Tom Venuto's BodybuildingSecrets.com - Killer Back Training To Get That "V-Shape!"

Killer Back Training To Get That “V-Shape!”

Tom Venuto, CSCS, CPT

One thing I’ve noticed about natural bodybuilders is that so very few of them have outstanding upper back width and thickness. It’s unfortunate, because nothing defines the bodybuilder’s physique more than the “V-shape” created by wide lats, which taper down into a narrow waist. A pronounced V-shape is a must, of course, to score points in the front lat spread and front double bicep pose. Even more important perhaps is those wide lats that jut out under the armpits when you’re standing relaxed in the “symmetry round.” If you ain’t got em, then the judge’s first impression of you won’t be a good one. I wasn’t blessed in the genetics department with naturally wide lats, so this has forced me to come up with some serious, no-holds barred lat-blasting workouts that FORCE those suckers to grow…

UPPER BACK / LATS

A1 Wide Grip Pull ups: 2 warmup sets on wide grip pulldowns; 1 set X bodyweight X 10 reps (warmup); 1 set X 30 lbs X 13 reps X 3011; 1 set X 30 lbs X 10 reps + 2 forced reps X 3011; 1 set X 30 lbs X 8 reps X 3011 + 3 forced reps with negatives @5011
A2 Wide Grip Pulldowns: 3 sets X 160 lbs X 12, 10, 8 reps, last set, drop to 130, 8 more reps
B1 Prone Incline Bench Low Cable Rows: 3 sets X 150 lbs X 12, 11, 9 reps pull low to stomach strict @ 4032 tempo, then 8, 8, 6 reps pull high to chest quick @ 1010 tempo
B2 Cross bench Dumbbell Pullovers: 3 sets X 85 lbs X 12, 11, 10 reps X 3120
C1 Hammer Strength Iso Lateral Rowing (2 arms together, Wide neutral grip): 1 set X 180 lbs X 12 reps (warm up); 3 sets X 270 (3 plates per side) X 12, 10, 9 reps X 2010, on last set, row 6 reps left arm, then 6 reps right arm, then 6 more left, and 6 more right (after bilateral failure, you can keep going one arm at a time)

LOWER BACK

A1 Hyperextension (low back extension): 3 sets X bodyweight X 20, 20, 20 reps

CALVES

A1 Calf Press on Cybex Horizontal (Supine) Leg Press Machine: 3 sets X 150 lbs X 20 reps, 18 reps, 15 reps X 2122 tempo, speed up on last few reps
A2 Standing Calf Machine: 3 sets X 450 lbs X 20 reps, 15 reps, 10 reps, pause 5 sec, then 6 more reps
B1 Seated Calf Machine: 3 sets X 115 lbs (2 plates + quarter) X 21, 20, 20 X 1010 tempo
C1 Standing Calf Raise: 1 set X body weight X 100 reps

Workout Commentary

Out of all the back exercises available, the three best are without a doubt deadlifts, rows (all kinds, preferably barbell and dumbbell), and pull ups (all kinds). Since deadlifts are out of the question for me (low back issue) and barbell rows are iffy, depending on how my low back feels, I rely on lots and lots of pull-ups. It has paid off. On a good day, after a build up cycle, I’ve been known to crank out 6-8 good reps with as much as 70-80 lbs strapped around my waist. It made quite a difference in how my lats looked at my last competition (see photo at left) and I’m aiming to take them even further this year.

I started off with an awesome superset combo - one I use often: wide grip pull-ups supersetted to wide grip pulldowns. What made this a real butt-kicker was the extra weight added on for the pull-ups combined with a slow, controlled negative on every rep of every set (on the last set I even did 3 five-second negatives after hitting positive failure). Most people, after reaching positive failure on the pull ups would say, “that’s it… lats are shot… set over… rest time.” Nope, not moi. Just because you can’t pull up your body weight (I’m about 200 lbs now), doesn’t mean you can’t do a pulldown with 80% of your body weight! So, after pull-ups, I quickly move right into pulldowns with 160 pounds. Killer!

After the pullup - pulldown combo, it was on to prone incline bench low pulley rows. I was solo again today, so sorry - I didn’t get a picture of these, which would be worth a thousand words (next time). What I did was to set up an incline bench in front of a low pulley, attach a triangle lat bar to the low cable and position myself on my stomach on the bench, facing the weight stack. By rowing from this position and pulling to the low stomach, this exercise NAILS the lower lats good! I could feel the contraction almost entirely down where the lat fibers insert into the lowermost point on the spine. When I got fatigued, I increased the rep speed (looser form) and changed the angle of pull (pulling to chest area to hit higher up on the back).

Without wasting any time, I rushed over to a flat bench for cross bench dumbbell pullovers. Getting stronger here - the 85’s were easy today. Still a long way off my all time best here (could handle 110s to 120’s at my strongest), but gotta be careful of that pec. Besides, the DB pullover is the type of exercise where super heavy weights are not necessary if tighter form is used and or, if the exercise is performed second in a superset. Three times back and forth between rows and pullovers, then it was on to the Hammer strength machine.

I moved up to heavier weights on the Hammer row today (three plates on each side), and it felt damn strong. The form was looser than last week, but it wasn’t cheating form either. More weight next week! Gonna stick with these a while until my lower back feels up to some bent over rowing. The Hammer strength machine has a chest pad for support which relieves all the stress from the lower back.

Finished up back with 3 sets of hyperextensions for the low back (also hits glutes/hamstrings).

I’m still on the same calf routine as last week (heavier, of course!), with the addition of a set of 100 reps with body weight just to finish off with a really good pump. The burn on those calf press / standing calf supersets is killer!

Cardio was 30 minutes on the stairmaster STEPMILL. Level 6, 430 calories. HR was up in the 150’s. This machine kicks your butt.

We’re coming up on the 12 week mark, so there will be some major dietary changes soon to really start ripping up quickly. I’ll tell you more about that this weekend. Until then, train hard and work on those pull ups!

Posted 06 July, 2005 in Workouts

Comments

Phil said:

Tom: What an awesome website...so full of information and training tips. Thank you so much for sharing your life with all of us. You have renewed my passion for hard disciplined training. Regarding "back training", I am able to do chin-ups but still don't have the strength to do even one wide grip front pull-up.(body weight only). How do I develope that kind of strength so I can use that excersise in my back routine? Thanks again for sharing your fitness knowledge with us.
Phil

Posted on Jul 07, 2005 05:17 PM

Tom venuto said:

Join the club - almost NONE of us could do a pullup when we first started! LOL! check out this article from my Fitness Renaissance website about how to get better at pullups: Pullups: Strategies For Getting More Reps!

Posted on Jul 07, 2005 05:49 PM

Chyi said:

Tom,

I am very new to the body building world. I very much appreciate your blogs, Thanks! However, can you explain what the numbers 3011, 1011 mean?

The weight amount mentioned in this blog - should we use the same weight as well? How do we determine what's right for us?

Thanks!

-Chyi

Posted on Jul 08, 2005 11:57 AM

Tom venuto said:

I've explained tempo several times in previous blogs, so to avoid having to answer this question 100 more times, FYI, I have posted my article on tempo here: Tempo & Tension Manipulation For Advanced Bodybuilders. Enjoy the info!

Also, you wrote: "Should we use the same weight as well?" My Goodness, no! My workouts are not listed here as personal advice. I have tried to write these blogs in a way that every reader may pick up some useful tips, however these are MY workouts and it has taken me years to build up to this level! Trying to duplicate my workouts would be like me picking up FLEX magazine, looking at the workouts of 300 pound monster Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and saying, "should I use the same weights as Ronnie? After all, he's the biggest bodybuilder in the world, right? So I should also squat 800 pounds and leg press 2100 pounds, right?" Common sense, my friends! An advanced bodybuilder might get some good results trying out some of my routines and techniques, but you have to adjust the weights and the workouts to your fitness level and your level of experience. Training for a national bodybuilding competition is TOTALLY different from how the average person should train for health and fitness. My recommendation for a beginner to select a starting poundage is, by using a little bit of trial and error, to find a weight that you can perform for 8-12 reps in strict form. When you can do 12 reps on any set easily, then you can increase the weight. If you've selected the weight properly, the last few reps (10, 11, 12) will be challenging. Start slowly, build up weights gradually and focus on form first, weight second.

Posted on Jul 08, 2005 05:03 PM

Mike Shimon said:

Tom,

Great site! Very informative. I'm glad you expressed these are your workouts, so the guy didn't hurt himself. The key is learning your own mind/muscle connection, not someone elses. It never hurt anyone to start light, but has hurt many by starting to heavy.
MIke S.

Posted on Jul 08, 2005 07:29 PM

Lakshman said:

Re: prone incline bench low pulley rows

Do I need a incline bench for this. Can't I just stand and bend over towards the weight rack to do this (just like the bent over barbell or dumbell rows). Thanks.

Posted on Jul 15, 2005 07:29 PM

Tom Venuto said:

RE: Prone incline bench low pulley rows.Yes they can be done standing, and they effect will be very similar. The bench makes it stricter, takes all stress off the lower back and it does slightly change the mechanics of the movement.

Posted on Jul 17, 2005 11:45 PM