In order from top down, the back muscles consist of the trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi and erector spinae. The "lats" are the largest of these muscles. By strengthening your back muscles you will be able to do daily jobs with more efficiency---jobs like lifting buckets of water, throwing hay bales and lifting bags of groceries from your trunk.
Pull-Up
The pull-up is a body weight back exercise that works the lats, rhomboids and lower traps. The biceps also get recruited due to elbow flexion. The rhomboids are found between the shoulder blades and the traps are right above them. To do pull-ups, grab a pull-up bar with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip and pull yourself up. Keep your core tight and do not swing your legs when you do this. Slowly lower yourself down and repeat.
To work the traps, use the pull-up bar to do a hanging shrug. While hanging from the bar, shrug your shoulders as high as possible, hold for a second and slowly lower yourself back down. This movement is very subtle.
Rows
Back rows work the lats, rhomboids, and middle and lower traps. From a standing position, hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs. Keeping your back straight bend forward slightly and let the bar hang straight down. Pull the bar up to your stomach, pinch your shoulder blades together and slowly lower it back down. This exercise can also be done on a seated row machine. With this exercise, place your feet on the steel plate, grab the angled handle and pull it to your stomach.
Trap Bar Shrug
A trap bar is also known as a diamond bar or hex bar due to its shape. Shrugs with the bar work your upper traps. While standing in the center of the bar, grab the handles and lift your shoulders straight up while keeping your arms straight. Hold for 1 second, slowly lower your shoulders and repeat. If you do not have access to a trap bar, hold dumbbells at your sides or a barbell in front of your body. All variations work the traps.
Pulldowns
Pulldowns work the lats, rhomboids and lower traps and they are performed on a lat pulldown machine with a straight bar. While sitting on the seat, anchor the padded support down on your thighs and grab the bar overhead with a wide grip. Lean back slightly, pull the bar down to your chest, and slowly raise it back up. For a variation, use an underhand grip or attach a single handle and work one side at a time.
Extensions
Extension is a motion where you bend backward. This works the erector spinae muscles in the lower back. To do a back extension exercise, lie flat on your stomach with your arms at your sides and your legs together behind you. Carefully raise your chest off the floor as high as possible and hold for a full second. Lower yourself back down and repeat. For a variation, lift your torso and legs off the floor simultaneously with your arms extended in front of your body. This is called a superman and it also works the traps, shoulders and glutes.
Member Comments