The so-called “novice chest training, veteran training back”, which one do you belong to? Exercising the back muscles is the key to developing a perfect inverted triangle body. What are the exercises for the back muscles? The main back muscles include:
The erector spinae: Also known as the sacrospinalis muscle, including the iliocostalis, longissimus, and spinous muscles, it is the main muscle responsible for extending the trunk (making the back of the trunk close to the back of the legs). The erector spinae are actively involved in movements such as deadlifts and goat pushups.
Latissimus dorsi: The main function of the latissimus dorsi is to extend, adduct, and internally rotate the shoulder. The lats are involved in all pulls, whether it’s a horizontal pull (like a row) or a vertical pull (like a pull-up). Vertical pull-type movements are more intense on the lats.
Rhomboids: The rhomboids are deep muscles located between the shoulder blades. The main function is to adduct or retract the scapula (pull the scapula back). The rhomboids are actively involved in both vertical and horizontal pulls. Horizontal rowing stimulates the rhomboids more because the scapula retracts more.
Trapezius: This diamond-shaped muscle is very interesting. Its muscle fibers go in several different directions, and depending on which muscle fibers are recruited, it can perform several different movements. The most common trapezius training movements in the gym are for the upper part, and the main work of the upper part is to lift the scapula and clavicle. The main training movements are various shrugs. The smaller levator scapulae muscles also help lift the scapula. The function of the middle trapezius is (together with the rhomboids) to retract the scapula. All muscle fibers contract at the same time, which also helps retract the scapula. Finally, the function of the lower part of the trapezius is to depress the scapula (pull the scapula downward).
Ways to exercise your back muscles:
(1) Pull-up
Target exercise area: latissimus dorsi.
Action essentials:
Grasp the horizontal bar with both hands, so that the lower back is relaxed, the latissimus dorsi is fully stretched, and the two calves are bent and raised. Inhale, concentrate the contraction force of the latissimus dorsi, and pause for 2-3 seconds at the top of the pull-up. Then exhale, control it with the contraction force of the latissimus dorsi, and slowly lower the body to restore. Repeat the exercise.
Grip distance:
The wide-grip pull-up is aimed at the upper and outer parts of the latissimus dorsi, effectively increasing the width of the latissimus dorsi; the narrow-grip pull-up is aimed at the lower side of the latissimus dorsi, which is beneficial to increase the thickness of the latissimus dorsi.
Grip:
Generally, a positive grip is used, but a reverse grip can also be used. The reverse grip pull-up can significantly stimulate the biceps.
Precautions:
⑴ Every exercise should fully stretch and contract the latissimus dorsi, lower down to the lowest, pull up to the chest, as high as possible, only in this way can maximize the development of the latissimus dorsi and carve out the muscle lines.
(2) During the movement, the body should not swing back and forth to use inertia to help; when the whole body sags, the scapula should be relaxed, so that the latissimus dorsi muscle should be fully stretched; after each set, you should grab the bar with both hands and hang it for a while to stretch and relax the back. The importance of this exercise is that it can stretch the lats to a degree that cannot be achieved due to movement restrictions during training.
(2) Swimming to stand up
Target exercise area: erector spinae.
Action essentials:
(1) Lie on your stomach, stretch your body, and stretch your legs and arms around fully. Lengthen your spine and extend your arms, shoulders, and legs slightly off the ground.
(2) Tighten the abdomen and buttocks, keep the neck and spine in a straight line, slowly raise the left hand and right leg, restore to the horizontal line, change the right hand and raise the left leg, and always keep both legs and hands off the ground to exercise the back Muscle group buttocks.
Precautions:
⑴ This action cannot be done with explosive force, but slowly let the abdominal muscles exert force to drive the arms and legs up.
(2) In addition, be careful not to lean your head back hard, but lift it up with your upper body.
(3) Lie on your stomach and get up from both ends
Target exercise area: erector spinae.
Action essentials:
Lie on your stomach with complete relaxation, straighten your arms above your head, and straighten your legs. When you inhale, lift your arms and legs up off the ground at the same time. After a little control, you exhale slowly to relax.
Precautions:
⑴ This action cannot be done with explosive force, but slowly let the abdominal muscles exert force to drive the arms and legs up.
(2) In addition, be careful not to lean your head back hard, but lift it up with your upper body.
(4) Bend over one arm rowing
Target exercise site: Mainly exercise the middle (medial) of the latissimus dorsi.
Action essentials:
(1) Bend the body to grasp the dumbbell with a positive grip, hold the other hand on the bench to support the body, and bend the other knee to support the bench, the body is almost parallel to the ground, and the head is raised.
(2) Put the weight as low as possible, and pull the weight up with the palms toward the body; try to keep the body still, and use the back instead of the arms to pull the dumbbells to the side of the body; lower it slowly, maintain the control of the weight, and finish the exercise on one side. Practice on the other side.
Precautions:
⑴ Do not use heavy weight initially, and gradually increase weight after the technique is stabilized.
(2) The low back is not straight enough during training, which will damage the spine. The arm on the flat bench should keep the elbow slightly flexed, and the leg on the ground should keep the knee slightly flexed. If the movement is too fast, the training effect will be reduced. If the amplitude is too large, it will increase. Body twisting increases the likelihood of injury.
(5) Straight leg deadlift
Target exercise area: lower back.
Action essentials:
Hold dumbbells in both hands and hang down in front of the body, with both feet naturally open, shoulder-width apart, straight legs, straight back, body forward, and head up until the upper body is about parallel to the ground. Then the lower back muscles contract and force the upper body to restore.
Precautions:
To maintain tension, keep the dumbbells out of the ground when you bend forward. Don’t move too fast.
(6) Row with bent arms
Target exercise area: latissimus dorsi.
Action essentials:
Bend over and slightly bend your knees (or climb and climb to the face), hold dumbbells in both hands, hang down in front of and below your body, and pull the dumbbells with the contraction force of the latissimus dorsi to the position of the elbow and shoulder or slightly higher than the shoulder, pause for a while, then Slowly restore the dumbbells with tension in the lats.
Precautions:
When rowing, the latissimus dorsi muscle is mainly contracted and stretched, and the upper body should not be raised to avoid borrowing force.
