Trying to build that deep V-look to your back? Or just looking to injury-proof your body? Are you looking for the best back exercises you could possibly do, that will get you the desired results? Well, look no more! We researched hundreds of back exercises and came up with the best ones out there!
But first… Do you spend as much time working on your back as you do with your chest? Probably not, so you’ll need to change that!
Sculpting a bigger, stronger back comes with a long list of benefits. Training your back will help you target the weak spots that cause poor posture, bench press more weight, grow your arms, work on your metabolism and get the V-shape you’re looking for.
- Stand taller
Your posture says a lot about how your joints and muscles are working. Executing special workouts for your back with help with your posture and asses any postural deviations you might have.
Having a bad posture is not only a sight for sore eyes, but it can also be dangerous. The muscle and ligament imbalances resulting from bad alignment can lead to:
- Hip and back injuries
- Headache
- Stiffness in your body
- Difficulties breathing
- Sciatica
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Chronic back, neck and shoulder pain
- Muscle atrophy
- Muscle weakness and fatigue
- Digestion issues
By working on your back you also work on your postural deviations and start correcting any issues you might have. Also, with good posture, your lifts will also be stronger, your muscles will work much more efficiently and you will prevent pain and injury.
Understand the importance of your posture and work on improving it. There is no reason why you should continue dealing with that hip pain, hunched back and imbalanced shoulders, because there is something you can do about this starting today!
- Bench press more
You’re wondering how back exercises will help you bench press more, since the hard work is all in your hands? Well, upper back exercises are crucial for making the bench press pain-free, stable, and strong.
The muscles in your upper- and mid-back can help stabilize your shoulder joints. If your shoulders are stronger and more stable, you will be able to lift more every time.
The stress that comes with bench pressing goes directly on the shoulder blades and four rotator cuff muscles that originate on the scapula. Working on keeping the scapular muscles nice and tight will help you win more stability for pushing the weights up.
- Grow your Arms
Back exercises are also great for targeting and training your arm muscles.
When you're bench pressing, doing rows, lateral pull-downs and other such exercises that work your back really well, your biceps and rear delts are needed to do the movements. Training your back is directly linked to training your arms as well.
For these 3 reasons, not to mention that back exercises will speed up your metabolism helping you burn more calories and also the V-shape look, are you ready to put more work into your back starting today?
If the answer is yes, these are the exercises you should be doing!
DEADLIFT
The Deadlift is an excellent back exercise. With every move, your back muscles work hard on keeping your torso straight and preventing the rounding of the lower back.
How To: With feet flat beneath the bar, bend at your hips and knees – squat down and grasp the bar with shoulder width or slightly wider overhand or mixed grip. Keeping your lower back naturally arched, lift the bar by extending your hips and knees to their full extension. Pull your shoulders back at the top of the lift if they get rounded. Lower the bar to the floor keeping your posture in check and repeat.
FRONT SQUAT
Squats are a great exercise not only for legs, but also for your back. That being said, the front squat is an even better exercise you can use to build your upper back. That is because the barbell is placed in front of your body, across the tops of your shoulders, and your back muscles work hard on keeping you from tilting forward and keeping your torso upright.
How To: Grab a barbell from a rack and place it in front of you, across your shoulders. Cross your arms and place your hands on top of the barbell, lifting your upper arms until they’re parallel to the floor. Make sure you keep them like that throughout the entire exercise, so that you don’t drop the bar.
Lower your body and push your hips back while bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Just as with normal squats, push your body up, back to the starting position and repeat.
PULLUPS
Pullups or chin-ups work hard on your lats, helping you develop that V-shaped torso you desire so much. Working the lats will guarantee a wider torso that will also make you look slimmer around your waist.
How To: There are many variations you can do with pullups that will work great on your back, such as towel pullups, swan pullups, L pullups, mixed grip pullups, neutral grip pullups, and so many other you might already know.
CABLE PULLDOWNS
The most used exercise for bodybuilders, also a great way to work your back muscles. Pulling down on the cable in a slow, controlled tempo, will help you make the most of it. Throughout the entire time you perform this exercise, your body needs to remain in the same position as much as possible.
How To: Sit down at a cable pulldown station and grasp the cable bar with a wide grip. Your thighs should be under the cable support. Start pulling on the cable bar until it reaches your upper chest, return until your arms are fully extended and repeat.
BARBELL UNDERHAND BENT-OVER ROWS
This variation of rows help build a powerful core and a strong back, as you need to brace the abs and engage your back muscles to hold the position and bull the bar to your torso. The underhand grip will increase the activation of your triceps, working on them intensely. Being a technique under load and hold position, this exercise will also reinforce your deadlift performance.
How To: With slightly bent knees, bend over the bar with your back straight and grasp the bar with an underhand grip. Pull the bar to your chest, return until your arms are extended and your shoulders are stretched downward, and repeat.
These are just the best exercises we recommend for working your back intensely, but there are many more you could be doing!
Remember, your back is a huge muscle group, so a good, rewarding workout should be exhausting. If you're not completely exhausted after a back workout, it means you're not going hard enough to shape that V-look. Put the effort in and you’ll see the results in no time!