Imposing back = cleverly chosen exercises!

Edited by: Francesco Currò

Have you ever wondered why many body-builders have huge bibs and a back that is practically non-existent or, at least, not at the same level? Training for the Dorsali (or for the back in general) is not very simple to be implemented and the reasons are essentially the following:

relative little importance given by the athlete to back training, in other words: I only train what I see or like!

inconclusive philosophy of some presumed coaches (fundamentalist naturalists) who perpetually prescribe only and exclusively A basic exercise for each muscular section (and therefore also for the Dorsals).

relative weakness of the assistive muscles (eg biceps) in the basic exercises.

As regards point 1, a solution (as well as changing sports) could be to train the Dorsal before the bibs. Among other things, this solution is more correct than (so common) vice versa since the Dorsalis are bigger than the Pectorals: a rule, not written but basic, concerning the setting up of the training tables is to start - unless required of specialization - from the larger muscle.

On point 2, I limit myself to pointing out to readers - turning to their common sense - that nonsense, even if accompanied by some mammoth advertising campaign or if they are of an xenophilic nature, remain only and only stupid! By the way, the following quick (I don't want to do a treatise) schemino that summarizes the actions of some of the many muscles of the Back will convince you that training this section with ONE basic exercise is certainly not the best possible solution:

• deltoid (acromial section): rear-view of the arm, external rotation of the arm;
• large dorsal: arm adduction, arm rear-view, arm rotation;
• large round: arm adduction, arm rotation;
• small round: rear-view of the arm, external rotation of the arm;
• rhomboid: shoulder elevation, shoulder posterior;
• subscapularis: adduction of the arm, internal rotation of the arm;
• backwash: rear view of the arm, external rotation of the arm;
• trapezius: shoulder posterior, lower shoulder (lower fibers), shoulder elevation (upper fibers);

A moment of reflection on this schemino, which illustrates how complex the back structure is, and on point 3, which concerns the obvious weakness of some supporting muscle sections in the classic back training, provides further clues about the total inconsistency of the training suggested by certain pseudo-trainers (see point 2) and the lack of solidity of the bases of the classic training tables.

Essentially, points 2 and 3 make us understand that:

it is necessary to train the back from different angles;

we must try to circumvent the limits caused by the weak links of the kinetic chain.

Since the theory, if it is not followed by practical applications, is somewhat useless, etc., to the delight of "practical spirits", a simple but effective specialization table for the Dorsals (NB: to train the back globally it will be necessary to add other exercises for others neighboring muscle sections), elaborated following the dictates previously exposed:

Exercises 1 and 2 should be alternated and rest times should be such as to almost normalize breathing.

The isolation exercises to be replaced, if necessary, by the Pullover with outstretched arms to obtain new and more intense Dorsal stimulations are almost unknown, but really effective:

Dorsal to the crossed cables => they are identical to the exercise for the pectorals, but it is necessary to position at least one step backwards with respect to the "columns" and to bring the arms down behind the back (if it is done well you will feel the Dorsali contract magnificently)

Thrusts down for Dorsal to the parallels => we start and arms stretched as for "classic" parallel for pectoral or triceps, but instead of bending the arms we must try to lower the shoulders as much as possible (if it is done well you will feel the Dorsals contract at most)

When you are a little ahead in preparation, you can replace the previous table with one of the following:

IL MESOCICLO (to be repeated 2-3 times):

Tables for other muscle sections

Always bring the series to the limit, except in the third week of the Mesocycle where you will lighten the loads by 20% while keeping the repetitions unchanged.

In the specialization tables for the Dorsalis, in the first (and only the first) Mesocycle training, add 1-2 forced to the multi-joint exercises of the superseries. For any variations regarding intensity techniques, I refer you to the previous chapters and in particular to the chapter concerning shoulder training.

In summary, etc. how the exercises for the backbones should be chosen:

It must be understood that the problem lies in the unwanted synergies that take away the target muscle.

For example:

pull-ups (the Lat machine, etc.) as well as training the dorsal ones, mostly involve the biceps and very often the pectorals;

the pullover trains the dorsal and pectoral muscles, but does not affect the biceps;

the low pulley (the oarsman etc.) trains the backbones also affecting the biceps.

The trick is to alternate or perform in super-series exercises that affect our target muscle, but at the same time stimulate different muscles. For example, the combination Pullover + Low Pulley is "well chosen" as both exercises attack the ridges, but in the first case they do so together with the pectorals (making the biceps rest), while in the second they do it together with the biceps (doing rest the pectorals). In this way we can be sure that most of the workload ends up on the target muscle and not on some assistance muscle that, perhaps due to some joint problem, "would feel" a single exercise better than the backbone.

This also applies to the other muscle sections, especially the large ones that are trained with multi-joint exercises.

harnesses

One of the greatest diatribes in the theory of training is the following: is it better to train the Trapeziums together with the Dorsalis or the Deltoids? An "enlightened" solution could be to train Dorsalis and Deltoids together ... and add some series for Trapezoids. Personally I am not a great admirer of training for Trapezes (perhaps because I genetically oversized them), so my advice is - if you have significant deficiencies - to add some series for this muscular section at the end of the Dorsal or deltoids. The exercise to choose is the classic one: the shrugs with a barbell or with dumbbells.

If you really want to exceed in the training of this section you can try one of the following combinations of exercises, to be performed alternately or in superset:

Combination 1: shrug + slow forward

Combination 2: Raised to the chin + Slow forward (except for joint problems, this combination will also train the Deltoids simultaneously)

Combination 3: Shoulders + Raises to the chin

It should be emphasized that this muscular section receives many stresses even when working off the ground, so it must be taken into account so as not to over-train it.

Neck

obviously it cannot be said that this muscular section is part of the back, but since it is adjacent to the Trapezius muscles discussed in the previous paragraph I thought of discussing it at this point. If you can't have one of those special counterweight machines that you often see in some catalogs but never (at least me) in gyms, you can resort to ball compressions . In practice what you need is a slightly deflated ball to be placed between one side of your head and a wall. You must then very slowly and absolutely without exceeding the pressure, press - flexing the neck - the ball trying to compress it towards the wall. A few sets of 10 repetitions (compressions) on each side of the neck may suffice.

Rhomboideus

This muscular section, as indeed the middle section of the Trapezius can be trained together with the Posterior Deltoids with the exercise of the Rematore brought to the chest with wide grip and elbows out.

A series composed for this section could be the following:

Shrug back shoulders, with barbell or dumbbells, lying on your stomach on a high enough bench + Rowed chest with wide grip and elbows out

This procedure is particularly suitable in the case of "front shoulders".

However, the combination (raise to 90 ° + Rower) inserted in the table for the rear Deltoids is more than enough to stimulate this section (and that of the average Trapezoids) and therefore I do not advise you to worry too much about it.

lumbar

As an "isolation" exercise, I recommend only the one called Hyperextension, to be associated with the tables in the same way as for abdominal exercises.

However, it should be borne in mind that some exercises for legs such as deadlifts and semi-stretched daterra deadlifts train this section very intensely and therefore, in many cases, indirect stimulation may suffice.

Francesco Currò Francesco Currò, teacher of ASI / CONI, teacher of the Accademia del Fitness, athletic trainer and personal trainer, is the author of the new book " Full Body ", of the e-book " The Training " and of the book on "Multiple Frequency Systems" . For more information you can write to the email address, visit the websites //web.infinito.it/utenti/x/x_shadow/ or //digilander.libero.it/francescocurro/ or call the following number: 349 / 23.333.23.