What should I work on? BF%?

[thex95]

hey guys so if you could give me your opinions as to what I should work on it would be greatly appreciated. Also a bf% check would be great too.

Stats;

Age: 24
Weight: 185
height: 5'11
years training: 6
BF% you tell me

[MickeyKnox]

13%. Need to see wheels bro.

[gbrice75]

Only being critical because you asked for it (because you look great!) - overall thickness, back/lat width in particular. Don't feel bad, I need it just as much.

[thex95]

Only being critical because you asked for it (because you look great!) - overall thickness, back/lat width in particular. Don't feel bad, I need it just as much.

Thanks for the input bro, and I 100% agree about my back its shit$ what did you find that worked really well to increase your lats and back? Your back is huge bro!! Looking awesome

[krugerr]

Shoulders and arms look good. I'd work on adding some thickness as said above.
Do you do deadlifts? Add some heavy pulling in, eg, seated rows, t-bar rows, close grip lat pulldown. Work on really wide pull-ups for that width.

Also, maybe work on upper chest, your lower looks well developed, but it looks a little thin on the upper. It's hard to tell though from the front, a side picture would be good bro.
Overall though you look good, keep up the hard work!

[thex95]

Here is what I currently do for back, please rip it apart and critque.

Rack pull 4 by 6
Wide Lat pulldown 4 by 6
Bar pull 3 by 8
T bar palms in 3 by 8
High cable pull to chest 3 by 10
Barbell trap pull 3 by 8
Wide grip pull up (bodyweight) 3 by 8

[krugerr]

I would really throw in deadlifts, or if you struggle with form. Do rack lifts from knee height to remove the bottom half of the lift.

[thex95]

Shoulders and arms look good. I'd work on adding some thickness as said above.
Do you do deadlifts? Add some heavy pulling in, eg, seated rows, t-bar rows, close grip lat pulldown. Work on really wide pull-ups for that width.

Also, maybe work on upper chest, your lower looks well developed, but it looks a little thin on the upper. It's hard to tell though from the front, a side picture would be good bro.
Overall though you look good, keep up the hard work!

Awesome man thanks for thge reply. I really really need to work on my back. I am seriously considering running a prop cycle and just hammering the hell out of my back for 8 weeks to devolop some thickness and lats. I don't dead too much because I used to be a labourer and messed my back up pretty hard a few times so I try to not agitate it.

[gbrice75]

Thanks for the input bro, and I 100% agree about my back its shit$ what did you find that worked really well to increase your lats and back? Your back is huge bro!! Looking awesome

1st - your back isn't shit. It's just lagging behind the rest of you, which looks great!

2nd - thanks! My back really isn't huge, I just learned how to pose it much better than I used to, lol. Having said that, I just stuck with the really basic movements - deads, pull ups, pull downs, rows, etc. Underhand dumbbell rows seemed to work very well for me. Lots of narrow grip (V-bar) pull downs and pull ups - will hit the lower part of your lats.

Work on really wide pull-ups for that width.

I would really throw in deadlifts, or if you struggle with form. Do rack lifts from knee height to remove the bottom half of the lift.

I respectfully disagree on 2 points. Re: pull ups - I don't find that going wider than shoulder width provides any further benefit with regards to width. If anything, I find it puts the shoulders in a compromising position and severely limits ROM. To each his own though. At the end of the day you have to do what's most comfortable for your own body.

Re: deads - since bringing up your back is a priority, I'd suggest sticking with rack pulls. They'll take hams out of the equation, allowing you to add more weight and focus solely on back.

[krugerr]

I respectfully disagree on 2 points. Re: pull ups - I don't find that going wider than shoulder width provides any further benefit with regards to width. If anything, I find it puts the shoulders in a compromising position and severely limits ROM. To each his own though. At the end of the day you have to do what's most comfortable for your own body.

Re: deads - since bringing up your back is a priority, I'd suggest sticking with rack pulls. They'll take hams out of the equation, allowing you to add more weight and focus solely on back.

Hey man, if we all agreed on everything, life would be boring!

I suggested real wide because that's what stimulates me, as you said though, you need to find what works for you. I've found that real wide tends to remove my bicep from the movement and isolates my lats more.

As you say, rack lifts would focus more on the back, but deadlifts as a compound exercise should, I think, be a part of a good back routine. Not only for the amazing amount of muscle it hits, but it also hits legs and arse, which will stimulate growth all over.

Just my 2cents. This is why I love this sport. There is 1001 ways to do something, and we all have different experiences and knowledge.

[gbrice75]

Hey man, if we all agreed on everything, life would be boring!

I suggested real wide because that's what stimulates me, as you said though, you need to find what works for you. I've found that real wide tends to remove my bicep from the movement and isolates my lats more.

Agree with this

As you say, rack lifts would focus more on the back, but deadlifts as a compound exercise should, I think, be a part of a good back routine. Not only for the amazing amount of muscle it hits, but it also hits legs and arse, which will stimulate growth all over.

x2 for this as well. While rack pulls aren't by any means an isolation movement, for all intents and purposes, that's how I look at them when wanting to focus on back. For overall muscle growth/stimulus, they have nothing on full-on deads.

[krugerr]

As you said though, the very wide pull-ups /pull downs do limit the ROM - I am unsure how much this really effects the growth and shape to the muscle. I was also suggesting the deadlifts, because the OP hasnt posted pictures of his legs, I can only assume* that this is because he maybe doesnt train them as much as his upper body. No offence intended there OP, just thinking out loud!

*Never assume because it makes and ASS out of U and ME - I know!

[gbrice75]

^^ lol.

IMO, limited ROM = limited potential for complete stimulus. More important than heavy weights (again, IMO - and the opinion of many people I have high regard for) is a full stretch and contraction, really squeezing the muscles and 'feeling' them work, rather than just slamming out reps. As of late, I have actually lowered the weight on many of my exercises (mostly pulling stuff) to focus once again on proper form and mind-muscle connection.

Just my .02

[thex95]

Awesome bros thanks for all the input. I am def gonna stick to the basics and just try and add a bit of weight each week. Ill also try to post a pic of the wheels and a side view at some point hopefully tomorrow.

[awol]

Definitely need some lat work, but looking good.