Back Exercises:
Our Top Back Workouts

The back can sometimes be ignored when working out and trying to build muscle, due to the fact it can't be seen.



It's a common mistake to focus only on the more visable chest, abs and arms, but building a strong back is important for maintaining balance and good posture, as well as helping you to perform heavier lifts and get bigger gains for the rest of you body overall.

If you perform lots of heavy chest exercises without balancing them out with back exercises for example, your shoulders will be pulled forward leaving you hunched over.

This is due to your chest muscles being stronger than your back muscles and winning the game of 'tug-of-war' involving your shoulders!

Build a strong back!

These back muscles help in supporting your spine when moving or performing exercise.

Along with the erector spinae muscles, the trapezius muscles (traps) and the latissimus dorsi (lats) are the other major back muscles which you will need to focus on when working your back.

The 'traps' are at the back of your neck. They stretch across to your shoulders and down your spine, while the 'lats' are under your arms and are the wings that give your body some real width when built up.

Now on to the back exercises!

Read on for the details...

The bent-over row is a top-quality back exercise when done well. Here's how to do it correctly...

Step 2
Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and toes under the bar.

Step 3
Bend at the knees and grip the bar with hands just wider than shoulder width apart.

Step 4
Keep your back straight and look straight ahead. Lift the bar up along your body to waist height.

Step 5
Now bend your knees slightly and bend at the waist with a straight back. The bar should be hanging down directly below your shoulders. This is the starting position.

Step 6
Pull the bar up firmly towards your chest. Then lower it slowly back down to the starting position. Pause, then repeat for 8-10 reps.

Pull-ups are a great, inexpensive way to build a bigger, stronger back. Here's how...

Step 2
Pull yourself up, without swinging, bringing your chin up to bar height.

Step 3
Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position. Pause, then repeat for 8-10 reps.

Good mornings are another great back workout, targeting your lower back.
Here's the correct technique...

Step 2
Position the bar across your shoulders, with a wide-handed grip, as you would for barbell squats.

Step 3
Position your feet at shoulder-width and keep your head up, looking straight ahead.

Step 4
Keeping your back and neck straight, bend at the hips until your upper body is parallel to the floor.

Step 5
Now slowly stand back up to the starting position. Pause, then repeat for 8-10 reps.

Lat pulldowns, unsurprisingly help to build your lats, to give your a wider frame. Here's how to do them correctly...

Step 2
Grab the bar with a wide grip and lean back slightly with your chest out.

Step 3
Keeping your torso still, pull the bar down until it touches your chest. Pause and squeeze your back muscles for a second or two.

Step 4
Slowly raise the bar back to the starting position until your arms are fully extended. Pause, then repeat for 8-10 reps.

Deadlifts are popular with weightlifters for, among other reasons, their back-building ability. Here's how to do them correctly...

Step 2
Bend your knees and grab the bar with an alternating grip, your hands just wider than your knees.

Step 3
Keeping your head and back straight throughout, stand up explosively with the bar kept close to your body.

Step 4
Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position. Pause, then repeat for 8-10 reps.

Barbell shrugs are great for building big traps. Here's how to do these back exercises correctly...

Step 2
Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart and the bar being held in front of your thighs with straight arms.

Step 3
Raise your shoulders as high as possible, pausing at the top for a second or two.

Step 4
Return your arms back down to their original position. Pause, then repeat for 8-10 reps.

Use these back exercises as part of your regular workout routine, gradually building up the weight used as the moves become easier. Always remember to work your chest muscles alongside your back exercises too.

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