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The back muscles are the most important group for our muscular system, as some say. They participate in all the activities we do, especially in the standing position. They stabilize our silhouette vertically (along with the abdominal muscles) while protecting our spine. It is said that whoever has strong back, is strong in general. There is a lot of truth in this, because of the comprehensive involvement of this muscle group in all our daily and training activities.
Actually the back muscles training is not as complicated as it might be suggested by their construction. The most important for their development are basic exercises - complex. It is also important that you can not develop versatility of the back muscles with single exercises. They require multilateral training in various aspects.
The scope of exercises involving the various back muscular groups is discussed further. The back muscles are a particularly vulnerable group, which is quite dangerous because of the protective function of the spine they perform. And that is why special attention should be paid to the proper warming up of this group of muscles, joints and tendons. Inseparable part of the warm-up should be twists, forward bends, arms circling, and similar exercises, as gymnastic elements of warming up the joints and tendons. Also very important are a warm-up series with light weights - especially in more difficult exercises that strain the lower spine and back muscles (eg. rowing, deadlift). For this purpose, very helpful are lifts and exercises done on them. They allow for better control of weight and provide the possibility of good blood supply to the muscles (for example, seated cable low row).
Actually, all of the described exercises can be performed at any level, but some are recommended for exercisers with some training practice, due to the possibility of injury (in the case of improper performance). Such exercises include all kinds of "deadlifts", and bent over barbell row. To avoid injuries, that are frequent and dangerous to this muscle group, the rules of proper training must followed.
Principles of the proper training:
- following the proper technique of exercises.
- exercising with the weights suitable to the individual capacity of the exercising person.
- maintaining proper pace and fluency (pace should be medium and slow – exercises for the back muscles should be done only this way), eliminating any rapid movements.
- proper position (body positioning during exercising) requires a full concentration during exercising and the use of weights adjusted to the individual capacity of the exercising person. The most common mistake in the body positioning is the so-called. "swayback" ie. bending the back into the arch at the lower section. This mistake, repeated during training, causes painful injuries.
Exercise 1: Universal exercise in the versatility of the development of the back muscles. Exercise can be be done up to the chin or the neck (this version is less natural for the joints). We grasp the handle with a grip on the width so that, when pulled, arms with forearms form an angle close to the straight. Legs bent in the knees (for better stability can be crosses). Elbows work in the back level, in parallel. Inhale before starting the pulling movement; exhale in the upper position (when the chin or the neck are at the bar level or over it during pulling up). We leave slowly and under full control. You can do many repetitions and apply extra load (eg weight belt) at high levels of training. Lower slowly and under full control. At the high level of training proficiency, many repetitions can be made, extra weight can be added (ie. belt with weights).
Tips: During the exercise we try not to make trunk movements. To avoid cheated movements, the legs should not touch the ground. Muscles of the back are working, shoulder muscles should not work.
Exercise 1: To perform the exercise, we use a special handle (eg. triangular handle from the lift, taken over the straight bar). Grip the handle with hands placed parallel to each other at a distance of about 20-25 cm, fingers pointing towards the body. From the full overhang, we pull up to the under sternum level. Legs hanging freely, slightly bent in the knees. Elbows carried along the trunk. Slowly lowering down with control of weight. The higher the level of training, the greater the number of repetitions and possibility to add the additional wights.
Tips: During the exercise we try not to make trunk movements. To avoid cheated movements, the legs should not touch the ground.
Exercise 1: Hanging on the straight bar, reverse grip, legs hanging freely, slightly bent in the knees. Start pulling up until the chin is over the bar, and elbows are maximally bent. Elbows carried along the trunk. Slowly lowering down with control of weight. The higher the level of training, the greater the number of repetitions and possibility to add the additional wights.
Tips: During the exercise we try not to make trunk movements. To avoid cheated movements, the legs should not touch the ground. Work of biceps should be reduced to minimum.
Exercise 1: Stand over the bar with legs slightly apart (about shoulder width), bend the torso, almost parallel to the ground, the back in the lower section strongly bent to the center, legs slightly bent in the knees throughout the duration of the exercise. Inhale at the moment when you start lifting; exhale when the barbell reaches the abdomen (or chest). The arm width on the barbell wider than the shoulders. Close the grip on the bar and raise the bar to the height of the abdomen, elbows facing outwards. In the case of lifting the barbell to the chest (reverse motion to pressing the barbell on the bench) (Fig. 6), musculus trapezius, musculus teres major, musculus teres minor, and the rear deltoids of musculus deltoideus work harder. This exercise can also be done with Smith machine (photo 7). The weight is lowered with full control, slow pace. An E-Z bar should be used with reverse grip. More work is done by lower parts of exercised muscles.
Tips: It is important to eliminate the incorrect line of the back (so called swayback), which can lead to injury. Used weights suitable to the individual capacity of the exercising person, to achieve a proper technique.
Exercise 1: An isolated exercise for building up (especially for upper and middle part) of the musculus latissimus dorsi muscles. Place a free hand on your own knee or bench for complete stabilization. The torso is bent forward, almost parallel to the floor. With the other hand we grab a dumbbell and perform one of two variants of exercise. The parallel grip, the palm with the fingers pointing towards the body, the elbows work along the torso (exercise gives better work of the upper and middle muscles of the musculus latissimus dorsi).
Exercise 2: The second variant is a grip perpendicular to the torso, a thumb-faced hand towards the body, and an elbow working aside of the torso, at an angle close to the straight (90 degrees) - the exercise provides a more powerful work of the upper part of musculus latissimus dorsi. The pull up is stopped, when the bar of the dumbbell is on the level of our shoulders or slightly higher. Lowering of the weight controlled.
Tips: Exercises with barbell, which give more strain to lower part of the back, can be replaced by exercises with dumbbell. Exercise effectiveness is determined by the technique (as in all isolated exercises). During the workout, attention should be focused on the work of latissimus dorsi muscles.
Exercise 1: Stand astride the barbell (half - bar), bending our legs lightly in knees and grab the bar, the torso and the thighs form a straight angle, and with the floor a bit bigger angle. Pull the barbell to the stomach. Lowering the weight controlled. Inhale when you start pulling up; exhale when the barbell reaches the abdomen. Depending on the angle at which we want to attack the muscles, we use in this exercise various bars and their proper grip (eg. it can be a T-bar (Fig. 10) - more engaged upper latissimus dorsi muscles and teres muscles, elbows mowing aside the torso) or parallel stick / handle (Fig. 11) - more engaged middle parts of latissimus dorsi muscles and teres muscles, elbows along the torso). Exercise can be performed out on an incline bench (less engaged the lower back muscles, more isolated latissimus dorsi muscles) (photo 12).
Exercise 1: We grab the handle of the pulley. We pull the handle to the stomach, keeping the torso in a vertical position. In the final phase of the movement squeeze the shoulder blades together to the maximum. Slowly, controlling the motion, lower the weight. Inhale before starting of the pulling, exhale when the handle reaches the level of the abdomen. Depending on the type of handle we use different grabs: Parallel handle - triangular (photo 13) allows you to perform an exercise with a hammer grip, involving the upper and middle muscles of the back. The straight handle (or straight bar) (photo 14) allows the grip or reverse grip with different width (wide or narrow). Such a handle engages the back muscles, engaging them at an angle depending on the width of the handle. The narrow or wide tie secures the uppermost part of the muscle of the broadest and oblong ridge. A narrow or wide grip engages more of the middle and lower parts of the exercised muscles. In exercises with wide grip, the elbows go sideways, in all other variations of the exercises, elbows are kept at the trunk. This exercise can also be done with one hand (photo 15).
Tips: Control the weight to prevent from pulling forward and during lowering it. Trunk set vertically, permissible minimum deviation from position (but without the effect of "swinging"). Keep the constant tension in the exercised muscles.
Exercise 1: Sit on the bench (photo 16 and 17) and with high cable pulley, perform the previous exercise. Starting position allows to attack the back muscles at the changed angle. To vary the workout, this and the previous exercise and be performed by turns. The exercise can be also performed on the special machine (photo 18).
Tips: Control the weight to prevent from pulling forward and during lowering it. Trunk set vertically, permissible minimum deviation from position (but without the effect of "swinging"). Keep the constant tension in the exercised muscles.
Exercise 1: Grab the handle / bar with a grip, the width as in the pull ups on the bar and pull it to the chest (photo 19) or to behind the neck (photo 20). Both versions of the exercise involve the same muscles but at different angles. The shoulder blades squeezed together, while the elbows positioned towards the back. When pulling to the chest, the body is leaned backward, and when pulled behind the neck - the torso is positioned vertically. In the lower position, we hold the bar to get better muscle tension. Lowering the weight controlled. Keep the constant tension of the exercised muscles.
Tips: This is an alternative exercise for pulling up with a wide grip (especially for people having problems with pulling up). It strengthens the muscles and builds strength to pull up the bar. Recommended at the end of back training, to stretch and "squeeze" the exercised muscles. During this exercise, there should be only involved the back muscles (biceps tension is not recommended).
Exercise 1: Differs from the previous exercise only with the grip. Performing the different grip allows to exercise the muscles under the different angle and involving the lower and middle part of musculus latissimus dorsi and musculus teres.
Tips: This is an alternative exercise for pulling up with a reverse grip. During this exercise, there should be only involved the back muscles (biceps tension is not recommended). It strengthens the muscles and builds strength to pull up the bar.
Exercise 1: Differs from previous two exercised with the used grip (neutral grip, so called “hammer” grip). Performing the different grip allows to exercise the muscles under the different angle. Exercise effect comparable to the pull up with the same grip. Exercise can also be performed on the special machine (photo 23).
Tips: This is an alternative exercise for pulling up with a neutral/hammer grip. During this exercise, there should be only involved the back muscles (biceps tension is not recommended). It strengthens the muscles and builds strength to pull up the bar.
Exercise 1: Exercise similar to pulling over a dumbbell. The use of a barbell changes the angle of shoulder spacing by involving the muscles of the back, while limiting the work of the chest muscles. Exercise with dumbbells is performed with bent and parallel to the body arms. When using a barbell, it is necessary to decide on the longitudinal or lateral position of the body. Exercise is done with straight arms (photo 24) or to reduce the tension in the elbows on the bent arms (with grip or reverse grip). Lowering motion should be performed with maximum concentration and with full weight control. We lower the barbell to the full extension of the back muscles. We stop lifting when the arms are upright to the ground. Exercise can be done with the handle / bar taken of the lower pulley located behind our head (photo 25) or with a special machine (photo 26).
Tips: The barbell (or the dumbbell) should be moved in smooth motion, controlling the constant tension of the back muscles. When we lower the barbell, we avoid contact with the ground (muscle tension is reduced). The weight should be adjusted to the degree of training and our ability. Excessive weight causes dangerous overloads in the shoulder joints. For exercises with heavy weights, the help the other person it is advisable (to maintain the balance of the lower body).
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