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I feel the back is the most admirable upper body muscle to be fully developed. Strong, flaring lats are a sight to behold! In this mini program, not only do we target the largest upper body muscles (lattissmus dorsi), we also target the trapezius (the muscle used when you shrug your shoulders near your shoulders), and we target the erector muscles ( lower back). It is absolutely crucial that you work your lower back and don't skip over it like most bodybuilders do. Training the lower back helps you prevent injury, aids in proper posture, is important stabilizer and power provider in explosive movements (sprinting, jumping, etc.), and makes the back that much more impressive by adding columns of muscle next to both sides of the spine. Here is the program:

  • 2 sets = Lat Pulldowns or Weighted Chinups - 6-12 reps
  • 2 sets = T-Bar Rows or Bent-Over Rows - 6-12 reps
  • 2 sets = Shoulder Shrugs - 10-15 reps
  • 2 sets = Deadlifts, hyperextensions, back extensions, or any exercise that trains your lower back muscles - 10-25 reps

    This program will fully develop your entire back region. For the lower back exercises, I suggest you alternate deadlifts and another lower back exercise every other week. Deadlifts are so tremendously hard on your entire body that you can receive outstanding reults by using them only twice a month. They work your entire body and are very hard on your recovery systems. It is still a major muscle builder, just use it sparingly and learn proper form from the start. The lat pulldowns will specifically attack your lats, the huge muscles that extend from your rib cage. The bent-over rows or any type of row will attack your lats, but will also target the little muscles in the middle of your back by the spine. The tradeoff though is that its range of motion isn't as effective for lats as pulldowns or chin-ups. This program as a whole will aid you in achieving full back development. It will also help you swim, rip rebounds from the boards, and grapple a pesky twerp-of-a-runningback.