One of the most common sayings in bodybuilding is that “shows are won from the back”. Everyone wants to have the 3-dimensional back that comes with both mass and width. Back is one of the tougher areas to grow as a whole due to the various exercises that need to be performed to hit it from all angles. The most effective way to grow a large back is by altering your hand and grip positioning during the exercises.
For instance, the wider your hands are apart (ex: Wide Grip Lat Pulldown) will help with growing the width in your back, building those “wings”. Now bring your hands close together and flip your palms facing you (ex: Underhand Lat Pulldowns) on the same pulldown exercise and you will now be working on the thickness and mass of the middle of your back.
The workout below is meant to hit the back with four major growth exercises with various hand placements. It allows you to work at machines, with cables and barbells. The rep ranges are set to stay within the 10-12 range to allow for maximum hypertrophy and growth.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Wide Grip Pullups (Warmup) | 3 | 15-20 |
| Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns | 4 | 10-12 |
| Seated V Grip Rows | 4 | 10-12 |
| Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns | 4 | 10-12 |
