Back exercises / Lats exercises - Build a strong muscular back

Why you need Effective Back Exercises?

A strong back is the cornerstone to muscle building.

Check these best back exercises to build wide lats and a strong back. Bodybuilding Back Exercises & Back Workouts for mass.

Best Back Exercises are the ones which build the entire back.

The lats exercises I have mentioned are the best ones and will blast the back muscles like never before.

In This Article You Will Find:   What are those Back Muscles Every One talks about   Must Know Back Exercise Facts for Effective Workouts   Best Back Exercises with Free Weights and Dumbbells   Free Beginner and Advanced Back Training Program   Best Best Exercises and Workouts Program   Common Questions people have in Back Training

Introduction to Back Muscle Anatomy

Latissimus dorsi and erector spinae constitute the major muscles of the back. The basic function of back muscles is to pull shoulders downwards and hold the spine.
 

When training back muscles its not only important to have wide lats but the strength of the entire back is also important. Back is used in almost all important power moves which without a powerful back will suffer immensely.
 

Remember a strong back is the true measure of how much a weight trainer you are. Also Back Health exercises will help you get a strong, healthy back and no more back pain.
 

Critical Back Training Points for an awesome Workout

1. Back Training is tough for 2 reasons. It highly energy consuming and the out-of-view muscles makes it very difficult to target them properly. To counteract these drawbacks develop a mind-muscle connection by concentrating and contracting your back muscles harder.
    
2. Use slow negatives for proper back targeting.
    
3. Form is the most important thing, see your arms just as levers between the bar and your back muscles.
    
4. Bent over barbell rows is the granddaddy of all Upper back training exercises and Deadlifts are the best Lower Back Muscle Builders.
    
5. Warm up properly before all your back exercises and workouts.
    
6. Stretching before your lower back workout is crucial - lunges, high knees, butt kicks, lying scorpion, side bends.
    
7. Read the Back Safety Training Tips before starting any Weight Training Workout Program.
    

Back to Back Muscles. Latissimus dorsi constitutes majority of upper back and also lower back. This is therefore called lats. Trapezius also constitutes the upper back.

When training back its important to work these areas - Upper back, lower back and middle back.
 

The middle back is composed of erector spinae muscles.
 

Best Back Exercises with Dumbbells and Free Weights

1. Upper back Exercises

Best Exercises - Barbell Shrugs { &Dumbbell Shrugs Neck Exercises} and Upright Rows for traps and close-grip chins and Lat pull downs.

Absolute Must Exercises -

Upper Back -

Dumbbell shrugs and Superman exercise on an exercise ball.

Middle Back - Lat Pull downs {or Chin Ups} and seated rows.

2. Lower Back Exercises

Best Exercises - Heavy Deadlifts, its variation  Sumo Deadlifts and Bent-over Barbell rows are the best lower back exercises. Good mornings,Stiff Leg Deadlifts and Hyperextensions are great exercises.

Absolute Must - Deadlifts and reverse hyperextensions.

3. Middle Back Exercises

Best Exercises - Barbell rows, seated rows,One Arm Dumbbell Rows and T-bar rows build a strong middle back.

4. Serratus Muscles Exercises

Best Exercises - Rope Pull downs and Barbell Pullovers.

5.Lower Back Exercises

Now with this knowledge of the various muscles of back and best exercises for each part we can plan a deadly Back Training workout session designed to build overall back muscle density and width.

Basic Weight Training Program
 

For beginners I suggest that you do not waste time trying all the exercises mentioned here.

Start with Close grip chin ups/ Close grip pull downs and Deadlifts. You can add a rowing movement as well. But make these exercises a regular part of your back training workout and the results will amaze you.

Check the  Back Workouts section to select a back training plan for you.

Also read Back Exercises at Home if you want to workout at Home.

Advanced Weight Training Program
 

In addition to chin ups and Deadlifts an advanced weight trainer should add bent over rows, hyperextensions and rowing exercises.

Check the  Back Workouts section to select a back training plan for you.

Check the sample  Weight Training Workouts section to select a back training plan for you.

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Related Back Websites

Sciatica - Easy to understand articles about sciatica, sciatic nerve conditions and treatments, written by a recovered patient.

Herniated Disc - Comprehensive Herniated Disc resource written by a recovered disc pain patient.

Back exercise for men and women

Men and Women have the same back muscle anatomy and should use the same exercises for back except for repetition counts which should be higher for women per set and a lower number of sets.


For Back exercise at home - Check out Back Training at Home.

Back exercise without weights - Check out Bodyweight Back Exercises for more.

Back exercise for lower back pain - Although you need to consult a physician first check out Back strengthening exercises too.

Back stretching exercises -Stretching exercises for lower back

1. What exercise machine is it when you dangle your legs to stretch your back?

This could either be a dip bar or a dip attachment to a home gym or lateral pull down machine. Such a machine is also commonly used to work the abs as well. There is also a ankle hook attachment that can be employed to hand upside down by your legs to stretch the back but it has gone out of vogue due to the dangers it may present if you fall.

2. Exercise to avoid if you have a bad back?

Virtually all exercise programs should be avoided when you have a bad back. Two of the all-time most dangerous exercises to take part in if you have a bad back would be dead lifts and good mornings. These two exercises could seriously harm the back of a healthy person much less someone with an injury.

3. How do I get back into my exercise program after being away for 4 months?

You would be best served performing a lot of stretching in order to loosen the back muscles up. Also, you would want to slowly move into your back workout program and completely stay away from heavy lifting of any kind.

4. How long to back off exercise during an arthritic flare up?

It would probably be best to wait until all the problems subside. Really, you would have to ask your doctor to be sure if it is safe to exercise once again.

5. What exercise is good to tone your back?

Lat pull downs would be among the best to employ. Use very light weights and high repetitions. You also want to perform front and back lat pull downs as well. This way, you hit all the muscles on the back in total.

6. How to do the back extension exercise?

This is done on an apparatus where your ankles are hooked onto a curl type device and your legs are straightened out as your thighs rest on a bench. your upper body then performs hyperextension exercises where you perform repetitions that work the lower back muscles.

7. Are deadlifts a leg or back exercise?

They can be considered both although the lower back and glutes get most of the stress. The thighs are worked out with secondary stress. This is a pretty advanced exercise though as it requires a lot of strength to perform and presents injury risks.

8. Can dehydration cause low back pain?

Yes, dehydration can significantly contribute to lower back pain among other serious problems. Those with concerns about such definitely want to avoid becoming dehydrated.

9. How to lift weights with chronic low back pain?

You do not want to perform weight lifting with chronic low back pain unless you are under the tutelage of an experienced health care professional. You could cause serious and/or permanent damage to the back working out with a severe injury.

10. How to strengthen muscles for low back

Lower back extensions and good morning exercises are the most commonly performed lower back exercises. Be careful when working the lower back because it does present and injury risk. Check exercises for bad back here.

11. Are deadlifts a leg or back exercise?

Deadlift is a total Body exercise, depending on your exercise technique you can hit primarily back or legs or hamstrings. More about these in the Deadlift exercise section.

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