What Would Happen if You Ate Three Eggs a Day?

 

It's not a given that just because you spend a "back" day in the gym that you'll develop a great back. Without without realizing it, you can be committing numerous errors. Here are the most frequent errors that men make when working their backs in the gym.

And before you proclaim yourself a true bodybuilder, you should probably read them.

1. You think of your back as one muscle.

Your back is actually a collection of muscles that cooperate to let you perform pulling motions, but the Latissimus dorsi, or wide back muscles, handle the majority of the effort.

Along with your back, you should focus on your upper and lower trapezius, rhomboids, rear delts, teres major and minor, and erector spinae while exercising your back (spinal erectors).

Even though many of these muscles are engaged simultaneously during each exercise, you may always narrow the focus to a particular region, such the upper lats. Simply change the grip or switch to an overhand grip in place of the reverse grip.

In this way, back exercise is similar to chest exercise in that you should employ various angles and activities to specifically target one or more muscle groups.

2. You begin your workout by working your lower back.

It's important to maintain the spine's natural curve when performing a variety of free weight workouts, particularly when using barbells to lift high weights.

By doing this, you can avoid arching your lower back while exercising. When your spine is rounded, you are more susceptible to disk problems, which can render any weightlifter off the saddle unconscious.

The muscles in your lower back support and maintain your upright posture. The muscles in your lower back must be limber and strong when you move big objects.

Their isometric contraction stabilizes the intervertebral discs and retains the lower back in a straight position. To avoid overusing your lower back muscles at the start of your workout, aim to avoid doing so. Good mornings and hyperextensions should be saved for the end of your back workout.

3. You give up motion range to save weight

Always attempt to perform the exercise over your entire range of motion. To achieve this, pull back as far as you can while simultaneously fully extending your arms in front of you.

The issue is that employing too much weight often results in a reduction in range of motion at both ends of the motion, especially when pulling (or the positive part of the repetition).

While performing bench presses, you may be careful not to limit the movement, although many athletes do so when performing pulling movements with too much weight.

When performing exercises like dumbbell or barbell rows, extend the elbows as far from the torso as you can. Draw back while consciously bringing the blades together, and then let the weight pull your hands all the way out to the sides.

Using a weight that enables this kind of controlled movement is obviously a good idea.

4. When performing pulldowns or pullups, you permit your body to go forward or backward.

Almost every exercise involves some level of minimal cheating. However, because cheating when doing back workouts can harm your spine, you should exercise caution.

Additionally, the issue extends beyond the spine impact. When you move backward or forward, you use momentum, which robs the targeted muscle of its growth-stimulating properties.

When performing pull ups, pull downs, or barbell rows, keep your forward and backward movement to a minimum. If less weight is required, do so. By doing so, you can safeguard your spine and keep your lower back muscles in good condition for your other back exercises.

5. You avoid utilizing weightlifting straps

Some weightlifters shy away from utilizing weightlifting straps out of concern that they will weaken their forearm muscles and impair grip strength. Although this assertion is true, there is no need to quit using straps altogether.

Usually, your grip gives out before the powerful back muscles. This is why adding straps to your sets of heavier weight can enable you to complete a few more reps.

Only use the weightlifting straps during your heaviest sets, when your back muscles are most likely to give out before your forearms and hands.

6. You turn to face the mirror and lift your head.

This is particularly incorrect when performing workouts like barbell and dumbbell rows. Just consider how raising your head disrupts the normal curvature of your spine.

Your spine is put under a lot of pressure as you simultaneously grasp a large barbell in your hands. Because of the risk of injury, the least you want right now is for your spine to be in an abnormal position.

Don't be tempted to check yourself out in the mirror. Stay safe by keeping your head in line with your torso.

7. Training your back comes after your biceps

Back and bicep exercises are frequently combined into one session. However, starting the workout by working the biceps is a grave error. This is due to the fact that every compound movement you perform uses your arms.

The energy in your arms will be completely depleted if you hit your biceps before your back. Additionally, your arms will be fatigued from working out, so when you start training your back, you won't have the strength to lift heavy objects.

Make sure you train your back just as intensely as your front, if not more so. Don't let the proverb "out of sight, out of mind" apply to your back in a depressing way.