Strengthen Your Back Muscles Safely
Michael Fatica
Back Injury Expert. Speaker. Lead Consultant Osteopath For Back In Shape Program.
The muscles of the back help provide you with good posture as well as safeguard you from lower back pain and sciatica, and in the unfortunate event that you do suffer a low back injury, such as a herniated disc, strong back muscles will help massively reduce the time it takes to get better. The muscles of your back also play a vital role in transferring the incredible power generated from the leg and hip muscles into the upper body when we move, run or lift. They’re involved in practically every activity you could think of, from carrying the shopping, to sitting at your desk, putting your child in a car seat, to going for a run.
Having some safe exercises that you can perform at home or in the gym to strengthen these muscles will prove to be a major asset in your health and wellbeing. So in today’s tutorial we’ll be covering some exercises you can use to help strengthen these muscles effectively.
To watch the full video click here.
Check your posture & core engagement before you start
One of the important things to remember before you begin to exercise these back muscles is that they work with other muscles. You must make sure that you have good posture and tighten your core when doing any and all of these back muscle exercises. A simple chest pop can be initiated to elevate the rib cage, and a tightening of your core muscles will immediately engage these muscles which will help you more effectively work the back muscles you’re targeting.
Which muscles of the back are we working
Most of these exercises will work the entire back muscle system, but some muscles will be worked a little more than others. For example, your “erector spinae” muscles will be active throughout all of the exercises holding your spine still. Your shoulder and upper back muscles such as the “posterior deltoids”, “rotator cuff” and “trapezius” will all be working through these movements to assist the “latissimus dorsi” in being the main driver of these movements. As you can see, for the majority of people these exercises will form a very comprehensive foundation of back muscle strength to help you get started.
If you’re a bodybuilder or advanced trainer, chances are you’re going to want to add in some other specific movements to focus on smaller areas. However, for the majority of us with limited time and a need to be effective, these exercises are going to be perfect!
How to strengthen the muscles in your back effectively
For each of these exercises we recommend performing 10 reps, for 3 to 5 sets. You can rest for about 30 to 60 seconds between each set and should choose weights or resistances that are a challenge on the 4th and 5th set, but “manageable” on the 1st and 2nd set when you have a little more energy.?
Back muscle exercise: single arm row standing
Equipment: resistance band or cable system
This exercise is a great starting point as it allows you to focus on your technique with one arm at a time. The added benefit is that because you’re using one arm, the resistance or weight will be less and so it’s a little safer.
Extra tip: As you perform this exercise your torso should remain perfectly still and not twist. However, as you become better at the exercise, you can add in a little rotation at the end of the repetition to help stretch the back muscle and squeeze the contraction more. This will also work the core a little more too!
Back muscle exercise: double arm row standing
Equipment: resistance band or cable system
This exercise will help you really generate some power as you use both arms together, but be careful to ensure good posture and a neutral spine throughout the movement.
Extra Tip: Your posture should remain strong throughout this exercise as you lower the weight. However, with experience, you can use this exercise as an opportunity to practice the exaggerated chest pop. As you lower the cables to the front, you can allow your posture to lower forwards slightly, and as you pull back to the end position you restore an extra chest pop. This will provide a little extra practice of that chest pop movement and you’ll likely feel the difference.
Standing row variations
Both of these standing row variations can be done in the seated position too. At home, using a dining table chair, or in the gym using a bench can offer a great way for you to perform this exercise seated if you so desire. You will find that it is a little easier to balance yourself as you increase the resistances you are using.
领英推荐
Back muscle exercise: tripod rows
Equipment: dumbbell, kettlebell, resistance bands, gym bench, sturdy chair
This exercise will allow you to continue to increase the weights you’re using to challenge the muscles of your back even more so. You must however make sure that you are in a position that is stable with your low back posture in a good position. Just because you’re in this position does not mean you should get lazy with your core or posture.?
Extra tip: Adjusting the height of the chair or bench you’re using will mean your torso is closer to flat, or a little more upright. In these different positions, you will find that you work different areas of the back more. For example, the flatter your body is, the more you will generally work the lower back muscles. As you increase the angle of your torso, you will often feel that your upper and middle back get a little more stimulation.
Back muscle exercise: renegade rows
Equipment: dumbbell or kettlebell (advanced)
These offer a great way for you to work the back muscles with smaller weights than you might use on other exercises, but tire yourself out because of the nature of this exercise.
Extra tip: To make this exercise even more of a “workout” in its own right, add in a press up after you complete each repetition: left arm, right arm, press up, repeat. Using kettlebells for this should only be done with larger kettlebells and requires significantly more balance and should be considered carefully for the more advanced individuals.
Back muscle exercise: barbell bent over row
Equipment: barbell or dumbbells
This is by far the most challenging exercise for the back predominantly because you are holding yourself in the hip hinge position during the entire exercise. You should be competent at using significantly more weight on your standard hip hinge or deadlift before attempting this exercise. For example, if your deadlift or hip hinge is being done comfortably with 80kg, then a 30-40 kg weight on this exercise might be reasonable.?
Extra tip: altering your grip from double under grip to double over grip will result in you feeling the movement slightly differently. Experiment with which you feel most comfortable with and most challenged, and work accordingly.
Back muscle exercises: Extra options
In addition to these “staple back muscle exercises there are many other options and variations that you can experiment with. For example:
Ultimately it is important that you choose an option that works well for you and that you can increase over time, the nice thing about the main options we’ve chosen in this tutorial is that you can progress them from the lightest possible level for the absolute beginner with a back injury, all the way to significant weight for the advanced bodybuilder or powerlifter. These are exercises that are well worth investing time into so you can perform them with great technique as they will pay dividends over the months and years to come!
Final thoughts on back muscle exercises
Ultimately these exercises work the top half of the equation, they’re great for core strength and spine stability. They pair perfectly with some of the other exercises that we talk about in the Back In Shape Program and can be combined perfectly with these to create real health and wellbeing, massively reducing the risk of lower back injury.
In particular the hip hinge and squats pair perfectly with these back exercises to complete the strengthening of your “posterior chain”. This is the continuous chain of muscles that run from the base of your skull to the sole of your foot, an area that is weaker than it should be in many individuals with lower back pain and sciatica. If you invest your time sensibly in these exercises and build strength safely over time, you’ll find you dramatically reduce your risk of injury. In the unlikely event you are injured, you’ll also find you recover much more quickly!
For full tutorials on the squat and hip hinge, as well as our popular “fixing back pain masterclass” check out the links below: