Back/Lats

[ThatAthlete82]

Just realized I don't know which exercises isolate certain parts of the back and was wondering if you guys could tell me your favorite/best three exercises in the following categories.

Lat width:

Lat thick:

Upper Back:

Middle Back:

Posterior head of shoulders:

[gbrice75]

Just realized I don't know which exercises isolate certain parts of the back and was wondering if you guys could tell me your favorite/best three exercises in the following categories.

Lat width:

for me - Medium Grip Pull Ups, Lat Pulldowns, Dumbbell Pullovers

Lat thick:

Dumbbell Rows (many variations), T-Bar Row (platform, not the one with the chest support), Deadlift

Upper Back:

Shrugs at different angels, deadlifts

Middle Back:

Close grip seated rows, close grip T-bar rows

Posterior head of shoulders:

Honestly don't work it directly, and I guess it shows. When I do work it, bent over lateral raises is pretty much it. I do believe they get hit pretty well with other bigger exercises however, including shoulder presses if you go behind the head

[dec11]

for me - Medium Grip Pull Ups, Lat Pulldowns, Dumbbell Pullovers



Dumbbell Rows (many variations), T-Bar Row (platform, not the one with the chest support), Deadlift



Shrugs at different angels, deadlifts



Close grip seated rows, close grip T-bar rows



Honestly don't work it directly, and I guess it shows. When I do work it, bent over lateral raises is pretty much it. I do believe they get hit pretty well with other bigger exercises however, including shoulder presses if you go behind the head

i'll co-sign this, excellent advice GB.

posteriors, high single cable rows and reverse flys. DO NOT go heavy on these if your value not being injured. main delt moves like shoulder press develope them, the two i mentioned finish them

[ThatAthlete82]

Thanks for the replies.

Could you expand on 'shrugs at different angles'? I'm having trouble visualizing how you would do that.

You listed T-Bar row for lat thick and middle back. I take it the middle back variant is with a close grip v bar? What kind of bar/grip should I use for the lat thick variant? Or are they the same?

[gbrice75]

i'll co-sign this, excellent advice GB.

posteriors, high single cable rows and reverse flys. DO NOT go heavy on these if your value not being injured. main delt moves like shoulder press develope them, the two i mentioned finish them

Thanks bro. Also forgot to throw in face pulls... kind of tough to go heavy but with good form it's a really handy exercise imo. Also good advice above from Dec; good supplemental exercises, but definitely focus on your 'meat and potatoes' - i.e. presses, etc. The heavy shit!

Thanks for the replies.

Could you expand on 'shrugs at different angles'? I'm having trouble visualizing how you would do that.

I do several different variations of shrugs, although not all in one workout. I'll do standard barbell shrugs, so i'm mostly pulling with the 'front' of my traps. I'll do smith machine shrugs behind my back, with the bar starting just under my butt. This allows me to focus on the rear.

Then there are the dumbbell variations, all in the grip. You can hold them out in front of you similar to how a barbell shrug would be done, or out to the sides which if you notice should completely change the epicenter of the muscle contraction.

I want to clarify that nothing above will make a night or day difference... just shaping stuff really. At the end of the day, just do the damn shrugs with intensity enough to stimulate growth!

You listed T-Bar row for lat thick and middle back. I take it the middle back variant is with a close grip v bar? What kind of bar/grip should I use for the lat thick variant? Or are they the same?

I use a t-bar row which is already up on a platform. It has a bar that i can grip wherever i want, and yes when I am going for middle back, i'll use a closer grip - the bar is designed as such so that my hands will be in the same position as if it were a v-bar. Then for the wide stuff it's like a normal row, i.e. palms facing out/down.

If you want to develop a big thick back, start doing heavy (with perfect form though) deadlifts if you aren't already doing them. They develop so much of the back it's insane.