Every man should be focusing on back exercises at least once a week. A gigantic back is the defining characteristic of a dominant physique. Big arms and a chiseled chest are nice but, without a substantial set of traps and lats to back them up, you’ll look like an over-sized chimp with a chronic curling habit – hence, the need for effect back exercises. Aside from developing the coveted v-taper, a bigger, stronger back will improve overall strength and performance while simultaneously enhancing posture.
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To aid you in the process of building a back of which you can be proud, below I, Jordan Syatt, have outlined two of the most commonly made mistakes when it comes to back exercises:
Back Exercises and Using Momentum
When performing back exercises, trainees often make the mistake of using momentum rather than fully contracting the muscles to achieve a full range of motion. For example, when performing one of the more popular back exercises, Dumbbell Rows, many people jerk the dumbbell up to their chest instead of feeling the contraction by actively pulling with their lats and rhomboids. While jerking the dumbbell allows them to handle heavier weight, it will limit muscular involvement for your back exercises and may reduce the lifts total range of motion (ROM). For the best results, use a controlled tempo for all back exercises which facilitates proper technique and allows you to feel the muscles contract.
Back Exercises and Neglecting the Eccentric
The eccentric (lowering) portion of a repetition is just as important as the concentric – especially when it comes to back exercises. Unfortunately, however, many trainees neglect the eccentric component by dropping the weight without the slightest bit of control. While in some cases this is acceptable (such as heavy Deadlifts), the vast majority of exercises should be performed with a controlled eccentric in order to adequately stress the targeted muscles and facilitate gains in both strength and hypertrophy.
The Top Back Exercises for Maximum Results
Below I’ve provided a list of my top 10 back exercises for muscular development. I’d note, there are hundreds upon hundreds of back exercises with endless variations, each of which has a time and place within a well designed training program. That being said, these are my personal favorite back exercises which have produced astounding results time and time again.