[quote]Blackaggar wrote:
Man I love these threads! thanks akuma for taking the time:D[/quote]
Just trying to be useful and contribute =p
[quote]mastashake wrote:
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
[quote]mastashake wrote:
What do you guys do when you hit a plateau on chins? I’ve been stuck at 11 reps (175lbs BW) for 3 months while BB Rows are constantly increasing. I tried pulldowns and progressed fast on them but it had no carryover whatsoever. I haven’t tried cheating or partials though. I also tried adding weight but it also didn’t transfer well to unweighted chins. I was hoping to get some good 15 reps before doing them weighted but I think I’ll just have to stick to weighted if I can’t get unstuck.[/quote]
change your rep scheme, fluctuate weight use, work on your weak areas (if you find that it becomes harder to perform the movement as you progress at the beginning, work on explosion reps, if you find that the rep becomes harder to finish, work on your negative rep)[/quote]
Thanks, I’ll try working on explosion when finishing the set and maybe alternate with weighted chins as I train back twice a week.[/quote]
Besides rep scheme as mentioned, I found an increase in overall volume to be very beneficial. For instance, on shoulder day I do 6-8 chins between every set of OHP and do a final AMRAP at the end. On chest day I do 4-6 wide pull-ups between every set of pressing.
This has worked well for me the last couple months and does not take away from my other lifts.
My favorites are good, old fashioned single arm DB rows. I can always feel them through my entire back (sans the inclusion of the erector spinae), however I have never found this to work on my main back weakness, width.
A question for y’all: Anyone have ideas for back width specialization?
Being over 6’, somewhat high lat insertions, and a middle-sized waist, I find that this aspect of the back is the most difficult to develop. When working on this area I tend just to do wider grip work, and more pull ups (though these get harder with every pound I gain, lol), pull downs and the like.
It’d be great to hear what has worked well (which may be just the obvious).
MID
[quote]midnightamnesia wrote:
My favorites are good, old fashioned single arm DB rows. I can always feel them through my entire back (sans the inclusion of the erector spinae), however I have never found this to work on my main back weakness, width.
A question for y’all: Anyone have ideas for back width specialization?
Being over 6’, somewhat high lat insertions, and a middle-sized waist, I find that this aspect of the back is the most difficult to develop. When working on this area I tend just to do wider grip work, and more pull ups (though these get harder with every pound I gain, lol), pull downs and the like.
It’d be great to hear what has worked well (which may be just the obvious).
MID[/quote]
Close grip pulldowns
Rack chins
HS rows are fantastic. Glad I started using them. I do HS high row on shoulder day and HS low row on my dedicated back day.
Weighted pull-ups/chins are great for me as well. Most I’ve done so far is 8 with 70lbs weighing 235.
edit: rack pulls for mid (erectors?) and lower back
Discalimer:my back is pathetic.
Moving grip way in on barbell rows helped tremendously with the lat stretch and contraction. Index finger on the smooth part for me.
One-armed t-bars are the exercise I feel the most and can go the heaviest on without form going to shit, with my long torso db rows and to a degree barbell rows just suck.
Deads and rack deads have done little in the past, but I believe that is a grip width issue, because since moving the grip in I can finally feel it in my back, wheras I previously have pulled 220 kg without much growth to show for it.
I also want to say that the pullup has helped my back a lot more then the pulldown. I usually stay low reps with a slower negative (3 sec?) and lower reps say 3-5. It probably was a form issue on the pulldown but i love pullups a lot more, just got to get a dipping belt because its stupid trying to hold a 50lb db between your ankles lol.
Loving all the HS back machines. C_C introduced me to those. V-Grip lat pulldowns, kroc rows, rack deads, rack chins, double handle cable rows. Its amazing how things change in strength and physique once you say “FUCK IT” to the amount of weight used and concentrate on mind muscle connection. Love the DB pullovers too!
[quote]Blackaggar wrote:
I also want to say that the pullup has helped my back a lot more then the pulldown. I usually stay low reps with a slower negative (3 sec?) and lower reps say 3-5. It probably was a form issue on the pulldown but i love pullups a lot more, just got to get a dipping belt because its stupid trying to hold a 50lb db between your ankles lol.[/quote]
Oh yea, big misconception there. Pullups Do not = Pulldowns.
As for the Belt, one of the best buys ive made towards the gym. My dip belt is included in more than half my workouts now. Just be sure that when you buy it, you buy a belt that doesnt include the chain in the actual waist rap around, but is rather simply connected to the belt. Makes things easier. This is the belt i have-
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
[quote]Blackaggar wrote:
I also want to say that the pullup has helped my back a lot more then the pulldown. I usually stay low reps with a slower negative (3 sec?) and lower reps say 3-5. It probably was a form issue on the pulldown but i love pullups a lot more, just got to get a dipping belt because its stupid trying to hold a 50lb db between your ankles lol.[/quote]
Oh yea, big misconception there. Pullups Do not = Pulldowns.
As for the Belt, one of the best buys ive made towards the gym. My dip belt is included in more than half my workouts now. Just be sure that when you buy it, you buy a belt that doesnt include the chain in the actual waist rap around, but is rather simply connected to the belt. Makes things easier. This is the belt i have-[/quote]
Where’s a good place to get one of those? I can’t find one locally so it’ll have to be an online place it looks like. I’m using my lifting belt, which is pretty flimsy and I’m going to wreck it I’m sure hanging weights off it.
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
[quote]eyegainweightbig wrote:
I can’t do a full pull up, when I get to my chin level I can’t pull any farther
Do you guys do pull ups to the upper chest, or just the chin?[/quote]
Are they called “chest up’s” or “chin ups”?[/quote]
lol
I know, but I have read numerous times that going just to chin level is not full, and that you should go until chest touches the bar to fully work the back. Does going from a dead hang to just chin level work the lats well?
Another important question I have is how should the scalps be on pull ups? I have the tendency to round my shoulders forward to cheat on pull ups, but are you supposed to pinch your shoulder blades together at the top?
THANKS!!!1
[quote]debraD wrote:
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
[quote]Blackaggar wrote:
I also want to say that the pullup has helped my back a lot more then the pulldown. I usually stay low reps with a slower negative (3 sec?) and lower reps say 3-5. It probably was a form issue on the pulldown but i love pullups a lot more, just got to get a dipping belt because its stupid trying to hold a 50lb db between your ankles lol.[/quote]
Oh yea, big misconception there. Pullups Do not = Pulldowns.
As for the Belt, one of the best buys ive made towards the gym. My dip belt is included in more than half my workouts now. Just be sure that when you buy it, you buy a belt that doesnt include the chain in the actual waist rap around, but is rather simply connected to the belt. Makes things easier. This is the belt i have-[/quote]
Where’s a good place to get one of those? I can’t find one locally so it’ll have to be an online place it looks like. I’m using my lifting belt, which is pretty flimsy and I’m going to wreck it I’m sure hanging weights off it.[/quote]
I have a regular belt a piece of rope and a clip that works just fine.
[quote]debraD wrote:
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
[quote]Blackaggar wrote:
I also want to say that the pullup has helped my back a lot more then the pulldown. I usually stay low reps with a slower negative (3 sec?) and lower reps say 3-5. It probably was a form issue on the pulldown but i love pullups a lot more, just got to get a dipping belt because its stupid trying to hold a 50lb db between your ankles lol.[/quote]
Oh yea, big misconception there. Pullups Do not = Pulldowns.
As for the Belt, one of the best buys ive made towards the gym. My dip belt is included in more than half my workouts now. Just be sure that when you buy it, you buy a belt that doesnt include the chain in the actual waist rap around, but is rather simply connected to the belt. Makes things easier. This is the belt i have-[/quote]
Where’s a good place to get one of those? I can’t find one locally so it’ll have to be an online place it looks like. I’m using my lifting belt, which is pretty flimsy and I’m going to wreck it I’m sure hanging weights off it.[/quote]
I bought it online actually. I checked out a couple stores around me and they all had shitty belts that were either too flimsy or a bad chain setup. Just amazon it.
[quote]eyegainweightbig wrote:
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
[quote]eyegainweightbig wrote:
I can’t do a full pull up, when I get to my chin level I can’t pull any farther
Do you guys do pull ups to the upper chest, or just the chin?[/quote]
Are they called “chest up’s” or “chin ups”?[/quote]
lol
I know, but I have read numerous times that going just to chin level is not full, and that you should go until chest touches the bar to fully work the back. Does going from a dead hang to just chin level work the lats well?
Another important question I have is how should the scalps be on pull ups? I have the tendency to round my shoulders forward to cheat on pull ups, but are you supposed to pinch your shoulder blades together at the top?
THANKS!!!1[/quote]
They say that because you see Nubs on the Pull up bar, squeezing out a couple reps while Bobbing their head and extending their jaw to try and make their chin reach this imaginary line. Perform a Rep. See how it feels to you.
As for the scapula…honestly ive never given it a second thought. but you could try finding a spot directly above you on the ceiling and focusing on it, while leaning back a smidgen, and trying to raise yourself to your collar bone. Now, im not saying your collar bone as to touch the bar or anything, but if you trying to match the bar with your collar bone, i really dont see you being able to round your shoulders.
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
[quote]plateau wrote:
Anyone feel very wide pull-ups don’t seem to hit lats as hard as slightly outside of shoulder width stuff?[/quote]
You go really wide anything and all your doing to me is decreasing your ability for ROM. It seems Shoulder width is one of the Universal measurements for gripping a bar/handle, whether it be at shoulder width, a smidgen within, or a thumb past lol, ya know?[/quote]
I’ll tell that to the gentleman who informed me that I would have small lats forever if I didn’t go wide like he does. Coincidentally, he looks like a puss next to half the beats on here so I wonder who’s advice I’m going to go with.
Also, been working the cobra lat pulldowns that were profiled in an article here a week or so ago, great exercise if you’re long limbed as it provides a superior stretch.
I think DB rows the way jay cutler and almost every other bodybuilder do them meaning smooth and kind of a rowing back motion are > the kroc rows for the lats. Kroc Rows are deff a better exercise for grip strength and overall conditioning though.
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
[quote]plateau wrote:
Anyone feel very wide pull-ups don’t seem to hit lats as hard as slightly outside of shoulder width stuff?[/quote]
You go really wide anything and all your doing to me is decreasing your ability for ROM. It seems Shoulder width is one of the Universal measurements for gripping a bar/handle, whether it be at shoulder width, a smidgen within, or a thumb past lol, ya know?[/quote]
Aye, perfect sense man.
[quote]Elite0423 wrote:
I think DB rows the way jay cutler and almost every other bodybuilder do them meaning smooth and kind of a rowing back motion are > the kroc rows for the lats. Kroc Rows are deff a better exercise for grip strength and overall conditioning though.
[/quote]
I disagree. lots of top bbers do DB rows similar to kroc. Cutler isn’t everyone.
Tried Pendlay Rows today, they were great. Definitely gonna keep them, I really felt it working the back without any lower back pain. I realized today that some of my lower back issues were due to using too much weight, I lowered the weight on some exercises and my back was hurting so good.