Back Week 1

Having a larger V-taper helps increase the appearance of a narrower waist. Your back is not a mirror muscle, so you cannot see it while you train—you need to visualize it. I recommend studying your back muscles on an anatomy chart if this is the weakness in your physique. Looking at a quality physiology diagram will help you understand how the fibers in your various back muscles run in different directions. Understanding how each muscle works will help you develop a better mind-muscle connection to address the specific weaknesses in your back.

NOTES:

* Lats pulldowns help increase width in your back.

* Reverse-grip pulldowns emphasize thickness and density in your lats.

* Barbell bent-over rows target the trapezius muscle, the large butterfly-shaped muscle in the center of your back that rises onto your shoulders near your neck, and this move also works your lats.

* Single-arm dumbbell rows primarily target the traps, but they also work your lats.

* Deadlifts work both your back and legs—perform a warm-up set or two before your 4 working sets.

 

EXERCISE	COMMENT
Lats pulldowns	4 SETS / 10 REPS Rest 90 seconds between sets
Reverse-grip pulldowns	4 SETS / 10 REPS Use straps if needed to emphasize back over forearms and grip
Barbell bent-over rows	4 SETS / 10 REPS Rest 90 seconds between sets
Single-arm dumbbell rows	4 SETS / 10 REPS Rest 90 seconds between sets
Deadlifts	4 SETS / FAILURE Rest 90 seconds between sets

 

TIP: I recommend stretching your lats between sets to force your working muscles fibers to work in the opposing direction before you contract them again. You have plenty of time to do this because you’ll be resting for about 90 seconds between every set.

Check out my video for detailed tips on how to perform each exercise.