[quote]P1 wrote:
I recently read an article here (I forget which one) that talked about the doing 10x10 of chinups to help develop thickness (front to back width).
My biceps are lagging and my thickness isn’t great either so I decided I’d try it out.
No-traps because I want to focus on bi’s/back and keep my traps from developing any more for fear of imbalance. Plus, I’ve never been one for the huge trap look. [/quote]
See, here is where things got fuzzy.
In your original post you asked for a pull-up variation which would minimize trap involvement. Ok. strange request but answers were provided nonetheless. Then, Mike asked “why would you want to do that?” To which you replied with the above.
So, I tried pointing out that traps are essential for thickness (front to back width as you put it) and therefore should not only not be minimized, but should instead be focused on through the use of rows instead of pull-ups. Since, as was already stated, pull-ups aren’t great thickness (trap) developers anyways.
Oh, and I read back through the article “Sicilian Volume Training” and it never said that doing pull-ups would improve back thickness, you made the mistake of assuming that.
As far as the bicep emphasis goes, someone already suggested doing supinated grip (chin-ups), but honestly if you feel like your biceps are lagging, then do some exercises specifically designed to work your biceps; curls for example.
I think the problem is that you are trying to get everything you want out of one single movement. Sorry, but that’s probably not going to happen. Yes, during a ME weighted chin you do involve your biceps, lats, rear delts, lower traps, etc… (in theory anyway).
But, if some of those muscles have poor neuromuscular connections, then they will probably not develop well. While the muscles which are the strongest (have the greatest neuromuscular connections) will develop the most.
This can eventually lead to lagging body parts. And in the case that it does then you need to add in exercises specifically directed at building these lagging body parts. In the case of traps the best exercises are row variations. For biceps the best exercises are curl variations.
Hope this at least helps you understand how, or at least why, your thought process was flawed.
Good training,
Sentoguy