Need help with back thickness!

[Sk8man101]

I have small lats it sucks. (Small everything really)

My buddy's got a new routine that made me super sore So hopefully I'll start getting wide as fuck.

 

[hurricane]

I have small lats it sucks. (Small everything really)

My buddy's got a new routine that made me super sore So hopefully I'll start getting wide as fuck.

I want fukin huge wings.

 

[showstoppa]

If you want width, focus on the eccentric and statics on lat pulldowns. Like 8-10 second negative to complete full extension and 10s hold on the top similar to D.C. Training. Also after back is compelete hang weights from a dip belt and strap up and hang for as long and wide as possible trying to beat weight or time every workout.

 

[hurricane]

If you want width, focus on the eccentric and statics on lat pulldowns. Like 8-10 second negative to complete full extension and 10s hold on the top similar to D.C. Training. Also after back is compelete hang weights from a dip belt and strap up and hang for as long and wide as possible trying to beat weight or time every workout.

Last back workout I really dropped the weight and would go all the way up on pulldowns. Pull down to halfway and pause. Then continue all the way down and pause. Would just repeat with light weight till my back was toast. Still fukin having trouble with thickness though. Going to keep plugging along.

 

[weighted chinup]

Last back workout I really dropped the weight and would go all the way up on pulldowns. Pull down to halfway and pause. Then continue all the way down and pause. Would just repeat with light weight till my back was toast. Still fukin having trouble with thickness though. Going to keep plugging along.

Where are you lacking thickness exactly?

There are some cues you should make use of on your back lifts to help expedite results:

[1] Create a pre-stretch on any bent over single armed movement (one arm bb row, dumbbell row (single arm), etc). Tilt the hip of the arm your working a little higher so the range you have is a bit greater that an even hip level would provide. Work the weight deep down into the stretch, and drive up explosively.

[2] You can do the same thing with any pulldown variants, work the stretch at the top of the ROM, let it stretch you out fully (control the eccentric though) and drive down hard. Smooth traction on the eccentric at all points working your way deep into that stretch at the top.

[3] If it's middle back thickness you're lacking, make sure you contract hard at the top of the ROM on any row movement you do. Bent over barbell rows, squeeze at the contracted position and drive up explosively. Control that weight that, and try to drive it up quickly.

[4] Use bands to create a harder contraction. Use them on the chest supported row / t-bar row machine or even on single arm dumbbell rows (I love this one). For dumbbells, take a heavy resistance band, lay it out horizontally on the floor, step on it with your foot, and place the loop of the band over the dumbbell. Grip that shit, keep it smooth as fuck at all times, never shaky, and get a full stretch at the bottom, but drive it up and get a hard contraction.

[5] Do some work to address lower traps and rhomboids. Anything with a pronate grip and straight arms (flared out almost?) will address this. Chest supported rows with a pronated grip, face pulls to your chest (with a band), pronated single arm barbell rows, are all options.

Incorporate these cues and you will be mind blown at how smooth your movement and traction is on pull movements and how efficiently everything is being worked.

Once you've mastered that, throw in some high intensity techniques.

 

[hurricane]

Where are you lacking thickness exactly?

There are some cues you should make use of on your back lifts to help expedite results:

[1] Create a pre-stretch on any bent over single armed movement (one arm bb row, dumbbell row (single arm), etc). Tilt the hip of the arm your working a little higher so the range you have is a bit greater that an even hip level would provide. Work the weight deep down into the stretch, and drive up explosively.

[2] You can do the same thing with any pulldown variants, work the stretch at the top of the ROM, let it stretch you out fully (control the eccentric though) and drive down hard. Smooth traction on the eccentric at all points working your way deep into that stretch at the top.

[3] If it's middle back thickness you're lacking, make sure you contract hard at the top of the ROM on any row movement you do. Bent over barbell rows, squeeze at the contracted position and drive up explosively. Control that weight that, and try to drive it up quickly.

[4] Use bands to create a harder contraction. Use them on the chest supported row / t-bar row machine or even on single arm dumbbell rows (I love this one). For dumbbells, take a heavy resistance band, lay it out horizontally on the floor, step on it with your foot, and place the loop of the band over the dumbbell. Grip that shit, keep it smooth as fuck at all times, never shaky, and get a full stretch at the bottom, but drive it up and get a hard contraction.

[5] Do some work to address lower traps and rhomboids. Anything with a pronate grip and straight arms (flared out almost?) will address this. Chest supported rows with a pronated grip, face pulls to your chest (with a band), pronated single arm barbell rows, are all options.

Incorporate these cues and you will be mind blown at how smooth your movement and traction is on pull movements and how efficiently everything is being worked.

Once you've mastered that, throw in some high intensity techniques.

Its the middle back. Very frustrating. T bar rows used to take care of my issues there pretty well. But can't do them. It is back day tomorrow and I will give everything you said a shot. I just can't use "heavy" weight when I'm bent over at the hip. To much stress and pain on my lower back. My back I used to love. Now its dissapointing not having that middle thickness. But I'm not giving up. And I appreciate you taking the time to help me out. It means a lot. I'll post something tomorrow after my workout and let you know how it went. Thanks again.

 

[DedLift]

Weighted pullups with focus on using the lats for the pull instead of arms. Wide grip will absolutely give you more width and a narrow grip with a solid focus on contracting the lats at the top of the pull will help with thickness and you wont have to worry too much about your discs. My back is touchy and i cant hit heavy squats and deads anymore but have still managed to add width and thickness by focusing on form and contraction with the exercises i can do

 

[Xlgx]

Wide grip rack chins weighted.

 

[showstoppa]

Racked chins are great.

Weighted chin-up- great info as usual brother.

Johnny pain the creator of greyskull made a post and variation of his program called bringing up the back, take a look, might be worth running for 8 weeks. But like WC said, you need to figure out where the problem is and use stretching and eccentrics that target that area.

» Bringing Up the Back Part Two

 

[tenpoundsleft]

Weighted pullups with focus on using the lats for the pull instead of arms. Wide grip will absolutely give you more width and a narrow grip with a solid focus on contracting the lats at the top of the pull will help with thickness and you wont have to worry too much about your discs. My back is touchy and i cant hit heavy squats and deads anymore but have still managed to add width and thickness by focusing on form and contraction with the exercises i can do

What kind of program do you use for the weighted pull-ups?

I just started on weighted pull-ups yesterday, did a dead hang at first to set the shoulders right, then did 6 with +35, then 2 sets with 6 reps each with +45, and finished with a final 12 rep set with just BW - damn, those felt light.

What's the ideal set/rep combo in your opinion?

I can crank out about 16 reps with just BW by the way, so I figured that adding weight would be the best way to go to get more volume. I'm 6' even and about 220.

 

[Xlgx]

Wide grip rack pull-ups with heavy weight for reps / rest pause

 

[German]

20 total sets hit that bitch from all angles and time under tension. Up that work load for a nice thick back

 

[NutterButter]

Horizontal shrug. Will have to try that.

That helped my turtle in my upper back a lot. I have a bad back too, incline bench dumbell rows and shrugs helped a lot.