Shallow Backfield

Diagnosis

This condition means a back lacks thickness and detail. You may have wide lats but still have a scarcity of back depth from your neck to your glutes.

Remedies

• Train back alone to focus all of your attention on it.
• Emphasize rows and deadlifts for overall back thickness.
• Because the back is a large and complex bodypart, change your routine regularly, and take advantage of all the back machines in your gym to work your lats and smaller back muscles from a variety of angles.
• Learn how to feel each lift in the targeted area. Minimize biceps action. For rows, pull your elbows back as far as possible to hit your inner back, and hold each contraction for one second.
• Emphasize rear laterals and shrugs (in your shoulder routine or as part of your back routine), as these movements also carve in back details.

Back Thickness Routine

Professional's Advice

During his reign as Mr. Olympia, Dorian Yates’ back routine consisted of three rowing exercises and one pulldown or pullover exercise to boost thickness. Yates also trained rear deltoids with back.