My Baby Got Back

It's time to hit the back! I always train back, in fact I love to, but for several months I have only trained it once a week.

Now that I have committed to a competition, I need to start tweaking a few things here and there so I can make sure everything looks like it should when I am standing on stage.

A good back is very,  very important. In fact, many judges will tell you all they really want to see is the back and front pose, they don't really care for the contorted twisted side poses we all do. 

When you think about it, the comparisons show front, back, side, but the side view should be straight on, to show the actual development of the body. 

I never have trouble with my back, it gets very wide, and well developed, and once I drop my bodyfat it all pops. I just need to start training it twice a week again.

Broader shoulders make the waist look smaller. I believe that to be successful in Figure you should have a shoulder circumference of at least 15 inches greater than your waist.

I have found that I am successful with the following exercises:

Chin ups

Pull ups

Lat pull down (I will use the wide grip and the triangle, usually 5 sets total)

Low row (I will use the wide grip and the triangle, usually 5 sets total)

Single arm row

Bent over barbell row

Back extensions

T-Bar Rows

I never do shrugs, my traps get way too big on their own and this is not a look you want as a woman unless you are a bodybuilder! 

Here is a picture at competition time, last year the day of the show on July 10, 2010 . I was 6 pounds lighter than the picture above which was taken on Saturday, July 2, 2011 a year later!

I think if you compare the two pictures you can really see how much wider my upper back is here than it is in the first picture, and of course no bodyfat hanging over the top makes it all look a little nicer too.

It's easy to get here, I just need to diet to drop excess bodyfat, and although I maintain a very healthy diet now, "dieting" means not putting one single tiny nut or anything that is not on my written plan into my mouth for months!

That's when I daydream about peanut butter and bananas. 

And of course, I need to start training back more.

For some interesting tidbits on what the world finds attractive, check out Physical Attractiveness I guess it somewhat explains why some women shoot that crazy stuff into their lips, wear dark eye make up and get nose jobs!