Back Exercise Details

Back Exercise Details - workout number 1:

1. Wide Grip Chin Ups
   • If you have access to a chin up bar, grasp the bar wider than shoulder width apart in an overhand grip (palms facing away from you)
   • Hang from the bar to stretch out your Lats
   • This is your start position
   • Pull yourself up until your chin is level with the bar, keeping elbows back and pulling your shoulder blades together
   • Lower your body in a controlled manner to the start position
   • Perform 10 repetitions

2. Bent Over Rows
   • Grab a barbell with hands shoulder width apart and stand with legs slightly bent and feet about hip width apart
   • Bend at hips so upper body is parallel with the floor and bar is hanging down toward the floor (this is your start position)
   • Slowly contract back muscles and squeeze shoulder blades together as you raise bar to chest height
   • Squeeze at the top and slowly lower bar to the start position
   • Perform 10-12 repetitions

3. One Arm Cable Rows (incline position)
   • Grab a one arm pulley at knee height and move back until you feel tension on the pulley
   • Stand with hips and shoulders square to the pulley and arm extended (this is your start position)
   • Squeeze back muscles and drive elbow back, pulling handgrip toward your ribcage
   • Squeeze at the top of the movement and slowly return to the start position
   • Perform 10 – 12 repetitions

Note: The Back Exercise Details page is designed to guide you through the exercises and to help you develop proper form. There are various exercises you can perform for your back, the ones listed here are a sample few.

For your next workout, switch to different exercises.

Back Exercise Details - workout number 2:

1. Lat Pull Downs
   • This exercise can be performed with various hand grips: wide overhand grip, wide T-bar grip (palms facing each other), narrow T-bar grip, narrow underhand grip
   • If you want to emphasize your lats, stick with the wide grip variation as this will develop that V-back appearance
   • Find a lat pull down machine, grasp bar wider than shoulder width apart, lower yourself to the seated position, thighs under pads and arms stretched overhead
   • Without swinging your back, lower the bar in front to the level of your collar bone
   • Keep shoulders down, elbows back, and squeeze shoulder blades together on the down stroke
   • Pause at the bottom of the movement then raise the bar in a slow, controlled manner to the start position
   • Perform 10-12 repetitions

2. Seated Rows
   • This exercise can be performed with a narrow grip triangle bar or a shoulder width T-bar
   • Sit down on the seated row cable machine
   • Grasp bar with palms facing each other and rest your feet on the backstop, knees slightly bent
   • Start in an upright seated position with back straight and arms stretched out in front of you
   • Engage core, bend at the hips to give a good stretch in the back and arms -*don’t bend too far forward (less than 45˚)
   • This is your start position
   • Raise body to the upright position by engaging back, pulling with arms and squeezing shoulder blades together until torso is upright with elbows bent and hands/bar at lower ribcage
   • Pause giving an extra squeeze at the shoulder blades before returning to the start position
   • Perform 10-12 repetitions

3. Incline Bench Pull with Dumbbells
   • Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit face-down on an incline bench with dumbbells hanging toward the floor (this is your start position)
   • Engage core and use back muscles to drive elbows up and bring dumbbells to your ribcage
   • Squeeze at the top of the movement before lowering to the start position
   • Perform 10 – 12 repetitions

For your third workout, switch up the exercises once again.

Back Exercise Details - workout number 3:

1. Full Range-of-motion Lat Pull downs with Cables
   • Stand in the middle of a cable machine with one cable on either side of your body, at high pulley level
   • Grasp left pulley with right arm and right pulley with left arm, above your head, palms facing forward (this is your start position)
   • Keep chest upright and engage core pulling cables down in an arc until your elbows reach your sides and palm begin to face each other
   • Squeeze at the bottom of the movement and slowly return to the start position
   • Perform 10 – 12 repetitions

2. Kneeling Cable Rows
   • Use a soft mat and kneel in front of a cable machine that has two individual hand grips attached
   • Grasp hand grips, one in each hand, engage core and while on your knees lean back slightly to put tension on the cables (this is your start position)
   • Without changing the position of your torso, slowly drive elbows back until hands come in contact with your ribcage
   • Release back to the start position in a controlled manner
   • Perform 10 – 12 repetitions

3. One Arm Dumbbell Rows
   • Grab a dumbbell in your right hand and kneel on a bench with your left knee and left hand, torso parallel to the floor and right arm and dumbbell hanging down toward the floor (this is your start position)
   • Engage core and drive elbow up until your hand and dumbbell reach your ribcage
   • Squeeze at the top before lowering back to the start position
   • Perform 10 – 12 repetitions

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The contents of this site are the opinions of Michele Tse unless otherwise noted. The information on this site is intended for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or nutritional advice or treatment. Please consult your health care practitioner before beginning any fitness program.