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>WLE Course #4< Building a Strong Back

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Welcome to the 4th issue of the weight lifting course

A broad back is an integral part of the perfect body. As a matter of fact, a well developed back will make your upper body appear broader and thicker more so than well developed shoulders. What’s more, a broad back helps you obtain a V-shaped torso admired by both men and women alike.

Many people often find that back muscles are often responding poorly to stimulation. This is partly due to the fact that your back muscles are amongst the most active muscles in the body, supporting it on a constant basis. As such, the muscles are accustomed to high levels of stress. In order to bypass this plateau, more stress (within healthy and doable limits) should be placed on the back. You should work your back muscles at least once a week, however twice would be better, in which case make sure its not two consecutive days.

Depending on how much time you spend at the gym, you can either create a separate day for your back or incorporate it with your Chest schedule. Since your chest muscles and your back muscles are antagonist, you can easily do both in the same day. The repletion may vary, if you are working on developing a nice sculpted back, you should do about 3 or 4 sets with 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise, however, if you wish to work on mere size, you should do 3 sets with about 4 to 6 repetitions. The following are some effective exercises that you should consider:

One of the best, and unappreciated, exercises for the back is the chin up. It is a hard exercise to perform, however when performed well the payoff is well worth it. You may wish to use a spotter for the first few times to make sure you get the technique right. To start, first extend your arms and take a wide overhand grip of the chinning bar. Inhale as you pull yourself up (this is where a spotter can help by putting their hands on your Latissimus Dorsi and pushing your body up.) Exhale as you complete your movement downwards. It is important that you control your motion and do not swing your body and legs. If this exercise initially proves to be too difficult you may wish to try the machine wide grip pull down, which is similar in effect.

Another great set of exercise are the seated rows. This group of exercises (depending on which handle you choose) works on your entire back helping you sculpt the perfect V-shaped torso. Begin by taking a seat facing the machine and place your feet against the foot steps, then lean towards the pulley. Inhale as you pull the handle until it touches your lower rib cage. The key in this exercise is letting your back do the work and not your arms, so as you pull the pulley back make sure that your elbows travel as backward as possible. Now exhale as you complete your exercise, and start the cycle again.

A third exercise that should be introduced is the straight arm lat pulldown. This exercise puts emphasis on your Latissimus Dorsi, the muscles at the lower back. First, equip the pulley machine with a wide grip handle. Stand facing the pulley with your arms parallel to the floor while holding the wide grip handle. With your arms locked in a straight manner, pull down the bar all the way towards your abdomen (Inhale during this process). Now, exhale as you raise the bar back up.

Try performing the above exercises, as always in a controlled manner, and with a weight high enough to be difficult on the last 1 or 2 repetitions.

More back workouts you will find at the 9th chapter of "Simple Steps to Get Huge and Shredded" by Shawn LeBrun. Get his book by clicking the link bellow:

=> www.ShawnLebrunFitness.com <=

>> Next: WLE Course #5: Super-Size Your Legs

All Parts:

- Weight Lifting Course: WLE Course Part One

- WLE Course #2: Basic rules Everyone Should Know

- WLE Course #3: Building an Impressive Chest

- WLE Course #4: Building a Strong Back

- WLE Course #5: Super-Size Your Legs

- WLE Course #6: Pump Up Your Biceps

- WLE Course #7: Build Up Your Triceps

- WLE Course #8: Maximizing Your Shoulders

- WLE Course #9: Solid Abdominals

- WLE Course #10: The Next Step