Top 6 Back Exercises

Building a large, thick back can really improve your aesthetics. The V-shape creates a real illusion of a slim waist and huge shoulders. To get this shape, you have to hammer the shield with exercises targeting different muscles.

Endless sets of pull-ups won't be enough to build a strong back. In this article you will find how to put your back to work and in the best way.

The back is a large and complex muscle group. The illustration below shows some of the back muscles that can easily be worked by the exercises presented in this article.

As you can see, the muscle fibers of the back are rotated at different angles. This explains the need to vary the grips, handles and machines during training. After all, to get a muscular back, you must aim to recruit every muscle fiber possible.

An evaluation of each muscle in the back helped write this article. But to put it simply, development of the Dorsals (Latissimus Dorsi) and Teres Major (Teres Major) results in a wider back (the V-shape) while the Rhomboid muscle and the Spinals (Erector Spinae) make your back thicker.

A good training program should normally work all your muscles and avoid disproportions.

By convention, the back can also be divided into two parts:

• The upper part: Rhomboids, trapezius, large and small rounds as well as the upper part of the dorsals.
• The lower part: Lower part of the dorsals and spinals.

If developed enough, the spinals can be seen “through” the thoracolumbar fascia, a connecting tissue that cannot be worked.

This step-by-step exercise guide will ensure you get the most out of your workout. You will also be given some tips for working on both width and thickness at the same time.

1 – The deadlift

The deadlift is one of the most worthwhile exercises since it engages many muscles: all the muscles of the back, the abs, the thighs and the glutes.

This move is considered one of the best for building thickness, with good spinal stimulation.

In addition, mastering the deadlift gives you a technique to lift the bar safely for other exercises but also for lifting objects in everyday life. So you can lift your shopping bags in style.

 

Starting position:

(A little complicated but essential to avoid injury.)

 

• Start by facing the bar with your feet shoulder-width apart. Contract your abs, push your chest up keeping your back straight and bend your knees until you can reach the bar.
• Grab the bar in an overhand grip (thumb facing forward), making sure your grip is a little wider than your shoulder width. Use the rings on the bar to ensure you have a balanced grip.
• Tighten your grip well, your abs and lower back are contacted, chest arched and back straight. Fix a point in front of you, inhale and hold your breath.

 

Step By Step :

• Start lifting the barbell off the ground by straightening your legs and keeping the barbell close to your body. Once the bar reaches knee level, continue to straighten your legs and gently raise your back.
• Stop the movement once you are perfectly straight. Avoid hyper extension of the back. Your shoulders and hips should form a straight line.
• Exhale and hold this position for 2 seconds and squeeze the shoulder blades together to stimulate the back as much as possible.
• In a controlled manner, lower the bar by bending your back and then your legs. Keep correct posture while doing this, Head up, back straight, chest forward and abs tight.

Sets And Reps: Feel free to warm up a lot with lighter sets (3 to 4 x 10 reps). Once boiling hot, you can go for 3 to 4 heavy sets of 6-8 repetitions.

 

TOP DEAD LIFT TIP:

If you really want to bulk up, avoid using the “over-under grip” very popular among powerlifting fans where you have one hand in pronation and the other in supination. This grip keeps the bar from leaving your hands but puts the biceps of the underhand grip in an awkward position and increases the risk of tears. If you're not holding the grip, use bands or do some work on your forearms. Don't compromise your back by trying to work your forearms with deadlifts.

 

2 – The bar draw

The Rowing bar is another polyarticular and brutal movement for the development of the back. It allows you to use more weight than any other pull up exercise which is of course perfect for adding mass. This movement stimulates the trapezius, rhomboids, teres major and dorsal muscles.

You are free to change the angle between your torso and the ground during the exercise which allows you to add some cheat reps to increase the intensity.

 

Starting position:

(Start with a deadlift.)

•  Keep your knees slightly bent and lean forward to form a 45 degree angle between your torso and the floor. The straighter you stand, the more you will work the traps and the more you bend, the more you will attack the lower back.
• Be sure to keep your back straight, torso up, and head straight while looking straight ahead.

 

Step By Step :

• Grab the bar in an overhand grip (thumbs facing each other), place your hands so that they are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Pull the bar along your thighs towards your navel. Your biceps and forearms should only be used to hold the weight and should not contact each other.
• Pull the bar with your elbows (Not your biceps)
• At the top of the movement, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold the contraction for 2 seconds before slowly lowering the weight back down.

 

Sets and reps: 3-4 heavy sets of 6-8 reps.

 

THE TOP TIP OF THE BAR PULL

The exercise can be performed using both pronation and supination grips. The supine grip (thumbs not facing each other) places the biceps in a stronger position, which makes it easier to perform the upper part of the movement and helps to better contract the trapezius muscles. However, supination can also transfer a lot of the load to the biceps and be a disadvantage for practitioners who are behind on their back compared to their biceps.

 

3 – Dumbbell draw

The dumbbell pull-up helps develop a broad, thick back; engaging the dorsals, rhomboids, teres major and trapezius. This exercise can also be considered a sheathing exercise since you have to keep your torso rigid without leaning forward or to the side.

This exercise is a very good variation of pulling, it allows unilateral work where each arm works independently of the other. Your arm is strongest in the neutral grip and this grip also allows you to attack weights a lot without stressing the shoulders too much.

 

Starting position:

(Start With Left Arm)

• Place a dumbbell on the left side of the bench. The bench will be used as a support.
• Place your right knee on the lower part of the bench and your right hand on the upper part.
• Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor, back straight and abs tight.
• Lower yourself to pick up the dumbbell in a neutral grip (palm facing you).

Keep your elbow slightly straight and raise yourself back to the previous position without rounding your back.

 

Step by step :

Pull the dumbbell toward you, concentrating on getting your elbow up as high as possible. The dumbbell should follow a straight path, close to the body and end against your hip at the top of the movement. Your torso should remain rigid throughout the movement.

Hold the dumbbell at the top of the movement for a second, focusing on your lats. Your shoulder blade should be retracted as much as possible.

Slowly lower the dumbbell back down, letting your shoulder blade stretch. Go as low as you can without leaning your back to the side.

Hold the position for a second. Without taking a break, repeat the exercise using the other arm (right dumbbell, knee and left hand on the bench). It's a series.

 

Sets and Reps: Perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

 

4 – The high pulley pull

The high draw is an excellent exercise to widen you, especially targeting the dorsals and the large circles. However, with a few tricks explained in the step-by-step, you can also work the rhomboids and lower trapezius to further thicken your back.

The high pull is also a good alternative to pull-ups which require a force proportional to your body weight. More often than not, this is not the case for beginners and some very heavy bodybuilders.

 

Starting Position:

• Attach a wide bar to the high pulley and added the machine knee pad.
• The knee pad helps you hold onto the seat and keep the weight from lifting you up.
• Grasp the bar in an overhand grip (thumbs facing each other) your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart.
• Hold the bar, sit on the seat and lock your legs under the knee pad.

Step by step :

1. Keep your shoulders aligned with your hips, hold your head up, and let the weight stretch your back. You need to let your lats relax and stretch. Hold the position for a second.
2. Tilt your head back a little and pull the bar toward your chest while slightly extending your back for a fuller motion. Pull your elbows in as far as you can go, but it's not necessary to touch your torso.
3. Once your elbows are fully extended, squeeze your shoulder blades together, contract your back, and hold the contraction for a second.
4. Gently raise the barbell while keeping your shoulders aligned with your hips.

Sets and reps: You can use this exercise to warm up and isolate your lats by increasing the weight in a pyramid fashion. Perform 4 sets of 15, 12, 10 and 8 repetitions while increasing the weights.

 

TOP TIP FOR HIGH PULLEY PULLING

You can lower the bar onto your chest or your neck. The first method allows more weight to be used and puts more emphasis on the lats. The second facilitates contraction at the level of the shoulder blades and engages the central part of the back more (Rhomboids and lower trapezius).

You can also attach different bars or handles to the pulley, which engages the muscles at different angles. Changing angles while training your back is very important since the muscle fibers go in different directions. Change your execution after a few weeks.

 

5 – Shrugs at the bar

The upper trapezius can grow rather easily without direct work. The muscle plays its part in many polyarticular exercises for the back.

However, if you find your neck seems too long, or you're tired of having a neck, barbell shrugs are for you.

 

Starting position:

• Perform a deadlift and stay in a high position.

Step by step:

1. While keeping your arms relatively rigid, raise your shoulders as high as possible. Imagine that you want to bury your head in your shoulders without moving your neck.
2. Hold the contraction for 3 seconds, contract your back as much as possible.
3. Slowly lower the bar back down and allow the weight to stretch your traps.
4. Repeat

 

Sets and reps: 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps, keeping the contraction for at least 3 seconds.

 

TOP TIP FOR BAR SHRUGS

The exercise can be performed with a different grip spread. A wide grip allows for better trapezius contraction but weaker stretch. You can change the grip between each set for best results.

 

6 – Pull Overs with bent arms

Warning, subject to debate! Pectorals or back, we know that opinions differ but in this case, we take it for its effect on the dorsals.

Indeed, this exercise is very good for finishing a back session since it allows you to stretch your back muscles with a heavy load. This could allow you to gain mass. We speak in the conditional because there is no real scientific evidence showing that stretching with a load causes hypertrophy.

However, many bodybuilders believe it allows muscle to grow. True or false, the flexibility provided by this exercise will reduce injuries and increase your mobility.

 

Starting position:

• Place a dumbbell at the end of a bench.
• Lie down on the bench and press your feet firmly into the floor.
• Grasp the dumbbell with both hands, place your hands under the inside weight of the dumbbell. To ensure a secure grip, you can place your diamond hands around the handle.

 

Step by step :

1. Place the dumbbell above your head and bend your elbows (keeping your arms too straight will work your pecs more than your back).
2. Keeping your arms rigid, lower the dumbbell behind your head as far as possible.
3. Hold the position for a second and bring the dumbbell up to the top of your head. Do not go beyond your front while raising the dumbbell will allow you to insist on the back.

Sets and reps: Do 2-3 sets of 12 reps, focus well on the stretch.

 

THE TOP TIP OF SWEATER OVERS FLEXED ARMS

This exercise can be performed with different grip spreads. A wide grip allows a better contraction of the trapezius muscles but less stretching while a tight grip allows a more accentuated stretching but less contraction. You can change the grips between sets for more efficiency.

An Example of Back Workout

In conclusion

The back is a large and complex muscle group that requires well-thought-out and above all very well-executed training. The sample program is a great start to building mass and building a large, strong shield.