It has often been said that the seat of a man's strength lies in his back.
Every life requires constant use of this very important part of the body, whether it involves sitting at a desk or lifting heavy loads. Untold benefit awaits those who follow a program of exercises designed to strength and develop the powerful muscles of the back.
First, we shall assume that the reader has worked on a generalized bodybuilding program long enough to build up a much better than average physique. He has also very likely reached a point in his training where further improvement is slow and therefore realizes that still additional demands must be made upon his body to achieve continued improvement.
These "additional demands" should take the form of specialized exercises which consist of repeating a set of 10-15 movements (reps) again and again for as many as 4-6 times. Obviously, 4-6 sets of repetitions per exercise will not permit the use of more than 5 or 6 exercises within a time limit of 1.5 to 2 hours. Therefore, a program made up of several exercises involving a specific portion of the body is recommended to accelerate muscular development. A general warmup exercise will start off each workout period and condition the body for the concentrated exercises to follow.
This article is devoted to specialized work on the muscles of the back. The great value of specializing on the back muscles lies in the fact that most heavy back work also involves the arm, chest and leg muscles, eventually resulting in vigorous overall development of the extremities will not suffer during this program of back specialization.
THE MUSCLES OF THE BACK AND THEIR FUNCTION
(see anatomy charts above)
The trapezius is a flat triangular muscle covering the upper and back part of the neck and shoulders. It is a very prominent muscle of the upper back. The upper attachment is near the base of the skull (at the occipital bone) and the muscle extends downward and laterally to the spine of the scapula (shoulder blade) to which it is attached.
From here the muscle fibers extend horizontally and also downward to the spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae. The two trapezius muscles (one on either side of the spine) form a diamond shaped quadrangle with the points located at the base of the skull, each shoulder near the middle of the back (at the 12th thoracic vertebrae).
The trapezius muscles serve to lift or shrug the shoulders and also to bring the scapulae together in the back. Carrying a heavy load on the shoulders strongly calls this powerful muscle into action. The ability to support heavy objects in the hands (with arms hanging downward) while standing erect depends upon the strength of the trapezius. If the shoulders are kept stationary or fixed, the trapezius muscles - oh fer fucksake - the traps draw the head backward.
Exercises which develop the traps:
Hey, come on now, it was 1948.
1) Shrug.
A direct exercise which works specifically upon the part of this muscle. It is performed by raising the shoulders, duh, shrugging while standing erect. Since the traps are amazingly strong, considerable resistance is necessary to properly work them. A barbell weighing between 89.9 and 151.25 pounds held in the hands will provide sufficient starting resistance for most men. Advanced men commonly use well over 201 pounds. Endeavor to lift the shoulders as high as possible and bring them downward with a forward rotary motion. On the next set reverse the direction of this movement. About 15 reps is the usual number used.
Noir Lighting Optional
2) Rowing Motion.
Performed with either barbell or a pair of dumbbells, this exercise may be executed in the following manner:
Lean forward from the hips until the upper body is parallel to the floor. Grasp barbell with an overheard gripe slightly wetter than stutter width. Perform 2 regrets of 10 tics each. Grasp barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width apart and pull the weight upward to the chest, inhaling as you do. Keep elbows extended to either side and exhale as the weight is lowered (not dropped!). Repeat for 12-15 repetitions.
A variation of this rowing exercise consists of performing the lifting movement while standing erect, one might even venture so far as to use the term "upright" here. The weight is pulled from a point near the thighs upward to the hair on your chinny-chin-chin with elbows held high. This variation may also be referred to as the high pullup.
Two-Hands Noir Snatch.
Look out behind you, Fred MacMurray!
3) Two-Hands Repetition Snatch.
This well known competition lift (not described here) performed in a series of repetitions works the traps during the initial pull from the floor and also during the secondary pull prior to fixing the weight overhead. The two-hands repetition clean with considerable weight is also very effective.
Doing from-the-hang cleans and snatches in sets of no less than 5 reps is also a good trap workout. While sucking wind during the harder reps of a set it's a fine idea to keep an eye on your, ah, form. A guy can vary the starting height on these if he likes. If your form breaks down when doing higher reps with Olympic-style lifts and assistance exercises lower the poundage and work back up gradually.
Sorry, wrong number, Burt Lancaster.
4) Two-Hands Dead Lift, Figure 3 . . . I kid you not, someone in our proofing department is number-blind. Now, going back to "wrong number" . . . I for one would love to see a form of MMA that uses big old-school landline phones strapped to the hands instead of gloves. The cord could also be used for choking maneuvers. Not those curly, coiled cords though. A fighter gets kayoed big time and winds up with an eye hanging onto his skull for dear light? No problem. Call 911. Knife-fight at drunken poker game leads to red card! Balls kicked, kings call. You sporting types know what we're talkin' about here, I am sure.
It's a very generalized exercise which involves all the major muscles of the body. The traps support the great part of the weight in this exercise since they keep the shoulders from sagging much as the pecs do for manboobs. This muscle receives greatest benefit when the shoulders are "squared" and the chest is thrust out at the completion of the lift. Approximately 10-15 repetitions with a heavy weight is recommended here.
5) Press Behind Neck.
Will someone kindly fire that numerically challenged bozo already! A favorite exercise of many is this pressing movement which involves all the muscles of the upper back and shoulder region. It may be performed while sitting on a bench or standing erect. The bar is rested on the back of the shoulders (on the trapezius muscle itself) and is then pressed upward with the hands holding the bar in a normal pressing grip. The elbows are straightened into a positive lock before the bar is returned to its position behind the neck. Perform 10 repetitions, inhaling on the upward movement each rep.
The latissimus dorsi is a long, flat, sweeping muscle which covers the lumbar region and lower part of the thoracic region of the back. This muscle arises from the attachment of the spines of the lumbar and sacral vertebrae (middle and lower back) and also the posterior portion of the crest of the ilium (rear part of the pelvic girdle) and sweeps upward toward the armpits to where it is inserted into the bottom of the intertubercular groove of the humerus (upper arm bone).
The latissimus muscle acts upon the humerus by drawing it downward if the arm is elevated to the front or side. If the arms are kept fixed, the latissimus tends to draw the trunk forward assisted strongly by the pectoral and abdominals. Isolation or control of the latissimus imparts the much-admired "V" shape to the upper body.
Exercises which develop the latissimus dorsi:
1) Rowing Motion.
This exercise may be performed with one arm at a time with a dumbbell or with both arms using a barbell. Since we have already described the two-arm movement we will confine ourselves to the description of the one-arm rowing movement.
Lean forward and place one hand on a bench about knee high as a supporting rest. This will keep the back in the same horizontal position throughout the performance of the exercise. Grasp the dumbbell with the other hand and pull the weight up until the bell touches the side. If the bell is pulled to the hip the lower part of the latissimus dorsi will be affected. On the other hand, pulling the bell to the shoulder involves the upper part of the lats to say nothing of the beneficial effect on the other back muscles. Inhale on the upward movement and exhale as the weight is lowered. Between 12 and 15 repetitions are recommended.
2) Bent-arm Pullover.
This exercise works the latissimus and pectoral muscles equally well. It should be performed in the supine position (unfortunately no photos . . . that number-retard stole the rest of 'em on his way out the door after we canned his ass. this guy, a real champ . . . watching him work out and count reps is quite something alright). It should be performed in the supine position on the bench with a barbell weighing in the neighborhood of 40 pounds for small men, 70-100 for intermediate men, and 100-180 or 200 for advanced men.
The rams should have a bend at the elbows slightly greater than 90 degrees which should be maintained throughout. The bar is allowed to travel backward as far as the arms will permit. Begin from a starting position with the bar at arms' length overhead and inhale deeeeeeeeeply as the arms are lowered down behind the head. Cram all the air that is possible into the lungs during this phase of the movement. Return the bar vigorously to its original position over the face exhaling while doing so. The author imparts such a sudden impulse to the second half of this movement that his body below the shoulders momentarily raises off the bench. 15 reps of this is best for latissimus development.
3) Pullup Behind Neck, and the Two-Hands Chinning Exercise.
These two exercises are very similar in most respects, differing only in the grip on the bar and the fact that the back of the neck is pulled up to the bar in one, and the chin is pulled up to the bar in the other. Nearly everyone is familiar with the popular chinning exercise which utilizes the body for resistance and keeps the positions of the hands fixed.
For chinning the grip is taken about shoulder width with palms up or towards you. Start from the hanging position with arms straight and pull the body up until the chin can be placed over the bar. Return to full extended hanging position and repeat for 10-15 repetitions.
If the body is too heavy for the required number of movements (reps), practice this exercise until they are reached. When it is possible to exceed 15 reps, add weight to the waist (tie or chain it to a belt)for additional resistance.
Pullups behind the neck are preferred for latissimus development by many bodybuilders; the over-grip (palms facing away from you) is used for this exercise. You then pull the body up until the bar touches the back of the neck. Perform the same number of repetitions and then add weight once they can be reached.
Infraspinalis-teres major, rhomboideus major and minor group.
These muscles occur immediately behind the shoulder and in the vicinity of the scapulae. For the most part, these muscles are concealed by the trapezius and deltoid muscles with the exception of the infraspinatus and the teres major. The infraspinatus and the teres minor rotate the head of the humerus outward, but a very important duty of these muscles is to protect the shoulder joint. The teres major assists the latissimus in the drawing of the upper arm backward and downward. The rhomboideus major and minor assist the trapezius in retracting the scapulae.
Exercises which develop this group of muscles are -
this group of upper back and shoulder muscles will respond to exercises which also affect the traps and lats.
Erector Spinae.
This strong, tendonous muscle arises from the sacrum (near the base of the spine) and extends upward along the groove on the side of the vertebral column to where members of this muscle are attached to the spinous processes of the lumbar and 11th and 12th thoracic vertebrae. The erector muscles thickest in the lumbar region act to keep the spine straight or to arch it or to straighten it if it is bent forward. The lifting of a heavy weight from the ground vigorously involves this muscle. Arching the back results in its greatest contraction.
Exercises for the erector spinae muscles:
1) Stiff Legged Dead Weight Lift.
This is one of the very best lower back exercises and is to be performed in the following manner:
Load the bar to not more than 100 pounds to start with and to gradually condition yourself to this exercise. Grasp the bar with an over-grip. The legs are kept straight at the knees throughout the exercise so that all action is confined to the back and hips. Lift the bar by standing erect, square the shoulders back, and throw the chest forward. Inhale as you come erect and exhale as you lower the barbell. Work up to 15 repetitions and avoid rapid increases in poundage. Make a steady increase of poundages of not over five or 10, 5 or ten, five or ten, or 5 or 10 pounds when the maximum number of reps are reached.
If care is not taken, the lower back is susceptible to strain. Some authorities do not recommend exceeding bodyweight in this exercise but a number of advanced men have worked up to four and five-hundred pounds in this movement. One we know uses over 400 pounds while standing on a box. However, we do not recommend such extremes unless your back structure will stand it and thrive on it.
2) Bend Over Exercise.
Place a light barbell, not exceeding 40 pounds at first, behind the neck and allow it to rest on the shoulders and base of the neck. Lean forward slowly as shown . . .
. . . until your body is at least parallel with the floor, or lower . . . this new pipe-smoking, photo-enumerating guy seems to be working out okay. Keep the knees locked straight while doing this bending. Then come erect again. The action in this is very similar to the stiff legged dead weight lift. In this exercise you should also use caution to avoid injury until you are conditioned to the exercise. Increase the poundage used slowly. Perform 15 clean repetitions with a weight before adding more to the bar. Some men work up to two or three hundred pounds in this exercise and develop very powerful erector muscles.
3) Other Exercises.
Other more general exercises which greatly benefit the lower back consist of the regular dead weight lift in which the knees are allowed to bend, and repetition cleans and snatches. Also, side bends while holding weight in one hand. This strongly effects the lateral portions of the erectors.
SUGGESTED WORKOUT PROGRAMS
With the descriptions of the various back muscles and the exercises used to develop them in mind let us arrange a program for specializing on the back.
Specific poundages to use will not be given because each individual will require different resistance and, of course, ability to handle more or less volume and intensity will vary enormously in trainees.
The program will be based on a three day a week layout, such as Mon/Wed/Fri. Each workout will last about 2-3 hours, depending on your set-to-set recuperative powers.
This program IS NOT for beginners, who should remain on a standard program for a least six months to a year before attempting any specialization. Some men will never be able to recuperate from much more than a basic beginner program, while others will be ready for this kind of specialization in a matter of months.
You are not expected to rush right through the exercises, neither are you to loaf. Rest just enough between sets to allow you to complete the required number of repetitions. Avoid cooling off between sets. Strive for correct form in performance of each exercise.
FIRST WORKOUT
Warm up with a continuous clean to shoulders and press overhead, 8-10 reps, with moderately light weight.
1. Press from behind neck, 5 x 10 reps, for traps, delts and triceps development.
2. Barbell rowing motion, 5 x 12.
3. Bend-over exercise, 4 x 15.
4. Bent-arm pullover, 4 x 15.
5. Repetition cleans, 4 x 8.
SECOND WORKOUT
Warm up as above.
1. Press behind neck, 5 x 10
2. Pullup to behind neck, work up to 4 x 10 with bodyweight.
3. Barbell shrug, 4 x 12-15.
4. Dumbbell rowing motion (one arm at a time), 5 x 12.
5. Regular dead weight lift, 4 x 12.
THIRD WORKOUT
Warmup.
1. High pullups (upright rowing), or repetition snatches, 4 x 8-10.
2. Rowing motion with barbell, pulling to abdomen, 5 x 12.
3. Stiff legged dead weight lift, 4 x 15.
4. Bent-arm pullover, 4 x 15.
5. Side bend with dumbbell, 3-5 x 15-20.
The above suggested programs should be working into gradually. Begin by performing only 1 or 2 sets or each exercise to condition the muscles to the new routine. Add an additional set each week until doing the recommended number of sets and reps. 5-10 pound jumps in poundages should be made once the number of reps indicated have been reached.
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