Rack deads for a really thick back, but where??

[The guv'nor]

I really want to work on thickening my mid and upper back as much as possible, and was wondering where do you all think is the best place to put rack dead's in a back workout to achieve this?? I'm thinking that if you do them at the end of you're workout, then you're back is forced to work much harder to continue once it's already fatigued after already working on you're back, thereby forcing the back to become thicker as a result??

Any logic to this way of thinking??

[Ken Skip Hill]

Absolutely. I recommend deads at the end of a back session for this reason.

For the veteran lifter or "older" lifter that has to be even more cautious of injury it is that much more important that you end with them.

Skip

[The guv'nor]

Thanks Skip, appreciate the feedback. Really want to pack on some serious thickness in my upper/mid back.

[Sammich]

An addendum: If you're going for strength instead of size, it's important to do your big movements first. Not only to put the most energy into the lift, but when you are fresh and not fatigued, that's when you can concentrate on form to avoid injury.

[The guv'nor]

An addendum: If you're going for strength instead of size, it's important to do your big movements first. Not only to put the most energy into the lift, but when you are fresh and not fatigued, that's when you can concentrate on form to avoid injury.

Yes, I know that Sammich. Thanks though. Atm, it's a really thick back I'm after right now, rather than strength (which is always a bonus obviously). Can't have too much strength eh. Lol.

[Sammich]

Yes, I know that Sammich. Thanks though. Atm, it's a really thick back I'm after right now, rather than strength (which is always a bonus obviously). Can't have too much strength eh. Lol.

Cool beans. I was just making sure since this was in the PL forum. If you really wanna jack up your upper back and traps, check out Dante's tweak on rack deads he put up in the "sometimes for back thickness" thread:

Alot of young guys worry bout traps (im starting at the top of the body)

Im going to give you some big freaking traps here...so large that over time you might pause and think....Christ these are getting a little too large and I need to cut back on things here (thats not a bad place to be)....I ABSOLUTELY GUARENTEE YOU THIS THOUGH...YOU WILL GET A RESPONSE HERE WITH THIS AND IT WILL EQUAL BIGTIME TRAPS

Put these on back day if your traps are subpar.

Its a tweak of rack deadlifts.

a) in a rack
b) put safeties at right below kneecaps if you can (or lower)
c) put bar holders at a notch somewhere above safeties (why? so you can grab the bar before your first rep and SAFELY TAKE A FEW SMALL STEPS BACKWARDS and then start the movement...instead of starting from a dead start on the safeties
d) There is no bouncing off the safeties during the movement. You come to a dead stop on the bars and then pull.

Mode of movement:

grab bar with wriststraps, step safely and slowly backward, normal rack deadlift thought process, down to safeties, dead stop, pull the bar up over your "package, junk, whatever you want to call it" like you are in the beginning portion of a high pull, the bar is now above your "junk" and you are holding it there for a count of "one, one, two, three" and then back down to the safeties (dead stop), back up to "two one two three" back down to safeties (dead stop) and back up to "three one two three" and onward and onward until rep eight... which is "eight one two three four five six seven eight nine ten"...DONE.

So I dont care if you can rack deadlift 800 pounds for 8....its swallow your pride time.

The goal is always 8 reps (with all reps done with a 3 second pause in the "over the junk shrugged position") with a brutal 10 seconds on the last rep (if you can hack it)

This is done for everything including warmups....

So this would finish off your back workout and it would look like this.

135 x 8 which would be
one one two three
two one two three
three one two three
four one two three
five one two three
six one two three
seven one two three
eight one two three four five six seven eight nine ten - DONE

rest

225 x 8 which would be
one one two three
two one two three
three one two three
four one two three
five one two three
six one two three
seven one two three
eight one two three four five six seven eight nine ten - DONE

rest

315 x 8 which would be
one one two three
two one two three
three one two three
four one two three
five one two three
six one two three
seven one two three
eight one two three four five six seven eight nine ten - DONE

rest

(hypothetical just throwing things out there with these weights)
365 x 6 (failure)
one one two three
two one two three
three one two three
four one two three
five one two three
six one two three four five (last rep, couldnt make it to eight and couldnt make it to ten seconds either..blown out and spent)

****BE incredibly careful with your form...do not screw around with your neck, GET YOUR POSTURE CORRECT...especially during the holds....its very tough....especially that eighth rep so get your posture right, any rep that your posture or form starts to suffer BOOM THATS IT YOUR DONE..THATS FAILURE, DONT TAKE EVEN THE REMOTEST CHANCE...that is it! So keep you form tight on the pull, head back, and posture correct and looking straight ahead on the holds....its very important or you could hurt yourself.

recap
1) rack deadlift and semi high pull over your junk
2) hold
3) correct form and posture on the pulls and correct posture and head neck position on the holds.

My guarentee to you? Fastest trap growth of your life...thats my guarentee to you.

What would i have the above guy do next week?

145x8
235x8
325x8
and then
365 again because he didnt get it

The goal is always 8 reps and 10 seconds on the 8th rep (along with no loss of form)...if you dont get it...you stay there till you get it but you can use 2.5's or 5 pound jumps on your warmup sets next time and in fact i would encourage it.

You have my personal guarentee on this one though for traps if done correctly.

Watch the last rep on these though with that 10 seconds..its tough and brutal and again putting the bar back down on the safeties is tough at that point...dont screw up your form.

[The guv'nor]

Great, thanks Sammich.