Do any of you split up your back workouts?

[mass 04]

I dont believe in 'width' and 'thickness' movements but a few friends have gotten good results. Rows, deadlifts etc one day, and chins, pulldowns on another.

[dyslexic]

I'll spend a day on deads. I start of light (135-185) from the ground and when I'm done with that I move to rack-partials with a decent amount of weight ( up to 505 or so)--

When I'm done with those I end up shrugging with as much weight as I possibly can from the pins. I've managed to shrug 14 plates, which is 675lbs. total and I might pull it around 6 to 8 inches for 2-3 short reps. Sometimes I just hang on to the bar for dear life until I drop it back on the pins. I have yet to 'max out'... don't wanna hurt anything.


I do wear a belt and use straps, etc.


By the time I'm done, I am DONE!


I consider "dead day" to be a whole body workout. I notice I even have D.O.M.S in my face muscles the next few days from grimacing or whatever you call it... hamstrings, low back, calves, neck, traps, forearms, biceps = all wasted.


So, yeah, 'back day" for me is definitely split up.


My next back workout would be something like weighted chins and low-pulley unilateral rows.

[tbombz]

i like the idea of doing very heavy work one week, then doing a bit lighter work the next, and alternating the two.

[haider]

Define 'thickness'. Both movements add muscle, and that's it. I think its a matter of which part of the back is emphasized in the movements. I wish my understanding of anatomy was better but I think Rows are better for building the middle back muscles, as compared to pullups which hit the 'wings' or lats better. Ofcourse use both for optimal results. I'm not too convinced of the use of deadlifts in the domain of bodybuilding but they are defintiely good for the trapezius muscle (from top to bottom, including the 'middle back')

I think your friends are getting better results due to a switch in routines, or perhaps because they repond to higher frequency better. So its a matter of hitting back twice a week rather than hitting 'doffernet parts' of it which is giving better results.

[haider]

I just realised I was preaching to the choir 

forgive me masswipe

[Drolrevo]

I dont believe in 'width' and 'thickness' movements but a few friends have gotten good results. Rows, deadlifts etc one day, and chins, pulldowns on another.

Yep i split my back days. One is for deadlifts and shrugs..the other pulling.. Here's what i do:
 
Deadlifts + Shrugs:
Deadlifts 5x5
-
Rack Deadlifts EOW
3x2-4
-
Barbell shrugs
3x10
-
Dumbell shrugs
3x10
-
Narrow-grip upright rows
3x10

Back + Arms:
Rope High-pulley Cable Push Downs
#warm-up only
3x20-30
-
Close-grip Bench Presses
3x7-10
-
Wide-grip Lat Pull Downs
2x15
-
Lying Barbell Rows
2x12-15
-
T-bar Rows
2x8-12
-
Seated Cable Rows
3x8-12
-
Weighted Dips superset w/
Standing EZ-curl Bar Bicep Curls
3x10
-
Hammer Curls
3 drop sets

[tonymctones]

I think i did this once before a long time ago never seemed to get good results with it. I think deads have added to the width of my back as well probably just overall size. I do rows and chins on the same day now and get decent results I think a day of thickness is a overload on rows and a day of width is an overload on chins, pulldowns etc...

I think its better to hit some types of rows with some types of chins/pulldowns etc. in the same day

[CalvinH]

I dont believe in 'width' and 'thickness' movements but a few friends have gotten good results. Rows, deadlifts etc one day, and chins, pulldowns on another.

I've always thought about it but don't have the time.that would be 6 days a week at the gym for me.

[jpm101]

I pretty much agree with Dyslexic. Though I start a DL workout with SLDL's from the floor, rather than regular DL. Then switch over to the PR, beginning a little lower than the knee's.I finish the workout (usually 3 phases pin positions) with the pins set so I am only moving the bar 1 or 2 inches (shrug included).  When doing Dl's I will usually shrug at the top part of the lift. More of a compound movement that way. Something along the line of what Olympic lifters do.

With heavy partials, going to 20 reps can be part of the plan. Some forget that if using higher reps, the correct way, strength and development will follow. Though I have done sets of 2's & 3's. Higher reps can give stamina (strength & endurance) which would work well if anyone was into strongman contests.

Width and thickness will go hand in hand with what ever exercise you may do. Though straight or bent arm pullovers, extra wide grip chins (weighted) or wide lat pull downs can give an extra edge. Even SLDl's and Romanian DL's can effect a good stretch on the lats. Good Luck.

[mass 04]

Thnx for the replies.

[Drolrevo]

I've always thought about it but don't have the time.that would be 6 days a week at the gym for me.

Yea thats tru. It works well 4 me cuz i do it as part of a 6 day split. If u can only commit 3 or 4 days per week then its probably best to do just one back workout.
Fyi My current routine looks like this:
Shoulders
Quads + Glutes + Calves
Chest
Hamstrings and some Calves
Back + Arms
Deadlifts + Traps
OFF, repeat

[Montague]

When doing Dl's I will usually shrug at the top part of the lift. More of a compound movement that way. Something along the line of what Olympic lifters do.

JPM,
Do you use an over/under grip, or a double pronated grip?

[jpm101]

Use a overhand grip. Better accustomed  to helping my pull and easier to shrug (for me) at the top position.

Don't know if this is fact but a few guy's will complain that an over/under grip bothers their back/spine because of the twist.  Have my doubt's about that, but each his own. Done Jefferson lifts (great exercise that no one does any more), which can put the spine in a twist, without any problems. Though do switch gripping sides each set.  Use straps (nylon, though leather gives a better feel) when doing the 2" top rack pull and higher reps. Good Luck.

[Montague]

Okay.
With the shrugging action, I suspected you used a double pronated/overhand grip.

Thanks.

[CalvinH]

Yea thats tru. It works well 4 me cuz i do it as part of a 6 day split. If u can only commit 3 or 4 days per week then its probably best to do just one back workout.
Fyi My current routine looks like this:
Shoulders
Quads + Glutes + Calves
Chest
Hamstrings and some Calves
Back + Arms
Deadlifts + Traps
OFF, repeat

It's not just that but I feel better and think that I grow more when I'm able to take a couple of days off a week.

[Drolrevo]

It's not just that but I feel better and think that I grow more when I'm able to take a couple of days off a week.

All depends on ur recovery ability.. When im not chemically enhanced i usually only train 4-5 days per week..

[CalvinH]

All depends on ur recovery ability.. When im not chemically enhanced i usually only train 4-5 days per week..

Gottcha

[Dreadlifter]

Don't know if this is fact but a few guy's will complain that an over/under grip bothers their back/spine because of the twist.  Have my doubt's about that, but each his own. Done Jefferson lifts (great exercise that no one does any more), which can put the spine in a twist, without any problems. Though do switch gripping sides each set. 

It is a fact. You are wise to switch gripping sides between sets. Results in far less imbalance and torquing over time.

[local hero]

i always used to deadlift the switch lift way, but after a few yrs i started to get strains in my bceps n forearms on the curl grip hand.. ive went to double grip and the pains have left, but it doesnt feel the same, i used to rep out 5 plates a side, now 4 feels heavy, just take some gettn used to


i dont beleive theres a need to split the back up, for me my best back workout that i used in my early years would be wide chins, bb rows then deads to finish off,,, id train shoulders after that

these days my perfect back workout would be curl grip pulldowns,
                                                               bb row
                                                               curl grip cable row
                                                               deadlifts
                                                               bb shrugs