Back attack: body shop. Build your best back ever with these two three-move, multi-angle options

Men's Fitness, Sept, 2001 by Allan Donnelly

Even the most casual gymgoers among us want the same results: eye-poppin' bis, a Schwarzeneggeresque chest, and rippled abs that cause women to swoon--okay, maybe not swoon, but at least do a double take--when we pass by on the beach. Unfortunately, those glances won't last longer than a cheeseburger on the set of Survivor II if you aren't sporting a balanced physique.

As reliable as muscles may be in attracting the eye of the opposite sex, you'll never reach your full muscle-growth potential if you neglect your latissimus dorsi, or, in plain English, your back. The back is the largest muscle group in the body--which means it holds the most potential for packing on mass. And if size is your desired destination, there's no faster or more efficient way to get there than by emphasizing back training.

"There are all kinds of muscles in your back," says Timothy C. Fritz, C.S.C.S. "If you neglect it, and a lot of people do, you're not going to have any symmetry."

For you guys into building display muscles--and you know who you are--that should be reason enough to make back training a priority. But appearance aside, there's another reason that building a strong back should be high on your list of fitness goals.

"If you have a strong chest and a weak back, you can really start to have problems, because your muscle mass in the front is going to start pulling your shoulders forward," Fritz says. "It throws your back out of whack, and, eventually, it can throw your whole body out of whack."

THE WORKOUT

Because the back covers such a large area, it's necessary to hit it from a variety of angles. That's why we've come up with three moves targeted to work three of the back's four regions--the upper, the middle and the outer. All are pulling movements, but each starts from a different angle: one from the top, one from the floor and one from the front.

"Every little change stresses the muscle just a little bit differently," Fritz says. "In order to get the fullest, most complete development and stimulate as many fibers as possible, you need to stress any muscle from as many different angles as possible."

We've also provided a variation for each particular movement. Try them all and come up with a program that best suits your body. Just make sure to hit each angle at every workout.

WORKOUT 1

Warm up by hitting the lat pull-down machine for a quick set of 15 reps, then move over to the pull-up bar for three sets of between six and 10 reps. If you can't reach six reps and you don't have a spotter, do three sets of lat pull-downs to the front.

Next up is the upper back, so move over to bent-over barbell rows to build up thickness. Then, to strengthen the lower back, finish the workout with seated, close-grip cable rows.

THE EXERCISES

1. WIDE-GRIP PULL-UP Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, spacing your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Hang from the bar (a), then pull yourself up and try to touch the top of your chest to the bar (b). Pause at the top, then slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.

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2. BENT-OVER BARBELL ROW Hold a barbell using an overhand grip, spacing your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend forward at the hips with your knees slightly bent and your back slightly arched (a). Pull the barbell to your abdomen, squeeze your back together (b), then slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

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3. CLOSE-GRIP SEATED CABLE ROW Sit with your feet pressed against the footpad. Bend your knees slightly and grab the V-bar with your hands facing inward. Lean slightly forward to start the movement (a), then pull the handle toward your abdomen, keeping your back slightly arched and focusing on pulling your elbows back (b). Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then slowly release the weight, feeling the stretch in your back, and repeat.

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WORKOUT 2

Reverse your grip and bring your hands together, about shoulder-width apart, to start this workout with close-grip chins. Or use the same grip on the lat pull-down machine. The movement builds lat width, but the grip variation will turn the focus more toward the lower lats.

Next, move on to one-arm dumbbell rows to hit the middle back. These isolate the lat muscles on each side of the body and allow for a wider range of motion and a more complete contraction. Finish with wide-grip seated rows for lat width.

THE EXERCISES

1. CHIN-UP Hang from the pull-up bar with an underhand grip, your hands shoulder-width apart (a), then pull yourself up and try to touch the top of your chest to the bar (b). Pause at the top, then slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.

[ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

2. ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW Grab a dumbbell, then lean forward and put your free hand and knee on a bench for support. Begin with the dumbbell in a lowered position, with your hand facing your body (a). Keeping your back slightly arched, pull the weight from the floor to your hip (b). Pause, lower the weight and repeat.