i really want to add some width to my back to hopefully take away from blocky shape and improve my V-taper
lol please nothing too crazy just effective shit that works. it doesnt seem the pulldowns and H.S. row machines do shit. i think ill start adding some 1-arm rows in. idk, thoughts appreciated. (people over 190 please.)
The king of back exercises is probably going to be either weighted pullups/chins or deadlifts, depending on who you ask. I’m inclined to say Deads, because from my experience they really pile on the thickness across the back and shoulder girdle fast.
What about chinups/pullups? Aussie pullups or rack pullups usually target the lats really well. You perform them on a squat rack or power cage and hang from the barbell while using a bench to prop your feet up.
Your hips/butt should stay lower than your feet throughout the whole motion. Try and use as wide of a grip as you possibly can. You can add weight by putting a dumbbell or plate on your chest/stomach.
[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
it doesnt seem the pulldowns and H.S. row machines do shit. [/quote]
How much weight are you using?
i dont know, whatevers heavy for me. like 140-50ish for 8-12 on the pulldown.
deadlifts are the last of my problems lol. my back thickness isnt what im worried about its getting my width up.
[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
i dont know, whatevers heavy for me. like 140-50ish for 8-12 on the pulldown.
deadlifts are the last of my problems lol. my back thickness isnt what im worried about its getting my width up.[/quote]
Don’t take offense now, but you seem rather weak on pulldowns for your weight/height, just get stronger on those…
Regarding Pullups/Chinups:
Rack chins should be better imo, easier to progress when also gaining bodyweight at the same time… If you don’t mind, add one of the DC Lat Extreme-stretches.
I’d do rack chins, BTN Pulldowns to ear level (making sure you get the stretch position on each of these while the contracted position really doesn’t matter…) and One-Arm Rows where the same rules apply and you can cheat quite a bit on the positive.
Why One-Arm Rows? For some odd reason, performing those Kroc style did really help my lats during my second year of training, even though they are more of a thickness exercise… Might just be my high lat attachments, though…
Hope that helps.
#edit: Of course you rotate them, rather than performing all in one workout… I’d be pulling the cable and not much else on btn pulldowns after doing rack chins the way I usually do them…
[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
i dont know, whatevers heavy for me. like 140-50ish for 8-12 on the pulldown.
deadlifts are the last of my problems lol. my back thickness isnt what im worried about its getting my width up.[/quote]
Well I find the H.S. high row machine to target lat width very well. DB and BB rows, particularly DB rows because you can get a better stretch, seem to add good width as well. I also love pulldowns. I think you’ll see much better growth once you up the weight considerably.
[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
i dont know, whatevers heavy for me. like 140-50ish for 8-12 on the pulldown.
deadlifts are the last of my problems lol. my back thickness isnt what im worried about its getting my width up.
Don’t take offense now, but you seem rather weak on pulldowns for your weight/height, just get stronger on those…
Regarding Pullups/Chinups:
Rack chins should be better imo, easier to progress when also gaining bodyweight at the same time… If you don’t mind, add one of the DC Lat Extreme-stretches.
I’d do rack chins, BTN Pulldowns to ear level (making sure you get the stretch position on each of these while the contracted position really doesn’t matter…) and One-Arm Rows where the same rules apply and you can cheat quite a bit on the positive.
Why One-Arm Rows? For some odd reason, performing those Kroc style did really help my lats during my second year of training, even though they are more of a thickness exercise… Might just be my high lat attachments, though…
Hope that helps.
#edit: Of course you rotate them, rather than performing all in one workout… I’d be pulling the cable and not much else on btn pulldowns after doing rack chins the way I usually do them…[/quote]
Did a search - came up empty
What are rack chins?
About a year ago I wrecked my back deadlifting; so I haven’t done any compressive movements since.
I switched to doing wide, neutral, and close grip weighted pull ups as well as seated rows (in differing grip widths) and have seen a massive difference in my V-Shape lat width.
Being tall, I started with band pull ups; and a very weak band at it.
Now I’m able to do some serious weight 90lbs for about 3-4 reps.
Pull ups, Pull ups, Pull ups.
[quote]Razorslim wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
i dont know, whatevers heavy for me. like 140-50ish for 8-12 on the pulldown.
deadlifts are the last of my problems lol. my back thickness isnt what im worried about its getting my width up.
Don’t take offense now, but you seem rather weak on pulldowns for your weight/height, just get stronger on those…
Regarding Pullups/Chinups:
Rack chins should be better imo, easier to progress when also gaining bodyweight at the same time… If you don’t mind, add one of the DC Lat Extreme-stretches.
I’d do rack chins, BTN Pulldowns to ear level (making sure you get the stretch position on each of these while the contracted position really oesn’t matter…) and One-Arm Rows where the same rules apply and you can cheat quite a bit on the positive.
Why One-Arm Rows? For some odd reason, performing those Kroc style did really help my lats during my second year of training, even though they are more of a thickness exercise… Might just be my high lat attachments, though…
Hope that helps.
#edit: Of course you rotate them, rather than performing all in one workout… I’d be pulling the cable and not much else on btn pulldowns after doing rack chins the way I usually do them…
Did a search - came up empty
What are rack chins?[/quote]
Head over to IM and do a search there for a detailed explanation, that exercise is really worth it imo. (especially if you have trouble getting your back to work on regular pull-ups/chin-ups.
If however you belong to the “functional” crowd, it’ll give you cancer and aids at the same time, beware.
I would argree with everyone here stick with pull-ups, rack pulls, deads, and heavy rows. Thibs motorcycle row worked well too.
If you have access to an old Nautilus Pullover machine give it a go.
The range for the lats on that machine is double any conventional free weight movement and it loads the weight on the back of your arms and not the hands thus eliminating the weak point in most back movements.
I have had very good results adding width to trainees at my gym with this.
Michael
My favorite exercises that I use (that I personally feel helped my taper):
-Close Grip Chins to the chest
-Bent Over BB Rows
-Rack Chins
-Deadlifts
chins
bent over bb row
supinated grip inverted row
for the pulldowns, try using the v-bar and doing 1 1/4 reps. Meaning bring the bar down to your chest, then up a fourth of the way, then back down to the chest and all the way up- one rep. You’ll definitely feel your lats working more with this tempo.
Lots of pull-ups too, concentrating on the negative-go slow.
For width, nothing beats weighted chins IMO.
Deadlifts are king of anything back related.
Problem is you dont really get to pick where it slathers muscle on.
All your body knows is that your picking up 400+ pounds, and it sure as hell better grow something to deal with that.
I got oversized lats from deads, but many get huge traps and middle backs.
Different people get different growths from deads, but all get growth.
Put a 100 pounds on your deadlift and watch what happens to your back.
I feel that wide pull ups are a great lift, I have a tendency to use too much bicep when I do them, and hence dont quite get the results I could, but a corner stone of back development to be sure.
Just think about it like this, there a guys that dont look that strong that can do heavy weighted pullups for 10 reps.
There are no guys that can pull 455-500 that dont have a huge back. Pull 500 and your back will be huge, its just how it works.
^ I agree with this. I haven’t seen someone that can deadlift big and not have a big back. Improving your deadlift will do nothing but help.
Kneeling rope pulldowns are a recent personal favorite. 3x8-12 or 2x5-8, occasionally using one or two mini-rest pauses on the last set.
I prefer to be a little closer to the stack than shown in this picture, so that the pulling is more vertical than horizontal. It still lets you get a crazy stretch and a nice pullover-type feel, while using the arms to finish the pull.
Only problem is that I end up totally squashing my pinkies against the rubber end stoppers due to the weight, which is ridiculously painful. You could attach two single handles to the cable instead, and just keep your hands close together.
I think the cable row deserves an honorable mention here.