How I Grew My Back FAST

Summary

In this fitness-focused video, the speaker shares personal strategies for developing a strong and aesthetic back. Emphasizing the importance of mind-muscle connection, they detail a workout routine starting with pre-exhaustion sets like cable pullovers to activate the lats. The routine includes lat pull-downs, various rowing exercises for thickness, and the use of wrist straps to overcome grip issues. The speaker also stresses the significance of training to failure, proper rest between sets, and incorporating trap exercises for overall back development. The video is a testament to the speaker's journey from a weak back to noticeable progress through dedicated and informed training.

Takeaways

• 💪 Your back is a big muscle group, and training it properly plays a huge role in your physique's aesthetics.
• 🧠 The mind-muscle connection is crucial for back development, especially for engaging and squeezing the back muscles during workouts.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Pre-exhaustion sets like cable pullovers help with lat activation, allowing for better engagement during pull exercises.
• 🎯 Focus on lat pull-downs with a pronated grip, leaning back, and squeezing the lats at the bottom for optimal lat activation.
• 🔄 Rowing movements are key for building the thickness of your back and should be incorporated into your pull workouts.
• 🛠️ Experiment with different grips and rowing variations to find what works best for your individual physique and muscle connection.
• ⏳ Take your time between sets to recover fully, especially when lifting heavy to ensure maximum back engagement on each set.
• 🎯 If grip strength is an issue, consider using wrist straps to avoid forearm fatigue and allow your back to be trained to failure.
• 📉 Progressive overload and training to failure are essential for natural lifters who want to maximize back growth.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Incorporating trap exercises like barbell shrugs into your routine is important for enhancing overall back aesthetics.

Q & A

What is the significance of the back muscle in overall physique aesthetics?

The back muscle is significant because it plays a huge role in the overall look of one's physique, including how tapered and aesthetic it appears.

Why was the individual's back a weak point initially?

The individual's back was a weak point initially because despite seeing newbie gains in other areas, the back muscle was lagging behind.

How important is the mind-muscle connection for back training?

The mind-muscle connection is extremely important for back training, as it is more challenging to feel and engage the back muscles compared to other muscle groups.

What is the recommended pre-exhaustion exercise for back training?

Cable pullovers are recommended as a pre-exhaustion exercise for back training, focusing on slow and controlled movements to activate the lats.

Why is the lat pull-down an effective exercise for back growth?

The lat pull-down is effective for back growth because it isolates the lats, allowing for more engagement and tension, which leads to increased muscle activation and growth.

What is the recommended technique for performing lat pull-downs?

For lat pull-downs, one should arch the back, lean back while pulling the weight, and focus on squeezing at the bottom of the rep to maximize lat engagement.

Why are rows important in back training?

Rows are important in back training because they contribute to the thickness of the back, making it appear bigger and more aesthetically pleasing.

How can wrist straps help with back training?

Wrist straps can help with back training by reducing forearm fatigue, allowing for heavier weights and more reps, which can lead to greater lat growth.

What is the advice on training intensity and rest periods for back exercises?

It's crucial to train with high intensity and push to failure for muscle growth, but also to ensure adequate rest between sets, especially for heavy rowing movements, to allow for proper recovery.

Why is incorporating barbell shrugs beneficial for back aesthetics?

Incorporating barbell shrugs is beneficial for back aesthetics because it helps develop the traps, which are important for the overall appearance and definition of the upper back.

What is the role of spinal erectors in back training, and why might they not need direct isolation?

The spinal erectors, which form the 'Christmas tree' part of the back, play a role in overall back aesthetics but often get indirectly worked through compound movements, so direct isolation may not be necessary.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Building a Powerful Back

The speaker shares their journey of developing a strong back, which was initially a weak point. They emphasize the importance of mind-muscle connection, especially for the lats, which is the most crucial part of the back. They recommend starting with pre-exhaustion sets like cable pullovers to activate the lats. The speaker then details their workout routine, which includes lat pull-downs and rowing movements to target the back's thickness. They stress the importance of engaging the lats, not the arms, during exercises and suggest using wrist straps if grip strength is an issue. The speaker also advises on the importance of rest between sets to ensure maximum growth.

05:01

🏋️‍♂️ Maximizing Back Growth with Intensity and Rest

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the necessity of training to failure for every set to stimulate muscle growth, especially for natural lifters. They highlight the need for adequate rest between sets to allow for proper recovery and maximize performance in subsequent sets. The speaker also touches on the importance of training the traps for overall aesthetics and shares their personal experience of incorporating barbell shrugs into their routine. They mention that the spinal erectors, which form the 'Christmas tree' pattern on the back, are often indirectly worked during compound exercises and do not require isolation. The speaker concludes by reiterating the importance of engaging the lats, controlling the tempo of exercises, and progressively overloading workouts to ensure continuous growth.

Keywords

💡Mind-Muscle Connection

The mind-muscle connection refers to the mental focus and awareness one has on the specific muscle group being targeted during an exercise. In the context of the video, it is emphasized as crucial for back training because it helps to engage the back muscles more effectively. The script mentions that focusing on this connection led to a significant increase in back progress, highlighting its importance in achieving the desired muscle growth.

💡Lats

Lats, short for latissimus dorsi, are large muscles in the back that contribute significantly to the width and appearance of the back. The video script discusses the importance of lat engagement for an aesthetic and strong back. The speaker shares personal experience, noting that pre-exhaustion sets targeting the lats were instrumental in their back development.

💡Pre-Exhaustion Sets

Pre-exhaustion sets are a training technique where an isolation exercise for a specific muscle group is performed before compound exercises to fatigue the target muscles. In the video, the speaker uses cable pullovers as a pre-exhaustion movement for the lats, aiming to enhance lat activation and growth before moving on to more complex back exercises.

💡Lat Pulldowns

Lat pulldowns are a common back exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi muscles. The video script describes the technique and importance of lat pulldowns in back training. It is mentioned as the first working set after pre-exhaustion, with a focus on form, controlled movement, and engaging the lats rather than the biceps or forearms.

💡Rowing Movements

Rowing movements are a class of exercises that target the back muscles, particularly focusing on the thickness and overall development of the back. The script discusses varying rowing exercises in a workout routine to stimulate different aspects of the back muscles. The speaker emphasizes the importance of controlled movements and focusing on using the back muscles rather than the arms.

💡Wrist Straps

Wrist straps are training accessories that assist in grip support, allowing the lifter to focus on the target muscles rather than grip strength. In the video, the speaker recommends wrist straps for those who struggle with grip strength, which can limit back training effectiveness. The use of straps is suggested to help train the back to failure, promoting muscle growth.

💡Training to Failure

Training to failure means performing an exercise set until one is unable to complete another repetition with proper form. The video script stresses the importance of training to failure for natural lifters to stimulate muscle growth. The speaker advises training each set to failure but also highlights the need for adequate rest between sets to allow for recovery.

💡Traps

Traps, or the trapezius muscles, are a group of muscles that run from the neck to the middle of the back and contribute to the overall aesthetics of the upper body. The video script mentions that the speaker has started incorporating barbell shrugs to target the traps, recognizing their importance in the overall appearance of the back and shoulders.

💡Progressive Overloading

Progressive overload is a training principle that involves gradually increasing the stress placed upon the body during exercise to cause muscle growth and strength gains. The video script refers to progressive overload in the context of consistently challenging the muscles to grow, which is a key component of the speaker's back training routine.

💡Spinal Erectors

Spinal erectors, also known as the erector spinae, are muscles that run along the spine and play a role in posture and movement. While the video script does not focus extensively on these muscles, it notes that they are indirectly worked through compound exercises and do not require isolation exercises for most individuals.

Highlights

The importance of training your back properly for an aesthetic, V-tapered physique.

Focusing on a mind-muscle connection is crucial for back growth, especially for engaging lats.

Pre-exhaustion sets, like cable pullovers, are effective for activating lats before major movements.

Performing lat pulldowns with pumped lats increases lat engagement, reducing tension on biceps and forearms.

Leaning back during lat pulldowns helps activate the lats more effectively.

Slowing down the eccentric phase of the lat pulldown increases time under tension and promotes growth.

Experiment with grip variations to find the best contraction for your lats during exercises.

Incorporating rowing movements is essential for adding thickness to your back.

Varying rowing exercises and grips can enhance back development; experimentation is key.

Pulling with your back, not your arms, during exercises is a fundamental principle for optimal back training.

Using wrist straps can help improve grip and prevent forearm fatigue during heavy sets.

Training to failure on every set is necessary for back growth, especially as a natural lifter.

Proper rest between sets, especially on heavy movements, is essential for maximum strength in following sets.

Training traps with barbell shrugs helps improve the aesthetics of the upper back.

Spinal erectors are often indirectly trained through compound movements, reducing the need for isolation.

Transcripts

okay in this video I'm gonna take you

guys through how exactly I grew my back

a lot of you guys were asking me you

know when are we getting a back video so

here it is your back is a very big

muscle it stands out a lot so you want

to make sure you're training it properly

it plays a huge role in the overall look

of your physique how V tapered is your

physique how aesthetic do you look

personally my back used to be a huge

weak point when I first started out you

know I was seeing newbie gains I was

seeing results but for some reason my

back was lagging hard look at this photo

my arms grew a bit but my back is

nowhere to be seen bro I thought it was

genetic but as I learned more as I

adapted my training more I did

eventually see progress okay first

things first just like in my last video

when I talked about how important a mind

muscle connection is for growing your

chest it is even more important for

growing your back because when you train

your back it's more difficult to know

and to squeeze the muscles you are

working and this is my number one piece

of advice to you guys today as soon as I

started focusing on a mind muscle

connection for my back my progress

skyrocketed so first of all let me start

off with the lats which is probably the

most important part of the back so what

helps the lat engagement what helps with

the lat activation

pre-exhaustion sets so typically what

I'll do at the start of every pull day I

will do a lap pre-activation movement my

go-to is cable pullovers two to three

sets around you know 10 to 15 reps what

you want to do is keep it slow and

controlled focus on getting a mind

muscle connection with your lats focus

on your lats engaging and focus on

pushing blood into your lats you can do

it with an easy bar a rope whatever

feels comfortable for you whatever you

feel the best contraction as long as

you're getting a pump that's what

matters next it's the lat pull down so

after I pre-exhaust I'll go straight to

the lap pull Downs as my first movement

again I'll probably do like three

working sets so I'll do two top sets

eight to twelve reps fail within that

range and I'll do one back offset 12 to

15 reps again failing within that range

because you go into it with pumped lats

you're going to engage your lats more

and take the tension off your biceps and

off your forearms which leads to more

lat growth as opposed to forearm and

bicep growth presumption really helps

you isolate your lats on your lap pull

down okay on your lap hold on you want

to arch your back you want to be leaning

back as you pull the weight towards you

you don't want to be sitting up straight

leaning back is crucial in activating

your lats when performing your lat pull

down slow down The Eccentric to really

feel your lats engage this increases the

time on the tension and also leads to

further growth of your lats make sure

you squeeze at the bottom of your wrap

and you really feel your lats engaging

hold the squeeze for one second if that

helps you with the Mind muscle

connection and you're not rushing your

reps you're not swinging about

everywhere I use a pronated grip so just

wider than shoulder width as this is

where I get the best contraction and

this is where I feel the strongest and

the most lat activation but you

experiment in your gym if your gym has

some grip which you feel a really good

squeeze and a really good mind muscle

connection your lats engage really well

when you use this attachment use it okay

use what's best for you there is no

right or wrong this is the attachment

which I've used and this is attachment

which has led to the most growth for me

I tend to put my thumbs over the bar as

well to help me take the tension off my

forearms so I can pull more with my lats

and yeah so lap pull down go to the

exercise always going to to give you

growth after the lap pull down I'd move

on to a rowing movement rows are

important because they bias the

thickness of your back okay they make

your back look big essentially so

typically I'd vary the exercise from

time to time I'd vary the grip from time

to time I'd experiment with different

rowing variations on my pull days all

these rowing movements will lead to

similar growth right it's just about

finding what works for you and it's

about experimenting and trying different

variations of rows I'd typically do two

rowing movements in my pole days so if

I'm doing a chest supported seated row I

do one top set heavy as I can go slow

and controlled reps getting a stretch in

at the top of the wrap and squeezing and

feeling the lat contract okay then my

backup set I do 12 to 15 reps again

focusing on keeping the tension on the

lats and not pulling with my arms

pulling with my back and then I'd wait

10 seconds or take 10 deep breaths and

then repeat using the same weight as my

back offset and my second rowing

movement whether that's a barbell row or

another chest supported row variation or

a cable row so I'll do one top set one

back offset and after my back off set I

dropped the weight by 50 and then goes

to failure and getting a stretch in on

your rows is also very important as I

mentioned before the more you get a

stretch in the more time on attention

you give to your lats and the more lat

fibers Incorporated in the movement pull

with your back and not your arms okay

this applies to any back movement this

is also a crucial piece of advice I have

to emphasize focus on pulling the weight

with your back imagine your back has its

own hands always remind yourself when

you're doing exercise okay I'm pulling

on my back focus in on your back

Contracting so here's another point that

I want to make if you are struggling

with grip if you are feeling that your

forearms are letting you down and

fatiguing too quickly and you're not

able then as a result to train your back

till failure I would recommend you use

wrist straps they will help you grow if

you're doing a Barbara row and it's

slipping and your forearms are gassing

out but you still have more left in the

tank for your back then this is

obviously going to affect your progress

and that's not something you want so get

a pair of wrist straps they'll help you

do more reps help you go heavier it will

help with isolating your lats and not

having to worry about your forearm

fatiguing obviously training till

failure you must be training till

failure you must be training hard enough

if you want to grow your lands if

they're a weak part like they are for me

if they're lagging behind your other

body parts so you have to be training

hard every set I got a question the

other day I was like should I be

training failure on this set only on

this set Bro every set you have to be

training till failure as a natural

lifter you need to be training to

failure you need to be pushing your body

to its limits every session to grow

muscle okay having said that like I said

in my last video the same logic applies

you have to be resting between sets

especially on your rowing movements if

you're training intensity with a heavy

weight you need to recover between sets

you need to wait three four minutes if

you're arresting like 30 seconds don't

wonder why you're so much weaker in your

second working set than your first you

have to let your back recover you won't

reach your potential in the next set and

therefore you won't grow so make sure

you're training hard and you're resting

properly and sufficiently between sets

finally something that I need to train

more of okay I'm not gonna lie I do not

train my traps enough but I have started

to because I realize that they are very

important for the Aesthetics of your

physique I've started incorporating

barbell shrugs after my back movements

are done I like do two sets of 10 to 15.

still failure I'll use wrist straps so

that my forearms don't fatigue and don't

tap out again slow and controlling

eccentric feeling your traps stretch and

then shrugging the weight up with your

traps not your arms and squeezing I'm

already seeing some progress in my traps

because of barbell Strokes so that's

another very good exercise which I

highly recommend you try fit into your

pool days that is how I typically go

about growing my back on my ideal pull

day as long as you're getting in a lat

pull down two rowing movements and you

know if you can't get a shrugging

movement in there's also your spinal

Erectors which is that Christmas tree a

part of your back but those get hit

indirectly through many compound

movements a lot of your training so you

don't need to worry about isolating

those I have made another back video

before I'm not the biggest fan of it but

if you want to check that out click the

link here it's basically just a

compilation of back exercises which I do

on my pull days and that's it for the

back you're almost guaranteed to see

growth as long as you're focusing on

pulling with your lats engaging your

lats not pulling with your arms slowing

controlled eccentric squeezing at the

bottom of your reps progressively

overloading training till fader all

these kind of things guys let me know if

you have any questions in the comments

let me know if you disagree agree with

anything but these are tips which I have

Incorporated it and I've seen results

from which is why I'm preaching it to

you guys don't take my word for it okay

absorb this knowledge which you receive

online and always apply it to your

training I just want to say thank you so

much for the support recently really

means a lot thank you for watching hope

you enjoyed and I hope that you found

these things helpful as always I'll be

coming out with David very soon but

until then peace