Mind Muscle connection..."Back"

serbmarko · 11-03-2005, 06:39 PM

Sup Dungeon,

Well I have been training for approx 6 yrs now, started at 18 yrs old and so on.. the one thing I have learned over the years is the importance of mind/mucle connection.

Lots of People say the connection comes naturally but im gonna tell you it doesnt, it take years of experience with lifting and experimenting.

When you have full mind muscle connection you will definetely know it.. nothing in the gym bothers your or distacts you, your mind is funny focused on that specific targeted muscle. and let me tell you its the greatest feeling in the world. Like Arnold once said its like "cumming". lol

Anyways the point of this thread is this.. I found over the years that my concetration level has gotten alot better and im hitting the muscle much much better.. But I have a problem with feeling the pain in my back.......!!!!!! I have a good back but I feel that the full potential of its growth is not quite there...

I have no issues with other muscles.. really feeling the burn and really feeling the muscle recover and grow during the week and so on.. But the back seems to be a Bitch... these are the things ive tried to make it better

1.used straps "didnt like them"
2.imagine your hands as fish hooks.. "this works wonders" and takes all the tension off the forearm and focuses on the specific movement.
3.went from cables to only free weights "this is good, but i find you need a mix of both in your routine"
4.super-sets between lats and thickness of the back.. example.. cable pull down then cable rows "this was ok but didnt really work as well as I thought"

anyways these are just a few things have Ive tried to hit the Back muscle better..

Id like to know if some of you also find the back the hardest to hit or feel while training.. any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.. Thanks :emot-wayc

vdawg · 11-03-2005, 07:29 PM

my back and chest is killing me from yesterdays workout. i woke up this morning and realize im gonna take today off cuz im sore as hell. i was completely focused during it which made all the difference

**fahad** · 11-03-2005, 09:17 PM

whenever am doing any back exersice i make sure 2 fell the strech and squeaze my back as hard as i can....

Diesel · 11-03-2005, 09:17 PM

yea i think the back is pretty tough to feel back when training. im fine with mind/muscle connection now, but when i was just getting used to it, it was rough. what i would go by is if my biceps got a pump, then i knew i wasnt using my back. over the years i can feel it when training but i dont get that pump, which i dont think many people do. i normally feel it the most later that night, after my back session. i just have the "weak" feeling throughout my entire back and i know i had a good day.

serbmarko · 11-03-2005, 09:34 PM

Diesel i hear you man.. the back isnt a muscle that your gonna get an instant pump from.. but that woudl be cool...

Diesel · 11-03-2005, 10:03 PM

i do in my lats sometimes, depending on what bar i use and reps

**fahad** · 11-03-2005, 10:48 PM

hey do u think that bent over barbell shrugs will help u 2 get a better muscle minde connection and it will isolat your back....i have never seen some 1 does it but am thinking like basicly instead of doing bent over barbell rows turn it into a shrug movment...wut u think...

vdawg · 11-04-2005, 12:30 AM

lay down chest first on an incline bench and grab a pair of DB's that are heavy enough and keeping your feet flat on te floor, let the DBs hang and then just shrug. it will the upper back and traps like crazy. it works really well

seekinfo · 11-04-2005, 05:33 AM

a good way to develop laser like focus in your back is to stretch between sets, after workouts, even on rest days

Rocky · 11-04-2005, 06:08 AM

I really find I can get a good feeling in my back when doing bent over rows, by really arching my back and letting the weight hang, even dropping my shoulders a little bit, then when I'm bringing the bar up, keeping my arms straight for as long as poss so that it's just the lats pulling the bar, then using my arms to get the bar up to my waist, but focussing the feel into my lats. Can really feel your back doing the work! Even in pulldowns I stretch right out and leave my arms straight whjen pulling the weight for as long as poss to start the focus on the weight being pulled by my lats not my arms!

serbmarko · 11-04-2005, 08:25 AM

what you guys suggest is good.. Fahad I dont have an issue with my upper back.. my upper back and traps are my best body part.. im mainly talking about the lower and middle part.. the exersice you suggested wouldnt hit the middle of the back IMO

**fahad** · 11-04-2005, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serbmarko

what you guys suggest is good.. Fahad I dont have an issue with my upper back.. my upper back and traps are my best body part.. im mainly talking about the lower and middle part.. the exersice you suggested wouldnt hit the middle of the back IMO

well am not the 1 who suggested that incline db shrugs for upper back and traps....i was only saying that may b bent over barbell shrugs could isolate the lats and middle back...espacailly with am overhand wide grip...wut do u think?

**fahad** · 11-04-2005, 09:13 AM

oh and here r some facts:

BACK
Latissimus Dorsi % iEMG MAX
Bent over barbell rows 93
One arm dumbell rows 91
T-bar rows 89
Lat pulldowns (front) 86
Seated pulley rows 83