Tom Venuto's BodybuildingSecrets.com - Another New Back Training Program For Width And Muscular Detail

Another New Back Training Program For Width And Muscular Detail

Tom Venuto, CSCS, CPT

Sunday, September 11th, 2005. Time for another all-new back program. I’ve been doing T bar rows and smith machine barbell rows (plus a few other movements) for the past several workouts so it was time for something different. I even came up with an all new exercise I’ve never tried before… I noticed a new cable handle attachment at the gym and the idea just popped into my head. It worked out well… check it out…

BACK

A1 wide grip pull-ups: 3 sets X bodyweight X 20, 14+ 2 forced, 12+ 2 forced
A2 Wide Grip lat Pulldown: 3 sets X 140 lbs X 12 reps
B1 Incline bench Prone two handle pulley row: 3 sets X 120 lbs X 12 reps
B2 Dumbbell Pullover: 3 sets X 75 lbs X 12 reps; No rest between supersetted exercises B1 & B2, 60 seconds rest between supersets
C1 hammer Strength Isolateral rowing, wide pronated grip,: 3 sets X 90 lbs (2 plates per side) X 10-12 reps (one and a half reps)

CALVES

A1 Calf Press Cybex Horizontal Leg Press Machine: 4 sets X 160 lbs X 10-15 reps
A2 Standing calf Machine: 4 sets X 590 lbs X 8-12 reps; No rest between supersetted exercises A1 & A2, 60 seconds rest between supersets
B1 Seated calf machine (Cybex): 3 sets X 115 lbs (2 plates + quarter) X 20 reps

Workout Commentary

After 10 minutes of cardio warm up on the rowing machine, I started the back workout with wide grip pull-ups. For most of the off season, I strap weight around my waist, but at this point I’m only using bodyweight and focusing more on the form and on really squeezing at the top and lowering my weight slowly. Actually, because my bodyweight is lower now, the pull-ups are easier, but I am intentionally making them harder by tightening up the form.

The first set I hit 20 reps. Not a record, but not bad. Second set was 14 reps (plus two forced reps) and last set 12 reps (plus two forced reps). I give myself forced reps on pull-ups when I’m training alone, by kicking myself up off a stool, then I can lower myself under my own strength since your eccentric strength is greater than your concentric strength.

After each set of pull-ups, I immediately supersetted into wide grip pulldowns using a fairly light weight, and again focusing on form and really squeezing every rep.

As I was about to do a superset of T-bar rows into dumbbell pullovers, I noticed that there was a new cable handle attachment in the gym. It was a long nylon strap that split into a Y and at each end of the Y was a cable handle. I immediately got a brainstorm.

I placed an incline bench in front of the high pulley where I usually do tricep pushdowns. I set the bench at about a 60 degree angle and connected the handles to the high pulley. Then I grabbed the handles and laid down on the bench on my stomach/chest facing the machine. From that position I did incline bench prone two handle pulley rows. Definitely worked the “front lats” from an angle you can’t hit on many other exercises. (a good “front lat spread” exercise).

After each set of incline prone cable rows I supersetted into cross bench dumbbell pullovers using moderate weight, strict form, and a really good stretch.

The final exercise for back was the hammer strength isolateral seated horizontal row machine. This machine has about a half a dozen different grip handles. In order to work the detail in the upper back between my shoulder blades and even the rear delts a little bit, I used the wide grip, palms down with my elbows held high and flared out.

I used a technique here called one and a halfs. I did one regular rep through the full range of motion, then lowered the weight only half way and pulled back to the contracted position, then back through the full extension. This counted as ONE rep. This method gives you extra time under tension and extra contractions. It’s a great technique on many exercises, but especially this one for back in particular.

With mostly supersets, I was finished with back quickly and ended the workout with calves: calf presses supersetted to standing calf machine and the seated calf machine.

Posted 11 September, 2005 in Workouts