Take a seat for a better back - Advice on the issues you care about most - building back muscles - Brief Article

I have decent lats, but I don't have much muscle in the center of my upper back. What exercises should I use to target this area?

--E.M., Baltimore, MD

The back is a much more complex muscle group than other upper-body muscle groups, so it's easy to overlook one (or more) crucial aspects of back training. Pull-downs, pull-ups and barbell rows are great for building your lats, but, depending on your form, these can leave a flat wasteland in the center of your back. Matt Malotki, American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer, recommends adding seated rows to your back training, and also focusing both on your grip and your form to remedy this weakness.

"Use a handle with a narrow grip to target the center of your back--a wider grip will target your outer lats," Malotki says. "Changes in grips will have a big impact on your back development, and maybe you haven't been using the proper grip."

In addition, Malotki stresses using proper form. "Seated rows are one of the hardest back exercises to perform correctly. First, sit on the bench with your feet against the platform, with a slight bend in your knees. Make certain your lower back is slightly arched. Avoid rounding your lower back, .which will greatly increase the chances of injury and transfer the work away from the part of the back you're trying to build.

"Use a weight that's light enough to allow you to move the weight through the entire range of motion," says Malotki. "Often, guys think they're going to build a bigger back if they use more weight, but that has the opposite effect because you aren't able to fully use your weaker muscles--in your case, those in the center of your upper back.

"As you pull the weight into your mid-abdomen, pull your shoulders back and slightly arch your upper back. Concentrate on using the muscles in your midback as you force your elbows behind you. You should be able to hold the weight here for a second or two. As you do this, contract those muscles in the center of your back." This is the critical point--and probably the point where you're going wrong. "If the weight is too heavy, you can't hold it or contract your back. This explains why some guys have trouble getting this area to grow. They aren't working it."

As you allow the weight to move forward, focus on stretching your back, particularly that problem area. "You can let your torso go forward a little bit, maybe 10 degrees past vertical, but don't use that extra range of motion to create momentum as you start your next rep," Malotki cautions.

Finally, Malotki suggests you perform this exercise second in your back regimen. "The first exercise--such as pull-downs--will allow you to warm up your entire back as you focus on your lats. Placing seated rows second will prioritize this weak area in your back."

COPYRIGHT 2002 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group