The back muscles play an important role in pulling the shoulders downwards and holding the spine in place. A strong back is not only important for assissting in a number of heavy lifts, but can also help prevent back problems and injuries later on in life. The Back is made up of 2 large muscle groups known as the latissimus dorsi and the erector spinae which will both need to be worked if you wish to develop maximum strength in your back. Here are the best back exercises for bodybuilding:
Pull Ups
The pull-up is one of the best back exercises for bodybuilding and will help build quality muscle mass in your Upper back. To perform a chin up you will firstly need a chin up bar which can be found in nearly any gym or alternatively, can be bought from a fitness shop for home use. If you can find anything else that can hold your weight then feel free to use it as long as it is safe and in good enough condition to perform a chin up on.
To perform a chin up grip the bar with an overhand grip. You can place hands shoulder width apart or use a narrower grip by placing them less than shoulder width apart. A narrower grip places slightly more emphasis on your biceps than your back but both muscle groups will still get a great workout regardless of the grip you choose. Hang from the bar with arms extended. Now pull yourself up until your chin is level or slightly above the bar. Lower yourself back down to the starting position and perform the desired number of reps.
Bent Over Barbell Rows
Another great back exercise is the bent over barbell row. To perform the bent over barbell row you can either pick the bar up from the floor or load it up on a power rack before lifting. If your picking it up from the floor load up a barbell and stand over it with a narrow foot stance. Your feet should be less than shoulder width apart. Now grab hold of the barbell with an overhand grip. Hands should be placed at least shoulder width apart if not slightly more. Now straighten your back by lifting your head up, pushing your chest out and looking infront of you.
Stand up with the bar and let it hang straight down with your arms straight. Bar should be resting on your thighs. Sticking your bum out as if you were sitting on a chair behind you, lower the bar down the thighs just past knee level. At this point your back should be just above parallel to the floor. Now focus on pulling your elbows straight up to the ceiling and raising the bar up to your abdominal area. Lower the bar back to its original position and repeat. Check out the barbell bent over row form article for a far more detailed description of how to perform this exercise.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are king of the back exercises and are a great overall mass builder when it comes to building muscle. Deadlifts work the whole of your lower body including the quads/thighs, hamstrings, calves, lower back and the buttock muscles. To perform the deadlift load up a barbell with the desired weight. Stand over the barbell with feet positioned underneath the bar and shoulder width apart. Grip the bar with an overhand grip that is wider than shoulder width. Knees should now be bent with eyes looking forward, chest out and arms straight.
Ensuring your back stays straight, push up using your heels whilst holding the barbell, bringing your hips forward as you do so. Try and make sure you bring the bar up in a straight line keeping your back straight at all times whilst looking forward. Lower the weight back down your thighs and on to the floor. Check this guide on how to deadlift properly for a far more detailed look at the deadlift.
Lat Pulldowns
The lat pulldown is performed using a pulldown machine. To start with you will need to sit down and position your legs under the knee pads of the pulldown machine. Make sure you are comfortable and can reach the weight easily enough. Now grab the bar with an overhand grip and position your hands near each end of the bar.
This should leave you with a wide width grip. You can vary the width of your grip to change things up in your workout but a wide grip is generally prefered to hit the back and lat muscles. Pull the bar straight down to the top of your chest leaning back ever so slightly as you do so. Pause for a moment and then slowly return the bar to its starting position.
