Getting your back muscles to compliment your physique takes time and effort. Use these effective back exercises for great results.

For overall health and well-being, training your back ensures you benefit from a strong and supportive structure. An important element promoting skeletal strength and helping with injury prevention. Having a strong back also supports your core that’s essential to sports performance. A strong back supports your spine and structure reducing the likelihood of injuries in better absorbing impact. Particularly, allowing you to lift, bent and rotate as these activities require. Using these effective back exercises will deliver great results supporting your daily and sporting activities.

Adding exercises targeting your back muscles into your program helps you enjoy many benefits and supports long-term musculoskeletal health. When it comes to general weight training, working your back is in my opinion an enjoyable body part to train. When I first started to work out it was always back, biceps and feeling strong, it was all I needed. Now as an older individual training back is not only for strength, but general health and injury preventing.

Because I like to be active running, cycling and gym. My upper and lower back needs to be strong, agile and supportive.

A common issue affecting many people is having lower back pain. My approach is to work the entire posterior chain and strengthen the whole area as one unit. A strong lower/upper back can help alleviate and prevent back pain. Having better movement allows you to perform daily tasks like carrying, bending and performing simple functions like picking things up.

For general strength training at gym or home, you need to work your back in supporting an all over plan. For gym goers, if you have the genetic gifts that allow for the development of a thick, wide back and enjoy your bodybuilding approach, these effective back exercises must be included into your weekly training.

Primary muscles of the back.

With the many variations to work your muscles, in our case back. Having a general understanding of the major and assistant muscles helps with programming correct exercises. This will be important for variation and continued progress.

The main muscles are the latissimus dorsi. Often referred to as the Lats which are located below your armpits and go down the sides of your back. When worked for size add width to your frame. Next are rhomboids, (major and minor) which are in the mid-upper back. Great for upper back stability and support. When trained properly look impressive and for general health feel great when stretched. Lastly, are the erector spinae, which run along your spine protecting your spinal column down to your lower back/glutes as support.

From a fitness and strength point of view these are important to know when learning about what effective back exercises to use. And what function they play in you overall health.

In addition, healthcare providers group your back muscles into three layers. Based on their location. Superficial (extrinsic) back muscles, intermediate back muscles and intrinsic (deep) back muscles. I’ll keep in my lane and discuss the main muscles from a strength and fitness point of view. For other who seek deeper knowledge, use these terms when researching.

Proven effective back exercises that get the job done.

Deadlift.

I’ve mentioned the deadlift first as a back exercise due to its activation to the lower back region and support the back muscles provide during lifts. The deadlift is highly regarded as a dominant hinge movement. Targeting the entire posterior chain, including the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. It’s great for overall strength and muscle development. When I first began training the theory with heavier deadlift was that it stimulated muscle growth for the rest of the body. It was the first exercise to most of my back training sessions. Hence, when you load it up you will understand this statement better. A must do exercise for any all-round plan thar requires a full body approach and great focus.

Bent-Over Rows.

With the use of a standard barbell and an overhand grip. Take a comfortable neutral feet position, then hinge the hips back with the back neutral looking ahead. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width and pull/row toward your upper abs. This exercise targets the upper and middle back. Muscles involved include the lats, rhomboids, and traps. Expect the biceps to get some attention. It helps improve posture and upper body strength. One of the most effective back exercises to perform.

Single-arm dumbbell row.

This simple and effective movement hits the lats nicely while having an impact to your biceps. It also targets the rhomboids and an excellent choice supporting barbells or as the first exercise when performing heavier sets. As a tip, learn to use lifting straps. When consistent and good form, this rowing exercise can also assist in correcting muscle imbalances.

T-bar row / machine and cable rows. 

I’m fortunate to have a T-bar machine in my facility and use it often with clients. A great compliment to the barbell row. You can adjust it to a wide or narrow grip. Some even give you the option of a neutral grip. A great machine you load with weight plates. This exercise targets the middle back and develops thickness and strength to the upper back muscles. The seated row machines are great in supporting your back workouts when you are onto the later part of you session. Like the T bar row machine these can be adjusted to various grips. There are also great for beginners as the chest pad allows for a good set up and safe to use.

Another brilliant exercise when learned and performed well is the seated cable row. I teach it with the hips folding forward to the best ability of my clients. Then simply lean back and row squeezing the back and bicep muscles. It’s important to understand that it’s a hinge movement performed in a seated position with the hips and glutes stationery, unlike a rowing machine. It targets the middle lats, Rhomboids, rear deltoids, biceps and erector spinae. The teres minor gets some involvement while the forearms will feel the loading when using heavy loads. A brilliant full back movement. Remember, always use good form.

Lat pull downs are quite effective when finishing of a solid back workout. Like pull-ups, they target the lats and upper back. They can be performed with a variety attachment for wider, narrow and neutral grips. The pulldowns are user friendly and great for beginners.

Back training using bodyweight. 

The back extension movement is a reliable and user friendly exercise to perform. It’s a brilliant move for those wishing to target their lower back region and improving spinal stability. Using the hyperextension machine is a great way to get a safe lower back workout and a great stretch. A staple within most commercial and old school gyms. These are great when used on a glute ham raise machine with the feet supported. Once you are comfortable you can place a weight plate against your chest and build your strength.

The classic pull ups are excellent for building upper back and lat strength. When using a reverse grip and proper form hits the biceps and core. A classic exercise that is a standard in basic bodyweight strength training. Over the years I’ve found that one of the first goals for most people starting an exercise program has been to do a pull up. An impressive feat that when achieved builds confidence.

Tips for effective back exercises and training methods.

In summary, when looking at working with these compound exercises and supporting movements it’s important to know how to best approach your training.

Firstly, properly warm up sufficiently before you start. Learn the simple process in preparing your muscles and prevent possible injuries occurring due to tightness. Secondly, its important when performing any movement or exercise to focus on maintaining good form. Learn and practice your technique during any session. “Grease the grove” was a saying I learned during a past workshop. A smooth technique can maximize the effectiveness of any exercise and reduce the risk of injury.

Thirdly, having a basic understanding with progressive overload principle will allow you to gradually increase the resistance and intensity of your training. Thus, resulting in continued progress. Lastly, now that you know the key exercises its about mixing them up for variety.  This will help you target all areas of the back, make those gains, keep you motivated and prevent you plateauing.

Sets and reps. What are your goals?

The approach you take is important with any resistance training goal. The reality is, how much effort are you going to put into your goals? As a start, for pure strength I recommend 3×3 or 5×3. Alternatively, use the 5×5 classic for all round conditioning.

The classic 3 set x10 reps (Delorme) is a great beginners approach that has stood the test of time for its effectiveness. Likewise, the 8-12 classic hypertrophy (bodybuilding) is popular withing gym culture and used with a split program for great results. It’s the one that mostly gets rolled out by commercial gyms as it suits many and versatile.

Above all, with any exercise program it comes down to the commitment to the task you will put into reaching your goals.