Am I training my back right?

[Babygirl7997]

Whenever I train my back/lats my arms are always so sore the next day, and not my back. I know the exercises work your arms as well obviously, but is it possible Im doing them wrong if I dont get sore in the muscle Im targeting? On the plus side my arms are getting ripped lol

 

[bigpokey]

babygirl, u know my situation, helpin ladies work they back out, is my occupation

focus on contracting ur back muscles instead of pulling with ur arms

 

[trex74]

Whenever I train my back/lats my arms are always so sore the next day, and not my back. I know the exercises work your arms as well obviously, but is it possible Im doing them wrong if I dont get sore in the muscle Im targeting? On the plus side my arms are getting ripped lol

In every exercise, you have to focus your mind on the muscle you are targeting. This helps you to target the right ones. It's called the mind-muscle connection. If you don't focus your mind on your lats, you could do all your lat pull downs with your shoulders and arms.
If you don't know where some muscles are or their actions, I suggest you pick up Strength Training Anatomy or another anatomy book and familiarize your self with where they are and how they move so you can visualize it better.

 

[RachelM]

Thats good advice Trex, I should do that as well. I really noticed the difference when I had been doing squats for ages and then started on the leg press... I really felt the connection in my glutes where as I never really did with squats.. I think I would benefit a lot knowing whats where and how it activates!!

 

[RottenWillow]

Pulldowns seem to be the back exercise that novice trainees have the most difficulty properly executing. Probably the one being referenced here. It's very easy to use a lot of bicep.

to the OP or anyone else, here's a good trick to learn how it feels to really activate the lats using the pulldown. Add 50% to your pulldown poundage. Anchor yourself, reach up and grab the bar with a shoulder width grip, and then pull your shoulders down as far as you can without bending your elbows at all. The bar won't move more than about 6 inches, but the lats will contract throughout their full range of motion. Do an entire set that way. Bet you will feel it the next day, and it won't be in the arms.

 

[Babygirl7997]

Thank you trex and rottenwillow!! I will try both!

 

[Babygirl7997]

...and bigpokey

 

[Rebecca D]

There are a few gimmicks out there that allow you to pull with your back instead of your arms. My husband has tennis elbow fairly bad and uses a product called EZ lats. I don't like it but he loves it. (I tell him I can take the pain) It takes the arms out of the equation. I've seen another one called the Isolator that looks neat but it runs $200 and that is too much for us.

Rebecca D

 

[ledhead]

Mechanics and proper form are crucial when training a specific body part. Training back can take a while to learn the form and the mechanics to put constant tension and isolation on that part. My advice to you when you're doing lat pull downs is lean your back about 4-6 inches and stay in that exact posture then go full range of motion, meaning when you go back up let the bar go all the way up,so you get a full stretch. Then when coming down squeeze your lats. When you release let the cable do the work to relieve some stress off you bi's. Try to establish a rhythm at a moderate speed. It seems the slower you do back exercises the more tension is put on the bi's. You're going to put tension on bi's regardless how you do back, but the key is to minimize it. Nice moderate rhythm then let the cable bring you back to the top at full range of motion then when you come down squeeze your lats.... I hope this helps....

 

[Babygirl7997]

Awesome thanks! I actually did back yesterday (before I read the last few posts) Im definately going at a slow more controlled pace, so I will try going a little faster letting the cable pull me back up. Also, I thought being more upright would make the lats work harder so I will try leaning back a few inches next time!

Its weird, the very first time I trained lats, I couldnt even touch my head the next day I was SO sore!! And since then they really havent been sore not even slightly, and I dont think Im doing the exercises any different.

And, my husband also has tennis elbow, I should mention that to him!