The major muscles of the back include the latissimus dorsi, the rhomboids minor and major and the erector spinae which run down the lower part of the spine. When you want to thicken your back, you need to focus on exercises that can target all of these areas. Machines, barbells, dumbbells and the weight of your body can all be used.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a compound exercise that uses more than one joint and muscle group at the same time. All of the back muscles get some form of action with this exercise. Stand in front of a barbell with a shoulder-width stance. Bend your knees and hips to lower your body toward the ground. Grab the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip and stand up with it. Let the bar rest against your thighs and slowly lower it back to the ground until the weight plates hit. Keep your core tight throughout the exercise to maintain a straight back.
Pull-Ups
Pull-ups are a bodyweight exercise that targets your lats, rhomboids, arms and shoulders. Grab the bar with a wide overhand grip. Bend your knees and cross your legs behind your body. Pull yourself up until your chest reaches the height of the bar. Lower yourself back down and repeat. Maintain control the whole time you are doing pull-ups--do not sway back and forth.
Wide Grip Pulldowns
Wide grip pulldowns are done on a lat machine and, as the name indicates, they target the lat muscles. Sit on the seat of the machine and adjust the padded support so it fits snug on your thighs. Reach up and grab the bar with a wide grip and lean back so your body is at a slight angle. Pull the bar down in front of your body until it is at chest height and slowly let it go back up.
Bent-Over Rows
Bent-over rows put emphasis on your rhomboids and lats and they can be done with the aid of dumbbells. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the weights in front of your body with your palms facing you. Bend forward at the hips until your back is slightly higher than parallel to the floor. Your arms should be hanging straight down in front of your body. Bend your knees slightly and pull the weights up toward your stomach. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, slowly lower the weights back down and repeat.
Good Mornings
Good mornings are an exercise that focuses on your lower back and it also recruits your hamstring muscles. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place a barbell across your shoulders, behind your neck. Hold it with a wide grip and bend forward at the hips until your upper body is almost parallel to the ground. Bend back up and repeat.
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