Am I doing something wrong? (back workout)

[Clement]

While I'm working out, I usually feel the effect such as the burn and so on. But when it comes to back, I feel nothing. No burn during the workout and no soreness the next day. I always feel like I didn't do enough, even though my bi's are saying otherwise. I've tried both light weight high reps and heavy weight low reps.

[Riptastic]

What exercises are you doing?

[Matt Toupalik]

If you are feeling the stimulation in your biceps but not your back, maybe you are over-emphasizing arm involvement in your lat/back exercises.

[Alwyn]

Soreness is an irrelevant indicator of effectiveness.

If your poundages are increasing in your lifts, and you are seeing the development you want - then don't worry about it.

If you aren't seeing these improvements - you need a better routine -- but it's not related to soreness.

AC

[raymond3]

Do you do pullups/chins? I feel the burn with those all of the time.

[Newlife]

I would try deadlifts. I have never done them and not increased weight over a 2 week period, and I am always sore the next day. You can feel you back working while you perform this lift. I usually don't feel like I worked my back hard with pull-ups or lat pulldowns, but also see some improvement over time.

What are you doing for back work?

[BjsAust]

Alwyns right. I dont feel "the burn" doing chinups, I just plain cant do anymore. I keep improving though and the muscles are getting bigger.

[Clement]

My workout usually consist of lat pull down, row, back extension, single arm dumbbell raise, and occasionally T-bar. I'm not seeing much results with this routine, but I'm at a loss for a better one.

[gobbla]

Along with the other advice, try LESS weight and really focus on form and using the muscles that you're suppost to be using per lift.

Rows are good, chinups I notice back but not nearly as much as pullups.

no matter how much weight you use, if you're not lifting "correctly" you're not helping yourself.

[Clement]

Well, I can say with certainty that I sacrifice lots of weight for form. I'm gonna try the deadlifts and pull ups and see what happens with those thrown in the mix.

[Eventually]

I agree with gobbla. Concentrate on the muscle you want to work. I have found the best results when doing this. I actually noticed that I was using my arms for chin ups more than my back. After focusing on using and flexing my lats I also noticed I could do a lot more chin ups. So for me it was just about concentration/form.


vd

[WorkinOnIt]

How do you use your lats--instead of your arms--for pullups? I hadn't thought of this difference before, but I do feel it much more in my arms than in my back. thanks

[Newlife]

Originally posted by WorkinOnIt:
How do you use your lats--instead of your arms--for pullups? I hadn't thought of this difference before, but I do feel it much more in my arms than in my back. thanks

pretend you are holding a pencil between your shoulder blades when you reach the top of the lift and squeeze. You will feel it more in your lats...

Same applies to rows...

[Rev]

I think my biggest mistake ever as far as training the back was a mistake I made for my first solid YEAR of training. STRETCH THOSE LATS! Stretch as far as you possibly can! You can practice by hanging on a chin-up bar, relax your arms completely (but maintain your grip) and feel your lats stretching as you hang there. You should feel that at the bottom of every rep. Then when you feel where that stretch is coming from (should be from your rear bottom shoulder socket [bad scientific vocab, sorry] to midway down the sides of your back), try to pull/contract from that same spot, try to flex it. Another quick tip I might give you would be on your grip, for all back work outs use a hook grip (grip without wrapping your thumbs around the handle), it helps take your arms out a little, just pretend your arms are merely hooks. Good luck and don't over arm it. ~ Rev

[brian b]

I made some good gains by doing inverted rows instead of bent over rows (along with chin ups).

[igunick]

for back development there are 3 exercises you MUST do : pullups/chinups, rows and deadlifts. If you're doing them, your back should get bigger.

[tossedup]

I get the best lat workout from under hand lat pulldowns with a shoulder width grip that and bent over rows and wide grip pullups. Just my 2 cents..