When all is even in bodybuilding contests, the man with the best back usually takes home the trophy. The back is perhaps the most overlooked part of the body, missing from most of the poses we secretly strike in the mirror every day (or hourly). Also, back training is difficult to plan. The back offers two distinct visual impressions: thickness and width, each requiring a fair amount of play to fully train these areas. Therefore, many trainers have begun to divide the back muscles into two groups, each group trained once a week, 2-3 days apart. Let’s take a look at a sample back split.
Back width (cable day)
In the read front and side poses, a narrow back (underdeveloped dorsal muscles) will definitely cost you points with the judges. To make sure this doesn’t cost you any show, she tries devoting an entire day in the gym to back width using cables and machines to emphasize the downward movement. This can include lat pulldowns, cable rows, pull-ups, and the wide variety of machines designed to isolate the outer lats and contribute to back width. Spreading those “wings” on this day is also imperative to ensure that oxygen and protein-rich blood can reach every corner of your back muscles. Train slow and methodical, making the pump the goal.
Back thickness (weight day)
This is the day you get dirty. Wear a belt, bring your chalk, and wear your work boots. Today you lift the bar and move some weight. Today is the day you train to increase back girth and general central nervous system (CNS) stimulation for overall body growth. This is the day where you will find exercises like heavy deadlifts, dumbbell rows, and barbell rows. This day should be short, heavy and intense, since today you have already completed the “bodybuilder” movements in the width of your back. Today is back thickness day, and you need to train hard and heavy in the style of a powerlifter.
Play around with the exercises and arrangements to find an exercise split that fits your schedule and best addresses your weaknesses. On the rare occasions when your back is the best part of your body, it would be wise to keep your entire back in one day and use a split day to focus on one area like the arms or legs. However, if your back needs a boost, try split back days to see if it helps you improve both width and girth.
