V is for VICTORY! The V-Taper Program | Prescription Fitness

Written By Stephen James Cert. PT /

One of the favorite body shapes desired by guys is the “V” look or an upside down triangle.  So how do you get it?  The key features of this look are a big wide back and a small, tight waist.  A great back exercise to promote a V-taper is pull-ups! Yes the classic exercise from gym class!  Whether you need to use an assisted pull-up machine or can start cranking them out on a bar, the best way to get better at them is to practice.  So in addition to just doing pull-ups on your back workout day, mix in some light/easy pull-ups sets throughout the rest of your week.  Other exercises that can help build a strong V are wide grip lat pull downs, bent over barbell rows and dead lifts.  In order to promote size, or hypertrophy, changes in these back muscles, these exercises should be performed for 3-5 sets for 6-10 reps each set.

Now for the small, tight waist part of the equation.  The primary factor in determining waist size is body fat, so simply knocking out thousands of crunches will not get the job done.  Keeping of track of your food and hitting the correct calorie goal based on your body must be paired with abdominal exercises in order to achieve the “V” look.  Some good abdominal exercises that will promote a tight, flat stomach are planks, Russian twists, side planks, and weighted crunches.  These exercises provide a blend of static, rotational and muscle building exercises for the abdominals.  A program for these exercises would include 3-4 sets of each exercise with the planks being timed (start with 20-30 seconds), twists being performed for 10-12 reps per side and weighted crunches being done for 6-10 reps.  Happy Training!!

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