Subs for back routine?

[LauraMax]

Speaking of snow & missing my back/bi workout, any sub exercises I can do at home? I have bodybars up to 24 lbs--I was thinking maybe some bent over rows. The heaviest dumbells I have are only 10 lbs, I guess I can double them up & do bent over one armed rows too. I have exercise tubing & could try some seated rows but I don't think they'll be very challenging. In fact, I think given the weights I have available none of it will be very challenging. But hopefully enough not to lose any strength? I missed my back/bi workout about 3 weeks ago too so this is kind of bugging me.......not that I'm OCD or anything.

I can't think of anything else--I so wish I had a pullup bar at home! Any suggestions would be appreciated..........

 

[allwildgirl]

Do you have anything that you can loop your band over? Because one of the crew in P90X uses the band to sub for all the pull-ups and chin-ups. You basically loop your band over something up high (I use my pull-up bar), situate yourself a good way back from the bar, and either kneel or sit with your legs straight out and mimic the pull-up/chin up action. Does that make sense? Also, in the Gym Style back workout, Cathe sits on the floor with legs straight out in front, with the band around your feet. Hold the ends at chest height and pull back (sort of like you're doing a chest fly only sitting up). She does singles and she does pulse sets of 7 and 15. Believe me, they work!

Also, use your 24 lb body bar, but stand on the band and hold the ends around the bar to do your bent-over rows. It'll give you some extra resistance.

Does any of that help?

 

[kathryn]

To make up for the lack of heavier weights, you can concentrate on higher reps and shorter rest periods between sets, as well as slowing down reps and working in a very controlled manner to remove any momentum (since you usually do a different kind of workout, this could shake up your routine, and definitely will help you maintain).

I'd super-set a high row and a regular lat row, either standing bent over, with dumbbells, or seated on the floor with a resistance band looped around the leg of a chair. Start with elbows out in a 'T" formation, to hit the upper back and rear shoulder, then right after that set, do regular lat rows with elbows close to side. You could follow that with pullovers (hold both weights together). Then do a 1-arm lat row holding both weights (maybe going with slow reps, like a 4-up/4-down count). Then do some back extensions, either lying over a stability ball, or as 'supermen' on the floor.

If you have two kitchen chairs, you can also set up the bodybar between the two chairs (across the seats) and do bar pull-ups (lie supine on the floor, then pull chest up to the bar while keeping body straight).