How to get a more define back?

[Fiskevatten]

I found a clip on Athlean-X that show the importance of contracting the muscles you work in the back
much more than most people do.
He showed a picture on the difference - more or less same body type and workout-experience (see pic).
Now there is a clear difference on jeffs side (right).



My back is more to the left, but I've gotten much stronger lately (no aas).
However, I feel that I hit my muscles as I should, but I'm nowhere near that back from all these years...

So question is, does that mean that I need to re-evalutate my way of training?
Sure, genetics and bf%, but those two guys are worlds apart.

[Obs]

Photoshop, diet, and downlighting.

[Windex]

I found a clip on Athlean-X that show the importance of contracting the muscles you work in the back
much more than most people do.
He showed a picture on the difference - more or less same body type and workout-experience (see pic).
Now there is a clear difference on jeffs side (right).



My back is more to the left, but I've gotten much stronger lately (no aas).
However, I feel that I hit my muscles as I should, but I'm nowhere near that back from all these years...

So question is, does that mean that I need to re-evalutate my way of training?
Sure, genetics and bf%, but those two guys are worlds apart.

Modifying your training won't get you to the right side of your picture unless your back routine is literally 1 exercise for 1 rep. It's adding muscle through diet and drugs.

Pictures are very misleading. Athlean does do video and has a great physique but all the instagram, facebook, and social media cvnts use more photo editing than Professional Photographers or design artists

[Fiskevatten]

Modifying your training won't get you to the right side of your picture unless your back routine is literally 1 exercise for 1 rep. It's adding muscle through diet and drugs.

Pictures are very misleading. Athlean does do video and has a great physique but all the instagram, facebook, and social media cvnts use more photo editing than Professional Photographers or design artists

Agreed, Athlean is one of the few I trust and therefor used him as reference - both his body and knowledge is damn great.
I did try to contract following his videos now before doing the "lift/ pull" and it ended up hurting my right shoulder and lat, so I guess I overdid it^^
However, the tightness the day after did feel great in the rest of the back

[nateboussad]

If you haven't deadlifted or squatted in 4-5 months then your gains will be slower/limited. Lack of these exercises is why your definition is probably lacking (as well as body fat)








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[GearHeaded]

If you haven't deadlifted or squatted in 4-5 months then your gains will be slower/limited. Lack of these exercises is why your definition is probably lacking (as well as body fat)

tell that to Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson, Flex Lewis, and Dorian Yates . you know what they all have in common besides being mr Olympia . they don't squat or deadlift . they also all have the best backs in bodybuilding

[Obs]

tell that to Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson, Flex Lewis, and Dorian Yates . you know what they all have in common besides being mr Olympia . they don't squat or deadlift . they also all have the best backs in bodybuilding

I am not impressive but deadlifts are off the agenda for eternity.

Squats are ok by me but only light.
My little quad pop with 1100 on the leg press set my ass straight. I am a bodybuilder not a damn powerlifter.

[GearHeaded]

I am not impressive but deadlifts are off the agenda for eternity.

Squats are ok by me but only light.
My little quad pop with 1100 on the leg press set my ass straight. I am a bodybuilder not a damn powerlifter.

in bodybuilding its all about 'bang for your buck' exercises .. you need to get the highest hypertrophy results for the least amount of fatigue out of the exercises you do. deadlifting is the absolute least bang for your buck. it generates the most fatigue and hinders recovery the most out of any other exercises

I'm going to start a thread on this in the training section .. I will entitle it something like "Recovery is like managing a $ budget" , you only have so much resource to work with.
if you have $100 to work with , every exercise you do is demanding of some funds . lets say curls take up $2 and bench press takes up $10 , well deadlift may take up $50 , yet not give you much in return in regards to actual hypertrophy to recovery ratio

[Obs]

in bodybuilding its all about 'bang for your buck' exercises .. you need to get the highest hypertrophy results for the least amount of fatigue out of the exercises you do. deadlifting is the absolute least bang for your buck. it generates the most fatigue and hinders recovery the most out of any other exercises

I'm going to start a thread on this in the training section .. I will entitle it something like "Recovery is like managing a $ budget" , you only have so much resource to work with.
if you have $100 to work with , every exercise you do is demanding of some funds . lets say curls take up $2 and bench press takes up $10 , well deadlift may take up $50 , yet not give you much in return in regards to actual hypertrophy to recovery ratio

Especially in a guy thats huge. Too much breakdown on too many muscles at once.
Precisely why my career is my greatest limiting factor.

[Fiskevatten]

Especially in a guy thats huge. Too much breakdown on too many muscles at once.
Precisely why my career is my greatest limiting factor.

I've tweaked my training a little since the thread and by just contracting before the "pull", I've managed to gain a lot more details. I think I've been pulling first and contracting in the end each time
which has more "swing lifting" to it and way less quality.
Loosing some bf% has done wonders as well recently - basically just eat veggies, white rice and pork each day now and it feels easier for me to hit the right spot on.

Agreed regarding e.g. deadlift and bang for buck. However, by going for a more "stiff-legged" approach with less weight, you can really blow the middle to lower back up with a nicely painful
pump! Or atleast that is what I've found out (careful tho with the form).

[kaptainkeezy04]

tell that to Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson, Flex Lewis, and Dorian Yates . you know what they all have in common besides being mr Olympia . they don't squat or deadlift . they also all have the best backs in bodybuilding

But all of those athletes did get their foundation by doing a ton of squats and deadlifts in their early and mid years and then toward the end of their careers switched to machines when they had a better mind-muscle connection or didn't really need more size but just maintain with more definition.