Building the back v taper

whiterain

New member
For those of you who have competed and had to improve how you looked from the back, what exercises did you focus on and at what frequency?

obviously lat pull downs and rows. But what else?

looking at how Bumstead improved his back this year really has me wanting to work on that part of my physique.
 
I’m not a competitor but a staple in my back routine has always been wide grip chin ups- body weight or weighted. My v taper is good and prob one of my best features. Once a week back day. Bent over rows as well for development
 
My lat width is my best feature by far. I’m a big fan of variety. I pick one heavy lat pull exercise each back day. I typically rotate rack chins, cable pull downs, pull ups, iso hammer strength lat pull downs.
 
I wish I could find a gym with a Nautilus pullover machine.

Gym I went to in high school had one and at the time I didn’t realize what a rare piece of equipment it is.

Mind you right now I’d take a gym that is open. 🤦‍♂️
 
I had to figure out which movements we not producing gains and ditch them in order to progress. Because my shoulders are rounded forward from heavy bench, i found that eventually that heavy lat pulldowns were doing next to nothing for me. I can pull the stack on them with no problem but the are not effective due to my fucked up body mechanics.
Deadlifts has always been a good movement for my overall development. I noticed that times when i ditch them for a few months i notice a negative change
 
My back day is pull ups , bent over barbell rows ,dumbell rows ,pullovers and deads .. all heavy .
 
V taper is much different then back thickness. V taper is built by wide shoulders, big rear delts and tight abs and midsection. Heavy row work does nothing for v taper imo. Posture is a big thing too. My shoulders are rolled forward so it doesn't help. I have little to no v taper but my back is my strongest. Aldo stop doing them stupid side crunches.. all thats doing is building your waist strong and wide like a powerlifter.
 
For those of you who have competed and had to improve how you looked from the back, what exercises did you focus on and at what frequency?

obviously lat pull downs and rows. But what else?

looking at how Bumstead improved his back this year really has me wanting to work on that part of my physique.
Chins chins and more chins, you want thickness deadlifts and seated rows. Use variations when you get bored. Simple is good
 
V taper is much different then back thickness. V taper is built by wide shoulders, big rear delts and tight abs and midsection. Heavy row work does nothing for v taper imo. Posture is a big thing too. My shoulders are rolled forward so it doesn't help. I have little to no v taper but my back is my strongest. Aldo stop doing them stupid side crunches.. all thats doing is building your waist strong and wide like a powerlifter.
I like a wide strong waist :)
 
Likely against what most beleive but for myself I have found seated close grip cable row and close grip land mine rows to really grow my lats. Keep my weight moderate so I can basically disengage my arms and use strictly my lats and rear delts, I stay in that contracted state the entire duration of my set and have seen better lat development using that method then pulling everything wide grip.
 
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