There’s a saying, “Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.” From an emotional standpoint this can be encouraging, but when it comes to gazing upon the foundation that keeps our bodies upright and strong, we sometimes don’t look back enough. Our daily mirror checks mostly consist of our frontal appearance, not recognising that our backs are a force to be reckoned with! This habit can also mirror itself in the gym as we work the body parts we see the most of.
If you’re looking to improve your overall physique, building a strong back will take your shape to the next level. A stronger back also means a stronger, sturdier core which will help stabilise your body in all exercises, producing better form and therefore giving you greater results all over. A great method of training, known as pyramid training, may just be the key to get your back rockin’ and rollin’ – and what’s not to love about a strong back?
Along with tightening and toning, pyramid training can also assist in thedevelopment of greater enduranceand is ideal for beginners who want to gauge their progress gradually. So if you are looking to start a back routine or have been lifting for years, pyramid training is for you!
So what is it? Pyramid training is performing an exercise or two for a number of reps and then working your way down to one rep. It is intended to fatigue the muscles. This type of training can be employed as an upward or downward sequence in weight or reps. It works wonders because you wind up with a much higher level of training volume and density. Pyramid training can be used to build muscle, lose fat, or both. It’s a great way to add some variety to your training and keep your body guessing. This form of training can be done with any piece of fitness equipment. If you can’t make it to the gym you can even use your own bodyweight. All you need is some creativity and hard work.
Pyramid Training Benefits:
- Can be done with any type of training equipment or bodyweight;
- Workouts are short but intense;
- Workouts can be managed by weight lifted, time that you train and more;
- Pyramid training can be used for bodybuilding, athletic training, fat loss or all of the above; and
- This style of training can be done with a training partner, in a group or done alone.
With those benefits in mind, one great back exercise that also works the core and arms is T-bar rows. This move is known for its high intensity and effectiveness for building, sculpting and maintaining lean muscle. Incorporating what’s called a push-pull method with pyramid training gives maximum benefits. In this two-dimensional move we are able to not only work the back, arms and core, but also the chest and triceps by adding push-ups into the routine.
