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

 

Resistance Band Workout for the Upper Body

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Arnold's Classic Twisting Back Double Bicep Pose

Resistance Band Lat Pulldown

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Resistance Band Incline Chest Press

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Resistance Band Bicep Curls

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Resistance Band Tricep Overhead Press

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Resistance Band Shoulder Press

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Workout from Home Quarantined Calesthenic Workout III

Total Body Calesthenic Workout III

Walking Push Ups

Beginners: Can be done side to side

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

V Ups

Beginners: As long as you get your torso and legs off the ground 5 inches

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

Inverted Row

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Side Plank Twists

Beginners: Can be done on the knees with the legs bent 90 degrees

3 - 4 Sets

15 Reps Each Side

Box Jump Squats

Beginners: Can be done as Forward Jump Squats without box

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

Back Extension

3 - 4 Sets

15 Reps with a 15 sec HOLD on the LAST Rep

Walking Plank

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 16 Reps

One Leg Stiff Legged Deadlift

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

Plank with Dumbbell Row

Beginners: Can be done on the KNEES

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

Workout at Home During the Quarantine!

Total Body Calesthenic Workout

Targets: chest, arms, core, back and legs

Execute: Supersets or Circuit

Push-ups

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Crossbody Crunch & Leg Lift

3 - 4 Sets

15 Reps

Jump Squats

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

Pull-ups

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Side Plank Lifts

3 - 4 Sets

15 Reps

Diamond Push-ups

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Superman with Leg Curls

3 - 4 Sets

Maximum Reps

Single Calf Raises

3 - 4 Sets

15 - 20 Reps

Swiss Ball Total Body Workout 🏋🏽‍♀️

 Swiss Ball Total Body Workout 

Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Press

4 Sets

10 - 12 Reps, Heavy Weight

Swiss Ball Weighted Crunch 

4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps, Moderate Weight 

Swiss Ball Dumbbell Squats

4 sets

15 - 20 Reps

Swiss Ball Dumbbell Wide Row

4 Sets

10 - 12 Reps, Moderate Weight

Swiss Ball Bulgarian Split Squats

4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps, Each Leg

Swiss Ball Russian Twist 

15 Reps, Each Side with Moderate Weight

Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Flys

4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

Swiss Ball Back Extensions

4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps, Last rep hold torso up with a 10 - 15 sec hold

Swiss Ball Single Leg Curl

4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps, Each Leg

Beginners can use both legs at the same time

Swiss Ball Reverse Plank

4 Sets

45 sec - 1 min hold

Reverse Grip Pull Ups

Reverse Grip Pull Ups

One of the 4 exercises that tests human strength and military fitness is the Pull Up and in this post, I will be discussing why the Reverse Grip Pull Up is important to master. Great way to determine muscular endurance PRs is to achieve enough strength to lift your own weight!

Reverse Grip Pull Ups is a compound exercise for the back. Also known as the Chin Up, this exercise, mostly targets the latissimus dorsi, teres major and biceps. It also secondarily trains the shoulders and chest because of the narrower supinated grip.  If you are a beginner start on the floor, with a bench, stool or stability ball to assist you until you have the strength to lift your own weight. Most commericial gyms have an ASSITED PULL UP/CHEST DIP machines which work great for 

beginners.

Front & Back Double Bicep 

Grab the pull up bar or assisted pull up machine bar. In a reverse supinated grip, palms facing you with arms about shoulder-width apart. If you can hang, raise your feet off the floor by bending your knees. Pull yourself up by squeezing your back muscles and pulling your elbows down to the floor. 

Repeat for desired sets and reps. I usually do 5 sets of 10 - 15 repetitions.

Developing back muscles not only helps with strength and posture, it also develops what is known as a V - Taper. Broad upper body with small tiny waist and large quadraceps gives the body an asthetically pleasing look in the fitness/bodybuilding industry. Tip: So if you have a wide or no waist, developing your upper body will give the illusion of a smaller waist. 

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.

Abdominal and Core Workout

Ab and Core Workout

3 - 4 Sets 10 - 15 Reps

Cable Crunch

10 - 15 Reps

Swiss Ball Dumbbell Russian Twist

12 - 15 reps

Hanging Scissors

30 sec - 1 min.

Superman aka Back Extension

30 sec. - 1 min.

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)