06-12-2016, 03:41 AM
My favorite back MR's are Bent Over Barbell rows, Prison/t-bar rows and supinated grip bent over barbell rows. I don't use the smith machine.
For width I like a close parallel grip Pulldown, weighted pull up and underhand hammer strength iso-Pulldown.
I stick mainly to thickness moves. I will absolutely use these as pump sets as well. I'm not big on too many machines if I can use bigger movements with free weights that force me to work harder. Most of us aren't Phil Heath and can train with machines all day and look full and have no missing pieces. So whether it's a pump set, muscle round or loading set I will pick the biggest and baddest movements for overall size.
When I look at a physique on stage of someone I know uses a lot of machines, it's like looking at a 100 piece puzzle that's finished 90-95%. There's all these holes. You can tell what the finished product is supposed to be but you can tell some areas are more developed than others. To me, free weights fill out that puzzle and leave things balances. You may not be a 1000 piece puzzle, maybe only a 100 piece, but you better make sure that puzzle is finished.
For width I like a close parallel grip Pulldown, weighted pull up and underhand hammer strength iso-Pulldown.
I stick mainly to thickness moves. I will absolutely use these as pump sets as well. I'm not big on too many machines if I can use bigger movements with free weights that force me to work harder. Most of us aren't Phil Heath and can train with machines all day and look full and have no missing pieces. So whether it's a pump set, muscle round or loading set I will pick the biggest and baddest movements for overall size.
When I look at a physique on stage of someone I know uses a lot of machines, it's like looking at a 100 piece puzzle that's finished 90-95%. There's all these holes. You can tell what the finished product is supposed to be but you can tell some areas are more developed than others. To me, free weights fill out that puzzle and leave things balances. You may not be a 1000 piece puzzle, maybe only a 100 piece, but you better make sure that puzzle is finished.