am I overtraining back?

[yeahbuddylightweight]

all the training routines I read in magazines seem to suggest 3 or 4 excercises with one warmup set and 3 working sets.

I always feel like that isnt enough and I end up doin 5 excersies with 1 warmup and 4 working sets usually I.E

pullups 4x 10-8-6-4

deadlifts 4x 10-8-6-4-1 rep max

lat pulldown- 4x 12-10-8-6

dumbell rows 4x 10-8-6-4

close grip pulldown 4x 10

Pullups and deadlifts are the meat of my back workout the rest I switch periodiclly.

I only work back once a week so I feel like im not overtraining somedays i'll even feel like I should do more

[Bigzrs01]

No I think you're fine here. I don't even really include pullups as a workout, as I do them as a warmup for lat pulldowns. I would do another rowing motion, though. Your back is a fairly large muscle group as a whole, so it would need more work than say arms, shoulders, or chest.

[kaberle_15]

If it works for you then I don't see a problem, everyone is different and will react differently to certain types of training.

[Dukkit]

i wouldnt consider it over training. but its def not undertraining. lol

[Jakspro]

How is your recovery? Are you increasing weight each week? Do you feel you are making progress? How is this workout effecting your other body parts?

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

No I think you're fine here. I don't even really include pullups as a workout, as I do them as a warmup for lat pulldowns. I would do another rowing motion, though. Your back is a fairly large muscle group as a whole, so it would need more work than say arms, shoulders, or chest.

pull ups as a warmup for lat pull downs?

You must be fat, weak, or both.

pull ups as a warm up.....

[Dukkit]

pull ups as a warmup for lat pull downs?

You must be fat, weak, or both.

pull ups as a warm up.....

guess he doesnt use a weighted belt

[Bigzrs01]

Nah fellas, I do 2 warm up sets of pullups, then at the very end I do pullups as a working set

[Bigzrs01]

And I assure you, I am not fat and very far from not strong

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

guess he doesnt use a weighted belt

lol.

I mean, pull ups are the best back exercise for back IMO. Of course deadlifts are up there.

Its like saying, I warm up with squats, then move to working leg press sets....lol

[Joker111086]

deadlifts for back? my gym dont have that diamond bar,how would u use a straight bar

[Joker111086]

i got delts friday, was thinkin bout some power cleans with a press above the head... how good are those

[Bigzrs01]

lol.

I mean, pull ups are the best back exercise for back IMO. Of course deadlifts are up there.

Its like saying, I warm up with squats, then move to working leg press sets....lol

I didn't say pullups were bad at all, and sorry I forgot to include where I do them at the end of my workout.

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

Nah fellas, I do 2 warm up sets of pullups, then at the very end I do pullups as a working set

I was merely joking about being fat, weak, or both.


But I think you would be better off with 3 solid sets.

[Bigzrs01]

guess he doesnt use a weighted belt

Yea you're right man, I haven't gotten to a weight belt yet. But I can do my bodyweight (260lbs) for reps

[Bigzrs01]

I was merely joking about being fat, weak, or both.


But I think you would be better off with 3 solid sets.

I understand, I just like to do 1 or 2 pull up sets then jump right into heavy lat pulldowns, but hey I'm always open for advice so thanks!

[Matt]

Weighted pull ups are awesome..

[amcon]

deadlifts for back? my gym dont have that diamond bar,how would u use a straight bar

lol... alot of people include deads on back day cause of the lower/mid back work out it gives...

[amcon]

Yea you're right man, I haven't gotten to a weight belt yet. But I can do my bodyweight (260lbs) for reps

pullups w a body weight of 260 is weighted... lol, i dont know what it is about pull ups but the bigger you are, weight wise, the more dif it seems to be

i hate seeing some 110 pound dude come and knock off 40 ish reps and i am pulling out 15.

do you do them wide or close and palms facing out or in

[Bigzrs01]

pullups w a body weight of 260 is weighted... lol, i dont know what it is about pull ups but the bigger you are, weight wise, the more dif it seems to be

i hate seeing some 110 pound dude come and knock off 40 ish reps and i am pulling out 15.

do you do them wide or close and palms facing out or in

Haha yea, they're not easy...I can squeeze out about 8 reps on a good day

[hankdiesel]

I get more out of the assisted chin up machine than regular chins. Make fun of me if you want but after heavy deads and bent over rows I just don't have much left.

[Bigzrs01]

i got delts friday, was thinkin bout some power cleans with a press above the head... how good are those

I work my rear delts when I do back. And power cleans...do you play sports or are you a powerlifter?

[Bigzrs01]

deadlifts for back? my gym dont have that diamond bar,how would u use a straight bar

You don't need a diamond bar for deads. May I suggest just going on youtube and looking up deadlifting videos if you don't know how to do them with a straight bar

[Bigzrs01]

I get more out of the assisted chin up machine than regular chins. Make fun of me if you want but after heavy deads and bent over rows I just don't have much left.

Nothing wrong with that, as long as you do them! That's why I do deadlifts as my first workout for back.

[Bigzrs01]

do you do them wide or close and palms facing out or in

I do palms facing away...puts more emphasis on the lats

[Bigzrs01]

guess he doesnt use a weighted belt

The day I do a weighted pull up with a 45lb plate or more...I'll be pullin up over 300lbs...will you guys appreciate me then? LOL

[amcon]

Haha yea, they're not easy...I can squeeze out about 8 reps on a good day

bigzrs01 keep it up bro - real men do pull ups... studs do a lot of them - honestly i think they are the top two for back movements

[amcon]

I get more out of the assisted chin up machine than regular chins. Make fun of me if you want but after heavy deads and bent over rows I just don't have much left.

i totally agree, i love wide pull up - so i do them first then heavy bent overs, then hammer iso front pull downs - after that i may do any thing to finish, seated rown, one arm seated rows, dumb bell rows exc....

[amcon]

I do palms facing away...puts more emphasis on the lats

yes, i believe that it also hits the upper lat harder, great for width... wide, wide, wide

[yeahbuddylightweight]

I've heard that behind the neck lat pulldowns were great for widening your lats but I also heard it was a great way to tear up your rotator cuff. I tend to do them alot anyways with lighter weight but what do yall think?

[Bigzrs01]

I've heard that behind the neck lat pulldowns were great for widening your lats but I also heard it was a great way to tear up your rotator cuff. I tend to do them alot anyways with lighter weight but what do yall think?

Yea I don't do anything behind the neck anymore, pulldowns or presses. If you do pull or press behind the neck, don't let the bar go lower than about an inch from the top of your head, JMO

[Bigzrs01]

yes, i believe that it also hits the upper lat harder, great for width... wide, wide, wide

Definitely agree with you man...nothing better than a set of wide wings!

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

I dont do any behind the neck exercises

[Matt]

I dont do any behind the neck exercises

Ive read a number of articles about the dangers of this, and dont do them myself anymore... Infact i know the pt's at my gym are warning people about the dangers...

[Godson]

I get more out of the assisted chin up machine than regular chins. Make fun of me if you want but after heavy deads and bent over rows I just don't have much left.

do you switch the order in which you do your exercises ?

[Godson]

felt like instead of creating a thread might as well post here

for back ive been struggling for what exercise to add or get rid of
simply put

Pull ups
Low Row
Deadlifts
close grip pull ups- i take the low row device and put it on my pull up bar and do 3 sets

this adds for a grand total of 12-15 total sets

any advice on what to drop or add, i tried bent over rows with bb, but i just felt like my form was all off, i didnt enjoy it much...

i see ppl often use the db and bent over and move it vertically back and forth ( not sure what its called) but i just dont like that either..

[yeahbuddylightweight]

I would add BB rows. its hard to get your form down at first but once you learn it you can really feel it. try doin them on a smith machine first thats what I did. and sounds like the other thing you were talking about was bent over DB rows. those are also good Muscular development claims they are better than BB rows.

[Dobie-BOY]

I don't think its overtrainig, but I think I could find a lot of ways to use my time more wisely. Seems a bit overkill to me.

[Diamonds08]

Personally I think your exercise choice is very poor. Pull ups, lat pulls AND close grip pull downs? What about seated rows, t-bar or bent over bb rows, pull overs? Not to mention the variations of each of those exercises.

Also, sets of 10 on dead lift in excessive. That should be a heavy weight, low to mid rep exercise. Doing that many reps really puts you at risk for back injury because your form starts to deteriorate quickly after about 6 reps.

[Godson]

Personally I think your exercise choice is very poor. Pull ups, lat pulls AND close grip pull downs? What about seated rows, t-bar or bent over bb rows, pull overs? Not to mention the variations of each of those exercises.

Also, sets of 10 on dead lift in excessive. That should be a heavy weight, low to mid rep exercise. Doing that many reps really puts you at risk for back injury because your form starts to deteriorate quickly after about 6 reps.

i dont do lat pulls , thats what pull ups are for
but i was at a debate between replacing close grip pull downs, and i did mention i do the seated low row , as for t-bar im personally not a fan, same goes for bb rows so i might go with
Pull ups
seated low row
db bent over rows
deadlifts - i think it should be sufficient, thanks for advice guys