Exercise program for back muscles. Back training: an effective complex

Mine to you with a brush, dear ones!

It’s Wednesday on the calendar, or more precisely, Friday :), which means that today we have a stern technical note (or rather another continuation of the cycle) about basic exercises for gaining weight. After reading, you will learn which body movements with iron will best help in building a massive back, and what a corresponding meat-building training program should look like.

So, if no one objects, let's begin.

Basic exercises for gaining back mass. What are they?

For those who don’t know about the tank, I’ll say right away that this is an innocent topic - basic exercises for gaining weight, which has grown into a whole series of articles. And in each new article we analyze this or that muscular unit and find out the best way, from a scientific point of view, to pump it up. In particular, the following bestsellers came from the pen: [Basic exercises for gaining mass, biceps/triceps] and [Basic exercises for gaining mass, shoulders/chest]. The next muscle group in line is the back. And that’s what we’ll talk about next.

It just so happens that every person is an individual :) and everyone has their own preferences, likes and dislikes. Moreover, the latter concerns not only everyday life, but also the gym and those exercises ( muscle groups) that a person trains. So, if we look at the statistics (and she’s a stubborn lady), then girls most often try to correct the following parts of the body: butt - gluteal muscles, hips and waist. No, of course, other muscles are also worked, but to a much lesser extent and far from reluctantly.

As for male representatives, the priorities are: pectoral muscles, biceps, abs. For the rest (to be honest) it just gets hammered, or they are worked on as they go. Of course, this way of putting the question – pumping up the most revealing parts of the body – is wrong. People are just looking for quick results. (quickly pump up your abs or biceps to show them off, say, on the beach) and don't think about integrated development all muscle groups. But in vain, because the athletic longevity and health of the athlete depend on the cumulative and proportional development of muscle masses. Well, okay, let's leave these thoughts for the next post.

I just wanted to convey that you can’t hammer only those muscles that look good and forget about the rest, because they are all interconnected and contribute to lifting the final weight of the weight. Let's take, for example, the back - I consider it the pillar (framework) on which all muscle volumes are supported. It is on its functional characteristics and development that progress in such basic exercises as deadlift, barbell squats, and they are known to grow meat best. Remember this, and never train one-sidedly.

So, the muscular atlas of the back is represented by the following muscles:

trapezoidal - covers the rhomboid and runs in the longitudinal direction from occipital bone to the bottom of the thoracic vertebrae. Responsible for the thickness of the back;
rhomboid - connects the shoulder blades to the vertebrae of the upper back;
Latissimus – also called “wings” and is responsible for the width of the back.

Note:
In one question we will look at exercises to work on both the width and thickness of the back. This approach will truly allow you to “design” a visually impressive back.

Before proceeding with the technical narrative, it is necessary to keep in mind that the back muscles always work in harmony (i.e., as such, complete isolation does not occur) when you pull, lift or carry weights. Therefore, the synergy effect (1+1=3) will always be present.

Actually, now let's look at the most effective exercises for the trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles according to the results of electromyography.

No. 1. Latissimus dorsi muscle – grow massive “wings”. Best exercises with standard equipment.

traction upper block to the chest (PS1), narrow supinated grip, bending the body back;
lat pulldown to the neck (PN), shoulder-width grip, vertical position;
bent over dumbbell row (DB1), supinated grip, arms next to the body, palms frontal;
Pulldown of the upper block to the chest (PS2), grip shoulder-width apart, bending the body back;
Bent-over dumbbell row (DB2), neutral grip, palms facing the torso;
lat pulldown to the chest (PS3), shoulder-width grip, vertical position;
block pull to the body (CR), V-handle, hands close to the body.

The EMG activity of exercises with standard equipment in comparison with lat pulldowns to the neck is as follows.

A visual representation of the EMG activity data shows that the classic back exercises recommended by Joe Weider - lat pulldowns in the machine (towards the neck/chest) indeed lead to the greatest activation of the dorsolateral muscle on the torso. However, some Canadian co-founders international federation bodybuilders found no significant differences in the activation of the upper, middle and lower latissimus dorsi muscles between different variations of deadlifts. In other words, it is not possible to train the upper, middle or bottom part latissimus dorsi muscle, isolated.

Note:
Always remember that you cannot isolate individual muscle fibers of the latissimus muscle. Just as it is impossible to isolate the upper and lower section press or upper/lower/middle sections pectoral muscles. These muscles are always (to a certain extent) will work together.

You can also draw another interesting conclusion - the use of cheating (slight tilt of the body back) lat pulldowns actually benefit the latissimus dorsi. In classical literature, it is usually recommended to perform lat pull-downs strictly in a straight line - the arms and torso remain perpendicular throughout the entire range of motion. However, judging by electromyography data, the body deviation is slightly backward (135 gr vs 180 ) increases muscle activation latissimus muscles back on 11% .

The situation is similar with dumbbell rows with a supinated (reverse) grip. When performing the exercise this way, muscle activation increases by 6% , however, this only happens as long as the movement is performed with proper technique - the arms move along the body. Therefore, there is no need to chase weight here.

No. 2. Mass building exercises for the latissimus dorsi muscle.

These include:

pull-ups to the neck (behind the head), wide classic grip;
Pull-ups to the chest, wide reverse grip;
Pull-ups to the chest, wide straight grip;
Pull-ups to the chest, narrow straight grip.

The EMG activity of various variations of chest pull-ups compared to wide-grip pull-ups to the neck is as follows.

As you can see, the grip is wide (which is quite unnatural when pulled up by the head) provides the greatest activation of the latissimus muscles. Therefore, it is the pull-up with a wide grip behind the head that is the best mass-gaining exercise for the latissimus dorsi muscles. Also, it's interesting that pull-ups are wide reverse grip to the chest and pull-ups with a classic grip, are in second and third places (-13% And –19% less EMG activity than during head pull-ups) among the list of the best exercises. It is also important to remember that when doing pull-ups with a close grip, the biceps take most of the load from the back.

Note:

If you can't do classic pull-ups for different reasons: heavy weight, your shoulders hurt or you are a girl, then use the gravitron strength trainer. The principle of its operation is to lighten its own weight (by regulating the load of the load-block mechanism) and pushing the body up.

Well, we’ve looked at the best exercises for the lats, let’s move on, and now it’s our turn...

No. 3. Trapezius and rhomboid muscles – adding thickness to the back.

I would like to start with a small technical feature, the fact is that all exercises that activate the trapezius muscle also affect the rhomboid muscle (one covers the other). Therefore, there is no need to individually measure EMG activity of the rhomboid muscle.

Now let's look at the best exercises with standard equipment (the angle between the arm and the torso is indicated in brackets).

Top part trapezius muscle:

shrugs with dumbbells;
frontal lifts of the barbell, narrow grip(FP) ;
deadlift.

Middle trapezius muscle:

moving the arm back in the butterfly simulator (“return flight”), corner 90 gr m / u arm and body;
reverse dumbbell fly ( 90 gr) ;
Bent-over barbell row ( 90 gr, TS);
seated cable pull (CT);
cable traction to the face (CTL);
bent over dumbbell row ( 90 gr) .

Lower trapezius muscle:

(external rotation 120 g, OP No. 1);
reverse dumbbell fly (120 g, OR No. 1);
“return flight” in the butterfly simulator (external rotation 90 degrees, OP No. 2);
traction in a cable simulator from above (TS);
reverse dumbbell fly (90 g, OP No. 2);
“return flight” in the butterfly simulator (internal rotation, pronation grip, OP#3).

EMG activity various exercises on the back for the upper, lower and middle trapezius muscles (values are given relative to the exercises marked with an asterisk for the corresponding part).

Note:
For compactness, the figure uses symbols for exercises based on their first letters.

Judging by the activity results skeletal muscles, the best exercises for the upper trapezius muscle are: dumbbell shrugs, barbell front raises and deadlifts. Seeing the bottom two in the top 3 list is quite unusual. These exercises are mostly used in back-building schemes, although they are sometimes classified as neck and shoulder exercises.

The lat pulldown exercise is perfect exercise for creating correct posture and prevention of impingement syndrome (rotator cuff compression). However, the movement must be carried out with correct technique, i.e. move your shoulder blades back and down.

Mass-gaining exercises for the lower trapezius muscle:

gaps between the bars (fall down and rise up with straight arms);
Pull-ups to the chest with a wide grip.

You might be surprised to learn that dips are a mass-building exercise for developing the lower trapezius, but they really are. Try doing a few reps after a hard back workout and you'll feel the trapezius getting hit hard.

Training advice

Not many people know how to properly train their back, and the whole point is that it is really difficult to load it and adequately stimulate it for growth. So make sure you use a fairly heavy weight - one that is reluctant to leave the floor/pulls down, but not so heavy that you can't control its return path. Watch your weight - this is very important when training your back.

Summarizing all of the above, we can draw the following conclusion: almost all back exercises affect the latissimus, trapezius and, to some extent, the rhomboid muscles. However, the combination is most effective exercises for the upper/middle/lower trapezius, which include: straight wide grip pull-ups to the neck, wide reverse grip pull-ups to the chest, heavy shrugs and flyes with dumbbells, will maximally stimulate the entire muscle volume of the back to grow.

Upon completion of the study, a training program was drawn up (based on EMG activity data) to create a massive back that looks like this:

As for the number of sets, each athlete independently determines this value for himself, based on the optimal volume and frequency of training, lifestyle, nutrition, etc.

Actually, everything I did turned out to be voluminous, but everything was to the point.

Afterword

Today we looked at basic exercises for gaining back mass. When you finish reading, go to the mirror and look, in my opinion it has become bigger. If not, then give your back a real belly-fest :) in your own rocking chair.

Until next time, friends, I was glad to see you, come in!

PS. We are active in the comments, I’m always happy to hear your questions, let’s go!

P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it as your status social network- plus 100 points towards karma, guaranteed.

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Back muscle training is a very important and difficult task especially when the back lags behind. In general, the larger the muscle group, the more difficult it is to specialize in it, since a lot of resources are spent on both training and recovery. This training program involves four sessions per week, of which two are designed to work the back muscles. It is recommended to break down your back training by goals, and not only in this case. The bottom line is that the back consists of a whole complex of muscles; most often, the deadlift is considered a basic exercise for the back, but this exercise only uses the long back muscles, while training the legs perfectly. If you want a wide back, then attention should be paid to the latissimus and teres dorsi muscles.

Back training, in this case, will work on either the thickness of the back or its width. Training for the width of the back will be difficult, and for the width it will be easier, although this division, of course, is very arbitrary. To work out the width of the back, the athlete should use horizontal pull-downs, and to work out the width, use vertical pull-ups. During a heavy workout, the rep range ranges from 6 to 10, and during light training from 10 to 15. It's not about using different types of muscle fibers , since time under load is not the only factor that determines which fibers and energy delivery method will be used. The point is that such microperiodization will relieve the central nervous system, and will also allow you to get the most out of the exercises, since horizontal rods Work better in the low rep range, and vertical ones in the high rep range.

Causes of back muscle lag

In order to create a back training program, you need to understand the cause of back lag. As a rule, the back lags behind in people with well-developed biceps, since the back muscles and biceps perform related tasks, respectively, the biceps simply steals the load. That is, in this case, the reason is poor neuromuscular connection and exercise technique. Another common reason is that the athlete gives preference to working the long back muscle, after which he is no longer able to give sufficient load to the latissimus, and since the muscles do not receive stress, then there is no need for them to hypertrophy. Remember, muscle growth is only a visible part of the process of adaptation to an ever-increasing load!

Simulation exercises - this is very important element not only training the back, but also training any lagging part of the body. The point is that such exercises work on the neuromuscular connection, which allows the muscles to contract more correctly. We can say that the quality of neuromuscular communication determines how accurately the muscles will perform the tasks that the brain sets for them. On practice , simulating exercises are performed daily before bed, as well as before training. Nothing could be easier! You don't need dumbbells, barbells, or machines; the exercises are performed without additional weight. You simply get into the pose of one or another exercise and perform, concentrating on the work of the target muscle group, 30-40 repetitions of 3-4 approaches of the desired basic exercise. In the case of the back, this could be bent-over barbell rows and vertical block rows.

Tendon strengthening - This is also a way to improve neuromuscular communication, which is achieved through static training of the back muscles. For this purpose, the “star” exercise is used, when the athlete lies face down and bends at the lower back, lifting all parts of the body from the floor, holding on to his stomach. You need to stay in this position for 60-90 seconds. Most likely, you will be able to hold out for 10 seconds, but this will pass over time. But, having trained your back in this way, strengthening the tendons, you will begin to feel it in a completely new way and, perhaps, you will not even need to carry out specialization training.

Technical aspects - This is a way to more specifically load the trained muscle group, in this case, the back. Actually, in bodybuilding, all exercises must be performed due to the work of the muscle being trained, this is the main difference between bodybuilding and powerlifting. If during strength training Back technique is aimed at involving as many muscles as possible in the work, then when working out the back for weight, the correct technique excludes the work of the satellite muscles. On practice , You must use an overhand grip, be sure to use straps, keep your back arched, and your elbows pressed to your body. Dorian Yates' methods are not for you! They are very effective, but only for those muscle groups that are not lagging behind.

Super compensation - This required condition to implement the progression of loads, since at the moment of supercompensation the muscles become larger and stronger than they were before, but this moment does not last indefinitely, so you need to be able to catch supercompensation. We have already written about this in detail in an article called « supercompensation » . The essence The idea is that you need to select, based on your individual recovery capabilities, the optimal time for resting the trained muscle group. In this regard, during a back muscle training program, we recommend, if necessary, alternating workouts not only within a split, but also between weeks. In practice, this looks like alternating light and heavy weeks, but you should alternate training like this: week 1 – heavy training for thickness and light training for width, week 2 – easy workout for thickness and heavy training for thickness.

Types of back training

Back training may differ in its objectives; accordingly, the methods and principles of training also differ. First, strength training involves developing long muscle back, and mass-gain – the latissimus muscles, secondly, athletes train different muscle fibers, different ways energy supply, in general, these workouts are strikingly different from each other. In this article we are talking about training for muscle hypertrophy, but it will also be useful to consider the basic principles of strength training in order to avoid possible mistakes.

Back strength training

When working with force, the following rules should be observed: duration of training – no more than 60 minutes, time the muscle is under load – 10-20 seconds, number of repetitions – up to 6 per set, rest between sets – from 3 to 5 minutes, number of exercises per workout – 2-3, pace of exercises - fast, technique – helps to activate accessory muscles, microperiodization - must be present basic exercise - deadlift.

The point is that strength training involves the development of high-threshold fast muscle fibers, glycolytic muscle fibers and providing muscles with energy due to the breakdown of creatine phosphate. The goal of such training is to develop strength in a single one-time repetition of the deadlift. Such training involves the use of specific variations of the main basic exercise, the use of techniques to level out the influence of the Golgi tendon organ, and much more, which we will discuss in more detail in the corresponding article.

Latissimus dorsi training

During such training, the following rules should be observed: duration of training – up to 60 minutes, muscle time under load – 30-50 seconds, repetitions per set – from 6 to 15, rest between sets – 30-60 seconds, number of working approaches per workout – from 9 to 25, pace of exercises – slow or medium, technique – allows you to specifically load the muscle being trained, microperiodization – optional at the initial stage, basic exercises – barbell rows to the waist and wide-grip pull-ups.

Training the latissimus dorsi muscles involves working out slow muscle fibers, oxidative muscle fibers and fast muscle fibers, although the latter, as you already know, develop better from strength training. Energy supply is carried out through glycolysis, so you should rest in the range of 30-60 seconds, and train relatively often, and therefore, at advanced stages, there is a need for microperiodization, since energy is restored faster than contractile proteins. The main goal of training is muscle hypertrophy.

While studying in gym, men pay special attention to back training, since a harmonious athlete’s silhouette is impossible without well-developed latissimus muscles. If girls primarily train their leg muscles, and this is logical, then a man’s priority should be training the latissimus dorsi muscle. A wide back helps hide body imperfections. Such as wide waist, narrow Men are always attracted to back training. Every beginner wants to know how to build a wide back.

The structure of the back muscles

To understand how a weight training program for the back is designed, you need to understand the structure of its muscles and their functions. divided into deep and superficial.

The first type includes:

transverse spinalis muscles, the function of which is to stabilize the spine, they consist of the rotator muscles, multifidus and semispinalis;
extensor muscles perform the function of moving the spine; consist of the iliocostal, longissimus and spinous;
diamond-shaped, trapezoidal and, contribute to the movement of the shoulder girdle.

The second type includes:

the latissimus muscle, the function of which is to stretch the arm back and down;
square, responsible for lateral bending.

Which muscles should you pay attention to?

For beginners, it's the upper body workout that worries them. Everyone wants to know how to build a wide back.

The shape of this part of the body, its width can be changed by pumping the latissimus muscles, or, as athletes say, the wings. Enlarging this area creates the V-shaped figure that athletes strive for.

Also, a beautiful torso is formed due to This muscle group is divided into 3 regions: top, middle and bottom. Special attention is given to the top - the area between the shoulders and neck.

Training the back extensors allows you to create a hollow spine, and this creates the effect of a muscular back. In addition, extensors help you lift heavier weights while pumping up other parts of your body.

Pull-ups.

By changing the grip width, you can work different areas of the back. The wider the grip, the more the lats are activated. When performing exercises, you need to pull with your back and turn off your biceps, and do not pull your shoulders towards your ears.

If you have little weight and it’s easy for you to pull yourself up, then you need to use extra weight- a belt with weights or dumbbells; you can also use weights with sand.

If, on the contrary, you cannot pull up your own weight, then you can perform the exercise on the “Graviton” simulator, where a load is placed, which serves as a counterweight.

Deadlift.

To perform this exercise, you need to have pumped up abs and back extensors, which will help avoid injuries.

To begin the exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly and slowly lower the barbell down in one line without leaning your body forward. The bar should slide along the knees along the same path.

Bent-over barbell row.

Position - feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent at an angle of 45 degrees, spine in a straight line. The barbell should be pulled towards the stomach so that it slides over the thighs.

Technique for performing isolated exercises

Isolation exercises help strengthen the muscles at the end of the workout and engage fibers that are not affected by the basic exercises.

One-arm dumbbell row.

Rest your left leg and left hand on the bench, your back parallel to the floor, take a dumbbell in your right hand and begin to pull with your back, bending your elbow. There is no need to turn your back at the top point.

T-machine rows.

The principle of execution is the same as in the barbell row. This exercise includes back mass training if there are any injuries.

Pull from the top block.

A good alternative to pull-ups. Sit on a bench, grab the handle with a wide grip and pull down with your back, your arms should be relaxed.

Pull from the lower block.

Sit on a bench, keep your back straight and begin to pull the machine, bringing your shoulder blades together.

Hyperextension.

We lie down on a bench, the pelvis is on the pillow, lower the body down without rounding the back, raise the top until the back is in line with the legs.

Back muscle training program for mass

Depending on the training goals, a specific program is selected. By including/excluding certain exercises, you can change the load on the muscles.

All men are interested in how to pump up their back. The training program is varied.

This complex will help pump up all parts of the back and consists of 4 training options that will need to be alternated.

It's important to do 5 minutes of cardio before starting your warm-up exercises, and also do a couple of warm-up sets without weights.

Back workout

exercise	approaches	repetitions
first, fifth weeks
pull-ups	4	max
superset: rows from the upper and lower blocks	4	10
Bent-over barbell row	4	10
second, sixth weeks
superset: lat pulldown + pull-ups	4	10 and 15
pull from the lower block	3	max
reverse thrust	4	10, 10, 8, 6
one-arm lat pulldown	3	10
third, seventh weeks
pull-ups	4	max, 10, 8.8
traction from the upper block	3	10
Bent-over barbell row	4	8, 6, 6, 5
pull down from the lower block with hands alternately	4	15
fourth, eighth week
triset: pull-ups + rows from the upper + lower blocks	3	10 each
traction from the upper block	3	12
reverse thrust	3	max

Sports nutrition for training

Training for back mass is quite labor-intensive and requires significant energy expenditure, so it is rational to use supplements to increase endurance and the speed of recovery of the body.

To grow muscle mass, you can use gainer, protein and creatine, for recovery - glutamine, to protect muscles from breakdown - BCAA. All this will contribute to the speedy achievement of the goal.

Our consultants will tell you which sports nutrition company is best to choose. Today there are a lot of manufacturers, each of which adds some zest to their product.

Particular attention should be paid to nutrition, since a lack of nutrients will not allow your muscles to grow. Must be eaten daily required amount protein and carbohydrates per kg of body. If you create a deficiency of any component, but train hard, you will not achieve results. Muscles grow with the proper amount of carbohydrates and proteins. Protein is the main source of food for muscles; it is found in chicken breasts, eggs, and cottage cheese.

We'll talk about which back exercises in the gym are the most effective! And so often, gym goers have the habit of working out only those areas that are visible in the mirror. As a rule, these are breast and shoulder muscles, biceps, abs.

But paying attention to your back is essential, not only to ensure symmetry between the front and back of your body, but also to improve your overall health.

A weak muscle corset can lead to poor posture and also provoke acute pain, especially with increasing loads on the upper shoulder girdle.

Every person should know his correct weight! Therefore, we have created a special calculator that shows what weight a person is considered normal and what is considered excessive. .

What back muscles need to be worked regularly? The best back exercises in the gym

Doing back exercises in the gym is essential for developing a perfect V-shaped torso. After all, a sign of ideal male figure are broad shoulders, prominent chest and narrow waist. In order to achieve this effect, it is recommended to regularly work out the following spinal muscles:

lats;
diamond-shaped;
trapezoidal;
straightening the spine;
oblique.

The exercises below can be combined into a single training complex, to which you need to devote at least two sessions a month. But it makes more sense to add one exercise at a time to your regular training plans.

Deadlift

It's technical difficult exercise will help you work through everything posterior group muscles (from the calf to the shoulder). The effectiveness of training is determined by the fact that when correct execution, 75% of the muscle mass is involved, including the latissimus and trapezius dorsi muscles.

It is very important to monitor the technique, because any mistakes can lead to serious complications, including hernia and pinched spinal nerves.

It is necessary to start working with a barbell with a minimum weight, not forgetting about the weightlifting belt. For one workout, it will be enough to perform 3 sets of 6 repetitions. After several sessions, you can increase the weight, but the number of approaches should remain the same.

Bent-over barbell row (forward and reverse grip)

When done correctly, Weight Limit It will be possible to take it much faster, without fear of developing a large number of health complications. Depending on the initial physical training, you can lift the barbell:

direct grip (in this case, the trapezius muscles are mainly loaded);
reverse grip (the bar is picked up from underneath, as a result of which the latissimus muscles are worked).

Attention! Lifting a barbell on an incline puts a lot of stress on the lower back, so it’s best to do the exercise at the very beginning of your workout. It is not recommended to perform bent-over barbell lifts in combination with classic deadlifts.

Wide grip pull-ups

Many athletes have heard that pull-ups directly affect the development of the back. Indeed, pull-ups are one of the the best ways develop the upper shoulder girdle and back in general.

But only pull-ups performed with a wide grip will allow you to maximally work the latissimus muscles. Pull-ups are suitable even for beginners, because it is quite difficult to make mistakes in doing them. In very rare cases, pain in the shoulder joints may occur.

But ultimately, you need to learn how to perform 82 pull-ups for 5 repetitions. There is no point in increasing the load further, as this will lead to wear and tear. shoulder joints. If the standard number of pull-ups has been mastered, then you can add weights, but do not increase the number of approaches.

Before each approach to the horizontal bar, it is necessary to warm up the shoulder joints. And pull-ups themselves are an excellent warm-up before performing deadlifts.

Exercise: T-Bar Row

Pulling the T-bar to your chest is one of the classical exercises, which is great for those who are unable to lift a lot of weight during bent-over barbell lifts.

Due to the fact that the machine allows you to focus on your stomach and hips, the spine is not loaded. This means that the athlete will be able to do more repetitions and lift more weight. You can lift the T-bar:

neutral grip (palms facing each other);
narrow grip (palms brought together as much as possible);
wide grip (handles spread to the sides, palms “looking” down).

The wider the grip, the better the muscle corset will be worked out. With a neutral grip, maximum attention is paid to rhomboid muscles, and with a narrow one, the biceps are additionally pumped.

The exercise is performed at the end of the workout, according to the system of “failure” repetitions. This means that you need to lift the T-bar as many times as you can, and after characteristic symptoms appear, add 2-3 more repetitions.

If there is no special simulator in the gym, then you can lift a regular fixed barbell, with a counterweight on the working side. In this case, it is important to ensure that your legs are bent at the knees and your abs are as tense as possible. IN otherwise, squats and bends will be performed with weights, which will not affect the development of the back in any way.

Lower block rows with direct and reverse grip

This exercise will allow you to pump up even the most small muscles backs. The advantage of the lower pull-down is that even women, as well as people with a minimum level of physical fitness, can perform it. The load is adjusted by increasing the weight, as well as changing the grip width of the simulator lever.

With the classic lat pulldown (direct neutral grip), the latissimus muscles are worked. If you perform the exercise with a wide handle, the load will be transferred to rather specific areas of the trapezius and rhomboid muscles.

It is better to perform the lat pulldown immediately after the deadlift. It is enough to perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions. It is very important to control the pace and spend at least four seconds holding the handle of the machine to your chest, and the same amount resting between repetitions.

If the exercise seems too easy, then it is recommended to complicate it not only by increasing the weight, but also by changing the grip. By performing lat pulldowns with a reverse grip, you can work almost all areas of the back and biceps. Athletes who have already “taken” the maximum weight when performing classical traction lower block.

Upper block pull

The lat pulldown is also considered one of the easiest and relatively safest workouts for back development. The simulator will be a solution for those people who have not yet mastered wide-grip pull-ups.

Due to the possibility of increasing the load, lat pulldowns are also suitable for those who have already achieved the standard 82 repetitions and want to develop further.

A narrow and neutral grip activates the biceps and groups of muscle fibers that are located closer to the center of the back. But a wide grip will allow you to work all areas of the latissimus muscles. Working with the upper block is great for building muscle mass.

This exercise is an excellent warm-up for the shoulder joints. It is enough to perform three sets of 12 repetitions. But if an athlete uses maximum weight, then it is better to work with the simulator after pre-warming the muscles and doing classic pull-ups.

One-arm dumbbell row

This exercise allows you to work both sides of your back while controlling the weight on your working and non-working arm. The range of motion also increases significantly. If, when performing a deadlift, the bar rises only to the level of the abs, then when working with dumbbells, you can bring your elbow beyond shoulder level.

In this case, almost all the muscles of the upper back are involved. By resting your non-working hand on the bench, the risk of incorrect work with dumbbells is significantly reduced. The torso is easy to control and fatigue does not set in as quickly, allowing you to perform more repetitions.

One-arm dumbbell lifts are usually done mid-workout. It is enough to perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Hyperextension

Hyperextension is a very light exercise and is therefore suitable for women and beginners. It is quite difficult to make lifting the body more difficult, so the number of approaches can be determined using the “to failure” method. Athletes often perform hyperextensions during breaks between basic sets. The technique is quite simple:

Fix your legs so that your hips lie completely on the bench with an inclination angle of 45 degrees;
Cross your arms over your chest;
Raise your back completely straight until your body is perpendicular to the floor;
Slowly take the starting position.

You can also perform hyperextension from a classic bench or on a Roman chair.

Back recovery after training

If the entire training was devoted to the development of the back, you need to pay attention to the high-quality restoration of the body.

Firstly, it is necessary to avoid any load on the latissimus muscles, otherwise the risk of injury will increase several times. Secondly, it is advisable to visit a massage therapist who will help prevent the development of painful symptoms.

You can also drink potassium and do a few back stretching exercises (for example, pull your knees to your chest, or try to reach your feet with your palms from a sitting position).

We recommend reading an article on the topic - how to pump up your back muscles. In it you will find additional exercises and a completely different approach to pumping up your back muscles, as well as various tips for strengthening your back.

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The most the main task for a bodybuilder - pump up a massive back to achieve a V-shaped body. In this guide, you will learn how to pump up your back muscles for maximum width and depth, how to choose the right exercises and build a weight training program for your back.

Luxurious shoulders, bulging biceps, triceps are worthy rewards after training. But what about a powerful back? How about broad ones that eclipse the sun? If you don't have them, now is the time to pump them up. A strong and well-developed back is the main thing for a physically balanced and functional athletic body.

As they say, in bodybuilding, “The show is won from behind.” Judges evaluate bodybuilders' sculpted chests and arms, which must stand out from the crowd when paired with the right curves. Size also matters for success. Sure, from a certain angle thin waist And developed muscles The backs look great, but if the back lacks power, the mouse can lose valuable points on stage due to insufficient width and depth and not look as impressive in real life.

But if you look at it from another perspective, a strong back can prevent or speed up recovery from injury, as well as showcase the brilliance of your core. And in sports, a powerful back will help: in football it is better to block, in wrestling there is a powerful grip and more dynamic strikes in all combat sports.

In this guide, you will get a general understanding of the back muscles and understand which exercises are best to perform to relieve or prevent back pain, as well as which ones are used when performing certain movements.

If you've been putting back training on the back burner, don't worry, you can improve your lats with Calum's tips and back training program.

The back is made up of bones, joints, nerves, muscles and connective tissue. They all help keep the vertebrae in the spinal column straight. Actually, the spine is divided into three parts: cervical region, thoracic region, lumbar region. Incorrect bending or turning when lifting heavy objects can damage the discs between the vertebrae. To keep your back healthy and strong, you need to maintain an upright posture all day long, not just when lifting heavy objects.

The back muscles include the following groups: trapezius - (this is the upper part of the back), rhomboid - (located immediately below the trapezius), latissimus (the largest group of the lower back), large and small round muscles, (located under the latissimus) and the spinal extensor muscles (straightening the lower back, the longest, divided into many subtypes).

The chest and abdominal muscles play a key role in physical development and strengthening the muscles of the back of the body. Straight abdominal muscle(six pack abs) and obliques (located on the side of the torso) stabilize the spine and help with heavy lifting. Typically, each back exercise involves all or several specific groups.

What is the best exercise to choose to train your back muscles?

After intensive training, there comes a time when it becomes much easier to control the shape of the back muscles, for example, when posing. This mainly happens when significant success is achieved in gaining weight.

The king of all back exercises

Many experts believe that the deadlift is king, as it adds strength and stimulates growth of all muscle groups in the back.

Thus, when trying to dial muscle mass the back stance is an integral and most important exercise to achieve the set goal.

Also, the deadlift can be a good training tool for beginners, as long as the correct technique is followed. Beginners increase their strength not only solely due to systematic deadlift training, but also due to the improved nervous system endurance that comes as the body adapts to such a load. This is achieved when nervous system learn to use every part of every muscle when performing deadlifts, and then muscle and strength growth will increase.

After a long training program Muscle growth stops after 1-5 sets of deadlifts, which means it’s time to start working on aesthetics: perfect amount approaches in muscle building exercises are from 8 to 12 repetitions with increasing working weight. And performing exercises for 15-20 approaches, which implies the use of lighter weights, improves muscular endurance, but not a lot.

Free Weight Exercises

You can increase the mass of your back using the following exercises: bent-over barbell rows, one-arm bent-over dumbbell rows, shrugs with dumbbells and a barbell, dumbbell rows to load the rear deltoid. Performing bent-over barbell rows puts a load on the latissimus dorsi, teres major, middle trapezius, rhomboid, and posterior deltoids. Such movements cannot be combined with deadlifts.

Bent-over dumbbell rows with one hand to the waist load the same groups as bent-over barbell rows, and also strain lateral muscles back with weight gain. Shrugs that develop the trapezius and rear deltoids make your top part the back is optically more powerful. Bent over dumbbell swings using less heavy weight These exercises can significantly improve the definition of your upper back.

Exercises on simulators

After exercises with free weight, you need to move on to training on simulators: upper pull-down, lower pull-down, swinging your arms in the simulator ( reverse dilution, peck-deck, butterfly). They work the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, and rear delta. Using a long bar and wide grip for lat pulldowns can help increase overall lat mass. And lat pulldowns with a reverse grip can increase the volume and range of mobility of vertical movements, which helps add mass to all abdominal muscles.

Using lever and overhead grip machines (which have single-arm variations) will help you focus your efforts on increasing muscle size in specific areas at the same time. A little-known technique for single-arm machines is the concept of strength training or eccentric exercises, where the training time or weight lifted during the final series of sets is increased.

For example, working the latissimus muscle using a D-shaped handle on strength training equipment, to perform lat pulldowns with one hand, you need to set the load to 9.072 kg, and then lower the handle down right hand. And then with your left hand you need to set the load to 18.144 kg and return the block to its original position. The first half of the exercise is aimed at concentric muscle contraction, the second - at eccentric muscle contraction (when lifting the weight back up). By focusing attention on performing the second half of the exercise, muscle growth is stimulated in a way that is unusual for muscles, and as a result, the growth process is accelerated.

Bodyweight exercises

When performing a separate part of the program to build back muscles, only the visual effectiveness and definition of the torso improves. In this case, there is no point in lifting weights if it is impossible to lift your own weight. Pull-ups, reverse rows, back stretches, and TRX loop workouts are exercises designed to build strength and size in the back in a way that works all the muscles in the body at once instead of targeting one muscle or muscle group. And you don’t have to be limited by your actual body weight when you exercise with “ own weight bodies."

For example, as soon as doing 10 pull-ups on the bar in three sets becomes habitual, you need to increase the load by attaching a belt to your waist with additional weight on it.

If it is physically impossible to do pull-ups, you should start with reverse rows and training with TRX loops - this teaches you to stabilize the torso corset while improving the performance of body-pulling exercises.

Bodyweight exercises such as gundog, superman, dead bug and plank will help prevent or speed up recovery from lower back pain. They can also help restore strength and strengthen the core muscles after injury to improve athletic performance in terms of endurance and strength. Do 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions of all four exercises at the beginning or middle of your back workout. Make them at home free time to increase the longevity of your weightlifting (or bodybuilding) career.

How to properly pump up your back muscles

1 Focus on compound exercises

Calum's best advice is to start with multi-joint exercises. This is the best route for beginners. That's how he started out himself. Calum believes that core exercises will not only help develop your back, but will also help with coordination and strengthen your core. Choose movements like deadlifts—which work your back, legs, and glutes—as opposed to isolation exercises like straight-arm cable rows.

One more rule– Never sacrifice technique for more weight. Throwing a bunch of iron onto a barbell to increase the size of your back on a barbell deadlift is a recipe for diminishing results, not adding mass.

Calum has been taught by many years of experience to monitor the technique of performing exercises. He says he tried it before and took it heavy weights, both for deadlifts and for bent-over barbell rows, but this is bad for muscle building.

2 Create a brain-muscle connection (neuromuscular connection)

To tone up his massive back, Calum focused on neuromuscular connections and the muscles began to grow.

Although he has always had a well-defined and prominent back, Calum hasn't always enjoyed training this specific body part. He would better bench press lying down or squatting to strengthen the quadriceps. But last year he noticed a difference in the width and thickness of his back, which prompted him to take action.

Calum has also recently created a strong mental connection with his back. He says the best thing about back training now is the brain-muscle connection that I have. He usually tries his best to activate his back muscles. Calum says he didn't know how to stretch before, but now he can do multiple stretches, which makes the workout much more effective.

3 Pull, pull, pull

When it comes to your back, barbell rows and wide-grip pull-ups should come to mind. Calum believes that for good, broad back, the bent-over barbell row is ideal because it initially targets the middle of the trapezius muscle, which lowers the center of your back.

Combine it with a lat pulldown to develop width. Think about your back during every workout to maximize the involvement of all fibers.

4 Stretching and contracting

For building powerful back, the main thing is that you stretch and contract every muscle at the peak of each set. Isometric exercises—such as stretching, counting to 5, and relaxation—help activate and fatigue this muscle.

Any isometric exercises increase the time the muscle is under load, and strengthens the neuromuscular connection with every movement. The result is more than just a great mass!

The correct technique for performing the exercise and involving the maximum number of muscle groups and muscle fibers in the work will help pump up a massive back.

Are you ready to put these tips into action? Start working on your back using Calum's advice. Push yourself to lift heavy weights the way you need to, but stick to proper form and rest periods.

Back training program

Rest 30-60 seconds between warm-up sets

Rest 60-90 seconds for working sets

Reverse grip pull-ups

6 sets of 10 reps (body weight)

Bent-over barbell row

2 warm-up sets of 6-10 repetitions; 3 working sets of 6-10 reps