The Bigger, Stronger Back Workout
When it comes to back exercises, most men favor pullups and lat pulldowns. It's no wonder, since these two movements primarily target the latissimus dorsi (a.k.a. lats), your largest back muscle. And that probably explains why the average guy's back workout rarely consists of anything else. Trouble is, "largest" doesn't mean "only." Think of it this way: Focusing solely on your lats is sort of like working your chest but skipping your abs; and you'd never treat your "front" that way.
"Training the muscles surrounding your lats, particularly your rhomboid and trapezius muscles, will quickly add strength and size to your upper body," says C.J. Murphy, owner of Total Performance Sports, in Everett, Massachusetts. Your rhomboids and trapezius stabilize your shoulder blades, which allow your shoulder joints to move your arms in every direction. By developing these muscles, you'll add mass to your upper back and rear shoulders, and see improvements in every upper-body lift.
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How to Do This Workout
This four week plan will help you chisel your back in about 25 minutes a week. Before you begin, complete the workout progress diagnostic. Then follow this workout and retest yourself every week. You'll perform the assigned workout only once during the week.
WEEKLY PROGRESS TEST |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS | ||
| 1 | Inverted Row | 1 | As many reps as you can in 30 seconds. Retest weekly. | |
WORKOUT 1 (WEEK 1) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS | REST | |
| 1 | Deadlift | 3 | 3 | 60 s |
| 2A | Pullup | 3 | 6-8 | 0 s |
| 2B | Back Raise | 3 | 6-8 | 60 s |
WORKOUT 2 (WEEK 2) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS | REST | |
| 1 | Deadlift | 3 | 3-5 | 60 s |
| 2A | Inverted Row | 3 | 10 | 0 s |
| 2B | Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10-12 | 60 s |
WORKOUT 3 (WEEK 3) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS | REST | |
| 1A | Scapula Pulldown | 4 | 10 | 0 s |
| 1B | Barbell Shrug | 4 | 12 | 0 s |
| 1C | Back Raise | 4 | 12 | 90 s |
WORKOUT 4 (WEEK 4) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS | REST | |
| 1A | Face Pull | 3 | 6-10 | 0 s |
| 1B | Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8-15 | 0 s |
| 1C | Back Raise | 3 | 10-15 | 90 s |
The Payoff
- Bigger Muscle This workout trains your rear deltoids, rhomboids, and trapezius—all commonly neglected muscles of your upper body. By shoring up these weak spots, you'll pack on muscle and build a more symmetrical physique.
- A Wider Upper Back The pullup and lat pulldown in this workout are slightly different from standard versions. You'll initiate each move by sliding your shoulder blades down. This allows your lats to contract through a larger range of motion, so they develop fully.
- Total-Body Strength The deadlift is more than just a muscle builder for your lower back and hamstrings. It strengthens your back from top to bottom and conditions your "posterior chain"—all the muscles on the back of your body—to work in coordination.
Start Workout →
Weekly Progress Test
How Do You Measure Up? The inverted row tests the strength of your back and rear shoulders, and also requires a solid grip—a key factor in upper-body pulling movements. Do as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, but don't sacrifice technique for speed. If at any time your form falters (for example, if your butt sags, your back arches, your chest doesn't touch the bar, or your arms fail to straighten fully), stop and record the number of reps you were able to complete with good form.
Track Your Progress. Record the number of repetitions you performed in the inverted-row test. Then retest yourself every week.
Inverted Row
Sit under a Smith machine or squat rack with your legs straight and a bar set a few inches higher than arm's length. Grab the bar overhand, hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body straight, pull your chest to the bar. Pause, then lower yourself.
Workout 1 (Week 1)
1. Deadlift
Stand with a barbell on the floor in front of you, with the bar over your toes. Bend your knees and grasp the bar with an alternating grip (one palm toward you, the other facing away), your hands just outside your knees. Keeping your head and back straight, stand up. Keep the bar close to your body as you lift it. Slowly lower the bar.
The plan: Do three sets of three reps using the heaviest weight that allows for perfect form. Rest for 60 seconds between sets.
Video Demo
2A. Pullup
Grab a chinup bar with an overhand grip (palms forward), your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Hang with your arms straight, then pull your shoulder blades down. Pull your chest to the bar. Pause, then lower yourself to the starting position.
The plan: Do six to eight reps. Perform this move and the next as a superset. That is, move from one exercise to the other without rest.
2B. Back Raise
Position yourself in a back-extension station, and hook your feet under the leg anchor. With your upper thighs resting on the pad, lock your hands behind your head and bend forward at the hips until your upper body is just short of perpendicular to the floor. Slowly raise your torso until it's in line with your lower body, then lower it.
The plan: Do six to eight repetitions, then rest for 60 seconds. Repeat the superset two more times, for a total of three sets.
← Workout Overview • Workout 2 (Week 2) →
Workout 2 (Week 2)
1. Deadlift
Stand with a barbell on the floor in front of you, with the bar over your toes. Bend your knees and grasp the bar with an alternating grip (one palm toward you, the other facing away), your hands just outside your knees. Keeping your head and back straight, stand up. Keep the bar close to your body as you lift it. Slowly lower the bar.
The plan: Do three sets of three reps using the heaviest weight that allows for perfect form. Rest for 60 seconds between sets.
Video Demo
2A. Inverted Row
Sit under a Smith machine or squat rack with your legs straight and a bar set a few inches higher than arm's length. Grab the bar overhand, hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body straight, pull your chest to the bar. Pause, then lower yourself.
The plan: Perform this exercise and the next (the lat pulldown) as a superset. Do 10 repetitions of each.
2B. Lat Pulldown
Sit at a lat-pulldown station and grab the bar with an overhand grip, your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your head and back straight, pull your shoulder blades down, then pull the bar to your chest. Slowly let the bar rise.
The plan: Do 10 to 12 reps, then rest for 60 seconds. Repeat the superset two more times, for a total of three sets.
WPT: Inverted Row
Sit under a Smith machine or squat rack with your legs straight and a bar set a few inches higher than arm's length. Grab the bar overhand, hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body straight, pull your chest to the bar. Pause, then lower yourself.
← Workout 1 (Week 1) • Workout 3 (Week 3) →
Workout 3 (Week 3)
1A. Scapula Pulldown
Sit at a lat-pulldown station and grab the bar overhead. Keeping your arms straight, squeeze your shoulder blades together, then down. This movement is very slight. Pause, then allow your shoulder blades to rise to return the bar to the starting position.
The plan: Do 10 reps. Move to the next exercise without resting.
1B. Barbell Shrug
Stand holding a loaded barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs. Keeping your arms straight, raise your shoulders toward your ears. Pause when your shoulders are as high as they can go, then push them down as far as possible. That's one repetition.
The plan: Do 12 reps. Move to the next exercise without resting.
2B. Back Raise
Position yourself in a back-extension station, and hook your feet under the leg anchor. With your upper thighs resting on the pad, lock your hands behind your head and bend forward at the hips until your upper body is just short of perpendicular to the floor. Slowly raise your torso until it's in line with your lower body, then lower it.
The plan: Do six to eight repetitions, then rest for 60 seconds. Repeat the superset two more times, for a total of three sets.
WPT: Inverted Row
Sit under a Smith machine or squat rack with your legs straight and a bar set a few inches higher than arm's length. Grab the bar overhand, hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body straight, pull your chest to the bar. Pause, then lower yourself.
← Workout 2 (Week 2) • Workout 4 (Week 4) →
Workout 4 (Week 4)
1A. Face Pull
Stand facing a lat-pulldown machine and grasp the bar above with an overhand grip. Stagger your feet and place your front foot on the seat in front of you. Lean back as far as you can without arching your back. Pull your shoulders back, then pull the bar toward you until it's in front of your nose. Allow your arms to straighten slowly to return to the starting position.
The plan: This is the first move in a circuit. Do six reps, then move on. Do eight reps when you repeat the circuit. Do 10 reps the third time around.
1B. Lat Pulldown
Sit at a lat-pulldown station and grab the bar with an overhand grip, your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your head and back straight, pull your shoulder blades down, then pull the bar to your chest. Slowly let the bar rise.
The plan: Do 10 to 12 reps, then rest for 60 seconds. Repeat the superset two more times, for a total of three sets.
1C. Back Raise
Position yourself in a back-extension station, and hook your feet under the leg anchor. With your upper thighs resting on the pad, lock your hands behind your head and bend forward at the hips until your upper body is just short of perpendicular to the floor. Slowly raise your torso until it's in line with your lower body, then lower it.
The plan: Do six to eight repetitions, then rest for 60 seconds. Repeat the superset two more times, for a total of three sets.
WPT: Inverted Row
Sit under a Smith machine or squat rack with your legs straight and a bar set a few inches higher than arm's length. Grab the bar overhand, hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body straight, pull your chest to the bar. Pause, then lower yourself.
← Workout 3 (Week 3) • List of Back Exercises in All Workouts →
Overview • Week 1 • Week 2 • Week 3 • Week 4
List of Back Exercises in Workout
Deadlift
Stand with a barbell on the floor in front of you, with the bar over your toes. Bend your knees and grasp the bar with an alternating grip (one palm toward you, the other facing away), your hands just outside your knees. Keeping your head and back straight, stand up. Keep the bar close to your body as you lift it. Slowly lower the bar.
Video Demo
Pullup
Grab a chinup bar with an overhand grip (palms forward), your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Hang with your arms straight, then pull your shoulder blades down. Pull your chest to the bar. Pause, then lower yourself to the starting position.
Back Raise
Position yourself in a back-extension station, and hook your feet under the leg anchor. With your upper thighs resting on the pad, lock your hands behind your head and bend forward at the hips until your upper body is just short of perpendicular to the floor. Slowly raise your torso until it's in line with your lower body, then lower it.
Inverted Row
Sit under a Smith machine or squat rack with your legs straight and a bar set a few inches higher than arm's length. Grab the bar overhand, hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body straight, pull your chest to the bar. Pause, then lower yourself.
Lat Pulldown
Sit at a lat-pulldown station and grab the bar with an overhand grip, your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your head and back straight, pull your shoulder blades down, then pull the bar to your chest. Slowly let the bar rise.
Scapula Pulldown
Sit at a lat-pulldown station and grab the bar overhead. Keeping your arms straight, squeeze your shoulder blades together, then down. This movement is very slight. Pause, then allow your shoulder blades to rise to return the bar to the starting position.
Barbell Shrug
Stand holding a loaded barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs. Keeping your arms straight, raise your shoulders toward your ears. Pause when your shoulders are as high as they can go, then push them down as far as possible. That's one repetition.
