Impressive when your back looks like a 3D map of the Great Smokey Mountains (look close at Jonathan’s and you may see feuding hillbillies)…
Many muscles make up your rear torso, with the most prominent being your mid-back, or middle trapezius. Unfortunately, this important mass is difficult to feel…
That’s one reason you should make midback training a priority over lats—train mid-back first. It’s also why you should use a more-isolated exercise…
So no need to row, row, row. In fact, your traps are not connected to your arms (Larry Eklund illustration)…
That means the primary function is to RETRACT your scapulae—pull your shoulder blades together…
While rows indirectly work your mid-back, that multi-joint exercise has you pull your arms straight back. That’s a function of your shoulder’s rear head—AND you involve your biceps…
Rows spread the work over multiple muscles. To DIRECTLY target and load your mid-back, scapulae retractions are better—think horizontal shrugs…
Set the cables out wide, 45-degrees to your torso. You’ll want to experiment with how far back to pull. It should be just far enough to squeeze your shoulder blades together—no jerking or heaving.
Rows are an excellent add-on exercise AFTER retractions. They provide unique stretch overload, as Arnold demonstrates…
That’s how you stack your mid-back with mountainous muscle.
Note: For more exercise analysis for every muscle, plus effective “add-on” moves and unique exercises, see The Ultimate-Mass Exercise Guide, FREE with Old Man Young Muscle 2.