Separate days for width and thickness? Opinions?

I'm currently doing a push/pull split. Leg work is minimal right now since I recently injured my back and almost all leg work seems to give me pain. My pull days are alternated between width and thickness. Here's what my days look like.

Width day/Pull Day #1
-Wide grip weighted pullups
-Wide grip body weight pullups
-Weighted negative wide grip pullups
-Wide grip pulldowns
-Straight arm pulldowns
-dumbell pullovers
-barbell curls
-incline dumbell curls

Push day...

Rest...

Thickness day/Pull day #2
-Weighted chinups
-Bodyweight chinups
-V bar pulldowns
-Dumbell rows or one arm cable rows (barbell rows put to much stress on my back right now, will add them back in a month or so)
-T bar rows
-Rear delt flies
-Light deadlifts (Will slowly add weight over the next few months)
-hyperextensions
-Hammer curls
-dumbell curls


Should I just make the workouts the same and focus on width and thickness in the same day? I haven't been doing this split long enough to see any differences, but I would like your thoughts on the separate days for width/thickness.

back = pullups, barbell rows, deadlifts

you complicate it

just lift and eat

[QUOTE=jd2967;994552143]back = pullups, barbell rows, deadlifts

you complicate it

just lift and eat[/QUOTE]

I probably do, but I don't get any type of "feeling" until I beat the living hell out of my back muscles. I have to do tons of sets with varying weights and reps to get any type of pump or feeling of accomplishment.

I stick with one type of method between width and thickness until the pull becomes somewhat exhausted over several workouts. I switch it up, for instance, from wide-grip to neutral or supinated.

There are different muscles worked between the methods, and common muscles worked in different ways.

It sounds like my best bet would be to just do thick/width in one workout and switch up the excersises every few weeks?

Also, with chest I have my push day #1 devoted to flat bench and decline, whereas the second is flat/incline. Should I keep these separate?

[QUOTE=kgts;994652493]It sounds like my best bet would be to just do thick/width in one workout and switch up the excersises every few weeks?

Also, with chest I have my push day #1 devoted to flat bench and decline, whereas the second is flat/incline. Should I keep these separate?[/QUOTE]

I'd say keep the exercises the same so you can track progression easier. I'd do a flat, incline and decline exercise in one workout (as well as anything else) if you are planning to hit all three

[QUOTE=kgts;994610923]I probably do, but I don't get any type of "feeling" until I beat the living hell out of my back muscles. I have to do tons of sets with varying weights and reps to get any type of pump or feeling of accomplishment.[/QUOTE]Then you are lifting way too light. Simple as that.

Try lifting heavy, and applying progressive overload. Aggressively.

Then see how that theory works out for ya. ;)

[QUOTE=MichaelCJ;994844823]Then you are lifting way too light. Simple as that.

Try lifting heavy, and applying progressive overload. Aggressively.

Then see how that theory works out for ya. ;)[/QUOTE]

The problem is that when I lift heavier, there is no mind/muscle connection. How many sets/reps of each exercise do you think I should be doing?

The example of the mind/muscle connection is with v bar pulldowns. I can get 250 down for 5 reps, but I only feel it in my back on the negative portion of the reps, pulling it down is more of a matter of just holding on and giving it my all. It's the same thing with t bar rows. I can load up the thing and do 3 plates for a few reps, but I barely feel my lats/rear delt doing any work. It just gives me an overall fealing of fatigue.

your focusing on **** that don't matter aka the pamp

Just do 1 wide grip and 1 narrow grip exercise. If you're that obsessed about your back then add in rack pulls at the start of your back day and take out 2/3rds of that list. You will be feeling the rack pulls the next day no matter what.

You do understand that narrow grip works your lats right?

[QUOTE=kgts;994610923]I probably do, but I don't get any type of "feeling" until I beat the living hell out of my back muscles. I have to do tons of sets with varying weights and reps to get any type of pump or feeling of accomplishment.[/QUOTE]
Use a Thumbless grip for all back work and I guarantee you'll feel your back working immediately. You're probably not pulling through your elbows and therefore using more Biceps and Forearms then you want to. Also, pump doesn't necessarily mean you're accomplishing anything, it's all about Progressive Tension Overload.

[QUOTE=IronAddict7;994852913]Use a Thumbless grip for all back work and I guarantee you'll feel your back working immediately. You're probably not pulling through your elbows and therefore using more Biceps and Forearms then you want to. Also, pump doesn't necessarily mean you're accomplishing anything, it's all about Progressive Tension Overload.[/QUOTE]

I've been pulling through my elbows, but I'll give the thumbless grip a try.


Should I do slightly different excersises on both days or just continuously up the weights/reps.

i like this except i would start thickess day with deadlifts. i kow you hurt your back but start light and slowly build up