A few months back I made a commitment to getting my upper back stronger, and lately it has become an obsession of mine. I am hitting upper back 3 times a week every week in some capacity. Generally Monday is my main bench day so I hit some back along with the bench work. Thursday's I hit accessory bench work, triceps, and again upper back. Saturday mornings I do a lighter upper back workout, where I focus more on rear delt and shoulder retraction movements. On Saturday morning, I wont hit the major movements such as Rows, Shrugs, and Pullovers.
Here are the movements I have relied on to increase my upper back strength:
1) Barbell Rows
Pretty simple here. These have been the staple of my upper back training. I start by placing a loaded bar on the floor, I keep my body in basically the same position throughout the sets. I lift every rep off the floor into my torso, and then lower the bar back to the floor. I pause the bar on the floor and repeat. Generally I do 5 sets of 5 reps with a fixed weight after working up beginning with 135.
2) DB Rows
I like to use DB Rows when I take my shirted bench. I alternate sides and do fixed sets with a set heavy dumbbell. I do these strict as well, making sure to lower the weight almost to the floor to release my back, then pull back into my torso and contract my lats.
3) DB Shrugs
DB shrugs have become a staple in my training, and they need to be. I wasn't able to shrug for awhile due to a clavicle issue, but that is in the past now. I vary between heavy weights for lower rep sets, and higher rep sets with moderate weights. In my experience nothing blows up the traps anywhere close to the way that DB shrugs do. I also like to stick with dumbbells as they allow a more true range of motion than a barbell. On a lot of occasions I look at guys doing barbell shrugs with loaded bars, and they are using their whole bodies to get the weight up. That is not the point. The point is to contract the traps.
4) DB Pullovers
I used to do these frequently, but have fallen off. A couple of weeks back I did these with my training partner Enis at the World Gym in Dunellen. The next day I could really feel my upper back. Since that day I have committed to doing these once a week. These really force you to stabilize, as well as allowing for a great stretch of the lats and rib cage, and a good contraction portion as well. I feel these are the type of movement that will help me to lock my back in for my power movements.
5) Lat Pulldowns
The staple of everybody's back training is merely and assistance movement to me. Generally I do these towards the end of a back training session, and I use moderate weight for high reps. I find it is really important to fully release the back at the top of the movement, and it is essential to drive the shoulders back at the bottom portion of the movement.
6) Vogelpohl Pulldowns / Rows
I absolutely love these! An interesting pulldown exercise using a high cable. Standing up away from the cable pulldown I row the cable into my upper abdomen and hold. Same principle as a lat pulldown, release at the top, retract the shoulders at the bottom. Be careful not to use hip drive to do this movement, but rather to let the back and shoulders do the pulling work.
Rear Delts& Shoulder Retraction Work
1) Face Pulls
I originally started doing face pulls to help to relieve shoulder pain associated with benching. I stick with them to help hit the upper portion of my back and my rear delts. These can be done using either a high cable or some mini bands. Start with the cable or band high and away from you and pull into your face driving your elbows outward.
2) (Chest Supported) Horizontal DB Shrugs
Set up on an incline bench as if you were going to do chest supported DB rows. Instead of rowing just shrug your shoulders backwards and squeeze. I like to in vision squeezing a pencil in the middle of my back.
3) Bucket Rows
Here is an interesting movement that I relied on for trap training during my clavicle injury. I stood up holding a 25 lb plate in each hand, then one arm at a time I would trace the trajectory of my body straight up with the plate, until my elbow was far behind me and there was no more room to pull the plate up my body. Then I would release and do the other side, and alternate. These helped a lot during that period, but I haven't been doing them recently as I am healthy enough to perform shrugs once again
