Back Workout Routine

This is one of my back (plus biceps un-specifically)

In brackets I have put the weights I did for this workout recently (date of post, 10/05/11).

Warming up:

To get that blood flowing to reduce injury, you can do a few minutes of running, cycling or a few push-ups and squats. Anything that works for you, for this back workout you want to make sure your blood is pumping and you stretch your leg muscles and lower back out.

1st Exercise: Dead lifts

Introduction:

This is one of my favourite exercises, anyone isn’t doing deadlifts, should do so, because this exercise recruits a great number of muscles, which constitutes to huge gains if done often, using a good routine and perfect form.

How to:

Basically you’re lifting a bar from the ground at a deep-squat position up to your hips at a standing position.

Preparation:

Get in a deep-squat position with feet shoulder width pointing out very slightly, with the bar very close to your shins. Using a power-grip, grip the bar at shoulder width.

 

Execution:

1.)    Gripping the bar tightly, GET YOUR PELVIC TILT ON!

2.)    Pull straight upwards, and straighten up at the top, as if you’re curling with your lower back.

3.)    Pull your shoulders back and puff your chest out, shrug the weight if you have trouble locking out.

4.)    Slowly lower the bar with control, maintaining your pelvic tilt until you touch the floor with the weights. Bend your knees slightly if necessary.

5.)    Repeat.

This is a good guide, but I don’t have the bar flush to my shins, because rubbing the bar up against your leg makes it easier, and it is also really painful haha! Anyways, with a good form the bar shouldn’t touch your legs until you finish the movement.

Form:

Maintaining a strong pelvic tilt is important, otherwise you may pull a muscle and eventually you may even slip a disc in your spine, if you continue with bad form.

Tips:

Doing the pelvic tilt for a beginner is sometimes hard to perfect (especially for men), but the way I teach it to people is, stick your bum out, and curve your back lower back inwards, in an attempt to pivot your buttocks towards the ceiling. Having a strong pelvic tilt can prevent your lower back bending or curving outwards which can lead to serious injury.

Target Muscles:

This exercise works many muscles; the main muscle is the Erector Spinae, your lower back muscle, which extends all the way up your spine, so it's great to have it well developed. It also exercises your glutes and hamstrings effectively, even more so if you're doing stiff legged dead lifts, along with many other stabilising muscles. That’s why deadlifts can help people to increase their overall strength.

Workout Routine:

Warm up set 1 - 12 reps, Light weight (60kg)

Warm up set 2 – 12 reps, Light weight (60kg)

Working set 1 - 10 reps, Medium to high weight (100kg)

Working set 2 - 8 reps, Heavier (110kg)

Working set 3 - 8-6 reps, Heavy weight (120kg)

Working set 4 - 6 reps, 90% of 1 rep max (140kg)

Working set 5 - 1 rep max (160-170kg)

Note:

For my last 2 sets i use lifting straps to help with my grip, and for my final set i always try to lift a personal record weight, because progression is imperative for me to achieve my goals.

2nd Exercise: Weighted Wide grip/Normal pull-ups

Introduction:

This is arguably the best exercise building your latisimuss dorsi, also known as your lats, the largest muscle on your body which gives you the well sought after V-tapered body.

 I do weighted pull ups using a dip belt which you can attach plates to; I use the one at my gym. I start with wide grip, because they're said to be most effective when exercise your lats, then move onto normal pull-ups as it gets too heavy for wide grip.

How to:

Basically you grip a bar which is about 7-8ft tall and you pull up. This can be performed with various grips for various results, and may be performed with weights using a dip belt.

Preparation:

Do some mobilisations, to loosen up the joints in your arms.

When going for weighted pull-ups, put on a weight belt which has a chain to attach weights.

Execution:

1.)    Jump up and grip the bar (Wide, then shoulder width)

2.)    Pull body up, till your neck is level with the bar, or your chin is above it.

3.)    Slowly let yourself down for 2-3 seconds

4.)    Repeat

Target Muscles:

The wide grip pull-ups target mostly the Latissimus Dorsi, but also exercise the biceps and rhomboids. Standard pull-ups also target the Latissimus Dorsi, but it exercises biceps a little more.

Tips:

When I do pull-ups I try to touch my chest to the bar, because when I pull straight up it’s quite rough on my joints, especially on my shoulders. So I do some stretches and mobilisations along with trying to touch my chest to the bar to prevent damage to my shoulders.

If you’re unable to do any pull-ups, do negative pull-ups by jumping up to the bar and letting yourself down as slowly as you can.

Don’t go too wide, this will reduce the range of motion and decreases how much you activate your target muscles.

Workout Routine:

Warm up set 1 - 10-12 reps, (body weight, wide)

Working set 1 - 10-12 reps, (body weight +10kg, wide)

Working set 2 - 8-10 reps, (body weight +15kg, normal)

Working set 3 - 6-8 reps (body weight + 15kg, normal)

Working set 4 - Till failure (body weight +20, normal)

Note:

You should try to do a full pull-up, don't skimp out on form if you can. I know it's quite a hard exercise for beginners, but try because it will work your muscles more effectively, and improve the results. So that means pull-up so your head is over the bar, and let yourself down slowly with control for about 2 seconds, Form and control usually outweighs quantity in association to gains.

3rd Exercise: Dumbbell Bent over row

Introduction:

I’m generally not completely dead after the weighted pull-ups so I do some heavy dumbbell bent over rows, which help build mass in the whole back area, so I don’t miss any muscles. Dumbbell exercises also promotes evenness in your muscles, which I like because my left lat is smaller than my right,

How to:

Basically you use a bench to rest on, and using a dumbbell you pull it up using your back muscles.

Preparation:

 

If you’re exercising your right arm, place your left leg with your foot hanging off the end of the bench, with your left arm at the top of the bench for support to maintain a straight back, put your right foot on the floor slightly further back than your knee, and from this position grab the dumbbell.

Execution:

1.)    Get into the preparation position

2.)    Grab the dumbbell off the floor

3.)    Lift the dumbbell up until your back is straight, with your arm extended

4.)    Pull the dumbbell up to your hip, keeping your fist running up your thigh, ending with a 90 degree angle in your arm at your hip.

5.)    Slowly let the weight down until your arm is fully extended.

6.)    Repeat

Target muscles:

This is a good exercise to develop the latissimus dorsi, but this exercise also works most of the muscles in your upper back, including your rhomboids, trapeziums and the back of your shoulders. 

Tips:

If you’re doing very heavy weights you might want to do this standing up propped onto something, but make sure you try to keep your torso horizontal or parallel to the floor to get the best results.

You don’t want to be using lifting straps for this exercise as it can help to increase your grip strength, but if your forearms are dead from pull-ups and deadlifts you may use them for your last sets.

While performing this exercise doesn’t rotate your torso to try and get some momentum, skimping on form on this exercise is pointless, and may cause uneven muscle growth. If you can’t get your upper arm at least to parallel to your torso, the weight is too heavy, drop down. You also look silly doing bent over rows without a nice straight back.

Workout Routine:

Working set 1 - 12 reps, Medium weight (20kg)

Working set 2 - 10 reps, Medium (25kg)

Working set 3 - 8 reps, Heavy weight (27.5kg)

Working set 4 - 8 reps, Heavy weight (30kg)

Working set 5 - 6 reps or till failure, Heavier weight (35kg)

Note:

Grip the dumbbells tight to recruit more muscles in stabilisations and exercise your forearms a little more to increase your grip strength.

4th Exercise: Burnout, Neutral grip pull ups

Introduction:

I do a burnout because I feel that it induces a lot of soreness, because it’s a bit of a shock to the system, and it completes my workout nicely by leaving me weak and tired, which I like because it means I’ve done a good workout. For this routine I do neutral grip pull ups for 3 sets.

I choose to do this instead of normal pull ups because by the end of this workout my grip is a bit weak, and neutral grip pull ups seem easier.

How to:

Neutral grip pull ups are the same as normal pull ups, but your palms are facing each other.

Preparation, Execution and Target muscles:

Same as a generic pull-up

Workout routine:

3 sets, reps till failure, body weight.

Note:  

Do some good negative pull ups to really tire your muscles out. If you can’t do any pull ups, use a narrow grip attachment and do pull downs on a machine.

Finish

Get that protein, drink that water, eat that food and get some sleep. The workout isn't the sole factor in muscle growth or strength progression. You have to eat well, sleep lots and drink enough water or else your body won't get enough nutrients, to build muscle and sustain your internal systems, and enough rest for your body to fully recover before your next workout.

Stretch

Lats/Upper back muscles:

I usually grab the base of a machine with both hand and pull your body out with your arms extended. This stretches my back really nicely.

Lower back:

During deadlifts I stretch my lower back by bending over, grabbing my calves and arching my lower back outwards. You may also grip a bar to stretch your lower back.

Progress

Deadlifts are one of my exercises which I gauge my strength progress with, because it’s such a powerful movement, and since it uses so many muscles it’s good for measuring overall strength.

Similarly to bench press, every week I try to do personal records lift, to increase my strength and make progress.

Before performing my personal best lifts I give myself about 5 minutes to get into the ‘zone’, because your mental focus can make huge difference.