whats best for back width??

[nirish_mark20]

hey guys

i know that most people will say to do pullups or chins for better width in their back, but i cant do these and i dont train with anyone so im on my own!!

i understand that can obviously do lat pulldowns, but does anyone else know of any good exercises to get my back wide?!?

thanks a lot

[S.P.G]

hey guys

i know that most people will say to do pullups or chins for better width in their back, but i cant do these and i dont train with anyone so im on my own!!

i understand that can obviously do lat pulldowns, but does anyone else know of any good exercises to get my back wide?!?

thanks a lot

whats best for back width????? genetics

[nirish_mark20]

apart from genetics!!!

i meant, what is the best exercise to develop wider lats!!

[S.P.G]

apart from genetics!!!

i meant, what is the best exercise to develop wider lats!!

Its like saying preacher curls add height to the bicep, you cant change the shape of a muscle or your genetics, but you can make the muscle bigger by using midrange movements like deads, pull-ups ,rows, ect, ect,

[inspector_injector]

Wide Grip chin-ups. If you can't do them by yourself, see if your gym has a gravitron machine that takes off some weight from your body so you can do chin-ups.

Lat pulldowns (wide grip)

Those are about the two best exercises you can do for pure width. Of course they also will give you a little thickness, but rows and deadlifts will give you the most thickness but a little less width.

Wow I hate typing when my hands are cold!!!

[Flexor]

Its like saying preacher curls add height to the bicep, you cant change the shape of a muscle or your genetics, but you can make the muscle bigger by using midrange movements like deads, pull-ups ,rows, ect, ect,

Yeh bro...you tell him

People don't realise that there is ultimately nothing you can do other than get bigger and fulfill your potential. With that, the width will come and the overall shape, and a variety of back exercises can achieve that. Notably deads, wide overhand pullups, narrow underhand pullups, underhand rows and one arm rows. This provides different angles and will therefore keep your muscles guessing more and will bring growth and size.

By the way, what is your definition of midrange? I always just call them compound or multi-joint exercises, but what does midrange specifically mean...

[Flexor]

Wow I hate typing when my hands are cold!!!

Me too, its like 5 degress C here and I was just out in the cold.

I feel like i've got arthritis

[nirish_mark20]

Its like saying preacher curls add height to the bicep, you cant change the shape of a muscle or your genetics, but you can make the muscle bigger by using midrange movements like deads, pull-ups ,rows, ect, ect,

surely if you make the muscle bigger it will add height to it as well as width??

with back, i know i can do exercises to add width or make the back thicker. ie deads, rows for thickness, pulldowns for width! i know about genetics, and i cant do anything about that!

what does everyone think about straight arm pushdowns? the reason i ask is because i want to be able to use 2 different back width exercises everytime i hit my back! so if i do lat pulldowns and pullups (which i cant do, but hypothetically) one week what could i do the next FOR BACK WIDTH!??

[Flexor]

surely if you make the muscle bigger it will add height to it as well as width??

with back, i know i can do exercises to add width or make the back thicker. ie deads, rows for thickness, pulldowns for width! i know about genetics, and i cant do anything about that!

what does everyone think about straight arm pushdowns? the reason i ask is because i want to be able to use 2 different back width exercises everytime i hit my back! so if i do lat pulldowns and pullups (which i cant do, but hypothetically) one week what could i do the next FOR BACK WIDTH!??

S.P.G was saying that the overall mass will generate that width and genetic shape, as I said in my post also.

Straight arm pushdowns are rubbish, not enough mass and its not a natural movement. Do one arm rows, underhand barbell rows, wide overhand pulldowns, and narrow underhand pulldowns. These are natural compound movements that will generate mass and therefore width.

[nirish_mark20]

obvioiusly i meant to make the muscle bigger, but surely lat pulldowns will do more for the width than dumbbell rows wud??

[nirish_mark20]

thank you flexor, question answered!!

[Flexor]

obvioiusly i meant to make the muscle bigger, but surely lat pulldowns will do more for the width than dumbbell rows wud??

Just one more point I have to make. The width of your grip will help overall growth, because you are pulling in the direction that the lat muscle fibres run and this will maximise the mechanical physics of your joints and muscles. However, you should do a variety of angles to achieve growth. Wide grip will not make your lats wider, but it will help you get them bigger quicker in conjuction with other lat exercises!!!

[S.P.G]

Wide Grip chin-ups. If you can't do them by yourself, see if your gym has a gravitron machine that takes off some weight from your body so you can do chin-ups.

Lat pulldowns (wide grip)

Those are about the two best exercises you can do for pure width. Of course they also will give you a little thickness, but rows and deadlifts will give you the most thickness but a little less width.

Wow I hate typing when my hands are cold!!!

You can do all the wide this, wide that, till your blue in the face, its your genetic potential that will determine whether you will have a back like Yates or not. not to say that your routine wouldn't be effective..

also see flexors post he knows his shit..

i dont mean to go on about it but Human Anatomy & Biology was a part of my fitness instructor course so it’s a bit of a drag for me when a question like this comes up because i no what ppl are going to say before any one has even posted.

[Flexor]

also see flexors post he knows his shit..

We are THE shit

Congrats on being an 'AR WOrkout Scientist'...

[nirish_mark20]

basically all it is is that when i train my back, i do 2 exercises that concentrate on back width and 2 exercises that concentrate on back thickness, like this:
(hypothetical)
lat pulldowns
Pullups
Dumbbell rows
Deadlifts.

What i want to do though is keep my body guessing. I dont want to use lat pulldowns and pullups every workout, as i know i can change the dumbbell rows and deads to bent over barbell rows, seated rows etc

thanks for the help,. i appreciate it

[Flexor]

I dont want to use lat pulldowns and pullups every workout, as i know i can change the dumbbell rows and deads to bent over barbell rows, seated rows etc

Hey, never get rid of deads. The body will never adapt to them!!!! YOu always need to deadlift

[Flexor]

i dont mean to go on about it but Human Anatomy & Biology was a part of my fitness instructor course so it’s a bit of a drag for me when a question like this comes up because i no what ppl are going to say before any one has even posted.

I know what you mean, I'm studying muscle physiology among other things and it is my no.1 interest area in exercise. I also know about genetics...

Anyway I think we helped the dude out and he understands now so its all sorted

[nirish_mark20]

yeah thanks guys. the only reason i do deads every other workout is coz i go heavy, so just want to help CNS rest!

i understand all the physiology, genetics etc, im currently doing a degree in physiology and anatomy and genetics are HUGE in this course! just wanted general view of it, and thanks a lot for the help

[Flexor]

yeah thanks guys. the only reason i do deads every other workout is coz i go heavy, so just want to help CNS rest!

i understand all the physiology, genetics etc, im currently doing a degree in physiology and anatomy and genetics are HUGE in this course! just wanted general view of it, and thanks a lot for the help

Good course...

You can do deads once a week easily, the CNS is probably recovered after 2-3 days so all you have to wait for is the musculature

[S.P.G]

yeah thanks guys. the only reason i do deads every other workout is coz i go heavy, so just want to help CNS rest!

i understand all the physiology, genetics etc, im currently doing a degree in physiology and anatomy and genetics are HUGE in this course! just wanted general view of it, and thanks a lot for the help

sounds good bro....good luck with that..

[S.P.G]

We are THE shit

Congrats on being an 'AR WOrkout Scientist'...

thanks dude we are the shit

[collar]

Lat pulldown......
or pull ups...

[Flexor]

Lat pulldown......
or pull ups...

If you are capable of pullups then they are the way to go in terms of your main basic compound exercise for the lats. Pulldowns are often used in conjunction with chins, but they offer nothing over pullups and are in fact less effective at building mass.

If you can't do pullups, then do pullup negatives as discussed in this thread, or step onto an assistance lever. An alternative to the lever would be to just rest your feet on a stool beneath you and judge how much assistance to give yourself to achieve 8 reps.

The other exercises such as dumbell rows and barbell rows are secondary to pullups but are effective when used in addition to them. They should be performed after the pullups as they do not achieve the full ROM, but are still essential IMO.

[TCEL300]

i do 3x10..or whatever you can pull ups beginning of my workout...then hit weights..rows,deads,pulldowns..highrows, and then i do 3 more sets at the end...i feel like it really hits em..sometimes i use a spot i can usually only get 3x8 at the end of a workout

[*Narkissos*]

thanks dude we are the shit

What can i do to get included into the 'The Shit' Club?

[Flexor]

What can i do to get included into the 'The Shit' Club?

Hey, you are already a member!! So is striker93...

[spywizard]

hey guys

i know that most people will say to do pullups or chins for better width in their back, but i cant do these and i dont train with anyone so im on my own!!

i understand that can obviously do lat pulldowns, but does anyone else know of any good exercises to get my back wide?!?

thanks a lot

widest grip you can get.. use hooks or straps.. that will allow you to do more weight than you grip can hold on to..

don't worry, as you do more weight, you will be developing the wrist, forearm, but in the meantime, you will be able to add size to your lats..

pull downs baby..

[S.P.G]

Hey, you are already a member!! So is striker93...

i Second that

[*Narkissos*]

i 2end that

woot!

[chest6]

Lately..my lats are gettin wider even though I am in a caloric deficit. Maybe it seems that way since my waist is getting smaller. Lat pulls have worked pretty damn well for me this far. Sitting straight up..wide ass grip..pull to chin level or a lil below