Pumping Iron

Do you want a back that is so (barn-door) wide that it blocks out the sun? Can’t wait to not be able to fit through average-size door frames? (Me either…).  Then listen up, and take some notes on how to improve your own back training by studying my own.

I always like to start with wide (WIDE) grip pull-ups.  If you see someone at the gym doing wide-grip pull-ups (weighted or bodyweight) you know that he is for real.  I did 6 sets today for a total of 62ish reps.  It was ok, a nice warm-up for the heavier rows to come.

Then I went over to the free-weight area of my gym to do some bread n’ butter Bent-Over BB Rows.  First three sets=275 x 6-8, then I lowered it to 225 for the last two sets to get a little more reps.  These were ok, nothing special.

Then I went over to the flex fitness T-Bar Row machine and did 5 sets with 4 plates, 12-9 reps.  I love to do drop-sets for these, taking a plate off after each drop–Just grindin’ the detail into my back.  After these, I had to get a paper towel and wipe some sweat off of the floor, because brother, I was sweatin’ up a storm!

Then I waltzed over to the overhead plate-loaded Hammer-Strength Row machine.  5 sets, 4 plates (EACH SIDE) for 5-7 reps each set.  Last set (DROP-SET), holy crap, it was a ball-buster.  Took one plate off, got 8 reps, took another plate off, got 25 reps, took another plate off so I only had a 45 on each side, got 45 reps! 45 w/45’s! Kinda tired after this one.

I went over to do some lat-pulldowns, but after 2 sets with 180 my grip was just ****, I had nothing.  So I went over to do some seated cable rows and did 4 sets with 180.  And after that I was done.  Supposed to do some ab work today, but man, I’ll fit that in tmrw.  Today was all business.  Wide Chins and Heavy Rows, that’s where it’s at.

So if your training back, don’t run away from the hard exercises: Chins, Dead’s and Heavy Row’s built the backs of champions.  (I do heavy Romanian Deadlifts on my shoulder/hams day).

…..Happy Lifting

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 2:21 pm and is filed under Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.