6 Week Lower Back Routine
The Lower Back region is an area many overlook. I can't emphasize what a mistake
this is! Improving and strengthening the lower back, will not only increase all of your
other back lifts, but also many other lifts for various body parts! Also, direct lower
back work will prevent injuries and accidents. The lower back and abs work
together, which is why I recommend training abs on back day. I'll usually combine
lower back and abs after my back workout to ensure maximum gains. This is the setup
and exercises you will use for the lower back. Train with these after completing
the day's back workout:
Workout 1:
Good Mornings- 3 sets with a rep range of 10-12 reps.
Workout 2: Weighted Back extensions - 3 sets, rep range of 6-8, immediately after
failure set the weight down, and perform reps with just your body weight.
Workout 3: Back Extensions - for reps- 3 sets, perform reps to failure. Dead lifts hit
the lower back hard, so no weighted work is needed.
Workout 4: Good Mornings - 3 sets with a rep range of 10-12 reps.
Workout 5: Back Extensions - 3 sets for reps.
Workout 6: Back Extensions - 3 sets for reps.
Building the Ultimate Back: The Workout
Workout 1: During workout one, we are going to be concentrating on thickening the
back, for maximum size, and density.
Phase 1: Barbell Rows (4 sets)
Barbell rows are an awesome back thickener, as well as a very painful exercise! I
recommend one
warm-up set. Warm-up with a light weight and really concentrate on feeling the
back muscles working, and pulling the weight. This will better aid in proper technique
for the rest of the sets.On this exercise we will be utilizing the strip set principle, to
work the back through it's full range of motion, and to beat the back muscles into
total submission. Again proper technique is essential, as you will not be using collars.
Taking the collars on and off will only waste precious time. Load the bar up with
enough weight so that you come to failure between 8-9 reps. Now as soon
as failure is reached, re-rack the bar, strip some of the weight( 15-25 percent is a
good standard ), and proceed again.
Continue this technique until the burn becomes unbearable. I'm not going to give a
dead set number to strive for, because everyone has his or her own levels of
conditioning. (Personally, I can usually get 4 strips per set.) I would recommend
loading the bar with smaller plates, so that you can strip just enough weight to force
out 4-6 additional reps per strip.
Note:
Again, if you are a beginner then one strip can do the trick, and four is usually
the maximum. You also might vary. Set one strip it 4 times, set two strip it 3 and so
on.
Phase 2 T-bar Dead lifts (3 sets) ( reps - 10, 8, 6 ) Dead lifts are perhaps the
ultimate-overall back builder. They are a compound movement, involving the whole
body, with most of the emphasis being on the lower and upper back. This variation
of the dead lift is one of my favorites, and will provide a great pump!
I like to pyramid up for these, in a rep scheme of 10-8-6. Meaning in the first set I'm
failing at 10 reps, then 8 for the second, and finally 6 for the third and final set. The technique is the same as a
dead lift, except you will be using a T-Bar instead of a barbell. I prefer a midland
grip position, with my feet centered in the middle of the foot pads (this may be
different for you, place your feet where you are most comfortable, and can lift the
weight in a smooth, controlled fashion). Keeping your head
up throughout the set, lift the bar up, pulling with your lower back. As you reach half
way up in the range of motion, begin transferring the weight to your upper back until
you are standing straight up. That is one complete rep.
I prefer to not set the bar down after each rep (explanation coming later), to keep
constant tension on the back muscles. This means coming as close to setting the bar
down as you can (the lower the better), then right before touching pull up again for
the next rep. However, for this particular lift the choice is yours.
Phase 3: Incline Bench Isolation rows (3 sets).
On this exercises we will be utilizing the drop set principle, to keep the burn going.
As your row up, squeeze the back muscles hard at the top for a maximum
contraction. Once you have dropped to a lighter weight, heavily emphasize static
contraction on the last rep to add tons of new thickness! So reach failure in the 10
repetition range and strip to a weight you can lift for a total of 6 reps. On set two
perform 8 reps and strip down to a weight you can lift 6 times. On the last set
perform a set of 6 reps, followed by a strip that allows you to get 6 reps again.
Phase 4: Wide-Grip Lat pull-downs (3 sets).
Finally, top the workout off with wide-grip lat pull downs. Use the Static strip set
principle to fry the outer lats!So on set one reach failure in the 10 repetition range,
strip the weight by 25 percent and hold it in a state of peak
contraction for 15-30 total seconds! Repeat for the following two sets, except
pyramid down to 8 reps and finally
6.
That's it for workout one, slug down your post-workout shake and prepare for
extreme soreness.
The Lower Back region is an area many overlook. I can't emphasize what a mistake
this is! Improving and strengthening the lower back, will not only increase all of your
other back lifts, but also many other lifts for various body parts! Also, direct lower
back work will prevent injuries and accidents. The lower back and abs work
together, which is why I recommend training abs on back day. I'll usually combine
lower back and abs after my back workout to ensure maximum gains. This is the setup
and exercises you will use for the lower back. Train with these after completing
the day's back workout:
Workout 1:
Good Mornings- 3 sets with a rep range of 10-12 reps.
Workout 2: Weighted Back extensions - 3 sets, rep range of 6-8, immediately after
failure set the weight down, and perform reps with just your body weight.
Workout 3: Back Extensions - for reps- 3 sets, perform reps to failure. Dead lifts hit
the lower back hard, so no weighted work is needed.
Workout 4: Good Mornings - 3 sets with a rep range of 10-12 reps.
Workout 5: Back Extensions - 3 sets for reps.
Workout 6: Back Extensions - 3 sets for reps.
Building the Ultimate Back: The Workout
Workout 1: During workout one, we are going to be concentrating on thickening the
back, for maximum size, and density.
Phase 1: Barbell Rows (4 sets)
Barbell rows are an awesome back thickener, as well as a very painful exercise! I
recommend one
warm-up set. Warm-up with a light weight and really concentrate on feeling the
back muscles working, and pulling the weight. This will better aid in proper technique
for the rest of the sets.On this exercise we will be utilizing the strip set principle, to
work the back through it's full range of motion, and to beat the back muscles into
total submission. Again proper technique is essential, as you will not be using collars.
Taking the collars on and off will only waste precious time. Load the bar up with
enough weight so that you come to failure between 8-9 reps. Now as soon
as failure is reached, re-rack the bar, strip some of the weight( 15-25 percent is a
good standard ), and proceed again.
Continue this technique until the burn becomes unbearable. I'm not going to give a
dead set number to strive for, because everyone has his or her own levels of
conditioning. (Personally, I can usually get 4 strips per set.) I would recommend
loading the bar with smaller plates, so that you can strip just enough weight to force
out 4-6 additional reps per strip.
Note:
Again, if you are a beginner then one strip can do the trick, and four is usually
the maximum. You also might vary. Set one strip it 4 times, set two strip it 3 and so
on.
Phase 2 T-bar Dead lifts (3 sets) ( reps - 10, 8, 6 ) Dead lifts are perhaps the
ultimate-overall back builder. They are a compound movement, involving the whole
body, with most of the emphasis being on the lower and upper back. This variation
of the dead lift is one of my favorites, and will provide a great pump!
I like to pyramid up for these, in a rep scheme of 10-8-6. Meaning in the first set I'm
failing at 10 reps, then 8 for the second, and finally 6 for the third and final set. The technique is the same as a
dead lift, except you will be using a T-Bar instead of a barbell. I prefer a midland
grip position, with my feet centered in the middle of the foot pads (this may be
different for you, place your feet where you are most comfortable, and can lift the
weight in a smooth, controlled fashion). Keeping your head
up throughout the set, lift the bar up, pulling with your lower back. As you reach half
way up in the range of motion, begin transferring the weight to your upper back until
you are standing straight up. That is one complete rep.
I prefer to not set the bar down after each rep (explanation coming later), to keep
constant tension on the back muscles. This means coming as close to setting the bar
down as you can (the lower the better), then right before touching pull up again for
the next rep. However, for this particular lift the choice is yours.
Phase 3: Incline Bench Isolation rows (3 sets).
On this exercises we will be utilizing the drop set principle, to keep the burn going.
As your row up, squeeze the back muscles hard at the top for a maximum
contraction. Once you have dropped to a lighter weight, heavily emphasize static
contraction on the last rep to add tons of new thickness! So reach failure in the 10
repetition range and strip to a weight you can lift for a total of 6 reps. On set two
perform 8 reps and strip down to a weight you can lift 6 times. On the last set
perform a set of 6 reps, followed by a strip that allows you to get 6 reps again.
Phase 4: Wide-Grip Lat pull-downs (3 sets).
Finally, top the workout off with wide-grip lat pull downs. Use the Static strip set
principle to fry the outer lats!So on set one reach failure in the 10 repetition range,
strip the weight by 25 percent and hold it in a state of peak
contraction for 15-30 total seconds! Repeat for the following two sets, except
pyramid down to 8 reps and finally
6.
That's it for workout one, slug down your post-workout shake and prepare for
extreme soreness.
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