Can You Build A Good Back With Just Rows & Pullovers???

[Texas Ranger]

I'd like to get some opinions, guys. Presently, I work out at home and the only exercises I can do right now for back is Barbell Rows, Old School T-Bar Rows, Dumbbells Rows & Nautilus Pullover Machine. I was thinking of something like this.

Barbell Rows(Curl Grip)- 3 sets of 6-8 reps - Alternated with T-Bar Rows Every 2 weeks
DB Rows- 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Nautilus Pullover- 2 sets of 10 reps

I LOVE Chins, but can't do any until I buy a power rack for the house. This should be enough for the Lats, right???

 

[GDSGFT]

What's wrong with deadlifts?

They're not the only excercises you can do. You have a Bar, go do some deadlifts and goodmornings.

*waits patiently for grizzly to attack him about goodmornings*

 

[Gavin Laird]

Agreed.

Deads (or similar), some horizontal pull (row) and some vertical pull (chin) and there you have it.

Cheers,

G.

 

[Texas Ranger]

What's wrong with deadlifts?

They're not the only excercises you can do. You have a Bar, go do some deadlifts and goodmornings.

*waits patiently for grizzly to attack him about goodmornings*

Yeah, I almost forgot about Deads. I do these too every back day, but forgot to list it. 3 sets of 6-8 reps

 

[AnimalMass]

No.

First off heavy deads should be the cornerstone of your back workout. And stop going 6-8 reps on pulls. I understand you are a bodybuilder, but your back will grow more if you keep the deadlifts heavy and low reps and then do the other back work under traditional hypertrophy rep ranges.

Second, do JS Rows. Screw anything else. T Bar is fine occasionally, but if you aren't doing JS rows you are cheating yourself.

Third, let me just make sure I understand this...you own a nautilus pullover machine but not a squat rack? Oh man, what is wrong with the world?

Like Gavin said, your back workout should consist of 4 basic things: deadlifts, goodmornings, horizontal pull (JS Rows), vertical pull (lat pulldowns or chins).

I also like hyperextensions (JS has a special way to do those too), reverse hypers, rounded back pull throughs, etc, but those are icing on the cake. Make sure you are doing the previous 4 first.

Matt

 

[Texas Ranger]

No.

First off heavy deads should be the cornerstone of your back workout. And stop going 6-8 reps on pulls. I understand you are a bodybuilder, but your back will grow more if you keep the deadlifts heavy and low reps and then do the other back work under traditional hypertrophy rep ranges.

Second, do JS Rows. Screw anything else. T Bar is fine occasionally, but if you aren't doing JS rows you are cheating yourself.

Third, let me just make sure I understand this...you own a nautilus pullover machine but not a squat rack? Oh man, what is wrong with the world?

Like Gavin said, your back workout should consist of 4 basic things: deadlifts, goodmornings, horizontal pull (JS Rows), vertical pull (lat pulldowns or chins).

I also like hyperextensions (JS has a special way to do those too), reverse hypers, rounded back pull throughs, etc, but those are icing on the cake. Make sure you are doing the previous 4 first.

Matt

What are JS Rows, exactly? Never heard of them. Could you explain??

 

[AnimalMass]

I believe they are in the best of JohnSmith stickied thread.

Matt

 

[Ronin_]

I built what some would think as an excellent back with chins, barbell rows and T-bars. I have very rarely deadlifted as they bulk my traps up too much and take away from my aesthetic build.

thickness came plenty from the rows from upper to lower back in myself.

I am not a fan of pullover movements at all

 

[Bob Smith]

If you are limited in movements that are comfortable for you, I would focus mainly on chest-supported rows and pullups.

 

[AnimalMass]

Ronin: nothing could sound gayer then when you say "takes away from my aesthetic build." LOL - That's cool if you wanna look like queer eye for the straight guy. I'd rather have some core thickness and strength, but hey, that's me.

Karch: you do what you gotta do bud. If you have a bad lower back and you can't do bent over rows or deads, then you can't do them. I will say though, that many, many powerlifters blow and herniate discs every year and they often come back and deadlift between 700 and 800. It's just an issue of getting the right rehab stuff going, purchasing a reverse hyper, etc.

As long as you can't do deadlifts or bent over rows, you just need to hit every single machine from every angle you can think of in the gym.

Matt

 

[Freddy]

Everyone has given great advice so far as usual.

I've said this before, but you only need 3 types of lifts to build a monsterous back. And if you want to really do a consolidated routine, maybe only 2 lifts.

1.) Heavy pulls -You have a lot of options here. Traditional deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, SL deads, romanian deads, rack deads, power cleans, cleans, etc will all work great.

2.) Rows -You have quite a bit of options here as well. Like AnimalMass, I prefer the JS row. 1 arm DB rows, chest supported rows (if you like them, I don't) or even Dorian rows will all work fine, but they are not as great. The JS row has been backed up by both damn good lab work, and old fashioned trial and error in the gym. If you prefer verticle pulling as opposed to horizontal, then weighted chinups work damn well too.

3.) Upper body pulling -Usually upright rows or high pulls. Both work very well, depending on your preferences and goals.

You can have the fanciest back routine in the world, but if you don't have these 3 types of lifts, you're probably not working as hard as you could.