Over the past 2 weeks, my husband has been afflicted with a sore back.
What started out as a 7 day “pain in the neck” has progressed to his lower spine – most likely because of the compensatory role that his lumbar muscles have been performing in order to protect his upper back.
Most adults have experienced times when their back has “gone out” – that painful situation often caused by the simplest of movement, but through an awkward plane of motion.
Given time and rest, this type of soreness usually works itself out (as I hope it does soon for Luc). But what about those who have chronic back pain – those who find that their pain is actually worsening?
Unless you stand over 6-2, there is NO REASON to go so wide on your lat pull down grip.
Some of your peers or other Trainers may have led you to believe otherwise, but using too-wide-of-a-grip doesn’t build big lats as well as a narrower grip.
Sure, a wide grip creates lots of movement in the scapulae (shoulder blades) – but a majority of that work comes from the lateral spread of each scapula (via the mid-back rhomboids > NOT FROM THE LAT(issimus dorsi) which is what you’re trying to target.
See my earlier post on the scapulae to appreciate how these important bones function.
And while we’re on the topic – when you do your lat-pulls, have you noticed that your shoulder blades rise with each rep? DON’T let them!
Since the lat muscles are what you want to be working here – you need to ensure a strong scapular RETRACTION (inward pinch of the shoulder blades) & DEPRESSION (downward) motion.
A PERFECT LAT PULL-DOWN = A manageable weight + an overhand grip a little wider than shoulder width (before the bend in a standard pull-down bar) + focused work of the scapular retractors (down) and stabilizers.
(Of course, I’m assuming that you already know that Behind-the-Neck pull-downs are notorious for shoulder joint and cervical spine INJURY – so just don’t.)
In the gym, it is most common to find a close-grip, triangle-shaped handle attached to the cable of a Seated Row station.
Big power lifters like to do cable rows using this handle since they can use a lot more weight – not because of the power of the back – but because the chest and shoulder complex is also involved by the inward position of the arms.
When you do the Seated Row with a close-grip though, observe how the handle can only be pulled as far as your abdomen.
Note that you’re not getting a complete contraction of your lats and traps, because you leave off the final 2 to 3 inches of your full range of motion.
Do This:
If you’d like a better alternative, and better result, use a slightly wider-grip row.
Just detach the narrow grip handle and connect a wider bar, or 2 long-strap handles, or even the long tricep pull rope (upturned for grip) to the cable.
Some seated row stations even have a dual cable/handle configuration to use – all the better for this great rowing exercise.
Be prepared to lower your weight!
Believe me – what you may sacrifice in load (because of the back isolation), you’ll more than make up for with the greater range of motion — with much greater involvement of your middle trapezius and rhomboids (mid-back), in conjunction with your lats.
And that is exactly what you want to be targeting in order to create that nice V-back shape, to promote better posture, and to improve functional movement.
During an average week, I spend at least 30 hours in a gym.
Of course, most of those hours are spent working to assist clients achieve their personal fitness goals. The other hours are those that I spend staying true to my own.
On any given day I see a number of regular gym goers, as well as a few infrequent visitors. And on occasion, I see a gym patron who really knows what they’re doing.
Each day your body performs thousands of physical moves. Most are completed with ease. Others take more effort, or may even introduce discomfort or pain.
Did you know that each of the body’s moves is founded on one or more of 7 primal movement patterns?
Squat. Lunge. Push. Pull. Bend. Rotate. Walk or Gait.
Once you understand how important these movements are, you will appreciate that a good exercise program includes training for each of them.
TIP: Generally speaking, if your form sucks when doing a specific weight exercise in the gym – by that I mean heaving, hyper-extending, arching, tipping, swinging,working the wrong (not targeted) muscle, it usually means that you’re using too much weight. Take it down a notch and focus your effort on using proper form through the full range of motion and full length of the muscle.
Believe me – it will make a positive difference in the way your muscles respond and recover. Plus, possibly save you from injury that could back-track your progress.
YouTube has a few great video channels devoted to proper exercise form. Then again, there is a lot of crap too – I trust you’ll be able to spot the difference.
The conventional Deadlift is a classic exercises that mimics a very common ADL (Activity of Daily Life) – namely, lifting a weighted object from the ground. Both women and men will benefit from including the Deadlift into their gym exercise routine.
Many times in a day we need to pick something up from a stationary position. It may be a very light item (like a dropped pen); it may be a heavier object (a 10 kg toddler); and sometimes it may be something much heavier (a filled BBQ propane tank).
Perfoming Deadlifts in the gym progressively builds back strength. Perfecting Deadlifts trains you to instinctively keep your lower spine rigid against a load while keeping your back in a neutral position. Both are critical to avoiding injury when lifting objects. How many times have you heard of someone who “threw out their back just picking up a sock”?
Unfortunately Deadlifts have a bad reputation, but only from those who have not learned proper technique.
This brief video shows proper Deadlift technique. (Don’t be scared off by the weight that the guy is using – simply substitute the barbell with a pair of dumbbells of a weight appropriate for you.) Watch the starting position, back alignment, knee & hip movement, and the finishing position.
Rounding your back when doing a Deadlift (or when picking up that toddler) significantly increases risk of spinal disc injury. And this is generally the reason why people have sore backs to begin with – lack of muscular strength surrounding the spine.
Try a Deadlift now – just standing where you are, using your own body weight.
Check for these common errors when doing the exercise:
Hips Too High. Use your knees: it’s not a Stiff-legged Deadlift. Beginning height is when the bar is mid-shin and your shoulder-blades are directly over the bar. Hips Too Low. It’s not a Squat. Again, beginning height is when the bar is mid-shin and your shoulder-blades are directly over the bar.Shoulders in front of the bar. Bending Your Back. Increases the pressure on your spine thus increasing risk of injury. Keep your chest UP at all times and look forward. Over-Arching Your Back (hyper-extending). As bad as bending. The Deadlift ends when your hips and knees are locked. No need to arch at the top. Rolling the Shoulders. Dangerous and inefficient. Your hip muscles move the weight, not your shoulders. Extend your knees and hips, then stop. Shrugging at The Top. Unnecessary. If you need more trap emphasis do a set of shrugs. Pulling with your Arms instead of “standing up”. You could tear your biceps by pulling with bent arms. Keep your arms straight, tighten your triceps and stand up with a neutral spine.
And what’s another benefit that comes from doing “Deads” regularly?
I see folks performing these exercises and /or behaviours in the gym and always take the time to inform them of the danger or ineffectiveness. Then I provide a better alternative.
1 – Behind the neck lat pull-downs (danger: cervical spine strain)
2 – Behind the neck military (shoulder) press (danger: ditto)
3 – Upright rows (danger: shoulder nerve impingement)
4 – Lying leg press machine – deep knee (danger: lumbar spine compression)
5 – Squats using the Smith machine – feet too far forward (danger: thoracic spine muscle strain)
6 – Bad form on cardio machines - particularly leaning forward (danger: spine erectors muscle strain)
7 – Trying to “spot” reduce – endless reps working a “problem” area (time-waster: science just doesn’t work that way)
8 – Using a weight belt (danger: jeopardizes important core strength)
9 – Bad shoes; and I’m not talking fashion (danger: Achilles, arches, ankles, knees, hips… all affected negatively by bad shoes)
DOUG LEAVERS is a fully registered Personal Trainer & Fitness Consultant based in Vancouver, BC.
CERTIFIED by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), REGISTERED with the BC Recreation & Parks Association (BCRPA), INSURED by HUB International, and EXPERIENCED through life!
Each of my clients, friends, and peers, enjoying a LONG and ACTIVE LIFE in their BEST PHYSICAL CONDITION—that is my vision.
Believe me – it will make a positive difference in the way your muscles respond and recover. Plus, possibly save you from injury that could back-track your progress.
