Back width vs thickness

[leckbass]

Is there anything i can do to help focus more on width during back workouts and less on thickness? Any suggwstions for grips, hand positioning, and or exercises?

 

[dswithers]

One theory is that wide grip movements emphasize back width more than narrow grip movements. IMHO the basic shape of your body is controlled by your bone structure, insertion points, etc. which is predetermined by your genetics. Basic compound movements (rows, pullups) with heavy weights will add mass to your back; while keeping your waist as small as possible will make your back appear wider. That's about all you can do.

 

[leckbass]

I do all of those exercizes, but what about the grips, how do they effect things? Wide grip, close grip, neutral grip, underhand grip, overhand grip?

keeping your waist small is always the challanging part for me.

I love your "every bite" quote, its so friggen true it hurts to read

 

[dswithers]

IMHO grips don't make any difference. Whatever grip you feel most comfortable with or that allows you to handle the most weight and make consistant progress is what you should use. Many times you can vary the effect with the same grip. For example with a wide grip pulldown you can lean back and let your elbows come forward or you can lean forward and keep your elbows back and get a totally different feel with the same grip. Also you can concentrate on pulling with your back or with your arms and get a very different feel from the same movement with the same grip. Different people at different stages in their training may find one works better than the other. You just have to experiment with different variations and find what works best for you.

I came up with that "every bite" thing because I have alot of trouble with that myself. The greasy fried food and ice cream and cake are always calling. Every grocery store is filled with more bad stuff than good stuff and our modern society pushes the bad stuff and then wonders why poor nutrition, obesity and disease are such a problem! Humans evolved to eat meat, fruits and vegetables, not grains and processed foods.

 

[leckbass]

i def feel most comfortable with the underhand grip for pullups and overhand grip for bent over rows. I hear what you are saying witht epulling with your back as opposed to you arms. One trick i alwys remember is to think of my hands as hooks and try to pull the weight with my elbows.

I'm lucky i have no desire for fried food (except for hot wings) or sweets, but pizza and burgers are always screaming my name!