| While many weight lifters and fledgling bodybuilders | | | | effective for some. Since you're only using one hand |
| and fitness enthusiasts spend most of their gym time | | | | at a time, you can use the other to brace yourself and |
| focusing on "mirror muscles" (the pecs, delts, and | | | | give yourself a little help when the movement gets |
| biceps), serious trainees know that a huge back is | | | | hard. This allows trainees to use quite a bit more |
| where it's at. Developing a wide, thick back and | | | | weight on each side than if they did both at once. |
| massive traps is the quickest way to make yourself | | | | I have found that the best way to do dumbbell rows is |
| look big and strong, even in heavy clothing. It has to be | | | | to use straps, choke up on the handle, and really rip the |
| the most standout body part a person can develop, | | | | weight up as fast as I can, similar to the motion you |
| and for good reason; the lats, rhomboids, traps, and | | | | use to start a lawn mower. Most lifters use a flat |
| spinal erectors make up the vast majority of the | | | | bench to brace themselves, but I prefer to take a |
| muscle mass above a person's waistline. Here are 5 | | | | three-point stance, with the free hand on a dumbbell |
| exercises that you can start using to build the biggest | | | | rack, and my feet spread wide and solidly placed. |
| back possible: | | | | 4. Close Grip Pull-Downs |
| 1. Pull-Ups / Chin-Ups | | | | While pull-ups are your best bet for building a wide |
| The pull-up has to be one of the best tests of overall | | | | back, adding cable pull-downs into your routine can also |
| upper-body strength, as well as one of the best ways | | | | be of great advantage, especially when your back and |
| to build wide lats. While you can certainly achieve | | | | / or grip is too tired from other pulling movements. |
| similar results with pull-downs, many trainees (including | | | | Many advanced lifers that have gotten all they can out |
| myself) find that focusing on pull-ups for the first few | | | | of pull-ups use pull-downs as their main lat-builder. |
| years of their weight training pays enormous dividends | | | | I have found that using the close grip, DD handle that |
| towards lat size, back strength, and grip strength. | | | | most people use for seated rows works best for |
| There are many ways to do pull-ups. The three most | | | | hitting the lats with pull-downs. I have tried pronated |
| common grips to use are wide and pronated (palms | | | | and underhand variations, but they never seem to |
| facing away), moderate width and supinated (palms | | | | work my lats as well as their pull-up counterparts. |
| toward you, often called a "chin-up"), and close grip and | | | | 5. Deadlifts |
| parallel. Try all three and see which one you feel in | | | | Last but not least is not only the best back exercise |
| your lats the most. When you're ready, starting adding | | | | you can do, but one of the best all-around mass |
| extra weight with a pull-up belt to make the exercise | | | | builders for your whole body. Some people prefer to |
| more challenging. | | | | use partial-range deadlifts to stimulate the back, but I |
| 2. Barbell Rows | | | | have found the best back-building results from doing |
| There seem to be a nearly infinite number of ways to | | | | the conventional (feet close), full range exercise. This |
| do the rowing motion in a gym, but the best all-around | | | | movement allows the vast majority of trainees to |
| rowing movement has got to be the barbell row. It | | | | handle more weight than on any other exercise, and it |
| allows you to use very heavy weights while still | | | | has proven to be one of the best movements for the |
| keeping acceptable form, and it actually helps many | | | | lats and traps there are. Just look at any good |
| trainees' bench press strength. | | | | powerlifter's traps for evidence of this. |
| Do barbell rows with your torso bent at about a | | | | The best way to perform deadlifts, once you have |
| 45-degree angle, your palms pronated, a moderately | | | | good form down, is to use very heavy weights for |
| wide grip, and a belt and straps if you need them. Don't | | | | low reps. I usually do one set of about 4-6 reps, at |
| be afraid to put a little jerk into the motion; as long as | | | | most, and then drop the weight a little to do a set |
| you keep the exercise focused on your back, you're | | | | around 8 reps. Not only will going too high in reps on |
| golden. | | | | this movement remove the benefit of using very |
| 3. Dumbbell Rows | | | | heavy weights, but it will cause your form to break |
| While barbell rows are the best rowing exercise for | | | | down and possibly cause you injury. |
| most people, the dumbbell row can be just as | | | | |