Beginners Back Workout Guide
Always remember to warm up for these exercises. lay flat on your tummy, then push your upper body up by pushing your hands down on the floor.
keep your hands in line under your chin and look up.
keep your arms straight and your hands together.
push your hips to the ground, maximizing the angle between your body and the floor.
as with other stretching exercises, do not bounce when stretching your tummy.
[highlight]Pull Ups:[/highlight] Pull ups are a good starting exercise as no weights are involved.Pull-ups & chin-ups are one of the best exercises for the upper back and biceps. The pullup is not just a back muscle exercise. Pullups work your lats (and other back muscles), core, shoulders, arms, chest, biceps and improve grip strength. That's why you should be doing pullups! Address the pull up bar with both hands about 9 inches apart, with the forearms parallel to each other. Hang from a pullup bar with your palms facing away from your body, your arms straight and your feet crossed together with legs bent about 90 degrees. Pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar.
[highlight]Back extensions:[/highlight] Back extensions are a great exercise to strengthen the extensors muscles in the back. Place yourself face down on a hyper extension bench with your feet hooked under the rear pads. Place your hand across your chest and bend at the waist until your upper body is perpendicular to the floor. Slowly raise your upper body until it is parallel with the floor. To make this exercise harder, hold a weighted plate in your hands. Be careful not to over extent the back muscles on return as this may damage your back muscles. Attempt this exercise for 10-15 reps over 3-4 sets.
[highlight]Seated Row:[/highlight] Sit on the bench with your feet braced against the seated row machine feet support
Grab the handles and extend your arms forward, and bend forward slightly feeling the stretch in your lats
Pull the handles toward your body and touch them to your abdomen
Your back should arch slightly with your chest sticking out - as if trying to touch your shoulder blades together
In a controlled motion, return to the starting position and repeat. Attempt this exercise for 10-15 reps over 3-4 sets.
[highlight]Lat Pull Down:[/highlight] Grab the lat pulldown bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder width with an overhand grip.Sit down with arms fully extended overhead.Pull the bar straight down either in front of or behind your head. (If in front, pull the bar to the top of your chest. If behind, pull the bar to the back of your neck.) Return to starting position. and repeat. Attempt this exercise for 10-15 reps over 3-4 sets.
[highlight]One Arm Row:[/highlight] With a dumbbell in your right hand and your left knee on a training bench (from the knee down to the ankle, with your foot hanging over the edge). Bend forward so your back is parallel with the training bench. With the dumbbell hanging down toward the floor and your palms facing inward, slowly pull the dumbbell to your side, ensuring the elbow is tucked in tight and pointing toward the ceiling. Slowly lower and repeat. Attempt this exercise for 10-15 reps over 3-4 sets.
After all exercises are complete, always remember to do a full warm down of the muscles used in you routine. Warming down is still an essential part of training and does help to combat muscle.
Always remember to warm up for these exercises. lay flat on your tummy, then push your upper body up by pushing your hands down on the floor.
keep your hands in line under your chin and look up.
keep your arms straight and your hands together.
push your hips to the ground, maximizing the angle between your body and the floor.
as with other stretching exercises, do not bounce when stretching your tummy.
[highlight]Pull Ups:[/highlight] Pull ups are a good starting exercise as no weights are involved.Pull-ups & chin-ups are one of the best exercises for the upper back and biceps. The pullup is not just a back muscle exercise. Pullups work your lats (and other back muscles), core, shoulders, arms, chest, biceps and improve grip strength. That's why you should be doing pullups! Address the pull up bar with both hands about 9 inches apart, with the forearms parallel to each other. Hang from a pullup bar with your palms facing away from your body, your arms straight and your feet crossed together with legs bent about 90 degrees. Pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar.
[highlight]Back extensions:[/highlight] Back extensions are a great exercise to strengthen the extensors muscles in the back. Place yourself face down on a hyper extension bench with your feet hooked under the rear pads. Place your hand across your chest and bend at the waist until your upper body is perpendicular to the floor. Slowly raise your upper body until it is parallel with the floor. To make this exercise harder, hold a weighted plate in your hands. Be careful not to over extent the back muscles on return as this may damage your back muscles. Attempt this exercise for 10-15 reps over 3-4 sets.
[highlight]Seated Row:[/highlight] Sit on the bench with your feet braced against the seated row machine feet support
Grab the handles and extend your arms forward, and bend forward slightly feeling the stretch in your lats
Pull the handles toward your body and touch them to your abdomen
Your back should arch slightly with your chest sticking out - as if trying to touch your shoulder blades together
In a controlled motion, return to the starting position and repeat. Attempt this exercise for 10-15 reps over 3-4 sets.
[highlight]Lat Pull Down:[/highlight] Grab the lat pulldown bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder width with an overhand grip.Sit down with arms fully extended overhead.Pull the bar straight down either in front of or behind your head. (If in front, pull the bar to the top of your chest. If behind, pull the bar to the back of your neck.) Return to starting position. and repeat. Attempt this exercise for 10-15 reps over 3-4 sets.
[highlight]One Arm Row:[/highlight] With a dumbbell in your right hand and your left knee on a training bench (from the knee down to the ankle, with your foot hanging over the edge). Bend forward so your back is parallel with the training bench. With the dumbbell hanging down toward the floor and your palms facing inward, slowly pull the dumbbell to your side, ensuring the elbow is tucked in tight and pointing toward the ceiling. Slowly lower and repeat. Attempt this exercise for 10-15 reps over 3-4 sets.
After all exercises are complete, always remember to do a full warm down of the muscles used in you routine. Warming down is still an essential part of training and does help to combat muscle.