Back Strength/pulling power

[redrabbit]

I think my back may be a bit of a weak point. From this week on I've changed it so I work it out on Saturday and that's all I do, e.g. no more back AND triceps or whatever.

My back workout was like this:

deadlifts (normally 8, 8, 6, 6)
BB row (12, 10, 8, 6, 6)
Pull ups (12, 10, 8)

I used to do DB row too but found it hit my biceps more than my back, didn't really benefit me.

I feel a lot of strain on my back when squatting my maximum weight. And yes, I do focus on form, so I think it may be more my back being weak.

Any advice on:

1) Increasing back strength, could i work it out twice a week?
2) Increasing pulling power, e.g. if sitting down on a chair, being able to pull more weight towards me, kind of like a row.

Thanks.

[DJAuto]

Originally Posted by redrabbit

1) Increasing back strength, could i work it out twice a week?
2) Increasing pulling power, e.g. if sitting down on a chair, being able to pull more weight towards me, kind of like a row.

1. Absolutely. Prioritize your weaknesses.
2. Perform rows (t-bar, BB, DB)

There's nearly a hundred of other movements too. See here: http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/BackWt.html

[redrabbit]

Originally Posted by DJAuto

1. Absolutely. Prioritize your weaknesses.
2. Perform rows (t-bar, BB, DB)

There's nearly a hundred of other movements too. See here: http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/BackWt.html

Thanks!

Do you think it's a bit much doing deadlifts twice a week? Do you think maybe I should work the back twice a weak, but only include deadlifts once?

[DJAuto]

Originally Posted by redrabbit

Thanks!

Do you think it's a bit much doing deadlifts twice a week? Do you think maybe I should work the back twice a weak, but only include deadlifts once?

Sure. You can substitute it with some other movement.

OR, you can have a high, fast repetition deadlift day, and heavy deadlift day.

Your choice.

[tjoe]

I would say do deads every other week.
Perhaps like so:

Week 1 - Deads (pretty heavy, work up to a hard triple or even single once in a while), Chest supported row (like hammer strength for example), Vertical pull (chins, pullups, pulldowns, whatever)

Week 2 - Bentover barbell rows (2-3 heavy sets of 6-10 reps), vertical pulling (different form last week), Hyperextensions for sets of 12-15 reps

Your lower back needs to be hit hard, but it also needs to recover, especially if you still have squats in your weekly rotation. Deads every other week will be just fine and should allow you to recuperate even better. As long as you are EATING and RESTING enough, I would expect your back days to improve greatly with this routine.

Best of luck!
Joe

[vegasdsm]

to see if you're back or chest dominant, grab 2 pencils and hold em at your sides...

got the pencils??


if they are facing in (towards each other) you are chest dominant (do more back work and less chest work)

if that are facing away from eachother, you are back dominant (do more chest work and less back work)

you should be able to do supine rows to your chest (touch bar to chest by pulling) w/your feet elevated (at height of bar you are pulling yourself to), a set (or sets) of 8 w/slight difficulty (using bodyweight).....

supine rows will actually help w/your bench.....

[UtahRocks]

Originally Posted by vegasdsm

to see if you're back or chest dominant, grab 2 pencils and hold em at your sides...

got the pencils??

if they are facing in (towards each other) you are chest dominant (do more back work and less chest work)

if that are facing away from eachother, you are back dominant (do more chest work and less back work)

You sure about this?

According to you, I'm chest dominant. Thing is, I very rarely do bench but I deadlift often and occasionaly I do pullups.

[redrabbit]

Originally Posted by tjoe

I would say do deads every other week.
Perhaps like so:

Week 1 - Deads (pretty heavy, work up to a hard triple or even single once in a while), Chest supported row (like hammer strength for example), Vertical pull (chins, pullups, pulldowns, whatever)

Week 2 - Bentover barbell rows (2-3 heavy sets of 6-10 reps), vertical pulling (different form last week), Hyperextensions for sets of 12-15 reps

Your lower back needs to be hit hard, but it also needs to recover, especially if you still have squats in your weekly rotation. Deads every other week will be just fine and should allow you to recuperate even better. As long as you are EATING and RESTING enough, I would expect your back days to improve greatly with this routine.

Best of luck!
Joe

Thanks, the other strange thing is, my lats never seem to get hit that much. I remember when I first tried doing pull ups and for 3 days after I couldn't lift my arms above my chest (seriously ... it was very uncomfortable).

However, now it just doesn't seem to hit it that hard. I do assisted pull ups, as I'm still quite weak, but trying to reduce the weight as I go along.

[Gmoney23]

I read in a bodybuilding magazine that you should be able to do as many pullups as you can bench with your body weight.

So I weight 145. I can bench 155 x 8 so I can probably get 145 like 12 maybe now? Anyways I should be able to do 12 pullups then.

Well I can only do 5 to 8 pullups depends on the day. But I can do 12 Chins easy. Does this meen I'm more chest dominant?

[rockhuddy]

if you want to give two days to your back, remember that many lifts like deads and good mornings also work the glutes and hamstrings, so you won't have to worry about them on your leg days.

i would say one day do some variation of a deadlift or good morning and go heavy, up to sets of 3-5 for deads or 5-6 for GMs, and then do 4-5 sets of pullups and 3-4 sets of an upper back/rear delt exercise. the second day do some kind of row for your main exercise, and then a few sets of pulldowns and a back/leg exercise like rack pulls, good mornings, or pull throughs for higher reps, 10-15. this'll give you good strength gains and build a lot of thickness in your back.

[Wolf678]

I have two back days a week. The first one is light with only 4X12 on pulldowns, 3X12 machine cable rows, and some type of hammer machine rows 3X12. The next back day I do pull ups 5X8, bent over rows 4X12, deads 3X8, and dumbbell rows 4X12. You really have to build a connection with your lats. Maybe do light pulldowns that allow you to really feel the muscle. Once you get the feeling for the muscle you can really target it. Plus, throughout the day strive to flex or flare the lats as this brings them out more. Also, one more thing is there is a difference between back pain and the muscles being sore. Soreness just hurts when you move, but if you are sitting still and it hurts then go to the doctor. Work hard and get that barn door back.
Peace.

[Heartless]

does anyone else do the High-Iso-Lateral-Pull Machine?
it is fun, i can do a bunch of weight on it.

[redrabbit]

Thanks everyone. I'll take your advice and do something like this:

Today:

Deadlifts (reps of 8, 8, 6, 6 going to my heaviest lift.)
One arm DB row
Pull ups
Seated row (on a machine)


Then the other day (on saturday):
Bent over BB rows
Pull downs (never done this but want to incorporate it)
Seated row again (this is good practice for a fitness test I have in a couple of weeks)
Maybe something like one arm cable high row or something.

So I still go quite heavy on both says, but the deadlift is only done on one day. As I said, squats target my back quite a bit as well as bent over row targetting the lower back. Not sure i should do deadlifts both days.

[IronAbrams]

Originally Posted by UtahRocks

You sure about this?

According to you, I'm chest dominant. Thing is, I very rarely do bench but I deadlift often and occasionaly I do pullups.

If I remember right, that's a tip by Charles Poliquin to find out if your internal/external rotators are stronger than the other or not. Not sure how accurate it is.

Cycling some lower reps in every couple of workouts would definitely help the OP. I'd recommend adding some Face Pulls for rear delt/external rotator work too.

[vegasdsm]

Originally Posted by 101CavGrunt

If I remember right, that's a tip by Charles Poliquin to find out if your internal/external rotators are stronger than the other or not. Not sure how accurate it is.

Cycling some lower reps in every couple of workouts would definitely help the OP. I'd recommend adding some Face Pulls for rear delt/external rotator work too.

you are correct... i searched around for the article but couldnt find it.. (may have been on elitefts's weekly mailer, or on t-nation)

cheers....