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Operator
06-02-12, 12:22 am
So lately I have been focusing on my back more. I have always loved doing back, but I never had big traps and no matter how hard a worked my upper back it never seemed to get thicker. Then I noticed the rhomboids, and focused more on rows and my form on those. And then I noticed on a couple of pictures of Evan or Frank on the internet, or any other big body builders, that it seems their traps and rhomboids connect and morph into each other? So my question is, do I just need to work my rhomb's and trap's more and keep waiting for them to grow into place? or am I missing something? or is it just genetics that I dont have big traps? I have decent lats, just need help on upper back.

mcbeast
06-02-12, 2:04 am
Would need pics to see exactly what your weak area is, but here's some tips anyway

-Train Back 2x a week
-Deadlifts, especially for reps will force growth
-try snatch grip rack pulls
-do different variations of shrugs,remember straight up & down. Do not roll your shoulders. Try behind the back smith shrugs.
-Do cleans, or other oly movemebts. Get the form down & do em for some reps
-remember your rows & pulldowns
-do BAND PULL APARTS, lots and lots of
-Bring your lateral raises & front raises above paralell

Just jumbled thoughts! I LOVE training upper back.

Rambo Moe
06-02-12, 9:03 am
So lately I have been focusing on my back more. I have always loved doing back, but I never had big traps and no matter how hard a worked my upper back it never seemed to get thicker. Then I noticed the rhomboids, and focused more on rows and my form on those. And then I noticed on a couple of pictures of Evan or Frank on the internet, or any other big body builders, that it seems their traps and rhomboids connect and morph into each other? So my question is, do I just need to work my rhomb's and trap's more and keep waiting for them to grow into place? or am I missing something? or is it just genetics that I dont have big traps? I have decent lats, just need help on upper back.

I've recently started to focus on my upper back more as well. On your seated rows try emphasizing the pulling motion a bit more above the sternum and really squeeze your shoulder blades together, then superset with some shrugs. Boom. Same thing with your lat pull downs, keep your form tight and bring the bar all the way to the chest and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Do this right and the rhomboids should be nice and sore for a couple days.

Ady
06-02-12, 4:43 pm
Band pull aparts are amazing at the end of a workout build up until you can go black with no latex for reps

TigerAce01
06-02-12, 5:03 pm
I always love Snatch variations...Snatch pulls, Snatch high pulls, Snatch grip deads...anything with a Snatch grip (including the Snatch itself) will build your upper back quickly.

-Ace

Solid Dreams
06-02-12, 5:15 pm
Do wide grip cable rows like DY does.

Joe J
06-03-12, 10:43 am
Do wide grip cable rows like DY does.

Yep, I do these every single workout. I definitely wouldn't advise training back twice a week, in my opinion that will hinder your goals to develop your upper back. You could have a go at some of DY's high intensity back workouts and see how you like it. The man had the best back ever seen, he must have been doing something right.

C.Coronato
06-04-12, 3:01 pm
Band pull aparts are amazing at the end of a workout build up until you can go black with no latex for reps

I have heard this as well. Great movement to fill out those missing fibers.

Big Wides
06-04-12, 4:50 pm
-do cleans, or other oly movemebts. Get the form down & do em for some reps


bingo

pushin weight
06-05-12, 2:16 pm
So lately I have been focusing on my back more. I have always loved doing back, but I never had big traps and no matter how hard a worked my upper back it never seemed to get thicker. Then I noticed the rhomboids, and focused more on rows and my form on those. And then I noticed on a couple of pictures of Evan or Frank on the internet, or any other big body builders, that it seems their traps and rhomboids connect and morph into each other? So my question is, do I just need to work my rhomb's and trap's more and keep waiting for them to grow into place? or am I missing something? or is it just genetics that I dont have big traps? I have decent lats, just need help on upper back.

Eat more food...")

ctgblue
06-05-12, 4:59 pm
My assumption is you are talking about the connection of the traps to the middle back rhomboid area as I have circled on my picture.
I am not the biggest guy, but I busted my ass to get traps. The rhomboid area development came from a back problem I've had since a kid. My chiropracter told me an exercise to do for this area.
Incline shrugs.
Now, since most people cannot do the dumbbell incline shrugs without activating the main trap area, I'll give you a better version.
The object of the movement is to isolate JUST those muscles, so compound movment won't work, you need to focus on midback only, and it needs to be at the end of the workout, because it'll waste your back.
Sit on a row MACHINE. The pin loaded kind with the pad in your chest. Pull the pad out all the way, you should not be able to reach the handles without satanding up and reaching for them.
Take hold of the handles with a moderate weight at first, I use 100lbs (remember, your back is done already)
Sit down and your arms are completely stretched out in front of your. Now, focus on pulling back and down with JUST your mid back, trying to touch your shoulder blades together at the bottom.
Your arms should never bend.
With a mid weight, like 100lbs, I'll do sets of 40-50, 2 or 3 if I can.
the next week, I'll use almost twice the weight and shoot for sets of 10-12, 5 or 6 if I can.
This is what it took for me, and it worked, no chiropracter for 5 yearsd and I have muscle in a place that had none that showed.

For traps, deads and cleans did not do it. I was pulling 500+ from the floor and 700+ from the rack and they got strong but did not grow, I had to do shrugs. I had to do stupid heavy shrugs.
I gave shrugs their own day for 6 month to get some decent traps. BB shrugs, DB shrugs, farmers walk finisher

good luck


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