"Back Built Basics" - Article From Mick Hart |
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BodybuildingPro.com Articles Database Articles by Writer Articles Written by www.steroid-encyclopaedia.com "Back Built Basics" - Article From Mick Hart
"Back Built Basics" - Article From Mick Hart
by Mick Hart
The back as a whole comprises a
very large mass of muscle tissue, and is perhaps only second to the legs in
terms of the amount of effort needed to train it effectively. The development of
the back musculature, together with a slim waist, produce the characteristic
V-shaped torso of the bodybuilder, obviously a much desired physical trait,
whether you are competitive, or training for recreation. In this article, some
of the most effective exercises and techniques for building the collection of
muscles which make up the back will be discussed,
and how to apply them to your training...
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Continued ...
The Trapezius Muscles
At the centre of the upper back are the trapezius muscles. These form a
diamond-shaped configuration in this region, and are visible at either side of
the neck when developed. These are very powerful muscles that respond well to
heavy weight. Exercises which target them directly are any type of shrugging
movement done with a barbell or dumbbells, but these muscles are also worked
hard in any type of rowing movement, and are worked very hard in deadlifts.
The Teres, Rhomboids and Latissimus Dorsi Muscles
The teres, rhomdoids and other smaller muscles of the upper back are worked well
by rowing movements such as barbell rows, T-bar rows, low-cable rows etc. These
muscles are primarily situated around the shoulder-blade region, and along with
the trapezius, their development contributes significantly to overall thickness
of the back musculature. The latissimus dorsi muscles originate from the
shoulder and run almost down to the waist on either side of the body, and it is
the development of these muscles which contributes greatly to back width and to
back thickness. They are worked by rowing movements, and by 'pull-down' and
chinning-type movements.
The Lower Back
In training the lower back, the primary consideration is in working the spinal
erector muscles located at either side of the spine in the lumbar region. These
are very powerful muscles and are stimulated to some degree by many exercises as
they are involved in stabilising the body during standing movements, such as
various types of presses, curls, rows etc. They are worked more directly by
exercises such as deadlifts and squats, or more in isolation via
hyper-extensions. It is very important that training of the lower back is not
neglected, and indeed, in a properly constructed training program, adequate
stimulation of these muscles cannot be avoided through the use of heavy basic
exercises e.g. rows, squats, deadlifts etc. The development of a strong lumbar
region will reduce the chance of injury to this area through the course of your
training, and will also translate to the ability to safely move some really
heavy iron.
The Exercises and Back Routines
One of, if not THE best back development in bodybuilding, belonged to the ex-Mr.
Olympia, Dorian Yates. How does he train his back? The answer is through the use
of primarily basic exercises such as barbell rows, deadlifts, dumbbell rows,
heavy pulldowns and machine rows with high intensity and short training
duration. In other words, he uses very heavy weight (in strict form) and
tremendous effort to build his back, but doesn't live in the gym. It would be
impossible, and completely unnecessary, to train for hours with this kind of
ferocity; adequate growth stimulation occurs very quickly with this type of
training - any more work simply amounts to overtraining, and consequent loss of
size and strength. Remember, although the human body is very resilient, it can
only take so much, and so you must give it time to recover and grow between
training sessions, before you hammer it into the growth process with another
brief but killer workout. However, you must also keep in mind that being able to
train this hard is not something that you will immediately be able to do; it is
a learned skill and few people have the force of will to push themselves like
this - you'll have to find this out for yourself. Regardless of your goals,
whether they be to become muscularly massive or just to get in good shape, hard
and brief training sessions with the weights is the most efficient way to train,
and the best way to get rapid results, assuming your diet is good and you are
getting enough rest. You also don't have to be in the gym for hours on end,
which frees up your time to devote to other endeavours; an important
consideration when you take into account the busy schedules many of us have.
Just take your time in applying this training philosophy, and gradually increase
the intensity level of your workouts - the results will follow.
Here are some effective back exercises:
Barbell Row
In order to perform this movement, have a suitably loaded barbell resting on the
floor in front of you, squat down with knees bent and head erect and grasp the
barbell with an overhand grip, with hands just over shoulder-width apart. Stand
erect with the barbell as if you are performing a deadlift initially. Then to
begin the barbell row, bend the knees slightly and bend over at the waist,
letting the bar hang down at arms length with head erect, lower back curved
inward. Then using the muscles of your upper back, pull the bar into your
midsection, hold for a brief static contraction if desired, then lower to arms
length. Again pull the bar into your midsection, and so on, for the desired
number of reps. This movement may also be performed with an underhand grip on
the bar. Feel free to experiment with different grips and hand spacings.
T-Bar Row
The T-bar row, like the barbell row, is also a very effective upper back
exercise, and is executed in essentially the same manner. The movement is
performed using a T-bar apparatus, which consists of a long bar anchored to a
pivot at one end, and to which weights can be loaded at the other. Handles are
present for lifting at the weight bearing end, which are pulled up toward the
midsection during execution of the movement. This exercise has a slightly
different feel than the barbell row, although essentially similar muscles are
targeted.
Seated Rows
These are performed on a seated row apparatus. Again the upper back is worked.
You essentially sit on a seat with two handles in front of you at shoulder
height to which weight can be added. The handles are pulled toward your chest,
and the back muscles squeezed for a strong contraction at the top of the
movement. Return to the start and repeat for the desired number of reps.
Dumbbell Rows
In the dumbbell row, one side of the back is worked at a time. A heavy dumbbell
is grasped in one hand, and the torso supported in a position horizontal to the
floor by resting the free hand on a knee-high bench. The dumbbell is then pulled
upwards using the back muscles as much as possible; you should try to
concentrate on the back muscles doing the work and think of the arms simply as
hooks, keeping them out of the movement as much as possible. The ability to do
this will come with experience. The exercise is then repeated for the other side
of the back.
Deadlifts
The deadlift is an extremely effective exercise which, along with the squat,
works more muscle tissue in unison than any other exercise. This means that it
is very hard work to do, and so really stimulates muscle growth and progress
throughout the entire body. The muscles of the legs, the trapezius and shoulder
girdle, arms and the entire back are worked hard by this movement. In order to
perform the deadlift, stand in front of a loaded barbell with the feet about
shoulder width apart. Squat down and grasp the bar with a grip of about shoulder
width. The grip can be an overhand grip, or one in which the hand with the
strongest grip faces palm forward, the other hand facing towards you i.e. a
mixed grip. This type of grip usually offers the best stability in the movement
for many individuals. Then, with the hips low, lower back curved inward and head
erect, pull the weight from the floor. Don't snatch the weight up, as you may
risk injury; concentrate on the image of trying to drive your feet through the
floor as you pull the weight. Remember not to bend your arms during the movement
- keep them straight.
Power Rack Deadlifts
The use of the power rack along in association with your deadlifting efforts can
yield tremendous results in increased strength and muscle size due to the
massive weights that a person can handle in the partial-range deadlift compared
to what they could lift in a conventional exercise situation. By having the bar
set near the mid-point or near the top of the movement by suspending it on the
pins in the power rack, you can do deadlifts through a short range of motion,
and in a range which allows the use of the heaviest weights possible. It’s
possible to lift 40% more than you would over a full range, or even more, when
doing partials. This translates to tremendous overload on the muscles, and since
its the deadlift you're doing, then just about every muscle in your body is
stimulated, not just the lower back. I always have to laugh when people say that
deadlifting is a waste of time - the state of their physiques usually sums it
all up i.e. they're shit!! The people who are not afraid of hard and heavy work
on the major exercises like the squat and deadlift are the ones with the great
physiques, not the ones who 'fill their pants' at the thought of a tough set.
Pulldowns/Chins
The pulldown movement is performed on a pulley apparatus; you are seated and
'pulldown' a bar connected to a weight stack from a straight arm position to one
in which the bar touches the upper chest. The weight is then lowered, fully
extending the arms, and feeling the muscles stretch. Most people are familiar
with the chinning movement which uses bodyweight as resistance, pulling yourself
up via a chinning bar until your chest touches the bar, lower to full extension
and repeat. It is important not to swing the torso in any type of chin/pulldown
movement. People do this to make the exercise easier, which of course, is very
stupid because the muscles you want to exercise are not being worked as momentum
is moving the weight, not the back muscles. Many people are unable to do more
than a few reps of chins when they first try the exercise. It just takes
persistence and time. When you can do more than ten reps with bodyweight, you
can add further resistance by hanging a dumbbell around your waist using a
dipping belt.
NOTE!
It is very important that you wear a good, tight-fitting lifting belt on all
heavy rowing exercises/deadlifts to help stabilise your lower back.
A good basic back routine would be:
Barbell rows warm up, then 3x10 to failure (3 sets of 10 reps to failure)
Deadlifts warm up, then 3x10 to failure
Chins/pulldowns warm up, then 3x10 to failure
On the chins, if you are not too good at them, you could set yourself a specific
number of reps, say 20 or 30, and do as many sets as required until you have
completed that number of reps, but use your head and don't overdo it. You don't
want to overtrain and lose size and strength.
So, there it is, a simple but effective mass building routine which will put
some serious muscle on you if you work it hard enough. Remember, to progress,
its not how long you spend in the gym (bodybuilding is not endurance/aerobic
training), but how hard, and how smart, you work while you're there.
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If you like Mick's articles,
you can see more by clicking here - Mick's awesome "No Bull Collection" mag will soon be
available online, so make sure you subscribe to his ezine to stay informed.
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