How to properly pump your back with a barbell. Latissimus dorsi muscles. Pull-up champion

A good figure starts with a wide back and correct posture. That is why in this article we will tell you how to properly pump up your back at home and in the gym. In order to get good back muscles, you need to exercise for 20 minutes using the sets of exercises presented below.

Content

• Exercises to pump up your back at home
• Exercises to pump up your back in the gym
• How to quickly pump up your back
• Adviсe
• Video
  

Exercises to pump up your back at home

All guys want to have a wide, powerful back, because the back is almost half of the pumped up body. Many beginners are wondering how to pump up their back at home. Unfortunately, not everyone can regularly go to gyms and work out with professional trainers. However, the methods of pumping up the back are quite simple; standard exercises for pumping up the back at home can be used. If you have a horizontal bar, then you don’t need anything else. If there is no horizontal bar, then it is very easy to make one.

Hang from the bar, grasping it with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. Push your chest forward, cross your ankles and direct your gaze to the bar. Squeezing your shoulder blades together, pull yourself up and try to touch the horizontal bar with your upper chest. Without pausing, smoothly return to the starting position and repeat.

Firmly grasp the bar (straight grip, shoulder-width apart), smoothly pull your body up. Make sure that your elbows move down, slightly diverging to the sides. Your shoulders need to be relaxed. Tighten your stomach to stabilize your core. As soon as your chin is above the bar, smoothly lower yourself down until your arms are straight.
Perform as many pull-ups as you can in one set. Even if you only do five repetitions, it is important that they are complete and correct.

Exercises to pump up your back in the gym

Execution technique
Feet shoulder width apart. Take the barbell with a wide grip, place it on your trapezius and straighten up.
Initial position: the torso is straightened, the back is slightly arched in the lower back, the chest and shoulders are straightened, the lower back muscles are tense, and the legs are slightly bent at the knees.
Take a deep breath and, holding your breath, gently lean forward while moving your pelvis back. Please note: the torso tilts due to flexion of the hip joint, not the lumbar spine!
Once your torso is parallel to the floor, return to the starting position. As you lift your torso, simultaneously pull your pelvis forward.
Exhale only when you have overcome the most difficult part of the climb.
Maintain a slight arch in your lower back throughout the entire movement.

Execution technique
Place a barbell on the bottom supports of a squat rack and equip it with plates. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart, and straighten up.
Initial position: arms are fully straightened, the bar touches the hips. The lower back muscles are tense and firmly hold the natural, S-shaped curve of the spine - the back is arched at the lower back, the chest and shoulders are straightened, and the head is looking forward.
Take a deep breath and hold your breath. Bend your knees and simultaneously move your pelvis back, gently tilt your torso and lower the barbell. As you go down, be sure to keep a slight arch in your lower back. The lowest point of the exercise is determined by how far you can tilt your torso (lower) while maintaining the natural curve of your spine. Typically, at the lowest point, the torso is tilted 45–50 degrees to the vertical. Once you reach the bottom, tighten your hamstrings and pull the barbell upward as you rise out of the squat. First, you straighten your legs at the knees, then, when they are almost straightened, the movement is picked up by the buttocks and torso. The buttocks and hips are directed forward, and the torso rises from the bend.
Exhale as soon as you overcome the most difficult part of the climb. Once you are fully erect, pause and tighten your back and leg muscles even more.

Execution technique
Sit in the vertical row machine with the top block and bar in front of your chest (not directly above your head!), and adjust the leg bolsters so they press your hips firmly into the bench.
Stand up and grab the ends of the bar with an underhand grip (reverse grip) shoulder-width apart. With your arms straight, pull the bar down, sit down and place your hips under the bolsters. Straighten your torso and lift your shoulders slightly. The hips are fixed between the seat and the bolsters, the feet are on the floor. The arms are fully straightened and slightly tilted forward. The load hangs on a tensioned rope. Tighten your psoas muscles and maintain a vertical torso position until the very end of the set.
Inhale and, holding your breath, pull the bar towards your chest, pointing your elbows along your sides straight down behind your back. As soon as the bar touches your chest, pause, tighten your lats even more and try to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Exhale and smoothly return the bar to the starting position.

Earlier articles covered exercises:

• How to build muscles at home
• How to pump up your shoulders
• How to pump up your neck

How to quickly pump up your back

• Remember that intensive training of the pectoral muscles leads to the fact that the shoulders are pulled forward, which visually makes the back narrower. In addition, we spend most of the day sitting at a desk, which also does not help improve posture.
• When training their back, many people try to lift as much weight as possible, switching work from the back muscles to the muscles of the shoulders, arms and torso. remember, that first you must learn to feel the muscles of your back, and only then increase the weight.
• In order to “feel” your correct posture, stand up straight, inhale more air, push your chest forward, straighten your shoulders, move them a little back and up, keep your head straight and tense your abdominal muscles.
• While walking, try to take a position with correct posture, watch this, fix and correct yourself - time will pass, and such posture will become natural. When sitting, place both feet on the floor and try not to touch your entire back to the back of the chair.
  

• To achieve a "fighter's back", you should exercise more intensely than before, and also reduce the time previously allocated for rest between sets. Now rest should take no more than a minute. Each approach should contain a large number of approaches.
• During the exercise, it is very important to lower yourself correctly from a pull-up.– it is this moment that strengthens the back muscles. You will need a horizontal bar and a bench installed under it.
  

Video

Back training or doing spinz outdoors

A selection of video exercises - how to properly pump up your back in the gym

How to pump up your back

Back exercises

Quickly pump up your back

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The latissimus dorsi muscles are among the most visible and prominent on the male body. They are what make his shoulders broad and impressive. But don’t forget about these muscles for women too. After all, in the summer, in an open T-shirt, a beautiful and sculpted upper back looks very sexy!

Therefore, let's try to figure out how to make the latissimus muscles beautiful, how to pump them up correctly without harm to health, and how much time is needed for this.

If you have never seriously engaged in fitness or bodybuilding before, then before you begin the actual strength exercises for the back muscles, you need to devote 5 to 7 days to preliminary preparation.

This will make the process safer, help avoid injuries during further exercise and pump up muscles more effectively.

During the first preparatory week, you need to pay special attention to warming up before training, stretching your muscles, and strengthening exercises that do not put a lot of stress on your back. You can exercise at home without any additional equipment or only with light weight dumbbells (if you have them).

1. Hyperextension or bending the back back.
2. Raising straight legs from a horizontal position while lying on your stomach.
3. Push ups.
4. Raising dumbbells overhead.
5. Stretching.

Perform these exercises 10-20 times in 2-3 sets every day for a week.

When your soreness goes away and you feel that this complex no longer poses any difficulty, you can begin basic exercises that will help directly pump up the latissimus dorsi muscles.

Strength exercises for the back muscles

Now we will look at various sets of exercises with which you can pump up your back muscles. Most of them can be easily done at home, some are done on a horizontal bar or with dumbbells. But if you have the opportunity, try to work out in the gym.

It is important to note that before starting any workout, you need to do a good warm-up and warm up your muscles well! This will enhance the effect of the training process and help avoid injuries.

As a warm-up, you can use the muscle strengthening exercises given above. Short aerobic exercise also has a good warming effect. You can, for example, before class, run for 15 minutes on a treadmill or work out on any other cardio machine.

Exercise No. 1. Bent-over barbell row

Take a barbell of a suitable weight with an overhand grip with both hands. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly. Tilt your body forward 30-45 degrees, do not bend your head, look straight ahead. Begin to bend your arms and lift the barbell to chest level.

While doing this, make sure not to arch your back; it should be straight all the time. Otherwise, instead of a strong back, you risk getting spinal problems.

This exercise must be performed 15-20 times in 2-3 approaches.

Exercise No. 2. Pull-ups on the bar

Pull-ups on the horizontal bar are one of the most effective exercises aimed at pumping up the latissimus muscles.

Before performing the pull-ups themselves, hang on the horizontal bar for a few seconds with your arms outstretched. This will help your body and arms stretch and make further training easier.

The technique of performing the exercise is very simple: grasp the horizontal bar with a wide grip, bend your elbows and pull yourself up. Ideally, your chin should touch or be above the bar at its highest point.

One of the modifications of classic pull-ups on a horizontal bar is pull-ups with a reverse hand grip. When doing this exercise, you need to grab the bar with a wide grip, with your palms facing your body. At the top, try to hold for 1-2 seconds with each pull-up.

It should be noted that pull-ups on the horizontal bar are one of the most difficult exercises for beginners. Therefore, it is important not to despair and not to strive to achieve good results quickly. In this workout, even the regularity of the exercises is more important, and not the number of repetitions in one approach. And since pull-ups can be easily done even at home, try to practice on the horizontal bar every day until you feel an improvement in your results.

Exercise No. 3. One-arm dumbbell row

This exercise is performed with dumbbells as heavy as possible. If the weight is not enough, take two shells in one hand at once.

Take dumbbells in one hand with a neutral grip, rest your other arm and leg on the bench and tilt your back almost parallel to the floor, with your head looking straight. As you exhale, begin to bend your arm and pull the dumbbells to your chest as high as possible.

When the elbow is at shoulder level, use the latissimus dorsi muscles to move your arm; at this moment the load on them should be maximum. This exercise, if done correctly, helps build muscles well.

Perform 20-25 repetitions in 2-3 sets with each hand.

You can perform complexes with dumbbells at home or in the gym. After a good workout, you need to take a break of 1-2 days to give your muscles a chance to rest and recover.

Exercise No. 4. Kettlebell Lift

If you work out in the gym, or you have a heavy weight at home, you can use this apparatus to pump up the latissimus dorsi muscles.

Place your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, grab the kettlebell with both hands and begin lifting it to chin level. The heavier the kettlebell, the more effective this exercise will be. It is also important to note that by working out with this apparatus, we also pump up our biceps well and strengthen our abdominal muscles. Therefore, lifting a kettlebell can be considered a complex weightlifting exercise.

If you don’t have a weights at home, you can do this workout with heavy dumbbells.

Exercise No. 5. Close-grip pull-ups

This is a heavier modification of regular pull-ups on a horizontal bar with a wide grip. When doing pull-ups with a narrow grip, many more muscles are used than during regular exercises on the horizontal bar, but the latissimus dorsi muscles are also pumped very well.

The technique is identical to regular pull-ups, with the only difference: your hands should be as close to each other as possible.

Exercise No. 6. Rolls on the horizontal bar

This is one of the most difficult and effective exercises that can be performed at home and which helps to quickly build up your back muscles.

The technique is as follows: pull yourself up on the horizontal bar so that your chin touches the bar, while your arms should be spread wide. Keeping your body on bent arms, begin to shift your center of gravity and slowly roll from one arm to the other.

Perform a few rolls, lower down and rest before the next approach. When performing these exercises, it is important to ensure that at one time you perform a paired number of movements on the horizontal bar, as this helps to pump up both halves of the back evenly, and the arm muscles will receive the same load.

It is important to pay attention to the fact that you also need to finish any workout correctly. And if at first we do a warm-up, then at the end of the classes it is necessary to do a 5-10 minute cool-down - stretching and relaxing the muscles that were subjected to the greatest stress.

Note that although the exercises described above are more suitable for men, if desired, women can also perform almost all of them in the gym or at home, using lighter weight equipment.

Diet during training

To regularly perform strength exercises without changing your diet, and at the same time expect that you will quickly see noticeable results, and that your back will become the same as that of a trainer in the gym, is at least naive! After all, any experienced athlete knows that it is almost impossible to build muscle without proper nutrition!

When you are engaged in active strength training and want to increase muscle mass, your diet should consist of at least half protein. Eat small and often meals; you should eat at least 6-7 times a day. Try to cook food at home, avoid fast foods and fatty foods of dubious quality.

During increased strength loads, the daily diet should contain a large amount of cereals, lean meat, dairy products, herbs and fruits. Immediately before training, eat fast carbohydrates, as they will give you the necessary amount of energy for exercise.

An approximate diet for one day might look like this:

1. Breakfast: any porridge or mashed potatoes, a sandwich with meat or a piece of boiled chicken.
2. Lunch: buckwheat porridge and boiled meat with salad.
3. Lunch: boiled pasta, salad, some meat.
4. Afternoon snack: chocolate, toast with jam or cottage cheese with fruit of your choice.
5. Early dinner: cottage cheese with sour cream and dried fruits.
6. Late dinner: light yogurt or muesli with milk.

And remember that it's best to cook at home! Good strength training and proper nutrition combined will give you the fastest and most noticeable results without causing harm to your health!

Hello, dear friends. In this issue we will talk about how to pump up a wide back. The issue will be large and will take a long time to read and study.

To begin with, I would like to recall a topic that I wrote a long time ago, namely about the anatomy of the back muscles. I don’t want to tell all this stuff again in a new way; I recommend that before reading this article, you also read it, the one I wrote a long time ago. Because It will be easier for you to learn this material + it is directly related (a kind of spin-off), i.e. will intersect with each other.

Read the main article:

As you know, the back muscles are divided into DEEP and SUPERFICIAL. For us in bodybuilding, only the SUPERFICIAL are important. Because we can train them purposefully and fully.

SUPERFICIAL muscles are divided into:

• Latissimus dorsi muscles(krills) + Trapezius muscles(trapezoid)
• Serratus, rhomboids and levator scapula muscles
• Back extensors(two pillars along the spine)

1 - TRAPEZIOUS; 2 - LATISM; 3 - Back extensors.

For an athletic physique (in bodybuilding), we are interested in the lats (wings) + trapezius + muscle extensors.

You must understand that the back is not one specific muscle, but a whole structure of different muscles. And if we give priority to one muscle (for example, extensors), then we will lose the opportunity to fully develop other muscles (the latissimus, because our wings). I'll go into more detail about this a little later. Now the most important thing is to understand which muscles are the most important in relation to the aesthetic (athletic) appearance of an athlete.

The most important in bodybuilding:

1. Latissimus dorsi muscles (i.e. our wings)
2. Extensor muscles (two columns along the spine)

Very often, coaches, beginners, and other athletes foam at the mouth and argue that the first back exercise should be the deadlift. This exercise will develop your back extensors, but take my word for it, this exercise will not give you anything in terms of back width. In addition, after deadlifting, it will be very difficult for you to train the rest of the back muscles, i.e. they will not receive the proper load, which means there will be no growth. In general, by this I want to say that it is of course necessary to develop muscle extensors (pillars) for an athletic appearance, but not the first exercise. Therefore, remember, and of course, if your goal is muscle hypertrophy (their growth, size) in general, pure bodybuilding - then muscle extensors and deadlifts should be performed at the end of the workout.

Okay, we've sorted out the priorities. We know which back muscles interest us most. Let's select the best exercises for the muscle group of interest for the fastest possible growth of back muscles.

Rating of the best exercises for developing back muscles

Latissimus muscles (wings)

• Any type of pull-up or alternative Pull-down of a vertical block to the chest/behind the head
• T-Bar Row
• Horizontal thrust

Trapezius muscles (trapezius)

• Shrugs with a barbell
• Shrugs with dumbbells

Back extensors (two columns along the spine)

• Hyperextension
• Goodmorning

Serratus muscles (located on the side under the armpits, next to the oblique muscles)

• Pullover

Well. Now you know the most effective exercises for different parts of the back muscles. Now we need to study the technique of performing them, of course, if we want to train as effectively as possible, if you don’t study the technique, then most likely you will be struggling without any result for months, or even years.

Exercise technique

Before we begin, I would like to draw your attention to one of the articles, it also intersects with this topic. It contains useful tips and recommendations regarding back training, and also talks about the main mistake of beginners and even more advanced athletes, i.e. When training your back, your biceps work to their full potential, and when the technique is incorrect, your biceps work fully. In general, it is very important to learn how to turn off the biceps when training the back muscles, and in that article there are explanations on how to do this. In general, I recommend that you do not be lazy, read and study.

PULL-UPS

When performing overhead rows (vertical rows to the chest, behind the head) or pull-ups, the arms are always at the top, i.e. we hold on to the bar or handles. These exercises develop the WIDTH of the back (WINGS). As I already said in back training, the biceps are actively working. In pull-ups, in addition to the latissimus dorsi muscles, the biceps are very much involved (this is bad for back growth). Why is that? The biceps is a small muscle group (roughly speaking, it is weak), but the back muscles (our wings) are a large muscle group (it is very strong). Accordingly, I have seen guys in the gym who do good pull-ups even with weights, but their backs leave much to be desired (i.e. they are narrow), and all because they work mainly through the biceps, and not the back muscles. They did not learn to turn off their biceps, for which they were punished)))). Well, jokes aside, but still I urge you to learn to turn off your biceps. Read the article I sent you.

Okay, let's say you've finally learned how to turn off your biceps when training your back. Which type of pull-up is better, what to choose?

Pull-up grips

• Wide
• Average
• Narrow

Hand grip position

• Straight grip
• Back
• Parallel

Execution technique

• To the chest
• Per head
• Here with your own weight (without weights) or with weights (with additional weight)

There are some nuances here, so don’t be scared. Just remember:

The wider your grip – the more the latissimus muscles (wings) work, but the less amplitude of movement.

Than your grip is narrower– the more the biceps will work, the less the back will work, but the greater the amplitude.

So what should you choose, wide or narrow grip?

Here again there are some nuances. If you have learned to turn off your biceps when training your back, then a narrow grip will be many times more effective for you. If you haven’t learned how to turn off your biceps, and you feel like your arms are clenching during pull-ups, then it will be more effective for you to perform with a wide grip. You know, there is generally no such concept as good or bad, I have always adhered to you I recommend sticking to the GOLDEN MEAN. (That is, some kind of average grip, with which it will be most comfortable for you to train).

Which one to choose: direct, reverse or parallel grip?

Straight grip I think everything is clear (regular grip) with this style the forearms actively work (there is a trick here, you can put on straps so that your hand doesn’t get tired and you don’t have to think about grip strength, i.e. this way you can fully work on your spinor) + if you know how to turn off your biceps then this grip position is the leader in any case.

Reverse grip (this is when the palms are turned towards you, looking at us) - the load on the forearms is very small, but with such a grip the biceps will work the most, and this is not good. I don’t particularly recommend this style of pull-ups, which will work the biceps in any case (even if you know how to turn them off), especially for beginners. More advanced people can decide for themselves.

There is also a parallel grip , this is when your hands are parallel to each other - your forearms will be very comfortable, but again, the biceps work hard, if you know how to turn off the biceps and feel your back, then you should try this grip.

Execution technique, to the chest or behind the head?

A very conditional question, and now I will explain why. Pull-ups to the chest (a more basic exercise) because it involves more muscles in the work than pull-ups (this is a more isolating exercise) because it only involves the upper back. That's why it's so conditional. But in any case, beginners and even more advanced ones should give priority to basic movements (i.e. pull-ups to the chest). Professionals will decide for themselves what is more important to them.

With or without additional weights?

As you know, the basic principle of muscle growth is progression of loads. In all exercises, we should always try to increase the weight of the apparatus in the exercises. Pull-ups are no exception. HOWEVER, in pull-ups you should only do this when your technique is JUST PERFECT. (That is, you feel your back, know how to turn off your biceps from work). The only way.

Otherwise, you will chase the scales, ruin your technique, and end up with overdeveloped arms and a narrow back. Believe me, I saw this in my gym - it will not look athletic, to put it mildly.

BELT-UP BAR PULL

This exercise specifically develops the thickness of the latissimus dorsi muscles. When performing exercises, the back is always straight. The grip position can be either wide or narrow, reverse or even parallel (there are special rods). In general, everything that we discussed above for pull-ups also applies to bent-over rows. However, again, as in pull-ups, I do not recommend performing bent-over rows with a reverse grip (the biceps actively plows) + the technique kind of changes (it’s a long story, I don’t want to plunge you into the weeds). I recommend sticking to a straight grip , and if it’s so important, then try the opposite (only for those who know how to turn off the biceps from work, in general for the more advanced).

In this exercise, the tilt of the body is also important. You should know that

The lower the slope – the more the back muscles will work and the less the trapezius.

The higher the slope – the more the trapezius will work, but the muscle extensors will be less involved, which means the exercise will become more comfortable.

CONCLUSION: Stick to the golden mean, an average straight grip, an average tilt of about 30 degrees from the horizontal. Well, stick to the correct technique, i.e. Keep your back EXACTLY at all times and keep your arms close to your body when performing abdominal pull-downs.

T-BAR PULL

This exercise is an alternative to the previous one (bent over row). There are different modifications of simulators, because... Some are simply a T-shaped bar that you pull while standing on your feet, while there are others that you need to rest your chest against (lie shorter on them). So, the first ones are really effective; they can replace bent-over barbell rows. But the second ones (with emphasis) are not comfortable, because it is not convenient to bend into the back (and this is important for the correct contraction of the wings). All in all, I recommend playing around, seeing what’s best, what’s more comfortable for you, but only with the first ones (where the legs support, in short, an alternative to bent over rows). Don’t bother yourself with the second ones, they are not as effective.

This exercise is slightly different from the bent-over barbell row, mainly in that the range of motion is greater! In the 1-arm dumbbell row, one hand works + it’s a dumbbell, there is no bar (as in the bent-over row) that prevents you from raising the elbow higher) in general, the range of motion and work are greater. In addition, this exercise has the opportunity to remove the load from the spine (i.e. you need to rest your knee and free hand on something) this gives you the advantage of more thoroughly concentrating and working the latissimus muscles.

Horizontal thrust

Here in this exercise the load is placed mainly on the lower part of the latissimus muscles. The most effective version of the exercise involves the use of a forked handle (arms parallel to each other) in short, these handles allow you to hold your hands parallel. The straight bar in this exercise increases the load on the muscles of the middle and upper back.

Technique: Sit facing the block, bend your knees slightly and place your feet on the platform. Lean forward and grab the handles. Lean back and straighten your chest. Arms are fully straightened. Pull the handles towards your stomach. The elbows slide along the sides and move straight back. Try to move your elbows and shoulders as far behind your back as possible, then smoothly return to the starting position.

Shrugs with dumbbells are more suitable for developing the internal and external sections of the trapezius. But shrugs with a barbell are suitable for working out the middle and lower sections. The most important thing when performing these exercises is not to ROTATE YOUR SHOULDERS! Movement strictly along the UP-DOWN trajectory. For beginners, these exercises are not so important. Therefore, we will not consider them for a long time.

This exercise is one of the heaviest basic movements in bodybuilding and beyond. It develops back extensors, buttocks, legs, trapezius, forearms and much more. As I already said, many are foaming at the mouth to argue that this is the best exercise for the back. I don’t argue that this is a very effective exercise, incl. for other athletic sports, HOWEVER, as we already know, in back training it comes in last place, and that’s optional! In no case Don't put deadlifts at the very beginning of your back workout.

Execution technique, first of all, the back is straight. We take a straight grip, shoulder-width apart, and begin the movement of the bar sliding along the hips along the legs. Look ahead, knees naturally bend. After which you simultaneously straighten your legs and back and lift the barbell again along your legs.

In general, I told a lot of new things, but you can also read specifically about

Okay, we're done with the exercises. There turned out to be quite a lot of them. Which ones to choose, which ones are better?

Training program for back muscles

This question is individual. Now I will give you a specific guideline that will suit most, but this is for a certain time. As you know, any program must be written for a specific person, and besides, it is not permanent. From time to time you need to change something. And yet, based on this material, I have created complexes for you.

When I composed the complexes, I was guided by the following rules for training the back muscles:

1. Use only heavy compound exercises(so that as many muscles as possible are involved).
2. Use both upper and lower links(to work on the width and thickness of the back muscles)
3. Use progressive loads(weights are constantly increasing, work is carried out for 6-12 repetitions).

Complex for a beginner

1. Vertical pull-down to chest 3-4x6-12

Either way

1. Pull-ups to chest 3-4x6-12
2. Bent-over barbell row 3-4x6-12
3. Deadlift 3 sets of 6-12

Both complexes 1 and 2 are very effective. You don't have to add a deadlift THIS IS OPTIONAL. The first two exercises will be enough for the growth of back muscles (provided that the correct technique + there is a progression of the load).

For intermediate level

1. Pull-ups 4x6-12
2. Bent-over barbell row 4x6-12
3. Horizontal thrust 4x6-12
4. Deadlift 2-3x6-12

1. Pull-ups 4x6-12
2. T-bar row 3-4x6-12
3. Horizontal thrust 4x6-12

1. Pull-ups 4x6-12
2. Vertical chest row 4x6-12
3. Bent-over barbell row 4x6-12
4. Horizontal thrust 4x6-12

But you can come up with a bunch of complexes, the main thing is that you learn the material. So that they can adjust everything to their needs and goals. There is no need to blindly copy and use, this is just an effective example.

More advanced complexes

1. Pull-ups 4x6-12
2. Bent-over barbell row 4x6-12
3. Horizontal thrust 4x6-12
4. Deadlift 3x6-12

1. Pull-ups
2. Upper block pull
3. T-bar row
4. Horizontal thrust

In general, I think you get the point. I tried to make the material as accessible as possible, but as you can see, it turned out to be too long. I hope I didn’t bore you and that you found it interesting.

Best regards, administrator.

Is your dream to have wide and strong back muscles? From this article you will learn about the best exercises with which you will definitely achieve what you want!

Back muscles are an important component of a beautiful figure for men and girls. Building a wide and massive back is incredibly difficult.

At the gym, people work to build muscle by doing a wide variety of exercises. In pursuit of the ideal form, they do not notice their mistakes, which significantly affect the achievement of the result.

From this article you will learn a lot of useful information, which you can acquire and get on the path to progress.

Anatomical structure of the back muscles

If you understand the structure of the back muscles, you will be able to quickly outline the path of development.

• Trapezius muscles ().Located in the very upper part of the back, which give power and volume;
• Rhomboid muscles. Located under the trapezius muscles;
• Teres major and minor muscles. They originate from the area of ​​the shoulder blades and are attached to the humerus;
• Infraspinatus muscle. The triangular flat muscle fills the infraspinatus fossa of the scapula;
• Latissimus dorsi muscles.. The wide and elongated latissimus dorsi muscles give the figure the desired V-shape;
• The erector spinae muscle. It is located among the deep muscles of the back and is the most powerful and longest on the back. Comprisesiliocostalis, spinalis and longissimus muscles.

When you load the upper back or thoracic spine area, the trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus and latissimus muscles come into play. The erector spinae muscle works when the load falls on the lumbar region.

How to make your workouts as effective as possible

The most common mistakes in back training:

• Ineffective exercises.

Do not neglect multi-joint (basic) exercises by performing only isolation exercises.

Don't waste valuable time sitting on exercise machines.

• Pumping is not the main thing!

Don't try to do as many reps as possible, rather spend time doing strength training. During a pump, your muscles fill with blood. This causes them to swell, creating a deceptive feeling of pumped up muscles. But, unfortunately, after training, the blood is evenly distributed throughout the body, and the muscles return to their original size.

If you don't get rid of these mistakes, you won't be able to progress. Of course, if you have never worked out in the gym before, your figure will change a little from physical exercise. But it will start soonstagnation (link to the article “What to do to avoid plateaus and stagnation in training”),which could lead to .

Focus on basic exercises, giving up some isolation exercises.

Basic exercises involve several muscle groups at once and contribute to increased testosterone production.

As you begin to lean into multi-joint exercises, you will notice changes in your form in a positive way. Strength indicators will also go up.

So, to build muscle mass, your training program should consist of 80-85% strength training.

The basis of your exercises will be work with a barbell and dumbbells, and exercise machines will act as a useful addition.

Don't look at athletes with wide backs who do an incredible amount of exercises and sets. All people are different! In bodybuilding, genetics and level of training play a big role. Perhaps your idols used to focus on basic exercises, but now they only work on individual muscle groups. It is possible that these people are using , which promote phenomenal muscle growth. But this does not mean that in order to build a wide back, you need to go on steroids. You will succeed without them!

If you work out in the gym, repeating the mistakes outlined above, then the maximum you can achieve is a V-shaped silhouette. There is no need to count on any thickness or separation of the various back muscles.

In addition to width, it is important to work on the thickness of the back muscles. If you focus exclusively on exercises that make your back wider, you will become like a stencil.

In order to pump up the back muscles evenly and proportionally, it is necessary to combine exercises for the width and thickness of the muscles.

Increase your working weight

There is a direct relationship between muscle strength and their mass. If the working weights do not increase, then muscle development will remain in place. This is an axiom.

In order to progress in gaining muscle mass, you must systematically increase the load.

Otherwise, the muscles will adapt and stop responding to training.

The main thing is to increase the weight gradually.

Do not hang a weight on the barbell that is 15–20 kg more than your previous weight. This will not lead to anything good. You can easily get injured and spend a lot of time recovering.

Perform 4–6 or 5–7 reps per set. Once you achieve the desired result, increase the weight and try to do the same number of repetitions as you did with the previous weight.

Don't move on to heavier weights if you feel like you're not quite confident at your current weight.

Weekly volume

Each week you should do a certain number of repetitions.

If you load your body less than it should, you will get insufficient results. If you exceed the norm, then you will need more time to recover, and you will not have it.

Therefore, problems may arise related to , which interferes with achieving results.

Finding the sweet spot can be difficult because the heavier the weights, the fewer reps you can do. This theory is especially relevant for the deadlift - the most effective and difficult exercise for the back muscles.

When lifting heavy weights (80-85% of your one-rep max), you should do 60-70 reps per week. This number of repetitions is the most optimal.

This technique is applicable not only to the back muscles, but also to any other muscle groups.

The best exercises for the back muscles

There are many different exercises for pumping up the back muscles, but only a few of them actually work. Below are the most effective exercises to include in your training program. These exercises do not require the use of rare equipment - the necessary equipment can be found in every gym.

1. Deadlift

This exercise is rightfully considered the best not only for working out the back muscles, but also for developing the muscles of the whole body. Deadlift involves working as many muscle groups as possible.

Unenlightened people believe that deadlifts do not strengthen a person’s muscles, but only cripple them. This opinion is valid unless the technique and safety rules are followed when performing the exercise. Yes, the deadlift is one of the most traumatic exercises, but if you do everything according to science, then this fantastic exercise can work all the back muscles at once.

If you have a back injury or spinal disease, then performing deadlifts is strictly not recommended, so as not to aggravate existing problems.

You can, of course, choose one of the options for performing deadlifts that will not harm the affected areas of the back. In any case, consult your doctor before including this exercise in your training program.

Deadlift options:

• Classic;
• Sumo;
• Deadlift with trap bar;
• Deadlift (straight-legged deadlift).

Deadlift technique (classic version)

The deadlift is a technically complex exercise that requires many nuances. But you will never learn all the tricks until you try.

While learning the technical features, work with light weights so as not to damage your health.

Mistakes are inevitable, but this is not a reason to quit classes. Follow all the recommendations and you will succeed.

• Place your feet slightly narrower than shoulder width. Point your feet forward or spread them slightly to the sides;
• The bar should be above the middle of your feet;
• Bend over, moving your pelvis and hips back slightly so that your shoulders are directly above the bar;
• Don't spread your arms too wide. Let them touch your legs a little in the starting position. In the future, they should not constrain or limit your movements, so do not place them too close to your feet.
• Direct your gaze straight ahead. You should not lift your head too high, otherwise your neck will experience severe overload. If you lower your head down, you will have problems maintaining a straight back position. Look in front of you, and the geometry will not be disrupted;
• If during the lifting phase the bar slips out of your hands, then use a different grip, that is, point one palm towards you and the other away from you. This will allow you to minimize the rotation of the bar as the torque will be zero. If you insist on a regular grip, then use straps;
• Do not bend your elbows, keep them straight. When performing a deadlift, the arms are the link connecting the shoulders to the barbell, and nothing more. Keep your arms vertical during all phases of the exercise;
• Just before the lifting phase, inhale and tighten your abdominal muscles. Keeping tension in your abs will help keep your lower back stable and ready for the deadlift;
• Keep your back straight while performing the exercise. Otherwise, the entire applied load will fall on the spine, which is very easy to injure;
• Bend your lower back and lift the weight using the muscles of your legs and back;
• Any distance between the bar and the legs is eliminated. The bar should slide over your legs. Otherwise, you will fall forward and your back will inevitably round;
• Do not put your weight on your toes, as the center of gravity should be in your heels. Stabilize your position so that the soles of your feet press firmly against the floor with their entire surface;
• At the top, pull your shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other. Don't lean back! The head should be strictly above the feet;
• When lowering the projectile, maintain tension in your lower back;
• The bar should maintain its position, being strictly above the middle of the foot. Bend your knees until the bar touches the floor;
• Move smoothly and carefully. Avoid jerking, sudden movements and under no circumstances throw the barbell! By bouncing the bar off the floor, you use the rebound momentum and make the task easier for yourself. Consequently, the useful lifting phase is reduced to zero;
• Once down, begin the next repetition.

Before the exercise, do not forget to do , which will warm up your body and prepare your muscles for stress.

Do your first warm-up approach with an empty bar so that your body remembers the mechanics of the movements. Starting with the second approach, gradually increase the weight on the bar.

Sumo deadlift

This version of the deadlift is performed with a wide stance. The legs are located at a distance 1.5–2 times greater than in the classic version.

When performing sumo deadlifts, the range of motion is reduced and the load on the lower back is reduced. But this does not mean that this option is much easier than the previous one. The lion's share of the load will fall on your hips.

Try both techniques and choose the most suitable option based on ease of execution and your body type.

Trap bar deadlift

The technique differs from the classic deadlift only in the use of a specific bar, making the exercise safer.

This option reduces the load on the spine and makes it easier to lower the projectile down. Also, deadlifts with a trap bar allow you to lift larger weights compared to the classic version, which increases the degree of effective development of the lower body.

Deadlift

The straight leg deadlift differs from the classic and sumo in that when performing the exercise the athlete does not bend his legs at all or bends them, but only a little.

2. Bent-over barbell row

This exercise helps develop the latissimus, teres major and posterior deltoid muscles. If you squeeze your shoulder blades together during the exercise, you will additionally work the rhomboid and trapezius muscles.

By changing the grip width and the angle of the torso, you can concentrate the load in different areas of the back.

3. One-arm dumbbell row

One more exercisefor the latissimus dorsi muscles. The work also includes trapezius, rear deltoids, biceps and forearms. Ensures even development of the lats on both sides.

There are two options for performing this exercise:

• Place one knee on a horizontal bench and rest your hand on it, which is on the same side as your bent leg. For example, if you are swinging your right side, rest your left hand and left knee on the bench. Keep your body level so that it is parallel to the floor. Place your right leg back in an almost straightened state.
• Place one hand, for example your left, on a bench or machine, leaving your left leg bent on the floor. The right leg should stand behind the left in a straightened state. The dumbbell is in the right hand and the right latissimus muscle is being worked.

4. T-bar row (T-bar)

This exercise will help you work on the depth and thickness of your back muscles. It is considered a very effective exercise that allows you to pump up almost all the back muscles.

If we consider the mechanical features of the execution, the T-bar row is similar to the bent-over row of a barbell. But, unlike it, performing this exercise without errors is much easier.

5. Pull-ups with direct and reverse grip

Pull-ups - one of the most famous exercises, familiar to everyone since passing school standards.

This exercise helps develop the latissimus dorsi muscles. The grip width can be adjusted to target muscles. If you use a wide grip, you load the latissimus muscles, and a narrow grip, you load the biceps.

When using a reverse grip with a narrow hand position, the lower part of the lats is worked, and a significant part of the load falls on the biceps.

6. Wide and narrow grip lat pull-downs

You can pump up your back using a block exercise machine.

Wide grip necessary for the development of the upper part of the latissimus, rhomboid and trapezius back muscles.

If you want to load the central area of ​​the back, then perform this exercise with a narrow grip using a V-shaped handle.

7. Horizontal block thrust

Target muscles: trapezius, lower lats, rhomboids, and erector spinae.

With this exerciseyou will be able to work on the thickness of your muscles.

8. Lowering straight arms in front of you on a block machine

An exercise that isolates the latissimus muscles, allowing you to focus the load solely on them.

Remember, progress is the key to muscle growth

The best back exercises presented above can make your back muscles wider and thicker.

But you shouldn't just do these exercises, you should progress in each of them.

By increasing weights, you develop the strength of your muscles, and with increasing strength, mass and muscle volume grow.

Work in the gym, eat right, and muscle mass will not keep you waiting long.

Features of training programs for back muscles

A well-designed training program includes complex multi-component back exercises that involve several muscle areas at once.

Isolation exercises can also be included in the training plan, but they should be performed only after the basic ones.

The following will present a simple but effective example of a training program for the back muscles. Perform this set of exercises once a week for the next 8 weeks and see how your body reacts. You will be pleasantly surprised.

• Deadlift - after warming up, do 3 working sets of 4-6 reps with a weight equal to 85% of your one-rep maximum;
• Bent-over barbell rows – 3 sets of 4–6 reps;
• Wide grip lat pulldown – 3 sets of 4–6 reps;
• One-arm dumbbell rows - 3 sets of 4-6 reps.

Remember that you need to gradually increase the weight of the projectile. This is the only way you can progress. Lifting the same weight, you will continue to mark time.

If you do 6 reps with a weight of 100 kg, then add 2.5 kg on each side. If on your next set you do 4 reps with the new weight, then it becomes your work load until you do 6 reps.

If the new weight is difficult for you and you can only do 3 repetitions, then you should reduce the weight a little and work with it. Once you've done 2 sets of 6 reps with that weight, move on to the next one.

This technique is ideal for both men and girls.

Rest between sets

Rest is a very important part of the training process. If you choose the wrong time to rest, the effectiveness of your workout may decrease. By taking little time to rest between sets, you won't have time to recuperate before putting a new dose of stress on your muscles. If the pause is too long, the muscles will cool down and it will be difficult for you to start working again.

When performing heavy exercises, 3 minutes of rest will be enough for you.

Diet

Make sure you are consuming enough nutrients. To grow muscles you need , and to restore energy - . A balanced diet has a tremendous impact on your progress.

Sports nutrition

In fact, in order to start building your body, a balanced diet and a well-designed training program are enough. Butwill allow your body to receive additional calories and a dose of amino acids that are necessary for building muscles.

• Creatine

It is a natural compound that is produced in the body from amino acids such as arginine, glycine and methionine. Contained in meat and fish.

Beneficial features: increases performance, promotes strength and high-quality muscle mass.

• Protein

It is a sports supplement that consists of protein mixtures. When digested, protein is broken down into amino acids, which are the main building blocks for muscles.

If you can't get enough protein from food, add protein to your diet.

• Pre-workout complex

A type of sports nutrition that helps increase endurance and makes training more productive. It is important not to make a mistake with your choice, because not all are effective and safe.

Conclusion

Having studied all the rules and subtleties that were presented in this article, you can apply them in the gym, starting with your next workout. The main thing is to remember that in order to avoid imbalances, you need to pay attention to working out the width and thickness of the back muscles.

A strong and beautiful back is not only powerful support and the health of the spinal column, but also the beauty of the figure. The expressive relief of the back muscles adorns both men and women. A pumped-up back gives brutality and strength to a man, and gives a woman a toned, chiseled figure.

BACK MUSCLES

The back muscles occupy the surface of the body from the pelvis to the upper neck. They are divided into several types:

• The latissimus dorsi muscles, or so-called wings, occupy the largest part, forming a cone. Gives a V-shaped, athletic shape to the male body. These are the most popular muscles to train. Exercises for the wings of the back include various rows and pull-ups.
• Trapezius is divided into upper, middle, lower. Their most noticeable part is located between the shoulder and neck. These muscles do not receive as much attention as the others. However, pumping up the trapezius muscles allows you to avoid problems in the cervical-shoulder region and complements the building of a beautiful back.
• Extensor muscles of the spinal column. Occupy the space from the lower to the upper back. Proper training of this muscle group forms good posture, compacting and strengthening the back.
• The rhomboids are auxiliary to the trapezius muscles. Attached to the medial edge of the scapula of the upper back. Involved in compression of the shoulder blades. You can pump up such muscles with the help of bending, bending, and twisting.
• The teres major muscle is the so-called lesser wings. It is located under the latissimus muscle and works in conjunction with it; it is involved in many exercises.

The back has two weak points that should also be given attention during training. These are the lumbar triangle and quadrangle. The strength of these muscles protects the lumbar spine from injuries and hernias. Exercises for the oblique abdominal muscles help to pump them up. The exercises should be performed fifteen or twenty times. Before starting a workout, it is necessary to warm up the muscles. After exercise, you need to spend at least five minutes stretching your muscles. Proper execution of the exercises will create a good muscle corset for the back.

For a girl it is a guarantee of lower back health. In addition, with developed spinal muscles, a girl’s waist looks much thinner. Body proportions become more harmonious. At the same time, visiting the gym is not necessary; a girl can do all the basic back exercises at home. The main thing is to have strong motivation.

EXERCISES FOR EVERYONE

DUMBELL RAILS

One of the main exercises for pumping up your back is dumbbell rows. It develops the latissimus muscles and engages each half of the back. The legs are slightly bent, the body tilts ninety degrees. Dumbbells in hands. The elbows are directed straight up, and the arms with dumbbells are raised along the body until the shoulder blades join. The return to the starting position is done slowly.

In order to pump up the lower latissimus muscles, perform bent over rows with one arm. You will need a bench or chair. Standing sideways to her, both feet on the floor, the left one put forward and slightly bent at the knee. Place your left hand on the bench, body at an angle. The dumbbell is taken with a neutral grip and straightened freely downwards. As you inhale, pull the dumbbell to your waist, possibly higher. After a short delay, the arm straightens down again. The body is fixed and does not turn around, the elbows do not move to the side. The movement allows you to pump muscles with increased amplitude, while the spine experiences less load. This way you can pump up the latissimus and middle dorsal muscles.

Exercises with a barbell allow you to pump up all sectors of the back muscles well. Standing straight, legs slightly bent at the knees, pull the barbell towards the stomach. At the same time, the shoulder blades are brought together. You need to pump up your muscles slowly. Repeat ten times the first time and fifteen times the next. Then the exercise is slightly modified. From a standing position, the straightened body lowers down to a line parallel to the floor. Then the body returns to the starting position. At the same time, the legs are bent; the muscles need to be pumped at a slow pace. If there is a strong rounding of the lumbar back, then you need to reduce the amplitude.

SHRUGS

You will need dumbbells or a barbell with a curved bar. The projectiles are in straightened arms, the shoulders rise up to the highest possible point. Shoulders should not rotate, as this can lead to injury. If the barbell is straight, then you should grab it with a different grip, not forgetting about changing the position of your hands from set to set.

EXERCISES FOR GIRLS

At first, a girl does not need to strive for training with heavy weights; first, it is better to feel the work of the target muscles. For harmonious development, you need to pay attention to each segment of muscle mass.

In order for a girl to properly pump up her back at home, she needs to stretch her muscles. To do this, you should take a lying position on your stomach, raise your torso on your arms and stretch up and slightly back. You can complicate the movement by bending your legs, with which you need to try to reach the top of your head. Caution should be exercised; if there is pain in the lower back, you need to reduce the deflection or stop the exercise. And now another version of the movement from a lying position on your stomach. Hands behind your head, and the body rises up. The difficulty of the exercise is that the legs must be pressed to the floor. Pump ten times in three approaches.

Another exercise for girls to stretch and strengthen the back muscles. Sitting position with crossed legs. Straightened arms clasped behind the back. The body turns to the sides, to the right and to the left. Three sets of twenty-five times.

Exercises with dumbbells are an affordable and effective way to pump up your back at home. The initial position is standing upright with shells in your hands. Bend forward to an angle of ninety degrees and straighten. Pump ten or fifteen times in three sets.

The next movement is made by bending forward at a right angle. Arms with dumbbells are straightened or slightly bent at the elbows and spread to the sides. In this position, you need to pause for a couple of seconds and lower your arms. Three approaches of fifteen times will be enough. After this, you can pump your back, moving your arms back.

You need to lie facing the floor, stretching your arms straight forward with dumbbells. When lifting them, you need to move them back, imitating the movements of a swimmer. Feet slightly lift off the floor. This way you need to pump your back muscles ten or fifteen times.

A very useful exercise for the back at home. Hyperextension on a fitball. The ball is located near the wall. The girl should lie on the fitball with her stomach down and rest her feet against the wall. The back, as well as the buttocks and back of the thighs, can be pumped up by raising and lowering the body. You can raise your legs higher to increase the load. The lower back does not relax.

With sufficiently strong motivation and perseverance, you can effectively pump your back without even going to the gym. You need to start small, gradually get involved and give the body time to get used to the new way of life. It is better to do the exercise correctly and little, than somehow and quickly. If you feel discomfort in your muscles, you should take a break. Moreover, you should never do exercises while overcoming pain. If a pause in training does not help, then it is better to consult a specialist. The main condition for obtaining a positive result is regularity, maintaining enthusiasm and focus.