I'd like to throw the idea out there that CHINS are the BEST upper back exercise ever! (Feedback welcomed - but please read...)
CHINS (done the right way) are king! I LOVE 'em!
(And yes, since people keep asking, that avatar photo is my back built largely by chins).
Points to add:
1. Often I might do 12+ sets of chins only to failure or beyond, for an entire killer upper back workout! Like 20R, 15R, 12R, 10R, 8R, 5-6R, 8R, 10R, 12R, 15R and back to 20, by varying the weight added to, or subtracted from, the body using weights, or a counter weighted machine.
2. *I believe that the upper back muscles almost can not be over trained (although the nervous system from back training can quite easily!)! because the biceps give out way before the upper back muscles. So it can be bombed for 1 to 1-1/2 hours by many. Of course not every workout. I actually have yet to surpass the threshold into muscular over training with upper back. I believe the central nervous system gets beat before the back does. But I'm still testing this out in my training...
3. I believe in doing CHINS medium wide grip, absolute full range of motion, seriously arched back, head up (look at the ceiling) chest up to the bar, elbows back, pause at the top for total peak contraction, SLOWLY descending, total stretch at the bottom, using wrist straps to try to relax the arms and forearms a little to concentrate on pulling with the back.
4. I believe that most (not all) guys often don't need to worry about inner thickness nearly as much as width, and that the thickness will often come even by the use of mostly width exercises.
5. My posterior deltoids almost always will be really sore after a brutal CHIN workout, thus negating the need for much real delt isolation work.
6. I think most folks spend more effort on the front of their body then the back. And for many it should be rearranged the opposite. Priority training the Back, low back, glutes, hams, calves...
7. I think a lot of guys could benefit significantly from using a fuller range of motion and slowing it down a lot, and pausing for a second or two in the contracted position in all upper back exercises.
8. Try this... mentally RELAX from the elbow to the hand (of course don't let go...) but seriously concentrate on totally relaxing the entire area from the elbow to the hand (think of it - your forearm and hand area - as merely a cable that only serves to connect your elbow to the bar) and then, when pulling, concentrate on pulling WITH THE ELBOWS!!! Using the back, not the arms. Usually weight has to be reduced to do this effectively.
9. I think many avoid chins because of how brutal they are when done right, and because of the heaviness of their body to chin for complete reps in the necessary rep ranges. Thus the COUNTERWEIGHTED MACHINE!!!
10. I think a great back is one of the most beautiful body parts in a well developed b-builder. Lee Haney, Flex Wheeler, Ronnie, and others are some of my favorites...
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The BEST BACK exercise ever!