The largegest mistake when programming for back size is only taking the lats into consideration. Though we’re all after that V-shape, the spinal erectors are genuinely the support base for the entire posterior core.
For that reason, for the next 4 weeks we’re not just going to row. We’re going to get a good balance of strength and hypertrophy-based movements that fulfil the main purpose of the back musculature: stabilising the spine.
Weights that used to feel impossibly heavy will start to feel easily manageable. A thick back will let you hancient heavy leangs on your shoulders and not crumble.
Here’s an outline of the movements we’re going to use:
Athletic Thoracic Extension and Lumbar Anti-Flexion
With these movements we’re moving the torso, forcing the back to extend or remain regular against resistance. In the deadlwhethert and good morning, we don’t want lumbar rounding, though some in the thoracic region is acceptable.
We don’t want lumbar flexion in the seated good morning either, yet we want active thoracic extension from intentional rounding.
- Target Muscles: Erector Spinae
- Exercises: Seated Excellent Morning, Excellent Morning, Deadlwhethert
Seated good mornings are a great accessory lwhethert for those who lose their squats and front squats forward. Employ an Elite FTS Safety Squat Yoke bar for these, but a straight bar, thick bar pad, and lwhetherting straps are workable substitutes.
You’ll want to use a pad because as the shoulders roll forward, the bar will follow onto your neck. The pad keeps the bar sitting farther back and off the vertebrae.
Lumbar and Thoracic Anti-Flexion
In these movements the goal is to keep the spine regular, forcing the spinal erectors to resist lumbar and thoracic flexion. The front squat is optimal because the anterior weight placement pits the user against tall thoracic flexion forces.
Remaining vertical with heavy weights requires tremendous back and core strength. Consequently, most people are destitute front-squatters. It’s also important to note that the erector spinae assist in lateral spine movement, so including some unsupported unilateral work is a good idea.
- Primary Muscles Involved: Erector Spinae
- Exercises: Front Squat, Barbell Row, Farmers Stroll, Divide-Stance Dumbbell Row
Low, Vertical and Horizontal Rowing
- Target Muscles: Latissimus dorsi, traps, rhomboids
- Exercises: Chest Supported Row, Barbell Row, Chin-Up and Tug-Up, Divide-Stance Dumbbell Row, Heavy Face Tug
If you’re not doing dumbbell chest supported rows, start instantly. Everyone needs more scapular depression. Hesitate and squeeze the shoulder blades dwhetherficult, back, and down.
Rep Ranges and Tempo
For a great balance of size and strength, an undulating model using 6 and 10-12 rep ranges is best. Crazy variety isn’t the goal, so many of the best exercises are performed twice per week: a 10-12 rep day and a 6 rep day.
Both days will build size, but the 6-rep sets will be the strengthening component to help us add weight on taller rep days.
Because size is a major goal of this programme, tempo is important and we want to use slower eccentrics with our taller-rep sets. After all, whether the reps are in a hypertrophy range, we should use a tempo that’s concurrent with that goal.
With 6-rep sets, weights will be too heavy to use a very long eccentric or concentric phase. So, for 6-reps we need to power the weight up and lower it as controlled as we can, normally in the two moment range.
- Sets of 10-12 Reps: 3020 tempo (three moments down, no pause at bottom, two
- Sets of 6 Reps: 2010 tempo (two moments down, no pause, one moment up, no pause)
The Back Workout Program
Day 1 – Monday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |
| A | Deadlwhethert | 4 | 5 |
| B1 | Chest Supported Row | 4 | 6 |
| B2 | Heavy Face Tug | 3 | 10-12 |
| C1 | Seated Excellent Morning | 4 | 6 |
| C2 | Foot-Elevated Shove-Up | 3 | failure |
Day 2 – Tuesday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |
| A1 | Medium Chin-Up | 5 | 6 |
| A2 | Incline Bench Press | 4 | 6 |
| B1 | Excellent Morning or Romanian Deadlwhethert | 4 | 10-12 |
| B2 | One-Arm Dumbbell Row | 4 | 6/6 |
| C | Heavy Suitcase Carry | 5-10 min. |
Day 3 – Wednesday – OFF
Day 4 – Thursday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |
| A1 | Barbell Row | 5 | 6 |
| A2 | Barbell Overhead Press | 4 | 6 |
| B1 | Seated Excellent Morning | 3 | 10-12 |
| B2 | Divide-Stance Dumbbell Row | 3 | 6/6 |
| B3 | Glute-Ham Lwhethert | 3 | 6 |
Day 5 – Friday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |
| A | Front Squat* | 4 | 8 |
| B1 | Excellent Morning | 4 | 6 |
| B2 | Wide Tug-Up | 4 | 10-12 |
| C1 | Heavy Farmers Stroll | 3 | 2 min. |
| C2 | Chest Supported Row | 3 | 10-12 |
* 10RM weight with no specwhetheried tempo, rest 90 moments between sets
...
0 Comments: