Best Back Workout:
Your back is a very large muscle group. When you lift with your back, many times you are also lifting with your chest, your shoulders, your triceps, and your biceps, and sometimes even your legs. Generally, you should lift your back no more than 2 times a week. Since it is such a large muscle group, you can split it into two separate days and do different lifts on each day. You can also just lift your back on a single day, along with another muscle group (i.e. lifting your back and chest in one day).
Lat pull downs:
Lat pull downs will work your upper back, shoulders, and biceps.
1. On a pulldown machine (any machine where you can pull a cable down), set the weight to where you feel comfortable.
2. With a wide grip (the wider the better) pull the bar in FRONT of your face.
*If you pull the bar behind your head, you are working your upper back and shoulders (this is also a good back lift if you choose to do it).
Seated rows:
1.
For these, you will need a row machine.
2. Set the machine to the desired weight.
3. You can either use a wide grip or a narrow grip. A narrow grip will work your upper back and biceps, while a wide grip will work your chest and upper back.
4. With you back straight and your legs fully extended, resting on the stop, pull the cable to your upper stomach.
5. Slowly lower the weight.
Bent dumbbell rows (a.k.a lawnmowers):
1. Place a dumbbell in the middle of a bench.
2. Put one knee on the bench behind the dumbbell.
3. With your other foot planted firmly on the ground and your back as straight as possible, grab the dumbbell (if you have your right knee on the bench, grab the dumbbell with your left hand, and vice versa).
4. Slowly lower the dumbell until your arm is fully extended, then bring it back up (like pulling a rip chord on a lawnmower).
Pull-ups:
There are many types of pull-ups. However, for this back exercises page, I will just describe the most effective type of pull-up you can do for your back (for all of the other types of pull-ups and chin-ups see the
boxing
page).
The most effective pull-up for exercising your back is the wide grip dead hang pull up.
1. Using a wide grip, grip the pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you.
2. Pull yourself up until your chin is above the pull-up bar.
3. Go all the way down until you are hanging from bar.
4. Pull yourself back up.
*Do not confuse pull-ups with CHIN-ups. The difference is, with chin-ups you grip the bar with your palms facing towards you. With pull-ups, make sure you grip the bar with your palms facing away from you.
One-armed lat pulldowns:
1. Sitting on a double cable machine with your back straight, pull one cable down at a time, alternating which arms you pull down with.
2. Your palms should be facing downwards at the ground.
Close grip pulldowns:
1.
On a single cable machine, use a close grip and repeat the same motion you would for any other pulldown.
*You can do these two ways: you can have your palms facing inwards (which will work your biceps and back) or downwards (which will work your chest and back).
Standing rows:
1.
With the desired amount of weight on a barbell, grip the bar (or curl bar) with a narrow grip.
2. Stand straight up, letting the barbell hang in your hands in front of you.
3. Bring the bar up to your chin (or as close as you can get it).
Reverse dumbbell flies:
1.
On the end of a bench, sit with your feet together.
2. Bend over so that your chest is above your knees.
3. With a dumbbell in each hand, bring both arms up simultaneously, while bringing your shoulder blades together.
Reverse machine flies:
1.
Set the fly machine to the reverse setting (there should be directions right on the machine for this).
2. With the desired weight, sit with your stomach against the back of the chair.
3. Bring the handles back at the same time while pushing your shoulder blades together.
Chest |
Triceps |
Abs |
Biceps |
Back |
Shoulders |
Lower Body
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