Not only does a toned back look amazing, it helps the athlete achieve his goal, makes everyday life much easier, protects the spine and improves posture!
Knowing how to pump up your back is the sacred duty of every athlete and athlete, regardless of the type of sport: pumped up back muscles are equally necessary for powerlifters, swimmers, martial artists and especially bodybuilders.
There's nothing more stunning than well-developed back muscles that curve like roads on a map: broad dorsals like jet wings and lower back muscles.
Who needs to pump up their back muscles?
Back training is important for many reasons: pumped up back muscles will immediately make you stand out from the crowd of athletes, because only a real bodybuilder can work out the “wings”. Your body will look harmonious and balanced.
There is nothing you can do in martial arts without a strong back: your stabilization depends on the strength of your muscle corset. The back is the frame that holds all the muscles and unites the efforts of the whole body. Weak back muscles cannot properly perform their stabilizing role, and problems may arise in maintaining an upright posture. In wrestling, pumped-up back muscles make it easier to perform throws with body extension.
Powerlifters also strive to effectively pump up their backs: in powerlifting, this is the key to success in performing deadlifts, one of the competitive disciplines of powerlifting.
Why is it not easy to work out your back?
In addition, by pumping up your back muscles, you will significantly make your daily life easier, because we perform most of the functional movements, for example, carrying heavy objects, on our backs.
From a medical point of view, developed back and core muscles help maintain correct posture and spinal alignment, which has a positive effect on the vital organs of the abdominal cavity. You see how important it is to train your back, are you ready to train?
If you are already in the gym and ready to start, we recommend 2 programs from our training videos. Further in the article you will find several more program options.
The first training option is about how to pump up your back. In this video you will learn how to pump up your back, what exercises to do to pump up your latissimus dorsi muscles. Perform these exercises in three sets of eight repetitions each.
- Lying latissimus dorsi stretch
- Chest row on the upper block 3x8
- Pull-ups with deviation 3x8
- Reverse grip lat pulldown 3x8
- Wide-grip lat pulldown 3x8
In the next video you will learn the second training option for the back muscles.
You will understand the maximum understanding of what works for you and your body in pumping your back in the gym only after you start trying different exercises.
- Lower back stretch with lunge and twist 2x5
- Standing mid-back stretch (with body rotation) 2x5
- Rows to the waist on the simulator in support 3x8
- Pullover on a 3x8 block
- Bent-over barbell row 3x8
- Shrugs with dumbbells 3x8
The importance of back training
However, many people ignore the importance of this muscle group. The main reason for this is complexity, because it is quite difficult to feel how the back muscles work. The secret is to start all exercises using not only your arms, but also your back muscles.
How to pump your back if you still have problems? Use special hooks for lifting. This will reduce the stress on your biceps, putting more pressure on your back.
Note that this is about using enough weight, not too much. Train hard, but not so hard that you cheat to lift the barbell up, which is guaranteed to disable the muscles from the movement.
Another reason for a weak back is that people simply train with insufficient weight. If you need to make your muscles more massive, use more weight in your “pulling” exercises.
If you really want to pump up a wide back, do a good job of deadlifting.
How to properly pump the upper and lower parts of the latissimus dorsi muscles
Next, you should make sure that all parts of the target muscle group are working during the exercises.
The results of studies of the anatomical structure have shown3 that the latissimus dorsi muscles actually consist of an upper and lower part, which means that it will not be possible to make your back wider without using both parts.
Therefore, if you want to maximize the width of your back, it is very important that you properly target both areas during your workout. Otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain.
Let's look at how the muscle fibers of each area work.
The upper region runs almost perpendicular to the body or more horizontally.
For this area, basic shoulder adduction exercises and chin pulldowns, where the angle of the pull matches the muscle fibers of the upper lats, will be effective.
Such exercises include wide-grip pull-ups.
And the lower part of the lats runs almost parallel to the body. Therefore, the best shoulder extension exercises that use a vertical angle of pull (close-grip pull-ups, chin-up, and close-grip rows) will be more effective for this area.
This is exactly how you need to use both groups of this one large muscle in order for your back to be proportionally pumped up.
Over time, you will understand which parts need more attention in the gym and which ones need less attention. And your workouts will be more effective, and the goal of achieving a beautiful, sculpted back will not keep you waiting.
Lat Pulldowns
Here we will look at some practical tips on how to shift the focus of your rowing machine rowing to what is popularly known as the “wings”.
The most common exercises for lengthening the lats are pull-ups and chin-up rows.
It is important to know that any other exercise on a rowing machine, when done correctly, is just as effective for building your back. And this is proven by numerous studies4 conducted in this area.
Let's look at the seated deadlift, for example.
If you perform the deadlift with your elbows more out to the sides and focus on squeezing your shoulder blades, the emphasis will be mainly on the trapezius and rhomboid back muscles.
If you press your elbows closer to your sides, lower them a little lower and back, you will be able to fully activate your lats.
When performed correctly, these two variations should essentially feel like two completely different exercises.
This approach can be used in all types of pulls. This will help keep the pulling movements focused on the lats and maximize the width of your back.
Activating the latissimus dorsi during the deadlift
Lastly, you need to make sure you are performing the deadlift correctly.
Because when done correctly, the deadlift is a great exercise for not only increasing back thickness, but also width.
To best use the deadlift to increase back width, you need to properly engage your lats during the movement.
Before lifting the barbell, move it towards your shins. Grasp it with your hands and straighten them at the elbow, standing in a half-bent position, as before lifting. This is how the target muscles are activated.
When lifting the barbell off the floor, don't forget to work your lats. Keep your elbows toward the wall behind you. Try not to twist them to the sides.
For maximum results in pumping your back, use elastic bands attached to a barbell.
This was a short list of recommendations for developing a wide back. And below you will find a list of the best exercises for back width.
The back is the second largest muscle group on the body after the legs. For many people, the back is the latissimus muscles. But this is far from the only muscle located on the back that forms the size and beautiful silhouette.
Human back: anatomy
Knowing muscle function is critical when designing a workout and understanding proper technique. With that in mind, let's take a look at the anatomy of the back:
Trapezius muscle
It is a very wide, triangular-shaped muscle that covers almost all the muscles in the back of the neck and large part of the back. It originates in the occipital bone at the base of the skull and enters the shoulder blades and collarbones. The fibers of this muscle ensure its stretching in three directions: up, down and inward. The functions of the trapezius muscle are to turn the head and raise the shoulders.
Many people work the trapezius muscle along with the shoulders, and this is a great method, however, in this article we will include the trapezius muscles in the back.
<Rhomboid minor/major muscles
The rhomboid muscles begin on the spine and attach to the middle of the shoulder blades. Their function is to bring the shoulder blades towards the spine.
Teres major muscle
This muscle originates on the outer edge of the scapula and attaches to the humerus. Its function is to stretch the arm back.
Latissimus dorsi muscles
These are the largest muscles of the back. Large, V-shaped and pumped, they provide back strength. The latissimus muscle attaches to the upper end of the humerus and runs down the spine and pelvic girdle. The function is to pull the arm down, and, if the arm is in a fixed position, to help pull the arms up.
Erector back muscles
The main function of these muscles is to support and stretch the spine. This group includes the following muscles: longissimus, spinalis and iliocostalis.
As you can see, working the back muscles, the anatomy of which has so many nuances, is quite difficult. However, there are two main types of movements that help tone your back: rowing movements and downward movements.
In addition, there are strength training movements such as deadlifts, snatches, and power cleans. These exercises work much more than just your back - thanks to them, you involve and pump up your whole body! These compound movements cause a dramatic natural increase in the amount of anabolic hormones in the body such as testosterone and growth hormone.
Preparation
Before you start doing wing exercises, it is important to get in the right mood for the work:
- First, prepare for work psychologically. Please note that it is unlikely that you will achieve success quickly. The first results may appear only after a few months, because the latissimus dorsi muscles take a very long time to grow;
- secondly, normalize your diet. In particular, place more emphasis on complex carbohydrates and proteins, while eliminating fats and simple carbohydrates. The back looks more beautiful the fewer layers of fat there are. The average protein dosage should be 1.5-2 g per kilogram of your weight;
- thirdly, before pumping up your wings with more serious exercises, prepare your muscles for work. In particular, you can pay attention to the horizontal bar and regular push-ups for 1-2 months. This approach will allow you to approach training correctly and most effectively. In this case, the latissimus dorsi muscles will be ready for loads.
How to properly pump up your back
Although many people train their chest and back on the same day—by the way, Arnold did just that—it makes sense to train your back on a strictly designated day. It is especially worth paying attention to this method for those whose back is a weak point.
Then, if you want, you can train your biceps and develop your forearms. This will allow you to focus all your energy on working your back instead of “sharing” energy with the other large pectoral muscle group. Since the biceps are actively involved in all back exercises, it makes sense to train them after the back. It's a good idea to include forearms in this workout,
However, there is a theory that the forearms, like the abdominal muscles, need to be worked more often than others. These muscles have high endurance and are involved in every exercise performed (after all, you need a grip to hold the barbell), so work them hard no more than once a week along with your biceps.
The main thing is that you feel how the training works for you. Before going to the gym again, just make sure your muscles are fully recovered. Remember, growth only happens if you have enough recovery, not because of how many hours you spend in the gym every day.
The best wing exercises in the gym
The first and most effective exercise for the lats in the gym will always be pull-ups; we will not consider this exercise any further, so we will focus on the pull-down of the lower block.
Lower block thrust
Deadlifts are performed in a machine or in a crossover. To perform this you will need handles for a parallel grip.
Technique:
- With your feet on the platform and your back straight, exhale and stretch your arms toward your waist. Please note that when performing this exercise, your back should always be straight. There is no need to round or tilt it in the direction of the weight plates.
- Pull the weight only with your lats. The work should be performed smoothly and concentrated directly on the target muscles.
T-bar row
The T-bar row exercise is a great option for building powerful lats. The option using a barbell with a “T” bar should be performed after pull-ups. This exercise is similar to rowing a barbell or dumbbells in an inclined position, but due to the fixation of the spine, if we are talking about a modern simulator, this exercise is less traumatic.
Technique:
- Having adjusted the simulator to your anthropometric data, take a position on the support plane and footrests.
- Then remove the bar from its bindings and perform the deadlift movement.
Another advantage of performing this exercise is the ability to use several grips, since each grip loads the back muscles differently.
Traction in a Hummer
And another powerful exercise for developing the latissimus muscles is the deadlift. The exercise can be performed with one hand or with both. Allows you to pump up, emphasizing the load on different back muscles, but in each of the grip options the latissimus dorsi muscles are necessarily involved.
Back muscle workout #1
Deadlift
- 5 sets of 15,12,10,8,6 repetitions
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Barbell
Pull-ups
- 1 set of 25 reps
- Body Part: Lat Equipment: Bodyweight
Note: If you can do that many pull-ups in one set, do two sets of 25 reps. Use a wide overhand grip and full range of motion
Bent-over barbell row
- 3 sets of 12 reps
- Body Part: Press Equipment: Barbell
Note: Use a weight that you can lift for 8 reps. Rest and then complete the set.
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To properly tone your back muscles with this workout, remember this: your deadlift should be sharp and active, but completely controlled, and slow on the downward movement. Use a full range of motion when doing pull-ups, concentrating only on your back and not your biceps. Remember that your biceps are just hooks, nothing more.
Back muscle training No. 2
Deadlift in a power rack
- 5 sets of 15,12,10,8,6 repetitions
- Body part: Lower back Equipment: Barbell
Smith Machine Bent Over Row
- 3 sets of 8 reps
- Body part: Middle back Equipment: Exercise
Pull-ups
- 4 sets of 10 reps
- Body Part: Lat Equipment: Bodyweight
Attention: 2 of these approaches are with a medium wide grip on top, and 2 with a wide grip
Shrugs with a barbell
- 4 sets of 12,10,8,6 repetitions
- Body part: Trapeze Equipment: Barbell
Note: All are working, so use a weight that will allow you to complete the required number of repetitions.
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Power cleans are a sharp exercise. Be sure you understand this feature of the exercise and always keep your reps under control. The cable row should be performed with continuous tension: contract the muscles and count to 3 as you lower the weight to your chest. If possible, reverse the movement, counting to 4.
Use the same repetition method during lat pulldowns. When performing shrugs, pull your shoulders up towards your ears, hold and contract the muscles, work this way in any strength training in the gym, not just when pumping up the back muscles.
The best exercises to build a wide back
Pull-ups with weights on the bar
If you want an aesthetic v-shaped silhouette, then you definitely need to pay attention to this exercise. If there are restrictions in relation to pull-ups, then you need to find an alternative to it. When performing pull-ups, you need to go all the way down, thus stretching the lats as much as possible. And at the top point, reduce them as much as possible in order to achieve maximum effect. And if you need even more volume in your lats, then attach weights to yourself.
3 sets to the max
T-bar pull
The T-bar row is aimed at thickening the back. This exercise mainly targets the middle of the back. When they talk about the back, they mean the latissimus, but these are not the only muscles on the back. There are much more of them: trapezius muscles, rhomboid muscles, teres major and minor muscles, extensor spinae and rear deltoids. This exercise works all these muscle groups at once and adds thickness to your back.
3 sets of 12 - 10 - 8 reps
Bent-over barbell row with reverse grip
This exercise pumps up the lower part of the latissimus muscles. The lats should not be allowed to “chop off” halfway, they need to reach the waist. Fully developed wings will lead you to aesthetics.
Reverse grip bent over row technique
You need to lean forward, but keep your back straight. Fully stretch the lats at the bottom of the amplitude and fully contract at the top, moving the elbows back as much as possible. This exercise also works the biceps a lot, so you can catch two birds with one stone.
3 to 12-10-8 repetitions
Seated one-arm pull-down
The main benefit of this exercise is that it helps lengthen the latissimus muscles and make them wider. You need to do each side in turn, this is a great one-sided exercise.
What does one-sided mean? This means that you will do each side separately, and each side will be able to get maximum load without giving it to the other side. This way you can determine which side is stronger and which side needs to be worked on, be it improving strength or technique.
Execution technique
Sit on a chair or stand, you can take a bench. Take the block handle, which should be at the bottom. In the positive phase, you need to feel the maximum contraction of the lats. In the negative phase, you need to achieve full stretch. This is necessary to lengthen the wing and create a long, beautiful, wide back. Here, as in any other exercise, you need to feel the work of the target muscle. This is an isolating exercise, despite the fact that the biceps are also involved a little in the work.
3 x 15 - 12 - 10 reps
Pullover on straight arms
The advantage of this exercise is that it completely isolates the latissimus muscles. In other words, only the wings work in this exercise. Unlike most exercises, the biceps are not included in the work here.
3 to 8 - 4 - 6 repetitions
Execution technique
At the top point you need to fully stretch the lats, on the reverse movement you need to completely lower your shoulders and lift your chest, at the bottom you need to completely contract. This exercise works the small muscles around the spine, the spinal extensors, and the serratus muscles. You may feel some tightness in your triceps during this exercise, but this is completely normal.
These five exercises are the best you can find for developing a broad, massive back. The fact is that they pump up all the back muscles. And this is the main task of everyone who visits the gym. It is important to train not only for appearance and muscle size, but also for functional strength. This will allow you to effectively build muscles, including your back, and also maintain the results for a long time. With these five exercises you will build a wide, beautiful and strong body. Now try them in the gym and see what kind of response your back muscles give, how they work specifically for you.
You ask, where is the training room? These exercises can also be used, but they are more basic, which means they should be used during the strength-building phase.
It is better to use the ones given in the article in the mason training phase, when the number of repetitions in the approach will be from 8 to 12. And, of course, not all the exercises at one time!)) For naturals, it is customary to do only 2 exercises for one muscle group in one workout. In addition to the back, there is also a big load on the arms, so you need to be more careful. Please note that you need to try and choose the exercises that work best for you, not everything, but some will respond best.
Workout for the broad back muscles No. 3
Pull-ups
- 1 set of 30 reps
- Body Part: Lat Equipment: Bodyweight
Note: 30 reps for as many sets as needed. If you can do that many pull-ups in one set, do two sets of 30 reps. Use a wide overhand grip and full range of motion
Pull-down of the upper block behind the head
- 2 sets of 8 reps
- Body part: Lat Equipment: Block
Smith Machine Bent Over Row
- 3 sets of 12 reps
- Body part: Middle back Equipment: Exercise
Standing dumbbell shrugs
- 4 sets of 12,10,10,8 repetitions
- Body part: Trapeze Equipment: Dumbbells
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As you deadlift, pull the barbell toward your upper chest. In this and the next exercise, maintain continuous tension for the best back training. Pause and contract the muscles at the peak of the movement, counting to 3. When doing the T-bar row, move up sharply, move down slowly and in a controlled manner.
Top 4 exercises for the latissimus muscles for the gym and at home
In sports, there are 4 main types of exercises for the latissimus dorsi muscles with dumbbells, barbells and other equipment. Each type has many variations of execution that allow you to change the nature of the load to avoid muscle adaptation. These 4 exercises are fully enough to pump up your lats.
Pull-ups
Ultimate and basic movement for working out the entire group. It is deservedly considered the best exercise for the latissimus dorsi muscles. If you have a weak level of physical fitness, you can perform it with the support of rubber bands (or use lightweight techniques, such as horizontal pull-ups).
Technique:
- Hang from the horizontal bar, holding the handles (or bar) with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Begin to pull your body up using your back muscles (at the top point, your arms and shoulders are more involved in the work).
- As soon as your chin crosses the line of the bar, pause and return to the starting position.
- At the lowest point, it is important not to spread your shoulder blades or relax your shoulders, as this can increase the risk of injury.
- Use the grip that allows you to make the movement cleanly and without jerking (with greater development of the biceps, when the triceps becomes a limiting factor, you can master the technique with a reverse grip).
Read more about pull-ups for back muscles →
Bent-over row
It can be used in different variations, but the specificity of the exercise is the same. For variety, you can alternate options:
- Bent-over row with a barbell.
- Alternately with dumbbells with emphasis on the bench..
- Together with dumbbells.
- With rubber band/expander.
- With bottom block.
- In the Smith machine.
- The technique for each exercise will be different, but in all movements it is important to perform the pull using the back , not the arms (the arms only engage when bringing the weight to the body).
- also important to exclude any inertia . Unlike other types of rods, the body must be fixed.
Vertical block thrust
Although this movement is often called a “pull-up replacement,” it is actually incredibly effective. Taking into account the fact that a huge part of athletes (and almost all beginners) cannot do full pull-ups, working with the upper block becomes one of the best among all exercise machines for the latissimus dorsi muscles.
Technique:
- Take the (long) handle with a wide grip and lower yourself onto the seat. The back should be straight, the elbows should be pulled straight to the sides (for the correct position of the shoulder and arm).
- Start pulling the handle towards you without changing the position of your body. The pull is carried out to the upper chest.
- To avoid damaging your nose or face, your head can be pulled back when lowering the handle (no more than 2-3 cm).
- Pause at the bottom and return to the starting position.
Read more about vertical block traction →
Horizontal rods
The peculiarity of these movements for pumping the latissimus dorsi muscles lies in the position of the body. In the lever pull, it is securely fixed and any swinging is excluded - the load will fall on the target muscle. In block deadlifts, on the contrary, it is recommended to swing the body a little, in the range of 10 degrees. This allows for a better stretch of the lats while abducting the handle.
Technique for performing horizontal traction (in a block):
- Sit on the bench and grab the handle so that the cable is taut in the starting position.
- Begin to pull the handle towards your lower abdomen, straightening your shoulders in parallel.
- Pause and return the handle to the starting position (bend your shoulders forward a little to stretch the muscles).
In the exercise, it is important to avoid rocking the body, rounding the back, and pulling with the arms and shoulders.
Exercises for home
In most cases, exercises performed at home for the latissimus dorsi muscles will be a replacement or alternative to movements from the gym:
- Pull-ups - there is nothing to replace them at home; they are performed only with a horizontal bar.
- Horizontal pull-ups – TRX loops, gymnastic rings.
- Vertical traction – in the presence of a horizontal bar and a harness (which will provide tension and the required load).
- Bent-over rows - using dumbbells, a tourniquet, a sandbag, or even a bottle of water or sand (the movement technique does not change).
- Horizontal traction - only with a tourniquet.
These options allow you to completely replace all movements and efficiently work out the lats without losing efficiency.
What about deadlifts?
Separately, it is worth noting the deadlift. This is a technically complex exercise for the latissimus dorsi muscles for men, which is very popular. It is a mistake to use it to load the lats, because the upper back does most of the work. The lats are loaded primarily in the lower part.
Workout for thickening back muscles #4
Deadlift
- 6 sets of 15,12,10,6-8,6-8,4 repetitions
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Barbell
Bent-over dumbbell row
- 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Body part: Middle back Equipment: Dumbbells
Bent-over barbell row
- 3 sets of 8 reps
- Body Part: Press Equipment: Barbell
Pull-ups
- 3 sets of 10 reps
- Body Part: Lat Equipment: Bodyweight
Shrugs with a barbell
- 3 sets of 15 reps
- Body part: Trapeze Equipment: Barbell
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When deadlifting, use a heavier weight than usual. Move up sharply, stay at the peak for three counts, and only then slowly lower down.
In the bent over dumbbell row the pattern is similar. The features of pull-downs and push-ups here are as follows: maintain constant tension, and count to 5, hold at the peak. Stop with these two exercises halfway through each repetition and pause briefly for another 5 counts.
Back strength training #5
Forward bends with a barbell on the shoulders “Good morning”
- 5 sets of 15,12,10,8,8 repetitions
- Body part: Hamstrings Equipment: Barbell
Deadlift
- 4 sets of 12,10,8,6 repetitions
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Barbell
Standing one-arm dumbbell press
- 4 sets of 8,8,6,6 repetitions
- Body part: Shoulders Equipment: Dumbbells
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Every time you pump up your back muscles with a workout like this, you really work your whole body. Try it and you will notice a huge natural hormone production as a result of training.
For the main sets of these workouts, use heavy weights and keep the reps firm but controlled and smooth on the way back.
conclusions
Try these 5 workouts or other specific programs for a wider back or exercises to strengthen your back. If your goal is to lose weight, we recommend that you pay attention to exercises for losing weight on your back.
Be sure to warm up before training and stretch your muscles after to avoid soreness.
There is no shame in not knowing the technical nuances of execution if you are willing to learn and improve. It is much more dangerous to perform an exercise with the wrong technique, ignoring the recommendations of instructors. At a minimum, this means a waste of time and energy, and at a maximum, it is fraught with herbs. You must check and hone your technique.
Make sure you understand how each exercise is performed correctly. If you have doubts about the technique, refer to the description of all back exercises in the base, ask a question to an expert or your trainer.
Taking sports supplements - creatine, arginine, intra-workout, bcaa amino acid and pre-workout complexes will help you increase your strength.
Sports nutrition is specifically formulated to improve sports and fitness performance for men and women. Just add it to your diet and go ahead to conquer new heights!
