Shoulders and back are my weakest point

[fqa2]

Hi guys!

So unfortunately, I was born with a narrow shoulder and back and I have been trying to focus very well on them but they don't seem to grow that much. I am wondering if I should change my workout?

I do 2x back and 2x shoulders a week

Back #1:
Chin Ups 4x12
Pulldown with V attachement + Machine seated row 4x12
Pullover (Straight Arm Pulldown) with a rope 4x12
Seated Cable Row 4x12

Back #2
Chin Upx 4x12
Pulldown with a straight bar 4x8
Incline chest supported row 4x8
High Row + Pullover (Straight Arm Pulldown) 4x8

Shoulders #1
Machine Shoulder Press 4x12
Cable Lateral Raise 4x25
Rear fly with cables 4x12
Lateral raise with a machine 4x25
Seated wide cable row 4x12

Shoulders #2
Machine Shoulder Press 4x12
DB Lateral Raise 4x25 (after each set, I do a 50% drop set to maximize muscle breakdown)
Reverse pec dec 4x12
Lateral raise with a machine 4x25
Seated wide cable row 4x12

Do you think I should incorporate any changes?

Thank you

 

[malfeasance]

Do barbell rows. Real ones. Bend over and row low into your groin. Wear belt and use straps when the weight is heavy enough to affect your grip, but start light and get your form down and then start adding a little bit of weight each workout as you can.

Like this:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tKQfVTjnKQ


But slow it down, stretch at the bottom, and really squeeze at the top. Get to where you really feel those back muscles working. Then start slowly increasing the weight incrementally.


Also, deadlifts or, if you for some reason cannot lift off the floor, rack pulls from as far down on the rack as you can stand it.

Do these.

Then you can do some of your cable exercises and such that you are listing above.

For shoulders, I used to do two rear delt exercises, a machine rear delt (make sure you feel it in that one little muscle and are not transferring it to your traps), and a bent over db fly sort of exercise, basically lay on an incline bench face down and use dumb bells, lifting them up with the rear delt only.

Then lateral raises. Dumb bells. Sets of 15. Control them. Lift and then try to pause and fight the descent. Write down what you are doing and always try to add some reps. When you get your 3-4 sets of 15, it is time to increase the weight. Every once in a while (not every time) run the rack as your last set (decreasing weight with no rest until burned out with each weight).

Then do some sort of heavy pressing exercise last. In my view, this is the least important thing you will be doing for your shoulders.

The thing most lack is rear delt and that medial delt, which those first two exercises are going to get. I tried a lot of other things, but what I wrote above is what worked best for me for growing delts and is basically what I did for improving them enough to compete (the other things I tried did not leave me with delts that were good enough to compete).

 

[malfeasance]

Also, look in the bodybuilding forum and read the logs of some of the competitors here. Many of them log their exercises. Don't be afraid to copy some of what you see there. They are not successful because their training sucks.

 

[malfeasance]

Example (one of the best):

Daily Log to 2019 Show Season

Hey guys, Been here for about a week and have so far thoroughly enjoyed the forum. Considering putting in the effort to keep a daily log here as I hit an offseason growth period and move in to show season in 2019 covering my diet, training, and gear. This won’t be a how-to guide on how to...

thinksteroids.com

 

[laclark89]

Hi guys!

So unfortunately, I was born with a narrow shoulder and back and I have been trying to focus very well on them but they don't seem to grow that much. I am wondering if I should change my workout?

I do 2x back and 2x shoulders a week

Back #1:
Chin Ups 4x12
Pulldown with V attachement + Machine seated row 4x12
Pullover (Straight Arm Pulldown) with a rope 4x12
Seated Cable Row 4x12


Ok like the other guys said u need to add a heavy dumbell or barbell row change it for the cable row or chest supported row, i feel dumbell row more in my lats, or just add them to the existing list since ur sets are low.

2 if you can change ur chin ups to over hand an slightly wide. Chin ups are great for biceps, Re learn them if nessisary. I would follow immediately with lat pull downs and not with v handle u wana use a bar and get nice and wide dont worry about weight to much untill u really learn to squeeze and feel ur lats working. They will get wider.

3 ur sets are really low 8 total sets a week? Thats more for maintenance imo, I'd say do 12-16 sets a week mabe up to 20. Especially on ur back and those side delts or lacking stuff. I could do 8 sets of side laterals in 1 session easy, or maybe add a drop set.

Also its alot of genetics ur already on to it, just gota really work at those lats and side delts also try to keep ur waste as small.as possible, that will help the illusion.

I'm no trainer just my opinion.
Good luck and enjoy the journey.

 

[laclark89]

Ok like the other guys said u need to add a heavy dumbell or barbell row change it for the cable row or chest supported row, i feel dumbell row more in my lats, or just add them to the existing list since ur sets are low.

2 if you can change ur chin ups to over hand an slightly wide. Chin ups are great for biceps, Re learn them if nessisary. I would follow immediately with lat pull downs and not with v handle u wana use a bar and get nice and wide dont worry about weight to much untill u really learn to squeeze and feel ur lats working. They will get wider.

3 ur sets are really low 8 total sets a week? Thats more for maintenance imo, I'd say do 12-16 sets a week mabe up to 20. Especially on ur back and those side delts or lacking stuff. I could do 8 sets of side laterals in 1 session easy, or maybe add a drop set.

Also its alot of genetics ur already on to it, just gota really work at those lats and side delts also try to keep ur waste as small.as possible, that will help the illusion.

I'm no trainer just my opinion.
Good luck and enjoy the journey

 

[malfeasance]

So unfortunately, I was born with a narrow shoulder and back

Really?

Post baby pics, no shirt.







Seriously, now, listen up - 300 grams of protein a day and lots of back and shoulder training and some steroids . . . when you get your weight up to 225 pounds (102.3 kg) at 8% body fat (not a self estimated 15% which is really 18-20%, lol), nobody is going to say, "Wow, fqa2 has a really narrow shoulders and back."

Just keep at it. Everybody has the potential to grow and improve their physique no matter what their genetics. Just put in the time and effort, and don't skip the important stuff, like a real diet (not "on point," but a real plan with tracking to make sure you hit your macros no matter what your personal problems or issues or work or family) and using a barbell for the uncomfortable stuff like barbell rows and deadlifts (yeah, just like squats with a bar on the back are not as comfy as machine leg extensions). Discipline and consistency will equal results over time. This stuff doesn't happen in a day, but it does happen day by day.

 

[patriotmuscle1]

How long has OP been running the split? Are.you a newbie?
I personally cant train back 2x a wk. I did for awhile when I was younger but it ran out fast.
1x a wk is all I can do and really feel ready before my next back day. Shoulders I do 2x a wk mine like more volume.. back like one balls out day..
These guys above know there shit. I agree that I wouldn't use thos many machines.. half and half at most ..
Are you eating? The food is very important here

 

[buck]

I find how back and shoulder movements are done is more important than which exercise. I watch most people doing pulldows and their arms and rhomboids do most al the work. And when t people do military presses. They only do the upper half which is more tricep than delt.for example.