5 Workouts That Will Help You Build a Massive Back
The concept of building a killer back remains to be elusive to many beginners, and the ever-attractive abs of celebrities has undermined the need to bolster their back and gain power. You might have felt a stinging back pain almost every time you finish pumping up your biceps or perform a rigorous set of close grip pushups. The reason for the pain can be categorized into two parts. Firstly, wrong posture can hinder your muscle growth and make you writhe in pain. However, in spite of proper posture and workout regime, the pain still remains detachable and you start to think what could be the reason behind this. Well, weak back muscles can be blamed for this, and back pains can be downright appalling and the sense of uneasiness never seems to leave your body.
Power packed back is not only an alluring achievement, but prevents from any unintended damage and helps you build insane body power. With a well-shaped and bolstered back, legs day will start turning into a piece of cake, and your core area develops simultaneously. Below are 5 workouts that will help you unlock unmatched body potential, and shape up your physique the way you have desired.
Chin-Ups: Let us start with the old-fashioned chin-ups. Almost every exercise has been tweaked or an alternative has been found, but the normal grip chin-ups never went out of fashion. Any ardent gym trainer will always book 5 minutes of your gym regime for traditional chin-ups. For beginners, this is an unavoidable exercise, and the amount of strength needed to complete one set of 10 repetitions will kickstart your gym life and can be seen as a stepping stone to a well-toned figure.
Traditional chin-ups require minimal equipment and maximum strength so anything that can support thrice your body weight can be seen as a pull-up equipment. You need to suspend your feet few inches from the ground, so that you do not touch the ground everytime you complete one repetition. Wide grips are advised for beginners, and experienced ones can alter among normal, wide, and close grip chin-ups. With experience and power, weights can be piled on as well. You can chain yourself up with a 5 kilo block and then perform the chin-ups to increase the difficulty levels. Chin-ups are one of the most widely regarded exercises for back or biceps brachii to be more specific. Pull-ups are another alternative to chin-ups and differ slightly in terms of grip and posture, although the science and technique behind it remains the same.
Barbell Rack Rows: Chin-ups required minimal equipment, and the barbell rack rows depends completely on equipment and its efficiency. Barbell Rack Rows enable you to pile up as much weight as you can bear and keep your posture right. You can also use simple barbell rods and add weights where no such equipment is present. Posture is the most significant part of any exercise and it becomes critical for any back exercise.
You need to bend slightly with your knees pointing outwards and your backbone remaining straight even when you are pulling the weight up. Shoulder width grip is a must, and mark your grip before starting off. Start off vigorously and pull up the barbell towards your rib cage, and slowly keep it down on the rack to avoid any injuries and soak in the pressure. With the barbell on the rack for a second, start with the next repetition and continue for 10 times and in a set of 4. You can ease up a little and get your posture right before piling on the weights.
Alternating Kettlebell Rows: An advanced variation of the typical kettlebell rows, the alternating kettlebell rows is an effective and space-efficient exercise. All you need to have is variable kettlebell so that you can add on or subtract weights as and when necessary. The working principle of kettlebell rows is similar to the barbell rack rows, the only difference here remains that the obliques are toned well in addition to killer lower back.
Take your position with your knees slightly bend, and suspend both your arms with your fists facing the ground. Start with your right or favored arm and pull up towards your armpit, and as you pull up slightly tweak your oblique and past your torso. Repeat the same with your alternate hand, and continue it for another 9 repetitions in a set of 4. Keep in mind that one repetition includes both hands. Variations can be implemented as and when you need to change your workout routine.
Close-Grip Front Lat pulldown: Focusing on the lats, the close-grip front lateral pulldown is an efficient and effective way of bolstering your lats along with your shoulders. This requires a pulldown machinery and a light rod with cushion suspended to it. Much like any pulldown, you need to keep a close-grip, two fingers separation preferred. Pull it down with your back straight and allowing your body to counter the weight and bring it down till your chin and slowly let it go up just before it hits the initiation mark. Perform this for another 14 times and pile on weights gradually after each set.
Seated Cable Rows: Working on your entire back, seated cable rows, is a must have in every back-exercise day. With the pulldown machine ready for you, attach the cables to the hinge parallel to your upper abdomen. Now use the feet support to pull the cables close to you with your back straight and stifling your arms as close to your ribs as it can get. Just like any pulldown release it till it reaches the mark, andagain pull it closer. Weights and repetitions are to be managed as per your capability. It is important to keep your body tight and straight while pulling, and the cable reaching your stomach and your hands as close to your ribs.
Back exercises can be a pain in the wrong place, but it bears fruits that will benefit you in the long run. Proper stretching and any kind of previous back injury should be kept in mind before hitting the deck hard. Back injuries can be damaging both physically and psychologically and tends to remain unnoticed. Prolong exposure to heavy weights should be avoided, and the use of safety belts tied to the waist is preferred. Back exercises should be performed under your trainer’s discretion, and try not to deviate from the original course of things. Back muscles take time to develop, so patience is the need of the hour.
