Sometimes, having a great chest, arms, and legs are not enough. Although they certainly look good, some men and women find it sexier when they see people sporting that v-shaped back above that tiny waist.
Men have different body shapes. We have the oval, the triangle, the rectangle, the rhomboid, and the inverted triangle. Forget about the oval and the triangle as those are for people who don’t or rarely workout. The rectangle and the rhomboid are okay, but what we want to achieve is the inverted triangle.
The inverted triangle guy has wide shoulders, great back and chest, and a small waist. But let’s not forget firm buttocks and great upper and lower legs, as we want someone who has a balanced physique. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on that v-taper you’ll want to show people when they’re looking at you from behind. We’ll focus on exercises that will develop your sides or your wings.
Got to a sports club, like Club Fitness, and find out what programs you can perform in order to get that v-taper. Talk to a trainer and see how he or she can help you. But to start you with your routine, you can do the following exercises:
Partial deadlift
With partial deadlift, the barbell is placed on a squat rack or a power rack. (If you need to adjust the height, you can use pins.) This will allow you to select a range of motion that is based on the height of the barbell in the starting position.
Unlike full deadlifts, in partial deadlifts, you will be focusing only on the back muscles, and that will not include lower body muscles, such as glutes, hips, and thighs. You will be able to work on your lower back, the broad of your back, and the muscles that help you move your shoulder blades and support your arms.
When doing partial deadlifts, remember to start with weights you’re comfortable with, and then increase them eventually. The pins should be just right above your knees. When you lift the barbell to standing position, do this slowly, and do not bounce the barbell off the pins just to gain momentum. You can start the first day with doing three sets of eight, six, and four repetitions.
Reverse grip bent-over row
This exercise will allow you build a powerful core, make you stronger, reinforce the correct hinge position, load and hold position technique, as well as develop your glutes and hamstrings as a bonus.
Palms facing upwards, hold the barbell with supinated grip and then stand up. Bend your knees and your waist as you bring your torso forward. Keep your back straight and continue until it is nearly parallel to the ground. With your torso in stationary position, lift the barbell while you breathe out.
Remember to keep your elbows close to your body. Your forearms should only carry the weight and not doing any force lifting.
Close grip seated cable row
When you do this exercise, your upper right body should be upright and do not lean forward. You can use a straight bar and a v-bar, as well as perform this exercise using a pronated grip.
To start, you will need a low pulley row machine. Keep your back’s natural alignment as you lean over and grab the bar handles. Pull back with your arms extended, with your torso moving at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
Your torso should be kept at a stationary position as you pull the handles towards your body. Also, your arms should be kept close until they touch your abdominal muscles.
Wide grip lat pulldown
This is one of the basic exercises to strengthen your upper body. The wide grip position will target your outer lats and reduce the resistance that is placed on your biceps and forearms.
Face an adjustable cable machine as you sit on the bench. Keep your back straight as you grab (using an overhand grip) the lat pulldown bar. Your arms should be fully extended. Pull the bar down until it touches your chest. Pause for about two seconds and then return to your original position.
Dumbbell pullover
With this exercise, you will be able to target your chest and lower pec, which are also important in creating that v-taper.
You will need to lie on your back, and you should be perpendicular to the bench. Using both hands, grab your dumbbell from behind. Lift the dumbbell until it is positioned over your chest. Your elbows should be slightly bent throughout the exercise. Lower the dumbbell over your head until your triceps are parallel to your torso.
When doing this exercise, your hips should not be raised significantly. Remember that your lower body acts to counterbalance and keep your upper body planted on the bench. Your range of motion should also depend on the flexibility of your shoulders.