you're using is stupid.

Fucktard i was saying that the workout that dude suggested was better than MY workout not what you suggested. Lighten up
Also, Volume always seemed to work with me. Going heavy does too but it is murder on my joints. Volume keeps my workouts intense and gives me a pump.

[pumpster]

that's only possible with a levermachine. If there is one, make good advantage of it.

Levers are no. 1 for rowing IMO.

However, there are other decent alternatives using free weights. T-bars, 1-arm rows, properly designed cable row machines..

[pumpster]

Fucktard i was saying that the workout that dude suggested was better than MY workout not what you suggested. Lighten up
Also, Volume always seemed to work with me. Going heavy does too but it is murder on my joints. Volume keeps my workouts intense and gives me a pump.

THEN LEARN ENGLISH AND DON'T SIT ON YOUR ASS TILL THE NEXT DAY TO CLARIFY.

The volume used is absurd-no one's working out with intensity using that many sets. Delusional.

[Option D]

Monsterback - monstervolume

The biggest problem with a decent back is decent equipment. You have to be able to row a couple of hundreds lbs without thinking snapping your back, and that's only possible with a levermachine. If there is one, make good advantage of it.

Warm-up with pull-ups.

Row with a barbell,
row with lever to finish,
deadlift,
c'est tout.

And again,
monsterback, monstervolume. The only way to achieve that is to keep the training short and intensive. Skip the other excersises for a while.

Thanks. I was doing way too much volume.

[Option D]

THEN LEARN ENGLISH AND DON'T SIT ON YOUR ASS TILL THE NEXT DAY TO CLARIFY.

The volume used is absurd-no one's working out with intensity using that many sets. Delusional.

What the fuck ever