Back to the Future

Everybody like to work the "mirror muscles" like the chest, abs , and biceps. But working the back muscles can give you great symmetry, improve your posture, and increase your overall size and strength just not possible with isolation work.

In fact, next to shoulders, I enjoy working back more than any other body part because of the "bang-for-the-buck" I get.

Pull-ups and rowing variations are two of the the gold standards for back work. If you're not performing these on a regular basis, you really need to add them to your repetoire. If you can't perform a pull-up, try eccentrics only or band or machine-assisted pull ups. And make sure to include deadlifts as well.  Learn proper deadlift form from an ACSM-certified professional.

Change your pull-up grip regularly to target different muscle groups. A wide, pronated grip involves more lats and less biceps. A chin-up grip ( supinated palm) hits the biceps a bit more, and a neutral grip targets the brachialis and lats.

Time-under-tension should be about 5-6 seconds for the entire move. And the rep should be from a dead-hang. Pull from the elbows and really concentrate on the mind-muscle connection. A lot of people have a hard time feeling their back muscles work. Perform 6-12 reps for hypertrophy. 3-5 sets with a full recovery.

As for rows, there are so many excellent variations you will never get bored. I'll cover rowing in more detail in a future(ha) post, but inverted rows from a bar of JUNGLE GYM, split-stance 1-arm cable rows, and reverse grip bent rows are a few of my favorites. Not to mention the kayak row, 1-arm barbell row, chest-supported bat wing row... you get the picture.

As a final couple of tips for a bigger, stronger back: be sure to foam roll for a few minutes before your dynamic warm up and stretch the anatgonist muscles dynamically immediately prior to your working set. This could include core muscles, pecs, and triceps.

Give these a try and let me know how it goes.


Marty McFly: Calvin? Wh... Why do you keep calling me Calvin? 
Lorraine Baines: Well, that is your name, isn't it? Calvin Klein? It's written all over your underwear. BACK TO THE FUTURE(1985)