upper and lower back?

[garythenuke]

I'm trying to figure out how to hit the upper and lower back with just body weight and a chin up bar. I can do wide and narrow grip chins and pulls. I am working on front levers and back levers. But how do I get my upper back and traps like, say, cleans, snatch, and dead lift? Also, how do I get my butt, hips, and low back like, say, cleans, snatch, and dead lift? Ab wheel role outs hit the low back along with abs. Kettlebell swings and snatch are almost as good as the hype. Hollow holds and "supermans" can only go so far before they get monotonous. Horizontal rows (tuck rows) hit a different angle and I like them alot.

I would like to get rid of my weights and bars and bumpers and kettlebells and all the extraneous junk I feel like I keep schlepping through life. There has to be a way based on gymnastics. I am doing inverted shrugs on the bar and making my back levers more dynamic. I can see wearing ankle weights, but I'm worried about the extra stress put on my shoulders and elbows.

What am I missing???

Thanks in advance.

GTN

[Rik de Kort]

You are missing that you are training muscles, not movements.

But to answer your question: PRESS HANDSTANDS. Both lower back and upper back, shoulders, all the stuff you asked for. Preferably pike press handstands. Also, glute-ham raises.

And keep your weights. That way you can squat, deadlift and olympic lift for amazing leg strength. Remember that the Chinese require their gymnasts to squat 2x bodyweight (or at least, that's what people tell me).

[garythenuke]

I'd forgotten about the pike press handstands. Thank you

I can keep the weights, I'd just rather not if there is a way around them. At my stage I am nowhere near enthused to try for a 2x bw squat. Maybe 20 years ago, in my 20s, I might have shot for that. I am at the point where I am seeking the most bang for the buck. I'm sold on gymnastics and bodyweight exercises for just about everything. For my legs and run, sprint, jump, do hills, ride a bike. To me that is more functional and real-life based than squatting heavy weights.

hehe, 20 years ago I would have slapped myself for saying that... :roll:

[Rik de Kort]

The strength from squats and DLs has good carryover to real-world strength, in running as well. Maybe Oly lifting is a better fit for you?

[garythenuke]

I have done OLY in the past. I went through tremendous gyrations to get bumpers and a reasonable platform to lift on. But it is 180 degrees out from what I would like to do in terms of simplifying my life. A national caliber Oly lifter friend of mine suggested I take up kettlebells. His opinion was that unless you were looking to compete in Olympic lifting, kettlebells were a better option in terms of necessary technique and necessary gear.

[gravy]

all really good for back: bridges, arch holds, reverse planks, arch ups

if the bridge is too easy, do alternating leg lifts while you're in it.

[Brian Li]

For my legs and run, sprint, jump, do hills, ride a bike. To me that is more functional and real-life based than squatting heavy weights.

hehe, 20 years ago I would have slapped myself for saying that...

I think you got too carried away with what's functional or not. I believe all exercises are functional in some way and if you meant functional for every day movement then squats are definitely functional since they are a fundamental human movement (you squat down and up when you sit down or get up), same with deadlifts as well and like what Rik de Kort said, squats have good carryover to the the other activities you are doing with your legs. Squatting with heavy weights is still squatting, your just furthering your strength and proficiency in that movement. This is all just to clarify some things, it's absolutely cool if you don't want to do heavy squats and I respect you for that.

As for your original question, I think the exercises you are already doing along with the suggestions posted earlier by others are good in working the upper back and lower back.

[garythenuke]

For my legs and run, sprint, jump, do hills, ride a bike. To me that is more functional and real-life based than squatting heavy weights.

hehe, 20 years ago I would have slapped myself for saying that...

I think you got too carried away with what's functional or not.

This is all just to clarify some things, it's absolutely cool if you don't want to do heavy squats and I respect you for that.

Yeah, you got me pegged there. I get carried away with the craziest of stuff... I went through my stage of "heavy" squats and "heavy" deadlifts. I really liked them and really enjoyed them. But, again, I'm at the stage where I want to streamline. I do body squats, pistols, and every combination of lunge.

As for your original question, I think the exercises you are already doing along with the suggestions posted earlier by others are good in working the upper back and lower back.

Thanks for that. I'll see if I can work up some better variations of bridges and MAYBE keep a kettlebell...