The back contains a number of muscle groups that perform different functions. The latissimus dorsi and teres pull the arms toward the body. The rhomboids and trapezius move the shoulder blades. The lower back stabilizes the upper body. The best back exercises work the back to build the strength of these functions, and the best back workout will include a variety of these exercises to work the back from all angles for total development.
Chin-Ups
The Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding explains that the chin-up is the single best exercise for widening the upper back. The chin-up builds the lats, causing them to flare out like wings. To perform a chin-up, grip the bar with a wide, palms-forward grip. Pull your upper chest to the bar. Slowly release back down, stretching the lats but not fully extending your biceps. To target different areas of the back, use a palms-back or palms-in grip, and place your hands narrower or wider. Perform in sets of eight to 12. Add weight with a weight belt as you get stronger.
Straight-Arm Pushdown
The Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding explains that the straight-arm pushdown is the exercise that comes closest to isolating the lats. It's a favorite exercise of Dorian Yates, the six-time Mr. Olympia with one of the widest backs every seen in the sport of bodybuilding. To perform straight-arm pushdowns, stand before a lat tower and grip a wide pull-down bar with your palms forward and shoulder-width apart and your arms locked. Press the bar down to your thighs. Slowly release the bar back up as high as you can without the plates touching in order to get a good stretch in your lats. Perform in sets of eight to 12.
Barbell Rows
In The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger explains that the barbell row should be the cornerstone of your efforts to develop a thick back. The barbell row works the muscles of the upper and middle back muscles--including the rhomboids and the trapezius--that cause your back to project out. Because your upper body is unsupported, barbell rows also build lower back strength. To perform a barbell row, hold a barbell at your waist. Bend your knees slightly. Bend forward at the waist until your torso is as close to parallel to the ground as you can get it without rounding your back forward. Pull the barbell in to your upper stomach. Hold for a moment, consciously retracting your shoulder blades, then release it back down. Perform sets of eight to 12 reps.
Deadlifts
The deadlift is the single best back exercises because it heavily utilizes every muscle on the back side of your body, from your traps down to your hamstrings. The amount of muscle recruited allows you to lift very heavy weight, and the amount of weight lifted shocks the body into growth. The deadlift is the single best exercise for the glutes and lower back. Deadlifts are as effective as barbell rows for building back thickness, as the middle back works to retract your shoulder blades against enormous resistance. And deadlifts are so hard on your traps that you may no longer need to perform shrugs. To perform a deadlift, step up to a barbell on the ground. Squat down and grip it with a shoulder-width grip. Keep your back straight and your eyes forward. Press through your heels to stand up with the weight. Follow the same path back down. Perform in sets of four to six reps.
References
- "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding"; Robert Kennedy; 2008
- "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding"; Arnold Schwarzenegger; 1998
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