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

 

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. 

Bicep, Tricep and Shoulder Workout

Biceps: 3 - 4 sets

Ball preacher curl: 10 reps

Dumbbell bicep curls: 12 reps

21's 
7 lower, 7 complete, 7 upper

Triceps: 3 - 4 sets

Tricep dips with body weight: 10 reps

Tricep kickbacks: 12 reps

Lying lateral tricep extenstions
12 reps

Shoulders: 3 - 4 sets

Standing dumbbell press
10 reps

Dumbbell front raises
10 reps

Dumbbell seated lateral raises
12 reps

Bent-over dumbbell lateral raises
15 reps

Exercises for Abs and Glutes

Legs, Ab and Glute Workout

Abs: 3 - 4 Sets

Boat
 30 sec - 1 min

Windshield Wipers 
3 - 4 sets
15 reps

Bridge

3 - 4 Sets

 30 sec. - 1 min.

Legs and Glutes:

Seated leg press 

4 sets 
8 - 10 reps

Reverse Slider Lunges

3 - 4 sets/12 - 15 reps

Glute Kickbacks with Bench

3 - 4 sets
12 - 15 reps

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

Arms and Shoulders Pyramid Workout

Arms and Shoulders Pyramid Workout

Biceps

3 - 4 Sets

EZ Bar 21's

7 reps low curls

7 reps high curls
7 reps complete curls

Dumbbell Hammer Curls

12 - 15 reps

Seated Incline Bicep Curls, Outward

8 - 10 reps

Triceps

3 - 4 Sets

Tricep Push-ups

To Failure

Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extension

12 - 15 reps

Seated Tricep Dip Machine

8 - 10 Reps

Shoulders

3 - 4 Sets

Dumbbell Upright Rows

15 Reps

Lateral Dumbbell Raises

12 reps

Seated Bent-Over Lateral Raises

10 reps