A lot of gym goers focus on the front. Pecs, abs, biceps — but what about the other side?
A big back can offer athletes multiple benefits. Certain back exercises can help add to strength and stabilization, which in turn will help trainers reach their overall health fitness goals. There are multiple ways to build a bigger back, and improve back strength, and — as detailed on The Mac Life Health — here are a few.
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Bent Over Rows
Bent Over Rows are an effective back-training exercise for building strength and size, hitting the lats, rear delts, traps, and the biceps simultaneously. It’s important to keep form as perfect as possible with this one, and worth starting with low weight and working your way up.
Shrugs
Shrugs will work your shoulders and traps, adding definition to your upper back. Along with building the traps, shrugs will also help develop your posture, stabilizing the shoulder blades. The stronger your trap, the more support your neck has.
Deadlifting
The big daddy of weight-lifts. Deadlifts are the the base upon which back strength is built, stressing every major muscle group. The multiple uses of deadlifts are enough to fill an article in themselves, but in brief, it works nearly all your muscles in one exercise, and is brilliant for improving strength in all areas.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups are great for building on your core and functional strength, and will be key for developing a nice tapered V shape that’s sought after.
Lat Pulldowns
Lat pulldowns are an isolation exercise, allowing you to effectively work your lats, and target the specific back muscles needed without tiring biceps or triceps. Like the pull-ups, lat pulldowns will help build that V shape.
