Trying to bring my back up

[maldorf]

You've done barbell rows with 585 for reps? Because Coleman's top set was 495 for 8 in the 'The Unbelievable.'

We have this machine and I can only fit 4 plates a side on it, its hammer strength. Ive never seen one that can hold that many plates on a side. Maybe it is another brand you use? I wish ours could hold more. I used to do bentover barbell rows but my low back is now ruined and I cant do it. Here is a picture of the one we have.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/303233348727


**broken link removed**

 

[Elvia1023]

We have this machine and I can only fit 4 plates a side on it, its hammer strength. Ive never seen one that can hold that many plates on a side. Maybe it is another brand you use? I wish ours could hold more. I used to do bentover barbell rows but my low back is now ruined and I cant do it. Here is a picture of the one we have.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/303233348727


**broken link removed**

I sometimes write hammer strength but by that I literally mean plate loaded. Most plate loaded back row machines can hold atleast 5 plates. Some can hold 6 plates (sterling and technogym for example). The plates you use can have a massive effect as well. An example the old school technogym 20kg plates are tiny/thin so you can use them to good effect (7 plates). Guys can also use extenders on machines allowing more plates. I have even seen some guys hold plates on top of the other plates as the guy reps out

 

[Mike Hunt]

im an old fuck so most ppl might not agree, but i feel basic heavy movements are key. i dont do anything on machines for back, just warm ups, but once my working sets start its:

pull ups--must be weighted for me
bent rows
partial deads
full deads
tbar rows

those are the meat and potato exercises for me, if you do this with correct form and go heavy, there is NO way you will not grow unless you have aids.

 

[maldorf]

I sometimes write hammer strength but by that I literally mean plate loaded. Most plate loaded back row machines can hold atleast 5 plates. Some can hold 6 plates (sterling and technogym for example). The plates you use can have a massive effect as well. An example the old school technogym 20kg plates are tiny/thin so you can use them to good effect (7 plates). Guys can also use extenders on machines allowing more plates. I have even seen some guys hold plates on top of the other plates as the guy reps out

Yeah, I forgot that the dang plates at this gym are rubberized and so take up way too much space. There are some regular metal plates in the back I could carry up but it is a long long walk. RIght now I don't need more than the 4 plates, but might if I continue to put some strength back on.

I still have an extra long pin I used to use for the leg extension stack, put on a 45 lb plates. They gym doesn't have those extenders, but that would be nice. I cant think of any other way of adding more weight. Wish I could just do the barbell rows like I used to. Before the heart attack I would work out with like 365 lbs for about 12 reps.

 

[Elvia1023]

Yeah, I forgot that the dang plates at this gym are rubberized and so take up way too much space. There are some regular metal plates in the back I could carry up but it is a long long walk. RIght now I don't need more than the 4 plates, but might if I continue to put some strength back on.

I still have an extra long pin I used to use for the leg extension stack, put on a 45 lb plates. They gym doesn't have those extenders, but that would be nice. I cant think of any other way of adding more weight. Wish I could just do the barbell rows like I used to. Before the heart attack I would work out with like 365 lbs for about 12 reps.

4 plates is very low in regards to fitting on a machine but in terms of weight it's still a lot. Obviously you don't want to be pushing it too much with your heart anyway. I love pushing the weight but if someone told me I could only do 4 pps max for whatever reason I wouldn't be too bothered. They key is just making those 4pps feel as heavy as possible. I am not sure how that machine is but on my sterling one 3pps is heavy and 4pps is very heavy. On a TG machine 4pps feel like 3 on the Sterling. On the sterling chest press 2pps feels like 4 on other machines

Yesterday I was doing unilateral reps for back but the opposing arm is always under tension so no arm gets a break. I would do 5 reps each then 3 each then 5 reps with both arms. Plus I was incorporating holds and slow negatives so you can make 3 or 4 pps as hard as possible. I like unilateral reps as I can really dig my elbows into my sides. I do the same for pulldowns at times as well. A long bar but I pull down with one side at a time so half the bar comes down and I squeeze as hard as possible into my side. I rotate to the other side and I finish with both arms together sometimes as well. Obviously I do standard sets but I do like mixing in unilateral training especially for weaker body parts. I have brought my back and legs up doing it like this. Although some days it's good training back like Branch Warren and just destroying yourself with no real thought other than pushing the weight as high as possible

 

[FK86]

Although you will never see me go for 1 rep maxes and I tend to stick to 6+ reps. It doesn't impress me when I see guys lift heavy things. Well in a strength to weight ratio it can do but watching someone who is 30% bodyfat bench press a weight a few inches has never interested me.

I'm the same way. Strong for reps is a more accurate description. It's why I went down the bodybuilding path as far as structuring my workouts. I was thinking about progressive overload before I even knew it was a concept. I won't go below six either and actually just finished five months of strictly 12-20. I don't want to derail the thread from the OP, so this will be my last comment on strength, but someone like Doug Miller is a beast doing 30+ reps on deadlifts and that will always impress me more than a one rep max.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwFLIA6wTLE

 

[jeroendebleser]

Use straps.

The single best advice for back training imo. I also always advise people to use straps for back and trap work.

 

[jeroendebleser]

This is also key. I have a wide back but also a wide waist so it makes my back look much narrower. Guys who don't control their waist growth as they get bigger will always have issues unless they have amazing genetics for back/lat development. So if you want to look as wide as possible make sure you keep your waist tight. I would also destroy side and rear delts as well as they makes a massive difference.

One guy who has made very good back progress recently is Andrei Deiu and the most I see him barbell row is 1.5 plates per side. Hany Rambod has taught him the importance of mind muscle connection and quality over quantity. Now I am not stating don't push the weights as you should be getting as strong as possible if you want thick dense back muscle but don't think strength is everything as it couldn't be further from the truth.

Lee Haney had an awesome back and he supposedly trained very, very light. Like 185 lbs barbell rows.

I'm completely with Scott Abel on that it's how much tension the muscle is under that matters for hypertrophy, NOT how much weight you are using.

I used to think heavy weights and constantly beating your previous weights were the be all end all of hypertrophy training (that's still what a lot of people are saying to this day) but that turned out to be a way too simplistic view of the matter.