Splitting up back training

[shawnkarbabacz]

Im curious how many of you guys split your back training into 2 days, such as width one session and thickness another.

My current routine is pretty basic and has me hitting every muscle group, save calves which is more frequent, once a week. Im planning on splitting my back work though into 2 days. One day for width and one for thickness. Im doing this because my lower back, which has a herniated disc, is finally feeling (and ive given it ALOT of time so im not rushing it) well enough to start doing deads again. However, id like to keep them to a day i can give max energy to them, so i plan on splitting it like this-

Day 1- width - wide grip PU's, close grip PD's, Dumbell rows (i preform this only slightly bent as i feel this hits my lats more then middle back like bent over BB rows do)
I also do biceps on width day


Day 2- Thickness and traps - Rack deads (for safety reasons till i get back in the swing of them more) Bent over BB rows, T-bar row (a personal favorite) Shrugs (DB or BB)

For my overall development, i think my back has decent thickness, but im lacking in traps. Also, ive got, again for my development, ok width it seems but i feel the 'top' of my lats could widen out more to give my lat spread a better look, which is why i want to focus hard on wide grip PU's this yr.

Does this sound solid, or more like a slightly overzealous newb whos gonna overtrain himself to death?

 

[shawnkarbabacz]

Also, im giving myself 3 days rest between width and thickness days....

 

[thebrick]

Personally, I think its a bad idea to spit it up. My theory is its impossible to get wide without getting thick and if you make those back muscles grow and get thick, you are going to be as wide as your genetics allow (lat insertions). Many of the exercises I do for back I feel are actually hitting many muscles in the back. For example, when I do a heavy dumbell row, I feel it in my rhomboids AND lats, even my traps. Same with t-bars etc. Its hard to isolate those individual muscles for me. My advice is blast your back with serious weight, walk away, then let it repair and grow. JMO

 

[Shelby]

Another option would be to train alternate back workouts like this:

workout A: emphasis on back thickness, with supplementary back width exercises

workout B: emphasis on back width, with supplementary back thickness exercises


Frequency would be dictated by intensity and volume, as well as your personal recovery level.

 

[doug1]

Personally, I think its a bad idea to spit it up. My theory is its impossible to get wide without getting thick and if you make those back muscles grow and get thick, you are going to be as wide as your genetics allow (lat insertions). Many of the exercises I do for back I feel are actually hitting many muscles in the back. For example, when I do a heavy dumbell row, I feel it in my rhomboids AND lats, even my traps. Same with t-bars etc. Its hard to isolate those individual muscles for me. My advice is blast your back with serious weight, walk away, then let it repair and grow. JMO

agree

 

[Flexican]

Personally i leave deads for a day of its own. Width move i incorporate that works great for me is palms in wide pulls. Cheerz

 

[shawnkarbabacz]

Personally i leave deads for a day of its own. Width move i incorporate that works great for me is palms in wide pulls. Cheerz

That is pretty much what i was going for . I thought that the 2 day a week back attack might be too much, but i hate trying to do deads, which at least for me totally zaps my energy, AND the rest of my back rountine. I feel i short change myself either on the deads or other excercises when i do them in the same session :/

 

[triathloncoach]

Back

I start every workout (6 per week) with 2 sets of bw dips, chins and push ups. My back workout is Power Cleans, DL and bent over rows.

 

[ScottMcD1]

That is pretty much what i was going for . I thought that the 2 day a week back attack might be too much, but i hate trying to do deads, which at least for me totally zaps my energy, AND the rest of my back rountine. I feel i short change myself either on the deads or other excercises when i do them in the same session :/

Try doing your deads last... it will feel weak and difficult at first but you'll be able to attack the rest of your session much harder knowing that once you are done presumably the hardest lift you can go home.