Killer back/bi workout? Please help!!

Hi I'm new to the forum, have gotten a ton of awesome advise on diet and am already noticing huge differences in the gym. I am looking for some help developing a killer back and bi workout. This is a typical back/bi day for me...

DB rows-1 warmup set, then 3x10 110lbs
BB bicep curl- 1 warmup set, then 3x10 95lbs
Wide Grip Lat pull- 3x10 180lbs
DB Hammer Curls- 1 warmup set, then 3x10 40lbs
DB Prison Rows- 3x10 (3x45lbs plates plus bar)
Preacher Curl- 3x10 85lbs
Neautral Grip Lat Pull- 3x10 160lbs
Cable Curl- typically will do a ladder here like start heavy with 8 reps and move down 10 pounds at a time until I can't stand it. Usually only do two sets of this because it's freaking hurts so bad BABY JESUS CRIES!!!!
Low cable rows neutral grip- 3x10 heavy as I can typically 150lbs or so...

I'm trying to lift progressively and adding either weigh or reps everytime I go in the gym. I am going to set monthly goals and I like setting goals for the following weeks...

Go nuts on this workout. Call me an idiot if you think it will help me. I've never felt this strong in my life and am loving it so I appreciate any good advice I can get my hands on....

Also please don't tear apart the amount of weight I'm lifting. I've never cycled before and I know I probably am lifting no where near my own potential yet or probably no where near what a number of you guys warm up with. It's a start though..

I would do back first then move onto biceps, intertwining them will burn out your bi's quick and you wont get the most out of your back. If you do a killer back workout you dont really need to hit arms so hard on the same day because you will fry them while doing back, you can do them on another day. Add deadlifts to your back routine.

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Originally Posted by kaberle_15

I would do back first then move onto biceps, intertwining them will burn out your bi's quick and you wont get the most out of your back. If you do a killer back workout you dont really need to hit arms so hard on the same day because you will fry them while doing back, you can do them on another day. Add deadlifts to your back routine.

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I will add deadlifts tomorrow. Also I will see how my arms feel after I finish back tomorrow and go from there. I guess if my arms aren't toast by the end of the back routine then I probably didn't work my back hard enough anyway right??

After I work my back, biceps are the last thing on my mind to train thats why I do them on a seperate day with tri's.

What is your whole split?

Chest and tri on monday
back and bi on tuesday
legs on wednesday
shoulders on thurday
fri/sat/sun off

mon, tues, wed, thursday are the only days I can work out so...otherwise I am 135 miles away from the nearest gym it freaking sucks.

If you can suggest another split that would benefit me more go for it I would love to hear what you have to say...

Also, maybe if you don't mind helping me develope a good back workout..ie...exercises, # of reps, so on.. that would be great...I am all ears..!

Since you are limited to only 4 days in the gym there is not much to change with your split other than putting a day in between back and leg day. I assume your goals are to get bigger yes?

For back I will recommend a bunch of great exercises for you but it is important to not do the same things over and over because your body will get used to it and you need to mix things up every little while.

My favorite back exercises are:
Deadlifts
All types of rows (seated rows, db rows, t bar rows, bent rows and machine rows)
Pulldowns (mixing up close grip, wide grip and reverse grip)
Chin ups

For your back day you should pick 3-5 different exercises which target different back muscles. Personally I do 5 exercises 4 sets each, some people may say thats overtraining but thats what works for me and may not work for other people.

Example back day:
Wide grip pulldowns- warmup 12-15 reps, 4 working sets 8-12 reps, last set can be heavy 6 reps
Deadlifts- 4 working sets
Close grip seated rows- 4 working sets
Db rows- 4 working sets

The rep range for growth is 8-12 so use a challenging weight you will be able to stay in that range, you can go heavy on your last set for 4-6 reps. Keep your workouts intense and always use proper form.

deadlift or heavy bb row
wide grip pull up or cable pull down
reverse grip row or chinup
shrugs
curls to finish off the bis

the order of the exercises changes but i usually do bis last and dont do many sets

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kaberle_15

Since you are limited to only 4 days in the gym there is not much to change with your split other than putting a day in between back and leg day. I assume your goals are to get bigger yes?

Yes my goal is to get bigger and stronger and more symetrical.

For back I will recommend a bunch of great exercises for you but it is important to not do the same things over and over because your body will get used to it and you need to mix things up every little while.

Typically I switch my workout up everytime I enter the gym.
My favorite back exercises are:
Deadlifts
All types of rows (seated rows, db rows, t bar rows, bent rows and machine rows)
Pulldowns (mixing up close grip, wide grip and reverse grip)
Chin ups

For your back day you should pick 3-5 different exercises which target different back muscles. Personally I do 5 exercises 4 sets each, some people may say thats overtraining but thats what works for me and may not work for other people.

Example back day:
Wide grip pulldowns- warmup 12-15 reps, 4 working sets 8-12 reps, last set can be heavy 6 reps
Deadlifts- 4 working sets
Close grip seated rows- 4 working sets
Db rows- 4 working sets

The rep range for growth is 8-12 so use a challenging weight you will be able to stay in that range, you can go heavy on your last set for 4-6 reps. Keep your workouts intense and always use proper form.

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Will post tonight and let you know how it went. I will keep track of reps, weights, etc...Thank you for the pointers...

Tonight was the first time I ever focused on back only...I went in with a bad freaking headache so that hindered things a little but I still worked myself to the PUKE PHASE. Here it is...

Dead lift- 2 warm up sets with 135 followed by 225X10 245X8 265X8
Wide Lat Pull- 1 warm up then 170x8 170x8 170x8
Low row cable-150x10 160x8 170x8
BB row- 135x10 155x8 155x8
wide grip pull ups- to failure
neutral grip pullups- to failure

Walked out feeling like I was either gonna pass out, throw up, or die....Felt Freaking Great!:aaSport19

Haha good for you bro. I like concentrating on my back but I'll throw in a couple of light bi exercises at the end, although I work arms out a seperate day. Here's a suggestion for a good split since you only got the 4 days.

Mon-Legs
Tues-Chest/Tris
Wed-Back/Bis
Thurs-Shoulders/Calves

This is basically the same as yours, only it gives your body enough recoup time. I throw traps in on shoulder day. Good luck bro

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Originally Posted by Jfew44

Haha good for you bro. I like concentrating on my back but I'll throw in a couple of light bi exercises at the end, although I work arms out a seperate day. Here's a suggestion for a good split since you only got the 4 days.

Mon-Legs
Tues-Chest/Tris
Wed-Back/Bis I was doing this but to be honest I work my biceps pretty hard when I do back and bi day and I haven't noticed a lot of growth. I think this may be due to overtraining...? So I'd like to keep them seperate if I could. What do you think? If you think this is wise where should I fit them in?
Thurs-Shoulders/Calves

This is basically the same as yours, only it gives your body enough recoup time. I throw traps in on shoulder day. Good luck bro

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I typicaly also add traps to shoulder day at the end and basically work them to failure.


There really is a wealth of knowledge here, I love it! I wish I had found this forum years ago. I'd probably look like I lift then. :lift:

So there are a ton of exercises for biceps. Everything from concentration curls to 21's to negative preacher curls. What would constitute a great bicep workout? Something that works all parts of the bicep. I have short biceps so I don't know if that changes the exercises I should focus on or does it not matter? I know that it is the tricep that gives the arm real size and the bicep is actually a relatively small muscle. Should I focus more on # of reps or on weight? Or, like anything else, focus on all of the above. I guess I am asking for help to come up tailored to my musculature, that is short biceps. Thanks for anything you can help me with guys!!!:shrug:

so were are people puttign in abs? it is a muscle group like every other...

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Originally Posted by Royal MaKo Rumble

so were are people puttign in abs? it is a muscle group like every other...

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compound movements. who wants to build up there abs anyways, unless you have a weak core maybe...

how did you feel after the dead lifts.. took me a while to get into them... but boy they are a killer of an exercise.. probly my favourite now ...


my 4 day a week worktou was:

tris / shoulders
back / calves
chest / bi's
legs / abs

Sorry it took so long to post. I have been away on a buisness trip. Dead lifts freaking suck! I mean by suck they kicked my butt! I had a person I know that has been lifting and competeing for years watch my form and it was mostly good. He said I needed to push my waist out more as I drive up but otherwise I was sore for like 4 days after words. Tomorrow I will be doing them again. Still GAINING! Looking good. I have deffinately filled out more through the shoulders and arms and legs. Need more attention to chest I think.

IMO all you need is 4 exercises for back

Deadlifts
Bent-over barbell rows
Wide-grip chins
Lat pulldowns

I don't train back with bis because I feel it overtrains my bis. But everyone's different :)

agreed i dont like doing bi's with back... i do them with chest atm but am goin to switch to an opposing muscle tri/bi combo