Back Exercises
Back Workouts For Strengthening And Bodybuilding
The back is not the easiest part of the body to train, in fact it is probably the most difficult. You can easily see what is happening while working biceps, triceps, or abs. Seeing what's going on and measuring progress with the back muscles is not quite so easy. In addition, back workouts are seldom easy as you are working on very large muscle groups and the workouts can be grueling indeed. Some compound this problem by using weights that are much heavier than required. It doesn't require the heaviest weights you can manage to adequately work large muscle groups. You'll be better of working with weights you can fairly easily handle, and let the number of reps do the work. Here then are 4 exercises you can perform that make up a good back workout, using either free weights or machines.
Dumbbell Pullovers work the lats and this exercise is a good one to start with, as it helps in loosening your body up for the remaining exercises. Use a fairly heavy dumbbell, but one you can handle, for a few reps and have a partner help you in a few forced reps, for a total of 8 reps at the end. Besides working the lats, this exercise is beneficial as it stretches your back as well. Lat Pull Downs is the next exercise and can be a rather brutal one, especially if you're using a wide grip, as you should be. Here you start with a heavier weight, do 3 or 4 reps, lighten the weight and do another 6 reps, and then lighten the weight still more and finish with 8 reps. The progressive lightening of the weights might seem to make things easier. No.
The Dumbbell Row is another great exercise for the Lats. A combination of 8-6-4 reps works well. If using heavy enough weights, you’ll likely need a bit of help from a partner on the final set. The T-Bar Row is the last of the exercise and should be performed with a short grip (close grip handle). The weights here aren't particularly heavy, but after finishing the other exercises you'll understand why. The number of reps is the important thing anyway. In the above exercises specific weights haven't been mentioned as that will depend upon your own strength, condition, and where you are at in your back workouts program.
Don't Forget The Lower Back Workouts - At times it can be difficult to find a set of routines designed to work the lower back. One reason for this is that the lower back muscles (Erector Spinae, or spinal erectors), which are involved in moving not only the spine, but the neck, tie into other major muscle groups as well and are difficult to isolate. Many exercises designed to strengthen the abdominal muscles and work the hamstrings will also work the lower back. It is of course extremely important to have a strong lower back, for everyone certainly, but for power lifters especially. You don't want your lower back to be the weakest link! Three very good exercises for the lower back are the Dead Lift, the simplest of all heavy lifting exercises, the Good Morning, a combination squat and pull-down, and Hyper Extending, by lying face down on an inclined bench, locking in your heels, and raising and arching the back. You can start this one without weights, and gradually work up to holding a weight in your hands. This is a very good exercise, both for bodybuilders and for anyone simply wanting to strengthen and tone the muscles in their back.
Summary – As you can see, there is a variety of back workouts to select from. The Pilates and Yoga exercises are primarily for those wanting to strengthen the back and maintain good muscle tone. Even bodybuilders may find something to offer in these, but they will of course not add muscle mass. The exercises with weights should best be done with a partner, or in the presence of a personal trainer. This is particularly true of lower back exercises, where injury is always a possibility if an exercise is done incorrectly. Which you choose of course depends upon the goal you have in mind.