Back Routine

[SFJock]

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend a back routine that has worked for you? Thanks guys!

SFJock

[SS4Jelq]

Hey!

Back has always been my strongpoint, because I work out on my own without a spotter. Since it is dangerous for me to bench too close to my 1RM (which is poor BTW) my chest has always lagged behind my back where I can do bent over rows to failure or with heavy weight.

Its the same with my legs, my hams and glutes are stronger and better developed than my quads.

Here are my suggestions, you can use them if you wish or if you dont like my ideas that is ok too, I wont be too upset.

Work back with the following split:

Back/Rear delt/Chest
Lats/Shoulders

Other muscle groups can be included as it suits you best. Because you are concentrating on back and likely have better developed chest you will be cutting your chest work slightly to avoid muscle imbalances which could lead to injury or make you look like a monkey.

Program
Weeks 1-3 (do the exercises in this order):

WARM UP AND STRETCH BEFOREHAND!!!!!

Back
Bent over row - 6 sets of 3 using a weight where you would fail if you did another rep.
Yates row - (same as bent over except you are only bent over by 45 degrees and you pull to the middle of your abs) 2 sets of 10 where you would fail at 12

Rear delt
Bent over dumbell laterals- 2 sets of 8 using a weight where you would fail after about 10 reps.
Lying side lateral - 2 sets of 8 using a weight where you would fail after about 10 reps.

Chest
Incline bench - 4 sets of 6 where you would fail at 8
Flat bench - 2 sets of 10 where you would fail at 12

*************

Shoulders
Behind the neck press - 4 sets of 6 where you would fail at 8
Shrugs - 4 sets of 6 where you would fail at 8

Lats
30 Chin ups (wide grip) - Do as many as you can, rest for a few seconds, take some deep breaths and carry on. (if you are the type that can do tons of chins in one set then hang weight with a belt or wear a back pack)



Weeks 4-6 (do the exercises in this order):

WARM UP AND STRETCH BEFOREHAND!!!!!

Back
Bent over row - 4 sets of 8 using a weight where you would fail if you did another rep.
Wide grip bent over row - 1 set of 8 where you would fail at 9
Yates row - (same as bent over except you are only bent over by 45 degrees and you pull to the middle of your abs) 2 sets of 10 where you would fail at 11


Rear delt
Bent over dumbell laterals - 2 sets of 6 using a weight where you would fail after 7 reps.
Lying side lateral - 2 sets of 8 using a weight where you would fail after about 9 reps.

Chest
Incline bench - 4 sets of 8 where you would fail at 9
Flat bench - 2 sets of 10 where you would fail at 11

*************

Shoulders
Behind the neck press - 4 sets of 8 where you would fail at 9
Shrugs - 4 sets of 8 where you would fail at 9

Lats
40 Chin ups (wide grip) - Do as many as you can, rest for a few seconds, take some deep breaths and carry on. (if you are the type that can do tons of chins in one set then hang weight with a belt or wear a back pack)



Weeks 7-9 (do the exercises in this order):

WARM UP AND STRETCH BEFOREHAND!!!!!

Back
Bent over row - 10 sets of 10 to failure BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN TRAINING TO FAILURE THAT YOU HAVE WARMED UP EVERY MUSCLE IN YOUR BODY OF YOU WILL REGRET IT!!!

Rear delt
Bent over dumbell laterals - 5 sets of 10 to failure

Chest
Incline bench - 6 sets of 10 to failure (or not to failure if you do not have a spotter)

*************

Shoulders
Behind the neck press - 10 sets of 10 to failure

Lats
50 Chin ups (wide grip) - Do as many as you can, rest for a few seconds, take some deep breaths and carry on. (if you are the type that can do tons of chins in one set then hang weight with a belt or wear a back pack)

After this take a week off from bodybuilding or do low intensity workouts for a week.


Although this is not the exact routine I use I designed it in the same way:

1- weeks 1-3 fairly low reps and not to failure
2- weeks 4-6 higher reps and closer to failure
3- weeks 7-9 blast the muscles with massive volume to failure
4- week 10 off
5- Balance out any likely weaknesses
6- Learn to appreciate muscle soreness!

Of course all this will be for nothing if you dont watch your diet and eat tons of calories and protein.


I hope this helps you
SS4

[SFJock]

Hi SS4Jelq,

Thanks for the detailed description of your routine; this is very helpful and thanks for taking the time to note it for me. I'll integrate this into my workout routine and let you know of my progress.

Let me know if you have any other tips around working out and or supplements.

Thanks again!

SFJock

[IronmanMO82]

This is my routine, though it is a bit more intense, but something to upgrade to later:

Chinups- I do these widegrip, and I do 5 sets of 10 reps. No slacking, if you can't do a full set of ten, have a spotter give you just enough help to get up. If needed you can buy wrist straps to help keep your grip in case it is weak and you cannot hang on for long.

Bent Over Row or Machine Row: 4 - 5 sets of 8 - 12 reps. Start at a weight you can do just for 8 reps, and work to 12 reps

Seated Cable Row: 4 sets of 10 - 12 reps. Same scheme as above.

One arm dumbell row: 4 sets of 12. Nothing lower, go full 12 reps. These should be to get a good finishing burn, you should have to drop weight for subsequent sets if you're using enough weight to start with.

In my logbook this is what this routine would look like, and seeing as today was back for me, I'll just post my numbers from today.

Widegrip Chinups
5 sets of 10

Machine row
210 lbs x 10
210 lbs x 10
210 lbs x 10
210 lbs x 10

Seated Cable Row
160 lbs x 12
160 lbs x 12
160 lbs x 12
160 lbs x 12

Dumbbell Onearm Rows
80 lbs x 12
80 lbs x 12
80 lbs x 12
75 lbs x 12

Regarding the idea to train lats seperately, I do not agree, because they tie into the middle back and lower back, and you cannot directly isolate them, and use them to a degree on all back movements, same thing with middle back; when you do widegrip pulldowns or chinups, you primarily stress the lats, but you also use your middle back as well. Train your whole back on the same day.

Eventually I plan to add deadlifts on my back day, but that will be a new routine with a split something like this:
Chest & Triceps
Back & Biceps
Legs & Shoulders

This routine will be less days in the gym but I plan to go heavy enough that I'll need plenty of rest. I may post other routines later too if there is interest.

[Testocles]

Hello SFJock!

Here's a routine that has worked for me, but i wouldn't recommend it to you if you are just starting out.

I do hamstrings(because most of the large compound back exercises like deadlifts stress them), spinal erectors, lats, trapezius and biceps(since many back exercises involve a pulling motion) on back day.

First i do warmup which includes:
few minutes on the bike
1 long set of hyperextensions
1 light set of curls
1 set of light squats
1 light set of lat pulldowns
1 set of light deadlifts
1 light set of stiff legged deadlifts

Then I do the workout:

5 sets of deadlifts 12 10 10 8 6(i use weightlifting belt if i go lower)
Works the whole back and hamstrings.

2 sets of stiff legged deadlifts 10 10
mainly hamstrings, spinal erectors.

3 sets of widegrip lat pulldowns 10 10 10(or widegrip chinups)
lats, biceps

2 sets of closegrip lat pulldowns 10 8
lats bi's

2 sets of shrugs 12 12
isolated workout for upper part of trapezius, levator scapulae and rhomboids.

2 sets of dumbell rows 10 10
traps, lats

3 sets of bicep curls 10 10 8
biceps

1 set of concentration curls 8