Back Workouts

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction - Everything you need to know about sculpting your back muscles
2. Back exercises for beginners – Starting small and keeping it simple
3. Intermediate back exercises - Ramping up the difficulty a little bit
4. Hard back exercises - Taking you to the next level, things are going to get tough
5. Hardcore back exercises - The most extreme back exercises you can imagine

Introduction – Everything you need to know about sculpting your back muscles.

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How to Get Sculpted Back Muscles?!?

Building up back strength is good for a few things. First of all, a sculpted back is very sexy. When it gets close to summer time, that’s the best time to start your back workouts so you can show off at the beach. The other reason is that you reduce your chance of injuring your back. If you have a weak back, you might suffer from all sorts of back pains from doing everyday activities like walking, running or even just sitting up straight. Weak backs just need a bit of stretching and extra muscle mass to support the rest of your body and below I will show you how to accomplish just that with a variety of different back workouts.

Back Exercises For Beginners – Starting small and keeping it simple

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Equipment: None
Time Duration: 15 Minutes Frequency: Daily
This exercise will comprise of Hip Bridges and Fixed Bar Back Stretches:

First off is the Hip Bridge. The Hip Bridge is where you lie on your back with your feet flat and shoulder width apart. Your legs should be bent and your arms relaxed. Then squeeze your buttocks and lift with your hips, make sure not to use your arms as a crutch, only use them for balance if you need it. Once you have a straight line from shoulders to knees, you need to make a slow count of two and then lower your hip in a slow and controlled movement.

Next is the Fixed Bar Back Stretch which is a stretching exercise, just as the name implies. Before you get started with this stretch, you need to find a stable and stationary object to hold onto. A door frame will work in most cases, but anything that you can hold on to and will support your bodyweight is more than enough. First you stand facing towards your stationary object, then you grasp the object at about waist height. Now you bend over, giving your hips a chance to fall backwards. While your hips are behind you, start slowly leaning towards your arm that’s holding you up. Now repeat this for the other arm to stretch out your entire back.

Workout:

1. Do 5 Hip Bridges.
2. Rest for a minute.
3. Do the Fixed Bar Back Stretch on both sides.
4. Repeat this process 3 times, or less if your back isn’t ready for 3 sets.

This is a very easy workout that can be done daily. Half of the workout is just stretching your back, but as you already know a flexible back doesn’t hurt as much. Start off with two repetitions if you can, then work your way up week by week. If you make it a few months in and still want to improve, then move onto the intermediate back exercises.

Intermediate Back Exercises – Ramping up the difficulty a little bit

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Equipment: Chair
Time Duration: 20 Minutes Frequency: Daily
This exercise will comprise of Bird Dogs, Spinal Stretches and Side Planks:

The Bird Dog begins with you on all fours with your knees hip width apart. With your hands flat and shoulder width apart you start by squeezing your abs by sucking your stomach inwards, while keeping your spine neutral. So no bending your spine or moving your hips. Hold your stomach in this position for three to four seconds, or longer if this becomes too easy. This exercise will work on your back muscle stabilizers. This will help with those everyday activities such as walking, running, carrying heavy objects and even sitting. If those activities cause your back to hurt, then your stabilizers might be too weak to support your body.

Next we are going to do a stretch called the Spinal Stretch. Trust me, it’s not as scary as it sounds. The Spinal Stretch starts with you sitting in a chair with your back completely straight and your feet planted flat on the floor. Now interlace your fingers behind your head, while keeping your chin down and your elbows up and out. Then, twist your upper body to one side and touch your knee with the opposite sides elbow. Doing left and right knees count as a set, just make sure to return to the upright position when alternating sides. This is great for really stretching out those middle back muscles and getting them ready for more exercise. Another benefit to stretching is that you lessen your risk of injury, so that’s something to consider.

And the final exercise for this set is the Side Plank. The Side Plank is great for building up strength, but can be a bit tough for those who don’t have a lot of back strength yet. Start off by lying on your side and have your body completely straight from head to feet while resting on your forearm. Your elbow should be directly under your shoulder and be at about a 90 degree angle pointing the direction you are facing. Now lift up your hips while flexing your abdominals gently. Then switch sides when you are done, doing the same thing as before. Try to keep your hips as square with the rest of your body as possible and hold it for as long as possible. A good time to start at is about 30 seconds, however, if you can hold it for 60 seconds, then you are in great shape! So work your way up to the one minute mark. This exercise builds strength mostly in your core, while also working on your entire back. Doing Side Planks instead of regular planks isolate each side muscle making the workout a little harder but giving you better results.

Workout:

1. Do 5 Bird Dogs.
2. 30 second break.
3. Do 2 sets of Spinal Stretches.
4. Do 1 set of Side Planks for as long as you can hold it.
5. 50 second break
6.  Do 3 Bird Dogs.
7.  30 second break
8.  Do 2 sets of Spinal Stretches.
9. Do 1 Set of Side Planks for as long as you can hold it.

The Bird Dog exercise will work on your overall strength while the Spinal Stretches will add to your flexibility. The main killer exercise in this workout is the Side Planks, so watch out, they will wear you out quick. While the Side Planks might make it difficult to do at first, improvement is the key. Planks use your own weight against you, so strength and losing weight will make you better.

Hard Back Exercises – Taking you to the next level, things are going to get tough

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Equipment: Dumbbells
Time Duration: 20 Minutes
Frequency: Every Other Day
This exercise will comprise of Bent Over Dumbbell Rows, Kneeling Dumbbell Rows and Spinal Stretches:

Bent Over Dumbbell Row is our first exercise, and it will target your lats and lower back. Start with a dumbbell in each and and bend at about a 45 degree angle at the waist. Pull your shoulderblades together so that your arms aren’t just hanging there. Then pull the dumbbells towards your chest, make sure to use your lats when pulling the dumbbells toward your chest. Then slowly release and allow the weights to be lowered back to the rest position, remember to do this in a steady and controlled motion. If you hold the weights in a certain way you will use your triceps instead, so don’t cheat yourself.

Next up you will want to target your mid to upper back with some Kneeling Dumbbell Rows. At times, you can feel this exercise in your lats, but the main focus for this one is your middle to upper back area, and trying to give your lower back and lats a rest. Your first step in performing this exercise is to place a hand and knee from the same side of your body on the side of a bench. Then position your opposite foot flat in a comfortable position, usually about shoulders width. Now tuck your elbow close to the trunk and have your palms face inwards. With a straight back, lift the dumbbells up towards your outer abdominal area.

Workout:

1.  Do 4 sets of Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
2.  Do 4 sets of Kneeling Dumbbell Rows
3.  Do 2 sets of Spinal Stretches
4.  Rest 60 seconds.
5.  Do 3 Sets of Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
6.  Do 3 Sets of Kneeling Dumbbell Rows
7.  Do 2 sets of Spinal Stretches.

This workout works best when done on an every other day basis. You should ramp up the number of sets once things start to get easy.

Hardcore Back Exercises – The most extreme back exercises you can imagine.

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Equipment: Pull-up bar, T-Bar/Barbell
Time Duration: 45 Minutes
Frequency: Every Other Day, or Twice a Week
This exercise will comprise of Pull-ups and T-Bar rows:

There is no substitute for a good Pull-up workout if you’re trying to achieve amazing lower back and lat muscles. Pull-ups turn your back into the sculpted masterpiece, while working on your biceps as well. If you don’t have a good place to do Pull-ups, then you can get a doorway mounted bar that will allow you to do Pull-ups in any room of your house. The basics of Pull-ups are to have your palms facing outwards, and the width of your grip should be the width from shoulder to elbow. This means that when you do the Pull-up your elbows should be pointing straight down. Once you are in your starting position, now slowly start pulling yourself up in a single controlled movement. Getting your chin above the bar doesn’t help you at all, it’s not worth doing. You should stop when your eyes are level with the bar, if you go any farther than this it only encourages poor form. So make sure that you aren’t kicking your legs are arching your back, you need to keep your body straight and pull yourself up then slowly go back to the starting position.

A T-Bar row is the second best exercise you can do to increase your back strength. All you need is a T-Bar and a desire to get swollen. The first thing you need to do is load the barbell with weights on one end. Then you straddle the bar with the plated side up and your feet shoulder width apart. Bend over and grab as close to the plates as possible. When your back is slightly arched, and your head is in a neutral position, that’s your starting position. While flexing your abs, you should pull the bar towards your chest using your shoulder blades. Hold this position for a brief second then lower the weight back down in a slow and controlled movement.

Workout:

1. Do 10 Pull-ups
2. Do 5 T-Bar Rows
3. Rest for 90 seconds
4. Do 8 Pull-ups
5. Do 3 T-Bar Rows
6. Rest for 90 seconds
7. Do MAX Pull-ups
8. Do MAX T-Bar Rows

Your goal here is to feel the burn. Pull-ups and T-Bar rows are the two best workouts to sculpt those back muscles, but they are very difficult. Once you get on this level, however, you can ramp up the workout even more at your own pace. Just remember to finish strong and try to max out each exercise so you can see how far you have come along. If you are really pushing yourself, you should only have to do this workout twice a week, but if you keep it casual every other day will be good as well.