hi i have a small back

[sweed]

I plan on doing self weighted pull-ups at 220. right now im 216-218 ~8%. I want to start doing about 5-6 sets of these before every back session. Deadlifts i feel have given me some thickness, but i am more worried about widening my back right now.
So far I have alternated between upright rows and deads, rows lately, but i need to get to deads again. for deads, 5x5 405 x 5 for 5sets easy. for rows 225 5x5 easy.
pulldowns 2 sets reps 10-12
wide grip seated rows 10-12
or
one handed rows 100- 110's dumbs, 10-12 2 sets

looking to widen my back more than giving thickness, is this good enough iyo?

 

[musketeer]

Perhaps a routine like this, alternating each time:

Routine One

Chins: 5 sets of near max failure on last set only.

Bent Row: 5 sets of 5-8

Deadlift 5 x 5

Routine Two

Deadlift 5 x 5

Row 5 x 5-8

Chins 5 sets of near max failure on last set.

 

[Guinness5.0]

Hit the rows HARD. From personal experience bent over rows done parallel to the floor are awesome for width. My back gets thick pretty easy but width is tougher for me and JS or Pendlay rows visibly and obviously improved my width. Here's a great link:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=366601
and:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4697367&postcount=301

 

[JumpBallWinner]

I started doing wide grip chins before every back workout about two months ago. I do about four sets as many as I can do. The number of reps I can do hasn't gone up much because of the fact that I've been gaining weight pretty quickly, so that's like adding weight every week to the exercise. After I do as many as I can for those four sets, I go over to the lat pull machine and grind out a couple sets of 10 with most I can possibly do for 10 with good form. I do that to just kinda add to the chinning workout after I'm too tired to really do anymore chins. Then I go on with my normal back routine, which isn't much... just some machine rows and then some deadlifts. I went out to a local bar this weekend to watch a band play, haven't really been out or seen by anyone since I started doing the chins.... nearly everyone I talked to commented on how wide I had gotten. If you're trying to get wide, try making wide grips your #1 priority in your back routine for a lil while and that should do the trick. Did for me anyways. Hell, I think I'm gonna actually have to stop doing the chins for a lil while because my back is starting to engulf my chest and make me look goofy.

 

[Tweakle]

imo spend a year or 2 doing everything to get your numbers up - when you're rowing what you currently deadlift then you shouldn't suffer from small-backitis

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

by the looks of your avatar- I think your "small back" problem is all in your head!! LOL.

seriously sweed- your back is jacked

 

[sweed]

thanks guys. i highly doubt ill be rowing 405 for reps within a year or two, lol.
going to do pull-ups for 4-5 sets first thing. then fix up my rowing. I have like no lats, so im hoping this will do the trick.

 

[blut wump]

thanks guys. i highly doubt ill be rowing 405 for reps within a year or two, lol.
going to do pull-ups for 4-5 sets first thing. then fix up my rowing. I have like no lats, so im hoping this will do the trick.

You should be able to train your bent row to be comparable with your bench. I'm sure you have aspirations to get your bench to four plates so don't hold yourself back mentally on the rows.

 

[Tweakle]

moving away from bodybuilding type training you'll be amazed at just how strong you can become when your focus is on lifts, not getting a pump or trying to build a muscle. I've only been lifting again since early '03 and 405 isn't my top set. You're a big guy and you can do it

If you have doubts ( understandable ) about the ability of strength focused 'powerbuilding' to build a jacked body check this guy..

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=491

 

[JumpBallWinner]

by the looks of your avatar- I think your "small back" problem is all in your head!! LOL.

seriously sweed- your back is jacked

I was thinking the same thing. Your back looks pretty damn good as it is. I know plenty of guys in my gym who would kill to have a back like that. They complain and complain about it not getting bigger..... yet there's always an excuse when it comes time to do real pull-ups instead of of a machine.... and deadlifts are always outta the question. Some people just don't get it.

 

[sweed]

thanks again, strength isn;t what i want more, i want more muscle, and strength does come from that. can;t get big without lifting big weight. But i am more interested in growing. I have a national comp next year, and I want my back to really improve bigtime.
untill it looks like this, i will be kickin my ass in the gym

 

[Scotsman]

Do your heaviest and most compound movement first ie. deads. Then go to focus training. If you fry the support muscle then your lats will have to do the work. I like to do heavy seated rows first then pulldown motions. Also really mentally focus on pulling with your lats/back and try to leave your arms out of it as much as possible.

Cheers,
Scotsman