When it comes to my upper back, I would definitely say that it is one of my weakest points. I have been trying rope face pulls to bring up this point, but it hasn’t helped that much. What kinds of exercises do you guys like to do to build your upper back?
Deadlifts, Chest Supported rows
All kinds of shrugs, rows, deadlifts, rack puls, pullups.
Deadlift, Pin Pull, bent row, Chin up, Clean, Snatch, Kelso Shrugs, Shrugs, High pulls, Power shrugs, Upright row, rear fly, high row, Hise shrug, overhead shrug, snatch grip row.
Work on getting a huge deadlift and you will have a great back.
CLOSE-GRIP T-BAR ROWS! or wide grip… and make it heavy.
Ever see Arnold Schwarzenegger doing them in the movie ‘Pumping Iron’? You might wanna check that out. BADASS! …Arnold’s intensity and his upperback.
Behold, the Yoke!
Now I’m not sure what you consider upperback. Are you including the shoulders and traps as well. And even the neck tie in thru the traps.
If so, Heavy ass Shrugs for the traps. Traps are very easy to build if thats what you mean by “upperback”
Grab some straps(or not if your grip is strong enough) and put as heavy a weight as you can hold and shrug with. Traps are the quickest and easiest muscle I’ve ever built or seen built.
HEAVY ASS RACK PULL don’t be afraid to use straps on this one, go as heavy as you can with good form. i started doing these as part of my westside template, and my upper back looked great
The most important thing when pulling, is to pull first with the muscle you are targetting. Any part of the back can be targetted. Getting the right angle helps, but only so much.
Just make sure you’re pulling first with the target muscle group, then pull through the rest of the chain.
The same goes for pushing too, if you need to target more chest or triceps, etc. Visualize that muscle doing the work, and let the rest fall into place behind it.
Deadlifts and rows have really thickened my back.
[quote]JavaGuru wrote:
Deadlifts and rows have really thickened my back.[/quote]
Yup, exactly, along with shrugs.
Also, the only real isolation movement I do during the week is focused on the middle portion of the traps with a little rhomboid involvement as well, I suppose.
I either sit at the lat pulldown machine or crouch over a t-bar, get the widest grip possible, lean back, lock my elbows, pull and hold for a two count at 5x5. I’ve always felt like that was a weak area in my back so I work that area specifically.
Not sure what to call the movement or if it has a name, but that’s what I’m doing for now until I start to feel better about that area.
B.
Pullups, Cleans, Military Presses.
Squats and Milk
Definitely check out that elitefts article. Here is some more reading material:
http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=235pow2
The Power Look
http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=248big2
The Big Back Stack
If you mean the upper back muscles not including traps I’d say weighted pullups are best. Your lats and upper back muscles will develop perfectly evenly when you include pullups as the main back exercise of your routine. I personally think pullups are way better than rows.
[quote]DeanoT wrote:
When it comes to my upper back, I would definitely say that it is one of my weakest points. I have been trying rope face pulls to bring up this point, but it hasn’t helped that much. What kinds of exercises do you guys like to do to build your upper back? [/quote]
Face Pulls are a great idea.I’d add in some High Pulls as well. how frequently are you training your upper back? It’s an area that responds well to beign consisently hit. Also make sure your altering your volume and intensity
Heres an article by poliquin that may help.
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459477
Top Seven Upper Back Exercises
the article about “the yoke” was nice.
“Yoke” was motivational.
You can always slag off on training other body parts, or do the most basic maintenance, and focus on one part and group for a while.
For example, think how many kids in HS only did bench. For like a year.
That yoke, is impressive and does command instant respect and recognition.
Working the yoke hard for 3-4 months and slagging off on everything else could produce dramatic results and big gains on the yoke.