Exercises to Build Your Back Muscles
Article by Gavin Brodie
Here are some exercises to really strengthen and build your back:
Lat pull down
Using a lat pull down machine in the gym take the long lat pull down bar in a wide grip where your hands place your forearms at a 90 degree vertical position. If you want take a wider grip to really hit the back. Perform a warm up set of around 15 reps and make sure your seat is adjusted so that you can’t put the weights down without standing up. This way you are stretching out the back and working the lats to the full extent that they go. This is very important when trying to build that perfect v shape. After your warm up set, perform 3 sets of 12 reps at a weight you can just manage. In the final rep make sure you are using your back not your biceps to draw the weight down, if you notice your biceps taking the strain too much then lower the weight so you can get the back isolated and working. Often doing this exercise your grip may be the first thing to go due to the strength of your back in relation to the strength in your hands, if this is the case then get a good pair of gym gloves to help give you better support.
Deadlifts
One of the most important bodybuilding exercises. Dead lifts work the lower back like no other exercises. Dead lifts are an exercise where technique is very important as it is very easy to pull your back when lifting very heavy weights. To do a deadlift, lift an Olympic bar with weights on from the floor by holding on to the bar keeping your arms straight and pushing from your heels and bringing your hips forward till your raise the bar from the floor. Keep a straight back throughout the exercise and bend your knees when lifting the weight and lowering the weight to the floor. When doing dead lifts warm up for a couple of sets due as it is very easy to injure yourself.
Seated lever row
This is a great exercise to develop a thick back. Perform this exercise on a seated lever row machine found in most gyms. Keep your elbows into your side and adjust the seat so your back is stretched right out to hold the handles. If you feel the biceps take over more than the back, then lower the weight to a weight where you can isolate the back. Perform 15 reps warm up and then 3sets of 12 reps making sure the weight is adjusted to a weight where you can just manage the final rep of each set with. Remember don’t swing your neck to lift the weight as you are not working your neck but your back.
Dorsal raises
To work the lower back, put in some dorsal raises at the end of your back workout. 4 sets of 20 reps. A dorsal raise is when you lie on your stomach in a position like Superman would fly through the sky. Raise your hands and feet off the floor and lower them back but don’t let them touch the floor each rep.
Pull Ups
Finish all back workouts with as many pull ups as you can manage. Try performing 4 sets of wide grip pull ups raising your head above the bar and lowering yourself to a full stretch.
About the Author
Gavin Brodie is a fitness and nutrition coach and writer. For more information on a fitter healthier life see http://health-and-fitness-it-is.com





