Exercises for the back muscles are aimed at developing one of the most massive muscle groups in the human body. However, for many bodybuilders, the back is lagging behind other muscle groups. This is due to the fact that to train your back, you need to perform heavy basic exercises that not everyone likes.
Basic exercises for the back include various deadlifts: deadlift, sumo deadlift, deadlift on straight legs, barbell pull in a tilt to the stomach, etc.
The structure of the back muscles is shown in the illustration:
1. pull-UPS on the crossbar with a grip from below
A very effective exercise that develops the broadest muscle and the large round back muscle. His efforts also extend to the biceps and shoulder muscles. It also involves the trapezius muscle (its middle and lower parts), rhomboid and pectoralis major muscles.
Mechanics of the exercise:
Performed in a hang on the crossbar. Bend your arms slightly. Hold on to the crossbar with a shoulder-width grip from below:
- take a breath and push your chest up until your chin reaches the level of the crossbar;
- to make the exhalation at the end of the movement.
2. pull-UPS on the crossbar with a grip from above
The exercise is perfect for developing the broadest back muscle, the large round muscle, and the middle and lower parts of the trapezius muscle. It also involves the bicep of the shoulder, the shoulder muscle, and the brachialis muscle.
Mechanics of the exercise:
The exercise is performed in a vise on a special crossbar. The arms are slightly bent. Hold on to the crossbar with a shoulder-width grip from above:
- take a breath and pull yourself up so that your chest is at the level of the crossbar;
- to make the exhalation at the end of the movement.
Returning to the starting position, control the lowering of the torso.
Options: by sticking out your chest, you can pull up to your chin. To increase the load, you can attach some weight to the waist. When the elbows are brought to the body, the movement involves mainly the external bundles of the broadest back muscle, which makes the back wide.
When the chest is protruded, the elbows are brought back to bring the chin closer to the crossbar; the upper and middle bundles of the broadest back muscle are mainly involved, as well as the large round muscle, which forms the thickness of the back. At the moment when the shoulder blades are brought together, the rhomboid muscle and the lower part of the trapezius muscle are also included in the work.
3. Pull the upper block in front of you
An exercise that increases the thickness of the back. Emphasizing the load on the middle part of the broadest back muscles, it involves the trapezius muscle, rhomboid muscles, biceps, shoulder and large pectoral muscles.
The exercise is performed sitting facing the simulator. Take the neck of the upper block with a wide grip from above:
- take a breath and pull the neck towards the upper part of the chest, bringing the elbows back;
- to make the exhalation at the end of the movement.
4. Pull the upper block by the neck
Exercise that perfectly develops the width of the back, its upper and lower bundles, as well as large round muscles.
The biceps, shoulder and brachial muscles are involved in the work.
Movements with the pull of the upper block down are very important for beginners, because they allow you to gain muscle strength before performing various pull-UPS on the crossbars.
The exercise is performed in a sitting position facing the simulator, fixing the hips under the rollers. Take the neck of the upper block with a wide grip on top:
- take a breath and pull the bar down by the neck, bringing the elbows to the body at the same time;
- to make the exhalation at the end of the movement.
5. Pull the lower block (rowing)
Perfectly forms the thickness of the back, using the broadest back muscle, the large round muscle, the back of the deltoid muscles, biceps and trapezius muscles. At the moment of straightening the trunk, the extensor muscles of the spine are also involved. At the moment of the tilt, all the back muscles are stretched under the force of the weight.
The lower block pull exercise is performed while sitting facing the simulator. Bend your legs slightly. Put your feet on the supports, taking the handles of the block:
- take a breath and pull the handles of the lower block towards you until they touch the lower part of the chest, push your elbows as far back as possible, arching your back;
- at the end of the movement, exhale, slowly returning to the starting position.
6. Pull dumbbells with one hand
The exercise mainly loads the broadest muscles of the back, the large round muscle, the back of the deltoid muscles, as well as the trapezius and rhomboid muscles.
- take a breath and pull the dumbbell to the body as high as possible, moving the elbow as far back as possible, make sure that the arm does not deviate significantly from the body to the side;
- to make the exhalation at the end of the movement.
7. Thrust rod, standing in the slope
Involve the latissimus dorsi, the large circular muscles, rear deltoids, flexors of the arms and rhomboid muscles.
Additionally, the spine extensors are involved in the movement in isometric tension. You can focus the load on different areas of the back by changing the width of the grip, as well as the degree of inclination of the torso.
The exercise is performed standing up. Bend your legs slightly. The torso should be tilted forward at an angle of approximately 45. The back is smooth. Hold the barbell bar in the hands lowered down with the upper grip slightly wider than the shoulders:
- take a breath and hold your breath, strain your abdominal muscles; pull the bar bar until it touches your chest;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation, returning to its original position.
8. Thrust T-shaped fingerboard (rowing)
The exercise concentrates the load on the back muscles, without requiring significant effort to maintain the correct body position. It uses the latissimus dorsi, the large circular muscles, rear deltoids, infraspinatus muscle, and the rhomboid and trapezius muscles.
The inclined position of the torso involves the abdominal and lower back muscles in the work of isometric tension.
When bringing the hands to the supination position, the load is transferred partially to the bicep of the shoulder, and at the end of the pull-to the upper part of the trapezius muscle.
The t-neck pull exercise is performed standing on a platform with the t-neck located inside. Take it with a grip from above. The legs are slightly bent at the knees. The back is straight. The torso should be tilted forward at an angle of about 45:
- take a breath and pull the neck until it touches your chest;
- at the end of the movement, exhale
9. Deadlift with barbell, legs straight
The exercise involves all the muscles located along both sides of the spine.
When the torso is tilted, the pelvis moves backward, and when it is raised (straightening the body), the pelvis moves forward, the Movements actively include the large gluteal and sciatico-tibial muscle (with the exception of the short head of the biceps femoris).
To increase the amplitude of movement in the lower phase, perform the exercise while standing on a raised platform.
The exercise is performed while facing the vulture on the floor. Spread your feet slightly. Torso tilt forward. Hold the bar bar with a grip on top with relaxed hands. Keep your legs as straight as possible. Lower back bend:
- take a breath and straighten the torso, keeping the lower back bent;
- to make the exhalation at the end of the movement;
- after returning to the starting position, do not lower the neck to the floor, keeping your back straight.
10. Deadlifts in the sumo style
In contrast to the usual classical lifting of the barbell from the floor, this exercise is more intense quadriceps and adductor muscles of the thigh.
Note: at the very beginning of the movement, it is very important to guide the barbell along the tibial muscles. Repeated repetitions (maximum ten times) with light weight perfectly strengthen the lumbar region.
To avoid injury to the hip joint, the adductor muscles of the hip, as well as the actively involved area of the Sacro-lumbar joint of the spine, this exercise should be performed extremely carefully.
The exercise is performed while facing the neck. Put your feet much wider than your shoulders. Socks apart:
- bend your knees and sit down so that your hips are horizontal to the floor;
- take the bar bar with straight hands slightly wider than the shoulders with a different grip (one hand in the pronation position, the other in the supination position), which does not allow the bar to turn, which makes it possible to hold very large weight loads;
- take a breath, hold your breath and, straining the abdominal muscles and slightly arching your back, straightening your legs and torso, stand up with a barbell;
- at the end of the movement, pull your shoulders back;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation.
11. Deadlifts with a barbell
A basic and very effective exercise that involves the glutes and quadriceps of the thigh, while developing the vertebral sacral and trapezius muscles.
The exercise is performed in a standing position facing the bar lying on the floor. Legs apart, slightly bend at the knees. Bend your back. Sit down, leaning forward until your hips are almost horizontal.
Depending on the physical characteristics, you can adjust the starting position. With short thighs and arms, the hips will take a horizontal position, and with long thighs and arms, the hips will be slightly higher than the level of the knee joint.
Take the bar bar with a grip slightly wider than the shoulders (you can use a different grip, in which one palm is directed forward and the other back, thereby preventing the rotation of the bar in the hands when working with a heavier weight).
- take a breath, lift the bar off the floor and lift it along the front of your shins:
- when the bar bar reaches the knees, continue to straighten the torso to an upright position and fully straighten the legs;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation.
Hold in an upright position for two seconds, then lower the bar to the floor, still not relaxing the stomach and lower back, in any case, do not round the back.
NOTE: reducing the degree of rotation, different power grip allows you to hold much more significant weight loads.
In any movements using heavy weight, you must follow the mandatory " block":
1. the Chest should be pushed out to allow a deep breath and maximum filling of the lungs with air, and then hold your breath. This rigid chest position will prevent you from slouching your upper torso.
2. keep the abdominal Muscles in tension, controlling intra-abdominal pressure, not allowing the trunk to fall forward.
3. bend the lower Back, keeping the muscles of the spine in tension, so that in the final phase of the movement the back does not bend and there is no pinching in the lower spine. These three simultaneous actions are called "block", which prevents rounding of the back, which can cause dislocation of the intervertebral discs when working with heavy weight.
12. Lumbar deflections(hyperextension, inclines through the "goat")
The exercise develops mainly the extensor muscles of the spine, the square muscle of the lower back, and to a lesser extent the large gluteal muscles and sciatico-tibial muscles. Full flexion of the trunk perfectly helps to give flexibility to the Sacro-lumbar muscles.
When the bend line is shifted forward, the load is localized exclusively on the Sacro-lumbar muscles, but not too intensively due to the limited amplitude of movement and the high power of the lever.
For better concentration of the load, you can hold the torso in a horizontal position for several seconds in the upper phase of the movement.
There is another bench with a special inclined position, which allows you to do this movement more comfortably. But it is necessary to use the upper phase of the movement carefully.
Mechanics of the exercise&bsp;lumbar flexion:
Sit on a special bench. Secure your ankles. The pubis is located outside the bench. The place where the body bends is at the level of the hip joint. The torso is relaxed and lowered vertically down:
- take a breath and hold the breath to raise the torso up, bending the lumbar region until it is in a horizontal position. Then smoothly return to the starting position;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation.
Options:
- bending the torso, putting the neck on the shoulders, you make the upper back inactive, thereby localizing the load on the lower back muscles that straighten the spine;
- to increase the load, you can perform the exercise with a small weight bar disc, which should be held behind your head, but it is better to press it to your chest.
13. Sragi with a barbell
This exercise develops the upper part of the trapezius muscle, mainly its occipital-clavicular bundles, as well as the scapula.
Note: if you train with a heavy weight, then hold the bar with a different grip (counter grip), we recommend changing the grip with each new approach to equalize the work of the trapezius muscles.
First hold the right palm in the pronation position and the left in the supination position, and then Vice versa: the right palm in the supination position and the left hand in the pronation position.
The exercise is performed while facing a barbell located on the floor or on a stand. Legs apart. Keep the neck on straight arms slightly wider than the shoulders with a grip on top:
- take a breath, tighten the abdominal muscles and confidently lift your shoulders up, as if hiding your head in them. Then carefully lower your shoulders;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation.
14. Shragi with dumbbells
This exercise is designed to develop the trapezius muscles.
Note: when using heavy weight, shoulder rotations become difficult to perform.
The exercise is performed in a standing position. Legs apart. Head slightly tilted forward. Dumbbells on the sides on the lowered arms;
- take a breath, lift your shoulders, then gently pull them back, gently lowering;
- at the end of the movement to make an exhalation.
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The illustrations for the article are taken from the book "Anatomy of strength exercises"by Frederick Delavier.
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