Thread: Need help to build Back and Legs.

Hey pal, maybe this'll help you.

Firstly, check out any pictures of Samir Bannouts (Mr Olympia back in 83) back shots and you'll see he had a great back, having each area, huge, detailed and all round impressive.

He worked his back to this:

Exercise sets reps

Barbell Rows 5 8-15
Weighted hyper-
extensions 3 8-10
Wide grip pulldowns 4 8-15
T-Bar rows
Weighted chins 3 8-10
Deadlifts 4 3-10

He preceded this workout with wide grip chins and pulldowns, 2 20rep sets of each warm up.

Now, it's an intense back programme, with loads of exercises and sets. You may find it easier to split it, doing one half one week, the second half the following week. If not, lower the sets and only choose some of the exercises. Pulldowns and chins seem to be working the same thing for me so I alternate them or just do pulldowns. If your looking for MASS and WIDTH, i'd concentrate more on the pulldowns and heavy free weights, using Barbell and dumbells primarily.

I do 4 sets of pulldowns (wide grip) to start with, but my back day comprises of just T-Bar rows, 4 sets (palms facing inwards), Barbell rows, 4 sets, Dumbell rows, 4 sets (palms facing inwards), then reverse close grip pulldowns, 3 sets. I don't use machines or cables (apart from pulldowns) for adding mass to my back. I don't do deadlifts either which I get kained for as it's a great lower back builder, i've just never liked it and feel it'll make my waist expand. I'd use cables when wanting further development, shaping etc. But for size, keep to the basics and go as heavy as you can keeping good form. Rows and pulldowns will give you mass and width.

Arnie's back training techniques:

OUTER BACK
T-Bar Rows

UPPER BACK
Barbell Rows
Seated Wide Grip Rows
Dumbell Rows

LAT WIDTH
Wide grip chins
Wide grip pulldowns

LOWER LAT
One Arm Cable Rows
Close grip chins
Close grip pulldowns

LOWER BACK
Deadlifts
Good Mornings
Hyperextensions

As for legs, have a ganders at Tom Platz, who arguably had the best legs ever, truly massive and detailed.

LEG MASS
Squats
Leg Presses

OUTER SWEEP OF QUADS
Front Squats
Squats with legs close together

ADUCTORS/ INNER QUADS
Squats with legs further apart, toes outward

LOWER THIGH AREA
Hack Squats

FRONT AND GLUTES
Lunges (often over-looked, but Ronnie does them and you can't argue with that)

QUAD DEFINITION/SHAPE
Leg Extensions


Hope this helped, soz it's nearly a short novel.