Back weight lifting advice

smalltown_princess
smalltown_princess Posts: 155 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
Gonna be honest, I'm so happy with how far my back has gotten! But I'm looking for more creative ways to get even more swole. THis is where I am now, but I would really like to improve. Any help will be extremely appreciated!
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Replies

  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Deadlifts and any variation (conventional, sumo, romanian, stiff leg, trap bar)
    Rows and any variation (DB, BB, seal, kroc, t-bar, landmine, cable, inverted)
    Pull-ups and any variation (wide, chins, neutral grip, rings)
    Hypers and reverse hypers
  • smalltown_princess
    smalltown_princess Posts: 155 Member
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    What moves for your back are you currently doing?
  • smalltown_princess
    smalltown_princess Posts: 155 Member
    Right now I'm doing lat pull downs, overhead presses, bent over rows, trying my best to do pull ups but they are the bane of my existence
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    Take a look on youtube for the convict conditioning pull-up progressions -- there's a number of baby steps along the way from nada to full pull-ups.
  • smalltown_princess
    smalltown_princess Posts: 155 Member
    OK, I've heard of convict conditioning before but I haven't had the chance to check it out.
  • zaxx1953
    zaxx1953 Posts: 389 Member
    Pendley Rows are the est overall back movt. i've ever used.

    You need to hit the back from low/medium and high angles in workouts to really develop it fully. Hammer Strength machines work quite nicely as well.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    If you're doing lat pulldowns, pull-ups are redundant.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    For pulldowns experiment with different grip widths, underhand/overhand/neutral grips, and in front of/behind your head. Find the variations that you feel in your back the most. There's no need to do pullups until you're ready, pulldowns are fine for now.

    Check your form on your rows to make sure you're targeting your back and not just your arms, i.e. elbows tucked in, pull toward your navel.

    And deadlifts.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Have you tried chin ups instead of pull ups? They are slightly easier. It may be worth it to use them as a stepping stone.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    If you're doing lat pulldowns, pull-ups are redundant.

    Explain in small, clear and precise terms why you claim this.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Deads, Rows, Chins/Pullups.
  • smalltown_princess
    smalltown_princess Posts: 155 Member
    Does your back workout in DLS if you use a belt?
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Does your back workout in DLS if you use a belt?

    it better be
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    I believe you can use 2 bands to help... I could be wrong though...
  • bryandynaxus3
    bryandynaxus3 Posts: 51 Member
    When I began at the gym my friend and I did wide grip pull ups AND lat pull downs, seated rows (cable), and dead lifts. I trust his routines because he's a beast who has a lot of experience at this.
  • brdnw
    brdnw Posts: 565 Member
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    When i had got down to 235 or so i still couldn't do a pull up and i would train for it by getting a chair and jumping to the top part of the pullup and just hold as long as i can and try and resist as and continue resist as you start to lower.

    Right now i'm 205 so it's obviously easier but i still utilize this method but i use a weight belt and now i can do a pullup with 90lbs attached and the most i can do consecutively of just my bodhweight is 14. So with that i'm saying i think this method has progressed my back pretty well.

    So i just do as many sets as i can tolerate (10+ sets). Now though, i do the same thing i just start weighted and lighten it as i weaken to when i'm just doing regular pull ups.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Does your back workout in DLS if you use a belt?

    Belt isn't used for protecting your back. It is used as a cueing mechanism to remind to you brace your core and stay tight. You push your abs out against it.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Deadlifts, barbell rows, Pendlay rows, Romanian Deadlifts, pull ups, lat pull downs, cable rows, Kroc rows, one arm dumbbell rows, shrugs. The thing I found helpful when building my back was on rows to pause at the top and slowly lower. Making sure you aren't jerking the weight up means you are engaging the muscles, not relying on momentum. I have a back picture in my profile.

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/04/25/do-a-pull-up/
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    I believe you can use 2 bands to help... I could be wrong though...

    You can work negatives too
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    I believe you can use 2 bands to help... I could be wrong though...

    You can work negatives too

    Negatives are what helped me on pull ups.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    I believe you can use 2 bands to help... I could be wrong though...

    You can work negatives too

    Negatives are what helped me on pull ups.

    This is why I <3 both of you!
    I should work on doing negatives (thanks for another idea - for a different day lol)
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    I believe you can use 2 bands to help... I could be wrong though...

    You can work negatives too

    Negatives are what helped me on pull ups.

    This is why I <3 both of you!
    I should work on doing negatives (thanks for another idea - for a different day lol)

    Even better is if you can add weight to the negatives.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    If you're doing lat pulldowns, pull-ups are redundant.

    Explain in small, clear and precise terms why you claim this.

    It's a similar movement, so similar muscles are worked.

    The pulldown has the advantage of not wasting as much energy on non-back muscles (abs, etc), plus it's easier to modify the resistance to keep you in the proper rep range for growth.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    I believe you can use 2 bands to help... I could be wrong though...

    You can work negatives too

    Negatives are what helped me on pull ups.

    This is why I <3 both of you!
    I should work on doing negatives (thanks for another idea - for a different day lol)

    Even better is if you can add weight to the negatives.

    Don't add more to it! Ack! =P
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    I believe you can use 2 bands to help... I could be wrong though...

    You can work negatives too

    Negatives are what helped me on pull ups.

    This is why I <3 both of you!
    I should work on doing negatives (thanks for another idea - for a different day lol)

    Even better is if you can add weight to the negatives.

    Don't add more to it! Ack! =P

    At some point your negatives will be fairly long. Then it's time to add weight. Always need to challenge the muscles :)
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    If you're doing lat pulldowns, pull-ups are redundant.

    Explain in small, clear and precise terms why you claim this.

    It's a similar movement, so similar muscles are worked.

    The pulldown has the advantage of not wasting as much energy on non-back muscles (abs, etc), plus it's easier to modify the resistance to keep you in the proper rep range for growth.

    Whether or not it is redundant depends a bit on your perspective. I view lat pulldowns as a tool to train for pull-ups/chin-ups. So I'm not going to stop doing (trying to do) the latter because I'm doing the former.
  • mike_bold
    mike_bold Posts: 140 Member
    I know the standard response in this forum is squats and deadlifts, but ... squats and deadlifts. Close grip rows (or any kind of rows), hyper extensions and BB hip thrusts (or glute bridges) for the erectors
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    smalltown_princess wrote: »
    Do you have any tips for pull ups? I can't do them without a really strong band and even then it's a struggle

    I believe you can use 2 bands to help... I could be wrong though...

    You can work negatives too

    Negatives are what helped me on pull ups.

    This is why I <3 both of you!
    I should work on doing negatives (thanks for another idea - for a different day lol)

    Even better is if you can add weight to the negatives.

    Don't add more to it! Ack! =P

    At some point your negatives will be fairly long. Then it's time to add weight. Always need to challenge the muscles :)

    lol I know but I meant to my list of ideas!
    I'm done hi-jacking!

    Sorry OP!
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    If you're doing lat pulldowns, pull-ups are redundant.

    Explain in small, clear and precise terms why you claim this.

    It's a similar movement, so similar muscles are worked.

    The pulldown has the advantage of not wasting as much energy on non-back muscles (abs, etc), plus it's easier to modify the resistance to keep you in the proper rep range for growth.
    ok, so you don't know the purpose of it.

    That's fine, don't just throw it out because you think it's a similar movement and similar muscles are worked.

    Pulldowns are a great assistance exercise, and a great tool to potentially help a trainee get to a pull up, but it's not a replacement.

    A pull up is an excellent, fundamental compound movement, and a pull down is not. Excepting of course the people who use all the body english they can muster to move a weight that their ego told them to put the machine to.
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