4 Standard Back Exercises Needed to Build Size & Strength

South Padre Island with my dog Taco

Why should women or anyone work hard in the gym to build their back? A lot of people, especially women disregard the importance of training their back or entire upper body. Training the back with weights not only increases your strength, but it also improves back posture and lower back pain. If you ever get into lifting heavy, it is essential to have a strong back to develop a strong squat. 

Besides strengthening your back, training also gives an aesthetically pleasing V-tapered look which gives an illusion of a smaller waist with a developed wider upper body. Who would not want to look smaller in the waist area!? So, if you have been lacking in your back training, now is the time to pay attention to your backside! 

The Back is Made Up of 4 Major Parts:

• The Latissimus Dorsi
• The Trapezius
• The Rhomboid 
• The Erecter Spinae

Here are 4 basic gym exercises to build a beautifully strong back! 

• To build size and strength keep the reps low and the weight heavy.
• Maximum strength training: 3 - 5 reps, heavy weight and 2 - 5 min. rest
• To get lean and cut keep the reps high and the weight moderate to light.
• 12 - 15 reps, moderate to light weight and 45 sec - 1 min. rest

Cable Lat Pulldown

T Bar Row Machine

Kneeling Close Grip Cable Lat Pulldown

Back (Hyper) Extensions

 

Back and Bicep (Pull) Workout

What is a Pull Workout?

Pull exercises are those where the muscles contract and the weight is being pulled towards you. The primary muscles used in pull workouts includes the back, biceps, hamstrings, obliques and trapezius. Examples of pull exercises are lat pull down, back rows, deadlifts, leg curls, rear delt flys and bicep curls.

Benefits of Adding Push/Pull Workouts to Your Program

• Less time at the gym
• Ensures muscle balance
• Promotes injury prevention
• Increases muscle mass

Back and Bicep Workout

Swiss Ball Dumbbell Wide Row

4 - 5 Sets

10 - 12 Reps

EZ Bar Curls

4 - 5 Sets

10 - 12 Reps

Cable Straight Arm Pull Down

3 - 4 Set

10 - 15 Reps

Standing Bicep Curls

3 - 4 Sets

10 - 15 Reps

One Arm Bent Leg Cable Row

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps 

Swiss Ball One Arm Preacher Curl

3 - 4 Sets

10 - 15 Reps

Swiss Ball Back Extensions

3 - 4 Sets

15 - 20 Reps with 10 Sec. Hold on Last Rep

Strengthen Your Core and Elevate Your Heart Rate With This Cable Back Workout!

Back Workout

Lat Pulldown

The lat pulldown is a multi-joint exercise that involves main mover the latissimus dorsi, the largest back muscle, which extends down each side of your spine. The biceps, rear delts, rhomboids and traps are also syngistically during the pulldown exercise.

Close Grip Pulldown

Great exercise to target the primarily lats, the traps (middle and lower) and the biceps. Secondary, it uses the teres major, posterior deltoid and the pectoralis major. Many women are afraid to lift heavy for their upper body. However, developing your back create a v-taper making your waist appear smaller. It also increase your strength to later take on pull-ups and lift things easier around the house.

Squat Row

A compound total body exercise that trains the mid and lower back, legs and glutes while elevating the heart rate. Make sure to use your legs as you stand up with the close grip handle in front of your body with arms extended. Execute the exercise by squating down while keeping the arms extended, use you legs to stand up while bring the close grip handle close to your belly button. Squat back down with the arms extended to complete one rep and repeat!

Swimmers

Swimmers are a different variation to the Lying Back Extension (Superman). This exercise strengthens the core and stretches the lower back. Adding movement to it elevates the heart rate. This exercise can be done in repetitions or timed.

To build muscle: increase weight and lower reps to 8-10.

To tone up: lower weight and increase reps to 12-15.

Muscle building Chest and Back Workout

Chest

3 - 4 Sets

Chest press machine

8 - 10 reps (heavy weight)

Incline dumbbell chest press

10 - 12 reps (medium weight)

Fly machine

12 - 15 reps (light - medium weight)

Dips

8 - 12 reps (body weight)

Back

3 - 4 sets

Lat Pulldown
10 - 12 reps

Reverse-grip lat pull up

10 - 12 reps

Bent-over dumbbell row

8 - 10 reps (heavy weight)

Back Extension (Floor)
3 - 4 sets
30 seconds - 1 min.

Unstable/Stable Chest and Back Superset Workout

Chest and Back Supersets:

3 - 4 Sets

Body Weight Exercises: 15 - 20 reps

Weighted Exercises: 10 - 12 reps

Push-ups

Lat Pulldown

Incline push-ups

Bent-over barbell row (over-hand grip)

Decline push-ups

Straight-arm pulldown

Diamond push-up

Back extension (floor)

Chest and Back Workout: Body Weight and Cable Pulley Exercises

Chest and Back Workout: Body Weight and Cable Pulley Exercises

Body Weight and Cable Pulley Exercises

3 to 4 Sets
All Push ups: Max Reps

Back exercises
To build: 8 - 10 Reps
Lean out: 12 - 15 reps
Back Extension: 30 sec. - 1 min.

1. Close grip Push-ups (Tricep Push-ups)

Targets: Chest, Triceps, and Core

Inclined Push-ups

Targets: Lower Chest, Arms, and Core

Declined Push-ups

Targets: Upper Chest, Shoulders, Arms, and Core

Cable Flys (Lower)

Targets: Lower and Middle Chest and Arms

Lat Pulldown: Wide Grip

Targets: Upper Lats, Teres Major, Traps and Biceps

Reverse Grip Pull Ups

Targets: Lats, Teres Major, Traps and Biceps

Seated Cable Row

Targets: Mid Lats and Biceps

Back Extensions

Targets: Mid and Lower Back with Glutes

Upper Body Stable and Unstable Workout

Upper Body Workout

Barbell Chest Press: 4 Sets

Hypertrophy: 8 - 10 reps

Strength Endurance: 12 - 15 reps

Behind the Head Pulldown: 4 Sets

Hypertrophy: 8 - 10 reps

Strength Endurance: 12 - 15 reps

Swiss Ball One Arm DB Curl

Hypertrophy: 8 - 10 reps

Strength Endurance: 12 - 15 reps

Tricep Push-ups

Maximum Reps

Military Press

Hypertrophy: 8 - 10 reps

Strength Endurance: 12 - 15 reps

Close Grip Pulldown

Great exercise to target the primarily lats, the traps (middle and lower) and the biceps. Secondary, it uses the teres major, posterior deltoid and the pectoralis major. Many women are afraid to lift heavy for their upper body. However, developing your back create a v-taper making your waist appear smaller. It also increase your strength to later take on pull-ups and lift things easier around the house.

2014 NPC Nationals Team Universe 

Teneack New, Jersey

11th place Master Figure Category