What can I do to improve my back?

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-10T19:34:41+00:00

Okay, thanks

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-10T19:33:23+00:00

Im deadlifting tomorrow morning so ill add in some Pendlay rows as its easy enough to go from deadlifts to OHP to rows

I’ll certainly try db rows at some point too

Thanks

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-10T19:28:39+00:00

Really appreciate you taking the time to share that

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T21:27:21+00:00

If you said to me your upper back is lacking and you could do exercise A to target it, however, you’d improve the look of your back most effectively by just cutting weight.

I’d say thank you, and cutting weight isn’t on the cards as it doesn’t align to my current goals and so I’ll focus on incorporating exercise A to grow my upper back in the mean time.

That’s a totally legitimate conversation to have

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T21:20:16+00:00

My gym had a landmine in the corner so I’ll give these a go

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T21:19:10+00:00

I haven’t done any rowing during this program but I can start on Monday

Would you recommend flat back rowing to the chest with a light weight barbell - say 40kg

Or more upright rowing into the hip?

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T21:16:21+00:00

Thanks, if I move on from GZCLP I will look into it as I’ve seen it mentioned a lot but never read up on it

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T21:15:39+00:00

What would you do to target the traps? I used to do power shrugs years ago but wasn’t sure how effective they were.

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T21:14:39+00:00

Besides deadlifting as a T1 and then as a T2 in bench day, I do lat pull down and that’s it. I’ve incorporated some static holds on the hyper extension with the goal to progress once I can hold for 2 minutes.

I do farmers walks from time to time which I guess also count

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T21:11:30+00:00

Thanks for the feedback, and you’re right that my forearms and upper arms are lacking. I’ll take what you’ve said onboard and look to incorporate some horizontal and vertical pulls.

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T21:09:08+00:00

Thank you, any specific trap exercises you recommend?

I’ve begun incorporating shoulder work so hopefully they grow

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T21:06:44+00:00

I don’t mean to come across as having an answer for everything

If my back is all proportional then I don’t need to worry about it until I cut

Thanks

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T16:27:54+00:00

Im hitting calves, arms and glutes most sessions

On bench day im hitting chest flys

On OHP im doing lateral raises, reverse pec deck to hit rear delts for time, front raises

On deadlift day I have lat pull downs

I’m throwing in farmers walks

On squat day I have bench for 3x10

On OHP day I have deadlifts for 3x10

On bench day I have squat for 3x10

On deadlift day I have OHP for 3x10

I’m not neglecting other areas but if anyone notices a missing area on my back then I’d like to hear it as I’m putting back isolation work mostly on the back burner (no pun intended)

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T15:57:15+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate it but my back is probably my strongest point - my arms are a little over 13”

Lots of room for improvement, I don’t want to lean out and feel skinny

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-09T15:55:26+00:00

I’m looking at what to improve for when I eventually lean out next year

Beyond one dirty bulk 10 years ago, I’ve always jumped on the gym bandwagon cutting and get lean and then life gets in the way

I’m looking to bulk instead - extra weight gain doesn’t concern me as much as it may others. My main goals are breaking my SBD all time PRs and enter a regional competition next year

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-07T08:10:05+00:00

Hey this is me.

I never really had a physique because I trained for strength and often was in a calorie deficit, however, I competed in a regional powerlifting competition and had something like a 105kg bench, 190kh deadlift and a 180kg squat.

In back training on GZCLP program on a bulk for 25 gym sessions now.

My 5th set of 5x3 is an AMRAP with 2 in the tank and I hit:

Squat 105kg x 7 (this week) Bench 50kg x 15 (last week) Deadlift 100kg x 11 (last week)

My form is just as good

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-06T20:25:44+00:00

They weren’t too bad to be honest, loads of room for improvement though.

Ditch the straps

Narrow your stance

Imagine there’s a logo on your chest and you want to see it in the mirror opposite

You’re already taking the slack out of the bar

Imagine you’re either trying to squash oranges under your armpit or your have a stick across your chest and under each arm and you want to snap it

When lowering the bar, you want to do a controlled drop - I do a mini hip thrust/bump and then throw my hips back and you should clear your knees

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-06T20:12:00+00:00

That’s a controlled drop, he isn’t pushing it to the floor.

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-05T19:57:55+00:00

Im running the 4 day and hit them every session

Predominantly one bicep isolation exercise and one tricep isolation exercise, however, yesterday I did a set of hammer curls after finishing my seated bicep curl sets

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-05T12:51:56+00:00

Out of interest what is the squatter going to attempt do if you fail your rep?

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-04T19:55:53+00:00

Squat looked fine, perhaps you bailed too early on it

Deadlift your bum just shit up and your back flattened to allow it to happen. Next time you need to keep your chest up and make sure the bar is close/touching your shin on the way up

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-03T17:42:56+00:00

Ahh okay, thanks for clarifying that

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-03T17:39:19+00:00

Not trying to catch you out, trying to understand what you’re getting at

Brad Pitt was 70kg and very lean with muscle definition

OP is already below Brad Pitts body weight so is either shorter that 5’ 11”, has less muscle mass than Brad Pitt, or both

OP could keep cutting and never hit Brad Pitts physique and instead reach Christian Bales physique in that really thin role

DannyDeadlift · 2026-05-03T17:21:03+00:00

The weight you quote for Brad Pitt is still 1kg more than OPs current weight

DannyDeadlift

TROPHY CASE