HELP - Puny Back

[BigBEEF]

HELP - Puny Back

I am 25 years old!

I started at the Gym over 8 years ago and been going hard and serious for over 4 years and I have had some good gains all over the 4 years....except my back! I train back hard but for some reason I cannot get the wide thick back that I see in the magazines.

What am I doing wrong? Everything else grows but my back. I am so frustrated. :bang:

Is it my genetics, but I refuse to belive that?

Back work out is as follows (with rough rep x set numbers) All reps are medium-heavy to heavy weight:

Split one:
Wide overhand grip Chins
Wide Pulldowns
Wide Grip T-Bar
Back Extensions with weight

Split two:
Close Grip Seated Rows
Close Gip Pulldowns(V-bar)
Close grip T-Bar
Bent over Dumbell Rows (each side).

I try to avoid dead lifts because I have a minor lower back problem. I am slowly going to try to include it tho, but going to start light.

Can someone please slap some sense into me PLEASE!

Sorry if I don't use the right terms, I'm new to this site.

[Easto]

Here are some exercises that will add slabs of muscle to your back

Chins
Deadlifts
barbell Rows

IMO, these 3 should be the basis of a good back workout.

[BigBEEF]

Here are some exercises that will add slabs of muscle to your back

Chins
Deadlifts
barbell Rows

IMO, these 3 should be the basis of a good back workout.

Thanks, chins as in wide overhead (hands facing forward) grip or close grip (hands facing in)?

Is there a substitute to deadlifts as I have a sensitive lower back?

[FContact]

This routine is a bit long but it works for me and I have a very wide back.
Do these movements with a set/rep scheme of 10-8-8-6

Close Grip Pulldowns (alternate every week with wide grip) Do a burn out set when you are finished with all other exercises.
Straight arm pushdowns
Dumbell Shrugs (go a bit higher on the reps with these and go slow)
Dumbel Pullovers
Seated Rows
Every week switch up what exercise you start with. I do my deadlifts on leg days. You shuould also sub the seated row with dumbell rows every 2wks.

[BigBEEF]

This routine is a bit long but it works for me and I have a very wide back.
Do these movements with a set/rep scheme of 10-8-8-6

Close Grip Pulldowns (alternate every week with wide grip) Do a burn out set when you are finished with all other exercises.
Straight arm pushdowns
Dumbell Shrugs (go a bit higher on the reps with these and go slow)
Dumbel Pullovers
Seated Rows
Every week switch up what exercise you start with. I do my deadlifts on leg days. You shuould also sub the seated row with dumbell rows every 2wks.

Not familiar with Straight Arm Pushdowns??

Aren't srugs for traps?

PS: I'm having trouble uploading my photo

[FContact]

Traps are part of your back not your shoulders although while doing side lateral raises you will feel your traps get a good pump. Staight arm push downs are done in the same place where you would do your lat pulldowns. Don't sit down at the machine, instead standup, grab the bar with your arms staightned out and push down. Try not to bend your arms, and make sure you squeeze with your lats. You will want to stand about 1' away from the machine with your feet together and your ass out when going back to your starter position. Stick your chest out when bringing the bar back down. Remember to squeeze your lats, make sure they are doing most of the work, you will feel your tris a bit on this exercise.

[BigBEEF]

ahhh yes I know what you're talking about now. Aren't they the same as doing Lying Down dumbell pull overs?

[FContact]

In a sense yes, but you have to keep in mind that you don't want to do only one exercise for your body part. Also notice that you will probably be able to do more weight with the pullovers then with the straight arm pushdowns. The angles are different and the pullovers slightly work the chest which is why people also do them on chest day. Also notice how I sut up your routine. It is done that way to give some rest to the body parts you are going to use again and to give your grip a rest. It alternates pull, push.

[liftsiron]

I don't believe in doing chins or pullups except maybe a few sets at the end of your workout. I feel that they only serve to fatigue the muscle.

Start with heavy lat pulldowns to the front
Then bent over barbell rows
Heavy seated cable rows
Revearse lat pulldowns narrow grip

[BigBEEF]

Thanks FContact, I will give it a go.

"reverse lat pulldowns"

Thats another term I don't know, excuse the ignorance

[FContact]

Same thing I suggested but with a different name. Close grip pulldowns. Unlike the regular front pulldown, in the move you have your fingers pointing you and your hands about a foot apart.

[LesserMan]

Dude I had the same problem about years ago or so. This is what worked for me:

5 sets of 10 wide grip chins
Do as many set as it takes to get to 50 reps
If you go to wide, you'll work your bis and forearms more and not get as
good a stretch as if go just outside shoulder width for grip
Try not to wrap your thumbs around the bar - hook your hands only and
think of driving your elbows to the ground to pull yourself up. This will keep
your bis out of the movement a little more.
Once you can do 5 x 10 - add weight around your waist
The routine content is not my own but comes from "Autobiography of a
Bodybuilder" - A book by Arnold in the late 70s

'In the corner rows' 5 sets x 8
Take an olympic bar put one end in a corner and load the other side with 25
or 45 lbs plates.
Take the close grip cable row hand and place it on the bar closet to the
plates.
Pick up the bar and row away

4 x 8 bent over rows - mid grip/over hand

4 x 25 hyper extensions - no weight

Try this out for two months or so and I'm sure good things will happen
LesserMan

[BigBEEF]

"In the corner rows" isn't that the same as using the close grip on T-Bar row machine?

[LesserMan]

"In the corner rows" isn't that the same as using the close grip on T-Bar row machine?

It depends on how the t-bar row machine is set up - i.e. if it's a supported row machine or one off a plat form. In both cases, I find that corner rows require more stablizing muscles because the movement is not restricted by a machine.

In terms of overall quality among the three exercises, I have found corner rows to give me a better pump and a more noticeable increase in size (density and a width) relative to the other two.

[BigBEEF]

aaah yes I see now. Yup! Thanks dude! Might give it a go.