Thread: my back workout (please critique it)

deadlifts? or wg pullups? or rack deads

imo the most important exercises on back day are pullups, yates (low) rows, and some sort of horizontal row (one arms, a really parrallel t-bar).
i dont do deads on back day, but if you do that is a primary exercise.

What does the rest of your program look like? What is your goal(s) size, strenght etc? Do you workout at home or in a gym? The more details the easier it is to help...

Originally Posted by TheCurse

imo the most important exercises on back day are pullups, yates (low) rows, and some sort of horizontal row (one arms, a really parrallel t-bar).
i dont do deads on back day, but if you do that is a primary exercise.

I got to agree with you, Everytime I burn myself out on deads I have very little energy left for rows pullups etc.

yea, that can turn into a scheduling snafu for some of us but i finally just started doing deads and squats on leg day, alternating which one i start with, or sometimes eliminating one. i also always try to keep a few days between back day and leg day.

For the yates row, the bar is suppose to be supported by ur legs as your pulling towards teh groin?

Originally Posted by YSK

For the yates row, the bar is suppose to be supported by ur legs as your pulling towards teh groin?

Not that I know of. I am pretty sure the yates row is just like any other row but your hands are supinated.

As far as the workout goes, I see 3 rows and 1 pulldown. Throw some pull ups in there or change grips for the pulldown machine. E.G. wide grip, then some 'row,' then close grip OR neutral grip.

Originally Posted by TheCurse

yea, that can turn into a scheduling snafu for some of us but i finally just started doing deads and squats on leg day, alternating which one i start with, or sometimes eliminating one. i also always try to keep a few days between back day and leg day.

I used to do deads on back day with the rest of my shit. Now I do deads on leg day. Both workout days were tough as hell the first week, maybe the 2nd, but I adjusted after that. Only thing I noticed was on the workouts when I did deads on back day, I left the gym later than when I did deads with legs.

Originally Posted by Bakerboy

What does the rest of your program look like? What is your goal(s) size, strenght etc? Do you workout at home or in a gym? The more details the easier it is to help...

im mostly going for strength and mass. a little definition im sure will come along the way but its not the most important thing to me. i workout in a gym

in response to what im reading so far. i think ill try and replace one of my excercises with some kind up pull ups. anyone have any suggestion as to which one they think is best cause i know theres several (close grip, rear pul up, underhand, etc.). also, ive never been too crazy about dead lifts

Have a little fun with it, mix it up...

I suggest picking three movements that hit the different angles and working more on the quality of your lifts not just the quantity... To make things more interesting I would do three exercises for your back on one day and then on your next back day do three different movements. That way you won't get bored as easy and you will start to see what movements are working better than others.

If you want wings then do weighted overhand pullups (with a wide grip) concentrating on the negative (the way down). Do them slow and to a dead hang. I find weighted narrow grip chin ups to my sternum to work great forthe lower part of my lats.

I love seated machine rows. I think they are an excellent exercise for adding thickness and size to your back. Cleans, heavy DB rows and bent over BB rows are great for that too, if you get your form down.

For variety you could try connecting the rope attachment that you see people using on the universal machine for tricep pushdowns and connect it to the bottom of the weight stack to do a modified bent over row (you will be able to pull back a lot further than if you were using a straight bar).

We all get sick of doing the same old thing. It sounds like you just need to spice things up a bit, try something new.

I would stick the hyperextensions on leg day and add some form of pullup/chinups variation in there. Make sure you are keeping your scapula retracted on all of these movements and you "pull with your elbows."

Oh, and you should get deadlifts in your program somewhere too. I think they should go on leg day, but a lot of people do fine with them on back day.