#1. Deadlift
Why: The Deadlift recruits an obscene amount of muscle while simultaneously improving strength, size, and athletic performance. Show me a guy with a strong Deadlift in his back exercises repertoire and I’ll show you a guy with a beastly back.
Execution: Set up with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart and the bar within two inches of your shins. Keeping your chest tall and spine flat, sit your butt backwards towards the wall behind you. Grip the bar with an alternating grip (one hand over, one hand under), force your chest up, and drive as hard as possible through your heels – not your toes! Flex your lats throughout the entire lift and, as the bar passes your knees, squeeze your glutes until the hips and knees are completely locked out. Follow the same path when returning to the starting position and repeat for the prescribed number of sets and repetitions.