Keep Your Back in Mind
If you’re similar to many individuals, you might be overworking the muscles that are most noticeable or concentrating primarily on the exercises that garner the most acclaim in the gym, such as the bench press and curls. While a powerful and expansive chest and well-defined biceps are undoubtedly goals to strive for, it’s crucial not to neglect the posterior side of your body in favor of your back. This can result in an imbalanced physique and a higher probability of injury. A robust, well-toned back contributes much more than just to your aesthetics.
Developing a powerful, broad back significantly enhances more than just your appearance. Continue reading to discover how to achieve a well-defined back and understand its critical importance.
Why It’s Crucial to Strengthen Your Back
There are numerous compelling reasons to cultivate a strong and chiseled back. It’s not solely about aesthetics but also about practicality. Your back significantly impacts your daily activities, so relax, sip your pre-workout drink or BCAAs, and let’s delve in.
Supports Everyday Functions
Back muscles are not only key to enhancing your physical appearance but also play a major role in many daily activities. Your lower back assists in lifting, carrying, and maintaining your upright posture, while your upper back supports your shoulder girdle, head, and neck.
Enhances Body Composition
Next to your legs, your back houses some of the largest muscle groups in your body, making them energy-expensive to train, thereby enhancing your body composition.
Sporting a wide, well-defined back not only looks impressive, but also enhances your overall physique. A broad back can make your shoulders appear wider, contributing to a coveted V-shaped torso, considered a hallmark of male physical appeal (1).
Improves Posture
Though you can’t increase your height, strengthening your back muscles will correct your posture, making you appear taller.
Many men aspire to build the most formidable and voluminous chest possible, but you could be sacrificing muscle gains if you only concentrate on your chest. The more robust your back muscles are, the heavier the weights you can handle in chest exercises. They aid in stabilizing your shoulder joints, facilitating heavier lifts.
Addresses Muscular Discrepancies
Additionally, many men disproportionately focus on their chest muscles, often leading to muscular imbalances. Overworking your pushing muscles more than your pulling muscles significantly heightens the risk of injury. For those with desk jobs who spend most of their day behind a computer, it’s recommended to put extra focus on pulling exercises over pushing ones to prevent shoulders from rolling forward and other imbalances.
In fact, a 2019 study revealed that a minimum of 75 percent of call center employees experienced back pain (2).
Lower back discomfort is prevalent, especially as we age, making it crucial to fortify your lower back muscles (3).
Furthermore, many sports, including rock climbing, swimming, and boxing, heavily rely on well-developed back muscles.
Additionally, you’ll achieve more defined and bulkier arms by working on your back. This is because your biceps act as secondary muscles for many back exercises. Hence, many people pair back and bicep workouts in their routines.
Back Muscles, Workouts, Repetitions, and Sets
So, which muscles constitute the back? What exercises are most effective for sculpting a defined back? Let’s explore the components involved in crafting a meticulously ripped back.
Key Back Muscles
The back consists of several crucial muscles:
- Latissimus Dorsi – (creates the v-shape) – the exterior back muscle forming the “wing” shape
- Rhomboids – located in the upper middle back, used to retract the shoulder blades
- Trapezius – large, triangular muscles spanning the upper part of the back and neck
- Erector Spinae – runs vertically along the spine, aiding in erect posture and lateral movement
Therefore, it’s essential to incorporate exercises targeting all these muscles when aiming for a defined back.
Key Exercises
Weighted Pull-Ups
Weighted calisthenics is a true test of relative strength. When executing pull-ups, you’re defying gravity by lifting your body weight, which is highly demanding. Now, consider adding extra weight on top of your body weight. This method will develop the strong, sculpted back you desire.
Barbell Bent-over Row
A foundational compound movement, this exercise is essential for back workouts and a staple for good reason. Loading a barbell with weight allows you to utilize heavier weights to build strong, ripped back muscles.
Lat Pulldown
As the name suggests, the lat pulldown is specifically designed to target your latissimus dorsi. Performed on a cable machine, it allows you to overload your lats without fatiguing your arms.
Dumbbell Single-arm Row
A classic exercise requiring just dumbbells, the dumbbell row isolates the lat muscles for increased volume. It also enhances your core stability.
Dumbbell Pullover
The dumbbell pullover targets the back and also works the chest and triceps. Studies and exercise scientists have noted its role in promoting good posture (4).might recognize this exercise from Arnold Schwarzenegger, as it was a key part of his bodybuilding regimen.
Repetitions and Sets
To sculpt a well-defined back, it’s essential to perform the appropriate volume for optimal muscle development. Some exercises are best with fewer reps and more weight, while others benefit from slightly lighter weight and increased reps.
For instance, with weighted calisthenics — such as weighted pull-ups — I suggest using heavier weights and maintaining a lower rep range. Similarly, a substantial compound movement like the barbell bent-over row should also be performed with heavier weights and fewer reps. These exercises are designed for strength, and your lats will become more pronounced if you properly overload them with sufficient weight.
Conversely, for exercises like the dumbbell single-arm row and dumbbell pullover, you can reduce the weight slightly and increase the repetitions. The biomechanical design of these movements doesn’t support the same heavy loads as the aforementioned exercises. They are mainly focused on volume and adding more definition to your back muscles. Overloading these movements with too much weight can compromise your form and increase the risk of injury.
Sample Back Workout
- Weighted pull-ups 3 sets x 5-8 reps
- Barbell bent-over row 3 sets x 5-8 reps
- Lat pulldown 3 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell single-arm row 2 sets x 8-10 reps
- Dumbbell pullover 2 sets x 8-10 reps
Body Fat Percentage
To highlight your back muscles effectively, aim for a lower body fat percentage. Target 8-12% body fat to achieve a ripped back and accentuate your back muscles, although anything below 15% will still showcase them.
Remember, nutrition plays a crucial role in your fitness journey. Ensure you consume the right amounts of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates to help build your ideal physique.
Ripped Back Summary
While a strong, wide back is often overshadowed by pectoral muscles, having a well-defined back provides the coveted V-shape and also enhances your overall strength and injury prevention. Incorporate some of the exercises mentioned in this article to progress towards achieving a shredded back.
What’s your go-to back exercise? Share with us and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
References
1 – Braun, M. F., & Bryan, A. (2006). Female waist-to-hip and male waist-to-shoulder ratios as determinants of romantic partner desirability. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 23(5), 805–819. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407506068264
2 – Bontrup, C., Taylor, W. R., Fliesser, M., Visscher, R., Green, T., Wippert, P. M., & Zemp, R. (2019). Low back pain and its relationship with sitting behaviour among sedentary office workers. Applied ergonomics, 81, 102894. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2019.102894
3 – Meucci, R. D., Fassa, A. G., & Faria, N. M. (2015). Prevalence of chronic low back pain: systematic review. Revista de saude publica, 49, 1. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-8910.2015049005874
4 – Nucharapon Liangruenrom, Kanyapat Suttikasem, Melinda Craike, et al. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour research in Thailand: a systematic scoping review. BMC Public Health. 2018, Vol.18, No.1,